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☆ Britain see off Australia, Spain and Italy lose in Davis Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MANCHESTER, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Britain battled to victory over last year's Davis Cup runners-up Australia in their Finals group stage opener on Wednesday, while Spain and Italy both suffered chastening defeats at home in the premier men's team competition. "It's amazing to play my first Davis Cup tie in the UK in this sort of arena. In Valencia, the Czech Republic took an unassailable 2-0 lead over hosts Spain, who were missing Carlos Alcaraz after the world number two decided to pull out of the squad to recover following his U.S. Open semi-final defeat. Italy also endured a disappointing day in front of home fans in Bologna, as defending champions Canada secured a comfortable Group A victory in a re-match of last year's semi-final. Italy are without Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini this week but still have three top-50 singles players in the squad.

Persons: year's, chastening, Jack Draper, Leon Smith's, Thanasi, Draper, Leon, Dan Evans, Alex de Minaur, Carlos Alcaraz, Tomas Machac, Bernabe Zapata Miralles, Jiri Lehecka, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Alexis Galarneau, Lorenzo Sonego, Gabriel Diallo, Lorenzo Musetti, Denis Shapovalov, Felix Auger, Milos Raonic, Matteo Berrettini, Mackenzie McDonald, Dino Prizmic, Gojo, Frances Tiafoe, Austin Krajicek, Rajeev Ram, Ivan Dodig, Pavic, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Toby Davis Organizations: MANCHESTER, Britain, Manchester, Davis, U.S, Serbia, Canada, Croatia, Thomson Locations: Australia, Spain, Italy, Britain, Valencia, Czech Republic, Malaga, Bologna, Canada, United States, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ Factbox: U.S. Open men's singles champion Novak Djokovic
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

* Won his maiden Grand Slam title at the 2008 Australian Open, becoming the first Serbian man to win a singles major. He began the year by capturing a fifth Australian Open title. Beat Federer in the U.S. Open final, earning three Grand Slam titles in a year for a second time. * Defeated Nadal to claim his 15th major and seventh Australian Open title in 2019. * Missed the Australian Open in 2022 after being deported from the country for not being vaccinated against COVID-19.

Persons: Serbia's Novak Djokovic, Russia's Daniil Medvedev, Mike Segar, Serbian Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Alexandre Muller, Bernabe Zapata Miralles, Laslo Djere, Borna, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Djokovic, Roger Federer, Davis, Federer, Rafa Nadal, Nadal, Andy Murray, Beat Federer, Murray, Beat Murray, Don Budge, Rod Laver —, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berrettini, Nick Kyrgios, Frenchman Alexandre Muller, Pearl Josephine Nazare, Ken Ferris Organizations: Russia's, Russia's Daniil Medvedev REUTERS, U.S, Serbia ATP, Wimbledon, ATP, Serbia, triumphing, Nadal, Medvedev, COVID, All England, Thomson Locations: Flushing Meadows , New York, United States, Russia, Serbia, France, Spain, Croatia, Amersfoort, Serbian, Melbourne, Paris, Bengaluru

☆ Auger-Aliassime snaps losing streak with win over Berrettini in Cincinnati
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aug 14, 2023; Mason, OH, USA; Matteo Berrettini (ITA) runs up the court for a return to Félix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) (not pictured) during the Western & Southern Open at Lindner Family Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Carter Skaggs-USA TODAY SportsAug 14 (Reuters) - Felix Auger-Aliassime ended a five-match losing streak with a come from behind 4-6 6-2 6-3 victory over Matteo Berrettini at the Cincinnati Open on Monday to set up a second round clash with Adrian Mannarino. The 23-year-old beamed a broad smile when Berrettini's forehand went long on match point, grateful for the bright spot in a thus far disappointing 2023 campaign. The 12th seeded Auger-Aliassime will look to keep his winning ways going in his first ever meeting with Frenchman Mannarino in the second round. Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Matteo Berrettini, Félix, Carter Skaggs, Felix Auger, Aliassime, Adrian Mannarino ., Auger, I've, Frenchman Mannarino, Australia's Jordan Thompson, American John Isner, Isner, Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori, Nicolas Jarry of, Rory Carroll, Muralikumar Organizations: & Southern, Lindner, Tennis Center, USA, Cincinnati, U.S, Thomson Locations: Mason, OH, USA, Nicolas Jarry of Chile, Los Angeles

