Canada's Bianca Andreescu returns a shot to Italy's Jasmine Paolini during a first-round match of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York. PARIS - Bianca Andreescu's comeback hit a snag Wednesday when she was bounced from the second round of the French Open qualifying tournament. But she failed to convert, and Hibino came back for a 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 victory on the clay courts of Roland Garros that took two hours 31 minutes to complete. Germany's Tamara Korpatsch cruised to a 6-2, 6-1 victory over 24th seed Marina Stakusic of Mississauga, and 10th seed Rebeka Masarova of Switzerland was a comfortable 6-0, 6-3 winner over Carson Branstine, a Californian who represents Canada internationally. 4 and the 2019 U.S. Open champion, is back on the court after a nearly six-month layoff after she underwent emergency appendix surgery in February. She has had some success this year on clay — which she has said is not her strongest surface — including a run to the fourth round of the WTA 1000 Italian Open earlier this month. Rising star Victoria Mboko of Toronto, the last Canadian alive in qualifying, plays a second-round match Thursday against Kathinka von Deichmann of Liechtenstein. He will next face France's Alexandre Muller, who advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (5) upset of top seed Alexander Zverev. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 21, 2025. Premier David Eby says discussion about former Ontario attorney general Michael Br…

The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York, where the US Open is held, will undergo a major $800 million renovation. This self-funded project by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) aims to update the famous Arthur Ashe Stadium and incorporate a state-of-the-art player performance facility. The stadium will receive modernised concourses to add new retail, food, and beverage spaces. It will also gain 2,000 new courtside-level bowl seats, expanding seating in that area from 3,000 to 5,000 seats, bringing more fans closer to the action. The seating capacity will remain stable and won't increase or decrease. There will also be two luxury suite levels and new dining options. A $250 million, four-story player performance center will be built adjacent to Arthur Ashe Stadium and connected by a sky bridge. The center will have bigger locker rooms, indoor and outdoor warm-up areas, a new dedicated cafe for players, and relaxation areas to meet the needs of today's athletes, who frequently travel with coaches, trainers, physiotherapists, and families. The redesigned USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center will preserve its reputation as a tennis mecca while redefining itself as a vibrant entertainment and cultural hub. By 2027, fans can enjoy a more immersive and comfortable experience, players will benefit from cutting-edge facilities, and the US Open will cement its reputation as a world-class spectacle in the heart of New York City. ATP French Open qualifiers semifinals Cilic – Martin Tiffon: 21.05.2025 16:00 CEST H2H: first meeting Marin Cilic has lost three of his last five matches. The remaining WTA Strasbourg round of 16 matches will be completed on Wednesday. 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu's battle with last year's runner-up in

