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☆ ITF announces record prize money for Billie Jean King Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Tennis - Billie Jean King Cup Finals - Emirates Arena, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - November 9, 2022 General view of the trophy during the group stage match between Italy's Jasmine Paolini and Switwerland's Belinda Bencic Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 6 (Reuters) - This year's Billie Jean King Cup champions will receive a record $2.4 million, with prize money for the finals of the women's team event again matching that of the men's Davis Cup. A total Player Prize Money purse of $9.6 million will be shared between the 12 competing nations in Seville, the International Tennis Federation said in a statement. "We are proud to announce this news on the eve of the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup ... Finals," ITF president David Haggerty said. "Achieving gender parity in our sport is a key part of the ITF's Advantage All programme and I am delighted we have been able to offer equivalent prize money with the Davis Cup Finals again this year." The qualifying nations are split into four groups of three teams with the group winners moving into the semi-finals.

Persons: Billie Jean King, Italy's Jasmine Paolini, Switwerland's Belinda Bencic, Ed Sykes, Davis, David Haggerty, Martyn Herman, Ken Ferris Organizations: Emirates, Billie Jean King Cup, International Tennis Federation, ITF, Davis, Estadio la, Thomson Locations: Glasgow, Scotland, Britain, Seville, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Group, Australia, Slovenia

☆ Cirstea beats Bencic to reach first Grand Slam quarters in 14 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Steve Keating | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Sep 3, 2023; Flushing, NY, USA; Sorana Cirstea of Romania serves against Belinda Bencic of Switzerland (not pictured) on day seven of the 2023 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Now Cirstea becomes the oldest woman to reach the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows for the first time. "Unfortunately in tennis, not all the work you've put in is always rewarded," said Cirstea. "So it's nice to work hard and also get the reward. "Sooner or later if you put in the hard work, it comes."

Persons: Sorana, Belinda Bencic, USTA Billie Jean King, Geoff Burke, Cirstea, you've, Elena Rybakina, Karolina Muchova, China's Wang Xinyu, We've, I'm, Steve Keating, Pritha Sarkar, Toby Davis Organizations: USTA Billie, USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, USA, U.S ., Flushing, Wimbledon, Indian Wells, Miami, Muchova, Thomson Locations: Flushing , NY, USA, Romania, Switzerland, Flushing Meadows, Romanian, Czech, Dubai, Montreal, Miami, New York

☆ 2023 US Open women’s draw: everything you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —With the final grand slam of the season nearly upon us, there are plenty of storylines for fans to get excited about. In the women’s singles draw, a player hasn’t won back-to-back titles since Serena Williams won it three times in a row between 2012 and 2014. ESPN will be broadcasting the grand slam in the US – the 15th consecutive year it has done so. Home favoritesThere will be plenty of competitors for the home fans to get behind in the women’s singles draw. Although reigning champion Świątek comes into the tournament with another French Open title under her belt and is ranked world No.

Persons: hasn’t, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Williams, Veronika Kudermetova, Paula Badosa, Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff –, Pegula, Gauff, Camila Giorgi, Jelena Ostapenko, Cameron Spencer, Caroline Wozniacki, Świątek, Emma Raducanu’s, Sabalenka, Belinda Bencic, Quinn Rooney, Aryna Sabalenka, Markéta Vondroušová, Elena Rybakina, Jabeur, Barbora Krejcikova, Daria Kasatkina, Zheng Qinwen Organizations: CNN, 143rd, ESPN, Sky Sports, Eurosport, US Tennis Association, Cincinnati Masters, Flushing, Belgian, Minnen, North, Washington D.C, & Southern, French, Wimbledon Locations: Flushing Meadows , New York, Europe, Flushing Meadows, North American, Montreal, Cincinnati

☆ Swiatek solves Pliskova test to reach third round in Montreal
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Aug 9, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Iga Swiatek (POL) hits a forehand against Karolina Pliskova (CZE) (not pictured) during second round play at IGA Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY SportsAug 9 (Reuters) - World number one Iga Swiatek overcame an early test before running away with a 7-6(6) 6-2 victory over Czech Karolina Pliskova in Montreal on Wednesday to reach the third round of the Canadian Open. "This first match was a challenge, it's always a challenge especially against a player like that," Swiatek said during her on-court interview. In the second set, Swiatek found a new gear and followed an early break with a hold to love to grab control and never looked back as her mix of power and control proved to much for Pliskova to overcome. While serving for the match, Swiatek handed a break to Pliskova with her first double fault of the set but the Pole immediately broke back in the next game to seal the win.

Persons: Iga Swiatek, Karolina Pliskova, Eric Bolte, Czech Karolina Pliskova, it's, Swiatek, Pliskova, Karolina Muchova, Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, Liudmila Samsonova, Belinda Bencic, Frank Pingue, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: IGA, Czech, Canadian, U.S, Alycia Parks, Thomson Locations: Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Pliskova, Czech, Toronto

☆ WTA roundup: Nao Hibino upsets Linda Noskova for Prague title
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Aug 7, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Venus Williams (USA) waves to the crowd after her loss against Madison Keys (USA) (not pictured) in first round play at IGA Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY SportsAugust 8 - Japan's Nao Hibino ended a four-year title drought Monday with a 6-4, 6-1 defeat of No. 4 seed and home favorite Linda Noskova at the Livesport Prague Open in the Czech Republic. After taking the opening set rather easily, Keys needed nine match points to put Williams away. "You have to find that balance between playing risky, aggressive, but not too risky, not too much, because then (Swiatek's) not going to give you many points," Pliskova said.

Persons: Venus Williams, Eric Bolte, Nao Hibino, Linda Noskova, Romania's Jaqueline Cristian, Hibino, Noskova, Keys, Williams, Karolina Pliskova, Lin Zhu of, Pliskova, Katie Boulter, Belinda Bencic, Cirstea, Victoria, Italy's Jamine Paolini, Marie Bouzkova, Sloane Stephens, Jennifer Brady Organizations: Madison Keys, IGA, Livesport, WTA, Hiroshima, Omnium Banque, Venus, Iga, Victoria Azarenka of, Thomson Locations: Montreal, Quebec, Canada, USA, Czech Republic, Tashkent, Omnium, Czech, Lin Zhu of China, Switzerland, Romanian, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus

☆ Gauff says she was ready to perform CPR on ill fan
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aug 2, 2023; Washington, D.C., USA; CoCo Gauff (USA) reacts after missing a shot against Hailey Baptiste (USA) (not pictured) on day five of the Mubadala Citi DC Open at Fitzgerald Tennis Stadium. "At first I was just making sure that it wasn't something cardiac," Gauff said immediately after her 6-1 6-2 victory. "I just took a CPR class, so if they needed me to jump in I was ready. The 19-year-old later told reporters that the course was something she had wanted to take after watching her dad perform CPR on a person who did not survive. World number four Jessica Pegula's sister Kelly performed CPR on their mother last year and Gauff said that was another reason she wanted to get certified.

Persons: CoCo Gauff, Hailey Baptiste, Geoff Burke, Coco Gauff, Belinda Bencic, Gauff, Jessica Pegula's, Kelly, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: D.C, Citi DC, Fitzgerald Tennis, USA, Washington, Wimbledon, Thomson Locations: Washington, USA, Bengaluru

☆ Top seed Swiatek toppled by Svitolina in Wimbledon quarter-finals
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Pritha Sarkar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, July 11 (Reuters) - Even the world's best players are not immune to crippling nerves as Iga Swiatek discovered when her Wimbledon dreams were turned to dust in a 7-5 6-7(5) 6-2 quarter-final defeat by Ukrainian wildcard Elina Svitolina on Tuesday. That sequence included breaking Swiatek's serve twice in succession, with the Polish top seed surrendering the first of those to love with a double fault. That interlude gave Swiatek a chance to re-evaluate her tactics and she came back to break Svitolina for a 2-1 lead in the second set. Swiatek earned two more break points in the ninth game but once those went begging neither player could break the deadlock and they headed into the tiebreak. There was no coming back for Swiatek from that gaping abyss and a forehand into the net handed Svitolina a remarkable win.

