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Marketa Vondrousova defeats Ons Jabeur 6-4, 6-4 to win the Wimbledon women’s championship for her first Grand Slam title
WIMBLEDON, England — Marketa Vondrousova defeats Ons Jabeur 6-4, 6-4 to win the Wimbledon women’s championship for her first Grand Slam title.
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Princess Kate was back in the Royal Box at Wimbledon for the women’s final along with several former champions and some stars of the entertainment world
Kate, Princess of Wales sits in the Royal Box ahead of the final of the women’s singles between the Czech Republic’s Marketa Vondrousova and Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur on day thirteen of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Saturday, July 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
The Associated Press
WIMBLEDON, England — Kate, the Princess of Wales, was back in the Royal Box at Wimbledon on Saturday for the women’s final, along with several former champions and some stars of the entertainment world.
The princess, wearing a pale green outfit, will present to the trophy to either Ons Jabeur or Marketa Vondrousova following the match on Centre Court.
Former champions Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Ann Jones, Marion Bartoli and Conchita Martinez were also in the Royal Box, along with Academy Award winning actor Maggie Smith, Priyanka Chopra and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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Ons Jabeur or Marketa Vondrousova will become a first-time Grand Slam champion when they play each other in the Wimbledon women’s final
Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur celebrates winning a set against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus during their women’s semifinal singles match on day eleven of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Thursday, July 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
The Associated Press
WIMBLEDON, England — WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Ons Jabeur or Marketa Vondrousova will become a first-time Grand Slam champion when they play each other in the Wimbledon women’s final.
They go into Saturday’s title match with a combined record of 0-3 in major finals.
The No. 6-seeded Jabeur, a 28-year-old from Tunisia, was the runner-up at the All England Club and at the U.S. Open last season.
She is the only Arab woman or North African woman to participate in a Grand Slam singles final.
The unseeded Vondrousova, a 24-year-old from the Czech Republic, lost in the 2019 French Open final as a teenager.
She is the first unseeded finalist at Wimbledon since Billie Jean King made it that far in 1963.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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WIMBLEDON, England — Caty McNally was one of the few female entrants at Wimbledon with a female coach: Her mother, Lynn Nabors McNally.
Mom does not travel full-time on tour with Caty — someone else she’s worked with for six years, Kevin O’Neill, does — but they use a two-coach setup at the biggest events, including Grand Slam tournaments.
McNally, a 21-year-old from Ohio who was the runner-up in women’s doubles at the U.S. Open each of the past two years, once alongside Coco Gauff and once alongside Taylor Townsend, wishes female coaches weren’t so rare at the pro level. There are just 13 women ranked in the Top 200 with a female coach; four of those coaches are the player’s mother.
It would be nice, McNally says, if there were more women around. She looks at her male counterparts — every man who was in the singles field at the All England Club is coached by a man — and thinks, “Why can’t it be that way for us?”
“There’s a different vibe because of it. A different environment. On the men’s side, the coaches are always in the locker room with the players, just hanging out. On the women’s side, you don’t see that; it’s only the players in the locker room,” McNally said last week after a session at the All England Club’s Aorangi Park practice courts with her mother and O’Neill.
“It might let the guys be more loose: The coaches are right there to help take things off their shoulders. On the women’s side, after a loss, a lot of the girls are like, ‘I don’t want to talk to anyone. I want to be by myself.’ You don’t see any female coaches hanging around in the locker room,” said McNally, who missed the French Open with a torn right hamstring and wore athletic tape on the back of that leg during first-round exits in singles and doubles at Wimbledon. “I do wonder what it would be like if there were more females coaches. Maybe the players and coaches would hang out and have group dinners more.”
McNally, a successful junior who is now 67th in singles and 26th in doubles in the WTA rankings, was one of just six of the 128 women in the singles bracket at Wimbledon with a female coach. The WTA is hoping to increase the number of women in that role at the highest levels of tennis, in part through a Coach Inclusion Program that is in its first full year.
“It’s embarrassing how few of us there are, to be honest with you,” Nabors McNally said, sitting next to her daughter on a wooden bench near the practice courts. “It’s going to take a lot more time and effort to see the numbers where they should be.”
Nabors McNally, a teaching pro after being a professional player in the 1980s and 1990s, and her daughter have been a tennis tandem for nearly all of Caty’s life. She started at age 2 by hitting a balloon over the couch at home with her older brother, John, who went on to earn all-Big Ten honors at Ohio State.
The next step was hitting balls in the driveway. Then there would be Sunday night all-in-the-family matchups: Caty and Mom against John and Dad.
“I would say, ‘Just make contact, Sweetie.’ And all of a sudden, she did,” Nabors McNally recalled. “And then we had rallies. And then we played points.”
From the time Caty was 7 or 8, she would spend 12 or more hours a day at the The Club at Harper’s Point in Cincinnati, where Mom has given lessons seven days a week for years.
“I liked being around the sport,” Caty said. “I liked being around her.”
Katherine Sebov, a Canadian player who lost in qualifying at Wimbledon, has always been coached by her mother, too. Sebov picked up the sport after watching her parents play tennis and deciding to join in — uninvited.
“I 100% crashed the party,” Sebov said. “Then they stopped playing, and it was all me.”
Both McNally and Nabors McNally say they are able to navigate the two spheres of their relationship: mom-child and coach-player.
“It’s a very fine line, and you just have to find it. … As I’ve matured, I’ve just realized to not take certain things so seriously, and (think), ‘Maybe she meant it one way but it came across in another,’” McNally said. “It’s just like probably any 21-year-old who at times doesn’t always want to be around their mom.”
Mom’s take? “We’ve had a lot of conversations about Caty being the CEO of her business. But you can’t have a bigger person in your support system than family.”
One rule they adhere to: no tennis talk when at home.
As a teen at the junior level in 2018, McNally was the singles runner-up to Gauff at the French Open — after eliminating current WTA No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the semifinals — and won doubles titles with Gauff at the French Open and U.S. Open.
Her goals these days?
“I want to win Slams in (singles and doubles). And mixed, as well. And also be No. 1 in the world,” Caty said with a smile. “Might as well dream big.”
Mom agrees.
“Once Caty grabs ahold of the kite string,” McNally Nabors said, “I hope she can hold on for a long time.”
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Howard Fendrich has been the AP’s tennis writer since 2002. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/HowardFendrich
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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BOSTON (AP) — The pickleball craze is hitting the big leagues.
Courts for the tennis/badminton/ping pong hybrid were being laid out in Fenway Park on Tuesday in preparation for a weekend that will give fans of the sport a chance to watch the pros play or even give it a try themselves in the outfield of the Red Sox historic home.
“Not only is it pickleball, the fastest growing sport in the U.S., but also it’s pickleball inside of Fenway,” Pickle4 America President Ben Weinberger said in an interview while standing where the Red Sox right fielder would usually play. “We’ll be welcoming hundreds of amateur athletes in the next four days. To give them an opportunity to step on the field, as we are right now, is pretty special to us.”
Ravichandran Ashwin has feasted on West Indies wickets on a generous turning pitch and propelled India to victory by an innings and 141 runs inside three days of the first test in Dominica.
Daniil Medvedev had to skip the Wimbledon tournament last year but not because he wanted to. The 2021 U.S.
Brittney Griner didn’t know what to expect when the WNBA season began and how she would respond after the trauma she experienced of being incarcerated in Russia that also forced her off the court for many months.
The Pickle4 Ballpark Series running from Wednesday to Sunday will include an exhibition with top-ranked players from the Professional Pickleball Association Tour; tickets for spectators go for as little as $10. But amateurs of all levels can also reserve time on one of a dozen courts for $200 per person, which also gets them a racket.
Weinberger said pre-registration for the spots over what was originally four days filled up so quickly that they added a fifth; that sold out, too. When they’re done in Boston, they’ll do the same thing at the San Francisco Giants’ Oracle Park.
“We tried to make this so that everybody can come if they want to play,” Weinberger said, adding that there will be a free kids clinic with the pros. “We really want to give the pickleball ecosystem this incredible sort of iconic opportunity and all of the experiences that go along with it.”
The oldest ballpark in the major leagues, Fenway has hosted the Red Sox as its primary tenant since the week the Titanic sank in 1912. But it has long been borrowed by other sports, including the NFL and college football, boxing, soccer and hockey.
Since the team’s current owners took over in 2002, Fenway has expanded its portfolio to include ski jumping and ice skate racing, Top Golf and an obstacle course race, Irish hurling and Shakespeare in the Park, movies and more than 100 concerts in all.
More than 120,000 people passed through the park for offseason events this winter alone – even with the Red Sox missing the postseason – with thousands more taking the tours that make Fenway one of the top tourist attractions in New England.
“We’re always looking to stretch our creative minds and find new things we can do for Fenway,” said Mark Lev, the president of Fenway Sports Management. “Baseball is at the core of everything we do. But to the extent we can use it for other events, it’s a great thing.”
Pickleball is played in singles or doubles, on a court that looks like a shrunken tennis court. Play with the hard paddles and brightly colored, perforated plastic balls is fast but involves less running than tennis.
The sport was originally invented in 1965 by some Washington state vacationers, including a former U.S Congressman who — depending on which origin story you believe — either couldn’t find badminton shuttlecock or was just looking to keep their bored kids entertained. It took off during the pandemic, when it provided cooped-up quarantiners a chance to get outside with minimal equipment, with some big names playing in televised exhibitions to give the sport a spotlight.
Although the courts are often laid out over repurposed tennis courts, which can lead to conflict with tennis players or with neighbors bothered by the loud popping of the plastic ball, the Fenway courts will rest on plywood and a layer of plastic designed to protect the ballpark grass.
Lev said the organization’s priority remains the baseball team, which returns from the All-Star break and a six-game road trip on July 21.
“Our most valuable player is Dave Mellor, our groundskeeper,” Lev said. “We wouldn’t be doing this unless Dave felt confident that the ballpark could be restored to game-ready condition.”
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Novak Djokovic looked as if he were a bit surprised by the question.
And maybe he should have been.
The query, essentially, was this: Are you the favorite to win the championship at Wimbledon? Now, sure, there is some work to be done to collect that trophy.
The boisterous backing from the normally genteel crowd at Wimbledon was booming. Even raucous at times.
Ons Jabeur has defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 to reach the Wimbledon final for the second consecutive year.
Former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martínez has been named tournament director for the Billie Jean King Cup finals.
First Djokovic, 36, needs to beat No. 8 seed Jannik Sinner, 21, on Friday in what represents the largest age gap between two men’s semifinalists at the All England Club in the professional era, which began in 1968.
And after that, Djokovic would need to beat the winner of that day’s other match — No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz or No. 3 Daniil Medvedev — in the final on Sunday.
This, then, was Djokovic’s reply: “I mean, I don’t want to sound arrogant, but of course I would consider myself the favorite.”
What Djokovic might have been forgiven for saying, but was too polite to, was: “Come on, my friend. Is that really what you want to ask? Of course I expect to win the title. And you should expect me to win the title. And everybody should expect me to win the title.”
Start by looking at his accomplishments relative to the other three men still around at the grass-court Grand Slam tournament:
—Djokovic has won seven Wimbledon titles. The other three guys have won a total of zero.
—Djokovic has reached his 12th Wimbledon semifinal. The other three guys have never played in one.
—Djokovic has won a men’s-record 23 Grand Slam titles, including both so far this year. The other three guys have won a total of two: Medvedev at the 2021 U.S. Open, Alcaraz at the 2022 U.S. Open.
—Djokovic will be participating in his 46th major semifinal on Friday, equaling Roger Federer’s record for men. The other three guys have raised their combined total to 10: Medvedev is into his sixth, Alcaraz his third, Sinner his first.
And then there’s also this: Djokovic is a combined 12-5 against the other three guys head-to-head. He leads Sinner 2-0, including a win in last year’s Wimbledon quarterfinals. Sinner took the first two sets in that one but blew the huge lead and lost in five.
After eliminating No. 7 Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals Tuesday, Djokovic was asked during his on-court interview what it feels like to constantly be the player every else is focused on trying to beat.
“I know they want … to win,” he said. “But it ain’t happening. Still.”
One thing working in Djokovic’s favor these days, unlike during most of his time on tour, is he no longer needs to deal with Federer, who announced his retirement last year, and currently does not need to worry about Rafael Nadal, who has been sidelined since January with a bad hip and indicated that, if he is able to return to competition, 2024 will be his final season.
Next to try to solve Djokovic, who has won 26 consecutive Grand Slam matches overall and 33 in a row at Wimbledon, will be Sinner, considered one of the leading members of the sport’s next generation.
Djokovic’s scouting report on Sinner: “He’s so young, so of course it’s expected that he’s going to improve. He is improving, no doubt, I think, with the serve. He’s been serving better. On grass, obviously, (that) makes a difference. He’s a very complete player.”
Sinner’s description of facing Djokovic: “It is also a little bit mental, no? If you play against Novak, it’s always tough to play … especially (at) Grand Slams.”
At 20, Alcaraz is even younger than Sinner, against whom he is already developing a rivalry thanks to some stirring matches between them. And Alcaraz has accomplished more so far. But he wants to do much more in the sport.
He and Medvedev, 27, offer contrasting styles that could produce a scintillating matchup. Still, all eyes on Friday — and, most assume, Sunday, too — will be on Djokovic.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — There was a time — a year ago; six months ago, even — that Ons Jabeur might not have recovered from the deficit she found herself in during the Wimbledon semifinals. Down a set. Down a break in the second set. So close to being just a game from defeat.
She credits a sports psychologist with helping her understand how to deal with those on-court situations, with managing to keep her focus, keep her strokes on-target. Thanks in part to that, and a steadiness down the stretch at Centre Court on Thursday, Jabeur is on her way to a second consecutive final at the All England Club and her third title match in the past five Grand Slam tournaments.
Now she wants to win a trophy. The sixth-seeded Jabeur earned the right to play for one again by beating big-hitting Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3.
Daniil Medvedev had to skip the Wimbledon tournament last year but not because he wanted to. The 2021 U.S.
There’s no better way to escape the intense heatwave in Tunisia than to head inside and watch Wimbledon on TV when Ons Jabeur is playing.
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will meet in the Wimbledon final. Both won their semifinals in straight sets.
“I’m very proud of myself, because maybe old me would have lost the match today and went back home already. But I’m glad that I kept digging very deep and finding the strength,” said Jabeur, a 28-year-old from Tunisia who already was the only Arab woman and only North African woman to reach a major final.
“I’m learning to transform the bad energy into a good one,” Jabeur said, explaining that she was able to get over the anger she felt after the first set. “Some things I have no control over: She can ace any time. She can hit the big serve, even if I have a break point. That’s frustrating a bit. But I’m glad that I’m accepting it and I’m digging deep to just go and win this match — and, hopefully, this tournament.”
To do that, Jabeur will need to get past Marketa Vondrousova, a left-hander from the Czech Republic, on Saturday. Vondrousova became the first unseeded women’s finalist at Wimbledon since Billie Jean King in 1963 by eliminating Elina Svitolina 6-3, 6-3.
Like Jabeur, Vondrousova has been to a major final before. Like Jabeur, she’s never won one, having been the runner-up at the 2019 French Open as a teen.
“We’re both hungry,” Jabeur said.
So far, Jabeur is 0-2 in Slam finals. She lost to Elena Rybakina at the All England Club last July and to Iga Swiatek at the U.S. Open last September.
Jabeur’s win over No. 2 Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion in January, followed victories against three other major title winners: No. 3 Rybakina, No. 9 Petra Kvitova and Bianca Andreescu.
“I want to make my path worth it,” Jabeur said.
Thursday’s triumph, which came by collecting 10 of the last 13 games, prevented Sabalenka from replacing Swiatek at No. 1 in the rankings.
“I had so many opportunities,” said Sabalenka, a 25-year-old from Belarus who was not allowed to compete at Wimbledon last year because all players from her country and from Russia were banned over the war in Ukraine. “Overall, I didn’t play my best tennis today. It was just, like, a combo of everything. A little bit of nerves, a little bit of luck for her at some points.”
Jabeur trailed 4-2 in the second set when she began to turn things around. But not before Sabalenka came within a point from leading 5-3 after Jabeur put a forehand into the net and fell onto her back on the grass of Centre Court.
She dusted herself off and broke to take that game and begin the comeback. When she delivered a backhand return winner to force the match to a third set, Jabeur held her right index finger to her ear, then raised it and wagged it as she strutted to the changeover.
Sabalenka’s shots missed the mark repeatedly. She finished with far more unforced errors than Jabeur: The margins were 14-5 in the last set and 45-15 for the match.
“I was little bit emotionally down, then she was up,” said Sabalenka, who hit 10 aces but also double-faulted five times.
A break put Jabeur up 4-2 in the third, but there was still some work to be done. Sabalenka, as powerful a ball-striker as there is on tour, erased four match points before Jabeur converted her fifth with a 103 mph ace.
In the first semifinal, the 43rd-ranked Vondrousova reeled off seven consecutive games in one stretch against the 76th-ranked Svitolina, who returned from maternity leave just three months ago. After surprisingly beating Swiatek in the quarterfinals, she was trying to become the first woman from Ukraine to make it to the title match at a major tennis tournament.
