Elena Rybakina ended defending champion Iga Swiatek's 10-match winning streak in Stuttgart on Saturday to reach the final of the clay-court tournament.

Fourth seed Rybakina came through their semi-final clash 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, stunning the Polish world number one who had captured the last two titles at the German event.

Rybakina will face Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, who defeated Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 in Saturday's second semi-final, for the title.

Rybakina now boasts a 4-2 career head-to-head record against four-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek and will be playing in her fifth final of 2024 on Sunday.

"Like always it was a very tough match," Rybakina said of her opponent. "My serve helped me a lot in important moments. I was fighting for the ball.

"It was such a close match. I'm really happy I managed to win and could show a good game."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/its-unacceptable-pep-guardiola-goes-ballistic-on-scheduling-nightmare-after-fa-cup-win-713554">'It's unacceptable': Pep Guardiola goes ballistic on scheduling nightmare after FA Cup win</a>

Winners of the Stuttgart tournament, sponsored by German automobile company Porsche, receive a car but Rybakina revealed the prize would be of little use.

"I actually don't have a driver's licence," said Rybakina, 24, who has titles to her name this season in Adelaide and Abu Dhabi and runners-up spots at Doha and Miami.

Kostyuk took just one hour 35 minutes to beat world number eight Vondrousova, just a day after coming through a three-set epic against US Open champion and world number three Coco Gauff.

"I don't think a lot of people know but I started my career 0-14 against top 10 players so I'm really trying to catch up," said world number 27 Kostyuk who also eliminated seventh-ranked Zheng Qinwen earlier in the week.

"These are some of the best players in the world in the last year and it's incredible to beat all of them -- and I'm hoping for a Grand Slam too for myself one day."

The 21-year-old Ukrainian will play in her second final of the season, having finished runner-up to Katie Boulter at the San Diego Open in March.

It will be her third career final having claimed her maiden WTA title in Austin last season.

Elena Rybakina ended defending champion Iga Swiatek's 10-match winning streak in Stuttgart on Saturday to reach the final of the clay-court tournament. Fourth seed Rybakina came through their semi-final clash 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, stunning the Polish world number one who had captured the last two titles at the German event.

Elena Rybakina ended defending champion Iga Swiatek's 10-match winning streak in Stuttgart on Saturday to reach the final of the clay-court tournament. Fourth seed Rybakina came through their semi-final clash 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, stunning the Polish world number one who had captured the last two titles at the German event. Rybakina will face Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, who defeated Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 in Saturday's second semi-final, for the title. Rybakina now boasts a 4-2 career head-to-head record against four-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek and will be playing in her fifth final of 2024 on Sunday. "Like always it was a very tough match," Rybakina said of her opponent. "My serve helped me a lot in important moments. I was fighting for the ball. "It was such a close match. I'm really happy I managed to win and could show a good game." ALSO READ: 'It's unacceptable': Pep Guardiola goes ballistic on scheduling nightmare after FA Cup win Winners of the Stuttgart tournament, sponsored by German automobile company Porsche, receive a car but Rybakina revealed the prize would be of little use. "I actually don't have a driver's licence," said Rybakina, 24, who has titles to her name this season in Adelaide and Abu Dhabi and runners-up spots at Doha and Miami. Kostyuk took just one hour 35 minutes to beat world number eight Vondrousova, just a day after coming through a three-set epic against US Open champion and world number three Coco Gauff. "I don't think a lot of people know but I started my career 0-14 against top 10 players so I'm really trying to catch up," said world number 27 Kostyuk who also eliminated seventh-ranked Zheng Qinwen earlier in the week. "These are some of the best players in the world in the last year and it's incredible to beat all of them -- and I'm hoping for a Grand Slam too for myself one day." The 21-year-old Ukrainian will play in her second final of the season, having finished runner-up to Katie Boulter at the San Diego Open in March. It will be her third career final having claimed her maiden WTA title in Austin last season.

Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: Elena Rybakina ends Swiatek's winning run to set up final clash with Marta Kostyuk

World number one and defending champion Iga Swiatek took her Stuttgart winning streak to 10 matches on Friday with a straight sets quarter-final victory over Emma Raducanu while title rivals Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff suffered shock defeats.

Top seed Swiatek, the 2022 and 2023 champion at the German clay-court tournament, saw off former US Open champion Raducanu 7-6 (7/2), 6-3.

Reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova beat world number two and three-time Stuttgart runner-up Sabalenka 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

US Open champion Gauff, the world number three, fell 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) to Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/swimming-titmus-fastest-400m-freestyle-record-of-2024-fires-warning-signs-ahead-of-paris-olympics-713104">Swimming: Titmus' fastest 400m freestyle record of 2024 fires warning signs ahead of Paris Olympics</a>

The 22-year-old Swiatek needed just over two hours to defeat Raducanu who was playing in her first quarter-final since 2022.

"She started playing at the beginning pretty loose, like she had nothing to lose, and I totally get that. Sometimes it is like that," said Swiatek. "But I knew I was kind of questioning if she's going to be able to keep the same intensity throughout the whole match. It wasn't about service games or return games. I was just waiting for my chances to break back and I was sure that I'm going to get them."

Despite her loss, there were encouraging signs of a return to form for Raducanu.

Her two wins for Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup win against France last weekend followed by two victories in Stuttgart mark the first time she has won four matches in a row since her 2021 US Open title triumph.

The former world number 10 came into Stuttgart ranked at 303. Twelve months ago, Stuttgart proved to be her final event of 2023 before undergoing surgery on both wrists and her ankle.

<h2>- Kostyuk fightback -</h2>

Swiatek will face fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina, who defeated Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, for a place in the final.

Vondrousova reached her first semi-final since clinching the Wimbledon title last July when she stunned Sabalenka.

The sixth-seeded Czech celebrated her first win over Sabalenka in six years after losing four in a row between 2018 and 2023.

Australian Open champion Sabalenka had been attempting to make the Stuttgart final for a fourth successive year.

The powerful Belarusian crunched 35 winners to Vondrousova's 17, but committed 48 unforced errors compared to 19.

Vondrousova crucially converted seven of eight break points while Sabalenka only capitalised six times from 15 opportunities.

Vondrousova will face Kostyuk for a place in Sunday's final after the 27th-ranked Ukrainian avenged her Australian Open quarter-final loss to Gauff.

The 21-year-old Kostyuk had needed over three hours to defeat Laura Siegemund in the first round before saving five match points to get past Zheng Qinwen in the last 16.

On Friday, she battled back from 4-2 in the second set and 3-1 down in the third while Gauff had to save a total of seven match points.&nbsp;

The Ukrainian carved out 21 break points in all and hit 35 winners as she reached her third semi-final of 2024.

"Well, definitely means a lot, because to be consistent in tennis, it takes a lot of work and a lot of discipline," Kostyuk told wtatennis.com. "Everything around you has to work really well."

World number one and defending champion Iga Swiatek took her Stuttgart winning streak to 10 matches on Friday with a straight sets quarter-final victory over Emma Raducanu while title rivals Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff suffered shock defeats.

World number one and defending champion Iga Swiatek took her Stuttgart winning streak to 10 matches on Friday with a straight sets quarter-final victory over Emma Raducanu while title rivals Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff suffered shock defeats. Top seed Swiatek, the 2022 and 2023 champion at the German clay-court tournament, saw off former US Open champion Raducanu 7-6 (7/2), 6-3. Reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova beat world number two and three-time Stuttgart runner-up Sabalenka 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. US Open champion Gauff, the world number three, fell 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) to Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk. ALSO READ: Swimming: Titmus' fastest 400m freestyle record of 2024 fires warning signs ahead of Paris Olympics The 22-year-old Swiatek needed just over two hours to defeat Raducanu who was playing in her first quarter-final since 2022. "She started playing at the beginning pretty loose, like she had nothing to lose, and I totally get that. Sometimes it is like that," said Swiatek. "But I knew I was kind of questioning if she's going to be able to keep the same intensity throughout the whole match. It wasn't about service games or return games. I was just waiting for my chances to break back and I was sure that I'm going to get them." Despite her loss, there were encouraging signs of a return to form for Raducanu. Her two wins for Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup win against France last weekend followed by two victories in Stuttgart mark the first time she has won four matches in a row since her 2021 US Open title triumph. The former world number 10 came into Stuttgart ranked at 303. Twelve months ago, Stuttgart proved to be her final event of 2023 before undergoing surgery on both wrists and her ankle. - Kostyuk fightback - Swiatek will face fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina, who defeated Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, for a place in the final. Vondrousova reached her first semi-final since clinching the Wimbledon title last July when she stunned Sabalenka. The sixth-seeded Czech celebrated her first win over Sabalenka in six years after losing four in a row between 2018 and 2023. Australian Open champion Sabalenka had been attempting to make the Stuttgart final for a fourth successive year. The powerful Belarusian crunched 35 winners to Vondrousova's 17, but committed 48 unforced errors compared to 19. Vondrousova crucially converted seven of eight break points while Sabalenka only capitalised six times from 15 opportunities. Vondrousova will face Kostyuk for a place in Sunday's final after the 27th-ranked Ukrainian avenged her Australian Open quarter-final loss to Gauff. The 21-year-old Kostyuk had needed over three hours to defeat Laura Siegemund in the first round before saving five match points to get past Zheng Qinwen in the last 16. On Friday, she battled back from 4-2 in the second set and 3-1 down in the third while Gauff had to save a total of seven match points. The Ukrainian carved out 21 break points in all and hit 35 winners as she reached her third semi-final of 2024. "Well, definitely means a lot, because to be consistent in tennis, it takes a lot of work and a lot of discipline," Kostyuk told wtatennis.com. "Everything around you has to work really well."

Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: Iga Swiatek continues winning run as Sabalenka, Gauff suffer shock defeats

Third-seeded Casper Ruud defeated 14th-seeded Jordan Thompson 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell on Thursday in Spain. Ruud, of Norway, won the first five games of the first set and overcame four aces by the Australian to capture the match in 73 minutes. Ruud will face Italian Matteo Arnaldi in the next round.

Fourth-seeded Alex de Minaur of Australia was unable to follow up the momentum of his victory over Rafael Nadal on Wednesday, as he dropped a 7-5, 6-2 decision to 16th-seeded Arthur Fils of France. Other seeded winners included No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, No. 12 Cameron Norrie of Great Britain and No. 13 Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina.

Eleventh-seeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain and 17th-seeded Fabian Marozsan were not as fortunate. The former dropped a 7-6 (10), 3-6, 6-1 decision to Dusan Lajovic of Serbia, while the latter fell 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to Facundo Diaz Acosta of Argentina.

Tiriac Open

Marton Fucsovics of Hungary recorded a 7-5, 6-1 win over second-seeded Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands to advance to the third round in Bucharest, Romania. Fucsovics fired five aces and overcame two double faults to dispatch Griekspoor in 91 minutes. In the quarterfinals, he will face Frenchman Corentin Moutet, who upended seventh-seeded Nuno Borges of Portugal 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-2.

Wild card Joao Fonseca of Brazil defeated Moldovan qualifier Radu Albot 7-6 (2), 6-2, as he broke Albot's serve three times in four chances.

BMW Open

Second-seeded Holger Rune of Denmark notched a 6-4, 6-2 win over Daniel Elahi Galan of Colombia to advance to the third round in Munich. Rune benefited from seven aces and won 92.9 percent of his first-serve points (26 of 28) to capture the match in one hour, 39 minutes.

No. 3 seed Taylor Fritz, No. 4 Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany and No. 5 Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada were also victorious. Fritz breezed to a 6-3, 6-1 win over Alejandro Moro Canas of Sapin, Struff outlasted Botic Van De Zandschulp of the Netherlands 7-6 (0), 6-4 and Auger-Aliassime notched a 6-3, 6-2 win over Taro Daniel of Japan.

Cristian Garin of Chile and Swiss qualifier Marc-Andre Huesler also won their matches.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wta-roundup-young-sensation-coco-gauff-downs-another-american-in-stuttgart-712435">WTA roundup: Young sensation Coco Gauff downs another American in Stuttgart</a>

<h2 data-label="Package" data-qa-component="item-headline" data-rc-highlight="headline" dir="auto" title="WTA roundup: Iga Swiatek remains perfect in Stuttgart">WTA roundup:&nbsp;Iga&nbsp;Swiatek remains perfect in Stuttgart</h2>

No. 1 seed&nbsp;Iga&nbsp;Swiatek of Poland swept past Belgium's Elise Mertens 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday to reach the quarterfinals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany. Swiatek -- the two-time defending champion who has never lost a match in Stuttgart -- saved 5 of 7 break points while going 4-for-6 in breaking Mertens.

The four-time Grand Slam champion's next opponent will be 2021 U.S. Open winner Emma Raducanu of Great Britain. Raducanu, who is on the comeback trail after wrist and ankle surgeries this time last year, beat Czech teenager Linda Noskova 6-0, 7-5.

Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk saved five match points in the 10th game of the third set while rallying to vanquish Chinese fifth seed Qinwen Zheng 6-2, 4-6, 7-5. Italy's Jasmine Paolini upset No. 7 seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia 7-6 (8), 6-4, while No. 4 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and No. 6 Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic both advanced.

Third-seeded Casper Ruud defeated 14th-seeded Jordan Thompson 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell on Thursday in Spain. Ruud, of Norway, won the first five games of the first set and overcame four aces by the Australian to capture the match in 73 minutes.

Third-seeded Casper Ruud defeated 14th-seeded Jordan Thompson 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell on Thursday in Spain. Ruud, of Norway, won the first five games of the first set and overcame four aces by the Australian to capture the match in 73 minutes. Ruud will face Italian Matteo Arnaldi in the next round. Fourth-seeded Alex de Minaur of Australia was unable to follow up the momentum of his victory over Rafael Nadal on Wednesday, as he dropped a 7-5, 6-2 decision to 16th-seeded Arthur Fils of France. Other seeded winners included No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, No. 12 Cameron Norrie of Great Britain and No. 13 Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina. Eleventh-seeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain and 17th-seeded Fabian Marozsan were not as fortunate. The former dropped a 7-6 (10), 3-6, 6-1 decision to Dusan Lajovic of Serbia, while the latter fell 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to Facundo Diaz Acosta of Argentina. Tiriac Open Marton Fucsovics of Hungary recorded a 7-5, 6-1 win over second-seeded Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands to advance to the third round in Bucharest, Romania. Fucsovics fired five aces and overcame two double faults to dispatch Griekspoor in 91 minutes. In the quarterfinals, he will face Frenchman Corentin Moutet, who upended seventh-seeded Nuno Borges of Portugal 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-2. Wild card Joao Fonseca of Brazil defeated Moldovan qualifier Radu Albot 7-6 (2), 6-2, as he broke Albot's serve three times in four chances. BMW Open Second-seeded Holger Rune of Denmark notched a 6-4, 6-2 win over Daniel Elahi Galan of Colombia to advance to the third round in Munich. Rune benefited from seven aces and won 92.9 percent of his first-serve points (26 of 28) to capture the match in one hour, 39 minutes. No. 3 seed Taylor Fritz, No. 4 Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany and No. 5 Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada were also victorious. Fritz breezed to a 6-3, 6-1 win over Alejandro Moro Canas of Sapin, Struff outlasted Botic Van De Zandschulp of the Netherlands 7-6 (0), 6-4 and Auger-Aliassime notched a 6-3, 6-2 win over Taro Daniel of Japan. Cristian Garin of Chile and Swiss qualifier Marc-Andre Huesler also won their matches. Also read: WTA roundup: Young sensation Coco Gauff downs another American in Stuttgart WTA roundup: Iga Swiatek remains perfect in Stuttgart No. 1 seed Iga Swiatek of Poland swept past Belgium's Elise Mertens 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday to reach the quarterfinals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany. Swiatek -- the two-time defending champion who has never lost a match in Stuttgart -- saved 5 of 7 break points while going 4-for-6 in breaking Mertens. The four-time Grand Slam champion's next opponent will be 2021 U.S. Open winner Emma Raducanu of Great Britain. Raducanu, who is on the comeback trail after wrist and ankle surgeries this time last year, beat Czech teenager Linda Noskova 6-0, 7-5. Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk saved five match points in the 10th game of the third set while rallying to vanquish Chinese fifth seed Qinwen Zheng 6-2, 4-6, 7-5. Italy's Jasmine Paolini upset No. 7 seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia 7-6 (8), 6-4, while No. 4 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and No. 6 Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic both advanced.

ATP roundup: Norway's Casper Ruud marches ahead in Barcelona

Rafael Nadal's comeback in the Barcelona Open made heads turn. While he moved past his opponent with ease in the first round, the Spaniard ended his campaign early with a straight sets loss to Alex De Minaur in the second round on Thursday (April 17). Nadal was tested by the Australian all throughout the contest and eventually lost 5-7, 1-6 to bow out of the clay court competition.&nbsp;

In a match that lasted under two hours, Nadal's fitness was tested by De Minaur by virtue of the latter's&nbsp;agility and strategic use of drop shots. The former world number one did give a fight in the opening set but lost 5-7. However, the second set was a one-sided affair as the Australian's momentum only grew stronger, where he achieved a double break lead and showcased an impenetrable service game. With this, he made sure Nadal was unable to score a single point on his&nbsp;serves.

Following this win, De Minaur improved his overall head-to-head record versus Nadal, as he now trails the legendary player 2-3. Moreover, the 25-year-old achieved a huge feat of becoming the first-ever Australian to defeat Nadal on clay court. The Aussie will now lock horns with&nbsp;either the 16th seed Arthur Fils or German contender Daniel Altmaier in the next round.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-rafael-nadal-wins-on-comeback-enters-second-round-in-barcelona-open-712279">Tennis: Rafael Nadal wins on comeback, enters second round in Barcelona Open</a>

For Nadal, even though he bowed out of the Barca Open in the second round itself, his dominance in the competition remains unparalleled, comprising&nbsp;a remarkable record of 67-5 across 17 editions of the tournament. Coming from a lengthy injury layoff, not much was expected of him but he would be disappointed to have exited in the Round of 32 itself with the French Open not far away.

Notably, the 37-year-old has made a direct entry into the forthcoming Roland Garros&nbsp;via protected ranking.&nbsp;

Rafael Nadal's comeback in the Barcelona Open made heads turn. While he moved past his opponent with ease in the first round, the Spaniard ended his campaign early with a straight sets loss to Alex De Minaur in the second round on Thursday (April 17).

Rafael Nadal's comeback in the Barcelona Open made heads turn. While he moved past his opponent with ease in the first round, the Spaniard ended his campaign early with a straight sets loss to Alex De Minaur in the second round on Thursday (April 17). Nadal was tested by the Australian all throughout the contest and eventually lost 5-7, 1-6 to bow out of the clay court competition. In a match that lasted under two hours, Nadal's fitness was tested by De Minaur by virtue of the latter's agility and strategic use of drop shots. The former world number one did give a fight in the opening set but lost 5-7. However, the second set was a one-sided affair as the Australian's momentum only grew stronger, where he achieved a double break lead and showcased an impenetrable service game. With this, he made sure Nadal was unable to score a single point on his serves. Following this win, De Minaur improved his overall head-to-head record versus Nadal, as he now trails the legendary player 2-3. Moreover, the 25-year-old achieved a huge feat of becoming the first-ever Australian to defeat Nadal on clay court. The Aussie will now lock horns with either the 16th seed Arthur Fils or German contender Daniel Altmaier in the next round. Also read: Tennis: Rafael Nadal wins on comeback, enters second round in Barcelona Open For Nadal, even though he bowed out of the Barca Open in the second round itself, his dominance in the competition remains unparalleled, comprising a remarkable record of 67-5 across 17 editions of the tournament. Coming from a lengthy injury layoff, not much was expected of him but he would be disappointed to have exited in the Round of 32 itself with the French Open not far away. Notably, the 37-year-old has made a direct entry into the forthcoming Roland Garros via protected ranking.

Rafael Nadal's Barcelona Open campaign ends early with straight sets loss to Alex De Minaur

No. 3 seed Coco Gauff outlasted Sachia Vickery for a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 win on Wednesday in an all-American, second-round match at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany. Gauff overcame a 4-2 deficit in the third set and 15 double faults for the match to continue her dominance against fellow Americans. Jessica Pegula has been the only countrywoman to top Gauff since Sofia Kenin beat her in the first round at Wimbledon in 2023.

Also headed to the quarterfinals is second-seeded Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, who was in a 7-6 (4), 4-6, 3-3 battle with Paula Badosa of Spain when Badosa retired due to a left thigh injury. Seventh seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia, Great Britain's Emma Raducanu, Russian Anastasia Potapova and Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk prevailed in first-round matches on Wednesday.

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Open Capfinances Rouen Metropole

Fifth-seeded Russian Mirra Andreeva and No. 6 seed Sloane Stephens of the United States both warded off upsets by completing sweeps to advance to the quarterfinals at Rouen, France.

Andreeva downed countrywoman Elina Avanesyan 7-5, 6-4, while Stephens ousted the Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-2. Italian Martina Trevisan posted a 6-4, 6-2 win over Japan's Naomi Osaka while Slovakia's Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, Poland's Magda Linette and Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania also won in straight sets.

France's Varvara Gracheva defeated Bulgarian Viktoriya Tomova 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 in the only match of the day that saw a third set.

No. 3 seed Coco Gauff outlasted Sachia Vickery for a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 win on Wednesday in an all-American, second-round match at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany.

No. 3 seed Coco Gauff outlasted Sachia Vickery for a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 win on Wednesday in an all-American, second-round match at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany. Gauff overcame a 4-2 deficit in the third set and 15 double faults for the match to continue her dominance against fellow Americans. Jessica Pegula has been the only countrywoman to top Gauff since Sofia Kenin beat her in the first round at Wimbledon in 2023. Also headed to the quarterfinals is second-seeded Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, who was in a 7-6 (4), 4-6, 3-3 battle with Paula Badosa of Spain when Badosa retired due to a left thigh injury. Seventh seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia, Great Britain's Emma Raducanu, Russian Anastasia Potapova and Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk prevailed in first-round matches on Wednesday. Also read: Paris Olympics 2024: LeBron James to lead USA's All-Star basketball Dream Team Open Capfinances Rouen Metropole Fifth-seeded Russian Mirra Andreeva and No. 6 seed Sloane Stephens of the United States both warded off upsets by completing sweeps to advance to the quarterfinals at Rouen, France. Andreeva downed countrywoman Elina Avanesyan 7-5, 6-4, while Stephens ousted the Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-2. Italian Martina Trevisan posted a 6-4, 6-2 win over Japan's Naomi Osaka while Slovakia's Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, Poland's Magda Linette and Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania also won in straight sets. France's Varvara Gracheva defeated Bulgarian Viktoriya Tomova 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 in the only match of the day that saw a third set.

WTA roundup: Young sensation Coco Gauff downs another American in Stuttgart

Rafael&nbsp;Nadal&nbsp;beat Flavio Cobolli at the Barcelona Open on Tuesday (April 16) in his first tournament since January and first appearance on clay since the 2022 French Open.

The Spaniard ran out a comfortable 6-2 6-3 winner over Italian Cobolli to set up a round of 16 match against Australia's Alex de Minaur.

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Second seed Andrey Rublev of Russia crashed out of the tournament with the world number eight beaten 6-4 7-6(6) by 22-year-old American Brandon Nakashima.

Spaniard Jaume Munar eased through with a 6-3 6-1 victory over Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan.

Rafael Nadal beat Flavio Cobolli at the Barcelona Open on Tuesday (April 16) in his first tournament since January and first appearance on clay since the 2022 French Open.

Rafael Nadal beat Flavio Cobolli at the Barcelona Open on Tuesday (April 16) in his first tournament since January and first appearance on clay since the 2022 French Open. The Spaniard ran out a comfortable 6-2 6-3 winner over Italian Cobolli to set up a round of 16 match against Australia's Alex de Minaur. Also Read: India's first Olympic Studies and Research Centre to open in Gujarat Second seed Andrey Rublev of Russia crashed out of the tournament with the world number eight beaten 6-4 7-6(6) by 22-year-old American Brandon Nakashima. Spaniard Jaume Munar eased through with a 6-3 6-1 victory over Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan.

Tennis: Rafael Nadal wins on comeback, enters second round in Barcelona Open

World number three Coco Gauff is full of optimism heading into the claycourt season as she targets a first French Open crown but the American said her immediate focus was on ending her trophy drought on the surface over the coming weeks. Gauff last won a title on clay at the Emilia-Romagna Open in 2021, a year before losing in the Roland Garros final to Iga Swiatek.

The 20-year-old will have the chance to end that barren run in Stuttgart this week, with tournaments in Madrid and Rome also on the horizon before the second Grand Slam of the year. "For the clay season this year, I'm really optimistic," she told reporters ahead of her match against fellow American Sachia Vickery later on Wednesday. "Obviously the goal is to win the French Open, but that's every season for any top player. Your goals should be to try to win the big tournaments.

"But I'm not looking at French Open right now. I'm focused on Stuttgart. I want to try to win Madrid or Rome or here ... I just want to get a recent clay title under my belt. So any of the ones along the next couple weeks would be nice."

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The U.S. Open champion has added former coach Jean-Cristophe Faurel to her team alongside Brad Gilbert, as she looks to claim a second Grand Slam crown. Gauff has posted good results on clay with Faurel in her corner, notably winning the 2018 Roland Garros junior title.

"It's nice to have someone on my team that knows me since I was young and knows me well," added Gauff, who stopped working with the Frenchman in 2020. "So I'm really excited to have him back on the team."

The French Open main draw will begin on May 26. Gauff reached the quarter-finals last year.

World number three Coco Gauff is full of optimism heading into the claycourt season as she targets a first French Open crown but the American said her immediate focus was on ending her trophy drought on the surface over the coming weeks.

World number three Coco Gauff is full of optimism heading into the claycourt season as she targets a first French Open crown but the American said her immediate focus was on ending her trophy drought on the surface over the coming weeks. Gauff last won a title on clay at the Emilia-Romagna Open in 2021, a year before losing in the Roland Garros final to Iga Swiatek. The 20-year-old will have the chance to end that barren run in Stuttgart this week, with tournaments in Madrid and Rome also on the horizon before the second Grand Slam of the year. "For the clay season this year, I'm really optimistic," she told reporters ahead of her match against fellow American Sachia Vickery later on Wednesday. "Obviously the goal is to win the French Open, but that's every season for any top player. Your goals should be to try to win the big tournaments. "But I'm not looking at French Open right now. I'm focused on Stuttgart. I want to try to win Madrid or Rome or here ... I just want to get a recent clay title under my belt. So any of the ones along the next couple weeks would be nice." Also read: Formula One: Mercedes announces a WHOPPING turnover for 2023 season The U.S. Open champion has added former coach Jean-Cristophe Faurel to her team alongside Brad Gilbert, as she looks to claim a second Grand Slam crown. Gauff has posted good results on clay with Faurel in her corner, notably winning the 2018 Roland Garros junior title. "It's nice to have someone on my team that knows me since I was young and knows me well," added Gauff, who stopped working with the Frenchman in 2020. "So I'm really excited to have him back on the team." The French Open main draw will begin on May 26. Gauff reached the quarter-finals last year.

Tennis: Coco Gauff eager to end claycourt trophy drought before French Open

Rafael Nadal has confirmed he will play this week's Barcelona Open in what will be the Spaniard's first tournament since January and first appearance on clay since the 2022 French Open.

"I arrived here a bit like in a last-minute decision as I didn't know if I was going to be able to play," the 22-time Grand Slam champion told a news conference on Monday (April 15).

"Tomorrow I'm going to be on the court."

The 37-year-old, whose last ATP Tour match was in Brisbane before he pulled out of the Australian Open, withdrew from last week's Monte Carlo Masters saying his body was not yet ready for competition.

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Former world number one Nadal has said he expects to retire after the 2024 season but is keen to play at the French Open where he has won a record 14 titles. However, his struggle to recover from the hip flexor surgery has cast doubts on whether he can continue his career.

His opening match in Barcelona, where he has won a record 12 titles and the main court is named in his honour, will be against 21-year-old Italian Flavio Cobolli.

Addressing the media after practising on Monday, Nadal said it was a gift to be able to compete in Barcelona.

"I thought 'Can I or can't I?' It has been a difficult two years. I come from a major hip operation, which takes time to recover," he told reporters. "Things happen in the body and I couldn't follow the schedule I wanted...

"My last year and I want to enjoy every moment. I feel ready to play tomorrow. I don't think about how I get there. I know what the situation is, that I'm just preparing, but I'm realistic. For me, being here is a joy."

Nadal, whose dazzling career has included battles with various injuries, said he had practised well in Barcelona.

"I don't know what will happen in the future, but I am going to try to give myself the best opportunity," he said.

"The week of training has been positive and I am living with the hope of doing my best. I can't give you an injury update because the list is long. I can only tell you that today I feel good enough to be on court tomorrow and that means a lot."

Nadal's last clay court match saw him thrashing Casper Ruud in the final of the 2022 French Open.

&nbsp;

Rafael Nadal has confirmed he will play this week's Barcelona Open in what will be the Spaniard's first tournament since January and first appearance on clay since the 2022 French Open.

Rafael Nadal has confirmed he will play this week's Barcelona Open in what will be the Spaniard's first tournament since January and first appearance on clay since the 2022 French Open. "I arrived here a bit like in a last-minute decision as I didn't know if I was going to be able to play," the 22-time Grand Slam champion told a news conference on Monday (April 15). "Tomorrow I'm going to be on the court." The 37-year-old, whose last ATP Tour match was in Brisbane before he pulled out of the Australian Open, withdrew from last week's Monte Carlo Masters saying his body was not yet ready for competition. Also Read: Paris Olympics opening ceremony could be moved in case of terror threat, hints Emmanuel Macron Former world number one Nadal has said he expects to retire after the 2024 season but is keen to play at the French Open where he has won a record 14 titles. However, his struggle to recover from the hip flexor surgery has cast doubts on whether he can continue his career. His opening match in Barcelona, where he has won a record 12 titles and the main court is named in his honour, will be against 21-year-old Italian Flavio Cobolli. Addressing the media after practising on Monday, Nadal said it was a gift to be able to compete in Barcelona. "I thought 'Can I or can't I?' It has been a difficult two years. I come from a major hip operation, which takes time to recover," he told reporters. "Things happen in the body and I couldn't follow the schedule I wanted... "My last year and I want to enjoy every moment. I feel ready to play tomorrow. I don't think about how I get there. I know what the situation is, that I'm just preparing, but I'm realistic. For me, being here is a joy." Nadal, whose dazzling career has included battles with various injuries, said he had practised well in Barcelona. "I don't know what will happen in the future, but I am going to try to give myself the best opportunity," he said. "The week of training has been positive and I am living with the hope of doing my best. I can't give you an injury update because the list is long. I can only tell you that today I feel good enough to be on court tomorrow and that means a lot." Nadal's last clay court match saw him thrashing Casper Ruud in the final of the 2022 French Open.

Tennis: Rafael Nadal confirms comeback, to play in Barcelona Open

World number three Carlos Alcaraz has cast doubt on his Madrid Open title defence later this month as the Spaniard nurses a right arm injury that has forced him to miss key tune-up events for the French Open. The 20-year-old successfully defended his Indian Wells title last month and then reached the Miami Open quarter-finals before sustaining the injury in his first practise session for the Monte Carlo Masters.

The two-times Grand Slam champion was unable to play in Monaco and then had to pull out of the Barcelona Open. "My feeling isn't right, but it is what it is. Now I'm fully focused on recovery and I have a little more time," Alcaraz told reporters in Barcelona on Monday, a day after he decided not to defend his title.

"My goal is to try and go to the Madrid Open, but at the moment nothing is certain. I was given specific recovery times and I've respected them, but I haven't felt good. I don't want to get ahead of myself. I can't say I'll be 100% in Madrid, but that's my intention. We'll train and do everything we can so that the feelings improve so I can play a match ... It's also a very special tournament for me."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-rafael-nadal-confirms-comeback-to-play-in-barcelona-open-711719">Tennis: Rafael Nadal confirms comeback, to play in Barcelona Open</a>

Should he be unable to recover in time for the April 24-May 5 Masters tournament in Madrid, Alcaraz could still get some clay court action in ahead of the French Open by competing in Rome the following week. The main draw at the year's second Grand Slam at Roland Garros begins on May 26. Alcaraz reached the semi-finals last year.

World number three Carlos Alcaraz has cast doubt on his Madrid Open title defence later this month as the Spaniard nurses a right arm injury that has forced him to miss key tune-up events for the French Open.

World number three Carlos Alcaraz has cast doubt on his Madrid Open title defence later this month as the Spaniard nurses a right arm injury that has forced him to miss key tune-up events for the French Open. The 20-year-old successfully defended his Indian Wells title last month and then reached the Miami Open quarter-finals before sustaining the injury in his first practise session for the Monte Carlo Masters. The two-times Grand Slam champion was unable to play in Monaco and then had to pull out of the Barcelona Open. "My feeling isn't right, but it is what it is. Now I'm fully focused on recovery and I have a little more time," Alcaraz told reporters in Barcelona on Monday, a day after he decided not to defend his title. "My goal is to try and go to the Madrid Open, but at the moment nothing is certain. I was given specific recovery times and I've respected them, but I haven't felt good. I don't want to get ahead of myself. I can't say I'll be 100% in Madrid, but that's my intention. We'll train and do everything we can so that the feelings improve so I can play a match ... It's also a very special tournament for me." Also read: Tennis: Rafael Nadal confirms comeback, to play in Barcelona Open Should he be unable to recover in time for the April 24-May 5 Masters tournament in Madrid, Alcaraz could still get some clay court action in ahead of the French Open by competing in Rome the following week. The main draw at the year's second Grand Slam at Roland Garros begins on May 26. Alcaraz reached the semi-finals last year.

Tennis: Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz uncertain about Madrid title defence due to arm injury

Stefanos Tsitsipas made short work of Norwegian eighth seed Casper Ruud as he seized a third Monte Carlo Masters title in four years with a 6-1 6-4 victory on Sunday (April 14).

Tsitsipas dominated proceedings against fellow 25-year-old Ruud from the onset, cruising through six consecutive games to wrap up the opening set in 36 minutes.

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The second set was a much closer affair but Tsitsipas proved too strong for Ruud, as the Greek became the first player in the professional era to win his first three Monte Carlo finals in straight sets.

Tsitsipas, who handed Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner just his second defeat of the year in the semi-finals, secured his first title of 2024.

Stefanos Tsitsipas made short work of Norwegian eighth seed Casper Ruud as he seized a third Monte Carlo Masters title in four years with a 6-1 6-4 victory on Sunday (April 14).

Stefanos Tsitsipas made short work of Norwegian eighth seed Casper Ruud as he seized a third Monte Carlo Masters title in four years with a 6-1 6-4 victory on Sunday (April 14). Tsitsipas dominated proceedings against fellow 25-year-old Ruud from the onset, cruising through six consecutive games to wrap up the opening set in 36 minutes. Also Read: HISTORY! Bayer Leverkusen win maiden Bundesliga title, end Bayern Munich's domestic domination The second set was a much closer affair but Tsitsipas proved too strong for Ruud, as the Greek became the first player in the professional era to win his first three Monte Carlo finals in straight sets. Tsitsipas, who handed Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner just his second defeat of the year in the semi-finals, secured his first title of 2024.

Tennis: Stefanos Tsitsipas downs Casper Ruud to win third Monte Carlo title

Italy's world number two Jannik Sinner beat Holger Rune 6-4 6-7(6) 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters on Friday after his Danish opponent saved two match points. Top seed Novak Djokovic also advanced to the semis after a hard-fought 7-5 6-4 win over Australian 11th seed Alex de Minaur.

This is the 36-year-old Serb's first semi-final since 2015, making him the oldest semi-finalist in the tournament's history. Djokovic also surpassed Rafa Nadal to make a record 77 Masters 1000 semi-final appearances.

"It was tough for both of us. He's one of the quickest players on tour. He gets a lot of balls back that 99% of players don't," Djokovic said. "He did surprise me in several passing shots.

"He said at the net that it was ugly, in the second I think we didn't play really at the high level. Again, win is a win; glad to go through.

"I'm very happy to be back in the semis, it's been a while. I love this tournament... another semis, look forward to it."

Djokovic will next face Norwegian eighth seed Casper Ruud, who beat Frenchman Ugo Humbert 6-3 4-6 6-1.

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Rune beat Sinner in the semi-finals last year but this time it was the second seed who prevailed as he reached a fifth semi-final in as many tournaments this year.

Rune had played two matches on Thursday, first finishing his rain-affected clash with Sumit Nagal before a 3-1/2 hour thriller with Grigor Dimitrov where he saved two match points, with both games going the distance.

He looked far from fatigued as faced the Australian Open champion in bright sunshine but the 20-year-old also took on the crowd, who jeered and whistled at him while he also argued with the chair umpire over a line call.

"Playing against him is never easy, especially in such occasions. I'm very happy I won today, but mostly about my physical level - I raised it today," Sinner said.

"This can happen (Rune taking on the umpire and crowd), there's nothing wrong with all this. You can make a little bit chaos, but it's all part of the learning process."

Sinner took the first set and looked destined to seal a straight-sets victory at 6-4 in the second set tiebreak, but Rune saved two match points once again -- one with a superb cross-court forehand winner -- before levelling the tie.

The final set went with serve until 4-3 when Sinner converted the decisive break point after Rune made a costly double-fault and the Italian held his nerve to serve out the contest.

Sinner will face 12th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who beat Karen Khachanov 6-4 6-2 in a rematch of last year's Australian Open semi-final as the Greek looks to return to form after a mixed record in 2024.

Tsitsipas arrived at the tournament with a 11-6 win-loss record this year but has fond memories of the Monte Carlo Masters where he won the title in 2021 and 2022.

Bolstered by a strong first serve, Tsitsipas put Khachanov to the sword by converting four break points to end his run and improve his head-to-head record against the Russian to 8-1.

"I would lie if I said it doesn't bring good memories stepping out on this court... It's something that I attribute some of my performances here over time to," Tsitsipas said.

"I come back here and I sort of relive those memories of the past. It gives good feelings to me when I'm able to play in front of crowds like this and be able to try and strive for excellence with my game."

Italy's world number two Jannik Sinner beat Holger Rune 6-4 6-7(6) 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters on Friday after his Danish opponent saved two match points.

Italy's world number two Jannik Sinner beat Holger Rune 6-4 6-7(6) 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters on Friday after his Danish opponent saved two match points. Top seed Novak Djokovic also advanced to the semis after a hard-fought 7-5 6-4 win over Australian 11th seed Alex de Minaur. This is the 36-year-old Serb's first semi-final since 2015, making him the oldest semi-finalist in the tournament's history. Djokovic also surpassed Rafa Nadal to make a record 77 Masters 1000 semi-final appearances. "It was tough for both of us. He's one of the quickest players on tour. He gets a lot of balls back that 99% of players don't," Djokovic said. "He did surprise me in several passing shots. "He said at the net that it was ugly, in the second I think we didn't play really at the high level. Again, win is a win; glad to go through. "I'm very happy to be back in the semis, it's been a while. I love this tournament... another semis, look forward to it." Djokovic will next face Norwegian eighth seed Casper Ruud, who beat Frenchman Ugo Humbert 6-3 4-6 6-1. ALSO READ: Why defeats for Liverpool, West Ham in Europa League dented Villa's Champions League qualification prospect? Rune beat Sinner in the semi-finals last year but this time it was the second seed who prevailed as he reached a fifth semi-final in as many tournaments this year. Rune had played two matches on Thursday, first finishing his rain-affected clash with Sumit Nagal before a 3-1/2 hour thriller with Grigor Dimitrov where he saved two match points, with both games going the distance. He looked far from fatigued as faced the Australian Open champion in bright sunshine but the 20-year-old also took on the crowd, who jeered and whistled at him while he also argued with the chair umpire over a line call. "Playing against him is never easy, especially in such occasions. I'm very happy I won today, but mostly about my physical level - I raised it today," Sinner said. "This can happen (Rune taking on the umpire and crowd), there's nothing wrong with all this. You can make a little bit chaos, but it's all part of the learning process." Sinner took the first set and looked destined to seal a straight-sets victory at 6-4 in the second set tiebreak, but Rune saved two match points once again -- one with a superb cross-court forehand winner -- before levelling the tie. The final set went with serve until 4-3 when Sinner converted the decisive break point after Rune made a costly double-fault and the Italian held his nerve to serve out the contest. Sinner will face 12th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who beat Karen Khachanov 6-4 6-2 in a rematch of last year's Australian Open semi-final as the Greek looks to return to form after a mixed record in 2024. Tsitsipas arrived at the tournament with a 11-6 win-loss record this year but has fond memories of the Monte Carlo Masters where he won the title in 2021 and 2022. Bolstered by a strong first serve, Tsitsipas put Khachanov to the sword by converting four break points to end his run and improve his head-to-head record against the Russian to 8-1. "I would lie if I said it doesn't bring good memories stepping out on this court... It's something that I attribute some of my performances here over time to," Tsitsipas said. "I come back here and I sort of relive those memories of the past. It gives good feelings to me when I'm able to play in front of crowds like this and be able to try and strive for excellence with my game."

Monte Carlo Masters: Djokovic reaches semis for first time since 2015; Sinner advances to top four

After creating history by becoming the first Indian male tennis player to win the main draw round of the Monte Carlo Masters (after beating Matteo Arnaldi in the first round), Sumit Nagal went down fighting in the second round against world no.7 Holger Rune in three sets. Nagal gave a tough fight to the top-ranked tennis star in the second set of the game that was played across two days due to rain interference.&nbsp;

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News Flash: Sumit Nagal goes down fighting to World No. 7 Holger Rune 3-6, 6-3, 2-6 in 2nd round of prestigious Monte Carlo Masters. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MonteCarloMasters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MonteCarloMasters</a> <a href="https://t.co/0DN8AtRnTm">pic.twitter.com/0DN8AtRnTm</a>
— India_AllSports (@India_AllSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/India_AllSports/status/1778400292851380495?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
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In a game that lasted for over two hours and 11 minutes, Nagal went down fighting 3-6, 6-3, 2-6 but impressed everyone with his top performance at the tournament.&nbsp;

After losing the first set on Wednesday, with the tally reading 3-6 in Rune's favour, Nagal took on the two-time French Open quarterfinalists bang on in the second set, winning it eventually.&nbsp;

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With rain suspending proceedings the previous day, the action resumed on Thursday.&nbsp;

Ace India star secured a double break against Rune despite trailing behind in the second set. He gained momentum and won the set, taking the match to the final set.

The third set brought a new set of challenges for the Indian star, who failed to replicate his magic and went down 2-6 to lose the game and bow out of the tournament. His performance, however, left everyone impressed.&nbsp;

<h2>Nagal bows out but with his head held high</h2>

Nagal, whose chances of breaking into the main draw of next month's French Open are higher, became only the third Indian after Vijay Amritraj (in 1977) and Ramesh Krishnan (in 1982) to participate in the main draw at Monte Carlo.&nbsp;

The Indian player beat world no. 63 from Italy Flavio Cobolli (6-2, 6-3) and Facundo Diaz Acosta from Argentina in three sets (7-5, 2-6, 6-2) to qualify for the main draw earlier.

Meanwhile, in the doubles category, Nagal's compatriot and world No. 1 Rohan Bopanna and his Australian partner Matthew Ebden lost their Round of 16 match at Monte Carlo, going down against the pair of Mate Pavic and Marcelo Arevalo 3-6, 6-7 (6-8) on Wednesday.

After creating history by becoming the first Indian male tennis player to win the main draw round of the Monte Carlo Masters (after beating Matteo Arnaldi in the first round), Sumit Nagal went down fighting in the second round against world no.

After creating history by becoming the first Indian male tennis player to win the main draw round of the Monte Carlo Masters (after beating Matteo Arnaldi in the first round), Sumit Nagal went down fighting in the second round against world no.7 Holger Rune in three sets. Nagal gave a tough fight to the top-ranked tennis star in the second set of the game that was played across two days due to rain interference. News Flash: Sumit Nagal goes down fighting to World No. 7 Holger Rune 3-6, 6-3, 2-6 in 2nd round of prestigious Monte Carlo Masters. #MonteCarloMasters pic.twitter.com/0DN8AtRnTm — India_AllSports (@India_AllSports) April 11, 2024 × In a game that lasted for over two hours and 11 minutes, Nagal went down fighting 3-6, 6-3, 2-6 but impressed everyone with his top performance at the tournament. After losing the first set on Wednesday, with the tally reading 3-6 in Rune's favour, Nagal took on the two-time French Open quarterfinalists bang on in the second set, winning it eventually. ALSO READ: Premier League set to introduce semi-automated offside technology from 2024-25 season With rain suspending proceedings the previous day, the action resumed on Thursday. Ace India star secured a double break against Rune despite trailing behind in the second set. He gained momentum and won the set, taking the match to the final set. The third set brought a new set of challenges for the Indian star, who failed to replicate his magic and went down 2-6 to lose the game and bow out of the tournament. His performance, however, left everyone impressed. Nagal bows out but with his head held high Nagal, whose chances of breaking into the main draw of next month's French Open are higher, became only the third Indian after Vijay Amritraj (in 1977) and Ramesh Krishnan (in 1982) to participate in the main draw at Monte Carlo. The Indian player beat world no. 63 from Italy Flavio Cobolli (6-2, 6-3) and Facundo Diaz Acosta from Argentina in three sets (7-5, 2-6, 6-2) to qualify for the main draw earlier. Meanwhile, in the doubles category, Nagal's compatriot and world No. 1 Rohan Bopanna and his Australian partner Matthew Ebden lost their Round of 16 match at Monte Carlo, going down against the pair of Mate Pavic and Marcelo Arevalo 3-6, 6-7 (6-8) on Wednesday.

