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Greek tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas and his girlfriend Paula Badosa took a break from competition to enjoy each other's company at the 2024 Cincinnati Open. In other news, tennis legend Chris Evert commended Frances Tiafoe's partnership with his new coach David Witt amid the 26-year-old's recent run of form.
Meanwhile, Coco Gauff's coach Brad Gilbert expressed support for Felix Auger-Aliassime after the Canadian was involved in a controversial moment during his match against Jack Draper. Carlos Alcaraz issued an apology for smashing his racket during his second-round defeat in Cincinnati.
Also, World No. 1 women's tennis player Iga Swiatek reiterated her criticism of the WTA Tour's scheduling.
On that note, here's a recap of today's top tennis news:
Stefanos Tsitsipas and girlfriend Paula Badosa share quality time at Cincinnati Open
Stefanos Tsitsipas and his girlfriend, fellow tennis pro Paula Badosa, were seen enjoying some quality time together during the 2024 Cincinnati Open. On Friday, August 16, the couple was spotted holding hands while stretching at the gym.
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Ninth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas' Cincinnati Open campaign ended in disappointment as he lost 6-3, 4-6, 5-7 to Jack Draper in the second round. Paula Badosa, on the other hand, made it to the semifinals, where she will take on sixth seed Jessica Pegula.
Tennis legend Chris Evert lauds Frances Tiafoe’s form under new coach David Witt’s guidance
Chris Evert lavished praise on Frances Tiafoe and his collaboration with new coach David Witt after the American secured a spot in the Cincinnati Open quarterfinals by defeating Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-7(10), 7-6(5).
The duo started working together post-Wimbledon 2024, with Witt having previously coached Venus Williams and Jessica Pegula.
Evert congratulated Tiafoe on X (formerly Twitter) for his performance.
"Just watched the @FTiafoe match from last night... All I can say is 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏and.... great choice in David Witt!!!" Evert wrote.
Frances Tiafoe went on to reach the last four in Cincinnati for the first time in his tennis career after his quarterfinal opponent Hubert Hurkacz retired due to a knee injury. The American will next face either 15th seed Holger Rune or Jack Draper, with the winner of the match locking horns with either top seed Jannik Sinner or third seed Alexander Zverev in the final.
Coco Gauff's coach Brad Gilbert backs Felix Auger-Aliassime following Cincinnati Open controversy
Coco Gauff's coach Brad Gilbert commented on the controversy involving Felix Auger-Aliassime and Jack Draper's third-round match at the 2024 Cincinnati Open, where the Brit ultimately secured a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 victory.
During the match, Auger-Aliassime claimed that the ball had hit the frame of Draper's racket before touching the floor, arguing that the Brit mishit it. However, the umpire disagreed, and despite replays supporting the Canadian's claim, the situation did not go in his favor.
Watch the video here:
Gilbert shared his thoughts on the incident on X (formerly Twitter).
"The fact that referee comes to court without looking at tape of the play is beyond baffling, so will just confirm umpire's decision is egregious. This is perfect example of 10 seconds umpires have tv monitor makes obvious overrule," Gilbert wrote.
Carlos Alcaraz expresses regret for smashing racket during Cincinnati Open 2R loss
Carlos Alcaraz issued an apology for smashing his racket in frustration during his 6-4, 6-7(5), 4-6 loss to Gael Monfils in the second round at the 2024 Cincinnati Open.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Alcaraz admitted that his behavior was "not correct" and acknowledged that he had difficulty controlling his nerves. The Spaniard also promised to avoid such incidents in the future and expressed his excitement for the upcoming US Open.
"I apologize because my attitude yesterday was not correct and it is something that should not be done on the track. I am a human, I had a lot of nerves inside and sometimes it is very difficult to control yourself when your heart rate is so high. I will work so that it doesn't happen again. Time to think about NYC!" the 21-year-old wrote (translated from Spanish).
Iga Swiatek stands firm on her criticism of the WTA Tour's scheduling
After securing a spot in the Cincinnati Open semifinals with a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory over Mirra Andreeva, Iga Swiatek shared her thoughts on the rigorous demands of the WTA Tour in an interview with Sky Sports.
The World No. 1 in women's tennis has long advocated for a less packed calendar, noting that while she enjoyed the travel, it could become exhausting.
"So what can I say I've been kind of an advocate, saying that well, we shouldn't be pushing and pushing for us to play more," Iga Swiatek said. "Obviously, it's not our decision, but for sure, I think we have too many tournaments in the season."
"It's not gonna end well as it's just it makes tennis less fun for us," she added. "Let's just say, I mean, obviously, I love playing all these places but it's pretty exhausting."
Top seed Iga Swiatek will next take on Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinal on August 18, with the winner of the match facing either sixth seed Jessica Pegula or Paula Badosa in the final.
