A wrist injury for Italian Flavia Pennetta helped Canada stay in the hunt for a maiden Hopman Cup final appearance in Perth yesterday.
With the Australian Open just more than a week away, Pennetta was forced to withdraw from her singles match against Canadian teenager Eugenie Bouchard when trailing 4-0, ending Italy’s hopes in the tournament. She immediately ruled herself out of the remainder of the event.
The Canadians won the tie 3-0, after Milos Raonic beat Andreas Seppi in straight sets in the men’s singles and the mixed doubles was forfeited.
Photo: AFP
They need Australia to beat Poland in yesterday’s evening tie to stand any chance of reaching the final in only their second appearance at the Hopman Cup. Poland could still qualify even if they are defeated, depending on results in the three matches.
Pennetta had an operation on the same wrist, the right wrist, in 2012, but is confident the latest setback is nothing more than an inflammation.
The world No. 31, who said the wrist was sore when she awoke yesterday and was close to withdrawing before the start of the match, had strapping applied after the third game, but the injury was clearly affecting her serve and forehand.
Photo: AFP
The 31-year-old Italian is still expecting to play in Hobart next week to complete her preparations for the year’s opening Grand Slam, starting on Jan. 13 in Melbourne.
“It’s the wrist that I had the operation on ... Sometimes it gives me some problem, I hope it’s nothing too serious,” Pennetta said. “I was thinking maybe with some warm-up it would get better, but it did not.”
“I will have some treatment. Maybe I won’t play for one or two days to help, because I think it’s more something like inflammation, it’s not like a tear or ligaments,” she added.
Bouchard said she was disappointed that the match was abbreviated, as she felt she was playing well.
In the men’s singles, world No. 11 Raonic overpowered the out-of-sorts Seppi 6-2, 6-4.
Seppi, ranked 25th in the world, retired from his first match at the tournament due to illness and lost both his subsequent singles outings in disappointing fashion.
Raonic was a shock loser to the 288th-ranked Grzegorz Panfil on Sunday and was pleased to put that result behind him.
“It was much better,” he said of his match against Seppi. “It was day and night pretty much. This time I tried to take the initiative, the other night I didn’t play my own game.”
In the evening match on Wednesday, the French pairing of Alize Cornet and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga closed in on a final berth with a 2-1 win over the US in Group B.
Unbeaten after their first two ties, the French only need to beat winless Spain today to advance to tomorrow’s final.
The French clinched the tie in the mixed-doubles rubbers, after the singles matches were split.
Cornet and Tsonga edged past Sloane Stephens and John Isner 6-1, 5-7, 10-5 in a match tiebreak.
France have never won the Hopman Cup, having twice finished runners-up.
In the women’s singles, rising star Stephens powered past the 27th-ranked Cornet, 7-5, 6-0.
The first set was extremely closely fought, with Cornet recovering from an early break to level at 5-5 after Stephens was unable to serve out the set.
However, Cornet was then broken in her last four service games of the match as the 20-year-old Stephens took total control.
Stephens was happy with the way she coped with the defensive skills of Cornet.
“She gets to a lot of balls and playing someone like that is really tough,” she said. “I was trying to stay aggressive and play my game ... I just tried to stay with my patterns, and it worked pretty well today.”
Tsonga, ranked 10th in the world, said his best tennis was still ahead of him after beating Isner in straight sets, 7-6 (7/1), 6-3.
The former Australian Open finalist has been ranked as high as fifth, but the 28-year-old battled knee problems last year.
Although he made the semi-finals at the French Open, he had to retire in the second round at Wimbledon and missed the US Open.
Tsonga said he was back to full fitness and still capable of taking his game to higher levels.
“Yeah, I think I can,” he said. “I stay confident, I didn’t have a lot of luck with injury last year. I was hitting really well and this year it’s another story... I’m sure I’m stronger this year.”
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely