Sports / Tennis

Roger Federer Beats Lorenzo Sonego, Advances to Singles Quarterfinal

After surviving an early test in the first set, Roger Federer found his rhythm in a 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 win over Lorenzo Sonego to reach the quarterfinals in the 2021 Wimbledon gentlemen’s tournament. Federer made history, becoming the oldest men’s player to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal in 44 years.

With the first set tied 5-5, weather intervened to provide both players a brief rain delay and let the retractable roof over the Centre Court close.

Sonego looked like he was on the verge of taking control at the time of the delay. The 26-year-old Italian was up 40-15 at one point in the 11th game before play was suspended. After the delay, Federer was able to gather himself and take control of the match. Sonego made several mental mistakes down the stretch of the opening set that cost him. Federer wasn’t at his best in the opening set either. The eight-time Wimbledon champion committed 17 unforced errors, compared to nine for Sonego.

Once he closed out the first set in just over an hour of match time, Federer started to look more comfortable. He needed 44 minutes to wrap up the second set.

The stats from Federer’s 6-4 second-set win were much more in line with what fans are accustomed to seeing from him. The 39-year-old won 12 of his 15 first-serve points and 11 of 15 net points while committing four unforced errors.

The third set was largely more of the same from Federer. He had as many aces in the third as he did in the first two sets combined (two) and won two of his four break-point chances.

Federer has been careful to monitor his playing time at this stage of his career. The Switzerland native withdrew from the French Open after a third-round win because “it’s important that I listen to my body” coming off two knee surgeries.

The decision came after Federer played a four-set match against Dominik Koepfer that lasted 3.5 hours.

After the first set Monday took 61 minutes to finish, Federer …

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Teenager Emma Raducanu reaches the third round on her Wimbledon debut

The 18-year-old, who sat her A-Levels just two months ago, overcame her Czech opponent 6-2 6-4 having been a late wild card entry into the tournament.

It follows on from her first-round win against Vitalia Diatchenko and means she is now Britain’s last woman standing in the singles at the All England Club. The world No 338 will now face Sorana Cirstea after the Romanian beat 12th seed Victoria Azarenka 7-6 3-6 6-4.

Raducanu had showcased her impressive serve early on as she claimed the first set 6-2, but found herself three love down in the second amid a fightback from the world No 42 Vondrousova, who was runner-up at the 2019 French Open.

The Grand Slam debutante held her nerve and clawed her way back to three games apiece, eventually securing a crucial break courtesy of a double fault to earn a 5-4 advantage before serving out for a landmark victory in one hour and 12 minutes.

In sealing a place in the next round Raducana will earn £115,000, almost quadruple her career earnings heading into the match having only made her debut on the WTA Tour in June.…

Sports / Tennis

Roger Federer edges through after Adrian Mannarino retires in fifth set

Each year that Roger Federer returns to Wimbledon, the scene of eight of his grand slam titles and on the surface that has slotted so snugly into his game for two decades, he does so with the aim of winning the title once more. He undoubtedly arrived in London with similar intentions this year but he has some elementary concerns for the time being. After two knee operations and more than a year out of competition, he is still trying to rediscover his form after difficult months back on tour.

Under the Centre Court roof and against a quick-witted veteran opponent who knows his way around a grass court, those sensations did not quite arise even though he escaped. Federer reached the second round after Adrian Mannarino was forced to retire with a knee injury following a bad slip, the score was 6-4, 6-7(3), 3-6, 6-2 ret.

“It’s awful,” said Federer in his on-court interview. “It shows that one shot can change the outcome of a match, a season, a career. I wish him all the best and I hope he recovers quickly so I can see him back on the courts because he could have won the match at the end. I definitely got a bit lucky but who cares about that? I wish him all the best.”

Across the net from Federer stood one of the unique games on the tour. Mannarino is a diminutive lefty with some of the most compact, flat groundstrokes in the men’s game. Early on Federer looked comfortable but as the second set wore on, he became increasingly tentative with his forehand as Mannarino cut down on his unforced errors. It culminated in an extremely low-quality tiebreak from Federer, in which he made four unforced forehand errors.

Throughout the third set, Mannarino continued to play intelligently, forcing Federer to move into his forehand side and producing some excellent angled backhands as the Swiss’s form continued to drop. He fell down 0-2 after losing his serve with a meek service game: four consecutive groundstroke …

Sports / Tennis

Serena Williams out after suffering ankle injury during first-round match

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion suffered the ankle injury during the early stages of her first-round match on Centre Court; Williams was in tears on court as she tried to serve at 3-3 and then retired from the match shortly after and had to be helped off court

Serena Williams’ bid for a record equaling 24th Grand Slam singles crown ended in tears at Wimbledon as an ankle injury forced her out of her first-round match with Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

The 39-year-old, who has seven Wimbledon singles titles on her glittering CV, had broken to lead 3-1 against her Belarusian opponent when she turned her left ankle badly.

When world No 100 Sasnovich broke straight back, Williams – her right thigh already heavily strapped – was forced to leave the court for a medical time-out and, while the American made her way back onto Centre Court in an attempt to compete, the tears were in evidence as she could barely move.

Sasnovich levelled the match at 3-3, but another slip from Williams left her laying on the ground and, amid gasps from the crowd, she was helped to her feet by the chair umpire and the retirement was confirmed

Williams has been on 23 Grand Slam titles since the 2017 Australian Open – but her last two visits to Wimbledon have yielded finals.

Having lost to Simona Halep in 2019 and Angelique Kerber in 2018, sixth seed Williams arrived with ambition of finally levelling Margaret Court’s supreme tally, but she was left disraught and released a statement via her Instagram feed.

“I was heartbroken to have to withdraw today after injuring my right leg,” said Williams.…

Sports / Tennis

Andy Murray wins on singles comeback

Andy Murray recomposed himself to ensure his Wimbledon singles return ended with a dramatic four-set victory over 24th seed Nikoloz Basilashvili.

In his first singles match in SW19 since 2017, the two-time champion led 6-4 6-3 5-0 against the Georgian.

The Briton could not convert two match points and wobbled as Basilashvili, 29, fought back to force a fourth set.

After a break to shut the Centre Court roof, Murray returned reinvigorated to win 6-4 6-3 5-7 6-3 under the lights.

There was still more tension at the end of the fourth set, though. Murray was unable to take a third match point when Basilashvili nailed a forehand winner down the line, but clinched victory with the fourth when his opponent hit into the net.

The majority of the home fans leapt to their feet, with a relieved Murray coolly raising his arms in the air before launching into a more manic leap moments later.

“I was really disappointed I had lost the third set and had to remember what I was doing to get into the winning position. I managed to turn it back around,” said Murray, who is now ranked 118th in the world.

The Scot will have a day off playing before his second-round match on Wednesday, knowing he will play a qualifier as Germany’s Oscar Otte or France’s Arthur Rinderknech await him.

The pair saw their match suspended at 21:00 BST because of darkness – with the deciding set delicately poised at 9-9.

It wouldn’t be Andy without the drama

 

When Murray limped off Centre Court following his 2017 quarter-final defeat by American Sam Querrey, few would have predicted the 2013 and 2016 champion would not play in the singles again until four years later.

That has been a combination of the injury problems which led to him contemplating retirement and the championships being postponed last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

While it was not quite like the heady days of old on Centre Court, 34-year-old Murray did offer a reminder to those 7,500 …

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Tennis fans shattered over Dominic Thiem announcement

Dominic Thiem suffered a wrist injury in Mallorca and will miss Wimbledon. Image: AAP/Getty

Dominic Thiem has announced with withdrawal from Wimbledon in a devastating blow for the World No.4.

The US Open champion was forced to pull out of the grass-court major on Thursday after suffering an injury to his right wrist.

Dominic Thiem, pictured here after suffering a wrist injury in Mallorca.

The Austrian star sustained the injury during a second-round match against Adrian Mannarino at the ATP event in Mallorca earlier this week.

Thiem, who had already opted out of competing at the Tokyo Olympics, will have to wear a wrist splint for five weeks.

He is now in a race against time to be fit for the defence of his first grand slam title at the US Open at the end of August.

The 27-year-old said on Thursday: “I’m going to do everything the doctors say in order to recover as quickly as possible.

“They’ve informed me that I might be out for several weeks but I will do my best to be back on court soon.

“I’m really sorry for pulling out of the upcoming three tournaments I had in my calendar: Wimbledon, Hamburg and Gstaad.

“They are very important tournaments for me. I appreciate all the support from the fans in these difficult moments – I’m determined to come back stronger.”

Fans were left shattered over the sad news.

…
Sports / Tennis

‘Novak Djokovic has a mentality rarely seen in tennis history,’

Rafael Nadal’s coach Carlos Moya says Novak Djokovic has ‘a mental determination rarely seen in tennis history.’

Djokovic won the French Open earlier this month, beating Nadal in the semi-finals before coming back from two sets down in the final against Stefanos Tsitsipas.

It was only the third time Nadal had ever lost at Roland Garros, and Moya did not deny the better player won on the day.

He, though, also warned the Serbian that they will learn a lot from the defeat.

“He has an impressive mentality, a determination rarely seen in the history of the sport,” Moya said.

“Rafa made too many unforced errors and was not at his level with the serve or with the backhand.

“Novak did better, he cornered him very well on his backhand side and Rafa could not easily escape from there.

“We are going to learn a lot from this match.”

Novak Djokovic will also be a strong favorite for Wimbledon, where he can equal the Grand Slam haul of both Nadal and Federer should he win it.…

Sports / Tennis

Rafael Nadal pulls out of Wimbledon and the Olympics

World number three Rafael Nadal has pulled out of this month’s Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympic Games.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion, who won the Wimbledon titles in 2008 and 2010, says he needs to “recuperate after a long clay-court season”.

“It’s never an easy decision but after listening to my body and discussing it with my team I understand that it is the right decision,” said the Spaniard.

“The goal is to prolong my career and continue to do what makes me happy.”

The 35-year-old added: “That is to compete at the highest level and keep fighting for those professional and personal goals at the maximum level of competition.

Nadal hinted at the decision after his defeat by Serbia’s world number one Novak Djokovic in the French Open semi-finals last week.

If defending champion Djokovic wins the title at the All England Club, it will move him level with the record shared by Nadal and Switzerland’s Roger Federer of 20 men’s major singles titles.

Nadal said the shorter turnaround between the French Open and Wimbledon was a key factor in his decision.

This year, there are only two weeks between the French Open finishing on the clay and Wimbledon starting on the grass. Usually, there are three weeks between the two majors.

The French Open was pushed back a week by Roland Garros organisers in order to start the tournament with fewer of the country’s coronavirus restrictions in place – including allowing fans in to watch.

“The fact that there has only been two weeks between Roland Garros and Wimbledon didn’t make it easier on my body to recuperate after the always demanding clay-court season,” Nadal said in a Twitter post announcing the news.

“They have been two months of great effort and the decision I take is focused looking at the mid and long term.”

Nadal struggled with a back injury earlier this year, playing only the Australian Open – where he lost in the quarter-finals – before the clay-court season started in mid-April.

On his favourite surface …

Sports / Tennis

French Open: Rafael Nadal dismisses Jannik Sinner to reach quarter-finals

The 13-time French Open champion will meet Diego Schwartzman in the last eight; he goes into the contest having won his last 35 sets in succession at Roland Garros

Against Sinner, Nadal weathered a spot of early pressure. He found himself 5-3 down in the opening set, before easing into a higher gear and never looking back.

Once Nadal had fully settled, he overpowered his teenage opponent and had the right answer to every question that Sinner posed.

The 35-year-old finished the contest having won 81 per cent of points on his first serve and forced Sinner into making 40 unforced errors.

The world No 10 Schwartzman awaits Nadal next, before a potential semi-final contest with Novak Djokovic, if he overcomes Matteo Berrettini.

Nadal and Schwartzman have met 11 times previously, including in the semi-finals last year, and despite the Spaniard holding a 10-1 record, he’s not underestimating the 28-year-old.

“Against him I need to play well,” Nadal said. “I think I am [playing well] but of course he’s coming to it with confidence after playing some great matches here.…

Sports / Tennis

Roger Federer Pulls out of French Open

Roger Federer has stunned the tennis world by pulling out of the French Open.

The Swiss maestro took to Twitter to announce his withdrawal from the year’s second grand slam, saying he needs to look after his body.

“After discussions with my team, I’ve decided I will need to pull out of the French Open today,” he said in a statement.

“After two knee surgeries and over a year of rehabilitation it’s important that I listen to my body and make sure I don’t push myself too quickly on my road to recovery.

“I am thrilled to have gotten three matches under my belt. There is no greater feeling than being back on court. See everyone soon!”

French Open tournament director Guy Forget said: “The Roland Garros tournament is sorry about the withdrawal of Roger Federer, who put up an incredible fight last night.

“We wish him all the best for the rest of the season.”

This year was the first time Federer had contested the French Open since 2015.

The 20-time grand slam champion had played well in his first three outings at Roland Garros, defeating Denis Istomin, Dominik Koepfer and Marin Cilic.

Federer bombshell sparks angry backlash

Federer is one of the most loved players tennis has ever seen but not everyone was happy with his decision to quit midway through the tournament, just so his body holds up for Wimbledon.

Former star turned ESPN analyst Patrick McEnroe told the New York Times: “I understand it, but I don’t like it. It’s just not a great look to pull out of a tournament in the middle.

“It’s one thing if you sprain an ankle badly and finish a match on adrenaline. Those things happen. But it’s another thing when you kind of go into a tournament knowing that you probably aren’t going to be able to really finish the tournament.

“Roger can’t expect that he’s going to play the French Open and not have some physically demanding matches in the first three or four rounds. That’s kind

…
Sports / Tennis

Serena Williams Crashes out of French Open

Serena Williams’s quest for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title fell short as she ended with a shock loss to Elena Rybakina in the French Open last 16 on Sunday.

The 39-year-old American went down 6-3, 7-5 at Roland Garros to the Kazakh 21st seed, leaving her still one short of Margaret Court’s all-time record for most Grand Slam singles titles.

She has not gone beyond the fourth round at Roland Garros since losing the 2016 final, the year after capturing the last of her three titles in Paris. Her last major triumph came at the 2017 Australian Open while she was pregnant.

Williams though is not too worried.

“I’m kind of excited to switch surfaces, but historically I have done pretty well on grass,” said Williams, a seven-time Wimbledon singles champion.

“I have done pretty well on clay too. Just not this particular season.”

Williams became the eighth top-10 seed in the women’s draw to depart, outmuscled by the Russian-born Rybakina who was appearing in the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time.

“It was definitely close. I’m so close. There is literally a point here, a point there, that could change the whole course of the match,” said Williams.

“I’m not winning those points. That like literally could just change everything.”

Despite arriving in Paris with just one win on clay this season, Williams had seen her title hopes boosted by the absence of Simona Halep, and early exits of Ashleigh Barty and Naomi Osaka.

Instead, she was knocked out by an opponent who was just two months old when Williams won her first Grand Slam title at the US Open in September 1999.…

Sports / Tennis

Naomi Osaka: Spotlight on media, authorities & player after French Open withdrawal

When Naomi Osaka won the US Open in 2018, she pulled down her visor to hide her tears.

It was her maiden Grand Slam title, she had beaten the great Serena Williams to win it, and she had a bright future ahead.

Except that the victory had come in unusual and traumatic fashion, with boos and controversy surrounding Williams’ infamous outburst at the umpire.

And we now know that this title also marked the start of the “long bouts of depression” that have led to Osaka pulling out of the French Open in a move that has sent shockwaves through the sport and raised the prospect of some soul-searching for the authorities and media.

Roland Garros is now without one of the sport’s biggest stars, and despite Osaka’s desire to not “be a distraction” she and the issues she raises are firmly in the spotlight.

Did the authorities handle things well?

Osaka received a lot of support from fellow players and athletes over her decision to boycott news conferences at Roland Garros.

And there was criticism of the sport’s governing bodies’ strongly-worded statement on Sunday, which threatened her with expulsion from the French Open and future Grand Slams over what she said was a decision based on seeking to protect her mental health.

American basketball player Stephen Curry was critical of the authorities, saying the “powers that be don’t protect their own”, while former British number one Laura Robson also questioned whether the matter could have been dealt with differently.

“I’m sure a lot of people are disappointed with how the statement was handled yesterday from the Grand Slams and how strong it was,” Robson said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“Maybe if they had not let it escalate to this point then we wouldn’t be here.”

In a statement after Osaka’s withdrawal, French Tennis Federation president Gilles Moretton said major tennis bodies were committed to athletes’ wellbeing and improving their tournament experience, including their interaction with the media.

Osaka said “the rules are quite outdated in parts” and that …

Sports / Tennis

Nadal ‘Not Worried’ About Being In Djokovic & Federer’s Half

Rafael Nadal didn’t appear to be fazed on Friday when he spoke about landing in the same half of the Roland Garros draw as his great rivals World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.

The Spanish superstar, who will be bidding to capture a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam championship crown with his 14th Roland Garros title, admitted, “I see it as natural. One player is almost 40 [Federer], another is almost 35 [Nadal] and the other is 34 [Djokovic]. It seems logical that younger players [will] climb in the [FedEx ATP] Rankings.

Grand Slam Singles Title Leaders

Player Grand Slam Titles
Roger Federer 20
Rafael Nadal 20
Novak Djokovic 18
Pete Sampras 14

“Whenever that happens you have these consequences [with the seedings]. I see it as completely normal. I’m not worried about it. I have a lot of work in front of me to play a potential match versus Djokovic [in the semi-final].

“They would need to play each other and I have my own path. My path right now is [Alexei] Popyrin [in the first round] and that’s where my mind is. My draw is hard enough to be thinking about anything else. I must continue my preparation, focus on my routines and keep advancing in the way we want.”

The 34-year-old Nadal beat Popyrin 6-3, 6-3 in the Mutua Madrid Open third round a few weeks ago.

“He’s young, he has the power,” said Nadal. “He has big shots. As always, I need to be ready for it. I need to keep practising [over] the next couple of days [and] try to be in the best shape possible. I know every round is tough, I always respect every opponent. I respected everyone since the beginning of my career. And Popyrin is a dangerous one, so I need to play well and I’m looking forward to trying to make that happen.”

Nadal comes into Roland Garros, where he has compiled an outstanding 100-2 match record since his 2005 debut, on the back of capturing titles …