Latest news with #Sinner
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
3 hours ago
- Sport
- First Post
Forget the Fab Four: Wimbledon's success shows tennis fans have already moved on
Surging stadium attendances and record Grand Slam viewership make one thing clear that tennis fans are ready to move beyond the Fab Four and embrace the sport's rising stars. read more Wimbledon 2025's viewership success has shown that the tennis fans have already moved on from the Fab Four. Images: Reuters The fading away of tennis' 'Fab Four' is having little impact on viewership for major tournaments, as Wimbledon 2025 proved a massive success for both ESPN and the BBC. The grass-court major concluded on Sunday with Jannik Sinner winning the men's singles title and Iga Swiatek claiming the women's crown. For both Sinner and Swiatek, it was their first Wimbledon title, as the tournament marked yet another edition where the influence of the Fab Four continues to fade. The last man standing from the iconic group, Novak Djokovic, lost in straight sets to Sinner in the semi-finals. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Wimbledon viewership rises despite no Nadal, Federer That, however, had little impact on the viewership numbers for the Gentlemen's final, which also included two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz. The summit clash that ended in four sets averaged 2.9 million viewers on ESPN, a 31% increase compared to 2024. It was also the most viewed final since 2019. It's not just the men's final, but other matches have also broken new ground. As per ESPN, the women's semi-finals, including USA's Amanda Anisimova beating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, had the highest viewership since 2015. In 2015, Serena Williams was still a part of the top four. The men's semi-finals average 1.31 million views, again the highest since 2019. The Ladies' Championship was won by Swiatek in a lopsided contest against Anisimova as she won 6-0, 6-0. She is Wimbledon's eighth consecutive first-time women's champion since Williams won her seventh and final title in 2016. Nonetheless, her final match witnessed a rise of 18% in viewership as compared to 2024. Interestingly, the first day of Wimbledon 2025 set the record for the most viewed Wimbledon Day One on ESPN. Meanwhile, Wimbledon set a new record with 69.3 million online requests on BBC Sport between 30 June and 13 July, the highest digital engagement ever recorded for the tournament. 'This year's record-breaking digital figures for Wimbledon are testament to the huge appeal of the sport amongst audiences and the power of digital innovation to bring both new and existing fans closer to the action than ever before. The way people are following Wimbledon is changing but that is exciting for us as we look to tell the best stories in different ways,' Alex Kay-Jelski, Director of BBC Sport, said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD French and Australia Opens witness similar growth The growing viewership numbers for tennis matches are not just limited to Wimbledon. The French Open final between Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka earlier this year was the most-watched women's final at Roland Garros since 2016. The men's final in which Alcaraz won a marathon five-setter against Sinner attracted 1.8 million viewers, making it the most-watched men's final since Novak Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the 2021 finals (1.9 million). The Australian Open 2025 had also registered record-breaking attendance numbers, as 1,218,831 fans attended the tournament, the most in history. If anything, the rapidly growing stadium attendance and record-breaking Grand Slam viewership numbers point to one clear truth: tennis fans are ready to move on from the Fab Four and embrace a new generation of stars. For those who feared the sport would suffer in popularity after the retirements of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and with Novak Djokovic losing his grip, those concerns have proven unfounded.
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
The Alcaraz-Sinner Wimbledon final was electrifying: Milind Soman
Milind Soman and Ankita Konwar at Wimbledon, inset; Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz "I have watched cricket and football at the highest level, but Wimbledon is beyond compare" On Sunday, Milind Soman and Ankita Konwar attended Wimbledon's most thrilling men's singles final played between Spain's defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and Italy's top-seeded Jannik Sinner. In an exclusive conversation with Bombay Times, the couple shared their experience of witnessing the epic match that saw Jannik Sinner lift the coveted trophy. 'There's so much legacy and tradition associated with Wimbledon' Milind says, 'Wimbledon is older than the modern Olympic Games. Almost 150 years of tradition! (Wimbledon will turn 150 in 2027). The world's most iconic players have gathered here for 148 years and are celebrated like royalty by the royalty. This kind of magic and glamour can literally ignite the fire of aspiration and competition in a young mind, and this annual event has been doing that for generations. I have watched cricket and football at the highest level, but the experience of witnessing Wimbledon is beyond compare. ' Ankita adds, 'As a tennis enthusiast and an athlete, Wimbledon has been on my to do list for a while now and I was thrilled to be a part of the finals. It is the only major tournament that still uses grass as its playing surface so there's so much legacy and tradition associated with it.' 'I've been watching Wimbledon since the early days of TV in India' Iconic rivalries build great players and vice versa, making the sport legendary. On a nostalgic note, Milind shares, 'This is the first time we were on centre court, but I have been watching Wimbledon since the early days of TV in India. I can remember watching Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, their rivalry was iconic. I remember watching Boris Becker and Martina Navratilova, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, and more recently, the great trio of Roger Federer , Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic . And now Sinner and Alcaraz… generations of fantastic tennis players. Ankita reminisces, 'My father was a big tennis fan, so I grew up watching the matches with him. Those are my favourite childhood memories. Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis were household names.' 'Sinner and Alcaraz were a dream to watch' We ask the couple who they were rooting for in the epic clash and Milind replies, 'I was actually hoping to see Djokovic in the final, but Sinner and Alcaraz are very talented and were a dream to watch. It might take them a few years to capture the world's imagination like their predecessors, but it was fascinating to watch them play. The match was electrifying, the energy and buzzing excitement of centre court has to be experienced to be believed. ' Ankita, also a Djokovic fan, reveals, 'I was rooting for Sinner because he defeated my favourite player of all time (Djokovic) in the semi-final, so I wanted his defeat to have a meaning. Sinner winning the trophy meant he was, in fact, the best player in the tournament.' Fashion and food at Wimbledon Style, elegance, strawberries and cream. Speaking about the other much talked about aspects of the tournament, Milind says, 'Dressing up for an event is fun with friends and family. Ankita and I had a great time helping each other decide what to wear. I wanted something sporty, so I chose a kind of tracksuit with sandals, which is very comfortable.' Ankita says, 'I did have strawberry and cream, but liked the vegan version of it better than the other one. You truly have to be here to believe just how incredible it is.'
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Jannik Sinner learns true thoughts of Roger Federer's ex-coach on potentially teaming up
Ivan Ljubicic has not ruled out a return to coaching to help Jannik Sinner, three years after his partnership with Roger Federer came to an end Roger Federer's ex-coach, Ivan Ljubicic, has admitted he'd love a coaching stint with Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner. The former professional tennis star had Federer as his student for seven years, and has since kept a keen eye on the fresh talent dominating tennis courts worldwide. The Croatian has been praising many new tennis stars, including Alcaraz, stating that you "never know what's coming next" with him. However, it is Sinner who is giving Ljubicic "goosebumps" when it comes to returning to the courts in a coaching capacity. Just this month, Sinner nabbed his first Wimbledon title, exacting his French Open final revenge on Alcaraz by beating him in four sets - and he shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. With the announcement that Sinner's current coach Darren Cahill will step down at the end of 2025, Ljubicic has admitted the temptation is there to return to tennis. Speaking to Swiss publication Tages Anzeiger, he teased the idea of returning. The 46-year-old said: "I have a job with the French FA that keeps me busy, but when a player like Sinner knocks on your door, you have to at least consider it, just like with Roger Federer. "Sinner, Alcaraz... there are some players who give me goosebumps. At some point, I'll return to coaching a player, but I don't know when." Ljubicic has nothing but high praise for the emerging rivalry in tennis, although he admitted that he didn't anticipate such a strong competition following the departure of the Big Three. Both Federer and Rafael Nadal have retired their racquets, while Novak Djokovic continues to grace the courts at 38. When asked if he foresaw Alcaraz and Sinner filling the void so smoothly, Ljubicic added: "No. The first time I heard about Alcaraz was when he played against Sinner in a Challenger tournament. He was 16 then, and Sinner was 18. "Riccardo Piatti had been my coach; he coached Sinner, so I knew all about him. That's also how I heard about Alcaraz. I knew he was going to be good. But this good? You never know. Alcaraz and Sinner are both very eager to win many Grand Slam titles. It will be exciting to see how far they go." Ljubicic believes that the rivalry between these two young tennis sensations will only intensify, as they still have a long way to go to reach the heights of Nadal, Federer and Djokovic. Reflecting on the thrilling French Open final, he said: "It was a good final. A very, very, very good final. "The drama was perfect with the match points that were saved, but people always exaggerate. John McEnroe said that Nadal would have had no chance against these guys - that's nonsense. "We still haven't seen the best of Alcaraz and Sinner; they still have plenty of room for improvement. The next generation is always better than the previous one, but I don't think they're ahead yet. Sometimes I watch Roger and Rafa's matches from 2005, 2008, 2012 and 2015. That was incredible tennis."
Indian Express
a day ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
‘Must have hugged 7 or 8 guys!' Jimmy Connors says ‘return of serve' won Jannik Sinner Wimbledon and questions the size of entourage of Carlos Alcaraz
What was the reason for Jannik Sinner beating Carlos Alcaraz relatively comfortably in the Wimbledon final? The legendary Jimmy Connors believes it was because of Sinner's return of serves. 'It's interesting for me because everybody has put so much emphasis on the serve. This guy [Sinner] has a 140mph serve, and look at that, it's so hard. That's the biggest of all time,' said the former champion player in his podcast 'Advantage Connors'. 'But what wins you matches? That is what Sinner did yesterday. Returns. He returned the ball with authority and with purpose. Not just to get the ball in play and start the point off, as they stay in neutral. But he was looking to take advantage and to be aggressive. That is what you have to do in matches like that in the finals of Wimbledon or the US Ope or Australia, if you are going to beat the best,' he said. The website Tennisabstract confirmed Connors's observations. Sinner won 36% of his return points from the 121 serves he faced. He won a total of 44 points on returns. He was especially brutal on Alcaraz's second serve, winning 21 out of 50 second serves he faced. In comparison, Alcaraz won 31% of return points. Connors said that Sinner and his team have figured out what to do to win. 'He has figured it out, or whoever is with him has figured it out, that you are holding very comfortably, so let's put some pressure on the return or make them work hard,' said Connors. That pays dividends down the line. Maybe not right then, but at one set all and four all in the third, maybe so. It seems like he figured that out because he was very aggressive and not afraid to step in and take advantage of that second serve.' Connors also questioned the size of entourage of Alcaraz and modern-day tennis stars. 'I saw before they walked out on court, I think it was Alcaraz. He was getting ready to walk out on court and he must have hugged seven or eight guys,' he said in the podcast co-hosted by his son Brett. 'Your mum told me 'get out there and play and let's go home.'But they were hugging seven or eight guys in their camp. You have this guy and that guy, who is going to do this and that. To the point where I would have looked at that as a distraction. They look at that now differently. They look at that now that everybody is there for a reason and they have a purpose.'
Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Qatar Tribune
Jannik Sinner dethrones Carlos Alcaraz as Wimbledon champion
London Revenge proved a dish best served on grass for Jannik Sinner as he put his Paris heartbreak behind him to claim a first Wimbledon title on Sunday. Only five weeks have passed since Carlos Alcaraz stunningly saved three match points in a French Open final fightback for the ages but his hopes of a third straight victory at the All England Club were dashed by his great rival. This time it was world number one Sinner, who becomes the first Italian to win a Wimbledon singles title, that came from behind, claiming a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory in three hours and four minutes – nearly two-and-a-half hours quicker than their Roland Garros epic. The victory, which Sinner celebrated by thrusting both arms aloft, puts their rivalry back on a knife edge, with the 23-year-old now trailing Alcaraz only by five slam titles to four and putting an end to a five-match losing streak against the Spaniard. It is also Sinner's first slam title away from his favoured hard courts, while Alcaraz suffered a first major final defeat, unable to find the same magic that had brought him back from the brink on the clay. A penny for the thoughts, meanwhile, of Grigor Dimitrov, who led Sinner by two sets to love in the fourth round only for his body to fail him. Perhaps the Italian was due a stroke of luck, and he has made the most of it in superb fashion. The Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince George and Princess Charlotte were joined in the Royal Box by A-list stars Keira Knightley, Matthew McConaughey and Nicole Kidman as well as seven former Wimbledon champions. Alcaraz was certainly not holding back, slamming down a 136mph ace to start the match and hitting 139 in his second service game – a new record for the Spaniard, until he twice clocked 140 later in the contest. Sinner struck the first blow, a wild Alcaraz forehand handing over the first break in the fifth game, but back came the second seed with three games in a row. Soon that was four, with Alcaraz winning surely one of the best set-winning rallies seen on Centre Court: Sinner's 118mph second serve was returned with interest, Alcaraz angled a forehand out wide, his rival thumped a forehand into the corner only for the Spaniard to somehow conjure a backhand winner. He stood with his finger pointed to his head as the crowd rose to acclaim another piece of tennis wizardry. In four of the 22-year-old's run of victories against Sinner, he had lost the first set, so this was a big statement, but Alcaraz then threw in a poor game to start the second. Sinner, who normally disguises his emotions as well as an Alcaraz drop shot, let out a loud shout of 'Let's go' when he saved a break point in the next game, the Italian determined to hold on to his advantage this time. He was forced to delay his serve at a crucial moment two games later when a champagne cork nearly hit him, prompting boos from the crowd and a rebuke from British umpire Alison Hughes. If Sinner did have Paris in his mind then serving for the set at 5-4 would have been a moment to tighten up but instead he produced a series of greatest hits, chasing down an Alcaraz drop shot, drilling a forehand winner down the line to bring up set point and then crunching another winner cross court. Sinner missed two chances for an immediate break at the start of the third set following a pair of Alcaraz double faults but the match was starting to feel marginally on his racket. He showed his improvisational skills with a tweener drop volley, and at 4-4 it was the world number one who made the breakthrough, a forehand powered into the corner leaving Alcaraz on the floor and helpless as a volley landed mid court. And this time the serve was all Sinner needed to open up a potentially decisive advantage, with the Italian then moving a step closer by breaking again to lead 2-1 in the fourth set. Alcaraz survived a couple of close service games and the crowd willed him to turn it around, roaring as Sinner coughed up two break points at 4-3. Not this time, though, said the Italian as he responded with four points in a row. Moments later he was serving for the title – as he had in Paris – and creating three match points. He netted a backhand on the first but a 137mph serve on the second gave him his moment.
