CINCINNATI (AFP) – World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has a remarkably clear road to the ATP Cincinnati Masters final after producing an efficient victory Thursday while third seed Roger Federer crashed out of the US Open tuneup event. Djokovic was never in danger in his 6-3, 6-4 triumph over 53rd-ranked Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta, whom […]

CINCINNATI (AFP) – World No. 1 Naomi Osaka and Wimbledon champion Simona Halep battled to three-set triumphs Wednesday at the ATP and WTA Cincinnati Masters while top seed Ashleigh Barty ousted Maria Sharapova. Reigning US and Australian Open champion Osaka needed more than two hours to outlast Aliaksandra Sasnovich, 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 6-2. The Japanese […]

MASON, Ohio (AP) – Going small paid off big for Venus Williams. Tuesday didn’t go as well for sister Serena. On a day when back problems forced the younger Williams to withdraw before her second-round match, Venus Williams reached the third round of the Western & Southern Open with a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (4) upset […]

CINCINNATI (AFP) – Three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray said he “did OK” in his first singles match in seven months – a 6-4, 6-4 loss to Richard Gasquet at the Cincinnati Masters on Monday. “I don’t really know what I was expecting, to be honest,” said Murray, sidelined since January by a career-threatening hip […]

MONTREAL (AFP) – Rafael Nadal completed a 6-3, 6-0 demolition of Russian Daniil Medvedev to win in Montreal on Sunday and extend his record haul of Masters 1000 titles. The world number two secured his 35th Masters crown, pulling clear by two in that category from Novak Djokovic, who has won 33 of the elite […]