Category: Tennis

Reigning champion Jannik Sinner sailed into the US Open semi-finals on Wednesday with a straight-sets win over 10th seed Lorenzo Musetti.

World number one Sinner swept aside Musetti 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in the first all-Italian men’s quarter-final in Grand Slam history.

“We have to take the friendship away for the match, and when we shake hands, everything is fine again,” said Sinner, who is 16-0 against Italian players.

“It was a great performance, very solid. I started the match very well.”

He advances to a semi-final against Canadian 25th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.

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“Every player who is in the semis of a Grand Slam can say they’re playing their best tennis,” added Sinner.

Auger-Aliassime has won two of three previous meetings, but Sinner thrashed him for the loss of just two games in Cincinnati last month.

The 24-year-old Sinner also tied Nicola Pietrangeli for the most Grand Slam wins by an Italian man with his 86th victory.

Sinner is aiming to become the first man to successfully defend the US Open crown since Roger Federer won the last of five consecutive titles in 2008.

He has won the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles this season but lost to Carlos Alcaraz in an epic five-set battle in the French Open final.

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Sinner sprang out of the blocks and nabbed the first five games against Musetti, bagging the first set in 27 minutes.

The second set was much closer, with a single break chance for both players before Musetti surrendered his serve with a double fault at 4-all.

Sinner pounced for a two-set lead and broke again to begin the third set.

Musetti had his opportunities with four break points in the next game and another two with Sinner serving at 3-2, but he couldn’t find a way through his rival’s defence.

Sinner broke again and wrapped up a commanding win, his 26th in a row at majors played on hard courts.

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Novak Djokovic advanced to a blockbuster US Open showdown with Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday as reigning women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka vaulted into the semi-finals without having to lift her racquet.

Djokovic snuffed out Taylor Fritz’s hopes of becoming the first American man to win a Grand Slam singles title since 2003 with a 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 quarter-final victory on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.

The win sent the 38-year-old Serbian, chasing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam victory, into a mouthwatering semi-final against Spanish second seed Alcaraz on Friday.

Djokovic clinched victory when fourth seed Fritz double-faulted on match point in the 10th game of the final set and could not hide his relief at finally emerging victorious.

“In this kind of match, a few points on either side decide the winner,” he said. “It was an incredibly close match. It was really anybody’s match.”

Fritz was left ruing his failure to make the most of the opportunities that came his way, converting only two of 13 points during an absorbing three-hour 24-minute battle.

The American fourth seed squandered five break points in the opening set that would have made it 5-4, instead allowing Djokovic to wriggle off the hook and take a one-set lead.

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Then, after battling back to break Djokovic to get to 5-5 in the second, Fritz was broken immediately to surrender the initiative.

Djokovic duly held to take a two-set lead, and while Fritz hit back to take the third set, the veteran Serb regrouped to wrap up victory in the next set.

“I thought I was really lucky to save some crucial break points in the second set,” Djokovic said. “I think for most of the second and third sets he was the better player.”

Novak Djokovic will meet Carlos Alcaraz in the last four, with the 22-year-old Spaniard in blistering form.

The five-time Grand Slam champion needed just one hour and 56 minutes to seal a convincing 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 defeat of Czech 20th seed Jiri Lehecka.

Alcaraz has not dropped a set during a relentless march into the semi-finals and was once again in complete control against Lehecka.

“I just played a really, or almost, perfect match,” said Alcaraz, who has won 35 of his last 36 matches since the start of the Italian Open in May.

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“It seems like, OK, just two more steps to do, and let’s see what happens. But yeah, I’m just feeling great and hungry to make it.”

In the women’s draw on Tuesday, world number one and defending champion Sabalenka moved into the semi-finals after Czech quarter-final opponent Marketa Vondrousova pulled out with a knee injury.

Sabalenka, bidding to become the first woman to successfully defend the US Open since Serena Williams completed a hat-trick of titles in 2014, extended sympathy to Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion.

The walkover sets up a repeat of last year’s US Open final in the last four, with Sabalenka facing American fourth seed Jessica Pegula on Thursday.

Pegula reached the semi-finals earlier on Tuesday after a 6-3, 6-3 defeat of unseeded Czech Barbora Krejcikova.

Pegula entered the US Open on the back of a dismal run of form that had seen her make early exits at WTA tournaments in Washington, Montreal, and Cincinnati.

But she has rediscovered her confidence while moving stealthily through the rounds at New York, albeit against a series of unseeded opponents.

