TENNIS

The rise of Carlos Alcaraz continues to gain momentum after the teenager beat Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic over consecutive days at the Madrid Open. Alcaraz, who recently broke into the ATP top 10, has enjoyed a breakthrough 2022 that is showing no signs of slowing down.

World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev is among a host of tennis stars set to be banned from Wimbledon due to the war in Ukraine involving Russia. All players from Russia and Belarus, a Moscow ally which has supported the war, will be excluded from the June Grand Slam, the All England Club announced Wednesday, confirming an earlier report by The New York Times.

The tennis world has been left in total shock at the news of Ashy Barty’s retirement. Less than three months after being crowned Australian Open champion, Barty called time on her career at the age of 25.

Emma Raducanu has pulled out of a WTA tournament in Monterrey next week and could potentially miss out on the Indian Wells event in March. The reigning US Open champion suffered an injury to her left leg during her shock defeat to Australian Daria Saville in Guadalajara earlier this week.

Ash Barty has become the first Aussie to win the Australian Open in 44 years with a straight-sets victory over Danielle Collins in the women’s singles final at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday.