Iga Swiatek's assertion that she is a perfectionist prompted a very fiddly moment with reporters after her French Open win.
Swiatek was simply unstoppable during the fortnight as she reigned supreme in Paris for the fourth time in her career. In the championship match, she defeated first-time Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-1.
The Pole faced just one almighty scare in the first week, needing to save a match point in the second round against Naomi Osaka. After snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, Swiatek did not relinquish another set and lost a combined 17 games.
In her post-match press conference after the final, Swiatek clarified what she meant by referring to the success as an "emotional" in her winner's speech. She explained that she felt enormous stress in the days before the final and that she was dealing with a lot of outside pressure.
"When I talk about pressure,...
Swiatek was simply unstoppable during the fortnight as she reigned supreme in Paris for the fourth time in her career. In the championship match, she defeated first-time Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-1.
The Pole faced just one almighty scare in the first week, needing to save a match point in the second round against Naomi Osaka. After snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, Swiatek did not relinquish another set and lost a combined 17 games.
In her post-match press conference after the final, Swiatek clarified what she meant by referring to the success as an "emotional" in her winner's speech. She explained that she felt enormous stress in the days before the final and that she was dealing with a lot of outside pressure.
"When I talk about pressure,...
- 6/10/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek is a huge fan of Rafael Nadal, and she talked about him after winning her fifth Grand Slam trophy at the 2024 Roland Garros on Saturday.
The Polish player is the best player in the world right now, with a track record of dominating on clay. She's a nice parallel to her idol Nadal, whom she watched against Alexander Zverev in the first round of the 2024 Roland Garros.
Some two weeks later, Swiatek lifted her fourth Roland Garros trophy after beating Jasmine Paolini in the final. During a segment on the Tennis Channel with the trophy parked next to her, Swiatek mentioned Nadal and how much she's inspired by him both on and off the court.
She counts herself very lucky to have watched him at Roland Garros, and she also sympathises with what he has to go through when it comes to his retirement.
"Watching Rafa is always great.
The Polish player is the best player in the world right now, with a track record of dominating on clay. She's a nice parallel to her idol Nadal, whom she watched against Alexander Zverev in the first round of the 2024 Roland Garros.
Some two weeks later, Swiatek lifted her fourth Roland Garros trophy after beating Jasmine Paolini in the final. During a segment on the Tennis Channel with the trophy parked next to her, Swiatek mentioned Nadal and how much she's inspired by him both on and off the court.
She counts herself very lucky to have watched him at Roland Garros, and she also sympathises with what he has to go through when it comes to his retirement.
"Watching Rafa is always great.
- 6/10/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek has been honored by her clothing and footwear sponsor, On, with a new pair of sneakers to celebrate her fifth Grand Slam title.
The Polish sensation was simply in a league of her own on Saturday as she demolished first-time major finalist Jasmine Paolini in the 2024 Roland Garros championship match. She won 6-2, 6-1 to bag her fourth crown at the clay-court Grand Slam.
Swiatek broke a few records with that success, having been in the pits at one point when staring at a match point in the second round against Naomi Osaka. But since escaping from that contest, she did not break a sweat.
The 23-year-old joins Monica Seles and Justine Henin in winning three French Opens in a row. She is also the youngest woman to win the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen four times.
With a long career ahead, Swiatek is tipped to break Chris Evert's...
The Polish sensation was simply in a league of her own on Saturday as she demolished first-time major finalist Jasmine Paolini in the 2024 Roland Garros championship match. She won 6-2, 6-1 to bag her fourth crown at the clay-court Grand Slam.
Swiatek broke a few records with that success, having been in the pits at one point when staring at a match point in the second round against Naomi Osaka. But since escaping from that contest, she did not break a sweat.
The 23-year-old joins Monica Seles and Justine Henin in winning three French Opens in a row. She is also the youngest woman to win the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen four times.
With a long career ahead, Swiatek is tipped to break Chris Evert's...
- 6/9/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Naomi Osaka will start her grass season at the 2024 Libema Open against the fourth-seeded Elise Mertens.
The Japanese player last stood on the tennis courts in Paris, where she battled Iga Swiatek. It was a spectacular match by Osaka, who blasted north of 50 winners en route to almost beating the Polish number one, who would lift the trophy some 10 days after their match.
That was a highly encouraging performance from the former world no. 1, who will try to bring that same level to grass. She doesn't have a lot of experience on it, but it's a surface that should suit her with her strong serve and really solid hitting.
However, Mertens will be a very tricky first-round opponent at the Wta 250 tournament. The Belgian is solid on the grass herself, and more importantly, she has bested Osaka this year already.
Head-to-head:
They've played a few matches so far, but most...
The Japanese player last stood on the tennis courts in Paris, where she battled Iga Swiatek. It was a spectacular match by Osaka, who blasted north of 50 winners en route to almost beating the Polish number one, who would lift the trophy some 10 days after their match.
That was a highly encouraging performance from the former world no. 1, who will try to bring that same level to grass. She doesn't have a lot of experience on it, but it's a surface that should suit her with her strong serve and really solid hitting.
However, Mertens will be a very tricky first-round opponent at the Wta 250 tournament. The Belgian is solid on the grass herself, and more importantly, she has bested Osaka this year already.
Head-to-head:
They've played a few matches so far, but most...
- 6/9/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Winning this year's Roland Garros was sweet for Iga Swiatek because she was nearly eliminated in the second round by an incredible Naomi Osaka.
While most of her matches, including the final, were spectacular dominant performances by the Polish player, one match was tough for her. It was the one against Osaka, which the Polish player barely won.
Osaka had a match point but didn't use it, which allowed Swiatek to win the match and ultimately win the event. That makes it all the sweeter for the reigning world number one, who made history by winning Roland Garros for a third time in a row.
Speaking during the trophy ceremony, Swiatek reminded everyone that she was nearly beaten in the second round, so being able to stand there with the trophy was just an amazing feeling, as it almost didn't happen.
"As Jasmine said, it's amazing to be here. I love this place honestly.
While most of her matches, including the final, were spectacular dominant performances by the Polish player, one match was tough for her. It was the one against Osaka, which the Polish player barely won.
Osaka had a match point but didn't use it, which allowed Swiatek to win the match and ultimately win the event. That makes it all the sweeter for the reigning world number one, who made history by winning Roland Garros for a third time in a row.
Speaking during the trophy ceremony, Swiatek reminded everyone that she was nearly beaten in the second round, so being able to stand there with the trophy was just an amazing feeling, as it almost didn't happen.
"As Jasmine said, it's amazing to be here. I love this place honestly.
- 6/9/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek made history by winning this year's Roland Garros, but it almost didn't happen because of Naomi Osaka's inspired effort.
Osaka is not one to spoil the party intentionally, but she nearly did when it comes to Swiatek's legacy. Winning events a few times in a row is extremely difficult due to how tennis draws are made and how many matches it takes to win a tournament.
The Japanese player had a match point against the world no. 1 but allowed the Polish player to turn it around and win the match. It was a hugely important match for Swiatek, after which she went on a rampage to beat everybody on her path towards a historic trophy.
That match will be mentioned often when discussing this event because it hugely mattered to the Polish personally. Surviving that gave her the confidence boost she needed, and the result was clearly...
Osaka is not one to spoil the party intentionally, but she nearly did when it comes to Swiatek's legacy. Winning events a few times in a row is extremely difficult due to how tennis draws are made and how many matches it takes to win a tournament.
The Japanese player had a match point against the world no. 1 but allowed the Polish player to turn it around and win the match. It was a hugely important match for Swiatek, after which she went on a rampage to beat everybody on her path towards a historic trophy.
That match will be mentioned often when discussing this event because it hugely mattered to the Polish personally. Surviving that gave her the confidence boost she needed, and the result was clearly...
- 6/9/2024
- Tennis Infinity
The 2024 Libema Open is one of the first grass-court tournaments, as the Wta 250 event will run from June 10th until 16th, and the draw was released.
After weeks spent on clay, tennis players will play on the grass for the first time since last year. The Libema Open in Den Bosch has quickly grown to be a very respectable event, as this year's edition will feature some really big names.
Chief among those is Naomi Osaka, who almost beat Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros recently. Considering how the Polish player won the event, Osaka's performance looks even more impressive.
Grass is not a surface she knows too well, but she's keen to improve and will make a start against the fourth-seeded Elise Mertens.
That's a brutal draw for her because the Belgian outplayed her at the Indian Wells Open a few months ago. If the former world no. 1 wins that match,...
After weeks spent on clay, tennis players will play on the grass for the first time since last year. The Libema Open in Den Bosch has quickly grown to be a very respectable event, as this year's edition will feature some really big names.
Chief among those is Naomi Osaka, who almost beat Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros recently. Considering how the Polish player won the event, Osaka's performance looks even more impressive.
Grass is not a surface she knows too well, but she's keen to improve and will make a start against the fourth-seeded Elise Mertens.
That's a brutal draw for her because the Belgian outplayed her at the Indian Wells Open a few months ago. If the former world no. 1 wins that match,...
- 6/8/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek made history by beating Jasmine Paolini easily in two sets to become one of the few players ever to win Roland Garros three times in a row.
Outside of a tricky clash against Naomi Osaka, where she saved match points, Swiatek largely dominated her matches, winning easily in two sets, and the same repeated also in the final match.
Paolini did well herself, but nobody really thought she could beat the world no. 1, considering how well Swiatek had played in the past two weeks. Still, the Italian started well in the match, nearly breaking in the first game and then breaking on her second attempt.
That was all she could do in that opening set as Swiatek broke back immediately and, after that, deployed her machinery, which was just impressive to see. Winners from both sides as well as decent serving proved too much for Paolini to handle.
Outside of a tricky clash against Naomi Osaka, where she saved match points, Swiatek largely dominated her matches, winning easily in two sets, and the same repeated also in the final match.
Paolini did well herself, but nobody really thought she could beat the world no. 1, considering how well Swiatek had played in the past two weeks. Still, the Italian started well in the match, nearly breaking in the first game and then breaking on her second attempt.
That was all she could do in that opening set as Swiatek broke back immediately and, after that, deployed her machinery, which was just impressive to see. Winners from both sides as well as decent serving proved too much for Paolini to handle.
- 6/8/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek endured a tough match with Naomi Osaka in the earlier rounds of the 2024 Roland Garros, and the win helped her confidence.
That match was crazy because the Japanese player blasted over 50 winners in three sets to almost oust Swiatek. Osaka was putting a lot of pressure on the world no. 1 and had match points, but couldn't quite finish it off, and the world number one won the match.
It proved to be a very important match for the Pole because she emerged as far more confident after that match, beating opponents left and right. Her most recent win over Coco Gauff secured her the final, where she'll be favored to win the event for a fourth time.
Even the 23-year-old agreed that something changed after that match against Osaka, as she felt much better on the court afterward.
"For sure, something changed. I would say I just adjusted...
That match was crazy because the Japanese player blasted over 50 winners in three sets to almost oust Swiatek. Osaka was putting a lot of pressure on the world no. 1 and had match points, but couldn't quite finish it off, and the world number one won the match.
It proved to be a very important match for the Pole because she emerged as far more confident after that match, beating opponents left and right. Her most recent win over Coco Gauff secured her the final, where she'll be favored to win the event for a fourth time.
Even the 23-year-old agreed that something changed after that match against Osaka, as she felt much better on the court afterward.
"For sure, something changed. I would say I just adjusted...
- 6/7/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff will compete for a spot in the Roland Garros final, where they have previously met.
The Pole has been absolutely amazing so far in Paris, winning most of her matches without any issues. She only had a problem against Naomi Osaka when she had to save match points.
The most recent matches have been absolutely brutal from the Polish player, who looks unstoppable. Compare that to the American, who has also been good, although her most recent match showed some weakness.
It was against Ons Jabeur, and while she won the match, the opening set demonstrated that she can be hit out off the court.
Swiatek plays very much like that, so a good performance by the Polish player will be good enough to beat Gauff—in theory at least.
Head-to-head:
The two semi-final protagonists have played 11 times so far, and the Polish player has won 10 of those matches.
The Pole has been absolutely amazing so far in Paris, winning most of her matches without any issues. She only had a problem against Naomi Osaka when she had to save match points.
The most recent matches have been absolutely brutal from the Polish player, who looks unstoppable. Compare that to the American, who has also been good, although her most recent match showed some weakness.
It was against Ons Jabeur, and while she won the match, the opening set demonstrated that she can be hit out off the court.
Swiatek plays very much like that, so a good performance by the Polish player will be good enough to beat Gauff—in theory at least.
Head-to-head:
The two semi-final protagonists have played 11 times so far, and the Polish player has won 10 of those matches.
- 6/5/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Iga Swiatek played another match at the 2024 Roland Garros, and it was once again a crushing victory, as Marketa Vondrousova couldn't find any answers in two sets.
The Wta's world no. 1 has been utterly impressive this clay season, winning back-to-back trophies in Madrid and Rome. Not many expected her to play even better in Paris, not because she couldn't, but because it seemed almost impossible, but she did just that by thrashing opponents in most of her matches.
The only showing in which she had troubles was against Naomi Osaka, but that was more about the Japanese player being brilliant than Swiatek playing badly.
In the quarter-final, she faced reigning Wimbledon champion and former Roland Garros finalist Vondrousova, and the match wasn't even close. Handing a bagel to a fellow major winner, a top-five seed at the event who is also a reigning Grand Slam champion, is pretty crazy,...
The Wta's world no. 1 has been utterly impressive this clay season, winning back-to-back trophies in Madrid and Rome. Not many expected her to play even better in Paris, not because she couldn't, but because it seemed almost impossible, but she did just that by thrashing opponents in most of her matches.
The only showing in which she had troubles was against Naomi Osaka, but that was more about the Japanese player being brilliant than Swiatek playing badly.
In the quarter-final, she faced reigning Wimbledon champion and former Roland Garros finalist Vondrousova, and the match wasn't even close. Handing a bagel to a fellow major winner, a top-five seed at the event who is also a reigning Grand Slam champion, is pretty crazy,...
- 6/4/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Exclusive: Publicist Alex Schack has been hired by align PR as a Vice President.
Schack’s client roster includes Jurassic World franchise star and filmmaker Bryce Dallas Howard, Anna Sawai, Rosa Salazar, Madeline Brewer, Camilla Luddington, Phoebe Tonkin, Christian Serratos and more.
Said align PR founder and CEO Nicole Perez-Krueger, “We are excited to welcome Alex to the align PR team. With her extensive experience in running successful and strategic publicity campaigns, she brings valuable expertise that will add to our talented publicity teams and contribute to expanding our client roster with more traditional talent from film and television. Her work in the industry and client list speak for themselves, and we’re excited to embark on this next chapter with her.”
Schack comes to align PR from Narrative. During the course of her public relations career she has worked at Slate, and began at I.D. PR.
Founded in 2019 by Perez-Krueger,...
Schack’s client roster includes Jurassic World franchise star and filmmaker Bryce Dallas Howard, Anna Sawai, Rosa Salazar, Madeline Brewer, Camilla Luddington, Phoebe Tonkin, Christian Serratos and more.
Said align PR founder and CEO Nicole Perez-Krueger, “We are excited to welcome Alex to the align PR team. With her extensive experience in running successful and strategic publicity campaigns, she brings valuable expertise that will add to our talented publicity teams and contribute to expanding our client roster with more traditional talent from film and television. Her work in the industry and client list speak for themselves, and we’re excited to embark on this next chapter with her.”
Schack comes to align PR from Narrative. During the course of her public relations career she has worked at Slate, and began at I.D. PR.
Founded in 2019 by Perez-Krueger,...
- 5/31/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Cannes Critics’ Week title Julie Keeps Quiet, directed by Belgium’s Leonardo Van Dijl, is to be released in the UK and Ireland through Curzon’s Artificial Eye distribution label.
