Carlos Alcaraz, the world’s No. 3 tennis player, announced on Tuesday that he will not play at the 2024 Monte Carlo Masters. According to a statement shared by Alcaraz on X (former Twitter), he was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to a right arm injury.

Alcaraz has been practicing in Monte Carlo in recent days and was scheduled to face Felix Auger-Aliassime in the Round of 32. Now, Italian Lorenzo Sonego will take his place as a lucky loser.

“I have been working in Monte Carlo and trying to recover until the last minute from an injured pronator teres in my right arm, but it was not possible, and I cannot play!” Alcaraz wrote while adding that he was “really looking forward to playing”.

Alcaraz has had an up-and-down 2024 season so far. He made it to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open before being forced to withdraw from the Rio Open in February due to an ankle injury. The Spaniard recovered in time to take part at the BNP Paribas Open, where he managed to defend his title from 2023 before reaching the quarterfinals at the Miami Open.

Alcaraz will now likely turn his focus on trying to recover in time to play at the Barcelona Open, a tournament he won for two years straight. The Barcelona Open is scheduled to start on April 15.

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Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray doesn’t see himself playing tennis for much longer. Speaking with reporters at the Dubai Tennis Championship earlier this week, Murray hinted that he is planning to retire at some point in 2024.

“I probably don’t have too long left, but I’ll do as best as I can these last few months,” said Murray after a 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 win over Denis Shapovalov in the first round of Dubai Tennis Championship.

According to Murray, he hasn’t lost his love for playing tennis but believes he can’t compete at the same level anymore.

“I still love competing and still love the game, but it gets harder and harder to compete the older you get, to keep your body fit and fresh,” he added.

The 2024 tennis season started poorly for Murray, as he lost his first four matches of the year. This included a straight-sets loss to Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the opening round of the Australian Open. At the time, he said there was a possibility it was his last appearance at the tournament.

Andy Murray was once considered to be among the best players in tennis, alongside Rodger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. He won the US Open in 2012 and followed that up with Wimbledon wins in 2013 and 2015. However, a series of injuries derailed Murray’s career, and he hasn’t made it past the third round of any Grand Slam tournament since 2017. 

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Aryna Sabalenka is the Australian Open champion once again. Sabalenka beat Zheng Qinwen in straight sets (6-3, 6-2) to claim her second consecutive title in Melbourne.

Sabalenka has been on a tear during the 2024 Australian Open, making her way to the finals without losing a single set. Qinwen put up a great effort to stop Sabalenka’s dominant run, but even she proved powerless against the Belarusian’s powerful serve.

Sabalenka is the first woman to win back-to-back Australian Open titles since her compatriot Victoria Azarenka did it in 2012 and 2013.

Speaking after the match, Sabalenka praised Qinwen while saying that she is happy to add another Grand Slam title to her collection. 

“[Zheng is] a great player and very tough opponent. I’m super happy that I was able to get this win today,” Sabalenka said. “I wanted to show that I’m able to be consistently there and I’m able to win another [Grand Slam]. I really hope that [I can win] more than two right now, but for me was really important.

Sabalenka has further solidified her status as one of the best tennis players in the world. It came after a strong run in 2023, which saw her win the Australian Open, play in the US Open finals, and reach the semi-finals at the French Open and Wimbledon. The 25-year-old player will remain the world’s No. 2 player, but if she continues to play like this, it is only a matter of time before she replaces Iga Swiatek at the top.

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Rafael Nadal was eliminated from the Brisbane International after losing 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-3 to local talent Jordan Thompson in the quarterfinals. This was the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s first tournament since returning from a hip flexor injury after a year-long absence.

“I hope to have the chance to be practicing next week and to play in Melbourne,” Nadal commented after his loss, referring to this year’s Australian Open. It was during this grand slam that Nadal suffered his injury, forcing him out of the tournament and resulting in him undergoing a season-ending surgery.

While the 37-year-old breezed through his first two matches with straight-set victories over Dominic Thiem and Jason Kubler, his match against Thompson was a grueling one, lasting three hours and 25 minutes. The length of the match took a toll on Nadal’s body, with the former ATP world number one being assessed by a trainer during the third set for an upper left leg injury. Following his medical timeout, he saw out the match.

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ATP world number one Novak Djokovic crashed out of the United Cup following a 6-4 6-4 loss to local Australian talent Alex de Minaur on Wednesday. This marks the first time since 2018 that Djokovic has been defeated on Australian soil.

Heading to a 44th straight victory in Australia while preparing to pursue an 11th Australian Open title, Djokovic entered the match against De Minaur with a lingering wrist injury. The Australian was able to break Djokovic’s serve in the first set before repeating the feat in the second, going 4-3 up as a result. While the number one-ranked men’s singles player was able to defend three match points, the underdog was able to persevere and secure the win.

“It’s extremely special,” ATP world number 12 De Minaur exclaimed after his victory. “Novak’s an unbelievable competitor, and what he’s done for the sport is pretty special. It feels surreal, it feels amazing and I’m happy to do it here in Perth and in Australia.” This is the Australian’s first victory over a world number one in his career. This victory sees Team Australia secure a 2-0 victory over Serbia, with teammate Ajla Tomljanović defeating Natalija Stevanović in the women’s matchup.

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Canada defeated Italy on Sunday to win the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time in their history. Leylah Fernandez defeated Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-3 and Marina Stakusic topped Martina Trevisan 7-5, 6-3 in order to hand Canada a 2-0 series victory.

Runner-up in the 2021 US Open, Fernandez proved to be Canada’s standout player of the tournament, providing the team with four victories. 18-year-old Stakusic also proved to be an exciting player to watch, entering the tournament without having ever beaten a top 100 player and going on to defeat three.

“I’m so happy and honored that I could play this week,” Stakusic exclaimed. “This has been the best week of my life.” Canada is the 13th team to win the Billie Jean King Cup, winning $2.4 million in prize money due to their victory.

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Coco Gauff miraculously fought back after making 17 double faults to win 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-3 against Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in her final round-robin match in the WTA Finals. Gauff, who was on the verge of elimination, has consequently secured her place in the semifinal of the season-ending tournament.

“Mental toughness is the biggest thing I’m pleased with,” Gauff exclaimed after the match. “That was a tough match. She’s not an easy player. Not easy conditions. And I stayed in there, every point, just fighting.”

After convincingly winning her opening match against Ons Jabeur 6-0, 6-1, the reigning US Open champion suffered a major setback when she lost her subsequent match against Iga Swiatek 6-0, 7-5. This victory sees Gauff set up a semifinal clash against American counterpart Jessica Pegula, with the pair set to face off on Sunday.

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Four-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek defeated reigning US Open champions Coco Gauff 6-0, 7-5 in their round-robin match at the WTA Finals on Wednesday. This victory sees Swiatek edge within touching distance of a place in the semifinals of the season-ending competition.

“A tough day in the office for me,” Gauff said, having lost a doubles match as well. “I mentally didn’t stay in it when I was serving for it.” The American was referring to when she served four double faults in a row as she was serving for the second set, enabling Swiatek to come from behind to take the set and, consequently, the match.

Now, Swiatek will prepare to face One Jabeur in her final round-robin match on Friday. Jabeur lost 6-0, 6-1 to Gauff in her opening match of the tournament before defeating Marketa Vondrousova 6-4, 6-3.

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Jessica Pegula upset number one seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-3 to continue her winning streak in the round-robin stage at the WTA Finals. She previously beat Elena Rybakina 7-5, 6-2 in her first match of the competition.

“We all, as tennis players, have experienced that to some extent — on both sides. So, I mean, I try to use my match experience as best I can,” Pegula explained after her victory. “Every match, you’re always going to feel different. But I think the more you put yourself in those situations, the better you feel when they come up again. It doesn’t feel like you have to panic as much.”

Next, the American will face Greece’s Maria Sakkari on Thursday. This year, Pegula’s performance at the WTA Finals is already a vast improvement from last year, when she lost all three of her round-robin matches to exit the tournament early.

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Eighth-seeded Beatriz Haddad Maia defeated seventh-seeded Zheng Qinwen 7-6 (11), 7-6 (4) on Sunday to win the WTA Elite Trophy. It took the Brazilian 2 hours and 51 minutes to win what was a highly competitive final, bringing an end to her Chinese opponent’s eight-match winning streak.

By winning in straight sets, Haddad Maia was able to maintain her perfect record, not dropping a single set throughout the entire tournament. On route to the final, the Brazilian upset second seed Madison Keys as well as Caroline Garcia and Daria Kasatkina.

This is Haddad Maia’s first title since Birmingham in 2022. While she has largely struggled throughout this year, the 27-year-old player marked her return to form by making it to the semi-finals of the 2023 French Open.

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Carlos Alcaraz, the world’s No. 3 tennis player, announced on Tuesday that he will not play at the 2024 Monte Carlo Masters. According to a statement shared by Alcaraz on X (former Twitter), he was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to a right arm injury.

Alcaraz has been practicing in Monte Carlo in recent days and was scheduled to face Felix Auger-Aliassime in the Round of 32. Now, Italian Lorenzo Sonego will take his place as a lucky loser.

“I have been working in Monte Carlo and trying to recover until the last minute from an injured pronator teres in my right arm, but it was not possible, and I cannot play!” Alcaraz wrote while adding that he was “really looking forward to playing”.

Alcaraz has had an up-and-down 2024 season so far. He made it to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open before being forced to withdraw from the Rio Open in February due to an ankle injury. The Spaniard recovered in time to take part at the BNP Paribas Open, where he managed to defend his title from 2023 before reaching the quarterfinals at the Miami Open.

Alcaraz will now likely turn his focus on trying to recover in time to play at the Barcelona Open, a tournament he won for two years straight. The Barcelona Open is scheduled to start on April 15.

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Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray doesn’t see himself playing tennis for much longer. Speaking with reporters at the Dubai Tennis Championship earlier this week, Murray hinted that he is planning to retire at some point in 2024.

“I probably don’t have too long left, but I’ll do as best as I can these last few months,” said Murray after a 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 win over Denis Shapovalov in the first round of Dubai Tennis Championship.

According to Murray, he hasn’t lost his love for playing tennis but believes he can’t compete at the same level anymore.

“I still love competing and still love the game, but it gets harder and harder to compete the older you get, to keep your body fit and fresh,” he added.

The 2024 tennis season started poorly for Murray, as he lost his first four matches of the year. This included a straight-sets loss to Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the opening round of the Australian Open. At the time, he said there was a possibility it was his last appearance at the tournament.

Andy Murray was once considered to be among the best players in tennis, alongside Rodger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. He won the US Open in 2012 and followed that up with Wimbledon wins in 2013 and 2015. However, a series of injuries derailed Murray’s career, and he hasn’t made it past the third round of any Grand Slam tournament since 2017. 

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Aryna Sabalenka is the Australian Open champion once again. Sabalenka beat Zheng Qinwen in straight sets (6-3, 6-2) to claim her second consecutive title in Melbourne.

Sabalenka has been on a tear during the 2024 Australian Open, making her way to the finals without losing a single set. Qinwen put up a great effort to stop Sabalenka’s dominant run, but even she proved powerless against the Belarusian’s powerful serve.

Sabalenka is the first woman to win back-to-back Australian Open titles since her compatriot Victoria Azarenka did it in 2012 and 2013.

Speaking after the match, Sabalenka praised Qinwen while saying that she is happy to add another Grand Slam title to her collection. 

“[Zheng is] a great player and very tough opponent. I’m super happy that I was able to get this win today,” Sabalenka said. “I wanted to show that I’m able to be consistently there and I’m able to win another [Grand Slam]. I really hope that [I can win] more than two right now, but for me was really important.

Sabalenka has further solidified her status as one of the best tennis players in the world. It came after a strong run in 2023, which saw her win the Australian Open, play in the US Open finals, and reach the semi-finals at the French Open and Wimbledon. The 25-year-old player will remain the world’s No. 2 player, but if she continues to play like this, it is only a matter of time before she replaces Iga Swiatek at the top.

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Rafael Nadal was eliminated from the Brisbane International after losing 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-3 to local talent Jordan Thompson in the quarterfinals. This was the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s first tournament since returning from a hip flexor injury after a year-long absence.

“I hope to have the chance to be practicing next week and to play in Melbourne,” Nadal commented after his loss, referring to this year’s Australian Open. It was during this grand slam that Nadal suffered his injury, forcing him out of the tournament and resulting in him undergoing a season-ending surgery.

While the 37-year-old breezed through his first two matches with straight-set victories over Dominic Thiem and Jason Kubler, his match against Thompson was a grueling one, lasting three hours and 25 minutes. The length of the match took a toll on Nadal’s body, with the former ATP world number one being assessed by a trainer during the third set for an upper left leg injury. Following his medical timeout, he saw out the match.

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ATP world number one Novak Djokovic crashed out of the United Cup following a 6-4 6-4 loss to local Australian talent Alex de Minaur on Wednesday. This marks the first time since 2018 that Djokovic has been defeated on Australian soil.

Heading to a 44th straight victory in Australia while preparing to pursue an 11th Australian Open title, Djokovic entered the match against De Minaur with a lingering wrist injury. The Australian was able to break Djokovic’s serve in the first set before repeating the feat in the second, going 4-3 up as a result. While the number one-ranked men’s singles player was able to defend three match points, the underdog was able to persevere and secure the win.

“It’s extremely special,” ATP world number 12 De Minaur exclaimed after his victory. “Novak’s an unbelievable competitor, and what he’s done for the sport is pretty special. It feels surreal, it feels amazing and I’m happy to do it here in Perth and in Australia.” This is the Australian’s first victory over a world number one in his career. This victory sees Team Australia secure a 2-0 victory over Serbia, with teammate Ajla Tomljanović defeating Natalija Stevanović in the women’s matchup.

The post Novak Djokovic’s Australia Record Ends Following United Cup Exit appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Canada defeated Italy on Sunday to win the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time in their history. Leylah Fernandez defeated Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-3 and Marina Stakusic topped Martina Trevisan 7-5, 6-3 in order to hand Canada a 2-0 series victory.

Runner-up in the 2021 US Open, Fernandez proved to be Canada’s standout player of the tournament, providing the team with four victories. 18-year-old Stakusic also proved to be an exciting player to watch, entering the tournament without having ever beaten a top 100 player and going on to defeat three.

“I’m so happy and honored that I could play this week,” Stakusic exclaimed. “This has been the best week of my life.” Canada is the 13th team to win the Billie Jean King Cup, winning $2.4 million in prize money due to their victory.

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Coco Gauff miraculously fought back after making 17 double faults to win 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-3 against Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in her final round-robin match in the WTA Finals. Gauff, who was on the verge of elimination, has consequently secured her place in the semifinal of the season-ending tournament.

“Mental toughness is the biggest thing I’m pleased with,” Gauff exclaimed after the match. “That was a tough match. She’s not an easy player. Not easy conditions. And I stayed in there, every point, just fighting.”

After convincingly winning her opening match against Ons Jabeur 6-0, 6-1, the reigning US Open champion suffered a major setback when she lost her subsequent match against Iga Swiatek 6-0, 7-5. This victory sees Gauff set up a semifinal clash against American counterpart Jessica Pegula, with the pair set to face off on Sunday.

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Four-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek defeated reigning US Open champions Coco Gauff 6-0, 7-5 in their round-robin match at the WTA Finals on Wednesday. This victory sees Swiatek edge within touching distance of a place in the semifinals of the season-ending competition.

“A tough day in the office for me,” Gauff said, having lost a doubles match as well. “I mentally didn’t stay in it when I was serving for it.” The American was referring to when she served four double faults in a row as she was serving for the second set, enabling Swiatek to come from behind to take the set and, consequently, the match.

Now, Swiatek will prepare to face One Jabeur in her final round-robin match on Friday. Jabeur lost 6-0, 6-1 to Gauff in her opening match of the tournament before defeating Marketa Vondrousova 6-4, 6-3.

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Jessica Pegula upset number one seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-3 to continue her winning streak in the round-robin stage at the WTA Finals. She previously beat Elena Rybakina 7-5, 6-2 in her first match of the competition.

“We all, as tennis players, have experienced that to some extent — on both sides. So, I mean, I try to use my match experience as best I can,” Pegula explained after her victory. “Every match, you’re always going to feel different. But I think the more you put yourself in those situations, the better you feel when they come up again. It doesn’t feel like you have to panic as much.”

Next, the American will face Greece’s Maria Sakkari on Thursday. This year, Pegula’s performance at the WTA Finals is already a vast improvement from last year, when she lost all three of her round-robin matches to exit the tournament early.

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Eighth-seeded Beatriz Haddad Maia defeated seventh-seeded Zheng Qinwen 7-6 (11), 7-6 (4) on Sunday to win the WTA Elite Trophy. It took the Brazilian 2 hours and 51 minutes to win what was a highly competitive final, bringing an end to her Chinese opponent’s eight-match winning streak.

By winning in straight sets, Haddad Maia was able to maintain her perfect record, not dropping a single set throughout the entire tournament. On route to the final, the Brazilian upset second seed Madison Keys as well as Caroline Garcia and Daria Kasatkina.

This is Haddad Maia’s first title since Birmingham in 2022. While she has largely struggled throughout this year, the 27-year-old player marked her return to form by making it to the semi-finals of the 2023 French Open.

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