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The Star
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
ATP roundup: Alexander Bublik wins in Gstaad for first title on clay
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Halle Open - OWL Arena, Halle, Germany - June 22, 2025 Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik in action during the final against Russia's Daniil Medvedev REUTERS/Leon Kuegeler/File Photo Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan won his first tournament on clay Sunday, topping Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 at the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad. Bublik, the second seed, won his sixth tour title at the ATP 250 event in the Swiss Alps, in his first final on clay courts. It also was his first meeting with Argentina's Cerundolo. Bublik had 13 aces among his 47 winners in the two-hour, eight-minute match. Cerundolo posted 21 winners against 25 unforced errors. In June, Bublik won the ATP 500 event in Halle, Germany. Nordea Open No. 6 seed Luciano Darderi of Italy captured the championship in Bastad, Sweden, with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win over unseeded Dutchman Jesper De Jong. De Jong was in search of his first career ATP Tour title. It was the third for Darderi, all on clay. He won at Marrakech, Morocco, earlier this season and in Cordoba, Argentina, in 2024 Darderi won 81 percent (38-of-47) of the points on his first serve and converted three break points, compared to two for De Jong. In the end, just three points separated the two, with Darderi winning 80 and De Jong 77. Plava Laguna Croatia Open The first round in Umag, Croatia, began Sunday with a pair of three-set matches. Czech eighth seed Vit Kopriva rallied past Belgium's Raphael Collignon 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Kopriva edged Collignon in aces 7-6 while saving 11 of 16 break points and converting 6 of 12 chances to break his opponent's serve. Italy's Francesco Passaro also came from behind in a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Croatian wild card Matej Dodig. Passaro limited himself to 17 unforced errors to Dodig's 33. --Field Level Media
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
ATP roundup: Alexander Bublik wins in Gstaad for first title on clay
Find out what's new on ST website and app. FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Halle Open - OWL Arena, Halle, Germany - June 22, 2025 Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik in action during the final against Russia's Daniil Medvedev REUTERS/Leon Kuegeler/File Photo Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan won his first tournament on clay Sunday, topping Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 at the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad. Bublik, the second seed, won his sixth tour title at the ATP 250 event in the Swiss Alps, in his first final on clay courts. It also was his first meeting with Argentina's Cerundolo. Bublik had 13 aces among his 47 winners in the two-hour, eight-minute match. Cerundolo posted 21 winners against 25 unforced errors. In June, Bublik won the ATP 500 event in Halle, Germany. Nordea Open No. 6 seed Luciano Darderi of Italy captured the championship in Bastad, Sweden, with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win over unseeded Dutchman Jesper De Jong. De Jong was in search of his first career ATP Tour title. It was the third for Darderi, all on clay. He won at Marrakech, Morocco, earlier this season and in Cordoba, Argentina, in 2024 Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Priority for singles, higher quota for second-timer families to kick in from HDB's July BTO exercise Singapore Witness stand not arena for humiliation in sex offence cases, judge reminds lawyers Asia Japan's Ishiba vows to stay on despite historic election setback Business Bigger, quieter, greener: High-volume low-speed fans see rising demand in warming Singapore Singapore New home owners in Singapore find kampung spirit on BTO Telegram groups Singapore What would it take for S'pore to shed the dirty image of its blue recycling bins? Business DBS hits record high above $47; CDL up after director Philip Yeo announces resignation World Gaza civil defence says Israeli fire kills 93 aid seekers Darderi won 81 percent (38-of-47) of the points on his first serve and converted three break points, compared to two for De Jong. In the end, just three points separated the two, with Darderi winning 80 and De Jong 77. Plava Laguna Croatia Open The first round in Umag, Croatia, began Sunday with a pair of three-set matches. Czech eighth seed Vit Kopriva rallied past Belgium's Raphael Collignon 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Kopriva edged Collignon in aces 7-6 while saving 11 of 16 break points and converting 6 of 12 chances to break his opponent's serve. Italy's Francesco Passaro also came from behind in a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Croatian wild card Matej Dodig. Passaro limited himself to 17 unforced errors to Dodig's 33. --Field Level Media REUTERS
Free Malaysia Today
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Free Malaysia Today
Sinner seeks to put disappointment of French Open defeat behind him
Italy's Jannik Sinner admitted to having sleepless nights following his loss at the French Open final. (AP pic) HALLE : World number one Jannik Sinner wants to use the Halle Open as a chance to bounce back from sleepless nights after his agonising loss to rival Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final this month. In a thrilling showdown, Sinner took the first two sets and had three match points in the fourth set, but Spaniard Alcaraz persevered to grind out a 4-6 6-7(4) 6-4 7-6(3) 7-6(10-2) win in five hours and 29 minutes – the longest final at Roland Garros. Asked if he had thought about the championship points he failed to convert, Sinner told reporters on Saturday: 'Often. It happens. I don't know how it will look in the future'. 'I think that it is not the most important thing, but I nevertheless try to forget the negative things and see what I can do here' in Halle. 'I think that for me to play another tournament is positive, because every match is a new beginning, and I must be mentally ready to give my all on the court. Therefore, it is great I can be here in Halle. Yes, I had already a few sleepless nights, but I think every day it gets better.' The 23-year-old Italian is the reigning champion at Halle and will seek to defend his crown at the tournament, which starts on Monday, as he gears up for Wimbledon, which will be held from June 30 to July 13 at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. 'The first practice session was OK. I hadn't played since Paris, so my general feelings on the court were not so perfect,' Sinner said. 'I think a good grass-court player can move well. The ball can bounce a bit funny because of the grass, and you have to serve intelligently.' 'But in general, it is a surface on which I took a step forward last year and we will see how it goes this year.'
Daily Maverick
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Alcaraz hot favourite to bag men's Wimbledon hat-trick, but women's draw is wide open
Carlos Alcaraz won the previous two men's singles titles at Wimbledon, in 2023 and 2024, and it will take a special effort to stop him making it three in a row. With every passing week, Spanish tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz seems to be stalking a record of his illustrious compatriot, Rafael Nadal. Last week, when he won the HSBC Championships at The Queen's Club in London, he matched another piece of history. Alcaraz became the first man to win the French Open and the Queen's titles back to back since Nadal in 2008. The French Open is obviously played on slow clay, whereas Queen's has grass courts. There are few sports in the world where the difference between playing surfaces is so vast – between dusty clay and low, fast grass. There is a reason so few make the switch that seamlessly – because it's hard and requires a period of adaptation. The ball comes at you faster and stays lower, affecting timing and trajectory. Alcaraz won the previous two men's singles titles at Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024. But this was his first title at Queen's, marking a significant acceleration in his adaptation between the surfaces and confirming his status as the favourite for a hat-trick of titles at Wimbledon. The last player to win three men's singles titles in succession was Roger Federer in 2005 (the third of five in a row), so there is another milestone for Alcaraz to chase. Novak Djokovic won three in a row between 2018 and 2021, but no tournament was played in 2020 because of Covid. Ominous warning Jannik Sinner, who lost a final for the ages at Roland-Garros against Alcaraz after having three match points himself, lost in the second round of his season debut on grass in Halle. Sinner ran into a smart and confident Alexander Bublik, who went on to win the title in Germany, but it underlined how tricky the transition between surfaces can be, even for the best players. Sinner, though, did win the Halle Open in 2024, and also made the 2024 Wimbledon semifinal. He is no mug on grass. But Alcaraz is the gold standard in the men's draw and one suspects that if anyone else does win the title, they will have to go through the defending champion at some stage. 'I came here with no expectations at all,' Alcaraz said after his win at Queen's. 'I just came here with a goal to play two, three matches, try to feel great on grass moving and, you know, give myself the feedback of what I have to improve, what I have to do better. 'But, you know, I just got used to the grass really quickly, and I'm just really proud [of] it. My goal was complete, and I'm not talking about lifting the trophy or making the final. It was just to feel great, to feel really comfortable on grass once again. 'What I'm proud [of] this week is the way that I have been improving every day. Since the first day until today, I think I'm a different player on grass.' That should be an ominous warning to Sinner and the rest of his rivals. Alcaraz is in the form of his life, and at only 22 and with five Grand Slam singles titles already, it will take a special effort to stop him at Wimbledon. The Spaniard has won five titles in 2025 already and is on an 18-match winning streak since losing the final in Barcelona on clay. Although Alcaraz always appears modest about his achievements, he was happy to pat himself on the back about his current form when quizzed about the streak during Queen's. 'The level that I'm playing lately, it's really high. I feel that. Yeah, I have a lot of confidence right now,' he admitted. 'I'm just really happy to get my longest winning streak of my career and hopefully I'm not going to stop here.' Rivals have been warned. Sinner, of course, remains the world No 1 and is the top seed at the All England Club. If he and Alcaraz are to resume their growing rivalry, it would be in the final on 13 July. As ever, the 38-year-old warhorse Djokovic, winner of seven Wimbledon singles titles and the losing finalist in 2023 and 2024, will be among the favourites. His run to the Roland-Garros semis was the best he looked all season, but the way Sinner dismantled Djokovic in the last four was telling. Of course, it's a different surface, but it seems that several of the younger generation have caught up to Djokovic, with Alcaraz and Sinner pulling ahead. Jack Draper, winner at Indian Wells earlier this year and a semifinalist at Queen's, is the great British hope in 2025, and his credentials suggest he could make a decent dash at the title. Bublik is playing with immense confidence, as his run at Halle underlined. Germany's Alexander Zverev is without doubt the best player on tour without a major, but his record on grass is average. He has never progressed beyond the fourth round at SW19 and has not won a grass court title at any level as a professional. Women's draw World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka will start as one of the favourites, but she has not tasted victory at Wimbledon before and has not won a title anywhere on a grass court. Recent French Open winner and world No 2 Coco Gauff is another without success at Wimbledon – she has never been beyond the fourth round. Iga Świątek, with one quarterfinal appearance, is another who can't find her best at SW19. The failure of the leading women's players at Wimbledon and more broadly with their struggles on grass is why, of all the Grand Slams, it has thrown up a wide array of left-field women's champions recently. The past seven singles titles have been won by seven different players, including the Czech duo of Markéta Vondroušová (2023) and Barbora Krejčíková (2024). Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina, the 2022 champion, remains a real threat on grass courts, having won 29 matches on the surface since 2021. Vondroušová, despite dropping to No 164 in the world, sent a reminder of her threat on grass by winning the Berlin WTA tournament. Krejčíková has also had recent struggles and has been hampered by a thigh strain. But at No 17 in the world, she will be confident at Wimbledon and has a rare opportunity to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to win back-to-back titles. DM Men's singles seeds (Wimbledon 2025) 1 Jannik Sinner (ITA) 2 Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) 3 Alexander Zverev (GER) 4 Jack Draper (GBR) 5 Taylor Fritz (USA) 6 Novak Djokovic (SRB) 7 Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) 8 Holger Rune (DEN) 9 Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 10 Ben Shelton (US) 11 Alex de Minaur (AUS) 12 Frances Tiafoe (US) 13 Tommy Paul (US) 14 Andrey Rublev (RUS) 15 Jakub Menšík (CZE) 16 Francisco Cerundolo (ARG) Women's singles seeds (Wimbledon 2025) 1 Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 2 Coco Gauff (US) 3 Jessica Pegula (US) 4 Jasmine Paolini (ITA) 5 Zheng Qinwen (CHN) 6 Madison Keys (US) 7 Mirra Andreeva (RUS) 8 Iga Świątek (POL) 9 Emma Navarro (US) 10 Paula Badosa (ESP) 11 Elena Rybakina (KAZ) 12 Diana Shnaider (RUS) 13 Amanda Anisimova (US) 14 Elina Svitolina (UKR) 15 Karolína Muchová (CZE) 16 Daria Kasatkina (RUS) This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.
Indian Express
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
Wimbledon preview: Carlos Alcaraz, tour-leading grass courter, vs Jannik Sinner, who has to prove he isn't one-dimensional
It is a good time to be Carlos Alcaraz. The 22-year-old defended his French Open title in epic fashion, producing one of the great comebacks in tennis history, to win a fifth Major title last month. He followed it up by adjusting to grass courts seamlessly, winning the title at the ATP 500 event at Queen's Club to arrive at Wimbledon, which starts Monday, as the two-time defending champion that is the bookmaker's favourite to complete a treble. The same cannot quite be said about Jannik Sinner. The defeat to Alcaraz in Paris, when he held three championship points, still rankles. It played on his mind as he slumped to what was only his fourth defeat since August last year, against the World No. 45 Alexander Bublik, at the Halle Open last week. The best, most dominant player in the world he may be, but a chink in his armour has been exposed by his biggest rival. Add to that the ignominy of having to serve a recent doping ban and that's plenty to play on a young man's mind. While Alcaraz and Sinner are not the only hopefuls at the Championships this month – the wily eight-time former champion Novak Djokovic and the fourth-seeded home favourite Jack Draper being the two main forces of opposition – it is hard not to make the focus of the entire men's draw at Wimbledon around the top two seeds. Sinner is level-headed, methodical and consistent but has shown signs of one-dimensionality. Alcaraz is charismatic, flashy and spontaneous but has shown signs of fragility even against opponents that are not of his calibre. The eye will be drawn magnetically to the two players as they march through the draw and attempt to set up yet another final showdown against one another. One can get insights into what transfers Alcaraz's natural clay strengths, and what makes him such a formidable presence at Wimbledon, from the comments of eight-time Major winner Andre Agassi. While on broadcast for the French Open earlier this month, Agassi said: 'Alcaraz's best surface to me, shockingly, would be between here and Wimbledon … I would say grass. Reason I would say grass has nothing to do with his swings. It has to do with the less diminishing speed that happens to him versus other players.' 'When he gets out there on the grass and then you bring in that UFO movement stuff, I mean, his second step is ridiculous and he believes in it so much he doesn't peel out defensively when you push him into corners,' he added. Agassi's comments stand to reason. Unlike other natural clay courters that have a preference to hit the ball high and deep, Alcaraz hits the ball flatter through the air and therefore feels no need to adjust to the low-bouncing grass. The balls still come right into his strike zone. His natural movement does not deter either. Again, unlike those that play mostly on the crushed brick, he does not merely slide into his shots to create angles, but he can make those instant adjustments and take those small steps on the skidding grass to open up the court for himself. Add to that elements of Alcaraz's playing style that already suit grass. He is adept at mixing in serve and volley, has the best disguised drop shot on tour, can play a good backhand slice, and after ramming big forehands, he likes to finish off points at the net. The sum of these parts creates, perhaps unexpectedly, a tour-leading grass courter. One of the defining losses of Sinner's career – before he became the match-winning machine he has been for the last 18 months – came back in 2022 at Wimbledon. After expertly blowing past Djokovic to create a two-set lead in their quarterfinal, he slumped to a defeat quite meekly. The immediate impression was that a mental fragility had been exposed, but later analysis proved that the Serb was able to slowly wear him down because he simply figured out Sinner's game plan – which, while effective, he does not move away from much. Darren Cahill, Sinner's coach, revealed as much while speaking on Andy Roddick's podcast recently. 'Novak got used to his ball, got used to the shape, got used to the pace and then just locked in, like Novak does, and doesn't miss. And won the last three sets reasonably easily,' he said. When he approached the Serb for feedback on the match, Djokovic would reply: 'Hits the ball great, but there's no variation. So you know, there's no shape on his shot. There's no height over the net. Doesn't come to the net. He's not trying to bring me in, I know that he returns well, but he's not attacking my serve on the return of serve.' In the three years since, there have been marked changes in Sinner's game, and while he has made huge improvements (especially on return of serve), the 'no variation' tag still persists. It explains his recent struggles against the spontaneous spark of Alcaraz (he has lost each of their last five match) and why, for the Italian – a natural hard courter – the shift to grass may be the biggest adjustment. Not just in movement or groundstrokes, but mindset. Attacking variety is the most useful tool on this surface and while the concept of mixing his game up is not alien to Sinner, the execution is often muddled. He approaches the net but without much conviction, he hits the drop shot only at the perfect moments, he throws in the slice only as a rally shot, and he hardly veers from pre-planned serving strategy, never just throwing in a body or a kick serve to surprise an opponent. A little bit of variety will go a long way for the hard-hitting Italian, whose sublime baseline game remains the best in the world, decisively superior than that of even Alcaraz. And his rival is not perfect either, Alcaraz's weaker serve – there have been recent improvements, he hit as many as 18 aces in the Queens final – can be targeted and his tendency to let his focus fall in long matches will always create opportunities. The excitement around this burgeoning rivalry is not just created by the sky-high talents of the two young players, but also that, presently, they are working through their faults too. The expectations for these two to face off will once again fill the air during the most vaunted fortnight of the tennis calendar starting Monday.
