Latest news with #SuzanneLenglenCup
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Sabalenka wants French Open title, not favourite tag
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 30, 2025 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka reacts with Serbia's Olga Danilovic after winning their third round match REUTERS/Lisi Niesner Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 30, 2025 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka in action during her third round match against Serbia's Olga Danilovic REUTERS/Lisi Niesner Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 30, 2025 Serbia's Olga Danilovic reacts during her third round match against Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka REUTERS/Lisi Niesner Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 30, 2025 Serbia's Olga Danilovic in action during her third round match against Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka REUTERS/Lisi Niesner Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 30, 2025 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka in action during her third round match against Serbia's Olga Danilovic REUTERS/Lisi Niesner PARIS - While she is on a mission to get her hands on the Suzanne Lenglen Cup at the French Open, Aryna Sabalenka is more than happy to leave the favourite's tag to four-time champion Iga Swiatek. Swiatek, who won the last three titles in Paris, has had a troubled pre-tournament swing, but the Polish player has been in fine form since Roland Garros started, reinforcing indeed her status as a favourite. World number one Sabalenka has also been steamrolling her opponents, conceding only 10 games and she powered into the fourth round with a 6-2 6-3 victory against Serbia's Olga Danilovic on Friday. The Belarusian dominated her opponent from the start and although she faced some brief resistance in the second set, she easily set up a meeting with 16th seed Amanda Anisimova of the United States as well as strengthening her title credentials. "I am super happy with the win, Olga is a fighter and I knew it would be a fight. She played like a top 10 player; pretty soon she will be in the top 10," said Sabalenka. Sabalenka started in ruthless fashion, racing to a 5-0 lead but Danilovic avoided the bagel by winning the sixth game on serve, going on to pull a break back. The resurgence was shortlived, however, as Sabalenka wrapped up the opening set with another break of serve. Danilovic put up a decent fight in the second set but there was no comeback on the cards as Sabalenka broke for 5-3. The three-time Grand Slam champion wrapped it up with an unreturnable serve on a half-empty Court Philippe Chatrier - a common occurrence on early matches at the French Open. Is that enough to make her the top favourite for a maiden French Open title? "It's tough to predict in women's tennis, you know. Let's just leave it (the favourite tag) on Iga since she won it, what, three times in a row, really, right?," she said. "Let's just... I will just leave it for her." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Aryna Sabalenka mixing things up in pursuit of first French Open title
Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka has a 12-2 record on clay this season after winning a third title in Madrid. PHOTO: REUTERS PARIS – Aryna Sabalenka's game has always been synonymous with crushing power and unwavering grit but as the world No. 1 strives to find success on different surfaces, she is adding variety to her game in her quest for a maiden French Open title. The disappointment of missing out on a 'three-peat' at the Australian Open and early exits in the Middle East fuelled Sabalenka's run to four straight finals as she won titles in Miami and Madrid to consolidate top spot in the rankings. With the Brisbane title also in the bag in January, no other player has lifted more trophies in 2025 while the Belarusian leads the tour with 34 wins. But to become the queen of all surfaces, players must adapt their game. And on clay, they must be ready to not only work harder for every point but also learn to trust their instincts on the slowest surface of all. An illness sent Sabalenka crashing out in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros last season but if she is to pose with the Suzanne Lenglen Cup in front of the Eiffel Tower in June, her renowned power alone may not cut it. Versatility is essential and it has come to the fore for Sabalenka in recent tournaments, where she has used not just her brutal strength to put opponents on the back foot but also applied a touch of finesse to leave them wrong-footed. Crafty drop shots, quick movements and more approaches to the net have broadened her game to leave her opponents second-guessing and the fans spellbound as she racked up wins and titles. Despite an upset by Zheng Qinwen in Rome, Sabalenka holds a 12-2 record on clay this season after winning a third title in Madrid. 'I've been working really hard and improving on bringing variety into my game, I think that's the biggest key in most of the matches right now,' she said after beating Coco Gauff in the Madrid Open final. 'I'm super happy that we were able to improve my game in everything – the movement, my touch game is much better right now, I trust my touch game much more right now also. 