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Garbine Muguruza: Former Wimbledon champion confirms retirement from tennis​

Former Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza has confirmed her retirement from tennis.

The Spanish former world number one won Wimbledon in 2017, as well as the French Open the previous year.

The 30-year-old announced her retirement in Madrid before the Laureus World Sports Awards.

"The time has come to say goodbye. It's been a long and successful career, but I feel the time is right to retire," said Muguruza.

Venezuela-born Muguruza has not played since January 2023, and last March said she was taking an extended break from tennis.

She turned professional in 2012 and won her first Grand Slam in 2016, defeating Serena Williams in the final of the French Open.

The following year she was victorious at Wimbledon, beating Venus Williams in the final and reaching number one in the world rankings.

"If 25 years ago when I started hitting my first tennis balls someone had told me that I would become a professional tennis player, that I would fulfil my dream of winning Roland Garros and Wimbledon, that I would become number one in the world and win the WTA Finals, I would have thought this person was crazy," said Muguruza.

"Tennis has given me a lot in this first part of my life. It has been a fantastic journey in which I have experienced unique situations. I have travelled all over the world and experienced many different cultures."

Source: BBC
 
Barcelona Open: Casper Ruud earns straight sets win over Stefanos Tsitsipas in final

Casper Ruud won his first title of 2024 as he beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets to win the Barcelona Open.

Norwegian third seed Ruud defeated the Greek fifth seed 7-5 6-3 to claim the biggest title of his career.

It is the first time the 25-year-old, who is ranked sixth in the world, has won an ATP 500-ranked event.

"For me it means a lot, this is my biggest title that I ever won," said Ruud.

"It's something I've chased for a long time already. I've never won a 500 before or a 1000. I've been to a few finals but always came up a little bit short."

Ruud, a three-time Grand Slam runner-up, was broken early by the 25-year-old Tsitsipas but broke back in the sixth game, before going on to convert one of two set points at 6-5.

He then opened up a 4-1 lead in the second set after Tsitsipas hit a forehand into the net to concede a break, before seeing out victory in 91 minutes to end the Greek's 10-match winning streak.

The win also avenged Ruud's defeat by Tsitsipas in last week's Monte Carlo Open final.

Elsewhere, Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff earned a straight sets win over American Taylor Fritz to win the BMW Open in Munich.

Fourth seed and home favourite Struff beat the third seed 7-5 6-3 to secure a maiden ATP Tour title at the clay-court ATP 250 event.

At the Bucharest Open, Hungary's Marton Fucsovics beat Mariano Navone of Argentina 6-4 7-5 for his second ATP Tour title.


BBC
 
What lies in store for tennis' revamped future?

Arthur Fils of France, runner up and Hamad Medjedovic of Serbia, winner, pose for a photo with their trophies after the final during day five of the Next Gen ATP Finals at King Abdullah Sports City on December 02, 2023 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

There are some things on which tennis’ seven governing bodies agree.

The season is too long, deserves a more compelling year-long narrative - and ideally just one overriding power should be calling the shots.

But the future could come in many shapes and sizes.

There is the proposal for a Premium Tour, which could issue just 64 tour cards each year and culminate with promotion and relegation play-offs.

And there is a strong likelihood of greater Saudi Arabia involvement.

The WTA Finals are heading to Saudi capital Riyadh for each of the next three years, and by the end of a flurry of meetings in Madrid this week, the kingdom could be awarded a Masters 1,000 event on the ATP Tour.

A third string to Saudi Arabia's bow?
There are nine Masters 1,000 events on the ATP Tour, but the creation of a 10th - earmarked originally for either the first week of the year, or on grass before Wimbledon - has accelerated markedly in recent months.

Along with the WTA Finals, Saudi Arabia has already been awarded the Next Gen ATP Finals, the season-ending event for the best under-21 players in the world, while making very clear its ambition to stage a Masters 1,000.

Last month, the ATP issued a bidding invitation to Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Australia.

The bid deadline is this Wednesday, just hours before the ATP Board begins two days of meetings at which they could either identify a winner or opt for a second round of bidding.

Once the successful candidate is clear, for an event that would not start before 2027, it may well take at least 18 months to select a date in the calendar.

This is very likely to be in either January or February. Staging it in Saudi Arabia in the first week of the year would be considered a hostile gesture by Tennis Australia. It would no longer be able to stage the United Cup team competition and would lose its star male cast in the two weeks leading up to the Australian Open.

Staging it in February, in Saudi Arabia, would cause no issues with Tennis Australia but could imperil the existence of the traditional European indoor and South American clay events taking place at that time.

Another complication is that if the Saudis are successful, they would want to create a combined event with the women. There are currently no further licences available for WTA 1,000 events, and unless one was sold, existing owners - including those in Doha and Dubai - would have the ability to veto any expansion plans.

Troubled waters calming down
The proposal of a Premium Tour has been described by those hostile to it as an “extreme and very aggressive alternative” to greater Saudi investment.

It was the idea of Tennis Australia and its chief executive Craig Tiley, who was worried about the threat a Saudi Masters in the first week of January would pose to the Australian tennis summer.

After some discreet initial meetings between the Grand Slams, including one in London in the week before this year’s Australian Open, all vested interests were invited to a summit at Indian Wells in March.

Source: BBC
 
World number four Elena Rybakina claimed her third title of the year, beating Marta Kostyuk 6-2 6-2 to win the Stuttgart Open.

Source: BBC
 
Harriet Dart has joined Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter in the main draw of the Madrid Open.

Dart, 27, beat Russia's Maria Timofeeva her second qualifying match.

The British number two fought back from a set down to earn a 4-6 6-3 7-5 victory.

Raducanu's first-round opponent is currently unknown as the 21-year-old was set to play Karolina Pliskova in her opening round, but the former world number one pulled out of the tournament because of a wrist injury.

British number one Boulter, 27, will miss the first round and will meet the winner of the match between American wildcard Robin Montgomery and Russia's Elina Avanesyan in the second.

