Maria Sakkari tops Emma Navarro in Washington
Sakkari, a finalist in the event two years ago, finished with a 7-1 edge in aces and saved all three break points she faced.
Third-seeded Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan emerged with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Victoria Mboko as the Canadian committed nine double faults.
In other second-round matches, Russia's Anna Kalinskaya defeated eighth-seeded Magda Linette of Poland 6-4, 6-0, and fourth-seeded Clara Tauson of Denmark outlasted Caroline Dolehide 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Livesport Prague Open
Tereza Valentova, playing in her hometown, defeated second-seeded Rebecca Sramkova of Slovakia 7-6 (1), 7-5 in the second round in Prague.
Eighth-seeded Alycia Parks also stumbled against a Czech player, falling 7-6 (9), 6-3 to Sara Bejlek. Parks failed to take advantage of two set points in the first-set tiebreaker.
Tsitsipas splits with coach Ivanisevic after less than two months
Top-seeded Linda Noskova, also of the Czech Republic, downed Italy's Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-2, 6-4. Other winners were fourth-seeded Xinyu Wang of China, ninth-seeded Ann Li of the United States, France's Jessika Ponchet and fifth-seeded Marie Bouzkova and Katerina Siniakova, both of the Czech Republic.
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Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
Zverev to meet Khachanov in Toronto semi
Top seed Alexander Zverev of Germany outlasted Alexei Popyrin to advance to the semi-finals of the ATP Canadian Open at Toronto. Photo: AFP/File Alexander Zverev reached his 21st Masters 1000 semi-final on Monday by ending the Canadian title defence of Alexei Popyrin 6-7 (8/10), 6-4, 6-3 at the ATP Toronto Masters. The final game, with Zverev serving at 5-3, was interrupted by shouts from an unruly fan who was tossed out by security. The distraction ended a run of 14 consecutive points on serve, with the seed double-faulting once he was able to continue serving. He finished off the evening with a sharp volley winner at the net on his first match point. Zverev completed his 40th win of the year in just over two and a half hours. The world number three won the tournament in 2017 but had not been past the quarter-finals in Canada since. "After losing the first set, I had to tell myself we were both playing well," the holder of seven Masters trophies said. "I had one or two mistakes at the end of the first, but it was a high-level match. "I felt that if I kept playing well, I would get my chances — and I did. I can't complain about the second and third sets." Zverev will bid for the oddly scheduled Thursday final against three-time semi-finalist Karen Khachanov, who dismissed young American Alex Michelsen 6-4, 7-6 (7/3). "It was a very close, competitive match," Khachanov said. "I had to come back from some tough situations. "How you handle that mentally is important. I was glad to close it out in the second set. "I had to try and not give him the opportunity to step in and attack; that's what I did today." Zverev has won five of the seven matches he has played against Khachanov. Popyrin and Zverev duelled throughout the evenly matched 71-minute opening set as it went into a tiebreaker. Zverev was unable to convert on two winning chances, but Popyrin came good on his own second opportunity with a net cord winner that caught his opponent stranded at the baseline. The German began to turn the tables in the second set, taking a 4-1 lead only to see the Aussie level at 4-all. Zverev pulled away to level the match at a set apiece, breaking for 6-4 as Popyrin sent a volley wide. The top seed began the final set with a 3-0 lead on his way into the tournament final four at the pre-US Open event. Popyrin remains winless against Zverev after losing all four of their matches. Mboko's run continues Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko stormed into the semi-finals of the women's tournament in Montreal with a 6-4 6-2 win over Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro to continue her fairytale run. The 18-year-old, ranked 85th in the world, found herself a break down early in the second set, but won six straight games to become the first Canadian to reach the semi-finals of the Canadian Open since 2019. "I'm so excited to be in the semi-final here. I want to thank everyone for your support once again. It has been unreal," said Mboko, who beat No. 1 seed Coco Gauff on Saturday and is set to enter the top 50. Mboko next takes on Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, who was leading 6-1 2-1 when her opponent, Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine, was forced to retire from their quarter-final match due to a wrist injury. Rybakina will meet Mboko for the second time in as many weeks, with the ninth-seeded Kazakh winning 6-3 7-5 when the pair faced off in the Washington Open last month.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
Rybakina to face teen Mboko in Canadian Open semis
Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan advanced to the WTA Canadian Open semi-finals with a victory over Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine. Photo: AFP Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, and Canadian teen Victoria Mboko advanced to a WTA Canadian Open semi-final matchup with triumphs on Monday in the Montreal hard court event. World number 12 Rybakina of Kazakhstan led 6-1, 2-1 when Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk retired in the second set with a wrist injury. Mboko, the shocker of the event, dispatched Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2 by taking the final six games to reach her first WTA 1000 semi-final in pursuit of her first trip to a WTA final. "I'm so excited to be in the semi-final here," Mboko told the supportive home nation crowd. "I want to thank everyone for your support once again. It has been unreal." Rybakina won their only prior meeting 6-3, 7-5 last month in the second round at Washington. The top five seeds and seven of the top 10 seeds were ousted before the quarter-finals, opening the door for such upstarts as 18-year-old Mboko, who eliminated top seed Coco Gauff. World number 85 Mboko, who began the year raked 333rd in the world, has ensured herself a jump into the top 50 for the first time in her career next week. Mboko broke 51st-ranked Bouzas Maneiro for a 5-3 lead. The Spaniard broke back in the ninth game only to drop the first set after 43 minutes when Mboko broke again. Bouzas Maneiro broke to open the second set then held but Mboko never dropped a game from there, taking the match after 77 minutes when the Spaniard sent a backhand beyond the baseline. The crowd, which chanted "it's not over" in French after the match, has been the best part of the amazing run, Mboko said. "I train here (in Canada) and it's always a great opportunity to be here," Mboko said. "My first time playing in Montreal has been an unreal experience and I couldn't be more grateful." Rybakina, seeded ninth, seeks her third WTA title after Rome and Indian Wells in 2023. She has not reached a final since last year at Miami. Rybakina broke 24th-seeded Kostyuk to open the match and led 2-1 when Kostyuk received medical treatment on her right wrist and forearm. Kostyuk netted a backhand to surrender a break in the fifth game and Rybakina broke again to claim the first set in 37 minutes when Kostyuk sent a forehand long. In the second set, Rybakina held twice before Kostyuk retired after 54 minutes due to her wrist issues, walking off the court in tears. Tuesday's quarter-final matches send four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka of Japan against Ukraine's 10th-seeded Elina Svitolina and US sixth seed Madison Keys, this year's Australian Open champion, against Danish 16th seed Clara Tauson.
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business Recorder
Alexander Zverev fights back to oust defending champion Popyrin from Canadian Open
Alexander Zverev rallied from a set down to beat defending champion Alexei Popyrin 6-7(8) 6-4 6-3 in Toronto and move into the semi-finals of the Canadian Open on Monday. Top seed Zverev was unable to convert two set points in a tight first set, but built up 3-0 leads in both the second and third sets to clinch the win in two hours and 42 minutes. The victory took the German's head-to-head record against Australian Popyrin to 4-0 and sent him to his 75th semi-final on the ATP Tour, joining Novak Djokovic as the only active men's tennis player to have reached the mark. 'I had to tell myself, even though I lost the first set, I thought we were both playing actually quite well,' said Zverev, who won the Canadian Open in 2017. 'I had to find a return position in the beginning because he's a very big server, and when he gets into a rhythm, it's very difficult against him. 'I did that in the second and third set. Honestly, I can't complain about much. I played one loose game on my serve in the second set, but apart from that, it was pretty good.' Zverev next faces Russian Karen Khachanov, who beat Alex Michelsen of the United States 6-4 7-6(3). Mboko's run continues Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko stormed into the semi-finals of the women's tournament in Montreal with a 6-4 6-2 win over Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro to continue her fairytale run. The 18-year-old, ranked 85th in the world, found herself a break down early in the second set, but won six straight games to become the first Canadian to reach the semi-finals of the Canadian Open since 2019. 'I'm so excited to be in the semi-final here. I want to thank everyone for your support once again. It has been unreal,' said Mboko, who beat No. 1 seed Coco Gauff on Saturday and is set to enter the top 50. Mboko next takes on Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, who was leading 6-1 2-1 when her opponent, Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine, was forced to retire from their quarter-final match due to a wrist injury. Rybakina will meet Mboko for the second time in as many weeks, with the ninth-seeded Kazakh winning 6-3 7-5 when the pair faced off in the Washington Open last month.
