Kazakh Alexander Bublik achieved his first win in seven meetings with Russian Daniil Medvedev to claim his second title on the grass of Halle, a week before Wimbledon.&nbsp;Bublik, ranked 45, claimed the scalp of world number one Jannik Sinner in the second round.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-world-number-2-carlos-alcaraz-crowned-king-of-queens-club-for-second-time-wimbledon-2025-1750609763744">World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz crowned king of Queen’s for second time</a>&nbsp;The 28-year-old maintained his streak with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) victory in one hour and 22 minutes in his first clash on grass with third seed Medvedev.&nbsp;&nbsp;Thanks to his second Halle trophy after 2023 and fifth ATP title overall, Bublik will move to 30th in Monday's ATP rankings, while Medvedev, who was playing in his first final in 15 months, will move to number nine.&nbsp;"I was cursed against you, Daniil. But today, I'm happy to have won. Beating you here is a great honour for me," Bublik said during the trophy presentation.&nbsp;In the first set, Bublik broke his opponent's serve to lead 5-3 and won the set on his serve.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Kazakh saved Medvedev's only break point, also a set point, at 4-5 in the second set, with a perfectly hit drop shot.&nbsp;&nbsp;He wrapped up the match in the tie-break with a service winner.&nbsp;<h2>‘Close to calling it quits’</h2>&nbsp;"From the mental point of view, that's the toughest match I ever played in my life," said Bublik.&nbsp;&nbsp;"I have never beaten Daniil. He's a super tough player to play, especially with my game style, and today everything clicked in mentally and physically. That's one of the wins of my career."&nbsp;"I had such tough months since last Wimbledon to probably this summer," said Bublik, who had dropped out of the top 75 until last month and conceded he was "close to calling it quits after Wimbledon (last year), because I was not enjoying it anymore".&nbsp;Bublik's also won titles in Montpellier in 2022 and 2024 and Antwerp and Halle in 2023.&nbsp;"Alexander Bublik played some great grass-court play today. My heart always beats a little faster when you play like that on grass," said 57-year-old German Boris Becker, a three-time Wimbledon champion (1985, 1986, 1989), before presenting the trophy.&nbsp;A former world number one in 2022, Medvedev lost his sixth consecutive final, his 20th and last title was the Masters 1000 on clay in Rome in May 2023.&nbsp;"Keep playing like that, and please, Carlos (Alcaraz)or Jannik in your draw at Wimbledon," joked former US Open winner Medvedev, a two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Alexander Bublik beats Daniil Medvedev to claim second title on grass in Halle

