PARIS – Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal get their French Open campaigns underway Tuesday with the tournament still reeling from the sensational withdrawal of Naomi Osaka and her revelation that she has been suffering long periods of depression.
Tag: Tennis
Djokovic admits ‘long shot’ to beat Nadal at Roland Garros
ROME – Novak Djokovic admitted Sunday that he’s “a long shot” to win Roland Garros where he would likely have to dethrone rival and 13-time Paris champion Rafael Nadal.
Competitors need decision on Olympics, says Federer
GENEVA – Roger Federer said Friday that athletes need a firm decision on whether the Tokyo Olympics are going ahead, with the tennis star saying he was in two minds over the Games.
‘History maker’ Williams crashes out of Italian Open in 1000th career match
ROME – Serena Williams, playing the 1000th WTA match of her career, crashed out of the Italian Open in the second round on Wednesday, weeks before her bid to make history at Roland Garros.
Osaka ‘not sure’ Tokyo Olympics should go ahead
ROME– Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka has said she is “not really sure” the delayed Tokyo Olympics should go ahead as the city battles a surge of coronavirus cases less than three months before the start of the Games.
Refreshed Osaka hoping to conquer clay-court problems in Madrid
MADRID – Naomi Osaka has said she needed a break from tennis ahead of the start of the Madrid Open this week, when the world number two will be hoping to kickstart her career on clay. Osaka has never won…
Djokovic concedes upgrades needed after Belgrade failure
BELGRADE – World number one Novak Djokovic admitted he needs to work on his game ahead of next month’s French Open after he was knocked out by Aslan Karatsev in the Belgrade semi-finals on Saturday.
Aussie Sharma topples Jabeur for first WTA title
MIAMI – Australian Astra Sharma, ranked 165th in the world, rallied to beat 27th-ranked Ons Jabeur 2-6, 7-5, 6-1 on Sunday to win her first WTA title at Charleston, South Carolina. Sharma, who beat a top-30 player for the first…
Djokovic to host Serbia tournament a year after Covid fiasco
BELGRADE – World number one Novak Djokovic will relaunch the Serbia Open tournament in Belgrade on Monday, less than a year after a charity event he organised in the city ended in fiasco.
‘Disaster’ as Nadal’s bid for 12th Monte Carlo title ended by Rublev
MONTE CARLO, Principality of Monaco – Rafael Nadal’s bid for a 12th Monte Carlo Masters title was shattered by Russia’s Andrey Rublev, who swept to a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 quarter-final win on Friday with the great Spaniard admitting his serve…
‘Awful’ Djokovic knocked out in Monte Carlo as Nadal races into quarters
MONTE CARLO, Principality of Monaco – Novak Djokovic crashed out of the Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday following an “awful performance” in a 6-4, 7-5 defeat by Dan Evans, while 11-time champion Rafael Nadal powered into the quarter-finals.
Tsitsipas strolls into Monte Carlo last 16, Djokovic to face rising star Sinner
MONACO – Stefanos Tsitsipas made a winning start to the Monte Carlo Masters on Tuesday after the world number five cruised past Aslan Karatsev 6-3, 6-4 and into the last 16. Greek Tsitsipas, who had been given a bye into…
Djokovic, Nadal begin road to Roland Garros in Monte Carlo
MONACO – Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal begin their clay court seasons in Monte Carlo this week, seeded to meet in the final which would likely be a dress rehearsal for another title showdown at Roland Garros in June.
Kudermetova, Kovinic reach Charleston WTA final
MIAMI – Veronika Kudermetova ended the fairytale run of Paula Badosa in Charleston Saturday, booking a final showdown with Danka Kovinic in the WTA clay court tournament.
Tennis events of Bangabandhu 9th Bangladesh Games kicks off in Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI- Tennis events of Bangabandhu 9th Bangladesh Games 2021 kicked-off at Advocate Abdus Salam Tennis Complex in Rajshahi city amid a colourful ceremony today. The events are being held here from today to April 9 like other divisional headquarters as…
Tennis events of Bangabandhu Games to be held in Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI – All the tennis events of Bangabandhu 9th Bangladesh Games 2021 will begin at Advocate Abdus Salam Tennis Complex in Rajshahi city on April 2. The events will be held here from April 2 to April 9 like other…
Top-ranked Barty saves match point in Miami win, Halep rallies
MIAMI – Australian world number one Ashleigh Barty saved a match point as she battled back to defeat Slovakia’s Kristina Kucova on Thursday and reach the third round of the ATP and WTA Miami Open. Top-seeded Barty, the 2019 Miami…
Osaka says Serena, Billie Jean inspired her US soccer investment
MELBOURNE – Serena Williams and Billie Jean King, along with Naomi Osaka’s boyfriend, influenced the three-time Grand Slam winner’s decision to become part-owner of soccer team North Carolina Courage, she revealed Sunday. Osaka, the US Open champion, announced the investment…
Tiley confirms ‘historic’ Australian Open start for February 8
MELBOURNE – Players will compete for Aus$71 million (US$54 million) at next year’s Australian Open, tournament chief Craig Tiley said Saturday, confirming the Grand Slam will begin three weeks late and players must undergo quarantine. Singles, doubles and wheelchair competitions…
Sinner becomes youngest player in 12 years to win ATP title
SOFI – Teenager Jannik Sinner on Saturday became the youngest ATP champion in 12 years when he defeated Canada’s Vasek Pospisil in the Sofia final. The 19-year-old, ranked at 44 in the world, racked up a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/3)…
Zverev stays on course for Cologne double after three-set win over Millman
BERLIN – Fresh from winning the ATP tournament in Cologne last weekend, Germany’s Alexander Zverev reached the quarter-finals of the second week on the Rhine with a tough, three-set triumph over John Millman of Australia on Wednesday. Zverev, 23, ranked…
Djokovic eyes 10th Roland Garros semi-final
PARIS – Novak Djokovic targets a 10th Roland Garros semi-final on Wednesday as he faces Pablo Carreno Busta, the man who was on the other side of the net when the world number one was sensationally defaulted at the US…
Djokovic eyes Paris payback for Khachanov as Kenin aims higher
PARIS – Novak Djokovic continues his quest to become the first man in half a century to win all four Grand Slam titles twice at the French Open on Monday while Sofia Kenin and Petra Kvitova are the top seeds…
Untested Nadal expects tougher task as Halep eyes French Open revenge
PARIS – Rafael Nadal anticipates a stiffer challenge at the French Open on Friday after strolling through the first two rounds while top seed Simona Halep faces a rematch with Amanda Anisimova, the American teenager who knocked her out of…
US Open champion Osaka withdraws from French Open with injury
LOS ANGELES – Freshly crowned US Open champion Naomi Osaka pulled out of the French Open with a sore hamstring on Thursday, in a fresh blow to the coronavirus-hit Grand Slam which is already missing world number one Ashleigh Barty.…
Thiem beats Zverev to win US Open for first Grand Slam title
NEW YORK – Dominic Thiem produced a historic comeback to beat Alexander Zverev in a nervy five-setter and win the US Open on Sunday for his first Grand Slam title. The second seeded Austrian beat the fifth seed 2-6, 4-6,…
Djokovic disqualified for hitting ball at line judge US Open
Top seed Novak Djokovic was disqualified from the US Open for accidentally hitting a ball at a line judge in his fourth-round match.
Carrying hopes for US men, Tiafoe reaches 4th round at Open
Frances Tiafoe reacted as though he had just won the U.S. Open, covering a grin with his hands in disbelief. He actually had just lost a point when his opponent, Marton Fucsovics of Hungary, threaded a forehand between the umpire’s…
Djokovic says women to be part of new players’ association
NEW YORK – Novak Djokovic said Friday that women will be a part of his proposed new players’ association that is sending shockwaves through world tennis. The world number one said he had been talking to female players at the…
Serena Williams into third round at US Open
NEW YORK – Serena Williams booked her place in the third round of the US Open on Thursday, defeating Russia’s Margarita Gasparyan in straight sets. Third seed Williams wrapped up a 6-2, 6-4 victory in 1hr 33min on the Arthur…