Rafael Nadal's comeback at the 2024 Brisbane International has exceeded expectations, and the Spaniard is delighted with his progress.
Nadal was granted a wild card into the Atp 250 event, which marked precisely a year since he last played on tour. Having required a lengthy but successful hip surgery in order to prolong his career for at least one more season, his return has been a highly satisfying one.
Even though Nadal has dealt with a long list of injuries throughout his playing career, his absence in the past year is the longest layoff of his career, and he even lost his proud record of being ranked in the world's Top 10 for over 900 weeks.
In just his second visit to Brisbane, the 37-year-old has played with newfound confidence and verve and toppled the likes of Dominic Thiem and Jason Kubler to reach the quarterfinal stage, where he lost to Jordan Thompson.
Nadal was granted a wild card into the Atp 250 event, which marked precisely a year since he last played on tour. Having required a lengthy but successful hip surgery in order to prolong his career for at least one more season, his return has been a highly satisfying one.
Even though Nadal has dealt with a long list of injuries throughout his playing career, his absence in the past year is the longest layoff of his career, and he even lost his proud record of being ranked in the world's Top 10 for over 900 weeks.
In just his second visit to Brisbane, the 37-year-old has played with newfound confidence and verve and toppled the likes of Dominic Thiem and Jason Kubler to reach the quarterfinal stage, where he lost to Jordan Thompson.
- 1/5/2024
- Tennis-Infinity
Carlos Alcaraz's career is still fairly short, but every day, the Spaniard hears different predictions about his career.
Possessing an incredible talent, it's not surprising that the young Spaniard is compared to the likes of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer.
However, his fellow compatriot, Feliciano Lopez, warns against comparisons with these three, as the bar was set too high by the Big Three, and Alcaraz is still just learning.
Only two decades ago, winning 15 majors would have been a great success, as Pete Sampras was the man with the most Grand Slams when he won 14 throughout his career.
However, if he would have won 15 now, the question is, how would it be perceived? As a success or a disappointment? The Big Three simply set the bar too high, and Lopez talked about it in a recent interview with As.
"At his age he has already won two...
Possessing an incredible talent, it's not surprising that the young Spaniard is compared to the likes of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer.
However, his fellow compatriot, Feliciano Lopez, warns against comparisons with these three, as the bar was set too high by the Big Three, and Alcaraz is still just learning.
Only two decades ago, winning 15 majors would have been a great success, as Pete Sampras was the man with the most Grand Slams when he won 14 throughout his career.
However, if he would have won 15 now, the question is, how would it be perceived? As a success or a disappointment? The Big Three simply set the bar too high, and Lopez talked about it in a recent interview with As.
"At his age he has already won two...
- 12/16/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Rafael Nadal is coming back to tennis, and while some think he can't be competitive, there are others who think he can win a Grand Slam.
The real answer is somewhere in the middle because not even Nadal knows how the comeback will go. He'll have to play some matches and see where his level stands, and even then, it will take weeks for him to find his peak tennis.
What that peak looks like remains to be seen. It could be good, it could be bad, we'll have to see. In the absolute best-case scenario, Nadal certainly could win a Grand Slam.
Plenty are sceptical, but somebody who knows him, compatriot Feliciano Lopez, certainly believes Nadal can win at least another one.
The Olympics are an interesting added thing that will also take place in Paris. He'll have two chances to win something in Paris: his garden, as Lopez called it.
The real answer is somewhere in the middle because not even Nadal knows how the comeback will go. He'll have to play some matches and see where his level stands, and even then, it will take weeks for him to find his peak tennis.
What that peak looks like remains to be seen. It could be good, it could be bad, we'll have to see. In the absolute best-case scenario, Nadal certainly could win a Grand Slam.
Plenty are sceptical, but somebody who knows him, compatriot Feliciano Lopez, certainly believes Nadal can win at least another one.
The Olympics are an interesting added thing that will also take place in Paris. He'll have two chances to win something in Paris: his garden, as Lopez called it.
- 12/6/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Carlos Alcaraz is brave enough to take on Novak Djokovic, according to former Atp player Feliciano Lopez, despite lacking experience.
Carlos Alcaraz is one of the best players in the world, yet he lacks experience. It's not a criticism of him but more so the fact that he's still very young, which is actually a compliment considering the list of things he's already achieved.
It also does well for the future as he should only improve with more experience he gathers. Take this year's Wimbledon match against Djokovic. Just a few weeks before that, the Spaniard found himself on the losing side at Roland Garros against Djokovic.
He took his L and learned from that match; enough to win the next one, which was a huge one. Part of that is just his fearlessness, which compatriot Feliciano Lopez thinks is vital in the absence of experience.
The thing is that...
Carlos Alcaraz is one of the best players in the world, yet he lacks experience. It's not a criticism of him but more so the fact that he's still very young, which is actually a compliment considering the list of things he's already achieved.
It also does well for the future as he should only improve with more experience he gathers. Take this year's Wimbledon match against Djokovic. Just a few weeks before that, the Spaniard found himself on the losing side at Roland Garros against Djokovic.
He took his L and learned from that match; enough to win the next one, which was a huge one. Part of that is just his fearlessness, which compatriot Feliciano Lopez thinks is vital in the absence of experience.
The thing is that...
- 12/5/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Former World No. 12 and Davis Cup tournament director Feliciano Lopez confirmed that he held talks with Novak Djokovic in an effort to listen to his concerns about the tournament's format.
The Davis Cup, the oldest tennis team competition, underwent significant reforms a few years ago when former Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique led a multibillion-dollar 25-year investment in the tournament through his company Kosmos.
That deal was controversially terminated by the Itf which have since assumed total control of the Davis Cup. However, the new format that was instituted about five seasons ago, in which home-and-way ties were reinvented, remained intact.
This has attracted immense criticism from fans and players over the years, and the discourse raged this season with Novak Djokovic being the latest high-profile player to speak against the current format.
Djokovic, like many tennis fans, believes the mystique of the Davis Cup has been long lost arguing that...
The Davis Cup, the oldest tennis team competition, underwent significant reforms a few years ago when former Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique led a multibillion-dollar 25-year investment in the tournament through his company Kosmos.
That deal was controversially terminated by the Itf which have since assumed total control of the Davis Cup. However, the new format that was instituted about five seasons ago, in which home-and-way ties were reinvented, remained intact.
This has attracted immense criticism from fans and players over the years, and the discourse raged this season with Novak Djokovic being the latest high-profile player to speak against the current format.
Djokovic, like many tennis fans, believes the mystique of the Davis Cup has been long lost arguing that...
- 11/27/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Davis Cup director Feliciano Lopez doesn't think that team competitions should be awarding points, and it's a stance he's held since his playing days.
His playing days are not far away as he only retired earlier this year , though he hasn't been a really active player for years. He's been part of the logistics side of tennis for a while and has served as the Madrid Open tournament director.
Now he's in charge of the Davis Cup, and as a player who both played and won the event, the Spaniard has some strong opinions on team events. One of those is certainly being against any kind of Atp points awarded in the competitions. It's something he's been against his whole career and he talked about it to Puntodebreak .
I don’t think team competitions should offer points, I have always been against this idea. Neither the Davis Cup nor any other competition.
His playing days are not far away as he only retired earlier this year , though he hasn't been a really active player for years. He's been part of the logistics side of tennis for a while and has served as the Madrid Open tournament director.
Now he's in charge of the Davis Cup, and as a player who both played and won the event, the Spaniard has some strong opinions on team events. One of those is certainly being against any kind of Atp points awarded in the competitions. It's something he's been against his whole career and he talked about it to Puntodebreak .
I don’t think team competitions should offer points, I have always been against this idea. Neither the Davis Cup nor any other competition.
- 9/18/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Feliciano Lopez spoke about the Davis Cup recently addressing some of the criticisms as the director of the competition.
