Defending champion Iga Swiatek off to fast start at Indian Wells

Iga Swiatek returns a shot to Claire Liu at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament on March 11, 2023, in Indian Wells, California (AP)
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Updated 12 March 2023
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Defending champion Iga Swiatek off to fast start at Indian Wells

  • Emma Raducanu, Britain’s 2021 US Open champion, beats Australian Open semifinalist Magda Linette of Poland 7-6 (7/3), 6-2
  • In another early match, 67th-ranked Czech Karolina Muchova surprised two-time Indian Wells champion Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (7/1), 6-3

INDIAN WELLS: World number one Iga Swiatek launched her bid for a rare Indian Wells repeat with a convincing 6-0, 6-1 victory over 56th-ranked American Claire Liu on Saturday.
Neither Liu nor the breezy conditions on Stadium Court troubled Swiatek, who is seeking to become just the second woman — after Martina Navratilova in 1990-91 — to sucessfully defend her title at the prestigious combined WTA and ATP Masters 1000 hard court tournament.
Swiatek roared through the first set, winning 25 of 32 points.
She didn’t have things quite so much her own way in the second, although she never faced a break point. Liu did manage to save a match point as she finally held serve in the penultimate game.
The crowd roard when Liu — facing a top-ranked player for the first time — slipped a forehand passing shot under Swiatek’s guard on game point.
It brought a relieved smile to the American’s face, but Swiatek closed it out in the next game after 65 minutes.
“For sure Claire used that moment when I didn’t play as aggressive that I should be, but I’m pretty happy that I was able to close it out pretty fast,” said Swiatek, the reigning French Open and US Open champion who was surprised in the round of 16 at the Australian Open in January.
Since then, the 21-year-old from Warsaw has successfully defended her title in Doha and reached the final in Dubai.
Men’s top seed Carlos Alcaraz was scheduled to open his campaign on Saturday night, taking on Australian qualifier Thanasi Kokkinaki.
The 19-year-old Spaniard, whose US Open triumph last year saw him become the youngest-ever world number one, missed the Australian Open as a string of injuries sidelined him for four months.
He returned to win the title in Buenos Aires before falling in the final at Rio de Janeiro, where he was hindered by a hamstring strain that prompted him to pull out of the ATP tournament in Acapulco.
Taylor Fritz opened his title defense against fellow American Ben Shelton.
Fritz, who defeated Rafael Nadal in the title match last year, is coming off a title at Delray Beach that saw him becme the first American man in the top five of the world rankings since Andy Roddick in September of 2009.
Former world number one Andy Murray, grinding his way back after hip replacement in 2019, faced lucky loser Radu Albot. The winner will face Jack Draper, who won an all-British battle with 24th seed Daniel Evans 6-4, 6-2.

Emma Raducanu, Britain’s 2021 US Open champion, shook off a flare-up of her right wrist trouble to beat Australian Open semifinalist Magda Linette of Poland 7-6 (7/3), 6-2.
Britain’s Raducanu — who has been slowed by wrist pain, an ankle injury and a bout of tonsillitis this year — received treatment on her right wrist during the match, but dug in to oust the 20th seed in one hour and 50 minutes.
It marked the first time since September in Seoul that Raducanu has put together back-to-back match wins — one of which was a quarter-final triumph over Linette.
Raducanu rallied from 4-1 down in the opening set to force the tiebreaker. She broke Linette in the fourth game of the second set and saved two break points in the next game, eventually putting it away with a stinging forehand down the line.
Raducanu said her wrist trouble was “manageable,” and she was pleased that she was feeling better physically than she did in the first round, when she was still feeling the effects of the illness that forced her out of a tournament in Texas last month.
“I was so out of it, I didn’t really know what was going on,” she said. “Today, I was so pleased with the way I fought because Magda played really high level (and) some things that were working in the past weren’t working today, and I adapted.”
In another early match, 67th-ranked Czech Karolina Muchova surprised two-time Indian Wells champion Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (7/1), 6-3.


Medvedev defeats old rival Zverev to reach Halle Open final, Bublik awaits

Updated 21 June 2025
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Medvedev defeats old rival Zverev to reach Halle Open final, Bublik awaits

  • “I could have done much better when I had the break in the second but it is normal,” Medvedev said
  • It’s Medvedev’s fourth consecutive win over Zverev

HALLE, Germany: Daniil Medvedev ended home favorite Alexander Zverev’s hopes of grass-court glory with a 7-6 (3), 6-7 (1), 6-4 win in their Halle Open semifinal on Saturday.

Medvedev recovered from squandering three match points on Zverev’s serve at 5-6 in the second set and took nearly 3 hours to get past his old rival and reach his first final in 15 months.

“I could have done much better when I had the break in the second but it is normal,” Medvedev said. “The same happened in the third set that when I had the break, he started playing better, returning better. I am happy that in the third set I managed to stay more composed and managed to save those break points.”

It’s Medvedev’s fourth consecutive win over Zverev and it extended his lead to 13-7 in their head-to-head series.

The Russian player will face Alexander Bublik — who beat top-ranked Jannik Sinner in the second round — in Sunday’s final.

Bublik, the 2023 champion, fired 18 aces as he defeated Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 in the other semifinal.

Medvedev hasn’t played a final since March 2024, when he lost to Carlos Alcaraz at Indian Wells.

Zverev, who had been bidding to reach the Halle final for the third time, will have to wait for his first title on grass.


Vondrousova surprises Sabalenka to reach Berlin final

Updated 21 June 2025
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Vondrousova surprises Sabalenka to reach Berlin final

  • The 25-year-old Czech, ranked 164 in the world rankings, dominated Sabalenka 6-2. 6-4,
  • “I didn’t play for a long time,” said Vondrousova

BERLIN: Marketa Vondrousova brushed aside world number one Aryna Sabalenka in Berlin on Saturday to reach her first final since lifting the Wimbledon title two years ago.

The 25-year-old Czech, ranked 164 in the world rankings, dominated Sabalenka 6-2. 6-4, to set up a Sunday title clash with the winner of the other semifinal on the grass in Berlin between Wang Xinyu and Liudmila Samsonova.

Vondrousova plummeted down the rankings from sixth after missing several months with a left shoulder injury for which she underwent surgery last year.

“I didn’t play for a long time,” said Vondrousova, who was appearing in her first WTA semifinal since April last year.

“I’m just happy to be back healthy, and so grateful to play these matches.

“When I saw the field here, I was like, ‘OK, let’s just try to win the first round,’ and then, you
know, now this is happening.”

Sabalenka’s first serve let her down in the opening set, but the Belarusian fought back to start the second with a break.

Two games down Vondrousova levelled at 2-2, then broke to lead 5-4, wrapping up the win — her first ever over a world number one — but not before saving three consecutive break points, with an ace after one hour five minutes of play.

Sabalenka, 27, was losing only her first semifinal in eight last four appearances in 2025.

China’s Wang beat French Open champion Coco Gauff on Thursday then reached the semis after Spanish opponent Paula Badosa retired having lost 6-1 in the first set.

Her opponent, Samsonova, continued her excellent form on the grass after seeing off defending champion Jessica Pegula, Naomi Osaka, and last weekend’s Queen’s finalist Amanda Anisimova this week.


Alcaraz extends winning streak, Draper into semifinals at Queen’s

Updated 21 June 2025
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Alcaraz extends winning streak, Draper into semifinals at Queen’s

  • Alcaraz, who won the Wimbledon warm-up event in 2023, will face Spanish compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut in Saturday’s semifinals
  • The 23-year-old had twice lost in the last eight at Queen’s, but now he is just two wins away from joining Andy Murray as only the second British champion at the tournament in the Open area

LONDON: Carlos Alcaraz was relieved to overcome the challenge of Arthur Rinderknech in straight sets to reach the semifinals at Queen’s Club and extend his career-best winning streak to 16 matches on Friday.

In his first tournament since winning the French Open in remarkable fashion against Jannik Sinner, the world No. 2 had been forced to come through a grueling three-set battle against Jaume Munar in Thursday’s second round.

But Alcaraz was ruthless with his opportunities against world No. 80 Rinderknech as the Spaniard took his only two break point chances for a 7-5, 6-4 win inside 90 minutes on court.

“I thought I was going to feel much worse, but we are tennis players, we have to do whatever we have to do to feel good,” said Alcaraz after his three-and-a-half-hour battle against Munar.

“I’m glad that today was one hour and 20 minutes, a bit more like grass.”

Alcaraz, who won the Wimbledon warm-up event in 2023, will face Spanish compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut in Saturday’s semifinals after he beat fourth seed Holger Rune 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (4/7), 6-2.

“I’m feeling great, and I’m just happy to play at such a good level today. It was a big challenge today, but I’m happy with the way I played and felt today,” added Alcaraz.

Jack Draper, who ended Alcaraz’s defense at Queen’s last year, reached the semifinals for the first time and secured a top-four seed at Wimbledon with a tense 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 win over American Brandon Nakashima.

The 23-year-old had twice lost in the last eight at Queen’s, but now he is just two wins away from joining Andy Murray as only the second British champion at the tournament in the Open area.

Draper will move above Novak Djokovic and Taylor Fritz in the world rankings next week to a career-high of four.

