SLOANE STEPHENS

Emma Raducanu beat Sloane Stephens 6-0, 2-6, 6-1 in a seesawing first-round match between U.S. Open champions.

At least Novak Djokovic knows who he'll face in the first round of his Australian Open title defense — if he’s allowed to play.

Indian Wells Tennis Sloane Stephens, of the United States, returns to Heather Watson, of Britain, at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) (Mark J. Terrill)INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — (AP) — Shelby Rogers beat Anhelina Kalinina 7-6 (2), 6-2, and Sloane Stephens outlasted Heather Watson 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-1 on Wednesday in opening matches at the BNP Paribas Open. Rogers and Stephens were joined by fellow American Madison Keys in advancing. Stephens won seven of 18 break points She raced to a 5-0 lead in the third set before Watson held, then served out the win. Watson had seven aces and seven double faults on the hard courts at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. ___More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.

Indian Wells Tennis Sloane Stephens, of the United States, returns to Heather Watson, of Britain, at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) (Mark J. Terrill)INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — (AP) — Sloane Stephens outlasted Heather Watson 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-1 on Wednesday in her opening match at the BNP Paribas Open. Stephens won 7 of 18 break points She raced to a 5-0 lead in the third set before Watson held, then served out the win. Watson had seven aces and seven double faults on the hard courts at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu and runner-up Leylah Fernandez are entered. ___More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.

Shelby Rogers beat Anhelina Kalinina 7-6 (2), 6-2 and Sloane Stephens outlasted Heather Watson 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-1 in opening matches at the BNP Paribas Open.

There were enough tennis stars inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art at Monday's Met Gala, it seemed, to play a tournament.

US Open Tennis Coco Gauff, of the United States, returns a shot to Sloane Stephens, of the United States, during the second round of the US Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, in New York. Murray, whose younger brother Andy won three major singles championships, and Soares won two Grand Slam titles together in men's doubles in 2016, including the U.S. Open. The men's doubles final has started a busy day at the U.S. Open that Novak Djokovic hopes to end with his Grand Slam hopes intact. 4 Alexander Zverev under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the second men's semifinal. They play after the completion of the men's doubles final, which has the fourth-seeded team of Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury against No.

Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz has beaten No. 3 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in five sets at the U.S. Open to reach the fourth round of a major for the first time.

Defending champion Naomi Osaka repeatedly smashed her racket to the court, smacked a ball into the crowd, hid under a towel and imploded over the final two sets in a third-round loss at the U.

US Open Tennis Angelique Kerber, of Germany, returns a shot to Anhelina Kalinina, of Ukraine, during the second round of the US Open tennis championships, Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) (Elise Amendola)NEW YORK — (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. Open tennis tournament (all times local):___5 p.m.Angelique Kerber wasted little time defeating Anhelina Kalinina 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the third round of the U.S Open. The 2016 U.S. Open champion continued the run of favored women advancing in the draw. The Czech player now trails only 2020 finalist Victoria Azarenka for most U.S Open wins among women in the draw. 1 seed Ash Barty advanced to the third round of the U.S. Open with a 6-1, 7-5 win over Clara Tauson.

APTOPIX US Open Tennis Sloane Stephens, of the United States, right, hugs Coco Gauff, of the United States, after Stephens won their match during the second round of the US Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, in New York. Stephens paused to ponder, but not for long, before responding: Coco Gauff, then 14. Stephens had first met Gauff several years earlier and clearly knew what she was talking about. Afterward, the pair met at the net for a warm hug, before Stephens praised the player — and person — Gauff has become. Osaka hasn't been beaten in a Grand Slam match since losing to Gauff at the 2020 Australian Open.

US Open Tennis Sloane Stephens, of the United States, waves to the crowd after defeating Coco Gauff, of the United States, during the second round of the US Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) (John Minchillo)NEW YORK — (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. Open tennis tournament (all times local):___8:35 p.m.Sloane Stephens has used her big forehand to take eight of the last 10 games and eliminate 17-year-old Coco Gauff in an all-American matchup at the U.S. Open. Stephens needed just 66 minutes to claim the second-round contest 6-4, 6-2 under a closed roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 2017 U.S. Open champion and 2018 French Open runner-up only faced one break point and saved it. The ninth-seeded Muguruza, a two-time Grand Slam champion, beat Andrea Petkovic 6-4, 6-2.

Sloane Stephens has used her big forehand to take eight of the last 10 games and eliminate 17-year-old Coco Gauff in an all-American matchup at the U.S. Open.

