Tennis

Barbora Krejcikova, the former Roland Garros champion, has made a remarkable resurgence at Wimbledon, reaching the quarterfinals for the first time. Despite entering the tournament with only seven singles wins for the season, the Czech has displayed her resilience and determination on the grass courts.Krejcikova's journey to the quarterfinals has been marked by her unwavering spirit and the memory of her late mentor, Jana Novotna. In a recent Q&A with fans, Krejcikova revealed that Novotna had once advised her to start flying in business class as soon as she could afford it. This humorous advice reflects the importance of self-care and the pursuit of comfort in the demanding world of professional tennis.Beyond her on-court achievements, Krejcikova's Q&A session provided a glimpse into her off-court interests and personality. She expressed her love for public transportation, particularly trains, and her desire to visit Alaska to see bears. Her favorite foods include steak, sushi, and lemon sorbet, while she has a peculiar fondness for pineapple on pizza.Krejcikova's passion for tennis extends beyond her own matches. She is an avid fan of the sport and enjoys watching matches courtside whenever possible. Her favorite live match was a childhood memory of a doubles match between Lucie Safarova and Nicole Vaidisova against Dominika Cibulkova and Daniela Hantuchova in 2008, where she served as a ball kid.If she could change two rules of tennis, Krejcikova would increase the time allowed for serve to more than 25 seconds and eliminate grunting, especially when it becomes inconsistent and disruptive during key points.As she prepares for her quarterfinal match against Jelena Ostapenko, Krejcikova is seeking her first Grand Slam semifinal since her Parisian triumph three years ago. Despite having lost five of their seven career meetings, including the last three, Krejcikova remains confident in her abilities and the lessons she has learned from her late mentor.

Wimbledon 2023 has witnessed an unprecedented number of thrilling five-set matches, breaking the record for a single major event. With Daniil Medvedev's victory over Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals, the tournament has now seen 36 such contests.Medvedev's triumph marked his seventh victory over a world No. 1, snapping a five-match losing streak to Sinner. The Russian's resilience was evident as he overcame a two-set deficit to prevail 6-7 (7), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-3.The tournament has been a showcase of intense battles and remarkable comebacks. On Day 1, Ugo Humbert and Alexander Bublik both rallied from two sets down to secure victories. Frances Tiafoe also staged a comeback against Matteo Arnaldi, while Arthur Cazaux and Aleksandar Vukic prevailed in marathon five-setters.Day 2 saw Ben Shelton and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard overcome seeded opponents, while Jack Draper and Thiago Seyboth Wild also emerged victorious in five-set thrillers. Tommy Paul, Thanasi Kokkinakis, and Roman Safiullin continued the trend on Day 3, with Miomir Kecmanovic, Tomas Machac, Emil Ruusuvuori, and Arthur Rinderknech also triumphing in extended matches.Day 4 brought more drama, with Grigor Dimitrov, Ben Shelton, Quentin Halys, Alejandro Tabilo, Lorenzo Musetti, Alexei Popyrin, and Francisco Comesana all winning in five sets. Denis Shapovalov also overcame Daniel Altmaier in a thrilling encounter.On Day 5, Carlos Alcaraz showcased his fighting spirit by defeating Frances Tiafoe in a five-set battle. Day 6 saw Ben Shelton continue his impressive run with a victory over Denis Shapovalov, while Holger Rune and Arthur Fils also prevailed in extended matches.Day 8 witnessed Taylor Fritz's stunning upset of Alexander Zverev, while Day 9 brought the record-breaking 36th five-set match, with Daniil Medvedev emerging victorious over Jannik Sinner.

Emma Navarro, the 19th-seeded American, has stunned world No. 2 Coco Gauff in straight sets (6-4, 6-3) at Wimbledon, securing her first Grand Slam quarterfinal berth.Navarro, who is enjoying a breakthrough season, has already defeated former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka en route to her second consecutive Grand Slam second week. Against Gauff, she rallied from an early break down to triumph in one hour and 14 minutes on Centre Court.Gauff, the reigning US Open champion, had cruised through her draw in the first week, dropping only 10 games in three matches. However, Navarro proved too resilient, breaking Gauff twice to clinch the opening set.In the second set, Gauff's frustration grew as her forehand faltered, handing Navarro the opportunity to serve out the match. Despite saving two match points, Gauff succumbed to a final forehand error, resulting in a warm embrace with her childhood friend at the net.Navarro's victory was a testament to her steady play, as she committed only 16 unforced errors compared to Gauff's 25. The American is projected to make her Top 15 debut after Wimbledon and will next face No. 7 seed Jasmine Paolini, who advanced after Madison Keys retired due to a leg injury.

Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning Roland Garros champion, continued his impressive Wimbledon title defense with a hard-fought 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 victory over Ugo Humbert in the fourth round.Alcaraz, the No. 3 seed, started strongly, breaking Humbert twice in the opening set and once in the second to take a commanding 2-0 lead. However, Humbert, a part-time pianist, staged a remarkable comeback in the third set, blitzing Alcaraz with three breaks and just two unforced errors.Undeterred, Alcaraz regained control in the fourth set, breaking Humbert early and taking a 3-1 lead. But Humbert fought back, winning three straight games and threatening to force a fifth set.Alcaraz dug deep, holding on despite facing a 0-40 deficit and eventually breaking Humbert's serve to take a 5-4 lead. The Spaniard then served out the match, hitting a deft drop shot to set up match point and sealing the victory with a powerful serve.Alcaraz's victory sets up a potential quarterfinal clash with No. 12 seed Tommy Paul, who is enjoying a career-best stretch after winning the cinch Championships at Queen's Club. Paul and Alcaraz have split their head-to-head at two wins apiece, but the American must first get past former world No. 9 Roberto Bautista Agut.

Novak Djokovic, the second seed at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, has once again overcome a shaky start to reach the round of 16. On Saturday, he faced Alexei Popyrin in the third round, losing the opening set before rallying to claim victory.This win marked Djokovic's 50th Grand Slam match victory after turning 35, making him only the third player in the Open Era to achieve this feat after Ken Rosewall (64) and Roger Federer (62).The match was interrupted by a sudden eruption of cheers and applause from the Centre Court crowd, who had learned that England had reached the semifinals of the ongoing Euro 2024. Djokovic was initially startled, while Popyrin pulled out of his service routine.Both players saw the humor in the situation, with Djokovic mimicking taking a penalty and Popyrin acting as goalkeeper. The crowd's enthusiasm for England's success momentarily overshadowed the tennis match.After the match, Djokovic inquired about the score of the England game and joked about his mock penalty attempt. "I assumed it was a penalty shootout between England and Switzerland," he said. "I tried to shoot a penalty, I'm left-footed but Alexei defended it well."Despite the interruption, Djokovic remained focused and ultimately secured his place in the next round. His resilience and ability to overcome adversity once again proved his status as one of the greatest tennis players of all time.

Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, is eagerly anticipating his fourth-round Wimbledon clash with Holger Rune, a rising star whose aggressive style of play mirrors Djokovic's own.Both players advanced to the second week of the tournament on Saturday. Rune, the No. 15 seed, overcame a two-set deficit to defeat qualifier Quentin Halys in a thrilling five-set encounter. Djokovic, the No. 2 seed, dispatched Alexei Popyrin in four sets on Centre Court.In a post-match press conference, Djokovic praised Rune's work ethic and dedication. "He's been a very dedicated guy," said Djokovic. "Once he sees something is off, he's going to go out on the practice court and he's going to work on it."Djokovic and Rune have built a strong rapport since their first meeting at the 2021 US Open. Rune, who has practiced with Djokovic earlier in the tournament, joked about requesting Court 18 for their upcoming match, where he staged his comeback against Halys."Definitely going to request Court 18 again next match," laughed Rune. "I'm joking."Rune acknowledged Djokovic's impressive form and expressed his determination to play at his best. "He seems like he's playing very well, feeling confident," said Rune. "Definitely have to play on my best level to have a chance to win, so that's what I'm going to try to do."The Djokovic-Rune clash promises to be a captivating spectacle, with both players known for their aggressive baseline play and relentless determination. Djokovic will be aiming to extend his dominance on grass, while Rune will be eager to prove that he can compete with the very best.

Ons Jabeur's Wimbledon woes continued on Saturday as she suffered a heartbreaking 6-1, 7-6(4) defeat to Elina Svitolina in the third round. The Tunisian, who reached the final in 2021 and 2022, was left to rue missed opportunities as she crashed out of the tournament in her earliest exit since 2018.Jabeur started brightly, earning a break point in Svitolina's opening service game. However, the Ukrainian held firm and broke Jabeur in the next game to take an early lead. Svitolina continued to dominate, winning the first set in just 25 minutes.The second set was a more competitive affair, with Jabeur fighting back from 2-0 down to level at 2-2. The Tunisian had a chance to take the set at 6-5 up on Svitolina's serve, but her forehand down the line fell just wide. Svitolina seized the opportunity and broke Jabeur to force a tiebreak.In the tiebreak, Svitolina raced into a 4-0 lead and never looked back. Jabeur saved two match points, but a backhand error on the third gave Svitolina the victory.The defeat was a bitter blow for Jabeur, who had been hoping to make history by becoming the first Arab woman to win a Grand Slam title. However, she will have to wait at least another year to fulfill her dream.Svitolina, meanwhile, will face China's Wang Xinyu in the fourth round. The Ukrainian is in good form and will be confident of making a deep run in the tournament.

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek's Wimbledon 2024 campaign came to an abrupt end in the third round, as she was stunned by Yulia Putintseva in a thrilling encounter. The 29-year-old Russian-born Kazakhstani displayed remarkable resilience and determination to overcome the top seed 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.Swiatek, who has been in dominant form this season, winning the French Open and two WTA 1000 titles, started the match as the clear favorite. She broke Putintseva's serve twice in the opening set to take an early lead. However, the Kazakhstani refused to be intimidated and fought back with unwavering resolve.In the second set, Putintseva raised her game to a new level. She played with precision and power, forcing Swiatek into uncharacteristic errors. The Polish ace struggled to find her rhythm and was unable to match Putintseva's intensity. The Kazakhstani cruised through the set, winning it 6-1.The third set was a tense affair, with both players trading blows. Swiatek managed to break Putintseva's serve early on, but the Kazakhstani responded with a break of her own. The momentum shifted back and forth, but it was Putintseva who ultimately prevailed. She broke Swiatek's serve again in the eighth game and served out the match to secure a memorable victory.Putintseva's triumph marks a significant upset in the women's singles draw at Wimbledon. She has never reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam before and will now face a tough test against former champion Petra Kvitova. Swiatek, on the other hand, will be disappointed to have her Wimbledon run cut short, but she will have plenty of opportunities to bounce back and reclaim her dominance.

Andy Murray's Wimbledon farewell has been cut short after Emma Raducanu withdrew from their mixed doubles match due to a wrist injury. The pair were scheduled to play on Saturday evening, but Raducanu's withdrawal means Murray's Grand Slam career has come to an end.Murray, 37, was honored with a special tribute on Centre Court on Thursday night after losing his men's doubles opener with brother Jamie Murray. The tribute marked the end of an era for British tennis, as Murray is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.Raducanu's withdrawal is a major blow to Murray's hopes of ending his career on a high. The 21-year-old is one of the most promising young players in the world, and her partnership with Murray would have been a formidable one.However, Raducanu's wrist injury has forced her to withdraw from the tournament. In a statement, she said: "Unfortunately I woke up with some stiffness in my right wrist, so therefore I have decided to make the very tough decision to withdraw from the mixed doubles tonight. I'm disappointed as I was really looking forward to playing with Andy but got to take care."Murray's mother, Judy, expressed her disappointment at Raducanu's withdrawal on social media. She wrote: "Astonishing. Emma Raducanu withdraws from mixed doubles with Andy Murray at Wimbledon due to a 'stiff wrist'. She played 3 tough sets yesterday and looked fine. Makes no sense."Murray is expected to retire from tennis after the Paris Olympics later this month. He has entered singles and men's doubles with Dan Evans.