Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki made her return to tennis at the Canadian Open after a hiatus due to retirement and becoming a mother. She won her first-round match against Kimberly Birrell with a score of 6-2, 6-2. Wozniacki, who had not played competitively since the Australian Open three years prior, expressed her excitement about being back on the court and praised the tournament in Montreal. She is set to face Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the next round.
Top-ranked women’s tennis player, Iga Swiatek, puzzled social media users when photos of her practicing with her mouth taped circulated online. Swiatek later explained that this unusual sight is one of her unique training methods. Swiatek explained that restricting her oxygen intake by breathing only through her nose and taping her mouth helps improve her endurance on the court. This method, devised by her fitness coach Maciej Ryszczuk, is among several distinctive training techniques she employs. Swiatek is known for traveling with a sports psychologist and using specialised equipment to monitor her brain and heart activity for stress indicators. Despite the unconventional methods, she feels confident entering the hard court season after winning her fourth title of the year at the Poland Open.
This year, the US Open will debut video review for double bounces in a Grand Slam tennis first. This new feature will be available on five of the competition courts, with a potential expansion in the future. Players will have three challenges per set to contest decisions related to double bounces, ball-body contact, net touches, and noise hindrances. The review process aims to reduce disputes and provide more accurate decisions. The US Open has a history of pioneering technological innovations in tennis officiating, such as electronic line-calling and in-match communication with coaches. The addition of video review is seen as a positive step by players and officials alike.
During a recent match between Frances Tiafoe and Milos Raonic at the ATP Tour Masters 1000 in Canada, an incident involving a net touch led to a controversial ruling. Tiafoe hit a shot over the net that Raonic responded to with a drop shot. Tiafoe rushed the net and hit the ball back over, seemingly winning the point. However, confusion arose when Tiafoe touched the net. Initially ruled as Raonic’s point, the chair umpire, Fergus Murphy, changed his decision after consulting the rules. Murphy explained that a specific section of the net was considered a permanent fixture and didn’t count as a touch. This meant that Tiafoe’s hit was valid, leading to a point in his favour. Raonic disagreed, resulting in boos from the crowd. The incident was resolved when a supervisor supported Murphy’s decision. Despite the controversy, Raonic went on to win the match; defeating Tiafoe, the 9th-ranked player in the world.
