Stefanos Tsitsipas (#4) will play either Andrey Rublev (#6) or rising Norwegian Casper Ruud in tomorrow’s Monte Carlo Masters 1000 Final and certainly hope it’s third time lucky, after needing just 68 minutes to end Dan Evans’ red-hot tournament – an impressive 6-2, 6-1 win.
Continue reading
Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev (#2) won’t have the opportunity to improve upon his 2019 result – a semi-final finish in Monaco – after withdrawing from the Masters 1000 tournament, after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier today. Lucky loser Juan Ignacio Londero takes his place, and will play Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic for a place in round three tomorrow. Continue reading
Alize Cornet, world no.59, criticised the decision to postpone this year’s Roland Garros tournament by a week – now starting on May 30 – given the impact it will then have on the rest of the tennis calendar: which includes shortening this summer’s grasscourt season by a week.
Continue reading
2009 US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro is undergoing another operation on his right knee today – the fourth of an injury-disrupted career – but the talented Argentine remains hopeful that he’ll be fit to return at the Tokyo Olympics this summer, with a gold medal in sight. Continue reading
Having come back from a set down to win for the second time this week, Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili described his three-set triumph (3-6, 6-1, 7-5) over a fatigued Roger Federer as unbelievable – saving a match point against the tournament’s second seed in Doha. Up next is Taylor Fritz, who similarly recovered to beat world no. 11 Denis Shapovalov earlier on. Continue reading
It wasn’t easy, but 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer made his return one to saviour for the socially distanced fans watching on: involved in a high-quality clash after a 405-day absence from competitive tennis while producing multiple impressive moments en route to a 7-6, 3-6, 7-5 win over Britain’s Dan Evans (#28) in the last-16 of this year’s Qatar Open in Doha.
Continue reading
The pressure and weight of expectation was on his shoulders, but world number one Novak Djokovic relished the challenge as his big-match experience showed. He made quick work of an in-form Daniil Medvedev to reign supreme again in Melbourne, lifting a ninth Australian Open title after a 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 victory, ending the Russian’s 20-match winning streak with aplomb. Continue reading
Naomi Osaka (#3) clinched her fourth Grand Slam title and second Australian Open triumph with a 6-4, 6-3 win against first-time finalist Jennifer Brady (#22), while extending her win streak to 21 straight. As a result, she becomes the first female to win four singles titles since Maria Sharapova in 2012, and youngest to do so since Monica Seles won the Australian Open in 1992.
Continue reading
Daniil Medvedev (#4) produced some exquisite shot-making and was relentless to subdue a partisan crowd at the Rod Laver Arena, surviving a late third set wobble to win 6-2, 6-4, 7-5 against Stefanos Tsitsipas (#5) – booking his place in Sunday’s final against defending champion Novak Djokovic, extending his win streak to 20 tour matches in just over two hours.
Continue reading
World no. 1 Novak Djokovic produced his best performance of this year’s tournament so far to knock out fearless qualifer Aslan Karatsev 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in just under two hours – booking a ninth Australian Open Final, where he’ll play either an in-form Daniil Medvedev (#4) or Rafael Nadal’s conqueror Stefanos Tsitsipas (#5) on Sunday as he looks to again retain his title in Melbourne.
Continue reading
Naomi Osaka (#3) recovered from a sluggish start, down an early break and needing to save points to avoid a 3-0 deficit, to beat Serena Williams 6-3, 6-4 in an hour 15 minutes as fans returned, watching in awe as the 23-year-old once again put her idol’s aspirations for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title on ice – booking another Final appearance this weekend. Continue reading
World number one Ashleigh Barty was stunned in three sets against Karolina Muchova (#25), second seed Rafael Nadal relinquished a two-set advantage as Stefanos Tsitsipas (#5) ended his tournament after a gruelling four-hour battle, while there were big wins for Daniil Medvedev (#4) and Jennifer Brady (#22) elsewhere on another unpredictable day of tennis in Melbourne.
