INSIDER
Simona Halep tells the AP she was nervous about returning to tennis after her doping ban appeal
Read full article: Simona Halep tells the AP she was nervous about returning to tennis after her doping ban appealTwo-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep tells The Associated Press she was nervous while flying to her first tennis tournament in 1 1/2 years.
Grand Slam champ Simona Halep wins doping case on appeal and is cleared to resume tennis
Read full article: Grand Slam champ Simona Halep wins doping case on appeal and is cleared to resume tennisTwo-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has been cleared for an immediate return to tennis after sports’ highest court cut her ban for doping on appeal.
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.
Simona Halep faces 2nd doping charge over biological passport; had failed drug test at US Open
Read full article: Simona Halep faces 2nd doping charge over biological passport; had failed drug test at US OpenTwo-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has been accused of a second doping offense by the International Tennis Integrity Agency.
Simona Halep, 2-time major champ, gets provisional drug ban
Read full article: Simona Halep, 2-time major champ, gets provisional drug banTwo-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has been provisionally suspended by the International Tennis Integrity Agency after failing a drug test during the U.S. Open in August.
Serena's opponent, Kovinic, 'honored' to face her at US Open
Read full article: Serena's opponent, Kovinic, 'honored' to face her at US OpenThe first woman Serena Williams will face in what is expected to be the last tournament of her stellar career says she is honored to play someone she remembers watching on TV as a child.
Wimbledon updates | Krawczyk-Skupski win mixed doubles title
Read full article: Wimbledon updates | Krawczyk-Skupski win mixed doubles titleDesirae Krawczyk and Neal Skupski won the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Australian duo Sam Stosur and Matthew Ebden on Centre Court.
Hampered Nadal gets past Fritz at Wimbledon; Kyrgios next
Read full article: Hampered Nadal gets past Fritz at Wimbledon; Kyrgios nextRafael Nadal extended his Grand Slam winning streak to 19 matches with a 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (10-4) victory over 11th-seeded Taylor Fritz in the Wimbledon quarterfinals.
Adieu, Jo: Fans hail injured, retiring Tsonga at French Open
Read full article: Adieu, Jo: Fans hail injured, retiring Tsonga at French OpenJo-Wilfried Tsonga has ended his career as a singles tennis player with a 6-7 (6), 7-6 (4), 6-2, 7-6 (0) loss to Casper Ruud in the first round of the French Open.
Medvedev saves match point, moves into Australian Open semis
Read full article: Medvedev saves match point, moves into Australian Open semisU.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev rallied from two sets down and saved a match point before beating Felix Auger-Aliassime in a marathon five-setter to move into the Australian Open semifinals.
The Latest: Iga Swiatek into Australian Open semifinals
Read full article: The Latest: Iga Swiatek into Australian Open semifinalsFormer French Open champion Iga Swiatek has improved on her stellar record against players ranked outside the top 30 at Grand Slam tournaments with a 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3 win over Kai Kanepi to advance to the Australian Open semifinals.
Barty opens her 2022 season with win over Gauff in Adelaide
Read full article: Barty opens her 2022 season with win over Gauff in AdelaideTop-ranked Ash Barty has started her 2022 season with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 comeback win over 17-year-old American Coco Gauff in the second round of the Adelaide International.
No Novak yet but rest of tennis prepares for Australian Open
Read full article: No Novak yet but rest of tennis prepares for Australian OpenWhile the “will he or won’t he” question remains for No. 1 Novak Djokovic and his participation in the Australian Open the rest of the tennis world returns to work this week to prepare for the season’s first major.
'Happy-go-lucky' teen Fernandez upsets Kerber at US Open
Read full article: 'Happy-go-lucky' teen Fernandez upsets Kerber at US OpenCanadian teenager Leylah Fernandez has followed up her upset of defending champion Naomi Osaka at the U.S. Open by beating another past title winner at Flushing Meadows.
The Latest: Osaka smashes racket, unravels in U.S. Open loss
Read full article: The Latest: Osaka smashes racket, unravels in U.S. Open lossDefending champion Naomi Osaka repeatedly smashed her racket to the court, smacked a ball into the crowd, hid under a towel and imploded over the final two sets in a third-round loss at the U.
The Latest: Schwartzman wins rain-delayed match at US Open
Read full article: The Latest: Schwartzman wins rain-delayed match at US OpenDiego Schwartzman has eliminated 2017 runner-up Kevin Anderson at the U.S. Open in a match that started on one court before 7:30 p.m. and finished on another just past 1 a.m. after an interruption caused by heavy rain and winds from remnants of Hurricane Ida.
Tsitsipas, with Big Three missing, makes 4th round in Miami
Read full article: Tsitsipas, with Big Three missing, makes 4th round in MiamiStefanos Tsitsipas of Greece returns to Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia during the Miami Open tennis tournament, Saturday, March 27, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)MIAMI – For tennis up-and-comers like Stefanos Tsitsipas, the draw at the Miami Open began to look a lot less daunting even before the tournament began. “It’s a first test to see how it is playing without them,” Tsitsipas said after his third-round victory Saturday. 2-seeded Tsitsipas is among those with the best chance to take advantage, and he looked the part against Damir Dzumhur, winning 6-1, 6-4. “I created a lot of opportunities with my serve — I wasn’t rushing at all, finding the right angles and executing it perfectly,” Tsitsipas said. In women's play, top-ranked Ash Barty and three-time champion Victoria Azarenka advanced to a round of 16 showdown.
Djokovic ties Federer in weeks at No. 1; Gauff up to No. 38
Read full article: Djokovic ties Federer in weeks at No. 1; Gauff up to No. 38(AP Photo/Hamish Blair)Novak Djokovic is gaining on Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the Grand Slam standings, and he’s already caught Federer in another significant statistic: As of Monday, Djokovic has been No. And no matter what happens over the next week, Djokovic is assured of breaking Federer’s mark on March 8. Djokovic’s Australian Open championship last month gave the 33-year-old from Serbia 18 Grand Slam singles trophies. That would make Medvedev the first man other than Federer, Nadal, Djokovic or Andy Murray to be first or second since International Tennis Hall of Fame electee Lleyton Hewitt was No. 1, followed by Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka, Simona Halep, Sofia Kenin and Elina Svitolina.
Osaka back to No. 2; Medvedev No. 3; Karatsev jumps 72 spots
Read full article: Osaka back to No. 2; Medvedev No. 3; Karatsev jumps 72 spots(AP Photo/Hamish Blair)Naomi Osaka's Australian Open championship moved her up one spot to No. 2 in the WTA rankings Monday, while men's finalist Daniil Medvedev rose to a career-best No. Aslan Karatsev's historic run from qualifying to the final four before losing to nine-time Australian Open champion Djokovic allowed him to vault 72 places from 114th to 42nd. Barty took nearly a full year off, for example, but still has her points from winning the 2019 French Open and reaching the semifinals at the 2020 Australian Open. Aryna Sabalenka now leads the WTA doubles rankings after pairing with Elise Mertens to win the Australian Open women's doubles title.
The Latest: Krejcikova aims for doubles double in Australia
Read full article: The Latest: Krejcikova aims for doubles double in AustraliaBarbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic makes a forehand return to Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. All rights reservedMELBOURNE – The Latest on the Australian Open (all times local):7 p.m.Barbora Krejcikova has set up a shot at an Australian Open doubles double over the next couple of days. AdNaomi Osaka has stopped Serena Williams’ latest bid for a record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title in the Australian Open semifinals. 1 Novak Djokovic vs. Aslan Karatsev, a qualifier from Russia who is ranked 114th and playing in his first Grand Slam tournament. Djokovic is seeking a ninth Australian Open title and 18th Grand Slam trophy overall.
Australia's second largest city comes out of 3rd lockdown
Read full article: Australia's second largest city comes out of 3rd lockdownMelbourne, Australia's second-largest city, will relax its third lockdown restrictions after authorities contained the spread of a COVID-19 cluster centered on hotel quarantine. (Erik Anderson/AAP Image via AP)MELBOURNE – Melbourne, Australia’s second largest city, will relax its third lockdown on Wednesday and allow spectators to return to the Australian Open tennis tournament after a five-day absence. Up to 30,000 tennis fans a day had been allowed into three zones in the tournament venue, Melbourne Park, before the statewide Victoria lockdown. Melbourne emerged from a 111-day lockdown in October following a fresh wave of infections that peaked at 725 cases a day. At the time, the rest of Australia was relaxing restrictions due to low case numbers after an initial nationwide lockdown.
Serena tops Halep at Australian Open, sets up Osaka showdown
Read full article: Serena tops Halep at Australian Open, sets up Osaka showdownUnited States' Serena Williams reacts after winning a point against Romania's Simona Halep during their quarterfinal match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)MELBOURNE – Serena Williams was not pleased with the way her play suddenly was slipping in the Australian Open quarterfinals. That was her most recent Grand Slam title. 24 on Saturday, she could end up needing to have beaten each of the top three players in the rankings: Halep, Osaka and, perhaps in the final, No. At 35, Hsieh used her tricky, two-handed shots off both sides to become the oldest woman in the professional era to make her Grand Slam quarterfinal debut.
Down but not out, Serena Williams into Australian Open QFs
Read full article: Down but not out, Serena Williams into Australian Open QFsUnited States' Serena Williams falls during her fourth round match against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)MELBOURNE – Serena Williams tumbled to the ground, her heavily taped right ankle turning, her body contorting, her racket flying. Grabbing the last two games, Williams pulled out 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory over No. Oh, my goodness.”Sabalenka — a 22-year-old from Belarus playing in only her second fourth-round Slam match — was visibly and audibly frustrated. Dominic Thiem — the Australian Open runner-up and U.S. Open champion in 2020 — looked physically compromised in a 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 loss to three-time major semifinalist Grigor Dimitrov.
The Latest: Djokovic beats Raonic, reaches QFs in Australia
Read full article: The Latest: Djokovic beats Raonic, reaches QFs in AustraliaAdHe said: “If it’s any other tournament than a Grand Slam, then I’d withdraw from that event, that’s for sure. Defending champion Novak Djokovic has started his fourth-round match against Milos Raonic at the Australian Open. He'll play either U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem or Grigor Dimitrov next and he says he doesn't have a preference. Their match is to be followed by eight-time Australian Open champion Djokovic against 2016 Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic — assuming Djokovic decides he can play. Other men in action include reigning U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem and the man he beat in that final, Alexander Zverev.
The Latest: Shapovalov edges teenage Sinner in 1st round
Read full article: The Latest: Shapovalov edges teenage Sinner in 1st roundThe 10th-seeded Frenchman is a two-time Grand Slam semifinalist, but he can't seem to win anywhere at the moment. ___4:55 p.m.U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem has moved into the second round at the Australian Open, where he was the runner-up to Novak Djokovic a year ago. Thiem had been 0-3 in Grand Slam finals until emerging for the championship at Flushing Meadows in September. The first tournament of this year’s Grand Slam season began after a three-week delay because of the coronavirus pandemic. Serena Williams begins her latest bid for a 24th Grand Slam singles title in the following match against Laura Siegemund.
The tennis crowd: players thrive with fans back in Australia
Read full article: The tennis crowd: players thrive with fans back in AustraliaThere was no certainty until last month that the Australian Open would even be staged. Wimbledon was canceled in 2020, there were no fans permitted at the U.S. Open and very few allowed at Roland Garros. The three-week delay to start the Australian Open this year will mean a slightly different atmosphere — the summer holidays are over, for a start — but that’s unlikely to upset organizers or players. “That’s the first thing I’m looking forward to when I come to Australia, so it was great. Ad“I don’t have a professional tournament back home, so ... every time I come back to Australia, it feels like I’m at home.”___More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Serena Williams, Osaka drawn in same half at Australian Open
Read full article: Serena Williams, Osaka drawn in same half at Australian Open3 Naomi Osaka, the U.S. Open champion. Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, Johanna Konta and Elina Svitolina are also in Kenin's quarter. Williams already has won seven Australian Open titles and her 23 major titles is a record in the Open era. In the top half, Djokovic’s bid for a third consecutive Australian title — and ninth overall — could get tricky. Djokovic and Zverev were playing against each other in an ATP Cup doubles match when the draw was made for the Australian Open.
Serena visits zoo; Djokovic finally on court in Australia
Read full article: Serena visits zoo; Djokovic finally on court in AustraliaIt was a controversial start to the government-mandated quarantine ahead of the Australian Open beginning Feb. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)ADELAIDE – Serena Williams was preparing to play Naomi Osaka at an Adelaide exhibition tournament on Friday. The Adelaide tournament is the only Australian Open tune-up tournament that isn't being played in Melbourne. The Australian Open starts Feb. 8. Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley said players who had been in hard lockdown would be given priority.
With quarantines almost over, tennis set to start Down Under
Read full article: With quarantines almost over, tennis set to start Down UnderIt was a controversial start to the government-mandated quarantine ahead of the Australian Open beginning Feb. 8, 2021. The government-mandated quarantine ahead of the Feb. 8-21 Australian Open had a controversial start. There was some considerable doubt during that second wave whether the Australian Open would even be remotely possible in Melbourne. Players, coaches and officials were flown in on 17 jets chartered by Tennis Australia and met by biosecurity officials and placed immediately into hotel quarantine. They include 2019 U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu, whose coach was among those who tested positive, and two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka.
Wimbledon champion Simona Halep tests positive for COVID-19
Read full article: Wimbledon champion Simona Halep tests positive for COVID-19Simona Halep said Saturday Oct. 31, 2020, that she has tested positive for COVID-19 coronavirus. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, FILE)BUCHAREST – Wimbledon champion Simona Halep has tested positive for COVID-19 and said Saturday that she is “recovering well from mild symptoms.”The 29-year-old Halep, currently ranked No. “I wanted to let you know that I tested positive for COVID-19. Halep, a former top-ranked player, won Wimbledon in 2019 and the French Open in 2018. In August, Halep expressed concern about traveling to New York for the U.S. Open.
The Latest: Illinois QB Peters among 2 to test positive
Read full article: The Latest: Illinois QB Peters among 2 to test positiveBoth tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday and will be sidelined 21 days per Big Ten protocol. Both would be eligible to return for the Nov. 21 game at Nebraska. Illinois also announced that contact tracing sidelined several other players for the Purdue game and next week’s game against Minnesota. Sophomore Matt Robinson started at quarterback for the Ilini. The Illini opened the season last week at Wisconsin, whose team has had 22 players and staff test positive for COVID-19 this week.
French Open champ Swiatek rises to 17th; Djokovic, Nadal 1-2
Read full article: French Open champ Swiatek rises to 17th; Djokovic, Nadal 1-22, followed by U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem and Federer. The 19-year-old Swiatek entered the French Open at No. 54 and became the lowest-ranked female champion at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament since the WTA computer rankings began in 1975. The top three in the women’s rankings remained as they were before the French Open, with Ash Barty at No. Halep did compete at the French Open, but her 6-1, 6-2 loss to Swiatek in the fourth round didn’t affect the three-time major champion’s ranking.
Just 19, ranked 54th, Swiatek wins French Open for 1st Slam
Read full article: Just 19, ranked 54th, Swiatek wins French Open for 1st Slam(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)PARIS – Minutes after suddenly becoming a Grand Slam champion at age 19, while ranked just 54th, Iga Swiatek held a microphone during the French Open trophy presentation and was hesitant for pretty much the only time over the past two weeks. “Two years ago, I won a junior Grand Slam, and right now I’m here. This was, after all, only her seventh major tournament; she'd never been past the fourth round. So it made sense that Swiatek would handle the fourth-seeded Kenin, even if the 21-year-old from Florida won the Australian Open in February and entered Saturday 16-1 in Grand Slam play this year. “Everybody is stressed when they’re playing Grand Slam finals.
Kenin, 21, will face unseeded Swiatek, 19, in French final
Read full article: Kenin, 21, will face unseeded Swiatek, 19, in French final4-seeded Kenin moved into the French Open final by beating No. Kenin will carry a 16-1 mark in Grand Slam action this season into Saturday’s championship match against Iga Swiatek of Poland. Swiatek vs. Podoroska was the first women’s semifinal at Roland Garros between unseeded opponents since 1983 — and only one, Swiatek, truly seemed ready for the stage. Swiatek does it with tremendous play at the baseline, picking up balls early and smacking big groundstrokes with thick topspin. I’m, like, not letting my opponents play their best tennis,” Swiatek said.
Years after anorexia, hiatus, Italian reaches French Open QF
Read full article: Years after anorexia, hiatus, Italian reaches French Open QFItaly's Martina Trevisan celebrates winning the fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament against Netherlands' Kiki Bertens in two sets, 6-4, 6-4, at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. So after Trevisan’s 6-4, 6-4 victory against No. U.S. Open runner-up Alexander Zverev lost 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 to 19-year-old Jannik Sinner of Italy, then said he had a fever and was short of breath, two symptoms that raise red flags during a coronavirus pandemic that postponed the French Open from May-June to September-October. 12 seed Diego Schwartzman, a 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 winner against Lorenzo Sonego. 3 Elina Svitolina beat Caroline Garcia 6-1, 6-3 and next takes on Nadia Podoroska, a qualifier from Argentina who is ranked 131st and eliminated Barbora Krejcikova 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.
'Are you Sebastian’s father?' Korda, 20, takes on idol Nadal
Read full article: 'Are you Sebastian’s father?' Korda, 20, takes on idol Nadal(AP Photo/Peter Dejong)PARIS – Sebastian Korda was 9, heart set on a hockey career, when he went with his father, Petr, to the 2009 U.S. Open. By then, Petr — 1998 Australian Open champion, 1992 French Open finalist — had retired as a competitor and turned to coaching. Went home, came back the next year, and said, ‘This is exactly what I want to do,’” Korda said. “Everybody is always asking him: ‘Are you the son of Petr Korda?’ Which I would love to change in the future,” Dad said in a telephone interview, “so that people ask me, ‘Are you Sebastian’s father? On Sunday, Korda plays 12-time champion Rafael Nadal, while Gaston meets U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem.
The Latest: Wawrinka out, marathon tiebreak at French Open
Read full article: The Latest: Wawrinka out, marathon tiebreak at French Open(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)PARIS – The Latest from the French Open (all times local):___7:00 pm. Wawrinka won the French Open in 2015. ___2:50 p.m.Simona Halep had no trouble reversing the result of her loss to Amanda Anisimova at last year’s French Open. She opened her campaign with a first-round upset of 2019 French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova. The two-time French Open quarterfinalist defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 7-5.
'17 French Open champ Ostapenko wants more; Shapovalov upset
Read full article: '17 French Open champ Ostapenko wants more; Shapovalov upset2 seed Karolina Pliskova at the French Open on Thursday, the conversation quickly turned to 2017. And just, like, the world doesn’t stop with winning only one Grand Slam. That’s not very different from where she was three years ago in Paris, ranked 47th and just two days past her 20th birthday when she became an impossible-to-predict Grand Slam champion. Pliskova, who came into the French Open dealing with a leg injury, was not the most gracious foe after Thursday’s loss. The first time I’m in the third round in a Grand Slam.
The Latest: Earliest French Open exit for Stephens since '11
Read full article: The Latest: Earliest French Open exit for Stephens since '11(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)PARIS – The Latest from the French Open (all times local):____6:10 p.m.Former runner-up Sloane Stephens lost in the second round for her earliest exit at Roland Garros since a first-round defeat on her debut in 2011. ___4:15 p.m.Novak Djokovic's biggest concern seemed to be dealing with a rare bit of sunshine during his second-round victory at Roland Garros. ___2:30 p.m.Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin reached the third round at Roland Garros by beating Ana Bogdan 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. ____1:10 p.m.Danish teen Clara Tauson's surprise run is over after losing to American player Danielle Collins 6-2, 6-3 in the second round. Pliskova's twin sister, Kristyna, was also playing a former French Open champion when she faced 2016 winner Garbiñe Muguruza.
No chill for Coco: Gauff ousts 9th seed in French Open debut
Read full article: No chill for Coco: Gauff ousts 9th seed in French Open debut(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)PARIS – Prepping in the relative warmth of a gym before heading out with leggings and long sleeves to make her French Open debut against the tournament’s No. I realized it’s just a tennis match. Such a far cry from last year’s French Open: Gauff failed to make it out of qualifying, while Konta was making her way to her third Grand Slam semifinal. She also made it to the fourth round at this year’s Australian Open, beating 2019 champion Naomi Osaka en route. The lack of match play coming in.
Perfect prep: Halep takes 14-match win streak to French Open
Read full article: Perfect prep: Halep takes 14-match win streak to French OpenAmid all the tumult of the coronavirus pandemic, Simona Halep might very well have found the perfect formula to prepare for the French Open. When the clay-court Grand Slam tournament begins Sunday, 2018 champion Halep will be on court against 70th-ranked Sara Sorribes Tormo. Separated from her Australian coach Darren Cahill for seven months during the pandemic, Halep spent the extended break from competition with her Romanian coach, Artemon Apostu-Efremov. At the Italian Open, Halep’s final three matches came against Yulia Putintseva, Garbiñe Muguruza and Karolína Pliskova — all three of whom played at the U.S. Open. Halep added a second major trophy by dropping only four games against Serena Williams in last year’s Wimbledon final.
Barty opts out of French Open title defense amid pandemic
Read full article: Barty opts out of French Open title defense amid pandemicBRISBANE Top-ranked Ash Barty will not defend her French Open title because of concerns over traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic. After skipping the U.S. Open, which is being contested in New York without crowds, Barty has also decided against traveling to Europe for an event in Rome starting Sept. 14 and the Sept. 27-Oct. 10 French Open. Last years French Open was the most special tournament of my career so this is not a decision I have made lightly, Barty, who won her first major title on the clay courts of Roland Garros, said in a statement Tuesday. Nadal is expected to return to the French Open, which was postponed in May during the height of the lockdown. Organizers of the Australian Open remain confident the season-opening major will go ahead as scheduled in Melbourne in January.