I am penning this at Istanbul airport as we watch for our connection to Turin and, having left for the airport in Riyadh at 5am on Sunday morning after two hours sleep, please excuse any unhealthy spelling or random musings, though relating to camel rides that’s meant to be in right here!
By the point you are studying this, we might be on the brink of deliver you Monday’s protection from Day 2 of the ATP Tour Finals.
As we watch for our flight a debate is in full swing among the many crew as to who’s the best British sports activities particular person, and also you wont be stunned to know that Andy Murray has had a number of mentions! Fingers are beginning to be pointed and lack of sleep may result in some fascinating dialogue however it’s a great way of passing the time.
Whereas the controversy continues I’ll get to the tennis and as a substitute of ready till the ATP Finals have been completed, with our journey to Saudi Arabia and the WTA Finals nonetheless recent in my thoughts, I needed to look again on the WTA’s season-ending event.
It was per week that was topped off with a incredible ultimate, the youngest WTA Finals showpiece since 2004 when Serena Williams confronted Maria Sharapova, with this yr’s version seeing the youngest winner in 20-year-old Coco Gauff.
Gauff got here from a set right down to beat Olympic Gold Medallist, 22 yr previous Qinwen Zheng in simply over three hours, 3-6 6-4 7-6 (7-2). It was Gauff’s greatest ultimate and now greatest title since successful the US Open in 2023. On her option to the ultimate she beat the highest two gamers on this planet in Aryna Sabalenka who finishes the yr as world No 1 and Iga Swiatek.
Gauff has nicely documented areas in her sport that may breakdown within the forehand and serve, however her psychological power is second to none, she attracts power from negativity and is doing issues her method and in her personal time.
In current instances, she has made some teaching modifications with the addition of Jean-Christophe Faurel and Matt Daly who specialises in grip modifications, one thing they’ve already began together with her serve.
And whereas chatting with us stay on Sky Sports activities Tennis after the ultimate saying that she is exhausted, she informed Laura Robson on media day that when the season is lastly over she’s off to a music pageant, and she will’t wait.
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Coco Gauff breaks the serve of Qinwen Zheng within the deciding set on the WTA Finals
Saudi Arabia transferring in proper route with ladies’s sport
So far as the finals being performed in Saudi Arabia, one thing that generated a whole lot of dialogue and headlines when it was introduced, whereas there may be nonetheless a whole lot of work to be carried out earlier than we see the change that’s spoken of occur, it does look as if issues are transferring in the appropriate route relating to getting ladies engaged in and taking part in sport.
The final 10 days noticed gamers previous and current maintain teaching clinics, make themselves as seen as attainable and see for themselves the place the nation is and the place it needs to go. As all the time it is what occurs when everybody leaves when the event is completed, however it does sound from chatting with a varied people who whereas not transferring on the pace many would love it to alter is going on and the WTA being there’s a optimistic transfer.
We did get the possibility to discover just a little and for Laura and I that meant sand dunes, quad bikes and camel using. A 4.30am departure from the resort meant we received to see the dawn, then got here the quad bikes and at last the camels.
I used to be planning on giving this half a miss having ridden one years in the past and being pretty unimpressed, however I used to be ushered ahead and earlier than I knew it, I used to be getting on a camel with Laura, as there have been 4 of us and solely three camels. The extra I politely declined the supply of getting on the extra they weren’t taking no for a solution, so then it occurred, the phrases I by no means thought I might hear myself say: ‘Laura can I trip in your camel with you!’
As soon as the season lastly shuts down, which it does for a really temporary period of time, I’ll look again on the yr and forward to 2025 however I feel it is truthful to say that relating to the ladies’s sport it’s in good fingers.
Behind the scenes in Riyadh issues have been very busy inside the crew, manufacturing supervisor James walked right into a window, considering it was a door, Patrick spent the week avoiding nuts that he might or is probably not allergic too, and there have been nuts in most issues and Kirsty spent her first week with the tennis crew and we expect we’ve gained her over.
Sinner massive favorite for ATP Finals
Whereas we have been away Cam Norrie had a superb finish to the season, reaching the ultimate in Metz, whereas Katie Boulter would wrap up her yr at a career-high rating of twenty third.
Subsequent cease Turin, which is beneath method and for the primary time since 2001 it would not function a member of the Huge Three following Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal. The prize pot is identical as for the WTA Finals, $15.25m (£11.83m) unfold throughout the singles and doubles with an undefeated singles champion strolling away with $4.8m (£3.7m).
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Highlights of Jannik Sinner vs Alex de Minaur on the ATP Finals
So to predictions and we’ve been requested who will make the ultimate in Turin, who will win and our shock package deal.
Nobody is giving something away as to who they’ve chosen, however I can’t think about that anybody will stray removed from world No 1 Jannik Sinner.
I hope you possibly can be part of us – we might be with you reside every single day from Turin, the place the event will function a day and an evening session and, after totally admitting they weren’t on it with their predictions in Riyadh, Laura and Tim have promised to step issues up, so be part of us on Sky Sports activities Tennis.
And as I end this Lennox Lewis has been thrown into our debate concerning the best British sportsperson…
Monday on the Nitto ATP Finals on Sky Sports activities Tennis
Monday’s Order of Play
- 4-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz opens towards Casper Ruud at 1pm (GMT) in John Newcombe Group
- New world No 2 Alexander Zverev takes on Andrey Rublev from 7.30pm
Sky Sports activities+ has formally launched and might be built-in into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports activities app, giving Sky Sports activities prospects entry to over 50 per cent extra stay sport this yr at no further price. Discover out extra right here.
