Category: Tennis

Jannik Sinner reached the last four of the ATP Finals on Wednesday after beating Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-3 to qualify from the Bjorn Borg group with a match to spare.

World number one Sinner is bidding to retain his title at the prestigious end-of-season tournament, and he cruised into the semi-finals in front of a delighted crowd in Turin.

The 24-year-old was not at his best and struggled with a hand problem at the start of the match, but still had more than enough to see off Zverev for the fifth straight time.

Zverev hasn’t beaten Sinner since the 2023 US Open, being destroyed by the Italian in the semi-finals of the recent Paris Masters, and again, the German couldn’t handle the four-time Grand Slam champion.

Sinner was brutal on his serve, rattling in 12 aces, and once he took the first set with his third break point of game 10, he never looked back.

“If we watch the match today, there were one or two points, that’s why I won the first set,” Sinner told reporters.

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“A couple of points, that’s why I won the second set. If those points go the other way, maybe it’s the same score in the opposite way. You never know.”

Zverev needed to win in straight sets to book his place in the semis, but will now have to beat Felix Auger-Aliassime, a 4-6, 7-6 (9/7), 7-5 winner over Ben Shelton, in his final group match on Friday in order to progress.

But he cut an irritated figure on court, frustrated by his inability to capitalise on any of his seven break points, a series of unforced forehand errors and at one point by a flashing advertising sign.

“Listen, I hope to see him again, it’s as simple as that, this week,” Zverev said.

“He’s not unplayable. I had many opportunities. He had one, and he used the chance. This is why he’s number one in the world, you know? He uses the chances that he gets.”

Sinner, meanwhile, will take on Shelton, aiming to top the group and set up a clash with whoever finishes second in the Jimmy Connors Group, which is currently led by his great rival Carlos Alcaraz.

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NEW DELHI: India’s leading men’s tennis player Sumit Nagal has revealed that China denied him a visa just weeks before he was scheduled to compete in the Australian Open Asia-Pacific Wildcard Playoff in Sichuan, leaving his participation in jeopardy.

Nagal, ranked 275 in the world, took to the social media platform X on Monday to express his frustration over the development.

“I am supposed to fly to China soon to represent India at the Australian Open Playoff. But my visa was rejected without reason,” the 28-year-old wrote.

The week-long qualifying tournament, which begins on November 24, offers players from the Asia-Pacific region a chance to secure direct entry into the main draw of the 2026 Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year.

Nagal, who reached a career-high ranking of 68 in 2024, has represented India at both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics.

He previously featured in the main draw at Melbourne Park twice, losing in the first round earlier this year and in the second round the year before.

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The tournament organisers have stated that players “should contact the Chinese consulate for information regarding visa requirements” and may request an official letter of invitation if needed.

However, they have yet to respond to inquiries from AFP regarding Nagal’s situation.

AFP also reached out to Nagal’s agent and China’s foreign ministry for comment, but received no immediate response.

The incident comes at a time when India and China are still working to rebuild ties strained by years of geopolitical tension.

The two nations, which share a long and disputed Himalayan border, only recently resumed direct flights after a five-year suspension following the pandemic and the deadly 2020 border clash in Ladakh.

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Carlos Alcaraz battled to victory over Taylor Fritz at the ATP Finals on Tuesday, moving to within one win of securing the year-end number one ranking for the second time.

The five-time Grand Slam champion made it two wins from two in the Jimmy Connors Group with a comeback 6-7 (2/7), 7-5, 6-3 victory over last year’s runner-up Fritz in Turin.

He will qualify for the semi-finals if Alex de Minaur beats home hope Lorenzo Musetti in Tuesday’s second match.

“I’m really happy that I was able to come back, find my good tennis,” Alcaraz said.

“I just tried to make the most of the opportunities that he gave to me. I think we played great tennis, some great points.”

Alcaraz, who was replaced by rival Jannik Sinner as world number one following the Paris Masters earlier this month, will finish 2025 at the top of the rankings if he beats Musetti on Thursday.

Sinner has to successfully defend his Finals title, unbeaten, to have any chance of ending the season as number one for a second straight year.

Alcaraz now holds a 5-1 winning record against Fritz, whose only win against the Spaniard came at the Laver Cup in September.

The United States’ Fritz will face De Minaur in his last group contest.

Fritz swept aside Musetti in his opener on Monday with a dominant serving display.

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Alcaraz immediately showed he would put up stronger resistance on return, but Fritz managed to hold in a lengthy first game, hitting three aces and saving two break points.

The Spaniard also had to dig deep to level at 1-1, staving off three break points himself.

He appeared to have made the most of that mistake as Fritz was broken for the first time in the tournament, but Alcaraz could not consolidate the break and dropped serve too.

Both players’ serves continued to be tested, with Alcaraz seeing off two more break points in the eighth game as the first set eventually went to a tie-break.

But Fritz powered through the breaker, sealing a one-set lead after 70 minutes with his sixth ace.

Some brutal hitting with his forehand brought up the first break point of the second set for Fritz in the fifth game, but Alcaraz came out on top in a dramatic rally to save it.

Alcaraz saw off a second break point with an ace and finally got out of the draining, 21-minute service game when Fritz fired long, celebrating as if he had won the match.

Fritz fought through a difficult game himself to make it 4-all after Alcaraz netted a return on a break point, as the second set edged towards another tie-break.

But the American buckled under the pressure in the 12th game, as two wild unforced errors helped bring up three set points for Alcaraz.

The 22-year-old took the second opportunity, with a rasping passing shot, forcing a deciding set.

Fritz managed to stay on serve early in the third set, but the momentum of the match had shifted, and Alcaraz grabbed the crucial break in the sixth game.

Sixth seed Fritz showed great resolve to save three match points in game eight, but Alcaraz successfully served it out to love, sealing the win as Fritz blasted a backhand wide.

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Italy’s Jannik Sinner got his title defence off to a solid start with a dominant straight-sets win over ailing Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime at the ATP Finals on Monday in Turin.

Nine days after their duel in the final of the Paris Masters, Sinner was again the strongest, winning 7-5, 6-1.

But fellow Italian Lorenzo Musetti was earlier outclassed 6-3, 6-4 by American Taylor Fritz.

After a tight first set, Sinner swept aside Auger-Aliassime, who had been hampered by a left calf injury, by breaking serve to rush to a 3-0 lead.

He broke him a second time to close out the match with an ace after one hour 41 minutes.

“Obviously, winning the first match is very important in this competition and this format,” said 24-year-old Sinner.

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“It was a very tough match until 6-5. I had some chances to break. He served very well, except that I missed a return, but it can happen. He played some very aggressive tennis, so I’m happy to have overcome a very tough test today.

“I hope it‘s nothing too serious,” Sinner added of his rival. “I wish him obviously a very speedy recovery, and hopefully he is back to 100 per cent physically.”

Jannik Sinner notched his 27th consecutive victory on his preferred indoor hard court surface and took the lead in the Bjorn Borg Group, which will also see the world number two face Germany’s Alexander Zverev and American Ben Shelton.

The native of South Tyrol won the 2024 edition of the tournament, which brings together the eight best players of the year, by stringing together five wins without dropping a single set.

The 2025 edition could allow him to finish the season as world number one, currently held by his great Spanish rival Carlos Alcaraz, who has beaten him four times this year.

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Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic has recently suggested the possibility of an early retirement, stirring uncertainty about his ambitious dream of playing until the 2028 Olympic Games.

He shared that the physical toll of elite tennis and recurring injuries may cut his career shorter than planned.

It’s worth noting that Djokovic, who captured an elusive Olympic gold in Paris last year, was forced to withdraw from the ATP Finals in Turin due to an ongoing injury, ending his season prematurely.

Djokovic confirmed his withdrawal through social media, expressing disappointment and gratitude to his supporters.

“I was really looking forward to competing in Turin and giving my best, but after today’s final in Athens, I’m sad to share that I need to withdraw due to an ongoing injury. I’m truly sorry to the fans who were hoping to see me play – your support means so much,” he wrote.

The Serb, who recently claimed the ATP 250 title in Athens after defeating Lorenzo Musetti, reflected on his long-term ambitions but acknowledged the growing uncertainty surrounding his future.

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“Since I’ve achieved almost every goal in tennis, I mentioned the 2028 Olympics because I wanted to play for many more years,” Djokovic said.

“But I don’t know – there are some things beyond my control. I’m trying to stay as healthy as possible, both mentally and physically.”

With most major milestones already behind him, Novak Djokovic is reportedly considering a lighter playing schedule to manage his fitness and extend his time on tour.

Whether the 24-time Grand Slam champion will make it to the 2028 Olympics now remains an open question, one that even Djokovic himself seems unsure about.

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Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will face off in an exhibition match in South Korea in January ahead of the Australian Open, organisers said Monday.

Italy’s Sinner usurped his rival from Spain as world number one after winning the Paris Masters for the first time on Sunday.

Four-time Grand Slam winner reclaimed the world number one ranking by defeating Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) in the final of the Paris Masters after Carlos Alcaraz suffered a surprising early exit in the second round.

As the pair head into the ATP Finals, taking place from November 9-16 in Turin, defending champion Sinner has significantly more points to defend compared to the Spaniard, who exited last year’s season-ending event during the group stage.

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Following the ATP Finals, the two best players in men’s tennis will meet in the “Hyundai Card Super Match” on January 10 in Incheon, near Seoul.

“For domestic tennis fans, it will be the very first opportunity to see the two top-ranked players compete,” said a Hyundai press release.

Carlos Alcaraz, who has complained about there being too many matches on the ATP Tour, leads their head-to-head record 10-5.

Jannik Sinner will defend his Australian Open title in the first Grand Slam of 2026, which begins in Melbourne on January 18.

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Aryna Sabalenka powered into her 11th semi-final of the year and a clash with Jessica Pegula after a 6-3, 6-3 win over Elena Rybakina at the Wuhan Open on Friday.

The world number one remains unbeaten in four tournament appearances at the event and will take a 20-0 record into her showdown with Pegula on Saturday.

American third seed Coco Gauff was also victorious, 6-3, 6-0 against Laura Siegemund to reach the last four in Wuhan for a second straight year.

Defending champion Sabalenka improved to 8-5 head-to-head against Kazakhstan’s Rybakina, whose bid for a WTA Finals berth has taken a hit.

“Elena is a great player, very nice girl and always tough to play against,” said Sabalenka, the US Open champion.

“We have a really huge history against each other, always great battles. She always pushes me to the limit to get the win.

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“I’m super happy with the performance today.”

A rock-solid Sabalenka claimed a timely break of serve in game eight on her way to forging a one-set lead in 43 minutes in temperatures above 30C.

Continuing to showcase some impressive all-court prowess, Sabalenka broke twice in the second frame to build a 4-1 advantage.

Rybakina, the eighth seed, narrowed the deficit by getting one of the breaks back but couldn’t stop Sabalenka from marching into the final four and extending her winning streak to 10 matches.

Sixth-seeded Pegula recorded her 50th win of the season with a 2-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory over Katerina Siniakova to reach a third consecutive semi-final, following Beijing and the US Open.

Pegula’s last seven matches were all three-setters, contested within a 16-day period, and the American was successful in six of them.

“I guess I’m in really good shape,” said the 31-year-old.

“I definitely don’t think I need to play any more matches or work on any physical stuff because I’ve been able to battle through these matches and play very well.”

She added: “Obviously I wish maybe it was more straightforward for my mental and physical state.

“But if I win every match for the rest of my life in three sets I think I’ll be pretty happy.”

Pegula’s left thigh was taped during her quarter-final but she told reporters it was just a precautionary measure and she felt “just a niggle” from playing too many long matches.

Unlike Pegula, Gauff has been breezing through her matches, and has dropped a mere nine games across three rounds so far in Wuhan.

The 21-year-old from Florida converted five of eight break points against Siegemund and completed the victory in 85 minutes.

“I think I had chances in the first set to even have a greater lead, so I think I just capitalised more on those chances in the second set,” said Gauff, who awaits Iga Swiatek or Jasmine Paolini in the final four.

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Novak Djokovic said Thursday he was “concerned” about his physical state, but still dispatched Belgium’s Zizou Bergs 6-3, 7-5 to set up a Shanghai Masters semi-final against tournament surprise package Valentin Vacherot.

The 38-year-old Serbian, the highest-ranking player left standing, is getting ever closer to a fifth title in the Chinese financial hub despite struggling throughout the week.

Next in the crosshairs of the 24-time Grand Slam champion is world number 204 Vacherot, a qualifier from Monaco who battled back from a set down to stun Holger Rune 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.

“I’m concerned too,” Djokovic said when told his fans were worried about his health, adding there were “issues that I’m trying to address day by day”.

“I don’t want to talk about the details. I’m still in the tournament. So I prefer just focusing on recovery and trying to give it all.”

Djokovic broke in the sixth game after an unforced error from the 44th-ranked Bergs.

But just days after he overcame exhaustion, vomiting, and an injury scare in his last match against Spain’s Jaume Munar, he looked tired and overheated.

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“There’s always something happening with the body, pretty much every match that I play right now,” Djokovic said wryly.

He took a puff from an inhaler during a break in play as his team anxiously looked on, but took the first set.

Djokovic broke for a 5-4 lead in the second set, but Bergs broke back after a series of thrilling rallies that drew screams from the crowd.

The umpire had to ask the spectators for quiet multiple times as fans chanted furiously for Djokovic, waving Serbian flags and signs reading “Novak is the GOAT” (greatest of all time).

When Djokovic broke again for a 6-5 lead, the stadium erupted.

Bergs still would not lie down, saving two match points and creating another break point of his own, but Djokovic finally got over the line when the Belgian went long.

“I’ve been struggling quite a bit with energy levels, and just every opportunity that I get, the crowd feels it… I can hear that noise and that energy drives me,” Djokovic said.

