Latest news with #Ruud
IOL News
a day ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Next Gen stars run amok at Roland Garros
Novak Djokovic has a list of Next Gen stars to beat to his 25th Slam title. Photo: EPA Whoever branded Roland Garros as 'Couture On Clay', has clearly never been. The French Open is no catwalk, nor cakewalk. It 's the most physically grueling and unpredictable of all four Slams, synonymous with bad injuries and major upsets: 16th Seed Grigor Dimitrov, one of the fittest on Tour, retired injured at two sets up, in his opener, versus American, Ethan Quinn. Former No 1, Daniil Medvedev and former Finalists, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Karolina Muchova- not to mention Top 10, Alex De Minaur were all exiting turnstiles come Round 2, at the hand of rank outsiders. Tsitsipas' loss to Italian qualifier, Matteo Gigante, 6-4,5-7,6-2,6-4, being the most significant, in that it shone a spotlight on yet another emerging, aggressive Next Gen. As for leading Next Gen star, teenage Joao Fonseca, he reached another milestone, in progressing to the third round of a Major on debut, becoming the youngest Brazilian to win a clay court match since 1963 and leapfrogging up the rankings to No 54. He had to fell in form, 30th seed, Hugo Hurkacz, followed by French wild card, Pierre-Hughes Herbert, in a tight three-setter, 7-6(4), 7-6(4),6-4. Meanwhile his nemesis, 19-year-old, Miami champion, Jacob Mensik axed Hamburg Finalist, Alexandre Muller in straight sets. And the youngest of French musketeers, new No 1, Arthur Fils, under immense patriotic pressure on Court Phillips Chatriere, stole the show in an epic five-set thriller, in which he overcame Spain's Jaume Munar to earn his first ever victory on clay. Less fortunate but no less heroic, in terms of Herculean French effort, was veteran Gael Monfils brave 6-3, 4-6, ,6-3, 7-5 stand, against seemingly unstoppable British No 1, Jack Draper. If the French are impressing in their own arena, then so too are their arch-rivals across the channel: For first time in the Open era, three Brits - No's 1-3, Draper, Jacob Fearnley and Cameron Norrie have all progressed to Round 3 at Roland Garros. Take a bow Norrie, who took down Medvedev, in another hard fought five-setter, 7-5,6-3,4-6,1-6,7-5 in achieving this. Interestingly the Top billing, prematurely eliminated, namely Medvedev, Ruud and De Minaur have pointed fingers at the current mandatory scheduling on Tour: 'I don't think they have daughters..' complained the droll Russian. The Norwegian took it a step further: 'It's a rat race, if you skip a tournament, you lose out economically and financially..' Ruud, who was beaten 2-6,6-4,6-1,6-0, by Portuguese No 1, Nuno Borges, while nursing a lingering knee injury, was accusing the ATP system of making players feel obligated to play tournaments, while injured, at the risk of losing, or defending points. That said, those, forced to take an extended break, with an unplayable injury ,eg. World No 2, Carlos Alcaraz, or a drug ban, eg. World No 1, Jannik Sinner, do reap the rewards of rest, on their return: Both Nos 1 & 2 have cruised through to Round 3 on their respective sides of the Draw: Alcaraz producing mercurial shots, whist sending Hungarian No 1, Fabian Marozan- no pushover- packing. Sinner to date, not really tested by either newly married Arthur Rinderknech or retiring Richard Gasquet. Then there is the three ex French Open and current Olympic champion, who cares not a jot about rankings or finances, and is playing only to procure a 25th Singles title, with which to catapult himself into a stratosphere, reached by no other player- male of female, one Novak Djokovic. He too is taking scalps in week one (McKenzie McDonald & Corentin Moutet) but that 15-year-age difference, in a field full of Next Gen phenomena, could prove his stumbling block.
