Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
The three-time Major finalist, most recently back at Wimbledon last month, held her nerve to outlast Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina in three sets – including a pair of tiebreaks – on her return to the tour, exactly a month after Marketa Vondrousova doused her Grand Slam dreams at SW19. All things considered, as the US Open edges closer, the Tunisian must continue playing fearlessly. Continue reading “Ons Jabeur still hurting from Wimbledon heartbreak, as she returns in Cincinnati”
Attack the forehand as they might, Coco Gauff bounced back from her Wimbledon disappointment and produced an excellent week’s worth of tennis – not dropping a set – en route to her first WTA 500 title in Washington, after beating Maria Sakkari 6-2, 6-3 on Sunday night. How does she build from here? Continue reading “Coco Gauff’s aggression key as she collects Washington title, her first at WTA 500 level”
She was broken twice in a first set that twisted one way and suddenly the next. Then she spluttered a quartet of double-faults in set two, against a player who has seized upon smaller errors over the preceeding fortnight’s play. Yet Marketa Vondrousova played the bigger points smarter and stayed composed vs. Ons Jabeur, who has now lost consecutive Wimbledon finals. How did this happen? Continue reading “Wimbledon 2023: Vondrousova topples Jabeur in straight-sets – where was Ladies’ Final won and lost?”
Elina Svitolina returned to the Wimbledon semifinals, four years after her career-best Major achievements, but had to do it the hard way against world no. 1 Iga Swiatek – eventually ousting her in three sets. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic was down a set before clicking into gear and holding his nerve when it mattered most against Andrey Rublev, as Jannik Sinner awaits him on Friday.
Continue reading “Wimbledon 2023: Svitolina stifles Swiatek, Djokovic punishes Rublev in quarterfinals”
Having led in both sets, with three set points on his racquet in the first, Hubert Hurkacz has a mountain to climb against Novak Djokovic after their entertaining R4 encounter paused due to curfew rules overnight. Andrey Rublev and Iga Swiatek battled back to prevail elsewhere as five maiden Wimbledon quarterfinalists sealed their place into the second week proper on Day 7. Continue reading “Wimbledon 2023: Rublev rallies, Swiatek saves match points, Hurkacz’s big task”
Lorenzo Musetti ended Cameron Norrie’s hopes of a deep run, while Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daria Kasatkina were also comfortable winners across the two draws on Day 6. Denis Shapovalov crumbled against Carlos Alcaraz, while Hubert Hurkacz was stunned by a plucky Peruvian but despite a three-set defeat against Novak Djokovic, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina did himself proud. Continue reading “Shapovalov crumbles, Hurkacz stumbles – Davidovich Fokina shines in Djokovic loss”
Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka and world no. 3 Jessica Pegula experienced contrasting victories to secure their R3 berths, while six more seeds fell across both draws on Day 4. Despite a gripping 89-minute first set, Novak Djokovic ensured there was no repeat of the previous night’s electricity on Philippe-Chatrier – winning in straight-sets against a fearless Marton Fucsovics. Continue reading “French Open 2023: Sabalenka, Pegula win before Djokovic handles Fucsovics test”
Aryna Sabalenka withstood Iga Swiatek’s second set fightback to overwhelm the world no. 1 in a deciding set and clinch a fifth WTA 1000 title on Saturday in Madrid while avenging her straight-sets defeat during the previous weekend’s final in Stuttgart. Most importantly, the Australian Open champion has shown big-match growth at a critical juncture as this compelling season intensifies.
Continue reading “Madrid: Sabalenka showed growth in toppling Swiatek on Saturday, and needed to”
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”
Reigning Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal was soundly beaten by 27-year-old American Mackenzie McDonald, a straight-sets defeat compounded after straining his left hip flexor deep in set two and severely struggled with subsequent movement. Iga Swiatek and Maria Sakkari had contrasting wins, Felix Auger-Aliassime recovered from two sets down to beat Alex Molcan while Auckland titlist Coco Gauff won a rocky battle against Emma Raducanu elsewhere. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 2023: McDonald beats hobbled reigning champ Nadal, Gauff outworks Raducanu on Day 3”
2023 brings a new year packed with resolutions, time-specific targets and compelling storylines too. With the year’s first Major tournament set to begin on Monday in Melbourne, here’s a news round-up before the big occasion finally gets underway – from player withdrawals, injury scares, progress reports from recent tournaments and my draw analysis for both tours.
Continue reading “AUS OPEN 2023: Nadal, Swiatek and more in round-up, draw analysis as year’s first Major starts Monday”
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