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Elena Rybakina pulled out of the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships citing a stomach illness after voicing concerns over physical exhaustion.
Coco Gauff's coach Brad Gilbert called for "incidental challenges" following the American's heated argument with the chair umpire in her third-round match at the 2024 Dubai Championships. Meanwhile, Serena Williams complimented rapper Megan Thee Stallion on her new sneaker collaboration with Nike.
Also, Paula Badosa shared an update about her back injury with fans after her emotional withdrawal from the Dubai Tennis Championships.
On that note, here's a quick overview of today's top headlines:
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Elena Rybakina bowed out of the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships due to stomach issues
Elena Rybakina pulled out of her quarterfinal match against Jasmine Paolini at the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships citing stomach illness.
The decision came as she was diagnosed with gastrointestinal issues, leading her to forgo the competition. This withdrawal disrupted her plans for a fourth semifinal appearance in the 2024 season.
Following her round of 16 win against Magdalena Frech, the Kazakh revealed the physical strain she faced due to such a busy schedule. She expressed the increasing difficulty of maintaining good health despite her noteworthy performance earlier in 2024.
"It's just the beginning of the year. Of course, it’s a great start, but it's not easy. Most important is to stay healthy. With every match, it's getting tougher and tougher physically but really happy with the start of the year, hopefully, I just can continue like this," Rybakina said in her on-court interview.
Coco Gauff's coach proposes "incidental challenges" after her heated argument with umpire in Dubai
Coco Gauff’s coach Brad Gilbert expressed solidarity with the 19-year-old after her fiery argument with the chair umpire during her third-round match against Karolina Pliskova at the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships.
The dispute emerged when the chair umpire opted not to give Gauff a point following a valid challenge on a faulty serve. The umpire claimed that the initial "out" call impacted Pliskova's shot, necessitating a redo of the point. Despite Gauff's efforts to persuade the umpire, her appeals were unsuccessful.
Gilbert, reacting to a video of the incident on X (formerly Twitter), advocated for "incidental challenges," citing this as a compelling example of their necessity for players.
"This is exactly why you should have incidental challenges," he posted on X.
Megan Thee Stallion's latest sneaker collaboration with Nike gets a shoutout from Serena Williams
Serena Williams lauded rapper Megan Thee Stallion's latest sneaker collaboration with Nike. Megan introduced a customizable Air Max 97 collection, featuring three distinct sets based on Hot Girl Meg, Tina Snow, and Suga.
Williams expressed her admiration for the collection on the rapper's Instagram post, specifically mentioning her appreciation for the red and yellow colorway.
"Wait I love the red and yellow!" Williams commented on rapper's post.
Paula Badosa shares injury update following Dubai exit
Paula Badosa shared an update on her back injury following her withdrawal from her first-round match against Lulu Sun at the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships.
Taking to social media, Badosa expressed gratitude to her fans for their unwavering support. The Spaniard promised her fans that she was working hard to come back to the tennis court soon.
"I want to thank all the people who have been sending me messages of support during this very difficult time for me." Paula Badosa wrote in a post on X. "It is being a long process, but what I am sure of is that I am not going to give up."
In another post, Badosa reiterated that tennis is her passion and expressed her determination to overcome the challenges and get back to competing as soon as possible.
"Tennis is my life and my passion, I am going to give everything to enjoy it again soon. We continue fighting…" the Spaniard wrote.
