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Iga Swiatek makes ‘scary’ admission as she highlights concerning tennis issue

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Iga Swiatek Paris Olympics

Iga Swiatek has described the tennis calendar as “probably the toughest one in sports” and declared it is “scary” that the schedule is “getting more crazy every year.”

The world No 1 also discussed the need to reset after a “pretty stressful” Paris Olympics experience and outlined her plan to treat the Cincinnati Open as a “practice tournament.”

Swiatek was the strong favourite to win the women’s singles gold medal at the 2024 Games, with the tennis event staged on the clay at Stade Roland Garros — where she has won four French Open titles.

Paris 2024 favorite Iga Swiatek loses in Olympic women's tennis semifinal

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The Polish star suffered heartbreak in the semi-finals as she fell to a 2-6, 5-7 loss to world No 7 and eventual gold medallist Zheng Qinwen.

The 23-year-old bounced back from the disappointment admirably to defeat Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-2, 6-1 in the bronze medal match.

Swiatek will play her first tournament since the Olympics at the WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati after she missed the Canadian Open in Toronto.

In her pre-tournament press conference, Swiatek brought attention to the relentless tennis schedule and expressed concern it is getting more challenging each season.

“Our calendar is crazy, probably the toughest one in sports,” said the Pole.

“There are sports that are really tough because, physically, you might get beat up. But most sports have four months off, sometimes even six. Our schedule is crazy, and it’s getting more crazy every year, which is scary. You just have to train wisely.”

The five-time Grand Slam champion also reflected on her Olympics campaign and highlighted the importance of resetting.

“It was pretty stressful and it wasn’t easy,” Swiatek explained.

“But I’m happy that I could leave Paris with a medal and with a lot of knowledge about myself. The most important thing for me was to learn from this experience.

“I was proud of myself and I was happy that I could deal with all this pressure and still get a medal. It wasn’t like a normal tournament, for sure.

“I literally felt after the Olympics that I need to kind of reset and also just focus on getting my technique back together and just grinding on court.

“Here is the perfect place to do it. It feels a little bit less crazy, but on the other hand, even before the tournament, there are many people and a lot of fans. So you still feel that it’s an important tournament anyway.”

Swiatek then looked ahead to her campaign in Cincinnati, where she is looking to win a first title.

“I know that the first tournament on hard court is not going to be easy,” she added.

“So I’m going to try to treat it as a practice tournament, but not in a way that I don’t care – more in a way that I want to implement all the stuff that I practised on. I think it’s the best approach for me now. We’re taking it easy, doing everything step by step.

“For sure, it’s not going to be perfect from the beginning but I had a couple days to really get used to the surface, so I’m trying to do the best job possible every day and entering the court next day knowing I can do something better.”

Swiatek will face Ajla Tomljanovic or Varvara Gracheva in her opening match in Cincinnati. She reached the semi-finals in 2023, which is her best result at the WTA 1000 tournament to date.

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TENNIS

Unlike Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek Refuses to Succumb to Online Hate

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Coco Gauff Iga Swiatek

Unlike Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek Refuses to Succumb to Online Hate as She Reveals the Perfect Way to Deal With Naysayers

“Unfortunately, many people don’t realize what the life of an athlete is like.” Dealing with social media can be a nuisance. Especially when fans offer their unsolicited opinions to simply pour negativity. Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek are two such players who are often victims of such online harassment. While the tennis stars have earned respect within the sporting community with their laudable achievements, an occasion loss in their momentum turns the subject into a flip-sided affair. But, how do they deal with such comments? Surprisingly, in contrast to Gauff, Swiatek resorts to a very different approach.

On Sunday, August 11, Swiatek sat down for an exclusive interview with WP SportoweFakty. Following her Paris Olympics campaign, wherein she fetched a bronze medal, the Polish star was asked how she deals with a love-hate relationship with fan comments. The World No. 1 explained that it’s a two-way street. While some fans offer her support even when she’s at her lowest, some spread negativity even when she has garnered glory. The latest of which came after her disheartening semifinal loss at the hands of China’s Qinwen Zheng at Olympic Games.

Swiatek Gauff to meet in Australian Open quarters - Tennis Majors

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As an attempt to cut herself off from outside world during tournaments, Swiatek typically limits her online presence during tournaments. Her online activity is primarily confined to posting after matches. She consciously avoids reading comments during these intense periods. “I don’t feel like answering or explaining, because I realize that a lot of people support me and I wouldn’t be able to explain everything. I simply accept that such things are a part of my life.”

The Pole acknowledges a common misconception about the life of an athlete. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining emotional distance from such opinions, as they often lack understanding of the athlete’s experience. Unfortunately, she notes a tendency for people to make hasty judgments. However, once a tournament concludes, she often catches up on online discussions to stay informed about public opinion. “Very often, I receive very positive messages. This was the case right after my defeat in the semi-final in Paris, when messages of support from fans and friends, and even from other athletes, helped me a lot.” 

Exactly one year ago, the World No. 1 opened up about the toxic online environment after her hard-fought victory over Zheng at the Western & Southern Open. She expressed frustration over the relentless hate messages directed at both herself and her coaching team, despite a successful comeback win. Swiatek questioned the unrealistic expectations placed on athletes, highlighting the stark contrast between the negativity online and the positive outcome of the match.

 

For those unaware, last year, American talent Gauff took significant measures to deal with online harassment. Notably, the World No. 2 went on a social media blocking spree after witnessing a string of negative comments after she was overpowered by the Pole at the 2023 WTA Finals. Later, she posted a candid admission outlining her reasoning behind such extreme measures saying,

“I only block people who are negative, not my fans. When you deal with the daily harassment I deal with every single day. Death threats, racism, body shaming. etc. It is exhausting. So I try my best to spare myself.”

However, Gauff is in no mood to let such comments affect her ambitions. After a heartbreaking conclusion to her Olympics campaign, the American, once again, aims to participate in 2028 LA Olympics! This time for a “full effect”!

One would think Gauff’s premature end to her Olympic debut would quash her gold medal ambitions. However, the American has stepped in to tell everyone otherwise. The 20-year-old plans to sign up for all three categories at the 2028 edition of the Games, despite failing to secure a medal while participating in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles contests in Paris this year.

She said, “I didn’t really experience a full effect so like kind of lost earlier in singles so at that point I think I was I didn’t even double up yet so I would still do all three again if that’s a possibility in 28, I mean it’s four years from now.”

Following an early exit at the Olympics, the reigning US Open champion hasn’t stumbled upon noteworthy success on the Tour either. An out-of-form Gauff was flushed out of the Canadian Open before she could make her mark. Now, she hopes to reverse her fortune by prepping for the Cincinnati Open and with it, aims for a successful title defense at the Flushing Meadows Slam.

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GOLF

Rory McIlroy’s Marriage Story Taking an Unexpected Turn as PGA Fans Floored

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Rory McIlroy Erica Stoll Amanda Balionis

There is nothing “un-complicated” about the concept of divorce and the necessary steps it takes for one to get to the final decision of it. But rarely do you see an entire retraction of the filing…except for the famous Northern Irish PGA Pro Golfer, Rory McIlroy, in the last few weeks. What a wild ride he must be on, and just days away from the 2024 Paris Olympics.

When first diving behind the complex decisions Rory has made for his heart over the years, one would almost assume the worst. Back in 2013, McIlroy, about to tie the knot to Danish tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, had just sent out official wedding invites but to no avail. After just a 5-month engagement, Rory broke Wozniacki’s heart over a 3-minute phone call while on tour, where we can only assume cliche lines like “it’s not you, I just need to focus on my career” were given.

The tennis star was left shattered and led to believe that McIlroy wasn’t prepared for the idea of marriage, as he confirmed with US Weekly reporters at the time. However, he was suspiciously reportedly not only seeing his now-wife, Erica Stoll, just months after but was wedded to the former PGA employee in 2017.

Amanda Balionis shares cryptic message after Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll make Olympics statement - The Mirror US

READ: Amanda Balionis cryptic message after Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll spotted at Olympics

To give you a little background on the love story between the Irishman and Stoll, the two met on the PGA tour in 2012 while McIlroy was clearly still engaged to be married. Stoll, a New Yorker socialite and former PGA Manager of the Championship Volunteer Operations since 2011, found herself swept by the charm of the champion and shortly left her position after they married to travel the world with the golfer.

Though it seemed like the two couldn’t possibly find any reason to detach, as she is known to accompany the athlete on many tournaments, Stoll reportedly claimed to US Weekly recently that she “felt lonely in the marriage” and that “Rory was a hard person to be married to.” The two share a 3-year-old daughter, Poppy.

Now, one can argue that deep down Rory knew Wozniacki was not “his person,” and just simply dragged his feet on ending it with her. Honestly, not an uncommon choice made by many scared people on this planet.

However, due to recent filings, McIlroy seemed to be more of a creature of habit rather than a man with a plan. In June this year, McIlroy officially filed against wife Erica while on tour claiming the marriage was “irretrievably broken,” enforcing his prenup and requested joint custody over daughter Poppy. Just days after Mother’s Day, the filing came out of nowhere. Even worse, reports came out that he was seen getting cozy to yet another reporter, CBS personality Amanda Balionis. Stoll shared that she received papers coldly from a private investigator at their Florida home while McIlroy was away at a tournament.

While filming Netflix BTS docuseries Full Swing, in which the platform goes into the personal and professional lives of the men on the PGA, Balionis and McIlroy seemed to be getting “closer.” As Balionis is one of the main voices for the show, the two spent quite a bit of time together while filming and some reports even stated that the two were already dating as paparazzi photographed the two “hugging” on many occasions. The road for the married couple seemed ominous based on the facts, and, as we know, history tends to repeat itself…

But here’s the real kicker… despite the rumors of the two PGA love birds, the bad habits of the star and an official filing, McIlroy shocked the world with a statement on camera.

“Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realized that our best future was as a family together. Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning,” said McIlroy. A notice of voluntary dismissal was filed in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, June 11. McIlroy chose to end the divorce plans, per documents obtained by Us Weekly, and the filing was reportedly closed out the same day.

Leading us to wonder if Rory had a change of heart for several reasons… the timing of the U.S. Open so close ahead at the time, a change of heart, their daughter’s well-being, Rory’s repetitive “bad boy” image… or all of the above?

All we know is that the two have yet to be photographed together since and we are all on pins and needles waiting to see if we will see Erica by Rory’s side representing Ireland in the 2024 Paris Olympics. McIlroy came up short at the U.S. Open without Stoll by his side, however, he was reported to have flown directly home to his wife and daughter following the loss.

Now, the question is: will his decision to continue his marriage to Erica work in the favor of Ireland in the Olympics? Only time will tell.

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TENNIS

Rafael Nadal legacy concerns raised by close ally with schedule up in the air

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Rafael Nadal Olympics

Rafael Nadal is yet to confirm his next move after representing Spain at the Olympics.

Spanish tennis great Alex Corretja has warned that it will be ‘almost impossible’ for Rafael Nadal to play at the US Open after taking part in the Olympics. Nadal lost to Novak Djokovic in the second round of the men’s singles event at Roland Garros and teamed up with Carlos Alcaraz in the men’s doubles.

The 38-year-old is widely expected to retire at the end of the season but is yet to reveal when he will bring the curtain down on his glittering career. He recently appeared on the entry list for the US Open but later admitted that he could skip the tournament after his Olympic farewell.

Rafael Nadal Paris Olympics

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Corretja has since expressed doubt over Nadal’s participation at Flushing Meadows, suggesting that he would need to play in Cincinnati before the US Open to avoid struggling with the change to hard courts. However, he added that Nadal could feature for Spain in the Davis Cup later this year.

“For the US Open on a fast court? You can’t get there without having played on a hard court in New York,” Corretja told El Larguero. “Is he going to go to Cincinnati in 10 days with the change of surface again? I see it as almost impossible.

“He has to find a place where he says: ‘This is as far as I want to go and it is worth making that effort, like up to the Laver Cup’. What if he helps in one way or another in the Davis Cup team, maybe motivating himself to play doubles?

“[He could] contribute something to the team that in September would put him in the semis and, maybe, if he goes to the final, he would play in November. If not, how do you train in Manacor now thinking about what I am preparing for? For me, that is the problem.”

Nadal has already confirmed that he will take a short break from tennis before announcing his next move after a busy summer period. Speaking before the Olympics, he did not give much away but insisted that he would play at the Laver Cup in September.

“Nothing is linear in this life,” he said. “There are moments and states which normally go hand-in-hand with physical states. I try to enjoy and live what I feel at each moment, always with a positive vision of what my day-to-day is within my possibilities.

“After this, I am going to take some time to think carefully about what I need for myself as a person, what I really want to do. I will play the Laver Cup. After the Games, I will take some time to think carefully about what I need.”

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TENNIS

‘No Need To Analyze, We Weren’t Good Enough’: Nadal Takes Blame After Olympics Loss

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Paris Olympics Rafael Nadal Carlos Alcaraz

Rafael Nadal didn’t want to overanalyze his performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, admitting that he simply wasn’t good enough in single, while in doubles, they played a bad match.

The 38-year-old had high hopes for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris because the Spaniard was encouraged by the way he practiced and the way he played at the Bastad Open ahead of the tournament.

Nobody thought he could seriously challenge for a medal in singles because Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic seemed better than him. Some had hoped that he could be competitive in the doubles with Alcaraz, and after they played a strong opening match, those aspirations certainly grew.

Rafael Nadal And Carlos Alcaraz Knocked Out Of Paris Olympic Doubles | Olympics News

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In singles, the 22-time major winner started really well but then experienced some minor issues against Marton Fucsovics, which made it clear that he likely wouldn’t be able to beat Novak Djokovic in the second round.

The draw was unfortunate because, with a few more matches in Paris, he might have been able to sneak his way to a medal. Getting Djokovic in the second round was brutal, and the match showed that he clearly wasn’t on that top level.

The doubles exit came against a good pairing of Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek, who simply played better than them. After the match, Nadal didn’t really want to overanalyze what went wrong for him at the Olympics.

He was quite open about not being good enough in singles, and his doubles performance, at least the quarter-final match, was also not very good, which he also recognized.

“I haven’t been at the level I needed to fight for medals in the singles. In the doubles, we were playing at a very good level, but today we weren’t accurate.”

“As I’ve said every day, the matches go by very quickly and every little detail has its impact. Today we didn’t start well and we weren’t able to take the match to the limit.”

Overall, Nadal’s experience at the Olympics wasn’t the worst, but also not the best. He never thought he would play at the 2024 Olympics many years ago, so being there for him was a blessing. He did well, all things considered, and he cherished the experience of playing with Alcaraz.

“The experience has been positive, we generated everything we had to generate to give ourselves a chance, we had a fantastic relationship, we shared a lot off the court and on it we were happy, motivated, excited.”

“It couldn’t be, there’s no more to it, today we weren’t accurate. For me, there’s no need to analyse much more, we weren’t good enough. The only thing I have to analyse now is when I have the flight back home (laughs), but I’m taking away an experience and memories for life.”

Of course, this was Nadal’s final Olympic appearance, and the fact that it was in Paris is certainly a fitting end for a player who left a great legacy at the Games and at Roland Garros.

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TENNIS

Paris Olympics: ‘Worried’ Novak Djokovic Confronts Unsettling Reality as Serbian Dream Stands on the Brink

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Novak Djokovic Paris Olympics

The Parisian crowd was seen depicting an unusual aura during Novak Djokovic‘s quarter-final showdown.

While the Serb is generally seen indulging in feuds with the Frenchmen, he makes everyone switch their perspectives and bow down to his dominance. However, besides the massive support, the spectators also appeared to be tensed as the tennis great struggled with uneasiness in his knee.

Djokovic recently managed to move one step closer to his first Olympic gold medal. The Serb showcased appreciable levels of action, eventually securing a hard-fought win against Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas on Thursday. Although the first set came quite easy to him (6-3), it was the second one (7-6) that aroused a concerning situation for Djokovic, who recently recovered from a meniscus tear.

Paris 2024 Olympics tennis: Novak Djokovic ends Rafael Nadal's singles run at Roland Garros

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After the match, Djokovic expressed worries about his knee. “I am very worried, honestly, I don’t know what to say. I finished the match, and the intense pain went away. Whether I hit myself or slipped, I don’t even know,” he said.

Reflecting on a previous injury, the Serb added, “It all resembled the 4th round of Roland Garros where I managed to finish the match, and then I found out I was injured. I am pleased with the victory, but I am worried.” The 37-year-old, who had surgery on the same knee in June, was seen limping in pain during the second set. The situation came to such a scary extent that he even had to call for the physio twice, first at 0-3 and then again at 1-4.

Although Djokovic’s determination on the court was commendable, his latest injury scare has cast doubt on his journey towards the first-ever Olympic gold. Amid the concerning situation, there was a moment when the Serb explained that his comeback post-surgery was well-timed and not early.

Djokovic recently made it to the final of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships after undergoing knee surgery. While there were many who raised concerns that his quick return was “premature” and “reckless,” he strictly dismissed these claims. In a press conference during the grass-court major, he explained that his focus during rehab was solely on making a comeback.

“I was really focused on trying to make Wimbledon happen for me this year and I was not reckless on any day,” Djokovic said. He explained that he followed his rehab plan properly, saying, “I followed every single day everything that they said that I have to do. I did even more than that.”

Djokovic acknowledged why some might think his return was too soon but helped them with a clearer perspective. “Everything that we’ve done in the process of 20+ days has been giving us a positive indication and signal. So I understand why people were thinking it’s premature, it’s maybe reckless. But I don’t think it was,” he stated.

Even though the fans were convinced by his confident statement, the recent scare at Roland Garros has once again raised doubts about a full recovery. Moving ahead to the semi-finals, his form will be under scrutiny.

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TENNIS

Rafael Nadal Puts His Faith in Carlos Alcaraz as He Wishes to End Career on a High at Paris Olympics

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Paris Olympics Rafael Nadal Carlos Alcaraz

Rafael Nadal is gearing up to hit the ground running at the Paris Olympics, competing in both the singles and doubles categories.

The Spanish player, who is well-known for his unwavering skill and unwavering dedication, hopes to add an Olympic gold medal while getting closer to retirement. Even though Rafa expressed some doubts about his own play, he has complete faith in Carlos Alcaraz, his doubles partner, to guide their team to victory in Paris.

The 38-year-old tennis legend already has two gold medals from the Olympics after winning the men’s singles title at the 2008 Beijing Games. He teamed up with Marc Lopez eight years later to win the doubles title in Rio. With this remarkable accomplishment, Rafael Nadal becomes the only tennis player in Olympic history to win gold in both the singles and doubles competitions.

Tennis stars Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz to compete together at Paris 2024

READ: Nadal ‘not comfortable’ ahead of Olympics bid

Talking about his Olympic participation, he said, “I know that if I play well in singles, I will also play well in doubles, but I will have to work hard.” Notwithstanding the passing of a long time, Nadal is ready to win the round once more, having sent a confident message about his partner in a recent interview.  

While talking about his doubles partner, he said, “And I’m convinced that Carlos will be at a great level, knowing that he arrives with confidence.” The world No. 3 will be competing for the first time in the Olympics in Paris.

Subsequently, he told Tennis Channel that he was hoping to win both singles and doubles competitions when his collaboration with Rafael Nadal was announced earlier this year, calling their alliance a “dream.” On the other hand, he expressed his excitement, saying, “And obviously, the doubles with Rafa is going to be a really dream moment for me. Obviously, we will try to bring home the gold medal again.”

The four-time Grand Slam winner disclosed that he and Nadal would wait to talk strategy until they got to France. The 21-year-old acknowledged that, despite being an up-and-coming talent in the sport, he would yield to his more seasoned partner and let Nadal lead.

The 2024 Wimbledon winner said a few days ago that while he isn’t anxious about the Olympics just now, he expects to feel pressure once he gets to Paris. He conveyed his excitement to absorb knowledge from the 22-time Grand Slam champion, who possesses an abundance of expertise from competing in the Olympics.

He said, “I’m not nervous right now. When the time comes, I will be. And yes, obviously, he’s already experienced this, he already knows what it’s like to play in the Olympics, to win a gold in both singles and doubles. I’m new, I’m the rookie here, so I have to keep my mouth shut and just listen to him.”

The storyline involving Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz looks promising as the Paris Olympics approaches. With Alcaraz’s growing star power and Rafael Nadal’s seasoned experience, this partnership is sure to captivate tennis fans everywhere.

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