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What does it take to become a professional tennis player? That’s what you’ll find out in the Prime Video original docuseries, “Uninterrupted’s Top Class Tennis.” The four-episode inaugural series will follow four different junior tennis players as they put in the work to go pro, including five-time junior title winner Ariana Anazagasty-Pursoo, 2023 Indian Wells Junior Champion Joseph Oyebog Jr., the 2022-23 USA Today Girls Tennis Player of the Year, Stephanie Yakoff, and three-time Junior National Champion Stiles Brockett. You can watch “Uninterrupted’s Top Class Tennis” on Thursday, July 18 with a 30-Day Free Trial of Amazon Prime Video.

How to Watch Uninterrupted’s Top Class Tennis When: Thursday, July 18, 2024 TV: Prime Video Stream: Watch with a 30-Day Free Trial of Amazon Prime Video. 30-Day Free Trial $8.99+ / month amazon.com About Uninterrupted’s Top Class Tennis

Captured in the lead-up to the Orange Bowl – a make-or-break tennis competition with...

Time and again, Prime Video is known for having quality television shows that many viewers cant get enough of. With The Boys currently at the top of everyones list, nearly every show on the platform becomes a hit. Given the extensive library the service seems to be stacking for themselves, they are quickly becoming one of the best subscriptions to have for lovers of great television.

From raunchy comedies to Spanish dramas, Prime Video has produced a wide variety of shows throughout the year. Whether viewers appreciate fantasy, spy thrillers, or the superhero genre, the streaming platform almost always has something ready for its subscribers to enjoy. However, while there might not be an array of choices heading to the streaming service next month, there are certainly plenty viewers will enjoy.

Sausage Party: Foodtopia (Limited Series) Stream on July 11 Your browser does not support the video tag.

Sausage Party: Foodtopia...

Prime Video has announced the lineup of movies and TV shows that will be available on the service in July. The Prime Video July 2024 lineup includes new Amazon original movies, TV shows, and specials. Below, you can also view the titles available on Amazon Freevee.

Members can look forward to Betty la Fea, The Story Continues, My Spy: The Eternal City, Sausage Party: Foodtopia, Space Cadet, Temptation Island Mexico, Troppo Season 2, Tyler Perry’s Divorce in the Black, Uninterrupted’s Top Class Tennis, and more.

Prime Video Originals

The Prime Video July 2024 programming includes the following Originals.

Space Cadet (2024 – Streaming July 4)

Tiffany “Rex” Simpson (Emma Roberts) has always dreamed of going to space, and her “doctored” application lands her in NASA’s ultracompetitive astronaut training program. In over her head, can this Florida girl rely on her quick wits, moxie, and determination to get through training and into the cosmos before she blows her cover?...

Amazon continues to push into the world of tennis.

With the debut of its Roger Federer doc, Twelve Final Days, coming this month, the retailer-streamer has ordered a new installment of the Top Class franchise that will explore the world of junior tennis.

Uninterrupted’s Top Class Tennis will follow four junior tennis players as they make their way to the Orange Bowl, a competition that could make our break their careers as tennis pros. The four-episode series counts 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens among its exec producers.

The series hails from Uninterrupted and LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s SpringHill Co., with Jamal Henderson, Philip Byron, Wendy Goldberg and showrunner Nikki Spetseris also exec producing.

“Uninterrupted is thrilled for the opportunity to expand our Top Class franchise after documenting the Sierra Canyon men’s basketball team for four seasons,” said Byron, head of unscripted and documentaries at SpringHill.

The best tennis players in the world will gather on the unforgiving clay courts of Roland Garros over the next two weeks to compete for the second Grand Slam title of the 2024 season. Action at the 2024 French Open gets underway on Sunday, May 26 at 5 a.m. Et on the Tennis Channel with NBC Sports joining the coverage at 12 noon Et. Throughout the fortnight, Peacock will also be supplying simulcasts of NBC’s broadcasts, as well as exclusive matches as well. Don’t miss a single serve, volley, or forehand of what is sure to be a thrilling two weeks of tennis action from Paris. You can watch NBC and Tennis Channel with a 5-Day Free Trial of Directv Stream. You can also watch with Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, Fubo, Peacock, or YouTube TV.

How to Watch 2024 French Open Grand Slam Tennis Tournament When: Sunday, May 26, 2024 at 5:00 Am Edt TV: NBC,...

Uninterrupted, the award-winning athlete storytelling brand within The SpringHill Company founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, has teamed up with Acast, the world’s largest independent podcast company, to launch its new Sincerely, Sloane podcast, hosted by American professional tennis player, Grand Slam Champion, and Olympian Sloane Stephens. Acast will be responsible for the hosting, distribution, and monetization of Sincerely, Sloane, which invites athletes, entertainers, and experts for conversations on personal growth and wellness.

