https://www.scmp.com/rss/325504/feed The Women's Tennis Association (WTA), founded in 1973 by Billie Jean King, is the principal organising body of women's professional tennis. It governs the WTA Tour which is the worldwide professional tennis tour for women. The WTA's corporate headquarters is in St. Petersburg, Florida, with its European headquarters in London and its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Beijing. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Tribune News Service,Associated Press Tribune News Service,Associated Press Aryna Sabalenka beat Coco Gauff in the Miami Open women’s singles final on Saturday, winning 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to become the first player to accomplish the “Sunshine Double” since Iga Swiatek in 2022. The world No 1 overpowered fourth-ranked Gauff in the first and third sets with sizzling groundstroke winners and followed up her win at Indian Wells with also taking Miami in the same season. Sabalenka took home the US$1.15 million winner’s cheque and became the fifth woman to complete the Sunshine... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3348276/miami-open-aryna-sabalenka-seals-sunshine-double-win-over-local-favourite-coco-gauff?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3348276/miami-open-aryna-sabalenka-seals-sunshine-double-win-over-local-favourite-coco-gauff?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 04:41:02 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina on Wednesday booked a blockbuster semi-final at the Miami Open in a rerun of their Melbourne grand slam decider. Defending champion Sabalenka held off big-hitting 45th-ranked American Hailey Baptiste 6-4, 6-4. World No 2 Rybakina beat fifth-seeded American Jessica Pegula – runner-up to Sabalenka last year – 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. They will return on Thursday at Hard Rock Stadium – home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins – to fight for a place in the final. Rybakina... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3347970/tennis-top-2-women-aryna-sabalenka-elena-rybakina-clash-again-miami-open-semi-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3347970/tennis-top-2-women-aryna-sabalenka-elena-rybakina-clash-again-miami-open-semi-final?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:30:16 +0000 Agence France-Presse,dpa Agence France-Presse,dpa Jannik Sinner set a record for consecutive sets won at ATP Masters 1000 events as the Italian and Aryna Sabalenka kept their “Sunshine Double” dreams alive with emphatic victories at the ATP/WTA Miami Open on Monday. Sinner and Sabalenka are bidding to join an elite band of players who have won Indian Wells and the Miami Open back to back, and arrived in Florida brimming with confidence after their respective victories in the California desert earlier this month. World No 2 Sinner beat French... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3347687/miami-open-sunshine-double-dreams-alive-sinner-breaks-record-sabalenka-beats-zheng?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3347687/miami-open-sunshine-double-dreams-alive-sinner-breaks-record-sabalenka-beats-zheng?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:05:13 +0000 Reuters Reuters Former world ⁠No 1 Naomi ⁠Osaka said she is considering ⁠how best to balance her tennis schedule with motherhood after a 7-5 6-4 loss to Australia’s Talia Gibson in her opening match on Saturday at the Miami Open. Osaka returned to the tour in ‌2024 after a 15-month break following the birth of her daughter and reached the US Open semi-finals last year. She withdrew ahead of her scheduled third-round match at the Australian Open in January due to an abdominal injury. The four-time grand slam... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3347476/naomi-osaka-considering-how-balance-tennis-motherhood-ahead-clay-court-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3347476/naomi-osaka-considering-how-balance-tennis-motherhood-ahead-clay-court-season?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:00:16 +0000 Stephy Zhang Stephy Zhang China tennis star Zheng Qinwen has named former world No 8 Marcos Baghdatis as her new coach and dismissed talk of a split with former trainer Pere Riba, saying the Spaniard was just taking a break. Zheng had sparked rumours of a split with Riba after unfollowing her long-time coach on social media and posting the Nietzsche quote, “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how”, on a revamped profile. But speaking on Wednesday ahead of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, she said the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3345533/zheng-qinwen-adds-marcos-baghdatis-coaching-line-dismisses-talk-riba-split?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3345533/zheng-qinwen-adds-marcos-baghdatis-coaching-line-dismisses-talk-riba-split?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 07:30:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters A WTA tournament in Texas has unveiled ⁠a “rage room” for ⁠players to take out ⁠their frustrations away from the cameras after Coco Gauff’s racquet-smashing outburst at the Australian Open last month sparked debate about privacy at tournaments. Shortly after Gauff’s 59-minute quarter-final loss ‌to Elina Svitolina at Melbourne Park, the American went to the match call area and repeatedly smashed her racquet on the ground, unaware that it was being broadcast to viewers around the world. Novak... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3344711/tennis-stars-can-blow-steam-rage-room-austin-event-shang-tries-it-out-dubai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3344711/tennis-stars-can-blow-steam-rage-room-austin-event-shang-tries-it-out-dubai?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 07:16:35 +0000 Ada Li Ada Li Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen has unfollowed her coach Pere Riba on social media, reigniting speculation that one of tennis’s most closely watched partnerships could be about to change again. Chinese fans quickly spotted that Riba no longer appeared among the accounts Zheng follows on Instagram, and the 23-year-old also added a quote from philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche – “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how” – to her profile. Fresh doubts over the long-term future of the coaching... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3344492/tennis-star-zheng-qinwen-sparks-split-speculation-after-unfollowing-coach-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3344492/tennis-star-zheng-qinwen-sparks-split-speculation-after-unfollowing-coach-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:00:18 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara With her magnetic personality, easy smile and nerveless shot-making, Joanna Garland earned a horde of new admirers on her run to the final of this month’s novelty One Point Slam in Australia. The women’s world No 117, who was born in England to Taiwanese parents, Garland is “incredibly grateful” she had the opportunity to compete in the sudden-death competition, ahead of the Australian Open. However, her victims included Alexander Zverev and Nick Kyrgios, and the 24-year-old is “sure many good... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3341779/uk-family-struggles-mean-taiwans-garland-not-over-losing-au1-million-aussie-amateur?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3341779/uk-family-struggles-mean-taiwans-garland-not-over-losing-au1-million-aussie-amateur?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:00:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Elina Svitolina was tested by China’s Wang Xinyu in the Auckland Open final on Sunday ‌but came through 6-3, 7-6 to kick off her ‍new season with her 19th WTA title. The 31-year-old baseliner was not quite firing on all cylinders as she continued her preparations for the Australian Open after a ⁠lengthy break, but had enough quality and experience to get past her aggressive 24-year-old opponent. “It feels amazing to win another title especially after a not-great end to last season,” said... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3339483/chinas-wang-xinyu-lets-world-no-13-elina-svitolina-hook-auckland-wta-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3339483/chinas-wang-xinyu-lets-world-no-13-elina-svitolina-hook-auckland-wta-final?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Jan 2026 07:15:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Women’s world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka wants a rematch of her “Battle of the Sexes” showdown with Nick Kyrgios so she can get revenge. Australia’s Kyrgios beat the Belarusian 6-3, 6-3 in a highly publicised showdown in Dubai last Sunday, with modified rules that divided fans. Sabalenka’s side of the court was reduced in size by nine percent in an attempt to restrict Kyrgios’ power and speed advantage, while each player only received one serve. “I think I would definitely do it again,” she said on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3338428/sabalenka-wants-battle-sexes-rematch-and-revenge-rule-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3338428/sabalenka-wants-battle-sexes-rematch-and-revenge-rule-change?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 15:59:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios will meet in the “Battle of the Sexes” on Sunday, but the only similarity between the Dubai exhibition and the historic 1973 match is the name, Billie Jean King has said. Women’s world No 1 Sabalenka, a four-time grand slam champion, takes on injury-prone Australian Kyrgios in a highly publicised showdown that has divided tennis fans. The title “Battle of the Sexes” harked back to the meeting between King and Bobby Riggs in September 1973, in what was a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3337869/battle-sexes-tennis-match-between-aryna-sabalenka-nick-kyrgios-dividing-opinion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3337869/battle-sexes-tennis-match-between-aryna-sabalenka-nick-kyrgios-dividing-opinion?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Dec 2025 06:30:29 +0000 Reuters Reuters Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner turned 2025 into a gripping tug of war for tennis supremacy by carving up the grand slams for a second straight year, while the women’s game showcased depth and drama with four different major champions. Sinner’s dominant victory over Alexander Zverev at the start of the season helped him retain his Australian Open title and become the first Italian to capture three majors – moving past Nicola Pietrangeli, who won back-to-back French Opens in 1959-60. What... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3337729/year-tennis-sincaraz-rivalry-splits-mens-grand-slams-while-4-share-womens-titles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3337729/year-tennis-sincaraz-rivalry-splits-mens-grand-slams-while-4-share-womens-titles?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 06:00:16 +0000 Stephy Zhang Stephy Zhang China’s Zheng Qinwen will resume her comeback at an exhibition event with a difference on the eve of next month’s Australian Open: a tournament consisting of one-point matches. Zheng, who had surgery on a troublesome right elbow in July and has barely played since, will join the likes of Naomi Osaka, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in the AO 1 Point Slam at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena. Ten amateur players will try their luck against 22 professionals in knockout rounds, with “rock, paper,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3337646/zheng-qinwen-join-osaka-alcaraz-1-point-slam-australian-open?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3337646/zheng-qinwen-join-osaka-alcaraz-1-point-slam-australian-open?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 10:41:11 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Billionaire investor Marc Lasry believes professional tennis is “ripe for disruption”, and revealed he had discussed ideas for innovation with the sport’s officials. Speaking on the sidelines of the South China Morning Post’s Family Business Summit 2025 on Friday, Lasry said he thought leading figures in the game were open to change. “I have talked to the folks there, and we are trying to do a couple of things,” he told the Post at the Rosewood Hong Kong hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, before taking... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3331974/billionaire-investor-marc-lasry-sees-huge-opportunity-innovation-tennis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3331974/billionaire-investor-marc-lasry-sees-huge-opportunity-innovation-tennis?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 11:35:07 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Victoria Mboko won the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open on Sunday, beating Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in a thrilling final that needed three sets and almost three hours to decide the winner. Despite losing a 20-point tiebreak in a tight second set, the Canadian claimed the second title of her season at Victoria Park Tennis Stadium, downing Bucsa in a match where both players pushed each other to the absolute limit on centre court. The title could have gone to either player, as they shared 25 break... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3331216/hong-kong-tennis-open-china-pair-jiang-xinyu-wang-yafan-take-doubles-crown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3331216/hong-kong-tennis-open-china-pair-jiang-xinyu-wang-yafan-take-doubles-crown?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Nov 2025 07:14:38 +0000 Tom Bell Tom Bell Cristina Bucsa had it all her own way while Victoria Mboko was forced to fight a friend for supremacy as each booked a place in the final of the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open on Saturday. Mboko, 19, looked to be heading out of the tournament when under assault from a laser-focused Leylah Fernandez in an all-Canadian encounter at Victoria Park Tennis Stadium. Flying at a set and 2-1 up in a high-quality second semi-final, Fernandez called for the physiotherapist before returning to the fray... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3331165/hong-kong-tennis-open-spains-bucsa-final-awaits-winner-fernandez-v-mboko?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3331165/hong-kong-tennis-open-spains-bucsa-final-awaits-winner-fernandez-v-mboko?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 07:16:38 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Maya Joint booked a Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open semi-final showdown with Cristina Bucsa after a mid-match “mental reset” helped her overcome surprise package Himeno Sakatsume in three sets on Friday. Victoria Mboko then joined her in the last four after her opponent, Anna Kalinskaya, withdrew because of illness when trailing 6-1, 3-1. She will play fellow Canadian Leylah Fernandez, who overcame Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 6-4 in the day’s final match. Russian Kalinskaya’s movement was inhibited... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3331025/prudential-hong-kong-open-thigh-injury-forces-top-seed-bencic-pull-out-tournament?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3331025/prudential-hong-kong-open-thigh-injury-forces-top-seed-bencic-pull-out-tournament?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2025 05:44:57 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Canada’s Victoria Mboko broke hundreds of Filipino fans’ hearts at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open on Thursday, as she battled back from a set down to knock out Alexandra Eala and progress to the quarter-finals. The world No 21’s victory came despite most of the crowd inside Victoria Park Tennis Stadium roaring on the young Philippine player in an epic second-round match that lasted two hours and 27 minutes. The tie started at full throttle, with Eala winning three games in a row in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3330906/hong-kong-tennis-open-last-chinese-players-shown-door-top-seed-bencic-progresses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3330906/hong-kong-tennis-open-last-chinese-players-shown-door-top-seed-bencic-progresses?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 09:29:44 +0000 Owen Goulding Owen Goulding Maya Joint has one eye on a seeded berth at the Australian Open as she looks to continue her march through the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open on Friday. After being forced to dig in to defeat Anastasija Sevastova in a three-setter in which she was a set and a break down before a rain delay on Monday, Joint had a much smoother time against Viktoria Morvayova on Wednesday, progressing in straight sets. The 19-year-old Australian, who came to Hong Kong ranked 32nd in the world, needs to at least... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3330870/hong-kong-tennis-open-maya-joint-eyes-another-title-and-australian-grand-slam-seeding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3330870/hong-kong-tennis-open-maya-joint-eyes-another-title-and-australian-grand-slam-seeding?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 06:47:06 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Leylah Fernandez delivered the performance of the tournament at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open on Wednesday, shutting down Ukrainian-born German Eva Lys 6-4, 6-1. The match-up was the first time two top-50 players had graced Victoria Park Tennis Stadium’s centre court at the same time at this year’s Open, but any signs it would be a close affair were quickly dispelled, as Fernandez took down Lys in one hour and eight minutes. After the match, Canadian Fernandez said she went into the match... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3330812/hong-kong-open-purposeful-former-champion-leylah-fernandez-makes-short-work-eva-lys?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3330812/hong-kong-open-purposeful-former-champion-leylah-fernandez-makes-short-work-eva-lys?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 14:10:25 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer The 2023 Prudential Hong Kong Open champion Leylah Fernandez got her tournament off to a winning start on Tuesday when she beat China’s Wang Xiyu in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4. Fernandez, ranked world No 22, dispatched Wang in one hour and 25 minutes on centre court at the Victoria Park Tennis Stadium and said the evening’s match was a lesson in staying focused. The 23-year-old Canadian was just one of a number of the tournament’s biggest names in action on Tuesday, with No 1 seed Belinda Bencic of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3330668/hong-kong-open-staying-focused-key-holder-leylah-fernandez-she-beats-wang-xiyu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3330668/hong-kong-open-staying-focused-key-holder-leylah-fernandez-she-beats-wang-xiyu?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 13:10:52 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Stars of the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open joined Judy Murray for an outreach programme on Sunday, where they spent the day giving back to the local community and coaching children with special educational needs (SEN). Murray, the mother of former world No 1 and three-time grand slam winner Andy Murray, takes the WTA Come Play programme, which aims to make tennis more accessible, to cities that feature on the tour. She was joined by Germany’s world No 50 player Eva Lys, China’s Li Na and 2023... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3330357/tennis-stars-fernandez-lys-give-hong-kong-children-introduction-game-they-love?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3330357/tennis-stars-fernandez-lys-give-hong-kong-children-introduction-game-they-love?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 07:36:15 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Hong Kong tennis player Maggie Ng Man-ying came close to pulling off a huge upset in the first qualifying round of the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open on Saturday, before bowing out 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 to Lu Jiajing, who is ranked more than 1,000 places above her. Wild card Ng was up 4-1 in the final set after securing an early break, but could only watch as Lu turned the tie on its head, winning the match on centre court at Victoria Park Tennis Stadium in two hours and one minute. Ng usually plays... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3330311/prudential-hong-kong-open-wild-card-ng-within-moments-shock-win-qualifiers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3330311/prudential-hong-kong-open-wild-card-ng-within-moments-shock-win-qualifiers?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Oct 2025 09:39:00 +0000 Aaina Bhargava Aaina Bhargava Aryna Sabalenka is living her best tennis life – travelling the world, eating well, soaking up the sun and winning big. Most recently, she took home the 2025 US Open title after a season marked by triumphs and near misses. “It’s a great feeling,” says the world No 1. “It’s just fun to be here, to travel around the world, to compete and win. All of it. I’m just really enjoying my tennis life.” Sabalenka is in Hong Kong for the Prudential NextGen Aces panel and exhibition match, speaking about... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3330242/aryna-sabalenka-loving-hong-kong-steffi-graf-and-inspiring-young-players?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3330242/aryna-sabalenka-loving-hong-kong-steffi-graf-and-inspiring-young-players?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 10:32:11 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer The Prudential Hong Kong Open has added four new players to the roster, including former winner Leylah Fernandez, after several high-profile names dropped out of the event, organisers confirmed on Saturday. The 2023 champion Fernandez will be joined by Tokyo Olympic singles champion Belinda Bencic, 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin and Greek star Maria Sakkari. Earlier this week, Emma Raducanu and Naomi Osaka both pulled out of the competition at Victoria Park for the second year... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3329518/hong-kong-open-former-winner-leylah-fernandez-among-4-new-faces-after-several-pull-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3329518/hong-kong-open-former-winner-leylah-fernandez-among-4-new-faces-after-several-pull-out?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Oct 2025 09:58:13 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka has called the packed tennis schedule “crazy” and said the sport’s governing bodies had to “do something” about it. Speaking to the Post on the sidelines of the Prudential NextGen Aces event in Hong Kong, Sabalenka is one of several high-profile players to weigh in on the issue in recent months. Last month, world No 2 Iga Swiatek said the season was too long and too intense, and hinted she may skip some mandatory tournaments in the future, while men’s world No 1 Carlos... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3329176/sabalenka-joins-calls-change-says-tennis-chiefs-have-fix-crazy-wta-tour-schedule?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3329176/sabalenka-joins-calls-change-says-tennis-chiefs-have-fix-crazy-wta-tour-schedule?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 03:00:11 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Nick Kyrgios and Aryna Sabalenka will go head to head in a Battle of the Sexes in Dubai in December, and not in Hong Kong as originally thought, the Post has learned. A clash between the two global stars had been rumoured to be set for Hong Kong in January, just before the Australian Open, but that has now changed, with December 28 floated as a potential date for the match. And when talking to the Post while in Hong Kong to attend the Prudential NextGen Aces event, world No 1 Sabalenka put her... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3329158/sabalenka-kyrgios-will-take-battle-sexes-dubai-hong-kong-misses-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3329158/sabalenka-kyrgios-will-take-battle-sexes-dubai-hong-kong-misses-out?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Oct 2025 14:16:28 +0000 dpa dpa Emma Raducanu again struggled physically in a first-round exit at the Ningbo Open on Tuesday, sparking fears she could pull out of the Hong Kong Open for the second year running. The former US Open champion was back on court a week after retiring from her opening match in Wuhan with dizziness in hot and humid conditions. The British No 1 and former US Open champion needed a medical timeout when she was 4-3 down in the second set and again when she was trailing 2-1 in the final set. Her movement... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3329027/emma-raducanu-sparks-hong-kong-open-doubts-after-struggling-physically-ningbo-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3329027/emma-raducanu-sparks-hong-kong-open-doubts-after-struggling-physically-ningbo-event?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 23:00:25 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Novak Djokovic threw up, Alexander Zverev poured sweat out of his shoe and Emma Raducanu quit her match with dizziness – and the bad news for the world’s top tennis players is that more baking weather is to come in China this week. Denmark’s Holger Rune called the temperatures of more than 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) and humidity soaring past 80 per cent at the Shanghai Masters “brutal”. “Do you want a player to die on court?” Rune was heard to ask this week in the fierce conditions. The... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3328253/chinas-temperatures-set-rise-tennis-finals-after-djokovic-vomits-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3328253/chinas-temperatures-set-rise-tennis-finals-after-djokovic-vomits-again?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 10:35:01 +0000 dpa,Agence France-Presse dpa,Agence France-Presse Emma Raducanu believes she is moving in the right direction, but acknowledged it was hard to quickly get over two painful defeats to Jessica Pegula and Barbora Krejcikova last month. Raducanu squandered three match points in a last-16 tie with former Wimbledon champion Krejcikova at the Korea Open on September 18 before, a fortnight later, history repeated itself with the British No 1 unable to close out victory against Pegula. The 2021 US Open champion had a 5-2 advantage over world No 7 Pegula... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3327928/wuhan-open-emma-raducanu-confident-she-moving-right-direction-after-painful-defeats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3327928/wuhan-open-emma-raducanu-confident-she-moving-right-direction-after-painful-defeats?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Oct 2025 13:00:10 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Zheng Qinwen’s China Open came to an abrupt end on Monday, with the home favourite retiring in the deciding set of her third-round clash against Linda Noskova. The Chinese world No 9 had recovered from going a set down to draw things level, but was well behind in the third set when she called time on her first tournament since recovering from elbow surgery. Noskova was 6-4, 3-6, 3-0 up at that point and will now face Russia’s Anastasia Potapova for a place in the quarter-finals. Zheng said her... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3327280/zheng-qinwen-retires-china-open-quits-when-trailing-novoska-deciding-set?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3327280/zheng-qinwen-retires-china-open-quits-when-trailing-novoska-deciding-set?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Sep 2025 14:23:16 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Zheng Qinwen made a winning return to tennis on Saturday, easing past Colombia’s Emiliana Arango in the second round of the China Open in her first match since undergoing surgery on her right elbow. Back on court for the first time since she was beaten in the first round at Wimbledon by Czech player Katerina Siniakova, Zheng wasted little time in putting together a 6-3, 6-2 victory. The world No 9 opened her account with an ace against lucky loser Arango and then dominated the second set,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3327113/zheng-qinwen-makes-winning-return-eases-past-arango-china-open?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3327113/zheng-qinwen-makes-winning-return-eases-past-arango-china-open?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Sep 2025 14:06:10 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Defending champion Coco Gauff is loving her interaction with fans at the China Open but would not mind a new nickname – something ferocious if possible. The French Open champion started her title defence in Beijing with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Kamilla Rakhimova on Friday, and will next face Leylah Fernandez in the WTA 1000-series tournament. Gauff has received a number of gifts this week and has been affectionately given two nicknames by the Chinese fans: “Fruit Salad Queen,” a reference to her... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3327082/ambassador-beijing-gauff-wants-new-nickname-chinese-fans-preferably-animal-based?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3327082/ambassador-beijing-gauff-wants-new-nickname-chinese-fans-preferably-animal-based?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Sep 2025 07:16:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse World No 2 doubles player Taylor Townsend has pulled out of the China Open in Beijing because of “a change of schedule”, the WTA said on Thursday, days after controversial comments about Chinese food. The American had come under fire for calling buffet food “crazy” while competing at the Billie Jean King Cup in Shenzhen that ended on Sunday. “What the hell … turtle and bullfrog is WILD,” she posted on Instagram. “These people are literally killing frogs, bullfrogs. Aren’t those the ones that... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3326823/american-taylor-townsend-pulls-out-beijing-event-days-after-crazy-chinese-food-post?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3326823/american-taylor-townsend-pulls-out-beijing-event-days-after-crazy-chinese-food-post?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 08:20:34 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Zheng Qinwen is on the brink of making her return to competitive tennis after confirmation arrived from organisers that she would be playing in this week’s China Open in Beijing. China’s No 1 has been out of action since July, when she had surgery to fix an elbow injury that had plagued her season. Her last match was a defeat by Czech player Katerina Siniakova in the first round at Wimbledon that month. “Zheng Qinwen returns from injury, taking the court for the first time since Wimbledon in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3326345/zheng-qinwen-poised-comeback-week-china-open-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3326345/zheng-qinwen-poised-comeback-week-china-open-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 04:13:47 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer American Taylor Townsend has apologised for a social media rant criticising the Chinese food at a hotel in Shenzhen, where she is competing in the Billie Jean King Cup. The tennis player, who was accused of having “no class” and “no education” by Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko during a row at this month’s US Open, posted a series of videos on Instagram on Tuesday saying she would “talk to HR” about the quality of the food and could not believe “these people” ate bullfrogs, which she thought were... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3325830/american-taylor-townsend-goes-social-media-rant-about-chinese-food-later-apologises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3325830/american-taylor-townsend-goes-social-media-rant-about-chinese-food-later-apologises?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Sep 2025 07:30:56 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Zheng Qinwen has withdrawn from the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen next week, despite reports suggesting the world No 9 had fully recovered from elbow surgery and would play. Zheng was originally named in China’s team to face Italy, just days after revealing she had undergone treatment. And on Monday, Italian website Spazio Tennis said Zheng had completed her rehabilitation at Rennbahnklinik, a sports medicine and physiotherapy centre in Muttenz, Switzerland. But organisers confirmed... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3324835/zheng-qinwen-ready-billie-jean-king-cup-return-after-recovering-elbow-injury?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3324835/zheng-qinwen-ready-billie-jean-king-cup-return-after-recovering-elbow-injury?