Minje Lee, a 29-year-old Australian, is certainly one of the main faces of women's golf. Her career is marked by successes and great moments, and Lee has never hidden the passion and love she has for this sport.
In recent years, sports governing bodies have increasingly focused on marketing and promotion, including the main organizations in the golf world.
Women's golf has made great strides in recent years, and it seems that after the COVID period, the popularity of this sport has grown rapidly.
Minje Lee also spoke about this during the press conference, stressing that she has noticed a greater interest in golf among children and young people.
"I think definitely like after COVID a lot more people came out to play. That was kind of a weird — it was weird, right? It was like a weird time in everybody's lives. I think a lot more children and even just younger — I want to say youth and younger people are wanting to play, even like casually. All of my friends have picked up golf, and it's kind of cool to see, not that they ever invite me out."- she said.
Older groups
The Australian has noticed more and more children who are interested in the sport and show a love for it. However, she points out that older fans of this sport are also equally interested in golf, asking her for an autograph.
She believes that it is necessary to put emphasis on everything, and to work on promoting golf regardless of the target group.
It seems that balance is the most important thing in life, as well as in this example.
"No, it's just really cool that I'm able to share the game that I'm so passionate about with them. It's just kind of fun. It has been a great journey to see younger kids get involved and coming out to events. There's so many children who want autographs. Actually, funny story, the other week there was like some older people, and they were like we're the big kids. Can we get autographs too? I was like, of course. I like the big kids as well.
No, it's great to see, and I think we're kind of — you know, we're consistently going on an upward trend in kids coming, kids playing and getting involved. I think we're only going from strength to strength."
Cameron Young is a golfer who has been making headlines in recent days, after an impressive performance and his first PGA Tour victory (Wyndham Championship).
Many are now analyzing not only his performance, but also his appearance.
It is known that the 28-year-old golfer has always worn a full beard, but two years ago, many were surprised to see Young shaved.
Although many wondered what was the reason for his bizarre decision, the famous golfer revealed that it was his wife, Kelsey Dalition.
Young made everyone laugh, saying that he probably hasn't shaved since their first son was born.
“Honestly, my wife just kind of said, ‘Why don’t you shave?’ It wasn’t like … I don’t think I looked terrible. I don’t know,” Young said, as quoted by the Athlon Sports.
“Yeah, I haven’t been clean-shaven probably since our first son was born.”
Family
The famous golfer had his first child three years ago and has often emphasized the important role his family plays in his life; especially his wife and son. Young spends most of his time with them and admits that he really enjoys family trips.
Those moments “recharge his batteries” and give him extra motivation before important tournaments.
“I have spent a lot of time with my family, my wife. We have a little baby, so spent a lot of family time, which has been great. Honestly, they’ve been out with me the last couple weeks and it’s been such a nice change of pace to be with them on the road.
I think it just keeps you a little fresher. You get off the course and you can kind of forget about golf a little bit, which is really nice,” he concluded.
With the latest victory, the 28-year-old opened many doors and paths for himself, and it seems that after his first PGA Tour title, Young could lift many more trophies in the years ahead.
Elena Rybakina progressed into the Montreal semifinal via a Marta Kostyuk but stayed very classy afterward, saying it definitely wasn't the desired finish to the match and wished her rival a speedy recovery ahead of the US Open.
The Kazakh tennis star, who is the No. 9 seed at the Canadian Open, made a lightning start to the match after breaking the 24th-seeded Ukrainian three times to easily bag the opener with a 6-1 scoreline.
Through the opening three games of the second set, Rybakina led 2-1 but without any breaks. But then, Kostyuk – who evidently appeared to be hampered by a physical issue on the court – retired from the match due to a wrist injury. It is worth mentioning that the 23-year-old Ukrainian played three matches in three sets in Montreal before facing the No. 9 seed.
For Rybakina, it was her third consecutive victory over Kostyuk – the Kazakh lost their first meeting in 2023 Adelaide but has since been perfect against the Ukrainian.
For the 2022 Wimbledon champion, next up for her in Montreal will be rising Canadian star Victoria Mboko, who defeated Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
Rybakina on Kostyuk's retirement: No one wants to finish a match like that
"Yeah, of course, it's not a nice finish of the match. No one I think wants to finish the match like this, but we played at least a set. I can say that on the baseline I was feeling quite well. A bit of struggle on the serve, but this is something for me to work on tomorrow. So yeah, I mean, for Marta, she's a tough competitor. She always fights. I just wish her a speedy recovery, because I know it's not easy when the big tournaments are ahead," the 26-year-old said after the match.
Rybakina will now turn her focus to Mboko, whom she beat in Washington two weeks ago.
Elena Rybakina may have beaten Victoria Mboko less than two weeks ago in Washington but the 2022 Wimbledon champion highlights she has taken notice of how the 18-year-old has played in Montreal so far and will enter their match fully cautious.
On Monday, the Kazakh tennis star was cruising toward a straight-set win over Marta Kostyuk when the Ukrainian retired from the match while 1-6 1-2 down.
Next up for Rybakina will be one of the best stories of this year's Montreal tournament edition – teenage sensation Mboko, who has dropped just one set en route to making the semifinal. Also, it should be noted that the Canadian's path to the semis includes a stunning 6-1 6-4 win over top seed Coco Gauff.
For Rybakina and Mboko, it will be their second meeting in 12 days. In late July, the Kazakh former world No. 3 ousted the 85th-ranked Canadian 6-3 7-5 in their first encounter in Washington.
Rybakina: The conditions will be different… Mboko is definitely dangerous and she has nothing to lose
"She's a tough opponent. She has really good strokes, and she plays fast, and she has really good serve. I feel like in Washington it was also a bit difficult for both of us since it was a night match, and the conditions were, like, very different. Now we are playing here, and it's more consistent, I would say. So she's definitely dangerous. She has nothing to lose, and I'm sure she's enjoying out there. Yeah, it's going to be a tough one. Hopefully I can bring my best," the 2022 Wimbledon champion said of the 18-year-old rising star.
Although not a lot of time has passed since their Washington meeting, Rybakina is right when she says that it will be a different matchup this time. After clinching five wins in Montreal and beating two-time Grand Slam champion Gauff, Mboko's confidence is undoubtedly sky high.
However, Rybakina still enters the match as the favorite to beat Mboko.
Golf fans have already turned their attention to the FedEx Cup playoffs, which start this week, and the important figure in this competition was supposed to be Rory McIlroy. However, the Northern Irish golfer made a bizarre decision that surprised all golf fans: He will not perform!
TPC Southwind in Memphis will host the first of three final tournaments, and all eyes are on the winner of this competition.
The 35-year-old golfer will not compete at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, despite being right behind Scheffler.
His name is not on the list of participants, and fans are already speculating about the reasons behind Rory's decision. However, the rule change allowed players to skip the playoff, without losing their chance for the Tour Championship.
Rory McIlroy will not start his adventure two strokes behind Scheffler, although the previous system required such a rule.
The first 30 from the FedEx Cup list after the BMW Championship will qualify for the Tour Championship. Having a big advantage over others, McIlroy is safe.
There is a chance that McIlroy will play: Will it happen?
On the other hand, there are still real chances that McIlroy will play at the BMW Championship next week; tournament whose prize fund of 15 million pounds arouses public interest.
Rory McIlroy has won the FedEx Cup before, and the last time it happened was in 2022, when he once again showed all the luxury of talent and quality.
The winner of the FedEx Cup will take home £7.5 million, while the total bonus pool amounts to £75 million.
There’s no doubt this is a big motivation for all golfers, and all eyes will be on Rory McIlroy to see if the experienced star can lift the trophy once again.
It will be difficult, but it is clear that the 35-year-old has the qualities to be at the top.
It is not known how motivated he is to triumph in this competition, but time will give the best answer.
By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, August 4, 2025 Photo credit: Omnium Banque Nationale Facebook
Being fitter makes you smarter on court, Andre Agassi famously observed.
Naomi Osaka points to improved fitness as one of three main reasons for her Montreal resurgence.
Former world No. 1 Osaka crushed former US Open semifinalist Anastasija Sevastova 6-1, 6-0 in a 49-minute thrashing that was the shortest match of her accomplished career.
It is Osaka’s fourth straight win equaling her longest winning streak of the season which came in Auckland in January. It sent Osaka into her first Canadian Open quarterfinal and vaulted her to No. 34 in the live rankings—as she moved within striking distance of a US Open wild card.
Osaka attributes her career-best Montreal to three primary reasons: she’s fitter on court, happier off court and believes her trial with coach Tomasz Wiktorowski is working well so far because of the Polish’s coaches direct, no-nonsense style.
“Honestly, I think for me what’s working well is I am very confident in my fitness,” Osaka said. “I’m really comfortable just getting balls back now, and I really enjoy Tomasz. I don’t know if to say his name is ‘Thomas’ or ‘Tomasz.’ I’m so sorry.
“But I enjoy his coaching style. He’s very direct and to the point. For someone like me, who my thoughts scatter around often, it’s very helpful.”
At times this season, Osaka was getting beaten by deep balls in the corner and sometimes tried playing big strikes down the line rather that playing back a deep ball to give herself time to recover back to the center of the court.
In fact, as recently as her 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-3 comeback conquest of 13th-seeded Liudmila Samsonova in round two, Osaka was getting beaten repeatedly in crosscourt exchanges and sometimes taking one big step rather than the short, precise preparation steps to give herself ideal spacing between her body and the ball.
The 2023 Montreal finalist Samsonova held double match point at 6-4, 5-4, 40-15 when Osaka dug down and denied two match points sparking her stirring comeback.
In retrospect, it’s possible that comeback win could change the course of Osaka’s season if she sustains this winning streak. Saving those match points, Osaka started putting productive points together rather than resorting to try to end points prematurely with one big strike.
Similarly, Osaka said she’s now focusing on achieving “Mini goals” at tournaments as she tries to stack more wins together and pursue her ultimate goal of a Top 10 return and eventually competing for Slam titles again.
“It’s weird. I talked to my dad, and he said, like, Just being healthy and happy is a form of success,” Osaka said. “I agree with that, but I want more.
“I mean, definitely, of course I would want to win slams, of course I would want to be in the top 10, but I think I need to pace myself and go for the mini goals, and they’ll eventually turn into the big goals. Yeah, I think being in the quarterfinals here is a step to hopefully getting to the semis and the finals, so I’ll try to treat it more like that.”
Osaka scored her 20th win of the season in Montreal which matches her total 2024 victory output. Now, she’ll try to sustain her roll facing 10th-seeded Elina Svitolina for a semifinal spot. The 27-year-old Osaka has won four of seven meetings vs. Svitolina, who will test the Japanese power players patience with her precision.
ATP has made surprising announcement in these hours. The Belgrade Open – scheduled from 2 to 8 November – has been moved from the Serbian capital to Athens (Greece) and will be held at the legendary OAKA Basketball Arena, where Panathinaikos usually plays. Given that this tournament is run by Novak Djokovic's family, it is not difficult to speculate that the talks between the 24-time Grand Slam champion and current Serbian president Vucic are behind this decision.
The former world No.1 is set to move to Greece immediately after the US Open – which will take place in New York from August 24 to September 7 – and is expected to play in Athens in November, at least according to Serbian media reports.
🚨According to Serbian media, the reason the Belgrade Open (which the Djokovic family runs) was moved to Athens, Greece this year is due to Djokovic being in conflict with Vucic's government after showing support to student protests.
The Serbian legend spent his holidays in Croatia and Greece after the defeat against Jannik Sinner in the semifinal of the Wimbledon Championships and is expected to return to action at the Cincinnati Masters 1000, after deciding to skip the Canadian Open that is being played in Toronto these days.
Latest news on Djokovic
Nole's main goal is to be at the top of his shape for the start of the last Major of the season, in which he will try to triumph for the fifth time in his career. The 38-year-old from Belgrade has reached the semifinals in the three Grand Slam tournaments played so far this season, but struggles to compete against Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in the best five-set matches.
Novak had a small muscle issue during Wimbledon and was not at the top of his shape against Sinner, but he is perfectly aware that his body cannot support him as in the past at this point in his career.
Djokovic's last triumph in a Major dates back to the 2023 edition of the US Open, when he defeated Ben Shelton in the semifinals and Daniil Medvedev in the final.
Naomi Osaka mentioned Serena Williams when asked about her powerful first serve as the Japanese suggested that seeing how the American tennis icon served even in tense moments helped her always believe that her own serve would be there for her.
On Sunday, the Japanese delivered a masterpiece performance and annihilated former world No. 11 Anastasija Sevastova 6-1 6-0 in the Montreal round-of-16.
From start to finish, it was all Osaka. One of the things that stood was the four-time Grand Slam champion's serve as she fired five aces – zero double faults – won 72 percent of her first serve points – faced three break points across two separate games but saved them all.
Overall, it has been an outstanding week for Osaka in Montreal, who has dropped just one set in four matches played. Her serve has been a major factor behind her promising run at the Canadian WTA 1000 tournament.
Osaka asked how it is possible that she 'never loses her first serve' and that it always remains her 'biggest weapon
The 27-year-old responded: "I don't know. I think for me I just grew up in an era of watching Serena, and she would be down Love 40 and hit four aces. I still think about that sometimes when I play. I also feel like it doesn't have to be an ace. I just have to hit a really good serve and see what happens, because off the baseline, I still think I'm one of the better players, so…"
Per the WTA website, Osaka has fired 200 aces so far in 2025 – won 74 percent of her first serve points – and owns a 78.7 percent when it comes to holding her own serve.
Considering that Osaka plays next against Svitolina in Montreal, there is no doubt that the four-time Grand Slam winner will need her serve to click exceptionally.
Cameron Young is a golfer who has often been criticized by fans for not winning a PGA Tour title. The American golfer won his first PGA Tour title with a great performance at the Wyndham Championship. Although he has been close to lifting the trophy for years, the 28-year-old has often encountered obstacles, finishing second in important tournaments.
In an interview with the media, Young admitted that he felt a huge dose of nervousness the morning before the tournament began.
However, the famous golfer knew that after a few holes he would 'break' his nervousness.
Cameron reveals that when it came to the last holes, he did not feel nervous; in fact, he was confident that he could make a big score.
Having self-confidence is key for every golfer, including Young, who knew how to use momentum.
“Yeah, honestly, last night was no problem. Like we were out here early, we had to play three holes and then come back and play a whole round of golf. By the time I got home it was dinner, bed, so I really had no issue. This morning I was a little bit more nervous than I expected, but kind of just did my usual stuff. I was a little bit nervous starting out and then by the time I made the second or third birdie, I was just ready to get it done,” he said, as quoted by The Golfing Gazette.
“Yeah, I wasn’t nervous at all those last bunch, I just kind of at that point had my foot off the gas and frankly I knew that I could make a couple bogeys and it was just a matter of not hitting it anywhere that I could possibly make a double, which I didn’t want to play that way but at some point, you know, I wanted to win by 12 and at some point there’s something more important than that probably with four holes to go and an eight-shot lead or whatever it was at the time, I was just trying to get it done. Even though I had a couple putts for par, it was like the least stressful few holes probably of my career.”
Cameron Young talks about the pressure
The American golfer surprised many by revealing that he did not feel the pressure because he had not won trophies until now. Young is a person who accepted any scenario, aware that victories would eventually come in the future.
While some expected that the 28-year-old was under enormous pressure, Young was focused on going out on the course and showing his best, not worrying too much about the result.
Cameron felt that he was close to victory for a long time, and the last tournament certainly took the stone off this golfer's back.
Alex de Minaur has further raised his level since the beginning of this season and is giving his best to win important titles, although he is still missing something compared to the top players who occupy the top positions of the ATP rankings. The Australian ace has also improved on red clay and grass, but there is no doubt that the surface on which he is most dangerous are the hard courts.
In particular, he is at ease at the Toronto Masters 1000 where he reached the final two years ago. In that edition, Alex played some really sparkling tennis before surrendering to Jannik Sinner who has always beaten him on the professional tour. The Aussie talent reached the quarterfinals this year and can really dream of making it to the bottom considering that Sinner, Alcaraz, Djokovic and Draper are missing.
The current world number 8 will face American star Ben Shelton for a place in the semifinals and will certainly have his chances, although on the other side of the net there is a very dangerous player on such a fast surface (thanks to his serve and forehand).
De Minaur doesn't complain
Several players have complained about the conditions in Toronto this year, saying that the surface is too quick and it's not easy to control your shots.
In this regard, de Minaur wanted to express his honest opinion during his last press conference: "Whatever the conditions are in a given tournament, I always try not to complain. I don't have the ability to change things, which is why my complaints will not help me to get a better result. I always try to go as far as possible by facing the various situations with the weapons I have available, I can't do anything else. I know that many players did not feel comfortable on these courts, but for me you have to find a way to get to the finish line."
A potential triumph in Ontario would give Alex further confidence ahead of the US Open.
Three-time champion Novak Djokovic will not compete at the upcoming Cincinnati Masters. The 24-time Major champion withdrew from the seventh Masters 1000 event of the season for the seventh straight year.
Thus, Novak will head to to New York without matches on hard court this summer, mirroring his last year's schedule. Novak will not chase his 41st Masters 1000 crown and the first since the closing stages of 2023.
The veteran decided to spend additional time with his family before returning for the season's final Major at the US Open, replacing the court with sun and entertaining time at sea.
Djokovic no juega Cincinnati.
Aunque ese día acabamos perdiendo, hay que recordar la final que nos dieron estos dos en 2023.
La final al mejor de 3 sets más larga de la historia, puntos históricos, calambres por todos lados… Una oda al tenis.
The decision raised questions about Djokovic's will to compete in New York at 100%, especially after missing nearly two months. However, the Serb has often shown he can find top form quickly, relying on his disciplined preparation and vast experience.
Novak has not played since the Wimbledon semi-final loss to Jannik Sinner. At this stage of his career, the 38-year-old prioritizes longevity and peak performance over chasing ranking points.
Djokovic's last match in Cincinnati came in the 2023 final when he defeated Carlos Alcaraz in three hours and 49 minutes, defending a match point and prevailing in one of the most memorable Masters 1000 final ever!
The 38-year-old is 26-9 in 2025, reaching three Major semi-finals and lifting his 100th ATP title in Geneva. His best result at a Masters 1000 level came in Miami, reaching the final and losing to Jakub Mensik in two tie breaks after an intense battle.
World no. 7 Ben Shelton will compete in his fourth Masters 1000 quarter-final in Toronto. A left-hander faced Flavio Cobolli in the fourth round and notched a tight 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 victory in two hours and 24 minutes.
It was their fourth duel, and the American collected his second win after a post-match drama. Cobolli did not like Shelton's acting in the tie break, although they settled everything after taking for a minute.
The Italian led 5-3 in the third set and serve for the win in game ten. He lost serve in the decisive moment and faced a match point at 5-6. He saved it, but Ben dominated the tie break to remain on the title course.
Shelton claimed three points more. He played against ten break points and suffered three breaks. It was not enough for Flavio to bring the victory home, serving at only 45% and losing serve three times.
They sprayed 90 unforced errors. The American fired 17 service winners more than the Italian, who had the upper hand from the baseline. A left-hander had the advantage in the shortest and most extended rallies.
However, it all came down to his late break and a stellar performance in the tie break. Ben made a strong start, landing a volley winner in the fourth game for a break and a 3-1 advantage.
The favorite served for the set at 5-3 and suffered a break at 15 after the rival's forehand winner. Instead of building on that, Flavio played a wild forehand at 4-5, dropping serve again and allowing his rival to wrap up the opener.
The Italian raised his level in the second set. He drew Shelton's mistake in the third game and received a medical timeout during the break. They served well by the end of the set, and Cobolli landed an ace at 5-4 to introduce a decider.
Carried by this boost, Flavio wasted game points early in the final set before earning a break at 15 at 2-2 after Ben's routine forehand error. The Italian provided two fine holds and opened a 5-3 gap.
Cobolli served for the win at 5-4 and sprayed a forehand error, losing serve and missing a chance to earn a notable win. Flavio served to stay in the encounter at 5-6 and denied a match point after Ben's careless forehand.
The set went into a tie break, and the American kept his composure. Shelton secured two early mini-breaks for a 3-0 advantage and provided two more mini-breaks for 6-1 and five match points.
A left-hander seized the first with a booming serve, sealing the deal and reaching the quarter-final.
Alexei Popyrin has a very special feeling with the Canadian Open, which takes place in Toronto in this edition. The Australian ace surprised the world in Montreal last season, when he won the first Masters 1000 title of his career by beating Russian star Andrey Rublev in the final.
There is no doubt that the numerous absences among the top players have facilitated Alexei's run again this year, but it must be admitted that he is managing the pressure well and has reached the quarterfinals with full merit. The defending champion defeated both former world No.1 Daniil Medvedev and young Danish star Holger Rune, demonstrating remarkable mental strength even when the situation was not good for him.
Popyrin will face Zverev
His next opponent will be No.1 seed Alexander Zverev, who will compete for a spot in the semifinals in Ontario. The German champion has enormous pressure in this tournament, because most fans and insiders expect him to lift the trophy given the absences of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
However, Sascha will need to play his best tennis if he wants to defeat Popyrin in this tournament. During his last press conference, the Australian player confessed that he feels really comfortable in Canada: "I feel like I can play my best tennis here, even if at the beginning of the tournament I was quite nervous because I knew I had to defend the title I won last year. I'm playing without pressure now and my level is very high, which is why I'll face the next match with serenity and confidence.
I completely forgot about having to defend 1000 points, I just want to play and have fun. The conditions are favorable for my game, because the court is quite fast and gets even faster when it's hot. During the day it's harder to control the ball, but in the evening everything is perfect."
The match between Popyrin and Zverev could be very uncertain than expected.
By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, August 3, 2025 Photo credit: Tennis TV
Sounds of squealing sneakers reverberated around the Toronto court.
Alex de Minaur barely spoke a word during the decisive set today, but his Asic shoes wouldn’t shut up.
Bursting off the baseline with deep desire, de Minaur ran down drop shots to score the key break fending off Frances Tiafoe 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 to roar into his seventh quarterfinal of the season at the ATP 1000 National Bank Open.
A week after de Minaur denied three championship points to out-duel Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the Washington, DC final and capture his 10th career title, he lived up to his “Speed Demon” nickname scoring his seventh straight win.
“There’s a lot of quick movers out there. Maybe this year I haven’t had to rely on it as much because I’m focusing on trying to be a little bit more aggressive,” de Minaur said. “Course, you know, there’s still plenty of hours that have been put on in the gym, off the court, to make sure that my footwork and speed is what it is.
“I like to think that it helps in defending and retrieving, but also it helps me in taking time away from my opponents. I’m using it to my advantage to get to the net very quickly and kind of anticipate the next shot. So it’s not only for defensive use, I’m also trying to use it in an aggressive nature as well.”
It’s a historic victory for de Minaur—his 212th career hard court triumph equals two-time US Open champion Patrick Rafter for second on the Australian all-time list in the Open Era trailing only his Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt, who was 372-158 lifetime on his favored hard courts.
The ninth-seeded de Minaur will face either world No. 7 Ben Shelton or 17th-ranked Wimbledon quarterfinalist Flavio Cobolli for a semifinal spot. De Minaur is 2-0 lifetime against the 23-year-old Cobolli and has yet to face Shelton in a pro match.
Bouncing on his toes behind the baseline, de Minaur exuded more energy, clarity and consistency at the start today.
Tiafoe dragged a forehand wide and scattered a slice backhand gifting the Aussie the opening-game break.
A sound de Minaur rolled through 12 of the next 15 points, bleeding forehand errors from Tiafoe for a second straight break then holding at 15 to lead 4-0 after just 16 minutes of play.
Though Tiafoe earned a couple of break points in the sixth game, he couldn’t find the court on either break point. De Minaur drew a pair of forehand return errors extending his lead to 5-1.
