logo
Djokovic, Sinner enter Wimbledon fray

Djokovic, Sinner enter Wimbledon fray

The Suna day ago
NOVAK Djokovic launches his latest bid for a record 25th Grand Slam singles crown at Wimbledon on Tuesday as men's top seed Jannik Sinner makes his entrance.
Defending women's champion Barbora Krejcikova begins her title defence against Eastbourne finalist Alexandra Eala with major question marks over her fitness.
AFP Sport looks at the matches to watch on day two of the tournament at the All England Club.
Djokovic still dreaming
Novak Djokovic still dreams of ending his career as the most successful player in tennis history even as he watches a new generation take charge.
The 38-year-old has been tied with Margaret Court on 24 Grand Slam titles since winning his most recent major prize at the 2023 US Open.
The Serb has seen two-time defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz and world number one Jannik Sinner share the past six Grand Slams between them.
But the seven-time champion believes his most realistic hope of a historic 25th title lies on the grass of south-west London,.
'I would probably agree that Wimbledon could be the best chance because of the results I had, because of how I feel, how I play in Wimbledon, just getting that extra push mentally and motivation to perform the best tennis at the highest level,' said Djokovic.
The veteran, who has lost the past two Wimbledon finals to Alcaraz, has the added incentive of pulling level with the retired Roger Federer, who won a record eight men's titles at the All England Club.
Djokovic starts his campaign against France's Alexandre Muller. The pair have only met once before, at the 2023 US Open, when the Serb dropped only five games.
Sinner relishing grass-court challenge
Jannik Sinner is the world number one and will be desperate to state his credentials at Wimbledon with his great rival Carlos Alcaraz gunning for a third straight title.
The Italian has impressed since returning from a three-month doping ban, reaching the finals of the Italian Open and the French Open, both of which he lost to Alcaraz.
Sinner then lost early at this month's Halle grass-court tournament but has a promising track record at Wimbledon, reaching the semi-finals in 2023 and the quarter-finals last year.
The 23-year-old, who faces compatriot Luca Nardi in the first round, says he feels 'ready to play'.
'I feel like that I'm playing great, great tennis on grass,' he said. 'Hopefully I can show this also in the match court.'
Krejcikova steps into unknown
Defending women's champion Barbora Krejcikova is feeling her way back to fitness after pulling out of the Eastbourne Open with a thigh problem.
The world number 16 has endured a difficult time since defeating Italy's Jasmine Paolini in the Wimbledon final last year, playing just six matches in 2025.
She was out of action until May after suffering a back injury and lost in the second round of the recent French Open.
But at least she looks likely to be fit to take to the court against Alexandra Eala on Tuesday.
'I had to have couple days off where I didn't really play any tennis, but I did some off-court stuff,' said the 29-year-old Czech.
'I've been feeling every day a little bit better, so I'm really happy with that.'
Eala, ranked 56th in the world, could be a dangerous opponent.
The 20-year-old made history by becoming the first Filipina to reach a WTA final with her run to the Eastbourne title match last week.
Earlier this year she enjoyed a breakthrough run to the Miami Open semi-finals.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Malaysia to host WPC Asia Pickleball Grand Slam
Malaysia to host WPC Asia Pickleball Grand Slam

The Sun

time4 hours ago

  • The Sun

Malaysia to host WPC Asia Pickleball Grand Slam

MALAYSIA will host the WPC Asia Pickleball Grand Slam 2025, the largest and most prestigious pickleball event ever held in Asia. Taking place from 16-20 July 2025 at The Pickle Grounds, a custom-built rooftop venue atop One World Hotel, Petaling Jaya, the tournament is expected to welcome over 1,500 players from 16+ countries and attract more than 3,000 spectators. This milestone event positions Malaysia as a rising force in the global pickleball scene. Since its launch in 2019, the World Pickleball Championship (WPC) has rapidly expanded to include over 80 events across 15+ countries on four continents. With over 60,000 registered players worldwide, the WPC has grown into the largest and most inclusive pickleball championship series globally. The Grand Slam will feature top global athletes such as Vanshik Kapadia (India), the reigning WPC Asia Treble Champion in Men's Singles, Men's Doubles, and Mixed Doubles, and Anna Clarice Patrimonio (Philippines), the defending Women's Singles Champion. Other notable competitors include players from the United States, Australia, China, Vietnam, Japan, Poland, and Malaysia's rising stars like Colin Wong, Razlan Rawi, and Sharneem Reyes.

Malaysia to host WPC Asia Pickleball Grand Slam 2025
Malaysia to host WPC Asia Pickleball Grand Slam 2025

The Sun

time4 hours ago

  • The Sun

Malaysia to host WPC Asia Pickleball Grand Slam 2025

Malaysia will host the WPC Asia Pickleball Grand Slam 2025, the largest and most prestigious pickleball event ever held in Asia. Taking place from 16-20 July 2025 at The Pickle Grounds, a custom-built rooftop venue atop One World Hotel, Petaling Jaya, the tournament is expected to welcome over 1,500 players from 16+ countries and attract more than 3,000 spectators. This milestone event positions Malaysia as a rising force in the global pickleball scene. Since its launch in 2019, the World Pickleball Championship (WPC) has rapidly expanded to include over 80 events across 15+ countries on four continents. With over 60,000 registered players worldwide, the WPC has grown into the largest and most inclusive pickleball championship series globally. The Grand Slam will feature top global athletes such as Vanshik Kapadia (India), the reigning WPC Asia Treble Champion in Men's Singles, Men's Doubles, and Mixed Doubles, and Anna Clarice Patrimonio (Philippines), the defending Women's Singles Champion. Other notable competitors include players from the United States, Australia, China, Vietnam, Japan, Poland, and Malaysia's rising stars like Colin Wong, Razlan Rawi, and Sharneem Reyes.

'Overwhelmed' Coco Gauff rues Wimbledon prep after French win
'Overwhelmed' Coco Gauff rues Wimbledon prep after French win

New Straits Times

time5 hours ago

  • New Straits Times

'Overwhelmed' Coco Gauff rues Wimbledon prep after French win

LONDON: Coco Gauff gave plenty of credit to her opponent while pinpointing exactly where she felt she was lacking Tuesday night in her surprising first-round loss at Wimbledon in London. Gauff fell 7-6 (3), 6-1 to unseeded Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska. Gauff was the No. 2 seed in the ladies' singles draw and was coming off the second Grand Slam victory of her career at the French Open less than a month ago. Winning the French may have had an impact on Gauff's preparation for grass- court season, the 21-year-old admitted. "I feel like mentally I was a little bit overwhelmed with everything that came afterwards," Gauff said, "so I didn't feel like I had enough time to celebrate and also get back into it." Her only competitive match between Roland Garros and Wimbledon was at the Berlin Open, where she dropped her opener to China's Xinyu Wang in straight sets. "I just feel like the surface I maybe could have used more matches. It's like finding the puzzle," Gauff said. "It's a quick turnaround, so I think just trying to learn on whether it's better to train more and maybe play Bad Homburg or Eastbourne." Gauff badly struggled with her serve Tuesday. She double-faulted nine times, and when she was forced to her second serve she won less than half the points (14 of 32). All told, she ended the loss with a mere six winners and 29 unforced errors. "(Yastremska) played great," Gauff said. "I saw the draw and knew it would be a tough match for me. ... I played her on clay, and I think that surface suits me a little better, (and) it was still a tough three-setter. I knew today would be tough." Gauff took down World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in a three-set final at Roland Garros. She won the 2023 U.S. Open and reached the semifinals of the Australian Open in 2024. It's Wimbledon where she has had the least to show for her efforts, even though her breakthrough came there in 2019 when she beat Venus Williams at 15 years old. She stalled out in the fourth round in 2019, 2021 and 2024, never making it further. "I have faith that if I can make these adjustments, I can do well here," Gauff said. "I really do want to do well here. I'm not someone who wants to write myself off grass this early in my career, but I definitely need to make changes if I want to be successful here. "I'm trying to be positive. After the match, I definitely was struggling in the locker room. I don't like losing."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store