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 04:41:54 +0000 Reuters Reuters US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka may be nicknamed “The Tiger”, but her New York triumph on Saturday was less about raw aggression and more poise, as the world No 1 steadied herself and regrouped in key moments to claim a fourth grand slam title. Determined to become the first woman since American great Serena Williams (2012–14) to defend her crown at Flushing Meadows, the Belarusian carried the weight of recent major setbacks to claim a 6-3, 7-6 win over Amanda Anisimova in the final and retain... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3324630/us-open-champion-sabalenka-hails-mindset-change-after-grand-slam-heartbreaks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3324630/us-open-champion-sabalenka-hails-mindset-change-after-grand-slam-heartbreaks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Sep 2025 02:13:03 +0000 dpa dpa Emma Raducanu has pulled out of Britain’s team for this month’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals to play in a WTA tournament. The 22-year-old was set to lead Britain’s line-up in Shenzhen in a couple of weeks’ time but has instead decided to play in the Korea Open the same week, for which she has been offered a wild card. Raducanu’s decision is a major blow to Britain’s hopes of progress, with Anne Keothavong’s team set to face Japan in the quarter-finals on September 18. Raducanu has spoken of how... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3324589/raducanu-pulls-out-billie-jean-king-cup-shenzhen-korea-open?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3324589/raducanu-pulls-out-billie-jean-king-cup-shenzhen-korea-open?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Sep 2025 05:00:08 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Naomi Osaka said she felt inspired by her run at the US Open after she lost a gripping semi-final to Amanda Anisimova in New York on Friday. Anisimova, the world No 9 from the United States, progressed to her second consecutive grand slam final, seeing off Osaka of Japan 6-7, 7-6, 6-3 in a match that lasted almost three hours. The American had made headlines for unwanted reasons in the Wimbledon final in July, when she was demolished 6-0, 6-0 by Iga Swiatek, but she showed mental toughness in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3324443/us-open-naomi-osaka-halted-amanda-anisimova-hails-dream-come-true?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3324443/us-open-naomi-osaka-halted-amanda-anisimova-hails-dream-come-true?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Sep 2025 05:41:50 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Alexandra Eala paid tribute to her supporters after she made history on Sunday by becoming the first player from the Philippines to win a tennis grand slam match in the Open era. The 20-year-old staged a remarkable recovery to beat No 14 seed Clara Tauson 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 in their first-round match, after the Dane led 5-1 in the third set. The New York metropolitan area is one of the largest Filipino diasporas in the western hemisphere, with more than 260,000 people claiming heritage from the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3323020/filipino-tennis-star-eala-makes-history-us-open-first-round-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3323020/filipino-tennis-star-eala-makes-history-us-open-first-round-win?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Aug 2025 04:17:55 +0000 Reuters Reuters China has unveiled a detailed plan to build and implement a tennis ecosystem, from boosting the number of top professional players and creating Chinese tournament brands to expanding the availability of courts and infrastructure across the country. In a document released on Wednesday, China’s official sporting body said it would encourage cities, businesses, schools and villages to “vigorously develop tennis” and build a new training system to develop top talent. The document said China would... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3322616/china-aims-pounce-zheng-qinwen-popularity-tennis-master-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3322616/china-aims-pounce-zheng-qinwen-popularity-tennis-master-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 05:07:17 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Hong Kong No 1 Coleman Wong Chak-lam suffered a straight-sets loss to Frenchman Ugo Humbert in the second round of the Cincinnati Open on Saturday. The two fought out a close match, with each player holding serve at 40-30 four times in the first set. Ranked No 25 in the world, Humbert got the first set’s decisive break point in the fourth game, again winning after leading 40-30. Humbert immediately broke Wong again in the first game of the second set, but the world No 177 showed spirit, holding... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3321349/coleman-wong-suffers-straight-sets-loss-second-round-cincinnati-open?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3321349/coleman-wong-suffers-straight-sets-loss-second-round-cincinnati-open?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Aug 2025 05:30:08 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer China’s No 1 tennis player Zheng Qinwen has shared a first glimpse of her road to recovery following the elbow surgery that ruled her out of this month’s US Open. The Olympic champion on Friday shared a video on social media that she said was “a late update” of her first week of recovery. Zheng had been battling an injury to her right elbow throughout the season and, after crashing out of Wimbledon in the first round for a third straight year, decided to take a break from the tour and undergo... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3321307/zheng-qinwen-gives-first-update-her-recovery-after-elbow-operation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3321307/zheng-qinwen-gives-first-update-her-recovery-after-elbow-operation?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Aug 2025 08:03:06 +0000 Reuters Reuters Former world No 3 Elina Svitolina said she was flooded with online abuse, including death threats, after her Canadian Open defeat on Tuesday and blamed the “shameful” behaviour on disgruntled bettors. The 10th seed from Ukraine crashed to a 6-2, 6-2 quarter-final loss against four-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka at the Montreal WTA tournament and later highlighted the abuse directed at her and her family. Tennis players, like many athletes, often have to deal with the wrath of gamblers... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3320988/svitolina-slams-canadian-open-death-threats-says-abusers-mums-would-be-disgusted?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3320988/svitolina-slams-canadian-open-death-threats-says-abusers-mums-would-be-disgusted?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Aug 2025 11:48:07 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Zheng Qinwen may have had elbow surgery only days ago, but she has been named in China’s team for September’s Billie Jean King Cup finals in Shenzhen, raising the possibility of an early comeback. Olympic champion Zheng said on Saturday that she would be out for weeks if not months following arthroscopic surgery on her right elbow, and on Monday her withdrawal from the US Open at the end of August was confirmed. But on Tuesday, organisers of the Billie Jean King Cup – formerly known as the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3319113/could-injured-zheng-qinwen-make-comeback-shenzhen-soon-september?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3319113/could-injured-zheng-qinwen-make-comeback-shenzhen-soon-september?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 07:07:02 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Zheng Qinwen has vowed to return as a “better version of myself” after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on her right elbow, but faces months of rehab that could end her season. The world No 6 revealed the news on social media on Saturday, sharing a picture of herself in a hospital bed, and wrote she had been experiencing “persistent pain” for several months. The 22-year-old, who lost in the first round at Wimbledon to Katerina Siniakova for the second time in three years, had been wearing a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3318879/chinas-zheng-qinwen-facing-weeks-and-months-recovery-after-elbow-surgery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3318879/chinas-zheng-qinwen-facing-weeks-and-months-recovery-after-elbow-surgery?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Jul 2025 16:33:45 +0000 Hyewon Lee Hyewon Lee Alexandra Eala has a remarkable list of “firsts” at just 20 years old – among them, becoming the first Filipino woman to reach the main draw of Wimbledon in the Open era. Last week, Eala stepped onto the Centre Court for a first-round clash against former Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejčíková. Wearing Nike’s custom-made gift – a hair tie featuring a sampaguita, the Philippines’ national flower – Eala claimed the opening set 6-3, but the Czech player rallied to win the next two sets 6-2 and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3318081/meet-alexandra-eala-first-filipina-reach-wimbledons-main-draw-born-sports-loving-family-she-studied?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3318081/meet-alexandra-eala-first-filipina-reach-wimbledons-main-draw-born-sports-loving-family-she-studied?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jul 2025 03:10:23 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Mainland Chinese pickleball player Long Yufei said she avoided the worst outcome after taking the women’s singles title at the Panas Malaysia Open on Sunday. One of 12 players on the United Pickleball Association’s inaugural Asia Trailblazers Programme, Long, from Shenzhen, started the day chasing multiple crowns in Kuala Lumpur, having reached the semi-finals of all three events. Long and partner Le Xuan Duc of Vietnam lost their mixed doubles semi to eventual winners Nicola Schoeman and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3317228/chinese-pickleball-player-thwarted-twice-panas-malaysia-open-wins-singles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3317228/chinese-pickleball-player-thwarted-twice-panas-malaysia-open-wins-singles?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 08:21:31 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Chinese tennis fans have made clear their disappointment after Zheng Qinwen crashed out of Wimbledon in the first round for the third straight year. The tournament’s fifth seed was beaten 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 by world No 81 Katerina Siniakova late on Tuesday – the second time in three years the Czech had knocked Zheng out in the opening round of the grass grand slam. Afterwards, many on Chinese social media rounded on the 22-year-old, questioning whether she truly belonged among the world’s best. “I... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3316659/chinese-fans-bash-sore-loser-zheng-after-wimbledon-exit-question-her-attitude?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3316659/chinese-fans-bash-sore-loser-zheng-after-wimbledon-exit-question-her-attitude?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 09:36:07 +0000