Svitolina received loud support from thousands in the crowd at the main stadium — Ukraine’s ambassador to Britain was in the Royal Box — as applause and yells echoed off the closed roof.
Svitolina says she plays more calmly nowadays, something she attributed to the dual motivations of playing for her baby daughter, who was born in October, and of playing for her home country, where the ongoing war began in February 2022, when Russia invaded with help from Belarus.
“It’s a lot of responsibility, a lot of tension. I try to balance it as much as I can. Sometimes it gets maybe too much,” Svitolina said. “But I don’t want to (make it) an excuse.”
Vondrousova missed about six months last season because of two operations on her left wrist. She visited England last year with a cast on that arm to enjoy London as a tourist and to watch her best friend and doubles partner, Miriam Kolodziejova, try to qualify for Wimbledon.
“It’s not always easy to come back. You don’t know if you can play at this level and if you can be back at the top and back at these tournaments,” Vondrousova said. “I just feel like I’m just grateful to be on a court again, to play without pain.”
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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BEAVERTON, OR—As part of the brand’s renewed effort to appeal to the average consumer, Nike rolled out an empowering new ad Thursday challenging viewers to just try getting up from the fetal position. “Come on, pal, you can do it,” said tennis star Serena Williams who, along with football quarterback Russell Wilson, basketball player Kevin Durant, and golfer Nelly Korda, is featured in the ad campaign encouraging viewers to stop clutching their legs and instead attempt to stand up. “Don’t be afraid. You don’t have to run, or jump, or do anything too hard. Really, just sitting up is enough. You’re stronger than you think. Maybe try getting on your hands and knees and crawling out of your bedroom. Turn on the light or open a window. With Nike’s breathable fabrics, you can feel confident that you can expose yourself to the outside world without dying. We promise.” Nike also touted the release of a new polyester emesis bag that customers can dry-heave into if they get too overwhelmed.
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WIMBLEDON, England — There was a time when Ons Jabeur might not have recovered from the deficit she found herself in during the Wimbledon semifinals. Down a set. Down a break. So close to being just a game from defeat.
She credits her sports psychologist with helping her understand how to deal with those on-court situations, with managing to keep her focus, keep her strokes on-target. Thanks in part to that, and a steadiness down the stretch at Centre Court on Thursday, Jabeur is on her way to a second consecutive final at the All England Club and her third title match in the past five Grand Slam tournaments.
Now she wants to win a trophy. The sixth-seeded Jabeur earned the right to play for one again by beating big-hitting Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3.
“I’m very proud of myself, because maybe old me would have lost the match today and went back home already. But I’m glad that I kept digging very deep and finding the strength,” said Jabeur, a 28-year-old from Tunisia who is the only Arab woman and only North African woman to reach a major final.
“I’m learning to transform the bad energy into a good one,” Jabeur said, explaining that she was able to get over the anger she felt after the first set. “Some things I have no control over: She can ace any time. She can hit the big serve, even if I have a break point. That’s frustrating a bit. But I’m glad that I’m accepting it and I’m digging deep to just go and win this match — and, hopefully, this tournament.”
To do that, Jabeur will need to get past Marketa Vondrousova, a left-hander from the Czech Republic, on Saturday. Vondrousova became the first unseeded women’s finalist at Wimbledon since Billie Jean King in 1963 by eliminating Elina Svitolina 6-3, 6-3 earlier Thursday.
So far, Jabeur is 0-2 in Slam finals after losing to Elena Rybakina at the All England Club last July and to Iga Swiatek at the U.S. Open last September.
Jabeur’s victory Thursday, which came by collecting 10 of the last 13 games, prevented No. 2 Sabalenka from replacing Swiatek at No. 1 in the rankings. Sabalenka came into the match with a 17-1 record at majors in 2023, including a trophy at the Australian Open.
Jabeur trailed 4-2 in the second set when she began to turn things around. But not before Sabalenka came within a point from leading 5-3 after Jabeur put a forehand into the net and fell onto her back on the grass of Centre Court.
She dusted herself off and broke to take that game and begin her big comeback. When she delivered a backhand return winner to force the match to a third set, Jabeur held her right index finger to her ear, then raised it and wagged it as she strutted to the changeover.
Sabalenka’s shots missed the mark repeatedly. She finished with far more unforced errors than Jabeur: The margins were 14-5 in the last set and 45-15 for the match.
A break put Jabeur up 4-2 in the third, but there was still some work to be done. Sabalenka, as powerful a ball-striker as there is on tour, erased four match points before Jabeur converted her fifth with a 103 mph ace.
In the first semifinal, Vondrousova reeled off seven consecutive games in one stretch. She is ranked 43rd and reached the second Grand Slam final of her career after getting that far as a teenager at the 2019 French Open.
“I was crazy nervous,” said Vondrousova, who bowed her head and knelt at the baseline when the match was over. “I was nervous, actually, the whole match.”
Ranked No. 76 and an unseeded wild-card recipient, Svitolina returned to the tour from maternity leave just three months ago. After surprisingly beating Swiatek in the quarterfinals, she was trying to become the first woman from Ukraine to make it to the title match at a major tennis tournament.
“She’s such a fighter,” said Vondrousova, who compiled a 22-9 edge in total winners, “and she’s also such a great person.”
Svitolina received loud support from thousands in the crowd at the main stadium — Ukraine’s ambassador to Britain was in the Royal Box — as applause and yells echoed off the closed roof.
Svitolina has said that she is playing more freely and more calmly nowadays, something she attributed to having the dual motivations of playing for her baby daughter, who was born in October, and of trying to bring happiness to people in her home country, where an ongoing war began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
“It’s a lot of responsibility, a lot of tension. I try to balance it as much as I can. Sometimes it gets maybe too much,” Svitolina said. “But I don’t want to (make it) an excuse.”
From 3-all in the opening set Thursday, Svitolina’s level began to dip, while Vondrousova’s rose. Over the ensuing half-hour, Vondrousova was in complete control, so much so that she took that set and pulled ahead 4-0 in the next.
Suddenly, though, Svitolina got within 4-3.
Vondrousova put an end to that mini-streak by collecting the last two games. She missed about six months last season because of two operations on her left wrist, but is back at the height of her powers and back in the spotlight of a Grand Slam final.
She came to England last year with a cast on that arm to enjoy London as a tourist and to watch her best friend and doubles partner, Miriam Kolodziejova, play in the qualifying rounds at Wimbledon.
“It’s not always easy to come back. You don’t know if you can play at this level and if you can be back at the top and back at these tournaments,” Vondrousova said. “I just feel like I’m just grateful to be on a court again, to play without pain.”
Asked how she plans to prepare for Saturday, Vondrousova laughed.
“I’m just going to chill now,” she replied.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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Australia take the important wicket of Tammy Beaumont who had produced a brilliant 47 from 42 balls in the run chase.
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Aryna Sabalenka reached the semifinals at Wimbledon for the second straight time with a one-year break in between because she was banned from the tournament in 2022
ByCHRIS LEHOURITES AP Sports Writer
Madison Keys of the US returns to Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in a women’s singles match on day ten of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
The Associated Press
WIMBLEDON, England — Aryna Sabalenka reached the semifinals at Wimbledon for the second straight time, with a one-year break in between because she was banned from the tournament in 2022.
Sabalenka, a Belarusian who is seeded second at the All England Club, had to sit out last year’s competition along with other players from her country and from Russia because of the war in Ukraine. She advanced Wednesday by beating Madison Keys 6-2, 6-4 on No. 1 Court.
“It really feels amazing to be back in the semifinals. I can’t wait to play in my second semifinal at Wimbledon,” said Sabalenka, who lost to runner-up Karolina Pliskova in 2021. “Hopefully I can do better than I did last time.”
The victory improved Sabalenka’s record to 17-1 at major tournaments this year. She won the Australian Open and reached the semifinals at the French Open before her five wins so far on the grass at Wimbledon.
Sabalenka also improved her record to 6-0 in Grand Slam quarterfinal matches, and she did so despite much of the cheering going toward Keys on Wednesday.
“Thank you so much for the atmosphere, even though you supported her more,” Sabalenka said on court. “I still enjoyed playing in front of you guys.”
Sabalenka will next face either defending champion Elena Rybakina or Ons Jabuer. They were playing in another quarterfinal match on Centre Court.
Later Wednesday in the men’s quarterfinals, top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz was scheduled to face Holger Rune on Centre Court. Daniil Medvedev was to play Chris Eubanks on No. 1 Court.
Queen Camilla was in attendance on Day 10 of the tournament, about a week after Kate, the Princess of Wales, sat in the Royal Box.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Until about a week ago, even Chris Eubanks did not really believe he was capable of this sort of thing — of beating the world’s best tennis players at Wimbledon, of reaching the quarterfinals at any Grand Slam tournament, of winning match after match after match on grass courts.
“I would show up to tour events saying, ‘Oh, can I get through a couple rounds of here?’” he said during an interview the day before play began at the All England Club. “Now I genuinely can say, probably for the first time, I’m showing up to tournaments with higher expectations and really wanting to do well and put my best foot forward. I’m no longer feeling OK just being there. I know that I belong.”
Eubanks, a 6-foot-7, big-serving American making his Wimbledon debut at age 27 right after claiming the first ATP title of his career, reached the quarterfinals at a major for the first time by stunning two-time Slam runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas 3-6, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a little over three hours on Monday.
“It’s surreal. I can’t really describe it,” said Eubanks, who is from Atlanta and played college tennis at Georgia Tech.
“I just think the entire experience, all together, has just been a whirlwind. It’s been something that you dream about,” Eubanks said. “I didn’t really know if that dream would actually come true. I’m sitting here in it now, so it’s pretty cool.“
He is ranked a career-best 43rd right now and had a win-loss record of merely 6-10 before going on the run to the trophy at Mallorca, Spain, on July 1. That came on grass, which he decided he hated a month ago — calling it “the stupidest surface” in a text he sent to International Tennis Hall of Fame member Kim Clijsters — after exiting in the second round at a low-level ATP Challenger Tour event.
“Those words will never come out of my mouth for the rest of my career. The grass and I, we’ve had a very strenuous, I would say, relationship over the years,” Eubanks said after accumulating 53 winners, 16 more than Tsitsipas. “But right now, I think it’s my best friend.”
He is now on a nine-match winning streak after adding the upset of the No. 5-seeded Tsitsipas to an earlier victory over No. 12 Cam Norrie at the All England Club. Next comes another challenge, meeting No. 3 Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 U.S. Open champion, for a berth in the semifinals.
“I know I need to be at my 100% and absolute best physically, tennis-wise, and mentally to try to beat him,” said Medvedev, who won his only previous meeting against Eubanks, at the Miami Masters in March. “He is not scared to make a bad shot and still to go to the net and try to finish the point there. Definitely a little bit different from other players.”
This is just the ninth Grand Slam tournament for Eubanks, who previously never had been past the second round at one of the sport’s most prestigious events. After questioning his ability to contend for titles, Eubanks thought about pursuing television commentary instead, and he’s worked on-air for Tennis Channel.
But he sure is having a terrific time with a racket in his hand these days.
And between matches, too.
“I checked my phone. It’s a bit nuts right now. It’s crazy to see my social media feed that I’m just used to kind of going to (and now) seeing it’s a lot of me. I’m like, ‘What is this? This is weird,’” Eubanks said. “But I think I’ve been able to find a way to compartmentalize everything, realize this is a pretty big moment, but also saying, ‘This is a tennis match that I need to play in a couple days.’”
During the latter stages against Tsitsipas, Eubanks waved his arms to the crowd to urge it to get louder. After smacking a one-handed down-the-line backhand winner that finished with the flourish of a flowing follow-through, giving him a break for a 4-3 edge in the fifth set, Eubanks held his right index finger to his ear, seeking more noise.
When he showed a bit of nerves while serving for the victory, missing a backhand, then a volley, he managed to settle down.
“Although it got a little bit dicey at the end,” Eubanks said, “I still could have the confidence to say: ‘I’m a server. I hit serving targets for these moments right here, and let’s just try to do what I know how to do.’”
He closed it out with a 127 mph ace followed by a forehand winner and, after shaking hands with Tsitsipas, stood at the center of the court with his thumbs up, his arms spread wide and a smile to match.
Eubanks soaked up all of the cheers — his supporters included Coco Gauff, the American who reached the fourth round in her Wimbledon debut at age 15 in 2019 and was the runner-up at 18 at the French Open last year — and then curled his fingers to turn his hands into the shape of a heart.
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WIMBLEDON, England — Until about a week ago, even Chris Eubanks did not really believe he was capable of this sort of thing — of beating the world’s best tennis players at Wimbledon, of reaching the quarterfinals at any Grand Slam tournament, of winning match after match after match on grass courts.
“I would show up to tour events saying, ‘Oh, can I get through a couple rounds of here?’” he said during an interview the day before play began at the All England Club. “Now I genuinely can say, probably for the first time, I’m showing up to tournaments with higher expectations and really wanting to do well and put my best foot forward. I’m no longer feeling OK just being there. I know that I belong.”
Does he ever.
Eubanks, a 6-foot-7, big-serving American making his Wimbledon debut at age 27 right after claiming the first ATP title of his career, reached the quarterfinals at a major for the first time by stunning two-time Slam runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas 3-6, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a little over three hours on Monday.
“I feel like I’m living a dream right now. This is absolutely insane, when you paint all of the context. I’ve tried so much to block everything out and just focus on the next match — as cliché as it sounds — but … it’s surreal,” Eubanks, who is from Atlanta and played college tennis at Georgia Tech, told the crowd during an on-court interview. “It’s unbelievable. I can’t believe this.”
Why would he? He is ranked a career-best 43rd right now but had a win-loss record of merely 6-10 before going on the run to the trophy at Mallorca, Spain, on July 1. That came on grass, which he decided he hated a month ago — calling it “the stupidest surface” in a text he sent to International Tennis Hall of Fame member Kim Clijsters — after exiting in the second round at a low-level ATP Challenger Tour event.
“Those words will never come out of my mouth for the rest of my career. The grass and I, we’ve had a very strenuous, I would say, relationship over the years,” Eubanks said after accumulating 53 winners, 16 more than Tsitsipas. “But right now, I think it’s my best friend.”
He is now on a nine-match winning streak after adding the upset of the No. 5-seeded Tsitsipas to an earlier victory over No. 12 Cam Norrie at the All England Club. Next comes another challenge, meeting No. 3 Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 U.S. Open champion, for a berth in the semifinals.
This is just the ninth Grand Slam tournament for Eubanks, who previously never had been past the second round at one of the sport’s most prestigious events. After questioning his ability to contend for titles, Eubanks thought about pursuing television commentary instead, and he’s worked on-air for Tennis Channel.
But he sure is having a terrific time with a racket in his hand these days.
During the latter stages against Tsitsipas, Eubanks waved his arms to the crowd to urge it to get louder. After smacking a one-handed down-the-line backhand winner that finished with the flourish of a flowing follow-through, giving him a break for a 4-3 edge in the fifth set, Eubanks held his right index finger to his ear, seeking more noise.
When he showed a bit of nerves while serving for the victory, missing a backhand, then a volley, he managed to settle down.
“Although it got a little bit dicey at the end,” Eubanks said, “I still could have the confidence to say: ‘I’m a server. I hit serving targets for these moments right here, and let’s just try to do what I know how to do.’”
He closed it out with a 127 mph ace followed by a forehand winner and, after shaking hands with Tsitsipas, stood at the center of the court with his thumbs up, his arms spread wide and a smile to match.
Eubanks soaked up all of the cheers — his supporters included Coco Gauff, the American who reached the fourth round in her Wimbledon debut at age 15 in 2019 and was the runner-up at 18 at the French Open last year — and then curled his fingers to turn his hands into the shape of a heart.
___
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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Last Updated: 10/07/23 3:31pm
Larry Nassar, a disgraced sports doctor who sexually assaulted gymnasts including Olympic medallists, has been stabbed multiple times in federal prison
Disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar, who sexually assaulted gymnasts including Olympic medallists, was stabbed multiple times during an altercation with another inmate at a federal prison in Florida on Sunday.
The 59-year-old was reported to be in a stable condition.
Nassar, a former doctor for USA Gymnastics, was convicted and sentenced to upwards of 300 years behind bars in 2018 after being accused of abuse by more than 250 athletes – including four-time Olympic champion Simone Biles. Separately, he also pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography.
During victim impact statements in 2018, several athletes testified that over the course of Nassar’s more than two decades of sexual abuse they had told adults what was happening, including coaches and athletic trainers, but that it went unreported.
More than 100 women collectively sought more than $1 billion from the federal government for the FBI’s failure to stop Nassar when agents became aware of allegations against him in 2015.
Michigan State, which was accused of missing chances over many years to stop Nassar, agreed to pay $500 million to more than 300 women and girls who were assaulted by him. USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee also made a $380 million settlement.
In June 2022, the Michigan Supreme Court rejected a final appeal from Nassar. Attorneys for Nassar said he was treated unfairly in 2018 and deserved a new hearing, based on vengeful remarks by a judge who called him a “monster” who would “wither” in prison like the wicked witch in “The Wizard of Oz.”
“I just signed your death warrant,” Ingham County Judge Rosemarie Aquilina said of Nassar’s 40-year sentence.
The state Supreme Court said that Nassar’s appeal was a “close question” and that it had “concerns” over the judge’s conduct. But the court also noted that Aquilina, despite her provocative comments, stuck to the sentencing agreement worked out by lawyers in the case.
“We decline to expend additional judicial resources and further subject the victims in this case to additional trauma where the questions at hand present nothing more than an academic exercise,” the court said in a two-page order.
More than 150 victims spoke or submitted statements during an extraordinary seven-day hearing in Aquilina’s court more than four years ago.
“It’s over. Almost six years after I filed the police report, it’s finally over,” said Rachael Denhollander, the first woman to publicly accuse Nassar.
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LONDON (Reuters) – Win or lose, Victoria Azarenka knew there would be no handshake offered by Ukrainian rival Elina Svitolina at the end of Sunday’s Wimbledon contest that had been billed as the ‘battle of the mums’.
What the Belarusian did not expect was to be booed off court after she had played her part in entertaining the Court One crowd for close to three hours in an exhilarating contest that needed a third-set match tiebreak to decide the winner.
A puzzled Azarenka was left bemused and shaking her head as she struggled to understand why the crowd had suddenly turned hostile on her.
After stopping in her tracks to face the jeering fans, she banged both fists together above her head and departed the arena with the boos still ringing around her ears.
Calling the reaction “unfair”, Azarenka did not want to make a big deal of it, realising that perhaps the crowd were not aware as to why she did not offer to shake hands with Svitolina at the end of the fourth round match.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Moscow using Belarus as a staging ground for what it calls a “special military operation”, Svitolina has stuck to her stance of not shaking hands with players from both countries.
Asked in a press conference if she felt that she was being victimised by the crowd, Azarenka snapped: “Victim? Victim that somebody didn’t shake my hand? Please. I think we’ve got bigger…
“I can’t control the crowd. I’m not sure that a lot of people were understanding what’s happening, so… It’s probably been a lot of Pimm’s throughout the day.”
No matter how harshly she felt done by the crowd, she refused to blame Svitolina for her predicament.
“I know Elina for a very long time. I’ve always had a good relationship with her. And the circumstances, it is what it is, and that’s it,” said Azarenka, who turned up for her press conference hiding her eyes behind a pair of dark sunglasses.
“I haven’t done anything wrong, but keep getting different treatment sometimes.
“She doesn’t want to shake hands with Russian, Belarusian people. I respected her decision. What should I have done? Stayed and waited?
“There’s no thing that I could do that would have been right, so I just did what I thought was respectful towards her decision. But this conversation about shaking hands is not a life-changing conversation.”
While it seemed everyone was only focussing on the events that unfolded after Svitolina had sealed her place in the last eight with an ace, Azarenka felt the on-court duel deserved more plaudits.
“I thought it was a great tennis match. If people are going to be focusing only on handshakes or crowd, quite drunk crowd, booing in the end, that’s a shame,” she said.
Svitolina thought such situations could be avoided if tournament organisers issued a statement to fans to make clear that “there will be no handshake between Russian, Belarusian, and Ukrainian players.”
“Some people do not really know what is happening. So I think this is the right way to do,” the Ukrainian said.
(Reporting by Pritha Sarkar, editing by Christian Radnedge)
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WIMBLEDON, England — Andrey Rublev ran to his right, sized up the distance to the ball and then did the incredible.
Diving through the air while hoping beyond hope, Rublev pulled off the shot of the Wimbledon tournament Sunday by somehow swiping the ball back over the net for a forehand winner from behind the baseline — a winner that set up match point and a spot in the quarterfinals.
“Probably it was the most lucky shot ever. It just was luck,” Rublev said on court after reaching the second week at the All England Club for the first time. “I don’t think I can do it one more time.”
Rublev ended up beating Alexander Bublik 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-7 (5), 6-4, taking the fifth set after failing to convert two match points earlier in the match.
The seventh-seeded Russian became the ninth active male player to reach the quarterfinals at all four Grand Slams. But he has never gone further at any of them.
To reach the semifinals at Wimbledon, Rublev may have to face seven-time champion Novak Djokovic. The 23-time Grand Slam champion was scheduled to play Hubert Hurkacz later Sunday on Centre Court.
This year is only the second time play is officially scheduled for the middle Sunday at Wimbledon. Four times in the past, in 1991, 1997, 2004 and 2016, organizers used the day to deal with a backlog of matches.
Eighth-seeded Jannik Sinner and unseeded Roman Safiullin also reached the quarterfinals on Day 7 of the grass-court tournament. Sinner defeated Daniel Elahi Galan 7-6 (4), 6-4, 6-3 and Safiullin beat 26th-seeded Denis Shapovalov 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3.
Earlier, 21st-seeded Grigor Dimitrov became the last man to reach the fourth round. He beat Frances Tiafoe 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 in a match that started on Saturday and will next face sixth-seeded Holger Rune.
Sixteen-year-old Mirra Andreeva, playing at Wimbledon for the first time, earned the final spot in the fourth round of the women’s draw.
The Russian qualifier is the latest teen sensation in tennis, and she isn’t disappointing at the All England Club. Andreeva is the youngest player since Coco Gauff in 2019 to reach the women’s fourth round at Wimbledon. She reached the third round at this year’s French Open in her first major tournament.
Despite trailing 4-1 in the second set, Andreeva beat 22nd-seeded Anastasia Potapova 6-2, 7-5 on No. 3 Court.
“I came back from 1-4, so of course I feel great,” Andreeva said on court before explaining how she keeps her cool. “Today, honestly, even if I wanted to show some emotions, I honestly, I couldn’t because I was out of breath almost every point. I really couldn’t show any emotions.”
They came out after, though, when Andreeva sat in her chair and pulled her purple Wimbledon towel up over her face for a few seconds to regain her composure.
Andreeva will next face No. 25 Madison Keys for a spot in the quarterfinals.
The third-round victory came 21 minutes after Marketa Vondrousova became the first player to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals. Vondrousova defeated 32nd-seeded Marie Bouzkova 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula also reached the quarterfinals. The 29-year-old American beat Lesia Tsurenko 6-1, 6-3 and will next face Vondrousova.
Later Sunday, top-seeded Iga Swiatek was playing Belinda Bencic on Centre Court.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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The best of the action from the fourth day of the third Ashes Test at Headingley.
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Last Updated: 08/07/23 9:11pm
Zharnel Hughes is targeting world glory after regaining the British 100m title
Zharnel Hughes eyed the world title after becoming British 100m champion for the first time in eight years.
The new national 100m record holder, who broke Linford Christie’s 30-year time last month, won in 10.03 seconds in torrential rain ahead of Reece Prescod on Saturday.
The heavens opened in Manchester just before the race and knocked out some electrics at the Regional Arena, with the BBC’s feed also going down.
But Hughes impressively powered through to target next month’s World Championships in Budapest.
“I will use this to get faster and become a global champion,” he said. “It has been a long journey to get the title back I last won in 2015. I thank my team, my coach and everyone who came to support me.
“I shall come back for the 200m on Sunday and hope the conditions are better. I really must thank each and every one of the crowd for watching in these terrible conditions.
“Come rain, sun or shine you perform regardless is the slogan in Anguilla. I train in these conditions sometimes in Jamaica but I am soaked, these conditions are the worst ever.”
Great Britain men’s 100m record holder Zharnel Hughes says it’s been amazing working with Usain Bolt’s former coach, Glen Mills
Eugene Amo-Dadzie, an accountant who competes part-time and ran 9.93 seconds last month, came third and is likely to get the final 100m spot for Hungary.
CJ Ujah, back from a drugs ban following a positive test at the Olympics two years ago – which cost Team GB their 4x100m silver – was fifth.
Dina Asher-Smith clocked 11.06 seconds to win the 100m women’s race. The final was delayed after the torrential rain which forced the athletes back inside.
Asher-Smith is gearing up for next month’s World Championships, with the weekend doubling up as the British trials.
She remains well behind Jamacia’s Shericka Jackson’s world-leading time of 10.65 seconds, while Sha’Carri Richardson ran 10.71 seconds en route to winning the US Championships this weekend.
Asher-Smith’s personal best, and national record she set in 2019, remains 10.83 seconds – which she equalled when finishing fourth in Eugene last year.
She said: “It was probably colder at Gateshead Diamond League but today we had the not knowing if the race would got ahead, the waiting, going out, coming in, lightning, wind.
“This is the first time I had to really make sure I stay focused which is good practice and lessons to be taken about how you deal with it.”
Asher-Smith was never challenged, with rival and last year’s champion Daryll Neita focusing on Sunday’s 200m, as Imani Lansiquot and Bianca Williams finished second and third.
Earlier, Keely Hodgkinson reached Sunday’s 800m final by winning her heat in two minutes 01.16 seconds.
The 21-year-old came second at last year’s World Championships to the USA’s Athing Mu having also won silver – behind Mu – at the Tokyo Olympics two years ago.
She said: “Every person has said, when I’ve said I’m doing the British Championships, ‘why?’
“Last year I missed doing it, even though I was doing the 400m it didn’t get my adrenaline up because it’s not my event. Everyone was taking it so seriously and I was like ‘I don’t belong here.’
“I like doing the British Champs, another title under my belt – hopefully – and I live here, it’s my training track as well.”
Laura Muir, who split with long-term coach Andy Young earlier this year, won her 1500m heat as she looks to move on from a tough period.
“I think I just can go back to enjoying it. Which is the most important thing,” she said.
“It’s been very difficult. I’ve been injured before, physically, and it’s been a lot harder this year. ‘ll take a physical thing over this any day.”
Matthew Hudson-Smith, who won 400m bronze in Eugene last year, reached Sunday’s final in 46.31 seconds, while Holly Bradshaw missed out on her 11th British outdoor title in the pole vault to Molly Caudery.
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Steve Smith was left fuming with Jonny Bairstow following his dismissal after Moeen Ali’s 200th Test wicket leaves Australia with 73-3.
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LONDON — An 8-year-old girl is in life-threatening condition in a hospital following a car crash at an elementary school in Wimbledon that claimed the life of another girl of the same age, London police said Friday.
The Metropolitan Police also said a woman in her 40s is in critical condition following the crash Thursday in southwest London.
A Land Rover crashed through a fence and hit a building at the Study Preparatory School for girls aged between 4 and 11.
Police said the crash, which occurred while the children were having an end-of-year party in the garden, was not terror-related.
The Met said a woman arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving has been released on bail pending further investigation until later in the month. She was also taken to a hospital but her life was not in danger, police said. It was unclear whether she was still hospitalized.
A number of other people, including a 7-month-old girl, were also taken to the hospital but were not in critical condition, police said.
On Thursday, London’s ambulance service said 16 people, including the girl who died, were treated at the scene for injuries. Ten of them were later hospitalized.
The Met said that it understands that the school-age children who were injured were pupils at the school and that the injured adults were parents or carers, not staff members.
“It is difficult to imagine the pain and upset the families of those involved are going through and we will do all we can to support them as our investigation continues,” said Detective Chief Superintendent Clair Kelland, the local police commander for southwest London.
“This was the largest local policing deployment in southwest London since 2017 and our officers, along with members of the other emergency services, were met with a challenging and traumatic scene,” she said.
The crash occurred about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, which is hosting the world-famous Wimbledon tennis tournament. Unlike the grand slam event, the school is located in a fairly remote area surrounded by local parks, horse trails and golf courses.
Members of the Wimbledon Common Golf Club, which is opposite the site of the crash, held a minute’s silence outside the school gates on Friday afternoon.
The group stood on the road to pay its respects and laid flowers.
“It’s just so sad to lose someone so young,” said the club’s chairman, Peter Thompson.
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