tennis news – Bhartiyanews24x7

‘Next-level s**t’: Casper Ruud hails Jannik Sinner’s ‘close to perfection’ tennis in stunning Rome win

16May

By source belowNo Comments

Sports

‘Next-level s**t’: Casper Ruud hails Jannik Sinner’s ‘close to perfection’ tennis in stunning Rome win

Casper Ruud no answers. Sigh, the Norwegian could only muster 22 points in a 64-minute beatdown at the hands of Jannik Sinner in the Italian Open in Rome on Thursday. Setting up for the quarter-final, fresh from his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Madrid recently, Ruud was poised to give the returning Sinner a challenge but was eventually reduced to a 6-0, 6-1 defeat. Despite suffering a crushing blow and his serve thwarted six times in the contest, Ruud said “it does not feel so bad honestly.” Story continues below this ad “I think it was more fun than anything, even though I lost [0-6, 1-6]. You just look at the guy and say, ‘This is kind of next-level shit’ — excuse my language — but I don’t know what else to say. It was almost fun to witness at the same time,” Ruud ...

Rafael Nadal makes a French Open comeback… but only for trailer of Roland Garros

13May

By source belowNo Comments

Sports

Rafael Nadal makes a French Open comeback… but only for trailer of Roland Garros

The King of Clay Rafael Nadal won’t be playing at Roland Garros this year, but his voice is the star of the tournament’s official teaser trailer. Nadal is also set to be felicitated during the tournament that it’s director Amélie Mauresmo has promised will be “exceptional”. But first, his voice is being heard. In the 45-second clip, that ends with a tight close-up of him, posted to Roland Garros’ social media channels two weeks ahead of the start of the main draw, Nadal reads a poem to go with dreamy visuals from the tournament. These are the words said by Rafa. Story continues below this ad “Only where love is written in capital letters, only the clay where champions fight, only the glide, the power, only the endurance until the night, only where tennis and everyone rh...

Jannik Sinner set for explosive return after doping ban: ‘Time away helped me’

26Apr

By source belowNo Comments

Sports

Jannik Sinner set for explosive return after doping ban: ‘Time away helped me’

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner is ready to step back onto the court after a three-month suspension, revealing that the enforced break from tennis “helped me a lot”. Sinner last played on January 26, when he brushed aside Alexander Zverev in straight sets to successfully defend his Australian Open crown. But just weeks after that high, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced that the Italian had agreed to a three-month ban following two positive tests for the banned substance Clostebol in March 2024. His suspension officially began on February 9, ruling him out of the early part of the season. Now, Sinner is set for a comeback at the Italian Open on May 4, with the Hamburg Open also on his schedule as he gears up for the French Open, which begins on May 25. Story continues below this ...

Indian Wells: Teen sensation Andreeva blows away defending champion Swiatek to set up final clash vs Sabalenka

15Mar

By source belowNo Comments

Sports

Indian Wells: Teen sensation Andreeva blows away defending champion Swiatek to set up final clash vs Sabalenka

Russian teen sensation Mirra Andreeva blew away defending champion Iga Swiatek 7-6(1), 1-6, 6-3 to reach the Indian Wells final on Saturday where she will meet top seed Aryna Sabalenka, who avenged her Australian Open final loss to Madison Keys with a 6-0, 6-1 drubbing. “Really tough match, tough conditions,” said the 17-year-old who is gunning for her second straight WTA 1000 title following her win in Dubai last month. “I tried to really hang in there. It was not easy, but I’m super happy with the win today and I can’t wait to play finals on Sunday,” added Andreeva. Story continues below this ad After a tight first set, Andreeva was flawless in the tiebreak, leaning over and letting out a roar when she enticed a forehand error from Swiatek on set point. The Polish secon...

Blindspots in Jannik Sinner doping case: How did he and his team miss the Clostebol drug problem in Italian sport?

18Feb

By source belowNo Comments

Sports

Blindspots in Jannik Sinner doping case: How did he and his team miss the Clostebol drug problem in Italian sport?

A spray purchased for a cut followed by a positive test for Clostebol. The sequence of events is applicable to World No.1 tennis player Jannick Sinner, in the news after being banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency for three months because he tested for Clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid.Sinner’s trainer bought a spray. His physiotherapist used it on a cut on his hand and then gave Sinner a back massage. But the chronology also fits into Italian basketball player Riccardo Moraschini’s story. Story continues below this ad Three years ago Moraschini’s fiancé used a spray that contained Clostebol after cutting her finger when cooking. Moraschini and his fiancé came in contact and he subsequently tested positive and was banned for a year. A similar ring to the positive test ...

Tim Henman explains why he felt Rafael Nadal would not make it after playing Spaniard early in his career

10Feb

By source belowNo Comments

Sports

Tim Henman explains why he felt Rafael Nadal would not make it after playing Spaniard early in his career

While 22-time grand slam winner Rafael Nadal became the latest one among the ‘Big three’ in tennis to retire with his retirement from tennis last year, it was the Spaniard who had impressed former British player Tim Henman the least in his early playing days. Henman, who retired in 2007, played against Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in his career, shared how Nadal would make mistakes early in his career and he did not see him going far. “I practised with Nadal, and I’d never seen anyone hit the ball that hard. But every third shot was in the back fence, and I just didn’t honestly believe that you could play like that because you’d make mistakes. He didn’t hit the ball quite as hard in matches, but after I’d lost the practice set 6-1, I thought maybe it would work,” former world nu...

Madison Keys unlocks her potential to win her first Grand Slam title at Australia Open

25Jan

By source belowNo Comments

Sports

Madison Keys unlocks her potential to win her first Grand Slam title at Australia Open

Madison Keys had been preordained to be here. One of the youngest-ever match-winner on the WTA Tour at the age of 14, her prodigal rise through the ranks had resulted in a first Grand Slam final by the age of 22. That occasion got the better of her, a straight-sets humbling at the 2017 US Open in which she amassed a total of three games.In the almost eight years since, as Keys slipped up and down the rankings and failed to reproduce the same level, questions may have been asked whether she had been a fluke – the archetypal promising American that ended up being more hype than substance, who squandered her only big chance and, even at her best, could not raise her game significantly enough to get another. With the thrash of one of the many huge inside-out crosscourt forehands that she put p...

Novak Djokovic serves a lesson to Carlos Alcaraz with masterful disruptive tactics in Australian Open

21Jan

By source belowNo Comments

Sports

Novak Djokovic serves a lesson to Carlos Alcaraz with masterful disruptive tactics in Australian Open

Novak Djokovic may have the most impressive resume, the most complete game, and the sturdiest and longest period of success in the game’s history. The truly defining factor of his greatness, though, may be almost imperceptible, and equally hard to articulate: a complete mastery over the physical marathon and mental gymnastics of best-of-five sets tennis on the Grand Slam stage.At 37, with 24 Majors in tow, on the heels of a lacklustre year following the emergence of a new, young brigade, reasonable questions may have been asked if that mastery would ever be on show again. The answer is a resounding yes. Across four sets of compelling, high-octane tennis on a breezy summer evening at his favourite hunting ground – Melbourne Park’s Rod Laver Arena – Djokovic returned from a set down and a mi...

Novak Djokovic backs Danielle Collins for standing up for herself: ‘I loved it… big fan of her’

17Jan

By source belowNo Comments

Sports

Novak Djokovic backs Danielle Collins for standing up for herself: ‘I loved it… big fan of her’

Novak Djokovic has backed Danielle Collins over her verbal tussle with jeering fans at the Australian Open. The Serbian got into his own verbal spat with heckler on Friday as he won his third round match against Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic. “I loved her response. I loved it. Everything she said on the court, off the court. Big fan of Danielle Collins after that. I was before. But now? Big fan. I love it,” a grinning Djokovic said at a news conference. “I heard some comments of people that she shouldn’t have said (this) or that. I think she handled it really well. I don’t think I would be that polite, and I know exactly the feeling. So I think she was funny, smart.” WATCH: Novak Djokovic backs Danielle Collins Novak Djokovic says he’s a big fan of Danielle Collins after her inter...