Monte Carlo Masters: India's Sumit Nagal bows out in second round despite impressive showing against Rune

We often&nbsp;hear that age is just a number. While in sports, it is widely regarded that an athlete sees his, or her, best days in their respective game during the mid or&nbsp;late 20s, after gaining some experience, and they often retire after 35. However, Serbian star Novak Djokovic, at 36, and the 44-year-old Indian legend Rohan Bopanna are defying all odds with their recent successes. The two have proved&nbsp;that age is just a number with their singles and doubles No. 1 crowns in ATP Rankings history.

On Sunday (April 7), Djokovic moved past Roger Federer to become the oldest World No. 1 in ATP Rankings history. On the other hand,&nbsp;Bopanna leads the ATP Doubles Rankings. Thus, the duo got together in a video, shared on ATP&nbsp;Tour's official handle on X, and reflected on being World No. 1s in the&nbsp;last lap of their respective careers.

<h2>'Experience wins'</h2>

Djokovic said in the clip, "It's not really balanced. It's not 50-50. He brings more years to the 80 (talking about their total years combined). But I think we're still going strong."

The duo pointed out&nbsp;that&nbsp;"experience prevails" and added that tennis provides a variety of valuable lessons.

Bopanna said, "I think that tennis teaches so many wonderful things. And I think experience wins."

Meanwhile, Djokovic continued, "I’d say experience, but also still being devoted and dedicated to the game every single day. I see him in the gym countless hours, also in the physio a bit more than before. But it's amazing to share the Tour with you for so many years and what an incredible moment to be oldest No. 1 in singles and doubles at the same time."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-novak-djokovic-sails-through-as-alex-de-minaur-thrashes-stan-wawrinka-at-monte-carlo-709601">Tennis: Novak Djokovic sails through as Alex de Minaur thrashes Stan Wawrinka at Monte Carlo</a>

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“Old is Gold.” 👑 
 
Words of wisdom from the oldest singles and doubles No. 1’s in PIF ATP Rankings history 💪<a href="https://twitter.com/DjokerNole?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DjokerNole</a> 🤝 <a href="https://twitter.com/rohanbopanna?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rohanbopanna</a> <a href="https://t.co/KYR7QsDiKz">pic.twitter.com/KYR7QsDiKz</a>
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Djokovic added, "It's great for Serbian tennis and Indian tennis and hopefully we can do something in India soon, we can play there. I really look forward to it. It's amazing. We are old, but gold!."

On Wednesday (April 10), Djokovic shared a post also featuring Bopanna -

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Age is just a number. For us, that number is 1. <a href="https://t.co/fCVbiTCbxg">pic.twitter.com/fCVbiTCbxg</a>
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At present, both Djokovic and Bopanna are gearing up for the next Grand Slam event -- i.e. the French Open 2024 at the Roland Garros. The mega event kicks off on May 20. Ahead of the French Open, Djokovic&nbsp;made a winning&nbsp;start at the Monte Carlo Masters -- &nbsp;part of the nine ATP Tour Masters 1000 events&nbsp;on the ATP Tour-- with a 6-1 6-2 victory over Russia's Roman Safiullin to enter the third round on Tuesday (April 9). Bopanna, along with his doubles partner Matthew Ebden, is also involved in the tournament. Monte Carlo Masters serves as a good preparation for the French Open.

We often hear that age is just a number. While in sports, it is widely regarded that an athlete sees his, or her, best days in their respective game during the mid or late 20s, after gaining some experience, and they often retire after 35.

We often hear that age is just a number. While in sports, it is widely regarded that an athlete sees his, or her, best days in their respective game during the mid or late 20s, after gaining some experience, and they often retire after 35. However, Serbian star Novak Djokovic, at 36, and the 44-year-old Indian legend Rohan Bopanna are defying all odds with their recent successes. The two have proved that age is just a number with their singles and doubles No. 1 crowns in ATP Rankings history. On Sunday (April 7), Djokovic moved past Roger Federer to become the oldest World No. 1 in ATP Rankings history. On the other hand, Bopanna leads the ATP Doubles Rankings. Thus, the duo got together in a video, shared on ATP Tour's official handle on X, and reflected on being World No. 1s in the last lap of their respective careers. 'Experience wins' Djokovic said in the clip, "It's not really balanced. It's not 50-50. He brings more years to the 80 (talking about their total years combined). But I think we're still going strong." The duo pointed out that "experience prevails" and added that tennis provides a variety of valuable lessons. Bopanna said, "I think that tennis teaches so many wonderful things. And I think experience wins." Meanwhile, Djokovic continued, "I’d say experience, but also still being devoted and dedicated to the game every single day. I see him in the gym countless hours, also in the physio a bit more than before. But it's amazing to share the Tour with you for so many years and what an incredible moment to be oldest No. 1 in singles and doubles at the same time." Also read: Tennis: Novak Djokovic sails through as Alex de Minaur thrashes Stan Wawrinka at Monte Carlo “Old is Gold.” 👑 Words of wisdom from the oldest singles and doubles No. 1’s in PIF ATP Rankings history 💪@DjokerNole 🤝 @rohanbopanna pic.twitter.com/KYR7QsDiKz — ATP Tour (@atptour) April 8, 2024 × Djokovic added, "It's great for Serbian tennis and Indian tennis and hopefully we can do something in India soon, we can play there. I really look forward to it. It's amazing. We are old, but gold!." On Wednesday (April 10), Djokovic shared a post also featuring Bopanna - Age is just a number. For us, that number is 1. pic.twitter.com/fCVbiTCbxg — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) April 10, 2024 × At present, both Djokovic and Bopanna are gearing up for the next Grand Slam event -- i.e. the French Open 2024 at the Roland Garros. The mega event kicks off on May 20. Ahead of the French Open, Djokovic made a winning start at the Monte Carlo Masters -- part of the nine ATP Tour Masters 1000 events on the ATP Tour-- with a 6-1 6-2 victory over Russia's Roman Safiullin to enter the third round on Tuesday (April 9). Bopanna, along with his doubles partner Matthew Ebden, is also involved in the tournament. Monte Carlo Masters serves as a good preparation for the French Open.

‘We are old, but gold’ - Djokovic and Bopanna’s video of being oldest World No. 1s goes viral - Watch

World number one Novak Djokovic made an emphatic start at the Monte Carlo Masters with a 6-1 6-2 win over Russia's Roman Safiullin to ease into the third round at a rain-delayed day three on Tuesday (April 9).

Djokovic, who pulled out of the recent Miami Open as he tries to balance his schedule, looked fresh as he broke Safiullin's serve three times in the opening set, and a further two breaks in the second was enough to seal the win.

Hubert Hurkacz is into the second round with a 6-4 3-6 7-6(2) win, but was made to battle by Britain's Jack Draper after the Polish 10th seed looked like dominating early on.

Hurkacz, who also beat Draper at last year's tournament, will face Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain in the second round.

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Alex de Minaur had little trouble seeing off the challenge of former champion Stan Wawrinka, winning 6-3 6-0 to progress to the second round.

Wawrinka won the title in 2014, but a decade later the Swiss 39-year-old was no match for the Australian 11th seed, who needed only 24 minutes to complete a bagel in the second set, and will face Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor.

World number one Novak Djokovic made an emphatic start at the Monte Carlo Masters with a 6-1 6-2 win over Russia's Roman Safiullin to ease into the third round at a rain-delayed day three on Tuesday (April 9).

World number one Novak Djokovic made an emphatic start at the Monte Carlo Masters with a 6-1 6-2 win over Russia's Roman Safiullin to ease into the third round at a rain-delayed day three on Tuesday (April 9). Djokovic, who pulled out of the recent Miami Open as he tries to balance his schedule, looked fresh as he broke Safiullin's serve three times in the opening set, and a further two breaks in the second was enough to seal the win. Hubert Hurkacz is into the second round with a 6-4 3-6 7-6(2) win, but was made to battle by Britain's Jack Draper after the Polish 10th seed looked like dominating early on. Hurkacz, who also beat Draper at last year's tournament, will face Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain in the second round. ALSO READ | Champions League: Real Madrid-Man City settle for frantic draw at Bernabeu; Bayern-Arsenal finishes all square Alex de Minaur had little trouble seeing off the challenge of former champion Stan Wawrinka, winning 6-3 6-0 to progress to the second round. Wawrinka won the title in 2014, but a decade later the Swiss 39-year-old was no match for the Australian 11th seed, who needed only 24 minutes to complete a bagel in the second set, and will face Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor.

Tennis: Novak Djokovic sails through as Alex de Minaur thrashes Stan Wawrinka at Monte Carlo

Indian tennis star Sumit Nagal created history on Monday (April 8) by beating Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi in the first round of the Monte Carlos Masters and becoming the first Indian male player to record a main draw win in this tournament. Nagal also became the first Indian to win an ATP Masters 1000 match on clay and will next face seventh-seeded Dane and last year’s runner-up Holger Rune.

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There's just Sumit about Nagal on clay 🧱 
 
History for <a href="https://twitter.com/nagalsumit?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nagalsumit</a> as he becomes the first-ever male Indian singles player to win a Masters 1000 match on clay!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RolexMonteCarloMasters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RolexMonteCarloMasters</a> <a href="https://t.co/zJGfMunJlN">pic.twitter.com/zJGfMunJlN</a>
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/TennisTV/status/1777323881453244629?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The unseeded 95th-ranked Nagal claimed a stunning victory over world no. 35 in two hours and 37 minutes, beating Arnaldi 5-7, 6-2, 6-4. Nagal, who also became only the third Indian after Vijay Amritraj (1977) and Ramesh Krishnan (1982) to feature in Monte Carlos main draw, came from a set behind to win the game and enter history books.

The Italian led Nagal 4-2 in the first set before he returned soon after, making it 5-6 in Arnaldi’s favour. Serving to save the game and the first set, Nagal went down 15-40, and while he did save one break point, the young Italian won the first set.

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The second set saw Nagal taking advantage of the situation immediately, leading 4-1 at one stage. Although the Italian won on his serve, Nagal walked away with the second-set victory, pushing the game to the decider.

In the third and the final set, the Indian star broke Arnaldi’s serve, but his opponent held his nerves to make it 3-3. That comeback from the Italian couldn’t stop Nagal from approaching victory as he beat his serve in the seventh game to stay ahead and win the set and the match.

Meanwhile, India’s Nagal defeated world no. 63 from Italy Flavio Cobolli (6-2, 6-3) and Facundo Diaz Acosta from Argentina in three sets (7-5, 2-6, 6-2) to qualify for the main draw.

However, this is his second ATP Masters 1000 event appearance. Nagal also qualified for the main draw in Indian Wells as a lucky loser after Spaniard and legend Rafael Nadal pulled out.

Nagal began the season with a bang, winning against world no. 31 Kazakh Alexander Bublik in the opening round of the Australian Open.

Indian tennis star Sumit Nagal created history on Monday (April 8) by beating Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi in the first round of the Monte Carlos Masters and becoming the first Indian male player to record a main draw win in this tournament.

Indian tennis star Sumit Nagal created history on Monday (April 8) by beating Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi in the first round of the Monte Carlos Masters and becoming the first Indian male player to record a main draw win in this tournament. Nagal also became the first Indian to win an ATP Masters 1000 match on clay and will next face seventh-seeded Dane and last year’s runner-up Holger Rune. There's just Sumit about Nagal on clay 🧱 History for @nagalsumit as he becomes the first-ever male Indian singles player to win a Masters 1000 match on clay!#RolexMonteCarloMasters pic.twitter.com/zJGfMunJlN — Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 8, 2024 × The unseeded 95th-ranked Nagal claimed a stunning victory over world no. 35 in two hours and 37 minutes, beating Arnaldi 5-7, 6-2, 6-4. Nagal, who also became only the third Indian after Vijay Amritraj (1977) and Ramesh Krishnan (1982) to feature in Monte Carlos main draw, came from a set behind to win the game and enter history books. The Italian led Nagal 4-2 in the first set before he returned soon after, making it 5-6 in Arnaldi’s favour. Serving to save the game and the first set, Nagal went down 15-40, and while he did save one break point, the young Italian won the first set. ALSO READ: 'No one's catching him': Mercedes boss Toto Wolff hands 2024 F1 title to Max Verstappen after four races The second set saw Nagal taking advantage of the situation immediately, leading 4-1 at one stage. Although the Italian won on his serve, Nagal walked away with the second-set victory, pushing the game to the decider. In the third and the final set, the Indian star broke Arnaldi’s serve, but his opponent held his nerves to make it 3-3. That comeback from the Italian couldn’t stop Nagal from approaching victory as he beat his serve in the seventh game to stay ahead and win the set and the match. Meanwhile, India’s Nagal defeated world no. 63 from Italy Flavio Cobolli (6-2, 6-3) and Facundo Diaz Acosta from Argentina in three sets (7-5, 2-6, 6-2) to qualify for the main draw. However, this is his second ATP Masters 1000 event appearance. Nagal also qualified for the main draw in Indian Wells as a lucky loser after Spaniard and legend Rafael Nadal pulled out. Nagal began the season with a bang, winning against world no. 31 Kazakh Alexander Bublik in the opening round of the Australian Open.

Tennis: India’s Sumit Nagal creates history with maiden main draw win at Monte Carlo Masters

Rafael Nadal's withdrawal from the Monte Carlo Masters has cast doubt over the 22-times Grand Slam champion's participation in&nbsp;the French Open, but Novak Djokovic said he is still hoping for a final chapter in their storied rivalry. The 37-year-old Spaniard, who said he expected to retire after the 2024 season, returned to competition in Brisbane in January, after almost a year sidelined with a hip flexor injury, but has not played an ATP event since.

"As a&nbsp;tennis&nbsp;fan I want him to play at least one more tournament before he retires ...," world number one Djokovic told Eurosport in an interview published on Saturday.

"We all know what he's done on clay in his career, particularly Roland Garros. "That's his goal, we all know that, he's been saying it. For the sake of all&nbsp;tennis&nbsp;and Roland Garros in particular, we hope that he can play there. It would be great to have another great encounter."

Djokovic will begin his quest for a third title in Monte Carlo on Tuesday without coach Goran Ivanisevic in his box, after ending his highly successful partnership with the Croatian last month.

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The Serbian has been working with former doubles world number one Nenad Zimonjic in recent weeks. "We have known each other really well for more than 20 years. He's been always like an older brother to me. A mentor, a friend, who always tried to help me as a person and as a player," Djokovic said.

"When I stopped with Goran, I was starting my clay-court preparation in Belgrade and he was there. He came to the court, and we really enjoyed our collaboration and I asked him to come here for a few weeks."

"We are trying to make the most of it. He's been giving me really useful advice to find the proper position when I'm approaching the net, and it's something I'm not best at because I don't play as many doubles matches," he further said.

Rafael Nadal's withdrawal from the Monte Carlo Masters has cast doubt over the 22-times Grand Slam champion's participation in the French Open, but Novak Djokovic said he is still hoping for a final chapter in their storied rivalry.

Rafael Nadal's withdrawal from the Monte Carlo Masters has cast doubt over the 22-times Grand Slam champion's participation in the French Open, but Novak Djokovic said he is still hoping for a final chapter in their storied rivalry. The 37-year-old Spaniard, who said he expected to retire after the 2024 season, returned to competition in Brisbane in January, after almost a year sidelined with a hip flexor injury, but has not played an ATP event since. "As a tennis fan I want him to play at least one more tournament before he retires ...," world number one Djokovic told Eurosport in an interview published on Saturday. "We all know what he's done on clay in his career, particularly Roland Garros. "That's his goal, we all know that, he's been saying it. For the sake of all tennis and Roland Garros in particular, we hope that he can play there. It would be great to have another great encounter." Djokovic will begin his quest for a third title in Monte Carlo on Tuesday without coach Goran Ivanisevic in his box, after ending his highly successful partnership with the Croatian last month. Also read: Major League Soccer: LAFC beat arch-rivals LA galaxy in 'El Trafico' The Serbian has been working with former doubles world number one Nenad Zimonjic in recent weeks. "We have known each other really well for more than 20 years. He's been always like an older brother to me. A mentor, a friend, who always tried to help me as a person and as a player," Djokovic said. "When I stopped with Goran, I was starting my clay-court preparation in Belgrade and he was there. He came to the court, and we really enjoyed our collaboration and I asked him to come here for a few weeks." "We are trying to make the most of it. He's been giving me really useful advice to find the proper position when I'm approaching the net, and it's something I'm not best at because I don't play as many doubles matches," he further said.

Tennis: Novak Djokovic wants last dance with arch-rival Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros

Top-seeded Jessica Pegula survived four match points to battle past 12-seeded Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7) on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Credit One Charleston (S.C.) Open. Azarenka of Belarus also saved four match points but committed 12 double faults to none for Pegula, a top seed for only the sixth time in her career.

Pegula advanced to the semifinals against fourth-seeded Daria Kasatkina, a Russian who converted 10 of 20 break points in topping Romania's Jaqueline Cristian 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-3 in a match lasting 2 hours and 42 minutes.

Danielle Collins won her 11th consecutive match to make it two Americans in the Charleston semifinals for the first time since sisters Venus and Serena Williams were in the final four 11 years ago. The unseeded Collins knocked off No. 11 Elise Mertens of Belgium 6-3, 6-4 in 1 hour and 24 minutes to advance to her 15th career tour-level semifinal.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rafael-nadal-withdraws-from-monte-carlo-masters-participation-in-french-open-under-dark-clouds-707926">Rafael Nadal withdraws from Monte Carlo Masters, French Open participation in doubt</a>

Collins, a 30-year-old Floridian who is retiring at the end of the season, captured the Miami Open championship last week. The other quarterfinal match pitted third-seeded Maria Sakkari of Greece against ninth-seeded Veronika Kudermetova of Russia.

Copa Colsanitas

Eighth-seeded Kamilla Rakhimova of Russia was shut out in the first set, then rallied past fourth-seeded Cristina Bucsa of Spain 0-6, 6-4, 7-5 in the quarterfinals at Bogota, Columbia. Sara Errani of Italy also got off to a slow start before eliminating Irina Bara of Romania 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 and advancing to the semifinals. Errani saved 17 of 23 break points while converting 8 of 20 opportunities.

In other quarterfinal matches Friday night, top-seeded Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic faced seventh-seeded Laura Siegemund of Germany; and home-country favorite Camila Osorio, the sixth seed, played second-seeded Tatjana Maria of Germany.

Top-seeded Jessica Pegula survived four match points to battle past 12-seeded Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7) on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Credit One Charleston (S.

Top-seeded Jessica Pegula survived four match points to battle past 12-seeded Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7) on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Credit One Charleston (S.C.) Open. Azarenka of Belarus also saved four match points but committed 12 double faults to none for Pegula, a top seed for only the sixth time in her career. Pegula advanced to the semifinals against fourth-seeded Daria Kasatkina, a Russian who converted 10 of 20 break points in topping Romania's Jaqueline Cristian 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-3 in a match lasting 2 hours and 42 minutes. Danielle Collins won her 11th consecutive match to make it two Americans in the Charleston semifinals for the first time since sisters Venus and Serena Williams were in the final four 11 years ago. The unseeded Collins knocked off No. 11 Elise Mertens of Belgium 6-3, 6-4 in 1 hour and 24 minutes to advance to her 15th career tour-level semifinal. Also read: Rafael Nadal withdraws from Monte Carlo Masters, French Open participation in doubt Collins, a 30-year-old Floridian who is retiring at the end of the season, captured the Miami Open championship last week. The other quarterfinal match pitted third-seeded Maria Sakkari of Greece against ninth-seeded Veronika Kudermetova of Russia. Copa Colsanitas Eighth-seeded Kamilla Rakhimova of Russia was shut out in the first set, then rallied past fourth-seeded Cristina Bucsa of Spain 0-6, 6-4, 7-5 in the quarterfinals at Bogota, Columbia. Sara Errani of Italy also got off to a slow start before eliminating Irina Bara of Romania 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 and advancing to the semifinals. Errani saved 17 of 23 break points while converting 8 of 20 opportunities. In other quarterfinal matches Friday night, top-seeded Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic faced seventh-seeded Laura Siegemund of Germany; and home-country favorite Camila Osorio, the sixth seed, played second-seeded Tatjana Maria of Germany.

WTA roundup: Top-seeded Jessica Pegula moves closer to Charleston title

Former world number one Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the upcoming Monte Carlo Masters, commencing on April 7, citing that his body is not up to it at the moment. The&nbsp;ATP Masters 1000 event is&nbsp;the first one on clay this season, with the focus&nbsp;later firmly on the French Open 2024, i.e. the second Grand Slam event of the year. Nadal's participation at the Roland Garros is also&nbsp;under serious threat as the tournament is now less than two months away.

In a post shared on Instagram, Nadal wrote, "These are very difficult moments for me, sporting-wise. Unfortunately, I have to tell you that I am not going to be playing in Monte Carlo. My body simply won't allow me. And even if I am working hard and making the maximum effort every day with all the will to play and compete again at tournaments that have been very important for me, the truth is that I can't play today. You have no idea how hard this is for me to not be able to play these events."

The 37-year-old added, "The only thing I can do is to accept the situation and try to look at the immediate future keeping the excitement and will to play in order to give me a chance for things to get better."

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Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-wta-finals-to-be-held-in-saudi-arabia-starting-2024-in-landmark-move-707737">Tennis: WTA finals to be held in Saudi Arabia starting 2024 in landmark move</a>

Nadal has won the Monte Carlo competition as many as 11 times. A 14-time French Open champion, the Spaniard will be desperate to mark his comeback at the Roland Garros but his participation looks dicey.

It is to be noted that&nbsp;Nadal has not competed in an ATP Tour tournament since his comeback to the court&nbsp;in Brisbane in January. He returned earlier this year but his performances remained under par. Despite taking an 11-month sabbatical last year,&nbsp;Nadal's return has not gone as planned with him missing the Australian Open, Indian Wells and&nbsp;Qatar Open. Even in 2023, he bowed out of three of the four Grand Slam events.

The 22-time Grand Slam winner will be hopeful of turning it around by regaining full fitness and competing hard at the Roland Garros in May. A good performance will boost his confidence and also help him compete at the Paris Olympics, later this year.&nbsp;

The Spanish player&nbsp;has dropped to 649 in the current ATP rankings for missing a&nbsp;plethora of tournaments. Thus, Nadal's comeback remains keenly awaited by his ardent fans.

Former world number one Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the upcoming Monte Carlo Masters, commencing on April 7, citing that his body is not up to it at the moment.

Former world number one Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the upcoming Monte Carlo Masters, commencing on April 7, citing that his body is not up to it at the moment. The ATP Masters 1000 event is the first one on clay this season, with the focus later firmly on the French Open 2024, i.e. the second Grand Slam event of the year. Nadal's participation at the Roland Garros is also under serious threat as the tournament is now less than two months away. In a post shared on Instagram, Nadal wrote, "These are very difficult moments for me, sporting-wise. Unfortunately, I have to tell you that I am not going to be playing in Monte Carlo. My body simply won't allow me. And even if I am working hard and making the maximum effort every day with all the will to play and compete again at tournaments that have been very important for me, the truth is that I can't play today. You have no idea how hard this is for me to not be able to play these events." The 37-year-old added, "The only thing I can do is to accept the situation and try to look at the immediate future keeping the excitement and will to play in order to give me a chance for things to get better." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rafa Nadal (@rafaelnadal) × Also read: Tennis: WTA finals to be held in Saudi Arabia starting 2024 in landmark move Nadal has won the Monte Carlo competition as many as 11 times. A 14-time French Open champion, the Spaniard will be desperate to mark his comeback at the Roland Garros but his participation looks dicey. It is to be noted that Nadal has not competed in an ATP Tour tournament since his comeback to the court in Brisbane in January. He returned earlier this year but his performances remained under par. Despite taking an 11-month sabbatical last year, Nadal's return has not gone as planned with him missing the Australian Open, Indian Wells and Qatar Open. Even in 2023, he bowed out of three of the four Grand Slam events. The 22-time Grand Slam winner will be hopeful of turning it around by regaining full fitness and competing hard at the Roland Garros in May. A good performance will boost his confidence and also help him compete at the Paris Olympics, later this year. The Spanish player has dropped to 649 in the current ATP rankings for missing a plethora of tournaments. Thus, Nadal's comeback remains keenly awaited by his ardent fans.

Rafael Nadal withdraws from Monte Carlo Masters, French Open participation in doubt

Women's tennis on Thursday (April 4) saw a landmark decision being made by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). The WTA in a historic announcement said it would move the year-end finals to Saudi Arabia. The Arab nation, emerging as a major sporting nation in recent years will host the WTA finals starting from 2024 until 2026. The move will see the top eight women tennis stars compete at the year-end event in both singles and doubles tournament.

<h2>WTA makes landmark decision</h2>

“To have a women’s tournament of this magnitude and profile is a defining moment for tennis in Saudi Arabia. The WTA Finals has the power to inspire far beyond the sport, especially for our young girls and women,” the Saudi sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal Al-Saud told&nbsp; Reuters.

Saudi Arabia, which for years was averse to women’s sports and had a strict dress code in place will now host Women's Tennis Association (WTA) finals. The 2024 finals to be held from Nov. 2-9 has moved to the Arab nation from last year’s host Cancun in Mexico.

The move will also see Saudi add to its already rich sports calendar which includes the Liv-PGA merger in golf, WWE’s annual pay-per-view shows and the ever-expanding Saudi Pro League (SPL). The&nbsp;development will now see women’s tennis become a part of Saudi Arabia's sporting calendar. The country already has a dedicated Saudi Grand Prix held annually in Formula One, making it one of the most powerful sports host nations in the world.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-wta-finals-to-be-held-in-saudi-arabia-starting-2024-in-landmark-move-707737">Tennis: WTA finals to be held in Saudi Arabia starting 2024 in landmark move</a>

Saudi will become the second Arab nation after Qatar to host the WTA finals. Qatar had hosted the event between 2008 and 2010. While China was the last Asian nation to host the WTA finals in 2019.

<h2>Who are the defending champions?</h2>

Iga Swiatek is the defending singles champion of the WTA finals having beaten Jessica Pegula in the final in 2023. Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva are the defending women’s doubles champions having beaten Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Australia Ellen Perez in the final. Martina Navratilova remains the most successful player in the final having won eight singles titles and 13 in doubles.

Women's tennis on Thursday (April 4) saw a landmark decision being made by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). The WTA in a historic announcement said it would move the year-end finals to Saudi Arabia.

Women's tennis on Thursday (April 4) saw a landmark decision being made by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). The WTA in a historic announcement said it would move the year-end finals to Saudi Arabia. The Arab nation, emerging as a major sporting nation in recent years will host the WTA finals starting from 2024 until 2026. The move will see the top eight women tennis stars compete at the year-end event in both singles and doubles tournament. WTA makes landmark decision “To have a women’s tournament of this magnitude and profile is a defining moment for tennis in Saudi Arabia. The WTA Finals has the power to inspire far beyond the sport, especially for our young girls and women,” the Saudi sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal Al-Saud told Reuters. Saudi Arabia, which for years was averse to women’s sports and had a strict dress code in place will now host Women's Tennis Association (WTA) finals. The 2024 finals to be held from Nov. 2-9 has moved to the Arab nation from last year’s host Cancun in Mexico. The move will also see Saudi add to its already rich sports calendar which includes the Liv-PGA merger in golf, WWE’s annual pay-per-view shows and the ever-expanding Saudi Pro League (SPL). The development will now see women’s tennis become a part of Saudi Arabia's sporting calendar. The country already has a dedicated Saudi Grand Prix held annually in Formula One, making it one of the most powerful sports host nations in the world. ALSO READ | Tennis: WTA finals to be held in Saudi Arabia starting 2024 in landmark move Saudi will become the second Arab nation after Qatar to host the WTA finals. Qatar had hosted the event between 2008 and 2010. While China was the last Asian nation to host the WTA finals in 2019. Who are the defending champions? Iga Swiatek is the defending singles champion of the WTA finals having beaten Jessica Pegula in the final in 2023. Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva are the defending women’s doubles champions having beaten Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Australia Ellen Perez in the final. Martina Navratilova remains the most successful player in the final having won eight singles titles and 13 in doubles.

Tennis: WTA finals to be held in Saudi Arabia starting 2024 in landmark move

Italian qualifier Fabio Fognini bounced back from a rough second set to stun top-seeded Serbian Laslo Djere 7-6 (1), 2-6, 6-4 on Wednesday (Apr 3) in the second round of the Grand Prix Hassan II in Marrakech, Morocco.

Djere took the second set with ease after jumping out to a 4-0 lead, and the momentum carried over into the third. Fognini found himself in a 4-2 hole, but he proceeded to win the final four games of the set, clinching the victory on his sixth match point.

Fognini was one of three Italians to advance on Wednesday, with no. 4 seed Lorenzo Sonego defeating Sumit Nagal of India 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, and Matteo Berrettini downing Spain's Jaume Munar 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

However, eighth-seeded Italian Flavio Cobolli stumbled to a 6-1, 7-6 (5) loss against Russia's Pavel Kotov. Kotov will face Fognini, and Berrettini will play Sonego in the quarterfinals.

<h2>Millennium Estoril Open</h2>

Spanish qualifier Pablo Llamas Ruiz cruised to a 6-4, 6-3 sweep of No. 8 seed Dominik Koepfer of Germany in the first round at Estoril, Portugal.

Llamas Ruiz saved 6 of 8 break points and capitalized on five double faults from Koepfer to set up a second-round meeting with lucky loser and countryman David Jorda Sanchis, a 7-6 (4), 6-1 winner over Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria.

France's Arthur Fils and Gael Monfils, the No. 5 and No. 7 seeds, respectively, both warded off upsets against wild cards hailing from Portugal. Fils beat Joao Sousa, while Monfils knocked off Henrique Rocha. Other winners Wednesday included Botic Van De Zandschulp of the Netherlands, British qualifier Jan Choinski, Hungary's Marton Fucsovics, Cristian Garin of Chile and Spaniard Pedro Martinez.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-wuhan-open-set-to-return-for-the-first-time-since-2019-707315">Also read |&nbsp;Tennis: Wuhan Open set to return for the first time since 2019</a>

<h2>US&nbsp;Men's Clay Court Championship</h2>

Top-seeded Ben Shelton shook off a slow start to beat Belgium's Zizou Bergs 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the second round at Houston.

After dropping the first set, Shelton saved all five break points he faced in the second set, and he never got Bergs a break opportunity in the third.

Shelton was one of three US players to reach the quarterfinals on Wednesday, as seventh-seeded Marcos Giron and Brandon Nakashima also advanced. Giron beat countryman J.J. Wolf 6-4, 6-3, and Nakashima downed Australia's Rinky Hijikata 6-1, 6-4.

In the day's biggest upset, Italy's Luciano Darderi outlasted second-seeded Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (4).

Italian qualifier Fabio Fognini bounced back from a rough second set to stun top-seeded Serbian Laslo Djere 7-6 (1), 2-6, 6-4 on Wednesday (Apr 3) in the second round of the Grand Prix Hassan II in Marrakech, Morocco.

Italian qualifier Fabio Fognini bounced back from a rough second set to stun top-seeded Serbian Laslo Djere 7-6 (1), 2-6, 6-4 on Wednesday (Apr 3) in the second round of the Grand Prix Hassan II in Marrakech, Morocco. Djere took the second set with ease after jumping out to a 4-0 lead, and the momentum carried over into the third. Fognini found himself in a 4-2 hole, but he proceeded to win the final four games of the set, clinching the victory on his sixth match point. Fognini was one of three Italians to advance on Wednesday, with no. 4 seed Lorenzo Sonego defeating Sumit Nagal of India 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, and Matteo Berrettini downing Spain's Jaume Munar 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. However, eighth-seeded Italian Flavio Cobolli stumbled to a 6-1, 7-6 (5) loss against Russia's Pavel Kotov. Kotov will face Fognini, and Berrettini will play Sonego in the quarterfinals. Millennium Estoril Open Spanish qualifier Pablo Llamas Ruiz cruised to a 6-4, 6-3 sweep of No. 8 seed Dominik Koepfer of Germany in the first round at Estoril, Portugal. Llamas Ruiz saved 6 of 8 break points and capitalized on five double faults from Koepfer to set up a second-round meeting with lucky loser and countryman David Jorda Sanchis, a 7-6 (4), 6-1 winner over Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria. France's Arthur Fils and Gael Monfils, the No. 5 and No. 7 seeds, respectively, both warded off upsets against wild cards hailing from Portugal. Fils beat Joao Sousa, while Monfils knocked off Henrique Rocha. Other winners Wednesday included Botic Van De Zandschulp of the Netherlands, British qualifier Jan Choinski, Hungary's Marton Fucsovics, Cristian Garin of Chile and Spaniard Pedro Martinez. Also read | Tennis: Wuhan Open set to return for the first time since 2019 US Men's Clay Court Championship Top-seeded Ben Shelton shook off a slow start to beat Belgium's Zizou Bergs 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the second round at Houston. After dropping the first set, Shelton saved all five break points he faced in the second set, and he never got Bergs a break opportunity in the third. Shelton was one of three US players to reach the quarterfinals on Wednesday, as seventh-seeded Marcos Giron and Brandon Nakashima also advanced. Giron beat countryman J.J. Wolf 6-4, 6-3, and Nakashima downed Australia's Rinky Hijikata 6-1, 6-4. In the day's biggest upset, Italy's Luciano Darderi outlasted second-seeded Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (4).

ATP roundup: India's Sumit Nagal bows out of Marrakech Open, loses to Italy's Sonego

The Wuhan Open is back on the women's&nbsp;tennis&nbsp;schedule for the first time since 2019 after organisers announced it will be staged in the Chinese city in October, Xinhua News Agency reported on Wednesday. The 1000 tournament has not featured on the WTA circuit since COVID-19 was detected in the city, which became the location of the first lockdown of the pandemic in January 2020.

Wuhan, home to former Australian Open and French Open champion Li Na, saw the sport's popularity surge in the last two decades. Australian Open finalist Zheng Qinwen had also relocated there as a child for training.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/adam-peaty-books-paris-2024-ticket-with-fastest-time-in-100m-breaststroke-at-british-swimming-championships-707127">Adam Peaty books Paris 2024 ticket with fastest time in 100m breaststroke at British swimming championships</a>

"We are delighted to announce the return of the WTA 1000 event to Wuhan, and reignite the thrill of elite&nbsp;tennis&nbsp;competition in one of Asia's most vibrant cities," Jorge Salkeld, Senior Vice President of organisers Octagon&nbsp;Tennis&nbsp;was reported as saying by Xinhua news agency.

The tournament will be held from October 7 to 13 at the Optics Valley International&nbsp;Tennis&nbsp; Center in Wuhan.

The Wuhan Open is back on the women's tennis schedule for the first time since 2019 after organisers announced it will be staged in the Chinese city in October, Xinhua News Agency reported on Wednesday.

The Wuhan Open is back on the women's tennis schedule for the first time since 2019 after organisers announced it will be staged in the Chinese city in October, Xinhua News Agency reported on Wednesday. The 1000 tournament has not featured on the WTA circuit since COVID-19 was detected in the city, which became the location of the first lockdown of the pandemic in January 2020. Wuhan, home to former Australian Open and French Open champion Li Na, saw the sport's popularity surge in the last two decades. Australian Open finalist Zheng Qinwen had also relocated there as a child for training. Also read: Adam Peaty books Paris 2024 ticket with fastest time in 100m breaststroke at British swimming championships "We are delighted to announce the return of the WTA 1000 event to Wuhan, and reignite the thrill of elite tennis competition in one of Asia's most vibrant cities," Jorge Salkeld, Senior Vice President of organisers Octagon Tennis was reported as saying by Xinhua news agency. The tournament will be held from October 7 to 13 at the Optics Valley International Tennis Center in Wuhan.

Tennis: Wuhan Open set to return for the first time since 2019

Jannik Sinner said he is enjoying every moment of his sensational start to the 2024 season after winning the Miami Open on Sunday for his third title of the year. The Italian thoroughly outplayed Daniil Medvedev in the semis and Grigor Dimitrov in the final to improve to 22-1 on the year and rise to a career-best world number two. "This is a special moment,"

Sinner said after beating Dimitrov 6-3 6-1 in the final for his second Masters 1000 title. "You never know if this is the last time or not. So you have to enjoy this for one day, and now a new chapter is coming, clay-court season is coming, so completely different. "Let's see how I will play from now on. But for sure, the hard-court season until now has been very good."

Behind an improved serve and textbook shot-making, Sinner has been on a roll this season, winning the Australian Open in January for what is expected to be the first of many Grand Slam titles. His only loss of the year came to Carlos Alcaraz in the semis at Indian Wells but after his triumph in South Florida, the Spaniard will now be looking up to his rival in the rankings come Monday.

"Being number two, it's an amazing feeling," Sinner said. "I never thought to come to this point. I come from a very normal family. My dad is still working, as my mom, too. For me sport is one thing and life is different."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-italian-jannik-sinner-beats-grigor-dimitrov-to-win-miami-open-706375">Tennis: Italian Jannik Sinner beats Grigor Dimitrov to win Miami Open</a>

Sinner's coach Darren Cahill told reporters that the 22-year-old was loving life but also staying grounded. "He appreciates every single moment that is happening to him, but he's also got his feet on the ground knowing it's just a sport, it's just a&nbsp;tennis&nbsp;match," Cahill said. "Whilst he's professional in everything he does, he enjoys his life. He's a normal 22-year-old kid. There's a lot to learn from him, a lot of good to learn from both him and Carlos. I think they're very similar in many, many ways.

"That's why I think&nbsp;tennis&nbsp;is in great hands at the moment with the likes of those two and many other players coming through that are going to carry the torch through a generation we have been so fortunate to sit through the last 20 years. "It's important to have these types of sports people coming through."

Jannik Sinner said he is enjoying every moment of his sensational start to the 2024 season after winning the Miami Open on Sunday for his third title of the year.

Jannik Sinner said he is enjoying every moment of his sensational start to the 2024 season after winning the Miami Open on Sunday for his third title of the year. The Italian thoroughly outplayed Daniil Medvedev in the semis and Grigor Dimitrov in the final to improve to 22-1 on the year and rise to a career-best world number two. "This is a special moment," Sinner said after beating Dimitrov 6-3 6-1 in the final for his second Masters 1000 title. "You never know if this is the last time or not. So you have to enjoy this for one day, and now a new chapter is coming, clay-court season is coming, so completely different. "Let's see how I will play from now on. But for sure, the hard-court season until now has been very good." Behind an improved serve and textbook shot-making, Sinner has been on a roll this season, winning the Australian Open in January for what is expected to be the first of many Grand Slam titles. His only loss of the year came to Carlos Alcaraz in the semis at Indian Wells but after his triumph in South Florida, the Spaniard will now be looking up to his rival in the rankings come Monday. "Being number two, it's an amazing feeling," Sinner said. "I never thought to come to this point. I come from a very normal family. My dad is still working, as my mom, too. For me sport is one thing and life is different." Also read: Tennis: Italian Jannik Sinner beats Grigor Dimitrov to win Miami Open Sinner's coach Darren Cahill told reporters that the 22-year-old was loving life but also staying grounded. "He appreciates every single moment that is happening to him, but he's also got his feet on the ground knowing it's just a sport, it's just a tennis match," Cahill said. "Whilst he's professional in everything he does, he enjoys his life. He's a normal 22-year-old kid. There's a lot to learn from him, a lot of good to learn from both him and Carlos. I think they're very similar in many, many ways. "That's why I think tennis is in great hands at the moment with the likes of those two and many other players coming through that are going to carry the torch through a generation we have been so fortunate to sit through the last 20 years. "It's important to have these types of sports people coming through."

Tennis: Italian star Jannik Sinner relishing the moment after splendid Miami Open victory

Jannik Sinner dominated Grigor Dimitrov 6-3 6-1 on Sunday (March 31) to win the Miami Open for the first time and rise to world number two.

The Italian fired a passing shot howling by his Bulgarian opponent for a crucial break in the first set and captured the opener with a brilliant backhand winner that brought the fans at Hard Rock Stadium to their feet.

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The 32-year-old Dimitrov, who has experienced a career renaissance this season, had no answer for Sinner's flawless game in the second set and was broken again when his backhand landed in the net to fall behind 3-1.

Dimitrov badly missed an overhead to hand Sinner the 5-1 lead and did not even try to chase down Sinner's backhand winner on championship point.

Australian Open champion Sinner, who scooped a second Masters 1000 title following his success in Canada last year, has won 25 of his last 26 matches and has only lost three times since last year's U.S. Open.

The 22-year-old will take over the world number two ranking from his rival Carlos Alcaraz on Monday and said he knows that he has a target on his back heading into the claycourt season.

Jannik Sinner dominated Grigor Dimitrov 6-3 6-1 on Sunday (March 31) to win the Miami Open for the first time and rise to world number two. The Italian fired a passing shot howling by his Bulgarian opponent for a crucial break in the first set and captured the opener with a brilliant backhand winner that brought the fans at Hard Rock Stadium to their feet.

Jannik Sinner dominated Grigor Dimitrov 6-3 6-1 on Sunday (March 31) to win the Miami Open for the first time and rise to world number two. The Italian fired a passing shot howling by his Bulgarian opponent for a crucial break in the first set and captured the opener with a brilliant backhand winner that brought the fans at Hard Rock Stadium to their feet. Also Read: Premier League: Manchester City, Arsenal play goalless draw, help Liverpool secure no. 1 spot The 32-year-old Dimitrov, who has experienced a career renaissance this season, had no answer for Sinner's flawless game in the second set and was broken again when his backhand landed in the net to fall behind 3-1. Dimitrov badly missed an overhead to hand Sinner the 5-1 lead and did not even try to chase down Sinner's backhand winner on championship point. Australian Open champion Sinner, who scooped a second Masters 1000 title following his success in Canada last year, has won 25 of his last 26 matches and has only lost three times since last year's U.S. Open. The 22-year-old will take over the world number two ranking from his rival Carlos Alcaraz on Monday and said he knows that he has a target on his back heading into the claycourt season.

Tennis: Italian Jannik Sinner beats Grigor Dimitrov to win Miami Open

American Danielle Collins overcame fourth seed Elena Rybakina to win the final of the Miami Open 7-5 6-3 on Saturday and claim the title on home soil in her farewell season.

Collins won nearly 75% of her first-serve points while claiming three of her seven break points on the way to victory in just over two hours after a stunning second set that left the crowd, including former Miami champion Andre Agassi breathless.

"This is my first WTA 1000 (title) and I worked so hard, it has taken me a bit longer than a lot of the other players," said 30-year-old Collins of her triumph. "This whole week has been tough - I have played against some of the best players in the world, including being out here and sharing the court with Elena in the final," Collins said.

"Thank you to the fans. I've played a lot of tennis and in a few finals, but nothing compares close to this."

Collins, who said in January she would retire from tennis at the end of the season, was the surprise winner at the East Coast tournament, going one step further than her performance at the 2022 Australian Open when she reached the final.

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She joins Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, three-times champion Venus Williams, eight-times winner Serena Williams and Sloane Stephens as the sixth American woman to claim the crown.

The unseeded American relied on her strength to hold the lead at the start, converting break points against Rybakina, who kept levelling the score, before closing out the opening set with a stunning cross-court backhand winner on the hour mark.

Rybakina refused to go quietly after her opponent took a 2-0 lead in the second set and worked her way back, capitalising on unforced errors to draw level at 3-3.

However, the American regained the advantage after saving three break points to take the seventh game with the former Wimbledon champion unable to recover.

Rybakina, who lost last year's Miami final to Petra Kvitova, missed Indian Wells this month with a gastrointestinal problem.

She returned to the courts and put in a superb run, beating Belarusian Victoria Azarenka in three sets in the semi-finals, but admitted she did not expect to fight for the title.

"We didn't expect coming here to be in the final, to be honest, but it was a great two weeks. A lot of tough matches and great battles," the 24-year-old said.

American Danielle Collins overcame fourth seed Elena Rybakina to win the final of the Miami Open 7-5 6-3 on Saturday and claim the title on home soil in her farewell season.

American Danielle Collins overcame fourth seed Elena Rybakina to win the final of the Miami Open 7-5 6-3 on Saturday and claim the title on home soil in her farewell season. Collins won nearly 75% of her first-serve points while claiming three of her seven break points on the way to victory in just over two hours after a stunning second set that left the crowd, including former Miami champion Andre Agassi breathless. "This is my first WTA 1000 (title) and I worked so hard, it has taken me a bit longer than a lot of the other players," said 30-year-old Collins of her triumph. "This whole week has been tough - I have played against some of the best players in the world, including being out here and sharing the court with Elena in the final," Collins said. "Thank you to the fans. I've played a lot of tennis and in a few finals, but nothing compares close to this." Collins, who said in January she would retire from tennis at the end of the season, was the surprise winner at the East Coast tournament, going one step further than her performance at the 2022 Australian Open when she reached the final. ALSO READ: AIFF official Deepak Sharma arrested for assaulting two women footballers She joins Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, three-times champion Venus Williams, eight-times winner Serena Williams and Sloane Stephens as the sixth American woman to claim the crown. The unseeded American relied on her strength to hold the lead at the start, converting break points against Rybakina, who kept levelling the score, before closing out the opening set with a stunning cross-court backhand winner on the hour mark. Rybakina refused to go quietly after her opponent took a 2-0 lead in the second set and worked her way back, capitalising on unforced errors to draw level at 3-3. However, the American regained the advantage after saving three break points to take the seventh game with the former Wimbledon champion unable to recover. Rybakina, who lost last year's Miami final to Petra Kvitova, missed Indian Wells this month with a gastrointestinal problem. She returned to the courts and put in a superb run, beating Belarusian Victoria Azarenka in three sets in the semi-finals, but admitted she did not expect to fight for the title. "We didn't expect coming here to be in the final, to be honest, but it was a great two weeks. A lot of tough matches and great battles," the 24-year-old said.

Tennis: USA's Danielle Collins beats Rybakina to win maiden Miami Open title in farewell season

Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov defeated Alexander Zverev 6-4 6-7(4) 6-4 in a thrilling contest on Friday to reach the Miami Open final, where he will face world number three Jannik Sinner.

Dimitrov, the 11th seed, utilised his forehand to devastating effect throughout the match, making just three unforced errors to take the first set.

Fourth seed Zverev, however, regained some control in a tight second set, serving with accuracy to deny Dimitrov any opportunities to break before clinching the tie-break to level the match.

Dimitrov took his tally of winners up to 44 in the decider as he defended a break point and then took the lead at 4-3, before confidently settling the match on serve for his first win over Zverev since 2014.

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"It was like a dogfight on both ends, we really went after each other," said Dimitrov, whose victory will see him return to the top 10 for the first time since 2018. "He upped his game in the second set, in the third set he also had a chance but I served well."

In Sunday's final, Dimitrov will face Sinner, who powered past defending Miami Open champion Daniil Medvedev 6-1 6-2 to reach the final for the second year in a row.

<h2>SINNER'S HOT STREAK CONTINUES</h2>

When Medvedev beat Sinner to claim the Miami title 12 months ago, he extended his head-to-head record over the Italian to 6-0.

But since then, the second seed has enjoyed the upper hand as he has delivered the knockout blow on five successive contests, including a five-set thriller in the Australian Open final earlier this year.

There was no such drama on Hard Rock Stadium court as Sinner delivered a clinical performance to end Medvedev's challenge in 69 minutes.

"I felt great on court today, usually the more you go on in a tournament the more comfortable I feel and I'm very happy about today's performance," Sinner said after reaching the Miami final for a third time in four years. "I don't think Daniil felt too well today he made a lot of mistakes he usually doesn't make.

"For me it is an important tournament if I can get it good, if not I had another great chance."

Sinner, whose only loss this season was a semi-final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in Indian Wells two weeks ago, becomes the first player this season to reach three finals.

The Italian had Medvedev under pressure right from the gun with three break chances on the Russian's opening service game converting on a blistering forehand winner for a 2-0 lead.

The third seeded Russian would finally hold serve at 5-1 but only delayed the inevitable as Sinner bagged a high-quality opening set without committing a single unforced error.

Baffled and lost for ideas, Medvedev could do nothing to slow the rampaging Sinner who kept his foot firmly on the gas with another break to open the second set that left the world number four staring across the net with a stunned look.

Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov defeated Alexander Zverev 6-4 6-7(4) 6-4 in a thrilling contest on Friday to reach the Miami Open final, where he will face world number three Jannik Sinner.

Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov defeated Alexander Zverev 6-4 6-7(4) 6-4 in a thrilling contest on Friday to reach the Miami Open final, where he will face world number three Jannik Sinner. Dimitrov, the 11th seed, utilised his forehand to devastating effect throughout the match, making just three unforced errors to take the first set. Fourth seed Zverev, however, regained some control in a tight second set, serving with accuracy to deny Dimitrov any opportunities to break before clinching the tie-break to level the match. Dimitrov took his tally of winners up to 44 in the decider as he defended a break point and then took the lead at 4-3, before confidently settling the match on serve for his first win over Zverev since 2014. ALSO READ: Tennis: Andy Murray pulls out of Monte Carlo, Munich due to ankle injury "It was like a dogfight on both ends, we really went after each other," said Dimitrov, whose victory will see him return to the top 10 for the first time since 2018. "He upped his game in the second set, in the third set he also had a chance but I served well." In Sunday's final, Dimitrov will face Sinner, who powered past defending Miami Open champion Daniil Medvedev 6-1 6-2 to reach the final for the second year in a row. SINNER'S HOT STREAK CONTINUES When Medvedev beat Sinner to claim the Miami title 12 months ago, he extended his head-to-head record over the Italian to 6-0. But since then, the second seed has enjoyed the upper hand as he has delivered the knockout blow on five successive contests, including a five-set thriller in the Australian Open final earlier this year. There was no such drama on Hard Rock Stadium court as Sinner delivered a clinical performance to end Medvedev's challenge in 69 minutes. "I felt great on court today, usually the more you go on in a tournament the more comfortable I feel and I'm very happy about today's performance," Sinner said after reaching the Miami final for a third time in four years. "I don't think Daniil felt too well today he made a lot of mistakes he usually doesn't make. "For me it is an important tournament if I can get it good, if not I had another great chance." Sinner, whose only loss this season was a semi-final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in Indian Wells two weeks ago, becomes the first player this season to reach three finals. The Italian had Medvedev under pressure right from the gun with three break chances on the Russian's opening service game converting on a blistering forehand winner for a 2-0 lead. The third seeded Russian would finally hold serve at 5-1 but only delayed the inevitable as Sinner bagged a high-quality opening set without committing a single unforced error. Baffled and lost for ideas, Medvedev could do nothing to slow the rampaging Sinner who kept his foot firmly on the gas with another break to open the second set that left the world number four staring across the net with a stunned look.

Miami Open: Grigor Dimitrov continues purple patch, beats Zverev in semis to set up final's clash with Sinner

Fourth seed Elena Rybakina overcame a second-set meltdown to beat Belarusian Victoria Azarenka 6-4 0-6 7-6(2) on Thursday and secure a return trip to the Miami Open final.

In Saturday's title clash, Rybakina will face off against American Danielle Collins, who beat Russian 14th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3 6-2 in the other semi-final.

Rybakina, the highest seed remaining in the women's draw, won nearly 82% of her first-serve points but converted only two of her 11 break-point chances en route to securing victory in two hours 33 minutes.

"It was such a tough battle," Rybakina, a Moscow-born Kazakh, said during her on-court interview after reaching her fourth final of the year.

"I didn't serve that well and also Vika, from the second set, she was hitting the serve very well. It was difficult but I knew was going to fight until the end and actually that's what I did."

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In the opening set, Rybakina squandered her first five break-point chances before solving Azarenka's serve to grab a 4-3 lead and she leaned on her astonishing power before closing out the 51-minute set with a hold to love.

Azarenka refused to go quietly, however, conjuring up a flawless display in the second set in which she limited Rybakina to five points and broke her serve three times to force a decider.

Rybakina, after a change of outfits, opened the third set moving much better and broke at the fifth attempt in the fifth game to move 3-2 up when Azarenka splashed a backhand into the net.

Rybakina crumbled in her first chance to serve out the match, however, as Azarenka got a break to get to 5-5 after she chased down a drop shot before her opponent sent a backhand volley into the net.

Rybakina, serving to stay in the match, held to love to force a tiebreak and she won the first three points of it before closing out the win.

The 24-year-old, who is seeking her third title this year after wins in Brisbane and Abu Dhabi, will fancy her chances against Collins in the final, having beaten the American in their last three meetings.

Collins marched into her maiden final in Miami with a clinical display against Alexandrova, firing off 21 winners to wrap up the match in just over an hour.

"It's special to do this in my home state," said Collins, who will now bid for the third WTA title of her career ahead of her retirement at the end of the season. "I've had a lot of tough battles with Rybakina, but I did get a win on her in San Jose a while ago. I'll have to do my homework on her."

Fourth seed Elena Rybakina overcame a second-set meltdown to beat Belarusian Victoria Azarenka 6-4 0-6 7-6(2) on Thursday and secure a return trip to the Miami Open final.

Fourth seed Elena Rybakina overcame a second-set meltdown to beat Belarusian Victoria Azarenka 6-4 0-6 7-6(2) on Thursday and secure a return trip to the Miami Open final. In Saturday's title clash, Rybakina will face off against American Danielle Collins, who beat Russian 14th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3 6-2 in the other semi-final. Rybakina, the highest seed remaining in the women's draw, won nearly 82% of her first-serve points but converted only two of her 11 break-point chances en route to securing victory in two hours 33 minutes. "It was such a tough battle," Rybakina, a Moscow-born Kazakh, said during her on-court interview after reaching her fourth final of the year. "I didn't serve that well and also Vika, from the second set, she was hitting the serve very well. It was difficult but I knew was going to fight until the end and actually that's what I did." ALSO READ: Grigor Dimitrov stuns Carlos Alcaraz to reach Miami Open semis In the opening set, Rybakina squandered her first five break-point chances before solving Azarenka's serve to grab a 4-3 lead and she leaned on her astonishing power before closing out the 51-minute set with a hold to love. Azarenka refused to go quietly, however, conjuring up a flawless display in the second set in which she limited Rybakina to five points and broke her serve three times to force a decider. Rybakina, after a change of outfits, opened the third set moving much better and broke at the fifth attempt in the fifth game to move 3-2 up when Azarenka splashed a backhand into the net. Rybakina crumbled in her first chance to serve out the match, however, as Azarenka got a break to get to 5-5 after she chased down a drop shot before her opponent sent a backhand volley into the net. Rybakina, serving to stay in the match, held to love to force a tiebreak and she won the first three points of it before closing out the win. The 24-year-old, who is seeking her third title this year after wins in Brisbane and Abu Dhabi, will fancy her chances against Collins in the final, having beaten the American in their last three meetings. Collins marched into her maiden final in Miami with a clinical display against Alexandrova, firing off 21 winners to wrap up the match in just over an hour. "It's special to do this in my home state," said Collins, who will now bid for the third WTA title of her career ahead of her retirement at the end of the season. "I've had a lot of tough battles with Rybakina, but I did get a win on her in San Jose a while ago. I'll have to do my homework on her."

Miami Open: Elena Rybakina enters final after solid comeback against Victoria Azarenka in tight semis clash

Carlos Alcaraz's hopes for a Sunshine Double came undone in spectacular fashion as the top-seeded Spaniard fell 6-2 6-4 on Thursday to Grigor Dimitrov, who will move on to face Alexander Zverev in the Miami Open semi-finals.

Dimitrov, the Bulgarian 11th seed, won 77% of his first-serve points compared to just 56% for Alcaraz, turned aside four of the five break points he faced and broke the Spaniard four times during the 92-minute encounter.

It was a crushing defeat for Alcaraz, who arrived in Miami full of confidence after lifting the Indian Wells title 11 days ago but fell three wins shy of becoming the first man to clinch the Sunshine Double since Roger Federer in 2017.

Up next for Dimitrov will be German fourth seed Zverev, who overcame tricky conditions to beat Hungary's Fabian Marozsan 6-3 7-5 in the day's first match on the Stadium court.

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Zverev attacked Marozsan's serve and converted three of his seven break-point chances, swatted aside the two break points he faced and won 80% of his first serve points en route to the last four in Miami where he has yet to drop a set.

Despite not dropping a set in windy conditions, Zverev had his hands full with Marozsan, who is making his Miami debut and enjoyed top-10 upsets over Holger Rune and Alex de Minaur on the way to the quarter-finals.

"If he continues playing like that he's going to rise up the rankings very quickly and he's going to be one of those (top 10) guys himself," Zverev said in his on-court interview.

"When we are in control, I think all top players when they are in control they feel like they can manage the match, manipulate the match a little bit in their own favour.

"But against him that's not possible. That's why he has such a great top-10 record and he's an unbelievable player."

Zverev's win, sealed with a break when he unleashed a brilliant backhand down the line, marked his return to the Miami Open semi-finals for the first time since his runner-up finish in 2018.

Carlos Alcaraz's hopes for a Sunshine Double came undone in spectacular fashion as the top-seeded Spaniard fell 6-2 6-4 on Thursday to Grigor Dimitrov, who will move on to face Alexander Zverev in the Miami Open semi-finals.

Carlos Alcaraz's hopes for a Sunshine Double came undone in spectacular fashion as the top-seeded Spaniard fell 6-2 6-4 on Thursday to Grigor Dimitrov, who will move on to face Alexander Zverev in the Miami Open semi-finals. Dimitrov, the Bulgarian 11th seed, won 77% of his first-serve points compared to just 56% for Alcaraz, turned aside four of the five break points he faced and broke the Spaniard four times during the 92-minute encounter. It was a crushing defeat for Alcaraz, who arrived in Miami full of confidence after lifting the Indian Wells title 11 days ago but fell three wins shy of becoming the first man to clinch the Sunshine Double since Roger Federer in 2017. Up next for Dimitrov will be German fourth seed Zverev, who overcame tricky conditions to beat Hungary's Fabian Marozsan 6-3 7-5 in the day's first match on the Stadium court. ALSO READ: Newcastle United's suspended forward Sandro Tonali in more trouble, charged with breaking betting rules Zverev attacked Marozsan's serve and converted three of his seven break-point chances, swatted aside the two break points he faced and won 80% of his first serve points en route to the last four in Miami where he has yet to drop a set. Despite not dropping a set in windy conditions, Zverev had his hands full with Marozsan, who is making his Miami debut and enjoyed top-10 upsets over Holger Rune and Alex de Minaur on the way to the quarter-finals. "If he continues playing like that he's going to rise up the rankings very quickly and he's going to be one of those (top 10) guys himself," Zverev said in his on-court interview. "When we are in control, I think all top players when they are in control they feel like they can manage the match, manipulate the match a little bit in their own favour. "But against him that's not possible. That's why he has such a great top-10 record and he's an unbelievable player." Zverev's win, sealed with a break when he unleashed a brilliant backhand down the line, marked his return to the Miami Open semi-finals for the first time since his runner-up finish in 2018.

Grigor Dimitrov stuns Carlos Alcaraz to reach Miami Open semis

Andy Murray will miss the Monte Carlo Masters and Munich Open next month as he recovers from a severe ankle injury sustained during his exit from the Miami Open, the Briton's team announced on Friday.

The 36-year-old rolled his ankle in the deciding set of his 5-7 7-5 7-6(5) defeat by Czech Tomas Machac in southern Florida last Sunday and had said that he would be out for an "extended period" on the sidelines with ruptured ligaments.

"Following consultation with his team and medical experts, Andy Murray has taken the decision to miss the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters and BMW Open Munich," a statement from his team read.

"At this stage, it is still not clear how long Andy will be out of action, and he is continuing to review options with his medical team.

"Obviously this is disappointing news for Andy and he has reiterated his desire to get back on court as soon as possible."

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Former world number one and three-times Grand Slam champion Murray, who returned after hip resurfacing surgery in 2019, had previously said he did not plan to "play much past this summer" but hoped to compete at another Olympics.

He had also said he hoped to play at the French Open, which starts at Roland Garros on May 26.

Wimbledon, where Murray has twice been champion, will begin on July 1 and the Paris Games get underway later that month.

The Monte Carlo Masters will be held April 7-14, and the Munich Open April 15-21.

Andy Murray will miss the Monte Carlo Masters and Munich Open next month as he recovers from a severe ankle injury sustained during his exit from the Miami Open, the Briton's team announced on Friday.

