France’s Harmony Tan stole set one and rallied from 4-0 down in the decider to beat seven-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams 10-7 during a rollercoaster tiebreak, finishing day two with another in a host of surprise results as the competition at SW19 intensifies. Elsewhere, Iga Swiatek’s winning streak extended to 36 while Rafael Nadal and Coco Gauff were challenged. Continue reading
Tag: ATP
Wimbledon 2022 – Day 1: Djokovic and Alcaraz tested, Raducanu rules on Centre Court debut
Novak Djokovic was tested en route to making more history, while Spanish rising star Carlos Alcaraz was embroiled in a five-set battle before Emma Raducanu held her nerve in a tricky R1 test against Belgium’s Alison van Uytvanck during a memorable Centre Court debut for the US Open champion. Read on for reviews and more, on what was another intriguing Day 1 on SW19. Continue reading
Wimbledon 2022: COVID-19 illness sees Marin Cilic withdraw, following injuries for Keys and Coric
Having made the sixth Major semi-final of his career in Paris earlier this month, one of the tournament’s dark horses on the men’s side has quietly departed SW19 without hitting a ball: Marin Cilic [14] revealing he’s still unwell after a positive COVID test, so Portuguese lucky loser Nuno Borges will replace him in tomorrow’s R1 match against America’s Mackenzie McDonald. Continue reading
Mallorca: Tsitsipas clinches maiden grass-court title, ousting Bautista Agut in three sets
Although the post-match interview was predictably awkward as usual, Stefanos Tsitsipas navigated beyond potentially murky waters in his final match before Wimbledon begins on Monday. He could’ve easily crumbled after being broken when serving for the match – against a motivated Roberto Bautista Agut – but held firm to secure his first grass-court title in Mallorca. Continue reading
Jack Draper: Ruusuvouri defeat will help me learn lessons, with SW19 returning this month
It’s easy to declare post-match that you’ll learn lessons from a loss, especially a humbling one during the notoriously short grass court season, but 20-year-old Jack Draper’s case feels slightly different than most. Considering Wimbledon’s just around the corner, here’s why… Continue reading
Can he do it? Murray’s Stuttgart surge makes critics believe again, before Wimbledon
The 35-year-old’s decision to skip Roland Garros, instead focusing on being able to produce a strong Wimbledon campaign, appears to be paying off… having today recorded his first top-5 victory since 2016 after edging past Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6, 6-3 in their Stuttgart quarter-final. Continue reading
Alexander Zverev undergoes surgery on torn ligaments after French Open semi-final fall
The 25-year-old, who reached a new career-high world ranking #2 this week, will be sidelined for several months after undergoing surgery on the multiple torn ligaments in his right foot – sustained during his French Open semi-final vs. eventual champion Rafael Nadal last Friday. Continue reading
French Open: Nadal eases past first-time finalist Ruud, wins record-extending 14th RG trophy
Rafael Nadal recovered from a potentially precarious 3-1 second set deficit, winning eleven consecutive games and losing just eight points across the course of a 30-minute set three as the 36-year-old closed out an impressive straight-sets victory (6-3, 6-3, 6-0) over first-time Major finalist Casper Ruud, making more history with a record-extending 14th Roland Garros title.
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French Open: Trevisan, Gauff win big; Zverev swarms Alcaraz before Nadal outlasts Djokovic
There will be two first-time semi-finalists on Thursday after big wins for Martina Trevisan and Coco Gauff during an eventful day session. Alexander Zverev showed nerves of steel, beating his first top-10 player at a Major and up next? Rafael Nadal, after the 13-time champion won a rollercoaster four-set battle against world no. 1 Novak Djokovic, finishing after 1am local time.
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French Open 2022: Zverev, Tsitsipas and Alcaraz survive scares – but for how long?
This year’s Major marks the first Grand Slam since Wimbledon 2011 where the men’s top 12 seeds have all advanced through into round three – but it was certainly a gritty battle particularly for three of the favourites, one having to save match point, two being down 2-0 and recovering in five. How will that impact their chances of a deep run over the next nine days? Continue reading
French Open 2022: Swiatek, Nadal, Djokovic all progress; Krejcikova, Kontaveit ousted
There were routine R1 wins for the sport’s two world no. 1s, sandwiched between a welcome return for the King of Clay. Elsewhere, the women’s defending titlist was stunned by a determined Frenchwoman on home soil, before two Major winners almost 15 years apart in age both showed steely resilience, recovering from precarious situations to seal their R2 berths. Continue reading
French Open 2022: Divisive draws announced, as Djokovic-Nadal-Alcaraz in same half
Ahead of Sunday’s first-round flurry of matches across both ATP and WTA circuits, an unbalanced men’s draw has predictably caused quite a stir before the year’s second Major. Read on to see which particular players will be fancying their chances of a deep run over the next fortnight on clay, while other rivals in different sections will be rueing their lack of luck… Continue reading