Kazakh Alexander Bublik achieved his first win in seven meetings with Russian Daniil Medvedev to claim his second title on the grass of Halle, a week before Wimbledon. Bublik, ranked 45, claimed the scalp of world number one Jannik Sinner in the second round. Also read | World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz crowned king of Queen’s for second time The 28-year-old maintained his streak with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) victory in one hour and 22 minutes in his first clash on grass with third seed Medvedev. Thanks to his second Halle trophy after 2023 and fifth ATP title overall, Bublik will move to 30th in Monday's ATP rankings, while Medvedev, who was playing in his first final in 15 months, will move to number nine. "I was cursed against you, Daniil. But today, I'm happy to have won. Beating you here is a great honour for me," Bublik said during the trophy presentation. In the first set, Bublik broke his opponent's serve to lead 5-3 and won the set on his serve. The Kazakh saved Medvedev's only break point, also a set point, at 4-5 in the second set, with a perfectly hit drop shot. He wrapped up the match in the tie-break with a service winner. ‘Close to calling it quits’ "From the mental point of view, that's the toughest match I ever played in my life," said Bublik. "I have never beaten Daniil. He's a super tough player to play, especially with my game style, and today everything clicked in mentally and physically. That's one of the wins of my career." "I had such tough months since last Wimbledon to probably this summer," said Bublik, who had dropped out of the top 75 until last month and conceded he was "close to calling it quits after Wimbledon (last year), because I was not enjoying it anymore". Bublik's also won titles in Montpellier in 2022 and 2024 and Antwerp and Halle in 2023. "Alexander Bublik played some great grass-court play today. My heart always beats a little faster when you play like that on grass," said 57-year-old German Boris Becker, a three-time Wimbledon champion (1985, 1986, 1989), before presenting the trophy. A former world number one in 2022, Medvedev lost his sixth consecutive final, his 20th and last title was the Masters 1000 on clay in Rome in May 2023. "Keep playing like that, and please, Carlos (Alcaraz)or Jannik in your draw at Wimbledon," joked former US Open winner Medvedev, a two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Bublik, ranked 45, claimed the scalp of world number one Jannik Sinner in the second round.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner lost his second-round match on grass at Halle on Thursday to Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik, the Italian's first tournament since his French Open final defeat.&nbsp;The world number one fell 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 to the 45th-ranked Bublik for the 23-year-old's first defeat to a player ranked outside the top 20 since the summer of 2023.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-club-world-cup-real-madrid-striker-kylian-mbappe-released-from-hospital-after-suffering-stomach-bug-1750391976301">Real Madrid's Mbappe released from hospital after suffering stomach bug</a>&nbsp;A few days before his defeat to Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in the title match at the French Open, Sinner had easily dispatched Bublik in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros, dropping only six games.&nbsp;&nbsp;On Thursday, ten days before Wimbledon, Bublik claimed his second victory in six ties against Sinner.&nbsp;"We are tennis players and we try to win every match we play, but it is a special one," Bublik said. "I had never beaten a No. 1 in the world. It is an accomplishment."&nbsp;Sinner, who had beaten Yannick Hanfmann in straight sets in the first round, cruised through the first set against Bublik without facing a break point.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sinner had three break points at the start of the second set, but Bublik held and then went on the attack, hitting 20 winners in the set and gaining the break he needed in the sixth game.&nbsp;The 28-year-old broke Sinner's serve in the third with a flashing forehand.&nbsp;"I had an amazing forehand to break in the third set, and then I kept serving," Bublik said. "On grass, if you lose your serve, it is maybe tough, and I am a guy who doesn't lose a lot of serves. I just kept serving and putting him in uncomfortable positions, and it worked well."&nbsp;"He is an unbelievable player, and I was not thinking that I could beat him," said Bublik. "But I had a few chances and executed them well."&nbsp;The Kazakh will play Tomas Machac in the quarter-finals after the Czech beat Hungarian Fabian Marozsan 6-2, 6-3.&nbsp;&nbsp;Earlier, world number three Alexander Zverev rallied from a set down to see off Italy's Lorenzo Sonego.&nbsp;The 28-year-old German won 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) against the 46th-ranked Sonego and next plays another Italian, Flavio Cobolli, for a place in the semi-finals.&nbsp;A finalist in Halle in 2016 and 2017, Zverev recorded his fifth victory in as many meetings with Sonego, a year after beating him at the same stage of the same competition.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sonego took advantage of his only chance to break in the first set at 4-3. The German struggled throughout to break his opponent's serve.&nbsp;&nbsp;Zverev dug deep in the second set, leading 5-4, to win the set before dominating the tiebreak in the final set.&nbsp;Argentina's 63rd-ranked Tomas Martin Etcheverry also reached the quarter-finals after a three-hour duel against fourth seed Andrey Rublev 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (8/6).&nbsp;The Argentine saved two match points in the tiebreak of the deciding set to set up a meeting with Russia's Karen Khachanov.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

World no. one Sinner suffers shock second-round loss to Bublik at Halle

Defending champion Jannik Sinner lost his second-round match on grass at Halle on Thursday to Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik, the Italian's first tournament since his French Open final defeat. The world number one fell 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 to the 45th-ranked Bublik for the 23-year-old's first defeat to a player ranked outside the top 20 since the summer of 2023. Also read | Real Madrid's Mbappe released from hospital after suffering stomach bug A few days before his defeat to Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in the title match at the French Open, Sinner had easily dispatched Bublik in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros, dropping only six games. On Thursday, ten days before Wimbledon, Bublik claimed his second victory in six ties against Sinner. "We are tennis players and we try to win every match we play, but it is a special one," Bublik said. "I had never beaten a No. 1 in the world. It is an accomplishment." Sinner, who had beaten Yannick Hanfmann in straight sets in the first round, cruised through the first set against Bublik without facing a break point. Sinner had three break points at the start of the second set, but Bublik held and then went on the attack, hitting 20 winners in the set and gaining the break he needed in the sixth game. The 28-year-old broke Sinner's serve in the third with a flashing forehand. "I had an amazing forehand to break in the third set, and then I kept serving," Bublik said. "On grass, if you lose your serve, it is maybe tough, and I am a guy who doesn't lose a lot of serves. I just kept serving and putting him in uncomfortable positions, and it worked well." "He is an unbelievable player, and I was not thinking that I could beat him," said Bublik. "But I had a few chances and executed them well." The Kazakh will play Tomas Machac in the quarter-finals after the Czech beat Hungarian Fabian Marozsan 6-2, 6-3. Earlier, world number three Alexander Zverev rallied from a set down to see off Italy's Lorenzo Sonego. The 28-year-old German won 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) against the 46th-ranked Sonego and next plays another Italian, Flavio Cobolli, for a place in the semi-finals. A finalist in Halle in 2016 and 2017, Zverev recorded his fifth victory in as many meetings with Sonego, a year after beating him at the same stage of the same competition. Sonego took advantage of his only chance to break in the first set at 4-3. The German struggled throughout to break his opponent's serve. Zverev dug deep in the second set, leading 5-4, to win the set before dominating the tiebreak in the final set. Argentina's 63rd-ranked Tomas Martin Etcheverry also reached the quarter-finals after a three-hour duel against fourth seed Andrey Rublev 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (8/6). The Argentine saved two match points in the tiebreak of the deciding set to set up a meeting with Russia's Karen Khachanov. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

The world number one fell 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 to the 45th-ranked Bublik for the 23-year-old's first defeat to a player ranked outside the top 20 since the summer of 2023.

