ATP
Coco strikes it rich!
AMERICAN sports media company Sportico released its annual list of top earners in sport during the week, with Coco Gauff topping the list for women with $22.7 million.
Gauff earned $6.7 million on court, including $3 million for winning her first Grand Slam title at the US Open and $16 million in endorsement earnings from contracts with New Balance and Head and deals with Barilla pasta, Bose, UPS and Rolex.
Nine WTA Tour players were on the list, with seven in the top 10.
Pole Iga Swiatek finished with a total of $21.9 million earned, nearly $10 million of which came in her on-court earnings, and through deals with Infosys, Visa, Polish insurer PZU, Rolex and Porsche Poland.
An obscure skier named Eileen Gu ranked third on $20 million.
Amazingly Emma Raducanu and Naomi Osaka were in the list having not played virtually at all in 2023, with Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula ranked fourth through eighth.
Raducanu’s $16.2 million and Osaka’s $15 million came as a result of strong endorsement deals.
And some still argue women’s tennis is broke or suffering in poverty?
$84 million in earnings from this top ten graphic shows a very different story.
GAUFF, now the darling of US women’s tennis, was also named third most intriguing person in People magazines ‘Most Intriguing People of the Year awards, whatever that means, but it’s woke America, and was also named in the equally woke New York Times’ most stylish people in 2023 list, along with Frances Tiafoe.
SAD to hear Chris Evert has withdrawn from the broadcast booth at the AO, I informing everyone her ovarian cancer has returned.
“While this is a diagnosis I never wanted to hear, I once again feel fortunate that it was caught early,” Evert said in a statement released by ESPN.
“Doctors found cancer cells in the same pelvic region. All cells were removed, and I have begun another round of chemotherapy.”
Evert, 68, was first diagnosed with cancer two years ago. She completed chemotherapy in May of 2022 and was confident the disease would not return.
NAOMI Osaka was courtside at a LA Lakers game last weekend with Aussie Nick Kyrgios, before resuming her preparations for her return to tennis next month at the Australian Open.
Osaka, now 26, dressed in black – including a black pair of sunglasses as Aussie Kyrgios turned up wearing a pair of Lakers shorts and a baggy hoodie.
Osaka sat courtside for the game against the Houston Rockets as LeBron James and his team recorded a 107-97 win.
TENNIS Australia chief executive is not surprised about reports of the formation of a Super League tennis tour, as reported here on Sunday Serve last weekend.
“The premium tour for the future of the sport has been on the table for quite a few years, and getting the sport motivated and activated to look at it more openly is something that is continuing to happen, which is exciting,” Tiley said.
“I think there’s a lot of work that’s got to be done, [and] a lot of parties have got to come together, but there is a big opportunity for the sport of tennis to deliver a product in a more co-ordinated, premium way.
“There have been attempts to do it for years, but the grand slams have done extremely well in this [premium] environment and continue to do well, and they are the times in the year when the players mobilise because this is where they want to make their most money, but also get their biggest profile globally.”
WILL he won’t he? That was the story as Nick Kyrgios’s name was missing from the Australian Open entry list on Wednesday, fuelling rumours he may well not play Melbourne in six weeks time.
By yesterday, it was confirmed that Kyrgios, 28, will miss a second Melbourne event after failing to overcome a wrist injury.
“Obviously had a really tough year with injury, had that knee surgery and came back a little bit too soon and set me back a little bit, then obviously had some wrist issues,” Kyrgios said.
“So this is a very disappointing time for me, but I won’t be able to compete at the 2024 Australian Open.”
AND, will she won’t she…
Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu has announced she will make her comeback from injury at the ASB Classic in Auckland next month as she tries to earn a spot at the Australian Open, where she will have to go through the qualifiers to make the main draw.
She can currently use a protected ranking of 103 to enter tournaments because of injury, but that is not high enough to earn her a place in the main draw in Melbourne.
ONE player who will be there is former champion Caroline Wozniacki.
The Dane, who has not played Melbourne for four years, has received a wildcard in the main draw.
“Melbourne’s one of my most favourite cities in the world, and I can’t wait to share it with my family and my kids,” Wozniacki told media last week.
ON the move again … The Davis Cup could move location to Milan, says Italian Tennis Federation CEO Angelo Binaghi.
“We are ready to compete to bring the Davis Cup Finals to Milan from 2025, as soon as the ITF opens a tender,” Binaghi said last week after Italy won the event in Malaga.
“We are convinced that we have what it takes to put in place a competitive proposal.”
DEBBIE Jevans took to the London Standard newspaper during the week to push for the Wimbledon expansion plans to be approved.
Debbie who? Well the much travelled Ms Jevans, who has been described by many as serial board member with so many sporting portfolios, is the new chair of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Board.
Jevans, who is a former player, used her opinion piece to argue Londoners would suffer if the expansion plan was blocked.
“It is more than a century since tennis was first played on Centre Court and since then Wimbledon has grown to be at the pinnacle of world sport,” she wrote.
“However, we can’t rest on our laurels, as in that time other events have evolved too. We are now the only Grand Slam that doesn’t host its qualifying competition on the same site as its main tournament.
“Currently our qualifying competition takes place on what is ordinarily a cricket outfield at a rented site in Roehampton. This is understandably viewed by the world’s best players as a significant weakness.”
Jevans went to argue the economic benefits of Wimbledon’s grand plan, including creating over 250 job during the construction.
OUR OMG moment….
Serena Williams took to TikTok during the week to confess she has been using her breast milk to cure a retinol-induced sunburn on her under eyes.
Williams said she was going to trial the breast milk treatment out for a week, patting it on her under eyes with a cotton pad.
The idea of breast milk being a treatment for this sort of ailment has been seen as an ‘old wives’ tale’, but apparently there’s been some scientific research that has shown it helps with atopic eczema.
“It already feels better,” Williams added after a week’s treatment.”
Carlos Alcaraz ended a four-and-a-half month injury exile with a resounding 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Roman Safiullin on Monday at the US Open to mark his return to the courts after a wrist injury.
The defending champion now ranked third is hoping to become the first man to successfully defend the title here Roger Federer won US Open over five consecutive editions (2004-2008).
“For me it’s been a really tough five months. Being able to step on Arthur Ashe and being able to compete again.. as I said before the tournament, I couldn’t decide to come back in a better tournament than here in New York,” Alcaraz said.
“It’s a really special tenement for me. I tried to enjoy as much as I can. I missed it. I missed the crowd. The energy. I missed competition. I missed everything. 🥹 I’m just really really happy I was able to compete again.”
“On this (Ashe) court, I made my dream. First major. First time becoming No. 1 in the world.
“The warm welcome I receive every time I come here is crazy. I really appreciate it. I really feel the love from the people.”
One-time top 10 regular Stefanos Tsitsipas unleashed a major surprise on Cincinnati winner Arthur Fils with a turnaround 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1, 6-4 win as the French youngster failed to earn a two-set-to-love lead over the Greek.
“I don’t have the answer,” the 10th-seeded Fils said after his collapse in form. “Once the energy went down at the end of the second, I never felt again a good energy.
“I have to talk with my team, but at my level, to do such a mistake is almost unprofessional.”
He added: “I was trying to fight; at one point I broke back early in the fourth, so I was trying to find a way, but not accurate enough on the serve.
“The ball was not going very well out of my racquet. Even if I was fighting, was tough.”
Fils had beaten No. 53 Tsitsipas in all five of heir previous matches
The Greek, playing unseeded for the first time here, reaching the second round for the sixth time as he came from a set and 5-2 down.
Former ATP No. 3 Tsitsipas pronounced himself “speechless” at his success. “It’s an amazing start to the tournament, I’m very proud of myself.
“I’m taking it a day at a time. I don’t wanna be looking too far away. I prefer to stay grounded in the moment. A win like this today matters a lot to me.”
