New York, Sep 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) American star Jessica Pegula has decided to skip next week's WTA 500 Singapore Open to recover from the busy campaigns in the hard-court season till the US Open.

The Singapore Open and Korea Open, also being played next week, are the first two tournaments of the Asian Swing. They each kick off on September 21 and will run through September 27.

Pegula announced her decision to give Singapore a miss on social media, pointing to the physical drain caused by her schedule in the United States.

"I'm really disappointed to have to withdraw from Singapore," Pegula wrote in an Instagram story. "After a long and physically demanding few weeks at the US Open, I'm just not quite ready to get back on court and compete at the level I expect from myself.

"I was really looking forward to playing in Singapore and hope I can come back in the future," she wrote in her post.

It was quite a busy time in the hard-court swing for Pegula, currently at a career-high No. 3 in the WTA Rankings.

She reached finals in Washington, D.C. and Cincinnati, with a run to the Round of 16 in Toronto sandwiched in between, before reaching the semifinals of the US Open for the second straight year.

The 32-year-old went 15-4 in win/loss ratio during the American hard-court swing, and her 50 wins lead the WTA Tour. She's also currently third on the Race to the WTA Finals leaderboard, with 5,825 points.

Pegula is still scheduled to play the China Open, the first of back-to-back WTA 1000s, at the end of the month.

Pegula was going to be the top seed in Singapore. It will now be World No. 5 Mirra Andreeva. The 28-player field also includes Top 20 players Amanda Anisimova and Alexandra Eala. Maja Chwalinska, Elise Mertens, Barbora Krejcikova and Maria Sakkari will also be in the draw.

Source: IANS

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Turin, Sep 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz has qualified for the season-ending 2026 ATP Finals for the fifth consecutive season, joining World No.1 Jannik Sinner and No.2 seed Alexander Zverev in sealing their berths for the event to be played in Turin in November.

Zverev, this year’s Roland Garros and US Open champion, and Wimbledon winner Sinner have qualified based on their Grand Slam titles, which have put them at the top of the rankings.

With the conclusion of the US Open 2026, it is clear that Australian Open winner Alcaraz is guaranteed to finish in the Top 20 of the ATP Live Race To Turin; he too has qualified.

The 26-time tour-level champion enjoyed his most notable moment of the season at Melbourne Park, where he completed his Career Grand Slam.

Alcaraz owns a 26-4 record this season, according to the ATP Win/Loss Index. In addition to the Spaniard’s triumph at Melbourne Park, he also emerged victorious in Doha. Alcaraz also made the final of the Masters 1000 event in Monte-Carlo, the ATP said in a report on its official website.

The 23-year-old recently returned from a wrist injury and advanced to the quarter-finals of the US Open, where eventual finalist Ben Shelton needed a final-set tie-break to advance.

Alcaraz has tallied a 7-5 record at the Nitto ATP Finals, reaching the championship match for the first time last season before falling to Sinner.

Ben Shelton, who is placed 3rd in the Race to Turin, along with Flavio Cobolli, Frances Tiafoe, Arthur Fils, Daniil Medvedev, Rafael Jodar and Taylor Fritz are the other players in the top 10 in the chase for berths in the season-ending event.

This season finale will again be held at Inalpi Arena, with the action to take place from November 15 to 22.

Source: IANS

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Charlotte, Sep 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) The WTA Finals will have a new home from 2027, with Charlotte, North Carolina, set to host the season-ending championship for three years as the women’s tennis tour looks to build a long-term platform for its premier event.

The Finals will be played at Spectrum Centre, home of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, from 2027-29, the WTA said on Wednesday. The tournament features the top singles players and doubles teams on the WTA Tour competing for the season-ending titles.

The move marks a new chapter for the WTA Finals, which have been held in a number of cities across the globe during the past two decades. The WTA said the long-term partnership will help it continue to shape the identity and experience of the championship and also strengthen relationships with fans and commercial partners.

“The WTA Finals represents everything that makes women’s tennis extraordinary: the world’s best athletes, competing at the highest level, on a stage worthy of what they have accomplished,” WTA Chair Valerie Camillo said.

“Women’s tennis has spent generations helping push women’s sports forward, and we have an opportunity now to lead again by building a championship experience that reflects just how far women’s sport has come and where it is going next. In Charlotte, we found more than a host city. We found partners who share that ambition and a place where we can build a true home for the Finals and for the WTA,” she added.

Charlotte was chosen after a global bidding process. The city’s sports infrastructure, business community, hospitality sector and experience with public-private partnerships all helped the city shine,” she added.

The Charlotte Sports Foundation was the WTA’s lead local partner throughout the process, working with state and local officials as well as the region’s business community to develop the partnership.

Pitts also thanked the state, city and county partners and the organisation’s Board of Directors for their support, noting that their backing and leadership helped make the agreement possible.

“This is a transformational moment for Charlotte and for our organisation,” Charlotte Sports Foundation CEO Will Pitts said. “Bringing the WTA Finals to our city is a testament to what Charlotte has become as a world-class sports destination, and we are incredibly grateful to the WTA for their trust and partnership in making this vision a reality.”

The partnership will continue after the tournament ends, and the WTA plans to relocate its global headquarters to Charlotte. The move is expected to strengthen the organisation’s links with business, civic, sports and community leaders in the region.

The WTA Finals are the culmination of the WTA Tour season, with qualification determined by performances throughout the year on the PIF Race to the WTA Finals. Only the leading singles players and doubles teams earn places at the prestigious season-ending event.

The singles champion receives the WTA Finals Billie Jean King Trophy, while the doubles winners lift the WTA Finals Martina Navratilova Trophy.

After travelling to various international markets for much of the past two decades, the Finals will return to the United States in 2026, when Indian Wells hosts the championship.

The WTA said the Charlotte move from 2027 is intended to build on that global foundation and establish Finals week as a major fixture on the international women’s sports calendar.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic has confirmed that he will return to Beijing for the China Open, marking his first appearance at the ATP 500 tournament in 11 years.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion made the announcement on social media on Wednesday, sharing a message in both Chinese and English as he expressed his excitement at returning to a city where he enjoyed remarkable success earlier in his career.

“I am very happy to announce that I’m coming back to Beijing after many years to play at the China Open. I’m so excited to be back and to perform in front of you all at the National Tennis Centre, one of the nicest venues in tennis, a place where I have incredible memories and great successes throughout my career. I want to thank all the Chinese fans for their years-long love and support,” Djokovic said in a video shared on Instagram.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion last played at the China Open in 2015 and had previously made six appearances at the tournament between 2009 and 2015.

The 39-year-old will head back to the Chinese capital after a difficult outing at the recently concluded US Open, where he suffered a shock first-round defeat to Argentina’s Mariano Navone.

Navone defeated the fourth-seeded Djokovic 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in a marathon four-hour, 36-minute encounter at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. It was Djokovic’s first opening-round defeat at a Grand Slam since 2006.

Djokovic had made a strong start against Navone but struggled physically as the match progressed, particularly in the final two sets.

Following the defeat, Djokovic described his experience on court as 'an awful feeling' and revealed that he had been dealing with physical problems during matches this season.

“I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me. It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year. Vomiting, throwing up – a serious issue there. Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and in pain,” Djokovic said after the loss, as quoted by ATP.

“Yeah, the back just gave up in the end and the shoulder, and I couldn’t close it out,” he added.

The US Open defeat also saw Djokovic drop out of the ATP top 10 for the first time in several years, with the Serbian currently ranked No. 12 in the world.

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) As the dust settles on the 2026 edition of the US Open, the last Grand Slam tournament of the season, Rafael Jodar remains atop the Race To ATP Next Gen 2026 to be played from December 16–20, 2026.

With his remarkable rise, Jodar is the top contender for the event, with plenty of other players continuing to make moves in their bids to qualify for the showpiece, which will be played in Reggio Calabria, Italy.

Behind second-placed Joao Fonseca and third-placed Martin Landaluce is Rei Sakamoto, who claimed his first main-draw win at the US Open and has surged to fourth with 321 points.

The 19-year-old Japanese won three rounds of qualifying in New York, including a victory against his idol and former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori, before overcoming Aleksandar Vukic in five sets for his first main-draw win at a major. Sakamoto, who is aiming to make his Next Gen ATP Finals debut, is nine points clear of fifth-placed Federico Cina.

Cina also came through qualifying to reach his first US Open main draw, but fell to eventual quarter-finalist Alex Michelsen in the first round. The 19-year-old Italian is at a career-high No. 168 in the PIF ATP Rankings and is the fifth seed at the ATP Challenger event in Guangzhou this week.

Like Cina and Sakamoto, sixth-placed Joel Schwaerzler (305 points), seventh-placed Jan Kumstat (283) and eighth-placed Diego Dedura (279) are also bidding to make their Next Gen ATP Finals debuts. Schwaerzler won his third Challenger title last month in Poland and has maintained his strong position in the Live Race.

The Next Gen ATP Finals take place from December 16 to 20, featuring the best ATP players aged 21 and under in a season-ending championship that showcases the future stars of men’s tennis.

Played on indoor hard courts in a round-robin format with innovative rules, the tournament has established itself as a proving ground for the next generation of Grand Slam champions and world number ones.

The tournament was held in Milan from 2017 to 2022, moved to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in 2023, and has continued to explore new host cities to expand the event’s global footprint. The venue is typically an indoor arena with a capacity of 3,000 to 5,000, creating an intimate atmosphere that brings spectators close to the action. Once confirmed, the host city will be announced through ATP Tour official channels.

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) As he recovers from a long-term arm injury, Jack Draper has decided to call time on the 2026 season and is targeting a return to the ATP Tour at the start of 2027.

The 24-year-old Briton has endured a difficult and disrupted season, featuring in just eight tour-level events and missing all four Grand Slam tournaments. Draper announced on social media on Tuesday that he will use the remainder of 2026 to recover fully before setting his sights on a return to competition next year.

“Don’t usually love lots of words on here but I wanted to update you that I am aiming to return to the tour at the start of 2027,” Draper wrote in an Instagram post. “Last summer all the dedication and work I had put into this sport was coming together. It was all going my way, and the path seemed so clear.

“However, a complicated injury made things incredibly challenging, and since that moment I’ve been desperately trying to get back and feel as I once did on the court. Managing so much change, adversity, and pain has helped me to grow massively in many areas of my life but has also made me feel a level of fatigue that made it difficult to keep going.”

Draper enjoyed a breakthrough 2025 campaign, winning his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells and climbing to a career-high No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings, said a report on the ATP Tour website. However, his season was ultimately cut short at the US Open, where a long-term arm injury brought his year to an early conclusion.

The Briton returned to competition in February but has found consistency difficult to establish as he has continued to manage the injury. He reached the quarter-finals in Indian Wells and advanced to the semi-finals in Eastbourne, but with consecutive defeats in Montreal and Cincinnati, he has slipped to No. 155 in the ATP Rankings.

Draper will now take the remainder of the 2026 season away from competition as he continues his recovery, with his focus firmly on returning to full fitness in the new year.

“I am taking this time to reset and heal so when I return I am 100% ready to go,” Draper wrote. “Tennis is my purpose and passion, and so when I step back on court I want to make sure that nothing is holding me back from where I want to go and achieve the things I know I’m capable of," he wrote in his post.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) United States' star Ben Shelton has been among the biggest movers in the ATP rankings, while new champion Alexander Zverev has closed the gap to Jannik Sinner for the World No.1 spot, according to the latest rankings on Monday.

Shelton entered the Flushing Meadows as the ninth-ranked player with 3,480 points. His run to his maiden Grand Slam final saw him accumulate 1,200 points, bringing his total to 4,680 and moving him to No.5 ahead of the likes of Felix Auger-Aliassime, Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli, Alex de Minaur and Novak Djokovic.

Meanwhile, Zverev's win in New York saw him gain 1,900 points as the World No.2 closed the gap to World No.1 Sinner. Zverev now has 9690 points, while Sinner, after an injury-forced absence, lost 1,300 points to tally 11,500 at the end of the US Open 2026.

American semifinalist Frances Tiafoe is also up four places, from 12th to eighth, after accumulating 700 points, while the other semifinalist, Karen Khachanov, jumped 24 places to reach No.26 following his semifinal loss to Zverev.

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic has fallen outside the top 10 in the ATP rankings after his surprise first-round exit at Flushing Meadows. This means that none of the Big Three - Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer - is in the top 10 of the ATP rankings for the first time since October 2002.

Djokovic dropped seven places, from fifth to 12, in the latest rankings after his first-round loss to Mariano Navone in the Big Apple. This was his first-round exit since the 2006 Australian Open and the first time he lost the US Open opener.

"I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me. It's something that I've been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year. Vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there. Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain," Djokovic had said after the loss, as quoted by ATP.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Novak Djokovic's shock first-round exit at the US Open 2026 saw him fall out of the top 10 in the ATP rankings after the latest standings were released on Monday.

Djokovic dropped seven places, from fifth to 12th, in the latest rankings after his first-round loss to Mariano Navone in the Big Apple.

This is now the first instance since October 2002 in which none of the Big Three - Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer - are in the top 10 of the ATP rankings.

Federer, the 20-time Grand Slam winner, retired in 2022, while 22-time Major winner Nadal hung up his boots in 2024. Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, is still going at 39 as he hopes for an unprecedented 25th Major, which would see him go past Margaret Court's 24 titles.

However, his latest bid for the 25th ended when he struggled physically and vomited during his game against Navone. "I've been very proud of all the achievements in the past, but now is now," Djokovic said after the loss in New York.

Speaking of the rankings, Federer first entered the top 10 in October 2002 and stayed there until the end of 2016. He was World No.1 for 237 weeks. Nadal broke into the top 10 of the rankings for the first time in April 2005, as he delivered brilliant performances on clay as an 18-year-old. Nadal remained in the top 10 until 2023, for a record 912 consecutive weeks.

Meanwhile, Djokovic entered the top 10 in 2007. The Serb great has held the World No.1 spot for a record 428 weeks.

Djokovic's first-round exit at the US Open 2026 is his first since the 2006 Australian Open and his first time losing the US Open opener.

"I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me. It's something that I've been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year. Vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there. Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain," Djokovic had said after the loss, as quoted by ATP.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The world’s leading tennis players, who have been protesting for a greater share of Grand Slam tournament revenues, said that the public phase of the campaign has "come to a close" as the formal Grand Slam Player Advisory Council exists to carry the work forward.

Last month, the Australian Open, Roland-Garros, The Championships, Wimbledon, and the US Open announced the formation of a Grand Slam Player Advisory Council to serve as a forum for direct communication, feedback and collaboration between the Grand Slams and players.

“Now that a formal council exists to carry this work forward, the public phase of the campaign led by the unified group of top players comes to a close,” the players' statement read as quoted by The Guardian.

The Council, launched after the 2026 US Open, will further strengthen the partnership between the Grand Slams and the players, with a focus on player input into sporting matters at the four Grand Slam tournaments and on advancing the shared goal of greater player support.

The statement added, “Players reserve the right to restart the campaign should the Council fail to deliver on these aims. The players involved in the campaign will be making no further public comment as a unified group on these issues at this time. The players will now work directly with the grand slams to establish the council, through which players themselves will be directly consulted and able to negotiate on an ongoing basis.”

The players’ statement claimed they had achieved victories in all three areas of their campaign, as the US Tennis Association agreed to make a USD 2 million contribution to player welfare at this year’s US Open. However, the players had asked for 22 per cent of tournament revenues.

“Since the players’ formal proposal was submitted on 31 July 2025, prize money across these grand slam tournaments has grown to USD 415.6m in total, with players estimating that more than $30m of that reflects incremental gains above the rate of growth the years before the campaign began,” the players said.

“This stands as a testament to the gains made possible by concerted, unified player action in an individual sport and by constructive dialogue with the grand slams and tournament organisers. The players look to the council to build on this progress and continue pursuing the aims not yet fully achieved.”

Players protested over prize money by reducing their media appearances at the French Open. A similar action was planned for Wimbledon, but the players ended their boycott of Wimbledon media duties after "constructive meetings" with the All England Club.

Besides calling for a greater share of the tournament revenues from the four major tournaments to be paid in prize money, the players also sought contributions from the grand slam events for player welfare and pension provision.

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) United States top-ranked player Ben Shelton highlighted that he wants to be playing in Major finals more often than not, calling the feeling of playing the title matches an addictive one.

Shelton was bidding to become the first American since 2003 to win a Grand Slam, with Andy Roddick's 2003 US Open title being the previous Major win for a US player. His dream run came to an end when he lost to the top seed Alexander Zverev in the final, 3-6, 6-7 (2), 7-5, 2-6.

"That's such a cool moment walking out on that court today. There's nothing- I've never felt anything like that before, yeah, it's an addicting feeling being in positions like this obviously," Shelton told media in the press conference.

He was knocked out in the early rounds in both the French Open and Wimbledon earlier this year, but bounced back extremely well at his home Grand Slam. "For me, it sucked the last couple of Grand Slams sitting at home for 10-12 days while the tournament was still going on. Watching everyone else run through the draw.

"It's motivating losing the finals, but this is the position that I want to be in. I've always, my whole life, had guys out in front of me, guys that I'm chasing," he added.

Shelton also spoke on Zverev taking longer to serve, bouncing balls more times before taking a serve and what he was told by the umpire. "There is not an athlete in the world who is going to watch them do their thing and sit in the ready position for 30 seconds before the play starts,

"For me it's the same. I am not going to sit there in a ready position with my knees bent and tension in my body for 30 seconds while I'm waiting. I'm going to try and stay loose, and I will let him do his thing, when he's up there, but I'm not going to sit there and be locked in and focused in the ready position for that long.

He explained what the umpire told him. "She was telling me that I needed to get to the line earlier, and I was like he can start his routine whenever he wants," explained Shelton. "I promise you there will never be a time where he serves and I'm not ready.

