Marketa Vondrousova knocks Naomi Osaka out of Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Marketa Vondrousova of Team Czech Republic proceeds to quarter-finals with surprise 6-1; 6-4 win over four-time Grand Slam winner. The 2019 French Open runner-up won 6-1 6-4 in an hour and eight minutes and will now face either Spain's Paula Badosa or Nadia Podoroska of Argentina.
Meanwhile, at Ariake Tennis Park heavy rain suspended play on the outside courts. As a result, the roof was in operation on Centre Court. The Czech lefthander didn't allow Naomi to settle down as she boasted her second serve and broke the opening game. The home favourite had two points to break straight back but Vondrousova saved them both. The mentality was just incomparable as she saved the second breakpoint with an ace, before going into a 2-0 lead.
A couple of superb backhands saw the world number 42 into a 3-0 lead after just nine minutes. Meanwhile, the scoreline became 4-0 within a blink of an eye. Moreover, Naomi Osaka was clearly struggling to get to grips with her opponent's lefty serve. Although Osaka saved three break points before finally getting on the board, Vondrousova did manage to break for a third time to take the first set 6-1 in just 24 minutes.
However, the story of the second set was not similar as Naomi Osaka showed her quality and broke at the very first game. Osaka could not continue in the same vein as the second serve remained vulnerable and a double fault handed back the break at the end of a seven-minute-long fourth game to make it 2-2. Vondrousova later saved two break points with two trademark drop shots and then led 5-4 to leave Osaka serving to stay in the tournament.
Marketa had two match points, but Osaka saved the first with a crunching forehand winner before the Czech netted a backhand. She soon had a third chance to complete victory and she made it count. Marketa beat Osaka 6-4 in her own backyard and nullified her chances of winning Gold once and for all.
Wherever Neeraj Chopra goes, he does not return empty-handed. So, it's time we take a look at every Neeraj Chopra records that he has made in his tremendous career so far.
Wherever Neeraj Chopra goes, he does not return empty-handed. This series started in 2016 when this rising star made a record for the first time at the Under-20 World Athletics Championships. From that day itself, we got a glimpse of the future to come, in which many records were to be made and broken one after the other.
On Friday night of 16 May, Neeraj maintained the same trend in Doha Diamond League 2025 and got his name registered in history, becoming the first Indian to breach the 90m mark in the sport. So, it's time we take a look at every Neeraj Chopra records that he has made in his tremendous career so far.
First Indian to breach the 90m mark: Neeraj Chopra’s best throw is 90.23m, achieved at the Doha Diamond League on May 16, 2025. The mark stands as the men’s national record in India and Neeraj Chopra’s personal best. It was the first time an Indian had breached the 90m-mark in the javelin.
First Indian to win Olympic medal in athletics: At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Neeraj Chopra produced a historic performance in the men's javelin throw event. Neeraj won the gold medal in the final with a throw of 87.58m, giving India its first Olympic medal in athletics. With this win, Neeraj Chopra also became the first Indian athlete to win a gold medal in a track and field event at the Olympics.
First Indian to win silver at World Athletics Championships: Star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra won a historic silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon. He recorded a throw of 88.13m in his fourth attempt to claim the second spot. Chopra thus is the first Indian to win a silver medal at the World Athletics Championships and only the second medallist from the country after Anju Bobby George in 2003.
First Indian track and field athlete to win world championship: Neeraj Chopra won the gold medal at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. With this win, the then 18-year-old Neeraj became the first Indian track and field athlete to become a world champion in any event and any age level.
First Indian World Record holder in track & field: Neeraj Chopra Threw 86.48m at the junior championships in Poland to win the title. With this, he set the new under-20 world record, beating the 84.69m mark established by the previous holder, Latvia's Zigismunds Sirmais. Neeraj’s 86.48m attempt at Bydgoszcz still stands as both the U20 world record as well as the U20 Asian record in the javelin throw.
Indian national javelin throw record holder: Neeraj Chopra’s best attempt to date came at the Stockholm Diamond League 2022 in Sweden on June 30, 2022, where he managed his personal best of 89.94m to establish the new national record.
First Indian to win javelin throw gold at Asian Games: Neeraj Chopra is the first Indian javelin thrower to win a gold medal at the Asian Games. Before him, Gurtej Singh was the only men’s javelin thrower from the country to win a medal – bronze at the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games. Neeraj threw 88.06m to claim the 2018 Asian Games title.
First Indian to win a Diamond League meet: Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian to win a Diamond League meet after he topped the field in Lausanne in 2022. With a depleted field that had world champion Anderson Peters missing, the Indian comfortably led the charts with an 89.08m throw, in his first attempt.
First Indian to become Diamond League champion: Neeraj Chopra is the first Indian athlete in history to clinch the Diamond League trophy, by winning the Zurich Diamond League 2022 Final. The Indian ace recorded a best throw of 88.44m to beat Tokyo 2020 silver medallist and 2016 champion Jakub Vadlejch to the title.
First Indian to become world champion: Neeraj Chopra became India's first world champion after he clinched the gold medal in the men's javelin throw final at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest with an effort of 88.17m. It was Neeraj Chopra's second straight medal at the world championships after his silver at Oregon 2022.
The women's tournament has seen a number of talented players win the title. Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, and Naomi Osaka are some of the players who have won the tournament multiple times. The Australian Open winners list are given below.
Meanwhile, Madison Keys of America won her first-ever Grand Slam title by becoming the champion in the women's singles event of the Australian Open 2025.
In the title match, Keys defeated two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.
Keys is the second-oldest woman to claim her first Australian Open singles title in the Open era after China’s Li Na, who was 31 when she triumphed at Melbourne Park in 2014.
Top 10 most-talked about Tennis dresses worn by female players
While tradition mandates all-white ensembles, the game’s gutsiest players have since experimented with a rainbow of uniforms, accessories, and even hairstyles. So, let's take a look at the top 10 most-talked-about Tennis dresses worn by female players.
A distinguished wardrobe has always had its place on the tennis court. Long considered a pastime of the elite, the refined sport has been encouraging smart dress since the turn of the 20th century.
But while tradition mandates all-white ensembles, the game’s gutsiest players have since experimented with a rainbow of uniforms, accessories, and even hairstyles.
Naturally, their taste for forward-thinking fashion extends beyond the confines of the court as well and also their sartorial choices regularly make headlines.
So, let's take a look at the top 10 most-talked-about Tennis dresses worn by female players.
Fashion in Tennis dress
Fashion in Tennis plays a major role.
From the sport’s earliest days to its top moments of controversy, tennis has long been influenced by fashion and has influenced it in turn.
As the sport evolved, a more uniform but still formal style of dress started to form for women.
The tennis look drew from lawn dresses, which were often worn to garden parties, racecourses and other outdoor leisure events. These all-white, cotton and linen garments featured lace inserts and elaborate embroidery patterns.
They eventually transitioned from being worn by spectators to being worn by players on the court. The prominence of these dresses shows that the focus of tennis attire was still on fashion, not performance.
Tennis Dress | Historical Overview
One of the earliest moments that this form-over-function mindset was challenged was at the 1887 Wimbledon Championship.
Tennis star Charlotte Dod, known as Lottie, was only 15 the first time she won a Wimbledon title; because of her youth, she was able to wear clothing that was not as restricting.
Ditching the tight corset, full-length dress and multi-layered gown, she wore calf-length garb more similar to a school uniform than a tennis uniform at the time.
Many older opponents argued that her attire gave her an unfair advantage by allowing her to move in ways and at speeds that the traditional tennis gear could not, bringing to the sport, for one of the first times, the question of designing garments for mobility and agility.
Suzanne Lenglen, center of Wimbledon 1919 fashion scandal
This concept was furthered by the iconoclastic Suzanne Lenglen, who was the center of another Wimbledon fashion scandal in 1919 when she wore a calf-length skirt, short sleeves and a floppy hat.
Despite the backlash from the press, which called her indecent, Lenglen went on to win the tournament.
She often wore a tulle wrap around her head while playing, called the “Lenglen bandeau,” which caught on to become a defining look of the Roaring Twenties.
Most-talked About Female Tennis dress | Top 10 List
1. Naomi Osaka’s girlhood, brat-inspired look (US Open 2024)
Naomi Osaka made a grand return to the US Open 2024 after a two-year break, leaving the internet obsessed with her.
Osaka entered the court to play her match against Jelena Ostapenko in a neon green ruffled dress.
The dress was styled with a detachable matching tulle-adorned mini skirt, a white cropped jacket adorned with a large green bow, and bow-decked accessories - including sneakers and headphones.
Designed by Yoon in collaboration with Nike, the dress was a nod to Naomi and the designer's love for Japan and Japanese subcultures.
2. Serena Williams’ diamond-encrusted Nike outfit (US Open 2022)
Tennis star Serena Williams, who took retirement from the sport in 2022, made a remarkable appearance for her match with Danka Kovinic in the first round of the women's singles event at the US Open 2022.
The star not only won the game but also left her fans impressed with her sartorial choice of attire.
Known to make heads turn with her on-court outfit choices, Serena once again proved her fashion prowess.
Serena turned up wearing a pair of diamond-encrusted Nike shoes, featuring solid gold lace deubre that read mama and queen with a black ensemble.
The black outfit that she wore featured an embellished bodice and sheer sleeves, and flowed into a voluminous skirt.
The tennis star herself worked with the Nike team and took to Instagram to share the details.
3. Emma Raducanu’s Tiffany & Co. Jewellery (Wimbledon 2022)
British tennis star Emma Raducanu made her Wimbledon debut in 2022 wearing approximately $37,000 worth of diamond and pearl jewelry.
The diamond teardrop earrings from the Tiffany Victoria collection, which are priced at $9,300, feature a 11-12 mm pearl suspended from a diamond flower.
The matching diamond and pearl pendant from the same collection is worth $4,800.
Raducanu paired the two pieces with an 18k gold bangle, half set with round diamonds and hinged with a "T" motif at the center.
The gold bracelet worn by Raducanu is priced at $23,000, however Tiffany & Co offers both a rose gold and silver bracelet with a slimmer band for $11,500.
4. Serena Williams’ Wakanda-inspired catsuit (French Open 2018)
Serena Williams stunned fans at the 2018 French Open when she stepped onto the court in a black Nike catsuit, a nod, at least in part, to Black Panther.
Black with a red waistband, the full-length bodysuit looked striking on Williams, a new mom; she was likened to a superhero in the ensemble.
But the catsuit won’t be welcome at Roland Garros.
While fans and the media praised the look, French Tennis Federation banned catsuits and changed the tournament’s dress code in direct response to the look.
Serena's suit was more than a fashion moment, though. It had potentially live-saving functionality.
As a full-body compression garment, it was made to help with blood clots, a health issue she’s dealt with frequently in the past.
The former American tennis star Anne White caused uproar at Wimbledon in 1985 with her choice of clothing, leaving her opponent and officials furious.
Anne was warming up in a tracksuit for her match against fifth seed Pam Shriver in the first round when she removed her suit and revealed an all-white lycra unitard.
Being 1985, it created quite a stir among the crowd and photographers. Play was stopped for the day due to bad lighting with the match tied at one set all.
The umpire Alan Mills instructed Anne to wear a more appropriate outfit the next day; she did, and lost the third set.
She was the first tennis star to be criticised for wearing a catsuit on-court.
6. Venus Williams’ Moulin Rouge-inspired look (French Open 2010)
Every time Venus Williams steps onto a court, spectators are eager to see what outfit she's wearing.
At Roland Garros 2010, Venus once again surprised the crowd when she unzipped her jacket to reveal an anything but ordinary on-court get up.
When the jacket came off, Venus wasn’t just a tennis player, she had the look of a 19th-century can-can dancer.
As she slid into forehands and loaded her legs, flying up to smash serves, Venus also had the movement of an iconic Parisian dancer.
The black and red outfit mostly consisted of lace, with the upper half a tight corset and the bottom flaring out into a flowy tutu.
Coffee-colored spandex, perfectly matching her skin-tone, rounded out the number.
This was no mistake, as Venus designed the Eleven by Venus dress herself, and every inch of this stunning dress was intentional.
7. Bethanie Mattek-Sands’ Lady Gaga look (Wimbledon 2011)
Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who is famous for her unusual fashion taste, decked out in a Lady Gaga-inspired jacket festooned with real tennis balls before her first round defeat in the Wimbledon 2011.
Although the All England Club usually demands a conservative, predominantly white outfit, Mattek-Sands lived up to her flamboyant reputation.
She wore a white jacket covered in tassel and cut-in-half tennis balls, knee-high socks and a top which had one sleeve missing to show off her tattoos.
The American's lengthy list of fashion crimes also includes being fined for wearing a striped cowboy hat during a match at the 2005 US Open and donning a leopard-print outfit at the same event.
8. Serena Williams' silver stud black dress (US Open 2004)
For her third round of women's singles at US Open 2004, Serena Williams opted for an all-black ensemble (also by Nike), wearing a dress featuring silver studs all around the neck, down the midline and at the hips.
