Archive of posts tagged The 2022 Wimbledon

Nick Kyrgios 'disgusted' by horrifying abuse targeted at Elina Svitolina

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athlete

Nick Kyrgios offered some empathy to Elina Svitolina after seeing the shocking abuse she received for only losing a tennis match. 

In the Montreal quarterfinal, Svitolina didn't enjoy a good day at the office and Naomi Osaka took full advantage of it to complete a 6-2 6-2 win.

After arriving in the hotel and checking her phone, Svitolina noticed that she was flooded by abusive and insulting messages of all sorts – she wasn't insulted only on a career level but the angry bettors also mentioned her marriage and family. As if that wasn't enough, the Ukrainian also received death threats.
 
Svitolina took several screenshots – she posted them – and then delivered a blunt message to her abusers: “To all the bettors: I'm a mom before I'm an athlete. The way you talk to women – to mothers – is SHAMEFUL. If your moms saw your messages, they'd be disgusted…”

Kyrgios reacts to Svitolina dealing with horrifying social media abuse

"Disgusting (sad emoji), the 2022 Wimbledon finalist wrote on X after noticing the Ukrainian's post.

A couple of years ago, Kyrgios decided to go public with his mental health story and revealed that there was a point in 2019 when he battled major depression, anxiety, and even had suicidal thoughts during that period. In one of his interviews around the time of his revelation, the Australian admitted that it wasn't easy to deal with constant social media abuse. 

“I deal with it all the time. People just think raising the finger, abusing someone or making racist comments is acceptable in this day and age and I just don’t think that’s acceptable at all," Kyrgios said at the time.

Unfortunately, social media abuse remains a major problem and that's why some players decided to ditch social media in recent years.

Montreal: Elena Rybakina reaches SF via Marta Kostyuk retiring; Issues classy comment

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Adelaide

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 wary of Victoria Mboko threat ahead of Montreal semifinal

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Elena Rybakina

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.

Elena Rybakina indicates she is managing some niggles amid promising Montreal run

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Elena

Elena Rybakina indicates she is dealing with some slight physical issues but suggests everything is under control and she is ready for the remainder of Montreal and the North American hard-court swing.

On Saturday, the Kazakh – who is currently ranked at No. 12 in the world and seeded at No. 9 at the Canadian Open – survived a two-hour and 33-minute battle versus No. 30 seed Dayana Yastremska 5-7 6-2 7-5 to reach the quarterfinal.

For Rybakina, that was already her sixth match on hard courts this summer. Before coming to Montreal, the former world No. 3 reached the Washington semifinal before losing to Leylah Fernandez.

"Well, of course, a little bit getting tired of my issues, but we're managing. Overall I'm happy that I'm ready to play these long matches. I think it's a good preparation for US Open in the end of the day," the 26-year-old said when asked how she was physically feeling.

Rybakina comments on facing Marta Kostyuk next in Montreal

Next up for Rybakina will be a career-fourth meeting against world No. 28 Kostyuk. Two and a half years ago, Kostyuk won their first match at the Adelaide International. Since then, they have met two more times, with the Kazakh winning on the ending side at the 2023 US Open and 2024 Stuttgart. 

While the 2022 Wimbledon champion won their last two meetings routinely in straight sets, she insists that she expects "a tough battle" against the Ukrainian.

"We played a couple of times. So different surface, but it's always tough battle. There is noisy matches, that's for sure. I will try to focus on myself. I know that she's really fighter, and she's really physically tough opponent. So yeah, I will try to do my best and hopefully can win that match," the Kazakh said of facing Kostyuk.

In the past, Rybakina made the Montreal semifinal in 2023.

Montreal: Elena Rybakina survives slugfest vs No. 30 seed, reaches quarterfinal

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Berlin

Elena Rybakina struggled and complicated once again but today she managed to come out on top in a tight one and beat Dayana Yastremska 5-7 6-2 7-5 in just over two and a half hours of play for a place in the Montreal quarterfinal.

In the first set, the ninth-seeded Kazakh was up by a break and led 4-3 before collapsing and losing the opener. After dropping the first set in a painful way, the 2022 Wimbledon champion was more convincing in the second set as she bounced back with two breaks to force a decider.

After no breaks were seen in the first four games of the third set, Rybakina got one in the fifth game to go 3-2 up. In the following game, the No. 9 seed had two consecutive game points but blew them as Yastremska got the break back and tied the decider to three games apiece.

Later in the set, Rybakina managed to register a break again in the 11th game and to give herself a chance to serve out for the match. To no one's surprise, the 12th game didn't go without some drama as the Kazakh blew three match points – but then saved a break point – before realizing her fourth match point to seal the win.

It was the type of win that Rybakina needed

The week before Montreal, the Kazakh reached the Washington semifinal before blowing a 7-6 (2) 5-3 lead against Leylah Fernandez. A month earlier, the former world No. 3 failed to convert any of her four consecutive match points against Aryna Sabalenka in the Berlin quarterfinal. And two months earlier, the Kazakh lost to Iga Swiatek at the French Open despite leading 6-1 2-0 early on in the match.

Against Yastremska, it was another tight contest and a hard day at the office for Rybakina. But she managed to win and she is now set to play against Marta Kostyuk for a place in the Montreal semifinal.

Kyrgios Talks Potential New Career

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By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, August 1, 2025
Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport

Nick Kyrgios’ next career could see him pushing buttons.

In an interview at the Esports World Cup 2025, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this week, Kyrgios confessed his first sports love was not tennis.

Instead, he favored gaming and basketball.

Australian Open

“My passion was basketball and gaming,” said Kyrgios, sporting a black Call of Duty t-shirt during his interview. “To be thrown into a sport where tennis is very clean cut. You know, I’m very rough around the edges and I didn’t really fit the mold for a tennis player. And I really struggled with that early in my career.”

The devoted Boston Celtics fans said he’s spent hours playing Fortnite and Call of Duty. Kyrgios said his gaming compulsion often came at the expense of tennis training and tournament play on the ATP Tour.

The former Australian Open doubles champion said he’s dream of being a professional gamer.

“I would love to be [an esports] player,” Kyrgios said. “I’ve been criticized in my career for not putting enough time on the court. And I’ve missed tournaments and training because I’ve just been gaming purely because I love it and I don’t care.

“The thing about it is like esports continue to grow. You know, it’s always going to evolve, technology’s going to get better, a new game’s going to come out.” 

The 2022 Wimbledon finalist shared he dropped “F-Bombs” in front of the Royal Box during his four-set loss to Novak Djokovic, but vowed he’s not going to change his style to fit traditional tennis norms.

“And now it seems I’m a bit more embraced. And I’m glad I’m able to put on a show,” Kyrgios said. “You know, when I played in front of the Royal Box at Wimbledon, I was throwing F-Bombs…

“But look, it’s been a struggle to kind of fit in. But you know now I kind of embrace it. I’m not going to change for anyone and it took me all the way here, so it paid off.” 

Explained: Why Naomi Osaka, Nick Kyrgios didn't receive US Open mixed doubles WC?

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Alcaraz

Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios haven't been awarded a wildcard for the US Open mixed doubles, but there is a very probable explanation why that's the case. 

When the US Open revealed the list of signed-up teams for their revolutionary mixed doubles tournament in late June, the Japanese four-time Grand Slam champion and the 2022 Wimbledon runner-up were there. On Tuesday, the organizers of the last Grand Slam of the year shared the list of eight teams that made the tournament directly and other six pairs that received a wildcard – the Japanese/Australian combination wasn't on the list.

Osaka and Kyrgios not being on the list came as a surprise to many, considering that they would be one of the most attractive and entertaining teams to watch despite competing in a star-studded field. However, there is probably a reason why the US Open organizers are waiting to see whether to award one of the remaining two wildcards to the Japanese/Australian pair.

Last week in Washington, Kyrgios played his first tournament in four months. But even that didn't go as planned since he was forced to withdraw from singles and only played in doubles – where he and Gael Monfils were thrashed 2-6 2-6 by Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Hugo Nys.

Later, the Australian said that his knee was "cooked." With that being said, the US Open organizers likely agreed with the 30-year-old to first see if he is is fit enough to play and then award him and Osaka a wildcard for the mixed doubles tournament.

What Kyrgios said about playing mixed doubles with Osaka at the US Open?

Earlier this month, the Australian confidently stated that he and Osaka "could do some big things" as a duo.

"What other sport in the world can you have your favourite female athlete play with your favourite male athlete and compete for prize money and a Grand Slam trophy? So pairings like Raducanu and Alcaraz, they’ve created such a buzz around the sport and my partner, Naomi Osaka, I think we can do some big things," Kyrgios said three weeks ago. 

Elena Rybakina has had three shocking collapses since French Open

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ANNIE FERNANDEZ

Elena Rybakina has had a couple of concerning collapses this year and the latest came this past on Saturday, when the Kazakh blew a big lead and suffered a shock Washington semifinal loss.

After sealing a tight first set versus world No. 36 Leylah Fernandez, the No. 3 seed also went 3-1 up in the second set and had three consecutive break points to open a double-break second-set lead. 

But then, Rybakina's troubles started. First, the Kazakh didn't manage to get a break in the fifth game. Then, the 2022 Wimbledon champion got broken for the very first time in the match when she was serving to seal the win in the 10th game. To make it all worse, she completely disappeared in the second-set tie-break and won only three points there.

The third set was an extremely tight contest as not a single break point was seen. But then, the tie-break quickly turned into a one-sided battle as Fernandez took the opening four points before completing a 6-7 (2) 7-6 (3) 7-6 (3) comeback win.

It is not the first time this has happened to Rybakina this year

Over the last two months, Rybakina – ranked at No. 12 – has had three baffling losses. 

In the French Open round-of-16, the Kazakh was all over Iga Swiatek early on and opened a dominant 6-1 2-0 lead before allowing the Pole to come back and win 1-6 6-3 7-5. In the Berlin quarterfinal, the 2022 Wimbledon champion had four consecutive match points in the third-set tie-break against Aryna Sabalenka before stunningly losing the next six points and seeing the Belarusian win 7-6 (6) 3-6 7-6 (6).

In Washington, Rybakina had yet another collapse and lost herself when the time came for her to get over the finish line. 

Rybakina is now 33-14 on the year. She has been ranked outside the top-10 since April and that won't change on Monday.