Daily Dose of Social Media: Zheng Qinwen calls on fans with a Chinese lesson, Serena Williams attends wedding alongside singer Lana Del Rey

Tennis News
Sunday, 15 December 2024 at 23:30
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Zheng Qinwen called on fans to support China in the upcoming United Cup with Chinese lessons in a new Daily Dose of Social Media, while Matteo Berrettini revealed a short behind-the-scenes clip of Team Italy at the recent Davis Cup Finals, alongside Lorenzo Musetti and Jannik Sinner.

Meanwhile, Serena Williams turned heads at an exclusive wedding in Mexico with singer Lana Del Rey, while Fabio Fognini impressed on the dance floor in the Italian version of Dancing with the Stars.

Serena Williams attends wedding alongside singer Lana Del Rey

Serena Williams posed for some photos with singer Lana Del Rey at a wedding in the Mexican city of Mérida. The 23-time Grand Slam champion and the renowned artist attended as guests at the celebration of Valerie Vogt, with Lana Del Rey even dedicating a song to the newlyweds. According to the Mexican media outlet Yucatán, they enjoyed a tour of the Homún cenotes and visited a local restaurant.

The 43-year-old American has been over two years since her retirement at the US Open following a fourth-round defeat to Ajla Tomljanovic. Since then, the legendary former world No. 1 has made sporadic public appearances while balancing her busy schedule as a businesswoman and her family life with husband Alexis Ohanian and their two daughters, Olympia and Adira.

Sinner and Berrettini shine in Team Italy's behind-the-scenes Davis Cup video

A viral social media video showcases the spirit of Team Italy during the recent Davis Cup Finals. The 2021 Wimbledon runner-up, Matteo Berrettini, shared a fun clip from the locker room in Málaga, featuring the entire team cheering for the camera, with World No. 1 Jannik Sinner closing the video in style.

The Italians delivered an impressive performance, securing victories against Argentina (2-1), Australia (2-0), and the Netherlands (2-0), successfully defending the title they first won in 2023. The lineup included Sinner as the No. 1 singles player and Berrettini as No. 2, joined by Lorenzo Musetti, Andrea Vavassori, Simone Bolelli, and their captain, former World No. 25 Filippo Volandri.

Rybakina shares first selfie with Ivanisevic as new coach

A day ago, the first images of Goran Ivanisevic in Dubai, seemingly training with 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, were revealed on social media. However, there were no pictures of the two together until now. Today, Rybakina's team shared new photos as they prepare for the 2025 season, including a gym session featuring Rybakina and a selfie on the tennis court with Ivanisevic, the former coach of Novak Djokovic.

Rybakina has brought in an experienced and highly accomplished coach to help her regain top form next year. The Kazakh had a unique 2024 season, marked by physical and mental health challenges, reportedly due to a strained relationship with her previous coach. The 25-year-old achieved an impressive 42-11 record this year, claimed three WTA 500 titles, and reached two WTA 1000 finals. However, she withdrew from several tournaments, which ultimately cost her the chance to finish the year even higher in the rankings.

Zheng Qinwen teaches fans to cheer in Chinese ahead of United Cup

World No. 5 Zheng Qinwen has called on fans to support Team China in the upcoming United Cup. Returning for the second consecutive year, ‘QueenWen’ aims to lead the nation to victory in the mixed-gender tournament. In a promotional video, Zheng teaches fans how to say “Go China” in Chinese, adding a personal touch to her appeal.

The Olympic gold medalist will team up once again with Zhang Zhizhen, leading Group E in Perth starting 27 December. China’s campaign begins against Brazil, featuring Beatriz Haddad Maia and Thiago Monteiro, followed by a clash with defending champions Germany, led by Alexander Zverev and Laura Siegemund, three days later.

Fabio Fognini steals the show on Italian Dancing with the Stars

Fabio Fognini grabbed attention with his recent appearance on Ballando con le Stelle, the Italian version of Dancing with the Stars. The 37-year-old tennis star is enjoying the off-season in Italy while preparing for his 22nd year as a professional, having finished 2024 as World No. 91—marking his 17th season inside the top 100.

Fognini teamed up with professional dancer Giada Lini and performed to Jerry Lee Lewis’s classic, Great Balls of Fire, during a cameo appearance on the show’s second semifinal on Saturday night. His charismatic routine, which included a dramatic leap over his partner’s head, quickly went viral on social media. Watch the full video below!

Ana Ivanovic shares magical moments from Lapland getaway

Ana Ivanovic delighted her fans with a photodump from her vacation in Lapland, Finland. The former World No. 1, retired since 2016, enjoyed activities like polar bear sightings and dog sledding during her snowy adventures in the Nordic country.

Recently, Ivanovic celebrated her 37th birthday alongside her husband, German football legend and World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger. The couple, married since 2016, shares two children: Luka, born in 2018, and Leon, born in 2019. Ivanovic enjoyed a stellar career, reaching the top of the rankings after clinching the 2008 Roland Garros title and finishing runner-up at the 2008 Australian Open, where she lost to Maria Sharapova.

Leylah Fernandez shares preseason video

Leylah Fernandez shared a video of her preseason upon her arrival in Australia. The Canadian is already in Melbourne, training with her sights set on the 2025 season, which will kick off on December 27 at the United Cup. The 2021 US Open runner-up will partner with Felix Auger-Aliassime in Group A in Perth, where they will share a group with the United States (Coco Gauff/Taylor Fritz) and Croatia (Donna Vekic/Borna Coric).

Fernandez finished the 2024 season ranked World No. 31 after a brief appearance at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. The defending champions, Canada, were the top seeds and debuted in the quarterfinals against Great Britain. However, they lost both singles matches: Fernandez against Katie Boulter and Rebecca Marino against Emma Raducanu, being eliminated after just two matches.

In Leylah's recent video, she can be seen arriving at the training center in Melbourne, hitting some groundstrokes, and even playing mini-golf after her recovery session. "Day in the life: Pre-season in Australia," posted the former World No. 13.

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