Carlos Alcaraz slipped to a shock defeat on his return from injury on Tuesday at the Paris Masters while Alexander Zverev needed three sets to see off Marton Fucsovics.&nbsp;

Spanish world number two Alcaraz, who was making his return to the court following injuries to his lower back and left foot, had been given a bye in the first round but had no answer to Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin who eased through &nbsp;6-3, 6-4.

Safiullin, ranked 45 in the world, cancelled out an early Alcaraz break in the first set and then never looked back as he ran on to claim the opener 6-3.

The same scenario then played out in the second set, with Alcaraz breaking for an early lead only for his opponent to strike back immediately.

Having only announced he would play in the tournament last Wednesday, Alcaraz looked far from his sharpest.

However, much credit must go to Safiullin, who was relentless in getting over the line for a career-boosting win in what was his first meeting with the Spaniard.

The 26-year-old held his nerve under pressure from the Wimbledon champion to serve out for the win, despite facing several deuce points in the final game.

<h2>- Zverev eyes ATP Finals -</h2>

The German 10th seed Zverev also had his difficulties, having to come back from a set down to beat Hungarian Fucsovics 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the round of 64 at Bercy Arena.

"It was just one or two points (that made the difference)," said Zverev.

"He was playing incredibly well and tactically I think he was unbelievable.

"His slice was effective as I did not know what to do on this surface here. It was a very difficult match and I am happy to be through. I found my level and I am happy with that."

Zverev is still seeking to secure his place among the top eight who will go on to the ATP Finals in Turin next month.&nbsp;

After this victory, the 2021 champion sits seventh just behind Stefanos Tsitsipas and 430 points ahead of ninth-placed Hubert Hurkacz.

<h2>- Fritz pulls out -</h2>

American Taylor Fritz's chances of qualifying for the tour's showpiece event took a hit when he was forced to retire with an abdominal injury.

On Monday, the ninth seed had comfortably beaten Argentine Sebastian Baez 6-1, 6-4.

Hometown favourite Gael Monfils was knocked out in the first round by Argentinian world number 21 Francisco Cerundolo in three sets on Tuesday.

The battling 37-year-old looked tired after losing the second set in a tie-break but rolled back the years with a break of serve right at the start of the third.

However, it was not enough as Cerundolo struck back in the eighth game of the set, before breaking the Frenchman's serve again to take the decider 7-5. 
 
The 11th-seeded Hurkacz saw off Sebastian Korda 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 to book his place in the second round alongside Felix Auger-Aliassime, who toppled Jan-Lennard Struff in two sets. 
 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Carlos Alcaraz slipped to a shock defeat on his return from injury on Tuesday at the Paris Masters while Alexander Zverev needed three sets to see off Marton Fucsovics.

Carlos Alcaraz slipped to a shock defeat on his return from injury on Tuesday at the Paris Masters while Alexander Zverev needed three sets to see off Marton Fucsovics. Spanish world number two Alcaraz, who was making his return to the court following injuries to his lower back and left foot, had been given a bye in the first round but had no answer to Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin who eased through 6-3, 6-4. Safiullin, ranked 45 in the world, cancelled out an early Alcaraz break in the first set and then never looked back as he ran on to claim the opener 6-3. The same scenario then played out in the second set, with Alcaraz breaking for an early lead only for his opponent to strike back immediately. Having only announced he would play in the tournament last Wednesday, Alcaraz looked far from his sharpest. However, much credit must go to Safiullin, who was relentless in getting over the line for a career-boosting win in what was his first meeting with the Spaniard. The 26-year-old held his nerve under pressure from the Wimbledon champion to serve out for the win, despite facing several deuce points in the final game. - Zverev eyes ATP Finals - The German 10th seed Zverev also had his difficulties, having to come back from a set down to beat Hungarian Fucsovics 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the round of 64 at Bercy Arena. "It was just one or two points (that made the difference)," said Zverev. "He was playing incredibly well and tactically I think he was unbelievable. "His slice was effective as I did not know what to do on this surface here. It was a very difficult match and I am happy to be through. I found my level and I am happy with that." Zverev is still seeking to secure his place among the top eight who will go on to the ATP Finals in Turin next month. After this victory, the 2021 champion sits seventh just behind Stefanos Tsitsipas and 430 points ahead of ninth-placed Hubert Hurkacz. - Fritz pulls out - American Taylor Fritz's chances of qualifying for the tour's showpiece event took a hit when he was forced to retire with an abdominal injury. On Monday, the ninth seed had comfortably beaten Argentine Sebastian Baez 6-1, 6-4. Hometown favourite Gael Monfils was knocked out in the first round by Argentinian world number 21 Francisco Cerundolo in three sets on Tuesday. The battling 37-year-old looked tired after losing the second set in a tie-break but rolled back the years with a break of serve right at the start of the third. However, it was not enough as Cerundolo struck back in the eighth game of the set, before breaking the Frenchman's serve again to take the decider 7-5. The 11th-seeded Hurkacz saw off Sebastian Korda 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 to book his place in the second round alongside Felix Auger-Aliassime, who toppled Jan-Lennard Struff in two sets. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Alcaraz stunned by qualifier in Paris Masters defeat

Iga Swiatek erased a 5-2 first set deficit and ultimately rolled to a 7-6(3) 6-0 win over Marketa Vondrousova in the Pole's first match of the group stage of the season-ending WTA Finals in Cancun on Monday. After struggling to find her rhythm early on against the big-hitting lefty, Swiatek crushed an overhead to set up a break point, which she converted on her opponent's backhand error to cut the deficit to 5-3 and seize the momentum.

Vondrousova served for the set a second time at 5-4 but Swiatek broke again with a precise backhand winner up the line for 5-5 as she began to take control of the match, constructing points from the baseline and cutting down on her errors. Swiatek completed the first set comeback on a double fault and a disillusioned Vondrousova went quietly in the second set.

Although she defended her title at the French Open for her fourth Grand Slam title, 2023 has been something of a disappointment for Swiatek, who did not get past the quarters of any of the other majors and lost her world number one ranking. She came into her third WTA Finals with a ton of momentum, however, after winning her first WTA 1000 title of the season in Beijing, and has a chance to retake the top spot from Aryna Sabalenka in Cancun.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australia-union-accepts-eddie-jones-resignation-after-rugby-world-cup-debacle-653291">Australia union accepts Eddie Jones resignation after Rugby World Cup debacle</a>

Vondrousova, who made her top-10 debut after emerging as the surprise winner of Wimbledon, is making her first appearance at the season-ending Finals, which features the top eight singles players and doubles teams in the world.

In the other Group B match-up of the evening, American U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff needed just 56 minutes to defeat Ons Jabeur 6-0 6-1 in a rain-delayed clash, making for the fourth straight-set result in the singles tournament so far.

Gauff, who is seeded third in the tournament, will face Swiatek in her next match on Wednesday.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Iga Swiatek erased a 5-2 first set deficit and ultimately rolled to a 7-6(3) 6-0 win over Marketa Vondrousova in the Pole's first match of the group stage of the season-ending WTA Finals in Cancun on Monday.

Iga Swiatek erased a 5-2 first set deficit and ultimately rolled to a 7-6(3) 6-0 win over Marketa Vondrousova in the Pole's first match of the group stage of the season-ending WTA Finals in Cancun on Monday. After struggling to find her rhythm early on against the big-hitting lefty, Swiatek crushed an overhead to set up a break point, which she converted on her opponent's backhand error to cut the deficit to 5-3 and seize the momentum. Vondrousova served for the set a second time at 5-4 but Swiatek broke again with a precise backhand winner up the line for 5-5 as she began to take control of the match, constructing points from the baseline and cutting down on her errors. Swiatek completed the first set comeback on a double fault and a disillusioned Vondrousova went quietly in the second set. Although she defended her title at the French Open for her fourth Grand Slam title, 2023 has been something of a disappointment for Swiatek, who did not get past the quarters of any of the other majors and lost her world number one ranking. She came into her third WTA Finals with a ton of momentum, however, after winning her first WTA 1000 title of the season in Beijing, and has a chance to retake the top spot from Aryna Sabalenka in Cancun. Also read: Australia union accepts Eddie Jones resignation after Rugby World Cup debacle Vondrousova, who made her top-10 debut after emerging as the surprise winner of Wimbledon, is making her first appearance at the season-ending Finals, which features the top eight singles players and doubles teams in the world. In the other Group B match-up of the evening, American U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff needed just 56 minutes to defeat Ons Jabeur 6-0 6-1 in a rain-delayed clash, making for the fourth straight-set result in the singles tournament so far. Gauff, who is seeded third in the tournament, will face Swiatek in her next match on Wednesday. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Poland's Iga Swiatek overcomes early deficit to beat Marketa Vondrousova at WTA Finals

World number one tennis player Aryna Sabalenka has slammed the&nbsp;Women's Tennis Association (WTA) over the organisation of its season-ending Finals. Taking to her social media handle, Sabalenka wrote a lengthy story post&nbsp;wherein she called out the lax organisation of the event.&nbsp;

Even before the start of the event, the Belarusian had expressed displeasure over the choice of the venue. The season-ending tournament is being organised in the tourist city of Cancun in Mexico.

"I am very disappointed with the WTA and the experience so far at the WTA Finals.&nbsp;This is not the level of organisation we expect for the Finals," said Sabalenka.

<h2>Don't feel safe: Sabalenka&nbsp;</h2>

The Australian Open champion said she didn't feel "safe" moving across the court, adding that players hadn't been given adequate preparation time.&nbsp;

"To be honest, I don't feel safe moving on this court a lot of the time, the bounce is not consistent at all, and we weren't able to practice on this court until yesterday for the first time," she added.&nbsp;

Notably, the venue for the Finals was decided in September only after WTA and Saudi Arabia failed to reach an agreement. As a result, the construction of the court on the Mexican resort of Cancun was only completed days before the tournament's start.&nbsp;

"It's just not acceptable to me with so much on the line and so much at stake."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-aryna-sabalenka-wins-her-maiden-grand-slam-after-a-two-hour-epic-556812">Also read |&nbsp;Australian Open: Aryna Sabalenka wins her maiden Grand Slam after a two-hour epic</a>

Sabalenka cleared that her grievances were against WTA and not the local tournament organisers who had been given a difficult task at the eleventh hour.&nbsp;

"All that said, I definitely want to show my appreciation for the local tournament organizers, everyone that built the court at the last minute, and everyone that's working here at the event," she wrote. "I know it's not their fault and I want them to know, as well as all the Mexican fans, that I love them and appreciate them."

The Australian Open champion beat Greece's Maria Sakkari&nbsp;6-0, 6-1 in the opening match on Sunday. She&nbsp;is eyeing the WTA Finals trophy with second-ranked Iga Swiatek challenging for it,&nbsp;

Two groups of four players will compete in round-robin matches through Friday with the two top finishers in each group advancing to Saturday's semi-finals. The final will be next Sunday.

Sabalenka became world number one after her run to the US Open final in September, ending Swiatek's 75-week rankings reign after her debut at number one in April 2022.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

World number one tennis player Aryna Sabalenka has slammed the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) over the organisation of its season-ending Finals. Taking to her social media handle, Sabalenka wrote a lengthy story post wherein she called out the lax organisation of the event.

World number one tennis player Aryna Sabalenka has slammed the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) over the organisation of its season-ending Finals. Taking to her social media handle, Sabalenka wrote a lengthy story post wherein she called out the lax organisation of the event. Even before the start of the event, the Belarusian had expressed displeasure over the choice of the venue. The season-ending tournament is being organised in the tourist city of Cancun in Mexico. "I am very disappointed with the WTA and the experience so far at the WTA Finals. This is not the level of organisation we expect for the Finals," said Sabalenka. Don't feel safe: Sabalenka The Australian Open champion said she didn't feel "safe" moving across the court, adding that players hadn't been given adequate preparation time. "To be honest, I don't feel safe moving on this court a lot of the time, the bounce is not consistent at all, and we weren't able to practice on this court until yesterday for the first time," she added. Notably, the venue for the Finals was decided in September only after WTA and Saudi Arabia failed to reach an agreement. As a result, the construction of the court on the Mexican resort of Cancun was only completed days before the tournament's start. "It's just not acceptable to me with so much on the line and so much at stake." Also read | Australian Open: Aryna Sabalenka wins her maiden Grand Slam after a two-hour epic Sabalenka cleared that her grievances were against WTA and not the local tournament organisers who had been given a difficult task at the eleventh hour. "All that said, I definitely want to show my appreciation for the local tournament organizers, everyone that built the court at the last minute, and everyone that's working here at the event," she wrote. "I know it's not their fault and I want them to know, as well as all the Mexican fans, that I love them and appreciate them." The Australian Open champion beat Greece's Maria Sakkari 6-0, 6-1 in the opening match on Sunday. She is eyeing the WTA Finals trophy with second-ranked Iga Swiatek challenging for it, Two groups of four players will compete in round-robin matches through Friday with the two top finishers in each group advancing to Saturday's semi-finals. The final will be next Sunday. Sabalenka became world number one after her run to the US Open final in September, ending Swiatek's 75-week rankings reign after her debut at number one in April 2022. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Tennis: 'I don't feel safe...', Aryna Sabalenka slams WTA for poor organisation of 2023 Finals

French veteran Gael Monfils rallied past Russian qualifier Pavel Kotov to win the 12th ATP title of his career and first this season in Stockholm on Sunday.

Monfils, ranked 140th, won 4-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 against his 109th-ranked opponent for his second title in the Swedish capital after 2011.

The 37-year-old has endured a season plagued by foot and wrist injuries.

He is just the fourth player above the age of 37 to win an ATP Tour title since 1990, joining Roger Federer, Ivo Karlovic and Feliciano Lopez.

Monfils was pushed hard in the two hour-35 minute clash on his way to becoming the oldest champion in the history of the tournament.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-2023-nz-vs-ind-better-to-lose-one-game-ravi-shastri-reveals-ms-dhonis-advice-649925">World Cup 2023, NZ vs IND: 'Better to lose...', Ravi Shastri reveals MS Dhoni's advice</a>

"Credit to Pavel," said Monfils after the first meeting between the pair.

"He has had an unbelievable week and he was pushing me on the court. I ran a lot today. When I had to save break points in the second set, I tried to push through.

"I don't know how I pulled up but I kept believing and fighting."

Monfils dropped just two sets on his way to the trophy, his first since Adelaide in January last year, and will move up to 89th in the ATP rankings.

Kotov, 24, was aiming to win his first title on Sunday in his maiden final.

&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

&nbsp;

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

French veteran Gael Monfils rallied past Russian qualifier Pavel Kotov to win the 12th ATP title of his career and first this season in Stockholm on Sunday. Monfils, ranked 140th, won 4-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 against his 109th-ranked opponent for his second title in the Swedish capital after 2011.

French veteran Gael Monfils rallied past Russian qualifier Pavel Kotov to win the 12th ATP title of his career and first this season in Stockholm on Sunday. Monfils, ranked 140th, won 4-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 against his 109th-ranked opponent for his second title in the Swedish capital after 2011. The 37-year-old has endured a season plagued by foot and wrist injuries. He is just the fourth player above the age of 37 to win an ATP Tour title since 1990, joining Roger Federer, Ivo Karlovic and Feliciano Lopez. Monfils was pushed hard in the two hour-35 minute clash on his way to becoming the oldest champion in the history of the tournament. ALSO READ | World Cup 2023, NZ vs IND: 'Better to lose...', Ravi Shastri reveals MS Dhoni's advice "Credit to Pavel," said Monfils after the first meeting between the pair. "He has had an unbelievable week and he was pushing me on the court. I ran a lot today. When I had to save break points in the second set, I tried to push through. "I don't know how I pulled up but I kept believing and fighting." Monfils dropped just two sets on his way to the trophy, his first since Adelaide in January last year, and will move up to 89th in the ATP rankings. Kotov, 24, was aiming to win his first title on Sunday in his maiden final. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: France's Gael Monfils rallies to win 12th ATP title in Stockholm

Number three seed Alexander&nbsp;Zverev&nbsp;said he "played horrible" after crashing out in the first round of the Japan Open on Monday, losing to world number 60 Jordan Thompson. Germany's&nbsp;Zverev, ranked ninth in the world, lost 6-3, 6-4 in Tokyo, one week after falling at the first hurdle at the Shanghai Masters.

Zverev, who won the Chengdu Open in China last month, said there was "nothing that I did well" after having his serve broken three times by Thompson. "Today, I played horrible," said&nbsp;Zverev. "He played quite good, he served quite good but it's just a very, very bad match for me. I don't know what to say."

Zverev&nbsp;had said that illness contributed to his loss to Roman Safiullin in Shanghai, but Thompson had "made it tricky" for him. The Australian lost in straight sets to Novak Djokovic at this year's Wimbledon but did not back down against&nbsp;Zverev.

"I haven't done anywhere near as much as he has but when I get on the court with these guys, I've got to believe that I can beat them," said the 29-year-old. "If you don't believe it, you may as well not be out here, so I'm just really enjoying the challenge."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nfl/news-nfl-dak-prescott-and-brandon-aubrey-lead-cowboy-dallas-to-win-over-los-angeles-chargers-647915">NFL: Dak Prescott and Brandon Aubrey lead Dallas Cowboys to win over Los Angeles Chargers</a>

Zverev&nbsp;was returning to Japan for the first time since winning Olympic gold two years ago at the Tokyo Games, which were held behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic. He said it was "nice to play in front of spectators but I only played one match". "I lost today so the feeling generally is not very great right now," he said.

Number five seed Tommy Paul and number eight Felix Auger-Aliassime both made it through to the next round. American Paul beat Germany's Daniel Altmaier 3-6, 6-1, 6-3, while Canada's Auger-Aliassime beat Australian Aleksandar Vukic 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (2/7), 6-2.

American Marcos Giron ousted Japanese home favourite Yoshihito Nishioka 7-6 (16/14), 4-6, 6-1. Mackenzie McDonald of the United States beat Australian Max Purcell 7-5, 6-4, and Austrian Sebastian Ofner saw off Christopher O'Connell of Australia 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (7/5), 7-5.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Number three seed Alexander Zverev said he "played horrible" after crashing out in the first round of the Japan Open on Monday, losing to world number 60 Jordan Thompson.

Number three seed Alexander Zverev said he "played horrible" after crashing out in the first round of the Japan Open on Monday, losing to world number 60 Jordan Thompson. Germany's Zverev, ranked ninth in the world, lost 6-3, 6-4 in Tokyo, one week after falling at the first hurdle at the Shanghai Masters. Zverev, who won the Chengdu Open in China last month, said there was "nothing that I did well" after having his serve broken three times by Thompson. "Today, I played horrible," said Zverev. "He played quite good, he served quite good but it's just a very, very bad match for me. I don't know what to say." Zverev had said that illness contributed to his loss to Roman Safiullin in Shanghai, but Thompson had "made it tricky" for him. The Australian lost in straight sets to Novak Djokovic at this year's Wimbledon but did not back down against Zverev. "I haven't done anywhere near as much as he has but when I get on the court with these guys, I've got to believe that I can beat them," said the 29-year-old. "If you don't believe it, you may as well not be out here, so I'm just really enjoying the challenge." Also read: NFL: Dak Prescott and Brandon Aubrey lead Dallas Cowboys to win over Los Angeles Chargers Zverev was returning to Japan for the first time since winning Olympic gold two years ago at the Tokyo Games, which were held behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic. He said it was "nice to play in front of spectators but I only played one match". "I lost today so the feeling generally is not very great right now," he said. Number five seed Tommy Paul and number eight Felix Auger-Aliassime both made it through to the next round. American Paul beat Germany's Daniel Altmaier 3-6, 6-1, 6-3, while Canada's Auger-Aliassime beat Australian Aleksandar Vukic 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (2/7), 6-2. American Marcos Giron ousted Japanese home favourite Yoshihito Nishioka 7-6 (16/14), 4-6, 6-1. Mackenzie McDonald of the United States beat Australian Max Purcell 7-5, 6-4, and Austrian Sebastian Ofner saw off Christopher O'Connell of Australia 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (7/5), 7-5. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Alexander Zverev bows out of Japan Open after 'horrible' first round

Big-serving Hubert Hurkacz survived a thrilling final-set tiebreak to fight off fifth seed Andrey Rublev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (10/8) and win the Shanghai Masters on Sunday. 
 
It was the 16th-seeded Pole's second Masters triumph, to go with the one he won in Miami in 2021 and a seventh ATP title in all.

Both players squandered match points in a thrilling conclusion on a warm evening in front of the watching Roger Federer.

Hurkacz had Rublev under pressure early and broke the Russian with a vicious whipped forehand that Rublev had no chance of returning to lead 4-2 in the first set.

The 25-year-old Rublev let out an angry roar in response and then Hurkacz easily held his own booming serve to go up 5-2.

The Pole came into the final with a tournament-leading 77 aces and Rublev could not handle his blistering serve. 
 
Hurkacz sealed the first set in 31 minutes and it was inevitably with another ace.

It was the first set that Rublev had dropped in Shanghai.&nbsp;But Rublev, who won the Monte Carlo Masters in April, struck back to break his opponent's torpedo of a serve for a 2-0 lead at the start of the second set.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/monte-carlo-masters-rublev-downs-holger-rune-for-biggest-career-win-583169">Also read |&nbsp;Monte Carlo Masters: Rublev downs Holger Rune for biggest career win</a>

A rejuvenated Rublev kept the 26-year-old Hurkacz at bay to send them into a deciding third set.

Rublev on Saturday described his angry outbursts in his semi-final win over Grigor Dimitrov as "ugly" and he was struggling again with his emotions at times. 
 
In contrast, Hurkacz went about his business with quiet determination.

Serving at 4-5 in a gripping third set, Rublev saved a championship point -- having been booed by the crowd moments earlier for aggressively approaching and shouting at courtside photographers.

That propelled the duo into a tiebreak before Hurkacz finally prevailed.&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Big-serving Hubert Hurkacz survived a thrilling final-set tiebreak to fight off fifth seed Andrey Rublev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (10/8) and win the Shanghai Masters on Sunday.

Big-serving Hubert Hurkacz survived a thrilling final-set tiebreak to fight off fifth seed Andrey Rublev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (10/8) and win the Shanghai Masters on Sunday. It was the 16th-seeded Pole's second Masters triumph, to go with the one he won in Miami in 2021 and a seventh ATP title in all. Both players squandered match points in a thrilling conclusion on a warm evening in front of the watching Roger Federer. Hurkacz had Rublev under pressure early and broke the Russian with a vicious whipped forehand that Rublev had no chance of returning to lead 4-2 in the first set. The 25-year-old Rublev let out an angry roar in response and then Hurkacz easily held his own booming serve to go up 5-2. The Pole came into the final with a tournament-leading 77 aces and Rublev could not handle his blistering serve. Hurkacz sealed the first set in 31 minutes and it was inevitably with another ace. It was the first set that Rublev had dropped in Shanghai. But Rublev, who won the Monte Carlo Masters in April, struck back to break his opponent's torpedo of a serve for a 2-0 lead at the start of the second set. Also read | Monte Carlo Masters: Rublev downs Holger Rune for biggest career win A rejuvenated Rublev kept the 26-year-old Hurkacz at bay to send them into a deciding third set. Rublev on Saturday described his angry outbursts in his semi-final win over Grigor Dimitrov as "ugly" and he was struggling again with his emotions at times. In contrast, Hurkacz went about his business with quiet determination. Serving at 4-5 in a gripping third set, Rublev saved a championship point -- having been booed by the crowd moments earlier for aggressively approaching and shouting at courtside photographers. That propelled the duo into a tiebreak before Hurkacz finally prevailed. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Hurkacz prevails in thrilling tiebreaker against Rublev to win Shanghai Masters

Grigor Dimitrov marched into the Shanghai Masters semi-finals with a 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 defeat of Chile's Nicolas Jarry on Friday to close on a first ATP title in six years. The 18th seed from Bulgaria will play Russia's Andrey Rublev or Ugo Humbert of France for a place in Sunday's final. Ranked seventh, Rublev is the only player from the world's top 10 still in the draw after a series of shocks saw the leading seeds all ousted.

There was little to choose between Dimitrov and 22nd seed Jarry in the first set but the Bulgarian upped the ante in the tiebreak, racing into a 5-1 and then 6-2 lead. The 32-year-old, who is pursuing a first ATP title since winning the ATP Finals in 2017, sealed the deal on the first set point when Jarry poked a tentative backhand into the net.

Dimitrov, who stunned top seed Carlos Alcaraz in the last 16, broke Jarry in the seventh game of the second set before requiring brief treatment on his right shoulder. It failed to stop him, however, and he closed out on his first match point in one hour and 39 minutes. In Saturday's other semi-final, Poland's 16th seed Hubert Hurkacz faces 26th-seeded American Sebastian Korda.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/belgian-gp-secures-extension-to-its-current-deal-till-2025-646375">Belgian GP secures extension to it's current deal till 2025</a>

Sebastian Korda reached his first Masters semi-final as he held his nerve to tame fast-rising fellow American Ben Shelton 6-7 (10/12), 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) in Shanghai on Thursday. The 26th seed finally sealed a thrilling quarter-final on his sixth match point and plays Poland's 16th seed Hubert Hurkacz for a place in Sunday's final.

The draw has opened up for the 23-year-old Korda as he closes on a second ATP title. Top seed Carlos Alcaraz was turfed out in the last 16 to follow Daniil Medvedev -- beaten by Korda -- Holger Rune, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Jannik Sinner out the exit door.

Korda was more relieved than anything else afterwards, having let slip five match points in the deciding-set tie break. "It was a super-high level from both of us and thrilled to get through an especially tricky tie break," said Korda, whose father Petr reached two in the world and won the Australian Open in 1998. "That's probably one of the biggest things of having a father who played tennis -- to kind of understand certain moments.

"I think in those certain moments you got to stay really calm. You can have such a big lead like that and you could just completely panic or get super down on yourself and just get lost."

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Grigor Dimitrov marched into the Shanghai Masters semi-finals with a 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 defeat of Chile's Nicolas Jarry on Friday to close on a first ATP title in six years.

Grigor Dimitrov marched into the Shanghai Masters semi-finals with a 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 defeat of Chile's Nicolas Jarry on Friday to close on a first ATP title in six years. The 18th seed from Bulgaria will play Russia's Andrey Rublev or Ugo Humbert of France for a place in Sunday's final. Ranked seventh, Rublev is the only player from the world's top 10 still in the draw after a series of shocks saw the leading seeds all ousted. There was little to choose between Dimitrov and 22nd seed Jarry in the first set but the Bulgarian upped the ante in the tiebreak, racing into a 5-1 and then 6-2 lead. The 32-year-old, who is pursuing a first ATP title since winning the ATP Finals in 2017, sealed the deal on the first set point when Jarry poked a tentative backhand into the net. Dimitrov, who stunned top seed Carlos Alcaraz in the last 16, broke Jarry in the seventh game of the second set before requiring brief treatment on his right shoulder. It failed to stop him, however, and he closed out on his first match point in one hour and 39 minutes. In Saturday's other semi-final, Poland's 16th seed Hubert Hurkacz faces 26th-seeded American Sebastian Korda. Also read: Belgian GP secures extension to it's current deal till 2025 Sebastian Korda reached his first Masters semi-final as he held his nerve to tame fast-rising fellow American Ben Shelton 6-7 (10/12), 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) in Shanghai on Thursday. The 26th seed finally sealed a thrilling quarter-final on his sixth match point and plays Poland's 16th seed Hubert Hurkacz for a place in Sunday's final. The draw has opened up for the 23-year-old Korda as he closes on a second ATP title. Top seed Carlos Alcaraz was turfed out in the last 16 to follow Daniil Medvedev -- beaten by Korda -- Holger Rune, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Jannik Sinner out the exit door. Korda was more relieved than anything else afterwards, having let slip five match points in the deciding-set tie break. "It was a super-high level from both of us and thrilled to get through an especially tricky tie break," said Korda, whose father Petr reached two in the world and won the Australian Open in 1998. "That's probably one of the biggest things of having a father who played tennis -- to kind of understand certain moments. "I think in those certain moments you got to stay really calm. You can have such a big lead like that and you could just completely panic or get super down on yourself and just get lost." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Grigor Dimitrov storms into Shanghai Masters semi-finals

World number seven Ons Jabeur withdrew from the Zhengzhou Open ahead of her quarter-final against Daria Kasatkina, blaming a knee injury that hampered her during a hard-fought victory over Lucia Bronzetti on Thursday.

Playing with her right knee taped, the Tunisian three-time Grand Slam finalist failed to serve out the victory on three occasions and needed five match points to move past the 63rd-ranked Italian Bronzetti 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) in just under two hours.

Shortly after her victory, the 29-year-old Jabeur announced she had to pull out of the tournament, handing Kasatkina a walkover into the semi-finals.

Eighth seed Kasatkina beat home player Bai Zhuoxuan 6-2, 6-4.

Having qualified for the WTA Finals for a second consecutive year, Jabeur faces a race against time to be ready for the prestigious season finale, which kicks off in Cancun on October 29.

"I'm so sorry that I have to withdraw because my knee is not feeling so great. I just want to say that I love my time here in Zhengzhou and I hopefully I can come back next year," said the fourth seed.

A seesaw opening set saw a combined five breaks of serve but it was Jabeur who carved out a 5-2 gap and the Tunisian took a one-set lead after 45 minutes.

The fourth seed earned a double-break lead in the second set and looked on track for a smooth victory when she served for the match at 5-2.&nbsp;

But Bronzetti had other ideas and snatched the next three games, breaking Jabeur twice to level the frame for five-all, saving a match point along the way.

Jabeur stopped the bleeding as she used her signature drop shot to maximum effect to break Bronzetti and put herself in position to serve for the win for a third time.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-kane-williamsons-comeback-on-cards-as-new-zealand-gear-up-for-bangladesh-tie-in-chennai-645866">World Cup: Kane Williamson’s comeback on cards as New Zealand gear up for Bangladesh tie in Chennai</a>

Still the North African could not close it out as Bronzetti saved three more match points and broke serve on a Jabeur double-fault to take the set into a tie-break.

Jabeur finally closed out the 74-minute second set, and the contest, on her fifth match point.

Kasatkina also had to overcome a second-set fightback from her opponent and needed four match points before she completed a 90-minute victory over 117th-ranked Bai.

The 26-year-old Russian, who has lost her last five matches to Jabeur, will now move directly into the final four, where she awaits former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova or Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko.

Meanwhile, Germany's Laura Siegemund upset 11th seed and recent Beijing runner-up Liudmila Samsonova 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 to book a quarter-final against Italian Jasmine Paolini.

&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

&nbsp;

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

World number seven Ons Jabeur withdrew from the Zhengzhou Open ahead of her quarter-final against Daria Kasatkina, blaming a knee injury that hampered her during a hard-fought victory over Lucia Bronzetti on Thursday.

World number seven Ons Jabeur withdrew from the Zhengzhou Open ahead of her quarter-final against Daria Kasatkina, blaming a knee injury that hampered her during a hard-fought victory over Lucia Bronzetti on Thursday. Playing with her right knee taped, the Tunisian three-time Grand Slam finalist failed to serve out the victory on three occasions and needed five match points to move past the 63rd-ranked Italian Bronzetti 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) in just under two hours. Shortly after her victory, the 29-year-old Jabeur announced she had to pull out of the tournament, handing Kasatkina a walkover into the semi-finals. Eighth seed Kasatkina beat home player Bai Zhuoxuan 6-2, 6-4. Having qualified for the WTA Finals for a second consecutive year, Jabeur faces a race against time to be ready for the prestigious season finale, which kicks off in Cancun on October 29. "I'm so sorry that I have to withdraw because my knee is not feeling so great. I just want to say that I love my time here in Zhengzhou and I hopefully I can come back next year," said the fourth seed. A seesaw opening set saw a combined five breaks of serve but it was Jabeur who carved out a 5-2 gap and the Tunisian took a one-set lead after 45 minutes. The fourth seed earned a double-break lead in the second set and looked on track for a smooth victory when she served for the match at 5-2. But Bronzetti had other ideas and snatched the next three games, breaking Jabeur twice to level the frame for five-all, saving a match point along the way. Jabeur stopped the bleeding as she used her signature drop shot to maximum effect to break Bronzetti and put herself in position to serve for the win for a third time. ALSO READ | World Cup: Kane Williamson’s comeback on cards as New Zealand gear up for Bangladesh tie in Chennai Still the North African could not close it out as Bronzetti saved three more match points and broke serve on a Jabeur double-fault to take the set into a tie-break. Jabeur finally closed out the 74-minute second set, and the contest, on her fifth match point. Kasatkina also had to overcome a second-set fightback from her opponent and needed four match points before she completed a 90-minute victory over 117th-ranked Bai. The 26-year-old Russian, who has lost her last five matches to Jabeur, will now move directly into the final four, where she awaits former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova or Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko. Meanwhile, Germany's Laura Siegemund upset 11th seed and recent Beijing runner-up Liudmila Samsonova 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 to book a quarter-final against Italian Jasmine Paolini. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Ons Jabeur withdraws after reaching Zhengzhou Open last eight

World number two Iga Swiatek eased to a WTA Tour-leading fifth title this year by crushing unseeded Russian Liudmila Samsonova 6-2 6-2 in the China Open final on Sunday to tighten her battle with Aryna Sabalenka for the year-end number one spot.

Swiatek shed tears of joy after her 69-minute masterclass, which left the four-times Grand Slam champion 465 points behind the top-ranked Sabalenka and with a big chance to leapfrog the Belarusian at the WTA Finals in Cancun, Mexico.

The season finale, where the top eight singles players and doubles teams in the world face off, begins on Oct. 29.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/after-four-failed-attempts-turkey-set-to-realise-long-term-goal-with-bid-to-host-euro-2032-644284">After four failed attempts Turkey set to realise long-term goal with bid to host Euro 2032</a>

Beijing debutant Swiatek was handed the first break of the clash in the sixth game when Samsonova produced a double fault and the 22-year-old then wrapped up the opening set without committing a single unforced error.

Swiatek's superb serve proved to be her biggest weapon as she never faced a break point and raced ahead 4-1 in the second set before sealing the win with ease for her 16th title overall as world number 22 Samsonova made another error at the net.

"I'm very happy. For sure, it was the last thing I expected at the beginning of the tournament," Swiatek said. "This match today, even though the score makes it seem like it was easy, it wasn't. It was really intense and Liudmila put pressure on me.

"I'm happy that I was solid and consistent and till the end I could keep my focus. At the end I felt really grateful for the support I get from my team because the last two weeks were not easy. So, I was happy."

French Open champion Swiatek also became the first player since American Serena Williams to claim five or more titles in successive years. Williams managed the feat in 2014 and 2015.

Swiatek also became the player with the most WTA 1000 titles before turning 23 with six, eclipsing Caroline Wozniacki's five.

The 24-year-old Samsonova said she would have liked to put up more of a fight in the final but was pleased with her display through the tournament.

"It was an amazing week," said Samsonova, whose run to a second WTA 1000 final of the season ensured she will return to the top 20.

"I was in Tokyo last week and not playing my best tennis, but here I showed some decent tennis and I'm happy for this."

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

World number two Iga Swiatek eased to a WTA Tour-leading fifth title this year by crushing unseeded Russian Liudmila Samsonova 6-2 6-2 in the China Open final on Sunday to tighten her battle with Aryna Sabalenka for the year-end number one spot.

World number two Iga Swiatek eased to a WTA Tour-leading fifth title this year by crushing unseeded Russian Liudmila Samsonova 6-2 6-2 in the China Open final on Sunday to tighten her battle with Aryna Sabalenka for the year-end number one spot. Swiatek shed tears of joy after her 69-minute masterclass, which left the four-times Grand Slam champion 465 points behind the top-ranked Sabalenka and with a big chance to leapfrog the Belarusian at the WTA Finals in Cancun, Mexico. The season finale, where the top eight singles players and doubles teams in the world face off, begins on Oct. 29. ALSO READ: After four failed attempts Turkey set to realise long-term goal with bid to host Euro 2032 Beijing debutant Swiatek was handed the first break of the clash in the sixth game when Samsonova produced a double fault and the 22-year-old then wrapped up the opening set without committing a single unforced error. Swiatek's superb serve proved to be her biggest weapon as she never faced a break point and raced ahead 4-1 in the second set before sealing the win with ease for her 16th title overall as world number 22 Samsonova made another error at the net. "I'm very happy. For sure, it was the last thing I expected at the beginning of the tournament," Swiatek said. "This match today, even though the score makes it seem like it was easy, it wasn't. It was really intense and Liudmila put pressure on me. "I'm happy that I was solid and consistent and till the end I could keep my focus. At the end I felt really grateful for the support I get from my team because the last two weeks were not easy. So, I was happy." French Open champion Swiatek also became the first player since American Serena Williams to claim five or more titles in successive years. Williams managed the feat in 2014 and 2015. Swiatek also became the player with the most WTA 1000 titles before turning 23 with six, eclipsing Caroline Wozniacki's five. The 24-year-old Samsonova said she would have liked to put up more of a fight in the final but was pleased with her display through the tournament. "It was an amazing week," said Samsonova, whose run to a second WTA 1000 final of the season ensured she will return to the top 20. "I was in Tokyo last week and not playing my best tennis, but here I showed some decent tennis and I'm happy for this." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Iga Swiatek beats unseeded Liudmila Samsonova in straight sets to win China Open 2023

Top seeds Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev made strong starts to the Shanghai Masters on Saturday, with both winning in straight sets to sail through to the third round. Italy's Jannik Sinner is also through after battling out an intense first set -- saving four set points -- against the United States' Marcos Giron.

Alcaraz dominated his first set against 73rd-ranked Gregoire Barrere, winning it 6-2. But the Frenchman regained ground in the second, sending 20-year-old Alcaraz scurrying from side to side of the court.

The world number two kept his cool and drew ahead towards the set's end, finishing it off at 7-5.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-hollywood-ending-for-lionel-messi-in-his-maiden-mls-season-as-inter-miami-crash-out-of-playoffs-race-643935">No Hollywood ending for Lionel Messi in his maiden MLS season as Inter Miami crash out of playoffs race</a>

"There were no ups and downs on my game," said Alcaraz when asked what had pleased him the most about his performance. "I just stayed at the same level all the time. (Barrere) increased his level, but... my level of focus was all the time the same."

Steady play may have been preoccupying the Spaniard after he said he went "out of his mind" during his defeat at the hands of Sinner at the China Open in Beijing this week.

The loss dealt a blow to his plan to close the gap on the absent Novak Djokovic at the top of the rankings with strong performances in China.

Asked whether he was more worried about meeting Sinner again or Medvedev later in the tournament, Alcaraz laughed.

"That's a tough one. Both of them," he said. &nbsp;"It's scary to face them... but I like that kind of challenge," he added.

"I want to play my best level to make the final and probably face them."

<h2>- Lucky butterfly -</h2>

Medvedev, the world number three and defending champion, beat Chile's Cristian Garin in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 to proceed breezily to the third round.

Garin put up a valiant defence, with several hard-fought rallies inducing gasps from the crowd, but ultimately the 98th-ranked player struggled with the Russian's relentless pace.

"(There's a) long tournament ahead, with a lot of strong players, starting from my next match," said Medvedev at the end. "But the goal for sure is to try and win this beautiful trophy one more time."

Medvedev won the 2019 title, but for the next three years the tournament was cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I'm definitely happy to be back in Shanghai," he said. "I honestly feel great and I want to stay here as long as possible."

Medvedev is popular with Chinese fans, a chemistry on display when the indoor match was interrupted briefly after a red-and-white butterfly distracted the Russian from serving.

The crowd giggled as he played up his surprise for comic effect, before carefully handing over the insect, which had settled on one of his tennis balls, to great applause.

"I'm a little bit, not scared of insects, but, like, I don't like when they go on me," Medvedev said at a press conference afterwards, though he added it was "perfect for me" upon hearing they were a symbol of good luck in China.

The Russian plays again on Sunday against 26th-ranked Sebastian Korda, who beat him at their last meeting.

"He was very dominant, in a way, and that's how he plays, so it's going to be interesting for me," said Medvedev.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Top seeds Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev made strong starts to the Shanghai Masters on Saturday, with both winning in straight sets to sail through to the third round.

Top seeds Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev made strong starts to the Shanghai Masters on Saturday, with both winning in straight sets to sail through to the third round. Italy's Jannik Sinner is also through after battling out an intense first set -- saving four set points -- against the United States' Marcos Giron. Alcaraz dominated his first set against 73rd-ranked Gregoire Barrere, winning it 6-2. But the Frenchman regained ground in the second, sending 20-year-old Alcaraz scurrying from side to side of the court. The world number two kept his cool and drew ahead towards the set's end, finishing it off at 7-5. ALSO READ: No Hollywood ending for Lionel Messi in his maiden MLS season as Inter Miami crash out of playoffs race "There were no ups and downs on my game," said Alcaraz when asked what had pleased him the most about his performance. "I just stayed at the same level all the time. (Barrere) increased his level, but... my level of focus was all the time the same." Steady play may have been preoccupying the Spaniard after he said he went "out of his mind" during his defeat at the hands of Sinner at the China Open in Beijing this week. The loss dealt a blow to his plan to close the gap on the absent Novak Djokovic at the top of the rankings with strong performances in China. Asked whether he was more worried about meeting Sinner again or Medvedev later in the tournament, Alcaraz laughed. "That's a tough one. Both of them," he said. "It's scary to face them... but I like that kind of challenge," he added. "I want to play my best level to make the final and probably face them." - Lucky butterfly - Medvedev, the world number three and defending champion, beat Chile's Cristian Garin in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 to proceed breezily to the third round. Garin put up a valiant defence, with several hard-fought rallies inducing gasps from the crowd, but ultimately the 98th-ranked player struggled with the Russian's relentless pace. "(There's a) long tournament ahead, with a lot of strong players, starting from my next match," said Medvedev at the end. "But the goal for sure is to try and win this beautiful trophy one more time." Medvedev won the 2019 title, but for the next three years the tournament was cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic. "I'm definitely happy to be back in Shanghai," he said. "I honestly feel great and I want to stay here as long as possible." Medvedev is popular with Chinese fans, a chemistry on display when the indoor match was interrupted briefly after a red-and-white butterfly distracted the Russian from serving. The crowd giggled as he played up his surprise for comic effect, before carefully handing over the insect, which had settled on one of his tennis balls, to great applause. "I'm a little bit, not scared of insects, but, like, I don't like when they go on me," Medvedev said at a press conference afterwards, though he added it was "perfect for me" upon hearing they were a symbol of good luck in China. The Russian plays again on Sunday against 26th-ranked Sebastian Korda, who beat him at their last meeting. "He was very dominant, in a way, and that's how he plays, so it's going to be interesting for me," said Medvedev. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Shanghai Masters 2023: Top seeds Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev make dominant starts

Coco Gauff racked up the longest winning streak on the WTA Tour this season by beating Veronika Kudermetova 7-6(5) 6-2 in the third round of the China Open on Thursday for her 15th consecutive victory. Gauff's last defeat was in the quarter-finals in Montreal following her Washington triumph and the 19-year-old has been an unstoppable force ever since, winning the Cincinnati title and her maiden Grand Slam crown at her home U.S. Open.

The world number three outclassed Ekaterina Alexandrova in her Beijing opener and battled past Petra Martic. She produced a determined display in the first set against Kudermetova to lay the platform for a second career win over the Tokyo champion. "I'm really happy with how I've been able to manage. I had trouble finding the way I wanted to play in these conditions. I felt like the balls were flying in the first match and playing passive in the second," Gauff said.

"I'm really happy with how I've been able to troubleshoot and problem-solve. Today I played a good match overall." Gauff next meets sixth seed Maria Sakkari in what would be a rematch of their title clash in Washington.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rugby-world-cup-italy-number-eight-cannone-fancies-clash-against-familiar-france-642940">Rugby World Cup: Italy number eight Cannone fancies clash against familiar France</a>

Sakkari got past local favourite Wang Xinyu 6-4 2-6 6-3. "I think she's probably one of the most athletic players on tour so it's going to be tough," Gauff said. Earlier, former champion Caroline Garcia sealed a 6-3 6-2 victory over Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina to book a quarter-final clash with second seed Iga Swiatek.

Frenchwoman Garcia, who is ranked 10th in the world but a further 10 places back in the race to qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals which she won in 2022, has enjoyed a steady run of form in the last few weeks. Garcia reached the quarter-finals in San Diego and Tokyo with a Guadalajara semi-final appearance in between.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka later overcame a spirited Jasmine Paolini 6-4 7-6(4) to set up a blockbuster meeting with former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina. Sabalenka has a 4-1 record against the Kazakh, most notably defeating her in the Australian Open final, before losing their latest meeting in the Indian Wells title clash. "I'll go out there tomorrow and do my best to get this win," Sabalenka said.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Coco Gauff racked up the longest winning streak on the WTA Tour this season by beating Veronika Kudermetova 7-6(5) 6-2 in the third round of the China Open on Thursday for her 15th consecutive victory.

Coco Gauff racked up the longest winning streak on the WTA Tour this season by beating Veronika Kudermetova 7-6(5) 6-2 in the third round of the China Open on Thursday for her 15th consecutive victory. Gauff's last defeat was in the quarter-finals in Montreal following her Washington triumph and the 19-year-old has been an unstoppable force ever since, winning the Cincinnati title and her maiden Grand Slam crown at her home U.S. Open. The world number three outclassed Ekaterina Alexandrova in her Beijing opener and battled past Petra Martic. She produced a determined display in the first set against Kudermetova to lay the platform for a second career win over the Tokyo champion. "I'm really happy with how I've been able to manage. I had trouble finding the way I wanted to play in these conditions. I felt like the balls were flying in the first match and playing passive in the second," Gauff said. "I'm really happy with how I've been able to troubleshoot and problem-solve. Today I played a good match overall." Gauff next meets sixth seed Maria Sakkari in what would be a rematch of their title clash in Washington. Also read: Rugby World Cup: Italy number eight Cannone fancies clash against familiar France Sakkari got past local favourite Wang Xinyu 6-4 2-6 6-3. "I think she's probably one of the most athletic players on tour so it's going to be tough," Gauff said. Earlier, former champion Caroline Garcia sealed a 6-3 6-2 victory over Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina to book a quarter-final clash with second seed Iga Swiatek. Frenchwoman Garcia, who is ranked 10th in the world but a further 10 places back in the race to qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals which she won in 2022, has enjoyed a steady run of form in the last few weeks. Garcia reached the quarter-finals in San Diego and Tokyo with a Guadalajara semi-final appearance in between. World number one Aryna Sabalenka later overcame a spirited Jasmine Paolini 6-4 7-6(4) to set up a blockbuster meeting with former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina. Sabalenka has a 4-1 record against the Kazakh, most notably defeating her in the Australian Open final, before losing their latest meeting in the Indian Wells title clash. "I'll go out there tomorrow and do my best to get this win," Sabalenka said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Unstoppable Coco Gauff extends winning streak to reach Beijing quarter-finals

The Australian Open said Tuesday it is adding a day to become a 15-day event in an effort to curb late-night matches after Briton Andy Murray notably played until 4:05 am.

The annual Melbourne-based tournament, the first of Four Grand Slam contests each year, will now start a day earlier on a Sunday.

"We have listened to feedback from the players and fans and are excited to deliver a solution to minimise late finishes," Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said.

"The additional day will achieve this, benefiting scheduling for fans and players alike."&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-world-number-two-iga-swiatek-on-board-with-wtas-performance-byes-642046">Also read |&nbsp;Tennis: World number two Iga Swiatek on board with WTA's performance byes</a>

The Australian Open did not specifically mention Murray's late-night match in Melbourne this year, which set off public debate about the tournament's schedule.

Murray memorably asked during his epic five-set victory: "Why are we playing at 3 am?"

His five-hour, 45-minute match against Australian player Thanasi Kokkinakis finally ended at 4:05 am.

"It's not beneficial for the umpires, the officials. I don't think it's amazing for the fans. It's not good for the players," he said after the match in January.

The Australian Open said data showed matches are now longer.

Next year's tournament will be played from January 14-28.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

The Australian Open said Tuesday it is adding a day to become a 15-day event in an effort to curb late-night matches after Briton Andy Murray notably played until 4:05 am.

The Australian Open said Tuesday it is adding a day to become a 15-day event in an effort to curb late-night matches after Briton Andy Murray notably played until 4:05 am. The annual Melbourne-based tournament, the first of Four Grand Slam contests each year, will now start a day earlier on a Sunday. "We have listened to feedback from the players and fans and are excited to deliver a solution to minimise late finishes," Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said. "The additional day will achieve this, benefiting scheduling for fans and players alike." Also read | Tennis: World number two Iga Swiatek on board with WTA's performance byes The Australian Open did not specifically mention Murray's late-night match in Melbourne this year, which set off public debate about the tournament's schedule. Murray memorably asked during his epic five-set victory: "Why are we playing at 3 am?" His five-hour, 45-minute match against Australian player Thanasi Kokkinakis finally ended at 4:05 am. "It's not beneficial for the umpires, the officials. I don't think it's amazing for the fans. It's not good for the players," he said after the match in January. The Australian Open said data showed matches are now longer. Next year's tournament will be played from January 14-28. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Australian Open: Grand Slam extended to 15 days. Know why

Iga Swiatek has given her backing to the reintroduction of performance byes during the WTA's Asian swing of events, saying it allowed players who reach the semi-finals of a tournament to rest and prepare for the next one. Under the rule, Jessica Pegula, Maria Sakkari, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Veronika Kudermetova received byes into the second round of the China Open after reaching the Tokyo semi-finals last week.

Byes are usually reserved for top seeds at events but the performance rule meant world number two Swiatek, who lost in the Tokyo quarters, went into the first round in China. World number one Aryna Sabalenka and number three Coco Gauff also missed out on byes as they had not played since the U.S. Open.

"I didn't really dig into this rule so much because these are the first tournaments that I'm playing where it's possible to get this kind of thing. But it's been on tour for a long time," Swiatek said. "I think it's smart because usually when I had tournaments that I played till the end, I know how it is to rush to another tournament and not have time to rest and prepare. So I think that rule is fine. I think that rule makes sense."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-world-number-three-daniil-medvedev-iga-swiatek-both-through-at-china-open-641780">Tennis: World number three Daniil Medvedev, Iga Swiatek both through at China Open</a>

Sabalenka was less than pleased with the rule, which has been implemented at various times since 2009, saying it was not acceptable for players to receive them for success in lower-tier tournaments instead of those who had earned ranking points in top events. The Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo was a WTA 500 event, while the China Open is a WTA 1000 tournament. "I think you have to earn those byes," she said on Sunday.

Reuters has contacted the WTA for comment. Elena Rybakina pulled out of the Pan Pacific Open last week citing fitness issues, days after slamming the WTA for the introduction of performance byes at the tournament.

"Performance bye. Thank you for changing the rules last moment. Great decisions as always @wta," she wrote on Instagram. Sakkari and Garcia are both ranked lower than the former Wimbledon champion.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Iga Swiatek has given her backing to the reintroduction of performance byes during the WTA's Asian swing of events, saying it allowed players who reach the semi-finals of a tournament to rest and prepare for the next one.

Iga Swiatek has given her backing to the reintroduction of performance byes during the WTA's Asian swing of events, saying it allowed players who reach the semi-finals of a tournament to rest and prepare for the next one. Under the rule, Jessica Pegula, Maria Sakkari, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Veronika Kudermetova received byes into the second round of the China Open after reaching the Tokyo semi-finals last week. Byes are usually reserved for top seeds at events but the performance rule meant world number two Swiatek, who lost in the Tokyo quarters, went into the first round in China. World number one Aryna Sabalenka and number three Coco Gauff also missed out on byes as they had not played since the U.S. Open. "I didn't really dig into this rule so much because these are the first tournaments that I'm playing where it's possible to get this kind of thing. But it's been on tour for a long time," Swiatek said. "I think it's smart because usually when I had tournaments that I played till the end, I know how it is to rush to another tournament and not have time to rest and prepare. So I think that rule is fine. I think that rule makes sense." Also read: Tennis: World number three Daniil Medvedev, Iga Swiatek both through at China Open Sabalenka was less than pleased with the rule, which has been implemented at various times since 2009, saying it was not acceptable for players to receive them for success in lower-tier tournaments instead of those who had earned ranking points in top events. The Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo was a WTA 500 event, while the China Open is a WTA 1000 tournament. "I think you have to earn those byes," she said on Sunday. Reuters has contacted the WTA for comment. Elena Rybakina pulled out of the Pan Pacific Open last week citing fitness issues, days after slamming the WTA for the introduction of performance byes at the tournament. "Performance bye. Thank you for changing the rules last moment. Great decisions as always @wta," she wrote on Instagram. Sakkari and Garcia are both ranked lower than the former Wimbledon champion. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: World number two Iga Swiatek on board with WTA's performance byes

World number three Daniil Medvedev booked his place in the China Open men's semi-finals with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 victory over France's Ugo Humbert in Beijing on Monday. An error-strewn first set saw a combined five breaks of serve but Medvedev edged ahead in the ninth game and finished it off with an ace.

Both men were more consistent in set two until the Russian, at deuce, hit back-to-back double faults to hand the crucial break to Humbert. But Medvedev finally tightened up in the decider, notching two quickfire breaks before seeing out the match on his serve.

The 27-year-old will battle it out with Germany's Alexander Zverev for a place in the final. Medvedev again attributed the see-saw victory to the match balls, which he has said fluff up too quickly and can lead to lengthy rallies.

"It's very slow," he told a post-match news conference. "(On) any other normal hard court with normal balls, no chance I win the match like this. No chance I would lose my serve so much," he said. "It's great that I managed to still find, in this tough match, these moments of consistency -- which was enough to win."

Zverev, ranked number 10, edged a tight encounter with Chilean Nicolas Jarry 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3. World number two and tournament favourite Carlos Alcaraz is due to play his quarter-final against Casper Ruud on Monday evening.

Top-ranked men's player Novak Djokovic is not playing the China tournaments this season.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rugby-world-cup-2023-springboks-sweat-on-makazole-mapimpi-injury-in-wake-of-tonga-win-641713">Rugby World Cup 2023: South Africa wing Makazole Mapimpi ruled out with a fractured eye socket</a>

<h2>- Swiatek, Gauff progress -</h2>

In the first round of the women's draw, world number two Iga Swiatek defeated Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo in straight sets. The Pole, who recently relinquished her hold on the number-one spot to Aryna Sabalenka, enjoyed considerable success at the net on her way to a 6-4, 6-3 victory.

Swiatek will play France's Varvara Gracheva in the second round. "I feel like I was pretty patient. You have to be patient with her because she's running for every ball," the 22-year-old said after the match. "I kind of wanted to just be solid and be intensive but not make too many mistakes with risking," she said. "I'm pretty happy I could balance that. It just worked, so I'm happy."

Teenage star Coco Gauff survived a minor scare on the way to a 7-5, 6-3 defeat of Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova. The US Open champion was 4-0 up but allowed Alexandrova to level before ripping a backhand winner down the line to break serve and take the first set.

She fared better in the second, picking up a break midway through and seeing out the match with ease. World number seven Ons Jabeur beat American Ashlyn Krueger 6-3, 6-4 to set up a second-round match against Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk.

Sabalenka knocked out former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin on Sunday to seal her spot in the second round. The China Open is taking place for the first time since 2019 after Beijing abandoned its long-standing zero-Covid policy.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

World number three Daniil Medvedev booked his place in the China Open men's semi-finals with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 victory over France's Ugo Humbert in Beijing on Monday.

World number three Daniil Medvedev booked his place in the China Open men's semi-finals with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 victory over France's Ugo Humbert in Beijing on Monday. An error-strewn first set saw a combined five breaks of serve but Medvedev edged ahead in the ninth game and finished it off with an ace. Both men were more consistent in set two until the Russian, at deuce, hit back-to-back double faults to hand the crucial break to Humbert. But Medvedev finally tightened up in the decider, notching two quickfire breaks before seeing out the match on his serve. The 27-year-old will battle it out with Germany's Alexander Zverev for a place in the final. Medvedev again attributed the see-saw victory to the match balls, which he has said fluff up too quickly and can lead to lengthy rallies. "It's very slow," he told a post-match news conference. "(On) any other normal hard court with normal balls, no chance I win the match like this. No chance I would lose my serve so much," he said. "It's great that I managed to still find, in this tough match, these moments of consistency -- which was enough to win." Zverev, ranked number 10, edged a tight encounter with Chilean Nicolas Jarry 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3. World number two and tournament favourite Carlos Alcaraz is due to play his quarter-final against Casper Ruud on Monday evening. Top-ranked men's player Novak Djokovic is not playing the China tournaments this season. Also read: Rugby World Cup 2023: South Africa wing Makazole Mapimpi ruled out with a fractured eye socket - Swiatek, Gauff progress - In the first round of the women's draw, world number two Iga Swiatek defeated Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo in straight sets. The Pole, who recently relinquished her hold on the number-one spot to Aryna Sabalenka, enjoyed considerable success at the net on her way to a 6-4, 6-3 victory. Swiatek will play France's Varvara Gracheva in the second round. "I feel like I was pretty patient. You have to be patient with her because she's running for every ball," the 22-year-old said after the match. "I kind of wanted to just be solid and be intensive but not make too many mistakes with risking," she said. "I'm pretty happy I could balance that. It just worked, so I'm happy." Teenage star Coco Gauff survived a minor scare on the way to a 7-5, 6-3 defeat of Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova. The US Open champion was 4-0 up but allowed Alexandrova to level before ripping a backhand winner down the line to break serve and take the first set. She fared better in the second, picking up a break midway through and seeing out the match with ease. World number seven Ons Jabeur beat American Ashlyn Krueger 6-3, 6-4 to set up a second-round match against Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk. Sabalenka knocked out former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin on Sunday to seal her spot in the second round. The China Open is taking place for the first time since 2019 after Beijing abandoned its long-standing zero-Covid policy. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: World number three Daniil Medvedev, Iga Swiatek both through at China Open

Four-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek&nbsp;crashed out of the quarter-finals at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Friday, while Jessica Pegula and Maria Sakkari stormed into the semi-finals. Russia's Veronika Kudermetova, ranked 19th, served four aces and beat world number two Swiatek 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 in two hours and 21 minutes.

"My service worked really well today," the 26-year-old said after the match.&nbsp;"In the last game, I tried to focus that I need to play point, I don't need to hit the ace and I just need to put the serve in and try to play a rally."

Kudermetova will face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, ranked 86th, on Saturday. "It'll be an interesting and a very tough match," Kudermetova said. "I played worse," said Swiatek, who lost her number-one ranking at the US Open. "I know the mistakes I made... I know exactly how I should play differently so I'm not going to make these mistakes again," she said.

World number four Pegula of the United States beat 26-year-old Russian Daria Kasatkina, ranked 13th, 6-1, 6-0. "I thought I played a pretty flawless match. Played smart and played aggressive," Pegula said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nfl-spain-france-and-brazil-on-radar-as-sites-for-future-international-games-640852">NFL: Spain, France and Brazil on radar as sites for future international games</a>

She will face world number six Maria Sakkari in the semi-finals, who beat number 10 Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-2. Greece's Sakkari said she has played against Pegula many times and they know each other's game really well. "We never had an easy match. She's very solid and she's a fighter," the 28-year-old said. "It can be very tough but I'm going to keep doing what I've been doing."

Sakkari ended her four-year wait for a second WTA title at the Guadalajara Open last week, where she beat Garcia in the semi-finals en route to lifting the trophy. She had come up empty in six finals since her breakthrough victory in Rabat in 2019. That included the Guadalajara final last year, when she lost to Jessica Pegula, and a loss to US Open champion Coco Gauff in the final of the Washington Open this year.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek crashed out of the quarter-finals at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Friday, while Jessica Pegula and Maria Sakkari stormed into the semi-finals.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek crashed out of the quarter-finals at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Friday, while Jessica Pegula and Maria Sakkari stormed into the semi-finals. Russia's Veronika Kudermetova, ranked 19th, served four aces and beat world number two Swiatek 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 in two hours and 21 minutes. "My service worked really well today," the 26-year-old said after the match. "In the last game, I tried to focus that I need to play point, I don't need to hit the ace and I just need to put the serve in and try to play a rally." Kudermetova will face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, ranked 86th, on Saturday. "It'll be an interesting and a very tough match," Kudermetova said. "I played worse," said Swiatek, who lost her number-one ranking at the US Open. "I know the mistakes I made... I know exactly how I should play differently so I'm not going to make these mistakes again," she said. World number four Pegula of the United States beat 26-year-old Russian Daria Kasatkina, ranked 13th, 6-1, 6-0. "I thought I played a pretty flawless match. Played smart and played aggressive," Pegula said. Also read: NFL: Spain, France and Brazil on radar as sites for future international games She will face world number six Maria Sakkari in the semi-finals, who beat number 10 Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-2. Greece's Sakkari said she has played against Pegula many times and they know each other's game really well. "We never had an easy match. She's very solid and she's a fighter," the 28-year-old said. "It can be very tough but I'm going to keep doing what I've been doing." Sakkari ended her four-year wait for a second WTA title at the Guadalajara Open last week, where she beat Garcia in the semi-finals en route to lifting the trophy. She had come up empty in six finals since her breakthrough victory in Rabat in 2019. That included the Guadalajara final last year, when she lost to Jessica Pegula, and a loss to US Open champion Coco Gauff in the final of the Washington Open this year.

Maria Sakkari, Jessica Pegula reach Pan Pacific Open semi-finals as Iga Swiatek bows out

World number two Carlos Alcaraz said on Wednesday his ‘beautiful battle’ with Novak Djokovic at the top of men's tennis was driving him on as he prepared for the China Open in Beijing. Alcaraz beat top-rated Djokovic in a memorable Wimbledon final in July and could close the gap on the Serb at the top of the rankings with a strong performance in the Chinese capital.

Asked by AFP at a media briefing on Wednesday if his tussle with Djokovic was giving him extra impetus, Alcaraz said: "Yes, of course."

"We have a really beautiful battle for the number one spot after the great performance Djokovic had in the American season," the Spaniard said. "For me, the number one spot is one of the main goals," he said.

Alcaraz is the top seed for the China Open and will likely kick off his campaign with a match against a qualifier on Thursday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bukayo-saka-joins-arsenals-growing-injury-list-two-miss-next-two-fixtures-arteta-639934">Bukayo Saka joins Arsenal's growing injury list, to miss next two fixtures: Arteta</a>

Djokovic, who won the US Open this month, is a notable absence from a tournament that has still lured a host of big names.

They include Daniil Medvedev -- runner-up in the United States -- who faces American powerhouse Tommy Paul in a tough first-round draw. Medvedev, ranked third in the world, said at a briefing on Wednesday a "competitive" field was pushing him to finish the season strongly.

"Sometimes the end of the season can be tricky because all the Grand Slams are finished, so you need to find this motivation," the Russian said. "The motivation is... to continue proving to yourself that you can win these big tournaments, big titles, against big opponents," he said.

World number four Holger Rune will also take on Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada in the first round.

Other leading participants include Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev and Jannik Sinner.

International tennis has returned to China this year after Beijing ended its years-long, isolationist zero-Covid policy.

The China Open is being held for the first time since 2019 and follows men's and women's tournaments in the cities of Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Chengdu.

The women's tour is back in China after its global governing body ended its boycott of the country.

The WTA had suspended its engagements there after Chinese player Peng Shuai made sexual assault allegations against a top government official.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

World number two Carlos Alcaraz said on Wednesday his ‘beautiful battle’ with Novak Djokovic at the top of men's tennis was driving him on as he prepared for the China Open in Beijing.

World number two Carlos Alcaraz said on Wednesday his ‘beautiful battle’ with Novak Djokovic at the top of men's tennis was driving him on as he prepared for the China Open in Beijing. Alcaraz beat top-rated Djokovic in a memorable Wimbledon final in July and could close the gap on the Serb at the top of the rankings with a strong performance in the Chinese capital. Asked by AFP at a media briefing on Wednesday if his tussle with Djokovic was giving him extra impetus, Alcaraz said: "Yes, of course." "We have a really beautiful battle for the number one spot after the great performance Djokovic had in the American season," the Spaniard said. "For me, the number one spot is one of the main goals," he said. Alcaraz is the top seed for the China Open and will likely kick off his campaign with a match against a qualifier on Thursday. ALSO READ: Bukayo Saka joins Arsenal's growing injury list, to miss next two fixtures: Arteta Djokovic, who won the US Open this month, is a notable absence from a tournament that has still lured a host of big names. They include Daniil Medvedev -- runner-up in the United States -- who faces American powerhouse Tommy Paul in a tough first-round draw. Medvedev, ranked third in the world, said at a briefing on Wednesday a "competitive" field was pushing him to finish the season strongly. "Sometimes the end of the season can be tricky because all the Grand Slams are finished, so you need to find this motivation," the Russian said. "The motivation is... to continue proving to yourself that you can win these big tournaments, big titles, against big opponents," he said. World number four Holger Rune will also take on Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada in the first round. Other leading participants include Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev and Jannik Sinner. International tennis has returned to China this year after Beijing ended its years-long, isolationist zero-Covid policy. The China Open is being held for the first time since 2019 and follows men's and women's tournaments in the cities of Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Chengdu. The women's tour is back in China after its global governing body ended its boycott of the country. The WTA had suspended its engagements there after Chinese player Peng Shuai made sexual assault allegations against a top government official. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

China Open 2023: Carlos Alcaraz relishes 'beautiful battle' for number one spot

Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina on Monday pulled out of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, days after slamming the WTA for the introduction of performance byes at the tournament. Byes are usually awarded to top-seeded players, but performance byes allow for players who have played well in the previous week to move directly into the second round of the following tournament.

Byes for the Pan Pacific Open were given to Maria Sakkari, who won the Guadalajara Open title on Saturday, and Caroline Garcia, who reached the semi-finals. Both players are ranked lower than Rybakina, who was drawn against Linda Noskova in the first round. "As a player I want to give my all on the court and at the moment my body is not ready to do that," Rybakina said on Instagram. "That's why I decided to listen to my body and withdraw from the tournament. I love Japan, my fans here are so unique and for that reason this is a tough decision."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chinese-football-associations-ex-boss-chen-xuyuan-charged-for-accepting-bribes-639786">Chinese Football Association's ex-boss Chen Xuyuan charged for 'accepting bribes'</a>

Rybakina said her decision to withdraw from the tournament had nothing to do with her missing out on a bye, adding: "The WTA topic is another topic, on which I have my opinions and will clearly voice them in future."

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina on Monday pulled out of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, days after slamming the WTA for the introduction of performance byes at the tournament.

Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina on Monday pulled out of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, days after slamming the WTA for the introduction of performance byes at the tournament. Byes are usually awarded to top-seeded players, but performance byes allow for players who have played well in the previous week to move directly into the second round of the following tournament. Byes for the Pan Pacific Open were given to Maria Sakkari, who won the Guadalajara Open title on Saturday, and Caroline Garcia, who reached the semi-finals. Both players are ranked lower than Rybakina, who was drawn against Linda Noskova in the first round. "As a player I want to give my all on the court and at the moment my body is not ready to do that," Rybakina said on Instagram. "That's why I decided to listen to my body and withdraw from the tournament. I love Japan, my fans here are so unique and for that reason this is a tough decision." Also read: Chinese Football Association's ex-boss Chen Xuyuan charged for 'accepting bribes' Rybakina said her decision to withdraw from the tournament had nothing to do with her missing out on a bye, adding: "The WTA topic is another topic, on which I have my opinions and will clearly voice them in future." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina withdraws from Pan Pacific Open

Second-seeded Maria Sakkari ended her four-year wait for a second WTA title on Saturday, beating Caroline Dolehide 7-5, 6-3 to win the 1000 level Guadalajara Open.

Greece's Sakkari, ranked ninth in the world, had come up empty in six finals since her breakthrough victory in Rabat in 2019.

That included the Guadalajara final last year, when she lost to American Jessica Pegula, and a loss to Coco Gauff in the final at Washington this year.

An emotional Sakkari thanked her coach of five years, noting they'd waited "more than four years for a second title.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ten-man-manchester-city-beat-nottingham-forest-2-0-to-stay-on-top-of-premier-league-638991">Ten-man Manchester City beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 to stay on top of Premier League</a>

"We've heard so many bad things - that I will never win a title, that I'm a top-five player with only winning one title, that was very hard for me to overcome," she said. "I'm so happy that I did it here this week."

The victory came less than a month after Sakkari was unceremoniously dumped from the first round of the US Open, her third straight first-round exit at a Grand Slam.

Sakkari had said at Flushing Meadows she was "suffering on the court" and was "uncertain" about what to do about it.

This week, however, Sakkari has looked in total command, becoming the first player this year to reach the final of a WTA 1000 event without dropping a set.

Sakkari ended a fairytale week for Dolehide, ranked 111th in the world and playing in her first career final.

Dolehide, who will rise to inside the top 50, came from a set down to beat Peyton Stearns in three tiebreaks in the first round, she beat eighth-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova in the third round and saved four match points in her quarter-final win over Martina Trevisan.

In her first career semi-final Dolehide defeated 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.

Dolehide demonstrated the same grit she'd shown all week when she clawed back an early break in the opening set to take a 5-4 lead.

But Sakkari won the next two games, taking advantage of one of Dolehide's six double faults to break for 6-5.

Down 0-30 in the next game, Sakkari battled back to take the set, and finally gained the upper hand in the second with a break for a 3-2 lead.

That proved to be enough, although there was a tense moment in the seventh game, when Sakkari's 40-0 lead evaporated before she steadied herself to take the game with her third ace of the contest.

She closed it out with one more break, converting her second match point.

When Dolehide's volley sailed long, Sakkari fell to the court and covered her face with her hands as the tears came.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Second-seeded Maria Sakkari ended her four-year wait for a second WTA title on Saturday, beating Caroline Dolehide 7-5, 6-3 to win the 1000 level Guadalajara Open.

Second-seeded Maria Sakkari ended her four-year wait for a second WTA title on Saturday, beating Caroline Dolehide 7-5, 6-3 to win the 1000 level Guadalajara Open. Greece's Sakkari, ranked ninth in the world, had come up empty in six finals since her breakthrough victory in Rabat in 2019. That included the Guadalajara final last year, when she lost to American Jessica Pegula, and a loss to Coco Gauff in the final at Washington this year. An emotional Sakkari thanked her coach of five years, noting they'd waited "more than four years for a second title. Also Read: Ten-man Manchester City beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 to stay on top of Premier League "We've heard so many bad things - that I will never win a title, that I'm a top-five player with only winning one title, that was very hard for me to overcome," she said. "I'm so happy that I did it here this week." The victory came less than a month after Sakkari was unceremoniously dumped from the first round of the US Open, her third straight first-round exit at a Grand Slam. Sakkari had said at Flushing Meadows she was "suffering on the court" and was "uncertain" about what to do about it. This week, however, Sakkari has looked in total command, becoming the first player this year to reach the final of a WTA 1000 event without dropping a set. Sakkari ended a fairytale week for Dolehide, ranked 111th in the world and playing in her first career final. Dolehide, who will rise to inside the top 50, came from a set down to beat Peyton Stearns in three tiebreaks in the first round, she beat eighth-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova in the third round and saved four match points in her quarter-final win over Martina Trevisan. In her first career semi-final Dolehide defeated 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin. Dolehide demonstrated the same grit she'd shown all week when she clawed back an early break in the opening set to take a 5-4 lead. But Sakkari won the next two games, taking advantage of one of Dolehide's six double faults to break for 6-5. Down 0-30 in the next game, Sakkari battled back to take the set, and finally gained the upper hand in the second with a break for a 3-2 lead. That proved to be enough, although there was a tense moment in the seventh game, when Sakkari's 40-0 lead evaporated before she steadied herself to take the game with her third ace of the contest. She closed it out with one more break, converting her second match point. When Dolehide's volley sailed long, Sakkari fell to the court and covered her face with her hands as the tears came. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Maria Sakkari beats Caroline Dolehide in Guadalajara Open for second WTA title

Second-seeded Maria Sakkari beat third-seeded Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-0 on Friday to book a return trip to the Guadalajara WTA 1000 tournament, where she'll face first-time WTA finalist Caroline Dolehide.

Greece's Sakkari, ranked ninth in the world, is in the Guadalajara final for the second straight year.

Last year she battled through a string of tough three-setters, but this year she hasn't dropped a set on the way to the final, where she'll be seeking her first title since Rabat in 2019.

A victory would be a late high note in an up-and-down season that included a first-round exit at the US Open last month.

"I said it the first day that I felt like this was the week," said Sakkari, who lost to Jessica Pegula in last year's final. "This is the place where I was going to overcome a lot of difficult obstacles and difficult emotions."

"I don't want to go back to the US Open because that's passed, but I'm just so happy to be back in the final, I couldn't have asked for anything better."

Sakkari had just three unforced errors in the opening set, breaking for a 3-1 lead as she took control.

She broke Garcia to open the second set in a game the French player led 40-15, and fought off three break points to push her lead to 4-0.

Sakkari had lost three of four prior meetings with France's Garcia, finally getting past her in Doha this year.

"The last match we played was one of the toughest matches in my career," Sakkari said. "My goal today was to smile, to enjoy, to come out here and have fun. Because those are the emotions that I haven't felt in a while.

"I'm going to have the same goal tomorrow," she said.

Dolehide, playing in her first WTA semi-final, booked her first title match with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over resurgent 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-odi-series-india-draw-first-blood-in-pre-world-cup-showdown-gill-shami-impress-638671">IND vs AUS ODI Series: India draw first blood in Pre-World Cup showdown; Gill, Shami shine</a>

Dolehide rallied from a break down in each set to win the all-American semi, becoming the third unseeded finalist at a WTA 1000 event this year after Karolina Muchova in Cincinnati and Barbora Krejcikova in Dubai.

The 25-year-old ranked 111th in the world also became the second 1000-level finalist ranked outside the top 100 since the format was introduced in 2009.

Dolehide was down a break at 4-2 in the first set when she reeled off three straight games to take a 5-4 lead on the way to pocketing the set.

Trailing 3-1 in the second, Dolehide won five straight games for the victory, saving five break points in the final game before claiming the win on her first match point.

Dolehide's gritty victory follows a quarter-final win over Italian Martina Trevisan in which Dolehide saved four match points.

&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

&nbsp;

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Second-seeded Maria Sakkari beat third-seeded Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-0 on Friday to book a return trip to the Guadalajara WTA 1000 tournament, where she'll face first-time WTA finalist Caroline Dolehide.

Second-seeded Maria Sakkari beat third-seeded Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-0 on Friday to book a return trip to the Guadalajara WTA 1000 tournament, where she'll face first-time WTA finalist Caroline Dolehide. Greece's Sakkari, ranked ninth in the world, is in the Guadalajara final for the second straight year. Last year she battled through a string of tough three-setters, but this year she hasn't dropped a set on the way to the final, where she'll be seeking her first title since Rabat in 2019. A victory would be a late high note in an up-and-down season that included a first-round exit at the US Open last month. "I said it the first day that I felt like this was the week," said Sakkari, who lost to Jessica Pegula in last year's final. "This is the place where I was going to overcome a lot of difficult obstacles and difficult emotions." "I don't want to go back to the US Open because that's passed, but I'm just so happy to be back in the final, I couldn't have asked for anything better." Sakkari had just three unforced errors in the opening set, breaking for a 3-1 lead as she took control. She broke Garcia to open the second set in a game the French player led 40-15, and fought off three break points to push her lead to 4-0. Sakkari had lost three of four prior meetings with France's Garcia, finally getting past her in Doha this year. "The last match we played was one of the toughest matches in my career," Sakkari said. "My goal today was to smile, to enjoy, to come out here and have fun. Because those are the emotions that I haven't felt in a while. "I'm going to have the same goal tomorrow," she said. Dolehide, playing in her first WTA semi-final, booked her first title match with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over resurgent 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin. ALSO READ | IND vs AUS ODI Series: India draw first blood in Pre-World Cup showdown; Gill, Shami shine Dolehide rallied from a break down in each set to win the all-American semi, becoming the third unseeded finalist at a WTA 1000 event this year after Karolina Muchova in Cincinnati and Barbora Krejcikova in Dubai. The 25-year-old ranked 111th in the world also became the second 1000-level finalist ranked outside the top 100 since the format was introduced in 2009. Dolehide was down a break at 4-2 in the first set when she reeled off three straight games to take a 5-4 lead on the way to pocketing the set. Trailing 3-1 in the second, Dolehide won five straight games for the victory, saving five break points in the final game before claiming the win on her first match point. Dolehide's gritty victory follows a quarter-final win over Italian Martina Trevisan in which Dolehide saved four match points. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Second-seeded Maria Sakkari books Guadalajara WTA title clash with Caroline Dolehide

Belgium's&nbsp;Greet&nbsp;Minnen&nbsp;and Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva pulled off upsets in the quarterfinals of the Guangzhou Open on Thursday in China. The unseeded Putintseva eliminated third seed Tatjana Maria of Germany 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-0. Putintseva converted six of 12 break points and saved nine of 11, overcoming Maria's 6-1 edge in aces. Minnen, the seventh seed, ousted fourth seed Lucia Bronzetti of Italy 6-7 (8), 6-4, 6-1. Top seed Magda Linette of Poland avoided the upset in defeating fifth seed Rebeka Masarova of Spain 7-5, 7-6 (6).

In the other quarterfinal between unseeded players, China's Xiyu Wang needed three sets to get past Slovakian Viktoria Hruncakova 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. Minnen&nbsp;faces Wang in one semifinal Friday, while Linette plays Putintseva.

Guadalajara Open Akron

American Caroline Dolehide overcame an early deficit to oust a confident Martina Trevisan of Italy 3-6, 7-6 (9), 6-3 on Thursday in the quarterfinals in Guadalajara, Mexico. Dolehide won 57 of 81 first-service points and saved eight of 12 break points to get past Trevisan, who eliminated top-seeded Tunisian Ons Jabeur on Wednesday. Dolehide also fended off a match point in the second-set tiebreaker before winning three straight points to a force a third set that she ultimately prevailed in.

In the semifinals, Dolehide will face countrywoman Sofia Kenin, who was a 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-1 winner over Canada's Leylah Fernandez on Thursday. Greek No. 2 seed Maria Sakkari beat Colombia's Emiliana Arango 6-3, 6-4 and third-seeded Caroline Garcia of France beat 10th-seeded Belarusian Victoria Azarenka by an identical score in the day's other quarterfinal matches.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Belgium's Greet Minnen and Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva pulled off upsets in the quarterfinals of the Guangzhou Open on Thursday in China. The unseeded Putintseva eliminated third seed Tatjana Maria of Germany 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-0.

Belgium's Greet Minnen and Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva pulled off upsets in the quarterfinals of the Guangzhou Open on Thursday in China. The unseeded Putintseva eliminated third seed Tatjana Maria of Germany 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-0. Putintseva converted six of 12 break points and saved nine of 11, overcoming Maria's 6-1 edge in aces. Minnen, the seventh seed, ousted fourth seed Lucia Bronzetti of Italy 6-7 (8), 6-4, 6-1. Top seed Magda Linette of Poland avoided the upset in defeating fifth seed Rebeka Masarova of Spain 7-5, 7-6 (6). In the other quarterfinal between unseeded players, China's Xiyu Wang needed three sets to get past Slovakian Viktoria Hruncakova 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. Minnen faces Wang in one semifinal Friday, while Linette plays Putintseva. Guadalajara Open Akron American Caroline Dolehide overcame an early deficit to oust a confident Martina Trevisan of Italy 3-6, 7-6 (9), 6-3 on Thursday in the quarterfinals in Guadalajara, Mexico. Dolehide won 57 of 81 first-service points and saved eight of 12 break points to get past Trevisan, who eliminated top-seeded Tunisian Ons Jabeur on Wednesday. Dolehide also fended off a match point in the second-set tiebreaker before winning three straight points to a force a third set that she ultimately prevailed in. In the semifinals, Dolehide will face countrywoman Sofia Kenin, who was a 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-1 winner over Canada's Leylah Fernandez on Thursday. Greek No. 2 seed Maria Sakkari beat Colombia's Emiliana Arango 6-3, 6-4 and third-seeded Caroline Garcia of France beat 10th-seeded Belarusian Victoria Azarenka by an identical score in the day's other quarterfinal matches. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: WTA roundup - Belgium's Greet Minnen and Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva advance in China

Sofia Kenin's impressive return to form claimed another scalp on Wednesday as the unseeded American upset sixth seed Jelena Ostapenko to reach the quarter-finals of the WTA 1000 Guadalajara Open.

Former Australian Open champion Kenin, who last reached the quarter-finals of a WTA 1000 event in 2019, booked her place in the last eight with a 6-4, 7-5 win in 1hr 44min.

Kenin's victory came after she knocked out 12th seed Anhelina Kalinina in the second round, and follows a deep run at last week's San Diego Open, where she finished runner-up.

Latvia's Ostapenko, who reached the last eight of the US Open earlier this month, reeled off 36 winners to Kenin's 19, but was left paying the price for a failure to convert break points at key moments.

Ostapenko led 3-0 in the second set, but was unable to force a decider after squandering three break points in the eighth game and six as Kenin served for the match in the 12th game of the second set.

The Moscow-born Kenin will face either Emma Navarro or Canada's 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez in the last eight.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-a-brief-history-of-all-india-vs-pakistan-matches-in-odi-world-cups-637997">In Pics: A brief history of all India vs Pakistan matches in ODI World Cups</a>

Kenin, 24, has gradually worked her way back to relevance on the WTA Tour after her ranking tumbled to 426 last year following a slew of injuries and upheaval in her coaching set-up.

In other matches on Wednesday, third seed Caroline Garcia of France sailed into the quarter-finals with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Hailey Baptiste of the United States.

Second seed Maria Sakkari of Greece, meanwhile, romped into the quarter-finals with a 6-2, 6-2 dismissal of Italy's Camila Giorgi.

But while Garcia and Sakkari advanced safely, another seed exited with eighth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova being thrashed 6-1, 6-2 by unseeded American Caroline Dolehide.

&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

&nbsp;

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Sofia Kenin's impressive return to form claimed another scalp on Wednesday as the unseeded American upset sixth seed Jelena Ostapenko to reach the quarter-finals of the WTA 1000 Guadalajara Open.

Sofia Kenin's impressive return to form claimed another scalp on Wednesday as the unseeded American upset sixth seed Jelena Ostapenko to reach the quarter-finals of the WTA 1000 Guadalajara Open. Former Australian Open champion Kenin, who last reached the quarter-finals of a WTA 1000 event in 2019, booked her place in the last eight with a 6-4, 7-5 win in 1hr 44min. Kenin's victory came after she knocked out 12th seed Anhelina Kalinina in the second round, and follows a deep run at last week's San Diego Open, where she finished runner-up. Latvia's Ostapenko, who reached the last eight of the US Open earlier this month, reeled off 36 winners to Kenin's 19, but was left paying the price for a failure to convert break points at key moments. Ostapenko led 3-0 in the second set, but was unable to force a decider after squandering three break points in the eighth game and six as Kenin served for the match in the 12th game of the second set. The Moscow-born Kenin will face either Emma Navarro or Canada's 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez in the last eight. ALSO READ | In Pics: A brief history of all India vs Pakistan matches in ODI World Cups Kenin, 24, has gradually worked her way back to relevance on the WTA Tour after her ranking tumbled to 426 last year following a slew of injuries and upheaval in her coaching set-up. In other matches on Wednesday, third seed Caroline Garcia of France sailed into the quarter-finals with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Hailey Baptiste of the United States. Second seed Maria Sakkari of Greece, meanwhile, romped into the quarter-finals with a 6-2, 6-2 dismissal of Italy's Camila Giorgi. But while Garcia and Sakkari advanced safely, another seed exited with eighth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova being thrashed 6-1, 6-2 by unseeded American Caroline Dolehide. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Sofia Kenin upsets Jelena Ostapenko to advance at WTA Guadalajara

Twenty-two-Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal has lauded his arch-rival Novak Djokovic. Djokovic has had a stellar run in 2023, having won the Australian Open, French Open and the US Open. With his triumph at the US Open, he achieved his 24th Grand Slam title to come at par with&nbsp;Margaret Court for the most Majors won in both men’s and women’s tennis. Thus, Nadal feels Djokovic could've been more frustrated without the&nbsp;Grand Slam record as he 'lives more intensely' and that is why he is the best.&nbsp;

Speaking to Moviestar Plus, Nadal -- who has been out of action for quite some time due to injury issues -- said, "I'm not frustrated for a simple reason. I believe that, within my means, I have done everything possible to ensure that things go as smoothly as possible for me. Novak could be frustrated because he lives everything more intensely and that's why he's the best."

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-britain-edge-past-france-in-a-thriller-to-reach-davis-cup-quarters-637148">Tennis: Britain edge past France in a thriller to reach Davis Cup quarters</a>

<h2>PARIS 2024 TO BE NADAL'S LAST APPEARANCE?</h2>

Talking about Nadal, the former world number one has been away from action for a long time due to injury woes. In May, the Spaniard announced that he would be unable to defend his Roland Garros title and has been away from the court due to a persistent hip injury. In June, the 37-year-old underwent arthroscopic surgery on his injured left hip flexor and it isn't clear when will he return to the court. During the same interaction, Nadal pointed out how he has missed several competitions due to fitness issues and believes the Paris Olympics, to be held next year, will be a nice end to his illustrious career.

In this regard, Nadal opined, "I have been one of the most inactive players on the circuit for many years. I've missed four and a half years of Grand Slams. That's what the sport is all about. Djokovic is also more successful because he has had a level of fitness/physique that has allowed him to play more than me."

“I would like to play again, to be competitive. But I'm not expecting to come back and win Roland Garros or Australia, so that people are not disoriented. The 2024 Olympics in Paris would be a nice end to my career if I feel good. My schedule can change if I feel I have a chance to win at Roland Garros,” Nadal added.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Twenty-two-Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal has lauded his arch-rival Novak Djokovic. Djokovic has had a stellar run in 2023, having won the Australian Open, French Open and the US Open.

Twenty-two-Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal has lauded his arch-rival Novak Djokovic. Djokovic has had a stellar run in 2023, having won the Australian Open, French Open and the US Open. With his triumph at the US Open, he achieved his 24th Grand Slam title to come at par with Margaret Court for the most Majors won in both men’s and women’s tennis. Thus, Nadal feels Djokovic could've been more frustrated without the Grand Slam record as he 'lives more intensely' and that is why he is the best. Speaking to Moviestar Plus, Nadal -- who has been out of action for quite some time due to injury issues -- said, "I'm not frustrated for a simple reason. I believe that, within my means, I have done everything possible to ensure that things go as smoothly as possible for me. Novak could be frustrated because he lives everything more intensely and that's why he's the best." Also read: Tennis: Britain edge past France in a thriller to reach Davis Cup quarters PARIS 2024 TO BE NADAL'S LAST APPEARANCE? Talking about Nadal, the former world number one has been away from action for a long time due to injury woes. In May, the Spaniard announced that he would be unable to defend his Roland Garros title and has been away from the court due to a persistent hip injury. In June, the 37-year-old underwent arthroscopic surgery on his injured left hip flexor and it isn't clear when will he return to the court. During the same interaction, Nadal pointed out how he has missed several competitions due to fitness issues and believes the Paris Olympics, to be held next year, will be a nice end to his illustrious career. In this regard, Nadal opined, "I have been one of the most inactive players on the circuit for many years. I've missed four and a half years of Grand Slams. That's what the sport is all about. Djokovic is also more successful because he has had a level of fitness/physique that has allowed him to play more than me." “I would like to play again, to be competitive. But I'm not expecting to come back and win Roland Garros or Australia, so that people are not disoriented. The 2024 Olympics in Paris would be a nice end to my career if I feel good. My schedule can change if I feel I have a chance to win at Roland Garros,” Nadal added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Nadal reveals why Djokovic is the best, feels he could've been 'frustrated' without Grand Slam record

Professional women's tennis tournaments return to China on Monday, less than two years after the WTA vowed to boycott the country out of concern for player Peng Shuai and risks to its players and staff.

The WTA tournament opening Monday in the southern metropolis of Guangzhou will be the first in mainland China since 2019 -- and while no top-20 stars are expected to attend, it is set to attract plenty of attention.

The WTA suspended activities in China in December 2021, when former world doubles number one Peng briefly disappeared after making -- and then withdrawing -- accusations of sexual assault against a senior Chinese leader.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ten-hag-unsure-if-sancho-would-ever-wear-manchester-united-jersey-again-636456">Ten Hag unsure if Sancho would ever wear Manchester United jersey again</a>

Saying the issue was "bigger than business", the tennis body insisted it would not hold events in China until Beijing guaranteed the safety of Peng.

"Given the current state of affairs, I am also greatly concerned about the risks that all of our players and staff could face if we were to hold events in China," WTA chief Steve Simon said at the time.

Peng published a long social media post in November 2021 saying she had been "forced" into sex during a years-long, on-and-off relationship with Zhang Gaoli, a married ex-vice premier of China 39 years her senior.

She has since denied she accused anyone of sexual assault and described the situation as a "huge misunderstanding".

Peng has not been seen outside China since the allegations were made.

In April this year though, the WTA announced the resumption of tournaments, admitting its "principled stand... a powerful message to the world" had not been able "to bring about change".

"It was, in my opinion, a complete capitulation, because it was pretty obvious to anyone who knows anything about China that China wasn't going to offer a free or fair investigation into the sexual assault claims," China-based sports expert Mark Dreyer told AFP.

"I really do feel they've undone all that goodwill that they had gained by taking a principled stance."

Dreyer added that the suspension had been largely symbolic as most international sporting events were put on hold during the pandemic under China's strict zero-Covid policy.

<h2>An economic choice</h2>

China is a crucial market for the WTA, given the quality of local infrastructure and investment as well as TV rights and sponsorship deals with mainland partners.

"The choice to return is an economic one," Lionel Maltese, a former member of the executive committee of the French Tennis Federation, told AFP.

"The income generated in China has a strong impact on the financing and income of all players."

Before the pandemic, the WTA organised 10 tournaments in China each year -- with a total of $30 million in prize money -- out of more than 60 tournaments globally.

These included the WTA Finals in Shenzhen, which in 2019 offered the largest tennis prize in history: $4.4 million.

China is also home to five players on the world's top 100 list.&nbsp;

They include 20-year-old Zheng Qinwen, world number 22 and recent quarter-finalist at the US Open, and 21-year-old Wang Xinyu, this year's French Open women's doubles winner.

These stars have boosted the popularity of tennis in China, along with the market's economic potential.

"If you have enough big names, the money will come, the tournaments will come," Dreyer told AFP.

<h2>'Will stay true to my convictions, skip event'</h2>

The headliners in Guangzhou are likely to be world number 24 Magda Linette from Poland and Romania's Sorana Cirstea, currently world number 26.

It is unclear if any players will be vocal about Peng, with Maltese saying there was "no leadership among players on ethical issues".

"Very few athletes are taking a stand," he said.

But France's Alize Cornet, ranked 99th globally, announced this week she would skip the tournament.

"Staying true to my convictions and careful about my health, I decided that I will not be playing in China this year," she wrote on social media.

Peng herself could make an appearance.

After her initial disappearance from public view, she has made what appeared to be orchestrated appearances at multiple sporting events, including the Beijing Winter Olympics in February 2022.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Professional women's tennis tournaments return to China on Monday, less than two years after the WTA vowed to boycott the country out of concern for player Peng Shuai and risks to its players and staff.

Professional women's tennis tournaments return to China on Monday, less than two years after the WTA vowed to boycott the country out of concern for player Peng Shuai and risks to its players and staff. The WTA tournament opening Monday in the southern metropolis of Guangzhou will be the first in mainland China since 2019 -- and while no top-20 stars are expected to attend, it is set to attract plenty of attention. The WTA suspended activities in China in December 2021, when former world doubles number one Peng briefly disappeared after making -- and then withdrawing -- accusations of sexual assault against a senior Chinese leader. Also Read: Ten Hag unsure if Sancho would ever wear Manchester United jersey again Saying the issue was "bigger than business", the tennis body insisted it would not hold events in China until Beijing guaranteed the safety of Peng. "Given the current state of affairs, I am also greatly concerned about the risks that all of our players and staff could face if we were to hold events in China," WTA chief Steve Simon said at the time. Peng published a long social media post in November 2021 saying she had been "forced" into sex during a years-long, on-and-off relationship with Zhang Gaoli, a married ex-vice premier of China 39 years her senior. She has since denied she accused anyone of sexual assault and described the situation as a "huge misunderstanding". Peng has not been seen outside China since the allegations were made. In April this year though, the WTA announced the resumption of tournaments, admitting its "principled stand... a powerful message to the world" had not been able "to bring about change". "It was, in my opinion, a complete capitulation, because it was pretty obvious to anyone who knows anything about China that China wasn't going to offer a free or fair investigation into the sexual assault claims," China-based sports expert Mark Dreyer told AFP. "I really do feel they've undone all that goodwill that they had gained by taking a principled stance." Dreyer added that the suspension had been largely symbolic as most international sporting events were put on hold during the pandemic under China's strict zero-Covid policy. An economic choice China is a crucial market for the WTA, given the quality of local infrastructure and investment as well as TV rights and sponsorship deals with mainland partners. "The choice to return is an economic one," Lionel Maltese, a former member of the executive committee of the French Tennis Federation, told AFP. "The income generated in China has a strong impact on the financing and income of all players." Before the pandemic, the WTA organised 10 tournaments in China each year -- with a total of $30 million in prize money -- out of more than 60 tournaments globally. These included the WTA Finals in Shenzhen, which in 2019 offered the largest tennis prize in history: $4.4 million. China is also home to five players on the world's top 100 list. They include 20-year-old Zheng Qinwen, world number 22 and recent quarter-finalist at the US Open, and 21-year-old Wang Xinyu, this year's French Open women's doubles winner. These stars have boosted the popularity of tennis in China, along with the market's economic potential. "If you have enough big names, the money will come, the tournaments will come," Dreyer told AFP. 'Will stay true to my convictions, skip event' The headliners in Guangzhou are likely to be world number 24 Magda Linette from Poland and Romania's Sorana Cirstea, currently world number 26. It is unclear if any players will be vocal about Peng, with Maltese saying there was "no leadership among players on ethical issues". "Very few athletes are taking a stand," he said. But France's Alize Cornet, ranked 99th globally, announced this week she would skip the tournament. "Staying true to my convictions and careful about my health, I decided that I will not be playing in China this year," she wrote on social media. Peng herself could make an appearance. After her initial disappearance from public view, she has made what appeared to be orchestrated appearances at multiple sporting events, including the Beijing Winter Olympics in February 2022. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Women's tennis returns to China for first time since boycott over Peng Shuai 'disappearance'

British doubles duo Dan Evans and Neal Skupski saved four match points on the way to a thrilling 1-6 7-6(4) 7-6(6) victory over France's Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin to secure their country's place in the Davis Cup Finals on Sunday. In front of a raucous Manchester crowd, Evans had earlier beaten Arthur Fils 3-6 6-3 6-4 in the opening singles only for Cameron Norrie to lose to Ugo Humbert 7-6(5) 3-6 7-5.

That meant the doubles rubber would decide who would join Australia for the finals in Malaga after they had already secured one of the top two places in Group B. The French pair strolled through the opening set but Britain levelled the match by winning the second-set tiebreak to set up what turned out to be a deciding set cliffhanger.

Britain looked down and out when Evans double-faulted at 4-5 to trail 0-40 but France were unable to take any of their match points as a fired-up Evans hung on. France had yet another match point when Skupski served at 5-6 but he stayed ice cool to fire down an ace to keep Britain alive and send the match into another tiebreaker.

Again France had the edge early on and led 4-2 but Britain stormed back to win some mind-boggling net exchanges and they won the match on their second match point to top Group B.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/golf-sahith-theegala-wins-maiden-pga-tour-title-with-fortinet-championship-victory-636989">Golf: Sahith Theegala wins maiden PGA Tour title with Fortinet Championship victory</a>

"I don't know how we've won that fight, sheer fight. Incredible effort from Dan to come out and win this match with me. First set it wasn't too good," Skupski said. "Dan saving three points in the third set. The rest is history and we're off to Malaga."

Evans looked close to self-combustion at times as he whipped the 13,000 crowd into a frenzy and exchanged 'pleasantries' with the French bench. "A set down, the guys on the bench said get the crowd involved," he said. "Some embarrassing stuff from me. It doesn't matter, we're going to Malaga."

Britain, who last won the Davis Cup in 2015, will now go forward to the eight-nation knockout rounds to be played in the Spanish city from Nov 21-26. Italy also clinched their place in the last eight as they beat already-eliminated Sweden to grab runners-up spot behind holders Canada in Group A. The other nations qualified are Novak Djokovic's Serbia, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland and Netherlands.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

British doubles duo Dan Evans and Neal Skupski saved four match points on the way to a thrilling 1-6 7-6(4) 7-6(6) victory over France's Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin to secure their country's place in the Davis Cup Finals on Sunday.

British doubles duo Dan Evans and Neal Skupski saved four match points on the way to a thrilling 1-6 7-6(4) 7-6(6) victory over France's Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin to secure their country's place in the Davis Cup Finals on Sunday. In front of a raucous Manchester crowd, Evans had earlier beaten Arthur Fils 3-6 6-3 6-4 in the opening singles only for Cameron Norrie to lose to Ugo Humbert 7-6(5) 3-6 7-5. That meant the doubles rubber would decide who would join Australia for the finals in Malaga after they had already secured one of the top two places in Group B. The French pair strolled through the opening set but Britain levelled the match by winning the second-set tiebreak to set up what turned out to be a deciding set cliffhanger. Britain looked down and out when Evans double-faulted at 4-5 to trail 0-40 but France were unable to take any of their match points as a fired-up Evans hung on. France had yet another match point when Skupski served at 5-6 but he stayed ice cool to fire down an ace to keep Britain alive and send the match into another tiebreaker. Again France had the edge early on and led 4-2 but Britain stormed back to win some mind-boggling net exchanges and they won the match on their second match point to top Group B. Also read: Golf: Sahith Theegala wins maiden PGA Tour title with Fortinet Championship victory "I don't know how we've won that fight, sheer fight. Incredible effort from Dan to come out and win this match with me. First set it wasn't too good," Skupski said. "Dan saving three points in the third set. The rest is history and we're off to Malaga." Evans looked close to self-combustion at times as he whipped the 13,000 crowd into a frenzy and exchanged 'pleasantries' with the French bench. "A set down, the guys on the bench said get the crowd involved," he said. "Some embarrassing stuff from me. It doesn't matter, we're going to Malaga." Britain, who last won the Davis Cup in 2015, will now go forward to the eight-nation knockout rounds to be played in the Spanish city from Nov 21-26. Italy also clinched their place in the last eight as they beat already-eliminated Sweden to grab runners-up spot behind holders Canada in Group A. The other nations qualified are Novak Djokovic's Serbia, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland and Netherlands. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Britain edge past France in a thriller to reach Davis Cup quarters

The Brisbane International will return to the calendar for the first time since 2020 as part of the build-up to next year's Australian Open, Tennis Australia said on Friday.&nbsp;

The event was launched in 2009 and drew huge crowds, with Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Andy Murray and Maria Sharapova among those winning the singles tournaments.

It was dropped from the men's tour when the ATP Cup was introduced in 2019 and last contested as a women's event in 2020.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/us-investment-firm-777-partners-agree-685-million-worth-deal-for-everton-fc-takeover-636269">US investment firm 777 Partners agree $685 million worth deal for Everton FC takeover</a>

Organisers said a combined men's ATP 250 and women's WTA 500 tournament was scheduled for Dec. 31 to Jan. 7 at Queensland Tennis Centre, with a record A$3.1 million ($2 million) prize money on offer.

The women's singles field has been expanded to 48 players, while the men's singles draw will feature 32.

Former world number one Ash Barty, who retired in 2022, praised the decision to bring back her hometown event.

"The players love to come here, they love the atmosphere," Barty told Australian media. "For me it was a court filled with so many happy memories of coming back and training here, and learning my craft."

The new season begins on Dec. 29 with the United Cup in Perth and Sydney. The Canberra International starts alongside the Brisbane event two days later, with tournaments in Adelaide and Hobart beginning on Jan. 8.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

The Brisbane International will return to the calendar for the first time since 2020 as part of the build-up to next year's Australian Open, Tennis Australia said on Friday.

The Brisbane International will return to the calendar for the first time since 2020 as part of the build-up to next year's Australian Open, Tennis Australia said on Friday. The event was launched in 2009 and drew huge crowds, with Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Andy Murray and Maria Sharapova among those winning the singles tournaments. It was dropped from the men's tour when the ATP Cup was introduced in 2019 and last contested as a women's event in 2020. ALSO READ: US investment firm 777 Partners agree $685 million worth deal for Everton FC takeover Organisers said a combined men's ATP 250 and women's WTA 500 tournament was scheduled for Dec. 31 to Jan. 7 at Queensland Tennis Centre, with a record A$3.1 million ($2 million) prize money on offer. The women's singles field has been expanded to 48 players, while the men's singles draw will feature 32. Former world number one Ash Barty, who retired in 2022, praised the decision to bring back her hometown event. "The players love to come here, they love the atmosphere," Barty told Australian media. "For me it was a court filled with so many happy memories of coming back and training here, and learning my craft." The new season begins on Dec. 29 with the United Cup in Perth and Sydney. The Canberra International starts alongside the Brisbane event two days later, with tournaments in Adelaide and Hobart beginning on Jan. 8. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Brisbane International to return ahead of Australian Open 2024: Tennis Australia

Anastasia Potapova surprised top-seeded Ons Jabeur of Tunisia to reach the quarter-finals of the WTA San Diego Open on Wednesday as second-seeded Caroline Garcia made it safely through. Potapova, ranked 27th in the world, said patience was the key to her 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) victory over world number seven Jabeur, who reached her third Grand Slam final at Wimbledon this year.

"Ons is very tough to play," said Potapova, who had edged Alycia Parks in three sets in the first round as Jabeur enjoyed a first-round bye. "She is truly one of the best in the world and with her style it's very uncomfortable. She likes to mix it up a lot, and actually I'm really proud of myself today that I was able to stay calm, focused and just do what I've got to do."

Jabeur was coming off a fourth-round showing at the US Open, where she battled illness in the opening rounds. Potapova notched her sixth career victory over a top-10 player and lined up a quarter-final meeting with 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, a 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 winner over fellow American Katie Volynets.

Potapova converted six of her 11 break chances, breaking the Tunisian at love to seal the opening set. Jabeur served for the second set at 6-5 but was broken, Potapova racing to a 4-0 lead in the tiebreaker before Jabeur bore down to knot it at 4-4. Jabeur's ninth double fault of the match gave Potapova a double match point, and Jabeur fired wide with a forehand to end it.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-novak-djokovic-gets-emotional-as-fans-welcome-him-to-serbia-after-24th-grand-slam-win-watch-635676">Tennis: Novak Djokovic gets EMOTIONAL as fans welcome him to Serbia after 24th grand slam win - WATCH</a>

France's Garcia served up eight aces in her 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory over former US Open champion Sloane Stephens, avenging a loss to the American last month in Cincinnati, where Stephens ended the French player's title defense in the second round.

Garcia next faces American Danielle Collins, who beat Latvian Jelena Ostapenko 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. Third-seeded Maria Sakkari of Greece also reached the quarter-finals, moving through when Camila Osorio of Colombia retired from their match with a right thigh injury while trailing 6-3, 2-2.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Anastasia Potapova surprised top-seeded Ons Jabeur of Tunisia to reach the quarter-finals of the WTA San Diego Open on Wednesday as second-seeded Caroline Garcia made it safely through.

Anastasia Potapova surprised top-seeded Ons Jabeur of Tunisia to reach the quarter-finals of the WTA San Diego Open on Wednesday as second-seeded Caroline Garcia made it safely through. Potapova, ranked 27th in the world, said patience was the key to her 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) victory over world number seven Jabeur, who reached her third Grand Slam final at Wimbledon this year. "Ons is very tough to play," said Potapova, who had edged Alycia Parks in three sets in the first round as Jabeur enjoyed a first-round bye. "She is truly one of the best in the world and with her style it's very uncomfortable. She likes to mix it up a lot, and actually I'm really proud of myself today that I was able to stay calm, focused and just do what I've got to do." Jabeur was coming off a fourth-round showing at the US Open, where she battled illness in the opening rounds. Potapova notched her sixth career victory over a top-10 player and lined up a quarter-final meeting with 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, a 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 winner over fellow American Katie Volynets. Potapova converted six of her 11 break chances, breaking the Tunisian at love to seal the opening set. Jabeur served for the second set at 6-5 but was broken, Potapova racing to a 4-0 lead in the tiebreaker before Jabeur bore down to knot it at 4-4. Jabeur's ninth double fault of the match gave Potapova a double match point, and Jabeur fired wide with a forehand to end it. Also read: Tennis: Novak Djokovic gets EMOTIONAL as fans welcome him to Serbia after 24th grand slam win - WATCH France's Garcia served up eight aces in her 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory over former US Open champion Sloane Stephens, avenging a loss to the American last month in Cincinnati, where Stephens ended the French player's title defense in the second round. Garcia next faces American Danielle Collins, who beat Latvian Jelena Ostapenko 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. Third-seeded Maria Sakkari of Greece also reached the quarter-finals, moving through when Camila Osorio of Colombia retired from their match with a right thigh injury while trailing 6-3, 2-2. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Top-seeded Ons Jabeur sent packing in WTA San Diego Open, Caroline Garcia marches ahead

Former World No. 1 and Two-time Grand Slam Champion Simona Halep is banned for 4 years from tennis after being found guilty of two separate doping violations. The Romanian denies any wrongdoing and says she will appeal the sentence.

Former World No. 1 Simona Halep to appeal four-year doping ban

Novak Djokovic has cemented his place as one of the greatest tennis players ever to play the sport after his latest grand slam win in the US Open 2023. This was the Serbian national's record-equaling 24th grand slam victory, putting him equal to the great Margaret Court. The Serb beat Daniil Medvedev in the US Open 2023 final on September 11 for his latest silverware.&nbsp;

Among men, the 36-year-old is clearly the world leader with Rafael Nadal behind him having won 22 grand slams. The win also was celebrated by the whole of Serbia with much zeal as they welcomed their undisputed hero along with the Serbian National Basketball team which had won the silver medal at the recently concluded FIBA World Cup.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-bangladesh-batsman-mushfiqur-rahim-to-skip-super-four-game-against-india-635670">Asia Cup: Bangladesh batsman Mushfiqur Rahim to skip Super Four game against India</a>

Both, the basketball team and Djokovic were part of the famous Belgrade Balcony Celebrations and the athletes, including Djokovic, welled up looking at the love and admiration received from the fans. A visibly emotional Djokovic thanked the fans for their support and called the win not only his but of the entire nation. Have a look at the video here:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Djokovic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Djokovic</a> on the famous “balcony” with national basketball team 🇷🇸. Emotions are running high as they are greeted my thousands of people 💜 <a href="https://t.co/Vu31NGI4IM">pic.twitter.com/Vu31NGI4IM</a>
— Saša Ozmo (@ozmo_sasa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ozmo_sasa/status/1701672821716381972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<h2>Djokovic honours Kobe after winning US Open</h2>

Kobe Bryant, a former basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers in the USA's National Basketball Association (NBA), died in a helicopter crash in 2020. Djokovic and Bryant, who wore the no. 24 shirt for most of his career, were close friends. So after the win,<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/novak-djokovics-emotional-tribute-to-kobe-bryant-after-winning-record-equalling-24th-grand-slam-title-watch-634721"> Djokovic put on a shirt that said 'Mamba Forever'</a> on the front and read no. 24 on the back in purple. Djokovic, while talking about the idea of honouring Kobe, said it came to him about a week ago.&nbsp;

Kobe is considered one of the most iconic players in NBA history and his 'Mamba Forever' mentality still echoes among players. in 2020, Kobe, along with his daughter Ginna and seven others, perished in a tragic helicopter crash.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Novak Djokovic has cemented his place as one of the greatest tennis players ever to play the sport after his latest grand slam win in the US Open 2023. This was the Serbian national's record-equaling 24th grand slam victory, putting him equal to the great Margaret Court.

Novak Djokovic has cemented his place as one of the greatest tennis players ever to play the sport after his latest grand slam win in the US Open 2023. This was the Serbian national's record-equaling 24th grand slam victory, putting him equal to the great Margaret Court. The Serb beat Daniil Medvedev in the US Open 2023 final on September 11 for his latest silverware. Among men, the 36-year-old is clearly the world leader with Rafael Nadal behind him having won 22 grand slams. The win also was celebrated by the whole of Serbia with much zeal as they welcomed their undisputed hero along with the Serbian National Basketball team which had won the silver medal at the recently concluded FIBA World Cup. Also Read: Asia Cup: Bangladesh batsman Mushfiqur Rahim to skip Super Four game against India Both, the basketball team and Djokovic were part of the famous Belgrade Balcony Celebrations and the athletes, including Djokovic, welled up looking at the love and admiration received from the fans. A visibly emotional Djokovic thanked the fans for their support and called the win not only his but of the entire nation. Have a look at the video here: #Djokovic on the famous “balcony” with national basketball team 🇷🇸. Emotions are running high as they are greeted my thousands of people 💜 pic.twitter.com/Vu31NGI4IM — Saša Ozmo (@ozmo_sasa) September 12, 2023 × Djokovic honours Kobe after winning US Open Kobe Bryant, a former basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers in the USA's National Basketball Association (NBA), died in a helicopter crash in 2020. Djokovic and Bryant, who wore the no. 24 shirt for most of his career, were close friends. So after the win, Djokovic put on a shirt that said 'Mamba Forever' on the front and read no. 24 on the back in purple. Djokovic, while talking about the idea of honouring Kobe, said it came to him about a week ago. Kobe is considered one of the most iconic players in NBA history and his 'Mamba Forever' mentality still echoes among players. in 2020, Kobe, along with his daughter Ginna and seven others, perished in a tragic helicopter crash. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Novak Djokovic gets EMOTIONAL as fans welcome him to Serbia after 24th grand slam win - WATCH

Romania's former world number one Simona&nbsp;Halep&nbsp;said on Tuesday that she would appeal to sport's highest court against the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) decision to ban her for four years after two separate anti-doping rule violations. The 31-year-old former Wimbledon and French Open champion had been provisionally suspended since October 2022 after testing positive for banned blood-booster roxadustat at the U.S. Open last year where she lost in the first round. Halep&nbsp;was "shocked and disappointed" and blamed contaminated supplements, adding that she "refused to accept their (ITIA) decision of a four-year ban" which runs until Oct. 6, 2026.

"I am continuing to train and do everything in my power to clear my name of these false allegations and return to the court,"&nbsp;Halep&nbsp;said in a statement to Reuters. "I intend to appeal this decision to The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and pursue all legal remedies against the supplement company in question."

The ITIA said earlier on Tuesday it came to its conclusion based on the collection and analysis of 51 blood samples provided by&nbsp;Halep. "The first (charge) related to an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for the prohibited substance roxadustat at the U.S. Open in 2022, carried out through regular urine testing during competition," the ITIA said in a statement. "The second charge related to irregularities in&nbsp;Halep's Athlete Biological Passport (ABP)."

Halep&nbsp;strongly denies knowingly taking roxadustat and said she had evidence to show small amounts of the anaemia drug entered her system from a contaminated licensed supplement. "The tribunal accepted&nbsp;Halep's argument that they had taken a contaminated supplement, but determined the volume the player ingested could not have resulted in the concentration of roxadustat found in the positive sample, " the ITIA said.

It added that the ABP charge was also upheld as three independent experts were unanimous that "likely doping" was the explanation for the irregularities in&nbsp;Halep's profile. "The volume of evidence for the tribunal to consider in both the roxadustat and ABP proceedings was substantial," Karen Moorhouse, CEO at the ITIA, said.

Halep&nbsp;had previously accused the ITIA of seeking to further delay her independent tribunal doping hearing and said she was being denied her right to be heard. "I know Simona's integrity and I have no doubt that she has never taken any banned substance," her coach Patrick Mouratoglou said. "I hope that Simona will prevail at CAS which is the only Tribunal that is not controlled by the ITIA. I do not believe that the ITIA looked for the truth in Simona's case and I do not believe that they treated her in a way that is acceptable."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-novak-djokovic-wins-us-open-2023-beats-daniil-medvedev-to-lift-record-24th-grand-slam-title-634822">In PICS – Novak Djokovic wins US Open 2023, beats Daniil Medvedev to lift record 24th Grand Slam title</a>

<h2>SUPPLEMENT CONTAMINATION</h2>

Halep&nbsp;explained how she adjusted her nutritional supplements ahead of the hard court season last year following recommendations from "my trusted team and physiotherapist". "None of the listed ingredients included any prohibited substances. However, we now know - and the tribunal agreed - one of them was contaminated with roxadustat," she said.

Halep&nbsp;also accused the ITIA of bringing an ABP charge after the expert group learned her identity, saying that two experts changed their opinion in favour of ITIA's allegations. "The ITIA relied solely on the opinions of these experts who looked only at my blood parameters - which I've maintained for more than 10 years in the same range," she said. "This group ignored the fact no prohibited substance has ever been found in my blood or urine samples with the sole exception of one August 29 positive test for roxadustat."

Halep&nbsp;explained that since she had tested negative three days earlier, the exposure could only have been accidental. Moorhouse said the ITIA had followed the proper processes in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code. " The panel recognised that appropriate procedure had been followed within the written decision," Moorhouse said.

The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), which has 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic on its executive committee, said the "repeated and unexplained delays" in&nbsp;Halep's case were "unfair and unacceptable." "The PTPA is fully committed to supporting her in any future appeals, as well as all players who require assistance," it said in a statement. "As indicated in our PTPA Principles, we will also continue advocating for improved processes moving forward, for the benefit of all."

The WTA said it was important for players to be aware of the sport's Anti-Doping Programme rules. "The decision may be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The WTA will support the decisions reached through the process and will continue to follow this closely," it said.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Romania's former world number one Simona Halep said on Tuesday that she would appeal to sport's highest court against the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) decision to ban her for four years after two separate anti-doping rule violations.

Romania's former world number one Simona Halep said on Tuesday that she would appeal to sport's highest court against the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) decision to ban her for four years after two separate anti-doping rule violations. The 31-year-old former Wimbledon and French Open champion had been provisionally suspended since October 2022 after testing positive for banned blood-booster roxadustat at the U.S. Open last year where she lost in the first round. Halep was "shocked and disappointed" and blamed contaminated supplements, adding that she "refused to accept their (ITIA) decision of a four-year ban" which runs until Oct. 6, 2026. "I am continuing to train and do everything in my power to clear my name of these false allegations and return to the court," Halep said in a statement to Reuters. "I intend to appeal this decision to The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and pursue all legal remedies against the supplement company in question." The ITIA said earlier on Tuesday it came to its conclusion based on the collection and analysis of 51 blood samples provided by Halep. "The first (charge) related to an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for the prohibited substance roxadustat at the U.S. Open in 2022, carried out through regular urine testing during competition," the ITIA said in a statement. "The second charge related to irregularities in Halep's Athlete Biological Passport (ABP)." Halep strongly denies knowingly taking roxadustat and said she had evidence to show small amounts of the anaemia drug entered her system from a contaminated licensed supplement. "The tribunal accepted Halep's argument that they had taken a contaminated supplement, but determined the volume the player ingested could not have resulted in the concentration of roxadustat found in the positive sample, " the ITIA said. It added that the ABP charge was also upheld as three independent experts were unanimous that "likely doping" was the explanation for the irregularities in Halep's profile. "The volume of evidence for the tribunal to consider in both the roxadustat and ABP proceedings was substantial," Karen Moorhouse, CEO at the ITIA, said. Halep had previously accused the ITIA of seeking to further delay her independent tribunal doping hearing and said she was being denied her right to be heard. "I know Simona's integrity and I have no doubt that she has never taken any banned substance," her coach Patrick Mouratoglou said. "I hope that Simona will prevail at CAS which is the only Tribunal that is not controlled by the ITIA. I do not believe that the ITIA looked for the truth in Simona's case and I do not believe that they treated her in a way that is acceptable." Also read: In PICS – Novak Djokovic wins US Open 2023, beats Daniil Medvedev to lift record 24th Grand Slam title SUPPLEMENT CONTAMINATION Halep explained how she adjusted her nutritional supplements ahead of the hard court season last year following recommendations from "my trusted team and physiotherapist". "None of the listed ingredients included any prohibited substances. However, we now know - and the tribunal agreed - one of them was contaminated with roxadustat," she said. Halep also accused the ITIA of bringing an ABP charge after the expert group learned her identity, saying that two experts changed their opinion in favour of ITIA's allegations. "The ITIA relied solely on the opinions of these experts who looked only at my blood parameters - which I've maintained for more than 10 years in the same range," she said. "This group ignored the fact no prohibited substance has ever been found in my blood or urine samples with the sole exception of one August 29 positive test for roxadustat." Halep explained that since she had tested negative three days earlier, the exposure could only have been accidental. Moorhouse said the ITIA had followed the proper processes in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code. " The panel recognised that appropriate procedure had been followed within the written decision," Moorhouse said. The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), which has 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic on its executive committee, said the "repeated and unexplained delays" in Halep's case were "unfair and unacceptable." "The PTPA is fully committed to supporting her in any future appeals, as well as all players who require assistance," it said in a statement. "As indicated in our PTPA Principles, we will also continue advocating for improved processes moving forward, for the benefit of all." The WTA said it was important for players to be aware of the sport's Anti-Doping Programme rules. "The decision may be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The WTA will support the decisions reached through the process and will continue to follow this closely," it said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Former world number one Simona Halep to appeal four-year ban for anti-doping rule violations

Novak Djokovic beat Daniil Medvedev in the 2023 US Open Final on September 11 to win his record-equalling 24th grand slam title. The Serb won the game in straight sets 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 for the marquee win. Medvedev wasn't satisfied with the results as expected and asked Djokovic 'when is he planning to slow down' at the trophy ceremony.

The 36-year-old Serb won three of the four grand slams this year except the Wimbledon 2023 which was won by Spain's Carlos Alcaraz. Nonetheless, Medvedev's question seems legit as Djokovic isn't showing signs of slowing down anytime soon.

“First of all, Novak, I want to ask: What are you still doing here? Come on,” Medvedev said.

Also Watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/novak-djokovics-emotional-tribute-to-kobe-bryant-after-winning-record-equalling-24th-grand-slam-title-watch-634721">Novak Djokovic's EMOTIONAL tribute to Kobe Bryant after winning record-equalling 24th grand slam title</a>

“I mean, jokes apart, I mean, what is it? Our third final? Maybe not the last, hope so because you probably gonna be in many more.

“I don’t know when you are planning to slow down a little bit but congrats to you and your team.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
With Novak being the oldest Grand Slam men's singles champion, Daniil Medvedev had a question. 
 
"I wanna ask Novak what are you still doing here?" <a href="https://t.co/T2sB2dWHjV">pic.twitter.com/T2sB2dWHjV</a>
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) <a href="https://twitter.com/usopen/status/1701027837350674634?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

“I was here two years ago when I won and I was like what a great anniversary gift for my wife and stuff like this. It’s funny dates usually change but today it is Sunday again is the anniversary. So I thought like come on do it one more time but yeah didn’t happen,” he said.

Medvedev, however, went on to praise the tennis legend as well and said that 'nothing has changed about Djokovic when he met me when I was no. 500 in the world to the point where he has won 24 grand slam titles.'

“I played 5 finals against them (Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic) &amp; only won 1.. he pushes me to be better.. we met when I was 500 in the world.

“He was super kind to me. He treated me as a normal person. He still does. Nothing changed. 24 Grand Slams, nothing changed. I think that’s something great about a person,” said Medvedev. 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Novak Djokovic beat Daniil Medvedev in the 2023 US Open Final on September 11 to win his record-equalling 24th grand slam title. The Serb won the game in straight sets 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 for the marquee win.

Novak Djokovic beat Daniil Medvedev in the 2023 US Open Final on September 11 to win his record-equalling 24th grand slam title. The Serb won the game in straight sets 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 for the marquee win. Medvedev wasn't satisfied with the results as expected and asked Djokovic 'when is he planning to slow down' at the trophy ceremony. The 36-year-old Serb won three of the four grand slams this year except the Wimbledon 2023 which was won by Spain's Carlos Alcaraz. Nonetheless, Medvedev's question seems legit as Djokovic isn't showing signs of slowing down anytime soon. “First of all, Novak, I want to ask: What are you still doing here? Come on,” Medvedev said. Also Watch: Novak Djokovic's EMOTIONAL tribute to Kobe Bryant after winning record-equalling 24th grand slam title “I mean, jokes apart, I mean, what is it? Our third final? Maybe not the last, hope so because you probably gonna be in many more. “I don’t know when you are planning to slow down a little bit but congrats to you and your team. With Novak being the oldest Grand Slam men's singles champion, Daniil Medvedev had a question. "I wanna ask Novak what are you still doing here?" pic.twitter.com/T2sB2dWHjV — US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 11, 2023 × “I was here two years ago when I won and I was like what a great anniversary gift for my wife and stuff like this. It’s funny dates usually change but today it is Sunday again is the anniversary. So I thought like come on do it one more time but yeah didn’t happen,” he said. Medvedev, however, went on to praise the tennis legend as well and said that 'nothing has changed about Djokovic when he met me when I was no. 500 in the world to the point where he has won 24 grand slam titles.' “I played 5 finals against them (Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic) & only won 1.. he pushes me to be better.. we met when I was 500 in the world. “He was super kind to me. He treated me as a normal person. He still does. Nothing changed. 24 Grand Slams, nothing changed. I think that’s something great about a person,” said Medvedev. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Daniil Medvedev asks US Open winner Novak Djokovic, 'What are you still doing here' at trophy ceremony - WATCH

Novak Djokovic put all doubts to rest about being one of the greatest tennis players to walk on the court ever after winning his record-equalling 24th grand slam title. The Serb beat Daniil Medvedev in the US Open 2023 final on September 11 for his latest silverware. After the special win, Djokovic honoured his friend Kobe Bryant by wearing a No. 24 shirt.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nfl/news-week-1-eagles-survive-poor-game-against-patriots-49ers-crush-steelers-on-opening-sunday-night-football-634702">Week 1: Eagles survive poor game against Patriots; 49ers crush Steelers on opening Sunday Night Football</a>

Bryant, a former basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers in the USA's National Basketball Association (NBA), died in a helicopter crash in 2020. Djokovic and Bryant, who wore No. 24 shirt for most of his career, were close friends. So after the win, Djokovic put on a shirt that said 'Mamba Forever' on the front and read no. 24 on the back in purple. Djokovic, while talking about the idea of honouring Kobe, said it came to him about a week ago.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Novak hits 24 and pays tribute to the late Kobe Bryant 💙 <a href="https://t.co/rDXVUvYe1Z">pic.twitter.com/rDXVUvYe1Z</a>
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) <a href="https://twitter.com/usopen/status/1701018797476635029?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

“Kobe was a close friend, we chatted a lot about the winner’s mentality when I was struggling with injury and trying to make my comeback, work my way back to the top of the game,” Djokovic said about the gesture. “He was one of the people that I relied on the most.”

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Novak shares the idea behind his tribute to Kobe 🗣 <a href="https://t.co/aFd7xStqVx">pic.twitter.com/aFd7xStqVx</a>
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) <a href="https://twitter.com/usopen/status/1701025930557219062?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

“He was always there for any kind of counsel, advice, any kind of support in the most friendly way,” Djokovic continued. “So of course what happened a few years ago and him and his daughter passing hurt me deeply, and I thought 24 is the jersey he wore when he became a legend of the Lakers and world basketball, so I thought it could be a nice, symbolic thing to acknowledge him for all the things he’s done,” he added.

Kobe is considered one of the most iconic players in NBA history and his 'Mamba Forever' mentality still echoes among players. in 2020, Kobe, along with his daughter Ginna and seven others, perished in a tragic helicopter crash.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Novak Djokovic put all doubts to rest about being one of the greatest tennis players to walk on the court ever after winning his record-equalling 24th grand slam title.

Novak Djokovic put all doubts to rest about being one of the greatest tennis players to walk on the court ever after winning his record-equalling 24th grand slam title. The Serb beat Daniil Medvedev in the US Open 2023 final on September 11 for his latest silverware. After the special win, Djokovic honoured his friend Kobe Bryant by wearing a No. 24 shirt. Also Read: Week 1: Eagles survive poor game against Patriots; 49ers crush Steelers on opening Sunday Night Football Bryant, a former basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers in the USA's National Basketball Association (NBA), died in a helicopter crash in 2020. Djokovic and Bryant, who wore No. 24 shirt for most of his career, were close friends. So after the win, Djokovic put on a shirt that said 'Mamba Forever' on the front and read no. 24 on the back in purple. Djokovic, while talking about the idea of honouring Kobe, said it came to him about a week ago. Novak hits 24 and pays tribute to the late Kobe Bryant 💙 pic.twitter.com/rDXVUvYe1Z — US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 10, 2023 × “Kobe was a close friend, we chatted a lot about the winner’s mentality when I was struggling with injury and trying to make my comeback, work my way back to the top of the game,” Djokovic said about the gesture. “He was one of the people that I relied on the most.” Novak shares the idea behind his tribute to Kobe 🗣 pic.twitter.com/aFd7xStqVx — US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 11, 2023 × “He was always there for any kind of counsel, advice, any kind of support in the most friendly way,” Djokovic continued. “So of course what happened a few years ago and him and his daughter passing hurt me deeply, and I thought 24 is the jersey he wore when he became a legend of the Lakers and world basketball, so I thought it could be a nice, symbolic thing to acknowledge him for all the things he’s done,” he added. Kobe is considered one of the most iconic players in NBA history and his 'Mamba Forever' mentality still echoes among players. in 2020, Kobe, along with his daughter Ginna and seven others, perished in a tragic helicopter crash. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Novak Djokovic's EMOTIONAL tribute to Kobe Bryant after winning record-equalling 24th grand slam title - WATCH

tennis

Tennis, News on Tennis, stories on Tennis, articles on Tennis, Tennis stories at Wion, Tennis news, Tennis latest news