To get a good understanding of the situation, it’s important to know that Ronaldo has two main agents: Jorge Mendes and Simon de Quieroz. The former runs Ronaldo’s affairs for him, while the latter is a consultant for Mendes; they represent a large number of top players in the world, and are instrumental in the transfer market. The Ronaldo-Juventus situation has been a tense one: after four years at the Juventus, Ronaldo returned to United and signed a new £300,000-a-week, four-year deal in the summer of 2018.
It’s been five years since Cristiano Ronaldo left Old Trafford for the Bernabeu in a world record £80m move after nine seasons with the Red Devils. After everything he’d achieved, it was hard to believe that Ronaldo would leave but that’s exactly what happened. The Madrid outfit also offered him bonuses of £30m each year, which he couldn’t turn down.
To get a good understanding of the situation, it’s important to know that Ronaldo has two main agents: Jorge Mendes and Simon de Quieroz. The former runs Ronaldo’s affairs for him, while the latter is a consultant for Mendes; they represent a large number of top players in the world, and are instrumental in the transfer market. The Ronaldo-Juventus situation has been a tense one: after four years at the Juventus, Ronaldo returned to United and signed a new £300,000-a-week, four-year deal in the summer of 2018.
Novak Djokovic lost the first set but won the next two to progress to the second round and come to within six victories of a Grand Slam. Credit… The New York Times/Michelle V. Agins
Novak Djokovic, the world No. 1 in men’s tennis, started his quest for the Grand Slam final with a 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-1 win against Holger Rune in the first round of the U.S. Open on Tuesday night.
Rune, an 18-year-old Danish qualifier, was playing in his first Grand Slam event. He’s a flamboyant, dynamic player with explosive power and infectious enthusiasm. He not only won the second set, but he also rallied the fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium, which has five levels and 23,771 seats and is the biggest arena in tour-level tennis.
The soundscape was often punctuated by loud shouts of “Ruuuuune,” which sounded oddly like booing. Djokovic seemed angry and off of rhythm as Rune leveled the match at one set each, but he never appeared flustered and was never really challenged down the stretch.
Early in the third set, Rune started to have leg cramps, wincing and limping between points and straining to leap into his serve and cover the corners of the court, all of which are required to pose a danger against Djokovic.
The last two sets were played in 51 minutes, which was less time than it took Rune to win the second set, which took 58 minutes.
“I’ve got to admit, finishing the way we ended today is never nice,” Djokovic remarked in his on-court interview. “Holger is a fantastic person who is one of the up-and-coming stars in the industry. He was the world’s finest junior.” “He is making his way through the professional ranks very quickly,” Djokovic said. He deserves a standing ovation. It’s too bad he had to go through everything.”
Rune has a history of cramping, and although it’s easy to forget at this point, Djokovic, too, previously battled with his on-court stamina, only finding a solution in 2010 and 2011 after switching to a gluten-free diet.
Djokovic, though, has established himself as a long-running champion, one of the most successful in the sport’s history, at the age of 34. He will break his tie with longstanding rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal by winning a men’s record 21st Grand Slam singles championship if he wins six more matches in New York.
If he wins six more matches, he will become the first woman to complete the Grand Slam in singles since Steffi Graf in 1988, and the first man to do it since Rod Laver in 1969. A player must win the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open all in the same calendar year to qualify for the Grand Slam. Graf completed a so-called Golden Slam by winning an Olympic gold medal.
Djokovic opted to relax before the U.S. Open rather than compete in any preparatory tournaments in North America after failing to earn a medal at the Tokyo Olympics earlier this month. On Tuesday night, he was not at his sharpest, but his shoulder, which had been bothering him in Tokyo, did not seem to restrict his ability to execute.
He was defaulted in the fourth round of the US Open in 2020 after striking a ball in anger and accidentally hitting a line judge in the neck. But there were no mishaps in this opening encounter, and Djokovic will be a heavy favorite in the second round when he faces Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands, who is ranked 121st in the world.
Maxime Cressy defeated Pablo Carreo Busta, a top-10 player, by saving four match points. Credit… Associated Press/Seth Wenig
Maxime Cressy, an American qualifier, pulled off the greatest shock of the U.S. Open thus far. Cressy came back from two sets down in the first round to beat No. 9-seeded Pablo Carreo Busta in a fifth-set tiebreaker, playing with a vintage serve-and-volley style and big-point flair.
It was, like most of Cressy’s bouts, a clash of styles. Against Carreo Busta, a fast and fit Spaniard who has twice reached the U.S. Open semifinals and has one of the finest baseline games on the circuit, he rushed the net whenever feasible and occasionally when it did not seem prudent.
Cressy, who stands 6-foot-6, blasted 44 aces in his swashbuckling triumph, which included saving four match chances in the final-set tiebreaker before winning 5-7, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6. (7). The match was played on Court 4, an outdoor court that had developed a stadium-like atmosphere towards the conclusion as spectators craned their necks to watch from adjacent spots and crammed into the top row of the practice court bleachers to see Cressy fight and volley his way to his greatest victory of his career.
Cressy, 24, was born in Paris to a French father and an American mother and went on to become a college star at U.C.L.A. before choosing to represent the United States. He is proficient in French and English, and his game appeals to the elder generation of tennis players who grew up playing serve-and-volley. Slower courts and racket string technology have made accurate, dipping passing shots simpler to generate, thus that style has progressively faded. However, the courts of this year’s U.S. Open look to be fast, and Cressy was able to put his volleying talents and large wingspan to good use when it counted most.
He won 46 of 70 serve-and-volley points and 64 of 97 net points overall, punching or chipping returns and pressing forward often. The United States Tennis Association’s general manager of player development, Martin Blackman, stated, “It’s wonderful to see that approach functioning on tour.” “Quicker courts assist, but you still need to be able to smash excellent volleys under duress.”
Cressy made a lot of shots down the line, preserving the first three match points in the tiebreaker when he was behind 3-6. On his serve, he struck two world-class low backhand volleys to remain in the point, and on the second, he hit two world-class low backhand volleys to stay in the game. At 5-6 in the third, Carreo double faulted, his second serve landing poorly in the center of the net. At 6-7, Cressy averted a match point with another beautiful backhand volley winner before sealing the victory by lifting both arms high and screaming as the crowd shouted “Maxime.” He then celebrated by windmilling his arms in front of the audience.
Cressy is one of three former U.C.L.A. players to reach the second round of the US Open this year. Marcos Giron and Mackenzie McDonald, Cressy’s old roommate, beat No. 27 seed David Goffin 6-2, 7-5, 6-3 on Tuesday and will play Japan’s Kei Nishikori next.
After Sebastian Korda, another talented young American player, withdrew in the second set due to a stomach issue, Cressy will face Nikoloz Basilashvili, a former top-20 player who progressed on Tuesday.
Cressy, on the other hand, ensured that the day was full of good surprises for American men’s tennis, as he became the first American man to upset a top-10 player in singles at the US Open since Jack Sock defeated Marin Cilic in the third round in 2016.
Sebastian Korda won only one match during the Western & Southern Open and had to exit his first-round match at the U.S. Open early.Credit…Dylan Buell/Getty Images
Sebastian Korda, one of the most promising American prospects in the men’s singles draw, was forced to withdraw from his first-round match due to sickness on Tuesday.
While down 2-6, 1-2 against Nikoloz Basilashvili, Korda was examined by a tournament doctor before choosing to stop the match.
Korda’s agent, Patricio Apey, claimed Korda had “had a terrible stomach, possibly food illness of sorts.” The Open did not immediately give an explanation for Korda’s withdrawal.
The terrible stomach arrived at the worst possible time. Korda had qualified for the United States men’s tennis squad at the Tokyo Olympics, but he passed on the chance to concentrate on American hardcourt tournaments in preparation for the US Open.
Nelly, Korda’s sister, won gold in women’s golf at those Olympics, solidifying her grip on the world No. 1 position. Jessica, his oldest sister, finished 15th at the Olympics and is now placed in the top 20.
Sebastian Korda has been one of the best players in American men’s tennis this year, despite beginning the year outside the top 100. In January, he reached the final of the Delray Beach Open, in April, the quarterfinals of the Miami Open, and in May, he won his first ATP championship in Parma, Italy. Korda, who is currently rated 45th, was the last American man or woman to compete at Wimbledon, losing a five-setter against Karen Khachanov of Russia in the fourth round.
Korda’s results had not been strong in U.S. Open lead-up events, however, winning just one match in Washington and one at the Western & Southern Open.
The top-ranked women’s singles player, Ashleigh Barty, is aiming for her sixth championship this year. Credit… Reuters/Robert Deutsch/USA Today Sports
Ashleigh Barty, the top-ranked women’s singles player in the world, defeated Vera Zvonareva 6-1, 7-6 (7) in the first round of the US Open for the first time since 2019. Barty, the versatile Australian star, is in the middle of her best season, and on her return to Arthur Ashe Stadium, she was frequently forceful and accurate.
She dominated the early parts of the match, using her topspin forehand and smashing or slicing aces to dictate the pace of play. However, when Barty served for the match at 5-4 and double-faulted on break point, the finale became more difficult. Barty had to preserve a set point at 6-7 with another excellent serve that set up a forehand victory as she and Zvonareva advanced to a tiebreaker.
She finished the match with 11 aces and 31 wins, as well as winning all six points she played at the net. Last year, Barty opted to stay in Australia because of coronavirus restrictions, which made traveling in and out of the nation difficult.
This year, she has won a tour-high five singles titles, including Wimbledon and the Western & Southern Open near Cincinnati earlier this month.
In her on-court interview, Barty stated, “I was sad not to be able to come and play last year, but playing this year with fans is better.” “It’s great to be back in New York.” The city is alive and well, as it should be, and it’s wonderful to be able to share that with everyone today.”
Barty will play Clara Tauson, a Danish 18-year-old who is rated 78th but has the power and ability to fly far higher, in the second round on Thursday.
Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland was defeated by Emma Raducanu of the United Kingdom, who required seven match points to win. Credit… Getty Images/Elsa
Emma Raducanu’s first career main draw win at the US Open wasn’t particularly difficult — after all, it only took an hour and 18 minutes — but completing it was.
Raducanu, 18, needed seven match points to beat Stefanie Voegele 6-2, 6-3 on Court 17 on Tuesday afternoon, and she seemed relieved when Voegele’s last forehand struck the net.
Raducanu was initially scheduled to play Jennifer Brady, the 13th seed, in the first round. Brady, who reached the quarterfinals of the US Open last year and the final of the Australian Open this year, pulled out of the event on Monday due to a knee ailment.
Raducanu, ranked 150th on the circuit, advanced to the main draw of the US Open last week with three straight-set victories in the qualifying rounds.
Raducanu made it to the fourth round of her Grand Slam tournament debut at Wimbledon last month as a wild-card entrant, enthralling her native country of Britain. Raducanu started to battle with her breathing halfway through her fourth-round match against Ajla Tomljanovic, and was taken off the court by medical staff. She didn’t come back to finish the game.
In an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation the following day, Raducanu stated, “I believe it was a mixture of everything that has gone on behind the scenes in the past week, the buildup of the excitement, the energy.”
Raducanu returned to the circuit last month and has been putting in impressive performances away from the limelight. Raducanu reached the quarterfinals of a lesser ITF tournament in Landisville, Pennsylvania, and the final of a lower-level WTA event in Chicago after losing in the first round of a WTA tournament in San Jose, Calif. Raducanu lost in the final of the Chicago event against Clara Tauson, another 18-year-old who, along with Coco Gauff, is one of only two players in the WTA Top 150 who is younger than her.
Novak Djokovic is seven match victories away from a Grand Slam victory. Credit… The New York Times’ Alana Holmberg
The best player in tennis, Novak Djokovic, will begin his quest to prolong his supremacy — and fight demons in the process — at the U.S. Open on Tuesday.
Djokovic will face Holger Rune of Denmark, who is three-quarters of the road to being the first man to win a Grand Slam since Rod Laver in 1969.
After a strong junior career, Rune, 18, is playing in his maiden Grand Slam main draw match. He’s been having some success at the Challenger level lately, but there’s no reason to believe he’s ready to take on Djokovic.
Beyond an inexperienced opponent, Djokovic has cause to be confident: he has won his past 21 matches in Grand Slam tournaments, including the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon. Djokovic is most at ease on hardcourts, having advanced to the fourth round in New York every year since 2007.
However, there are grounds to be skeptical. He encountered unforeseen potholes in the Tokyo Olympics after winning his 20th career Grand Slam event championship at Wimbledon, tying the men’s record.
In the semifinals, he was up a set and a break against Alexander Zverev, but then he collapsed and lost the third set 6-1. He was defeated 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-3 by Pablo Carreo Busta in the bronze medal match.
For the first time since being defaulted from the event last year in the fourth round for accidentally hitting a line judge in the neck with a ball, Djokovic will play at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine has the ability to upset more seasoned competitors. Credit… Action Images/Matthew Childs Reuters has the story.
How to watch: ESPN from noon to 6 p.m. Eastern; ESPN2 from 7 to 11 p.m. Eastern; and the ESPN app. TSN will broadcast the show in Canada from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and it will also be streamed on TSN.ca and the TSN app.
Keep an eye on the matches.
Individual matchup timings are estimations and may vary depending on when earlier play is finished due to the large number of matches rotating through the courts. All timings are in Eastern Standard Time.
11 a.m. | Court 10
Marta Kostyuk vs. Maria Sakkari
Maria Sakkari, the 17th seed, reached the French Open quarterfinals in June but has struggled on grass and hardcourts since then. Sakkari advanced to the round of 16 at the US Open last year, but he has a difficult draw right away.
Marta Kostyuk, 19, made a strong statement by reaching the round of 16 at the French Open, pushing herself to a career-high position of 55th in the world. She is capable of upsetting more experienced opponents, and she will put Sakkari to the test on the quicker surface in Flushing Meadows.
3 p.m. | ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM
Vera Zvonareva vs. Ashleigh Barty
The world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty withdrew from the French Open in the second round, forcing her to forego the summer’s preparation grass events. She has won 12 consecutive matches since then, including her second major championship at Wimbledon.
Vera Zvonareva, a former world No. 2, has not advanced beyond the second round of a major event since 2014, after shoulder surgery in 2013 that forced her to take time off the tour. Barty’s present supremacy is likely to eclipse Zvonareva’s expertise.
7 p.m. | ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM
Holger Rune vs. Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic is attempting to complete a Grand Slam at the US Open. Djokovic will be aiming to capture a record-tying 21st career Grand Slam championship after two defeats at the Olympics left him without a medal. Djokovic will play Holger Rune, an 18-year-old Dane who is rated No. 145 in the world and is a first-time major qualifier. Despite the fact that Rune won the Junior French Open in 2019, he is unlikely to have much competition.
The American Taylor Fritz has lost his past four hardcourt matches. Credit… Getty Images/Mitchell Layton
STADIUM OF LOUIS ARMSTRONG | 9 p.m.
Alex de Minuar vs. Taylor Fritz
The 14th seed, Alex de Minuar, will play Taylor Fritz, an American who is struggling with his form. Fritz has lost his past four matches on hardcourts, his preferred surface. De Minuar has only won one match since losing in the first round at Wimbledon in June. As the two compete to ascend the global rankings, the match will likely be decided by cerebral strength rather than the physical attributes that have propelled their careers.
The game of the day is a sleeper.
6 p.m. | Court 4
Mikael Ymer vs. Jenson Brooksby
On the ATP Tour, Jenson Brooksby and Mikael Ymer are two promising young players. Ymer, a 22-year-old Swede, reached the third round of two major events this year, defeating players like as Gael Monfils and Hubert Hurckaz. Brooksby, a 20-year-old American, just entered the global top 100 after reaching the Citi Open semifinals and defeating Frances Tiafoe and Felix Auger-Aliassime. Both players have the ability to be aggressive from the baseline, which makes for entertaining tennis.
Ashleigh Barty won Wimbledon in July and arrived in New York fresh off winning the Western & Southern Open.Credit…Pool photo by Peter Nicholls
On Tuesday, Ashleigh Barty will face Vera Zvonareva, a 2010 Open finalist, in the first round of the US Open.
Barty, the top female tennis player, has fewer ghosts to contend with than Novak Djokovic, but she also has less experience performing at her best in New York. In her five appearances at the U.S. Open, Barty has never advanced beyond the quarterfinals, despite the fact that she has only played the event once since winning her maiden major title at the 2019 French Open.
But though she also suffered Olympic disappointment, losing in the first round, Barty bounced back with a dominant run to the Western & Southern Open title near Cincinnati this month, not dropping a set along the way.
She hasn’t been home in months due to Australian travel restrictions, but she says her nomadic year, in which she won her maiden Wimbledon championship, has turned into one of her finest.
Last week, Barty remarked, “It’s been such a wonderful tale for me this year; it’s become such a beautiful year on the tennis court.” “All of those diversions, experiences, and everything else that has come with it has just made it better.”
It’s been five years since Cristiano Ronaldo left Old Trafford for the Bernabeu in a world record £80m move after nine seasons with the Red Devils. After everything he’d achieved, it was hard to believe that Ronaldo would leave but that’s exactly what happened. The Madrid outfit also offered him bonuses of £30m each year, which he couldn’t turn down.. Read more about who won the u.s. open 2021 and let us know what you think.
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