Tennis

Sebastián Báez Storms into Rio Open Final, Faces Norrie or NavoneRIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Fifth-seeded Sebastián Báez of Argentina has secured his place in the final of the Rio Open after a dominant straight-sets victory over his compatriot Francisco Cerundolo on Saturday.Báez, ranked 30th in the world, displayed his clay-court prowess in the 7-5, 6-0 triumph at the Jockey Club Brasileiro. The 22-year-old broke Cerundolo's serve twice in the opening set and then cruised through the second set without dropping a game.Báez will now face either defending champion Cameron Norrie of Great Britain or another Argentine, Mariano Navone, in the final. Norrie, the second seed, emerged as the favorite after top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz, Stan Wawrinka, and Nicolás Jarry all withdrew from the tournament due to injuries.Norrie, ranked 12th in the world, has been in impressive form this season, reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open and winning the ASB Classic in Auckland. Navone, ranked 195th, is a surprise finalist but has shown resilience and determination throughout the tournament.The Rio Open final is set to be a thrilling encounter between two talented Argentines or a clash between a defending champion and a rising star. Báez will be aiming to claim his second ATP Tour title, while Norrie will be looking to defend his crown and cement his status as a top clay-court player.

WTA Stars Join Viral 'Of Course' Trend, Hilariously Mocking Tennis StereotypesThe WTA has joined the viral "of course" trend, with top players Victoria Azarenka, Coco Gauff, Zheng Qinwen, and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova participating in a hilarious video that pokes fun at common stereotypes and quirks of life on tour.The video, which has gone viral on social media, features the players mocking some of the most commonly-held complaints of life on tour. Doubles player Giuliana Olmos jokes, "We're tennis players, of course we don't know when we play until the night before," while Azarenka jokes about playing copious amounts of the card game Uno during rain delays.The players also poke fun at the quirks that come with playing tennis generally. "We're tennis players, of course we have crazy tanlines," Pavlyuchenkova says, while Emma Navarro adds: "We're tennis players, of course we say sorry after a net cord, but we're not really that sorry..."Australian Open finalist Zheng even pokes fun at the solo nature of an individual sport. "We're tennis players, of course we have crazy thoughts during the match and during practice that you'll never know," the 21-year-old closes the video by saying.The video has been a hit with the WTA's social media audience, who flocked to the comments to make their own jokes about what it's like to be a fan of the sport."We're tennis fans, of course we love these kind of videos," one wrote, while another added: "We're tennis fans, of course we almost always have a heart attack watching very close matches."The WTA's "of course" video is a fun and lighthearted way to celebrate the unique aspects of life on tour and the camaraderie among the players. It also shows that the WTA is not afraid to poke fun at itself, which is a refreshing change from the often-serious nature of professional sports.

Italy's Jasmine Paolini has etched her name in tennis history by capturing the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title, becoming the second Italian woman to triumph in the prestigious WTA 1000 event.Paolini's victory over Anna Kalinskaya in an all-unseeded final marked a remarkable turnaround for the 26-year-old, who had lost to her opponent in the fourth round of the Australian Open just last month.The match was a thrilling affair, with both players showcasing their resilience and determination. Kalinskaya, ranked 40th in the world, appeared poised to claim the title when she led 6-4, 3-1 and served for the championship at 5-4 in the decider.However, Paolini refused to be denied. She rallied back with unwavering resolve, winning 16 of the last 19 points to secure a stunning 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory."I think maybe the key game was when I was down 2-0 in the second set," Paolini said. "I was serving. I said, 'C'mon, you have to try to play every point, you have to try to do something. Just think about simple things. Try to serve more maybe on the backhand, some more speed on the serve, try to move the ball.'"Paolini's triumph in Dubai is a testament to her hard work and dedication. She has steadily climbed the WTA rankings in recent years and is now poised to break into the Top 15."I think every person has her own steps, story," Paolini said. "I need some more time to believe maybe that I could play at this level how I did this week. It's not going to be like this I know every week. It's tough. It's the best players in the world."Kalinskaya, despite falling short in the final, made history by becoming the first qualifier to reach the championship match of a WTA 1000 event since the format was introduced in 2009. Her impressive run included victories over three Top 10 players, including world No. 1 Iga Swiatek.

In a thrilling display of tennis prowess, Ramkumar Ramanathan outplayed the reigning champion Stefano Napolitano in the first round of the $133,250 Maha Open Challenger tennis tournament at the Balewadi Stadium on Tuesday. The Indian ace served with precision and executed intelligent strokes, turning the tide in his favor in both sets.Ramkumar, once ranked 111, showcased his resilience and determination throughout the match. Despite a slow start, he elevated his game when it mattered most, particularly with his powerful serve. He fired 15 aces and displayed imaginative stroke play, keeping Napolitano on the back foot.The 28-year-old Indian converted one of the nine break points in the match, while Napolitano capitalized on one of two break points early on. Ramkumar's victory sets up a second-round clash with qualifier Alexey Zakharov, while Sumit Nagal, who had earlier secured a hard-fought victory, will face compatriot Niki Poonacha.In the doubles competition, the woes of Sriram Balaji and Andre Begemann continued as the fourth seeds suffered a first-round defeat despite having a match point. Coach M Balachandran attributed their loss to a lack of confidence and poor execution in tie-breaks and return games.