Month: June 2013

By Martyn Herman LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) – Rising American Sloane Stephens has taken quite a liking to Wimbledon’s grasscourts – and a local curry house. After reaching the third round at the All England Club last year the 20-year-old began her second Wimbledon campaign with a display that was too hot for compatriot Jamie Hampton. The 17th seed’s 6-3 6-3 win underlined her standing as her country’s best woman player – after world number one Serena Williams who begins the defence of her title on Tuesday. …

(Writes through, adds quotes, details) By Toby Davis LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) – With their cricket team in disarray and rugby side playing catch-up, Mr Reliable Lleyton Hewitt gave Australia’s suffering sports fans something to smile about as he upset 11th seed Stanislas Wawrinka at Wimbledon on Monday. Hewitt, who has dropped to 70 in the world, did not have to delve too deeply into his famed reserves of fighting spirit to oust the Swiss ranked 60 places above him. …

(Adds surging ticket demand in paras 9-10) By Pritha Sarkar LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) – Since welcoming home a British male grand slam champion is as rare as a sighting of Halley’s Comet, it was little wonder Andy Murray got a standing ovation just for walking on to Wimbledon’s Centre Court on Monday. The man who ended 76 years of British hurt by lifting the U.S. Open trophy last September did not disappoint on his homecoming as he began his bid to win the most famous prize in tennis with a 6-4 6-3 6-2 win over German Benjamin Becker. …

By Pritha Sarkar LONDON (Reuters) – Since welcoming home a British male grand slam champion is as rare as a sighting of Halley's Comet, it was little wonder Andy Murray got a standing ovation just for walking on to Wimbledon's Center Court on Monday. The man who ended 76 years of British hurt by lifting the U.S. Open trophy last September did not disappoint on his homecoming as he began his bid to win the most famous prize in tennis with a 6-4 6-3 6-2 win over German Benjamin Becker. …

By Martyn Herman LONDON (Reuters) – From a green and pleasant land, Wimbledon's grasscourts must now resemble a minefield for Rafa Nadal who, for the second year in a row on Monday, suffered a shock defeat by a modest opponent playing the match of his life. A year after Czech Lukas Rosol ambushed the 12-times grand slam champion in the second round, Nadal came up against inspired Belgian Steve Darcis in the first and was soundly beaten 7-6(4) 7-6(8) 6-4. At least against Rosol twice former champion Nadal went down fighting in five sets, but world No. …

LONDON (AP) — Former champion Lleyton Hewitt upset 11th-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 in the first round of Wimbledon on Monday.

LONDON (AP) — For the second straight year, Rafael Nadal is leaving Wimbledon early after a stunning loss to a little-known player ranked in the hundreds.

LONDON (AP) — Second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain defeated Benjamin Becker of Germany 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the second round at Wimbledon on Monday.

LONDON (AP) — Done with her pre-tournament verbal volleying with Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova improved to 11-0 in first-round matches