Zverev zooms past future star in Vienna
WORLD number three Alexander Zverev has made light of former junior boys world number one Joel Schwaerzler in the opening round at Vienna after the top seed dismissed the teenager in straight sets, 6-2 6-2. Zverev – who enters the tournament as favourite without Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz there, only needed 67 minutes to […]
Turkish qualifier upsets Pole in Tokyo
AN EARLY upset on day one saw Turkish qualifier Zeynep Sonmez take out seventh seed Magdalena Frech to reach the second round of the WTA 500 event in Tokyo. Sonmez – ranked 148th in the world – defeated Frech 1-6 6-4 6-3, coming back from the brink to post the victory in an hour and […]
ATP Tour winners: RBA winds back the clock
SPANISH veteran Roberto Bautista Agut has snapped a two-year drought to claim the European Open ATP Tour title, defeating talented Czech Jiri Lehecka in straight sets. Bautista Agut collected the 12th title of his career, winding back the clock with a performance for the ages in Antwerp, winning 7-5 6-1. The 36-year-old became the second […]
WTA Tour winners: Lamens storms to maiden title
DUTCH qualifier Suzan Lamens is officially a WTA Tour title winner after defeating fellow qualifier Kimberly Birrell in a comprehensive 72-minute rout at the Japan Open overnight. Lamens had a tournament to remember, with the world number 125 ending up favourite in the final despite being a qualifier, destroying Birrell 6-0 6-4. There was always […]
Around the Tour: Ito crafts third straight upset
ADMITTING she has not got “any power” and she is “skinny”, Japanese qualifier Aoi Ito has made a name for herself in Osaka. The 188th ranked Japanese hope knows where her strengths and weaknesses lie, and focuses on what she can do, rather than she cannot, leading her to a quarter finals appearance in the […]
Sabalenka shrugs off Zheng for Wuhan three-peat
A RARE three-peat of Wuhan Open titles will feature in world number two Aryna Sabalenka‘s trophy cabinet after the top seed defeated local hope Qinwen Zheng in a hard-fought WTA Tour 1000 final overnight. The Belarusian had her tightest encounter with China’s top player yet, winning 6-3 5-7 6-3 in two hours and 40 minutes. […]
Sinner ascends to seventh heaven in Shanghai
WORLD number one Jannik Sinner‘s incredible 2024 ATP Tour season continued in Shanghai overnight as the Itlian star took out his eighth title by denying former world number one Novak Djokovic his first this year. While Djokovic has a gold medal to his name from his success in Paris, he is still chasing his maiden […]
A Sinner stands in the way of Djoker’s first 2024 title
FORMER world number one Novak Djokovic is in an unusual spot heading into mid-October, having not won an ATP Tour title in 2024 to-date, but is now one victory away from achieving that feat in Shanghai. The ATP 1000 Masters final will see Djokovic – who did breakthrough for Olympic gold – take on the […]
Zheng zips into Wuhan quarters
PROVIDING a local chance in the final four, fifth seed Qinwen Zheng overcame Leylah Fernandez for the first time in three meetings. The Chinese hope has reached the last eight in her past three tournaments, being the US Open, China Open and now Wuhan Open, the latest coming from a huge 5-7 6-3 6-0 triumph […]
Experienced Erika wins battle of the Andreevas
DESPITE being ranked 51 spots lower in the world and only reaching the main draw of the Wuhan Open due to a lucky loser spot, Erika Andreeva crushed younger sister Mirra in the pair’s first ever professional match against one another. Three years her senior, Erika had won 33 of 57 matches coming into Wuhan, […]