Throughout the podcast, Stephens will be joined by celebrity guests and topic experts for light-hearted and honest conversations where they share untold stories, deep insights, and individual approaches for living a life of purpose and fulfillment. Additionally, the podcast will feature a series of former Olympians during this summer’s games in Paris, including Gold Medalist Lindsey Vonn, Bronze and Silver Medalist Gabby Thomas, and Gold Medalist Athing Mu.

“Uninterrupted is excited to collaborate with...

Coco Gauff will be playing for her first-ever Grand Slam title today, as the American tennis sensation faces off against Aryna Sabalenka in the 2023 U.S. Open women’s tennis final.

Gauff’s tennis match is airing live on ESPN and you can also stream Gauff vs. Sabalenka online through Directv Stream. The streaming service offers a live feed of ESPN that you can watch from your phone, laptop or TV for free. Sign-up for Directv’s free trial here to get instant access.

Directv Stream Free Trial Buy now

Here’s what else you need to know about Gauff vs. Sabalenka, including start time, predictions and how to watch the tennis match without cable.

Gauff vs. Sabalenka: Date, Time

Coco Gauff takes on Aryna Sabalenka in the U.S. Open women’s final today at 1 p.m. Pt / 4 p.m. Et. Tickets to the tennis match are still available...

Washington (USA), Aug 6 (Ians) No.3 seed Coco Gauff booked a spot in her second final of the year at the Washington Open, toppling No.8 seed and defending champion Liudmila Samsonova 6-3, 6-3 in their semifinal showdown, here.

World No.7 Gauff continued her superb run this week with the 1-hour and 42-minute win over 18th-ranked Samsonova on Saturday — her 20th career victory over a Top 20 player. Gauff has only lost a total of 14 games in her three wins this week.

“I’m super happy with how I played today. Playing the defending champion is never easy. She’s a player that goes really hard on every ball,” Gauff said after her win.

The 19-year-old is now one victory away from her fourth career Wta Tour singles title, and her second of the year. Gauff picked up a title in Auckland in the first week of the 2023 season.

Earlier this week, Gauff...

Paris, June 5 (Ians) Novak Djokovic moved past long-time rival Rafael Nadal after dispatching Peru’s Juan Pablo Varillas in straight sets on Sunday, seizing sole ownership of the quarterfinal appearance record at the French Open with 17 appearances.

The Serbian, victorious with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 triumph against Varillas, is also vying to surpass Nadal by clinching a record 23rd Grand Slam men’s title at Roland Garros, reports Xinhua.

“I’m proud of it, but my attention is already in the next match,” said the third seed, who is set to face Russia’s Karen Khachanov in the quarterfinals.

Djokovic dominated the contest against the world No. 94 opponent, firing 35 winners and converting half of his 12 break points to secure victory in one hour and 57 minutes.

“Great energy on the court, from the crowd and myself as well,” Djokovic said on Court Philippe Chatrier. “I really enjoyed it, my best performance in the tournament so far.

Paris, June 5 (Ians) Former World No.3 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine and former Roland Garros runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova advanced to the women’s singles quarterfinals at the French Open on Sunday, scoring contrasting wins here.

Svitoline continued her remarkable run in Paris, defeating No.9 seed Daria Kasatkina 6-4, 7-5(5) to advance to the quarterfinals. The victory put the 28-year-old Ukrainian into her first Slam quarterfinal in just her fifth tour-level event since her return from maternity leave.

Pavlyuchenkova became the lowest-ranked French Open quarterfinalist in the Open Era after defeating Elise Mertens, coming back from a set and a break down.

After giving birth to her daughter Skai last October, Svitolina returned to competition earlier this spring in Charleston. After starting her season 0-3 at the tour level, Svitolina caught fire in her fourth tournament back, storming to her 17th career title in Strasbourg. By making her fourth French Open quarterfinal and first,...

Paris, May 29 (Ians) Former finalists Sloane Stephens, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Marketa Vondrousova started their respective campaigns on a winning note while Ukraines Elina Svitolina made a victorious comeback to Grand Slam action at the French Open on Monday.

The 2018 finalist Sloane Stephens took out No.16 seed Karolina Pliskova 6-0, 6-4 in 1 hour and 24 minutes in a first-round matchup between two former Top 3 players in women’s singles.

The 2021 finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova soon joined her in the second round, racing past Linda Fruhvirtova 6-2, 6-2 in 70 minutes while the 2019 finalist Marketa Vondrousova dismissed Alycia Parks 6-4, 6-0 in 71 minutes to start her campaign on a positive note.

The former World No.3 Svitolina made a victorious comeback to Grand Slam action by toppling No.26 seed Martina Trevisan of Italy 6-2, 6-2 to book a spot in the second round of the clay-court major.

In her first Grand Slam event since the 2022 Australian Open,...

Rome, May 11 (Ians) There were mixed fortunes for former World No.1s in the second round of the Italian Open on Thursday as Victoria Azarenka defeated Sloane Stephens, but Karolina Pliskova fell to Anna Bondar, here.