It unfurls as an elite tennis academy star’s coach falls under investigation and is suddenly suspended. All of the club’s players are encouraged to speak up, but Julie decides to keep quiet.
The feature is produced by Gilles De Schryver, Gilles Coulier, Wouter Sap and Roxanne Sarkozi for De Wereldvrede (Belgium), and co-produced by Delphine Tomson, Luc Dardenne and Jean-Pierre Dardenne for Les Films du Fleuve (Belgium), Nima Yousefi...
It unfurls as an elite tennis academy star’s coach falls under investigation and is suddenly suspended. All of the club’s players are encouraged to speak up, but Julie decides to keep quiet.
The feature is produced by Gilles De Schryver, Gilles Coulier, Wouter Sap and Roxanne Sarkozi for De Wereldvrede (Belgium), and co-produced by Delphine Tomson, Luc Dardenne and Jean-Pierre Dardenne for Les Films du Fleuve (Belgium), Nima Yousefi...
- 5/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
Tennis champion Naomi Osaka’s company Hana Kuma has boarded Leonardo Van Dijl’s debut feature “Julie Keeps Quiet” ahead of its world premiere May 18 in Cannes Critics’ Week. The film is being sold by New Europe Film Sales.
Osaka and her longtime agent and business partner Stuart Duguid are behind Hana Kuma, an Emmy Award-nominated creative house, and will serve as executive producers on the film.
“Julie Keeps Quiet” tells the story of Julie, the star player at an elite tennis academy whose life revolves around the game she loves. When her coach falls under investigation and is suddenly suspended, all of the club’s players are encouraged to speak up. But Julie decides to keep quiet.
“I’m so excited to be joining the incredible team on this film with a subject matter that resonates so deeply with me and Hana Kuma,” said Osaka. “Leonardo is an incredible...
Osaka and her longtime agent and business partner Stuart Duguid are behind Hana Kuma, an Emmy Award-nominated creative house, and will serve as executive producers on the film.
“Julie Keeps Quiet” tells the story of Julie, the star player at an elite tennis academy whose life revolves around the game she loves. When her coach falls under investigation and is suddenly suspended, all of the club’s players are encouraged to speak up. But Julie decides to keep quiet.
“I’m so excited to be joining the incredible team on this film with a subject matter that resonates so deeply with me and Hana Kuma,” said Osaka. “Leonardo is an incredible...
- 5/17/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Tennis star Naomi Osaka offered her response to Luca Guadagnino’s buzzy tennis movie Challengers on Thursday, sharing her own moves on the court set to the movie’s viral techno score.
On TikTok, Osaka posted a video of herself moving through a tennis serve and twirling her racket with her fingers after writing, “Me after watching Challengers.”
Though the tennis player has no official ties to the hit movie, which stars Zendaya embroiled in a love triangle with Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist, screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes previously told Business Insider it was Osaka’s 2018 win over Serena Williams that partially inspired the film.
@naomiosaka...
On TikTok, Osaka posted a video of herself moving through a tennis serve and twirling her racket with her fingers after writing, “Me after watching Challengers.”
Though the tennis player has no official ties to the hit movie, which stars Zendaya embroiled in a love triangle with Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist, screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes previously told Business Insider it was Osaka’s 2018 win over Serena Williams that partially inspired the film.
@naomiosaka...
- 5/3/2024
- by Zoe G Phillips
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: LeBron James, Naomi Osaka, and Joel Embiid have signed on to lead the selection committee for this year’s Uninterrupted Film Festival, an LA-based film event focused on the intersection of sports culture and filmmaking hosted in collaboration with Jane Rosenthal and Robert De Niro’s Tribeca Enterprises.
James, Osaka, and Embiid will select the short films to premiere at the festival through an open call for submissions. Selected films will debut at the festival and become the inaugural class of Uninterrupted Film Festival award recipients.
Mounted across two days in Los Angeles, the Uninterrupted Film Festival is run by Uninterrupted, a brand within The SpringHill Company (Tshc) founded by James and his close business associate Maverick Carter. This is the festival’s second year in operations.
“Teaming up with LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s The SpringHill Company in the heart of Los Angeles for a film festival...
James, Osaka, and Embiid will select the short films to premiere at the festival through an open call for submissions. Selected films will debut at the festival and become the inaugural class of Uninterrupted Film Festival award recipients.
Mounted across two days in Los Angeles, the Uninterrupted Film Festival is run by Uninterrupted, a brand within The SpringHill Company (Tshc) founded by James and his close business associate Maverick Carter. This is the festival’s second year in operations.
“Teaming up with LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s The SpringHill Company in the heart of Los Angeles for a film festival...
- 4/29/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
'Challengers' screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes thinks the "cinematic" nature of tennis made it ideal for a movie.The scribe has penned the script for Luca Guadagnino's new movie that focuses on a love triangle on the tennis circuit and realised that the sport was ripe for the big screen after watching the controversial US Open final between Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka in 2018.Justin told Variety: "I just happened to be watching the US Open in 2018. It was the match between Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams in the final, and it was very controversial because Serena Williams got penalised for receiving coaching from the sidelines. She got very upset and said that she didn't do that – but that was the first time I had heard about that rule."Immediately, it struck me as really cinematic, that you're all alone on the court, that there's only one other person...
- 4/29/2024
- by Joe Graber
- Bang Showbiz
Despite the parallels between both films, screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes did not mine much from his own life to write “Challengers” in the same way his wife Celine Song did for her Oscar-nominated film “Past Lives.”
“‘Challengers’ is a pure fantasy for me,” Kuritzkes recently told IndieWire over Zoom. Having gotten hooked into obsessively watching tennis after the infamous 2018 U.S. Open match between Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka, he added that “‘Challengers’ really came out of this desire to have information about the matches I was watching. It was really something that I think a lot of people who watch tennis do, which is that you transpose a personality onto the player from these little crumbs that you’re given. It’s what tennis commentators do all the time. They see somebody make a little motion or something, and they go, ‘Here’s what he’s thinking. Here’s what...
“‘Challengers’ is a pure fantasy for me,” Kuritzkes recently told IndieWire over Zoom. Having gotten hooked into obsessively watching tennis after the infamous 2018 U.S. Open match between Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka, he added that “‘Challengers’ really came out of this desire to have information about the matches I was watching. It was really something that I think a lot of people who watch tennis do, which is that you transpose a personality onto the player from these little crumbs that you’re given. It’s what tennis commentators do all the time. They see somebody make a little motion or something, and they go, ‘Here’s what he’s thinking. Here’s what...
- 4/28/2024
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
As Zendaya’s star rises in the wake of “Dune: Part Two” and now “Challengers,” the tennis film reminds viewers that she also has Marvel’s “Spider-Man” franchise with Tom Holland under her belt.
“Challengers” watches Zendaya play a fierce and ambitious woman whose career-stopping injury puts her in the position of coaching her professional tennis-playing husband, Art Donaldson (Mike Faist). Strategizing, she decides that a low-stakes Challenger tournament in New Rochelle might get some of Art’s mojo back — but things get complicated when the washed-up Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) takes the wild card slot to try and qualify for the U.S. Open. Patrick dated Tashi when she was in college at Stanford alongside Art, who used to play doubles with Patrick when they went to boarding school.
A line in the film calls to mind the actress’ rendition of “Mj,” aka Michelle in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“Challengers” watches Zendaya play a fierce and ambitious woman whose career-stopping injury puts her in the position of coaching her professional tennis-playing husband, Art Donaldson (Mike Faist). Strategizing, she decides that a low-stakes Challenger tournament in New Rochelle might get some of Art’s mojo back — but things get complicated when the washed-up Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) takes the wild card slot to try and qualify for the U.S. Open. Patrick dated Tashi when she was in college at Stanford alongside Art, who used to play doubles with Patrick when they went to boarding school.
A line in the film calls to mind the actress’ rendition of “Mj,” aka Michelle in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- 4/27/2024
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
[Editor’s note: The following interview includes some spoilers for “Challengers.”]
Justin Kuritzkes managed to hit an ace with the first feature-length screenplay he’d ever written “that I felt good enough to share with anybody,” he joked during a recent interview with IndieWire over Zoom.
