Today in
our
Daily Dose of Social Media, we review the most significant activities and
Entertainment from ATP and WTA players.
Andy Murray stole the spotlight with
his hilariously clown costume to celebrate Halloween, just like
Coco Gauff, who
embodied one of Marvel’s most iconic heroes.
Meanwhile,
Aryna Sabalenka and
Iga Swiatek are having fun together as they await the WTA
Finals, after sharing a TikTok video that dazzled fans.
Murray keeps
fans laughing post-retirement with funny Halloween look
Andy Murray
shared a humorous post on social media with his Halloween costume. The 3-time
Grand Slam champion has always been known for his great sense of humor, and
since his retirement a few months ago, he has been keeping his fans updated
through social media.
This time,
Murray posted a funny photo dressed as a clown: “Hope you are all enjoying
Halloween 🎃 as much as me 😐,” he wrote. It wasn’t just the
costume that caught attention but also his ironically serious expression, as
many wondered if Murray has now chosen a new career off the court.
The former
world No. 1 announced his retirement earlier this season, which became official
at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, where he partnered with Dan Evans and
reached the quarterfinals. For his farewell, Murray couldn’t compete in
singles, as he wasn’t at 100% physically due to an injury sustained at the
Queen's Club Championships.
College students pick WTA Finals winner
A fun video
from Tennis Channel shows college students' picks for the winner of the WTA
Finals. Most of those interviewed didn’t recognize the eight participants, so
their choices were largely based on who had a “champion’s face.”
The
favorite among students was Aryna Sabalenka, noted for her “fierce,”
“motivated,” and “serious” expression. Nevertheless, some students could
slightly identify certain players, with other popular picks including defending
champion Iga Swiatek, 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff, and Gold Medalist Zheng
Qinwen.
The
tournament will kick off this Saturday in Riyadh with a new showdown between
Zheng and Sabalenka. The Belarusian leads the head-to-head 4-0, including two
matches in recent months and the Australian Open final earlier this season.
This will be another chance for the Chinese player to secure a win, especially
after taking her first set against Sabalenka in the Wuhan final. Given her
strong current form, Zheng is expected to challenge Sabalenka.
Coco Gauff brings
Deadpool to life
Coco Gauff
delighted fans by showing off her Halloween costume all the way from Riyadh.
The world No. 3 appeared on social media dressed as Deadpool, the Marvel
superhero known from movies and comics. With a red suit, tall boots, and even
Deadpool's mask, Gauff posed in multiple photos and even shared a video of
herself dancing in the costume.
The
20-year-old is preparing for her third
WTA Finals, where she reached the
semifinals last year. Gauff will face world No. 6 Jessica Pegula in her first
match, a rematch of their 2023 Finals encounter, in which Pegula claimed
victory. The two Americans share a group with 5-time Grand Slam champion Iga
Swiatek and 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova.
Paris Masters Quiz: ATP Stars test their champion
knowledge
As the final Masters 1000 of the year unfolds,
ATP stars took on a challenge to name as many players as possible who have won
the title at Paris-Bercy. Over 52 editions, the tournament has seen a total of
38 different singles champions since 1968.
Some players who stood out for their tennis
history knowledge included local favorites
Ugo Humbert and
Richard Gasquet, as
well as the 2020 runner-up
Alexander Zverev. The video also featured stars like
the 2022 champion
Holger Rune,
Jannik Sinner,
Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Taylor
Fritz.
The tournament has now reached the quarterfinal
stage, with the surprising elimination of Carlos Alcaraz at the hands of
Humbert. The Frenchman represents the home crowd’s hope for another French
champion, the last being Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2008 when he defeated defending
champion David Nalbandian from Argentina.
Friendly
Rivals? Sabalenka and Swiatek team Up on TikTok ahead of WTA Finals
Aryna
Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek are arguably the most prominent rivalry in recent
years in the WTA, though they seem to have a good relationship off the court,
as shown in a TikTok video they filmed together after a training session ahead
of the WTA Finals.
The world
No. 1 and world No. 2 are the tournament's top seeds, starting in favored
groups, with the ongoing battle to finish the year at the top of the rankings.
Sabalenka currently has the edge with a lead of just over 1,000 points and a
maximum of 1,500 points available for the champion. Swiatek currently leads
their head-to-head 8-4, though Sabalenka has won 2 of their last 3 WTA Finals
meetings between 2021 and 2023.
“A
different type of serve tonight 😉 @iga.swiatek” posted Sabalenka on her
TikTok account, capturing fans’ attention with over 100,000 likes for the
two top players of recent years.
Bencic returns
to competition after maternity break
Belinda
Bencic returned to the courts to compete in a W75 tournament at the Hamburg
Open, marking her comeback to the Tour after more than a year. Her last
tournament was in September 2023 at the San Diego Open, where she fell in the
first round to Aliaksandra Sasnovich (3-6, 6-3, 6-2). The Tokyo 2020 gold
medalist took a break in 2023 to become a mother to her first daughter, Bella,
who was born back in April, six months ago.
The
27-year-old Swiss not only made her return but did so with a remarkable win
over 22-year-old Julia Avdeeva (ranked No. 238) by 6-3, 6-1, although she lost
in the second round to 24-year-old Anatasia Kulikova (ranked No. 298) with a
score of 3-6, 4-6.
On social
media, Bencic thanked her supporters for their encouragement during the
tournament, and images show the former world No. 4 training in Hamburg, hitting
shots from the baseline.