Archive of posts tagged Prakash Amritraj

Gauff Kick-Starts Serve, Wins Cincinnati Opener

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By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, August 10, 2025
Photo credit: Internazionali BNL d’Italia Facebook

Coco Gauff kick-started her Cincinnati return gearing up her serve to post a revenge win.

The reigning Roland Garros rolled through 16 of her last 19 service points stopping Wang Xinyu 6-3, 6-2 to roll into the Cincinnati Open third round.

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“It feels great to be back in Cincinnati; obviously two years ago I won,” Gauff said. “And set me up for a great two weeks in New York. So it means a lot to me, this tournament, and I was very happy just to see the site and the improvements and we’re back here in Cincy.”

The second seeded Gauff avenged a 6-3, 6-3 loss to Wang she suffered on the grass of Berlin in June—and did it by resetting after early serve struggles.

Five games into the match, a frustrated Gauff gifted the break to Wang with three double faults, dropped her Head racquet to the court and kicked it toward her court-side seat.

That rare show of exasperation grounded Gauff, who found the range and rhythm on serve.

After spitting up eight double faults in her first three service games, Gauff did not hit a double fault the rest of the match, won 20 of her last 23 service points and snatched three of the last seven games at love.

“I think just taking my time and remembering the things you worked on in practice,” Gauff told Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj of finding her serve. “And just try not to fall into the same old patterns and it’s definitely difficult in the moment. It’s a work in progress.”

Exploiting Wang’s deep return position—and the world No. 37’s struggles to land forehand returns—Gauff beat Wang for the second time in three meetings.

The second-ranked American will try to sustain this Cincinnati revenge tour against hard-hitting Dayana Yastremska, who upset Gauff in the Wimbledon first round, 7-6(3), 6-1. 

The Gauff serve was in the spotlight on a steam Cincinnati afternoon today.

Gauff coughed up 43 double faults in three Montreal matches, including a career-high 23 doubles in a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(2) win over compatriot Danielle Collins.

The 2023 Cincinnati champion was haunted by double fault ghosts in the first game today. Gauff clanked a couple of double faults but fended off two break points holding to open. 

Double fault demons devoured Gauff as she served at 3-1. After her seventh double fault, Gauff slammed a racquet to the court. Double fault No. 8 ended the game and ignited an irate Gauff into that rare racquet slam and kick of frustration.

Venting her angst seemed to settle Gauff who broke right back for 4-2.

Wang stamped her first hold of the match at love to close the gap to 3-5. 

Serving for the set, Gauff exploited the Chinese player’s forehand return drawing successive errors off that wing then spinning a clean crosscourt forehand snatching a one-set lead after 41 minutes.

It’s a testament to Gauff’s mental strength—and the rest of her game—that she overcome eight double faults, two full games worth of doubles, yet still only permitted three games winning the set.

The Delray Beach-born Gauff trains in the heat and humidity of South Florida. Playing on a sweltering day with temperatures soaring to 90 degrees with 46 percent humidity, Gauff showed no signs of fatigue.

In fact, Gauff got stronger as the match progressed. She ran off 14 consecutive points on serve seizing a 4-2 second-set lead.

Playing with taping on her right calf, Wang inexplicably continued to target Gauff’s backhand wing and struggled to control her own wayward forehand. A Wang double fault and netted half-volley gave Gauff a love break for 5-2. 

The second seed drew a series of errors closing in 70 minutes.

Earlier, Rome champion Jasmine Paolini overcame late-set nerves and a tough Maria Sakkari 7-6(2), 7-6(5).

Credit Sakkari for battling back from 1-5 down in the first set—and fighting off four set points with Paolini serving at 5-3—to force the first tiebreaker. 

Lifting her level in the breaker, Paolini drew five Sakkari errors to go up 6-2. On her fifth set point, the 2024 Wimbledon finalist fired a diagonal forehand for a one-set lead.

Paolini, who squandered a match point bowing to Elina Svitolina in the Roland Garros round of 16, was coming off a brutal Montreal loss where she failed to convert match point in a 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(6) loss to qualifier Aoi Ito, who bamboozled the Italian with slice forehands in the deciding tiebreaker.

Racing to a 6-0 lead in the second-set tiebreaker today, Paolini was in prime position for a match ending backhand volley only to bunt it in the tape. The ball dribbled back on her side then Sakkari firing winners and saving five match points to close to 5-6 in the breaker.

All that good work dissipated when Sakkari double faulted on the sixth match point and Paolini breathed a big sigh of relief.

“Yes, I’m sorry for her but I was like please make the double, I have to be honest because it was a really tough tiebreaker,” Paolini told Tennis Channel’s Steve Weissman afterward. “It was 6-0 and a volley over the net and I miss it in the net. I was trying to make the right choices, but I have to say she played well. 

“I was like come on Jasmine don’t worry you won six points in a row she won five points in a row it’s normal. But at the same time I was like come on please make a double fault.”

Sincinnati Statement: Sinner Storms Through Cincinnati Opener

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By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, August 9, 2025
Photo credit: Cincinnati Open Facebook

All-surface champion Jannik Sinner returned to his favored hard court in Cincinnati.

The world No. 1 combined deconstruction with deception launching his Cincinnati title defense rolling to his 22nd consecutive hard-court victory.

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When Sinner wasn’t busy torching blazing drives by Daniel Galan he bamboozled him with touch, flicking a clean forehand drop shot to wrap a 6-1, 6-1 sweep.

“I would say I’m obviously very happy to be back here,” Sinner told Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj afterward. “It’s a special place for me and last year was an amazing year for me. So let’s see what’s coming.

“It’s very difficult to play here, I feel like the ball is flying fast so when you lose confidence with a couple of shots it makes it very, very difficult to play. I’m very happy about today’s performance, playing against a qualifier, it’s not easy so I’m happy about today and let’s see what’s coming.”

In his first match since dethroning two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz to make history as the first Italian to win Wimbledon, Sinner picked up right where he left off at SW19.

The world’s top two have renewed their rivalry teeing off on the local golf course before the Cincinnati Open began.

“We actually played now a couple of times before the tournament here,” Sinner told Prakash Amritraj. “I’m not a good golfer, but I love to spend time doing different things.

“Maybe now we will go because I have tomorrow one day off. Maybe we will play a couple of holes here. It’s the best place to play golf. In Cincinnati, there’s not so much to do. So we’re actually lucky the golf course is there.”

The reigning Australian Open and US Open champion was nearly untouchable on serve winning 22 of 23 first-serve points and saving the only break point he faced in a comprehensive 59-minute conquest.

Sinner will face either Argentinean Sebastian Baez or big-serving Canadian Gabriel Diallo with a potential round of 16 clash looming against American Tommy Paul.

Newly-engaged Paul pounded out a 6-2, 6-2 win over Spaniard Pedro Martinez earlier today. 

Two of the top 12 seeds failed to clear their first hurdle in the top quarter of the draw with both falling to Frenchmen. 

Benjamin Bonzi beat No. 8-seeded Lorenzo Musetti 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(4). That upset came shortly after Arthur Rinderknech outlasted 1th-seeded Casper Ruud 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-2. 

Launching his quest to become the first man since legendary Roger Federer in 2014-2015 to successfully defend Cincinnati, Sinner was in charge from the very outset. The lanky Italian’s attention to detail was evident when he bent over to pick up the coin and return it to chair umpire Aurelie Tourte after losing the opening coin toss.

That was one of the last defeats Sinner took on this day.

The US Open champion rolled through 12 straight points on serve winning four of the first five games at love surging to a 5-0 lead after 17 minutes of play.

The reigning champion rips the ball with such fierce force off both wings, opponents have to respect the deep drive. Seeing the Colombian qualifier back behind the baseline, Sinner flicked a dropper, followed it forward and bunted a backhand down the line to take the first set in 26 minutes.

The bearded Colombian was on the verge of another early-set blow out, when he dug in and fought back.

Galan denied five break points in a punishing third game to hold for 1-2 in the second set.

Swatting a deep forehand return to push his opponent back behind the baseline, Sinner stepped in and scalded a forehand strike down the line breaking for 4-1. 

The four-time major champion flicked a final forehand drop shot closing in 59 minutes and scoring his 25th consecutive opening victory.

After disarming his opponent today, Sinner shared he didn’t hit a ball for 10 days after his Wimbledon win and believes that helps him return refreshed.

“I went without tennis, it was 10 days,” Sinner told Prakash Amritraj. “When I was a bit younger, a couple of years ago, I never wanted to take the racquet away. 

“Now every time when I have a small chance, I put it away, you know? Because then I will have even more love for the sport and for the game. And also, appreciation to comeback and feel good again. I love this sport. I love to make sacrifices also and I also love the people I have around. It’s a good combination of many, many things.”