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It wasn’t plain sailing all the way through, but Victoria Azarenka’s experience in tight moments paid dividends as the two-time Major champion outlasted British number one Katie Boulter during two contrasting sets of tennis to punch her ticket into the Miami Open quarter-finals for the first time in six years. Continue reading “Miami Open: Azarenka content, but not satisfied after notching gritty Boulter win”
She started slowly, leaked 13 total double-faults and could’ve easily faltered after losing set one to 21-year-old Ukrainian talent Marta Kostyuk but Britain’s Katie Boulter recovered from a set down for the second time this week to clinch a maiden WTA 500 title, cracking into the world’s top 30 for the first time too.
Continue reading “WTA San Diego: Boulter recovers against Kostyuk to win her maiden WTA 500 title”
Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka experienced contrasting starts to their respective Australian Open title defences on Day 1 this year, where Croatian teenage qualifier Dino Prizmic pushed his idol to unexpected waters in a four-hour battle on Rod Laver to kick off the night session. Sabalenka meanwhile, will hope to produce more of the same devastating hitting given her draw… Continue reading “Australian Open 2024: Djokovic-Prizmic thrilled, Kyrgios’ media musings and more”
Aryna Sabalenka stressed finishing the year as world no. 1, rather than just having the title for a fleeting few weeks, was of paramount importance to her in the wake of a painful three-set US Open final defeat last month. If she’s to do so, the Belarusian will have been disadvantaged in the build-up after posting some rather unsatisfactory training conditions in Mexico on social media this week. Continue reading “While the Elite Trophy event is in full swing, Sabalenka unhappy at training conditions before next week’s WTA Finals”
Swiss qualifier Dominic Stricker and Zhizhen Zhang produced some nerveless tennis when it mattered, en route to career-best victories against two-time Major finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud – who reached last year’s final – punching their ticket into round three with aplomb. Elsewhere, Novak Djokovic and Caroline Wozniacki won in contrasting conditions on Day 3. Continue reading “US Open 2023: Tsitsipas and 2022 finalist Ruud stunned in five sets on frantic Day 3”
It was a bittersweet day as two players enjoying career-best Wimbledon runs had them cut short via injury against a defending champion and former world no. 1 respectively, while Christopher Eubanks continued his inspiring run with a rousing five-set victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas and the 27-year-old’s compatriot recovered from a set and 4-1 down to end a talented teenager’s run elsewhere.
Continue reading “Wimbledon 2023: Haddad Maia + Lehecka retire injured, Eubanks stuns Tsitsipas”
Karolina Muchova started well with aggression and variety in good measure, weathered an inspired storm before saving match point down 5-2 during a tense deciding set en route to securing her first Major final with a three-set win in three hours 13 minutes against Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka. Continue reading “French Open 2023: Muchova masterful as she makes first Major final in epic comeback win vs. Sabalenka”
She didn’t have it all her own way, but world no. 1 and defending French Open champion Iga Swiatek secured her passage into tomorrow’s semi-finals with a straight-sets win over Coco Gauff, in a rematch of last year’s final. She’ll play Brazilian record-breaker Beatriz Haddad Maia on Thursday, after the 27-year-old’s recovery result vs. two-time Major runner-up Ons Jabeur earlier in the day. Continue reading “French Open 2023: Swiatek improves to 7-0 vs. Gauff, faces Haddad Maia in semis”
Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka navigated past an uncomfortable start to ensure Mirra Andreeva’s record-breaking run at the Madrid Masters was ended in their last-16 clash earlier today, though the Russian – who turned 16 at the weekend – should be encouraged after an impressive week where she proved her tennis level is already much higher than most of her agemates. Continue reading “Madrid: Sabalenka sends Andreeva an apt awakening as 16-year-old’s dream ends”
Monday was the day of youth – don’t tell Holger Rune – as Jack Draper followed up Emma Raducanu’s character-building deciding set victory with an unforgettable one of his own against an idol and mentor in former world no. 1 Andy Murray. His reward? A matchup against tournament top seed, Carlos Alcaraz, after he logged his 100th tour-level win over Tallon Griekspoor. Continue reading “Indian Wells: Raducanu-Swiatek, Draper-Alcaraz in R4 after big wins for young duo”
Belinda Bencic made her return to tennis action a triumphant one this past week – having lost to eventual winner Aryna Sabalenka at last month’s Australian Open. The Olympic champion won a trio of matches in straight-sets, but needed to save three match points and recover from a set down to overwhelm Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova in yesterday’s Abu Dhabi Open. Continue reading “Bencic gutsy, saves three match points in Samsonova scalp to clinch Abu Dhabi title”
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