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☆ Aryna Sabalenka wins at Miami Open in first match since death of her former partner
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Aryna Sabalenka defeated Paula Badosa in the second round at the Miami Open on Friday, playing just days after the death of her ex-partner, former professional ice hockey player Konstantin Koltsov. “Konstantin’s death is an unthinkable tragedy, and while we were no longer together, my heart is broken,” Sabalenka said in a statement on Wednesday. Paula Badosa and Aryna Sabalenka embraced at the net afterwards. Robert Prange/Getty Images“No, I wasn’t surprised at all (by Sabalenka’s play)”, Badosa told reporters after losing to Sabalenka. “She’s a very, very strong woman, strong personality, you can see it on the court.

Persons: Aryna Sabalenka, Paula Badosa, Konstantin Koltsov, Spain’s Badosa, Koltsov, “, ” Sabalenka, Robert Prange, Badosa, Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Nadia Podoroska Organizations: CNN, Miami, NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, Miami - Dade Police Department, Sabalenka, Argentine, International Association for Suicide Prevention, Befrienders

☆ WTA roundup: Zheng Qinwen advances at Zhengzhou Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

She will face Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina, who posted a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Russian qualifier Vera Zvonareva. Hana Bank Korea OpenBelgium's Yanina Wickmayer seized a 6-3, 7-6 (6) victory over third-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia to move on to the quarterfinals in Seoul. Wickmayer will meet Russian Polina Kudermetova, who breezed to a 6-3, 6-1 win over Kathinka von Deichmann of Liechenstein. Fifth-seeded Anna Blinkova of Russia coasted to a 6-1, 6-3 win over Australian Priscilla Hon to advance to the third round. Third-seeded Elise Mertens of Belgium had little difficulty in her 6-1, 6-4 victory over Australian qualifier Daria Saville.

Persons: China's, Zheng, China's Zhu Lin REUTERS, Kim Kyung, Zheng Qinwen, Maria Sakkari, Sakkari, Kalinina, Vera Zvonareva, Italy's Jasmine Paolini, Caroline Garcia of, Ukraine's, Tsurenko, Donna Vekic, Wickmayer, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Kudermetova, Kathinka von Deichmann, Claire Liu, Arantxa Rus, China's Yuan Yue, Slovenia's Kaja Juvan, Beatriz Haddad Maia, Anna Blinkova, Russia coasted, Priscilla Hon, Elise Mertens, Daria Saville Organizations: Tennis Centre, Russian, Caroline Garcia of France, Hana Bank, Hong, Belarus, Thomson Locations: Hangzhou, China, Greece, Zhengzhou, Croatia, Hana Bank Korea, Russia, Seoul, Wickmayer, Arantxa, Netherland, Hong Kong, Brazil, Belgium

☆ Sabalenka shines in first match as No. 1, Vondrousova crashes in Beijing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The win handed Belarusian Sabalenka a measure of redemption following a stunning defeat by the 2020 Australian Open champion in the Rome second round earlier this season. "I'm super happy with the win, I think I played really great tennis today," Sabalenka said. But it was the end of the road for Czech world number eight Vondrousova, who fell to Rome runner-up Kalinina despite making a strong start to their first tour-level meeting. "Today was a perfect match for me," said Alcaraz, who is making his debut in Beijing. It was a great match.

Persons: Coco Gauff, USTA Billie Jean King, Danielle Parhizkaran, Aryna Sabalenka, Sofia Kenin, Marketa Vondrousova, Katie Boulter, Magdalena Frech, Sabalenka, Kalinina, Carlos Alcaraz, Lorenzo Musetti, Alcaraz, Casper Ruud, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Clare Fallon Organizations: USTA Billie, USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center, Rights, Sofia, China, Wimbledon, U.S, Belarusian, Thomson Locations: Flushing , NY, USA, United States, Rights BEIJING, Beijing, China, Rome, Czech, Bengaluru

☆ WTA roundup: Madison Keys loses Guadalajara opener
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Keys, the tournament's fourth seed, received a first-round bye. Navarro converted five of her seven break-point opportunities, while Keys broke serve three times on five chances. Navarro advances to face former U.S. Open finalist Leylah Fernandez of Canada, who knocked out 13th-seeded Elise Mertens of Belgium 6-3, 6-4. 1 Ons Jabeur of Tunisia routed the United States' Alycia Parks 6-2, 6-2, and No. The United States' Sofia Kenin eliminated 12th-seeded Anhelina Kalinina of Ukraine 6-2, 7-6 (5).

