DailyWorld News - The First International Newspaper From India https://dailyworld.in/ Sat, 20 Sep 2025 04:57:23 +0530 en https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sabalenka-pulls-out-of-china-open-due-to-minor-injury-638940.html Beijing Sep 17 World No 1 womens tennis player Aryna Sabalenka has withdrawn from the China Open due to a minor injury tournament organisers said The Belarusian who broke through with her first major title of the year in the final Grand Slam reached the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 event in Beijing last yearHi all I am sad to announce my withdrawal from the China Open this year after sustaining a small injury after the US Open I am going to focus on being 100 healthy for the rest of the year and I cant wait to see my Chinese fans soon I look forward to returning to Beijing next year and wish the tournament good luck Sabalenka said in a statementSabalenka reached the womens singles finals at the Australian Open French Open and US Open this seasonThe main draw of the 2025 China Open is scheduled to run from September 24 to October 5 American Coco Gauff is the defending champion at the China OpenSabalenka had pulled off a rare repeat at this years at US Open powering past American Amanda Anisimova 63 763 to become the first woman to win backtoback singles titles in Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams in 2014Sabalenka notched her 100th career Grand Slam maindraw match victory wih her US final win and upped her tourleading win total to 56 on the yearAfter unsuccessful finals this year at the Australian Open and Roland Garros the reigning No 1 finally has her first major trophy of 2025 and the fourth of her careerOf the 11 majors Sabalenka played across the past three years she has now won four reached three finals three semifinals and one quarterfinalShe now has two titles each at the US Open and Australian Opens reminiscent of Naomi Osakas run from 201821 except she accomplished it in three years instead of four IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sabalenka-pulls-out-of-china-open-due-to-minor-injury-638940.html Wed, 17 Sep 2025 12:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/davis-cup-cerundolo-lifts-argentina-to-brink-of-finals-fritz-keeps-usa-alive-638215.html New Delhi Sep 13 Francisco Cerundolo and Taylor Fritz delivered pivotal singles victories on Saturday to keep Argentina and the United States firmly in contention for places in the Davis Cup Final 8 Cerundolo powered Argentina to the brink of qualification in Groningen while Fritz ensured the Americans stayed level in Delray Beach World No 21 Cerundolo overcame a shaky start before producing a 764 61 win against Dutch No 1 Botic van de Zandschulp The opening set was a rollercoaster featuring six service breaks but the Argentine steadied in the tiebreak racing ahead 40 before sealing the lead With his forehand firing and confidence surging Cerundolo then raced through the second set clinching his 33rd tourlevel win of the season His victory followed Tomas Martin Etcheverrys 64 64 triumph over Jesper de Jong putting Argentina 20 ahead of last years finalists The 2016 champions can now close out the tie in Saturdays doublesMeanwhile Fritz gave Team USA a muchneeded lift after Jiri Leheckas straightsets dismissal of Frances Tiafoe had put Czechia ahead The World No 5 struck cleanly from the baseline and served with precision to defeat Miami champion Jakub Mensik 64 63 leveling the tie at 11 It was a sharp response from Fritz in their Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry which he now leads 21 having lost to Mensik in Miami earlier this yearFor both nations the wins of their top men underscored leadership in the team setting Cerundolos composure under pressure leaves Argentina on the cusp of backtoback Final appearances while Fritzs resilience ensured the United States avoided falling into a dangerous deficitAs the weekend continues their performances stand as defining moments in the push toward the Davis Cup season finale IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/davis-cup-cerundolo-lifts-argentina-to-brink-of-finals-fritz-keeps-usa-alive-638215.html Sat, 13 Sep 2025 11:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/eala-tjen-set-up-quarterfinal-meeting-in-sao-paulo-637809.html Sao Paulo Sep 11 Alexandra Eala continued her surge Wednesday with a 61 64 win over Julia Riera to reach the quarterfinals of Sao Paulo Open It marks Ealas third quarterfinal of the season coming on the heels of her WTA 125 title in Guadalajara and a firstround upset of Clara Tauson at the US Open in recent weeksThe Filipino star converted all three break points to take the opening set in just over 30 minutesThe second set was more competitive Eala broke in the first game but Riera responded immediately Later Riera saved four match points before the No 3 seed Eala finally closed out the win WTA reportsI said the other day that the Brazilians are super hospitable Thats one thing I think you have in common with the Philippines so Im feeling at home I loved the atmosphere tonight Eala said after the matchNotably Eala has spent less than 25 hours on court including a 70minute victory over Yasmine Mansouri in the first roundNext Eala will face Indonesias topranked player Janice Tjen who dropped just one game in a 61 60 rout of Martina Okalova earlier in the day to advanced to her firstcareer quarterfinalAfter serving up a firstset breadstick Tjen delivered a secondset bagel in a match that lasted just 52 minutes She faced only one break point while forcing 12 of her own converting six Despite landing just over 42 of her first serves she won nearly 86 of those points according to WTA statsWith the win Tjen becomes the first Indonesian woman to reach a WTA quarterfinal since Angelique Widjaja in Bali in 2004The quarterfinal cash It will be Eala and Tjens first career meeting Eala is aiming for her third WTA semifinal of the season Tjen competing in just her second WTAlevel tournament is seeking her first IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/eala-tjen-set-up-quarterfinal-meeting-in-sao-paulo-637809.html Thu, 11 Sep 2025 16:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/tennis-premier-league-adds-gs-delhi-aces-as-new-franchise-637839.html New Delhi Sep 11 GS Delhi Aces have been added to the Tennis Premier League TPL as the new franchise ahead of the 7th edition of the league Guru Samruddhi House of Investments has acquired the GS Delhi Aces franchise Indian tennis legend 18time Grand Slam Champion and Olympic bronze medallist Leander Paes has joined GS Delhi Aces as the brand ambassadorI have been a part of TPL since its inception This year is a special one for the league as it will become Indias fourth sporting league to complete seven successful seasons and I am delighted to be associated with GS Delhi Aces Paes saidThe launch event of GS Delhi Aces took place in Dubai marking the very first team launch at the international stage in the history of TPL Over 500 attendees were presentThe league also features prominent names such as Sania Mirza Ambassador Gurgaon Grand Slammers Mahesh Bhupathi CEO SG Sports Rakul Preet Singh Coowner Hyderabad Strikers and Sonali Bendre Coowner Chennai SmashersSpeaking on the occasion Vijay Pusdekar CMD Guru Samruddhi and Lead Partner GS Delhi Aces said We are immensely proud to represent the confidence of putting on a good show for tennis fans in Delhi and across the countryWelcoming the new franchise Kunal Thakkur cofounder of TPL said We are delighted to welcome Guru Samruddhi House of Investments to the TPL family as we embark on a landmark seventh season This year for the very first time the league will feature ATP topranked players within 3050Mrunal Jain CoFounder of TPL added TPL continues to attract visionary partners like Guru Samruddhi House of Investments With the addition of big corporates we are confident that this season will be historic competitive and truly memorableTPL is the 4th Indian sports league to successfully enter its seventh season joining an elite group of longrunning sporting leagues in India Known for its fastpaced viewerfriendly format and a mix of international stars and emerging Indian players the league continues to attract top investors and global attention IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/tennis-premier-league-adds-gs-delhi-aces-as-new-franchise-637839.html Thu, 11 Sep 2025 17:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcaraz-takes-commanding-lead-in-year-end-no-1-race-637303.html New Delhi Sep 9 Carlos Alcaraz is in a great position to claim ATP YearEnd No 1 for the second time after lifting a US Open trophy at Flushing Meadows and recapturing World No 1 in the ATP rankings After his US Open triumph the Spaniard took a commanding lead in the ATP Live Race To Turin the seasontodate standings which serves as a measuring stick for the yearend No 1 battleAlcaraz now owns a 2590point advantage over his chief rival secondplaced Jannik Sinner in the Live Race No other player is within 6000 points of the Spaniard according to ATP statsThe US Open final was a big opportunity for Sinner to close the gap on Alcaraz and set the stage for an intense yearend No 1 clash in the final two months of the season Had Sinner beaten Alcaraz on Sunday there would have been a 1400point swing in his favourInstead Alcaraz is in perfect position with two ATP Masters 1000 events Shanghai and Paris and the ATP Finals among the tournaments remaining in 2025 He last finished yearend No 1 in 2022Only 10 players have finished as yearend No 1 more than once and Alcaraz can join Rafael Nadal 5 as the second Spaniard to accomplish the feat Alcaraz and Sinner are the only singles players who have already qualified for this years ATP FinalsFifthplaced Ben Shelton and eighthplaced Lorenzo Musetti are trying to qualify for the season finale for the first time Musetti is only 80 points ahead of ninthplaced Jack Draper who announced on Monday he will not compete for the rest of the season due to an arm injuryThe Briton who was ninth in the ATP Live Race To Turin will not be able to make a push for his ATP Finals debut Instead the 23yearold will focus on returning to health after a year in which he won his first ATP Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcaraz-takes-commanding-lead-in-year-end-no-1-race-637303.html Tue, 09 Sep 2025 12:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcarazs-us-open-win-fueled-by-15-day-training-camp-to-outsmart-sinner-reveals-coach-ferrero-637060.html New York Sep 8 After Carlos Alcaraz claimed his second US Open title and the No1 spot in ATP rankings coach Juan Carlos Ferrero revealed that the Spaniard had a 15day camp where the focus was on every detail that he has to improve to take down the Italian Alcaraz had beaten Sinner for the Roland Garros trophy where he needed to save three championship points to do so Two months ago Alcaraz fell to Sinner in the Wimbledon finalAt the grasscourt major Sinner triumphed in four sets to claim his fourth Slam trophy and pull to within one of his rival Alcaraz had plenty to think about and that is exactly what he did according to coach FerreroI think it was very important because we maybe practised for 15 days very focused on the details that we have to improve to play against Jannik We know that in this kind of surface on hard courts Jannik is always very difficult to play and is winning a lot of matches I think it helped a lot because he realised what he has to improve a lot and I was very focused on it said FerreroAlcaraz delivered a classy allaround display to down his great rival 62 36 61 64 and claim his second US Open title and became the youngest male player in history to claim six major titles and enables a triumphant return to the top of the ATP rankings for the first time since September 2023 Alcaraz will begin his 37th week at No 1 on Monday ending Sinners 65week reign at the top of the chartsI think we prepared the match very good watching some matches and seeing the specific details we had to play Carlos did 100 per cent of what he needed to Its easy to say and very difficult to do itThe performance today was perfect I think he compromised with himself to go for the match all the time tried to put pressure on the rival sooner than Jannik I think its one of the keys Ferrero saidI think these guys hit the ball both of them very very fast and I think who hits first takes the advantage on points Carlos has maybe more variety in his game and he can do more like slice go to the net and do more things than maybe Jannik But I think it helps a lot to change a little bit the way of the game he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcarazs-us-open-win-fueled-by-15-day-training-camp-to-outsmart-sinner-reveals-coach-ferrero-637060.html Mon, 08 Sep 2025 11:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/after-us-open-glory-alcaraz-turns-focus-to-his-first-goal-of-completing-a-career-grand-slam-637078.html New York Sep 8 After winning his careers sixth major with his second US Open title Carlos Alcaraz has now shifted his focus to achieving his biggest goal of completing a career Grand Slam as well as the calendar slam Alcaraz has two crowns apiece at Roland Garros Wimbledon and the US Open in his cabinet The only major left is the Australian Open where he will try to secure glory at the start of next seasonIts my first goal to be honest When I just go to the preseason to see what I want to improve what I want to achieve Australian Open is there Its the first or second tournament of the year and it is always the main goal for me to complete a Career Grand Slam Calendar Grand Slam So its going to be great Alcaraz saidAlcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner 62 36 61 64 to claim his sixth major title and second at the US Open and became the second youngest male player in history to claim six Grand Slams titles with his victory over SinnerWith his win in New York the Spaniard returned to the top spot in ATP rankings for the first time since September 2023 and began his 37th week at No 1 on Monday Reflecting on returning to World No 1 Alcaraz said Since I got the chance to recover the No 1 it was one of the first goals that I had during the season just to try to recover the No 1 as soon as possible or end the year as the No 1For me achieving that once again it is a dream Doing it in the same day as getting another Grand Slam feels even better Its everything Im working for and Im really happy to be able to live these experiences he addedNotably after his US Open win Alcaraz has become the fourth player in history to have won multiple major titles on all three surfaces two on hard two on clay and two on grass He joined Novak Djokovic Rafael Nadal and Mats Wilander on the list IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/after-us-open-glory-alcaraz-turns-focus-to-his-first-goal-of-completing-a-career-grand-slam-637078.html Mon, 08 Sep 2025 13:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-sabalenka-defends-crown-with-win-over-anisimova-636911.html New York Sep 7 Aryna Sabalenka solidified her status as the worlds top player on Saturday defeating Amanda Anisimova 63 763 to claim her second consecutive US Open title With the win Sabalenka becomes the first woman to defend her singles crown at Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams in 2014 The top seed and defending champion delivered a powerful and composed performance against the eighthseeded American earning her first Grand Slam title of the 2025 season and the fourth major trophy of her career It also marked her 100th career Grand Slam maindraw victory and 56th win of the season the most on tour this yearSabalenka had reached the finals at both the Australian Open and Roland Garros earlier this year but fell short on both occasions On Saturday she broke through with a determined and emotionally charged display overcoming a spirited challenge from Anisimova who was appearing in her second straight Grand Slam finalThe opening set saw five service breaks between the two players with Sabalenka ultimately gaining the upper hand She broke Anisimova for a third time to go up 53 and closed out the set minutes later when Anisimova missed a forehand wideIn the second set Sabalenka appeared poised to finish the match while serving at 54 but a missed overhead at 30all opened the door for Anisimova to break back and push the set to a tiebreak However Sabalenka responded with poise controlling the tiebreak from the outset and sealing victory on her third championship pointAnisimova who defeated Sabalenka earlier this year in the Wimbledon semifinals came into the match with a 63 headtohead edge but fell short once again Despite the loss the American is projected to break into the Top 5 of the PIF WTA Rankings for the first time IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-sabalenka-defends-crown-with-win-over-anisimova-636911.html Sun, 07 Sep 2025 09:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/i-still-want-to-play-grand-slams-djokovic-hushes-retirement-talks-after-us-open-sf-loss-636781.html New York Sep 6 Novak Djokovic confirmed that he wants to play a full Grand Slam season next year after losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinal of the 2025 US Open Alcaraz and Djokovic continued their intergenerational rivalry where the 22yearold Spaniard overcame the 38yearold Serbian 64 764 62 to reach his seventh major final and second in New YorkI still want to play Grand Slams and a full Grand Slam season next year said the Serb Lets see whether thats going to happen or not But Slams are Slams they are just different from any other tournament They are the pillars of our sport the most important tournaments we have said DjokovicIn a largely highquality absorbing twohour and 25minute clash on Arthur Ashe Stadium Alcaraz avenged his recent losses to Djokovic at this years Australian Open and the 2024 Paris Olympics to stay on track for his sixth Grand Slam title and a return to No 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings as per ATPIm happy with my level of tennis but its just the physicality of it As I said after the quarterfinals the press conference when I spoke to you guys I said Im going to do my very best to get my body in shape to sustain that level and that rhythm for as many hours as its needed said Djokovic who is 54 in his ATP Head2Head series with Alcaraz But it wasnt enough Thats something I unfortunately at this point in time in my career cant controlThe 100time tourlevel titlist said it is frustrating when he is unable to maintain his level physically But he was also realistic in explaining that at his age it is expectedIt comes with time and with age Djokovic said I still enjoy the thrill of competition Today I received amazing support again on the court from the crowd Very thankful for that I thoroughly enjoyed myself Yeah thats one of the biggest reasons why I keep on going The love that Ive been getting around the world has been amazing the last couple of years Djokovic concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/i-still-want-to-play-grand-slams-djokovic-hushes-retirement-talks-after-us-open-sf-loss-636781.html Sat, 06 Sep 2025 12:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/kslta-itf-juniors-deepshika-scripts-comeback-rohith-dominates-to-clinch-titles-636841.html Bengaluru Sep 6 The KSLTA ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium concluded on Saturday as Rohith Gobinath and eighth seed Deepshika Vinayagamurthy emerged as champions in the Boys and Girls Singles respectively The Girls final produced a rollercoaster that lasted over three hours Top seed Snigdha Kanta dominated the opener 61 but Deepshika Vinayagamurthy showed grit to claw back in a tight second set The 15yearold broke Snigdhas second serve to take a 31 lead only for Snigdha to snap back and level at 33 Neither athlete gave an inch in a gruelling set to reach 66 before Snigdha sealed the tiebreak with only three points concededIn the decider Deepshika went ahead 31 before Snigdha fought back to 33 and the tension peaked when Snigdha broke back at 45 to stay alive But Deepshika dug deep and bagged the set 75 to take the titleRohith Gobinath breezed past his opponent to secure the title in 87 minutes The first set was evenly contested with both players holding their serve and taking three games each in the early exchanges Leveraging his strong backhand Rohith eventually clinched the set 75 Carrying that momentum into the second set he tightened his grip with early breaks to race to a 41 lead in the set and eventually sealed the contest 75 61 Speaking on his maiden ITF Junior Title Rohith Gobinath said My plan was to attack his service game and I took the first set after a tough battle I was in better physical condition in the second set and was able to do well I am thrilled as this is a big win in my career Reflecting on her victory Deepshika Vinayagamurthy added Snigdha is an amazing player and I went in with a mindset to just play my best In the first set she was playing extraordinary tennis and was finishing points too quickly so in the second set I got back to my basics and tried to drag the match a bit so I was able to make her play more get my rhythm and finish the match Boys Singles Finals Rohith Hari Balaji Gobina Gobinath bt Om Verma 75 61 Girls Singles Finals 8 Deepshika Vinayagamurthy bt 1 Snigdha Kanta 16 76 3 75 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/kslta-itf-juniors-deepshika-scripts-comeback-rohith-dominates-to-clinch-titles-636841.html Sat, 06 Sep 2025 18:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-sabalenka-tops-pegula-to-reach-womens-singles-final-636575.html New York Sep 5 Top seed and defending US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka beat fourth seed Jessica Pegula in a thrilling threeset semifinal 46 63 64 in Arthur Ashe Stadium to sail into the final This was Sabalenkas fifth consecutive US Open semifinal The last player to reach five straight semis in New York was American Serena Williams 201116It will be Sabalenkas seventh Grand Slam final her fourth in the past five majors and her third in a row in New York leaving her one win from successfully defending her US Open titleAwaiting the winner of the Amanda AnisimovaNaomi Osaka semifinal Sabalenka will attempt to become the first player to win consecutive US Open womens singles titles since Serena Williams took three straight between 2012 and 2014Pegula took full advantage early playing a sharp measured opening set that kept Sabalenka off balance She limited herself to only three unforced errors stayed aggressive on return and drew the crowd into every rallyThe 27yearold Sabalenka who fell short in both the Australian Open and Roland Garros finals as well as the Wimbledon semis again struck first in the second set this time consolidating for an early 30 edge eventually forcing a deciderServing to open the third set at 3040 Pegula sent a forehand beyond the baseline to dig herself a hole The American would continue to put pressure on Sabalenkas serve especially in the sixth game which lasted some nine minutes But the 30yearold would manage to convert just two of seven break chances on the nightServing for the match at 54 4030 Sabalenka smacked what seemed to be a routine overhead into the net Pegula would save one more match point but couldnt save a third falling in two hours and five minutesIt was a really tough match She played incredible tennis as always I had to work really hard to get this win Im super happy to get the win against Jess because shes such a great player great fighter They are always tough matches Im super happy to be in the final again said Sabalenka IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-sabalenka-tops-pegula-to-reach-womens-singles-final-636575.html Fri, 05 Sep 2025 10:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-yuki-bhambris-dream-run-ends-with-semifinal-loss-636582.html New York Sep 5 Indias Yuki Bhambri and his partner Michael Venus of New Zealand lost to British duo Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski in the US Open mens doubles semifinal bringing their dream run to an end Bhambri and Venus who only just teamed up this summer after success with others suffered 7672 6758 46 loss in the thrilling semifinal against the British duoBhambri who playing her maiden Grand Slam semifinal was the last remaining Indian challenge at this years US Open Anirudh Chandrasekar and Vijay Sundar Prashanths run came to an end with a 64 63 defeat to Brazils Fernando Romboli and Australias JohnPatrick SmithEarlier Indian veteran Rohan Bopanna and his partner Romain Arneodo of Monaco crashed out in the opening round on Saturday Arjun Kadhe and his partner Diego Hidalgo of Ecuador also made a firstround exitThe contest played in Louis Armstrong Stadium was closely fought at least until the firstset tiebreak started Then Bhambri and Venus ran away with it giving up just two points to grab the first frame 762 US Open reportsIn the second set Bhambri and Venus took control by breaking their opponents serve in the first game It looked as if an upset was imminent until Bhambri and Venus dropped serve as well A few more tight tense games followed resulting in yet another tiebreak This time the tiebreakand the setwent to the Brits 765In the third set Salisbury and Skupski were suddenly dominantindeed indomitableespecially at the net Up 53 the Brits earned a trio of match points all three of which they squandered But when serving with the match on their racquets Salisbury and Skupski won the deciding set 64Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski will face Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in the Mens Doubles Championship title at the US OpenGranollers and Zeballos advanced to the final by defeating the unseeded American duo Robert Cash and JJ Tracy in three sets 63 36 61 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-yuki-bhambris-dream-run-ends-with-semifinal-loss-636582.html Fri, 05 Sep 2025 11:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-anisimova-sets-final-clash-with-sabalenka-with-sf-win-over-osaka-636590.html New York Sep 5 Amanda Anisimova continued her breakout season with another statement victory edging past Naomi Osaka to book her place in the US Open final Just two months after reaching her first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon the American rallied from a set down to defeat the fourtime major champion 674 763 63 in a thrilling contest that stretched just under three hours inside Arthur Ashe StadiumAnisimovas win was historic making her the first player to ever beat Osaka in a major semifinal The match saw both players trade breaks relentlessly through the opening two sets before Anisimova steadied herself in the decisive stages Osaka dominated the firstset tiebreak but the 27yearold American hit back in the second racing through her own breaker to level the match as per WTANaomi is playing amazing tennis Anisimova said after the match Shes back where she belongs and I told her Im so proud of her After having a baby to be playing at this level its insane She was really giving me a run for the final and I wasnt sure Id make it past the finish lineThis tournament means so much to me and I think that was really getting to me In the end I was just trying to fight my way through and enjoy the moment We were both playing some amazing tennis and sometimes I was like How are we making these shots But we were and we just kept goingIn the deciding set Anisimova secured a crucial break at 31 and held her nerve saving two break points while serving for the match before closing it out on her third opportunity She finished with 50 winners handing Osaka just her third Grand Slam hardcourt defeat after winning the opening setThe result sets up a showdown with world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka a rematch of their Wimbledon semifinal which Anisimova won With her second straight Slam final she also ensures that an American woman has featured in every major final this season the first time that has happened since 2002 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-anisimova-sets-final-clash-with-sabalenka-with-sf-win-over-osaka-636590.html Fri, 05 Sep 2025 13:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-osaka-overcomes-muchova-to-reach-semis-636326.html New York Sep 4 Naomi Osaka secured her spot in the US Open semifinals on Thursday with a hardfought 64 763 victory over Karolina Muchova marking a powerful statement in her comeback to toplevel tennis The fourtime Grand Slam champion seeded 23rd and returning to form after a long maternity break maintained her perfect record in major quarterfinals now standing at 50 This win sets up a highstakes semifinal clash with Amanda Anisimova as Osaka continues her impressive run at Flushing Meadows four years after capturing her last major titleIt means so much Im surprised Im not crying said OsakaI was sitting up there watching and hoping I would have an opportunity to play on this court again so my dreams are coming true Theres been so much hard work you guys havent seen Im just grateful to my team Hopefully you guys will come and watch my next roundMuchova who had spent over 10 grueling hours on court across her first four matches took a medical timeout after narrowly losing the opening set receiving treatment in the locker room for a suspected left leg issue Despite returning with her thigh heavily strapped she came out aggressively and broke Osaka early in the second set Though visibly hampered in her movement at times Muchova continued to challenge Osaka with her crafty and unpredictable style of play breaking to take a 54 lead However Osaka regained control just in time forcing a tiebreak and ultimately sealing the match to advanceIt was an incredibly difficult match She is one of the best players in the world Every time I play against her its so difficult Osaka saidLast year she beat me when I had one of my best outfits I was really upset Im just grateful to be here IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-osaka-overcomes-muchova-to-reach-semis-636326.html Thu, 04 Sep 2025 09:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-yuki-bhambri-reaches-first-ever-grand-slam-semi-final-636354.html New York Sep 4 Indias Yuki Bhambri reached his firstever Grand Slam semifinal after he and his New Zealand partner Michael Venus secured a spot in the US Open mens doubles last four The IndoKiwi pair pulled off a notable upset against the 11thseeded duo of Nikola Mektic and Rajeev Ram clinching a hardfought 63 678 63 victory in their quarterfinal showdown on Court 17 on WednesdayFor 33yearold Bhambri this marks a significant milestone in his career Once the junior world No 1 and winner of the 2009 Australian Open boys title he has now achieved his bestever result at a senior Grand Slam His journey marked by persistent injuries and a transition from singles to doubles has finally brought him to a major semifinal a breakthrough momentThe duos success adds another chapter to Indias storied history in mens doubles following in the footsteps of legends like Leander Paes Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan BopannaIn their quarterfinal clash Bhambri and Venus struck early A sharp return winner from Bhambri on Mektics serve gave them a 31 lead Although Venus faced pressure in the next game he held firm to consolidate the break The first set was wrapped up with a confident volley winner from Bhambri off Rams returnMomentum shifted in the second set as Bhambri dropped his serve early allowing Mektic and Ram back into the contest Despite levelling the set at 44 the IndoKiwi duo eventually lost it in a tight tiebreak with Bhambri doublefaulting on set pointIn the deciding set Bhambri held firm under pressure saving a crucial break point in the third game Then with Mektic serving at 43 the 11th seeds faltered A double fault at deuce and a brilliant angled backhand from Bhambri earned the decisive break Venus faced a stern test serving for the match falling behind 040 but the pair saved five break points in total before closing it out when Rams return clipped the netBhambri and Venus will now take on sixthseeded Brits Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski for a place in the final looking to extend their fairytale runEarlier Bhambri and Venus had eliminated the fourthseeded duo of Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz in the prequarterfinals IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-yuki-bhambri-reaches-first-ever-grand-slam-semi-final-636354.html Thu, 04 Sep 2025 12:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/grateful-to-have-prevailed-in-a-challenging-match-says-bhambri-on-us-open-semis-entry-636382.html New York Sep 4 Indias Yuki Bhambri said it was a challenging match after he sealed a firstever Grand Slam semifinal spot in the US Open on Thursday Bhamri along with his mens doubles partner Michael Venus of New Zealand stunned the 11th seeds Nikola Mektic and Rajeev Ram 63 76 63 in a thrilling quarterfinal clash on Court 17Speaking on JioHotstar Bhambri reflected on the intensity of the match and the challenge posed by the experienced opponents It has been an incredibly nervewracking experience and at this moment there is a whirlwind of emotions We are simply grateful to have prevailed in such a challenging match Our opponents made it extremely difficult for us with their vast experience as multiple Grand Slam champions and competing against them truly tested our resolve at every stage he saidThe IndoKiwi pair took the first set 63 after an early break but Bhambris double fault on set point handed their opponents the second set in a tiebreak In the decider Bhambri and Venus broke at 43 and despite Venus facing intense pressure while serving for the match they saved five break points before sealing victory when Rams return hit the netOn the strong bond and long friendship that he shares with Michael Venus Bhambri said We have been friends for over 15 years and the timing felt right to start competing together I am genuinely pleased to be by his side on the court Having faced him multiple times as an opponent I always preferred partnering with him rather than playing against him It has been a wonderful journey so far starting from the US summer tournament in Washington and we are happy with the progress weve made togetherBhambri and Venus will now take on sixthseeded Brits Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski for a place in the final looking to extend their fairytale run IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/grateful-to-have-prevailed-in-a-challenging-match-says-bhambri-on-us-open-semis-entry-636382.html Thu, 04 Sep 2025 13:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-sabalenka-moves-to-semis-after-vondrousova-withdraws-with-knee-injury-636076.html New York Sep 3 World No 1 and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the semifinals of the US Open without having to play a point after her quarterfinal opponent Marketa Vondrousova withdrew with a knee injury I am sorry to announce that I have to withdraw from my quarterfinal match this evening due to a knee injury 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova said in a statementI tried my best to take the court today but during the warmup I felt again my knee and after consultation with the tournament doctor decided not to risk aggravating the injury I appreciate all the support this tournament and apologize to the fans who were looking forward to the match I had an amazing time here in NY and cant wait to be back next year she addedSabalenka posted a message on her Instagram story to her opponent So sorry for Marketa after all shes been through She has been playing amazing tennis and I know how badly this must hurt for her Take care of yourself and I hope you can recover quicklySabalenka who is now one step closer to defending her US Open title will face Jessica Pegula in the semis a rematch of last years final which Sabalenka won in straight setsThe No 4 seed and last years runnerup Pegula reached the second major semifinal of her career with a 63 63 defeat of Barbora Krejcikova in 1 hour and 26 minutesPegula 31 becomes just the second player among those who began their career in the Open Era to reach her first two Grand Slam semifinals after turning 30 She follows Flavia Pennetta who made the 2013 US Open semifinals aged 31 and then became the champion in New York two years later IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-sabalenka-moves-to-semis-after-vondrousova-withdraws-with-knee-injury-636076.html Wed, 03 Sep 2025 09:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-alcaraz-dismisses-lehecka-to-enter-semifinals-636080.html New York Sep 3 Carlos Alcaraz dominated Jiri Lehecka in the US Open quarterfinals with a onehour 56minute match to stay in contention for his first hardcourt major title since 2022 The 22yearold Spaniard hustled for a 64 62 64 victory to reach the semifinals in New York without dropping a setWith a Tourleading 59 wins and six titles in 2025 according to the ATP WinLoss Index Alcaraz looks in good stead to better his careerbest tally of 65 wins and six trophies from 2023Into the last four at a hardcourt major for the first time since the US Open in 2023 Alcaraz awaits fourtime champion Novak Djokovic or last years finalist Taylor FritzWith the No 1 spot in the PIF ATP Rankings also up for grabs this week Alcaraz ramped up the pressure on fierce rival Jannik Sinner If he can match or better the defending champions result in New York he will climb to World No 1 for the first time since September 2023If I think about the No 1 spot too much Im going to put pressure on myself and I just dont want to do that I just want to step on court try to do my things follow my goals and try to enjoy as much as I can The No 1 spot is there but I try to not think about it too much Alcaraz saidLehecka who reached a careerhigh ranking of No 21 just before the tournament began will be solidly inside the Top 20 when the new rankings are released following his strong performance at the US OpenToday I kind of met the Grand Slam version of Carlos Thats the way how I would like to think about it because yeah its been difficult matchCarlos he just showed that he is one of the contenders for sure Everyone knew that and he proved that today as well and the match wasI dont really think that it was bad performance from my side I felt quite okay but I think that the most important things which he needed to do he did better than me Lehecka said in his postmatch press conference IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-alcaraz-dismisses-lehecka-to-enter-semifinals-636080.html Wed, 03 Sep 2025 09:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-djokovic-edges-fritz-to-set-alcaraz-showdown-in-semifinals-636088.html New York Sep 3 Novak Djokovic advanced to his fourth semifinal in as many majors this year after beating Taylor Fritz 63 75 36 64 in the US Open quarterfinals in Arthur Ashe Stadium The fourtime US Open champion tied Jimmy Connors by improving to 140 in US Open quarterfinals as he aims to reach his 11th US Open finalwith the ultimate goal of a 25th major titleDjokovic will next face rival Carlos Alcaraz in a blockbuster semifinal clash Tje Serbian leads the Spaniard 53 in their ATP Head2Head series including victories in their past two matches Friday will mark their first encounter at Flushing MeadowsDjokovic broke Fritz early and sealed a tense first set after saving six break points in a thrilling 10minute final game clinching it on his second set pointThe second set was marked by Fritz squandering his first four breakpoint chances Instead it was Djokovic getting the first break when he ran down a drop shot and Fritzs return found the net for a 43 edgeFritz at last got a break on his 11th chance when Djokovics drop shot fell short to tie it at 55 But the Americans immediately doublefaulted in the first and final points of the ensuing game giving Djokovic the break right back The Serb served it out with a sweet backhand for a twoset cushionFritz broke Djokovic in the third sets fourth game He hit three aces to take a 52 lead and he served out the frame winning his fortuneThe fourth set was clean as neither player saw a break point through nine games with Djokovic his legs becoming heavier hunting his 95th US Open match win Then the Serb maneuvered the score to 1540 for two match points but missed two backhands at the end of protracted rallies to bring up deuceFritz clawed his way to a game point but soon was staring down a third match point against him The Americans fifth double fault ended the contestAfter shaking hands with Fritz and the chair umpire Djokovic busted out the viral Soda Pop Kpop dance He explained in his oncourt interview that it was dedicated to his daughter Tara who was celebrating her eighth birthday IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-djokovic-edges-fritz-to-set-alcaraz-showdown-in-semifinals-636088.html Wed, 03 Sep 2025 11:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-indias-yuki-bhambri-makes-maiden-grand-slam-quarterfinal-636109.html New York Sep 3 Indias Yuki Bhambri and his partner Michael Venus of New Zealand progressed to the mens doubles quarterfinals of the US Open Seeded 14th Bhambri and Venus defeated the No 4 seeds Germanys Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz in straight sets 64 64Bhambri Indias topranked mens doubles tennis player at world No 32 has reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in his careerLast year Bhambri partnered with French tennis player Albano Olivetti for the US Open and made the prequarterfinals The duo lost to Spains Marcel Granollers and Argentinas Horacio Zeballos in straight setsEarlier Bhambri and Venus defeated the unseeded pair of Colombias Gonzalo Escobar and Mexicos Miguel Angel ReyesVarela 61 75 in an hour and 25 minutes at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre to progress to the prequarterfinals The IndoKiwi pair will next play the 11thseeded team of the 41yearold American veteran Rajeev Ram and his partner Nikola Mektic of CroatiaRam and Mektic needed three tight setsand nearly three hoursto edge past the unseeded team of Brazils Fernando Romboli and Britains JohnPatrick Smith 677 75 75Notably Ram secured his 500th tourlevel win with his secondround win on Notably he reached the milestone at Flushing Meadows where he won three consecutive titles with Salisbury from 202123 Ram became the seventh active man to reach 500 tourlevel doubles wins and he is the only active American with that many victoriesEarlier Indian veteran Rohan Bopanna and his partner Romain Arneodo of Monaco crashed out in the opening round on Saturday Arjun Kadhe and his partner Diego Hidalgo of Ecuador also made a firstround exitOn Sunday Anirudh Chandrasekar and Vijay Sundar Prashanths run came to an end with a 64 63 defeat to Brazils Fernando Romboli and Australias JohnPatrick Smith IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-indias-yuki-bhambri-makes-maiden-grand-slam-quarterfinal-636109.html Wed, 03 Sep 2025 12:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/kslta-itf-juniors-srishti-kiran-top-seed-snigdha-kanta-grab-win-on-day-two-636048.html Bengaluru Sep 2 Top seed Snigdha Kanta seventh seed Angel Patel and eighth seed Deepshika Vinayagamurthy progressed alongside Srishti Kiran who impressed with a straightsets victory on Day 2 of the KSLTA ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors across the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium and Sree Kanteerava Stadium Among the winners in the Boys Singles third seed Dev Vipul Patel fourth seed Vishal Vasudev M and sixth seed Adhiraj Thakur moved through while Rohith Hari Balaji Gobinath and USAs Niyanth Badrinarayanan produced notable wins to join them in the next roundRohith Gobinath staged a stirring comeback to upset seventh seed Prakaash Sarran 26 63 62 Prakash looked comfortable early on to take the first set with ease Rohit responded strongly in the second set lifting his intensity and finding his rhythm to draw level By the decider the momentum had shifted and he dominated the rallies to bag the win after nearly two hoursElsewhere Elsewhere Niyanth Badrinarayanan USA overcame a spirited challenge from Yashwin Dahiya to post a 674 63 61 victory The opening set was closely contested with Dahiya stealing the tiebreak to take the lead Niyanth struck back in the second breaking early and maintaining control to level the match From there he raised his level to pull clear and finish with a strong win in the deciderIn the girls singles 13yearold Srishti Kiran shone with a straightsets win over Tejaswi Mannen 76 6 63 Srishti nearly conceded the first set saving a set point in the tiebreak before edging it 86 She then took charge in the second breaking twice to close out the matchIn another thriller seventh seed Angel Patel delivered a comeback against Devashree Mahadeshwar prevailing 26 769 62 in a contest that stretched to nearly three hours Devashree looked in control after winning the first set and holding match points in the second set tiebreak before Angel edged ahead 119 It proved decisive as Angel carried her confidence into the final set breaking early and maintaining control to complete the win IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/kslta-itf-juniors-srishti-kiran-top-seed-snigdha-kanta-grab-win-on-day-two-636048.html Tue, 02 Sep 2025 22:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-anisimova-sets-swiatek-showdown-in-qf-osaka-stuns-gauff-635835.html New York Sep 2 Amanda Anisimova reached the US Open quarterfinals after defeating Beatriz Haddad Maia in straight sets 60 63 Anisimova broke Haddad Maia in the first game and her play accelerated from there She never gave Haddad Maia a chance serving well and pounding pinpoint and deep twohanded backhands around the courtThe second set was more competitive as Anisimova was challenged in her quest to extend her best US Open showing in her careerHaddad Maia again was broken to start the frame but then collected a break of her own after losing seven straight games But Anisimova broke right back wiggled from a break point in the fourth game and despite Haddad Maias grit broke her in the final game to push through to the finish lineAnisimova who also advanced to the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2019 ran her Grand Slam record to 4222 with her win over Haddad Maia and improved her careerbest season mark to 3514She will next fave No 2seeded Swiatek in the quarterfinals in only their second meeting Anisimova will be looking to avenge her Wimbledon quarterfinal loss to the PoleEarlier Naomi Osaka dominated Coco Gauff 63 62 to advance to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since 2021Notably every time Osaka has advanced to this stage at a major championship in the past she has eventually won the titleThe fourtime Grand Slam champion will meet No 11 seed Karolina Muchova of Czechia for a place in the 2025 US Open semifinalsMuchova is a twotime US Open semifinalist and beat No 27 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 63 670 63 to reach the last eightMeanwhile Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez continued their dream run dispatching yet another seeded team No 12 seeds Ekaterina Alexandrova and Zhang Shuai 63 64 to advance to the quarterfinals at the 2025 US OpenThis is Willams 22nd appearance at this stage in doubles at a major and her first major quarterfinal of any kind since 2017 The last time she reached the quarterfinals in Flushing Meadows was in 2014 and she previously lifted the trophy on two occasions in 1999 and 2009 with sister SerenaWilliams and Fernandez will next face top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend for a spot in the semifinals IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-anisimova-sets-swiatek-showdown-in-qf-osaka-stuns-gauff-635835.html Tue, 02 Sep 2025 09:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-sinner-dominates-bublik-for-8th-consecutive-grand-slam-qf-635845.html New York Sep 2 World No 1 and defending US Open champion Jannik Sinner humbled Alexander Bublik to storm into the quarterfinals setting up a showdown with fellow Italian Lorenzo Musetti Sinner completed the 61 61 61 triumph in just 81 minutes against his Bublik who committed 13 double faultsthe last one on match pointamong 31 unforced errorsSinner has now reached at least the quarterfinals at eight consecutive Grand Slam tournaments The last time he was defeated before that stage was at the 2023 US Open when he fell in the fourth round to Alexander ZverevThere will be an allItalian mens singles quarterfinal at a major for the first time when Sinner takes on 10th seed Musetti The World No 1 will carry a 20 ATP Head2Head advantage into their showdownIts great to see Italian tennis is in great form now We have so many players so many different game styles Sinner said Lorenzo is maybe one of the biggest talents we have in our sport so Im looking forward for this one From an Italian point of view its great to have for sure one Italian player in the semisSinner maintained pace in the battle for No 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings with Carlos Alcaraz He must outperform the Spaniard at the US Open to retain World No 1The Italian became the youngest man to earn 24 wins at the majors in a season since 22yearold Rafael Nadal in 2008 according to the Infosys ATP WinLoss IndexSinner can reach 300 tourlevel wins for his career by making the final in New York IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-sinner-dominates-bublik-for-8th-consecutive-grand-slam-qf-635845.html Tue, 02 Sep 2025 10:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-pegula-cruises-to-quarters-with-commanding-win-over-li-635542.html New York Aug 31 Last years finalist Jessica Pegula stormed into the quarterfinals of the US Open with a commanding 61 62 victory over fellow American Ann Li on Sunday wrapping up the fourthround clash in under an hour with a ruthless and clinical display on Arthur Ashe Stadium Despite entering the tournament on the back of a shaky hardcourt swing having made early exits in Washington Montreal and Cincinnati Pegula has found her rhythm in New York The world number four is yet to drop a set at this years US Open and looked in complete control throughout her match against Li striking 12 winners and dictating play from the baseline with powerful precise groundstrokesI felt really comfortable moving today Pegula said after the win I felt like today I started off really well and I just wanted to keep executing thatPegula seeded fourth had already beaten Li earlier this year in the second round of Roland Garros and appeared to draw confidence from that result replicating the same aggressive approach She got off to a flying start winning the first three games of the opening set before Li managed to break her in the fourth to get on the scoreboardHowever Pegula quickly responded by breaking back in the next game regaining momentum The opening set came to a close when Li committed a backhand error in the seventh game handing Pegula the setIn the second set a baseline error from Li on a break point gifted Pegula an early lead once again this time in the fourth gameThe match ended in fitting style with Pegula firing a stunning backhand winner down the line and letting out a triumphant shout The win not only marked her first Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance of the year but also reaffirmed her status as one of the tournaments top contendersUp next she will face either Czech star Barbora Krejcikova or fellow American Taylor Townsend in the last eight IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-pegula-cruises-to-quarters-with-commanding-win-over-li-635542.html Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-djokovic-alcaraz-make-history-to-reach-quarterfinal-635556.html New York Sep 1 In his quest for ultimate history at the US Open the 38yearold Novak Djokovic became the oldest man in history to reach all four major singles quarterfinals in one season after ending the run of qualifier JanLennard Struff with 63 63 62 win inside Arthur Ashe Stadium His latest victory makes him the fourth oldest manafter Pancho Gonzalez Ken Rosewall and Jimmy Connorsto advance to a US Open quarterfinal Prior to Djokovic Connors was the most recent man to achieve the feat which he did during his famous run to the semifinals at age 39 in 1991This is Djokovics 14th career singles quarterfinal at the US Open meaning he separates himself from Roger Federer and Andre Agassi both of whom notched 13Hes now second on the mens Open Era list behind only Connors who reached 17 US Open quarterfinalsThe Serb who is aiming alltime record 25th Grand Slam singles title will nexy play No 4 seed Taylor Fritz who beat Tomas Machac in straight setsEarlier the 22yearold Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest man to reach 13 Grand Slam quarterfinals in the Open Era with a 763 63 64 victory over Frances Arthur RinderknechRinderknech was appearing in the Round of 16 at a major for the first time and was bidding to become the first Frenchman to reach the quarters in Flushing Meadows since Gael Monfils in 2019Alcaraz boasts a 212 record at the Grand Slams this season reaching the Australian Open quarterfinals saving three championship points to win Roland Garros and reaching the Wimbledon finalNext up for Alcaraz is 20th seed Jiri Lehecka of Czechia a 764 64 26 62 winner over Frenchman Adrian Mannarino It will be a rematch of this summers Queens Club final won by Alcaraz 75 675 62 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-djokovic-alcaraz-make-history-to-reach-quarterfinal-635556.html Mon, 01 Sep 2025 09:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-defending-champ-sabalenka-roars-into-quarterfinals-635575.html New York Sep 1 Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka dominated Cristina Bucsa 61 64 to reach the US Open quarterfinals for the fifth consecutive year The win marks the fifth consecutive year that Sabalenka has made it to at least the quarterfinal round in Flushing Meadows with her previous four trips resulting in semifinal appearances or betterThe 73minute win also assures that Sabalenka will officially stay No 1 in the world rankings after the tournament regardless of any other resultsSabalenka has now reached the quarterfinals in each of the last 12 majors that she has contested solidifying her position as a top contenderA matchup of Grand Slam champions awaits Sabalenka in the quarterfinals as shell take on a former Wimbledon winner champion Marketa Vondrousova who prevailed in a battle of former Wimbledon champions defeating No 9 seed Elena Rybakina 64 57 62 in 1 hour and 51 minutes to advance to the US Open quarterfinals for the second time in her careerAgainst Vondrousova Sabalenka leads the headtohead 53 including a secondround win also taking place in Cincinnati a few weeks agoA win against either opponent would send Sabalenka to a fifth straight US Open semifinalEarlier Jessica Pegula advanced to the quarterfinals with a dominant 61 62 win over Ann Li in an allAmerican matchupPegula needed only 54 minutes to move past the 25yearold Li who was playing in her first fourthround match at a major championship and fell to 19 against Top 10 competitionPegulas dominant win over Ann Li in the fourth round was her 19th match win at Flushing Meadows now her highest tally at any of the four majorsI played Li at Roland Garros early this year and we had a really tough two sets And I know when shes serving really well and she has a lot of confidence shes really dangerous Pegula saidI felt like maybe she came out a little slow or nervous or whatever it was and I just felt like I wanted to jump on top of that and not let her feel comfortable on this court for a second And I felt like that was really my entire motivation the entire match she saidPegula improves to 82 in Grand Slam fourthround matches including 31 at that stage at her home major championship IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-defending-champ-sabalenka-roars-into-quarterfinals-635575.html Mon, 01 Sep 2025 10:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-swiatek-rallies-past-kalinskaya-to-reach-fourth-round-osaka-sets-up-gauff-showdown-635411.html New York Aug 31 Iga Swiatek overcame a slow start to defeat No 29 seed Anna Kalinskaya 76 2 64 in 1 hour and 56 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium advancing to the Round of 16 at the US Open for the fifth straight year Kalinskaya built a 51 lead in the first setthanks in part to Swiateks 15 unforced errors and the No 2 seed only landing 41 of her first serves Leading 52 Kalinskaya had four set points But she double faulted on two of them enabling Swiatek to go on a tearKalinskaya also double faulted away the 10th game to let Swiatek tie the set 5all The players traded breaks in the next two games forcing a tiebreak When Swiatek went up 50 Kalinskaya finally lost her cool smashed her racket and kept playing Swiatek punctuated the set 72 by winning a sevenshot rallyThe pivotal game in the second set was the ninth At 4all Kalinskaya allowed Swiatek a break point with her 11th double fault of the match Swiatek seized the moment went up 54 and served successfully for the matchSwiatek who is trying to be the first woman since Serena Williams in 2012 to win Wimbledon and the US Open in the same year will now face No 13 Ekaterina Alexandrova in Round 4Earlier twotime US Open champion and No 23 seed Naomi Osaka defeated Daria Kasatkina60 46 63 to advance to the fourth roundOsakas return to the Round of 16 in New York is her first trip to this stage since she last won the title in 2020 She advances into Round 4 for a highly anticipated fourthround matchup with No 3 seed Coco Gauff who was a 63 61 winner over Magdalena FrechElsewhere No 8 seed American Amanda Anisimova edged past Romanias Jaqueline Cristian 64 46 62Next up for the American is the winner of the match between Brazils Beatriz Haddad Maia the No 18 seed and the unseeded but dangerous Greek player Maria Sakkari IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-swiatek-rallies-past-kalinskaya-to-reach-fourth-round-osaka-sets-up-gauff-showdown-635411.html Sun, 31 Aug 2025 09:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-ostapenko-issues-apology-for-no-class-no-education-comment-towards-townsend-635429.html New Delhi Aug 31 Jelena Ostapenko has issued an apology for her no class and no education comments towards Taylor Townsend during a heated US Open row Ostapenko has accused Townsend of having no education and no class in a fiery postmatch exchange at Flushing Meadows after losing to the American 75 61 in the second roundTension between the pair escalated after a net cord went in Townsends favour during a 75 61 secondround win and 25th seed Ostapenko accused her of not apologisingThe pair had a curt handshake after Townsend clinched victory before Latvian Ostapenko made a comment at the net Both players continued to express their views in an animated argument at Ostapenkos chairLater at a press conference Townsend said She told me I have no education no class and to see what happens if we play each other outside of the USOstapenko now took to Instagram to explain her side while addressing her behaviour and wrote I wanted to apologise for some of the things I said during my secondround singles matchEnglish is not my native language so when I said education I was speaking only about what I believe as tennis etiquette but I understand how the words I used could have offended many people beyond the tennis courtI appreciate the support as I continue to learn and grow as a person and a tennis player Goodbye New York and I look forward to being back next year she addedFollowing her doubles win alongside partner Katerina Siniakova on Saturday Townsend told reporters she had still not heard from Ostapenko personally but she welcomed the public apologyThats nice that she did that that she apologised Thats fine Thats cool At the end of the day I think that its a learning lesson for herI mean the fact of the matter is like I said the other day Im still playing So I dont have time to be tapped in on what shes got going on and what she says Townsend saidI had a job to do today Got it done in the doubles Like I said this is part of it right being able to disconnect from whatever is happening on the outside because I have a goal while Im here I said it last night just keeping the main thing the main thing which is Im here to continue to grow and grow as a player and play my best tennis and put that on display Anything that gets in the way of that has got to go Towsend said in post game press conference IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-ostapenko-issues-apology-for-no-class-no-education-comment-towards-townsend-635429.html Sun, 31 Aug 2025 11:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-rybakina-dominates-raducanu-for-third-round-victory-635202.html New York Aug 29 The 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan stormed into the fourth round of womens singles with a commanding straightsets win over the 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu of Great Britain in the US Open here on Friday In a thirdround clash between two Grand Slam champions played in the Louis Armstrong Stadium No 9 seed Rybakina dropped just three games across two sets to win 61 62 in just over an hourRybakina advanced to the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the first time in her seventh maindraw appearance The Kazakhstani has now completed the full set of secondweek showings at all four Grand Slams She will next face either No 7 seed Jasmine Paolini or another former Wimbledon champion Marketa VondrousovaRybakina has now conceded just four games to Raducanu in two meetings combined Their first meeting was in the first round of Sydney 2022 Raducanus fourth tournament after her shock victory at the 2021 US Open and Rybakina won 60 61Raducanu had said before the start of the tournament that 2025 marked the first time I feel like I can come back to the US Open and really enjoy the memories After winning the 2021 womens singles trophy she was ousted in the first round in 2022 and 2024 On Friday the 22yearold Brit received plenty of encouragement from her new coach Francisco Roig Rafael Nadals former coachHowever her game quickly unravelled Rybakina easily won the first set 61 largely on her first serve despite making more unforced errors 10 to Raducanus fiveIn the second set Rybakina kept the pressure on never allowing Raducanu to string together more than a few consecutive points Whenever Raducanu made a winner or held serve the noonday crowd which included longtime Vogue editor Anna Wintour roared with approval Even so Rybakina was never in danger of being broken She served for the match with a 52 lead after just 60 minutes of play and seized the win on the first match point when Raducanus backhand return went longIm pretty happy with the way I played today Its not easy to play Emma Rybakina said Sometimes the score doesnt show but shes a tough competitorFor some reason the US Open through the years wasnt really successful for me said Rybakina in her oncourt interview So hopefully this year it will change IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-rybakina-dominates-raducanu-for-third-round-victory-635202.html Sat, 30 Aug 2025 00:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-djokovic-advances-to-fourth-round-with-win-over-norrie-635217.html New York Aug 30 Novak Djokovic kept his quest for a historic 25th Grand Slam title alive on Friday overcoming a brief lower back issue to defeat unseeded Briton Cameron Norrie 64 674 62 63 and book his place in the fourth round of the US Open Under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium the 38yearold showcased his trademark resilience to become the oldest man to reach the last 16 at Flushing Meadows since Jimmy Connors achieved the same feat in 1991Already the alltime leader in Grand Slam titles 24 and match wins 395 Djokovic added another milestone to his storied career by surpassing Roger Federer for the most hardcourt wins at the majors claiming his 192nd victory The fourtime US Open champion also extended his perfect record against Norrie to 70I guess coming into the match any match you really want to win in straight sets without any drama and just ease through but thats not possible said DjokovicMy team wants me to suffer on the court so I can get some more minutes spent in match play Its good that I get tested I hadnt played any matches since Wimbledon and its been for us quite a long time five to six weeksIm still trying to find my groove and my rhythm on court he addedDjokovic quickly turned up the pressure on Norrie breaking for a 43 lead with a forehand winner He then fired the ninth of his 18 aces in the next game to firmly consolidate his advantageI think it was probably the best serving performance of the tournament Djokovic saidSo of course Im glad Its probably one of the most if not the most important shot in the game Yeah Im glad how I executed that shotAfter taking a 54 lead in the first set Novak Djokovic began feeling the effects of a back issue and briefly left the court for treatment before returning to close out the set He needed more medical attention early in the second set with his serve speed briefly droppingDespite this he battled through a tight tiebreak that Norrie won The Brit broke early in the third but Djokovic responded with three straight games and even silenced a disruptive fan Regaining full control Djokovic closed out the third and dominated the fourth to seal the win and set up a clash with JanLennard Struff IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-djokovic-advances-to-fourth-round-with-win-over-norrie-635217.html Sat, 30 Aug 2025 09:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-injured-shelton-retires-tiafoe-stunned-in-early-exit-635223.html New York Aug 30 Sixth seed Ben Shelton was forced to retire from his US Open thirdround clash against Frances Adrian Mannarino on Friday shortly before 17th seed Frances Tiafoe also bowed out delivering a major blow to American hopes of ending a 22year drought for a mens Grand Slam title Shelton appeared to struggle with a left shoulder issue visibly wincing after a forehand early in the fourth set on Louis Armstrong Stadium He continued to clutch at the area while getting ready to return serve in the second game ultimately unable to continueI just did something to my shoulder I dont know what it is Im in a lot of pain Shelton said to his father and coach Bryan SheltonShelton later told his father it was the worst pain he had ever experienced before consulting the physio again Despite the discomfort he managed to hold his own against the crafty lefthander Mannarino who delivered flashes of brilliance throughout the matchTouted as a potential contender to end the long American mens title drought at Flushing Meadows dating back to Andy Roddicks 2003 triumph Shelton looked visibly distraught during the changeover burying his face in his towel as emotions took over Moments later he retired from the match prompting audible gasps from the stunned home crowdWhen he started having pain he was leading in the match said Mannarino who rallied from a set down to draw level at 36 63 46 64 when the match was abandonedHe probably would have won Its unfortunate for him and very lucky for me I dont really know what to say right now I suppose Im happy to get through I wish him the bestI was having good fun on the court there were some long rallies I lost some of them won some of them It was fun to play Bens such an amazing player it was a great match I was enjoying my time on court even if I was losingJust an hour later American fans faced another tough blow as Frances Tiafoe a Flushing Meadows mainstay since 2019 suffered a straightsets defeat 64 63 767 to Germanys JanLennard Struff on GrandstandStruff despite a late bout of double faults held his nerve in the closing stages to eliminate last years semifinalist and deepen the disappointment for the home crowdI think everybody knows sometimes its tough to serve out the match I tried to stay calm and tried to refocus and I managed to get some energy back so I was very happy about that Struff saidWith the exits of Shelton and Tiafoe Taylor Fritz now stands as the leading American hope at this years final Grand Slam He defeated Jerome Kym to reach the fourth round to keep home hopes alive at Flushing Meadows IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-injured-shelton-retires-tiafoe-stunned-in-early-exit-635223.html Sat, 30 Aug 2025 10:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/kslta-to-host-itf-world-junior-j30-tournament-in-bengaluru-635146.html Bengaluru Aug 29 The Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association KSLTA will host the KSLTAITF World Junior J30 Tournament 2025 from August 30 to September 6 at its iconic facilities in Cubbon Park and the Kanteerava Stadium This will be the third consecutive year that KSLTA is organising the prestigious junior event The tournament open to players aged 18 and below will feature both Qualifying and Main Draws in singles and doublesQualifying Draw A 32player field comprising 26 direct entries and six wild cards Of these wild cards three will be allotted by AITA and three by KSLTA The qualifying will be played over three rounds with four players advancing to the Main DrawMain Draw Also a 32player field with 22 direct entries four qualifiers four wild cards and two special exempts Wild cards will be shared equally between AITA and KSLTADoubles A 16pair draw featuring 14 direct entries and two wild cardsIn line with KSLTAs commitment to nurturing local talent wild cards for both qualifying and main draws will be reserved exclusively for Karnataka players with priority given to promising players from mofussil centres For this edition one main draw wild card has been awarded to Channa Mallikarjuna from Bellary while in the qualifying draw S Jeevith from Mandya and Ishaan Badagi from Belgaum have received entriesWild card entries from All India Tennis Association AITA are Aadirai K A and Riddhi Shinde from the main draw Vyom Shah Apoorv Jain Varad Pol Tanusshri Maneni Sathesh Suhani Bhasin and Hamsika Thumukunta from qualifying draws for boys and girls respectivelyScheduleQualifying Rounds August 3031 at both KSLTA Cubbon Park and Kanteerava StadiumMain Draw September 16 Singles begin on September 1 while doubles commence on September 2 Main draw matches will be split between the two venues with all quarterfinals onward staged at KSLTA Cubbon ParkSeeding for both singles and doubles will be based on the players ITF and AITA rankings at the time of the drawWith participation from talented juniors across the country the KSLTAITF World Junior J30 Bengaluru 2025 promises to be a showcase of the next generation of tennis stars IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/kslta-to-host-itf-world-junior-j30-tournament-in-bengaluru-635146.html Fri, 29 Aug 2025 19:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-gauff-survives-vekic-test-swiatek-fends-off-suzan-osaka-prevails-in-the-third-round-634975.html New York Aug 29 Coco Gauff overcame a dangerous opponent Donna Vekic to reach the third round of the 2025 US Open Shr survived a physically draining first set against the former world No 17 before going on to win 765 62 Gauff has progressed to the third round at the US Open for the fourth consecutive year and has now won 79 of her maindraw matches in New York thanks to an impressive 195 winloss recordThe 2023 champion will aim to repeat her fourthround run last year when she next faces 28th seed Magdalena FrechEarlier world No 2 Iga Swiatek after being dominant in the opening exchanges fend off a gallant fightback from world No 66 Suzan Lamens to register 61 46 64 ein to reach the third roundSwiatek dominated the opening set agains Lamens winning 61 at but Lamens fought back to win the second set before Swiatek ultimately prevailed in the third set 64The world No 2 bidding to become the first woman to win Wimbledon and US Open singles in the same calendar year since Serena Williams in 2012 will next face No 29 seed Anna Kalinskaya in Round 3 who she toppled in straight sets just 13 days ago en route to WTA 1000 glory in CincinnatiMeanwhile Former world No 1 Naomi Osaka continued to sparkle in a 63 61 win against American Hailey BaptisteFor Osaka next up is a clash with No 15 seed Daria Kasatkina who defeated Kamilla Rakhimova in a dramatic backandforth contest 62 46 75Later Amanda Anisimova advanced to the third round with a 762 62 win over Maya JointThe American equals her best result at her home Slam where she will next play Romanias Jaqueline CristianAnisimova moved into the third round of the US Open for just the second time in her career and the first time in five years IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-gauff-survives-vekic-test-swiatek-fends-off-suzan-osaka-prevails-in-the-third-round-634975.html Fri, 29 Aug 2025 09:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/one-of-the-worst-things-naomi-osaka-slams-ostapenkos-racial-remarks-toward-townsend-635054.html New York Aug 29 Naomi Osaka has criticised Jelena Ostapenkos choice of words in her heated postmatch altercation with Taylor Townsend at the US Open calling them one of the worst things you can say to a Black tennis player in a majority White sport Its one of the worst things you can say to a Black tennis player in a majority White sport the fourtime Grand Slam champion said I know Taylor and I know how hard shes worked and I know how smart she is so shes the furthest thing from uneducated or anything like thatTownsend defeated 2017 French Open champion Ostapenko 75 61 in a tense secondround clash but the spotlight quickly shifted to a verbal exchange at the net Ostapenko visibly agitated repeatedly wagged her finger at Townsend who later hinted at possible racial undertones in their exchange during her press conferenceOstapenko later explained on Instagram that her anger stemmed from Townsends refusal to apologise after a crucial netcord point and insisted she had never been racist in her life She accused Townsend of being disrespectful in that momentBut Osaka who was born to a Japanese mother and Haitian father and has been an outspoken voice against racial injustice particularly through her support for the Black Lives Matter movement said the words Ostapenko used were in poor taste and poorly timedIf youre like genuinely asking me about the history of Ostapenko I dont think thats the craziest thing shes said Im going to be honest Osaka said with a smile I think its ill timing and the worst person you could have ever said it to And I dont know if she knows the history of it in America I know shes never going to say that ever again in her life But yeah it was just terrible Thats just really badOsaka who highlighted racial injustice during her 2020 US Openwinning run by wearing masks bearing the names of African Americans killed in recent years also weighed in on the sporting side of the controversy whether players should apologise for winning points off the net cordI definitely wouldnt care to the point where it would affect me that much that I get very angry she said Its up to the person whether they apologise or not but if its really close I can see why they dont apologise IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/one-of-the-worst-things-naomi-osaka-slams-ostapenkos-racial-remarks-toward-townsend-635054.html Fri, 29 Aug 2025 14:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-emma-raducanu-cruises-past-janice-tjen-to-reach-third-round-634663.html New York Aug 28 Emma Raducanu returned to familiar territory at Flushing Meadows advancing to the third round of the US Open for the first time since her 2021 titlewinning run with a commanding 62 61 victory over Indonesias Janice Tjen The 22yearold Brit has looked sharp all week dropping just four games in her first two matches After sweeping past former doubles World No 4 Ena Shibahara in her opener Raducanu dismantled Tjen a qualifier who had enjoyed a stunning rise since graduating from Pepperdine University last year Tjen ranked No 149 came into the match on the back of a 10113 winloss record and a firstround upset of 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova But against Raducanu her dream run came to a swift end in just over an hourRaducanus serve proved decisive firing eight aces and conceding only 13 points behind her delivery She faced three break points in the third game but saved them all ensuring her hold on the momentum The Brit was equally clinical from the baseline directing the majority of her attacks to Tjens backhand side drawing frequent errors and carving out space for her 16 winnersSuper dangerous opponent Raducanu said after the match She was playing extremely well and I thought any ball that I put midcourt that was not necessarily good enough she just put away easy So I was really pleased with how I performed todayThough Tjen impressed with her volleying skills winning all six points at the net Raducanus precision and depth largely kept the Indonesian away from her strengths The result marked Raducanus third run to the third round of a major in 2025 underlining her resurgence this seasonNext up Raducanu will face either ninth seed Elena Rybakina or 18yearold qualifier Tereza Valentova as she bids to reach the second week of a Grand Slam for the fourth time in her career IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-emma-raducanu-cruises-past-janice-tjen-to-reach-third-round-634663.html Thu, 28 Aug 2025 00:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-alcaraz-shelton-amp-djokovic-charge-into-round-3-634685.html New York Aug 28 Carlos Alcaraz has charged into the third round of the US Open beating Italys Mattia Bellucci 61 60 63 Alcaraz has now won 41 of his past 43 matches while targeting an eighth consecutive tournament finalThe win ensures Alcaraz has already bettered his 2024 campaign in New York which ended in a shock secondround defeat to world No 74 Botic van De ZandschulpA fivetime major champion is competing in his 19th Grand Slam main draw and has now reached the third round in 16 of themAlcaraz who is on a eightmatch winning streak next faces 32ndseeded Italian Luciano Darderi who beat American wild card Eliot Spizzirri 60 763 26 64 It will be Alcaraz and Darderis first Lexus ATP Head2Head clashBen Shelton defeated 64 62 64 Pablo Carreno Busta to claim the battle of former US Open semifinalists and reach the third round of his home major championshipFresh off his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Montreal Shelton punched past the 34yearold Carreno Busta who made the final four in New York in 2017 and 2020 It marks the ninth consecutive Grand Slam in which Shelton has reached Round 3Shelton who next faces wily French veteran Adrian Mannarino in the third round is seeded to meet 2022 champion Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinalsMeanwhile Novak Djokovic maintained his perfect secondround record in New York to reach the third round for tihe 19th timeThe 38yearold was unable to find his Agame for large periods against American qualifier Zachary Svajda yet did enough to seal a 675 63 63 61 victoryWith his win Djokovic advanced to the third round at a major for a record 75th time surpassing Roger Federers tally of 74 The former No 1 player in the ATP Rankings is seeking a recordextending 25th major and first since winning the US Open in 2023 He will next meet Cameron Norrie or Francisco Comesana IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-alcaraz-shelton-amp-djokovic-charge-into-round-3-634685.html Thu, 28 Aug 2025 09:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-sabalenka-fends-off-kudermetova-paolini-beats-jokic-634691.html New York Aug 28 Top seed Aryna Sabalenka unseeded Polina Kudermetova 764 62 in a secondround match in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday Reaching the Australian Open and Roland Garros finals plus the semifinals at Wimbledon would be a career year for most players But the bar is set so high for the No 1ranked Sabalenka a threetime Grand Slam winner that shes eager to cap the summer minus a bummerIf Sabalenka can repeat as the US Open womens singles champion she will become the first player to do so since Serena Williams 201214 But there have been 10 different women titlists in the last 11 years in New York CityIn the first set when she was broken in the first game and had to manipulate her way to a successful firstset tiebreak lifting her record in breakers to 191 this yearThe second set was all Sabalenka as Kudermetova ranked No 67 used a medical timeout to treat a balky knee and was betrayed by her spotty serve which led to nine double faults overall Sabalenka prevailed 62 in the second set to wrap up the win US Open reportsSabalenka next faces No 31 seed Canadian Leylah Fernandez who defeated Frances Elsa Jacquemot 62 36 62Later the seventhseeded Paolini disposed of Iva Jovic an unseeded American teenager 63 63 in secondround action in Louis Armstrong StadiumWhile Paolini came out sizzling in racing to a 30 firstset lead Jovic had a golden opportunity to get back on serve in the fifth game when she had three looks at break points but failed to cash Two games later Jovic had two more break chances but the result was the same as the chances slipped away She squandered two more break points when Paolini served to take the frame 63Paolini again streaked to a 30 cushion in the second with two service breaks While Paolini was gathering steam and lifting her play Jovic despite a late push couldnt keep paceJovic did finally break on her eighth chance she finished 2for11 which brought with it a sigh of relief But it didnt slow Paolini who entered the US Open fresh from a final showing on the Cincinnati hard courtsThe world No 8 Paolini will face the No 32seeded American McCartney Kessler IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-sabalenka-fends-off-kudermetova-paolini-beats-jokic-634691.html Thu, 28 Aug 2025 10:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-swiatek-launches-bid-for-seventh-slam-with-easy-first-round-win-634460.html New York Aug 26 Former World No1 Iga Swiatek maintained her 100 record in the first round matches in the US Open winning her seventh successive opening round clash as she launched her campaign for her Grand Slam title No7 on Tuesday In an early match at a sunkissed Arthur Ash Stadium the 2022 winner maintained her recent form as she breezed past world No 84 Emiliana Arango 61 62 on Tuesday Swiatek who had snapped a 13month title drought in July by capturing her first Wimbledon title and backed that up by lifting the Cincinnati trophy for the first time two weeks ago is hoping to become the first WTA star to win the Wimbledon and US Open titles in the same calendar year since Serena Williams in 2012 Having fallen to No 8 in the WTA Rankings in June Swiatek already returned to No 2 this week The 2022 champion at Flushing Meadows a second title here this fortnight could potentially mean she reclaims the World No 1 ranking from Aryna SabalenkaOn Tuesday Swiatek made short work of Arango making her main draw debut here It was a difficult task for the Pole as Arango was trying everything to disrupt the No 2 seeds rhythm frequently throwing in the slice and offering up different depths of shot However Swiateks calculated striking collected a rapid 31 leadThe Swiatek forehand was arching over the net lasering line to line moving the Colombian side to side That stroke was the key to helping the Pole evade trouble at 030 to then hold for 41 It was relentless pressure for Arango and in just 26 minutes she was a set downArango earned a rare chance at 32 3030 A looping Swiatek backhand volley was run down by the Colombian before the world No 2 managed to hold her ground and connect with a lastditch backhand volley on the stretch Tuesdays dominant display chalked up victory No 50 so far this season and now the Pole advances to meet Dutchwoman Suzan Lamens IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-swiatek-launches-bid-for-seventh-slam-with-easy-first-round-win-634460.html Wed, 27 Aug 2025 00:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-marta-kostyuk-cruises-past-katie-boulter-mirra-andreeva-reaches-round-2-634461.html New York Aug 26 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine and Mirra Andreeva cruised to a firstround victory while 12th seed Elina Svitolina was knocked out in the opening round of womens singles in the US Open here on Tuesday No 27 seed Kostyuk battled past Great Britains Katie Boulter to kick off Round 1 play on Grandstand at the 2025 US Open the match went the way of the Ukrainian 64 64 in their second encounterBoth women initially got off to a slow start in their opening service games but managed to hold Early on it was evident that Kostyuk was the more aggressive player and that mindset helped her quickly jump to a 21 leadAfter a tricky service game Boulter kept that positive momentum and converted a break point to level the first set at 44 However Kostyuk quickly grabbed the break back after a costly double fault from the Brit She would then serve her way out of a tricky service game to seal the first setShe continued to hold sway as the service woes started to mount for the Brit The two women traded breaks early but the Ukrainian quickly shut it down and broke back to retake a 21 lead She went to extend it to 53 when Boulter tried to launch a comeback saving five matchpoints before holding serve As the Ukrainian served out the match Boulter made closing the match very hard for the No 27 seed and roared back to try and level the second set but Kostyuk managed to close out the match on her sixth match point In her second match since Wimbledon Mirra Andreeva cruised to a firstround victory at the US Open over Alycia Parks Andreeva dominated winning 60 61 in just 55 minutes Back from injury Mirra Andreeva made short work of Alycia Parks easing into the US Open second round in just her second match since WimbledonAndreeva admitted she was nervous facing an opponent who had just reached the Monterrey semifinals but once play began she settled quickly and stormed through the first set 60Parks managed to hold serve to start the second set but that would be her lone game of the day Andreeva reeled off six straight games to complete a dominant 60 61 victory in just 55 minutes It was a clinical performance from the rising star who will now face Anastasia Potapova in the second round Potapova needed three sets to get past Chinas Lin Zhu 64 46 62Ukraines Elina Svitolina became the secondhighest seed to fall on the womens side at this years US Open following a straightsets defeat to Hungarys Anna BondarBondar ranked No 97 in the world pulled off the 62 64 upset win in one hour and 41 minutes to reach the second round and equal her best performance at the Grand Slam level For Svitolina it was her first openinground loss at a Grand Slam since the 2018 Wimbledon Championships IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-marta-kostyuk-cruises-past-katie-boulter-mirra-andreeva-reaches-round-2-634461.html Wed, 27 Aug 2025 00:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/gauff-osaka-cruise-into-us-open-second-round-634478.html New York Aug 27 The No 3 seed American Coco Gauff rebounded from a slow start and a secondset wobble to outlast Ajla Tomljanovic 64 672 75 in the final match of the womens first round After a slow startshe trailed 20 and 31 in the opening setGauff appeared to be on her way to a routine victory up 64 42 But Tomljanovic was unbowed slugging her way back into the match denying Gauff when she was two points from victory at 65 and blitzing the American in the secondset tiebreak 72 to force a deciderGauff took the early advantage in the third pulling ahead 31 But she couldnt convert break opportunities in each of Tomljanovics next two service games and was broken serving for the match at 54 a pair of double faults gifting Tomljanovic an early advantage in the gameGauff then dug deep to break for a 65 lead held her serve to secure the hardfought winNext up for Gauff is Donna Vekic the former world No 17 who reached the semifinals at Wimbledon in 2024 and the quarterfinals at the US Open in 2019 Vekic outlasted world No 40 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in a tough threesetter in the opening roundMeanwhile Naomi Osaka kicked off her US Open campaign with a 63 64 triumph over Greet MinnenFacing the 106thranked Belgian Osaka attained a solid level inside Louis Armstrong Stadium on Tuesday night to seal a place in the second roundAt world No 24 Osaka is seeded for the first time at a Slam since the 2022 Australian Open and her latest winher 10th in her past 13 matchesfollows on from a thirdround finish at Wimbledon and a final appearance at the recent Canadian OpenOsaka will next play Hailey Baptiste in the second round IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/gauff-osaka-cruise-into-us-open-second-round-634478.html Wed, 27 Aug 2025 09:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-venus-williams-to-play-womens-doubles-with-leylah-fernandez-634482.html New York Aug 27 Venus Williams campaign at the US Open is not over yet as 45yearold will return to the competition in New York after receiving a womens doubles wildcard entry with Leylah Fernandez Venus and Fernandez will take on the sixthseeded team of Lyudmyla Kichenok of Ukraine and Ellen Perez of AustraliaVenus is appearing at her first Grand Slam tournament in two years after making a comeback following 16 months away from the tourWilliams has won 14 Grand Slam womens doubles titles alongside sister Serena Williams most recently at Wimbledon in 2016 She has competed just three times in womens doubles at the majors since then including her most recent US Open appearance in 2022 during her sisters farewell tournamentAt the 2025 US Open Williams has already competed in womens singles and mixed doubles with Reilly Opelka On Monday night she treated Arthur Ashe Stadium to a spellbinding second set but ultimately fell to 11th seed Karolina Muchova 63 26 61Williams was the oldest player to compete in the womens singles here since Renee Richards in 1981 and the third oldest of the Open EraFernandez 22 is seeded 31st in the womens singles in New York and beat compatriot Rebecca Marino 62 61 in the first roundShe reached the singles final in 2021 where she finished runnerup to Britains Emma RaducanuWilliams and Fernandez are among seven wildcard teams in the womens doubles draw joining Hailey Baptiste and Whitney Osuigwe Reese Brantmeier and Alanis Hamilton Carmen Corley and Ivana Corley Kristina Penickova and Thea Frodin Clervie Ngounoue and Iva Jovic and Julieta Pareja and Akasha UrhoboThe 2025 US Open womens doubles competition begins Thursday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-venus-williams-to-play-womens-doubles-with-leylah-fernandez-634482.html Wed, 27 Aug 2025 10:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-zarazua-stuns-keys-andreeva-dismantles-park-634202.html New York Aug 26 Renata Zarazua staged an upset at The US Open by beating Australian Open champion Madison Keys to reach the second round The Mexican had scored her first ever Top 10 triumph with a gruelling 6710 763 75 scoreboard to down No 6 seed KeysZarazua fell in six previous attempts against Top 10 talents but secured a careerbest result in three hours and 10 mins to book a Round 2 rumble with Frances Diane ParryZarazua who trailed by a set and 30 is the first Mexican woman to defeat a Top 10 seed at a Grand Slam since Angelica Gavaldon took down Jana Novotna at the 1995 Australian OpenLast year was the first time in the 27yearold Mexicans career that she played in all four Grand Slam singles main draws The two titles on her resume are both WTA 125s a year ago in Charleston and in 2023 Montevideo Her careerhigh ranking is No 51The Mexican has never advanced past the second round Shell have that chance when she meets Diane Parry a 61 60 winner over retiring Petra KvitovaIn another action Mirra Andreeva made an impressive return to competition on Monday night at the 2025 US Open dismissing a wayward Alycia Parks under lights in Louis Armstrong StadiumAndreeva had played just one match since Wimbledon due to an ankle injury while Parks had arrived in New York fresh off her run to last weeks WTA Monterrey semifinalsAndreeva however played steady tacticallyastute tennis breezing into Round 2 with a 60 61 victoryAndreeva arrived in New York without a win since her Round of 16 triumph at Wimbledon over Emma Navarro seven weeks agoEarlier this year she won backtoback WTA 1000 titles in Dubai and Indian Wells and reached consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-zarazua-stuns-keys-andreeva-dismantles-park-634202.html Tue, 26 Aug 2025 10:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-alcaraz-ruud-sail-through-first-round-win-634206.html New York Aug 26 Carlos Alcaraz downed bigserving American Reilly Opelka 64 75 64 to begin his campaign at Flushing Meadows where this fortnight Alcaraz is aiming for his second US Open crown and sixth major trophy overall With the win Alcaraz stays on course in the battle for World No 1 If the Spaniard matches or betters Jannik Sinners result Alcaraz will leave New York atop the ATP RankingsAlcaraz boasts a seasonleading 55 wins and six titles according to the ATP WinLoss Index Last Monday Alcaraz lifted his first Cincinnati Open titleHe will next face Mattia Bellucci in the second round Alcaraz will look to avoid a repeat of his stunning secondround exit last year when he fell to Botic van de Zandschulp in straight setsElsewhere Casper Ruud registered a 61 62 765 victory against unseeded Sebastian Ofner in their firstround match in Louis Armstrong StadiumRuud whos most comfortable on clay has had mixed success on the hard courts at the Austrailian Open and US Open since his 22 final run in Flushing Meadows where he fell to Carlos Alcaraz in four sets In eliminating Ofner Ruud collected just his ninth win at a hardcourt Grand Slam event since thenAwaiting Ruud in Round 2 is Belgian Raphael Collignon after he beat Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan a lucky loser in straight setsIf Ruud can advance to his second US Open singles final hell be the first player since Martina Navratilova 1983 to make the singles and mixed doubles finals at the same New York eventRuud and Iga Swiatek lost to Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani in this years mixed doubles finalEarlier Jack Draper who was beaten by Jannik Sinner in last years US Open semifinals returned to winning ways with a 64 75 677 62 result against Argentine qualifier Federico Agustin Gomez IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-alcaraz-ruud-sail-through-first-round-win-634206.html Tue, 26 Aug 2025 10:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-alcaraz-ruud-sail-through-first-round-wins-634211.html New York Aug 26 Carlos Alcaraz downed bigserving American Reilly Opelka 64 75 64 to begin his campaign at Flushing Meadows where this fortnight Alcaraz is aiming for his second US Open crown and sixth major trophy overall With the win Alcaraz stays on course in the battle for World No 1 If the Spaniard matches or betters Jannik Sinners result Alcaraz will leave New York atop the ATP RankingsAlcaraz boasts a seasonleading 55 wins and six titles according to the ATP WinLoss Index Last Monday Alcaraz lifted his first Cincinnati Open titleHe will next face Mattia Bellucci in the second round Alcaraz will look to avoid a repeat of his stunning secondround exit last year when he fell to Botic van de Zandschulp in straight setsElsewhere Casper Ruud registered a 61 62 765 victory against unseeded Sebastian Ofner in their firstround match in Louis Armstrong StadiumRuud whos most comfortable on clay has had mixed success on the hard courts at the Austrailian Open and US Open since his 22 final run in Flushing Meadows where he fell to Carlos Alcaraz in four sets In eliminating Ofner Ruud collected just his ninth win at a hardcourt Grand Slam event since thenAwaiting Ruud in Round 2 is Belgian Raphael Collignon after he beat Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan a lucky loser in straight setsIf Ruud can advance to his second US Open singles final hell be the first player since Martina Navratilova 1983 to make the singles and mixed doubles finals at the same New York eventRuud and Iga Swiatek lost to Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani in this years mixed doubles finalEarlier Jack Draper who was beaten by Jannik Sinner in last years US Open semifinals returned to winning ways with a 64 75 677 62 result against Argentine qualifier Federico Agustin Gomez IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-alcaraz-ruud-sail-through-first-round-wins-634211.html Tue, 26 Aug 2025 11:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-alexandra-eala-upsets-clara-tauson-creates-history-for-the-philippines-633966.html New York Aug 25 Alexandra Eala became the first player from the Philippines in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam maindraw match with her firstround at the US Open The 2022 US Open junior girls singles champion and world No 70 Eala came back from a double break in the third set to upset No 14 seed Clara Tauson 63 26 7611 and reach the second round of a Grand Slam for the first timeOn the Miami hard courts in the spring the leftywho at the time was ranked world No 140sent shockwaves through the tennis stratosphere when she defeated three Grand Slam champions in a rowJelena Ostapenko Madison Keys and Iga Swiatekto earn a semifinal berth at the eventAfter trading holds through the first four games she broke Tauson for a 32 lead in the opening set moments after the Dane complained to the chair umpire about crowd noise prompting a warning to the spectators When Eala extended her lead to 53 the umpire again asked fans to quiet down during points WTA reportEala closed out the first set but Tauson quickly seized momentum in the second breaking serve three times to force a deciderTauson raced to a 51 lead in the third and headed for victory But Eala and the crowd roared back She broke Tauson twice while the Dane was serving for the match the second break coming after a double fault on break pointThe double fault immediately followed a video review confirming Eala had hit the ball on her side of the net to set up the break opportunity a ruling that left Tauson visibly frustratedDespite her frustration Tauson saved a match point moments later to force a thirdset tiebreak She rallied from an 84deficit and saved three more match points but it wasnt enough to stop Eala from securing her first Grand Slam maindraw win IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-alexandra-eala-upsets-clara-tauson-creates-history-for-the-philippines-633966.html Mon, 25 Aug 2025 09:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-djokovic-overcomes-tien-in-straight-sets-in-opener-633974.html New York Aug 25 In his first competitive outing since Wimbledon Novak Djokovic saw off a challenging openinground test presented by Learner Tien to advance at the 2025 US Open Djokovic navigated fluctuations in his own physical level and held off the increasingly confident teenager to prevail 61 763 62The 24time major winner called ATP physio Clay Sniteman to court after the second set to reapply tape to a bloodied big toe on his right footEarlier in the match he appeared to be troubled by a hip issue and also pulled his racquet behind his head on several occasions perhaps in an attempt to suck in more oxygen ATP reportsDjokovic looking for his first major title since winning his fourth US Open in 2023 will now have two days rest before facing American qualifier Zachary Svajda on WednesdayTrailing 040 in the sixth game Djokovic escaped with a hold and was later forced to save a set point in the 10th game He was struggling but his famed fighting spirit and resilience were intact helping him snare the ensuing tiebreak and an invaluable twoset leadSet two saw Djokovics unforced error count spike five times higher than set one but after a medical timeout to treat a blister on his toe he was flying again in the third From an immediate break down the seventh seed reeled off five straight games to take a stranglehold over the match which he closed out in two hours 25 minutesThe Serb has not lost a Grand Slam firstround match since the 2006 Australian Open almost 20 years agoHes 750 at the openinground stage since that loss at Melbourne Park to Paul Goldstein as a teenager and now at age 38 this latest win puts him a step closer to a fourth consecutive Grand Slam semifinal IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-djokovic-overcomes-tien-in-straight-sets-in-opener-633974.html Mon, 25 Aug 2025 10:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-pegula-paolini-azarenka-advance-to-second-round-with-solid-wins-633976.html New York Aug 25 Fourth seed Jessica Pegula advanced into the second round of the US Open with a straightsets win over Egypts Mayar Sherif Playing the night session match on Ashe Stadium Pegula got off to a blistering start to win the first set 60 In the second set Sherif found her rhythm and broke the American to take a 41 lead However Pegula regained her focus and her form to win five games in a row and complete the 60 64 win in one hour and 15 minutesShe will next meet Anna Blinkova who defeated Yuliia Starodubtseva 63 61 in another firstround clashMeanwhile No 7 seed Jasmine Paolini dismissed qualifier Destanee Aiava 62 764 to reach the second round of the US Open for the third time in six main draw appearancesAfter winning the first set 62 Paolini had to work a lot harder to overcome the spirited Australian in the second set as both players held their service games to take the set into a tiebreakThe twotime Grand Slam runnerups experience pulled her through for a 62 76 4 win to set up a second round showdown against the experienced 31yearold Aliaksandra Sasnovich or rising teen Iva Jovic WTA reportsIn another match Victoria making her 18th career appearance in New York put her grit on display on Court 12 and worked her way past American qualifier Hina Inoue 760 64Playing her first match since Wimbledon Azarenka battled through fatigue and a pesky main draw debutante to book her 49th career US Open winAzarenka finished the two hour and fourminute contest with 35 winners to 14 for Inoue and she won 36 of 54 points that lasted four strokes or moreShe set up a secondround clash with either Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Dayana Yastremska IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-pegula-paolini-azarenka-advance-to-second-round-with-solid-wins-633976.html Mon, 25 Aug 2025 10:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sinner-feeling-good-ahead-of-chase-for-rare-us-open-title-defence-633679.html New York Aug 23 The wait for a successful mens singles title defence at the US Open is up to 17 years but Jannik Sinner will have every reason to believe he can snap it this fortnight in New York The topseeded Italian enters this year with a 314 record for the season and he is also on a 21match winning streak at hardcourt Grand Slam tournaments dating back to the start of the 2024 Australian OpenAt his pretournament press conference on Friday in New York defending champion Sinner spoke assuredly when asked how he had recovered from the illness that caused him to retire from Mondays final against Carlos Alcaraz in Cincinnati as per ATPIm very happy to be back here Its a great tournament Its obviously the last Grand Slam we have for this season so the motivations are very high said the Italian Physically I feel good I have recovered mostly not 100 yet but we are aiming to be there in a couple of days So should be all fine for the tournamentThe No 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings Sinner was asked his thoughts on why defending the title has been so tough in recent years at the US Open where the last man to win consecutive crowns was Roger Federer the Swiss won five in a row from 2004 to 2008 The 24yearold believes the challenge may lie in small contextual details that surround the eventWe are heading towards end of the season so some players they are tired Some players they are feeling different Many things can change said the 20time tourlevel titlist Its also the last big trophy of the year I feel like here it changes a lot if you play night or if you play day There are many many small things at this Grand Slam makes a differenceFor example also obviously we are sleeping in the city and it takes one hour to come to Flushing Meadows Small things But I feel if you dont handle them very well then its also very difficult to play the best possible tennis Lets see I always say that the future is unpredictable So I dont know whats going to happen this time But of course its a very very difficult tournament to playSinner and Alcaraz who have lifted the past seven Grand Slam trophies between them are locked in a battle for No 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings in New York The Italian has held top spot since June 2024 but with Sinner defending 2000 points and Alcaraz only 50 points from last years US Open Sinner will begin his 2025 campaign 50 points behind his rival in the PIF ATP Live RankingsIf Sinner reaches at least the fourth round he will retain No 1 provided that he advances at least one round further than AlcarazTo have rivalries its great said Sinner of his oncourt relationship with Alcaraz who leads 95 in the pairs ATP Head2Head series Its good for the sport its good for personal view because sometimes when youre tired in practice you try to simulate certain things because they can happen in the real matchAt the moment me and Carlos we are sharing big trophies but at the same time things can change You never know There are great great players out there and to the way to the final its very difficult to get there So lets see if this continues I always say we have to improve because players they understand us now how we areAfter Alcaraz lifted the Cincinnati trophy the Spaniard moved 1890 points clear of his rival Sinner in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin While Sinner has joined Alcaraz in already qualifying for the seasonending Nitto ATP Finals this fortnight in Flushing Meadows could also be crucial for the Italian if he is to haul in his rival and claim ATP YearEnd No 1 presented by PIF honours for the second consecutive year IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sinner-feeling-good-ahead-of-chase-for-rare-us-open-title-defence-633679.html Sat, 23 Aug 2025 10:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/ito-tjen-set-all-asian-meeting-in-us-open-final-qualifying-round-633483.html New York Aug 22 No 3 seed Aoi Ito and fastrising Janice Tjen set up an allAsian matchup in the final round of US Open qualifying for a berth in the main draw Japanese 21yearold Ito who has scored upsets over Jasmine Paolini and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova this summer came through a seesaw contest over Spains Guiomar Maristany Zuleta De Reales 60 16 61Meanwhile Tjen of Indonesia notched her 99th match win since graduating last May with a 75 75 win over Polands Maja Chwalinska coming from 53 down and saving two set points in the first setTjen 23 is bidding to become the first Indonesian player in a Grand Slam main draw since Angelique Widjaja at the 2004 US OpenWednesdays qualifying action was a nearwashout due to persistent rain Only eight womens matches were started and none were completed as a result the entire second round was postponed to Thursday with the scheduled final round pushed to FridayTwo of the most highly rated teenagers in the draw were among those who had their matches delayed at a crucial juncture No 2 seed Tereza Valentova trailed Tatiana Prozorova 54 in the first set while Emerson Jones led Laura Pigossi 54 having just failed to serve out the openerBoth returned on Thursday to wrap up their wins Valentova 18 sped through nine out of 10 games on resumption for a 75 61 victory Jones 17 came through 64 64 WTA reportsAustralias Jones will next face another former junior No 1 Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva The 20yearold Andorran who is bidding to become the first player from her country to compete in a Grand Slam main draw trailed Astra Sharma by a set and a break overnight However on resumption she played with substantially more purpose and confidence to win 26 63 63British No 1 seed Francesca Jones came through a remarkable secondset tussle to defeat Ekaterine Gorgodze 61 7611 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/ito-tjen-set-all-asian-meeting-in-us-open-final-qualifying-round-633483.html Fri, 22 Aug 2025 12:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/rain-wipes-out-us-open-qualifying-matches-633242.html New York Aug 21 Persistent rain at the US Open forced all of Wednesday local time qualifying matches to be cancelled Play lasted only about 45 minutes with six mens matches in progress before rain halted action for good Among those aiming to qualify for the seasons final major include Dino Prizmic Alexander Blockx Rei Sakamoto Martin Landaluce and Rodrigo Pacheco Mendez Tourveterans Bernard Tomic Lloyd Harris and JanLennard Struff remain in the qualifying drawHowever the mixed doubles action semifinals and final remain on schedule as No 1 seeds Jessica PegulaJack Draper and No 3 seeds Iga SwiatekCasper Ruud kicked off the 2025 mixed doubles semifinals in a tight highquality affair under the closed roof of Arthur Ashe StadiumSwiatekRuud upset the top seeds PegulaDraper 35 53 108 to make sebut in the mixed doubles finalLater the defending champion Italian team of Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori defeated Americans Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison in their semifinal match 42 42 to set up the final with SwiatekRuudThe Italians are battling No 3 seeds Swiatek and Ruud for the championship titleand the USD1 million prize purseThe newlook tournament was a hit with fans at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Tuesday with spectators filling both Ashe and Armstrong for the doubles actionMatches in the first three rounds of the tournament including tonights semifinals are bestofthreeset contests with each set played to four games tiebreak at 44 and a 10point tiebreak in lieu of a third setThe final played with traditional sets to six games with a 10point match tiebreak to decide the champion if the competitors split sets IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/rain-wipes-out-us-open-qualifying-matches-633242.html Thu, 21 Aug 2025 09:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-erranivavassori-defend-mixed-doubles-crown-633245.html New York Aug 21 Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori claimed the title at the 2025 US Open Mixed Doubles Championship with a 63 57 106 victory against third seeds Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud here in Thursday IST The Italians successfully defended their New York title without losing a set until the final After two straightsets wins on Tuesday in Louis Armstrong Stadium they completed their run with two more victories on Thursday at Arthur Ashe Stadium US Open reportsEarlier this year they likewise captured the mixed doubles crown at Roland Garros By contrast the American team was tapped to play just before the competition started after the team of Jannik Sinner and Katerina Siniakova were forced to withdraw after Sinner took illErrani and Vavassori earlier eliminated Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison 42 42 in the semifinals In the only match that went to a deciding set before the final Ruud and Swiatek rallied past top seeds Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula 35 53 108The US Open title is the third mixed doubles crown for Errani and Vavassori as a pair In addition to the 2024 trophy in New York they also won Roland Garros this summerIn the final the Italians led 53 in the second set before a late charge from Swiatek and Ruud forced a match tiebreak But the third seeds momentum was quickly halted as ErraniVavassori built a 40 lead in the tiebreak and never looked backThe USTA is offering the largest purse in tennis history with USD 90 million in total player compensationFor the first time ever the winning teams from the mens doubles womens doubles and mixed doubles tournaments will earn 1 million in prize moneyThe champions will be rewarded with a USD 1 million winners check along with the first Grand Slam trophy of the 2025 US Open IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-erranivavassori-defend-mixed-doubles-crown-633245.html Thu, 21 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-erranivavassori-pair-defends-mixed-doubles-crown-633249.html New York Aug 21 Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori claimed the title at the 2025 US Open Mixed Doubles Championship with a 63 57 106 victory against third seeds Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud here in Thursday IST The Italians successfully defended their New York title without losing a set until the final After two straightsets wins on Tuesday in Louis Armstrong Stadium they completed their run with two more victories on Thursday at Arthur Ashe Stadium US Open reportsEarlier this year they likewise captured the mixed doubles crown at Roland Garros By contrast the American team was tapped to play just before the competition started after the team of Jannik Sinner and Katerina Siniakova were forced to withdraw after Sinner took illErrani and Vavassori earlier eliminated Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison 42 42 in the semifinals In the only match that went to a deciding set before the final Ruud and Swiatek rallied past top seeds Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula 35 53 108The US Open title is the third mixed doubles crown for Errani and Vavassori as a pair In addition to the 2024 trophy in New York they also won Roland Garros this summerIn the final the Italians led 53 in the second set before a late charge from Swiatek and Ruud forced a match tiebreak But the third seeds momentum was quickly halted as ErraniVavassori built a 40 lead in the tiebreak and never looked backThe USTA is offering the largest purse in tennis history with USD 90 million in total player compensationFor the first time ever the winning teams from the mens doubles womens doubles and mixed doubles tournaments will earn 1 million in prize moneyThe champions will be rewarded with a USD 1 million winners check along with the first Grand Slam trophy of the 2025 US Open IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-erranivavassori-pair-defends-mixed-doubles-crown-633249.html Thu, 21 Aug 2025 10:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/so-many-good-points-and-highlights-erranivavassori-feel-special-to-defend-us-open-mixed-doubles-title-633273.html New York Aug 21 After the Italians Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori successfully defended their US Open mixed doubles title in front of a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium the former described it as so special to win again at Flushing Meadows The champions defeated Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud 63 57 106 ranked No2 and No 12 in singles to win the US Open Mixed Doubles Championship I think tonight was amazing The atmosphere was crazy Vavassori reflected The last match was unbelievable also the level I think so many good points so many highlightsErrani came into the match ranked No 291 singles among WTA Tour players and Vavassori was the ATP Tours No 306 having split two matches this year and compiling a career record of 1013 for his careerIm so happy It was so special to win here again It was not easy after losing the second set in the final Andrea helped me a lot giving me a lot of energy believing in me I think he did an unbelievable match tiebreak It was so special said ErraniThe Italian duo ErraniVavassori did not lose a set in the tournament until SwiatekRuud rattled off four straight games from 53 down in the second set to force a match tiebreak But the Italians regrouped and never trailed in the decider ultimately clinching the title and a cool USD 1 million in prize moneyOn their first championship point Errani tossed in an underhand serve that surprised everyone in Asheespecially Swiatek and Ruud who managed to win an entertaining point to extend the match It wasnt the first time Errani broke out that tactic on a big occasion She successfully executed the play in the Olympic doubles semifinals last summer on the way to winning the gold medal with Jasmine Paolini who was in the stands to cheer on her compatriots Wednesday night You want to know the truth Because I feel if I serve normal Id do a double fault she explained about the shot I did an underarm serve Sometimes also its not easy to return from underarm Its getting low Some people sometimes get nervous I dont know I just feel it and I just did it But we lost that pointThey won the next point though to claim their third mixed doubles title as a pair after last year in New York and this summer at Roland Garros That is so special so funny I think we invented it here last year Errani said of the move I think the first time was in the semis or final Vavassori added with a smile She did that and I followed the wave IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/so-many-good-points-and-highlights-erranivavassori-feel-special-to-defend-us-open-mixed-doubles-title-633273.html Thu, 21 Aug 2025 12:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-2025-alacaraz-radacanu-headline-exciting-mixed-doubles-showcase-632736.html New York Aug 18 The US Open 2025 is all set to kick off with a thrilling mixed doubles showcase featuring topranked tennis stars and wildcard pairings Scheduled for August 19 and 20 just ahead of the main singles draws beginning on August 24 the event will serve as an actionpacked curtainraiser to one of tenniss most prestigious tournaments The showcase will include 16 players the top eight based on combined singles rankings and eight wildcard entries The new scheduling format allows elite singles players to participate in this exhibitionstyle event creating rare and exciting pairings for fans to enjoyAmong the headline duos is Emma Raducanu 2021 US Open champion who will team up with 2022 champion Carlos Alcaraz as a wildcard entry Novak Djokovic the 24time Grand Slam winner partners with fellow Serbian Olga Danilovic while Venus Williams still competing at 45 will join forces with Reilly OpelkaAdditional standout pairings include British No 1 Jack Draper with World No 4 Jessica Pegula and World No 1 Jannik Sinner paired with 10time Grand Slam doubles champion Katerina Siniakova Defending mixed doubles champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori are also set to return as a wildcard pairingThis twoday event promises highstakes matches rare teamups and a vibrant energy that sets the stage for the main tournament With both established legends and emerging stars sharing the court the US Open 2025 mixed doubles showcase is poised to captivate tennis fans across the globeThe tournament will be streamed live on JioHotstar and broadcast on Star Sports Network August 1920 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-2025-alacaraz-radacanu-headline-exciting-mixed-doubles-showcase-632736.html Tue, 19 Aug 2025 00:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/its-nice-to-check-off-the-list-another-tournament-swiatek-after-clinching-maiden-cincinnati-crown-632800.html Cincinnati Aug 19 Iga Swiatek added a new title to her resume winning knocking off No 7 seed Jasmine Paolini to win her first Cincinnati Open trophy After falling behind 30 early in the first set Swiatek rallied to defeat Paolini 75 64 in 1 hour and 49 minutes to become the first Polish player in the Open era to win a singles title at the eventThis is Swiateks 24th career WTA Tour singles title and her second WTA title of 2025 coming a month after she won Wimbledon It also marked her 11th career WTA 1000 title now tied for fifth with American Lindsay Davenport for most all time at that levelFor Paolini its her fifth loss in five matches against Swiatek and her second in a final Swiatek improved to a perfect 60 against Paolini in career headtoheads and has dropped only one set in those matchesSwiatek didnt drop a single set en route to the title a run that included victories over Top 10 players such as Paolini in the final and Elena Rybakina in the semifinals Since 1990 her winning percentage against WTA Top 10 players trails only Steffi Graf and Serena Williams according to WTA statsIts nice to check off the list another tournament in the season one I havent won Its a great motivation to push forward If I would have to point to two tournaments that would be the hardest ones to win it would be Wimbledon and Cincinnati so Im even more happy Its kind of proved that the greatest moments will probably come when you least expect them said SwiatekThe victory comes just ahead of the US Open where Swiatek will enter as the No 2 seed following her Cincinnati title She entered Mondays final needing a win to surpass Coco Gauff in the WTA rankings IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/its-nice-to-check-off-the-list-another-tournament-swiatek-after-clinching-maiden-cincinnati-crown-632800.html Tue, 19 Aug 2025 13:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/first-time-finalists-swiatek-and-paolini-set-up-summit-clash-in-cincinnati-632507.html Cincinnati Aug 18 Iga Swiatek reached the final of the Cincinnati Open for the first time in her career with a 75 63 win over Elena Rybakina at the Lindner Family Tennis Center Having lost in the semifinals in the Queen City in each of the last two years No 3 seed Swiatek overcame a 53 deficit in the first set to claim victory The Wimbledon champion won 10 of the last 13 games to take her fourth straight win against Rybakina and her sixth win against the Kazakh in 10 tourlevel meetings WTA reportsSwiatek took a while to get to full flight on PampG Center Court After the match began with six straight holds of serve Rybakina moved into the ascendency by winning three straight games to establish a twogame cushionSwiatek has now reached the final in three of her last four tournaments played after not reaching one in more than a yearWith the win over Rybakina Swiatek secured her place at the WTA Finals in Riyadh and climbed back to No 2 in the PIF WTA Rankings placing her at the bottom of the US Open draw next weekSwiatek will face No 7 seed Jasmine Paoliniin Mondays final as she seeks an 11th career WTA 1000 titlePaolini also reached the Cincinnati Open final for the first time in her career defeating Veronika Kudermetova 63 67 2 63 in the semifinalsIt is Paolinis second WTA 1000 final of the season and the third of her career She has won the previous two She became the first Italian woman in the Open era to reach the singles final in CincinnatiSwiatek will take a 50 record into the final with Paolini Mondays final will be their fifth career meeting The two also met in the 2024 French Open finalShes an amazing player and its always tough to play her She defends really well and her serving is good too so its going to be tough but Ill try to do my best in the final I like the conditions here so thats fine and hopefully its going to be a good match Paolini said of SwiatekSwiatek leads the headtohead 40 including a 61 63 win in the Bad Homburg semifinals in JuneJasmine she plays fast but with a lot of spin and she has a lot of variety in terms of going to the net as well I think Im gonna have to prepare tactically but honestly Im just gonna kind of focus on myself Swiatek said IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/first-time-finalists-swiatek-and-paolini-set-up-summit-clash-in-cincinnati-632507.html Mon, 18 Aug 2025 09:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-mixed-doubles-draw-top-seed-draper-pegula-to-begin-against-alcaraz-raducanu-632518.html New York Aug 18 The full 16team field and draw for the blockbuster US Open Mixed Doubles Championship are unveiled Eight of the teams were determined by direct entry based on their combined singles ranking The other eight were granted wild cards Top seeds Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula will face a stern opening test against two former US Open singles champions in Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu asThe winner will play the team that emerges between Olga DanilovicNovak Djokovic and Mirra AndreevaDaniil MedvedevSecond seeds Taylor Fritz and Elena Rybakina will face defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori Third seeds Casper Ruud and Iga Swiatek take on Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe while fourth seeds Amanda AnisimovaHolger Rune will open against Ben Shelton and Taylor TownsendWorld No 1 and defending US Open mens singles champion Jannik Sinner originally entered with Emma Navarro who withdrew repaired with 10time Grand Slam womens doubles champion Katerina Siniakova That team received a wildcard entry into the fieldJasmine Paolini withdrew after advancing to the Cincinnati Open final Her previous partner Lorenzo Musetti repaired with Caty McNally That team also received a wildcard entry into the fieldWorld singles No 6 and reigning Australian Open womens singles champion Madison Keys and world No 14 and twotime US Open mens singles semifinalist Frances Tiafoe received direct entry based on their combined singles ranking on July 28World singles No 11 Andrey Rublev and No 14 Karolina Muchova also received direct entry based on their combined singles ranking on July 28Additionally twotime US Open womens singles champion Naomi Osaka and former US Open mens singles semifinalist Gael Monfils also received a wildcard entry into the fieldThe newlook event will be played Tuesday and Wednesday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center with the mixed doubles draw revealing each teams potential path to a Grand Slam trophy and USD 1 million in prize moneyTuesdays first and second rounds will be played in Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong StadiumThrough the semifinals matches will be best of three sets with short sets to four games noad scoring tiebreaks at fourall and a 10point match tiebreak in lieu of a third set The final will be a bestofthree set match to six games featuring noad scoring with tiebreaks at sixall and a 10point match tiebreak in lieu of a third set IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/us-open-mixed-doubles-draw-top-seed-draper-pegula-to-begin-against-alcaraz-raducanu-632518.html Mon, 18 Aug 2025 10:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcaraz-sets-sinner-showdown-in-cincinnati-final-632311.html Cincinnati Aug 17 Carlos Alcaraz advanced to his seventh consecutive tourlevel final by beating an ailing Alexander Zverev 64 63 at the Cincinnati Open The victory set up a final showdown with Jannik Sinner a rematch of the Rome Roland Garros and Wimbledon title matches this seasonIm really looking forward to playing against him once again said the Spaniard who will meet Sinner for the fourth time this year and 14th time overall We raise our level to the top and we bring a really beautiful tennis to the match Im ready to take the challenge Im ready to see the things that I did wrong in the last match and trying to be better on that side on MondayAt 22 years and three months Alcaraz is the thirdyoungest player to reach nine Masters 1000 finals after Rafael Nadal 20 and Novak Djokovic 21 according to ATP statsThrough to his ninth ATP Masters 1000 final 71 and first on hard courts since he claimed the Indian Wells crown last year Alcaraz extended his winning streak to 16 matches at that prestigious level on the heels of his title runs in MonteCarlo and RomeEarlier defending champion Sinner delivered a rocksolid display to triumph 764 62 and reach his eighth ATP Masters 1000 final Ending the dream run of World No 136 Terence AtmaneWith his 86minute victory the world No 1 recorded his 200th tourlevel win on hard courts and extended his win streak on the surface to 26 matchesDespite defeat Atmane surged 67 spots to a new careerhigh No 69 in the ATP Live Rankings The 23yearold is next scheduled to compete in the qualifying event for the US Open which begins Monday IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcaraz-sets-sinner-showdown-in-cincinnati-final-632311.html Sun, 17 Aug 2025 14:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/cincinnati-open-rybakina-stuns-sabalenka-alcaraz-battles-past-rublev-to-reach-semis-632259.html Cincinnati Aug 16 Elena Rybakina stormed into her first Cincinnati Open semifinal on Friday with a commanding 61 64 victory over defending champion Aryna Sabalenka while fivetime Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz overcame a secondset lapse to defeat Andrey Rublev to reach the last four The ninthseeded Kazakh produced an impressive display to earn her seventh career win against a world No1 setting up a highstakes semifinal clash with sixtime major champion Iga Swiatek in a battle of Wimbledon titleholdersRybakina delivered a dominant serving performance firing 11 aces and winning 81 of points on her first serve She saved all five break points she faced to notch her fifth victory over Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka in 12 encountersEarlier in the day Swiatek reached her first WTA 1000 semifinal in 15 months with a 63 64 win over 28th seed Anna Kalinskaya The Russian who had beaten Swiatek in their only previous meeting showed resilience by saving four match points before the Polish third seed finally converted her fifth opportunity on serve to close out the matchRussias Veronika Kudermetova cruised into her first Cincinnati Open semifinal with a commanding 61 62 win over compatriot Varvara GrachevaThe former top10 player appears to be regaining her best form securing her first WTA 1000 semifinal appearance since 2023Up next Kudermetova will face Italys seventh seed Jasmine Paolini who pulled off a stunning comeback to defeat twotime Grand Slam champion Coco Gauff 26 64 63In the mens draw Spanish second seed Alcaraz fought past ninthseeded Russian Andrey Rublev with a hardearned 63 46 75 victory to book his place in the semifinalsThe 22yearold wasnt at his sharpest tallying 15 unforced errors and three double faults in the final set but seized his only match point thanks to a Rublev double fault to clinch his 15th straight win at the Masters 1000 levelPlaying someone like Andrey when you lose focus on two or three points it can cost you the set or the match I just stayed strong mentally and thats what Im most proud of Alcaraz saidIts just accepting the moment accepting that I am playing a third set that its going to be a really tough battle and I love thatAlcaraz who has now won 37 of his last 39 matches reached his 12th Masters 1000 semifinal matching the tally of world No 1 Jannik Sinner who will meet French qualifier Terence Atmane in the other semifinalUp next for Alcaraz is third seed Alexander Zverev who cruised past Canadian Open champion Ben Shelton with a dominant 62 62 victory IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/cincinnati-open-rybakina-stuns-sabalenka-alcaraz-battles-past-rublev-to-reach-semis-632259.html Sat, 16 Aug 2025 17:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcaraz-sinner-move-into-cincinnati-open-quarterfinal-631930.html Cincinnati Aug 14 Carlos Alcaraz sprinted into the Cincinnati Open quarterfinals with a convincing 61 64 win over Italian Luca Nardi Alcaraz closed out the first set in just 27 minutes making up for a late start to his feature night match after the Centre Court schedule was impacted by an extended rain delay earlier in the dayIn the second set Alcaraz was trailing 24 before tallying four consecutive games to advance after 80 minutes The 22yearold won a lengthy eightdeuce game at 44 during which Nardi double faulted on backtoback points to allow the second seed to serve for the match ATP reportsA 21time tourlevel titlist Alcaraz is seeking his first Cincinnati crown He reached the final in 2023 and held championship point before rival Novak Djokovic stormed back to lift the trophyThe Spaniard who is seeded to meet World No 1 Jannik Sinner in the final for the fourth consecutive tournament in which they have both featured next plays ninth seed Andrey Rublev who beat Francisco Comesana 62 63 to avenge last years Wimbledon firstround loss to the ArgentineEarlier defending champion Jannik Sinner overcame a resilient performance from French qualifier Adrian Mannarino 64 764 in a raindisrupted match to mive a steo closer to retaining his crown and capturing his first ATP Masters 1000 title of the seasonWith his onehour 48minute victory Sinner extended his winning streak on hard courts to 24 matches surpassing Novak Djokovics 2015 run of 23 wins and climbing to eighth place on the list of the longest hardcourt winning streaks of this century The Italians last defeat on the surface came against Carlos Alcaraz in the Beijing final last October according to ATP statsSinner will next meet 23rd seed Felix AugerAliassime or another Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi in his fifth quarterfinal of the yearElsewhere third seed Alexander Zverev led 14th seed Karen Khachanov 75 30 when the Toronto finalist retired after 70 minutes of battle IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcaraz-sinner-move-into-cincinnati-open-quarterfinal-631930.html Thu, 14 Aug 2025 17:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sabalenka-swiatek-make-cincinnati-quarters-631940.html Cincinnati Aug 14 World no1 Aryna Sabalenka and no 3 seed Iga Swiatek advanced to Cincinnati Open quarterfinal here on Thursday IST Defending champion Sabalenka beat Spains Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 61 75 This was her 50th win of the seasonShe will face former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina who beat Australian Open champion Madison Keys 67 37 64 62Swiatek advanced to her third straight Cincinnati Open quarterfinal with a 64 63 defeat over Sorana Cirstea in 1 hour and 35 minutesSwiatek made a lightningfast start to the match hammering three clean winners en route to an immediate break a lead she maintained for the whole of the first setA pair of double faults from Cirstea handed the Pole an immediate lead in the second set as well but Swiatek repaid the favor with two of her own in the subsequent game WTA reportsSwiatek took a 41 lead before dropping serve for a second time but was able to keep her nose in front and closed out her first match point with a forehand winnerWe played many tough matches so I know Sorana can really hit the ball well especially on faster surfaces So I was ready Im happy I was solid enough I was trying to be proactive with my serve not many of my first serves went in but I was happy I was solid on my second serves Swiatek saidCincinnati is one of only three WTA 1000 events on the current calendar that Swiatek has played without yet reaching the final She was a semifinalist here in both of the past two years falling to Coco Gauff at that stage in 2023 and Aryna Sabalenka last year She will next face either Anna Kalinskaya who defeated No 12 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 36 76 75 61 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sabalenka-swiatek-make-cincinnati-quarters-631940.html Thu, 14 Aug 2025 18:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcaraz-sinks-medjedovic-for-50th-win-of-2025-in-cincinnati-631844.html Cincinnati Aug 13 Carlos Alcaraz eased past Hamad Medjedovic 64 64 in testing conditions at the Cincinnati Open to rack up his 50th win for the season Alcaraz kept his cool in the Ohio heat to notch his 13th consecutive Masters 1000 win and sailed into the fourth round of the ATP Masters 1000 eventThe opening stages of the match was hard fought The momentum then shifted clearly toward the Spaniard however with Medjedovic serving at 33 The Serbian saved three break points but the pressure told on the fourth when he produced a double fault to hand his opponent a breakthroughMedjedovic received treatment from the physio for neck pain at the end of the first set and played aggressively in the second set to try and shorten the rallies in the heat Although he was able to reclaim a break for 33 and ultimately outhit Alcaraz by 25 winners to 16 overall that approach proved too inconsistent to overcome the SpaniardThe Serbian netted consecutive drop shots to gift Alcaraz another break for 43 and this time the Spaniard did not let slip his lead He completed his 95minute win having converted three of seven break points he earned ATP reportsHaving already lifted titles in MonteCarlo and Rome in his current Masters 1000 winning streak Alcaraz will take on Luca Nardi next in Cincinnati as he chases his eighth trophy at that levelHaving both qualified for the ATP Finals Jannik Sinner and Alcaraz will compete in a thrilling battle for ATP YearEnd No 1 honours over the remaining months of the year Alcaraz currently holds a 1500point lead over Sinner in the ATP Live Race To TurinIn other action ninth seed Andrey Rublev pulled a threehour 30minute marathon against 21st seed Alexei Popyrin Rublev prevailed 675 765 75 to level his ATP HeadtoHead series with Popyrin at 22 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcaraz-sinks-medjedovic-for-50th-win-of-2025-in-cincinnati-631844.html Wed, 13 Aug 2025 09:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sabalenka-prevails-in-cincinnati-with-marathon-win-over-raducanu-631611.html Cincinnati Aug 12 Aryna Sabalenkas Cincinnati title defense stayed alive after a marathon win 76 3 46 76 5 over Emma Raducanu The dramatic match required three hours and nine minutes the fourth longest of Sabalenkas career She improved to 110 in firstset tiebreaks this yearSabalenka finished with 46 winners and 72 unforced errors She will play a Round of 16 match Wednesday against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro a 64 61 winner over wild card Taylor TownsendSabalenka has now won all three career matches against Raducanu all in the past 18 months Shes now won 49 matches and put in more time on court approaching 100 hours than any other WTA Tour playerRaducanu opened the match by winning eight straight points The ninth though was a selfinflicted double fault and signaled a shift in momentum Sabalenka promptly broke her to get it back on serveAfter dropping four straight games Raducanu held serve to make it 43 Thirty minutes into the match after a backhand error from Sabalenka Raducanu leveled it at 4all Saving two break points Raducanu held for a 54 lead WTA reportsServing at 5all Raducanu played her best game finishing it with a massive crosscourt forehand winner and an ace Sabalenka also won at love and they were into that fateful tiebreakThe second set sailed along on keel for six games until Raducanu earned three break points and converted the last one It was the only break registered in the second set and Raducanu closed it with an emphatic aceThe third set opened with seven consecutive relatively easy service holds The eight game was a match within itself There were 13 deuces and Raducanu saved four break points before hitting a first serve that finally Sabalenka couldnt get backAfter that Raducanu roared and turned to her box with a raised clenched fist There were no breaks in the third set and Sabalenka finished it with another virtuoso performance IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sabalenka-prevails-in-cincinnati-with-marathon-win-over-raducanu-631611.html Tue, 12 Aug 2025 10:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sinner-fritz-advance-in-cincinnati-amid-fire-alarm-and-power-outage-chaos-631616.html Cincinnati Aug 12 World No 1 Jannik Sinner saved a set point to beat Gabriel Diallo 62 766 and advanced to the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open Play was halted in the second game of the second set in his thirdround match with Gabriel Diallo when a fire alarm in the 1899 club grandstand began to soundAfter a delay of several minutes the players agreed to play through the sound and flashes playing four points before the alarm ended ATP reportsSinner ultimately closed out the match after saving a set point with a clutch forehand service return in the tiebreakSinner is on a 22match hardcourt winning streak since losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the Beijing final in October He next plays the winner of Tommy Paul and Adrian MannarinoPlaying his first tournament since winning his first Wimbledon title Sinner is 273 on the season according to ATP Stats Just 10 wins away from 300 career wins Sinner earlier in the tournament became the second player to qualify for Novembers ATP Finals where he will be the defending championThe start of Sinners evening match had been delayed by a late finish to Taylor Fritzs match with Lorenzo Sonego which endured a 75minute delay when the venue lost powerThe 27yearold Fritz who lost to Ben Shelton in straight sets in Canada last week moved past the Italian 764 75 in two hours and eight minutes without facing a break pointAfter winning a 67minute opening set play was suspended for about 75 minutes Upon resumption the second set went on serve until 5all when Sonego missed five first serves to give Fritz the break point he needed The American then held to love to close out his 38th tourlevel victory of the seasonChasing his first Masters 1000 crown of the season and second overall the former Indian Wells champ will meet Brazilian Joao Fonseca or Frenchman Terence Atmane in the fourth roundFritz is the first American to be among the top four seeds in Cincinnati since Andy Roddick in 2007 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sinner-fritz-advance-in-cincinnati-amid-fire-alarm-and-power-outage-chaos-631616.html Tue, 12 Aug 2025 10:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcaraz-survives-dzumhur-scare-to-reach-third-round-in-cincinnati-631361.html Cincinnati Aug 11 Carlos Alcaraz battled past World No 56 Damir Dzumhur 61 26 63 to reach the third round of the Cincinnati Masters here on Monday IST Alcaraz raced through the first set in just 28 minutes But he found himself off course in the second set With errors creeping in and his intensity dipping the World No 2 opened the door for a surging Dzumhur who began charging the net and taking control of the rallies to levelThe Spaniard crucially regrouped in the decider finding just enough firepower and precision to steady the ship and close out the match after one hour and 41 minutesIt was just a rollercoaster Lots of good feelings bad feelings back to the good ones All I can say is I am happy to get the win at the end and just have another chance to be better I will try tomorrow to have my confidence back because today it was a little bit trickyDamir plays really smart tennis which I have to be focused and ready for that I have a rest day tomorrrow to give myself the confidence back and hopefully be better in the next round Alcaraz saidAlcaraz was competing for the first time since he lost to Sinner in the pairs latest Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting in the Wimbledon final Having both qualified for the ATP Finals Sinner and Alcaraz will compete in a thrilling battle for ATP YearEnd No 1 honours over the remaining months of the yearAlcaraz currently holds a 1500point lead over Sinner in the ATP Live Race To TurinAlcaraz has clinched a Tourleading five titles in 2025 including Masters 1000 crowns in MonteCarlo and Rome The 22yearolds best result in Ohio came in 2023 when he lost in a threeset final thriller against Novak DjokovicThe Spaniard who is chasing eighth Masters 1000 title will next meet Hamad Medjedovic IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcaraz-survives-dzumhur-scare-to-reach-third-round-in-cincinnati-631361.html Mon, 11 Aug 2025 10:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/gauff-pegula-kickstart-cincinnati-campaigns-with-wins-631366.html Cincinnati Aug 11 No 2seeded Coco Gauff mastered herself and opponent Wang Xinyu with a 63 62 victory in 70 minutes to reach the third round at the Cincinnati Masters Gauff has now won her sixth opening match in eight WTA 1000s this yearShell meet No 32 Dayana Yastremska a 64 26 62 winner over Viktoriya Tomova on Tuesday Gauff has beaten Yastremska three of four timesGauff is one of eight Americans in the WTA Rankings Top 50 and the fifth to advance to the third round Saturday saw No 5 Amada Anisimova No 6 Madison Keys and wild card Taylor Townsend get through On Sunday Gauff was joined by another 21yearold Ashlyn Krueger who was a 64 06 63 winner over Anastasija Sevastova WTA reportsLater No 4 Jessica Pegula equalled her former doubles partner with a 64 63 victory over Kimberly Birrell Next for Pegula is No 31 Magda Linette who beat Rebecca Sramkova 76 4 60Only Aryna Sabalenka 47 and Iga Swiatek 44 have won more matches this year at the WTA level than Pegulas 37No 8 seed Emma Navarro fell to qualifier Ella Seidel 64 16 64 Seidel a 20yearold German ranked No 124 gets the winner of the later match between Americans Caty McNally and McCartney KesslerEarleir No 7 Jasmine Paolini advanced in two fluctuating tiebreak sets 762 765 over Maria Sakkari However No 17 Belinda Bencic fell 64 760 to Veronika Kudermetova in the 11th edition of their rivalryMeanwhile No 3 Iga Swiatek and No 23 Jelena Ostapenko both advanced via walkover Swiatek had been due to face No 25 Marta Kostyuk in Mondays thirdround action but the Ukrainian was forced to withdraw due to a right wrist injuryOstapenko had been scheduled to face Camila Osorio in Sundays secondround action but an abdominal injury ended the Colombians hopes before she took to the courtOstapenko will face Lucia Bronzetti in the third round Swiatek will play either Sorana Cirstea or lucky loser Yuan Yue in the fourth round IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/gauff-pegula-kickstart-cincinnati-campaigns-with-wins-631366.html Mon, 11 Aug 2025 10:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/shelton-zverev-breeze-into-cincinnati-masters-r3-631367.html Cincinnati Aug 11 Ben Shelton eased into the third round of the Cincinnati Open after Camilo Ugo Carabelli retired early in the second set with a knee injury Competing just three days after winning his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Toronto Shelton was leading 63 31 after 64 minutes when the Argentine retiredCarabelli grasped his knee on the first point of the fourth game of the second set after an awkward movement coming forward into the court After a medical timeout he could not move freely and retired after completing Sheltons service game ATP reportsI feel for Camilo and its obviously not the way that you want to go through I hope that he has a quick recovery Shelton next faces Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut saidMeanwhile world No 3 Alexander Zverev dropped a serving masterclass on American Nishesh Basavareddy to breeze into the third round with a 63 63 win his 40th of the yearZverev said that he was happy to get through without expending too much energy and to avoid playing in the heat of the dayI requested a night match coming from Toronto where its a lot colder I need some days getting used to the heat and conditions Im happy with the win and happy with how I playedThe twotime ATP Finals champion will next play 27th seed American Brandon Nakashima who toughed out a 46 63 765 win over Belgian qualifier Alexander BlockxElsewhere Karen Khachanov who fell to Shelton in a thirdset tiebreak in the Toronto final won his opening Cincinnati match against French qualifier Valentin Royer 64 76The World No 12 hit seven aces according to ATP Stats and took charge with his forehand in his one hour 50minute win He next faces American wild card Jenson Brooksby IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/shelton-zverev-breeze-into-cincinnati-masters-r3-631367.html Mon, 11 Aug 2025 10:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/cincinnati-open-sabalenka-survives-vondrousova-test-sets-up-raducanu-clash-631212.html Cincinnati