Latest news with #AdamWalton
ABC News
29-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Alex de Minaur says there's 'too much tennis' after shock French Open exit
Alex de Minaur has joined the chorus of tennis voices calling for the crowded men's tennis schedule to be shortened, warning that players are in danger of having their careers ended early with physical and mental burnout. His lament came on the day when he cited his own mental fatigue during his surprise exit at Roland Garros to Alexander Bublik on Thursday, and while his Australian colleague Adam Walton was having to battle with a shoulder injury in his loss to Andrey Rublev. De Minaur then chose the moment to launch a wider broadside about the state of the men's ATP tour program, echoing the complaints kicked off by fellow Australian Jordan Thompson earlier in the week. "No-one's got a solution," said de Minaur, admitting the tour grind was affecting him after his 2-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 loss. "But the solution is simple: you shorten the schedule, right? "What's not normal is that for the last three, four years I've had two days off after the Davis Cup and I've gone straight into pre-season, straight into the new season again. "Once you start, you don't finish until November 24. So it's never-ending. The way it's structured … I had to deal with that. I'm still dealing with that right now. "The solution is you shorten, because what's going to happen is players' careers are going to get shorter and shorter because they're just going to burn out mentally. There's just too much tennis." Thompson, who has been battling on all season with three injuries he believes have only been exacerbated by the ceaseless tour grind, had earlier described the ATP schedule as "shit" and "just a joke". Two-time French Open finalist Casper Ruud also picked up the theme after his own injury-hampered defeat to Nuno Borges on Wednesday as he likened the ATP's ranking system to a "rat race" with players feeling compelled to compete in the men's tour's mandatory events even if they are carrying injuries. "You feel you're obligated to play with certain rules that the ATP have set up with the mandatory events," he said. "You feel like you lose a lot if you don't show up and play … the punishments are quite hard, in terms of everyone else will play, gain points, and you won't. "If you don't play a mandatory event, they cut 25 per cent of your year-end bonus. "You're forcing players to show up injured or sick, or whatever, when that's not what I think is very fair." Brisbane's Walton admitted after his straight-sets defeat that he was still battling on with an arm injury "that's not great". "The season's pretty relentless. I don't have the luxury, like some of the top players, in being able to play less. I guess if you're good enough, you don't have to play as much to collect points, right?" the world No.91 said. "So in order for me to collect all the points, I've got to play a lot. I don't have a solution, but yes, it is very taxing on the body." AAP
News.com.au
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Adam Walton wins first singles match at Roland Garros as Olivia Gadecki loses on centre court
Unheralded Aussie Adam Walton made it through to the second round of the French Open for the first time with an epic five-set win at Roland Garros to join compatriots Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin. As Thanasi Kokkinakis, who is enduring another stint on the sidelines after pectoral reattachment surgery, revealed he didn't know when he'd be back on court, Walton rode the rollercoaster in a 7-6(4) 4-6 6-3 2-6 6-2 victory over German qualifier Maximilian Marterer. For the 26-year-old Queenslander, it was not only the first five-set win of his professional career but also his first singles win at Roland Garros. It took three hours and 37 minutes to achieve the breakthrough, which set up a second round clash with No.17 seed Andrey Rublev, finishing the match off with an ace. 'I told myself I've got to hit it,' said Walton, who also won his opening doubles match on a big day. 'Obviously, I hit a pretty good one and obviously the feeling to win that match was very cool.' 'I felt like physically. I was battling a little bit in the fourth (set),' conceded Walton, who was able to regroup at that stage after taking a brief break off the court. Congrats to VFLs Adam Walton (singles) and Mark Wallner (doubles) on their first-round wins at the French Open! ðŸ�Š #RolandGarros — Tennessee Tennis (@Vol_Tennis) May 27, 2025 'I came out with a bit more energy and I told myself, 'You got to go for it again and it's one more set. That's all you've got to play'. 'Luckily, I got off to a good start and was able just to keep holding on.' Walton joined both de Minaur and Popyrin on the winners' list, but compatriot Olivia Gadecki went down to second seed Coco Gauff on centre court, a match delayed after the American forgot to pack her racquets. 'They were supposed to be in my bag,' she told the chair umpire before a ball boy was dispatched to find them, blaming her coach for the mistake. 'When I opened the first zipper. I was like, 'OK, no racquets'. The second zipper, I was like, 'Oh my God!' 'Honestly, as long as I've been on tour, my coach has always put the racquets in the bag before the match because he's very superstitious,' she laughed. 'I'm blaming it on him! It's OK.' Kokkinakis, 29, is part of the commentary team for Channel 9's broadcast of Roland Garros in Australia. He told the Sit-Down podcast that he was riding this latest bump with a positive attitude. 'I'm sure when I'm ready I'll be keen to get back into it,' he said. 'It's weird obviously missing these big events at the moment (like Roland Garros), but it's something that I've done a lot of times in the past, and it's just part of my journey, I guess. 'Another setback, but I'll get there.'
West Australian
27-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Adam Walton wins first singles match at Roland Garros as Olivia Gadecki loses on centre court
Unheralded Aussie Adam Walton made it through to the second round of the French Open for the first time with an epic five-set win at Roland Garros to join compatriots Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin. As Thanasi Kokkinakis, who is enduring another stint on the sidelines after pectoral reattachment surgery, revealed he didn't know when he'd be back on court, Walton rode the rollercoaster in a 7-6(4) 4-6 6-3 2-6 6-2 victory over German qualifier Maximilian Marterer. For the 26-year-old Queenslander, it was not only the first five-set win of his professional career but also his first singles win at Roland Garros. It took three hours and 37 minutes to achieve the breakthrough, which set up a second round clash with No.17 seed Andrey Rublev, finishing the match off with an ace. 'I told myself I've got to hit it,' said Walton, who also won his opening doubles match on a big day. 'Obviously, I hit a pretty good one and obviously the feeling to win that match was very cool.' 'I felt like physically. I was battling a little bit in the fourth (set),' conceded Walton, who was able to regroup at that stage after taking a brief break off the court. 'I came out with a bit more energy and I told myself, 'You got to go for it again and it's one more set. That's all you've got to play'. 'Luckily, I got off to a good start and was able just to keep holding on.' Walton joined both de Minaur and Popyrin on the winners' list, but compatriot Olivia Gadecki went down to second seed Coco Gauff on centre court, a match delayed after the American forgot to pack her racquets. 'They were supposed to be in my bag,' she told the chair umpire before a ball boy was dispatched to find them, blaming her coach for the mistake. 'When I opened the first zipper. I was like, 'OK, no racquets'. The second zipper, I was like, 'Oh my God!' 'Honestly, as long as I've been on tour, my coach has always put the racquets in the bag before the match because he's very superstitious,' she laughed. 'I'm blaming it on him! It's OK.' Kokkinakis, 29, is part of the commentary team for Channel 9's broadcast of Roland Garros in Australia. He told the Sit-Down podcast that he was riding this latest bump with a positive attitude. 'I'm sure when I'm ready I'll be keen to get back into it,' he said. 'It's weird obviously missing these big events at the moment (like Roland Garros), but it's something that I've done a lot of times in the past, and it's just part of my journey, I guess. 'Another setback, but I'll get there.'
Perth Now
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Aussie breakthrough delivers two big firsts
Unheralded Aussie Adam Walton made it through to the second round of the French Open for the first time with an epic five-set win at Roland Garros to join compatriots Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin. As Thanasi Kokkinakis, who is enduring another stint on the sidelines after pectoral reattachment surgery, revealed he didn't know when he'd be back on court, Walton rode the rollercoaster in a 7-6(4) 4-6 6-3 2-6 6-2 victory over German qualifier Maximilian Marterer. For the 26-year-old Queenslander, it was not only the first five-set win of his professional career but also his first singles win at Roland Garros. It took three hours and 37 minutes to achieve the breakthrough, which set up a second round clash with No.17 seed Andrey Rublev, finishing the match off with an ace. 'I told myself I've got to hit it,' said Walton, who also won his opening doubles match on a big day. 'Obviously, I hit a pretty good one and obviously the feeling to win that match was very cool.' 'I felt like physically. I was battling a little bit in the fourth (set),' conceded Walton, who was able to regroup at that stage after taking a brief break off the court. 'I came out with a bit more energy and I told myself, 'You got to go for it again and it's one more set. That's all you've got to play'. 'Luckily, I got off to a good start and was able just to keep holding on.' Walton joined both de Minaur and Popyrin on the winners' list, but compatriot Olivia Gadecki went down to second seed Coco Gauff on centre court, a match delayed after the American forgot to pack her racquets. 'They were supposed to be in my bag,' she told the chair umpire before a ball boy was dispatched to find them, blaming her coach for the mistake. 'When I opened the first zipper. I was like, 'OK, no racquets'. The second zipper, I was like, 'Oh my God!' 'Honestly, as long as I've been on tour, my coach has always put the racquets in the bag before the match because he's very superstitious,' she laughed. 'I'm blaming it on him! It's OK.' Kokkinakis, 29, is part of the commentary team for Channel 9's broadcast of Roland Garros in Australia. He told the Sit-Down podcast that he was riding this latest bump with a positive attitude. 'I'm sure when I'm ready I'll be keen to get back into it,' he said. 'It's weird obviously missing these big events at the moment (like Roland Garros), but it's something that I've done a lot of times in the past, and it's just part of my journey, I guess. 'Another setback, but I'll get there.'
ABC News
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Alex de Minaur through to French Open second round as Adam Walton prevails in Roland Garros five-setter
Alex de Minaur jokes about being a "clay dog" these days, and he looked perfectly at home on the Roland Garros red dirt as he successfully launched his French Open bid with a win over Laslo Djere. De Minaur is making a welcome habit of defeating the players he really ought to beat in the majors, and a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) victory over Serbian world number 59 Djere was his 20th consecutive win in a slam over an opponent outside the top-30. Hours after "Demon" had opened up with his predictable straight-sets win, fellow Aussie Adam Walton forged past German Max Marterer 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 for his second grand slam win. Fortunately, not even treatment on his toe-strapped right foot at the start of the third was enough to hold up world number nine de Minaur's fleet-footed progress, even if he did get pulled into a bit of a dogfight, having to save four set points near the death. Djere, who had been 5-2 up in the third, squandered two set points when serving at 5-4 and another pair when 6-4 up in the tie break, but de Minaur's unquenchable spirit enabled him to escape to victory in just over 2.5 hours. "It wasn't pretty, but ultimately got the win, and that's all that matters," he smiled. Talking of "not pretty", he was also quick to apologise to the world for the sight of his right foot being the subject of some loving, lingering close-ups by the cameras of the host broadcasters. "Oh, jeez. I'm sorry for everyone who had to see that. That's not a pretty sight," grinned "Demon". "Actually, it was nothing major. I often get my toes taped up before matches. One that wasn't taped up was rubbing against the tape." Determined to build on his quarter-final breakthrough here last year, de Minaur, amid his most promising clay-court season yet, will have a familiar friend backing him all the way again in the shape of French youngster Paul, the "super fan" who cheered him on through rain and shine last year. "Yeah, Paul's here. He made it. He's got a very distinctive way of supporting me, which, even though I wasn't sure exactly where he was sitting, I could definitely hear him," smiled de Minaur. "It's great to have him around again. Hopefully, we can have a blast again this year." De Minaur will next face Kazakhstan's unpredictable Alexander Bublik, who prevented any prospect of an all-Australian second-round clash by defeating Sydneysider James Duckworth 6-2, 6-4, 6-4. With Alexei Popyrin also victorious earlier in the week, Brisbane's unsung Walton ensured there would be three Aussie men in the last 64 as the 26-year-old progressed. After two agonising five-set defeats in slams, the world number 91 had been fearing a third when Marterer, an experienced qualifier, levelled at two sets all. After prevailing in 3 hours and 40 minutes, he will next face 17th seed Andrey Rublev, who defeated South African Lloyd Harris in four sets. The only hiccup for world number two Coco Gauff against Aussie Olivia Gadecki was forgetting to take her racquets to the court. Even the 23-year-old Gold Coast player had to laugh that, whatever the reason for Coco's absent-mindedness, "it seems like that was the only way I was gonna win the match" Eventually, with weapons safely returned, Gauff just took the racquet out of Gadecki's hands, waltzing to a 6-2, 6-2 victory in just 71 minutes. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic progressed with a straight-sets win over American Mackenzie McDonald, but 11th seed Daniil Medvedev fell in five sets to Cameron Norrie to become the highest-profile loser on the men's side so far. AAP