Persons: Madison Keys, Aryna Sabalenka, Mike Segar, Keys, Navarro, Leylah Fernandez, Elise Mertens, Maria Sakkari, Australia's Storm Hunter, Caroline Garcia of France, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Poland's Magdalena Frech, Sofia Kenin, Lucia Bronzetti, Yi Yang, Bronzetti, Yang's, Uchijima, France's, Tatjana Maria of, Alexandra Eala, Daria Saville of, Germany's Anna, Lena Friedsam, Viktoria Hruncakova, Russian Anna Kalinskaya, Viktorija, Yulia Putintseva, Xiyu Wang, Yue Yuan, Zhuoxuan Bai Organizations: Madison, Belarus, Aryna Sabalenka REUTERS, U.S, Australia's Storm, Poland's, United, Thomson Locations: Flushing Meadows , New York, United States, Guadalajara, Mexico, Open Akron, U.S, Canada, Belgium, Tunisia, Greece, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Guangzhou, Italy, Taiwan, China, Tatjana Maria of Germany, Philippines, Daria Saville of Australia, Slovakia, Russian, Switzerland, Kazakhstan

☆ WTA roundup: Ashlyn Krueger wins 1st title at Japan Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] FILE PHOTO:Aug 6, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Camila Giorgi (ITA) hits a forehand against Ashlyn Krueger (USA) (not pictured) in second round qualifying play at IGA Stadium. 123 in the world, Krueger, 19, entered the week without a main-draw win on hard court this year and had never advanced past a quarterfinal of a WTA event. Krueger had the edge in aces, 7-3, and never had to save a break point in the 96-minute match. She broke Zhu on her first service game of the match, and Zhu was 1-for-2 in saving break points. "I think I was very aggressive today, playing a lot of really aggressive tennis and using my serve," said Krueger, who recorded 28 winners to 13 for her opponent.

Persons: Camila Giorgi, Ashlyn Krueger, Eric Bolte, Ashlyn Krueger didn't, Zhu Lin, Krueger, China's Zhu, Zhu, Grace Min, Elise Mertens, Yanina, Mertens, Jasmine Paolini, Louisa Chirico, Karolina Pliskova, Ena Shibahara, Sloane Stephens, Ann Li, Canada's Leylah Fernandez breezed, Asia Muhammad, Taylor Townsend, Hailey Baptiste, Eugenie Bouchard of Canada, Dayana, Martina Trevisan, Cristina Bucsa Organizations: IGA, Japan, WTA, Dallas, United, Thomson Locations: Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Osaka, Guadalajara, Mexico, Ukraine, United States, Italy, Czech, Japan, U.S, Asia, Alycia, Spain, Belarus

☆ Azarenka upsets Krejcikova, Wozniacki loses Cincinnati opener
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aug 15 (Reuters) - Twice champion Victoria Azarenka upset Czech 11th seed Barbora Krejcikova 6-3 7-5 on Tuesday to reach the Cincinnati Open second round while Danish wildcard Caroline Wozniacki, in her second tournament out of retirement, lost her opening match. The 34-year-old unseeded Belarusian Azarenka broke Krejcikova four times, saved three of five break points and won the final five games of a match lasting one hour 45 minutes. Krejcikova battled to get the opener back on serve but Azarenka broke right back and then went on to serve out the first set in the following game on her second set point. Former world number one Wozniacki had her chances but failed to convert any of her nine break points while Gracheva's backhand proved too much for the Dane to handle. Czech ninth seed Petra Kvitova, a Cincinnati finalist last year, also booked her spot in the second round with a 7-6(2) 6-0 win over Russian Anna Blinkova.

Persons: Victoria Azarenka, Caroline Wozniacki, Belarusian Azarenka, Krejcikova, Azarenka, Wozniacki, Varvara Gracheva, Dane, Petra Kvitova, Anna Blinkova, Jelena Ostapenko, Karolina Pliskova, Elena Rybakina, Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina, Holder Carolina Garcia of, Sloane Stephens, Frank Pingue, Ken Ferris Organizations: Cincinnati, Belarusian, Wimbledon, Court, U.S, Thomson Locations: Czech, Montreal, France, Tunisian, Toronto

☆ Azarenka and Pliskova slog way into second round of rainy Canadian Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Aug 7, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Victoria Azarenka serves against Magda Linette (POL) (not pictured) in first round play at IGA Stadium. Azarenka was unfazed by the rain, charging ahead 5-2 in the opening set before closing it out with a break just before play was stopped a second time. She romped through the second set, winning 24 of 31 points and breaking Poland's Linette three times. When play restarted, Zhu pounced, winning two points to clinch the tie-break 10-8. But the 31-year-old Czech quickly refocused in the decider, applying pressure and breaking Zhu three times to move onto the second round and a meeting with Polish world number one and reigning US Open champion Iga Swiatek.

Persons: Victoria Azarenka, Magda Linette, Eric Bolte, Karolina Pliskova, Azarenka, Sloane Stephens, Ukraine's, Pliskova, Zhu Lin, Sascha Bajin, Zhu, Zhu pounced, Iga Swiatek, Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Steve Keating, Jamie Freed Organizations: Victoria, IGA, Canadian, Warsaw, Thomson Locations: Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Stuttgart, Pliskova, Czech, Toronto

☆ WTA roundup: Iga Swiatek wins first grass-court match in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 26 - It took World No.1 Iga Swiatek a little time on Monday to acclimate to the grass under her feet in the first round of the Bad Homburg Open. Swiatek, who won the French Open on the clay courts in Paris earlier this month, won her first grass-court match of the season against 2022 Wimbledon semifinalist Tatjana Maria 5-7, 6-2, 6-0 in Bad Homburg, Germany. Swiatek has yet to win a WTA tournament on grass, and she hasn't made it past the Round of 16 on the grass courts in London. Keys was a 7-6 (4), 6-4 winner over Tereza Martincova, a lucky loser who got a spot in the main draw when fellow Czech Linda Fruhvirtova withdrew. Qualifier Camila Osorio of Colombia toppled Rogers 6-4, 6-4, and local favorite Jodie Burrage of Great Britain got past Davis 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Persons: acclimate, Tatjana Maria, Swiatek, hasn't, Teichmann, Claire Liu, Mayar Sherif, German Anna, Lena Friedsam, Bianca Andreescu, Varvara Gracheva, Cristian, Katerina Siniakova, Elisabetta Cocciaretto, Shelby Rogers, Lauren Davis, Keys, Tereza, Czech Linda Fruhvirtova, Camila Osorio, Jodie Burrage, Davis, Daria Kasatkina of, Anhelina Kalinina, Karolina Pliskova, Pliskova, Elise Mertens Organizations: Bad, Wimbledon, Czech Republic, Madison Keys, Rogers, Eastbourne, Belgium, Thomson Locations: Paris, Bad Homburg, Germany, London, Egypt, German, Canada, Russia, Romanian, Czech, Italy, Rothesay, Eastbourne, England, Colombia, Daria Kasatkina of Russia, Ukraine, Czech Republic

☆ A Handshake Snub Gets a Chilly Reception at the French Open on Day 1
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Matthew Futterman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The impact of the war in Ukraine on tennis has been constant and never-ending. The moves have left players from Ukraine unsatisfied and players from Russia and Belarus feeling like pariahs. The tension on Sunday was in stark contrast to the otherwise celebratory feel of the first day of the French Open. But as Nadal has said, tennis moves fast and waits for no one. On Monday, Elina Svitolina, among the most successful players Ukraine has produced, will make her Grand Slam return from maternity leave, against Martina Trevisan of Italy.

