Top Story
Swiatek sets a record with Wimbledon win
Iga Swiatek snatched her sixth Grand Slam title on Saturday as the former world No. 1 hammered Amanda Anisimova with an unprecedented 6-0, 6-0 title win at Wimbledon.
The love-love scoreline was the first here in the post-1968 Open era; Swiatek is the first from Poland to win a singles title at the grass major .
Swiatek needed 56 minutes to inflict herself on an American opponent who appeared to freeze in the spotlight.
Nevertheless, Anisimova will break into the ranking top 10 on Monday, small consolation after a dismal performance punctuated by a complete breakdown of poise and form.
The sixth-seeded winner added the All England club honours to her four Roland Garros trophies and 2022 US Open title; Swiatek has never lost a Grand Slam final.
“It all seems super surreal,” the winner said. “Amanda had an amazing two weeks no matter what happened today..
“You should be proud of the work you’ve been doing.”
Swiatek, who benefitted from 28 unforced errors from her nervous opponent, said she could have never imagined this outcome
“It was just too far away. I’m an experienced player but I never expected this one. My team believed in me more than I did.
“Playing on centre court seemed like huge pressure, a bit too much. But this year I really enjoyed it. I’ve improved my (grass) game to be comfortable here.”
Swiatek said one Wimbledon quirk will always stand out for her: “I’ll always remember the popping of champagne corks between serves. That will keep me up at night.”
Swiatek, who had never been past the quarter-finals here (2023) began with a break of serve in a controversial 4 p.m. start – a bow by Wimbledon to global television pressure which may have backfired with world-class women’s and club football competing in the same time frame.
She was never tested in the 25-minute opening chapter as Anisimova struggled to find her rhythm, managing to win nine points to the 27 of Swiatek.
The second set was the same story as a Swiaek return kissed the sideline on second match point to end the one-way final
The title broke a drought for Swiatek dating to the French Open 13 months, with the overjoyed player rushing into the stands fur hugs all around with her team and family members.
While a ‘double bagel” had never been recorded in a Wimbledon final, Garbine Muguruza earned the last love set against Venus Williams here in 2017,
Swiatek was the first Pole to play a Wimbledon final since 1937.
Anisimova brushed back tears several times during the trophy ceremony.
“Even though I ran out of gas today and I wished for a better performance, the crowd lifted me up today.
“I’ll never forget this experience and all of these memories.”
The American was supported by her mother who flew in overnight for the final.
“My mom is the most selfless person I know, she’s done everything to get me to this point in my life,” Anisimova said.
“I didn’t have enough today but I’ll keep putting in the work and always believe in myself. I hope to be back here one day.”
Main photo:- Iga Swiatek with the Venus Rosewater Dish – by Roger Parker ISF Ltd
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.
American outsider Ann Li produced the upset of her life on Wednesday, taking 10 match points to defeat world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) in a quarter-final shock at the WTA Wuhan 1000.
The No. 31’s success kept top seed Sabalenka from a place in the final four at the event for the first time in her career.
The two-and-a-half-hour victory was the third for Li this season over a top 10 opponent. The loss was a huge blow to Sabalenka, who won the tournament on three occasions 2018, 2019 and 2024.
The run counts as a hat-trick, with the tournament played in the epicentre city for the Covid outbreak not staged from 2020 through 2023.
Li rallied from a set down to complete her biggest day in tennis.
“On some of those match points I was about to lose my mind. I was about to crash out,” the winner said.
“I didn’t even play that bad, she just played really well.
“You have to play point by point. And I knew that if I stayed there, I could get into that situation again, which is all you can ask for.”
Li was operating from a deficit after Sabalenka swept the opening set with an eight-point surge and put the American into a second-set hole down a break of serve, 2-4.
But Li gathered her resources and claimed nine of 11 games, levelling at a set each and leading 5-2 lead in the third.
Sabalenka called for the physio for her right leg, then saved five match points before continuing the heroics for four additional recoveries from defeat.
Li finally got the job done on her 10th chance in the final-set tiebreaker, finishing it off with a forehand winner.
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.
Zverev scratches 7-year itch with return to Shanghai SF
Tenth time lucky as Li knocks out Sabalenka
Zverev celebrates No. 1 status with Shanghai QF
-
Beijing2 weeks agoNo. 1 and 2 seeds ousted in Beijing WTA
-
ATP2 weeks agoBu hoo for China as Djokovic outlasts a local
-
ATP3 weeks agoItalian media fear Sinner may need surgery
-
ATP2 weeks agoDjokovic reaches 7th Beijing final as Medvedev DQ’d
-
ATP2 weeks agoDjokovic untouchable after 30th win in Beijing
-
ATP1 week agoAlcaraz beats Lehecka to triumph in Tokyo
-
ATP1 week agoDjokovic backs into 7th Beijing title as injured de Minaur quits
-
Billy Jean King Cup3 weeks agoCzechs charge to BJK Cup title