9 days ago
Sonay Kartal's dreams of becoming a WTA 1000 champion were ended on Sunday evening following defeat in the Wuhan Open final.
Despite being ranked 170th on the Tour, Kartal marched into the Chinese WTA 1000 final, defeating Belinda Bencic, Elina Svitolina, Jasmine Paolini and Jelena Ostapenko en route.
Maja Chwalinska, from Poland, defeated Kartal in the final, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Following Sunday's contest, Kartal posted a short message on social media.
"Leaving China with my head held high," Kartal, who has risen 121 places in the WTA rankings to world number 49, said in an Instagram post on Sunday.
#chinese
Despite being ranked 170th on the Tour, Kartal marched into the Chinese WTA 1000 final, defeating Belinda Bencic, Elina Svitolina, Jasmine Paolini and Jelena Ostapenko en route.
Maja Chwalinska, from Poland, defeated Kartal in the final, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Following Sunday's contest, Kartal posted a short message on social media.
"Leaving China with my head held high," Kartal, who has risen 121 places in the WTA rankings to world number 49, said in an Instagram post on Sunday.
#chinese
2 months ago
The shocks have already started at the US Open as 23-time grand slam champion and fourth seed Novak Djokovic suffered his earliest exit at a major in 20 years, losing in the first round.
The Serb broke down in tears as he fell in five sets to Mariano Navone, in a match where he physically struggled with the heat and humidity and threw up several times.
The defeat - his first time losing in the opening round of a slam since the Australian Open in 2006 - brings an abrupt end to his quest for a 25th major ****** le.
Third seed and last year's semi-finalist Felix Auger-Aliassime is the biggest name to fall so far, losing in four sets to Russia's Karen Khachanov in the second round.
29th seed Cameron Norrie was the first of the Brits to make a tame exit, losing in four sets to France Lucas Van ****** che, while Belinda Bencic is an early women's seed to fall, beaten by Yulia Putintseva.
#losing #exit #major
The Serb broke down in tears as he fell in five sets to Mariano Navone, in a match where he physically struggled with the heat and humidity and threw up several times.
The defeat - his first time losing in the opening round of a slam since the Australian Open in 2006 - brings an abrupt end to his quest for a 25th major ****** le.
Third seed and last year's semi-finalist Felix Auger-Aliassime is the biggest name to fall so far, losing in four sets to Russia's Karen Khachanov in the second round.
29th seed Cameron Norrie was the first of the Brits to make a tame exit, losing in four sets to France Lucas Van ****** che, while Belinda Bencic is an early women's seed to fall, beaten by Yulia Putintseva.
#losing #exit #major
2 months ago
The shocks have already started at the US Open as 23-time grand slam champion and fourth seed Novak Djokovic suffered his earliest exit at a major in 20 years, losing in the first round.
The Serb broke down in tears as he fell in five sets to Mariano Navone, in a match where he physically struggled with the heat and humidity and threw up several times.
The defeat - his first time losing in the opening round of a slam since the Australian Open in 2006 - brings an abrupt end to his quest for a 25th major ***** le.
29th seed Cameron Norrie was the first of the Brits to make a tame exit, losing in four sets to France Lucas Van ***** che, while Belinda Bencic is an early women's seed to fall, beaten by Yulia Putintseva.
Follow the top players' progress with our seed tracker here:
#losing #time #slam
The Serb broke down in tears as he fell in five sets to Mariano Navone, in a match where he physically struggled with the heat and humidity and threw up several times.
The defeat - his first time losing in the opening round of a slam since the Australian Open in 2006 - brings an abrupt end to his quest for a 25th major ***** le.
29th seed Cameron Norrie was the first of the Brits to make a tame exit, losing in four sets to France Lucas Van ***** che, while Belinda Bencic is an early women's seed to fall, beaten by Yulia Putintseva.
Follow the top players' progress with our seed tracker here:
#losing #time #slam
2 months ago
Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik saved two match points on their way to the US Open mixed doubles ****** le and $1m in prize money.
Mensik hit a 131mph ace on a third championship point to seal a 6-3 1-6 10-6 win in the final against Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli.
That victory came after they saved match points in their semi-final against Andrey Rublev and Mirra Andreeva.
It is a first Grand Slam ****** le for both players and comes just over six weeks after Muchova was beaten by compatriot Linda Noskova in the Wimbledon final.
The 30-year-old has been out of action since after undergoing a "small surgery".
#final #muchova #mensik #open
Mensik hit a 131mph ace on a third championship point to seal a 6-3 1-6 10-6 win in the final against Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli.
That victory came after they saved match points in their semi-final against Andrey Rublev and Mirra Andreeva.
It is a first Grand Slam ****** le for both players and comes just over six weeks after Muchova was beaten by compatriot Linda Noskova in the Wimbledon final.
The 30-year-old has been out of action since after undergoing a "small surgery".
#final #muchova #mensik #open
2 months ago
Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik won the US Open's unique mixed doubles tournament on Wednesday, taking home a $1 million grand prize (or $500,000 each). Which isn't bad for two days' work.
As the clock neared midnight in New York City, the Czechs defeated Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 1-6, 10-6 in front of a crowd thinned out by the late hour. Both teams had already played a three-set semifinal earlier in the evening.
The 30-year-old Muchova and 20-year-old Mensik, who were unseeded, won the later semifinal against the Russian pairing of Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev. With a turnaround of less than an hour, they pounced early, breaking Bencic's serve and coasting to a first-set win.
Bencic and Cobolli, seeded No. 4, bounced back to take the second set in lopsided fashion, but a run of four straight points in the 10-point third-set tiebreaker left the Czechs with room for error.
The big-serving Mensik closed things out with a 131-mph ace.
#hour #semifinal
As the clock neared midnight in New York City, the Czechs defeated Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 1-6, 10-6 in front of a crowd thinned out by the late hour. Both teams had already played a three-set semifinal earlier in the evening.
The 30-year-old Muchova and 20-year-old Mensik, who were unseeded, won the later semifinal against the Russian pairing of Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev. With a turnaround of less than an hour, they pounced early, breaking Bencic's serve and coasting to a first-set win.
Bencic and Cobolli, seeded No. 4, bounced back to take the second set in lopsided fashion, but a run of four straight points in the 10-point third-set tiebreaker left the Czechs with room for error.
The big-serving Mensik closed things out with a 131-mph ace.
#hour #semifinal
2 months ago
NEW YORK (AP) — Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli advanced to the U.S. Open mixed doubles final Wednesday night by rallying to end the run of spouses Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils.
Bencic and Cobolli won 4-5 (7), 4-1 (10-5) and waited to return to the Arthur Ashe Stadium court later against the winner of the second semifinal. Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik faced Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev in that one.
The winning team receives $1 million.
Bencic and Cobolli knocked Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz out of the tournament Tuesday in the quarterfinals.
Then they dropped a set for the first time in the tournament, but began to dominate midway through the second set, winning the final 11 points to force a match tiebreaker.
#cobolli
Bencic and Cobolli won 4-5 (7), 4-1 (10-5) and waited to return to the Arthur Ashe Stadium court later against the winner of the second semifinal. Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik faced Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev in that one.
The winning team receives $1 million.
Bencic and Cobolli knocked Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz out of the tournament Tuesday in the quarterfinals.
Then they dropped a set for the first time in the tournament, but began to dominate midway through the second set, winning the final 11 points to force a match tiebreaker.
#cobolli
2 months ago
Serena Williams walked back onto Arthur Ashe Stadium 1,453 days after what had looked like her final US Open match. Carlos Alcaraz followed her through the tunnel carrying a comeback story of his own.
More than 10,000 people were already inside on August 25 when Williams and Alcaraz emerged in matching purple-and-black Nike kits for the US Open Mixed Doubles Championship. The public-address announcer worked through Williams' accomplishments as the applause continued building, according to The Guardian.
Then Alcaraz double-faulted on the first point. The defending US Open men's champion had not played a competitive match since suffering a right wrist injury in April and later admitted he was "really, really nervous." Williams, meanwhile, was competing at Flushing Meadows for the first time since her emotional 2022 farewell.
Their partnership produced both sides of a comeback in a matter of hours. Williams and Alcaraz beat Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool 5-3, 4-1, then returned to Ashe and lost 5-4(4), 4-1 to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli in the quarterfinals.
The first match initially looked as though Alcaraz's five-month layoff might be difficult to disguise. He opened with a double fault, was broken early and joined Williams in falling behind 1-3 before the match changed direction.
#open #comeback #since
More than 10,000 people were already inside on August 25 when Williams and Alcaraz emerged in matching purple-and-black Nike kits for the US Open Mixed Doubles Championship. The public-address announcer worked through Williams' accomplishments as the applause continued building, according to The Guardian.
Then Alcaraz double-faulted on the first point. The defending US Open men's champion had not played a competitive match since suffering a right wrist injury in April and later admitted he was "really, really nervous." Williams, meanwhile, was competing at Flushing Meadows for the first time since her emotional 2022 farewell.
Their partnership produced both sides of a comeback in a matter of hours. Williams and Alcaraz beat Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool 5-3, 4-1, then returned to Ashe and lost 5-4(4), 4-1 to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli in the quarterfinals.
The first match initially looked as though Alcaraz's five-month layoff might be difficult to disguise. He opened with a double fault, was broken early and joined Williams in falling behind 1-3 before the match changed direction.
#open #comeback #since
2 months ago
The high-profile mixed doubles event at the US Open is underway with several star pairings in action at Flushing Meadows.
Serena Williams, who returned to tennis in June, partnered up with defending men's singles champion Carlos Alcaraz in New York – but the high-profile duo proved no match for Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli in the quarter-finals.
World No 1 women's player Aryna Sabalenka and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic were the top seeds but lost in the first round, with the all-American pairing of Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz the second seeds.
The Italian doubles pairing of Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori were the defending champions, but also made an early exit.
Here's everything you need to know for the US Open mixed doubles event.
#doubles
Serena Williams, who returned to tennis in June, partnered up with defending men's singles champion Carlos Alcaraz in New York – but the high-profile duo proved no match for Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli in the quarter-finals.
World No 1 women's player Aryna Sabalenka and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic were the top seeds but lost in the first round, with the all-American pairing of Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz the second seeds.
The Italian doubles pairing of Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori were the defending champions, but also made an early exit.
Here's everything you need to know for the US Open mixed doubles event.
#doubles
3 months ago
World number two Elena Rybakina survived a huge scare to battle into the Canadian Open quarter-finals on Sunday in Toronto, while fourth-ranked Coco Gauff cruised through.
Kazakhstan's Rybakina recovered from 0-3 and two breaks down in the final set to beat Liudmila Samsonova 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 before American Gauff swept aside another Russian, teenage qualifier Alina Korneeva, 6-3, 6-1 in Toronto.
Rybakina will face a quarter-final against four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, who eliminated home hero Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-4.
Gauff reached the last eight in Canada for the first time since 2023 and will come up against either Swiss 12th seed Belinda Bencic or Alexandra Eala, the rapidly rising 21-year-old Filipina who won her first WTA **** le last Monday in Washington.
"My main focus today was let me try and close it out," said Gauff, who has not dropped a set in Canada.
#gauff
Kazakhstan's Rybakina recovered from 0-3 and two breaks down in the final set to beat Liudmila Samsonova 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 before American Gauff swept aside another Russian, teenage qualifier Alina Korneeva, 6-3, 6-1 in Toronto.
Rybakina will face a quarter-final against four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, who eliminated home hero Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-4.
Gauff reached the last eight in Canada for the first time since 2023 and will come up against either Swiss 12th seed Belinda Bencic or Alexandra Eala, the rapidly rising 21-year-old Filipina who won her first WTA **** le last Monday in Washington.
"My main focus today was let me try and close it out," said Gauff, who has not dropped a set in Canada.
#gauff
3 months ago
Belinda Bencic found herself locked in a closely contested battle with Taylor Townsend in the third round of the Canadian Open, narrowly avoiding an upset at the hands of the American.
Bencic's emotions came to the fore during the tense contest as she voiced her frustrations toward her coaching team in her player's box, which included her husband and fitness coach, Martin Hromkovič.
No. 12 seed Bencic made a strong start to her campaign at the WTA 1000 event in Toronto by securing a dominant 6-3, 6-1 win over Sloane Stephens in her opening match, following a first-round bye.
The 29-year-old faced a much tougher test in her third-round showdown with Taylor Townsend. Although Bencic fended off three set points in the opening set, Townsend edged her out in the tiebreak. Nevertheless, the Swiss fought back to clinch the second-set tiebreak and force a decider.
Despite winning the set, Bencic appeared unimpressed with her coaching team's demeanor in her player's box, lashing out in an animated outburst during the changeover.
#bencic #Coaching #opening
Bencic's emotions came to the fore during the tense contest as she voiced her frustrations toward her coaching team in her player's box, which included her husband and fitness coach, Martin Hromkovič.
No. 12 seed Bencic made a strong start to her campaign at the WTA 1000 event in Toronto by securing a dominant 6-3, 6-1 win over Sloane Stephens in her opening match, following a first-round bye.
The 29-year-old faced a much tougher test in her third-round showdown with Taylor Townsend. Although Bencic fended off three set points in the opening set, Townsend edged her out in the tiebreak. Nevertheless, the Swiss fought back to clinch the second-set tiebreak and force a decider.
Despite winning the set, Bencic appeared unimpressed with her coaching team's demeanor in her player's box, lashing out in an animated outburst during the changeover.
#bencic #Coaching #opening
4 months ago
Wimbledon has been the biggest trouble throughout the early stages of Coco Gauff's star-studded career. But the Delray Beach, Florida native has a prime chance to win her first **** le on tennis's biggest stage if she can get past Karolina Muchova today and into Saturday's final.
The seventh-ranked player in the world and two-time major champion, Gauff lost in the first round of two of her previous three trips to the All England Club. But this year saw her into the quarterfinals for the first time, where she beat fellow American Jessica Pegula after dropping the first set, a rally repeated from her Round of 16 match against last year's Wimbledon semifinalist Belinda Bencic.
With pre-tournament favorites Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina and defending champion Iga Swiatek falling out, this marks the 22-year-old's best opportunity to take home the Rosewater Dish. Gauff is the highest-ranked player remaining, with Muchova, Linda Noskova and Marta Kostyuk also making their first appearances in the Wimbledon semifinals.
Watch Coco Gauff at Wimbledon live
Here's what to know about Gauff's next match, including how to watch on TV and streaming.
The seventh-ranked player in the world and two-time major champion, Gauff lost in the first round of two of her previous three trips to the All England Club. But this year saw her into the quarterfinals for the first time, where she beat fellow American Jessica Pegula after dropping the first set, a rally repeated from her Round of 16 match against last year's Wimbledon semifinalist Belinda Bencic.
With pre-tournament favorites Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina and defending champion Iga Swiatek falling out, this marks the 22-year-old's best opportunity to take home the Rosewater Dish. Gauff is the highest-ranked player remaining, with Muchova, Linda Noskova and Marta Kostyuk also making their first appearances in the Wimbledon semifinals.
Watch Coco Gauff at Wimbledon live
Here's what to know about Gauff's next match, including how to watch on TV and streaming.
4 months ago
Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner remain on a collision course at Wimbledon while Naomi Osaka faces Aryna Sabalenka in a fourth-round blockbuster on day seven of the Championships.
Osaka is through to the last 16 of Wimbledon for the first time and battles current world No 1 Sabalenka in a meeting of four-time grand slam champions. Sabalenka has won all three matches they have played this season, including in the last 16 of last month’s French Open, but Osaka carries blistering form onto the grass.
Djokovic and Sinner, who could meet in the semi-finals, both play qualifiers on Saturday. Djokovic continues his bid for a record 25th grand slam ***** le against Roman Safuillin, who knocked out Joao Fonseca, while Sinner meets Shintaro Mochizuki, a winner against Rafael Jodar.
Coco Gauff, meanwhile, faces a tough test against Belinda Bencic, and there is an all-Czech contest between former champion Barbora Krejcikova and 10th seed Karolina Muchova.
Here’s the order of play on day seven and the tournament schedule
Osaka is through to the last 16 of Wimbledon for the first time and battles current world No 1 Sabalenka in a meeting of four-time grand slam champions. Sabalenka has won all three matches they have played this season, including in the last 16 of last month’s French Open, but Osaka carries blistering form onto the grass.
Djokovic and Sinner, who could meet in the semi-finals, both play qualifiers on Saturday. Djokovic continues his bid for a record 25th grand slam ***** le against Roman Safuillin, who knocked out Joao Fonseca, while Sinner meets Shintaro Mochizuki, a winner against Rafael Jodar.
Coco Gauff, meanwhile, faces a tough test against Belinda Bencic, and there is an all-Czech contest between former champion Barbora Krejcikova and 10th seed Karolina Muchova.
Here’s the order of play on day seven and the tournament schedule
