Lys’ lucky loser ride continues into week two
ONE OF the most remarkable stories of this year’s Australian Open is that of German Eva Lys. From missing out on the final round of qualifying to becoming a lucky loser with five minutes notice, she is now into the second week of the Australian Open after defeating Jaqueline Cristian yesterday. In a hard fought, […]
Ostapenko gets title defence off to perfect start
REIGNING Adelaide International champion Jelena Ostapenko got her title defence off to the perfect start yesterday after winning her opening match of the 2025 edition against Magdalena Frech. It was a tough three set match, but the Latvian ultimately prevailed 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. Although Ostapenko served more aces than Frech, she also served significantly more […]
Gao-ing well – China upsets Brazil in United Cup
NO QINWEN Zheng, no worries as it turns out for China after world number 175 Xinyu Gao produced the biggest win of her career, downing Top 20 Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia to help guide her nation to victory at the United Cup last night. In the first of the night ties in Perth, Gao came […]
2025 United Cup: Group E preview
MISSING a couple of talents from making the group really interesting, reigning champions Germany looms as the obvious choice to advance through in Group E of the 2025 United Cup. Both Brazil and China have quality prospects, but no Next Gen ATP Finals winner in Brazilian Joao Fonseca or Chinese Olympic gold medallist Qinwen Zheng […]
Bia’s back allows Bibi boost into Tokyo quarters
THERE was a sense of empathy coming from one side of the net to the other when injury-prone Bianca Andreescu shook hands with second seed Beatriz Haddad Maia after just three games. Haddad Maia suffered a left back injury and had to retire at 0-3 down in the opening set of the pair’s Pan Pacific […]
Katie Boults into Tokyo second round
BRITISH ninth seed Katie Boulter wasted no time in dismissing Australian qualifier Priscilla Hon to race into the Round of 16 at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo overnight. The sole seed in action, and only match that did not contain a local Japanese hope, Boulter needed just 77 minutes to get past Hon 6-1 […]
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: Mirra magic as Kenin curbed
IN THE wake of the respective WTA and ATP Tour 1000 events in Wuhan and Shanghai that were won by tournament top seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner respectively, a lot of the lower ranked players headed to tournaments across the globe. In today’s Around the Tour, we take a look at the sole 500 […]
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, […]