INSIDER
Naomi Osaka is in a better place as she returns to the Olympics and Roland Garros at Paris Games
Read full article: Naomi Osaka is in a better place as she returns to the Olympics and Roland Garros at Paris GamesNaomi Osaka is back on the tennis tour, back at a Summer Olympics and back at Roland Garros.
Grand Slam champions Osaka, Raducanu, Wozniacki and Kerber receive wild cards for Wimbledon
Read full article: Grand Slam champions Osaka, Raducanu, Wozniacki and Kerber receive wild cards for WimbledonFormer Grand Slam champions Naomi Osaka, Caroline Wozniacki, Angelique Kerber and Emma Raducanu have all been awarded wild cards for Wimbledon.
Top tennis players say they're playing too much because the tournaments are too long
Read full article: Top tennis players say they're playing too much because the tournaments are too longThe long-sought upgrade for the tennis tournaments in Madrid and Rome has been a bonanza for the organizers by expanding them from one to nearly two weeks.
Swiatek on course for Madrid-Rome double; facing Keys in the quarters
Read full article: Swiatek on course for Madrid-Rome double; facing Keys in the quartersTop-ranked Iga Swiatek remains on course for an uncommon Madrid-Rome double after beating Angelique Kerber to reach the Italian Open quarterfinals.
Danielle Collins announces her retirement looms after a 2nd-round loss to Swiatek at Australian Open
Read full article: Danielle Collins announces her retirement looms after a 2nd-round loss to Swiatek at Australian OpenDanielle Collins has announced this season will be her last on the elite women's tour.
Blinkova upsets 2023 finalist Rybakina in a wild, record-long tiebreaker at the Australian Open
Read full article: Blinkova upsets 2023 finalist Rybakina in a wild, record-long tiebreaker at the Australian OpenAnna Blinkova needed 10 match points before finally finishing off an upset over 2023 finalist Elena Rybakina in a record, half-hour long tiebreaker to reach the third round of the Australian Open.
Swiatek could face 2 past champs in Australia; Djokovic-Tsitsipas rematch would be a quarterfinal
Read full article: Swiatek could face 2 past champs in Australia; Djokovic-Tsitsipas rematch would be a quarterfinalTop-ranked Iga Swiatek will face 2020 champion Sofia Kenin in the first round and potentially 2016 winner Angelique Kerber or Danielle Collins in the second in a tough start to her bid for a first Australian Open title.
Germany wins United Cup title after thrilling final tie against Poland
Read full article: Germany wins United Cup title after thrilling final tie against PolandReigning Olympic champion Alexander Zverev saved two match points in a remarkable comeback to win his singles tie in an epic three-setter and then helped clinch the United Cup final for Germany in the deciding mixed doubles match on Sunday.
Keys wins 2nd Eastbourne title after marathon tiebreaker; Cerundolo beats Paul in men's final
Read full article: Keys wins 2nd Eastbourne title after marathon tiebreaker; Cerundolo beats Paul in men's finalAmerican Madison Keys has prevailed in a marathon tiebreaker to win the Eastbourne International final, beating ninth-seeded Daria Kasatkina 6-2, 7-6 (13) for her second title at the grass-court tournament.
Unvaccinated Djokovic out of US Open tuneup in Cincinnati
Read full article: Unvaccinated Djokovic out of US Open tuneup in CincinnatiNovak Djokovic has pulled out of next week’s hard-court tournament in Cincinnati because he has not gotten any COVID-19 vaccine shots and so is not allowed to travel to the United States.
1 to go: Djokovic into US Open final, nears year Grand Slam
Read full article: 1 to go: Djokovic into US Open final, nears year Grand SlamNovak Djokovic has moved one victory away from completing the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men’s tennis since 1969 by beating Alexander Zverev 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 to reach the U.S. Open final.
Teen dream: Raducanu, 18, Fernandez, 19, into US Open final
Read full article: Teen dream: Raducanu, 18, Fernandez, 19, into US Open finalBritish teenager Emma Raducanu has become the first qualifier to reach a Grand Slam final in the professional era by beating 17th-seeded Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-4 at the U.S. Open.
'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.
Djokovic's true Slam bid at US Open starts against qualifier
Read full article: Djokovic's true Slam bid at US Open starts against qualifierNovak Djokovic will begin his bid to win the U.S. Open for a men’s-record 21st major tennis championship and to complete a calendar-year Grand Slam by facing a player who comes through qualifying.
Feeling pressure: 2020 champ Kenin loses at Australian Open
Read full article: Feeling pressure: 2020 champ Kenin loses at Australian OpenUnited States' Sofia Kenin leaves the court following her second round loss to Estonia's Kaia Kanepi during at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)MELBOURNE – Sofia Kenin knew this would be a tough test at the Australian Open, a potentially early end to her first attempt to defend a Grand Slam title. Upon realizing she probably would be playing big-hitting veteran Kaia Kanepi in the second round, Kenin acknowledged, she “maybe kind of broke down a little bit.”Kenin was right to be worried. Kenin walked off the court crying after a 6-2, 6-2 loss last week in a tuneup event at the site of the Australian Open and explained afterward that her left leg was sore. 21 Alex de Minaur and Mackenzie McDonald, who beat 22nd-seeded Borna Coric 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, and 39-year-old Feliciano Lopez.
Australian Open's hard quarantine 'took a toll' on players
Read full article: Australian Open's hard quarantine 'took a toll' on playersWhen Tennys Sandgren resumed practicing after his can’t-go-anywhere hard quarantine ended, the American said Tuesday, his hands developed blisters from holding a racket. And, like Azarenka, both Sandgren and Pospisil lost their opening matches. “I wouldn’t say the whole tournament is a joke, but for some players, it’s not feasible. “I needed fresh air or maybe a bigger room or better conditions to play against the best players,” she said. Players in the “regular” quarantine were allowed to leave their rooms for five hours per day during the first two weeks after getting to Australia.
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.
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.
Lockdown: Tennis players getting on with life in Australia
Read full article: Lockdown: Tennis players getting on with life in AustraliaItalian tennis player Simone Bolelli, left, and Argentina's Maximo Gonzalez are escorted to their training session in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. (Luis Ascui/AAP Image via AP)With no way out, tennis players in lockdown are figuring out ways to keep themselves fit within the confines of their Melbourne hotel rooms as they prepare for the Australian Open. Angelique Kerber, who won the Australian Open in 2016, spent her birthday in quarantine on Monday. But local government, tennis and health authorities have said all players were warned of the risks well in advance. “We’ve got to do whatever we can to make it as fair as possible for those players that are in lockdown.”___More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/apf-Tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
The Latest: Kerber loses French opener for 2nd straight year
Read full article: The Latest: Kerber loses French opener for 2nd straight year(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)PARIS – The Latest from the French Open (all times local):9 p.m.Three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber has lost in the first round of the French Open for the second straight year. The 2009 French Open champion was beaten by Russian countrywoman Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 2-6, 6-1. But the 2016 French Open champion held firm to beat Tamara Zidansek 7-5, 4-6, 8-6. He beat Reilly Opelka 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. The new roof over Court Philippe Chatrier is again proving its worth on Day 2 of the French Open.
The Latest: Jennifer Brady reaches 1st US Open quarterfinal
Read full article: The Latest: Jennifer Brady reaches 1st US Open quarterfinalJennifer Brady, of the United States, serves to Angelique Kerber, of Germany, during the fourth round of the US Open tennis championships, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)NEW YORK The Latest on the U.S. Open tennis tournament (all times local):12:45 p.m.Jennifer Brady has extended her dominant showing at the U.S. Open and reached the quarterfinals for the first time. The hard-hitting, 25-year-old Brady knocked off Angelique Kerber 6-1, 6-4 in the opening match Sunday. Brady, who is one of four American women still alive in singles, will face either Petra Martic or Yulia Putintseva in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal match. The day begins with Angelique Kerber a three-time Grand Slam champion who won at Flushing Meadows in 2016 trying to extend her strong run through the bracket, facing 28th-seeded Jennifer Brady.
Osaka tosses racket, overcomes test from teenager at US Open
Read full article: Osaka tosses racket, overcomes test from teenager at US OpenNaomi Osaka, of Japan, serves to Marta Kostyuk, of the Ukraine, during the third round of the US Open tennis championships, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in New York. Another past U.S. Open champion moving into the fourth round Friday was 2016 titlist Angelique Kerber, who defeated 20-year-old American Ann Li 6-3, 6-4. Kerbers next opponent is another American, 28th-seeded Jennifer Brady, a 6-3, 6-3 winner against Caroline Garcia. The key moment: Kostyuk held five break points that could have given her a 3-1 lead in the final set. Each time on court during the tournament, Osaka is wearing a different mask in memory of a victim of racial injustice.
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.
The Latest: 2018 champ Osaka edges Doi in 3 sets at US Open
Read full article: The Latest: 2018 champ Osaka edges Doi in 3 sets at US Open___11:25 p.m.Two-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka is headed to a third set against Misaki Doi in the first round of the U.S. Open. ___9:55 p.m.Naomi Osaka wore a black mask with the name of Breonna Taylor emblazoned across the front before the start of her U.S. Open match. ___9:30 p.m.Top-seeded Novak Djokovic breezed past Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-4, 6-1 at the U.S. Open. ___12:50 p.m.Three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber is sticking around longer at Flushing Meadows than she did a year ago. Kerber eliminated Ajla Tomljanovic 6-4, 6-4 in a nearly empty Louis Armstrong Stadium.