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International Tennis Hall of Fame Announces Winners of Iconic Moments in Tennis History

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Following a two-week vote with tens of thousands fans from around the globe weighing in, the International Tennis Hall of Fame has announced the five winning nominees from the Iconic Moments in Tennis History fan voting campaign. The winners in each of the five categories voted upon will be featured in a new exhibition in the ITHF Museum for fans to experience later this month, and online at tennisfame.com/iconic-moments.

The first annual Iconic Moments campaign gave fans the opportunity to revisit, debate and weigh in on some of the sport’s most impactful moments, with individuals from more than 100 nations participating. Fans were able to submit their ballots for their choices among eight nominees in each category.

The Iconic Moments in Tennis History winners are:

Most Epic Rivalry category winner: Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer vs. Novak Djokovic

For nearly 20 years, tennis fans have been captivated by the rivalry between the three most successful players in the history of the ATP Tour by Grand Slam title count. In a category that featured some of tennis’ most impactful matchups, the “Big Three” stood apart for fans who participated in the voting campaign. Each of the three has competed against the other two at least 40 times, with the trio combining to win 61 of the past 76 Grand Slams. Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic stood tied at 20 Grand Slam titles apiece until January, when Nadal claimed his 21st major trophy at the 2022 Australian Open.

Best Cinderella Story category winner: Emma Raducanu, 2021 US Open

Despite Emma Raducanu reaching the last 16 at Wimbledon just weeks prior, no tennis fan could have predicted her stunning triumph at the 2021 US Open. Sitting at No. 150 in the world at the beginning of qualifying, she rattled off nine straight victories in Flushing Meadows without dropping a set, advancing to the final. Raducanu’s championship matchup with Leylah Fernandez marked the first all-teen women’s final at the US Open since 1999. With her 6-3, 6-4 victory, Raducanu became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title in the Open Era, and the first British woman to win a major since 1977.

Best Comeback Within a Match category winner: Rafael Nadal d. Daniil Medvedev, 2022 Australian Open Final

At age 35 and competing at his first Grand Slam in nearly eight months, Rafael Nadal engineered the greatest match comeback of his storied career on the grandest of stages. Having advanced to the final in Melbourne as the No. 6 seed, Nadal found himself down two sets to none to No. 2 seed Daniil Medvedev before turning the match on its heels and prevailing 2-6, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5. The victory marked Nadal’s 21st career Grand Slam title, breaking the three-way tie at 20 he had previously held with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, and his second Australian Open title.

Most Iconic Celebration category winner: Guga Kuerten draws a heart in clay at 2001 Roland-Garros

Known for wearing his heart on his sleeve while on court, Gustavo “Guga” Kuerten left a lasting impression on the clay of Roland-Garros during his run to the title in 2001. Already a two-time champion and the favorite heading into the tournament that year, Kuerten found himself in a bind against qualifier Michael Russell in the fourth round. After surviving match point and prevailing 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, 6-1, Kuerten expressed his love and gratefulness for the fans by drawing a heart in the clay with his racquet.

Best Moment of National Pride category winner: Andy Murray, 2013 Wimbledon

In capturing the 2013 Wimbledon title, Andy Murray ended one of tennis’ longest droughts, becoming the first British man to win his home major since Fred Perry in 1936. He achieved one of the nation’s sport pinnacles in front of a U.K. television audience of 17.3 million and 15,000 elated fans at Centre Court, defeating top seed Novak Djokovic in straight sets. Murray’s victory and final score of 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 would forever be “etched into the national psyche,” according to The Guardian.

Panelists decide the Iconic Moments in History

The nominees in the Iconic Moments in Tennis History campaign were decided upon by a panelists of tennis experts, journalists and historians, and encompassed over seven decades of tennis history. As part of the initiative, thousands of fans around the United States entered to win the 2022 Enshrinement Weekend sweepstakes. Two fans have been selected as winners, and will travel to Newport, R.I. this July 15-17 and receive exclusive access to Lleyton Hewitt’s induction celebrations and the Infosys Hall of Fame Open.

Wimbledon 2022 betting guide

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This summer’s Wimbledon Championships will be the biggest the world has ever seen. The
most popular Grand Slam tennis tournament returns free from COVID-19 restrictions with no bar
on players’ travel or crowds gathering in London. After two years of cancellations,
postponements and rules, British sport welcomes back both the men’s and ladies tournaments
with open arms. Fans can’t wait to return, and the leading online betting apps, from the United
Kingdom to the Las Vegas betting sites, are offering you the chance to make a prediction and
bet on the outcome of the competition and each game.

Traders have had their say, and despite this promising to be the most competitive field
Wimbledon has ever seen, the odds-makers have taken their side. No clear winner is obvious at
this stage, and supporters are able to make a strong case for at least four from both the men’s
and ladies games, but that hasn’t slowed the gambling industry any. Outright betting odds on
Wimbledon 2022 are already available, with a growing number of markets and specials added.
There are more to come too.

Which players have the bookies picked, and what are the Wimbledon 2022 dates for your diary?
In this article, we provide all the information you need to place a bet on the play. We have set
out the useful competition info you need as well as the current betting lineup and everything
else worth knowing. We even offer a step by step guide on how you can pick up a free bet
today. Let’s get started.

Wimbledon Dates

Wimbledon 2022 will be the 135th edition of this Grand Slam and will run from the opening day
on 27 June and the final, which will be played on 10 July. This will be a year of firsts for the
famous tournament, with this event boasting a Sunday of play for the first time. Followers will be
interested to see if the extra Sunday works and will become a permanent fixture. Formerly
known as “middle Sunday”, it was always a rest day from play but adding games gives
organisers some wiggle room for the Round of 16 matches that may be delayed or run past the
schedule.

This will also be the centenary of the inaugural championships played on centre court, meaning
there will be a little extra spice about the occasion. It also means there’s more on the line for the
players who will be working twice as hard to become champion in such an important year. The
defending champion this year is Novak Djokovic, who is dreaming of another title to move him
closer to the Grand Slam’s most successful male Roger Federer who is currently on eight titles.
Will the Serbian live up to expectations?

Wimbledon

Bookies’ view

Who will win the 2022 Wimbledon men’s championship? That remains to be seen, but we can
get an idea of what to expect by looking at the early betting. Below you’ll find a list of the top
players in betting order, with the favourite posted ahead of the second favourite and other top
names in the running.
Novak Djokovic
Daniil Medvedev
Rafael Nadal
Matteo Berrettini
Stefanos Tsitsipas
Carlos Alcaraz
Denis Shapovalov

How to get a free bet

The leading online betting apps offer all new customers a welcome bonus, and in most cases,
this comes in the form of a free bet. The new customer promo is often a deposit matched deal
that gives you a free bet that is equal to or greater in value than your first deposit and play.
Register your account by choosing a bookie and filling in the registration form. Make your first
deposit, then place a qualifying bet on sports with odds of even money or better.
When that wager has a result, the marketing team will add the free bet tokens to your account
balance. These can be used to gamble on the sports and markets of your choice. Please read
the terms and conditions attached to the welcome bonus in full to ensure you have a strong
understanding of how the deal works and what’s expected of you as a registered member of
that sportsbook.

Draw announced for Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals 2022

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The International Tennis Federation (ITF) and Kosmos Tennis have announced the draw for the Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals 2022, which was conducted today in Malaga.

The group stage will be held across four cities – Bologna, Glasgow, Hamburg and Valencia – on 14-18 September 2022. The top two teams in each group will advance to the knock-out stage, which will take place at the Palacio de Deportes José María Martín Carpena in Malaga on 21-27 November 2022.

Davis Cup 2022

The full draw is listed below:

Group A, Bologna Italy:

Croatia (1)

Italy (*)

Argentina

Sweden

Group B

Valencia, ESP

Spain (2) (*)

Canada

Serbia

Korea, Rep.

Group C

Hamburg, GER

France (3)

Germany (*)

Belgium

Australia

Group D

Glasgow, GBR

USA (4)

Great Britain (*)

Kazakhstan

Netherlands

(#) = seeded nation; (*) host nation

The draw for the knock-out stage also took place today, with the four group winners drawn against the four group runners-up. Teams competing in the same group will not be able to meet again until the final.

Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals 2022 Quarter-finals

Winner Group A v Runner-up Group D

Winner Group C v Runner-up Group B

Runner-up Group C v Winner Group D

Runner-up Group A v Winner Group B

Here’s Why the Elderly Should Play More Tennis

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Tennis is a sport that is enjoyed by people of all ages, its popularity being of no surprise, but it can be especially beneficial for seniors. From physical stimulation to companionship, here are three reasons why the elderly should play tennis.

Companionship

A major problem for the elderly is loneliness and isolation. More and more seniors are resorting to social media or the more effective moving to assisted living facilities as a means of combating this. Playing tennis is an underrated way to find companionship.

Playing with old friends can help to combat this feeling by providing much-needed social interaction. Playing tennis can also help people to make new friends and stay connected with the community.

Here are tips for making friends on the tennis court:

  • Talk to people before and after your match.
  • Join a tennis club or league.
  • Play mixed doubles so you can interact with people of the opposite sex.
  • Participate in social events hosted by your local tennis club.

Physical Activity

With age comes physical limitations, making it tempting to live a sedentary life. Yet exercise prevents a myriad of age-related diseases- like osteoporosis, and heart disease – and playing tennis is a great way to get moving. Even if you are not competitive, simply hitting the ball around with a friend can provide some much-needed physical activity.

However, if you’re new to tennis or getting back into the game after a long break, start slowly and build up your stamina over time. This is important to prevent injuries. Also, be sure to warm up before playing, also to prevent injuries.

Mental Stimulation

A brutal effect of age is the gradual loss of cognitive and mental function. Playing tennis can help to keep your mind sharp as you age. Playing tennis requires split-second decisions and quick movements, so the mental benefits include improved memory, concentration, and problem-solving skills.

In fact, studies have found that people who play tennis have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than those who do not play any sports.

To get the most out of this, you can try things like memorizing the plays. Memorizing the plays of your favorite tennis players can help to keep your mind sharp. Likewise, watching matches with a friend and discussing the strategies used by each player will stimulate your brain.

You can even take this a step further and start reading about tennis. From its history to its most famous players, to the best playing techniques. Nothing stimulates the mind quite like reading.

So get out on the court and start playing! Regardless of your age or skill level, tennis provides an enjoyable way to get some exercise, get some mental stimulation, and socialize with both old and new friends. Even if you don’t win every match, you can still have a good time.

Senior Tennis
Senior Tennis

Carlos Alcaraz wins first Masters in Miami, confirms wonderkid status

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Carlos Alcaraz wins his first Masters title in Miami and hereby confirms that he is the new wonderkid in tennis. Alcaraz beat Casper Ruud in straight sets 7-5 6-4. 

By winning the Miami tournament Alcaraz is the 2nd youngest player to ever win a Masters title. Only Michael Chang, (Toronto, 1990) and Rafael Nadal (Monte Carlo, 2005) were younger when they won a tournament in this highly prestigious category in professional tennis. The Masters tournament are directly placed under Grand Slam tournaments.

Alcaraz, who is of this week is the number 11 on the ATP Tour rankings, also reached the semi finals of the Indian Wells tournament, another prestigious Masters’ tournament and also considered to be the fifth Grand Slam, gave all he got and then some in Miami to win the third title of his career.

Alcaraz, who was born in Murcia, Spain was pleasantly surprised by coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, who went back to Spain due to the passing of his father.

Alcaraz has a rusty start

Alcaraz did not want to disappoint his Ferrero with whom he has been collaborating in 2019, and may have felt some pressure because he was off to a rusty start with a lot of unforced errors.

Casper Ruud, who also played his first Masters finale like Alcaraz, happily took advantage of the bad start of the Spanish youngster. The Norwegian, number seven in the world, took a 4-1 lead but Alcaraz rejuvenated his game and took the first set with 7-5.

Alcaraz put more variety in his game and dominated Ruud. The Spaniard took a quick 3-0 lead in the second set and won the set and match swiftly by hitting matchpoint on a lovegame.

Alcaraz became the youngest Miami tournament ever and broke the “Spanish curse”. Sergi Bruguera, Carlos Moya, David Ferrer and Rafael Nadal (5x) also reached the finals of the prestigious Miami tournament but there never was a Spanish winner.

A tribute to Juan Carlos Ferrero

“Eduardo always with us,” he wrote on the lens with a heart before acknowledging his coach’s gesture of attending the final in his speech. “Juan Carlos came yesterday, it’s a tough moment for him and I want to say thank you to him for coming to stay with me in this important moment for me, for my career,” the newly-crowned Miami Open said. “It’s pretty amazing to share this with you.”

Carlos Alcaraz Beats Casper Ruud For Miami Open Title

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Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest ever Miami Open men’s singles champion after the 18-year-old Spaniard defeated Norway’s Casper Ruud 7-5, 6-4 in the final at Hard Rock Stadium.

Only two men have won titles at the ATP 1000 level at a younger age — Michael Chang, who was 18 years and five months old when he won Toronto in 1990, and Rafael Nadal, 18 years and 10 months when he claimed the Monte Carlo crown in 2005. To boot, Alcaraz became the first Spanish man to win in Miami, a title that even Nadal has not won in his career.

“I have no words to describe how I feel right now, but it is so special to win my first Masters 1000 here in Miami,” Alcaraz said in his post-match speech. “I’m so happy with the win and for sure with my team. “I knew Casper is playing very well, he has a big forehand. I tried to play to his backhand first and tried to go to attack, to not let him dominate the match.”

Alcaraz came back after a slow start, trailing 1-4, then broke Ruud twice early in the second en route to closing out victory, capped with a serve-and-volley winner.

The win will move Alcaraz to No. 11 in the world, but many see him as the No. 3 threat to win the French Open later this Spring, behind Nadal and world No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz

Iga Swiatek Shows Everyone Who Is The New No. 1 With Miami Open Win

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by Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

Iga Swiatek entered the 2022 Miami Open as a satisfied but distant world No. 2, but leaves as the dominant world No. 1.

Suddenly thrust into the No. 1 ranking with the surprise retirement announcement of top-ranked Ash Barty at the start of the tournament, Swiatek embraced the pressure and ruthlessly plowed through the draw to the title, defeating four-time major champion Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-0 in the final.

Swiatek did not lose a set en route to the victory in Miami, which coupled with her win in Indian Wells, California two weeks earlier, gave her the sweep of what is now being branded “The Sunshine Double.”
She clinched the top ranking with her 6-2, 6-0 victory over Victoria Golubic in her opening match in Miami. Some speculated that the new pressure of being No. 1, as well as the fatigue of advancing so deep in both Miami and Indian Wells would catch up to Swiatek, but she proved to up to the task.

“She went from being elated to be No. 2 to ‘Oh my goodness,’” said Lindsay Davenport on Tennis Channel in the middle of the Miami Open of the sudden change from being “the hunter” to be “the hunted” in women’s pro tennis.

“I am still hungry. I want to win very much,” said Swiatek to Tennis Channel of her mind-set and her avoiding complacency after clinching the No. 1 ranking. “I knew I couldn’t have focused on rankings, but to focus on tennis.”

Swiatek becomes the first player from Poland to rank No. 1 in men’s and women’s tennis. She burst on the scene as the surprise champion at the French Open in 2020. She joins Steff Graf, Kim Clijsters and Vika Azarenka as the only women to win the “Sunshine Double” of Indian Wells followed by Miami Open in the same year.

“I wouldn’t even have dreamed to be compared to them,” she said of Graf, Clijsters and Azarenka to Tennis Channel.

Iga Swiatek To Become WTA No. 1 After Ash Barty Retirement

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The WTA announced that Poland’s Iga Swiatek will become the new WTA World No.1 when the rankings are released on Monday, April 4 following the Miami Open presented by Itaú, becoming the first man or woman from Poland to ascend to the No.1 position in singles. She will become the 28th woman to capture the WTA World No.1 ranking.

At 20 years, 308 days of age, Swiatek will become the youngest player to make the WTA World No.1 debut since Caroline Wozniacki did so in 2010, aged 20 years and 92 days.

“I am really satisfied and proud of myself for reaching the No.1 spot,” stated Iga. “I feel like my tennis is going the right way and my goal is to stay at No.1 and continue what I am doing.” On the impact she is making in Poland, Swiatek said, “Polish fans continue to grow more and more passionate about tennis. It is amazing to see and one of my goals is to make tennis more popular in Poland and I hope this will help grow the game. The support from home and all around the world has been great.”

