Tag: lobandsmash.com

<!–qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa: Aryna Sabalenka left little doubt about the outcome of her second-round match against Barbora Krejcikova at the 2026 Rome Masters. She played intelligently and powerfully, and the Czech had little answer, even though she had previously proven she could play elite tennis by winning two Grand Slams. –> Aryna Sabalenka left little…

<!–qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa: Coco Gauff's second-round match of the 2026 Rome Masters wasn't expected to be difficult. No offense to Tereza Valentova, but she is not of the ilk of the American. Plus, Gauff's best surface is arguably clay, which is what the Italian Open is played on. –> Coco Gauff’s second-round match of the…

<!–qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa: The first-round match between Qinwen Zheng and Anna Bondar would have seemed like a routine warm-up match for the Chinese player for the rest of the Rome Masters. Bondar didn't want that to happen, however. –> The first-round match between Qinwen Zheng and Anna Bondar would have seemed like a routine warm-up…

<!–qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa: As we inch closer to the next Grand Slam event of 2026, the French Open, tennis fans get to watch as players toil through a series of Masters 1000 tournaments. Next up will be the Rome Masters (or Italian Open; whatever you want to call it). –> As we inch closer to…

<!–qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa: The first point of the Mutua Madrid Open final between Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev appeared to be a lie. With Sinner serving to start the match, Zverev won the point. He wouldn't win the game, nor the next one, nor the next one, nor the one after that. The ATP No.…

<!–qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa: The path has never been more wide open for Jannik Sinner to rack up the titles and put some distance between him and Carlos Alcaraz now that the Spaniard will be sidelined indefinitely.  –> The path has never been more wide open for Jannik Sinner to rack up the titles and put…

<!–qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa: Even while Marta Kostyuk was playing exceptionally brilliant tennis in the first set of her 2026 Madrid Open final against Mirra Andreeva, tennis fans might have felt that lots of tennis remained to be played. Andreeva has already succeeded too much in her young career to be given up on so easily.…

<!–qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa: Naomi Osaka is widely considered the best Japanese tennis player in the country's history; her multiple Grand Slam titles, singles titles, and global tennis influence throughout her career attest to that.  –> Naomi Osaka is widely considered the best Japanese tennis player in the country’s history; her multiple Grand Slam titles, singles…

<!–qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa: Over 20 years ago, a Russian phenom splashed onto the tennis scene in a massive way, and over 20 years later, Maria Sharapova remains one of the most globally influential and recognizable female tennis players of all time.  –> Over 20 years ago, a Russian phenom splashed onto the tennis scene in…

<!–qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa: The first set was ugly for Alexander Blockx. In the biggest matches of his young career, the Belgian came out flat against Alexander Zverev in the semifinals of the Madrid Masters, and the German was ruthless in his response. 27 minutes had gone by, and the second-seed already led 5-1. –> The…