'Trying to come to the net, I'm not sure if it's really successful so far, but I'm trying. I think it's always 'work on yourself' and always looking for something to improve and get better at.' Things do not always go to plan, however, but that is when Sabalenka's mettle has been tested. The Belarusian can go from blushing and flashing a sheepish grin when losing her racket during a point to receiving an audible obscenity warning when taking her frustrations out on a fan chirping at her between points. However, she can deal with setbacks better than most. Since 2024, Sabalenka has won nine matches in WTA 1000 tournaments after going a set down and she is the only player with a winning record after losing the opening set in that period. 'Right now, I'm stronger than ever, physically and mentally, and also my game improved a lot,' she said in Rome. 'So I really hope this is the year where I'm going to look back on the clay-court season and be super proud of myself.' REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Gulf Today
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Today
Holder Swiatek's clay empire on shaky ground ahead of French Open
Iga Swiatek arrives at Roland Garros this month under a cloud of uncertainty, with the Pole enduring one of the toughest stretches of her career just before the defence of her French Open title. The 23-year-old Swiatek, who has won four titles on the clay courts of Paris, has slipped out of the world's top three for the first time since March 2022 after back-to-back defeats in Madrid and Rome. A 6-1 6-1 humbling by Coco Gauff in Spain and a straight-sets defeat by Danielle Collins in Italy have exposed uncharacteristic frailties in the game of a player seen as virtually untouchable on clay after she clinched her third Suzanne Lenglen Cup in a row last year. Adding to the weight on Swiatek's shoulders is the lingering shadow of Aryna Sabalenka, who seized the world number one ranking from the Pole late last season. While Swiatek has largely remained within touching distance, the rivalry has unsettled her dominance, and she has struggled to recapture the ruthless consistency that defined her meteoric rise. 'I think I wasn't really present on court, not there to fight or compete,' Swiatek said after her loss to Collins in Rome. 'I focused on my mistakes - that was my error. I wasn't doing things properly. I was concentrating on the wrong things.' It marks a stark contrast to this point last season, when Swiatek swept the Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros titles in dominant fashion. Now, the question is whether Swiatek, who served a one-month doping ban last August, can rediscover the mental steel and aggressive precision that made her a four-times French Open champion. Asked in Rome about her ambitions for the Paris Grand Slam, she struck an uncertain note. 'It would be stupid to expect too much because right now, I'm not able to play my game,' she said. Her remarkable track record on Court Philippe-Chatrier might suggest she is still the player to beat in Paris, but Swiatek herself was quick to dismiss the weight of history. 'It doesn't matter what I achieved there before - every year is different,' she added. Following the disappointment in Italy, Swiatek admitted to shedding tears in the locker room but sought to use the setback as an opportunity for reflection. 'I need to find myself again and change some things,' she said. 'I listened to some advice from my team, and we've reached certain conclusions. I'll just try to shift my mindset over the next couple of weeks.' With uncertainty surrounding the form of several leading contenders and the emergence of in-form Americans Gauff and Collins, the women's draw in Paris is wide open. For Swiatek, regaining confidence on her favourite surface could be the difference between an early exit and a fifth Roland Garros trophy. Alcaraz wary of Sinner: Carlos Alcaraz arrives at Roland Garros brimming with confidence after taking down chief rival Jannik Sinner in Rome, but the defending champion expects the Italian to be an even tougher proposition after shaking off the rust following his doping ban. Alcaraz and Sinner will be on opposite sides of the draw as the Spaniard returned to the second in the world this week following his Italian Open triumph, potentially setting the stage for another blockbuster final between the game's two rising superstars. The 22-year-old Alcaraz has won 15 of 16 matches on clay this season, triumphing at Monte Carlo and reaching the Barcelona final before going all the way in Rome after missing the Madrid Open with a thigh injury. Agence France-Presse
Straits Times
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Sabalenka mixing things up in pursuit of first French Open title
