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☆ Sabalenka, Swiatek lead first set of qualifiers for WTA Finals
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 23 (Reuters) - World number one Aryna Sabalenka will make her third consecutive appearance at the WTA Finals in Cancun, Mexico, as the governing body of women's tennis announced its first set of qualifiers for the season finale. Australian Open champion Sabalenka will be joined by four-times Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek, whom she leapfrogged to claim the top ranking for the first time after the U.S. Open earlier this month, the WTA announced on Friday. She will look to improve on her runner-up finish at last year's WTA Finals in Fort Worth. U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff booked her place in both the singles and doubles competitions. The WTA Finals run from Oct. 29 to Nov. 5.

Persons: Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, USTA Billie Jean King, Robert Deutsch, Iga Swiatek, leapfrogged, Jessica Pegula, Elena Rybakina, Shrivathsa Sridhar, William Mallard Organizations: USTA Billie, USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center, WTA, U.S, Wimbledon, Thomson Locations: Flushing , NY, USA, United States, Cancun , Mexico, Mexico, Guadalajara, Flushing Meadows, Fort Worth . U.S, Kazakhstan, Bengaluru

☆ 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

☆ WTA must keep Peng case in public eye on China return, says human rights advocate
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Peng then briefly disappeared from public view and the former doubles number one later denied making the accusation, sparking an international outcry over her safety. In meetings with Chinese officials and in public appearances, they should talk about Peng's case. And as for the WTA, it should keep pressing the case robustly and publicly." Reuters has contacted the WTA and Chinese Tennis Association for an update on efforts to speak to Peng since the tour's decision to return to China. This year, it will hold tournaments in Guangzhou (Sept. 18-23) and Ningbo (Sept. 25-30) before the season's final WTA 1000 event in Beijing (Sept. 30-Oct. 8).

Persons: China’s Peng Shuai, Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard, Edgar Su, Peng Shuai, Peng, isn't, Yaqiu Wang, Frenchwoman Alize Cornet, Le Parisien, Cornet, Shrivathsa Sridhar Organizations: Melbourne, REUTERS, Rights, WTA, Reuters, Freedom House, Chinese Tennis Association, Thomson Locations: Melbourne, Australia, China, Guangzhou, Asia, Ningbo, Beijing, Zhengzhou, Hong Kong, Nanchang, Zhuhai, Le, Bengaluru

☆ WTA Finals to be held in Cancun
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Tennis - WTA Tour Finals - Panamerican Tennis Center, Guadalajara, Mexico - November 17, 2021 The WTA Finals Martina Navratilova Trophy is seen after Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova won their final doubles match against Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei and Belgium's Elise Mertens Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreSept 7 (Reuters) - The 2023 edition of the WTA Finals will be held in Cancun, Mexico from Oct. 29-Nov. 5 under a one-year agreement, the women's tennis body announced on Thursday, ending speculation that this year's event could be held in Saudi Arabia. "This edition of the WTA Finals will provide a fantastic experience for players and fans alike, offer a fitting finale for the 2023 WTA Tour, and enable us to continue building a strong future for women's tennis," said Steve Simon, WTA Chairman and CEO. After the men's ATP Tour announced last month that the Next Gen Finals would be held in Jeddah from 2023 to 2027, social media had been awash with rumours that the WTA Finals could also be headed to Saudi Arabia. The WTA Finals will end two days before the beginning of the Billie Jean King Cup finals in Seville. "The WTA weighed a number of competitive bids through a thorough process, in close consultation with the WTA Players’ Council," the WTA said on Thursday.

Persons: Martina Navratilova, Krejcikova, Katerina Siniakova, Taiwan's Hsieh Su, Belgium's Elise Mertens, Steve Simon, Simon, Chris Evert, Peng Shuai, Billie Jean King, Iga Swiatek, Aadi Nair, Toby Davis Organizations: Tennis Center, WTA, ATP, ESPN, Billie Jean King Cup, WTA Players ’, Thomson Locations: Guadalajara, Mexico, Czech, Cancun, Saudi Arabia, Jeddah, Saudi, Tunisian, Shenzhen, China, Fort Worth , United States, Los Angeles, Madrid, Doha, Istanbul, Singapore, Seville, Bengaluru

☆ Coco Gauff: Path to US Open glory opens up for American as top women's seeds fall in New York
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

6 seed Coco Gauff. Up next for Gauff in the quarterfinals is the resurgent Jelena Ostapenko, who utterly dismantled defending champion and world No. “She’s playing really great tennis. “It’s like she’s got nothing to lose, so she’s playing at her best. She played great tennis against Ons – I haven’t watched her previous matches, but, yeah, she’s playing great tennis right now.

Persons: Świątek, Jessica Pegula, Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Jelena Ostapenko, ” Gauff, Ostapenko, Caroline Wozniacki, “, Brad Gilbert’s, ”, Ostapenko –, Świątek –, Timothy A, Clary, she’ll, Roland Garros, Gauff, I’ve, Wozniacki, Aryna, Kena Betancur, Zheng Qinwen, Jabeur, Zheng, Daria Kasatkina, “ She’s, she’s Organizations: CNN, Gauff, WTA, Getty, US, “, Monday’s Locations: New York, AFP, Rothesay, Cincinnati

☆ Swiatek tames feisty Saville to reach U.S. Open third round
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Steve Keating | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

After a 6-0 6-1 rout of Sweden's Rebecca Peterson in her opening match, Swiatek did not look as at ease as she was made to work for a 6-3 6-4 win over the 322nd-ranked Australian spark plug. Saville, who has only once before beaten a world number one, seven years ago against Angelique Kerber, got the match off to the best possible start breaking Swiatek at the first opportunity. They traded breaks a second time before Swiatek would get her third of the set and hold serve for a 1-0 lead. For Swiatek the win was another step towards defending her U.S. Open crown and keeping the number one world ranking. In order to remain in top spot Swiatek must go one round further than the Belarusian in Flushing Meadows.

Persons: Iga, Australia's Daria Saville, Mike Segar, Iga Swiatek, Daria Saville, Sweden's Rebecca Peterson, Swiatek, Kaja Juvan, I'm, It's, Saville, Angelique Kerber, Louis Armstrong, Sabalenka, Steve Keating, Toby Davis Organizations: Tennis, U.S, 322nd, WTA Tour, Thomson Locations: Flushing Meadows , New York, United States, Belarusian, Flushing Meadows, New York

☆ 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

☆ Ash Barty: Former world No. 1 and husband announce birth of son
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

1 and three-time grand slam champion Ashleigh Barty has welcomed her first child with her husband, Garry Kissick. The pair announced the arrival of their son, Hayden, in a joint Instagram post Tuesday captioned “Our beautiful boy.”“Welcome to the world, Hayden!” they wrote. Last year, Barty stunned the tennis world by announcing she was retiring from the sport at age 25 while she was the world No. I’ve said it to my team multiple times, it’s just I don’t have that in me anymore,” said Barty in March 2022 when she retired. In 2020, Barty won the women’s championship at the Brookwater Golf Club near Brisbane and 15-time major winner Tiger Woods once reportedly described her as having a “great swing.”

Persons: Ashleigh Barty, Garry Kissick, Hayden, ”, Barty, I’ve, it’s, “, Tiger Woods Organizations: CNN, Former, Wimbledon, Australian, WTA Tour, Brisbane Heat, Bash League Locations: Australian, Brisbane

☆ Jabeur says now or never for Saudi Arabia to invest in the sport
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Saudi Arabia has pumped huge amounts of money into soccer, Formula One and boxing in recent years while the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit recently ended its two-year dispute with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour by announcing a merger. I hope in Saudi they'll not just invest with the ATP, I hope with the WTA (too)," Jabeur said after beating Magdalena Frech 6-3 6-3 in her Wimbledon opener. Critics have accused Saudi Arabia of using the PIF to engage in "sportwashing" amid criticism of its human rights record. "I believe in Saudi they're doing great giving women more rights," 2022 Wimbledon runner-up Jabeur added. Men's world number one Carlos Alcaraz said he would have no doubts about competing in Saudi Arabia, while seven-time Grand Slam champion John McEnroe said tennis should not seek Saudi investment.

Persons: LIV, Steve Simon, Andrea Gaudenzi, Jabeur, Magdalena Frech, Critics, Saudi they're, It's, Carlos Alcaraz, John McEnroe, Andy Murray, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Toby Davis Organizations: PGA, WTA, men's ATP, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Wimbledon, Saudi, Thomson Locations: Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Saudi they'll, Bengaluru

☆ Rublev leads Russian Wimbledon return with easy win
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Rublev is one of 17 Russian and Belarusian players in the men's and women's singles draws after they were banned in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Wimbledon was the only one of the four Grand Slam tournaments to ban Russian and Belarusian players last year -- a decision that resulted in ranking points being taken away from the event by both the ATP and WTA Tours. As part of their return, players from two nations are playing as neutrals and must sign a "waiver" pledging not to support Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime. Players are not allowed to receive state funding or have sponsorship from Russian or Belarusian companies. He looked comfortable on the grass as he proved a class above 64th-ranked Purcell to reach the second round.

