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☆ Credit Suisse puts new dent in Swiss bank armour
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Lisa Jucca | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Swiss National Bank’s intervention this week to prop up Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) was anything but uneventful. To rescue the country’s biggest lender, the government in Bern injected 6 billion Swiss francs in capital while the central bank carved off some 40 billion Swiss francs of toxic assets into a special purpose vehicle. The SNB made more than 5 billion Swiss francs from winding down UBS’s bad bank and the state booked over 1 billion Swiss francs of gains on its equity stake. Nervous clients pulled more than 100 billion Swiss francs from the Zurich-based bank in the fourth quarter of last year and may be hesitant to return. Switzerland’s two biggest banks, UBS and Credit Suisse, each had total asset exposure of between 120% and 140% of the country’s GDP.

☆ 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.

☆ Novak Djokovic breaks Steffi Graf's record for weeks at No. 1
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The 22-time Grand Slam champion broke the mark set by Steffi Graf. 1, to match Graf -- one of the all-time greats," Djokovic said. Djokovic won his men's record-tying 22nd major title last month at the Australian Open. Graf, also a 22-time Grand Slam winner, was No. 1 in the women's rankings for 377 weeks before retiring in 1999.

☆ Sky's the limit for Djokovic after matching Graf, say younger rivals
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Russian world number five Andrey Rublev said Djokovic had shown that anything is possible. "And at the age of 35, he still can be the best player in the world and break records," Rublev, 25, who lost to Djokovic in the Australian Open quarter-finals, told reporters in Doha. "If you do the things right, you can perform at the highest level ... age doesn't matter. Former world number two Alexander Zverev said Djokovic had shown how consistent he can be by dominating his rivals in the last decade. However, Zverev said that watching Graf being overtaken would be bittersweet for him.

☆ Netflix exec reveals sports ambitions and what's next for live sports as golf series 'Full Swing' debuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Formula 1 racing saw a boost in TV viewership and fandom since Netflix began streaming docuseries "Drive to Survive." Amid a boom in sports docs, the streamer has tennis series "Break Point" and golf-centered "Full Swing." Netflix unscripted TV head Brandon Riegg spoke to Insider about the streamer's ambitions in live sports. "I wouldn't be surprised," Netflix VP of unscripted and docuseries Brandon Riegg told Insider ahead of the "Break Point" premiere. Also in the works are series on the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the Six Nations rugby tournament.

☆ U.S. composer Burt Bacharach dies at age 94
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Bill Trott | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Bacharach and David had 30 Top-40 hits in the '60s alone. I'd hear his melodies and I'd hear lyrics. I'd hear rhymes, I'd hear thoughts and I'd hear it almost immediately." Bacharach and David scored the Neil Simon Broadway musical "Promises, Promises," which won them two Tonys and a Grammy. While star performers made his songs hits, Bacharach said he also enjoyed performing himself and making a personal connection with smaller audiences.

James is 36 points away from surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's career record of 38,387 and his complete game reminds Dumars of 20-times major tennis champion Roger Federer. "I've seen people try to make him shoot his outside jump shot, and he's made them. He is averaging 30 points per game and was selected to his record-tying 19th All-Star game last month. "It's going to be maybe 22, 23, 24 years that you have to play at a super high level. "I know in the NBA we've never seen that before."

☆ Australian Open sets Grand Slam attendance record
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 31 (Reuters) - The Australian Open set a Grand Slam attendance record with more than 900,000 spectators visiting over three weeks, organisers said on Tuesday, despite the absence of some big-name players and schedule disruptions due to rain. A record 839,192 fans flocked to Melbourne Park from Jan. 16-29 for the first tournament in two years free of COVID-19 restrictions, beating the previous mark of 812,174 set in January 2020. The figures eclipse last year's attendance numbers at other Grand Slam main draws - 515,164 visited Wimbledon, 613,500 were at the French Open and 776,120 went to the U.S. Open. The tournament, missing the retired Serena Williams, Roger Federer and last year's homegrown champion Ash Barty, broke its single-day attendance mark with 94,854 fans visiting on Jan. 21. Novak Djokovic beat Stefanos Tsitsipas on Sunday to win his 10th Australian Open crown, drawing level with Rafa Nadal on 22 majors, and reclaim the world number one rankingAryna Sabalena won her first Grand Slam title with victory over Elena Rybakina on Saturday.

