Swiatek clinches No. 1 ranking, moves on at Miami Open
Iga Swiatek started her week by deciding that she wanted to set her sights on becoming the No. 1 player in the world, without knowing how long that quest would take. Women’s tennis has a new name atop its rankings, a 20-year-old who — now that Ashleigh Barty has retired and asked to vacate her No. 1 spot on the world list — becomes the first Polish player to hold that distinction. Swiatek’s ascension was clinched Friday night with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland in the second round of the Miami Open.
news.yahoo.comRafael Nadal becomes latest to pull out of Miami Open
Rafael Nadal has become the latest big draw to pull out of the Miami Open. Nadal is a five-time finalist at the event but hasn’t played in Miami since 2017. Nadal’s decision came three days after Novak Djokovic announced that he wouldn’t be playing at Indian Wells or Miami because he is unvaccinated and can’t travel to the United States.
news.yahoo.comBarty, Medvedev rise to challenge on tough day at Miami Open
Barty didn't wilt, ousting Sabalenka 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-3 for her third three-set win in four matches at the tournament. Medvedev beat Tiafoe 6-4, 6-3, and has gone 10-1 in sets against the American in their past four head-to-head matchups. Ad“Everywhere in the world there are different conditions and at times it suits you more than other places,” Barty said. Medvedev had 11 aces and showed no signs of wear, two days after cramping in the heat during a third-round win. 21 seed Jannik Sinner of Italy in the quarterfinals; Sinner advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland.
Barty goes distance, tops Azarenka to reach Miami quarters
Ashleigh Barty of Australia, returns to Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, during the Miami Open tennis tournament, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)MIAMI – Ash Barty is tough to beat under any circumstances, especially when she’s on the ropes. The world’s top-ranked player has reached the Miami Open quarterfinals, getting there by holding off 14th-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 6-1, 1-6, 6-2. This, too, was cool: The match lived up to its showdown potential, with the reigning Miami Open champion and current world No. 1 in Barty facing someone who has won the Miami title three times and a previous world No. Svitolina will play unseeded Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia in the quarters; Sevastova was a 6-1, 7-5 winner over wild-card Ana Konjuh of Croatia.
Tsitsipas, with Big Three missing, makes 4th round in Miami
Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece returns to Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia during the Miami Open tennis tournament, Saturday, March 27, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)MIAMI – For tennis up-and-comers like Stefanos Tsitsipas, the draw at the Miami Open began to look a lot less daunting even before the tournament began. “It’s a first test to see how it is playing without them,” Tsitsipas said after his third-round victory Saturday. 2-seeded Tsitsipas is among those with the best chance to take advantage, and he looked the part against Damir Dzumhur, winning 6-1, 6-4. “I created a lot of opportunities with my serve — I wasn’t rushing at all, finding the right angles and executing it perfectly,” Tsitsipas said. In women's play, top-ranked Ash Barty and three-time champion Victoria Azarenka advanced to a round of 16 showdown.
Original 9 trailblazers stood for tennis equality in 1970
In this Sept. 23, 1970, photo provided the Houston Library, tennis players hold up $1 bills after signing a contract with World Tennis magazine publisher Gladys Heldman to turn pro and start the Virginia Slims tennis circuit. The Original 9 will gather by Zoom to celebrate the inaugural Virginia Slims event. It included the Welsh Open Women’s Championship, the U.S. Eastern Women’s Grass Court Championship and the U.S. She called it “perfect timing” when tobacco ads were banned on TV in 1971, making a budget available for Philip Morris to sponsor the women's tennis circuit. Heldman quickly set up the $7,500-purse Virginia Slims Invitational in Houston for the same week as Kramer’s event.
Ashleigh Barty, Elina Svitolina to battle for richest prize in tennis
World No.1 Ashleigh Barty and defending champion Elina Svitolina will face off for the richest prize in tennis after the pair came through tough three-set semifinals at the WTA Finals in China Saturday. (Olive Brunskill/Getty Images)(CNN) - World No.1 Ashleigh Barty and defending champion Elina Svitolina will face off for the richest prize in tennis after the pair came through tough three-set semifinals at the WTA Finals in China Saturday. It's an opportunity against a really tough player," said Barty. READ: Svitolina advances as injured Andreescu forced outREAD: Barty into last four as dream season continuesClearly troubled, Bencic tried to shorten the rallies, but the counter punching skills of Svitolina saw her level at one set all. Visit CNN.com/tennis for more news, features and videosWith the momentum shifting, Barty broke Pliskova in the next game and never looked back.
Naomi Osaka pulls out of WTA Finals with shoulder injury
(CNN) - An eventful season for Naomi Osaka came to an unfortunate end Tuesday when the Japanese megastar pulled out of the WTA Finals in Shenzhen, China, with a right shoulder injury. "I'm disappointed to have to withdraw from the Finals," Osaka said in a statement released by the WTA. She began the streak by clinching a title in her birthplace of Osaka, Japan in September. Escaping in her first two matches at the French Open, Osaka fell in the third round before a first-round exit at Wimbledon. She produced the perfect response in Asia, only to now be derailed by the shoulder injury.
Women's tennis tournament offers historic $4.75M prize
This year's Shiseido WTA Finals in Shenzhen will award its winner an eye-watering $4.75 million check if she manages to go the entire competition unbeaten. 'Truly amazing'The WTA finals is the season-ending spectacle which brings together the eight best players on tour. However, this year's WTA Finals can boast a more lucrative winner's check than any of the major tournaments on the circuit. WTA chief executive Steve Simon says the prize money on offer is an indication of the significant growth of women's tennis around the world. The WTA Finals will begin on October 27 and run until November 3.
Ashleigh Barty knocked out of Wimbledon on 'Manic Monday'
(CNN) - Women's world No.1 Ashleigh Barty couldn't maintain her French Open-winning form and crashed out of Wimbledon to American Alison Riske Monday. The shock result kicked off Wimbledon's blockbuster "Manic Monday" when all 32 remaining men's and women's singles players compete for a place in the quarterfinals. Cori "Coco" Gauff -- the 15-year-old sensation who has taken this grand slam by storm -- continues her remarkable fortnight but faces one of the pre-tournament favorites in Simona Halep, a former world No.1. First up on No.1, seven-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams will face diminutive Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro. 3 seed and former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.
Busy international sports weekend ahead: Your guide to the biggest events
The United States will face Mexico in the Gold Cup final. The United States and the Netherlands have won every match en route to the championship. Gold Cup Final: United States vs. MexicoOn Sunday night in Chicago, the United States and Mexico will clash for the title of greatest soccer team in North America. This will be the sixth time in 15 CONCACAF Gold Cups that the United States will face Mexico for the championship. Either the United States or Mexico have won 13 of the 14 Gold Cups contested since the tournament's birth in 1991.