Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
40 singles’ matches were played – 20 on each tour – as the French Open main draw kicked off across a busy Sunday of sport worldwide – especially in Europe. The biggest headline featured Maria Sakkari, a tournament semi-finalist two years ago, being stunned in two tight sets 7-6, 7-5 against the same woman who knocked her out prematurely twelve months ago: Karolina Muchova. Continue reading “French Open 2023: Sakkari highest seed to fall on Day 1, while Kokkinakis KOs Evans”
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”
Casper Ruud’s four-set loss to Jenson Brooksby – on a brilliant Day 4 for American players not named Taylor Fritz – marks the first time a Grand Slam’s top two seeds have been knocked out before round three since this very tournament 21 years ago. Elsewhere, Aryna Sabalenka faces her Major-winning doubles teammate in the next round, Daniel Evans will meet a familiar foe while Andy Murray surpassed his Matteo Berrettini scalp after the longest match of his career.
Continue reading “AUS OPEN 2023: Ruud, Zverev and Fritz all stunned, Murray weaves his magic again in epic on Day 4”
Jessica Pegula ended a four-match losing streak against the world no. 1, while Martina Trevisan played spoiler to sting Greece as the United Cup semi-finals got underway. Elsewhere, there were big wins for Sebastian Korda and Linda Noskova, while two first-time finalists will play each other in Pune. It’s always fun to get a Djokovic-Medvedev matchup too, right? Continue reading “USA and Italy lead in United Cup semis, Noskova-Jabeur and Djokovic-Medvedev confirmed”
Iga Swiatek made more history after storming past Donna Vekic in their deciding set, clinching the San Diego title in the early hours Monday – while Olympic champion Belinda Bencic has been revealed as Dmitry Tursunov’s new coaching assignment after the Russian opted against continuing his trial stint with Emma Raducanu. Speaking of Olympic gold medallists, Alexander Zverev’s injury recovery is taking longer than expected, but reportedly for a good reason. Continue reading “Tennis round-up: Swiatek seals 8th title of 2022, Bencic’s coaching change and Zverev update”
Withdrawn from the Nottingham tournament with another niggling injury earlier this month, doubtful for Wimbledon… the knives are well and truly out in force for the US Open champion. Are these high expectations and criticism justified, or should we err on the side of patience? Continue reading “Okay, do we need to have the Emma Raducanu conversation yet?”
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.
Continue reading “French Open: Trevisan, Gauff win big; Zverev swarms Alcaraz before Nadal outlasts Djokovic”
It was high-quality tennis but nervy at times, including a 10-minute sequence late on with the match nervously on a knife-edge, but 2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez did what she set out to do: retain her Monterrey title, recovering from 4-1 down in the deciding set – saving five championship points – to outlast Colombian youngster Maria Camila Osorio Serrano. Continue reading “Having saved five championship points, ferocious Fernandez retains her Monterrey crown”
After a rough start to the new campaign, losing early in Adelaide and later stunned in R1 at the Australian Open, 2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez is understandably motivated to defend her maiden WTA singles title this week at the Monterrey Open. Having beaten Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in R1, the 19-year-old faces another fresh H2H matchup tomorrow.
Continue reading “After whirlwind 2021 season, Leylah Fernandez motivated to defend her Monterrey title”
World number four Alexander Zverev fufilled a personal milestone as he finally added Andy Murray to his Big Four collection, beating the former world no. 1 in their fourth and most compelling H2H meeting. Beforehand, America’s Shelby Rogers recovered from a set down to outsmart US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez, on a day with surprises at this year’s Indian Wells. Continue reading “Indian Wells: Zverev outguns gutsy Murray, after Rogers recovers to beat Fernandez”
After her split from Andrew Richardson, critics aplenty have expressed their own opinions on who this year’s US Open champion Emma Raducanu should team up with next. Ahead of her Indian Wells debut this week, Tim Henman feels there’s no need to make any hasty decisions.
Continue reading “Emma Raducanu should heed Tim Henman’s warning ahead of coaching decision”
It wasn’t without some dicey moments and two championship points saved, but British teenage qualifier Emma Raducanu held firm despite some ever-growing second set tension to beat Canada’s Leylah Fernandez 6-3, 6-4 and clinch this year’s US Open title on her main draw debut. Continue reading “US Open 2021: Emma Raducanu beats Leylah Fernandez, seals title on main draw debut”
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