Emma Raducanu has taken a significant stride in her recuperation from wrist and ankle surgeries, as she made her return to the practice court for the first time.
The 20-year-old had to skip both the French Open and Wimbledon tournaments due to surgeries on both of her wrists and one ankle, which were conducted in early May.
Although she has been undergoing rehabilitation in recent weeks, Raducanu achieved a significant milestone by resuming hitting practice at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton on Wednesday.
Raducanu shared her practice session on Instagram, where she was seen hitting the ball gently with a practice partner. She captioned the post with, “August 2nd, THE FUN PART. 1st time back on court.”
Due to persistent injuries that have followed her remarkable victory at the 2021 US Open, Raducanu will not be able to participate in the upcoming tournament at Flushing Meadows. Instead, her return is anticipated during the autumn period, potentially in the Asia or European indoor swing.
Djokovic surpassed Rafael Nadal’s record of 22 Grand Slam wins, solidifying his position as the player with the most major titles, following his triumph over Casper Ruud in the final.
As reported by Sportskeeda, Mbappe was present at the Court Philippe-Chatrier, watching the Grand Slam final alongside recently retired AC Milan star Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The event also saw the presence of American football quarterback Tom Brady, who was spotted in Djokovic’s player box, showing his support for the Serbian as he went on to secure victory in the match.
Boxing legend Mike Tyson was also spotted keenly observing the proceedings on Court Philippe-Chatrier in what was an amazing night for Djokovic, who has now won the first two Grand Slams of the Tennis season.
Kylian Mbappe and Zlatan Ibrahimovic watching the tennis together at Roland-Garros 🇫🇷#SportsGist Black Stars | Ansu Fati | Newcastle | Hilda | Lautaro pic.twitter.com/zQx8WEvnlA
Meanwhile, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has claimed Kylian Mbappe will become a ‘Galactico’ as Los Blancos continue their chase for the French forward, Goal reports.
Perez appears to have hinted that Mbappe could be enticed to join Spain as a free agent next year after missing out on signing the Paris Saint-Germain forward last summer.
Real had a €220 million offer for Mbappe on the table at one point in 2021, but PSG turned it down as they fought desperately to keep the talismanic French forward on their books.
Mbappe wins special award
Earlier, Sports Brief reported Kylian Mbappe was named Ligue 1 Player of the Season for the fourth time in a row on Sunday night.
The 24-year-old has scored 28 goals in the league this term and is on course to finish as Ligue 1’s top scorer for the fifth season running.
The Frenchman was crowned in a ceremony in Paris ahead of teammate Lionel Messi, Loïs Openda and Séko Fofana of Lens, and Lille striker Jonathan David.
Iga Swiatek faced her toughest challenge in a grand slam final yet, but ultimately emerged victorious to secure her third French Open title.
The Polish tennis player showcased her resilience as she overcame a strong comeback from Karolina Muchova, ultimately winning the match 6-2, 5-7, 6-4. This triumph marked Swiatek’s third championship win in Paris and her fourth overall grand slam title.
In other tennis news, there were notable achievements for British players as Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid claimed success in the men’s wheelchair doubles, while Andy Lapthorne emerged victorious in the quad wheelchair doubles.
Seventeen-year-old Tokito Oda defeated Hewett 6-1 6-4 to win the men’s wheelchair singles title.
The junior titles were decided on Saturday, with 15-year-old Russian Alina Korneeva making it back-to-back grand slam successes, while Croatian Dino Prizmic ended his junior career with his first slam trophy.
Novak Djokovic bids for sporting immortality in the men’s singles final on Sunday.
The 36-year-old will aim to become the first man ever to win 23 grand slam singles titles, while he would also be the first man to win all the majors at least three times.
Standing in his way is Norwegian Casper Ruud, who is going for a first slam crown in his third final.
Carlos Alcaraz’s hopes of advancing in the French Open were dashed by cramp, allowing Novak Djokovic to secure a spot in his 34th grand slam final in rather anticlimactic fashion.