Aug 10 Aryna Sabalenka began her title defense at the Cincinnati Open with a gritty win over former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova on Saturday night The World No 1 battled through a challenging first set saving six break points before clinching it 75 Despite facing constant pressure on her serve Sabalenka maintained her composure and elevated her game in the second set to close out the match 75 61Its always a tough match against her Sabalenka said after the match Vondrousova always pushes me to the limit You have to stay focused and you have to fight for every point against herVondrousova had numerous chances creating 12 break points across the two sets but failed to convert any Sabalenka in contrast made the most of her limited opportunities going twofortwo on break points in the second set The win marked her fifth victory in eight career meetings with the Czech lefthanderNext up for Sabalenka is another Grand Slam champion Britains Emma Raducanu The former US Open winner advanced earlier in the day with a commanding 63 62 win over Olga Danilovic It was the pairs first meeting on the WTA Tour and Raducanu impressed with her clean aggressive baseline playRaducanu now unbeaten in opening matches since March will look to finally break through against Sabalenka The two have faced off twice before most recently at Wimbledon this year where Sabalenka won in straight sets Raducanu is yet to take a set from the topranked BelarusianTheir upcoming thirdround clash promises to be a marquee matchup between two of the sports most exciting names with Sabalenka aiming to continue her title defense and Raducanu seeking her first win in the rivalry IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/cincinnati-open-sabalenka-survives-vondrousova-test-sets-up-raducanu-clash-631212.html Sun, 10 Aug 2025 10:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/canadian-open-mboko-stuns-osaka-to-clinch-maiden-wta-1000-title-630833.html Montreal Aug 8 An 18yearold Canadian wild card Victoria Mboko stunned fourtime Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka 26 64 61 to win her first WTA 1000 title on home soil at the Canadian Open After dropping the first set in the championship match Mboko once again showed her resilience and fighting spirit breaking in the opening game of the second set which seemed to throw Osaka off her game even though she managed to break back twice during the frameMboko carried her momentum into the final set cruising to victory against a discouraged opponent to achieve a destiny that seemed written in the stars from the moment she stepped foot in MontrealThe victory moves Mboko to a careerhigh no 25 on the WTA rankings guaranteeing that she will be seeded for the first at a Grand Slam in New York later this month Since 1970 Mboko is the second Canadian semifinalist finalist and champion at the Canadian Open after Bianca Andreescu in 2019Coming into the tournament Mboko was ranked 85th in the world Her victory makes her the secondlowest ranked player to win a Tier I WTA 1000 title since the formats introduction in 1990She is the second player since 2009 to claim her maiden title at a WTA 1000 event Mboko is the second wildcard to win the National Bank Open after Monica Seles in 1995Her fortnight included four victories over Grand Slam champions Sofia Kenin Coco Gauff Elena Rybakina and Osaka Gauff and Rybakina were seeded No 1 and No 3 Its the first time thats happened in a single tournament since Ons Jabeur and Elina Svitolina in Wimbledon 2023 but they werent teenagers Mboko is the secondyoungest player ever to defeat four Grand Slam champions in a single WTA event in the Open Era The first was Serena Williams in 1999The 18yearold is the first Canadian woman to face four former Womens Singles Grand Slam champions and the first to beat all four in a single WTA event in the Open Era IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/canadian-open-mboko-stuns-osaka-to-clinch-maiden-wta-1000-title-630833.html Fri, 08 Aug 2025 09:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/shelton-claims-first-atp-masters-1000-title-in-toronto-630837.html Toronto Aug 8 Ben Shelton won the biggest title of his career todate after claiming the Canadian Open mens singles crown after a pulsating final 675 64 763 victory against Karen Khachanov Shelton becomes the youngest American ATP Masters 1000 champion since 21yearold Andy Roddick won the 2004 Miami title He also surged to fourth in the ATP Live Race to Turin boosting his chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals in NovemberAfter edging two matches in the earlier rounds in thirdset tiebreaks Shelton had to do it again in final He dropped the opening set in a breaker but fought back to take the second In the shootout at 66 he raced out to a quick 30 lead which he never surrendered finishing off the win on his second match point The final lasted two hours and 48 minutesShelton is the fourth firsttime Masters 1000 champion in 2025 joining Jack Draper Indian Wells Jakub Mensik Miami and Casper Ruud Madrid It is the third title of Sheltons career adding to triumphs in Tokyo in 2023 and Houston in 2024 He has won at least one title for three straight yearsIts a surreal feeling Its been a long week not an easy path to the final My best tennis came out when it mattered most I was clutch I persevered I was resilient All the qualities I like to see in myself Shelton saidKhachanov blasted 10 forehand winners in the opening set and his power pinned Shelton deep behind the baseline But on the advice of his coach and father Bryan Shelton worked his way up the court in the second and third sets to take a more aggressive postureShelton now leads Khachanov 20 in their ATP headtohead series after also beating the 29yearold in Indian Wells earlier this year The players are seeded to meet in the Cincinnati Open quarterfinals IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/shelton-claims-first-atp-masters-1000-title-in-toronto-630837.html Fri, 08 Aug 2025 10:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/jannik-sinner-secures-spot-in-atp-finals-joins-carlos-alcaraz-630961.html New Delhi Aug 8 Jannik Sinner has secured his spot at the 2025 ATP Finals joining rival Carlos Alcaraz in the seasonending event in Turin The world No 1 will return to his home nation to defend the yearend championship title he won in 2024 without losing a set This years ATP Finals will be held at the Inalpi Arena from November 916 Sinner will feature in the ATP Finals for the third year in a row and the fourth time overall According to the ATP WinLoss Index he holds a 102 record at the event with his only defeat in the past two editions coming against Novak Djokovic in the 2023 finalThe Italian has enjoyed another stellar season winning two majors for the second straight year and reaching the ATP Masters 1000 final in Rome He successfully defended his Australian Open title and captured his first Wimbledon crown while also holding three championship points in the Roland Garros final before a heartbreaking loss to AlcarazThe 23yearold the only player to top the ATP Rankings this season has remained World No 1 for 60 consecutive weeks since first reaching the summit last June He is now locked in a close battle with Alcaraz for the ATP YearEnd No 1 with the race likely to be decided at the seasons endSinner debuted at the ATP Finals in 2021 as an alternate replacing Matteo Berrettini That year he pushed Daniil Medvedev to a finalset tiebreak and defeated Hubert Hurkacz In his two appearances in Turin since then he has claimed victory in nine of his 10 matchesSinner withdrew from the Canadian Masters in Toronto last month due to an elbow injury Refreshed after nearly a month away from competition the Italian is set to return to action and defend his Cincinnati Open titleThe 23yearold has had a difficult early summer losing a gruelling French Open final to Carlos Alcaraz before bouncing back to beat the Spaniard at Wimbledon and claim his fourth Grand Slam title IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/jannik-sinner-secures-spot-in-atp-finals-joins-carlos-alcaraz-630961.html Fri, 08 Aug 2025 18:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sania-mirza-pv-sindhu-say-belief-and-support-can-make-the-difference-for-upcoming-female-sportspersons-630559.html Mumbai Aug 6 When the Indian womens cricket team participated in the World Cup in 1997 at home they got Rs 1000 as match fee for each match Things have come a long way from those dark ages to 2025 when in the Womens Premier League WPL miniauction Simran Shaikh got a bid of Rs 190 crore and the 16yearold G Kamalini went for Rs 160 crore The media has started taking attention and the broadcasters are also showing womenonly sports even amidst toplevel mens competition like in the case of WPL 2025 in the middle of the mens Champions TrophyHowever there is a lot that still needs to be done to change societys perspective towards womens sports attract more eyeballs on the broadcast spectrum and gain the confidence of the corporate world to take a full dive into womens sportThis was the outcome of an evening of discussion on the scope of the sector during The Sports Women Huddle 2025 Invest in Her organised by Capri Sports Foundation which owns the WPL franchise UP Warriorz the Bengal Warriorz team in Kro Kabaddi League and the Warriorz FC a womens football teamIn a panel discussion on female athletes as market makers brand builders and change drivers multipletime Grand Slam champion in doubles tennis Sania Mirza twotime Olympic medallist shutter PV Sindhu 2016 Paralympic Games silver medallist Dr Deepa Malik and Atiqua Mir first female racer from India to win the Micro Max category at the Rotax Max Challenge International Trophy RMCIT held in Le Mans talked about their experiences how they tackled adversities to succeed and how they envision the womens sport growing in the countryThe panellists discussed how in the changing world when there is social media improved corporate sponsorship and a bit more attention being given to womens sports what more needs to be done to improve female participation change the narrative to their skills and promote them as people capable of laying the marker when it comes to brand promotion and corporate engagementTalking about how societys perspective towards female sportspersons needs to change because they still want them to but demure and act like good girls Sania Mirza said the onus is on women to also be on the female sportspersons to act like world beaters and conduct themselves in such a way that they get the attention they deserveSania Mirza said there is no doubt that it is a mans world and in the case of Indian sports its the cricket world when it comes to Indian sports but the players have to do it for themselves and not for othersSo the fact is that as female representation I think it the onus is also on us how we represent ourselves how we are showing the worldYou know we have world beaters in this part of the world But we dont want them to act like world beaters We still want them to act like they are Bichare simpletons So if you act like a world beater theyre like array they have attitude and they are arrogantBut if you are acting like youre Bichare a good girl or whatever then they say Oh you dont have killer instinctSo there is no winning that So in short you dont do anything for other people you do it for yourself So I dont care how other people represent me I care how I represent myself And the onus is on me to have that killer instinct or have that attitude or have but do whatever it takes to represent myself in the best way possible and to win said SaniaSindhu agreed with Sania and said female sportspersons should not be bothered by what others think about them but should pursue sport because they like itAt the end of the day its us we represent And you know you know when you lose when social media was right there you know when you lose you know they take you there and when you win they keep you at like cloud 9 So you know you dont have to actually bother or feel bad about what they think but its what you think And what matters is you know how are you feeling at the end of the day Because its what you are thinking about what others are thinking I think that will really take you somewhere that you know you cant even imagine because it breaks you at the end of the day said SindhuDeepa Malik talked about how the sports world has changed for the differentially abled sportspersons and said it will have a bigger impact on society if more people from small towns and villages become successful in the sports worldImagine a disabled girl coming from a small village becomes successful and wins a medal in say the Paralympic Games it will change the total outlook of the entire village and inspire many more to take up the sport It has happened with me when I became the first Indian female to win a medal in the 2016 Paralympic Games and now in Paris 2024 so many women won medals she saidShe also talked about the role of male partners in assisting disabled sportspersons in achieving success in sports Talking of her example she said he needs the assistance of a male to get strapped into her wheelchair for participating in an event in such a way that she does not commit a foulSania Deepa and Sindhu also advised young sportspersons on how to handle pressure and losses when transitioning from junior to senior level She told them not to get bothered by defeats because initially they will lose a lot of matches Lose lose and lose so much that you no longer lose anything she said IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sania-mirza-pv-sindhu-say-belief-and-support-can-make-the-difference-for-upcoming-female-sportspersons-630559.html Thu, 07 Aug 2025 00:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wildcard-teen-mboko-stuns-rybakina-to-set-up-montreal-final-with-osaka-630609.html Montreal Aug 7 Canadian teenager Victoria Mbokos magical ride in Montreal will continue into the Canadian Open final after another headlinegrabbing upset victory The 18yearold wild card saved a match point in dispatching No 9 seed Elena Rybakina 16 75 764 putting her through to her first WTA Tour singles final Mboko became the first Canadian player to defeat three former Grand Slam champions Rybakina Coco Gauff Sofia Kenin in a single WTA event in the Open Era and the fourth Canadian finalist at her countrys signature event in the Open Era after Faye Urban 1968 and 1969 Vicky Berner 1969 and Bianca Andreescu 2019 moreover the youngest of those and the first to do it in Montreal according to WTA statsThe teenage Canadian also became the third wildcard to reach the final at the Canadian Open in the Open Era after Monica Seles 1995 and Simona Halep 2015In the final frame Mboko continued to show maturity beyond her years with her back against the wall Rybakina twice served for the match at 54 and 65 but the former Wimbledon champion is the one who ended up flinching so close to the finish lineMboko saved a match point down 45 and broke again at 56 In the tiebreak the young Canadian was the steadiest of the two players on the court hitting the ball with purpose off both wings and coming up with clutch serves when she needed them mostIn a tiebreaker every point counts I really put emphasis on that especially in that kind of moment where I had that really long point I wanted to as much as I can to put as many balls in the court and to fight as hard as I possibly could So I wanted to stay really calm as well because its an incredibly stressful momentI feel like Ive been in situations where the score was tight and I kind of panicked a little bit but I really wanted to calm myself down and forget about the last point and always focus on the next Mboko said in her postmatch press conferenceAfter starting the season ranked outside the Top 300 in the WTA Rankings and entering the tournament ranked No 85 Mboko is assured of cracking the Top 40 no matter the result of finalIn the final Mboko will face fourtime Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka who advanced to her first WTA 1000level final since 2022 with a 62 767 win over No 16 seed Clara Tauson in the nightcap Osaka saved two set points in the second set at 64 in the tiebreak after losing leads of 31 and 42 earlier in the set IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wildcard-teen-mboko-stuns-rybakina-to-set-up-montreal-final-with-osaka-630609.html Thu, 07 Aug 2025 11:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/fritz-shelton-set-all-american-sf-in-toronto-630313.html Toronto Aug 6 Taylor Fritz edged 2024 finalist Andrey Rublev while Ben Shelton moved past Alex de Minaur to set up an allAmerican semifinal at the Canadian Open Fritz was narrowly denied another serving shutout to claim a 63 764 win Holding match point at 54 in the second set after a serving masterclass Fritz seemed destined to claim his 42nd consecutive hold before an againstthescript lapse that saw Rublev convert his fourth break point of the game to level the match and soon after force a tiebreak But with the confidence of having won 18 of his previous 21 matches Fritz wrapped up the win ATP reportsFritz who becomes the third player this season to reach 20 hardcourt wins according to the ATP WinLoss index will play countryman Ben Shelton in the semifinalsShelton has moved inside the cut for the ATP Finals after snapping Alex de Minaurs sevenmatch winning streak in the quarterfinals with a comfortable 63 64 win Victory over 2023 Toronto finalist De Minaur lifted Shelton two spots to seventh in the ATP Live Race to Turin as he looks to make his debut at the season finale from in ItalyShelton 22 who also became the youngest American Masters 1000 semifinalist since Andy Roddick 20 years ago in Indian Wells will improve his careerhigh PIF ATP Ranking from No 7 to No 6 leapfrogging Novak Djokovic should he win the titleShelton who served 13 aces in the 91minute win will now look for his first win over second seed Fritz in a rare allAmerican Masters 1000 semifinal just the fourth since 2000 Fritz won their lone ATP headtohead meeting in Indian Wells in 2023Shelton who served 13 aces in the 91minute win will now look for his first win over second seed Fritz in a rare allAmerican Masters 1000 semifinal just the fourth since 2000 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/fritz-shelton-set-all-american-sf-in-toronto-630313.html Wed, 06 Aug 2025 10:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/djokovic-withdraws-from-cincinnati-open-for-non-medical-reasons-630099.html New Delhi Aug 5 World number six and 24time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open the organisers said The 38yearold Serbian who has reached three Grand Slam semifinals so far in 2025 was scheduled to make his first hardcourt appearance since his semifinal defeat at Wimbledon in July cited nonmedical reasons for his withdrawalDjokovics withdrawal follows his earlier decision to skip the Canadian Masters in Toronto citing a groin injury marking two consecutive missed ATP Masters 1000 tournamentsThe threetime champion owns a 4512 tournament record at the ATP Masters 1000 according to the ATP WinLoss Index In his most recent appearance at the event he saved a championship point to beat Carlos Alcaraz 57 767 764 in an instantclassic 2023 finalDjokovic is 269 this season a year in which he won his 100th tourlevel title in Geneva in May He has played just two events since that triumph reaching the semifinals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon but losing to Jannik Sinner at both majorsDjokovic is next scheduled to play at the US Open where maindraw action begins Aug 24 He is pursuing his 25th Grand Slam title which would set an alltime record for mens and womens singles combined tying the record currently held by Margaret Court on the womens sideMeanwhile Jannik Sinner has arrived at the Cincinnati Open where he will aim to defend his title at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Ohio The 23yearold Italian is seeking his maiden Masters 1000 trophy of 2025 Sinner will be joined at the event by Alexander Zverev Taylor Fritz and Carlos Alcaraz who fell to Sinner in the Wimbledon finalThe Cincinnati Open begins on Thursday and has undergone a major transformation as it expands to a twoweek 96player event in 2025 coinciding with a USD 260 million campus renovation This expansion aims to enhance both player and fan experiences with the addition of new courts The final will be played on August 18 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/djokovic-withdraws-from-cincinnati-open-for-non-medical-reasons-630099.html Tue, 05 Aug 2025 09:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/mbokos-dream-run-continues-in-montreal-reaches-first-wta-1000-semis-630116.html Montreal Aug 5 Victoria Mbokos fairytale run at the Canadian Open continues as the 18yearold advanced to her first WTA 1000level semifinal after beating bighitting Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 64 62 The Canadian wild card who was ranked outside the Top 300 at this time last year is projected to break into the worlds Top 50 following her run this weekSince 1970 Mboko is only the second local player to reach the semifinals at the Canadian Open following Bianca Andreescu in 2019 She also becomes the youngest Canadian player in the Open Era to reach the semifinals at the event Moreover Mboko is the youngest from any nation to achieve the feat at the WTA 1000 level since Belinda Bencic in 2015Mboko coached by former Wimbledon finalist Nathalie Tauziat is just the fourth Canadian woman to reach the semifinals at a Tier 1WTA 1000 event joining Helen Kelesi Eugenie Bouchard and AndreescuStanding in her way in the semifinals on Wednesday night is a Grand Slam champion Elena Rybakina who overcame Mboko a little over a week ago in Washington in straight setsEarlier in the day Kazakhstans Rybakina reached her second semifinal in Montreal after Ukraines Marta Kostyuk retired midwayRybakina led 61 21 when Kostyuk withdrew with a wrist injury It marked her third consecutive win over her Ukrainian rival US Open 2023 Stuttgart 2024 and Montreal 2025 after losing their first meeting in 2023 AdelaideThis is Rybakinas 10th WTA 1000level semifinal and her fifth semifinal appearance of the season the ñ third most on tour behind world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka nine and No 2 Iga Swiatek sevenThe semifinal between Mboko and Rybakina will be their second meeting in as many weeks with Rybakina having defeated the Canadian 63 75 at the Citi Open in Washington last week IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/mbokos-dream-run-continues-in-montreal-reaches-first-wta-1000-semis-630116.html Tue, 05 Aug 2025 11:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/tennis-premier-league-adds-gurgaon-grand-slammers-as-new-franchise-630177.html New Delhi Aug 5 Gurgaon Grand Slammers have been added to the Tennis Premier League TPL as the new franchise ahead of its seventh season Hygiia Ventures a Canadianbacked investment firm founded by entrepreneur Gaurav Agarwal has acquired the Gurgaon franchise Legendary tennis icon Sania Mirza joins as their brand ambassadorSports have always held a special place in my heart not just as a father to a passionate young tennis player but also as someone who admires the discipline it brings Acquiring a team in the Tennis Premier League is a meaningful way for us to support emerging Indian talent while expanding our investments into sports and franchise management Agarwal saidSania added Im thrilled to be associated with a team that values both talent and innovation Gauravs vision aligns perfectly with what Indian tennis needs structured long term investment Im looking forward to supporting the Gurgaon Grand Slammers this seasonTPL is the 4th Indian sports league to successfully enter its seventh season joining an elite group of longrunning sporting leagues in India Known for its fastpaced viewerfriendly format and a mix of international stars and emerging Indian players the league continues to attract top investors and global attention Gurgaon Grand Slammers marks another international investment into the TPL ecosystemWelcoming the new franchise Kunal Thakkur cofounder of TPL said Season 7 is a milestone for us and the addition of Gurgaon Grand Slammers strengthens the league further With Gauravs business expertise and Sanias tennis legacy this team is set to make an impactTPL cofounder Mrunal Jain added Hygiia Ventures coming on board shows how the league is growing as an attractive investment platform Its another big step forward for Indian tennis and TPL and we cant wait to see the Grand Slammers in action this season IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/tennis-premier-league-adds-gurgaon-grand-slammers-as-new-franchise-630177.html Tue, 05 Aug 2025 15:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/shelton-scores-100th-tour-level-win-to-enter-toronto-qf-629886.html Toronto Aug 4 Ben Shelton registered his 100th tourlevel win after beating Flavio Cobolli 64 46 761 in the round of 16 of the Canadian Open to enter the quarterfinals Now 10069 in his tourlevel career Shelton is the eighth man born in the 21st century and the ninth active American to reach the 100wins mark He will next seek another milestone his first ATP Masters 1000 semifinal when he takes on Alex de Minaur in his fourth quarterfinal at the prestigious levelShelton is into his third consecutive quarterfinal after reaching that stage at Wimbledon and advancing to the semis last week in Washington DC He is 167 this year on hard courts including his run to the Australian Open semifinals according to ATP statsAfter doing his thing in the first set Shelton got a bit of a taste of his own medicine in the second and third sets as the Italian piled the pressure on the Americans mighty serve while defending his own wellCobolli took the second and then served for the match at 54 in the third but thats when the fourth seed turned on the jets He broke back nearly broke again for the match in the 12th game and then won all of Cobollis service points in the tiebreakI thought I did a really good job rallying and finding a way to put returns in the court late in the match I was struggling with my two biggest weapons the serve and the firstball forehand Shelton said Coming through in the end I think speaks a lot about my mental toughness and my ability to be scrappy in those moments more so than my actual playShelton who entered Toronto at a careerhigh in the PIF ATP Rankings could move above Novak Djokovic to World No 6 by winning his third ATP Tour title this week IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/shelton-scores-100th-tour-level-win-to-enter-toronto-qf-629886.html Mon, 04 Aug 2025 11:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/popyrin-rallies-to-upset-rune-as-canadian-open-title-defense-remains-alive-629736.html Toronto Aug 3 Defending champion Alexei Popyrin claimed his second consecutive win over a former Top 5 player when he rallied from a set down to defeat fifth seed Holger Rune 46 62 63 at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers in Toronto on Sunday IST Popyrin went 011 on break point opportunities in the first set before converting both break points in the second set and his first of the third as he powered to the finish line behind 14 aces and 13 forehand winner as per ATPI started this week not high on confidence needing to get a grasp of the mental side Popyrin said of defending his title and 1000 points But this week I kind of just let go of all the pressureAfter the first set I was pissed about not breaking But when I came back out to return again it felt like I was in control of the match I told myself to be aggressive on the next break point that I got and from then on I felt quite comfortableThe 25yearold Australian produced a perfect blend of Serve 1 power and consistency making just two unforced errors from the baseline in the second set as he extended his winning streak to nine matches in Canada He will next play top seed Alexander ZverevPopyrin who ousted former World No 1 Daniil Medvedev in the third round advanced to his first hardcourt quarterfinal at any level since his stunning run to the title 12 months ago in MontrealI feel comfortable on these courts where I hit my first aggressive shot and then can dictate from there My forehand was the standout today Popyrin saidPopyrin hit 30 winners to 24 unforced errors while Rune hit 24 winners and 39 unforced errors according to Infosys ATP StatsPopyrin is No 26 in the PIF ATP Rankings but faced the prospect of tumbling outside the Top 50 without a deep run in Toronto as he defends the 1000 points he won last year in Montreal IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/popyrin-rallies-to-upset-rune-as-canadian-open-title-defense-remains-alive-629736.html Sun, 03 Aug 2025 09:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/fritz-shelton-move-into-fourth-round-of-canadian-open-629563.html Toronto Aug 2 Second seed Taylor Fritz ousted the last remaining Canadian Gabriel Diallo 64 62 to reach the fourth round of the Canadian Open Eyeing his second ATP Masters 1000 crown and first since his dream run at Indian Wells in 2022 Fritz will next face 19th seed Jiri Lehecka the Czech who rallied past 15th seed Arthur Fils 36 63 64 to advanceFritz broke to start the match and never really gave Diallo a chance to get back in it The American was squeaky clean throughout seemingly finding a way to come out on top on every big point Once he broke to go up 31 the result began to feel inevitable and he added a second break late before serving out the matchElsewhere fourth seed Ben Shelton registered a 678 62 765 win to improve to 50 in their ATP headtohead series against Brandon NakashimaInto the fourth round of an ATP Masters 1000 event for the second time this season Indian Wells QF Shelton moved within one win of claiming his 100th tourlevel victory He will look to accomplish that feat against 13th seed Flavio Cobolli who beat Fabian Marozsan 62 46 63 Shelton is competing this week at a careerhigh No 7 in the ATP RankingsShelton staged multiple comebacks to edge his countryman Nakashima Barely anything went against serve in the opening frame with Nakashima getting his second minibreak of the breaker on the final point Shelton turned things around quickly in the second racing out to a 30 and then breaking again to finish itNakashima then seemed to flip the momentum in the opening game of the third with an early break only for Shelton to respond soon after to level at 22 At 45 on Nakashimas serve Shelton had two match points but two nervy errors allowed his countryman to hold The No 4 seed raced out to an early lead in the tiebreak and had three more match points at 63Nakashima saved the first two but on the the third the fifth overall Shelton blasted his 19th ace to finally finish off the win IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/fritz-shelton-move-into-fourth-round-of-canadian-open-629563.html Sat, 02 Aug 2025 09:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/zverev-reaches-toronto-rd-4-becomes-fifth-active-man-to-record-500-tour-level-wins-629354.html Toronto Aug 1 Alexander Zverev overcame a spirited effort from Matteo Arnaldi at the Canadian Open where the top seed battled to a 675 63 62 victory to claim his 500th tourlevel match win The 28yearold now 3714 on the season is the first man born in 1990 or later to record 500 tourlevel wins Reaching the 500win mark places Zverev in rarefied air alongside Djokovic Marin Cilic Gael Monfils and Stan Wawrinka as the only active players to achieve that feat At 28 Zverev is the youngest among them with his nearest peer in age Cilic seven years his seniorMoreover the German is the seventh fastest to have reached that milestone this century Zverev is just the third German to reach 500 wins in the Open Era joining the retired Boris Becker 713214 and Tommy Haas 569338 in an exclusive national clubA seventime ATP Masters 1000 champion was not at his best in his thirdround victory on Thursday gifting Arnaldi a pair of set points in the opener first with a routine backhand volley miss then with a double fault at 45 in the tiebreak The 32nd seed seized his moment behind his own delivery unloading a Serve 1 forehand to gain a oneset advantage ATP reportsThe 2017 champion played into form as the match wore on rarely allowing the Italian any looks on return Across sets two and three Zverev dropped just four points behind his first serve according to the ATP Stats to advance after two hours and 46 minutesZverev next faces Argentine Francisco Cerundolo who holds a perfect 30 ATP headtohead record against the German with two of those wins coming this season Buenos Aires Madrid Cerundolo seeded 14th ousted countryman Tomas Martin Etcheverry 63 64In other Toronto action fifth seed Holger Rune marched past 29th seed Alexandre Muller 62 64 Rune a finalist at the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells this year will next meet 10th seed Daniil Medvedev or defending champion Alexei Popyrin IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/zverev-reaches-toronto-rd-4-becomes-fifth-active-man-to-record-500-tour-level-wins-629354.html Fri, 01 Aug 2025 11:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/pegula-holds-off-sakkari-in-montreal-anisimova-raducanu-set-up-third-round-meeting-629153.html Montreal July 31 Twotime defending champion Jessica Pegula won her 11th straight match at the Canadian Open taking down Maria Sakkari in two close sets in the second round Pegula pulled off a daring firstset escape as she fended off five set points at 54 in the opening set and collected a 75 64 win over SakkariPegula converted all five of her break points on Wednesday becoming the first woman to win 11 straight matches at this event since Serena Williams reeled off 14 straight between 2011 and 2014The American will next face veteran Anastasija Sevastova in the third round Former World No 11 Sevastova beat Pegula in Indian Wells qualifying back in 2016 but Pegula picked up a claycourt win over Sevastova at 2019 CharlestonPegula led 31 in the first set before Sakkari stormed back in the opener at one point winning 12 points in a row Sakkari held her five set points at 54 but Pegula showed off her Canadian magic battling to a hold for 55After that Pegulas service returns ramped up in efficacy and she won the next four games to lead by a set and a break Pegula got all the way to 41 in the second set before Sakkari made another surge and reached 43 WTA reportsPegula had to save one final break point in the last game before earning another win in CanadaAnother American seeded in the Top 5 Amanda Anisimova was also a secondround winner on Wednesday No 5 seed Anisimova defeated Lulu Sun 64 765 in an evening encounterContesting her first match since she finished runnerup to Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon Anisimova slammed 11 aces as she moved into the third round for the second straight yearAnisimova will face a Grand Slam champion in the third round when she takes on 2021 US Open winner Emma RaducanuEarlier Naimi Osaka came from a set and 53 down saving two match points to triumph 46 766 63 over the No 13 seed Liudmila Samsonova in 2 hours and 37 minutes IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/pegula-holds-off-sakkari-in-montreal-anisimova-raducanu-set-up-third-round-meeting-629153.html Thu, 31 Jul 2025 11:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/zverev-rune-and-musetti-win-in-toronto-opener-628885.html Toronto July 30 Top seed Alexander Zverev began his Canadian Open campaign by ousting Adam Walton 766 64 during which the 28yearold survived a lungbusting exchange to crucially earn set point in the opener After trailing 35 in the tiebreak Zverev seized momentum following that lengthy rally at 55 and found more rhythm from the baseline to advance Zverev was broken when he served for the match at 53 yet quickly regrouped to close out the onehour 42minute match the following game ATP reportsA seventime ATP Masters 1000 champion including a triumph in Canada in 2017 the No 3 player in the ATP Rankings will continue his quest to add to that haul against 32nd seed Matteo Arnaldi who defeated Australian Tristan Schoolkate 63 36 63 Zverev leads Arnaldi 10 in their ATP headtohead series with their lone meeting coming in Acapulco this yearEighth seed Casper Ruud competing in just his second tournament since Roland Garros raced past Roman Safiullin 63 63 The Norwegian next faces Nuno Borges who rallied past Argentine qualifier Facundo Bagnis 57 763 62After withdrawing from his opener in Washington last week due to back pain Holger Rune returned to claim a 767 63 victory in Toronto his first hardcourt win since reaching the Indian Wells final in March Mewnwhile Daniil Medvedev overcame lucky loser Dalibor Svrcina 763 64 but the 2021 champion is looking for more out of his gameLorenzo Musetti who is sixth in the Live Race and aiming to debut at the ATP Finals also came through his opening Toronto test in straight sets beating James Duckworth 75 61 With his win the 23yearold Italian snapped a threematch losing streak after firstround exits in Wimbledon and WashingtonMusetti will next play Alex Michelsen who edged Tomas Barrios Vera 767 63 in a tense secondround clash IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/zverev-rune-and-musetti-win-in-toronto-opener-628885.html Wed, 30 Jul 2025 10:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/de-minaur-saves-3-championship-points-to-clinch-washington-title-628347.html Washington July 28 Alex de Minaur saved three championship points to clinch a 57 61 763 victory against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina earning his 10th tourlevel title in dramatic fashion After his title run De Minaur moved up five places this week to No 8 in the ATP Live Rankings and two places to eighth in the ATP Live Race To Turin Fokina rose seven places in the Live Rankings to return to the Top 20 at No 19 and also shot up seven places to 11th in the Race To TurinThe Aussie saved three championship points on serve at 54 in the final set but only after breaking from 300 when the Spaniard served for the title De Minaur was 16 millimetres from defeat on his opponents third match point but a desperate lob clipped the sideline and helped him turn the point and the match around ATP reportsIts something about this court I did it in 2018 against Rublev and honestly I just kind of knew I could do it I just backed myself and I told myself to commit no matter what and if I lost this match it was going to be on my terms Today it went my way Ive had a couple of brutal ones not go my way so Im glad this one went my way said the AussieDe Minaur credited his mentality and mindset with his recent success Im very happy with where I am at the moment how Im dealing with things on and off the court he explained I had the mindset that even if today didnt go my way it was a very positive week So I was proud of my efforts no matter what but jeez it feels good to hold my 10th titleFor Fokina who was seeking his first ATP Tour title it is a cruel blow after he missed out on two championship points in Delray Beach this past February against Miomir Kecmanovic and lost the Acapulco final to Tomas Machac in March IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/de-minaur-saves-3-championship-points-to-clinch-washington-title-628347.html Mon, 28 Jul 2025 11:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/de-minaur-beats-moutet-to-reach-washington-final-628202.html Washington July 27 Alex de Minaur overcame an errorprone performance to halt the run of French lucky loser Corentin Moutet 64 63 and advance to the final of the DC Open here on Sunday IST By reaching the final De Minaur passed Andrey Rublev at No 10 in the ATP Live Rankings Moutet who came into the tournament as a lucky loser after losing in qualifying has this week climbed 13 spots to No 46 in the ATP Live Rankings cracking the Top 50 for the first time in his careerAfter winning 14 consecutive points to start the second set De Minaur seemed to be coasting to victory but double faulted to drop serve at 41 and later failed to serve out the match at 52 in a game that started with a double faultIn a more promising sign De Minaur won 17 of 22 points at net regularly approaching Moutets weaker backhand wing with impunity ATP reportsIt wasnt pretty tennis but I knew it was going to be a tricky match without a lot of rhythm De Minuar said Thats what hes able to do to opponents I had the mentality of doing whatever it took to get into the title match tomorrowThe Australian will need to sharpen his game ahead of final against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina after spraying 33 unforced errors including 21 in the opening set and 21 for the match on his backhand according to ATP StatsFokina completed a hattrick of victories against American players backing up victories over Learner Tien and top seed Taylor Fritz with a 62 75 win over fourth seed Ben Shelton in the evenings second semifinalFokina hit just 10 winners but capitalised on Sheltons 35 unforced errors including seven double faults The 12th seed backed up impressively after the previous night rallying from 25 in the third set to beat World No 4 FritzHe became just the second Spanish finalist in Washington following Alex Corretjas surprise victory over fivetime champion Andre Agassi 25 years ago in 2000 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/de-minaur-beats-moutet-to-reach-washington-final-628202.html Sun, 27 Jul 2025 11:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/fernandez-sets-summit-clash-with-kalinskaya-in-washington-628223.html Washington July 27 Leylah Fernandez battled all the way back to pull off a gruelling threetiebreak victory and reach her first final in over a year beating No 3 seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan 672 763 763 in a 3hour and 12minute contest at Washington Open Rybakina had not lost serve through 762 54 where she served for the match Naturally Fernandez had her exactly where she wanted her Staring down a match game at 54 in the second set Fernandezs cracking returns helped the Canadian earn her first service break of the day when she needed it mostOnce the third set hit Fernandez was the sturdier player in rallies down the stretch Bolstered by her neversaydie attitude these returns and rally groundstrokes could lead Fernandez to her fourth career title and her first since 2023 Hong Kong All of her three career WTA singles titles have come on hard court WTA reportsFernandez will next face Anna Kalinskaya who eased past 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu 64 63 in the days second semifinalDC Open is arguably Kalinskayas best stop on tour She holds a 92 maindraw winloss record at the event and has never lost before the quarterfinals here including a semifinal showing in 2019 as a qualifier ranked No 160Kalinskaya went one further this year and is into her second career WTA singles final following WTA 1000 Dubai and WTA 500 Berlin both last year After narrow losses in both of those finals she has another opportunity to join the club of WTA singles titlists according to WTA statsThe summit clash is a huge chance for World No 36 Fernandez and World No 48 Kalinskaya both of whom have previously been ranked inside the Top 20 This WTA 500 trophy would be the biggest career title for either of them in fact Kalinskaya has yet to win a WTA singles title at allFernandez narrowly defeated Kalinskaya in their only previous meeting which was over four years ago On the hard courts of Guadalajara in 2021 Fernandez squeaked past Kalinskaya 75 46 64 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/fernandez-sets-summit-clash-with-kalinskaya-in-washington-628223.html Sun, 27 Jul 2025 14:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/tiafoe-shelton-set-all-american-qf-in-washington-627889.html Washington July 25 Frances Tiafoe scored a statement 61 64 victory against returning finalist Flavio Cobolli to reach the quarterfinal of DC Open This is Tiafoes third quarterfinal of the 2025 ATP Tour season after Houston and Roland Garros Tiafoe joins Andre Agassi and Alexander Zverev as the only men this century to reach the Washington quarters in four consecutive years With his first Top 20 win of the season 12 Tiafoe has now recorded backtoback hardcourt wins for the first time since his run to the 2024 US Open semifinals ATP reportsTiafoe beat countryman Ben Shelton in last years US Open third round and will now have a chance to level the pairs Lexus ATP Head2Head at 22 when the home favourites meet again in Fridays quarterfinals Shelton booked his place in the last eight with a 63 62 win against Gabriel DialloIm excited Were great friends We played an incredible match at the Open last year I think thats the best we actually both played He got me the first couple of times Hes a great player a great friend of mine Tiafoe said of the matchup with SheltonShelton is into his second quarterfinal in as many events after reaching that stage at Wimbledon where he lost to eventual champion Jannik Sinner Seven of Sheltons 19 tourlevel quarterfinals have come on home soil according to ATP StatsElsewhere American Brandon Nakashima also advanced to the Washington quarters with a 763 63 win against Cameron Norrie setting up a meeting with seventh seed Alex de MinaurTaylor Fritz registered a 63 64 victory against Italys Matteo Arnaldi The top seed is through to his fourth quarterfinal in his past five events including his semifinal showing at Wimbledon IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/tiafoe-shelton-set-all-american-qf-in-washington-627889.html Fri, 25 Jul 2025 09:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/dc-open-sakkari-reaches-qfs-venus-williamss-doubles-campaign-ends-627710.html Washington July 24 Maria Sakkari scored a 75 76 1 win over Emma Navarro to advance to the quarterfinals of the DC Open Sakkari who received a wild card into the main draw has now won three of four career matches against the 24yearold American Shell next play the winner of Thursdays match between Grand Slam champions Naomi Osaka and Emma Raducanu on FridayThis year has been difficult for Sakkari before beating Navarro as she had lost 11 of 13 matches to seeded players in 2025 Now shes looking for a slice of history trying to emulate the feats of Paula Badosa 2024 and Nadia Petrova 20112 who won the title here as wild cards WTA reports Elsewhere in her tournament debut No 3 seed Elena Rybakina defeated teenage wild card Victoria Mboko 63 75 to make the quarterfinalsIn the womens doubles No 2 seeds Taylor Townsend and Zhang Shuai narrowly defeated wild cards Hailey Baptiste and Venus Williams to reach the DC Open doubles quarterfinalsAfter winning her doubles match on Monday and singles on Tuesday night Venus finally came back to earth as Townsend and Zheng were 64 36 106 winners over Venus and Baptiste Before another packed house on John Harris Court it was an entertaining match until the winner asserted itself in the final frame With a lunging Townsend volley they converted their second match pointEarlier Venus who had accepted a maindraw singles wild card became the secondoldest woman ever to win a tourlevel singles match at the age of 45 when she was a forceful 63 64 winner over Peyton Stearns to advance to a secondround match against No 5 seed Magdalena Frech Earlier Venus who had accepted a maindraw singles wild card became the secondoldest woman ever to win a tourlevel singles match at the age of 45 when she was a forceful 63 64 winner over Peyton Stearns in an allAmerican firstround showdown to advance to a secondround match against No 5 seed Magdalena Frech Seventime Grand Slam champion Venus Williams is the oldest player to win a tourlevel singles match since 47yearold Martina Navratilova defeated Catalina Castano at Wimbledon in 2004 more than 21 years ago IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/dc-open-sakkari-reaches-qfs-venus-williamss-doubles-campaign-ends-627710.html Thu, 24 Jul 2025 12:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/venus-williams-becomes-second-oldest-woman-to-win-tour-level-singles-match-627480.html Washington July 23 In her first singles match in 16 months former World No 1 Venus Williams stormed past World No 35 Peyton Stearns 63 64 in the DC Open womens singles firstround match on Wednesday IST The 45yearold Venus became the oldest player to win a tourlevel singles match since then47yearold Martina Navratilova beat Catalina Castano at 2004 Wimbledon over 21 years agoIts the first step and the first match is always extremely difficult Its hard to describe how difficult it is to play a first match after so much time off So going into the match I know I have the ability to win but its all about actually winning So this is the best result to play a good match and win Im here with my friends family people I love and the fans too who I love and they love me so this has been just a beautiful night Venus said after the matchSeventime Grand Slam singles champion Venus was already the oldest player to contest a tourlevel singles match since then46 yearold Kimiko Date lost her firstround match at 2017 Tokyo Williams will now get to contest at least one more This was her first singles win since she beat thenWorld No 16 Veronika Kudermetova at 2023 Cincinnati meaning her last two wins have come over Top 35 players almost two years apart WTA reportsVenus will face another Top 35 player in the second round she will have her first career meeting with World No 24 Magdalena Frech of Poland No 5 seed Frech beat qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva 62 64 in the first round on MondayEarlier Venus emerged victorious in her first professional tennis match in 16 months joining Hailey Baptiste to defeat fellow doubles wild cards Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue in the DC Open womens doubles first round on Tuesday IST IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/venus-williams-becomes-second-oldest-woman-to-win-tour-level-singles-match-627480.html Wed, 23 Jul 2025 10:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/i-need-to-recover-physically-and-mentally-alcaraz-withdraws-from-canadian-open-627346.html New Delhi July 22 World number two Carlos Alcaraz has been forced to withdraw from the Canadian ATP Masters 1000 event to recover following Wimbledon organisers said on Tuesday In a bid for a threepeat at Wimbledon the fivetime Grand Slam singles champion fell to Jannik Sinner in the grasscourt major final earlier this month Alcaraz owns a 486 record this season according to the ATP WinLoss Index and has claimed five titles including the Roland Garros trophyAfter many consecutive weeks of competition without rest I will not be able to play in Toronto this year I have small muscle issues and I need to recover physically and mentally for what comes next To the tournament and to my fans in Canada I am very sorry I will see you next year Alcaraz shared on his social mediaThe 22yearold Spaniard joined the long list of early withdrawals from the National Bank Open Sinner and Novak Djokovic have also withdrawn from the tournament on SundaySinner lifted the trophy in Toronto in 2023 while the 38yearold Djokovic is a fourtime National Bank Open champion British No 1 Jack Draper has also withdrawn from the Toronto draw due to an arm injuryWinning that title in Toronto two years ago was the start of a really special moment for me but after speaking with my team I have to prioritise my health I would like to thank Karl Hale the Tournament Director for everything he does and Im looking forward to returning to Canada and Toronto in the future to play in front of the great fans Sinner had saidThe Canadian ATP Masters 1000 event begins on Sunday and this year the ATP Masters 1000 tournament will expand to 12 days with the final set for August 7 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/i-need-to-recover-physically-and-mentally-alcaraz-withdraws-from-canadian-open-627346.html Tue, 22 Jul 2025 23:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/tennis-sabalenka-and-badosa-withdraw-from-montreal-tournament-626711.html New Delhi July 17 World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka has withdrawn from the National Bank Open citing fatigue opting to take additional rest before starting her preparations to defend her title at the seasons final major the US Open On the other hand Spaniard Paula Badosa also pulled out of the tournament with a psoas injury and will be out of action for a few weeksTwo players have withdrawn from the 2025 National Bank Open Aryna Sabalenka due to fatigue and Paula Badosa due to an injury the organisers saidSharing about her injury Badosa has shared on X Due to a psoas injury I will have to be out of competition for a few weeks I am going through really tough times Sometimes everything feels like a tunnel with no way out but if theres one thing Ive always shown its that I never stop fightingFollowing these changes Caty McNally and Moyuka Uchijima will now enter the main draw replacing Sabalenka and BadosaAfter skipping the Montreal event Sabalenka will resume competition in Cincinnati where she is the defending champion before turning her focus to the US OpenThe defending champion Sabalenka leads the maindraw entry list for the 2025 US Open which was released on TuesdayTopranked Sabalenka will top the draw as she seeks a second straight success in New York City After semifinal finishes in 2021 and 2022 and a narrow loss to Coco Gauff in the 2023 final Sabalenka finally hoisted her longawaited US Open trophy last year defeating Jessica Pegula in the finalHowever Sabalenka has yet to win a Grand Slam title this year All three of this years major champions will be in New York to try to capture a second 2025 Grand Slam title Australian Open champion Madison Keys Roland Garros titlist Gauff and Wimbledon victor Iga SwiatekAll of the worlds Top 70 players in the current PIF WTA Rankings can be found on the jampacked entry list as the top players on the WTA Tour will head to Flushing Meadows for the years final Grand Slam event Maindraw play at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center kicks off on August 24 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/tennis-sabalenka-and-badosa-withdraw-from-montreal-tournament-626711.html Thu, 17 Jul 2025 11:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-kudermetova-and-mertens-capture-womens-doubles-title-625952.html London July 13 No 8 seeds Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens triumphed at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships capturing the ladies doubles title in a thrilling final on Centre Court In a gripping match lasting 2 hours and 23 minutes they staged a dramatic comeback to defeat the No 4 seeds Hsieh Suwei and Jelena Ostapenko 36 62 64 After dropping the first set Kudermetova and Mertens showed resilience breaking Hsiehs serve twice in the second set to level the match Kudermetovas net play and Mertens steady baseline consistency began to shift momentum in their favor However the third set saw another twist as Hsieh and Ostapenko raced to a 42 lead Undeterred the eighth seeds surged back winning the final four games Kudermetova sealed the victory with a volley winner on championship point finally earning her first Grand Slam doubles title as per WTAThis win holds special significance for Kudermetova who fell heartbreakingly short in the 2021 Wimbledon final Her partner Mertens meanwhile secured her fifth major doubles title and her second at Wimbledon Ironically Mertens previous Wimbledon crown came in 2021 when she partnered with Hsieh to deny Kudermetova and Elena Vesnina in another dramatic finishThe pairing of Kudermetova and Mertens had been a top duo in 2022 notably winning the WTA Finals After separating for two seasons they reunited this spring and quickly regained form reaching finals in Madrid and Rome before peaking perfectly at WimbledonFor Ostapenko the loss was particularly disappointing as a win would have made her the new WTA Doubles World No 1 She and Hsieh had shown great form early rallying from 14 down in the first set to win five straight games But the match turned when Kudermetova and Mertens raised their level particularly under pressure IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-kudermetova-and-mertens-capture-womens-doubles-title-625952.html Sun, 13 Jul 2025 21:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/swiatek-lifts-maiden-wimbledon-title-with-6-0-6-0-win-over-anisimova-625847.html London July 23 Former World No1 Iga Swiatek made history at Wimbledon 2025 storming to her maiden Ladies Singles title and sixth career Grand Slam crown overall at the All England Club with a dominant 6060 victory over Amanda Anisimova in the final on Saturday Polands Swiatek the fourtime French Open and onetime US Open winner added the Wimbledon title to her kitty which made her a Grand Slam champion on all surfaces synthetic clay and grassSwiatek registered a commanding 57minute victory on Saturday just the second 60 60 Grand Slam singles final in the Open Era after Steffi Graf doublebagelled Natalia Zvereva in the French Open final in 1988Swiatek swept to her first title since she lifted a fourth Roland Garros trophy in June and improved her record to 60 in major finalsIn addition to making her the first Wimbledon singles champion from Poland in the Open Era the victory also marks Swiateks 100th career Grand Slam match win She is now 10020 in Grand Slam main draws since her Grand Slam maindraw debut in 2019Swiatek stamped her authority on the match with the first 60 opening set in a womens singles final at Wimbledon since 1983 when Martina Navratilova defeated Andrea Jaeger 60 63 Before that the 197375 finals all saw 60 first sets including Billie Jean Kings 60 75 win over a then18yearold Chris Evert in 1973Anisimova found stronger strokes in the early stages of the second set including a 90mph forehand winner to pull to 3030 with Swiatek serving 60 10 But it did not translate to the scoreboard and Swiatek joined Stefanie Graf in an exclusive club of players to win a major final without losing a gameDespite the ending Anisimovas effort at Wimbledon 2025 was overall a careerchanging one She scored her firstever win over a World No 1 against Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals and will crack the Top 10 for the first time in her career on Monday IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/swiatek-lifts-maiden-wimbledon-title-with-6-0-6-0-win-over-anisimova-625847.html Sat, 12 Jul 2025 23:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/without-a-doubt-ms-dhoni-sky-on-who-would-be-his-tennis-doubles-partner-625606.html New Delhi July 11 India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav who added star presence to Wimbledon revealed his pick as his doubles partner choosing former India skipper MS Dhoni for his endurance and mental toughness Suryakumar attended the grass court major at the All England Club with his wife Devisha Shetty for the first time Wimbledon had also shared a picture of SKY and his wife captioning it Bringing the flair to SW19 Delighted to have you at Wimbledon Suryakumar YadavI watch tennis quite a bit on television Ive always heard about the atmosphere around Centre Court especially the moment you walk in I am here to experience that surreal feeling in person Suryakumar said to Star Sports and JioHotstarAsked which cricketer he would pick as a doubles partner he replied Definitely MS Dhoni He has got speed a lot of endurance he is mentally very tough and recently whenever he is not playing cricket I have seen him playing a lot of tennis So yes without a doubt it would be MS DhoniSpeaking about watching tennis at Wimbledon for the first time and the inspiration behind his suit he added This is my first time here and I wanted to get everything right Honestly my wife really takes care of me She has been behind me for the last three or four days helping me decide what to wear to this wonderful tournament So many people have turned out in numbers I am one of them just here to experience the same thing they areThe India batter also shared about the which player he was eagerly awaiting to watch saying I have definitely come to watch Novak Djokovic I have been following his career for a very long time I even read his book Serve to Win which really inspired me I made my international cricket debut a little later in life though not quite as late as 30 but I could really relate to his journey and perseverance The way he keeps going is phenomenalHe went on to name Pete Sampras and Roger Federer as his favourite tennis players past and present If we are talking about Wimbledon specifically then definitely Pete Sampras and Roger Federer I remember how the crowd would go crazy when either of them turned up here But my alltime favourite is obviously Novak Djokovic And currently I would say Carlos Alcaraz he has been a wildfire on the court said SuryakumarThe 34yearold signed off by highlighting the parallels between tennis and cricket I feel there are a lot of similarities between cricket and elite tennis Mental toughness plays a crucial role in both There is also a lot of endurance involved In cricket we keep running the same 2025 metres repeatedly and it is similar in tennis as well So I would say strong mental resolve and endurance are the two big common factors said Suryakumar IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/without-a-doubt-ms-dhoni-sky-on-who-would-be-his-tennis-doubles-partner-625606.html Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-2025-amanda-anisimova-stuns-world-no-1-sabalenka-to-reach-maiden-final-625524.html London July 10 Amanda Anisimova of the United States produced the performance of her career toppling top seed Aryna Sabalenka 64 46 64 to reach her firstever Grand Slam final at Wimbledon 2025 here on Thursday The 23yearold American seeded No 13 held her nerve in a gripping twohour 36minute battle in the womens singles semifinals to notch her sixth career win over a Top 5 opponentand her first against World No 1She has thus become the first American player since Serena Williams in 2019 to reach the ladies singles finalWith this victory Anisimova also extended her strong record against Sabalenka to 63 underlining her comfort in the highpressure moments of this increasingly intense rivalry Her reward is a place in the Wimbledon final making her the first player born in the 21st century to achieve the feat at SW19Fellow 2000sborn Iga witek has a chance to join her if she beats Belinda Bencic in the second semifinal to be played later in the dayAnisimovas rise to this point hasnt followed a straight line A teenage prodigy who broke through to the French Open semifinals at just 17 in 2019 she took a sevenmonth break in 2023 to prioritise her mental health This time last year she was ranked No 189 and failed to qualify for Wimbledon losing to Eva Lys in the preliminariesBut her comeback since has been nothing short of remarkable She surged into the Top 20 with a runnerup finish at the WTA 1000 event in Toronto last August followed by a breakthrough WTA 1000 title in Doha earlier this year With this win at Wimbledon Anisimova is now assured of a Top 10 debut when the new rankings are released next weekThe semifinal appearance also marks a longawaited return to the sharp end of a major The sixyear 34day gap between her first and second Grand Slam semifinal is the fourthlongest in the Open Era behind only Mirjana LucicBaroni Natasha Zvereva and Lori McNeil Interestingly Bencicher potential opponent in the finalsits just behind with a gap of over five years between major semifinal appearances IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-2025-amanda-anisimova-stuns-world-no-1-sabalenka-to-reach-maiden-final-625524.html Thu, 10 Jul 2025 22:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-2025-sinner-overcomes-shelton-to-reach-semis-625316.html London July 10 World No1 Jannik Sinner overcame a prematch injury scare to cruise past Ben Shelton in the mens singles quarterfinals and stormed into the semifinals of Wimbledon 2025 at the All England Club here on Wednesday The Italian star produced another rocksolid display to defeat Shelton 762 64 64 and reach the last four at the grass major for the second time Sinner who sustained an elbow injury and was down two sets before escaping into the quarterfinals when Grigor Dimitrov retired from the pairs fourthround clash quickly eased any fears of serious damage to his arm by nullifying Sheltons power across two hours and 19 minutes on No 1 CourtIm very very happy about todays performance said Sinner in his oncourt interview Playing against him is so difficult You have chances and then he serves very well as we saw in the last game Overall we play each other more and more we get to know each other a little bit better and Im looking forward to these kinds of battlesIn his first meeting with Shelton at Wimbledon Sinner reeled off seven straight points to clinch the openingset tiebreak before earning the only break of serve in the second and third to complete his win It was a sixth consecutive victory for the Italian in his ATP headtohead series with SheltonNow 243 for the 2025 season Australian Open champion Sinner will take on seventime Wimbledon titlist Novak Djokovic or Flavio Cobolli in Fridays semifinalsWhen you are in a match with a lot of tension you try not to think about it said Sinner who only practised for a short stint indoors on Tuesday when asked about how his arm had held up against Shelton It has improved a lot from yesterday to todayYesterday my day was very short on the practice court 20 minutes with the coaches only But I was looking forward to the match This is no excuse There is no better stage to play tennis and I think I showed this today IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-2025-sinner-overcomes-shelton-to-reach-semis-625316.html Thu, 10 Jul 2025 00:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/tennis-karan-singh-becomes-indias-no-2-ranked-player-625225.html Chandigarh July 9 Karan Singh has climbed to a careerhigh ranking of World No 426 in the latest ATP Rankings making him the secondranked Indian singles player just behind Indias No1 Sumit Nagal World No 307 With an 11place jump from 437 Karan has claimed the No 2 spot among Indian men in the ATP singles standings This ranking leap comes on the back of an impressive run of form for the 22yearold who has featured in three consecutive ITF World Tennis Tour M15 finals between May and June 2025 winning his maiden ITF title in Tehran Iran against Aleksandr Lobanov in straight sets 76 62 and finishing runnerup in the other two at Tehran and Tashkent UzbekistanMost recently Karan who is with Roundglass Tennis Academy competed in the ITF World Tour M25 tournament in Monastir Tunisia where he delivered a gritty performance to reach the quarterfinals He narrowly lost to Italys Fabrizio Andaloro in a thrilling threeset match 64 675 677This ranking jump is a reward for Karans resilience discipline and consistent performances over the last few months Weve focused on building not just his physical game but his tactical maturity and mental resilience Breaking into the top 500 is a big step and to become Indias No 2 at this stage of his career shows his hunger and potential We believe this upward trajectory will continue in the months to come said Aditya Sachdeva Technical Director of Roundglass Tennis AcademyKaran has been steadily progressing since his Davis Cup debut win for India in February 2025 where he helped the team seal a 40 win in the World Group I Playoff He is currently part of the ATP Challenger Tour swing in India using these highertier tournaments to push toward further ATP ranking gains IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/tennis-karan-singh-becomes-indias-no-2-ranked-player-625225.html Wed, 09 Jul 2025 17:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/fabio-fognini-bids-farewell-to-tennis-after-epic-wimbledon-battle-with-alcaraz-625271.html London July 9 Fabio Fognini the Italian tennis star has announced his retirement from professional tennis following a fiveset thriller against Carlos Alcaraz in the opening round of Wimbledon 2025 The 38yearold former top10 player pushed the twotime defending champion for over four and a half hours before falling 75 675 75 26 61 in what turned out to be his final professional matchIts the best way to say goodbye Fognini said during a press conference at the All England Club on Wednesday Initially planning to retire at the end of the season Fognini confirmed that the emotional and intense Centre Court battle had prompted him to hang up his racquet immediatelyFabio Fogninis retirement at Wimbledon marks the end of a career that spanned 63 Grand Slam appearances His best result came at the 2011 French Open where he reached the quarterfinals but couldnt play the match due to a thigh injury handing Novak Djokovic a walkover Despite never reaching a Slam semifinal Fognini remained a popular and fiery presence on tour known for his shotmaking flair and oncourt passionHe leaves the sport with nine ATP singles titles highlighted by a memorable victory at the Monte Carlo Masters in 2019 the same year he became the first Italian man since 1979 to break into the ATP top 10Fogninis career however was as known for his fiery temperament as it was for his shotmaking brilliance He was involved in multiple oncourt controversies including being fined a thenrecord 27500 in 2014 and placed on probation in 2017 for insulting a female umpire at the US Open Currently ranked 138th Fognini said farewell to the sport in a touching gesture by asking Alcaraz for his match shirt a keepsake for the oldest of his three children with wife and 2015 US Open champion Flavia Pennetta IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/fabio-fognini-bids-farewell-to-tennis-after-epic-wimbledon-battle-with-alcaraz-625271.html Wed, 09 Jul 2025 20:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-2025-swiatek-reaches-maiden-semis-with-straight-sets-win-over-samsonova-625297.html London July 9 Iga Swiateks longanticipated grasscourt breakthrough finally arrived on Wednesday as the No 8 seed powered past Liudmila Samsonova 62 75 to book her place in the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time in her career Playing on No 1 Court the fivetime Grand Slam champion produced a commanding display against Samsonova a firsttime major quarterfinalist Swiatek took 1 hour and 49 minutes to seal her fifth straight victory over the 19thseeded Russian extending her unbeaten headtohead record to 50 as per WTASwiatek who has spent a total of 125 weeks as World No 1 now becomes just the fourth active player to reach the semifinals of all four Grand Slams joining Aryna Sabalenka Victoria Azarenka and Karolina PliskovaThe 23yearold Pole is enjoying her most consistent season on grass yet having gone 81 on the surface this year Her previous best Wimbledon result was a quarterfinal appearance in 2023 This year she reached her firstever grasscourt final in Bad Homburg just two weeks ago finishing runnerup to Jessica PegulaSwiatek started strong saving a break point in the opening game before dominating the first set She won all 10 of her firstserve points and broke Samsonova twice to take it 62 In the second set Swiatek led 62 42 400 but Samsonova mounted a late comeback breaking back and pulling level at 55But Swiatek with experience and poise regrouped Serving at 55 she held firm from 030 down then broke Samsonova in the next game to clinch the win Fittingly she sealed victory with a forehand return winner a signature of her grasscourt growth She also becomes the first Polish woman to reach the Wimbledon semifinals since Agnieszka Radwanska in 2015World No1 Aryna Sabalenka quelled a strong challenge from Laura Siegemund of Germany and secured a place in the womens singles semifinals In another match Amanda Anisimova who secured her place in the lastfour stage by defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 61 769 in their quarterfinal clash IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-2025-swiatek-reaches-maiden-semis-with-straight-sets-win-over-samsonova-625297.html Wed, 09 Jul 2025 22:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-2025-sabalenka-quells-siegemund-to-set-up-semis-clash-with-anisimova-625085.html London July 8 World No1 Aryna Sabalenka quelled a strong challenge from Laura Siegemund of Germany and secured a place in the womens singles semifinals of Wimbledon 2025 at the AllEngland Club here on Tuesday Sabalenka came back strongly after losing the first set to win the quarterfinal clash 46 6264 in nearly three hours She thus set up a clash with youngster Amanda Anisimova who secured her place in the lastfour stage by defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 61 769 in their quarterfinal clashThe spotlight was on the clash between Siegemund and Sabalenka as the former had caused a big upset in the third roundThe 37yearold Siegemund has already proven her credentials by becoming the oldest firsttime Wimbledon quarterfinalist in the Open era en route to dismissing Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the third round She has surrendered no more than six games in any match before the last eight clash with SabalenkaOn the biggest stage of her career the German stripped all the pace out of Sabalenkas strike But in the end she could not deny Sabalenka who came back strongly in the second and third sets to win the matchAfter the first set I was looking at my box thinking book the tickets were about to leave this beautiful place said Sabalenka adding She played an incredible tournamentShe plays such a smart game She makes everyone work for every point Whether youre a big hitter or not you have to work and run and earn the win I didnt want her to see I was annoyed even if I was a little bit I didnt want to give her that energy said the World No1On a sunny late Tuesday afternoon on No 1 Court No 13 seed Anisimova established herself in only three minutes at the beginning of Tuesdays quarterfinal breaking Pavlyuchenkovas serve with a rocket of a forehand That