Team Bryan Brothers win WTT Celebrity All-Star Match

Associated PressMar 2, 2020, 12:03 AM EST

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CARLSBAD, Calif. — Team Bryan Brothers beat Team Sharapova 22-13 on Sunday in the World TeamTennis Celebrity All-Star Match at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa.

The match featured Bob and Mike Bryan, Sam Querrey and Rio Olympics champion Monica Puig from the Vegas Rollers, Ryan Harrison and Coco Vandeweghe of the San Diego Aviators, Madison Keys of the Orlando Storm, Taylor Townsend of the Philadelphia Freedoms and player/coach Mardy Fish of the New York Empire.

The Bryan brothers, tennis’ winningest doubles team in the midst of their final year together on the ATP Tour, capped off the match with a 5-2 victory over Harrison and Fish and were named the match’s co-MVPs.

“It’s a good way to showcase WTT,” Mike Bryan said. “Sellout crowd. Energy was off the charts. Every one of the players is in a great mood.”

Townsend helped Team Bryan Brothers to a 15-6 lead after the first three sets. She teamed with Keys to beat Vandeweghe and Puig 5-0 in the opening set, women’s singles, partnered with Mike Bryan to down Vandeweghe and Harrison, 5-3, in mixed doubles, and subbed in for Keys to finish off a 5-3 victory in women’s singles.

Two-time WTT champion and five-time Grand Slam champ Maria Sharapova coached her team in her first appearance at a tennis event since her retirement from the WTA Tour was announced Wednesday. Sharapova is scheduled to play two matches during the World TeamTennis season with the Orange County Breakers on July 28-29.

“I’ve been part of World TeamTennis ever since I was a little girl. It was really the event that gave me the experience that I needed at that age,” said Sharapova, who won WTT titles with the Breakers in 2004 and 2017. “I’ve played World TeamTennis on this court, so good memories to be back here. Every athlete, you have to say I’m finished at one point and it came for me this week.”

The WTT Celebrity All-Star Match kicked off WTT’s 45th season at the home of WTT’s San Diego Aviators.

Gael Monfils withdraws from French Open with wrist injury

Associated PressJun 1, 2023, 11:34 AM EDT

Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

PARIS — A thrilling five-set victory took a toll on Gael Monfils, whose withdrawal from the French Open handed No. 6 Holger Rune a walkover to the third round.

The 36-year-old Frenchman said he has a strained left wrist and can’t continue.

He battled Sebastian Baez for nearly four hours on Court Philippe Chatrier before beating the Argentine 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 1-6, 7-5 in a first-round match that ended at 12:18 a.m. local time.

The victory was Monfils’ first at tour level this year, as the veteran was coming back from heel surgery.

“Actually, physically, I’m quite fine. But I had the problem with my wrist that I cannot solve,” he said. “The doctor say was not good to play with that type of injury. Yesterday was actually very risky, and then today definitely say I should stop.”

Monfils reached the semifinals at the French Open in 2008 and made it to the quarterfinals on three other occasions.

Mikael Ymer fined about $40K after default for hitting umpire stand with racket

Associated PressMay 31, 2023, 3:55 PM EDT

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

PARIS — Swedish tennis player Mikael Ymer was docked about $40,000 after being disqualified for smashing his racket against the umpire’s chair at a tournament the week before he competed at the French Open.

An ATP Tour spokesman said Ymer forfeited about $10,500 in prize money and 20 rankings he earned for reaching the second round of the Lyon Open. Ymer also was handed an on-site fine of about $29,000.

The spokesman said the ATP Fines Committee will conduct a review of what happened to determine whether any additional penalties are warranted.

The 56th-ranked Ymer, who is 24 and owns a victory over current No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, was defaulted in Lyon for an outburst late in the first set against French teenager Arthur Fils last week.

Ymer was upset that the chair umpire would not check a ball mark after a shot by Fils landed near a line. As the players went to the sideline for the ensuing changeover, Ymer smacked the base of the umpire’s stand with his racket twice – destroying his equipment and damaging the chair.

That led to Ymer’s disqualification, making Fils the winner of the match.

After his 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 loss to 17th-seeded Lorenzo Musetti in the first round at Roland Garros, Ymer was asked whether he wanted to explain why he reacted the way he did in Lyon.

“With all due respect, I think it’s pretty clear from the video what caused it and why I reacted the way I reacted. Not justifying it at all, of course,” Ymer replied. “But for me to sit here and to explain? I think it’s pretty clear what led me to that place. I think that’s pretty clear in the video.”