ATP
Chris a winner? Eu bet he is
HE’S the new hero of men’s tennis in the US, and tipped to go deep in New York next month, but can Christopher Eubanks live up to the growing media hype and deliver?
Eubanks, no youngster at 27, has had a remarkable 2023 season, rising to a lofty No.29 in the ATP rankings – a year ago he wasn’t even in the top 120.
A great run at the Miami Open, where he reached the quarter-finals, a maiden ATP title in Mallorca and a magical appearance at Wimbledon, where he beat fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the round of 16.
Now he is being tipped for more success, with many saying he’s the ‘dark horse’, easily capable of making the last four at the US Open next month.
After his Wimbledon success he said “All of this gives me a lot of confidence in my ability to compete with some of the best in the world, which maybe wasn’t clear to me a few years ago.
“I’m enjoying the journey, we’ll see where my career takes me, I want to keep working as hard as I’ve done so far.
I’m probably having the most fun playing tennis so I’ll try to keep that momentum going and see where it takes me.”
Eubanks has credited his rise to last year’s US Open, where he beat Pedro Martinez to earn a main draw win, having entered as a qualifier.
“A lot of it kind of started I would say a little bit last year, kind of getting the burden I felt like off my shoulders of never having a Grand Slam win, and I got my first one in at the US Open,” he said.
“I told friends of mine, I said, ‘All right, now I actually feel like a pro.’ Because I felt like for years there were guys who maybe were ranked lower than me at the time but hit third round US Open, or had gotten Grand Slam wins under their belt, and I think I might have been, like, 0-5 or 0-6.”
“Getting my first win under the belt, and then things just kind of started to grow a little bit … and it’s grown a little bit ever since then.
A seed possibly this year? Maybe, and what a story that is. He could well be everyone’s ‘second favourite’ in New York – a place where local partisan support will be loud and in his corner.
ECO-CLOWNS disrupted Andy Murray’s marathon match against Taylor Fritz in Washington on Friday, launching giant tennis balls, pictured below, onto the court before they were escorted from the event by security.
Waving a banner and shouting, the protest was the latest this summer across many sporting events.
Last month Wimbledon suffered from similar protests.
Despite the distraction, Murray had break points for a 4-2 lead in the deciding set before Fritz fought back to take the points to wrap up a win.
IGA Swiatek’s first practice session in Montreal has sparked interest after the world Np.1 wore tape on her mouth.
The Pole was caught with tape on her mouth during a session – a system to improve nasal breathing, allowing for more efficient oxygen intake.
Nasal breathing is also linked to oxygen transmission to key muscles in the body and leads to better performance.
In hot conditions, as New York will likely be, breathing problems can be a problem for players.
WORLD No.1 Carlos Alcaraz has warned fans about scammers asking for money to meet him.
Alcaraz last week issued a warning after discovering con men pretended to be his representatives and asked for money in exchange for meeting him.
In an Instagram story posted on Thursday, Alcaraz wrote:
“It has been brought to my attention that there are individuals who are falsely claiming to represent me and offer fans to meet with me if they pay.
“My team and I are not behind any of this soliciting, nor do I participate in meetings like this! My fans are the best and I am saddened that individuals are trying to take advantage of them.”
SHE’S back… but for how long? That’s the question the tennis world is asking, after Emma Raducanu took her first steps back onto the court last week after months away with injury and then surgery on an ankle and wrist.
The 2021 US Open champion, yes, remember that, posted pictures of herself at the National Tennis Centre in the UK.
Raducanu’s last practice was on April 25 at the Madrid Open. Then followed a media interview which lasted less than a minute. We remember that as well.
Anxious and frustrated that attempts to resolve wrist problems, she announced her withdrawal from the event and then came news she be undergoing surgery.
Raducanu posted on Wednesday a video of herself on court with former British No.1 Kyle Edmund, spotted using a soft Wilson ball that is oversized and used by beginners.
‘August2nd. The fun part. 1st time back on court,’ she posted.
Since surgery Raducanu a has become a globetrotter as she recovers, sharing images of herself in Mexico, Paris and Greece.
Raducanu, who is currently looking for another coach after splitting with German Sebastian Sachs recently, is now ranked outside the top 150.
What a difference two years makes.
BOSNIAN tennis coach Robert Biletic has been banned from tennis for six months after breaking Tennis Anti-Corruption Program rules.
In 2021, Biletic was tournament director at an ITF 25k event and offered a player wildcard entry into the event in exchange for money.
The unknown player reported Biletic to the International Tennis Integrity Agency for investigation.
As part of the ban, Biletic cannot attend, enter or spectate at any ATP, WTA, or ITF event.
NOVAK Djokovic is enjoying a break from tennis before heading for the New York and the US Open.
And Djokovic has a new image – a beard – which has cased mixed feelings among supporters.
“Novak with a mustache and a beard. He doesn’t look like he’s hiding at all, he often wears a cap and glasses,” one said.
“A break from shaving, huh? My husband says it’s a nuisance. Will he shave before leaving for America? What do you guys think? Yes or no?,” asked another.
The comment that caught everyone’s attention was the one comparing Novak to Lionel Messi.
“He is more handsome with a beard, he looks like Messi in his ‘beard mode’. It would be good if he kept it for good and never shaved it,” another said.
Others added that “he is on vacation” and that “shaving is not a priority.”
UNBELIEVABLE… or just a PR gimmick?
Naomi Osaka announced last week she now likes journalists.
During an interview with Mountaintop Conversations Osaka said: “Sometimes I say stuff that I shouldn’t say in the press room, and it often gets me into trouble.
“But it’s because I like journalists, I don’t think they know this but I like talking to them and I like clearing their questions and for me, it’s cool that someone cares enough about me to ask me questions like that.”
She then recalled the French Open controversy.
“But slowly as I started becoming more known, there have been people that I feel their energy is to exploit. So I felt myself becoming more closed-off and I felt my character changing and I didn’t really like that,” she said.
“So at this point when I was thinking ‘I need to take a break, but I can’t take a break from it because then I’ll get fined’.
But then I thought I’d rather take the fine than go through that with my energy.”
At the 2021 French Open, Osaka refused to attend the press conferences, citing mental health concerns. The tournament slapped a $15,000 fine on the Japanese player.
IS there no civility left in tennis?
At the DC Open in Washington last week, Bianca Bianca Andreescu encountered an unwanted hindrance and refused to play before a heckler was removed from the arena.
Andreescu, who was playing Marta Kostyuk, was verbally harassed by the heckler when she missed a serve, cheering and shouting ‘out’.
The Canadian then replied to the man, screaming ‘shut up’ and refusing to play until security removed him.
Security was called to remove the man from the stadium.
Where has decent fan etiquette gone?
AND finally … a touching moment between Andy Murray and a fan in Washington last week.
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.
Alexander Zverev marked his new status as sure-thing year-end No. 1 by reaching the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday by posting a fighting 7-6 (6), 4-6, 7-6 (1) victory over Alexander Bublik..
The 29-year-old German whose two Grand Slam titles this season and the absence of injured Jannik Sinner helped him into the top spot for the first time, needed to save four early set points and deal with an ank;e issue on his journey into the last eight.
Zverev moved through in just under two and three-quarter hours to set up a match with last week’s Beijing finalist Alex de Minaur, The Australian booked his spot over Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-4.
Zverev will be playing in his 40th quarter-final in a Masters 1000 and is on the hunt for an eighth trophy this season.
He said his ankle was giving problems – but not enough to affect the match outcome.”It was kind of understandable because I have been playing a lot of tennis, which is kind of a good sign because I have been playing well.
“I’m starting to feel my body more and more but happy to get through. It was a difficult match because he has been playing amazing tennis,” he said after coming from a break down in the deciding set.
De Minaur has bounced back nicely in Shanghai after quitting the Tokyo final against Carlos Alcaraz with an adductor muscle injury.
Stefanos Tsitsipas willed himself to a 401st Tour win on Monday, with the Greek advancing to the Shanghai Masters 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, over world No. 12 Taylor Fritz to reach the fourth round.
The win leaves the Greek with a 5-2 record against the American in a series dating back nine years.
The cerebral Tsitsipas credited the victory to some simple mental gymnastics.
“I was manifesting today’s match and trying to put myself in a victorious situation,” he said.
“I’ve always had big fights against him. Some of my biggest matches were played facing him on the other side of the court. I had to up my level.
“Once I started doing that, a lot of doors were open and I was really able to unleash my biggest potential out there.”
The match ended on an unusual note as the ball twice fell from the pocket of Fritz, causing each of the points in question to be replayed.
Tsitsipas missed on three match points in the mistake-marred game but secured the fightback victory a game later after two and a quarter hours.
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