Bopanna/ Sutjiadi go down in US Open mixed doubles semi-final
India’s Rohan Bopanna and Indonesian partner Aldila Sutjiadi bowed out of the US Open mixed doubles competition after a straight-sets loss to the all-American pairing of Donald Young and Taylor Townsend. Young, who is playing the final professional tournament of his tennis career, and Townsend started the match on Louis Armstrong Stadium on a positive note, winning the first three games of the match. Bopanna/ Sutjiadi broke back to level the first set at 3-3 but the American duo broke again and then served out the first set 6-3. In the second set, Young/ Townsend broke Bopanna/ Sutjiadi in the fifth game and held on to that break to complete the 6-3, 6-4 win in just under an hour. Young/ Townsend to face Vavassori/ Errani in US Open mixed doubles final With Bopanna’s loss, India’s campaign at the US Open 2024 comes to an end. Young/ Townsend will go on to face Italian duo Andrea Vavassori/ Sara Errani in Thursday’s final. While Townsend and Errani have both won Grand Slams in the women’s doubles format, a title on Sunday would be the first Grand Slam of any kind at the pro level for either Young or Vavassori. The Sportz Planet Desk,Haresh Ramchandani
Bopanna equals best US Open mixed doubles performance by reaching semis
India’s Rohan Bopanna and Indonesian partner Aldila Sutjiadi are through to the semi-finals of the US Open mixed doubles event after a three-set win over fourth seeds Matt Ebden/ Barbora Krejcikova. Bopanna and Sutjiadi, the eighth seeds, came from 0-3 down to claim the first set in a tiebreak. Ebden/ Krejcikova fought back to take the second set 6-2 and push the quarter-final into a match tiebreak. Bopanna/ Sutjiadi ran off to an 8-2 lead in the tiebreak before Ebden/ Krejcikova win five points in a row to pull back to 7-8. The Indo-Indonesian duo then held on to take the next two points and complete the 7-6, 2-6, 10-7 in one hour and 33 minutes. Bopanna/ Sutjiadi to face Young/ Townsend in semi-finals on Tuesday Bopanna and Sutjiadi will next face the all-American duo of Donald Young and Taylor Townsend on Louis Armstrong’s Stadium on Tuesday for a place in the final. This is only the second time in his distinguished career that Bopanna has advanced to the last four in the US Open mixed doubles draw (after 2015). This also equals Sutjiadi’s best performance at a Major; she also reached the semi-finals of the French Open and Wimbledon mixed doubles event last year. The Sportz Planet Desk,Haresh Ramchandani
Bopanna, Bhambri crash out of US Open in third round
India’s campaign in the men’s doubles event at the ongoing US Open in New York came to an end on Sunday with both Rohan Bopanna and Yuki Bhambri bowing out of the event with their respective partners. Bopanna/ Ebden, the second seeds and runners-up here last year, were defeated 1-6, 5-7 by 16th seeds Maximo Gonzalez/ Andres Molteni. The Indo-Aussie duo was unable to earn a single break point during the 66-minute encounter while Gonzalez/ Molteni converted three of three break point opportunities to advance to the quarter-finals. Bhambri/ Olivetti also go down in straight sets at the US Open Earlier on Sunday, Yuki Bhambri and French partner Albano Olivetti went down to top seeds Marcel Granollers/ Horacio Zeballos 2-6, 2-6 in another third-round clash. The Indo-French duo was also unable to earn a look at a break point while Granollers/ Zeballos converted four of seven break point chances during the 74-minute win. India’s hopes now will rest on Bopanna in the mixed doubles competition. Bopanna and Indonesian partner Aldila Sutjiadi will take on fourth seeds Ebden/ Krejcikova in a quarter-final clash on Monday.
US Open 2024: Emma Navarro Upsets Coco Gauff In Fourth Round
Emma Navarro shocked the tennis world by defeating third-seeded Coco Gauff in a thrilling US Open fourth-round match, winning 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Gauff, a strong contender for the title, struggled significantly with her serve, racking up 19 double faults throughout the match. Of these, 11 came in the decisive third set, a factor that heavily contributed to her unexpected loss. Navarro – A Rising Star Navarro, who had also beaten Gauff at Wimbledon in July, showed remarkable composure and skill in this match, continuing her impressive run at the tournament. Her victory advanced her to the quarter-finals, where she will face the 26th seed, Paula Badosa, who secured her spot after a dominant win earlier in the day. Heartbreak For Gauff This defeat for Gauff ended her hopes of becoming the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to successfully defend the US Open title. Despite a strong second set, where Gauff fought back to level the match, her serving issues proved too costly in the end. Navarro – A Young Sensation Navarro’s triumph is historic, making her the youngest American woman to reach both the US Open and Wimbledon quarter-finals in the same year since Serena Williams did so in 2004. Her ability to break Gauff’s serve multiple times and capitalize on her opponent’s numerous errors were key to her success. With this win, Navarro is set to break into the world’s top 10 rankings, marking a significant milestone in her rapidly rising career. Her victory over Gauff solidified her status as one of the most promising young talents on the WTA Tour. The Sportz Planet Desk,Nitya Sutrave
US Open 2024: Novak Djokovic Knocked Out Of Third Round By Popyrin
For the first time since 2002, none of the “Big Three” of men’s tennis – Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer – claimed a Grand Slam title. Biggest Victory for Popyrin An angry Novak Djokovic failed in his bid to create a record 25th Grand Slam title as he lost to Alexei Popyrin. Australian Popyrin secured the biggest win of his career as he defeated the second-seeded Djokovic 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in the US Open on Friday. Third Time’s the Charm “Third time lucky, I guess,” said Popyrin in his on-court interview, having been beaten by Djokovic at the Australian Open and at Wimbledon earlier in the season. The 24-year-old Australian took full advantage of a stunning collapse from the top-seeded Serb, who has rarely been as sloppy with 14 double faults a record for him in a Grand Slam match. Djokovic labors in wake of Olympic triumph Djokovic, who arrived in New York with a gold medal from Paris, never looked energetic and failed to jump at his opponent throughout the match. The Serbian showed glimpses of his spirit in the third set after going down two sets, but the Australian managed to snap out of it quickly. A beautiful forehand winner finally sealed the deal in the fourth set for Popyrin. This was Djokovic’s earliest U.S Open defeat since 2006. Djokovic later admitted this as an ‘awful’ U.S Open loss. Popyrin Advances to the Next Round With the victory, Popyrin moves into the round of 16, where he will face American Frances Tiafoe. Djokovic’s defeat also guarantees that, for the first time since 2002, one of the so-called “Big Three” of men’s tennis-Djokovic, Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer-will not capture a Grand Slam title this year. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Bhambri/ Olivetti cause big upset to join Bopanna/ Ebden in third round
India’s Yuki Bhambri and French partner Albano Olivetti caused a big upset at the US Open on Friday, knocking out 15th seeds Austin Krajicek/ Jean-Julien Rojer in the second round of the men’s doubles event. Bhambri/ Olivetti fought back after dropping the first set 4-6 to win the second set 6-3 and force a decider. Krajicek/ Rojer also broke in the eighth game to lead 5-3 in the final set before Bhambri/ Olivetti fought back once again to win four games on the trot and complete the 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 win in just over two hours. The Indo-French duo will face off against either top seeds Marcel Granollers/ Horacio Zeballos or Alexander Erier/ Matwe Middelkoop in the last 16. This result equals Bhambri’s best performance in a Grand Slam doubles event. He also reached the third round of the Australian Open doubles event in 2014. Bopanna wins men’s doubles and mixed doubles matches at the US Open Meanwhile, second seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matt Ebden also advanced to the third round on Friday with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Roberto Carballes Baena/ Federico Coria. The Indo-Australian duo reached the final last year and won the Australian Open in January this year. They will next face 16th seeds Andres Molteni/ Maximo Gonzalez for a spot in the quarter-finals. It was a good day for Bopanna in New York as he also won his first-round mixed doubles match with Indonesian partner Aldila Sutjiadi. The eighth seeds defeated Tim Putz/ Demi Schuurs 7-6, 7-6 to advance to the last 16 where they will face John Peers/ Katerina Sinaikova on Saturday. There was some disappointment for Indian fans with the Indo-Argentine duo Sriram Balaji/ Guido Andreozzi falling in the second round. Balaji/ Andreozzi were defeated 6-7, 4-6 by eighth seeds Neal Skupski/ Michael Venus. In the boys singles qualifying draw, India’s Rethin Pranav Senthil Kumar fell in the final round to American wildcard Keaton Hance 5-7, 2-6. The Sportz Planet Desk,Haresh Ramchandani
Bopanna, Bhambri and Balaji advance to US Open second round
It was a good start for the Indian men in the US Open doubles competition with Rohan Bopanna, Yuki Bhambri and Sriram Balaji all winning their first-round matches with their respective partners. Bopanna and Australia’s Matt Ebden, the second seeds who reached the final here in New York 12 months ago, defeated Robin Haase/ Sander Arends 6-3, 7-5 on Thursday. This was the first win for the Indo-Aussie duo on the U.S. hardcourt swing after early losses in Montreal and Cincinnati. Bopanna/ Ebden advance to face Roberto Carballes Baena/ Federico Coria for a place in the third round. Bhambri, Balaji score maiden US Open doubles winsOn Wednesday, Bhambri and French partner Albano Olivetti reached the second round with a convincing 6-3, 6-4 win over American wildcard duo Ryan Seggerman/ Patrik Trhac. This was Bhambri’s first US Open main draw doubles win. The Indo-French duo will next face 15th seed Austin Krajicek/ Jean-Julien Rojer, both of whom are former Grand Slam doubles champions. Sriram Balaji, partnering Argentina’s Guido Andreozzi, had the toughest time of the three Indians in making it to the second round. The Indo-Argentine duo lost the first set of their match against Marcus Daniell/ Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela before coming through in a third set tiebreak 5-7, 6-1, 7-5 (12-10). This was also Balaji’s first main draw doubles win at the US Open. Up next for Balaji/ Andreozzi are the eighth seeds Neal Skupski/ Michael Venus, both also former Grand Slam doubles champions. Meanwhile, in the first round of the boys singles qualifying event, India’s Rethin Pranav Senthil Kumar advanced to the second round when fourth seed Niels McDonald retired while trailing 3-0 in the first set. Senthil Kumar, playing his first-ever junior Grand Slam, will next face American wildcard Keaton Hance with the winner advancing to the main draw. India’s top-ranked men’s player Sumit Nagal bowed out of the US Open singles event after a straight-sets loss to world No 40 Tallon Griekspoor, of the Netherlands. Griekspoor started off the match on a strong note, winning the first two sets 6-1 and 6-3 before Nagal was able to put up a tougher challenge in the third set. The Indian got the first break of the third set in the 11th game to lead 6-5 and served for the set. However, the Dutchman broke back right away to take the set into a tiebreaker. Nagal led 6-4 and earned himself two set points. However, a forehand error from the Indian and a service winner from Griekspoor levelled the tiebreak at 6-6. The Dutchman then went the next two points to close out the win 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (10-8) in two hours and 10 minutes on Court 15 at Flushing Meadows. Insert sub-heading: Nagal’s doubles partner Nishioka forced to retire from first round singles clashGriekspoor will go on to play 21st seed Sebastian Baez in the second round while Nagal will focus his efforts on the men’s doubles event where he is partnering with Yoshihito Nishioka. However, Nishioka was forced to retire during the fifth set of his first-round match and it remains to be seen if he will be fit to take the court for the first round doubles encounter, likely to take place on Wednesday or Thursday. This was Nagal’s third appearance in the US Open main draw (now 1-3 record here) and marked the first time that the 27-year-old Indian has competed in the main draw of all the four Grand Slams in the same season. The Sportz Planet Desk,Haresh Ramchandani
Exclusive: “It would be a tough match playing two Americans at home” – Bhambri on US Open first round
India’s No. 2 ranked doubles player Yuki Bhambri and partner Albano Olivetti will begin their US Open campaign against American wildcards Ryan Seggerman/ Patrik Trhac in the first round. Coming into the final Grand Slam of the season ranked a career-high No. 48 in the world, Bhambri will be playing his first match in nearly a month when he takes to the court at Flushing Meadows. In the absence of matches, Bhambri and Olivetti have been putting hard work on the practice courts. “The only reason we ended up playing one tournament (Washington) during the hardcourt stretch is because we did not get into the other events. The Masters in Cincinnati and Montreal, the cut-offs were too high so we did not get in and the same in Winston-Salem. We had a good training week on the hardcourts though and are now looking forward to playing the rest of the season, starting with the US Open,” Bhambri said speaking exclusively to The Sportz Planet. Bhambri and Olivetti have never played Seggerman/ Trhac before but the Indian is aware that it will be a tough assignment. “Never played them before. This is the first time. From what I’ve read about them, they have been playing mostly on the ATP Challenger Tour but obviously they are top 100 doubles players so they must be good. I’m sure it would be a tough match playing two Americans at home. We are definitely going to try and prepare well and put our best foot forward,” he added. “Definitely a positive sign for Indian doubles going forward” – Yuki Bhambri Bhambri was one of four Indians to feature in the men’s doubles draw when it was released – the second Grand Slam in a row with such a high representation for India (Sumit Nagal has since had to pull out after his partner Yoshihito Nishioka retired from his first-round singles match and withdrew from the doubles as well). The 32-year-old described this as a positive sign for Indian tennis and is confident that the numbers will go up in the future. “I’m sure we are going to see more and more Indians on the doubles draws as well. It’s no coincidence that due to the support the Doubles Dream of India has been providing that a lot of our players have been doing well and reaching career-highs and I’m sure the number will increase from four in the future as well. Definitely a positive sign for Indian doubles going forward,” the Indian commented. Bhambri’s first round match at the US Open will take place on Wednesday or Thursday this week. The Sportz Planet Desk,Haresh Ramchandani
US Open 2024: Top Five Absentees From The Tournament
A couple of big names sadly had to pull out of the US Open 2024 due to injuries among other issues. Here are the top five pullouts. Rafael Nadal The 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal leads the missing list. Nadal has suffered a plethora of different injuries this season. Nadal was placed on the entry list for the US Open, however he finally decided to pull out of it, citing that he wasn’t able to give the best performance. His absence from the tournament signals recovery time, with plans to return for the Laver Cup. This withdrawal from Nadal will turn out to be a huge loss for the US Open, where he has always been slotted for electric and special night sessions at the courts. Cameron Norrie One more big name who will not feature at the US Open 2024 is British No. 2 Cameron Norrie. The nagging forearm injury that has kept Norrie off the court for weeks just never came right, as he made a gutsy effort to be ready to play in New York but was unable to recover in time to feature there and therefore deprive fans of one of Britain’s top tennis stars. Nick Kyrgios Another player who is not going to feature in this year’s US Open is the flamboyant Nick Kyrgios, whose powerful game has been blighted by niggling knee and wrist injuries that have kept him away from competitive tennis since October 2022. He has managed to play just a single singles match in almost a year, and thus Kyrgios decided not to take part in the US Open to concentrate on a complete recovery. While he is set to play some exhibition matches, he will not be in the main draw at Flushing Meadows. Simona Halep Former world number one Simona Halep has had a really bad year and missing the US Open 2024 just adds to her woes. Due to a knee injury and an earlier suspension this year, Halep has largely been off the courts in what has been a straggly and inconsistent season for the former world number one. Despite briefly coming back to the tour in March, Halep has been bothered by her form and fitness, which eventually forced her out of competitive action. The US Open will miss her drastically, based on the grounds that she is a serially consistent performer in Grand Slams. Marketa Vondrousova Closing out the top five is Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion. Vondrousova has been going through a tough summer as she is plagued by several injuries which have really derailed her season. It all started at the Berlin Championships with a hip injury, and then another misfortune in the form of a hand injury added to the woes. She tried to get back on track at Wimbledon but didn’t succeed, dropping out early without defending her title. Vondrousova has pulled out of the US Open 2024 as a result of this injury as well; her woes continue. Impact for the US Open 2024 These are absences that can change the competitive fabric in 2024, the opportunity for new challengers to emerge into the spotlight. Their absence, of course, is going to be sorely felt throughout the tournament, but this is what makes for such an amazing Grand Slam: the surprise keeps tennis fans around the world screaming from their chairs. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
US Open 2024: Prize Money Revealed
The US Open keeps raising the bar when it comes to player compensation and the US Open 2024 sets yet another record of a total of $75 million in prize money for the players. This Grand Slam event on hard with a reputation for its splendor now has set the higher mark for the highest-ever first-round prize money. First-Round Prize Money For the first time ever, players reaching the first round of the main draw will walk away with $100,000, a quantum leap from $58,000 such a round would have been accorded five years ago. This is an increase of 72 percent, trying to show that the US Open raises the pegs in terms of supporting the players from the get-go up to every segment of the competition. Those who reach the final round of qualifying but fail to make the main draw will also experience a massive rise in pay. Players in this category will leave with $52,000 in 2024, up from $32,000 in 2019—a 63 percent increase. This increment of pay comes as proof of appreciation for work laid down to make it to the main stage. Singles Champions For those who go all the way, the rewards are even more staggering. Both the men’s and women’s singles champions will each take home $3.6 million, 20% more than in the previous year. A significant amount will also be on offer for the singles finalists, with the second-best finisher pocketing $1.8 million in prize money. Doubles Prize Money Even the prize money for doubles teams was not left out. The men’s and the women’s doubles championship teams will keep $750,000 per team, which resulted in a nine percent boost in overall prize money for the doubles events. Event Details The 2024 US Open is due to be held from August 26 through September 8 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, New York. The players will fight not only for the most prestigious title but also some of the biggest rewards in the history of tennis. Men’s & Women’s Singles Prize Money Result Prize Money Champion $3,600,000 Finalist $1,800,000 SF $1,000,000 QF $530,000 R4 $325,000 R3 $215,000 R2 $140,000 R1 $100,000 Men’s & Women’s Doubles Prize Money Result Prize Money (per pair) Champion $750,000 Finalist $375,000 SF $190,000 QF $110,000 R3 $63,000 R2 $40,000 R1 $25,000 Men’s & Women’s Singles Qualifying Prize Money Result Prize Money R3 $52,000 R2 $38,000 R1 $25,000 Mixed Doubles Prize Money Result Prize Money (per pair) Champion $200,000 Finalist $100,000 SF $50,000 QF $27,500 R2 $16,500 R1 $10,000 The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
