Tennis

Taylor Townsend's remarkable run to the quarterfinals of the National Bank Open in Toronto as a lucky loser has been overshadowed by her candid revelation of the arduous travel challenges faced by tennis players.After losing to fellow American Navarro on Saturday, Townsend faced a daunting task: reaching Mason, Ohio's Lindner Family Tennis Center in less than 24 hours for her first-round qualifying match at 5 p.m. on Sunday. The quick turnaround and exorbitant flight costs left her exasperated."I am so overwhelmed. This is the sh-- that people don't see," Townsend posted on Instagram.With flights costing $1,400 per person, Townsend and her team opted to rent a car and drive the nearly 500 miles between Toronto and Cincinnati. They embarked on their overnight journey at 9 p.m. Saturday, arriving at 5 a.m. after Townsend slept in the car.Despite the grueling travel, Townsend's determination remained unwavering. Seeded No. 12 in qualifying, she secured a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Chloe Paquet and will face Katie Volynets on Monday for a spot in the main draw."Powered through the day and got the W," Townsend posted after the match.Townsend's resilience and honesty have resonated with fans and tennis experts alike. On Tennis Channel Live, Paul Annacone praised her effort, saying, "That's a heck of an effort. Welcome to the world of tennis ... that's how we live."Townsend's experience highlights the often-overlooked challenges faced by tennis players, particularly those outside the top ranks. The high costs of travel and the relentless schedule can take a toll on their physical and mental well-being.

American Women Dominate Wimbledon Qualifying, Securing Four Main Draw BerthsFive American women embarked on their Wimbledon qualifying journey at Roehampton, and four emerged victorious, securing their places in the prestigious Grand Slam's main draw.Katie Volynets, the top seed, showcased her dominance with a resounding 6-0, 6-1 triumph over Talia Gibson. The Californian converted five of seven break points and has now qualified for four consecutive Grand Slam events.Robin Montgomery, after surviving a tense match tiebreaker the previous day, overcame Valentina Ryser 7-6 (3), 6-2. The 19-year-old lefty regained control after a shaky start, where she squandered a 5-0 lead in the first set.Alycia Parks dashed the hopes of British teenager Hannah Klugman with a 6-3, 6-3 victory. Parks' strong return game proved decisive, as she captured 16 of 24 second-serve return points.McCartney Kessler, the No. 20 seed, rallied past third-seeded Renata Zarazua 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. Kessler will make her Wimbledon main draw debut, joining Montgomery.However, the American men's hopes were dashed as Maxime Cressy fell to Felipe Meligeni Alves in a marathon five-set battle. Former Top 10 players Richard Gasquet and David Goffin also failed to advance.

Nine American Women Advance in Wimbledon QualifyingNine American women have successfully navigated the first round of qualifying for the Wimbledon main draw, taking a crucial step towards securing their place in the prestigious tournament.Leading the charge is top seed Katie Volynets, who overcame a spirited challenge from Francisca Jorge of Portugal in a three-set battle. Volynets, currently ranked 71st in the world, is aiming to qualify for her fourth consecutive major after earning direct entry into the French Open and Wimbledon this year.Another notable victory came from Amanda Anisimova, a former quarterfinalist at Wimbledon. Anisimova dispatched Valentini Grammatikopoulou in straight sets and will now face compatriot Hailey Baptiste in the second round.McCartney Kessler also impressed in her opener, edging out Rebecca Marino in a thrilling three-set encounter. Marino had recently triumphed at the Ilkley Trophy, an ITF 100 event.Other American winners include Alycia Parks, Robin Montgomery, Kayla Day, Varvara Lepchenko, and Sachia Vickery.Among the international players, Olga Danilovic, who upset Danielle Collins at the French Open, defeated Lucrezia Stefanini in straight sets. Second seed Bai Zhuoxuan and third seed Renata Zarazua also advanced with comfortable victories.However, sixth seed Maria Timofeeva suffered an early exit, falling to Olivia Gadecki in straight sets. Gadecki, a qualifier at the Australian Open, had previously knocked out Caroline Wozniacki and Beatriz Haddad Maia.The American contingent will now look to continue their strong form in the second round of qualifying, with the hope of securing one of the coveted spots in the Wimbledon main draw.

