The US Open
US Open 2025 Women’s Day 6
Former champion Emma Raducanu hit the wall with her recent run of form as the Briton lost 6-1, 6-2 on Friday to fellow Grand Slam winner Elena Rybakina to exit the US Open third round.
Raducanu lost serve four times in a 63-minute defeat to exit the event she won in 2021, the year before Rybakina lifted All England Club honours. She suffered a 15th loss against top 10 opponents, winning just three of 18,
Rybakina advanced to the round of 16 with 23 winners to reach her best showing at the Flushing Meadows venue.
“It’s always not easy to play against Emma. I knew that I had to play very aggressive,” the winner said. “I think I did pretty well, so happy.
“The deeper you go in the tournament, the tougher opponents get. Physically also I’ve been feeling well. So yeah, pretty happy with the way the tournament’s going so far.”
The Kazakh has yet to face a break point as she heads into the second week of the season’s final major.
“I found it very difficult to get any sort of rhythm in the match,” Raducanu said. “When I did have a ball, it was hard for me to all of a sudden hit a quality shot.
“It was just hard to really capitalise on the few moments that I had. But credit to her. She played a very good match.”
The Brit added: “I’ve just got to do my best in the next few months until Australia to just keep working to try and close the gap (with the elite players).
“Depending on the day, depending on how we match up, I think I’m getting better overall.
“I’m improving for sure in the last few months. So I just need to keep
consistent and put this one behind.”
Last year’s finalist Jessica Pegula advanced past two-time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka, with a 6-1, 7-5 scoreline, reaching the second week of a major for the 10th time in her career.
The American ended with 23 winners, including five aces, advancing in 96 minutes.
“I thought I moved really well. I thought I scrambled really well,” Pegula said. “I really wanted to make the match physical.
“We train together a lot in Florida, so we know each other’s games so well.
“We’ve played a lot. I could tell she was struggling a little bit physically, so I wanted to keep her moving, keep going after my shots and playing aggressively.”
The 31-year-old fourth seed from a billionaire sports team-owning family won the first 10 points of the match before Azarenka settled in but never really got comfortable in her 18th New York appearance.
The 36-year-old former No. 1 has played three finals here, losing to Serena Williams in 2012 and 2013, and Naomi Osaka in 2020.
Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova beat two-time Grand Slam runner-up Jasmine Paolini 7-6 (4), 6-1.
It was the Czech’s first defeat of a top 10 opponent since 2023, not helped by a series of shoulder injuries since winning Wimbledon two years ago.
Main photo:- Emma Raducanu lost to Elena Rybakina in straight sets – by Mark Greenwood/Grandslamtennis
ATP
Positive vibes after RG takes player crisis meeting
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.
Strasbourg
Raducanu plays coaching lottery with return to her OG
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
The Australian Open
Wimbledon goes modern with electronic reviews
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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