Category: Tennis

WTA Roundup: Venus Williams Wins Three-Setter in England

Venus Williams defeated Italy’s Camila Giorgi 7–6 (5), 4–6, 7–6 (6) in a first-round match that lasted more than three hours in the Rothesay Classic in Great Britain on Monday, June 19. Williams, 43, recorded her first win over a top-50 opponent in four years after getting bounced in the first round last week at…


Wimbledon Prize Money up More Than 11 percent, Winners of Singles to Get $3 Million Each

LONDON—The total prize money at Wimbledon this year will rise by more than 11 percent, with the winners of the singles each getting 2.35 million pounds ($3 million). The total prize fund at the championships will be 44.7 million pounds ($56.5 million), the All England Club said Wednesday. That is an increase of 17.1 percent…


Djokovic Returns to World Number One, Nadal out of Top 100

Novak Djokovic reclaimed the world number one ranking from Carlos Alcaraz after winning his men’s record 23rd Grand Slam title at the French Open, while Rafa Nadal dropped out of the top 100 for the first time in 20 years. Djokovic, 36, began his record-extending 388th week at the summit on Monday, jumping two places…


Novak’s Greatness Goes Beyond Being the GOAT—Will He Be Recognized for It?

Commentary How many Grand Slams will Novak Djokovic eventually win? 25? 30? Chrissie Evert—who should know, since she has won seven French Opens and six U.S. Opens—said it best on Twitter: “Over the past 50 years, I’ve seen and studied every champion in tennis. I have never seen anyone like Novak Djokovic. The combination of mental,…


Shaped by Hardship, Djokovic Grateful for ‘Tennis Mother’ and ‘Tennis Father’

PARIS—While Novak Djokovic was already looking ahead to a potential record-extending 24th Grand Slam title, there was also time on Sunday for him to look back at what had shaped him as tennis’s most successful male player—hardship and adversity. Djokovic, who clinched his 23rd men’s major title at the French Open on Sunday, grew up…


Australian Open CEO Calls for Transgender Athletes in Women’s World Tennis

CEO of Tennis Australia Craig Tiley has declared his organisation’s support for the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s tennis. Tiley called on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to allow transgender tennis players to compete at the elite level. “When it comes to professional tennis, we’ve got to be…


Djokovic Wins Record 23rd Grand Slam Title by Beating Ruud in the French Open Final

PARIS—Novak Djokovic made clear for years that this was his goal. What drove him. What inspired him. The biggest titles from his sport’s biggest stages were Djokovic’s main aim and now he finally stands alone—ahead of Rafael Nadal, ahead of Roger Federer, ahead of every man who ever has swung a racket. If Djokovic could…


Djokovic Wins Record 23rd Grand Slam Title, Beating Ruud in French Open Final

PARIS—Novak Djokovic made clear for years that this was his goal. What drove him. What inspired him. The biggest titles from his sport’s biggest stages were Djokovic’s main aim and now he finally stands alone—ahead of Rafael Nadal, ahead of Roger Federer, ahead of every man who ever has swung a racket. If Djokovic could…


Iga Swiatek Beats Karolina Muchova in the French Open Final for Her 3rd Trophy in Paris, 4th Slam

PARIS—Iga Swiatek suddenly seemed lost in the French Open final. Her strokes were awry. Her confidence was gone. Her big early lead vanished, too. She kept looking up into the stands, seeking guidance from her coach and her sports psychologist. So much was amiss right up until she was two games from defeat against unseeded…


Novak Djokovic Nears His 23rd Grand Slam Title at the French Open After Carlos Alcaraz Cramps Up

PARIS—It was Carlos Alcaraz, not Novak Djokovic, who conjured up the “How did he do that?!” shot in the French Open semifinals that went viral in minutes and will be talked about for years. It was Alcaraz, 20, not Djokovic, 36, who had youth on his side, of course, the widest gap between Grand Slam…