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Casper Ruud beats Novak Djokovic to reach Monte Carlo final. Is the end of an era nigh?

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Casper Ruud finally got the better of Novak Djokovic, beating the top-ranked Serb 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 on Saturday to set up a Monte Carlo Masters final against two-time champion Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Tsitsipas won the earlier semifinal against a tiring Jannik Sinner 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to hand the Australian Open champion only his second defeat of the season.

Djokovic double-faulted on match point in his first career defeat in six matches against Ruud. The Norwegian player had never taken a set off Djokovic before, including at last year’s French Open final.

Djokovic trailed 4-1 in the deciding set but held his next serve and broke a nervous-looking Ruud’s serve to love to pull back to 4-3.

At 15-15 in the eighth game, Djokovic turned and shouted an expletive toward someone in the crowd. Chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani urged fans not to call out during a rally and did not issue a verbal warning to Djokovic despite the audible expletive, which was followed by an angry glare.

A sloppy 10th game in the deciding set saw Djokovic trailing love-40 on serve, and the eighth-seeded Ruud received the victory on his third match point.

Ruud and the 12th-seeded Tsitsipas are chasing their first titles of the year and 11th overall.

The record 24-time men’s Grand Slam champion Djokovic still hasn’t won a title this year and remains on 98 in his glittering career.

Sinner, who has three titles in 2024, looked in control in the deciding set when he led Tsitsipas 4-3 with a service game to follow. But he called for a medical timeout during the changeover, and a trainer massaged his right knee and thigh. Although a smiling Sinner shared a joke with the trainer, things got more serious in the next game when Tsitsipas broke his serve at the fifth attempt to level the score.

At the end of the next game, Sinner limped a little and clutched the hamstring area of his left leg then had both legs massaged. His movement was restricted in the ensuing game, and Tsitsipas clinched victory on his first match point when Sinner’s backhand from the back of the court went long as he struggled for balance.

“He is one of the toughest opponents I have faced so far, and to find ways when there weren’t that many, I am proud of that,” Tsitsipas said.

American actress Zendaya, British actor Josh O’Connor and other cast members from the tennis movie “Challengers” were among the crowd enjoying the sunshine at Monte Carlo Country Club. Italian fans crossing the nearby border made Sinner feel at home, but Tsitsipas enjoyed strong support after winning the tournament in 2021 and 2022.

Tsitsipas broke Sinner and held for 3-1 in a commanding first set where he used angles well to disrupt Sinner’s more rhythmical play.

The level of intensity from both players increased in the second set. A long ninth game lasting 13 minutes saw the second-seeded Sinner save five break points before holding to level the match.

Casper Ruud takes a step closer to his first ATP title

He broke Tsitsipas in the first game of the deciding set and held easily.

At this point, another final looked increasingly certain. Sinner was enjoying himself and smiled to his coaching team after winning one point with an audacious sliced drop shot in the fifth game.

But Tsitsipas, who took Djokovic to five sets in the French Open final in 2021, showed trademark endurance and clawed his way back as Sinner started fading.

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Novak Djokovic: ‘Let’s not get ahead of ourselves’

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Serbian ‘pleased’ with 70-minute victory, next faces Musetti or Fils

Novak Djokovic was delighted with his sharp play Tuesday when he kicked off his clay-court season at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters in dominant fashion. Despite his convincing 6-1, 6-2 victory against Roman Safiullin, the Serbian was quick to keep his expectations in check as he chases his first title of the year.

“It’s a great start. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves and put the hopes too high,” Djokovic said in his post-match press conference. “It’s only one match, but the way I felt, I’m really pleased. It’s just the beginning of the tournament. It’s one match. I’m going to hope to work tomorrow to maintain that rhythm and focus, obviously try to perform as well as I did in the second match as I did today.”

A 98-time tour-level titlist, Djokovic is 9-3 on the season, with his best result a semi-final run at the Australian Open. The Belgrade native last month suffered an early exit at the BNP Paribas Open, where he fell to Luca Nardi in the third round.

Having failed to advance beyond the quarter-finals in his seven most recent appearances in the Principality, two-time tournament champion Djokovic will hope this is the week he can return to top form and change that record. Committing just nine unforced errors and advancing after 70 minutes Tuesday was an encouraging start for the 24-time major champion.

Novak Djokovic

“I really like the way I felt today on the court, the way I was striking the ball,” Djokovic said. “I think the two, three weeks of training I had is paying off. [I had a] good training block with [Nenad] Zimonjic and with the team.

“We put in a lot of hours into thinking about the game, the movement, and things that haven’t really worked for me in the first couple tournaments of this year that I played.”

The 36-year-old, who on Sunday became the oldest No. 1 in PIF ATP Rankings history, is chasing a record-extending 41st ATP Masters 1000 crown this week. Should he lift the trophy, it would mark the top seed’s third sweep of all nine Masters 1000 tournaments.

Having won in the Principality in 2013 and 2015, Djokovic will next meet Italian Lorenzo Musetti or #NextGenATP Frenchman Arthur Fils in the third round. Last year, Musetti upset Djokovic in Monte-Carlo in the same round.

“I’m not scared of anything and anybody, but I really hope that I can get the chance to play him again, get the matchup, another matchup here,” said Djokovic, who leads Musetti 3-1 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. “He obviously is one of the most talented players on clay, a beautiful one-handed backhand. He’s very athletic. He can do a lot of great things. He’s one of the most promising young players not only from Italy, but generally for the world.”

Asked about a potential first meeting with Fils, Djokovic also spoke highly of the 19-year-old.

“He’s only going upwards. He’s a very promising player,” Djokovic said. “He won his first title last year in Lyon. He’s a really strong guy physically. He puts a lot of weight on his shots, particularly from the forehand, and he is very athletic as well.

“Both [Musetti and Fils] are very young, promising players. Probably both of them prefer clay as the best surface for both of them. They play with a lot of spin compared to Safiullin today, [who] was playing quite flat. It’s a different matchup for me.”

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Was Emma Raducanu Not Fully Fit Over the Past 2 Years? Her Candid Confession From Abu Dhabi Raises Doubt

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After a disappointing 2023 season spent on the sidelines, 2024 saw a positive return for Emma Raducanu. The entirety of the 2023 season left fans yearning for her dazzling performances back from the US Open 2021. For Raducanu, it meant making sure she was ready for her comeback. Following the time spent in Brisbane and Melbourne, Emma Raducanu now prepares to mount a campaign for the WTA 1000 title in Abu Dhabi and makes her thoughts on her injuries plain.

Emma Raducanu gave an extensive interview on the real depth of her injuries from 2023, giving fans a real peek behind the curtain. Her revelations might just mean there was more to the injuries than she let on.

Did Emma Raducanu keep fans in the dark about more injuries?
Ahead of her match at WTA Abu Dhabi, Emma Raducanu spoke extensively about her time spent recovering from injuries. While fans certainly missed her, it seems her journey of getting better was tougher than she initially let on.

“I’ve never really had the chance to do proper training weeks back-to-back. For six or seven months, before I ended up having the surgeries, I was only practicing one or two hours a day just to limit the load on the wrists,” she said in an interview with The National News. The real trouble for Raducanu, it seems, was not just staying away from the sport she loves.

It was also to limit the kind of work that she could put into her game, especially since her wrists had been the root cause of the injury. Moreover, these comments might be indicative of underlying injury problems for the Brit, ones that plagued her even before she ventured towards the option of surgery. Not to mention, some struggles with sickness also appeared during her time in Australia.

Renewed Raducanu stands firm on making 2024 a positive season
Despite the numerous injuries Raducanu fought through, the ones on her wrist or even not being able to walk without crutches for a period of time, the Brit remains determined to step back onto the court. The first part of this was evident in her exploits in the land down under.

While she started off her campaign with two exits in the ASB Classic and the Australian Open, Emma Raducanu already shows positive signs when it comes to performances after injuries. While she may not have gone deep into tournaments, she surely looks on track to gain her old form back.

With the WTA 1000, the tennis world has a real chance to see what Raducanu can do when she is not limited by injuries. It will be interesting to see whether her performances change, and just how much did the injuries slow her down from the path to success.

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Novak Djokovic reportedly considering Andy Murray’s mom as new coach

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Judy Murray has an impressive coaching pedigree

Judy Murray, the mother of tennis star Andy Murray, is reportedly being considered as a potential coach for Novak Djokovic. The world No1 recently parted ways with his long-time coach Goran Ivanisevic after a lackluster start to the year. Judy Murray, known for her impressive coaching pedigree, is being eyed as a potential candidate to assist Djokovic in his career.

“It’s no secret that Judy Murray has a wealth of experience and knowledge in coaching, and her son Andy has been a fierce rival of Djokovic for many years,” a source revealed. “Novak is reportedly considering seeking help from Judy as he looks to make a change in his coaching setup.”

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Judy Murray, 64, has established herself as a well-respected coach, having captained Great Britain’s Fed Cup team from 2011 to 2016 and worked extensively with British tennis’ governing body, the LTA. Despite a successful junior and senior playing career in Scotland during the 1970s, Judy decided to pursue coaching after facing challenges in her professional playing career.

In contrast, Djokovic had an extraordinary 2023 season, clinching a record 24 Grand Slam titles by winning the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open. However, his performance this year has been subpar, with early exits at tournaments such as the Australian Open and Indian Wells.

Nole has been struggling on the court
“Novak’s recent struggles on the court have led to speculation about potential changes in his coaching team,” the source added. “The tension that emerged with his coaches at Melbourne Park was particularly telling, indicating that a change might be necessary for him to regain his form.”

The potential collaboration between Judy Murray and Novak Djokovic comes at a crucial time for both individuals. While Djokovic aims to bounce back from his recent setbacks and maintain his status as the world’s top-ranked player, Andy Murray has hinted at the possibility of retiring from professional tennis due to ongoing injuries.

As the tennis world awaits further developments on Djokovic’s coaching situation, the prospect of Judy Murray joining forces with the Serbian star has sparked interest and speculation among fans and experts alike.

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Roger Federer sparks frenzy with cryptic post hinting at tennis return

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The 20-time Major winner walked away in September 2022

Roger Federer has dropped a hint on social media that he could perform a U-turn on his retirement and make a sensational return to tennis.

The Swiss legend retired from the game in September 2022 with 20 Grand Slams and 103 ATP Tour titles to his name, cementing his status as one of the greatest players to have graced men’s tennis.

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His collection of Majors has since been surpassed by Rafael Nadal (22) and Novak Djokovic (24), but Federer’s elegant style and classy demeanour makes him a unique character in the modern game.

He is still adored by tennis fans everywhere he goes, and so when the eight-time Wimbledon champion loosely suggested he could be making a comeback, fans went into overdrive.

Federer shared a tweet containing three emojis – a “soon” signal, a Christmas tree and a pair of eyes – and many interpreted this as a sign that he could be about to end his 18-month sabbatical.

The Swiss icon has already admitted he “doesn’t want to go away” from tennis, although he is yet to formalize his future in the sport – only attending events in an ambassadorial manner.

But Federer’s message on his official X account is the biggest hint he has given that he might be about to return to competitive action.

Will Federer return to tennis?
Federer had struggled with injuries towards the end of his career and decided to hang up his racket at the age of 41 after the Laver Cup, which offered an emotional farewell after fulfilling his dream of playing alongside his friendly rivals Nadal and Djokovic.

With that in mind, it seems unlikely the former world No 1 would have recovered from his long-standing knee issues and with Federer turning 43 in August, he would be nearly twice as old as some competitors.

Federer

Other theories have suggested he could join Djokovic’s team after the Serbian split with his long-serving coach Goran Ivanisevic. But with a flurry of sport documentaries being released on Netflix and Amazon Prime, perhaps one dedicated to Federer’s career is on the horizon.

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Will Sinner pass Djokovic for World No. 1 on clay?

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Alcaraz also has a chance to work his way into No. 1 battle

Jannik Sinner’s surge has been the biggest story of the 2024 season. As the clay-court season begins, the Italian has an opportunity to make even more history by making a push to pass Novak Djokovic and become the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings.

Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner are the top two players in the PIF ATP Rankings.

After winning the Miami Open presented by Itau, the 22-year-old on Monday climbed to a career-high World No. 2, 1,015 points behind World No. 1 Djokovic. If Sinner maintains his current form, he will have an opportunity to make his move later in the clay season, setting the stage for a tantalising battle for top spot with Djokovic and former World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz looming.

“For sure it means a lot to me, but more importantly, it was a great performance for me, especially in that semi-final and final, which for me it’s more important,” Sinner said after defeating Grigor Dimitrov in the Miami final. “Being No. 2, it’s an amazing feeling. I never thought to come to this point. I come from a very normal family. My dad is still working, as my mom, too. For me, sport is one thing, and life is different. I’m very happy to be in this position.”

If you remove all points Djokovic (2,315) and Sinner (585) are defending during the clay season, Sinner has 715 more points (8,125 to 7,410). The critical moment in the battle will likely come at Roland Garros, where defending champion Djokovic will have 2,000 points coming off and Sinner will only drop 45 points following a second-round loss in 2023.

That does not mean that Djokovic can rest easy at No. 1 in the coming weeks. Among the upcoming tournaments are three clay-court ATP Masters 1000 events, with plenty of points up for grabs.

Sinner will be confident heading into the clay season after his 22-1 start to the year. The 22-year-old’s only loss came in the Indian Wells semi-finals against Carlos Alcaraz. He has won titles at the Australian Open, Rotterdam and Miami.

With that start, the Italian has already become the highest-ranked player from his country in PIF ATP Rankings history (since 1973). Now he will set his sights set on becoming the 29th player to reach World No. 1.

Djokovic will not relinquish his position without a fight, though. The 36-year-old just began his record 419th week at the top of men’s tennis and on Sunday will break Roger Federer’s mark as the oldest World No. 1 in history.

The Serbian owns an 8-3 record in 2024, including his run to the Australian Open semi-finals, where he lost to Sinner in four sets. Despite a third-round loss at Indian Wells, Djokovic will be confident heading into Monte-Carlo, where he is a two-time champion and will try to claim his record-extending 41st Masters 1000 trophy. He has won more than 80 per cent of his tour-level matches on clay according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Alcaraz is still in the battle, too. The World No. 3, currently 65 points behind Sinner, is defending 2,265 points on clay. That puts the Spaniard on the back foot, but last year’s Madrid and Barcelona champion has proven his prowess on clay and showed his return to form at Indian Wells, where he successfully defended his trophy.

Alcaraz first reached World No. 1 after the 2022 US Open and will be keen to add to the 36 weeks he has spent in the position.

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Simona Halep’s Comeback Journey Further Derailed as Tennis Romania Shares Saddening Update

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Simona Halep withdrew from her Billie Jean King Cup match, which was scheduled for April 12–13, 2024. This was her first match back in Romania following her doping ban, which the CAS shortened from four years to nine months. However, the Romanian Tennis Federation recently declared that Simona Halep will not be able to represent Romania against the Ukrainian team.

Halep, who has a reputation for overcoming obstacles with fortitude and determination, clearly had a difficult time deciding to withdraw from the BJK Cup. But putting her health and wellbeing first is crucial. Her choice shows that she is handling her professional and personal well-being with much attention.

Simona Halep withdraws from the BJK Cup due to medical reasons
Unfortunately, according to an official Romanian account on X, Simona is unable to compete for the Romanian national team. This is because of some physical issues that resulted from her participation in the Miami tournament. After considering her health, this decision was made following a consultation with the medical team. The non-playing captain of Romania’s Fed Cup squad, Horia Tecău, highlighted Simona’s experience and role in the national team’s success and said, “Simona’s experience is invaluable for us, and although we will miss her in this match, we are confident in her strength and talent to our team.”

Horia further wished Halep a rapid recovery and added, “We look forward to having Simona back for future matches and wish her a speedy and full recovery. I wish her to be physically well and continue to enjoy tennis.”

After competing in the Miami Open last week, the former World No. 1 player, has stated that she is unsure about her future tournaments. While the specific cause of her injury remains unknown, fans will deeply feel her absence in the tournament. She was absent from tennis for more than a year. She had an extremely difficult phase following her ban in 2022.

Delving into the dark times of Halep’s career
Tragically, Simona Halep’s tennis career was devastated by a doping scandal, leading to a four-year suspension in 2022-2023. At the US Open in 2022, Halep tested positive for Roxadustat. According to news reports, it was a banned blood booster. The anomalies in Halep’s Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) caused the second violation.

Wimbledon: Defending champion Simona Halep recovers from injury and on track for Grand Slam | Tennis News | Sky Sports

She challenged the suspension and filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sports, asking for a lighter term. Following a thorough analysis of the data, CAS declared that a tainted supplement was the reason Roxadustat was discovered in her system. As a result, the tribunal decided that Halep had “no significant fault or negligence”. The ban was reduced to nine months. Very soon, she got the wildcard for the Miami Open and made her comeback.

However, fate had its own call, as she had to withdraw from the Billie Jean King Cup match.

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Emma Raducanu sends message to Andy Murray with Brit’s career hanging by a thread

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Emma Raducanu sent a message to Andy Murray after the veteran’s latest injury setback.

Emma Raducanu is praying for Andy Murray after the two-time Wimbledon champion revealed that he will miss an “extended period” with an ankle injury. There are fears that Murray may bring forward his retirement plan with his hopes of appearing at Wimbledon this summer suffering a major setback.

Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu has sent a message to Andy Murray after his latest setback

The 36-year-old was beaten by Thomas Machac in the last-32 of the Miami Open on Sunday. He revealed that he suffered an ankle injury towards the end of the match – screaming in agony as he fell to the ground – and will now be absent for some time.

“Yesterday towards the end of my match in Miami I suffered a full rupture of my ATFL (anterior talofibular ligament) and near full thickness rupture of my CFL (calcaneofibular ligament),” Murray wrote on Instagram.

“I will see an ankle specialist when I return home to determine next steps. Goes without saying this is a tough one to take and I’ll be out for an extended period.”

Murray, who had hip resurfacing surgery in 2019, ended the post by quipping: “I’ll be back with one hip and no ankle ligaments when the time is right.”

Emma Raducanu shares Murray Instagram post
Emma Raducanu shared Andy Murray’s Instagram post with two praying emojis

Fellow Briton Raducanu, who has struggled with her own injury problems over the last year, shared the social media post and added two praying emojis. The 21-year-old clearly hopes that Murray will return to the court soon and be fit to make his final appearance at Wimbledon.

Murray has previously admitted that he did not plan on playing “much past” this summer. He now knows that he has played his final game at the Miami Open, a tournament that he has won twice before in his career.

“I wasn’t thinking about all the matches I played. More that that’s the last match I am going to play here which is sad because I love it here,” a visibly emotional Murray said after his defeat against Machac.

Andy Murray injury
Andy Murray screamed in agony as he fell to the ground at the Miami Open

“I’ve spent so much of my career here and I would have liked it to go on a little bit longer. This tournament is an important one for me so it was a bit more emotional leaving the court.”

In a heart-wrenching admission, Murray added: “I am looking forward to the end now, give my best the next few months and get to be at home with my family.”

Murray will hope to be fit for a final appearance at Wimbledon, for which he still has three months to recover in time to play. The three-time Grand Slam champion will likely bow out soon after the tournament.

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Potential future coaches for Novak Djokovic, following his separation with Ivanisevic

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Novak Djoković will add another name to the list of his coaches in his professional career. One of the main questions is – who will it be?

Dejan Petrović, Riccardo Piatti, Marián Vajda, Boris Becker, Andre Agassi, Radek Štepanek, and Goran Ivanišević are some of the coaches who have worked with Novak Djokovic in his professional career. Although there have also been some cameo appearances by coaches like Mark Woodford or Tod Martin, Djokovic will soon add another name to this list.

The 9 oldest No 1s in men's tennis: Novak Djokovic days away from breaking Roger Federer's record

Some were surprised by Djokovic’s split with Ivanišević, but those who were more informed had noticed some hints in the last months. The two had planned a farewell trip to the United States during the swing of the calendar year to part ways amicably. Based on the tone of Djokovic’s announcement, it seems that the split was a pleasant one.

During Tuesday’s training, Novak was accompanied by Nenad Zimonjić, a former colleague from the Davis Cup team. Although Nenad may be present at some tournaments with Novak, it is unlikely to be a long-term solution. His agent, Carlos Gomez Herrera, who previously served as a sparring partner, will be with Novak in the upcoming period. However, there will be no rush to find a new coach. Discussions, evaluations, and options will be weighed before announcing Djokovic’s new coach.

Considering Djokovic’s impressive career and age, drastic changes in his playing style are not expected. What he needs now is a fresh perspective and someone who can motivate and stimulate him. Shock therapy might be the answer to help Novak regain his form.

Novak Djokovic splits with Ivanisevic after winning 12 Grand Slam titles together

Obvious candidates
Whether Marjan Vajda or Boris Becker will return to work with Novak Djokovic is unclear. While Becker seems like a more realistic option, considering Novak’s needs, someone entirely new will likely be considered. Andre Agassi didn’t have a real chance to work with Novak because he was with him during his worst period, and it’s uncertain whether that missed opportunity will ever be revisited.

Radek Štepanek is working with Sebastian Korda, and Patrick Mouratoglou is busy coaching Holger Rune, although their cooperation seems uncertain. While Mouratoglou has expressed admiration for Djokovic in the past, his current engagement with Rune makes him an unlikely candidate. A few independent coaches are available, while Brad Gilbert is committed to Koko Goff; on the other side, Ivan Lendl’s training style and character may not be compatible with Novak’s. Wayne Ferreira had success with Francis Tiafo, as did Michael Cheng with Kei Nishikori before injuries ended his coaching career with the Japanese player.

Novak Djokovic splits with iconic coach who he argued with regularly | Tennis | Sport | Express.co.uk

Former opponents as a solution
Can Novak hire a previous adversary as a coach? If so, who could be the right person? Over the years, Andy Roddick has been one of Novak’s biggest admirers despite their professional disagreements. Roddick is knowledgeable about tennis and Novak’s opponents, which makes him a great motivator and a potential coach.

Tomas Berdych works with Jiri Lehečka, while Nicolas Massu is Chile’s Davis Cup team selector. Although Massu is an interesting name, Markos Baghdatis, who works with Yibing Wu, could also be a potential candidate. However, as Ivanišević once said, when Djokovic calls, it’s like Real Madrid calling.

Magnus Norman played a significant role in making Stan Wawrinka a three-time Grand Slam champion, defeating Djokovic in two Grand Slam finals. Norman is now coaching Wawrinka again, but there’s no telling what could happen.

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Miami Open: Simona Halep loses on doping ban return as Caroline Wozniacki criticizes wildcard

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Players banned for doping should not receive wildcards on their return, says Caroline Wozniacki, after Simona Halep was beaten on her comeback in Miami.

Two-time major champion Halep, 32, lost 1-6 6-4 6-3 to Paula Badosa in her first match since a four-year doping ban – later reduced to nine months.

Simona Halep aiming to 'play as much as possible' after return - but what's her schedule and next tournament? - Eurosport

Halep was given a wildcard for Miami but Wozniacki said such players “should work their way from the bottom”.

“I have always wanted a clean sport, fair for everybody,” Wozniacki said.

“This is not directly at Simona, but if someone purposely cheats, if someone has tested positive for doping, I don’t think people should be awarded wildcards afterwards.”

The Dane added: “If you want to come back and it’s been a mistake, I understand, but you should work your way up from the bottom.”

Simona Halep returns from an overturned doping ban with a loss to Paula Badosa at the Miami Open | Tennis News - Hindustan Times

Wildcards are awarded by tournaments to players whose ranking is not high enough for direct qualification.

Romanian Halep was provisionally suspended at the US Open in September 2022 after testing positive for the use of roxadustat – an anti-anaemia drug that stimulates the production of red blood cells in the body.

Halep has always maintained her innocence and said the accusations were “scandalous”.

While her case was partially upheld on appeal by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), it was ruled Halep “on the balance of probabilities” had not taken roxadustat intentionally.

Responding to former world number one Wozniacki’s comments, Halep said: “I didn’t do anything wrong. I didn’t cheat. I didn’t dope.

Triumphant even in defeat, Simona Halep reflects on journey back to Miami Open after doping ban

“So it’s better if we read the decision from Cas that it was a contaminated supplement, it wasn’t doping.

“I never had something to do with doping. I never doped, so I’m not a cheater.

“Only one person being negative about me is not that important because I have hundreds of people that giving me love, so I will take that.”

Halep impressively raced through the first set against former world number two Badosa, of Spain, but struggled to maintain those levels.

Caroline Wozniacki Is Getting Very Good at Comebacks - The New York Times

With the French Open running between 26 May and 9 June, Halep is looking to build up time on the court.

Halep won the French Open in 2018 and lifted the Wimbledon title in 2019.

Elsewhere at the Miami Open, 43-year-old Venus Williams, a three-time winner of the event, was beaten 6-3 6-3 by 19-year-old Russian Diana Shnaider.

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