Category: Tennis

• British No 1 was out for two-and-a-half months

• Faces Argentina’s Solana Sierra in Sunday’s first round

Emma Raducanu is hopeful her health problems are behind her as she prepares for her opening match at the French Open on Sunday. The British No 1 takes on Argentina’s Solana Sierra in the first round for her second match since March after two-and-a-half months out with a post-viral illness.

She lost a close contest with Diane Parry in her opening match in Strasbourg this week, but being healthy again is the most important thing for the 23-year-old. “I feel a lot better,” she said.

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• ‘Unfortunately I’m still not ready to compete’

• Spaniard had already pulled out of the French Open

Carlos Alcaraz has been forced to withdraw from Wimbledon as he continues his recovery from the wrist injury that will force him out of action for at least three months during the most significant part of the tennis season.

Alcaraz has not competed since withdrawing from his second-round match at the Barcelona Open last month after feeling pain in his right wrist in his opening match of the tournament. The 23-year-old had already been forced to withdraw from the rest of the clay-court season, including the French Open, which begins on Sunday.

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• France’s Diane Parry wins 6-4, 7-6 (4) in first round

• Raducanu competes for first time since Indian Wells

Emma Raducanu’s return to competition for the first time in more than two months ended in a frustrating defeat as she fought hard but failed to convert a string of early opportunities, eventually falling 6-4, 7-6 (4) to France’s Diane Parry in the first round of the Strasbourg Open.

This was an unsurprising result for Raducanu, who now faces the challenge of regaining her rhythm, form and confidence after not competing since her straight-sets loss by Amanda Anisimova at Indian Wells in early March. She was outplayed here by a talented and accomplished clay-courter in Parry, the world No 94, who dominated with her forehand while effectively using her variation to keep Raducanu uncomfortable.

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• World No 1 into Rome semi-finals with stroll past Rublev

• Can become first Italian winner of men’s event in 50 years

Jannik Sinner reached the semi-finals of the Italian Open on Thursday after seeing off Andrey Rublev and establishing a new record of consecutive wins in Masters 1000 tournaments.

Another straight-sets victory, this time 6-2, 6-4 over Rublev, moved Sinner up to 32 straight wins in the ATP’s top-ranked events, one more than the previous record established by Novak Djokovic in 2011.

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• Two-time champion to help Draper in grass-court season

• Sinner equals Djokovic record following win in Rome

Andy Murray will make his return to tennis as part of Jack Draper’s coaching team during the grass-court season, following Draper’s decision to part ways with his coach Jamie Delgado.

“I am very grateful for everything Jamie Delgado has done for me over these past six months, said Draper in a statement. “He is a world-class coach and a great man. In the interim, I will continue to be supported by the excellent team at the LTA, with the addition of Andy Murray, who will be supporting me throughout the grass-court season.”

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• Australian defeated 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 by Matteo Arnaldi in second round

• World No 8 has now lost four of his past five matches on clay

Alex de Minaur has been reduced to racket-smashing frustration as his alarming slump in form continued with another early clay-court tournament exit at the Italian Open.

Australia’s world No 8 was downed 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 by home favourite Matteo Arnaldi, who was cheered to the rafters at the Foro Italico by the excited Rome crowd on Friday morning.

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• Sinner is youngest man to reach all nine Masters finals

• Raducanu reunites with coach who helped her win slam

Jannik Sinner has become the youngest man to reach the final of all nine Masters 1000 tournaments after swatting aside Arthur Fils at the Madrid Open.

The world No 1 follows Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in completing the set and, at 24, has done so at a younger age than his illustrious predecessors – taking a year off Djokovic’s record.

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• Belgian is fourth lowest-ranked player to reach last four

• Mirra Andreeva sees off late challenge against Baptiste

Alexander Blockx’s dream run in Madrid continues with the 21-year-old Belgian beating the defending champion Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 in the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open on Thursday.

The 69th-ranked emerging talent had not won an ATP Tour match on clay before his third-round run in Monte Carlo three weeks ago. He has also defeated the third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime and Francisco Cerúndolo on his way to the last four in the Spanish capital.

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• Former world No 4’s knee problem follows arm injury

• Draper says it is ‘gutting’ to miss Roland Garros

Jack Draper has been ruled out of the French Open with a knee injury. It is another blow in his attempt to re-establish himself after a long-term arm injury ruled him out for the best part of eight months.

Draper has managed nine matches in five events since returning in ­February and retired during his first-round match with Tomás ­Martín Etcheverry at the Barcelona Open this month. He was diagnosed with an aggravated knee tendon injury and had initially hoped to return before the second grand slam of the year next month.

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• Australia No 1 defeated 6-3 6-1 by 19-year-old in second round

• World No 8 has lost six of past 10 matches in alarming stretch of form

Alex de Minaur has suffered a startling defeat, crushed by the latest teenage Spanish wonder boy in the second round of the Madrid Open.

On a day when Carlos Alcaraz caused consternation by announcing his withdrawal from the upcoming French Open with a wrist injury, 19-year-old Madrid local Rafael Jodar filled his place seamlessly by blowing away the Australian 6-3 6-1 in 75 one-sided minutes.

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• Australian loses 6-3 3-6 7-6 (15) to Ukrainian qualifier Daria Snigur

• 28-year-old drops from No 12 last April to world No 83 in next rankings

Daria Kasatkina’s career in Australian colours has plummeted to a new low at the Madrid Open after she suffered an agonising first-round defeat which will send her tumbling to her lowest world ranking for 11 years.

On a day when all four Australian women crashed out in the clay-court event, Kasatkina suffered the most frustrating reverse, succumbing 6-3 3-6 7-6 (15-13) to qualifier and lucky loser Daria Snigur after being unable to convert four match points.

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Jannik Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets to win the Monte Carlo Masters for the first time on Sunday and reclaim the world No 1 ranking from his Spanish rival.

Sinner saw off Alcaraz 7-6 (5), 6-3 to capture his third ATP 1000 title of the year after completing the 'Sunshine Double' last month with victories in Indian Wells and Miami.

The 24-year-old Sinner joins Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as only the third player to win four successive ATP 1000 titles, having also triumphed in Paris at the end of last season.

• Jannik Sinner beats Carlos Alcaraz at Monte Carlo Masters to reclaim world No 1 spot

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• Italian wins 7-6 (5), 6-3 against Spanish rival

• Sinner adds to his victories after Indian Wells and Miami

Jannik Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets to win the Monte Carlo Masters for the first time on Sunday and reclaim the world No 1 ranking from his Spanish rival.

Sinner downed Alcaraz 7-6 (5), 6-3 to capture his third ATP 1000 title of the year after completing the “Sunshine Double” last month with victories in Indian Wells and Miami.

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