Persons: Andrey Rublev, Australia's Max Purcell, Toby Melville LONDON, Max Purcell, Rublev, Vladimir Putin's, Purcell, Martyn Herman, Ed Osmond Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Wimbledon, ATP, WTA, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Belarusian, Ukraine, Russia

☆ Azarenka feeling the love on Wimbledon return
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Christian Radnedge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

As part of their return, players from the two nations are playing as neutrals and are not allowed to receive state funding or have sponsorship from Russian or Belarusian companies. Britain is a major ally of Ukraine and continues to provide military support but there was no animosity from the crowd towards former world number one Azarenka as she edged past China's Yuan Yue 6-4 5-7 6-4 in the first round. "There are of course some incidents sometimes happens (at other events), but I felt like I was very welcomed everywhere. The world number two begins her Wimbledon campaign against Hungary's Panna Udvardy on Tuesday. Reporting by Christian Radnedge, editing by Ed OsmondOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Victoria Azarenka, China’s Yue Yuan, Andrew Couldridge, Azarenka, Yuan Yue, Vika, Aryna Sabalenka, Hungary's Panna Udvardy, Christian Radnedge, Ed Osmond Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Victoria, Wimbledon, ATP, WTA, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Belarus, China’s Yue Yuan REUTERS, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Belarusian

I haven't played a lot of matches in the last few years and not by choice," Williams said. I put my head down and put even more work in and got myself in a much better position." Of those three matches, her only win came against Camila Giorgi -- a former Wimbledon quarter-finalist -- in Birmingham. "Last year I felt a lot of pressure here because I was number one," she said. Four Americans will be in action against each other with Sofia Kenin taking on seventh seed Coco Gauff while fourth seed Jessica Pegula faces Lauren Davis.

Persons: Venus Williams, It's, Williams, Elina Svitolina, Serena, haven't, Camila Giorgi, there's, Iga Swiatek, Zhu Lin, Nick Kyrgios, David Goffin ., Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Lauren Davis, Rohith Nair, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Wimbledon, Court, U.S, All England, WTA, David Goffin . Four, Thomson Locations: Auckland, Birmingham, Bengaluru

☆ ‘You have to ask for help if you need it’: Billie Jean King encourages tennis players struggling with demands of the tour to seek support
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Billie Jean King has urged players that are struggling with the demands of being a tennis professional to seek support from psychologists. “Being a pro-athlete is hard,” tennis great King, who won 39 major titles, told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. “The WTA [Women’s Tennis Association] has been fantastic with mental health for years, but people would say: ‘Why aren’t you doing anything?’Billie Jean King says support is available for players on the WTA Tour. The governing body has provided staff that are dedicated to athletes’ mental health for more than 25 years, with a Mental Health Care Provider available in person at tournaments, including all four grand slams, and there are virtual meetings available upon request in between tournaments. Naomi Osaka withdrew from the 2021 French Open, citing her mental health.

Persons: Billie Jean King, Naomi Osaka, Sabalenka, “, Emma Raducanu, King, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, JP Yim, Kathleen Stroia, Ukraine –, Aleksandr Lukashenko, Tim Clayton, Raducanu, ”, hadn't, Clive Brunskill, “ We’ve, I’ve, ’ ” Organizations: CNN, WTA, Mental Health, ‘, Virginia Slims Circuit, WTA Tour, Wimbledon Locations: Paris, Ukraine, Osaka, Belarus

☆ WTA chief says 'big issues' going to Saudi Arabia, but ruling nothing out
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

But Simon points to the success of WTA tournaments in Qatar and says Saudi Arabia has made 'huge strides'. "In February I went to Saudi Arabia to see it for myself. There are still tons of issues in Saudi Arabia but the advancement for women's rights and where they are coming from is transformational right now. Simon would not speculate on what kind of tournaments could potentially be held in Saudi Arabia, if at all. Simon said had no concerns about the safety of lesbian players competing in Saudi Arabia, but conceded it was a sensitive issue.

Persons: Steve Simon, They're, Simon, Andrea Gaudenzi, they've, Billie Jean King, Daniil Medvedev, Stan Wawrinka, Carlos Alcaraz, LIV, Martyn Herman, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Women's Tennis, WTA, ATP, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, American trailblazer, PGA, Thomson Locations: Saudi Arabia, Gulf, London, Saudi, Qatar

☆ WTA tweaks circuit with plans for pay parity in top events by 2027
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WTA 1000 and 500 combined events will accordingly reach prize money parity by 2027, while single-week WTA 1000 and 500 events will do so by 2033. The tour's revised calendar will have 10 WTA 1000 events, with Beijing (2024) and Cincinnati and Toronto/Montreal (2025) set to have larger fields. The additional WTA 1000 events will be one-week events in Doha, Dubai and a yet to be named venue. Wuhan was not named as a WTA 1000 event, while Monterrey, Strasbourg and Seoul have been promoted to the WTA 500 level. "The increase in two-week WTA 1000 tournaments combined with the ATP demonstrates a clearer alignment across both Tours."

Persons: Billie Jean King, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Ken Ferris Organizations: tennis, Tennis, ATP, WTA, Thomson Locations: Beijing, Cincinnati, Toronto, Montreal, Doha, Dubai, Wuhan, Monterrey, Strasbourg, Seoul, Bengaluru

☆ 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

☆ Martina Navratilova: Tennis great tweets that she is ‘all clear’ after cancer treatment
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Kevin Dotson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Tennis great Martina Navratilova said Tuesday that she is “all clear” after undergoing treatments for throat and breast cancer. “After a day full of tests at Sloan Kettering, I got the all clear! “That’s just not an option for me … quitting is just not in my DNA.”The 66-year-old Navratilova shared in an interview in March that her “prognosis is excellent.”Navratilova enjoyed a long playing career in which she won 18 grand slam singles titles, 31 grand slam doubles titles and 10 grand slam mixed doubles titles. After retiring from singles in 1994 at the age of 38, she continued playing doubles – and winning titles – into her 40s. She has remained involved in the sport as a coach, broadcaster, and ambassador for the WTA Tour, highlighting the importance of preventive checkups to combat specific diseases such as breast cancer.

Persons: Martina Navratilova, ” Navratilova, “ That’s, …, Navratilova, – Organizations: CNN, Tennis, Sloan Kettering, WTA

☆ WTA roundup: Russian stars to clash in Dutch final
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

7 Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus in Saturday's semifinals of the WTA 250 grass-court event. Kudermetova is 2-1 against Alexandrova, who won the last meeting in the semifinals of this tournament last year en route to the title. Rothesay OpenKatie Boulter and Jodie Burrage will meet in Nottingham, England, on Sunday in the first all-British WTA Tour final since 1977, when Virginia Wade beat Sue Barker in San Francisco. Boulter advanced with a 6-4, 7-5 win over another countrywoman, Heather Watson, while Burrage took down France's Alize Cornet 7-5, 7-5 in her semifinal match at the WTA 250 grass-court tournament. Boulter overcame a 4-3 deficit in the opening set and dug out of a 4-1 hole in the second set against Watson.

Persons: Jodie Burrage, Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko, Paul Childs, Veronika Kudermetova, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Kudermetova, Slovakia's Viktoria, Alexandrova, Katie Boulter, Virginia Wade, Sue Barker, It's, Heather Watson, Burrage, France's Alize, Boulter, Watson, Cornet Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko REUTERS, Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova, Hruncakova, Sasnovich, British WTA, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Netherlands, Belarus, Saturday's, Kudermetova, Rothesay, Nottingham, England, San Francisco, Leicester

☆ Venus loses to Swiss teen on return to competition
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 14 (Reuters) - Venus Williams' return to action following a five-month injury layoff ended in defeat as the seven-times Grand Slam champion fell to Swiss teenager Celine Naef in three sets at the Libema Open grasscourt tournament in Rosmalen, Netherlands. The former world number one, a five-times winner at Wimbledon, lost 3-6 7-6 (6-3) 6-2 to 17-year-old Naef in two hours and 18 minutes. "I cannot believe I had the chance to play against Venus," Naef said after her first win on the WTA Tour. She won her last major singles title at the grasscourt Grand Slam in 2008. This year's Wimbledon tournament begins on July 3.

Persons: Venus Williams, Celine Naef, Serena, Williams, Naef, Hritika Sharma, Robert Birsel Organizations: Wimbledon, Venus, WTA, Thomson Locations: Swiss, Rosmalen , Netherlands, Auckland, Hyderabad

☆ Monica Puig: How marathon running stopped former tennis player from descending into a 'big black hole of depression and sadness'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

With tennis, the stakes felt higher when rankings points, global recognition, and prize money were on the line. Puig has swapped tennis rackets for running shoes over the past year. Johnny PaceBut the sense of personal satisfaction she gets from running has endured, helping to ease the lingering pain of her retirement from tennis. As a tennis player, Puig always saw running as a form of punishment – never enjoyment. Now, Puig has also set her sights on competing in triathlons, as well as running the remaining marathon majors in Chicago, Berlin, and Tokyo.

Persons: CNN — Monica Puig, Puig, She’s, I’ve, ” Puig, “ I’ve, Johnny Pace, it’s, ”, I’m, It’s, Lintao Zhang, “, Clive Brunskill Organizations: CNN, CNN Sport, Olympic, Rio – Puerto Rico’s, York City Marathon, Madrid, Games Locations: New York City, Boston, London, “, Rio –, Chicago, Berlin, Tokyo, Augusta , Georgia, Puerto Rico, York, Beijing

☆ Iga Świątek continues defense of French Open title with straight sets victory over American Coco Gauff
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Iga Świątek remains on course to retain her French Open title after easing past Coco Gauff 6-4 6-2 to reach the semifinals at Roland-Garros. In a rematch of last year’s final, Świątek ultimately had too much quality for Gauff to handle as her relentless power and consistency eventually broke the American down. It wasn’t easy, especially with the wind today, but I’m happy I’m through to the semifinal.”Swiatek remains on course to successfully defend her French Open title. It proved to be the beginning of the end for Gauff, who was powerless to stop Świątek’s inevitable march to victory. Świątek, according to Opta, is the first player since Conchita Martinez in 1995 to reach the semifinals at the French Open having dropped 15 games or fewer.

Persons: Coco Gauff, Garros, Świątek, Gauff, Beatriz Haddad Maia, “, Swiatek, Julian Finney, Lesia Tsurenko, Conchita Martinez, Sabalenka, Karolína Muchová, Ted Lasso, ” Świątek Organizations: CNN, Roland, WTA, Tennis, Getty, Świątek, Garros, Madam Locations: 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

☆ How Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has impacted tennis
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Every sport in Europe – from soccer to fencing to UFC – has had to grapple with the fallout of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and tennis is no exception. Player tensionFor some Ukrainian players, having to face opponents from Russia and Belarus has been a point of frustration. 2 said she struggled to understand the “hate” she encountered in the locker room amid strained relations with some players following Russia’s invasion. The “Z” symbol is viewed as a sign of support for Russia, including its invasion of Ukraine. Last year, she told CNN Sport that Russian and Belarusian players have a responsibility to take a stance against the war.

Persons: UFC –, Toby Melville, Daria Kasatkina, ”, Marta Kostyuk, Aryna Sabalenka, Sabalenka, won’t, ” Sabalenka, ” Kostyuk, Kai Pfaffenbach, Lesia Tsurenko, Iga Świątek, Daniil Medvedev, “, ” Tsurenko, Poland’s Świątek, Slovakia’s Anna, Karolína, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina –, Świątek, Tim Clayton, Svitolina, Anastasia Potapova, Srdjan Djokovic, Novak Djokovic, Vladimir Putin Organizations: CNN, UFC, ATP, WTA, Wimbledon, Reuters, BBC, Belarus, Aryna, –, Kostyuk, Sabalenka, Ukrainian, ”, Russian Government, Miami, de Strasbourg, Spartak Moscow, Melbourne, CNN Sport Locations: Europe, Ukraine, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Russian, Russia, Belarus, Kyiv, Reuters Ukrainian, Indian, Vladimirec, Kostyuk, ” Russian, Australian

☆ Women’s Tennis Suddenly Has a Big(ish) Three
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Matthew Futterman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

And yet something has been happening with this group lately in the rivalry-starved women’s game — something that could all come together in a glorious rumble during the next two weeks at the French Open. The first of the three to play at Roland Garros, Sabalenka, started her tournament with a win over Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine in a match tinged with wartime bitterness. Ever since Ashleigh Barty of Australia retired while atop the rankings in March 2022 at age 25, Swiatek, Rybakina and Sabalenka have been hogging nearly all of the most prestigious trophies. Swiatek has been among the most outspoken critics of Russia’s invasion, helping to raise millions of dollars to support relief efforts in Ukraine. Rybakina and Sabalenka hail from the two countries perpetrating the war, as Kostyuk reminded everyone Sunday.

☆ Wawrinka makes short work of Ivashka in Rome opener
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

It was a good first match and I'm really happy to get through again," Wawrinka said. This year I'm playing much better, but I need to win more matches. Former world number one Andy Murray will take on Italian wild card Fabio Fognini later in the evening as he continues his preparations for the French Open starting later this month. STEPHENS CRUISESIn the women's tournament, former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens beat Nadia Podoroska 6-4 6-1 to open her Rome campaign in style following her triumph in Saint Malo last week. Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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