(Barcelona) The 19-year-old Spanish prodigy Carlos Alcaraz overpowered Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4 brilliantly Sunday in the final of the ATP 500 tournament in Barcelona, and thus retains his title, a year after his first coronation in Catalonia.
The world No.2 and seeded No.1 was somewhat manhandled at the start of the game by his Greek rival, who hung him up to 3-3, but the Spaniard, thanks to his devastating drop shots, s It then took off in the first set which he won 6-3.
In the second set, Alcaraz broke his rival at 2-2 to break away 4-2, then chained the perfect blows to achieve for the first time in his young career to retain a title in an ATP tournament, ending with a game white and four winners on his serve.
This trophy allows “Carlitos” to fill up with confidence, one month before the start of Roland-Garros. This is the ninth title in the professional career of the Spanish phenomenon, already winner this season of the Indian Wells Masters 1000 on hard court a month ago, beating Daniil Medvedev in the final and the ATP 250 tournament in Buenos Aires in February.
After two weeks of interruption due to physical glitches at the end of the Miami Masters 1000, which he left in the semi-finals after a loss in three sets 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 2-6 against Italy’s Jannik Sinner, Alcaraz struggled in the round of 16 and quarter-finals in Barcelona, before unfolding in the semi-final against Daniel Evans and beating Tsitsipas in the final for the fourth time in four encounters.
It is however the third defeat in the final in Barcelona for the Greek, 5e world, who had already been defeated by Rafael Nadal in 2018 and 2021.
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(Melbourne) Luxury brands took center stage at the Australian Open, where Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka and Canadian Victoria Mboko advanced to the fourth round.
But when the world number one women’s tennis player takes on one of the sport’s rising young stars, it will only be about tennis.
Top seed Sabalenka beat Anastasia Potapova 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7) and Mboko, 19, eliminated Clara Tauson, 14e seeded, 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-3 to earn their bye to the round of 16.
Sabalenka has won the Australian Open twice and reached the final at Melbourne Park last year. She also has two US Open titles. Mboko is making his debut at the Australian Open this year.
Fashion was more than ever the center of attention during this tournament after Naomi Osaka’s spectacular entrance during her first round match.
Sabalenka and Mboko therefore had to answer questions about their advertising contracts, which coincide with the first Grand Slam meeting of the year: the Belarusian with Gucci and the Canadian with Rolex.
PHOTO ASANKA BRENDON RATNAYAKE, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Aryna Sabalenka
But on Friday, the focus was mainly on the upcoming match between two players with very different experiences.
“First of all, I never spoke to her, I never had the opportunity to play or train with her. I only saw her outside,” Sabalenka said of Mboko.
I watched a few matches. Yes, she is an excellent player. She’s a fighter. She plays very well, with combative tennis.
Aryna Sabalenka on Victoria Mboko
Sabalenka is playing at the Australian Open for the eighth time, has won 22 titles on the tour and earned more than $45 million in purses during her career.
She was long considered one of the sport’s most promising players, but she had to overcome stage fright and service problems. It was only in her fourth appearance at the Australian Open that she qualified for the second week of the tournament.
“I think for me it would have been very difficult to deal with success at such a young age,” Sabalenka said.
“But when I see these girls, so young and who have already accomplished so much, who play tennis so well and who are so mature, I find it incredible. I feel like they mature a lot faster than me. »
Mboko acknowledged that this will be a big step forward, on and off the court. She is only making her fourth appearance at a Grand Slam tournament, and her first participation in the round of 16 at this stage of one of the four biggest events in world tennis.
She won two WTA titles, the first last August in Montreal – in the WTA 1000 category – when she was 18 years old and benefited from a pass from the organizers of the National Bank Open.
“I think it’s super cool. I have never played against the current world number 1. It will be a very different experience,” admitted the Canadian.
“I guess we will also play on the Rod Laver court. I’ve never played on center court at a Grand Slam either. Lots of first times. I think it’s really cool to be able to do this on Sunday. Just to show what I’m capable of. »
Sabalenka has built a large following by being very active on social media, attracting new fans to tennis and giving her existing supporters a behind-the-scenes look.
Sabalenka takes her role as an ambassador to the public and a positive influence for young players very seriously. Mboko is about to have his first up-close experience.
“That’s my only priority: to be a good example, to show that it’s possible to find a balance, that you have to know how to have fun while remaining focused on your career,” she explains.
“I want to prevent young people from making the same mistake as me, namely devoting themselves exclusively to tennis, which generates a lot of pressure and ends up destroying you from the inside. »
I am a sports journalist who has worked in print and online. I have authored articles for a sports website and have covered sports news for over 6 years.
January 23, Ukraine’s first racket Elina Svitolina I was interested in the Russian womanDiana Schneider In the 1/16 final of the Australian Open 2026.
The Ukrainian player won with a score of 7:6 (7:4) in two sets, 6:3 in 1 hour and 35 minutes. This was the first head-to-head meeting between the rivals.
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Spor.ua invites you to look at the photo gallery of the Svitolina – Schneider match!
In the 1/8 final of the Australian Open, Elina will compete with the eighth seed Mirra Andreeva.
Australian Open 2026. 1/16 final
Elina Svitolina [12] – Diana Schneider – 7:6 (7:4), 6:3
PHOTOGRAPH. The 1/8 final of the Aus Open awaits you. How it happened: Svitolina punished Schneider
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Ukraine’s first racket Elina Svitolina (WTA 12) has determined her opponent in the Australian Open 2026 1/8 final.
In the fourth round of the major in Melbourne, the Ukrainian will play against the seventh “neutral” racket in the world Mirra AndreevaDefeated the Romanian representative in the third round match Elena-Gabriela Ruse (WTA 79).
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Andreeva defeated Ruse in two sets with scores of 6:3 and 6:4 in 1 hour and 37 minutes.
Svitolina had played against Andreeva only once before – in March 2025, Elina lost to Mirra in the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 competition in Indian Wells.
Svitolina knocked out another “neutral” Diana Schneider in the 1/16 final of the Australian Open.
I am a sports journalist who has worked in print and online. I have authored articles for a sports website and have covered sports news for over 6 years.
Elina Svitolina [12] – Diana Schneider – 7:6 (7:4), 6:3