2 days ago
- Health
French Open: Tennis players wonder if nasal strips aren't just for snoring anymore
PARIS -- If more tennis players find themselves breathing easier, it might just be thanks to Carlos Alcaraz. The four-time Grand Slam champion, whose bid for a second consecutive French Open title was scheduled to continue with a third-round match Friday night, has often worn a nasal strip in matches since last season — although not during his first two contests at Roland-Garros this week — and the sport's other athletes took note. After all, if Alcaraz finds something useful on the court, their thinking goes, maybe it makes sense to give the adhesive bands a shot. 'I saw Carlos playing in it,' said 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva, a semifinalist in Paris last year and the No. 6 women's seed this time. 'I'd be pretty interested to try and see if there is really a difference. If he plays matches in it, then probably there is.' At the 2024 season-ending ATP Finals last November, Alcaraz said: 'It is something that I'm going to wear more often. I could recover better between points.' Once associated with Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice and soccer stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, the bands, which essentially look like a Band-Aid worn across the bridge of the nose, are popping up on tennis courts — sometimes out of necessity, sometimes out of curiosity. They are designed to open the nostrils slightly, making it easier to breathe through the nose. Originally marketed to reduce snoring, they're being embraced to enhance air intake during physical exertion. The idea is simple: Better breathing could mean better oxygen intake. In practice, the science is less convincing. In 2021, Brazilian academic Ricardo Dinardi reviewed more than 600 studies on nasal strips and found they didn't make a real difference in how much air athletes took in, their heart rate or how strenuous exercise felt. 'The effect on athletic performance is mostly placebo,' Dinardi said. 'But in elite sports, even perceived benefits can count.' Three-time major finalist Casper Ruud, who wore the strips in matches earlier this year, knows the evidence is shaky. But he still liked using them — both on the court and while sleeping. Like Alcaraz, Ruud did not wear one in Paris before his second-round exit. But he has been testing a prototype of a different version. 'I tried out a device that's very early in development. It will be a bit more comfortable to wear, because it's inside the nose and it looks like I have this bullring under,' said Ruud, who was the runner-up at Roland-Garros to Rafael Nadal in 2022 and Novak Djokovic in 2023. 'It will return, don't worry.' For other players, like Nicolás Jarry, the strips are more than a trend — they're a necessity. After nasal surgery in 2020, the Chilean still needed help to draw air into his nose, so he puts them on for every practice and every match he plays. 'Without it, I cannot breathe. My nostrils shut when I try,' he said, inhaling to demonstrate for a reporter. 'Others don't have that issue and still use them.' Jarry definitely has noticed a recent spike in interest among players. He said that even though he's worn the strips for years, including at this French Open, other competitors on tour never asked about them — until Alcaraz started wearing one last year, sometimes in black, sometimes in pink. 'Others have asked me, and many are trying it," said Jarry, who sported a beige-colored strip in Paris. "But before him? Nothing.' There are those, like 2024 US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula, who are tempted to try. 'I have a horrible deviated septum. I can't really breathe out of one side of my nose," said Pegula, who will play 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the third round Saturday. 'Maybe I should start wearing one.' She admits, though, that the aesthetic aspect might be a deal-breaker. 'I don't know," Pegula said with a smile, 'if I have the confidence to rock one.'
NBC Sports
2 days ago
- Health
- NBC Sports
French Open tennis players say nasal strips aren't just for snoring
PARIS — If more tennis players find themselves breathing easier, it might just be thanks to Carlos Alcaraz. The four-time Grand Slam champion, whose bid for a second consecutive French Open title was scheduled to continue with a third-round match, often has worn a nasal strip in matches since last season — although not during his first two contests at Roland-Garros this week — and the sport's other athletes took note. After all, if Alcaraz finds something useful on the court, their thinking goes, maybe it makes sense to give the adhesive bands a shot. 'I saw Carlos playing in it,' said 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva, a semifinalist in Paris last year and the No. 6 women's seed this time. 'I'd be pretty interested to try and see if there is really a difference. If he plays matches in it, then probably there is.' At the 2024 season-ending ATP Finals last November, Alcaraz said: 'It is something that I'm going to wear more often. I could recover better between points.' Once associated with Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice and soccer stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, the bands, which essentially look like a Band-Aid worn across the bridge of the nose, are popping up on tennis courts — sometimes out of necessity, sometimes out of curiosity. They are designed to open the nostrils slightly, making it easier to breathe through the nose. Originally marketed to reduce snoring, they're being embraced to enhance air intake during physical exertion. The idea is simple: Better breathing could mean better oxygen intake. In practice, the science is less convincing. In 2021, Brazilian academic Ricardo Dinardi reviewed more than 600 studies on nasal strips and found they didn't make a real difference in how much air athletes took in, their heart rate or how strenuous exercise felt. 'The effect on athletic performance is mostly placebo,' Dinardi said. 