Emma Raducanu will begin a trial period with Slovakian coach Vladimir Platenik when she plays her first-round match at Indian Wells on Thursday. The 49-year-old was coaching Lulu Sun when the New Zealand qualifier beat Raducanu in the fourth round of Wimbledon last July. Platenik worked with compatriot Dominika Cibulkova when she reached the semi-finals of the French Open in 2009, and has also coached Russians Daria Kasatkina and Veronika Kudermetova. Loughborough Academy coach Tom Welsh agreed to join Raducanu for Indian Wells, but that was billed as a one-off arrangement. Raducanu, who has been without a permanent coach since Nick Cavaday stood down for health reasons after January’s Australian Open, plays Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima in her opening Indian Wells match. “I don’t want to rush into anything, but I’m
Category Archives: TENNIS
Jan
Namibian tennis faces its biggest challenge yet when it hosts Hong Kong in a Davis Cup World Group II play-off tie on 1 and 2 February. Namibia reached the Group II play-off stage after winning the Africa Group III tournament in Nigeria last year, thereby becoming only the second Namibian team to win Africa Group III following their inaugural triumph in 2018. Namibia, however, has never reached the Davis Cup World Group stage, which consists of the top 52 ranked nations in the world, and now stands on the cusp of creating history when they host Hong Kong. The Davis Cup World Group 1 consists of the top 26 nations in the world and World Group II of the next 26, ie 27th to 52nd, and reaching that stage will
Jan
A vintage Novak Djokovic tamed Carlos Alcaraz in a late-night blockbuster to set up an Australian Open semi-final with Alexander Zverev as two-time women’s defending champion Aryna Sabalenka fought on. The 37-year-old Djokovic rolled back the years at the scene of his greatest achievements on Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 triumph sealed close to 1:00 am. The Serb surged into the semi-finals and a date with world number two Zverev to edge closer to an 11th Melbourne crown and all-time record 25th Slam title. “I just wish that this match today was the final,” said Djokovic, who had to have his thigh heavily strapped and appeared to be labouring at the end of the first set. “Just one of the most epic matches I
Jan
Novak Djokovic dropped a set but regrouped to reach the Australian Open third round on Wednesday and in doing so surpass fellow great Roger Federer for the most Grand Slam singles matches played. The post Record-setting Djokovic trumps Federer on way to Melbourne third round appeared first on The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News.