Tennis

Tennis

Elina Svitolina loses to resurgent British player Sonay Kartal at the Wuhan Open

The Associated Press 1 minute read 2:43 AM CDT

WUHAN, China (AP) — Fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina is out of the Wuhan Open after losing 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 to resurgent British player Sonay Kartal in the quarterfinals Friday.

The No. 170-ranked old Kartal, who missed more than six months with a stress fracture in her back, has won six of her eight matches since returning to the elite tour. She beat two-time Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini to reach the quarterfinals in Wuhan after defeating ninth-seeded Belinda Bencic, the Tokyo Olympics gold medalist, in the second round.

Kartal, who broke Svitolina's serve in the last game to clinch the match, reached a career-high No. 44 ranking in July of last year. Svitolina lost in the quarterfinals at the China Open last week to eventual champion Zheng Qinwen.

Kartal advanced to a semifinal against 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, who beat 11th-seeded Diana Shnaider 7-6 (6), 6-1.

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Tennis

Serbian tennis player Stefan Milićević gets 24-year ban for match fixing

The Associated Press 1 minute read Yesterday at 12:00 PM CDT

LONDON (AP) — Serbian tennis player Stefan Milićević has been given a 24-year ban for allegedly fixing multiple matches and recruiting other players into a “corrupt network,” the International Tennis Integrity Agency said Thursday.

The agency said the 29-year-old Milićević was charged with fixing six matches — including five of his own — and trying to fix six more between 2022 and 2024. He is banned from tennis until 2050.

Milićević never reached a singles ranking higher than 1,338 and only played in lower-tier events. But the ITIA also charged him with recruiting “multiple professional players as part of a corrupt network” that resulted in “a number of other players fixing matches” during those same years.

The agency did not give details about which matches were fixed, or name any of the other players involved.

Tennis

ATP Tour proposes rule changes designed to reduce overplaying after injuries to Alcaraz and Sinner

Andrew Dampf, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

ATP Tour proposes rule changes designed to reduce overplaying after injuries to Alcaraz and Sinner

Andrew Dampf, The Associated Press 3 minute read Yesterday at 9:56 AM CDT

With tennis stars like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner missing long stretches this year due to injury, the ATP Tour is proposing rule changes it says will “reduce the pressure to overplay and help players manage the demands of the season.”

Alcaraz sat out 4 1/2 months and missed two Grand Slams with a right wrist injury between April and August.

The top-ranked Sinner hasn’t played since he won Wimbledon in July and announced last week that he would sit out the rest of the year due to inflammation in his right knee.

ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi on Thursday outlined a plan whereby ranking points would be redistributed to award more to players reaching the latter stages of bigger events.

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Yesterday at 9:56 AM CDT

Tennis

Fernandez eliminated from Wuhan Open with third-round loss to Ostapenko

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

Fernandez eliminated from Wuhan Open with third-round loss to Ostapenko

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Yesterday at 8:12 AM CDT

WUHAN - Canada's Leylah Fernandez was eliminated from the Wuhan Open tennis tournament Thursday with a 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 loss to Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko.

After Ostapenko dominated the first set and won the opening game of the second set, Fernandez reeled off six straight game wins to get back into the match.

Ostapenko regained control with a break in a nine-minute game to go up 3-2 in the third set.

Fernandez broke back to tie the set 4-4, but Ostapenko won against serve in the next game and then served out for the win.

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Yesterday at 8:12 AM CDT

Tennis

Zverev wins in straight sets against de Minaur for Shanghai Masters semifinal spot

The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Zverev wins in straight sets against de Minaur for Shanghai Masters semifinal spot

The Associated Press 2 minute read Yesterday at 7:11 AM CDT

SHANGHAI (AP) — Top-ranked Alexander Zverev said he felt good on-court after beating Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4 at the Shanghai Masters on Thursday.

Zverev made 80% of his first serves and saved all five of the break points he faced as he set up a semifinal meeting with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

“I felt both of us were playing really, really well. I was a lot of times outhitting Alex, which is difficult to do from the baseline because he is so fast and he loves this kind of court speed here," said Zverev, who secured the year-end No. 1 ranking earlier this week.

“I felt good and I’m happy with the step up from the last couple of matches.”

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Yesterday at 7:11 AM CDT

Tennis

Swiatek boosts WTA Finals bid at Wuhan Open but rival Muchova goes out

The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Swiatek boosts WTA Finals bid at Wuhan Open but rival Muchova goes out

The Associated Press 2 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 10:47 AM CDT

WUHAN, China (AP) — Iga Swiatek kept up her push to qualify for the WTA Finals as she ground out a 6-1, 6-4 win over American Ashlyn Krueger to reach the quarterfinals of the Wuhan Open and take advantage of a loss for Karolina Muchova on Thursday.

Krueger, in the draw as a lucky loser after defeat in qualifying, was able to put pressure on Swiatek for parts of the second set, despite racking up 44 unforced errors to the Polish player's 27.

Swiatek will face another American in the quarterfinals after Ann Li eliminated Indonesia's Janice Tjen 6-1, 7-6 (1) later Thursday.

Winning the title would allow Swiatek to put pressure on Muchova in the Race to the WTA Finals rankings ahead of the season-ending event next month in Indian Wells, California. Swiatek, who’s reached the finals each year since 2021, is 10th in the Race with the top eight qualifying.

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Updated: Yesterday at 10:47 AM CDT

Tennis

Canada’s Leylah Fernandez advances to third round of Wuhan Open

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

Canada’s Leylah Fernandez advances to third round of Wuhan Open

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026

WUHAN - Canada's Leylah Fernandez advanced to the third round of the Wuhan Open tennis tournament with a 6-3, 6-4 win over China's Shi Han on Wednesday.

Shi, who opened the tournament with an upset of 13th seed Alexandra Eala, hit 23 unforced errors, 10 more than Fernandez. She managed to convert just one of eight break-point chances.

Fernandez had her struggles on serve with seven double faults, but made the most of her opportunities with three breaks on four chances.

The 24-year-old from Laval, Que., will next face Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko at the WTA 1000 event.

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Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026

Tennis

Drug-testing agency lists Gael Monfils as a retired player, seemingly ruling out a Paris farewell

The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Drug-testing agency lists Gael Monfils as a retired player, seemingly ruling out a Paris farewell

The Associated Press 2 minute read Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026

PARIS (AP) — French tennis player Gael Monfils has entered retirement, a move that came a bit earlier than what was expected.

The 40-year-old Monfils, who had planned to retire at the end of the season, is being listed by the sport’s drug-testing organization among the players who have declared themselves retired, with his career officially over from Oct. 5.

The former No. 6-ranked player had received a wild card for a tournament in Lyon next week and was widely expected to end his career in front of his home fans at the Paris Masters from Oct. 31. He is currently ranked 254th.

Lyon organizers said on Wednesday that Monfils won't be playing, citing “personal reasons."

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Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026

Health

Canada’s Auger-Aliassime retires with knee injury at Shanghai Masters

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

Canada’s Auger-Aliassime retires with knee injury at Shanghai Masters

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026

SHANGHAI - Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime is out of the Shanghai Masters after suffering a knee injury.

The fifth-ranked Montrealer was forced to retire from his fourth-round match against Norway's Casper Ruud.

Auger-Aliassime trailed 5-2 in the opening set before retiring after just 35 minutes.

He appeared to injure his knee early in the match and received treatment before deciding he couldn't continue.

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Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026

Tennis

Medvedev beats longtime rival Tsitsipas and advances to Shanghai Masters quarterfinals

The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Medvedev beats longtime rival Tsitsipas and advances to Shanghai Masters quarterfinals

The Associated Press 2 minute read Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026

SHANGHAI (AP) — Daniil Medvedev is back in the Shanghai Masters quarterfinals after getting the better of Stefanos Tsitsipas in the latest chapter of their combustible longtime rivalry.

There was no real drama this time, though, as the fifth-seeded Medvedev won 6-4, 7-5 to become only the fourth player — after Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray — to reach the last eight of the tournament in three straight years.

There have been verbal flare-ups in previous meetings between Medvedev and Tsitsipas down the years, including in the Australian Open semifinals in 2022.

Earlier, Rafael Jodar won after being a set down for third straight match and also reached the quarterfinals.

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Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026

Tennis

Sabalenka and Pegula beaten in the round of 32 at the Wuhan Open

The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Sabalenka and Pegula beaten in the round of 32 at the Wuhan Open

The Associated Press 3 minute read Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026

WUHAN, China (AP) — Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka saved nine match points before eventually losing in three sets to Ann Li at the Wuhan Open on Wednesday in a dramatic last-32 match that saw the four-time major winner requiring treatment on her taped-up right knee.

Li came from 4-2 down in the second set to beat Sabalenka, a three-time champion, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5), with the American clinching victory off her 10th match point — but the first on her own serve.

It is now two straight losses for Sabalenka, who was beaten by Nikola Bartunkova in the round of 32 at the China Open last week. Her previous event had been the U.S. Open, where she lost in the final to Elena Rybakina.

Sabalenka was trailing 4-1 in the deciding set when she had treatment on her right knee that was already taped, and was then 5-2 down before recovering for 5-5 and took it to a tiebreaker. Li delivered a big forehand winner on her last match point for one of the biggest wins of her career.

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Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026

Tennis

Zverev beats Bublik at Shanghai Masters in first match since securing year-end No. 1

The Associated Press 2 minute read Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026

SHANGHAI (AP) — Alexander Zverev beat Alexander Bublik 7-6 (6), 4-6, 7-6 (1) to reach the Shanghai Masters quarterfinals on Tuesday in his first match since securing the year-end No. 1 ranking.

Zverev saved three set points in the first-set tiebreaker and beat Bublik for only the second time in five career meetings.

“My ankle was acting up, unfortunately,” Zverev said. “It was kind of understandable because I have been playing a lot of tennis, which is kind of a good sign because I have been playing well. I am starting to feel my body more and more but I am happy to get through.”

Bublik led 20-15 in aces but also had eight double faults to Zverev’s one.

Tennis

University of Maryland says club tennis team suspended over racist imagery

The Associated Press 1 minute read Monday, Oct. 12, 2026

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — The University of Maryland says it suspended its club tennis team after learning of racist imagery in material sent to other tennis clubs.

“On Saturday, UMD Recreation and Wellness (RecWell) staff learned that members of the Maryland Club Tennis student organization distributed programming material with a graphic containing racist imagery targeting people who are Black or African American,” the school said Monday. “They emailed this information to other university tennis clubs in the region about this weekend’s fall tournament at College Park.”

The school said the team has been suspended and the matter has been referred to university police.

“The University of Maryland is horrified and expresses its regret and sincere apology for the harm that this has caused,” the school said. “In addition to UMD club tennis apologizing and forfeiting its matches, UMD’s director of Recreation and Wellness issued an apology to the club presidents of all the participating teams. This matter has been referred to the University of Maryland Police Department and the Office of Student Conduct.”

Tennis

Zverev clinches year-end No. 1 ranking after Alcaraz loss and with Sinner out injured

The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Zverev clinches year-end No. 1 ranking after Alcaraz loss and with Sinner out injured

The Associated Press 2 minute read Monday, Oct. 12, 2026

SHANGHAI (AP) — Alexander Zverev clinched the year-end No. 1 ranking on Monday to cap a breakout year in which he won his first two Grand Slam titles.

Helped by a season-ending injury to Jannik Sinner, the 29-year-old Zverev will become the oldest player to achieve the year-end honor for the first time, the ATP Tour announced.

Zverev is currently No. 2 but will overtake No. 1 Sinner before the season ends next month. The first possible date that Zverev could become No. 1 is Nov. 2 — while he is mathematically certain of the top spot by the season's final rankings on Nov. 23.

Zverev became assured of finishing No. 1 when No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz was beaten by Zizou Bergs at the Shanghai Masters.

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Monday, Oct. 12, 2026

Tennis

Carlos Alcaraz stunned by Zizou Bergs at the Shanghai Masters

The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Carlos Alcaraz stunned by Zizou Bergs at the Shanghai Masters

The Associated Press 3 minute read Monday, Oct. 12, 2026

SHANGHAI (AP) — Zizou Bergs stunned second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz 7-5, 7-6 (4) to advance to the fourth round of the Shanghai Masters on Monday.

Bergs converted his first match point with a ninth ace to beat the tournament favorite in the biggest win of his career. It was second encounter on the tour between the pair and a first victory for Bergs.

After the match Bergs said he has “too much respect for (top players), which is part of my culture and I’m proud of that. But it gets a little bit in the way when you have to play them.”

He added this result can help him change that.

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Monday, Oct. 12, 2026

Tennis

Auger-Aliassime bounces Carreno Busta, advances to round of 16 at Shanghai Masters

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

Auger-Aliassime bounces Carreno Busta, advances to round of 16 at Shanghai Masters

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Monday, Oct. 12, 2026

SHANGHAI - Canadian men's single star Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to the round of 16 at the Shanghai Masters.

Seeded fourth in the annual hard court tournament at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, the Montreal athlete defeated Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 on Sunday in a match that took one hour, 59 minutes to complete.

Auger-Aliassime will face Casper Ruud of Norway in the next round. The 20th-seeded Ruud defeated 14th-seeded American Learner Tien 6-4, 7-6 (3) on Sunday.

Auger-Aliassime finished Sunday's match with seven aces, 37 winners, two double faults and 28 unforced errors. Carreno Busta had five aces, 13 winners, two double faults and 21 unforced errors.

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Monday, Oct. 12, 2026

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