Latest news with #Mertens
Indian Express
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
Tearful Amanda Anisimova thanks mom who travelled for Wimbledon final: ‘Most selfless person I know'
Amanda Anisimova kept apologizing to the spectators at Centre Court — for her performance in a 6-0, 6-0 loss to Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final and for the emotions that made it hard to deliver a speech afterward. Through it all, Anisimova, a 23-year-old American in her first major title match, made sure to thank her mother for making a rare trip to watch her daughter play in person. 'My mom is the most selfless person I know, and she's done everything to get me to this point in my life,' said Anisimova, whose father died in 2019 when she was 17. Then, turning to address her mother, Anisimova continued as her eyes welled with tears: 'So thank you for being here and breaking the superstition of flying in.' And then in a tongue-in-cheek reference to her 57-minute defeat, Anisimova said with a laugh, 'It's definitely not why I lost today.' 'I'm so happy that I get to share this moment and for you to be here and witness this in person. I know you don't get to see me live, playing, that much anymore, because you do so much for my sister and I, and you always have,' Anisimova said. 'I love you so much.' Just participating in a Grand Slam final — after eliminating No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals, to boot — represented quite a success for Anisimova, a 23-year-old who was born in New Jersey and grew up in Florida from age 3. She was a top player in her teens, beating Coco Gauff in the 2017 U.S. Open junior final, and quickly made a mark as a professional by reaching the French Open quarterfinals two years later. In May 2023, she announced she was taking a mental health break from the tour because of burnout. Anisimova returned to action in 2024, but her ranking of 189th just 12 months ago was too low to get into the field automatically at an event like Wimbledon, so she unsuccessfully attempted to qualify for the tournament.'No matter what happened today,' Swiatek told her, 'you should be proud of the work you're doing.'On Saturday, she became just the second woman in the Open era, which began in 1968, to get to a Grand Slam final a year after losing in qualifying. And now she will break into the top 10 for the first time. After the match, she told her team she appreciates them for 'just taking care of me' during 'the whole journey it's been, this whole past year.' 'I know I didn't have enough today, but I'm going to keep putting in the work,' Anisimova said. 'And I always believe in myself, so I hope to be back here one day.' Eighth seeds Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens fought back from a set down to win their first Grand Slam as a pair, beating Hsieh Su-Wei and Jelena Ostapenko 3-6 6-2 6-4 in the Wimbledon women's doubles final on Sunday. It was the first major title for Russia's Kudermetova, who was on the losing side in the 2021 final against Mertens and Hsieh. The second Wimbledon crown for Belgian Mertens took her to five Grand Slam doubles titles. 'It's been incredible,' a tearful Mertens said as she summed up a memorable Wimbledon campaign, having also reached the fourth round in the singles. In the first set, Kudermetova held to go 3-1 up but the fourth seeds then won five straight games. The 28-year-old Russian led the charge in the second set, holding twice as the pair got three breaks in a row to force a third set. Hsieh, who has won seven majors in women's doubles including four Wimbledon titles, won a prolonged exchange with Kudermetova from the baseline to get the first break of the third set, before Ostapenko held without losing a point to take 4-2 lead. But erroneous returns from Hsieh hit the net as the eighth seeds broke back, and Kudermetova held to go 5-4 up before Ostapenko went long to lose a 26-shot rally and bring up match point. Kudermetova's backhand from close range cut across the court to secure the match, finally fulfilling her dream of lifting the trophy at the All England Club. 'A few years ago I was playing in the final here against Elise… I lost that final and it was so painful. Today I said to myself, I really want this,' Kudermetova said. (With AP and Reuters inputs)
Hindustan Times
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Tennis-Kudermetova and Mertens win Wimbledon women's doubles title
LONDON -Eighth seeds Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens fought back from a set down to win their first Grand Slam as a pair, beating Hsieh Su-Wei and Jelena Ostapenko 3-6 6-2 6-4 in the Wimbledon women's doubles final on Sunday. Tennis-Kudermetova and Mertens win Wimbledon women's doubles title It was the first major title for Russia's Kudermetova, who was on the losing side in the 2021 final against Mertens and Hsieh. The second Wimbledon crown for Belgian Mertens took her to five Grand Slam doubles titles. "It's been incredible," a tearful Mertens said as she summed up a memorable Wimbledon campaign, having also reached the fourth round in the singles. In the first set, Kudermetova held to go 3-1 up but the fourth seeds then won five straight games. The 28-year-old Russian led the charge in the second set, holding twice as the pair got three breaks in a row to force a third set. Hsieh, who has won seven majors in women's doubles including four Wimbledon titles, won a prolonged exchange with Kudermetova from the baseline to get the first break of the third set, before Ostapenko held without losing a point to take 4-2 lead. But erroneous returns from Hsieh hit the net as the eighth seeds broke back, and Kudermetova held to go 5-4 up before Ostapenko went long to lose a 26-shot rally and bring up match point. Kudermetova's backhand from close range cut across the court to secure the match, finally fulfilling her dream of lifting the trophy at the All England Club. "A few years ago I was playing in the final here against Elise... I lost that final and it was so painful. Today I said to myself, I really want this," Kudermetova said. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Deccan Herald
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Deccan Herald
Kudermetova and Mertens win Wimbledon women's doubles title
It was the first major title for Russia's Kudermetova, while Belgian Mertens won her fifth Grand Slam in the category.
Miami Herald
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka reaches 11th straight major quarterfinal at Wimbledon
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka held off a challenge from Elise Mertens, defeating the 24th-seeded Belgian 6-4, 7-6 (4) on Sunday to move into the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. Sabalenka fell behind briefly 3-1 in the second set after a Mertens break, but quickly returned the break to pull back to even on the grass court in London. Much of the match was vintage Sabalenka. She picked up points on 84 percent of her first serves compared to 67 percent for Mertens. And while both players had 18 unforced errors, Sabalenka tallied 36 winners -- double the amount of her friend Mertens. "I'm super happy with the performance. It was a battle. She always brings great tennis on court and I'm happy I was able to get this win," Sabalenka said of Mertens. "I mean, it's tough to play against someone you're quite close to, and she's a great player, a great person. It's tricky facing her. I know how smart she is. I know that she's going to fight till the very end and she'll be trying to find something. She really challenged me today so it's tough." Sabalenka, the world No. 1 from Belarus, has not dropped a set this tournament. She is 3-for-3 in tiebreakers thus far and has qualified for her 11th consecutive quarterfinal in a Grand Slam. In that quarterfinal, to be played Tuesday, Sabalenka will meet Laura Siegemund of Germany, who advanced after defeating lucky loser Solana Sierra of Argentina 6-3, 6-2. At 37, she is the oldest player remaining in the women's draw and had never advanced beyond the second round in London. She has played in one prior Grand Slam quarterfinal -- the 2020 French Open. Also advancing was Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who advanced to her second Wimbledon semifinal by defeating home favorite Sonny Kartal 7-6 (3), 6-4. For a time, the match was shrouded in controversy when, while serving at 4-4 in the opening set, the electronic line caller did not activate on a point that clearly belonged to Pavlyuchenkova. Despite her protest, the point was ordered to be played over, and Kartal went on to win the game. The Russian fell behind 5-4 but came back to break Kartal's serve and send the match to a tiebreaker. The 34-year-old was able to shake it off and was thrilled to advance. In her only other experience in the quarterfinals, she lost 6-4, 6-4 to Serena Williams in 2016. "I always thought I was not good enough on grass so this is incredible for me," Pavlyuchenkova said. "Especially with me getting older, I am so impressed and proud for competing with the younger girls. "My mental toughness is getting better," she continued. "I am learning to fight point by point." In the next round, Pavlyuchenkova will meet No. 13 seed Amanda Anisimova, who was a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 winner in the final match of the day against Czech 30th seed Linda Noskova. Anisimova fell behind 3-1 in the third set before winning three straight games to surge back in front. She absorbed 11 aces by Noskova but held a 36-29 edge in total winners. --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2025 - All Rights Reserved
Winnipeg Free Press
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Last Canadian falls at Wimbledon as Dabrowski ousted from women's doubles competition
LONDON – Ottawa's Gabriela Dabrowski and partner Erin Routliffe of New Zealand were eliminated from the Wimbledon women's doubles tournament Tuesday with a 7-5, 7-6 (4) quarterfinal loss to Elise Mertens and Veronika Kudermetova. The No. 2 seeds defended just one of the three break points they faced against Belgium's Mertens and Russia's Kudermetova. The eighth-seeded team of Mertens and Kudermetova also out-aced Dabrowski and Routliffe 7-2. Dabrowski and Routliffe reached the final at the All England Club last year, but the 2023 U.S. Open champions fell to Kateřina Siniaková of Czechia and Taylor Townsend of the United States. The 33-year-old Dabrowski also lost in the championship game at the grass-court Grand Slam in 2019 with then-partner Xu Yifan of China. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Dabrowski was the only Canadian remaining at Wimbledon. None of the six Canadians in the singles draws advanced past the second round. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2025.
