Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova has announced on social media that she’ll make her return later this month on the US hard courts, after a 14-month maternity leave. Continue reading “Two-time Major champion Petra Kvitova returns in Austin after maternity leave”
Lorenzo Sonego took on Joao Fonseca and a rowdy Brazilian contingent but emerged victorious during a busy day’s play, where four seeds fell but Iga Swiatek and Alex de Minaur won comfortably as Madison Keys kicked off the night session with a three-set victory before compatriot Learner Tien produced a thrilling display over five sets vs. three-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 25: Sonego stifles Fonseca in five, Tien topples Medvedev in thriller”
Day 4 was fun. 18-year-old Next Gen champion Joao Fonseca made a jolt with a straight-sets win over Andrey Rublev 24 hours earlier, but besides that, there wasn’t much to speak of as the first-round matches were finally concluded. The same couldn’t be said as round two began, with seven seeds falling across both draws while another teenage talent made noise in a memorable night session. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 25: Sabalenka tested, Bencic-Osaka set as Draper relishes the moment”
American wildcard Nishesh Basavareddy made sure people will remember his name after a courageous four-set defeat by Novak Djokovic during a busy night session as the opening round continued. Nick Kyrgios’ aspirations for a splash at his home tournament were expertly extinguished by another young upstart in Jacob Fearnley on a day where Alex Michelsen and Belinda Bencic thrived. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 25: Basavareddy bold in defeat, Fearnley foils Kyrgios while Tsitsipas out”
Casper Ruud was pushed into a five-set battle on day one, while #29 seed Linda Noskova became the first seed to fall as heavy rain proved an ever-present theme on Day 1 of this year’s Australian Open tournament, headlined by straightforward straight-set victories for defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and men’s dark horse Alexander Zverev in the night session on Rod Laver Arena. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 25: Sabalenka, Zverev smiling into second-round as Major underway”
Three months removed from controversial expansion plans being appoved for Wimbledon, the local residents’ group fighting it – which includes adding one stadium court and 38 further courts to the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) grounds – has this past week begun legal action challenging the validity of Sadiq Khan’s decision granting planning permission for their redevelopment. Continue reading “Wimbledon residents double down on resistance to proposed expansion plans”
Reilly Opelka and Naomi Osaka suffered injury scares on the eve of this year’s Australian Open, as their respective final appearances had to be cut short in Brisbane and Auckland respectively – seeing history made for a pair of rising Europeans who haven’t always got the shine their talent deserves at the top. Continue reading “Opelka and Osaka undone by untimely injuries in finals, Sabalenka streaking”
Taylor Fritz had an interesting line post-match after a seemingly straightforward 6-4, 6-4 win over China’s Zhizhen Zheng in the United Cup, saying: “I started to believe my average level would be enough to beat many top guys, feeling back in the flow again from the end of last season,” an ominous sign given how well he was performing in the second-half of 2024. Continue reading “United Cup: Fritz feeling in the groove, Rybakina to watch as AO prep continues”
Three notable names have confirmed they will not feature at this season’s Australian Open, headlined by last year’s quarterfinalist Barbora Krejcikova. A pair of former world no. 1-ranked players in Caroline Woznaicki and Karolina Pliskova also withdrew, a week before the tournament’s main draw begins.
Continue reading “AUS OPEN: Krejcikova’s lingering back issue forces her into unwanted withdrawal”
Olympic champion Belinda Bencic’s return after having her first child, daughter Bella, adds a new layer of intrigue before the 2025 campaign as the 27-year-old believes her best tennis could still be unlocked in future. Building back match sharpness is one thing, holding your own among top players again is another but chaining everything together with consistency? A different equation. Continue reading “New mum Bencic insists she’s not coming back to be average, eyes more success”
A month out before the year’s first Major begins in Melbourne, the first round of main draw wildcard entries have been announced as the 2025 Australian Open will feature a handful of home hopefuls and notable names – perhaps none bigger than 2014 champion and three-time Major titleholder Stan Wawrinka. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 25: Wildcard entries unveiled as 2014 champion Wawrinka, Tomljanovic in”
Emma Raducanu’s injury and fitness woes have been a recurring theme throughout the 2021 US Open champion’s young pro career to date, though the Brit, who turned 22 last month, spoke encouragingly about hiring a full-time strength-and-conditioning coach in highly-rated Yutaka Nakamura as she looks to become one of the tour’s fittest players and fulfil her potential long-term. Continue reading “Raducanu has renewed goals after hiring renowned fitness coach Yutaka Nakamura”
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