trend held up with Anisimova winning six of seven games in less than half an hour She has now won 28 consecutive matches this year when shes won the first setThe 34yearold Pavlyuchenkova had serving issues throughout the first set hitting three double faults and going 0for6 behind her second serveIn the second set Anisimova broke Pavlyuchenkova in the sixth game to lead 42 But serving for the match at 53 the American was broken for the first time when Pavlyuchenkova converted her third break pointPavlyuchenkova saved two match points to level the match at 55 then came back from 030 down at 65 to force the tiebreak The breaker saw Anisimova saving four set points before she converted her second match point of the tiebreak and fourth overall with a serve Pavlyuchenkova could not returnAnisimova finished with 26 winners 17 more than Pavlyuchenkova Shes now won all four of her matches against Pavlyuchenkova and is 112 on grass for the season another career bestThe result matched her careerbest major berth of six years ago and represents her furthest advancement here IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-2025-sabalenka-quells-siegemund-to-set-up-semis-clash-with-anisimova-625085.html Wed, 09 Jul 2025 00:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-vijay-amritraj-feels-potential-semi-final-between-djokovic-and-sinner-would-be-a-match-to-watch-624851.html New Delhi July 7 Veteran Indian tennis player Vijay Amritraj believes that Serbian legend Novak Djokovics potential semifinal clash against world No 1 Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon mens singles would be a match to watch in the grasscourt Grand Slam Amritraj also highlighted the growing rivalry between Sinner and world No 2 Carlos Alcaraz as the duo shared all the Grand Slams between them since 2024 Among the big three Roger Federer Rafael Nadal and Djokovic the Serbian lasts Grand Slam victory came in the 2023 French Open while Federer retired in 2022 and Nadal called time on his career last yearWith Djokovic also at the final stage of his career Amritraj feels the rivalry between Sinner and Alcaraz will go a long way after a spectacular Roland Garros final between them last monthI think SinnerAlcaraz have proven to be a good rivalry that has already started simply because the last six Grand Slams have been won between the two of them And so I do believe that there is a rivalry there Amritraj JioStar Wimbledon expert told IANS during virtual interactionDjokovic is clearly in the mix at this point hanging on especially on grass So its going to be interesting to see how the rest of the week progresses this week with Djokovic If we can make the semis and play Sinner that would be a match to watch he addedWhen asked who would he pick as the bigger player between the current top twos the former Indian star said It all depends so much on injuries physical capabilities desire and work ethic I think both of them have shown beyond reasonable doubt that they both have their talent and work ethic at this point Its a question also of remaining physically well and strongThats why they have very good physical teams around them to keep them fresh And so thats going to come down a lot to that Theyre both 22 and 23 Theyve been playing each other since the juniors So I think it remains to be seen but theyre just off to an excellent startAmritraj lauded Alcarazs variety and termed him a complete player with all bases coveredHe has got a tremendous variety in his game The variety was not there in a lot of most of the players today They are tremendous from the backcourt tremendous of the first serve Theyre not great volleyers but they dont come in much But Alcaraz has got a good mix of all of that including the drop shot and the lobHe moves extremely well he gets three points on a serve he attacks well he plays from the back well and under most circumstances he has got a very strong head So hes quite a complete player that way The question is how long will players take to be able to penetrate his defences So I think thats where Alcaraz stands at this point he saidIn the round of 16 clash Djokovic will face Australias Alex de Minaur while Sinner will take on Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov on MondayOn the other hand defending Wimbledon champion Alcaraz will lock horns against Britains Cameron Norrie in the quarterfinal clash on Tuesday IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-vijay-amritraj-feels-potential-semi-final-between-djokovic-and-sinner-would-be-a-match-to-watch-624851.html Mon, 07 Jul 2025 18:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-2025-bencic-reaches-first-qf-with-straight-sets-win-over-alexandrova-624879.html London July 7 Belinda Bencic defeated No 18 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 764 64 to reach her firstever Wimbledon quarterfinal and her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since becoming a mother in 1 hour and 57 minutes here on Monday Just two weeks ago the Swiss star had managed to win only three games in a heavy defeat to Alexandrova in Bad Homburg marking her return from an arm injury But Bencic turned the tables in emphatic fashion needing just under two hours to clinch a spot in the last eightThe match featured a tense finish Serving for the match at 53 in the second set Bencic held five match points only to see Alexandrova erase four of them with fearless forehand winners When Alexandrova broke back momentum appeared to swingBut Bencic showing composure and grit rallied from 030 in the next game winning four straight points and sealing the win on her sixth match point as a forehand from Alexandrova sailed longThe 28yearold who gave birth to daughter Bella in April 2024 has made a swift and inspiring return to form Unranked last October she is now back up to No 35 in the world Mondays win adds to an impressive 2025 that already includes a title in Abu Dhabi and a fourthround showing at the Australian Open as per WTABencic a former Wimbledon junior champion 2013 and proven grasscourt threat had fallen in the fourth round three times previously This time she broke through For Alexandrova its another missed opportunity her third Round of 16 exit in a major and second consecutive at WimbledonBencic who won the womens singles gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will now aim to reach her first Grand Slam semifinal in what has already been a remarkable comeback seasonBencics best performance at the Grand Slams is reaching the semifinals of the US Open in 2019 She has also guided Switzerland to the Fed Cup title in 2022 and the Hopman Cup crown in 2018 and 2019 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-2025-bencic-reaches-first-qf-with-straight-sets-win-over-alexandrova-624879.html Mon, 07 Jul 2025 21:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-pavlyuchenkova-survives-kartal-challenge-to-reach-qf-624693.html London July 6 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova advanced to her second Wimbledon quarterfinal with a hardfought 763 64 win over Britains Sonay Kartal in a dramatic contest marred by a controversial linecalling malfunction The match lasted two hours and two minutes and tested both Pavlyuchenkovas resilience and composure In a tense first set with the score tied at 44 Pavlyuchenkova appeared to win a game point when Kartals backhand landed visibly long However a failure in the electronic linecalling systemlater blamed on operator errormeant the point was replayed instead of awarded to the Russian Kartal capitalized on the confusion breaking serve and earning a set point in the following game as per WTABut the veteran Pavlyuchenkova responded with calm authority She saved set point broke back and then cruised through the tiebreak showcasing her trademark power and experience The World No 50 who was diagnosed with Lyme disease in February and has since been on a determined comeback trail kept up her level in the second set with a flurry of highlightreel shots including a lefthanded forehand winner and a deft lobAlthough Kartal showed grit by briefly breaking back Pavlyuchenkova recaptured the lead at 32 and never looked back She sealed the victory on her first match point with a blistering forehand down the lineher 36th winner of the match far outpacing Kartals 14The win marks Pavlyuchenkovas 10th Grand Slam quarterfinal and second this season her first time reaching that milestone in a single year since 2011 With an 81 record on grass this season and a semifinal run in Eastbourne already under her belt shes in top form heading into a clash against either Amanda Anisimova or Linda Noskova for a place in the semifinals IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-pavlyuchenkova-survives-kartal-challenge-to-reach-qf-624693.html Sun, 06 Jul 2025 22:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-2025-sinner-thrashes-martinez-to-reach-fourth-round-624602.html London July 6 World No 1 Jannik Sinner advanced to the fourth round of mens singles at Wimbledon for a fourth consecutive year by overcoming an injured Pedro Martinez 61 63 61 here on Saturday Having dropped just 17 games in his campaign so far the Italian has equalled the Open Era record for fewest games dropped while reaching the mens singles fourth round at Wimbledon held by Jan Kodes in 1972 Sinner is yet to drop his serve this week He has won all 37 service games he has played fending off all eight break points he has facedOn Saturday Sinner led Martinez 50 in the first set before the Spaniard took a medical timeout to receive treatment on his right shoulder Martinez struggled to serve at full capacity often firing first serves at 80 mph while the Italian remained typically dominant from the back of the courtIm very happy to be in the second week but I think we all saw he was struggling with the shoulder said Sinner in his comments after the match He couldnt serve very well and especially on this surface if you cant serve well its not easy to play But huge credit to him for coming out From my side I tried to stay solid from the back of the courtMartinez grew in confidence in a freehitting display in the second set carving out four break points in the eighth game Yet Sinner saved all of them with a mix of bruising ball striking and pinpoint serving to reassert his dominance on the encounter before racing to a onehour 55minute victoryBy reaching the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament for the 17th time Sinner overtook Nicola Pietrangeli 16 to claim the alltime Italian recordSinner set a clash with Grigor Dimitrov who moved past Sebastian Ofner 63 64 760 The 23yearold Sinner is chasing his fourth major trophy and first at Wimbledon where he reached the semifinals in 2023 before falling to Novak Djokovic IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-2025-sinner-thrashes-martinez-to-reach-fourth-round-624602.html Sun, 06 Jul 2025 00:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-2025-carlos-alcaraz-dominates-tarvet-to-reach-third-round-624093.html London July 2 Carlos Alcaraz produced a dominant performance on Wednesday to book his place in the third round at Wimbledon defeating British qualifier Oliver Tarvet 61 64 64 on Centre Court After being pushed to five sets in his openinground battle against Fabio Fognini the Spaniard looked far more comfortable in his second match showcasing his trademark power variety and confidence In their first headtohead meeting Alcaraz overwhelmed the World No 733 breaking Tarvets serve six times and hitting 37 winners across two hours and 17 minutes The 21yearolds victory extended his careerbest winning streak to 20 matches and marked his 31st victory on grass further cementing his status as a dominant force on the surface as per ATPFollowing his firstround win over Fognini Alcaraz became the fastest player in the Open Era to reach 30 grasscourt wins He has now won his last 16 matches at Wimbledon and continues his quest to defend the title he claimed in both 2023 and 2024Fivetime Grand Slam winner Alcaraz seeded second is chasing history as he aims to become only the second manafter Bjorn Borgto win the Roland GarrosWimbledon double in consecutive years He is also looking to become just the fifth man to claim three Wimbledon titles in a rowDespite the loss 21yearold Tarvet showed flashes of brilliance in what was his Grand Slam debut The University of San Diego student who came through qualifying earned a firstround win over Leandro Riedi and managed to thrill the home crowd with a series of impressive passing shots in the second set Ultimately however he could not match Alcarazs consistent intensityAlcaraz the twotime defending champion in 2023 and 2024 now advances to face either Felix AugerAliassime or JanLennard Struff in the third round Having entered as a twotime defending champion Alcaraz remains a strong favourite at Wimbledon IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-2025-carlos-alcaraz-dominates-tarvet-to-reach-third-round-624093.html Thu, 03 Jul 2025 00:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-sabalenka-holds-firm-to-reach-third-round-624073.html London July 2 World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka produced another composed and powerful display on Centre Court defeating Marie Bouzkova 764 64 on Wednesday to book her place in the third round of Wimbledon 2025 Sabalenka known for her blistering shotmaking and aggression was tested early by the crafty and defensive Bouzkova But the Belarusian brought her trademark intensity and poise at key moments to stretch her unbeaten record in Grand Slam second rounds to 18 straightThe first set was tightly contested with Bouzkova deploying a mix of spins angles and defensive prowess to keep Sabalenka guessing But in the tiebreak Sabalenka stepped up with two explosive forehands before punishing a soft 67 mph second serve from Bouzkova to close the set with a rocket forehand returnThe second set was more straightforward Sabalenka earned the decisive break in the sixth game and never looked back finishing the match with a forehand into the open courtone of her 40 winners on the day She kept her unforced errors in check 18 served five aces and won a commanding 31 of 35 points on her first serveWith several top seedsincluding Coco Gauff No 2 Jessica Pegula No 3 and Zheng Qinwen No 5exiting early Sabalenkas path to the title has opened up Her next opponent will be either 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova or British star Emma Raducanu both Grand Slam winners and formidable threatsHaving reached the semifinals in her last two Wimbledon appearances Sabalenka is clearly eyeing more this year In a draw suddenly missing many of her biggest rivals the top seed is making her intentions clear shes here to win it all IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-sabalenka-holds-firm-to-reach-third-round-624073.html Wed, 02 Jul 2025 22:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-2025-cocciaretto-stuns-no-3-seed-jessica-pegula-in-58-minutes-623886.html London July 1 Elisabetta Cocciaretto of Italy delivered the biggest upset of the 2025 Wimbledon so far ousting No 3 seed Jessica Pegula 62 63 in just 58 minutes in a womens singles firstround match here on Tuesday The result was the quickest defeat of a Top 5 seed at a major since Jule Niemeiers 58minute 64 60 defeat of Anett Kontaveit in the second round of Wimbledon 2022 as per WTA Cocciaretto took the ball relentlessly early to redirect all of the Americans pace tallying 17 winners to Pegulas five She also served flawlessly conceding just eight points in total behind her delivery and did not face a break point during the match while capturing Pegulas serve three timesCocciaretto advanced to the third round of Wimbledon for the second time and reversed her 64 60 loss to Pegula at that stage in 2023 Pegula fell in the first round of a Grand Slam for the first time since Roland Garros 2020 where she lost her opener to Aryna Sabalenka 63 61I was so pumped to play Wimbledon this year Cocciaretto said in her oncourt interview I couldnt wait until the match started I was practising so hardThe reason she was extrapumped Not just her love of Wimbledon or affinity for grass but also in order to banish the memories of 2024 This time last year she was ranked No 43 but is now down at No 116I had a lot of stops last year I was in the hospital and I was sick for one month Cocciaretto continued Thats why I couldnt play here and thats why I was so pumpedI dont think too much about my ranking right now The journey of tennis is long You have to adapt yourself you have to enjoy but also you have to deal with lifeBorn in Ancona the 21yearold Cocciaretto had the highest ranking of No 29 on the WTA ranking on August 21 2023 She made her WTA debut as a wildcard at the Italian Open in May 2019 and qualified for her first Grand Slam main draw at the Australian Open 2020 where she lost to 17thseeded Angelique Kerber in the first round Her best performance at Wimbledon was the second round that she reached in 2022 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-2025-cocciaretto-stuns-no-3-seed-jessica-pegula-in-58-minutes-623886.html Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-2025-fonseca-flies-past-fearnley-injured-tsitsipas-retires-623735.html London June 30 Brazilian youngster Joao Fonseca made an immediate impact at the majors with a classy debut at Wimbledon racing past home favourite Jacob Fearnley in straight sets in the first round on Monday The Brazilian NextGenATP star defeated Fearnley 64 61 765 to become the first 18yearold to reach the second round at the grass major since Carlos Alcaraz in 2021 Another debutant and French qualifier Valentin Royer also advanced to the next round as Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas was forced to retire during his Wimbledon opener on Monday due to a back injuryRoyer led 63 62 against the Greek who received a medical timeout in the second set due to a back issue The former World No 3 Tsitsipas looked in discomfort at times during the 74 minutes on the court and struggled with his movement and serve making just 43 percent of his first deliveriesIn his first match at Wimbledon Fonseca produced a powerful display throughout and kept his cool in his only real moment of peril when set point down at 56 3040 in the third setIt means a lot Its super special for me said Fonseca in his oncourt interview after the match Its my favourite Grand Slam since my childhood Ive been watching all the matches so its just a pleasure being here Im sorry for winning against a British guy but thanks a lot for the support here Thanks for respecting the tennis today Jacob is a great friend a great player and Im looking forward to my next meetings against himBefore Januarys Australian Open Fonseca had not played a maindraw match at a Grand Slam tournament Yet the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals champion stunned thenTop 10 star Andrey Rublev in Melbourne to announce himself on the world stageAfter lifting his maiden ATP Tour title in February in Buenos Aires the Brazilian then reached the third round of a major for the first time at Roland GarrosEven with those recent standout performances in mind the way Fonseca dismantled Fearnley at Wimbledon was impressive Although he played in qualifying for the event last year the teenager had contested only four tourlevel matches on grass before Mondays clash He nonetheless had no trouble bringing his cleanhitting game to his leastfamiliar surface against FearnleyIn his first match Tsitsipas coached by former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic left SW19 holding a 1913 record on the season The 26yearold is the second mens seed to fall on Day 1 joining Daniil MedvedevTsitsipas is currently 22nd in the ATP Live Race To Turin having failed to advance beyond the third round in any of his previous five events The Greek is a former champion at the ATP Finals competing at the prestigious yearend event on five consecutive occasions from 2019 to 2023 Tsitsipas best result this year came in Dubai where he lifted his 12th tourlevel trophy IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wimbledon-2025-fonseca-flies-past-fearnley-injured-tsitsipas-retires-623735.html Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/fritz-survives-a-delay-and-fonseca-challenge-to-reach-quarters-at-eastbourne-623109.html Eastbourne UK June 26 American Taylor Fritz overcame a late scare from Joao Fonseca of Brazil on Thursday overcoming the NextGenATP star in a match carried forward from the previous night at the Eastbourne Open the ATP Tour grasscourt event being played a week before Wimbledon The secondround clash was suspended due to darkness on Wednesday evening after they split sets and Fritz quickly regained his rhythm once play resumed The threetime champion earned an early break and attempted to serve out the match at 53 in the final set before Fonseca fought backHowever Fritz adjusted well to the windy conditions and a determined Fonseca to prevail 63 675 75 after two hours and two minutes and continued his love affair with the event The topseeded American who owns the record for most titles won in Eastbourne 2019 2022 2024 will have to lace up and return to court later on Thursday to face countryman Marcos Giron in the quarterfinalsIm really happy I was really happy with the level of tennis last night its a shame we couldnt finish the match then said Fritz Coming out today it was tough to really judge my grasscourt play there was a lot of scrapping around said the American starFritz was looking assured on serve throughout the final set during which he won all 11 points behind his first delivery according to Infosys ATP Stats before the ninth gameDespite stumbling at the final hurdle however Fritz was able to draw on his grasscourt pedigree which has helped him to three triumphs in Eastbourne and a first title of the season two weeks ago in StuttgartThe topseeded Fritz takes a 42 ATP headtohead lead into his clash with Giron Fonseca who is at a careerhigh No 57 in the ATP Rankings earned his maiden tourlevel grasscourt win over Zizou Bergs in the first round The 18yearold will now head to Wimbledon for his debut at the grasscourt majorIn other quarterfinal matches in the event Frances Ugo Humbert the fourth seed advanced to the semifinals with a 764 61 win over lucky loser Billy Harris of the United Kingdom American Jenson Brooksby also made it to the lastfour stage with a 62 63 win over wildcard Daniel Evans IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/fritz-survives-a-delay-and-fonseca-challenge-to-reach-quarters-at-eastbourne-623109.html Thu, 26 Jun 2025 22:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/bad-homburg-open-paolini-pegula-reach-quarters-via-contrasting-routes-622770.html Bad Homburg Germany June 24 The top two seeds at the Bad Homburg Open both made it safely into the quarterfinals on Tuesday but via contrasting routes No 2 Jasmine Paolini needed to navigate a host of setpoint saves and matchpoint misses before overcoming Leylah Fernandez 768 766 in 2 hours and 32 minutes the joint secondlongest twoset match of 2025 so far No 1 Jessica Pegula was thoroughly efficient in defeating qualifier Katerina Siniakova 63 62 in 66 minutesPaolinis victory was a triumph of clutch play for the Italian The tone was set in a sevendeuce opening game which Fernandez eventually held and from there the momentum shifted back and forth between the pair Paolini volleying with panache took a 42 lead only for Fernandez to bounce back with a threegame run At 65 the Canadian held her first set point but Paolini came up with the shot of the match a terrific lob on the run to end a lungbusting rally to fend it off as per WTAAnother two set points for Fernandez came and went in the tiebreak before Paolini converted her second by coming out on top of another enthralling allcourt exchange foiling the former US Open runnerup with an unexpectedly short smashPaolini rode her momentum to a 52 lead in the second set but Fernandez had upped her baseline aggression particularly off her forehand wing This began to pay off as she started to mount a remarkable comeback Down 52 she staved off a first match point with an ace then clawed her way back to level at 55 Fernandez escaped triple match point down 65 as Paolinis backhand let the Rome champion down then was poised to force a third set as she held a double set point in the tiebreakBut Fernandez was unable to convert either and a relieved Paolini escaped with the last four points of the match in a row She will next face either No 7 seed Elina Svitolina or Beatriz Haddad MaiaPegula and Siniakova have become frequent foes over the years and their best battles have come on grass Siniakova was a 63 57 64 victor in the 2021 Bad Homburg second round the year she made her first of two finals here last year Pegula defeated the Czech 762 36 63 in the Berlin quarterfinals en route to her first grasscourt titleThere was no such barnburner in their third encounter on the German lawns Pegula was nearimpenetrable on serve dropping just four points behind her first delivery and facing just two break points all day She advances to face either No 5 seed Emma Navarro or wild card Naomi Osaka IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/bad-homburg-open-paolini-pegula-reach-quarters-via-contrasting-routes-622770.html Tue, 24 Jun 2025 22:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/carlos-alcaraz-clinches-second-queens-club-title-in-thrilling-final-622413.html London June 22 Carlos Alcaraz captured his second Queens Club title on Sunday overcoming a stern challenge from Jiri Lehecka to win the 2025 HSBC Championships final 75 675 62 The 22yearold Spaniard now the ATP Tour leader with five titles this season displayed resilience and brilliance to claim his 21st career tourlevel trophyThis tournament is really special to me said Alcaraz Im just happy to lift the trophy once again I came without expectation just to play good tennis and get used to the grass I was lucky to have a lot of friends and family here that made me feel really comfortable on and off the court said AlcarazFacing Lehecka who was contesting his first grasscourt final Alcaraz battled through two tightly contested sets After edging the first he narrowly lost a tense secondset tiebreak but responded emphatically in the decider His dominance in the final set showcased his grasscourt prowess and experience sealing the win in just over two hoursThis triumph marked Alcarazs fourth career title on grass joining Novak Djokovic Matteo Berrettini Taylor Fritz and Nicolas Mahut as the only active players with four or more Entering Wimbledon as the twotime defending champion Alcaraz rides an 18match win streakhis longest to dateSince a surprising early exit in Miami Alcaraz has been nearly unstoppable compiling a 271 record and collecting prestigious titles in MonteCarlo Rome Roland Garros and now London He has also widened his lead over Jannik Sinner in the PIF ATP Live Race To TurinA highlight of the match came during the secondset tiebreak when Alcaraz executed a stunning lob after a grueling rally igniting the crowd and underscoring his remarkable athleticism and flair under pressureIts tough for me to find the words now but Im super happy that I had the chance to fight for the title today said Lehecka who trails Alcaraz 12 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series Well done to Carlos and your team for doing a great job I gave everything I had today and unfortunately it wasnt enough IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/carlos-alcaraz-clinches-second-queens-club-title-in-thrilling-final-622413.html Sun, 22 Jun 2025 22:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/jannik-sinner-teams-up-with-italian-tenor-bocelli-to-release-duet-titled-polvere-e-gloria-622120.html New Delhi June 20 World No1 mens tennis player Jannik Sinner has teamed up with the famous Italian opera tenor Andrea Bocelli to release a duet titled Polvere e Gloria which means Dust and Glory The song features English and Italian lyrics and is accompanied by a music video that contains footage of the two of them side by side at a piano as well as clips of them both from their childhood Sinner is repeating parts of his winning and losing speeches in the songI am very happy and honoured to be part of this project with Andrea who for 30 years has been a unique and extraordinary voice a flag for our country in the rest of the world I could never have imagined hearing my voice in one of his songs Its extremely moving Sinner was quoted as saying by BCCThe release of the single comes as Sinner was defeated by Alexander Bublik in the second round of the Halle Open on Thursday following his French Open final loss to Carlos AlcarazAnnouncing the release of the duet on Instagram Bocelli and Sinner wrote Every life is a potential work of art each of us bears the sweet responsibility of nurturing our talents in the daily acrobatics of living pursuing our dreams while remaining steadfastly true to our valuesThis duet is such a bold leap that it has ignited our passion born of a shared and unwavering desire to express our deep belief that nothing is impossible Values bring people together and transcend all barriersAnd so here we are together with a small gift a song to celebrate the dedication authenticity love for life and the importance and priceless beauty of the journey often far more enriching and moving than any possible destinationDust and Glory is all this music lyrics and song in a joyful and unexpected encounter A wager to join voices in honouring the values we believe in The ones that lead each of us in our own way with what we have to commit to act to love and respect each other to grow every day and to become truly victorious champions of humanity artists of lifeBocelli is the most successful classical artist of all time He has sung for Popes Presidents and royalty performed in many of the greatest concert halls and opera houses and has sold 85 million records worldwide He has a Golden Globe 7 Classical BRITs and 7 World Music Awards under his belt plus a star on the Hollywood Walk of FameSinner who won the US Open in 2024 and the Australian Open in 2024 and 2025 will turn his sights to the grasscourt major Wimbledon with the main draw beginning on June 30 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/jannik-sinner-teams-up-with-italian-tenor-bocelli-to-release-duet-titled-polvere-e-gloria-622120.html Fri, 20 Jun 2025 19:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/bengaluru-to-host-prestigious-billie-jean-king-cup-play-offs-621974.html Bengaluru June 19 In a historic first Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association KSLTA will host Group G ties of the prestigious Billie Jean King Cup Playoffs at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium in Bengaluru on 14 15 and 16 This will be the first time ever that the Billie Jean King Cup Playoffs will be held on Indian soil The Playoffs will feature 21 nations split into seven groups of three teams each In a unique format every group tie will be hosted by a nation and the venues were formally announced following a draw held on Thursday in LondonIndia recently qualified for the Playoffs only for the second time in its history following a spectacular performance in the AsiaOceania Group I tie held in Pune India qualified along with New Zealand for the playoff following its 21 win over KoreaBoth New Zealand and India had four wins each in the sixteam competition The only other time India qualified for the playoffs was in April 2021 when they played in Latvia which saw Jelena Ostapenko lead her team to a 31 victory over IndiaIndia are in Group G along with Slovenia and the Netherlands and the fivemember Indian team will feature Ankita Raina rank 292 a top singles player from the country along with Sahaja Yamalapalli rank 301 Shrivalli Bhamidipaty rank 313 Vaidehi Chaudhari rank 405 and Prarthana Thombare the topranked Indian doubles player ranked No136 the KSLTA informed in a release on ThursdayIn other groups Canada Mexico and Denmark will feature in Group A and Group B includes Poland New Zealand and Romania while Group C features Slovakia Switzerland and Argentina Group D will have Czechia Colombia and Croatia and Group E will have Australia Portugal and Brazil Germany Belgium and Turkiye are in Group FThe KSLTA has been at the forefront of hosting international tennis events and have been a host to Davis Cup ties ATP World Doubles Championships WTA Tour Events ITF Womens 100K ATP Challengers ITF World Tennis Tour events and this would also be a first for KSLTA to host the prestigious Billie Jean King CupIn their endeavour to provide invaluable exposure to young players and fans across the country the leadership at KSLTA bid to host the Billie Jean King Cup playoffs when India qualified last monthHosting the prestigious BJK Cup playoffs at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium will be a historic moment for us at KSLTA and we believe it will elevate Indias profile in the global womens tennis It has always been our endeavour to host top international tennis events in Bengaluru and we have worldclass facilities here which equip us to host an event of this repute expressed Priyank Kharge Senior Vice President of KSLTA and Minister of IT amp BT amp RDPR Govt of KarnatakaSunil Yajaman Joint Secretary of KSLTA and Tournament Director of the event said We were absolutely thrilled when India qualified for the playoffs and their performance was outstanding There is a lot of promise with young tennis players performing exceptionally well and a home playoff tie can be a huge fillip in boosting the growth of the sport particularly at the grassroots and also inspire potential talentWe are very delighted to be chosen as one of the host countries for the playoffs and we look forward to welcoming the players and officials to Bengaluru I believe this would be a rare opportunity for sportsloving citizens of Bengaluru to witness this prestigious event happening for the first time in India We also feel this would be a great opportunity for the Indian team to perform at its best as all the players are welladapted to the conditions here We thank the International Tennis Federation ITF for choosing Bengaluru to host this exciting event he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/bengaluru-to-host-prestigious-billie-jean-king-cup-play-offs-621974.html Thu, 19 Jun 2025 19:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/8-000-postscomments-from-4-200-accounts-wta-itf-publish-season-wide-online-abuse-amp-threat-report-621614.html New Delhi June 17 Womens Tennis Association WTA and International Tennis Federation ITF on Tuesday published the firstever seasonwide report outlining the scale of abuse directed at players on social media citing 8000 postscomments sent from 4200 accounts as abusive violent or threatening British no 2 Katie Boulter has also opened up about the death threats and abuse she has received on social media It becomes more apparent every single time you go on your phone I think it increases in number and it also increases in the level of things that people say I dont think theres anything off the cards now she told BBC SportThe report findings are taken from Signify Groups Threat Matrix service which went live in January 2024 protecting players and tennis family members from targeted online hate as well as threatening and violent direct communicationAs per the report Between January to December 2024 16 million posts and comments were analyzed by Threat Matrix AI Analysts then verified c8000 postscomments sent from 4200 accounts as abusive violent or threatening Action has been taken against the most serious and prolific of these including 15 accounts escalated to law enforcementIt said During the year 458 players were targeted with direct abuse or threat five players received 26 per cent of the total abuse identified while 97 prolific accounts were responsible for 23 per cent of all detected abuseIn a joint statement WTA and ITF said Given the evidence highlighted by Threat Matrix the tennis bodies now call for a constructive dialogue with the gambling industry to tackle the individuals that engage in prolific or highly threatening online abuse connected to sports bettingThe report said angry gamblers sent 40 per cent of all detected abuse across the year 10 prolific accounts majority being angry gambler related were responsible for 12 per cent of all abuse of these nine have either been suspended posts permanently deleted by the platform or the user has removed their posts15 cases of egregious and highly threatening abuse have been investigated and evidence provided to law enforcement for assessment and action four related to Grand Slams one from the Paris Olympic Games and 10 were from across the tours Of the 15 cases three have been submitted to the FBI and 12 to other national law enforcement bodiesIt said that relevant account details have been shared with event security teams both Tours and Grand Slams to ban these individuals from access to venues and rescind tickets This has also included threats to mens and womens players detected by Threat Matrix during Grand Slam events Todays report covering the first year of the Threat Matrix service shows the scale of the problem and crucially the actions being taken to protect our athletes From law enforcement escalation and platform intervention to banning abusers from our events perpetrators must understand that they will face consequences for their actionsGiven the clear evidence highlighted by Threat Matrix on the link between angry gamblers and prolific online abuse and threat we are calling for a constructive dialogue with the gambling industry to help tackle this issue a spokesperson for the WTA and ITF saidAmerican tennis star Jessica Pegula member of the WTA Players Council added Online abuse is unacceptable and something that no player should have to endure I welcome the work that the WTA and ITF are doing with Threat Matrix to identify and take action against the abusers whose behavior is so often linked to gambling But its not enough on its own Its time for the gambling industry and social media companies to tackle the problem at its source and act to protect everyone facing these threats IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/8-000-postscomments-from-4-200-accounts-wta-itf-publish-season-wide-online-abuse-amp-threat-report-621614.html Tue, 17 Jun 2025 17:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sinner-sinks-djokovic-to-set-up-final-clash-against-alcaraz-at-french-open-620051.html Paris June 7 World No 1 Jannik Sinner notched a 64 75 763 triumph against threetime champion Novak Djokovic in a heavyweight semifinal clash at the French Open on Friday and will meet defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the final Djokovic the mens record 24time Grand Slam champion was overwhelmed by Sinners power and precision from the baseline and on serve on Court PhilippeChatrier reports XinhuaSinner became only the second Italian man to reach the final at RolandGarros after Adriano Panatta the 1976 championIt was such a special occasion for me playing against Novak in the semifinal of a Grand Slam said Sinner Its just amazing and I had to step up and play the best tennis I could Im very happy how I handled the situation but this shows again what a role model he is for all of us and especially for us young playersWhat he is doing is incredible and I wish him only the best for the rest of the season I think we are all very lucky to see him playing such highlevel tennis its amazingIn the first set Sinner performed more steadily taking the opening set 64 with a break in the fifth gameDjokovic started stronger in the second but it was Sinner who broke first for a 53 lead Djokovic held serve in the ninth game and then broke Sinners serve in the 10th game while serving for the set leveling the score at 55Sinner stayed composed and secured another break eventually taking the second set 75Both players delivered toplevel tennis in the third set which ultimately went into a tense tiebreak Sinner proved to be more clutch in the decisive moments winning the tiebreak 73In his postmatch press conference 38yearold Djokovic reflected on the uncertainty of his future following the lossThis could have been the last match ever I played here so I dont know Thats why I was a bit more emotional even in the end said DjokovicIf this was the farewell match of the Roland Garros for me in my career it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowdDo I wish to play more Yes I do But will I be able to play in 12 months time here again I dont know Thats all I can say for the moment he addedEarlier in the other semifinal Alcaraz led 46 763 60 20 against Lorenzo Musetti when the eighthseeded Italian retired with a leg injurySinner who has yet to lose a set in the tournament is now looking to avenge his loss to Alcaraz in last years semifinal when he was defeated in five setsAlcaraz has won his last four matches against Sinner including the Italian Open final in May when Sinner returned from a threemonth doping banSunday is going to be very difficult I know my headtohead lately doesnt look great against Carlos but lets see what I can do said Sinner IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sinner-sinks-djokovic-to-set-up-final-clash-against-alcaraz-at-french-open-620051.html Sat, 07 Jun 2025 09:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-djokovic-rallies-past-zverev-for-51st-grand-slam-semifinal-of-career-619668.html Paris June 5 Sixthseeded Novak Djokovic topped No3 seed Alexander Zverev last years finalist in four sets 46 63 62 64 to reach his record 51st career Grand Slam semifinal at the French Open The Serbs 51 major semifinals are already a record for men and just one behind Chris Evert for the overall mark and his 13th at RolandGarros He is the secondoldest man in the Open era to reach the RolandGarros semifinals after Pancho Gonzales in 1968The last time Djokovic faced Zverev he was walking off the court solemnly after injury put a premature end to their Australian Open semifinal in January But on Wednesday night in Paris after more than three hours of battle on court PhilippeChatrier the 24time Grand Slam champion rallied from a set behind to keep his quest for a recordsetting 25th Grand Slam title going into the semifinalsBeating one of the best players in the world on the biggest stages is something that I definitely work for and I still you know push myself on a daily basis at this age because of these kinds of matches and these kinds of experiences Its a proven kind of testament to myself that I can and to others that I can still play on the highest level Djokovic said after the winWith his 101st victory at the claycourt major threetime champion Djokovic set a semifinal with top seed Jannik Sinner their first meeting at a Grand Slam event since Sinner topped Djokovic in four sets on the way to his first Australian Open title last year Djokovics headtohead with Sinner is level at 44 but he has lost the last threeShould he win that and if No2 seed Carlos Alcaraz tops Lorenzo Musetti in the other semifinal Djokovic may have the opportunity to achieve something never before done No man has defeated the top 3 ranked players to win a Grand Slam tournament in the history of the ATP rankingsDjokovic arrived at Roland Garros fresh from winning his 100th tourlevel title in Geneva and is now on a ninematch winning streak The Serbian great is chasing his first major title since the 2023 US Open Alcaraz defending champion at Roland Garros and Sinner between them have won each of the five that followed IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-djokovic-rallies-past-zverev-for-51st-grand-slam-semifinal-of-career-619668.html Thu, 05 Jun 2025 10:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/at-the-moment-djokovics-a-bit-underrated-says-zverev-after-french-open-sf-loss-619675.html Paris June 5 After losing to Novak Djokovic in the French Open semifinal last years finalist Alexander Zverev reflected on defeat to threetime Roland Garros champion and called the Serbian great an underrated player The 24time major champion Djokovic who has suffered consecutive openinground defeats to start the claycourt swing has rediscovered his best form at the perfect time in his quest for a record 25th major trophyThe sixth seed Serbian did not arrive in Paris as the leading favourite but delivered a tactically astute display to prevail 46 63 62 64 and reach a recordextending 51st Grand Slam semifinalI think at the moment hes a bit underrated to be honest Zverev said of Djokovic Funny that you say that but I think like a lot of people count him out already but this year hes had wins over Carlos at the Australian Open he has had a win over me at the French Open Forget the age I think for any player those are pretty good results Hes still beating the best of the best So I think everybody needs to respect that Zverev was quoted by ATP TourThe last time Djokovic faced Zverev he was walking off the court solemnly after injury put a premature end to their Australian Open semifinal in JanuaryBut on Wednesday night in Paris after more than three hours of battle on court PhilippeChatrier the 24time Grand Slam champion rallied from a set behind to keep his quest for a recordsetting 25th Grand Slam title going into the semifinalsHes won 24 of these things I think yes I expected him to be able to play like this I have not seen him play like this this year yet I think it was very very high level from him It was at some point difficult for me I mean in the first set when the sun was not completely down there was still some heat on the court I could still I felt like hit some winners and do some damage with my serve Then later on when it got really really cold I couldnt really do much Zverev addedDjokovic who arrived in Paris fresh off claiming the title in Geneva set a semifinal with top seed Jannik Sinner Should he win that and if No2 seed Carlos Alcaraz tops Lorenzo Musetti in the other semifinal Djokovic may have the opportunity to achieve something never before done No man has defeated the top 3 ranked players to win a Grand Slam tournament in the history of the ATP rankings IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/at-the-moment-djokovics-a-bit-underrated-says-zverev-after-french-open-sf-loss-619675.html Thu, 05 Jun 2025 11:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/at-the-moment-djokovics-a-bit-underrated-says-zverev-after-french-open-qf-loss-619709.html Paris June 5 After losing to Novak Djokovic in the French Open semifinal last years finalist Alexander Zverev reflected on defeat to threetime Roland Garros champion and called the Serbian great an underrated player The 24time major champion Djokovic who has suffered consecutive openinground defeats to start the claycourt swing has rediscovered his best form at the perfect time in his quest for a record 25th major trophyThe sixth seed Serbian did not arrive in Paris as the leading favourite but delivered a tactically astute display to prevail 46 63 62 64 and reach a recordextending 51st Grand Slam semifinalI think at the moment hes a bit underrated to be honest Zverev said of Djokovic Funny that you say that but I think like a lot of people count him out already but this year hes had wins over Carlos at the Australian Open he has had a win over me at the French Open Forget the age I think for any player those are pretty good results Hes still beating the best of the best So I think everybody needs to respect that Zverev was quoted by ATP TourThe last time Djokovic faced Zverev he was walking off the court solemnly after injury put a premature end to their Australian Open semifinal in JanuaryBut on Wednesday night in Paris after more than three hours of battle on court PhilippeChatrier the 24time Grand Slam champion rallied from a set behind to keep his quest for a recordsetting 25th Grand Slam title going into the semifinalsHes won 24 of these things I think yes I expected him to be able to play like this I have not seen him play like this this year yet I think it was very very high level from him It was at some point difficult for me I mean in the first set when the sun was not completely down there was still some heat on the court I could still I felt like hit some winners and do some damage with my serve Then later on when it got really really cold I couldnt really do much Zverev addedDjokovic who arrived in Paris fresh off claiming the title in Geneva set a semifinal with top seed Jannik Sinner Should he win that and if No2 seed Carlos Alcaraz tops Lorenzo Musetti in the other semifinal Djokovic may have the opportunity to achieve something never before done No man has defeated the top 3 ranked players to win a Grand Slam tournament in the history of the ATP rankings IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/at-the-moment-djokovics-a-bit-underrated-says-zverev-after-french-open-qf-loss-619709.html Thu, 05 Jun 2025 14:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sinner-sprints-into-roland-garros-quarterfinals-with-win-over-rublev-619283.html Paris June 3 Top seed Jannik Sinner cruised into his 11th career Grand Slam quarterfinal and third in Roland Garros with a 61 63 64 rout of No17 seed Andrey Rublev This was Sinners 18th consecutive match win at a Grand Slam tournament Sinner has dropped just 30 games in 12 sets in Paris so far and by extending his winning streak at Grand Slam events to 18 the world No1 has tied Andre Agassi Boris Becker and Mats Wilander for the ninthlongest unbeaten run in the Open eraFour more wins would secure him not only a first RolandGarros title in the process but sole possession of seventh place on that illustrious list Sinners win also gives him sole possession of the most major victories for an Italian man in the Open eraIm very very happy We both know each other very well weve played each other so many times so we try to change up a little bit our game style and Im very happy Things can go very quickly in a bad way in bestoffive they can go so long so Im very happy and proud to finish in three Sinner saidBidding for his own third RolandGarros quarterfinal and first since 2022 Rublev kept a firststrike mentality throughout the match but was summarily dismissed by Sinners own strikes as the Italian wrapped up the first set in a half hourSinner hit 25 winners in three sets never lost serve in the twohour match and only faced one break point combined in the last two sets That came at 22 in the third set but Rublev couldnt find the court with a backhand return off a secondserve one of 39 unforced errors the No17 seed totalled in the match Sinner hit just 19 Roland Garros reportsSinner who on Monday began his 52nd consecutive week at No 1 in the ATP rankings will next play Alexander Bublik whom he leads 31 in their ATP Head2Head series The World No 62 Bublik earlier upset fifth seed Jack Draper to become the first Kazakhstani man to reach a singles Grand Slam quarterfinal in history IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sinner-sprints-into-roland-garros-quarterfinals-with-win-over-rublev-619283.html Tue, 03 Jun 2025 10:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-gauff-quells-alexandrova-to-reach-qf-andreeva-saves-set-point-against-kasatkina-619235.html Paris June 2 Second Seed Coco Gauff and sixthranked Mirra Andreeva scored fighting wins in the womens singles Round of 16 to book quarterfinal places in the French Open here on Monday Gauff the 21yearold American held off a determined attempt for a fightback by No 20 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 60 75 in 1 hour and 22 minutes to advance to her fifth consecutive Roland Garros quarterfinalIn another Round of 16 clash Andreeva a semifinalist in Paris last year overcame Australias Daria Kasatkina the 17th seed here fought back from 53 down in the second set and saved one set point to advance 63 75 and made her second Grand Slam quarterfinalWith this the 18yearold Andreeva became the youngest player to reach backtoback quarterfinals at Roland Garros since Martina Hingis in 199798 She has yet to drop a set or even concede more than five games in any set en route to the last eight where she will next face either No 3 seed Jessica Pegula or wild card Lois BoissonThe 21yearold also set a record becoming the fourthyoungest player in the Open Era to reach a fifth straight quarterfinal at the French Open following 20yearold Martina Hingis 19972001 20yearold Stefanie Graf 19861990 and 21yearold Conchita Martínez 19891993Gauff lost in the second round to Martina Trevisan on her maindraw debut in 2020 but has made at least the last eight in Paris every year since including a run to her first Grand Slam final in 2022Gauff advanced to her ninth major quarterfinal overall Having compiled a 135 record on hard courts through the first three months of 2025 she has continued to find her groove on clay where she is now 153 and counting this season after making backtoback finals in Madrid and RomeGauff will bid to reach her fifth Grand Slam semifinal against either No 7 seed Madison Keys or Hailey BaptisteOn Monday she started with a onesided opening set Alexandrova was undone by 15 unforced errors to only three winners in the first set The 30yearold won just five points in the first five games of the match though Gauff had to navigate seven deuces in the sixth before converting her third set pointAlexandrova upped her level in a highly competitive second set pegging Gauff back from a breakdown But the American was more solid at its conclusion reeling off 12 of the last 16 points of the matchAlexandrova committed to hanging with Gauff in longer exchanges while staying on the front foot resulting in several superb linetoline rallies Gauffs ability to find winning shots on the run still gave her the edge and despite her forehand showing signs of wobbling she had to save the first two break points of the set in the fourth game a pair of backhand winners garnered her the first break for 43Alexandrova found a series of spectacular forehands in the next two games to hit back but leading 54 she failed to take advantage of two Gauff double faults The errors of the first set returned and Gauff eased through the home stretch Gauff now holds a 41 headtohead lead against Alexandrova IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-gauff-quells-alexandrova-to-reach-qf-andreeva-saves-set-point-against-kasatkina-619235.html Mon, 02 Jun 2025 21:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-lois-boissons-fairytale-run-continues-with-stunning-upset-over-pegula-619251.html Paris June 2 French wildcard Lois Boisson has etched her name into Grand Slam folklore with a jawdropping fourthround upset at Roland Garros 2025 In only her second tourlevel event and Grand Slam maindraw debut the 22yearold stunned World No 3 Jessica Pegula 36 64 64 on a stirring Monday afternoon at Court PhilippeChatrier Boisson ranked No 361 became the lowestranked woman to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal in eight years since Kaia Kanepis 2017 US Open run The home crowd watched in rapt disbelief as the young Frenchwoman battling back from an ACL injury just a year ago delivered a composed courageous and calculated performance to take down one of the WTAs most consistent forcesThe first set went Pegulas way as the Americans trademark discipline and timing wore down the Grand Slam debutante But Boisson armed with a topspinheavy forehand and tactical nous that belied her inexperience fought fire with fire Using the heaviest forehand topspin among all remaining women in the draw she dragged Pegula into deep baseline exchanges that increasingly tilted in her favourThe momentum began to shift in the second set as Boisson found her range with crisp passing shots and clever lobs A backhand crosscourt rally to break Pegula at 54 was the turning point The Frenchwoman served out the set with a maturity that had the crowd rising to their feetThe final set was a test of nerve heart and belief At 44 Boisson converted her fourth break point in a marathon game to move within a game of victory Serving for the match at 54 she faced four break points But each time she stood tall firing big serves painting lines and refusing to blink When she finally closed it out after 2 hours and 40 minutes Boisson dropped her racquet and looked to the sky soaking in the disbelief and ecstasy of a nationFrance had been without a representative in the mens or womens singles quarterfinals until now Boisson becomes the first Frenchwoman to reach this stage at Roland Garros since Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic did so in 2017 She also becomes the first woman to make the quarterfinals in her Grand Slam maindraw debut since Carla Suárez Navarro did it in 2008A quarterfinal clash with another rising sensation No 6 seed Mirra Andreeva who earlier defeated Daria Kasatkina IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-lois-boissons-fairytale-run-continues-with-stunning-upset-over-pegula-619251.html Mon, 02 Jun 2025 22:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-bopanna-pavlasek-bow-out-after-pre-quarterfinal-loss-619050.html Paris June 1 Indias Rohan Bopanna and his Czech partner Adam Pavlasek put up a spirited fight but were knocked out of the French Open on Sunday by second seeds Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten The unseeded IndoCzech duo fell 26 675 in the prequarterfinals to Finlands Heliovaara and Britains Patten who are ranked third and fourth in the world respectivelyThe second seeds raced to a 51 lead in the first set with two breaks of serve Heliovaara then closed out the set with a dominant service game finishing with a powerful overhead smashBopanna started strong in the second set holding serve to love Patten responded equally well firing in a series of sharp angled servesBopanna and Pavlasek had a chance to break at 23 when Patten opened game six with a double fault and quickly went down 030 However the Briton responded under pressure winning four consecutive points to escape unscathedWith no breaks of serve in the second set it went to a tiebreak where Heliovaara sealed the match with a stunning return winner on the first match pointMeanwhile Yuki Bhambri is set to play his thirdround match alongside American partner Robert Galloway They face the ninthseeded American pair Christian Harrison and Evan KingIn the Junior Championship Indias promising young player Manas Dhamne exited the tournament after a 57 36 defeat to fellow qualifier Ronit Karki of the United StatesThe 17yearold Dhamne who had made it into the main draw through qualifying struggled to find his rhythm on SundayEarlier in the day the threetime RolandGarros champion Novak Djokovic scored the 99th win of his career on the Paris clay after beating Austrian qualifier Filip Misolic 63 64 62 to enter the fourth round of the tournament IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-bopanna-pavlasek-bow-out-after-pre-quarterfinal-loss-619050.html Sun, 01 Jun 2025 19:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/tommy-paul-reaches-first-roland-garros-qf-with-win-over-popyrin-619057.html Paris June 1 Tommy Paul broke new ground on Sunday at Roland Garros where he reached the quarterfinals at the claycourt major for the first time The American earned battling fiveset wins against Marton Fucsovics and Karen Khachanov earlier this week but found the going easier against Alexei Popyrin dispatching the Australian 63 63 63 in one hour and 52 minutes as per ATPPaul has now reached the last eight at three of the four majors advancing to the semifinals at the Australian Open in 2023 and the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 2024 The 28yearold is just the ninth American man in the Open Era and only active American to advance to Grand Slam quarterfinals on all three surfaces He joins Andre Agassi Michael Chang Jim Courier Vitas Gerulaitis Brian Gottfried John McEnroe and Pete SamprasAiming to reach the last four in Paris the 12th seed will next face defending champion Carlos Alcaraz or countryman Ben Shelton Paul trails Alcaraz 24 in the pairs Lexus ATP Head2Head series and is tied at 22 with SheltonPaul saved 90 per cent 910 of the break points he faced against Popyrin stuck 27 winners to the Australians 18 and committed 15 fewer unforced errors 2237 than the World No 25 according to Infosys StatsPaul is now 123 on clay this season having reached the semifinals at the ATP Masters 1000 in Rome last month The fourtime tourlevel titlist is currently No 8 in the ATP Live RankingsPopyrin had not dropped a set en route to reaching the fourth round in the French capital for the first time The 25yearold is up four spots to No 21 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/tommy-paul-reaches-first-roland-garros-qf-with-win-over-popyrin-619057.html Sun, 01 Jun 2025 20:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/djokovic-enters-fourth-round-with-99th-match-win-at-roland-garros-618966.html Paris June 1 The threetime RolandGarros champion scored the 99th win of his career on the Paris clay after beating Austrian qualifier Filip Misolic 63 64 62 to enter the fourth round of the French Open Fresh off his 100th tour level singles title in Geneva just prior to Roland Garros Djokovic is now eyeing the milestone of 100 match wins at a single tournament for the first time a mark he can achieve if he defeats former top 10 player Cameron Norrie on MondayNinetynine is good but 100 is better I hope Ill get more Im in a time in my career in my life when I feel very privileged because every time I step out on court Im playing for the history books Its incredible Djokovic talked about the possibility of reaching a century of wins on MondayThe only player to have earned more wins at RolandGarros than Djokovic is 14time champion Rafael Nadal who owns a 1124 record and the Serb has not lost before the quarterfinals in Paris since 2009The Serb faced just one break point against the 23yearold qualifier ranked No153 who had previously upset 27th seed Denis Shapovalov en route to his firstever Grand Slam third round at just his second major The result allowed Djokovic to match a personal best he also has 99 career match wins at the Australian Open where he is a record 10time championIt was the first night session this year for me Night sessions are different Waiting all day to play isnt easy because theres the anticipation youre very tense you have to prepare for the match Last year I played a few night sessions one incredible one against Lorenzo Musetti that finished at 3am Tonight I was just hoping it wouldnt finish after 3am There are always a lot of expectations but I think I played solidly in the right moments over three sets said Djokovic IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/djokovic-enters-fourth-round-with-99th-match-win-at-roland-garros-618966.html Sun, 01 Jun 2025 10:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-swiatek-survives-second-set-scare-to-extend-reign-to-24-wins-618801.html Paris May 30 World No 1 Iga Swiatek was pushed to the edge but emerged victorious yet again at the Roland Garros The threetime defending champion defeated Romanias Jaqueline Cristian 62 75 to reach the fourth round of the French Open for the seventh straight year extending her unbeaten streak at the claycourt Grand Slam to 24 matches It wasnt all smooth sailing for Swiatek After breezing through the first set in 39 minutes without facing a single break point the Pole found herself in a gritty secondset battle against an inspired Cristian who recently reached the Rabat final and brought that confidence to Court PhilippeChatrierSwiateks nerves were tested as she had to save six breakpoints in the second set and fought off a determined Cristian who threatened to take the match into a deciding third With the second set tied at 55 and Cristian a point away from forcing a tiebreak Swiatek dug deep to break serve and seal the win in one hour and 54 minutesRelief was the overriding emotion for the top seed after a challenging afternoonIm just happy that I was super solid in the last game and didnt give any free points Swiatek said She used her chances and went for it every time I gave her a chance It was a great match and I think pretty entertaining We both played nice Im happy Im through and happy with the performance she was quoted as saying by the WTA TourThe victory keeps Swiatek on track to equal Monica Seles record of 25 consecutive wins at the French Open in the Open Era To tie that mark she will have to overcome a formidable challenge in the fourth round either 2022 Wimbledon champion and 12th seed Elena Rybakina or the 2017 Roland Garros winner Jelena OstapenkoIf its Ostapenko history wont be in Swiateks favour she has a surprising 06 headtohead record against the Latvian IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-swiatek-survives-second-set-scare-to-extend-reign-to-24-wins-618801.html Sat, 31 May 2025 00:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-kasatkina-ends-badosas-run-in-gritty-straight-sets-win-618900.html Paris May 31 Despite her trademark resilience and emotional firepower Paula Badosas Roland Garros 2025 campaign came to a heartbreaking end in the third round as she fell 61 75 to a tactically astute and unflinching Daria Kasatkina The onehourand34minute contest on Court SimonneMathieu was a test of physical limits mental resolve and strategic depth and Kasatkina emerged as the player with just enough clarity in all three departmentsFrom the opening exchanges it was evident something was amiss with the Spaniard Im cramping from the first game she confided to her coach Pol Toledo during an early changeover visibly struggling Even a midset supplement couldnt revive her movement or rhythm Kasatkina sensing vulnerability pouncedThe Russian raced ahead with ruthless efficiency breaking twice in the first 20 minutes and storming to a 50 lead Her deep returns varied angles and consistent depth left Badosa scrambling and erraticThe first set ended in just over half an hour with Badosa committing 17 unforced errors a testament to both her compromised physical state and Kasatkinas unrelenting game planThe second set however witnessed a flicker of the fighting spirit that has long defined Badosas career With little left to protect and everything to fight for the Spaniard unleashed her forehand with more authority and began stepping inside the baselineThe turning point seemed near when she finally converted her seventh break point in a mammoth eighth game that lasted over 10 minutes Her primal roar after that game wasnt just a celebration it was defiance a raw reminder of the grit buried under the fatigueBut Kasatkina ranked World No 17 didnt blink A brief rain delay added another layer of suspense but the Russian returned just as composed her counterpunching and court coverage stifling every Badosa attempt to swing the momentum furtherServing to stay in the match at 56 Badosa faltered A mistimed drop shot a double fault and a second serve that sat up for Kasatkina sealed her fate IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-kasatkina-ends-badosas-run-in-gritty-straight-sets-win-618900.html Sat, 31 May 2025 19:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-draper-brushes-off-fonseca-to-reach-fourth-round-618929.html Paris May 31 Jack Draper of Great Britain continued his superb season at the French Open on Saturday as he dispatched the young Brazilian Joao Fonseca 62 64 62 to reach the fourth round for the first time in Paris The spotlight was on Draper in his second ATP headtohead meeting with the 18yearold Fonseca who had not dropped a set en route to reaching the third round at a major for the first timeHowever the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals winner Fonseca struggled for consistency He was unable to live with Drapers power and physicality in the hot and lively conditions on Court SuzanneLenglen The British lefty hit his heavy topspin forehand with depth and was relaxed for large periods striking with liquid power to dominate the brutal baseline exchangesThe 23yearold won 93 percent of his firstserve points and committed 20 unforced errors to Fonsecas 38 according to Infosys Stats to advance after one hour and 49 minutesI played good The conditions were quite difficult out here I felt that the first set was really key Draper was quoted as saying by the ATP Tour on its website Then I kind of got on top of him used my forehand well served well and mentally it was a good performance from me and I am happy to be in the second week hereDraper had reached Roland Garros without a win in two previous appearances at the claycourt majorRanked No 5 in the ATP Rankings the lefty however managed to capture his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells in March defeating Fonseca en route and then reached the championship match on clay in MadridHolding a 256 record in the season Draper will continue the quest for his first major against Alexander Bublik who beat Portuguese qualifier Henrique Rocha 75 61 62In my first two rounds I played in the night time and playing against Gael Monfils the other night I didnt feel I could hit the ball past him Draper said on the conditions at this years Roland Garros The guy is so quick and it was so cold But today the ball was getting up more and the faster conditions helped me moreFonseca defeated Hubert Hurkacz and PierreHugues Herbert to advance to the third round in Paris Earlier this season the 18yearold upset Andrey Rublev at the Australian Open and captured his maiden ATP Tour title at the 250 event in Buenos AiresThe Brazilian was backed by vocal support throughout his three matches in the French capital but was unable to give them anything to cheer about against Draper overhitting all too often The 18yearold leaves Roland Garros up 10 places at No 55 in the ATP Live RankingsJoão is someone who has come onto the Tour and caught the attention of everyone the players the fans He is an incredible young player and so much to come from him Draper said oofFonseca I think today maybe a bit of experience was the difference He hasnt played as many Grand Slams as me but I think he has an incredibly bright future at the top of the game he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-draper-brushes-off-fonseca-to-reach-fourth-round-618929.html Sat, 31 May 2025 22:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-sabalenka-and-zheng-storm-into-fourth-round-618754.html Paris May 30 World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka continued her excellent form at the 2025 French Open moving into the womens singles fourth round with a straightsets win over Serbias Olga Danilovic Sabalenka won the match 62 63 showing great control from start to finish With this win she has now dropped only 10 games in four matches at Roland Garros this year Sabalenka started strongly taking a 50 lead in the first set Danilovic managed to fight back briefly holding serve and breaking Sabalenka once but the top seed quickly regained her focus and closed out the setIn the second set Danilovic gave more resistance but Sabalenkas powerful serve and consistent groundstrokes helped her break serve twice to seal the matchThis was Danilovics first time facing a World No 1 and although she played some good points her 26 unforced errors proved costly Sabalenka hit 17 winners and broke Danilovics serve five times She now moves on to face No 16 seed Amanda Anisimova in the fourth roundAnisimova a former French Open semifinalist defeated Clara Tauson 764 64 to reach the second week Sabalenka is the only player to have reached the fourth round at both the Australian Open and French Open in the last three years She will also remain the World No 1 after the tournament regardless of the resultSabalenka has already won three titles in 2025 Brisbane Miami and Madrid and has played six finals this year the most by any player since Serena Williams in 2013 She now has 50 Grand Slam match wins since the start of 2023 11 more than the next best Iga SwiatekIn another thirdround match Chinas Zheng Qinwen also advanced to the fourth round with a solid 63 64 win over Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko Zheng the No 8 seed and Olympic gold medalist faced a strong challenge from the 18yearold qualifier who had not dropped a set in five matches coming into this roundMboko played with confidence and went toetotoe with Zheng from the baseline However Zheng used her experience to take key points at the right time She converted all four of her break points while Mboko managed only two breaks from eight chancesZheng broke serve early in both sets Though Mboko fought back each time Zheng quickly responded with another break to stay ahead The Chinese player remained calm in pressure moments especially when Mboko had a 040 lead in the eighth game of the second set but failed to convertThe match was briefly overshadowed by a medical emergency in the stands during the final games but play continued without interruption After the match Zheng expressed concern for the fans during her oncourt interview and praised Mboko for pushing her to play her bestZheng who reached the fourth round in Paris for the first time since her debut in 2022 will next face either Liudmila Samsonova or Dayana Yastremska A win in the next round would give her a firstever French Open quarterfinal appearance IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-sabalenka-and-zheng-storm-into-fourth-round-618754.html Fri, 30 May 2025 20:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-sinner-ends-gasquets-career-at-roland-garros-extends-major-win-streak-on-paris-clay-618588.html Paris May 29 World No1 Jannik Sinner pulled the curtain down on Richard Gasquets illustrious career on Thursday surging past the Frenchman 63 60 64 to reach the mens singles third round at the French Open here on Thursday Making his 22nd appearance at the claycourt major in Paris the 38yearold Gasquet was unable to produce a response to Sinners heavy ballstriking and pinpoint accuracy throughout the onehour 58minute clashWith his victory the No 1 player in the ATP Rankings extended his Grand Slam winning streak to 16 matches becoming the first man born in 1990 or later to do soWe have a good relationship off the court We are different