Trungelliti, who came through the tournament’s qualifiers, upset Italy’s defending champion Luciano Darderi 6-4 ​7-6(2) to break the previous record held by Victor Estrella ​Burgos of the Dominican Republic, who reached his first final ⁠aged 34 years in 2015.

Darderi, ranked 19 in the world, ​was only six-years-old when Trungelliti turned pro in 2008. With the victory, ​Trungelliti secured just his second career top-20 win.

“Of course, I believed it, that’s one of the reasons that I’m here. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be possible,” Trungelliti said ​in the on-court interview.

“I’ve worked a lot, me and my ​team and also my wife, my kid. We all believed in breaking the record ‌basically ⁠and that’s exactly what we have done now.”

The milestone caps a remarkable journey for Trungelliti, who made his first ATP Tour semi-final in 2018 in Umag, Croatia – 402 weeks ago.

Having entered the tournament ​ranked 117 in ​the world, Trungelliti’s ⁠breakthrough week has already guaranteed he will crack the top 100 for the first time. He is ​currently ranked number 75 in the live rankings.

“It’s ​been happening ⁠the whole week, leaving the court with a victory,” added Trungelliti, who has dropped only one set at the tournament. “So hopefully (there) is one ⁠more ​to go.”

He will face Rafael Jodar on ​Sunday after the Spaniard prevented an all-Argentine final with a 6-2 6-1 victory over ​Camilo Ugo Carabelli.

-Reuters

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The 44-year-old raised eyebrows late last year after rejoining the tennis anti-doping testing pool, though she denied at the time the move signalled she was preparing to return to the sport she dominated for nearly two decades.

She reignited speculation last month when she deflected questions about a possible return during an appearance on NBC’s “Today” show.

The Women’s Tennis Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside normal business hours.

Williams, who won her last Grand Slam singles title in 2017, has not competed since the 2022 U.S. Open.

-Reuters

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The International Tennis Integrity Agency confirmed to Reuters that Williams, who has not competed since the 2022 U.S. Open, was among the list of players in its testing pool, which requires individuals to provide their whereabouts at any given time, every day, and participate in random testing

But as the story of 44-year-old Williams’ inclusion on the list, first reported earlier on Tuesday by The Athletic, gained traction and sparked talk about her potential return, the tennis great took to social media to deny a comeback was in her plans.

“Omg yall I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy,” Williams wrote on X.

Her agent did not immediately respond to an email from Reuters asking why the player had re-entered the testing pool.

Williams’ name appears on the ITIA website’s list of retired players and would be able to return to a sanctioned event after making herself available for out-of-competition testing for at least six months.

Last week former world number one Williams posted a series of photos on Instagram showing herself on a tennis court with her youngest daughter, Adira River, whom she gave birth to in August 2023.

In August 2022, ahead of her final U.S. Open, Williams announced in a Vogue article that she was “evolving away from tennis.”

Williams, who won her last Grand Slam singles title in 2017, had been chasing an elusive 24th crown that would have drawn her level with Australian Margaret Court, who holds the record.

The American came tantalisingly close to achieving that feat, featuring in four major finals since giving birth to her first daughter, Olympia, in 2017.

-Reuters

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The former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly emerged victorious in an election held at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, securing 11 votes to defeat Ifekuo Omogui Okauru, who garnered one. Mr. Datti was elected Vice President unopposed, in what stakeholders have hailed as a “unity election” for Nigerian tennis.

In his acceptance speech, Ochei struck a conciliatory and forward-looking tone, describing his victory as one for all stakeholders in Nigerian tennis.

“To the glory of God, it was an election where we all campaigned and we all won together,” he said. “It’s a clear demonstration that the Federation is one body. Regardless of the fact that there’s a winner, for me there’s no victor, no vanquished.”

He emphasized that the real work begins after the election — rebuilding the sport’s ecosystem, strengthening grassroots structures, and ensuring inclusion across all levels.

“What’s important is what we do going forward,” he continued. “By God’s grace, we’ll activate the entire tennis ecosystem. Everyone has something to contribute, and our focus is to bring all efforts to the optimal level so that no constituency within the Federation is left behind.”

Plans for Reform and Revival

Ochei outlined an ambitious plan to restructure the Federation for better performance, transparency, and sustainability.

“We intend to dismantle the existing structure, repackage it, and ensure seamless operation across every organ of the Federation,” he declared.

 “When we bring in the right influence, sponsorships, and funding, and create career paths for players and coaches, you’ll begin to see the difference. The changes will be visible in the short term — that’s a promise.”

Observers say his commitment to institutional reform and partnership with corporate sponsors could be the catalyst Nigerian tennis needs to regain relevance regionally and globally.

A Proven Leader with Passion for Sports

Beyond politics, Victor Ochei is known for his deep involvement in sports development. A barrister, engineer, and philanthropist, he has sponsored several national and international competitions, including the Davnotch Tennis Tournament and Wheelchair Basketball Championship.

He also built a mini football stadium in his hometown of Onicha Olona, Delta State, to promote grassroots sports.

Ochei has long championed the idea that sports can be a vehicle for youth empowerment, social inclusion, and national pride. His entry into tennis administration is seen by many as a natural extension of his passion for development and service.

As Ochei begins his tenure, optimism runs high within the tennis community. Stakeholders believe his inclusive leadership style, political experience, and managerial competence could help reposition Nigerian tennis, attract private sector investment, and nurture a new generation of players.

With Victor Ochei at the helm, Nigerian tennis appears poised for a new serve — one defined by structure, unity, and sustainable progress.

“This is not just about winning elections,” said one Federation official. “It’s about winning the future of Nigerian tennis.”

If his words and track record are anything to go by, the game may just be entering its most promising era yet.

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The Serbian, who turned 38 on Thursday, becomes just the third man in the Open Era to win 100 ATP titles after American Jimmy Connors and Swiss Roger Federer.

“I had to work for it, that’s for sure. Hubi was probably closer to victory (in) the entire match than I was,” Djokovic said.

“I had some chances in the first set to break his serve, then had a bad game which ended up with the double fault on set point.

“I was just trying to hang in there, I don’t know how I broke his serve… but this is what happens at the highest level. Very few points decide the winner.

“Incredible match, 7-6 in the third with a full stadium, beautiful atmosphere. I’m just grateful to clinch the 100th here.”

Djokovic’s last title came when he won gold at the Paris Olympics last year.

The latest triumph comes at the perfect time as the record 24-times Grand Slam champion bids for a fourth crown at the French Open, which starts on Sunday.

Djokovic banged down six aces and 34 winners in the contest, which lasted a little over three hours and five minutes, making it the longest clash of this year’s tournament.

Hurkacz had squandered a 4-2 lead in the decider as Djokovic clawed his way back to clinch victory in the tiebreak with an ace and stretched his career win-loss record over the 28-year-old Pole to 8-0.

With the triumph, Djokovic is the first man to win a tour-level title in 20 consecutive seasons, with his first title coming at 2006 Amersfoort. He is also the oldest champion in Geneva Open history.

Djokovic, currently ranked world number six, will face unseeded American Mackenzie McDonald in the opening round at Roland Garros.

Reuters

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The 24-time Grand Slam champion avenged last month’s Madrid Open loss to the Italian and will next face Britain’s Cameron Norrie, who rallied to defeat Australian Alexei Popyrin 7-6 (8-6) 6-4.

“It’s great to be in the semi-finals again. Hopefully this year I can go at least a step further, that’s the goal,” said Djokovic, who lost to Tomas Machac in last year’s quarter-finals.

“I think I’m playing really good tennis. A straight-sets win, but it was much closer than the score indicates.”

After taking the first set, Djokovic trailed 4-1 in the second but stormed back with five consecutive games to seal the win in one hour and 40 minutes.

The former world No. 1 admitted that smashing his racket in frustration helped him reset mentally and close out the match in straight sets.

“After the racquet breaking I kind of found my optimal state and balance mentally and emotionally to be able to play my best tennis when it was most needed,” Djokovic, who was presented with a birthday cake on court, said.

Djokovic is bidding to become only the third man in history to win 100 ATP titles, after Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103).

-Reuters

The PTPA, an independent players’ union co-founded by Novak Djokovic in 2019, said on March 18 that after years of good-faith efforts to reform professional tennis, it had been forced to take legal action to end “monopolistic control” of the sport.

In a statement, it said that along with more than a dozen players, the PTPA had filed papers in a New York court against the ATP Tour, the WTA Tour, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).

“Tennis is broken,” said Ahmad Nassar, executive director of the PTPA.

“Behind the glamorous veneer that the defendants promote, players are trapped in an unfair system that exploits their talent, suppresses their earnings, and jeopardises their health and safety.

