Tag: Tennis

Federer announces retirement after Laver Cup [See achievements]

Tennis great Roger Federer on Thursday announced his retirement from the sport following the upcoming Laver Cup.

The 20-time grand slam singles champion, seen by many fans as the best men’s tennis player ever, has been out all season after knee surgery.

But the 41-year-old had been expected to bow out in 2023.

Federer was due to make his comeback in next week’s Laver Cup in London, a competition he helped dream up, but has now decided it will be his final professional tournament.

“The Laver Cup next week in London will be my final ATP event. I will play more tennis in the future, of course, but just not in Grand Slams or on the tour,” the Swiss wrote on social media on Thursday.

“As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries. I’ve worked hard to return to full competitive form.

“But I also know my body’s capacities and limits, and its message to me lately have been clear.”

His announcement comes just weeks after women’s tennis great Serena Williams said she was quitting the sport.

Federer added: “I am 41 years old. I have played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years.

“Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognise when it is time to end my competitive career.”

Federer’s last grand slam title came at the 2018 Australian Open before injuries really began to hit.

He has been usurped as the most successful men’s grand slam singles player of all time by great rival Rafael Nadal, who now boasts 22 titles while Novak Djokovic has 21.

But the numbers only tell part of the story.

Many pundits agree no male player has ever made tennis look so effortless and few have been as courteous on and off the court.

His first grand slam win came at Wimbledon in 2003 when he finally fulfilled his immense talent after a few missteps as a young player on tour.

The once pony-tailed player soon completely dominated the ATP Tour and the grand slams, winning a record eight Wimbledon singles titles in all.

These include five in a row before a epic final loss to Nadal in 2008.

He was world number one for a record 237 consecutive weeks as he racked up six Australian Opens, five US Opens and eventually the 2009 title at the French Open to complete the set.

A gold medal in the Olympic doubles in 2008 and a silver in singles in 2012 were also highlights as well six end-of-season Tour Finals triumphs.

Roger Federer’s life and career achievements

Born: Aug. 8, 1981 in Basel, Switzerland

Tournaments won: 103

Prize money: 130,594,339 dollars

Grand Slam titles: 20 (6 x Australian Open: 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017, 2018; 1 x French Open: 2009; 8 x Wimbledon: 2003-2007, 2009, 2012, 2017; 5 x US Open: 2004-2008)

Further achievements: Olympic gold in doubles 2008, Olympic silver in singles 2012, Davis Cup winner with Switzerland in 2014

Family: Married to Mirka Vavrinec, four children

September 15, 2022
Terrific Tiafoe knocks out Nadal in major U.S. Open upset

American Frances Tiafoe played the match of his life to beat second seed, Rafa Nadal 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-3 in the fourth round of the U.S. Open on Monday.

It was the first time this year that Nadal, who had been chasing a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam title, has been beaten in a major.

Tiafoe covered his face with his hands as he soaked up the cheers from a packed house at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

This was after breaking Nadal for a fifth time to claim arguably the biggest upset of the tournament.

“I don’t even know what to say right now, I’m beyond happy, I’m almost in tears,” Tiafoe, seeded 22, said in an on-court interview.

“I can’t believe it. He is definitely one of the greatest of all time. I played unbelievable tennis today but I really don’t know what happened.”

While Tiafoe did indeed play sublime tennis, he also benefited from an uncharacteristically poor serving and returning performance from Nadal.

The Spaniard produced nine double faults and hit just 33 winners to Tiafoe’s 48.

With the win, Tiafoe snapped Nadal’s streak of 17 straight majors where he reached the quarter-finals or better.

The Spaniard had triumphed at the Australian and French Opens this year before withdrawing with an abdominal injury before his semi-final at Wimbledon.

After the match, Nadal made no excuses for his performance amid suffocating humidity in New York.

“I can find excuses but for me it’s simple: when you don’t play at the level that you should… you can’t win,” he told reporters.

“My opponent was the better player”.

Tiafoe, 24, was born in Maryland to parents from Sierra Leone and took up tennis while his father worked as a custodian at Junior Tennis Champions Center in suburban Washington DC.

After the match he donned a hoodie that listed all of Serena Williams’ 23 Grand Slam victories on the back.

The trailblazing Williams likely played her final match of her career at the tournament last week.

“When I first came on the scene I felt like a lot of people had low expectations of me and how I would do,” he said.

“I wasn’t ready for it mentally, I wasn’t mature enough for those moments.

“But these last couple years I’ve been able to develop and I have a great team behind me. I’ve been putting my head down and I’m happy with where I am in life.”

In spite never winning a set against Nadal in their two prior meetings, Tiafoe was fearless from the start, breaking for a 4-3 lead in the first set and capturing it with an easy volley.

Nadal took almost 10 minutes to change his kit and tape up his hands off the court prior to the second set, which he won.

This was when Tiafoe double-faulted by the smallest of margins to level the contest.

Tiafoe pumped up the crowd when he set up a breakpoint in the third set.

He rewarded them with a backhand winner down the line for a 4-3 advantage, causing him to sprint to his chair.

Nadal showed signs of life when he went up 3-1 in the fourth set.

This was after Tiafoe was broken in a game where he complained to the chair umpire about the noise of the roof closing for rain on mammoth Ashe stadium while he was serving.

But Tiafoe broke back on a shaky service game from Nadal and broke him again in the final game, when the Spaniard dumped a backhand into the net to seal the unlikely victory.

“CONGRATS Young King!!! You earned it!” NBA star LeBron James wrote on Twitter.

Next up for Tiafoe is a quarter-final showdown with Russian Andrey Rublev.

September 6, 2022
Tennis star, Nick Kyrgios expresses ‘sadness’ after defeating compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis

Australian tennis star, Nick Kyrgios has expressed sadness after defeating compatriot and good friend Thanasi Kokkinakis at the ongoing U.S open tournament.

Kyrgios posited that he hopes and prays that he wouldn’t have a course to play against his very good friend again in any Grand slam.

Kyrgios defeated Kokkinakis in three straight sets, 6-4 6-4 7-6 to proceed to the next round of the U.S open.

Both tennis stars won the men’s double category at the Australian Open back in January 2022.

The U.S Open marked the first time both players will square up against each other in a major competition.

It was clear for all to see how Kyrgios did not enjoy facing his compatriot at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Kygrios will now play Benjamin Bonzi in the next round of the tournament

Bonzi on the other hand, claimed a five-set victory over fellow Frenchman Ugo Humbert, 7-6(1), 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 6-2.

“When we both saw the draw, it was a nightmare, honestly,” Kyrgios said of facing Kokkinakis.

“We never want to play each other. I’ve just got so much respect for him. I can’t wait to get out there and play doubles with him on the right side of the net.

“We just know each other’s games like the back of our hand. We’ve played together since we were about nine years old. He knows my game well. I know his game extremely well.

“I just played the bigger points well early on. We’re going to play each other, hopefully, never again.”

Nicholas Hilmy Kyrgios is an Australian professional tennis player. In singles, Kyrgios’ career-high ATP singles ranking of world No. 13 was achieved on 24 October 2016

August 30, 2022
Former world No.1 Kerber is pregnant, to miss US Open

Former world tennis number one Angelique Kerber is pregnant, her management team disclosed on Wednesday.

The three-time Grand Slam winner is expecting her first child and will not play in the US Open starting on Monday.

Kerber, 34, last played at Wimbledon in July.

Her pregnancy does not mean the end of her career, her management team however added.

August 24, 2022
BREAKING: Serena Williams prepares farewell to tennis

Serena Williams is preparing for her retirement from professional tennis on her own terms and in her own words, writing in Vogue Magazine.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Serena made the announcement on Tuesday, saying she is evolving towards other things that are important to her.

A tennis legend, Serena has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles – the most by any player in the Open Era. She has spent 319 weeks at the top of the world rankings and she is a four-time Olympic gold medalist.

Announcing her plans for retirement, Serena wrote: “It’s the hardest thing that I could ever imagine. I have never liked the word retirement. It doesn’t feel like a modern word to me.

“I’ve been thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something very specific and important to a community of people.

“Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution. I don’t want it to be over, but at the same time I’m ready for what’s next. I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me”.

Serena opened up that it was a difficult decision to take and that the only person she has opened up to is her therapist.

“But I’ve been reluctant to admit to myself or anyone else that I have to move on from playing tennis. Alexis, my husband, and I have hardly talked about it; it’s like a taboo topic.

“I can’t even have this conversation with my mom and dad. It’s like it’s not real until you say it out loud. It comes up, I get an uncomfortable lump in my throat, and I start to cry.

“The only person I’ve really gone there with is my therapist! One thing I’m not going to do is sugarcoat this.

“I know that a lot of people are excited about and look forward to retiring, and I really wish I felt that way,” she wrote in Vogue.

TNG reports Serena as saying she will retire from tennis after playing in the US Open beginning later this month.

August 9, 2022
Djokovic beats Kyrgios to win seventh Wimbledon title

Novak Djokovic beat unseeded Australian Nick Kyrgios 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6(3) to win his seventh Wimbledon title on Sunday.

The Serbian top seed has thus won a fourth successive title at the All England Club to take his overall Grand Slam tally to 21.

July 10, 2022
I’ve lost motivation to play tennis in Nigeria – Oyinlomo Quadri

Oyinlomo Quadri, one of Nigeria’s top female tennis players, says she has lost both the passion and motivation to play in tennis tournaments organised in the country.

Quadri who spoke to NAN in Abuja said she needed time to reflect on her performance and re-examine her goals and priorities.

Quadri lost to the tournament’s number one seed Marylove Edwards in the women’s singles event semi-finals at the 2022 CBN Senior Tennis Open Championships on Saturday in Abuja.

This was after she had taken an early lead and thoroughly dominated the first set which she won 6-1.

Edwards however bounced back from a set down to take the last two sets and knock out Quadri who was the tournament’s number three seed 1-6 6-2 6-4.

Edwards eventually defeated number three seed Aanu Aiyegbusi 6-3 6-4 to win the tournament.

Quadri said the game had made her to take some time out to reflect and think about her mental state.

She said she has lost interest and did not have any plans to play in the country anytime soon.

“I don’t have any plans to play in Nigeria again. I mean, I used to want to play here, especially after the first time I played here.

“It was my goal to win a lot of tournaments in the country.

“But I don’t have those goals anymore. I think I have lost reasons to continue to play in this tournament for example.

“For instance, you will find that other players here are way more motivated than I am in this tournament.

“I think that’s a mental issue I need to personally work on and hopefully next time when I do come to play in this tournament it would be because I want to and I am motivated to do so,” Quadri said.

She revealed that a lot of things affected her performance in the CBN tournament, emphasising however that she didn’t want to go into specific details.

Quadri nonetheless expressed her gratitude to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the tournament’s sponsors, for their continuous and unflinching commitment in supporting the tennis game in Nigeria for such a long time.

“Although we had some issues bothering on players’ welfare, which was one of the reasons a lot of things didn’t go as planned, I will still like to thank the sponsors for putting this tournament together for the 44th time.

“I could see what it meant to the players and I think I need to take a break and just try to find that reason to play here again,” she said.

In terms of her national rankings, Quadri noted that it was difficult for her to actually prioritise that, noting that she was usually not in the country for most part of the year.

“I am usually not available to play these tournaments in the country 80 percent of the time.

“So, it’s not magic. I cannot maintain my number one position in the country any longer. But technically if you are looking at the rankings, I remain number one.

The 19-year-old is currently the highest-ranked Nigerian in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) women’s singles category.

In the November 2019 WTA rankings, she was ranked number one in Nigeria, nine in Africa and 940 in the world in the women’s singles category.

“I am playing pro tennis now and presently ranked 1,000th in the WTA rankings.

“So, I am hoping to play so many international tournaments this year so as to continue to improve my rankings at the world stage,” Quadri said.

May 27, 2022
Pastor told me to fast, pray after beaten by my ex-husband – Tennis queen, Oshonaike

Nigeria Table Tennis Queen, Funke Oshonaike, on Wednesday, shared her experience in her previous relationships.

The 46-year-old alleged that she was a victim of domestic violence.

Oshonaike noted that said she was frustrated to a point that she wanted to kill one of her abusers.

Oshonaike promised to reveal more about the abuses she suffered in the name of love, in an upcoming autobiography.

As news of Osinachi Nwachukwu’s death filtered in last Friday, friends, Christian faithful and other Nigerians on social media have pondered on why she chose to remain in the marriage despite constant attacks from her husband, Peter.

“I didn’t sleep well at all because of what I’ve been reading about Osinachi, the gospel musician that was physically abused by her husband until she lost her life,” the tennis star wrote on Facebook.

“I’ve been physically, emotionally and mentally abused by two different men and I know how it felt.

“The first one was at a younger age. He didn’t only abuse me, but carted away with all my money and my properties, I mean all that I worked for as a young girl.

“The second was with my ex husband. A good and a kind man, but not a good husband to me. His own problem was his background. That’s what he saw growing up, so he didn’t know any other way to deal with an argument than to raise his hands.

“My parents, friends, loved ones, pastor, church couldn’t help me. They all told me he will change, or I should change from my ways, I should pray and fast for him, I should be patient etc but not to leave.

“Do you know that he even beat me in front of my daddy and even in front of my pastor ??!! Hmm!”

April 13, 2022
War : Russia Tennis Star Andrey Rublev Appeals For Peace

Russian tennis player, Andrey Rublev, wrote “no to war” on a camera lens as he joined compatriot Daniil Medvedev in calling for peace.

Rublev defeated Hubert Hurkacz 3-6 7-5 7-6 (7-5) on Friday to advance to the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships.

After confirming his place in the final with either Denis Shapovalov or Jiri Vesely, the 24-year-old world number seven took a penalty.

He then scribed “no to war” on the lens of a television camera.

It’s not uncommon for players to write messages on camera lenses, but an appeal for peace was an emotive move from Rublev.

On Thursday, Russia invaded Ukraine after weeks of rising political tensions.

The conflict escalated on Friday, with reports of fighting within the capital city of Kyiv.

Rublev’s actions came after Medvedev, who will succeed Novak Djokovic, as world number one next week, said he wanted to “promote peace.”

Rublev had initially expressed his wish for peace at a news conference at the Dubai event.

“In these moments, you realize that my match isn’t important,” Rublev said, with a video clip shared to his official Instagram account.

“It is not about my match, how it affects me. What is happening is much more terrible.

“You realize how important it’s to have peace in the world and to respect each other no matter what, to be united.

“We should take care of our Earth and of each other. This is the most important thing.”

February 25, 2022
Nadal claims record 21st grand slam title after stunning comeback win

Rafael Nadal achieved the most astonishing feat of his glittering career by fighting back from two sets down to defeat Daniil Medvedev and win the 2022 Australian Open.

The feat helped him to win a record 21st grand slam title.

Nadal’s 2-6 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-4 7-5 victory moves him clear of his great rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as the most successful male player in grand slam history.

When the match, which lasted five hours and 24 minutes, finally finished at 1:11 a.m local time in Melbourne, Nadal dropped his racket to the court in disbelief.

He then pumped his fists in delight and celebrated with his support team.

The victory also makes him only the second man in the Open era after Djokovic to win each of the four titles at least twice.

Nadal was adding a second Australia Open crown to the one he claimed in 2009.

But the numbers only tell a fraction of the story.

The Spaniard feared he may have to retire only a couple of months ago because of a chronic foot problem and arrived in Australia unsure of what he could achieve.

Reaching the final had already exceeded all expectations and it appeared he would fall just short again in Melbourne.

That was when Medvedev moved two sets ahead.

The Russian was looking to follow up his maiden US Open title by becoming the first man in the Open era to win the next major as well.

Nadal had faded physically in the third set of his matches against both Denis Shapovalov and Matteo Berrettini.

But, at 35 and playing in just his 10th match since early August, he outlasted an opponent nearly a decade his junior.

Remarkably, it is also the first time Nadal has recovered from two sets down to win a match since beating Mikhail Youzhny at Wimbledon in 2007.

He is the first to do so in an Australian Open final since Roy Emerson in 1965.

The final, meanwhile, was the second longest in the tournament’s history, behind only the epic tussle between Djokovic and Nadal in 2012.

The contest was briefly interrupted by a protestor who jumped out of the crowd holding a banner highlighting refugee detention.

This was a campaign that received a global spotlight when Djokovic was detained and then deported ahead of the tournament.

Security guards quickly raced on to haul the person away.

That seemed to be a crucial period of the match, with Nadal holding set-point in the second set having twice been a break up.

But Medvedev, who won seven more points in the match, fought back and clinched the tie-break.

The 26-year-old, who had also lost in the US Open final in 2019 to Nadal and here against Djokovic last year, had been exceptional for two sets.

Had he taken any of three break-points at 3-2 in the third set, things may well have panned out very differently.

Muddled shot selection contributed to a break for Nadal in the ninth game of the third set, and his desperate use of drop shots betrayed the fatigue he was feeling.

Nadal got the better of three successive breaks early in the fourth set and he looked on his way to the title when he moved 3-2 ahead in the decider.

At 5-4 30-0, he was two points away, but a double-fault could have proved costly as a netted backhand from Nadal saw Medvedev break back.

The Russian, though, could not hold his own serve, giving Nadal a second chance to serve for it, and this time he did not falter.

After receiving the trophy, Nadal turned to his opponent, saying: “I know it’s a tough moment. Daniil you are an amazing champion.

“I have been in this position a couple of times at this tournament. I have no doubt you will have this trophy a couple of times in your career.

“It has been one of the most emotional matches in my tennis career and to share the court with you is just an honour.

“I don’t know what to say. For me it’s just amazing.

“Being honest, one month and a half ago I didn’t know if I would be able to be back on the tour and now I am here sharing the trophy with all of you.

“You don’t know how much I fought to be here. Thank you so much for all the support.

“Without a doubt it’s one of the most emotional moments in my tennis career. The support I received through the three weeks is going to stay in my heart for the rest of my life.

“I really can’t explain the feelings that I have right now but I’m going to keep trying my best to come next year.”

January 30, 2022