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It felt inevitable as the threat of expulsion and further fines were surfacing over recent months. Now it’s been confirmed: Russian and Belarusian players will be allowed to compete at Britain’s grass-court tennis tournaments – including Wimbledon – this summer if they sign neutrality agreements after the All England Club and Lawn Tennis Association reversed their controversial ban. Continue reading “Wimbledon 2023: AELTC, LTA reverse ban on Russian, Belarusian players competing”
The achievement must feel long overdue, but Aryna Sabalenka is now a Major singles champion. She needed four championship points to get the job done – but was courageous on serve and crunched 51 winners over two-and-a-half hours, recovering from a set down to overcome Wimbledon titlist Elena Rybakina in three sets during a nailbiting women’s finale. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 2023: Sabalenka rallies from a set down, topples Rybakina and is a first-time Major champion”
Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina will contest her second Major final in seven months when she battles first-time finalist Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday. Regardless of who wins, there will be a first-time Australian Open titlist – after they both upped their level in first set tiebreaks before ousting two-time champ Victoria Azarenka and Magda Linette respectively on Day 11. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 2023: Elena Rybakina vs. Aryna Sabalenka in Saturday’s final, as both hold firm on Day 11”
Victoria Azarenka started well and didn’t let up, as she ended Jessica Pegula’s eight-match winning streak – to punch her ticket into a ninth Major semi-final. She’ll face reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina on Thursday, who dropped just one more game against Jelena Ostapenko. Elsewhere, Karen Khachanov will target a first competitive H2H win over Stefanos Tsitsipas after their contrasting wins over Sebastian Korda and Jiri Lehecka on Day 9. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 2023: Azarenka-Rybakina, Khachanov-Tsitsipas set in semifinals on eventful Day 9”
Neither played badly, but both were second best on the biggest points as world no. 1 Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff suffered straight-sets defeats against a pair of Grand Slam champions in Elena Rybakina and Jelena Ostapenko on a busy Day 7 at this year’s Major. Elsewhere, Jiri Lehecka’s giantkilling run continued and he’ll face an in-form Stefanos Tsitsipas on Tuesday. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 2023: Swiatek, Gauff beaten in straight-sets, Tsitsipas survives Sinner fightback on Day 7”
Adelaide 1 finalist and 29th seed Sebastian Korda produced some brilliant ball-striking as he stunned two-time finalist Daniil Medvedev in straight-sets to steal the show on an eventful Day 5 at this year’s Australian Open, with Jiri Lehecka a big winner after some tasty fourth-round ties on the women’s side were confirmed, including Swiatek-Rybakina and Pegula-Krejcikova. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 2023: Korda outplays Medvedev, Lehecka downs Norrie, Zhu stuns Sakkari and more on Day 5”
Jessica Pegula ended a four-match losing streak against the world no. 1, while Martina Trevisan played spoiler to sting Greece as the United Cup semi-finals got underway. Elsewhere, there were big wins for Sebastian Korda and Linda Noskova, while two first-time finalists will play each other in Pune. It’s always fun to get a Djokovic-Medvedev matchup too, right? Continue reading “USA and Italy lead in United Cup semis, Noskova-Jabeur and Djokovic-Medvedev confirmed”
Novak Djokovic recovered from 5-2 down in set one and emerged without enduring a three-set battle against another determined Frenchman, setting up another intriguing clash with Denis Shapovalov. Coco Gauff avenged a defeat three years in the making, before Emma Raducanu tearfully withdrew after sustaining a freak ankle injury midway through her R2 match… Continue reading “Tennis: Djokovic, Gauff edge their way to tight victories while Raducanu retires with ankle injury”
On a day where two of the world’s top male players both crashed out in the first-round of their respective tournaments, Emma Raducanu acquitted herself well but costly errors late in both sets saw her ultimately lose a competitive clash to Daria Kasatkina. Daniil Medvedev dropped just four games, while Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios excelled on his return to action too. Continue reading “Round-up: Alcaraz, Ruud stunned in straight-sets, Kasatkina outwits Raducanu in Ostrava and more”
Emma Raducanu’s memorable week at this year’s Cincinnati Open was ended in the early hours, as American no. 1 Jessica Pegula showcased her aggressive ball-striking, variety and defensive abilities to leave the US Open champion tactically unstuck – winning 7-5, 6-4. She’ll play an in-form Caroline Garcia on Friday, looking to make successive WTA 1000 semi-finals. Continue reading “Cincinnati Open: Pegula outwits Raducanu in competitive contest, Garcia awaits in quarter-finals”
Less than 24 hours after putting a comfortable victory over departing legend Serena Williams on her ever-growing CV, US Open champion Emma Raducanu added another legend to her resume with a 6-0, 6-2 Cincinnati win over two-time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka. Continue reading “Cincinnati Open: Pegula next in R3 for Raducanu, after cruising past error-strewn Azarenka”
US Open champion Emma Raducanu started fast and drew errors aplenty (19-1) from a sluggish Serena Williams display on her Cincinnati debut tonight, as the 19-year-old kept composed, as the 19-year-old kept composed in their first and only competitive meeting. Next she’ll play another legend she grew up watching: two-time Major champion Victoria Azarenka. Continue reading “Cincinnati Open: Raducanu dismisses patchy Serena showing in straight-sets on Cincy debut”
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