After winning an exhilarating second set to level the highly anticipated match, Alcaraz experienced a sudden cramp in his right leg following a forehand shot. Initially immobile, the 20-year-old eventually hobbled back to his seat and required treatment, resulting in the forfeiture of a service game.
The crowd expressed their displeasure through loud jeers upon realizing that Djokovic was awarded the game. However, that was the least of Alcaraz’s concerns. The Spanish player, previously captivating the audience with his remarkable movement and dynamism, was now reduced to mere walking.
Despite choosing not to retire, Alcaraz struggled to pose any significant challenge to Djokovic. He managed to win only one more game as the Serbian secured a 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 victory, advancing to his seventh final on the clay courts of Paris.
Djokovic, who has not lost a grand slam match since the quarter-finals here last year, said: “First and foremost I have to say tough luck for Carlos. At this level, the last thing you want is cramps. I feel for him, I feel sorry and hope he can recover and come back very soon.
“I told him at the net, he knows how young he is. He’s going to win this tournament I’m sure many, many times. He’s an incredible player. It’s tough obviously for him to not know whether he should finish the match but congratulations to him for the fighting spirit.
“Towards the end of the second set I wasn’t feeling fresh at all. We went toe to toe and then this thing happened. I just tried to stay focused. I saw that he’s struggling but I didn’t want to think too much what’s going on on the other side of the net.
“I’m incredibly proud to reach another final.”
It was a huge disappointment because the contest had been living up to the massive hype, with the pair meeting for the first time in a grand slam and only the second occasion.
The 16-year age gap was the biggest in any Roland Garros semi-final in the open era and it seemed a pivotal match in the generational battle going on in men’s tennis as well as for Djokovic’s hopes of pulling away from his rivals at the top of the all-time lists.
Now he will be an overwhelming favourite to become the first man to win 23 grand slam singles titles in the final on Sunday, when he can also reclaim the number one ranking.
The 36-year-old had been tested on his way to the last four but he stepped up his level significantly in the first set, breaking Alcaraz in the fourth game and proving the steadier in tricky, breezy conditions.
The match really came alive in the third game of the second set when Alcaraz, whose ability to have fun at what should be stressful moments is a key part of his appeal, hit one of the most outrageous shots seen at a grand slam.
Having been dragged short and wide by a Djokovic drop shot, the Serbian appeared to have dinked a winner into the open court but Alcaraz had other ideas, not just getting to the ball on the slide but, while still travelling in the wrong direction, twisting and flicking a forehand inside the sideline.
Djokovic could do nothing but laugh and applaud while Alcaraz soaked up the adulation.
It was Djokovic who called the trainer after the seventh game for treatment to his right forearm and Alcaraz finally clinched his sixth break point to move 5-3 ahead.
The young Spaniard was forcing the pace and beginning to have significant success with his signature drop shot, but Djokovic is the toughest of grand slam beasts and back he came with a backhand winner drilled down the line.
Alcaraz forced three set points in the next game but Djokovic saved all of them, and he might have claimed the set had he taken a break point in the next game but uncharacteristically dumped a routine backhand wide.
Alcaraz held and then went up 0-40 again, this time drawing the error from Djokovic as he levelled the match.
At that stage it appeared the contest had a long distance still to run but a few minutes later it was effectively over.
Feel for Alcaraz. Just a big learning process, pretty sure every tennis player goes through this feeling. Cramping due to nervous energy and the anxiety of playing a match with this magnitude. He will learn how to deal with this in the future for sure. Then we should be scared🫣
Alcaraz hobbled his way through the remainder of the third set in what seemed like a futile bid to keep going and then took a long bathroom break, giving himself all the time he could to somehow recover.
He certainly moved better at the start of the fourth set but not nearly well enough and Djokovic ensured he did not find a way back into the match, not losing another game until he was 5-0 up.
The absence of Rafael Nadal from this year’s French Open marks a significant milestone, as it has been an extraordinary stretch of time since the tournament last took place without him.
To put it into perspective, when Nadal was not competing at Roland Garros, Tony Blair was serving as the British Prime Minister, Carlos Alcaraz was just a baby, and popular platforms like Twitter and Instagram had yet to exist.
Nadal’s dominance on the clay courts of Paris has been nothing short of remarkable. Since his debut victory in 2005, he has triumphed a staggering 14 times, suffered only three defeats, and had to withdraw from the tournament on a single occasion.
His track record at the French Open stands as a testament to his unparalleled skill and success on this particular surface.
Novak Djokovic has emerged as the frontrunner for the French Open, primarily due to his impressive track record at the tournament, with two titles and four additional finals to his name. Furthermore, his astounding collection of 22 Grand Slam titles adds to his favoritism.
Despite turning 36 this week, the Serbian has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to overcome physical challenges and emerge victorious in major tournaments, as seen in his triumph at this year’s Australian Open. However, concerns loom over the condition of his right elbow, raising significant uncertainties regarding his performance at Roland Garros.
Djokovic has suffered defeats to Lorenzo Musetti, Dusan Lajovic and Holger Rune on clay this season but still spoke bullishly about his chances in Paris.
“I know I can always play better,” he said in Rome. “Definitely I am looking forward to working on various aspects of my game, of my body, hopefully getting myself in 100 per cent shape. That’s the goal.
“I always like my chances in grand slams against anybody on any surface, best-of-five (sets).”
Djokovic is increasingly mounting a one-man defence against the younger generation, and 20-year-old Alcaraz reclaimed the world number one ranking from him this week.
Rune, also 20, has established himself as a big-time talent over the past six months while 21-year-old Jannik Sinner is having the best season of his career.
Only Rome champion Daniil Medvedev is within a decade of Djokovic in the top 10, and the Serbian said: “A new generation is here already. Alcaraz is number one in the world. Obviously he’s playing amazing tennis. I think it’s also good for our sport that we have new faces, new guys coming up. It’s normal.
On the women’s side, a top three has emerged this season, with Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka and Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina closing the gap to world number one Iga Swiatek.
The Pole remains a class act on clay in particular but is certainly not as clear a favourite as 12 months ago, when her second French Open title came as part of a 37-match winning run.
The best hope for a strong British run once again is Cameron Norrie, whose top-16 ranking ensures he will avoid other top players in the early rounds.
The withdrawals of Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu are a blow but 21-year-old Jack Draper has recovered from an abdominal problem in time and will look to show his potential on the big stage again.
“He was playing an unbelievable tournament. I know how much he is fighting for a Grand Slam – he will win more than one. I wish him all the very best.
“It is difficult to say a lot of things in this situation. For me to be in the final of Roland Garros is a dream but at the same time to finish that way is not nice.
“I was in a small room with Sascha [in the treatment room off court] and to see him crying was a tough moment.”
On his 36th birthday, Nadal has become the second oldest men’s singles finalist in French Open history behind American Bill Tilden, who was 37 when he was runner-up in 1930.
Heartbreaking end to compelling match
Zverev’s fall was a dramatic and heartbreaking end to a semi-final battle that had been intriguing if not compelling.
The 25-year-old German had lost the first set after being unable to take any of four set points from a 6-2 lead in the tie-break.
After missing the chance to serve out the second set, producing three double faults at 5-3, Zverev showed resilience to regroup.
In a set full of suspense, if not quality, he was about to have the opportunity to level in another tie-break.
Instead his ambitions of becoming a Grand Slam champion – at least now – were ended in the cruellest manner.
The seriousness of the situation was immediately clear, with Zverev screaming and signalling for help as he lay on the ground.
Medics quickly arrived and it seemed obvious he would not be able to continue once the wheelchair was called for.
A sombre mood hung in the air as the 15,000 crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier waited for news and it came when Zverev returned on crutches to shake hands with umpire Renaud Lichtenstein.
Almost the entire stadium stood up to give Zverev a thunderous round of applause, the player responding by lifting one of his crutches into the air.
The unexpected ending brought an end to a scrappy match that had already lasted three hours and 13 minutes without the second set being concluded.
Nadal, who continues to battle a chronic foot injury, was far from his best in the opening set but showed his brilliance in the crucial moments to help win it.
The 21-time Grand Slam champion walked out to the match amid huge applause, before the crowd serenaded him with a rendition of ‘Joyeux Anniversaire’ – ‘Happy Birthday’ in French.
The party atmosphere quickly changed. Zverev broke Nadal’s serve in the opening game of the match, with Nadal struggling on the slower conditions in humid conditions under the Chatrier roof on a rainy Paris afternoon.
Zverev moved 4-2 ahead with a service hold to love, showing his high level of confidence with powerful winners.
But he got tight when serving at 4-3 and Nadal broke as part of a run of three successive games that left Zverev serving to stay in the opening set.
The German came under pressure again, fending off three set points which his errors had helped create. But he survived, although he was then unable to take either of two break points himself in the 11th game.
It was left to a tie-break to separate the pair, where Nadal produced two forehand winners at crucial times that were almost unworldly.
Nadal saved Zverev’s third set point with a whipped crosscourt forehand which left most in the crowd in awe and jubilantly celebrating, sealing the set at the sixth opportunity with a sensational forehand winner down the line.
A messy second set featured eight breaks of serve in the opening nine games. Nadal finally held serve for the first time in the set for 5-5 and another tie-break was necessary until agony struck for Zverev.
Ruud becomes first Norwegian into a Grand Slam singles final
Casper Ruud is eighth in the world rankings, while Marin Cilic is 23rd
In the second semi-final, Ruud fought back from a set down to beat Croatia’s Cilic and reach his first Grand Slam final.
Eighth seed Ruud, who becomes the first Norwegian to reach a singles final at a Slam, won 3-6 6-4 6-2 6-2 against the 2014 US Open champion.
Cilic, 33, was playing in his first major semi-final since losing in the 2018 Australian Open final and made a fine start as he gained the opening set against a nervous-looking Ruud.
But Ruud, 23, broke Cilic’s serve in the third game of the second set, although the Croat wasted three chances to get it back on serve in the 10th game of the set.
Cilic missed a number of overhead shots and started the third set badly, being broken in both of his two opening service games as Ruud took control.
In the sixth game of the third set, with Ruud 4-1 ahead, there was a 15-minute delay to the match after a protester got on to Court Philippe Chatrier and tied herself to the net.
When the match restarted, Ruud finished off the third set and then broke Cilic’s serve at the first available opportunity in the fourth on his way to the victory that sets up an encounter with Nadal.
“Rafa has been my idol all of my life,” said Ruud. “He is the last of the big three top players in the world that I’ve never played so it’s perfect timing to play him in a Grand Slam final and it will be a special moment for me.
“He is playing a student from his academy so it’s going to be a fun one. It’s something I’ve dreamed of.”
Rafael Nadal will aim to reach a 14th French Open final on his 36th birthday on Friday – although it remains to be seen whether it could be his last.
The 21-time Grand Slam champion – a record 13-time winner in Paris – meets German third seed Alexander Zverev for a place in Sunday’s showpiece.
But the Spaniard is yet to find a “solution” to his chronic foot injury.
“The last three months and a half, for me, the only thing that I can say is they haven’t been easy,” Nadal said.
“If we are not able to find an improvement or a small solution, then it’s becoming super difficult for me. So that’s it,” added the world number five, whose encounter with Zverev is scheduled to start at 13:45 BST.
“It’s not the moment to talk about [what happens after the French Open]. We are going to talk about that when my tournament finishes.”
Nadal overcame defending champion and world number one Novak Djokovic in a thrilling four-set and four-hour encounter in Tuesday’s night session.
His 110th win at Roland Garros leaves him two victories away from moving another title clear of 20-time major winners Djokovic and Roger Federer.
Despite winning the Australian Open in January after returning from the foot problem that he feared may end his career, it is clear the injury is still causing issues.
“I am just enjoying every day that I have the chance to be here, and without thinking much about what can happen in the future,” Nadal said.
“Of course I’m going to keep fighting to find a solution, but for the moment, we haven’t.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen after here.”
Zverev eyes another shot at maiden Grand Slam
Alexander Zverev will contest the fifth Grand Slam semi-final of his career and aim to reach his second major final
Nadal has won six of his nine matches against Zverev – and four of their previous five meetings on clay.
The 25-year-old German’s wait for a maiden Grand Slam title continues but he did record his first victory over a top-10 opponent at a major with an impressive four-set win over talented Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals.
That display secured a second successive French Open semi-final for the 2020 US Open finalist – and victory against Nadal would set up his best chance yet of claiming a maiden Slam, against either Norwegian eighth seed Casper Ruud or Croatia’s Marin Cilic.
“I’m not 20 or 21 years old anymore. I’m 25. I am at the stage where I want to win, I’m at the stage where I’m supposed to win,” Zverev said.
“Yes, I have not beaten [Djokovic or Nadal] in majors, but I feel like I was very close,” he added.
“I feel like I have had very difficult and tough matches against them. But there is a big difference between having a tough match and beating them. Still a major difference.”
Ruud chases debut final against experienced Cilic
Marin Cilic (left) is a former world number three
World number 23 Cilic, edged a captivating four-hour match against Russian seventh seed Andrey Rublev in a fifth-set tie-break to book his place in the final four at Roland Garros for the first time.
With that achievement, the experienced 33-year-old became the fifth active men’s player, after current world number one Djokovic and former top-ranked players Nadal, Federer and Andy Murray, to reach the semi-finals of all four Grand Slams.
The 2014 US Open champion, who also reached finals at Wimbledon in 2017 and the Australian Open in 2018, meets a first-time major semi-finalist in Ruud – the first male Norwegian player to reach the last four at a Grand Slam.
Having ended unseeded 19-year-old Holger Rune’s run in the previous round, Ruud has recorded the most ATP clay-court wins since the start of 2020 with an impressive 65.
“These are the matches that you dream about playing, and hopefully of course even the final if it’s possible,” said Ruud.
“I have to be really focused and bring my A-game in the semi-final. Marin has played great all week, and it’s going to be another tough match.”
Their semi-final will follow the Nadal-Zverev match on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Rafael Nadal demonstrated once again why he is the greatest player in French Open history by beating long-time rival Novak Djokovic in a late-night thriller to reach the men’s singles semi-finals.
Nadal, going for a 14th title, started superbly and fought off resistance from defending champion Djokovic to win 6-2 4-6 6-2 7-6 (7-4) at Roland Garros.
Nadal secured victory at 1:15am local time after over four hours on court.
The 21-time Grand Slam winner now faces third seed Alexander Zverev on Friday.
Germany’s Zverev, 25, reached the semi-finals for the second successive year after surviving teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz’s fightback earlier on Tuesday.
“To win against Novak there is only one way: to play your best from the first point to the last,” said 35-year-old Nadal, who thanked the Paris crowd for showing their “love”.
“This is one of those magic nights for me.”
Victory for fifth seed Nadal avenged his semi-final defeat by Djokovic last year and extended his all-time record on the Roland Garros clay to 110 wins in 113 matches.
The rivalry between the pair is the most enduring in men’s tennis, with Nadal winning their 59th meeting seeing him narrow the gap to 30-29 in the head-to-head.
“Nadal showed why he is a great champion and stayed mentally tough. No doubt he deserves it,” said Djokovic.
“He was the better player in the important moments, he started well and I didn’t start so well.
“I gained momentum in the second set and I thought I was back in the game. But he was able to take his tennis to another level.”