Persons: Swiatek, Elina Svitolina, Svitolina, Belinda Bencic, Pritha Sarkar, Ken Ferris Organizations: Wimbledon, Court, Thomson Locations: Polish

☆ Wimbledon curfew: what is it and what does it mean?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

18 Hubert Hurkacz at Wimbledon, play was stopped for the day. What is the curfew at Wimbledon? Already at this year’s Wimbledon, two matches haven fallen foul of the curfew. And after Murray had won the third set to take a 2-1 lead, the match was stopped approximately 20 minutes before the curfew. The other match to be suspended because of the curfew was Djokovic’s clash with Hurkacz on Sunday.

Persons: Novak Djokovic, Hubert Hurkacz, Andy Murray, Liam Broady’s, Casper Ruud, Alize, Elena Rybakina, Murray, Tsitsipas, Carlos Alcaraz, Glyn Kirk, Andrey Rublev, Alexander Bublik, Iga Świątek, Belinda Bencic, Djokovic, Hurkacz, Marcos Baghdatis, Merton, Stephen Alambritis, ”, ” Alambritis Organizations: CNN —, Wimbledon, Lawn Tennis, –, Australian, Croquet Club, Stefanos, Tsitsipas, Getty, Center Court, All England Club, Wimbledon Guardian Locations: Serbian, AFP

☆ Swiatek continues hunt for maiden grasscourt title in Svitolina clash
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Aadi Nair | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

I don't know, more experience, for sure, because Belinda is a really, really great player," top seed Swiatek, a former junior champion at Wimbledon, told reporters on Sunday. In Svitolina, Swiatek faces a former Wimbledon semi-finalist, who also secured a hard-fought victory on Sunday, beating Belarusian Victoria Azarenka 2-6 6-4 7-6(9). "I think she's that kind of player who is patient," Swiatek said of 28-year-old Ukrainian wild card Svitolina. DJOKOVICNovak Djokovic, attempting to win a fifth straight Wimbledon title, meets Russia's Andrey Rublev in the men's quarter-finals. He's looking for his first Grand Slam semi-final.

Persons: Elina Svitolina, Swiatek, Belinda Bencic, Belinda, I'm, She's, Jessica Pegula, DJOKOVIC Novak Djokovic, Russia's Andrey Rublev, Djokovic, that's, Aadi Nair, Ken Ferris Organizations: Wimbledon, Bad, Olympic, Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Wimbledon day eight
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 9, 2023 Serbia's Novak Djokovic and Poland's Hubert Hurkacz pack their equipment up as play is interrupted during their fourth round match REUTERS/Dylan MartinezJuly 10 (Reuters) - Highlights of the eighth day at the Wimbledon tennis championships on Monday (times GMT):1209 KEYS SEALS COMEBACK WIN OVER ANDREEVAAmerican 25th seed Madison Keys reached the quarter-finals with a 3-6 7-6(4) 6-2 victory over 16-year-old qualifier Mirra Andreeva of Russia. Keys will play in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon for the first time since 2015. READ MOREDark horse Berrettini prepared for 'great fight' with AlcarazOrder of play on MondaySwiatek survives scare to set up Svitolina clashDjokovic leads despite Hurkacz ace barrageTop seed Swiatek fights back from the brink to beat BencicPegula produces dazzling display to reach first Wimbledon quartersRublev flying high after learning to diveSvitolina comes out on top in blockbuster battle with AzarenkaAzarenka booed off court for failing to offer Svitolina obligatory handshakeSinner not saintly but reaches Wimbledon quarter-finalsRublev tames Bublik fightback to reach Wimbledon quartersRussian teenager Andreeva uses Nadal as role modelSafiullin knocks out Shapovalov to reach maiden major quarter-finals at Wimbledon1006 PLAY UNDERWAYPlay began under cloudy skies, with the temperature hovering around 21 degrees Celsius. Reporting by Hritika Sharma and Aadi Nair; editing by Clare FallonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Serbia's Novak Djokovic, Poland's Hubert Hurkacz, Dylan Martinez, Madison Keys, Mirra Andreeva, Keys, Berrettini, Swiatek, Bencic, Svitolina, Azarenka Azarenka, Andreeva, Nadal, Shapovalov, Hritika Sharma, Aadi Nair, Clare Fallon Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Wimbledon, Madison, Alcaraz, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Russia

☆ Swiatek fights back from the brink to beat Bencic
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 9 (Reuters) - World number one Iga Swiatek lived to fight another day after clawing her way back from a set down and saving two match points before beating Olympic champion Belinda Bencic 6-7(4) 7-6(2) 6-3 on Sunday to reach her first Wimbledon quarter-final. The 14th-seeded Swiss proved a frustrating obstacle for Swiatek, with the four-time Grand Slam champion struggling to master her opponent for the majority of what proved an intriguing tussle on Centre Court. As the evening gloom set in, Swiatek eventually got a handle on her opponent's game, moving clear in the final set before wrapping up victory after more than three hours of compelling twists and turns. Bencic had been stubborn in her resistance in the opening set, saving six break points before taking it on a tiebreak and then fighting back after falling behind in the second. Four-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek saved two match points at 5-6 in the second set and then levelled the contest in another tiebreak.

Persons: Iga Swiatek, Belinda Bencic, Swiatek, Bencic, Victoria Azarenka, Elina Svitolina, Toby Davis, Ken Ferris Organizations: Olympic, Wimbledon, Court, All England Club, Thomson Locations: Swiss

☆ Wimbledon day seven
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

1925 SWIATEK SURVIVES AGAINST BENCICPoland's top seed Iga Swiatek rallied from a set down and saved two match points to beat Swiss 14th seed Belinda Bencic 6-7(4) 7-6(2) 6-3 and reach her first Wimbledon quarter-finals. 1245 TEENAGER ANDREEVA BEATS POTAPOVARussian qualifier Mirra Andreeva beat 22nd-seeded compatriot Anastasia Potapova 6-2 7-5 to enter the fourth round, where she will face American Madison Keys. The 16-year-old Andreeva is making her first-ever appearance in the Wimbledon main draw. 1225 VONDROUSOVA MOVES INTO QUARTER-FINALSVondrousova moved into the quarter-finals after beating fellow Czech and 32nd seed Marie Bouzkova 2-6 6-4 6-3. Ukrainian wildcard Elina Svitolina will face Belarusian two-time major winner Victoria Azarenka in the fourth round.

Persons: Elina Svitolina, Victoria, SWIATEK, BENCIC, Iga Swiatek, Belinda Bencic, Bencic, Andreeva, Nadal, Shapovalov, Dimitrov, Tsitsipas, Ukraine's, Boulter, Andreescu Alcaraz, Jarry, Fokina, Rune, Jannik Sinner, Colombia's Daniel Elahi Galan, Andrey Rublev, Alexander Bublik, Rublev, SAFIULLIN, Safiullin, Denis Shapovalov, Jessica Pegula, Marketa Vondrousova, DIMITROV, Frances Tiafoe, Grigor Dimitrov, ANDREEVA, Mirra Andreeva, Anastasia Potapova, Vondrousova, Marie Bouzkova, Novak Djokovic, Iga, Pearl Josephine Nazare, Aadi Nair, Rohith Nair, Janina Nuno Rios, Clare Fallon Organizations: Wimbledon, AZARENKA Ukrainian, Victoria Azarenka of, Swiss, Wimbledon Vondrousova, Bouzkova, Belarusian Azarenka, Medvedev, Kazakh, Court, Madison Keys, Czech, Victoria Azarenka, Christian, Thomson Locations: Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, Russian, Bulgarian, Belarusian

☆ Swiatek survives scare to set up Svitolina clash
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Pritha Sarkar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Poland's Swiatek looked in big trouble against Switzerland's Olympic champion Belinda Bencic and saved two match points in the second set before clawing out a 6-7(4) 7-6(2) 6-3 victory. As the evening gloom set in, Swiatek eventually got a handle on her opponent's game, moving clear in the final set before wrapping up victory after more than three hours. Bencic will look back at the two match points she had at 5-6 in the second set, the first saved with a powerful Swiatek forehand and the second with a backhand winner. "I don't know if I even came back from match point down in my career," Swiatek said in her on court interview. "I thought it was a great tennis match.

Persons: Iga Swiatek, Switzerland's Belinda Bencic, Dylan Martinez, Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, Poland's Swiatek, Belinda Bencic, Andrey Rublev, Alexander Bublik, Novak Djokovic, Hubert Hurkacz, Roger Federer's, Sinner, Colombia's Daniel Galan, Swiatek, Svitolina, Azarenka, Jessica Pegula, Pegula, Marie Bouzkova, Rublev, Russian Roman, Denis Shapovalov, Martyn Herman, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Switzerland's Belinda Bencic REUTERS, Dylan Martinez LONDON, Wimbledon, Switzerland's Olympic, Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, Roger Federer's Wimbledon, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, tennis, Belarus, Russia, Belarusian, American, French, Russian

Wildcard Svitolina will be looking to get the better of Azarenka for the first time, having lost to the former Grand Slam champion in their last five meetings. Yeah, I'm looking forward to this challenge," Svitolina said after she dispatched Sofia Kenin in the third round. "It's another match but in a way, a lot of Ukrainians will be watching, will be supporting me. While Svitolina took a year off for the birth of her daughter Skai with husband and fellow tennis player Gael Monfils, her return to the Tour in March was seamless. Azarenka, however, said she was happy for Svitolina after she had a baby and returned to the court.

Persons: Elina Svitolina's, Aryna Sabalenka, Azarenka, Svitolina, Sofia Kenin, Skai, Gael Monfils, Russia's Andrey Rublev, Alexander Bublik, Iga, Belinda Bencic, Novak, Hubert Hurkacz ., Djokovic, He's, Rohith Nair, Clare Fallon Organizations: Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, Wimbledon, neutrals, Olympic, Thomson Locations: Ukrainian, Sunday's, Ukraine, Moscow, Belarus, Sabalenka, Belarusian, Kazakhstan, Bengaluru

☆ Swiatek remains on course after beating Martic
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Service breaks were traded early in the first set before Swiatek reeled off four games in a row. The 30th seed Martic kept in touch with Swiatek early in the second set but again the world number one managed to find some extra gears to move towards victory. Martic had managed to win just seven games in two previous meetings with Swiatek but doubled that total after she saved a match point at 3-5 before breaking the Swiatek serve to love. "I'm happy I could close it out at the end of the second set," the 22-year-old Swiatek, who has been world number one for 67 successive weeks, said on court. "Belinda is playing a great game and it's never going to be easy in the fourth round of a slam."

Persons: Iga, Croatia's Petra Martic, Andrew Couldridge, Iga Swiatek, Belinda Bencic, Swiatek, Martic, Belinda, it's, Martyn Herman, Ken Ferris Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Croatia's Petra Martic REUTERS, Wimbledon, Service, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Swiss

☆ Bencic to skip Madrid, Rome events due to hip issue
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 20 (Reuters) - Olympic champion Belinda Bencic will skip upcoming claycourt tournaments in Madrid and Rome due to "discomfort" in her hip but said she hopes to be fully fit for the French Open. Bencic said she was hampered by the issue during the WTA Tour's U.S. swing, which included her run to the Charleston Open final where she lost to Ons Jabeur in straight sets. Bencic won the Adelaide International 2 title in January and Abu Dhabi Open the following month. The French Open, the second Grand Slam of the year, will be held from May 28 to June 11, where Iga Swiatek will be the women's singles defending champion. Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter RutherfordOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Jabeur targets Grand Slam success after Charleston crown
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"I'm glad that I'm finding my rhythm and I hope my body will allow me to play," Jabeur told Tennis Channel, looking ahead to the European claycourt swing. I'm working on a lot of things and it's going my way, so for me: step by step, and I'm going for the Grand Slam this year." "If you want to do something, believe in it and only you can really manifest it," Jabeur added. "I was imagining myself in the photoshoot after, putting the image that I won that title already, and it happened. "I'll manifest the big trophy sets, the Wimbledon one and other Grand Slams that I want to win."

☆ Alcaraz signs up for relaunched Hopman Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Feb 28 (Reuters) - World number two Carlos Alcaraz will headline the Hopman Cup as the relaunched mixed-gender team event returns to the tennis calendar after a four-year absence in June. The 19-year-old Alcaraz will be part of the Spain team, one of three confirmed by the International Tennis Federation on Tuesday, alongside Paula Badosa. "Alongside the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup, the Hopman Cup is another ITF event that gives players the opportunity to represent their countries, and compete for something bigger than themselves," ITF President David Haggerty said at a news conference. The last edition of the competition, which began in 1989 and was named after Australian great Harry Hopman, saw Roger Federer lead Switzerland to the title against Germany. The Hopman Cup has a rival in the United Cup mixed-gender team event, featuring 18 nations playing matches across three Australian cities, taking place before this year's Australian Open.

☆ WTA roundup: Top seeds roll in Dubai
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

February 22 - The top two seeds in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships lost a combined three games while cruising to second-round wins on Tuesday in the United Arab Emirates. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland, the reigning French Open and U.S. Open champion, routed Canada's Leylah Fernandez 6-1, 6-1, and No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, the reigning Australian Open champion, demolished the United States' Lauren Davis 6-0, 6-1. Third-seeded Jessica Pegula of the United States, who lost to Swiatek in the Doha final, got past Bulgaria's Viktoriya Tomova 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 in the second round at Dubai. Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion, had lost her first-round matches at Auckland, New Zealand; Hobart, Australia; and the Australian Open to begin the year.

☆ Sabalenka powers past Bencic into last eight
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Jan 23, 2023; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Aryna Sabalenka (R) from Belarus during her round four match against Belinda Bencic from Switzerland on day eight of the 2023 Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park. Sabalenka looks to have as good a chance as anyone of claiming a first Grand Slam title if she can conquer the demons that sometimes take hold when her power game is not working as well as she would like. "I'm super happy with the win today, she's an unbelievable player and she played so good," she said. "I'm super happy with the level today." "Just super happy with the mindset today.

☆ Biomechanics trainer helped improve my 'disaster' serve, says Sabalenka
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MELBOURNE, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Aryna Sabalenka credited her biomechanics trainer in helping her improve her powerful but erratic serve after she moved into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open for the first time on Monday. Even when my serve was a disaster, I worked a lot on my serve. I kept trying, kept believing, kept changing. Before I wouldn't be really open for that. "Actually, even when my serve was working, it wasn't really right...

☆ Rublev rolls on, Pliskova through to last 16 at Australian Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 21, 2023 Britain's Dan Evans reacts during his third round match against Russia's Andrey Rublev REUTERS/Hannah MckayMELBOURNE, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Fifth seed Andrey Rublev avoided a third round banana skin in the form of Briton Dan Evans at the Australian Open on Saturday after former world number one Karolina Pliskova sailed into the last 16 of the women's tournament. Red-headed Russian Rublev has found Evans a handful in the past but swept aside the 25th seed 6-4 6-2 6-3 with 60 winners on a glorious afternoon at Melbourne Park. A quarter-finalist two years ago, Rublev had unleashed on the chair umpire in his previous match after being warned for an audible obscenity. Unseeded Croatian Donna Vekic joined Bencic in the last 16 with a 6-2 6-2 win over Spain's Nuria Parrizas Diaz. After a lengthy medical time-out, the 19-year-old returned to complete an impressive 6-4 6-2 7-6(5) win over the Frenchman.

☆ Hamstrung Djokovic, exhausted Murray look to soldier on at Australian Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Rohith Nair | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The injury has clearly taken its toll on the 35-year-old Serbian, who dropped a set in the second round. "My situation with my injury is not ideal," said Djokovic, who took a medical timeout during his four-set win over French qualifier Enzo Couacaud. So I'm going to keep going. I'm going to try to play and compete with, of course, a great player Dimitrov." But one player who has defied belief in advancing to the third round is three-times Grand Slam champion Andy Murray.

☆ Swiatek the favourite as Melbourne Park set for new champion
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MELBOURNE, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Iga Swiatek is the strong favourite to land her fourth Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, but the picture is considerably less clear if the world number one fails to live up to her top seeding. DIFFERENT PROPOSITIONSwiatek was thrashed 6-4 6-1 by Danielle Collins at Melbourne Park last year in her first hardcourt Grand Slam semi-final, and the American looms this year in the last 16 if the seedings hold. Charismatic American teenager Coco Gauff would be a popular champion, not least in the Australian Open marketing department. Last year's French Open finalist is in form, having opened the season with the title at the Auckland Open. Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina's big serve gives her a chance of a second Grand Slam title, while world number four Caroline Garcia is enjoying a late-career renaissance and won the WTA Finals on hardcourt last year.

☆ 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.

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