Tennis

Carlos Alcaraz, the 21-year-old Spanish tennis sensation, has achieved another milestone in his remarkable career. This week marks his 100th consecutive week in the Top 5 of the ATP rankings, a feat he has accomplished since breaking into the elite on July 25th, 2022.Alcaraz's rise to the top has been meteoric. After reaching the final of the Hamburg clay-court event in 2022, he ascended to No. 5 in the rankings. Since then, he has remained in the Top 5, including spending 36 weeks as the world No. 1.Currently ranked No. 2 behind Jannik Sinner, Alcaraz has won three Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces: the US Open in 2022, Wimbledon in 2023, and Roland Garros in 2023. This makes him the youngest man ever to achieve this feat.Meanwhile, Alex de Minaur of Australia has also made significant progress in the rankings. After winning the grass-court event in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, he has risen to a new career-high of No. 7. This makes him the seventh-highest-ranked Australian player in ATP history.Other notable movers in the rankings include Jack Draper of Britain, who won his first ATP title in Stuttgart and climbed from No. 40 to No. 31, and Matteo Berrettini of Italy, who jumped from No. 95 to No. 65 after reaching his second final in three tournaments.On the WTA side, Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic has made her Top 30 debut, rising from No. 31 to No. 30. She recently won her eighth Grand Slam doubles title at Roland Garros alongside American Coco Gauff.

Alex de Minaur and Katie Boulter, the Australian-British tennis power couple, have once again celebrated title victories in the same tournament week. However, this time, de Minaur missed the opportunity to witness Boulter's triumph in person due to a missed flight.Hours after de Minaur claimed the ATP grass-court title in 's-Hertogenbosch, Boulter successfully defended her WTA Nottingham crown on Sunday. The British No. 1 overcame a thrilling semifinal against Emma Raducanu, the former US Open champion, in a match that resumed after being halted on Saturday. Boulter then faced sixth seed Karolina Pliskova in the final, who had also fought back from a set down in her semifinal.Despite de Minaur's absence, Boulter prevailed in a hard-fought three-set battle against Pliskova, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. The victory marked Boulter's second WTA title of the season, following her triumph in San Diego in March.In a playful exchange on social media, de Minaur expressed his amazement at Boulter's latest achievement, while Boulter joked that they would have a serious conversation about his missed flight."How did that happen again 🤯🤯🤯🤯 @katiecboulter You are a joke!!! #doubletrouble," de Minaur wrote on X, formerly Twitter.Boulter responded during her on-court interview, "My boyfriend didn't make the trip even though I thought he might after his win in 's-Hertogenbosch. We will have to be talking about that tonight and see if we're gonna still be together. I hope he's listening to this because we've got some talking to do."Despite the missed flight, the couple's success on the tennis court continues to be a testament to their talent and dedication. Boulter is now set to compete in Birmingham, while de Minaur will head to London Queen's.

Alex de Minaur, the 25-year-old Australian tennis star, has finally broken through the Grand Slam quarterfinals barrier, thanks to an unlikely source: a super-fan.After reaching the quarterfinals at the US Open in 2020, De Minaur had been stuck in the fourth round at majors, losing five times in that stage. However, in Paris on Monday, he found his "something extra" in the form of a young French teenager who cheered him on loudly during his previous win.De Minaur's new secret weapon worked wonders as he recorded just his third win over former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev in nine tries, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4. The Aussie's speed, dogged defense, and underrated creativity proved too much for Medvedev, who was also hampered by a blister on his foot."He's managed a miracle," said a smiling De Minaur of his fan. "Might have to get him on tour week in, week out."Despite his previous struggles on clay, De Minaur has found a new love for the surface at Roland Garros. After winning the first set, Medvedev was treated for a blister on his foot, and the match turned. De Minaur broke for the first time at 3-2, and was in control for the next two sets."I always thought that for me to play well on the clay I needed hot, lively conditions," said De Minaur. "But, you know, this whole tournament has proven otherwise, right?"Whatever the circumstances, De Minaur has proclaimed himself a dirt ball convert. When the match was over, he yelled something into the stands in Lenglen. Afterward, he was asked what he had said."I screamed 'I love the clay! I love it here! I can't get enough!"

Alex de Minaur's remarkable run at the 2023 Roland Garros reached new heights on Saturday as he became the first Australian man in 17 years to reach the fourth round of the clay-court major. However, it was not just his on-court performance that made headlines, but also the unwavering support of a young superfan who inspired him throughout the rain-soaked match.Throughout the four-set victory over Jan-Lennard Struff, the young boy, clad in rain gear and a backwards gray cap, was a constant presence on television cameras, cheering, clapping, and pumping his fists with every point de Minaur won. Despite multiple rain interruptions that dragged the match to over eight hours, the boy's courtside passion never wavered.De Minaur, who was visibly lifted by the support, acknowledged the boy's impact after the match. "I'm looking at him and thinking of if I was a fan, I would probably be back home, because it was bloody cold out there," he said. "I don't understand what this kid is doing, but, oh, he gave me life."After securing the victory, de Minaur made a beeline for the courtside seats to give his superfan a big hug, a high-five, and handed him a towel from his bag. "I was, like, Mate ... It was a relief more than anything. It was amazing. I appreciate this kid," de Minaur said.The heartwarming moment went viral on social media, with the video of the embrace being viewed over 1 million times on Roland Garros' official Twitter account. De Minaur later launched a public plea on social media to find the young fan, saying he "need[ed]" him in the stands for the next round.By Sunday morning, social media had done its job. De Minaur posted an update to his Instagram story that he had located the youngster. Whether the good luck charm will be in the crowd when de Minaur takes on Daniil Medvedev on Monday for a first-ever Roland Garros quarterfinal remains to be seen.

Rafael Nadal's farewell tour at his home tournament in Madrid took a positive turn as he avenged his recent defeat to Alex de Minaur with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 victory. Despite admitting to ongoing physical issues, Nadal displayed resilience and determination to advance to the third round, where he will face Argentina's Pedro Cachin.Nadal's performance was met with thunderous applause from a capacity crowd that included royalty and sports icons. However, the 22-time Grand Slam champion remained cautious, acknowledging that he still needs time to regain his peak form. "No, not yet. It needs time," Nadal said. "To play over two hours means a lot to me and the atmosphere here is just a joke."Nadal's participation in the upcoming French Open remains uncertain, as he will assess his recovery after the Rome tournament. "It's not a thing about losing or winning. It's about going on court there with the feeling that I can fight and I can be competitive," Nadal explained. "So if I am not able to go on court and dream, for me it doesn't make sense to go."Meanwhile, Stefanos Tsitsipas suffered a shock second-round exit at the hands of world number 118 Thiago Monteiro. The Greek star, who had only one defeat on clay this season, struggled with his rhythm and balance, losing 6-4, 6-4 in just over 90 minutes.Top seed Jannik Sinner extended his unbeaten record against fellow Italians to 13-0, defeating Lorenzo Sonego 6-0, 6-3. Third seed Daniil Medvedev also advanced to the third round after a hard-fought 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Matteo Arnaldi.In the women's draw, world number one Iga Swiatek cruised past Sorana Cirstea 6-1, 6-1 to set up a fourth-round clash with Sara Sorribes Tormo. Ons Jabeur, the 2022 champion, overcame a slow start to defeat Leylah Fernandez 7-5, 2-6, 6-4. US Open champion Coco Gauff also advanced with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Dayana Yastremska.

Rafael Nadal's resurgence continued at the Mutua Madrid Open on Saturday, as he defeated Alex de Minaur 7-6 (6), 6-3 in the second round. The victory marked Nadal's first against a Top 50 opponent in 2024 and was a significant step forward for the 37-year-old.Nadal started the match strongly, breaking De Minaur's serve in the opening game. However, the Australian fought back to level the set at 3-3. Nadal then faced a setback when he was denied a challenge by chair umpire Fergus Murphy, who deemed him not decisive enough in his decision to stop the point. Nadal lost his serve two points later.Despite the setback, Nadal remained composed and broke De Minaur's serve again to level the set at 4-4. The tie-break was a tense affair, with Nadal eventually prevailing 7-6 (6).In the second set, Nadal broke De Minaur's serve early and held his own to take a 2-0 lead. De Minaur fought back to 2-2, but Nadal regained the advantage with another break of serve. Nadal then held his serve to love to take a 4-2 lead.De Minaur continued to push Nadal, but the Spaniard proved too strong. Nadal broke De Minaur's serve for the third time in the set to take a 5-2 lead. De Minaur held his serve to make it 5-3, but Nadal served out the match to secure the victory.The win was a significant boost for Nadal, who has struggled for form in recent months. It also marked his first victory over De Minaur, who had defeated him in Barcelona just two weeks earlier.

Rafael Nadal's return to competitive tennis after a three-month injury layoff ended abruptly at the Barcelona Open, as he suffered a disappointing 7-5, 6-1 defeat to Alex de Minaur in the second round.Despite showing glimpses of his former brilliance in the opening set, Nadal was unable to match the intensity and consistency of the 11th-ranked Australian. De Minaur, who had previously defeated Nadal in 2019, dominated the second set, breaking the Spaniard's serve twice to secure a comfortable victory.Nadal's defeat marks only his fifth loss at the Barcelona Open, a tournament he has won a record 12 times. The 22-time Grand Slam champion had looked promising in his first-round win over Flavio Cobolli, but his performance against De Minaur raised concerns about his fitness and form.Nadal's injury woes have plagued him throughout the season, forcing him to withdraw from the Australian Open and Monte Carlo Masters. He had hoped to use the Barcelona Open as a warm-up for the upcoming French Open, where he is a 14-time champion.However, his early exit casts doubt on his participation in the Madrid Open, which begins next week. Nadal has previously stated that 2024 will likely be his final year on tour, and his recent injury setbacks have raised questions about his ability to compete at the highest level.Meanwhile, Roberto Bautista Agut celebrated a significant milestone by earning his 400th tour-level victory with a hard-fought 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win over Andrea Vavassori. The 35-year-old Spaniard is now the 13th active player to reach this impressive milestone.Other notable results from the Barcelona Open include Casper Ruud's 6-3, 6-4 victory over Alexandre Muller, Dusan Lajovic's 6-4, 6-4 upset of Ugo Humbert, Marco Trungelliti's 7-6 (5), 6-3 win over Nicolas Jarry, and Jordan Thompson's 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 triumph over Jaume Munar.

Top seed Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the fourth round of the Miami Open with a dominant 6-2, 6-4 victory over French veteran Gael Monfils on Monday. The Spaniard's power and precision proved too much for Monfils, who was hampered by an ankle injury sustained in the fifth game.Despite the injury, Monfils displayed his trademark defensive prowess, forcing Alcaraz to showcase his deftness of touch. However, the world number two's relentless pressure eventually wore down the Parisian, who managed to break Alcaraz's serve once before the Spaniard closed out the match."He's a great athlete," Alcaraz said of Monfils. "He reads almost every ball, so I had to be patient. But I tried to move him around the court with my forehand, get him tired, and give myself the chance to dominate the point."In other action, fourth seed Alexander Zverev overcame a spirited challenge from American Christopher Eubanks, winning 7-6 (7/4), 6-3. Zverev broke Eubanks' serve when the American was serving for the set at 5-3 and then broke early in the second set to take control."He came out swinging and didn't give me chances to be aggressive," said Zverev. "I tried to mix it up from the baseline, but he was playing well and not giving me many unforced errors."Australian Alex De Minaur also advanced with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 victory against 24th seed Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany. De Minaur will face Fabian Marozsan in the next round after the Hungarian continued his impressive tournament with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Alexei Popyrin.

The BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells is set to witness a thrilling clash between rising American star Ben Shelton and Italian sensation Jannik Sinner. Shelton, who stunned Sinner in the fourth round of the Shanghai Masters last year, will be looking to repeat his victory and end Sinner's impressive 17-match winning streak.Despite Shelton's previous triumph, Sinner remains the heavy favorite. The Italian has been in imperious form this season, winning titles in Montpellier and Rotterdam. His all-court game and relentless intensity make him a formidable opponent.Another intriguing matchup pits Alexander Zverev against Alex de Minaur. De Minaur has enjoyed a breakout season, breaking into the Top 10 and winning a title with his girlfriend, Katie Boulter. However, Zverev has a 6-2 head-to-head record against the Australian and will be eager to prove that he is still a force to be reckoned with after his return from injury.In the women's draw, two fan favorites, Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki, will face off for the 16th time. Both players are former world No. 1s and have returned to the tour after becoming mothers. While they are no longer ranked among the top players, their competitive spirit and crowd-pleasing style promise an entertaining match.