Tennis news today: Nick Kyrgios to skip this year's Laver Cup, Naomi Osaka and Emma Raducanu make a winning start at the Silicon Valley Classic and Citi Open | August 3, 2022
Nick Kyrgios took to social media to announce that he won't be participating in this year's Laver Cup as he wants to spend more time with his family. Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka was tested by Qinwen Zheng, but eventually won in three sets.
Emma Raducanu made a winning debut at the Citi Open, easing past Louisa Chirico in straight sets. Bianca Andreescu revealed that she was dealing with back pain prior to competing at the Silicon Valley Classic. She lost to Shelby Rogers in the first round and has probably aggravated her injury by playing.
Sofia Kenin's return to the tour after four months ended on a losing note as she lost to Camila Osorio. Here's a round-up of the day's headlines:
Nick Kyrgios to miss the 2022 Laver Cup
Team World will be without a key player at this year's Laver Cup as Nick Kyrgios has announced his decision not to participate this time around. Kyrgios wants to spend more time with his loved ones. This will be the first time that he'll miss the event.
Nick Kyrgios will miss the Laver Cup for the first time in 2022. https://t.co/0se6YfPnLu
Kyrgios is currently competing at the Citi Open and has won his first-round matches across singles and doubles.
Naomi Osaka makes a winning return to the tour
Playing her first match in two months, Naomi Osaka was put to the test by Qinwen Zheng at the Silicon Valley Classic. The talented youngster wasn't daunted by her opponent, but came up short in the end. The former World No. 1 won 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.
Osaka has now set up a blockbuster second-round showdown against Coco Gauff. The teenager scored a dominant 6-1, 6-0 win over Anhelina Kalinina in the first round.
Emma Raducanu starts off with a win at the Citi Open
2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu made a winning debut at the Citi Open. The teen star defeated Louisa Chirico 6-4, 6-2 to advance to the second round. The next few weeks will be important for her confidence as she gets set to defend her US Open title.
Raducanu's season has been marked by quite a few early losses coupled with recurring injuries. She'll take on Camila Osorio in the second round.
Bianca Andreescu aggravates her injury during her loss at the Silicon Valley Classic
2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu was defeated by Shelby Rogers in the first round of the Silicon Valley Classic. The Canadian revealed that she was dealing with back issues in the lead-up to the tournament. She even called on the trainer mid-match to check up on her.
Andreescu has probably made matters worse by competing. She'll undergo a medical check-up to see how bad the situation is.
Bianca Andreescu says she's been feeling pain in her lower back the last few days but felt good before the match. Pain worsened at 3-2 in the first set.
"I was hoping for a miracle."
Will get an MRI today.
#MubadalaSVC
The injury could potentially rule her out of next week's Canadian Open.
Sofia Kenin's comeback ends with a first-round loss at the Citi Open
2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin was sidelined for four months due to an injury. She made a comeback at the Citi Open, but lost to Camila Osorio in the first round. The opening set was competitive, with the American showing brief flashes of the form that fetched her a Grand Slam title two years ago.
However, the rust was quite visible as Kenin faltered in key moments. The second set was one-sided, with Osorio eventually winning 7-6(2), 6-1.