tennis

Who will win the men’s US Open 2024?

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The US Open is one of the biggest events on the tennis schedule, and men’s tennis offers a true no-compromise battle that attracts millions of fans from around the world. At the junction of summer and autumn, the best tennis players of the planet will once again gather on the American courts to strengthen their claims to leadership or to make a last attempt to save the season, which is not going well so far. Who will become the winner is not known in advance – there are always obvious favorites, and at the same time, a sensation is possible at any time.

In 2024, the US Open will be held from August 26 to September 8. If you already know who will win the title, or have other predictions, go to Mostbet, and for now – bookmaker predictions about who the title “shines” with the greatest probability.

Carlos Alcaraz – 2.37

The 21-year-old Spaniard is considered by many to be the main star of the next generation in men’s tennis. The prerequisites for this are indeed there: at such a young age, Alcaraz already has four Grand Slam victories, and it was he who won the last two such tournaments – Roland Garros and Wimbledon 2024. He also has a US Open trophy under his belt, but he won it in 2022 as his first major victory.

Carlos’ chances of victory could be better, but the era of the Big Three is not really over – at least Djokovic is still a formidable force, as he proved to the Spaniard in the final of the recent Olympic tennis tournament. The instability of the talented young man is ready to take advantage of Sinner, who managed to establish himself on the first line in the ATP rating. Last year, at the same US Open, Alcaraz was stopped in the semifinals by Medvedev. All this means that he should not expect an easy walk.

Novak Djokovic – 2.87

The 37-year-old Serbian can be loved or hated, but it’s hard not to agree that he is one of the greatest players of all time. Fingers and toes put together are not enough to list the Grand Slam trophies won by him, he held the first position in the ranking for a record long time, won the final tournaments, and in 2024 he conquered almost the only height that had not been conquered before – Nole took the gold medal at the Olympics, showing Alcaraz a master class in tennis. After all, it is Novak who defends the title.

At the same time, one should not forget that age is an irresistible circumstance against which there is no antidote. The Serb is not terribly old by tennis standards, but it is already difficult for him to stamp big victories. In the 2023 season, he took three Grand Slam titles, surrendering only Wimbledon – he will remain without one this year unless he wins the US Open. Perhaps the audience will witness the swan song of an unsurpassed master, but it may also be that he has already sung it before.

Yannick Sinner – 3.25

The 23-year-old Italian clearly demonstrates that stability is a great virtue in tennis. He has only one Grand Slam title in his entire career – this year’s Australian Open, but it was enough for him to occupy the first step of the rating. Sinner achieved this result thanks to the fact that he mostly does not miss important tournaments and traditionally reaches the late stages. At the US Open Championship, Yannick did not make it past the quarterfinals, so it’s time to update his achievements – especially since it was in Australia that he achieved his main career success on hard.

However, if the unstable Alcaraz is considered great, then you rarely hear about the stable Sinner. The Italian clearly has a high level of skill, but a relatively modest purse indicates that in a tough competition, Yannick may not be able to push through. He did not make it to the Olympics at all because of a cold, although he was preparing and clearly dreamed of it. In short, this guy might surprise you, but don’t be too disappointed if he doesn’t.

Daniil Medvedev – 6.0

If in men’s tennis there is a conditional second echelon of those who follow the best, but are obviously behind them, then the 28-year-old Russian is a bright representative of it. There have been many highlights in his career, such as winning the 2020 Finals and the 2021 US Open (the only Grand Slam trophy) and a brief stay at the top of the rankings in 2022, but these are episodes. Medvedev’s level is better demonstrated by three Australian Open finals (including the last one) and the same achievement last year in the USA – that is, he is always somewhere close to the title, and therefore formally a contender, but more skilled tennis players are unlikely to allow him to win something really significant.

It is noteworthy that for the entire 2024 season, Medvedev did not win anything at all – at least, up to and including the Olympics. Throughout the year, he’s held the 4-5 spot in the ATP rankings, but he’s not even just the best version of himself right now.

Alexander Zverev – 17.0

The 27-year-old German of Russian origin has a biography very similar to Medvedev’s life path: the guy won the final tournament twice (2018, 2021) and has the gold of the Olympics in Tokyo, but in his entire career he did not win a single Grand Slam, and even reached the finals only twice. True, those finals were this year’s Roland Garros and US Open 2020.

Zverev has never climbed higher than the second place in the ranking, but his 4-5 steps this year is something similar to a local peak in his career. Last year he was unlucky to meet Alcaraz already in the quarter-finals, and although he is unlikely to win the trophy this time, there is a chance to improve on last year’s result.

Rafael Nadal – 21.0

In this case, bookmakers do not so much really believe in Rafa’s ability to fight for the title, as they play on the feelings of his fans, who want the legend to live forever. Unfortunately, as great as this player is, he’s clearly finishing up, so the proposed quote is clearly underpriced.

Conclusion

For everyone who finds it difficult to abandon the usual concept of a fight between three tennis players, there is good news – there are now exactly three contenders. Alcaraz will win if he is mentally and physically fit, if not, Sinner will likely take the chance. Djokovic is also ready, but age will hinder him.

Disclaimer: the author(s) of the sponsored article(s) are solely responsible for any opinions expressed or offers made. These opinions do not necessarily reflect the official position of Daily News Hungary, and the editorial staff cannot be held responsible for their veracity.

Daniil Medvedev’s first-round French Open defeat proves he still has work to do on clay

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It’s hard to look at Daniil Medvedev’s first-round French Open exit as anything other than a major disappointment. Arriving at Roland Garros as the number two seed, much was expected of the Russian, especially as it appeared as though he had banished his inability to produce his best on clay.

