Tennis news today: Rafael Nadal's foot injury concerns resurface following Italian Open loss, Iga Swiatek wins 25th consecutive match | 13 May 2022
Following his third-round defeat to Denis Shapovalov at the Italian Open, Rafael Nadal revealed that his foot injury has started to bother him again. World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, meanwhile, defeated two-time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka in the third round in Rome to win her 25th match on the trot.
Angelique Kerber and Karolina Pliskova, who've had a subpar clay season so far, have taken wildcards to compete at next week's Strasbourg Open. French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo has stated that any Russian or Belarusian players voicing their support for Vladmir Putin will face sanctions.
Serena Williams has shared a video of herself training on social media, hinting that a possible comeback is on the horizon. Here's a round-up of the day's headlines:
"I am a player living with an injury" - Rafael Nadal
Denis Shapovalov defeated Rafael Nadal 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 to end his title defense in the third round of the Italian Open. The Spaniard later revealed that his chronic foot injury had reared its ugly head once again and started to bother him a great deal. The pain was unbearable and left him unable to practice.
"Sometimes more, sometimes less. Today was crazy. It's tough for me to be able to practice the proper way days in a row. No, I am not injured. I am a player living with an injury," Nadal said.
#Nadal on pain in his foot: Sometimes more, sometimes less. Today was crazy. It's tough for me to be able to practice the proper way days in a row.
.....
No, I am not injured. I am a player living with an injury.
Nadal has just returned to the tour after recovering from a rib injury, and with his foot giving him trouble once again, it doesn't bode well for his Roland Garros chances.
Iga Swiatek extends winning streak to 25 matches
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek just can't stop winning. She defeated Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 6-1 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Italian Open. Despite the scoreline, the Pole was tested quite a bit. She was down a double break in the opening set, but leveled the score before taking the lead.
Swiatek was broken while serving for the set at 5-4, but kept her composure to break Azarenka's serve to win the first set. She went down an early break in the second, but reeled off six straight games to win her 25th consecutive match. She will square off against Bianca Andreescu in the quarterfinals on Friday.
Angelique Kerber and Karolina Pliskova take last minute wildcards to compete at 2022 Strasbourg Open
Three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber and former World No. 1 Karolina Pliskova have taken wildcards to compete at next week's Strasbourg Open.
The duo's clay season has been rather dismal so far and both players are in need of additional matches heading into the French Open. Kerber hasn't won a match on the red dirt this year, while Pliskova's clay-season record stands at 2-4.
French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo warns Russian and Belarusian players of santions if they voice support for Vladimir Putin
While Russian and Belarusian players will be allowed to compete at the French Open, tournament director Amelie Mauresmo has issued a warning to them. Should they make any statements in support of Vladimir Putin or Russia's invasion of Ukraine, they will face sanctions for the same.
"If any of them should have pro-Putin statements in the media, there will be sanctions for sure," Mauresmo said.
Unlike Wimbledon, Russian and Belarusian players do not face an outright ban at the French Open.
Serena Williams teases return to tennis
Fans of 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams might not have to wait much longer to see her in action again. The American shared a video of herself on social media while training, sending her fans into a frenzy.
Williams has been sidelined since injuring her leg at last year's Wimbledon and hasn't competed since.