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Kiki Bertens Has Achilles Surgery, Will Miss Start of 2021
The Dutchwoman had been plagued by the injury for some time.
By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday October 27, 2020
Kiki Bertens has undergone left Achilles surgery and will miss the 2021 Australian Open as she recovers. The No.9-ranked Dutchwoman posted the news on social media on Tuesday, saying that she is recovering well and had to have the surgery in order to stop playing in pain.
"Some of you might know that I already had an Achilles injury for some time,” she wrote on Instagram. “The only possibility for me to play without pain again and get the maximum out of trainings and matches was to get a surgery. So that’s what I did now! I will miss the start of 2021, so unfortunately I won’t be competing in Australia. I will try my best to come back stronger as fast as I can’t wait to see you guys on tour soon again!”
The 28-year-old went 15-6 in 2020 and reached the round of 16 at the Australian Open and Roland Garros. She did not play the US Open.
Nadal, the King of the Links?
The Spaniard came in sixth place in a 60-player golf tournament over the weekend in Spain. The kind of clay has traded in his racquets for a set of golf clubs, and the results have been (to nobody's surprise) promising. Over the weekend Rafael Nadal took part in the Balearic Open on his home island of Manacor, and finished sixth out of a 60-player field, completing 54 holes at nine over par.
⛳️ @RafaelNadal ha terminado sexto en el Campeonato de 🏌🏻 de @FBalearGolf! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/4v0R3MLFuc
— Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar (@rnadalacademy) October 26, 2020
Nadal was +2 on the first two days of the three-day event, then +5 on the final day.
Excellent photos and videos of the event have surfaced on Twitter. Here, enjoy a small sampling.
PHOTOS/VIDEO: Rafael Nadal finished on the 6th position at Balearic Golf Championship 2020
➡️ https://t.co/1rHxnmybqZ pic.twitter.com/yOPsCKjiNW
— Tanika (@SitTanyusha) October 26, 2020
— Tanika (@SitTanyusha) October 26, 2020
— Tanika (@SitTanyusha) October 26, 2020
Not long after finishing up the event, Nadal was back on the practice court, getting ready for his appearance at next week’s Paris Masters. The 20-time Grand Slam champion owns a career record of 19-5 at Bercy. He reached the semifinals at the event last year.
Kasatkina on Nadal’s RG Triumph: I Was Crying with Him
The 2018 Roland Garros quarterfinalist said she couldn't hold back the tears when she watched the King of Clay triumph in Paris. By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday October 21, 2020
As a longtime fan of the King of Clay, Daria Kasatkina has always made it known that Rafael Nadal is her favorite tennis player to root for.
With that knowledge in mind, I asked the 23-year-old Russian how she felt about Nadal’s 13th Roland Garros after her victory over Elena Rybakina on Tuesday in Ostrava. As expected, she was quick, and decisive, with her answer.
"Yes, that was sweet,” she said. “I was enjoying so much watching the final and I was crying with him while he was staying with the [Coupe des Mousquetaires]. The tears were falling from his eyes, it was very sweet.”
Kasatkina on Rafa's RG: "I was crying with him while he was staying with the cup. The tears were falling from his eyes, it was very sweet. It's like he's winning 13 Roland Garros, 20 Grand Slams, and it still means so much to him and this is the real love to the sport, I think." pic.twitter.com/dM0N63ax7u
— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) October 20, 2020
Kasatkina, a former quarterfinalist in Paris, went on to praise the genuine, humble nature of her favorite player, nothing that his appreciation of the moment and his love for the sport impressed her even more than his tennis.
“It's like he's winning 13 Roland Garros, 20 Grand Slams, and it still means so much to him and this is the real love to the sport, I think,” she said.
Paris Rolex Masters to Limit Crowd Size
1,000 fans will be permitted for day sessions with no fans allowed for night sessions.
The Rolex Paris Masters will allow limited fans by day and no fans at night next month.
The tournament announced today it will limit crowd size to 1,000 fans per day session at the Accor Arena due to governmental protocol designed to protect health and safety amid the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
More: Djokovic Opts Out of Paris
"In adhering to the health restrictions applicable to Paris and the provisions of the decree issued by Paris’ chief of police, a total of 1,000 spectators will be allowed into the arena every day," tournament officials announced today.
The qualifying rounds and night sessions will be played behind closed doors without fans permitted.
The Rolex Paris Masters main-draw play is set for November 2nd-8th.
In adhering to the health restrictions applicable to Paris, the Rolex Paris Masters (31 October-8 November) will admit 1,000 spectators every day (day sessions only).
➕ More information 👉 https://t.co/hJ5SuE9WUk#RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/xMxKYS5xix
— ROLEX PARIS MASTERS (@RolexPMasters) October 21, 2020
Defending champion Novak Djokovic announced he will not play Paris next month.
World No. 2 Rafael Nadal, who swept Djokovic to collect his 13th Roland Garros crown earlier this month, announced he plans to play the Paris Indoor Masters. Paris, Miami and Shanghai are the only Masters series championships missing from 35-time Masters champion Nadal's trophy collection.
Photo credit: Rolex Paris Masters Facebook
Taylor Townsend is Pregnant! Baby Due in March
The talented American announced the news, and her plans to return to tennis after becoming a mother. By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday October 14, 2020
Taylor Towsend, 24, has announced that she will become a mother in March. The World No.90 broke the news on her Instagram on Wednesday, posting a long video to announced the news and report that she plans to return to tennis as a mother.
Townsend, a former World No.61 who defeated Simona Halep at last year’s US Open en route to a career-best fourth-round performance, says the baby is due in March.
“Life has a funny way of putting you exactly where you are supposed to be. I’m so excited to embark on the journey of motherhood!!” Townsend wrote on Instagram, before adding:
“My entire life, my entire career, I’ve heard ‘You can’t. You won’t,’ and I’ve used it as a reason to fight hard, and as motivation to keep playing,” Townsend said in the video. “I’m sure this won’t be any different, so I’ll have to prove them all wrong again.”
Kevin Anderson Named President of ATP Player Council, Four New Players Added
After four resignations. the ATP player council has filled the vacancies and made Kevin Anderson its president. After a spate if resignations hit the ATP’s Player Council in August, the organization has named four new players to replace those who departed.
Novak Djokovic, John Isner, Vasek Pospisil and Sam Querrey resigned from the council to become part of the newly formed PTPA. Djokovic's fledging organization has gained support from top pros, and reportedly has about 200 of the Top 500 signed on.
Djokovic and the PTPA aim to give player-only representation to the players when it comes to negotiating prize money and rule changes on tour. They plan to incorporate women into the fold, but started out focusing on men, which was viewed as a mistake by many.
“I feel like we can all co-exist in the same eco-system,” said Djokovic, at the US Open last month. “It's very important for tennis players, being part of a very global sport, to have their own 100% player-only representation.”
The ATP announced on Tuesday October 13 that four new players have been elected to the ATP Player Council: Felix Auger-Aliassime (1-25 Singles), Jeremy Chardy (51-100 singles), John Millman (1-50 singles) and Andy Murray (At Large).
Auger-Aliassime, 20, is the youngest player in the Top 25. He is currently the World No. 22.
Kevin Anderson, formerly the ATP Player Council’s Vice President, will serve as its President.
The current ATP Player Council is as follows:
1-50 Singles: Kevin Anderson (P), Felix Auger-Aliassime, John Millman, Rafael Nadal
51-100 Singles: Jeremy Chardy, Yen-Hsun Lu
1-100 Doubles: Jurgen Melzer, Bruno Soares
At Large: Roger Federer, Andy Murray
Alumni Representative: Colin Dowdeswell
Coach Representative: Brad Stine
Muguruza on Perspective: I Try to Solve things Faster
The Spaniard feels good about her game and her mentality in 2020, and it shows.
Even on her bad years – and that’s a relative term – Spain’s Garbiñe Muguruza always shows up and plays well at Roland Garros. The 2016 champion will bid for her seventh straight appearance in the second week on Saturday when she meets American Danielle Collins, and she owns a 29-6 lifetime record in Paris.
But this year feels like Muguruza can do more than show up and play well. She really could win the trophy.
Having already reached the Australian Open final, and being in possession of a 23-6 record on the season, Muguruza has proven time and time again that she’s no longer a step or two from her best form, she’s an athlete that is very much at her best level. That’s saying a lot for a two-time Grand Slam champion and former World No.1, but the on-court product, and the level of belief and fighting spirit that she shows is the real indication that what happened in Australia was no fluke.
The old Garbiñe’s back and Paris better look out.
Speaking to reporters after her 6-3, 6-2 victory over Kristyna Pliskova, Muguruza opened up about why she feels she has been able to improve in 2020.
“I think my game has improved,” she said. “I feel like my tennis was there, and it's here. I feel like I am better mentally prepared. I think I did a good job trying to put things together, solve some stuff, see more clearly some other things, just in general a little bit more in perspective.”
Muguruza, who began a second run with Spanish legend Conchita Martinez coaching her this season, says that the hard work makes a difference as well.
“It was a big change finishing in 2019, and starting in 2020 I just felt, okay, that year's going to be different and, yeah, I feel different on the court. I don't think I'm a different player, but I feel like harder, I feel stronger out there.”
Muguruza, seeded 11th in Paris, says she has a clearer head as well. It makes sense. It was hard not to notice that her relationship with former coach Sam Sumyk was too tumultuous. It may have been productive at times, and results certainly indicate that, but it also may have sent Muguruza’s mind racing.
She seems to be in the perfect mental place now, and that wasn’t the case at all over the last four season. After winning her second major at Wimbledon in 2017, Muguruza went relatively flat at the Slams for quite some time. She reached one semifinal at Roland Garros in 2018, but failed to hit the quarterfinals at the majors on eight other occasions.
That changed this winter with her performance at the Australian Open, and the trend looks set to continue here at Roland Garros.
Today in press she cited what she felt was the difference.
“I try to solve things faster,” she said. “I feel like before I probably got stuck in some wrong moments or situations or thoughts too long. That's one example. There's so many things. I honestly don't want to share too much of this because I feel like it's very personal.
“But an example is just finding solutions quickly, have a better disposition to be not in your comfort zone. Little things like that that you just have to, okay, take a little bit easier and have a better mindset when you're not feeling great. So I think that's already a big change.”
Pliskova: I May Be Done For Season
Karolina Pliskova plans to pull plug on 2020 after Roland Garros second-round exit.
No. 2-seeded Karolina Pliskova is out of Roland Garros and likely done for the season.
Former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko tripled Pliskova's winner output sweeping the second-seeded Czech 6-4, 6-2 to roll into the Roland Garros third round for the first time since 2017 when she beat Simona Halep to take the title.
More: Bertens Survives Cramps and Errani's Faking Claim
Ostapenko broke one of the tour's premier servers five times in a 69-minute victory.
Pliskova, who suffered a left thigh injury en route to her second straight Rome final last month, struggled in her Roland Garros opening-round win over Egyptian qualifier Mayar Sherif.
Back to her best?
See the highlights of how @JelenaOstapenk8 dismantled Pliskova 👇#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/QyvVBO6ecT
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) October 1, 2020
After failing to survived the French Open second round for the seventh time in 10 appearances, Pliskova said she will likely pull the plug on the rest of 2020.
"I'm not thinking about finishing the year," Pliskova said. "I think maybe the year is finished."
It's been a disappointing season for the Czech power player, who also exited the US Open in the second round last month.
Pliskova finished 2019 ranked No. 2, but parted with coaches Conchita Martinez and Rennae Stubbs. Pliskova has been working with Dani Vallverdu, who also coaches Stan Wawrinka, and Olga Savchuk.
"So far I cannot really think about anything what I can do better," Pliskova said. "Of course there is plenty of things which I have to improve, but not thinking about next year at all."
Photo credit: Roland Garros Facebook
Dimitrov on Thiem: I cannot think of one person that deserves it more than him
The Bulgarian says that Thiem deserved to win a major and now young players can start to see the light. Grigor Dimitrov is happy that Dominic Thiem broke through for his first major title and says that the Austrian deserved it more than any other player.
“I cannot think of one person that deserves it more than him to be completely honest,” Dimitrov said after his three-set win over Italy’s Jannik Sinner on Friday. “He’s been so close on so many occasions, he was bound to win it, that’s just how it is – whether it’s now or the French Open or whatever else, I think it was good, it’s new, it’s fresh for everyone.”
Dimitrov, 29 and a two-time Grand Slam semifinalist, says that the young generation can build some more belief out of the example that Thiem has set.
“It’s intriguing as well at the same time,” he said of Thiem’s title in New York. “It helps the young generation to believe a little bit more. You’re going to see a lot of more different winners I think overall.”
“It was definitely bound to happen, it had to happen eventually, right?” he said. “He absolutely deserved it and I think it’s great for the sport.”
Rome Will Allow 1,000 Fans for Semifinals and Final this Weekend
The tournament made the announcement, in conjunction with the minister of sport. By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday September 18, 2020
Tired of watching tennis without spectators on television? Then tune into the Internazionali BNL d’Italia this weekend. The tournament has announced that they will allow 1,000 spectators into the semifinals and finals in Rome, provided they maintain strict social distancing protocols.
"Finally (up to) 1,000 spectators will be able to attend open-air sports events, starting with the semi-finals of the Italian Open tennis tournament (in Rome at the moment)," said Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora, in news reported by ANSA.
Physical distancing and facemask rules will have to be “scrupulously respected”.
Speaking after his three-set win over Jannik Sinner, Grigor Dimitrov said:
“It’s the first time I’ve heard about it. I don’t know how I feel about it. It took me a few matches to get used to the fact that we are not having fans around. Honestly I don’t know what to say. I love having the fans around, it’s just how I am. We are also what we are because of the fans – I mean I miss them – no doubt about it.
Now, midway through the tournament I don’t know, honestly, I’m really focused on other things right now. I’ve been trying to get my game back, my mentality on the court.”