Feliciano Lopez is not an active Atp player anymore, having retired earlier this year in Mallorc a , but he's still involved in tennis; after serving as the director for the Madrid Open for a while, the Spaniard got a gig at the Davis Cup.
His appointment as director was scrutinized heavily by fans after this year's Madrid Open fiasco, though he hasn't gotten much of the criticism when it comes to the Davis Cup. That's mostly reserved for the Itf, with Stan Wawrinka being particularly loud .
Lopez, who talked to Puntodebreak , now addressed some of that criticism by explaining that it's really hard to draw big crowds if you don't have a big name playing, such as Carlos Alcaraz or Novak Djokovic . It's kind of true, but it's also not the...
Feliciano Lopez is not an active Atp player anymore, having retired earlier this year in Mallorc a , but he's still involved in tennis; after serving as the director for the Madrid Open for a while, the Spaniard got a gig at the Davis Cup.
His appointment as director was scrutinized heavily by fans after this year's Madrid Open fiasco, though he hasn't gotten much of the criticism when it comes to the Davis Cup. That's mostly reserved for the Itf, with Stan Wawrinka being particularly loud .
Lopez, who talked to Puntodebreak , now addressed some of that criticism by explaining that it's really hard to draw big crowds if you don't have a big name playing, such as Carlos Alcaraz or Novak Djokovic . It's kind of true, but it's also not the...
- 9/18/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Novak Djokovic is in Valencia a few days after winning the US Open to try and help Serbia qualify for the knockout stage of the Davis Cup Finals.
There is no time to rest or celebrate for Novak Djokovic, who promised to play for Serbia in the Davis Cup earlier this year. He flew from New York to Belgrade to celebrate his US Open win with his countrymen and took part in a joint celebration for him and the Serbian Basketball Team that won the silver medal at the recent World Championship.
He was very emotional during that celebration , but it was a short one because he already touched down in Valencia today. He will play on Friday and Saturday against the Czech Republic and Spain to try and help Serbia secure a spot in the knockout stage of the Davis Cup Finals.
He confirmed that plan a few days...
There is no time to rest or celebrate for Novak Djokovic, who promised to play for Serbia in the Davis Cup earlier this year. He flew from New York to Belgrade to celebrate his US Open win with his countrymen and took part in a joint celebration for him and the Serbian Basketball Team that won the silver medal at the recent World Championship.
He was very emotional during that celebration , but it was a short one because he already touched down in Valencia today. He will play on Friday and Saturday against the Czech Republic and Spain to try and help Serbia secure a spot in the knockout stage of the Davis Cup Finals.
He confirmed that plan a few days...
- 9/13/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
There is a faint hope that Rafael Nadal could still play a part in the 2023 tennis season with Spain's Davis Cup captain David Ferrer not ruling out that possibility.
Nadal is currently recuperating from a serious hip injury he sustained at this year's Australian Open for which he underwent successful surgery in June. In recent weeks, Nadal was spotted vacationing across Europe before embarking on a fitness routine at the gym .
Nadal's rehabilitation is going smoothly, according to retired fellow countryman Feliciano Lopez . The 41-year-old spoke during the Davis Cup Finals press conference where he is serving as the tournament director for this year's edition that will contest the finals in Malaga later this year.
"Well, I think Rafa is now going through a rehab process. I think he's doing well. I was talking to him just recently. He told me everything is going well.
"But I don't really know...
Nadal is currently recuperating from a serious hip injury he sustained at this year's Australian Open for which he underwent successful surgery in June. In recent weeks, Nadal was spotted vacationing across Europe before embarking on a fitness routine at the gym .
Nadal's rehabilitation is going smoothly, according to retired fellow countryman Feliciano Lopez . The 41-year-old spoke during the Davis Cup Finals press conference where he is serving as the tournament director for this year's edition that will contest the finals in Malaga later this year.
"Well, I think Rafa is now going through a rehab process. I think he's doing well. I was talking to him just recently. He told me everything is going well.
"But I don't really know...
- 9/3/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Daniil Medvedev 's ongoing clash with the hostile crowds at the US Open has reignited this season after the Russian snapped at spectators at the Louis Armstrong Stadium.
In his second-round clash against Australian Chris O'Connell, Medvedev started at a blistering pace and raced to a two-set lead. However, O'Connell clawed back from match point down to take the match into a final set, which Medvedev eventually won 6-2.
Throughout the topsy-turvy encounter, tensions were high, and the crowd were firmly backing O'Connell, especially after he bounced back with a third-set win. The spectators whipped up plenty of noise before Medvedev was about to serve in the final set, which led to an outburst from the Russian towards the crowd.
"Can you shut up guys?"
"Are you stupid or what?"
Ultimately, Medvedev's confrontation did little to suppress the crowd's support for O'Connell. However, the US Open third seed was able...
In his second-round clash against Australian Chris O'Connell, Medvedev started at a blistering pace and raced to a two-set lead. However, O'Connell clawed back from match point down to take the match into a final set, which Medvedev eventually won 6-2.
Throughout the topsy-turvy encounter, tensions were high, and the crowd were firmly backing O'Connell, especially after he bounced back with a third-set win. The spectators whipped up plenty of noise before Medvedev was about to serve in the final set, which led to an outburst from the Russian towards the crowd.
"Can you shut up guys?"
"Are you stupid or what?"
Ultimately, Medvedev's confrontation did little to suppress the crowd's support for O'Connell. However, the US Open third seed was able...
- 9/1/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Longtime professional player Feliciano Lopez believes that Carlos Alcaraz will take over the Atp Tour once Novak Djokovic retires.
Carlos Alcaraz is one of the best players in the world, and according to Feliciano Lopez, the Spaniard will dominate tennis once Djokovic retires. It's a very bold prediction but also not something that's impossible because the Spaniard, in some ways, is already dominating the Tour, even with Djokovic.
He further hammered down the point at Wimbledon, beating Djokovic in the final to win his second Grand Slam trophy . Lopez has been very high of praise on Alcaraz for a while now, so his backing his compatriot for a bright future shouldn't come as a surprise. He talked to Clay Tennis recently about the Wimbledon final and Alcaraz's future.
A spectacular match. It’s very difficult to say that it started a new era, but I do think beating Nole in...
Carlos Alcaraz is one of the best players in the world, and according to Feliciano Lopez, the Spaniard will dominate tennis once Djokovic retires. It's a very bold prediction but also not something that's impossible because the Spaniard, in some ways, is already dominating the Tour, even with Djokovic.
He further hammered down the point at Wimbledon, beating Djokovic in the final to win his second Grand Slam trophy . Lopez has been very high of praise on Alcaraz for a while now, so his backing his compatriot for a bright future shouldn't come as a surprise. He talked to Clay Tennis recently about the Wimbledon final and Alcaraz's future.
A spectacular match. It’s very difficult to say that it started a new era, but I do think beating Nole in...
- 7/28/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Feliciano Lopez has backed friend Rafael Nadal to return to a competitive level and not just to have a farewell on the court.
Rafael Nadal will make a return to the Atp Tour in about five months at the Australian Open if things go well with his recovery. So far, recovery has been going pretty well, as all around him are very optimistic when it comes to his return in 2024.
The season will be his last season, so we'll only get to see him play all the big events one more time. There is going to be a lot of pressure to try and win some events to reduce the gap to Novak Djokovic.
Some think that he will only return to say goodbye to tennis on the court, but that's now what Feliciano Lopez thinks. Nadal recently saw him retire in Mallorca , and the former player is backing his friend to return competitively.
Rafael Nadal will make a return to the Atp Tour in about five months at the Australian Open if things go well with his recovery. So far, recovery has been going pretty well, as all around him are very optimistic when it comes to his return in 2024.
The season will be his last season, so we'll only get to see him play all the big events one more time. There is going to be a lot of pressure to try and win some events to reduce the gap to Novak Djokovic.
Some think that he will only return to say goodbye to tennis on the court, but that's now what Feliciano Lopez thinks. Nadal recently saw him retire in Mallorca , and the former player is backing his friend to return competitively.
