Latest news with #GrigorDimitrov
Al Arabiya
4 days ago
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Ivanov beats american qualifier karki to win wimbledon juniors title
Ivan Ivanov of Bulgaria won his first Grand Slam title by beating Ronit Karki of the United States 6-2, 6-3 in the Wimbledon juniors final on Sunday. The 16-year-old Ivanov became the second Bulgarian to win the title after Grigor Dimitrov in 2008. He never faced a break point against Karki and finished with 22 winners compared to six for his opponent. In the second set, he lost just three points on his first serve. 'I was feeling my serve very well today,' Ivanov said. 'Probably my best weapon today.' The victory gives Ivanov a chance to attend Wimbledon's traditional Champions Dinner alongside the likes of men's singles winner Jannik Sinner and women's champion Iga Swiatek. First, though, he has to find something suitable to wear for the black-tie event. 'Right now, we're dealing with it (the outfit),' he said. 'I didn't expect I'm going to win. So that's a good problem.' Karki was trying to become the first qualifier to win the title since Noah Rubin in 2014.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jannik Sinner dethrones Carlos Alcaraz as Wimbledon tennis champion
Revenge proved a dish best served on grass for Jannik Sinner as he put his Paris heartbreak behind him to claim a first Wimbledon title. Only five weeks have passed since Carlos Alcaraz stunningly saved three match points in a French Open final fightback for the ages but his hopes of a third straight victory in SW19 were dashed by his great rival. This time it was world number one Sinner, who becomes the first Italian to win a Wimbledon singles title, that came from behind, claiming a 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory in three hours and four minutes – nearly two-and-a-half hours quicker than their Roland Garros epic. The victory puts their rivalry back on a knife edge, with the 23-year-old now trailing Alcaraz only by five slam titles to four and putting an end to a five-match losing streak against the Spaniard. It is also Sinner's first slam title away from his favoured hard courts, while Alcaraz suffered a first major final defeat, unable to find the same magic that had brought him back from the brink on the clay. A penny for the thoughts, meanwhile, of Grigor Dimitrov, who led Sinner by two sets to love in the fourth round only for his body to fail him. Perhaps the Italian was due a stroke of luck, and he has made the most of it in superb fashion. Sinner said in his on-court presentation: 'I had a very tough loss in Paris. But it doesn't really matter how you win or lose the important tournaments, you just have to understand what you did wrong, try to work on that. 'This is for sure one of the reasons why I'm holding this trophy. I'm very happy that I held my nerves. It's an amazing feeling.' Alcaraz said: 'It's difficult to lose. First of all I have to congratulate Jannik once again. It's a really well-deserved trophy. Unbelievable two weeks here in London playing great tennis. 'Really proud of everything I'm doing. At the beginning of the season I struggled a little bit, on the court, off the court, but then suddenly I started to bring joy on the court again. I just want to keep going, to keep bringing joy on the court.' William and Kate arrive at Wimbledon with George and Charlotte for men's final There was an audible buzz around Centre Court as the pair warmed up, the sound of 15,000 people who could not believe their luck at having secured one of the hottest tickets in sport. The Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince George and Princess Charlotte were joined in the Royal Box by A-list stars Keira Knightley, Matthew McConaughey and Nicole Kidman as well as seven former Wimbledon champions. Alcaraz was certainly not holding back, slamming down a 136mph ace to start the match and hitting 139 in his second service game – a new record for the Spaniard, until he twice clocked 140 later in the contest. Sinner struck the first blow, a wild Alcaraz forehand handing over the first break in the fifth game, but back came the second seed with three games in a row. Soon that was four, with Alcaraz winning surely one of the best set-winning rallies seen on Centre Court: Sinner's 118mph second serve was returned with interest, Alcaraz angled a forehand out wide, his rival thumped a forehand into the corner only for the Spaniard to somehow conjure a backhand winner. He stood with his finger pointed to his head as the crowd rose to acclaim another piece of tennis wizardry. In four of the 22-year-old's run of victories against Sinner, he had lost the first set, so this was a big statement, but Alcaraz then threw in a poor game to start the second. Sinner, who normally disguises his emotions as well as an Alcaraz drop shot, let out a loud shout of 'Let's go' when he saved a break point in the next game, the Italian determined to hold on to his advantage this time. He was forced to delay his serve at a crucial moment two games later when a champagne cork nearly hit him, prompting boos from the crowd and a rebuke from British umpire Alison Hughes. If Sinner did have Paris in his mind then serving for the set at 5-4 would have been a moment to tighten up but instead he produced a series of greatest hits, chasing down an Alcaraz drop shot, drilling a forehand winner down the line to bring up set point and then crunching another winner cross court. Sinner missed two chances for an immediate break at the start of the third set following a pair of Alcaraz double faults but the match was starting to feel marginally on his racket. He showed his improvisational skills with a tweener drop volley, and at 4-4 it was the world number one who made the breakthrough, a forehand powered into the corner leaving Alcaraz on the floor and helpless as a volley landed mid court. And this time the serve was all Sinner needed to open up a potentially decisive advantage, with the Italian then moving a step closer by breaking again to lead 2-1 in the fourth set. Alcaraz survived a couple of close service games and the crowd willed him to turn it around, roaring as Sinner coughed up two break points at 4-3. Not this time, though, said the Italian as he responded with four points in a row. Moments later he was serving for the title – as he had in Paris – and creating three match points. He netted a backhand on the first but a 137mph serve on the second gave him his moment.
Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Times
Ruthless Jannik Sinner beats Carlos Alcaraz to win Wimbledon title
Five weeks after the most brutal defeat of his career in an epic French Open final, Jannik Sinner has his revenge. The 23-year-old became the first Italian player to win a Wimbledon singles title after fighting back from one set down to see off his arch-rival Carlos Alcaraz. The drama did not match the 5½-hour contest we witnessed across the English Channel last month, but there was no shortage of entertainment during the three hours and four minutes of play they engaged in here. Sinner proved the more efficient over the course, prevailing 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to bury any demons that might have lingered after failing to convert three championship points against Alcaraz in Paris. This is a remarkable turnaround for Sinner after he looked down and out this week at two sets behind against Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round. One cannot help but wonder what the outcome would have turned out to be this fortnight had the Bulgarian not suddenly torn a pectoral muscle on his serve and been forced to retire. Sinner had his own physical issues to overcome, too, having undergone an MRI scan on his right elbow after that match, but he is so adept at maintaining his composure in the face of adversity. Whatever you feel about his drugs ban earlier this year, in which he was sidelined for three months after testing positive for a prohibited substance that was ingested through a bare-handed massage, the way he has quickly brushed it off and returned to form is quite ruthless. This is also a significant victory for Sinner in the context of his rivalry with the 22-year-old Alcaraz. He was 8-4 down in the head-to-head record prior to this match after losing their past five encounters. Not only has he ended this bad run, he has won a fourth grand-slam title here to close the gap on Alcaraz's five. 'I had a very tough loss in Paris,' Sinner said. 'But at the end of the day it doesn't matter how you win or you lose, at important tournaments you just have to understand what you did wrong and work on that. We tried to accept the loss and keep working. For sure that is one of the reasons why I am holding this trophy. Having this means a lot.' As is happening across the tour, Wimbledon was shifting further into a new generation with this match. This was the first final here without one of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray since 2002, and was the youngest in combined age since 2006 when a 24-year-old Federer beat a 20-year-old Nadal. Sinner walked out onto the court with a sleeve around his right arm once again to protect the elbow he hurt during a fall in his fourth-round match six days earlier. There were no signs of any discomfort during the early stages and he made the better start with the first break of the match for 3-2. At 4-2 to Sinner, the baseline rallies began to build in intensity and a pivotal moment in the first set followed when Alcaraz came out on top in an 18-shot rally. He let out a loud roar, which kickstarted a comeback and he soon broke back to level at 4-4. Serving to stay in the set at 5-4 down, Sinner had lost his way under pressure and fell on the baseline after Alcaraz took him aback with a drop shot to bring up set point. While Sinner saved this, he followed it with a double fault and Alcaraz converted his second set point by chasing down a ferocious Sinner forehand down the line to respond with a stretch backhand which dropped over the net. The momentum was with Alcaraz, but he can be prone to sudden dips and one immediately followed. He conceded the break with a poor game at the start of the second set and Sinner clearly sensed a chance to work his way back into the match, shouting 'Let's go' when he saved a break point in the next game before holding serve for 2-0. There was a bizarre moment in Sinner's next service game at 2-1 when the cork of a champagne bottle landed on the court beside him as he stood on the baseline preparing for the next point. Thankfully this untimely interruption proved no significant distraction as he went on to hold for 3-1. Sinner usually plays tennis with something of a stern poker face, rarely showing much emotion, but he was noticeably more energetic in his celebrations after winning points towards the end of the second set. Perhaps this was an instruction from his team to get more spectators on his side, as it is often Alcaraz who wins the popularity battle of the two. In this regard, Sinner played the perfect game when serving for the set at 5-4, producing a scintillating display of shot-making which had much of the crowd out of their seats. The highlight was a sparking forehand cross-court winner on set point to level the match at one set apiece. Sinner removes a stray champagne cork SHUTTERSTOCK EDITORIAL Alcaraz had now entered something of a funk and struggled to impose with his serve. He brushed off two double faults in the first game of the third set to hold serve, but was increasingly coming under pressure. At 4-4 he succumbed, slipping metres behind the baseline as Sinner converted break point for a 5-4 lead. The frustration ramping up inside Alcaraz was evident when he could be heard on the courtside microphones shouting towards his team in Spanish: 'He is playing much better than me.' Cool as a cucumber on the opposite side of the net, Sinner got on with the task at hand and served out the set with an unreturnable serve down the middle. Sinner was now in full control from the back of the court, outhitting Alcaraz with his power and precision. He broke once again for 2-1 in the fourth set and then edged closer to the finish with a 4-2 lead An Alcaraz hold to remain within touching distance at 4-3 down showed that the majority of the crowd were now pulling for him in the hope of seeing a fifth and deciding set. These were challenging moments for Sinner with the screams and cheers now against him, but he held firm in the next game by saving two break points for 5-3. Within two points of defeat at 30-30 in the next game, Alcaraz held serve and forced Sinner to see out the match at 5-4. Unlike at Roland Garros, he made no mistake this time with a comfortable hold, firing down another unreturnable serve on his second match point. 'The last game I served very well,' Sinner said. 'I had some tough moments in the game before, but in best-of-five matches every moment can change the match, so I'm very happy I held my nerve.'
The Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Wimbledon 2025 LIVE RESULTS: Iga Swiatek THRASHES Amanda Anisimova to secure women's singles title
Grigor on the mend Grigor Dimitrov suffered heartache when he tore his pectoral muscle while leading Jannik Sinner by two sets to love on Monday night. He collapsed to the turf and retired in tears, barely able to shake hands due to the pain. And the Bulgarian has now undergone surgery on the muscle. Taking to Instagram, he wrote: 'Sometimes the heart wants to keep going. But the universe has a different plan for us. 'Having to withdraw from this match at Wimbledon was one of the most painful moments of my career. 'Thank you for the overwhelming wave of love – from family, friends, fans, colleagues, to the entire tennis community. 'Your messages have genuinely lifted me through these hard times. Thank you all. Truly. 'Recovery starts now. I'll see you all soon.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Grigor Dimitrov thanks fans after withdrawing from Wimbledon match with Jannik Sinner due to injury
Grigor Dimitrov appears to be in good spirits after his unfortunate exit from Wimbledon on Monday. While en route to upsetting World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the round of 16, up 2-0 in sets, Dimitrov was forced to withdraw from the match with a partial pectoral tear. Four days after the injury, the 34-year-old Bulgarian expressed his gratitude on social media while sharing a snap of him enjoying a meal from his hospital bed. Advertisement "Sometimes the heart wants to keep going … but the universe has a different plan for us," Dimitrov wrote. "Thank you for the overwhelming wave of love — from family, friends, fans, colleagues, to the entire tennis community ... your messages have genuinely lifted me through these hard times. Thank you all. Truly. Recovery starts now. I'll see you all soon." The agonizing exit derailed Dimitrov from achieving his first Grand Slam title. His injury is expected to keep him sidelined for the next three tournaments, including the US Open in late August. Dimitrov stacked wins against Yoshihito Noshioka, Corentin Motet and Sebastian Ofner before leaving the tournament. Advertisement Sinner, who will face Novak Djokovic in the semifinals on Friday, said after the match that, "I don't take this as a win at all." "He is an incredible player, we all saw this today," Sinner said of Dimitrov. "It's been so unlucky in the past couple of years. An incredible player, a good friend of mine — we understand each other very well off the court too. If there would be a chance that he would play in the next round, he would deserve [it]. But now I hope he has a speedy recovery." Dimitrov has won nine ATP singles titles, with his latest coming in 2024 when he defeated Alejandra Tabilo in the Laver Cup.
