3:47 PM ET ESPN News Services MADRID — Aryna Sabalenka is glad she changed her mind about playing at the Madrid Open. Two weeks after nearly withdrawing from the tournament because of a muscle injury, Sabalenka was standing on center court with the winner’s trophy in her hands on Saturday. Sabalenka defeated top-ranked Ash Barty
Tennis
12:57 PM ET ESPN News Services MADRID — Alexander Zverev followed his triumph over Rafael Nadal with a win over Dominic Thiem to reach another Madrid Open final on Saturday. The No. 6-ranked Zverev defeated No. 4 Thiem 6-3, 6-4 to reach the final again after beating Thiem for the 2018 title. Zverev broke Thiem’s
4:09 PM ET Associated Press Sofia Kenin no longer will be coached by her father, announcing just weeks before the French Open she is “putting together a new technical team.” Kenin, the Australian Open champion and French Open runner-up in 2020, wrote about the switch on Instagram on Friday. The post included a photo of
12:01 PM ET Associated Press MADRID — Rafael Nadal‘s bid to reach a 75th semifinal at a Masters event ended Friday with a 6-4, 6-4 loss to Alexander Zverev. The sixth-ranked German beat Nadal for the first time on clay and for the third time in a row overall. Zverev broke Nadal’s serve twice in
4:45 PM ET Associated Press MADRID — Less than a month from his 35th birthday, Rafael Nadal says he is not thinking about retirement at all. Speaking by video conference Thursday after winning his fourth Laureus Award, the 20-time Grand Slam champion was asked how many more years he wants to play. “Well, thanks for
11:19 AM ET Associated Press MADRID — Rafael Nadal got through another young opponent and showed signs he was getting closer to his best form on clay as he defeated Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 6-3 to make it to the Madrid Open quarterfinals on Thursday. The women’s top-ranked player, Ashleigh Barty, meanwhile, cruised into the final
12:22 PM ET Associated Press MADRID — In a much-anticipated battle of generations, Rafael Nadal showed he is still clearly the man to beat in Spanish tennis, cruising to a 6-1, 6-2 win over teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz in the second round of the Madrid Open on Wednesday. Nadal, seeking his sixth title in Madrid
7:15 PM ET Associated Press LONDON — The International Tennis Federation is seeking a new host city for the finals of the Billie Jean King Cup, formerly the Fed Cup, after Budapest backed out because of COVID-19 concerns. The Hungarian capital was due to host the 12-nation tournament but the event has twice been postponed
6:15 PM ET Associated Press MADRID — Looking fresh again after taking a few weeks off, U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem cruised into the third round of the Madrid Open with a comfortable 6-1, 6-3 win over American Marcos Giron on Tuesday. Thiem was in control from the start at the “Magic Box” center court
2:40 PM ET Associated Press PRAGUE — Barbora Strycova, a former top-ranked doubles player and Wimbledon singles semifinalist, announced her retirement on Tuesday. “Until now, tennis was the only world I knew,” Strycova said in a statement. “I have always had enormous love for this amazing sport. Even though all the pain, tears, renunciation and