The GOAT paired the look with a heart-chain bracelet on one wrist and a matching black studded wristband on the other.
She rounded out her accessories with diamond-encrusted hoop earrings and a black headband that debuted the official Serena logo.
Instead of a typical athletic sneaker, Williams sported what can only be described as knee-high sneaker boots.
9. Maria Sharapova' s Riccardo Tisci little black dress (US Open 2017)
Maria Sharapova created sensation to the US Open 2017 courts with her little black dress designed by Riccardo Tisci for Nike.
Lace, Swarovski crystals, dots and leather details, the Russian carried them all for an ultra daring and glamorous look perfect for night matches in New York.
The tennis fashion queen decided to balance the femininity of the dress with masculine energy of a slightly oversized bomber jacket that is billowy in the back.
The best thing is that the elegant outfit, far from a typical sports look, is by no means compromising performance and Sharapova proved that by ousting world number two Simona Halep in the first-round thriller.
10. Caroline Wozniacki's beige Adidas dress (Toray Pan Pacific Open 2014)
Danish former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki sported a beige Adidas dress at the 2014 Toray Pan Pacific Open.
The Adidas number featured contrasting panels of brown and beige, as well as a side ruffle that added some flair to an otherwise classic look.
Despite being bogged down by a useless ruffle, Wozniacki finds herself back in a Slam final.
Top 10 fastest serves in tennis history (Women's tennis)
In recent years, the WTA has seen a significant boost in the number of women hitting big serves. An excellent serve is one of the biggest weapons any tennis player can have. So, let's have a look at the fastest serves in tennis history.
Big-serving players have benefited throughout tennis history. One of the most advanced weaponry a tennis player may have is a powerful, well-placed first serve.
While most professionals can put the ball anywhere they want, only a few are capable of reaching speeds in the upper 140s and also the 150s.
However, We'll not limit ourselves to WTA-recognized fastest serves in tennis history for the applications of this top ten.
Therefore, without any further ado, let us dive right into the topic.
10. Caroline Garcia and Liudmila Samsonova (126.1 mph)
French tennis sensation Caroline Garcia and Russian player Liudmila Samsonova share the ninth spot on this list, chalking up a serve speed of 203 km/h (126.1 mph).
Caroline Garcia achieved her personal best at the 2016 Federations Cup in Strasbourg, where France hosted the Czech Republic in the final.
The host nation failed to outclass the Czech brigade in the summit clash and settled for a second-place finish.
Kicking off the top 10 list is the 6 ft” Russian, Liudmila Samsonova hit a 126.1 mph serve at French Open in 2024.
She has won five singles and two doubles titles on the WTA Tour, her first title being a WTA 500 title at the 2021 German Open.
9. Elena Rybakina (126.8 mph)
9th on the list is Elena Rybakina, who left a lasting impression during the 2024 Abu Dhabi Open with her serve clocking in at a remarkable speed of 204 km/h (126.8 mph).
Rybakina is the first player from Kazakhstan to win a title at a major tournament, claiming the 2022 Wimbledon.
She has won eight titles on the WTA Tour, including two WTA 1000 titles at the 2023 Indian Wells Open and the 2023 Italian Open.
8. Naomi Osaka (127.4 mph)
Four-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka is one of the WTA’s brightest talents whose well-rounded game includes a powerful serve that’s a crucial element in her success.
At the 2016 US Open, she hit her fastest serve at 125 mph (201 km/h).
After that, she broke her own record by serving at 205 km/h (127.4 mph) at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Open.
7. Coco Gauff (128.0 mph)
Since turning pro in 2018, Coco Gauff has had one of the more powerful games on tour, and her career fastest serve is proof.
At the young age of 18, Coco hit her fastest serve, which reached 128 mph (206 km/h) while playing at the 2022 US Open. Born in 2004, she’ll have plenty of opportunities to break her record.
Gauff has already won a Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open and reached a final at the 2022 French Open.
6. Serena Williams (128.6 mph)
A list of the fastest serves in tennis history in the women's game would be incomplete without the name of the legendary Serena Williams.
Serena's strong serve has saved her numerous times, and it has been her go-to weapon under duress for more than two decades.
At the 2013 Australian Open, Serena didn't just hit one 203.0 km/h (128.6 mph) serve; she blasted two in her match against Garbine Muguruza.
