Cincinnati Masters

Swiatek deployed bulging bank account to fight doping charge

Published

1 year ago

December 7, 2024

Iga Swiatek did not think twice about launching a pricey defence of her career and reputation upon receiving an autumn email advising her of a positive doping test.

The longtime world No. 1 now ranked second behind Aryna Sabalenka told Polish television that she broke down in tears and was unable to even finish reading the email sent to her after testing positive for trimetazidine at the August Cincinnati Masters.

She and her team immediately huddled to work out a price-no-object strategy.

“I spent about USD 70,000 on a lawyer, EUR 15,000 on expert opinions and tests,” she revealed, although she doesn’t remember the exact amounts,” the 23-year-old with five Grand Slam titles said.

“On top of that, there was also the loss of the financial prize for Cincinnati, but – to be honest – it didn’t matter to me. The most important thing was to prove my innocence.

“I give these amounts in order to make people realise the problems faced by athletes who don’t make as much money as I do on the court and play sports in which salaries are much lower.”

Swiatek’s successful appeal to the International Tennis Integrity Agency – she bore “no fault or negligence” – resulted in her serving a one-month ban in October and missing the Asian swing.

“A few hours after I found out, we all met and had a brainstorming session. I hired a lawyer from the States who specialised in such cases.

“The fact that I had already earned a lot of money and could afford to spend it on my defence, without even blinking an eye, has definitely helped.

“I know that many athletes do not have such opportunities and I think this is something that may hold them back, because I actually paid for the entire process,” said the player whose career earnings on court alone have reached nearly USD 25 million.

ATP

Sinner claims full house with Indian Wells win

Published

1 month ago

March 16, 2026

Roger Parker

World No. 2 Jannik Sinner became the youngest man to complete the full set of hard-court victories by beating Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (8) 7-6 (7) in the searing heat of Indian Wells.

The 24 year old Italian, didn’t face a break point during the final nor did he drop a set on his way to claiming his first title of the year and his 25th overall.

Sinner has won both hard court Grand Slams, with victories at the Australian Open in 2024 and 2025 and at the US Open in 2024.

In addition he has lifted all six Masters 1000 series hard court titles – adding the Indian Wells title to victories in Miami, Toronto, Cincinnati, Shanghai and Paris plus the season-ending ATP Finals.

Only Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer have achieved the same feat.

Main photo:- Jannik Sinner lifts Indian Wells Trophy – by ATPTour.com

ATP

FAA raises his “standards” to extend QF hot streak

Published

2 months ago

February 25, 2026

Bill Scott

Felix Auger-Aliassime bounced back after a slow start, with the Canadian raiding his game along with his expectations on Wednesday at the ATP Dubai event.

The top seed survived the loss of his opening serve to prevail 6-4, 6-4 over France’s Giovanni Mpetschi Perricard.

Victory marked the 10th quarter-final or higher at 11 tournament for FAA dating to Cincinnati last August.

The seed’s game is on the mend after a hiccup in the form of an Australian Open first-round loss, with FAA winning the Montpellier title and reaching this month’s Rotterdam final against Alex de Minaur.

Auger-Aliassime said that he tries to set an example to his team by way of keeping his tennis standards high.

“I’m responsible, I’m the one stepping onto the court – I’m the (support) team leader.

“I need to uphold the standards I want for my career.”

The winner who broke three times, said the ball reacted differently as he played for the first time in the afternoon.

“I couldn’t find my serve in the first few games, I needed to get some rhythm. he also made it difficult for me. I’m glad I was able to find a way back into the set.

The Canadian No. 1 improved his record against French opponents to 15-1 since the start of 2025.

ATP

The heat is on as ATP bows to weather reality

Published

4 months ago

December 17, 2025

Bill Scott

The ATP has bowed to the inevitability of weather, with a new heat rule for men’s matches due to be put into place for the start of the 2026 season.

While the WTA has long provided a pause after the second set of matches played in extreme hot weather, that’ not been the general case for the men.

Now, players will get a break when temps and humidity factors reach 30.1 C (86.18 F) or higher in the first two sets of a best-of-three-setter.

That triggers a 10-minute cooling break which can be called by either payer and which will apply to both. Competitors can use the brief pause to hydrate, change clothes, shower and receive coaching.

Should the heat exceed 32.2 C the match is called off.

.The new policy will replace the previous system where ATP tournament supervisors made the call with input from on-site medical staff.

The ATP will now fall into line with the WTA system as well as that of the four Grand Slams.

The tipping point came last season, when Jannik Sinner had to quit his third-round October match in Shanghai due to heat exhaustion in admittedly freak conditions for China in the autumn.

Novak Djokovic vomited during a match while France’s Ugo Humbert said players could “die on court” due to the torrid conditions. At the August Masters in steamy Cincinnati, Arthur Rinderknech collapsed on court, another data point which apparently led to the policy change

Main photo US Open New York 06/09/2023 Daniil Medvedev cools down
Photo Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd