Category: Tennis

• Paolini and Bronzetti power Italy past Slovakia in final
• Raducanu reflects on ‘great’ run despite Britain’s defeat

Jasmine Paolini put on a masterclass to steer Italy to a fifth Billie Jean King Cup title as she beat Rebecca Sramkova 6-2, 6-1 in the second singles rubber to wrap up a 2-0 win over Slovakia in the final on Wednesday.

A year after Italy suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Canada in the decider and over a decade since their last title in 2013, the charismatic Paolini demolished Sramkova before celebrating wildly with her teammates and jubilant Italian fans, including the men’s world No 1 Jannik Sinner.

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Carlos Alcaraz said Rafael Nadal's legacy will be 'eternal' after Spain were knocked out of the Davis Cup, where Nadal played the final match of his career. Alcaraz admitted Nadal's legacy will be hard to live up to, but said it was 'great to have had Rafa in tennis, in Spain, and in my life'.

• ‘We close the circle’: Nadal makes emotional exit after Davis Cup defeat

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One of the greatest tennis players of all time has retired from the game. We look back at some memorable moments of a glittering career

• Rafael Nadal’s 22 grand slams – in pictures

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Rafael Nadal was defeated 6-4, 6-4 by Botic van de Zandschulp, his first Davis Cup singles loss in 20 years after winning 29 matches in a row. The quarter-final tie ended with the Netherlands defeating Spain 2-1 to end Nadal’s career. Afterwards, Nadal remained on court for a special ceremony and addressed the crowd, thanking all who had supported him through his career

• ‘We close the circle’: Rafa Nadal makes emotional exit after Davis Cup defeat

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• Swiss publishes emotional letter on social media
• Spaniard bidding goodbye at Davis Cup finals

Roger Federer has published a long letter paying tribute to great rival Rafael Nadal ahead of the Spaniard’s retirement, saying: “Your old friend is always cheering for you.”

Nadal is bidding goodbye to tennis at the Davis Cup finals in Malaga this week, with Spain beginning their campaign against the Netherlands later on Tuesday. Federer and Nadal’s rivalry defined one of the greatest eras in the sport, with the pair locking horns 40 times between 2004 and 2019.

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Rafael Nadal has explained the reasons behind his decision to retire as he prepares for his farewell appearance in professional tennis, for Spain at the Davis Cup. Nadal said he asked himself when would be the right time to stop playing, thinking: 'OK, I can hold [on] for one more year. But why? To say goodbye in every tournament. I don't have that ego to need that'.

The 22-time grand slam champion will play his final tournament, in his homeland, before calling time on an illustrious career. The 38-year-old announced his decision to retire in October and in Málaga this week is part of a Spain team that includes Carlos Alcaraz. Spain will take on the Netherlands in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

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Jannik Sinner added another big title to his tremendous year, beating Taylor Fritz, the US Open runner-up, 6-4, 6-4 to win the ATP Finals trophy in front of his home fans in Turin. Sinner won his first two grand slam titles at the Australian Open and US Open this year and had already clinched the year-end No 1 ranking. He became the first Italian to win this tournament and did so without dropping a set – which was last accomplished by Ivan Lendl in 1986.

• Jannik Sinner caps golden year by beating Taylor Fritz to ATP Finals glory

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• World No1 wins final 6-4, 6-4 in front of home fans
• Wada cleared him of wrongdoing after positive drug tests

Jannik Sinner added another big title to his tremendous year, beating the US Open runner-up Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4 for the ATP Finals trophy in front of his home fans in Turin – and before a final verdict is reached in his doping case.

Sinner won his first two grand slam titles at the Australian Open and US Open this year and had already clinched the year-end No 1 ranking. He also tested positive in two separate drug tests in March and a decision to clear him of wrongdoing was appealed against by the World Anti-Doping Agency in September. A final ruling is expected from the court of arbitration for sport early next year.

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• Fritz triumphs 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (3) in battle of big servers
• American will face Casper Ruud or Jannik Sinner in final

Jannik Sinner will attempt to close out one of the greatest hard court seasons of this century with his first ATP Finals title on Sunday as he eased into the final in Turin with a devastating 6-1, 6-2 win over Casper Ruud.

The world No 1 will face Taylor Fritz, the fifth seed, after Fritz toppled Alexander Zverev in a tense, ­quality ­tussle to reach the final for the first time. In a bruising battle between two of the best servers in the world, Fritz held on to narrowly defeat Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (3). The ATP’s season-ending finale final will mark a rematch of the US Open final where Sinner dismantled Fritz in three sets to win his second grand-slam title.

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• Zverev overcomes Spanish world No 3 7-6 (5), 6-4
• Fritz has beaten Zverev in two slam meetings this year

Alexander Zverev continued his strong form at the ATP Finals by moving into the semi-finals in Turin with a commanding 7-6 (5), 6-4 win over the third seed Carlos Alcaraz.

After success at the Paris Masters in his previous tournament, Zverev, the second seed, is on an eight-match winning streak following victories over Alcaraz, Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev in Turin.

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• Former world No 13 has played one ATP Tour match in past two years
• 29-year-old to make competitive comeback at Brisbane International

Nick Kyrgios will make his long-awaited return to competitive tennis at the Brisbane International after playing only one ATP Tour match in more than two years.

The 29-year-old firebrand has been mostly sidelined with career-threatening wrist and knee injuries since the 2022 US Open quarter-finals. That run came six weeks after reaching the Wimbledon decider when he came closest to an elusive major crown before falling in four sets to Novak Djokovic.

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The world No 1 Jannik Sinner eased past Daniil Medvedev in straight sets to qualify top of his group in Turin

In the head to heads, both Sinner and Medvedev have won matches seven apiece, with Sinner dominating recently (with the exception of Wimbledon).

The commentators agree, they look at Medvedev and don’t know quite how it works, but it does.

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Carlos Alcaraz bounces back despite a cold, beating Andrey Rublev 6-3, 7-6 during an entertaining afternoon in Turin

Ws spot Rublev now in the tunnel, working through a practice shot with his physio, all messy mop of red hair.

2024: Rublev beat an injured Alcaraz in three sets in Madrid.

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• Spaniard had been suffering from respiratory issues
• Billie Jean King Cup finals delayed by weather warning

Carlos Alcaraz made light of feeling under the weather as he dispatched Andrey Rublev in impressive fashion to revive his ATP Finals hopes on Wednesday.

The Spanish four-times grand slam champion has been suffering with respiratory issues in Turin and wore pink nasal tape against Rublev but enjoyed a resounding 6-3, 7-6 (8) victory.

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Stakes in the former footballer’s professional debut are not particularly high but the YouTube vlog will be spectacular

Before the start of the Uruguay Open, the organisers of the second-string ATP Challenger tournament had an announcement. After flooding their social media pages with references to just one participant during the week, finally, a date was confirmed for the unmissable match and tickets were on sale: “Get ready for an epic night that will remain in the memory of the Uruguay Open,” they wrote.

It is incredibly rare for any first round match on the humble challenger or future tours to generate enough attention to warrant the tournament organisers planning its exact date and time in advance. In doubles, which is usually banished to the outer courts in front of nobody at all, it is almost unheard of. But this is no normal occasion. On Wednesday at 10am local time, after weeks of publicity, interviews and hype, Diego Forlán, the former footballer for Manchester United, Villarreal, Atlético Madrid and Inter, will make his professional tennis debut alongside Federico Coria of Argentina in Montevideo.

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