No.14 seed Azarenka ended Sloane Stephens’ six-match winning streak 6-4, 6-3 while qualifier Bondar scored her first Top 20 win 7-6(5), 6-2 over No.13 seed Pliskova.

Despite the scoreline, Azarenka’s 1-hour, 42-minute victory was far from straightforward. The 2013 finalist trailed by a break twice in the first set and once in the second; there were 10 breaks of serve in total.

Both players had to adjust to each other’s shifting tactics, mixing up high balls, drop shots and all-out power as they sought to gain the upper hand.

Ultimately, it was Azarenka who was more aggressive overall. She struck 25 groundstroke winners compared to Stephens’ 13, with her ability to open up the court with her backhand proving crucial.

Exclusive: Paradigm Talent Agency on Thursday announced its hiring of Varun Monga as a Literary Content Agent, along with the promotions of Sanam Sarani and Sheridan March to Agent.

Sarani will serve as a Brand Partnerships Agent, cultivating brand opportunities for clients, in addition to booking conventions and serving clients in digital media. March, meanwhile, will focus on developing unique emerging clients as an Emerging Talent Agent. Both will join Monga in working out of Paradigm’s Los Angeles office.

Monga joins Paradigm after three years at Kaplan Stahler Agency, where he represented diverse assortment of writers and directors across film and TV. Notable creatives he’s repped to date include Gary Tieche, Bobby Mort (Loudermilk), Kim Clements (Next), Mollie and Ben St. John (Arcane), Jett Garrison (Gen V), Hussain Pirani (FBI: International), Mary Castellanos (George & Tammy), Ajani Jackson (Law & Order) and Michael Poisson (Tom Swift), to name a few.

"It's not easy to manage all the pressure." Netflix has unveiled a full official trailer for the sports doc series Break Point, about the next generation of tennis superstars on the rise. Debuting in January with half of the episodes, then more in the summer. Any big tennis fans out there? "Following a golden age of greatness, tennis' next generation is ready to take over." Exec produced & showrun by two acclaimed doc filmmakers - Paul Martin and James Gay-Rees also known for their recent popular F1 doc series "Formula 1: Drive to Survive". Break Point follows a select group of top tennis players on and off the court as they compete in gruelling Grand Slams and tournaments. Featured players include Felix Auger-Aliassime, Casper Ruud, Matteo Berrettini, Ons Jabeur, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Nick Kyrgios, Aryna Sabalenka, Maria Sakkari, Ajla Tomljanovic, Sloane Stephens, and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Break Point gets up close & personal with...

Sydney, Dec 31 (Ians) Great Britain set themself up for their second win in Group D and a place in the next round at the United Cup by taking a 2-0 lead against the higher-seeded Spain here on Saturday.

Britain, who had started with a win against hosts Australia, set themselves up for the win, spurred on by comeback wins from Cameron Norrie and Katie Swan, 15th-seeded Great Britain took a stunning 2-0 lead over 4th-seeded Spain on Day 3 of the United Cup.

Thanks to Norrie upsetting Nadal, Team Gb is now a win away from taking control of Group D, having defeated Australia 3-2 in their first match.

Inspired by her compatriot’s efforts, No.145 Swan took to the court and tallied her first Top 100 win since defeating No.48 Sloane Stephens on the grass of Bad Homburg last summer. The 23-year-old rallied from a set down to defeat No.70 Nuria...

Melbourne, Dec 21 (Ians) World No.1 Iga Swiatek leads the entry list for next year’s Australian Open, which is based on the Wta rankings of the week beginning December 5.

Reigning Roland Garros and US Open champion Swiatek is one of 13 current or former Grand Slam winners who have entered the first major of 2023, which begins on January 16. The Pole, who reached her first Australian Open semifinal this year, will be bidding to add a fourth Grand Slam title to her haul so far.

Three former Australian Open champions are in the line-up — Victoria Azarenka (2012-13), Naomi Osaka and Sofia Kenin (2020) — as well as three former Australian Open runners-up, Petra Kvitova (2019), Garbiñe Muguruza (2020) and Danielle Collins (2022). This year’s champion, Ashleigh Barty, retired from professional tennis in March and will not defend her title.

Alongside Swiatek, Azarenka, Osaka, Kenin, Kvitova and Muguruza, the remaining roster of Grand Slam champions with direct entry comprises Jelena Ostapenko,...

Auckland, Dec 21 (Ians) Seven-time Grand Slam winner and former No.1 Venus Williams will be a wildcard entry into the Asb Classic, starting here, next month.

The 42-year-old, who retired from regular tournament play in 2021, has a wildcard to compete in the Australian Open, and accordingly sought a spot in the Asb Classic as a lead-in to the grand slam event.

Williams has played in the tournament on five occasions, with one of her 49 career victories coming in Auckland in 2015 over Caroline Wozniacki.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have one of the greatest players returning to the Asb Classic,” said Tournament Director, Nicolas Lamperin.

“Venus is not just one of the best players in the history of the sport, but she loves it here in New Zealand. When her agent contacted us, we were more than pleased to offer her a wildcard into the Asb Classic. She loves it here in...

Netflix has revealed a first look teaser for a documentary sports series coming in 2023, one of their major sports offerings next year. Break Point is the official title of this docu-series, which includes 10 episodes in total. "Following a golden age of greatness, tennis' next generation is ready to take over." It's exec produced and showrun by two acclaimed doc filmmakers - Paul Martin and James Gay-Rees also known for their recent popular F1 doc series "Formula 1: Drive to Survive". Break Point follows a select group of top tennis players on and off the court as they compete in gruelling Grand Slams and tournaments. Featured players include Felix Auger-Aliassime, Matteo Berrettini, Ons Jabeur, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Nick Kyrgios, Aryna Sabalenka, Maria Sakkari, Ajla Tomljanovic, Sloane Stephens, and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Break Point gets up close & personal with top players on the tennis circuit through an entire year traveling across the globe for...

Melbourne, Dec 8 (Ians) World No.1 Iga Swiatek leads the entry list for next year’s Australian Open, which is based on the Wta rankings of the week beginning December 5.

Reigning Roland Garros and US Open champion Swiatek is one of 12 current or former Grand Slam winners who have entered the first major of 2023, which begins on January 16 in Melbourne. The Pole, who reached her first Australian Open semifinal this year, will be bidding to add a fourth Grand Slam title to her haul so far.

Three former Australian Open champions are in the line-up — Victoria Azarenka (2012-13), Naomi Osaka and Sofia Kenin (2020) — as well as three former Australian Open runners-up, Petra Kvitova (2019), Garbiñe Muguruza (2020) and Danielle Collins (2022).

This year’s champion, Ashleigh Barty, retired from professional tennis in March and will not defend her title.

Alongside Swiatek, Azarenka, Osaka, Kenin, Kvitova and Muguruza, the remaining roster of Grand Slam champions...

San Diego (California), Oct 14 (Ians) Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus defeated American Sloane Stephens 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals of the San Diego Open here on Thursday.

Also on Thursday Madison Keys reached the San Diego quarterfinals by taking down No.8 seed Daria Kasatkina 6-4, 6-3 and notching the 250th tour-level win of her career while No.2 seed Paula Badosa eased into the quarterfinals with a 6-0, 6-3 dismissal of qualifier Louisa Chirico. Badosa required only 53 minutes to eliminate World No.196 Chirico.

No.3 seed Sabalenka stormed back from a first-set rout to win the match in 2 hours and maintain her undefeated record against Stephens. Sabalenka is now 3-0 over 2017 US Open champion Stephens, with all of those wins going to a decisive third set.

In her first match since making her second straight US Open semifinal (following a first-round bye this week), Sabalenka hit 23 winners to Stephens’ 15.

After splitting the first two sets,...

San Diego (California), Oct 14 (Ians) Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus defeated American Sloane Stephens 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals of the San Diego Open here on Thursday.

Also on Thursday Madison Keys reached the San Diego quarterfinals by taking down No.8 seed Daria Kasatkina 6-4, 6-3 and notching the 250th tour-level win of her career while No.2 seed Paula Badosa eased into the quarterfinals with a 6-0, 6-3 dismissal of qualifier Louisa Chirico. Badosa required only 53 minutes to eliminate World No.196 Chirico.

No.3 seed Sabalenka stormed back from a first-set rout to win the match in 2 hours and maintain her undefeated record against Stephens. Sabalenka is now 3-0 over 2017 US Open champion Stephens, with all of those wins going to a decisive third set.

In her first match since making her second straight US Open semifinal (following a first-round bye this week), Sabalenka hit 23 winners to Stephens’ 15.

After splitting the first two sets,...

San Diego (California), Oct 8 (Ians) Women’s world No. 1 and winner of two majors this year, Poland’s Iga Swiatek, heads the draw at the San Diego Open — a Wta 500 event –, where a rematch of the French Open final against American Coco Gauff could be on the cards in the third round.

Besides Swiatek, the winner of the French and US Open this year, the other top players in the fray include Americans Jessica Pegula and Gauff and Canada’s Bianca Andreescu and Leylah Fernandez.

The top four seeds — Swiatek, Paula Badosa, Aryna Sabalenka and Pegula — have received byes into the second round. Swiatek will face either Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina or Spain’s Garbine Muguruza, with a potential rematch of the French Open final looming in the third round against Gauff. The teenage American is set to play her first tournament since making her Top-10 debut and will open against a qualifier,...

New Delhi, Sep 29 (Ians) Wimbledon and U.S runner-up Ons Jabeur will take on 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu at the World Tennis Championship exhibition in Abu Dhabi on December 16.

The pair have yet to meet in a professional match. Raducanu had been due to play Belinda Bencic in the 2021 edition of the exhibition but was forced to withdraw due to contracting Covid-19. Jabeur, her replacement, defeated Bencic 4-6, 6-3, 10-8.

Tunisia’s Jabeur has continued to scale new heights in 2022, rising from No 10 at the end of 2021 to her current No 2.

The 28-year-old’s year has been highlighted by her first two major finals, her first Wta 1000 title in Madrid and the Wta 500 trophy in Berlin.

After winning the US Open as a qualifier last year, Raducanu’s first full pro season has been one of adjustment. The 19-year-old Briton has scored notable wins over Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Sloane Stephens,...

New York, Sep 1 (Ians) World No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland defeated former champion Sloane Stephens in straight sets at the US Open in just 1 hour, 13 minutes here Thursday.

Swiatek, who has earlier this year was on a dominant 37-match win streak, won 6-3, 6-2.

The free-swinging Swiatek, 21, a two-time Grand Slam champion, is increasingly looking like she may be ready to scale those heights again. But her current form is still far from the flawless play she exhibited in the spring and early summer.

Still, Swiatek-surprisingly playing for the first time on Arthur Ashe Stadium-easily passed the first significant hurdle in her campaign to add a US Open title to her resume. Stephens, now 29 and ranked No. 51, came in as a very dangerous floater. She was also unseeded, ranked just No. 83 when she won the US Open in 2017.

Kvitova through after Kalinina withdraws

Petra Kvitova advanced to Round 3 of the...

New York, Aug 26 (Ians) In what is set to be her final tournament, 23-time major champion Serena Williams will face Montenegro’s Danka Kovinic in the first round of the U.S Open, the organisers announced on Thursday.

Earlier this month, Williams announced her impending retirement after the U.S Open. A champion in New York six times, she will face No.80 Kovinic for the first time.

The 27-year-old Montenegrin reached a career-high ranking of No.46 in 2016 and became the first woman from her country to win a Wta Tour title last year at Charleston.

In January, Kovinic broke new ground for Montenegro at the Australian Open after defeating Emma Raducanu to become the first woman from her country to reach the third round of a Slam.

The winner of that opener will face either No.2 Anett Kontaveit or Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian.

World No.1 Iga Swiatek tops the draw...

Cincinnati (US), Aug 16 (Ians) China’s Zhang Shuai advanced to the second round of the Western & Southern Open with a 6-4, 7-5 win over 2020 finalist Naomi Osaka in 75 minutes, here on Tuesday.

The result levelled the pair’s head-to-head at three wins apiece. Zhang had previously beaten Osaka at Tokyo 2016 and Madrid 2018, but Osaka had won their only meeting since she became a Grand Slam champion, edging Zhang 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 in the 2018 Beijing quarterfinals.

Zhang had not defeated a major winner since the first round of the 2020 Australian Open, where she took out Sloane Stephens 2-6, 7-5, 6-2. The 33-year-old has enjoyed a solid season to date, though, including capturing her third career title in Lyon in February and also reaching the Birmingham final in June.

Word No 44 Zhang will next meet Ekaterina Alexandrova as she bids to reach the third round in Cincinnati for the first time.

Osaka’s first serve was clicking.

Berlin, Aug 16 (Ians) World number one Iga Swiatek says she feels like the “kid from kindergarten” around retiring 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams.

Swiatek is in Cincinnati for this week’s Western&Southern Open as she tunes up ahead of this month’s US Open at Flushing Meadows, where she is likely to go in as the favourite.

The Pole will face Sloane Stephens in the second round in Cincinnati, while Williams is up against Emma Raducanu in an eye-catching first-round clash on Tuesday on the other side of the draw.

Swiatek and Williams have never faced off on the Wta Tour and the 21-year-old, who has two French Open titles to her name, revealed she has never met the 40-year-old, who will finish her playing career at the US Open.

“I have a hard time catching eye contact with Serena,” Swiatek said.

“It’s tough because she always...

Cincinnati, Aug 16 (Ians) Amanda Anisimova passed her difficult opening-round test at the Western & Southern Open with flying colours, defeating world number 10 Daria Kasatkina 6-4, 6-4 on Monday.

Ekaterina Alexandrova mounted a pair of comebacks to defeat No.13 seed Leylah Fernandez, 6-4, 7-5 in the first round.

Alexandrova will face either Naomi Osaka or Zhang Shuai in the second round.

Playing her first tournament since Berlin, Alexandrova rallied from 3-0 down in the first set and 5-1 down in the second set to upend Fernandez and level their head-to-head 1-1. Fernandez served for the second set twice, but Alexandrova wiped out two set points to prolonge the set, ultimately winning the last six games of the match.

Russia’s Kasatkina, who has beaten two of the world’s top-seven players in the past couple of weeks, had her serve broken six times by America’s Anisimova, thanks in large part to five double faults.

Madrid, May 2 (Ians) Garbine Muguruza’s unhappy relationship with the Madrid Open continued when the No. 7 seed crashed out of the Round of 32 after a 6-3, 6-0 defeat to Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina. Kalinina had already shown she is an effective clay-court player by defeating Sloane Stephens of the United States and she gave […]...

Indian Wells, March 11 (Ians) Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka edged past former top-five player Sloane Stephens of the United States in a marquee opener at the BNP Paribas Open here on Friday (Ist), as Amanda Anisimova (US), Marta Kostyuk (Ukraine) and Aliaksandra Sasnovich (Belarus) also advanced to the second round. In one of […]...

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The Australian Open is finally here, following weeks of headlines about Novak Djokovic’s refusal to get vaccinated, causing the country to cancel his visa and rendering the star player unable to compete in the tournament.

With the contentious absence of Djokovic — currently the No. 1 world player and three-time defending Australian Open champ — the Grand Slam will see a new winner for the first time since Roger Federer took home the gold in 2018. Aside from Federer, eyes will also be on Rafael Nadal who won his first match on Monday against Marcos Giron, as well as Andy Murray, who qualified for the competition last week.

On the women’s side, Naomi Osaka will...

Paris, June 7 (Ians) World No.33 Barbora Krejcikova credited her entry into the French Open quarterfinals on Monday to competing against the top players back home in the Czech Republic.

The 25-year-old player thrashed American Sloane Stephens 6-2, 6-0 just over an hour to reach her maiden Grand Slam singles last-eight stage.

"I played all the top girls, because Czech nation we have so many good, top players. I had the opportunity to play against them, to watch them how they practice, to watch how they prepare for the matches and everything," Barbora said at the post-match press conference.

"I think there was something that helped me for sure because I was outside top 100, and I felt I can actually play with all these girls -- but, you know, just my ranking wasn't there. I wasn't able to actually play the same tournaments."

Barbora's tactical acumen on court is also because...

Paris, June 5 (Ians) World No.9 and defending champion Iga Swiatek of Poland was tested in the first set before she pressed the accelerator to get past No.30 seed Anett Kontaveit from Estonia 7-6(4), 6-0 in the third round of the French Open on Saturday.

Iga will next face 18-year-old Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, who became the youngest woman from her country to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam after a 6-1, 6-2 win over Russian Varvara Gracheva.

No.4 seed Sofia Kenin of the USA overcame first-set blues to beat compatriot and No.28 seed Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-1 6-4 for a berth in the fourth round for the third year running.

Sofia will next face either No.14 seed, Elise Mertens of Belgium, or No.17 seed, Maria Sakkari of Greece, as she aims for her third career Grand Slam quarter-final.

Earlier on Saturday, American Sloane Stephens gave an indication of her French Open ambitions,...

Parma (Italy), May 21 (Ians) American Coco Gauff and China's Wang Qiang reached their maiden clay-court Wta final when they secured hard-fought wins against their respective opponents at the inaugural Emilia-Romagna Open on Friday.

World No. 30 Coco needed three sets to get past Czech Republic's Katerina Siniakova 7-5, 1-6, 6-2 in a high-quality encounter, while Wang, ranked 48th in the world, came from 1-5 down in the second set and saved three set points against American Sloane Stephens for a 6-2, 7-6(3) win.

Wang had previously struggled in 2021, compiling a 4-11 record before this week, but has now reached her first final since the 2018 Wta Elite Trophy in Zhuhai, and her first outside China.

Saturday's final will be the first encounter between 17-year-old Coco and 29-year-old Wang.

--Ians

akm/arm...

Parma (Italy), May 20 (Ians) In a battle between American teenagers, No. 3 seed Coco Gauff came out winner with a 6-3, 6-3 win over No. 5 seed Amanda Anisimova in the quarterfinals of the Emilia-Romagna Open on Thursday.

Coco, who has moved up five places to No. 30 in the latest Wta rankings, will take on Czech Republic's world No. 68 Katerina Siniakova in the semi-finals.

Katerina continued her stellar week in Parma with another upset of a seeded player -- No. 8 seed and world No. 53 Caroline Garcia of France -- with a 7-5, 6-1 victory.

Another American, world No. 65 Sloane Stephens, also stormed into the semifinals on Thursday, as the 2017 US Open champion defeated home hope Sara Errani 6-3, 6-0 in a battle between former top-5 players.

Seventeen-year-old Coco, a semifinalist at last week's Italian Open, made it to the final four in two straight weeks after dispatching her 19-year-old compatriot in one hour and 20 minutes.

Prentice Penny wants to see life imitate art — imitating life — in joining the effort to inspire people to buy from Black-owned businesses this holiday shopping season.

The showrunner and executive producer of “Insecure,” the HBO comedy created by and starring Issa Rae, is among the guests on Friday’s finale of Facebook’s “#BuyBlack Friday,” a series aimed at turning the annual post-Thanksgiving shopping event into a call for consumers to support Black-owned businesses throughout the entire holiday season.

Penny noted that at the end of “Insecure” Season 4, Rae’s character started her own small business as a “cultural curator,” supporting local entrepreneurs, and the next season will build on the exploration of her new undertaking.

“She’s like an event planner, promoting the businesses, not too dissimilar from what this is,” Penny told Variety. About Facebook’s “#BuyBlack Friday” show, he said, “It just felt like a natural connection for me,...

Serena Williams had her two biggest cheerleaders by her side at her U.S. Open match on Saturday. The 38-year-old tennis champ won her Women’s Singles third round match against Sloane Stephens. While there were no fans in attendance at the Usta Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York, Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, and 3-year-old daughter,...

Before the biggest names in sports were celebrated for their championship achievements at the Espys, the Fifth Annual ESPN Sports Humanitarian Awards once again celebrated the positive things that athletes do on Tuesday night.

Ciara hosted the VIP event at L.A. Live’s The Novo in Los Angeles for the first time, with singer Andy Grammer warming up the audience with a lively rendition of “Honey, I’m Good” before they honored those who give back.

The most coveted award of the night was the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award, which this year went to former Philadelphia Eagles defensive end and founder of Waterboys.Org, Chris Long.

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In 2017, Long donated his entire year’s salary to charity, and was chosen for his “commitment to giving back through strategic, multifaceted efforts,” which attack larger systemic issues such as building wells in East Africa.

Michael Strahan is a man who doesn’t mind getting down, dirty and even slimy for a job.

The former Super Bowl champion and current “Strahan and Sara” co-host is returning to Nickelodeon to host the “Kids’ Choice Sports 2019,” the network announced on Thursday.

“Nickelodeon’s ‘Kids’ Choice Sports’ is a one-of-a-kind awards show that brings all-star athletes, kids and of course, slime together,” Strahan in a statement. “When I hosted the first year of the show, I loved it — the energy, stunts, kids, crowd and slime … a lot of slime!

“Hosting this show has been one of my favorite things I’ve done, and this year is going to be the biggest, the baddest and the slimiest,” he added.

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Serena Williams, Stephen Curry and James Harden lead this year’s nominees with four each,...

Grammy winner Ciara has been named the host of the 2019 Sports Humanitarian Awards, ESPN announced Wednesday.

The fifth annual Sports Humanitarian Awards presented by ESPN will be held on Tuesday, July 9, at L.A. Live’s The Novo in Los Angeles, on the eve of the 2019 Espy Awards.

“My family and I have witnessed first-hand the positive impact humanitarian efforts can have locally and globally,” Ciara, who is married to Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, said. “I am honored to celebrate athletes who are using their platforms to inspire, motivate and empower.”

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The singer will also take the stage for a special musical performance with songwriter Andy Grammer.

This year sees Chris Long, Reggie Bullock, Yadier Molina and Sloane Stephens as finalists for the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award.

Also Read: WWE Superstars, Us Women's...

The controversial women's final at the U.S. Open delivered big year-over-year ratings gains for ESPN.

The ratings boost can be attributed largely to the presence in the final of Serena Williams, the Open Era leader in Grand Slam singles titles. Williams sat out the 2017 tournament, which began three days before her daughter, Alexis, was born.

Just over 3.1 million people tuned into Saturday's final between Williams and Naomi Osaka, nearly 68 percent more than the 1.85 million who watched Sloane Stephens beat Madison Keys in straight sets to win the 2017 women's final....

Us Open Women’s Championship already had been drawing a lot of attention as tennis great Serena Williams was going for a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title and looking to become only the fourth mom to win a Grand Slam. While the big anticipation and the intriguing matchup of Williams and hot upstart Naomi Osaka were expected to drive ratings, few expected the big controversy and epic meltdown by Williams that engulfed the second set and may have cost her the match. It also earned her a $17,000 fine.

With all that, ESPN’s telecast of the Us Open Women’s Championship, in which Osaka topped her childhood idol Williams 6-2, 6-4, posted a 2.5 rating for the match itself and a 2.4 for the full three-hour telecast.

It tied for the second-highest in ESPN’s entire Us Open history with the 2015 Men’s Championship (Novak Djokovic vs.

ESPN today kicks off what it is calling “first ball to last ball” coverage of the 50th U.S. Open and the 41st edition held in the major tennis tournament’s Queens home, which just wrapped up five years of major renovations.

The Disney-owned network hopes that the $600 million in enhancements to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and the return of the “Big Four” men’s players will propel ratings to last year’s healthy levels. Last year, viewership surged 36% from 2016 for the all-American women’s final, which saw then-unknown Sloane Stephens become champion. This year, the spotlight will also be on Serena Williams, a six-time Open champion who enters as the No. 17 seed after having a baby and missing last year’s Open.

In a year that saw the conviction of disgraced former Team USA doctor and Michigan State University physician Larry Nassar, the 2018 Espy awards took it upon itself to shine a light on the unity of the sexual assault survivors and celebrated the feats performed by female athletes over the past year. The show was hosted by former race driver Danica Patrick, the first woman to host the ESPYs since their inception in 1993.

In a somber, spine-tingling moment that brought several in attendance at the Microsoft Theater to tears, around 100 women took the center stage while singer Milck, an abuse survivor herself, sang her anthemic single, “Quiet.” Each woman in the group that filled the stage was representative of the “sister survivors” who spoke out against Nassar.

“Telling our stories of abuse over and over again in detail is not easy,” said Sarah Klein, a former gymnast and victim of Nassar’s abuse.

Who says sports pros don't have style? In fact, there was plenty of swag on the 2018 Espy Awards red carpet, thanks to athletes like ice skater Adam Rippon, gymnast Nastia Liukin and tennis star Sloane Stephens. The pros brought their fashion A-game, working bold colors, power suits and (as ice skaters are prone to do) lots of sequins. On the flip side, Olympic sweetheart and snowboarder Chloe Kim surprised fans in a very classic, black gown, accented only by a gold chain necklace and a few bracelets. Heads up, Hollywood elite—there were style notes to be taken at the Microsoft Theater. Of course, there were a few starlets, including Jessica Szohr, Ciara and Alison Brie who also stole the red...

Winners for the 2018 ESPYs were announced Wednesday, June 18, during ABC’s live ceremony hosted by pro racer Danica Patrick. The ESPY Awards, which honor the best achievements in sports, have been handed out annually since 1993. This year’s champions were decided by fans voting online at ESPYs.com after the 2018 nominations were determined by the ESPY Select Nominating Committee. ABC started hosting this kudosfest in 2015 after it was initially broadcast on sister network ESPN.

Athletes from the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang dominated many of the categories for this 26th ceremony. As for the top two categories, Best Male Athlete featured a battle between Tom Brady (New England Patriots), Jose Altuve (Houston Astros), James Harden (Houston Rockets) and Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals). And the Best Female Athlete competitors were Mikaela Shiffrin (Ski), Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota Lynx), Chloe Kim (Snowboard) and Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars/United States Women’s National Soccer...

Tennis star and reigning U.S. Open champ Sloane Stephens, who’s currently ranked fourth in the world by the Women’s Tennis Association, now has best odds to win Best Breakthrough Athlete at the 2018 Espy Awards. According to Gold Derby’s Espy predictions, the 25-year-old has 10/11 odds to take home the coveted trophy, followed by Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers) in second place at 3/2 odds, Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz) in third at 12/5 odds and Alvin Kamara (New Orleans Saints) in fourth at 27/10 odds. Find out who wins on July 18 when pro racer Danica Patrick hosts the Espys ceremony on ABC.

SEE2018 Espys nominations: Full list led by Winter Olympics, Tom Brady, Mikaela Shiffrin

Best Breakthrough Athlete is one of the most influential categories at the Espys each year as it shines a spotlight on up-and-coming sports stars who’ll soon become household names. Recent winners of this prize include Dak Prescott...

The first ball will be served at the All England Tennis Club in London to mark the beginning of the 2018 Wimbledon Championships on Monday, July 2.

Ahead of the start of the only Grand Slam played on grass, TheWrap spoke with ESPN tennis analyst and former U.S. Open doubles champion Cliff Drysdale on what to watch for and who’s hot going into the historic tournament.

“This year, I think — as usual — the men’s event is going to be a lot more predictable than the women’s,” Drysdale told TheWrap. “The women’s event is going to be really wide open depending on how Serena Williams is feeling and how well she is playing. If she is recovered from her effort in Paris and is in good physical shape, then I still put her as the favorite to win Wimbledon.”

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Do You know who will win at the 2018 Espy Awards? It’s time to show off your sports knowledge by making your predictions at Gold Derby in seven categories: Best Male Athlete, Best Female Athlete, Best Championship Performance, Best Breakthrough Athlete, Best College Athlete, Best Game and Best Team. You have until July 18 to give us your picks — that’s when the 26th annual ceremony airs live on ABC, hosted by pro racer Danica Patrick.

SEE2018 Espys nominations: Full list led by Winter Olympics, Tom Brady, Mikaela Shiffrin

Tom Brady (New England Patriots) competes for the third time as Best Male Athlete, joining first-time contenders Jose Altuve (Houston Astros), James Harden (Houston Rockets) and Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals).

Mikaela Shiffrin (Olympic Skier) is back for the second time as Best Female Athlete, facing off against Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota Lynx), Chloe Kim (Olympic Snowboarder) and Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars/United...

Nominations for the 2018 Espys were unveiled Wednesday, June 20. As you’d expect, athletes from the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang dominate many of the categories for this 26th annual ceremony. For Best Male Athlete, Tom Brady (New England Patriots) earns his third nomination and now competes against Jose Altuve (Houston Astros), James Harden (Houston Rockets) and Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals). As for Best Female Athlete, Mikaela Shiffrin (Ski) is back for the second time and now faces off against Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota Lynx), Chloe Kim (Snowboard) and Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars/United States Women’s National Soccer Team).

Sports fans can start casting their votes right now for their favorites at Espys.com. The winners will be announced live on July 18 on ABC in a ceremony hosted by pro racer Danica Patrick. Below is the complete list of 2018 Espys nominations.

SEE2017 Espy Awards winners led by Golden State Warriors, New England Patriots,...