He reached the quarter-finals of the French Open in 2021 and the fourth round last year, before a hard-earned triumph at the Italian Open earlier this spring earned Medvedev his first clay court title. Finally, it seemed as though he was comfortable on the surface, and it’s no wonder he was a strong favourite in the men French Open betting odds for this year’s tournament.

But it all came crashing down before it had even begun. A disappointing performance against Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild led to a rather embarrassing first-round defeat, and Medvedev was booking his flights home from a tournament he was expected to go far in.

After the match, Medvedev was scathing about his performance, and not for the first time, made vocal his distaste for the clay surface.

“Because of the wind, dry court, I had a mouthful of clay since probably the third game of the match, and I don’t like it,” he said. “I don’t know if people like to eat clay, to have clay in their bags, in their shoes, the socks, white socks, you can throw them to garbage after clay season.”

“Maybe some people like it. I don’t. I am happy to have it finished. I’m going to have to have a good time off. Have to find positives.”

It’s clear that Medvedev struggles with the unique challenges presented by clay-court tennis, and that it has become something of a distraction for him. It seems as though once a match starts to go against him, as it did versus Seyboth Wild, he laments the playing surface instead of finding a way to rediscover his best form and turn the match around.

There’s no denying that Medvedev is one of the best players in the world, and a player capable of winning multiple Grand Slam titles. After all, he claimed his maiden major crown at the 2021 US Open, so has proven he has what it takes to win the biggest titles.

However, Medvedev often appears to let frustration get the better of him, and while some players use their frustration in a positive manner and channel that energy into performing better, Medvedev seems to let his anger get the better of him at times.

The Russian may be glad that the clay season is over, but he’ll need to find a way to perform more consistently on the surface, and avoid letting it frustrate him. With Rafael Nadal’s career seemingly winding down, the opportunity will arise for more players to win the French Open after the Spaniard’s era of dominance comes to an end. Medvedev can’t afford to let these opportunities pass him by each year.

The 27-year-old is clearly hurting after this early exit from one of the biggest tournaments of the year, and time will tell if it affects him moving forward.

BIKINI PHOTOS: are the Hungarian tennis players the world’s hottest?

prettiest tennis players Anna Bodnár1

Hungarian women are known worldwide for their beauty. Some foreigners even visit Hungary or Budapest just for the sole purpose of meeting these gorgeous creatures. Many find true love here and tie the knot with a Hungarian lady.

Ripost collected some bikini photos taken this summer of the three best Hungarian female tennis players. They are all among the WTA’s top 100 female tennis players. Anna Bodnár is 51st, Panna Udvardy is 81st, while Dalma Gálfi is 91st on the list. Below, you can check out their photos.

For Anna Bodnár, summer vacation is already over since she is currently taking part in a competition in the USA. However, before she travelled to the US, she spent her holiday in Sicily, Italy. There she took these stunning photos:

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Anna Bondar (@annabondar97) által megosztott bejegyzés

Panna Udvardy posted these photos on her Instagram account from an exotic resort:

 
 
 
 
 
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Panna Udvardy (@panna_udvardy) által megosztott bejegyzés


Dalma Gálfi celebrated her 24th birthday on board of a boat at Lake Balaton:

 
 
 
 
 
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Dalma Galfi (@dalmagalfi) által megosztott bejegyzés

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Can Fucsovics work himself out of reverse?

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In the summer of 2021, Márton Fucsovics made his way to the quarter-finals of the Wimbledon Championship. Never before had he gone so deep into a Grand Slam event, with a professional glass ceiling appearing to have been smashed.

Unfortunately for the experienced Hungarian, in four outings at major tournaments since catching the eye at SW19, first-round exits have been endured on three occasions.

Rise and fall

One of those came on American soil, and tennis odds during the US Open are not expecting him to make much of an impact at Flushing Meadows some 12 months on. Fucsovics’ form would need to be found from nowhere in order for another run to the second week of a slam to be made.

 

That is not to say that Fucsovics is not capable of making an impact in New York, but hard courts have not been kind to him over the years. He has previously made the third round in the States and the fourth in Australia, but those runs have been exceptions to the norm.

In 2022, Novak Djokovic once again tops the betting markets at +138, with the likes of Daniil Medvedev and Rafael Nadal clinging to the Serbian’s coattails. Nick Kyrgios has, however, come in with odds of +800 as the enigmatic Aussie offers hope to all of those that may have feared that a day in the sun had passed them by.

Momentum can be a wonderful thing and it only takes a pinch of that special sporting recipe in order for positive progress to be made. Fucsovics has stumbled across that formula before, so why not again?

There is, however, no escaping the fact that his impact on the most prestigious of events is becoming increasingly subdued. In truth, bags have all too often had to be packed up again within days of being unloaded in any given location.

Such struggles have inevitably led to an unfortunate tumble in being taken down the ATP world rankings. Fucsovics has been as high as 31 on that list, back in March 2019, but had slipped outside of the top 50 prior to a ball being hit in anger at Wimbledon in the current campaign.

 

Bucking that trend has proved tricky, to the point that standing inside the top 100 can no longer be taken for granted. Points will forever mean prizes in professional sport, and the hard-hitting Nyiregyhaza native does not have enough of them to his name at present.

Stop the rot

New York is a place where dreams can be made, so there may be no better surroundings in which to take in the next port of call. Fucsovics is unlikely to stake any serious claim to the ultimate prize at Arthur Ashe Stadium, but he does not need to be setting his sights that high.

For now, small steps – rather than giant leaps – are the order of the day. It may be an old cliché, but exploits at this stage need to be taken one game at a time. If a first-round tie at the US Open can be safely negotiated for just the second time, then confidence can be rebuilt and a man that has been stuck in reverse for far too long can start to move through the gears once more.

Fucsovics can build on Paris progress

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Márton Fucsovics has had some joy at the French Open in recent years and the Hungarian star will be hoping to build on that for this year’s tournament.

The 30-year-old has pulled off some scalps in the past at Roland Garros and has the game on clay that can cause some of the competition’s title contenders problems.

A Great Run In 2020

Fucsovics’ best run at the French Open came back in 2020 as he managed to reach the fourth round of the Grand Slam event in Paris. Current world number two Daniil Medvedev, who is 41.0 in the betting online on tennis to win this year’s French Open, suffered a shock 6-4, 7-6, 2-6, 6-1 defeat to Fucsovics in the first round of the event. While Medvedev would admit his preferred surface would be away from clay, having only ever reached the quarter-finals, the Russian is still a formidable opponent. That victory clearly gave Fucsovics a boost in confidence and he went on to beat Spain’s Albert Ramos in the second round, before seeing off Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro in the third.

It looked like Fucsovics was on his way to the latter stages of the tournament at Roland Garros but he was to eventually crash out in the fourth round. That Grand Slam run was certainly one that put Fucsovics’ name on the map and should stand him in good stead for major competitions to come.

Simon Scalp in 2021

Much like the previous year, Fucsovics got himself off to a flying start in Paris with yet another scalp. This time it was one of the home favourites Gilles Simon who was undone by the tall Hungarian’s powerful play. Fucsovics made a strong start to take the first set 6-4 and never looked back, as he won the following two sets 6-1 and 7-6. However, Fucsovics was not to enjoy the same kind of run he had 12 months previous in the French capital, as he suffered a straight-sets defeat at the hands of Italy’s Fabio Fognini in the second round.

While preparations for the 2022 instalment of the French Open have not been ideal for Fucsovics, he can take plenty from his previous performances at Roland Garros. Fucsovics was forced to retire from his match against Dusan Lajovic at the ATP Masters 1000 Rome after previously beating the American Denis Kudla at the start of May. It was not ideal preparation for Roland Garros but Fucsovics will be looking forward to getting back the French Open and trying to cause a few more upsets against some of the tournament’s seeded stars.

Having previously been as high as 31 in the world rankings, Fucsovics has dropped down to 55th place heading into the French Open. Hungary’s leading men’s player has proven he can mix it with some big names in the sport in the past and will be hoping to spring a few more surprises this time around.

 

2022 US Open Tennis Predictions

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With the 2021 tennis calendar now ending, it is time to look ahead to matters in 2022 and although the first port of call for many, will be the upcoming Australian Open, it will not be the case for Novak Djokovic.

As the Serbian has constantly made public of the fact that he is unwilling to take on a COVID-19 vaccine, it means that he will be unable to compete in the first Grand Slam of the year and this will be a shame for both he and tennis fans all over the world.

Because a Djokovic in full flight is one of the greatest sights in sport let alone tennis and although he will be deprived of taking to the courts in Australia, that is not necessarily the case when it comes to the 2022 US Open.

One that will once again be held at the stunning location of Flushing Meadows and with the New York sports betting community already anticipating the next edition of the legendary tournament, they will soon be able to back their favourites in the pursuit of victory.

Although it is too early to know the full entrants list, you can be certain that as long as restrictions do not stop him from doing so, last year’s Men’s Singles runner-up will be looking to go one better in 2022.

That’s because in the 2021 edition of the final, it was the Serbian ace going up against Dannii Medvedev and although many bettors would have placed the 34-year-old to win on their betting slip, they actually ended up making the wrong decision.

One that certainly stunned the tennis world, as Medvedev won in straight sets and although each set was a close contest, the fact that the Russian won three in a row, was something of a considerable upset.

Then again, it would be unfair to denigrate the 2021 US Open winner’s talents and with the Russian being given second seed in the tournament draw, the fact that he reached the final should come as no surprise.

It was the manner in which he earned a, that was the upset and after suffering defeat to Rafael Nadal during the 2019 final, the 25-year-old has finally scaled tennis’ highest mountain.

While such a win has suggested that the sport’s next generation is one that is not just for the future but very much now and with both age and injuries starting to catch up on those competing in the golden age of the game, it is time for Medvedev and his cohorts to take advantage.

As long as the Moscow-born player can stay fit and healthy for 2022, he will certainly be one of the favourites to come out on top next year and when the outright market opens nearer the time, his odds of overall victory will be rather short.

Of course, one cannot rule out the man he got the better off in September and although Djokovic was deprived of a clean sweep of Grand Slam victories in 2021, that will not put him off attempting another US Open victory in 2022.

These two will not be the only protagonists in the quest for success at Flushing Meadows and if Rafael Nadal can regain full fitness, he will also consider himself in the running to return to winning ways.

Not to mention, one of the other pillars of tennis in the past couple of decades and although Roger Federer is not getting any younger, he is still more than capable of pulling out match winning performances when it matters.

Whether the same can be said of Andy Murray remains to be seen and with a constant struggle against injury being one that he is losing more and more often, it will be difficult to see whether the Brit can ever repeat his own success at Flushing Meadows.

With 128 entrants in the first-round draw, the potential for drama is often high and although we do not know the makeup of the 2022 entry list just yet, it is fair to say that whoever takes part, will be able to create sporting drama of their own.

Márton Fucsovics to learn from New York disappointment

fucsovics

Despite an early exit from the 2021 US Open, Hungary’s Márton Fucsovics has plenty of positives to take forward into next year’s Grand Slam events. The 29-year-old has made noticeable progress over the last couple of years, and with the old guard nearing the end of their careers, Fucsovics is pushing to be one of those players to fill the void.

Fucsovics Unrewarded For New York Effort

There was no questioning the effort put in by Fucsovics in his first-round defeat at the hands of Italian plater Andreas Seppi at Flushing Meadows. Fucsovics, who was an outsider in the US Open tennis betting odds, which currently sees Novak Djokovic as the odds-on favorite at 4/6 for the outright winner title, saw his match with Seppi last just over four hours before suffering a defeat.

Many will have looked to US Open betting tips and felt Fucsovics had a chance to progress further into the last Grand Slam event of the year. Sadly, Fucsovics was only left thinking about what might have been, as 37-year-old Seppi’s experience managed to see him over the line.

Fucsovics had five match points saved by his opponent during the contest and will know that it could have easily been him to progress to the second round to face Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz. Unquestionably, it will have been a disappointment for the star, but 2021 has been a standout year for him on some of the biggest stages.

Fucsovics reached his first Grand Slam quarter-final at Wimbledon, becoming the first Hungarian since József Asbóth in 1948 to reach that stage of the tournament at the All-England Club. There was no shame in losing out to world number one and eventual winner, Djokovic, in the quarter-finals, with the Serbian star being unplayable at times this year.

Changing of the Guard

While Djokovic is undoubtedly the best in the business at the moment, he and the likes of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are approaching the end of their glittering careers. Federer has already admitted he might struggle to get back to Grand Slam tennis standards due to the impact of injury, while Nadal has been having injury problems of his own.

At present, it looks like Djokovic will be around for at least the foreseeable future, but at 34 years old, it’s inevitable that his time on the court will be drawing to a conclusion sooner rather than later.

With three of the best players to ever pick up a racquet nearing retirement, there are a host of players in the men’s game jostling to be the next dominant force. The last couple of years has seen Fucsovics start to progress on some of the bigger stages, and if he continues on his current trajectory, then he can certainly be in the mix for major tournaments to come.

Fucsovics managed to reach his first ATP 500 final this year at Rotterdam before suffering defeat at the hands of Russian player Andrey Rublev: yet another sign that Fucsovics’ game is moving in the right direction.

There’s certainly plenty of optimism about what Hungary’s number one can achieve going forward, and an early 2021 US Open exit will hopefully be just a bump in the road for this talented player.

Sexiest Hungarian male athletes at the Olympics – PHOTOS

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After the ladies, we bring you the sexiest Hungarian male athletes of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. 

The Olympic Games has always been and always will be the most important and most popular sports event on the planet. The most talented athletes of 46 different sports come together to find out who is the best at each event. 

While it is a wonderful opportunity to cheer for your favourite sportsmen, for your country’s national team or its individual athletes, it is also quite pleasant to watch these strong and muscular human beings compete. After the sexiest Hungarian sportswomen of this year’s Olympics Games, we present you with the sexiest athletes of the opposite sex. 

Áron Szilágyi

After the past weekend, Szilágyi does not need an introduction. Hopefully, the whole world learnt his name after becoming the first athlete to win three gold medals at three separate Olympics – in a row – at individual sabre fencing. Apart from being a 7-times World Cup gold medallist.

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Sándor Tótka

The young canoe sprinter had a very successful junior career during which he picked up local and regional trophies.

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He won first place at the 2010 Youth Olympics, followed by one medal of each colour the next year at the Junior World Championship and three golds at the 2012 Junior European Championship.

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Márton Fucsovics

Fucsovics is another one of those Hungarian athletes of our times who needs no introduction. Especially after last month’s Wimbledon quarter-final against Novak Djokovic, when he achieved his personal best at a Grand Slam.

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The Hungarian tennis star is currently the 38th at the ATP men’s singles ranking, with high hopes to soon jump his personal best of the 31st position. 

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Márton Fucsovics: What’s next for this bright player?

Richárd Bohus

Bohus is an experienced swimmer with an impressive career involving several silver and bronze medals at international competitions.

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He set several national records, for instance, at the European Championship in London in 2016, which also got him second place in 50m backstrokes.

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Dominik Kozma

Kozma is one of the most experienced swimmers of the current Hungarian team. In Tokyo, he participates in his 4th Olympic Games, which is already an accomplishment in itself. He is familiar with the podium after having won many bronze medals at numerous international competitions.

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Hungarian tennis player’s fiancée defended Boris Becker – PHOTOS

Fucsovics

Márton Fucsovics is one of Hungary’s best tennis players, but his fiancée is just as good at block shots.

This summer has been quite a nice one for Hungarian sports supporters. The national eleven caused some beautiful and memorable moments at the EURO2020. The Tokyo Olympics is just around the corner, where the country’s swimmers, for instance, are expected to shine. And just over a week ago, tennis player Márton Fucsovics played his first-ever Wimbledon quarter-final. Despite not being able to beat Novak Djokovic, his success is undeniable. He was the talk of the town; however, it was not only him that grabbed the attention of many.

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His girlfriend got into the spotlight after a camera spotted her in the audience during Fucsovics’ quarter-final. German former world number one professional tennis player Boris Becker, who currently works as a sports commentator, saw her on-screen and reacted to co-commentator John Inverdale’s words.
He replied: “They do say they have to most beautiful women in Hungary. I would not know that, but she is certainly very pretty.”

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This little reply caused quite a rage in the British organisation Women in Sport. Chief executive Stephanie Hillborne reacted immediately by saying:

“When two men feel comfortable talking about women in this way, much less on live television, it shows that there is more to be done.

Shouldn’t we inspire girls to exercise rather than talk about what women look like?”

The comment caused some reaction in Hungary as well, however, the subject of it does not feel offended at all.

Fucsovics’s fiancée, Anett Böszörményi even wrote on social media to defend Boris Becker.

She posted two pictures chosen from the movie “Pretty woman” to express her support. On them, she wrote:

“If you are a woman, it is a good compliment from a man. It’s just sexism for someone who doesn’t get recognized…”

Then she posted a picture of Stephanie Hillborne, writing: “In my name, do not rate anyone else. Thank you for the unnecessary move…I wish you one day the same view from a real man. If you are a woman, pretty is a good compliment from a Gentleman.” Then she tagged Boris Becker.

The BBC also defended the commentator. “Boris Becker made a light-hearted comment not intended to cause offence.”

As nlc.hu writes, Anett, indeed, is a very pretty woman. They have been a couple for years now and even got engaged in 2017. They were supposed to get married a year later but had to postpone the wedding due to Fucsovics’s career. They broke up and got back together on several occasions since then, but now it seems like they are on the right track.

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Márton Fucsovics: What’s next for this bright player

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Collaborative post

There are many names in the world of tennis that fans won’t be too aware of. However, one of the players that you should definitely be watching is Márton Fucsovics. The Hungarian won his first title back in 2018, and is currently making waves on the ATP Tour.

However, what is next for the player? You can definitely bet on him returning to a final in the near future, but where is his tennis career heading and can he snap up another title on the way?

History

Márton isn’t new to the professional tennis world. He went pro back in 2009, but he did have some major success before then. Prior to going pro, Márton won the US Open Boys Doubles. In 2010, he reached the semi-finals of the US Open Boys Singles, which he ended up losing to Jack Sock.

Fucsovics was also an integral part of the success of the Hungarian U-18 team, who went on to win the very prestigious Galea/Valerio Cup in Venice. In July 2010 he was ranked number 1 in the ITF Junior rankings.

2013 saw Fucsovics win 2 Challenger titles in May and November of that year. His first Grand Slam only came in 2016 when at the US Open, he eventually ended up losing in three sets in the round of 128.

2017 was another bumper year for the player. In June, he won a Challenger Title at the Internazionali di Tennis Citta di Vicenza, and the second one at the Ilkay Challenger. Winning the Ilkay Challenger gave him a Wildcard spot at Wimbledon that year where he lost in the opening round.

Making it to Wimbledon also drove him up the rankings, making it to 99th, breaking into the top 100 for the first time in his career.

2018 was a year to remember for Fucsovics. In January, he won his first match in a Major draw, beating Modolvan Radu Albot in the first round of the Australian Open. He then beat 13th seed Sam Querrey in the second round, and then defeated Nicolas Kicker in the third round. He would eventually be knocked out in the fourth round, losing to Roger Federer.

This was also the year he won his first title. He won his very first ATP title at the Geneva Open, beating Peter Gojowczyk. This is easily the biggest highlight of his blossoming career so far.

2021 has been a fairly exciting year for the player too. The highlights started early in the year when he upset Stan Wawrinka in the second round of the Australian Open. Not only was this a shock to many fans, but it also put Fucsovics’s name on the end of everybody’s tongue at the time.

What’s Next?

2020 saw Fucsovics step into the public spotlight as, for the first time in his career, he beat a top 10 opponent in the form of Daniil Medvedev en route to the fourth round of Roland Garros.

Earlier this year, he reached what is probably the biggest final in his career, when he took on Andrey Rublev in the final of the ATP 500 in Rotterdam. He would lose the match, but the immense improvement in his game was very noticeable. While he didn’t win, he would return to the top 50 in the ATP rankings.

It is becoming clear that he is slowly turning good results on the ATP Tour into opportunities on the Grand Slam stage. Considering the level of talent in the world of tennis right now, it will take a lot of time and wins to make it onto the big stage of Grand Slams consistently.

However, he is currently sitting at number 49 in the ATP rankings, a very respectable position considering he is above the likes of Kei Nishikori, Richard Gasquet, Sam Querrey, and even Nick Kyrgios.

While 2021 is a tough year for most sportsmen considering the current pandemic and how it is changing tournaments, the easing of lockdowns should make it easier for everyone, and performance improvements will come along with that.

His most recent match was unfortunately a loss to Ugo Humbert in the Stuttgart Open, which Fucosvics lost in 2 sets in the first round. However, he is set to face Aljaz Bedene in the round of 32 at the Viking Eastbourne International.

While Fucsovics isn’t reaching the massive heights of Grand Slam semi-finals and finals at the moment, he has proven to be a player that has the skill and mindset to go far in tournaments, and also beat big-name players.

Hopefully this year he will continue to put in solid performances on the ATP Tour, and earn himself some more Wildcard entries into the Grand Slams, or even qualify for them through wins.

Either way, while he isn’t a household name now, Márton Fucsovics has been putting in the hard work day in and day out now, and it is only a matter of time before we start seeing him on the player lists of major tournaments and Grand Slams around the world regularly. 

After Euro 2020 – What other sport is taking place in Hungary this year

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This June, Hungary has hosted several games in Europe 2020, the first time the European Championship has been held in the country since it began back in 1960. Having qualified for the competition through the play-offs, Hungary also had the privilege of playing two home games, the first against Portugal and the second against France.

The Puskás Aréna in the 14th district of the nation’s capital saw the largest crowds in the tournament with the Hungarian government not placing restrictions on its capacity as has been the case elsewhere on the continent.

Group F, in which Hungary was placed, is one of the toughest of the tournament. This meant that Marco Rossi’s men had to face off against Germany, France, and Portugal, teams that have been the bookies’ favourites for much of the last year.

Although Hungary’s role as host ends after the round of 16 games, Euro 2020 will continue well into July. With the competition hotting up, many fans are placing bets on the teams they think will win the tournament. The savvier ones are also taking advantage of bookmaker promotions to help them get more from their wagers. Sites like OLBG are a big help for these fans as they collate all the promotions together in one place, for example, OLBG.com’s page of betting offers has around almost forty different ones listed.

After the tournament leaves the country, that doesn’t mean Hungarian sport will be over for the summer. There will still be plenty of action taking place within its borders, including these major events.

Billie Jean King Cup Finals

The Billie Jean King Cup is one of the biggest competitions in women’s tennis. Unlike most tournaments, it’s a team event with players competing for their respective nations. Formally known as the “World Group”, the Finals will be held at the indoor clay courts in the László Papp Budapest Sports Arena.

Several of the most successful tennis-playing nations will be taking part, including Czechia, Russia, Slovakia, Belarus, France, the United States, and Australia.

The Billie Jean King Cup Finals are scheduled to begin on 1st July and last for 11 days.

Rugby Europe Sevens – 2021 Trophy Series

Despite its relative obscurity, rugby has a dedicated following in many European nations. Of course, the competition is popular in the home nations of the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Italy, all of whom partake in the Six Nations tournament.

The Rugby Europe Trophy Series is the next biggest competition on the continent. The Rugby Europe Sevens Trophy Series is the same tournament but for the seven-a-side variant of rugby union.

In 2021, the men’s and women’s Sevens Trophy Series will take place in two legs. The first was in Croatia on the 19th and 20th of June and the second will be in Budapest, Hungary on 9th, 10th, and 11th July.

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2021 Hungarian Grand Prix

Hungary has been hosting a round of the Formula 1 World Championship since 1986, becoming the first nation in the Eastern Bloc to be included on the sport’s calendar. Ever since, the race has taken place at the Hungaroring, Mogyoród.

Although it’s the only event on this list not within the Hungarian capital, the circuit is only around 30-40 minutes’ drive from the centre of Budapest, making it easy for fans to get to.

This year’s race will take place on Sunday 1st August 2021, with practice and qualifying taking place on the preceding two days.

Although last year’s race took place without fans present, 2021 is expected to be different with at least some permitted to spectate from the trackside.

2021 World Touring Car Cup – Race of Hungary

Towards the end of August, more motor racing action will take place at the Hungaroring. This will be the 11th time that the circuit has been used for the World Touring Car Cup, having been on the calendar since 2011.

Two races will take place at the track, one on 21st August and the other on 22nd. This is a change from the original schedule which had seen Hungary open the season in mid-May but was pushed back to the summer for safety reasons.

The local Zengő Motorsport team and Hungarian drivers Bence Boldizs, Attila Tassi, and Norbert Michelisz will be taking part. This will likely attract a lot of Hungarian fans who will be there to cheer on their compatriots, creating an exciting and electric atmosphere.

Tímea Babos: Can She Conquer the Singles Stage?

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Since turning professional in 2011, Tímea Babos has established herself as one of the best players in Hungarian tennis history. To date, the 28-year-old has won four doubles Grand Slams and reached a further three finals. It’s a testament to her application and professionalism that she’s already cemented her legacy as a sporting great, becoming the country’s first world champion in the Open era. Now she faces the challenge of solidifying herself as a singles contender, but is that challenge too great for Babos?

Struggling to Replicate Her Best Form 

In September 2016, Babos achieved a career-high ranking of 25th. During that year, the 28-year-old also registered her best Grand Slam finish, reaching the third round of the US Open before a narrow defeat to Simona Halep, who has since won two Grand Slam events. The Romanian will hope to add another trophy to her collection over the coming months, and she is +700 in 2021 Wimbledon odds to win the London-based competition for a second time, as of June 7th. Despite Halep recovering from a calf injury, she will still be among the favorites in tennis betting tips for the grassy tournament. 

 

Throughout her career, Babos has performed admirably at Grand Slams. That said, she’s thus far struggled to raise her game against the elite competitors, as evident from the 2016 US Open. However, there’s nothing to say that her fortunes won’t change over the coming years. At the time of writing, the Hungarian right-hander has three singles career titles to her name, with her most recent triumph coming at the 2018 Taiwan Open. The 28-year-old defeated Kateryna Kozlova in straight sets in the final following her semi-final victory against Wang Yafan.   

Can She Launch a Singles Revival? 

On the singles stage, 2016 was undoubtedly Babos’ best year. Aside from reaching the third round of the US Open, she also made the second round at the Australian and French Open, as well as Wimbledon. Since then, she’s slid down the WTA singles rankings, falling from 25th to 111th, as per Tennis. However, this isn’t a fair reflection of her abilities. Few other players on the circuit are four-time Grand Slam champions, even in a doubles capacity. After winning the pairs Australian and French Open in 2020, Babos must use this success as a springboard to revive her singles career.   

 

If Babos can develop into a singles Grand Slam competitor, she’ll put herself in the conversation regarding Hungary’s all-time best tennis representative. To date, Zsuzsa Kormoczy is the only Hungarian woman to win a major singles tournament, lifting the French Open in 1958. While there are no guarantees that the 28-year-old can replicate this success, equaling that achievement should motivate Babos to elevate her game. 

Carrying Over Form Is Easier Said Than Done 

Both mentally and physically, there are many differences between singles and doubles tennis. Babos, a former pairs world number one, is well-suited to playing with a partner, and that’s evident from her career achievements. However, if she wants to surpass Kormoczy’s legacy, she may have to go one better and triumph on the singles stage.

ITF: Budapest removed as host of Billie Jean King Cup Finals

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The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is seeking a new host city for this year’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals after terminating the agreement it had with Budapest.

A source within the ITF confirmed to Reuters that the revamped women’s team competition featuring 12 nations, formerly known as the Fed Cup, would no longer take place at the Laszlo Papp Arena, having been twice postponed because of COVID-19.

ITF president Dave Haggerty confirmed the decision on Tuesday.

“We have been working closely with the Hungarian Government and the Hungarian Tennis Association (HTA) to review all feasible options to reschedule this year’s Finals,” said Haggerty, an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member.