He called out for waiting 20-25 seconds and lambasted the rule. "But I should not have to sit at the line if he is bouncing the ball 20 to 25 times. I should not have to just sit there for that. He should be able to start it. He never does less than 10 bounces, so I'm always going to be ready when he's ready to serve.

"I think that's a stupid rule that you have to be sitting there if it's a guy who has his routine. As long as you are ready when he puts his hands together and stops bouncing the ball, that's what should matter."

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) After clinching his second major of his career and second Garnad Slam of the year, Alexander Zverev, who deafeated Ben Shelton in the final, said he did not realise he had won championship point and clinched his first US Open title.

Zverev, who was contesting his sixth Grand Slam final and third this year, defeated American Ben Shelton, who had never before reached that stage in his career, 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2.

After winning the championship point, the 29-year-old German stayed behind to the baseline, preparing to receive Shelton’s serve. It was only when he looked around the stadium, with his team telling him the match was over and he had become the US Open champion.

"In that moment, I was in the zone a lot. I didn't hear noise at all," Zverev shared during the post-match press conference. "I was in this kind of tunnel where I just didn't hear anything. Also, when the crowd is loud, it's impossible to hear the umpire, so I didn't hear that she said, ‘Game, set, match’. At the end of the day, I just forgot the score. I just thought it was 5-1 instead of 6-2."

After winning his first major title at Roland Garros in June and following it up with US Open, the world No. 2 German believes those old scars of suffering a heartbreaking defeat in 2020 final finally disappeared.

"I think the scars of the 2020 final, they kind of disappeared after I won in Paris," Zverev admitted. "I said it at Wimbledon. Even though I lost the final, I enjoyed the match. I enjoyed being in the Grand Slam final, I enjoyed playing on Centre Court, and I enjoyed playing in front of an amazing crowd, in front of some celebrities and all that. I enjoyed doing that.

"Whereas before winning in Paris, I felt a lot of stress all the time, because there was always a question mark: ‘Will I ever win one?’ What I think now is just more of a joy to play those kinds of finals."

Zverev also praised 23-year-old Shelton, who has won four ATP Tour titles this year and was competing in his first Grand Slam final.

"I think he's very talented, but he's very close to the hard work as well," Zverev said of Shelton. "You see him and his father all the time after matches, before matches, working on different things, and every single year he keeps improving something. I just played him today. I think this was the best backhand he's ever hit against me, the most consistent power. There was everything there.

"I remember a couple of years ago when I first played him, he was always dangerous, he always had that serve, and he always had that forehand. But if you played three, four balls back, there would be an error, and that was absolutely not the case today."

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Alexander Zverev captured his second Grand Slam title and second major of the year by defeating American Ben Shelton in the US Open men's singles final, 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2.

With his three-hour, 33-minute victory, Zverev has moved 700 points clear of Sinner atop the ATP Live Race To Turin, which serves as a barometer for who will claim ATP Year-End No. 1.

Zverev was contesting his sixth Grand Slam final and third this year, while Shelton had never before reached that stage in his career.

The German, who is 25-2 at the majors this year, is firmly in contention for the year-end crown despite having won only two titles — both of them Grand Slam trophies.

In his victory speech, Zverev paid special tribute to his mother and intimated that not winning a Grand Slam was hardly the hardest obstacle he faced. “When your 4-year-old son gets diagnosed with diabetes and doctors in the office tell you that life and sports will be very limited for that child, it takes a very, very strong mother to walk out of those offices and say ‘My son will be whatever he wants to be,’” Zverev said.

“If he wants to be a tennis player, he’ll be a tennis player. If he wants to do something else, he’ll do something else. But this illness will not define us. And I’m happy that we worked through it, and that we’re doing things that we’re doing right now," he added.

Shelton was vying to become the first American man to win a major since Andy Roddick achieved the feat in Flushing Meadows 23 years ago. But he could not overcome the No. 1 seed, who lifted his maiden Slam trophy at Roland Garros this spring.

The American was also aiming to become just the second African American man to triumph at this level after Arthur Ashe in 1975. Despite defeat in his first major final, the 23-year-old, who defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals, will rise to a new career-high No. 4 in the ATP Rankings.

Source: IANS

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Chandigarh, Sep 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) Indian tennis player Karan Singh continued his impressive run on the ITF circuit, winning back-to-back ITF M15 singles titles at the Bali Beach Country Club in Bali, Indonesia.

The 23-year-old Roundglass Tennis Academy athlete successfully defended his crown by beating USA’s Chang (ATP 1296) 7-6(5), 7-5 in a closely contested final on the hard courts.

The victory earned Singh another 15 ranking points, taking his tally to 30 from his consecutive title triumphs in Bali. It also took his career tally to five ITF singles titles, while he has three doubles crowns to his name.

The fifth-seeded Indian had to overcome compatriot and fourth seed Digvijay Pratap Singh (ATP 557) in the semifinals. Karan prevailed 6-4, 7-6(2) in an all-Indian encounter to book his place in the final.

He had earlier defeated Hayden Jones (ATP 1475) 7-5, 6-1 in the quarterfinals.

Karan’s remarkable fortnight began with his title-winning campaign at the same venue last week. He defeated three local players — Gunawan Trismuwantara 6-3, 7-5, Rafalentino Ali Da Costa 6-3, 6-2 and Nathan Anthony Barki 6-1, 6-4 — before overcoming Japan’s seventh seed Ryotaro Taguchi 6-3, 6-3 in the semifinals.

In the final, Singh defeated New Zealand’s fifth seed Isaac Becroft 7-5, 7-6(3) to claim his first title of the two-week run.

Singh completed the fortnight with an unbeaten 10-0 win-loss record and did not drop a single set across his two title-winning campaigns, finishing with a remarkable 20-0 record in sets.

The consecutive singles titles add to an encouraging 2026 season for Singh. In August, he also won the ITF M15 Astana doubles title in Kazakhstan alongside Russia’s Martin Borisiouk. The pair defeated local duo Danial Rakhmatullayev and Damir Zhalgasbay 6-3, 6-2 in the final.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) Elena Rybakina said her maiden US Open title ranks among the biggest moments of her career after she defeated two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the final at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Rybakina, who also defeated Sabalenka in the Australian Open final earlier this year, completed a memorable Grand Slam season with her third Major title and moved to the top of the WTA rankings. The Kazakh also became the third player since 2000, after Angelique Kerber in 2016 and Sabalenka in 2024, to win both the Australian Open and US Open in the same season.

“I would put this moment right at the top. So many things have happened in the past couple of weeks. Becoming the number one ranked player and now lifting this US Open trophy,” Rybakina told Jio Star.

“I have been coming to this tournament for so many years, and it was never a successful Grand Slam for me. Now things have changed, and it is just amazing. This one means a lot to me,” she added.

Rybakina’s achievement was particularly significant given the physical problems she faced before and during the tournament. She had been unable to practise for seven days before the start of the US Open because of her foot issue and needed to carefully manage her preparation.

She revealed that the difficult period tested her patience but credited her team for helping her remain focused.

“It has been very difficult. I could not practise, and I had to watch everyone else hitting and preparing for the tournament while I was sidelined. I spent almost three hours in the gym every day doing recovery exercises,” she said.

“It was not easy, but I knew I had to stay patient and trust the process. My team kept me motivated, and I kept telling myself that all this hard work would pay off. To be standing here with the trophy makes every difficult moment worth it,” she added.

Rybakina admitted she was unsure about how her body would respond during the opening rounds and had to make several adjustments as the tournament progressed.

“In the first few matches, I wasn’t sure how my foot would hold up or how I would feel on court. We made a lot of adjustments as well, so I wasn’t feeling comfortable at the start,” she said.

“But somehow, each day, I found a way to get through. We found a way as a team. I’m super proud of that. It shows how important it is to keep fighting even when things aren’t perfect. You just take it one match at a time and find solutions. I’m really happy with how it all worked out,” she added.

The victory in New York was Rybakina’s third title of the 2026 season and 14th overall. She is now just one French Open title away from completing a career Grand Slam.

Her win also ended Sabalenka’s 99-week hold on the No. 1 ranking. Rybakina’s latest victory improved her record against the Belarusian to 8-10, with her last three wins in the rivalry coming in the WTA Finals championship match last year, the Australian Open final and now the US Open final.

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) Elena Rybakina admitted she was shocked by her remarkable US Open triumph after defeating two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the women’s singles final at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday.

Rybakina, who feared an Achilles issue could keep her out of the tournament, overcame the physical concerns and a strong fightback from Sabalenka to seal a three-set victory in two hours and 21 minutes and claim her third Grand Slam title.

“It’s just incredible. I still can’t believe it. I mean, no words,” said Rybakina after the title win.

The Kazakh had not even touched her racquet for seven days before the tournament and revealed that her preparations in New York were far from ideal.

“Somehow, day by day, we were trying to find a way, adapting to all the challenges I was waking up with every day. I was not touching my racquet for seven days before the tournament,” she said.

