Tag Archives: Wimbledon

Carlos Alcaraz Defeats Karen Khachanov to Reach China Open Semifinals for Second Straight Year

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Carlos Alcaraz is one step closer to the China Open title…

The 21-year-old Spanish tennis star, the tournament’s No. 3 seed, advanced to the China Open semifinals for the second straight year after an impressive 7-5, 6-2 victory against Karen Khachanov on Monday.

Carlos Alcaraz,Alcaraz was characteristically relentless from the baseline and ground down the No. 27-ranked Khachanov’s service games and converted four of 12 service break opportunities to win in 96 minutes.

“I always try to put some pressure when they’re serving just to in a certain way tell them that I’m going to be there,” Alcaraz said. “If they want to win the service game or to beat me, they have to accept the battle and playing a really good tennis. For me, it’s what I’m trying to show them all the time.”

It was Alcaraz’s 46th win of the season and the victory allowed the reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion to climb back above the absent Alexander Zverev into second place in the ATP live rankings.

Alcaraz will face Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals, after the fifth-ranked Russian beat Flavio Cobolli of Italy 6-2, 6-4.

Rafael Nadal Named to Spain’s Davis Cup Finals Roster Alongside Carlos Alcaraz

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Rafael Nadal is preparing to represent Spain once again…

The 38-year-old Spanish tennis star, who represented Spain at the 2024 Paris Games, has been named to Spain’s roster for the Davis Cup finals alongside Carlos Alcaraz.

Rafael NadalThe announcement raises the possibility of a renewal of Nadal and Alcaraz’s “Nadalcaraz” doubles partnership from the Paris Olympics.

Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, hasn’t competed anywhere since the Olympics, where he lost in the second round of singles to longtime rival Novak Djokovic and paired with Alcaraz to get to the quarterfinals of men’s doubles before exiting against Americans Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram.

Nadal then withdrew from the US Open and the Laver Cup while still dealing with health issues that’ve limited him to competing only sparingly over the past two seasons.

Alcaraz earned the men’s singles titles at the French Open in June and Wimbledon in July to raise his career Slam total to four at the age of 21.

Spain will take on the Netherlands in the quarterfinal round of the Davis Cup finals, an eight-team event November 19-24 in Malaga, Spain.

The other opening matchups are: defending champion Italy vs. Argentina; the United States vs. Australia; and Germany vs. Canada.

Carlos Alcaraz Wins Twice on Sunday to Lead Team Europe to Laver Cup Title

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Carlos Alcaraz has helped lead Team Europe to victory at the Laver Cup.

The 21-year-old Spanish tennis star, a four-time Grand Slam champion defeated Taylor Fritz 6-2, 7-5 as Team Europe rallied to beat Team World 13-11 on Sunday and claim the Laver Cup title.

Carlos AlcarazAlcaraz broke Fritz, the US Open runner-up, in the 11th game and then closed out the victory on serve, sparking celebrations as the Europe team rejoiced with captain Björn Borg.

Team World was favored to win the Laver Cup for a third straight time after leading 8-4 on points heading into the last of the three days.

Europe began the comeback Sunday when Alcaraz and Casper Ruud won the doubles 6-2, 7-6 (6) against Americans Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe. But Shelton then downed Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev 6-7 (6), 7-5, 10-7 to move the World team into pole position.

Tiafoe, who reached the US Open semifinals, could’ve sealed it but he lost to French Open finalist Alexander Zverev 6-7 (5), 7-5, 10-5, setting up the decider between Alcaraz and Fritz.

The Laver Cup is formatted like golf’s Ryder Cup, with the first team to 13 points winning the contest. Each of the four matches Sunday was worth three points.

Europe’s only win in Saturday’s four matches came from Alcaraz, who won the French Open and Wimbledon this year.

On Sunday, Alcaraz showed his big-match temperament once again.

Alejandro Tabilo Helps Team World Take Lead at Laver Cup with Impressive Doubles Win

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Alejandro Tabilo has helped Team World take a decisive lead at this year’s Laver Cup.

The 27-year-old Chilean professional tennis player teamed up with Ben Shelton to defeat Team Europe‘s Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-1, 6-2 on Saturday to give Team World an impressive win.

Alejandro TabiloTeam World just needs two more match wins to claim the Laver Cup a third straight time.

Team World won three of four matches from Team Europe on Saturday to take an 8-4 points lead into the third and final day.

After Friday’s matches were split evenly, Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz beat top-five opponents before Shelton and Tabilo claimed their doubles victory.

Team Europe’s only win came from Carlos Alcaraz, the French Open and Wimbledon champion. He beat Shelton 6-4, 6-4 with one break in each set.

Alcaraz saved all five break points he faced. Shelton conceded his first sets in his fifth career Laver Cup match.

Tiafoe, who reached the US Open semifinals, beat No. 5 Daniil Medvedev 3-6, 6-4 (10-5) for the first time in six attempts.

“Midway in the second [set] and in the tiebreak, I felt like I was Roger Federer, honestly,” Tiafoe joked while smiling at Federer, who was in the stands.

No. 7-ranked Fritz, the US Open finalist, upset No. 2 Alexander Zverev 6-4, 7-5 for his third consecutive win over the German. Fritz hit 27 winners to Zverev’s 11.

The day ended with Shelton’s and Tabilo’s doubles rout.

The Laver Cup is formatted like golf’s Ryder Cup. The first team to 13 points wins. There are four matches on Sunday, each worth three points.

Carlos Alcaraz to Play Against Ben Shelton in Exhibition Event at Madison Square Garden

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Carlos Alcaraz is hitting the Garden…

The 21-year-old Spanish tennis star will play an exhibition event at Madison Square Garden on December 4.

Carlos AlcarazAlcaraz, a four-time Grand Slam champion, will play against USA’s Ben Shelton.

Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro, Americans coming off career-best Grand Slam runs at the US Open, will play each other in an exhibition event.

The lineup for The Garden Cup was announced on Thursday.

It marks the first tennis event since 2018 at MSG, home to the NBA‘s New York Knicks and NHL‘s New York Rangers.

Alcaraz won the French Open and Wimbledon this season but bowed out last month in the second round of the US Open, which he won in 2022 for his first Grand Slam trophy.

Shelton’s best showing at a major was his semifinal appearance in New York last year; he lost to fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the third round this time.

Carlos Alcaraz Takes Home Silver in Men’s Singles Tennis at 2024 Paris Games

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2024 Paris GamesIt’s a silver lining for Carlos Alcaraz…

Despite his loss in the men’s singles final to Novak Djokovic in the men’s singles tennis final on Sunday, the 21-year-old Spanish tennis star claimed the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Games.

Carlos Alcaraz, OlympicsAlcaraz, who was gunning to become the youngest men’s tennis Olympic champion in his Olympic debut, lost a close match in straight sets, with both decided by a tiebreaker.

In the end, Alcaraz lost 6-7 (3), 6-7 (2).

Despite his disappointment at his defeat on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the Olympic flame inside the Spaniard remains well and truly alight.

“I always want to win, that’s for sure, but taking the silver medal, I have to be really proud,” said Alcaraz in post-match comments made to NBC. “I’m building a really great career and I hope it’s going to keep going.

“Honestly, I’m pretty proud to be in this position, I’m pretty proud to bring a medal to Spain. I’m pretty sure that my moment will come, and I will bring the gold medal to Spain one day. So I’m going to wait for that moment and I’m going to work for that moment, but right now I have to enjoy lifting the silver medal, it’s pretty amazing as well.”

Alcaraz has good reason to feel confident about the future. Sunday’s loss was a rare low moment in what has otherwise been a largely stellar year for the Spaniard.

He lifted his third and fourth major titles at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, respectively, while he also lifted his fifth ATP Masters 1000 crown in Indian Wells in March.

The No. 3 in the ATP Rankings also knows how close he was to Djokovic in Sunday’s high-level encounter.

Alcaraz forced the Serbian to fend off eight break points en route to victory, and he’ll leave Paris satisfied he gave his all in pursuit of Olympic glory.

‘It is painful to lose the way that I lost this match. I had my opportunities… I couldn’t take them,” said Alcaraz. “Novak is playing great, he really settled in his position, in the difficult moments he increased his level, he played unbelievable. I’m really disappointed but honestly, I’m going to leave the court with my head really high. I gave everything that I had fighting for Spain, it was everything to me so I’m proud the way that I played today.”

The next few months also promise plenty for Alcaraz, who is currently 38-7 for the season and second in the ATP Live Race To Turin. He’s next set to compete at the Cincinnati Open later this month, when he’ll resume his pursuit of rival and current Live Race leader Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz is bidding to finish the season as ATP Year-End No. 1 for the second time.

Carlos Alcaraz ThisClose to Becoming Youngest Olympic Tennis Singles Champion

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2024 Paris GamesCarlos Alcaraz is one win away from Olympic tennis history…

The 21-year-old Spanish tennis star beat Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime soundly, 6-1, 6-1, in the semifinals of the 2024 Paris Games on Friday to come within one win of becoming the youngest man to win an Olympic tennis singles gold medal.

Carlos AlcarazAlcaraz owns four Grand Slam titles, including a French Open title he won in June at Roland Garros, the clay-court facility being used for tennis at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

He’s about a month younger than Vincent Richards of the U.S. was when he claimed the gold in the 1924 Paris Games.

With dozens of spectators waving red-and-yellow Spanish flags at Court Philippe Chatrier or yelling “Vamos, Carlos!” on a cloudy afternoon — and a soundtrack provided during breaks in the action by a brass band in the stands — Alcaraz was dominant and never faced a break point.

He won the point on 10 of 11 trips to the net. He made just 13 unforced errors, 10 fewer than Auger-Aliassime, who also lost to Alcaraz at this year’s French Open.

“I just couldn’t find a way to be comfortable in any pattern, any position. Whether it was trying to dominate the forehand cross-court or change of direction, the forehand inside-out, the backhand side,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Every aspect. The movement. The defense. I was dominated.”

Auger-Aliassime is a 23-year-old Canadian whose best showing at a major tournament was a semifinal appearance at the 2021 US Open. Auger-Aliassime made it to that round back then when Alcaraz, just 18 at the time, stopped playing in the second set of their quarterfinal because of an injured leg muscle.

“He’s improved a lot, every time we’ve played,” said Auger-Aliassime, who beat Alcaraz in each of their first three head-to-head contests but now has lost the four since, all in straight sets. “I don’t have the solutions right now.”

The Alcaraz on display during his Olympics debut is a much more finished product, someone who has won 12 consecutive matches at Roland Garros and collected a second consecutive title at Wimbledon last month, too.

Alcaraz defeated 24-time Slam champion Novak Djokovic in both of those finals at the All England Club, and they’ll have a rematch for the men’s gold on Sunday after Djokovic, a 37-year-old from Serbia, defeated Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in the second Olympic semifinal.

Rafael Nadal Beats Duje Ajdukovic at Nordea Open to Reach First Final Since May 2022

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Rafael Nadal is one win awat from a long overdue title…

The 38-year-old Spanish tennis star and former World No. 1 has reached his first final since the 2022 French Open by rallying to beat Duje Ajdukovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday at the clay-court Nordea Open.

Rafael Nadal,After needing four hours to beat 36th-ranked Mariano Navone in Friday’s quarterfinals, Nadal had a slow start against Ajdukovic and was a break down in the second set before turning things around.

“My opponent had one of the best backhands that I played against,” Nadal said. “It was very, very difficult, honestly, but I found a way to survive and be through to that final after a long time without being in a final. So that’s great news, and I’m very happy with that.”

Nadal will play Nuno Borges in the final.

Nadal is playing at the tournament in Sweden for the first time since he won the title as a 19-year-old in 2005 as he prepares for the 2024 Paris Games tournament, which will be played on clay at Roland Garros in Paris.

Nadal skipped Wimbledon as he didn’t want to switch surfaces to grass and then back to clay and risk injury. He has been dealing with hip and abdominal injuries over the past 1 1/2 years.

Defending Champion Carlos Alcaraz Defeats Daniil Medvedev to Reach Wimbledon Final

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Carlos Alcaraz is one win away from a repeat performance…

The 21-year-old Spanish tennis star has returned to the Wimbledon final after rallying from a set down to defeat Daniil Medvedev in four sets in the semifinals at the All England Club on Friday afternoon, 6-7 (1), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

Carlos AlcarazWith the victory, Alcaraz extends his Wimbledon winning streak to 13 matches in a row—he won seven matches to capture the title a year ago, and he’s now won another six in a row this year.

He’s just the second Spanish man ever to reach multiple Wimbledon finals, after Rafael Nadal, who won the title in 2008 and 2010 and finished runner-up in 2006, 2007 and 2011.

He also stays perfect against the biggest names in the sport this year: Alcaraz is now 5-0 against Top 5 players this season following his victory over the No. 5-ranked Medvedev.

ALCARAZ VS. TOP 5 PLAYERS THIS YEAR (5-0):
d. No. 3 Sinner in Indian Wells SFs, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2
d. No. 4 Medvedev in Indian Wells F, 7-6 (5), 6-1
d. No. 2 Sinner in Roland Garros SFs, 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
d. No. 4 Zverev in Roland Garros F, 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2
d. No. 5 Medvedev in Wimbledon SFs, 6-7 (1), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4

There were several momentum swings in the first set, with Medvedev originally going up a break and building a 5-2 lead, then Alcaraz getting back on serve and pushing the set to a tie-break, where Medvedev came out swinging, jumping out to a 5-0 lead before wrapping up the opening frame, 7-1.

Then, Alcaraz came alive—he didn’t even face a single break point in the next two sets to build a two-sets-to-one lead, and then, after the two traded breaks in the first two games of the fourth set, the Spaniard broke one last time in the seventh game, eventually serving the match out a few games later.

Both players finished the match with more winners than unforced errors, but Alcaraz’s ratio was just too good with 55 to 37. Meanwhile, Medvedev had 31 to 24 on the day.

The Spaniard also broke twice as many times, six to three.

Awaiting the No. 3-seeded Alcaraz in the final will be the seven-time champion Novak Djokovic, who defeated No. 25 seed Lorenzo Musetti, in a repeat of last year’s Wimbledon men’s final.

Carlos Alcaraz Defeats Tommy Paul to Reach Wimbledon Semifinals

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Carlos Alcaraz is one step closer to a repeat…

The 21-year-old Spanish tennis star and defending Wimbledon champion took a little time to rev his engines in his quarterfinal, but once he did, there was no stopping him during a 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 victory over No. 12 Tommy Paul.

Carlos AlcarazComing off a title at the French Open last month , Alcaraz is seeking his fourth Grand Slam trophy.

For a set and a bit, Paul, the American who won the title at Queen’s Club last month, matched and even had the better of Alcaraz.

But like those select few who’ve been able to live with Rafael Nadal for a while only to fall away under the weight of the physical and mental contest, the sheer effort of keeping pace with the world No 3 proved to be too much.

Gaining strength with each set, Alcaraz pulled away the win and a place in the semifinals.

The third seed finished with 36 winners, 19 of them on his forehand, the niggling forearm injury that dogged him for much of the first part of this year no longer a factor.

Paul saved 19 of 27 break points but under the intense pressure coming from the other side, 52 forced errors and 51 unforced errors were too much to get the job done and Alcaraz moved a step closer to claiming back-to-back slams.

“He has been playing great tennis on grass, he won Queen’s, he’s been doing great stuff and today was a really difficult match for me,” Alcaraz said. “The first set and the beginning of the second set it was kind of like I was playing on clay, big rallies, 10 or 15 shots every rally. I had to stay strong mentally but I knew it was a really long journey and a really long match and I’m happy I was able to find the solutions.”

Alcaraz will take on Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals for the second consecutive year.