Tennis

Alex de Minaur, the Australian tennis star, is determined to secure a spot in the Nitto ATP Finals despite a recent injury setback. Currently ranked No. 9 in the race to Turin, de Minaur is eager to make a strong finish to the season.Vienna's Erste Bank Open marks de Minaur's third singles appearance since suffering a right hip injury at Wimbledon. Despite not being at 100% health, he is determined to make the most of his remaining chances."It hasn't been easy," de Minaur said. "But now we're here at the end of the year, I'm not feeling 100 percent healthy, but there's not too many chances to play matches."De Minaur's return to action in Antwerp last week ended in a quarterfinal defeat to Hugo Gaston. However, he bounced back in Vienna with a hard-fought victory over Jan-Lennard Struff.The Australian is known for his aggressive style of play, which he believes is crucial for success on indoor hard courts."The best players in indoor events are normally the bigger hitters," de Minaur said. "Me being a little bit on the smaller side, I've got to navigate those things and find ways to try and hurt my opponents in different ways."De Minaur's next challenge comes in the form of Flavio Cobolli, who he defeated in the third round of the Australian Open earlier this year. However, Cobolli has since made significant progress and will be a formidable opponent.With a spot in the Top 8 of the race to Turin on the line, de Minaur is determined to give it his all in Vienna.

Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury: A Tennis Partnership EndsAfter six successful years, the dynamic doubles team of Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury has officially parted ways. The American-British duo announced their split on Wednesday, bringing an end to one of the most formidable partnerships on the ATP Tour.Ram, a veteran American player, shared an emotional post on social media, reflecting on their journey together. "Six years is a long time in the life of a professional tennis player," he wrote. "Joe and I had some amazing wins, some epic matches and moments, and some gut-wrenching losses."During their six-year partnership, Ram and Salisbury achieved remarkable success, capturing four Grand Slam titles. They won the Australian Open in 2020, followed by three consecutive US Open titles from 2021 to 2023. The pair also triumphed at the Nitto ATP Finals in 2022 and 2023, and ascended to the world No. 1 ranking in doubles in 2022.However, the reasons behind their split remain undisclosed. The duo parted ways after the US Open, where they failed to advance past the quarterfinals. Salisbury later revealed that he had faced "horrific abuse" on social media following their defeat, prompting him to take a break.Ram will return to action this week at the China Open, partnering with fellow American Austin Krajicek. The pair won a silver medal at the Paris Olympics and helped the USA reach the Davis Cup Final 8.The split of Ram and Salisbury marks the end of an era in doubles tennis. Their success and camaraderie on the court will be fondly remembered by fans and fellow players alike.