Latest news with #InternationalTennisFederation
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hewett criticises late court changes at French Open
Alfie Hewett says he is "extremely disappointed" with French Open organisers after his wheelchair singles final was moved to a different court less than an hour before the start "without really consulting the players". The Norfolk player's match against Tokito Oda on Saturday, which he lost 6-4 7-6 (8-6), was switched from Court 14 to being straight after the women's wheelchair final on Suzanne Lenglen. Advertisement They were only given about 35 minutes to prepare after being informed of the change at just past midday. "I understand the reasoning behind it because of the changeable weather this week but I think they could have communicated that the night before - like given us a heads-up and said 'if this quads match goes on longer than the women's final then you boys will be on Lenglen, if it doesn't happen then you will stay on Court 14'," he said. "None of that communication was had the night before, or even in the morning." The BBC have approached Roland Garros and the International Tennis Federation for comment. Advertisement As the wheelchair draw progressed there was a lot of discussion around the scheduling and last-minute changes, with different courts offering varied conditions for the players. "It's a completely different environment," said Hewett, who won his sixth consecutive Roland Garros doubles title with partner and fellow Brit Gordon Reid, and who - by also finishing with runners-up honours in the singles - improved on his 2024 performance at Roland Garros. "Gordy [Gordon Reid] was saying it when we were playing doubles. The ball was slower, the balls pick up more clay because there is more clay on those courts. "On the outdoor courts it's slightly livelier, it's slightly bouncier, there's shorter back runs. It completely changes the tactical game of the match and usually you know that you're going to be playing on a show court, so you practice on that court beforehand." Advertisement As elite-level athletes who are competing for the top prizes in tennis, a lot of thought goes into pre-match preparations for the wheelchair players - not just at the Grand Slams but every week they compete on tour. "I'm not one to come out here and criticise tournaments often because I know we are as players, and I am, incredibly grateful to be at events like this, to be celebrating wheelchair tennis and showcasing it on a big stage but what happened today was unacceptable," said Hewett. "There are standards I believe that have got to be set and you know as players we weren't listened to, we weren't heard. "We tried to ask for the court to be pushed back, but unfortunately the priority was for fans to watch the women's final on a screen rather than giving the wheelchair players more time to warm-up and prepare for a Grand Slam singles final. Advertisement "This isn't me making excuses for my performance, Tokito was in exactly the same boat as me. I'm very happy with the way I performed actually. "This is more about the players and our welfare, and actually treating us like professionals, because I can guarantee there's no way Jannik Sinner or [Novak] Djokovic would get told 'sorry you can't have a proper practice, you've got to go on court in 30 minutes'." He added: "You put everything on the line for these matches. It's not the reason why I lost the singles final - Tokito was the better player in the bigger moments - but these are the things that people higher up have got to take into consideration - and which I know they are taking into consideration with the other players. "They didn't take that into consideration with us and I feel really disappointed in that."
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Hewett criticises late court changes at French Open
Alfie Hewett says he is "extremely disappointed" with French Open organisers after his wheelchair singles final was moved to a different court less than an hour before the start "without really consulting the players".The Norfolk player's match against Tokito Oda on Saturday, which he lost 6-4 7-6 (8-6), was switched from Court 14 to being straight after the women's wheelchair final on Suzanne Lenglen. They were only given about 35 minutes to prepare after being informed of the change at just past midday."I understand the reasoning behind it because of the changeable weather this week but I think they could have communicated that the night before - like given us a heads-up and said 'if this quads match goes on longer than the women's final then you boys will be on Lenglen, if it doesn't happen then you will stay on Court 14'," he said. "None of that communication was had the night before, or even in the morning."The BBC have approached Roland Garros and the International Tennis Federation for comment. As the wheelchair draw progressed there was a lot of discussion around the scheduling and last-minute changes, with different courts offering varied conditions for the players."It's a completely different environment," said Hewett, who won his sixth consecutive Roland Garros doubles title with partner and fellow Brit Gordon Reid, and who - by also finishing with runners-up honours in the singles - improved on his 2024 performance at Roland Garros."Gordy [Gordon Reid] was saying it when we were playing doubles. The ball was slower, the balls pick up more clay because there is more clay on those courts."On the outdoor courts it's slightly livelier, it's slightly bouncier, there's shorter back runs. It completely changes the tactical game of the match and usually you know that you're going to be playing on a show court, so you practice on that court beforehand."As elite-level athletes who are competing for the top prizes in tennis, a lot of thought goes into pre-match preparations for the wheelchair players - not just at the Grand Slams but every week they compete on tour."I'm not one to come out here and criticise tournaments often because I know we are as players, and I am, incredibly grateful to be at events like this, to be celebrating wheelchair tennis and showcasing it on a big stage but what happened today was unacceptable," said Hewett."There are standards I believe that have got to be set and you know as players we weren't listened to, we weren't heard. "We tried to ask for the court to be pushed back, but unfortunately the priority was for fans to watch the women's final on a screen rather than giving the wheelchair players more time to warm-up and prepare for a Grand Slam singles final."This isn't me making excuses for my performance, Tokito was in exactly the same boat as me. I'm very happy with the way I performed actually. "This is more about the players and our welfare, and actually treating us like professionals, because I can guarantee there's no way Jannik Sinner or [Novak] Djokovic would get told 'sorry you can't have a proper practice, you've got to go on court in 30 minutes'."He added: "You put everything on the line for these matches. It's not the reason why I lost the singles final - Tokito was the better player in the bigger moments - but these are the things that people higher up have got to take into consideration - and which I know they are taking into consideration with the other players."They didn't take that into consideration with us and I feel really disappointed in that."
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Pak-India doubles pair light up ITF event in Nigeria
The International Tennis Federation World Tennis Tours Junior does not get much attention but the event in Abuja, Nigeria attracted global recognition with the girls doubles event featuring a pair from Pakistan and India, learnt on Friday. The teenage girls partnered in the doubles event with the ITF projecting it as 'sports unite nation' theme amidst the recent tension between the South Asian neighbours. The two countries have fought three wars since independence from the British rule in 1947, with bilateral sporting ties on a halt. Only a few and far between sporting encounters happen between the two countries, with cricket the most hit sport. Amidst the tension, the latest tennis partnership of the two girls reminds of the Rohan Bopanna men's doubles partnership with Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan for several years, with the pair known as the IndoPak Express. They were runners-up at the 2010 US Open Doubles event. Pakistan's Soha Ali and India's Sidhak Kaur, secured their spot in the girls' doubles semifinal after a 6-3, 6-5 victory over Nigerian pair of Fego Aiyetoma and Tolu Vyashi in straight sets, winning with a score of 6-3, 6-4. The victory got wide coverage in Nigeria and Pakistan with media outlets vying for interviews. On Thursday night, the Indo-Pak pairing lost to Goodnews Aina and Success Ogunjobi of Nigeria by a score line of 2-6, 2-6 in the semi finals, ending their chance of a title finish. Aisam showed happiness at the Indo-Pak partnership. 'As a player and President of Pakistan Tennis Federation, I really felt great that our Soha partnered with Sidhak in the ITF event," Aisam told 'I have always said that sports should be kept apart from political barriers. Sports unite people and that's the beauty of it." 'I have partnered with Rohan and other Indian players and got huge respect and friendship, because our culture is the same. I truly believe sports is a platform to achieve better relations.' Kaur is said to be the grand niece of gold winning Olympian Surinder Singh Sodhi who played a phenomenal role in India clinching Field Hockey Gold at the Moscow Olympics in 1980. The ITF allows players to choose their partners after a discussion before the event. Both the players did not speak to the media over fears of a backlash in their respective countries.
Mint
3 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Why Aryna Sabalenka played without the Belarus flag at the French Open women's final against Coco Gauff
Aryna Sabalenka, one of the top names in women's tennis, drew attention at this year's French Open not just for her powerful performance, but also for what was missing beside her name — the Belarusian flag. During her final match against American Coco Gauff at Roland Garros, Sabalenka took the opening set 7–6 after a tense battle that lasted over an hour. But eagle-eyed viewers noticed that instead of the red-and-green Belarusian flag, a plain blue rectangle appeared next to her name on the scoreboard. This is not a one-off incident. It's part of a policy now in its third year. Since 2022, players from Russia and Belarus have been barred from competing under their national flags at all Grand Slam events. The rule came into effect after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Belarus being viewed as a key supporter of the conflict. In a statement made in March 2022, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said, 'The International Tennis Federation (ITF) condemns Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its facilitation by Belarus.' As a result, both the Russian and Belarusian Tennis Federations were suspended from ITF membership and participation in all ITF-organised tournaments. Aryna Sabalenka's flag was not displayed next to her name in the semi-final match. Before the ban, Sabalenka had always played under the Belarusian flag. Now, like her fellow athletes from the region, she continues to compete as a neutral player — a move meant to reflect the sport's stance on the war without penalising individuals directly. The absence of a flag may seem like a small symbol, but for many watching, it serves as a reminder of the wider geopolitical tensions that continue to affect international sport. Coco Gauff captured her first French Open singles title with a comeback win over world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a dramatic final. The American second seed fought through challenging conditions to seal a 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-4 victory, overcoming a tense opening set to take control of the match. This marks Gauff's second Grand Slam singles title, following her US Open triumph in 2023 — where she also defeated Sabalenka in the final.
Mint
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Mint
Pakistan tennis player's disgraceful conduct after India's U16 Davis Cup win, sparks outrage
India registered a 2-0 win over Pakistan in the 11th-place playoff at the Asia-Oceania Junior Davis Cup (Under 16). The event played in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, has caught attention after a shocking display of Pakistan tennis player's unsportsmanlike behaviour. A video of a Pakistani player's disgraceful handshake with an Indian opponent has become viral. It has sparked widespread outrage among fans. India clinched a dominant win against Pakistan, with Prakaash Sarran and Tavish Pahwa delivering straight-set victories in their singles matches on Sunday. Their performance secured India an 11th-place finish in the tournament. The win came after a narrow 1-2 loss to New Zealand in the 9th-12th place playoff, where India lost in a tie-break (9-11) in the doubles game. Despite the earlier defeat, the Indian team bounced back and overpowered Pakistan. Three days post-match, a video surfaced on social media, showcasing a rare moment from the encounter. The footage shows the Pakistani player making a provocative gesture towards his Indian opponent, repeating the act before brushing him off. He is then seen having a cold handshake. This disregard for sportsmanship has resulted in sharp criticism, with fans and analysts labeling the behavior as disrespectful, especially in a junior competition. The clip spread like wildfire across X. Users criticised the Pakistani player's conduct while praising the Indian player for his professionalism. Many called for the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to intervene and introduce stricter conduct guidelines in junior tournaments. 'The player should be fined, banned,' said one user. 'Why are we having any sporting ties with this country?' another user urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid growing tensions between India and Pakistan. The India-Pakistan rivalry often carries intense emotions in all sporting events, especially cricket. But it also offers a platform for young athletes to demonstrate grace and mutual respect.
