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Neuralink's valuation jump in secondary trades is in sharp contrast to other startups. About 85% of pre-IPO companies are currently valued in secondary trades at an average discount of 47% to their last funding round, according to data provider Caplight. The maximum amount sought for the Neuralink shares marketed for sale at a $7 billion valuation was just $500,000, according to the email seen by Reuters. Sim Desai, chief executive of Hiive, an online platform where the shares are traded, said demand for Neuralink stock has been "tremendous." Neuralink stock that some of the employees hold has jumped around 150% in value in just two years, based on the secondary trades.

Persons: Elon, Kip Ludwig, Musk, Neuralink, Sim Desai, Arun Sridhar, Sridhar, Galvani, Rachael Levy, Marissa Taylor, Krystal Hu, Greg Roumeliotis, David Gregorio Our Organizations: U.S . National Institutes of Health, Reuters, U.S . Food, GSK Plc, Sciences, FDA, U.S . Department of Agriculture, Department of Transportation, Thomson Locations: Neuralink's, U.S, Washington ,, New York

☆ Djokovic, Alcaraz stay on track for French Open semi-final showdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Djokovic, who is chasing a men's record 23rd Grand Slam to leapfrog Spaniard Rafa Nadal in the injured champion's absence, blazed past Peruvian marathon man Juan Pablo Varillas 6-3 6-2 6-2 in a lopsided last-eight clash. World number one and top seed Alcaraz, another tenacious Spaniard who is backed to take the mantle of 14-times champion Nadal, bulldozed his way to a 6-3 6-2 6-2 win over Italian Lorenzo Musetti. Pavlyuchenkova, who has slipped to world number 333 after being forced to stop playing for five months last year, is the lowest-ranked French Open quarter-finalist in the Open Era. She (Kato) didn't do it on purpose, she (the ball girl) didn't get injured," Juge said. She's crying," Sorribes Tormo said, pointing to the ball girl.

Persons: Roland Garros, Serbia's Novak Djokovic, Peru's Juan Pablo Varillas, Lisi Niesner PARIS, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz inched, Elina Svitolina, Djokovic, Spaniard Rafa Nadal, Juan Pablo Varillas, Nadal, Lorenzo Musetti, Daria Kasatkina, Skai, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Karen Khachanov, Pavlyuchenkova, Czech Barbora Krejcikova, Elise Mertens, Lorenzo Sonego, Khachanov, Miyu Kato, Aldila Sutjiadi, Kato, Alexandre Juge, Czech Marie Bouzkova, Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo, didn't, Juge, Sorribes Tormo, Bouzkova, disqualifying Kato, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Clare Fallon, Pritha Organizations: Peru's Juan Pablo Varillas REUTERS, Russian, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Czech, New York, Melbourne

☆ Tsitsipas blasts past Ofner to make French Open quarter-finals
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, June 4 (Reuters) - Stefanos Tsitsipas stepped up his bid for an elusive first Grand Slam title as the Greek fifth seed dismantled Austrian qualifier Sebastian Ofner 7-5 6-3 6-0 on Sunday to book his place in the French Open quarter-finals. Tsitsipas, who has only dropped one set in his four matches, will face his biggest test when he meets world number one Carlos Alcaraz in the last eight. The Court Suzanne Lenglen crowd began a Mexican wave in the third set and Ofner soon found himself trailing 5-0 as the world number 118 struggled to deal with the Tsitsipas tsunami. He was finally put out of his misery by the Greek who closed out the victory on serve. Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Paris, editing by Pritha SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Tsitsipas, Sebastian Ofner, Novak Djokovic, Roland Garros, Carlos Alcaraz, Marcelo Filippini, Suzanne Lenglen, Ofner, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Austrian, Serbian, January's, Thomson Locations: Paris, Mexican

☆ Rybakina pulls out of French Open due to illness
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, June 3 (Reuters) - Fourth seed Elena Rybakina pulled out of the French Open ahead of her third-round meeting with Sara Sorribes Tormo on Saturday due to a viral illness as the Roland Garros tournament lost one of its main contenders for the women's title. Kazakhstan's Rybakina, 23, was among the title favourites alongside holder Iga Swiatek and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka after winning the Rome title in the build-up to the claycourt Grand Slam. "I'm really upset not be able to play, but I guess that's life," Rybakina added. Moscow-born Rybakina said she hoped to be fully fit for the European grasscourt swing ahead of her Wimbledon title defence. Spain's Sorribes Tormo moves into the fourth round where she will take on 23rd seed Ekaterina Alexandrova or 14th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia.

