US Open 2024: Milestones On Radar For Novak Djokovic
With the US Open 2024, Novak Djokovic gets ready to enter his first Grand Slam of the season. Fresh from a career-defining Olympic gold medal victory over Carlos Alcaraz in the final, at the Paris Olympics 2024, the Serbian maestro is right back in the thick of things, with his eyes on more history waiting to be scripted. Milestones Await at Flushing Meadows The 37-year-old pulled out of the Canadian and Cincinnati Opens following his Olympic victory to concentrate on defending his US Open title. Djokovic has a very strong record of 88-13 in career at Flushing Meadows and is defending champion after winning last year. But the rewards are much greater than ever this time around, with several big milestones up for grabs. A Record-Breaking 25th Grand Slam Title? Djokovic will have the opportunity to notch his 25th Grand Slam title, surpassing Margaret Court’s long-standing record of 24 Major titles that has prevailed since ’73. If he does manage to win in New York, he would then be the overall leader in Grand Slam wins—quite a history created then in tennis. 100 Career Titles Within Reach A win at the US Open would also mean Djokovic’s 100th career title, making him the third player in history, alongside legends Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer. Not only that, but he is also eyeing a first defense of his US Open title, which he has been unable to do despite winning the tournament four times. Chasing History at 37 This would be an addition to the list of probable records: Djokovic would be the oldest singles Grand Slam champion ever, breaking the record set by Ken Rosewall in 1972. He will also be able to equal the record of Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, and Jimmy Connors for the number of US Open titles. A Legendary Campaign on the Horizon With history knocking, Novak Djokovic’s show at the US Open 2024 is just going to be truly one for the ages. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Suresh Dhakshineswar advances to doubles quarter-finals at ATP Winston-Salem Open
India’s Suresh Dhakshineswar and British partner Luca Pow caused a big upset in the first round of the doubles event at this week’s ATP 250 Winston-Salen Open with a win over sixth seeds Ariel Behar/ Andrés Molteni in a deciding match tiebreak. Dhakshineswar/ Pow, who play together for Wake Forest University in the NCAA US College circuit, took an early break to go up 2-0 in the first set and held on to their serve to claim the opening set 6-4. The second set went with serve for the first 11 games before Behar/ Molteni broke in the 12th game to win it 7-5. The Indo-British duo, who received a wildcard into the main draw, regained the momentum to win the deciding match tiebreak 10-8 and advance to the last eight where they will meet Gonzalo Escobar/ Aleksandr Nedovyesov. This is Dhakshineswar’s first ATP Tour main draw appearance. On Sunday, Dhakshineswar went down in his final round qualifying match of the singles draw. After beating world No 337 Alexey Zakharov in straight sets in the opening round, the 24-year-old Indian was defeated by 18-year-old American Learner Tien, ranked No. 232 in the world, in straight sets, 3-6, 4-6. Nagal heads to New York for the US Open after first round loss India’s top-ranked singles player, Sumit Nagal, also saw his singles campaign at the tournament come to an end on Sunday as he was defeated 4-6, 2-6 by former world No. 12 Borna Coric, of Croatia. Nagal, who turned 27 last week, now heads to New York for the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the season which begins on Monday August 26, 2024. The Sportz Planet Desk,Haresh Ramchandani
Controversy erupts as India name new Davis Cup team, coach
Soon after the All India Tennis Association (AITA) announced the new coach and the squad for India’s away Davis Cup tie next month against Sweden, controversy erupted with India’s No. 3 singles player Sasikumar Mukund lashing out at the officials in a social media post. On Friday, the AITA announced that 41-year-old Ashutosh Singh, former world No 150 in doubles and world No 525 in singles, would be the new coach of the Indian Davis Cup squad, following Zeeshan Ali’s decision to step down in that role. The AITA also announced the squad for India’s next Davis Cup tie in mid-September with Sumit Nagal, Ramkumar Ramanathan, Sriram Balaji, Niki Poonacha, Siddharth Vishwakarma and Aryna Shah (reserve) getting the call and Rohit Rajpal continuing as captain. Selection Committee says Yuki Bhambri did not make himself available for the tie However, two notable absentees in the squad were the country’s No. 2 ranked doubles player Yuki Bhambri and No. 3 ranked singles player Sasikumar Mukund. “Yuki (Bhambri) was not available for selection and he has not given any reason for his non-availability,” selection committee chairman Nandan Bal told PTI. “We were given a list of available players and his name did not figure there, so we picked players who were available.” As per the PTI report, Mukund “was handed a two-tie suspension by the Executive Committee for his consistent refusal to play for the national team. He did it three times in a row, so he was not to be considered for two ties. This is the first tie and he will not be considered in the next one too.” Sasikumar Mukund lashes out in online post Soon after the news was out in the public, Mukund reacted harshly with a post on social media, stating that he was not even aware that he was under suspension. “I was asked to play by the captain (Rohit Rajpal) and coach (Ashutosh Singh) and I chose not to play because: a) I don’t have a visa, b) I didn’t want to be there due to bad management, c) I think I hurt somebody’s ego so they came up with a ban that nobody knew about including me,” the world No 476 in singles said. Mukund also called into question the behaviour of officials involved in the Indian Davis Cup squad. ‘If I have to be banned for something, then a lot of officials have to be banned for life for the amount of players’ money they spend on single malt whiskeys for every tie.’ India will travel to Stockholm Sweden for the World Group 1st round tie on September 14-15. The winner of the tie will move ahead to the 2025 Davis Cup Qualifiers while the losing team will compete in the 2025 World Group I Play-offs. India have never defeated Sweden in five ties the two nations have played in the Davis Cup, the last of which came in 2005. The Sportz Planet Desk,Haresh Ramchandani
Bopanna/ Ebden suffer another early exit before the US Open
India’s Rohan Bopanna and Australia’s Matthew Ebden suffered a loss in their first match at the ongoing ATP Western & Southern Open Cincinnati Masters on Thursday. The second seeds lost the first set of their second-round clash against France’s Arthur Fils and Chile’s Nicolas Jarry 4-6 before bouncing back to take the second in a tiebreak and force a deciding set. Bopanna and Ebden, who won the Olympics men’s doubles gold medal with compatriot John Peers in Paris earlier this month, went up a mini-break on several occasions in the match tiebreak, leading 4-2, 7-5 and 8-6. But the French-Chilean duo made a last push and won four points in a row to complete the 6-4, 6-7, 10-8 win in one hour and 33 minutes to move into the quarter-finals. Fifth consecutive doubles loss for Bopanna heading into the US Open Bopanna/ Ebden had received a first-round bye and were looking for their first win in the summer hardcourt swing on the ATP Tour. The pair, who won the Australian Open in January, suffered the same fate in Montreal last week as they went down to Jan Zieliński/ Hugo Nys in a match tiebreak. For Bopanna, this was his fifth consecutive loss since reaching the second round at Wimbledon. Prior to his back-to-back losses in the North American hardcourt swing, he also lost his opening matches in Hamburg and at the Paris Olympics. Bopanna and Ebden will next be in action at the US Open Grand Slam, where they are defending runner-up points from 2023. The Sportz Planet Desk,Haresh Ramchandani
Paris 2024: Djokovic Among Tennis Legends Reaching the Height Career Golden Slam
Novak Djokovic scripted history at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Sunday as he added another feather to his cap. The Siberian found and conquered the missing piece in his illustrious tennis career puzzle. Djokovic went on beating Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz by 7-6[3], 7-6[2] in the final of Men’s Singles at the Paris Olympics 2024, achieving Career Golden Slam. This surely is a feat very few have achieved. Here’s a list of the tennis stars who have reached the height of a career golden slam. Steffi Graf In 1988, Steffi Graf became the first player ever to win both a golden slam and the Career Golden Slam—a feat accomplished when one player wins all four Grand Slams and the Olympic gold medal in their career. Only 19 at that time, Graf’s magnificent season was topped off by her unforgettable Wimbledon victory over Martina Navratilova, which proved that she was capable of performing on any surface. Andre Agassi In 1999, Andre Agassi finally won his first French Open title to achieve his Career Golden Slam set. The American took Olympic gold in Atlanta back in 1996. It showed he had battled hard through a frustrating few years of injuries and controversy to make it through, topped off by an amazing comeback win over Andriy Medvedev. Rafael Nadal In 2008, Rafael Nadal made history as he became the first player to join that prestigious club, all while being the youngest male in Open Era history to win a Career Golden Slam, and he did it at the age of 24. His win at the Beijing Olympics gave him Olympic gold to go with his 14 French Open titles, testament to his supremacy on clay but also his all-around ability to shine on other surfaces. Serena Williams Serena Williams is the only one who has managed to attain a Career Golden Slam in singles and doubles. She completed her Golden Slam in singles in 2012, but she had already swept all Grand Slam tournaments as early as 2003. With a final Olympic gold to London, to add to her 23 Grand Slams, her place among the greatest tennis players in history has been quite solidified. Novak Djokovic Novak Djokovic sealed the Career Golden Slam with an Olympic gold at Paris 2024 to add to his record 24 Grand Slam titles. He did this at age 37, defeating the current world champion Carlos Alcaraz. His achievement justifies his position as one of the all-time greats in tennis. These five players, with each of their stories and careers almost like a resume from the heavens themselves, represent the best the game of tennis has to offer. In their dedication and talent, they have set new standards within the game that will be self-inspiring to young generations who seek the Career Golden Slam. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: Novak Djokovic Strikes Gold in Men’s Singles
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic won the gold medal in the men’s singles at the Paris Olympics 2024 following his victory over Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, 7-6[3], 7-6[2], in a pulsating final on Sunday, 04th July, 2024. The game was contested on Court Philippe Chatrier and ended up being an advertisement for Djokovic, who once again put on a truly impressive display of brio under pressure. Dramatic Battle and Triumph in Tiebreak The Paris Olympics 2024 Tennis – Men’s Singles Final was a rematch of their Wimbledon 2024 final, which Alcaraz had won. Djokovic showed good fighting spirit as he saved five breakpoints late in the first set before winning it in a tiebreak. He carried this momentum into the second set, where he would never drop his serve, finally claiming the win when a forehand winner sailed past Alcaraz out of reach during the second tiebreak. Celebrations and Emotional Moments It was clear to many that Djokovic was ecstatic, roaring up at the sky before falling to his knees at the center of the court. He then climbed into the stands to be embraced by his family and team. On the other side, Alcaraz, who had been seeking to add Olympic gold to his French Open and Wimbledon titles, was in tears as the match finally came to an end. Historic Achievement The win at Paris Olympics 2024 made Djokovic the fifth player, along the likes of Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams, who won all four Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal in singles, therefore attaining a Career Golden Slam. It also meant he became the oldest man to win an Olympic singles gold since tennis returned to the Olympics in 1988. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: Novak Djokovic Set To Play His First Olympic Final
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic turned in a great performance to finally make an Olympic final, beating Lorenzo Musetti of Italy 6-4, 6-2 at Paris Olympics 2024 to set up a highly anticipated showdown for the gold medal. The Missing Piece: Olympic Gold With 24 Grand Slams under his belt, Djokovic is still wrestling to bring home that elusive Olympic Gold medal throughout his illustrious career. He still lacks a gold medal as the missing pinnacle of an otherwise exquisite set of achievements. Djokovic’s journey to the final made for a big milestone in the quest for the Paris Olympics 2024 glory. DJOKOVIC’S ROAD TO THE FINAL Round Opponent Score Winner 1st Round Matthew Ebden (AUS) 6-0, 6-1 Djokovic 2nd Round Rafael Nadal (ESP) 6-1, 6-4 Djokovic 3rd Round Dominik Koepfer (GER) 7-5, 6-3 Djokovic Quarter Final Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 6-3, 7-6 Djokovic Semi Final Lorenzo Musetti (ITL) 6-4, 6-2 Djokovic ALCARAZ’S ROAD TO THE FINAL Round Opponent Score Winner 1st Round Hady Habib (LEB) 6-3, 6-1 Alcaraz 2nd Round Tallon Griekspoor (NED) 6-1, 7-6 Alcaraz 3rd Round Roman Safiullin (AIN) 6-4, 6-2 Alcaraz Quarter Final Tommy Paul (USA) 6-3, 7-6 Alcaraz Semi Final Felix Auger Aliassime (CAN) 6-1, 6-1 Alcaraz Final Face-off with Carlos Alcaraz for the Gold Djokovic is set to meet Carlos Alcaraz, Spain’s rising star, in a Sunday blockbuster final. If one player in the draw has the same level of raw talent and youthful energy as Djokovic, it is Alcaraz, and he will provide a strong challenge to the experienced Serb. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
2024 French Open: What’s the Prize Money for Champions at Roland Garros?
Roland Garros, the second Grand Slam tournament has finally come to an end, in Paris, France. Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz is the new Prince of Clay, winning his first major on red clay. In an intense final, against Alexander Zverev, Alcaraz toppled the German to win his maiden French Open title. The final scoreline read 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in a match that lasted for over four hours. Carlos Alcaraz now has three grand slam titles to his name, on three different surfaces – clay, grass, and hard court. Only Australian Open has been out of his reach, and with the way he is performing that day isn’t too far away. Poland’s Iga Swiatek is the champion at Roland Garros for the third straight year. In the final, she defeated Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in straight sets. The final scoreline read 6-2, 6-1, in what was a sheer dominating performance from the world number one. The match lasted for less than an hour, which clearly shows her domination in the final. She also became the French Open Champion for the 4th time in her career. With this, Iga has now equaled Belgium Justin’s Henin’s record in Paris. Only two more players – USA’s Chris Evert (7) and Germany’s Steffi Graf (6) have won more French Open titles at the Garros than Iga. Also Read: Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal – what does this mean to tennis? Neither the 14-time winner Rafael Nadal, nor Novak Djokovic have made it to the Final here. Carlos Alcaraz is the new Prince of Clay and while Alexander Zverev gave his all, he can be really proud of what he achieved at the Garros 2024. Top players – both in the men’s and women’s categories were in the hunt to become the King and the Queen in Paris. There was a lot at stake for the participating players – regarding money and ranking points. Apart from lifting the trophy, Carlos Alcaraz also bagged some massive ATP points and also a big fat paycheque. Here’s a detailed monetary breakdown for the Roland Garros 2024. SINGLES POSITION PRIZE MONEY POINTS Winner €2,400,000 2,000 points Finalist €1,200,000 1,300 points Semi-Finalist €650,000 800 points Quarter-finalist €415,000 400 points Round of 16 €250,000 200 points Round of 32 €158,000 100 points Round of 64 €110,000 50 points Round of 128 €73,000 10 points TABLE – SINGLES PRIZE MONEY DISTRIBUTION DOUBLES POSITION PRIZE MONEY POINTS Winner €590,000 2,000 points Finalist €295,000 1,200 points Semi-finalist €148,000 720 points Quarter-finalist €80,000 360 points Round of 16 €43,500 180 points Round of 32 €27,500 90 points Round of 64 €17,500 0 points TABLE – DOUBLES PRIZE MONEY DISTRIBUTION Other than players, here’s what fans should know going into the Roland Garros 2024: When is the Roland Garros?The 2024 Roland Garros will be held from May 26 to June 9. This clay-court major will take place at Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France, and Amélie Mauresmo is the tournament director. Who is playing at the Roland Garros?Roland Garros will feature top players, including world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal, Daniil Medvedev, and Casper Ruud. What’s the Prize Money for Champions at Roland Garros? The prizes for winning the tournament and reaching the final are significant. The runner-up will receive $1,304,880, while the champion will take home $2,609,760. French Open: How much money does the female single champion get?The prizes for the finalist and champion in the women’s tournament will be the same as for the men. The runner-up will receive $1,304,880, and the new champion will win $2,609,760. French Open: How much money does the doubles champion get?For doubles, the prize money is significantly less than for singles. Both the men’s and women’s doubles champions will earn the same amount. The doubles finalists will receive $320,783 each, while the doubles champions will take home $641,566 each. Roland Garros promises exciting competition with top-tier players vying for prestigious titles and substantial prize money. With equality in prize distribution between men’s and women’s events, Roland Garros continues to uphold its reputation as a premier tennis tournament on the clay courts of Paris. Congratulations to Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek and the others who have lifted the titles at Roland Garros. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye.
Goran Ivanisevic Reveals Health Challenges While Working with Novak Djokovic
World number one tennis player Novak Djokovic surprised everyone by parting ways with Goran Ivanisevic. They had a very successful partnership, starting with Djokovic winning Wimbledon in 2019, the first tournament with Ivanisevic as his coach. “Goran and I decided to stop working together a few days ago. Our on court chemistry had its ups and downs, but our friendship was always rock solid,” the 24-time Grand Slam champion wrote on Instagram in March after talking to Ivanisevic in Miami. Djokovic’s words were accurate—their relationship during matches had its highs and lows, with Djokovic often expressing his frustrations toward the 2001 Wimbledon winner. Ivanisevic has now talked about the pressure he felt coaching the 24-time Grand Slam champion, admitting it led to some sleepless nights. “I always had good [sleeping] tablets,” he told Blick. “No, seriously: you have pressure every day in this industry. But I was completely okay with it. You get used to the circumstances.” With Ivanisevic being Croatian and Djokovic Serbian, the 52-year-old said their similar backgrounds helped. He continued: “It helped that we both came from the Balkans. Novak and I are similar. I was always prepared for his possible reactions.” Since Djokovic is such a great player, there was extra pressure on Ivanisevic. “Well, when you train Novak Djokovic, anything other than winning the title at any tournament is a failure. That’s a lot of pressure to deal with,” the former world No. 2 added. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye.
All You Need To Know About Roger Federer And His Upcoming Documentary, Federer: Twelve Final Days
The documentary, “Federer: Twelve Final Days” will be shown for the first time on June 20 on Amazon Prime Video. The documented cinema features the last two weeks of Roger Federer‘s tennis career. The movie is directed by Asif Kapadia and Joe Sabia. It shows what happened behind the scenes during the 2022 Laver Cup, where Federer retired next to Rafael Nadal. The documentary includes interviews with Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray, and also shows Federer with his family before he stopped playing tennis. AMAZON PRIME POSTER REVEAL TWEET Amazon Prime released a trailer for the documentary featuring Fedrer’s legendary rivals and friends. Djokovic being one of them says that Federer’s legacy will always be remembered. The trailer also shows clips of Federer with his wife and children, and highlights some of his big wins, like his five Wimbledon titles in a row from 2003 to 2007. AMAZON PRIME VIDEO SPORT OFFICIAL TRAILER: Federer: Twelve Final Days HOW MUCH IS ROGER FEDERER GOING TO MAKE OUT OF HIS UPCOMING DOCUMENTARY “Federer: Twelve Final Days”? There is no official communication either from Federer or from Amazon Prime Video on the exact amount. The figures are officially kept confidential, however the amount is expected to be in millions. Roger Federer’s fee for commercial shoots can vary depending on several factors such as the brand, the length and complexity of the shoots, the exclusivity of the contract, and the region in which the commercial film or the TVC will be aired. As one of the most well-known and marketable athletes in the world, Federer commands a high fee for his appearances in commercials. Exact figures for individual commercial shoots are typically kept confidential and negotiated between Federer’s representatives and the advertising agency or brand. ROGER FEDERER – NET WORTH Roger Federer has an estimated net worth of $550 million, as of 2024. This includes his prize money from tennis, endorsement deals, and investments. Forbes ranked him number nine in the Fobes World’s Highest Paid Athletes list in 2023. Roger Federer earned $130 million in his professional tennis career, according to the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). That was the third-highest sum ever made in tennis history at the time of his retirement, trailing only the $131 million (currently $134 million) won by Rafael Nadal and the $159 million (currently $175 million) made by Novak Djokovic. ROGER FEDERER – ENDORSEMENTS Federer is a member of the extremely elite billion-dollar athlete club alongside the likes of Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Lionel Messi, Michael Jordan, Floyd Mayweather, Cristiano Ronaldo, Tiger Woods, and Michael Schumacher, In addition to his tournament winnings, Roger has made about $1 billion in endorsement revenue. Roger Federer has one of the biggest endorsement portfolios compared to other athletes across all sports. His current endorsement deals include Barilla, Credit Suisse Group (ADS), JURA, Lindt & Sprungli, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Mercedes-Benz, NetJets, On, RIMOWA, Rolex, Sunrise Communications AG, Switzerland Tourism, Uniqlo and Wilson Sporting Goods. Nike used to be his apparel sponsor until 2018. After his contract with them expired, he signed a contract worth $300 million for ten years with Uniqlo. He has also got a hundred and twenty million dollars just as endorsement money. Federer has been a gentleman throughout his life. That’s why people like him as a brand ambassador The documentary “Federer: Twelve Final Days” will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide, and is the latest addition to the Prime membership. It’s also the latest sports project to hit Amazon’s streaming platform. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye.