SME News Balkan. Shanghai, China — In one of the most extraordinary tennis stories in recent memory, Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot completed a fairytale run at the Shanghai Masters, defeating his cousin Arthur Rinderknech in a gripping final to claim his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title.The 26-year-old qualifier, ranked No. 204 at the start of the…
SME News Balkan. WUHAN, China – Coco Gauff capped off a stunning run on the Asian swing with victory at the Wuhan Open, defeating fellow American Jessica Pegula 6-4, 7-5 in Sunday’s final. But the world No. 3 later revealed that she almost didn’t make the trip to Asia at all.Speaking after lifting the trophy,…
SME News Balkan. tournament directors are deliberately slowing down court surfaces in a move that plays into the hands of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, the two players who have dominated men’s tennis in 2025.Alcaraz and Sinner, currently ranked No.1 and No.2 in the world, have contested the last three Grand Slam finals – at…
SME News Balkan. Alexander Zverev sparked confusion at the 2025 Laver Cup after appearing to ignore team-mate Carlos Alcaraz’s tactical input during his decisive defeat to Taylor Fritz.With Team Europe trailing 12-9, Zverev had the chance to level the score against the American. Midway through the second set, as Fritz prepared to serve, Alcaraz leaned…
SME News Balkan. Alex de Minaur produced a dazzling performance at the Laver Cup, defeating Alexander Zverev in straight sets and paying tribute to tennis icon Roger Federer in the process.The Australian overcame the world No. 3 by a commanding 6-1, 6-4 scoreline at the Chase Center in San Francisco, setting the tone for a…
SME News Balkan. Emma Raducanu’s Korea Open campaign ended in heartbreak after the Briton squandered three match points in a gruelling second-round defeat to Barbora Krejcikova in Seoul.The 2021 US Open champion looked on course for a statement victory when she led 6-4, 4-1, but Krejcikova, a two-time Grand Slam winner, showcased her trademark resilience…
SME News Balkan. Emma Raducanu overcame a lengthy weather delay and an emotional first set to dispatch Jaqueline Cristian in the Korea Open first round. The British No. 1 has endured a week marred by backlash upon her withdrawal from the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. Next up for Raducanu is an encounter with Barbora…
SME News UK. September 15, 2025 – British No. 1 Jack Draper has confirmed he will miss the remainder of the 2025 tennis season due to a left arm injury, prematurely ending a breakthrough year and dashing his hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals in Turin.The 23-year-old withdrew from the US Open after advancing…
SME News Balkan. Australia’s Davis Cup captain and former world No. 1, Lleyton Hewitt, has been fined AUS $30,000 and handed a two-week suspension by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) following an incident involving an anti-doping official last year.The disciplinary action stems from an incident on November 23, 2024, in which Hewitt was found…
SME News Balkan. British No. 1 Jack Draper has announced he will miss the remainder of the 2025 tennis season due to an arm injury, ending a breakout year that had seen him surge into the world’s top 10 and contend for a spot at the prestigious ATP Finals in Turin.The 23-year-old withdrew from the…
