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If only he could get the job done in straight-sets. Andy Murray doesn’t do things the easy way, but that makes his tennis more pulsating – win or lose – as the former world no. 1 was clutch again: rallying from 5-4 down in the deciding set to beat Olympic champion Alexander Zverev, earning a Qatar Open quarterfinal where he’ll play French qualifier Alexandre Muller tomorrow. Continue reading “Qatar Open: After Sonego scalp, Murray produces another nailbiting three-set win against Zverev”
Andy Murray ended a near five-year long wait to down a top-20 player in a Major, saving a match point en route to outlasting last year’s semifinalist Matteo Berrettini. Elsewhere, Alexander Zverev and Ons Jabeur both survived some uncomfortable situations while volatile weather – from extreme heat to heavy rain – limited play elsewhere during a disrupted Day 2. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 2023: Murray saves match point against Berrettini, Zverev and Jabeur survive on Day 2”
Olympic champion Alexander Zverev’s long-awaited comeback from ankle surgery, after an unexpected setback, is less than a fortnight away now. He’s looking forward to returning against a competitive field for Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Tennis Cup, which includes 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev and Cameron Norrie, hoping the three-day event serves him well as the British no. 1 looks to banish his historical Australian Open struggles come early 2023. Continue reading “Australian Open 2023: Zverev, Norrie eager to ramp up their preparations in Saudi Arabia event”
He finished just shy of his goal – a return to the world’s top 100 – but 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem is exhausted after a busy few months on tour and spoke to Austrian news this week about the progress he’s made after a troublesome time with injuries in recent seasons. All things considered, 2023 has all the ingredients of a renaissance year for the 29-year-old – with fans and critics alike purring about performances against high-ranked competition of late.
Continue reading “Dominic Thiem ends his 2022 season exhausted, but happy with progress – as he should be”
24 hours after adding role model Dominic Thiem to the ever-growing list of players he’s beaten so far this year, Switzerland’s Marc-Andrea Huesler ultimately proved too much for Jack Draper to handle during their competitive Winston-Salem quarter-final clash overnight. Draper has a chance to avenge his Queen’s defeat by Emil Ruusuvuori on Monday, in his US Open debut. Continue reading “Winston-Salem: Jack Draper downed in two draining sets against Swiss’ in-form Marc-Andrea Huesler”
Carlos Alcaraz continues to cruise past ATP records in Hamburg with his inspired play, Dominic Thiem finally has some encouraging form under his belt after lengthy injury woes and Olympic champion Alexander Zverev – who the Austrian beat to the US Open title in 2020 – remains cautious as he recovers from ankle surgery. Read that and more, in this tennis news round-up. Continue reading “Tennis round-up: Alcaraz inspires, Thiem’s timely progress, Zverev injury update & more”
Playing only his fourth match of 2022 after enduring a troublesome year packed with persistent injuries, the US Open champion showed enough in his 6-3, 6-4 defeat to be happy about, against a legendary Major winner who turns 35 later this month but has persisted when things looked increasingly ominous, having himself struggled with injuries for over a half decade now. Continue reading “Murray’s R1 Madrid Open win over Thiem should also give Austrian some perspective”
Although now said to be fully recovered from the troublesome wrist injury plaguing his 2021 season, US Open champion Dominic Thiem confirmed he’ll begin his 2022 in South America at Argentina’s Cordoba Open: missing the Australian Open for the first time in nine years as a pro. Continue reading “Australian Open 2022: Dominic Thiem to start new year in Argentina, skipping Slam”
Roland Garros finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas has revealed he – like many others – wasn’t in the best mental state competing during the COVID-19 pandemic this year. However, he’s optimistic about 2022 and beyond, for his tennis and the life lessons he’s ultimately learned. Elsewhere, new US Open champion Daniil Medvedev has been backed to avoid the same drastic slump Dominic Thiem suffered after winning Flushing Meadows last year, by his coach Gilles Cervara. Continue reading “Tsitsipas opens up on his struggles, Medvedev backed to avoid Thiem’s slump”
The list of high-profile withdrawals ahead of the year’s final Grand Slam continues, with Venus and younger sister Serena Williams revealing they won’t feature at Flushing Meadows. After news of Roger Federer (knee) and Rafael Nadal (foot) shutting down their 2021 seasons in the last fortnight, this will be the first Slam tournament without the latter trio playing since 1997. Continue reading “US Open 2021: Williams sisters withdraw with injuries, Kenin out with COVID”
After suffering a shock first-round exit at Roland Garros and missing Wimbledon through a wrist injury, US Open champion Dominic Thiem has today announced he will not be defending his maiden Slam title in New York after a recurrence of his issue flared up during training last week.
Continue reading “US Open 2021: Recurring wrist pain sees Dominic Thiem withdraw, will not defend title”
20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal and reigning Australian Open titlist Naomi Osaka today both announced they wouldn’t feature at this year’s Championships. The latter confirmed she will compete at the Tokyo Olympics in her native Japan – unlike the 35-year-old Spaniard, preparing to take this summer period off to recover from injuries after listening to his body. Continue reading “Wimbledon 2021: Contrasting reasons see Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka withdraw”
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