GUADALAJARA, Mexico, Sept 22, 2023 (AFP) – France’s Caroline Garcia overpowered Victoria Azarenka in straight sets to reach the semi-finals of the WTA 1000 Guadalajara Open on Thursday. Third seed Garcia was always in control against her 10th-seeded opponent from Belarus, winning 6-3, 6-4 in 1hr 37min. The 29-year-old Frenchwoman will face either Greece’s Maria Sakkari or Colombia’s Emiliana Arango in the last four on Friday. Garcia, who is chasing the 12th title of her […]
Tag: tennis
World 172 Seyboth Wild stuns Medvedev at French Open amid Djokovic fallout
By Dave JAMES Agence France-Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — World number two Daniil Medvedev was knocked out of the French Open in the first round on Tuesday, losing in five sets to 172nd-ranked Thiago Seyboth Wild of Brazil as Roland Garros attempted to move on from Novak Djokovic’s Kosovo controversy. Seyboth Wild, who came through the qualifiers and had never previously won a Grand Slam match, triumphed 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (6/8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. It […]
Djokovic and Alcaraz in same half of French Open draw
PARIS, May 25, 2023 (AFP) – Novak Djokovic could face world number one Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals of the French Open after both players were placed in the same half of the draw on Thursday. Djokovic is chasing a record 23rd men’s Grand Slam title in the absence of the injured Rafael Nadal, who will miss the tournament at Roland Garros for the first time since his 2005 title-winning debut. The third-seeded Djokovic, Roland […]
‘Terrible’ Djokovic upset by Musetti in Monte Carlo in last 16
MONTE CARLO, Principality of Monaco (AFP) — Novak Djokovic was knocked out in the last 16 of the Monte Carlo Masters by Lorenzo Musetti in three sets on Thursday after the world number one struggled badly on serve. Djokovic, a two-time winner in the Principality in 2013 and 2015, was broken eight times before going down 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 to the 21st-ranked Musetti on a wet and chilly day on the Cote d’Azur. “(The) feeling […]
Blow for British as Raducanu, Murray crash out in Miami
by Simon EVANS Agence France-Presse MIAMI GARDENS, United States (AFP) — Canada’s Bianca Andreescu won a first-round battle of former US Open champions, defeating Britain’s Emma Raducanu 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 on Wednesday to advance to the second round of the Miami Open. There was further bad news for Britain with two-time Miami winner Andy Murray crashing out in the first round after a 6-4 7-5 loss to Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic. Andreescu and Raducanu, both born […]
Alcaraz ‘100%’ No. 1 – Medvedev
INDIAN WELLS, United States (AFP) — Daniil Medvedev, routed in straight sets by Carlos Alcaraz in the Indian Wells final, says the 19-year-old Spaniard has “100%” earned his return to number one in the world, despite the absence of Novak Djokovic. Alcaraz’s first Indian Wells triumph — his third Masters 1000 title — will move him back to the summit he held at the end of last year after his US Open triumph made him […]
Wimbledon champion Rybakina advances at Indian Wells, Fritz breezes
by Rebecca BRYAN Agence France-Presse INDIAN WELLS, United States (AFP) — Reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina punched her ticket to the fourth round at Indian Wells on Monday with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over former champion Paula Badosa. Rybakina, ranked 10th in the world after a runner-up finish to Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open in January, had lost her last three matches against Badosa. She said a solid service game and the upper hand […]
Djokovic defies controversy to surge into Australian Open final
Melbourne, Australia | AFP | Friday 1/27/2023 by Martin PARRY Novak Djokovic put aside the controversy surrounding his father to surge into a 10th Australian Open final Friday and close in on a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam crown. Only Stefanos Tsitsipas stands in his way after the Serb romped past unseeded American Tommy Paul 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. Another title on Sunday will move Djokovic alongside Rafael Nadal with 22 […]
‘I’m my own psychologist’: Sabalenka tames her inner tiger
by Daniel HICKS Agence France-Presse Melbourne, Australia (AFP) — A year ago, Aryna Sabalenka’s serve was in pieces and she was having to scrape through fraught battles in Australia as her fragile emotions were laid painfully bare. Now she stands on the brink of a major breakthrough after finally reaching a Grand Slam final at the fourth attempt. The 24-year-old Belarusian will face Elena Rybakina on Saturday in the final of the Australian Open knowing […]
Korda says could barely hold racquet in painful Australian Open exit
Melbourne, Australia | AFP | Tuesday 1/24/2023 Sebastian Korda said he could barely hold the racquet before retiring in the Australian Open quarter-finals Tuesday, but despite the disappointment is confident of “really big things” ahead. The 22-year-old American hurt himself in the second set against Russia’s Karen Khachanov and called it quits when trailing 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 3-0. He said he first felt the injury while playing the Adelaide International this month, where he made […]
Russia and Belarus flags banned at Australian Open after Ukraine protest
MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP) — Tennis Australia on Tuesday banned Russian and Belarusian flags at the Australian Open after Ukraine’s ambassador demanded action when one was sighted among the crowd. The red, white and blue stripes of Russia were seen Monday during a first-round clash between Ukraine’s Kateryna Baindl and Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova on day one. “Flags from Russia and Belarus are banned onsite at the Australian Open,” Tennis Australia said in a statement. “Our initial […]
‘That outfit’: Tiafoe dazzles Australian Open with colourful kit
Melbourne, Australia (AFP) Frances Tiafoe won his first-round match at the Australian Open on Monday but it was the American’s outrageously colourful kit which set tongues wagging. The world number 17 wore a matching vest and shorts that had squiggly haphazard lines of blue, purple, red, yellow and white. Tiafoe’s brazen outfit in his four-set win over Germany’s Daniel Altmaier was the talk of social media. “This outfit deserves to get to the second week minimum,” […]





