It’s easy to declare post-match that you’ll learn lessons from a loss, especially a humbling one during the notoriously short grass court season, but 20-year-old Jack Draper’s case feels slightly different than most. Considering Wimbledon’s just around the corner, here’s why… Continue reading “Jack Draper: Ruusuvouri defeat will help me learn lessons, with SW19 returning this month”
Tag: Tennis
French Open: Nadal eases past first-time finalist Ruud, wins record-extending 14th RG trophy
Rafael Nadal recovered from a potentially precarious 3-1 second set deficit, winning eleven consecutive games and losing just eight points across the course of a 30-minute set three as the 36-year-old closed out an impressive straight-sets victory (6-3, 6-3, 6-0) over first-time Major finalist Casper Ruud, making more history with a record-extending 14th Roland Garros title.
Continue reading “French Open: Nadal eases past first-time finalist Ruud, wins record-extending 14th RG trophy”
French Open: Swiatek sweeps Gauff aside in straight-sets, secures second Major title
Two years after blasting beyond Sofia Kenin in the 2020 final as a teenager, world no. 1 Iga Swiatek wasted no time in doubling her Grand Slam tally while extending her remarkable winning streak to 35 matches with a 68-minute 6-1, 6-3 win over American teen star Coco Gauff. Continue reading “French Open: Swiatek sweeps Gauff aside in straight-sets, secures second Major title”
French Open 2022: Gauff grits through R1 on opening day; Jabeur, Muguruza crash out
Four seeds fell on Day 1 at this year’s French Open, but none bigger than 2016 champion Garbine Muguruza – despite being a set and 3-2 up against Kaia Kanepi. Ons Jabeur similarly lost from a commanding position against Magda Linette, though the youngster who beat the Tunisian here in R4 last year showed edge to progress without playing well. Read on for more. Continue reading “French Open 2022: Gauff grits through R1 on opening day; Jabeur, Muguruza crash out”
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?
Continue reading “Following his Rome exploits, is Djokovic peaking at the right time to defend his title?”
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: Alcaraz does it again, clinching another Masters 1000 title after masterful week”
Murray’s R1 Madrid Open win over Thiem should also give Austrian some perspective
Playing only his fourth match of 2022 after enduring a troublesome year packed with persistent injuries, the US Open champion showed enough in his 6-3, 6-4 defeat to be happy about, against a legendary Major winner who turns 35 later this month but has persisted when things looked increasingly ominous, having himself struggled with injuries for over a half decade now. Continue reading “Murray’s R1 Madrid Open win over Thiem should also give Austrian some perspective”
After Munich success, who isn’t paying attention to Danish teenager Holger Rune?
Earning the biggest win of his career on Wednesday, dismantling Olympic champion Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-2 wasn’t enough. Dropping just two games against Emil Ruusuvuori on his 19th birthday, then recovering from a 4-1 first set deficit to overwhelm last year’s breakout man in home favourite Oscar Otte, Holger Rune can become the third-youngest champion in the Open Era if he beats Botic van de Zandschulp tomorrow. Inspired by a certain someone?
Continue reading “After Munich success, who isn’t paying attention to Danish teenager Holger Rune?”
ATP describes Wimbledon’s impending ban of Russian, Belarusian players as discrimination
After announcing their controversial decision earlier today, Wimbledon chiefs have been accused of discrimination after banning Russian and Belarusian players from this year’s Championships – direct sanctions due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This would mean players such as Daniil Medvedev, Aryna Sabalenka and Andrey Rublev wouldn’t be allowed to compete.
Continue reading “ATP describes Wimbledon’s impending ban of Russian, Belarusian players as discrimination”
Decision felt inevitable: Clijsters confirms third retirement, 20 months after comeback
20 months after announcing her return from an eight-year second retirement, four-time Major champion Kim Clijsters has definitively pulled the curtain on a professional career lasting almost 25 years at the age of 38 as the Belgian Hall of Famer revealed this week she cannot effectively commit to the sport’s demands with her schedule as a mother with three children. Continue reading “Decision felt inevitable: Clijsters confirms third retirement, 20 months after comeback”
Miami Open: Alcaraz ascends to rally past Ruud, wins historic maiden Masters 1000 title
US Open quarter-finalist Carlos Alcaraz made history in Miami, becoming their youngest ever champion and equally the third-youngest player ever to win a title at Masters 1000 level after recovering from 1-4 down in set one, beating Casper Ruud 7-5, 6-4 – capping an unforgettable fortnight for the Spanish teenager, who will rise to world no. 11 in tomorrow’s rankings update. Continue reading “Miami Open: Alcaraz ascends to rally past Ruud, wins historic maiden Masters 1000 title”
Miami Open: Medvedev masterclass overwhelms Murray’s mettle in straight-sets
The second-round curse has unfortunately continued for Andy Murray, who worked hard and produced some brilliant shots but wasn’t able to play at his best against world no. 2 Daniil Medvedev en route to a 6-4, 6-2 defeat in Miami. The Russian, most recently a runner-up at this year’s Australian Open, will play Spain’s Pedro Martinez for a place in the last-16 after the 24-year-old knocked off Chile’s seeded Cristian Garin [27] 7-6, 6-2 elsewhere later on Saturday. Continue reading “Miami Open: Medvedev masterclass overwhelms Murray’s mettle in straight-sets”
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