While Iga Swiatek, the defending champion, endured a hard-fought match against Naomi Osaka, her main rivals Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina had relatively easier wins in the second round of the French Open. Sabalenka, who has made it to the semi-finals of her last six grand-slam events, will face her friend Paula Badosa in round three after her victory over Yulia Putintseva. Even though Sabalenka does not watch much tennis, she was glued to Swiatek's dramatic showdown with Osaka, and she acknowledges the young Pole's incredible comeback.
Defending champion Iga Świątek of Poland survived a tough match against former world number one Naomi Osaka of Japan in the second round of Wimbledon on Wednesday. Świątek, who is currently ranked number one in the world, won 7-6 (4), 6-4.
After Osaka won a lengthy first game to take a 40-0 lead, she fell quickly to 40-40 and then gave up the game with a double fault. The second game also went to deuce but this time Osaka held on to take it and level the match.
Świątek then took control of the match, winning the next three games to take a 5-2 lead. Osaka got one of those breaks back, and then held serve to make it 5-4. However, Świątek served out the set in the next game.
The second set was more closely contested, with both players holding serve until 4-4. Świątek then broke Osaka's serve to take a 5-4 lead, and she served out the match in the next game.
Świątek's win sets up a third-round match against 23-time Grand Slam champion, Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia. Ostapenko defeated Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium 6-2, 6-2.
Other top seeds had an easier time and both reached the Wimbledon third round with straight-sets victories on Wednesday.
Second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus defeated Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan 6-3, 6-2. Sabalenka, who has reached the semi-finals of her last six Grand Slams, will next face Paula Badosa of Spain, who defeated Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland 6-2, 6-1.
Fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan defeated Coco Gauff of the United States 6-4, 6-4. Rybakina will next face Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic, who defeated Katie Boulter of Great Britain 6-3, 6-4.
Top 5 FAQs and Answers
1. Who is the defending champion of Wimbledon?
Iga Swiatek of Poland
2. Who is the top seed in the men's singles draw?
Novak Djokovic of Serbia
3. Who is the top seed in the women's singles draw?
Iga Swiatek of Poland
4. When is the Wimbledon final?
July 9, 2023
5. Where can I watch Wimbledon?
ESPN and ESPN+
In a highly entertaining AFC North matchup, Joe Burrow and the Bengals came up short against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Despite an impressive performance from Burrow, a late interception and a missed game-winning field goal by Evan McPherson proved costly for the home team. But it was Derrick Henry's 51-yard run in overtime that set up the Ravens' game-winning field goal, spoiling an otherwise outstanding performance by Burrow.
Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers will miss upcoming game against the Seattle Seahawks due to a concussion, while running back Devin Singletary is also doubtful with a groin injury. Nabers, who leads the NFL in catches, suffered a concussion in the previous game against the Dallas Cowboys. New York will have to rely on Wan'Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton, and Jalin Hyatt as top receivers, while Singletary's absence leaves Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Eric Gray as the only active tailbacks. With a struggling offense and a tough opponent, the Giants will have to pull together to overcome these injuries and secure a win.
Sajeevan Sajana played a pivotal role in India's 6-wicket win over Pakistan in the Women's T20 World Cup 2024, scoring a crucial boundary off just her first delivery. India put up a strong bowling performance, led by Arundhati Reddy, to restrict Pakistan to a total of 105. However, India made things difficult for themselves with the bat, losing wickets regularly. With the match coming down to the wire, Sajana's heroics ensured a victory for India and kept their semi-final hopes alive.
The Women's T20 World Cup match between West Indies and Scotland proved to be an exciting and nail-biting game. Led by captain Hayley Matthews, West Indies dominated throughout the match and secured victory. Despite a valiant effort from Scotland, they were unable to chase down the target set by West Indies. This marks a strong start for West Indies in the tournament, while Scotland will look to bounce back in their next match.
After a long wait, The Rock made his comeback to WWE at the Bad Blood event in Atlanta, much to the delight of fans. Meanwhile, Triple H announced a new championship belt and a showdown between the WWE world champion and the WWE champion, making for an intense night of matches. The highlight of the event was the Hell in a Cell match between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre, with Punk emerging victorious after a brutal and satisfying battle.
The pressure is mounting on Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag as his team fails to secure a win against Aston Villa in the Premier League. After a week of chaos, the Red Devils are still winless in their past five games and have dropped to 14th place in the league table. Despite a spirited performance, United were unable to break through Villa's defense and continue their struggles, while Villa maintains their excellent start to the season.
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou expresses his disappointment after their shocking loss to Brighton, citing it as the worst defeat since he took over the Spurs. Brighton scored three goals in the second half, leading to Tottenham's defeat after holding a 2-0 lead. Postecoglou blames his team's lack of fight and mentality for the outcome of the match.
The Dallas Cowboys secured a crucial win against their division rivals, the New York Giants, with a final score of 20-15. Despite the numerous penalties and sloppy play, the Cowboys were able to hold on to their early lead thanks to touchdowns by Rico Dowdle and CeeDee Lamb. Quarterback Dak Prescott continued his dominance against the Giants with 221 yards passing and two touchdowns. The Giants were unable to capitalize on their opportunities, settling for five field goals and struggling to produce explosive plays. The win moves the Cowboys to 2-2, while the Giants fall to 1-3 and face injury concerns for key defensive players.
The Central Railway has announced that it will run special trains between Mumbai, Pune, Nashik and Nagpur for Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Diwas 2024. The special trains will also run between Nagpur-Bhusaval-Nashik Road. Bookings for these trains will open on October 7. The trains will have multiple halts at key cities and routes for the convenience of passengers.
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou expressed his frustration and disappointment as his side suffered a surprise 3-2 defeat at the hands of Brighton, after Tottenham lost their two-goal lead and conceded three goals in just 18 minutes. The manager criticized his players for lacking fight and accepting their fate, labeling it as the worst defeat during his time as Spurs boss. The loss ends Tottenham's five-game winning streak and their hopes of staying in the top four.