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Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian showed up to cheer the Virginia Cavaliers at the NCAA women’s basketball season opener. In other tennis-related news, Serena Williams’ former coach Rennae Stubbs commended Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek for showcasing women’s tennis at the WTA Finals.
Meanwhile, Tennis icon Novak Djokovic wrapped up his 2024 season with a shock ATP Finals withdrawal. Ugo Humbert shared his perspective on the controversial Paris Masters semifinal against Karen Khachanov.
On that note, here's a recap of today's trending pop moments in tennis:
Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian rallies behind Virginia Cavaliers at NCAA women’s basketball season kickoff
Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian revisited his alma mater, the University of Virginia, to enjoy basketball action.
Trending
Recently, he highlighted his dedication to women's sports by attending the NCAA women’s basketball season opener, where he cheered on the Virginia Cavaliers in their impressive 104-68 victory over the American Eagles.
Checkout the pictures here:
Serena Williams’ ex-coach praises Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek for their WTA Finals performance
Serena Williams' former coach Rennae Stubbs shared her thoughts on the WTA Finals group stage match between defending champion Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, which the American won 6-3, 6-4.
It was their third clash of 2024 and Gauff’s second career win over Swiatek, her last being in the 2023 Cincinnati Open semifinal.
Stubbs expressed her admiration for the high level of tennis displayed by both players on her X (formerly Twitter) handle. The Aussie also addressed critics who questioned women's tennis's entertainment value.
"This tennis is REAL good from @CocoGauff and @iga_swiatek!! Also if i read 1 more thing on this site about women’s tennis not being entertaining or worth watching, turn on your tv to the TC & watch this match & if you’re still negative about women’s tennis, unfollow me," Stubbs wrote.
Coco Gauff is leading the Orange group with a 2-0 win-loss record so far. The American will take on eighth seed Barbora Krejcikova in the third-round robin match on November 7.
Novak Djokovic concludes 2024 season with ATP Finals withdrawal
Novak Djokovic has officially ended his 2024 season by announcing he will not participate in the upcoming ATP Finals in Turin (November 10-17), where he was set to defend his title. A record seven-time champion, Djokovic was the sixth player to qualify for the year-end championships.
In his absence, Casper Ruud, Alex de Minaur, and Andrey Rublev have secured their spots, joining Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, and Taylor Fritz. Djokovic cited an unspecified injury as the reason for withdrawing, sharing the news on Instagram with his followers.
"It’s quite an honor to qualify for the @nittoatpfinals in Turin. I was really looking forward to being there, but due to ongoing injury I won’t be playing next week. Apologies to those who were planning to see me. Wishing all the players a great tournament. See you soon!" Djokovic wrote.
Novak Djokovic concluded his 2024 season without securing an ATP title. The Serb's sole victory this year was the Olympic gold medal in Paris, marking his 99th career title.
Read More: Novak Djokovic ends 2024 season; announces shock withdrawal from ATP Finals in Turin
Ugo Humbert addresses controversy surrounding Paris Masters SF match against Karen Khachanov
Ugo Humbert responded to the controversy surrounding his 2024 Paris Masters semifinal match against Karen Khachanov, where the Russian lost 7-6(6), 4-6, 3-6.
Khachanov struggled with a leg injury in the third set, calling for a medical timeout and having difficulty moving in the final two games. Despite Khachanov's evident discomfort, Humbert continued to celebrate each point enthusiastically with the home crowd. This led to a tense post-match handshake, and Khachanov later criticized Humbert for his lack of respect.
Watch the video here:
To clarify the situation, Humbert explained on social media that he believed Khachanov's injury was just a cramp and expressed disappointment that his actions were seen as unsportsmanlike. The Frenchman emphasized his respect for all his opponents and mentioned that he had apologized to Khachanov.
"I wanted to say a few words following the controversy after my semi-final against Karen. After the physio's intervention, I thought it was cramp, as I was cramping myself after 2 and a half hours of intense play. I've lost other matches this year in similar circumstances and this time I remained very focused on the goal. I'm sorry to see that this has been misunderstood and even worse described as a lack of fair play," Humbert wrote on his Instagram stories.
He added:
"I have contacted him personally to apologize. I have great respect for Karen and for all the opponents I've had to meet so far. This will serve as a lesson to me to act better in the future."
15th seed Ugo Humbert advanced to his maiden Masters 1000 final, where he lost 2-6, 2-6 to third seed Alexander Zverev.
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