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Alcaraz Reaches Argentina Open Final upon Injury Return

Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz celebrates a point over Spaniard Bernabe Zapata during the semi finals of the ATP 250 Argentina Open in Buenos Aires on February 18, 2023. (AFP)
Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz celebrates a point over Spaniard Bernabe Zapata during the semi finals of the ATP 250 Argentina Open in Buenos Aires on February 18, 2023. (AFP)
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Alcaraz Reaches Argentina Open Final upon Injury Return

Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz celebrates a point over Spaniard Bernabe Zapata during the semi finals of the ATP 250 Argentina Open in Buenos Aires on February 18, 2023. (AFP)
Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz celebrates a point over Spaniard Bernabe Zapata during the semi finals of the ATP 250 Argentina Open in Buenos Aires on February 18, 2023. (AFP)

World number two Carlos Alcaraz reached the final at the Argentina Open on Saturday as he bid to win his first title of 2023 after returning from a near four-month injury layoff.

The Spaniard, who suffered an abdominal injury at the Paris Masters in November, beat compatriot Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-2 6-2 in the semi-final and will play Britain's Cameron Norrie in the title clash.

The 19-year-old pulled out of the Australian Open due to a leg injury and lost the number-one ranking to Novak Djokovic, who won the season-opening major at Melbourne Park.

"I was a little bit down after the injury, so I had to recover in those four months the confidence and the rhythm," Alcaraz said. "Coming back for my first tournament of 2023 and making the final is so special for me."

Alcaraz has won three of his four meetings with Norrie and expects a tough test against him later on Sunday at the ATP 250 claycourt event.

"I know that I have to give everything I have in the final. I'm going to say it's going to be a really tough final, but at the same time a beautiful one," Alcaraz added.

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Swiatek’s Struggles Continue as Title Defense in Rome Ended by Collins

Poland's Iga Swiatek reacts during the women's singles match against US' Danielle Collins of the WTA Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 10, 2025. (AFP)
Poland's Iga Swiatek reacts during the women's singles match against US' Danielle Collins of the WTA Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 10, 2025. (AFP)
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Swiatek’s Struggles Continue as Title Defense in Rome Ended by Collins

Poland's Iga Swiatek reacts during the women's singles match against US' Danielle Collins of the WTA Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 10, 2025. (AFP)
Poland's Iga Swiatek reacts during the women's singles match against US' Danielle Collins of the WTA Rome Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome on May 10, 2025. (AFP)

Holder Iga Swiatek crashed out of the Italian Open to American Danielle Collins after a 6-1 7-5 third-round loss on Saturday in a major upset that will cost the Pole the world number two ranking as the defense of her French Open title looms.

Swiatek held a commanding 7-1 head-to-head record against Collins before the contest and yet another early defeat does not bode well for the 23-year-old, who has not won a tournament since her fourth triumph at Roland Garros last year.

"I played against Iga so many times ... When you play that many close matches and get this close and also play some of your best tennis and lose, I think you learn a lot," Collins, 31, said. "I feel like I applied that today, to the match."

Five-times Grand Slam champion Swiatek went 5-0 down in the opening set before getting on the board to avoid a bagel.

Collins was lethal from the baseline, mixing it up with forehand and backhand service return winners as she picked apart Swiatek's serve in an opening set that was one-way traffic.

The second was level at 4-4 as Swiatek showed flashes of brilliance, but 31-year-old 2022 Australian Open runner-up Collins showed no mercy, sealing victory in one hour and 44 minutes when a return went wide.

Collins fired 32 winners and converted six of eight break points while Swiatek, who had won the tournament three times in the last four years, made 22 unforced errors.

Swiatek has lost nine matches this year - as many as in all of 2024 - while she has not reached a claycourt final ahead of her bid to retain the French Open title later this month.