Latest news with #WTA250
Perth Now
7 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
DC Open delight for tour veteran Venus Williams
Venus Williams has become the second-oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match in professional tennis, delivering some of her familiar big serves and groundstrokes at age 45 while beating Peyton Stearns — 22 years her junior — 6-3 6-4 at the DC Open. This was the first singles victory for Williams in nearly two years and the only older woman to win a match was Martina Navratilova at 47 in 2004. The former No.1-ranked Williams had not played singles in an official match anywhere since March 2024 in Miami, missing time while having surgery to remove uterine fibroids. She hadn't won in singles since August 2023 in Cincinnati. Until this week, she was listed by the WTA Tour as "inactive." "It is not easy," Williams said, "to (come back) after all that time and play the perfect match." But backed by a crowd that clearly was there to see, and support, her at the hardcourt tournament in the nation's capital, Williams showed glimpses of the talent she possesses and the skills she displayed while earning all of her grand slam titles: seven in singles, 14 in women's doubles — all alongside younger sister Serena — and two in mixed doubles. "I wanted to play a good match," she told the fans, then added a phrase that drew appreciative roars: "and win the match." The first cheer for Williams arrived when she walked out into the main stadium, a 7000-seat arena that's more than twice as large as where she was for her doubles victory a day earlier. Another came when she strode to the centre of the court for the formality of the coin toss. There also were moments where Williams looked as if it had been just as long as it actually has since she competed, including in the opening game, when she got broken to love. At the end, it took her a bit of extra effort to close things out. She failed to convert numerous match points but eventually powered a serve that world No.35 Stearns returned into the net. Williams advances to a second-round match-up against fifth-seeded Pole Magdalena Frech while earlier on Tuesday, Emma Raducanu handed No.7 seed Marta Kostyuk a sixth consecutive loss, defeating her 7-6 (7-4) 6-4. This was the fifth tournament in a row where Kostyuk exited in the first round; she hasn't won a match since May 11 in Rome. The 46th-ranked Raducanu, who won the 2021 US Open, will face four-time major champion Naomi Osaka, a 6-2 7-5 winner against Yulia Putintseva, next. At the hardcourt WTA250 event in Prague meantime, Australia's Priscilla Hon was beaten 6-2 3-6 6-3 in the first round by Czech Barbora Palicova in a little over two hours.
The Star
20-07-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Tennis-France's Boisson wins first WTA title in Hamburg
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 5, 2025 France's Lois Boisson in action during her semi final match against Coco Gauff of the U.S. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo (Reuters) -French Open semi-finalist Lois Boisson clinched her first tour-level title at the Hamburg Open on Sunday after a 7-5 6-3 win over Hungarian Anna Bondar. In a clash of first-time WTA singles finalists, fifth seed Boisson came back from 4-0 down in the first set and a break down in both sets to secure the WTA 250 claycourt title. The 22-year-old made waves last month in her Grand Slam main draw debut when she, ranked 361st, soared through the French Open as a wild card entrant, bowing out at the semi-final stage to eventual champion Coco Gauff. "This is the first time I've given a (winner's) speech, so please bear with me," Boisson said before offering a simple "Danke" (Thank you) to the German crowd. Boisson faced heartbreak with a first-round qualifying loss at Wimbledon, but found her form again on clay and is set to rise above her career best ranking of number 63 in Monday's updated WTA rankings. (Reporting by Shifa Jahan in BengaluruEditing by Toby Davis)
Straits Times
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
France's Boisson wins first WTA title in Hamburg
Find out what's new on ST website and app. FILE PHOTO: Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 5, 2025 France's Lois Boisson in action during her semi final match against Coco Gauff of the U.S. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo French Open semi-finalist Lois Boisson clinched her first tour-level title at the Hamburg Open on Sunday after a 7-5 6-3 win over Hungarian Anna Bondar. In a clash of first-time WTA singles finalists, fifth seed Boisson came back from 4-0 down in the first set and a break down in both sets to secure the WTA 250 claycourt title. The 22-year-old made waves last month in her Grand Slam main draw debut when she, ranked 361st, soared through the French Open as a wild card entrant, bowing out at the semi-final stage to eventual champion Coco Gauff. "This is the first time I've given a (winner's) speech, so please bear with me," Boisson said before offering a simple "Danke" (Thank you) to the German crowd. Boisson faced heartbreak with a first-round qualifying loss at Wimbledon, but found her form again on clay and is set to rise above her career best ranking of number 63 in Monday's updated WTA rankings. REUTERS
NDTV
18-07-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
"Proud Chennai Open Is Back In TNTA's Centenary Year," Says Tennis Legend Vijay Amritraj
Indian tennis legend and Tamil Nadu Tennis Association (TNTA) President Vijay Amritraj has announced the return of the Chennai Open International Women's Tennis Championship after a three-year hiatus. In an exclusive interview to NDTV's Tamil Nadu Brief weekend edition, Amritraj called it a proud moment as the tournament coincides with the centenary year of TNTA. With a budget of Rs 12 crore and a prize purse of Rs 2.4 crore, the upcoming WTA 250 event is expected to host around 60 players from the world's top 100 rankings. "The support from the Tamil Nadu government has been huge," Amritraj said, while acknowledging challenges in attracting top players due to overlapping tournaments. A tie-up with global sports agency Octagon, which holds a three-year licence for the event, is expected to help. Reflecting on Indian tennis, the 1987 Davis Cup finalist admitted that India has lost its dominance in singles, urging a renewed focus on nurturing young talent. "You don't start tennis wanting to be the best doubles player; you start dreaming of being the next Federer or Nadal," he noted, underlining the importance of early commitment and passion. Amritraj also highlighted the inspirational power of home tournaments. "Just like the ATP 250 inspired many boys, the Chennai Open will encourage young girls across India to take up tennis," he said. Several state-wide tournaments are being planned as part of TNTA's 100-year celebrations. Speaking personally, Amritraj credited his parents for his success, saying, "98% of what I achieved was their effort, especially my mother's. My tennis was entirely theirs." He encouraged young parents to introduce their children to sport and support their passion. "Tennis gave me things I never dreamt of and shaped my life in ways business never could." He also praised rising Indian player Maya Rajeshwaran Revathy, who made her debut at Wimbledon at 16, saying she has a bright future if she continues to fuel her passion and stays the course.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Wimbledon: Elisabetta Cocciaretto plots Jessica Pegula exit
The Times of India at Wimbledon: The day's biggest upset result featured on Wimbledon's Court 2, originally known as the graveyard of seeds. World No.3 Jessica Pegula, champion at Bad Homburg, Germany last week, went down in straight sets to the 116-ranked Elisabetta Cocciaretto on a day when the mercury rose alarmingly, and seeds dropped on the wayside at SW19. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The 24-year-old Italian came through 6-2, 6-3 in 58-minutes. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. Despite the 32-plus degree temperature, when brollies opened out on the stands, and bodies and tempers were are taxed on the court, the American, who went down in a flood of errors, 24 in all, applauded her opponent. "She played absolutely incredible tennis. It was just her day,' Pegula said. Cocciaretto, who was ranked a career-high No.29 two years ago, was quick to return the compliment. Cocciaretto was forced to miss Wimbledon last year. This time last year Cocciaretto was ranked No. 43, but is down at No. 116 now. A slip-slide that started last June when she thought she was just unwell — popping antibiotics by the dozen, and staying in bed for most of the day. "I was in Birmingham," she said of the WTA 250 she was playing in the middle of June. "The day of the quarterfinals, when I won against (Diana) Shnaider, I was really sick in the night. " In the semis, Cocciaretto lost to Yulia Puntinseva. The Italian picked herself up to play Bad Homburg the following week, she was after-all in that part of the tennis season where she gets to play on her favourite surface, but she withdrew. "I had mycoplasma virus pneumoniae." It's been a long road back, but the 5 ft 5' pro from Ancona is back.
