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  • Emma Raducanu’s biggest fear came back to haunt her in crushing Amanda Anisimova defeat

    Emma Raducanu will feel a sense of deflation after her comprehensive defeat against Amanda Anisimova in Montreal – and this defeat may have left a lasting scar.

    The last few weeks have been a story of positive steps forward for the 2021 US Open champion, who appeared to be closing the gap on the players operating at the top of the game, but her 6-2, 6-1 loss against Anisimova highlighted a familiar flaw in her game.

    Wimbledon finalist Anismova has too much power for Raducanu to contend with, with the 22-year-old forced onto the back foot throughout her hammering in front of the Canadian fans.

    Every serve she delivered came back with a ferocity that put Raducanu in defensive mode, while Anisimova powered through her with her fearsome ground shots with relentless ease.

    Raducanu had beaten Anisimova in their previous two contests in 2025, but this latest encounter as a mismatch and the power element will be a concern for the Brit.

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    The story that played out in Montreal replicated so many we have seen when Raducanu has played the game’s biggest hitters, as she looked like a lightweight against a big-hitting rival.

    This story has been seen in Raducanu’s matches against Iga Swiatek, who holds a 5-0 record in their head-to-head meetings.

    Swiatek’s dominance in those contests is highlighted by the statistic that the Polish star has allowed her rival to win just four games in their last two meetings, with those two matches highlighting how Raducanu is susceptible to being blown away by rivals who have more power in their game.

    Solving this problem has been the biggest dilemma for Raducanu over the last couple of years, with Tennis365 understanding she has experimented with different strings and tensions in her rackets to try and find more power.

    She appeared to be making progress in that mission as she pushed world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka close in a thrilling third round encounter at Wimbledon last month.

    “It gives me confidence that I’m not as far away as I perhaps thought before the tournament,” Raducanu said, reflecting on her display against Sabalanka at Wimbledon.

    “I think before previously when I was playing those top-five players, it was pretty convincing, the loss. So I think to really push Aryna it does give me confidence.

    “The problem before was that I felt like I was gulfs away from the very top. Having a match like that where I had chances in both sets, it does give me confidence.

    “At the same time, it’s very difficult to take right now. I’m just very self-critical. It’s hard to see. Of course, I’m very proud of being competitive on the court. I think I would rather that than it being completely one way.”

    Some of that confidence will have been shaken by the defeat against Anisimova in Montreal and she will now head into the WTA 1000 tournament in Cincinnati and the US Open fearing she will be exposed once again when she takes on one of the game’s true powerhouses.

    READ NEXT: Emma Raducanu’s ‘true’ ranking revealed as she closes in on a top 10 return

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  • ‘Unbelievable’ Coco Gauff quality praised by former No 1 amid service struggles

    Coco Gauff’s “unbelievable” ability to win matches despite her service woes has been praised by Lindsay Davenport amid her Canadian Open campaign.

    World No 2 Gauff is the top seed in Montreal and will take on home favourite Victoria Mboko in the fourth round on Saturday, having beaten Danielle Collins in round two and Veronika Kudermetova in round three.

    However, the 21-year-old’s campaign has been far from straightforward, with the American serving a combined 37 double faults across her two matches.

    Gauff served a career-high 23 double faults against Collins, ultimately beating her compatriot in a final-set tiebreak, before serving 14 against Kudermetova.

    After rallying from a set down to beat the world No 42 on Thursday, the reigning French Open champion admitted that her ongoing service struggles were a frustration.

    “Obviously, I am disappointed in myself when it comes to that part of the game because I didn’t play D.C. [Citi DC Open] to work on that and made changes to that,” commented Gauff.

    “Doing well in practice and serving really well in practice. I just would like it to transfer to the match.”

    Gauff’s service struggles have been an ongoing source of discussion regarding the American, with the two-time Grand Slam singles champion struggling in several matches over the past 12 months.

    Earlier this year, she served 21 double faults during her three-set win over Moyuka Uchijima in Indian Wells, while she hit 42 across her run to the Italian Open final in May.

    Despite her struggles, Gauff has still managed to secure her position towards the very top of the WTA pecking order.

    And she has now received praise from Davenport, a three-time Grand Slam singles champion and former world No 1.

    Speaking on Tennis Channel, the tennis great highlighted Gauff’s struggles but praised her compatriot’s “ability” to pull through and still win big matches.

    Davenport said: “It was interesting she [Gauff] kept looking down at her grip when she was serving. It looked like they were trying to make some changes with the serve.

    “She was not comfortable with it yet. It looks like they know it’s a problem, and she didn’t have the confidence with it last night [versus Collins].

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    “Her toss was all over the place. But she still wins. It’s unbelievable her ability to figure out ways to win when she is playing, honestly, C-level tennis out there.

    “She did a fantastic job managing her emotions.”

    Gauff returns to action on Saturday night versus rising star Mboko, whom she previously faced in Rome back in May.

    The world No 2 rallied from a set down to beat the Canadian on that occasion, though 18-year-old Mboko has continued to progress since then.

    Mboko came through qualifying to reach the third round of the French Open on her Grand Slam debut, and then made it to the second round of Wimbledon as a lucky loser.

    The Canadian is making her Montreal debut in 2025 and has progressed to the fourth round as a wildcard, defeating Kimberly Birrell, 23rd seed Sofia Kenin, and Marie Bouzkova.

    Read NextWhat prize money & ranking points did Emma Raducanu earn at Canadian Open?

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  • What prize money & ranking points did Emma Raducanu earn at Canadian Open?

    Emma Raducanu’s Canadian Open campaign came to a sudden halt on Friday night thanks to a heavy defeat to Amanda Anisimova.

    Wimbledon finalist and world No 7 Anisimova had fallen to Raducanu at both the Australian Open and Miami Open in 2025, though she outclassed her rival in a 6-2, 6-1 triumph in Montreal.

    The match took just 64 minutes to complete and brought Raducanu’s campaign to a surprisingly quick end, following comfortable wins over Elena-Gabriela Ruse in round one, and then Peyton Stearns in round two.

    Raducanu’s Canadian Open campaign is now over, but what has she earned for her three matches at the tournament?

    Here, we take a look at her prize money and ranking points hauls from the tournament.

    Prize money

    Prize money at the Canadian Open increased significantly on the WTA side in 2025, with a 44% increase in winnings for whoever triumphs in Montreal next week.

    By entering the draw and playing in round one, Raducanu earned herself $12,770, which increased to $19,705 after the 22-year-old defeated Ruse to reach round two.

    By progressing to the third round with victory over Stearns, the Brit will ultimately take home $33,000 in prize money from the WTA 1000 event.

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    Had she defeated Anisimova to progress to the fourth round, Raducanu’s prize money winnings would have increased to $56,703.

    Ranking points

    Raducanu is among an array of players chasing a top-32 position ahead of the US Open as she looks to secure a seeded position at the final Grand Slam event of 2025.

    With the Brit having skipped the Canadian Open in 2024, she had no points to defend in Montreal this summer, giving her the chance to boost her hopes.

    Raducanu, like all players in round one, earned 10 points for merely entering the draw, though she moved up to 35 points for the tournament after progressing to round two.

    By beating Stearns in the second round, the 22-year-old moved up to 65 points for the tournament, which will be her overall points haul after falling to Anisimova.

    However, Raducanu is currently set to drop four places in the WTA Rankings as things stand.

    Though she reached the semi-final of the Citi DC Open in Washington last week, her points from reaching the quarter-final of the same event in 2024 will not drop until the WTA Rankings next update.

    That is because the WTA 500 event in Washington was held a week earlier this year than in 2024, meaning that her 108 quarter-final points from 2024 are still on her ranking as things stand.

    On 1,405 points in the official rankings, Raducanu will drop 43 points to 1,362 when the WTA Rankings next update.

    Currently ranked 33rd in the world, the former US Open champion is currently projected to fall to world No 37 with her 2024 Washington points falling off.

    What next?

    Following her exit in Montreal, Raducanu is now set to return to action at the second WTA 1000 event of the summer at the Cincinnati Open.

    Action in Cincinnati is set to get underway on August 7th, though the Brit has secured one slight advantage heading into the event.

    With both Zheng Qinwen and Paula Badosa withdrawing from the tournament, Raducanu’s current ranking of world No 33 is enough for her to have secured a seeding at the event.

    Raducanu is set to be the 31st seed, though she could move up the seedings with further withdrawals.

    The Brit has no ranking points to defend in Cincinnati, giving her a huge opportunity to move back up the rankings and potentially seal a US Open seeding.

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  • Coco Gauff takes over as world No 1 in alternative tennis rankings

    Aryna Sabalenka has a commanding lead at the top of the WTA Rankings, but she has yet to land one of the big prizes she really wants in 2025.

    A defeat in the Australian Open final against Madison Keys was a hammer blow for Sabelanka and she also lost out in a memorable battle against Coco Gauff in the French Open final in Paris.

    Her next attempt to win a Grand Slam title came to an end when she was beaten by Amanda Anisimova in the semi-finals at Wimbledon, meaning she now has only one last chance to win a major title at the US Open in 2025.

    Sabalenka’s powerful performances have allowed her to land WTA 1000 titles in Miami and Madrid this year, but she has faltered in big matches and that has allowed Gauff to take her place in the new UTR Rankings.

    While the WTA Rankings are based around a rolling 52-week points tally, the UTR Rating reflects current form and uses an algorithm to serve up it’s top ten list.

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    Victories against higher-ranked players are worth more in the UTR list than the official ATP or WTA Ranking, meaning they offer a more accurate reflection of the current form at the top of the game.

    The UTR Rankings are based on the current form from the last few weeks and months rather than reflecting results that occurred up to a year ago, with the system created to promote fair and competitive play across the tennis world.

    All players, regardless of age, gender, geography, or skill level, are rated on the same scale between 1.00 and 16.50 based on actual match results.

    The UTR Ranking is open to players of all levels of the game and the algorithm used provides an intriguing insight to the current form of the top players in the game.

    Gauff’s win against Sabalenka in Paris will have been a key factor in her rise to No 1 in the UTR ranking list, as wins against players in a higher ranking position count for more in these calculations.

    Iga Swiatek also closing in on Sabalenka in the UTR list after her thrilling win at Wimbledon, which concluded with a devastating 6-0, 6-0 win against Anisimova two days after she had beaten Sabalenka.

    Gauff’s form since her French Open triumph has not been that of a world No 1, as she crashed out in the first round at Wimbledon and has looked less than assured in her opening matches at the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal over the last few days.

    Her first serve woes continued in her opening match in Canada, as she staggered to a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(2) win against Danielle Collins despite serving up 23 double faults.

    Gauff will hope to get back into form ahead of the US Open, with Sabalenka opting to skip the tournament in Montreal as she has taken an extended holiday after Wimbledon.

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    READ NEXT: Coco Gauff ‘disappointed in myself’ as service woes strike during Canadian Open campaign

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  • Carlos Alcaraz addresses ‘friction’ talk as he opens up on Jannik Sinner rivalry

    Carlos Alcaraz believes people like the idea of him having “friction” with Jannik Sinner despite the respectful nature of their rivalry.

    World No 2 Alcaraz and No 1 Sinner’s rivalry has become the biggest talking point on the ATP Tour in recent months, with the two Grand Slam champions already contesting several high-quality matches.

    Alcaraz currently leads the head-to-head 8-5 and at one stage won five straight matches between the two, culminating in his epic five-set victory in the French Open final this June.

    However, Italian star Sinner responded at Wimbledon, snapping his losing streak to the Spaniard with a four-set victory in their second consecutive Grand Slam final.

    The pair have combined to win the last seven Grand Slam tournaments, and they look primed to be the two dominant forces in the years to come.

    But, unlike legendary ATP Tour rivalries in the past, there does not appear to be any tension between the two, with the two seemingly having a good relationship off the court.

    Speaking to the Financial Times, five-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz claimed that while the idea of friction between the two “sells”, things could not be more different in reality.

    “Trash-talking gets a lot of attention. People really like the idea that there is friction between us. That’s what sells,” said Alcaraz.

    “But although tennis is an individual sport, we are with the same players every week, day in and day out.

    “Jannik and I, who have had great battles on the court, see each other a lot off of it. We talk, we train together sometimes. And in the end you forge a good relationship, a beautiful relationship.

    “We want to win and beat each other, but then off court, being good people and getting along is another matter. For me, that is one of the virtues and values of sport.”

    Alcaraz and Sinner’s growing rivalry comes off the back of the legendary rivalries forged by the ‘Big 3’ of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic in recent years.

    The trio combined to win a staggering 66 Grand Slam titles between them and redefined dominance in tennis, with many seeing 22-year-old Alcaraz and 23-year-old Sinner as their successors.

    However, Alcaraz admits he is keen not to focus too much on the achievements of legendary players who came before him.

    He added: “Tennis has always had great rivalries and great players.

    “It’s a privilege that people look at our games that way, with such enthusiasm, but in the end, we have no obligation to do what they have done, far from it.

    “If you don’t stay strong in your ideals, in what you want, that pressure can eat you. You have to know how to differentiate.

    “We try not to think about any pressure and least of all about doing what they did.”

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    After their French Open and Wimbledon finals, all eyes will be on whether Alcaraz and Sinner will meet in a third straight major final at the US Open.

    Both men are former champions in New York, with Alcaraz lifting the title back in 2022 and Sinner entering as the reigning champion after his victory twelve months ago.

    The world No 1 and world No 2 will start their US Open preparations at the Cincinnati Open next week, having both pulled out of the Canadian Open.

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  • Daniil Medvedev told he is ‘close to regressing’ as struggles continue with Canadian Open exit

    Daniil Medvedev has been told he is “stagnating” and that his “era” of tennis could be over following his latest defeat at the Canadian Open.

    Former world No 1 Medvedev was beaten in third-round action in Toronto on Thursday night, falling 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 to 18th seed and defending champion Alexei Popyrin.

    The 10th seed’s defeat means he now holds a 26-16 record for 2025, with the 29-year-old struggling to find his best form in recent months.

    Medvedev was beaten in the opening round of the French Open and Wimbledon this summer, and was also beaten in the second round of the Australian Open in January.

    The Russian is down at 14th in the ATP Rankings, his lowest ranking since 2019, and has not won an ATP Tour title since the Italian Open in May 2023.

    Hard-court tennis has been Medvedev’s happiest hunting ground throughout his career, though a surprise quarter-final loss to Corentin Moutet at the Citi DC Open has now been followed by an early exit in Toronto.

    The world No 14 attracted further criticism for smashing his racket on court after falling to Moutet in Washington, while he walked off court in Toronto without collecting his belongings on Thursday.

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    Medvedev’s struggles in recent months contrast greatly with the form that saw him win the 2021 US Open title and spend 16 weeks as the world No 1, alongside reaching a further five major finals.

    He is still often considered a significant factor at the biggest events in the calendar, though former professional tennis player Julien Varlet believes that could change.

    Speaking on Sans Filet, the Frenchman claimed that Medvedev was “no longer scary” and had not progressed enough to remain at the top of the sport.

    He said: “Medvedev is stagnating, and it’s even close to regressing.

    “He’s no longer scary. He’s not hurting. And then when you’re in doubt, there are two things that help you hold the fort.

    “First, your physique. But he’s given so much that it’s starting to get complicated. And then, above all, there’s technique, and that’s not where he’s best.

    “So as soon as he’s in doubt, he automatically plays less well. Even in 2019, when he had that great part of the season, he didn’t play the short game well, he didn’t volley very well. And he hasn’t progressed.

    “Even though I love him, I think we should forget the Daniil Medvedev era.”

    Following his Canadian Open exit, Medvedev is set to return to action at the Cincinnati Open, which gets underway next week.

    The 29-year-old triumphed at the tournament in 2019 and reached back-to-back semi-finals in 2021 and 2022, though was beaten in the third round in 2023, and in round two in 2024.

    That will then be followed by his US Open campaign, where the Russian has reached the final on three separate occasions.

    Outside of his 2021 triumph, Medvedev was runner-up at the tournament in 2019 and 2023, and suffered a quarter-final defeat to eventual champion Jannik Sinner twelve months ago.

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  • Emma Raducanu’s ‘true’ ranking revealed as she closes in on a top 10 return

    Emma Raducanu is rising up the WTA Rankings after an encouraging run of form over the last couple of months, but her true position in the women’s game may be reflected in alternative rankings.

    Raducanu emerged from the grass court season with her ranking and reputation enhanced, with her impressive performance as she lost against world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the third round at Wimbledon giving conclusive evidence that she is getting closer to the players at the top of the sport.

    She backed that up with a run to semi-finals of the WTA 500 tournament in Washington and has also started brightly with some wins in the WTA 1000 event in Montreal.

    Now Raducanu is eyeing a move into the top 32 of the WTA Rankings, which would secure her a seeded position at this month’s US Open and that may well reflect her current position in the women’s game.

    Raducanu finds herself in 25th position in the WTA Race rankings, which reflect performances in 2025 and she is up to No 13 in the UTR Rankings, which are also based on current form.

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    Victories against higher-ranked players are worth more in the UTR list than the official ATP or WTA Ranking, meaning they offer a more accurate reflection of the current form at the top of the game.

    The UTR Rankings are based on the current form from the last few weeks and months rather than reflecting results that occurred up to a year ago, with the system created to promote fair and competitive play across the tennis world.

    All players, regardless of age, gender, geography, or skill level, are rated on the same scale between 1.00 and 16.50 based on actual match results.

    The UTR Ranking is open to players of all levels of the game and the algorithm used provides an intriguing insight at the top of the game.

    Sabalenka saluted Raducanu’s level in their Wimbledon meeting as ‘incredible’ and suggested she could be back in the top ten of the rankings soon, with those comments inspiring the 22-year-old former US Open champion.

    “It gives me confidence that I’m not as far away as I perhaps thought before the tournament,” Raducanu said, reflecting on her display against Sabalanka at Wimbledon.

    “I think before previously when I was playing those top-five players, it was pretty convincing, the loss. So I think to really push Aryna it does give me confidence.

    “The problem before was that I felt like I was gulfs away from the very top. Having a match like that where I had chances in both sets, it does give me confidence.

    “At the same time, it’s very difficult to take right now. I’m just very self-critical. It’s hard to see. Of course, I’m very proud of being competitive on the court. I think I would rather that than it being completely one way.”

    She also commented on Sabalenka’s words of praise for her levels as she added: “It’s nice of her to say that, but I think it was pretty clear the difference. In the big moments, she was able to convert. She was able to hit some incredible shots.

    “I just need to keep working and get back to the drawing board and improve a lot more.”

    Raducanu has very few points to defend in from her 2024 total, so she has a big chance to make a leap up the rankings and get close to that top 20 target by the end of this year.

    READ NEXT: Former world No 1 predicts if Emma Raducanu can win another Grand Slam title

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  • Coco Gauff ‘disappointed in myself’ as service woes strike during Canadian Open campaign

    Coco Gauff admits that she is “disappointed” with her serving after double faults again piled up during her Canadian Open round-three triumph on Thursday.

    The American rallied from a set down to defeat Veronika Kudermetova 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 in Montreal, booking a round-four clash versus Victoria Mboko.

    Two-time Grand Slam singles champion Gauff showed impressive fight to battle past the former world No 9 in Montreal, with 14 double faults not helping the American’s cause during her three-set triumph.

    That came after the worst serving day of the 21-year-old’s career during her opening match at the WTA 1000 event, with Gauff serving a staggering 23 double faults during her win over Danielle Collins.

    Despite serving a combined 37 double faults across her first two matches, the American has still progressed to the second week of the tournament.

    And, speaking following her win over world No 42 Kudermetova, Gauff admitted that there were “positives” to take about her victories despite her service woes.

    “There’s positives and there’s negatives,” said the world No 2.

    “Obviously, I am disappointed in myself when it comes to that part of the game because I didn’t play D.C. [Citi DC Open] to work on that and made changes to that.

    “Doing well in practice and serving really well in practice. I just would like it to transfer to the match.

    “It does give positives that I’m winning these matches, having literally like one part of my game on a crutch.

    “So it’s like if I can stand on both feet, then I can only imagine that it would be a lot more straightforward and a lot easier for me.”

    Double faults have plagued Gauff for numerous months now, with the American frequently struggling.

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    Gauff famously served 19 double faults during her fourth-round defeat to Emma Navarro at the US Open in 2024, and 21 during her Wuhan Open loss to Aryna Sabalenka later that season.

    The American also served 21 double faults against Moyuka Uchijima in Indian Wells earlier this season, though she was able to prevail in a third-set tiebreak.

    Gauff’s 37 double faults in Montreal is the third-highest tally recorded at a WTA 1000 tournament this season – with the 21-year-old already occupying the top two spots.

    She served 42 double faults during her run to a runner-up finish at the Italian Open, and a total of 38 during her Indian Wells campaign.

    Asked about that statistic during her post-match press conference in Canada, the reigning French Open champion admitted that it made for grim reading.

    Gauff added: “I don’t want to lead that stat, and I want to do better.

    “I know I probably won’t be ever double fault-free, but if I could get that to 2%, 3%, it would make a big difference in just making these matches a lot easier.

    “The fact that I’m winning matches and finding ways to win with that is definitely a positive.

    “But I’m a tough critic of myself. I know I can do better, and I know I should do better. It will get better, it’s just a matter of time.”

    Gauff will return to action on Saturday against home favourite Mboko, who is in the fourth round of the Canadian Open on her tournament debut.

    The two previously met at the Italian Open back in May, with Gauff battling back from a set down to triumph in three sets.

    The winner will play either Zhu Lin or Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the quarter-final.

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  • Jimmy Connors tells Novak Djokovic how to find his top level for the US Open

    Tennis icon Jimmy Connors has backed Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal from the Canadian Open and revealed what he feels the Serb must do before the US Open.

    Djokovic was one of 18 players to pull out before the Masters 1000 event in Toronto, with fellow top six stars Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Jack Draper also withdrawing.

    The great Serbian has not played since his Wimbledon semi-final loss Sinner, during which he was visibly hampered by an injury.

    The 38-year-old is expected to return to action at the Cincinnati Masters, which will begin on August 7. Djokovic will then try again to become the oldest Grand Slam singles champion in history at the US Open as he chases a record-extending 25th major.

    During an episode of his Advantage Connors podcast with his son Brett, Connors was asked if the high number of withdrawals on Canada were a result of players protecting their bodies.

    “Yeah, especially if you look at a guy like Djokovic, you know, he’s gotta monitor his time and the effort that he puts in, because he is the older player on the circuit now,” said the eight-time Grand Slam champion.

    “And if he wants to bring his game up and rise to the top when it supposedly is the most meaningful, which would be the US Open, he’s gotta monitor what’s best, but also be able to play some matches too going into the tournament, so you don’t just go in flat.

    “But a lot of the other guys go into the 12 day events, that is a lot of tennis. The only good thing is they’re not three out of five set matches, you know, they’re two out of three.

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    “I can see where a lot of the top players that are playing every week and getting to the semis and finals every week — that’s telling on you mentally and physically.

    “I mean, every match should be important, but there’s some results that are your legacy — and that’s Wimbledon and the US Open in my opinion.”

    The former world No 1 also shed light on his approach to scheduling between Wimbledon and the US Open during his own career.

    “I mean, after Wimbledon, I would take a week off. I’d have to go home and get my clothes clean and get ready to play,” Connors recalled.

    “But back then, it was a different time. I was young and there was not so much money in the game, so I was trying to make a living too, so I would go and play. But I was able to monitor my schedule to the point where I never felt like I was burnt out.

    “I would come back and take a week off [after Wimbledon] and then I would go and play Washington, or Cincinnati, or Indianapolis, or whatever, and then I’d take a week off. Or I’d play two tournaments and take a week off.

    “I was striving for the US Open, but that was my schedule. Once Wimbledon was over, I was training for Wimbledon the next year. Once US Open was over, I was training for the US Open the next year. Everything else just fit in between.”

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    The post Jimmy Connors tells Novak Djokovic how to find his top level for the US Open appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Emma Raducanu’s next Canadian Open opponent: friend and Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova

    Emma Raducanu has brought her fine hard-court form from Washington to Montreal, and she looks set to face her biggest test yet in the third round.

    The 2021 US Open champion, who was a semi-finalist in DC last week, delivered a strong display to see off world No 37 Peyton Stearns 6-2, 6-4 in the second round in Canada on Wednesday.

    In her opening match at the WTA 1000 event, Raducanu beat her good friend Elena-Gabriela Ruse by the same scoreline, and she will next take on another player she is close to: Amanda Anisimova.

    Anisimova is at a career-high ranking of world No 7 after her recent Wimbledon runner-up result, which was her maiden Grand Slam final appearance.

    It will be Raducanu‘s third encounter with the 23-year-old American, and she leads the head-to-head 2-0, with both previous clashes also played on hard courts.

    The 22-year-old Brit won their first match 6-3, 7-5 in the second round of the Australian Open in January after battling back from being a break down in both sets.

    In the second showdown, Raducanu dominated to prevail 6-1, 6-3 in the last 16 of the Miami Open in March.

    What have Raducanu and Anisimova said about each other?

    Prior to that first meeting in Melbourne, Raducanu and Anisimova both spoke about their friendship.

    Raducanu: “Usually when we’re hanging out, we’re not talking about tennis.

    “I think it’s good to keep it that way. I think we’re going to be playing each other many more times in the future. This is the first time.

    “I think she’s a tough opponent. She took some time out, obviously, off the tour, for sort of mental health reasons and just to find herself again.”

    Anisimova: “She’s a friend of mine so it will be a bit interesting but I’m sure that we will both give it our all and I’m looking forward to the battle.

    “We’ve both been around the tour. We’re the same age. We also have a mutual friend, Priscilla Hon. We’ve hung out a few times all together. She’s a nice girl.

    “She’s always bringing a good energy into the room. Also an amazing competitor.”

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    Following her win in Australia, Raducanu said: “It’s incredibly difficult whenever you play a friend. It adds another dimension to the match, and not necessarily a pleasant one. It’s really difficult to put all things off court aside, but I managed to do a great job today.

    “She’s such an amazing opponent who has had so many big wins, so I knew I had to fight hard, raise my game and not go away in the second set even when the chips were down. I’m just really pleased and I wished her all the best.”

    After the match in Miami, where Anisimova was troubled by her wrist, Raducanu said: “Playing Amanda is never easy, she’s had some amazing wins, top 20 and won a Masters this year.

    “She’s playing great tennis and I hope her wrist, or something, is okay. I felt something was maybe going down on the other side.

    “And, it’s really difficult to stay focused when your opponent is making some errors and then all of a sudden, [is] just blasting the lines and winners, and you have no idea what’s going on!

    “I think those matches, it’s almost tougher to stay so ‘on’ the whole time, because when things are, in a way, more ‘normal’, you have to be locked in every single point. I’m really proud of how I came through that.”

    When will Anisimova and Raducanu’s Canadian Open match take place?

    The third round matchup between Anisimova and Raducanu in Canada is expected to be played on Friday, with the order of play yet to be confirmed.

    The winner of the match will face either 10th seed Elina Svitolina or 31st-ranked Anna Kalinskaya in the last 16.

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    The post Emma Raducanu’s next Canadian Open opponent: friend and Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova appeared first on Tennis365.