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☆ Players face 'mental torture' at Wimbledon, says sports psychologist
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The All England Club's lawns will be the focus of the tennis world over the next fortnight as the world's leading players battle opponents and often their own psychological demons. UNIQUE CHALLENGES"There are a number of unique challenges elite tennis players have to face. Tennis players probably are only playing tennis for about 10 minutes of every hour they're on court," she said. Considering how much expectation he has shouldered at Wimbledon down the years, the 36-year-old has coped admirably, according to Mobed. "He is a fantastic example of someone that has worked so hard to uncover his mental strength," she said.

Persons: Toby Melville LONDON, Jana Novotna, Steffi Graf, Serena Williams, Czech Karolina Pliskova, Gaston Gaudio, Guillermo Coria, Gaudio, Katie Mobed, Novak Djokovic, Elena Rybakina, Andy Murray, Martyn Herman, Ken Ferris Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Wimbledon REUTERS, Tennis, Wimbledon, Czech, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, England, British

☆ Champion Rybakina under the radar ahead of Wimbledon
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Rybakina prefers to let her potent strokes do the talking, just as she did last year when marching to a surprise title after a sensational fortnight in London. Yet despite being the third-ranked player in the world, and having reached the Australian Open final this year as well as title runs at Indian Wells and Rome, Rybakina will saunter into Wimbledon with little fanfare. While much of the focus is understandably on top seed Iga Swiatek and number two Aryna Sabalenka, as well as the likes of Coco Gauff and Jabeur, Rybakina will quietly go about her business when she opens play on Centre Court on Tuesday. "She's got the perfect game for grass when everything is working, but everything has to be working," three-time Wimbledon champion Chris Evert said when previewing the tournament for broadcaster ESPN this week. As Evert rightly points out, successfully defending a Wimbledon women's title is no easy task.

Persons: Elena Rybakina, Hannah Mckay, Rybakina, Iga, Coco Gauff, She's, Chris Evert, Evert, Serena, Venus Williams, Steffi Graf, Rybakina's, Martyn Herman, Ken Ferris Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Wimbledon, Indian, Court, Eastbourne, ESPN, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Moscow, Kazakhstan, Indian Wells, Rome, Wimbledon

☆ Swiatek reigns supreme at French Open by quelling Muchova
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"First of all congratulations to Karolina," said Swiatek, who became the first woman to successfully defend the Roland Garros women's singles title since Justine Henin in 2007. EMOTIONAL SCENESThat sparked emotional scenes on centre court as Swiatek shed tears of joy before joining her family in the crowd for a celebration. For Muchova, it was a first defeat against a player ranked in the top three in six meetings. Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said of the Pole: "She's getting this special relationship with Roland Garros over the years. Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar and Karolos Grohmann in Paris; Editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Roland Garros, Iga, Suzanne Lenglen, Karolina Muchova, Iga Swiatek, Swiatek, Monica Seles, Seles, Naomi Osaka, Karolina, Justine Henin, It's, Philippe Chatrier, Muchova, Swiatek shrugged, We've, Serena Williams, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Amelie Mauresmo, She's, Ivan Dodig, Austin Krajicek, Sander Gille, Joran, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Karolos, Ken Ferris Organizations: Czech, Karolina Muchova REUTERS, U.S, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, PARIS, Poland, Prague, Czech, Croatian, American

☆ Alcaraz vs. Djokovic: The Next Kid Up Faces the Game’s Steeliest Brain
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Matthew Futterman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

But when Djokovic faces Alcaraz, who has taken the No. 1 ranking from him twice in the past nine months, it will be a test against youth unlike anything Djokovic has faced before. The two have played only once, in May 2022, in Madrid; Djokovic and Alcaraz kept missing each other for one reason or another in the 13 months since. Daniil Medvedev, the world’s second-ranked player, and the only player currently in his 20s to beat Djokovic in a Grand Slam final, said not long ago that it is nearly impossible to beat Djokovic until you have first lost to him several times. Alcaraz beat Djokovic in their lone meeting, in a deciding-set tiebreaker no less (albeit in a best-of-three-sets match).

Persons: ” Djokovic, Djokovic, Alcaraz, ” Lorenzo Musetti, Pete Sampras, John McEnroe, Roger Federer, Daniil Medvedev Organizations: Khachanov, Sampras, Court, Wimbledon, Djokovic Locations: Madrid, Italy

☆ Coco Gauff Has a Chance to Play the Wise Veteran at the French Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Matthew Futterman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The veteran tennis star Rafael Nadal recently made that observation, discussing how quickly a new generation of players assumes the role of the one before. That rival was Mirra Andreeva, a 16-year-old Russian who has exploded onto the women’s tennis tour over the past five weeks. She plays with an easy, smooth power, unruffled by the size of the stage and the fuss suddenly being made about her. She trades text messages with Andy Murray, the three-time Grand Slam champion. These days, she continues to hunt for her first Grand Slam and top-level tour title.

Persons: Rafael Nadal, Suzanne Lenglen, Roland Garros, Coco Gauff, Gauff, Mirra, Andy Murray, Venus Williams, Serena Organizations: Tennis, Wimbledon, All England Club, Centre Court

She added the Ukrainian did not deserve to leave the main showcourt in the manner she did, but Kostyuk urged Sabalenka to take a stronger, more personal stand against the war. "She (Sabalenka) never says that she personally doesn't support this war, and I feel like journalists should change the questions you ask these athletes because the war is already there," Kostyuk said. Fifth seed Tsitsipas was made to work hard by Vesely, who is on the comeback trail following a lengthy injury absence, before winning 7-5 6-3 4-6 7-6(7). With temperatures at 22 degrees and expected to reach 26 in the afternoon, the water vending stands were busy. Serbian Djokovic is bidding for his third French Open title.

☆ Where the royal family goes in London, from Indian restaurants to theme parks
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Julia Buckley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Well, they’re not, obviously – but sometimes they do put down their tiaras, leave their palaces and join the hoi polloi at restaurants, bars and even theme parks. He once called Brilliant Restaurant in Southall, west London his favorite Indian restaurant – and Gordon Ramsay is also a fan. Stuart C. Wilson/Getty ImagesBack in the noughties, party Prince Harry was a regular at Mahiki, a Tiki-themed bar-club-restaurant in Mayfair. Simon Dack/AlamyIn his memoir “Spare,” Prince Harry wrote about popping out to shop for clothes at T.K. Toby Melville/Getty ImagesThe-then Meghan Markle was apparently spied In the heart of Chelsea while she was engaged to Prince Harry, getting a facial from Sarah Chapman.

☆ Djokovic recovers from stuttering start to reach Monte Carlo round three
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Tennis - ATP Masters 1000 - Monte Carlo Masters - Monte-Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France - April 11, 2023 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning his second round match against Russia's Ivan Gakhov REUTERS/Eric GaillardApril 11 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic briefly ran into a spot of bother as he fought his way into the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters with a 7-6(5) 6-2 victory against Russian qualifier Ivan Gakhov on Tuesday. The world number one, who had not played since early March when he reached the final in Dubai after being forced to skip Indian Wells and Miami because of his COVID unvaccinated status, struggled to find his range on the Monte Carlo clay before prevailing on a sunlit centre court. Djokovic was then business like in the second set, leaving no chance of a comeback for his opponent, who suddenly felt the court was too big for him. The double French Open champion, who suffered an opening-round exit here last year, will next face Lorenzo Musetti or the 16th seed's Italian compatriot Luca Nardi. Spain's Nadal, who triumphed a record 11 times at the Monte Carlo Country Club, is absent after failing to recover from a hip injury that has kept him away from the courts since the Australian Open.

☆ Top seed Swiatek crashes out, Gauff exits Australian Open in tears
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"I felt the pressure, and I felt that I don't want to lose instead of I want to win," said Swiatek, who dominated last season with two Grand Slam wins. Rybakina, the 22nd seed, might have expected to face Gauff in the quarter-finals but the much-hyped American teen was upset 7-5 6-3 by Jelena Ostapenko, the forgotten Grand Slam winner of women's tennis. The win secured a first Australian Open quarter-final for hard-hitting Ostapenko, as well as the first at a Grand Slam since her run to the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2018. Latvia's first - and only - Grand Slam champion stunned the world when she hoisted the trophy at Roland Garros as an unseeded 20-year-old. Third seed Pegula will face the winner of Victoria Azarenka and China's Zhu Lin for a place in the semi-finals.

☆ Nick who? De Minaur steps out of Kyrgios shadow
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

But De Minaur has filled the breach superbly at a tournament where Australians are now in short supply. "I'm very happy, I can't lie," De Minaur told the centre court crowd. Inflatable kangaroos bobbed in the Rod Laver Arena terraces and Mexican waves surged around the stadium in the third set as De Minaur put the foot down against Bonzi. "I wasn't sure what to expect, but to see a packed Rod Laver Arena was pretty special," he said. "I hope everyone that's on this court is going to go and support Alexei Popyrin," De Minaur said in a rallying cry to the Laver crowd.

☆ Nadal launches title defence as Australian Open ushers in new era
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MELBOURNE, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Rafa Nadal will kick off his Australian Open title defence on Monday with a first round test against rising Briton Jack Draper as a new era begins on the blue hardcourts of Melbourne Park. The top seed has had only one win since September's U.S. Open and admitted his title defence was vulnerable to an early shock after two straight defeats in the lead-up. The reigning French and U.S. Open champion opens her campaign against Jule Niemeier in the first evening match at Rod Laver Arena, the German who gave Swiatek a huge scare in the U.S. Open fourth round. With American tennis looking for a new champion in the post-Serena era, Coco Gauff will open the day session at Rod Laver Arena against Czech Katerina Siniakova. Medvedev, the men's seventh seed, will return to the scene of last year's final heartbreak when he faces unseeded American Marcos Giron in the late match at Rod Laver Arena.

☆ Djokovic dazzles on return to action at Laver Cup
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-24 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

With Roger Federer watching on from courtside at a sold out O2 Arena, the day after his emotional farewell match alongside Rafa Nadal, Djokovic returned to action in spellbinding fashion. U.S. Open semi-finalist Tiafoe was helpless to stop the Djokovic onslaught as the Serb won 6-1 6-3 to put Bjorn Borg's Team Europe into a 6-4 lead overall. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterFormer world number one Djokovic was due back on court later to partner Italian Matteo Berrettini in a doubles against Team World pairing Jack Sock and Alex De Minaur. At one point Federer suggested world number eight should serve and volley, which Norrie promptly did but lost the point as Fritz sent a lob over his head. "If Roger Federer is telling you to do something, there is no chance I'm not going to do it, especially out there playing for Team Europe," Norrie said later.

☆ Tears flow as curtain comes down on Federer's glittering career
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-24 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

LONDON, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Roger Federer's trophy-laden career ended with defeat on Friday, but for once the result hardly mattered as the Swiss maestro headed into retirement with tears in his eyes and cheers ringing in his ears. Federer produced moments of his trademark magic during a fiercely contested duel and kept his emotions in check. But the tears flowed afterwards as Ellie Goulding sung while a montage of Federer's feats was projected on the black court. During changeovers video screens showed iconic moments of Federer's career with tributes from Nadal and his mother. American duo Sock and Tiafoe, pantomime villains for the night, tested Federer's reactions with some lusty blows aimed at the Swiss maestro.

☆ Federer's retirement leaves a void that can't be filled, says McEnroe
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Federer, who owns 20 Grand Slam singles titles including a record eight at Wimbledon, announced last week that he would be calling time on his career because of a persistent knee injury. "Obviously there is a void that will never be filled," McEnroe told reporters at a pre-event news conference. The American said Federer's four Grand Slam titles after turning 30 was an incredible achievement. Asked if he could offer Federer and retirement advice, McEnroe said: "He doesn't need my advice. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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