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Wimbledon Women’s Draw Preview: Swiatek, Sabalenka, Rybakina Top Favorites

Posted by Staff on July 2nd, 2023 @ 7:10 am

The trio of Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina have teamed to win the last five Grand Slam titles on the women’s tour.

This new “Big 3” will try to resume their dominance at a place where it’s been tough for any one woman to dominate.

There have been five new champions over the last five Wimbledons and only defending champion Rybakina and 2-time winner Petra Kvitova can break that streak.

Top …

Cerundolo Secures Eastbourne Title Over Paul

Posted by Staff on July 1st, 2023 @ 7:12 pm

Argentine Francisco Cerundolo proved yet again he’s no clay specialist as the 24-year-old topped two Americans Saturday to win the grass title in Eastbourne.

The 26-year-old finished off Mackenzie McDonald and then in the final upended the 2nd-seeded Tommy Paul in three 6-4, 1-6, 6-4.

“I’m super happy. Yesterday I almost lost, 6-2, 4-1. I don’t know how I managed to turn it back,” Cerundolo said on court. “And today, I played …

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Eubanks Serves Past Mannarino For First Career Title In Mallorca

Posted by Staff on July 1st, 2023 @ 7:00 pm

The towering 27-year-old Chris Eubanks collected his very first career title Saturday in Mallorca overpowering fourth-seeded Adrian Mannarino 6-1, 6-4.

In his first career final, the 6-foot-7 Atlanta native broke early in both sets to pace the win, finished with 11 aces and he lost just four points on first serve never facing a break point.

“It means the world. It just means the world, man,” Eubanks said to the ATP. “It …

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Siniakova Wins First Grass Title in Bad Homburg, Beats Bronzetti

Posted by Staff on July 1st, 2023 @ 6:45 pm

In the Bad Homburg final in Germany on Saturday, the Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova took top prize defeating Italian Lucia Bronzetti 6-2, 7-6(7-5).

The win was Siniakova’s 4th career title, first since Potoroz last year. The 27-year-old now has wins on all three surfaces.

Siniakova, ranked No. 52 and the current doubles No. 1, finished with four aces, hit seven doubles and broke five times in the match in this first-time meeting.

Bronzetti, …

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Keys Claims Second Eastbourne Over Kasatkina

Posted by Staff on July 1st, 2023 @ 6:38 pm

Madison Keys won her first title in nearly four years easing past Daria Kasatkina 6-2, 7-6(13) in the final of the grass stop in Eastbourne.

The 28-year-old American picked up her seventh career title, first since Adelaide last year.

“I love coming and playing in Eastbourne. Being able to win the title here twice now makes me have very fond memories,” Keys said to the WTA.

Keys saved four set points in …

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Wimbledon Men’s Preview: Djokovic With Nice Road To 24, Alcaraz Faced With Many Landmines

Posted by Staff on June 30th, 2023 @ 1:29 pm

The Wimbledon draws were released earlier today and it looks quite favorable for the top pick Novak Djokovic as he continues his assault on the history.

The Serb, seeded second, will bid for a 24th career Grand Slam title and an 8th Wimbledon which would tie him with Roger Federer. And his draw looks great.

Meanwhile, top seed Carlos Alcaraz will have his hands full as many threats loom …

Wimbledon Women’s Seedings: Swiatek, Sabalenka, Rybakina Lead Field

Posted by Staff on June 28th, 2023 @ 9:32 am

Will there be a new Wimbledon champion for a sixth straight year? There is a good chance of that happening unless Elena Rybakina can shake off a virus and defending her title, something that hasn’t been done since 2016.

Former junior Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek goes in as the top seed and then it’s Aryna Sabalenka who returns after missing last year due to the ban.

Rybakina is …

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Wimbledon Men’s Seedings: Alcaraz, Djokovic Top 2; Murray Unseeded

Posted by Staff on June 28th, 2023 @ 9:15 am

For the third straight year Wimbledon has gone with the ATP rankings to seed the men. That means Carlos Alcaraz will get the top spot for a second straight Slam while 7-time champion Novak Djokovic is seeded second.

