French Open crowd boos as Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk refuses to shake hands with Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka | CNN

CNN  —  Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk refused to shake hands with Belarusian opponent Aryna Sabalenka following their opening round match at the French Open, leading to boos from some of the crowd. After Sabalenka secured the 6-3 6-2 win, Kostyuk walked straight over to the umpire to shake her hand and then back to…

Belarusian star opts out of French Open press conference, saying she ‘did not feel safe’ at last press conference | CNN

CNN  —  World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka did not participate in a customary post-match press conference after her third-round win at the French Open on Friday, saying she didn’t feel safe when participating in a press conference held earlier this week. On Wednesday, after winning in the second round of the tournament, the Belarusian had…

Ukrainian star Elina Svitolina calls Russian opponent ‘brave’ following French Open win | CNN

CNN  —  Tennis player Elina Svitolina called her opponent, Russian Daria Kasatkina, a “brave one” following the Ukrainian’s upset win on Sunday. Svitolina, who previously said she would not shake hands with Russian and Belarusian opponents out of respect for the men and women defending Ukraine, told reporters that she “acknowledged” Kasatkina after the match….

Aryna Sabalenka exacerbated handshake snub by waiting at the net, says Elina Svitolina | CNN

CNN  —  Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina said that she was unsure why Belarusian opponent Aryna Sabalenka waited at the net for a handshake after their French Open match. With the war in her home country ongoing, Svitolina has declined to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian players since returning to tennis following the birth…

How marathon running stopped former tennis player Monica Puig from descending into a ‘big black hole of depression and sadness’ | CNN

CNN  —  Monica Puig won more than 300 matches during her tennis career and the feeling afterwards was often the same: relief, excitement, and satisfaction that the weeks and months of sacrifice and preparation had paid off. Today, exactly a year after shoulder issues forced her to retire aged 28, Puig is still able to…

US Open provides the scene for the latest chapter in rivalry between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz | CNN

CNN  —  The stage is set for another epic showdown between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open which starts on Monday. The pair have thrilled tennis fans this season with two special matches, first in the Wimbledon final and then most recently at the Cincinnati Open. Djokovic described last Sunday’s Cincinnati Open…

ESPN tennis analyst John McEnroe will miss some of US Open after positive Covid-19 test | CNN

CNN  —  ESPN’s lead tennis analyst John McEnroe said he tested positive for the virus that causes Covid-19 and will miss some time covering the US Open tennis championships. “Unfortunately, after feeling a bit under the weather, I tested positive for Covid,” McEnroe said in a statement Tuesday. “I’m watching the US Open from home…