Rybakina topples Swiatek to book Indian Wells final with Sabalenka

Rybakina topples Swiatek to book Indian Wells final with Sabalenka
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Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan hits a shot as she defeated Poland's Iga Swiatek in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.(Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports)
Rybakina topples Swiatek to book Indian Wells final with Sabalenka
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Iga Swiatek reacts after missing a point in the semifinal match against Elena Rybakina in the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Mar 17, 2023. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports)
Rybakina topples Swiatek to book Indian Wells final with Sabalenka
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Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus hits a shot as she defeated Maria Sakkari of Greece in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports)
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Updated 18 March 2023
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Rybakina topples Swiatek to book Indian Wells final with Sabalenka

Rybakina topples Swiatek to book Indian Wells final with Sabalenka
  • Swiatek, winner of the French and US Opens last year, simply had no answer ro world No. 10 Rybakina's moves
  • World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka advanced with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over 7th-seeded Maria Sakkari of Greece

INDIAN WELLS, California: Elena Rybakina again proved too much for world number one Iga Swiatek, denying the defending champion a return to the Indian Wells final with an emphatic 6-2, 6-2 semifinal victory on Friday.
Moscow-born Kazakh Rybakina, the reigning Wimbledon champion who stunned top-seeded Swiatek in the fourth round of the Australian Open on the way to the final, will now get a chance to turn the tables on Aryna Sabalenka, who beat her in Melbourne to capture a first Grand Slam title.
World number two Sabalenka advanced with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over seventh-seeded Maria Sakkari of Greece.
Rybakina, ranked 10th in the world, was all over Swiatek from the opening game, painting the lines with her punishing ground strokes and serving with pinpoint precision.
Swiatek, winner of the French and US Opens last year in a campaign that included eight titles in all, simply had no answer and surrendered the first set with a double-fault on the first set point.
It was more of the same in the second as Rybakina raced to a 5-0 lead. Swiatek finally managed a hold for 5-1, and pounced to break as Rybakina suddenly struggled with her first serve in the next game.
Rybakina still managed to muster two match points at 40-15, but Swiatek saved one with an overhead and another with a blistering return of a second serve, winning two more points to complete the break for 5-2.
But there would be no comeback. A mis-hit as Swiatek appeared to trip chasing a ball back to the baseline gave Rybakina another match point and she converted it with confidence.
“I didn’t expect that I was going to play that good today,” admitted Rybakina, who battled through three sets to beat Czech Karolina Muchova in the quarter-finals.
“I had nothing to lose, I just wanted to come enjoy and it really went my way. I played one of the best matches of this year.
“Hopefully I’m going to play like this on Sunday,” she added after denying Swiatek’s bid to become the first woman since Martina Navratilova in 1990-91 to win back-to-back titles in the California desert.
Sabalenka had to battle back from a set down to beat Rybakina in the Australian Open final, and the Kazakh was optimistic she avenge that defeat in the looming battle of reigning Grand Slam champions.
“If I play like today, I think I have all the chances,” she said.

Sabalenka out-dueled Sakkari in a Stadium Court slugfest.
Playing with supreme confidence, Sabalenka opened with a quick service hold that featured two aces and broke Sakkari for a 3-1 lead.
Sakkari immediately broke back as Sabalenka double-faulted on break point. But the Belarusian won the next five games to pocket the set and take a 2-0 lead in the second.
Sakkari, perhaps trying to do too much in the face of Sabalenka’s powerful groundstrokes, made three forehand errors to give her triple set point.
She saved two with a service winner and an ace but fired another forehand out of the court on the third.
Sabalenka was rolling, breaking Sakkari again with a blistering backhand service return up the line for a 2-0 lead in the second.
But she gave the break back with a sloppy service game and Sakkari held to level the set before Sabalenka steadied to win three straight games.
Sabalenka said she might have let the match get away in past years, but she’s playing now with a new sense of calm.
“In past I lost so many matches like that, just like a few not super-smart mistakes,” she said. “I was reminding myself it’s OK to make these mistakes, I’m not a robot. I can miss these shots and probably that’s why I was able to keep fighting and keep trying.”
After Sakkari let two game points go in the sixth game, Sabalenka drilled another service return winner for a third break chance of the game, which she seized with a crosscourt forehand.
She finished the match with 21 winners to Sakkari’s nine as she denied Sakkari a return to the Indian Wells final.
 


Nadal confirms Brisbane return ahead of Australian Open

Nadal confirms Brisbane return ahead of Australian Open
Updated 01 December 2023
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Nadal confirms Brisbane return ahead of Australian Open

Nadal confirms Brisbane return ahead of Australian Open
  • “Hello everyone, after a year away from competition, it’s time to come back,” the 22-time Grand Slam winner said
  • “I think I don’t deserve to end like this”

PARIS: Spanish tennis great Rafael Nadal, absent from the courts for almost a year with a hip injury, announced Friday that he would return to competition in Brisbane next month ahead of the Australian Open.
“Hello everyone, after a year away from competition, it’s time to come back. It will be in Brisbane the first week of January. I’ll see you there,” the 22-time Grand Slam winner said in a post on social media.
Former world number one Nadal has not played since his defeat in the second round of the Australian Open last January, a tournament he won in 2009 and 2022.
“I think I don’t deserve to end like this,” said Nadal, referring to his Melbourne exit last year.
The 37-year-old has undergone surgery twice since and having slumped to 663rd in the world after a year without playing declared in September that the 2024 season was going to be his last.
Nadal will try to return to the highest level in Australia with the aim of competiting at the French Open which he has won a record 14 times.
He has been overtaken in the number of Grand Slam tournaments won by Serbian world number one Novak Djokovic, who now has 24 major titles.
The Spaniard had already experienced a 2021 season undermined by a foot injury, and was eliminated by Djokovic in the semifinal of the French Open.


World Tennis League unveils player roster for season 2 in Abu Dhabi

World Tennis League unveils player roster for season 2 in Abu Dhabi
Updated 01 December 2023
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World Tennis League unveils player roster for season 2 in Abu Dhabi

World Tennis League unveils player roster for season 2 in Abu Dhabi
  • Iga Swiatek, Daniil Medvedev, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Andrey Rublev, Stefano Tsitsipas all previously confirmed
  • 16 global stars set to take part at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena, latest being ATP world No. 9 Hubert Hurkacz, No. 10 Taylor Fritz

ABU DHABI: Meteora World Tennis League officials have revealed a stellar line-up for the second season of the competition, confirming the final 10 players and the teams they will represent in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi.

Men’s world No. 9 Hubert Hurkacz, Taylor Fritz (No. 10), and Casper Ruud (No. 11), are the latest names to be announced for the tournament, taking place at Yas Island’s Etihad Arena from Dec. 21 to 24. Grigor Dimitrov (No. 14) and Frances Tiafoe (No. 16) will also play.

In addition, the WTL will also see Caroline Garcia (No. 20), Sofia Kenin (No. 34), Leylah Fernandez (No. 36), Spanish star Paula Badosa, and 16-year-old sensation Mirra Andreeva in action.

The latest additions join an already stellar roster that includes women’s world No. 1 and reigning French Open champion Iga Swiatek, and men’s No. 3 Daniil Medvedev. Also taking to the court will be No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina (world No. 4 and 2022 Wimbledon champion), alongside No. 5 Andrey Rublev, and No. 6 Stefano Tsitsipas.

With the full 16 players revealed, the organizers also announced the four teams that the players will be representing.

Sabalenka will play for the SG Mavericks Kites, owned by SG Sports, the sporting arm of APL Apollo Tubes, taking charge for the first time in WTL. She joins Tsitsipas, Badosa, and Dimitrov in a team that will be coached by Robert Lindstedt.

