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The US Open

Ambitious Sabalenka puts ‘minor’ tournaments in their place

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With an Australian Open title in her resume and semi-final finishes this season in Paris and London, Aryna Sabalenka has necessarily modified her career focus.

The WTA No. 2 revealed before the US Open that she now views many regular tour events as mere run-ups to the four Grand Slams.

“My perception of tournaments that are not Grand Slams has changed a bit,” she said.

“Of course, when I play them, my desire is to win them, like (everyone else).

“But now I see those tournaments more as preparation for the Grand Slams.”

Sabalena said January’s title performance in Melbourne over Elena Rybakina marked a change in her competitive focus

“Winning the Australian Open changed the feeling for me. I don’t know if it’s good or bad, I hope it’s good.”

Sabalenka said she is not preoccupied with the seemingly eternal chase to try and unseat Iga Swiatek from her longtime position atop the WTA rankings.

“It’s not something I’m thinking about during the tournament,” she said.  “I’ve had – and will probably have again – the chance to become No.1, 

“But there’s still a lot of work to do. I’m focusing more on myself than on ranking. 

“If I give my best tennis, if I do everything to the best of my ability, I will be able to achieve it. I’m trying to focus more on improving more every day.”

ATP

Positive vibes after RG takes player crisis meeting

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The peace talks came after a Friday interview boycott by most top players, who limited their pre-event interactions with media to 15 minutes while snubbing TV broadcasters.

Players are asking for a larger share of Grand Slam prize money, aiming for a rise from 15 to 22 per cent, a figure well below payouts in other spots.

French federation (FFT) officials promised a response to the demands in the immediate future. Confrontations with Wimbledon and the US Open are also likely to proceed during the Paris fortnight.

The Australian Open has already sided with the players when the issue first arose earlier this season.

The FFT “has committed to responding to the players’ proposals in the coming weeks,” the ruling body said.

Players are seeking a closer involvement in the big decisions of the sport along with increased health insurance and retirement benefits.

Sinner, with USD 56 million already in career prize money at age 24, might do well to follow the example of retired icon Roger Federer, who earned 130 million on court and much more off it,

The Swiss, reportedly now a tennis billionaire, often said he would not be needing his ATP pension but was happy to work on behalf of other  players.

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Strasbourg

Raducanu plays coaching lottery with return to her OG

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Emma Raducanu has gone back to the future with her latest choice of coach, choosing to re-group with the mentor who helped her to a US Open title five long years ago.

The Briton whose career has been a patchwork of changing coaches and near-constant injuries and illness since her 2021 big day in New York, revealed she has re-employed Andrew Richardson, her OG coach.

The pair split not long after then-teenaged Raducanu won the Open title from an unprecedented qualifying start.

She has since struggled and wil head to Roland Garros from next Sunday with only one clay tournament, a late wild-card entry into Strasbourg.

“Grateful to have reconnected with someone who has known me for over a decade now and looking forward to building together one iteration at a time,” she posted on social media.

The WTA no. 30 has played just 15 matches this season – none on clay – with her last one more than two months ago.

Main photo:- Emma Raducanu with her coach, Andrew Richardson at the 2021 US Open

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The Australian Open

Wimbledon goes modern with electronic reviews

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Wimbledon will bow to the high-tech future by introducing limited electronic reviews of line calls on major courts at the Championships, the club revealed on Saturday.

The All England Club will allow the technology on showcourts including Centre Court, No. 1 and four others. During controversial moments, competitors will be allowed to ask the chair umpire for a review of the point in question.

The wizardry is coming late to Wimbledon having been used at the US Open since 2023 and later adapted by the Australian Open. Roland Garros relies on marks in its clay surface to determine line calls.

Under the rules, players can ask for the review any number of times, with electronic line-calling now in effect at the grass-court major for a second year after the 2025 elimination of human line judges.

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