Despite the uncertainty, Rybakina managed to put together a title-winning campaign after just four days of practice.

“Just four days of practice, a lot of belief in yourself and talking with the team nonstop about the tactics, how I played in Canada, how I played in Cincinnati. I mean, it’s just so many things. Everything went my way. I’m shocked,” she said.

Rybakina had already beaten Sabalenka in the Australian Open final earlier this year and completed a memorable Grand Slam season by defeating her rival again in New York.

“I did not expect anything like this coming into this tournament. I have been feeling it a little bit with the injury, but somehow everything aligned together on my side,” she said.

Rybakina also praised defending champion Sabalenka after their latest high-profile battle.

“Aryna, you are a wonderful champion. It’s so difficult to play against you; you push to such limits. I was dying on the court against you. I was just trying to get all the possible balls,” she said.

The Kazakh player admitted she was willing to take risks despite the foot problem that had troubled her before the tournament.

“Everything was working today, and in these tight moments I was trying to push myself as hard as possible. On the court I was basically diving on all these balls; I did not care about my foot whatever happened, and it worked,” she said.

The 2026 US Open title is Rybakina’s third Major crown and her third title of the season, taking her career tally to 14. She is now one French Open title away from completing a career Grand Slam.

Reflecting on her long wait for success at Flushing Meadows, Rybakina said: “I want to say thank you to such beautiful spectators for an amazing atmosphere. I honestly was coming here for the last ten years, and it was never successful. Nothing close to that. It’s just incredible. I am falling in love with New York more and more, and it is amazing for me.”

Rybakina will debut as world No. 1 in rankings on Monday, bringing an end to Sabalenka's second stint at the top. Her first reign was considerably shorter, just eight weeks in 2023.

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) Ben Shelton, who is on the cusp of becoming the first American to clinch the US Open men’s singles title since 2003, reflected on his confidence and belief going into the final against top seed Alexander Zverev, stating that "it’s going to be a war" in the summit clash and he is "not going to take his foot off the gas."

The eighth seed American rallied past fellow American Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 on Friday to reach his first major final in New York. No American man has won a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick triumphed in Flushing Meadows in 2003.

Shelton will now have a chance to claim his maiden major crown and end a 23-year wait for American men’s tennis Sunday, when he takes on top seed Alexander Zverev for the title.

Reflected on qualifying for the US Open Final after beating fellow American Tiafoe, Shelton said on JioStar, "Really happy to close it out the way I did in four sets. I definitely didn’t want to have five sets on my body going into the finals, but I thought I played a clean match. Tiafoe also played outstandingly and pushed me in so many ways. So, to be able to get through that one and win three sets in a row after dropping the first, I couldn’t be happier."

Speaking about his confidence and belief after reaching the final, having beaten Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-final, he said, “I’m ready to go. It’s going to be a war on Sunday. I’m going to leave it all on the court. Win or lose, obviously, I’m going to be proud of myself and what I’ve done, but this is the dream. This is what I’m playing for now. It’s right in front of me, and I’m definitely not going to take my foot off the gas."

"My team and I think about things long-term. We’re not looking for instant gratification. I know I still have so much further to go as a tennis player and to become the best version of myself, but it is right there, one more match, and, like I said, I’ll leave everything on the court.”

Shelton became the first Black American man to make a Grand Slam final since Arthur Ashe lost to Ilie Nastase in 1972. If he wins, he’ll be the first Black American champion at the US Open since Ashe won here in 1968. Shelton looks to break the streak inside the largest stadium in the world, named for the great Ashe.

On scripting history being the first black American man to reach the US Open Final since Arthur Ashe, Shelton said, “It means everything. A lot of people have sacrificed a lot for me to be in this position that I’m in today. My whole family, both sides of my family, have gone through a lot to give not only my parents, but also us grandkids, the opportunities that we’ve had. I

"I think that’s always what I’m thinking about and what I’m grateful for when it really comes down to it. I think about the people who’ve backed me and been in my corner. Making history and being a part of history is pretty great, but obviously, the job’s not finished.”

Shelton will have the majority of that Arthur Ashe crowd behind him as the 23-year-old has displayed immense resolve throughout his run, most notably in his five-set quarter-final victory against defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, which lasted until 3:33 a.m. and marked the American's first Top-3 win.

"The crowd will certainly be loud, backing me. New York is such a cool sports city. There’s such a great sports culture here, and I think there’s a lot of American pride, so I’ll definitely be looking to use that and play the best match that I can," he said.

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) After being denied the historic opportunity to complete a historic three-peat at the US Open, Aryna Sabalenka smashed her racquet on the court as Elena Rybakina celebrated her 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory just feet away.

After Rybakina secured the championship-winning point, the broadcast camera followed her as she acknowledged the crowd before cutting to Sabalenka, sitting on the bench and smashing her racket on the court and tossing it to the side.

Later, Sabalenka also yelled at a cameraperson who was trying to capture her emotions after the defeat.

In capturing the crown here, Rybakian not only prevented Sabalenka from “three-peating” at consecutive US Opens. But when Rybakina ascends to world No. 1 on Monday, she’ll be wresting the top spot from Sabalenka, who’s had the number one next to her name for 99 consecutive weeks.

"I'm obviously not really happy with the level I played today, but she served incredible," Sabalenka told reporters. "She played really aggressive, great tennis. Yeah, she was simply a better player today than me."

Asked about her new standing as world No. 2 perhaps freeing her up to play without the proverbial target on her back? she replied, "I think any way when you go out there, you have target on your back. Doesn't matter if you are No. 1, No. 2, 3, 4, whatever it is. I'll just keep working hard and keep improving my tennis, my level. Hopefully I will win some more tournaments."

The outgoing world No. 1 cheekily challenged Rybakina to beat her 99-week reign atop the WTA rankings. "99? Well, that's amazing. Let's see if Elena can beat me in that," she said with a laugh. "If she continues to play like that, then yeah, I'm in trouble."

Rybakina will debut at world No. 1 on Monday, bringing an end to Sabalenka's second stint at the top. Her first reign was considerably shorter, just eight weeks in 2023.

The 2026 US Open loss means Sabalenka finished a Grand Slam season without a title for the first time since 2022. This was Sabalenka’s last chance to win a Grand Slam title, something she’s done at least once every year since 2023. That was when Sabalenka claimed her first major title, at the 2023 Australian Open, where she defeated, you guessed it, Rybakina in the final.

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) Elena Rybakina defeated two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka to lift the US Open women's singles crown.

With a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory in 2 hours and 21 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium, Rybakina, who also beat Sabalenka in the Australian Open final in January, bookended her Grand Slam season with her third Major title. She now sits one Roland Garros trophy away from completing the Career Slam.

During her run to the title—her first at a US Open—Rybakina had also ended Sabalenka’s 99-week hold on the No. 1 ranking. She racked up enough points to rise to world No. 1 when the rankings are updated on Monday.

Rybakina is the third player since 2000 to win the Australian Open and US Open in the same season, joining Angelique Kerber (2016) and Sabalenka (2024). It's her third title of 2026 and the 14th of her career.

She improved to 8-10 against Sabalenka on the WTA Tour. Her past three wins in the rivalry have all come on the biggest stages: the WTA Finals championship match last fall, the Australian Open final in January and Saturday's US Open final.

In defeating Sabalenka to capture the title, Rybakina became the first player to beat the defending women's singles champion in the US Open final since Serena Williams in 2002 -- and the first at any Grand Slam since Madison Keys

at the 2025 Australian Open.

She is also the first player to defeat the World No. 1 in the US Open final since Williams, who beat Victoria Azarenka in 2012.

The 2026 US Open was Sabalenka’s last chance to win a Grand Slam title, something she’s done at least once every year since 2023. That was when Sabalenka claimed her first major title, at the 2023 Australian Open, where she defeated, you guessed it, Rybakina in the final.

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) American Christian Harrison and Britain's Neal Skupski captured the 2026 US Open men's doubles title, defeating German duo Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz, 6-4, 7-6(6), in Saturday's final.

The victory gave Harrison and Skupski their second Grand Slam title of the year as they had earlier won the 2026 Australian Open men's doubles title in January.

The American-British pair held their nerve when it mattered most, defeating the German duo to claim the trophy and New York's second major title of the season, having also triumphed at the Australian Open in January.

In Saturday's final, Harrison and Skupski let slip a break point at 4-3, 40/30 in the second set, but held their nerve in the tie-break, saving a set point at 5/6 before powering to victory in one hour and 39 minutes.

"Congratulations to Tim and Kevin on a great tournament," Harrison said during the trophy ceremony. "It is never easy playing you guys. But making the final is a lot to be proud of… And thanks to my partner Christian. It has been great to get two major titles this year. I’m speechless, having done this at home."

Through the fortnight, the champions did not drop a set, defeating Mark Wallner and Jakob Schnaitter in the third round, fourth seeds Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in the quarter-finals, upsetting top seeds Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten in the semi-finals before beating Krawietz and Puetz in the final. The fifth seeds won all five of their tie-breaks at the hard-court major this year.

By completing the run without losing a set, Harrison and Skupski became the third men’s team in the Open Era to win the title without losing a set after Peter Fleming and John McEnroe in 1983 and Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan in 2008 & 2010.

The victory also offered redemption for Skupski, who reached the final last year with Joe Salisbury but fell to Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos after the pair squandered three championship points.

"I don’t know what to say as I am still in shock," Skupski said following the win. "The speech gets a little bit easier once you have won. Having match points in last year’s championship final [it was hard]. It was a tough part of my career, but it is amazing what a year does in tennis."

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) Elena Rybakina said she will look to stay aggressive and control the rallies rather than allow Aryna Sabalenka to dictate play when the two meet in the US Open women’s singles final at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday.

Rybakina, who came from a set down to beat Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinal, knows she faces another stern test against defending champion Sabalenka, who defeated Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 to reach her fourth consecutive US Open final.

“We know each other pretty well and have played so many times against each other. Yeah, just try to stay aggressive in important moments, not wait for her to dictate the point, and try to stay on top of the rallies,” Rybakina told Jio Hotstar.

The final will be the 18th meeting between the two, with Sabalenka holding a 10-7 advantage in their head-to-head record. Rybakina, however, has already beaten her rival in a Grand Slam final this year, winning the Australian Open title in January.

Rybakina’s run to the final has been particularly impressive given the doubts surrounding her participation before the tournament. She revealed that she was unsure whether she would be able to compete due to a foot problem and that she needed time to feel comfortable on court.

“I wasn’t 100 per cent sure if I was going to be able to even play this tournament. In the first few matches, I was thinking about my foot and how it was actually going to react. I was not that comfortable playing the first few matches,” she said.

“Then, slowly, my focus moved towards what I was doing wrong on the court and what I needed to improve. So yeah, slowly I found my way; there were also some very difficult opponents and great matches. I feel like something is definitely going my way, and I hope that on finals day, I can do my best and that it also brings me success,” she added.

Rybakina has had to dig deep physically during her run, playing back-to-back three-set matches in the quarterfinal and semifinal. She admitted there were moments when she felt the physical strain but said she kept convincing herself that she had enough energy to continue fighting.

“During the match, I was telling myself that I had not been practising for a week before the tournament. I was convincing myself that I wasn’t tired and that I could still push, so yeah, honestly, I was just fighting for every point because both matches were very close,” she said.

Her serve will also be an important weapon against Sabalenka, with Rybakina stressing that a strong serving performance can give her a significant advantage.

“There were some moments where I did not have enough energy and push from the legs on my serve. No matter who’s on the other side, if my serve is working, it’s already a big plus in my game and a big advantage. So yeah, I was just pushing myself mentally and physically.”

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) India's Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi and Ukraine's Antonina Sushkova lost their US Open girls' doubles semifinal against the American pair of Kristina Penickova and Annika Penickova at Court 12 on Saturday.

Revathi and Sushkova, who had defeated Russian fourth seed Felitsata Dorofeeva-Rybas and Anna Pushkareva in the quarterfinals, lost to the Penickova sisters in the last four, 6-7 (3), 2-6, as their strong run came to an end in a 1-hour-and-six-minute battle.

The Indo-Ukrainian pair were right in the game and had broken the American duo twice in the first set despite winning only 60% of their first serve in comparison to the American duo's 74% first serve win. Revathi and Sushkova were significantly better than their opponents on second serve, winning 48% of points, while the American pair won just 31%.

They also made fewer unforced errors in a tight opening set. The set went into the tie-breaker, where the Penickova sisters edged out Revathi and Sushkova.

The American pair brought their A-game in the second set, while the Indo-Ukrainian pair struggled and lost their serve twice. The Penickova sisters won a whopping 85% of points on first serve and also bagged 63% of second serve points, while Revathi and Sushkova won only 67% and 40% of their two serves.

Earlier, Revathi and Sushkova had also defeated the fifth-seed Czech pair of Katerina Zajickova and Jana Kovackova in the round of 16, but their strong run came to an end in the semifinals.

Revathi also made it to the second round of the junior singles in the Big Apple. She was seeded 15th and had defeated USA's Emery Combs in the first round before losing to Arina Malygina in the round-of-32 clash. Meanwhile, Revathi had also reached the quarterfinals of the Wimbledon Juniors, alongside USA's Thea Frodin.

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) World No.12 Frances Tiafoe said that he hopes his US Open dream will be completed 'one day' after he fell short in New York in another business end of the tournament.

Tiafoe was leading by a set against his 2026 semifinal opponent Ben Shelton, another American, before the eighth seed found an extra gear in the second and third sets and continued his touch in the fourth set to take the win 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 in front of a celebrity-packed crowd at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Speaking after the loss, Tiafoe said he hopes to win the US Open title one day, emphasising the love he receives from the crowd in New York. "I just want to win it, man. I mean, the love is incredible, man. It's something that definitely gives me tears in my eyes from the kid who started how I did," Tiafoe told the media after his loss.

"The love I have here is crazy. Every match I play, from everyone, all the staff, the security guards, everyone really wants to see me do the thing. Friends, family, my team, it's like a lot of great energy.

"The hotel I'm at, they're geeked out to see me every year. I feel good. I feel really good being here in New York. Obviously, hence why I've always been on the business end of it. But, you know, hopefully one day we'll do it.

Tiafoe has made it to at least the fourth round at the Flushing Meadows in six out of the last seven seasons. He lost in the semifinals to fellow American Taylor Fritz in 2024 and to Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in the 2022 semifinal.

The home US Open has been Tiafoe's most successful Major, as all of his three semifinals have been in New York. He has been a quarterfinalist at the French Open and Australian Open.

Meanwhile, Shelton is ready for the US Open final against Zverev as he hopes to become the first American man in 26 years to win a Grand Slam after Andy Roddick won the 2003 US Open.

"I think that I'm fully ready for the challenge to problem-solve. And, yeah, I feel that I'm a different player. I feel I have so many more tools," Shelton said.

"I feel like I know my identity. I'm comfortable in my own skin. I know what it takes for me to be playing top-level tennis. Not that I'm going to come out every day and everything's going to be perfect and clicking. But I think that's why our sport is so difficult and the beauty of our sport. And so, yeah, I'm looking forward to the challenge, being able to problem-solve on Sunday.

"I know what I'm up against. And I'm also the most confident I've ever been in my game," he added.

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) USA's top-ranked player Ben Shelton said he is ready for the US Open final against current Roland Garros champion Alexander Zverev after defeating fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the semi-final.

Shelton came back from a set down to beat Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 at a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium, with several celebrities in attendance. Shelton reached his first Grand Slam final, where he will face 2020 New York runner-up Zverev, who beat Karen Khachanov in the other semifinal.

"I think that I'm fully ready for the challenge to problem-solve. And, yeah, I feel that I'm a different player. I feel I have so many more tools," Shelton told the media in the post-match press conference after his semifinal win.

"I feel like I know my identity. I'm comfortable in my own skin. I know what it takes for me to be playing top-level tennis. Not that I'm going to come out every day and everything's going to be perfect and clicking. But I think that's why our sport is so difficult and the beauty of our sport. And so, yeah, I'm looking forward to the challenge, being able to problem-solve on Sunday.

"I know what I'm up against. And I'm also the most confident I've ever been in my game," he added.

Shelton has been in stellar form throughout the tournament. He knocked out an impressive Stefanos Tsitsipas in the round of 16, then ended defending champion Carlos Alcaraz's bid for back-to-back US Open titles, and finally got the better of a fellow American in the semi-final.

The eighth seed emphasised on the small margins in all categories to be a champion in this sport. "It's everything. It's emotions. It's the way that I train. It's how I practise. It's then the way that I compete; how focused can I stay? It's sleeping habits, eating habits, everything. I think that you have to be great in every category to be a champion in this sport.

It's clear from the guys who've paved the way and who've done it before. The extremes that you have to go to and become the best. I'm the most committed than I've ever been to my tennis career. To being the very best version of myself, I've always been an extremely hard worker, but I think that all the little supplementary categories are where I've made the biggest strides as of late," he said.

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a rematch of the 2026 Australian Open final, the U.S. Open will conclude with a perfect finale: a three-peat-chasing Aryna Sabalenka facing Elena Rybakina, who will take the top spot in the rankings and have "#1" next to her name on Monday, with the duo chasing ultimate glory at Flushing Meadows.

The top two seeds have taken different routes to the final, but both arrive in formidable form. Sabalenka, the two-time defending champion, powered past Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in the semi-finals, while Rybakina recovered from a set down to defeat home favourite Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

For Sabalenka, the Arthur Ashe Stadium court has once again become a stage where she has found her most imposing tennis. The Belarusian has lost just one set across six matches and heads into the championship clash with a 20-match unbeaten run at the US Open dating back to 2024.

Her numbers underline the level of aggression she has brought to New York. Sabalenka has struck 170 winners, the most in the women’s draw, while converting 25 break points, also a tournament-leading figure. She was tested by Linda Noskova in the quarter-finals, surviving a deciding-set super tie-break 10-7 before dispatching Pegula with authority.

