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The Guardian
a day ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Coco Gauff knocked out of Wimbledon in first round by nerveless Dayana Yastremska
'Yeah, this definitely sucks,' said a tearful Coco Gauff. She was trying, and struggling, to put her finger on why she had become the most high profile casualty of a typically consequential first round at Wimbledon. 'I don't know, I just feel a little bit disappointed in how I showed up today.' The question before the tournament was whether Gauff could cement her standing at the top of the game by adding Wimbledon to this year's French Open title for a 'Channel Slam'. The answer turned out to be a rather decisive 'no'. The second seed was knocked out in less than two hours on Tuesday evening, with the biggest shock how easily she was dispatched by the Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska. The 21-year-old was at first outpunched and ultimately outplayed, but in the middle came a collapse all of her own making. An inability to match up against Yastremska's power in a series of fierce rallies only led to Gauff taking more risks, which rarely came off. When her serve began to depart her in the first set tie-break the writing was on the wall. Gauff said maybe a bit more practice on grass might have helped her efforts, but she couldn't be certain. Yastremska seemed almost as nonplussed in victory as Gauff was in defeat. She said she went into the match without even a 'small expectation' of winning. 'I knew that [Gauff] would not give me one ball for free,' she said. 'Today I think I've done most of the job. I was leading during the game, during the points. Obviously she plays much playing much better on clay court and hard court and I kind of felt [I have] a bit more priority on grass. But, well, in general, I don't know!' At which point she burst into laughter. Gauff beat Venus Williams in her first match at the Championships on a run to the fourth round in 2019 as a 15-year-old. She won the hearts of SW19 then, and the crowd were behind her here, but she is yet to go deeper in the competition and seemed very short on ideas of how to play her way out of the trouble Yastremska was inflicting on her. The Ukrainian has been the subject of media coverage reporting her apparent allergy to grass, but while an aversion to pollen may or may not have provided the animus, she approached the match with maximum intensity, forcing Gauff on to the back foot from the off with her forehand, a weapon that was as fast as it was precise and stayed consistently low. Gauff had the bigger serve, but it failed to rattle Yastremska on the defensive and the Ukrainian broke serve for 4-2 in the first set. In response Gauff simply put more power into her strokes, producing some mesmerising exchanges but also increasing the errors. Only rarely did she think instead to switch up her shot selection, with Yastremska much more vulnerable when forced to change her angles of approach before booming her drives. Gauff broke back at 4-5 and dragged the first set to a tie-break but any hopes of a revival were soon extinguished. In the break she served two double faults and in apparent slow motion, one even after a let of serve. It was like watching her match plans literally fall down around her, not to mention any sense of impregnability that she may have attempted to convey to her opponent. From there things only got worse. Broken at the first attempt in the second set, Gauff tried once again to plug herself into the mains but the outcome was even wilder. Yastremska broke again for 3-1 and then for 5-1 and a call from the stands of 'Don't worry Coco, don't worry!' had a distinctly forlorn tone to it. For Yastremska, meanwhile, there was nothing but delight. The second day of competition at Wimbledon saw other high profile departures from the women's draw too, including the world No 3 Jessica Pegula who was beaten in straight sets – 6-2, 6-3 – by Elisabetta Cocciaretto in just 58 minutes. Pegula praised her opponent: 'She played absolutely incredible tennis,' she said, but she too was at a loss to explain her defeat. 'Do I think I played the best match ever? No. But I definitely don't think I was playing bad. I haven't lost first round of a slam in a very long time, so that sucks.' Elsewhere, the two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova bade farewell to Wimbledon following a 6-3 6-1 loss to the 10th seed Emma Navarro. The 35-year-old wildcard, who returned to the tour in February following the birth of son Petr last summer, intends to retire after this year's US Open. 'I never dreamed of winning Wimbledon and I did it twice so this is something very special,' she told a grateful crowd.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Fabio Fognini 'cried in locker room' after Carlos Alcaraz's gesture sparks spine-tingling Wimbledon scene
The retiring Fabio Fognini was handed a final shot at basking in the limelight when he was drawn against defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the first round of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships — earning a coveted spot on the iconic Centre Court. In a season marred by injuries, with just three wins in 14 appearances, few expected the 38-year-old to trouble the in-form Spaniard — let alone take a set. But after four hours and 37 minutes in the intense London heat, the Centre Court crowd were on their feet, chanting his name, in awe of the remarkable tennis Fognini produced. Carlos Alcaraz, left, greets Fabio Fognini at the net after winning their first round men's singles match at the Wimbledon Championships in London(AP) Alcaraz came into Wimbledon riding an 18-match winning streak — the longest of his career — and chasing history as he aimed to join Bjorn Borg as only the second man to complete the Channel Slam in back-to-back years. Fognini, on the other hand, had lost 10 straight matches. Yet the free-hitting Italian gave Alcaraz a real scare, leaving him visibly frustrated at times. After grinding out the opening set with a single moment of magic to secure the decisive break, Alcaraz faltered in the second — hitting 20 unforced errors — as the nine-time tour-level titlist drew level. The five-time Grand Slam winner raised his intensity in the third set to move within striking distance of the second round. But Fognini had one more surprise in store, thrilling the crowd with a double break in the fourth to push the contest into a decider. His magic finally ran out there, as Alcaraz pulled away to seal a 7-5, 6-7(5), 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 victory. After the match, Alcaraz shook hands with Fognini at the net, then turned to the crowd, urging them to applaud the veteran. He pointed toward Fognini and clapped, prompting a spine-tingling standing ovation on Centre Court — a fitting farewell for one of tennis' most flamboyant characters. Fognini, who played his last at the SW19, admitted that the spine-tingling scene left him teary-eyed in the locker room. He said: "Oh, [it] was really emotional. "I have to be honest, I cry in the locker room. I cry. Because, as I say, I didn't expect play five set against him. I have to be honest. The way I was coming here, I had no expectation because since I started the year this year, after the injury, I was playing really bad. I didn't win so many matches. "So I say, okay. I was seven out [of making it into the main draw] at the beginning here in Wimbledon. I get in few last. I say before, there is no better way to play in this court with a great champion that I have a lot of respect with him and for his team, because I know them very, very well." Alcaraz, too, was all praise for the veteran star. "I don't know why it's his last Wimbledon, because with the level he has shown, he can still play three or four more years," he wondered. "I have to give him credit for such a great match. Fabio is such a great player, he has shown in his whole career the level he has. I'm just a little bit sad that it's his last Wimbledon, but happy to have shared the court with him."
Arab News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Coco Gauff targeting rare ‘Channel Slam' but must figure out a way to conquer the grass
Fresh off of her French Open title run, Coco Gauff has an opportunity to achieve something no woman has in tennis for the past decade – that is pulling off the 'Channel Slam'. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Winning Roland Garros and Wimbledon back-to-back in the same season has been a relatively rare occurrence on the women's tour, with Serena Williams being the last to accomplish that feat back in 2015. The swift transition from clay to grass that comes around every June on the professional circuit can be tricky to navigate. And as Gauff attempts to follow up her success in Paris with victory in south-west London, the American joked that she perhaps should get some advice from Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz, who clinched the Roland Garros-Wimbledon double last year and is going for a second one this fortnight. 'Oh, that would be really hard,' Gauff said on Saturday when asked about the possibility of completing the Channel Slam – a term used to describe that particular double. 'I understand why it hasn't been done that often. Except I guess Carlos, he makes it look pretty easy. Novak [Djokovic], too. I didn't realize it was 10 years since Serena. 'It is a quick turnaround. I think that's the reason why this kind of double is so hard, it's a quick turnaround. You go from winning such a high tournament and kind of having to be back to work not even a few days later.' Only three weeks separate Wimbledon from Roland Garros, which for some, can be a challenging stretch. For Alcaraz, it was enough for him to head to Ibiza for a few days to celebrate his French Open success, then fly to London to compete for and win the title at Queen's Club, before shifting his focus to Wimbledon. Last year, a stop in Ibiza was also sandwiched between his two major triumphs. 'I saw he was in Ibiza. I went home,' said Gauff, who made several appearances on the biggest American talk shows back home before she flew back to Europe to compete in a grass-court warmup tournament in Berlin. 'Next year, I was like, if I were to do that again, maybe I should stay on this side of the world and have fun instead of going all the way back to the U.S. 'Maybe I'll talk to him about it. I'll need to know exactly what he ate, exactly what he drank, how late he went to bed each night. Yeah, I'll have a conversation with him how those three days went,' Gauff added with a laugh. The team served up some bold Wimbledon predictions this year Who's your pick? — Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) June 30, 2025 The world No.2 said she would 'love to' back up her Roland Garros win by claiming a maiden Wimbledon crown but 'also, I'm not going to put that much pressure on myself because I've been telling my team and people around me, this is all new territory for me. 'Even with debating on playing Berlin and stuff, I was, like, I'm just going to learn as I go. Maybe if I were to win again, I probably wouldn't do that decision again. 'This is very much new territory. I'm trying to take it as I go. If I were to end up there, it would be great. If not, I'll try to come up with a better way to prepare for this tournament next year.' Gauff now owns two Grand Slam titles – 2023 US Open and 2025 Roland Garros – and she's only 21 years old. The Floridian had her first big breakthrough at Wimbledon when she was 15, reaching the fourth round as a qualifier and knocking out her idol Venus Williams en route. She's come a long way since that breakout moment six years ago and Naomi Osaka, a four-time major champion and former world No.1, says she's 'super proud of her'. 'I remember I hit with her when she was quite young, but she's still young,' said Osaka on Saturday. 'It's really cool, I would say, to see how much she's grown. And it also, I guess, reminds me how much athletes can inspire people. And she inspires me a lot and I hope that one day I can play as well on clay as she does. And I think it's really, really incredible how far she's come from when I first saw her.' Gauff's game is better suited to clay and hard courts but she's trying to make the necessary adjustments in order to be more dangerous on grass. She says getting used to moving on the grass and playing with less spin is key, so is serving aggressively. Gauff has a tricky Wimbledon opener on Tuesday against Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska and she also has Iga Swiatek and 2023 champion Elena Rybakina in her quarter of the draw. While she made the second week on three occasions at the All England Club, Wimbledon remains the only major where Gauff has yet to reach at least the quarter-finals. American tennis legend, broadcaster, and coach Pam Shriver sees a few things in Gauff's game that can be hindering her on grass. 'You'd think six years ago, because Coco had her first big splash here getting to the round of 16, beating Venus on Court 1, the way she produced on Center Court for the first time, that given her athleticism, that grass would be a good surface for her, but it's actually not,' Shriver told Arab News on the sidelines of Wimbledon. 'I think it's clearly her third best surface. I think how low it stays is particularly difficult for the forehand, and for the same reason, clay is her best surface, it's the exact opposite. 'And I also think people have an aggressive mindset on second serve returns on grass, because that's another vulnerable area for her. And also, while obviously her quickness helps you on any surface, anywhere, but honestly, even grass, if it's a fast day, the sun's out, it's going to be hot, it's even fast for Coco. I mean, people can feel like they have a chance to get past her with a little less time for her. 'So you put all those things together, and she doesn't have a great history here since she had her breakthrough.' Shriver, who helped guide Croatia's Donna Vekic to the Wimbledon semi-finalist and the silver medal at the Olympics last season, feels there are a couple of forehand adjustments Gauff can make to have more chances on the turf. 'Obviously, given her competitiveness, her speed, if the forehand, actually I'm anxious to see, I want to see how much she slices it, because I think that's a shot she's had to utilize, given when the regular forehand's not working, she can kind of bunt it around, and kind of just chip it back, use her speed, and then wait for a backhand,' said the American. 'So we'll see how much she does that, and also her drive's tough.' The good news for Gauff, is that from a mindset perspective, she is ready to fully focus on Wimbledon and not dwell on her Roland Garros success. She says she is someone who likes to look ahead to what's next and she will wait until the end of the season to think about her run in Paris. 'I still want to do really well here. I feel pretty confident on the court,' said Gauff. 'When November comes, I'll revisit [the French Open].'
United News of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- United News of India
Carlos Alcaraz aims to join Borg, Federer elite club
London, June 29 (UNI) As the Wimbledon 2025 campaign progresses, all eyes are on Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, who is aiming to win his third consecutive title at the All England Club. The 22-year-old sensation has emerged as the face of men's tennis in the post-Federer-Nadal-Djokovic era, demonstrating remarkable consistency, flair, and maturity well beyond his age. After capturing his first Wimbledon crown in 2023 — in only his fourth tournament on grass — and repeating the feat in 2024 by completing the rare 'Channel Slam' (winning both Roland-Garros and Wimbledon in the same year), Alcaraz now attempts to join the elite company of Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic as the only men in the Open Era to lift three consecutive Wimbledon titles. The young Spaniard already has four Grand Slam titles to his name and became the youngest-ever World No. 1 after his 2022 US Open triumph. He has also claimed an Olympic silver medal and titles on all surfaces, establishing himself as a complete and dynamic player. Djokovic, who lost to Alcaraz in the 2023 Wimbledon final, hailed him as 'the most complete player' he has faced, praising his adaptability, defensive skills, and mental resilience. Off the court, Alcaraz remains grounded. His Netflix docuseries Carlos Alcaraz: My Way, released in April this year, has offered fans a rare glimpse into his life, adding to his growing global popularity. Known for his sportsmanship, humility, and ever-present smile, Alcaraz has won admirers across the tennis world. Speaking about his aspirations, Alcaraz said, 'At the end of my career, I want to sit at the same table as the big guys. I don't know my limit. I just want to keep enjoying my moment, keep dreaming.' With Italian star Jannik Sinner emerging as his primary rival on the circuit, the coming years could witness a fresh era of great tennis rivalries. As Wimbledon enters its decisive phase, tennis fans and experts alike agree that men's tennis is in safe hands — with Alcaraz leading the way into a new golden era. UNI BDN SSP
Japan Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Japan Times
Cautious Gauff targets 'Channel Slam' at Wimbledon
Second seed Coco Gauff is chasing a rare "Channel Slam" at Wimbledon after lifting her maiden French Open title, the American said on Saturday, though she is keeping expectations in check as she adapts to the quick transition from clay to grass. The last woman to achieve the Channel Slam — winning Wimbledon and the French Open in the same year — was Serena Williams, who accomplished the feat in 2002 and again in 2015. The 21-year-old Gauff, who became the first American woman since Williams to win at Roland Garros, is not putting too much pressure on herself though, having never made it past the fourth round at Wimbledon.