- 7/28/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Feliciano Lopez doesn't think that the Tsitsidosa relationship will have an effect on either Stefanos Tsitsipas or Paula Badosa .
The Tsitsidosa relationship is a fairly new one , and so far, we can't be certain how it impacts either player. Tsisipas hasn't played that well, but he generally doesn't play that well during the grass season, so that could just be normal.
Badosa spent much of the last few weeks injured and reinjured herself at Wimbledon recently which will see her miss some more time. There is no timetable for her return so it's tough to see. As a professional, Lopez doesn't see a reason why the relationship will have any impact on them.
– I am not the one to give an opinion. I don’t have the information, nor do I think it’s something debatable. That a player has a girlfriend or boyfriend, that is not the subject of debate regarding his tennis career.
The Tsitsidosa relationship is a fairly new one , and so far, we can't be certain how it impacts either player. Tsisipas hasn't played that well, but he generally doesn't play that well during the grass season, so that could just be normal.
Badosa spent much of the last few weeks injured and reinjured herself at Wimbledon recently which will see her miss some more time. There is no timetable for her return so it's tough to see. As a professional, Lopez doesn't see a reason why the relationship will have any impact on them.
– I am not the one to give an opinion. I don’t have the information, nor do I think it’s something debatable. That a player has a girlfriend or boyfriend, that is not the subject of debate regarding his tennis career.
- 7/28/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Feliciano Lopez endured quite a bit of criticism for his handling of the 2023 Madrid Open , especially when it comes to the Wta doubles final.
This year's edition of the Madrid Open featured plenty of controversy though controversy isn't foreign to the event generally. We've seen fans point out plenty of flaws over the years, even before Lopez took over as tournament director, but this year was particularly controversial.
The cake-gate was the first controversy that saw Alcaraz receive a big cake for his birthday, which wasn't the case for some other players like Aryna Sabalenka. Then we had mic-gate, which saw the players participating in the Wta Finals be denied a chance to address the crowd.
It's tradition that finalists address the crowd however that didn't happen leaving all the players taking part stunned. It didn't help that it featured a longtime veteran like Victoria Azarenka who was part of the Wta Council for years.
This year's edition of the Madrid Open featured plenty of controversy though controversy isn't foreign to the event generally. We've seen fans point out plenty of flaws over the years, even before Lopez took over as tournament director, but this year was particularly controversial.
The cake-gate was the first controversy that saw Alcaraz receive a big cake for his birthday, which wasn't the case for some other players like Aryna Sabalenka. Then we had mic-gate, which saw the players participating in the Wta Finals be denied a chance to address the crowd.
It's tradition that finalists address the crowd however that didn't happen leaving all the players taking part stunned. It didn't help that it featured a longtime veteran like Victoria Azarenka who was part of the Wta Council for years.
- 7/28/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Following his stunning victory in the Wimbledon final, Carlos Alcaraz is tipped to become a tennis great and win double-digit Grand Slams, according to former player Feliciano Lopez .
Feliciano Lopez, who retired from professional tennis last month, watched Alcaraz firsthand while undertaking media duties at the Championships this year. Lopez agreed with the notion that Alcaraz embodies the qualities of the Big 3 - tennis' famous trio of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Alcaraz's breathtaking five-set win over Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final takes his Grand Slam title count to two. Lopez was quizzed on whether he believed his compatriot could be on his way to greatness. Although he admitted it is still too early to make such predictions, Lopez sees no reason why the young phenom cannot rack up as many as 15 Slams in his career.
"If I take everything he has done already, I can fairly say...
Feliciano Lopez, who retired from professional tennis last month, watched Alcaraz firsthand while undertaking media duties at the Championships this year. Lopez agreed with the notion that Alcaraz embodies the qualities of the Big 3 - tennis' famous trio of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Alcaraz's breathtaking five-set win over Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final takes his Grand Slam title count to two. Lopez was quizzed on whether he believed his compatriot could be on his way to greatness. Although he admitted it is still too early to make such predictions, Lopez sees no reason why the young phenom cannot rack up as many as 15 Slams in his career.
"If I take everything he has done already, I can fairly say...
- 7/18/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Carlos Alcaraz 's rise to Wimbledon champion has been hailed by fellow Spaniard, Feliciano Lopez , as a positive for the sport.
Alcaraz overcame a loss in the first set to fire back and defeat the 23-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic in an enthralling Wimbledon final. The victory also gave Alcaraz his second career Grand Slam after the 20-year-old won the US Open in September 2022.
Throughout grass season, Alcaraz earned plaudits from many after he won Queen's before heading to the All England Club to seal his Wimbledon title. His compatriot and former Wimbledon quarter-finalist Lopez told Sky Sports that Alcaraz is a one-of-a-kind player, with elements of all the 'Big Three' players.
"It's a real blessing for tennis to have someone like him. The way he plays is very different from the majority of players out there,"
Lopez said to Sky Sports
"It is true that Carlitos has a...
Alcaraz overcame a loss in the first set to fire back and defeat the 23-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic in an enthralling Wimbledon final. The victory also gave Alcaraz his second career Grand Slam after the 20-year-old won the US Open in September 2022.
Throughout grass season, Alcaraz earned plaudits from many after he won Queen's before heading to the All England Club to seal his Wimbledon title. His compatriot and former Wimbledon quarter-finalist Lopez told Sky Sports that Alcaraz is a one-of-a-kind player, with elements of all the 'Big Three' players.
"It's a real blessing for tennis to have someone like him. The way he plays is very different from the majority of players out there,"
Lopez said to Sky Sports
"It is true that Carlitos has a...
- 7/17/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Carlos Alcaraz has earned the plaudits from compatriot Feliciano Lopez , who is backing the world number one to fill Rafael Nadal 's void at Wimbledon 2023.
Alcaraz has continued his impressive 2022/2023 form in the early stages of grass season. At his first Cinch Championships last week, the 20-year-old reclaimed the Atp number one sport by winning the competition - just his third-ever competitive tennis event on the grass surface.
Following the win at Queen's, Alcaraz will enter the Wimbledon main draw as the top seed and the Spanish player will hope to improve on his fourth-round run in last year's Wimbledon competition.
In addition, Alcaraz will be the leading Spanish player at Wimbledon as two-time winner Nadal recovers from surgery and Lopez believes the time is right for the 20-year-old to step up in Rafa's place.
"I call him a miracle. Spain is not a big powerful tennis country compared to...
Alcaraz has continued his impressive 2022/2023 form in the early stages of grass season. At his first Cinch Championships last week, the 20-year-old reclaimed the Atp number one sport by winning the competition - just his third-ever competitive tennis event on the grass surface.
Following the win at Queen's, Alcaraz will enter the Wimbledon main draw as the top seed and the Spanish player will hope to improve on his fourth-round run in last year's Wimbledon competition.
In addition, Alcaraz will be the leading Spanish player at Wimbledon as two-time winner Nadal recovers from surgery and Lopez believes the time is right for the 20-year-old to step up in Rafa's place.
"I call him a miracle. Spain is not a big powerful tennis country compared to...
- 6/30/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Feliciano Lopez ended his professional tennis career and it was a really beautiful farewell at the 2023 Mallorca Championships .
After not playing much on the Atp Tour over the last two seasons, the 41-year-old has decided to end his professional career. With only two wins and 20 losses over the past two years, Lopez certainly didn't have high expectations when entering the 2023 Mallorca Championships draw .
But his farewell went better than expected. In the first round of the tournament, he managed to beat Max Purcell, while Rafael Nadal watched from his box , and in the second round, Lopez defeated Jordan Thompson to set up a quarterfinal meeting with Yannick Hanfmann, who stunned the first-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas .
And it was the German who officially ended Lopez's career, beating him 6-2, 6-4, marking officially the last match of Lopez's storied career. The Spaniard won 506 matches on the Atp Tour, with seven titles to his name,...