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Romanian tennis player Sorana Cirstea has requested the return of her trophy from last week’s WTA tournament in Cleveland.

The request was made after noticing it was missing from her hotel room during the US Open.

The 35-year-old Cirstea won the title at the US Open warm-up event by defeating American An Li in the Land tournament final last week.

She defeated the 6-2, 6-4 in the Cleveland final, marking third win in her career in WTA single title. Follower her victory, she jumped 41 places in the official Women’s Tennis Association which was played between August 16 and 23.

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However, she lost second round in New York this week, losing to 11th seed Karolina Muchova.

With the defeat, the disappearance of the Cleveland trophy- her first Harcourt singles title since 2008 added to her woes.

The trophy disappeared from her room in New York, and following that, she took to her social for a plea regarding the trophy.

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She was also competing in the women’s doubles but lost in the first round with partner Anna Kalinskaya.

“Whoever stole my Cleveland trophy from room 314 at the @fiftysonesta please give it back,” the world number 71 wrote on Instagram on Saturday.

“It has NO material value, just sentimental value. It would be greatly appreciated! Thank you,” she said.

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Novak Djokovic shook off a back problem to beat Britain’s Cam Norrie in four sets on Friday to become the oldest man to reach the US Open last 16 since Jimmy Connors in 1991.

The 38-year-old Djokovic defeated Norrie 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 6-3, staying in the hunt for an unprecedented 25th major title.

But the Serbian star admitted that whether his body can still withstand the grind of a two-week-long Grand Slam is potentially beyond his control.

“In terms of how I’m feeling, it really goes up and down, to be honest,” said Djokovic, who was compromised by injury at the Australian Open and Wimbledon earlier this year.

“It’s frustrating for me, honestly, that I’m not able to feel 100% always like I have for 20-plus years.

“I guess the circumstances are quite different, and I have to get used to the fact that every match there’s something that might happen, as it has been the case this year, pretty much every Slam.”

Novak Djokovic earned a record 192nd Grand Slam match win on hard courts and also tied Roger Federer’s mark of last-16 appearances at the majors with 69.

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The four-time US Open champion has designs on going much further, though, health permitting.

“If the body doesn’t listen to me when I go deep in the Grand Slam tournaments, as it was kind of the case last few Slams, then that’s a hard one to swallow for me,” said Djokovic.

“I know the amount of hours I’m putting in daily to care for my body, but at the same time, you know, biological age is not something that I guess you can reverse.”

Djokovic has now defeated Norrie in all seven of their meetings and is through to the fourth round in New York for the 16th time.

On Sunday, he will play German veteran Jan-Lennard Struff, who has already knocked out two seeds in Holger Rune and Frances Tiafoe.

A lone break of Norrie’s serve in the seventh game was enough for Djokovic to pocket the opening set, but not before he summoned the physio to work on his lower back.

Djokovic headed off court for a medical timeout and returned to serve out the first set.

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“I don’t know when it gets cold tomorrow, I’ll see what the reality is,” said Djokovic of the nature of his injury.

“I was lucky, lucky not to, you know, have that burden stay there. It was just there for a few games, and after that it was fine.”

He had the chance to make further inroads in the second set, but Norrie saved three break points and then pinched the tie-break from his rival, who double-faulted on set point.

Norrie took that momentum into the third set with an early break, drawing an emphatic response from Djokovic as he responded by winning four straight games.

Djokovic soon made the set his, and another break to start the fourth set gave him the cushion required to close out a milestone victory.

“These kinds of matches and performances always give me hope that I can go far, challenge the best players in the world,” said Djokovic.

READ: Aryna Sabalenka extends tie-break streak in win over Leylah Fernandez

World number one Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the fourth round of the US Open on Friday after extending her remarkable streak of tie-break victories to defeat Canada’s Leylah Fernandez.

Reigning champion Sabalenka punched her ticket to the last 16 after seeing off Fernandez 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) in one hour and 39 minutes on the Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Sabalenka’s decisive second-set victory was capped by her 18th consecutive tie-break win.

The victory was also sweet revenge for Sabalenka, who suffered an upset defeat to then-teenager Fernandez in the semi-finals of the 2021 US Open.

“I wanted this revenge badly,” Sabalenka said afterwards. “It was a tough lesson for me back then. Since then, we never played again.

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“I just wanted to prove to myself that the lesson was learned and that I developed as a player, and I could get this win.”

Sabalenka attributes her dominance of tie-breaks this season to a tougher mental approach.

“I definitely think that mentally I’m pretty strong, and I’m still growing, because I’m learning a lot of lessons, and all of those lessons are making me tougher, tougher, and tougher,” she said.

Asked if she believed her opponents were aware of her tie-break record, she replied: “I hope so. I’m not focusing on that during the match, obviously. But extra pressure on my opponents? I love that.”

The skilful Fernandez, the 31st seed, had started brightly, earning four break points on Sabalenka’s opening service game of the first set.

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Crucially, though, Aryna Sabalenka saved them all before holding, and then took advantage in the fourth game when Fernandez double-faulted to hand the Belarusian a break for a 3-1 lead.

That break was all Sabalenka needed to close out the set.

A tense second set saw Fernandez continue to cause problems for Sabalenka, who again was forced to fight off a break point in the sixth game.

But when the set went to a decisive tie-break, there only ever looked like being one winner, with Sabalenka scoring three mini-breaks in rapid succession to help open up a 4-1 lead.

That soon became 6-1, and Sabalenka sealed a win that sees her into a fourth-round showdown with unseeded Spaniard Cristina Bucsa.

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NEW YORK: Former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev has been slapped with a hefty fine by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) following his fiery outburst during a five-set first-round loss to France’s Benjamin Bonzi.

Medvedev went down 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4 in a dramatic clash on Sunday that saw tempers flare after a controversial call in the third set.

At 5-4 with Bonzi serving for the match, play was halted for nearly six minutes when a photographer disrupted a point.

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Chair umpire Greg Allensworth awarded Bonzi a first serve instead of a second, prompting a furious reaction from Daniil Medvedev, who ranted at the official and even addressed the TV cameras, quipping: “He wants to go home, guys. He doesn’t like to be here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour.”

The Russian, currently ranked world No.13, went on to smash his racket after the defeat, drawing further sanctions.

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Consequently, he was fined a total of $42,500. According to the USTA, $30,000 of the fine resulted from unsportsmanlike conduct, while $12,500 was due to racket abuse.

Despite earning $110,000 in prize money for his first-round appearance, the fines took a significant chunk out of his earnings.

After the match, Daniil Medvedev admitted he was bracing for punishment: “I’m getting a big enough fine, so if I speak, I’m in big trouble, so I’m not going to speak.”

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Defending US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka says she is “a better player and person” than the one who lost to Leylah Fernandez four years ago as they prepare for a re-run of their 2021 semi-final.

Sabalenka overcame a spirited challenge from unseeded Russian Polina Kudermetova to advance to the third round in New York on Wednesday.

World number one Sabalenka edged a tense first set in the Arthur Ashe night session before putting away Kudermetova 7-6 (7/4), 6-2.

The win sent Sabalenka through to a first meeting with Canadian 31st seed Fernandez since their semi-final clash at Flushing Meadows four years ago.

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Leylah Fernandez won that showdown before losing the final to Emma Raducanu, but Sabalenka is reluctant to dwell on the past.

“I think I’d better not remember anything from that match, because I think I changed a lot,” said Aryna Sabalenka.

“I had really tough challenges after that, and I went through. I found myself. I have become a better player and a person.

“So I think it’s going to be a completely different match. I’d better just not try to remember that match.

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“But, of course, I do remember a couple of things, and I love rematches. So I’m actually super excited about facing her here again.”

Sabalenka is on a quest to make history by becoming the first woman to successfully defend her US Open title since the legendary Serena Williams accomplished the feat in 2014.

“I have to focus on myself. I know that if I’m able to bring my game and fight for every point, I’ll have my chances. I try to bring the best fight possible every time,” said Aryna Sabalenka.

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British fifth seed Jack Draper pulled out of the US Open on Wednesday ahead of his second-round match due to injury, tournament organisers said.

Draper reached the semi-finals in New York last year but missed the warm-up events in Toronto and Cincinnati to nurse an injury to his left arm.

The 23-year-old beat Argentine qualifier Federico Agustin Gomez in four sets in the opening round on Monday, but withdrew before he was scheduled to face Belgium’s Zizou Bergs.

In the US Open women’s singles, Indonesian qualifier Janice Tjen’s ground to a halt with a comprehensive second-round defeat to Britain’s Emma Raducanu.

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Tjen upset Russian 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova on Sunday after becoming the first Indonesian to play in the main singles draw of a Grand Slam since 2004.

But any hopes of a sustained giant-killing run at Flushing Meadows evaporated in a 6-2, 6-1 defeat to 2021 US Open champion Raducanu at the Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Emma Raducanu booked her place in the third round with a clinical performance, pulling Tjen all over the court with a succession of powerful deep groundstrokes into the corners.