The ninth-seeded Aussie served out the 37-minute opener at 15.
Elevating his first serve percentage from 39 percent to 59 percent in the second set, Tiafoe played more proactive tennis in the second.
The pair combined for four consecutive breaks to start the second set.
At 4-all, 30-40, Tiafoe fought off a break point then dug in to win the longest game of the set edging ahead 5-4.
Though de Minaur went up 30-love in the ensuing game, Tiafoe would not be denied. Ripping a forehand down the line and attacking at the right time, Tiafoe earned set point. The man from Maryland rattled out a framed forehand from his opponent snatching the second set with a raised fist.
After about a seven-minute bathroom break, Tiafoe returned revitalized in tearing through 12 of the first 14 points on serve to stake a 3-2 lead.
Tiafoe held double break point for a potential 4-2 lead, but de Minaur saved the first forcing a forehand miss. On the second break point, the pair produced one of the most dazzling points of the day. A 15-shot rally saw the Aussie nudge a half volley that Tiafoe ran down and poked a pass crosscourt. De Minaur recovered a ball behind him and hit a forehand into the open court to save the second break point. An ace down the T helped de Minaur level at 3-all.
Tiafoe was snapping the slice serve down the T as he stamped his second love hold of the set for 4-3.
Deadlocked at 4-all, Tiafoe showed the good, the bad and the downright crazy of his game. The good was three aces in the game. The bad was Foe’s stubborn insistence on continuing to play the drop shot against one of the sport’s fastest players. And the crazy was even after seeing de Minaur make those running retrievals and seeing the Aussie was hovering right near the baseline, Tiafoe kept indulging his drop-shot fixation.
At one point, de Minaur careened corner to corner like an ambulance driver answering a 911 call as he hit a full-stretch forehand followed by a running backhand then read the dropper and scrambled forward to retrieve prompting Tiafoe to push a half volley into net.
“It’s kind of, it’s part of my DNA, right, never to let a point go, no matter what position in the rally I’m in,” de Minaur said. “Yeah, today was a crucial example of what it can mean if you make that extra point, right.
It was a huge moment, it gave me a break point, and even though I wasn’t able to convert it, it really did send a message that I wanted that game. Yeah, I mean, I don’t have the biggest weapons out here, but one thing I can rely on is my legs.”
You’d think after seeing the Speed Demon pull off that spectacular series of running gets, the last shot on Tiafoe’s mind would be the dropper.
Well think again.
Inexplicably, a couple of points later, Tiafoe tapped a dropper that sat up, de Minaur easily ran it down and shoveled a forehand pass breaking for 5-4.
Still, de Minaur needed a bit of luck to end it hitting a net-cord winner for 30-5. The slider serve brought the Aussie match point and de Minaur closed on another forehand error from Tiafoe, whose forehand failed him at the wrong times today.
A terrific battle that included chair umpire Mo Lahyani advising a parent in the crowd to “please give that baby some love” in response to a crying child ended with a well-earned ovation after two hours, 24 minutes. De Minaur raised his record to 37-13 on the season, he is No. 3 on the Tour for most victories in 2025.
“Tunnel vision,” de Minaur wrote on the court-side camera, summing up another gritty win for the 2025 ATP hard-court win leader.
Madison Keys is having the year of her life, and she’s overcoming hurdles at seemingly every tour stop. Today in Montreal, another shining example as the American saved a pair of match points to get past Karolina Muchova, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, to book a quarterfinal spot at the Omnium Banque Nationale.
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“Definitely really happy to get that win,” Keys said. “She’s such a great player, and she’s always such a tough opponent to go against. To be able to, after losing the first set, get back into the match, even being match points down, to be able to figure it out is always a good day.”
2016 finalist Keys has now won from match points down three times this season – against Iga Swiatek at the Australian Open, against Sofia Kenin at Roland-Garros, and now Montreal, where either Swiatek or Clara Tauson will be her next opponent.
Muchova had a pair of match points with Keys serving at 4-5 in the third. Previously, Keys, who improved to 35-10 on the season with her win, dropped the opening set before hitting back to take the middle set without surrendering a break.
In the third Muchova and Keys traded breaks, then the Czech saved three break points while serving at 2-2 to stay on serve. She then had the opportunities with Keys serving at 4-5, 30-40, and six points later at ad-out.
Keys held her nerve and serve, then converted her third break point for 6-5. She converted her second match point to clinch the hard-earned win in two hours and 21 minutes.
Osaka Routs Sevastova
Naomi Osaka powered past Anastasija Sevastova 6-1, 6-0 in the second round of four women’s singles round of 16 encounters on Saturday, the Japanese recording her 20th win of the season to match her entire 2024 total.
Osaka got the win in 48 minutes as 386-ranked Sevastova had very little left after winning three three-setters to reach the round of 16.
She will face either Amanda Anisimova or Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals.
By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, August 3, 2025 Photo credit: Katie Boulter Instagram
The couple that plays together stays together.
Alex de Minaur calls playing mixed doubles with fiancé Katie Boulter at Wimbledon one his career highlights.
That’s one reason why the Washington, D.C. champion is making the case to the USTA for a wild card for he and Boulter into this month’s US Open Mixed Doubles.
“Yeah, a hundred percent. I mean, look, I think we’re doing our best to put a really good case forward to hopefully get that wild card,” de Minaur told the media in Toronto today after edging Frances Tiafoe for his seventh straight win. “Yeah, I mean, one of the most enjoyable moments I’ve had on a tennis court was playing Wimbledon mixed doubles with her.”
The USTA released the current roster of teams for the new US Open Mixed doubles tournament, which will be staged for the first time during fan week, the week before singles main-draw play begins.
Here’s a look at the teams currently set to play:
There are currently two open spots remaining and de Minaur is hoping he and Boulter will be given a wild card to fill one of them.
“It was pretty damn cool [to play with Boulter], so I would love to go back and, yeah, play again,” de Minaur said today. “And to play such an exciting event with the world’s best tennis players would be pretty cool. So hopefully they give us a chance to do that, and I don’t know, I mean, yeah, I’m keeping my fingers crossed.”
By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, August 3, 2025 Photo credit: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty
A crackling Clara Tauson drive sent Iga Swiatek sprawling into a split behind the baseline.
Dictating with her serve, Tauson displaced the powerful Pole with deep drives stunning Swiatek 7-6(1), 6-3 to score one of her biggest career wins in Montreal.
It’s been a tournament of upsets and we’ve seen two of the biggest in the last two days.
Canadian wild card Victoria Mboko shocked top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 last night.
Tonight, Tauson sent the second-seeded Swiatek packing to set up an appealing quarterfinal clash vs. Australian Open champion Madison Keys.
Earlier, the sixth-seeded Keys saved a pair of match points conquering Karolina Muchova, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, to book a quarterfinal spot at the Omnium Banque Nationale quarterfinals.
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A calm Tauson denied seven of nine break points snapping Swiatek’s nine-match winning streak with a superb display of power-based baseline tennis. Apart from a sloppy tiebreaker, Swiatek did not play poorly, Tauson just took it to her when it mattered most.
The 16th-seeded Tauson handed the Wimbledon winner her first defeat since she fell to Jessica Pegula in the Bad Homburg grass-court final in June.
One of the WTA Tour’s most commanding servers, Tauson showed tonight she’s much more than a big server. Tauson dotted all areas of the service box to set up her fierce forehand, hit her two-handed backhand with bold intent and while she’s not nearly as quick around the court as the speedy Swiatek, the 22-year-old Dane anticipated the direction of the Pole’s shots and often beat her to the punch. Perhaps that’s because Tauson faced Swiatek at Wimbledon, falling in straight sets at the round of 16 last month.
Tonight, Tauson broke in the third game then backed up the break with a love hold for 3-1.
Though Swiatek earned double break point in the sixth game, Tauson dug in with defiance and fought off four break points during a punishing 14-point game. Tauson held firm for 4-2.
Two games later, the six-time Grand Slam champion earned triple break point. Swiatek was on the verge of breaking again only to see Tauson tame the threat with a five-point surge to hold for 5-3.
Cruising through her own service games, Swiatek threw down a strong hold at 15 for 4-5 then tightened the screws on Tauson’s serve in the 10th game.
When the Dane served for the set, Swiatek finally broke through at 15 to level 5-all.
The tiebreaker was even after two points when Tauson lifted her level racing through six points in a row seizing a one-set lead.
A tough Tauson saved seven of eight break points in that opening set and repeatedly hurt her opponent with the wide serve.
Swiatek would have been wise to drop back a bit deeper behind the baseline to give herself more time on the return—and at least give Tauson a different sightline on serve.
Catching her toss a few times, Tauson was decisive on serving direction as she won eight of the first 10 points on her serve in the second set. Belting deep drives, Tauson broke at 15 for a 3-1 second-set lead.
Tauson slashed successive aces sealing a 7-6, 4-1 lead after one hour, 33 minutes of play.
The six-time Grand Slam champion made a push holding in the sixth game then scoring her second break to cut the gap to 3-4.
Unfazed, Tauson continued torching first strikes and exploited the Pole’s fifth double fault to break back for 5-3.
Serving for one of her biggest career wins, Tauson did not flinch and when Swiatek netted a final backhand, Tauson broke into the wide smile to cap a well-deserved win.
Tempers flared, tension mounted, and Shelton soared.
Ben Shelton found himself a break down in the third set against Italy’s Flavio Cobolli on Sunday night in Toronto, but the American dug himself out of the hole to defeat his adversary, 6-4 4-6 7-6(1).
In the process Shelton earned his 100th career win, and the 22-year-old advances to face Alex de Minaur in his fourth career Masters 1000 quarterfinal as he seeks his first trip to a semifinal at this level.
With the win Shelton becomes the the 8th man born in 21st century reach 100 wins, and the 9th active American man to achieve the feat.
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“I think I was really mentally tough tonight,” Shelton later told the media. “I got to give credit to Flavio, he did a lot of things throughout the match that made it difficult. I thought he played very well. He’s really fast, neutralizes a lot of things that I do well, and that’s always a tough matchup for me, so just happy to come through it.”
The battle intensified down the stretch, as Shelton rallied from 5-3 down to level up and force a breaker with the 23-year-old.
It wasn’t exactly clear what Cobolli had done, but when the pair met as the match concluded, Shelton called out the Italian for a gesture that he made. Cobolli and Shelton had a long discussion, with Cobolli saying it wasn’t directed at Shelton, as he also said that he was simply voicing frustration at himself for squandering a lead.
“He just made a gesture in the tiebreaker in asked him about it. He said it wasn’t towards me so we’re cool,” Shelton said on court after the match.
Ben Shelton on the exchange with Flavio Cobolli after their match in Toronto
“Can you walk us through that discussion?”
Ben: “He just made a gesture in the tiebreaker in asked him about it. He said it wasn’t towards me so we’re cool.” pic.twitter.com/F7DtsDNTvS
The American was pressed about the issue again in his post-match interview and said: “He said it wasn’t towards me. We’re good. We talked about it in the locker room, so I’m not going to answer any more questions about that. There’s no story, we’re good, that’s it.”
Cobolli seemed to have the match in hand, serving at 5-4, 15-0 in the final set, but his luck went south from there. The Italian double faulted to give Shelton two break points and the American converted the second as Cobolli missed a forehand wide to take the score to 5-all.
He held in the next game to lead 6-5, and even though he squandered a match point in the 12th game, Shelton dominated the ensuing tiebreak to close out the win in 2:24.
“I was able to get a second chance by holding my serve and getting to the point where he had to serve it out,” he said. “It’s not always easy, especially on a night like this where it’s windy and not as hot, not bouncing as high as it is during the day, to serve out sets in matches. Same with me in the first set. I got broke serving for the set, and then he got broke trying to serve to stay in it.
“It was a nervy match and it was difficult, I think kind of after getting through that game and, you know, being able to bring my energy level back to where I wanted it to be at, and to get a confident hold at 5-all was huge for me.”
Naomi Osaka has just delivered one of her best displays since starting her post-pregnancy comeback in 2024 as the former world No. 1 needed just 49 minutes to destroy Anastasija Sevastova 6-1 6-0 in the Montreal round-of-16.