Meanwhile in the men's draw, Britain's Dan Evans, 33, has withdrawn from the tournament with a right calf injury.


BBC
 
Emma Raducanu said she felt "mentally and emotionally exhausted" after losing in the first round at the Madrid Open.

The 21-year-old was beaten 6-2 6-2 by Argentine qualifier Maria Lourdes Carle.

Raducanu helped Britain beat France in the Billie Jean King Cup before reaching her first WTA quarter-final in 19 months at the Stuttgart Open last week as she continues her comeback from an injury-hit 2023 season.


BBC
 
Carlos Alcaraz started his Madrid Open title defence with a comfortable victory over Alexander Shevchenko.

World number three Alcaraz, 20, eased to a 6-2 6-1 win against Kazakhstan's Shevchenko.
 
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz reached the last 16 of the Madrid Open as he cruised past Thiago Seyboth Wild.

World number three Alcaraz won 6-3 6-3 against Brazil's Seyboth Wild.

The win continues second seed Alcaraz's dominance at the event, which he won in 2022 and 2023.


BBC
 
Top seed Iga Swiatek is through to the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open thanks to a dominant straight-set victory against Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo.

The world number one was broken in the first game of the match but then won the next 12 in a row for a 6-1 6-0 triumph.


BBC
 

Britain's Cam Norrie is out of the Madrid Masters after a third-round defeat to Casper Ruud.​

Norway's Ruud cruised to an opening 6-2 set success in just 31 minutes, breaking Norrie three times as the Brit struggled to deal with the power he was facing.

The second set proved more even, as Norrie claimed the first break of serve, only for Ruud to respond quickly and then break Norrie a second time, wrestling back the momentum for an impressive 6-2 6-4 victory in the Spanish capital.

Source: SKY
 
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz survived a scare against Jan-Lennard Struff to reach the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open.

In a repeat of last year's final, Spain's Alcaraz was forced to a deciding set tie-break by the German 23rd seed, after missing out on four match points at 5-3.

But the world number three prevailed in front of a home crowd to wrap up a 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-4) win after almost three hours.

Alcaraz won the last two editions of the Madrid Open and is on a 14-match winning streak in the Spanish capital.

The 20-year-old will face Russian seventh seed Andrey Rublev, who beat Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 6-2 6-4 earlier on Tuesday.


BBC
 
British doubles player Tara Moore has made her return to the sport after a two-year absence for a doping ban which was later overturned.

Moore teamed up with compatriot Annali Olivelle to win an ITF World Tour first-round match on the Italian island of Sardinia.

They beat the Italian pair of Melania Delai and Francesca Pace 10-6 in a deciding tie-break in Santa Margherita di Pula.


BBC
 
Madison Keys produced a stunning comeback against eighth seed Ons Jabeur to reach the semi-finals of the Madrid Open.

The American 18th seed looked rattled as Jabeur wrapped up a first-set 6-0 bagel in just 24 minutes.

But the Tunisian's composure crumbled as Keys clinched the second set before dominating the decider to triumph 0-6 7-5 6-1.

She will face world number one Iga Swiatek in the last four. Swiatek needed two hours 30 minutes to wrap up a 4-6 6-0 6-2 win against the Brazilian.

Source: BBC
 
Alcaraz's Madrid Open title defence ended by Rublev

Carlos Alcaraz's bid for a third straight title at the Madrid Open was ended by Andrey Rublev.

Russian seventh seed Rublev rallied from a set down in the quarter-final to win 4-6 6-3 6-2 and break Alcaraz's 14-match winning streak in the Spanish capital.

The 20-year-old second seed was aiming to become the first player to win three consecutive Madrid Open singles titles.

Rublev will face American 12th seed Taylor Fritz or Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo for a place in the final.

Meanwhile, world number two Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the tournament with a right-hip injury, organisers said.

He will not take to the court on Thursday to play his quarter-final match against Felix Auger-Aliassime.

After a gruelling win against Jan-Lennard Struff that lasted just under three hours on Tuesday, Alcaraz struggled to find his best form against Rublev.



BBC
 
Faster men’s doubles format trialled at Madrid Open

A faster men’s doubles format, with greater focus on matches between singles players and established doubles teams, is being trialled at the Madrid Open.

Teams are allowed just 15 - rather than the usual 25 - seconds between points after rallies up to three shots, and only 60 seconds to sit down at the change of ends.

Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas were among seven top-20 singles players to enter the event, which features five rounds in just five days.

"For me, it’s a shootout, which is kind of exciting. Once we get going - bang, this is on," said Matt Ebden, the current doubles world number one and president of the ATP Player Council.

"People like seeing the volleys, the return winners, the angles and all the reactions, but there is a bit too much dead time.

"We just looked at how we can keep the game flowing to make it a better product for the fans ultimately.”

Those supporters will be able to move freely around the stadium during points.

Jamie Murray and his partner Michael Venus beat the singles team of Denis Shapovalov and Alexander Bublik in the first round on Tuesday.

Murray likes the shortened changeovers and the tournament being spread over such a short period, but is not a fan of the reduced time between some points.

“I feel like it’s very rushed,” the seven-time Grand Slam champion said after the match.

"Fifteen seconds for doubles is very short. In singles you are playing a lot on instinct, but in doubles there’s a lot more strategy to start the points, and to lose that communication with your partner I don’t think is a good thing for the sport."

Murray would also like to see more social media promotion of doubles, to attract new fans to the game.

"The social media side of things is just an absolute zero," he said.

"I wrote to ATP Media last year after Miami and I basically counted all the posts that they had done across Indian Wells and Miami, and it was like 1% of their total posts [were about doubles]."

The trial will continue at future tournaments, although not necessarily always in the second week in the space of just five days.

Such a timetable might discourage singles players, and here in Madrid Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton withdrew before their first-round match, shortly after Fritz had qualified for the singles quarter-finals.

Doubles players generally do not mind singles players entering the draw, “as long as they are committed to playing properly, competitively and through to the end of the tournament,” in the words of Ebden.

Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski were among the winning pairs on Tuesday, in their first appearance together on the ATP Tour since winning the San Diego title in October 2021.

Skupski is looking for a partner after splitting with Santiago Gonzalez following the Monte Carlo Masters.

Salisbury was looking for a way into the draw as his regular partner Rajeev Ram did not initially plan to play in Madrid.

And as a potential pairing for Team GB at the Paris Olympics this summer, they will be hoping to make the most of the opportunity.


BBC
 
Swiatek sails into second straight Madrid Open final

World number one Iga Swiatek breezed into a second straight Madrid Open final with a comfortable victory against Madison Keys.

A dominant Swiatek needed just 70 minutes to wrap up a 6-1 6-3 win against the American 18th seed.

The Pole, who is bidding for a third title of 2024, finished runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka in Madrid last year.

Belarusian second seed Sabalenka will set up a repeat of the 2023 final if she defeats Elena Rybakina later on Thursday.

Swiatek, 22, controlled her match against Keys from the offset as she raced to a 3-0 lead in the opening set, dropping just three of the first 17 points.

The four-time Grand Slam champion, who is a clay-court specialist, broke and consolidated to go 3-1 up in the second set before striking again on Keys' serve at 5-3 to reach her third WTA 1,000 final this season.

Keys, a US Open finalist in 2017, could not capitalise on the few chances she had, missing out on three break points and making 28 unforced errors to Swiatek's eight.

Russian third seed Daniil Medvedev will play Jiri Lehecka in the only men's singles match on Thursday after Italian top seed Jannik Sinner withdrew from his quarter-final meeting with Felix Auger-Aliassime with a hip injury.

BBC
 
Alcaraz withdraws from Italian Open with arm injury

Spain's world number three Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from next week's Italian Open because of an injury to his right forearm.

The tournament in Rome takes place before the start of the second Grand Slam of the season - the French Open - in Paris on 26 May.

The 20-year-old's Madrid Open title defence came to an end on Wednesday with a loss to Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals.

Alcaraz, who said he had felt pain while playing in Madrid, also withdrew from the Barcelona Open and Monte Carlo Masters in April.

"Unfortunately, I will not be able to play in Rome. I need to rest so I can recover and play 100% pain free," the two-time Grand Slam champion said in a statement on Instagram, external.


BBC
 
Seventh seed Andrey Rublev will play Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final of the Madrid Open.

The Russian beat Taylor Fritz of the United States 6-4 6-3 to reach his second final of the year.

He will face world number 35 Auger-Aliassime after 30th seed Jiri Lehecka was forced to retire midway through the first set of the second semi-final.

A lower back injury led to Lehecka going down in a heap during the seventh game, with the score at 3-3, and the Czech was unable to continue.

It is the third time in the tournament that Auger-Aliassime has advanced as a result of an injury to his opponent.

He reached the last four after top seed Jannik Sinner withdrew with a hip injury before their quarter-final tie, while the 23-year-old was a set up when Jakub Mensik had to retire hurt in the last 32.

Injuries have been an unwanted theme of the tournament with Lehecka, who beat Rafael Nadal on the way to his first ATP Masters 1000 semi-final, the opponent when third seed Daniil Medvedev pulled out a set into their quarter-final match on Thursday.

But while Auger-Aliassime will go into Sunday's final having only played half a set since Tuesday, Rublev has had a more conventional route to the final.

He battled past second seed Carlos Alcaraz in three sets in the quarter-final before his straight-set win over Fritz in the semis.

Twelfth seed Fritz broke in the opening game of the match but Rublev hit straight back before breaking to love to clinch the first set.

Rublev had to ward off two break points at the start of the second and, having done so, secured the decisive break midway through the set.

Source: BBC
 
Italy's Jannik Sinner says he is working with doctors to be ready for the French Open after announcing his withdrawal from this week's Italian Open in Rome.

The world number two won his first Grand Slam title at this year's Australian Open and is one of the favourites for the Roland Garros tournament, which starts 26 May.

Source: BBC
 
Swiatek beats Sabalenka in thrilling Madrid final

World number one Iga Swiatek saved three championship points to beat world number two Aryna Sabalenka 7-5 4-6 7-6 (9-7) and win her first Madrid Open title.

The Pole had been a break down early in the third set but held her nerve down the stretch to gain revenge for defeat by Sabalenka in last year’s final.

Swiatek dug deep to save two match points in the 13th game of the third set to stay in the match and then saved another in the tie-break on her way to victory.

The first meeting of the top two players in the world this season kept the Spanish crowd enthralled for more than three hours, and featured some extraordinary power, brilliant shot-making and superb defence.

It is the 22-year-old’s 20th career title and denies Sabalenka a third crown in the Spanish capital.



BBC
 
Rublev overcomes illness to claim Madrid Open title

Andrey Rublev overcame illness and losing the first set to beat Felix Auger-Aliassime 4-6 7-5 7-5 for his first Madrid Open title.

The Russian world number eight was under the weather with a fever coming into Sunday's final and looked out of sorts when he trailed 4-1 in the opening set.

But Rublev fought his way back into the match, striking at the end of both sets to get past the world number 35 and win his second Masters 1,000 tournament.


BBC
 
Osaka marks Italian Open return with first-round win

Naomi Osaka beat France's Clara Burel in straight sets in the Italian Open first round on her first appearance at the tournament since 2021.

Former world number one Osaka won 7-6 (7-2) 6-1 against Burel, who is ranked 45th in the world.

It was Osaka's first win against a top-50 opponent on clay since beating Victoria Azarenka at the French Open in 2019.

The 26-year-old, who gave birth to her first daughter last year, will face 19th seed Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine in the second round on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Britain's Dan Evans will have to wait to take on Italy's Fabio Fognini in the men's competition after his first-round tie on Wednesday was cancelled due to inclement weather in Rome.

Japan's Osaka, now ranked at 173 in the world, finished the 84-minute match with 27 winners, including eight aces.