'But in elite sports, even perceived benefits can count.' Three-time major finalist Casper Ruud, who wore the strips in matches earlier this year, knows the evidence is shaky. But he still liked using them — both on the court and while sleeping. Like Alcaraz, Ruud did not wear one in Paris before his second-round exit. But he has been testing a prototype of a different version. 'I tried out a device that's very early in development. It will be a bit more comfortable to wear, because it's inside the nose and it looks like I have this bullring under,' said Ruud, who was the runner-up at Roland-Garros to Rafael Nadal in 2022 and Novak Djokovic in 2023. 'It will return, don't worry.' For other players, like Nicolás Jarry, the strips are more than a trend — they're a necessity. After nasal surgery in 2020, the Chilean still needed help to draw air into his nose, so he puts them on for every practice and every match he plays. 'Without it, I cannot breathe. My nostrils shut when I try,' he said, inhaling to demonstrate for a reporter. 'Others don't have that issue and still use them.' Jarry definitely has noticed a recent spike in interest among players. He said that even though he's worn the strips for years, including at this French Open, other competitors on tour never asked about them — until Alcaraz started wearing one last year, sometimes in black, sometimes in pink. 'Others have asked me, and many are trying it,' said Jarry, who sported a beige-colored strip in Paris. 'But before him? Nothing.' There are those, like 2024 US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula, who are tempted to try. 'I have a horrible deviated septum. I can't really breathe out of one side of my nose,' said Pegula, who will play 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the third round. 'Maybe I should start wearing one.' She admits, though, that the aesthetic aspect might be a deal-breaker. 'I don't know,' Pegula said with a smile, 'if I have the confidence to rock one.'
Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Why are tennis players at the French Open wearing nasal strips?
PARIS — If more tennis players find themselves breathing easier, it might just be thanks to Carlos Alcaraz. The four-time Grand Slam champion, whose bid for a second consecutive French Open title was scheduled to continue with a third-round match Friday night, has often worn a nasal strip in matches since last season — although not during his first two contests at Roland-Garros this week — and the sport's other athletes took note. After all, if Alcaraz finds something useful on the court, their thinking goes, maybe it makes sense to give the adhesive bands a shot. 'I saw Carlos playing in it,' said 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva, a semifinalist in Paris last year and the No. 6 women's seed this time. 'I'd be pretty interested to try and see if there is really a difference. If he plays matches in it, then probably there is.' At the 2024 season-ending ATP Finals last November, Alcaraz said: 'It is something that I'm going to wear more often. I could recover better between points.' Once associated with Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice and soccer stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, the bands, which essentially look like a Band-Aid worn across the bridge of the nose, are popping up on tennis courts — sometimes out of necessity, sometimes out of curiosity. They are designed to open the nostrils slightly, making it easier to breathe through the nose. Originally marketed to reduce snoring, they're being embraced to enhance air intake during physical exertion. The idea is simple: Better breathing could mean better oxygen intake. In practice, the science is less convincing. In 2021, Brazilian academic Ricardo Dinardi reviewed more than 600 studies on nasal strips and found they didn't make a real difference in how much air athletes took in, their heart rate or how strenuous exercise felt. 'The effect on athletic performance is mostly placebo,' Dinardi said. 'But in elite sports, even perceived benefits can count.' Three-time major finalist Casper Ruud, who wore the strips in matches earlier this year, knows the evidence is shaky. But he still liked using them — both on the court and while sleeping. Like Alcaraz, Ruud did not wear one in Paris before his second-round exit. French Open is picking humans over technology — and Novak Djokovic thinks that's a bad callBut he has been testing a prototype of a different version. 'I tried out a device that's very early in development. It will be a bit more comfortable to wear, because it's inside the nose and it looks like I have this bullring under,' said Ruud, who was the runner-up at Roland-Garros to Rafael Nadal in 2022 and Novak Djokovic in 2023. 'It will return, don't worry.' For other players, like Nicolás Jarry, the strips are more than a trend — they're a necessity. After nasal surgery in 2020, the Chilean still needed help to draw air into his nose, so he puts them on for every practice and every match he plays. 'Without it, I cannot breathe. My nostrils shut when I try,' he said, inhaling to demonstrate for a reporter. 'Others don't have that issue and still use them.' Jarry definitely has noticed a recent spike in interest among players. He said that even though he's worn the strips for years, including at this French Open, other competitors on tour never asked about them — until Alcaraz started wearing one last year, sometimes in black, sometimes in pink. 'Others have asked me, and many are trying it,' said Jarry, who sported a beige-colored strip in Paris. 'But before him? Nothing.' There are those, like 2024 US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula, who are tempted to try. 'I have a horrible deviated septum. I can't really breathe out of one side of my nose,' said Pegula, who will play 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the third round Saturday. 'Maybe I should start wearing one.' She admits, though, that the aesthetic aspect might be a deal-breaker. 'I don't know,' Pegula said with a smile, 'if I have the confidence to rock one.'