“After working together in good faith for the past year, we were surprised and disappointed to be informed that the HTA no longer considers it possible to hold the event in Budapest.

“Given the timing, the ITF has been left with no other option than to end the hosting agreement with Hungary and explore an alternative solution.”

The ITF received a letter from the Hungarian Tennis Association (HTA) on April 22 saying it was no longer feasible to host the Finals, citing safety reasons.

The Fed Cup, sponsored by BNP Paribas, was revamped in 2019 with Budapest winning the right to host the finals but the inaugural edition last April was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was re-scheduled for last month but was again postponed on health grounds. No new date had been agreed.

The ITF are determined that the competition goes ahead and said they had been left with little option than to terminate the agreement with Budapest and seek a new host.

Several other cities had bid along with Budapest in the initial process and could be alternatives but organising such a complex event at short notice will be a huge challenge.

“The ITF will do everything in its power — for the sport, the players, nations, and the fans — to ensure this landmark competition in tennis and women’s sports will be held as soon as it is reasonably practicable,” Haggerty said.

In the HTA letter, seen by Reuters, they said the emergence of new COVID-19 variants meant they could not safely organise the week-long event that would feature 60 athletes plus coaches and support staff.

The letter also stated that the original contract signed in 2019 needed to be “carefully examined” so that the competition financed by Hungarian taxpayers’ money could be concluded with “minimal losses”.

France, Russia, Hungary, Australia, Belarus, Belgium, the United States, Spain, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Germany and Switzerland have qualified for the Finals.

Budapest was announced as hosts in 2019 when the Fed Cup was re-structured into a World Cup of tennis format concluding with a 12 nations competing over a week for the title.

The total prize money fund is on a par with the men’s Davis Cup with an $18 million pot in which $12 million goes to the players and $6 million to the national federations.

It was re-named the Billie Jean King Cup last year in honour of the American 12-time Grand Slam champion and women’s tennis trailblazer who was part of the winning team of the inaugural Fed Cup in London in 1963.

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Read alsoHungarian ex-porn actress to lead the committee responsible for young tennis players

Can Fucsovics break into the Grand Slam conversation?

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Márton Fucsovics has produced some intriguing results of late to suggest that he could be capable of producing a run at a Grand Slam and even win a title. The 29-year-old turned professional in 2010, and reached a high point in his career in 2019 when he was ranked 31st in the world.

Fucsovics’ ranking has declined over the last two years down to 55th place, but his recent form has been impressive considering the quality of his opponents. He may not be the first thought of a contender when mulling over the odds on tennis for a bet on a Grand Slam, but 2021 could be a year of surprise with doubts over the futures of Roger Federer and Andy Murray. Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal remain potent at the top – the latter is evens for the French Open – but even they have displayed recent chinks in their armour.

Beginning in 2020, Fucsovics began a strong run of form against top-quality opponents. The Nyiregyhaza-born right-hander faced off three-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov at the Cincinnati Masters in the round of 32. Fucsovics was on point to take the first set before the Bulgarian fought back to force a decider. However, Fucsovics was dominant to advance to the next round of the competition, where his run was ended by Filip Krajinovic.

It was not the end of the 29-year-old’s success against Dimitrov, as the two were once again pitted against one another in the US Open in the round of 64. The Bulgarian assumed a strong position by battling his way in front to require only one more set to advance. The comeback from Fucsovics was outstanding as he claimed the final two sets 6-4, 6-1 to beat out his rival for the second time in a row. The win appeared to take a lot out of the Hungarian as he fell to Francis Tiafoe in the next round.

The challenges kept coming for Fucsovics at Roland-Garros in the French Open. Fourth seed and rising star Daniil Medvedev was his opponent in the first round of the competition. Fucsovics produced the best tennis of his career to hammer the Russian, sending him crashing out of the French Open by a 3-1 margin, including a dominant 6-1 result in the fourth set. The 29-year-old enjoyed a good run in the competition and his best Grand Slam performance to reach the round of 16, but Andrey Rublev had the quality on the day, bouncing back with authority to progress to the quarter-finals after Fucsovics claimed the opening set.

Fucsovics has maintained his impressive record against the leading lights of the game, overcoming former champion Stanislas Wawrinka in the Australian Open in the second round in a thrilling contest. The 29-year-old rose to the occasion when it mattered the most to win a tie-breaker in the deciding set. He has proven that he can defeat quality opponents in one-off games, but the task at hand for the Hungarian is to show that he can string multiple victories together. If Fucsovics can do that he would well compete for a Grand Slam in 2021 and beyond.

Hungarian ex-porn actress to lead the committee responsible for young tennis players

Hungary porn tennis

The Hungarian media reports about the shocking assignment, but the truth is that Petra Selmeci (37) has been working in the Hungarian Tennis Association for a long time. 

According to Blikk, Ms Selmeci has become the chairwoman of the committee responsible for the competitions and the young talents of Hungarian tennis. As a player, she did not have a successful career, but when she retired, she started to train the young talents of Hungarian tennis. She became a member of the group responsible for decision-making, and from September, she became the leader of the branch working with the young talents of the sport.

However, some were not so happy because of the decision. They said that Ms Selmeci is an ex-porn actress and that fact

is morally unacceptable in the position she has been appointed to.

Blikk looked her up on the internet and wrote that she was active in the porn industry between 2001 and 2005 and worked under the pseudonym Tiffany Rouge. Furthermore, she did not keep it a secret that before she started filming, she was a professional tennis player, so it is easy to prove that the woman in the movies is her. Based on the biggest porn film database, she played in at least 11 movies.

Ms Selmeci has been teaching tennis in many clubs both in Budapest and in the country for years. But she did not want to share anything about her porn past with Blikk. A trainer who wanted to remain anonymous, however, said that in the tennis world, everybody knows about her adult movie “background”, but

she is a good trainer, and her trainees are very successful.