☆ Fire still burning, Djokovic and GOAT debate move on to Paris
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

While the blue courts of Melbourne Park are undoubtedly Djokovic's domain, the red clay courts of Roland Garros are the preserve of Spaniard Nadal, the other open-era GOAT contender along with 20-times Grand Slam champion Roger Federer. Federer is now retired and sent his congratulations to Djokovic on Instagram - "Incredible effort, again!" The 36-year-old is confident he will recover from the hip flexor issue he sustained at the Australian Open in time to drag his battered body to Paris in May in a bid for a 15th French Open title. And, despite a hamstring issue that hindered him throughout the year's first Grand Slam, Djokovic left little doubt that he would also be there trying to win major number 23. I know that when I'm feeling good physically, mentally present, I have a chance to win any slam against anybody.

☆ Novak Djokovic Wins the Australian Open, His 22nd Major Title
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Joshua Robinson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

MELBOURNE, Australia—It took nearly two years, but Novak Djokovic has resumed normal service. He is an Australian Open champion again. On Sunday, Djokovic capped a two-week display of total mastery and brutal efficiency by beating No. 3 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece 6-3, 7-6(4), 7-6(5) to win the 10th Australian Open of his career. The victory also secured a 22nd major title for Djokovic, 35, tying the all-time men’s record held by 36-year-old Rafael Nadal and leaving the retired Roger Federer two behind them.

☆ Novak Djokovic's run to 22 Grand Slam titles
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

MELBOURNE, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Australian final on Sunday to win a men's record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title. Tally: Federer 13; Nadal 5; Djokovic 12009: Nadal won his first hardcourt Grand Slam title, edging out Federer in five sets in Australian Open final. Tally: Federer 16; Nadal 10; Djokovic 42012: Djokovic overcame Nadal in the longest Grand Slam final in Open Era to win his third Australian Open title. Nadal maintained his stranglehold on the French Open, before holding off Daniil Medvedev in the U.S. Open final to move within one of Federer's Grand Slam haul. Tally: Nadal 22, Djokovic 21; Federer 202023: Djokovic won a record-extending 10th Australian Open title by beating Tsitsipas for his 22nd Grand Slam title, equalling Nadal's record.

☆ Novak Djokovic's run to record 23 Grand Slam titles
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Tally: Federer 13; Nadal 5; Djokovic 12009: Nadal won his first hardcourt Grand Slam title, edging out Federer in five sets in the Australian Open final. Tally: Federer 16; Nadal 10; Djokovic 42012: Djokovic overcame Nadal in the longest Grand Slam final in the Open Era to win his third Australian Open title. Tally: Federer 17; Nadal 14; Djokovic 72015: Djokovic won three majors - the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Nadal maintained his stranglehold on the French Open, before holding off Daniil Medvedev in the U.S. Open final to move within one of Federer's Grand Slam haul. Tally: Nadal 22; Djokovic 21; Federer 202023: Djokovic won a record-extending 10th Australian Open title by beating Tsitsipas for his 22nd Grand Slam title, equalling Nadal's record.

