INSIDER
Alcaraz, Djokovic 'not otherworldly' in French Open wins over foes making Slam debuts
Read full article: Alcaraz, Djokovic 'not otherworldly' in French Open wins over foes making Slam debutsCarlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic both picked up straight-set victories in the first round of the French Open against opponents ranked outside the Top 100 and making their Grand Slam debuts.
French Open updates | Nadal says foot was 'asleep' in final
Read full article: French Open updates | Nadal says foot was 'asleep' in finalRafael Nadal tells TV rights holder Eurosport in an interview on court after the French Open final that he played the match with “no feeling in” his left foot after getting an “injection on the nerve.”.
The Latest: Medvedev to meet Nadal in Australian Open final
Read full article: The Latest: Medvedev to meet Nadal in Australian Open finalDaniil Medvedev reeled off the last five games to beat Stefanos Tsitispas 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in a heated Australian Open semifinal and continue his bid for back-to-back major titles.
The Latest: Rafa into 4th round in Australia; back seems OK
Read full article: The Latest: Rafa into 4th round in Australia; back seems OKSpain's Rafael Nadal waits for a serve from Britain's Cameron Norrie during their third round match a the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021. He reached the fourth round at Melbourne Park for the 14th time in 16 trips. The top-seeded Australian beat Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia 6-2, 6-4 to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open for the third straight year. The seventh-seeded Rublev will meet Casper Ruud of Norway in the fourth round. 5 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Mikael Ymer of Sweden 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 in the third round.
Kenin voted WTA Player of Year; Azarenka gets Comeback honor
Read full article: Kenin voted WTA Player of Year; Azarenka gets Comeback honorSofia Kenin collected the WTA Player of the Year award on Tuesday after winning the Australian Open in January for her first Grand Slam title and finishing as the runner-up at the French Open in October. Kenin entered this year with an 11-11 career mark in Grand Slam tournaments and zero trips beyond the fourth round at any of the sport’s top four events. That triumph made Kenin the youngest Australian Open champion since 2008, when Maria Sharapova was 20. Kenin went on to get to the fourth round at the U.S. Open, then the final at the pandemic-postponed French Open before losing to Swiatek for the title. Mladenovic and Babos won two Grand Slam doubles titles this season, at the Australian Open and French Open.
Quarantined in New York, Mladenovic wins doubles in Paris
Read full article: Quarantined in New York, Mladenovic wins doubles in ParisThe French player and Hungarian partner Timea Babos defended their Roland Garros doubles title on Sunday, winning their fourth Grand Slam title together. She was placed in quarantine and the U.S. Tennis Association removed the top-seeded team of Mladenovic and Babos from the doubles competition. Seeded second in Paris, Babos and Mladenovic beat the 14th-seeded pairing of Alexa Guarachi from Chile and American Desirae Krawczyk 6-4, 7-5 in Sunday's final. As well as winning at Roland Garros last year, they have also won twice at the Australian Open, in 2018 and 2020. As well as four titles won with Babos, Mladenovic also won in the doubles at Roland Garros in 2016 with French countrywoman Caroline Garcia.
The Latest: Federer congratulates Nadal on 20th Slam title
Read full article: The Latest: Federer congratulates Nadal on 20th Slam title(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)PARIS – The Latest from the French Open (all times local):___7 p.m.Roger Federer has congratulated rival Rafael Nadal on pulling even at 20 Grand Slam titles. ___ 6 p.m.Rafael Nadal has matched Roger Federer with his 20th Grand Slam singles title. ___5:52 p.m.Rafael Nadal beat Novak Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 to win a record-extending 13th French Open and match Roger Federer with his 20th Grand Slam title. Nadal is seeking a record-extending 13th trophy at Roland Garros and can match Roger Federer with his 20th Grand Slam title. “To be a Grand Slam is to be a pillar of the game,” he said.
The Latest: Australian champ Kenin cries after French loss
Read full article: The Latest: Australian champ Kenin cries after French lossKenin was looking to win her second major title of the year after winning the Australian Open. ___4 p.m.Polish teen Iga Swiatek won the first set 6-4 against fourth-seeded Sofia Kenin in the French Open final. The women’s French Open final between fourth-seeded American Sofia Kenin and unseeded teen Iga Swiatek has begun on Court Philippe Chatrier. Kenin is looking to win her second major title of the year after winning the Australian Open. The 31-year-old Gerard was playing in his second major final after losing in the Australian Open final four years ago.
Mladenovic pins French meltdown on US Open lockdown, no-call
Read full article: Mladenovic pins French meltdown on US Open lockdown, no-callFrance's Kristina Mladenovic plays a shot against Germany's Laura Siegemund in the first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)PARIS – Kristina Mladenovic blamed her French Open meltdown on her U.S. Open lockdown — and she wasn’t too pleased about a no-call on a double bounce that helped her opponent avoid ceding the first set Wednesday, either. Mladenovic was furious that chair umpire Eva Asderaki didn’t spot the extra bounce that came during a 10-stroke exchange. “If she would have done it, she would have all my respect and be super fair play,” Mladenovic said. “It’s brutal for the body when you (have) eight days (of) lockdown in a hotel room,” Mladenovic said Wednesday.
DQ forgotten, Djokovic leaves French Open foe 'suffocated'
Read full article: DQ forgotten, Djokovic leaves French Open foe 'suffocated'Serbia's Novak Djokovic reacts after missing a shot against Sweden's Mikael Ymer in the first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020. “Winning a 6-love first set is the best possible way to start a Grand Slam," he said. With Dominic Thiem, the U.S. Open champion and two-time French Open runner-up, watching from the stands in a black winter coat, Djokovic broke Ymer nine times and ended up with a 32-12 edge in total winners. Others feeling that way on Day 3 at the year’s last Grand Slam tournament included No. Tsitsipas trailed Jaume Munar before advancing 4-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4, while Rublev knelt on court and covered his face with his hands after turning things around to beat Sam Querrey 6-7 (5), 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-4, 6-3.
The Latest: Americans Li, Rogers pull off upsets at US Open
Read full article: The Latest: Americans Li, Rogers pull off upsets at US Open(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)NEW YORK The Latest on the U.S. Open tennis tournament (all times local):6:40 p.m.Unseeded Americans Ann Li and Shelby Rogers have pulled off upset victories in the second round of the U.S. Open. ___6:05 p.m.Top-seeded Karolina Pliskova has been upset in the second round of the U.S. Open by Caroline Garcia of France. It was the first time since 2008 that the top-seeded woman lost in the second round at the Open. Pliskova was a finalist at the Open in 2016 for the best Grand Slam result of her career. Seeking his fourth U.S. Open title, Djokovic lost a physical first set that took more than an hour.
'Didn't play good': No. 1 Pliskova won't dissect Open loss
Read full article: 'Didn't play good': No. 1 Pliskova won't dissect Open lossI didnt play good, Pliksova said, so thats it.When another member of the media said this back-and-forth must be boring to Pliskova, she said, Yeah, a little bit. Three Americans turned in upsets of seeded women. Other seeded women who were eliminated: No. Pliskova had chances to take the second set against Garcia, who had been 0-8 against top-five opponents at Grand Slam tournaments. On the second, Garcia smacked a quick-strike forehand to a corner and Pliskova's running reply found the net.
Talk of 'fake bubble,' 'bubble in bubble' on US Open's Day 1
Read full article: Talk of 'fake bubble,' 'bubble in bubble' on US Open's Day 1A member of the USTA crew watches a match during the first round of the US Open tennis championships, Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, in New York. But Monday was significant for introducing terms to the tennis lexicon such as bubble in the bubble and fake bubble." Mladenovic and Mannarino spoke about the situation after wins Monday, saying they were part of a group that played cards with Paire. Baptiste said she was unaware that her opponent was one of the players who had been in contact with Paire. Mannarino said he's been forced to take the stairs to his seventh-floor hotel room to avoid contact with other players.