After not playing much on the Atp Tour over the last two seasons, the 41-year-old has decided to end his professional career. With only two wins and 20 losses over the past two years, Lopez certainly didn't have high expectations when entering the 2023 Mallorca Championships draw .
But his farewell went better than expected. In the first round of the tournament, he managed to beat Max Purcell, while Rafael Nadal watched from his box , and in the second round, Lopez defeated Jordan Thompson to set up a quarterfinal meeting with Yannick Hanfmann, who stunned the first-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas .
And it was the German who officially ended Lopez's career, beating him 6-2, 6-4, marking officially the last match of Lopez's storied career. The Spaniard won 506 matches on the Atp Tour, with seven titles to his name,...
- 6/29/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Mallorca (Spain), June 29 (Ians) Yannick Hanfmann continued his strong performance in the 2023 season as he claimed his first Top 5 victim, beating top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in three games in the pre-quarterfinals of the Mallorca Championships here.
The German player overcame defending champion Tsitsipas of Greece 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 in the grass-court Atp 250 event in Spain’s Balearic Islands for the biggest win of his career on Wednesday night. Hanfmann won 80 per cent (36/45) of points behind his first serve in a rock-solid performance to reach his first non-clay Atp Tour quarterfinal.
Hanfmann broke Tsitsipas’ serve in the opening game of the match and two more times in the deciding set to seal his victory. The 31-year-old, who broke into the Top 50 in the Atp Rankings on Monday, now holds a 16-9 record for 2023. He reached his maiden Atp Masters 1000 quarterfinal in May in Madrid, a run that included Top 10 victories against Taylor Fritz and Andrey Rublev.
The German player overcame defending champion Tsitsipas of Greece 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 in the grass-court Atp 250 event in Spain’s Balearic Islands for the biggest win of his career on Wednesday night. Hanfmann won 80 per cent (36/45) of points behind his first serve in a rock-solid performance to reach his first non-clay Atp Tour quarterfinal.
Hanfmann broke Tsitsipas’ serve in the opening game of the match and two more times in the deciding set to seal his victory. The 31-year-old, who broke into the Top 50 in the Atp Rankings on Monday, now holds a 16-9 record for 2023. He reached his maiden Atp Masters 1000 quarterfinal in May in Madrid, a run that included Top 10 victories against Taylor Fritz and Andrey Rublev.
- 6/29/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Rafael Nadal attended the unveiling of a unique statue depicting the Spanish star in Mallorca.
Nadal is considered one of the Atp 's all-time greats after the Spanish player won 22 Grand Slam titles in a top-level career lasting more than two decades. In 2016, the veteran player launched his own tennis academy in his home town of Manacor, a city on the Spanish island of Mallorca.
With Nadal ruled out of Wimbledon and most of the 2023 season, as he recovers from surgery, the 37-year-old has kept busy by supporting countryman Feliciano Lopez at the Mallorca Championships . Then, Nadal appeared at the official unveiling of his new statue in Mallorca.
The statue is a fitting reward for Nadal's achievements in the game, which include 14 Roland Garros wins, four US Open titles and two victories at Wimbledon and the Australian Open. Also, several current Atp stars have benefitted from training at the Rafael Nadal Academy in recent years,...
Nadal is considered one of the Atp 's all-time greats after the Spanish player won 22 Grand Slam titles in a top-level career lasting more than two decades. In 2016, the veteran player launched his own tennis academy in his home town of Manacor, a city on the Spanish island of Mallorca.
With Nadal ruled out of Wimbledon and most of the 2023 season, as he recovers from surgery, the 37-year-old has kept busy by supporting countryman Feliciano Lopez at the Mallorca Championships . Then, Nadal appeared at the official unveiling of his new statue in Mallorca.
The statue is a fitting reward for Nadal's achievements in the game, which include 14 Roland Garros wins, four US Open titles and two victories at Wimbledon and the Australian Open. Also, several current Atp stars have benefitted from training at the Rafael Nadal Academy in recent years,...
- 6/29/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Stefanos Tsitsipas was once again eliminated early at a tournament, this time at the 2023 Mallorca Championships .
After finishing the 2022 season with an 8-3 record on grass courts, the Greek was certainly confident ahead of the 2023 season. However, after losing in his first match in Stuttgart , and in his second match in Halle , things were not looking good for Tsitsipas.
Yet, his hopes were maybe high ahead of the 2023 Mallorca Championships, as he was the defending champion at the event . Practicing with his girlfriend Paula Badosa prior to the tournament, the top seed in Mallorca was also supported by the Spanish No. 1 on the Wta Tour during the match.
In his first match in Mallorca, the first seed took on Yannick Hanfmann after a bye in the first round. On the other hand, the German defeated Pedro Cachin in his opening match, having more match practice than his opponent.
And that...
After finishing the 2022 season with an 8-3 record on grass courts, the Greek was certainly confident ahead of the 2023 season. However, after losing in his first match in Stuttgart , and in his second match in Halle , things were not looking good for Tsitsipas.
Yet, his hopes were maybe high ahead of the 2023 Mallorca Championships, as he was the defending champion at the event . Practicing with his girlfriend Paula Badosa prior to the tournament, the top seed in Mallorca was also supported by the Spanish No. 1 on the Wta Tour during the match.
In his first match in Mallorca, the first seed took on Yannick Hanfmann after a bye in the first round. On the other hand, the German defeated Pedro Cachin in his opening match, having more match practice than his opponent.
And that...
- 6/28/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Carlos Alcaraz has been compared to Rafael Nadal and there are plenty of reasons why that comparison was made.
The Spaniard emerged just as Nadal's career was basically entering its conclusive stages. He doesn't play similarly to Nadal even though many have made that comparison including Djokovic who played both . The Spaniard himself doesn't really enjoy comparisons with Nadal or any other player because he wants to create his own legacy.
He wants to be the first Carlos Alcaraz even though many insist that he will be the new Nadal . It's hard not to make that comparison because the succession in Spanish tennis on the Atp Tour is just too incredible to ignore. Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez talked about the significance of that recently and it's only logical that people will compare them.
Alcaraz asked people to stop but if he keeps replacing him in the record books or...
The Spaniard emerged just as Nadal's career was basically entering its conclusive stages. He doesn't play similarly to Nadal even though many have made that comparison including Djokovic who played both . The Spaniard himself doesn't really enjoy comparisons with Nadal or any other player because he wants to create his own legacy.
He wants to be the first Carlos Alcaraz even though many insist that he will be the new Nadal . It's hard not to make that comparison because the succession in Spanish tennis on the Atp Tour is just too incredible to ignore. Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez talked about the significance of that recently and it's only logical that people will compare them.
Alcaraz asked people to stop but if he keeps replacing him in the record books or...
- 6/28/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Rafael Nadal hasn't been seen around tennis courts for a while but the Spaniard made an appearance at the 2023 Mallorca Championships to watch an old friend play.
Rafael Nadal is not playing right now on the Atp Tour due to surgery that he underwent weeks ago to address a hip issue that plagued him since this year's Australian Open. He missed Roland Garros because of it but was spotted doing various other things like hosting the graduation ceremony of the Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy alongside Iga Swiatek.
He was then spotted in the company of controversial Indian guru Sadhguru . Now he's been spotted watching a match of his good friend, Feliciano Lopez . The Spanish veteran has recently seen his name dragged up and down the social media space after presiding over some controversial choices at this year's Madrid Open .
Lopez, as the tournament director, was directly blamed for some of...
Rafael Nadal is not playing right now on the Atp Tour due to surgery that he underwent weeks ago to address a hip issue that plagued him since this year's Australian Open. He missed Roland Garros because of it but was spotted doing various other things like hosting the graduation ceremony of the Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy alongside Iga Swiatek.
He was then spotted in the company of controversial Indian guru Sadhguru . Now he's been spotted watching a match of his good friend, Feliciano Lopez . The Spanish veteran has recently seen his name dragged up and down the social media space after presiding over some controversial choices at this year's Madrid Open .
Lopez, as the tournament director, was directly blamed for some of...
- 6/28/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
The Wimbledon preparations will come to an end at the 2023 Mallorca Championships from June 26th to July 1st.
As one of the last two Atp 250 grass-court tournaments before the third major of the season, the 2023 Mallorca Championships offers players a chance to fine-tune their game before they head to the All England Club.
Last year, Stefanos Tsitsipas won the trophy in Mallorca , becoming the first player in five years to win a title on all surfaces . This year, the Greek will be back thanks to a wild card , and as all top four seeds, he'll start with a bye in the first round.
Already in the second round, the top seed can meet either Yannick Hanfmann or Pedro Cachina. One of the players that fans wanted to see in Mallorca was Nick Kyrgios. And even though the Australian practiced at the event , he had to announce yet another withdrawal as he's still not physically fit.
As one of the last two Atp 250 grass-court tournaments before the third major of the season, the 2023 Mallorca Championships offers players a chance to fine-tune their game before they head to the All England Club.
Last year, Stefanos Tsitsipas won the trophy in Mallorca , becoming the first player in five years to win a title on all surfaces . This year, the Greek will be back thanks to a wild card , and as all top four seeds, he'll start with a bye in the first round.
Already in the second round, the top seed can meet either Yannick Hanfmann or Pedro Cachina. One of the players that fans wanted to see in Mallorca was Nick Kyrgios. And even though the Australian practiced at the event , he had to announce yet another withdrawal as he's still not physically fit.
- 6/24/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
The 2023 Mallorca Championships field got a significant boost with a sudden influx of players as Stefanos Tsitsipas , Felix Auger-Aliassime , and Feliciano Lopez got wild cards.
The 2023 Mallorca Championships already had a pretty decent field with the likes of Nick Kyrgios and Ben Shelton taking part but the field has now been enhanced with the addition of several players. Defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas wasn't initially on the entry list but the Greek will be there thanks to a wild card.
His only grass trophy came last year in Mallorca and he'll need a few more matches to finetune his grass tennis, especially after parting ways with a coach who was largely credited with improving his level on the surface.
He'll be joined by Felix Auger-Aliassime who is yet to play a match on grass after consecutive pull-outs recently. He was initially scheduled to play at the Libema Open in Den Bosch but withdrew before the event.
The 2023 Mallorca Championships already had a pretty decent field with the likes of Nick Kyrgios and Ben Shelton taking part but the field has now been enhanced with the addition of several players. Defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas wasn't initially on the entry list but the Greek will be there thanks to a wild card.
His only grass trophy came last year in Mallorca and he'll need a few more matches to finetune his grass tennis, especially after parting ways with a coach who was largely credited with improving his level on the surface.
He'll be joined by Felix Auger-Aliassime who is yet to play a match on grass after consecutive pull-outs recently. He was initially scheduled to play at the Libema Open in Den Bosch but withdrew before the event.
- 6/21/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Stefanos Tsitsipas experienced another loss, this time at the 2023 Halle Open to an inspired Nicolas Jarry .
Less than a week ago, the Greek witnessed Richard Gasquet's 600th win in Stuttgart . He quickly forgot it when he moved to Halle, winning his first-round match against Gregoire Barrere in three sets . But in the second round, Tsitsipas wasn't so successful.
The 24-year-old played against Nicolas Jarry, who has a game that suits the grass court well. The two met twice on the Atp Tour before, and the Chilean managed to win the match that was played on the grass court in 's-Hertogenbosch four years ago.
Tsitsipas entered the tournament without his former coach Mark Philippoussis , but since the two split he hasn't been really successful. In the first set, the second seed had five break points, but he couldn't use his chances and the set had to be decided in a tie-break.
Less than a week ago, the Greek witnessed Richard Gasquet's 600th win in Stuttgart . He quickly forgot it when he moved to Halle, winning his first-round match against Gregoire Barrere in three sets . But in the second round, Tsitsipas wasn't so successful.
The 24-year-old played against Nicolas Jarry, who has a game that suits the grass court well. The two met twice on the Atp Tour before, and the Chilean managed to win the match that was played on the grass court in 's-Hertogenbosch four years ago.
Tsitsipas entered the tournament without his former coach Mark Philippoussis , but since the two split he hasn't been really successful. In the first set, the second seed had five break points, but he couldn't use his chances and the set had to be decided in a tie-break.
- 6/21/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Carlos Alcaraz will make his debut at the 2023 Cinch Championships at the Queen's Club, but not against the opponent he expected.
When the draw came out for the 2023 Cinch Championships , the 20-year-old Spaniard knew that he had to wait before he gets to know his first-round opponent. That was because it was supposed to be one of the qualifiers, and the qualifying was still underway.
Once the qualifying concluded and after the qualifiers were drawn, the World No. 2 on the Atp Tour found out that a talented 19-year-old Frenchman, Arthur Fils, will be his first-round opponent, after he defeated Hugo Grenier and Alexei Popyrin in the qualifying.
However, only a couple of hours before the match between the two talented players was set to start, the Frenchman announced that he won't be competing at the Queen's Club main draw, as he was forced to withdraw from the event.
Although it...
When the draw came out for the 2023 Cinch Championships , the 20-year-old Spaniard knew that he had to wait before he gets to know his first-round opponent. That was because it was supposed to be one of the qualifiers, and the qualifying was still underway.
Once the qualifying concluded and after the qualifiers were drawn, the World No. 2 on the Atp Tour found out that a talented 19-year-old Frenchman, Arthur Fils, will be his first-round opponent, after he defeated Hugo Grenier and Alexei Popyrin in the qualifying.
However, only a couple of hours before the match between the two talented players was set to start, the Frenchman announced that he won't be competing at the Queen's Club main draw, as he was forced to withdraw from the event.
Although it...
- 6/20/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Feliciano Lopez was appointed as the 2023 Davis Cup tournament director, but fans weren't happy about it after the Madrid Open fiasco.
The appointment of Lopez as the new Davis Cup Tournament Director has sparked outrage among tennis fans, who are questioning his ability to handle such a prestigious role in light of recent events.
One of the major incidents that tarnished the Madrid Open's reputation involved a stark difference in the size of the birthday cakes given to players Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka . Both players, who share the same birthday and were competing in the Spanish capital, were presented with birthday cakes during the tournament.
However, Alcaraz's cake was noticeably larger than Sabalenka's, sparking a debate about gender disparity in tennis and eliciting comments from other Wta players such as Victoria Azarenka and Bianca Andreescu.
The situation was defended by Lopez , who stated that Alcaraz's celebration was bigger due...
The appointment of Lopez as the new Davis Cup Tournament Director has sparked outrage among tennis fans, who are questioning his ability to handle such a prestigious role in light of recent events.
One of the major incidents that tarnished the Madrid Open's reputation involved a stark difference in the size of the birthday cakes given to players Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka . Both players, who share the same birthday and were competing in the Spanish capital, were presented with birthday cakes during the tournament.
However, Alcaraz's cake was noticeably larger than Sabalenka's, sparking a debate about gender disparity in tennis and eliciting comments from other Wta players such as Victoria Azarenka and Bianca Andreescu.
The situation was defended by Lopez , who stated that Alcaraz's celebration was bigger due...
- 6/15/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
The 2023 Stuttgart Open is the first grass-court event of the season and the draw is full of star names.
Starting a grass-court season early is in the best interest of all players that want to do at Wimbledon and there are quite few of them that signed up for the Atp 250 tournament in Stuttgart, also referred to as the Boss Open.
The tournament, which runs from June 12th to 18th, also offers interesting prize money to players and the fight for the title should be really good, given the names that signed up for the event.
Last year, Matteo Berrettini , who is a two-time champion, won the tournament and he'll defend his title this year. In the first round, the seventh-seeded Italian will start against fellow compatriot Lorenzo Sonego .
The top seed in Stuttgart will be one of the players that received a wild card . Stefanos Tsitsipas is the name,...
Starting a grass-court season early is in the best interest of all players that want to do at Wimbledon and there are quite few of them that signed up for the Atp 250 tournament in Stuttgart, also referred to as the Boss Open.
The tournament, which runs from June 12th to 18th, also offers interesting prize money to players and the fight for the title should be really good, given the names that signed up for the event.
Last year, Matteo Berrettini , who is a two-time champion, won the tournament and he'll defend his title this year. In the first round, the seventh-seeded Italian will start against fellow compatriot Lorenzo Sonego .
The top seed in Stuttgart will be one of the players that received a wild card . Stefanos Tsitsipas is the name,...
- 6/10/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
From June 25th to July 1st, preparations for the grass-court Grand Slam will peak at the 2023 Mallorca Championships.
The Atp 250 event provides great facilities for fans to fine-tune their grass-court game ahead of the Wimbledon, and the entry list for the 2023 Mallorca Championships shows that the tournament is really popular among players.
In 2022, the tournament was won by Stefanos Tsitsipas, but the Greek won't be defending his title this year. Daniil Medvedev won in 2021, but he also won't be present, but fans can certainly look forward to at least one name that promises a lot of excitement.
Nick Kyrgios is known for his grass-court qualities, and Toni Nadal shared already in November that the Australian will play in Mallorca. With the entry list released, his words were confirmed with the 2022 Wimbledon finalist headlining it.
But it surely won't be a walk in the park for the talented Australian. He'll face a field full of competitors,...
The Atp 250 event provides great facilities for fans to fine-tune their grass-court game ahead of the Wimbledon, and the entry list for the 2023 Mallorca Championships shows that the tournament is really popular among players.
In 2022, the tournament was won by Stefanos Tsitsipas, but the Greek won't be defending his title this year. Daniil Medvedev won in 2021, but he also won't be present, but fans can certainly look forward to at least one name that promises a lot of excitement.
Nick Kyrgios is known for his grass-court qualities, and Toni Nadal shared already in November that the Australian will play in Mallorca. With the entry list released, his words were confirmed with the 2022 Wimbledon finalist headlining it.
But it surely won't be a walk in the park for the talented Australian. He'll face a field full of competitors,...
- 6/5/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Rafael Nadal's career has gone on for over two decades now and the tennis landscape looked very different the last time he missed the Roland Garros.
Rafael Nadal won't play at the 2023 Roland Garros after announcing his decision to pull out a few days ago. The Spanish legend worked hard to get back in time but the hip injury proved too much to overcome. It will be the first time he won't play at the event in many years but he will be back next year if everything goes according to plan.
The last time Nadal didn't play at the event was back in 2004 when he was a teenager coming up. It was also the year when he won his maiden trophy and one year before he would win his maiden Roland Garros (2005).
The tennis landscape looked very different back then compared to right now. It's not a surprise...
Rafael Nadal won't play at the 2023 Roland Garros after announcing his decision to pull out a few days ago. The Spanish legend worked hard to get back in time but the hip injury proved too much to overcome. It will be the first time he won't play at the event in many years but he will be back next year if everything goes according to plan.
The last time Nadal didn't play at the event was back in 2004 when he was a teenager coming up. It was also the year when he won his maiden trophy and one year before he would win his maiden Roland Garros (2005).
The tennis landscape looked very different back then compared to right now. It's not a surprise...
- 5/21/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Feliciano Lopez is excited about the future of Spanish tennis after the emergence of Carlos Alcaraz as Rafael Nadal is nearing retirement.
For many years Spain has had one of the best tennis players in the world which is very useful for keeping the interest of the country in the sport. Rafael Nadal was responsible for inspiring many new players during his almost two-decade run in tennis and that yielded players like Carlos Alcaraz.
The recently turned 20-year-old is now one of the most prominent young players on the Atp Tour and certainly one of the best. He will certainly keep the interest in the sport in Spain going strong for many years and directly influence many young players to pick up a racquet.
The Madrid Open director Feliciano Lopez, who spent much of his career playing at the same time as Nadal, called it quite lucky for the country...
For many years Spain has had one of the best tennis players in the world which is very useful for keeping the interest of the country in the sport. Rafael Nadal was responsible for inspiring many new players during his almost two-decade run in tennis and that yielded players like Carlos Alcaraz.
The recently turned 20-year-old is now one of the most prominent young players on the Atp Tour and certainly one of the best. He will certainly keep the interest in the sport in Spain going strong for many years and directly influence many young players to pick up a racquet.
The Madrid Open director Feliciano Lopez, who spent much of his career playing at the same time as Nadal, called it quite lucky for the country...
- 5/10/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
The Madrid Open organizers made a number of questionable decisions during the 2023 tournament, and using models as ball girls was one of them.
In the wake of public backlash, the organizers have revamped ball girls' attire, signaling their intent to address concerns of sexism and misogyny at the event. The Madrid Open, an Atp & Wta 1000 tennis event, found itself at the center of a controversy surrounding the reintroduction of female models as ball girls and their initial choice of attire.
The Atp final of the event between Carlos Alcaraz and Jan-Lennard Struff on Sunday showcased a notable change, as the ball girls donned navy-blue outfits consisting of loose-fitted capris and sleeveless crop tops.
This change came as a direct response to the public outcry that labeled the tournament's organizers and director Feliciano Lopez as misogynistic for their previous clothing selections.
The initial decision to reintroduce female models as ball girls...
In the wake of public backlash, the organizers have revamped ball girls' attire, signaling their intent to address concerns of sexism and misogyny at the event. The Madrid Open, an Atp & Wta 1000 tennis event, found itself at the center of a controversy surrounding the reintroduction of female models as ball girls and their initial choice of attire.
The Atp final of the event between Carlos Alcaraz and Jan-Lennard Struff on Sunday showcased a notable change, as the ball girls donned navy-blue outfits consisting of loose-fitted capris and sleeveless crop tops.
This change came as a direct response to the public outcry that labeled the tournament's organizers and director Feliciano Lopez as misogynistic for their previous clothing selections.
The initial decision to reintroduce female models as ball girls...
- 5/8/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Iga Swiatek criticized the Madrid Open for their scheduling and she was supported by Australian coach Rennae Stubbs.
After losing in the final of the 2023 Madrid Open to Aryna Sabalenka, the world no. 1, Iga Swiatek took a chance to address the crowd, thank her team, but also comment on the tournament organization, particularly the scheduling which she didn't like.
In her fourth-round match at the Wta 1000 event in the Spanish capital, the Pole had to play until 1 Am against Ekaterina Alexandrova and she didn't like that, since also her following match ended well past midnight. During the trophy ceremony, Swiatek said:
"It's not fun to play at 1 Am though, so I'm happy anyway that I was able to get past this experience, and survive and be in the final, so thank you for your support and your energy."
The comment soon went viral but not just because of Swiatek's words...
After losing in the final of the 2023 Madrid Open to Aryna Sabalenka, the world no. 1, Iga Swiatek took a chance to address the crowd, thank her team, but also comment on the tournament organization, particularly the scheduling which she didn't like.
In her fourth-round match at the Wta 1000 event in the Spanish capital, the Pole had to play until 1 Am against Ekaterina Alexandrova and she didn't like that, since also her following match ended well past midnight. During the trophy ceremony, Swiatek said:
"It's not fun to play at 1 Am though, so I'm happy anyway that I was able to get past this experience, and survive and be in the final, so thank you for your support and your energy."
The comment soon went viral but not just because of Swiatek's words...
- 5/8/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
The trophy ceremony after the women's final at the 2023 Madrid Open was quite spicy with Aryna Sabalenka taking a sly dig at Feliciano Lopez.
The tournament director of the 2023 Madrid Open, Feliciano Lopez, was left a bit shocked during the speeches of the finalists after the Wta final in the Spanish capital. Aryna Sabalenka defeated Iga Swiatek in the final and both players were quite honest after the match.
First, the young Pole criticized the tournament organizators for their scheduling, as she was forced to finish one of her matches at 1 Am. And then, also Sabalenka appeared to take a dig at Feliciano Lopez amid the recent birthday cake controversy.
The world no. 2 received a smaller birthday cake than her colleague from the Atp Tour, Carlos Alcaraz, and many fellow Wta players didn't like that. The topic soon went viral on social media with many voicing their displeasure.
Also, Sabalenka...
The tournament director of the 2023 Madrid Open, Feliciano Lopez, was left a bit shocked during the speeches of the finalists after the Wta final in the Spanish capital. Aryna Sabalenka defeated Iga Swiatek in the final and both players were quite honest after the match.
First, the young Pole criticized the tournament organizators for their scheduling, as she was forced to finish one of her matches at 1 Am. And then, also Sabalenka appeared to take a dig at Feliciano Lopez amid the recent birthday cake controversy.
The world no. 2 received a smaller birthday cake than her colleague from the Atp Tour, Carlos Alcaraz, and many fellow Wta players didn't like that. The topic soon went viral on social media with many voicing their displeasure.
Also, Sabalenka...
- 5/8/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
The Madrid Open birthday cake controversy took a new turn as the tournament director provided clarification.
Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka, both ranked second on their respective tennis tours and sharing a birthday on May 5th, found themselves at the center of a birthday cake controversy during the 2023 Madrid Open.
The organizers planned to give each athlete a birthday cake as they were both competing in the competition while also celebrating their birthdays. Images that showed that the cake provided to Alcaraz was substantially bigger than the one offered to Sabalenka caused an unanticipated uproar.
This disparity in cake size sparked a heated discussion online, with many connecting it to the existing debate on prize money differences between the men's and women's tennis tours. It's worth noting, though, that the Madrid Open is one of the tournaments that offer equal prize money to all players, regardless of gender.
The controversy...
Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka, both ranked second on their respective tennis tours and sharing a birthday on May 5th, found themselves at the center of a birthday cake controversy during the 2023 Madrid Open.
The organizers planned to give each athlete a birthday cake as they were both competing in the competition while also celebrating their birthdays. Images that showed that the cake provided to Alcaraz was substantially bigger than the one offered to Sabalenka caused an unanticipated uproar.
This disparity in cake size sparked a heated discussion online, with many connecting it to the existing debate on prize money differences between the men's and women's tennis tours. It's worth noting, though, that the Madrid Open is one of the tournaments that offer equal prize money to all players, regardless of gender.
The controversy...
- 5/7/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Iga Swiatek's Madrid Open final loss took an unexpected turn when she subtly criticized the tournament organizers over her late-night match scheduling.
The Pole may have been gracious in defeat at the 2023 Madrid Open, but she did not shy away from voicing her concerns about the scheduling issues she faced during the tournament. Following her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in the final, Swiatek took the opportunity to address the packed crowd, offering her thoughts on the intense match and the series of events leading up to it.
However, it was her sly dig at the tournament organizers that stole the spotlight. Swiatek's late-night scheduling woes began in the fourth round when she faced off against Ekaterina Alexandrova in a grueling three-set match that concluded around 1 Am in Madrid.
Despite the fatigue, she managed to secure a hard-fought victory with a 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-3 scoreline. Although visibly exhausted, Swiatek persevered...
The Pole may have been gracious in defeat at the 2023 Madrid Open, but she did not shy away from voicing her concerns about the scheduling issues she faced during the tournament. Following her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in the final, Swiatek took the opportunity to address the packed crowd, offering her thoughts on the intense match and the series of events leading up to it.
However, it was her sly dig at the tournament organizers that stole the spotlight. Swiatek's late-night scheduling woes began in the fourth round when she faced off against Ekaterina Alexandrova in a grueling three-set match that concluded around 1 Am in Madrid.
Despite the fatigue, she managed to secure a hard-fought victory with a 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-3 scoreline. Although visibly exhausted, Swiatek persevered...
- 5/6/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka have quite a few things in common but the birthday cake size isn't one of them.
Currently, both players are ranked second on their respective Tours and they were also both born on May 5th, so they usually celebrate their birthday around the Madrid Open. This year, both of them reached the final and so they are still in the competition while celebrating.
The 20-year-old Spaniard had a chance to do that on the tennis court as he defeated Borna Coric to reach the final. On the other hand, the 25-year-old Belarusian won her semifinal match yesterday and could fully enjoy her birthday day today.
The organisers of the 2023 Madrid Open have thought about both players and prepared a birthday cake for them. While Sabalenka received it in the backstage as she didn't play a match, Alcaraz received it at the Manolo Santana Stadium and it was the cake.
Currently, both players are ranked second on their respective Tours and they were also both born on May 5th, so they usually celebrate their birthday around the Madrid Open. This year, both of them reached the final and so they are still in the competition while celebrating.
The 20-year-old Spaniard had a chance to do that on the tennis court as he defeated Borna Coric to reach the final. On the other hand, the 25-year-old Belarusian won her semifinal match yesterday and could fully enjoy her birthday day today.
The organisers of the 2023 Madrid Open have thought about both players and prepared a birthday cake for them. While Sabalenka received it in the backstage as she didn't play a match, Alcaraz received it at the Manolo Santana Stadium and it was the cake.
- 5/6/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Carlos Alcaraz will be playing in the 2023 Madrid Open final after beating Borna Coric at La Caja Magica.
It's been a few minutes of mixed news for the Spanish fans. While the 20-year-old was battling on the court, Spanish legend Rafael Nadal announced his withdrawal from the 2023 Italian Open in Rome. But Alcaraz didn't know that as he battled against the 17th-seeded Croatian at the Atp 1000 event in the Spanish capital.
The two never met before but their first meeting was surely worth a watch. The first four games were incredible long and took over 30 minutes, but the score was tied at 2-2 as none of the players could use their break points.
However, after physically demanding start, Alcaraz was the first player to break, ensuring a 3-2 lead and holding for a 4-2 lead in the first set. Although, the Spaniard couldn't add any more breaks, he won the...
It's been a few minutes of mixed news for the Spanish fans. While the 20-year-old was battling on the court, Spanish legend Rafael Nadal announced his withdrawal from the 2023 Italian Open in Rome. But Alcaraz didn't know that as he battled against the 17th-seeded Croatian at the Atp 1000 event in the Spanish capital.
The two never met before but their first meeting was surely worth a watch. The first four games were incredible long and took over 30 minutes, but the score was tied at 2-2 as none of the players could use their break points.
However, after physically demanding start, Alcaraz was the first player to break, ensuring a 3-2 lead and holding for a 4-2 lead in the first set. Although, the Spaniard couldn't add any more breaks, he won the...
- 5/5/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Dominic Thiem and Frances Tiafoe are the latest additions to the Red Bull Bassline event in Madrid.
The event is a special tie-break tennis tournament that will be held in Spain for the first time on April 25th as part of the curtain-raiser for the 2023 Madrid Open, which is one of the Atp 1000 clay-court events leading up to the Roland Garros.
Much like the tie-break tens event at the start of Indian Wells, this will be a one-night, knock-out tie-break tournament, taking place in the Caja Magica's iconic Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Stadium on the eve of the 2023 Madrid Open.
Last year's US Open semi-finalist Tiafoe and 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem will join the field this year at what promises to be an electric opener to Madrid's premier tennis event.
They join the likes of Feliciano Lopez, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Sebastian Korda, Martin Landaluce and recent Atp Masters 1000 winner in Monte Carlo,...
The event is a special tie-break tennis tournament that will be held in Spain for the first time on April 25th as part of the curtain-raiser for the 2023 Madrid Open, which is one of the Atp 1000 clay-court events leading up to the Roland Garros.
Much like the tie-break tens event at the start of Indian Wells, this will be a one-night, knock-out tie-break tournament, taking place in the Caja Magica's iconic Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Stadium on the eve of the 2023 Madrid Open.
Last year's US Open semi-finalist Tiafoe and 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem will join the field this year at what promises to be an electric opener to Madrid's premier tennis event.
They join the likes of Feliciano Lopez, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Sebastian Korda, Martin Landaluce and recent Atp Masters 1000 winner in Monte Carlo,...
- 4/20/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Madrid Open tournament director Feliciano Lopez hopes that his friend Rafael Nadal doesn't suffer a similar fate as Roger Federer with injuries.
Nadal returned from injury last year at the Madrid Open playing really well but losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the end. This year, it's not clear if the 22-time Grand Slam champion will compete in the Spanish capital as he previously withdrew from the Barcelona Open.
While some are worried about the way things have been unfolding other are more optimistic about Nadal's season despite the recent bad news. Roland Garros was always going to be the event Nadal targeted the most and there is virtually zero chance he will miss it. Still, as somebody who cares about Nadal's legacy, Lopez is worried.
I worry more as a friend. At the tennis level, obviously I am concerned that he can play again and that he can arrive at Roland Garros prepared,...
Nadal returned from injury last year at the Madrid Open playing really well but losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the end. This year, it's not clear if the 22-time Grand Slam champion will compete in the Spanish capital as he previously withdrew from the Barcelona Open.
While some are worried about the way things have been unfolding other are more optimistic about Nadal's season despite the recent bad news. Roland Garros was always going to be the event Nadal targeted the most and there is virtually zero chance he will miss it. Still, as somebody who cares about Nadal's legacy, Lopez is worried.
I worry more as a friend. At the tennis level, obviously I am concerned that he can play again and that he can arrive at Roland Garros prepared,...
- 4/17/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
The third installment of Red Bull Bassline is set to take place in Madrid, as confirmed to Tennis-Infinity.com.
Set to take place alongside the 2023 Madrid Open, which is an Atp 1000 event, on April 25, this one-night, knock-out tie-break tournament will descend upon Caja Magica's iconic Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Stadium for an unforgettable experience.
Red Bull Bassline's unique best-of-three format ensures rapid-fire matches, with each round lasting a mere 10 to 25 minutes. Top players such as Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev, Matteo Berrettini, Sebastian Korda, Feliciano Lopez, and Martin Landaluce will compete in an eight-player field, offering thrilling, intense battles where every point is pivotal.
With no umpire present, the players themselves will be responsible for calls and disputes, providing an unfiltered view of tennis at its finest. The electrifying atmosphere of Red Bull Bassline is further amplified by a live DJ, who keeps the energy high with music playing between points and even during exhilarating rallies.
Set to take place alongside the 2023 Madrid Open, which is an Atp 1000 event, on April 25, this one-night, knock-out tie-break tournament will descend upon Caja Magica's iconic Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Stadium for an unforgettable experience.
Red Bull Bassline's unique best-of-three format ensures rapid-fire matches, with each round lasting a mere 10 to 25 minutes. Top players such as Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev, Matteo Berrettini, Sebastian Korda, Feliciano Lopez, and Martin Landaluce will compete in an eight-player field, offering thrilling, intense battles where every point is pivotal.
With no umpire present, the players themselves will be responsible for calls and disputes, providing an unfiltered view of tennis at its finest. The electrifying atmosphere of Red Bull Bassline is further amplified by a live DJ, who keeps the energy high with music playing between points and even during exhilarating rallies.
- 4/11/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Feliciano Lopez believes Carlos Alcaraz is the chosen one as his charisma and values make him the right person to represent Spain.
Alcaraz has been quickly proclaimed the new Nadal and it's not hard to understand why. Spain hasn't had such a great talent emerge since Nadal and there are some similarities between them with Alcaraz even breaking some of the records Nadal held for many years.
According to Lopez, Alcaraz is the right person to represent Spanish tennis in the future because he's a great player with a lot of charisma and the right values for the role.
He is a chosen one, someone with charisma who reaches number 1 at the age of 19, winning a Grand Slam and who has very good values and transmits joy.
This year has been quite impressive for Alcaraz even though he missed quite a few events due to injuries. Lopez is not worried...
Alcaraz has been quickly proclaimed the new Nadal and it's not hard to understand why. Spain hasn't had such a great talent emerge since Nadal and there are some similarities between them with Alcaraz even breaking some of the records Nadal held for many years.
According to Lopez, Alcaraz is the right person to represent Spanish tennis in the future because he's a great player with a lot of charisma and the right values for the role.
He is a chosen one, someone with charisma who reaches number 1 at the age of 19, winning a Grand Slam and who has very good values and transmits joy.
This year has been quite impressive for Alcaraz even though he missed quite a few events due to injuries. Lopez is not worried...
- 4/5/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Feliciano Lopez is not worried about Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal missing the Monte-Carlo Masters trusting that they both will do well in the next events.
A couple of players announced withdrawals from the Atp 1000 event yesterday and among them were Nadal and Alcaraz. Nadal announced it first explaining that he was not yet ready to play at the event and not long after that Alcaraz did the same thing revealing injuries as the cause for his withdrawal.
The Madrid Open director expects both of them to be ready for the event which he manages explaining that they know what to do and how to prepare.
I trust that Nadal and Alcaraz will do well in the next tournaments. Hopefully, Carlos will play with Djokovic again in Madrid and we will also have Rafa, who if he is healthy, will surely fight again for the big titles. In 2023, there is no clear favorite on clay.
A couple of players announced withdrawals from the Atp 1000 event yesterday and among them were Nadal and Alcaraz. Nadal announced it first explaining that he was not yet ready to play at the event and not long after that Alcaraz did the same thing revealing injuries as the cause for his withdrawal.
The Madrid Open director expects both of them to be ready for the event which he manages explaining that they know what to do and how to prepare.
I trust that Nadal and Alcaraz will do well in the next tournaments. Hopefully, Carlos will play with Djokovic again in Madrid and we will also have Rafa, who if he is healthy, will surely fight again for the big titles. In 2023, there is no clear favorite on clay.
- 4/5/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
Whippersnappers not allowed
Despite its outward civility, Professional Tennis can be a brutal sport for the players, and the sell by date for most is around age 30, give or take a couple of years. So it takes a dedicated athlete to carry on in the face of Father Time, lingering injuries, and young phenoms nipping at your Nike's.
In the past couple of years we've paid tribute to the Atp Top Twenty Players and the Hottest Players Outside The Top 20, and as this year's Australian Open commences, we're going to look at all of the players in the Top 100 who have crossed the "30" milestone mark.
They may be the tennis equivalent of Methuselah, but they can still teach the young guns a thing or two!
Roger Federer - 31
Ranked #2, Roger is still going strong long after most pundits had written him off. Last year he won his seventh Wimbledon title and regained the #1 ranking,...
Despite its outward civility, Professional Tennis can be a brutal sport for the players, and the sell by date for most is around age 30, give or take a couple of years. So it takes a dedicated athlete to carry on in the face of Father Time, lingering injuries, and young phenoms nipping at your Nike's.
In the past couple of years we've paid tribute to the Atp Top Twenty Players and the Hottest Players Outside The Top 20, and as this year's Australian Open commences, we're going to look at all of the players in the Top 100 who have crossed the "30" milestone mark.
They may be the tennis equivalent of Methuselah, but they can still teach the young guns a thing or two!
Roger Federer - 31
Ranked #2, Roger is still going strong long after most pundits had written him off. Last year he won his seventh Wimbledon title and regained the #1 ranking,...
- 1/15/2013
- by snicks
- The Backlot
Feliciano Lopez got knocked out of Wimbledon earlier this week, but he's still got something to be proud about: his killer beach body!The Spanish tennis stud reacted to his loss by hitting the beach in Ibiza, Spain today, where he went showed off his amazing physique while going shirtless in the surf.The 30-year-old athlete is definitely one of the hottest tennis players out there today -- but he's not the only one!Check out the gallery above to see more sexy tennis studs and hotties hitting the beach on their downtime. Read more...
- 6/29/2012
- by tooFab Staff
- TooFab
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