“We have exhausted all options for reform through dialogue, and the governing bodies have left us no choice but to seek accountability through the courts. Fixing these systemic failures isn’t about disrupting tennis, it’s about saving it for the generations of players and fans to come.”

In response, the ATP accused the PTPA of choosing “division and distraction” and having no meaningful role in the sport.

“We strongly reject the premise of the PTPA’s claims, believe the case to be entirely without merit, and will vigorously defend our position,” it said in a statement.

“ATP remains committed to working in the best interests of the game – towards continued growth, financial stability, and the best possible future for players, tournaments, and fans.”

The WTA defended its record of growing women’s tennis, describing the lawsuit as “baseless”.

“Every decision taken at the WTA Board level includes the input of players via their elected Board representatives, and athletes receive substantial financial rewards and other benefits from participation in the WTA,” the organisation said.

The ITF, meanwhile, stressed its goal is to ensure the growth of tennis as a global sport.

“As a not-for-profit organisation and global guardian of the game… we reinvest 90 per cent of our income into the global development of the game, via our 213 member National Associations,” an ITF spokesperson said.

Describing the various governing bodies as a “cartel”, the PTPA, which has also begun legal action in Britain and the EU, accuses them of paying “artificially low compensation to professional tennis players” and imposing a “draconian” ranking system that forces them to compete in certain tournaments.

The lawsuit also calls the schedule unsustainable, says players are made to play in extreme heat and often in the early hours of the morning, that tennis balls chosen by the tournaments are a factor in chronic injuries and that players’ privacy rights are being abused by random drug tests.

Prior to filing the lawsuit, the PTPA said it met with more than 250 players across the tours, including the majority of the men’s and women’s top 20.

“The overwhelmingly positive player feedback was a resounding confirmation – change is needed now, and players are united in their fight for reform,” the statement added.

Serbia’s 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic has been a fierce advocate for change to the organisation of tennis, insisting that the revenues generated by the sport are not fairly shared out to players.

“Women and men who are around 200 and lower ranked in the world, they are struggling a lot,” he said in a CBS 60 Minutes interview in 2023.

“They can’t afford a coach, they can’t afford travels, they skip tournaments, many of them leave tennis who are super talented and maybe capable of reaching great heights.”

The ITIA, which manages the sport’s anti-doping and anti-corruption programmes, responded to the lawsuit by saying: “Any credible international sport requires robust anti-doping and anti-corruption programmes, and we are proud of our role in contributing to a clean and fair sport.”

-Reuters

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The February 9 to May 4 suspension means Sinner will be free to play in the French Open, the second grand slam of the season, which begins on May 25 at Roland Garros.

In a statement, Sinner said that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accepted that he “had no intent and did not derive any competitive advantage from the two positive tests”.

Australian Open champion Sinner has always said that clostebol entered his system when his physiotherapist used a spray containing it to treat a cut, then provided massage and sports therapy.

“This case had been hanging over me now for nearly a year and the process still had a long time to run with a decision maybe only at the end of the year,” Sinner said.

“I have always accepted that I am responsible for my team and realise Wada’s strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love. On that basis I have accepted Wada’s offer to resolve these proceedings on the basis of a three-month sanction.”

Wada said separately that “Sinner did not intend to cheat” but that he would serve his suspension as he is responsible for the actions of his entourage.

The agreement between Sinner and Wada means that Sinner will be able to play in front of his home fans at the Rome Open which kicks off just after the end of his suspension and is the last big clay court tournament before Roland Garros.

-AFP

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The former world number one won two of her four Grand Slam titles under the guidance of the Belgian, but is currently 75th in the rankings having returned to the tour nine months ago after a lengthy maternity break.

“Four years, two slams and a whole lot of memories,” Osaka wrote in an Instagram post.

“Thanks Wim for being a great coach and an even greater person. Wishing you all the best.”

Of the 16 tournaments Osaka has played this season, she has made the quarter-finals in only two – Doha and ‘s-Hertogenbosch – and the Japanese player has also failed to go past the second round in each of the four Grand Slams

-Reuters

World number two Coco Gauff led the American charge followed by sixth-ranked Jessica Pegula and Danielle Collins, who climbed two spots to ninth on the list amid a remarkable farewell season.

Madison Keys was ranked 14th while Emma Navarro hopped two spots to a career-high 15th after reaching her first major quarter-final at Wimbledon.

The last time five American women featured in the top 15 was May 24, 2004, when Lindsay Davenport was fourth in the world

-Reuters