Asked about her achievement in the post-match interview, Serena said - "It's my fastest that went in. I've hit some 150s, but of course, they're, like, to the sky."
4. Venus Williams and Alycia Parks (129.0 mph)
Venus Williams, and Alycia Parks share the fourth spot on this list, recording a serve speed of 207.6 km/h (129.0 mph).
Venus Williams, like her younger sister Serena, has a tremendously powerful serve in her arsenal.
She is one of the tallest female tennis players in the world, and her first serve is one of her most powerful weapons.
Venus, however, relies heavily on her first serve because her second serve is problematic, with a number of double faults occurring at inopportune periods.
Venus has hit 207.6 km/h (129.0 mph) twice in her career, once in the first round of the 2007 US Open against Kira Nagy and again in the 2008 Wimbledon final against sister Serena.
Another big-hitting female tennis player on this list, Alycia Parks, has an explosive game, which includes one of the WTA’s biggest serves.
In 2021 she hit her fastest serve ever at 129 mph (207.6 km/h), which she clocked during her first-round match against Olga Danilovic.
Alycia won her maiden WTA title at the Lyon Open, outclassing French No. 1 Caroline Garcia in straight sets in the final.
3. Sabine Lisicki (131.0 mph)
2013 Wimbledon runner-up Sabine Lisicki was one of the finest servers on the WTA Tour between 2011-2015, before injuries and bad form took a toll.
Despite being sensitive to "grass," the German regards the surface as her favourite.
In fact, she has had more success on grass than on any other surface, including four consecutive quarterfinal appearances in the Wimbledon Championships from 2011 to 2014.
Sabine Lisicki rewrote the record books by serving the fastest-ever serve on the WTA circuit in her match against Ana Ivanovic at the 2014 Stanford Classic.
The German breached the elusive 130 mph mark for the first time as she clocked a thunderous serve measuring 210.8 km/h (131.0 mph).
2. Aryna Sabalenka (133.0 mph)
With a powerful baseline game and serve, Aryna Sabalenka has proved herself as one of the WTA’s elite players.
Her serve speed has topped out at 133.0 mph (214 km/h), number two on the list of fastest serves in tennis history.
She achieved the feat in 2018 at the WTA Elite Trophy, a year-end tournament.
Known for her aggressive playing style, Sabalenka's powerful serve has become one of her signature weapons on the court.
She's one of the most in-form players on the women's tour at the moment.
1. Georgina García Pérez (136.7 mph)
Topping the fastest serves in the tennis history list is Spanish player Georgina García Pérez, who unleashed a monstrous serve with a speed of 220 km/h (136.7 mph) during the 2018 Hungarian Ladies Open.
However, Garcia Perez couldn't find her best potential in terms of her all-round game.
She struggled to make the top 100 of the WTA rankings and has never won a main tour title in her career.
Naomi Osaka out of Billie Jean King Cup finals due to injury
The Billie Jean King Cup Finals will be held in Málaga, Spain from November 13-20. Osaka played a key role in helping Japan qualify for the final by defeating Kazakhstan in April, its first Billie Jean King Cup appearance since 2020.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka will miss next month's Billie Jean King Cup finals in Spain due to injury. She said in Tokyo on Sunday that she had ruptured abdominal muscles.
The 27-year-old revealed on Sunday that her stomach muscles had also been torn. “I thought I strained my back, but I did an MRI in Beijing and they said that I bulged a disc in my back and I also ruptured abdominal muscles,”
Osaka, currently ranked 58th, suffered a lower back injury and retired during her round-of-16 match against Coco Gauff at the China Open in October. Subsequently, she withdrew from two tournaments in Japan, including the Pan Pacific Open, which starts on Monday.
The Billie Jean King Cup Finals will be held in Málaga, Spain from November 13-20. Osaka played a key role in helping Japan qualify for the final by defeating Kazakhstan in April, its first Billie Jean King Cup appearance since 2020.
“I’ve played so many tournaments this year, so it was definitely the toughest decision to not play this and obviously not play BJK. I really honestly enjoyed it so much, and I think it helped with my development as a player.” She said.
Osaka will now focus on preparing for the Australian Open in January, working with respected French coach Patrick Mouratoglou. Her appearance at the China Open was her first tournament under Patrick Mouratoglou, the Frenchman best known for being the long-time former coach of Serena Williams.
Osaka has struggled for consistency since returning to tennis in January after the birth of her daughter Shai in July 2023. Her best results since becoming a parent have been two quarter-final appearances.
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