Tag: Tennis

Rublev Gets Long-Awaited Reward With Monte Carlo Title

Andrey Rublev made the most of Holger Rune’s nerves to win a see-saw Monte Carlo final 5–7 6–2 7–5 on Sunday, as the Russian’s talent was finally rewarded with a Masters title. The fifth seed stayed composed when it mattered to eventually run down his 19-year-old opponent and claim the most prestigious title of his…


Pegula Sends US Past Austria to Billie Jean King Cup Finals

Jessica Pegula sent the U.S. into the Billie Jean King Cup finals, where the Americans will have the chance to extend their record for most titles. Pegula and Coco Gauff both won twice in a 4–0 victory over Austria in Delray Beach, Florida. Pegula clinched the best-of-five tie for the Americans with a 6–1, 6–3…


Rybakina, Krejcikova Shine in Billie Jean King Cup Openers

Grand Slam champions Elena Rybakina and Barbora Krejcikova comfortably won their opening matches to help Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic respectively take 2-0 leads in their Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers on Friday. Playing a home against a Polish team missing the injured world number one Iga Swiatek, Kazakhstan stamped their authority over Poland on…


Nadal Pulls Out of Barcelona Open as He Builds Fitness

Rafa Nadal will miss next week’s Barcelona Open and continue building his match fitness following a hip injury sustained at the Australian Open in January, the 22-times Grand Slam champion said on Friday. Nadal skipped tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami as well as the ongoing Monte Carlo Masters after suffering the injury that effectively…


Women’s Tennis Tour Ends Peng Shuai-Inspired China Boycott

The women’s professional tennis tour will bring its events back to China later this year, announcing on Thursday, April 13, the end of a boycott instituted in late 2021 over concerns about the safety of former player Peng Shuai after she accused a high-ranking government official there of sexual assault. WTA Chairman and CEO Steve…


Djokovic Recovers From Stuttering Start to Reach Monte Carlo Round 3

Novak Djokovic briefly ran into a spot of bother as he fought his way into the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters with a 7–6(5) 6–2 victory against Russian qualifier Ivan Gakhov on Tuesday. The world number one, who had not played since early March when he reached the final in Dubai after being…


Medvedev Says Balance Key as He Adapts Game for Clay

Daniil Medvedev will head into the Monte Carlo Masters hoping to strike the right balance as the world number four looks to tweak his game for the claycourt swing without compromising on the style that has delivered four titles in 2023. Medvedev has won 18 of his 19 titles, including the 2021 U.S. Open, on…


Djokovic Returns to Tour Seeking Strong Start to Clay Swing

Novak Djokovic said he hopes to hit the ground running at Monte Carlo having begun preparations for the clay season early after the world number one was forced to skip tournaments in the United States last month. Djokovic, 35, who is unvaccinated against COVID-19, was unable to enter the country after unsuccessfully applying to the…


ITF Resumes Tennis in China With No Word on Peng Shuai

TOKYO—The International Tennis Federation will play tournaments this year in China with no word of a resolution to the case of Chinese doubles player Peng Shuai.   Peng disappeared from public view shortly after accusing a former high-ranking Communist Party official—in a web posting in November of 2021—of sexual assault.   The ITF, which conducts…


Kvitova Upsets Rybakina to Win First Miami Open Title

Petra Kvitova turned back the clock to upset Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina 7–6(14) 6–2 on Saturday to win her first Miami Open crown and ninth WTA 1000 title. The veteran Czech player, seeded 15th, ended an epic, 22-minute first set tiebreak by converting her fifth set point when 10th-seeded Rybakina’s forehand landed in the net. The…