Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Cameron Norrie saved a match point and battled through illness to beat Spanish youngster Martin Landaluce in the opening round of the Madrid Open. Norrie revealed afterwards he has been struggling with sickness, telling Sky Sports: "It's terrible timing but at least I have another day tomorrow to rest. An up-and-down match saw Norrie lose five games in a row from 3-0 up in the opening set and then fight back from 3-0 down in the second before Landaluce narrowly missed a big forehand on match point at 4-5. "It's maybe one of my favourite wins," said Norrie, who next faces 26th seed Jiri Lehecka. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player "I started very low energy, sleeping on the court still. Norrie's section of the draw has opened up because of the withdrawal earlier on Thursday of second seed Carlos Alcaraz, who needed treatment for a leg injury in his Barcelona Open final defeat by Holger Rune on Sunday and has not recovered sufficiently. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player In the women's draw, defending champion Iga Swiatek gained revenge for her shock Miami Open loss to Filipino teenager Alexandra Eala. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player It was another difficult encounter for the Pole, though, with 19-year-old Eala leading by a set and a break before Swiatek fought back to win 4-6 6-4 6-2. There was a shock loss for Stuttgart champion Jelena Ostapenko, who extended her head-to-head advantage against Swiatek to 6-0 on her way to the title in Germany on Monday. Ostapenko fell at the first hurdle in the Spanish capital to fellow Latvian Anastasija Sevastova, who is making her second comeback in three years following maternity leave and a serious knee injury. Watch the ATP and WTA Tours, as well as the US Open in New York, live on Sky Sports in 2025 or stream with NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost.

Carlos Alcaraz is confident he will be ready to defend his French Open title next month after pulling out of the Madrid Open because of a hamstring injury sustained last week in Barcelona. “I don't want to get ahead of myself, I don't want to take anything for granted, but I think we'll be confident for Roland Garros and we're going to try to be in Rome,” said Alcaraz. After a strong start to the clay court season with his first Monte Carlo title, Alcaraz struggled with a right adductor injury during his defeat by Holger Rune in the Barcelona final on Sunday. Despite being in Madrid this week to promote the release of his new Netflix docuseries, Alcaraz was absent from the practice courts in the first four days of the tournament. On Thursday, he confirmed his withdrawal, explaining that medical tests after the Barcelona final had further revealed a hamstring injury in his left leg. “I also noticed an issue in my left leg when I had tests on Tuesday,” said Alcaraz. “I've been waiting, talking with my team, with the doctors, to see if I'd be able to play in good condition and without a job here in Madrid. I've done everything possible, everything in my power to make that happen, but things haven't improved As you all suspected, because I can't train these days for the final in Barcelona, I have to work on my adductor and right leg, but much over the last few days.” Despite his frustration, Alcaraz believes his hamstring injury is not as severe as the right arm injury that forced him to withdraw during the Madrid Open last season and affected him up until the French Open last year. “I'm not really worried about it,” he said. “I believe it's going to take one week, one week and a half, two weeks maximum, but I won't have doubts about coming back and moving 100% again.”

Iga Swiatek will not cross paths with Jelena Ostapenko at the Mutua Madrid Open.A potential fourth-round showdown when the draw came out, Swiatek rallied past Alexandra Eala in second-round action Thursday while Ostapenko went down to a countrywoman on the comeback trail.At the Porsche Grand Tennis Prix in Stuttgart, Ostapenko improved to 6-0 against Swiatek prior to outclassing world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to win Monday's final. But in making the move from indoor clay to Madrid's outdoor venue known for its higher altitude conditions, she was tripped up in her first match at the Caja Magica by a familiar face that has been a tough out in the past. A potential fourth-round showdown when the draw came out, Swiatek rallied past Alexandra Eala in second-round action Thursday while Ostapenko went down to a countrywoman on the comeback trail.At the Porsche Grand Tennis Prix in Stuttgart, Ostapenko improved to 6-0 against Swiatek prior to outclassing world No. But in making the move from indoor clay to Madrid's outdoor venue known for its higher altitude conditions, she was tripped up in her first match at the Caja Magica by a familiar face that has been a tough out in the past. At the Porsche Grand Tennis Prix in Stuttgart, Ostapenko improved to 6-0 against Swiatek prior to outclassing world No. But in making the move from indoor clay to Madrid's outdoor venue known for its higher altitude conditions, she was tripped up in her first match at the Caja Magica by a familiar face that has been a tough out in the past. Former US Open semifinalist Anastasija Sevastova backed up her opening win versus Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova with a 7-6 (2), 6-2 victory over the No. 23 seed.Down a break early in set two to Ostapenko, Sevastova ran off with the final six games to move through. She now leads Ostapenko 3-0 in their series, with this marking their first encounter since 2019 Stuttgart.The 35-year-old is in the early stages of a second comeback bid from maternity leave after an ACL injury that required surgery derailed her quest in March 2024. This is just Sevastova's second event of the year, having returned last week at the ITF 75k in Koper, Slovenia (she won her first match, then retired after forcing a decider with top seed Arantxa Rus).Diana Shnaider awaits in the third round of the WTA 1000 tournament. Down a break early in set two to Ostapenko, Sevastova ran off with the final six games to move through. She now leads Ostapenko 3-0 in their series, with this marking their first encounter since 2019 Stuttgart.The 35-year-old is in the early stages of a second comeback bid from maternity leave after an ACL injury that required surgery derailed her quest in March 2024. This is just Sevastova's second event of the year, having returned last week at the ITF 75k in Koper, Slovenia (she won her first match, then retired after forcing a decider with top seed Arantxa Rus).Diana Shnaider awaits in the third round of the WTA 1000 tournament. The 35-year-old is in the early stages of a second comeback bid from maternity leave after an ACL injury that required surgery derailed her quest in March 2024. This is just Sevastova's second event of the year, having returned last week at the ITF 75k in Koper, Slovenia (she won her first match, then retired after forcing a decider with top seed Arantxa Rus).Diana Shnaider awaits in the third round of the WTA 1000 tournament.

Learner Tien made history at the Australian Open, where he became the youngest man to reach the fourth round since 2005, Joao Fonseca captured his first tour-level title in Buenos Aires and Jakub Mensik shocked Novak Djokovic to claim his first ATP Masters 1000 crown in Miami. Having fallen to Tien at the Australian Open, Medvedev is all too aware of the rising threat from these hungry up-and-comers. “They've put themselves on the big stage pretty quickly. Jakub just won a Masters 1000, which is amazing. “He played really well at the Australian Open too, as did Learner and Joao. There are a lot of strong guys coming up. I think it's a very talented generation. Medvedev knows firsthand that consistency is key to success. “I think consistency is the toughest challenge,” Medvedev said. If I compare Learner and Joao, they're two different types of players. Learner is more of a counter-attacking player, but still able to attack with intelligence. You see some of the forehands he unleashes. “I'm pretty sure both of them will make the Top 10 at some point. 1 for 220 weeks or stay in the Top 10, though, is something only time will tell. Tennis is a tough sport with so much competition.” Andrey Rublev knows all too well about the power Fonseca possesses. In a quest to improve his game, Rublev has since added former World No. 1 Marat Safin to his coaching team, with the pair joining forces for the first time in Monte-Carlo. Good friends with Rublev and Safin, Medvedev shared his thoughts on their partnership. It's nice to have him around the lounge and everything. With his experience, he could help anyone,” Medvedev said. “I wonder how it will work long-term, but so far, I think it's going great. The results have come in just two tournaments, so we'll see how things go further. "I'm trying not to get too much into it because I could ask Andrey, ‘Oh my god, how's it working? But I always respect other people's personal space. I do know a little about their conversations or how things are going, but I try not to intrude. I think it's always the same: if you believe something can work, it can be with anyone.” You May Also Like: Rublev on Safin: 'He was inspiring me since I was a kid' This week, Medvedev will hope to get his season back on track when he competes at the Mutua Madrid Open. 10 did reach the semi-finals in Indian Wells in March but has struggled to find his best level this year, holding a 14-8 record. The season hasn't been perfect and I know that. But here I'm feeling great," Medvedev said. "I'm practising well, doing all the right things and I believe they're going to pay off eventually. Other times, we decide that it's not bad and we just need to find that final step. We are trying everything and we will just stick to the right lead.” Medvedev, chasing his first title since Rome in 2023, will face Laslo Djere in his opening match on Friday in the Spanish capital. This week, Medvedev will hope to get his season back on track when he competes at the Mutua Madrid Open. 10 did reach the semi-finals in Indian Wells in March but has struggled to find his best level this year, holding a 14-8 record. The season hasn't been perfect and I know that. But here I'm feeling great," Medvedev said. "I'm practising well, doing all the right things and I believe they're going to pay off eventually. Other times, we decide that it's not bad and we just need to find that final step. No part of this site may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any way or by any means (including photocopying, recording or storing it in any medium by electronic means), without the written permission of ATP Tour, Inc..

