Latest news with #grasscourt
France 24
21-07-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Alcaraz withdraws from Montreal event for Wimbledon recovery
The 22-year-old Spaniard lost to top-ranked Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon final earlier this month in a bid for his third consecutive crown in the grass-court classic. "I'm really sad to have to miss the National Bank Open in Toronto," Alcaraz said in a statement. "I tried my best to be ready for the tournament as it's one I really enjoy playing, but it comes just too soon for me as I recover after Wimbledon. I wish the event well and look forward to being back on the Canadian courts next year." Alcaraz had his best Canada run in 2023, falling to American Tommy Paul in the quarter-finals. "It's disappointing to lose a player of Carlos' quality, as we know our fans were looking forward to watching him," tournament director Karl Hale said. "Although he has been on the scene for a while, he's still at the beginning of his career and there will be plenty of opportunities for Canadians to see him again in the future." American Sebastian Korda, the world number 33 struggling with a leg injury, and Poland's 38th-ranked Hubert Hurkacz, fighting a knee injury, have also withdrawn.
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jack Draper upholds the torturous tradition of a British Wimbledon hopeful
In the minutes leading up to Jack Draper's second-round match with Marin Cilic, the energy in the Wimbledon crowd would've had you believe this would be a coming-out party for Britain's newest tennis star. Yet within minutes of the match beginning, it became clear that this would be an occasion for Cilic to test the 23-year-old's title credentials. It was, after two hours and 38 minutes, a test that Draper failed. What better man to test those credentials than Cilic, too? A former finalist, and an in-form one at that, the 36-year-old returned to SW19 after a four-year absence, but on the back of a triumph on the grass of Nottingham. There was a rousing reception for Draper as the world No 4 emerged to face the 'big-serving' Croat (a customary tag), yet it was a subtly different support than that afforded to Dan Evans earlier in the day. On Centre Court, it felt as though Evans would never have overcome seven-time champion Novak Djokovic without the crowd's back-up, and ultimately the Briton's endeavour was ill-fated anyway. But on No 1 Court, it was as if the fans appreciated that Draper could probably get through without them. At least, it felt that way for a brief moment. Because soon enough, the realisation set in that these games were not quite as straightforward as some might have expected. When Draper faced his first break point, for example, it was as early as 1-2 in the first set, yet the numbers on the clock read 0.23, signifying how arduous the opening exchanges had been. Indeed, the points themselves had offered little in the way of excitement, with both sets of groundstrokes largely coming from the baseline, but with Cilic executing them with an ease that Draper initially lacked. Draper's shots carried more power, yes, but also appeared more forced. In any case, the length of the games came not from the length of the rallies, but from the constant trading of points. At times, Draper demonstrated phenomenal defence, as he was slung from side to side and seemed unable to play a shot without bending or stretching. He would save that early/not-so-early break point but faced three in a row at a crucial juncture: 3-4. This was his opportunity, however, to show that while he is not the 'big-serving', tanned tower that stood across the net, he is still a big lad. And he channelled his power into a serving salvo, producing four unreturnable efforts in a row to erase all three break points and earn advantage. When Draper then held serve, in the first significant rally in several points, the noise from the crowd was tremendous. But two games later, Draper was again staring down the barrel of a triple break point. This time, he could erase none, with Cilic not only breaking on the first attempt but simultaneously taking the first set, 6-4. As clouds drifted over No 1 Court, dulling the shine of the sun, Cilic was dulling Draper's Dunlop blade. The former US Open winner was showing form reminiscent of his 2014 triumph in New York, and he broke Draper at the first opportunity in the second set. With a mature hold, Cilic turned 2-0 into 3-0. By this point, the 2017 runner-up had actually recorded as many double faults as aces, and more unforced errors than Draper, yet they had been of no value to the Briton. Crucially, Cilic had struck more than double the number of Draper's winners, approaching triple. The simplest statistic soon followed: Cilic had doubled his lead, to two sets to love. It's not that Draper never looked like mounting a comeback; it's just that Cilic was holding so steady, it appeared obvious that Draper would need to be near faultless to turn it around. Suddenly, Draper found the required groove. He showed fire in passing the veteran for a sublime winner in the third set, and echoed the roar of the crowd. On the next point, three laser forehands in a row had the crowd cooing, as Draper set about earning three break points. The fans were also pleased to see Cilic given a time-violation warning at 30-40, after he had saved two break points. 