Tennis

Coco Gauff's Olympic campaign in Paris took a disappointing turn on Wednesday as she suffered a second-round exit in women's doubles, a day after her tearful departure from singles.Gauff and her American teammate, Jessica Pegula, were the top-seeded women's pair but were eliminated by the Czech duo of Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova in a thrilling match tiebreaker, 2-6, 6-4, 10-5.The setback came on the heels of Gauff's heartbreaking loss to Donna Vekic of Croatia in the third round of singles, where she was seeded second. The American had a heated exchange with the chair umpire near the end of that match over an officiating decision.Despite the setbacks, Gauff still has a chance to salvage her Olympic experience in mixed doubles, where she is scheduled to partner with Taylor Fritz later Wednesday.Gauff arrived in France as one of the most highly anticipated athletes in the Games. The 20-year-old from Florida won her first Grand Slam singles title at the US Open last September and collected her first major doubles title at the French Open in June.Muchova, who was the runner-up to Iga Swiatek at the French Open last year, returned to action in June after missing 10 months due to surgery on her right wrist.Noskova, 18, has emerged as a rising star in the sport. She made history at the Australian Open in January when she became the first teenager to defeat a No. 1-ranked woman at Melbourne Park since 1999.The match between Gauff and Pegula and Muchova and Noskova was delayed by rain before the Czechs took the second set. They then dominated the match tiebreaker, with Noskova sealing the victory with a volley winner.

Irina-Camelia Begu Poised to Upset Linda Noskova at Roland GarrosThe rain-soaked Roland Garros tournament has finally resumed, and Day 5 promises an exciting clash between Irina-Camelia Begu and world No. 29 Linda Noskova. Despite Noskova's higher ranking, Begu's clay-court prowess and recent form make her a formidable opponent.Begu's season started late due to an injury, but she has since played a heavy clay-court schedule, reaching the fourth round in Rome. Her ability to construct points and her impressive hold and break percentages on clay give her an edge over Noskova, who has limited experience on the surface.Noskova, on the other hand, has had success on hard courts but has struggled on clay, winning only four of her 10 matches at the WTA level. Her shaky performance against Harriet Dart in the first round raises concerns about her ability to handle the challenges of clay.Furthermore, Begu has a history of performing well at Roland Garros, reaching the fourth round in 2021. Her experience and familiarity with the conditions could prove crucial against Noskova.While Noskova defeated Begu in Indian Wells last year, the clay-court surface presents a different dynamic. Begu's ranking of 127 does not reflect her true potential on clay, and she is likely to pose a significant threat to Noskova.

Iga Swiatek, the world's top-ranked women's tennis player, has continued her impressive form at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. After defeating Danielle Collins in the opening round, Swiatek avenged her Australian Open loss to Linda Noskova in the round of 32, winning 6-4, 6-0.Noskova, a 19-year-old Czech, had stunned Swiatek in Melbourne, rallying from a set down to reach the quarterfinals. However, Swiatek was determined to avoid a repeat performance and played aggressively from the start.Despite Noskova's powerful groundstrokes, Swiatek saved three break points in the opening set and won 16 of the final 19 points to take the set. The second set was even more one-sided, as Swiatek absorbed Noskova's pace and won nine straight games to complete the bagel.Swiatek's victory sets up a potential clash with another big hitter, Madison Keys, in the round of 16. Keys, the No. 18 seed, will face Yulia Putintseva later on Sunday. Swiatek leads their head-to-head record 2-1, but Keys won their most recent match at the Cincinnati Open in 2022.Swiatek's performance in Indian Wells is a testament to her dominance on the WTA Tour. The 22-year-old Pole has won three Grand Slams in the past two years and is currently on a 10-match winning streak. She is the clear favorite to win the BNP Paribas Open and extend her reign at the top of the women's game.