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JASMINE PAOLINI VS. LAURA SIEGMUND

 

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JASMINE PAOLINI CHAMPIONSHIP SPEECH

 

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FRUSTRATED CARLOS ALCARAZ FAILS TO GAEL MONFILS IN CINCINNATI

Carlos Alcaraz repeatedly smashed his racket on the court in a rare show of frustration. "Today, I couldn't [control those feelings]. I was feeling that I was not playing any kind of tennis. ... At some point, I didn't want to be on the court anymore." Susan Mullane/USA TODAY Sports

CINCINNATI -- Carlos Alcaraz repeatedly smashed his racket on the court in a rare show of frustration on Friday, and the four-time Grand Slam winner fell to Gael Monfils 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 at the Cincinnati Open.

In a match that was suspended by rain on Thursday night with the players in a second-set tiebreaker, the 37-year-old Monfils advanced by taking the last two sets from the second-seeded Alcaraz, who called the loss his "worst match."

"I felt like it was the worst match that I've ever played in my career," Alcaraz said. "I've been practicing really well. I was feeling great. But I couldn't play. I want to forget it and try to move on to New York."

The US Open begins there on Aug. 26.

Trailing 3-1 in the tiebreaker when the match was halted, Alcaraz was hoping for a reset when play resumed Friday. But the No. 3 player in the ATP rankings couldn't control his emotions.

"It never happened before, because I could control those feelings," Alcaraz said. "Today, I couldn't. I was feeling that I was not playing any kind of tennis. It was really frustrating for me. At some point, I didn't want to be on the court anymore."

Alcaraz was playing his first match since earning a silver medal at the Paris Olympics after losing to Novak Djokovic, who also beat him last year in the Cincinnati final.

Monfils returned to the court later Friday and lost to No. 15 seed Holger Rune 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

"It was a big win for me against Carlos, unexpected to be honest," Monfils said. "To play again in a couple hours against [another] good and younger player, I knew it would be tough."

In women's action, top-ranked Iga Swiatek advanced to the quarterfinals with a convincing 6-2, 6-2 win over Marta Kostyuk.

Swiatek bounced back with a more complete performance after losing a second-set tiebreak on Wednesday before outlasting France's Varvara Gracheva.

"Today, I just kept my intensity at a high level all the time," Swiatek said. "It didn't really matter to me what the score was, I just wanted to continue playing my game. I focused on myself."

No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka also advanced with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Elina Svitolina, but No. 5 Jasmine Paolini, the runner-up at the French Open and Wimbledon, lost to Mirra Andreeva 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova upset No. 7 and Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng 7-5, 6-1. Spaniard Paula Badosa defeated Yulia Putintseva, who upset Coco Gauff on Thursday, 6-4, 6-4.

Top men to advance included No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who got a walkover against Jordan Thompson on his 23rd birthday, No. 3 Alexander Zverev, No. 5 Hubert Hurkacz, No. 6 Andrey Rublev and 12th-ranked American Ben Shelton.

- Associated Press 

IGA SWIATEK HIT BY BALL,

 

AP

Iga Swiatek dropped to her knees on the court and clutched at her midsection after getting hit by a ball during a point in the Paris Olympics singles quarterfinals Wednesday, but it was her opponent, Danielle Collins of the United States, who stopped playing later in the third set.

Swiatek was leading 6-2, 1-6, 4-1 when Collins retired from the match after taking a medical timeout then getting another visit from a trainer.

Collins, a 30-year-old who was the runner-up at the 2022 Australian Open and has announced she will retire from elite-level tennis after this season, said she cramped and went into convulsions because of dehydration and exhaustion after competing in heat that reached 97 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday.

She blamed Olympic organizers for not having insulated water bottles, for the water not being cool enough and for not "prioritizing the health of the athletes."

"It's incredibly disappointing because you work so hard your whole life to make it to the Olympics, and this is my first and my last Olympics, and something like not having adequate water on court. That's really frustrating and it's really sad," Collins said.

In the opening game of the final set, with Collins serving at deuce, she directed a backhand down the middle of the court. Swiatek was up at the net and unable to get out of the way of the shot.

Swiatek looked stunned as she let go of her white racket and stopped down on the red clay at Court Suzanne Lenglen. Collins -- who asked, "Iga, are you OK?" -- walked around the net to check on Swiatek, and chair umpire Damien Dumusois climbed out of his perch to see how the world's No. 1 player was.

"I could not breathe for a moment. It hurt for a bit," Swiatek said. "But with the adrenaline that you have on court, you don't feel as much as you should."

Swiatek eventually rose and nodded to indicate she could continue.

Three points later, Collins pushed a forehand long and Swiatek had a break. Soon, she would break again to lead 3-0 in that set, and Collins left the court for a medical timeout that delayed the action for about five minutes. When they resumed, it quickly became 4-0, before Collins took a game. But then she conceded the match.

In the semifinals, Swiatek will face Zheng Qinwen, who ended the stellar career of Germany's Angelique Kerber in a titanic tussle that ended 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (6).

Zheng failed to convert three successive match points in the third set as Kerber clung on grimly in stifling heat but eventually prevailed, collapsing to the red clay in disbelief as Kerber's last shot struck the net.

Kerber, a three-time Grand Slam champion, announced last week she would retire after the Olympics.

"I've achieved everything I dreamt of," Kerber said. "I was No. 1, won Grand Slams, won a [silver] medal in Rio, so what more could you want in the end?"

Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic bowed out with a 6-4, 6-2 loss to Anna Karolina Schmiedlova. Schmiedlova has now eliminated both women who played in the final at the All England Club 2½ weeks ago. She defeated Wimbledon runner-up Jasmine Paolini in the third round Tuesday and now is the first tennis semifinalist from Slovakia at a Summer Games since 1988.

Krejcikova was seeded ninth in Paris and has fared well on the clay courts at Roland Garros, which hosts the French Open and is being used for tennis at these Olympics. Her first Grand Slam singles championship came at the French Open in 2021, when she also won the doubles title.

But with the heat at 90 degrees Fahrenheit and the air thick with humidity, Krejcikova looked listless down the stretch against Schmiedlova, a 29-year-old who is ranked 67th and owns one fourth-round appearance at a Slam. That came last year at Roland Garros.

By the end, Krejcikova appeared spent and was barely moving. She slapped a forehand into the net to finish the match, and Schmiedlova raised both arms overhead.

The two players accumulated nearly the exact same number of winners, with 18 for Krejcikova and 17 for Schmiedlova. The big difference was in unforced errors: 32 by Krejcikova, more than twice as many as Schmiedlova's 15.

That included five double-faults for Krejcikova, who needed to deal with 11 break points and lost five of her service games.

Next for Schmiedlova will be a match Thursday against Donna Vekic of Croatia, who beat Coco Gauff in the third round, or Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine, with a place in the gold medal final on the line.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

- 

WIMBLEDON CHAMPION BARBORA KREJCIKOVA BACK ON TOP AFTER A ROLLER-COASTER THREE YEARS

Barbora Krejcikova's two major titles could each be categorized as a surprise victory. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

 Her late mentor, Jana Novotna, had won in 1998 and, before Novotna died of cancer in 2017, she had told Krejcikova to win a Grand Slam. When Krejcikova did just that at the French Open four years later, she was sure it was because Novotna was looking out for her from above.

But Krejcikova still didn't think she would repeat the feat at the All England Club. That was just too much of a miracle. "I never dreamed that I would win the same trophy as Jana did in 1998," she said Saturday.

And with the season she was having, few believed she had a chance this year. She'd had a back injury, an illness that sidelined her, a winless season on clay and a plummeting ranking.

But at Wimbledon, the 28-year-old Krejcikova's self-belief grew with every match she played. And on Saturday, she exceeded her wildest dreams and won the Wimbledon title with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 victory over No. 7 seed Jasmine Paolini in the final. But while she called it "the best day" of her career and life on the court, Krejcikova didn't seem to be thinking about any larger implications.

"I still feel the same," Krejcikova said. "It's great that I'm a two-time major champion. It's something unbelievable. I mean, on the other hand, I'm still the same person. I still love tennis very much. I still want to continue playing tennis well and fight for other tournaments."

AS A 12-YEAR-OLD, Krejcikova wrote down her ultimate goal: to win the French Open. Hoisting the trophy on the red clay at Roland Garros was what motivated her during her early days and what she pictured when she closed her eyes at the end of the day.

But meeting Novotna changed things, and she started to think about what it would be like to win Wimbledon. They had started working together when Krejcikova was 18 and had just finished her junior career. Krejcikova was unsure if she should turn professional, and her parents encouraged her to write a letter to Novotna, a former world No. 2 and fellow Czech, asking for advice. Novotna responded a week later and the two began working together soon after. Novotna told Krejcikova she had potential and encouraged her to turn pro.

They quickly grew close and Krejcikova valued her guidance and friendship. Novotna told her stories about Wimbledon. What the grass was like. How hard it was to become the champion.

"I think since then I started to see Wimbledon [as] the biggest tournament in the world," Krejcikova said on Saturday.

Barbora Krejcikova also won the 2021 French Open title. AP Photo/Michel Euler

But it was at the French Open in 2021 where she would win that first major title she had dreamed about.

Playing in just the fifth major main draw of her career, and as an unseeded player, Krejcikova formally introduced herself to the tennis world with a dynamic run to the title, defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, in the final. She had already won the doubles titles at the French Open and Wimbledon (both with fellow countrywoman Katerina Siniakova) and three mixed doubles titles at the Australian Open, but had largely been a nonfactor in singles play.

Since her breakthrough in Paris, she has continued to play doubles and find success. She and Siniakova won the French Open doubles title the day after she earned the singles trophy, and together went on to claim four more Grand Slam doubles titles and Olympic gold in Tokyo before splitting as a team at the end of the 2023 season.

But consistent results in singles have proven tougher. Krejcikova made her debut in the main draw at both Wimbledon and the US Open after her triumph in Paris in 2021. By the end of the summer, after reaching the fourth round and the quarterfinals respectively, Krejcikova had cracked the top five.

She opened the 2022 season with a quarterfinal appearance at the Australian Open and reached the world No. 2 ranking by February. But then things took a turn. An arm injury kept her sidelined for months and she returned just in time for the French Open. She lost in the first round. She then had to withdraw from doubles the following day after testing positive for COVID.

There was a turnaround at the start of 2023. Krejcikova reached the fourth round at the Australian Open and then won the 1000-level title at Dubai after defeating four top-10 players, including No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the final. She hoped it would finally put her in the conversation among the top players in the game.

Barbora Krejcikova defeated Jasmine Paolini, another first-time Wimbledon finalist, in three sets. Julian Finney/Getty Images

"When I read something on social media, it's about Iga, Aryna [Sabalenka], and Elena [Rybakina] -- I'm not really there," Krejcikova told WTA Insider a few weeks later. "What else should I do? How should I prove it again? ... I want to be mentioned as well. I want to be recognized as well because I think I deserve it. I've had a lot of success on the tour and I just don't get the credit."

But she couldn't back up her words with her play. She lost in the first round of the 2023 French Open and had to retire from her second-round match at Wimbledon with an ankle injury. She went 0-2 in the hard-court tournaments ahead of the US Open and then lost her opener in New York. She salvaged her season by winning in singles and doubles at San Diego soon after, but by the end of the season she had split with her longtime coach and with Siniakova in doubles -- and went back to the drawing board in the brief offseason.

Krejcikova opened 2024 with a quarterfinal appearance at the Australian Open, but a back injury kept her out for much of the hard-court season. She returned in time for the clay portion of the schedule but she went 0-4, including at the French Open. Grass wasn't looking like it would be much better. She won two matches in Birmingham but then lost in the first round in Eastbourne. Her ranking dropped to No. 32.

She was optimistic -- but even she wasn't expecting to do this well at Wimbledon.

Match by match she raised her level and found ways to dispatch higher-ranked opponents, including No. 11 seed Danielle Collins in the fourth round and No. 13 seed Jelena Ostapenko in the quarterfinals. But it was her 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 comeback victory in the semifinals over Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion and remaining favorite, that truly showed everyone just how good she could be when at her best.

"During the season it was very difficult. I have had many difficult periods," Krejcikova said after her semifinal victory. "I never really imagined that in four weeks I could reach a Wimbledon final, that I can be a different player. But I'm super happy that I am [and] that I was able to fight through everything."

She has been more relaxed this tournament as well, especially when compared to her run at the French Open three years ago. On the court, she's visibly more composed and celebratory And off the court, it's clear she's enjoying herself. Starting during a rain delay ahead of a doubles match (she reached the quarterfinals with Laura Siegemund), Krejcikova began doing a Twitter Q&A with fans. It's something she has continued, including during her off day on Friday. She has touched on everything from baking to music to Legos.

"Before the tournament, I had a tough period," Krejcikova said on Thursday. "I just told myself that I will try to enjoy everything more. ... In the end so far I think I [am] very, very successful in doing that. I'm definitely enjoying this moment much more than I did in Paris, which was more stressful for me."

Krejcikova leaves Wimbledon now ranked No. 10 in the world, but perhaps most importantly, she seems content with her play and how she's perceived by others.

While she may or may not be considered at the same level as Swiatek and the rest of the top-ranked players, she is in the same category as Novotna: Wimbledon champions. She stopped to look at her newly engraved name on the list of winners shortly after her victory on Saturday.

"[It was a] very emotional moment to see me on a board right next to [Novotna]," she said. "I think she would be proud. I think she would be really excited that I'm on a same board as she is because Wimbledon was super special for her."

- D'Arcy Maine, ESPN.com

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COCO GAUFF WINS HER FIRST GRAND SLAM DOUBLES TITLE AT THE FRENCH OPEN

AP Photo 

 PARIS (AP) — Coco Gauff won her first Grand Slam doubles title by teaming with Katerina Siniakova for the French Open trophy on Sunday.

Gauff, a 20-year-old American who won the U.S. Open singles title last year, and Siniakova, who is from the Czech Republic, defeated Italians Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani 7-6 (5), 6-3 on Court Philippe Chatrier.

It was Gauff's third women's doubles final after losing championship matches at Roland Garros in 2022 and the U.S. Open in 2021.

AP Photo 

Gauff and Siniakova both kissed the Coupe Simonne Mathieu — the winners' trophy.

“Third time’s a charm. Thank you, Katerina, for playing with me. We decided two days before the tournament to play together,” Gauff said. "Thank you to the fans. I know 11:30 Sunday morning is early for most people. It’s early for me.”

Paolini was also the runner-up in the singles final at Roland Garros to four-time champion Iga Swiatek on Saturday. Swiatek beat Gauff in the singles semifinal.

AP Photo 

“The last two weeks were very nice, very emotional,” Paolini said. “I have a lot of memories. I can’t wait to be back.”

Siniakova owns a career Slam in women's doubles alongside partner Barbora Krejcikova and has won eight majors — including the French Open in 2018 and 2021.

AP Photo 

Errani also owns a career Slam in doubles alongside her former partner Roberta Vinci. The Italian pair won the French Open title in 2012 — the year Errani lost the singles final.

“It’s really special to be in this court again. I don’t know how many more years I have to play. But it’s always special to play these kinds of matches,” the 37-year-old Errani said. “It will be special to play the Olympics here in this place. So I’ll see you in one month.”

AP Photo 

Paolini was playing in her first final in women's doubles.

Errani’s serve was broken twice in the first set, and Paolini stayed on the baseline to compensate in the 11th game. The tactic worked as Errani held serve.

Gauff and Siniakova took the first set when Errani’s volley at the net went long and raced to a 4-1 lead in the second set, with Paolini 0-30 down on her serve.

The Italians fought back to 4-3 with a service game to follow, but Errani’s serve was broken again and their momentum was lost. ___

- JEROME PUGMIRE