generations but its your moment Sinner said to Gasquet who recorded his sole win over a World No 1 in MonteCarlo in 2005 when he defeated Roger FedererCongrats to your family to your team Without great people around each player its impossible to make such an incredible career You played in such an incredible era of tennis and everyone will recognise you even after your retirement the Italian star was quoted as saying by the ATP Tour in a report on its websiteGasquet a 16time tourlevel champion had reached a careerhigh World No 7 during his 23year career He holds the record for the most wins 610 among Frenchmen in the Open EraWith this win Sinner the reigning US Open and Australian Open champion set a thirdround meeting with Jiri Lehcka whom he leads 20 in their ATP headtohead series Lehecka overcame Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 63 36 61 62 to advance to the third round at Roland Garros for the first time in his careerAfter recording straightset wins against Arthur Rinderknech in the first round and Gasquet in the second Sinner improved to 185 at Roland Garros where he notably reached last years semifinal before falling to rival Carlos Alcaraz in a physical fiveset tussle The 23yearold is aiming to become the first Italian mens singles champion in the Open Era after Adriano Panatta in 1976Its obviously a very special place for me to play added Sinner who also beat Gasquet in Paris last year Against Richard we already played last year here its always very tough Im generally very happy to be in the third round Thank you guys for making it fairThere were moments of magic from Gasquet who used his vintage onehanded backhand to carve out three break points when Sinner served out the first set at 53 sparking raucous cheers from the French fans on Court PhilippeChatrier Yet Sinner saved all three according to Infosys Stats and did not face another en route to a commanding victory IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-sinner-ends-gasquets-career-at-roland-garros-extends-major-win-streak-on-paris-clay-618588.html Fri, 30 May 2025 01:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-mirra-andreeva-turns-tables-on-ashlyn-krueger-with-gritty-second-round-win-618546.html Paris May 29 Ten months after Ashlyn Krueger had knocked her out of the US Open in straight sets the 18yearold Russian Mirra Andreeva found her moment of redemption on the clay courts of Roland Garros Andreeva overcame a slow start to outplay Krueger 63 64 in the second round on Thursday advancing to the third round in Paris for the third consecutive year Andreeva once again showcased her resilience in a match that mirrored her gritty openinground comeback Down 31 in the opening set she turned the tide against the hardhitting Krueger with smart shot selection and unshakable nerves From 31 down Andreeva reeled off six consecutive games to take the set and the momentumThis match wasnt easy Andreeva said in her postmatch interview I lost to her at the US Open so I knew it would be tough Shes powerful and aggressive so I had to stay calm and find a wayKrueger who had bested Andreeva 61 64 in New York and reached her first WTA 500 final in Abu Dhabi earlier this year started strongly Her depth and accuracy troubled Andreeva early and she seemed in control through the first five games But a lapse in concentration while serving at 32 including three unforced errors and a double fault opened the door and Andreeva marched right throughThe match turned once the teenager found her rhythm especially off her backhand wing and with crafty drop shots Her run of six straight games flipped the script and put her a set and a break aheadThe second set turned scrappy Both players struggled with their serves combining for 10 double faults and there were four consecutive breaks of serve in the middle phase But as the set wore on Andreevas variety and movement shone In the eighth game she thrilled the Court SimonneMathieu crowd with a deft defensive drop shot and followed it up in the next game with brilliant retrieving and a sprinting forehand winner that earned her the decisive breakShe closed the match confidently sealing a straightsets win that underlined just how far she has come in 2025 Now ranked inside the Top 10 after claiming her first two WTA 1000 titles in Dubai and Indian Wells Andreeva is maturing fast mentally and tacticallyAwaiting her in the third round is either No 32 seed Yulia Putintseva or qualifier Joanna Garland as the former Roland Garros semifinalist continues her quest to reach the second week of a major for the fifth time in just her ninth Grand Slam maindraw appearance IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-mirra-andreeva-turns-tables-on-ashlyn-krueger-with-gritty-second-round-win-618546.html Thu, 29 May 2025 17:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-jessica-pegula-storms-into-third-round-with-straight-sets-win-618560.html Paris May 29 Jessica Pegula led the American charge at Roland Garros on Thursday with a hardfought 63 763 win over compatriot Ann Li marking her 30th match victory of the season It was a determined performance from the world No 3 who held her nerve in a tense second set to reach the third round of the French Open for the third time in her career The 31yearold broke Li three times and saved six of seven break points in a contest that began with Li racing to a 20 lead in the first set But Pegula quickly wrestled back control showcasing her trademark baseline consistency and mental resilience After levelling the score she dictated terms from the back of the court and stormed through six of the next seven games to seal the setThe second set was a different battle altogether There were no breaks of serve through the first eight games and Li ranked 55th in the world had two golden opportunities to break at 44 But Pegula responded like a seasoned championfirst with a breathtaking running forehand down the line and then with a powerful serve that set up a clear winnerIn the tiebreak Pegulas composure was evident A wide backhand from Li gave her the early advantage and she closed the match with a smooth backhand volley at the netPegulas win is part of a broader resurgence for American women at Roland Garros With Coco Gauff seeded No 2 and Madison Keys also advancing it marks the first time since the era of Venus and Serena Williams in 2009 that the US has three women in the top 10 seedsNotably nine American women featured in the secondround matches from the bottom half of the drawa rare and significant presence on the Parisian clayUp next Pegula faces former Roland Garros finalist and 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova who edged past No 25 Magdalena Frech in three sets It will be a stern test but Pegula enters the contest high on confidence having won more matches this season than any WTA player outside of Aryna Sabalenka IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-jessica-pegula-storms-into-third-round-with-straight-sets-win-618560.html Thu, 29 May 2025 20:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-swiatek-too-strong-for-raducanu-once-again-knocks-her-out-in-round-2-618477.html Paris May 28 Emma Raducanus struggles against World No 1 Iga Swiatek continued on the red clay of Roland Garros as the British number two was handed a resounding 61 62 defeat in their secondround encounter on Wednesday It marked Raducanus fifth straight loss to the defending champion once again exposing the gulf in class between the 2021 US Open winner and the elite tier of the womens gameThe match started with a glimmer of hope for Raducanu as she earned a break point in the second game But once Swiatek held serve the floodgates openedThe Pole a fourtime Roland Garros champion and widely regarded as the Queen of Clay raced through the rest of the first set exploiting Raducanus unreliable second serve and forcing errors off both wingsSwiatek wrapped up the opening set in just 35 minutes sending a clear message that she remained the player to beat in Paris despite a lessthanconvincing claycourt swing leading into the tournamentRaducanu ranked 41st in the world and still searching for consistency after a stopstart 2024 season showed brief resistance early in the second set After being broken for 21 she threatened to level the match in a marathon fourth game earning three break pointsFrom there Raducanu began to fadeboth physically and mentally Having struggled with illness earlier in the week she showed signs of fatigue and had no answers as Swiatek closed out the final three games with ruthless efficiencySpeaking courtside after her dominant win which marked her 23rd consecutive victory at Roland Garros following titles in 2022 2023 and 2024 Iga Swiatek said I felt good on the court and I thought I could do whatever I planned and whatever I wanted to I just needed to adjust to the wind because the conditions were pretty tricky todayIm happy that I did that well and Im throughI honestly just love playing here this place really inspires me and makes me work harder Some time off before helped me a little bit and Im just ready to fight for it and compete IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-swiatek-too-strong-for-raducanu-once-again-knocks-her-out-in-round-2-618477.html Thu, 29 May 2025 00:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/fonseca-becomes-second-youngest-roland-garros-match-winner-after-alcaraz-618391.html Paris May 28 Brazilian teen Joao Fonseca made a sparkling Roland Garros debut when he ousted the inform Hubert Hurkacz 62 64 62 becoming the secondyoungest match winner at the claycourt major in the past 10 years The 18yearold is the secondyoungest match winner at the claycourt major in the past 10 years only behind an 18yearold Carlos Alcaraz in 2021 according to ATP statsStill several months shy of his 19th birthday Fonseca displayed zero nerves against Hurkacz and played emphatic tennis from the start breaking serve twice in the first set and then again to start the second with a beautiful cross court volley that brought the faithful out of their seatsI played really well focusing a lot on the returns and serves I knew a lot of great serves were going to come and I was just focusing on putting the first return in the plus one the return plusone put it in the middle and try to be as aggressive as I can Try to focus on opportunities go to the net and try to be aggressive when I can said FonsecaFonseca now boasts an 117 tourlevel season record according to the ATP WinLoss Index At the Australian Open he earned a memorable first maindraw win at a major by stunning ninth seed Andrey Rublev Fonseca won his maiden tourlevel title the following month in Buenos Aires according to ATPThe Brazilian will next face French veteran PierreHugues Herbert 16 years his seniorEarlier Jack Drapers claycourt evolution continued when he overcame a tricky start to notch his maiden match win at Roland GarrosThe fifth seed overcame Mattia Bellucci 36 61 64 62 in heavy conditions under the Court SuzanneLenglen roof which was closed due to steady rain in the French capitalDraper is looking to add a first Grand Slam title to his maiden Masters 1000 crown which he won in March in Indian Wells IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/fonseca-becomes-second-youngest-roland-garros-match-winner-after-alcaraz-618391.html Wed, 28 May 2025 09:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-musetti-continues-to-prosper-at-roland-garros-reaches-third-round-618468.html Paris May 28 Italian star Lorenzo Musetti continued to thrive at the French Open racing into the mens singles third round with a straightsets victory over Daniel Elahi Galan of Colombia on Wednesday The eighth seed on Wednesday raced past Elahi Galan 64 60 64 to reach the third round at the clay court major sending out a strong statement to his rivals at Roland GarrosMusetti converted six of 12 break points he earned according to Infosys Stats to wrap a twohour sixminute triumph and build impressively on his opening 75 62 60 win over Yannick HanfmannHonestly today was not easy to play because of the wind Musetti was later quoted as saying by the ATP on its website I think I managed to stay there and play a solid match That is what I needed I had to raise the level raise the battle and Im really happy to be in the third roundWith this win Musetti took a 30 lead in his ATP headtohead record against Galan to 30 and also improved to 235 his record on clay since last July During that period his achievements include winning a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and reaching at least the semifinals at all three clay ATP Masters 1000 events in 2025 including a championshipmatch run in MonteCarloIts been a tremendous clay season so far but the ambitions now are higher and of course here I never reached more than the fourth round said Musetti who is competing at a careerhigh No 7 in the ATP RankingsHopefully this year will be the year and the mentality is to try and beat everyone I have the chance to play against everyone here and hopefully I will take these chances he addedMusetti who will play the winner of the match between Mariano Navone and Reilly Opelka next was joined in the third round by 2023 Next Gen ATP Finals champion Hamad Medjedovic on Wednesday Medjedovic beat qualifier Juan Manuel Cerundolo 63 64 75 to advance to face Daniel Altmaier or Vit Kopriva IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-musetti-continues-to-prosper-at-roland-garros-reaches-third-round-618468.html Wed, 28 May 2025 21:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-champion-alcaraz-begins-title-defence-in-style-with-clinical-win-over-zeppieri-618164.html Paris May 26 Carlos Alcaraz arrived at Roland Garros 2025 with questions surrounding his fitness form and ability to defend his crown By the end of his firstround match on Monday he had answered all of them with a performance that was sharp focused and full of flair The 22yearold Spaniard who is chasing history by attempting to become the first man since Rafael Nadal 20192020 to successfully defend the French Open mens singles title brushed aside Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri 63 64 62 in just under two hoursIt was really really solid Alcaraz said The first round of a Slam is never easy and coming here as the defending champion adds some pressure But I felt good from the start and maintained my level throughout the matchThat level has been elite for some time Alcaraz has now won 16 of his 17 matches on clay in 2025 including backtoback ATP Masters 1000 titles in Monte Carlo and RomeHe returned to World No 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings just a week ago and with Mondays win improved his claycourt record to an astounding 282 since May 2024a run that includes last years Roland Garros title and a silver medal at the Paris OlympicsAgainst Zeppieri Alcarazs allcourt brilliance was on full display He played with freedom firing pinpoint passing shots and dominating the net winning 21 of 25 points when he approachedHe saved all three break points he faced and never looked physically hampered despite recent concerns over a lingering adductor injury that had forced him to miss the Madrid Masters Notably he wore no strapping on his lega sign that the injury may now be fully behind himThis is the level I want to bring in every match Alcaraz said I feel like Ive found the right rhythm again Once I start playing Im keeping that high level from start to finish Thats the goal through the whole tournamentThe second seed will now face Hungarys Fabian Marozsan in the second round Their headtohead stands at 11 with Marozsan famously defeating Alcaraz in Rome in 2023a result the Spaniard surely hasnt forgottenA win there could set up a blockbuster quarterfinal against twotime Roland Garros finalist Casper Ruud who also advanced on Monday IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-champion-alcaraz-begins-title-defence-in-style-with-clinical-win-over-zeppieri-618164.html Tue, 27 May 2025 00:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-badosa-scripts-upset-to-knockout-osaka-boulter-advances-618166.html Paris May 26 Paula Badosa announced her return with a thunderous statement at Roland Garros The 27yearold Spaniard seeded 10th but battling injuries and doubt in recent months staged a thrilling 67 1 61 64 comeback win over Naomi Osaka on Court Philippe Chatrier I have to be realistic Badosa had said pretournament downplaying her chances after a twomonth injury layoff But when the dust settled in Paris the former quarterfinalist proved that her presence on the big stage remains as threatening as everBadosa who had only completed one full match since March weathered Osakas openingset blitz of 17 winners and four aces to turn the tide with sharp movement deep returns and consistencyThe third set saw both players stretch each other to the edge trading breaks before Badosa struck in the seventh game and held firm to close out the match at loveHer 12th maindraw win at the French Open is now her most at any Slam and it sends her into the second round against either McCartney Kessler or Elena Gabriela Ruse We both went to the limit Badosa reflected Its not fair to have a firstround like this but Im proud of how my body respondedFor Osaka the story on clay remains a struggleshe now holds a 06 career record against Top 10 players on the surface Despite blasting 36 winners her 54 unforced errors proved too costlyWhile Badosa grabbed headlines in Paris British tennis fans had plenty to cheer as well Katie Boulter at 28 finally notched her maiden French Open maindraw win defeating local wildcard Carole Monnet 67 4 61 61 I sometimes find it really difficult on this surface said the world No 38 But Ive persevered and this one is special for meBoulter could next face reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys making her progression even more intriguingMeanwhile 23yearold Jacob Fearnley ranked 55th and playing his maiden Roland Garros stunned 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka in straight sets 76 6 63 62 In front of a partisan crowd on Court 14 Fearnley showed no signs of nerves He traded early blows with the Swiss veteran before racing ahead in the second and third setsThere were a lot of guys talking to meit was mostly in French They could have been saying nice things but I doubt it Fearnley joked afterward The win continues his remarkable rise just a year ago he was ranked outside the top 500Fearnley now faces either Ugo Humbert or Christopher OConnell in the second round maintaining a perfect Grand Slam debut streak after similar runs at Wimbledon and the Australian Open IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-badosa-scripts-upset-to-knockout-osaka-boulter-advances-618166.html Tue, 27 May 2025 00:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-raducanu-battles-illness-to-set-up-blockbuster-with-swiatek-618122.html Paris May 26 Emma Raducanu summoned every ounce of resilience to overcome both physical adversity and mounting scrutiny defeating Chinas Wang Xinyu 75 46 63 in a twohour 44minute thriller in the French Open first round on Monday Making only her second appearance at the claycourt Grand Slam having missed the previous two editions due to injury the 22yearold Briton was visibly unwell requiring a medical timeout to check her blood pressure late in the first set Despite the discomfort and a disputed call that seemed to swing momentum towards Wang Raducanu refused to fold Her eventual triumph wasnt just a win on the scoreboard but a deeply personal statement about her evolving mental toughnessI dont feel great I was struggling from the start Raducanu admitted to TNT Sports after the match I was flat but Im happy to find a wayThe former US Open champion ranked 41st in the world endured a trying afternoon from the first ball At the first changeover she anxiously glanced at her players box where support staff Jane ODonoghue and Tom Welsh stood in for lead coach Mark Petchey who was absent due to commentary commitmentsHaving recently battled a back spasm in Strasbourg treated through dry needling and heat therapy Raducanus return to full fitness was clearly not complete She looked lethargic dazed even and reached for a banana in an early attempt to lift her energy But by the end of the first set she called for the doctor resulting in her blood pressure being taken on courtStill Raducanu managed to edge the opening set breaking serve on her second opportunity despite the distraction of her physical state The second set however slipped away after a controversial line call that fired up Wang and knocked the Briton off rhythmReturning with renewed intent Raducanu pounced early in the third set breaking Wang twice to take a commanding leadThough both players continued to struggle with their own consistency the match saw an incredible 17 breaks of serve it was Raducanu who held her nerve in the final moments The win ties her longest claycourt match ever and arguably ranks among her most hardfoughtRaducanu will now need tactical brilliance and nearperfect execution Awaiting her in the second round is world number one and defending champion Iga Swiatek who eased past Rebecca Sramkova 63 63 in her opener IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-raducanu-battles-illness-to-set-up-blockbuster-with-swiatek-618122.html Mon, 26 May 2025 20:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-inspired-by-rafas-presence-swiatek-begins-defence-with-gritty-win-618147.html Paris May 26 The defending French Open champion Iga Swiatek kicked off her 2025 campaign with a hardfought 63 63 victory over Slovakias Rebecca Sramkova extending her stunning unbeaten run at Roland Garros to 22 matches Rafael Nadal may not be swinging his racket this year at Roland Garros but his presence at Court Philippe Chatrier continues to inspire greatnessWhile the result may appear routine on paper it came on the back of a period of uncharacteristic struggle for the Polish star and in her own words the mere sight of Nadal during Sundays tribute ceremony helped her rediscover some of that lost fireEven when hes not playing just him being here yesterday inspired me a lot Swiatek said after the match Thanks RafaSwiatek who is aiming for her fifth French Open crown in just six years entered the tournament ranked fifth in the world her lowest position since 2020 Its also the first time in five years that she arrived in Paris without winning a WTA title in the seasons opening five monthsYet as she stood on the same clay where Nadal built his empire Swiatek found more than just her rhythm She found motivationI knew the cameras were on Carlos Alcaraz behind me so I needed to be brave but seeing Rafa crying makes me more emotional she reflected on the ceremony Its great the tennis world could show their appreciation He is a huge inspirationAgainst world number 42 Sramkova Swiatek was pushed early Her signature fast start didnt come as easily this time She had to dig deep to hold her opening service game and didnt fully settle until stringing together the final three games of the first setEven then Sramkova landed a blow breaking the threetime champion to begin the second set But Swiatek responded in kind levelling at 33 before breaking again and reeling off three straight games to wrap up the match in one hour and 35 minutesThe win sets up a secondround showdown against Britains Emma Raducanu who also came through a gruelling threeset battle earlier in the daySwiatek has often cited Nadal as her claycourt hero and Mondays performance bore the hallmarks of his influence resilience patience and intensity in the face of early adversityShe even shared a personal moment from Roland Garros 2021 the year Nadal lost to Novak Djokovic in the semifinal and Swiatek fell in the quarters I was devastated that he lost and the next day he was just sitting there after breakfast or something and I asked him how does he feel she recalled He was chill He was like Oh its just a tennis match Ill get many more chances I was like what Why am I crying if hes not crying IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/french-open-inspired-by-rafas-presence-swiatek-begins-defence-with-gritty-win-618147.html Mon, 26 May 2025 22:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/djokovic-survives-knee-scare-to-enter-sf-in-geneva-617532.html Geneva May 23 Novak Djokovic celebrated his 38th birthday with hardfought revenge at the Geneva Open The second seed held firm for a 64 64 victory over Matteo Arnaldi to reach the semifinals at the clay ATP 250 event for the second consecutive year Djokovic who fell to Arnaldi at the ATP Masters 1000 in Madrid last month reeled off five straight games from 14 in the second set to seal a onehour 40minute victoryIts great to be in the semifinals again Hopefully this year I can go at least a step further thats the goal I think Im playing really good tennis A straightsets win but it was much closer than the score indicates I was 41 down in the second but somehow I didnt lose a gameI found the optimal state and balance mentally and emotionally to be able to play my best tennis when it was most needed Hopefully I can carry that into tomorrow said DjokovicDjokovic is now within two victories of claiming his 100th tourlevel trophy with which he would join Jimmy Connors 109 and Roger Federer 103 as the only men to hit the tripledigit mark in the Open EraThe Serb will next play qualifier Cameron Norrie The Briton defeated fifth seed Alexei Popyrin 766 64 to reach his ninth tourlevel semifinal on clay and first since Rio de Janeiro last yearIn the other half of the draw Hubert Hurkacz continued his strong run of form by dismissing top seed Taylor Fritz 63 765 in a highquality serving battleHurkacz who reached the quarterfinals at the ATP Masters 1000 in Rome last week triumphed at the last claycourt ATP 250 he played in Estoril last year He trailed 13 in the secondset tiebreak against Fritz but responded with an ace down the middle at 55 before converting his only match pointHurkacz will next face qualifier Sebastian Ofner who rallied past fourth seed Karen Khachanov 46 64 64 Ofner will aim to advance to his second final after reaching the championship match at the grasscourt ATP 250 in Mallorca last year IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/djokovic-survives-knee-scare-to-enter-sf-in-geneva-617532.html Fri, 23 May 2025 09:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/caroline-garcia-announces-retirement-set-for-farewell-at-french-open-617632.html New Delhi May 23 French tennis star Caroline Garcia has announced that she will retire from professional tennis with this years French Open being her final appearance at Roland Garros The 31yearold once ranked world No4 in singles made the announcement on social media confirming that she has only a few tournaments left before she brings her career to a close Dear tennis its time to say goodbye Garcia wrote After 15 years competing at the highest level and more than 25 years putting pretty much every second of my life into it I feel ready to start a new chapterGarcia has been a prominent figure in womens tennis for more than a decade A winner of 11 WTA singles titles and two French Open doubles titles she has represented France with pride and passion throughout her journeyOne of the biggest highlights of her career came in 2022 when she won the seasonending WTA Finals defeating some of the top names in the sport That same year she teamed up with Kristina Mladenovic to win her second French Open doubles titleHer best Grand Slam singles result came at the 2022 US Open where the 31yearold Gardia reached the semifinals Currently ranked 145th in the world Garcia acknowledged that the decision to retire was not easy but one she feels ready forMy tennis journey hasnt always been easy she said Since my early days tennis has been much more than just winning or losing Its been love or hate Happiness or anger But now its time for something else My body and my personal goals need it she wrote in her postDespite her retirement announcement Garcia made it clear that her journey isnt over just yet She will compete in a few more tournaments starting with Roland Garros where she will receive a warm sendoff from the French crowd she has inspired for years IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/caroline-garcia-announces-retirement-set-for-farewell-at-french-open-617632.html Fri, 23 May 2025 17:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/injury-hit-matteo-berrettini-withdraws-from-french-open-617461.html Paris May 22 Matteo Berrettinis rollercoaster ride with injuries continues The Italian tennis star has pulled out of the 2024 French Open citing a lingering fitness issue that has dashed his hopes of competing at Roland Garros The 29yearold made the difficult announcement via Instagram on Thursday just days before the claycourt Grand Slam begins in ParisCiao everyone Berrettini wrote beneath a photo of himself I unfortunately had to make the very difficult decision to withdraw from Roland Garros I just ran out of time to feel 100 ready to compete at the level that is neededHis withdrawal marks another chapter in a frustrating period of injury setbacks that have hindered his momentum on tourBerrettini had been attempting a comeback after struggling with an abdominal issue that forced him to retire during his thirdround match against Jack Draper at the Madrid Open earlier this month His woes deepened last week when he withdrew from a thirdround clash against Casper Ruud at the Italian Open unable to continue after a promising start to the clay seasonThe world No 28 has been plagued by physical setbacks since his breakthrough run to the Wimbledon final in 2021 He missed last years Australian Open with a right foot injury and before that pulled out of the 2022 Italian Open to recover from a torn stomach muscle a recurring theme in his careerDespite these hurdles Berrettini remains optimistic about the season ahead Im looking forward to competing on grass and am already preparing with my team he shared Im very appreciative of the support I feel from you all and cant wait to be back out on the courtBerrettini who boasts 10 career titles and a US Open semifinal appearance in 2019 will now shift his focus to the upcoming grass swing where he has historically flourished His absence from Roland Garros however is a blow to fans hoping for his resurgence at one of the sports toughest challengesA lucky loser from the qualifying draw is expected to take Berrettinis place in the main draw IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/injury-hit-matteo-berrettini-withdraws-from-french-open-617461.html Thu, 22 May 2025 20:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sinner-lands-in-djokovic-zverev-half-swiatek-faces-rebecca-challenge-in-french-open-draw-617464.html Paris May 22 Jannik Sinners muchanticipated Grand Slam return following his doping suspension is set to be anything but straightforward The Italian World No 1 who only just resumed competition at the Italian Open last week where he finished runnersup to Carlos Alcaraz was dealt a daunting draw at the French Open on Thursday Sinner finds himself in the same half of the mens singles bracket as defending champion and 24time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic last years Roland Garros finalist Alexander Zverev and a handful of dangerous home hopefulsIn his firstround clash Sinner will face Frances Arthur Rinderknech a tricky opponent backed by the Parisian crowd His path could quickly turn steeper with a projected quarterfinal against Britains rising star Jack Draper and a blockbuster semifinal showdown with Djokovic potentially awaiting himDjokovic who opens against American Mackenzie McDonald might first have to overcome Zverev in the quarters a rematch of their enthralling encounters in recent seasonsMeanwhile defending champion Carlos Alcaraz also received a challenging opener in Japans Kei Nishikori Though Alcaraz has established himself as one of the games most dynamic young stars Nishikoris experience and variety on clay could make for a captivating battle under the Paris skiesOn the womens side World No 1 Iga Swiatek begins her title defence against Slovakias Rebecca Sramkova Although the Polish star has struggled with form in recent weeks she remains a formidable force on claySwiateks quarterfinal path may include a rematch with Italys Jasmine Paolini last years finalist before a possible semifinal against her closest rival Aryna SabalenkaSabalenka the Belarusian powerhouse and current World No 2 will begin her campaign against Russias Kamilla Rakhimova A title showdown between the top two seeds remains the most anticipated storyline in the womens drawElsewhere fourtime Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka will take on Spains 10th seed Paula Badosa in what is arguably the most exciting womens firstround clash Second seed Coco Gauff who opens against Australias Olivia Gadecki headlines the bottom half of the draw and could be on course for an allAmerican semifinal against third seed Jessica Pegula Before that Gauff may have to go through the powerful Madison Keys in the quarterfinals IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sinner-lands-in-djokovic-zverev-half-swiatek-faces-rebecca-challenge-in-french-open-draw-617464.html Thu, 22 May 2025 20:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/italian-open-tommy-paul-tames-hurkacz-to-reach-semifinals-616405.html Rome May 15 Tommy Paul continued his impressive form at the Internazionali BNL dItalia on Thursday as he surged into the lastfour stage once again becoming the first American to reach consecutive semifinals in Rome since Pete Sampras in 199394 The 27yearold achieved the feat by taming the bighitting Hubert Hurkacz 764 63 to reach consecutive semifinals at the Italian ATP Masters 1000 event Paul edged Hurkacz in a topsyturvy opening set that featured six breaks before expertly powering to a onehour 58minute victoryEvery time I come here I feel at home said Paul who improved to 94 in Rome according to the Infosys ATP WinLoss Index The courts match up with my game really well I feel comfortable out here and Ive been playing some good tennis this week he was quoted as saying by the ATP Tour on its websitePaul had overcome Hurkacz in three sets at the same stage in Rome last year and resurrected that form to move past the Pole once more improving to 31 in their ATP headtohead series Both of us were returning so well obviously we would have liked to be hitting our spots better on serve Paul said of the first set We were keeping the pressure in our service games I thought I regrouped pretty well in the breaker and then into the second setPaul is No 12 in the ATP Live Rankings and would seal his return to the Top 10 if he reaches the championship match He awaits the winner of Thursday evenings clash between World No 1 Jannik Sinner and Madrid champion Casper Ruud IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/italian-open-tommy-paul-tames-hurkacz-to-reach-semifinals-616405.html Fri, 16 May 2025 16:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/italian-international-tommy-paul-tames-hurkacz-to-reach-semis-sinner-thrashes-ruud-616406.html Rome May 15 Tommy Paul continued his impressive form at the Internazionali BNL dItalia on Thursday as he surged into the lastfour stage once again becoming the first American to reach consecutive semifinals in Rome since Pete Sampras in 199394 The 27yearold achieved the feat by taming the bighitting Hubert Hurkacz 764 63 to reach consecutive semifinals at the Italian ATP Masters 1000 event Paul edged Hurkacz in a topsyturvy opening set that featured six breaks before expertly powering to a onehour 58minute victoryEvery time I come here I feel at home said Paul who improved to 94 in Rome according to the Infosys ATP WinLoss Index The courts match up with my game really well I feel comfortable out here and Ive been playing some good tennis this week he was quoted as saying by the ATP Tour on its websitePaul had overcome Hurkacz in three sets at the same stage in Rome last year and resurrected that form to move past the Pole again improving to 31 in their ATP headtohead seriesBoth of us were returning so well obviously we would have liked to be hitting our spots better on serve Paul said of the first set We were keeping the pressure in our service games I thought I regrouped pretty well in the breaker and into the second setPaul is No 12 in the ATP Live Rankings and would seal his return to the Top 10 if he reaches the championship match He will next play World No1 Jannik Sinner who treated his home fans to a tennis masterclass on Thursday evening when he routed Casper Ruud 60 61 with a stunning allaround quarterfinal performance in RomeThe topseeded Italian struck the ball powerfully off both wings from the first point on Campo Centrale and he barely looked back as he overwhelmed Madrid champion Ruud After setting the tone by winning 16 of the first 18 points Sinner maintained his level to race to a 64minute triumph The 23yearold who is playing his first tournament since Januarys Australian Open is bidding to become just the second Italian mens singles champion in Rome after Adriano Panatta triumphed in 1976 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/italian-international-tommy-paul-tames-hurkacz-to-reach-semis-sinner-thrashes-ruud-616406.html Fri, 16 May 2025 16:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/gauff-triumphs-over-zheng-to-reach-rome-final-616431.html Rome May 16 Coco Gauff outlasted Olympic champion Zheng Zheng Qinwen 763 46 764 winning in a finalset tiebreak to reach her first career final of the Italian Open The match that lasted three hours and 32 minutes was not only the longest of Gauffs career but also on the WTA Tour this yearGauff had previously been 02 in the semifinals in Rome having never won a set in those matches And she was nearly handed more Italian heartbreak from a set ahead this time around as Zheng was two points from becoming the first Chinese woman since Li Na in 2012 to play for the trophy after she turned around an absorbing final set that lasted more than 80 minutes on its own from being a break down twice WTA reportsI was just trying to go for every point I knew before it was going to be a physical match Last time we played was over three hours Overall Im just happy Wasnt my best level at all to be honest Just happy to get through it and through to another final Gauff saidThe whole match for me the court was so slow Especially when the ball after like two games theyre so heavy This was my second night match My first one was first round I was playing someone completely different game style Yeah it was toughI think were both struggling trying to hit through each other I think in Riyadh we had a little bit more winners aggressiveness Today we were trying but the ball wasnt going anywhere Gauff addedShe will face home favorite topranked Italian Jasmine Paolini in the final in an effort to become the first US player to win the singles title at the WTA 1000 event since Serena Williams beat Madison Keys in that allAmerican championship matchGauff leads Paolini 21 in their headtohead but Paolini won their only claycourt meeting last month in StuttgartEarlier in the day Paolini Paolini became the third Italian woman in the Open Era to reach the Italian Open final after coming from 41 down in the first set saving two set points to defeat Peyton Stearns 75 61 in 1 hour and 39 minutesPaolini advances to her eighth career final and fourth at WTA 1000 level or above following Dubai Roland Garros and Wimbledon last year She is the first Italian woman to reach the final in Rome since doubles partner Sara Errani in 2014 and will bid to become the first home champion since 1985 when Raffaella Reggi defeated Vicki NelsonDunbar for the trophy IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/gauff-triumphs-over-zheng-to-reach-rome-final-616431.html Fri, 16 May 2025 16:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/stearns-wins-historic-third-set-tiebreak-to-enter-maiden-rome-sf-616078.html Rome May 14 Peyton Stearns made history at the Italian Open with her latest nailbiting victory over No 16 seed Elina Svitolina in a thrilling quarterfinal match as she became the first player in the Open Era to win three consecutive WTA maindraw matches in thirdset tiebreaks After seeing a 62 42 lead slip through her fingers unseeded American Stearns rallied from a doublebreak down in the third set to outlast No 16 seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 62 46 764 in two hours and 38 minutesIn her last two rounds Stearns toppled Grand Slam champions Madison Keys and Naomi Osaka in thirdset tiebreaks setting up her historymaking streak Her upset of World No6 Keys was her careerbest win by opponent rankingShe is the first player to make the semifinals at her Rome maindraw debut since Daria Savillein 2015 and the first American woman to do so since Venus Williams in 1998 WTA reportsRanked World No 42 Stearns is into the first WTA 1000 semifinal of her career which guarantees her a new careerhigh ranking in Mondays updated WTA Rankings It will potentially also garner her a firstever Grand Slam seeding at Roland GarrosStearns will takes on top Italian Jasmine Paolini on Thursday No 6 seed Paolini advanced to her first Rome semifinal with a threeset win over No 13 seed Diana Shnaider on TuesdayPaolini is only the fifth Italian woman in the Open Era to reach the final four in Rome and the first since doubles partner Sara Errani did it 11 years agoIt was really tough match Im really happy that I get through But was a roller coaster Point by point point after point I found a way I fought until the end The crowd of course helped me So Im really happy with the win Paolini who reached her third WTA 1000 semifinal after Dubai 2024 and Miami 2025 told reporters IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/stearns-wins-historic-third-set-tiebreak-to-enter-maiden-rome-sf-616078.html Wed, 14 May 2025 11:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcaraz-beats-khachanov-to-move-into-quarterfinals-in-rome-615986.html Rome May 13 Alcaraz advanced to the quarterfinals at the Italian Open for the first time securing a 63 36 75 victory against Karen Khachanov at the Campo Centrale on Tuesday With his twohour 29minute win Alcaraz has now reached the quarterfinal stage at all nine Masters 1000 events The 22yearold is the first Spaniard to make the last eight in Rome since record 10time champion Rafael Nadal in 2021Alcaraz struggled to find his rhythm in the opening few games but appeared to flick a switch He reeled off five straight games featuring some classy shot making and seemed to be riding that wave to victory when he pulled off three sublime clean winners to break for 32 in the second setKhachanov did not let himself be shaken by the prospect of another straightsets defeat The 23rd seed continued to keep his errors to a minimum which allowed him to capitalise on a lapse in Alcarazs level reel off four straight games and force a deciding set ATP reportsIn the third set Alcaraz soon forged a 41 lead but Khachanov refused to lay down in his bid for his maiden Top 3 win on clay Alcaraz rediscovered his touch in time to escape with the win breaking Khachanovs serve in the 12th game to seal victoryThe Spaniard will take on fifth seed Jack Draper in the semifinals after the Briton rallied past Corentin Moutet 16 64 63Alcaraz is eyeing the chance to reclaim the No 2 ATP Ranking this week and guarantee himself the second seeding at Roland Garros At the same time Draper also has a chance to move to a careerhigh No 4 and secure the crucial fourth seeding at the years second majorAlcaraz can secure a return to World No 2 and the second seed spot in Paris by reaching the semifinals in Rome IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcaraz-beats-khachanov-to-move-into-quarterfinals-in-rome-615986.html Tue, 13 May 2025 19:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/italian-open-sinner-overcomes-injured-de-jong-to-advance-in-rome-615825.html Rome May 13 World No1 Jannik Sinner continued his return from a doping ban with a comfortable straightsets victory over Dutch lucky loser Jesper de Jong in the second round of the Internazionali BNL dItalia Italian Open in Rome The Italian who defeated Mariano Navone in his first match for more than three months on Saturday backed that up on Monday with another stable display beating Jesper de Jong 64 62 on Monday nightPlaying in front of a vocal Italian crowd on Campo Centrale Sinner let slip a break advantage in the first set but responded quickly to move ahead The World No 1 then moved through the gears in the second set against De Jong who injured his right wrist when slipping at 13 4015 in the second setSinner helped De Jong to his feet before he passed the 24yearold a towel The World No 93 received a medical timeout at 23 with his wrist heavily strapped The Dutchman could continue but was heavily hampered frequently shaking out his wrist between pointsWith his onehour 35minute win Sinner extended his winning streak to 23 matches and improved to 610 against players ranked outside the Top 20 in the PIF ATP Rankings since the start of the 2023 US OpenSinner moved fairly freely and struck the ball with clean timing in just his second match since winning his third major at the Australian Open in January The top seed was aggressive on return winning 71 percent of points on De Jongs second serve according to Infosys ATP Stats He stood close to the baseline to dictate the key points and sealed victory on his first match pointInto the fourth round in Rome for the fourth time Sinner will next meet Francisco Cerundolo The Argentine a recent semifinalist in Madrid defeated Sebastian Ofner 62 64 Cerundolo beat Sinner in the pairs previous Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting in Rome in 2023 with the series tied at 22 overallIn other matches on Monday sixth seed Casper Ruud of Norway advanced to the Round of 16 when Italian 20th seed Matteo Berrettini retired from their match trailing 75 20 Seventh seed Alex de Minaur of Australia defeated luckloser Hugo Dellien of Bolivia 64 64 while Tommy Paul of the United States beat Tomas Machac of Czechia 63 675 64 in a twoandahalfhour battleFrancisco Cerundolo of Argentina Jakub Mensik of Czechia Jaume Munar of Spain and Hubert Hurkacz of Poland also advanced to the next round getting past their respective opponents IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/italian-open-sinner-overcomes-injured-de-jong-to-advance-in-rome-615825.html Tue, 13 May 2025 10:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sabalenka-prevails-over-kostyuk-to-complete-quarterfinal-lineup-in-rome-615856.html Rome May 13 Aryna Sabalenka got through a dramatic tiebreak set to get past Marta Kostyuk 61 768 in two hours and five minutes on Campo Centrale completing the quarterfinal lineup at the Italian Open After a routine first set for the World No 1 Sabalenka and Kostyuk put on a thrilling display in the second set Sabalenka fought back from 53 down before edging past Kostyuk and increasing her headtohead lead to 40Sabalenka stayed strong when facing break points stopping the match from getting more difficult She saved the first 12 break points before Kostyuk finally took her 13th chance Kostyuk then led 53 and served for the second set But her lead didnt last longSabalenka broke back easily winning the game without losing a point and kept the set goingIn the secondset tiebreak Kostyuk even had a set point at 76 but Sabalenka saved it with a strong forehand winner The tiebreak continued and on her third match point at 98 Sabalenka finally won with a clever drop shot according to the WTASabalenka will next face No 8 seed Zheng Qinwen of China for a spot in the semifinals Sabalenka has beaten Zheng all six times they have previously played including the 2024 Australian Open final as well as the Miami Open quarterfinals less than two months agoSabalenka has already reached six finals this season the most by a player before Roland Garros since 2013 If she makes a seventh final in Rome she will join Chris Evert 1986 Steffi Graf 1989 and 1994 and Monica Seles 1991 as the only players to make 7 or more WTA finals before Roland Garros in the last 40 years according to WTA statsIncluding her titles at Miami and Madrid Sabalenka has won her last 15 matches at WTA 1000 events She has also become the first player to reach the quarterfinals at Indian Wells Miami Madrid and Rome in a single season since Carla Suarez Navarro in 2015 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sabalenka-prevails-over-kostyuk-to-complete-quarterfinal-lineup-in-rome-615856.html Tue, 13 May 2025 12:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/djokovic-and-murray-end-coaching-partnership-ahead-of-french-open-615922.html New Delhi May 13 Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic have ended their coaching partnership by mutual agreement The announcement comes after just six months of working together While brief their stint included moments of promise particularly at the Australian Open where Djokovic reached the semifinals before an injury forced him to retire midmatch The two shared warm words as they parted ways Djokovic a 24time Grand Slam champion expressed gratitude and affection Thank you coach Andy for all the hard work fun and support over the last six months on and off the court really enjoyed deepening our friendship together Djokovic said in a statementMurray 37 who had made his first foray into coaching after decades on the court replied with equal warmth Thanks to Novak for the unbelievable opportunity to work together and thanks to his team for all their hard work over the past six months I wish Novak all the best for the rest of the seasonThough Murray had joined Djokovics team in November with an indefinite arrangement primarily focused on the US swing and some claycourt events their union ultimately spanned just four tournaments Despite a promising start in Melbourne where Murrays tactical input was praised Djokovics 2024 season has so far been riddled with inconsistencyHe has exited in the opening round of four of his past five events including a shock defeat in Monte Carlo and a missed appearance at the Italian Open without explanation The one bright spot came in Miami where Djokovic reached the final without dropping a set only to lose to 19yearold Jakub Mensik in two closely contested tiebreaksMurray was in the stands throughout that Miami run a quiet but focused presence Yet even then the signs were that their experiment however enjoyable was not destined to be longtermIn Geneva next week Djokovic will look to turn his claycourt fortunes around having accepted a wildcard into the ATP 250 event as preparation for the looming French Open He remains without a win on clay this year and questions are swirling about his fitness and form heading into Roland GarrosIm very pleasantly surprised with his dedication and professionalism considering hes never had the experience of working as a tennis coach Djokovic said in Melbourne It comes naturally to him His IQ generally and tennis IQ are very high He observes and speaks when its most importantHe added that their conversations had taken on a different tone more introspective more personal than anything theyd shared as competitors I must say at the beginning it was a bit of a strange feeling to share insights with him not just about the game but about how I feel about life in general Not in a negative way but just in a way I had never done that with him because he was always one of my greatest rivalsFor Murray also the experience was deeply humbling He admitted to feeling embarrassed by the attention he received during the Australian Open deflecting credit to Djokovics longserving team Theyve done an incredible job over many many years I was just trying to help where I could IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/djokovic-and-murray-end-coaching-partnership-ahead-of-french-open-615922.html Tue, 13 May 2025 15:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcaraz-moves-past-djere-to-enter-rd-4-in-rome-615594.html Rome May 12 Carlos Alcaraz pulled through to a 762 62 triumph against Laslo Djere to reach the fourth round at the Italian ATP Masters 1000 for the first time Alcaraz who also defeated Djere in April en route to the final in Barcelona converted four of nine break points he earned in an ultimately comfortable onehour 44minute victory ATP reportsWith his Tourleading 26th win of the season the 22yearold booked a fourthround meeting with 23rd seed Karen Khachanov who earlier sunk home favourite Francesco Passaro 63 60Alcaraz was slow to get going on Campo Centrale but he dug deep before accelerating past an opponent who struggled with a right arm injury for much of the match and produced a classy tiebreak highlighted by a stunning forehand slice winner from a seemingly impossible position to wrap up the opening setHe played really solid in the first set I didnt find the way to stop him thats how tough it was at the beginning He was serving for the first set and I just thought that I had to stay there mentally strong and wait for my chances I was just happy to get the first setDjere received treatment from the physio on his troublesome arm but the injury began to affect the Serbian He quickly fell a doublebreak behind and Alcaraz was quick to wrap up a winIn the second set I think I was playing better He made a few mistakes that I tried to make the most of and I am really happy Alcaraz saidAlcaraz will hope to build on solidyetunspectacular start in Rome after he missed Madrid due to an adductor injuryIf Alcaraz can defeat Khachanov on Tuesday he will complete the set of reaching the quarterfinals at all nine Masters 1000 events Alcaraz currently leads the 23rd seed 40 in their Lexus ATP HeadtoHead series IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcaraz-moves-past-djere-to-enter-rd-4-in-rome-615594.html Mon, 12 May 2025 09:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sinner-wins-in-return-from-doping-ban-at-atp-italian-open-615427.html Rome May 11 Top seed and current world No 1 Jannik Sinner secured a straightsets victory in his comeback match defeating Argentinas Mariano Navone 63 64 in the second round of the ATP Italian Open on Saturday The Italian had served a threemonth ban for his two doping offences after accepting the punishment following a case resolution agreement with the World AntiDoping Agency in February this year He tested positive for clostebol in March 2024Sinners doping ban officially ended on May 5 As the top seed in Rome he received a firstround bye and made his debut on clay this season reports XinhuaIn the opening set Sinner built a 42 lead in the first six games Both players then held serve comfortably by winning four straight points in the next two games before Sinner consolidated his advantage with a hold in the ninth game to take the set 63The second set was tighter with both players holding serve through the first six games for 33 In a tense seventh game Sinner finally converted his fourth break point However Navone immediately broke back in the following game Sinner responded strongly breaking once more and then holding serve to close out the set 64I feel like that we prepared ourselves in the best possible way Of course I was missing the feedback of official matches which are the best feedbacks a player can get So now I have a bigger picture of what Im doing well and what I have to improve Sinner said in his postmatch press conference adding that his main target for this tournament is to win one or two more matches to gauge his current levelIn the third round Sinner will face Dutch lucky loser Jesper de Jong IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sinner-wins-in-return-from-doping-ban-at-atp-italian-open-615427.html Sun, 11 May 2025 10:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/italian-open-fils-registers-comeback-victory-over-tsitsipas-medvedev-advances-to-fourth-round-615513.html Rome May 11 Arthur Fils continued his remarkable ascent on the ATP Tour with a thrilling comeback victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Internazionali BNL dItalia in Rome on Sunday The 20yearold Frenchman currently ranked No14 in the PIF ATP Rankings rallied from a set down to defeat the Greek star 26 64 62 securing his place in the fourth round of the Masters 1000 eventThe match began with Tsitsipas dominating the first set showcasing his formidable forehand and net play Fils struggled to find his rhythm but he remained composed In the second set Fils elevated his game employing aggressive baseline play and powerful groundstrokes to push Tsitsipas onto the defensive This shift in momentum allowed Fils to level the match as per ATPThe final set saw Fils fully in control breaking Tsitsipass serve early and maintaining his lead with confident play His victory marks his fourth consecutive win over Tsitsipas bringing their headtohead record to 40 in Filss favorThis triumph adds to Filss impressive 2025 season where he has reached the quarterfinals in Indian Wells Miami and MonteCarlo Notably he became the youngest Frenchman to win a match at the MonteCarlo Masters since Richard Gasquet in 2005 His consistent performances have solidified his reputation as one of the most promising talents on the tourLooking ahead Fils is set to face either Alexander Zverev or Vilius Gaubas in the fourth round A potential matchup with Zverev would be a significant test as the German is currently ranked No 2 in the PIF ATP RankingsIn other action on Day 5 in Rome defending champion Daniil Medvedev advanced to the fourth round with a commanding 64 61 win over Alexei Popyrin Medvedev seeking his first title since his 2023 Rome victory displayed dominant form and will next face the winner of the match between Lorenzo Musetti and Brandon Nakashima IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/italian-open-fils-registers-comeback-victory-over-tsitsipas-medvedev-advances-to-fourth-round-615513.html Sun, 11 May 2025 18:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/italian-open-defending-champ-iga-swiatek-loses-to-danielle-collins-in-third-round-615365.html Rome May 10 In a stunning thirdround upset at the 2025 Internazionali BNL dItalia Danielle Collins dispatched defending champion Iga Swiatek 61 75 on Romes Campo Centrale The Americans aggressive play dismantled Swiateks rhythm marking her second win over the World No 1 in nine meetings Swiatek who had dominated Rome with a 211 record in her previous 22 matches appeared uncharacteristically subdued Collins capitalised delivering 32 winners to Swiateks 15 and converting six of eight break points In contrast Swiatek managed only two breaks from ten opportunities and committed 22 unforced errors as per WTACollins victory not only ended Swiateks impressive run in Rome but also highlighted the Americans resurgence in her final professional season Having announced her intention to retire at years end Collins has been in formidable form securing backtoback titles in Miami and Charleston and reaching the Rome semifinals Her performance against Swiatek underscores her determination to conclude her career on a high noteFor Swiatek this defeat marks her ninth loss of the season equaling her total from the previous year As she prepares for Roland Garros questions arise about her form and confidence Once a dominant force on clay Swiatek now faces the challenge of regaining her momentum ahead of the French OpenIn another game Peyton Stearns delivered the biggest upset so far at the Italian Open triumphing in an allAmerican third round to upset No 5 seed Madison Keys 26 62 763 and advance to her second consecutive WTA 1000 fourth round There she will face either Naomi Osaka or Marie BouzkovaStearns had also come through her only previous meeting with Keys in the second round of Toronto last year albeit via retirement after a leg injury forced Keys to pull out while trailing 30 in the third set In the rematch the 23yearold finished the job to notch her second career Top 10 win following her defeat of Zheng Qinwen in Dubai three months ago Stearns twice led by a break in the third set only for Keys to peg her back both times and force a tiebreak but Stearns came up with a terrific drop shotpass combination to gain a decisive 53 lead IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/italian-open-defending-champ-iga-swiatek-loses-to-danielle-collins-in-third-round-615365.html Sat, 10 May 2025 21:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/italian-international-alcaraz-passes-test-in-rome-opener-passaro-upsets-dimitrov-615165.html Rome May 9 Former World No 1 Carlos Alcaraz recorded a Tourleading 25th win of the season on Friday at the Internazionali BNL dItalia in Rome where he returned from injury with a 63 63 victory against Dusan Lajovic In other action on Friday Daniil Medvedev seeded 10th defeated Cameron Norrie in straight sets 64 62 eighthseeded Italian Lorenzo Musetti outplayed qualifier Otto Virtanen of Finland 63 62 Frenchman Arthur Fils made quick work of Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherland 62 62 while 18th seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece beat Alexandre Muller of France 62 763In the biggest upset of the opening round the Italian wild card Francesco Passaro stunned 14th seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria 75 63 in a onehour 44minute matchHowever the focus was on Alcaraz and he did not disappoint his fans The Spaniard who missed the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid last month due to an adductor injury played with a precautionary knee wrap during his opening match in Rome against Lajovic22yearold Alcaraz ranked third in the ATP Rankings moved freely on Campo Centrale and outclassed his Serbian opponent with a combination of power and touchThe body is feeling great said Alcaraz who celebrated his birthday on Monday I moved well and made a few good sprints today without any pain and that is great It was a test for me and I think I passed the test I tried to feel more comfortable on the court Moving and not thinking about the injury he was quoted as saying by ATP Tour on FridayAlcaraz struck 20 winners in his 82minute win and now leads Lajovic 50 in the pairs Lexus ATP Head2Head series He will next meet Laslo Djere after the Serbian beat Estoril champion Alex Michelsen 60 63The third seed is chasing his third trophy of the year and second at the Masters 1000 level having triumphed on clay in MonteCarloAlcaraz who did not compete in Rome last year due to injury is first in the ATP Live Race To Turin and will aim to maintain his advantage over secondplaced Jack Draper and thirdplaced Alexander Zverev with a deep run in ItalyThe wild card was impressive behind his first serve winning 83 per cent of points according to Infosys ATP Stats while he rallied from a break down in the first set to the delight of the home crowd After improving to 40 against Top 30 players Passaro will next play Karen Khachanov who beat Roman Andres Burruchaga 64 57 61Fils who had few issues in his Rome opener dispatched Tallon Griekspoor 62 62 to reach the third round in Rome for the first time The Frenchman who leads Griekspoor 31 in the pairs ATP headtohead series will next face Stefanos TsitsipasTsitsipas downed Alexandre Muller 62 763 to reach the third round The Greek who has reached the quarterfinals in five of his past seven Rome appearances has won 14 of his past 15 matches against players outside the Top 20 in the PIF ATP Rankings IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/italian-international-alcaraz-passes-test-in-rome-opener-passaro-upsets-dimitrov-615165.html Fri, 09 May 2025 23:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/italian-open-alcaraz-sinner-drawn-on-opposite-sides-as-world-no1-returns-after-suspension-614220.html Rome May 4 World No 1 Jannik Sinner will open against Mariano Navone or wild card Federico Cina at the claycourt ATP Masters 1000 Italian Open following Mondays draw ceremony in Rome The 23yearold will be playing just his second tournament of the year after winning the Australian Open in January and his first since completing three months of ineligibility in a case resolution agreement with WADA Should Sinner and World No3 Carlos Alcaraz reignite their gripping rivalry at the Internazionali BNL dItalia it must come in the championship match after having been drawn on opposite sides of the bracket as per the ATPSinner could face a potential quarterfinal clash with Madrid champion Casper Ruud whom the Italian leads 30 in their ATP headtohead series Fresh from claiming his maiden Masters 1000 title Ruud will start against Roman Safiullin or Alexander Bublik in RomeAfter withdrawing from the Masters 1000 in Madrid Alcaraz will return to action against JanLennard Struff or Yoshihito Nishioka The Spaniard sustained an adductor injury during his championshipmatch run in Barcelona but will hope to bounce back in Rome where he is competing for just the second time Alcaraz is seeded to meet World No 5 and Madrid runnerup Jack Draper in the quarterfinalsDefending champion Alexander Zverev will begin his campaign against a qualifier or Argentine Camilo Ugo Carabelli The secondseeded Zverev saw his sevenmatch winning streak come to an end in the fourth round in Madrid where he suffered his third consecutive defeat to Francisco CerundoloZverev could face Alcaraz in an intriguing semifinal but the German must first navigate a testing quarter which includes Lorenzo Musetti Daniil Medvedev Arthur Fils and Stefanos TsitsipasMedvedev who claimed his most recent tourlevel title in Rome in 2023 opens against a qualifier or Christopher OConnell The 29yearold could set a meeting with Musetti in the fourth round who on Monday made his Top 10 debut Musetti starts against Hamad Medjedovic or a qualifier IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/italian-open-alcaraz-sinner-drawn-on-opposite-sides-as-world-no1-returns-after-suspension-614220.html Mon, 05 May 2025 18:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/ruud-beats-draper-to-claim-maiden-masters-1000-title-in-madrid-614117.html Madrid May 5 Casper Ruud defeated Jack Draper 75 36 64 to claim his first Masters 1000 title at the Madrid Open after falling at the final hurdle in Miami in 2022 and Monte Carlo in 2024 Ruud has more wins 125 finals 17 and titles 12 than any other player on clay since 2020 However he arrived at this years Mutua Madrid Open with a question mark hanging over his form having bowed out in the last sixteen in Monte Carlo and the quarters in Barcelona where he was the defending champion Those results caused him to fall to 15th position in the ATP world rankingsWith his twohour 29minute triumph Ruud became the first Norwegian to claim a Masters 1000 crown A threetime Grand Slam finalist and former No 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings the 26yearold is now a 13time champion on the ATP Tour In Madrid he recorded three Top 10 wins in the same event for only the second time in his career He downed World No 4 Taylor Fritz No 10 Daniil Medvedev and No 6 Draper en route to the title ATP reportsIt feels great of course Its been a long time coming This was one of the really big goals I dreamed about when I was young so its an incredible feeling to accomplish it Also the way I did it today it was a great match I knew Jack had been playing unbelievable all year and especially in this tournament so I knew that if I didnt bring my Aplus game I was going to be whooped around the courtLuckily I played really well Jack has become such an incredible player on any surface now Hes won title on every surface except clay and hes already made finals here in Madrid So its an incredible year he is having This is a really big boost for me and I would like to keep it going said RuudDespite defeat Draper will leave Madrid with a 195 record for the season and he will on Monday rise one spot to a careerhigh No 5 in the ATP Rankings IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/ruud-beats-draper-to-claim-maiden-masters-1000-title-in-madrid-614117.html Mon, 05 May 2025 11:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sabalenka-beats-gauff-to-win-third-madrid-open-title-613991.html Madrid May 4 World number one Aryna Sabalenka claimed her third Madrid Open title after defeating American Coco Gauff 63 76 3 in the summit clash This marks Sabalenkas milestone 20th career WTA Tour singles title It is her tourleading third title of the year in Madrid after hoisting the trophy at Brisbane and the previous WTA 1000 event MiamiShe is now the second player in history to etch her name into the trophy at Madrids WTA 1000 three times 2025 2021 and 2023 after Petra Kvitova 2011 2015 and 2018The 26yearold is just the second player to win Miami and Madrid in the same season joining Serena Williams in 2013Sabalenka steamrolled her way through the opening games thumping her forehand hitting bomb after bomb from the baseline and completely overwhelming a Gauff who was struggling for solutions and took the first set 63Sabalenka staved off a secondset charge by Gauff who was seeking her first title of the year and a possible return to the World No 2 ranking Sabalenka erased a set point at 54 on her way to a 1hour and 39minute victoryFollowing her Madrid title run no1 ranked Sabalenka will become only the third woman to amass more than 11000 ranking points and is nearly 4000 ahead of No 2 Iga Swiatek in the WTA Rankings That gap is likely to grow With Swiatek defending titles in Rome and Paris shell also be defending 3000 points across the next month And because Sabalenka missed Wimbledon last year this years result will be a ranking points windfall WTA reportsSabalenka is more than 1600 points clear of No 2 Madison Keys in the Race to the WTA Finals in Riyadh Shes the only player with three titles so far Brisbane Miami and Madrid and has collected backtoback WTA 1000 titles on vastly different surfaces Her 31 matchwins are also the most among WTA Tour players IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sabalenka-beats-gauff-to-win-third-madrid-open-title-613991.html Sun, 04 May 2025 17:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/cerundolo-upsets-two-time-champ-zverev-in-madrid-open-613624.html Madrid April 30 Francisco Cerundolo recorded an upset 75 63 win over twotime champion Alexander Zverev at Madrid Open The Argentine ended Germans sevenmatch winning streak which dated back to the start of his Munich title run In a rematch of their fourthround encounter from one year ago Cerundolo who also beat Zverev this season in Buenos Aires saved the only break point he faced according to ATP StatsIm super happy because I know he loves playing here He told me last year when I beat him Hes an incredible player I have a great relationship with him so super happy to get another win and to be in the quarterfinals again Cerundolo saidWith the win Cerundolo joined Arthur Fils as the only players to reach three ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinals this season He also leads the ATP Tour with seven quarterfinals and 15 claycourt wins on the 2025 season ATP reportsWhile Cerundolo is through to his seventh career Masters 1000 quarterfinal Zverev was denied his 100th quarterfinal appearance at that prestigious levelMeanwhile Ninth seed Daniil Medvedev avoided an upset of his own to match his careerbest Madrid result The 29yearold advanced to the last eight by rallying past 31stseeded American Brandon Nakashima 36 61 64 closing the onehour 49minute encounter on his fifth match pointI feel like for both of us because we both made a lot of unforced errors I got pretty angry at the end of the first set because I couldnt control what I was doing on the court but I felt like Im not far from winning games and then winning the match so I knew that I just had to stay tougher play just a tiny bit better and I managed to do it Medvedev saidMedvedev will next face third seed 14th seed Casper Ruud Should Medvedev win he will become the fifth man to complete the set of semifinals at all active ATP Masters 1000 events alongside Novak Djokovic Roger Federer Rafael Nadal and Andy MurrayRuud defeated Taylor Fritz 75 64 to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal since MonteCarlo last year and 13th overall IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/cerundolo-upsets-two-time-champ-zverev-in-madrid-open-613624.html Wed, 30 Apr 2025 11:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/max-purcell-accepts-18-month-doping-ban-after-admitting-to-breach-613507.html London April 29 Australian tennis player Max Purcell has been handed an 18month ban after admitting to breaching antidoping regulations a case the twotime Grand Slam doubles champion revealed had been seriously affecting my quality of life for several months The 27yearold who claimed major titles at Wimbledon in 2022 and the US Open in 2024 was provisionally suspended in December 2024 He admitted to using a prohibited method intravenous infusions of vitamins exceeding the allowable limit on two occasions in December 2023 The World AntiDoping Code and Tennis AntiDoping Programme TADP restricts IV infusions to no more than 100ml within any 12hour period Purcells infusions exceeded 500ml prompting an investigation by the International Tennis Integrity Agency ITIAThis case does not involve a player testing positive for a prohibited substance but demonstrates that the antidoping rules are broader than that ITIA chief executive Karen Moorhouse clarified in a statement It also shows that the ITIA considers intelligence from a range of sources with the overriding aim to protect everyone covered by the tennis antidoping rules and ensure a level playing field for allFollowing a thorough investigation including evidence gathering and interviews Purcell admitted to the breaches His full cooperation earned him a 25 reduction in sanction As a result his ban will end on 11 June 2026 taking into account the period he has already served since his provisional suspensionIn addition to the ban Purcell must forfeit all results ranking points and prize money earned between 16 December 2023 the date of his first rule violation and 3 February 2024 the date of his first subsequent negative doping testIn a heartfelt social media post Purcell expressed relief that the case had finally concluded Im glad this is finally over for me I can move on with my life he wrote From being unable to sleep and eat properly and refusing to be by myself to developing nervous and anxious tics this case has taken a real tollThis is the latest highprofile antidoping case in Tennis Recently fivetime Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek accepted a onemonth ban after a positive test while current world mens No 1 Jannik Sinner is serving a threemonth suspension which will end in the first week of May after two positive tests in 2023 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/max-purcell-accepts-18-month-doping-ban-after-admitting-to-breach-613507.html Tue, 29 Apr 2025 15:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcaraz-pulls-out-of-madrid-open-due-to-injury-612805.html Madrid April 24 Twotime champion Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the Madrid Open an ATP 1000 masters event due to the adductor injury sustained in Barcelona and a separate injury in his left foot The 21yearold announced the decision during his pretournament press conference on Thursday We have decided to not take risks to not worsen the situation for the future and to listen to my body We have to take difficult decisions but we have made the right one I will try to rest recover and be back on the court as soon as possible Alcaraz saidThe Spaniard received treatment on his upper right leg during his defeat to Holger Rune in the Barcelona final last week Alcaraz was hoping to be fit to play at the ATP Masters 1000 event but feels that the tournament has come too soonIn the Barcelona final I felt something in the leg but I didnt think it was that serious I am really disappointed that I am not able to play here in Madrid It is a place I love playing in front of my people in front of my family and friends They are not able to travel so much so it is a special place for me It is a really difficult situationIt was hard to decide not to play but tennis is a really demanding sport Playing week after week so many matches in a row You have to take difficult decisions but I will come back stronger the Spaniard addedAlcaraz holds a 245 record on the season highlighted by titles in MonteCarlo and Rotterdam The Spaniard is first in the ATP Live Race To TurinThe 21yearold will set his sights on the next tournament in Rome Italy which he missed last season due to an arm injuryMy plan is going to Rome My mindset is to do everything it takes to be 100 per cent for Rome I will do some tests at the beginning of next week just to see how its improved and from that lets see how its going to be the next days My hope is to play in Rome If not the next tournament is Roland Garros for me So I will try to be on court as soon as possible Alcaraz said IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcaraz-pulls-out-of-madrid-open-due-to-injury-612805.html Thu, 24 Apr 2025 18:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/monte-carlo-masters-alcaraz-overcomes-slow-start-to-defeat-francisco-cerundolo-610587.html MonteCarlo April 9 Carlos Alcaraz delivered a statement win at the MonteCarlo Masters on Wednesday overturning a sluggish start to power past Francisco Cerundolo 36 60 61 and advance to the third round Competing for the first time since his openinground defeat at the Miami Open last month the 21yearold Spaniard known for his allcourt versatility adapted swiftly after a shaky opening set altering his return position and injecting aggression into his game to spark a dramatic turnaroundI didnt start well I made a lot of mistakes and I let him play inside the court dominating the points I just knew that I had to do something else play more aggressively and play my own tennis drop shots go to the net and more aggressionThe most important change was the return I tried to return closer to the line and push him said AlcarazCerundolo dictated early exchanges with his heavy forehand and targeted Alcarazs backhand in long rallies but the momentum shifted sharply in the second set Alcarazs tactical adjustmentstepping inside the baseline to return servehelped him land significantly more returns in play and snatch control of the tempoHe saved two break points early in the second set and never looked back unleashing a series of precision groundstrokes and timely net rushes to dismantle the Argentines rhythmThe final set was nearly oneway traffic Alcaraz moved with confidence reading Cerundolos patterns and redirecting pace with flair With this win he avoided a threematch losing streak and improved his headtohead record against Cerundolo to 30Next up for Alcaraz is Germanys Daniel Altmaier who ended Richard Gasquets longstanding MonteCarlo chapter with a 75 57 62 win Gasquet making his final appearance in the Principality after debuting as a 15yearold in 2002 was one match away from becoming the secondoldest man to reach the last 16 of a Masters 1000 event IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/monte-carlo-masters-alcaraz-overcomes-slow-start-to-defeat-francisco-cerundolo-610587.html Wed, 09 Apr 2025 22:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/qualifier-jenson-brooksby-stuns-tiafoe-claim-us-clay-title-610094.html Houston April 7 The qualifying wildcard entrant Jenson Brooksby ranked No 507 at the beginning of the week won seven consecutive matches to claim his first ATP Tour title at the US Mens Clay Court Championships Beginning as a qualifying wild card the 24yearold American completed his dramatic run with a 64 62 final victory against second seed and 2023 Houston champ Frances TiafoeWith his first ATP trophy on his resume Brooksby became the first American male to win an ATP title of 2025Throughout the week he fought off five match points in three of his seven matches one in his opening round qualifying match three in his secondround match against No 3 seed Alejandro Tabilo and one in his semifinal match against top seed Tommy Paul In doing so Brooksby became only the eighth player since 2015 to match points in multiple matches en route to winning the titleIt means a lot to come away with a title here I think its been the best week of my life to be honest You know I hadnt won any of my three previous ATP Finals and those were all three years ago One of my biggest goals in my comeback was to win my first title So I wasnt trying to think about it too much as I was getting closer and closer to the finish line but Im really happy that Im walking away with the trophy said BrooksbyBrooksby shattered several US Clay and ATP records throughout his championship journey this week He is only the second US Clay champion in Open Era history dating back to 1972 to defeat each of the top three seeds on his way to the championship No 1 Paul No 2 Tiafoe and No 3 TabiloBrooksby is also the first qualifier to become US Clay champion since Chilean Fernando Gonzalez in 2000 and the lowestranked champion in the tournaments Open era history He is projected to reach No 172 in next weeks ATP rankings with the title under his belt climbing over 300 spots from start to finish this weekTiafoe the 2023 US Clay champion and a twotime US Clay finalist 2025 2024 was the fourth player to reach three consecutive US Clay finals and the first since Andy Roddick 20012005 He has also won 10 of his last 12 matches in Houston IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/qualifier-jenson-brooksby-stuns-tiafoe-claim-us-clay-title-610094.html Mon, 07 Apr 2025 11:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/pegula-sets-up-all-american-charleston-final-with-kenin-609953.html Charleston April 6 No 1 seed Jessica Pegula battled into her first One Charleston Open final twice coming back from a break down in the third set to pull off a 62 26 75 semifinal victory over No 9 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova With a topsyturvy twohour 18minute victory over Alexandrova the top seed Pegula is into her second straight singles final of the spring following up on her run at the WTA 1000 Miami Open She has now reached finals in three of her last four tournaments a run that includes the WTA 250 Austin titlePegulas win over Alexandrova was her 24th WTA maindraw victory of the year putting her one ahead of Aryna Sabalenkas 23 according to WTAShes beaten me the last couple of times Every time its the same I win the first set she wins the second then she wins the third Im like What do I have to do to beat this girl It took everything today Maybe a little bit of luck maybe a little bit of the crowd I do think I did some stuff differently today than I have in the past so Im proud that I was able to do that and trust that said PegulaPegula will now face her fellow American Sofia Kenin in Saturdays final The 2020 Australian Open champion Kenin advanced when another American No 8 seed Amanda Anisimova retired from their semifinal due to a right hip injury Kenin was leading 52 in the first set when Anisimova stopped playIm feeling very good with the level Ive played throughout the week Its unfortunate that Amanda had to retire I wish her a speedy recovery Shes had a great year and I just wish her the best Kenin saidThis will be the first allAmerican final at Charleston since Martina Navratilova beat Jennifer Capriati in the 1990 final IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/pegula-sets-up-all-american-charleston-final-with-kenin-609953.html Sun, 06 Apr 2025 09:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/brooksby-upsets-paul-in-houston-to-play-tiafoe-for-title-609960.html Houston April 6 Wildcard qualifying entrant Jenson Brooksby secured an upset 765 36 766 win over top seed Tommy Paul in the semifinals of the US Mens Clay Court Championship The 24yearold American became the sixth tourlevel finalist ranked outside the worlds Top 500 since 1990 and the second qualifier to reach the final of the tournament since it moved to Houston in 2001 Mariano Zabaleta also achieved the feat in 2007 before falling to Ivo Karlovic according to ATP TourThe Americans exchanged multiple breaks and traded lead trajectories in each of the three sets In the end Brooksby prevailed in the battle of the breaks while also saving a match point in the third set tiebreakerPaul and Brooksby dealt with unpredictable weather conditions that caused a few starts and stops throughout the course of the matchWith the victory Brooksby handed Paul his first loss to an American player in 2025 and scored his sixth consecutive win of the week since his firstround qualifying win last Saturday He has now saved five match points in three of his six matches and has spent 13 hours and 20 minutes on court in singles the tournament reportsBrooksby will compete against No 2 seed Frances Tiafoe the 2023 US Clay champion and 2024 finalist in Sundays finalIf Brooksby wins the trophy he would be the lowest ranked champion in US Clay history He is projected to reach No 220 at minimum for advancing to the finals alone cutting his ranking by more than half over the course of his six match wins this weekTiafoe defeated No 4 seed Brandon Nakashima 64 76 to advance to his third straight US Clay final The 27yearold has now won 10 of his last 11 matches at River Oaks and holds a 125 lifetime record here the most wins of any active ATP player IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/brooksby-upsets-paul-in-houston-to-play-tiafoe-for-title-609960.html Sun, 06 Apr 2025 11:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/trip-to-india-made-me-pick-up-tennis-again-says-nick-chappell-doubles-winner-of-sm-krishna-memorial-open-610002.html Bengaluru April 6 Nick Chappell who won the SM Krishna Memorial Open doubles title with his doubles partner Grigory Lomakin recalled his trip to India when he was thinking of quitting tennis in 2017 and said the perspective he got from his trip to the subcontinent made him pick up tennis again Chappells journey has been one of resilience In 2017 he reached a doubles ranking of 491 but subsequent struggles coupled with stagnating singles results made him pull the plug on tournaments in India and his tennis careerI was originally going to come to India for tournaments but then I decided I wanted to stop playing tennis I pulled out but I still had the flight So I flew into Mumbai and met up with a friend for a couple days from tennis And then I went to Udaipur for a few weeks where I met an old friend of a religion professor back home and they showed me around Then I went to Rishikesh and stayed at a yoga ashram and then went to see the Taj Mahal he saidI think it gave me a little bit of perspective I talked to a lot of people about what theyre doing I always felt that if I wasnt pushing forward and moving up the rankings I needed to just stop playing And then theres always been moments where Im like well I just really love to play So why not just keep doing what I love to do So I think having a perspective of seeing that made me pick up tennis again he addedThough hes a seasoned traveller on the tennis circuit particularly after moving to Vietnam this was his first experience in BengaluruI have played in Davangere Dharwad and Gulbarga but this is my first week in Bangalore I wish I had been here before I could have played the Challengers the last few years But I was living in Texas so it was always too big of a trip for me I hope I can play Challengers in the next couple of years because I like Bangalore Its really pretty all the trees and everything It feels a little more relaxing than other places I like Indian food a lot too Paneer butter masala is my favourite but I like south Indian breakfast idli and poori he revealedChappell and Lomakin overcome the Indian duo SD Prajwal Dev and Nitin Kumar Sinha with a 62 765 victory This win served as sweet redemption following their narrow loss in the M25 Ahmedabad final just a week prior It also marked Chappells first title since his M15 Ithaca NY triumph in 2023We were playing really well the last two weeks and I think from the start of the match today it felt like we were kind of in control But you never know once it gets to a tiebreaker anything can happen So I really wanted to win in two sets so Im glad that we got it done and I feel like we kind of deserve to win after losing in the finals with match points last week Nick sharedDespite his doubles success Chappell had to withdraw from the singles second round against Ryuki Matsuda at the SM Krishna Memorial Open due to an abdominal strain With the recent success he is now looking to switch strategies and focus on both formatsMy doubles ranking is not that good actually because Ive never really focused on doubles So now Im trying to play both because I dont want to stop playing singles But my body isnt doing as well as it once was Normally in a tournament if I wasnt feeling well Id probably withdraw from doubles and try to play singles This is the first time Ive done the opposite and it worked out quite well Ill probably try to keep playing more doubles as the year goes on Especially the next couple of months depending on how my bodys feeling he signed off IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/trip-to-india-made-me-pick-up-tennis-again-says-nick-chappell-doubles-winner-of-sm-krishna-memorial-open-610002.html Sun, 06 Apr 2025 15:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/billie-jean-king-cup-in-india-will-give-youngsters-exposure-to-high-quality-tennis-says-ankita-raina-610032.html Pune April 6 The Indian womens tennis team is gearing up for the upcoming Billie Jean King Cup 2025 AsiaOceania Group I games and will be led by the very experienced Ankita Raina Along with India teams from Chinese Taipei Hong Kong China the Republic of Korea New Zealand and Thailand will feature in the AsiaOceania Group I here in Pune Ankita who is ranked 300 in the world in singles as of the end of March spoke about playing the Billie Jean King Cup 2025 AsiaOceania Group 1 games at home She said Im really excited that the Billie Jean King Cup 2025 AsiaOceania Group 1 games are happening in Pune and its an honour to be leading the Indian team Ive been a part of the Indian for more than 10 years It was always a dream to represent my country and I feel blessed to have achieved thatThis event is conducted at highest level and having it in India is a huge benefit as young players can come in to watch the top 300 ranked players in action From the Indian team we would like to congratulate the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association for bringing this prestigious event to India The more highquality international tennis that comes here it is better for the sport she addedAnkita is part of a fivemember team including Sahaja Yamalapalli Shrivalli Bhamidipaty Vaidehi Chaudhari and Prarthana Thombare with the teenage sensation Maaya Rajeshwaran named as a reserve playerWhen representing their country everyone always gives it their best on the field of play And we will all try to do that for sure When you travel with the Indian team for tournaments its a completely different experience and I am confident that it will help us work better as a team Ankita saidWhen asked about what she does to keep her calm in highpressure games Ankita spoke about the importance of meditation in her life She said I got introduced to meditation when I was 18 or 20 and it definitely helped in the transition from the junior level to the senior level because thats when you face tougher challenges Youre playing against more experienced players and facing tougher situations and also learning what can be done in the crucial moments of a match So I think thats where meditation has helped me stay calmSpeaking about the opposition that India will face in the coming week in Pune Ankita who took inspiration from the legendary Sania Mirza explained that no one can be taken lightly She said All the players who have come here are very good players and no one will give us an easy game Last year I played against Lulu Sun of New Zealand who played the qualifier at Wimbledon and then went on to make it to the semifinals So that is the quality of players who are here IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/billie-jean-king-cup-in-india-will-give-youngsters-exposure-to-high-quality-tennis-says-ankita-raina-610032.html Sun, 06 Apr 2025 19:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/pegula-fights-back-to-reach-charleston-semis-kenin-alexandrova-anisimova-also-through-609845.html Charleston April 5 Top seed Jessica Pegula staged a brilliant comeback to keep her title hopes alive at the WTA Charleston Open rallying from a set and a break down to oust defending champion Danielle Collins 16 63 60 in a dramatic quarterfinal clash on Friday Collins known for her aggressive baseline game came out firing overwhelming Pegula to take the first set in just 33 minutes and breaking early in the second to go up 20 But Pegula showed resilience and composure adjusting her tactics to turn the match on its head That was tough Pegula admitted after the win She came out firing I was not ready for that at allThe world No 4 credited her comeback to tactical variations and smarter serving She was returning unbelievable just hitting winner after winner off my serve Pegula said I had to figure out a way to get my placement a little bit betterPegula stormed through the remainder of the match winning the last nine games to seal the victory and book a semifinal date with Russias Ekaterina AlexandrovaThe 11th seed continued her strong run in 2024 dispatching thirdseeded Zheng Qinwen 61 64 It was Alexandrovas third win in as many meetings against the Chinese star and her third semifinal appearance of the season She didnt face a single break point and converted three of five on Zheng who required treatment for her right arm during the opening setIn the other half of the draw American Sofia Kenin returned to the semifinals for the first time since Tokyo 2023 defeating Anna Kalinskaya 64 63 The 2020 Australian Open champion will now face fellow American Amanda Anisimova who continued her solid form with a 75 761 win over fourth seed Emma Navarro IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/pegula-fights-back-to-reach-charleston-semis-kenin-alexandrova-anisimova-also-through-609845.html Sat, 05 Apr 2025 16:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/my-main-goal-for-this-year-is-to-play-the-junior-grand-slams-teenage-tennis-star-maaya-rajeshwaran-609890.html Pune April 5 After her sensational run at the WTA Mumbai Open 15yearold Maaya Rajeshwaran joins the Indian team for the Billie Jean King Cup 2025 AsiaOceania Group1 as a reserve player Organized by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association MSLTA in association with All India Tennis Association AITA and Pune Metropolitan District Tennis Association PMDTA the prestigious tournament will take place at the Mhalunge Balewadi tennis complex from April 8 to April 12 Speaking ahead of the tournament Maaya highlighted her goals for the year stating My main goal for this year is to play the junior grand slams while also playing in the womens category Hopefully I can win a junior slam in the coming years that is my midterm goalThe 15yearold also spoke about her recent achievements at the Mumbai Open that catapulted her into the national spotlight The wildcard opportunity for the Mumbai Open was something special The funny thing is that wasnt even part of the plan for me It was MSLTA and Sunder Iyer sir who gave me a wildcard opportunity and Im grateful for that she saidAs soon as I got the wildcard I knew how good the opportunity was Even after I won the first match I was happy with the way I played but I wasnt satisfied with winning a match because the ultimate goal was qualification Maaya addedEntering the tournament as a wildcard Maaya went toetotoe with some of the best players in the world Reflecting on her performance she mentioned Im happy that it was a very good run At this point in my career Im at a transition phase from juniors to womens and that tournament really helped me with a breakthrough So Im very happy with thatSharing her excitement ahead of the Billie Jean King Cup taking place in Pune Maaya stated Im really happy that this is happening in our country Its my first time on the Indian team For every athlete that plays a sport their first goal is to play for the country Ive been part of a lot of junior teams before but playing in the womens team is the actual goal So Im delighted that Im part of the team and Im thankful that the association selected me Hopefully we do well Id also request everyone to come watch and support us because that makes a huge difference she concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/my-main-goal-for-this-year-is-to-play-the-junior-grand-slams-teenage-tennis-star-maaya-rajeshwaran-609890.html Sat, 05 Apr 2025 17:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/kalinskaya-upsets-keys-to-set-charleston-qf-with-kenin-pegula-faces-collins-609657.html Charleston April 4 Anna Kalinskaya staged an upset win over Australian Open champion Madison Keys to return to the quarterfinals in Charleston for the first time since 2023 Kalinskaya was a 62 64 winner against No 2 seed Keys taking advantage of an erratic performance by the World No 5 to score her first Top 10 victory in 10 months and advance to her second quarterfinals of the seasonKalinskaya who peaked at a careerhigh ranking of No 11 last October on the back of a 2024 season that saw her reach a WTA 1000 final in Dubai a WTA 500 final in Berlin and the second week of two Grand Slam events entered Charleston at 47 on the season and having won backtoback matches at just one tournament in Singapore in February where she retired in the semifinals reports WTAKalinskaya will next face 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin who upset No 5 seed Daria Kastkina in the nightcap 63 767Elsewhere No 1 seed Pegula defeated Ajla Tomljanovic to book a spot in her fifth quarterfinal of the season 63 62 The match was a far cry from the 61 46 63 semifinal that the two played in Austin last month with Pegula winning five straight games in the middle of the match to pull awayPegula will will next take on defending champion Danielle Collins in the quarterfinalsCollins the seventh seed overcame a slow start to oust 2017 runnerup Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia in straight sets 75 63 in a muchanticipated matchup on the Althea Gibson Club CourtDown a break in the opener at 42 Collins 31 held her ground to advance to the elite eight for the third time in four appearancesMeanwhile for the second time in four years Yulia Putintseva saw her Charleston campaign come to an end against Amanda Anisimova After a 61 62 secondround loss to the American in 2022 the Kazakh baseliner again fell short on Daniel Island this time in the Round of 16 64 64In other action for the second time in four years Yulia Putintseva saw her Charleston campaign come to an end against Amanda Anisimova After a 61 62 secondround loss to the American in 2022 the Kazakh baseliner again fell short on Daniel Island this time in the Round of 16 64 64Anisimova a semifinalist here in 2022 faced only one break point in the onehour 16minute contest For her efforts she earns a matchup with local favourite Emma Navarro who is through to the quarterfinals in her hometown for the first time after overcoming a setandabreak deficit against redhot 20yearold Ashlyn Krueger winning 46 64 62 in two hours and eight minutesThird seed Zheng Qinwen of China needed two hours and 21 minutes to overcome Belgiums Elise Mertens 63 36 63 Next up for the reigning Olympic champion is ninth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova who raced past Dianna Shnaider 62 61 in just 54 minutes IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/kalinskaya-upsets-keys-to-set-charleston-qf-with-kenin-pegula-faces-collins-609657.html Fri, 04 Apr 2025 10:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sabalenka-clinched-maiden-miami-open-title-609001.html Miami March 30 Aryna Sabalenka captured her maiden Miami Open title after beating over Americas Jessica Pegula in the final In a rematch of last years US Open final despite having her formidable serve broken three times in the opening set Sabalenka the world No 1 calmly shook it off achieved the critical break at 56 which catapulted her to a 75 62 victory over fourthranked Pegula 1 hour and 28 minutes to win her first Miami Open Masters 1000It was a big victory for Sabalenka who suffered narrow losses in her last two finals at the Australian Open to Madison Keys and Indian Wells to Mirra AndreevaFinally I was able to play my best tennis in the final and Im just super happy with the result and with the performance Id say for these months So super happy to hold this beautiful crystal Butch Buchholz trophyHonestly going into this match I had the mentality that no matter what happens if shes going to break me I had the mentality to stay there to focus on myself to fight for every point no matter whatI didnt want to lose another final to be honest Its really tough to lose in the final So if someone would say that Id be like OK its going to be a battle Im ready for that said SabalenkaSabalenka is now up to eight WTA 1000 singles titles in her career equaling Maria Sharapovas total The only players ahead of her in WTA 1000 titles dating back to the creation of that tier in 2009 are Serena Williams 13 Victoria Azarenka 10 Iga Swiatek 10 Simona Halep 9 and Petra Kvitova 9Overall Sabalenka won her 19th Hologic WTA Tour singles title by triumphing in Miami 17 of her 19 titles have come on her beloved hard court including all three of her Grand Slam singles titles the 2023 Australian Open the 2024 Australian Open and the 2024 US Open WTA reportsThe 26yearold didnt drop a set in any of her six matches as she defeated defending champion Danielle Collins Olympic gold medalist and ninthranked Qinwen Zheng seventhranked Jasmine Paolini and fourthranked Pegula arguably the secondbest hardcourt player on the planetIts only the second time in Sabalenkas career that she was able to topple three Top 10 players in a single event dating back to the 2022 WTA Finals Pegula Ons Jabeur and Swiatek IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sabalenka-clinched-maiden-miami-open-title-609001.html Sun, 30 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sabalenka-clinches-maiden-miami-open-title-609010.html Miami March 30 Aryna Sabalenka captured her maiden Miami Open title after beating over Americas Jessica Pegula in the final In a rematch of last years US Open final despite having her formidable serve broken three times in the opening set Sabalenka the world No 1 calmly shook it off achieved the critical break at 56 which catapulted her to a 75 62 victory over fourthranked Pegula 1 hour and 28 minutes to win her first Miami Open Masters 1000It was a big victory for Sabalenka who suffered narrow losses in her last two finals at the Australian Open to Madison Keys and Indian Wells to Mirra AndreevaFinally I was able to play my best tennis in the final and Im just super happy with the result and with the performance Id say for these months So super happy to hold this beautiful crystal Butch Buchholz trophyHonestly going into this match I had the mentality that no matter what happens if shes going to break me I had the mentality to stay there to focus on myself to fight for every point no matter whatI didnt want to lose another final to be honest Its really tough to lose in the final So if someone would say that Id be like OK its going to be a battle Im ready for that said SabalenkaSabalenka is now up to eight WTA 1000 singles titles in her career equaling Maria Sharapovas total The only players ahead of her in WTA 1000 titles dating back to the creation of that tier in 2009 are Serena Williams 13 Victoria Azarenka 10 Iga Swiatek 10 Simona Halep 9 and Petra Kvitova 9Overall Sabalenka won her 19th Hologic WTA Tour singles title by triumphing in Miami 17 of her 19 titles have come on her beloved hard court including all three of her Grand Slam singles titles the 2023 Australian Open the 2024 Australian Open and the 2024 US Open WTA reportsThe 26yearold didnt drop a set in any of her six matches as she defeated defending champion Danielle Collins Olympic gold medalist and ninthranked Qinwen Zheng seventhranked Jasmine Paolini and fourthranked Pegula arguably the secondbest hardcourt player on the planetIts only the second time in Sabalenkas career that she was able to topple three Top 10 players in a single event dating back to the 2022 WTA Finals Pegula Ons Jabeur and Swiatek IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sabalenka-clinches-maiden-miami-open-title-609010.html Sun, 30 Mar 2025 11:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/djokovic-surpasses-federer-to-become-oldest-atp-masters-1000-semi-finalist-608638.html Miami March 28 Serbian great Novak Djokovic defeated Sebastian Korda 63 764 in a quarterfinal clash that was postponed from Wednesday and became the oldest ATP Masters 1000 semifinalist in the series history At 37 years and 10 months Djokovic is the oldest ATP Masters 1000 semifinalist in series history since 1990 surpassing Roger Federer who reached the last four in Indian Wells and Miami at 37 years and seven months in 2019Djokovic into his eighth Miami semifinal and a recordextending 79th at Masters 1000 level will next face 14th seed Grigor Dimitrov whom he leads 121 in their ATP HeadtoHead seriesThe Serb who is seeking his recordbreaking seventh title in south Florida and a 100th tourlevel trophy is aiming to break his tie with Andre Agassi for most titles at the ATP Masters 1000 eventDjokovic was nearflawless on serve in the opening set dropping just one point behind his first delivery The fourth seed closed the first set in style winning the final 12 points according to ATP StatsKorda raced to a 30 lead in the second set and later served for it at 53 However Djokovic raised his level engaging in longer rallies at crucial moments and forcing errors from the American who was two points from capturing the set on return at 65 and clinched the match in a tie breakerElsewhere Taylor Fritz recovered from letting slip six match points in a dramatic second set to maintain a perfect record against Matteo BerrettiniThe third seed American overcame the Italian 75 677 75 after a thrilling twohour 44minute quarterfinalFritz is into his sixth ATP Masters 1000 semifinal and first in Miami Up next for the eighttime tourlevel titlist is Czech Jakub Mensik who will be competing in his maiden ATP Masters 1000 semifinal IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/djokovic-surpasses-federer-to-become-oldest-atp-masters-1000-semi-finalist-608638.html Fri, 28 Mar 2025 10:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-pegula-ends-ealas-dream-run-in-semis-sets-up-final-with-sabalenka-608659.html Miami March 28 Jessica Pegula has ended the Cinderella run of teenage wildcard Alexandra Eala of the Philippines with a 763 57 63 victory in the Miami Open semifinal on Friday From 52 down to start the match Pegula turned around the opening set crucially breaking serve at 53 after Eala doublefaulted on set point on the way to a 2hour and 26minute winNo 140ranked Eala whose run this fortnight has included wins over Jelena Ostapenko and Madison Keys and No 2 seed Iga Swiatek became just the second wild card to defeat three or more Grand Slam champions in a single tourlevel event following Elina Svitolina at Wimbledon 2023 The 19yearold also became the first player from the Philippines to reach a tourlevel semifinal after her huge upset win over Swiatek on ThursdayPegula will next face world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka The American will now face the uphill challenge of winning only her third match against Sabalenka in eight previous attempts her last win over the top seed came in Cancun during the 2023 WTA FinalsEarlier Sabalenka punched a ticket to her first Miami Open final with a comprehensive 62 62 victory over No 6 seed Jasmina Paolini She has now won her last three meetings with the Italian all without the loss of a setThe threetime major champion has reached her 12th career WTA 1000 finalI definitely say that this was one of the best matches in the season so far I dont know I was just so focused on myself on the things I had to do today It felt like everything was just like going smoothly my way Yeah super happy with the performance I felt like I was in the zone Sabalenka said postmatchIn the last 20 years Sabalenka who lost to Mirra Andreeva in the Paribas Open final is the sixth player to reach the final at Indian Wells and Miami in the same season after Kim Clijsters 2005 Maria Sharapova 2006 2012 2013 Victoria Azarenka 2016 Iga Swiatek 2022 and Elena Rybakina 2023 WTA reports IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-pegula-ends-ealas-dream-run-in-semis-sets-up-final-with-sabalenka-608659.html Fri, 28 Mar 2025 11:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/pegula-topples-raducanu-to-set-semifinal-clash-with-teenager-eala-608517.html Miami March 27 Americas No 4 seed Jessica Pegula completed the semifinal lineup at the Miami Open with a 64 673 62 victory over Briton Emma Raducanu on Thursday IST at Hard Rock Stadium The American advanced to her third semifinal in Miami in the last four years by topping the 2021 US Open champion for a second time in three career meetingsPegula failed to seal the match in two sets after a strong rally from Raducanu in the second where she saved four set points and fought back from a 52 deficit to force a tiebreak Despite receiving medical treatment on a muggy Miami evening Raducanu kept pushing hard However an early break of serve in the third set gave Pegula a lead she never gave upRaducanus only chance to break Pegulas serve in the final set came in the third game was turned aside by Pegula in the third game and the American then won the last eight points to close out the win WTA reportsAfter her 19th win of the season Pegula will now seek her sixth career WTA 1000 final but first in Miami against Cinderella story Alexandra Eala the 19yearold wild card from the Philippines who shocked World No 2 Iga Swiatek in Wednesdays other quarterfinal matchPegula hasnt won a set in either of her two previous semifinals in Miami In 2022 she was beaten in straight sets by Swiatek as the No 16 seed and a year later was upset in a tight two by thenNo 10 seed Elena Rybakina when she was seeded No 3 according to WTA statsWhile Pegula is the favourite on paper against World No 140 Eala whom she wont underestimate as the teenage Filipina upset three grand slam winners so far in the tournament to reach her first career tourlevel semifinal IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/pegula-topples-raducanu-to-set-semifinal-clash-with-teenager-eala-608517.html Thu, 27 Mar 2025 20:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/teenager-eala-stuns-swiatek-to-reach-miami-semifinals-608495.html Miami March 27 Teenage wild card Alexandra Eala staged a huge upset in her historymaking breakout run at the Miami Open dispatching No 2 seed Iga Swiatek 62 75 to make the first WTA semifinal of her career Eala 19 is the first player from the Philippines to reach a tourlevel semifinal and is now guaranteed to become the first Filipina to be ranked inside the Top 100 of the WTA Rankings next MondayIm in complete disbelief right now Im on cloud nine Its so surreal I feel like Im the exact same person as I was in that photo But of course circumstances have changed Im so happy and so blessed to be able to compete with such a player on this stage My coach told me to run to go for every ball to take all the opportunities I can because a fivetime Slam champion is not going to give you the win Eala said in her oncourt interviewShe is the third wild card to reach the last four in Miami following Justine Henin in 2010 and Victoria Azarenka in 2018 both of whom were former World No 1s returning from extended breaks WTA reportsThis was Swiateks third loss to a player ranked outside the Top 100 in a WTA main draw Previously she fell to Karolina Muchova No 106 at the time in the first round of Prague 2019 and Ana Konjuh No 338 at the time in the third round of Miami 2021No 140ranked Eala whose run this fortnight has also included wins over Jelena Ostapenko and Madison Keys is just the second wild card to defeat three or more Grand Slam champions in a single tourlevel event following Elina Svitolina at Wimbledon 2023 Prior to Miami she had never defeated an opponent in the Top 40 nor faced one in the Top 20 she now owns two Top 10 victories according to WTA statsEala will next face either No 4 seed Jessica Pegula or Emma Raducanu as she bids to reach her first career WTA final IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/teenager-eala-stuns-swiatek-to-reach-miami-semifinals-608495.html Thu, 27 Mar 2025 20:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-djokovic-defeats-musetti-to-reach-quarterfinals-608417.html Miami March 26 Sixtime champion Novak Djokovic jas entered the quarterfinals of the ATP Miami Open with a 62 62 win against 15th seed Lorenzo Musetti on Wednesday IST The 37yearold who is now three victories from his 100th tourlevel title will next gace American Sebastian KordaThis is Djokovics first appearance in Miami since 2019 He had not advanced to the quarterfinals since winning the title at Crandon Park in 2016 according to ATPDjokovic fell behind an early break and was given a time violation warning That moment proved pivotal as the 40time Masters 1000 winner snapped into gear from there The fourth seed won nine consecutive games to turn a deficit into a landslide ultimately sealing his place in the last eight after one hour and 23 minutesDjokovic produced a statement performance in front of Serena Williams and Juan Martin del Potro the Argentine was in his boxI was starstruck It was amazing to see first DelPo obviously a longtime friend and a rival so happy to have him around and get his support from the box It was amazing it was the first time to have DelPo in the box so I want to thank him really for coming And Serena that was a surprise I didnt know Djokovic said in his oncourt interviewActually when I had that downtheline passing shot I pointed to her and asked her whether it was okay She kind of said Yeah it was fine If Serena says it was fine then it was amazing by everyone elses standards So yeah great to have them he addedEarlier in the day Korda clawed past Gael Monfils 64 26 64 Matteo Berrettini ousted the 10th seed Australian Alex de Minaur 63 767Taylor Fritz will be Berrettinis next opponent after the thirdseeded American moved past lucky loser Adam Walton 63 75 With his victory in the Grandstand Fritz equalled his best Miami result a 2023 quarterfinal run IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-djokovic-defeats-musetti-to-reach-quarterfinals-608417.html Wed, 26 Mar 2025 17:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-swiatek-beats-svitolina-to-reach-qf-eala-advances-after-badosa-withdraws-608254.html Miami March 25 World No 2 Iga Swiatek of Poland moved a step closer to her first title of the year with a hardfought 765 63 victory over No 22 seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the Round of 16 at the Miami Open Swiatek needed 2 hours and 5 minutes to battle past former World No 3 Svitolina completing the quarterfinal lineup at the years fourth WTA 1000 event on Tuesday morning WTA reportsSwiatek is eyeing her second Miami Open title she won this event in 2022 to complete the Sunshine Double winning Indian Wells and Miami in the same year The only other women to complete the Sunshine Double are Stefanie Graf twice Kim Clijsters and Victoria AzarenkaSwiatek will now face an unexpected opponent in the quarterfinals 19yearold wild card Alexandra Eala of Philippines who is in her sixth WTA 1000 eventEala moved into the first WTA Tour quarterfinal of her career when her fourthround opponent No 10 seed Paula Badosa withdrew in advance of their match due to a lower back injuryWorld No 140 Eala had a breakthrough win over No 25 Jelena Ostapenko in the second round and an even bigger win over No 5 Madison Keys in the third roundWith those wins Eala became the first Filipina woman in the Open Era to defeat Grand Slam singles champions at any WTA Tour event and now she will play another in fivetime major champion SwiatekThe 19yearold Eala the junior US Open champion in 2022 had never previously won three consecutive matches at any tourlevel event prior to this tournament though the walkover from Badosa will not count towards her overall winloss record IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-swiatek-beats-svitolina-to-reach-qf-eala-advances-after-badosa-withdraws-608254.html Tue, 25 Mar 2025 10:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-djokovic-breaks-nadals-record-for-most-atp-masters-1000-match-wins-608059.html Miami March 24 Novak Djokovic earned a record 411th ATP Masters 1000 match win when he defeated Camilo Ugo Carabelli of Argentina at the Miami Open breaking a tie with Spaniard Rafael Nadal The 24time Grand Slam champion cruised to a 61 60 thirdround victory over Lucky Loser CarabelliThe Serbian entered the tournament with 409 Masters 1000 victories just one behind his longtime rival He tied Nadal for most Masters 1000 wins after his opening round win over Rinki HijikataDjokovic who owns the most titles 40 finals 59 and semifinals 78 at Masters 1000 level has now mived past Nadal for most match wins 410 since the series introduction in 1990 when he recorded his 411th Masters 1000 match win on SundayIm honoured to have another milestone another record broken Theres always something on the line pretty much every time I play and of course that motivates me to do well at tournaments said DjokovicDjokovics 411th victory comes almost 20 years after his first at a Masters 1000 event The former No 1 clinched his maiden victory at that level in Paris in 2005 when he defeated Victor HanescuThe 37yearold has since claimed a record 40 Masters 1000 titles with his first coming in Miami in 2007 In 2018 he became the first and only player to win all nine Masters 1000 events By 2020 he had won each tournament at least twice He is now 41191 at Masters 1000 events according to the ATP WinLoss IndexThe 37 year old Serb whos vying for his seventh Miami Open title that would surpass Andre Agassi for the most will take on another young star in 23yearold Italian Lorenzo Musetti the 15th seed in the round of 16Djokovic is also chasing his first Masters 1000 title since 2023 when he triumphed in Paris IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-djokovic-breaks-nadals-record-for-most-atp-masters-1000-match-wins-608059.html Mon, 24 Mar 2025 09:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-anisimova-ends-andreevas-winning-streak-raducanu-prevails-after-kessler-retires-608066.html Miami March 24 Amanda Anisimova snapped Mirra Andreevas 13match winning streak with a gripping 765 26 63 victory in the third round of the Miami Open Anisimova outlasted World No 6 Mirra Andreeva in a grueling 2hour 49minute battle to record her 10th Top10 win of the careerThe thirdround encounter was a matchup between the only two players who have won WTA 1000 titles this season Anisimova was an unseeded titlist at this years first WTA 1000 event the Qatar TotalEnergies Open in DohaAfter that it was Andreeva who dominated the next two WTA 1000 events winning Dubai and Indian Wells backtoback The 17yearold was eyeing a shot at becoming the first teenager to ever pull off the Sunshine Double WTA reportsCurrently ranked a careerhigh No 17 the 23yearold Anisimova is now into the Round of 16 at her home event for the very first time in her careerShe will next take on a Emma Raducanu for a spot in the quarterfinals The 2021 US Open champion Raducanu advanced past an injured McCartney Kessler in their thirdround matchRaducanu was leading 61 30 when the abbreviated match ended at the 43minute mark due to a lower back injury for KesslerIts the first time Raducanu has won three consecutive matches at a WTA Tour or Grand Slam event since last summers tournament at WimbledonIm very happy obviously to be in this position Its never the way you necessarily want to win but I think I did a really good job to stay focused during the match Raducanu saidMeanwhile there was a historic 64 62 upset of fifthseeded Australian Open champion Madison Keys by wildcard Filipino 19yearold Alexandra EalaEala who has trained at Rafael Nadals tennis academy in Mallorca since she was 13 is the first Filipino to defeat a Top 10 player since 1990 the first from her country to defeat a Grand Slam champion actually her second after downing Jelena Ostapenko on Friday and the first Filipino to reach a Masters 1000 round of 16Keys 30 in the midst of the best run of her career carried a 192 record into Miami but she was coming off a blowout 60 61 semifinal loss at Indian Wells to world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka who she had beaten in the Aussie finalKeys who won the Australian Open this year her first major singles title was bidding for her tourleading 20th victory IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-anisimova-ends-andreevas-winning-streak-raducanu-prevails-after-kessler-retires-608066.html Mon, 24 Mar 2025 10:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/djokovic-praises-brazilian-teenager-fonseca-calls-him-a-complete-player-608084.html Miami March 24 Novak Djokovic who earned a recordbreaking 411th ATP Masters 1000 match win at the Miami Open believes the game is in great shape with newcomers such as Joao Fonseca as well as talented World No 1 and 2 23yearold Jannik Sinner and charismatic 21yearold Alcaraz who have combined to win seven Grand Slams The 18yearold Brazilian Fonseca has enjoyed a rapid rise at the start of the 2025 season He claimed his maiden tourlevel title in Buenos Aires in February and became the youngest player to reach round three at ATP Masters 1000 since Carlos Alcaraz in Paris in 2021 when he defeated Hugo Humbert to reach the third round of the Miami Open on SaturdayAmong those impressed by the fastrising 18yearold is Djokovic the record holder for most weeks at No 1 in the ATP Rankings who spoke at length about Fonseca on Sunday at the Miami OpenHe has been the talk of the tour in the last several months So young and just incredible firepower from both ends of the baseline Serve Hes a very complete player What is impressive is the way he strikes the ball but even more so how he handles the nerves on the court for someone that doesnt have experience at all playing at the highest level Djokovic said of Fonseca in a press conference after the Serbians thirdround victory against Camilo Ugo CarabelliDjokovic is making his 14th Miami appearance and Fonseca is making his first Nearly 20 years Fonsecas senior the Serbian earned a record 411th ATP Masters 1000 match win on Sunday while the Brazilian star is set to compete in his maiden thirdround appearance at that levelHes exciting for Brazil for the world of tennis Hes not the only one You have Mensik Maybe because people talk about Fonseca so much they forgot about Mensik Theyre close to the same age Learner Tien as well All those players are very young but they have as good of rankings as he does he addedWhile Djokovic is just one title shy of capturing his 100th tourlevel crown Fonseca captured his first last month in Buenos Aires becoming the youngest South American champion in the history of the ATP Tour since 1990 Djokovic won his first tourlevel title at age 19 in 2006 according to ATP statsI think its exciting I dont know what I should call it that generation new new new generation is bringing Its always great that you have exciting players to watch and see the players that have the potential to reach the greatest heights and to carry this sport Obviously Sinner and Alcaraz are the leaders of today still very young But then these guys seems like theyre knocking on the door of Sinner Alcaraz in the years to come Djokovic saidThe Serbian next faces 15th seed Italian Lorenzo Musetti while Fonseca plays Alex de Minaur on Monday IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/djokovic-praises-brazilian-teenager-fonseca-calls-him-a-complete-player-608084.html Mon, 24 Mar 2025 12:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/kslta-to-host-sm-krishna-memorial-tournament-with-usd-30-000-prize-money-608179.html Bengaluru March 24 Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association KSLTA headed by its president R Ashoka will host the firstever SM Krishna Memorial Tournament ITF Mens M25 event with prize money of USD 30000 The tournament will be held between March 31 to April 6 at the KSLTA Stadium The prestigious tournament will be a joint initiative by KSLTA and the Karnataka State Government and has been conceptualised as a tribute to the visionary former Chief Minister of Karnataka SM Krishna who was an avid tennis enthusiast and spearheaded KSLTA as its president between 1999 to 2020 He was also the Life President of AITA from 2015 to 2023With a flair for the sport and commitment to take it to the next level Krishna was instrumental in upgrading the current KSLTA facility which was a rundown clay court with an unkept gallery Under his leadership the facility went on to don a new look and transformed into a stateoftheart tennis stadium in the lush green heart of the city He was instrumental in bringing worldclass events to Bengaluru including the Legends Tour World Doubles Championships and WTA Indian Open which saw the Williams sisters Serena and Venus enthrall the Bengaluru tennis aficionados the KSLTA said in a releaseAt the helm of tennis in Karnataka Krishna ensured the sport went to tier2 cities and other districts in Karnataka and today the ITF tournaments are held in more than 12 districts making Karnataka the only state to go far and wide with infrastructure that can host international matches including ITF and ATP Challenger events it addedIt is a very thoughtful initiative by Priyank Kharge and the KSLTA to host a Memorial Tournament in the name of late Shri SM Krishna former Chief Minister of Karnataka who was an avid tennis lover himself Not only did he want to grow the sport in Karnataka and develop infrastructure in more than 12 districts but he himself was a tennis player and even as a Chief Minister despite his hectic schedule I remember he would take some time out to play a few rounds of tennis every day Such was his love for the sport and enthusiasm to stay fit stated DK Shivakumar Deputy Chief Minister of KarnatakaI am very happy his legacy will be carried forward by young administrators like Priyank and his team at KSLTA The Government of Karnataka will lend all the necessary support required to run this tournament in a smooth and professional manner he addedEmphasising their intent behind hosting this tournament Priyank Kharge Minister of IT BT Science amp Technology amp Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Govt of Karnataka and the senior vice president of KSLTA expressed The former Chief Minister Late SM Krishnas contribution to tennis in Karnataka is unparalleled He had the vision to develop the sport and under his guidance the KSLTA has grown from strengthtostrength and is today known to host some of the biggest ITF and ATP tournaments in the country As a befitting tribute to him we at KSLTA have decided to host the SM Krishna Memorial Tournament which is an ITF Mens M25 event with a prize money of 30000 USD It will be an annual event and we are grateful to Government of Karnataka for their support to host this event in his honourThe qualifying rounds for the tournament will be held on March 29 and 30 and the main rounds will begin on March 31 and the singles finals are slated for April 6 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/kslta-to-host-sm-krishna-memorial-tournament-with-usd-30-000-prize-money-608179.html Mon, 24 Mar 2025 20:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-tiafoe-berrettini-make-winning-starts-rublev-bows-out-607933.html Miami March 23 Playing in his 100th ATP Masters 1000 match Frances Tiafoe earned his 50th win at the prestigious level with a 75 765 win against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina The 27yearold earned his first Top 40 win since beating Daniil Medvedev at Laver Cup last September by improving to 31 in his Lexus ATP HeadtoHead series with Davidovich Fokina avenging a defeat to the Spaniard last month in Acapulco ATP reportsWins like that are big for me said Tiafoe who saved all four break points he faced after dropping serve in the opening game Any win right now is big for me but especially the way I played I was super aggressive so Im really happy with itTiafoe will next meet 17th seed Arthur Fils who led lucky loser Gabriel Diallo 64 23 before the Canadian retired with an ankle injuryAndrey Rublev on the other hand became the latest upset victim with Belgiums Zizou Bergs knocking him out 75 64 The 25yearold Bergs earned his first Top 20 win by beating the No 9 in the ATP Rankings to advance to his first ATP Masters 1000 third roundBergs will seek to score another upset against Matteo Berrettini in the third round after the Italian opened his Miami campaign with a 46 63 63 win against Hugo GastonIn a rematch of the 2024 Kitzbuhel final the 29thseeded Berrettini beat lucky loser Gaston with a dominant serving performanceMeanwhile the 18yearold Brazilian Joao Fonseca became the youngest player to reach round three at ATP Masters 1000 since Carlos Alcaraz in Paris in 2021Fonseca delivered a fivestar display to defeat 19th seed Ugo Humbert 64 63 and reach the third round at an ATP Masters 1000 for the first time in his fledgling careerDue to a lastminute schedule change Fonseca and Humberts secondround clash was relocated from Grandstand to StadiumFonseca has enjoyed a rapid rise at the start of the 2025 season He claimed his maiden tourlevel title in Buenos Aires in February and is now up to a new careerhigh No 58 in the ATP Live Rankings IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-tiafoe-berrettini-make-winning-starts-rublev-bows-out-607933.html Sun, 23 Mar 2025 11:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-alcaraz-falls-to-goffin-in-second-round-djokovic-ties-nadal-for-most-atp-masters-1000-wins-607758.html Miami March 22 Carlos Alcaraz was defeated 57 64 63 by Belgiums David Goffin in the second round of the Miami Open on Friday local time Goffin managed to break the second seed in each set sealing the win on his second match point when Alcaraz sliding across the court couldnt return a forehand that Goffin expertly placed in the corner Next for Goffin is American Brandon Nakashima who triumphed 64 46 63 over Roberto Carballes BaenaSixtime Miami Open champion Novak Djokovic marked his highly anticipated return to the tournament with a dominant 60 761 win over Australias Rinky Hijikata advancing to the third round This was Djokovics first Miami appearance since 2019 and his victory was his 410th ATP Masters 1000 match win tying him with Rafael Nadal for the most alltime wins in the seriesI wanted to make a statement to myself and to others as well that Im still able to play on a high level Djokovic told reportersOn the other hand Russian seventh seed Daniil Medvedev the reigning Miami champion and fresh off a semifinal appearance at Indian Wells was stunned in the first round losing 62 63 to Spains Jaume MunarOther notable results saw former Miami finalists Casper Ruud and Grigor Dimitrov advance while Australian Nick Kyrgios who secured his first win since 2022 earlier this week was defeated 763 60 by Karen KhachanovOn the womens side Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva making her Miami Open debut after winning the first part of the Sunshine Double at Indian Wells crushed Veronika Kudermetova 60 62 Andreeva will face Doha champion Amanda Anisimova in the next roundPolish second seed Iga Swiatek continued her strong form beating Caroline Garcia 62 75 for the second time in as many tournaments Swiatek will meet Belgian Elise Mertens in the third round after Mertens defeated Peyton Stearns 64 61Australian Open champion Madison Keys moved on with a 63 63 win over Elina Avanesyan from Armenia and will next play Filipino wildcard Alexandra Eala who triumphed over 25th seed Jelena Ostapenko 762 75Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu also advanced with a hardfought 766 26 763 win over Emma Navarro Additional women advancing included Spanish 10th seed Paula Badosa and Czech 15th seed Karolina Muchova IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-alcaraz-falls-to-goffin-in-second-round-djokovic-ties-nadal-for-most-atp-masters-1000-wins-607758.html Sat, 22 Mar 2025 10:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-osaka-defending-champion-collins-power-into-third-round-gauff-bests-kenin-607565.html Miami March 21 Naomi Osaka defeated No 24 seed Samsonova 62 64 at the Miami Open to enter the third round Osaka the 2022 Miami Open finalist held off a very lastminute surge by her opponent to close out the match in 1 hour and 22 minutes repeating her win over Samsonova from Indian Wells last yearOsaka and Samsonova faced off in the second round of a WTA 1000 event during the Sunshine Double And for the second year in a row former World No 1 Japanese came away the straightsets victor according to WTAAfter a firstround loss at this years Indian Wells event Osaka has been back on track in Miami following up her comefrombehind win over Yuliia Starodubtseva with her victory over Samsonova Osaka has now compiled an 83 winloss record in 2025Osakas next opponent will be wild card Hailey Baptiste of the United States Earlier on Thursday Baptiste collected her third career Top 20 win with a gripping 36 64 75 upset of No 12 seed Daria KasatkinaOsaka and Baptiste faced off for the first time in the first week of this year in the Auckland quarterfinals On that occasion Osaka prevailed 672 61 62 en route to a runnerup showing to Clara Tauson in New ZealandElsewhere No 14 seed Danielle Collins who won her first WTA 1000 title here in Miami last year joined Osaka in the third round after her nightsession victoryCollins defeated Romanias Sorana Cirstea 64 763 in Thursdays final match on the stadium court She now holds a perfect 30 record against Cirstea after her 1hour and 40minute winNext up for Collins in her title defense will be her first meeting with qualifier Rebeka Masarova of Switzerland Earlier on Thursday Masarova upset Donna Vekic 61 63 to earn her third career Top 20 winIn another action thirdseeded Coco Gauff thumped her fellow American Sofia Kenin without the loss of a game in 47 minutes It was the second 60 60 victory of Gauffs career having also defeated Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands by that score last year in Madrid WTA reportsGauff who has never been past the fourth round in Miami will face No 28 seed Maria Sakkari in the third round for the second time in as many tournaments IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-osaka-defending-champion-collins-power-into-third-round-gauff-bests-kenin-607565.html Fri, 21 Mar 2025 10:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-monfils-becomes-second-oldest-man-to-win-a-match-at-atp-masters-1000-607339.html Miami March 20 Gael Monfils made history at the Miami Open as he became the secondoldest man to win a match at the ATP Masters 1000 event after Jimmy Connors ATP No 1 Club member Connors is the oldest man to win a match in Miami having done so at 39 in 1992The 38yearold Frenchman overcame last years quarterfinalist Fabian Marozsan 63 36 64 to reach the second round in Florida after one hour and 44 minutes ATP reportsMonfils struck 38 winners and committed 18 unforced errors to clinch victory and set up a meeting with Jiri LeheckaI hit some different angles and showed I could run and anticipate I made it hard for him I hit with a bit more depth in my shots and did not let him dictate and I think I did well Monfils saidEarlier Alexander Bublik clinched his maiden tourlevel win on outdoor courts in 2025 The 27yearold overcame Sebastian Baez 63 64 to record his first victory in Miami since 2022Bublik who advanced to the quarterfinals in Florida in 2021 will next meet Tommy PaulDavid Goffin eliminated Aleksandar Vukic 26 64 62 to set a secondround clash with second seed Carlos Alcaraz The 34yearold Belgian is a former semifinalist 2016 at the ATP Masters 1000Rinky Hijikata defeated Hamad Medjedovic 75 36 75 and will next take on Novak Djokovic Australian qualifier Tristan Schoolkate cruised past American Ethan Quinn 60 62 and will play Felix AugerAliassime in the second roundItalian Federico Cina won his first tourlevel match at the Miami Open where he defeated Argentine Francisco Comesana 764 762The 17yearold dug deep in the second set battling through the tiebreak after initially squandering a 52 lead in the set and a match point on return at 53 The wild card raised his arms aloft after sealing victory and he will next play Grigor Dimitrov according to ATP IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-monfils-becomes-second-oldest-man-to-win-a-match-at-atp-masters-1000-607339.html Thu, 20 Mar 2025 09:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-nick-kyrgios-records-his-first-win-in-896-days-607350.html Miami March 20 Nick Kyrgios recorded his first ATP Tour win since 2022 by rallying past American qualifier Mackenzie McDonald at the Miami Open The 29yearold who has been hampered by foot and wrist injuries during an 18month period returned to action at the start of the year Kyrgios shook off his nagging wrist pain that has kept him sidelined for the past two years and forced him to retire during a firstround match at Indian Wells a few weeks ago before downing McDonald 36 63 64After a wrist injury threatened to force the 29yearold into an early retirement from tennis Kyrgios believes this milestone is the crowning moment of his returnIts been a long journey even just to get to the start line of matches and be scared even to be able to finish them he said To come up and get a win and feel like I belong again its pretty specialKyrgios will next play 22nd seed Karen Khachanov to avenge his US Open 2022 quarterfinals defeat which prevented his path to backtoback Grand Slam finalsKyrgios winner of seven titles all on hard courts has reached at least the fourth round in five Miami Open appearances for his most consistent Masters 1000 eventSomething about Miami brings out my best stuff Im proud of the way I dug it out and competed At this level you have to compete I cant believe Im here with the surgery I went through and back in the winners corner said the 892ndranked Kyrgios who got into the tournament with a protective rankingIt was heavy for me personally Just the daybyday process to even be able to hit a tennis ball again was insane I want to be strong in those moments but it was tough he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-nick-kyrgios-records-his-first-win-in-896-days-607350.html Thu, 20 Mar 2025 10:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-kenin-beats-former-champ-kvitova-to-set-meeting-with-gauff-607149.html Miami March 19 Sofia Kenin won a firstround clash between Grand Slam champions at the Miami Open to set up a secondround showdown against another Grand Slam champion Coco Gauff Kenin the 2020 Australian Open champion from the United States defeated new mom and twotime Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic 64 75 at the WTA 1000 hardcourt eventKenin took 1 hour and 25 minutes to level her headtohead with former Miami champion Kvitova at 22 One of Kvitovas wins came here in 2018 but Kenin got the job done this time around in her home state of FloridaFormer World No 2 Kvitova who defeated Elena Rybakina to win the Miami Open title just two years ago gave birth to son Petr last July Kvitova made her celebrated return to tour action less than a month ago WTA reportsThe Czech is still winless in her three appearances on court since her maternity leave ended She fell to Jodie Burrage in the first round of Austin and to Varvara Gracheva in her Indian Wells openerFormer World No 4 Kenin will now face current World No 3 Gauff in an allAmerican secondround encounter Kenin and Gauff have split their four career meetings on the WTA TourIn another match former Miami Open finalist Naomi Osaka survived a firstround scare from Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva coming from a set and a break down to advance 36 64 63 in 2 hours and 28 minutesOsaka the 2022 runnerup to Iga Swiatek had not won a match since reaching the third round of the Australian Open in January where she retired trailing Belinda Bencic by a set due to an abdominal injuryNext up is No 24 seed Liudmila Samsonova with whom she split two meetings last year IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/miami-open-kenin-beats-former-champ-kvitova-to-set-meeting-with-gauff-607149.html Wed, 19 Mar 2025 10:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/djokovic-alcaraz-land-in-same-half-of-miami-draw-606930.html Miami March 18 Sixtime champion Novak Djokovic and 2022 titlist Carlos Alcaraz have landed in the same half of the Miami Open maind draw starting from March 19 Djokovic is returning to the ATP Masters 1000 event in Miami for the first time since 2019 From 2011 through 2016 the Serbian star won five of the six editions He will begin his return to Miami against countryman Hamad Medjedovic the 2023 ATP Finals champion or Australian Rinky HijikataThe record 40time Masters 1000 winner could face another former No 1 in Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals Medvedev the 2023 Miami champion will take on Jaume Munar or Arthur Rinderknech in his opening matchDjokovic will try to bounce back from a threematch losing streak including an opening loss in Indian Wells against Botic van de Zandschulp The 37yearold owns a 447 record in Miami ATP reportsSecond seed Alcaraz who is 133 at the tournament according to the ATP WinLoss Index will begin his event against David Goffin or Aleksandar Vukic He could face 31st seed Brandon Nakashima in the third round and other seeded players in the Spaniards quarter include fifth seed Casper Ruud Grigor Dimitrov and 12th seed Tommy PaulLike at Indian Wells Alexander Zverev is the top seed The German has not won more than two consecutive matches since reaching the Australian Open final and will try to get back on track in Miami where he made the semifinals last yearZverev will begin his tournament against Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi or a qualifier The 27yearold could play dangerous 28th seed Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the third round with 16th seed Frances Tiafoe and 17th seed Arthur Fils potential fourthround opponentsJack Draper fresh off his maiden Masters 1000 triumph is the sixth seed The Briton is in Zverevs quarter of the draw and will face former Top 10 player Roberto Bautista Agut or NextGenATP Czech Jakub Mensik in the second roundThird seed Taylor Fritz leads the second quarter of the draw and will play Mariano Navone or Lorenzo Sonego in the second round Denis Shapovalov the 27th seed who defeated Fritz last month in Dallas is a potential thirdround opponent for the American IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/djokovic-alcaraz-land-in-same-half-of-miami-draw-606930.html Tue, 18 Mar 2025 09:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/draper-wins-maiden-atp-masters-1000-title-in-indian-wells-606726.html Indian Wells March 17 Jack Draper rose to the occasion in the biggest final of his career at the Indian Wells Open to claim his first ATP Masters 1000 title The 23yearold Briton stormed to a 62 62 victory against Holger Rune in the summit clash Draper and Rune were the first non Top 10 players to compete in a Masters final since 2021 in Indian WellsIts incredible I wasnt expecting this Ive put in a lot of work over time and Im just so grateful and so happy to be out here to be able to play my body being healthy to feel great in my mindAll the work Ive done over the last few years feels like its coming together on the big stage and I cant put that into words Draper said moments after his onehour nineminute victoryDraper lost just four points on serve in the opening set according to Infosys ATP Stats and held a break chance for a 50 lead He broke again in the opening game of set two and eased through the finish line without facing a break point ATP reportsEnroute to title Draper ousted top talents reach final including wins against twotime defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and Americans Ben Shelton and Taylor FritzIn addition to his third ATP Tour title and his first on outdoor hard courts Draper will be rewarded with his Top 10 debut On Monday he will rise seven places to No 7 in the ATP RankingsSundays final was the first at ATP Masters 1000 level contested by two players born in the 2000s and the first between players outside the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings since World No 26 Cameron Norrie beat No 36 Nikoloz Basilashvili in the 2021 Indian Wells finalIt was also the first Indian Wells final between players age 23 or younger since Rafael Nadal 22 beat Andy Murray 21 in 2009 according to ATP stats IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/draper-wins-maiden-atp-masters-1000-title-in-indian-wells-606726.html Mon, 17 Mar 2025 09:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/andreeva-topples-sabalenka-to-win-indian-wells-womens-singles-crown-606731.html Indian Wells March 17 Mirra Andreeva captured her second consecutive WTA 1000 title after toppling World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka 26 64 63 in the final of the Indian Wells Open The 17yearold Russian become the youngest Indian Wells Open champion since Serena Williams in 1999 and the third youngest in tournament history after Martina Hingis in 1998 and SerenaAndreeva rallied from a set down to win her 12th straight match after winning her first WTA 1000 title last month at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Andreeva is the youngest player to notch 12 consecutive WTA 1000 wins since the formats inception in 2009 WTA reportsI would again like to thank myself for fighting until the end and for always believing in me and for never quitting Andreeva said on her oncourt speech I tried to run like a rabbit today It was really hard to just keep up so I just tried my best and thats why I would thank myself because I think I played a little part alsoAndreeva is the youngest player to defeat the World No 1 in a WTA final since Maria Sharapova defeated Lindsay Davenport in Tokyo 2005 and the third player aged 17 or younger in the last 40 years to defeat the World No 1 and World No 2 in a single WTA eventIn the semifinals Andreeva ended twotime champion and No 2 Iga Swiateks title defense beating her for the second time in as many tournamentsIndian Wells is Andreevas third career title and second of the season Two of her three titles have now come at the WTA 1000 level and she is set to rise to career high No 6 on the WTA Rankings on Monday She leaves Indian Wells as the outright tour leader in wins this season with 19 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/andreeva-topples-sabalenka-to-win-indian-wells-womens-singles-crown-606731.html Mon, 17 Mar 2025 10:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/ambitious-draper-dont-want-to-just-stop-says-main-goal-is-to-keep-on-knuckling-down-606745.html Indian Wells March 17 After winning his first Masters 1000 title at the Indian Wells Open by downing Holger Rune 62 62 in just over an hour Jack Draper is determined to continue improving to create such moments again In addition to his third ATP Tour title and his first on outdoor hard courts Draper will be rewarded with his Top 10 debut He will rise seven places to No 7 in the ATP RankingsIm not really thinking about any outcomes rankingwise or eventswise I feel like I have achieved a lot in the last year and its been nothing to do with setting goals Setting goals and saying youre going to do something its important to believe it but if youre not putting in the work and putting in the sacrifice and the days of consistency together then youre not going to achieve anything Draper saidMe and my coach we try waking up each day and approaching practice approaching everything I do in a very structured way and a very consistent way so that I dont have many bad days So when I do maybe have a bad day my level is still very highSo obviously I want to be a great player and I want to achieve amazing things in this sport but my main goal is keep on improving and keep on knuckling down I know there is a long way ahead of me Im very ambitious I dont want to just stop here I want to keep on going the Briton addedDraper flew out of the gates against the twotime defending champion Carlos Alcaraz claiming the first set in a lightningquick 23 minutes which Alcaraz termed as one of the worst sets of tennis hed ever playedI think yesterday was definitely a big moment for me I hadnt felt that way on the court for a while where I felt like my energy was kind of sapped from the emotions from the match with Carlos and the environment and who I was playing Draper saidI think that third set yesterday was huge for me because I came in today knowing this is a final I might have the same feelings But in truth I felt kind of a bit nervous before I played but then when I got out on the court I felt amazing he concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/ambitious-draper-dont-want-to-just-stop-says-main-goal-is-to-keep-on-knuckling-down-606745.html Mon, 17 Mar 2025 11:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/indian-wells-draper-stuns-alcaraz-to-reach-maiden-masters-1000-final-606574.html Indian Wells March 16 Jack Draper snapped twotime defending champion Carlos Alcarazs 16match win streak at the Indian Wells Open to power into his maiden ATP Masters 1000 final Draper powered through a riveting final set to clinch a 61 06 64 victory and book his spot in the final alongside With his onehour 44minute victory Draper ensured that he will rise inside the Top 10 in the ATP Rankings for the first time on MondayIt was incredible Draper said of his victory Especially to beat Carlos on this court Hes a great champion and he was going for three wins on the trot hereCarlos came out a little flat I sensed that I had a chance in the first game of the second and he came up with an ace What happened to him happened to me I got tight I had low energy Against the top players in the world they can change their momentum very quicklyI got lost out there for 25 minutes but in the third I was really proud of my competitiveness my attitude and I somehow managed to get over the line he addedAlcaraz was bidding to join Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic on the list of players who have successfully completed an Indian Wells threepeatDraper who is up to No 8 in the ATP Live Rankings will face 21yearold Holger Rune in the first final between two players born in the 2000s above ATP 500 level Following runs to the fourth round at the Australian Open and to the championship matches in Doha and Indian Wells the Briton is 122 in 2025 seasonDespite dropping 600 ATP Rankings points Alcaraz will remain as the World No 3 on Monday IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/indian-wells-draper-stuns-alcaraz-to-reach-maiden-masters-1000-final-606574.html Sun, 16 Mar 2025 11:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/i-was-more-focused-on-drapers-game-than-myself-alcaraz-on-indian-wells-sf-loss-606585.html Indian Wells March 16 Carlos Alcaraz has said that his nerves and being too focused on Jack Drapers strong game led to his defeat in the threeset semifinal to the British lefty at the Indian Wells Open Seeking a third consecutive title at the years first ATP Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells the secondseeded Spaniard saw his 16match winning streak in the desert come to an end after losing to Draper 61 06 64 in the semifinalI always say that I have to be focused on myself on my own game I think today I was more worried about his level his game than myself So when youre thinking more about the opponent than yourself then it is a big problem the former World No 1 and fourtime Grand Slam champion was quoted by ATP TourSo thats what happened today Since the beginning of the day since the morning I was thinking about his game because hes really tough hes really solid and its going to be a really physical match he addedAlcaraz was seen having an extended conversation with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero before the match Asked about the discussion Alcaraz said It has been a difficult day for me I didnt practise well I didnt feel myself well on courtEven in the warming up on court I was missing a lot I didnt feel my shots So thats why I was talking with Juan Carlos on the bike because I was a little bit mad with myself about the way I warmed up on courtI didnt approach the match in the best way that I could So I was nervous during the whole day in the practice before the matchDisappointed to see his bid end to join only Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer as threepeat champions in Indian Wells thr Spaniard said he would use the defeat as a learning experience and motivation to rebound at the Miami Open which begins next WednesdayHow much its gonna take to take the upset Not too much Not too much Because I consider myself a person who learns from the fails from the losses The last time that I lost here was the semifinal I won Miami so I think I will go for it I will learn from that match and I will make the most of myself in Miami said Alcaraz IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/i-was-more-focused-on-drapers-game-than-myself-alcaraz-on-indian-wells-sf-loss-606585.html Sun, 16 Mar 2025 12:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/clta-denying-support-to-neeraj-trying-to-crush-his-career-says-ajay-yashpaul-606515.html DW Bureau Chandigarh March 15 2025 In what appears to be an obvious attempt to demoralise a bright tennis player the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association CLTA has denied support and wild card in singles to Neeraj Yashpaul Chandigarhs No 1 Mens Singles Tennis Player Ajay Yashpaul a distraught fathercoach of Neeraj addressed a press conference to expose CLTAs conspiracy against his sonnbspAjay informed the media that on the basis of being Chandigarhs No 1 player Neeraj had applied for a main draw wild card in the ITF mens tennis tournament being held in Chandigarh from till March 16 He said Just like last year he didnt get any wild card for the main draw in singles which is proof of the continuous neglect being faced by him at hands of his parent association CLTA CLTA is out to crush the career of my sonAjay added that the CLTAs act has not only scuttled his entry for international tennis tournaments but he has also been deprived of practice facilities at CLTA to get trained with his coaching team It is the right of the No 1 player to train at the parent associations facility and also to get a wild card entry in ITF Tournaments being held at CLTA said AjaynbspAjay further said that when he had applied to CLTA for allowing Neeraj to train with his coaching team the application was put on the backburner My attempts to get Neeraj entry via the Sports Department too were scuttled under a well thought out sinister plan added AjaynbspI am unable to understand the way CLTA is behaving with Neeraj apart from being the No 1 lawn tennis player in Chandigarh henbsp was the only one from Chandigarh in the last 5 years tonbsp achieve a ranking of 15 in mens singles in Indianbsp nbspHe has multiple achievements such as winning major AITA mens tournaments to his credit He was a silver medallist in the first edition of the Khelo India University Games two times Gold Medalist in intercollege tennis championships and Gold Medalist in the InterUniversity tennis championship Ajay said furtherAjay bemoaned that due to CLTAs apathy he had to train Neeraj at different facilities which at times were not upto the mark and that this forced him to leave Chandigarh with Neeraj I shifted to Delhi for better training avenues for my son Though now we are back my son is still being denied a wild card by CLTA Whats more even today he doesnt have access to courts at CLTA which is his rightnbspAjay added that despite his sterling achievements Neeraj has been left unsupported with no sponsorship to participate in tournaments which is a massive setback for his career Ajay revealed that funds were not an issue at CLTA but the real issue was that these were being spent on wrong players at the cost of deserving onesnbspTennis is an expensive sport and involves international travels So far I have been bearing the cost of Neerajs training and travel for national and international tournaments A middle class family cant afford such expenses beyond a point he addedReflecting further he said that CLTAs promotion of player development through academies such as the Chandigarh Academy for Rural Tennis CHART should be probed as nondeserving players are being promotednbspIn reply to a question Ajay Yashpaul said that the Chandigarh Sports Department which has leased the CLTA premises has left players like Neeraj to fend for themselves amp shown no interest in addressing the challenges faced by his son and other deserving athletesnbspSince the CLTA and the Chandigarh Sports Department are not coming forth with support Ajay made an earnest appeal to corporate sponsors and sports enthusiasts to step in and support Neeraj who has proven his worth through hard work dedication and consistent resultsWe are not asking for charity but for genuine recognition of merit Neeraj needs financial backing to continue his highlevel training and compete in international tournaments The time has come for Neeraj to make difficult decisions about his future in tennis The level of subjugation of my son is such that any other player would have quit by now its Neerajs strong will that is making him continue the fight said YashpaulnbspIf this neglect continues Neeraj may have to reconsider his career trajectory The support he needs to continue playing at the highest level must come now or his dreams could be dashed added an emotive Yashpaul https://dailyworld.in/tennis/clta-denying-support-to-neeraj-trying-to-crush-his-career-says-ajay-yashpaul-606515.html Sat, 15 Mar 2025 18:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/indian-wells-andreeva-stuns-swiatek-to-set-up-final-against-sabalenka-606431.html Indian Wells March 15 Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva pulled off a stunning victory over defending champion Iga Swiatek on Saturday winning 761 16 63 to book her place in the Indian Wells final She will face top seed Aryna Sabalenka who delivered a dominant 60 61 win over Madison Keys avenging her Australian Open final defeat At just 17 Andreeva has displayed remarkable talent this season and now has her sights set on securing consecutive WTA 1000 titles following her triumph in Dubai last month Really tough match tough conditions I tried to really hang in there It was not easy but Im super happy with the win today and I cant wait to play finals on Sunday Andreeva said after the match After a tightly contested opening set Andreeva was near flawless in the tiebreak sealing it when Swiatek sent a forehand wide However the Polish second seed responded emphatically in the second set breaking early and leveling the match when Andreevas backhand sailed out As the temperature dropped and the wind picked up in the California desert Andreeva regained control by breaking serve to open the third set She then powered a forehand winner to take a 31 lead while Swiateks frustration became evident culminating in a backhand error on match point After she literally killed me in the second set I thought okay Ill just try to fight Andreeva said on courtThere is not much I could do about it she was playing amazing I just decided to fight for every point It doesnt matter how I put the ball in but I have to put it in In the end it wasnt too badThe ninth seed is coached by former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez who reached two Indian Wells finals in her playing career I know that my coach lost in the finals so Im going to try to be better than her said Andreeva with a laughSwiatek a fivetime Grand Slam champion was aiming to become the first woman to win three Indian Wells titles but her campaign ended in disappointment On the other hand Sabalenka needed just 52 minutes to dismantle Keys earning swift revenge for her Australian Open final defeat in January A double fault from Keys handed the Belarusian a 40 lead in the first set and despite the blustery conditions Sabalenka breezed through the match The American finally got on the scoreboard at 51 in the second set drawing cheers from the crowd but it was too little too late as she sent a backhand into the net on match point I didnt expect that match to be that fast but Im super happy Much needed revenge Sabalenka saidA threetime Grand Slam winner Sabalenka was the runnerup at Indian Wells in 2023 and is eager to go one step further Shes also looking forward to facing Andreeva acknowledging the 17yearolds rapid rise It feels like old mama playing against the kid Im like what nine years older than her She is two years younger than my sister and I look at my sister as a kid Its crazy said 26yearold SabalenkaFor Andreeva the final presents another shot at revenge having lost to Sabalenka in straight sets in the fourth round of the Australian Open earlier this year Im going to try to take revenge because I still have nothing to lose she saidI feel like the match is going to be entertaining There are going to be a lot of winners a lot of great points IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/indian-wells-andreeva-stuns-swiatek-to-set-up-final-against-sabalenka-606431.html Sat, 15 Mar 2025 11:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/draper-beats-shelton-medvedev-digs-deep-to-reach-indian-wells-sf-606305.html Indian Wells March 14 Jack Draper edged Ben Shelton 64 75 in the quarterfinals to reach hos first ATP 1000 semifinal in Indian Wells Draper took the opening set behind its only break then battled back from 03 in the second set in a bighitting battle While both players were eager to attack throughout the match Shelton struggled with his consistency and hit five double faults according to ATP Stats Two of those double faults came in his crucial service game at 55 in the second set including on break point reports ATPThe 23yearold Draper and 22yearold Shelton were each seeking their first ATP Masters 1000 semifinal in their third quarterfinal appearanceDraper is through to his 10th tourlevel semifinal His two biggest semifinal showings have come in the past six months on hard courts at the 2024 US Open and this week in Indian Wells He could face fan favourite Carlos Alcaraz next if the twotime defending champion can get past Francisco CerundoloElsewhere fifthseeded Daniil Medvedev fought off an inspired comeback from the 20yearold Frenchman to book his spot in the semifinals for a third time 64 26 767Medvedev a finalist in California in 2023 and 2024 looked in real trouble when he trailed the 20yearold Fils 24 in the third set However Medvedev has a history of delivering at the first ATP Masters 1000 event of the year and he did so once again to earn a victory on his third match pointMedvedev is aiming to lift his first trophy since 2023 when he clinched his sixth ATP Masters 1000 title in Rome The fifth seed is into his 15th semifinal at this level and will try to reach his 11th final when he faces Holger Rune on Saturday IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/draper-beats-shelton-medvedev-digs-deep-to-reach-indian-wells-sf-606305.html Fri, 14 Mar 2025 10:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/indian-wells-alcaraz-sails-into-qfs-draper-knocks-out-former-champ-fritz-606134.html Indian Wells March 13 Carlos Alcaraz breezed past Grigor Dimitrov 61 61 and extended his Indian Wells winning streak to 15 matches He also moved within three victories of an Indian wells threepeat The Spaniard who lost just six games in each of his opening two matches showcased impressive display of the tournament in windy evening conditions under the lights on Stadium 1 Alcarazs athleticism did not allow Dimitrov to hit through him in an entertaining eveningAfter ATP Masters 1000 wins in Shanghai 2023 and Miami 2024 Dimitrov was bidding to become just the fourth man to record four or more victories against Alcaraz Zverev Djokovic Sinner and to join Felix AugerAliassime as the only player to defeat Alcaraz three times in a row ATP reportsAlcaraz remains on course for an Indian Wells threepeat If he can match Roger Federer 200406 and Novak Djokovic 201416 by achieving that feat the Spaniard would tie Jannik Sinner in first place in the ATP Live Race To Turin In the PIF ATP Rankings Alcaraz cannot improve upon his No 3 position this week behind Sinner and Alexander Zverev even with the titleEarlier Jack Draper clinched the biggest win of his season where he eliminated former champion and World No 4 Taylor Fritz 75 64 to advance to the quarterfinals in Indian Wells for the first timeWith his 79minute win Draper advanced to his third ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal The World No 14 who would crack the Top 10 for the first time if he reaches his second tourlevel final of the season Doha lost in the last eight in Montreal in 2022 and in Cincinnati in 2024Draper will aim to go at least one step further in California where he next meets Ben Shelton youngest American Indian Wells quarterfinalist in 21 years since since Andy Roddick 21 in 2004The 22yearold overcame countryman Brandon Nakashima 766 61 to continue his impressive record against the American and advance to his third ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/indian-wells-alcaraz-sails-into-qfs-draper-knocks-out-former-champ-fritz-606134.html Thu, 13 Mar 2025 15:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/rune-beats-tsitsipas-to-reach-ninth-masters-1000-qf-in-indian-wells-605931.html Indian Wells March 12 Holger Rune overcame Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Indian Wells fourth round to snap the Greeks sevenmatch winning streak Rune flashed his entire repertoire in a 64 64 win over Tsitsipas that upped his record against the Greek Grand Slam finalist to 40 He pulled off perhaps one of the shots of the year in the second set a tweener lobRune is into his ninth Masters 1000 quarterfinal with his best result at this level a title run in Paris in 2022 when he was just 19 Having reached the same stage in Indian Wells last year the 12th seed is the first Scandinavian since Stefan Edberg in 199495 to advance to consecutive quarterfinals in the California desert ATP reportsRune had an inconsistent start to the year The World No 13 reached the fourth round at the Australian Open but struggled in February failing to record consecutive wins at tourlevel events in Rotterdam Buenos Aires and AcapulcoAfter earning his 16th Top 10 win and first on an outdoor hard court Rune will aim to continue his run when he meets Tallon Griekspoor in the last eightIt was an extremely good match from my side from start to finish I stayed very committed to my game plan Mentally I was very very good I think thats what made the difference How composed I could stay Rune who had to retire at his last tournament in Acapulco due to food poisoning said in a TV interviewEarlier Griekspoor overcame Japanese qualifier Yosuke Watanuki and the rain to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinalIn a raindisrupted clash Griekspoor earned a 764 61 win to become the first Dutchman to advance to the last eight at a Masters 1000 since Robin Haase in Toronto in 2018Griekspoor captured the biggest win of his career in the second round when he upset No 2 in the ATP Rankings Alexander Zverev Griekspoor has been in redhot form in recent weeks having also advanced to the semifinals in Dubai IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/rune-beats-tsitsipas-to-reach-ninth-masters-1000-qf-in-indian-wells-605931.html Wed, 12 Mar 2025 10:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/svitolina-andreeva-swiatek-reach-indian-wells-quarterfinals-605947.html Indian Wells March 12 No 23 seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine withstood rain and battled into the Indian Wells Open quarterfinals with a 57 61 62 upset of No 4 seed American Jessica Pegula The former Indian Wells semifinalist shook off her early misfortunes and flipped the match on its ear as she claimed 12 of the final 15 games to earn a trip to her 21st WTA 1000 quarterfinal and first since 2021On a misty day in the California desert Svitolina and Pegula had to brave a lengthy rain delay after the first game of the third set It was Svitolina who came back from the interlude with fire in her eyes She put Pegula on the back foot and raced away with the winPegula entered Indian Wells having just won the Austin title earlier this month but Svitolina came out on top earning just her third win over Pegula in their eight career meetingsSvitolina who is into the quarterfinals at Tennis Paradise for the first time since 2019 will face either Mirra Andreeva who ousted Elena Rybakina for the second time in three weeks to advance to the quarterfinals with a commanding 61 62 winThe 17yearold Russian Andreevas run in the desert comes fresh off the heels of her capturing a maiden WTA 1000 title at the Dubai Championships which propelled her to become the youngest player to reach the Top 10 since 2007Earlier Iga Swiatek thumped 15thseeded Karolina Muchova with 61 61 victory tp march into the quarterfinalsThe Pole has dropped just six games through three rounds which ties Monica Seles record for the fewest games dropped en route to the Indian Wells quarterfinals with a minimum of three matches playedIn the process Swiatek ramps up her bid to become the first woman to ever win three Indian Wells Open titles and the first woman to successfully defend the title here since Martina Navratilova in 1991Since the events inauguration in 1989 Monica Seles has conceded the fewest games en route to the womens singles title at Indian Wells dropping just 12 games in 1992 in five matches If any player has a chance to match that incredible feat it would be Swiatek IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/svitolina-andreeva-swiatek-reach-indian-wells-quarterfinals-605947.html Wed, 12 Mar 2025 12:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/indian-wells-alcaraz-wins-14th-consecutive-match-at-atp-masters-1000-event-605806.html Indian Wells March 11 Carlos Alcaraz won his 14th consecutive match at the ATP Masters 1000 event when he defeated Denis Shapovalov 62 64 on Tuesday IST for a place in the fourth round at the Indian Wells Open The twotime defending champion Alcaraz has lost just two sets during his 14match winning streak He saved three of the four break points he faced and converted four of his eight opportunities according to ATP StatsShapovalov entered the tournament with an impressive 104 record on the season including a run to his maiden ATP 500 title in Dallas in February Yet Alcaraz was in full command seeing off the Canadian in 83 minutes for the loss of just six gamesAlcaraz came flying out of the gate to take a 50 lead Although Shapovalov found his game the recent Dallas Open champion was never able to put the victor into difficulty and the highestremaining seed in the tournament advanced in one hour and 24 minutes ATP reportsI know he started the season really strong showing really good tennis with the title in Dallas playing good tennis in Acapulco so I knew that I had to start the match really strong really focused on my things on the level Alcaraz said in his oncourt interviewTry to play good tennis good rallies at the beginning just to get the good pace to come into the match I saw that it was going to be a really good and difficult battle so just really happy with the way that I started the match he addedThe secondseed Spaniard trying to claim his sixth ATP Masters 1000 trophy will next take on 14th seed Grigor Dimitrov IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/indian-wells-alcaraz-wins-14th-consecutive-match-at-atp-masters-1000-event-605806.html Tue, 11 Mar 2025 13:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/indian-wells-tsitsipas-sinks-berrettini-to-reach-rd-4-medvedev-advances-with-michelsen-retirement-605576.html Indian Wells March 10 Stefanos Tsitsipas extended his win streak to seven matches at the Paribas Open in Indian Wells where he defeated Matteo Berrettini 63 63 The eighth seed Greek using the slower conditions to his advantage outplayed Berrettini for the second time in as many weeks Tsitsipas who sunk the Italian in the Dubai quarterfinals en route to the title last week improved to 51 in their ATP Head2Head seriesTsitsipas will surpass Andrey Rublev at No 7 in the ATP Live Rankings with a fourthround winHe would return to the Top 5 for the first time since September 2023 with a run to the championship match at the first ATP Masters 1000 of the yearTsitsipas next face 12th seed Holger Rune who claimed his first Top 20 win on hard court in 12 months when he defeated 18th seed Ugo Humbert 57 64 75 after converting four of 10 break chancesIn other match twotime finalist Daniil Medvedev advanced to the fourth round after Alex Michelsen was forced to retire just 10 minutes into their maiden meeting on Sunday due to illnessMedvedev took a medical timeout himself to deal with a nosebleed in the second game but upon resumption at 02 Michelsen called the match ATP reportsThe fifthseeded Medvedev made an impressive start by defeating Buyunchaokete on Friday for his 200th hardcourt win since 2020 The 29yearold is one victory away from a fourth consecutive ATP Tour quarterfinalthe fourth round Medvedev will face 10th seed Tommy Paul who earlier ousted 2021 champion Cameron Norrie 63 75 to earn his 50th ATP Masters 1000 win The 27yearold joined Taylor Fritz as the only active American players to reach this milestoneMichelsen has also withdrawn from the doubles event in which he partnered Ben Shelton The American duo has been replaced by Alexander Erler and Constantin Frantzen IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/indian-wells-tsitsipas-sinks-berrettini-to-reach-rd-4-medvedev-advances-with-michelsen-retirement-605576.html Mon, 10 Mar 2025 09:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/indian-wells-5-time-champion-djokovic-crash-out-in-opener-605475.html Indian Wells March 9 Fivetime champion Novak Djokovic suffered an opening round loss at the Indian Wells Open at hand of lucky loser Botic van de Zandschulp on Sunday IST Van de Zandschulp upset Djokovic 62 36 61 to add to his ever growing giant killing reputation He became the second lucky loser in a row to beat Djokovic at Indian Wells following in the footsteps of Luca Nardi 12 months agoDjokovic lost his third match in a row which last happened in 2018 as part of an injuryhit season He has dealt with injuries in 2025 too hurting his hamstring at the Australian OpenJust a bad day in the office I guess for me I regret for the level of tennis considering how I practice these days The difference between the center court and the other courts is immense Ball is bouncing on the center courts higher than some of the highest clay courts said DjokovicAfter retiring in his Australian Open semifinal against Alexander Zverev falling to Matteo Berrettini in his Doha opener and now suffering defeat to Van de Zandschulp it is just the second time Djokovic has lost three consecutive matches since the start of the 2008 season 2018 Australian OpenMiamiThe Serb who owns the record for most titles 40 finals 59 and semifinals 78 at ATP Masters 1000 level missed out on tying Nadal for the most match wins in Masters 1000 history although the perennial record breaker already owns the most Masters titlesVan de Zandschulp capitalised on an uncharacteristically errorstrewn opening set from Djokovic before conjuring some inspired shotmaking prowess in the decider to prevail in two hours one minute By securing his eighth victory over a Top 10 opponent Van de Zandschulp notched backtoback wins on the ATP Tour for the first time in 2025 ATP reportsVan de Zandschulp owns a heftier reputation than the Italian though The 29yearold beat Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal last season and collected a win over Nick Kyrgios on Thursday IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/indian-wells-5-time-champion-djokovic-crash-out-in-opener-605475.html Sun, 09 Mar 2025 10:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/indian-wells-5-time-champion-djokovic-crashes-out-in-opener-605502.html Indian Wells March 9 Fivetime champion Novak Djokovic suffered an opening round loss at the Indian Wells Open at hand of lucky loser Botic van de Zandschulp on Sunday IST Van de Zandschulp upset Djokovic 62 36 61 to add to his ever growing giant killing reputation He became the second lucky loser in a row to beat Djokovic at Indian Wells following in the footsteps of Luca Nardi 12 months agoDjokovic lost his third match in a row which last happened in 2018 as part of an injuryhit season He has dealt with injuries in 2025 too hurting his hamstring at the Australian OpenJust a bad day in the office I guess for me I regret for the level of tennis considering how I practice these days The difference between the center court and the other courts is immense Ball is bouncing on the center courts higher than some of the highest clay courts said DjokovicAfter retiring in his Australian Open semifinal against Alexander Zverev falling to Matteo Berrettini in his Doha opener and now suffering defeat to Van de Zandschulp it is just the second time Djokovic has lost three consecutive matches since the start of the 2008 season 2018 Australian OpenMiamiThe Serb who owns the record for most titles 40 finals 59 and semifinals 78 at ATP Masters 1000 level missed out on tying Nadal for the most match wins in Masters 1000 history although the perennial record breaker already owns the most Masters titlesVan de Zandschulp capitalised on an uncharacteristically errorstrewn opening set from Djokovic before conjuring some inspired shotmaking prowess in the decider to prevail in two hours one minute By securing his eighth victory over a Top 10 opponent Van de Zandschulp notched backtoback wins on the ATP Tour for the first time in 2025 ATP reportsVan de Zandschulp owns a heftier reputation than the Italian though The 29yearold beat Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal last season and collected a win over Nick Kyrgios on Thursday IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/indian-wells-5-time-champion-djokovic-crashes-out-in-opener-605502.html Sun, 09 Mar 2025 15:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/fonseca-rallies-past-fearnley-on-indian-wells-debut-605115.html Indian Wells March 7 Joao Fonseca pulled a stern firstround test from Jacob Fearnley in Indian Wells to add a maiden Paribas Open win to his breakout 2025 season on Friday IST The Brazilian prevailed 62 16 63 in a topsyturvy battle against Britains Fearnley In windy conditions the 18yearold trailed 13 in the deciding set but then reeled off five straight games to earn his second ATP Masters 1000 match win and his first on a hard court ATP reportsWith his twohour victory in Indian Wells Fonseca set a secondround clash with 13th seed Jack DraperWithin the past three months Fonseca has triumphed at the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals and lifted his maiden tourlevel title in Buenos Aires either side of upsetting Andrey Rublev for his first maindraw win at a major at the Australian OpenAfter pulling away and taking the opening set 62 Fonseca had to hold on tight in the second He saved two break points and wiggled through a fivedeuce game to hold for oneall but he couldnt get through his next service gameFearnley had a break for 31 and he quickly consolidated for 41 In the ensuing games the Brit who finished with a whopping 23 forehand winners on the day He closed out the second set in style and continued to hold sway over the run of play in the thirdAfter breaking for 21 his 17th forehand winner of the match gave the World No 81 a pair of game points to consolidate for 31 But Fonseca took control of the tugofwar and regained the upper hand and closed out victory with a perfect backhand volley winner to end the contest in two hoursThis was Fonsecas seventh tourlevel triumph of the season having won four of seven break points he earned according to ATP StatsIn other action Canadian Lucky Loser Gabriel Diallo saved a pair of match points to defeat Chinas Zhang Zhizhen on Stadium 3 26 62 767Jakub Mensik 19 also advanced defeating Tomas Martin Etcheverry 64 766 He will face 22ndseeded Karen Khachanov next IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/fonseca-rallies-past-fearnley-on-indian-wells-debut-605115.html Fri, 07 Mar 2025 10:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/tennis-india-to-face-switzerland-in-davis-cup-world-group-i-tie-in-september-605017.html New Delhi March 6 India is set to take on Switzerland in a Davis Cup World Group I tie following the draw conducted by the International Tennis Federation ITF in London on Thursday The crucial encounter will be hosted by Switzerland from September 12 to 14 with the hosts selecting the playing surface India secured their place in this tie with a dominant 40 victory over Togo in the World Group I Playoff held in New Delhi last month Meanwhile Switzerland suffered a 13 loss to Spain in the Qualifiers setting up this decisive fixture The winner of the IndiaSwitzerland tie will advance to next years Davis Cup Qualifiers while the losing team will be relegated to the World Group I PlayoffsHistorically India holds a 21 headtohead advantage over Switzerland though their last meeting was nearly three decades ago in 1993 In that tie Indian tennis legends Leander Paes and Ramesh Krishnan guided the team to a 32 victory in KolkataSwitzerlands squad boasts a strong lineup led by threetime Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka currently ranked World No 165 Other top Swiss singles players include World No 121 Alexander Ritschard World No 131 Jerome Kym and World No 172 MarcAndrea Huesler In doubles World No 101 Jakub Paul is Switzerlands highestranked playerIndias topranked singles player is World No 132 Sumit Nagal while Yuki Bhambri ranked World No 39 in doubles is the countrys leading doubles player However India will be without veteran Rohan Bopanna who retired from Davis Cup duties in 2023 Additionally Bhambri and Nagal have missed the last two and three Davis Cup ties respectivelyThe Indian squad that faced Togo featured Mukund Sasikumar Ramkumar Ramanathan and Karan Singh in singles while N Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli formed the doubles team Rohit Rajpal continues as Indias nonplaying captain IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/tennis-india-to-face-switzerland-in-davis-cup-world-group-i-tie-in-september-605017.html Thu, 06 Mar 2025 19:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/davidovich-fokina-machac-set-for-historic-mexican-open-final-604096.html Acapulco March 1 Alejandro Davidovich Fokinas remarkable resilience has taken him to the brink of his maiden ATP Tour title at the Mexican Open The Spaniard who had already survived four match points in the first round against Mattia Bellucci fought past an inform Denis Shapovalov 763 761 in a pulsating semifinal at the Arena GNP Seguros The victory marked Davidovich Fokinas third ATP final and his first at the ATP 500 level He now stands one match away from lifting his first career title but will have to overcome Czech eighth seed Tomas Machac in the championship clashThe match was so tight Davidovich Fokina said after his triumph The first set maybe he deserved it more The second set I deserved it maybe But at the end I didnt lose the fight because I was ready for everythingBoth sets of the semifinal were battles of momentum shifts each stretching beyond an hour Davidovich Fokina had to dig deep coming back from a 14 deficit in the opening set and later denying Shapovalov the chance to serve it out at 53 The Spaniards ability to withstand pressure was evident in the tiebreaks where he unleashed his best tennis to dominate and secure the straightsets winThe loss ended Shapovalovs eightmatch winning streak which included his title run in Dallas last month and denied him a shot at his second trophy of the season For Davidovich Fokina the victory was also a measure of redemption having squandered two championship points in Delray Beach earlier this monthOn the other side of the draw Tomas Machac booked his place in the final with a hardfought 64 16 64 win over Brandon Nakashima The Czech rising star playing in just his second ATP final after Geneva 2024 is on the verge of a career milestone A title win would not only earn him his first ATP crown but also make him the first Czech player in the ATP Top 50 since Tomas Berdych in 2018Machac is the second Czech finalist in Mexican Open history following Jiri Novak who won the 1998 title He also joins an elite group of Czech ATP 500 finalists alongside Berdych Radek Stepanek and Jiri Vesely IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/davidovich-fokina-machac-set-for-historic-mexican-open-final-604096.html Sat, 01 Mar 2025 13:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sinners-laureus-nomination-cancelled-due-to-doping-ban-603879.html Paris Feb 28 The Laureus World Sports Academy announced that it is withdrawing the nomination of Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner for the 2025 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award This decision follows a recent threemonth suspension imposed on the Italian by the World AntiDoping Agency WADAIn an email to the nominations panel the Academy explained that despite the extenuating circumstances surrounding the case the suspension made Sinners nomination ineligible Xinhua reportsFollowing discussions by the Laureus Academy it has been decided that Jannik Sinners Nomination for this years Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award is to be withdrawn We have followed this case the decisions of the relevant global bodies and whilst we note the extenuating circumstances involved feel that the threemonth ban renders the nomination ineligible Jannik and his team have been informed it said in a statementEarlier this month WADA revealed that Sinner had entered into a case resolution agreement after testing positive for clostebol in March 2024The threetime Grand Slam winner accepted the threemonth ban acknowledging that although he did not intentionally use a prohibited substance and did not benefit from it in his performance athletes are ultimately responsible for the actions of their support personnel WADA deemed the threemonth suspension an appropriate sanctionSinner who won the 2025 Australian Open in January will have to serve a threemonth ban from February 9 to May 4 four days having already been served under provisional suspension and will be allowed to return to training from April 13His retun on May 4 will allow him to participate in the second grand slam of the season at the Roland Garros the venue for the French Open which takes place in Paris France from May 19 to June 8The full list of nominees for the 2025 Laureus World Sports Awards will be announced on March 3 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/sinners-laureus-nomination-cancelled-due-to-doping-ban-603879.html Fri, 28 Feb 2025 10:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/bengaluru-open-unseeded-indian-pair-banthia-somani-storm-into-doubles-semifinals-603829.html Bengaluru Feb 27 The unseeded Indian pairing of Siddhant Banthia and Parikshit Somani dismantled Nicolas Mejia and Bernard Tomic 75 60 to reach the Bengaluru Open doubles semifinals on Thursday The home duo will now fight it out with Australias Blake Bayldon and Matthew Christopher Romios for a place in the summit clash Organised by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association KSLTA the Bengaluru Open is an ATP Challenger 125 tournament with a prize pool of USD 200000 It currently holds the distinction of being Indias biggest international tennis event The champion of this hardcourt tournament will earn 125 valuable ATP ranking points An even first set on Court 1 of the KSLTA Tennis Stadium saw both BanthiaSomani and MejiaTomic go toetotoe for the upper hand which the latter nearly seized in game seven However after saving a crucial break point the Indian pair swept through games nine and 11 on their serve before breaking in game 12 for the leadCarrying the momentum with them into the second set Banthia and Somani then bageled their opponents in the second set that lasted just 20 minutesEarlier Ramkumar Ramanathan and Saketh Myneni moved a step closer to a successful title defence with a 63 63 win over Hynek Barton and Eric Vanshelboim The reigning champions broke early in the first set before smoothly sailing into a lead They then achieved crucial breaks in games five and nine of the second set for the winThe most successful doubles players in the tournament Ramkumar and Myneni will square up against the winner of the tie between Anirudh ChandrasekarRay Ho and SD Prajwal DevAryan Shah for a spot in the finalJoining the two Indian pairs in the semifinals were secondseeded Bayldon and Romios Facing Indias Adil Kalyanpur and Karan Singh the Australian duo broke in the very first game of the match setting the tone earlyIn the second set Blake and Romios resisted a challenge from their opponents breaking them in game seven and saving two crucial breakpoints in game eight to seal a 62 64 winIn the singles event Hynek Barton continued his dream run backing up his stunning upset of topseed Vit Kopriva in the previous round with a 765 63 victory over Denmarks August Holmgren to reach the quarterfinalsMeanwhile third seed Brandon Holt came from a set down to overcome former World No 17 Bernard Tomic in a hardfought 57 64 64 battle booking his place in the last eight The third singles match of the day saw seventh seed Shintaro Mochizuki defeat Jay Clarke 57 61 62 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/bengaluru-open-unseeded-indian-pair-banthia-somani-storm-into-doubles-semifinals-603829.html Thu, 27 Feb 2025 23:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/bengaluru-open-qualifier-hynek-barton-knocks-out-friend-and-top-seed-vit-kopriva--603436.html Bengaluru Feb 25 Qualifier Hynek Barton caused a massive upset in the Bengaluru Open on Tuesday by knocking out compatriot and top seed Vit Kopriva in a Round of 32 clash Czech Republics Barton came from a set down to shock Kopriva 46 64 63 in a tightly contested match which lasted a little over two hours on Court 2 at the KSLTA Tennis Stadium Organised by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association KSLTA the Bengaluru Open is an ATP Challenger 125 tournament with a prize pool of USD 200000 It currently holds the distinction of being Indias biggest international Tennis event The champion of this hardcourt tournament will earn 125 valuable ATP ranking pointsJust days after teaming up for a semifinal run at the Delhi Open friends and countrymen Barton and Kopriva faced off for a spot in the prequarterfinals Familiar with each others game they matched stride for stride in a gritty first set until Kopriva capitalised on Bartons unforced errors to break in Game 7 and take the lead Barton however turned the match around breaking Kopriva late in the second set and early in the third to seal a 46 64 63 comeback winWe are good friends so it was a little bit nervous in the beginning Hes more experienced I am the younger one who wants to winwe thought it would be different in the beginning but we played up and down said Barton after the gruelling contest I was playing well in the front he was better at the back we were matching style to style In the third set I broke him in the fourth game and then tried to hold my serve Thats what I accomplished and I am happyFor me these are the best conditions I like the heat and humidity I feel the rhythm I really dont mind it I actually quite like it added Barton who has enjoyed an Indian spring playing Challengers all over the country since the turn of the yearIndian teen sensation Manas Dhamnes Bengaluru Open journey came to an end in the first round despite him putting up a brave fight against qualifier Petr Bar Biryukov Dhamne lost the first set 63 but came roaring back to win the second by the same scoreline The 17yearold then pushed Biryukov to a tiebreaker in the third but couldnt find an answer to his lethal first serve and succumbed to a defeatElsewhere Karan Singhs Bengaluru Open campaign ended in the first round of the main draw as he fell to Jurij Rodionov in a hardfought 64 46 763 battle The Indian qualifier showcased resilience forcing a decider after levelling the match but the Austrian held his nerves in the finalset tiebreak Meanwhile wild card Ramkumar Ramanathan put up a strong challenge against seventh seed Shintaro Mochizuki pushing the Japanese star to the brink in both sets before bowing out 763 75In other results former World No 17 Bernard Tomic mounted an impressive comeback recovering from a set down to defeat qualifier Ilia Simakin 36 764 64 Tomics Australian compatriot Tristan Schoolkate the second seed survived an early scare battling past Khumoyun Sultanov 75 675 63 to reach the next round Recent Delhi Open singles winner and fifth seed Kyrian Jacquet however suffered a surprise defeat falling to unseeded James McCabe 678 61 62 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/bengaluru-open-qualifier-hynek-barton-knocks-out-friend-and-top-seed-vit-kopriva--603436.html Tue, 25 Feb 2025 22:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/bengaluru-open-manas-dhamne-looking-forward-to-enjoy-and-grow-heading-into-debut-campaign-602947.html Bengaluru Feb 23 Indias rising star Manas Dhamne is set to make his main draw debut at the 2025 Bengaluru Open carrying momentum from his recent ITF title win at the M15 Monastir in Tunisia The 17yearold who has been making waves on the circuit is eager to take another step forward in his young career after receiving a wild card for the singles main drawI have been playing some good tennis and I am practising very well importantly I feel my chances are good I feel confident This tournament is a great experience for me It will help me grow a lot playing against good players I love the stadium and the facilities and I feel people here are really passionate about tennis which is nice to see said ManasWith his firstever Bengaluru Open main draw match ahead Dhamne is focused on his performance rather than his opponentIts my first main draw match so I will try to put up a very good performance I dont know yet how I am going to approach the match because it doesnt matter who the opponent is I just want to approach the match like how I play it doesnt matter who the other guy is I just want to try to enjoy it as well he addedOrganized by the AllIndia Tennis Association AITA and the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association KSLTA the Bengaluru Open 2025 is an ATP Challenger 125 tournament and Indias biggest tourlevel tennis event Played on hard courts the tournament offers a prize pool of USD 200000 with the champion earning 125 valuable ATP ranking pointsIndia made a strong start in the first round of Bengaluru Open 2025 qualifiers with Davis Cup team members Karan Singh and Mukund Sasikumar registering impressive victories Singh who was part of Indias 40 triumph over Togo in the Davis Cup World Group I Playoffs showed signs of good form with a 75 63 win over Ukraines Yurii Dzhavakian the 12th seed in qualifying Meanwhile Sasikumar battled past fellow Indian Rishi Reddy in a nearly twohour encounter emerging victorious 63 46 63Young Indian talent Aryan Shah also made headlines pulling off a major upset against fifth seed Kris Van Wyk securing a 64 764 victory However it was a mixed day for India as Siddharth Rawat fell to Czech Republics Hynek Barton who claimed a 64 64 win Delhi Open 2025 doubles finalist Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha also bowed out after a threeset loss to Petr Bar BiryukovAmong the topseeded qualifiers Billy Harris fresh off his runnerup finish at the Delhi Open 2025 defeated Indias Siddharth Vishwakarma in straight sets Second seed Ilia Simakin also advanced beating Japans Ryuki Matsuda in a commanding displayBengaluru Open 2025 Qualifier Day 1 resultsIND Karan Singh bt UKR Yurii Dzhavakian 75 63JPN Kokoro Isomura bt IND Adil Kalyanpur 76 72 60IND Aryan Shah bt RSA Karl Van Wyk 64 7686RUS Petr Bar Biryukov bt IND Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha 62 36 761GBR Billy Harris bt IND Siddhant Vishwakarma 62 61CZE Hynek Barton bt IND Sidharth Rawat 64 64ESP Nicolas Alvarez Varona bt IND Manish Sureshkumar 62 62ITA Jacopo Berrettini bt IND Karan Tyagi 63 36 62IND Sasikumar Mukund bt IND Rishi Reddy 63 46 63JPN Hiroki Moriya bt UKR Eric Vanshelboim 7675 64THA Kasidit Samrej bt MAS Mitsuki Wei Kang Leong 64 765RUS Ilia Simakin bt JPN Ryuki Matsuda 768 64 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/bengaluru-open-manas-dhamne-looking-forward-to-enjoy-and-grow-heading-into-debut-campaign-602947.html Sun, 23 Feb 2025 21:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/jack-draper-withdraws-from-dubai-championships-to-prioritise-recovery-after-gruelling-run-at-qatar-open-602948.html New Delhi Feb 23 British No 1 Jack Draper has announced his withdrawal from the Dubai Tennis Championships opting to manage his body and focus on longterm fitness following a demanding run at the Qatar Open Drapers decision comes just a day after his grueling threeset loss to Andrey Rublev in the Qatar Open final 75 57 61 Despite the defeat the 22yearold has climbed to a careerhigh world ranking of No 12 highlighting his steady rise in the ATP circuitIn a statement on X formerly Twitter Draper expressed disappointment at missing the tournament in Dubai but emphasized the need to listen to his body and ensure he remains in top condition for future tournamentsUnfortunately I have made the decision to withdraw from DubaiDutyFree After a great week at qataropentennisIm taking onboard advice to prioritise my recovery and manage my body after a number of long matchesand give myself the best chance of competing consistently throughout the year Im gutted not to compete at such an amazing event dubaidutyfreetennis but will look forward to returning to competition bnpparibasopen MiamiOpen Drapper posted on XDraper has been vocal in the past about the importance of maintaining peak fitness especially given his history of injuries His decision reflects a strategic approach to sustaining his form throughout the season rather than risking burnoutWith the Dubai Tennis Championships beginning Monday Drapers absence will be a notable one However he has set his sights on a return at the prestigious Indian Wells Masters next month followed by the Miami OpenBritains number five Dan Evans has been given a wildcard entry into the singles competition and will face Karen Khachanov in Mondays first round IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/jack-draper-withdraws-from-dubai-championships-to-prioritise-recovery-after-gruelling-run-at-qatar-open-602948.html Sun, 23 Feb 2025 21:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/bengaluru-open-ramkumar-vs-mochizuki-local-boy-rishi-vs-sasikumar-headline-exciting-draw-602835.html Bengaluru Feb 22 The Bengaluru Open 2025 draw has been officially announced setting up an exciting week of tennis at the KSLTA Courts Cubbon Park With top Indian players gearing up for crucial firstround clashes this ATP Challenger 125 event promises electrifying action from February 24 to March 2 Indian wildcard Ramkumar Ramanathan is set to face seventh seed Shintaro Mochizuki in a highly anticipated openinground clash Rising star Manas Dhamne will compete against a qualifier while wildcard SD Prajwal Dev faces a tough challenge against Marek GengelAryan Shah who has impressed in the qualifiers will fight for a spot in the main draw against Kris Van Wyk Meanwhile Bengalurus very own Rishi Reddy takes on Sasikumar Mukund in a bid to enter the singles main drawThe tournaments top seed Victor Kopriva will open his campaign against a qualifier while second seed Tristan Schoolkate is set to battle Kumoyun Sultanov of Uzbekistan Third seed Brandon Holt will take on Valentin Vacherot ensuring a lineup packed with thrilling contestsIn the doubles main draw topseeded pair Anirudh Chandrasekar and Ray Ho will face Sai Karteek Reddy Ganta and Kumoyun Sultanov in their opening match Reigning champions Ramkumar Ramanathan and Saketh Myneni will begin their title defense against Jacopo Berrettini and Enrico Dalla ValleMeanwhile second seeds Bayldon Blake and Matthew Christopher Romios will take on Kokoro Isomura and Kris Van Wyk in the first roundSpeaking about the draw Tournament Director Sunil Yajman said The Bengaluru Open has always been a stage for top talent to shine and this years draw reflects that With a great mix of experienced and emerging players we are in for an incredible week of tennisThe draw ceremony was conducted in the presence Maheshwar Rao IAS Hon Secretary KSLTA and Organising Secretary Bengaluru Open Sunil Yajman Asian Games 2023 silver medallists Ramkumar Ramanathan and Saketh Myneni Bengaluru Open qualifying wildcard Rishi Reddy and singles qualifier player Aryan Shah With 125 ATP ranking points and 200000 in prize money at stake the Bengaluru Open is set to deliver toptier tennis action IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/bengaluru-open-ramkumar-vs-mochizuki-local-boy-rishi-vs-sasikumar-headline-exciting-draw-602835.html Sat, 22 Feb 2025 23:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/maha-open-three-indians-in-doubles-sf-sultanov-holt-in-singles-quarters-602482.html Pune Feb 20 In a match between youth and experience Uzbekistans Khumoyun Sultanov came from behind to stop the run of the Australian and former world No 17 Bernard Tomic winning 46 63 63 to enter the singles quarterfinals of the Maha Open ATP Challenger 100 Mens Tennis Championship here on Thursday Indian doubles pair Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Vijay Sundar Prashanth entered the semifinals in the doubles event and will clash with the pair of Indian Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha and Zimbabwean Courtney John Lock for a place in the finals in the event organised by Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association MSLTA in association with the Department of Sports and Youth Services Govt of Maharashtra at the Balewadi Sports ComplexTopseeded Billy Harris of Great Britain looked in great form hammering 14 aces on his way to a 75 63 win over qualifier Hiroki Moriya in 1 hour 38 minutesFifthseeded Ugo Blanchet stopped the winning run of Kyrian Jacquet winning 26 63 61 in an allFrench battle Kyrian who had a dream run winning two Challengers on the trot at Chennai and Delhi could not sustain his run and looked tired as he went down in a 1 hour 48 minutes matchSixthseeded Brandon Holt of the USA the son of legendary Womens tennis player and former world No1 Tracy Austin spent 1 hour and 18 minutes on the court to carve out a 64 64 win against Sascha Gueymard Wayenburg of FranceIn the best match of the day the 26yearold Uzbek Khumoyun Sultanov played solid tennis from the baseline to get past 32yearold and former World No17 Bernard Tomic of Australia prevailing 46 63 63 in a match lasting 1 hour and 42 minutes Khumoyun who has won 9 ITF Futures reached his second quarterfinals at the Challenger eventIt feels very nice to play here and I like the conditions I played solidly knowing that Tomic is a tricky player and very experienced so I didnt want to give him a chance said Khumoyun after his winDoubles finallist of the last week in Delhi Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha and Courtney John Lock of Zimbabwe upset the fourthseeded Australian pair of Blake Ellis and Tristan Schoolkate 764 674 108 in an exciting quarterfinals matchIn the semifinals the winning pair of Poonacha and Lock will take the allIndian pair of Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Vijay Sundar Prashanth who survived a match point to edge out Saketh Myneni and Ramkumar Ramanathan 63 36 1210 in a thrilling encounter to ensure Indian interest in the finals IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/maha-open-three-indians-in-doubles-sf-sultanov-holt-in-singles-quarters-602482.html Thu, 20 Feb 2025 23:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/qatar-open-2025-italian-berrettini-stuns-djokovic-in-first-round-at-doha-602085.html Doha Feb 19 Matteo Berrettini of Italy caused a huge upset in the Qatar Open 2025 beating former World No1 Novak Djokovic in straight sets in a firstround match at the ATP 500 series event being played on the hard courts here on Tuesday This is Berrettinis first top10 win since 2023 Berrettini who is currently ranked 35th in the ATP Rankings and had a careerhigh rank of 6 in January 2022 survived a few anxious moments including a couple of break points in the sixth game of the first set before winning the match 764 62 in one hour and 33 minutes While Berrettini is unseeded here Djokovic is the third seed and was expected to go all the way after retiring from his Australian Open semifinal against Alexander Zverev with a hamstring injury last month However the Italian had other ideas as he served a potent display of power tennis to upset the 24time Grand Slam winnerIn the second set 28yearold Berrettini broke Djokovics serve in the second game and then again in the marathon eighth game in which he saved a game point after deuce and then defeated the 37yearold Serb on the second advantage Berrettini won 85 per cent 4047 of points behind his first delivery according to Infosys ATP Stats en route to a dazzling 95minute victory which was his first in their ATP headtohead series 14Berrettini was voted ATPs Comeback Player of the Year in 2024 after he returned from a sixmonth injury to claim three tourlevel titles but the 28yearold has struggled to produce that form at the start of the 2025 season Before his campaign in Doha Berrettini tallied a 13 record But with his bruising performance against Djokovic during which he struck 19 forehand winners Berrettini appeared not far from his bestCompeting in his first singles match since retiring from his Australian Open semifinal against Alexander Zverev with a hamstring injury Djokovic moved freely in the windy Doha conditions This was particularly evident in the fifth game where he dug himself out of a 040 hole by outlasting Berrettini from the back of the court before producing an inchperfect drop shot to hold serve But it was ultimately not enough to stop the Italian from continuing his redhot form in a onesided tiebreakBefore Tuesdays firstround clash Djokovic had broken Berrettinis serve 27 times in their four meetings while the Italian had mustered a break on just four occasions Yet after a tiebreak was required in the opening set it was Berrettini who broke down the 37yearold Serbian from the baseline to race to a 30 lead in the second set From there Berrettini put on a show to stun the 201617 champion as he secured his 10th career victory over a Top 10 opponentIn the second round at the newly upgraded ATP 500 Berrettini will face Tallon Griekspoor who defeated the Italian in the first round in Rotterdam earlier this month IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/qatar-open-2025-italian-berrettini-stuns-djokovic-in-first-round-at-doha-602085.html Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wasnt-at-my-desired-level-berrettini-played-master-class-match-djokovic-on-shock-loss-in-doha-602105.html Doha Feb 19 Former world no1 Serbian great Novak Djokovic refrained from making excuses after his straight sets defeat to Matteo Berrettini at the Qatar Open the ATP 500 event and said the Italian played a master class match to outplay him The Italian delivered a highquality display to defeat the third seed Serb 764 62 at the ATP 500 and record his first victory over a Top 10 opponent since January 2023 The loss was Serbs first openinground loss since April 2022Djokovic was competing for the first time since he retired from his Australian Open semifinal clash against Alexander Zverev in January with a hamstring injuryI didnt have any pain or discomfort in that sense I was outplayed by just a better player today Yes I wasnt at my desired level and it could be that Im still not moving the way I want to move but I mean I played without pain so there is no excuse in that said DjokovicHe was just the better player I think he played a master class match to be honest tactically and served very well so just a very deserved win from his side he addedDjokovic a twotime champion in Doha won the gold medal in the Paris Olympics last season but was unable to add another title across the season It was the first time since 2017 the 99 tourlevel titlist did not clinch a major crownThe 37yearold holds a 73 record in 2025 Djokovic who acknowledged in his postmatch press conference that he will work with Andy Murray until at least the end of the clay swing stated he is working hard to lift more trophies in the futureI am trying to improve my game as everybody else But my game is not going to change now Im not going to play serve and volley maybe every once in a while but my game is what it is the core is going to be the same Im going to try to adjust depending on the surface that I play on and so forthThere are more injuries Things are not the same as 10 years ago 15 years ago I still try to take care of my body on a daily basis and its more challenging now no doubt I still try to do my very best given the circumstances the 24time major winner saidDjokovic is next scheduled to play at the ATPMasters 1000 event in Indian Wells The world No 7 has triumphed five times in California IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wasnt-at-my-desired-level-berrettini-played-master-class-match-djokovic-on-shock-loss-in-doha-602105.html Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/djokovic-claims-majority-of-players-feel-favouritism-in-sinners-doping-ban-601902.html New Delhi Feb 18 Serbian tennis great Novak Djokovic has claimed that the majority of players are not happy with the way whole process handled in the case of world no1 Jannik Sinners threemonth doping ban Sinner has reached a settlement with the World AntiDoping Agency WADA which will see the Italian serve a threemonth banWADA has accepted that Sinner did not intend to cheat and that his exposure to clostebol did not provide any performanceenhancing benefit and took place without his knowledge as the result of negligence of members of his entourageDjokovic claimed that the majority of players believe Sinner was shown favouritism with his threemonth doping banTheres a majority of the players that Ive talked to in the locker room not just in the last few days but also last few months that are not happy with the way this whole process has been handled Djokovic was quoted by The GuardianA majority of the players dont feel its fair A majority of the players feel like there is favouritism happening It appears that you can almost affect the outcome if you are a top player if you have access to the top lawyer he saidThe case involving Sinner was the first of two prominent incidents in tennis that occurred in rapid succession In November world No 2 in womens tennis Iga Swiatek received a onemonth suspension following a positive test for trimetazidine a medication prescribed for anginaThe International Tennis Integrity Agency ITIA acknowledged that the positive result was due to contamination from a medication Swiatek had been using to alleviate jet lagIn contrast former world No 1 Simona Halep received a fouryear ban from the ITIA in 2022 following a positive test although this penalty was subsequently reduced to nine monthsDjokovic further highlighted the inconsistencies in antidoping system and called it unfairSimona Halep and Tara Moore and some other players that are maybe less known that have been struggling to resolve their cases for years or have got the ban for years there is so much inconsistencies between the cases said DjokovicSinner has got a suspension for three months because of mistakes and negligence of his team members who are working on the tour This is also something that I personally and many other players find strangeNow its a ripe time for us to really address the system because the system and the structure obviously doesnt work for antidoping its obvious I hope that in the near future the governing bodies are going to come together and try to find a more effective way to deal with these processes Its inconsistent and it appears to be very unfair he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/djokovic-claims-majority-of-players-feel-favouritism-in-sinners-doping-ban-601902.html Tue, 18 Feb 2025 10:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/mahaopen-atp-challenger-sultanov-rodionov-upset-seeds-wildcards-dhamne-shah-go-down-602081.html Pune Feb 18 Indian interest in the singles section fizzled out as wildcards and young Indian players Manas Dhamne and Aryan Shah went down in the opening round of the MahaOpen ATP Challenger 100 Mens Tennis Championship here on Tuesday Meanwhile unseeded Khumoyun Sultanov of Uzbekistan and Jurij Rodionov of Austria pulled off upsets against seeded players in the first round The event is being organised by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association MSLTA in association with the Department of Sports and Youth Services Govt of Maharashtra at the Balewadi Sports Complex hereThe 19yearold Aryan Shah who was awarded a main draw wildcard gave it his best but could not make an impact against sixthseeded and 153ranked Brandon Holt of the USA Holt is the son of the legendary US tennis star of yesteryears Tracy Austin played some solid tennis from the baseline to register a 62 62 win against Aryan Shah in 1 hour and 12 minutesIn a close match lasting 1 hour 42 minutes topseeded and 110ranked Billy Harris of Great Britain quelled the challenge of 17year local lad Manas Dhamne winning 64 64 Dhamne started well with a break and led 20 in the first set but Harris proved a tough nut to crack breaking the Indian twice in the first set and once in the second set to make it to the second roundManas played above his age category but lacked the experience to take advantage of his home courts against the top seed Harris who has been having a good run on the Indian swingThe 229ranked 26yearold resident of Tashkent Khumoyun Sultanov carved out the biggest upset of the day ousting third seed and finalist of the last years edition Tristan Schoolkate of Australia 63 46 63 in a match lasting 1 hour and 49 minutesSultanov who won a few Futures events in India in the last year played solidly from the baseline to hassle the world no 129 Shcoolkate forcing him into errors in the third setAnother unseeded player Jurij Rodionov of Austria lost the first set despite firing 8 aces However he managed to take the next two sets to score a comeback win against 168ranked and 21yearold seventh seed Shintaro Mochizuki of Japan 675 61 62 in a 2hour 9minute match The 6ft 3 inches Austrian who was ranked as high as 87 in the world served 15 aces in the matchResults main drawFirst Round1 Billy Harris GBR bt WC Manas Dhamne IND 64 64 Sascha Gueymard Wayenburg FRA bt Q Petr Bar Biryukov 766 57 63 6 Brandon Holt USA bt WC Aryan Shah IND 62 62 Q Masamichi Imamura JPN bt Alt Jay Clarke GBR 762 62 Q Michael Geerts BEL bt Marek Gengel CZE 46 61 764 5 Ugo Blanchet FRA bt Enzo Couacaud FRA 36 62 63 Alt Kyrian Jacquet FRA bt Rio Noguchi JPN 61 63 Bernard Tomic AUS bt Nicolas Mejia COL 62 62 Khumoyun Sultanov UZB bt 3 Tristan Schoolkate AUS 63 46 63 Jurij Rodionov AUT bt 7 Shintaro Mochizuki JPN 675 61 62 James McCabe AUS bt Alt Enrico Dalla Valle ITA 60 63 Q Ilia Simakin bt LL Blake Ellis AUS64 62 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/mahaopen-atp-challenger-sultanov-rodionov-upset-seeds-wildcards-dhamne-shah-go-down-602081.html Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/qatar-open-dominant-verdasco-djokovic-duo-brush-past-bublik-khachanov-in-48-minutes-601857.html Doha Feb 18 Fernando Verdasco may be preparing for his retirement but the Spaniard is showing hes still got plenty of firepower left in his game Partnering with Novak Djokovic at the Qatar Open the pair produced a dominant display in their doubles match on Monday breezing past Alexander Bublik and Karen Khachanov 61 61 in just 48 minutes to reach the second round Verdasco who will retire at the end of this ATP 500 event is relishing his final tournament especially sharing the court with Djokovic the 24time Grand Slam champion The duo was clearly enjoying themselves celebrating with chest bumps early in the match and showing off excellent teamworkTheir chemistry was evident as they broke serve four times from nine opportunities and saved the one breakpoint they faced as per ATP statsI have to say maybe after this match I shouldnt play the second round I should just go and retire by winning 61 61 Its the best feeling ever thank you so much for coming today and see you on Wednesday said VerdascoThe match was a showcase of Verdascos doubles expertise with his sharp net play and powerful lefthanded forehands still causing trouble for Bublik and Khachanov Verdasco a former No 7 in the ATP rankings was also a doubles champion at the 2013 Nitto ATP Finals and his experience shone through in the matchLooking ahead Verdasco and Djokovic will face the second seeds Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara in what promises to be a challenging contest Patten and Heliovaara are the reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champions making it an exciting matchup for the veteran Verdasco as he bids farewell to the ATP TourIn the mens singles the 21yearold Alcaraz will make his debut in Doha where he will be the top seed Alcaraz who faces Marin Cilic on Monday holds a 91 record this season including a run to the Australian Open quarterfinals and his first indoor title in RotterdamPitted in the same half of the draw in Doha Alcaraz would have the possibility to avenge his loss to Djokovic in Melbourne if the two reach the semifinals IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/qatar-open-dominant-verdasco-djokovic-duo-brush-past-bublik-khachanov-in-48-minutes-601857.html Mon, 17 Feb 2025 22:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/argentina-open-fonseca-becomes-youngest-atp-clay-court-finalist-since-alcaraz-601597.html Buenos Aires Feb 16 The 18yearold Brazilian Joao Fonseca overcame Serbian Laslo Djere 763 57 61 in a dramatic semifinal to reach the final of the Argentina Open becoming the youngest ATP finalist on clay court since Carlos Alcaraz in 2021 The youngest South American ATP Tour finalist since former World No 20 Argentine Jose Acasuso in 2001 Buenos Aires Fonseca will seek his first ATP Tour title against fifth seed Francisco Cerundolo who beat Spaniard Pedro Martinez 62 64 in one hour and 33 minutesMoreover at 18 years 5 months and 26 days Fonseca is the 10th youngest ATP Tour finalist since 2000 and the youngest Brazilian ATP finalist in the Open Era ATP reportsFonseca gained entry into Buenos Aires via the Next Gen Accelerator programme which was expanded this year allowing 20andunder players ranked in the Top 250 eligibility for one ATP 250 main draw spot and two ATP 250 qualifying events this seasonThe Brazilian fired 27 forehand winners and 11 from his backhand He held six break points in the opening set but was unable to convert Forced into a tiebreak Fonseca held his nerve and struck the ball confidently ripping an insidein forehand stunner at 31 according to ATPToday was really difficult against a really good player He went through qualies so hes playing amazing tennis We already knew how Laslo can play he won an ATP 500 in 2019 So I played my best Today was with my heart Today was with pain And we got through There is one match to go so lets go for it said FonsecaWith his semifinal win Fonseca is up 25 spots to No 74 in the ATP Live Rankings securing him a new career high on Monday IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/argentina-open-fonseca-becomes-youngest-atp-clay-court-finalist-since-alcaraz-601597.html Sun, 16 Feb 2025 13:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/qatar-open-ostapenko-keeps-it-perfect-against-swiatek-to-reach-final-601386.html Doha Feb 14 Going into the semifinal against Iga Swiatek Jelena Ostapenko was confident of winning the match and progressing into the final of the Qatar Open here on Friday Ostapenko maintained her record against Swiatek scoring her fifth successive win with a straightsets victory I was pretty confident that I would beat her because weve played a lot of matches and I know how to play against her former French Open winner Ostapenko said in her oncourt interview after the match I was more focused on myself and what I had to do Im happy with the way Im handling my emotions this weekThe Latvian Ostapenko defeated the No 2 seed with an imperious 63 61 victory in the semifinals ending threetime defending champion Swiateks 15match winning streak at the tournamentWith this win Ostapenko advanced to her 17th career WTA Tour final second in Doha and fourth at WTA 1000 level or above following Doha 2016 Roland Garros 2017 and Miami 2018 Her sixyear 321day gap since the last of those is the longest between WTA 1000 finals since the formats inception in 2009The 27yearold who has not dropped a set yet this week will face another unseeded player Amanda Anisimova for her biggest title since Roland Garros 2017 Their only previous meeting also took place in Doha with Ostapenko taking their 2022 secondround clash 63 46 64The 2017 Roland Garros champion had reason to be so selfassured She is the only active player with a winning headtohead against Swiatek with at least two matches played Including retired players only one other player can boast such a record former World No 1 Ashleigh Barty who was 20 against the PoleThe 70minute contest was Swiateks quickest since she fell 60 64 in 69 minutes to Garbiñe Muguruza in the 2021 Dubai second round and her total of four games won the lowest since she lost 62 62 to Elena Rybakina in the 2023 Indian Wells semifinals You have to go back to 2019 to find a match in which Swiatek has won fewer than four games a 51minute 60 62 rout in the Birmingham first round at the hands of none other than OstapenkoThat was their first meeting and Ostapenko went on to triumph at Indian Wells 2021 before a pair of wins that bookended Swiateks first reign as World No 1 Her 46 61 764 triumph in the 2022 Dubai third round was Swiateks last loss before ascending to the top spot and compiling a historic 37match winning streak Her 36 63 61 victory in the 2023 US Open fourth round meant that Swiatek ceded World No 1 to Aryna Sabalenka for the first time IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/qatar-open-ostapenko-keeps-it-perfect-against-swiatek-to-reach-final-601386.html Sat, 15 Feb 2025 00:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/fairness-does-not-exist-in-tennis-says-kyrgios-on-sinners-three-month-doping-ban-601510.html New Delhi Feb 15 Fairness in tennis does not exist exclaimed Australian tennis player Nicholas Kyrgios after it was announced that world No1 Jannik Sinner has reached a settlement with the World AntiDoping Agency WADA which will see the Italian serve a threemonth ban instead of a twoyear suspension that the antidoping body was seeking Sinner was found by an independent tribunal of the International Tennis Integrity Agency ITIA to bear no fault or negligence having twice tested positive for clostebol a prohibited substance in March 2024According to Sinner the substance entered his system after coming in contact with a support staff member who had been applying an overthecounter spray which contained slight levels of clostebol Repeated massages by the said support staff member resulted in contaminationSo WADA come out and say it would be a 12 year ban Obviously Sinners team has done everything in their power to just go ahead and take a 3month ban no titles lost no prize money lost Guilty or not Sad day for tennis Fairness in tennis does not exist read the post on X former TwitterKyrgios also went on to add that he wants to talk more about the decision and will be holding live spaces on X in the coming week I know a lot of players that are feeling the same way at the moment so looking to hold live spaces next week so we can talk about it stay tuned for the exact time he addedSinner who won the 2025 Australian Open in January will have to serve a threemonth ban from February 9 to May 4 four days having already been served under provisional suspension and will be allowed to return to training from April 13His return on May 4 will allow him to participate in the second grand slam of the season at the Roland Garros the venue for the French Open which takes place in Paris France from May 19 to June 8 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/fairness-does-not-exist-in-tennis-says-kyrgios-on-sinners-three-month-doping-ban-601510.html Sat, 15 Feb 2025 19:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/i-take-responsibility-sinner-accepts-three-month-ban-to-protect-integrity-of-tennis-601513.html New Delhi Feb 15 World No 1 Jannik Sinner has expressed his reasons for accepting a threemonth ban from tennis following a prolonged doping case Sinner accepted a threemonth ban from tennis after a prolonged doping case opting for a settlement with WADA rather than a drawnout legal battle The 2025 Australian Open champion who twice tested positive for clostebol due to accidental contamination will return in time for the French OpenThis case had been hanging over me for nearly a year and the process still had a long time to run with a decision maybe only at the end of the year Sinner was quoted by The Independent as saying I have always accepted that I am responsible for my team and realise WADAs strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love On that basis I have accepted WADAs offer to resolve these proceedings on the basis of a threemonth sanctionThe mens world No 1 twice tested positive for the banned substance clostebol last March but was initially cleared of wrongdoing by both the International Tennis Integrity Agency ITIA and an independent tribunal Sinner successfully proved that he had been accidentally contaminated by a physiotherapist using an overthecounter spray containing trace amounts of the substanceDespite being permitted to continue playing and even securing his maiden Grand Slam Australian Open in January 2024 WADA appealed the ITIAs ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS Rather than prolonging the legal battle Sinner chose to settle and accept the reduced suspensionThe ban effective from February 9 to May 4 includes four days already served under provisional suspension He will be allowed to return to training from April 13 This timeline ensures that Sinner will be available to compete at Roland Garros the second Grand Slam of the year which runs from May 19 to June 8 in Paris France IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/i-take-responsibility-sinner-accepts-three-month-ban-to-protect-integrity-of-tennis-601513.html Sat, 15 Feb 2025 19:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/qatar-open-swiatek-tops-rybakina-in-quarters-for-15th-win-in-a-row-in-doha-601201.html Doha Feb 14 Threetime defending champion and former World No1 Iga Swiatek returned to the semifinals with a 62 75 win over Elena Rybakina in Thursdays quarterfinals here recording her 15th straight win at the tournament overall In a rematch of last years championship match Swiatek came from 42 down in the second set and saved two break points at 44 before eventually wrapping up a straightsets victory in 1 hour and 36 minutesThe win is Swiateks 100th at WTA 1000 level in 121 matches played making her the secondfastest to the milestone after Serena Williams who played 115 WTA 1000 matches to do itAfter beating Rybakina at last months United Cup Swiatek has now levelled her alltime headtohead against the Kazakh to 44 and she continues on her quest to be just the second WTA player since 2000 to win four straight titles at a single eventBut Swiatek will need to get a first win in five tries against Jelena Ostapenko the 2016 Doha finalist for another spot in the final match Ostapenko defeated Ons Jabeur in Thursdays third quarterfinal 62 62 to book her own spot in the semifinals In another quarterfinal unseeded Ekaterina Alexandrova stormed into the semifinals by stunning American sixth seed Jessica Pegula of the United States 46 61 61 in a onehour 42minute clashBut the focus was on Swiatek as she was looking to set a couple of records After a 36minute first set where Swiatek won the first three games and never faced a break point Rybakina converted on her second chance in the opening game to set a new tone for the matchWhat followed was an hourlong set in which Rybakina bent but never broke at least at first She saved two break points in her first service game to lead 20 and three more the next time she stepped to the line to extend her advantage to 31 But handed a sixth break point in the set at 43 1540 it was Swiateks turn to come up with clutch play As Rybakina charged the net off of a welltimed backhand Swiatek whipped a forehand past her for the break backIn the deciding game Swiatek hammered a crosscourt backhand return winner off of a short second serve to deny Rybakina a tiebreak and the contest ended two points later when the No 5 seed served up just her second double fault in the match overallWhile Swiatek will be hoping for her own sort of revenge when she faces Ostapenko next the Latvian got revenge of her own with an easy dispatch of Jabeur in just 71 minutes after Swiatek sealed her own victory Ostapenko lost to Jabeur last week at the WTA 500 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open 764 75 which put her seasons singles record at 14But with four straightset victories this week including upsets of No 4 seed Jasmine Paolini and No 16 seed Liudmila Samsonova the 2017 Roland Garros champion has found her form in singles after starting the year with strong doubles runs like a runnerup finish at the Australian Open with Hsieh SuWei and a win in Abu Dhabi with Ellen Perez IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/qatar-open-swiatek-tops-rybakina-in-quarters-for-15th-win-in-a-row-in-doha-601201.html Fri, 14 Feb 2025 14:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/medvedev-reaches-first-quarterfinal-of-the-season-in-marseille-601248.html Marseille Feb 14 Daniil Medvedev overcame French qualifier PierreHugues Herbert 62 64 at the Open 13 Provence to reach his first quarterfinal of the season World No 8 won 90 per cent 2629 of his firstserve points to improve to 31 in the pairs ATP HeadtoHead series according to ATP statsMedvedev suffered a secondround defeat to American Learner Tien at the Australian Open and then lost in the second round in Rotterdam to Italian qualifier Mattia BellucciI lost early in Australia I thought sometimes when I play good in Australia which has happened many times your body is already used and tired So you want to take it a bit slower But I played two matches even if they were tough so I thought I might as well play many tournaments and Marseille is one I like Medvedev saidWild card Medvedev is seeking his first title since he won in Rome in May 2023 and will next play JanLennard Struff after the German beat Hugo Grenier 64 57 64Earlier Zhang Zhizhen upset fourth seed Hubert Hurkacz 64 671 63 in a battle between two big hitters to make his 11th ATP Tour quarterfinal The Chinese player outhit Hurkacz who reached the semifinals at the ATP 500 in Rotterdam last week by 37 winners to 30 during their twohour eightminute clashBy defeating Hurkacz Zhang notched his first win over a Top 20 opponent on hard courts since defeating the Pole in Tokyo in 2023 The World No 52 who holds a 37 record in tourlevel quarterfinals will next face Zizou BergsBelgiums Bergs outlasted eighth seed Nuno Borges 62 675 62 to reach his fifth tourlevel quarterfinal 13 and third indoorsBergs regrouped after losing a tight second set to motor through a dominant decider The Belgian won 100 per cent 1010 of firstserve points and did not face a break point in the final set ATP reports IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/medvedev-reaches-first-quarterfinal-of-the-season-in-marseille-601248.html Fri, 14 Feb 2025 14:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/raducanu-set-for-dubai-tennis-championships-debut-after-accepting-wildcard-601305.html Dubai Feb 14 Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu is set to make her first appearance at the Dubai Tennis Championships after the Brtiton was awarded a wildcard for the WTA 1000 event scheduled from February 16 to 23 Raducanu currently ranked No 60 in the world recently competed in both the Qatar Open and Abu Dhabi Open after accepting wildcard entries into the main draw but lost in the first round on both occasions She reached the last 32 of the Australian Open in January where she was beaten in straight sets by fivetime Grand Slam winner Iga SwiatekIts fantastic to see Emma participating in the WTA Tour event in Dubai for the first time Its clear for all to see that Emma possesses an enormous amount of talent and we look forward to watching her on court at this years Championships said tournament director Salah TahlakThe worlds top 10 womens players will take centre stage at the Championships this year as the WTA event celebrates its 25th anniversary Headlining the field is World No1 Aryna Sabalenka who returns to Dubai for the ninth time in her careerThis year will also see the return of American Madison Keys who won her first Grand Slam at the Australian Open by defeating World No 2 Iga Swiatek who will also be returning to the eventThe 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff ranked No3 in the world is set to feature in the tournament for the fourth time Her US compatriots Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro World No6 and No9 respectively will also feature at the WTA 1000 eventLast years winner in Dubai Jasmine Paolini will begin her title defence looking to build upon her best season to date Paolini had a breakout year in 2024 securing a first WTA 1000 title finishing runnerup at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon and winning a gold medal in doubles at the Paris OlympicsRounding off the top 10 seeds at this years event are Olympic champion World No8 Zheng Qinwen and Paula Badosa who marks her fourth appearance at the event this year IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/raducanu-set-for-dubai-tennis-championships-debut-after-accepting-wildcard-601305.html Fri, 14 Feb 2025 16:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/qatar-open-ostapenko-powers-past-paolini-in-doha-for-12th-top-5-win-601030.html Doha Feb 12 Former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko scored her first Top10 win since 2023 with a 62 62 defeat of No 4 seed Jasmine Paolini of Italy in a womens singles thirdround match of the Qatar Open here on Wednesday The 27yearold Latvian trailed 20 in the second set but responded by reeling off the last six games of the match to seal victory in just 63 minutes In other matches in the WTA 1000 event American sixthseed Jessica Pegula defeated 10th seed Daria Kasatkina 63 75 while fifthseed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan also advanced with a 761 62 win over Rebecca SramkovaHaving already posted consecutive wins this week for the first time since reaching last years Wimbledon quarterfinals Ostapenko has now notched her 12th career Top 5 winThe last time she defeated a Top 10 opponent was in the 2023 Beijing third round where she bested Jessica Pegula 64 62 She will next face either Ons Jabeur or wild card Sofia Kenin Only two Top 5 seeds now remain in the Doha draw No 2 Iga Swiatek and No 5 Elena Rybakina last years finalists who are on course for a quarterfinal collision Here are the key takeaways from Ostapenkos upsetOstapenko has a strong history in Doha Back in 2016 as an 18yearold ranked No 88 she reached her first WTA Tour final here in 2022 she returned to the semifinals Four of her 22 Top10 career wins have come on these courts including a memorable 62 62 rout of Garbiñe Muguruza in 2022 in which Ostapenko fired 39 winners in 16 gamesOstapenkos tally of 22 winners equalling her 22 unforced errors didnt quite match the 39 of the Muguruza match but was enough to overpower Paolini who mustered only nine As well as the cascade of clean return winners fans are used to seeing fly from the Ostapenko racquet her fine serving stood out she landed nine aces and dropped just seven points behind her first deliveryThis time last year Ostapenko had just returned to the Top 10 after a fiveyear gap But she is in Doha as the unseeded World No 37 having fallen out of the Top 30 for the first time since 2021 this weekAfter reaching her sixth Grand Slam quarterfinal at Wimbledon last year she did not post backtoback wins again for seven months However that period also included a twomonth injury layoff Ostapenko ended her 2024 singles season in September and missed the entire Asian swing due to an abdominal injury IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/qatar-open-ostapenko-powers-past-paolini-in-doha-for-12th-top-5-win-601030.html Wed, 12 Feb 2025 22:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/former-champ-norrie-sails-into-round-2-on-return-to-delray-beach-600723.html Delray Beach USA Feb 11 Top British singles player Cameron Norrie made a winning return to the Delray Beach Open with a hardfought straightsets win against qualifier Zachary Svajda to reach the second round of the ATP 250 event The 29yearold Norrie notched a 75 64 win over Svajda in his first appearance in Delray Beach since winning the title in 2022 Norrie battled through a contest that swung from one side to another like a pendulum featuring eight breaks of serve to eventually seal an 88minute victory in windy conditions in FloridaIn other first round matches in the event American sixth seed Brandon Nakashima defeated qualifier James Trotter 762 61 in 98 minutes while seventhseed Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia beat Borna Gojo of Croatia 64 64 in another Round of 32 match The 25yearold Serb who reached the Delray Beach final in 2023 won 86 percent 3227 of firstserve points according to Infosys ATP StatsAmerican Ethan Quinn suffered the disappointment of falling in the final round of qualifying on Sunday But after getting into the main draw as a lucky loser the 20yearold took full advantage of his opportunityThe 2023 NCAA singles champion battled past American qualifier Tristan Boyer 62 675 762 in three hours and 12 minutes Quinn saved 12 of the 14 break points he faced to set a showdown with fifth seed Marcos GironFellow American Michael Minoh also advanced by beating Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan 75 765 in a clash that lasted nearly two hoursBut the focus was on Norrie as he returned to the ATP 250 event after a couple of yearsIm very satisfied it was my first match outdoors in a while said Norrie who improved to 93 in Delray Beach I was pretty nervous coming in not moving my feet that well but Im pretty happy with how I finished both of the sets playing my best level Thats what counted the Briton was quoted as saying by the ATPNorrie is one of four former champions in the Delray Beach field this week along with Taylor Fritz Kei Nishikori and Reilly Opelka The former No 8 in the PIF ATP Rankings will next face either Arthur Rinderknech or Gabriel Diallo in the second roundIn his first ATP headtohead meeting with Svajda Norrie squandered a break lead in both sets but remained resolute to outlast the qualifier in many of the longer exchanges The Briton used the windy conditions to his advantage and was able to use his heavy topspin forehand to force errors from the American player IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/former-champ-norrie-sails-into-round-2-on-return-to-delray-beach-600723.html Tue, 11 Feb 2025 15:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcaraz-delivers-perfect-match-to-reach-rotterdam-semis-600435.html Rotterdam Feb 8 Carlos Alcaraz declared his latest performance at the Rotterdam Open a perfect match after storming into his first ATP Tour semifinal of the season The Spaniard dismantled compatriot Pedro Martinez 62 61 on Friday maintaining his dominance over countrymen with his 12th consecutive win against a fellow Spaniard I played really good tennis today a really high level And I have done the right things again Alcaraz said after the match I was really focused before the match on my things on my own tennis I tried to put everything in today Being aggressive pushing him to the limit every point I think I did the perfect match and I am happy to keep improving every day Hopefully in the semifinals I will be even betterAlcaraz 21 showed no signs of fatigue after needing three sets to overcome Botic van de Zandschulp in his Rotterdam debut He followed that up with a commanding win over Andrea Vavassori in the second round and was equally dominant against Martinez wrapping up their 71minute clash in clinical fashion The top seed fired 17 winners in the first set and never faced a break pointThe Spaniard has now joined an elite group of countrymen to reach the semifinals at the ATP 500 event in Rotterdam following in the footsteps of his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero 2004 Rafael Nadal 2009 and Pablo Carreno Busta 2020 Alcaraz will next meet Polands Hubert Hurkacz in his 33rd tourlevel semifinal as he seeks his first title since Beijing in OctoberMartinez 27 had been chasing his first tourlevel semifinal but struggled to keep pace with Alcarazs power Despite his exit the Spaniards strong showing in Rotterdamincluding wins over Roberto Bautista Agut and Holger Runehas lifted him to No 40 in the ATP Live RankingsIn the final match of the day Hurkacz booked his place in the last four by outlasting 2021 Rotterdam champion Andrey Rublev 675 63 64 The eighth seed fired 17 aces en route to a twohour 27minute victory improving his Lexus ATP Head2Head record against Rublev to 42 The win also ensures Hurkaczs return to the Top 20 in the PIF ATP Rankings having briefly fallen out for the first time since April 2021Competing in his 21st tourlevel semifinal and first since Halle in June Hurkacz now has his sights set on his ninth ATP Tour title With both Alcaraz and Hurkacz in top form their semifinal showdown promises to be a thrilling contest at the Ahoy Arena IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/alcaraz-delivers-perfect-match-to-reach-rotterdam-semis-600435.html Sat, 08 Feb 2025 09:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/it-reminds-me-a-lot-of-indian-wells-jil-on-surface-at-mumbai-open-600194.html Mumbai Feb 7 Former World No 21 in singles Jil Teichmann is one of biggest names still in contention in the ongoing Mumbai Open 2025 WTA 125 being played at the iconic CCI Club in Mumbai Struggling for form over the last two years Jil dropped down the ranks however she is eyeing to make a comeback with a title at the hard courts in Mumbai Having won an array of WTA and ITF titles Jil has played the highest level of tennis all around the world and is impressed with the courts and facilities of the Mumbai Open Talking about the surface she stated The surface has good quality and is very slow It reminds me a lot of Indian WellsThe facilities and the club here is very good The people working have done a great job in keeping the venue clean and organising everything I have nothing to complain about she further addedThis being her first time in India Jil was extremely excited to play in Mumbai and loved the reception she got Ive heard very good things about India and I am happy to see that everything is true The people here are super nice and I feel very welcomed here I am loving my time here in MumbaiDespite having limited time to train having directly come from the Singapore Open Jil did well to hit the ground running having won the Round of 16 game against Arianne Hartono in a thrilling 3set match Jil summarised her plans ahead well while saying My goal is to advance as far as possible in this tournament break into the top 100 and qualify for the main draws in the SlamsJil plays Indias Shrivalli Bhamidipaty next in her singles quarterfinal match on Friday IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/it-reminds-me-a-lot-of-indian-wells-jil-on-surface-at-mumbai-open-600194.html Fri, 07 Feb 2025 13:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/mumbai-open-shrivalli-maaya-storm-into-singles-quarters-600136.html Mumbai Feb 6 Shrivalli Bhamidipaty and 15yearold sensation Maaya Rajeshwaran stormed into the singles quarterfinals at the Mumbai Open 2025 WTA 125 Series at the Cricket Club of India While Shrivalli put on a dominating and powerful display against Serbias Aleksandra Kruncic winning 64 60 Maaya was on the receiving end of some good fortune as her opponent Zarina Diyas withdrew midway through the second half Indian veteran Ankita Raina too made a valiant effort but lost a closely contested game in the Round of 16Shrivalli was in fine form on the day and despite losing the first three games she roared back and turned the match on its head Shrivalli who has a powerful serve won four games on the bounce to close out the first set at 64The young Indian had the momentum on her side and was unstoppable in the second set She was quick in covering the baseline and was smart with the shots she played Shrivalli clinched the second set at 60 cementing her spot in the quarterfinals Incidentally she is also in the quarterfinals of the doubles draw where she is partnered with Riya BhatiaAfter Shrivalli it was Maayas turn on centre court She played some fantastic winners across the court and kept her opponent Diyaz under pressure eventually clinching the first set at 63 Diyaz was looking to mount a comeback in the second set but illness forced her to withdraw from the contest with the second set score reading 32 to MaayaThe win means Maaya has now progressed to the quarterfinal stage of her maiden senior tournamentEarlier in the day Ankita gave a tough fight to second seed Rebecca Marino but eventually lost 75 26 76 75 and crashed out in the round of 16 The first set saw both players exchanging games and going neckandneck With the set tied at 55 Rebecca capitalised on crucial errors from Ankita and broke her serve to take the set 75Ankita responded well in the second set which she won 62 to set up a titanic decider The third set kept the audience on the edge of their seats Rebecca had the break point in the ninth game which went into deuce six times but Ankita fought back and won the crucial point The game eventually went into a tiebreaker which the Canadian won 75On another court eighthseeded Mananchaya Sawangkaew of Thailand staged a remarkable comeback to defeat 19yearold Linda Fruhvirtova of the Czech Republic 46 62 60Fruhvirtova initially dominated the first set breaking Sawangkaews serve at 44 before closing out the set at 64 However Sawangkaew showed remarkable composure and resilience turning the match around in the second set with aggressive returns and consistent baseline playSawangkaew won the set 62 and carried the momentum into the final set completely overpowering her opponent for a decisive 60 victoryMeanwhile Japans Mei Yamaguchi triumphed over Switzerlands Simona Waltert in another threeset thriller 76 26 64 Yamaguchis tactical brilliance and steady play helped her secure the win and a quarterfinal berth at the expense of WaltertThere was more joy for India in the doubles draw as the IndoDutch duo of Prarthana Thombare amp Arianne Hartono prevailed in their doubles tie against Nao Hibino amp Oksana Kalashnikova 61 63 to enter the semifinalsSeeded third the BritishRussian duo of Eden Silva and Anastasia Tikhonova swatted away the challenge of the American pair of Jessie Aney and Jessica Failla in straight sets 75 75 to seal their berth in the final four IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/mumbai-open-shrivalli-maaya-storm-into-singles-quarters-600136.html Thu, 06 Feb 2025 23:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/my-body-can-no-longer-endure-former-world-no-1-simona-halep-announces-retirement-599822.html ClujNapoca Romania Feb 5 Former World No1 Romanian Simona Halep announced her retirement after her homecoming was stopped at the first hurdle at the Transylvania Open in ClujNapoca on Tuesday by Italys Lucia Bronzetti Halep belatedly got her season under way in her home event the Transylvania Open in Romania on Tuesday after being handed a wildcard But the twotime Grand Slam singles champion suffered a 61 61 loss at the hands of BronzettiIts a bit hard for me to speak said Simona Halep into the microphone on the purple court at the Transylvania Open standing before packed standsI feel both sadness and joyboth emotions are running through me right now But I take this decision with peace of mind My body can no longer endure what it takes to reach the level I once was atIts too difficult to get back there and I know what kind of effort that requires Thats why I came here to Cluj to play in front of you and to say goodbye Even though todays performance wasnt my best I am so happy you came she continuedI reached World No 1 I won Grand Slam titles I achieved everything I ever wanted Life goes on after tennis and I hope we will see each other as often as possible I will still play tennis but to be competitive at the highest level takes so much more and at this moment its no longer possible for me Halep saidHalep who was given a fouryear doping ban that was reduced to nine months due to a contaminated supplement last played in October in Hong Kong with her 2024 comeback season limited to just four tournaments as a result of a knee injury This weeks event in Romania was just her fifth tournament since returning to the WTA Tour following a doping banHalep won her first major title at the French Open in 2018 defeating Sloane Stephens having lost her previous three Grand Slam finals She then won at Wimbledon in 2019 committing just three unforced errors in a stunning final victory over Serena WilliamsShe won 22 other WTA Tour titles and spent 64 weeks as world number one IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/my-body-can-no-longer-endure-former-world-no-1-simona-halep-announces-retirement-599822.html Wed, 05 Feb 2025 10:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/rune-alcaraz-advance-to-second-round-in-rotterdam-599825.html Rotterdam Feb 5 Top seed Carlos Alcaraz avenges his loss to Van De Zandschulp last year at the US Open with a hardfought victory at the Rotterdam Open on Wednesday IST The Spaniard was put through his paces but prevailed 763 36 61 against Dutch wildcard Zandschulp to advance to the second round at the indoor hardcourt ATP 500Alcaraz who was stunned by the Dutchman in the second round at the US Open last year struggled to find his range throughout the testing clash Yet the 21yearold regained his composure to motor through a dominant final set and seal a twohour 33minute victory ATP reportsDespite boasting 16 tourlevel titles Alcaraz is yet to reach a championship match indoors He will next play against qualifier Andrea Vavassori or twotime titlist in 2025 Felix AugerAliassime in the second roundThere was also something physical hindering Alcaraz who arrived in Rotterdam with a cold and played with a piece of tape on his nose to breathe more easily I dont feel 100 per cent yet Ill need a few more days for that But the key was to stay mentally strong And luckily that worked It was also a great match for the fans in that sense said the SpaniardOn the other hand Holger Rune advanced to the Rotterdam second round for the third consecutive year after defeating recent Australian Open quarterfinalist Lorenzo Sonego 764 64 in two hours 11 minutesThe fifth seed collected his 44th indoor win since the start of the 2022 season second only to Felix AugerAliassimes 53 The 2022 Paris Masters champion next faces Spains Pedro Martinez and will attempt to improve his break point conversion rate which was 213 against Sonego according to ATP Stats IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/rune-alcaraz-advance-to-second-round-in-rotterdam-599825.html Wed, 05 Feb 2025 10:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/mumbai-open-indian-duo-of-shrivalli-bhamidipaty-and-riya-bhatia-enter-qf-599971.html Mumbai Feb 5 Shrivalli Bhamidipaty Riya Bhatia Prarthana Thombare and Rutuja Bhosale all enter the quarter final stage of the Mumbai Open 2025 after what was a fruitful day for Indias doubles charge The duo of Shrivalli and Riya emerged victorious over Japans Mai Hontama and Kyoka Okamura while Prarthana Thombare alongside her the Dutch partner Arianne Hartono too won her tie as wellIn a remarkable display of determination and composure Thailands Luksika Tararudee stunned Slovakias thirdseeded Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in straight sets 76 64 The 20yearold demonstrated maturity outmaneuvering her 30yearold opponent with effective shot placements and impressive net playThe first set saw a fierce battle as both players held their serves until Tararudee led 54 Despite faltering under pressure and allowing Schmiedlova to level the score Tararudees composed baseline rallies and aggressive first serves proved decisive in clinching the tiebreaker Schmiedlova known for her resilience fought hard but was often caught wrongfooted by Tararudees clever shot selections The second set remained tightly contested with Schmiedlova pushing back with powerful forehands However Tararudees consistent service games and strategic approaches at key moments sealed her remarkable victoryIn another captivating singles match Japans Mai Hontama faced off against the Philippines Alexandra Eala in a contest filled with intensity and drama Hontama secured victory in straight sets 76 62 showcasing her ability to stay composed in highpressure situations The first set saw relentless baseline rallies as both players pushed each other to the limit Eala forced a tiebreaker with her fighting spirit but fell short as Hontama maintained her poise to win the set The second set was equally competitive with Ealas errors at crucial points allowing Hontama to emerge victoriousIn doubles action the DutchIndian duo of Arianne Hartono and Prarthana Thombare delivered a commanding performance defeating Thailands Peangtarn Plipuech and Japans Naho Sato in straight sets 62 63 Their excellent coordination and strategic volley placements were key factors in their triumph Hartonos aggressive returns combined with Thombares deft net play left their opponents struggling to find a responseElsewhere Swiss fifth seed Jil Teichmann overcame a stern challenge from the Netherlands Arianne Hartono in one of the most gripping matches of the tournament so far Teichmann had to dig deep after dropping the first set to secure a hardfought 67 63 63 victory The match showcased Teichmanns mental toughness and superior fitness which proved pivotal in the deciding set Hartonos aggressive style kept Teichmann on her toes but the Swiss player relied on her powerful backhand and experience to prevailIn a thrilling doubles encounter Indias Shrivalli Bhamidipaty and Riya Bhatia pulled off a sensational victory against Japans Mai Hontama and Kyoka Okamura The match extended into a tense thirdset super tiebreaker with the Indian duo emerging victorious 57 62 107 Despite losing the first set Bhamidipaty and Bhatia showcased remarkable resilience and adaptability to turn the match around Their aggressive net play and strategic shot placements under pressure proved decisive in clinching the memorable winGreat Britains Eden Silva and Russias Anastasia Tikhonova also displayed their prowess with a commanding 62 63 straightset win Silvas sharp volleys and Tikhonovas dominance from the baseline made them a formidable pair leaving their opponents struggling to find rhythmJapans Nao Hibino and Georgias Oksana Kalashnikova the top seeds in the doubles draw secured a commanding 76 62 victory in their match Their excellent chemistry and tactical play proved too much for their opponents Hibinos precision volleys combined with Kalashnikovas powerful serves made the pair an unstoppable force on the courtIn another doubles clash Russias secondseeded duo of Anastasia Anshba and Ekaterina Pridankina demonstrated their dominance with a clinical 64 64 win over the Philippines Alex Eala and Chia Yi Tsao The Russian pairs powerful baseline game and strategic shot placements proved decisive in their wellearned winGreat Britains Alicia Barnett and Indias Rutuja Bhosale progressed to the next round after receiving a walkover against Zarina Diyas and Ekaterina Yashina IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/mumbai-open-indian-duo-of-shrivalli-bhamidipaty-and-riya-bhatia-enter-qf-599971.html Wed, 05 Feb 2025 23:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/atp-tour-medvedev-outlasts-wawrinka-in-attritional-battle-in-rotterdam-599598.html Rotterdam Feb 4 World No 7 Daniil Medvedev was put through his paces overcoming a tough first set to beat Swiss star Stan Wawrinka in a clash between two former winners of the event and remain alive upon return to the ATP Rotterdam Open The second seed rallied to an entertaining 678 64 61 triumph over fellow former champion Wawrinka despite letting two set points in the first set He however recovered well to move into the second round at the indoor hardcourt ATP 500 event in his first appearance since he won the title in 2023In other matches in the Round of 32 in the event Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas the sixth seed playing on a wildcard defeated qualifier Harold Mayot of France in straight sets 81 75 while eighth seed Hubert Hurkacz of Poland waltzed past Flavio Cabolli of Italy 6362 in a 77minute battle on Centre Court Qualifier Mattia Bellucci of Italy defeated Mees Rottgering of the Netherlands 63 62 in another Round of 32 clash to reach the prequarterfinals on Monday nightThe focus was on the Medvedev vs Wawrinka clash considering both are former champions and the former was coming back to the event after a couple of yearsWawrinka the 2015 titlist in Rotterdam competed admirably but ultimately ran out of gas as Medvedev cruised across the lineThe 28yearold will next face Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci If Medvedev can go on to seal the title this week it will be his first since the 2023 ATP Masters 1000 in Rome It would also be the first time that the former World No 1 has won the same event twice after his previous 20 titles have all come at different tournamentsHaving overcome Medvedev in each of their two previous ATP headtohead meetings Wawrinka was aware of the task ahead and his game plan was evident from the outset Not only did the 39yearold engage in the gruelling rallies but he went after Medvedev with his sustained aggressionWawrinka fended off a 29shot set point which doubled as the longest rally of the opener by asserting his dominance and finishing the point at the forecourt He used this pattern of play to trouble Medvedev for much of the 69minute first set during which the Swiss player won 12 out of 17 points when at the net according to Infosys ATP StatsMedvedev returned from the toilet break he took at the end of the first set as a completely different player The No 7 in the PIF ATP Rankings upped his own level of aggression which began to gradually draw more errors from Wawrinka and drastically reduce his winner count which fell from 16 to 5 between the two setsAs the encounter wore on Wawrinka further struggled to rediscover the range that was firing winners from all angles of the court in the first set Medvedev finished with a flourish in the final set in which he did not face a single break point IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/atp-tour-medvedev-outlasts-wawrinka-in-attritional-battle-in-rotterdam-599598.html Tue, 04 Feb 2025 10:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/tennis-mumbai-open-is-a-great-platform-for-indian-players-to-play-against-the-best-says-ankita-raina-599705.html Mumbai Feb 4 Ankita Raina is delighted to be back at the Mumbai Open WTA 125 Series that is taking place at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai The former India number one secured a commanding 62 62 win over fellow Indian Vaishnavi Adkari to book her place in the Round of 16 She will be up against the second seed Rebecca Marino of Canada in the next roundThe 32yearold who has a wealth of experience on the circuit spoke on her experience at the tournament and said Im happy to be back here in Mumbai to play at the Mumbai Open I think its my fourth or fifth year at the event I would like to thank the MSLTA team and tournament directors Sunder Iyer and Prashant Sutar for giving me the wildcard This tournament provides a great opportunity for Indian players to play against some of the best players in the worldReflecting on her performance that got her through to the next round I havent played her before but we have practiced together sometimes recently I think I started well and I knew shes an aggressive player as well So I knew what to expect and Im happy to play against herAnkita is currently working alongside Harsh Mankad who is a former ATP professional tennis player and has represented the country at the Davis Cup She shed some light on their partnershipHes helping me out since he has a perspective of this league Were trying out something new Hes also based in the States though So well see how it goes but Im happy to have that supportThe experienced tennis player spoke about her professional journey stating I think Ive been in that position for quite some time now since 1011 years So Ive been through that journey Even now I feel the same way I felt back then I am my own competition and I would say that to the other upcoming players as well You need to see that if youre better than yesterday and you have got to keep working on that After all you want to compete at the grand slams and thats where you want to be IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/tennis-mumbai-open-is-a-great-platform-for-indian-players-to-play-against-the-best-says-ankita-raina-599705.html Tue, 04 Feb 2025 17:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/mumbai-open-maaya-rajeshwaran-15-secures-spot-in-main-draw-599505.html Mumbai Feb 3 The 15yearold Maaya Rajeshwaran scripted another sensational win at the Mumbai Open WTA 125 Series at the Cricket Club of India here on Monday She prevailed over Jessica Failla winning 76 16 64 in a nailbiting encounter to seal her place in the main draw Maaya Rajeshwaran registered her second win of the tournament having defeated World No 265 Nicole Fossa Huergo in the previous round She will now be part of the main draw and will be up against Yuriko Lily Miyazaki of Great BritainThe young tennis star has been part of the Rafael Nadal Academy in Spain while competing in ITF Juniors tournaments around the worldAfter confirming her participation in the main draw Maaya reflected on her performance and reiterated her goalsShe said First of all I was pretty happy with qualifying because that was my first goal when I entered the tournament My goals are not done yet but the first goal is accomplished for now She did test me in the third set but Im happy to winThe 15yearold prodigy also shed some light on the kind of support she has received in her journey especially from her parents She mentioned One thing that Im really happy about is that my dad doesnt travel with me often because I dont play tournaments in India but when I travel in India he comes Im very happy when he travels because if hes there I really have my head down and focus He helps me remain calm so even if Im playing a very tough match hell be there to support me I feel like almost 100 of my pressure goes to him at that point so Ill be at easeWhile Maayas mother travels with her consistently she also receives support from Amalgam Steel who has been her sponsor for the last couple of years They leave no stone unturned to contribute towards her growth and provide continuous support in her journeySpeaking on her experience of being part of the qualifying draws at the Mumbai Open WTA 125 Series Maaya stated It does feel pretty good Its not something new that Ive been doing but in the WTA circuit yes it does feel pretty amazing I also want to thank the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association MSLTA for having faith in me and giving me an opportunity as the wildcard at such a prestigious event IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/mumbai-open-maaya-rajeshwaran-15-secures-spot-in-main-draw-599505.html Mon, 03 Feb 2025 17:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/mumbai-open-2025-wild-cards-given-to-top-indian-players-sahaja-ankita-and-shrivalli-for-main-draw-598897.html Mumbai Jan 31 The organisers of the Mumbai Open 2025 the fourth edition of the WTA 125 Series event have handed wildcards to players including India No1 Sahaja Yamalapalli and seasoned Ankita Raina the main draw of the event which will be held from February 3 to 9 at the Cricket Club of India CCI here Wild cards were also handed to Shrivalli Bhamidipathy the India No 3 and Vaishnavi Adkar who is Maharashtras highestranked player Wild cards for the Qualifying Round have been handed to Maaya Rajeshwaran and Akansha Nitture Maharashtras secondhighestranked player The highlyanticipated fourth edition of the Mumbai Open offers a total prize purse of USD 125000 and is set to commence at the Cricket Club of India CCI with the Qualifying Rounds from SaturdayOrganised by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association MSLTA this WTA 125 Series Tournament will showcase an impressive array of international stars alongside Indias most promising talents competing for top honours on the renowned hard courts of the CCILeading the international contingent is Tatjana Maria currently ranked World No 73 a threetime singles champion including consecutive triumphs at the 2023 and 2024 Copa Colsanitas WTA 250 tournaments in Colombia The 2022 Wimbledon semifinalist is among the frontrunners for this years titleThe tournament boasts a rich legacy of champions with World No 2 Aryna Sabalenka clinching the title in 2017 followed by Thailands Luksika Kumkhum in 2018 Defending champion Darja Semenistaja of Latvia and rising star Alexandra Eala from the Philippines are set to feature prominently in this years competition Indias Maaya Rajeshwaran currently training at the Rafael Nadal Academy will be vying for a spot through the qualifying rounds IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/mumbai-open-2025-wild-cards-given-to-top-indian-players-sahaja-ankita-and-shrivalli-for-main-draw-598897.html Fri, 31 Jan 2025 20:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/raducanu-gets-wildcard-for-abu-dhabi-open-qualifiers-598485.html Abu Dhabi Jan 30 British tennis star Emma Raducanu receiving a wildcard for the preliminary stage of the Abu Dhabi Open and is set to enter a qualifying draw for the first time since her historic 2021 US Open victory The 22yearold who became the first qualifier in history to win a Grand Slam will begin her campaign on Saturday when qualifying for the WTA 500 event beginsRaducanu currently ranked world number 56 is looking to regain momentum after a mixed start to her 2024 season She reached the third round of the Australian Open but suffered a tough threehour firstround loss to Cristina Bucsa at the Singapore Open earlier this weekNow she faces another test in Abu Dhabi featuring many of the worlds best female players Elena Rybakina will defend her title while Bencic plays in Abu Dhabi for the first time since winning the inaugural event in 2023The field also includes Kasatkina Brazils Beatriz Haddad Maia Spains Paula Badosa and Tunisias Jabeur who is expected to receive strong support from local fansAdding to her challenges Raducanu is entering the tournament without a fulltime coach following Nick Cavadays departure due to health reasons She is currently traveling with fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura but has yet to announce a new coaching appointmentSince her stunning victory in New York four years ago where she won ten consecutive matchesincluding three in qualifyingwithout dropping a set Raducanu has experienced fluctuating form and injuries IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/raducanu-gets-wildcard-for-abu-dhabi-open-qualifiers-598485.html Thu, 30 Jan 2025 15:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/aus-open-top-seeds-siniakova-townsend-take-home-womens-doubles-title-597563.html Melbourne Jan 26 No1 seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend battled past No3 seeds Hsieh Suwei and Jelena Ostapenko 62 674 63 in a gripping final on Sunday to clinch the womens doubles title at the Australian Open Siniakova and Townsend the CzechAmerican pair lived up to their topseeded billing on Rod Laver Arena but they had to shake off a secondset comeback by Hsieh and Ostapenko before taking the match after 2 hours and 27 minutes minutes of playDoubles world no 1 Siniakova has now won 10 Grand Slam titles in womens doubles She is the first player to amass 10 womens doubles major titles since Martina Hingis captured her 10th at 2015 Wimbledon Her Grand Slam trophy haul includes seven titles with Barbora Krejcikova one with Coco Gauff and now two with Townsend according to WTAThis is Siniakova third Australian Open title having won here in 2022 and 2023 with Krejcikova she has won 29 WTA doubles titles overall Townsend on the other hand has now won eight career WTA doubles titles two of which are Slams and seven of which have come after her return from maternity leave in 2022In their first Grand Slam event as a pairing Siniakova and Townsend won last years Wimbledon title Townsends first major title as a pro They followed up with a semifinal showing at the 2024 US Open before hoisting another major trophy on Sunday They have gone 151 in their three Slams as a duoSiniakova and Townsend dominated the first set but things got tricky in the second Townsend served for the win at 63 54 but Hsieh and Ostapenko broke back to level at 55 The set went to a tiebreak where Hsiehs return winner sealed the second setIn the third set Siniakova hit three double faults and was broken early but she and Townsend quickly broke back The top seeds gained control with a crucial break of Hsiehs serve at 53 Townsends volleying helped Siniakova hold serve and they reached triple championship point Townsend finished it off with a forecourt putaway securing their second major titleFormer WTA Doubles World No1 Hsieh was trying to defend her title she won the 2024 Australian Open with Elise Mertens and Ostapenko was eyeing her second straight Slam she won the 2024 US Open with Lyudmyla Kichenok IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/aus-open-top-seeds-siniakova-townsend-take-home-womens-doubles-title-597563.html Sun, 26 Jan 2025 16:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wakana-sonobe-becomes-first-japanese-champion-in-australian-open-girls-singles-history-597355.html Melbourne Jan 25 Wakana Sonobe etched her name into the history books by becoming the first Japanese player to win the Australian Open girls singles title The 17yearold delivered a commanding performance in the final dismantling American doubles champion Kristina Penickova 60 61 in just 54 minutes at Rod Laver Arena Sonobes final victory her fastest singles match of the tournament capped a remarkable campaign at Melbourne Park The Japanese star entered the match fresh from a semifinal win over No1 seed and home favorite Emerson Jones showcasing nerves of steel and an unrelenting driveHer path to the title was marked by resilience and dominance Across six matches Sonobe dropped just one set a grueling 76 decider in her twohourand29minute firstround clash against Chinas Zhang Reuien From there she was unstoppable using aggressive play and tactical precision to keep her opponents at bayIn the final Sonobe hit 14 winners compared to Penickovas six and committed only 13 unforced errors 12 fewer than her rival Her ability to stay focused and control the matchs tempo earned her a welldeserved victory as per ATP StatsSonobes triumph was witnessed by her family who had traveled from Saitama Japan to cheer her on along with her coach Ryuji Hirooka The victory was particularly sweet for Sonobe who had narrowly missed out on her first Grand Slam title at the US Open last year finishing runnerup to Mika StojsavljevicThis was not easy for me today Sonobe said in her postmatch interview She Penickova is a good player so strong and powerful I tried to hit hard and aggressive and that workedHirooka who has been coaching Sonobe for three years was full of praise for her dedication and potential She always has these really good moments where whatever she does turns into winners When shes locked in like today no one can beat her he saidSonobes achievement is a significant milestone in Japanese tennis making her only the second junior singles title winner at Melbourne Park following Rei Sakamotos boys title last season The victory has not only cemented her place in history but also set the stage for an exciting professional careerIm going to play more pro tournaments and I want to get a pro title this year Sonobe saidHirooka expressed confidence in her ability to reach the sports upper echelons I believe shell be a top10 player he asserted Shes coachable focused and has the talent to compete with anyone Thats what were working for IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/wakana-sonobe-becomes-first-japanese-champion-in-australian-open-girls-singles-history-597355.html Sat, 25 Jan 2025 15:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/aus-open-zverev-advances-to-final-after-djokovic-retires-with-injury-597112.html Melbourne Jan 24 Novak Djokovics bid for the record 11th Australian Open took a major blow as the Serbian great retired with injury following a first set of the semifinal against Alexander Zverev on Friday After losing the first set in 81 minutes Djokovic retired when Zverev was leading the match 765 Djokovic sent the ball into the net to give up the minibreak and lost the first set in a tiebreak Immediately after he lost a 765 opening set Djokovic shook the hand of the No 2 sending the German through to the finalThrough his third major final Zverev awaits defending champion Jannik Sinner or home favourite Alex de Minaur The German will play his first Australian Open final on SundayThe Serbian pushed Zverev throughout the opening set but could not battle on any longer after he missed a volley on set pointAfter overcoming his upperleg injury in an inspired quarterfinal performance against Carlos Alcaraz Djokovic was clearly limited against Zverev despite keeping the scoreline close ATP reportsDjokovic pushed through the pain on Tuesday to overcome Alcaraz in his bid to win a recordextending 25th majorThe Serbian who had his upper left leg taped during his win against Alcaraz was chasing a recordextending 11th Australian Open title He had famously won the hardcourt event in 2023 while managing an injuryDjokovic is the third man in the Open Era to play in the semifinals at the Australian Open aged 37 or older joining Ken Rosewall and Roger FedererThe former No 1 player in the ATP Rankings struggled to find his top level at the majors in 2024 with his victory against World No 3 Alcaraz in the quarterfinal being his first against a Top 10 player at a Slam since 2023 when he overcame Daniil Medvedev to capture his 24th major at the US Open IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/aus-open-zverev-advances-to-final-after-djokovic-retires-with-injury-597112.html Fri, 24 Jan 2025 11:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/emma-raducanu-coach-nick-cavaday-steps-down-to-prioritise-health-597204.html New Delhi Jan 24 British tennis star Emma Raducanu is looking for a new coach following the departure of Nick Cavaday who stepped down from his role to focus on his health The announcement marks the end of a productive 14month partnership that saw the 22yearold return to prominence on the WTA Tour after a challenging period marred by injuries and surgeries Cavaday a former childhood coach of Raducanu rejoined her team shortly before the 2024 Australian Open Known for his steady guidance and familiarity with Raducanus game he played a pivotal role in helping her rebound from wrist and ankle surgeries that had sidelined her for much of 2023Under his mentorship Raducanu climbed back into the worlds top 60 showcasing glimpses of the form that saw her win the 2021 US Open as a teenage qualifierReflecting on their time together Raducanu expressed gratitude to Cavaday Id like to thank Nick for a great partnership over the last year and a bit especially postsurgeries I wish him all the best in his next chapter and no doubt well stay in touch Raducanu was quoted by BBC Sports as sayingCavaday acknowledged the demands of the job and the toll it took on his wellbeing At this moment in time its important for me to spend some more time at home and prioritise getting back to full health which is hard to do with the extensive calendar I am glad Emma is back to being established on tour now with a ranking inside the top 60 and I look forward to seeing what she does from hereRaducanus coaching carousel has been a constant subplot in her career She first made waves at Wimbledon in 2021 under Nigel Sears before teaming up with Andrew Richardson who guided her to a historic US Open title later that year Despite their success Raducanu parted ways with Richardson shortly after the tournament sparking a series of brief coaching stints with Torben Beltz Dmitry Tursunov and Sebastian SachsThe decision to bring back Cavaday who had worked with her since she was 10 years old seemed to offer stability His tenure coincided with her recovery from injuries and a steady improvement in her performance However with his departure Raducanu now faces the challenge of finding her seventh fulltime coachRaducanus immediate future includes competing in a WTA 250 event in Singapore accompanied by her fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/emma-raducanu-coach-nick-cavaday-steps-down-to-prioritise-health-597204.html Fri, 24 Jan 2025 17:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/australian-open-madison-keys-saves-match-point-stuns-swiatek-in-semifinals-597064.html Melbourne Jan 23 Madison Keys of the United States saved a match point on her way to stunning No2 seed Iga Swiatek 57 61 768 in the Australian Open semifinals advancing to the second Grand Slam final of her career following the 2017 US Open Keys had won just one of five previous meetings with Swiatek with all four losses coming in straight sets The Pole served for a fifth victory at 65 in the decider but missed a match point with a netted backhand Keys trailed most of the way in the ensuing supertiebreak and was down 75 but found her best serves when she needed them to claim the final three points converting her first match point after 2 hours and 35 minutesSo tightly contested was the third set that Keys had no idea whether she had faced a match point Keys had lost the first set and then fought back to win with a stunning comebackThe result extends Keys winning streak to 11 matches following her ninth career WTA Tour title two weeks ago in Adelaide Keys current run now stands alone as the longest winning streak of her career going one better than her 10match streak in 2022 Then Keys also won Adelaide and reached the Australian Open semifinals where she fell to Ashleigh BartyThe American will face a similar dynamic in the final against No1 seed and twotime defending champion Aryna Sabalenka who leads their headtohead series 41 That includes all four of their hardcourt meetings and both their Grand Slam encounters Keys only win in the series was a 64 16 75 victory in the second round of Berlin 2021 on grassIn the final she will be aiming to become the fourth player this decade to defeat the World No1 and World No2 in the same tournament following Sabalenka at the 2022 WTA Finals Fort Worth beating Ons Jabeur and Swiatek Barbora Krejcikova at Dubai 2023 beating Sabalenka and Swiatek and Elena Rybakina at Indian Wells 2023 beating Swiatek and SabalenkaThe defeat marks Swiateks second loss in as many Australian Open semifinals In 2022 she fell at the same stage as another bighitting American Danielle Collins Her loss means that Sabalenka is guaranteed to retain the World No1 ranking following the Australian Open IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/australian-open-madison-keys-saves-match-point-stuns-swiatek-in-semifinals-597064.html Thu, 23 Jan 2025 22:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/swiatek-beats-navarro-to-sail-into-second-aus-open-semifinal-596784.html Melbourne Jan 22 World No2 Iga Swiatek reached to her first Grand Slam semifinal outside Roland Garros since winning the 2022 US Open on Wednesday The fivetime major champion eased past No8 Emma Navarro 61 62 in the Australian Open quarterfinals in 89 minutesSwiatek made her first hardcourt Grand Slam semifinal at the Australian Open in 2022 where she lost to Danielle CollinsSwiatek utilised her aggressive game to control the rally and move Navarro around the court After claiming the first set in just 35 minutes Swiatek faced more consistent pressure in the beginning of the second setNavarro competing in her third straight Grand Slam quarterfinal earned her first break point of the match while Swiatek was serving at 22 However Swiatek erased that opportunity and broke back in the following gameOverall Navarro was able to push Swiatek to deuce in three of her service games in the second set but the former world No 1 held firm and completed the match without losing a point on her serveShe will face another American for a spot in the final when she takes on No14 Madison Keys who clinched a spot in her seventh Grand Slam semifinal and her third semifinal in Melbourne with a 36 63 64 victory over No28 seed Elina Svitolina of UkraineKeys has now won ten straight matches during her hot start to 2025 having collected her ninth career title last week in Adelaide Overall she is 121 on the season with her only loss coming to eventual champion Clara Tauson in Auckland WTA reportsThe singles semifinals will be played on Thursday evening at Melbourne Park Swiatek and Keys will follow the first semifinal between World No1 Aryna Sabalenka and No12 Paula BadosaIf Sabalenka and Swiatek advance to Saturdays final the showdown will determine who leaves Melbourne Park as the WTA Tour World No 1 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/swiatek-beats-navarro-to-sail-into-second-aus-open-semifinal-596784.html Wed, 22 Jan 2025 11:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/home-tie-will-help-us-groom-youngsters-in-good-environment-rohit-rajpal-596788.html New Delhi Jan 22 There is nothing better than a home tie to groom future Davis Cup stars and the upcoming contest against Togo is a good opportunity to do that according to Indias Davis Cup captain Rohit Rajpal The Davis Cup squad which is slated to be played on February 12 comprises five member team Sasikumar Mukund Ramkumar Ramanathan Karan Singh NSriram Balaji and Rithvik Choudary BollipalliIndias Sasikumar Mukund will be the highestranked player in the tie at number 368 He is making a comeback to the squad after playing against Morocco in LucknowCaptain Rajpal is delighted that India will get to play at home after playing both their in season 2024 away from home Indias last four of the five ties have been away including the historic match against Pakistan in IslamabadPlaying in home conditions is always beneficial We have travelled a lot in the last twothree seasons The slow hard courts at the DLTA were ideal if Sumit Nagal had played but still the conditions will suit us Maybe the choice could have been grass courts if we knew Sumit would opt out from before Rajpal said who is also the DLTA presidentThomas Steodji will be Togos key player in the contest Togo comes in with three wins against Latvia Indonesia and BeninI will not say that it will be a cakewalk for us but the tie will give us the option to groom the next generation of players in the Davis Cup environment and playing at home we can definitely utilize the home advantage and home support Rajpal further addedThe Indian Davis Cup team will start its preparation for the upcoming World Group I playoff tie starting from January 23 at the DLTA Complex the venue for the contestAryah Shah Chirag Duhan and Yuvaan Nandal have been added to the squad They will be training along with the Indian team and it will be a great exposure for each of themThe DLTA is also being spruced up to welcome the visiting team players and officials apart from the home fans with beautification of the venue A players lounge is also being set up near the centre court IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/home-tie-will-help-us-groom-youngsters-in-good-environment-rohit-rajpal-596788.html Wed, 22 Jan 2025 11:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/aus-open-shelton-tops-sonego-to-reach-second-grand-slam-semifinal-596837.html Melbourne Jan 22 American youngster Ben Shelton after an entertaining win against Lorenzo Sonego on Wednesday reached the Australian Open last four which is his second career grand slam semifinal The 22yearold American who reached the last four at his home major in 2023 is two victories from the title in Melbourne after a 64 75 46 764 win at Rod Laver ArenaShelton is the second active American man to reach multiple major semifinals after Frances Tiafoe and the second active man from his nation to reach the Australian Open semis after Tommy Paul according to ATPSheltons patience from the baseline paid off in the first two sets as the American skillfully chose his moments to unleash his lefty forehand and finish points at the netThe highlight of the match occurred early in the second set when Sonego saved a break point with a diving drop volley that spun back onto his side of the net Shelton visibly stunned extended a handshake as Sonego basked in the applauseWhile both players had several break point opportunities in the first two sets there were no break points in the third set until Shelton lost his final service game handing the set to his opponentIn the fourth it appeared as if the match was swinging in Sonegos favour but Shelton crucially saved a break point in the sixth game to snap any shift in momentum The 22yearold bided his time before pouncing in the tiebreak to seal victory The American awaits defending champion Jannik Sinner or home favourite Alex de Minaur in Fridays semifinalsIf its the home favourite Alex de Minaur in the semifinals you guys can boo me throw stuff at my head I understand If its the No 1 in the world Jannik Sinner itll probably be the same so Im looking forward to it I know I got a few in the crowd who are going to be pulling for me too said SheltonUp six places to No 14 this week in the ATP Live Rankings Shleton could move as high as No 5 by winning his first Grand Slam title IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/aus-open-shelton-tops-sonego-to-reach-second-grand-slam-semifinal-596837.html Wed, 22 Jan 2025 15:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/aus-open-sinner-breezes-past-home-favourite-de-minaur-to-seal-semis-berth-596890.html Melbourne Jan 22 World No 1 Jannik Sinner cruised to a 63 62 61 quarterfinal triumph against home favourite Alex de Minaur to keep alive his hopes of lifting backtoback titles at the hardcourt major in Melbourne Sinner who entered the match having dropped just one set in nine previous ATP headtohead meetings with De Minaur motored to a onehour 48minute victory with a clinical display of baseline hitting inside Rod Laver Arena as per ATP stats I feel like today I was feeling everything On days like this when you break quite early in each set its a little bit easier Hes a tough competitor and an amazing player We know each other quite well now Weve played each other so many times and we try to understand each others game and try to prepare ourselves in the best possible wayThese kinds of matches they can go quickly but also they can change very fast if I go down with my level a little bit and he takes opportunities Im very happy about my performance today said Sinner in his oncourt interviewThe Italian finished the match having converted six of 10 break points he earned according to Infosys Stats while he dropped just 10 points on his delivery overallWith his victory Sinner extended his winning streak at hardcourt Grand Slam events to 19 matches following his Australian Open title run a year ago and his triumph at the 2024 US Open The next challenge awaiting the 23yearold Italian at Melbourne Park this year is a semifinal against Ben Shelton who earlier defeated Lorenzo Sonego 64 75 46 764Shelton is the second active American man to reach multiple major semifinals after Frances Tiafoe and the second active man from his nation to reach the Aussie Open semis after Tommy Paul IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/aus-open-sinner-breezes-past-home-favourite-de-minaur-to-seal-semis-berth-596890.html Wed, 22 Jan 2025 19:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/aus-open-badosa-dispatches-gauff-to-make-maiden-grand-slam-semifinal-596587.html Melbourne Jan 21 Former World No2 Paula Badosa reached her maiden Grand Slam semifinal after upsetting World No 3 Coco Gauff 75 64 in the quarterfinal on Tuesday The 27yearold Badosa who was 2024s Comeback Player of the Year following a careerthreatening back injury in the prior year had previously been 02 in her career in major quarterfinals before she handed Gauff her first loss of 2025 in 1 hour and 43 minutes inside Rod Laver ArenaToday I came in and I wanted to play my best game and I think I did it Coco at the beginning she was playing insane tennis but Im super proud of the level I gave today Badosa said postmatchA year ago I was here with my back injury that I didnt know if I had to retire from this sport and now Im here playing the best in the world I won today Im in the semifinals and I never would think that a year later I would be here she addedBadosa clinched the first set 75 with a hardfought hold showcasing tactical prowess Despite facing adversity at 3030 she maintained composure using a mix of power and placement to secure the advantage Gauff fought valiantly forcing errors and keeping the pressure on but ultimately couldnt break throughAn 18minute game of Gauffs serve to start the second set put the Spaniard ahead and she won three straight games from 22 as Gauffs struggles continuedBut after failing to serve out victory at 52 Badosa emphatically sealed her place in the final four in with two aces an unreturned serve and a forehand winner in the matchs final gameThe win also gave Badosa her firstever Top 10 victory at a Grand Slam tournamentThe Spaniard now awaits the winner of the quarterfinal match between World No1 and twotime defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and No21 seed and 2021 Roland Garros finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/aus-open-badosa-dispatches-gauff-to-make-maiden-grand-slam-semifinal-596587.html Tue, 21 Jan 2025 09:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/tennis/mslta-cci-to-host-fourth-edition-of-mumbai-open-wta-125k-series-event-in-feb-596618.html Mumbai Jan 21 The talented and upcoming players from across the globe will be seen in action at the fourth edition of the Mumbai Open which will be organised by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association MSLTA and will be held at the Cricket Club of India CCI The tournament will commence on February 1 with the qualifying round the main draw will begin on February 3 with the finals scheduled on February 9 at the CCIAmong the top names involved in the WTA 125 tournament is Tatjana Maria who is ranked 89 in the world and will be looking to clinch her fourth singles title in her career The righthanded Tatjana has achieved a careerhigh ranking of 42 after reaching a Wimbledon semifinal as the sixth female player in the Open Era over the age of 34 in 2022 She has also won the 2023 and 2024 Copa Colsanitas WTA 250 Event in Colombia on clayAlong with her Rebecca Marino from Canada with a world rank of 98 will headline the singles draw She achieved her highest WTA singles ranking of world No 38 in 2011 and will be gunning for her second WTA singles title In November 2024 she won the Dow Tennis Classic in the USA on a hard courtSpains Nuria ParrizasDiaz World Rank 104 has been ranked as high as world no 45 in her career and has won three WTA Challenger titles in her career ParrizasDiaz who overcame a lengthy battle with a careerthreatening shoulder injury in 2016 had some of her best results on the hard courts Nuria started the year on a strong note having reached the semifinal of the WTA 125 Canberra International and will be hoping to build on her momentum in Mumbai2024 Mumbai Open champion Latvian Darja Semenistaja who currently holds a rank of 120 will also be back to defend her crown In a wellfought final Semenistaja had defeated the Australian Storm Hunter 57 76 86 62 Harriet Dart World Rank 113 previously played a Wimbledon mixed doubles final in 2021 and helped Great Britain reach the semifinals of the Billie Jean King Cup in 2022 and 2024 Not alien to the courts in Mumbai Dart is aiming for her first WTA 125 title everAmong the future stars the 19yearold Alexandra Eala of Philippines who has been selected by Rafael Nadal to train at his academy is also one to watch out for Ranked 138 Alexandra has won one singles and two doubles Junior Grand Slams and is the highestranked Filipino player everShe had an early crash out in the Australian Open this year but will be hoping to bounce back at the LampT Mumbai Open in February Petra Marcinko Former World No 1 Junior from Croatia and a former Australian Junior Double crown winner is one of the young guns to have entered the eventRanked 133 Jil Teichmann who has secured two singles and two doubles titles on the WTA Tour in addition to one WTA 125 doubles title will also be competing in the tournament Former World No 1 in doubles and ninetime Grand Slam champion in doubles Kristina Mladenovic will also be seen in action In her prime Mladenovic was ranked World No 10 in singles but is currently ranked 215 and will be hoping to do well and improve her ranking in MumbaiSanjay Khandare and Pravin Darade both IAS officers and Core members of the Organising Committee said that it will be an exciting week of tennis for fans in MumbaiWe are delighted to open our doors for the LampT Mumbai Open for a fourth time After a fantastic three editions in the previous years we are looking forward to witnessing riveting contests throughout the weekMumbai is the city of dreams and the fans always make it special for the players who come here and we are confident of more of the same this season too The courts at CCI have played host to some of the top names and we are confident that this year will be an eventful one as well they saidThe Mumbai Open which made a comeback after a span of six years in 2024 witnessed some exciting contests last year While the outdoor hardcourt tournament was won by the Latvian Darja Semeistaja in the singles draw the doubles crown went to the pair of Dalila Jakupovic and Sabrina SantamariaThis is the fourth edition of the Mumbai Open with past singles champions including world No 2 Sabalenka 2017 and Thailands Luksika Kumkhum 2018 IANS https://dailyworld.in/tennis/mslta-cci-to-host-fourth-edition-of-mumbai-open-wta-125k-series-event-in-feb-596618.html Tue, 21 Jan 2025 12:28:00 +0530