Madrid Open issues apology to women’s doubles finalists amid accusations of sexism
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American Sofia Kenin produces upset at Italian Open in Rome as second seed Aryna Sabalenka eliminated in second round
Italian Open second seed Aryna Sabalenka was eliminated by 134th-ranked Sofia Kenin in her opening match in Rome. Kenin beat the Madrid Open champion 7-6 6-2 less than a week after Sabalenka overcame Iga Swiatek in the Spanish capital. Ad Sabalenka was the second top-six-seeded player to fall at the first hurdle on Thursday after Jessica Pegula lost to 168th-ranked Taylor Townsend.
Boris Becker ‘worried’ about Rafael Nadal’s Roland-Garros chances amid French Open champion’s injury problems
Rafael Nadal is fighting against the clock to be fit to defend his French Open crown, and Boris Becker is “worried” about the Spaniard’s chances. Nadal is yet to return to the court following a hip injury he sustained at the Australian Open in January and he most recently pulled out of the Italian Open in as he had not fully recovered. Ad In an exclusive interview with Eurosport, Becker admitted something “really bad” must have happened for Nadal to miss tournaments on his favourite clay surface in preparation for Roland-Garros.
Table Tennis: Singapore beat Malaysia 3-0 to clinch SEA Games men’s team gold
PHNOM PENH: Singapore swept aside Malaysia 3-0 on Thursday (May 11) to win gold in the table tennis men's team event at the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
Coco Gauff eases past Yulia Putintseva and Victoria Azarenka beats Sloane Stephens as pair progress in Italian Open
Coco Gauff made little error as she swept past Yulia Putintseva 6-0 6-1 at the Italian Open in Rome. The sixth seed won seven straight games as she claimed the first set in style and took the front foot in the opener, before Putintseva clawed a game back to the appreciation of the Rome crowd. Ad But it would only go down as a consolation, as Gauff thundered through the next five games to put a marker down in her Rome opener.
Madrid Open Apologises For Denying Women's Doubles Finalists Speeches
Madrid Open organisers apologised Thursday after not allowing the women's doubles finalists to make speeches after the match at the tournament last week, amid allegations of sexism. The mens' doubles finalists were allowed to speak to the crowd after their matches. Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia beat Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff in the women's final on Sunday but were not given a microphone to let them address the crowd.
Ons Jabeur - Italian Open must speed up pace for equal pay - ESPN
World No. 7 Ons Jabeur says female players should not have to wait to receive the same prize money as their male counterparts at the Italian Open after tournament organizers announced plans to achieve pay parity by 2025.
French Open 2023: Exclusive: Boris Becker concerned about Alexander Zverev and highlights 'problem'
Eurosport's Boris Becker has shared his concerns for his compatriot Alexander Zverev, who he believes is «being a bit overtaken by the younger players» such as Carlos Alcaraz. The tennis legend has cited the likes of Jannik Sinner, Holger Rune, Taylor Fritz, Sebastian Korda and Alcaraz as being players who have a lot more going for them at present than his fellow German, who is still recovering his form and fitness after he suffered a nasty ankle injury at Roland-Garros last year. Ad Zverev, who at the time was challenging Rafael Nadal in a very real way in the semi-finals of the French Open, has had a torrid time trying to get back to the player he was after his injury.