"I obviously played a lot better in the second set," she said.

"I'm hoping that when I play my match tomorrow, I'm able to learn from the mistakes that I did today and apply them better."


BBC
 
Swiatek, Gauff and Osaka win in Rome

Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka all made it through comfortably to the last 32 of the Italian open in Rome.

Poland's world number one Swiatek, who is aiming to win the title in Rome for a third time, dominated American Bernarda Pera on the way to a 6-0 6-2 win in one hour 17 minutes.

American Gauff was a 6-3 6-3 winner against Poland's Magdalena Frech in one hour 28 minutes.

Japan's Osaka completed a 6-3 6-2 win against world number 20 Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine.

The straightforward rain-interrupted win in one hour 11 minutes gave Osaka her first career victory against a top 20 player on clay.

She will face world number 11 Daria Kasatkina in the third round.


BBC
 
The 2023 Wimbledon girls' singles runner-up Nikola Bartunkova has been provisionally suspended for doping.

The Czech 18-year-old returned a positive test for trimetazidine in February and again in March.

Trimetazidine is a metabolic modulator sometimes used as heart medication


BBC
 

Defending champ Rybakina withdraws from Italian Open with illness​


Defending champion Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from the Italian Open due to illness, the tournament said on Friday.

The Wimbledon 2022 champion's withdrawal was announced hours before she was scheduled to begin her title defence against Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu.

Kazakhstan's Rybakina would be replaced by Frenchwoman Oceane Dodin, the tournament said in a post on X. "We wish our 2023 champion a speedy recovery," they added.

World number four Rybakina is scheduled to play in the French Open later this month.

 

Thiem forced into early retirement after injuries​

Former US Open champion Dominic Thiem says he will retire later this year because of the wrist injury that derailed his career.

The 30-year-old Austrian, who reached four Grand Slam finals, hopes to finish his career at a home event in Vienna in October.

"It is a very important, very sad, very beautiful message that this season will be my last one," Thiem said.

"There are some reasons behind it: firstly, of course, my wrist. It is not exactly the way it should be and how I want it.

"The second reason is my inner feeling: I have been thinking about this decision for a very long time."

Thiem won his only Grand Slam title at the 2020 US Open, lifting him to a career-high ranking of third in the world.

He had previously finished runner-up at the 2018 and 2019 French Opens and the 2020 Australian Open.

Less than a year after his New York triumph, Thiem suffered a wrist injury that kept him off the ATP Tour for 10 months and resulted in his ranking plummeting to outside the top 350.

Thiem returned to the top 100 last year, but has been unable to regain the form and consistency that marked him out as one of the leading players in the sport.

In March he said he had a minor recurrence of the wrist injury but returned last month to play events in Estoril, Monte Carlo, Munich and Madrid.

"I've had success and trophies which I never dreamt of. It was an incredible journey," Thiem said.

"In the end I came to the conclusion that this decision to end my career at the end of this season is the only right one."

Alexander Zverev, who was beaten by Thiem in the US Open final, said he was losing "one of my best friends on tour".

"He's one of the greatest champions we've had," Zverev added.

"He was a powerhouse for his entire career and I wish him nothing but the best in the future."

Source: BBC
 

Italian Open: Cameron Norrie exits Rome after Stefanos Tsitsipas cruises to victory and into last 16​

Cameron Norrie is out of the Italian Open after Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas cruised to a 6-2 7-6 (7-1) victory in Rome to book his place in the last 16.

Tsitsipas proved far superior in the opening set, breaking Britain's Norrie twice en route to a rapid set victory filled with exquisite drop-shots, rocket serves and powerful forehand winners.

The second set saw the Greek move a break up early too, but to Norrie's credit he dug deep to break back and force a tie-break, recovering from 0-30 down at 5-5.

The tie-break was even more one-sided than the rest of the contest, however, as Tsitsipas streaked out to 5-0, and then clinched a 7-1 victory via a forehand winner.

Tsitsipas will face Australian Alex de Minaur for a place in the Italian Open quarter-finals, after the Aussie came from a set down to beat Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-7 6-4 6-4 earlier on Monday.

World No 6 Andrey Rublev - Madrid Open champion earlier this month - suffered a surprise exit to French qualifier Alexandre Muller 3-6 6-3 6-2.

The USA's Tommy Paul also made it through, beating Germany's Dominik Koepfer in straight sets 6-4 6-3.

Source: SKY
 
Dominant Swiatek sails into Italian Open semi-finals

World number one Iga Swiatek breezed into the semi-finals of the Italian Open with a straight-set victory over 18th seed Madison Keys.

The 22-year-old Pole, who took the title in Rome in 2021 and 2022, wrapped up the 6-1 6-3 win in 77 minutes.

It is the second time in 13 days that Swiatek has triumphed against Keys, beating the American by the same scoreline in the Madrid Open last four.

Swiatek will face third seed Coco Gauff or Australian Open runner-up Zheng Qinwen next.

Swiatek has yet to drop a set in the Italian capital before her French Open title defence later this month.

The four-time Grand Slam winner is aiming to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2013 to win back-to-back singles titles in Madrid and Rome in the same season.


BBC
 
Emma Raducanu has not received a wild card into this year's French Open, meaning she is likely to enter qualifying next week having already pulled out of the Internationaux de Strasbourg.

SKY
 
Stefanos Tsitsipas continued his domination of Alex de Minaur with a 6-1, 6-2 win on Tuesday at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia. The Greek raced through a 23-minute opening set and never looked back in a supreme display of clay-court tennis that mixed patience with power at all the right moments.

Tsitsipas will next meet 21st seed Nicolas Jarry on Thursday after the Chilean's 7-5, 6-3 win against Alexandre Muller earlier on Tuesday.

www.atptour.com

Tsitsipas puts on clay clinic to reach 4th straight Rome QF | ATP Tour | Tennis

Stefanos Tsitsipas improves to 11-1 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head against Alex de Minaur with a dominant win on Tuesday in Rome.
www.atptour.com www.atptour.com
 
World number two Aryna Sabalenka cruised through to the semi-finals of the Italian Open with victory over ninth seed Jelena Ostapenko.

The Belarusian needed just one hour and 13 minutes to dispatch Latvian Ostapenko 6-2 6-4.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka will face compatriot Victoria Azarenka or American 13th seed Danielle Collins in the last four in Rome.
 
Zverev bounces back from fall to beat Fritz and reach Italian Open semis

Alexander Zverev suffered a nasty fall before rallying to beat Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Wednesday.

The third-seeded German fell on his stomach and suffered cuts to his wrist and finger after hitting a backhand return in the third game.

He was treated on court before play resumed after a short delay and he returned to attack Fritz's serve, converting three of his five break-point chances and hitting 20 winners en route to a 90-minute victory.

"I still have a little bit of pain, so once the adrenaline settles I’m going to check out tomorrow what it is. But definitely happy with the win,” said Zverev.

"Taylor has been one of the best players on clay this year. To have a win like that is great for me, especially after the fall," he added.

Zverev will meet 29th seed Chilean Alejandro Tabilo in the last four after he beat Zhang Zhizhen 6-3 6-4.


Reuters
 
Swiatek beats Gauff to reach Italian Open final

Iga Swiatek beat Coco Gauff 6-4 6-3 to secure her place in the Italian Open final in Rome.

Gauff went up by an early break, but world number one Swiatek quickly retrieved the deficit before going on to take the opening set.

Swiatek broke the American's serve in the fifth game of the second set before a double fault at 4-3 up resulted in the 22-year-old Pole facing only her second break point of the match.

That opportunity was not seized and Swiatek broke the world number three's serve in the next game to win the match in one hour and 47 minutes.

Swiatek will play Aryna Sabalenka or Danielle Collins in the final.


BBC
 

Swiatek dominates Sabalenka to win Italian Open​

World number one Iga Swiatek again got the best of Aryna Sabalenka, winning in straight sets to take the Italian Open title.

Swiatek won a thriller against the world number two earlier this month in the Madrid Open final.

On Saturday the 22-year-old dominated Sabalenka, winning 6-2 6-3 to secure her 21st career title.

"After Madrid I knew it wasn't going to be easy," Swiatek said.

"I'm really happy that I was able to play consistently during the clay season. The final tournament is in front of us. I always enjoy playing here."

She added that she would celebrate on Saturday night by eating tiramisu after telling the crowd she was disappointed there was none in the trophy.

The defending champion now heads to the French Open after a third Italian Open title in four years, and having not dropped a set in the 2024 edition.

In the final set she had to resist seven break points but was impressive throughout, making just eight unforced errors in the match.

Addressing Swiatek after the match Sabalenka said: "Congrats on an incredible two weeks in Rome. I hope we make it to the final at Roland Garros and I'm going to beat you there! Just kidding but I want to do better than today.

"I love this tournament and hopefully I am going to come back stronger next year."

Source: BBC
 
Dominant Zverev wins second Italian Open title

Alexander Zverev produced a dominant serving display to clinch a straight sets victory over Nicolas Jarry and claim his second Italian Open title.

The German third seed dropped just five points on serve in a 6-4 7-5 win to seal a sixth Masters 1000 crown.

Zverev will now move up a place to fourth in the world rankings and served a warning to his rivals ahead of the French Open, which begins on 26 May.



BBC
 
Thiem through to second round of French Open qualifying

Dominic Thiem began his French Open swansong with a comeback victory against Franco Agamenone in the first round of qualifying.

The former US Open champion beat Italy's Agamenone 3-6 6-3 6-2 in front of a packed crowd on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

The 30-year-old Austrian will retire later this year but was not given a wildcard for Roland Garros, where he was runner-up in 2018 and 2019.

Thiem needs to win two more matches to reach the main draw of the Grand Slam, which starts on Sunday.

He has struggled with a wrist injury since his triumph in New York in 2020 and has slipped to 131 in the world rankings.

Britain's Billy Harris began his qualifying campaign with a 6-3 4-6 6-1 win over American Emilio Nava, but Lily Miyazaki lost 6-1 6-1 to China's Wei Sijia and Jan Choinski fell 6-4 6-4 to Denis Kudla of the United States.

Cameron Norrie, Jack Draper, Dan Evans and Andy Murray are all on the entry list for the men's singles, with Katie Boulter, Harriet Dart and Jodie Burrage in the women's.

Record 14-time champion Rafael Nadal also practised on Monday in what is widely expected to be his final French Open appearance.

The Spaniard has indicated 2024 is likely to be his final season before retirement.

The 37-year-old said he would only appear at his favourite tournament if he felt "capable enough to compete".


BBC
 
be interesting to see who wins french open, zverev is very good on clay, tsitpas is very good, djokovic looked slouggish in rome, nadal cant, dont know whats happneed to ruud in past few tournaments, sinner just recovered from a hip injury - he took 2 weeks completely out - was seen practising for first time yesterday. alcaraz is also carrying a injury
 
Carlos Alcaraz has made no secret of his ultimate career goal: to be the greatest tennis player of all time.

The 21-year-old Spaniard knows, of course, he is a long way from getting anywhere near the records set by Novak Djokovic.

But, having won two majors as a teenager and become the youngest men's world number one in history, he has made a promising start.

Asked by BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller if he is still targeting Djokovic's all-time leading tally of 24 major titles, Alcaraz's answer is instant: "Yes, of course. I am an ambitious guy.

"I know it is almost impossible to break Novak's records but I’m playing tennis for myself, for joy and I want to do great things.

"I want to be part of tennis history."

Over the next fortnight, Alcaraz will bid for a first French Open title on the clay surface he grew up playing on.

"What I like most is him thinking big and not just thinking small," said Alcaraz's coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.

"To be one of the greatest you have to think big.

"It’s going to be very hard to break records but we’re here to try to do as well as we can."

Alcaraz had been touted as a future Grand Slam champion from a young age, with his reputation in his hometown of Murcia quickly spreading.

Kiko Navarro, his first coach, realised he had "a very special player" on his hands after seeing Alcaraz play aged five.

Jesus Garcia Pardo, nine years older than the prodigious youngster and an aspiring professional, was "left speechless" by a 10-year-old Alcaraz.

"All his strokes were special," said Pardo, who became Alcaraz's hitting partner.

"He played with no fear, no matter who was on the other side of the net. That helped him make it to the top."

Aged 11, Alcaraz was identified as a potential superstar by agent Albert Molina. Four years later, Molina enlisted the help of former world number one Ferrero.

Ferrero has nurtured Alcaraz ever since, helping his protege fulfil the potential first shown on the clay courts of El Palmar.

Aged 19, Alcaraz claimed his first major at the 2022 US Open, and last year ended Djokovic's dominance to win Wimbledon - despite having barely played on grass.

Transferring his ability across surfaces has been another sign of Alcaraz's talent.

"I think his best surface right now is a hard court," said Ferrero.

"He’s developed on these courts but we cannot avoid [that] the clay court is where he was born.

"I think he will win Roland Garros at least once - he has the game to do it."

Source: BBC
 
Heather Watson was one of three Britons to lose in the first round of French Open qualifying on Tuesday.

World number 156 Watson lost 6-3 5-7 6-1 to Croatia's 214th-ranked Antonia Ruzic.

In the men's tournament, Ryan Peniston fell 6-1 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 to American second seed JJ Wolf.

Oliver Crawford, who switched nationality to Britain from the United States in January, was beaten 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-2 by Li Tu of Australia.

The defeats mean Billy Harris is the sole Briton remaining in qualifying for the clay-court Grand Slam, which begins in Paris on Sunday.

Harris will face France's Manuel Guinard in the second round on Wednesday.


BBC
 

Tiafoe back on track in Lyon, Bublik reaches QFs​

Frances Tiafoe snapped a three-match tour-level losing streak on Tuesday at the Open Parc, where he moved past Spaniard Jaume Munar to reach the second round on debut in Lyon.

The American led Munar 4-3 before play was suspended on Monday night. Returning on Tuesday, the 26-year-old sealed a 7-6(5), 6-4 victory after one hour and 41 minutes.

Tiafoe enjoyed a strong start to his clay-court season in Houston, where he reached the final at the ATP 250. However, he suffered opening-round exits in Madrid and Rome and fell in his opening match at the ATP Challenger Tour 175 event in Cagliari.

The World No. 26 looked closer to his best against Munar, striking 32 winners and committing 10 unforced errors in his first match at the clay-court event. The fifth seed will next play Arthur Rinderknech.

Alexander Bublik also advanced on Day 3. The second seed dispatched Australian Aleksandar Vukic 6-4, 6-2 to reach his third tour-level quarter-final on clay and first since Madrid in 2021.

The World No. 19 fired 10 aces and saved both break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to secure victory after 71 minutes in France. Bublik's best result on clay this season came in Madrid, where he reached the fourth round.

Bublik, who is chasing his second title of the season, will next meet Pavel Kotov after the World No. 57 beat French wild card Alexandre Muller 7-6(8), 6-1.

In other action, Frenchmen Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Hugo Gaston advanced to the second round.

Wild card Mpetshi Perricard defeated Lorenzo Sonego 6-3, 6-4 to earn his first tour-level win and first against a Top 50 opponent in the PIF ATP Rankings. The 20-year-old, competing at a career-high No. 117, won 82 per cent (28/34) of his first-serve points to advance after 77 minutes.

Mpetshi Perricard has won three ATP Challenger Tour titles this season and will next play Yoshihito Nishioka after the lefty beat German lucky loser Sebastian Fanselow 6-0, 6-1.

Gaston led Colombian qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan 7-6(2), 6-6 when play was suspended on Monday evening. The French qualifier returned to seal a 7-6(2), 7-6(4) triumph. It is the first time the 23-year-old has won on the ATP Tour since Marseille in February.

Thiago Seyboth Wild overcame Spaniard Pedro Martinez 6-4, 6-1 in the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting. The Brazilian upset Daniil Medvedev at Roland Garros last season.

Luciano Darderi defeated Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel 7-5, 7-6(3). The Italian won his first tour-level title on clay in Cordoba earlier this season.

Source: ATP Tour
 

Rybakina's clay performances boost French Open hopes, health permitting​


Elena Rybakina has had her French Open preparations hampered by illness but her performances on clay this year should give her confidence if the world number four can stay healthy.

In March, unwell Rybakina pulled out of Indian Wells and was then unable to defend her Italian Open title in Rome so, after her Roland Garros withdrawal last year before her third round tie, the Kazakh will be eager to make amends.

Rybakina, despite her health problems, has managed to win three titles in 2024, including Brisbane and Abu Dhabi, but it is her most recent victory, at Stuttgart, which will give her the biggest boost going to Paris.

On clay, she beat world number one and three-times French Open winner Iga Swiatek in the Stuttgart semi-finals and then reached the last four in Madrid, losing to Aryna Sabalenka.

"I always believe that I can play good on clay. My first win on the WTA was actually on clay," Rybakina said in Stuttgart.

"It's just the season is quite short and of course me, for example, I need a bit more time to get used, to adapt, to play some matches. But overall I think that I can play well on all the surfaces."

Unfortunately for Rybakina, her time on the clay has been curtailed, and it remains to be seen how the 24-year-old will recover from her latest illness.

Rybakina's best performance at the French Open came in 2021 when she reached the quarter-finals but with five finals under her belt already this season her confidence will be high.

"There are a lot of great players, tough opponents. But I know if I feel fresh, if I'm physically ready, healthy, I'm playing my game, of course I have all the chances to win a Grand Slam on any surface," Rybakina said.

Her one Grand Slam title to date came on the grass of Wimbledon, but perhaps the time has come for Rybakina to show she can also get the job done on clay.

Swiatek's dominance of the French Open will prove hard to break, shown by her Italian Open final win over Sabalenka, a repeat of her triumph in Madrid, but the Pole had never been beaten in Stuttgart before Rybakina's win.

That victory in April, ending Swiatek's 10-match winning streak at the tournament, showed that Rybakina cannot be ruled out, no matter who she faces in Paris, provided, of course, health issues do not get in her way.

 
Britain's Billy Harris is one win away from a first Grand Slam main draw appearance after a hard-fought victory in the second round of French Open qualifying

The 29-year-old beat France's Manuel Guinard 6-3 3-6 7-6 (10-4) on the Paris clay.

He could join Andy Murray and Dan Evans at Roland-Garros after the British duo were awarded a wildcard for the men's doubles.

The 13 other doubles wildcards announced all went to French pairs.

However, former world number three Dominic Thiem lost on his final French Open appearance.

Austria's Thiem, who is retiring later this year, fell 6-2 7-5 to Finland's Otto Virtanen.

Thiem was not given a wildcard for Roland Garros, where he is a two-time runner-up.

An on-court ceremony was held for Thiem after his loss, with the 30-year-old presented with a commemorative trophy.

World number 202 Harris is the only Briton left in either the men's or women's qualifying tournaments.

He will play 14th seed Valentin Vacherot of Monaco for a place in the main draw, which starts on Sunday.

Harris won his first match on the ATP Tour in November last year, having spent the start of his professional career driving to tournaments in a Ford Transit van to save money.

He is appearing in only his fourth Grand Slam qualifying contest.

Source: BBC
 
GB's Harris misses out on French Open main draw

Britain's Billy Harris will not play in his first Grand Slam at the French Open after falling to a 7-6 (7-2) 7-5 defeat in the final round of qualifying.

Harris squandered a lead in both sets against Valentin Vacherot of Monaco, who was also trying to reach the main draw at a major for the first time.

Harris was aiming to join Andy Murray and Dan Evans at Roland Garros after the British duo were awarded a wildcard for the men's doubles.

The world number 202 struck the first blow in the opening set, but he missed a set point and Vacherot broke back before dominating the tie-break.

After a disappointing end to the first set, Harris recovered and raced to a 3-0 lead in the second, only to be pinned back to 4-4 by the 14th seed, who won seven points in a row to wrap up the match.

Harris was the only Briton left in either the men's or women's qualifying tournaments after Ryan Peniston, Heather Watson and Oliver Crawford suffered first-round defeats.

The 29-year-old won his first match on the ATP Tour in November last year, having spent the start of his professional career driving to tournaments in a Ford Transit van to save money.


BBC
 
Draper shocked by qualifier De Jong at French Open

Jack Draper was beaten by Dutch qualifier Jesper de Jong as the British campaign at the French Open got off to an inauspicious start.

Draper, 22, is 35th in the world but lost 7-5 6-4 6-7 (3-7) 3-6 6-3 to 176th-ranked De Jong on day one at Roland Garros.

The British number two struggled on serve and was broken nine times as De Jong punished him.

He made too many unforced errors and showed his frustrations after a double fault handed over a 5-3 fifth-set lead to De Jong, who served out after four hours six minutes for the biggest win of his career.

Draper was the first of six British players to step out on to the Roland Garros dirt, with Andy Murray being the second later on Sunday.


BBC
 
Norrie beaten by Kotov in French Open first round

British number one Cameron Norrie was knocked out in the first round of the French Open with a five-set defeat by Russian Pavel Kotov.

World number 57 Kotov dominated Norrie in the deciding set to win 4-6 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-2, and record just his second victory in a Grand Slam.

It is the first time Norrie has lost in the opening round of a major since the 2022 Australian Open.


BBC
 
Ruud moves into French Open second round

Two-time French Open finalist Casper Ruud moved into the second round of the 2024 tournament with a routine 6-3 6-4 6-3 win over Brazil's Felipe Meligeni Alves.

Norwegian Ruud, 25, lost to Rafael Nadal in the 2022 final at Roland Garros and Novak Djokovic in the 2023 showpiece.

The match took place under the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier on a day when wet weather in Paris meant no play on any of the outside courts until late afternoon.

Seventh seed Ruud failed to take three break points in the sixth game and another three in the eighth game, before breaking Meligeni Alves' serve and closing out the opening set.

The 26-year-old Brazilian, ranked 137th in the world, then found himself an early break down in the next two sets as Ruud cruised to a straightforward victory.

"It has been a good clay season for me," said Ruud.

"This is one of the biggest tournaments for me, one of my highlights, and the last two years have given me so much here in Paris, so I hope I can make it another good year."

Elsewhere, Australian 11th seed Alex de Minaur cruised to a straight-set win over American Alex Michelsen, winning 6-1 6-0 6-2.

Novak Djokovic will begin his title defence later on Tuesday when he takes on France's Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the night session on Chatrier.


BBC
 
Dan Evans became the latest British player to suffer a first-round exit at the French Open after falling to a straight-set loss against Danish 13th seed Holger Rune.

Evans, 34, was beaten 6-4 6-4 6-4 by the 21-year-old Rune, ending British interest in the men's singles draw following defeats for Cameron Norrie, Jack Draper and Andy Murray.

With Harriet Dart out of the women's draw, it leaves Katie Boulter as the only Briton remaining in either singles competition.

BBC
 

'Someone spat gum at me' - Goffin criticises Paris crowd​


Belgium's David Goffin has criticised the "total disrespect" from fans after he claimed someone spat chewing gum at him during his first-round win at the French Open.

Goffin defeated France's Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 on Tuesday.

The 33-year-old cupped his ear after he was booed by the partisan French crowd following his win on court 14.

"When you are insulted for three and a half hours, you have to annoy the public a little," Goffin told Belgian media., external

"Clearly, it goes too far, it's total disrespect. It's becoming like football, soon there will be smoke bombs, hooligans and there will be fights in the stands.

"It’s starting to become ridiculous. Some people are there more to cause trouble than to create an atmosphere."

BBC Sport has contacted the French Tennis Federation for comment.

Goffin said "a lot of people" were complaining in the locker room about the crowds.

The world number 115 added: "Today, someone spat out their chewing gum at me.

"That’s why I wanted to stay calm. If I started to get angry about it, it could have destabilised me."

Last year, Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk said French Open spectators "should be embarrassed" after she was booed off court when she did not shake hands with Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka.

World number one Novak Djokovic also criticised the crowd last year, saying he found it "disrespectful" when he was booed for taking a medical time-out during his victory against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

"I think the majority of the people come to enjoy tennis or support one or the other player. But there are people who love to boo every single thing you do," said Djokovic.

www.bbc.com

French Open: David Goffin claims chewing gum was spat at him in first-round win

Belgium's David Goffin claims someone spat chewing gum at him during his first-round win over Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at the French Open.
www.bbc.com
 
Off-colour Alcaraz made to work to beat qualifier

An off-colour Carlos Alcaraz had to dig deep to beat inspired qualifier Jesper de Jong and reach the French Open third round.

Spain's Alcaraz looked subdued at times in a 6-3 6-4 2-6 6-2 victory over a player ranked 173 places below him.

Dutchman De Jong played well above his ranking but it was a rusty performance from Alcaraz, who had to twice come back from a break down in the fourth set.

"I prefer not to spend too much time on the court, I want to be in good shape for the next round but every match is different," Alcaraz said.

"I was in trouble at points. Jesper and I put on a good show."

Alcaraz will face either American Sebastian Korda or Kwon Soon-woo of South Korea next.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 2022 runner-up, was among the winners on Wednesday but play on the outdoor courts was once again disrupted by rain.


BBC
 
Swiatek saves match point to beat Osaka in thriller

Defending champion Iga Swiatek saved a match point before beating Naomi Osaka to avoid the earliest French Open exit of her career in a second-round thriller in Paris.

The 22-year-old Pole, who is bidding for a third successive title, fought back to win 7-6 (7-1) 1-6 7-5.

Former world number one Osaka only returned to the sport four months ago after having daughter Shai and has previously struggled on clay.

However, the 26-year-old from Japan pushed top seed Swiatek all the way in an absorbing encounter under the Court Philippe Chatrier roof – but paid the price for not converting her chance.


BBC
 

Sabalenka claims commanding straight-set win​


Aryna Sabalenka underlined her French Open title credentials by completing another commanding straight-set win to reach the third round at Roland Garros.

The world number two took just 62 minutes to dismiss Japan's Moyuka Uchijima 6-2 6-2 under the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier.

That win followed an opening victory over Erika Andreeva, in which she lost just three games.

Sabalenka will now meet a former quarter-finalist in either Spain's Paula Badosa, who ended British number one Katie Boulter's tournament, or Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva.

Her potential semi-final opponent, fourth seed Elena Rybakina, recovered from 4-2 behind in the second set to also clinch a straight-set win on Thursday.

Kazakh Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, defeated Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands 6-3 6-4 on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Sabalenka, who reached the last four at Roland Garros in 2023, has made at least the semi-finals at each of her past six Grand Slams.

The 26-year-old Belarusian combined trademark power with measured drop shots as she produced 27 winners in recording an efficient win over her 83rd-ranked opponent.

Having begun the year by successfully defending her Australian Open title, Sabalenka prepared for the French Open by reaching the final in the clay at both the Madrid Open and the Italian Open.

On both occasions Sabalenka lost out to world number one Iga Swiatek, who had to save a match point as she overcame Naomi Osaka in a three-set thriller on Wednesday.

With rain once again interrupting the French Open schedule, reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova's match against American Katie Volynets was postponed with the Czech a set down but in control of the second at 6-0 1-4.

www.bbc.com

French Open 2024 results: Aryna Sabalenka earns commanding straight-set win

Aryna Sabalenka underlines her French Open title credentials with a straight-set win to reach the third round at Roland Garros.
www.bbc.com
 
Sabalenka claims commanding straight-set win

Aryna Sabalenka underlined her French Open title credentials by completing another commanding straight-set win to reach the third round at Roland Garros.

The world number two took just 62 minutes to dismiss Japan's Moyuka Uchijima 6-2 6-2 under the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier.

That win followed an opening victory over Erika Andreeva, in which she lost just three games.

Sabalenka will now meet former quarter-finalist Paula Badosa, who ended British number one Katie Boulter's tournament, after the Spaniard came back from a set down to beat Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva 4-6 6-1 7-5.

Her potential semi-final opponent, fourth seed Elena Rybakina, recovered from 4-2 behind in the second set to also clinch a straight-set win on Thursday.

Kazakh Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, defeated Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands 6-3 6-4 on Court Suzanne Lenglen.



BBC
 
Frustrated Rublev throws racquet in surprise Paris loss

Andrey Rublev says his behaviour in his third-round French Open loss - where he smashed a racquet on court and on his knee - was the worst it has been at a Grand Slam.

The sixth seed lost 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 6-4 against world number 35 Matteo Arnaldi of Italy.

Rublev showed signs of agitation at the end of the first set and was warned by the umpire after throwing his racquet to the clay.

The Russian shouted at his team after being broken in the second set and bounced his racquet on the court between Arnaldi serves, drawing ironic cheers from the crowd.

The 26-year-old also hit his knee with his racquet in the third set after kicking his chair on several occasions.


BBC
 
'I'm feeling like myself now' - Alcaraz cruises through

Spanish third seed Carlos Alcaraz shrugged off his injury concerns to reach the French Open last 16 with a solid straight-set victory against American 27th seed Sebastian Korda.

Alcaraz, who has been nursing an arm injury, fought hard to win 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 at Roland Garros.

The reigning Wimbledon champion had enough quality to come through an entertaining night-session match.


BBC
 
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