Pegula beats Swiatek on grass to win Bad Homburg title in Wimbledon tune-up
BAD HOMBURG, Germany (AP) — Top-seeded Jessica Pegula beat five-time major champion Iga Swiatek 6-4, 7-5 on Saturday to win the grass-court Bad Homburg Open, extending Swiatek's year-long title drought.
Pegula clinched her third title of 2025 — with the others in Austin, Texas, and Charleston, South Carolina — and it was the ninth title of the 31-year-old American's career.
Swiatek was seeded fourth at the WTA 500 tournament in Germany, where the 24-year-old Pole sought her first trophy since the 2024 French Open and a 23rd overall.
In their 11th career meeting, but first on grass, Pegula won for the fifth time overall. Pegula beat Swiatek in the quarterfinals at last year's U.S. Open, where she finished the runner-up.
Although Swiatek hit nine aces in Saturday's final, she also dropped her serve twice. Pegula saved the only break point she faced and won a higher percentage of points on first and second serve.
The former No.1-ranked Swiatek has won four French Open titles and one U.S. Open, but has never been beyond the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Elvis Andrus inducted into the Texas Rangers Baseball Hall of Fame with assist from Adrian Beltré
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Elvis Andrus was a 20-year-old kid when he went to spring training in 2009 with the Texas Rangers to be their starting shortstop. He is now in their Hall of Fame. The fun-loving skilled shortstop for the franchise's first two World Series appearances, who became like a pesky little brother to National Baseball Hall of Fame third baseman Adrian Beltré in their eight seasons together on the left side of the infield, was inducted as the 27th member of the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame on Saturday. 'He definitely deserves it. He's one of the best ballplayers to play here with the Rangers,' said Beltré, who retired after the 2018 season. 'He did so many things to make our ballclub better when we played together.' It was Beltré who helped Andrus slip on the blue blazer presented to Rangers Hall of Fame members. They then together unveiled the former shortstop's plaque. 'That was a surreal moment,' Andrus said. 'When we unveiled it, he's like they wrote a lot of things on that. That was so funny, that was so Adrian.' Andrus started 1,605 games at shortstop for Texas over 12 seasons, the most games started at one position for any player in franchise history. He is the franchise leader with 305 stolen bases, and ranks second in total games (1,652), at-bats (6,366), triples (48), and sacrifice hits (100). His 1,743 hits and 893 runs both rank third, and he played at least 145 games in 10 seasons for the Rangers. Texas went to back-to-back World Series in 2010 and 2011, and Andrus remained with the Rangers until being traded to Oakland at the start of spring training in 2021. He was traded to the Chicago White Sox the following year and played his final big league game in 2023. He officially retired as a Ranger last September after signing a ceremonial one-day contract. The pregame ceremony Saturday concluded with the 36-year-old Andrus taking the shortstop position, with former teammates Mitch Moreland at first, Michael Young at second and Beltré at third. They did an around-the-horn throw that served as a first pitch for the game against Seattle, with Andrus wrapping that up with a throw to Beltré that was a bit low. 'He was like, `Man, even when you retire, you don't throw it in the chest,'' Andrus said with a big smile. 'The whole idea of going through the infield with my buddies, that was very priceless.' Beltré and Young are also in the Rangers Hall of Fame . So is Ian Kinsler, the former second baseman and Andrus' double-play partner who was unable to attend the ceremony. There were even a couple of attempts by Andrus to playfully tap Beltré on the top of the head, like Andrus did so often when they played together and it was well-known that the third baseball didn't like that. Beltré returned the favor with Saturday before they unveiled the plaque. When Andrus made his debut in 2009, the Rangers moved Young to third base after he had been an All-Star shortstop the previous five seasons. Young is still the team's career leader for games placed, at-bats, hits and runs. 'He always gives so much credit away. It goes to show you what kind of a person he is, but he's here because he did all the work. He did everything. He earned it,' Young said. 'I can kind of go on and on with the stuff that he has done to deserve this. But again, I think it's worth mentioning because it's so often he tries to deflect a lot of the credit.' ___ AP MLB:
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Dave Parker, Baseball Hall of Famer and MVP winner, dead at 74
Dave Parker, a two-time World Series champion and 1978 MVP who was set to get inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame next month, died Saturday following a lengthy battle with Parkinson's disease, according to the Hall of Fame. He was 74. 'We join the baseball family in remembering Dave Parker,' National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum chairman Jane Forbes Clark said in a release. 'His legacy will be one of courage and leadership, matched only by his outstanding accomplishments on the field. His election to the Hall of Fame in December brought great joy to him, his family and all the fans who marveled at his remarkable abilities. We will honor his incredible life and career at next month's Induction Ceremony in Cooperstown, where his legacy will be remembered forever.' 4 Dave Parker is pictured during an October 1979 World Series game for the Pirates. AP Parker, an outfielder, made his MLB debut with the Pirates in 1973 and spent the first 11 years of his career in Pittsburgh, before stints with the Reds, A's, Brewers, Angels and Blue Jays. During his MVP season with the Pirates, Parker, who was nicknamed the 'Cobra,' hit an MLB-best .334 with a .979 OPS, 30 homers and 117 RBIs — claiming his second consecutive National League batting title. 4 Dave Parker is pictured in July 1979. AP 4 Dave Parker is pictured in 1982. AP He helped Pittsburgh win the World Series the following year and added a second championship 10 years later with the A's. Parker was also named MVP of the 1979 All-Star Game, and that stage also produced one of his signature highlights when he threw a runner out at home from the outfield in the ninth inning to keep the game tied. The Grenada, Miss. native retired as a career .290 hitter with 339 homers and an .810 OPS. He was in the inaugural class for the Pirates' Hall of Fame in 2022. During the Mets-Pirates broadcast Saturday, shortly after Parker's death was announced, SNY analyst Ron Darling, who played in the majors for the final nine seasons of Parker's career, said he was 'larger than life.' 4 Dave Parker reacts during a Pirates game in July 2019. AP 'We're told all the time that the next guy up the block is a five-tool player,' Darling said on the broadcast. 'They usually have 2 1/2 or three tools. This guy, legit, five tools. … He was the coolest guy on the planet. You just wanted to be around him. He had an infectious smile and laugh.' It took until December, though, for Parker to get elected for the Hall of Fame, when he was voted in by the Classic Baseball Era committee.
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Shohei Ohtani throws fastest pitch of career at 101.7 mph in 3rd mound start for Dodgers
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Sbohei Ohtani threw the fastest pitch of his career at 101.7 mph and worked two efficient innings in his third mound start for the Los Angeles Dodgers, allowing one hit and one walk against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday. It was the first start of more than one inning this season for the two-way superstar, who is working as an opener as he eases his way back into pitching. The three-time MVP did not pitch last season, his first with the Dodgers, while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He made 86 mound starts over five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, going 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA. On Saturday, Ohtani threw first-pitch strikes to all seven batters he faced and finished with 27 pitches, 20 for strikes. He allowed a one-out single to Bobby Witt Jr. in the first and walked Maikel Garcia before throwing the 101.7 mph fastball on an 0-2 count to Vinnie Pasquantino, who grounded into a double play. Ohtani retired the side in order in the second, fanning rookie Jac Caglianone on an 89 mph slider. The 30-year-old has 29 homers this season as Los Angeles' primary designated hitter. ___