:French veteran Adrian Mannarino, aged 38, fought back from two sets to love down for only the second time in his career to advance past Thiago Tirante 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
The loss ended the dream of the 42nd-ranked Argentine who beat Novak Djokovic in the Cincinnati second round last month as the Serb competed for the first time since Wimbledon at the pre-Open event.
The first-round match began on opening day but was interrupted by night-time rain and concluded on Monday.
Andrey Rublev wore down lucky loser Otto Virtanen as the Finn cramped in the closing stages on the way to a 6-7 (5), 6-7 (0), 6-0, 6-2, 7-6 (5). Virtanen entered the draw as former champion Marin Cilic withdrew.
Main photo:- ‘New look” Carlos Alcaraz celebrates first round win on return from injury – ATPTour.com
Novak Djokovic hit the wall as the 24-time Grand Slam winner vomited at the back of the court and was treated by the trainer during a disheartening first round loss which ended early Monday morning on opening day of the US Open.
The 39-year-old Serb fell ill – he said things have been this way for weeks – as he took a loss to Mariano Navone 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
In addition to his stomach problems, the ailing Serb was seen by the trainer, the doctor and used an inhaler as he complained of cramping and general poor health during a stress test lasting nearly four and three-quarter hours.
The defeat came a fortnight after Djokovic was knocked out in his opening match in Cincinnati after reaching a Wimbledon semi-final.
“It was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me. It’s something I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year,” Djokovic said early Monday.
“Vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there. Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain.
“The back just gave up in the end and shoulder, and I couldn’t close it out.
He added: “I was up a break up in the fourth, but just struggled all the way since the fourth game of the match. Congrats to him. He’s a nice guy, a fighter.
But, you know, I didn’t enjoy myself.”
The disappointing end was Djokovic’s earliest Grand Slam exit in two decades and cut off a run of 78 Grand Slam first-round victories going back to a loss to Paul Goldstein at the 2006 Australian Open.
“From the perspective of the crowd and support, it was incredible, honestly from the beginning. They were trying to lift me up in important moments,” Djokovic said.
“I’m very sorry that I, you know, didn’t perform as well as I should have or could have… but the love and appreciation they gave me in the end really touched my heart.”
Seventh seed and 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev came good after losing here a year ago in the first round, posting a win over Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 for his 33rd victory of the season.
Montreal quarter-finalist Daniel Merida defeated Marton Fucsovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to earn the fist straight-set men’s win of the fortnight.
Jiri Lehecka put out two-time semi-finalist Pablo Carreño Busta 6-1, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-2. The win served as revenge after the veteran Spaniard beat the Czech in the Roland Garros first round.
No. 101 Dino Prizmic spent nearly four hours before completing a win over Alexander Shevchenko to advance in five sets.
The 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 success was hard-fought, with Prizmic leading 5-2 and serving for it in the fourth set but needing to go all the way to claim his first victory here after saving two match points.
The Croat has threatened top 10 names in the past, beating Novak Djokovic in Rome and Ben Shelton in Madrid.
Cincinnati quarter-finalist Tommy Paul recovered after losing the opening set, storming back for a 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 win over Hong Kong qualifier Coleman Wong.
Day 1 British results were mixed, with Cam Norrie going down in an upset loss to Frenchman Luca van Assche 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 while debutant Toby Samuel’s earned the biggest win of his career as he stunned Czech Tomas Machac 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.
Former finalist Casper Ruud made a last-minute pull out on Sunday as the US Open began, with the Norwegian still affected by the back injury which forced his retirement only days ago in Cincinnati.
The runner-up four years ago to Carlos Alcaraz has been carrying the problems for several weeks and pulled the plug on his participation on opening day of the season;s final major.
Ruud becomes the 20th player to withdraw,, a list led by world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is dealing with a knee injury and who has not played since winning Wimbledon in July.
Ruud was due to start in New York against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, whom he defeated last month in Montreal.
Ruud now faces a rush to fitness if he is to compete at the Laver Cup in London from September 25.
US Open 2026 Women’s Day 2
US Open 2026 Men’s Day 2
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