In today’s
Daily Dose of Social Media, we spotlight key moments and
entertainment from ATP
and WTA stars. Amid the doping controversy surrounding Jannik Sinner, Andy
Roddick shared his opinion, defending that it’s impossible for the Italian not
to have been clean at the Australian Open—something
Nick Kyrgios disagreed
with, leading to an exchange of opinions that wasn’t exactly polite.
On the
other hand, the
US Open Fan Week continues in full swing with another reunion
of legends as players prepare.
Carlos Alcaraz and
Novak Djokovic teamed up with
John McEnroe and
Andre Agassi in doubles. Meanwhile,
Iga Swiatek and Naomi
Osaka shared friendly photos from their latest practice session.
Kyrgios vs.
Roddick: Tension rises over Sinner's doping case
The
reactions to Sinner's doping case continue, as
Andy Roddick responds to Nick
Kyrgios. The American former world No. 1 discussed Sinner’s case on his
podcast, defending that there is "basically no chance" the Italian
was doping during the Australian Open 2024 in January, where he won his first
Grand Slam title.
"There's
also a lot of noise online basically saying 'take away his win in January. He
beat my favorite player there.' Stop. You get tested at every Slam, so there's
no chance he was not clean at the Australian Open if he tested as much as he
did. The amount in his system is one billionth of a gram, or 58,000 times
smaller than a grain of salt. Which is completely consistent with the
explanation."
In a post
by The Tennis Letter, Roddick's comments from his podcast were shared, to which
Australian Kyrgios, who has been actively criticizing Sinner and the ITIA’s
treatment of him compared to other players who have faced similar cases,
responded: "Do you understand how quickly this stuff exits your system?
Cream, gummies literally hours. Ridiculous statement."
"How
do you know? Experience? Lmao you are ridiculous, bro - give it up," a
user commented to the Australian. Kyrgios responded: "Research. Dumb
ass." Roddick also commented on the post with a short, ironic message to
Kyrgios: "Dumbass is one word ..."
Swiatek
and Osaka share friendly moments during US Open practice
Iga Swiatek
and Osaka met during US Open practice sessions and shared friendly photos on
social media. Swiatek, with 5 Grand Slam titles, and Osaka, with 4, are the
players in the draw with the most major titles. Among active players, they are
only behind Venus Williams, who has barely competed in recent years.
Both know
what it’s like to lift the trophy at Flushing Meadows, with the Japanese player
winning in 2018 and 2020, and Swiatek claiming the title in 2022. Both
practiced ahead of the US Open, just before the main draw was revealed. Swiatek
will debut against a qualifier, while Osaka will face the 10th seed, Jelena
Ostapenko.
Svitolina
avoids handshake with Avanesyan after Monterrey victory
Elina
Svitolina makes headlines again after refusing to shake hands with Elina
Avanesyan. The Ukrainian announced in February 2022 that she would not shake
hands with players from Russia or Belarus due to the war in her country.
In her
debut at the WTA 500 Monterrey Open, the former world No. 3 secured a
straight-sets victory against Avanesyan. The Russian-born player switched her
nationality to Armenia just two months ago, the country of her family’s origin.
The victory
was 6-4, 6-3 for the Ukrainian, who, when match point ended near the net,
quickly shook hands with the chair umpire and headed to her seat, thus avoiding
a handshake with Avanesyan.
Djokovic,
Alcaraz, Agassi, and McEnroe team up
The Fan
Week leading up to the US Open always provides interesting moments as important
tennis legends participate in exhibition matches. Four generations of Grand
Slam champions and former world No. 1 players came together in a doubles match
full of history.
A total of
'just' 43 Grand Slam titles were amassed between the four players who gathered
at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Novak Djokovic teamed up with John McEnroe, while Andre
Agassi paired with Carlos Alcaraz in an event that captured the attention of
the fans.
Djokovic
honoured with stunning mural after Olympic gold triumph
Gold
medalist in Paris 2024 Novak Djokovic received another tribute after an
incredible mural was unveiled in Sokolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Serbian’s
remarkable career places him as the most successful tennis player in history,
and his recent triumph at the Olympic Games further solidified his legend after
defeating Carlos Alcaraz in a tight final, 7-6, 7-6.
Despite the
immense number of titles and records Nole has achieved, the challenges continue
as he prepares for the US Open, aiming to defend last year’s title and secure
his 25th Grand Slam. The Serbian will be the second seed in the tournament,
debuting against a qualifier. At Flushing Meadows, he holds a record of 88-13
and four titles (2011, 2015, 2018, 2023).
“Inside the Tour”: Paolini, Sabalenka, and more share their Cincinnati Open experiences
A new WTA
video in the “Inside the Tour” series showcases the players’ arrival at the
Cincinnati Open and their first impressions last week. After her participation
in the Olympic Games,
Jasmine Paolini was asked what she would do with the
medal she won.
“What are
you going to do with the medal? Where are you going to put it?” Jasmine
Paolini, the recent gold medalist in doubles at Paris 2024, was asked. “I don’t
know. For the moment in a safe place, I think,” she said.
“I’m
working really hard right now to get back to my top level, and hopefully, this
is the tournament where I can show my best tennis,” mentioned Sabalenka at the
start of the week in Cincinnati. The Belarusian ended the week as the champion
of her 6th WTA 1000 title and now heads to the US Open with great confidence.
Several
other stars participated in the new video, including
Jessica Pegula, Iga
Swiatek, and the tournament’s surprise,
Ashlyn Krueger, among others.
Schwartzman’s
emotional reaction after clinching his last US Open main draw
Former
world No. 8
Diego Schwartzman had an emotional reaction after reaching the US
Open main draw for the 11th consecutive time, in what will be his last
participation at Flushing Meadows. The Argentine is taking the final steps of
his career, having announced a couple of months ago that he will retire at the
next edition of the Argentina Open in February 2025.
The world
No. 247 experienced a downturn in his career over the past two seasons, and at
just 32 years old, he is playing his final cards on the Tour. Schwartzman
entered the US Open qualifiers and defeated the top seed of the qualification,
his compatriot Thiago Tirante (No. 95).
In the decisive match, he overcame
Lithuanian Vilius Gaubas (No. 188) to secure his return to the main draw, where
he has previously reached the quarterfinals in 2017 and 2019. You can find here
the reaction of the Argentine, who has endured a more than challenging season
with a significant drop in the rankings.
ATP and
WTA’s new official game features Nadal, Djokovic, Swiatek, and more
The latest
trailer for the new official ATP and WTA game “Tie-Break” has been released. In
the video shared on YouTube, characters of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Iga
Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Carlos Alcaraz,
Aryna Sabalenka, among others, and even
the retired Roger Federer, are shown.
The new
tennis game has already been launched and is available on Xbox X|S, Xbox One,
PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4, featuring over 120 faithfully recreated and
playable professional tennis players from the Tours. It also promises a
realistic experience and the option to play as some retired legends.
