Rybakina wary of wind ahead of Indian Wells defence

Rybakina wary of wind ahead of Indian Wells defence

Indian Wells reigning women's champion Elena Rybakina will focus on mastering tricky desert conditions as she launches the defence of her title on Friday. The WTA number four opens her campaign against Argentine Nadia Podoroska in the second round after receiving a bye at the Tennis Garden in California. The Kazakh is wary of the challenge posed by the wind at the desert venue, admitting there is really nothing […]

March 8, 2024 4

Sport

‘Sad’ Nadal abandons latest comeback with Indian Wells withdrawal

Rafael Nadal abandoned his planned ATP Tour comeback at the Indian Wells Masters on Wednesday, saying he was not ready for the demands of tournament tennis on the eve of his opening match in California. The Spanish icon's bombshell decision came four days after the 37-year-old lost a Las Vegas exhibition to compatriot and world number two Carlos Alcaraz. Nadal missed almost all of the 2023 season with abdominal […]

March 7, 2024 5

Sport

Yuan beats Wang in Austin final to capture first WTA title

Eighth seed Yuan Yue outlasted sixth seed Wang Xiyu 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) to win her first WTA title on Sunday, capturing an all-Chinese final at the ATX Open. Yuan needed two hours and 13 minutes and seven championship points to subdue Wang, who rallied from 5-2 down in the second set to force a tie-break in the showdown at Austin, Texas. In her only prior WTA final, Yuan had […]

March 4, 2024 3

Sport

De Minaur solves Tsitsipas puzzle to reach Acapulco ATP semi-finals

Defending champion Alex De Minaur claimed his first career win over Stefanos Tsitsipas on Thursday to reach the semi-finals of the ATP hardcourt tournament in Acapulco, Mexico. Australia's De Minaur had come up empty in 10 prior meetings against Tsitsipas, and it looked like more of the same when the Greek raced through the first set 6-1. But third-seeded De Minaur, coming off a runner-up finish to Australian Open […]

March 1, 2024 6

Sport

Top seed Zverev crashes out of Mexico Open first round

Top seed Alexander Zverev tumbled out of the Mexico Open at the first hurdle on Tuesday, eliminated by German compatriot Daniel Altmaier in three sets. Zverev, winner of the Acapulco tournament in 2021, was sent packing 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in 2hr 28min by world number 57 Altmaier. After sharing the first two sets, Altmaier took control of the third set with an early break to take a 2-0 lead before […]

February 28, 2024 6

Sport

Swiatek slips past Stephens as Sabalenka crashes out in Dubai

Iga Swiatek survived a gruelling affair against Sloane Stephens while Aryna Sabalenka blamed unfavourable conditions for her second round defeat to Donna Vekic in Dubai on Tuesday. The top-seeded Swiatek, who clinched her third consecutive Doha title on Saturday and had a first round bye in this event, had to dig deep to overcome former US Open champion Stephens 6-4, 6-4 in a tug of war that witnessed […]

February 21, 2024 2

Sport

Ankle injury forces Alcaraz out in first round of ATP Rio Open

World number two Carlos Alcaraz retired from his first-round match Tuesday at the ATP Rio Open after rolling his right ankle on just the second point of the contest against Thiago Monteiro. The Spanish star took a medical timeout, had the ankle taped and won the first game but after dropping his serve in the second game he called it quits, in another setback to a so-far disappointing 2024 […]

February 21, 2024 2

Sport

Diaz Acosta stuns Alcaraz conqueror to win Buenos Aires title

Argentine wild card Facundo Diaz Acosta captured his maiden ATP title in Buenos Aires on Sunday by defeating Nicolas Jarry, the man who had stunned Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals. World number 87 Diaz Acosta claimed a 6-3, 6-4 victory, sealing the triumph on a sixth match point. Before this week, 23-year-old left-hander Diaz Acosta had only won four tour-level matches in his career. He will now rise to […]

February 19, 2024 1

Sport

Osaka’s Qatar title bid ended by Pliskova

Naomi Osaka's hopes of clinching the Qatar Open ended in a straight-sets quarter-final loss to fellow former world number one Karolina Pliskova on Thursday. Four-time Grand Slam title winner Osaka, who is rebuilding her career after maternity leave, went down 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5) after saving three match points. It was the 26-year-old Japanese star's second defeat to Pliskova this year after losing in three sets in her […]

February 16, 2024 6