Tennis

4:56 AM ET Australia have earned a Billie Jean King Cup promotion following the International Tennis Federation’s decision to ban last year’s winners Russia from teams competitions. As the highest-ranked team among the 2021 losing semi-finalists, Australia will take Russia’s place in the Finals scheduled to be held in November. After advancing from the group

12:27 AM ET Associated Press INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Andrey Rublev beat Dominik Koepfer 7-5, 6-4 on Sunday in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open, improving the Russian’s record to 15-2 this year with his 10th straight victory. Rublev trails only Rafael Nadal‘s mark of 16-0 on the season, having won titles in

3:21 AM ET D’Arcy MaineESPN.com Four-time major champion and former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka was brought to tears during her second-round loss to Veronika Kudermetova at the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday after a fan heckled her from the stands during the first set. After the match, Osaka requested to address the crowd, something

4:09 PM ET Associated Press INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Daniil Medvedev defeated Tomas Machac 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open, the Russian player’s first tournament since ascending to No. 1 in the world. Medvedev made quick work of his Czech opponent, finishing Machac off in just over an

6:28 PM ET Associated Press About 1 1/2 months after the last match of Sergiy Stakhovsky’s professional tennis career, the 36-year-old Ukrainian left his wife and three young children in Hungary and went back to his birthplace to help however he could during Russia’s invasion. “I don’t have the words to describe it. I would

4:28 PM ET Associated Press MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Rafael Nadal has become the latest big draw to pull out of the Miami Open. Nadal is a five-time finalist at the event but hasn’t played in Miami since 2017. His absence means that neither of the winners of this year’s first Grand Slam will be

8:34 PM ET Associated Press INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Andy Murray outlasted qualifier Taro Daniel 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 on Friday in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open for his 700th career victory. “It does mean a lot to me because I know how difficult it’s been, certainly the last few years,” Murray said,

9:27 AM ET Novak Djokovic will kick off preparations for his French Open title defence next month at the ATP Masters event on clay at Monte Carlo, the Serb said on his website. The 20-time Grand Slam winner was unable to defend his Australian Open title in January after being deported from the country in

9:03 PM ET Associated Press INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Naomi Osaka made a winning return to the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday, rallying to beat Sloane Stephens 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 in a first-round meeting of former major champions. Trailing 2-0 in the third set, Osaka fought off three break points to hold and begin a

6:42 AM ET Teen tennis star Coco Gauff has voiced her opposition to a bill in her home state of Florida that would prohibit classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity for many young students. “I’m against it,” Gauff told reporters Wednesday ahead of her first match at the Indian Wells tennis tournament in

12:44 AM ET ESPN News Services INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Ajla Tomljanovic of Croatia beat American Hailey Baptiste 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 in opening-round play at the BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday. Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia overcame American Elvina Kaliera 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7) despite 18 double faults as the combined men’s and women’s event returned

6:14 PM ET D’Arcy MaineESPN.com Novak Djokovic withdrew Wednesday from the BNP Paribas Open on the eve of the event, saying he cannot travel to the United States because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19. Djokovic, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, cited regulations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the reason

7:54 PM ET Despite initially being in the draw at the BNP Paribas Open, and publicly stating his desire to play, Novak Djokovic will not be competing there or at the Miami Open. Current CDC regulations require non-U.S. citizens to be fully vaccinated to travel to the United States by plane, and the 20-time major

9:18 AM ET D’Arcy MaineESPN.com The potential for a Rafael Nadal vs. Daniil Medvedev semifinal showdown. A blockbuster Naomi Osaka–Sloane Stephens first-round matchup. A full-capacity crowd. And a relaxed desert vibe to go with it all. It’s been three years (!) since the BNP Paribas Open has been played during its normally scheduled slot on

4:45 PM ET Associated Press INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Barbora Krejcikova withdrew Tuesday on the eve of the BNP Paribas Open because of an elbow injury. The world’s second-ranked woman said she has been bothered by the injury since the tournament in Qatar nearly two weeks ago. She said the pain worsened overnight, a day

5:10 AM ET Pro pickleball player Megan Charity is asked to describe her sport so often that she has the answer down to a tee. She may as well wear it on a signboard around her neck. Charity, a South African former tennis player based in Charlottesville, Virginia, who is ranked 16th in the world,

Mar 8, 2022 Associated Press INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — A charitable donation of $700,000 to aid humanitarian relief efforts via Global Giving’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund and to support the Ukraine Tennis Federation was made Tuesday by the four Grand Slam tournaments and the sport’s governing bodies. The WTA, ATP and the International Tennis Federation

10:09 PM ET Associated Press Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Alexander Zverev was put on probation for one year by the ATP on Monday for violently hitting the chair umpire’s stand repeatedly with his racket following a loss in doubles at the Mexico Open. If Zverev receives a code violation that results in a fine for