Serena, Venus Williams offer fans yoga tips

Associated PressMay 12, 2020, 4:52 PM EDT

AP Photo

Serena Williams is looking forward to getting back to competing when the coronavirus pandemic permits it, in part because she’s “feeling better than ever.”

Her older sister, Venus, is looking forward to hanging out at a rooftop bar.

Two of the most famous and successful siblings in the history of sports – owners of a combined 30 Grand Slam tennis titles in singles and an additional 14 in doubles as a pair – shared those thoughts and more after doing yoga together Tuesday during an online session that offered workout tips and some laughs.

All professional tennis tournaments are on hold at least until mid-July because of the pandemic. The French Open, for example, was postponed from May to September, while Wimbledon was canceled for the first time in 75 years.

Under normal circumstances, the Williams sisters might have been in action this week at the Italian Open, a clay-court tuneup for Roland Garros.

“I really look forward to getting back on the court. It’s what I do best. I absolutely love playing,” Serena said. “But this break is … a necessary evil. … I felt like my body needed it, even though I didn’t want it. And now I’m feeling better than ever. I’m feeling more relaxed, more fit. Now I’m just like: Now I can go out and play real tennis.”

Asked by her sister what she’s excited about when life returns to normal, Venus replied: “I like to go out and I just want to be on top of a rooftop bar with champagne in my hand and … just having a good time, dancing.”

In the meantime, fans who want to know how to flex and stretch like a champ got the chance to watch along as 23-time major singles title winner Serena led the session, chatting along the way.

Venus, who won Wimbledon five times and the U.S. Open twice, joined her on a nearby yoga mat, following the same routine and occasionally showing modified versions.

The whole thing was on the sisters’ individual Instagram Live feeds. After the yoga was done, they asked each other some questions, and then Venus stayed around to take queries from viewers.

The aim, it appeared, was to help folks find ways to stay in shape while stuck at home during the COVID-19 outbreak.

At one point, Serena cautioned, “Do not injure yourself doing this.” At another, she said: “If you have bad knees, like me, use a pad.”

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.”