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World number one and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka beat Coco Gauff to win the Miami Open WTA 1000 title (MATTHEW STOCKMAN) Aryna Sabalenka won her second straight Miami Open title on Sunday beating Coco Gauff 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to complete a "Sunshine Double" Indian Wells-Miami sweep. The world number one from Belarus, fresh off her first triumph in the California desert, became the fifth woman -- and the first since Iga Swiatek in 2022 -- to win both of the elite early-season hardcourt WTA 1000 titles. "That sounds crazy, sounds unreal," Sabalenka told Tennis Channel. "I'm just super grateful, super happy and super proud right now." Sabalenka underscored her WTA dominance in a season in which her only defeat to date was her Australian Open finals loss to Elena Rybakina -- who she went on to beat in the Indian Wells title match and in the semi-finals here. She handed Gauff her first career defeat in a hardcourt final. The American had won her first nin...

American fifth seed Jessica Pegula advanced at the Miami Open when Britain's Francesca Jones retired due to illness (AL BELLO) World number two Jannik Sinner and fifth seed Jessica Pegula won on Saturday to reach the third round at the ATP and WTA Miami Open. Reigning Wimbledon champion Sinner dispatched 76th-ranked Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina 6-3, 6-3 on the Florida hardcourts. "First-round matches are never easy, so I'm very happy and let's see what's coming," the 24-year-old Italian said. He will next face France's 31st-ranked Corentin Moutet, who outlasted Czech Tomas Machac 6-0, 1-6, 6-4. Four-time Grand Slam winner Sinner, who won the 2024 Miami crown, captured his 25th career ATP title by beating Daniil Medvedev in the Indian Wells final last weekend. He is trying to become the first man to sweep the "Sunshine Double" by winning at Miami and Indian Wells since Roger Federer in 2017. Sinner broke for 2-0 lead when Dzumhur sent a...

US top seed Taylor Fritz rallied to defeat compatriot Sebastian Korda and reach the semi-finals of the ATP Dallas Open (Sam Hodde) Top seed Taylor Fritz captured the last five points in a deciding tie-breaker to defeat fellow American Sebastian Korda and advance to the ATP Dallas Open semi-finals on Friday. World number seven Fritz fought back to defeat 53rd-ranked Korda 6-7 (2/7), 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) and book a place against Croatian Marin Cilic, the 2014 US Open winner, in a Saturday semi-final. Fritz, now 4-1 lifetime against Korda, fired 22 aces and won all four break points he faced to conclude matters in two hours and 30 minutes. "Just (proud of) the way I handled those big moments in that match," Fritz said. "He was constantly putting a lot of pressure on my serve. He was playing really well. "He put me in a lot of tough situations but every time I was down break points or in the tie-breaks I came through and played great tennis." Fritz also fought back a...

Venus Williams salutes the crowd with partner Leylah Fernandez of Canada to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open women's doubles (MATTHEW STOCKMAN) Venus Williams prolonged her stay at the US Open on Monday, partnering Leylah Fernandez to reach her first Grand Slam doubles quarter-final in nearly a decade. The 45-year-old American tennis icon and Fernandez, who was born three years after Williams won the first of her 14 Grand Slam doubles titles in 1999, defeated Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova and China's Zhang Shuai 6-3, 6-4. It is the first time Williams has reached a Grand Slam doubles quarter-final since 2016. Williams is playing in the doubles after receiving a last-minute invitation from US Open organisers to play in the tournament she won twice alongside younger sister Serena. The Williams-Fernandez pair could face top seeds Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic and American Taylor Townsend in the quarter-finals.  The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion ...

French qualifier Terence Atmane of France waves to fans after falling to top-ranked Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open (MATTHEW STOCKMAN) French qualifier Terence Atmane said his Saturday Cincinnati Open semi-final against world number one Jannik Sinner will remain his brightest tennis memory despite absorbing a 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 loss to the defending champion. The 23-year-old who credits mental training with helping him evolve from a racquet-smashing Tour wild child to a serious contender, defines himself as something of a tennis Renaissance man, with a multitude of interests off the court. "I'm a tennis player but I also collect Pokemon cards and always look for good coffee places on the tour," he said. "I love Japanese culture and food. "I have three cats waiting for me at home in France. I like space, the universe and this world that we live in." While he donned a local Cincinnati Reds baseball cap after wins over...

Germany's Alexander Zverev got some advice from retired Spanish legend Rafael Nadal after his first-round exit at Wimbledon (Glyn KIRK) Alexander Zverev returns to tennis with his confidence under repair after losing in the Wimbledon first round a month ago. And the world number three, playing as top seed at the ATP Toronto Masters, is bolstered by the unique insight from one-time rival Rafael Nadal. Zverev confirmed on Sunday in Toronto that he had sought advice -- and possibly a new coach -- as he travelled to Mallorca this month to visit Nadal's training academy on the Spaniard's home island. While apparently failing to sign Nadal's uncle Toni as his travelling coach, Zverev did have a chance to chat with Nadal, who retired last season. "(Toni is) a great coach, no question about that, but he's a personality that I think can give you confidence as well," the German said. "When he speaks and when Rafa speaks, you listen. ...

Jannik Sinner was in ominous form in reaching the Italian Open semi-finals (Filippo MONTEFORTE) Jannik Sinner marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open on Thursday after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1 as Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China's Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women's final. American Gauff will face Italy's Jasmine Paolini in Saturday's title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner's toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in Madrid earlier this month.  In his previous matches Sinner looked to be still finding his feet after his suspension, accepted from the World Anti-Doping Agency for testing positive for traces of clostebol in March last year. But the 23-year-old demolished sixth seed Ruud in just over an h...

