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Tennis legend Novak Djokovic expressed grief over the death of his former coach Jovan Lilic. In other news, Naomi Osaka defended herself after a troll called her a "fluke".
Meanwhile, a tennis insider criticized the ATP for scheduling Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at the Shanghai Masters just under 48 hours after the China Open final. Frances Tiafoe commended Derrick Rose's transition to a motivational speaker for kids following his NBA career.
On that note, here's a recap of today's top tennis news:
Novak Djokovic pays tribute to late coach Jovan Lilic
Novak Djokovic has reacted to the passing of his former coach Jovan Lilic, who played a key role in Serbia’s 2010 Davis Cup win and coached the 24-time Grand Slam champion to his first Olympic bronze medal at the Beijing Games. Lilic also achieved significant milestones at the European Championships.
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The Tennis Federation of Serbia confirmed the sad news (via Telegraf):
"Jovan is survived by generations of tennis players whom he led as a personal and club coach. He was the national team coach in the U18 category, as well as the coach of the Davis Cup team of Serbia. His contribution to the development of tennis in Serbia cannot be overestimated. Our sympathies are with the Lilic family."
Djokovic later conveyed his grief by posting about the loss on his Instagram story.
Novak Djokovic is set to make his comeback at the Shanghai Masters after five years, marking his tenth appearance at the Masters 1000 tournament, where he has previously won four titles in 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2018.
Fourth-seeded Djokovic received a bye into the second round where he will take on either 28th-seed Flavio Cobolli or wildcard Stan Wawrinka.
Read More: Novak Djokovic heartbroken by death of former coach Jovan Lilic
Naomi Osaka shuts down troll after being branded a "fluke"
Naomi Osaka reacted angrily after an online troll called her a "fluke." Since returning from maternity leave earlier this year, Osaka has struggled on the WTA Tour, making it to only two quarterfinals in 16 tournaments.
On Threads, Osaka shared the troll's insult and responded by highlighting her career accomplishments and stressing that the troll could never come close to achieving the same, saying they wouldn't even reach them with their "fingernail."
"I just saw someone call me a fluke. How is it possible to be a fluke with 4 grand slams, lighting the Olympic torch, beating multiple top 20 opponents and being close to top 50 the year after giving birth? Foh, you couldn't even touch one of my accomplishments with your fingernail," Osaka wrote.
Naomi Osaka was recently forced to retire mid-match due to a lower back injury during her Round of 16 match against fourth seed Coco Gauff at the 2024 China Open.
Read More: Naomi Osaka lashes out at troll after being called a 'fluke'
ATP criticized by tennis insider as Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner face back-to-back matches after China Open final
Tennis insider Jose Morgado criticized the ATP's scheduling, highlighting the quick turnaround for Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who are set to play at the Shanghai Masters just under 48 hours after their China Open final.
Alcaraz triumphed over defending champion Sinner 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3) in a grueling match in Beijing that lasted nearly three-and-a-half hours Following a post-match photo shoot, both players and their teams boarded the same private jet to Shanghai, where they will start their Shanghai Masters campaigns less than 48 hours after the China Open final on October 2.
Morgado criticized the ATP for not allowing adequate recovery time and called the schedule "unhealthy" for the players.
"Both Carlos Alcaraz (vs. Shang!) and Jannik Sinner (Daniel) will have to play their first matches in Shanghai... in less than 48 hours... That's unhealthy and actually almost pathetic for tennis as an organization," Morgado wrote on X.
Alcaraz also reiterated his criticism of the ATP's "tight" scheduling after arriving at the Shanghai Masters with little sleep.
In a pre-tournament press conference, he discussed the demanding tour schedule, acknowledging that players must adapt. However, he pointed out he had no time to rest after the final due to immediate travel to a new city.
"Well, I said so many times, the tennis schedule is so tight, but we have to get used to it, or I guess we have to," Carlos Alcaraz said. "Yeah, yesterday we finished 8.30 pm, 9 pm, three-hours match, and then I had no time to do anything else."
"I just went to the club before the final with all the bags, because I knew that we had to run after the finals to take the flight to come here," he added.
Alcaraz explained that he tried to rest, adjust to the playing conditions, and prepare for his first match. The Spaniard emphasized that frequent travel and shrinking gaps between tournaments can take a toll on players.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are set to make their second appearances at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament. The top-seeded Italian and third-seeded Spaniard have received byes into the second round, where they will face Taro Daniel and Shang Juncheng, respectively, on October 5.
Frances Tiafoe lauds Derrick Rose's new role as a motivational speaker for kids post-NBA career
Frances Tiafoe praised former NBA star Derrick Rose for his shift to motivational speaking for children after his retirement last month.
Rose made history in 2011 by becoming the youngest MVP in the NBA. That year, he led the Chicago Bulls to 62 victories, averaging 25 points, 7.7 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game.
Tiafoe shared an Instagram post highlighting Rose's mission of assisting young children in overcoming challenging circumstances.
Frances Tiafoe had a tough start to the Asian swing, falling 5-7, 3-6 to compatriot Brandon Nakashima in the first round of the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo. Tiafoe is set to compete in the Shanghai Masters in China next. The 13th-seeded American has received a bye into the second round, where he will face local wildcard Zhou Yi on October 5.
In addition, Tiafoe will participate in the doubles event alongside Alexander Bublik. The American-Kazakh duo will compete against Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Santiago Gonzalez in the first round on October 4.
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