Tennis

Alex de Minaur Withdraws from Wimbledon Quarterfinal Against Novak Djokovic Due to Hip InjuryAustralian tennis star Alex de Minaur has been forced to withdraw from his highly anticipated Wimbledon quarterfinal match against Novak Djokovic due to a hip injury. The news comes as a major disappointment for de Minaur, who had been in impressive form throughout the tournament.De Minaur's injury occurred during his hard-fought fourth-round victory over Arthur Fils on Monday. The Aussie appeared to hurt himself in the closing points of the match, but he initially expressed confidence that he would be fit to face Djokovic. However, subsequent medical testing revealed a tear in the cartilage that connects to his abductor, an injury that de Minaur described as "a freak injury.""Obviously not an announcement I wanted to make by any means," de Minaur told reporters in a press conference at the All England Club. "I had high risk of making it worse if I was to step on court.""It's been two days of worrying and waiting to see," he added. "In the grand scheme of things it could've been worse, I'm trying to hold on to that. It's a freak injury."De Minaur's withdrawal means that Djokovic will advance to his 13th career semifinal at Wimbledon, tying Roger Federer for the most of any man at the event in the Open Era. The seven-time champion will face either Taylor Fritz or Lorenzo Musetti in the semifinals.The injury is a major setback for de Minaur, who has been enjoying a breakout season in 2023. He reached the semifinals of the Australian Open earlier this year and has climbed to a career-high ranking of No. 20 in the world.Despite the disappointment, de Minaur remains optimistic about his future prospects. "I'm going to take some time off, get this right, and come back stronger," he said. "I'm still young and I have a lot of tennis left in me."

Jannik Sinner's Wimbledon debut as world No. 1 was marked by both physical concerns and a resilient performance against Yannick Hanfmann. Despite an early hip scare, Sinner overcame a spirited challenge from the German to secure a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory.Sinner's hip injury, which had sidelined him from Madrid and Rome, raised questions about his fitness. However, the Italian downplayed any concerns, stating that he felt "good physically." The slippery grass in the early stages of the match did cause him some discomfort, but the closing of the roof improved the court conditions.Hanfmann, ranked 86th, played with determination and hit 12 aces and 44 winners. He took the second set, but Sinner responded with a strong third set. The match turned in Sinner's favor in the fourth set when he broke Hanfmann's serve with a decisive one-two punch."You're watching a No. 1 guy stepping up when he needs to," said John McEnroe.Sinner acknowledged Hanfmann's performance, saying, "He was playing great. I tried to raise my level [at the] end of the match, which I'm very happy [I did]."The Italian remained unfazed by the pressure of being world No. 1, describing it as a "huge privilege and honor." He expressed excitement about facing compatriot Matteo Berrettini in the next round, despite the crowd's mock-fearful reaction.Sinner's victory sets up a highly anticipated clash with Berrettini, the 2021 Wimbledon finalist. The Italian duo will face off in a battle of wills and skill, with Sinner aiming to continue his impressive run as world No. 1.

Jannik Sinner Withdraws from Italian Open Due to Hip Injury, Joining Carlos Alcaraz on SidelinesROME, Italy - The Italian Open has suffered a major blow with the withdrawal of second-ranked Jannik Sinner due to a hip injury. The news comes just a day after third-ranked Carlos Alcaraz also pulled out of the tournament with a right forearm injury.Sinner's absence is a significant loss for the tournament, as he is one of Italy's most promising tennis players and a fan favorite. The 22-year-old made history in January by becoming the first Italian man to win a Grand Slam singles title in nearly half a century at the Australian Open.In a statement on social media, Sinner expressed his disappointment at having to withdraw from the Italian Open. "It's not easy to write this message," he wrote. "After talking with doctors and specialists again about my hip problems, I have to announce that unfortunately I can't play in Rome."Sinner also withdrew from his quarterfinal match against Felix Auger-Aliassime in Madrid this week due to the same hip injury. Auger-Aliassime went on to reach the final, where he will face No. 7 seed Andrey Rublev on Sunday.The Italian Open is one of the most prestigious clay-court tournaments on the ATP Tour and is considered a warm-up event for the French Open. Sinner's withdrawal leaves a void in the field, but it also opens up opportunities for other players to make a mark.