Tennis news today: Rafael Nadal resumes training at his Academy, World No. 2 Ons Jabeur upset by Claire Liu at Jasmin Open | October 8, 2022
Rafael Nadal might return to the tour sooner rather than later if his latest Instagram post is anything to go by. The Spaniard was seen having a practice session at this academy. World No. 2 Ons Jabeur suffered a shock defeat to Claire Liu in the quarterfinals of the Jasmin Open.
Anett Kontaveit and Jelena Ostapenko have withdrawn from the upcoming San Diego Open due to injuries. Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev are set for a semifinal showdown at the Astana Open. Nick Kyrgios was forced to withdraw from the Japan Open due to an injury. Here's a round-up of the day's headlines:
Rafael Nadal preparing for a potential return to the tour
22-time Major champion Rafael Nadal's plans for the rest of the year seem up in the air. Recovering from an injury, along with the impending birth of his first child, has kept him occupied. However, the Spaniard might now be gearing up for his return to the tour as he shared an Instagram update in which he was seen practicing.
"Hola, Semana de entrenamientos y trabajo (Hello, week of training and work)" - Nadal on Instagram
It appears that Nadal is feeling healthy enough to be consistently training. He's on the entry list for the Paris Masters and has qualified for the ATP Finals, and they're likely to be the only tournaments he participates in if he makes a comeback.
Ons Jabeur stunned by Claire Liu in Jasmin Open quarterfinals
World No. 2 Ons Jabeur's success led to a WTA tournament being held in her native Tunisia. She was expected to win the whole thing, but has now crashed out in the quarterfinals.
Claire Liu defeated her 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to score the biggest win of her career so far. The American will take on Elise Mertens for a spot in the final. Jabeur will return to action at the WTA FInals.
Anett Kontaveit and Jelena Ostapenko pull out of San Diego Open
World No. 3 Anett Kontaveit has withdrawn from the San Diego Open due to a back injury. She had to retire from the ongoing Ostrava Open due to the very same reason, ending her title defense in the second round.
Jelena Ostapenko too won't be making the trip to San Diego. She picked up a foot injury during the Korea Open and seems to have made it worse by competing in Ostrava.
Nevertheless, most of the top 20 players will be participating in the San Diego Open, making it one of the most competitive fields of the season.
Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev set to renew their rivalry at Astana Open
Novak Djokovic continued his good run of form to defeat Karen Khachanov 6-4, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of the Astana Open. It was his seventh consecutive win, that too without dropping a set. Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev crushed Roberto Bautista Agut 6-1, 6-1 in their quarterfinal bout.
Djokovic and Medvedev are now set to face off in the semifinals. This will be their first meeting this year. The Serb leads 6-4 in the head-to-head and won their previous encounter at last year's Paris Masters.
Nick Kyrgios out of Japan Open due to injury
Nick Kyrgios seemed to be in good form at the Japan Open, where he reached the quarterfinals and semifinals in singles and doubles respectively. However, he has now withdrawn from the tournament due to a knee injury. The injury has been bothering him for some time now and it appears to be a little worse.
Fritz, who was to meet Kyrgios in the quarterfinals, moved on to the semifinals. The Australian will next be seen at the Swiss Indoors Basel.