The playwright, author, and to some most memorably “Potion Seller,” credits the controversial 2018 U.S. Open final between Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams that began to devolve after an umpire penalized the latter tennis legend for allegedly receiving coaching from the sidelines.
“She immediately got really upset and said, ‘I didn’t do that. I would never do that.’ And I had never heard this rule before because I wasn’t massively into tennis. But immediately, this struck me as intensely cinematic,” said Kuritzkes. “You’re all alone on the court and there’s this one person in the stands who cares as much about what happens to you as you do, but you can’t talk to them.
Justin Kuritzkes managed to hit an ace with the first feature-length screenplay he’d ever written “that I felt good enough to share with anybody,” he joked during a recent interview with IndieWire over Zoom.
The playwright, author, and to some most memorably “Potion Seller,” credits the controversial 2018 U.S. Open final between Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams that began to devolve after an umpire penalized the latter tennis legend for allegedly receiving coaching from the sidelines.
“She immediately got really upset and said, ‘I didn’t do that. I would never do that.’ And I had never heard this rule before because I wasn’t massively into tennis. But immediately, this struck me as intensely cinematic,” said Kuritzkes. “You’re all alone on the court and there’s this one person in the stands who cares as much about what happens to you as you do, but you can’t talk to them.
- 4/25/2024
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
The spotlight is on hip-hop mogul Sean “P. Diddy” Combs following the Homeland Security raid on his two properties. Two of his sons, Christian “King” Combs and Justin Combs, were detained during the raid. But this isn’t the first time Diddy followers have seen his sons’ names in the press. Christian once explained a strange party experience he had involving Paris Hilton. Here’s what he said.
Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs’ son, Christian ‘King’ Combs, had a ‘lit’ party experience with Paris Hilton
Sean “P. Diddy” Combs’ son, Christian “King” Combs, is 26 years old in 2024, and he’s likely seen a few wild parties thrown by his dad. The hip-hop mogul knows how to throw a huge bash involving big names in the music world. Of course, Paris Hilton has attended multiple parties thrown by Diddy.
Christian was once interviewed and asked about his “strangest” interaction at a party.
Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs’ son, Christian ‘King’ Combs, had a ‘lit’ party experience with Paris Hilton
Sean “P. Diddy” Combs’ son, Christian “King” Combs, is 26 years old in 2024, and he’s likely seen a few wild parties thrown by his dad. The hip-hop mogul knows how to throw a huge bash involving big names in the music world. Of course, Paris Hilton has attended multiple parties thrown by Diddy.
Christian was once interviewed and asked about his “strangest” interaction at a party.
- 4/20/2024
- by Lauren Weiler
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Luca Guadagnino's new film "Challengers" is set in 2019 during a pivotal tennis match between tennis pro Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) and the struggling also-ran Patrick Zweig (Josh O'Connor). Watching from the stands is Donaldson's wife, the former teen tennis prodigy Tashi Duncan (Zendaya). Tashi looks incredibly concerned, and the two players seem to hate each other. The film then begins a series of flashbacks, stretching back 13 years to when the characters were all teenagers. It seems that Art, Patrick, and Tashi once had a three-way makeout session in a motel room that cemented their physical and emotional attraction for years. Tashi briefly dated Josh, while Art, retaining a crush, attempted to sabotage their relationship. Art and Tashi would begin a romance after she sustains an injury, with Tashi becoming Art's coach. Resentment bubbles apace.
It's all very soapy, of course, but Guadagnino tempers the melodrama with excellent attention to detail,...
It's all very soapy, of course, but Guadagnino tempers the melodrama with excellent attention to detail,...
- 4/13/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of crypto exchange Ftx, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for defrauding investors.
Judge Lewis Kaplan of the Southern District of New York set the sentence today in a hearing in New York Federal Court. He said the long sentence would serve as a deterrent, that Bankman-Fried had lied on the stand during his trial, and that he felt there was a risk of him repeating similar crimes.
Speaking before the sentence, Bankman-Fried said what happened to Ftx customers has “been excruciating to watch.” But, he said, “I don’t think the reasons for that have been properly told.” The 31-year-old said he had made a series of bad decisions and thrown his life away.
In November, the former crypto king was found guilty by a Manhattan jury of seven counts of fraud in a scheme that cost Ftx customers over $10 billion. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams...
Judge Lewis Kaplan of the Southern District of New York set the sentence today in a hearing in New York Federal Court. He said the long sentence would serve as a deterrent, that Bankman-Fried had lied on the stand during his trial, and that he felt there was a risk of him repeating similar crimes.
Speaking before the sentence, Bankman-Fried said what happened to Ftx customers has “been excruciating to watch.” But, he said, “I don’t think the reasons for that have been properly told.” The 31-year-old said he had made a series of bad decisions and thrown his life away.
In November, the former crypto king was found guilty by a Manhattan jury of seven counts of fraud in a scheme that cost Ftx customers over $10 billion. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams...
- 3/28/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Faye Webster is kicking my ass at tennis. We’re at the Altadena Town & Country Club in L.A. on a late-January afternoon, playing a very loose set amid pouring rain. One of us is really good; the other (me) has never picked up a racket in her life. But even though I’m pathetically outmatched, Webster is being really sweet about it, cheering from her side of the court whenever I manage to make contact with the heavy, soaking-wet ball (which is almost never).
Our redheaded, bearded coach Nate is equally supportive,...
Our redheaded, bearded coach Nate is equally supportive,...
- 3/15/2024
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
CAA has signed Deal Productions, a European film and TV banner co-founded by actor-turned-filmmaker Désirée Nosbusch (“Bad Banks”) and Alexandra Hoesdorff (“High Fantasy”).
Based in Luxembourg, the company handles development, financing, packaging and production of independently-produced films and TV worldwide. Nosbusch, a well-known actor whose recent credits include “Bad Banks” and “Sissi,” is now making her directorial feature debut with “Poison,” a drama starring Tim Roth and Trine Dyrholm.
Hoesdorff’s recent projects as a producer include “Souvenir” starring Isabelle Huppert; “High Fantasy,” which premiered at Toronto in 2017 and played at the Berlinale and Rotterdam; and “Flatland,” which competed at Toronto in 2019 after opening the Berlinale Panorama section. Hoesdorff has also produced several titles for streamers, including “Sawah” and “Girls With Balls,” released in 2020 on Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, respectively.
Deal Productions is currently in development and production on a slate of series and films supported by the lucrative Luxembourg Film Fund.
Based in Luxembourg, the company handles development, financing, packaging and production of independently-produced films and TV worldwide. Nosbusch, a well-known actor whose recent credits include “Bad Banks” and “Sissi,” is now making her directorial feature debut with “Poison,” a drama starring Tim Roth and Trine Dyrholm.
Hoesdorff’s recent projects as a producer include “Souvenir” starring Isabelle Huppert; “High Fantasy,” which premiered at Toronto in 2017 and played at the Berlinale and Rotterdam; and “Flatland,” which competed at Toronto in 2019 after opening the Berlinale Panorama section. Hoesdorff has also produced several titles for streamers, including “Sawah” and “Girls With Balls,” released in 2020 on Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, respectively.
Deal Productions is currently in development and production on a slate of series and films supported by the lucrative Luxembourg Film Fund.
- 3/13/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Dame Helen Mirren said that she is “blown away” after seeing her likeness captured in a new Barbie doll, which Mattel is releasing this week ahead of International Women’s Day. The latest batch of role model toys also includes dolls for Kylie Minogue, Viola Davis and Shania Twain.
The release, also marking Barbie’s 65th anniversary, is part of the Barbie Dream Gap Project, which was launched in 2018 to challenge gender stereotypes and help “undo the biases that hold girls back from reaching their full potential,” according to Mattel. In addition to including these four famous women, this week’s new set of dolls includes creator Maira Gomez, of Brazil’s indigenous Tatuyo community; Mexican filmmaker Lila Avilés; German comic Enissa Amani; and Japanese model Nicole Fujita.
