Casper Ruud finally defeated Novak Djokovic at the sixth attempt on Saturday, setting up a Monte Carlo Masters title showdown with Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Norwegian eighth seed Ruud, who had been swept off court by the world No. 1 in a demoralizing French Open final loss last year, came through 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 in his semi-final when Djokovic double-faulted after saving two match points.
An inspired Tsitsipas handed world No. 2 Jannik Sinner just his second loss of the season as the two-time champion Greek booked his place in yesterday’s final, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
Photo: AFP
“I’m super-happy, this is a day I will remember for a really long time,” said Ruud who had never taken a set off Djokovic in their five previous meetings. “I’ve never beaten Novak and I’ve never beaten a world No. 1. I’m still in a little bit of shock.”
Djokovic was competing in his first semi-final in Monte Carlo since he lifted his second title in 2015. He was hoping to reach a 59th Masters final.
“Congratulations to Casper. He played really good, especially in the beginning of the first and third set,” the 36-year-old top seed said. “Of course I’m disappointed now, to lose a match like this ... it was a close one.”
Taiwan won a back-and-forth match at the Unions Cup in Singapore yesterday, but the hosts claimed the trophy due to a better points differential over the tournament. Singapore’s players celebrated with the cup, despite losing a match in which they seized the lead three times, but ultimately fell to a 19-16 defeat. Their points advantage was due to their strong opening game against the other team in the competition, Thailand, who they beat 30-8 on Saturday last week. Taiwan narrowly lost to Thailand on Tuesday and went into yesterday’s match facing a steep challenge. They responded well, opening the game with sustained pressure
An “outstanding” 17-year-old Chinese badminton player died of cardiac arrest after collapsing on court during a tournament in Indonesia, officials said yesterday. Zhang Zhijie was playing a match late Sunday against Japan’s Kazuma Kawano at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The score was 11-11 in the first game when Zhang fell to the floor between points. The teenager received treatment at the venue and was rushed to hospital in an ambulance, but passed away later that night after repeated efforts to resuscitate him failed. “Medical conclusions ... indicated that the victim experienced sudden cardiac arrest,” Broto Happy, spokesman for
A buzz of excitement crackled through the hushed arena as the rider gripped the reins of her stuffed steed. Welcome to the strangely exacting world of hobby-horsing, the Finnish sport guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Immaculately coiffed equestrians leap athletically over fences just like in horse jumping, going as fast as they can against the clock straddling their stick steeds. Things are more stately in the dressage, with riders trotting their stick horses with intricately decorated stuffed heads before the discerning eyes of the judges. About 260 riders from 22 countries — most women and girls aged 10 to 20 —
Taiwan’s men’s national basketball team is set to upgrade its depth in the paint after signing Brandon Gilbeck of the P.League+’s Formosa Dreamers to a naturalized player’s contract. The 27-year-old big man from the US landed in Taoyuan early on Monday, where he was welcomed by Chinese Taipei Basketball Association deputy secretary-general Chang Cheng-chung. The two signed the deal, which still has to be approved by the Sports Administration and the Ministry of the Interior. Chang said he is confident that “the proceedings would go smoothly.” If approved, Gilbeck would become the third naturalized basketball player in Taiwan, following the New Taipei Kings’ Quincy