Stefanos Tsitsipas pulled out of the Wimbledon warm-up event in Halle, Germany, on Monday because of personal reasons after surrendering a two-set lead in his defeat against Novak Djokovic in Sundays French Open final.

Tsitsipas outplayed the Serbian world number one for the first two sets at Roland Garros, but his maiden Grand Slam final ended in defeat, ultimately losing 7-6(6) 6-2 3-6 2-6 4-6 in a grueling contest over four hours and 11 minutes.

Greece's Tsitsipas accepted a wild card into the ATP 500 grasscourt event in Halle and was also scheduled to play doubles with his younger brother Petros.

"He will be replaced by lucky loser Yannick Hanfmann in the singles draw," the ATP said.

The 22-year-old revealed in an emotional social media post on Monday that he had learned of the death of his paternal grandmother only five minutes before the French Open final.

"Five minutes before entering the court my very beloved grandmother lost her battle for life," Tsitsipas wrote on Instagram. "A wise woman whose faith in life, and willingness to give and provide can't be compared to any other human being that I have ever met.

"It's important to have more people like her in this world. Because people like her make you come alive. They make you dream."

Tsitsipas also put Sunday's defeat in perspective.

"Life isn't about winning or losing. It's about enjoying every single moment in life whether that's alone or with others," he wrote.

"(It's about) living a meaningful life without misery and abjection. Lifting trophies and celebrating wins is something, but not everything."

Stefanos Tsitsipas pulled out of the Wimbledon warm-up event in Halle, Germany, on Monday because of personal reasons after surrendering a two-set lead in his defeat against Novak Djokovic in Sundays French Open final.

Stefanos Tsitsipas pulled out of the Wimbledon warm-up event in Halle, Germany, on Monday because of personal reasons after surrendering a two-set lead in his defeat against Novak Djokovic in Sundays French Open final. Tsitsipas outplayed the Serbian world number one for the first two sets at Roland Garros, but his maiden Grand Slam final ended in defeat, ultimately losing 7-6(6) 6-2 3-6 2-6 4-6 in a grueling contest over four hours and 11 minutes. Greece's Tsitsipas accepted a wild card into the ATP 500 grasscourt event in Halle and was also scheduled to play doubles with his younger brother Petros. "He will be replaced by lucky loser Yannick Hanfmann in the singles draw," the ATP said. The 22-year-old revealed in an emotional social media post on Monday that he had learned of the death of his paternal grandmother only five minutes before the French Open final. "Five minutes before entering the court my very beloved grandmother lost her battle for life," Tsitsipas wrote on Instagram. "A wise woman whose faith in life, and willingness to give and provide can't be compared to any other human being that I have ever met. "It's important to have more people like her in this world. Because people like her make you come alive. They make you dream." Tsitsipas also put Sunday's defeat in perspective. "Life isn't about winning or losing. It's about enjoying every single moment in life whether that's alone or with others," he wrote. "(It's about) living a meaningful life without misery and abjection. Lifting trophies and celebrating wins is something, but not everything."

Tennis: Stefanos Tsitsipas pulls out of Wimbledon warm-up in Halle

Two people were killed in a shooting in the eastern German city of Halle on October 9 and a suspect was arrested, police said, with broadcasters showing images of an alleged perpetrator dressed in combat garb including a helmet.

Shooting Incident in Germany; Terror probe begins

An attack that killed at least two people <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gunman-kills-two-in-livestreamed-attack-at-german-synagogue-254847">in the German city of Halle</a> Wednesday was streamed live for 35 minutes, and eventually seen by some 2,200 people, the online platform Twitch said.

"The account owner streamed this horrific act live on Twitch for 35 minutes, during which time it was viewed by approximately five people," the livestream gaming platform posted on Twitter.

"A recording of the stream, which was automatically generated based on the account's settings, was viewed by approximately 2,200 people in the 30 minutes before the video was flagged and removed from Twitch," according to the platform, which is owned by Amazon.

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Once the video was removed, we shared the hash with an industry consortium to help prevent the proliferation of this content. We take this extremely seriously and are committed to working with industry peers, law enforcement, and any relevant parties to protect our community.
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In a copy of the video whose authenticity has not been confirmed by police, the gunman filmed himself launching into a diatribe against women and Jews, before carrying out an attack against a synagogue in the east German city on the holy day of Yom Kippur as well as at a Turkish restaurant.