Djokovic had been the top seed at the last three Wimbledons — he’s won the last four. It’s the third time he’ll get the second seed, first since 2017 when …

Defending Champion Kvitova, Krejcikova Added To Names Withdrawing From WTA Eastbourne

Posted by Staff on June 27th, 2023 @ 8:33 pm

The perils of holding an event the week before a Grand Slam.

After wave of withdrawals hit the WTA stop in Eastbourne Monday, more followed today as defending champion Petra Kvitova and Barbora Krejcikova pulled out along with Anastasia Potapova.

The 500 level event had already lost Elena Rybakina, Maria Sakkari and former French finalist Marketa Vondrousova.

The tournament went on today with Americans Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula leading the way with …

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Swiatek To Open Grass Season Against Maria In WTA Bad Homburg

Posted by Staff on June 25th, 2023 @ 3:38 pm

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek will have her hands full right from the jump in her 2023 grass debut taking on former Wimbledon semifinalist Tatjana Maria.

Swiatek rolls in off her third French Open title but the Polish star has never been far at Wimbledon where she did once win the junior title.

Swiatek has never even made a grass final before. But this week she’ll be the big favorite though …

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Rybakina, Garcia, Gauff Lead 7 Of Top 10 In WTA Eastbourne; Kvitova v Ostapenko Opener

Posted by Staff on June 25th, 2023 @ 3:16 pm

Seven of the Top 10 women will be in Eastbourne this week led by reigning Wimbledon queen Elena Rybakina.

The Kazakh will hope to get back on track after a shock defeat last week to Donna Vekic in Berlin.

There are four former champions in the field including defending champion Petra Kvitova just won Berlin. In a rematch of her 2022 title win, Kvitova will meet Jelena Ostapenko who …

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Fritz, Paul, Jarry, Cerundolo And Etcheverry Lead The Americas In Eastbourne

Posted by Staff on June 25th, 2023 @ 2:56 pm

Eastbourne is a popular final stop for the men from North and South American this week.

The grass tune-up for Wimbledon features Americans Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul as it’s top two seeds followed by Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo, Chilean Nicolas Jarry and Cerundolo’s countryman Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

Former champion Alex De Minaur was the third seed but he withdrew after reaching the Queen’s final.

A total of five Top 30 players are …

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Defending Champion Tsitsipas Hopes To Get Off The Schneid In Mallorca

Posted by Sean Randall on June 25th, 2023 @ 2:40 pm

Stefanos Tsitsipas may have found love off the court with Paula Badosa, but the Greek star has been struggling between the lines having lost three of his last four as he comes into Mallorca for his title defense.

The 5th-ranked Tsitsipas is the lone Top 30 seed in the field which also features Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and big hitters Ben Shelton and recent Halle winner Alexander Bublik.

Top seeds …

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Ostapenko Takes Birmingham Title Over Krejcikova

Posted by Staff on June 25th, 2023 @ 2:18 pm

Jelena Ostapenko held off a late charge from Barbora Krejcikova to win the Birmingham title 7-6(8), 6-4.

“Just to fight for every single point, and to play until the very last point, because some matches I was down, but I managed to win them,” Ostapenko said to the WTA. “I’m just really proud of myself the way I fought. That’s probably the key which brought me the title here.”

In this battle …

Kvitova Overcomes Vekic For Berlin Title, Rises Among Wimbledon Favorites

Posted by Staff on June 25th, 2023 @ 2:05 pm

Petra Kvitova capped off another great week of grass claiming her 31st title winning in Berlin Sunday over Donna Vekic 6-2, 7-6(8-6).

“I didn’t expect this title when the week started here. But grass is my favorite surface,” Kvitova said.

Vekic held the early break in the second but failed to serve out the set at 5-4.

Kvitova connected on seven aces, hit five doubles and was three of four on break …

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