“Iga is an incredible player with an all-around athleticism and unique shot-making ability, and I am delighted she will become the new WTA World No.1 ranked player,” said Steve Simon, WTA Chairman and CEO. “To achieve all that she has at such a young age and reach the pinnacle of the WTA rankings is a true testament to her hard work and professionalism. I am pleased to congratulate Iga on this very special moment and achievement.”

With the announcement of current WTA World No.1 Ashleigh Barty retiring from the sport earlier this week, Swiatek has now secured her rise to the elite ranking position with her win today over Viktorija Golubic in the second round at Miami. Her victory over Golubic was her 12th match win in a row as she advances in Miami.

Swiatek started the season in excellent form, reaching the semifinal stage at her first two events– Adelaide International, a WTA 500 level event, and the Australian Open – marking a continuation of her success across 2021, when she picked up the title at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome and qualified for the season-ending WTA Finals for the first time in her career.

In 2022, Swiatek has captured back-to-back WTA 1000 titles at the Qatar TotalEngergies Open in Doha and the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

Swiatek first rose to prominence after winning the title at Roland-Garros in 2020 without dropping a set, and at No.54 became the lowest-ranked Roland-Garros champion since rankings were introduced in 1975. Her success in Paris also saw her become the first Polish player (man or woman) to win a Grand Slam singles title and was subsequently voted as the WTA Most Improved Player at the end of the 2020 season.

“Absolutely Spent” Ash Barty Announces Retirement

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Australian tennis women’s world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty has announced her retirement from the sport, saying she has lost the drive to compete at the highest level.

“I don’t have the physical drive, the emotional want and everything it takes to challenge yourself at the very top level anymore,” she said in a video posted on social media on Wednesday.

“I am so thankful for everything this sport has given me and leave feeling proud and fulfilled. Thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way,” the 25-year-old said.

In an emotional interview with a close friend, Barty said she was “absolutely spent” when it came to tennis.

“I know physically I have nothing more to give and that for me is success. I’ve given absolutely everything I can to this beautiful sport of tennis and I’m really happy with that,” said Barty.

“It’s given me all of my dreams and more, but I know that the time is right now for me to step away and chase other dreams, and put the racquet down.”

The announcement came two months after Barty became the first Australian to win the Australian Open since 1978.

The Australian tennis star finishes her career with three Grand Slam titles – the French Open in 2019, Wimbledon in 2021 and this year’s Australian Open, where she beat out American Danielle Collins in the final.

“As a person, this is what I want. I want to chase after some other dreams that I’ve always wanted to do, and always had that really healthy balance, but I’m really, really excited,” said Barty.

Following her Australian Open triumph, Barty withdrew from Indian Wells and the Miami Open, saying her body needed more time to recover.

Wednesday’s announcement marked the second time Barty has walked away from tennis, previously taking a hiatus to play cricket in 2014 before returning in 2016,

Ash Barty
Ash Barty

Iga Swiatek Now The No. 2 Player In The World After Indian Wells Triumph

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Iga Swiatek of Warsaw, Poland jumped to the second place of the WTA Tour rankings after defeating Greek Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-1 in the BNP Paribas Open final in Indian Wells.

“I did not expect to be in this place. This is something crazy. I didn’t think I could play on this level from tournament to tournament,” said Swiatek. “Every game with Maria Sakkari is amazing, I would like to thank you very much. Hopefully we will face each other in the finals for the next 10 years.”

The Pole started nervously going down 0-2 quickly. The first set was very tight but it was the 20-year-old who rebounded to win it 6-4.

Both players had to cope with very demanding conditions and strong wind in the second set while Swiatek turned the pace after a bad start and took control on the court. The 2020 French Open champion broke Sakkari twice to end her hopes to turn the game into her favor, winning 6-1 to seal her fifth WTA title.

“Right now, it’s too surreal to describe it, honestly. But of course I want to go higher because I feel like taking first place is getting closer and closer,” said Swiatek.

Swiatek extended her winning streak to 11 matches and improved her WTA Tour record this season to 20-3.

“Especially winning after playing so well in Doha is giving me a lot of confidence and kind of belief that I can do it, because I wouldn’t think of myself as someone who’s ready to play two tournaments in a row and win it,” she added.

Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek