British no. 1 Cameron Norrie twice recovered from a set down to oust Belgium’s David Goffin, setting up a semi-final showdown with defending champ Novak Djokovic. The tournament’s top seed was in deep trouble against an inspired Jannik Sinner, but rallied from two sets down to keep his title defence alive. Afterwards, an emotional semi-final between close friends Tatjana Maria and Ons Jabeur was set after both came through contrasting three-set encounters. Continue reading
Tag: Novak Djokovic
Wimbledon 2022 – Days 7-8: Nine maiden quarterfinalists in men, women’s singles draws
While defending champion Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal remain on course for a much-anticipated rematch of their French Open quarter-final, there are ten players into the last-eight at SW19 for the first time across both draws, including Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz and Jannik Sinner, who extinguished Carlos Alcaraz’s aspirations in an entertaining four-set battle. Continue reading
Wimbledon 2022 – Days 4-5: Nadal, Swiatek strained, Watson wins again, Tsitsipas-Kyrgios and more
Rafael Nadal and Iga Swiatek – the reigning French Open champions – must improve if they’re to experience straightforward Saturday assignments in round three. Heather Watson’s gritty win over Kaja Juvan means she’s into R4 of a Major for the first time as a 13-year professional, while we’re set for an eagerly-anticipated Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Nick Kyrgios matchup on Day 6 after both won clean on Thursday. Read about all that and more, in this latest SW19 review. Continue reading
Wimbledon 2022 – Day 3: Raducanu, Muguruza and Murray among biggest losers on lively third day
US Open champion Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray both suffered frustrating defeats on Centre Court, as Day 3 featured a host of surprising losses for high-seeded players – including French Open runner-up Casper Ruud and two-time Major winner Garbine Muguruza. Continue reading
Wimbledon 2022 – Day 1: Djokovic and Alcaraz tested, Raducanu rules on Centre Court debut
Novak Djokovic was tested en route to making more history, while Spanish rising star Carlos Alcaraz was embroiled in a five-set battle before Emma Raducanu held her nerve in a tricky R1 test against Belgium’s Alison van Uytvanck during a memorable Centre Court debut for the US Open champion. Read on for reviews and more, on what was another intriguing Day 1 on SW19. Continue reading
French Open: Trevisan, Gauff win big; Zverev swarms Alcaraz before Nadal outlasts Djokovic
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.
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French Open 2022: Djokovic-Nadal, Zverev-Alcaraz QFs set for Tuesday after contrasting wins
Four of the world’s top six, including the defending champion and 13-time tournament winner, are safely into Tuesday’s quarter-finals. Following straight-set victories for Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev, Felix Auger-Aliassime pushed Rafael Nadal to the brink during a pulsating five-set encounter, before Carlos Alcaraz outsmarted Karen Khachanov in the night session.
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French Open 2022: Swiatek, Nadal, Djokovic all progress; Krejcikova, Kontaveit ousted
There were routine R1 wins for the sport’s two world no. 1s, sandwiched between a welcome return for the King of Clay. Elsewhere, the women’s defending titlist was stunned by a determined Frenchwoman on home soil, before two Major winners almost 15 years apart in age both showed steely resilience, recovering from precarious situations to seal their R2 berths. Continue reading
French Open 2022: Divisive draws announced, as Djokovic-Nadal-Alcaraz in same half
Ahead of Sunday’s first-round flurry of matches across both ATP and WTA circuits, an unbalanced men’s draw has predictably caused quite a stir before the year’s second Major. Read on to see which particular players will be fancying their chances of a deep run over the next fortnight on clay, while other rivals in different sections will be rueing their lack of luck… Continue reading
Following his Rome exploits, is Djokovic peaking at the right time to defend his title?
It had been 190 days – six months and nine days – since Novak Djokovic last won an ATP singles title before lifting the Rome Masters trophy for a record-extending sixth time by overwhelming Stefanos Tsitsipas on Sunday. Given the whirlwind half-year the Serbian has experienced, does the past week prove he’s peaking at the right time to defend his Roland Garros crown next?
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Madrid Open: Alcaraz does it again, clinching another Masters 1000 title after masterful week
After sealing his maiden title at this level against Casper Ruud in Miami last month, the 19-year-old Spaniard showed nerves of steel and made history to finish an awe-inspiring week beating three of the world’s top four – Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev – to seize a second successive Masters 1000 title, just two weeks before this year’s second Major in Paris. Continue reading
Madrid Open: Murray overcomes Shapovalov late, after Draper and Raducanu crash out
Andy Murray picked his moments against an erratic Denis Shapovalov display to set up a first meeting in almost five-and-a-half years with familiar foe Novak Djokovic, securing successive ATP victories for the first time since January. Beforehand, British young duo Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu suffered contrasting three-set defeats as this year’s Madrid Open continues. Continue reading