☆ Alcaraz seizes the throne as Djokovic finally meets his match
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Of course, he did, because you do not have 23 Grand Slam titles in the bank by ducking a fight in moments of crisis. Young pretenders have repeatedly tried and failed to take Djokovic down at Wimbledon -- Matteo Berrettini in the 2021 final and Nick Kyrgios last year. That he did it with Djokovic still at the peak of his powers and halfway to a calendar-year Grand Slam, made it feel like a seismic moment in men's tennis. "I've won some epic finals that I was close to losing so it's fair and square," Djokovic, who saved match points when beating Roger Federer in 2019, told reporters. The bull-like Spaniard, playing only his second Grand Slam final compared to Djokovic's record 35, might have folded after being schooled by the master in a 34-minute opening set.

Persons: Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Young, Matteo Berrettini, Nick Kyrgios, Boris Becker, Manuel Santana, Rafa Nadal, Djokovic, I've, Roger Federer, Carlos, Federer, Serena Williams, Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, Serbia's Novak Djokovic, Andrew Couldridge, Novak, King Felipe, Carlos Carlos, Margaret Court's, Alcaraz, Djokovic's, Martyn Herman, Toby Davis Organizations: Wimbledon, Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Serbia's Novak Djokovic REUTERS, Thomson Locations: ducking, Wimbledon, tennis, London, Britain

☆ Alcaraz and Rune Wimbledon clash an appetiser for tasty future rivalry
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Both aged 20, born six days apart, the young guns who will be contesting the first men's Wimbledon quarter-final involving two players aged 21 or under in the professional era. A potential Wimbledon final between defending champion Djokovic and Alcaraz is the talk of the town, but with a 16-year age gap it is likely to be an intense but short-term rivalry. That is why there is so much excitement brewing about Wednesday's Alcaraz and Rune quarter-finals showdown - it could well be a juicy foretaste of things to come. "You're hoping, as Djokovic and Nadal wind down, you're hoping Alcaraz and Rune in particular step up and have a great rivalry because all sports need it." We played together since we were 12 years old," top seed Alcaraz said after his fourth-round win over Italian Matteo Berrettini on Monday.

Persons: Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, Italy's Matteo Berrettini, Hannah Mckay LONDON, Carlos Alcaraz, Holger Rune, Alcaraz, Rune, Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Djokovic, they've, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Wednesday's, Matteo Berrettini, Rune's, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Daniil Medvedev, Christopher Eubanks, Eubanks, Arthur Ashe, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Martyn Herman, Ken Ferris Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Italy's Matteo Berrettini REUTERS, Wimbledon, U.S, Nadal, Thomson Locations: London, Britain

☆ Rune's stature keeps growing as he downs Dimitrov to reach Wimbledon quarters
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Pritha Sarkar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 10 (Reuters) - Fearless Dane Holger Rune's stature in world tennis continued to grow on Monday as he stayed calm and collected in the face of adversity to ride out a 3-6 7-6(6) 7-6(4) 6-3 fourth round win over Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov at Wimbledon. Through all that mental turmoil, he never lost belief and the 20-year-old came storming back with some phenomenal shot making as he became the first Dane in 65 years to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals. It was little wonder he was left screaming into the skies and thumping his chest after the near 3-1/2 hour battle ended when Dimitrov's backhand floated into the tramlines on Rune's first match point. He will next meet either fellow 20-year-old and world number one Carlos Alcaraz or big-hitting Italian Matteo Berrettini for a place in the semi-finals. Reporting by Pritha Sarkar, editing by Christian RadnedgeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dane Holger Rune's, Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov, Dane, Carlos Alcaraz, Matteo Berrettini, Pritha Sarkar, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Wimbledon, Thomson Locations: Danish

☆ Alcaraz powers past Berrettini into quarter-finals
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 10 (Reuters) - Top seed Carlos Alcaraz roared into the Wimbledon quarter-finals with a formidable display of firepower to down big-serving Italian dark horse Matteo Berrettini on Monday. The Spaniard was beaten to the punch in the opening set but raised his game to claim a comfortable 3-6 6-3 6-3 6-3 win to the delight of the Centre Court crowd. Berrettini came out firing with his serve and forehand rocking Alcaraz but after an injury-plagued year he could not hope to maintain that intensity. Alcaraz was relentless from then on, running former runner-up Berrettini ragged at times. A delay to close the roof midway through the fourth set as the light faded offered Berrettini some respite but Alcaraz quickly completed the win after the resumption.

Persons: Carlos Alcaraz, Matteo Berrettini, Holger Rune, Berrettini, Alcaraz, Martyn Herman, Ken Ferris Organizations: Wimbledon, Court, Denmark's, Thomson

With a straight sets victory over Alexander Zverev without dropping serve in the third round, Berrettini has suddenly emerged as a dark horse at Wimbledon. "I'm not seeded but it's a tough draw," said a smiling Berrettini, a finalist in 2021. Berrettini missed the 2022 Wimbledon with COVID-19 while injuries in the past year saw the Italian's ranking plummet. "Every match that I win on Centre Court is better for me to get into this court, this atmosphere ... I feel that I belong to that court," Alcaraz said.

Persons: Carlos Alcaraz, Matteo Berrettini, Berrettini, Alexander Zverev, I'm, Carlos, it's, Alcaraz, Nicolas Jarry, Elena Rybakina, Beatriz Haddad Maia, Petra Kvitova, Jabeur, Petra, Rohith Nair, Ken Ferris Organizations: Wimbledon, All England Club, Thomson Locations: Australia, COVID, Wimbledon, Bengaluru

☆ Berrettini back in business after powering past Zverev
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Berrettini, beaten by Novak Djokovic in the 2021 final, had played only 14 matches this year leading into Wimbledon with an abdominal injury ruling him out of the Queen's Club warm-up. But he looked razor-sharp in a superb performance against 2020 U.S. Open runner-up Zverev who is on the way back after suffering a serious ankle injury last year. Amazingly, Berrettini has now played on every day of the tournament, with his previous matches being interrupted by the rain that continued to trouble the tournament on Saturday. "I don't think I have to say anything about Carlos. "I don't know if I am going to play -- resting, having some pasta and getting ready for Carlos."

Persons: Matteo Berrettini, Germany's Alexander Zverev REUTERS, Andrew Couldridge, Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic, Berrettini, I'm, Carlos Alcaraz, Carlos, Martyn Herman, Clare Fallon Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Wimbledon, Queen's, U.S, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Italian, Spanish

☆ Alcaraz passes test at Wimbledon, Rybakina on fire
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

In the men's draw, third seed Daniil Medvedev and fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas both swept through while 2021 runner-up Matteo Berrettini set up a showdown with Alcaraz. With the big-serving Berrettini up next, Alcaraz, who was a break down in the fourth set, said Saturday's test was just what he needed. Rybakina ensured a demoralising 48 hours for Britain as she demolished Katie Boulter 6-1 6-1 to end home hopes in the singles. But she lasted only 57 minutes as Kazakhstan's Rybakina sent out an ominous warning to those wanting her title. Second seed Sabalenka is also in the groove heading into the second week after a 6-2 6-3 defeat of Anna Blinkova.

Persons: Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, Chile's Nicolas Jarry, Toby Melville LONDON, Carlos Alcaraz, Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, Petra Kvitova, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos, Matteo Berrettini, Novak Djokovic, Alcaraz, Berrettini, Alexander Zverev, Medvedev, Hungary's Marton Fucsovics, Rybakina, Katie Boulter, Andy Murray, Cameron Norrie, Liam Broady, Kazakhstan's Rybakina, Beatriz Haddad Maia, Sorana, Maria Bueno, Anna Blinkova, Canada's Bianca Andreescu, Serbia's, Holger Rune, Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Rune, Christopher Eubanks, Chris O'Connell, Tsitsipas, Martyn Herman, Clare Fallon Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Chile's, Wimbledon, Queen's, Court, Serbian, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Belarusian, Ukraine, U.S, Berlin

It's a really sharp pain if I think about it," Berrettini told reporters. "I think he's one of the best grasscourt players that we have. In the last few years he's made a Wimbledon final, he's won Queen's two times. I think he's an incredible player on grass," Zverev said. I think (grass is) his favourite surface, probably my least favourite.

Persons: Matteo Berrettini, Australia’s Alex De Minaur, Toby Melville, Alexander Zverev, Berrettini, Lorenzo Sonego, Alex de Minaur, Zverev, Roland Garros, he's, Carlos Alcaraz, Nicolas Jarry, Bianca Andreescu, Elena Rybakina, Katie Boulter, Rybakina, Rohith Nair, Ken Ferris Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Australia’s Alex De Minaur REUTERS, showcourts, Wimbledon, Stuttgart, Queen's, Roland, Court, U.S, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Halle, Bengaluru

☆ Sinner shrugs off slow start to reach last 16
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"For sure I didn't start in the best possible way," said Sinner, who has lost only one set in his three matches. "It's never easy playing against a player who you've never played against so it was something new for me." The duo traded breaks early in the fourth set before Sinner regained focus to seal victory and he will next play Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan or Swede Mikael Ymer. "The best thing when you lose early at Roland Garros is you have a lot of time to prepare on grass," said Sinner, who fell in the second round of the French Open last month. "This was the case of my journey until here this year but for sure every match has its story.

Persons: France’s Quentin Halys, Toby Melville LONDON, Jannik Sinner, Frenchman Quentin Halys, Sinner, Nicola Pietrangeli, Matteo Berrettini, Halys, you've, Daniel Elahi Galan, Swede Mikael Ymer, Roland Garros, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Ed Osmond Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Wimbledon, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Bengaluru

☆ Wawrinka sets up Djokovic clash as Wimbledon clears backlog
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The 38-year-old Wawrinka, winner of three Grand Slam titles and twice a Wimbledon quarter-finalist, knocked out 29th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-2. His reward was a first meeting on grass with Djokovic who has beaten him in 20 of their 26 clashes. "I was missing that in my career to play him in the Grand Slam in Wimbledon. It was a memorable day for Andrey Rublev who overcame fellow Russian Aslan Karatsev 6-7(4) 6-3 6-4 7-5 to bag his 50th Grand Slam match victory and move into the third round. She set up an intriguing clash with American Sofia Kenin after the former major champion eased past China's Wang Xinyu 6-4 6-3.

Persons: Serbia's Novak Djokovic, Australia's Jordan Thompson, Dylan Martinez, Stan Wawrinka, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, It's, Novak, Wawrinka, Gijs Brouwer, Matteo Berrettini, Lorenzo Sonego, Andrey Rublev, Aslan Karatsev, Elina Svitolina, Elise Mertens, Sofia Kenin, China's Wang Xinyu, Barbora Krejcikova, Kontaveit, Marie Bouzkova, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Ed Osmond Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Australia's Jordan Thompson REUTERS, Wimbledon, Dutch, England Club, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Swiss, Madrid, Bengaluru

☆ Wimbledon prize money increased to record 44.7 million pounds
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, June 14 (Reuters) - The total prize money on offer at Wimbledon has risen to a record 44.7 million pounds ($56.52 million) for the Championships this year, a 11.2% increase on 2022, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) said on Wednesday. Winners and runners-up of the men's and women's singles finals will also see their prize money rising to previous levels in 2019, where they received 2.35 million pounds and 1.175 million pounds, respectively. The prize money for winners fell to 1.7 million pounds in 2021 before it was increased to 2 million pounds last year. "Our ambition with this distribution is to return the singles champions and runners-up prize money to the levels in 2019 prior to the (COVID-19) pandemic whilst... providing deserved support for players in the early rounds of the event." ($1 = 0.7908 pounds)Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Ed OsmondOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Serbia's Novak Djokovic, Italy's Matteo Berrettini, Steven Paston, Ian Hewitt, Rohith Nair, Ed Osmond Organizations: Wimbledon, Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Bengaluru

☆ Murray pulls out of French Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 21 (Reuters) - Former world number one Andy Murray has withdrawn from the French Open. Three-times Grand Slam champion Murray won the second-tier Aix-en-Provence Challenger Tour crown earlier this month, but suffered early exits in Monte Carlo, Madrid, Rome and Bordeaux. The Scot, who reached the final of the French Open in 2016, has opted to skip tournaments during the claycourt season in the past to focus on the grasscourt swing heading into Wimbledon. The French Open runs from May 28 to June 11. Holder Rafa Nadal, who has won the French Open a record 14 times, also pulled out of the tournament after failing to regain full fitness from a hip injury.

☆ Sinner digs deep to reach Monte Carlo quarter-finals, Ruud stunned
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Hurkacz raised his game to force a tiebreak and looked in control but the scrappy Sinner saved a matchpoint and dragged the contest into a decider. The Italian then got his nose in front and held firm to complete the win as Hurkacz faded. German qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff earlier stunned fourth seed Casper Ruud 6-1 7-6(6), ending the Estoril champion's nine-match winning streak on clay stretching back to last July. In-form third seed Daniil Medvedev, the winner of four hardcourt tournaments in 2023, will take on Alexander Zverev in the pair's first claycourt meeting. read moreReporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Wawrinka seals comeback victory in Monte Carlo, Murray crashes
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MONTE CARLO, April 10 (Reuters) - Former champion Stan Wawrinka rolled back the years to outlast Tallon Griekspoor 5-7 6-3 6-4 and reach the Monte Carlo Masters second round on Monday while Andy Murray's first appearance in the tournament since 2017 ended in a loss to Alex de Minaur. "It was really important to stay calm with myself," said 2014 champion Wawrinka, the oldest man in this year's field. Up next for the three-times Grand Slam champion is world number 10 Taylor Fritz. Murray gained direct entry into the prestigious tournament after several players including world number two Carlos Alcaraz and 11-times champion Rafa Nadal withdrew due to injuries. Francisco Cerundolo earlier stunned 11th seed Cameron Norrie 6-3 6-4 and will play Matteo Berrettini who downed Maxime Cressy 6-4 6-2 for his first win in the tournament.

☆ Potapova upsets Gauff in third-round Miami thriller
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 25 (Reuters) - Russian Anastasia Potapova produced some of her best tennis to upset American Coco Gauff 6-7(8) 7-5 6-2 in a third-round thriller at the Miami Open on Saturday. "I had this belief in me that I can do this, that I just wanted to fight through and just to show my best tennis and not focus on the score," she told the Tennis Channel. Up 5-2 in the first set, it looked as though it might be an easy day for Potapova. But world number six Gauff turned the tables when she converted break point chances in the ninth and 11th games and closed the tiebreak with a lethal backhand. She failed to earn a single break point as Potapova dropped only one first-serve point and won the final five games.

☆ Novak Djokovic's run to record 23 Grand Slam titles
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Tally: Federer 13; Nadal 5; Djokovic 12009: Nadal won his first hardcourt Grand Slam title, edging out Federer in five sets in the Australian Open final. Tally: Federer 16; Nadal 10; Djokovic 42012: Djokovic overcame Nadal in the longest Grand Slam final in the Open Era to win his third Australian Open title. Tally: Federer 17; Nadal 14; Djokovic 72015: Djokovic won three majors - the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Nadal maintained his stranglehold on the French Open, before holding off Daniil Medvedev in the U.S. Open final to move within one of Federer's Grand Slam haul. Tally: Nadal 22; Djokovic 21; Federer 202023: Djokovic won a record-extending 10th Australian Open title by beating Tsitsipas for his 22nd Grand Slam title, equalling Nadal's record.

Persons: Roland Garros, Serbia's Novak Djokovic, Novak Djokovic, Casper Ruud, Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Federer, Mark Philippoussis, Tally, Nadal, Mariano Puerta, Djokovic, Jo, Wilfried Tsonga, Pete Sampras, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Marin Cilic, Tomas Berdych, Margaret Court, Serena Williams, Steffi Graf, Sampras, Daniil Medvedev, Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berrettini, Nick Kyrgios, Tsitsipas, Carlos Alcaraz, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Hardik Vyas, Jan Harvey Organizations: French, REUTERS, Wimbledon, U.S ., U.S, Nadal, Sampras, Djokovic, Roland Garros . Records, Roland, Federer, Melbourne, Flushing, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, PARIS, Swiss, U.S, New York, Flushing Meadows

☆ Novak Djokovic's run to 22 Grand Slam titles
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

MELBOURNE, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Australian final on Sunday to win a men's record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title. Tally: Federer 13; Nadal 5; Djokovic 12009: Nadal won his first hardcourt Grand Slam title, edging out Federer in five sets in Australian Open final. Tally: Federer 16; Nadal 10; Djokovic 42012: Djokovic overcame Nadal in the longest Grand Slam final in Open Era to win his third Australian Open title. Nadal maintained his stranglehold on the French Open, before holding off Daniil Medvedev in the U.S. Open final to move within one of Federer's Grand Slam haul. Tally: Nadal 22, Djokovic 21; Federer 202023: Djokovic won a record-extending 10th Australian Open title by beating Tsitsipas for his 22nd Grand Slam title, equalling Nadal's record.

☆ Marathon man Murray runs out of steam against Bautista Agut
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Between points against Bautista Agut he shuffled around the baseline like a frail senior citizen but when the ball was in play he threw himself around the court to give the Spaniard a proper scare. My legs were actually OK ... but I was struggling with my lower back," Murray told reporters. With the crowd firmly in his corner, Murray broke Bautista Agut in the first game of the fourth set to raise hopes of levelling the match but he ended up squandering a 2-0 lead before dropping serve in the ninth game. METAL HIPBautista Agut knocked Murray out in the opening round of the tournament four years ago, after the tearful Scot said his hip was shot and his career might be over. "It's more enjoyable for me when I'm playing like that, when I'm coming into a major event and really believing that I can do some damage."

☆ Murray grinds down Kokkinakis in late-night epic
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Murray, back with coach Ivan Lendl who guided him to his Grand Slam titles and to world number one in 2016, has not gone past the third round of a Grand Slam since 2017 when his hip condition first surfaced. Kokkinakis tightened with the finishing line in sight and the venom gradually went out of his shots as Murray threw caution to the wind and locked on to his target. Relentlessly Murray ground his way back into the contest to set up a deciding fifth set, sealing the fourth set with a second-serve ace. There was pandemonium when he saved four break points at 3-3 and Kokkinakis was within two points of victory when Murray served at 4-5 in the decider. "Thanks for staying, but now I think we should all get off to bed," Murray said.

☆ Nadal's exit opens up Grand Slam window of opportunity for Djokovic
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Hritika Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Nadal's injury-plagued defeat in the second round will be another boost for Djokovic, who can grab a record-extending 10th crown as well as the world number one ranking with a title run in Melbourne. "They're just numbers at the end of the day," Djokovic said when asked about the targets in his sights. The 35-year-old's tournament preparation was limited due to a left hamstring injury sustained during his title run in Adelaide, and he conceded he had some concerns before his opening round win. "The great sign was that the longer the match went, the better I felt, the better I moved. "She did great in the slams in the past, and she's very young player, very talented lefty," Garcia said.

☆ Heat brings play to a halt at Australian Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MELBOURNE, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Scorching heat halted outdoor matches and sent fans scurrying for shade at the Australian Open on Tuesday as players were given an early test of their endurance on a sweltering day two at Melbourne Park. The tournament's Heat Stress Scale, which measures radiant heat, humidity and air temperature in the shade, crossed its highest threshold of 5.0, halting 10 outdoor matches at the Grand Slam. Organisers said play on outdoor courts would not resume before 5 p.m. local time (0600 GMT). "I think I did well to manage my emotions, and then especially manage the heat, try not to get too hot-headed," Fernandez told reporters. Extreme heat is a feature of the Australian Open, held in mid-summer in the country, with play occasionally suspended and leaving organisers with scheduling headaches.

☆ Djokovic resumes quest for perfect 10 at Australian Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Rohith Nair | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 17 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic was denied the opportunity to win a record-extending 10th Australian Open title last year after his deportation but he returns to Rod Laver Arena holding no grudges when he begins his campaign in Melbourne on Tuesday. Winning the title in Melbourne will also make Djokovic the second player to win one Grand Slam at least 10 times after Nadal's 14 titles at Roland Garros. As Djokovic aims to equal defending champion Rafa Nadal's tally of 22 Grand Slam titles, Ons Jabeur renews her quest for a first when the Tunisian takes on Slovenia's Tamara Zidansek. The pair played two engrossing matches last year at the Stuttgart final and at the U.S. Open where Berrettini triumphed on both occasions. Men's second seed Casper Ruud, runner-up at last year's French Open and U.S. Open, wraps up the night session on Margaret Court Arena against the Czech Republic's Tomas Machac.

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