Andy Murray will miss the Monte Carlo Masters and Munich Open next month as he recovers from a severe ankle injury sustained during his exit from the Miami Open, the Briton's team announced on Friday. The 36-year-old rolled his ankle in the deciding set of his 5-7 7-5 7-6(5) defeat by Czech Tomas Machac in southern Florida last Sunday and had said that he would be out for an "extended period" on the sidelines with ruptured ligaments. "Following consultation with his team and medical experts, Andy Murray has taken the decision to miss the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters and BMW Open Munich," a statement from his team read. "At this stage, it is still not clear how long Andy will be out of action, and he is continuing to review options with his medical team. "Obviously this is disappointing news for Andy and he has reiterated his desire to get back on court as soon as possible." ALSO READ | IPL 2024: ‘I am interested to see how Virat tackles Starc’, says Steve Smith on blockbuster RCB v KKR clash Former world number one and three-times Grand Slam champion Murray, who returned after hip resurfacing surgery in 2019, had previously said he did not plan to "play much past this summer" but hoped to compete at another Olympics. He had also said he hoped to play at the French Open, which starts at Roland Garros on May 26. Wimbledon, where Murray has twice been champion, will begin on July 1 and the Paris Games get underway later that month. The Monte Carlo Masters will be held April 7-14, and the Munich Open April 15-21.

Tennis: Andy Murray pulls out of Monte Carlo, Munich due to ankle injury

Jannik Sinner rolled past Tomas Machac 6-4 6-2 on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals of the Miami Open, where he will face Russian Daniil Medvedev in a tantalising rematch of the Australian Open final. Third seed Medvedev booked his place in the last four with a 6-2 7-6(7) win over Nicolas Jarry. Sinner had to fight back from two sets down at Melbourne Park in January to beat Medvedev and capture his first Grand Slam title.

"It's going to be a tactical match, potentially," second seed Sinner told reporters. "I have to be ready if he starts off in a similar way as in Australia. "I have to be ready and trying to understand it before. Then maybe he's going to change a couple of things. It's going to be an interesting test for me."

The opening set of the first quarter-final played in humid conditions hinged on a Machac service game at 3-3 where the unseeded Czech's forehand missed its target on break point to give Sinner a 4-3 lead. The Italian wrapped up the set with a love hold when Machac was unable to put a second serve back in play.

In the second set, Machac's forehand sailed long to give Sinner the break and a 2-1 lead. Sinner broke again with a backhand winner for 4-1 and closed out the contest with a serve out wide.

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"I didn't exactly know what to expect today," Sinner said after his 20th win of the year. "The first games I was looking a little bit what kind of tactics could work or not ... Today I played good, especially in the important moments of the match."

Sinner has lost only one match this year, falling in the semi-finals of Indian Wells to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz. Defending Miami champion Medvedev will represent another tricky test as the Russian has been in imperious form in the tournament, reaching the semis without dropping a set.

He was pushed hard in the second set of his encounter with Chilean Jarry but came through in the tiebreak, clinching on his third match point. "The first set I feel like I was playing a good level, nothing like extra, and it was enough to win," Medvedev said. "Tough rallies and tough points. He served better and it was a matter of a few points on the tiebreak, like it is sometimes in&nbsp;tennis... Happy that I managed to win."

Medvedev looked ahead to a great challenge against Sinner. "He's playing better and better. He's confident. Even some matches I watch on TV and he's in a little trouble he manages to find solutions and that's what champions do," Medvedev added.

Jannik Sinner rolled past Tomas Machac 6-4 6-2 on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals of the Miami Open, where he will face Russian Daniil Medvedev in a tantalising rematch of the Australian Open final.

Jannik Sinner rolled past Tomas Machac 6-4 6-2 on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals of the Miami Open, where he will face Russian Daniil Medvedev in a tantalising rematch of the Australian Open final. Third seed Medvedev booked his place in the last four with a 6-2 7-6(7) win over Nicolas Jarry. Sinner had to fight back from two sets down at Melbourne Park in January to beat Medvedev and capture his first Grand Slam title. "It's going to be a tactical match, potentially," second seed Sinner told reporters. "I have to be ready if he starts off in a similar way as in Australia. "I have to be ready and trying to understand it before. Then maybe he's going to change a couple of things. It's going to be an interesting test for me." The opening set of the first quarter-final played in humid conditions hinged on a Machac service game at 3-3 where the unseeded Czech's forehand missed its target on break point to give Sinner a 4-3 lead. The Italian wrapped up the set with a love hold when Machac was unable to put a second serve back in play. In the second set, Machac's forehand sailed long to give Sinner the break and a 2-1 lead. Sinner broke again with a backhand winner for 4-1 and closed out the contest with a serve out wide. Also read: Novak Djokovic parts ways with coach Goran Ivanisevic amid tough start to 2024 season "I didn't exactly know what to expect today," Sinner said after his 20th win of the year. "The first games I was looking a little bit what kind of tactics could work or not ... Today I played good, especially in the important moments of the match." Sinner has lost only one match this year, falling in the semi-finals of Indian Wells to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz. Defending Miami champion Medvedev will represent another tricky test as the Russian has been in imperious form in the tournament, reaching the semis without dropping a set. He was pushed hard in the second set of his encounter with Chilean Jarry but came through in the tiebreak, clinching on his third match point. "The first set I feel like I was playing a good level, nothing like extra, and it was enough to win," Medvedev said. "Tough rallies and tough points. He served better and it was a matter of a few points on the tiebreak, like it is sometimes in tennis... Happy that I managed to win." Medvedev looked ahead to a great challenge against Sinner. "He's playing better and better. He's confident. Even some matches I watch on TV and he's in a little trouble he manages to find solutions and that's what champions do," Medvedev added.

Tennis: Daniil Medvedev, Jannik Sinner set for Miami Open semifinal face-off

Elena Rybakina survived a gruelling Miami Open quarter-final against Maria Sakkari on Tuesday as the former Wimbledon champion advanced to the last four for a second straight year with a 7-5 6-7(4) 6-4 victory. Rybakina, who will meet Victoria Azarenka for a place in the final, needed nearly three hours to beat Sakkari. The Greek saved two match points in the second set before ultimately succumbing to the fourth seed's overwhelming serve in the final game of the third set.

"I have no words because I'm so tired," Kazakh Rybakina said. "It was such a tough battle. I got a little bit lucky with new balls, so it was easier to serve it out ... now, I just need to recover."

Rybakina, the world number four and 2022 Wimbledon champion, will need to bring her best again when she takes on three-time tournament champion and former world number one Azarenka. The veteran Belarusian player contended with a near hour-long stoppage in the first set because of a power outage to the electronic line-calling system before beating Yulia Putintseva 7-6(4) 1-6 6-3 earlier in the day.

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Azarenka saved three set points en route to clinching the first set tiebreak in the 90-minute opener before her unseeded opponent raised her game in the second to force a decider. Azarenka proved too solid down the stretch, firing an unreturnable serve on match point.

"Very happy with today's win," the 34-year-old told reporters. "It's good to be back in the later stages of the tournament, it's what I work for."

Elena Rybakina survived a gruelling Miami Open quarter-final against Maria Sakkari on Tuesday as the former Wimbledon champion advanced to the last four for a second straight year with a 7-5 6-7(4) 6-4 victory.

Elena Rybakina survived a gruelling Miami Open quarter-final against Maria Sakkari on Tuesday as the former Wimbledon champion advanced to the last four for a second straight year with a 7-5 6-7(4) 6-4 victory. Rybakina, who will meet Victoria Azarenka for a place in the final, needed nearly three hours to beat Sakkari. The Greek saved two match points in the second set before ultimately succumbing to the fourth seed's overwhelming serve in the final game of the third set. "I have no words because I'm so tired," Kazakh Rybakina said. "It was such a tough battle. I got a little bit lucky with new balls, so it was easier to serve it out ... now, I just need to recover." Rybakina, the world number four and 2022 Wimbledon champion, will need to bring her best again when she takes on three-time tournament champion and former world number one Azarenka. The veteran Belarusian player contended with a near hour-long stoppage in the first set because of a power outage to the electronic line-calling system before beating Yulia Putintseva 7-6(4) 1-6 6-3 earlier in the day. Also read: Tennis: World number three Coco Gauff looking forward to clay season after Miami disappointment Azarenka saved three set points en route to clinching the first set tiebreak in the 90-minute opener before her unseeded opponent raised her game in the second to force a decider. Azarenka proved too solid down the stretch, firing an unreturnable serve on match point. "Very happy with today's win," the 34-year-old told reporters. "It's good to be back in the later stages of the tournament, it's what I work for."

Tennis: Elena Rybakina survives Maria Sakkari battle to enter Miami Open semifinals

Indian Wells champion Carlos Alcaraz kept his hopes for a Sunshine Double alive with a 6-3 6-3 win over Lorenzo Musetti to reach the Miami Open quarter-finals for the third straight year on Tuesday. The Spaniard needed less than 90 minutes to dispatch the 23rd seed from Italy, pounding forehands and winning 18 of 22 points when he charged to the net.

Alcaraz broke serve to start the match and again to grab the drama-free first set against his overmatched opponent. Musetti would finally secure his first break of the match to get back on serve trailing 4-3 in the second set when a suddenly error-prone Alcaraz misfired with a backhand.

The momentum would be short-lived, however, with the tournament's 2022 champion breaking back with ease in the next game and ending the affair when Musetti's shot landed in the net on match point. Musetti's best moment came in the second set when he hit a front facing tweener lob over Alcaraz's head and ended the point with a volley to gasps from the fans at Hard Rock Stadium.

"Without a doubt, this is the best I've been feeling," Alcaraz, who had struggled with an ankle injury earlier in the season, said after winning his ninth consecutive match. "I'm feeling great on the court, I'm moving great with no injuries because I don't think about the ankle anymore on the court."

Alcaraz will next face 11th seed Grigor Dimitrov after the Bulgarian's career renaissance continued with a gritty 3-6 6-3 7-6(3) win over Poland's Hubert Hurkacz.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-elena-rybakina-survives-maria-sakkari-battle-to-enter-miami-open-semifinals-704732">Tennis: Elena Rybakina survives Maria Sakkari battle to enter Miami Open semifinals</a>

<h2>MEDVEDEV SURGES</h2>

Daniil Medvedev took another step towards retaining a title for the first time in his career as the Russian third seed beat Germany's Dominik Koepfer 7-6(5) 6-0 to make the quarter-finals. Medvedev overcame a shaky start and converted four break points while dropping serve just once to secure a spot in the last eight in Miami where he has yet to drop a set.

Koepfer was the early aggressor, using a pair of holds at love to build a 4-3 lead in the first set, but Medvedev forced a tiebreak in which he lost the opening four points before finding his way. With a frustrated Koepfer suddenly losing control of his forehand, Medvedev enjoyed much smoother passage through the second set where he broke twice to build a commanding 4-0 lead before closing out the match with a break to love.

"Sometimes it happens when you lose the first set the way he lost ... it brings your (opponent's) energy down and I knew that I had to use it (to my advantage) in the beginning of the second set that's where it was the most important," Medvedev said after collecting his 350th career win.

The Russian will face Chile's Nicolas Jarry, the 22nd seed, in the last eight, after he beat seventh seed Casper Ruud of Norway 7-6(3) 6-3. In other early action, unseeded Czech Tomas Machac beat Italy's Matteo Arnaldi 6-3 6-3 to reach his first Masters 1000 quarter-final.

Machac faces a tough task against second seed Jannik Sinner, who overcame a first set deficit before ultimately coasting to a 6-4 6-3 victory to reach the quarters. Fabian Marozsan, who took out sixth seed Holger Rune earlier in the tournament, continued his stunning run by defeating ninth seed Alex de Minaur 6-4 0-6 6-1.

The unseeded Hungarian, who stretched his win-loss record against top-10 opponents to 4-1, could face a daunting task in the last eight against an in-form Alexander Zverev. The fourth-seeded German set up the clash after outclassing Russian Karen Khachanov 6-1 6-4 in a late night contest.

Indian Wells champion Carlos Alcaraz kept his hopes for a Sunshine Double alive with a 6-3 6-3 win over Lorenzo Musetti to reach the Miami Open quarter-finals for the third straight year on Tuesday.

Indian Wells champion Carlos Alcaraz kept his hopes for a Sunshine Double alive with a 6-3 6-3 win over Lorenzo Musetti to reach the Miami Open quarter-finals for the third straight year on Tuesday. The Spaniard needed less than 90 minutes to dispatch the 23rd seed from Italy, pounding forehands and winning 18 of 22 points when he charged to the net. Alcaraz broke serve to start the match and again to grab the drama-free first set against his overmatched opponent. Musetti would finally secure his first break of the match to get back on serve trailing 4-3 in the second set when a suddenly error-prone Alcaraz misfired with a backhand. The momentum would be short-lived, however, with the tournament's 2022 champion breaking back with ease in the next game and ending the affair when Musetti's shot landed in the net on match point. Musetti's best moment came in the second set when he hit a front facing tweener lob over Alcaraz's head and ended the point with a volley to gasps from the fans at Hard Rock Stadium. "Without a doubt, this is the best I've been feeling," Alcaraz, who had struggled with an ankle injury earlier in the season, said after winning his ninth consecutive match. "I'm feeling great on the court, I'm moving great with no injuries because I don't think about the ankle anymore on the court." Alcaraz will next face 11th seed Grigor Dimitrov after the Bulgarian's career renaissance continued with a gritty 3-6 6-3 7-6(3) win over Poland's Hubert Hurkacz. Also read: Tennis: Elena Rybakina survives Maria Sakkari battle to enter Miami Open semifinals MEDVEDEV SURGES Daniil Medvedev took another step towards retaining a title for the first time in his career as the Russian third seed beat Germany's Dominik Koepfer 7-6(5) 6-0 to make the quarter-finals. Medvedev overcame a shaky start and converted four break points while dropping serve just once to secure a spot in the last eight in Miami where he has yet to drop a set. Koepfer was the early aggressor, using a pair of holds at love to build a 4-3 lead in the first set, but Medvedev forced a tiebreak in which he lost the opening four points before finding his way. With a frustrated Koepfer suddenly losing control of his forehand, Medvedev enjoyed much smoother passage through the second set where he broke twice to build a commanding 4-0 lead before closing out the match with a break to love. "Sometimes it happens when you lose the first set the way he lost ... it brings your (opponent's) energy down and I knew that I had to use it (to my advantage) in the beginning of the second set that's where it was the most important," Medvedev said after collecting his 350th career win. The Russian will face Chile's Nicolas Jarry, the 22nd seed, in the last eight, after he beat seventh seed Casper Ruud of Norway 7-6(3) 6-3. In other early action, unseeded Czech Tomas Machac beat Italy's Matteo Arnaldi 6-3 6-3 to reach his first Masters 1000 quarter-final. Machac faces a tough task against second seed Jannik Sinner, who overcame a first set deficit before ultimately coasting to a 6-4 6-3 victory to reach the quarters. Fabian Marozsan, who took out sixth seed Holger Rune earlier in the tournament, continued his stunning run by defeating ninth seed Alex de Minaur 6-4 0-6 6-1. The unseeded Hungarian, who stretched his win-loss record against top-10 opponents to 4-1, could face a daunting task in the last eight against an in-form Alexander Zverev. The fourth-seeded German set up the clash after outclassing Russian Karen Khachanov 6-1 6-4 in a late night contest.

Tennis: Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev into Miami Open quarterfinals

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