Three years ago, a reporter asked Sloane Stephens to point out a younger tennis player most fans might not have heard of yet, someone she thought could become a household name some day. Stephens paused to ponder, but not for long, before responding: Coco Gauff, then 14. Stephens had first met Gauff several years earlier — they last hit together on a court in Florida when Gauff was 12 — and clearly knew what she was talking about.

US Open Tennis Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, returns a shot against Richard Gasquet, of France, during the first round of the US Open tennis championships, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) (Elise Amendola)NEW YORK — (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. Open tennis tournament (all times local):___1:05 a.m.Daniil Medvedev ended a long first day at the U.S. Open by beating Richard Gasquet 6-4, 6-3, 6-1. He also muttered about having to be on the court so late at night and Bautista Agut's bathroom break after the second set. 3 seed won the next seven games to build a 5-0 lead in the second set. Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion, also pulled out Monday for medical reasons.

(AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File) (Adam Hunger)NEW YORK — (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. Open tennis tournament (all times local):___10:15 p.m.A 20-year-old wild-card entry from Atlanta has tied the women's U.S. Open serve speed record of 129 mph set by Venus Williams 14 years ago. ___7:20 p.m.Coco Gauff shook off a shaky stretch in her opening match before rallying for a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Magda Linette. 21-seeded Gauff advanced to face 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens in the second round. Azarenka, seeded 18th, trailed 4-1 in the opening set but then seized control. Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion, also pulled out Monday for medical reasons.

US Open Tennis Stefanos Tsitsipas, of Greece, returns a shot to Andy Murray, of Great Britain, during the first round of the US Open tennis championships, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) (Seth Wenig)NEW YORK — (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. Open tennis tournament (all times local):___7:45 p.m.Stefanos Tsitsipas withstood a tough test from 2012 U.S. Open champion Andy Murray, emerging with a 2-6, 7-6 (7), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory after nearly five hours. ___7:20 p.m.Coco Gauff shook off a shaky stretch in her opening match before rallying for a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Magda Linette. 21-seeded Gauff advanced to face 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens in the second round. Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion, also pulled out Monday for medical reasons.

US Open Tennis Yuichi Sugita, of Japan, returns a shot to Casper Ruud, of Norway, during the first round of the US Open tennis championships, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in New York. 21-seeded Gauff advanced to face 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens in the second round. ___6:40 p.m.Three-time U.S. Open runner-up Victoria Azarenka has moved into the second round, winning the final 11 games to beat Tereza Martincova 6-4, 6-0. ___5:35 p.m.Kevin Anderson took a long route to the second round. Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion, also pulled out Monday for medical reasons.

US Open Tennis Sloane Stephens, of the United States, right, hugs Madison Keys, of the United States, after winning their first-round match of the US Open tennis championships, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) (Seth Wenig)NEW YORK — (AP) — Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys are close friends who last week were supposed to be practice partners. The Americans were drawn to face each other in the first round, a rematch of Stephens’ victory in the 2017 final. Keys said she had a feeling she and Stephens would be paired in the first round. She lost again in the first round at Wimbledon before winning a round at the Olympics.

Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys are close friends who were supposed to be practice partners.

Full-throated shouts and hearty applause have returned to the U.S. Open tennis tournament.

US Open Tennis Simona Halep, of Romania, returns a shot to Camila Giorgi, of Italy, during the first round of the US Open tennis championships, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in New York. “So for me it was normal to have the people in the stands and the noise that is always in the U.S. Open,” Halep said. 9 seed, advanced with a 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) victory over Donna Vekic. 12 seed was broken while serving for the match at 5-4 but recovered to win the final four points of the tiebreaker. Muguruza has also won the French Open and Wimbledon, but the U.S. Open is the only major where she hasn't reached the quarterfinals.

Andy Murray showed that even at age 34 and with an artificial hip he can push the best tennis players in the world.

Roberto Bautista Agut made it a short stay in the U.S. Open for Nick Kyrgios, who had enough time to fit in plenty of complaining in three sets.

Australian Open runner-up Jennifer Brady has withdrawn from the U.S. Open because of an injury. Brady, a semifinalist last year in Flushing Meadows, has not played competitively since being forced to retire from her second-round match against Jelena Ostapenko in Cincinnati. The U.S. Tennis Association did not specify her injury.

How well do you know the U.S. Open tennis tournament.

Shares of the delivery company had been up nearly 25% year to date before the second-quarter earnings report.

Britain Wimbledon Tennis Sloane Stephens of the US celebrates winning the women's singles match against Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova on day one of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday June 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) (Kirsty Wigglesworth)WIMBLEDON, England — (AP) — Frances Tiafoe had no doubts about his friend Sloane Stephens’ chances on Centre Court against two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova on Monday. I’m not even worried about it,’” said Tiafoe, who went up against French Open runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas at No. People forget, he said, that Stephens is a former US Open champion (2017) and French Open finalist (2018). In keeping with Wimbledon tradition, defending men’s champion Djokovic played the tournament's opening match on Centre Court on Day 1.

Frances Tiafoe and Sloane Stephens have pulled off two of the biggest wins on Day 1 at Wimbledon.

Novak Djokovic will get his bid for a third major title of 2021 started at Centre Court by facing wild-card entry Jack Draper as Wimbledon begins.

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer have been placed on opposite sides of the Wimbledon bracket.

American 17-year-old Coco Gauff completely overwhelmed Ons Jabeur 6-3, 6-1 at the French Open to become the youngest woman to reach the quarterfinals at any Grand Slam tournament in 15 years.

Novak Djokovic has rallied from a two-set deficit to reach the French Open quarterfinals for the record 15th time.

France Tennis French Open Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova plays a return to United States's Sloane Stephens during their fourth round match on day 9, of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Monday, June 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) (Thibault Camus)PARIS — (AP) — The Latest on the French Open (all times local):___12:20 p.m.Barbora Krejcikova reached the quarterfinals of a major tournament for the first time by routing 2018 French Open runner-up Sloane Stephens 6-2, 6-0. Krejcikova won her first WTA title in Strasbourg in the buildup to the French Open. Stephens won the U.S. Open in 2017 had her run to the final at the French Open the next year. In a double battle of generations at the French Open, both Rafael Nadal and top-ranked Novak Djokovic will take on Italian teenagers at Roland Garros on Day 9.

France Tennis French Open United States's Sloane Stephens reacts after missing a point as she plays against Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova during their third round match on day 7, of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Saturday, June 5, 2021. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) (Christophe Ena)PARIS — (AP) — Former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens wants more discussions about mental health to help people both inside and outside of tennis talk freely about what is troubling them. I feel like it’s not spoken about enough,” she said Saturday after winning her third-round match at the French Open. Four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka put a renewed focus on mental health when she pulled out of the French Open on Monday and cited difficulties in dealing with "huge waves of anxiety." Players may keep far too silent, the 28-year-old Stephens said, when what they really need is to feel they can open up to others.

Former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens wants more discussions about mental health to help people both inside and outside of tennis talk freely about what is troubling them.

Defending champions Rafael Nadal and Iga Swiatek have advanced to the fourth round at the French Open.

France Tennis French Open United States's Sloane Stephens celebrates after defeating Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova during their third round match on day 7, of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Saturday, June 5, 2021. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) (Christophe Ena)PARIS — (AP) — The Latest on the French Open (all times local):___1:20 p.m.Former runner-up Sloane Stephens advanced to the fourth round of the French Open by beating 18th-seeded Karolina Muchova 6-3, 7-5. Stephens lost the final at Roland Garros in 2018 after winning her only Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open the year before. The 13-time champion Nadal will face 45th-ranked Cameron Norrie for the third time this year and has won both previous meetings. ___More AP Tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.

Roger Federer dislikes the implication he’s slowing down.

(AP Photo/Christophe Ena) (Christophe Ena)PARIS — (AP) — The Latest on the French Open (all times local):___6 p.m.Novak Djokovic reached the third round of the French Open for the 16th straight year with a straight-set win over clay-court specialist Pablo Cuevas. ___5:30 p.m.Coco Gauff is living up to her career-best ranking at the French Open. The ninth-seeded Italian beat Federico Coria of Argentina 6-3, 6-3, 6-2, hitting 46 winners along the way. Fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina also progressed by defeating French Open debutant Ann Li of the United States 6-0, 6-4. Roger Federer is in action against 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic and top-ranked Novak Djokovic faces Pablo Cuevas.

(AP Photo/Christophe Ena) (Christophe Ena)PARIS — (AP) — The Latest on the French Open (all times local):___3:35 p.m.Gael Monfils has lost in the second round of the French Open and left the host country's men on the verge of their worst collective result at Roland Garros. ___3:10 p.m.Former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens beat a top-10 player for the first time in 2 1/2 years to reach the third round at the French Open. The ninth-seeded Italian beat Federico Coria of Argentina 6-3, 6-3, 6-2, hitting 46 winners along the way. Barty played 13 matches on clay in the buildup to the French Open and won 11. Fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina also progressed by defeating French Open debutant Ann Li of the United States 6-0, 6-4.

France Tennis French Open United States's Sloane Stephens serves toCzech Republic's Karolina Pliskova during their second round match on day 5, of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Thursday, June 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) (Michel Euler)PARIS — (AP) — The Latest on the French Open (all times local):___3:10 p.m.Former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens has beaten a top-10 player for the first time in 2 1/2 years to reach the third round at the French Open. She was the runner-up at the 2018 French Open and made the quarterfinals in 2019. ___2:35 p.m.Matteo Berrettini has matched his best result at the French Open by reaching the third round. Fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina also progressed by defeating French Open debutant Ann Li of the United States 6-0, 6-4.

France Tennis French Open Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro plays a return to United States's Sloane Stephens during their first round match on day three of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Tuesday, June 1, 2021. “Maybe with time, I (will) see this different, but now I’m not too happy,” Suárez Navarro said. When it ended after nearly 2 1/2 hours, Stephens embraced Suárez Navarro at the net. But she had not played professionally since February 2020, making a promise to herself that she would make it back to play at the French Open. Tough months,” Suárez Navarro said Tuesday.

Carla Suárez Navarro has made her return to competition after being treated for cancer.

The notoriously violent Jalisco cartel has responded to Mexico’s “hugs, not bullets” policy with a policy of its own: The cartel kidnapped several members of an elite police force in the state of Guanajuato, tortured them to obtain names and addresses of fellow officers and is now hunting down and killing police at their homes, on their days off, in front of their families.

2 seed Karolina Pliskova at the French Open on Thursday, the conversation quickly turned to 2017. And just, like, the world doesn’t stop with winning only one Grand Slam. That’s not very different from where she was three years ago in Paris, ranked 47th and just two days past her 20th birthday when she became an impossible-to-predict Grand Slam champion. Pliskova, who came into the French Open dealing with a leg injury, was not the most gracious foe after Thursday’s loss. The first time I’m in the third round in a Grand Slam.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic serves against Lithuania's Ricardas Berankis in the second round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)PARIS – At the mere mention of Novak Djokovic’s name, at the mere thought of sharing a court with a 17-time Grand Slam champion and the French Open’s No. He used these phrases: “really, really excited” and “really, really happy” and “really, really special.”Galan is, after all, ranked 153rd and never had won so much as one main-draw match at any major tournament until this week. Jelena Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champ, plays 87th-ranked Paula Badosa, who arrived in Paris with a 1-5 Grand Slam record. “Well,” came Galan’s reply, “I was wondering that, to be honest.”And then he launched into a story about how he was “really, really nervous” before playing former top 10-member David Goffin in the Davis Cup Finals last November.

(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)PARIS – The Latest from the French Open (all times local):____6:10 p.m.Former runner-up Sloane Stephens lost in the second round for her earliest exit at Roland Garros since a first-round defeat on her debut in 2011. ___4:15 p.m.Novak Djokovic's biggest concern seemed to be dealing with a rare bit of sunshine during his second-round victory at Roland Garros. ___2:30 p.m.Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin reached the third round at Roland Garros by beating Ana Bogdan 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. ____1:10 p.m.Danish teen Clara Tauson's surprise run is over after losing to American player Danielle Collins 6-2, 6-3 in the second round. Pliskova's twin sister, Kristyna, was also playing a former French Open champion when she faced 2016 winner Garbiñe Muguruza.

Amid all the tumult of the coronavirus pandemic, Simona Halep might very well have found the perfect formula to prepare for the French Open. When the clay-court Grand Slam tournament begins Sunday, 2018 champion Halep will be on court against 70th-ranked Sara Sorribes Tormo. Separated from her Australian coach Darren Cahill for seven months during the pandemic, Halep spent the extended break from competition with her Romanian coach, Artemon Apostu-Efremov. At the Italian Open, Halep’s final three matches came against Yulia Putintseva, Garbiñe Muguruza and Karolína Pliskova — all three of whom played at the U.S. Open. Halep added a second major trophy by dropping only four games against Serena Williams in last year’s Wimbledon final.

NEW YORK The Latest on the U.S. Open tennis tournament (all times local):11:30 a.m.Day 6 has started at the year's second Grand Slam tournament the U.S. Open normally closes the major tennis championship season but the pandemic caused changes to the calendar. The sun is shining and the temperature is in the mid-70s Fahrenheit (mid-20s Celsius) as the third round continues Saturday. The highlight of the afternoon is expected to be Serena Williams against Sloane Stephens in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Williams owns 23 Grand Slam singles titles, including six in New York. Stephens won the 2017 U.S. Open.

Serena Williams, of the United States, reacts during a match against Sloane Stephens, of the United States, during the third round of the US Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)NEW YORK In danger of her earliest exit at the U.S. Open since her debut 22 years ago, Serena Williams turned things around and took over against Sloane Stephens. Williams collected 10 of the last 12 games by lifting her level, to be sure. You know, Serena is Serena," Sakkari said after advancing earlier Saturday by beating 19-year-old American Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 6-1. Quickly, that set belonged to Stephens, who held at love when all four points ended with Williams miscues.

Naomi Osaka, of Japan, leaves the court after winning her match with Anett Kontaveit, of Estonia, during the quarterfinals at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, in New York. Soon after, the whole tournament was put on hold for a day. Osaka tweeted that as a Black woman, she feels compelled to pull out of the tournament to put a focus on police shooting Black people. "Watching the continued genocide of Black people at the hand of the police is honestly making me sick to my stomach. I have to be patient, to try to enjoy every single match I play here after six months without competing.

FILE - In this May 27, 2019, file photo, Serena Williams of the U.S. plays a shot against Vitalia Diatchenko of Russia during their first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris. If the French Open were being held as scheduled right now -- instead of postponed to September because of the coronavirus pandemic, Williams again would have had a shot at her 24th major to pull even with Margaret Court for the most in history. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File)

(AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File)LEXINGTON, Ky. Serena Williams flexed and then kissed a sinewy right bicep to show down time well spent in training even without bench pressing. Williams now looks to flex her muscles on a tennis court for the first time in six months. Serena Williams, ranked No. If the results from Williams previous comeback from a long break are any indication, she has something to look forward to. Her husband, Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, built a tennis court for her.

FILE - In this Sept. 9, 2017, file photo, Sloane Stephens, of the United States, reacts after receiving the winner's award check after beating Madison Keys, of the United States, in the women's singles final at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York. Defending U.S. Open champion Rafael Nadal said Tuesday he didnt want to travel during the pandemic and would not be entering the tournament. Professional tennis was suspended in March because of the pandemic, leaving many players, coaches and others without a regular income. First-round singles prize money at the U.S. Open is going up 5%, from $58,000 to $61,000, the only level where there is a jump. Paychecks for players who reach the second round ($100,000) or third round ($163,000) will remain the same.

LEXINGTON, Ky. Serena Williams is planning to make her return to competition at a new hard-court tournament in Kentucky next month. Itll be the 23-time Grand Slam singles champions first action since playing for the U.S. in the Fed Cup in February, before all sanctioned tennis was shut down the next month because of the coronavirus pandemic. The womens and mens professional tennis tours are scheduled to resume in August. The Kentucky event, called the Top Seed Open, announced Thursday that Williams and 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens will be in the field when play begins there Aug. 10. Williams already has said she will enter the next scheduled Grand Slam tournament, the U.S. Open, which is supposed to begin in New York on Aug. 31.

WTTs nine teams have come together The Greenbrier resort in West Virginia for their three-week season. It was awesome to have some people out there to get behind the tennis, Sandgren said. The WTT season started just as confirmed coronavirus cases were soaring nationally. Anyone who wasnt a competing athlete wore a mask inside the tennis stadium and fans had their temperatures checked prior to entering. Sandgren later won matches in men's doubles with James Ward and mixed doubles with Jessica Pegula.

Venus Williams has signed up to play World TeamTennis for the 15th time, the league announced Thursday. Williams has since spoken about how she turned to a plant-based diet and learned other ways to get by. The American is a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, with five titles at Wimbledon and two at the U.S. Open. She also has paired up with her younger sister Serena to win 14 Grand Slam trophies in doubles. Other players who have committed to participating include 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens and twins Mike and Bob Bryan, who have won 16 Grand Slam doubles titles together.

If World TeamTennis gets its way, Grand Slam champions Sofia Kenin and Sloane Stephens could be among the first tennis players to compete in front of fans after the coronavirus pandemic prompted lockdowns around the globe. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File)If World TeamTennis gets its way, Grand Slam champions Sofia Kenin and Sloane Stephens could be among the first tennis players to compete in front of fans after the coronavirus pandemic prompted lockdowns around the globe. WTT said Tuesday it is planning to allow up to 500 spectators at each of its outdoor matches during a three-week season from July 12 to Aug. 2 at a resort in West Virginia. Because of the pandemic, World TeamTennis is bringing all nine of its teams to one site The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia instead of having matches played around the United States. And unlike smaller exhibition tennis events around the world that have been staged without any fans present, WTT intends to sell tickets for one-fifth of a 2,500-seat outdoor stadium.