Tennis

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

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

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

7:36 PM ET D’Arcy MaineESPN.com World No. 2 Novak Djokovic was announced in the draw for the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday, despite his status to enter the United States still uncertain due to being unvaccinated. “Novak Djokovic is on the tournament entry list, and therefore is placed into the draw today,” the California tournament

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,

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

11:49 AM ET Associated Press Ukrainian refugee Dayana Yastremska took Zhang Shuai of China to three sets Sunday in the final of the Lyon Open, which Zhang won 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. The 21-year-old Yastremska only fled her home in war-torn Odessa, Ukraine, last week following the Russian invasion. She spent two nights sheltering in an

11:17 PM ET ESPN News Services Ukrainian wildcard Dayana Yastremska, who was forced to flee her home after Russia’s invasion last week, reached the WTA Lyon Open final after defeating No. 2 seed Sorana Cirstea 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4 on Saturday. She will face No. 8 seed Zhang Shuai in the final on Sunday. Yastremska, 21,

4:15 PM ET Associated Press France, Spain and Argentina eased into the Davis Cup Finals while Belgium scraped past host Finland 3-2 in the qualifiers on Saturday. Australia came from behind to beat Hungary 3-2 in Sydney. The 12 winners Saturday advance to World Group I of the Davis Cup Finals in mid-September, joining 2021

6:36 AM ET Associated Press LENZERHEIDE, Switzerland — Roger Federer said Saturday that any tournament comeback from his knee surgery last year will not be until at least the late summer. The 40-year-old tennis great gave an update on his lengthy rehabilitation to Swiss broadcaster SRF when he attended a women’s World Cup ski race

3:24 AM ET Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan saved three match points to clinch a thriller against Danish pair of Frederik Nielsen and Mikael Torpegaard as India kept their place in the Davis Cup World Group I by taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the Play-off tie on Saturday. Sharan, playing his first Davis Cup

11:28 PM ET Associated Press RENO, Nev. — Sebastian Korda won his Davis Cup debut by outlasting scrappy Nicolas Mejia 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 on Friday to help give the United States a 2-0 lead in its qualifier against Colombia. Taylor Fritz, the No. 1 American in this qualifier, had a much easier time in the

11:48 AM ET Associated Press Former Top 20 player Varvara Lepchenko was given a four-year doping suspension on Friday by the International Tennis Federation after she tested positive for a banned stimulant during a tournament last year. Her lawyer, Howard Jacobs, wrote in an email to The Associated Press that Lepchenko intends to appeal the

7:15 AM ET Associated Press Andy Murray is bringing back Ivan Lendl as his coach, reuniting about 4 1/2 years after the pair split up for a second time. Murray’s manager announced Friday that the 34-year-old from Scotland and Lendl have agreed to return to working together over the next few months. Their partnership produced