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The US Open

Pegula pounds into semis over Krajcikova

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Jessica Pegula cut down former Wimbledon winner Barbora Krejcikova 6-3, 6-3 on Tuesday to boss her way into a second straight semi-final at the US Open.

The American 4th seed who finished runner-up here a year ago to Aryna Sabalenka has lost just 24 games since the start of the last major of the season.

Pegula made sure her Czech opponent had no chance to repeat her heroics of the previous round, when Krejcikova saved eight match points to beat Taylor Townsend.

Pegula’s next challenge will be against top seed Aryna Sabalenka after one-time Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova withdrew from her quarter final.

The American did her best to keep the points short to dominate Krejcikova, winning 10 or 12 points at the net in the 87-minute victory.

“I’ve been playing some good tennis, very solid,” the winner said. “I wanted to keep things quick today.

“She’s a very dangerous player and it got tight at the end, I saw what she did against Taylor  – I’m just happy that we are done.”

Krejcikova was under pressure, with all of her previous singles matches running to three sets; she was also participating in doubles and likely had the stress of the win over Townsend in the back of her mind.

Pegula ran off a 3-0 lead in the opening set – winning 12 of the first 15 points – and claimed six of seven games to reach a 4-1 double break situation in the second set.

The seed slipped momentarily as she dropped serve as her opponent rallied for 2-4, but Pegula closed out the win three games later on her first match point.

“I’m really comfortable here on the best court in front of the noisiest crowd against the best players,” the winner said.

“A few years ago I never thought Id be good at this,”

Main photo:- Jessica Pegula celebrates victory – by Mark Greenwood/Grandslamtennis

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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