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Carlos Alcaraz battled back to beat Casper Ruud 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Monday in Tokyo and reach his 10th final of a spectacular season, emulating fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal.

The world number one and US Open champion Alcaraz will face his Laver Cup conqueror, Taylor Fritz, in Tuesday’s decider of the Japan Open.

No man, since the legendary Rafael Nadal in 2017, has reached 10 finals in a season.

“Following his steps in making 10 finals in a season is something great,” said Alcaraz, who also set a new personal best of 66 wins in a season.

“Hopefully it’s not going to end here — a few tournaments ahead, hopefully (I’ll) get to the finals there as well.”

Alcaraz has wowed the crowds this week, but he was in danger of being outshone by Norway’s world number 12 Ruud, who pulled off a series of spectacular winners to take the first set.

Alcaraz, who suffered an ankle injury on Thursday in his opener, regained control in the second set before closing out the match with another ferocious display of power-hitting.

“Emotionally, it was really tough to deal with everything today,” he said.

“I’m really happy to be able to turn around everything, and I ended that match playing such great tennis. “I’m excited to be playing in another final.”

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His opponent will be world number five Taylor Fritz, who beat the Spanish superstar in San Francisco two weeks ago.

Fritz beat fellow American Jenson Brooksby 6-4, 6-3 in the day’s other semi-final.

Alcaraz practiced with Fritz in Tokyo before the tournament began, and he described his final opponent as “a really difficult player to play against”.

“That practice gave me a really good feedback to how I should approach the match,” said Alcaraz.

“I will try to play my best tennis tomorrow — my Plan A, if I want to beat him — because his level is pretty high right now.”

Alcaraz picked up from where he left off in his quarter-final win over Brandon Nakashima, pounding Ruud with some huge forehands early in the match.

But the Norwegian had a few tricks up his sleeve as well, drawing applause from Alcaraz when he floated a winner to the baseline from a difficult angle.

Ruud took the first set when Alcaraz, beginning to show signs of frustration, hit a return long.

The 22-year-old came back strongly, sending down nine aces in the second set alone to tie up the match.

Alcaraz broke Ruud midway through the third set and never looked back, sealing victory with another jackhammer forehand.

“Physically, it can be better, I’m not going to lie,” said Alcaraz, who has been playing with his ankle strapped since his injury.

“Just doing the best work that I can with my team, with my physio, and hopefully tomorrow it will be even better.”

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Carlos Alcaraz beat Jannik Sinner in four sets on Sunday to win the US Open and reassert his dominance of an era-defining rivalry in a final delayed by the visit of President Donald Trump.

The 22-year-old Alcaraz won 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to capture his second US Open crown and sixth Grand Slam title, avenging his lone defeat in a major final by Sinner at Wimbledon in July.

“It’s a great feeling. I’m working really hard just to lift this trophy. It’s my second one, but it’s still a dream come true,” said Alcaraz.

Alcaraz will reclaim the world number one ranking from Sinner, returning to top spot on Monday for the first time since September 2023 after ending the Italian’s 27-match winning run at hard-court Grand Slams.

“It was one of the first goals that I had, to recover the number one (ranking),” said Alcaraz, who also defeated Sinner in an epic French Open final in June.

Alcaraz has now won seven of the past eight meetings and is 10-5 overall against Sinner.

“I tried my best today. I couldn’t do more,” said Sinner. “I felt like he was doing everything slightly better today.

“He raised his level when he had to… He played better than me today.”

Alcaraz and Sinner have shared the last eight Grand Slams on offer, winning four apiece to assert their superiority over the rest of the sport, including Novak Djokovic.

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But while Sinner is 109-4 against the rest of the tour over the past two seasons, Alcaraz has had his number.

“It’s going to be on me if I want to make changes or not,” said Sinner. “That’s what I have to do, trying to become a better tennis player.”

Sinner’s defeat at Flushing Meadowns extends the longest drought without a successful men’s title defence of any Grand Slam in the Open era.

No man has retained the US Open crown since Roger Federer won five in a row from 2004 to 2008.

Anticipation for the third straight Grand Slam final between the game’s top two players assumed an even greater dimension with the presence of Trump.

It was the latest in a series of visits to major sporting events for the US leader after his trip to the NFL’s Super Bowl in February and the FIFA Club World Cup final in July.

He appeared before the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner, waving to the crowd, which greeted him with a mix of cheers and boos. He was given a frostier reception later in the match though when shown again on the stadium’s big screens.

A constellation of showbiz and sports icons turned out as well Sunday, with rock star Bruce Springsteen, fashion icon Tommy Hilfiger, actor Michael Douglas, and basketball superstar Stephen Curry all on hand.

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