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Tag: French Open

  • My priority is to play at U.S., French Open – Murray

    Former world number one Andy Murray says he is looking forward to competing at the U.S. Open and French Open later this year but only if it is safe enough amid the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down the sport in March.

    The U.S. Open will be staged without fans as scheduled from August 31 to September 13 in New York while the postponed French Open will be held from September 27 to October 11.

    Earlier this month, world number one Novak Djokovic said strict health protocols at the U.S. Open would prevent players from bringing more than one person on their support team to the venue but Murray said that was an arrangement he was fine with.

    “Playing the Grand Slams would be my priority. “I think the schedule is tricky and I understand the reason why it is like that.

    “I don’t mind what the situation is, provided it is safe. If I was told I could take one person with me… you can make that work.

    “I’d probably go with a physio and some coaching could be done remotely,” Murray was quoted by British media as saying on Monday.

    The ATP and WTA Tours are set to resume in August but the spotlight is on the sport after Grigor Dimitrov and Borna Coric tested positive, following their participation in Djokovic’s Adria Tour exhibition tournament.

    Murray, 33, has not competed since playing in the Davis Cup in November, due to complications with his hip but is set to return on Tuesday at a behind-closed-doors tournament in London, the ‘Battle of the Brits’, organised by his brother Jamie.

    “My hip has been feeling better for probably the past three or four weeks. It feels better than it did in March.

    “Right now, I feel a little bit more confident because I’ve had more training under my belt, more practice.

    ” In March time, I’d only been practising for four or five weeks since I’d had the issues.” he added.

  • Roger Federer pulls out of French Open

    Roger Federer pulls out of French Open

    Roger Federer will miss his fourth French Open in the last five years after having knee surgery on Wednesday.

    The 20-time Grand Slam champion had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee – which had been “bothering him for a little while” – in Switzerland.

    Federer, who won his only Roland Garros title in 2009, said doctors were “very confident of a full recovery”.

    “After the procedure, the doctors confirmed it was the right thing to have done,” the 38-year-old said.

    In addition to the French Open, which takes place from 24 May-7 June, Federer will also miss the tournaments in Dubai, Indian Wells, Bogota and Miami.

    Federer reached the semi-finals last year in his first appearance on the Paris clay since 2015.

    “See you on the grass!” added the eight-time Wimbledon champion, who was knocked out of last month’s Australian Open in the semi-finals by Novak Djokovic.

    Spain’s Rafael Nadal will be looking to win his 13th French Open title, which would see him draw level with Federer on 20 Grand Slams.

  • World number one, Barty booted out of Wimbledon

    World number one and French Open champion Ash Barty was knocked out of Wimbledon on Monday after losing 3-6 6-2 6-3 in a ferocious battle with 55th-ranked American Alison Riske.
    Barty, who had been on a sensational 15-match winning run, was brought down to earth with a thud by Riske, who reached her first ever Grand Slam quarter-final at the 30th attempt and at the age of 29.
    Barty began well, serving four straight aces in the opening game on her way to winning a 21st successive set over the last three tournaments.
    Yet Riske, who had spent more than four hours longer on court than Barty in the first week, dug-in for a trench battle, out-slugging the Australian to take the next two sets and set up a potential last eight clash with seven times champion Serena Williams.

  • French Open bans Serena Williams catsuit

    French Open bans Serena Williams catsuit

    Serena Williams will be banned from wearing her black catsuit at the French Open in the future, with the tournament set to introduce a stricter dress code.

    The 23-time Grand Slam champion said the outfit made her feel like a “superhero” at Roland Garros this year.

    She claimed it helped her cope with the issue of blood clots, which she said almost cost her her life giving birth.

    “It will no longer be accepted,” French Tennis Federation president Bernard Giudicelli told Tennis magazine.

    “I believe we have sometimes gone too far. You have to respect the game and the place.”

    Giudicelli did not reveal the new rules but said they will not be as restrictive as at Wimbledon, where players must wear all-white outfits.

    He added that although most player uniforms for 2019 have already been planned, the FTF is asking manufacturers to share the designs.

    Williams, 36, made her return to Grand Slam tennis at the French Open in May following the birth of her daughter last September.

    The three-time winner wore the catsuit in each of the first three rounds but had to pull out of her fourth-round tie against Maria Sharapova because of injury.

    She dedicated the outfit to new mothers and said it made her feel like a “queen from Wakanda” in reference to the Black Panther movie.

    Williams is bidding for a seventh US Open title when the tournament starts on Monday and the 17th seed faces Poland’s world number 60 Magda Linette in the first round.

    BBC