Tennis

Sahaja Yamalapalli's bid for a title at the $60,000 ITF women's tennis tournament in Evansville, USA, ended in heartbreak as she narrowly missed out on victory in the quarterfinals. The Indian player fought valiantly but ultimately fell short against Iryna Shymanovich of Belarus, losing 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(6) in a grueling three-hour and eight-minute contest.Yamalapalli started the match strongly, taking the first set 7-5. However, Shymanovich responded with a dominant second set, winning 6-2. The third set was a rollercoaster of emotions, with both players trading breaks and holding serve. Yamalapalli had three match points at 6-3 in the tie-breaker, but Shymanovich showed remarkable resilience to win the next five points and secure the victory.Despite the disappointing result, Yamalapalli can take solace in her strong performance in the doubles event. She and her Japanese partner, Hiroko Kuwata, reached the final, where they will face the American duo of Sophie Chang and Catherine Harrison.In other news from the tournament, Prarthana Thombare of India also advanced to the doubles final in Portugal, partnering with Arianne Hartono of the Netherlands.

Nitten Kirrtane, a seasoned Indian tennis player, continued to shine at the ITF Masters World Championship in Mexico City, adding a mixed doubles silver medal and a men's doubles bronze medal to his collection.After helping the over-50 Indian team secure their first-ever silver medal in the World Championship, Kirrtane faced off against the formidable Bart Beks of the Netherlands in the singles, doubles, and mixed doubles events.In the singles quarterfinals, Kirrtane fought valiantly but ultimately fell to Beks in a close match, losing 5-7, 6-7(5). He then teamed up with Isabelle Gemmel of Australia in the mixed doubles, reaching the final before being defeated by Beks and Barbara Mulej.In the men's doubles, Kirrtane and Jagdish Tanwar made it to the semifinals, where they narrowly lost to Beks and Sebastian Jackson in a super tie-break, 10-6.Despite the physical toll of the team competition, Kirrtane remained determined in the individual events. "I played hard despite being exhausted," he said. "I ran into Bart in all three events, and he is a tough competitor. We played very close matches."Kirrtane expressed gratitude to his teammates, family, and sponsors for their support. He also urged the All India Tennis Association (AITA) and the Sports Ministry to recognize the team's historic achievement."We will be motivated to come back stronger next year if AITA and the Sports Ministry recognize our run for the nation," he said.

Rutuja Bhosale and Paige Hourigan, a formidable doubles duo, showcased their exceptional skills at the $60,000 ITF women's tennis tournament in Fukuoka, Japan. The pair secured a convincing 6-4, 6-3 victory over Mananchaya Sawangkaew and Eri Shimizu in the doubles pre-quarterfinals.Bhosale and Hourigan displayed remarkable teamwork and court coverage throughout the match. Their aggressive baseline play and precise volleys kept their opponents on the back foot. The Indian-New Zealand duo broke their opponents' serve twice in the first set and once in the second set, demonstrating their dominance.In other matches, Karan Singh of India continued his impressive run at the $15,000 ITF men's tournament in Monastir, Tunisia. He defeated Samir Reguig of Algeria in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5, in the first round.Meanwhile, in the $25,000 ITF women's tournament in Platja D'Aro, Spain, the Spanish duo of Celia Sanchez and Charo Banuls advanced to the doubles pre-quarterfinals with a 7-6(5), 6-1 victory over Sharmada Balu and Sowjanya Bavisetti.In the $15,000 ITF women's tournament in Kursumlijska Banja, Serbia, the Serbian pair of Mila Masic and Nikol Palecek secured a 6-2, 6-1 win over Prathyusha Rachapudi and Lucia Tognoni in the doubles pre-quarterfinals.These results highlight the growing talent and competitiveness in the international tennis circuit. Players from various countries are making their mark, showcasing their skills and determination on the court.

Nitten Kirrtane's stellar performance in both singles and doubles matches propelled India to a thrilling 2-1 victory over Britain in the semifinals of the Fred Perry Cup over-50 event at the ITF Tennis Masters World Championship in Mexico.India's journey to the semifinals was marked by an unblemished record in the league phase. They emerged victorious against Canada, France, and Turkey, topping their group and securing a spot in the knockout stage. The key to India's success was Nitten's dominance in doubles, partnering with Ajit Sail.In the crucial semifinal clash against Britain, India faced a stern challenge. Jagdish Tanwar gave India a strong start by defeating Paulo Freitas in a hard-fought three-set match. However, Nitten suffered a setback in the second singles, losing to Sebastian Jackson.Undeterred, Nitten and Ajit Sail combined their skills to secure a decisive victory in the doubles. They outplayed Nick Adams and Jeffrey Hunter in a closely contested match, winning 7-6(5), 6-4.India's triumph sets up a tantalizing final against Italy, who overcame the Netherlands in the other semifinal. The Indian team will be aiming to cap off their impressive tournament with a gold medal.

