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☆ It's all popping off: Umpire warns fans not to uncork champagne during serve
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 9 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of champagne bottles are opened during the Wimbledon Championships every year but on Sunday one chair umpire politely asked patrons to keep them corked, at least until the players on court had served. "Ladies and gentlemen, please, if you are opening a bottle of champagne, don't do it as the players are about to serve," Australian umpire John Blom said on the microphone for all to hear. Potapova, who was about to serve, stopped to listen to the announcement before nodding her head in approval with a smile, amid scattered applause. loadingIn 2019, a similar announcement was made by an umpire when a champagne cork flew on to the court during a match between Benoit Paire and Jiri Vesely. The All England Club's conditions of entry to the grounds state: "All corked bottles, including bottles of champagne and sparkling wine, must be opened prior to being taken into the stands of any court."

Persons: Anastasia Potapova, uncorking, John Blom, Potapova, Benoit Paire, Jiri Vesely, Rohith Nair, Clare Fallon Organizations: Wimbledon, Thomson Locations: Andreeva, England, Bengaluru

☆ Underarm serve backfires on Davidovich Fokina as Rune prevails in five-set epic
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Rune celebrated and Davidovich Fokina gestured towards his box. Rune, who saved two match points in the final set, won the next point when his opponent found the net on match point. Actually it was nice, because he was serving unbelievable," sixth seed Rune said of the underarm serve. Davidovich Fokina had looked solid on serve throughout so his decision was all the more baffling. Both players revelled in the atmosphere with Davidovich Fokina joining the fans in a Mexican wave from his seat when rain briefly stopped play.

Persons: Holger Rune, Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Dylan Martinez, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Fokina, Davidovich Fokina, Rune, Dane, I've, Jiri Vesely, Rune's, Rohith Nair, Clare Fallon Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Dylan Martinez LONDON, Wimbledon, whacking, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Bengaluru

☆ Alcaraz sails into Queen's Club quarters, Fritz knocked out
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) - Top seed Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the quarter-finals of the Queen's Club Championships after he beat Jiri Lehecka 6-2 6-3 on Thursday but third seed Taylor Fritz was knocked out by Adrian Mannarino. I'm feeling really comfortable here on grass, getting experience and hours on grass," world number two Alcaraz said. Alcaraz carried that momentum into the second set as Lehecka struggled to read his low groundstrokes while the Spaniard also saved three break points to go 4-1 up. It was a second victory over a top-10 player for Mannarino in as many weeks having beaten Daniil Medvedev in 's-Hertogenbosch. Mannarino will face Australia's Alex de Minaur who swept Diego Schwartzman aside with an emphatic 6-2 6-2 victory, breaking the Argentine six times and wrapping up the contest in just 65 minutes.

Persons: Carlos Alcaraz, Jiri Lehecka, Taylor Fritz, Adrian Mannarino, Alcaraz, I'm, Lehecka, Daniil Medvedev, Alex de Minaur, Diego Schwartzman, Rohith Nair, Toby Davis Organizations: Queen's, Wimbledon, Frenchman, Argentine, Thomson Locations: Czech, American, Bengaluru

☆ Alcaraz made to sweat on Queen's Club debut
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/4] Tennis - ATP 500 - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 20, 2023 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action during his round of 32 match against France's Arthur Rinderknech Action Images via Reuters/Peter CziborraLONDON, June 20 (Reuters) - Carlos Alcaraz secured a hard-fought 4-6 7-5 7-6(3) win over Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech on his Queen's Club debut on Tuesday, bouncing back from a disappointing French Open. The Spaniard, who will be one of the main contenders at the Queen's grasscourt tournament and Wimbledon next month, survived a wobble in the third set and then won the tiebreak. "It was a very tough match, very difficult for me," Alcaraz said. It's a tournament that I wanted to play and it's given me a very good performance. "I have never played a tournament except Wimbledon on grass and I wanted to play here as I couldn't play on grass at home so I came here to practice.

Persons: Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, France's Arthur Rinderknech, Peter Cziborra LONDON, Carlos Alcaraz, Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech, Arthur Fils, Alcaraz, It's, Novak, Roland Garros, Czech Jiri Lehecka, Angelica Medina, Ken Ferris Organizations: Queen's, Wimbledon, Rinderknech, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Czech, Mexico City

☆ ATP roundup: Jannik Sinner reaches quarters in Netherlands
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 1, 2023 Italy's Jannik Sinner in action during his second round match against Germany's Daniel Altmaier REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File PhotoJune 14 - No. 2 seed Jannik Sinner defeated Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan 6-4, 6-2 on Wednesday to advance to the quarterfinals at the Libema Open in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. 3 seed, lost to American Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 6-4, and Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland, defeated No. Sonego's fellow Italian, sixth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti, had no trouble against Gregoire Barrere of France in a 6-3, 6-3 win. 3 seed Frances Tiafoe, who saved all three break points in a 7-6 (2), 6-4 defeat of Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic.

Persons: Roland Garros, Germany's Daniel Altmaier, Lisi Niesner, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Bublik, Borna Coric, Mackenzie McDonald, Emil Ruusuvuori, Ugo Humbert of France, Rinky, Marc, Andrea Huesler, Hubert Hurkacz of, Japan's Yosuke, Hurkacz, he'll, Christopher O'Connell of Australia, Lorenzo Sonego, Sonego's, Lorenzo Musetti, Gregoire Barrere of, Musetti, Frances Tiafoe, Jiri Lehecka Organizations: Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland, Hubert Hurkacz of Poland, Stuttgart, Germany, Watanuki, Gregoire Barrere of France, Czech Republic

☆ Fifth seed Tsitsipas powers past Carballes Baena into third round
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Karolos Grohmann | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, May 31 (Reuters) - World number five Stefanos Tsitsipas found little resistance as he disposed of claycourt specialist Roberto Carballes Baena in straight sets 6-3 7-6(4) 6-2 on Wednesday to advance to the French Open third round. The fifth seed, who is chasing his first ever Grand Slam, had struggled somewhat in his tournament opener against Jiri Vesely but was in complete control against the 30-year-old Spaniard, cruising to an easy win. He quickly grabbed the initiative, breaking his opponent early, while holding his own serve, to bag the first set. The pair then traded two breaks each in a rollercoaster second set with Carballes Baena trying to lock Tsitsipas in long baseline rallies. Reporting by Karolos Grohmann Editing by Christian RadnedgeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Tsitsipas, Roberto Carballes Baena, Jiri Vesely, Carballes Baena, Karolos, Christian Radnedge Organizations: PARIS, French, Thomson

☆ 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

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.

☆ Tsitsipas banks on wine, baguettes, Alcaraz-style smiles for Paris success
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Karolos Grohmann | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, May 28 (Reuters) - World number five Stefanos Tsitsipas will be downing red wine, munching on baguettes and smiling a lot in Paris, hoping this will lead to success at the French Open, he said on Sunday. Alcaraz, at 20, is four years younger than Tsitsipas, but the Greek said it was the Spaniard's constant smiles and charisma that he found impressive. "Red wine and baguettes," Tsitsipas, a Paris finalist in 2021, said when asked about his plan to go deep in the tournament. "Plenty of red wine and baguettes would help to do well in Paris." Alcaraz took the tennis world by storm as a teenager in 2022, winning the U.S. Open title along with claiming the number one spot.

Belarus is being used as a key staging ground for Russia's war in Ukraine, which Moscow terms a "special operation". When asked if she was ready to be number one, she smiled and said: "Yes, I think so. Unlike the other three, Tsitsipas has yet to win a Grand Slam and he begins his campaign against Czech Republic's Jiri Vesely. "It's all about getting into the mindset of the Roland Garros final that I had here (in 2021)," he said. I just need to get a few good first matches to keep believing that I actually can do something this year."

☆ Fábián Marozsán: World No. 135 provides 'shock of the season' by upsetting Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets at Rome Masters
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

135 Fábián Marozsán provided what the ATP Tour called the “shock of the season” by upsetting Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets at the Rome Masters on Monday. “I’m very happy, I couldn’t imagine this one,” Marozsán said after his remarkable victory. Marozsán and Alcaraz embrace after their match. The crowd, the weather, the court, so I’m just very happy I’m doing my job. Alcaraz is one of the favorites to win the French Open which begins later this month after an excellent season so far.

☆ Chris Wheeldon’s ‘Dangerous and Exciting’ Adventure at City Ballet
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Roslyn Sulcas | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“There is an ambiguity about non-narrative work that feels both dangerous and exciting,” he said, “especially working the way I do — going into a room with the music and allowing whatever lies beneath to emerge. Nonetheless, Wheeldon said, he had been ambivalent about using the music. “I’ve been a bit frightened of it,” he said. “In parts it’s torturously beautiful and intensely romantic, with an underlying uneasiness to the romance. Even though it has five movements, there is no definition between them, so it feels like a long poem, and structurally that’s hard.”

☆ Wall St surges as inflation, labor data raise Fed pause hopes
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Stephen Culp | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Data released before the bell showed a steeper-than-expected cooldown in producer prices and new claims for jobless benefits coming in above consensus. Both signal that the Fed's hawkish barrage of rate hikes, which began over a year ago, is working as intended. Analysts expect aggregate first-quarter S&P 500 earnings to come in 5.2% below the year-ago quarter, a stark reversal from the 1.4% year-on-year growth seen at the beginning of the quarter, according to Refinitiv. Among the 11 major sectors of the S&P 500, communication services (.SPLRCL) was up the most, while industrials (.SPLRCI) and materials (.SPLRCM), outperformers in recent sessions, suffered the steepest percentage declines. The S&P 500 posted eight new 52-week highs and one new low; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 58 new highs and 121 new lows.

☆ Kvitova upsets Rybakina to win first Miami Open title
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Apr 1, 2023; Miami, Florida, US; Petra Kvitova (CZE) reacts after winning a first set tiebreaker against Elena Rybakina (KAZ) (not pictured) in the women's singles final on day thirteen of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY SportsApril 1 (Reuters) - Petra Kvitova turned back the clock to upset Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina 7-6(14) 6-2 on Saturday to win her first Miami Open crown and ninth WTA 1000 title. The veteran Czech player, seeded 15th, ended an epic, 22-minute first set tiebreak by converting her fifth set point when 10th-seeded Rybakina's forehand landed in the net. The 33-year-old Kvitova, who won Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014 and who had recently contemplated retirement, put her hands on her head in astonishment when Rybakina's forehand sailed long to seal the win. Kvitova, who fended off five set points in the see-saw tiebreak, said capturing it was the key to the match.

☆ Murray bullish about joining 800-win club despite physical limitation
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

But the Scot said that he still had a lot to achieve despite playing with a partly metal hip. But I have ambitions of winning tournaments and having deep runs in majors, winning a certain number of matches in my career," Murray said. "I'd like to try to get to 800 match wins, which I think I'm like 75 (77) away from. Part of it is seeing how far I can go with the physical limitation I have." "So now that I know that I'm able to, I want to see how far that can go, because it's a challenge and something I'm proud of the results that I'm having with a large physical limitation."

☆ Medvedev downs Murray to claim Doha title
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 25 (Reuters) - Daniil Medvedev maintained his winning roll to beat Andy Murray in the Qatar Open final and claim his second title in successive weeks on Saturday. Veteran Murray, bidding for his 47th career title but first since 2019, pushed the Russian hard but succumbed 6-4 6-4 in a battle of former world number ones. Medvedev also triumphed in Rotterdam last week and now has 18 Tour-level titles in his locker. The British three-times Grand Slam champion had the momentum at 4-4 40-0 but Medvedev suddenly rediscovered his brick wall-like resilience to reel off five successive points, sealing a crucial service break as Murray over-cooked a volley. "It was a very tough match because it was windy and we struggled for rhythm," world number eight Medvedev said on court.

☆ Murray saves five match points to reach Doha final
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Murray beat his Czech opponent 6-0 3-6 7-6(6), fighting back from 5-3 down in the decider. "If I kept working hard and kept improving just a little bit, then those matches would change. You know how you need to try and play and it becomes a little bit of a habit," Murray said. "Maybe it's a little bit in the back of the opponent's mind, as well. Wild card Murray will face either Canada's second-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime or Russian third seed Daniil Medvedev in the final.

☆ ATP roundup: Jiri Lehecka upsets Doha top seed Andrey Rublev
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

1 seed Andrey Rublev 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open on Thursday in Doha. Lehecka will face Great Britain's Andy Murray in the semifinals after Murray rallied past French qualifier Alexandre Muller 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. 7 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-4, 7-6 (5) on Thursday while Medvedev battled past Christopher O'Connell of Australia 6-2, 4-6, 7-5. 1 seed Hubert Hurkacz of Poland dropped his first set before rallying past Switzerland's Leandro Riedi 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in second-round action at Marseille, France. Third seed Alex de Minaur of Australia beat Swiss qualifier Alexander Ritschard 6-3, 6-3, while fourth seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria was a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Dutch qualifier Gijs Brouwer.

☆ ATP roundup: Andrey Rublev escapes for win in Doha
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

February 23 - Top-seeded Andrey Rublev of Russia staved off three match points while rallying for a 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (6) win over the Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor in the second round of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open on Wednesday in Doha. Rublev knocked off three match points and broke serve. In the decisive tiebreaker, Rublev needed three match points of his own to advance to the quarterfinals. Third-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev topped British qualifier Liam Broady 6-4, 6-3. In the tournament's final two first-round matches, French wild-card entrant Arthur Fils topped Russia's Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-3, and Sweden's Mikael Ymer handled Moldova's Radu Albot 6-3, 7-6 (5).

☆ ATP roundup: Daniel Evans falls in Doha
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

February 22 - Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori took down sixth seed Daniel Evans of Great Britain 7-5, 6-4 in their first-round match at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open on Tuesday in Doha. Ruusuvuori fired seven aces and won 29 of 38 first-service points (76.3 percent), holding on for the victory even as Evans saved six of 10 break points and converted both his opportunities to break Ruusuvuori. 7 seed Richard Gasquet of France battled past countryman Laurent Lokoli 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-6 (5). 556 Alves, who had five aces and saved five of nine break points in his tour-level debut before the suspension. Daniel Elahi Galan of Colombia and Juan Pablo Varillas of Peru were also winners Tuesday before the rain arrived.

[1/2] A Ukrainian serviceman rides inside a truck with artillery shells, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near a frontline in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine January 5, 2023. EU foreign ministers are expected to discuss the idea of joint procurement of 155-millimetre artillery shells – badly needed by Kyiv – at a meeting in Brussels on Monday. DEPLETED STOCKPILESA joint procurement effort would aim to replenish the stockpiles of Kyiv's allies, badly depleted after a year of supplying munitions to help Ukraine fight Russia's invasion. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said this week Ukraine was using up artillery shells faster than its allies could currently produce them. Diplomats and officials did not put a figure on how much the EU might spend on joint procurement.

[1/2] A Ukrainian serviceman rides inside a truck with artillery shells, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near a frontline in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine January 5, 2023. EU foreign ministers are expected to discuss the idea of joint procurement of 155-millimetre artillery shells – badly needed by Kyiv – at a meeting in Brussels on Monday. DEPLETED STOCKPILESA joint procurement effort would aim to replenish the stockpiles of Kyiv's allies, badly depleted after a year of supplying munitions to help Ukraine fight Russia's invasion. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said this week Ukraine was using up artillery shells faster than its allies could currently produce them. Diplomats and officials did not specify how much the EU might spend on joint procurement.

[1/9] Czech presidential candidate Petr Pavel and his wife Eva Pavlova react at his headquarters, after results are announced for the country's presidential election, in Prague, Czech Republic January 28, 2023. Pavel, a 61-year-old retired general running for office for the first time, won 58.3% of the vote with all voting districts reporting final results, defeating billionaire ex-premier Andrej Babis, a dominant but polarising force in Czech politics for a decade. Pavel has also fully backed continued support for Ukraine in its defence against Russia's invasion. Babis, 68, a combative business magnate who heads the biggest opposition party in parliament, had attacked Pavel as the government's candidate. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy congratulated Pavel on his election on Twitter and said he looked forward to close cooperation.

☆ Djokovic targets 10th Australian Open final, Paul looks to flip the script
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Fourth seed Djokovic, seeking a record-extending 10th Australian Open title, has been in dominant form in his return to the country, a year after being deported on the eve of last year's tournament for not being vaccinated against COVID-19. "I feel good on court, better and better as the tournament progresses," Djokovic said. "I've been in this situation so many times in my life, in my career, I've never lost a semi-final at the Australian Open. "It's important to me," said Paul, the first American man to reach the Australian Open semis since Andy Roddick in 2009. CROWD FAVOURITEStefanos Tsitsipas will make his fourth appearance in the semi-finals at the Australian Open when he takes on revitalised Russian Karen Khachanov.

☆ Korda retires to send Khachanov into Australian Open semis, Rybakina through
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 24, 2023 Russia's Karen Khachanov in action during his quarter final match against Sebastian Korda of the U.S. REUTERS/Jaimi JoyMELBOURNE, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Karen Khachanov reached the Australian Open semi-finals for the first time on Tuesday after Sebastian Korda retired injured while trailing 7-6(5) 6-3 3-0, dashing the American's hopes of emulating his father Petr's 1998 Melbourne Park triumph. Khachanov had also reached the last four of the 2022 U.S. Open and said it felt great to be back in a Grand Slam semi-final. "I'm super happy to be in the semi-finals for the first time," said Rybakina. "Of course, I was nervous, particularly in the last game, but I'm happy I managed my emotions. Rybakina will take on third seed Jessica Pegula or twice Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka next.

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