Page 12 - Tennis

Jannik Sinner has steroid case appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency

The steroid case involving top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner was appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, the Montreal-based body known as WADA, announced Saturday. WADA said it is seeking a ban of one to two years for the U.S. Open champion but indicated that it does not plan to back date an eventual ban which would mean that Sinner could keep his second Grand Slam title if he is found guilty. The announcement was made while Sinner was on court against Roman Safiullin at the China Open in Beijing. Sinner tested positive twice for an anabolic steroid in March but was not banned in a decision by an independent tribunal announced by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) on Aug. 20 because the ITIA determined he was not to blame. Sinner's accepted explanation was that the banned performance-enhancer entered his system unintentionally through a massage from his physiotherapist, who used a spray containing the steroid to treat their own cut finger. WADA said it filed

State associations withdraw motion against AITA President Anil Jain

The proposed no-confidence motion against All India Tennis Association (AITA) President Anil Jain has been withdrawn, sources told PTI on Saturday. Eight state tennis associations, affiliated with AITA, had proposed to move a no- confidence motion against Jain and an Extra Ordinary General Meeting (EGM) was called on Saturday ahead of the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Jain had moved the court seeking a stay on the EGM but the plea was not entertained. He had also alleged that certain candidates, who filed nominations for posts, were in violation of the Sports Code. "The no-confidence motion has been withdrawn, so EGM was not required," a source told PTI without sharing the details. Jain, who is a BJP Rajya Sabha MP, faced charges of "loading the association with his personal 'entitled' expenses by travelling with his family abroad several times." The state units that proposed the no-confidence motion were: Assam, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu

Wimbledon expansion plan approved by authorities despite resident concerns

A proposal by Wimbledon organizers to expand the site of the Grand Slam tournament with 39 new tennis courts has been given the green light by local authorities. The All England Club's plans which include a new 8,000-seat show court with a retractable roof were approved Friday by the Greater London Authority despite protests by local residents. The planned expansion in Wimbledon Park, which is adjacent to the All England Club, would allow Wimbledon's qualifying tournament to be held on site rather than at nearby Roehampton Community Sports Centre. But some locals have objected to the plans over concerns about the environmental impact. Protesters assembled outside City Hall ahead of the hearing on Friday and a number spoke in the chamber during a morning session lasting more than three hours. But Jules Pipe, London's deputy mayor for planning, said "the proposed development would facilitate very significant benefits. I agree with my officers that these benefits clearly outweigh th

Going to take another 10 years to produce Grand Slam champion: leander Paes

Tennis legend Leander Paes believes India needs at least a decade to produce another Grand Slam champion, urging former players to nurture young talent to transform the nation into a sports superpower capable of not only hosting the 2036 Olympics but also winning medals. "I think it's probably going to take another 10 years to produce a Grand Slam champion. I think that the focus needs to be on the grassroots base level and then the feeder system coming up, then you churn out the numbers," Paes said on the sidelines of the auctions of the Tennis Premier League (TPL) here on Wednesday. "I 100% believe we have tremendous talent in India, but I believe it's people like myself along with the governance, along with the whole sporting fraternity, to reach out to that talent in rural areas in places where maybe those children are not as fortunate as you and I, to have the parents who gave us that platform to stand on. "I think it's a responsibility for us to reach out there and find that

Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz on Spain's roster for the Davis Cup Finals

Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz were named to Spain's roster for the Davis Cup Finals on Monday, raising the possibility of a renewal of their Nadalcaraz doubles partnership from the Paris Olympics. Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion who is 38, hasn't competed anywhere since the Paris Games, where he lost in the second round of singles to longtime rival Novak Djokovic and paired with Alcaraz to get to the quarterfinals of men's doubles before exiting against Americans Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram. Nadal then withdrew from the U.S. Open and the Laver Cup while still dealing with health issues that have limited him to competing only sparingly over the past two seasons. Alcaraz earned the men's singles titles at the French Open in June and Wimbledon in July to raise his career total to four at the age of 21. Spain will take on the Netherlands in the quarterfinal round of the Davis Cup Finals, an eight-team event Nov. 19-24 in Malaga, Spain. The other opening matchups are: defen

Alcaraz clinches Laver Cup for Team Europe in 13-11 victory over Team World

Four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz overcame Taylor Fritz 6-2, 7-5 as Team Europe rallied to beat Team World 13-11 and win the Laver Cup. Alcaraz broke the U.S. Open runner-up Fritz in the 11th game and then closed out victory on serve, sparking celebrations as the Europe team rejoiced with captain Bjrn Borg in Berlin. Team World was favorite to win the Laver Cup for a third straight time after leading 8-4 on points heading into the last of the three days. Europe began the comeback Sunday when Alcaraz and Casper Ruud won the doubles 6-2, 7-6 (6) against American pair Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe. But Shelton then downed Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev 6-7 (6), 7-5, 10-7 to move the World team into pole position. Tiafoe, who reached the U.S. Open semifinals, could have sealed it for them but he lost to French Open finalist Alexander Zverev 6-7 (5), 7-5, 10-5, setting up the decider between Alcaraz and Fritz. The Laver Cup is formatted like golf's Ryder Cup with

Defending champions Italy to take on Argentina in Davis Cup Finals

Defending champion Italy will take on Argentina in the opening round of the Davis Cup Finals in November. Thursday's draw for the last eight in the southern Spanish city of Malaga also set up the United States against Australia, Germany against Canada and the Netherlands against Spain. Italy, Spain, Canada and the US were the seeded nations after winning their groups last week when the qualifying competition was played in four different cities. The winner of the Italy-Argentina tie will meet the US or Australia in the semi-finals. The winner of Germany-Canada will take on the Dutch or Spain. Italy won its first Davis Cup titles since 1976 by beating Australia in last year's final, which also took place in Malaga.

Sumit Nagal demands $50, 000 to represent India, calls it standard practice

The All India Tennis Association on Thursday claimed that Sumit Nagal demanded an annual fee of USD 50,000 to play Davis Cup ties for India but the country's top singles player defended himself, saying it is "standard practice" for athletes to be paid for their services. Nagal had opted out of the recent Davis Cup tie against Sweden, citing a back strain that also forced him out of the US Open men's doubles competition last month. It was India's best chance to beat Sweden in their own backyard but competing without a singles specialist, the team received a 0-4 hammering. Packed with doubles players and debutants, the team could not even win a set in the World Group I tie. AITA, on Tuesday, made its displeasure clear by saying that the country's top players, including Nagal, Yuki Bhambri and Sasikumar Mukund, refused national duty. Nagal had entered the ATP 250 Hangzhou Open and was scheduled to play on Thursday but withdrew citing the same back issue. "You tell me why should a pla

Davis Cup 2024: Argentina enters final after a hard fought win over Finland

Argentina clinched a berth in the eight-team Davis Cup Final with a tense 3-0 win over Finland. The Argentines have reached the quarterfinals in Malaga, Spain, in November for the first time in five years. They had to battle in Group D in Manchester after an opening loss to 2022 champion Canada. They beat host Britain on Friday and overcame a gritty Finland, a semifinalist last year but without its best player on Saturday. Tomas Martin Etcheverry beat 703rd-ranked Eero Vasa 7-6(5) 6-3, then Francisco Cerundolo outlasted Otto Virtanen 6-7(4) 6-1 6-0. Argentina needed the doubles, and Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni delivered against Patrick Kaukovalta and Harri Heliovaara 6-7(3) 6-4 6-3. The result forces Britain to have to beat Canada 3-0 on Sunday to advance at Canada's expense. In Bologna, Brazil beat Belgium 2-1 after losses to Italy and the Netherlands in Group A. Three-set wins by Joao Fonseca and Thiago Monteiro followed by a doubles loss took more than six hours to comp

Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal withdraws from Laver Cup in Berlin

Rafael Nadal withdrew Thursday from next week's Laver Cup in Berlin, leaving it unclear when the Spanish great will play again. The Laver Cup the tournament where Roger Federer retired in 2022 after teaming up with Nadal in doubles would have been Nadal's first event since the Paris Olympics and potentially one of his last ever. I'm really disappointed to share that I won't be able to compete at the Laver Cup in Berlin next week," the 38-year-old Nadal said. This is a team competition and to really support Team Europe, I need to do what's best for them and at this moment there are other players who can help the team deliver the win. The 22-time Grand Slam champion didn't address his current fitness after a spate of injuries in recent years, or when he might play again. Nadal withdrew last month from the U.S. Open, meaning he missed three of the four Grand Slam tournaments in 2024. He last played in reaching the men's doubles quarterfinals at the Olympics, where he also lost in th

Davis Cup 2024: United States takes unassailable 2-0 lead over Chile

Brandon Nakashima and Reilly Opelka won their singles matches Wednesday to give the United States an unassailable 2-0 lead over Chile in the group stage of the Davis Cup Finals at Zhuhai, China. Nakashima beat Alejandro Tabilo 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-6 (3) after Reilly Opelka defeated Cristian Garin 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (3) to give the Americans an early lead following the 2 hour, 26-minute opener. The two singles matches lasted more than five hours, and there was a doubles match still to be played. Four groups are playing in four cities this week to qualify for the Final 8 knockout stage to be held in Malaga, Spain, in November. The top two countries in each four-team group will advance. The US, which has a leading 32 Davis Cup titles its most recent in 2007 was over Russia is bidding to reach the quarter-finals for the second time since the Davis Cup Finals were introduced in 2019. In the qualifiers this year, the Americans defeated Ukraine 4-0 on neutral ground in Vilnius, Lithuania. Later .

Jannik Sinner is already world number 1 and has 2 Grand Slams at 23

New US Open champion Jannik Sinner is making big strides in a short amount of time. And that, he figures, bodes well for what's to come. Just 23, Sinner already reached No. 1 in the ATP rankings a few months ago and, on Sunday, collected the second Grand Slam trophy of his career and of the year by defeating Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 in the final at Flushing Meadows. Add that to his Australian Open in January, and Sinner is the first man since Guillermo Vilas all the way back in 1977 to pick up major titles No. 1 and No. 2 within the same season. I've gone through a lot things quickly, said Sinner, Italy's second US Open singles title winner, joining 2015 women's champ Flavia Pennetta. I'm still young. That gives me confidence I still can get better, because at 23, you haven't perfected everything. So my team and I know we have to improve. In what ways? He pointed to the match against Fritz. Today, I played well from the back court. I felt good there, said Sinner, who was ...

Navarro reaches career high no 8 in ATP rankings, Fritz back in top 10

US Open men's runner-up Taylor Fritz returned to the top 10 in the ATP rankings at No. 7 on Monday, and women's runner-up Jessica Pegula rose to No. 3 in the WTA list, while semi-finalist Emma Navarro climbed to a career-best No. 8. Men's champion Jannik Sinner nearly doubled his lead as the ATP's No. 1 a spot he's held since June a day after defeating Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 7-5, and women's champion Aryna Sabalenka stayed at No. 2 in the WTA behind Iga Swiatek, who lost to Pegula in the quarter-finals. I mean, I'm not trying to focus on ranking, to be honest. Not like I'm checking where I'm going to be after the tournament, Sabalenka said Saturday after her 7-5, 7-5 victory over Pegula in the final. I'm just trying to focus on myself, and I know that if (at) each tournament I'll be able to play my best tennis ... I'll be able to become world No. 1 again. So, my focus is on myself, on improving myself as a player and as a person. Hopefully, one day, I'll see myself (back) on the top of t

US Open 2024 men's singles final, live telecast and streaming

Taylor Fritz will be looking to create history as he is the first American man to play in a Grand Slam final in over 15 years. Sinner will be aiming to add a US Open title to his collection.

US Open: Aryna Sabalenka beats Jessica Pegula to win 3rd Grand Slam title

Aryna Sabalenka left the U.S. Open in tears 12 months ago as the runner-up. She exited in the semifinals each of the two years before that, other losses that were difficult to digest. On Saturday, Sabalenka was in a joking mood after winning her first championship at Flushing Meadows and the third Grand Slam title of her career. Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, got past No. 6 Jessica Pegula 7-5, 7-5 in a rollicking final under a closed retractable roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium, displaying her typical power while sprinkling in some variation to add this triumph to those at the Australian Open each of the past two seasons. I had a lot of tough lessons here ... especially last year, Sabalenka, a 26-year-old from Belarus, said after grabbing the last two games of the first set and the last four of the match. In those tough moments (Saturday), I was just trying to stay strong and trying to remind myself that I have been through a lot and I'm strong enough to hold under this pressure. Sitting n