The American stood up for herself and Raducanu before winning in three sets.ByDavid KanePublished May 21, 2025 copy_link Danielle Collins pulled off a second three-set win of the week at the Internationaux de Strasbourg, the 2024 finalist rallying to defeat Emma Raducanu, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.“I think it's more rewarding when you win a tough match versus one that was easy,” Collins said on court after the match. “A lot of times when you win easy, it's just about how bad the other player played, right? So, it's better if it can be a little bit close to come out with these wins.”The former world No. 7 shook off losing a long game late in the third and, fired up by a too-close-for-comfort cameraman, reeled off the final three games of match, knocking out the 2021 US Open champion in two hours and 21 minutes.“I knew playing Emma, I would have to play my aggressive game style,” she said, “and the more that I did that, I think I was able to kind of stay in control of the points and really push her. She played really well and gave me some challenges but I just kept going after it.”Collins is in the midst of an encore season after initially planning to make 2024 her final year on tour. She made up for a delayed start to her red-clay swing with a big win at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia, dethroning defending champion Iga Swiatek in straight sets en route to the fourth round. “I think it's more rewarding when you win a tough match versus one that was easy,” Collins said on court after the match. “A lot of times when you win easy, it's just about how bad the other player played, right? So, it's better if it can be a little bit close to come out with these wins.”The former world No. 7 shook off losing a long game late in the third and, fired up by a too-close-for-comfort cameraman, reeled off the final three games of match, knocking out the 2021 US Open champion in two hours and 21 minutes.“I knew playing Emma, I would have to play my aggressive game style,” she said, “and the more that I did that, I think I was able to kind of stay in control of the points and really push her. She played really well and gave me some challenges but I just kept going after it.”Collins is in the midst of an encore season after initially planning to make 2024 her final year on tour. She made up for a delayed start to her red-clay swing with a big win at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia, dethroning defending champion Iga Swiatek in straight sets en route to the fourth round. 7 shook off losing a long game late in the third and, fired up by a too-close-for-comfort cameraman, reeled off the final three games of match, knocking out the 2021 US Open champion in two hours and 21 minutes.“I knew playing Emma, I would have to play my aggressive game style,” she said, “and the more that I did that, I think I was able to kind of stay in control of the points and really push her. She played really well and gave me some challenges but I just kept going after it.”Collins is in the midst of an encore season after initially planning to make 2024 her final year on tour. She made up for a delayed start to her red-clay swing with a big win at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia, dethroning defending champion Iga Swiatek in straight sets en route to the fourth round. She played really well and gave me some challenges but I just kept going after it.”Collins is in the midst of an encore season after initially planning to make 2024 her final year on tour. She made up for a delayed start to her red-clay swing with a big win at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia, dethroning defending champion Iga Swiatek in straight sets en route to the fourth round. Collins is in the midst of an encore season after initially planning to make 2024 her final year on tour. She made up for a delayed start to her red-clay swing with a big win at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia, dethroning defending champion Iga Swiatek in straight sets en route to the fourth round. I'm not someone that is going through life quietly...I know what it takes to succeed, and at this level, you have to compete...It's about bringing the energy, showing positive emotions, sometimes showing negative emotion and being upset with yourself, but then trying to work through those moments. Unseeded in Strasbourg, she battled past in-form fellow American Sofia Kenin in the first round to book an intriguing clash against a resurgent Raducanu, who enjoyed a fourth-round run of her own at the Foro Italico just last week.Raducanu opened her Strasbourg campaign with an impressive upset over No. Collins stepped in to break right back and spent the ensuing changeover standing up for herself and Raducanu, imploring a encroaching cameraman to step back as they attempted to rehydrate.“We're on a changeover,” she told the cameraman, who was stationed between the two players. Raducanu opened her Strasbourg campaign with an impressive upset over No. Collins stepped in to break right back and spent the ensuing changeover standing up for herself and Raducanu, imploring a encroaching cameraman to step back as they attempted to rehydrate.“We're on a changeover,” she told the cameraman, who was stationed between the two players. Collins looked to consolidate a break advantage early in the decider but Raducanu kept battling, leveling the set at three games apiece. Collins stepped in to break right back and spent the ensuing changeover standing up for herself and Raducanu, imploring a encroaching cameraman to step back as they attempted to rehydrate.“We're on a changeover,” she told the cameraman, who was stationed between the two players. Collins is into her second WTA quarterfinal of the 2025 season, having reached the last eight in Charleston in April. “I think to be good at anything, self-expression is really important. There's not too many successful people in the world that feel like they can't be themselves. I think you have to be yourself, and I'm a competitor at the end of the day. I know what it takes to succeed, and at this level, you have to compete and this is what competing is about.

Though he will not be playing, the 2025 French Open will still be a memorable one for Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard's appearance at Roland Garros as a player came a year ago when he was beaten by Alexander Zverev in the opening round. With his career now over, Nadal will appear at his most successful tournament where he will be honoured with a special tribute ceremony, which former rival Andy Roddick is looking forward to. Rafael Nadal's record of 14 French Open titles is one that may very well never be broken. He dominated this Parisian Grand Slam, winning 112 matches and losing just four throughout his illustrious career. Therefore, it is only fitting that the tournament honours its greatest ever player, and that will take place in a special tribute ceremony for Nadal on May 25, the opening day of the French Open. During an episode of his ‘Served' podcast, Roddick shared his thoughts on the upcoming event and expects some of the 22-time Grand Slam winner's greatest rivals such as Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic to be present. The Davis Cup one kind of felt weird. That's not the way his career should have ended in my opinion,” Roddick said. “They wanted all the guys to come and by there but I was with Roger a couple of weeks ago and he was like you don't know what day he plays and then if he plays and wins, they wanted us to come on the Thursday, but if he loses on a Tuesday, it was all just messy. I expect all the people to be there. In fact, he is regarded by many as the greatest competitor that the sport has ever seen and his ability to stay resilient helped win him plenty of matches when he was below his best level. Off court however Nadal is a more reserved individual and prefers not to be as much in the spotlight. “I'm not much for tributes, but Roland-Garros is obviously the most important place in my career, without a doubt,” said Nadal.

Nao Hibino came from match point down to upset Bianca Andreescu in the second round of Roland Garros qualifying. 17 seed Bianca Andreescu's return to Roland Garros qualifying after pulling off a remarkable second-round comeback to win 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 in 2 hours and 31 minutes. Hibino saved one match point trailing 5-3 in the second set. She picked up where she left off in a dominant first set against Hibino, carving a series of winning drop shots and deploying fine variety from the baseline. 200-ranked Hibino found some form to take a 3-1 lead in the second set, but Andreescu responded by powering through the next four games in a row to reach the brink of victory. However, Hibino fired an inside-in forehand winner from deep beyond the baseline to save match point, and from that point on began to deliver some brilliant all-court tennis to turn the match in her favor. 56 and three-time WTA titlist began to read Andreescu's game and come up with answers for everything: flat counter-punching from the baseline to wrong-foot the Canadian, canny net approaches to cut off volleys and her own deft counter-drop shots. Hibino played a magnificent return game to break Andreescu for 5-5, then from 5-2 down in the tiebreak reeled off five straight points to level the match. A pair of Andreescu forehand errors opened the door, but at 5-5 in the tiebreak, Hibino stepped up with a pair of superb backhand winners to snatch the set. Hibino will next bid for a place in her seventh Roland Garros main draw against No. But three wild three-setters managed to get over the line before play was called on all courts. Nao Hibino came from match point down to upset Bianca Andreescu in the second round of Roland Garros qualifying.

As Roland Garros approaches, we've refreshed our Clay-Court Power Rankings -- a data-backed look at who's been best on the surface over the past five seasons. This updated “Clay Index” reflects a weighted calculation of clay-court performance: The clay queen remains in a league of her own. Her supremacy is built on titles, consistency and an unmatched ability to win in Paris. Swiatek has won a clay-court title in each of the past five seasons, but for the first time in that stretch, she heads to Roland Garros without one. 2 with 5759.25 points, thanks to deep runs at key WTA 1000 events. She has yet to win Roland Garros, but her form on clay is trending up after winning the WTA 1000 title in Madrid. Coco Gauff sits third with 4,322.75 points, buoyed by steady clay-court results over the past two seasons. She's reached at least the quarterfinals 11 times on clay since 2021 -- behind only Swiatek and Sabalenka. A pair of 2024 Roland Garros quarterfinalists are next in line. Jabeur has reached five clay-court finals since 2021, but her most recent final came two years ago in Charleston. This season, Jabeur lost in the opening rounds at Madrid and Rome, but with back-to-back quarterfinals runs at Roland Garros, Jabeur has a proven track record of success on clay. No surprise: Swiatek leads the tour with 81 wins on clay since 2021, followed by Sabalenka (62) and Gauff (58). They've also simply played and won more than anyone else on the dirt.

