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The Star
28-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Tennis-It's all cool with Coco, says Sabalenka, after Paris heartache
Tennis - Berlin Tennis Open - Steffi Graf Stadium, Berlin, Germany - June 21, 2025 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka reacts during her semi final match against Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova REUTERS/Annegret Hilse LONDON (Reuters) -Wimbledon top seed Aryna Sabalenka says she has cleared the air with Coco Gauff after she raised eyebrows with her remarks in the aftermath of her French Open final loss to the American. An emotional Sabalenka described the match as the "worst tennis" she had played for many months and that her mistakes, rather than Gauff's excellence, had been the decisive factor. Sabalenka wrote to Gauff to apologise soon after, labelling her remarks "unprofessional" and the two rivals were seen chatting happily on the Wimbledon practice courts this week. "We've always been really good with Coco. Honestly, as I said in the statement and I messaged to her, I didn't really want to offend her," the 27-year-old Sabalenka, who is bidding for her first Wimbledon title, told reporters. "I was just completely, like, upset with myself, and emotions got over me. I just completely lost it. "Of course, she's got my respect. She knew it. She knows it. I'm happy that she was, like, 'yeah, it's all good, don't worry.' I was talking, we are good, we are friends. I hope the U.S. media can be easy on me right now. "I did what I did. I get what I deserved, I believe. It was a tough time for me," she added, saying she has immersed herself in reading books to take her mind off her Paris heartache. Gauff won that error-strewn French final 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4 and is seeded two at Wimbledon and the likelihood is that their compelling rivalry could continue in the final in a fortnight. SABALENKA TRAILS HEAD-TO-HEAD Three-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka's loss to Gauff in Paris followed her loss to the American in the U.S. Open final in 2023 and she trails their head-to-head 6-5. Asked whether she would relish the chance to avenge the loss by beating Gauff in the Wimbledon final, she sounded unsure. "I don't know, in this case maybe I don't want to see Coco if I make it to the finals. But if she's going to be there, I'm happy because I want to get the revenge!" A jovial Sabalenka was joined for the last minute of her press conference by seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic whom she said she had a long chat with this week after hitting with the Serbian on the grass. "Novak is the best. First of all, I was able to hit with him. Then you can chat with him. He will give his honest advice," she said. "It's amazing, to hear the opinion of such a legend. We were just chatting about stuff that I'm struggling a little bit. I'm really thankful for the advice he gave me." Sabalenka begins on Monday against Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine, saying she knows nothing about her other than the fact that she is "really beautiful". (Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
Straits Times
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Top seed Sabalenka draws qualifier Branstine in Wimbledon first round
Tennis - Berlin Tennis Open - Steffi Graf Stadium, Berlin, Germany - June 21, 2025 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka reacts during her semi final match against Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova REUTERS/Annegret Hilse LONDON - World number one Aryna Sabalenka's quest for her first Wimbledon title will begin against Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine while second seed Coco Gauff's opener will be versus Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska. Friday's draw also pitched defending champion Barbora Krejcikova, the 17th seed, against Alexandra Eala of the Philippines. Third seed Jessica Pegula's first-round opponent is Italian qualifier Elisabetta Cocciaretto, while fourth seed Jasmine Paolini, runner-up last year, faces Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia. Belarusian Sabalenka could meet Paolini in the semi-finals while Gauff is in line for a clash with fellow American Pegula. British number one Emma Raducanu faces an intriguing opening round match against compatriot Mingge Xu, one of three British teenaged wildcards in the draw. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
27-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Tennis-Top seed Sabalenka draws qualifier Branstine in Wimbledon first round
Tennis - Berlin Tennis Open - Steffi Graf Stadium, Berlin, Germany - June 21, 2025 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka reacts during her semi final match against Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova REUTERS/Annegret Hilse LONDON (Reuters) -World number one Aryna Sabalenka's quest for her first Wimbledon title will begin against Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine while second seed Coco Gauff's opener will be versus Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska. Friday's draw also pitched defending champion Barbora Krejcikova, the 17th seed, against Alexandra Eala of the Philippines. Third seed Jessica Pegula's first-round opponent is Italian qualifier Elisabetta Cocciaretto, while fourth seed Jasmine Paolini, runner-up last year, faces Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia. Belarusian Sabalenka could meet Paolini in the semi-finals while Gauff is in line for a clash with fellow American Pegula. British number one Emma Raducanu faces an intriguing opening round match against compatriot Mingge Xu, one of three British teenaged wildcards in the draw. (Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris)
Graziadaily
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Graziadaily
Should I Brave The Gen Z Skirt This Summer? It's Selling Out Everywhere
I was on holiday recently and started to notice that every woman under the age of, I'm going to say 26, was wearing a very specific outfit formula: a halter-neck top, a pair of trainers and, crucially, a tennis skirt. As someone who's quite far north of their mid-twenties, this stopped me in my tracks. These people definitely weren't headed for a court or sunny patch of grass. They weren't carrying rackets or smuggling tennis balls in the side pockets of these skirts. They were just wearing Maybe you're thinking, this is the final straw! After the tidal wave of track pants (bearable), capri pants (questionable) and now tennis skirts (seriously?), are we really still advocating the sporting of sports kit IRL? Yup (keep up). Coco Gauff at the Berlin Tennis Open ©Imago Coco Gauff has a lot to answer for, too. The French Open-champion raised the game of the humble tennis skirt to a stratospheric high before she raised that silverware on the clay at Roland-Garros. Because watching her serve in that signature green-and-white uniform from Miu Miu x New Balance, you couldn't help but realise why the tennis skirt could be a style ace. In fact, after the mild shock had subsided on holiday, I had already started to clock why the garment is a good idea (in soaring temperatures especially). As a functional piece of sportswear, most come with an in-built pair of shorts that has a pocket for your phone and/or bank card, and tend to be made of a technical material that wicks sweat away from the body to stay breathable and keep you dry on the move. After last week's heatwave and a cancelled train on my way home, I can more than see the appeal. I possibly wouldn't pair my tennis skirt with a sporty top half or a halter-top, although they're also trending so watch the space. I would still play up its preppy side, however, with a knitted V-neck, white ribbed socks and a pair of loafers. (You can also cheat slightly by seeking out a longer style that's white, pleated and still looks ripe for a game or two.) A cute and comfortable uniform that guarantees against guests of wind and will mean you look 'down with the kids' yet grown-up? That I can get on board with. 1. Lululemon, Align™ High-Rise Skirt 2. Sweaty Betty Racket Power Skort 3. Vuori Clementine Pleated Skirt 15" 4. The Upside Laver Cadiz Pleated Tennis Skirt Price: £130 5. On Court Skirt 6. Wilson Midtown Tennis Skirt 7. Alo Yoga Glam Slam Tennis Skirt Price: £98 8. Uniqlo Ultra Stretch Active Skort Natalie Hammond is senior fashion news editor at Grazia. She loves winter, hates summer and can often be found writing about the weather (and what on earth to wear).
The Star
25-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Tennis-Five contenders for the Wimbledon women's title
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Berlin Tennis Open - Steffi Graf Stadium, Berlin, Germany - June 21, 2025 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka reacts during her semi final match against Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo (Reuters) -The following are five contenders for the Wimbledon women's title with the Championships set to begin on Monday. ARYNA SABALENKA (BELARUS) * World ranking: 1 Sabalenka enjoyed a dominant 2024, capturing two Grand Slam titles but the Wimbledon crown continued to elude the 27-year-old as she was forced to pull out of the grasscourt major at the last minute due to a shoulder injury. The three-times Grand Slam champion, who boasts a total of 20 tour-level titles, is yet to claim a trophy on grass despite having the power game - a booming serve and blistering forehand - perfectly suited to the sport's fastest surface. Sabalenka's runs to the semi-finals in her previous two Wimbledon campaigns in 2021 and 2023 highlight her consistency on the big stage but she arrives at the All England Club having suffered heartbreak in the Australian and French Open finals. Although she would have preferred to break her grasscourt duck, Sabalenka will be content with reaching the Berlin semi-finals in her only tune-up event before her latest quest for glory on the manicured lawns of London. COCO GAUFF (UNITED STATES) * World ranking: 2 Gauff proved she was no one-hit wonder when she won her second Grand Slam title by outlasting Sabalenka to capture the French Open title earlier this month. However, the 2023 U.S. Open champion's displays on grass have been inconsistent. Gauff's stellar run to the Wimbledon fourth-round as a prodigious teenager in 2019 sharpened the focus on her career but she is yet to cross that hurdle at the year's third major, falling short at the same stage in 2021 and 2024. The 21-year-old American has not reached a WTA final on grass and the youngest player in the world's top 10 was given a reminder of the difficulties ahead after Wang Xinyu brought her crashing down to earth in her first match in Berlin. But adversity extracts the best out of Gauff and she proved it at Roland Garros by shrugging off heartbreaking final defeats in Madrid and Rome to emerge triumphant, giving herself the momentum needed to make a big Wimbledon statement. IGA SWIATEK (POLAND) * World ranking: 8 Dubbed the 'Queen of Clay' after winning four French Open titles, Swiatek is no stranger to occasional struggles on grass like her rivals Sabalenka and Gauff despite having the ability to wrestle opponents into submission. Swiatek has never played a WTA final on grass and her best display at Wimbledon came in 2023 when she reached the quarter-finals - jarring notes that the 24-year-old will be eager to quickly erase from her otherwise glittering resume. The former world number one has slipped in the rankings without a tournament win this year after clinching five titles in 2024 and she has had to manage the distraction of a doping case for which she served a short ban last year. Her quest for a fifth Roland Garros crown ended in a semi-final defeat by Sabalenka and she will be motivated to defy her own expectations to win a sixth Grand Slam title and establish herself as an all-court ace after winning the 2022 U.S. Open. ELENA RYBAKINA (KAZAKHSTAN) * World ranking: 11 Before winning Wimbledon in 2022, Rybakina had not lifted a WTA trophy on grass and although the 26-year-old is yet to reach another final on the surface since, she has the weapons to do maximum damage on her day. She always manages to step up her level at Wimbledon, where she reached the quarter-finals in 2023 and fell to a narrow loss in last year's semi-finals to an inspired Barbora Krejcikova who went on to be crowned champion. The Russian-born Kazakh, who is the first player from the Asian nation to win a Grand Slam title, may not like the glare that comes with major glory but her powerful hitting puts her firmly in the spotlight at the grasscourt major. Having fallen out of the top 10, Rybakina will feel less pressure and look to go about her business quietly in a bid to replicate her breakthrough run in 2022. BARBORA KREJCIKOVA (CZECH REPUBLIC) * World ranking: 17 No woman has successfully defended the Wimbledon singles title since Serena Williams in 2016, with the event producing seven different champions in the previous seven editions, and Krejcikova will sense the unique opportunity facing her. The odds may be stacked against the Czech player as she bids to gain momentum following a spell of injuries but the 29-year-old never backs down from a challenge, as she showed by winning the title at Wimbledon as the 31st seed. With plenty of attention likely to be on compatriot and 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova following her shock Berlin triumph despite going into the tournament ranked 164th, two-times major champion Krejcikova will be content flying under the radar. Motivation will not be in short supply for Krejcikova, with Wimbledon carrying special significance as the site of her late mentor Jana Novotna's 1998 triumph. (Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