US Open women's singles champions over the years; see full list of winners

Playing in her second consecutive final, Sabalenka won the tie against USA's Pegula in straight sets (7-5, 7-5)

US Open 2024: Jessica Pegula sets final date with Aryna Sabalenka in final

Jessica Pegula shrugged off a sluggish start and came back from a set and a break down at the U.S. Open to defeat Karolina Muchova 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 for a berth in her first Grand Slam final. The No. 6-seeded Pegula, a 30-year-old from New York, has won 15 of her past 16 matches and will meet No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka for the title on Saturday. Sabalenka, last year's runner-up to Coco Gauff at Flushing Meadows, returned to the championship match by holding off a late push to beat No. 13 Emma Navarro of the U.S. 6-3, 7-6 (2). Things did not look promising for Pegula early: Muchova, the 2023 French Open runner-up but unseeded after missing about 10 months because of wrist surgery, employed every ounce of her versatility and creativity, the traits that make her so hard to deal with on any surface. The slices. The touch at the net. The serve-and-volleying. Ten of the match's first 12 winners came off her racket. The first set lasted 28 minutes, and Muchova won 30 of its 44 points. Muchova gra

Jessica Pegula upsets No. 1 Iga Swiatek to reach first Grand Slam semifinal

The questions wouldn't stop for Jessica Pegula: Why was she 0-6 in Grand Slam quarterfinals heading into her U.S. Open matchup against No. 1 Iga Swiatek? What could Pegula do to change that? Came up during her on-court interview after winning in the previous round. And again at the news conference that followed. And again during a brief TV interview right before striding onto the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday night. If that all weighed on Pegula, the 30-year-old American hid it well, pulling off a big upset by easily beating Swiatek 6-2, 6-4 at Flushing Meadows and earning a debut trip to the semifinals at a major. There have been so many freaking times, and I just kept losing, said Pegula, who has won 14 of her past 15 matches, all on hard courts. "I know everyone keeps asking me about it, but I was like, I don't know what else to do. I just need to get there again and, like, win the match.' So thank God I was able to do it. And finally finally! I can say, ...

US Open 2024: Tiafoe, Fritz, Pegula and Navarro advance to semifinals

To hear Frances Tiafoe tell it, Taylor Fritz predicted this sort of moment for the two of them. And for American men's tennis. It was during an early morning plane ride together a few years ago that the conversation turned to the future and possibilities, Tiafoe recounted after setting up a U.S. Open semifinal on Friday against Fritz, another 26-year-old American, that guarantees the United States will have a man in a Grand Slam title match for the first time since Andy Roddick lost to Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2009. He's a pretty to-himself kind of dude, and he's, like, Bro, I think me and you are going to be the 1-2 Americans and leading the way.' ... I was, like, 'Dang, dude, (it's) 6 a.m., I'm pretty tired, but let's do it.' Why not? He's kind of had that mindset, and he's pushed me a lot, you know what I mean? Tiafoe, who is from Maryland, said about the chat with longtime pal Fritz, a Californian. Times I'm playing really bad, or whatever the case may be, and he's doing i

US Open 2024: Jessica Pegula pulls another upset, beats Iga Swiatek in Q/F

The questions wouldn't stop for Jessica Pegula: Why was she 0-6 in Grand Slam quarterfinals heading into her U.S. Open matchup against No. 1 Iga Swiatek? What could Pegula do to change that? Came up during her on-court interview after winning in the previous round. And again at the news conference that followed. And again during a brief TV interview right before striding onto the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday night. If that all weighed on Pegula, the 30-year-old American hid it well, pulling off a big upset by easily beating Swiatek 6-2, 6-4 at Flushing Meadows and earning a debut trip to the semifinals at a major. There have been so many freaking times, and I just kept losing, said Pegula, who has won 14 of her past 15 matches, all on hard courts. "I know everyone keeps asking me about it, but I was like, 'I don't know what else to do. I just need to get there again and, like, win the match.' So thank God I was able to do it. And finally finally! I can say, ...