ATP
A turn for the worse, but courts were fine
CALLS for players to consider legal action for poor court surfaces in the wake of Emma Raducanu’s injury in Auckland on Thursday have been dismissed by ASB Classic tournament director Nicolas Lamperin.
Claims that the surface wasn’t up to scratch after her match was moved indoors to avoid the rain, resulting in her turning an ankle, have been met with assurances from tournament organisers that the courts were inspected before play began and were deemed satisfactory.
“We are obviously very sorry about Emma’s injury,” Lamperin said.
“Every player works really hard in the off season and that’s not what you expect when you play a tournament in week one.
“We feel for the situation, but we also say that these courts are fit to play.”
Lamperin said calls for a roof to rebuilt over the main court were not financially feasible.
“We are a 250 tournament (the third tier of ATP and WTA tournaments), both for the women and men. How many 250 tournaments can afford to have a roof these days?”
Organisers were quick to point out that it often rains at tournaments.
“This is not the first time that it’s raining at a tennis tournament. It happens all over the world, every single week,” Lamperin said.
Raducanu was forced to retire after rolling an ankle when at 6-0 5-7 in her second-round match against Slovakian Viktoria Kuzmova on Thursday.
She is now in serious doubt for the Australian Open, which begins on January 16.
Raducanu left the court in tears after being unable to complete the first point of the deciding set.
“The courts are incredibly slick, like very slippery, so to be honest it’s not a surprise that this happened to someone,” she said.
Organisers confirmed that the WTA supervisor and the tournament referee had both declared the courts fit to play on.
The courts had been resurfaced last year and Lamperin said the WTA’s Shu Chen and referee Ricardo Reis both signed off the decision.
The courts were used again on Friday with no injuries to players.
And Raducanu? She is struggling to be fit for Melbourne in a week’s time.
WHERE next for Italian Camila Giorgi after her doctor confirmed the player asked for fake COVID-19 documents in order to avoid vaccination, Corriere del Veneto has reported.
Daniela Grillon, who has been charged with vaccinating people with fake serums, told authorities that the player asked about obtaining false vaccination documents.
“The Giorgi family has been under treatment with me for a long time. Camila Giorgi suffered from the so-called tennis elbow,” Grillon told Corriere del Veneto.
“Shortly before the beginning of summer, she had come asking for the possibility of obtaining false proof of all the mandatory vaccines, as well as the COVID vaccine.
“I can confirm with absolute certainty that none of the vaccines against the Giorgi family have actually been administered.”
Where next? Her entry to last year’s Australian Open was, if this accusation is true, was based on a lie.
Her entry into Australia (remember Novak) was based on a lie – and that could mean arrest and prosecution.
Watch this space.
ALMOST a year ago tennis fans in Melbourne caused a media storm wearing T-shirts in support of missing Chinese player Peng Shuai.
After repeated requests from the WTA we are none the wiser as to her whereabouts.
But the WTA last week issued an ultimatum to China stating they will not return to the country until the organisation gets a meeting in person with the player.
Peng, a former doubles world No.1, alleged she was sexually assaulted by China’s former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli in 2017, before retracting the allegations.
She disappeared and has not been seen publicly since.
Because of her disappearance and the fact she hasn’t left China since her accusations, there are still serious concerns whether the retraction of the assault claims was legitimate.
Under pressure from the Chinese Communist Party-run Olympic committee, Peng said it was a ‘huge misunderstanding’.
“There has not been any change in the WTA position on a return to China and we have only confirmed our 2023 calendar through US Open,” the WTA said in a statement recently.
“As we would do with any of our players globally, we have called for a formal investigation into the allegations by the appropriate authorities and an opportunity for the WTA to meet with Peng – privately – to discuss her situation.”
Standing firm on their refusal to hold events in the country has cost the WTA millions, but they can only be admired for keeping to their principles.
“A return to the region will require a resolution to the Peng situation in which she took a bold step in publicly coming forth with the accusation that she was sexually assaulted by a senior Chinese government leader,” the WTA said.
Let’s hope we see those Peng Shuai T-shirts in Melbourne again over the next couple of weeks.
AUSTRALIAN Open officials are said to “quietly resigned” to two-time champion Naomi Osaka missing this year’s event.
Osaka is still on the tournament’s entry list, but if her social media posts are to be believed, she is still in Los Angeles, with no sign of shift across the Pacific.
Why would she? A holiday in Europe with rapper boyfriend Corade, earning millions in endorsements off the court. Why indeed.
Osaka is too busy building her own sports agency, recently signing Ons Jabeur to the Evolve Agency.
BREAKING NEWS: Osaka announced she had withdrawn from the Australian Open on Sunday, but not give a reason behind her decision to skip the first Slam of the year.
FURTHER disruption came yesterday when Carlos Alcaraz announced he will miss the Australian Open because of a leg injury suffered in training.
“It’s time to deal with another blow … when I was at my best in preseason I picked up another injury through a chance, unnatural movement in training,” Alcarez said.
“This time it’s the semi-membranosus muscle in my right leg.”
WITH Nick Kyrgios battling to be fit for Melbourne, and with Alcaraz now out, the field is wide open for Novak Djokovic to return to the winners’ rostrum.
Rafa Nadal may have something to say about that, and don’t rule out one of the young guns coming through.
American Taylor Fritz is in top form and would be our outside tip.
And we cannot discount Daniil Medvedev, despite a war-interrupted 2022 season he will want to forget.
Veteran Venus Williams is another to withdraw after picking up an injury at the ASB Classic in Auckland.
AND the women?
The field is as wide open as it has been for a while, with world No. Iga Swiatek still the favourite, despite mixed form leading into the event, and she pulled out of Adelaide yesterday with a shoulder injury.
Coco Gauff is hitting form at the right time – and perhaps it is her time, but watch our for Sabalenka, Garcia and Tunisian Ons Jabeur.
American Jessica Pegula went deep in the tournament last year and is another to watch.
NOVAK Djokovic may be enjoying his return to Australia, but he faces further disruption to his year, banned from entering the United States until April at the earliest.
The United States Transport Security Administration department has extended the requirement for all overseas travellers to be fully vaccinated to April 10 – ruling the unvaxxed Djokovic out.
There are five ATP tournaments in the United States before April 10, including the prestigious Indian Wells and Miami hardcourt events held in March.
Djokovic missed last year’s Australian and US Opens due to his status.
“It’s behind me, I’ve moved on,” Djokovic said last week of his Australian deportation and ban.
“I always play very well and probably my best tennis throughout my career on Australian soil.
“I’ve had plenty of time to adjust to the time zone, time difference, and just, I guess, adapt to whatever was waiting for me here. As I said from day one, people have been very kind and generous, with me and my team.”
RETIRED Australian Open champion Ash Barty is returning to Melbourne Park for this year’s event to mentor local hope Olivia Gadecki, who received a wildcard for the season’s first Grand Slam.
Former world number one Barty called time on her career last March, shortly after ending her country’s 44-year wait for a home champion at the Australian Open, and a few days ago announced she was expecting her first child.
“2023 set to be the best year yet,” Barty wrote. “We are so excited for our new adventure. Origi already the protective big sister.”
World number 202 Gadecki said at the United Cup in Sydney that Barty would be in her camp at Melbourne Park for tournament.
Meanwhile, Roger Federer has declined an invitation to attend this year’s Australian Open.
BORIS Becker will be back on TV for the Australian Open this month, resuming his studio role with Eurosport in Munich after his release from prison last month.
But the German will not be back on screen for the BBC at Wimbledon in July.
His early deportation from the UK will prevent him from being in London.
Becker served eight months behind bars after being convicted of financial offences and is forbidden re-entry for an undetermined amount of time.
THE United Cup has not drawn the crowds organisers had hoped for, with a mixed reaction from Australians.
The event, with $15 million in prize money, has been been played across Brisbane, Perth and Sydney, with a poor turnout in Brisbane, but decent crowds in Sydney.
Played over 10 days, the 18-country tournament was missing several world stars, with the better event in Adelaide, where Novak Djokovic headlined the ATP 250 event.
Critics have already called the United Cup an event too far in a crowded New Year calendar at a time of year when most Australians are on holiday, with tennis not high on the agenda.
The calibre of player in Adelaide for the ATP and WTA tournaments was high.
Holger Rune, Jannick Sinner and Felix Auger-Aliassime were also in South Australia.
The WTA 500 was high in quality as well, with 2017 Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu and world No.2 Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur among participants.
AND finally … Nick Kyrgios’s manager Daniel Horsfall has revealed in the upcoming Netflix series Break Point that he had a tracking device fitted to the Australian’s phone to help find him after a night out.
“On some mornings, I would physically have to go and find where you were,” Horsfall said.
“What hotel you were staying at, whose house you were staying at. Before tournaments … before a match.”
Break Point begins on Netflix on January 13.
Alexander Zverev cooled the jets of a teenaged tearaway on Tuesday, schooling Spaniard Rafael Jodar 7-6 (3), 6-1, 6-3 to power to his fifth career semi-final at the French Open.
The world No. 3 German finished runner-up in Paris two years ago and is still seeking his first trophy at one of the majors.
Zverev has been a consistent presence at the business end of the event here, figuring iin five of the past six semis.
But the achievement doesn’t amount to much for the seed, who has his eye on the big prize.
“I want to keep going. I don’t really care so much about a semi-final,” he said. “I want to win all the matches in front of me.
“Today was a tough test against a good player – that’s it for now.”
The 29-year-old who becomes the ninth man to play five Paris semi-finals, got away slowly as the 19-year-old Jodar showed his intentions with an early break..
But the seed began turning the tables on his young opponent while trailing 5-2 in the opening set after dropping serve in the eight-minute opening game.
Jodar’s unravelling began as he served for the first set leading 5-4 but was unable to close it out.
From then on, Zverev was in control.
The German won the opener in a tiebreaker and dominated the second to claim that chapter also.
In the third, he broke the fading youngster in the first and last games of the set
before closing out the win with a running forehand down the line on match point.
“He had perfect rhythm in the first set and I didn’t,” the winner said. “I was playing too short and too defensive.
“The ball was also not bouncing as high as it did in (last week’s) heat, I had to flatten out my shots.
“He outplayed me at the beginning of the first, but I managed to come back.
he seemed a bit nervous when he served for (the set).
“I took my chances, it was a good match for me.”
Main photo:- Alexander Zverev in control at Roland Garros – by ATPTour.com
Matteo Berrettini took Italian revenge on Monday against the Argentine who knocked out Jannik Sinner with a 6-3, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (6) fourth-round demolition of Juan Manuel Cerundolo at the French Open.
Former top 10 player Berrettini, now mended after several seasons of intermittent injury absences sent the South American packing in a solid clay display.
The Italian saved three Cerundolo set points in the third-set tiebreaker, with Berrettini claiming a match point on an inside-out forehand, and following up with a serve winner..
“I feel great,” Berrettini said. “I’m happy with the support in a full stadium.
“This is why we train and fight, I’m enjoying the atmosphere with my team and family.”
Fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime booked the last eight as he put out another South American in Canadian-born Chilean AlejandroTabilo 6-3, 7-5, 6-1.
FAA becomes the first Canadian man to complete the set of quarter-finals at all four Grand Slam tournaments.
The 30-year-old Berretini from Rome is competing at Roland Garros for the first time since 2021 when he also reached the last eight here.
The current No. 105 is the lowest-ranked men’s quarter-finalist in Paris since in 2007.
Cobolli lost his first set of the tournament as he ran up against an American with negligible experience on clay, defeating Zach Svajda 6-2, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (5).
The 10th-seeded Italian’s victory put him into his second Grand Slam and his first in Paris.
“I was a little bit nervous to close the match today,” the winner said. “It means a lot, this tournament, for me.
“Sometimes it’s not easy when you have to close, especially when you are up in the score like I was today.
“But also Zachary played a really good match today after the second set… tennis is like this. At the end, I was happy, and that’s the important thing.”
Svajda came to the major with only one career match win on clay. He began correcting that in the third round by beating Francisco.Cerundolo.
Cobolli cruised through the first two sets but his perfect set record took a dent in the third as Svajda forced a tiebreaker and saved a match point after closing the Italian’s 5-1 lead and forcing a tiebreaker.
It took a tiebreak fourth set to settle the outcome after more than three and a quarter hours.
Alexander Zverev stayed on track for a possible fourth Grand Slam final as the highest seed remaining in the men’s draw at the French Open moved efficiently into the quarter-finals on Sunday.
The German who has finished runner-up at the Australian and US Open plus Roland Garros, defeated qualifying lucky loser Jesper de Jong 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-1.
With this week’s second-round losses by world No. 1 and top seed Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam singles champion Novak Djokovic, Zverev could have one of his best chances at lifting a major trophy.
The 29-year-old reached his eighth Roland Garros quarter-final as he beat his Dutch opponent on de Jong’s 26th birthday.
He needed a tiebreak to secure the opening set but picked up momentum before crushing it in the third set to get off court in a relatively quick two and a quarter hours.
“I had some early difficulties but he started well,” the winner said. “But once I found my rhythm I felt comfortable on the court.
“That is important for my game. It’s (his game) is there, I just have to show it on the match court.”
With the recent 10-day heatwave now gone, temperatures dropped into the mid-20s Celsius, which should make for more comfortable conditions.
But Zverev is not so sure: “To be honest, I like the heat, I prefer it. My ball flies a lot faster through the air and opponents struggle a bit more.
“I also spend a lot of time in Florida so I’m used to the heat. But we have to make the best of it, things can change within one day.”
Zverev will bid for the semi-finals in a matchup against Rafael Jodar, the prodigy who won an all-Spanish fourth-rounder 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 over Pablo Carreno Busta.
The fightback took nearly three and three-quarter hours and put the 19-year-old into his first last-eight spot in only his second Grand Slam appearance.
He has reached the last eight here for a sixth straight year.
Jodar, ranked No. 707 a year ago, is the fifth man this century to reach the quarters in his main draw debut at the event.
The youngster made a 4-1 start in the opening set but soon found himself in a five-set dogfight against a 34-year-old dealing with a shoulder injury.
The winner of a clay title in March has now taken victory in 19 of his last 22 matches.
“He’s young and incredibly talented,” Zverev said of his next opponent. “He came onto the clay scene in two months.
“He will be a difficult challenge but I’ll be ready for it.”
Main photo:- Favourite Alexander Zverev wins third round match – by ATPTour.com
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