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Former world no. 1, three-time Major champion and double Olympic gold medallist Andy Murray waved farewell to the Philippe Chatrier court for perhaps a final time in his illustrious career, painfully hobbling off after being worn down during a straight-sets defeat by longtime foe and 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka – a fitting nightcap on Day 1 at this year’s tournament. Continue reading “French Open 2024: Wawrinka downs Murray in nightcap as r-word looms large”
Four-time Major champion Naomi Osaka marked her competitive return after a 15-month break with a straight-sets win – 6-3, 7-6 (11-9) over Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch, as the new mother navigated through some nerves closing out her first-round clash. Up next is a sixth H2H meeting with Karolina Pliskova [16] in the early hours on Wednesday, where a tricky section of the draw lingers. Continue reading “WTA Brisbane: Naomi Osaka returns with straight-sets victory vs. Tamara Korpatsch”
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”
Today marks one month since Coco Gauff clinched her first Major title, and it felt fitting that career-best achievement came at her home Grand Slam tournament too – against the new world no. 1 in Aryna Sabalenka, from a set down no less. Having reeled off a series of gritty victories during last month’s event and since reaching the Beijing semifinals this past week, here’s a look at how the teenager reached the mountain top six months before her 20th birthday. Continue reading “One month on: Coco Gauff’s US Open triumph, and how she managed such a feat”
Jelena Ostapenko hit 36 unforced errors and recorded a lowly 38% first serve percentage, as the 2017 French Open champion couldn’t back up her Iga Swiatek scalp in the previous round with an in-form Coco Gauff holding firm during their baseline rally exchanges to sweep past her in straight-sets. Now, the teenage American faces Karolina Muchova in a rematch of their Cincinnati final from last month, as a first-time finalist berth awaits tonight’s victor. Continue reading “US Open 2023: Ostapenko’s vulnerabilities return, as Gauff-Muchova rematch up next”
After both had their Miami tournaments end prematurely last month, they returned to clay this week. It was the 2017 French Open champion who wasted no time and produced 26 winners as her aggressive style of tennis proved too hot for the 20-year-old Brit to handle during a one-sided battle of Major titlists. Continue reading “WTA Stuttgart: Ostapenko awesome as she swats Raducanu aside within an hour”
Victoria Azarenka started well and didn’t let up, as she ended Jessica Pegula’s eight-match winning streak – to punch her ticket into a ninth Major semi-final. She’ll face reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina on Thursday, who dropped just one more game against Jelena Ostapenko. Elsewhere, Karen Khachanov will target a first competitive H2H win over Stefanos Tsitsipas after their contrasting wins over Sebastian Korda and Jiri Lehecka on Day 9. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 2023: Azarenka-Rybakina, Khachanov-Tsitsipas set in semifinals on eventful Day 9”
Neither played badly, but both were second best on the biggest points as world no. 1 Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff suffered straight-sets defeats against a pair of Grand Slam champions in Elena Rybakina and Jelena Ostapenko on a busy Day 7 at this year’s Major. Elsewhere, Jiri Lehecka’s giantkilling run continued and he’ll face an in-form Stefanos Tsitsipas on Tuesday. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 2023: Swiatek, Gauff beaten in straight-sets, Tsitsipas survives Sinner fightback on Day 7”
Adelaide 1 finalist and 29th seed Sebastian Korda produced some brilliant ball-striking as he stunned two-time finalist Daniil Medvedev in straight-sets to steal the show on an eventful Day 5 at this year’s Australian Open, with Jiri Lehecka a big winner after some tasty fourth-round ties on the women’s side were confirmed, including Swiatek-Rybakina and Pegula-Krejcikova. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 2023: Korda outplays Medvedev, Lehecka downs Norrie, Zhu stuns Sakkari and more on Day 5”
On a day where two of the world’s top male players both crashed out in the first-round of their respective tournaments, Emma Raducanu acquitted herself well but costly errors late in both sets saw her ultimately lose a competitive clash to Daria Kasatkina. Daniil Medvedev dropped just four games, while Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios excelled on his return to action too. Continue reading “Round-up: Alcaraz, Ruud stunned in straight-sets, Kasatkina outwits Raducanu in Ostrava and more”
As Jelena Ostapenko prepares to play her third WTA singles final of the season against Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova in South Korea this morning (start time from 7am BST), there will be an overwhelming sense of what could’ve been for another Grand Slam champion whose injury struggles cruelly returned at precisely the worst moment in Saturday’s semi-final encounter. Continue reading “Leading 6-4, 2-1 against Ostapenko in Saturday’s semi-final, what happened to Raducanu in Seoul?”
Paula Badosa and Barbora Krejcikova’s contrasting three-set wins continued their career-best Australian Open runs, on a day full of surprises. Elsewhere, defending champion Naomi Osaka had two match points on her racquet but tightened up and lost against Amanda Anisimova after Matteo Berrettini [7] was pushed to a deciding set tiebreak by rising star Carlos Alcaraz. Continue reading “Australian Open 2022: Badosa, Krejcikova win three-set battles to kick off action-packed Day 5”
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