Another new owner, Punit Balan Group, has purchased Team Eagles which will be represented by Medvedev, Andreeva, Rublev, and Kenin. They will be coached by John-Laffnie De Jager.

The Honor FX Falcons, owned by Honor FX features a team line-up of Rybakina, Tiafoe, Fernandez, and Fritz, with Chris Groh aiming to lead them to glory.

For The Hawks, Swiatek, Hurkacz, Garcia, and Ruud will join forces, coached by Simon Aspelin. The Hawks’ team owners will be announced by event organizers in the coming weeks.

Over the course of four days, the teams will compete against each other in men’s and women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles categories as they aim to advance and bid to become champions on the final day.

On the competition’s opening day, Hawks will begin their campaign against Honor FX Falcons, with Swiatek taking on Rybakina. The opening matches will be followed by Team Eagles’ encounter against SG Mavericks Kites, with a potential matchup between Medvedev and Tsitsipas on the table.

Day two on Friday will see Rybakina’s Honor FX Falcons meet Sabalenka’s SG Mavericks Kites before PBG Eagles, led by Medvedev, and Team Hawks featuring Ruud close out the action.

Saturday’s final day of group play will see teams looking to book their places in the next round as Rublev’s PBG Eagles take on Tiafoe’s Honor FX Falcons while SG Maverick Kites with Badosa go up against Garcia’s Hawks later in the evening.

Rajesh Banga, chairman of World Tennis League, said: “We’re thrilled to be announcing more star names to our exceptional tennis line-up for season two of the World Tennis League.

“These players are of the highest caliber and prominent names around the world so we’re pleased they will be competing in the unique tournament at our new home in Etihad Arena.”


Tennis, the latest sport on the rise in Saudi Arabia

Tennis, the latest sport on the rise in Saudi Arabia
Updated 30 November 2023
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Tennis, the latest sport on the rise in Saudi Arabia

Tennis, the latest sport on the rise in Saudi Arabia
  • The game has been making its mark in the Kingdom’s sports evolution, so much that its nationwide popularity cannot be missed
  • Arij Almutabagani, president of the STF, has spearheaded the federation’s efforts to grow the sport

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has become one of the fastest-growing countries in world of sports, emerging not only as an international sporting hub, but also a center of activities, events, and spectacles.
From athletics, football, F1, boxing, basketball, and golf, many sports are driving unprecedented socio-economic transformation under Vision 2030. They are enriching lives, enhancing well-being, and presenting a whole new world of opportunity, paving the way for people to discover passions, pursue dreams, and realize potential.
Tennis has been making its mark in the Saudi sports evolution, so much that its nationwide growth and popularity cannot be missed.
As president of the Saudi Tennis Federation, Arij Almutabagani is one of the key figures leading the charge. Since assuming her position in 2021, she has spearheaded STF’s efforts to grow the sport across all levels, laying strong foundations for tennis and all involved to thrive.
Almutabagani’s primary aspiration is building a vibrant junior tennis scene. With 63 percent of Saudi’s over 32 million population under the age of 30 and with nationwide sports participation now at 50 percent, she is adamant that tennis can embrace the Kingdom’s youth opportunities.
“Our strategy is to nurture young players, develop infrastructure, and invest in grassroots initiatives because youth is the key to any sport’s long-term success,” she said. “We’re certainly on the right path. Our strategy is working and we’re seeing interest and participation increase.”
Almutabagani’s statements are backed by glowing statistics. Saudi today is home to 177 tennis clubs, up 146 percent since 2019. In the last four years, the number of registered players has increased by 46 percent to 2,300, and U14 players by 100 percent — from 500 to over 1,000.
STF also holds 40 national tournaments annually, including hosting three ITF Juniors tournaments in the past year, which marked the return of ITF events since the first was played back in 2022.
“Major strides have been taken and one of these was tennis being added to the school physical education curriculum earlier this year,” said Almutabagani.
STF’s partnership with the Saudi Sports For All Federation presented “Tennis For All” in 2022, a 16-week mass participation program to introduce tennis to a new generation of sports enthusiasts. Over 13,000 people were introduced to tennis in the first edition, with a higher figure in 2023.
This past April, “Tennis For All” was introduced in the Ministry of Education’s curriculum at 90 public schools, with STF training 170 physical education teachers to provide lessons. Participation more than doubled this time around, with an estimated 30,000 people.
“We’re targeting 200 schools in 2024 and 400 by 2025,” Almutabagani said. “Achieving this will support sustained growth as more tennis academies are launched and more national tennis centers are built. We already have 505 coaches and 182 officials in the Kingdom and we’ll be rolling out more opportunities for people to get involved.”
A sure catalyst for further sports transformation, Saudi Arabia currently hosts its first-ever professional tennis event — the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by NEOM. A global, modern, and innovative competition featuring the world’s best U21 players, the finals are currently taking place at Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sports City from until Dec. 2.
Sanctioned by the ATP Tour and hosted by STF, this historic event marks the beginning of a five-year contract to bring the pinnacle of young global tennis talent to the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia’s top male tennis player, Ammar Alhogbani, has practiced with and played against some of the eight players competing in the Next Gen ATP Finals. He said: “The growth of tennis in Saudi Arabia and for Saudi Arabians has been exceptional in recent years, I’m blessed to be even a small a part of it. To now also have the first sanctioned ATP event in our backyard is an immensely exciting part of our next chapter.
“I’m sure having the best young players from around the world here in Jeddah will inspire future generations of Saudi to follow in their footsteps and encourage all Saudi’s players to come out and experience the event for themselves.”
Looking ahead, the value of Saudi Arabia’s sports event industry is growing by 8 percent per year and will reach $3.3 billion by 2024 — a $1.2 billion increase from 2018. Additionally, significant events investments are being made, with $2 billion committed to help sports grow by 2024.
“Tennis will become a big part of Saudi’s future sports event industry, and this will be the first of many professional tennis tournaments that we stage,” added Almutabagani.
“We eagerly anticipate welcoming tennis enthusiasts from across Saudi Arabia and beyond to witness the exhilarating matches and experience the innovation and excitement that the Next Gen ATP Finals will bring to Jeddah.”


History made on opening day of Saudi Arabia’s 1st pro tennis event

History made on opening day of Saudi Arabia’s 1st pro tennis event
Updated 29 November 2023
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History made on opening day of Saudi Arabia’s 1st pro tennis event

History made on opening day of Saudi Arabia’s 1st pro tennis event
  • Arthur Fils, Flavio Cobolli, Luca Van Assche, Hamad Medjedovic come out on top at start of Next Gen ATP Finals presented by NEOM

JEDDAH: Top seed Arthur Fils became the first ATP Tour winner on Saudi Arabian soil on Tuesday at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by NEOM.

Flavio Cobolli, Luca Van Assche, and Hamad Medjedovic followed suit with wins in the first day’s play at King Abdullah Sports City.

Fils and Luca Nardi made history in the opening session as the first ATP Tour players to play in Saudi Arabia.

The 19-year-old Fils, the top-ranked player in the finals, prevailed 2-4, 4-3(6), 4-2, 1-4, 4-2 in a stern five-set test to make a winning start in the Green Group.

After the match, Fils said: “It was a tough match. The first time in my life I’m playing first to four games. Things can change very quickly. I was leading two sets to one, had break points, and I was feeling very good. Then I lost a deuce point, and everything changed, but I’m really happy to win today.”

On Wednesday the Frenchman will face the other winner in the Green Group, Cobolli. The Italian stunned 2022 semi-finalist Dominic Stricker for a winning start on his debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals in four sets; 4-2, 3-4(7), 4-1, 4-2.

Switzerland’s Stricker is the only player at this year’s event to have competed at the innovative tournament before and has previous experience playing in Saudi Arabia at last year’s Diriyah Tennis Cup.

But Cobolli was not fazed, starting fast as he adjusted to the newly implemented no warm-up rule, part of a range of innovations being incorporated.

Cobolli said: “I warmed up for a lot of time today, so I was really hot on the court. I started the match really well. The courts are so fast, but I was faster (than Stricker). I played a really good match and I’m really happy.”

Van Assche joined fellow Frenchman Fils as a first-day winner in a physical four-set win over Jordan’s Abdullah Shelbayh. After splitting the first two sets that were filled with punishing, extended baseline exchanges, the tournament’s second seed broke clear of Shelbayh in the third and ultimately closed out the match 4-3, 3-4(5), 4-1, 4-1.

Shelbayh thrilled enthusiastic local Jeddah fans with his creative angles, net approaches, and regular drop shots but Van Assche’s slight edge in the backcourt was telling.

Van Assche said: “It was a tough match today against a very tough opponent. I know Abdullah very well, he’s an amazing player. He was almost at home with the crowd cheering for him. It was a good match for me and really tough from the beginning to the end.”

The final match of the day saw Serbian Medjedovic win a five-set thriller — 4-2, 4-3(3), 3-4(3), 3-4(5), 4-3(4) — against the American Alex Michelsen.


Next Gen ATP Finals stars sightsee in Jeddah ahead of tournament

Next Gen ATP Finals stars sightsee in Jeddah ahead of tournament
Updated 26 November 2023
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Next Gen ATP Finals stars sightsee in Jeddah ahead of tournament

Next Gen ATP Finals stars sightsee in Jeddah ahead of tournament
  • Ahead of the first ATP-sanctioned event to be held in Saudi Arabia, the players took time to visit the historical site

LONDON: The stars of the Next Gen ATP Finals visited Al-Balad, the historic old town of Jeddah, for this year’s official group photo on Sunday.

Ahead of the first ATP-sanctioned event to be held in Saudi Arabia, the players took time to visit the historical site, which was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014.

“We’ve had a really fun time,” said 19-year-old American Alex Michelsen. “Everyone’s been having a lot of laughs. People were great and to see the old city was really, really cool.”

On the tour, the players met local Saudi graffiti artist Maajed Ahmed who has designed a bespoke ATP Next Gen piece of street art on Al-Balad’s walls.

Jordanian Abdullah Shelbayh, who received a wildcard for the event, said he enjoyed spending time with his competitors in Jeddah ahead of the tournament, which starts on Tuesday.

“It was exciting to do this with the players, they are pretty funny guys,” he said. “It was good to spend some time together outside of competition.”

Frenchman Arthur Fils, who won his maiden tour-level title in Lyon earlier this season, said Jeddah was a “great city,” adding the “people are very welcoming, I am liking it.”

Fils’ countryman Luca Van Assche practised for the first time in Jeddah on Saturday before visiting the city.

“It is an incredible experience for us,” he said. “I have never been here so it is a new country for me and civilisation and I am happy to be here to see some of the city. It is very beautiful.”

Two Italians, Luca Nardi and Flavio Cobolli, will make their debuts at the 21-and-under event. Both had fun sightseeing and playing rooftop tennis.

“It is very nice here,” Nardi said. “We are having a very good day visiting the city. I like it and the people are very nice. My first time playing tennis on a roof. It was very nice and seeing kids come. It was a nice atmosphere.”

Cobolli said: “It was a great day and I’m very happy to be here with the Next Gen class.”

Seven of the eight competitors are tournament debutants, with the exception of 2022 semifinalist Dominic Stricker.

“It was a great tour,” Stricker said. “We saw a few things of Jeddah. Seeing the old buildings and taking pictures. It is a good event and I am looking forward to playing.”