Connect with us

The US Open

Gauff pours cold water on Sabalenka title dream

Published

on

Coco Gauff splashed herself in the face with water during a pause after losing the first set of the US Open women’s final to Ayna Sabalenka.

And the shock wet awakening worked wonders for the 19-year-old as she fulfilled her tennis dream with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2  comeback victory over the newly crowned world No. 1 to win the home Grand Slam title.

The first American woman to lift the New York trophy since Sloane Stephens in 2017,said she gave herself a serious talking-to in the off-court restroom after dropping the opener to her Eastern European opponent.

“I went to the bathroom because I was nervous. I was washing my hands, I put some water on my face, and I was, like, Okay,
I’ve got to just reset and redo it,” she said.

“I went into this match like it was any other match. I honestly wasn’t nervous going in. 

“She was just playing great tennis, and I knew today was going to be one of those problem-solving tough matches because she’s a tough opponent.

“I’m obviously happy with the result.”

The winner’s accomplishment fulfilled the hopes which accompanied her breakthrough as a young teen who won her first title in Linz in 2019 as a lucky loser from the Austrian qualifying rounds.

Saturday’s victory at Flushing Meadows capped a standout summer hardcourt season for the Florida player, who has surged on cement since losing in the Wimbledon first round.

She picked up a 500 series title in Washington last month and then won Cincinnati a fortnight later to move into position for her Open triumph.

‘When I lost the first set I still felt I was into the match,” she said.  “I said I would  give it my all, whatever happens happens.

“Even on  match point, 40 – love, technically the match was on my racquet. 

“It didn’t feel like I had (almost) won. It was crazy. I was just trying my best to just focus on the point ahead of me.”

Gauff’s Grand Slam title came less than 18 months after she lost the Roland Garros final last season to Iga Swiatek.

“This (2023) French Open (quarter-final finish) is honestly where it changed,” she said.

“I felt pressure to back up the final, and I obviously didn’t. So I had to to reset.  Wimbledon was a tough, tough loss.

“I thought I was playing good tennis leading up to that.”

Gauff said her title performance at Flushing Meadows “wasn’t really a change in the match mentality. I felt like I was playing as good as I could in the moment. 

“She’s a tough power player, you’re always playing on your back foot honestly against her. I was just trying my best.”

Gauff said the match tide turned thanks to support from her home crowd of 24,000 in the Ashe stadium.

“The momentum did shift a little bit when I passed her on the backhandcrosscourt pass and I got the crowd involved, 

“After that I just felt like I knew I was coming home with this (trophy).

Rome Masters

Alarm bells ring as Raducanu quits practice

Published

on

Emma Raducanu’s Wimbledon participation was flashing red on Saturday as the Briton quit a practice session while delaying her media availability by a day.

The Queen’s club finalist a fortnight ago stopped a training session with Anna Kalinskaya 10 minutes early while trailing 0-4 in a practice set.

The ove sparked frenzied British speculation about her fitness after the 2021 US Open winner was seen wearing a support cast on a foot earlier in the week.

Reports indicated that Raducanu might have been trying to avoid a mistake she made last month in Rome, where she did pre-event media and then withdrew injured from the Masters 1000 tournament.

Raducanu is due to begin her tournament in the first round against Croat Antonia Ruzic.

Main photo:- Emma Raducanu practices with her ankle strapped – by Roger Parker/ISF Ltd

Continue Reading

Monterrey Open

Vekic needs five match points to win Queen’s

Published

on

Donna Vekic dominated the opening set but had to come from a double break down in the second to win the Queen’s club title on Sunday 6-0, 7-6 (6)  over Emma Raducanu.

The victory denied the British runner-up her first trophy since winning the US Open as a teenaged qualifier half a decade ago.

The one and three-quarter hour victory for the Croat lucky loser from qualifying round was  match of two halves, with Vekic unchallenged in the first but made to battle before finally lifting victory with a second-set tiebreaker.

Raducanu was playing in her third career final and won her only title at the 2021 US Open. Vekic won her first trophy since Monterrey three years ago.

The 29-year-old Vekic, ranked 76th, was thwarted on her first four match point chances late in the second set.

Raducanu, cheered by a home crowd in west London, took the second set into a tiebreaker as Vekic drove long as the fight went into a decider.

The Brit rallied from 4-1 down  before Vekic set up her fifth match point with a down-the-line winner and Raducanu’s shot landed wide a point later

The winner revealed that she had called upon her longtime coach from childhood to come join her team for the summer.

“Growing up and playing on the Tour, I was always jealous that the boys got to play on this grass,” she said of an event which only brought back the women’s event a year ago after a pause of half a century.  .

“But since last year, we have the opportunity also.”

Vekic explained her coaching situation: “The coach that I worked with from age 12 agreed to come back and help this grass season.

“Without him, I would have not know about grass – my favourite surface. And without you I would not be here with this trophy.”

Raducanu made vast improvements this week which should aid her Wimbledon buildup.

“What a week it’s been,” the finalist said. “It was incredible for me to make the fina, playing in my home city where I feel the buzz.

“The crowd support was incredible and helped me to fight back in the second set.

“Today was a really tough match, Donna played well from start to finish.”

Raducanu will travel north for next week’s WTA event in Nottingham.

Main photo:- Lucky loser qualifier Donna Vekic wins Queens Title – by Mark Greenwood/ISF Ltd

Continue Reading

ATP

Agassi seeking answers to Alcaraz wrist injury mystery

Published

on

Andre Agassi is keen to unravel the mystery of the alleged wrist injury which has kept Carlos Alcaraz off court for nearly two months.

The 56-year-old Agassi asked the hard question during a tennis podcast, suggesting that the Spaniard owed the world an explanation on what is actually bothering him.

Alcaraz has not competed since April 14 in Barcelona, a day before handing in a second-round injury walkover, reportedly with a wrist problem

“It would be really helpful if he or someone close to him could clearly explain the exact nature of his injury, because at this point we can only speculate,” Agassi said.

Since his spring home pullout on home clay, Alcaraz has missed the Madrid and Rome Masters plus Roland Garros.

He is also out for Queen’s and Wimbledon with his availability for the North American summer hardcourt run a complete mystery.

“If it’s a form of tendonitis, is it a specific inflammation like dorsal capsulitis or a carpal tunnel syndrome-type issue? What exactly are we talking about, and what are the treatment options? I don’t know precisely what he has,” Agassi said.

The former world No. 1 American added: “If he only needs to manage pain or inflammation and opts for conservative treatment before considering surgery, then it’s a smart decision, even if it means missing some Grand Slam tournaments.

“If the situation is more serious and requires more complex interventions, the right decisions must be made very carefully, and the best specialists must be consulted. It is essential to allow the injury time to heal properly, because he still has many years of his career ahead of him.”

Despite his growing doubts, Agassi is able to look on the bright side of the situation.

“We could see an even more determined and aggressive Carlos Alcaraz upon his return, provided he manages to solve his only real problem right now.”

Main photo:- Carlos Alcaraz will miss Wimbledon this year – by Roger Parker ISF Ltd

Continue Reading

Trending