Raducanu established control from the outset, breaking Tjen in the second game of the first set and holding twice for a 3-0 lead.

She broke Tjen again to take the first set, pinging a forehand into the corner as the 23-year-old from Jakarta scrambled unsuccessfully to return.

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Tjen was soon under pressure in the second set, being broken twice in succession to fall 4-0 down.

Raducanu then held for a 5-0 lead, before wrapping up victory by holding in the seventh game.

Raducanu, who made history with her fairytale US Open triumph four years ago when she became the first qualifier ever to win a Grand Slam title, will face either ninth seed Elena Rybakina or Tereza Valentova in the third round.

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World number two Iga Swiatek powered into the second round of the US Open on Tuesday, swatting aside Colombia’s Emiliana Arango with a brisk straight-sets victory.

Swiatek arrived in New York as the bookmakers’ favourite to win her second US Open after a blistering run of recent form, which included a breakthrough Wimbledon title and a win at the Cincinnati Open.

The 24-year-old Polish star indicated she is ready to live up to that status with a quickfire 6-1, 6-2 demolition of world No.84 Arango on the main Arthur Ashe Stadium court at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

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Iga Swiatek seized control of Tuesday’s opener with a break of serve in the fourth game, blasting a booming forehand down the line that Arango could only return into the net.

She broke again for a 5-1 lead soon afterwards, her delicate drop volley forcing a scrambled return from Arango that drifted out.

After holding easily to clinch the first set, Swiatek was soon back on the offensive in the second.

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Arango was broken in the first game, and a further break in the seventh game left Swiatek 5-2 ahead and serving for the match.

A superb volley brought up three match points, and she converted the second of those to clinch victory.

Swiatek will face either Valerie Glozman of the United States or the Netherlands’ Suzan Lamens in the second round.

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German tennis legend Boris Becker believes Daniil Medvedev should seek “professional help” after the Russian crashed out of the US Open following the latest in a long line of spectacular on-court meltdowns.

Medvedev was at the centre of extraordinary scenes during his late-night battle with France’s Benjamin Bonzi on Sunday, losing in five sets in a game that descended into chaos during the third set.

The drama unfolded when chair umpire Greg Allensworth awarded Bonzi a first serve as he served on match point after a photographer mistakenly wandered onto the court.

That ruling sparked a furious reaction from Daniil Medvedev, who unleashed an angry tirade at Allensworth, accusing the official of wanting to end the game early.

“Are you a man? Are you a man?” Medvedev ranted. “He wants to go home guys. He doesn’t like to be here; he gets paid by the match, not by the hour.”

Medvedev then turned to the Louis Armstrong Stadium crowd, waving his arms wildly to encourage them to voice their displeasure, leading to a six-minute delay before Bonzi could finally serve.

The rattled Frenchman subsequently lost his serve and the set, but later fought back to clinch a 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 0-6, 6-4 victory.

Medvedev’s final act was to violently smash his racquet in anger following the loss.

The Russian later told reporters he was expecting a big fine for his actions but denied inciting the crowd, leading to the six-minute delay.

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“I’m getting big fine enough, so if I speak, I’m in big trouble, so I’m not going to speak,” Medvedev said.

Asked if he was deliberately testing officials to see how far he could go before being defaulted from a tournament, he replied: “Today I didn’t do anything bad, no.”

But Medvedev’s actions were a cause for concern for six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker.

“We call this ‘public meltdown,'” Boris Becker wrote in a post on X about Medvedev’s eruption. “I think he needs professional help ?!?”.

Former US tennis player, coach, and commentator Brad Gilbert agreed, saying Medvedev’s “brain is getting the better of him” after a string of recent defeats. The 29-year-old has now lost in the first round at three straight Grand Slams this year.

“I agree he definitely needs some help,” Gilbert replied to Becker’s post.

Former US Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe, meanwhile, said Medvedev should take a break from the game.

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“And Medvedev needs to take the rest of the year off,” McEnroe wrote on X.

Daniil Medvedev has compiled a litany of on-court outbursts throughout his career, regularly clashing with umpires and racking up thousands of dollars in fines in the process.

At the 2019 US Open, he sparred with American fans after snatching a towel from a ballboy, tossing his racket towards the umpire, and making an obscene gesture to the crowd. He was later fined $19,000 for his actions in the tournament.

At the 2022 Australian Open, he lambasted chair umpire Jaume Campistol, at one point questioning the official’s competence and asking: “Are you stupid?”

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