According to Twitch, the account was created "about two months prior to streaming the shooting" and had only been used to attempt to stream once before.

"Twitch has a zero-tolerance policy against hateful conduct," it said.

"Once the video was removed, we shared the hash with an industry consortium to help prevent the proliferation of this content. We take this extremely seriously and are committed to working with industry peers, law enforcement, and any relevant parties to protect our community," Twitch said.

Twitch was acquired in 2014 by Amazon for $970 million, and has an estimated 15 million daily active users.

The shooter's method had disturbing similarities to those of the attacker in the deadly Christchurch mosque assault earlier this year.

The New Zealand shooting was livestreamed on Facebook in March, prompting governments to press social networks to prevent the airing of violent acts on their platforms.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned Wednesday's deadly shooting, her spokesman said, adding an expression of "solidarity for all Jews on the holy day of Yom Kippur."

An attack that killed at least two people in the German city of Halle Wednesday was streamed live for 35 minutes, and eventually seen by some 2,200 people, the online platform Twitch said.

An attack that killed at least two people in the German city of Halle Wednesday was streamed live for 35 minutes, and eventually seen by some 2,200 people, the online platform Twitch said. "The account owner streamed this horrific act live on Twitch for 35 minutes, during which time it was viewed by approximately five people," the livestream gaming platform posted on Twitter. "A recording of the stream, which was automatically generated based on the account's settings, was viewed by approximately 2,200 people in the 30 minutes before the video was flagged and removed from Twitch," according to the platform, which is owned by Amazon. Once the video was removed, we shared the hash with an industry consortium to help prevent the proliferation of this content. We take this extremely seriously and are committed to working with industry peers, law enforcement, and any relevant parties to protect our community. — Twitch (@Twitch) October 9, 2019 × In a copy of the video whose authenticity has not been confirmed by police, the gunman filmed himself launching into a diatribe against women and Jews, before carrying out an attack against a synagogue in the east German city on the holy day of Yom Kippur as well as at a Turkish restaurant. According to Twitch, the account was created "about two months prior to streaming the shooting" and had only been used to attempt to stream once before. "Twitch has a zero-tolerance policy against hateful conduct," it said. "Once the video was removed, we shared the hash with an industry consortium to help prevent the proliferation of this content. We take this extremely seriously and are committed to working with industry peers, law enforcement, and any relevant parties to protect our community," Twitch said. Twitch was acquired in 2014 by Amazon for $970 million, and has an estimated 15 million daily active users. The shooter's method had disturbing similarities to those of the attacker in the deadly Christchurch mosque assault earlier this year. The New Zealand shooting was livestreamed on Facebook in March, prompting governments to press social networks to prevent the airing of violent acts on their platforms. German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned Wednesday's deadly shooting, her spokesman said, adding an expression of "solidarity for all Jews on the holy day of Yom Kippur."

Horrific act in German town livestreamed for 35 minutes: Twitch

Shooting Incident in Germany: 2 Killed

A gunman who denounced Jews opened fire outside a German synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, and killed two people as he livestreamed his attack.

Several German media outlets said the perpetrator acted alone on Wednesday in the eastern German city of Halle. He fatally shot a woman outside the synagogue and a man inside a nearby kebab shop.

Two other people were seriously injured, but regional broadcaster MDR said their condition was not critical.

Police said they had detained one person, reported by German magazines Spiegel and Focus Online to be a 27-year-old German named Stephan B. His full name cannot be published under German privacy laws.

Video broadcast on Amazon's gaming subsidiary Twitch showed a young man with a shaven head first reciting a short statement in broken English while sitting in a parked car.

"I think the Holocaust never happened," he began, before adding "feminism is the cause of decline in birth rates in the West" and mentioning mass immigration. He concluded: "The root of all these problems is the Jew", before embarking on his shooting spree.

A spokeswoman for Amazon said Twitch "worked with urgency to remove this content and will permanently suspend any accounts found to be posting or reposting content of this abhorrent act."

In the video, the man drove to the synagogue, found the gates shut and unsuccessfully sought to force the gates open. He then shot several rounds at a woman passerby.

"We saw via the camera system at our synagogue that a heavily armed perpetrator with a steel helmet and a gun tried to shoot open our doors," Max Privorozki, Halle's Jewish community chairman, told the Stuttgarter Zeitung newspaper.

"We barricaded the doors from inside and waited for the police," he said, adding that about 70 to 80 people were inside the synagogue observing Yom Kippur, known as the Day of Atonement which is marked by fasting and solemn prayer.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported, without citing its source, that when he was detained the suspect had a wound to the neck and that security authorities suspected he had attempted suicide.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's government voiced outrage over the attack on Yom Kippur and urged tougher action against anti-Semitic violence.

Merkel visited a Berlin synagogue as around 200 people, some holding Israeli flags and candles, held a vigil outside. Merkel's spokesman tweeted: "We must oppose any form of anti-Semitism."

