03/07/2025

SPORTS THURSDAY | JULY 3, 2025

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Coco Gauff leaves the court dejected after losing her first round match at Wimbledon. – REUTERSPIC

Djokovic thanks ‘miracle pills’ after win NOVAK DJOKOVIC thanked “doctors’ miracle pills” after he overcame feelings of discomfort and the loss of a set to launch his mission to win a record 25th Grand Slam at Wimbledon. The veteran Serb, a seven-time winner at the All England Club, beat French world No. 41 Alexandre Muller 6-1, 6-7 (7-9), 6-2, 6-2 in a late-night match on Centre Court. Djokovic dominated the first set, breaking three times, but Muller levelled the match after taking the second set tie-break. The sixth seed resumed normal service in the third set and a couple of breaks in the fourth set sealed the deal. “I enjoyed myself, obviously a bit less in the second set but I went from feeling my absolute best for a set and a half to my absolute worst for about 45 minutes,”he said. “Whether it was a stomach bug, I don’t know what it is. I struggled with that but the energy came back after some doctors’ miracle pills and I managed to finish the match on a good note.” Djokovic said he was delighted to be back at Wimbledon. “I have to acknowledge the sacredness of this court, of this tournament,” he said. “It has always meant a lot to me and many other players. It’s a childhood dream tournament, so I never take anything out on the court for granted.” Djokovic has been tied with long-retired Margaret Court on 24 Grand Slam singles titles since 2023 and he believes his most realistic hope of a historic 25th win lies at the All England Club. The 38-year-old, who has lost the past two Wimbledon finals to Carlos Alcaraz, has the added incentive of pulling level with the retired Roger Federer, who won a record eight men’s titles at the All England Club. Djokovic has been in every Wimbledon final since 2018 but knows time is running out as Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner establish a stranglehold at the top of the men’s game. – AFP

Gauff blames switch from clay to grass for defeat

like I had enough time to celebrate and also get back into it,” she said. Gauff wiped away tears as she discussed her disappointment at failing to adjust to the surface, which she said was harder to adapt to than from clay to hard court. “I have faith that if I can make these adjustments, I can do well here. I really do want to do well here. I’m not someone who wants to write myself off grass this early in my career, but I definitely need to make changes if I want to be suc cessful here,” she said. “I’m trying to be positive. After the match, I definitely was strug gling in the locker room. I don’t like losing.” Gauff slipped over several times early in the match, while Yastremska looked sure-footed as she pummelled the American with winners from the baseline. “Dayana played great. I felt like I wasn’t playing terrible in some points, and she was hitting win ners.” Gauff followed compatriot and third seed Jessica Pegula out of the tournament in the first round on Tuesday. “I feel like historically Wimbledon always has so many upsets in first rounds here … it’s always a topic.” – Reuters

A TEARFUL Coco Gauff said she had not coped well with the switch from Paris clay to Wimbledon grass after she was dumped out of the champi onships in the first round yesterday. The French Open champion looked uncomfortable under the roof on Court One and failed to find any serving rhythm as she suc cumbed 7-6(3), 6-1 to Ukrainian world No. 42 Dayana Yastremska. Gauff was eager to give her big hitting opponent credit for the win but said she would probably change her tactics in future during the three weeks between Roland Garros and Wimbledon. “I just feel like the surface I maybe could have used more matches. It’s like finding the puzzle,” the American second seed said. “It’s a quick turnaround, so I think just trying to learn on whether it’s better to train more and maybe play Bad Homburg or Eastbourne.” Gauff, 21, was knocked out in the first round at Berlin and had little other grasscourt practice before Wimbledon. Her win in Paris was the second Grand Slam victory of her career fol lowing last year’s US Open triumph. “I feel like mentally I was a little bit overwhelmed with everything that came afterwards, so I didn’t feel Kvitova bids farewell to special place IT HAS been 14 years, since a beaming Petra Kvitova saw her name being added in gold print to the famed green honours board at Wimbledon moments after she had held aloft the Venus Rosewater Dish for the first time. Yet on Tuesday, after she signed off on her 17-year Wimbledon adventure with a first-round 6-3, 6-1 defeat by American 10th seed Emma Navarro, the Czech wasted little time in giving a vivid blow-by-blow account of that magical fortnight. “I do remember very clearly what happened out there. I do remember (the semis) with Vika (Victoria Azarenka) was three sets. It was always big battles to play with her,” said the 35-year-old Kvitova, who gave birth to her son during last year’s Wimbledon fortnight. “To be honest, I don’t know where the (6-3, 6-4) performance came from in that final (against Maria Sharapova). “I was very grateful that it came in the right moment, that I served it out for the match. “That was something which I will never be able to describe because it was such a surprise. “I do remember the happiness I had when I was holding the trophy. I do remember my English wasn’t in a good place either, so I was more nervous for the press conferences than for the matches.” On Tuesday, she proved that her English had also come a long way as she charmed the Court One crowd with her farewell speech and even announced her own press conference to the world’s media. “I will miss Wimbledon, I will miss tennis, I will miss you fans but I am ready for the next chapter of life as well,” the 2011 and 2014 champion told the crowd after receiving a standing ovation. “I can’t wait to be back as a member.” – Reuters

Zverev considers therapy

… after shock first round Wimbledon exit

A LEXANDER ZVEREV cut a forlorn figure after he became the highest men’s seed to fall in a brutal first round for top players at Wimbledon as the German lost a five-set marathon to France’s Arthur Rinderknech yesterday. Third seed Zverev and Rinderknech were locked at one set apiece on Monday when play

years. He settled an assault case against him for allegedly pushing and strangling his then girlfriend, a charge he denied, last year. He also previously faced allegations of domestic abuse against another former girlfriend, with the ATP halting its investigation due to insufficient evidence. While he previously managed to block out those distractions, yesterday he admitted he might need to undergo counselling to get back into the right headspace. “Maybe for the first time in my life, I’ll probably need it (therapy). I’ve been through a lot of difficulties in life generally. I’ve never felt this empty before. Just lacking joy, just lacking joy in everything that I do,” said Zverev, who last won a title in April. “It’s not necessarily about tennis. Just lacking joy outside of tennis, as well. Even when I’m winning … it’s not necessarily a feeling that I used to get where I was happy, over the moon. “It’s just not there right now for me, which, again, is the first time in my life which I’m feeling.” Despite his own struggles, Zverev did not want to take anything away from his 72nd-ranked conqueror. “He played a fantastic match. I’m not sure he’s ever played a match like that in his life,” said the 28-year-old. “Arthur deserved to win today. I didn’t break him once, which speaks a lot for him. The fifth set I played okay, just apart from that one stupid game. I let go of the match in the fifth set.” – Reuters

was stopped but after the resumption on a sultry Centre Court the Frenchman ground out a 7-6(3), 6-7(8), 6-3, 6-7(5), 6 4 victory. It was Zverev’s first opening-round defeat at a Grand Slam since Wimbledon in 2019 and leaves him still searching for a first major after 38 attempts. He appeared to be a lost soul as he tried to come to terms with yesterday’s defeat, explaining that his off-court struggles were now impacting his game. “I feel very alone out there at times,” said Zverev, who lost a third Grand Slam final when he was beaten by Jannik Sinner at Melbourne Park in January. “I struggle mentally. I’ve been saying that since after the Australian Open. Yeah, just don’t know. I’m trying to find ways to get out of this hole. I keep finding myself back in it. “I just feel generally very, very alone and very lonely … is a feeling that is not very nice. Just never felt that way before. “I don’t think tennis is the problem

Petra Kvitova waves goodbye after losing her first round match to Emma Navarro. – REUTERSPIC

right now for me. It’s something else that I have to find within me at the moment. Again, it’s difficult for me to tell y o u because I don’t have the answers right now.” Zverev has had to deal with a number of issues in recent

Germany’s Alexander Zverev. – AFPPIC