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Emma Raducanu's woes continued at the Slovenia Open as she lost to World No. 213 Anna-Lena Friedsam in the second round. Dominic Thiem, meanwhile, continues to grind it out at the Challenger level to gain some match practice and build up his ranking. Currently competing in the Rennes Challenger, he has now made it to the quarterfinals.
The French trio of Richard Gasquet, Ugo Humbert and Gilles Simon have received wildcards for next week's Moselle Open while Simona Halep has shut down her 2022 season to recover from nose surgery. However, the biggest news of the day has to be Roger Federer's retirement announcement. The Swiss is set to call it a day at next week's Laver Cup.
Here's a round-up of the day's headlines:
Emma Raducanu knocked out in the 2nd round of the Slovenia Open
Despite her underwhelming season, Emma Raducanu was the favorite to win against World No. 213 Anna-Lena Friedsam in the second round of the Slovenia Open. She led 5-3 in the opening set and held four set points as well, but lost the next four games in a row to gift the set to her opponent.
Raducanu stormed back in style as she won the second set 6-0. It looked like the worst was behind her at this point. However, a solitary break of serve in the deciding set was enough for Friedsam to win the match 7-5, 0-6, 6-3. The loss comes on the heels of a first-round exit from the US Open, where she was the defending champion.
Raducanu will now head to Seoul to compete at the Korea Open.
Dominic Thiem advances to the quarterfinals in Rennes
2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem is still building his game and confidence after this return to the tour earlier this year. After an opening-round loss at the US Open, he decided to compete in the Rennes Challenger. This decision has worked out well for him as he has now reached the quarterfinals.
Thiem defeated Gilles Simon in the first round, then knocked out fifth seed Ryan Peniston in straight sets to make the last eight. He's up against Adrian Andreev for a place in the semifinals.
Richard Gasquet leads the list of wildcards for the Moselle Open
Richard Gasquet, Gilles Simon and Ugo Humbert received wildcards for next week's Moselle Open. Of the three, Gasquet has had the best season with some good results from time to time, while the other two have struggled to find their footing.
Daniil Medvedev and Hubert Hurkacz will headline the field at the Moselle Open, which begins on Monday, September 19.
Simona Halep ends her 2022 season following nose surgery
Simona Halep posted a few days ago about undergoing nose surgery for health and esthetic purposes. While mentioning earlier about returning to the tour as soon as possible, Halep has now posted an update regarding her plans. The Romanian has ended her 2022 season and will return to action next year.
In a heartfelt letter, Halep opened up about her struggles with motivation, achieving her goals for the year and her issues with her nose, which ultimately required medical intervention. She has now decided to prioritize her health, and has promised to return stronger next year.
Roger Federer announces his retirement
20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer announced his retirement on Thursday, with the upcoming Laver Cup being his farewell tournament. The Swiss ace has been sidelined for more than a year now following multiple knee surgeries. He tried his best to get back in shape before returning to the tour, but with his body saying otherwise, he has decided to call it quits.
Federer has been synonymous with tennis for more than two decades now. He trasnformed the game with his style of play and even transcended the sport in a way no other player has. Fans, colleagues and the tennis community at large posted tributes to the legend, whose presence on the tour will be sorely missed.
