Paris, France | AFP | Rafael Nadal swept to an historic 12th Roland Garros title and 18th Grand Slam crown on Sunday with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Austria’s Dominic Thiem. The 33-year-old Spaniard becomes the first player, man or woman, to win the same Slam 12 times …
Read More »‘The matches you live for’: Greatest rivals Djokovic, Nadal square off
Melbourne, Australia | AFP | Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will renew the “greatest rivalry” in modern tennis when they collide in a mouth-watering 107th Australian Open final on Sunday. The top two players in the world have 31 Grand Slam titles between them and each can claim another …
Read More »New balls, different spin: Roger and Rafa exchange shots
Melbourne, Australia | AFP | The Australian Open’s new balls this year are dividing opinion at Melbourne Park, with even the two greatest men’s Grand Slam winners of all-time failing to see eye-to-eye. Roger Federer, winner of 20 Slams, says the new Japanese-made Dunlop balls behave differently in cooler night …
Read More »Federer ‘shocked’, Djokovic ‘hurt’ by Murray retirement bombshell
Melbourne, Australia | AFP | Roger Federer admitted Sunday he was shocked that tennis was to lose “legend” Andy Murray this year while long-time friend Novak Djokovic said the bombshell news had “hurt” him. Both paid tribute to the former world number one on the eve of the year’s first …
Read More »Nadal ready to let rip remodelled serve at Australian Open
Melbourne, Australia | AFP | Rafael Nadal revealed Saturday he was back to full fitness and has a brand new serve to unleash at the Australian Open. The world number two limped away from Melbourne Park a year ago, forced to retire in pain from his quarter-final with Marin Cilic. …
Read More »Quick learner Halep ready for Slam crown number two
Melbourne, Australia | AFP | World number one Simona Halep Saturday admitted losing the 2018 Australian Open final was a painful moment, but it taught her how to better handle pressure situations which she has since put to good use. The Romanian was targeting a first ever Grand Slam title …
Read More »Andy Murray to retire, Australian Open could be last event
Melbourne, Australia | AFP | A tearful Andy Murray on Friday announced he would likely retire this year due to severe pain from a hip injury, saying next week’s Australian Open could be the last tournament of a glittering career. The former world number one and three-time Grand Slam winner …
Read More »Djokovic and Halep top seeds at Australian Open
Melbourne, Australia | AFP | World number ones Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep were named top seeds on Thursday for next week’s Australian Open, with 23-time major winner Serena Williams lurking at 16 on the women’s side. Djokovic heads long-time rival Rafael Nadal and defending champion Roger Federer, with young-gun …
Read More »Murray’s talent undimmed, but fitness factor clouds Open return
Melbourne, Australia | AFP | Former world number one Andy Murray’s ranking dropped as low as 839 during 2018 as he played only six tournaments, with the Scot arriving in Melbourne looking to prove he can compete again at the top level. The three-time major winner and double Olympic champion …
Read More »Djokovic crashes out of Qatar Open
Doha, Qatar | AFP | Novak Djokovic was surprisingly defeated in Doha on Friday, beaten in the Qatar Open semi-final by world number 24, Roberto Bautista Agut, 6-3, 6-7 (8/6), 6-4. The Serb fell to his first defeat of the season in a high-quality contest lasting more than two-and-a-half hours, …
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