Tennis

AUS OPEN 2023: Straightforward victories for most on Day 6, as Fruhvirtova and Shelton big winners

Ben Shelton of the United States reacts during the third round singles match against Alexei Popyrin of Australia during day six of the 2023...

Today’s results mean there could be as many as five more first-time quarterfinalists in this year’s Australian Open, including teenage duo Holger Rune and Linda Fruhvirtova. Rune will face Andrey Rublev after the Russian was on form vs. Dan Evans, while the 17-year-old ousted compatriot Marketa Vondrousova with Donna Vekic next. Elsewhere, Grigor Dimitrov made Novak Djokovic sweat before Roberto Bautista Agut ended Andy Murray’s memorable run. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 2023: Straightforward victories for most on Day 6, as Fruhvirtova and Shelton big winners”

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Australian Open 2022: Sabalenka surges into week two after another gritty comeback win on Day 6

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates winning match point in her third round singles match against Marketa Vondrousova of Czech Republic during day...

Despite questions over her patchy form and serving issues, Aryna Sabalenka [2] once again recovered from a precarious situation to ultimately prove too much vs. 2019 Roland Garros runner-up Marketa Vondrousova [31] in the early hours on Saturday. Post-match, she joked about only serving ten double-faults here, an improvement from a rough 19 from her R2 victory over China’s Xinyu Wang. Up next? Kaia Kanepi, entering uncharted territory in Melbourne…
Continue reading “Australian Open 2022: Sabalenka surges into week two after another gritty comeback win on Day 6”

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Australian Open 2022: Muguruza, Kontaveit both lose as shocks flow across Day 4

Garbine Muguruza of Spain in action against Alize Cornet of France during their second round match of the Australian Open Tennis Tournament at...

Garbine Muguruza’s pursuit of an elusive Australian Open title continues after Alize Cornet stunned the WTA Finals champion. Elsewhere, Anett Kontaveit (#6) and Diego Schwartzman (#13) were among the latest seeds to fall, while US Open semi-finalist Aryna Sabalenka had to save her blushes before disappointing three-set defeats for Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu.
Continue reading “Australian Open 2022: Muguruza, Kontaveit both lose as shocks flow across Day 4”

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Adelaide International 2: Gauff ousts Kostyuk in three-set battle of attrition

Cori Gauff of the USA in action against Katerina Sinakova of Czechoslovakia during day three of the 2022 Adelaide International at Memorial Drive on...

In a duel between two promising teenagers, the tournament’s third seed Coco Gauff was pushed to the brink but battled to win in a competitive three-set clash vs. Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk – winning 6-3, 5-7, 6-3. She’ll play Croatia’s Ana Konjuh in the Adelaide 2 quarter-finals tomorrow (2.30am BST), after the Croatian’s gutsy comeback win over Marketa Vondrousova. Continue reading “Adelaide International 2: Gauff ousts Kostyuk in three-set battle of attrition”

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Johanna Konta’s retirement: Injuries don’t cloud her legacy as Britain’s tireless hope

Johanna Konta of Great Britain celebrates her victory against Simona Halep of Romania in their Ladies' Singles Quarter Final Match at Wimbledon on...

Having announced her retirement on Dec. 1, Britain’s Johanna Konta – a three-time Major semi-finalist and former world no. 4 – was plagued by troublesome injuries and some streaky form, underselling the country’s greatest hope in the women’s game across the last decade and more. Here, I look back as the 30-year-old waved goodbye quietly before the new year. Continue reading “Johanna Konta’s retirement: Injuries don’t cloud her legacy as Britain’s tireless hope”

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Tokyo Olympics: After seizing gold for Swiss, can Belinda Bencic build on this?

Gold medallist Switzerland's Belinda Bencic poses with her medal during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games women's singles tennis medal ceremony at the...

After earning a 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 win over 2019 Roland Garros finalist Marketa Vondrousova, Belinda Bencic is an Olympic gold medallist. Having also clinched silver in the doubles alongside Viktorija Golubic, the 24-year-old must believe this memorable moment is the first of many in a career that has already promised much but delivered infrequently in Grand Slam competition. Continue reading “Tokyo Olympics: After seizing gold for Swiss, can Belinda Bencic build on this?”

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Tokyo Olympics: Naomi Osaka eases into R3, is happy again and fulfilling a dream

Naomi Osaka of Team Japan celebrates after match point in her Women's Singles Second Round match against Viktorija Golubic of Team Switzerland on day...

After earning straight-sets victories against China’s Saisai Zheng and last month’s Wimbledon quarter-finalist Viktorija Golubic, world number two Naomi Osaka revealed she was in a better place mentally since taking a break from the tour. Having returned at home in Tokyo, the 23-year-old said she’s putting pressure on herself to perform after lacking match practice of late.
Continue reading “Tokyo Olympics: Naomi Osaka eases into R3, is happy again and fulfilling a dream”

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Australian Open 2021: Comebacks aplenty as Osaka, Halep and Karatsev all recover

Simona Halep of Romania celebrates winning set point in her Women's Singles fourth round match against Iga Swiatek of Poland during day seven of the...

Naomi Osaka (#3) saved two match points, world no. 2 Simona Halep set up an exciting quarter-final clash vs. Serena Williams after both earned gritty three-set wins over Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka respectively. Elsewhere, Aslan Karatsev’s historic run continued against all odds while Novak Djokovic continued his unbeaten H2H streak at Milos Raonic’s expense.
Continue reading “Australian Open 2021: Comebacks aplenty as Osaka, Halep and Karatsev all recover”

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US Open 2019: Bianca Andreescu seals title with 6-3, 7-5 victory against Serena Williams

19-year-old Bianca oozed class and world-class potential to win her maiden Grand Slam with a straight-sets victory over heavy favourite Serena. The Canadian also becomes the youngest female teenager since Svetlana Kuznetsova (19y, 76d) back in 2004 to win a Grand Slam trophy.

Continue reading “US Open 2019: Bianca Andreescu seals title with 6-3, 7-5 victory against Serena Williams”

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French Open 2019: Konta makes history with straight-sets win over Sloane Stephens

Image result for konta vs sloane stephens

Johanna Konta made history, becoming Britain’s first woman to reach the French Open semi-finals since 1983 with an emphatic 6-1, 6-4 win over last year’s finalist Sloane Stephens on Philippe-Chatrier. Continue reading “French Open 2019: Konta makes history with straight-sets win over Sloane Stephens”