Rifat Tekin, who worked at the Halle kebab outlet, said he was making a kebab for two construction workers when a perpetrator threw an explosive at the restaurant before shooting.

"He was very calm, like a professional," Tekin told n-tv television. "He didn't say anything. He just kept coming and shooting ... I was hiding behind the salad counter."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent condolences to the victims' families and said in a Twitter post: "The terrorist attack against the community in Halle in Germany on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of our nation, is yet another expression that anti-Semitism is growing in Europe."

"I call upon the authorities in Germany to continue to work determinedly against the phenomenon of anti-Semitism."

Anti-semitism is a particularly sensitive issue in Germany, which during World War Two was responsible for the genocide of 6 million Jews in the Nazi Holocaust. Around 200,000 Jews live today in the country of around 83 million people.

Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said the shooting was anti-Semitic, adding: "According to the federal prosecutors' office, there are enough indications that it was possibly a right-wing extremist motive."

Despite comprehensive de-Nazification in the post-war era, fears of resurgent anti-Semitic hatred have never completely gone away, whether from fringe, far-right neo-Nazis or more recently from Muslim immigrants.

Occasional past attacks have ranged from the scrawling of Nazi swastikas on gravestones to firebombings at synagogues and even several murders. In recent years, cases of assault or verbal abuse, in some cases directed against people wearing traditional Jewish skullcaps, have raised an outcry.

A gunman who denounced Jews opened fire outside a German synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, and killed two people as he livestreamed his attack.

A gunman who denounced Jews opened fire outside a German synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, and killed two people as he livestreamed his attack. Several German media outlets said the perpetrator acted alone on Wednesday in the eastern German city of Halle. He fatally shot a woman outside the synagogue and a man inside a nearby kebab shop. Two other people were seriously injured, but regional broadcaster MDR said their condition was not critical. Police said they had detained one person, reported by German magazines Spiegel and Focus Online to be a 27-year-old German named Stephan B. His full name cannot be published under German privacy laws. Video broadcast on Amazon's gaming subsidiary Twitch showed a young man with a shaven head first reciting a short statement in broken English while sitting in a parked car. "I think the Holocaust never happened," he began, before adding "feminism is the cause of decline in birth rates in the West" and mentioning mass immigration. He concluded: "The root of all these problems is the Jew", before embarking on his shooting spree. A spokeswoman for Amazon said Twitch "worked with urgency to remove this content and will permanently suspend any accounts found to be posting or reposting content of this abhorrent act." In the video, the man drove to the synagogue, found the gates shut and unsuccessfully sought to force the gates open. He then shot several rounds at a woman passerby. "We saw via the camera system at our synagogue that a heavily armed perpetrator with a steel helmet and a gun tried to shoot open our doors," Max Privorozki, Halle's Jewish community chairman, told the Stuttgarter Zeitung newspaper. "We barricaded the doors from inside and waited for the police," he said, adding that about 70 to 80 people were inside the synagogue observing Yom Kippur, known as the Day of Atonement which is marked by fasting and solemn prayer. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported, without citing its source, that when he was detained the suspect had a wound to the neck and that security authorities suspected he had attempted suicide. Chancellor Angela Merkel's government voiced outrage over the attack on Yom Kippur and urged tougher action against anti-Semitic violence. Merkel visited a Berlin synagogue as around 200 people, some holding Israeli flags and candles, held a vigil outside. Merkel's spokesman tweeted: "We must oppose any form of anti-Semitism." Rifat Tekin, who worked at the Halle kebab outlet, said he was making a kebab for two construction workers when a perpetrator threw an explosive at the restaurant before shooting. "He was very calm, like a professional," Tekin told n-tv television. "He didn't say anything. He just kept coming and shooting ... I was hiding behind the salad counter." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent condolences to the victims' families and said in a Twitter post: "The terrorist attack against the community in Halle in Germany on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of our nation, is yet another expression that anti-Semitism is growing in Europe." "I call upon the authorities in Germany to continue to work determinedly against the phenomenon of anti-Semitism." Anti-semitism is a particularly sensitive issue in Germany, which during World War Two was responsible for the genocide of 6 million Jews in the Nazi Holocaust. Around 200,000 Jews live today in the country of around 83 million people. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said the shooting was anti-Semitic, adding: "According to the federal prosecutors' office, there are enough indications that it was possibly a right-wing extremist motive." Despite comprehensive de-Nazification in the post-war era, fears of resurgent anti-Semitic hatred have never completely gone away, whether from fringe, far-right neo-Nazis or more recently from Muslim immigrants. Occasional past attacks have ranged from the scrawling of Nazi swastikas on gravestones to firebombings at synagogues and even several murders. In recent years, cases of assault or verbal abuse, in some cases directed against people wearing traditional Jewish skullcaps, have raised an outcry.

Gunman kills two in livestreamed attack at German synagogue

Several shots were fired Wednesday in the eastern German city of Halle, leaving two people dead as the suspected assailants fled, police said.

2 killed in shooting in eastern Germany, 1 arrested

At least two people were shot dead on a street in the German city of Halle on Wednesday, police said, with media and witnesses reporting that a synagogue and a Turkish restaurant were the targets.

"Early indications show that two people were killed in Halle. Several shots were fired," said police on Twitter, urging residents in the area to stay indoors.

Police had earlier said the "perpetrators fled in a car" before saying later that one suspect had been caught.&nbsp;

It was not immediately clear whether there were other assailants.&nbsp;

The central train station has been closed while the area is under lockdown, rail company Deutsche Bahn said.

According to Bild daily, the shooting took place in front of a synagogue in the Paulus district, and a hand grenade was also flung into a Jewish cemetery. Police could not be reached immediately for confirmation.

Jews around the world were marking Yom Kippur, one of the holiest days in the Jewish calendar, on Wednesday.

An eyewitness, Konrad Roesler, told news channel NTV he was in a Turkish restaurant about 600 metres&nbsp;away from the synagogue when "a man wearing a helmet and military uniform" flung a hand grenade at the store.

"The grenade hit the door and exploded," he said.

"(The attacker) shot at least once in the shop, the man behind me must be dead. I hid in the toilet and locked the door."

Speaking to NTV, a police spokesman said the motive of the suspect or suspects was not clear.

"We don't have any indication about the motive of this act."

'Big threat'

Wednesday's shootings came three months after the shocking assassination-style murder of local pro-migrant politician Walter Luebcke in the western city of Kassel, allegedly by a known neo-Nazi.

Luebcke's killing has deeply shaken Germany, raising questions about whether it has failed to take seriously a rising threat from right-wing extremists.

Investigators have been probing the extent of suspect Stephan Ernst's neo-Nazi ties and whether he had links to the far-right militant cell National Socialist Underground (NSU).

Interior Minister Horst Seehofer last month warned of the rising danger of the militant far-right, calling it "as big a threat as radical Islamism".

Seehofer said that police had uncovered 1,091 weapons including firearms and explosives during probes of crimes linked to the far right last year, far more than in 2017 when 676 were found.

At the same time, Germany has also been on high alert following several jihadist attacks in recent years claimed by the Islamic State group.&nbsp;

At least two people were shot dead on a street in the German city of Halle on Wednesday, police said, with media and witnesses reporting that a synagogue and a Turkish restaurant were the targets.

At least two people were shot dead on a street in the German city of Halle on Wednesday, police said, with media and witnesses reporting that a synagogue and a Turkish restaurant were the targets. "Early indications show that two people were killed in Halle. Several shots were fired," said police on Twitter, urging residents in the area to stay indoors. Police had earlier said the "perpetrators fled in a car" before saying later that one suspect had been caught. It was not immediately clear whether there were other assailants. The central train station has been closed while the area is under lockdown, rail company Deutsche Bahn said. According to Bild daily, the shooting took place in front of a synagogue in the Paulus district, and a hand grenade was also flung into a Jewish cemetery. Police could not be reached immediately for confirmation. Jews around the world were marking Yom Kippur, one of the holiest days in the Jewish calendar, on Wednesday. An eyewitness, Konrad Roesler, told news channel NTV he was in a Turkish restaurant about 600 metres away from the synagogue when "a man wearing a helmet and military uniform" flung a hand grenade at the store. "The grenade hit the door and exploded," he said. "(The attacker) shot at least once in the shop, the man behind me must be dead. I hid in the toilet and locked the door." Speaking to NTV, a police spokesman said the motive of the suspect or suspects was not clear. "We don't have any indication about the motive of this act." 'Big threat' Wednesday's shootings came three months after the shocking assassination-style murder of local pro-migrant politician Walter Luebcke in the western city of Kassel, allegedly by a known neo-Nazi. Luebcke's killing has deeply shaken Germany, raising questions about whether it has failed to take seriously a rising threat from right-wing extremists. Investigators have been probing the extent of suspect Stephan Ernst's neo-Nazi ties and whether he had links to the far-right militant cell National Socialist Underground (NSU). Interior Minister Horst Seehofer last month warned of the rising danger of the militant far-right, calling it "as big a threat as radical Islamism". Seehofer said that police had uncovered 1,091 weapons including firearms and explosives during probes of crimes linked to the far right last year, far more than in 2017 when 676 were found. At the same time, Germany has also been on high alert following several jihadist attacks in recent years claimed by the Islamic State group.

Germany: Police say at least two killed in Halle shooting, country on high alert

French veteran Jo-Wilfried Tsonga believes he has nothing to lose against Roger Federer as he continues along the comeback trail in the second round of the ATP tournament in Halle this Thursday.

Tsonga, 34, missed seven months of last season due to knee surgery but has shown solid form this month upon his return to grass court tennis for the first time since 2017.

After reaching the second round in Stuttgart last week, the Frenchman beat compatriot Benoit Paire in straight sets in Halle on Tuesday to set up a second round fixture with Federer on Thursday.

"It is always special to play <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/halle-open-roger-federer-begins-grasscourt-season-with-win-over-john-millman-228558&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjR2fnKt_fiAhVOAogKHWG2AD0QFjAFegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0lnul5eNkR18zTFDZI1CqI">Federer</a>, I will give everything I've got," Tsonga told AFP.

"There is less pressure than usual, because there is no shame in losing to Roger Federer. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain,"&nbsp;Tsonga said.&nbsp;

The Frenchman is one of the few players who can boast of a perfect record on grass against eight-time Wimbledon champion Federer.

The two have met only once on the surface, a gruelling battle at Wimbledon in 2011, which Tsonga won after clawing back a two-set deficit.

"It's true I have never lost to him on grass, but that is only because we have only played once," said Tsonga.

"If we had played ten times, the roles would probably be reversed.It is a different situation now. I want to do well, but I am coming back from a long way away,"&nbsp;Tsonga added.

Once ranked number five in the world, Tsonga now sits at 77th in the ATP rankings, having slipped as low as 210th after his injury.

Tsonga told AFP he was happy with his return to the tour this season, but that he still felt the effects of his spell on the sidelines.

"I am still paying for it a bit after a whole year of not playing. It's as if I actually retired last year," he said.

"But I am happy, there have been no catastrophes. Physically, I am getting better and better each week," said&nbsp;Tsonga.&nbsp;

Speaking after his own first-round victory against John Millman, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/french-open-rafael-nadal-beats-roger-federer-to-reach-12th-final-225296&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiV8s38t_fiAhVK_GEKHdrEAXYQFjACegQIBhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2qXyVuD2QzBiCea2SZ2DWw">Federer </a>said he was happy to see Tsonga back on the court.

"We trained together in Miami a few weeks ago, and we get on well," said the world number three.

"Jo-Wilfried has shown in the past that he can beat me. Whether on hard court, clay or grass, he is always dangerous. It's a tough draw for the second round,"&nbsp;Federer said.

French veteran Jo-Wilfried Tsonga believes he has nothing to lose against Roger Federer as he continues along the comeback trail in the second round of the ATP tournament in Halle this Thursday.

French veteran Jo-Wilfried Tsonga believes he has nothing to lose against Roger Federer as he continues along the comeback trail in the second round of the ATP tournament in Halle this Thursday. Tsonga, 34, missed seven months of last season due to knee surgery but has shown solid form this month upon his return to grass court tennis for the first time since 2017. After reaching the second round in Stuttgart last week, the Frenchman beat compatriot Benoit Paire in straight sets in Halle on Tuesday to set up a second round fixture with Federer on Thursday. "It is always special to play Federer, I will give everything I've got," Tsonga told AFP. "There is less pressure than usual, because there is no shame in losing to Roger Federer. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain," Tsonga said. The Frenchman is one of the few players who can boast of a perfect record on grass against eight-time Wimbledon champion Federer. The two have met only once on the surface, a gruelling battle at Wimbledon in 2011, which Tsonga won after clawing back a two-set deficit. "It's true I have never lost to him on grass, but that is only because we have only played once," said Tsonga. "If we had played ten times, the roles would probably be reversed.It is a different situation now. I want to do well, but I am coming back from a long way away," Tsonga added. Once ranked number five in the world, Tsonga now sits at 77th in the ATP rankings, having slipped as low as 210th after his injury. Tsonga told AFP he was happy with his return to the tour this season, but that he still felt the effects of his spell on the sidelines. "I am still paying for it a bit after a whole year of not playing. It's as if I actually retired last year," he said. "But I am happy, there have been no catastrophes. Physically, I am getting better and better each week," said Tsonga. Speaking after his own first-round victory against John Millman, Federer said he was happy to see Tsonga back on the court. "We trained together in Miami a few weeks ago, and we get on well," said the world number three. "Jo-Wilfried has shown in the past that he can beat me. Whether on hard court, clay or grass, he is always dangerous. It's a tough draw for the second round," Federer said.

Halle Open: 'Nothing to lose,' says Jo-Wilfried Tsonga ahead of Roger Federer clash

Florian Mayer put more than a year of injury problems behind him to secure a 6-2 5-7 6-3 victory over teenager Alexander Zverev in an all-German final at the Halle Open on Sunday. 
 
The 32-year-old&#39;s triumph made him the first German to win at home in Halle since Tommy Haas in 2012. At 192 in the world, he also became the lowest-ranked tour-level winner since then-number 240 Nicolas Mahut&#39;s victory in Den Bosch in 2013. 
 
&quot;I wasn&#39;t sure I could play tennis six months ago so I am just really happy,&quot; said Mayer, sidelined for over 12 months with a groin injury before returning to the tour in Bucharest in April. &quot;It is the best feeling I have had on a tennis court.&quot; 
 
The win on grass in the pre-Wimbledon build-up tournament gave Mayer his second title, five years on from his maiden triumph on the clay of Bucharest, will put him back into the top 100 in the ATP rankings. In 2011, he was ranked 18th. 
 
Nineteen-year-old Zverev, who knocked out 17-times grand-slam champion Roger Federer in the semis and was seeking his first title, put up a good fight, particularly in the second set of the match between the two unseeded players. 
 
After losing the first set he reeled off nine of the first 10 points in the second, breaking in the opening game and consolidating for 2-0. The teenager then saved two match points before winning the set to force a decider. 
 
But Mayer broke to go 4-2 up and his steadier game gave him the title on his fifth match point after one hour 55 minutes. 
 
(Reuters)

He beat Alexander Zverev in an all-German final on Sunday

Florian Mayer put more than a year of injury problems behind him to secure a 6-2 5-7 6-3 victory over teenager Alexander Zverev in an all-German final at the Halle Open on Sunday. The 32-year-old's triumph made him the first German to win at home in Halle since Tommy Haas in 2012. At 192 in the world, he also became the lowest-ranked tour-level winner since then-number 240 Nicolas Mahut's victory in Den Bosch in 2013. "I wasn't sure I could play tennis six months ago so I am just really happy," said Mayer, sidelined for over 12 months with a groin injury before returning to the tour in Bucharest in April. "It is the best feeling I have had on a tennis court." The win on grass in the pre-Wimbledon build-up tournament gave Mayer his second title, five years on from his maiden triumph on the clay of Bucharest, will put him back into the top 100 in the ATP rankings. In 2011, he was ranked 18th. Nineteen-year-old Zverev, who knocked out 17-times grand-slam champion Roger Federer in the semis and was seeking his first title, put up a good fight, particularly in the second set of the match between the two unseeded players. After losing the first set he reeled off nine of the first 10 points in the second, breaking in the opening game and consolidating for 2-0. The teenager then saved two match points before winning the set to force a decider. But Mayer broke to go 4-2 up and his steadier game gave him the title on his fifth match point after one hour 55 minutes. (Reuters)

Mayer puts injury struggles behind him to win Halle title

Roger Federer&#39;s bid to win a ninth Halle Open title was ended in the semi-final on Saturday by German teenager Alexander Zverev. The 19-year-old defeated the 17-time Grand Slam champion 7-6(4) 5-7 6-3. 
 
Reigning champion Federer, on the comeback trail after back problems, was looking to reach the final of his traditional pre-Wimbledon tune-up in Germany for an unprecedented 11th time, but found the big-serving 19-year-old home favourite too formidable. 
 
The Swiss world number three had not lost to a teenager for nearly 10 years since the young Andy Murray beat him in Cincinnati in 2006, which gives an indication of Zverev&#39;s considerable potential. 
 
World number 38 Zverev, who had lost to Federer in their only previous meeting in May, dropped just four points on serve in the 39-minute opening set, blasting 14 winners as he took the tiebreak 7-4. 
 
Federer earned a break of serve at 5-5 with a beautiful dropshot in the second set to restore parity but Zverev, the son of a former Russian player with the same name, responded strongly to dethrone the reigning Halle champion. 
 
Zverev will meet the winner of the other semi between Austrian Dominic Thiem and German Florian Mayer. 
(Reuters)

The Swiss maestro lost to German teenager Alexander Zverev

Roger Federer's bid to win a ninth Halle Open title was ended in the semi-final on Saturday by German teenager Alexander Zverev. The 19-year-old defeated the 17-time Grand Slam champion 7-6(4) 5-7 6-3. Reigning champion Federer, on the comeback trail after back problems, was looking to reach the final of his traditional pre-Wimbledon tune-up in Germany for an unprecedented 11th time, but found the big-serving 19-year-old home favourite too formidable. The Swiss world number three had not lost to a teenager for nearly 10 years since the young Andy Murray beat him in Cincinnati in 2006, which gives an indication of Zverev's considerable potential. World number 38 Zverev, who had lost to Federer in their only previous meeting in May, dropped just four points on serve in the 39-minute opening set, blasting 14 winners as he took the tiebreak 7-4. Federer earned a break of serve at 5-5 with a beautiful dropshot in the second set to restore parity but Zverev, the son of a former Russian player with the same name, responded strongly to dethrone the reigning Halle champion. Zverev will meet the winner of the other semi between Austrian Dominic Thiem and German Florian Mayer. (Reuters)

Federer humbled in Halle

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