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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”
What a day of finals action. USA swept Italy in the inaugural United Cup, before American teenager Coco Gauff and world no. 5 Aryna Sabalenka both prevailed in straight-sets to clinch their first WTA singles titles since May 2021 while Novak Djokovic recovered from the brink – match point down – to eventually overwhelm Sebastian Korda to win his 92nd ATP title. Continue reading “USA secure United Cup, Sabalenka and Gauff win clean while Djokovic saves match point to pip Korda”
USA vs. Italy awaits in the United Cup final after both nations took care of business. Coco Gauff faces Spanish qualifier Rebeka Masarova in tomorrow’s finale, while Tallon Griekspoor became a first-time ATP tour-level titlist with a recovery win over Benjamin Bonzi. Elsewhere, Sebastian Korda’s steady tennis helped him book a final berth, but not before witnessing an emotional outburst – while Novak Djokovic bested Daniil Medvedev despite weathering an injury scare. Continue reading “USA vs. Italy sealed for United Cup final, Gauff-Masarova and Djokovic-Korda finals plus more”
Maria Sakkari called this one of the best weeks in her career. Jessica Pegula spoke for team USA, stressing their excitement for what’s to come. Poland are deadly in unison and we’re only halfway through: the United Cup’s final four nations were sealed after a manic day’s action – with a few surprising results as expected across tour-level tournaments elsewhere today. Continue reading “Tennis: United Cup’s final four teams confirmed, Rybakina and Andreescu lose in Adelaide and more”
2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu recovered from a set and early break down to prevail against a Czech teenage talent, after ATP Finals champion Novak Djokovic was tested in parts but his quality proved too much to handle as both players kicked off their respective 2023 seasons with contrasting victories in their first-round tournament matches. Also, the business end of the team-centric United Cup is hotting up, and there were a few surprises elsewhere… Continue reading “Djokovic, Raducanu begin their 2023 season with contrasting victories as warm-up events continue”
After surpassing his previous best, earning a semi-final finish at this year’s Australian Open, 2021 Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini has spoken about how he plans to utilise the upcoming United Cup as an opportunity to build towards an even better run in mid-January at Melbourne Park – where his deficiencies were laid bare by Rafael Nadal 11 months ago.
Continue reading “Australian Open 2023: Berrettini to use United Cup as confidence boost for long Grand Slam run”
At least four maiden US Open semi-finalists will feature at Flushing Meadows later this week with new champions to be crowned in both draws, after Casper Ruud raced past an out-of-sorts Matteo Berrettini, Ons Jabeur ended Ajla Tomljanovic’s spirited run, Caroline Garcia’s aggressiveness saw her outgun Coco Gauff and Karen Khachanov withstood a spirited Nick Kyrgios fightback to edge past him in a deciding set beyond midnight New York time overnight.
Continue reading “Day 9 – US Open 2022: Ruud-Khachanov, Jabeur-Garcia semi-finals set after big QF wins for quartet”
Wimbledon quarterfinalist Ajla Tomljanovic held her nerve and a second-set fightback to silence the crowd and outlast 23-time Major champion Serena Williams in a gruelling battle lasting over three hours, ending the legend’s iconic singles career this weekend. Elsewhere, there was contrasting disappointment for Andy Murray and Jack Draper… Read on for more. Continue reading “US Open 2022: Big results unfold on Day 4-5; Tomljanovic ends Serena’s surge in three-set battle”
Having made the sixth Major semi-final of his career in Paris earlier this month, one of the tournament’s dark horses on the men’s side has quietly departed SW19 without hitting a ball: Marin Cilic [14] revealing he’s still unwell after a positive COVID test, so Portuguese lucky loser Nuno Borges will replace him in tomorrow’s R1 match against America’s Mackenzie McDonald. Continue reading “Wimbledon 2022: COVID-19 illness sees Marin Cilic withdraw, following injuries for Keys and Coric”
Last year’s Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini, 2022 Australian Open quarter-finalist Gael Monfils and former world no. 1 Andy Murray are just three of those among the notable names who’ve recently announced they’ll be missing this year’s second Slam for various reasons. Continue reading “French Open 2022: Berrettini, Monfils, Murray among withdrawals before year’s second Major”
Regardless of who wins, this weekend will see history made when 20-time Major champion Rafael Nadal looks to cement his remarkable comeback from foot surgery against the man he beat to claim #19 at Flushing Meadows three years ago: Daniil Medvedev. Both won in four sets vs. Matteo Berrettini and Stefanos Tsitsipas, but who will be the last man standing Sunday? Continue reading “Australian Open 2022: Nadal vs. Medvedev in Sunday’s final after both prevail in four sets”
Rafael Nadal withstood a spirited Denis Shapovalov comeback to oust the Canadian in five sets, before Matteo Berrettini similarly held firm under Gael Monfils’ pressure in a night session showdown lasting almost four hours, becoming the first Italian ever to reach this tournament’s semis. Elsewhere, Ashleigh Barty made quick work of her last-eight clash with Jessica Pegula and now faces another American in Barbora Krejcikova’s conqueror Madison Keys on Thursday.
Continue reading “Australian Open 2022: Nadal-Berrettini, Keys-Barty semifinals set as Day 9 excites”
Mo and Sports 