Diego Schwartzman, the 2020 Roland Garros semifinalist, has joined Dominic Thiem in advancing to the next stage of qualifying at the French Open. Schwartzman, seeded 29th in the men's field, defeated Lukas Neumayer of Austria 6-2, 6-3 on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.Schwartzman, who is set to retire in February 2025, capitalized on five of his seven break points to secure the victory in 70 minutes. "Being honest, the first two games I was so nervous," Schwartzman said after the match. "I was not feeling my body—playing good, but it was tough to make good decisions with the game.""After that I started to play much better, trying to enjoy, trying to smile and enjoy the people no matter if I do well or not."Schwartzman will next face Quentin Halys, who defeated Alexis Galarneau 7-5, 6-3. Their section of the draw opened up on Monday when Ugo Blanchet stunned top seed Cristian Garin in three sets.In other qualifying action, eighth seed Zizou Bergs rolled over wild card Clement Chidekh 6-1, 6-1, while American J.J. Wolf, the No. 2 seed, held off Ryan Peniston 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-2.In the women's qualifying draw, top seed Sara Errani launched her campaign by defeating Ann Li 6-3, 6-4. Errani, who has 23 main-draw wins at Roland Garros, will next face Alice Tubello.Former semifinalist Tamara Zidansek, seeded 25th, dismissed Polona Hercog 6-2, 6-4, while eighth seed Katie Volynets also cruised 6-1, 6-2 against Lucrezia Stefanini.

Dominic Thiem, the 2020 US Open champion, has embarked on his final Roland Garros campaign with a hard-fought victory in the first round of qualifying. The 30-year-old Austrian, who announced his retirement at the end of the 2024 season, defeated Italy's Franco Agamenone 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 on Monday.Thiem, a two-time finalist at Roland Garros, was not among the wild card recipients for the men's singles draw. As a result, he must win three qualifying matches to earn a spot in the main event. This is the first time since the 2014 Australian Open that Thiem has had to enter Grand Slam qualifying.Despite dropping the first set, Thiem rallied to defeat Agamenone, a 31-year-old who has only made one Grand Slam main-draw appearance. Thiem struck 41 winners and converted five of 14 break point opportunities to secure the victory in two hours and 19 minutes.Up next for Thiem is 22-year-old Otto Virtanen of Finland, who also defeated an Australian opponent in the first round of qualifying. Virtanen, who has only played one Grand Slam main draw at the 2023 US Open, will pose a significant challenge to Thiem.Thiem's retirement announcement has cast a bittersweet shadow over his final Roland Garros campaign. The Austrian has enjoyed a successful career, winning 17 ATP titles, including the 2020 US Open. However, he has also struggled with injuries in recent years, which have hampered his progress.Despite the challenges, Thiem remains determined to make the most of his final season on the ATP Tour. He will be hoping to make a deep run at Roland Garros, where he has always performed well. A strong performance in Paris would be a fitting farewell to one of the most talented players of his generation.

Dominic Thiem and Diego Schwartzman, two beloved tennis stars, are set to embark on a poignant journey next week as they attempt to qualify for one final appearance at the prestigious Roland Garros tournament.Thiem, a two-time finalist at the French Open, and Schwartzman, a former semifinalist, are among the players vying for a spot in the main draw. Their participation is contingent on no player withdrawals over the weekend that would allow Thiem to automatically qualify.The Austrian and Argentine have a long history of competition and friendship. On Friday, Schwartzman shared a heartfelt message on social media, expressing their shared determination to make one last run at Roland Garros."Let's try one more time @domithiem," Schwartzman wrote.In 2020, Schwartzman narrowly defeated Thiem in a thrilling quarterfinal that lasted over five hours. Since then, they have combined for only one additional Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance, with Schwartzman reaching the last eight at Roland Garros a year later.Both players have recently announced their plans to retire from professional tennis. Thiem will bid farewell in Vienna this fall, while Schwartzman intends to hang up his racquet in his hometown of Buenos Aires next February.Thiem's last competitive match was a second-round qualifying loss to Thanasi Kokkinakis in Madrid. His only previous Grand Slam qualifying attempt was a successful one at the 2014 Australian Open.Schwartzman, known affectionately as "El Peque," first qualified for Roland Garros in 2012. He was eliminated in the first round of Australian Open qualifying earlier this year.The upcoming Roland Garros qualifying tournament will be a bittersweet moment for Thiem and Schwartzman. It will be their last chance to compete on the hallowed clay courts of Paris and to create more memories in a sport that has brought them so much joy and success.