Persons: Roland Garros, Serbia's Novak Djokovic, Novak Djokovic, Casper Ruud, Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Federer, Mark Philippoussis, Tally, Nadal, Mariano Puerta, Djokovic, Jo, Wilfried Tsonga, Pete Sampras, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Marin Cilic, Tomas Berdych, Margaret Court, Serena Williams, Steffi Graf, Sampras, Daniil Medvedev, Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berrettini, Nick Kyrgios, Tsitsipas, Carlos Alcaraz, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Hardik Vyas, Jan Harvey Organizations: French, REUTERS, Wimbledon, U.S ., U.S, Nadal, Sampras, Djokovic, Roland Garros . Records, Roland, Federer, Melbourne, Flushing, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, PARIS, Swiss, U.S, New York, Flushing Meadows

☆ Djokovic battles Tsitsipas in high stakes Australian Open final
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Never beaten at Melbourne Park after reaching the semis, fourth seed Djokovic is rated an unbackable favourite to triumph again under the floodlights at Rod Laver Arena. It offers a rematch of the dramatic 2021 French Open final, in which Djokovic came back from two sets down to snatch the title and leave Greek Tsitsipas heartbroken. "I think he (Tsitsipas) has never played a (Grand Slam) finals, am I wrong?" At 35, Djokovic needs one major title to draw level with 36-year-old Nadal's 22 in the all-time Grand Slam race. He buried his semi-final hoodoo at Melbourne Park against Russian bruiser Karen Khachanov in four sets on Friday after falling three times previously at the hurdle.

☆ 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.

☆ A Lunch With Roger Federer Helped Fuel Mikaela Shiffrin’s Record Run
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Rachel Bachman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Mikaela Shiffrin and her mother, Eileen, last March pulled up the drive to a house perched in the Swiss Alps, one of the most breathtaking areas in all of Europe. They saw a gleaming, modern home. They spied a green wall made famous by a viral video of a tennis player clad all in white—even his fedora—repeatedly volleying a ball during the early stages of the pandemic.

☆ Djokovic says injury doubters give him extra motivation
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MELBOURNE, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic said any questions over whether he has genuinely been struggling with a hamstring injury at the Australian Open only give him extra strength and motivation. In his English post-match press conference, the 35-year-old said he felt as good as he had since he sustained the injury in an Adelaide warm-up tournament, but in later comments to Serbian media he rounded on the doubters. "I leave the doubting to those people; let them doubt," he said, according to the Tennis Majors website. When some other players are injured, then they are the victims, but when it is me, I am faking it. "But I am used to it, and it just gives me extra strength and motivation.

☆ Netflix reality TV head on how doc series 'Break Point' can become a 'Drive to Survive' for pro tennis — and whether the streamer's sports doc success will lead it into live sports
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Formula 1 racing saw a boost in TV viewership and fandom since Netflix began streaming docuseries "Drive to Survive." Amid a boom in sports docs, the streamer is looking for another hit in tennis series "Break Point." Netflix unscripted TV head Brandon Riegg spoke to Insider about the streamer's ambitions in live sports. Netflix execs and tennis fans are hoping that "Break Point," the streamer's new docuseries centered on the 2022 Grand Slam season, can be the racket sport's "Drive to Survive." "I wouldn't be surprised," Netflix VP of unscripted and docuseries Brandon Riegg told Insider the day before "Break Point" premiered.

☆ Nadal launches title defence as Australian Open ushers in new era
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MELBOURNE, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Rafa Nadal will kick off his Australian Open title defence on Monday with a first round test against rising Briton Jack Draper as a new era begins on the blue hardcourts of Melbourne Park. The top seed has had only one win since September's U.S. Open and admitted his title defence was vulnerable to an early shock after two straight defeats in the lead-up. The reigning French and U.S. Open champion opens her campaign against Jule Niemeier in the first evening match at Rod Laver Arena, the German who gave Swiatek a huge scare in the U.S. Open fourth round. With American tennis looking for a new champion in the post-Serena era, Coco Gauff will open the day session at Rod Laver Arena against Czech Katerina Siniakova. Medvedev, the men's seventh seed, will return to the scene of last year's final heartbreak when he faces unseeded American Marcos Giron in the late match at Rod Laver Arena.

☆ Nadal shrugs off rocky buildup to Australian Open defence
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MELBOURNE, Jan 14 (Reuters) - An upbeat Rafa Nadal has shrugged off his warm-up defeats ahead of the Australian Open as "just part of the business" and declared himself in a happy place ahead of his title defence. Nadal heads into a first-round match against rising Briton Jack Draper undercooked and with only one win since September's U.S. Open. Nadal arrived at Melbourne Park last year in a funk after a serious foot injury but ended up winning his second Australian Open crown by beating Russian Daniil Medvedev in a classic final. Last year's French Open winner, Nadal won two of the four Grand Slams, with fellow great Novak Djokovic winning Wimbledon. World number one Carlos Alcaraz, who is not playing at the Australian Open due to injury, was the only player to break the Nadal-Djokovic duopoly by claiming the U.S. Open.

☆ Undercooked Nadal targets number 23 at Melbourne Park
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Nick Mulvenney | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"I need to win matches for sure, but the preparation is going quite well, practising a lot and I think I am in good shape. "But I'm confident that if I am able to have this last week of positive practices, why not?" As world number two, Nadal will be top seed on his 18th trip to the Australian Open after the injury withdrawal of his young compatriot Carlos Alcaraz. He followed that up with a 14th French Open title and could forge even further ahead of Novak Djokovic (21) and the now retired Roger Federer (20) in the Grand Slam title race with a third triumph on Melbourne's famous blue courts. Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, editing by Bradley PerrettOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Former champion Osaka withdraws from Australian Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 8 (Reuters) - Two-times champion Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the Australian Open, organisers of the year's first Grand Slam which begins on Jan. 16 said on Sunday without elaborating on the reason, as a cloud hung over one of the sport's brightest stars. The Japanese former world number one's name was on the entry list for the Australian Open, but Osaka was not scheduled to play in warm-up tournaments in Adelaide and Hobart, raising doubts about her participation in the hardcourt major. "Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open. We will miss her at #AO2023," the Australian Open tweeted. Her withdrawal marks a double blow for Australian Open organisers a day after American seven-times Grand Slam champion Venus Williams was ruled out due to injury.

☆ Medvedev relishing potential clashes with Djokovic, Nadal
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Medvedev lost to 21-times Grand Slam champion Djokovic in the Australian Open final two years ago, before falling to 22-times major winner Nadal in a marathon Melbourne Park title clash 12 months ago. I still have the chance to play Rafa and Novak, and every time I have this chance, I want to win. Medvedev beat Djokovic to claim his maiden major at the U.S. Open in 2021, but said playing him in Australia was a completely different challenge. "It's a challenge to play Novak in Australia. The Australian Open begins on Jan. 16.

☆ Martina Navratilova on Roger Federer and Serena Williams—and the Future of Tennis
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Martina Navratilova | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Journal Reports: Year in ReviewWe Really Need to Cure Booster Fatigue to Move On From CovidBy Emily K. BrunsonPeople aren’t being vaccinated and boosted for all sorts of reasons. It’s crucial that we figure out a way to change that.

☆ Roger Federer denied entry to Wimbledon grounds by overly eager security guard
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

So spare a thought for Roger Federer, the eight-time winner of the tournament, whose plans to visit SW19 recently were almost thwarted by an eager security guard. Though he hadn’t let Wimbledon know he was in town, Federer decided it might be nice to grab tea at the tennis club. “So then I get out and I’m like, ‘Yes, hello, I was just wondering how I can get into Wimbledon? Please believe me, I am a member, where do I get in?’”Federer, who has won Wimbledon eight times, celebrates during the men's singles final against Andy Roddick in 2004. Of course, Wimbledon wants it to be known that in spite of the saga, the door is always open for Federer.

☆ Rafael Nadal says ‘a part of his life left’ when Roger Federer retired
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Rafael Nadal admitted that “a part of his life left” with Roger Federer when his great rival retired from tennis – with both players left an emotional wreck on court after the Swiss played his last ever competitive match in September at the Laver Cup. “You know you’re not going to live that again and a part of my life left with him [when he retired]. Nadal was overcome with emotion at the Laver Cup when Federer retired. While he did not elaborate on his own retirement plans, Nadal said: “My time will come when it has to come. My life has things equally or more important than tennis.”

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