After Wimbledon, the competition continues worldwide
on the ATP and WTA Tours. Several top players are taking advantage of the break to prepare for the
Olympic Games.
Rafael Nadal is at the Bastad Open, where a heartwarming photo
of his son was shared on social media as he watched his father debut in singles
against Leo Borg.
Meanwhile,
Emma Raducanu and
Aryna Sabalenka
are among those who have shared updates on their recent activities, considering
they are not currently competing and will not be attending the Olympic Games.
Updates have also been shared about the condition of Court Philippe Chatrier at
Roland Garros.
Raducanu takes break after Wimbledon
After a successful grass-swing, where she
reached the fourth round of Wimbledon, Emma Raducanu is taking a couple of
weeks off from competition. The British player lost to
Lulu Sun 2-6, 7-5, 2-6
but gained enough points to return to the top 100 after more than a year.
The 2021 US Open champion will not be
participating in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Her next challenge will be at
the WTA 500 Washington Open, where she received a wildcard from the organizers.
The tournament will be played on hard courts. Raducanu posted a compilation of
photos from her recent days at Wimbledon, along with a short video: “Recent
mix, swipe to join carpool karaoke,” she captioned.
Sabalenka's current routine
World No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka shared a video on
social media showcasing her daily routine over the past few days. The 2-time
Grand Slam champion withdrew in the quarterfinals of the Berlin Open against
Anna Kalinskaya due to a shoulder injury and later announced she would not be
playing at Wimbledon as she was "not at 100%."
The Belarusian player is aiming for her return
to the courts at the Washington Open starting on July 29. Sabalenka is the main
absence from the female draw for the Olympic Games, being the only top-10
player not competing for a medal, joining absentees such as Daria Kasatkina,
Madison Keys, Ons Jabeur, and Emma Raducanu.
In her latest Instagram reel, Sabalenka is seen
going through her morning routine, having breakfast, training at the gym, and
undergoing physiotherapy on her right shoulder: “What my mornings have looked
like recently,” she captioned.
Lulu Sun earns recognition among tennis legends
One of the great surprises of Wimbledon came
from 23-year-old player Lulu Sun, who arrived at the All England Club ranked
No. 123 and reached the quarterfinals after qualifying. Sun defeated rivals
such as 8th seed Zheng Qinwen and former US Open champion Emma Raducanu along
the way, but was eliminated by Donna Vekic.
The New Zealander entered the top 100 for the
first time in her career, securing the world No. 53 spot in the WTA rankings, a
milestone likely to influence her schedule for the remainder of the season. She
will next compete at the WTA 125 Warsaw Open, a tournament that was a 250-level
event until last year and was last won by Iga Swiatek. This time, Sun will be
the main star in the draw.
Lulu Sun made a name for herself at Wimbledon
and now enjoys a new status on the tour as a name to watch for the rest of the
season. The New Zealander cherished her unforgettable weeks at SW19 and shared
several photos from her time there, including moments with legends Billie Jean
King and Martina Navratilova.
"Unforgettable moments at Wimbledon 🎾💕 and on top of that I got to warm up
the legendary Navratilova as well as meet THE Billie Jean King! An unbelievable
experience and honor to have these opportunities! Thank you London! See you
next year!"
Nadal's son watches proudly as father secures victory
Rafael Nadal had a
triumphant return to the courts at the ATP 250 Bastad Open. The 22-times Grand
Slam champion defeated Swedish player Leo Borg, son of 11-times Grand Slam
champion Björn Borg, in the first round. Nadal expressed, “It’s a huge honor to
play against the son of one of the biggest legends in the history of our sport.
I think he played quite well, he has a future in front so I wish him all the
very best.”
A day earlier, Nadal
teamed up with Casper Ruud in the doubles draw to face second seeds Guido
Andreozzi and Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela. The Ruud-Nadal partnership proved
successful with a straight-sets victory, setting them up for a quarterfinal
clash against Safiulin – Arribage on Wednesday. Nadal is also preparing for his
participation in the Olympics, where he will team up with Carlos Alcaraz.
During his match against
Borg, Nadal was accompanied by his wife María Francisca Perello and their son
Rafael in his player's box. Television broadcasts captured a tender moment of
his son watching his father's victory on the Center Court of the Bastad Open.
Transformation of Philippe Chatrier Court unveiled ahead of Paris 2024 Olympics
Top players will have
their next major appointment at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, to be held at
Roland Garros, less than two months after Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz
claimed the French Open title at Philippe Chatrier.
Precisely, the main court
at Roland Garros is preparing to host the key matches of the tennis and
wheelchair tennis draws, as well as boxing and sitting volleyball competitions
at the Paralympics. The official Olympics accounts have now shared images of the
transformation that Philippe Chatrier has undergone in preparation for the
tournament.
Kyrgios comments on NBA Move
The 2022 Wimbledon runner-up was at Wimbledon,
not as a competitor but as a commentator for BBC Sports broadcasts. The
Australian teamed up with John McEnroe for commentary on several matches and
was a key analyst for the British network.
Kyrgios even took to the court to hit with
Novak Djokovic during the Serbian's training sessions at the tournament. The
Aussie hopes to return to the courts soon but remains uncertain about a
possible date. Meanwhile, Kyrgios turned to social media to comment on the
recent signing by the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA: "Gary Trent Jr. to the
Bucks - underrated signing," Kyrgios opined.