Tennis legend Billie Jean King has expressed support for Emma Raducanu, advising the young player to ignore criticism she’s faced in her career to date. Raducanu has faced multiple uncertainties over the past two years, undergoing surgery on her wrists and ankle all since winning the 2021 US Open. King praises Raducanu as a great representative for women’s tennis but acknowledges the difficulties she has encountered several coach changes and plunging down in the rankings. However, King suspects Raducanu will make a strong comeback for the upcoming US Open in August.
Daniil Medvedev and Nick Kyrgios have withdrawn from the US Open tune-up tournament in Washington due to injuries. Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champion, has won five titles this year but pulled out due to an unspecified injury after reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals. Kyrgios, the defending Washington champion, has been plagued by knee, foot, and wrist injuries, causing him to miss every Grand Slam so far this year.
Swedish tennis player Mikael Ymer has been given an 18-month suspension from professional tennis for violating anti-doping rules. Ymer was charged with a potential anti-doping rule violation in January 2022 for missing three out-of-competition test attempts within a year. The CAS panel found that Ymer accepted the first two whereabouts failures but contested the third, which was attributed to miscommunication with his agent. Despite the miscommunication, the panel concluded that Ymer failed to ensure compliance with anti-doping regulations. Ymer, ranked number 51 in the world, recently reached the third round at Wimbledon after defeating Taylor Fritz.
Novak Djokovic’s parent have called for him to retire from tennis following his Wimbledon final defeat against Carlos Alcaraz. Despite Djokovic’s status as a veteran star and holding the most Grand Slam singles titles, his parents believe he has achieved enough in his career and should consider ending it. In a documentary called “Novak Djokovic – Untold Stories,” his mother stated that he could retire right now as he has won everything.
Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has announced that he will likely retire from tennis within the next five years due to the toll his lifestyle has taken on his body. He has struggled with physical issues, undergoing knee surgery that kept him out of major tournaments like the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Kyrgios blamed his off-court activities, including heavy drinking and partying, as well as the demanding training schedule required to play at the top for his decision to quit early. Kyrgios previously mentioned retiring once he achieves his dream of winning a Grand Slam, stating he finds the pressure and demands of the sport increasingly stressful.
Photo: Instagram