Persons: Elena Rybakina, Sara Sorribes Tormo, Roland Garros, Sorribes Tormo, Philippe Chatrier, Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, I'm, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Beatriz Haddad Maia, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Ed Osmond Organizations: Wimbledon, Rome, Thomson Locations: Paris, Moscow, Berlin, Eastbourne, Wimbledon

☆ Swiatek serves up double bagel as Gauff, Rune advance
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Julien Pretot | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, June 3 (Reuters) - Defending champion Iga Swiatek continued her imperious march towards a third French Open title in four years with a 6-0 6-0 humiliation of Wang Xinyu on Saturday to reach the fourth round. Gauff ended the run of fellow teenager Mirra Andreeva with a 6-7(5) 6-1 6-1 victory, recovering from a tough start against the 16-year-old Russian. Swiatek was in dazzling form on Saturday, dishing out a double bagel to Wang - the fourth time she has won a set 6-0 in the first three rounds. In the men's draw, Holger Rune took a step closer to becoming Denmark's first male Grand Slam singles champion when he powered past Argentine qualifier Genaro Alberto Olivieri 6-4 6-1 6-3. In the distance is a possible repeat of last year's quarter-finals as Norway's Casper Ruud overcame a slow start to down Zhang Zhizhen of China 4-6 6-4 6-1 6-4 and reach the fourth round.

Persons: Iga Swiatek, Wang Xinyu, Coco Gauff, Gauff, Mirra, Swiatek, Wang, Elena Rybakina, Sara Sorribes Tormo, I'm, Rybakina, Holger Rune, Denmark's, Genaro Alberto Olivieri, Norway's Casper Ruud, Zhang Zhizhen, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Ed Osmond Organizations: Wimbledon, Argentine, Thomson Locations: China, Paris

☆ Svitolina gets past Blinkova to stay on track at French Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, June 2 (Reuters) - Former French Open quarter-finalist Elina Svitolina moved into the Roland Garros fourth round with a determined performance to stave off giant-killing Russian Anna Blinkova and claim a 2-6 6-2 7-5 victory on Friday. Svitolina returned to the WTA Tour at the Charleston Open in April following the birth of her daughter Skai with husband and fellow tennis player Gael Monfils and bagged her first title in two years by beating Blinkova in last week's Strasbourg final. Blinkova had stunned fifth seed Caroline Garcia in the last round and the 24-year-old refused to surrender as she clawed her way back from 1-3 and went toe-to-toe with Svitolina until 5-5 before the Ukrainian sealed the win with a superb backhand pass. Up next for Svitolina is another Russian - last year's semi-finalist Daria Kasatkina - who beat Peyton Stearns. Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Paris Editing by Christian RadnedgeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Elina Svitolina, Roland Garros, Russian Anna Blinkova, Svitolina, Skai, Gael Monfils, Blinkova, Caroline Garcia, Daria Kasatkina, Peyton Stearns, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Christian Radnedge Organizations: WTA, Charleston, Strasbourg, Thomson Locations: Russian, Paris

☆ Sabalenka powers into French Open fourth round, Khachanov survives
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, June 2 (Reuters) - Aryna Sabalenka swatted aside Kamilla Rakhimova to remind her rivals of her French Open title credentials while Russian 11th seed Karen Khachanov also moved into the fourth round by stopping wildcard Thanasi Kokkinakis on Friday. Sabalenka, the big-serving world number two, beat Russian Rakhimova 6-2 6-2 on a sunbathed Court Philippe Chatrier to set up a clash with American Sloane Stephens or Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan in her quest for a second Grand Slam title. "So I have to do it with my legs, with the brain, and try to squeeze the maximum I can." Last year's semi-finalist Kasatkina will need to show her best form again in the next round where she can potentially meet former world number three Elina Svitolina. Novak Djokovic, who is seeking a 23rd Grand Slam title, is in action against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina while world number one Carlos Alcaraz will play Denis Shapovalov in the evening session.

Persons: Karen Khachanov, Kokkinakis, Sabalenka, Philippe Chatrier, Sloane Stephens, Yulia Putintseva, Khachanov, Jessica Pegula, Elise Mertens, Mertens, Daria Kasatkina, Peyton Stearns, Kasatkina, Elina Svitolina, Anna Blinkova, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Anastasia Potapova, Novak Djokovic, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Carlos Alcaraz, Denis Shapovalov, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Kokkinakis, Thomson Locations: Kazakhstan, Paris

☆ Creaking Djokovic adjusting to new reality at French Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Djokovic's run to the Australian Open title in January came despite a problematic left thigh injury and he also missed the Madrid Open in the build-up to Roland Garros with a niggling elbow issue. "We don't have much time to start to name the many injuries I have, and the list is quite long," Djokovic told reporters. Sometimes you need pills," Djokovic said. Reality for me nowadays is that my body is responding differently than it did a few years ago. And on the court you try to do your best, everything possible, so you can finish the match and win."

Persons: Roland Garros, Serbia's Novak Djokovic, Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Novak Djokovic, Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Rafa Nadal, Djokovic, Hubert Hurkacz, Juan Pablo Varillas, I've, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Ken Ferris Organizations: Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina REUTERS, Serbian, Madrid, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, PARIS

☆ Ruud, Swiatek gain momentum at French Open as Sinner punished
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

In a normal match I would have won 6-3 6-2, but here you have the chance to fight like he did. Up next for Andreeva is 19-year-old Coco Gauff - a player who knows all about negotiating instant stardom, with last year's runner-up having subdued Julia Grabher 6-2 6-3 to set up the third-round showdown. American Kayla Day made no secret of her success after a stunning 6-2 4-6 6-4 win over compatriot Madison Keys, thanking her Czech roots for enhancing her tennis skills. Next for the 22nd seed is American 12th seed Frances Tiafoe, who beat Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev 3-6 6-3 7-5 6-2. French presence in the singles' draws was ended altogether in the last match of the day when Arthur Rinderknech was knocked out by American ninth seed Taylor Fritz 2-6 6-4 6-3 6-4.

Persons: Roland Garros, Norway's Casper Ruud, Sweden's Elias Ymer, Gauff tames, Casper Ruud, Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, Linda Noskova, Ruud, Rafa Nadal, Giulio Zeppieri, Zhang Zhizhen, Thiago Agustin Tirante, Suzanne Lenglen, Claire Liu, Mirra Andreeva, Frenchwoman Diane Parry, Karatantcheva, Coco Gauff, Julia Grabher, Kayla Day, Madison Keys, Daniel Altmaier, Altmaier, We've, Alexander Zverev, Slovakian Alex Molcan, Frances Tiafoe, Aslan Karatsev, Coric, Pedro Cachin, Alex de Minaur, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Arthur Rinderknech, Taylor Fritz, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Julien Pretot, Pritha Sarkar, Ken Ferris Organizations: Sweden's Elias Ymer REUTERS, Wimbledon, Argentine, Croatian, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, PARIS, Czech, Prague, Slovakian, American, Tunisian

