tennis

Alcaraz Reaches Italian Open Final and Potential Sinner Showdown

Carlos Alcaraz set up a potential blockbuster Italian Open final with Jannik Sinner after coming through Friday's semi-final with home hope Lorenzo Musetti a straight-sets winner, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4). Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz overcame Musetti and windy conditions in just over two hours to reach his fourth final of the season ahead of the ...

Tennis Champ Jannik Sinner Meets Pope Leo, Offers Quick Rally

Men's world number one tennis player Jannik Sinner offered to rally with Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday, after being received by the head of the Catholic Church at the Vatican. The 23-year-old Italian star only returned to the circuit last Saturday, at the Italian Open, after serving a three month doping ban. Video released by the Vatican showed ...

Sinner Moves Through Gears to Reach Italian Open Quarters

Jannik Sinner came through the first true test of his comeback from a doping ban with Tuesday's straight-sets win over Francisco Cerundolo which took the world number one into the Italian Open quarter-finals. Italian Sinner bested 17th seed Cerundolo 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 in a match which was delayed by a couple of hours due to a torrential downpour to ...

Alcaraz Battles Into Italian Open Quarter-Finals

Carlos Alcaraz reached the Italian Open quarter-finals on Tuesday after battling past Karen Khachanov 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 to continue his bid for a first Rome title. Third seed Alcaraz had never lost a set in his previous four meetings with Russia's Khachanov but was forced to fight on the Foro Italico center court. Alcaraz needs to get to the Rome ...

Gauff Holds Nerve to Join Sabalenka in Italian Open Third Round

Coco Gauff survived a scare at this year's Italian Open, coming back from a set down to beat qualifier Victoria Mboko 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 as Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz both cruised through their opening matches. World number three Gauff will play Magda Linette in the third round in Rome after prevailing despite being far from her best in a ...

Swiatek Makes Fast Start at Italian Open

Iga Swiatek dismissed Elisabetta Cocciaretto in just 52 minutes as she opened her account at the Italian Open on Thursday. World number two Swiatek came to Italy on the back of a demoralising straight-sets defeat to Coco Gauff in the semi-finals of the Madrid Open. But the 23-year-old Pole dropped just a single game in winning 6-1, 6-0 against ...

Defending Rome Champion Zverev Blames Burn out on Run of Form

Defending Rome Open champion Alexander Zverev said he is now on a "good path", putting a poor run of form following his defeat in the Australian Open final down to burn-out. The 28-year-old world number two put an end to the dry run -- which included opening round defeats in Indian Wells and Monte Carlo -- by winning the ATP title in Munich in ...

Sinner Leading the Charge in Golden Era for Italian Tennis

Jannik Sinner will delight crowds at the Rome Open this week when the world number one makes his return to tennis, but the Italian's three-month doping ban has allowed other local rising stars to move into the limelight. Sinner was on Monday joined in the top 10 of the men's world rankings by Lorenzo Musetti, who is at number nine after reaching ...

Massive Power Cut Stops Play for the Day at Madrid Open

Play has been cancelled at the Madrid Open for the rest of the day following a massive power cut in Spain and neighbouring Portugal, tournament organisers announced Monday. A power cut affecting "the whole of the Iberian peninsula and part of France", according to Portuguese electricity network operator REN, halted matches shortly after 10.30am ...

Alcaraz Withdraws from Madrid Open With Injury

World number three Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the Madrid Open on Thursday with a thigh injury, in a blow for his French Open title defense preparations. The Spaniard, a four-time Grand Slam winner, sustained the problem during his Barcelona Open final defeat last Sunday by Holger Rune. "I did everything that was in my hands, but it didn't ...

Zverev Overcomes Griekspoor Scare to Reach Munich Semis

German world number three Alexander Zverev came from a set down to beat Tallon Griekspoor on Friday, making the last four in Munich for the first time in seven years. Zverev, the first seed, won 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 after fighting back from the brink of defeat in the second set to stay on track to win the title he claimed in 2017 and ...

Barcelona Open Champion Ruud Cruises Into Last 16

Defending Barcelona Open champion Casper Ruud sailed into the last 16 with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Daniel Elahi Galan on Tuesday. The world number 10, targeting his first trophy of the season, blew away his Colombian opponent, hitting 25 winners and without facing a break point. Norwegian Ruud put heavy pressure on Galan's serve before securing the ...