US Open qualifying: Emma Raducanu & Katie Boulter through to second round
Britons Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter register comfortable victories to reach the second round of qualifying for the US Open.
Britons Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter register comfortable victories to reach the second round of qualifying for the US Open.
Who better to kick of season two of Tennis United: CrossCourt than tennis’ glamour couple, Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina?
While aligned on most matters, the newlyweds do share somewhat different recollections of their first date.
In Paris, Monfils recalls texting to ask Svitolina if she would join him and his friends for a drink. “And then you definitely said ‘yes’… of course,” Monfils said with conviction.
After a hearty laugh, Svitolina replies, “No, no, no, no… At first, I was… I didn’t want to do it. I was jet-lagged and it was tough to stay awake.”
Come along for the journey as we sit down with the two of the most popular players on the ATP and WTA Tours as they discuss what relationships mean to them.
The ATP and WTA last week announced the return of Tennis United: CrossCourt, a continuation of the award-winning digital content series originally released during the 2020 suspended season. The reimagined project marks the first major co-branded initiative to debut since the two Tours integrated marketing operations earlier this year.
Tennis United: CrossCourt goes behind the scenes of life on Tour through a series of intimate one-on-one conversations between ATP and WTA stars. Spanning eight short-format episodes, players explore a range of largely untouched subjects from within and beyond sport, offering fans a raw perspective on the experiences, pressures and privileges that make up life in professional tennis.
The complete episode list:
• Episode 1: Relationships (Gael Monfils & Elina Svitolina)
• Episode 2: Coaching (Felix Auger-Aliassime & Jennifer Brady)
• Episode 3: Mental Health (Madison Keys & Dominic Thiem)
• Episode 4: Doubles (Bethanie Mattek-Sands & Jamie Murray)
• Episode 5: Parenthood (Fabio Fognini & Elena Vesnina)
• Episode 6: Travel (Belinda Bencic & Grigor Dimitrov)
• Episode 7: Discipline (Hubert Hurkacz & Iga Swiatek)
• Episode 8: Locker Room (Andrey Rublev & Aryna Sabalenka)
Alexander Zverev’s recent results — winning the Tokyo Olympics and the Western & Southern Open — have been home runs, so it is fitting that the German went to a baseball game on Tuesday.
The No. 4 player in the FedEx ATP Rankings watched the New York Mets play the San Francisco Giants from front-row seats behind home plate. Before the game, the 17-time tour-level titlist exchanged a racquet for a customised jersey from Mets Manager Luis Rojas. Zverev also met superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor.
Mets Manager Luis Rojas chats with Alexander Zverev on Tuesday evening. Photo Credit: New York Mets
The 24-year-old will now turn his focus to the US Open across the street at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where he will pursue his first Grand Slam title.
One year ago, Zverev advanced to his maiden major final at Flushing Meadows, but fell short against Dominic Thiem in a gripping final-set tie-break. Zverev owns a 13-6 record at the US Open.
Six-time champion Serena Williams becomes the latest high-profile player to pull out of next week’s US Open.
Andy Murray is knocked out of the Winston-Salem Open but Dan Evans progresses to the third round in North Carolina.
Frances Tiafoe is eyeing a return to the Top 50 for the first time in more than 18 months after a fighting opening-round win over Andy Murray at the Winston-Salem Open Tuesday night.
Coming into the ATP 250 tournament in North Carolina at No. 51 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, Tiafoe saved three sets points on serve at 4-5 in the first set before taking command of the second set and running away to a 7-6(4), 6-3 win.
Tiafoe dropped out of the Top 50 in February 2019 after losing his quarter-final points from the 2019 Australian Open and has not been back. But a deep run at Winston-Salem should see him climb back into the elite group ahead of next week’s US Open.
Tiafoe will play the winner of Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro and American lucky loser Eduardo Nava.
Former World No. 1 Murray now heads to the US Open, where he won the first of his three Grand Slam titles in 2012.
“The positive thing is that I moved well and served well but my level is up and down with no real consistency,” Murray said. “There are moments in matches where I play well and then I make mistakes or miss returns. I wish I wasn’t doing that.
“My level is around 50 or 60 in the world. It’s frustrating because if wasn’t moving great and not feeling good physically then I would be a bit easier on myself. But when I’m winning a low percentage of second-serve points, that’s got nothing to do with the physical side of things.”
American J.J. Wolf enjoyed a dream run to the third round at the US Open last year and may have set the wheels in motion for another shot at the main draw as he moved past Denis Istomin 7-5, 6-2 Tuesday to reach the second round of qualifying in New York.
Wolf took full advantage of a wild card last year at Flushing Meadows, where it took Daniil Medvedev to stop him. But the World No. 157 has not won another main-draw match since leaving New York and is hoping to recapture that winning feeling at the year’s final Grand Slam.
The 22-year-old will next face Kamil Majchrzak after the Pole defeated Frederico Ferreira Silva 6-1, 6-4. Fellow American Maxime Cressy, who reached the second round at the US Open last September, also advanced with a 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 victory over Guido Andreozzi in two hours and 28 minutes.
Former World No. 33 Robin Haase downed Croatian Borna Gojo 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-1 to book his spot in the second round of qualifying, while Germany’s Oscar Otte, who took Andy Murray to five sets at Wimbledon, edged Renzo Olivo 6-7(3), 6-0, 7-6(4).
Buenos Aires finalist and qualifying second seed Francisco Cerundolo overcame Thai-Son Kwiatkowski 6-0, 6-7(5), 6-4. Seven-time tour-level titlist Fernando Verdasco defeated Facundo Mena 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4 and Gstaad finalist Hugo Gaston overcame Czech Vit Kopriva 6-4, 6-2.
British prospect Emma Raducanu says she “learnt so much” from her rollercoaster Wimbledon debut as she prepares to begin US Open qualifying on Wednesday.