Fox Sports
2 days ago
- Health
- Fox Sports
French Open tennis players say nasal strips aren't just for snoring
Associated Press PARIS (AP) — If more tennis players find themselves breathing easier, it might just be thanks to Carlos Alcaraz. The four-time Grand Slam champion, whose bid for a second consecutive French Open title was scheduled to continue with a third-round match Friday night, has often worn a nasal strip in matches since last season — although not during his first two contests at Roland-Garros this week — and the sport's other athletes took note. After all, if Alcaraz finds something useful on the court, their thinking goes, maybe it makes sense to give the adhesive bands a shot. 'I saw Carlos playing in it,' said 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva, a semifinalist in Paris last year and the No. 6 women's seed this time. 'I'd be pretty interested to try and see if there is really a difference. If he plays matches in it, then probably there is.' At the 2024 season-ending ATP Finals last November, Alcaraz said: 'It is something that I'm going to wear more often. I could recover better between points.' Once associated with Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice and soccer stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, the bands, which essentially look like a Band-Aid worn across the bridge of the nose, are popping up on tennis courts — sometimes out of necessity, sometimes out of curiosity. They are designed to open the nostrils slightly, making it easier to breathe through the nose. Originally marketed to reduce snoring, they're being embraced to enhance air intake during physical exertion. The idea is simple: Better breathing could mean better oxygen intake. In practice, the science is less convincing. In 2021, Brazilian academic Ricardo Dinardi reviewed more than 600 studies on nasal strips and found they didn't make a real difference in how much air athletes took in, their heart rate or how strenuous exercise felt. 'The effect on athletic performance is mostly placebo,' Dinardi said. 'But in elite sports, even perceived benefits can count.' Three-time major finalist Casper Ruud, who wore the strips in matches earlier this year, knows the evidence is shaky. But he still liked using them — both on the court and while sleeping. Like Alcaraz, Ruud did not wear one in Paris before his second-round exit. But he has been testing a prototype of a different version. 'I tried out a device that's very early in development. It will be a bit more comfortable to wear, because it's inside the nose and it looks like I have this bullring under,' said Ruud, who was the runner-up at Roland-Garros to Rafael Nadal in 2022 and Novak Djokovic in 2023. 'It will return, don't worry.' For other players, like Nicolas Jarry, the strips are more than a trend — they're a necessity. After nasal surgery in 2020, the Chilean still needed help to draw air into his nose, so he puts them on for every practice and every match he plays. 'Without it, I cannot breathe. My nostrils shut when I try,' he said, inhaling to demonstrate for a reporter. 'Others don't have that issue and still use them.' Jarry definitely has noticed a recent spike in interest among players. He said that even though he's worn the strips for years, including at this French Open, other competitors on tour never asked about them — until Alcaraz started wearing one last year, sometimes in black, sometimes in pink. 'Others have asked me, and many are trying it," said Jarry, who sported a beige-colored strip in Paris. "But before him? Nothing.' There are those, like 2024 US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula, who are tempted to try. 'I have a horrible deviated septum. I can't really breathe out of one side of my nose," said Pegula, who will play 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the third round Saturday. 'Maybe I should start wearing one.' She admits, though, that the aesthetic aspect might be a deal-breaker. 'I don't know," Pegula said with a smile, 'if I have the confidence to rock one.' ___ AP Tennis Writer Howard Fendrich contributed. ___ AP tennis:
