Category: Articles

  • 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.

    LATEST UTR RANKINGS

    1. Coco Gauff
    2. Aryna Sabalenka
    3. Iga Swiatek
    4. Mirra Andreeva
    5. Zheng Qinwen
    6. Madison Keys
    7. Ekaterina Alexandrova
    8. Elina Svitolina
    9. Elena Rybakina
    10. Jessica Pegula

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

    The post Coco Gauff takes over as world No 1 in alternative tennis rankings appeared first on Tennis365.

  • 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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    The post Carlos Alcaraz addresses ‘friction’ talk as he opens up on Jannik Sinner rivalry appeared first on Tennis365.

  • 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.

    Read NextThe 5 active players to win 500 ATP Tour matches: Alexander Zverev joins exclusive club

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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.”

    READ NEXT: Nicolas Massu reveals which of Djokovic, Nadal & Federer that Sinner and Alcaraz are more similar to

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  • 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.

    READ NEXT: Emma Raducanu reaching top 10 ‘totally disregarded’ as ‘an outlier’ as she is set ranking target

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  • The reason for Jannik Sinner’s shock split with team members before Wimbledon has been revealed

    Jannik Sinner surprised many when he parted ways with two important team members on the eve of Wimbledon, and the reason for his decision has seemingly been revealed.

    The Italian star split with both fitness trainer Marco Panichi and his physiotherapist Ulises Badio days before the start of Wimbledon.

    Sinner brushed off concerns that the move could affect his Wimbledon chances, though, as he went on to secure his maiden title at the London major and fourth Grand Slam overall.

    Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera has reported that Sinner took the decision to fire the two team members due to Panichi sharing details in interviews.

    One incident after Sinner’s defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the epic five-set 2025 French Open final particularly bothered the world No 1.

    Panichi disclosed to the media that Sinner cried for 15 minutes in the locker room after the match and also that the Italian was frustrated by the crowd’s heavy support for Alcaraz.

    This, apparently, did not go down well with Sinner, while Badio — who joined the team at the same time as Panichi in September 2024 — was reportedly axed as “collateral damage.”

    Panichi and Badio spent long spells working as a duo in Novak Djokovic’s team before their time with Sinner.

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    In his pre-Wimbledon press conference, Sinner insisted there had been no issues between him and Panichi or Badio as he addressed the split.

    “No, nothing major happened,” the 23-year-old explained. “Nothing big happened. I parted ways not long ago, but it’s not affecting me. I feel ready to compete. I feel free. I feel me and my team, we are ready to do the best we can.

    “So I’m here to play good tennis. I think that’s my main goal, the main reason why I’m here. We’ve reached incredible results in the past with them, so obviously huge thanks to them. We made some great job, but I decided to do something different.”

    Pressed on the reason for his decision, Sinner did not give much away: “As I said, there’s not one specific thing. Nothing crazy happened. That’s for sure not.

    “We made some great work. For me the final in Roland Garros was an amazing achievement. That’s it. Look, in this sport things can happen. There is nothing incredible, no, because sometimes a player feels something different, and that’s my case.

    It was a move that former No 1 Andy Roddick struggled to explain before Wimbledon.

    “That’s a really weird thing to do, yeah. On the eve of Wimbledon, you wouldn’t… had to be something,” the American said on his Served podcast.

    “I don’t know anything, but my guess would be that it has to be something off court, whether it’s financial, whether it’s an argument. This doesn’t feel like what you would do when you’re trying to win your first Wimbledon.

    “This also sounds like it could be something that we will never know the answer to, at least publicly.”

    Panichi has since been hired by Holger Rune and will join the Dane at the Cincinnati Masters.

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  • Emma Raducanu closing in on key rankings position as she continues Canadian Open run

    Emma Raducanu’s strong start to the North American hard-court swing continued as she saw off Peyton Stearns at the Canadian Open.

    The British star downed world No 37 Stearns 6-2, 6-4 in the second round in Montreal for her latest convincing triumph.

    Raducanu broke the 23-year-old American twice and lost only four points on serve as she dominated the opening set.

    Stearns provided greater resistance in the second set as she took a 4-2 lead, but Raducanu won the next four games to seal the win.

    The 22-year-old now holds a 3-0 record against Stearns, who she is yet to drop a set against.

    “I know Peyton is a really tough opponent, we’ve played two times in the past and always had really long matches,” Raducanu said post match. “I’m really happy with how I came through in that match.

    “I kind of lost my focus at some moments in the second set and she took advantage, but very happy that I came through against a top opponent and happy to extend my stay in Montreal.

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    “I just want to say thank you [to the fans], I saw the Union Jack in clutch moments and I was actually born in Canada, so to come back and to me it means so much to do well here and very happy to be into the next round.”

    Having kicked off her summer hard-court campaign at the Citi DC Open last week, Raducanu has won five of her last six matches in straight sets.

    She overcame Marta Kostyuk, Naomi Osaka and Maria Sakkari before losing to Anna Kalinskaya in the semi-finals in Washington. In her opening match in Canada, Raducanu beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-2, 6-4.

    Raducanu started the week as the world No 33 after her run at the WTA 500 in DC.

    The former US Open winner then dropped down to 42nd in the Live WTA Rankings when the points from her quarter-final result at the 2024 Citi Open dropped. This is because last year’s event was held a week later in the calendar.

    With her two victories in Montreal, Raducanu has moved back up to 37th place in the Live Rankings, and she could climb as high as 34th if she wins her next match, which is against world No 7 and Wimbledon runner-up Amanda Anisimova.

    The Brit holds a 2-0 record against the 23-year-old American, with both of her victories coming in straight sets on hard courts earlier this year: at the Australian Open and the Miami Open.

    Securing a top 32 seeding for the US Open is achievable for Raducanu, and this would increase her chances of having a more favourable early draw at Flushing Meadows.

    Raducanu is not dropping any more points before the New York major (besides the Washington points reflected in the live rankings) as she did not play in Canada or Cincinnati in 2024.

    READ NEXT: Emma Raducanu has major rankings chance at Canadian Open after ‘extremely difficult’ win

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  • How Iga Swiatek clinched incredible feat only Serena Williams has bettered with Canadian Open win

    Iga Swiatek began her campaign at the 2025 Canadian Open with a dominant win to pick up where she left off at Wimbledon.

    The world No 3 cruised past 259th-ranked Hanyu Guo 6-3, 6-1 in the second round of the WTA 1000 event in Montreal.

    The six-time Grand Slam champion broke the 27-year-old Chinese qualifier six times, including four times in the second set.

    By racing into a 4-0 lead in the opening set, Swiatek extended her steak of consecutive games won to a staggering 24.

    In her previous two matches, Swiatek crushed Amanda Anisimova without losing a game in the Wimbledon final and won the last eight games of her semi-final against Belinda Bencic.

    “I prepared for this match like I would for any other,” Swiatek said in her on-court interview.

    “I saw that my opponent played great in the first round, so I had some information. However, I preferred to focus on myself, on getting adjusted to the hard court again.

    “Yeah, it’s been great. I had time to celebrate a little bit after Wimbledon and got back to practice already in Warsaw, but obviously in different conditions.

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    “So I’m happy I had a chance to come here earlier. I feel like every day I made a bit of progress, so that’s the best thing you can have at the beginning of a swing, and then you just have to keep it up.”

    Swiatek’s victory was her 115th WTA 1000 win in her 142nd match at this category of tournament.

    Only 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams has reached 115 WTA 1000 wins in fewer matches (130) since the format’s introduction in 2009.

    The Pole has now won 63 consecutive opening round WTA Tour level matches, making her the first player to achieve this since tennis legend Monica Seles — who won 64 in a row between 1990 and 1996.

    Swiatek will face world No 69 Eva Lys in her third round match in Montreal. She is seeking her maiden title at the Canadian Open, having achieved her best previous result in 2023, when she reached the semi-finals.

    The 24-year-old did not play last year’s edition of the Canadian Open in Toronto, which took place just after the Paris Olympics. She holds a 7-3 career record at the event.

    READ NEXT: The 10 best WTA Tour players of the 21st Century – ranked!

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