'Pleased' doesn't quite sum up their response to the next point, however, as Draper blasted Cilic into the corner, leaving him helpless and his serve broken. That was the start of a remarkable run to 6-1, as Draper clawed his way into the match at last. There was still much work to do, though. Draper was reminded as much at 2-3 in the fourth set, when he saw a 40-0 lead swallowed, the final game point devoured by a stunning, angled pass from Cilic. Still, Draper held firm, eventually holding. And at 3-4, he stood strong again, fending off back-to-back break points. The subsequent hold led the crowd to a fever pitch. And as is tradition, the home crowd backed their boy to the end. It came at 7.32pm, when Cilic broke Draper's serve, his resolve, and possibly his heart. With that, Cilic introduced Draper to another custom: the torturous tradition of being a British Wimbledon hopeful. Forlorn, Draper trudged off the court, applauded by all – including Cilic. This was not the 23-year-old's earliest exit here, given he failed to clear the first hurdle in 2021, but this loss means his best result at the All England Club remains the second round, where he also fell in 2022 and 2024, having missed the 2023 tournament. It will, in any case, be his most painful exit, arriving at a time when he seemed destined for more. Perhaps not the title, but the second week and the hope that it brings. So, Jack, now you've been formally introduced to Wimbledon heartbreak. We hope you don't get to know it too well.
CNA
12-07-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Swiatek revels in special Wimbledon triumph after hitting Grand Slam six
LONDON :Iga Swiatek bulldozed her way to a maiden Wimbledon title on Saturday to take her Grand Slam tally to six and although the Pole preferred not to rank her wins, she said her latest one felt a little more special than the others. The 24-year-old has won four Suzanne Lenglen Cups in the last six editions of the French Open to establish herself as the 'Queen of Clay' and conquered the hardcourts of the U.S. Open in 2022, but the grasscourts of Wimbledon have always proved slippery. Having crossed the quarter-final hurdle for the first time this year, she brutally dismantled Amanda Anisimova 6-0 6-0 in the final to confirm herself as a versatile virtuoso of the women's game. "I don't know. I think the fact that it's on grass, it makes it more special, I would say, and more unexpected. It feels like the emotions are bigger, because in Roland Garros I know I can play well, and I know I can show it every year," Swiatek said. "Here, I wasn't sure of that. I needed to prove that to myself. I'm not going to rank them, because I just have so much respect for the other tournaments. I worked really hard to win all the other Grand Slams. "So there's no point choosing between them. But this one and the U.S. Open feel, I don't know, better because no one expected that. It wasn't a relief. It was more of good tennis and working to make it happen without baggage on your shoulders." Swiatek reached her first grasscourt final last month at Bad Homburg before her triumphant fortnight at the All England Club and said she was a little surprised with her level on the sport's fastest surface after the French Open. "Well, 'shocked' would be too big of a word. For sure I was surprised with the consistency," Swiatek said. "I knew I can do it before, but I don't think I ever served so well throughout the whole three weeks even. Bad Homburg was also a good tournament in terms of that. It was always more up and down. "I was just using the good feelings I had on the court. It felt great. I know in my mind I can be focused. I'm not going to waste points and let them go for free. But my level of tennis helped me to keep that on a constant level." While Anisimova appeared to have frozen under pressure, Swiatek said she relied on her experience to get through. "Finals sometimes are a bit ugly because there's so much stress. I used the experience from before," she added. "Today I just wanted to enjoy the time that I had on Centre Court and enjoy the last hours of me playing well on grass. Who knows if it's going to happen again. I just focused on that and I really had fun," she added with a smile.
New York Times
11-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Carlos Alcaraz beats Taylor Fritz to reach third consecutive Wimbledon final
CENTRE COURT, THE ALL ENGLAND CLUB — Carlos Alcaraz produced a masterful serving performance Friday to defeat Taylor Fritz 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(6) and advance to his third Wimbledon final in a row. The two-time defending champion has prioritized improving his serve during this grass-court season, and for stretches of Friday's semifinal, he was back at the absurd levels he produced during the HSBC Championships at the Queen's Club in London last month. It was the kind of serving display that has had Alcaraz semi-jokingly referring to himself as a serve bot. In reality he's nothing of the kind. A true serve bot can do little else but serve, whereas Alcaraz remains the most complete player in men's tennis. Advertisement Fritz did little wrong in the match, and other than a few dips he played close to his peak. He was still powerless to stop Alcaraz winning his 20th straight match at the All England Club, and his 23rd consecutive match anywhere. Until recently, his serve had been the only non-elite aspect of his game; his improvement behind it sends a message to the rest of the field that he still has more gears to find. In total, Alcaraz won 88 percent of his first serve points, including the first 20, and banged down 13 aces. If he posts similar numbers on Sunday, then even Novak Djokovic or Jannik Sinner could find themselves powerless, as the former found himself in the face of a barrage from Alcaraz's racket in last year's final. The first set was a clinical masterclass, the kind that used to be Pete Sampras' trademark on this court. Alcaraz broke in the first game and then cruised through the rest of the set in little over half an hour, dropping just four points on serve and none on his 15 first-serve points. He hit six aces, with twelve winners compared to just three errors overall. It was clean, with a few spectacular moments, including an angled forehand that he flicked past Fritz in the penultimate game. It was the fifth set in a row against Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner that Fritz had lost 6-4, in an accurate illustration of how he has been close to the very best, but not quite close enough. But the American No. 5 seed played with renewed aggressiveness in the second set. After finally winning a point on the Alcaraz first serve at the 20th attempt, he built incrementally, getting to deuce for the first time when up 2-1, then finally forcing a break point at 4-3 before converting one to take the set 7-5. His backhand was particularly potent, looking even more reliable than Alcaraz's; one passing shot down the line off that wing sent a message that Alcaraz, who loves to move the contest to the front of the court, would have to think twice about it. Advertisement Fritz found a groove on his serve in the second set, dropping just one of 14 points when he got the first delivery in, and successfully redlining on his second to keep Alcaraz at bay. Still, Alcaraz's game to drop the second set included a double fault and two poor errors, as he contributed to his own downfall as he tends to do. Fritz continued serving well in the third set, but was quickly broken to love, underlining why playing Alcaraz is arguably the toughest challenge in the sport. Sinner is a lot more consistent, and Novak Djokovic still possesses a peerless ability to manage a match, but Alcaraz's superpower is the ability to become unplayable in the blink of an eye. He broke with a drop shot-lob combination, and then held for 3-1, winning three straight games to love. By the time Alcaraz held for 4-2, he was yet to drop a point on serve in the set. The defending champion also spent a lot more of the set attacking than in the previous two, 39 percent of the time compared to Fritz's 28. In the first two sets, Fritz led that metric by 32 to 25 and then 33 to 32. When Alcaraz broke Fritz again to win the set 6-3, the physical and mental endurance required to stay with the two-time champion was on full display. Fritz rediscovered his focus in the fourth after the almost inevitable dip that comes from having to play at their absolute limit. He fended off a break point down 3-2, but otherwise got back into a groove on serve — even if he was back to getting nowhere on his opponent's. A second-serve ace from Alcaraz to hold for 6-5 summed up the confidence he was feeling with it. Fritz held to take the match into a tiebreak, but it was Alcaraz who struck firs. A lob set him up for a smash after a poor drop shot from Fritz that will be one of the American's few regrets from the match. Advertisement The others arrived moments later, when Fritz fought back from 4-1 down to win five straight points and earn himself two chances to take the match into a decider. Both came and went, but Fritz could have done little more than he did. On the first, which was on his serve, he hit a 134 mph bullet onto the line, and still somehow lost the point as Alcaraz flipped from defense into attack and put away a volley. On the second, he missed a forehand long and could have been more aggressive. Then, at 6-6, Fritz had another advantageous position, but Alcaraz put a pass on his shoelaces to earn his first match point. A backhand singed the baseline, Fritz could only send the ball long, and Alcaraz roared into another final, where Sinner and Djokovic — the other two players who can touch his top level — awaits.
The Guardian
11-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Masterful Swiatek ends Bencic fairytale and reaches her first Wimbledon final
Centre Court witnessed a masterclass in grass-court tennis as Iga Swiatek secured her place in a first Wimbledon final, dismantling the unseeded Belinda Bencic with a commanding 6-2, 6-0 victory. The win sets the stage for the former world No 1's sixth grand slam final, having won her previous five. She will face America's Amanda Anisimova, who defeated the current world No 1, Aryna Sabalenka, earlier in the day. 'I played great and I felt like I could put pressure on Belinda from the beginning,' said Swiatek. 'I felt just good and in the zone. I was focused from the beginning till the end. So it was a really solid performance.' For the Pole, 2025 has been a year of unexpected challenges. In the Australian Open semi-finals, she had a match point before losing to Madison Keys. In the spring, she failed to defend her Madrid and Italian Open titles, and – most notably – lost to Sabalenka in the last four at the French Open, ending her 26-match winning streak at Roland Garros. However, a grass-court training camp in Mallorca, focused on honing her serve, returns and movement on her least favoured surface, has clearly paid dividends. Since Paris, Swiatek has an impressive nine victories on grass, the most in her career in one summer, showcasing a newfound proactivity on the surface. 'Every slam final has been totally different,' said Swiatek. 'It's hard to compare these journeys. For now I am enjoying this new feeling of being a bit more comfortable on grass. 'There is no place to overthink here. You kind of have to follow your instincts. If that is going well, you can rely on them to feel comfortable, so this is kind of fun. And it is different than on other surfaces where you have more time to build the rally.' Across the net, Bencic's return to the Tour after maternity leave has been nothing short of inspiring. Ranked world No 489 at the start of the year, the Swiss has played with a serene poise and had the most time on court of any woman player at Wimbledon this year, logging over 10 hours. But the extra minutes in her legs seemed to take their toll early against Swiatek. The Pole, opting to serve first, began with characteristic authority, cruising to a 40-0 lead before Bencic responded with a forehand winner but Swiatek quickly sealed the opening game with a forehand winner of her own. An early break followed swiftly, as Swiatek dictated play from the baseline, forcing Bencic into a nasty slip while chasing a forehand. The perfect start continued for the former world No 1, who extended her lead to 3-0 with a powerful ace. A brief nine-minute halt due to a spectator incident related to the heat allowed Bencic a moment to regroup and she eventually got on the scoreboard after a long return. Swiatek's relentless pressure soon yielded another break. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion Returning Bencic's drop shot with a precise forehand into the open court, Swiatek closed out the set decisively after Bencic netted a backhand. The start of the second set brought a brief wobble from eighth seed, who opened with back-to-back double faults, going 15-30 down before overhitting a forehand. But Bencic failed to capitalise on the break points and Swiatek steadied herself to hold serve. The Pole quickly regained control, securing another early break after a commanding rally culminated in a backhand winner. While the Swiss was not performing at the level seen in her previous rounds, it was clear that even her best might not have been enough against a truly hungry Swiatek. The one-way traffic continued as she stormed through two more holds and breaks, bagelling her opponent with a backhand winner down the line to seal her place in the final after just 74 minutes. It was ultimately one of the year's best performances from the 24-year-old, who had almost as many winners (26) as Bencic had points (32).