Blikk asked the former leader of the Prime Minister’s Office and the new leader of the Hungarian Tennis Association, János Lázár, whether he finds the past of Ms Selmeci problematic or not. He said that she had been a member of the leadership of Hungarian tennis for a long time, and he continues to rely on her professional knowledge in the future. He added that they were not dealing with the private life of their employees, and they would not like to change that policy.

It is rare but not unique what Petra Selmeci did. There are some sportsmen and sportswomen whose homemade video has been leaked on the internet. Furthermore, some chose to become an actress, for example, Japanese snowboarder Imai Melo (32) or Dutch gymnast Verona van de Leur (34).

Djokovic tests positive for COVID-19

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Novak Djokovic and his wife Jelena tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday in Belgrade, confirmed the press office of the world’s No. 1 tennis player in a release.

Djokovic was tested immediately upon his arrival in Belgrade from Zadar, Croatia, where the second leg of the Adria Tour regional tennis tournament was interrupted and canceled by confirmed cases of infections among participants and their teams.

“The moment we arrived in Belgrade we went to be tested. My result is positive, just as Jelena’s, while the results of our children are negative,” Djokovic stated.

He explained that the purpose of the Adria Tour that he organized with his family was “to unite and share a message of solidarity and compassion throughout the region”, as well as to help both established and emerging tennis players from South-Eastern Europe to gain access to some competitive tennis while the various tours are on hold due to the COVID-19 situation.

“Unfortunately, this virus is still present, and it is a new reality that we are still learning to cope and live with. I am hoping things will ease with time so we can all resume lives the way they were. I am extremely sorry for each individual case of infection. I hope that it will not complicate anyone’s health situation and that everyone will be fine. I will remain in self-isolation for the next 14 days, and repeat the test in five days,”

Djokovic stated in the press release.

Previously legs of Adria Tour have been canceled in Montenegro and Slovenia due to health concerns, while during the tournament in Zadar several players and team members tested positive on COVID-19 including Grigor Dimitrov and Borna Coric.

Organizers of the Adria Tour stated Tuesday that the scheduled tournaments in Banjaluka and Sarajevo are cancelled too because “it is of highest importance to stabilize the epidemiologic situation.”

Sexiest Hungarian tennis players
Read alsoThey are the sexiest Hungarian tennis players – photos!

They are the sexiest Hungarian tennis players – photos!

Sexiest Hungarian tennis players

Many say that Hungarian women are the most beautiful in the world. If you take a look at Fanny Stollár and Panna Udvardy, two famous and successful Hungarian tennis players, you may agree with the saying. More astonishing photos below!

Fanny Stollár was born on November 12, 1998, in Budapest in a family where both her father and her mother were professional tennis players. She decided to choose to play tennis instead of handball when she won a national tennis competition (where even boys took part) at the age of 10. In 2010, she won a bronze medal in the category of under 12, so the Nike signed a 3-year-long contract with her and an Italian company started to sponsor her, as well.

Sexiest Hungarian tennis players
Fanny Stollár. Facebook/Instagram

From 2011 on, she won a lot of tournaments in Italy, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria and Spain. Furthermore, when she was 13, she won the Hungarian Cup with which she became the youngest winner of the tournament.

Sexiest Hungarian tennis players
Fanny Stollár. Facebook/Instagram

In 2013, she won a bronze medal at the U16 European Championships with Anna Bondár and Rebeka Stolmár. In 2015, she won a silver medal with Dalma Gálfi in Switzerland at the U18 European Championships. In 2014 she and the Polish Kamil Majchrzak won third place at the youth Olympic games in Nanking. She won the 2015 Wimbledon girls’ doubles title, partnering Dalma Gálfi.

Sexiest Hungarian tennis players
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She won her first match at the WTA main draw in 2017 with Ágnes Bukta by defeating a Czech-Belorussian duo. Since then, she has won one doubles title at the WTA Tour, as well as one singles title and seven doubles titles at the ITF Women’s Circuit. On 19 November 2018, she reached her best singles ranking of world No. 114. On 10 September 2018, she peaked at world No. 67 in the doubles rankings.

Sexiest Hungarian tennis players
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Her biggest title, so far, is the 2018 Hungarian Ladies Open, where she together with Spanish player Georgina García Pérez defeated Kirsten Flipkens and Johanna Larsson in three sets.

Sexiest Hungarian tennis players
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Panna Udvardy was born on 28 September 1998, in Veszprém, Veszprém county. She has career-high WTA rankings of 343 in singles, achieved on 6 May 2019, and 319 in doubles, achieved on 31 December 2019.

Sexiest Hungarian tennis players
Panna Udvardy. Facebook/Instagram

Udvardy made her WTA main-draw debut at the 2017 Hungarian Ladies Open in the doubles draw partnering Anna Blinkova.

Panna Udvardy. Sexiest Hungarian tennis players
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WOW! Hungarian Tímea Babos wins Australian Open Ladies’ Doubles title!

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Much smoother than expected, the N°2 pair of Tímea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic won first place against N°1 Hsieh Su-Wei, Barbora Strycova in the Australian Open final, without losing any set throughout the whole tournament and thus winning their third Grand Slam title.

“I would like to thank the most important person on the court right now standing next to me: Tímea. She is way more than my partner, we go through many things together on and off the court and without her, probably I wouldn’t be standing here today” said Kristina.

“As usual, she speak a lot…She gets to say the emotional part and I get the business part” added Timi. Watch the full video:

2-Kristina Mladenovic, France, and Tímea Babos, Hungary VS. 1-Barbora Strycova, Czech Republic, and Hsieh Su-Wei, Chinese Taipei, 6-2, 6-1

babos mladenovic ao champions
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