Mikael Ymer, the Swedish tennis star who dramatically announced his retirement in August 2023, has made a surprising U-turn. Ten months after bidding farewell to the sport, Ymer has revealed his decision to return to professional tennis upon completing his anti-doping suspension.Ymer's retirement announcement came as a shock to the tennis community, as the 25-year-old had reached a career-high ranking of world No. 50 in 2022. However, his promising career was derailed by an 18-month ban imposed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in July 2023.The ban stemmed from three missed out-of-competition doping tests in a 12-month period in 2021. Ymer initially accepted the first two missed tests but contested the third, claiming it was a result of a miscommunication with his agent.Despite being cleared by an independent tribunal in June 2023, the ITF appealed the decision, leading to CAS upholding the original two-year ban and imposing an 18-month suspension. Ymer vehemently denied using any banned substances and expressed his disappointment with the verdict.Following his suspension, Ymer received support from fellow players, including his brother Elias Ymer, Casper Ruud, Corentin Moutet, and Alize Cornet. However, he also faced criticism for his erratic behavior, including a default from a match in Lyon in May 2023 and a series of controversial tweets accusing tennis authorities of conspiring against him.Despite the setbacks, Ymer's return to social media and tennis has been met with enthusiasm from fans and fellow players. He will be eligible to return to competition in January 2025, and his comeback is eagerly anticipated by the tennis world.

Second seed Ramkumar Ramanathan faced a stern test from qualifier Chirag Duhan in the quarterfinals of the HPCL-Mittal $15,000 ITF men's tennis tournament in Chandigarh. After dropping the first set 4-6, Ramanathan rallied to win the next two sets 6-2, 6-4, securing a hard-fought victory.In the first set, Duhan displayed impressive form, taking an early lead and maintaining it throughout. However, Ramanathan's experience and composure came to the fore in the second set. He broke Duhan's serve twice and dominated the set, leveling the match.The third set proved to be the most intense, with both players trading blows. Duhan surged ahead 3-1, but Ramanathan refused to be deterred. He fought back with determination, winning five consecutive games to seal the victory.In the semifinals, Ramanathan will face Nam Hoang Ly of Vietnam, who defeated Thanapet Chanta of Thailand in straight sets. Top seed Khumoyun Sultanov also advanced to the semifinals after a 7-6(4), 6-4 win over Siddharth Vishwakarma. S. Mukund completed the semifinal lineup with a comfortable 6-2, 6-3 victory over Bang Shuo Yin.In doubles, Siddhant Banthia and Karan Singh upset second seeds Manish Sureshkumar and Vishnu Vardhan in straight sets. They will now face the Korean duo of Yunseok Jang and Woobin Shin in the title clash.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) and its partner Tennium have announced the postponement of the 2024 Hopman Cup to 2025. This decision was made due to the scheduling conflict with the Olympic Summer Games in Paris, which will also take place in France this year.ITF President David Haggerty explained the rationale behind the postponement: "With both the Hopman Cup and Olympic Games due to take place in France this year, hitting pause on the Hopman Cup until 2025 is a sensible decision. The players who had committed to this year's event have been informed, and we look forward to seeing them in the Cote d'Azur next year."The Hopman Cup, which was first launched in Perth in 1989, has long been considered the premier mixed-gender event in tennis. After a three-year absence, it returned to the calendar in 2023, moving from its traditional spot as a season opener to the summer. The event was held at the Nice Lawn Tennis Club in France.The 2023 Hopman Cup featured a week of thrilling tennis, headlined by Top 10 players such as Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune. The final saw Croatia, led by Borna Coric and Donna Vekic, claim their second Hopman Cup title with a victory over Team Switzerland's Céline Naef and Leandro Riedi.Kristoff Puelinckx, Tennium Founder & CEO, expressed his anticipation for the 2025 Hopman Cup: "We are already looking forward to the 2025 Hopman Cup, and I'm excited to see more of the same thrilling tennis and fantastic crowds we enjoyed in 2023."