That means at Wimbledon, which starts on June 30, Draper will avoid defending champion Alcaraz and world No. 1 Sinner until the semifinals.

“Last year I went there ranked 40th and now I’m fourth. To get to that position is an incredible feeling,” Draper said.

“It is testament to the work me and my team have done and I’m proud of that.”

Draper will face Jiri Lehecka in the last four on Saturday after the Czech world No. 30 beat beat British No. 2 Jacob Fearnley 7-5, 6-2.


Emirates extends global partnership with ATP through 2030

Updated 20 June 2025
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Emirates extends global partnership with ATP through 2030

  • Since 2013, the Dubai-based airline and ATP Tour have built one of the longest standing and most recognizable partnerships in professional tennis

DUBAI: Emirates and the ATP Tour have renewed their global partnership, with the airline continuing as the premier partner of the competition through 2030.

First joining forces in 2013, Emirates and the ATP have built one of the longest-standing and most recognizable partnerships in professional tennis.

Emirates will continue to showcase its premium hospitality at close to 60 ATP tournaments spanning six continents each season.

The airline’s signature net branding will remain a distinctive part of the viewing experience for millions of fans worldwide.

Emirates will also continue to receive prominent marketing rights and high-value brand visibility across the season, maintaining one of the broadest footprints in tennis.

From 2026, Emirates will further expand its brand presence by becoming the ATP’s first umpire sleeve-patch partner.

The initiative builds on Emirates’ association with sport officiating across its major sponsorships, including the NBA, International Cricket Council, World Rugby, European Rugby Champions Cup and SailGP.

Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ executive vice president, corporate communications, marketing and brand, said this was an opportunity for Emirates to connect with tennis fans worldwide and build a consistent, authentic brand association with the sport.

“Through exceptional hospitality and strategic on-ground activations at the world’s most prestigious tournaments, we’re strengthening engagement with our loyal customer base to remain top-of-mind.

“We’re committed to working closely with the ATP and leveraging this partnership further as we continue expanding Emirates’ global tennis footprint.”

Daniele Sano, ATP’s chief business officer, said: “Emirates has been a constant presence on the ATP Tour for over a decade, and this renewal is a big moment for both of us.

“It speaks to the strength of our relationship and everything we’ve built together. Right now, the Tour is in a really exciting place. We’re seeing record attendance, growing commercial interest, and real momentum across the board.

“We’re proud to keep building with a partner, and a truly premium brand, that shares our belief in the future of the sport.”

In addition to leveraging the ATP’s digital and social channels, Emirates will begin collaborating with players on digital promotions through a dedicated activation program.

The ATP Tour connects Emirates with more than 5 million fans on-site each season, underscoring the global reach of both tennis and the world’s largest international airline.

Beyond the ATP Tour, Emirates is a sponsor of all four Grand Slam tennis tournaments: the Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open.


Coco Gauff loses in Berlin in first match since French Open title, turns attention to Wimbledon

Updated 19 June 2025
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Coco Gauff loses in Berlin in first match since French Open title, turns attention to Wimbledon

  • Gauff had a bye to the second round at the grass-court tournament, a warmup for Wimbledon
  • “It was a tough one today but happy to be back on court,” she wrote on her social media

BERLIN: Newly crowned French Open champion Coco Gauff was stunned on her return to action Thursday, losing to Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu 6-3, 6-3 at the Berlin Open.

The second-ranked Gauff, who won at Roland-Garros less than two weeks ago for her second Grand Slam title, amassed 25 unforced errors and seven double faults in her loss to Wang.

Gauff had a bye to the second round at the grass-court tournament, a warmup for Wimbledon.

“It was a tough one today but happy to be back on court,” Gauff wrote on her social media accounts. “Tried my best to adjust with the quick turnaround but it wasn’t enough. As always, I’m learning as I go so I hope to do better next time.”

The 21-year-old Gauff added that she is “excited to get some more practices in to be ready for Wimbledon,” which starts June 30. She has not made it past the fourth round at the All England Club.

Wang, ranked No. 49, said she would have been pleased just with the first set Thursday, considering the level of her opponent.

“After I won the first set, I just told myself ‘OK let’s take a minute and enjoy this, I’m playing the French Open champion, and I won the first set,’” she said in her on-court interview.

“No matter how the second and third go, I was like, ‘OK let’s just enjoy it for a second,’” said Wang, who will face Paula Badosa in the quarterfinals. “I’m really happy with how I played today. I was serving good and putting a lot of pressure on the return, especially second-serve return.”

Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka finished off Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-6 (6) in a match that was suspended Wednesday after one set because of a slippery court.

Sabalenka had lost to Gauff at the French Open final and later apologized to the American for making “unprofessional” comments after the Paris title match.

Sabalenka will meet 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals.