Swiatek beats Raducanu to extend winning run in Stuttgart

Associated PressApr 23, 2022, 12:19 AM EDT

Getty Images

STUTTGART, Germany – Top-ranked Iga Swiatek ended U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu’s first clay tournament run to move into the Stuttgart Open semifinals.

Swiatek extended her win streak to 21 matches and moved closer to what would be a fourth consecutive title after victories in Doha, Indian Wells and Miami.

The quarterfinal was much closer than their only previous encounter at any level, a 6-0, 6-1 win for Swiatek at 2018 Junior Wimbledon, but Raducanu’s lack of experience on clay still told against former French Open champion Swiatek.

Swiatek immediately broke Raducanu and held serve with ease to take a first set in which Raducanu won just three return points. Raducanu improved markedly in the second set – despite needing a medical timeout after an examination of her lower back and hip at 2-1 down – and made Swiatek work hard.

Raducanu was in her first career WTA tournament on clay after playing on the surface for the first time at senior level last week for Britain against the Czech Republic in the Billie Jean King Cup. The clay-court swing was already over last year when Raducanu burst onto the scene with a charge to the fourth round on the grass of Wimbledon.

Friday’s contest was the 19-year-old British player’s first match against an opponent ranked in the world’s top 10, as she aimed to win three matches at the same tournament for the first time since her shock U.S. Open title.

Swiatek goes on to face Liudmila Samsonova in the semifinals after the Russian won 7-5, 6-3 against home favorite Laura Siegemund of Germany.

Paula Badosa and Aryna Sabalenka meet in the other semifinal.

Badosa outlasted Ons Jabeur 7-6 (9), 1-6, 6-3 to reach the last four after having lost in the quarterfinals at her last two tournaments in Miami and Charleston.

Sabalenka ended a seven-month wait for a tour semifinal since last year’s U.S. Open, the Belarusian hitting 10 aces as she beat Anett Kontaveit 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.

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.”