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Australian Open 2024: Iga Swiatek stunned by Linda Noskova in third round

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Poland’s Iga Swiatek, the world number one, suffered a surprising defeat in the third round of the Australian Open to 19-year-old Czech player Linda Noskova. Despite initially appearing in control, Swiatek faltered against Noskova’s power, eventually losing 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena. Noskova, ranked 50th in the world, expressed her disbelief and joy at reaching the fourth round of a major for the first time.

Noskova, making her main draw debut in Melbourne, broke Swiatek in the deciding set and secured the victory on her first match point. This loss also ended Swiatek’s 18-match unbeaten streak. Other top seeds, including Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, and Ons Jabeur, had already been eliminated in earlier rounds.

Noskova will face either Ukrainian 19th seed Elina Svitolina or Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic in the next round. In other matches, China’s Zheng Qinwen, the 12th seed, won a third-set tie-break against compatriot Wang Yafan. Zheng will play French player Oceane Dodin in the fourth round. Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka advanced with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko.

Russian Anna Kalinskaya defeated American Sloane Stephens, setting up a clash with Italian Jasmine Paolini. This ensures a first-time major semi-finalist in Zheng’s section of the draw. Paolini will face Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska, who overcame American 27th seed Emma Navarro.

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Davis Cup final 2023: Italy beat Australia to win first title for 47 years

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Italy clinched their first Davis Cup title in 47 years as Jannik Sinner dominated Alex de Minaur, securing a 2-0 victory over Australia in Malaga, Spain. Matteo Arnaldi set the tone with a tense 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 win over Alexei Popyrin in the opening singles, giving Italy a 1-0 lead. Sinner, in exceptional form, then cruised to a 6-3, 6-0 triumph against De Minaur, sealing the historic victory.

The win marked Italy’s second Davis Cup triumph, the previous one dating back to 1976. Sinner’s outstanding week, including a crucial win against Novak Djokovic in the semi-final, underscored his late-season brilliance. Italy’s path to victory also featured Matteo Berrettini’s positive contribution.

Sinner, ranked fourth globally, showcased his dominance by breaking De Minaur early and maintaining control throughout. The victory was not only a result of individual brilliance but also a collective effort, with Arnaldi playing a crucial role in securing the initial lead.

The Australian team, aiming for their 29th Davis Cup title, faced disappointment after back-to-back final losses, having been defeated by Canada the previous year. Italy’s triumph was a testament to their resilience, overcoming challenges and celebrating the win with jubilation.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni congratulated the team for their talent and commitment, acknowledging the historic achievement. The week in Malaga was marked by a fabulous atmosphere, reigniting debates about the competition format while affirming the success of the event organized by Malaga and the International Tennis Federation.

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ATP Finals 2023 results: Novak Djokovic beats Jannik Sinner to win title

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Novak Djokovic secured his record seventh ATP Finals title with a commanding victory over Jannik Sinner, avenging his earlier loss in the group stage. The 36-year-old Serbian’s 6-3, 6-3 win in Turin, Italy, marked another milestone in a remarkable season where he set records in rankings and titles. Djokovic expressed that it was one of the best seasons of his life, especially significant to crown it against the hometown hero, Jannik.

Before the singles final, British success was celebrated in the doubles as Joe Salisbury and his American partner Rajeev Ram retained their title. They claimed victory in straight sets against Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos.

In the singles final, Djokovic took control early with a break and dominated, dropping only two points on his serve in the flawless opening set. Despite Sinner’s efforts, Djokovic secured another break in the second set, sealing his victory with a double fault from Sinner on the first match point. This win marked Djokovic’s seventh ATP Finals title, surpassing Roger Federer’s six.

Djokovic reflected on his tactical adjustments from the group stage and described the week as phenomenal. He acknowledged the need to step up his game against younger challengers like Sinner and attributed his success to a brilliant performance, winning an impressive 91% of first-serve points.

Djokovic’s victory in the ATP Finals added to his list of achievements in a record-setting year. He surpassed Federer for titles won at the ATP Finals, secured the year-end men’s world number one position for a record eighth time, and spent a record 400 weeks at the top of the singles rankings. This year, Djokovic won three of the four Grand Slam singles titles, overtaking Rafael Nadal’s men’s tally and tying Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24. The victory in Turin set the stage for Djokovic’s pursuit of a 25th major at the upcoming Australian Open in January. Despite the tour season ending, Djokovic continued his playing season at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, Spain, where he led Serbia in the quarter-final against Great Britain.

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Medvedev Triumphs, Alcaraz Clinches US Open 2023 Titles

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In hot and humid conditions at the US Open 2023, Daniil Medvedev secured his spot in the semi-finals by defeating Andrey Rublev, expressing concerns about the extreme weather. Despite apparent breathing difficulties, the third seed managed to beat his fellow Russian with a score of 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

Medvedev, who won the 2021 US Open, is set to face Carlos Alcaraz next after the defending champion defeated Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. The semi-finals for both men will take place at Flushing Meadows on Friday.

The match between Medvedev and Rublev occurred under a partially closed roof due to a heatwave, with temperatures reaching around 35C. Both players struggled with the extreme conditions, taking extended breaks between sets and using various methods to cool down.

Medvedev compared the conditions to the challenging weather he experienced during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and emphasized that both players were affected. Rublev, who has yet to reach a major semi-final, was a break up early in each set, but Medvedev managed to shift the momentum each time.

Medvedev secured the victory and the semi-final spot despite facing challenges with his breathing, using an inhaler, and taking medical timeouts. He highlighted the resilience of both players, acknowledging Rublev’s determination never to give up.

In another semi-final match, last year’s champion, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic are expected to compete for a place in the final. Djokovic, aiming for his 24th major title, will face young American Ben Shelton in the first match. Both Alcaraz and Djokovic are considered strong contenders for the championship.

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Boris Becker: Former Wimbledon champion released after serving eight months of prison sentence

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Boris Becker, a former Wimbledon champion, has been freed from prison after serving the entirety of his eight-month term for concealing assets and loans totaling £2.5 million in order to avoid paying obligations. After being convicted guilty of four offences under the Insolvency Act in April, the 55-year-old German was sentenced to two and a half years in prison.

He was let out of jail on Thursday morning and has since taken a flight to Germany. According to the BBC, Becker was expelled from the United Kingdom. Becker “was released from detention in England and has left for Germany today,” according to a statement from his Berlin-based attorney Christian-Oliver Moser. According to a government source who spoke to the BBC, Becker took a private plane rented by a friend out of Biggin Hill.

Any foreign national who is found guilty of a crime and given a prison sentence is taken into consideration for deportation at the earliest opportunity, a Home Office spokesperson told BBC Sport.

As a foreigner without British citizenship who was given a sentence of more than 12 months in custody, Becker is automatically deported.

Becker resigned from playing in 1999 and has been residing in the UK since 2012. Throughout his 15-year career, he captured six Grand Slam singles titles, including three at Wimbledon.

Due to an outstanding loan of more than £3 million on his estate in Mallorca, Spain, he was declared bankrupt in June 2017.

Earlier this year, Becker was accused of concealing assets worth millions of pounds in order to avoid paying his debts. 

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“24 Years Feels Like 24 Hours”: Roger Federer Announces Retirement

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The only male tennis player to win 20 grand slam titles, Roger Federer, has declared his intention to stop competing after the Laver Cup in 2022. Federer posted a message on his Twitter account announcing his choice. When he won the Wimbledon championship in 2003, Federer captured his maiden grand slam. Since then, he has won six Australian Opens, one French Open, eight Wimbledons, and five US Opens. He’s been dealing with a knee problem for a very long time.

He announced it on his Twitter account: “The Laver Cup next week in London will be my final ATP event.”The 20-time Grand Slam champion, 41, has been out since losing in the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2021 before requiring more knee surgery. Serena Williams’ retirement and Federer’s announcement are related events. Serena retired having won the second-most grand slam titles in women’s tennis (23). In terms of the total number of grand slam titles won, Federer sits third, behind his top competitors Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

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Roger Federer knocked out by Greek wunderkind Stefanos Tsitsipas

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Stefanos Tsitsipas shocked the world tennis as he defended champion Roger Federer in the Australian Open fourth round. Stefanos beat Federer, who is 17 years his senior, 6-7 (11-13), 7-6 (7/3), 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) on Rod Laver Arena.

“There’s nothing really I can say to describe this, I’m the happiest man on earth right now.” – Stefanos Tsitsipas

Stefanos Tsitsipas, became the first Greek in history to reach the quarter-finals of a Slam where he will meet Spain’s 22nd seed Roberto Bautista Agut. It was for the mixed doubles for Hopman Cup that Stefanos and Federer came face to face. Federer, 37, was beaten by eventual champion Stan Wawrinka in his last appearance at the French Open in 2015.

Sunaya Paison
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