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Wimbledon champion Rybakina struggling with virus

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Surprise Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina has been struggling with a virus since Roland Garros and will face an uphill battle to be match-fit when play begins at the All England Club in a week.

The Kazakh who beat Ons Jabeur in the 2022 final of outsiders, said she is on the mend but racing against the clock to be ready for the start of her title defence.

“It’s been tough,” she said after withdrawing on Monday from the last pre-Wimbledon tuneup event at Eastbourne on the English south coast.

 “At the French Open after I withdrew (third round) I went back to the hotel and could not leave for several days.

“I still think that I’m not at 100 per cent physically but slowly it’s getting better. Hopefully I can get some matches here and feel more comfortable at Wimbledon.

The WTA No. 3 added: “It’s a new challenge for me to come as a defending champion and everyone is saying I’m the favourite, so it’s sort of different.

“But the goals are the same; having all the experience from last year is helping me.”

The holder has been hitting on the grounds of the Club with her return set for one week away.

Main photo:-Wimbledon 2022 Elena Rybakina receives Venus Rosewater dish from Duchess of Cambridge after winning ladies singles final by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd

ATP

Norrie fights through while Draper folds in Cincy

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Cam Norrie set up a second-rounder with top seed Alexander Zverev as the British No. 2 overcame a slow start to overhaul Croat Dino Prizmic 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 while Jack Draper suffered another collapse in form on Thursday at the Cincinnati Masters.

Norrie, a Montreal quarter-finalist who had not won a match here since 2022, seized the initiative in the second set against Prizmic and bolted into the second round despite feeling sluggish.

“It was a quick turnaround from Montreal. I couldn’t feel the ball and was a bit under the weather,” the No. 37 said.

“He came out firing and I had to stay tough. I could see he was struggling with the conditions. There was one break in the third set, not much in there.”

Norries takes an 0-7 record into his match with Zverev, an opening-match loser in Montreal who said he played one of the worst matches of his career in Canada.

https://www.atptour.com/en/video/highlights-norrie-rallies-past-prizmic-sets-zverev-clash-in-cincinnati-2026

Draper managed a 5-2 lead in his second set against Spain’s Martin Landaluce, but was twice unable to serve his way into a deciding third set, taking a 6-3, 7-5 defeat in two hours..

The No. 143 Brit whose career has often been a never-ending run of injuries and disappointment, missed on six set point chances, turned in a dozen double faults.

The loss came just days after his tearful outburst after going down in the Montreal first round.

Prior to Montreal, he last played in Eastbourne and has shown up for just 14 Tour matches this season.

That was all just fine for the 64th-ranked Landaluce, who benefitted form almost 50 Draper unforced errors.

“The important thing was to believe in my game and my shots. I can have some big misses but I don’t care. At the end I was making good shots,” the Spaniard said..

“If I lose like that, I don’t care. Today I got the win and I’m very happy.”

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Eastbourne

Rotten luck for Raducanu – no US Open

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Emma Raducanu will miss the return to the scene of her biggest career triumph with news on Monday that the injured Brit will be missing from the US Open.

The player who won the New York title from a qualifying start in 2021 has not competed since losing the Eastbourne final in mid-June and then going missing from Wimbledon.

The 23-year-old is dealing with a stress fracture and is reported by British tabloid media as undergoing treatment at a pricey private clinic.

In 15 Grand Slam appearances since her Open title half a decade ago, Raducanu has only twice reached the fourth round of a major and looks to be a fading force in between injuries and a near-constant merry-go-round of coaches.

Main photo:- Emma Raducanu won US Open 2021 from a qualifying start, without dropping a set – by ISF Ltd

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ATP

Murray ready to try it again with fragile Draper

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Andy Murray will give his coaching attempt with Jack Draper another go this week in Washington as the injury-prone Brit attempts a comeback after dropping out of Wimbledon and skewering his debut with his famed compatriot.

Murray has patiently adjusted to the waiting game with Draper, a one-time national No. 1 now ranked 147.

The pair will attempt to kick start their coaching relationship in steamy conditions in Washington as the pre-US open hardcourt season kicks off in the US capital.

Since announcement of the collaboration last May, Draper has only played one event, reaching the home semi-finals at Eastbourne.

But the Wimbledon partnership was put on hold by yet another injury to the fragile 24-year-old, who did not compete from last September until Davis Cup in February due to bone bruising in his serving arm.

Bringing three-time Grand Slam winner Murray on board had originally been billed as a deal of only a few weeks. Draper has played in only six events this season, winning eight of 13 matches.

Sky Sports reported that Sir Andy and his new pupil had been spotted on a practice court in Washington this week.

Main photo:- Sir Andy Murray takes a training time out with Jack Draper in Washington

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