Swiss legend Roger Federer has won more Wimbledon titles than any other player in men's tennis history, securing eight victories during his career. In 2023 and 2024, Carlos Alcaraz won Wimbledon, beating seven-time champion Novak Djokovic on both occasions. The Spaniard will be the favorite once again when tennis returns to London in June, as he now reveals what happened when he nearly broke one of Wimbledon's ‘strictest' rules. “They said ‘No, we won't let you play in the next match.' “I mean that shows you how strict they are.” Alcaraz and others have accepted the tournament's strict rules, as they enjoy performing at their best on the grass. Several tennis legends gave their verdict on the sport's most ‘historic' event. All the players want to be a part of that,” said John McEnroe. “Wimbledon is the only one on grass, you really feel the history here, more than any other tournament,” added Martina Navratilova. “Nothing is more luxurious, elegant, and historic than being in that tournament. For me, Wimbledon was pure ecstasy,” said Garbine Muguruza. But at which of the four Grand Slam events has Alcaraz performed best during his career to date? There he fell to defeat against his biggest rival, Jannik Sinner, who advanced to the quarterfinals in four sets, 6-1, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3. Following Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal's retirements in 2024, Alcaraz will return to Wimbledon in 2025, as one of just two active players to have lifted the title. The pair battled it out in a thriller two years ago, when Alcaraz won in five sets to clinch his first title at Wimbledon, a match many consider to be one of the greatest in the tournament's history. Alcaraz will return to Wimbledon when the tournament begins on Monday, June 30.

MADRID — Home-crowd favorite Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the Madrid Open on Thursday because of muscle injuries, saying he didn't want to risk making things worse before the French Open. Alcaraz said he has not fully recovered from the upper leg ailment that bothered him during the Barcelona Open final last Sunday. His first appearance at the Caja Magica in Madrid was scheduled for Saturday. “Madrid is one of the special tournaments for me, it's a tournament that I enjoy, I get to play in front of my fans, it's one of the first tournaments I attended when I was a kid,” Alcaraz said. “These types of decisions are not easy to make but sometimes you have to think about your health and about what is important. If I play here, I could make the injuries worse and stop for several months and that's not worth it.” He won the Roland Garros final last year against Alexander Zverev, who has just leapfrogged the Spaniard to No. Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, poses during the 2025 Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid, Spain, Monday, April 21, 2025. Credit: AP/Manu Fernandez “I'm not really worried about it,” Alcaraz said. “I believe it's going to take one week, one week and a half, two weeks maximum, but I won't have doubts about coming back and moving 100% again.” I will do some tests at the beginning of next week just to see how it's improved, and from that let's see how it's going to be the next days,” he said. If not, next tournament is Roland Garros for me. Alcaraz, who will turn 22 on May 5, won in Monte Carlo to start his clay-court campaign and on a nine-match winning run until the Barcelona final. Alcaraz vowed to “come back stronger” but complained of the tennis schedule. “Tennis is really a demanding sport,” he said. "Playing week after week, so many matches in a row, and you have to heal your body sometimes and take difficult decisions." The four-time Grand Slam champion has a 24-5 record this year. “The schedule is really tight, really difficult tournaments week after week, and sometimes you have to think about yourself sometimes, and make the right decisions as to your health.” Privacy Policy | Terms of service | Subscription terms | Your ad choices | Cookie Settings | California Privacy Rights | About Us | Contact Newsday | Reprints & permissions | Advertise with Newsday | Help

Carlos Alcaraz is officially out of the Madrid Open. Alcaraz is a two-time Madrid Open champion and reached the quarter-final of the event back in 2024, ultimately losing to eventual champion Andrey Rublev in three sets. Having reached the last eight in 2024, Alcaraz had 200 ranking points to defend heading into 2025. However, he will now be unable to close the gap to world No 1 Sinner – and could lose further ground in his battle with world No 2 Alexander Zverev. However, the German already had a slight advantage heading into action inside the Caja Magica, with only 100 points to defend after a fourth-round exit in 2024. However, the German is yet to compete in Madrid and could be primed for a significant surge, potentially leading Alcaraz by over 1,000 points once the tournament is over. Should top seed Zverev lift the title in Madrid, he would surge to 8,985 ranking points, a hypothetical lead of 1,135 points over the Spaniard. Zverev was the Madrid Open champion in 2018 and 2021, meaning a deep run would not come as a surprise in the slightest. Carlos Alcaraz confirms double injury blow as he makes Madrid decision What Joao Fonseca had to say about playing against Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros Sinner's three-month suspension from the ATP Tour has largely been defined by both Alcaraz and Zverev failing to put pressure on his world No 1 ranking. And, with Alcaraz out of Madrid, he has been handed another significant advantage. A quarter-finalist in Madrid twelve months ago, Sinner will drop 200 points to 9,730 when the rankings update post-tournament. That is of huge significance for Sinner, who has no points to defend at the Italian Open following his 2024 withdrawal and fewer points to defend at Roland Garros than reigning champion Alcaraz. With the Spaniard also having no Italian Open points to defend, but a staggering 2,000 points at Roland Garros, he cannot overtake Sinner as the world No 1 this clay swing. And, as Zverev has Rome champion and Roland Garros finalist points to defend, Sinner is mathematically guaranteed to still be world No 1 once the second Grand Slam of 2025 is complete in early June. He will become just the fifth man in ATP Rankings history to reign for 52+ weeks in his first spell as No 1, and just the 10th to spend 52+ consecutive weeks overall. Read Next: Italian teenager joins Joao Fonseca, Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal on esteemed Madrid Open list Novak Djokovic was asked if Carlos Alcaraz is playing tennis to match the game's all-time great and his response will raise eyebrows.

The Spaniard's start to the clay court season and his preparation for Roland Garros have been thrown into disarray by an adductor injury. He initially hoped that he would be able to play in Madrid but has now decided to withdraw after tests showed the extent of the injury. 3 is yet to confirm whether he will take part. “As you all suspected, since I haven't been able to train these days, the physio came in for the Barcelona final to treat my abductor muscle, but I also noticed something else in my left leg. On Tuesday, I had tests, and I assessed with my team to see if we could play in good condition in Madrid, and we did everything possible, but things didn't improve much. Madrid is a city I look forward to playing all year. It's an exciting tournament, and I play it with a lot of emotion, but things didn't go the way I wanted to play here. It comes after Alcaraz said following his 7-6 6-2 reverse against Rune: "I feel fine physically. I've had tests, and we'll see what the results say. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. There is reportedly hope that he will be fit for the French Open, which begins on May 25. The Italian Open, which starts on May 6, could be less likely. Having received a bye to the Madrid Open second round as a seeded player, Alcaraz was due to play his first match tomorrow. He was scheduled to play the winner of Zizou Bergs vs Gabriel Diallo, but Polish star Kamil Majchrzak will now take his place in the draw. He was beaten by Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open quarter-final and his form since then has been inconsistent. There was also a defeat in the semi-final of Indian Wells against British star Jack Draper, who went on to win the tournament. The four-time Grand Slam champion had only won one tournament by this point last year, having triumphed at Indian Wells. A maiden French Open followed before he successfully defended his Wimbledon crown in another epic showdown with Djokovic. Thursday, 24th April 2025See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. Would you like to receive news notifications from Daily Express?

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz smiles as he holds the winner's trophy after beating Serbia's Novak Djokovic during their men's singles final tennis match on the last day of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 16, 2023. Spain's Carlos Alcaraz smiles as he holds the winner's trophy after beating Serbia's Novak Djokovic during their men's singles final tennis match on the last day of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 16, 2023. LONDON– Carlos Alcaraz has lifted the lid on his secret for winning his first Wimbledon title in 2023 and defending the title a year later — partying hard in Ibiza. In a new Netflix documentary, “Carlos Alcaraz: My Way”, the Spaniard describes how he went against the advice of his team to let his hair down on the Mediterranean island. READ: Carlos Alcaraz leads tennis into new golden age “I had a friend who had a few days off, going to Ibiza with other friends,” the now four-times Grand Slam champion said. “I basically went there to reventar (literally, ‘burst' in Spanish), I'm not sure if that's the best way to put it but I went there to go out.” It might not have been textbook preparation for Wimbledon, and his agent Albert Molina warned against it, but Alcaraz said he had to let off steam after losing to Novak Djokovic in the 2023 French Open semis having suffered with nerves and cramps. READ: Carlos Alcaraz becomes youngest player in ATP top 5 since Nadal Ibiza's tonic paid off spectacularly too, as a few weeks later, aged 20, he beat the Serb in the Wimbledon final. Alcaraz repeated the trick in 2024 with another Ibiza trip before the grasscourt season with his fitness coach Juanjo Moreno accusing him of being selfish. “He has a different way of understanding work and sacrifice,” Ferrero said, comparing him to Djokovic. “I don't take care of myself as much, I spend a lot of days enjoying life. “But I want to do it my way.” Alcaraz, who will be 22 next month, is second seed at this week's Madrid Masters. We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies.

With the news that Carlos Alcaraz may miss the 2025 Madrid Open due to injury, Italian tennis great Adriano Panatta has speculated that the two-time champion may be indirectly responsible for his setbacks due to his full schedule. Alcaraz is coming off a runner-up finish at the Barcelona Open, where he fell to Danish star Holger Rune in straight sets. Before Barcelona, the former World No.1 had competed at the Monte-Carlo Masters just a week earlier, where he battled his way to the title. However, Panatta believes the reason for Alcaraz's physical struggles may be due to the Spaniard's unforgiving schedule. "I read that the Spaniard complained that the Masters 1000 lasts two weeks, but let's look carefully at his schedule," said the 1976 Roland Garros champion. "After Monte-Carlo, he went to Barcelona, then he will do Madrid, Rome, and Paris without interruption. Alcaraz is yet to confirm his withdrawal from the Madrid Open, although his team did announce he had suffered an adductor injury during the final against Rune in Barcelona. The Spaniard has a first-round bye in Madrid, with his second-round match set to take place on Friday. A post shared by Carlos Alcaraz Garfia (@carlitosalcarazz) This article first appeared on TennisUpToDate.com and was syndicated with permission.

Premieres at Gold Coast Film Festival Saturday May 3 from 12noon. Narrated by Celia Pacquola, one of Australia's most beloved comedians and actors known for her roles in Utopia, Rosehaven, and Thank God You're Here, the film chronicles the experiences of rookies and seasoned veterans as they strive to become a Top Gun – the best ballkids of the tournament, chosen to work on Rod Laver Arena for the prestigious finals matches. “We've always known that the ballkids are integral to the smooth running of the tournament, but Ballkids shows just how much effort, skill, and determination it takes to make it to the top,” Scott Baskett, Director and Producer at Run Wild Productions, said. “This documentary is not just about tennis, it's about resilience, teamwork, and the pursuit of perfection — values that transcend the sport itself.” Xavier Muhlebach, Tennis Australia Head of Original Content, said, “Ballkids is all about celebrating the amazing kids who keep the Australian Open moving. Filming with them was such a fun and inspiring experience – seeing their dedication and love for the game up close really brings a fresh perspective to what they do. “We're thrilled to premiere Ballkids at the Gold Coast Film Festival, especially as we know Queenslanders love their tennis.” Filmed during Australian Open 2023 and 2024, Celia Pacquola's witty and engaging voice lends a unique charm to the film, adding both humor and heart as she guides viewers through the thrilling, emotional journey of the ballkids. Naomi Just, Producer at Mischief Media, said “We hit the jackpot with Celia Pacquola as our narrator for Ballkids. “We're so thrilled the Gold Coast Film Festival is the home for Ballkids' Australian premiere and we really look forward to showcasing these incredible young people who help bring to life one of the biggest sporting events in the world.”