Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu.
Teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz won his third title of the year at the Barcelona Open. Alcaraz was notably applauded by his idol Rafael Nadal for achieving yet another milestone.
Emma Raducanu’s historic triumph at the 2021 US Open has won her the Breakthrough of the Year award at the 2022 Laureus Sports Awards.
Barbora Krejcikova‘s injury seems rather serious as she was withdrawn from yet another tournament in the form of the Madrid Open. Top 10 players Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud and Felix Auger-Aliassime are in action this week at the ATP events in Munich and Estoril.
Iga Swiatek‘s dominance on the WTA tour continued unabated as she won her fourth consecutive title of the season at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix on Sunday. Here’s a roundup of the day’s headlines:
Rafael Nadal congratulates Carlos Alcaraz on Barcelona Open victory
Rafael Nadal had some kind words to say following Carlos Alcaraz’s victory at the Barcelona Open. The former World No. 1 took to social media to congratulate the youngster on winning the title, his third of the season. Alcaraz previously won the Miami Open and the Rio Open.
Nadal also congratulated Pablo Carreno Busta for reaching the final and stated it was a great week for Spanish tennis overall. He wrote on Twitter:
“Congratulations to Carlos Alcaraz for the title in #Barcelona ! Also Pablo for the final. A spectacular week for both and for Spanish tennis that once again has a winner.”
Nadal has been sidelined for weeks with a rib injury, but seems to be recovering well. There’s no confirmation if he’ll compete at the upcoming Madrid Open next week.
Emma Raducanu wins Breakthrough of the Year at 2022 Laureus Sports Awards
Emma Raducanu’s stunning run to claim her maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open last year has bagged her the Breakthrough of the Year award at the 2022 Laureus Sports Awards.
The teenager won three qualifying matches to book her spot in the main draw, all in straight sets. She then won her next seven matches without dropping a set as well, to lift the trophy in New York.
Raducanu became the first qualifier in history to win a Grand Slam title, a feat that is likely to remain unmatched in the near future at least.
Barbora Krejcikova to miss the Madrid Open
World No. 3 Barbora Krejcikova’s injury woes continue. The Czech last competed at the Qatar Open in February, where she picked up an elbow injury. She still hasn’t recovered and has missed all tournaments since then. The upcoming Madrid Open is the latest event she will be skipping.
Krejcikova is the reigning Roland Garros champion and such a lengthy layoff doesn’t bode well for her title defense.
Alexander Zverev headlines BMW Open draw; Felix Auger-Aliassime leads field at Estoril Open
While the Madrid Open is the next big tournament on the calendar, there are two ATP 250 events happening this week. World No. 3 Alexander Zverev is competing at the BMW Open, where he’s the top seed. Fellow top 10 player Casper Ruud is also in the mix, along with Reilly Opelka, Cristian Garin and Dan Evans.
Felix Auger-Aliassime is the only other top 10 player in action as he leads the pack at the Estoril Open. Monte-Carlo Masters finalist Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic, Sebastian Korda and Diego Schwartzman are also in the fray.
Iga Swiatek wins fourth title on the trot in Stuttgart
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek remains undefeated as she claimed her fourth title in a row at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. She defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-2 in the final. The Pole previously won three WTA 1000 events in Miami, Indian Wells and Qatar.
Swiatek has now extended her winning streak to 23 matches and will be heavily favored to win the Madrid Open as well.