Through the opening two games of the match, the two players were tied to one game apiece. From that moment on, there was only one player on the court – and it was the Japanese – who impressively took the next 11 games without basically giving any chance to the former world No. 11.
For Osaka, this is her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal of the year. Also, this is the first time since Auckland that the four-time Grand Slam champion has managed to win four matches in a single tournament at the main level – note, the Japanese also had five consecutive wins in May at the WTA 125 (Challenger) tournament in Saint-Malo.
Now, the 27-year-old awaits the winner of the match between No. 5 seed Amanda Anisimova and Elina Svitolina.
Osaka is looking rejuvenated in Montreal
After losing in the Washington round-of-16, Osaka made a big move and decided to say goodbye to coach Patrick Mouratoglou. But she is not alone in Montreal after quickly agreeing on a collaboration with Iga Swiatek's former long-time coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. So far, their debut has been nothing short of outstanding.
“I think with personality, I was a little nervous because he seems a little stern but he’s actually kind of funny. He’ll randomly say a joke that I wasn’t expecting or something like that. I like him a lot. I know that we’ve only played two matches, but he seems very decisive with what he wants. And I think that that makes it very clear for me," Osaka said of Wiktorowski a few days ago.
Osaka won't have an easy job in the Montreal quarterfinal whoever she faces, but she is certainly not lacking any confidence at the moment.
Coco Gauff refused to compare Victoria Mboko to herself and also added that others should not engage in such conversations because it would be "unfair" toward the 18-year-old Canadian.
On Tuesday, the rising Canadian star – who is ranked at No. 85 in the world – registered her biggest win by ousting the top-seeded American 6-1 6-4 in the round-of-16 of the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal.
From start to finish, it was Mboko who had the upper hand as the 18-year-old impressively converted four of her five break point chances, as well as saved all of Gauff's five break point opportunities.
Before making her maiden WTA 1000 quarterfinal in Montreal, Mboko won five ITF titles earlier this year. The Canadian, who was ranked at No. 333 when the 2025 season, is now guaranteed to improve at least 30 spots on Monday and be ranked inside the top-55 for the first time in her career.
Even before beating Gauff, Mboko drew certain comparisons to the American, who had a rapid start to her career. Those conversations only increased after the 18-year-old's impressive win on Saturday.
Gauff: I don't think it's fair to put that on Mboko
"No, she's a completely different player, completely different person. I've never been one to compare myself to others, whether it be like people comparing me to Serena or Venus, and I don't think it's fair to put that on her as well. Yeah, but I do see someone who is going to have a really bright future, for sure," the 21-year-old American responded when asked if she recognized herself in the Canadian.
Gauff didn't want to compare Mboko to herself but she gladly said what she liked about the Canadian's game.
"I mean, she's very athletic. She's a great ball striker, and she seems pretty positive out there on the court, doesn't get really too negative," the two-time Grand Slam winner explained.
The Japanese dominated from the opening round in the AIG Women's Open, and in the end, the title of the fifth and final women's Major of the season went to Miyu Yamashita, who finished with a 277 (68 65 74 70, -11) shot, two ahead of compatriot Minami Katsu and England's Charley Hull, who finished second with 279 (-9).
Miyu Yamashita, results
On the par-72 Royal Porthcawl Golf Club course in Porthcawl, Wales, in the tournament organized by the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour, another Japanese player, Rio Takeda, finished fourth with a 281 (-7), along with South Korean A Lim Kim. Taiwanese Wei-Ling Hsu and American Megan Khang finished sixth with a 282 (-6), and eighth with a 284 (-4) was the eagerly awaited Englishwoman Lottie Woad, who recently turned professional and already has two LET wins (one as an amateur), Australian Stephanie Kyriacou, and the strong Spanish amateur Paula Martin Sampedro, winner of the European Ladies' Amateur Championship at the end of July.
American Nelly Korda, world number one, and New Zealand's Lydia Ko, the defending champion, were disappointed, finishing 36th with a 291 (+3), while Alessandra Fanali's first Major ended in the cut, finishing 106th with a 151 (73 78, +7).
Miyu Yamashita, 24, from Neyagawa, inaugurated her trophy case—which spans both the LPGA Tour, where she plays, and the Ladies European Tour—with a Major, but before playing in the US, she had won 13 titles on the LPGA of Japan Tour. She closed her winning run, which began as the leader in the second round, with a 70 (-2, three birdies, one bogey) and received a check for $1,425,000 on a prize pool of $9,500,000.
The rules of golf are relatively complicated compared to other sports because they are played outdoors, close to nature and animals. Respecting the rules is a fundamental element in the game of golf, which, almost always based on self-control and the free conscience of the players, often sees distorted results, sometimes consciously, but often unconsciously or through carelessness, due to the failure of many players to comply with the rules of the game. In addition to the rules, golf adheres to a code of conduct, known as etiquette, which generally means playing the game with due respect for the golf course and other players. Etiquette is an essential component of this sport.
Alexander Zverev, 28, issued one very honest confession while speaking with a couple of former American tennis stars, revealing that he retired against Mischa Zverev in the 2014 Houston qualifying only because he "could not beat" his brother.
Mischa, a former world No. 25, thrashed his brother 6-0 6-1 when they met in the 2012 Dallas Challenger qualifying. Two years later – just before Alexander's 17th birthday – they clashed in the Houston qualifying first round. This time, it was a much more contested battle as a 16-year-old Alexander took a set off his brother. But with Mischa leading 7-5 4-6 3-2, the younger of the two brothers got overwhelmed – went to the net – and shook his brother's hand.
Alexander Zverev: I just couldn't beat my brother so I pulled out
"We actually played one more time in Houston, but we played in qualies in 2014. And I actually, don't know if people know that, he (Mischa) knows that, we played a very long three-set match. We played for like, three hours, and then it was like 3-2 in the third set. I think I was up 3-2 in the third set with a break, and I felt so bad that I pulled out. Yeah, I pulled out, I couldn't beat him. I just couldn't do it," the three-time Grand Slam runner-up confessed on the Nothing Major Show.
Four years after their Houston meeting, the Zverev brothers met again. At the time of their third meeting, Alexander had already become one of the best in the game and he ended up beating his older brother 6-3 7-5 in the 2018 Washington first round.
Mischa, who is 10 years older than his brother, officially retired from pro tennis in 2023 but he barely played across the 2021 and 2022 seasons since he joined his brother's team years ago.
The Zverev brothers evidently have a great relationship, but still you rarely see a player admitting that they just couldn't beat the rival standing on the other side of the net.
Daniel Young was the star of the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge, a HotelPlanner Tour tournament, winning with a 265 (64, 67, 64, 70, -19) in "his" Scotland, edging out Frenchman Julien Quesne, who finished second with a 266 (-18).
On the par-71 Schloss Roxburghe course in Heiton, near Kelso, Filippo Celli put in another strong performance, finishing fifth with a 270 (68, 68, 65, 69, -14), having finished fourth in the previous German Challenge.
HotelPlanner Tour, results
In third place with a 268 (-16) was fellow Scot Euan Walker, England's John Gough in fourth with a 269 (-15), and tied with Celli were Spaniard Quim Vidal and Belgian James Meyer De Beco. In eighth place with 271 (-13) were Frenchman Maxence Giboudot and South African Bryce Easton.
Daniel Young, a 33-year-old from Perth who has been a professional since 2016 and studied at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, with two second-place finishes and seven other top-ten finishes in 103 appearances on the tour, took the lead after three rounds and sealed his first tour title at the 104th round with a closing 70 (-1) (double bogey and three birdies). Quesne, a 44-year-old from Le Mans who won the Italian Open in 2013, attempted to catch up, but his 67 (-4, five birdies and one bogey, the only one in his score, scored on the 66th hole) wasn't enough. Young received a check for €46,196 out of a prize pool of approximately €285,000 (the official figure is £250,000).
Of the other Italians, Renato Paratore, who won twice this season, finished 21st with a 275 (71, 64, 69, 71, -9), followed by Stefano Mazzoli, 29th with a 276 (67, 73, 67, 69, -8), Aron Zemmer, 32nd with a 277 (68, 65, 71, 73, -7), and Lorenzo Scalise, 43rd with a 279 (70, 70, 66, 73, -5).
Filippo Celli, who started the competition in 25th place before moving up to 16th and eighth, finished with a partial 69 (-2, four birdies, two bogeys). The 24-year-old Roman, making his 50th appearance on the tour, has achieved three top-five finishes in his last four appearances (including second place in the Interwetten Open). These performances currently place him eighth in the Race to Mallorca (order of merit), which at the end of the year will award the top 20 a ticket to the 2026 DP World Tour. Paratore is ahead of him in fifth place.
The cut-off finishers were amateur Biagio Andrea Gagliardi, 110th with a score of 144 (75 69, +2), Enrico Di Nitto, 120th with a score of 145 (73 72, +3), and Michele Ortolani, 141st with a score of 147 (75 72, +5).
Victoria Mboko claims she didn't think much or put any focus on Coco Gauff making errors on the court as she just wanted to stay locked in on executing her own tactics.
In front of their home fans, the 18-year-old Canadian pulled off a big upset and recorded the biggest win of her career after ousting the current world No. 2 and two-time Grand Slam champion 6-1 6-4 to reach the Montreal quarterfinal.
Going into the match, Gauff had struggled in her first two matches with double faults and unforced errors. And right from the start of their round-of-16 clash, Mboko took full control of the match and she was all over the top seed.
While the American tennis star found her footing in the second set, Mboko was still the one who came up big when it mattered the most, saving four break points in the seventh game before collecting the key break in the 10th game.
During the match, Gauff had six double faults and 24 unforced errors.
Mboko asked what crossed her mind when Gauff started making 'a lot of mistakes'
"Well, I mean, nothing really crosses my mind just because, I mean, that's the game. People make errors. It happens. I make errors too. So I was just really focused on myself and what I had to do. I didn't really focus as much as what she was doing in the match because I just wanted to play as solid of a game as I possibly could. I just wanted to do what I was supposed to do in the match and hope for the best," the world No. 85 explained.
When it comes to her own stats, Mboko was impressive – she had five break points and converted five of those. Also, the 18-year-old didn't allow Gauff to realize any of her five break point chances.
In her post-match presser, Gauff spoke highly of the rising Canadian tennis star and tipped her to have a bright future.
For a place in the Montreal semifinal, Mboko meets Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
Alexander Zverev has named Daniil Medvedev as his "most annoying rival," and even hilariously stated that the Russian "turns into a prime Novak Djokovic" whenever they meet on the court.
Against Medvedev, Zverev has seven wins in 20 meetings and the 2021 US Open champion is evidently an uncomfortable matchup for him. But there is one stunning thing about their rivalry – before the German started regularly losing to the Russian, he had a perfect 4-0 record against the former world No. 1 and once also held a 5-1 record in their head-to-head.
However, that was before the 2020 season. Since 2020, they have clashed against each other 14 times and Medvedev has won 12 of those encounters.
Over the past year and a half, the Russian has struggled a lot with his consistency and he is now ranked at No. 14 in the world. However, that didn't stop him from beating the third-ranked German 7-6 (3) 6-7 (1) 6-4 in their most recent meeting in the Halle semifinal.
Zverev: Even now, I still lose to Medvedev… He turns into a primer Djokovic against me
“For me, the most obvious answer is Daniil. I mean, lost to him like 78 times, to be honest (laughs). Even now. Even now, I’m ranked three in the world and he is ranked, I don’t know 14, and I still lose to him in Halle. He turns into prime Novak Djokovic every time he plays against me and I’m like, ‘I don’t even play that bad. Why am I losing?'” the 28-year-old said on the Nothing Major Show, which is hosted by former American tennis player Sam Querrey, John Isner, Steve Johnson and Jack Sock.
Zverev maybe hasn't had much success against Medvedev in recent years but he won one of their most important clashes in the last five years – the German ended on the winning side in the 2021 ATP Finals final to win his second title at the prestigious season-ending tournament.
