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Wimbledon: Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka pull out on first day due to shoulder injuries | Tennis News

On: July 2, 2024 By: admin

Two-time Grand Slam champions Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka have withdrawn from Wimbledon due to shoulder injuries.

The Belarusian, who was third seed and set to face Emina Bektas on Court No 1 on Monday, was replaced in the draw by lucky loser Erika Andreeva.

Sabalenka, who suffered a lower back injury this year and struggled with illness at the French Open, sustained the injury during last month’s Berlin Open.

Azarenka, also from Belarus and also a two-time Grand Slam winner, withdrew later on Monday as organisers confirmed she also had a shoulder injury. France’s Elsa Jacquemot has replaced her.

Speaking on social media, Sabalenka said: “Heartbroken to have to tell you all that I won’t be able to play The Championships this year. I tried everything to get myself ready but unfortunately my shoulder is not co-operating. This tournament means so much to me and I promise I’ll be back stronger than ever next year.”

Sabalenka was a semi-finalist at the All England Club each of the last two times she appeared there. A little more than a week ago, Sabalenka stopped playing during the first set of her quarter-final at the Berlin Ladies Open, citing pain in her shoulder.

She said she had a muscle injury that she called “very frustrating”.

“The most annoying thing is that I can do anything. I can practice; I can hit my groundstrokes. I’m struggling with serving. That’s really annoying. You don’t feel like you’re injured,” Sabalenka said.

“If you give me some weights, I’m going to go lift some weights. But if you tell me to serve, I’m going to go through pain. We did an MRI, we did everything. We did a lot of rehab, a lot of treatments and everything.”

Sabalenka had said on Saturday there was a chance she would need to pull out of Wimbledon.

What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?

In the run-up to the final Grand Slam of 2024 – the US Open – you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the hard-court season.

Hamburg Open (ATP 500) 15-21 July
Newport Hall of Fame Open (ATP 250) 15-21 July
Swiss Open (ATP 250) 15-21 July
Bastad Open (ATP 250) 15-21 July
Palermo Ladies Open (WTA 250) 15-21 July
Hungarian Grand Prix (WTA 250) 15-21 July
Prague Open (WTA 250) 21-26 July

Watch the WTA and ATP Tours throughout 2024 on Sky Sports Tennis. Stream Sky Sports Tennis and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.

Emma Raducanu says defeats to Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka motivated improvements to her serving | Tennis News

On: June 13, 2024 By: admin

Emma Raducanu says improvements to her serve that have helped her reach the Nottingham quarter-finals were motivated by recent defeats to Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka.

Raducanu beat Ukraine’s Daria Snigur in straight sets on Thursday to advance to reach the last eight of a WTA grass-court tournament for the first time.

Her success on home soil follows losses to World No 3 Sabalenka in March on the hard courts of Indian Wells and World No 1 Iga Swiatek in April on clay in Stuttgart.

“I’m very happy to have come through that match,” Raducanu said after hitting 11 aces in the 6-2 6-2 win.

“It was a really tricky one in the conditions and I’m just very happy with how I dealt with all the circumstances. Daria’s a really difficult opponent so it is actually a really good achievement for me to have come through that one.

“I’m pleased for sure serving it out the first time. I served really well throughout the whole match and it did make the match a bit easier. If I had just a second serve, it would have just been a nightmare to play her.

“I’ve been working on every part of my game but obviously the serve is very important. It’s just repetition and I’m pleased to see the rewards in competition.

“Especially what I’ve realised, playing the top opponents like Iga (Swiatek) or Aryna (Sabalenka), you need a first serve because they’re very comfortable holding serve. If you don’t have one yourself then it’s very difficult.”

Raducanu has been without her coach Nick Cavaday in Nottingham due to him being unwell, so has instead had former British professional Jane O’Donoghue supporting her.

O’Donoghue, who twice reached the second round of Wimbledon during her own career, previously worked with Raducanu in her capacity as an LTA coach.

Raducanu struggled to find her range and timing in the first couple of games against 22-year-old Snigur, who is ranked 127th and proficient on grass having won the junior title at Wimbledon five years ago.

But from 2-0 down Raducanu reeled off six games in a row before breaking twice more in the second set, while her serve helped her save seven of the eight break points she faced.

The 21-year-old was coughing and spluttering at times but played down concerns, saying: “I’m a bit sick but who isn’t? It doesn’t matter.”

What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?

In the run-up to the third Grand Slam of 2024 – Wimbledon – you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the grass-court season.

Stuttgart Open (ATP 250) – June 10-16
Rosmalen Open (ATP/WTA 250) – June 10-16
Berlin Open (WTA 500) – June 17-23
Halle (ATP 500) – June 17-23
Mallorca Championships (ATP 250) – June 23-29
Bad Homburg (WTA 500) – June 23-29

Watch the WTA and ATP Tours throughout 2024 on Sky Sports Tennis. Stream Sky Sports Tennis and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.

French Open: Mirra Andreeva, 17, stuns world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka to reach first Grand Slam semi-final | Tennis News

On: June 6, 2024 By: admin

Seventeen-year-old Mirra Andreeva reached her first Grand Slam semi-final as she shocked Aryna Sabalenka in the last eight at Roland Garros, beating the world No 2 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-4.

Sabalenka, struggling with illness throughout the contest, still managed to claim a remarkable opening set, which saw six breaks of serve, courtesy of a tie-break.

Having comfortably won her last two meetings with Andreeva, the Belarusian had raced into a 3-1 before her own serve came undone in the opening set.

After losing four games on the bounce to trail 5-3, Sabalenka called for the trainer out and took some medication before regrouping to force a tie-break which she edged.

But the Australian Open champion would continue to struggle physically at the start of the second set and received a time violation at one point for taking too long between games, crouching to her knees to try and recover.

Andreeva would go on to force a decider and, after an exchange of breaks, the pair were locked in a high-quality battle that thrilled fans on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Andreeva would go on to clinch a memorable victory as the teenager broke Sabalenka in the final game, lobbing her opponent for the win on her second match point.

Paolini knocks out Rybakina in quarter-final classic

Jasmine Paolini booked a place in the final four of the French Open for the first time, knocking out fourth seed Elena Rybakina in an epic quarter-final.

The 28-year-old Italian staved off a fightback from the Kazakh former Wimbledon champion to seal a stunning 6-2 4-6 6-4 win, setting up a semi-final meeting with Andreeva.

Playing in her first career Grand Slam quarter-final, Paolini got off to a confident start, cruising through the opening set but suffered a major wobble when losing four service games in a row across the second and third.

The 12th-seeded Paolini had twice broken Rybakina in the second set, only to immediately be broken back and, rather than clinch victory in straight sets, she was suddenly forced into a decider as she lost her serve yet again.

The two players traded four further breaks to open the third set before Paolini finally returned to the level she showed early in the match, taking advantage of a slew of Rybakina errors to earn the decisive break in the ninth game before serving out for a famous victory.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling. It was a really tough match,” Paolini said after clinching a semi-final spot.

“I think I was a little bit too emotional in the second set but I said to myself, ‘it’s good, she’s a great champion, so it can happen’.

“I tried to stay there every point. I managed to come back, stay focused and fight again.”

What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?

In the run-up to the third Grand Slam of 2024 – Wimbledon – you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the grass-court season.

Stuttgart Open (ATP 250 with Andy Murray in action) – June 10-16
Rosmalen Open (ATP/WTA 250) – June 10-16

Watch the WTA and ATP Tours throughout 2024 on Sky Sports Tennis. Stream Sky Sports Tennis and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.