BENGALURU - Aryna Sabalenka's game has always been synonymous with crushing power and unwavering grit but as the world number one strives to find success on different surfaces, she is adding variety to her game in her quest for a maiden French Open title. The disappointment of missing out on a 'three-peat' at the Australian Open and early exits in the Middle East fuelled Sabalenka's run to four straight finals as she won titles in Miami and Madrid to consolidate top spot in the rankings. With the Brisbane title also in the bag in January, no other player has lifted more trophies this year while she leads the tour with 34 wins. But to become the queen of all surfaces, players must adapt their game. And on clay, they must be ready to not only work harder for every point but also learn to trust their instincts on the slowest surface of all. An illness sent Sabalenka crashing out in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros last year but if she is to pose with the Suzanne Lenglen Cup in front of the Eiffel Tower next month, her renowned power alone may not cut it. Versatility is essential and it has come to the fore for Sabalenka in recent tournaments, where she has used not just her brutal strength to put opponents on the back foot but also applied a touch of finesse to leave them wrong-footed. Crafty drop shots, quick movements and more approaches to the net have broadened her game to leave her opponents second-guessing and the fans spellbound as she racked up wins and titles. Despite an upset by Zheng Qinwen in Rome, Sabalenka holds a 12-2 record on clay this year after winning a third title in Madrid. 'BRINGING VARIETY' "I've been working really hard and improving on bringing variety into my game, I think that's the biggest key in most of the matches right now," she said after beating Coco Gauff in the Madrid Open final. "I'm super happy that we were able to improve my game in everything - the movement, my touch game is much better right now, I trust my touch game much more right now also. "Trying to come to the net, I'm not sure if it's really successful so far, but I'm trying. I think it's always 'work on yourself' and always looking for something to improve and get better at." Things do not always go to plan, however, but that is when Sabalenka's mettle has been tested. The Belarusian can go from blushing and flashing a sheepish grin when losing her racket during a point to receiving an audible obscenity warning when taking her frustrations out on a fan chirping at her between points. However, she can deal with setbacks better than most. Since 2024, Sabalenka has won nine matches in WTA 1000 tournaments after going a set down and she is the only player with a winning record after losing the opening set in that period. "Right now, I'm stronger than ever, physically and mentally, and also my game improved a lot," she said in Rome. "So I really hope this is the year where I'm going to look back on the claycourt season and be super proud of myself." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Swiatek's clay empire on shaky ground ahead of Paris
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Italian Open - Foro Italico, Rome, Italy - May 10, 2025 Poland's Iga Swiatek in action during her round of 32 match against Danielle Collins of the U.S. REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel/File Photo PARIS - Iga Swiatek arrives at Roland Garros this month under a cloud of uncertainty, with the Pole enduring one of the toughest stretches of her career just before the defence of her French Open title. The 23-year-old Swiatek, who has won four titles on the clay courts of Paris, has slipped out of the world's top three for the first time since March 2022 after back-to-back defeats in Madrid and Rome. A 6-1 6-1 humbling by Coco Gauff in Spain and a straight-sets defeat by Danielle Collins in Italy have exposed uncharacteristic frailties in the game of a player seen as virtually untouchable on clay after she clinched her third Suzanne Lenglen Cup in a row last year. Adding to the weight on Swiatek's shoulders is the lingering shadow of Aryna Sabalenka, who seized the world number one ranking from the Pole late last season. While Swiatek has largely remained within touching distance, the rivalry has unsettled her dominance, and she has struggled to recapture the ruthless consistency that defined her meteoric rise. "I think I wasn't really present on court, not there to fight or compete," Swiatek said after her loss to Collins in Rome. "I focused on my mistakes — that was my error. I wasn't doing things properly. I was concentrating on the wrong things." It marks a stark contrast to this point last season, when Swiatek swept the Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros titles in dominant fashion. Now, the question is whether Swiatek, who served a one-month doping ban last August, can rediscover the mental steel and aggressive precision that made her a four-times French Open champion. Asked in Rome about her ambitions for the Paris Grand Slam, she struck an uncertain note. "It would be stupid to expect too much because right now, I'm not able to play my game," she said. Her remarkable track record on Court Philippe-Chatrier might suggest she is still the player to beat in Paris, but Swiatek herself was quick to dismiss the weight of history. "It doesn't matter what I achieved there before — every year is different," she added. Following the disappointment in Italy, Swiatek admitted to shedding tears in the locker room but sought to use the setback as an opportunity for reflection. "I need to find myself again and change some things,' she said. "I listened to some advice from my team, and we've reached certain conclusions. I'll just try to shift my mindset over the next couple of weeks." With uncertainty surrounding the form of several leading contenders and the emergence of in-form Americans Gauff and Collins, the women's draw in Paris is wide open. For Swiatek, regaining confidence on her favourite surface could be the difference between an early exit and a fifth Roland Garros trophy. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