Rybakina, meanwhile, has had to overcome both an injury concern and a formidable American challenge to reach a first US Open final. A left ankle problem suffered in Cincinnati had cast doubt over her participation, but the Kazakh has responded with one of the strongest runs of her career in New York.

Her campaign has included a victory over two-time champion Naomi Osaka and comeback wins against Qinwen Zheng and Gauff. Against Gauff, Rybakina held her nerve despite a partisan crowd and repeatedly delivered when the match entered its most demanding passages.

Saturday’s meeting also carries a significant ranking consequence. Rybakina needed to reach the semi-finals to guarantee that she would replace Sabalenka at the summit of the WTA Rankings next week, ending Sabalenka’s 99-week reign as No. 1.

The head-to-head adds another layer. Sabalenka leads their rivalry 10-7 and has won their last two meetings, but Rybakina owns the victory that matters most this season. She fought back from 3-0 down in the deciding set of the Australian Open final to claim the title.

Her serve could again prove decisive. Rybakina has fired 42 aces in New York and has struck 143 winners, ranking among the tournament leaders in both categories.

For Sabalenka, it is a chance to complete a US Open hat-trick. For Rybakina, it is an opportunity to add a second major of the season while beginning her reign as World No. 1 with the biggest prize of all.

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) Ben Shelton and Alexander Zverev have set up a high-octane US Open final, with the American and German booking their places in Sunday’s title clash after contrasting victories in the semi-finals at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday (IST).

Shelton kept his run alive in a gripping all-American battle, overcoming Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 to reach his maiden Grand Slam final. The eighth seed recovered from a slow start and steadily wrestled control away from his compatriot before sealing victory in three hours and 17 minutes.

The 23-year-old finished with 47 winners, including 20 aces, and produced his best tennis when the match entered its decisive stages. After edging the third set, Shelton stayed composed in the fourth before breaking Tiafoe at 6-5 to punch his ticket to the title clash.

Shelton’s victory also gives him a chance to end a long wait for American men’s tennis. No American man has won a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick’s triumph at the US Open in 2003. A win on Sunday would make Shelton the youngest American US Open men’s champion since Roddick.

Standing in his way will be top seed Zverev, who secured his place in the final after a 6-3, 7-6(7), 7-6(6) victory over Karen Khachanov.

Zverev was forced to dig deep against the World No. 50, particularly in two tense tie-breaks, but held his nerve to reach his second US Open final and sixth at a Grand Slam. The German overturned a 3/5 deficit in the second-set tie-break before saving two set points in the third to complete a straight-sets win.

The result continues what has been a remarkable season for the 29-year-old. Having claimed his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros and reached the Wimbledon final, Zverev is now one victory away from adding another major trophy.

Sunday’s final will also renew a growing rivalry between Zverev and Shelton. The German leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 5-0, but Shelton arrives with considerable momentum after knocking defending champion Carlos Alcaraz out in a marathon quarter-final.

Zverev, meanwhile, enters the final having won 24 of his 26 Grand Slam matches this season. With both players chasing another landmark moment, New York is set for a high-octane showdown between experience and an American breakthrough.

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) World No. 3 Jessica Pegula heaped praise on Aryna Sabalenka following her loss to the two-time defending US Open champion in the semifinal and opined that this was the best level she saw from the Belarusian and wondered who pissed Sabalenka off for playing the way she did at the Arthur Ashe Stadium against her.

"I think that is probably the best match she's played this year. I thought her level was insanely high," Pegula said in the post-match press conference following her 5-7, 2-6 loss to Sabalenka.

"Maybe she felt a little bit off in the beginning. We both were playing well, serving well. And then, I don't know who pissed her off today. Hopefully it wasn’t me, totally; it might’ve been. I don’t know; she played insane. She played at a super high level. Honestly, I don't really know if there was much I could do today.

Pegula had her chances in the first set, but could not find the big points and the break points against the two-time US Open champion. "I had some chances, but she kept finding ways to hit some really good shots on big points. She made good second serves. I honestly don't know if she missed a backhand in the entire match. Maybe a few backhand returns in the beginning and then she just dialled in," she said.

"I didn't play bad. I think I've actually played worse against her before, but I think that level was the highest I've seen from her, considering I don't think I played bad at all," she added.

Pegula highlighted that Sabalenka might have come out in the semifinal with a clear goal of controlling the points as the former World No.1 set things up with her serve and return. 'Probably that's her game plan. She doesn't want to ever feel like the other person's really dictating. She's much better, I think, playing her first one-two strike tennis: serve, return, return, next ball. That's what she does best, and I think I've been playing pretty well.

"And I think I, maybe in the past, have been able to move her a bit more. But I think her goal, I don't know if it was today, but it was just to not let me control the points. And she did a very good job of that, especially off serve, return, first ball," she added.

Pegula emphasised she wasn't very upset about the loss as she felt Sabalenka was on another level and revealed the light-hearted time with Sabalenka's team after the game.

"I'm honestly not that upset, to be honest because I don't really think there was much I could have done today. I mean, we joked with her team. We're like, do you think, like, do you like us? Like, we're good people. Like, we're pretty nice to you guys. Like, do you think that maybe, like, one day she could be maybe off, like, a little bit, so I could just, like, get a chance?

"That was pretty much our attitude after the match. Because, as I said, she played an insanely high level. I think probably one of her better matches this year for sure. And, yeah, that was it. It just didn't feel like there was a lot. I mean, I, of course, tried to stick around to see if the level would go off. But it seemed like it just got better as the match went on," Pegula said.

She added that maybe her last win against Sabalenka in the Grass Court Championships Berlin, especially the 6-0 victory in the third set, may have made Sabalenka "pissed off at me today."

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Coco Gauff was left hurting after her US Open title hopes came to an end with a three-set defeat to Elena Rybakina, but the American insisted she would use the disappointment as another learning experience and continue putting herself in positions to win.

Gauff, the No. 3 seed, surrendered a one-set lead against Rybakina in the semifinal at Arthur Ashe Stadium, eventually going down 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in two hours and eight minutes.

“Right now it sucks. My dad came up and said, ‘You have accomplished so many things this summer,’ and I just said, ‘I don’t care about the summer. ' Right now that is where my head is at,” Gauff told reporters after the match.

Gauff admitted that while she was proud of her overall progress, the immediate disappointment of missing another opportunity to win a Grand Slam remained difficult to overcome.

“But it is the goal. I want to be a consistent player, and I want to give myself as many opportunities as I can to lift the trophy,” she said.

“But it hurts. It’s all great, but I think the competitor in me is like, this is the tournament that I want to perform at. I did perform, but it’s the tournament you want to come out with the win.”

The 21-year-old said she would take lessons from the defeat and hoped to keep putting herself in similar positions in the future.

“It’s a learning experience, and I hope to keep putting myself in positions to hopefully win,” Gauff said.

Looking back at her campaign in New York, Gauff felt she had largely been able to play the kind of tennis she wanted, despite a difficult quarterfinal performance.

“I think I played almost every match on my terms. I think the worst match for me was maybe the quarter-final, where I maybe fell back into old habits, but in 24 hours I was able to switch that, and I think that it’s confidence to continue to improve,” she said.

Gauff also drew encouragement from the fact that she still has plenty of time to develop her game and challenge for more major titles.

“I am looking at the other semi-finalists. They are older than me, by three or four years, and I’m just trying to think of how much work I have put in this year and how far I have come,” she said.

“Now I am just excited to keep putting in the work for another year or another two years and see where I’m at at 24 or 25. I want to see where my game can take me, and hopefully it can be on the winning end of matches like this,” she added.

Gauff had made a strong start, breaking Rybakina in the sixth game of the opening set before serving it out 6-3.

The momentum then shifted as Rybakina broke in the fourth game of the second set to move 4-1 ahead. Gauff fought back to level the set at 4-4, but the Kazakh struck again in the 10th game to force a decider.

The third set remained tightly contested before Rybakina broke in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead. Gauff refused to go quietly, earning her first break point of the set and converting it with the help of a brilliant backhand passing shot to level the set back on serve.

However, Rybakina responded immediately, breaking in the 10th game to complete the comeback and book a place in the final against Aryna Sabalenka.

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Aryna Sabalenka spoke on losing the World No.1 ranking to Elena Rybakina, whom she will be facing in the US Open 2026 final at the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday (as per IST).

Sabalenka highlighted how hard it is to be World No.1, and although she admitted her dip in form in the mid-season, she called losing the top spot "a bit weird".

"I really understand how tough it is to reach world No. 1. It was one of my goals. But right now, not much I can do. I didn’t really perform well in the middle of the season. Elena took it over and played really well. She took away the number one position. Not much I can do about that," she said in the press conference after beating Jessica Pegula in the semifinal.

Sabalenka made her way into her fourth US Open final after beating Pegula 7-5, 6-2 as she looks for a historic three-peat in New York. Only Chris Evert and Serena Williams have won at least three straight US Open titles in the Open Era as the two-time defending champion Sabalenka bids to become the third player.

Sabalenka emphasised that she has put the focus on herself and will be looking to take the World No.1 rank away from Rybakina at some stage. "I can only focus on myself and stay in the moment and try to do my best right now. Just keep it tight, and maybe I will take it back from her.

"It does feel a bit weird that you can perform well at the tournament and still be taken away the No.1 position. It’s okay. It’s sport. I love that. That’s the beauty of sport. Everyone chasing everyone. It’s all about little things you improve and get better at."

Sabalenka said that she is ready to fight for the title and "do everything" for the win. "If it's Elena, it's going to be really tough," she said. "She's a big server. She really improved over the years on the baseline game, so it's going to be physically and mentally tough. As I said, I'm ready for the fight. I'm ready to do everything to get the win."

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Elena Rybakina emphasised that she will have to unleash all her energy to try to topple the two-time defending US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka as the two gear up for the title clash on Sunday (as per IST).

Rybakina, the new World No.1 and two-time Grand Slam winner, is looking for her maiden US Open title and is in her first final in the Big Apple. She defeated American fourth seed Coco Gauff after being a set down in a thrilling two-hour and eight-minute clash to move into her first US Open final and fourth major final overall.

As she gears up for the final, Rybakina admitted that she would have to come with all the energy she has against Sabalenka. "We played many times; we practised also before, and she's a very aggressive player, Rybakina said in the press conference after her semifinal win.

"It's difficult to play with her mentally and physically because she has a big game, big serve, and I will need to come with all the energy I will have, bring my best serve against Aryna and make the right decisions at the right moment because most of the time it's a tight score and this is where the decision makes a difference. So yeah, we will see what's going to happen, but I definitely will try my best and give it all," she added.

The two will face for the 18th time on WTA Tour, with Sabalenka leading 10-7. They will also meet for the third time in major finals, splitting the previous two. Rybakina and Sabalenka have previously met each other in the Major finals twice, with both those being the title clashes at the Australian Open. Sabalenka won the first one in 2023, while Rybakina avenged the defeat at the 2026 AO.

She has also secured the World No.1 ranking after her quarterfinal win against Zheng Qinwen and is in her maiden US Open final. Meanwhile, Sabalenka is in her fourth straight final at Flushing Meadows, having been a runner-up in 2023 and winning in 2024 and 2025.

Sabalenka is looking to become just the third woman to win a three-peat at the US Open after Chris Evert and Serena Williams.

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Alexander Zverev bids for his second US Open final appearance as he takes on unseeded and former World No.8 Karen Khachanov in the first of the two semifinals at the US Open 2026. Meanwhile, Ben Shelton will face Frances Tiafoe in an all-American second semifinal in the Big Apple.

Zverev, the reigning Roland Garros champion, is bidding for his second Major title and his second appearance in the final in New York. He was a runner-up to Dominic Thiem here in 2020 and missed out on the title despite having a two-set lead.

Meanwhile, the big-hitting Khachanov is playing his third Grand Slam semifinal and is bidding for his maiden appearance in the title clash after having been one of the losing semifinalists at the 2022 US Open and the 2023 Australian Open.

The two have faced each other nine times previously, with the German top seed holding a 6-3 lead. 'We had some great matches. He's leading the head-to-head, I think, 6-3 if I'm right, tough battles," said Khachanov on his upcoming clash against Zverev. "Last year I won in Canada, which was very important after a few defeats that I had against him."

Zverev first met Khachanov in 2016 and heaped praise on his opponent ahead of their last four outing. "There are people that you don't see from the outside, but I think he's somebody that works extremely hard. He's on the practice courts more than most people," Zverev said.

"He's always searching for solutions. He's always trying to find new ways to get better. He has a great coach who I've known also since juniors. He's been with him since juniors. That I respect a lot when people go together for a long time and go together a long way."

Meanwhile, in the other semifinal, eighth seed Shelton takes on 11th seed Tiafoe as two Americans look to enter the final. Shelton comes into the semifinal after ending defending champion Carlos Alcaraz's run in the quarterfinals, while Tiafoe beat former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev in the round of 16 and battled past an impressive unseeded American Alex Michelsen in the last eight.

The two have met each other four times, with Shelton leading the head-to-head battle 3-1, winning the most recent clash at the Citi Open. The two have met each other at the US Open twice before, and those wins have been split 1-1 between the two.

The two have been in impressive form too. Shelton has won four ATP Tour titles this year, with his wins coming on all three surfaces. The 11th seed won the grass title of Halle and played the final at the ATP Masters 1000 at Cincinnati.

Both Americans have never reached a final at a Major, with Shelton being a semifinalist at the 2025 Australian Open and the 2023 US Open previously. Meanwhile, Tiafoe has been a semifinalist at the US Open in 2022 and 2024.

When to watch?

(1) Alexander Zverev vs Karen Khachanov semifinal at Arthur Ashe Stadium: 12:30 AM IST (Sep 12)

(11) Frances Tiafoe vs Ben Shelton semifinal at Arthur Ashe Stadium: Estimated 4:30 AM IST (Sep 12)

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Elena Rybakina battled back from a set down to defeat Coco Gauff in the US Open women's singles semifinals, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 here ar Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Gauff captured the first set with the help of a lone break in the sixth game and held serve to take it 6-3. Rybakina went ahead early in the second, breaking in the fourth game to build a 4-1 lead.

Although Gauff fought back to level the set at 4-4, Rybakina broke again in the 10th game to win the set 6-4 and force a decider.

Rybakina missed two break-point opportunities in the sixth game of the third set, but when she earned another chance in the eighth game, she capitalized to take a 5-3 lead. It wasn't over just yet though, WTA reports.

With the help of a brilliant backhand passing shot at 30-30, Gauff earned her first break point of the final set and converted to put the set back on serve. However, Rybakina broke again in the 10th game to complete the 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory in 2 hours, 8 minutes.

The No. 2 seed, who will debut at world No. 1 following the tournament, next faces current No. 1 and two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in final.

The two players have had 17 previous encounters, with Sabalenka owning the edge in their head-to-head, 10-7. In Grand Slam contests, the two took turns defeating each other in Australian Open finals: Rybakina was the victor in 2026 while Sabalenka captured the crown in 2023. More recently, Sabalenka dismissed Rybakina in Miami and Indian Wells.

Sabalenka extended her US Open winning streak to 20 matches as the two-time defending champion reached her third consecutive final in New York with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula in the first semifinal.

With the win, Sabalenka became the first player in the Open Era to reach eight consecutive Grand Slam hard-court finals, surpassing the seven in a row achieved by Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis and Novak Djokovic.

She is also the sixth woman in the Open Era to reach four or more straight US Open singles finals, joining Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Graf and Serena Williams.

It marked Sabalenka's ninth Grand Slam final overall.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) Aryna Sabalenka's dream for a three-peat will be on the line when she faces American star Jessica Pegula in one of the two semifinals at the US Open 2026 on Friday (as per IST).

Sabalenka will resume her rivalry with Pegula, whom she had defeated to win her first Flushing Meadows title and will have to get past the third seed to have a shot at a historic US Open three-peat, which has only been done by Chris Evert and Serena Williams in the Open Era.

Meanwhile, newly crowned World No. 1 Elena Rybakina will face fourth seed and former US Open champion Coco Gauff in the other semifinal, in what is expected to be another fascinating contest in New York.

The semifinal matchup is a significant milestone. It will be only the second time in the Open Era that the top four seeds will be playing in the US Open semifinals, with 1975 being the only previous occasion. It will also be the first time that the top four seeds will be battling in the last four of any major since 2009 Wimbledon.

Both the matches are expected to live up to the billing as Sabalenka and Pegula share a rich rivalry, while Rybakina and Gauff are among the best women's singles players in the world too.

Sabalenka has defeated Pegula nine times in their 13 meetings, but it was the American who got the better of the two-time reigning US Open champion Sabalenka in their last meeting at the 2026 Berlin semifinals.

The two have also been on level in head-to-head encounters in their last four meetings, as both have won two clashes each and all four of them went into the deciding sets.

"I'm just super happy that I put myself in the position where I have a chance to go for three-peat, even though I'm still far away from that," Sabalenka said ahead of the semifinal. "What I learned from Australia is it's really important to shut down all of the noise and have that on the back of your mind. There's nothing wrong about that, just as long as you're focusing on yourself, as long as you're ready to fight, basically."

Meanwhile, Pegula is looking to take the confidence from the recent happy moments against Sabalenka. "I think for me, I'm going to try to pull what I did well from those few matches, but then also be aware that she's a top player," Pegula said. "She and her team, I feel like, do a really great job of looking at what they need to improve, what other players are doing against her."

Meanwhile, Rybakina and Gauff have not faced each other much, with their head-to-head being 1-1. Rybakina came into this tournament after an injury scare in Cincinnati. "I think from where I was coming to this tournament, being injured and not practising, I think we came pretty far," Rybakina said Wednesday. "Now (it's) just the last pushes and important to still enjoy. Hopefully it's going to go my way."

Meanwhile, Gauff has also been on a stellar run this season, having dropped just one set after 20 consecutive set wins, and that came when she was a set down and had to save a match point against Mirra Andreeva in the quarterfinal.

"Sometimes you just need a chance, and I think I got my chances today," Gauff said. "I was really determined to not lose that second set because I felt I worked so hard to give myself opportunities and lost them. Once the third set started, I felt pretty confident I was going to come out with that one."

Sabalenka and Pegula will be playing the first semifinal at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, which is scheduled to begin at 4:30 am IST on September 11. The second semifinal is estimated to start around 5:40 am IST, but that could change if the first semifinal goes to the distance.

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) Alexander Zverev revealed he stayed up until 3:30 a.m. on Thursday to watch Ben Shelton defeat Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set US Open quarter-final thriller in New York, choosing to follow the dramatic contest despite having his own semi-final place to secure.

"I watched Shelton-Alcaraz until 3:30 a.m. last night. I did not go to bed," Zverev said after advancing to the last four with a straight-sets victory over Botic van de Zandschulp, as quoted by ATP. “I was up late. I was watching TV because I was sleeping in until 1 p.m. anyways.”

The German top seed had already endured two five-setters during his opening two matches at Flushing Meadows, but the prospect of missing one of the tournament’s most anticipated clashes proved difficult to resist.

Shelton eventually prevailed over two-time US Open champion Alcaraz 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7), producing a memorable performance in front of the home crowd. The result set up an all-American semi-final against Frances Tiafoe.

“Credit to Ben, he played an unbelievable match,” said Zverev. “(Friday) is going to be a fun semi-final between two Americans.”

While Shelton and Tiafoe will contest the first semi-final, Zverev will face Karen Khachanov for a place in the final.

Zverev reached the last four by defeating van de Zandschulp 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 on Wednesday. The victory marked his third US Open semi-final appearance and continued a standout season for the 29-year-old, who captured his maiden Grand Slam title at Roland Garros earlier this year.

The German has also established himself as the ATP Tour’s leading match winner in 2026, with 51 victories to his name. His 23 Grand Slam match wins this season have surpassed Boris Becker’s previous German record of 22, set in 1989.

Against van de Zandschulp, Zverev repeatedly delivered when the pressure increased. He saved a break point at 2-3 in the second set after a 33-shot rally and later benefited from a forehand error from the Dutchman when he held set point at 5-4.

Now, after sacrificing another night of sleep to watch the action unfold, Zverev will turn his attention to his own semi-final as he bids to reach a second Grand Slam final of the season.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) Expecting a stern challenge on 'slow courts', India’s Davis Cup non-playing captain Rohit Rajpal believes his unified squad is well-prepared to counter South Korea’s home advantage when the two sides meet in the World Group Qualifiers Round 2 in Seoul on September 18 and 19.

The games will be at the Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Center and carry huge importance – the winner will advance to the prestigious Davis Cup Final Eight, to be played in Bologna, Italy, in November. India, ranked 19th, last met 16th-ranked South Korea a decade ago in 2016 and secured a 4-1 victory on grass in Chandigarh.

India, who trails 6-5 in the head-to-head between the two nations, booked its place at this stage in similarly dramatic fashion, beating the Netherlands with a Dhakshineswar Suresh-inspired comeback.

“As a captain obviously, I have very high expectations. But I do sort of recognize that this is going to be a very tough tie because Koreans are playing in Korea and I'm sure being the hosting team, they're preparing the courts to be very slow, which are not in our favour and much more in their favour and that is the home advantage the home team gets to exercise.

“So, that will make it tougher. But the Koreans are known to be very tough to beat in Korea. So, but we are preparing accordingly. We are getting there early and trying to get as much as possible used to the local conditions that have been prepared for us,” Rajpal told IANS in an exclusive conversation, facilitated by subscription-free OTT platform VETO.

India have retained the core of the squad that stunned the Netherlands 3-2 in Bengaluru in February to reach the second round of the qualifiers for the first time since the current competition format was introduced in 2019.

The five-member team in Seoul comprises Sumit Nagal, Dhakshineswar Suresh and a maiden call-up given to Manas Dhamne. Doubles duty rests with specialists Yuki Bhambri and N. Sriram Balaji, while Sidharth Rawat and junior Grand Slam campaigner Arnav Paparkar join as reserves.

Addressing the inclusion of Dhamne, Rajpal said it was done with an eye for the future. “So, Manas is young and energetic and what we are trying to do is also so that there is no transition in the team as we go because some of the best teams in the world go through a transition period.

“We want to make sure that we have a good mix of younger and experienced player so that the transition period, whenever it does happen, we are through with it and Manas, from that point of view, brings a lot of value to the team and he is playing well. He is transitioning at the moment from being a junior into the men's area.

“So, I think it will do him a lot of good by being there. He has been there earlier in the squad. But now, for the first time he has made it to the team. He is improving a lot and so, I think it will be a very good experience to see and to play under these kind of pressure situations.”

Managing player availability amid a demanding professional calendar can be tricky, but Rajpal praised the commitment of the Indian players. “Well, we are here, which itself shows that all the players are here. The Indians are known to be very emotional about their country and it is my job as a captain to make sure that the team is unified.

“In this team, all the energies are together and we are firing as one machine. So, we try to push each other and a lot of the team building exercises are put into place in the last few years and that is paying rich dividends now. There is a lot of leg pulling and a lot of fun jokes are directed at each other.

“All those things which are necessary to take the pressure off right before a tough match, they do happen. We eat breakfast, lunch and dinner together all the time, as they are all coming from different places in the world. So, the idea to get there early as well is to get everybody together and synergize and fire as one firing good machine.”

India have historically thrived in doubles rather than singles, something which Rajpal agrees with. “I mean, the format itself offers you four singles and one doubles. So, it clearly shows that you need to win many more singles and there is only one doubles. But doubles does play an important role.

“Every point is important there because you need to get to three matches first to win. Sometimes doubles does change the momentum of teams as well . Sometimes, you have seen teams down love two and then the minute the doubles is in your favour, the next day, you get off to a better start.

“So, Indians have had a good history with Leander (Paes), Mahesh (Bhupathi), Rohan (Bopanna), all these guys really playing and making a career out of doubles, which frankly is fantastic. After you're done with your singles, it does give you many more years to be able to continue on the tour and still survive. So, they showed the world that you could all be a doubles specialist and still do very well for yourself on the tour.”

Both teams enter the contest on the back of stunning upset wins - while India stunned the Dutch, South Korea fought back to eliminate 2016 champions Argentina 3-2 in Busan. Asked about the ideal benchmark for success in Korea, Rajpal stressed a pragmatic, match-by-match approach over distant targets.

“Benchmarks are difficult to pinpoint. I mean, I set very high benchmarks for myself and for the boys. Only if you aim for the top, do you reach somewhere near the top. But if you don't aim for the top, you're nowhere, you know, because everything is target-oriented.

“So, if you set a target, then your body and mind and everything else works in tandem to be able to get you there or close to that. Sometimes you fall short, maybe for skill, stamina, for whatever reasons and you can fix that and come back again. But at the same time, I'd like to be realistic and we take it one match at a time.

“I tell the boys that please take it one match at a time. Don't think of the next match and don't think what's going to happen after because we need to first cross that hurdle to be able to then look and prepare for the next one. So, realistically speaking, we're not thinking ahead. We're just going to be focused on getting this tie home and bringing it home.”

Source: IANS

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New York, Sep 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) Alexander Zverev booked his place in the US Open semi-finals for the third time in his career on Thursday (IST) when he downed Botic van de Zandschulp 6-2, 7-5, 6-1.

Moreover, the German advanced to his fourth major semifinal of the season and the 13th of his career. The top seed, who won his first major crown at Roland Garros this year, leads the ATP Tour with 51 match wins this season. The 29-year-old’s 23 major match wins this season are the most by a German man in a single season, surpassing Boris Becker’s 22 in 1989.

Zverev is the lone remaining player in the men's singles draw with a Grand Slam title to his name.

Zverev started slow in this quarterfinal, with his serve betraying him to the tune of five double faults in the first set. But it mattered little as he overwhelmed the Dutchman by riding two service breaks to an effortless first-frame win.

In the second set, Zverev quickly consumed the third set, spitting out another Grand Slam victory, a feat he has achieved regularly this year. more competitive as van de Zandschulp took advantage of Zverev’s ho-hum tennis, seizing two late break points and coming within two points of knotting the score. But van de Zandschulp couldn’t convert on his conservative baseline approach, and Zverev upended the uprising by holding serve.

The third set was quickly consumed, with Zverev spitting out another Grand Slam victory, something that has happened with regularity this year.

With his latest victory, Zverev became the ninth different man in the Open Era to reach the semi-finals at all four majors in a season. Zverev began this Grand Slam season by reaching the semi-finals at the Australian Open. He won Roland Garros in a five-set final against Flavio Cobolli and made the Wimbledon final, only falling to World No. 1 Jannik Sinner.

Source: IANS

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