Latest news with #SolanaSierra
Indian Express
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Wimbledon's ‘Lucky loser' Solana Sierra had one hour to make it to court; she is now in the third round
The lucky loser from Argentina, Solana Sierra, has moved to the third round at Wimbledon. She nearly didn't make it to the main draw as she had lost in the qualifying game, but when the German Greet Minnen withdrew from the tournament, Sierra's chance came. The 21-year-old was told she is the 'lucky loser' and has qualified but has to be on court in 'one hour'. She did, won that game, won the next as well and now, as a 101st-ranked player, her opponent in the third round game is Cristina Bucsa, who is ranked 102nd. Bucsa upset 22nd-seeded Croatian Donna Vekic with a stunning 6-1, 6-3 victory. She became the first Argentine to reach the third round in 16 years (Gisela Dulko was the last), and the fourth lucky loser to reach that stage in the history of Wimbledon. The Dutch Tine Swann (1974), the Australian Louise Field (1989) and the American Lauren Davis (2019) were the previous ones to achieve that feat. 'It feels amazing. It was a really tough match. Katie is a great player, so I tried to focus on myself and enjoy the moment, because it's a dream to be here at Wimbledon, on this court, and with this crowd,' she said. 'I'm super proud. Like I said, it was very difficult, but from the beginning, my team and I believed we could win this match . So I'm very happy.' Solana, take a bow 👏 World No.101 and lucky loser Solana Sierra beats Katie Boulter coming from a set down to win 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-1 🇦🇷#Wimbledon — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 2, 2025 She was busy switching hotels due to this 'lucky' run. 'I lost in the final round of qualifying, so we've already changed hotels three times. And now we're going to have to change again because I won ,' she laughed. 'But as we say, that's a good problem to have.' With the two wins, she has already pocketed 152000 pounds and she will break into the top 80 for the first time in her career. Last July, she was ranked 175th in the world. Playing as a junior, she was a semifinalist at the 2021 US Open and reached the final at Roland Garros 2022. This March, she joined the Rafa Nadal academy and is in London with the institution's coach Miguel Fragoso.
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Katie Boulter makes admission about her Wimbledon future after disastrous collapse to world No101 - as fellow Brit Sonay Kartal reaches third round
As the unlikely figure of Sonay Kartal continued her unfussy progress here at Wimbledon, Katie Boulter was sent to room 101 by the world No101. We have to start with Boulter, and to go back to 2022. Remember Harmony Tan? Boulter had reached the third round of Wimbledon and was faced with the enticing prospect of beating the world No115 for a place in the second week - and she collapsed, losing 6-1, 6-1. Three years later and the burnished doors of the All England Club stood ajar once again, and once again Boulter blew it. Once again she lost not by yards but a furlong, collapsing from a set up to go down 6-7, 6-2, 6-1 to 21-year-old Solana Sierra. Speaking afterwards, face wan with recent tears, Boulter said she is beginning to accept it might never happen for her here at Wimbledon. After watching this second-round performance, one has to fear she is right. The British No2 found herself in a wide-open section of the draw and faced with Argentine lucky loser Sierra, who had played a single grass court match in her life before this Championships. Sierra ought to have posed no problem to a lawnsmith of Boulter's class but the 28-year-old hit eight winners and 36 unforced errors, including 14 double faults. It was a performance to be viewed through one's hands, or at least clutching one of the All England club's £10 Pimms. 'It's a really tough pill to swallow,' began Boulter, taking refuge in cliche. 'It always is here. 'Sometimes I just have to accept that my moment might not come. Ultimately that's all I can do and keep putting myself out there and keep improving every single year. 'You can look at a piece of paper and be like, Oh, this is a terrible loss. But I don't necessarily feel like I completely lost the match. Last year (another horror defeat, to compatriot Harriet Dart) I probably sat here and said I lost the match. This year I'm not going to say that. I think she played a good match.' That felt like delusion. Sierra played above her ranking, sure, but Boulter's serve went haywire in the wind and she lost all control on her forehand. So, as Boulter says, things may never happen for her here at SW19. Which feels wrong because she is so quintessentially Wimbledon, like an AI vision of a British tennis player. Meanwhile there is Kartal, so curiously and delightfully un-Wimbledon. In her retro Adidas shorts and top, the 23-year-old hammered Bulgarian journeywoman Viktoriya Tomova 6-2, 6-2 to reach the third round here for a second year in a row. She would have expected to face Russian No12 seed Diana Shnaider but will instead face her conqueror, French world No103 Diane Parry, for a place in the second week of a major for the first time. What a story Kartal is, and what a character. The daughter of a Turkish kebab shop owner in Brighton, she still lives at home and still works with the same coaches who taught her the basics at the Pavilion club in Hove, aged six. She would often travel to tournaments on her own, her family being unable to pay for a travelling coach, and until the age of 19 the LTA took little interest. They are certainly interested now: I counted five tracksuits in the stands, including head honcho Scott Lloyd himself. 'When I was younger I didn't deserve the funding,' said the world No51 matter-of-factly. 'I was too inconsistent. My game wasn't there.' It is certainly here now.
Metro
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Metro
British tennis star makes heartbreaking admission after Wimbledon exit
British tennis star Katie Boulter made a heartbreaking admission after her 'really tough' exit from Wimbledon. Boulter, 28, sealed a huge victory over ninth seed Paula Badosa in the first round at the All England Club and was handed a favourable draw against lucky loser Solana Sierra. Boulter, ranked No. 43 in the world, took the first set against Sierra but won just three games over the next two as she crashed out to the world number 101. Reaching the third round would have equalled her joint-best run at Wimbledon but instead Boulter suffered a defeat that she admitted was 'really tough to swallow'. The defeat even left Boulter, who is yet to reach the second week of a Grand Slam, wondering whether her moment would ever come. 'Not my best day,' Boulter said in her press conference. 'I think I've got a lot of things to go back and work on. 'Of course it hurts. It's a really tough pill to swallow. It always is here. Unfortunately that's just the way it is. 'Sometimes I just have to accept that my moment might not come at some point. I'm going to keep working hard and keep trying my hardest. Ultimately that's all I can do and keep putting myself out there and keep improving every single year. 'I understand that people have good expectations, and I have high expectations of myself as well. 'I think you can look at a piece of paper and be like, 'oh, that's a terrible loss.' Ultimately, she played better than me on the day. That's how it is. An extraordinary journey 🥹Making #Wimbledon's main draw as a lucky loser has meant Solana Sierra has had to change apartments three times during her fantastic run 🇦🇷Now, she's into the third round 👏 — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 2, 2025 On Sierra's performance, Boulter added: 'I don't necessarily feel like I completely lost the match. 'I think last year I probably sat here and said that I lost the match personally. This year I'm not going to sit here and say that. I think she played a good match. 'I really felt like she played a great match. I felt like she committed to the ball. It was coming through very fast. I felt like I couldn't quite control it. 'So credit to her. She swung and she won the match. I'm happy for her. But I have to go back to the drawing board for myself.' Boulter's exit means there are just two female British players left in the Wimbledon draw. Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu will face Wimbledon favourite Aryna Sabalenka in the third round after an impressive straight-sets victory over 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova. More Trending World number 389 Sonay Kartal, meanwhile, meets French qualifier Diane Parry for a place in the fourth round. Jack Draper, ranked No. 4 in the world, represents Britain's best hope on the men's side of the draw and faces former Grand Slam champion Marin Cilic in the second round. Wimbledon semi-finalist Cameron Norrie is already safely through to the third round, while Dan Evans will have to beat seven-time winner Novak Djokovic to join him. Oliver Tarvet's incredible Wimbledon run – which saw him qualify from a world ranking outside the top 700 – was ended by two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Tim Henman warns Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner after Wimbledon record tumbles MORE: Wimbledon day 4 order of play: What time are Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper playing? MORE: Rafael Nadal's uncle and former coach says only three players can win Wimbledon
The Hindu
14 hours ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Wimbledon 2025: Who is Solana Sierra? The lucky loser who has reached third round
Argentina's Solana Sierra had never won a Grand Slam match heading into this year's Wimbledon and when she lost in the final round of qualifying, the wait looked set to continue. Even more galling for the 21-year-old was that she failed to convert a match point in her loss to Australia's Talia Gibson. Less than a week later, however, thanks to a lucky break she has become the first Argentine woman to reach the third round at the All England Club since Gisela Dulko in 2009 and she is better off to the tune of 152,000 pounds (USD 207,084). Solana, take a bow 👏 World No.101 and lucky loser Solana Sierra beats Katie Boulter coming from a set down to win 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-1 🇦🇷# — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 2, 2025 Sierra, who had already checked out of her accommodation, learned only at lunchtime on Monday that Belgium's Greet Minnen had pulled out of the tournament and that she had been selected in the draw for a lucky loser spot in the main draw. Twenty minutes later, she was on court to play Australia's Olivia Gadecki whom she beat 6-2, 7-6(8) -- breaking down in tears and hugging her entourage after sealing match point. READ | Day 4 schedule: Djokovic, Sinner and Swiatek in action in second round On Wednesday, the world number 101 took to Court One and silenced the majority of the 12,000 fans by coming from a set down to put out Britain's Katie Boulter 6-7(7) 6-2 6-1. With 102-ranked Cristina Bucsa of Spain up next, Sierra's extraordinary adventure could still have some way to run. 'I might book my room for three or four days more,' Sierra, who trains at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, told reporters. 'It's been crazy, I've changed it three times.' Sierra spent Monday morning hitting with Canada's Victoria Mboko, who also got in as a lucky loser and who also won her first round, in the hope of a late call-up. It proved a very wise decision. 'It's a bit crazy, because I was already out of the tournament, and I had luck with the lucky loser. But yeah, I'm super happy. I took the opportunity,' she said after her impressive defeat of 43rd-ranked Boulter. Having so little time to prepare for her first-round match was actually a blessing in disguise, Sierra said. 'It was like 15 minutes before. Yeah, I didn't have too much time. I just changed. We took five minutes, and then I entered the court. But it was good because I didn't think too much.' Having never won a Tour-level match on grass before Monday, Sierra said it was a surface she was beginning to enjoy, now that she had adapted to the lower skidding bounce. Asked what she would do with her biggest ever pay-day, Sierra said she had her eye on a necklace she had previously thought was too expensive, but first she had a job to do. 'I'm still in the tournament. I have another match in two days, I'm really happy, but I want to keep going,' she said.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Aussie in stunning Wimbledon moment as joy tinged with sadness for de Minaur's fiancee
Jordan Thompson continued his improbable run at Wimbledon on Wednesday night, battling back to win another five-set epic while defying injury. But it was heartbreak for adopted Aussie Katie Boulter, who lost to lucky loser Solana Sierra in another disappointing grand slam result. Thompson admitted before Wimbledon he'd be lucky to make it onto court, and would probably have to take the rest of the year off to get his body right. But the Aussie has surged into the third round after two five-setters, beating Benjamin Bonzi 7-5 6-7 (2-7) 4-6 6-2 6-4 in just shy of four hours on Wednesday. Playing with pain-killers and sporting a large brace on his back in between matches, Thompson has somehow managed to win twice to continue his charge. After Bonzi hit his final return into the net, Thompson let out a primal scream and pointed to his heart. After his first-round win over Vit Kopriva - when he came from two sets down - Thompson looked shattered and wondered if he would even be able to start Wednesday's match. But he made it into court 15 to face the man who had shocked last year's semi-finalist Daniil Medvedev in the first round. Thompson is a better player than the 29-year-old Frenchman who has never been inside the top 40, and he showed that from the start. But Bonzi turned the tide and won the second and third sets, making Thompson change his gameplan. The fifth set could have gone either way as both men battled fatigue, but Thompson got the match-winning break of serve at 6-5. Fans were blown away by his courage and determination to keep fighting. He's done it again 🤯⁰⁰Jordan Thompson defeats Benjamin Bonzi 7-5 6-7(2) 4-6 6-2 6-4 for his second five-set victory in a row.⁰⁰#Wimbledon #GoAussies — TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) July 2, 2025 5-Set warrior — GrassperRuud (@GrassperRuud) July 2, 2025 Amazing effort from Jordan Thompson to reach the 3RD at Wimbledon for only the second time. He won his second consecutive 5 setter, this time from 2 sets to 1 down beating Benjamin Bonzi 64 in the 5th — Craig Gabriel (@crosscourt1) July 2, 2025 Jordan Thompson finishes his match against Bonzi with 91 points played at the (183 cm tall) and Mochizuki are the only players so far at the tournament to approach the net more than 70 times in a match. — Oleg S. (@AnnaK_4ever) July 2, 2025 'I'm just praying I can get back on the court,' he said before the match. 'I'll do everything I can; live in an ice bath or hyperbaric chamber. I'll hardly practice. I'm taking painkillers, anti-inflammatories, but sometimes they can't really help. I'm just lucky to be on court even though it is sad that it's Wimbledon and I am not enjoying it as much as I usually do. 'I love playing tennis, competing, running around. I love getting the balls I probably shouldn't and I can't do that at the moment. It's extremely frustrating to watch balls go past me that I'm not even close to because I can't move. Practising, warming up, is just putting my body through hell." Thompson's win came with a tinge of sadness for the Aussie contingent, with Alex de Minaur's fiancee Boulter crashing out in the second round. The British star, who has become an adopted Aussie due to her fiance, hit 14 double faults and was unable to back-up her stunning victory over ninth-seed Paula Badosa in the first round. 'Of course it hurts,' Boulter said after the 6-7 (7) 6-2 6-1 loss World No.101 Sierra. 'It's a really tough pill to swallow. It always is here. Unfortunately it's just the way that it is. Not my best day. I think I have to sometimes just credit the opponent here. I think I've got a lot of things to go back and work on.' Sierra had only made the main draw as a 'lucky loser' from qualifying after a late injury withdrawal. 'I really felt like she played a great match," Boulter added. "I felt like she committed to the ball. It was coming through very fast. I couldn't quite control it. Credit to her, she swung and she won the match. I'm happy for her. But I have to go back to the drawing board.' RELATED: Aussie tennis star follows Alex de Minaur's lead with sad decision Tennis fans demand immediate change to 'dumb' Wimbledon rule With a worried de Minaur looking on from the stands, Boulter's serve deserted her. The World No.43 won just one point on her second serve after the first set, and appeared to come unstuck when the court was bathed in shadows late in the match.