☆ French Open preview: With Rafael Nadal absent and Iga Światek's dominance under threat, tournament is hard to call
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —It felt like the beginning of the end of an era at the French Open when Rafael Nadal announced his absence from the tournament earlier this month. How to watchIn the United States, the French Open is available to watch on NBC, streaming service Peacock, Tennis Channel, and Bally Sports. A list of international broadcasters and the full draw are available on the French Open website. “A new generation is here already,” Djokovic said after his quarterfinal defeat at the Italian Open. Questions about scheduling may persist in the coming weeks given the way night sessions were scrutinized at last year’s French Open.

☆ 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.

☆ Rybakina wins Rome title after ailing Kalinina retires
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Moscow-born Kazakh Rybakina got off to an edgy start in the rain-delayed contest by dropping her opening service game before the Wimbledon champion levelled at 3-3 and then wrapped up the opening set with a late break. Kalinina, playing in the second singles final of her career, called the trainer on to the court after losing the opening game of the second set before quitting the match in tears. Victory ensured Australian Open runner-up Rybakina won her second title of the year following her Indian Wells triumph and fifth overall. The 23-year-old, who won three of her matches in Rome after her opponents retired, will break into the top five on Monday. She also reached the final in Miami and heads to Roland Garros as a top contender for the year's second major.

☆ 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.

☆ Rome Masters: Ukrainian tennis player refuses to shake Russian opponent's hand after semifinal victory
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Matt Foster | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Ukrainian tennis player Anhelina Kalinina refused to shake hands with Veronika Kudermetova, her Russian opponent, following the former’s victory in the semifinals of the Rome Masters in Italy on Friday. Speaking to reporters after the match at Foro Italico, Rome, Kalinina said, “We didn’t shake hands because the girl is from Russia basically. It’s no secret why I didn’t shake, because this country actually attacks Ukraine. We are here to play tennis.”Veronika Kudermetova began the tournament as the world No.12. Antonietta Baldassarre/Insidefoto/LightRocket/Getty ImagesKalinina denied the idea that her opponent’s nationality influenced the topsy-turvy nature of the match, describing Kudermetova as “a top player, a very great player.

☆ Rybakina defeats Ostapenko in rain-delayed Italian Open semi-final
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ROME, May 19 (Reuters) - Seventh seed Elena Rybakina beat Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko 6-2 6-4 in a rain-delayed semi-final at the Italian Open on Friday and will play Anhelina Kalinina in Saturday's final. Rybakina prevailed in a fairly straight-forward first set in a match delayed by more than an hour - and then interrupted - due to persistent rain. Ostapenko gained momentum in the second set and took a 3-0 lead but Rybakina shortened the distance to 4-2 just before rain briefly forced the players off court. "I didn't start that well the second set. Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru and Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk Editing by Christian RadnedgeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Fancied Alcaraz stunned by Hungarian qualifier Marozsan in Rome
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ROME, May 15 (Reuters) - Carlos Alcaraz crashed to a humbling 6-3 7-6(4) defeat by Hungarian qualifier Fabian Marozsan in the third round of the Italian Open on Monday as his quest for a third straight title on clay before the French Open ended in disappointment. The 20-year-old had come into the tournament on the back of triumphs in Barcelona and Madrid and will replace Novak Djokovic as the world number one for top billing at Roland Garros which begins later this month. Alcaraz raced to a 4-1 lead but Marozsan hit back in superb style to reel off six points and hand the world number two only his second defeat on clay in 22 matches this season. "It's not easy to say something," Marozsan said immediately after the biggest win of his career. It was the first defeat for Alcaraz to a player ranked outside the world's top 100 since the 2021 Paris Masters when he fell to Hugo Gaston.

☆ Alcaraz stunned by Hungarian qualifier Marozsan in Rome
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Alcaraz raced to a 4-1 lead but Marozsan hit back in superb style to reel off six points and hand the world number two only his second defeat on clay in 22 matches this season. "It's not easy to say something," Marozsan said immediately after the biggest win of his career. World number three Daniil Medvedev earned a hard-fought 3-6 6-1 6-3 win over Spain's Bernabe Zapata Miralles to reach the last 16 in Rome for the first time. In the women's draw, Elena Rybakina saw off Marketa Vondrousova 6-3 6-3 to reach her first claycourt WTA 1000 quarter-final, where she will face either top-ranked Iga Swiatek, the twice defending champion, or Croatia's Donna Vekic. Tsitsipas had taken the first set 6-3 against Sonego while Zverev leads 6-4 3-3 against Wolf.

☆ Alcaraz powers to victory over Ramos-Vinolas on Rome debut
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Barcelona and Madrid champion Alcaraz, who is chasing his fifth title of 2023 and fourth on clay ahead of Roland Garros, overcame an early loss of serve amid heavy conditions at the Foro Italico to level up the opening set at 2-2. Alcaraz continued to build momentum and raced ahead 3-0 in the second set against a fading Ramos-Vinolas, wrapping up the match on serve to make it 12 wins in a row. "It wasn't easy," said Alcaraz, who will now leapfrog Novak Djokovic into top spot in the rankings on May 22. "The first round of every tournament is really tough and, of course, Ramos-Vinolas is a specialist on clay. Monte Carlo champion Andrey Rublev earlier overcame Alex Molcan 6-3 6-4 in a twice-interrupted match to book his place in the third round.

☆ Sinner completes epic comeback, Krejcikova wins easy at Australian Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

He went on to blank his opponent to draw huge cheers from the crowd on Margaret Court Arena, which had witnessed an epic comeback from Andy Murray only hours earlier. The former world number one was not happy to end his match at 4.05 am on Friday, describing the late finish as a "joke" and "disrespectful." "We'll always look at it, when we do the (tournament) debrief -- like we do every year. Two all-American matches are also scheduled for Saturday, meaning that a total of six American men can advance -- which would be the highest number to reach the last 16 at the Australian Open since 1995. Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Melbourne; Editing by Simon Cameron-MooreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ WTA roundup: Belinda Bencic, Danielle Collins cruise in Adelaide
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

January 9 - Belinda Bencic of Switzerland and Danielle Collins were among those to win their first-round matches at the Adelaide International on Monday in Australia. 8 seed, beat Garbine Muguruza of Spain 6-3, 6-4 in 79 minutes. Collins, the American 10th seed, handled Karolina Pliskova of Czech Republic in 76 minutes. Hobart InternationalFourth seed Sloane Stephens lost her first-round match to fellow American Lauren Davis 6-2, 6-2 in Hobart, Australia. 1 seed Marie Bouzkova of Czech Republic beat Jaqueline Cristian of Romania 7-6 (2), 6-3.

☆ Azarenka digs deep to beat Kalinina in Adelaide
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 3 (Reuters) - Former world number one Victoria Azarenka overcame a shaky start to beat Anhelina Kalinina 7-6(9) 7-6(5) in a gruelling match at the Adelaide International 1 on Tuesday and reach the second round of the WTA 500 tournament. Twice Australian Open champion Azarenka found herself in trouble trailing 5-1 but she summoned up her fighting spirit to save five set points before edging a tense tiebreaker. "When you talk about first matches that are never easy this one was definitely at the top of the list," Azarenka said. Former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko plays Czech Karolina Pliskova later on Tuesday. Top-seeded American Coco Gauff made short work of Tatjana Maria, beating the Wimbledon semi-finalist 6-4 6-1 to snap a five-match losing streak.

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