☆ Ruud, Rybakina gain momentum at French Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ruud, who was beaten by Rafa Nadal in last year's final, is aiming to capitalise on the 14-times champion's absence through injury this year and looked rock solid for much of his 6-3 6-2 4-6 7-5 victory over Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri. "It was a tough match," Ruud said. In a normal match I would have won 6-3 6-2, but here you have the chance to fight like he did. That's the only reason why I'm good at tennis, because I'm half Czech." Croatian Borna Coric was made to work hard by Pedro Cachin before the 15th seed prevailed 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-3 6-4 while it was the end of the road for Australian 18th seed Alex de Minaur who fell to a 6-3 7-6(2) 6-3 defeat by Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

Persons: Roland Garros, Norway's Casper Ruud, Sweden's Elias Ymer, Casper Ruud, Elena Rybakina, Linda Noskova, Ruud, Rafa Nadal, Giulio Zeppieri, Mirra Andreeva, Frenchwoman Diane Parry, Kayla Day, Madison Keys, Coric, Pedro Cachin, Alex de Minaur, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Sweden's Elias Ymer REUTERS, Wimbledon, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, PARIS, Czech, Prague, Croatian

☆ Tsitsipas, Alcaraz soar at French Open, Djokovic row simmers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Unlike after his opening match on Monday, however, there was no message on the camera lens the Serbian signed and the 22-times Grand Slam champion looked to draw a line under the issue. Djokovic missed last year's Australian Open and was deported from the country due to being unvaccinated for COVID. He won the Melbourne title this year despite a row that erupted after his father posed with some fans holding Russian flags. "A drama-free Grand Slam, I don't think it can happen for me," Djokovic added. Anna Blinkova dashed French hopes with a stunning 4-6 6-3 7-5 victory over fifth seed Caroline Garcia, wrapping up victory on her ninth match point.

Persons: Roland Garros, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena, Benoit Tessier, Alcaraz, Djokovic, Garcia, Tsitsipas, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Jiri Vesely, Roberto Carballes Baena, Japan's Taro Daniel, Denis Shapovalov, Ismet Krasniqi, Amelie Oudea, Castera, Elina Svitolina, Australian Storm Hunter, Svitolina, Sabalenka, Iryna Shymanovich, Marta Kostyuk, I've, Jelena Ostapenko, Peyton Stearns, Barbora, Lesia Tsurenko, Swiatek, Suzanne Lenglen, Jessica Pegula, Camila Giorgi, Anna Blinkova, Caroline Garcia, Kokkinakis, Stan Wawrinka, Andrey Rublev, Corentin, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Toby Davis, Ed Osmond Organizations: Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena REUTERS, Tennis Federation, Serbian, Marton, COVID, Melbourne, Kosovo Olympic, International Olympic Committee, Kosovo's Olympic, International Tennis Federation, Australian Storm, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Kosovo, PARIS, Serbia, Marton Fucsovics, Serbian, Ukrainian, Ukraine

☆ Kosovo Olympic Committee seeks IOC disciplinary action against Djokovic
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The violence erupted after ethnic Albanian mayors took office in northern Kosovo's Serb-majority area following elections that were boycotted by the Serbs. "Novak Djokovic has yet again promoted the Serbian nationalists' propaganda and used the sport platform to do so," Ismet Krasniqi, president of Kosovo's Olympic Committee (KOK), said in a statement. France's Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera, whose country will host the summer Olympics in Paris next year, said Djokovic's message was "not appropriate, clearly". Djokovic, chasing a record 23rd Grand Slam title, has said he was not holding back and would do it again. On Tuesday, Kosovo's tennis federation said Djokovic's comments were "regrettable", accusing him of using his status as a well-known personality to stir tensions.

Persons: Roland Garros, Serbia's Novak Djokovic, Aleksandar Kovacevic, Novak Djokovic, Djokovic, Ismet Krasniqi, Amelie Oudea, shouldn't, Hungary's Marton Fucsovics, Rohith Nair, Karolos Grohmann, Julien Pretot, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Helen Popper, Christian Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, Kosovo Olympic, International Olympic Committee, NATO, Serbs, Kosovo's Olympic, IOC, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, PARIS, Serbian, Kosovo, Serbia, Zvecan, Kosovo's, Bengaluru, Karolos

☆ Alcaraz sees off Daniel to reach French Open third round
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 31, 2023 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action during his second round match against Japan's Taro Daniel REUTERS/Lisi NiesnerPARIS, May 31 (Reuters) - Carlos Alcaraz came through a tricky early test at the French Open with flying colours, as the world number one sealed a 6-1 3-6 6-1 6-2 victory over Japan's Taro Daniel in windy conditions on Wednesday to reach the third round. Daniel pounced early in the next to grab a 3-0 lead before Alcaraz got on the board. He continued to batter the suddenly error-prone Spaniard with relentless hitting from the baseline before levelling the match. I try to think about myself, about my game, and try to put it into the match. All I can say is tomorrow is a day off for me and we're gonna think about the match tomorrow with my team."

Persons: Roland Garros, Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, Japan's Taro Daniel REUTERS, Lisi Niesner PARIS, Carlos Alcaraz, Japan's Taro Daniel, Alcaraz, Flavio Cobolli, Daniel, Daniel pounced, Philippe Chatrier, I'm, Denis Shapovalov, I've, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Toby Davis, Ed Osmond Organizations: Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Vienna, Canadian, Barcelona

☆ Djokovic canters into French Open round two as Stephens lays down marker
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Julien Pretot | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The twice Roland Garros champion breezed through the first two sets before encountering resistance from the 24-year-old American whose lack of experience then showed in the tiebreak on the world's biggest clay court. Djokovic ended the contest with a sizzling service return on his first match point and will face Hungarian journeyman Marton Fucsovics for a place in the third round. "It's always a pleasure to come back here, one of the best tournaments in the world," said Djokovic, who made his Roland Garros debut in 2005. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova celebrated her return to Roland Garros with a dominant win over Czech Linda Fruhvirtova after fearing for her career a year ago due to a knee problem. Sloane Stephens, runner-up at Roland Garros in 2018, dismantled former world number one Karolina Pliskova 6-0 6-4.

"Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence," 22-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic wrote on a camera lens in Serbian. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that 52 Serbs were injured on Monday, three of them seriously, while Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani accused his Serbian counterpart of destabilising Kosovo. There are many reasons why I wrote that on the camera," RFI radio quoted the 36-year-old Djokovic as saying to Serbian media. The French tennis federation (FFT), which organises the event, told Reuters that there were "no official Grand Slam rules on what players can or cannot say.

☆ Alcaraz blasts past qualifier Cobolli in French Open first round
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 29, 2023 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action during his first round match against Italy's Flavio Cobolli REUTERS/Kai PfaffenbachPARIS, May 29 (Reuters) - World number one Carlos Alcaraz issued an early warning to his rivals as the Spaniard began his quest for a second Grand Slam title by easing past Italian qualifier Flavio Cobolli 6-0 6-2 7-5 in the French Open first round on Monday. Up next for Alcaraz is Japan's Taro Daniel who eased past Australian Christopher O'Connell 6-0 6-2 6-4. "I know that Taro is having a great year," Alcaraz said of his opponent, who stunned last year's Roland Garros runner-up Casper Ruud en route to the quarter-finals in Mexico earlier this season. He has won great matches against great players. I know the level of Taro, so it's going to be a really tough second round, really tough match."

☆ Sabalenka powers into French second round in win marred by jeers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sabalenka, who appeared to sarcastically bow to the crowd following the win, said she initially thought the boos were aimed at her. "It was a very tough match, I mean tough emotionally. I'm sorry guys, I didn't get it at first, I thought this booing was against me so I was a little surprised," she said. The Belarusian raised her level again late in the match to save two breakpoints and close out the victory in 71 minutes. Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Paris, editing by Ed Osmond and Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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.

☆ Snowflake shares plunge 12% on guidance miss, acquisition of search startup Neeva
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The bulk of Snowflake sales come from product revenue, which expanded 50% year over year. Product revenue accounts for use of Snowflake's software for storing and running queries on data stored in its system. Snowflake said it anticipates product revenue will be between $620 million and $625 million in the fiscal second quarter. For the 2024 fiscal year, Snowflake called for product revenue of $2.6 billion. Snowflake also announced it plans to acquire Neeva, the privacy-focused search company co-founded by former Google executive Sridhar Ramaswamy.

Persons: Snowflake, Sridhar Ramaswamy, Benoit Dageville, Snowflake's, Dageville, CNBC's Ashley Capoot Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, Refinitiv Revenue Locations: Tues, Snowflake

☆ Medvedev says 'unbelievable' Rome triumph among his best wins
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Heading into Rome, Medvedev had won 18 of his 19 titles - including the 2021 U.S. Open - on hardcourts, with his Mallorca Open victory on grass the same year the only exception. The 27-year-old, who previously made no secret of his dislike for clay, was a player transformed at the Italian Open and ended the tournament with a 7-5 7-5 win over rising Dane Holger Rune. Asked where his victory ranked among his many successes, Medvedev told reporters: "In a way, number one, just because it's the first one on clay and it's unbelievable. Medvedev said using new strings this year had helped his clay game as they were softer and aided his deep groundstrokes. Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter RutherfordOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Rybakina targets deep run at Roland Garros after Rome triumph
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Moscow-born 23-year-old bagged her second title of 2023 after her Indian Wells triumph and fifth overall when Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina retired while trailing 6-4 1-0. "I think with my game, I can play good on all the surfaces," said Rybakina, who also reached the Australian Open and Miami finals this season. Rybakina reached the third round at Roland Garros last year and hoped playing in Paris would be easier this time. Kalinina, whose hopes of a first title were dashed due to a leg injury, said Rybakina had the qualities to succeed on clay. She's making winners like no one on tour... anyone can win in Paris, but she has good chances," Kalinina said.

☆ Medvedev outclasses Rune in Rome to capture first title on clay
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Medvedev's fifth title of a stellar season and 20th overall leaves him as one of the top contenders for Roland Garros which begins on May 28. I didn't have any big tantrums and was like 'OK, let's continue' and here I felt amazing in practice. "But then you need to play the toughest opponents in the world and try to make it. I'm really happy that I managed to do it and prove to myself and everybody that I'm capable." Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Neeva, co-founded by a former Google exec, to shut down its consumer search product and focus on A.I.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Neeva, the privacy-focused search company co-founded by former Google executive Sridhar Ramaswamy, announced Saturday that it is shutting down its consumer search engine and will focus on exploring use cases for artificial intelligence. In a blog post on the company's website, Ramaswamy and Vivek Raghunathan, another Neeva co-founder, wrote that "acquiring users has been really hard." They said this challenge, in addition to the "different economic environment," have made it clear that a business in consumer search is not sustainable. Neeva will explore use cases for generative AI and large language models in search going forward, according to the post. Neeva.com and its consumer search product will shut down over the next few weeks.

☆ Rune rallies past Ruud into Rome final
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

"I told myself at this moment I had nothing to lose, he's probably going to win the match," Denmark's Rune said. Rune took a medical timeout for a minor shoulder problem and that looked to throw Estoril champion Ruud off his game as the 24-year-old Norwegian surrendered his serve twice to get dragged into a deciding set. A double-fault gifted Rune a break and a 3-1 lead in the final set and the 20-year-old never looked back as he sealed a first victory over Ruud in five meetings. "I really played some of my best tennis," said Rune, who beat world number one Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals. In the women's final later on Saturday, Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina will meet Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina.

☆ Kalinina hopes Rome run provides some comfort for Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Kalinina's entire family is now in Kyiv following Russia's invasion of Ukraine -- which Moscow calls a "special military operation" -- but constantly face danger. "It's really important to win every match, because of what Ukraine goes through," Kalinina said after her 7-5 5-7 6-2 win on Friday. "I really hope that I give a tiny, small light, maybe some positive emotions for my country. So I really hope that Ukraine enjoys a little bit." It's no secret why I didn't shake, because this country attacked Ukraine," Kalinina said.

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