Tennis

News 6   //    20 Aug 2019, 10:02 IST SHARE Andy Murray suffered a first-round loss to Tennys Sandgren as his singles comeback continued at the Winston-Salem Open.Playing his second singles match since a major hip operation in January, Murray went down to Sandgren 7-6 (10-8) 7-5 in North Carolina.Murray, who accepted a wildcard into the ATP 250 event, showed glimpses of some fine form but was inconsistent before losing to the world number 73.Rain led to the clash being pushed back before it eventually started after 22:00 local time (02:00 GMT), Sandgren holding following a 14-minute opening game.Sandgren needed four set points – and Murray squandered one of his own – in the tie-break to take the opening set in 74 minutes following a poor drop shot by the Brit.The loss of the first set seemed to affect Murray as he was broken in the opening game of the second before falling 3-0 behind.Murray managed to get a break back and then struck again … [Read more...] about Murray beaten at Winston-Salem Open as singles return continues

News 5   //    20 Aug 2019, 08:34 IST SHARE Serena Williams will begin her 2020 WTA Tour season at the Auckland Open.The 23-time grand slam champion is returning to the WTA International event next year, it was announced on Tuesday.Williams played in Auckland in 2017, losing in the last 16 before going on to win the Australian Open later in January."Oh man, I want to win that title so bad," Williams said in a release, having announced her engagement to Alexis Ohanian during her previous visit."Last time I was there I had so much going on and although I fought through to win my first match, I know I didn't play to my level."I have such amazing memories that are really special to me from Auckland. I would really like to add some on-court memories to that list."Williams is one major title shy of matching Margaret Court's record of 24 grand slam singles crowns, with the US Open beginning next week.The American great withdrew from the Western & Southern … [Read more...] about Serena to begin 2020 season in Auckland

News 83   //    18 Aug 2019, 05:42 IST SHARE Daniil Medvedev produced an incredible comeback to blitz defending champion Novak Djokovic and reach the Western & Southern Open.Medvedev was a set down against the world number one and top seed, but he rallied to a stunning 3-6 6-3 6-3 victory at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati on Saturday.A finalist at the Citi Open and Rogers Cup, Russian ninth seed Medvedev will contest his third consecutive final, with David Goffin next up after the 16th seed beat Richard Gasquet 6-3 6-4.The first half was a clinic as Djokovic produced an almost flawless display, hitting nine winners and just three unforced errors, compared to Medvedev's 11.Djokovic – who won 75 per cent of his second serves to Medvedev's 36 per cent – made the decisive breakthrough in the sixth game to move ahead 4-2 and the Serbian star never looked back, wrapping up the set in 34 minutes.Medvedev continued to take the … [Read more...] about Medvedev blitzes Djokovic to reach Cincy final

News 5   //    18 Aug 2019, 04:40 IST SHARE Madison Keys sealed a place in her first hardcourt final since the 2017 US Open with a 7-5 6-4 win over compatriot Sofia Kenin at the Western & Southern Open on Saturday.Keys hit a superb 41 winners in the all-American clash to book a final showdown with Svetlana Kuznetsova, who produced a dominant performance to see off world number two Ashleigh Barty 6-2 6-4 in Cincinnati.Kenin saved set point in the opener against Keys before battling back from 5-2 down to 5-5, only for the world number 16 to claim back-to-back games and avert a tiebreak at the WTA Premier event.Keys was twice a break down in the second set but combined grit with blistering attacking play to down Kenin, avenging a three-set loss in Rome earlier this year.Kuznetsova is currently down at 153 in the world rankings after periods on the sidelines but has made the most of her wildcard in Cincinnati.Despite slipping to 2-0 down in the opener, … [Read more...] about Keys powers past Kenin to set up Kuznetsova final in Cincinnati

News 3   //    17 Aug 2019, 09:14 IST SHARE Daniil Medvedev ended Andrey Rublev's remarkable run as he booked a spot in the ATP Western & Southern Open semi-finals.Rublev upstaged Roger Federer en route to the quarter-finals but the qualifier was stopped by Medvedev on Friday.Medvedev's reward for his straight-set victory is a showdown with defending champion Novak Djokovic in Cincinnati.David Goffin and Richard Gasquet also moved through to the final four of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament.MEDVEDEV MARCHES INTO SEMISMedvedev maintained his first form with a comfortable 6-2 6-3 victory against Rublev.A runner-up at the Rogers Cup in Montreal and Citi Open finalist, red-hot ninth seed Medvedev swept aside Rublev after just 61 minutes. "Novak is Novak," Medvedev said of his upcoming clash against Djokovic. "There is actually nothing to say about him. Just huge respect."DJOKOVIC OUTCLASSES POUILLETop seed Djokovic was a class above as he accounted for … [Read more...] about Medvedev dominates as Djokovic awaits in Cincinnati