“My life has changed a lot, but for better, to be honest,” says the Serbian in Switzerland. “It's just a new chapter that I'm embracing.”ByMatt FitzgeraldPublished May 21, 2025 copy_link The Serbian has an uncle who works in Switzerland, and a cousin that gave birth to a baby he's yet to meet. His parents, along with wife Jelena, son Stefan and daughter Tara, are traveling in, too.“We're still negotiating with the organizers to take like half of the stadium for my family for the match,” a relaxed Djokovic told press inside a packed tent. The Serbian has an uncle who works in Switzerland, and a cousin that gave birth to a baby he's yet to meet. His parents, along with wife Jelena, son Stefan and daughter Tara, are traveling in, too.“We're still negotiating with the organizers to take like half of the stadium for my family for the match,” a relaxed Djokovic told press inside a packed tent. The Serbian has an uncle who works in Switzerland, and a cousin that gave birth to a baby he's yet to meet. His parents, along with wife Jelena, son Stefan and daughter Tara, are traveling in, too.“We're still negotiating with the organizers to take like half of the stadium for my family for the match,” a relaxed Djokovic told press inside a packed tent. The Serbian has an uncle who works in Switzerland, and a cousin that gave birth to a baby he's yet to meet. His parents, along with wife Jelena, son Stefan and daughter Tara, are traveling in, too.“We're still negotiating with the organizers to take like half of the stadium for my family for the match,” a relaxed Djokovic told press inside a packed tent. Without that, I wouldn't be probably able to keep the balance. 6 was in Belgrade for the unveiling of a special project his sponsor Lacoste partnered on with Novak Djokovic Foundation. A giant portrait of Nole fist-pumping bleeds into an adjacent multi-purpose basketball and volleyball court that documents his 24 title runs across the four Grand Slam host cities. A giant portrait of Nole fist-pumping bleeds into an adjacent multi-purpose basketball and volleyball court that documents his 24 title runs across the four Grand Slam host cities. Trying to get young children and young people out on the courts, sports facilities, fields, trying to engage in as many outdoor activities as possible. There's no better, healthier environment or development for them to do so.” Trying to get young children and young people out on the courts, sports facilities, fields, trying to engage in as many outdoor activities as possible. There's no better, healthier environment or development for them to do so.” Trying to get young children and young people out on the courts, sports facilities, fields, trying to engage in as many outdoor activities as possible. There's no better, healthier environment or development for them to do so.” It's a different chapter of my life that I'm trying to navigate myself through. I'm not particularly used to having this kind of circumstance where I would lose consecutive matches (in) first rounds and so forth. I don't think it ever happened for me in like the last 20 years. While Djokovic was in his hometown, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner were respectively making their way through to an eventual Internazionali BNL d'Italia final showdown. A six-time champion in Rome, Djokovic opted out of playing the ATP Masters 1000 event. His respect for the two-time Olympic gold medalist only grew from their experience together, with Djokovic singling out Murray's “brilliant tennis IQ.” The timing simply came down to both sides agreeing nothing more could be gained from that dynamic.Dusan Vemic and Boris Bosnjakovic will share coaching duties for now in Geneva and Paris. Set to turn 38 on Thursday, Djokovic is in “no rush” to look beyond those events for what comes next on the team front as he crosses unfamiliar territory. He's dropped three consecutive matches since reaching the Miami Open final, including both previous clay-court appearances in Monte Carlo and Madrid. His respect for the two-time Olympic gold medalist only grew from their experience together, with Djokovic singling out Murray's “brilliant tennis IQ.” The timing simply came down to both sides agreeing nothing more could be gained from that dynamic.Dusan Vemic and Boris Bosnjakovic will share coaching duties for now in Geneva and Paris. Set to turn 38 on Thursday, Djokovic is in “no rush” to look beyond those events for what comes next on the team front as he crosses unfamiliar territory. He's dropped three consecutive matches since reaching the Miami Open final, including both previous clay-court appearances in Monte Carlo and Madrid. Set to turn 38 on Thursday, Djokovic is in “no rush” to look beyond those events for what comes next on the team front as he crosses unfamiliar territory. He's dropped three consecutive matches since reaching the Miami Open final, including both previous clay-court appearances in Monte Carlo and Madrid. 10 in the race to Turin going into this latest tournament week.© AFP or licensors The holder of 99 ATP-level titles recognizes a time comes for every elite athlete—even the GOATs—to reach a stage of insecurity on their respective playing field. It's a fact that's better to acknowledge than fight, and to approach like any challenge that requires persistent trial and error.“I have to accept that my level is maybe not as consistent as it was—not maybe—it is not,” he stated. I'm not particularly used to having this kind of circumstance where I would lose consecutive matches (in) first rounds and so forth. I don't think it ever happened for me in like the last 20 years. But I knew that eventually that moment will come.“Of course, I'm very pleased and proud of my entire career, but I still have a desire to reach the greatest heights, to win Slams and to be one of the best players in the world. I'm not particularly used to having this kind of circumstance where I would lose consecutive matches (in) first rounds and so forth. I don't think it ever happened for me in like the last 20 years. But I knew that eventually that moment will come.“Of course, I'm very pleased and proud of my entire career, but I still have a desire to reach the greatest heights, to win Slams and to be one of the best players in the world. “It's a different chapter of my life that I'm trying to navigate myself through. I'm not particularly used to having this kind of circumstance where I would lose consecutive matches (in) first rounds and so forth. I don't think it ever happened for me in like the last 20 years. But I knew that eventually that moment will come.“Of course, I'm very pleased and proud of my entire career, but I still have a desire to reach the greatest heights, to win Slams and to be one of the best players in the world. “Of course, I'm very pleased and proud of my entire career, but I still have a desire to reach the greatest heights, to win Slams and to be one of the best players in the world. Seeded second behind fourth-ranked Taylor Fritz, Djokovic faces Marton Fucsovics in his opening match Wednesday evening. Revenge opportunities potentially await against his Madrid conqueror, Matteo Arrnaldi, and third seed Tomas Machac, who won their Geneva semifinal last year.With his family set to pack the stands, Djokovic will be energized to begin a fresh streak of momentum ahead of launching another bid for major title No. Without that, I wouldn't be probably able to keep the balance,” said Djokovic.“I know what it takes to be a Grand Slam champion. My life has changed a lot, but for better, to be honest. With his family set to pack the stands, Djokovic will be energized to begin a fresh streak of momentum ahead of launching another bid for major title No. Without that, I wouldn't be probably able to keep the balance,” said Djokovic.“I know what it takes to be a Grand Slam champion. My life has changed a lot, but for better, to be honest. Without that, I wouldn't be probably able to keep the balance,” said Djokovic.“I know what it takes to be a Grand Slam champion. My life has changed a lot, but for better, to be honest. “I know what it takes to be a Grand Slam champion. My life has changed a lot, but for better, to be honest.

Several WTA players will head to Roland Garros with genuine title ambitions as the field appears more open than ever. Three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek would be the obvious pick, but her form in 2025 has left many questioning her title-winning credentials. The world number one could be primed to take advantage, having already picked up a title on clay this year, when Aryna Sabalenka won the Madrid Open. Italian Open finalists Jasmine Paolini and Coco Gauff could also be contenders, having impressed fans with their clay court prowess in Rome recently. The 2019 US Open champion has just lost in qualifying, as she failed to convert match points that would've seen her move one step closer to the main draw. Winning her opening match in French Open qualifying, Andreescu was just two wins away from a spot in the Roland Garros main draw. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be for the 24-year-old, as she lost to Japan's Nao Hibino, 6-2, 6-7, 4-6, despite leading 6-2, 5-3, 40-30 in the second set. Andreescu secured two impressive seeded victories at the Italian Open before coming up short against China's Qinwen Zheng in the fourth round. Andreescu's win over Elena Rybakina in the third round was by far her most impressive since returning, as she dominated the 2023 champion in straight sets. In 2019, Andreescu made her Flushing Meadows debut, entering the event as the number 15 seed, having won her home Canadian Open one month earlier. There, she came face to face with six-time champion Serena Williams, who was forced to retire from her previous meeting with Andreescu after just four games during the Canadian Open final. Producing her best tennis on the biggest occasion, Andreescu upset the legend, lifting her maiden Major title with a 6-3, 7-5 win on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Andreescu became the first player to win the US Open title on her main draw debut, a feat matched by Emma Raducanu two years later. 2012 French Open finalist Sara Errani won her opening match in qualifying and will now take on Anna-Lena Friedsam in the second round. Andreescu's fellow Canadian has also been in action, as teenage prospect Victoria Mboko beat Sinja Kraus in her opener and awaits Liechtenstein's Kathinka Von Deichmann when she returns to the court. Errani and Mboko are scheduled to play their second round qualifying matches on Wednesday, May 21.

Novak Djokovic admitted his time alongside coach Andy Murray ended because the pair “couldn't get more out of that partnership on court.” Three-time Grand Slam champion Murray was a shock hire at the back-end of last year for one of his greatest rivals in Djokovic, with the pair working together for the Australian Open in January. "We felt like we couldn't get more out of that partnership on the court, and that's all there is to it,” Djokovic said, ahead of playing in the Geneva Open this week. "My respect towards Andy remains the same, even more actually, I got to know him as a person. The Serb, who turns 38 on Thursday, is joined this week by Dusan Vemic, a previous member of his team, and assistant coach Boris Bosnjakovic. Djokovic has previously worked with Boris Becker and Goran Ivanisevic, but insists he is in no rush to appoint a new permanent coach. "At the moment, I'm not in need of a coach," Djokovic said. "I don't need to rush in any context. "In the next few tournaments, we'll see what happens." Djokovic has not won a title since claiming gold at the Paris Olympics last summer, which took place on the clay courts of Roland-Garros.

Kyiv • UNN May 21 2025, 12:08 PM • 1442 views The organizers of Wimbledon-2025 have announced the list of participants, which includes five Ukrainians: Svitolina, Kostyuk, Yastremska, Kalinina and Starodubtseva. The tournament will be held from June 30 to July 13. The organizers of the grass "major" have published a list of participants in this year's tennis tournament, which will include five Ukrainian women. This is reported by BTU, UNN reports. The published list of participants includes the following names of Ukrainian athletes: They all guaranteed their participation in the main draw of Wimbledon. Thanks to the "protected rating", Sorana Kirstea (Romania), Zhu Lin (China), Anastasia Sevastova (Latvia), Katie McNeilly (USA) and Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium) will perform in the main competitions This year's Wimbledon Championship will be held from June 30 to July 13. Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina won the WTA 250 tournament in Rouen, winning her first title in two years and the 18th of her career. In the final, she defeated Serbian Olga Danilović with a score of 6:4, 7:6(10:8). Yana Sokolivska

Now, however, the developers of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center have decided to add another level of entertainment and comfort for players and fans alike with a renovation project set to take place. The USTA is pouring $800M into a major upgrade of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center — its biggest investment yet 🎾✔️ Arthur Ashe Stadium overhaul✔️ New multistory player performance center✔️ Upgraded fan experienceMORE — https://t.co/L160Hxw0o6 pic.twitter.com/kVG3pFiQe2 The $800 million project is said to be the largest one to date at the year's last major, and work is said to be carried out in three phases. Also Read: Marton Fucsovics vs Novak Djokovic Head to Head Record, Prediction and Betting Odds for ATP Geneva Open 2025 Round of 16 The plans also include additions to restrooms, escalators, and elevators, along with modifications to the food and beverages sections. The US Open has unveiled an $800 million upgrade to Arthur Ashe Stadium and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.• 2,000 more seats• Two luxury suite levels• New clubs and restaurants• Indoor, outdoor warmup areas• Locker rooms and player lounges pic.twitter.com/hEYAbdIvp3 Around $250 million will be spent on developing a new, state-of-the-art facility known as the Player Performance Center for the players and their teams. Read More: ‘Rarely Is She Strategically Irresponsible or Wrong' – Jasmine Paolini Gets Hailed for Her Hyper Intelligence by Andy Roddick The developers have taken on an ambitious project, to say the least, but once the remodeling is done, there is no doubt that Flushing Meadows will be transformed into a much more iconic venue than what it already is today. I am a content writer for the NFL team. I joined The Playoffs recently at the beginning of February after working with Sportskeeda and NFL Analysis as an NFL writer. However, this is a career change for me as previously I used to be a French to English translator. I started out in the sports media field because of two main reasons: my love for sports in general, especially the NFL, NBA, and Tennis as well as my passion for writing. In a world full of chaos, sports unites and entertains like nothing else! Get the biggest stories delivered straight to you - for free! By signing up, you consent to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy, nad to receive marketing and account-related emails from The Playoffs. Our mission: To help bettors make the best choices with in-depth analysis, reliable data, and passionate expertise. At The Playoffs, we live and breathe sports. Every day, our editorial teams work to deliver the most accurate and relevant information so you can place bets with confidence—and most importantly, enjoy the experience. Set limits on your time and spending, never chase your losses, and understand that betting is a form of entertainment—not a way to earn money. If gambling stops being enjoyable or starts affecting your life negatively, don't hesitate to seek support or take advantage of self-exclusion tools provided by betting platforms. Remember, responsible betting is the key to a safe and enjoyable gaming experience. DISCLAIMER: This site is 100% for entertainment purposes only and does not involve real money betting.

But then you spend time in his company and realise he is slightly unusual. Though he played county level as a child, he enjoyed various sports as a teenager before a tennis scholarship to Culford School in Suffolk – “I don't know how we weaselled that!” – inspired him to attend college in North Carolina, where he read economics. “We'd have two hours' training in the afternoon, a foreign concept to me,” he says. Though he acknowledges that “it's pretty tough to see a hundred 12-year-olds and say which'll be a champion”, even when he excelled in the US no one paid attention. So he agreed to join Ernst & Young as a technology risk consultant, but was saved by the pandemic, doing well enough in bubble events for his family to insist he pursued tennis seriously. “Thank goodness they talked me around otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here. It completely engrosses you and takes your mind off whatever else is going on.” Patten's calm sense of perspective is striking, but a debut grand slam final is of a palpably different order – especially for an unseeded, unknown Briton in SW19. “But this time I couldn't stop smiling, it's the coolest thing ever. I went completely blank so Harri came and said, ‘Your serve is great, serve here; I'm going to go here,' which usually the server would dictate. I served an ace and said, ‘OK, now tell me how to serve on this one.” Doubles, though, suffers from a chronic lack of funding, coverage and care, despite proof – exemplified by Patten's experiences – that people love it. “You see a lot more variation in the shots – singles is mainly baseline rallies, but doubles has net play with quick hands, it's absolute carnage. Fundamentally, you're dealing with extremely competitive 30-year-old men who travel the world together – it's a recipe for disaster!” Patten also has a vision for change, citing padel as an example. Most sports, the spectacle is great but it's really about being with friends and having a nice time, so you could turn doubles into something different, with music and free crowd movement. Doubles has a great chance of becoming this unique, fun event … if the authorities let it.”