“I am absolutely blown away by my Barbie,” Mirren said in a statement posted to her website. “To be chosen by Barbie...
The release, also marking Barbie’s 65th anniversary, is part of the Barbie Dream Gap Project, which was launched in 2018 to challenge gender stereotypes and help “undo the biases that hold girls back from reaching their full potential,” according to Mattel. In addition to including these four famous women, this week’s new set of dolls includes creator Maira Gomez, of Brazil’s indigenous Tatuyo community; Mexican filmmaker Lila Avilés; German comic Enissa Amani; and Japanese model Nicole Fujita.
“I am absolutely blown away by my Barbie,” Mirren said in a statement posted to her website. “To be chosen by Barbie...
- 3/6/2024
- by Kevin Dolak
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Middle grader book series Kiranmala & The Kingdom Beyond is getting the animated television adaptation treatment.
Undone and The Kollective producer Submarine and Rebel Maverick have teamed to create a TV version of Sayantani DasGupta’s book series. DasGupta will adapt the stories with animation writer veteran and Emmy winner Michael Ryan.
Published by Scholastic, Kiranmala & The Kingdom Beyond debuted in 2018 with The Serpent’s Secret. It won several book awards, with Kiranmala & The Kingdom Beyond: Game of Stars following in 2019 and entering the New York Times bestseller list. A third book, Kiranmala & The Kingdom Beyond: The Chaos Curse, published in 2020, while a spin-off series, Force of Fire, published a year and a third trilogy, The Secrets of the Sky, launched in July last year.
The first book trilogy will be the focus on the TV series. Ryan and DasGupta will write the pilot,...
Undone and The Kollective producer Submarine and Rebel Maverick have teamed to create a TV version of Sayantani DasGupta’s book series. DasGupta will adapt the stories with animation writer veteran and Emmy winner Michael Ryan.
Published by Scholastic, Kiranmala & The Kingdom Beyond debuted in 2018 with The Serpent’s Secret. It won several book awards, with Kiranmala & The Kingdom Beyond: Game of Stars following in 2019 and entering the New York Times bestseller list. A third book, Kiranmala & The Kingdom Beyond: The Chaos Curse, published in 2020, while a spin-off series, Force of Fire, published a year and a third trilogy, The Secrets of the Sky, launched in July last year.
The first book trilogy will be the focus on the TV series. Ryan and DasGupta will write the pilot,...
- 3/1/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Naomi Osaka is getting further into anime.
The tennis star’s production company Hana Kuma has teamed with Rebel Maverick, run by the queer, Afro-Latinx writing and producing team, Matt Nicholas and Nastassja Kayln, to develop manga series Allure: The Evening Primrose as an adult anime TV series.
It is based on Noir Caesar Entertainment’s manga of the same name.
Osaka will lead the voice cast and exec produce the series, which will be adapted and written by Kenny Byerly (Big Hero 6: The Series).
The series, originally written by comic book writer Sinitus Tempo, follows Akane Koizumi (Osaka), a talented rookie assassin for the Adachi crime family, who longs to receive “Allure,” a dangerous drug that enhances the abilities of elite killers known as “Death Bringers”. However, when she and her team cross the Adachis and are marked for death, they must find a way to survive...
The tennis star’s production company Hana Kuma has teamed with Rebel Maverick, run by the queer, Afro-Latinx writing and producing team, Matt Nicholas and Nastassja Kayln, to develop manga series Allure: The Evening Primrose as an adult anime TV series.
It is based on Noir Caesar Entertainment’s manga of the same name.
Osaka will lead the voice cast and exec produce the series, which will be adapted and written by Kenny Byerly (Big Hero 6: The Series).
The series, originally written by comic book writer Sinitus Tempo, follows Akane Koizumi (Osaka), a talented rookie assassin for the Adachi crime family, who longs to receive “Allure,” a dangerous drug that enhances the abilities of elite killers known as “Death Bringers”. However, when she and her team cross the Adachis and are marked for death, they must find a way to survive...
- 2/13/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
National Geographic has greenlit “Sally,” a new documentary about Dr. Sally Ride, the first American woman to go to space in more than 40 years ago, the network announced Thursday at the Television Critics Association winter press tour.
From director director Cristina Costantini (“Science Fair”) and producers Dan Cogan (“Icarus”) and Lauren Cioffi (“Naomi Osaka”), the film will delve into the life of the groundbreaking astronaut and the sexism she faced as one of very few women in space exploration at the time. “Sally” (working title) will feature never-before-seen archival footage in space and on the ground, along with interviews with Ride’s fellow astronauts Anna Lee Fisher and Kathy Sullivan, friend (and one-time tennis opponent) Billie Jean King, and her life partner Tam O’Shaughnessy, the last of whom also serves as executive producer.
Ride made history as the first American woman and third woman overall to fly in space when the space shuttle Challenger,...
From director director Cristina Costantini (“Science Fair”) and producers Dan Cogan (“Icarus”) and Lauren Cioffi (“Naomi Osaka”), the film will delve into the life of the groundbreaking astronaut and the sexism she faced as one of very few women in space exploration at the time. “Sally” (working title) will feature never-before-seen archival footage in space and on the ground, along with interviews with Ride’s fellow astronauts Anna Lee Fisher and Kathy Sullivan, friend (and one-time tennis opponent) Billie Jean King, and her life partner Tam O’Shaughnessy, the last of whom also serves as executive producer.
Ride made history as the first American woman and third woman overall to fly in space when the space shuttle Challenger,...
- 2/8/2024
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
CAA has signed Hana Kuma, the media and production company founded by tennis star Naomi Osaka and her longtime agent and business partner Stuart Duguid, for representation, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The company launched in 2022 in partnership with The SpringHill Company, the media venture from NBA star LeBron James and Maverick Carter, and spun out on its own last year in conjunction with a $5 million seed round that included SpringHill, Epic Games, Japanese conglomerate Kinoshita Group and Fenway Sports Group.
Hana Kuma launched with a number of projects, including the New York Times op-doc Mink!, from director Ben Proudfoot, about Patsy Mink, the first woman of color elected to Congress, and the author and sponsor of Title IX, which prohibited sex-based discrimination in schools that receive government funding; as well as Footsteps, a Bloomberg original about the Haitian Woman’s World Cup team.
The company also produces the video...
The company launched in 2022 in partnership with The SpringHill Company, the media venture from NBA star LeBron James and Maverick Carter, and spun out on its own last year in conjunction with a $5 million seed round that included SpringHill, Epic Games, Japanese conglomerate Kinoshita Group and Fenway Sports Group.
Hana Kuma launched with a number of projects, including the New York Times op-doc Mink!, from director Ben Proudfoot, about Patsy Mink, the first woman of color elected to Congress, and the author and sponsor of Title IX, which prohibited sex-based discrimination in schools that receive government funding; as well as Footsteps, a Bloomberg original about the Haitian Woman’s World Cup team.
The company also produces the video...
- 1/30/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The lone American still alive in the 2024 Australian Open takes to the court on Thursday in what should be a thrilling semifinal matchup. Fourth-seeded Coco Gauff will take on No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in a match airing on ESPN starting at 3:30 a.m. Et. The winner of this match will square off in the finals against the winner of the second semifinal which will see No. 12 Qinwen Zheng take on the unseeded Dayana Yastremska. If you can stay up that late, you won’t want to miss any of the action. You can watch ESPN with a 5-Day Free Trial of Directv Stream. You can also watch with Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, Fubo, or YouTube TV.
How to Watch 2024 Australian Open Semifinals Aryna Sabalenka vs. Coco Gauff When: Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 3:30 Am Est TV: ESPN Stream: Watch with a 5-Day Free Trial of Directv Stream. 5-Day Free Trial$79.99+ / month directv.
How to Watch 2024 Australian Open Semifinals Aryna Sabalenka vs. Coco Gauff When: Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 3:30 Am Est TV: ESPN Stream: Watch with a 5-Day Free Trial of Directv Stream. 5-Day Free Trial$79.99+ / month directv.
- 1/24/2024
- by Matt Tamanini
- The Streamable
The Australian Open is starting on Sunday, Jan. 14. Here’s how to watch tennis tournament online to watch the sports’ biggest stars, including Naomi Osaka as she makes her anticipated return, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff and more.
How to Watch the Australian Open Online With a Vpn
While the Australian Open tennis tournament is being broadcast on ESPN, ESPN and ESPN+, watching it online with a Vpn (virtual private network) is a great way to access international free livestreams.
More from TVLinePeacock-Exclusive NFL Wild Card Game Sets U.S. Live Streaming Record With 23 Million ViewersSunday's Bills-Steelers Wild...
How to Watch the Australian Open Online With a Vpn
While the Australian Open tennis tournament is being broadcast on ESPN, ESPN and ESPN+, watching it online with a Vpn (virtual private network) is a great way to access international free livestreams.
More from TVLinePeacock-Exclusive NFL Wild Card Game Sets U.S. Live Streaming Record With 23 Million ViewersSunday's Bills-Steelers Wild...
- 1/13/2024
- by Claire Franken
- TVLine.com
Grigor Dimitrov ended his six-year title drought after beating Holger Rune in the 2024 Brisbane International final.
The 2017 season was the best in the Bulgarian's career, and he ended it by winning the Atp Finals in November. However, since then, he did not win a single title, but now, six years and two months later, he ended the bad streak.
The Brisbane International was a tournament of comebacks when Rafael Nadal returned to tennis, and Naomi Osaka did too, but it was a tournament of comebacks also in a different way, as Dimitrov returned to the winner's circle.
In the final of the tournament, he took on Rune, who had been playing really well at the event, and even though he wanted to play Rafael Nadal in the final, his opponent proved to be more than worthy.
The first set of the final was a real drama. Both players had multiple break points,...
The 2017 season was the best in the Bulgarian's career, and he ended it by winning the Atp Finals in November. However, since then, he did not win a single title, but now, six years and two months later, he ended the bad streak.
The Brisbane International was a tournament of comebacks when Rafael Nadal returned to tennis, and Naomi Osaka did too, but it was a tournament of comebacks also in a different way, as Dimitrov returned to the winner's circle.
In the final of the tournament, he took on Rune, who had been playing really well at the event, and even though he wanted to play Rafael Nadal in the final, his opponent proved to be more than worthy.
The first set of the final was a real drama. Both players had multiple break points,...
- 1/7/2024
- Tennis Infinity
The first Grand Slam tournament of the 2024 season is on the horizon, and the entry list for the women's edition of the Australian Open has been released.
Running from January 14th to 28th, next year's Australian Open will have a historic Sunday start. One hundred twenty-eight women will compete in the biggest party of Australian summer, but only one player will be lucky enough to emerge from the fortnight with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.
The Australian Open is played on outdoor hard courts at its famed home - Melbourne Park. It's been ten years since there was a successful title defense in the women's tournament, so is that trend likely to continue, or will Belarus Aryna Sabalenka defend the crown she won 12 months ago?
Looking at the entry list, Iga Swiatek will be the top seed for the second year in a row thanks to her scintillating run of...
Running from January 14th to 28th, next year's Australian Open will have a historic Sunday start. One hundred twenty-eight women will compete in the biggest party of Australian summer, but only one player will be lucky enough to emerge from the fortnight with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.
The Australian Open is played on outdoor hard courts at its famed home - Melbourne Park. It's been ten years since there was a successful title defense in the women's tournament, so is that trend likely to continue, or will Belarus Aryna Sabalenka defend the crown she won 12 months ago?
Looking at the entry list, Iga Swiatek will be the top seed for the second year in a row thanks to her scintillating run of...
- 1/7/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Jennifer Brady's physical struggles have continued, with the American having to pull out of the 2024 Australian Open.
Brady had been one of many comeback players set to play in Melbourne. This includes two-time champion Naomi Osaka, whose first tournament was in Brisbane, where she lost in the second round to Karolina Pliskova.
The Australian Open was the scene of Brady's best career achievement to date. It was the American who played Osaka in the 2021 final at the first Grand Slam of the year. She lost, but her run was still a memorable one.
Unfortunately, things became more difficult for Brady after that. She sustained a knee injury against Jelena Ostapenko at the Cincinnati Masters. It was a serious problem, and it kept her away from the sport for two years.
The 28-year-old did not return until the 2023 Washington Open. Her level was surprisingly strong after such a long time out.
Brady had been one of many comeback players set to play in Melbourne. This includes two-time champion Naomi Osaka, whose first tournament was in Brisbane, where she lost in the second round to Karolina Pliskova.
The Australian Open was the scene of Brady's best career achievement to date. It was the American who played Osaka in the 2021 final at the first Grand Slam of the year. She lost, but her run was still a memorable one.
Unfortunately, things became more difficult for Brady after that. She sustained a knee injury against Jelena Ostapenko at the Cincinnati Masters. It was a serious problem, and it kept her away from the sport for two years.
The 28-year-old did not return until the 2023 Washington Open. Her level was surprisingly strong after such a long time out.
- 1/6/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Naomi Osaka spent over a year away from the tennis courts due to first mental health issues and then also a pregnancy.
There is a very good chance that Osaka would have returned to the sport sooner if it weren't for her pregnancy, as she addressed her mental health issues and seemingly got better.
In the end, life went differently, and Osaka found herself absent from the sport for a long time. It wasn't a huge problem for her as she became a mother, something she considers a blessing and something that helped her find her passion for tennis again.
She's been outspoken about wanting to set a great example for her daughter, and being great at what she does is certainly one way to do it.
She returned at the 2024 Brisbane International, where she won her first match but lost the next one. It's unfortunate because she was so close to winning,...
There is a very good chance that Osaka would have returned to the sport sooner if it weren't for her pregnancy, as she addressed her mental health issues and seemingly got better.
In the end, life went differently, and Osaka found herself absent from the sport for a long time. It wasn't a huge problem for her as she became a mother, something she considers a blessing and something that helped her find her passion for tennis again.
She's been outspoken about wanting to set a great example for her daughter, and being great at what she does is certainly one way to do it.
She returned at the 2024 Brisbane International, where she won her first match but lost the next one. It's unfortunate because she was so close to winning,...
- 1/4/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Naomi Osaka is back to tennis and is a different player right now as she approaches tennis and her career differently.
She still has the same skill set she always had, but for the most part, her attitude has changed quite a bit. Part of it was just stepping away from the sport and being able to really reflect. Part of it is becoming a more mature person by becoming a mother as well.
Everything that she does now includes her child, whom she wants to inspire by being the best possible role model she can be. She spoke about some of those attitudes after her loss in Brisbane, which cut short her first run back at the 2024 Brisbane International.
I think I'm enjoying myself a lot more, and I also realize there's a lot of things that aren't in my control. Maybe the ball that was in, I could have hit that.
She still has the same skill set she always had, but for the most part, her attitude has changed quite a bit. Part of it was just stepping away from the sport and being able to really reflect. Part of it is becoming a more mature person by becoming a mother as well.
Everything that she does now includes her child, whom she wants to inspire by being the best possible role model she can be. She spoke about some of those attitudes after her loss in Brisbane, which cut short her first run back at the 2024 Brisbane International.
I think I'm enjoying myself a lot more, and I also realize there's a lot of things that aren't in my control. Maybe the ball that was in, I could have hit that.
- 1/4/2024
- Tennis Infinity
An exciting lineup of exhibition matches as part of the 2024 Australian Open opening week has been announced.
The official start of the first Grand Slam of the year is now less than two weeks away. Emma Raducanu entering the main draw for the Australian Open is a recent story surrounding the event.
However, the action for the fans to enjoy does not start on January 14th when the main draw matches begin. Spectators are also able to savor a range of exhibitions that take place in the days before.
These matches are for charity, and they have been very successful in the past. Many of the biggest players in the sport have played in them. This year's exhibition lineup is no different, with some huge names featured.
January 9th sees Naomi Osaka face a currently unnamed opponent. She is a two-time champion in Melbourne and recently made a return to...
The official start of the first Grand Slam of the year is now less than two weeks away. Emma Raducanu entering the main draw for the Australian Open is a recent story surrounding the event.
However, the action for the fans to enjoy does not start on January 14th when the main draw matches begin. Spectators are also able to savor a range of exhibitions that take place in the days before.
These matches are for charity, and they have been very successful in the past. Many of the biggest players in the sport have played in them. This year's exhibition lineup is no different, with some huge names featured.
January 9th sees Naomi Osaka face a currently unnamed opponent. She is a two-time champion in Melbourne and recently made a return to...
- 1/4/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Naomi Osaka's stay in Brisbane is over as the Japanese player lost to Karolina Pliskova; however, she enjoyed the experience very much.
Naomi Osaka recently returned to tennis courts for the first time in over a year, and it was a pretty good comeback. She won her first match back, which was great to see; however, that didn't last.
The stay in Brisbane is already over, as she was beaten in the second match at the 2024 Brisbane International. Karolina Pliskova was inches away from losing this match as Osaka looked pretty good once more, but the Czech player turned the match around.
The Japanese player isn't known as a player who enjoys losing, but she looked on the bright side after the loss on social media.
It's good to see Osaka having fun on a tennis court despite the result not going her way. Having fun is ultimately what it's about.
Naomi Osaka recently returned to tennis courts for the first time in over a year, and it was a pretty good comeback. She won her first match back, which was great to see; however, that didn't last.
The stay in Brisbane is already over, as she was beaten in the second match at the 2024 Brisbane International. Karolina Pliskova was inches away from losing this match as Osaka looked pretty good once more, but the Czech player turned the match around.
The Japanese player isn't known as a player who enjoys losing, but she looked on the bright side after the loss on social media.
It's good to see Osaka having fun on a tennis court despite the result not going her way. Having fun is ultimately what it's about.
- 1/3/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Naomi Osaka was close to winning in her second match at the 2024 Brisbane International, but Karolina Pliskova eventually proved to be too strong to overcome.
After winning her first match since September 2022, Osaka was set to take on the former world no. 1 at the Wta 500 tournament in Brisbane, and that would prove to be the real test for the Japanese player.
Little did the four-time Grand Slam champion know that it would be one of the best matches early in the season, as both players blasted winners left and right without making too many errors.
In the first set of the match, Osaka was super solid on her serve. She lost it once from a 40-15 lead after breaking her opponent and leading 2-0, but from there, she lost only three more points on her serve.
On top of that, she managed to add another break, as Pliskova showed some...
After winning her first match since September 2022, Osaka was set to take on the former world no. 1 at the Wta 500 tournament in Brisbane, and that would prove to be the real test for the Japanese player.
Little did the four-time Grand Slam champion know that it would be one of the best matches early in the season, as both players blasted winners left and right without making too many errors.
In the first set of the match, Osaka was super solid on her serve. She lost it once from a 40-15 lead after breaking her opponent and leading 2-0, but from there, she lost only three more points on her serve.
On top of that, she managed to add another break, as Pliskova showed some...
- 1/3/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Mothers Elina Svitolina and Caroline Wozniacki met at the 2024 Asb Classic in Auckland, and it could have been a winning start to the new Wta season only for one.
It's not often that mothers get to meet in a match on the Wta Tour, as there are not so many currently, but recently, the trend has changed, and more and more mothers are returning to the sport after their pregnancy.
The two are prime examples, but it's important not to forget the likes of Victoria Azarenka, who was one of the first mothers in recent history to return to tennis. Now, another player made a comeback as mother, when Naomi Osaka won her first match back.
Soon, the mother's club on the women's Tour will likely be joined by Petra Kvitova, who announced her pregnancy on January 1st, 2024. But another mother returned to the sport just recently, as Caroline Wozniacki made a surprising return.
It's not often that mothers get to meet in a match on the Wta Tour, as there are not so many currently, but recently, the trend has changed, and more and more mothers are returning to the sport after their pregnancy.
The two are prime examples, but it's important not to forget the likes of Victoria Azarenka, who was one of the first mothers in recent history to return to tennis. Now, another player made a comeback as mother, when Naomi Osaka won her first match back.
Soon, the mother's club on the women's Tour will likely be joined by Petra Kvitova, who announced her pregnancy on January 1st, 2024. But another mother returned to the sport just recently, as Caroline Wozniacki made a surprising return.
- 1/2/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Naomi Osaka won her first match on her comeback by beating Germany's Tamara Korpatsch in straight sets.
Osaka, playing at the star-studded Brisbane International as a wildcard, won 6-3, 7-6, in almost two hours to book her spot in the second round. The Japanese star fired four aces and won 73% fist-serve points. She also broke her opponent's serve four times.
It was a great way to kick off her new year despite a nervy end to the match in which Osaka failed to serve out the contest at 5-3 up in the second set and needed three match points in a dramatic tiebreak to win it 11-9.
After the match, something unusual happened as Osaka trudged to the net to shake hands with Korpatsch. Osaka graciously bowed and was getting ready for a handshake. The German instantly tried to explain to Osaka that she was not feeling well and did...
Osaka, playing at the star-studded Brisbane International as a wildcard, won 6-3, 7-6, in almost two hours to book her spot in the second round. The Japanese star fired four aces and won 73% fist-serve points. She also broke her opponent's serve four times.
It was a great way to kick off her new year despite a nervy end to the match in which Osaka failed to serve out the contest at 5-3 up in the second set and needed three match points in a dramatic tiebreak to win it 11-9.
After the match, something unusual happened as Osaka trudged to the net to shake hands with Korpatsch. Osaka graciously bowed and was getting ready for a handshake. The German instantly tried to explain to Osaka that she was not feeling well and did...
- 1/1/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Naomi Osaka has stated why it may be best for her not to communicate with her team during matches.
Osaka made her comeback to the Wta Tour with a victory in Brisbane against Tamara Korpatsch. She produced some excellent tennis on her return, and received a large amount of support from the crowd.
The four-time Grand Slam champion won in straight sets. Between the two sets, she elected to speak directly with her coaching team about the match, seeking their guidance in her first match back.
This communication between players and their teams is now allowed. The Wta changed the rule while Osaka was away on maternity leave. This makes it an extra factor for the Japanese player to contend with.
Speaking after the match, Osaka said that she was talking to her team because of nerves and that it would usually be better for her to focus on herself.
Osaka made her comeback to the Wta Tour with a victory in Brisbane against Tamara Korpatsch. She produced some excellent tennis on her return, and received a large amount of support from the crowd.
The four-time Grand Slam champion won in straight sets. Between the two sets, she elected to speak directly with her coaching team about the match, seeking their guidance in her first match back.
This communication between players and their teams is now allowed. The Wta changed the rule while Osaka was away on maternity leave. This makes it an extra factor for the Japanese player to contend with.
Speaking after the match, Osaka said that she was talking to her team because of nerves and that it would usually be better for her to focus on herself.
- 1/1/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Naomi Osaka secured a hard-fought straight sets win in her first match in 15 months at the Brisbane International and then revealed about the difficulty of motherhood.
Osaka was the main star at Pat Rafter Arena on New Year's Day, having accepted a wild card to play in Queensland. She played her first Wta match since September 2022 (at the Japan Open). And she was keen to ensure she never missed a beat.
The 26-year-old faced a determined challenge from World No. 83 Tamara Korpatsch, who has improved by leaps and bounds in recent months thanks to her unexpected maiden Wta title at the Tranlyvania Open last October.
While Osaka was the heavy favorite going into the match, Korpatsch provided stern resistance, particularly in the second set, when she battled back from 3-5 down to force a tiebreak. Osaka did a great job of fighting off her nerves and needed more than two...
Osaka was the main star at Pat Rafter Arena on New Year's Day, having accepted a wild card to play in Queensland. She played her first Wta match since September 2022 (at the Japan Open). And she was keen to ensure she never missed a beat.
The 26-year-old faced a determined challenge from World No. 83 Tamara Korpatsch, who has improved by leaps and bounds in recent months thanks to her unexpected maiden Wta title at the Tranlyvania Open last October.
While Osaka was the heavy favorite going into the match, Korpatsch provided stern resistance, particularly in the second set, when she battled back from 3-5 down to force a tiebreak. Osaka did a great job of fighting off her nerves and needed more than two...
- 1/1/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Rafael Nadal has revealed that he never questioned his desire and motivation to return to full-time competition during his time away from the sport in the past year.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion was quizzed on whether he mirrored Naomi Osaka's sentiments about the possibility of falling out of love with tennis while he was on an injury hiatus.
Nadal, 37, damaged the psoas muscle in his hip at last year's Australian Open and had to sit out for the entire campaign. Osaka, meanwhile, had spent the past 12 months on maternity leave and has previously disclosed about her struggles with mental health.
The Japanese star was candid about her indefinite break when she spoke to reporters before her first Wta match in 15 months. She considered quitting the sport after seeing all the joy evaporate before having second thoughts.
Nadal resonates with what Osaka went through, and there are parallels. However,...
The 22-time Grand Slam champion was quizzed on whether he mirrored Naomi Osaka's sentiments about the possibility of falling out of love with tennis while he was on an injury hiatus.
Nadal, 37, damaged the psoas muscle in his hip at last year's Australian Open and had to sit out for the entire campaign. Osaka, meanwhile, had spent the past 12 months on maternity leave and has previously disclosed about her struggles with mental health.
The Japanese star was candid about her indefinite break when she spoke to reporters before her first Wta match in 15 months. She considered quitting the sport after seeing all the joy evaporate before having second thoughts.
Nadal resonates with what Osaka went through, and there are parallels. However,...
- 1/1/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Naomi Osaka returned to tennis after becoming a mother and it was a dream comeback at the 2024 Brisbane International against Tamara Korpatsch.
Coming back to a sport after a long time is never easy, and the former world no. 1 on the Wta Tour certainly got to know that, as she played her last match in September 2022 against Daria Saville in Tokyo.
A few months after that, Osaka announced her pregnancy, and now, 15 months after her last match, the Japanese player is back on the tennis court, competing at the 2024 Brisbane International.
The draw of the tournament was quite nice to her, as she avoided all the seeded players, taking on world no. 83, Tamara Korpatsch from Germany in the first round of the tournament.
And there was not rust palpable on Osaka, on the contrary, it seemed her opponent was a bit nervous from taking on a four-time Grand Slam champion...
Coming back to a sport after a long time is never easy, and the former world no. 1 on the Wta Tour certainly got to know that, as she played her last match in September 2022 against Daria Saville in Tokyo.
A few months after that, Osaka announced her pregnancy, and now, 15 months after her last match, the Japanese player is back on the tennis court, competing at the 2024 Brisbane International.
The draw of the tournament was quite nice to her, as she avoided all the seeded players, taking on world no. 83, Tamara Korpatsch from Germany in the first round of the tournament.
And there was not rust palpable on Osaka, on the contrary, it seemed her opponent was a bit nervous from taking on a four-time Grand Slam champion...
- 1/1/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Naomi Osaka is making a comeback to tennis, and it will be against a very tricky player Tamara Korpatsch at the 2024 Brisbane International.
So, what can we expect from this matchup? Well, if they played together, we might hear something from the German on social media. She's probably best known for the Wimbledon fiasco a few years ago when she went back and forth with a player on social media.
In the meantime, she became a pretty solid player who will beat you if you give her the chance. As for Osaka, well, she didn't play much lately. At least not on the tennis court. She became a mother and did many business things, but only recently did she start to get back into tennis.
She's motivated ahead of this comeback, and that's basically all you need to know. When Osaka is motivated, she's one of the best players in the world.
So, what can we expect from this matchup? Well, if they played together, we might hear something from the German on social media. She's probably best known for the Wimbledon fiasco a few years ago when she went back and forth with a player on social media.
In the meantime, she became a pretty solid player who will beat you if you give her the chance. As for Osaka, well, she didn't play much lately. At least not on the tennis court. She became a mother and did many business things, but only recently did she start to get back into tennis.
She's motivated ahead of this comeback, and that's basically all you need to know. When Osaka is motivated, she's one of the best players in the world.
- 12/31/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The 2024 Brisbane International is set to kick off on New Year's Eve with a doubleheader of the men's and women's editions running concurrently next week.
The women's edition is returning to the Wta calendar for the first time since 2020. The tournament organizers have worked persistently to bring nearly one of the most complete lineups in Queensland for the first Wta 500 event of the new season.
At least six Top 20 players have committed to play in Brisbane in one of the most competitive fields in the first week of the year, and the possibility of a surprise champion is very high.
In this article, we shall list all available means of watching the 2024 Brisbane International on television, mobile phone, or tablet if you are far away from live action on a match court.
When Does The 2024 Brisbane International Start?
Main draw action in the women's tournament at the 2024 Brisbane International will...
The women's edition is returning to the Wta calendar for the first time since 2020. The tournament organizers have worked persistently to bring nearly one of the most complete lineups in Queensland for the first Wta 500 event of the new season.
At least six Top 20 players have committed to play in Brisbane in one of the most competitive fields in the first week of the year, and the possibility of a surprise champion is very high.
In this article, we shall list all available means of watching the 2024 Brisbane International on television, mobile phone, or tablet if you are far away from live action on a match court.
When Does The 2024 Brisbane International Start?
Main draw action in the women's tournament at the 2024 Brisbane International will...
- 12/31/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Naomi Osaka admitted that she considered quitting tennis during her long absence from the game, but she eventually changed her mind.
The reason why Osaka was absent from tennis in the first place was that she didn't really enjoy playing. She was overwhelmed with anxiety and just didn't enjoy any of it anymore.
You didn't have to be a body language expert to see that she wasn't feeling it. Nobody was really surprised that she announced a break from the sport, and nobody should be really surprised that she felt like quitting.
Ahead of her return at the 2024 Brisbane International, the Japanese player revealed that it happened around the Japan Open in Tokyo in 2022.
Yeah, I would say right after Tokyo for, like, a month maybe I was thinking about it because I felt like all my joy went away for the sport. I felt like it kind of wasn't fair,...
The reason why Osaka was absent from tennis in the first place was that she didn't really enjoy playing. She was overwhelmed with anxiety and just didn't enjoy any of it anymore.
You didn't have to be a body language expert to see that she wasn't feeling it. Nobody was really surprised that she announced a break from the sport, and nobody should be really surprised that she felt like quitting.
Ahead of her return at the 2024 Brisbane International, the Japanese player revealed that it happened around the Japan Open in Tokyo in 2022.
Yeah, I would say right after Tokyo for, like, a month maybe I was thinking about it because I felt like all my joy went away for the sport. I felt like it kind of wasn't fair,...
- 12/31/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka will play her first Wta match since September 2022 at the 2024 Brisbane International.
After a 15-month hiatus in which she battled injuries and took maternity leave, Osaka is ready to rejoin the tour and re-establish herself as one of the Wta's best players. At 26, Osaka is only just entering her prime years and will continue to lust for more Grand Slam wins.
The first Wta 500 tournament of the season is taking place in Brisbane, where there is an overabundance of riches in the field. It is led by World No. 2 and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka. At least six Top 20 players have joined the event to finetune their games.
Osaka's ranking deteriorated due to her inactivity from the tour in 2023. She took time away from the grind to give birth to her first child in July and will need to work up the ladder in 2024. But...
After a 15-month hiatus in which she battled injuries and took maternity leave, Osaka is ready to rejoin the tour and re-establish herself as one of the Wta's best players. At 26, Osaka is only just entering her prime years and will continue to lust for more Grand Slam wins.
The first Wta 500 tournament of the season is taking place in Brisbane, where there is an overabundance of riches in the field. It is led by World No. 2 and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka. At least six Top 20 players have joined the event to finetune their games.
Osaka's ranking deteriorated due to her inactivity from the tour in 2023. She took time away from the grind to give birth to her first child in July and will need to work up the ladder in 2024. But...
- 12/30/2023
- Tennis Infinity
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