Tennis news today: Dominic Thiem's comeback derailed by positive COVID-19 test, Iga Swiatek wins 15th consecutive match| 31 March 2022
Dominic Thiem simply cannot catch a break. The Austrian suffered yet another setback in the form of a postitive COVID-19 diagnosis after his return to action in Marbella.
Iga Swiatek continued her winning ways in Miami, while Nick Kyrgios courted yet another controversy.
Novak Djokovic has resumed training for the upcoming clay season, while Bianca Andreescu is getting ready for the release of her debut children's book.
Here's a round-up of the day's biggest news.
Dominic Thiem tests positive for COVID-19
After a lengthy injury lay-off, Dominic Thiem returned to action at the Marbella Challenger earlier this week, where he lost in the first round to Pedro Cachin.
He received a wildcard for next week's ATP 250 event in Morocco, but it looks like he'll be forced to miss the event. The 2020 US Open champion revealed on Wednesday that he had tested positive for COVID-19.
"Looks like lately the good news don’t last long - last night after dinner, I started feeling unwell and didn’t have a good night. After developing mild symptoms I decided to take a test this morning, which came back positive for COVID-19," Dominic Thiem said.
Dominic Thiem has only had mild symptoms so far, so there's a possibility he could return to action soon.
Iga Swiatek notches up her 15th straight win
Iga Swiatek seems unstoppable at the moment. The newly crowned World No. 1 won her 15th consecutive match by defeating Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open.
Swiatek is gunning for her third straight WTA 1000 title, having won the Qatar Open and the Indian Wells Open in recent weeks. She takes on Jessica Pegula in the semifinals.
Nick Kyrgios blows up at the chair umpire during his fourth-round loss to Jannik Sinner
After a few drama-free matches, Nick Kyrgios unleashed his fury on the chair umpire during his fourth-round loss against Jannik Sinner. During the first set tie-break, the Australian received a point penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct after apparently talking to a member of his team. A double fault then handed Sinner the first set.
This irked Kyrgios even more, as he shouted at chair umpire Carlos Bernardes and smashed his racquet. This resulted in a game penalty for the 26-year-old at the start of the second set. He eventually lost the match 7-6(3), 6-3. The Australian unsurprisingly didn't think the penalties were justified.
"I mean, look, I just don't think he controls the crowd well at all, in my personal opinion," Kyrgios said after the match. "People can have their opinions on it. I just don't think my point penalty was worth a point penalty."
While Kyrgios' singles campaign might have come to an end in Miami, he's still going strong in doubles. He has reached the semifinals alongside partner Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Novak Djokovic gets ready for the clay season
Novak Djokovic has begun his preparations for the clay season ahead of his return to action at the Monte-Carlo Masters next month. The Serb is a two-time champion at the tournament and won his last title in 2015. The ATP 1000 event will be his second tournament of the year after the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Novak Đoković je trenirao danas na Dorćolu. Nole za nekoliko dana putuje za Monte Karlo. https://t.co/vDdFx0mmmK
In a video shared by a Serbian news outlet, Djokovic can be seen training in Belgrade. Following the Monte-Carlo Masters, the former World No. 1 will compete at the Serbia Open. He's also set to defend his title at Roland Garros later this year.
Bianca Andreescu all set to release her first children's book
Bianca Andreescu hasn't competed on court this year, but she has kept herself busy with other pursuits. The Canadian has always stated how meditation has kept her focused and allowed her to achieve a lot of success. She has now incorporated the same into her upcoming children's book "Bibi's Got Game: A Story about Tennis, Meditation and a Dog Named Coco."
"My author copies of Bibi’s Got Game just arrived! For my first picture book, I wanted to share my story and how meditation (and my dog, Coco) keep me focused. Maybe it will inspire other kids to follow their dreams!"
The book is inspired by Andreescu's life on and off the court, and is set to be released on 31 May, 2022.