Venus Williams receives US Open wildcard
Williams became the oldest player to win a WTA singles match since 2004 when she beat Peyton Stearns at last month's Washington Open after a 16-month absence from competitive tennis.
She last played in the U.S. Open singles main draw in 2023, losing in the first round to Belgian Greet Minnen.
The seven-time Grand Slam winner is also playing in the tournament's new-look mixed doubles tournament with compatriot Reilly Opelka.
Other women's singles wildcards included France's Caroline Garcia, in what will likely be the 2022 semi-finalist's last appearance at Flushing Meadows.
The 2022 WTA Finals winner announced plans to retire from the sport earlier this year.
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New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Sabalenka and Gauff crash out in Cincinnati as Alcaraz survives to reach semis
CINCINNATI: World number one Aryna Sabalenka and second-ranked Coco Gauff were sent crashing out of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open on Friday as Carlos Alcaraz fought off a fierce challenge from Andrey Rublev to reach the semi-finals. Top seed and defending champion Sabalenka had no answer for Elena Rybakina, falling to the 2022 Wimbledon champion 6-1, 6-4. Reigning French Open champion Gauff had 16 double faults in a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 exit at the hands of seventh-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini. Spain's second-ranked Alcaraz had his difficulties, but he broke Rublev in the final game of a tense duel to emerge a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 winner and will face third-seeded Alexander Zverev, who brought fifth-seeded Toronto champion Ben Shelton's run to an end with a 6-2, 6-2 victory. Zverev earned a 4-1 lead in the second set as Shelton angrily tossed his racquet on the changeover, and the 2021 champion polished off the win on a second match point. He now has 24 hours to try to get fit. "I'm not feeling too great now, but I have a day to get fresh," Zverev said. "I hope to be at 100%. "I'm not sure what happened. I felt very well, but at the end of the first set, it got progressively worse. But I'll do all I can to give it a shot tomorrow." Alcaraz was broken while serving for victory at 5-4 in the final set against 11th-ranked Rublev, but he found his focus and used his trademark grit to come through three games later. He sealed the triumph as an emotional Rublev hit an eighth double-fault on match point. "I maintained the positive thoughts even if I lost focus a bit in the second set," said Alcaraz, whose five titles so far this year include the French Open as well as Masters 1000 trophies in Monte Carlo and Rome. Rybakina fired 11 aces en route to a fifth career victory over Sabalenka in 12 meetings. She avenged a loss to the Belarusian in Berlin two months ago and booked a semi-final meeting with Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek – a 6-3, 6-4 winner over Anna Kalinskaya. Rybakina was aided by 11 aces as she reached her first Cincinnati semi-final. "I'm happy with the serve. It was the key today," Rybakina said. "I served really well." "If she had been serving well, it would have been a totally different match," she acknowledged. Rybakina has won her last three matches against Swiatek, all played this season. But Swiatek was feeling confident after downing Kalinskaya in what she called "the best match I played here." "I'm happy that I'm progressing during the tournament," Swiatek said. Gauff, the 2023 Cincinnati champion, had looked well on her way after a quick first set against Paolini. But her mistakes caught up with her as she was broken eight times by the Italian, who overcame plenty of errors of her own as well as a twisted ankle suffered early in the third set. "It was so tough at the start, I was running and trying to put the ball inside the court," Paolini said. "I started to feel the ball better." "I fought for every point and stayed in the match," added the Italian, who will face Veronika Kudermetova for a place in the final.
Malay Mail
6 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Alcaraz survives to reach Cincy semis as Rybakina topples No. 1 Sabalenka
CINCINNATI, Aug 16 — World number two Carlos Alcaraz fought off a fierce challenge from Andrey Rublev to reach the semi-finals of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open yesterday as women's defending champion Aryna Sabalenka was sent crashing by Elena Rybakina. Spain's Alcaraz broke Rublev in the final game of a tense duel to emerge a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 winner and will face third-seeded Alexander Zverev, who brought the winning run of fifth-seeded Toronto champion American Ben Shelton to its end with a 6-2, 6-2 victory. Germany's Zverev complained of feeling dizzy and out of breath as he led by a set and a break, but benefitted from 27 unforced errors from a listless Shelton over 76 minutes. Zverev earned a 4-1 lead in the second set as Sheldon angrily tossed his racquet on the changeover, and the 2021 champion polished off the win on a second match point and now has 24 hours to try and get fit. 'I'm not feeling too great now, but I have a day to get fresh,' Zverev said. 'I hope to be at 100%. 'I'm not sure what happened. I felt very well but at the end of the first set it got progressively worse. 'But I'll do all I can to give it a shot tomorrow.' Alcaraz was broken while serving for victory at 5-4 in the final set against 11th-ranked Rublev, but he found his focus and used his trademark grit to come through three games later. He sealed the triumph as an emotional Rublev hit an eighth double-fault on match point. 'I maintained the positive thoughts even if I lost focus a bit in the second set,' said Alcaraz, whose five titles so far this year include the French Open as well as Masters 1000 trophies in Monte Carlo and Rome. 'Against Andrey, if you lose focus it can cost you the set—or the match... (Fighting back) is what I'm most proud of.' Rybakina revenge Top seeded Sabalenka had no answer for 2022 Wimbledon champion Rybakina, who beat the Belarusian 6-1, 6-4 to book a semi-final meeting with Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek—a 6-3, 6-4 winner over Anna Kalinskaya. Rybakina claimed a fifth victory in her 12-match personal rivalry with Sabalenka, avenging a loss to the Belarusian in Berlin two months ago. Rybakina was aided by 11 aces as she reached her first Cincinnati semi-final. 'I'm happy with the serve. It was the key today,' Rybakina said. 'I served really well. 'If she had been serving well it would have been a totally different match,' she acknowledged. Rybakina has won her last three matches against Swiatek, all played this season. Swiatek needed 93 minutes and five match points to get past Kalinskaya in what she called 'the best match I played here. 'I'm happy that I'm progressing during the tournament,' said the former world number one from Poland. I just played my game,' she said. 'It was not easy but I'm happy that I stayed solid and kept my intensity,' In other quarter-final action, Veronika Kudermetova crushed Varvara Gracheva 6-1, 6-2 and awaits the winner of Friday night's match between world number two Coco Gauff and ninth-ranked Jasmine Paolini. — AFP
The Sun
10 hours ago
- The Sun
Sabalenka stunned by Rybakina in Cincinnati Open semi-final
DEFENDING champion Aryna Sabalenka was dismantled 6-1 6-4 on Friday by Elena Rybakina who powered into her first Cincinnati Open semi-final with a display of clinical serving. The Kazakh ninth seed delivered a brilliant performance to secure her seventh career win over a top-ranked player and set up a blockbuster clash with Poland's Iga Swiatek in a showdown of Wimbledon champions. Rybakina fired 11 aces throughout the match, earning an impressive 81% of points on her first serve, while saving all five break points she faced as she secured her fifth win over Sabalenka in 12 meetings. 'I'm happy with the serve. It was the key,' former world number three Rybakina said. 'We're both big hitters. Today I served really well. If Aryna serves well, it's completely different. Hopefully I continue like this.' Earlier, third seed Swiatek advanced to her first WTA 1000 semi-final in 15 months, beating Russia's Anna Kalinskaya 6-3 6-4. Kalinskaya, who had defeated Swiatek in their only previous meeting, put up a spirited fight by saving four match points, before the six-times Grand Slam winner converted her fifth opportunity on serve to seal the victory. 'I just played my game,' Swiatek said. 'For sure, it wasn't easy. Just happy I was solid and had the intensity to apply pressure.' Veronika Kudermetova breezed past Varvara Gracheva 6-1 6-2 to reach her first Cincinnati semi-final. The Russian seems to be back to the form that once carried her into the Top 10, earning her first WTA 1000 last-four spot since 2023. She will next face either second seed Coco Gauff or seventh-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini in the semis. In the men's draw, second seed Carlos Alcaraz survived a three-set battle against Russian ninth seed Andrey Rublev, claiming a 6-3 4-6 7-5 win to reach the last four. The Spaniard was far from his best, committing 15 unforced errors and three double faults in the decider, but capitalising on his lone match point, courtesy of a Rublev double fault, to secure his 15th consecutive Masters 1000 win. 'Playing someone like Andrey, when you lose focus on two or three points, it can cost you the set or the match. I just stayed strong mentally and that's what I'm most proud of,' Alcaraz said. 'It's just accepting the moment, accepting that I am playing a third set, that it's going to be a really tough battle, and I love that,' he added after setting up a showdown with either third seed Alex Zverev or American fifth seed Ben Shelton. Five-times Grand Slam champion Alcaraz, winner of 37 of his last 39 matches, advanced to his 12th Masters 1000 semi, equalling the mark of Italian top seed Jannik Sinner, who faces Frenchman Terence Atmane in the other last-four clash. - Reuters
