Roland Garros 2026 Women’s Day 1

Published

5 months ago

May 24, 2026

Marta Kostyuk won a French Open match under the most extreme pressure on Sunday as she advanced to the second round after a Russian drone and missile attack on her hometown overnight.

The winner of the Madrid title this month played her first match in more than three weeks, blocking out the tragedy unfolding in Kyiv.

Kostyuk defeated Russian-born Oksana Selekhmeteva, somehow appearing here under Spanish colours, 6-2, 6-3.

Her support box included Spanish BJK Cup captain Carla Suarez Navarro, who watched her hastily adopted player fire a dozen double-faults as she lost.

The 15th-ranked Kostyuk became emotional after her victory, calling the win “one of the most difficult matches of my career.

“This morning, 100 meters from my parent’s house, the missile destroyed the building. It was a very difficult morning. I didn’t know how this match is gonna turn out for me.

“I didn’t know how I would handle it. I’ve been crying part of the morning. I don’t wanna talk about myself today.” She added: “

I’m very pleased to be in the second round, but all of my thoughts and all my heart goes to the people of Ukraine today. Thank you so much for coming out. Slava Ukraine.”

Eighth seed Mirra Andreeva made quick work of France’s Fiona Ferro 6-3, 6-3, thriving in the unusual broiling conditions.

“It’s a little bit unexpected for Paris, this kind of weather, but I was okay.

“I’m just happy that I was prepared (they) didn’t really bother me on the court.”

Emma Raducanu lost a seventh consecutive match as she was eliminated 6-0, 7-6 (4) by Argentine Solana Sierra.

But the Brit who won the 2021 US Open and has done barely anything since put up a fight in the second set.

Trailing 4-1, Raducanu forced the match into a tiebreaker, where her South American opponent finally prevailed on a first match point.

Raducanu last won a match in February in between injury absences and will now transfer her attention to the brief grass season at home.

,Last year’s junior champion Lilli Tagger lost in the first Grand Slam main draw match of her career, saving four match points before going down to China’s Wang Xinyu.

The Austrian, linked with the management team handling fellow German-speaker Jannik Sinner, was unable to close the gap from 5-1 down in the third set against Wang.

Tagger pulled to 4-5 but took the loss with a forehand return into the net as Wang escaped with the victory after more than two hours on court.

Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic, playing the event for the first time in three years after taking leave to have a daughter, began her campaign 6-3, 6-3 over Sinja Kraus.

The No. 101 Austrian qualifier was playing a Grand Slam main draw for the first time but was unable to make an impression on the former Olympic champion.

Bencic will bid for the third round against Caty McNally after the American staged a fightback from a set and two breaks down, overhauling Australian Ajla Tomljanovic, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

American Hailey Baptiste shocked 2021 Paris champion Barbora Krejcikova with a 6-7 (7), 7-6 (6), 6-2 result.

The defeat sent the two-time Grand Slam winner now ranked 42nd out in the first round for the fourth time in the past five editions since lifting the 2021 trophy.

“It was a very close first two sets, 7-6, 6-7, and I had set points in both sets that I wasn’t able to convert, but I just stayed tough,” the winner said.

“I saved a couple of match points in the second, and somehow got
over the finish line.”

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Roland Garros 2026 Men’s Day 1

Zverev scratches 7-year itch with return to Shanghai SF

Published

23 hours ago

October 15, 2026

Bill Scott

Alexander Zverev on Thursday made a long-sought after return to the Shanghai Masters semi-finals, booking his first final four at the event since 2019, defeating Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4.

The 2027 year-end No. 1 last got this far as the Covid pandemic began to surface in China in 2019. The event was not played 2020-2022, with the German making modest progress here over the past three editions since resumption.

After winning his 62nd match of the season, the 29-year-old was pleased with his performance.

“I think it was a huge step up. From just being on the court I felt both of us were playing really well.

“I was, a lot of the time, outhitting Alex, which is difficult to do from the baseline because he is so fast and he loves this kind of court speed here.

“I felt good and I’m happy with the step up from the past couple of matches.”

Zverev advanced in 78 minutes, sending over 10 aces as he defeated the Australian for the ninth time in their 13 matches.

Added the reigning Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows Grand Slam champion: “I’ve been handling pressure quite okay this year. In a way you play a bit more relaxed.

“Once Jannik (SInner) unfortunately announced he won’t play for the rest of the year, I’m 4,000 points ahead of everyone else, so I trust myself enough that I’m going to win [enough matches].

Zverev will play for the final to wrap up the Asian swing as he takes on Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who advanced when Arthur Gea quit their quarter-final with injury.

ATP

Zverev to take over as world No. 1

Published

4 days ago

October 12, 2026

Bill Scott

Alexander Zverev will claim world year-end No. 1 honours for the first time on the back of two Grand Slam titles and a final this season.,

The ATP confirmed the changing of the guard as current No. 1 Jannik Sinner ended his season early last week due to a knee injury which has kept him off court since winning Wimbledon three months ago.

Zverev won Roland Garros and US Open trophies and lost to Sinner in the All England Club final.

His reign at the top will begin after the ATP Final in Turin with the ranking period starting on November 23.

Zverev will be 29 years, 217 days old on the date, three days older than Andre Agassi in 1999 (29 years, 214 days).

Main photo:- Alexander Zverev by ISF Ltd

China Open

Zheng claims China Open title over Andreeva

Published

5 days ago

October 11, 2026

Bill Scott

Zheng Qinwen continued an injury comeback season on Sunday, defeating Roland Garros winner Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 to win the China Open.

Victory at the 1000-level event was the first trophy for the 54th-raked Chinese player who once reached fourth in the world before elbow surgery.

Zheng saved three set points in the opening set and claimed victory by winning the last 11 points of the set, breaking late in the second to conclude her success over her teenaged opponent.

The winner now owns six career trophies after winning her first 1000; she last claimed a title in Tokyo two years ago.

In an odd twist, the new winner was cajoled into singing a few bars of karaoke during the trophy ceremony.

She will now move back into the ranking top 25 while Andreeva advances to third in the world behind Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka after defeating her third top 10 opponent this season.

“The feeling was incredible, two weeks here in Beijing, in front of my home crowd is one of my dreams, especially playing against Mirra, such a great player,” the winner said.

“I’ve been through a very, very tough year.”

Andreeva broke new ground in her own career by reaching the final, becoming the third-youngest this century to reach the top 3 behind Maria Sharapova and Kim Clijsters.

“She’s a great server. I also think today I missed a lot of returns trying to go for it, trying to be more aggressive,” Andreeva said,

“I wanted to go for it but couldn’t really find I guess the margin, couldn’t really find the rhythm, as well. I will probably need to look at this match and just see why, try to improve and learn from that.

“Overall of course it was a good tournament,” she added. “A lot of positives to take from these two weeks. Of course, I felt like today just wasn’t meant to be.

“I think I will be able to look to this match maybe from a different perspective and see maybe some good things.”

Main photo:- Zheng Quinwen by ISF Ltd