Mixed emotions as AO hopes find out path to glory
THE FIRST Grand Slam of 2025 is mere days away, and now everyone competing in the main draw knows who they are playing after the draw was conducted in Melbourne yesterday. In the women’s draw, some of the top five seeds got an easier draw than others. Top seed Aryna Sabalenka has got Sloane Stephens […]
Armenian upset: Avanesyan battles past Badosa in Brisbane
ALMOST 12 months after knocking off Top 10 talent Maria Sakkari at Melbourne Park aligned to Russia, now-Armenian aligned Elina Avanesyan produced an equally eye-catching performance with a three-set victory over former world number three and fourth seed, Paula Badosa to reach the third round of the Brisbane International. A capable player with powerful ground […]
Around the Tour: Upstaged in Antwerp; upsets galore
THERE was no shortage of upsets across multiple ATP and WTA Tour events overnight, but the major results came in Antwerp where three of the lower ranked players took out the top three seeds. In what was a dismantling day, number one seed Alex de Minaur, number two seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and number three seed […]
Around the Tour: Saito strikes in Osaka
PROMISING Japanese teenager Sara Saito is through to the quarter finals on WTA debut in her home tournament. The 18-year-old and former junior world number two upset talented fifth seed Elina Avanesyan to book her place in the last eight of the WTA Tour Japan Open. Saito had to work hard early, saving two set […]
Around the Tour: Saito strikes on debut in Osaka
JAPANESE teenager Sara Saito had a WTA Tour debut to remember, picking up an upset win over Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in Osaka overnight. The junior girls world number two earned a wildcard into the WTA 250 event and played her first main draw match against the 22-year-old world number 62, coming away with the […]
Kreuger’s Nightmare on Grandstand eliminates talented teen
AN eye-catching performance from Ashlyn Krueger turned into a nightmare for talented Russian Mirra Andreeva as the American put the 21st seed to the sword and waltzed into the third round with a 64-minute demolition job. In front of home fans, the 39th ranked 20-year-old gave an indication of what she is capable of, winning […]
Gauff gone: Putintseva defeats defending champ
IN A massive upset, Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva finished strongly to stun top five talent and number two seed Coco Gauff in the Cincinnati Open overnight. Putintseva – who was coming off a title in Birmingham – fought back from a break down in the deciding set to defeat Gauff, 6-4 2-6 6-4. The world number […]
Mirra magic dispels Navarro in Cincinnati
TEENAGE wunderkind Mirra Andreeva has put the WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open draw on notice with a commanding 6-2 6-2 defeat of local hope Emma Navarro in the first round. Andreeva completely outclassed Navarro in a 65-minute demolition, taking to the court for the first time since winning silver in the Paris doubles event. Andreeva outpowered […]
Ansimova takes down Navarro in Toronto
FORMER Top 20 talent Amanda Anisimova will re-enter the Top 50 in the world after reaching the National Bank Open final with a fourth straight Top 20 victory in the semi-finals. She knocked off compatriot Emma Navarro in three sets, 6-3 2-6 6-2, to be the lowest ranked Canadian Open finalist in four decades. Anisimova […]
Sabalenka easy as Yue goes in Toronto
WORLD number two Aryna Sabalenka showed a fierce determination in her opening round match at the National Bank Open, dismanting China’s Yue Yuan in a breezy 92-minute match on the Toronto hardcourt. Sabalenka disappointingly fell at the semi-final stage of the Citi Open last week in a shock loss to Czech Marie Bouzkova, but quickly […]