Tag: lobandsmash.com

<!–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…

<!–qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa: Jack Draper began the 2026 season as the ATP's top-ranked British player, but has taken a bit of a stumble lately thanks to some nagging injuries. Dealing with injuries to his arm and now his knee, Draper has been overtaken by fellow countryman Cam Norrie since the middle of March. –> Jack…

<!–qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa: Arthur Fils is on the cusp of greatness at 21 years old. The Frenchman has been toiling away for a few years, but began making inroads in 2025 at Masters 1000 events. In 2026, he could be ready to kick in the proverbial door, but that included trying to go through Jannik…

<!–qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa: The semifinal match of the 2026 Madrid Open was set up to be a slightly odd one between Mirra Andreeva and Hailey Baptiste. Andreeva has seemingly been pounding on the door of being a consistent top-5 presence on the WTA tour for a while, but she only just turned 19 years old.…

<!–qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa: Look out, tennis world, because here comes Arthur Fils. The 21-year-old Frenchman has been toying with becoming an elite ATP player for several years now, but all players need to find their footing against the more experienced opponents. Fils seemed more of a showman than an efficient player at times. –> Look…

<!–qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa: What seems certain based on what tennis fans would have seen from the Jannik Sinner and Rafael Jodar quarterfinal match of the 2026 Madrid Open is that Jodar is going to be a very good player, especially on clay. What was re-learned, though, is that Sinner is the true ATP No. 1…

<!–qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa: The quarterfinal match of the Madrid Open looked done after the first set. Aryna Sabalenka had overpowered Hailey Baptiste, an American on the rise on the WTA tour, but seemingly nowhere near the level of the Belarusian. –> The quarterfinal match of the Madrid Open looked done after the first set. Aryna…