Jessica Pegula reached her third final in four tournaments with a three-set victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova at the WTA Charleston Open (MATTHEW STOCKMAN) Top seed Jessica Pegula staged a final-set rally to defeat Russian ninth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 and reach the final of the WTA Charleston Open clay court tournament on Saturday. Pegula, who ousted defending champion Danielle Collins in Friday's quarter-finals, looked to be in trouble after falling 4-2 behind in the decisive set to leave Alexandrova serving for a 5-2 lead. But Alexandrova handed Pegula a lifeline with a shaky service game, and after finding herself down 15-40, gifted her opponent a break with a double fault. Pegula then held to level at 4-4 and although Alexandrova also held for a 5-4 lead, Pegula was clearly in the ascendant. The American leveled on serve at 5-5, and then grabbed a crucial break in the 11th game for a 6-5 lead to leave her serving for the match. Pegula soon held two match poin...

Novak Djokovic can clinch his 100th professional title if he wins the Miami Open final on Sunday. (MATTHEW STOCKMAN) Novak Djokovic stands on the brink of a landmark 100th professional title at the Miami Open, with the Serb saying he is playing his best tennis in a "long time" A comfortable 6-2 6-3 win over Grigor Dimitrov on Friday sent Djokovic through to Sunday's final, where he will face either emerging Czech talent Jakub Mensik or American third seed Taylor Fritz. Only Roger Federer (103) and Jimmy Connors (109) have passed the century mark in pro victories, and Djokovic admitted that joining that elite club has been on his mind. "After the Paris Olympics, which was my 99th title, I knew that every tournament I play I am going for 100. I wasn’t able to achieve that — until hopefully Sunday," he said. "I am going to go all in. I haven’t dropped a set. I’m playing really good tennis, as good as I’ve played in a long time. It's a great opportunity. Le...

Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina celebrates winning his match against Casper Ruud of Norway at the Miami Open on Tuesday. (AL BELLO) Argentine Francisco Cerundolo upset fifth-seed Casper Ruud 6-4 6-2 on Tuesday to reach the quarter-finals of the Miami Open. Cerundolo, who enjoys plenty of support from South Florida's large Argentine community, has now reached the last eight in three of his past four appearances at Miami. Cerundolo failed to make the most of three break points in the opening game but eventually broke through at 3-3, converting his fourth break point of that game. The 23rd seed, who lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals at Indian Wells, was dominant in the second set, but his victory was postponed by a three-hour, 30-minute rain delay that arrived when he was 5-1 up. "I’m super happy. It’s always difficult when you’re playing a really good match, controlling the game, and you have to stop for rain," said Cerundolo.  "It’s not easy, but I was...

Alexandra Eala of the Philippines upset Madison Keys at the Miami Open on Sunday. (Rich Storry) Fifth-seeded American Madison Keys, the Australian Open champion, crashed out of the Miami Open on Sunday suffering a shock loss to 19-year-old Filipina wildcard Alexandra Eala. The 6-4, 6-2 win for the teenager prompted her to hug her team and celebrate passionately after she became the first woman from the Philippines to beat a top-10 opponent since the ranking system came into being in 1975.  Eala, the 2022 US Open girls' singles champion who has been based to the Rafael Nadal academy in Mallorca since she was 13, will now take on Spain's Paula Badosa for a spot in the quarterfinals. "Growing up it was tough," she said. "You didn't have anyone from where you're from to pave the way. Of course you had many people to look up to around the world, but I think -- I hope this takes Filipino tennis to the next step," Eala said in her on-court int...

Novak Djokovic says he wants younger players to step up into tennis politics (CLIVE BRUNSKILL) Novak Djokovic has sought to create some distance between himself and the legal action taken against the ATP and WTA tours by the players' union he formed, calling on younger players to take a stand. Djokovic said on Thursday that there are some things in the lawsuit from the Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA) that he disagrees with and also expressed some discomfort with the language used. "This is a classic lawsuit, so lawyers to lawyers type of situations," Djokovic told a press conference at the Miami Open. "So to be quite frank with you, there are things that I agree with in the lawsuit and there are also things that I don't agree with.  "I found that maybe some wording was quite strong in there. But I guess the legal team knows what they're doing and what kind of terminology they're supposed to use in order to get the right effect...

Japan's Naomi Osaka fires a backhand in her first-round win over Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva at the Miami Open (AL BELLO) Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka rallied to beat Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 on Tuesday to reach the second round of the Miami Open. The Japanese star captured her first match win since she reached the third round of the Australian Open -- where she retired with an abdominal injury while trailing Belinda Bencic. Osaka bounced back from a first-round loss to Camila Osorio at Indian Wells, a match she called the "worst match I've ever played in my life". She said Tuesday she'd learned from that disappointing performance. "(In Indian Wells) I was just over-hitting a lot, so I tried to use my legs," she said in her on-court interview.  "I was going to run into every corner if I had to, and we were going to have to play for three hours if she was going to beat me." In fact, Osa...

Denmark's Holger Rune celebrates his semi-final victory over Russian Daniil Medvedev at Indian Wells (Patrick T. Fallon) Denmark's Holger Rune beat Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-4 to reach the Indian Wells ATP Masters final on Saturday, denying the Russian world number six a third straight trip to the title match. Rune, ranked 13th, snapped a seven-match losing streak in semi-finals and will face either two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz or Britain's Jack Draper on Sunday. "It means everything," Rune said. "The job is not over yet, but it feels amazing. Playing Daniil is one of the toughest challenges for me on tour. I obviously had the right tactics, but it was still so difficult because he puts in great effort and is super solid." In a rematch of last year's quarter-finals, the 21-year-old Rune showed admirable discipline against the Medvedev's vaunted defense, sticking in the rallies and keeping the Russian off balance with a variety of shots...