CINCINNATI: Scooter Gennett hit four home runs, matching the major league record, and finished with 10 RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds routed the slumping St. Louis Cardinals 13-1 on Tuesday night.
Gennett became the 17th player to homer four times in one game — and perhaps the least likely. A scrappy second baseman who was claimed off waivers from Milwaukee in late March, he began the night with 38 career home runs in five seasons, including three this year.
Josh Hamilton was the previous player to hit four home runs in one game, for Texas against Baltimore in May 2012.
The 27-year-old Gennett singled his first time up and then homered in four straight at-bats, including a grand slam. His 10 RBIs tied Cincinnati’s club record.
Gennett ended a 0-for-19 slump during the Reds’ 4-2 win over the Cardinals on Monday. He went 5 for 5 on Tuesday and raised his batting average 32 points to .302.
Since being picked up by the Reds late in spring training, Gennett has played a utility role for Cincinnati. He started in left field Tuesday night.
Gennett hit an RBI single and his second career slam off St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright (6-4)
Tim Adleman (4-2) gave up one run — on Stephen Piscotty’s homer — in seven innings.
ROYALS 9, ASTROS 7: Mike Moustakas hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning after Kansas City rallied from a six-run deficit to end Houston’s 11-game winning streak.
Moustakas drove a 0-1 pitch from Ken Giles (1-2) out to right field with Salvador Perez aboard. Moustakas had four hits and three RBIs.
Alex Gordon also homered for the Royals, his first since Sept. 25 — a span of 192 at-bats.
Kansas City trailed 7-1 in the fourth but fought back with a four-run eighth. Whit Merrifield hit a three-run double with two outs to tie it at 7.
Merrifield has hit safely in 20 of his last 21 games. Giles blew his second save in 18 opportunities.
The Astros’ winning streak was the longest in the majors this season. They dropped to a major league-best 42-17.
Mike Minor (3-1) pitched a scoreless inning for the win.
Carlos Beltran hit his 429th home run for the Astros.
NATIONALS 2, DODGERS 1: Max Scherzer struck out a season-high 14, outpitching Brandon McCarthy and leading Washington over Los Angeles in a game that ended with a testy exchange.
With a runner on second base, Koda Glover fanned Yasiel Puig for his eighth save and shouted in the direction of home plate. Puig walked toward the mound and twice appeared to ask Glover what he said.
Glover took off his cap and tossed aside his glove as players from both teams quickly intervened to keep the two separated. Nothing escalated before the squads headed off the field.
Both starting pitchers went seven innings and allowed only three hits. The first 11 outs for Scherzer (7-3) came on strikeouts.
Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy each had a sacrifice fly for the Nationals, who have won the first two games of this series between NL pennant contenders.
McCarthy (5-3), who lasted only four innings in his previous start because of a blister, walked two and struck out four.
ROCKIES 11, INDIANS 3: Rookie pitcher Antonio Senzatela hit a three-run double and Mark Reynolds homered twice to drive in five runs for Colorado.
Carlos Gonzalez also hit a home run for the Rockies, who can sweep the two-game interleague set on Wednesday.
Bouncing back from a loss in his previous outing, Senzatela (8-2) allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked one in continuing to lead major league rookie pitchers in wins this season while also opening the scoring for Colorado.
Mike Clevinger (2-3) allowed five runs in four innings for Cleveland.
ORIOLES 6, PIRATES 5, 10 INNINGS: Jonathan Schoop tied it in the ninth inning with his second home run of the game and Mark Trumbo singled home a run in the 10th to rally Baltimore past Pittsburgh.
Baltimore trailed 4-1 after six innings and 5-3 in the ninth. Schoop’s two-run drive off closer Tony Watson knotted it at 5, setting the stage for Trumbo’s big hit.
Adam Jones singled with one out in the 10th against Wade LeBlanc (3-1) and took second when Manny Machado hit a fly ball to the warning track in left. Trumbo then lined a single to center, and Jones easily beat Andrew McCutchen’s throw to the plate.
Brad Brach (1-1) worked the 10th for the Orioles, who improved to 8-1 in extra innings.
RED SOX 5, YANKEES 4: Mitch Moreland and Hanley Ramirez hit back-to-back home runs and Andrew Benintendi later connected off struggling Masahiro Tanaka, powering Boston over New York.
The Red Sox made their first visit of the season to Yankee Stadium, and the matchup between the longtime rivals and top teams in the AL East had the feel of October, mostly because of the raw weather — low 50s, windy and damp.
Overpowering closer Craig Kimbrel struck out five in 1 1/3 innings for his 17th save in 18 chances. He fanned one batter on a wild pitch, and struck out big-hitting rookie Aaron Judge on a 99 mph fastball to finish it.
Playing at the new Yankee Stadium for the first time without now-retired slugger David Ortiz on the roster, the Red Sox launched a trio of long balls and moved within a game of first-place New York.
Tanaka (5-6) lost his career-worst fifth straight start. He is been tagged for 27 runs and 11 homers in 22 2/3 innings during that span.
Drew Pomeranz (6-3) labored through a career-high 123 pitches in five innings to win his third start in a row.
CUBS 10, MARLINS 2: Jake Arrieta pitched two-hit ball into the seventh inning, Anthony Rizzo drove in four runs and surging Chicago beat Miami for its season-high fifth straight win.
Arrieta (6-4) allowed two runs, struck out five and walked three in just his second win in the past month. The 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner retired 16 in a row over one stretch, showing signs of rounding into form after a bumpy start to the season.
Jason Heyward had three hits and two RBIs as the Cubs remained perfect since returning home after a winless six-game road trip. Kris Bryant reached four times, scored two runs and robbed Giancarlo Stanton of a hit with a diving stop on a grounder to third in the third.
Jeff Locke (0-1) cruised into fifth inning with a 1-0 lead and retired the first two batters before everything fell apart for the Marlins in a hurry.
WHITE SOX 4, RAYS 2: Avisail Garcia, Volmer Sanchez and Todd Frazier homered to help Chicago stop a five-game losing streak with a victory over Tampa Bay.
Chris Beck (1-0) escaped a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning to win in relief of Jose Quintana, who avoided becoming the first pitcher in the major leagues to lose eight games this season.
Garcia led off the seventh with a homer, snapping a 1-all tie against Chris Archer (4-4), who also gave up a leadoff homer to Sanchez on the fourth pitch of the game.
Jose Abreu added an RBI single in the eighth before Frazier led off the ninth with a homer off Ryan Garton.
David Robertson earned his ninth save in 10 opportunities.
ANGELS 5, TIGERS 3: Kole Calhoun and C.J. Cron homered as Los Angeles beat Detroit.
Jesse Chavez (5-6) got the win, allowing two runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. The Tigers loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth, but Bud Norris struck out Alex Avila for his 11th save.
Daniel Norris (3-3) gave up four runs — three earned — and five hits in six innings. He struck out seven, but allowed two homers.
The loss ended Detroit’s four-game winning streak. Avila homered for the Tigers.
RANGERS 10, METS 7: Joey Gallo hit a towering two-run homer that put Texas ahead to stay, and the Rangers ended a four-game losing streak with a victory over New York.
Nomar Mazara had four hits and also homered for the Rangers. Gallo’s 17th homer put Texas up 5-4.
Mets starter Jacob deGrom (4-3) pitched only four innings for his second straight start. Austin Bibens-Dirkx (1-0) got his first major league victory.
Asdrubal Cabrera and Neil Walker went deep in the third for the Mets. In between those shots, Jay Bruce was robbed of a homer when Jared Hoying made a leaping catch just above the 8-foot wall in straightaway center.
BREWERS 5, GIANTS 2: Chase Anderson pitched 7 2/3 shutout innings, drove in a run and won his third straight game for Milwaukee.
Anderson (5-1) extended his scoreless streak to 21 2/3 innings with the win. He walked one, struck out four and helped the Brewers beat the Giants for just the third time in the last 17 games against them.
Anderson collected his first RBI of the season and the fifth of his career in the third with a double off the wall in left.
Hernán Pérez added a homer for Milwaukee.
The Brewers roughed up Matt Cain (3-5) with four runs in the second.
PHILLIES 3, BRAVES 1: Aaron Nola allowed a run over eight innings, Odubel Herrera doubled in the go-ahead run in the sixth and Philadelphia survived a ninth-inning scare to beat Atlanta.
Nola (3-3) earned his first win since April 20 and became the Phillies’ first starter to pitch past the seventh inning this season. Pat Neshek struck out Adonis Garcia and ended the game on Kurt Suzuki’s popup to catcher Cameron Rupp for his first save.
Jaime Garcia (2-4) allowed three runs in 7 2/3 innings.
ATHLETICS 4, BLUE JAYS 1: Jesse Hahn allowed an unearned run over six innings in his return from the disabled list, pitching Oakland past Toronto.
Khris Davis drove in two runs and Adam Rosales hit a tiebreaking single with two outs in the fifth as the A’s overcame their major league-leading 59th error.
Activated before the game, Hahn (2-4) pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth. The right-hander also got plenty of help from Oakland’s shaky defense.
Santiago Casilla closed for his 10th save.
Marco Estrada (4-4) took the loss.
DIAMONDBACKS 10, PADRES 2: Robbie Ray struck out 11 in 6 2/3 innings and Chris Owings hit a three-run homer to help Arizona cruise past San Diego.
Jake Lamb drove in four runs, Gregor Blanco doubled twice and scored three runs, and the Diamondbacks won their seventh straight home game to equal a season high.
Owings’ career-high seventh of the season gave the Diamondbacks a homer in 10 straight home games for the first time since 2011.
Ray (6-3) had his scoreless streak stopped at 27 2/3 innings. The first of Hunter Renfroe’s two homers was the only run he allowed.
Dinelson Lamet (2-1) lasted just three innings. He gave up seven earned runs and nine hits with five walks.
The Padres lost their third straight and managed only three hits off Ray.
MARINERS 12, TWINS 3: Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager each hit a three-run homer, and James Paxton was effective enough for five innings to help Seattle defeat Minnesota.
Cano staked the Mariners to a 3-0 lead in the first and Seager’s shot capped a seven-run fourth that extended the lead to 12-2 as the Mariners won for the eighth time in nine games.
Paxton (5-0) missed most of May with a left forearm strain. He allowed three runs and five hits with three walks in his second start since coming off the disabled list.
Hector Santiago (4-6) lasted just 2 2/3 innings, yielding five runs and three hits with four walks, all of which came around to score. Twins catcher Chris Gimenez pitched the eighth, retiring all three batters he faced.
Scooter Gennett hits 4 home runs for Reds to tie MLB record
Scooter Gennett hits 4 home runs for Reds to tie MLB record
Chelsea overcome Club World Cup weather delay, set up Palmeiras quarter-final
- The London club were grateful to extra-time goals by Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to give them a 4-1 victory over Benfica
PHILADELPHIA: Chelsea beat Benfica in a game which went on for close to five hours at the Club World Cup on Saturday to set up a quarter-final showdown with Brazilian side Palmeiras at the tournament in the United States.
The London club were grateful to extra-time goals by Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to give them a 4-1 victory over Benfica.
Their late burst of scoring settled a last-16 tie which took four hours, 39 minutes to complete at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina after a near two-hour weather delay.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was left satisfied with his team’s victory but slammed the delay that turned the tie into a near five-hour marathon.
“I think it’s a joke, it’s not football,” Maresca said.
“For 85 minutes we were in control of the game. We created enough chances to win the game. Then after the break, the game changed — for me personally, it’s not football.”
Earlier, Chelsea had been seemingly poised for victory after Reece James’ opportunistic second-half free-kick had left them 1-0 up with four minutes of regulation time remaining.
But just as Chelsea began to think about their quarter-final assignment, the arrival of a storm over Charlotte triggered local safety protocols which required the game to be halted.
It marked the sixth occasion during the Club World Cup that a game has been disrupted by a weather warning.
When play resumed just under two hours later, a revitalized Benfica grabbed an injury-time equalizer after Chelsea substitute Malo Gusto was adjudged to have handled in the penalty area following an intervention by the Video Assistant Referee.
Benfica’s Argentine veteran Angel Di Maria stepped up to roll in an ice-cold penalty, sending the game into extra time.
An end-to-end first half of extra time saw Benfica, reduced to 10 men following Gianluca Prestianni’s second yellow card at the end of regulation, threaten to take the lead as they chased an improbable victory.
But instead it was Nkunku who fired Chelsea back in front, the French international bundling in from close range after Moises Caicedo’s low shot squirted underneath Benfica goalkeeper Antoliy Trubin.
As the game opened up, Benfica were increasingly vulnerable on the counter-attack and Chelsea pounced.
Neto made it 3-1 with a nerveless finish after going clean through on goal in the 114th minute, and three minutes later Dewsbury-Hall completed the rout to send Chelsea through to the last eight.
They will now return to Philadelphia, where they played two games in the group stage, to play Palmeiras in the quarter-finals on Friday.
The Brazilian club were grateful to an extra-time winner by substitute Paulinho as they edged domestic rivals Botafogo 1-0 in a battle of attrition earlier Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
The winger came on at the same time in the second half as Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira withdrew teenage sensation Estevao Willian, a move that appeared baffling in the moment but ultimately proved inspired.
The tie had reached the 100th minute without a goal when Paulinho collected a pass by Richard Rios on the right flank and was afforded the time and space to come inside into the box before slotting a low shot into the far corner.
That sparked wild celebrations among the Palmeiras fans who made up the vast majority of the 33,657 crowd, and the side from Sao Paulo held on to win the tie despite having captain Gustavo Gomez sent off late on.
“That is why he came, so he could play for long enough to decide a game. He is going to have to stop again after the tournament,” Ferreira said of Paulinho, who has struggled with injury since signing for Palmeiras at the start of the year.
Winners of the Copa Libertadores in 2020 and 2021, Palmeiras will now hope to match the feat of their Brazilian rivals Flamengo, who defeated Chelsea during the group stage.
The last-16 action continues on Sunday when European champions Paris Saint-Germain take on Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in Atlanta. Later on Bayern Munich face Flamengo in Miami.
Cena beats Punk to retain WWE Undisputed Championship title in chaotic showdown at ‘Night of Champions’ in Riyadh
- Cena victory sets stage for blockbuster SummerSlam rematch with Cody Rhodes in the US
- Continuing her rise, Jade Cargill overpowered Asuka to claim the Queen of the Ring title
RIYADH: WWE’s Night of Champions delivered a dramatic spectacle in Riyadh on Saturday night, headlined by John Cena retaining his Undisputed WWE Championship title against CM Punk in their first singles clash in 12 years.
In a highly anticipated bout, Cena and Punk revisited their storied rivalry with the championship on the line. But what promised to be a classic was thrown into chaos as Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, Penta and Sami Zayn all made appearances, interfering throughout the match.
Despite the disruptions, Cena ultimately prevailed, setting the stage for a blockbuster SummerSlam rematch with Cody Rhodes at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, US.
Earlier in the night, Rhodes booked his ticket to that championship match by capturing the King of the Ring crown, defeating Randy Orton in a hard-fought tournament final. It was the second consecutive year Orton fell short at this stage, while Rhodes celebrated a milestone victory and immediately declared his SummerSlam intentions.
On the women’s side, Jade Cargill’s rise continued as she overpowered Asuka to claim the Queen of the Ring title. Cargill is now in line for a championship opportunity at SummerSlam, though the situation remains fluid with Tiffany Stratton currently holding the title, Naomi possessing the Money in the Bank contract, and the Evolution all-women’s event on the horizon.
The only title change of the evening saw Solo Sikoa dethrone Jacob Fatu with the help of JC Mateo, a returning Tonga Loa, and debutant Hikuleo, who made a striking first appearance in WWE after a stint in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Elsewhere on the Riyadh card, Rhea Ripley defeated Raquel Rodriguez in a street fight — a first for any WWE show in the Kingdom — while Sami Zayn earned a crowd-pleasing victory over Karrion Kross.
The 11th edition of Night of Champions reaffirmed Riyadh’s growing reputation as a key stop on WWE’s global calendar, setting the stage for an electrifying road to SummerSlam later this summer.
Nigerian Dambe boxing goes global — amulets and charms included
- The Dambe World Series kicked off in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, on Saturday in the latest evolution of a sport that traces its roots back centuries among west Africa’s Hausa speakers
ABUJA: The first strikes in Dambe are thrown before the boxers even leave their house.
Fighters don charms and amulets, dye their fist or even score their arm with a razor, inserting traditional medicine before it scars over — all guaranteed to protect them in the ring or deliver a knock-out punch.
Combined with prayers from “mallams,” or spiritual guides, they are unstoppable — not just in Nigeria, but increasingly around the world.
The Dambe World Series kicked off in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, on Saturday in the latest evolution of a sport that traces its roots back centuries among west Africa’s Hausa speakers.
“Instead of trying to Westernize it, or instead of trying to make it something else, for us the goal is to professionalize it,” said Maxwell Kalu, founder of the West African Fighting Championship, the group organizing the tournament.
At the same time, a key goal is also “opening the door in terms of inviting people to compete in Nigeria.”
Held on the ground of the national stadium and broadcast by DAZN, a British sports streaming service, the tournament is a far cry from the social tradition said to have been organized by 10th-century Hausa butchers.
“This one is big, I’m very happy,” said Abdullahi “Coronavirus” Ali, a 20-year-old who has been fighting since he was a child. “The audience is growing every day.”
As Coronavirus — nicknamed for his ferocious punches — spoke to AFP, two amateur fighters worked the ring behind him, in a pre-tournament exhibition match in Dei Dei, a working-class Abuja exurb.
Chickens pecked under the rickety wooden stands while cigarette smoke wafted above the crowd.
In Dambe, in lieu of a glove, the fighters each have one fist tightly bound in rope — their striking arm. The other hand reaches out, feeling the space between the opponents and looking for something to grab or parry before the fighting arm whips forward as if from a loaded spring.
Amid the blows, one fighter lost his balance and fell — a “kill.” The round was over.
Dambe might have once seemed destined to be confined to the margins in places like Dei Dei as Abuja’s elite paved over anything standing in the way of modern skyscrapers and highways.
But slowly, the government has taken more interest in preserving and promoting the sport, as have private groups like the WAFC.
With the advent of YouTube and Instagram, Dambe now attracts fans across the world, with one promoter telling BBC in 2017 that 60 percent of his viewers were outside Nigeria.
The sport has also grown at home.
In 2018, a Dambe match in the southern city of Lagos drew spectators curious about their northern countrymen’s pastime — and excited to see it in a proper stadium.
Earlier this month, athletes from across the continent descended on the megacity for the African Knockout Championship, a Western-style mixed martial arts tournament.
But Kalu envisions the opposite: foreigners making their way to witness a distinctively Nigerian way of fighting.
Professionalization also brings the opportunity to bring in safety protocols and stable salaries to the otherwise unregulated sport.
“If I get married, I won’t allow my children to do it,” said Usman Abubakar, 20, his fist dyed a dark henna color and arm replete with charmed scars, recalling an injury to the chest that saw him sit out for two years.
Saturday’s fighters were competing to represent Nigeria in what is envisioned as a multi-stage, international series.
Boxers took to a sand-filled ring under stadium lights, with matches interspersed with musical acts and commercial breaks.
“Coronavirus” and his opponent danced around each other, sweat glistening, looking for an opening. He landed a blow, sending a tensed crowd into cheers as spectators overcame their urge to wince in shared pain.
“It’s somehow scary, but I do enjoy it,” said Joy Beatrice, a 30-year-old forestry officer in the stands.
Last year, supported by the WAFC, British national Luke Leyland traveled from Liverpool to compete in a Dambe match — reportedly the first white fighter to ever do so.
He was “destroyed,” according to one local media report, though he wrote positively of the experience.
Nigerian fighters remain cool on the idea of sharing the spoils of victory.
Asked what would happen if non-Nigerians started competing, “Coronavirus,” Abubakar and a third fighter, Anas Hamisu, were all excited at the prospect of more people embracing their sport.
But they also all shared the same prediction: the Nigerians would win.
Joint wins Eastbourne title to end Eala’s history bid
- Joint survived a tense clash lasting two hours and 26 minutes, emerging with a 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (12/10) win to seal her second WTA Tour title.
- It was a painful defeat for Eala, who was so close to becoming the first player from the Philippines to win a WTA Tour title
EASTBOURNE, UK: Australian teenager Maya Joint saved four match points to clinch the WTA title at Eastbourne with a dramatic victory over Alexandra Eala that ended the Filipino’s history bid on Saturday.
Joint survived a tense clash lasting two hours and 26 minutes, emerging with a 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (12/10) win to seal her second WTA Tour title.
In the youngest Eastbourne final since 1981, world number 51 Joint staved off the four championship points in a gripping final-set tie-break.
She finally wrapped up the title by drilling a backhand winner before collapsing to the turf in delight.
“I’m very happy right now, feeling very relieved as well. It was a very difficult match, I’m proud of myself for coming back and staying in the match,” Joint said.
“I’m glad I was able to find a way back. Alex played really well today. She definitely tested me and after the first set she got very aggressive.
“What an amazing crowd, you guys came and supported me every day so thank you.”
Having also defeated former Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur and 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu at Eastbourne over the last week, Joint has underlined her status as one of the rising stars of the women’s tour.
After winning on clay in Rabat in May, the 19-year-old has proved she can thrive on grass as well ahead of the start of Wimbledon on Monday.
Joint was unable to make it two trophies in one day as she and partner Hsieh Su-wei were beaten 6-4, 7-5 by Marie Bouzkova and Anna Danilina in the doubles final.
It was a painful defeat for Eala, who was so close to becoming the first player from the Philippines to win a WTA Tour title.
The 20-year-old wiped away tears of frustration during the on-court trophy presentation.
Eala had become the first Filipino to reach a WTA final after beating Varvara Gracheva in the last four at Eastbourne on Friday.
“I want to congratulate Maya for a great match and great tournament,” Eala said.
“This is my first WTA final, it’s a big deal for me and for my country too because it’s historic. I guess that’s also why I’m so emotional.
“Wimbledon is next week so hopefully I’ll forget about this match soon.”
Eala’s run to the final has made the world number 74 one to watch in the coming months.
After progressing through qualifying to make the main draw, Eala beat Lucia Bronzetti, former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, Nottingham Open finalist Dayana Yastremska and France’s Gracheva.
She had burst onto the scene with three shock victories over Grand Slam winners Ostapenko, Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek to reach the Miami Open semifinals in March.
Eala is due to face reigning champion Barbora Krejcikova in the Wimbledon first round on Center Court on Tuesday.
But Krejcikova is struggling with a thigh injury that forced her to pull out of the Eastbourne quarter-finals on Thursday, putting the Czech’s title defense in doubt.
Pegula eases past Swiatek to win Bad Homburg title
- US star denies the Pole her first career title on grass, days before the start of Wimbledon
BAD HOMBURG: Top seed Jessica Pegula contained Iga Swiatek’s heavy topspin game on grass to earn a 6-4 7-5 victory on Saturday and lift the Bad Homburg Open title.
The American held serve throughout and gave up just one breakpoint in the match, denying the Pole her first career title on grass, just two days before the start of Wimbledon.
Swiatek has not won a singles title since her 2024 French Open victory.
“I know you say you can’t play on grass but you are very, very good on grass,” Pegula said, addressing Swiatek after the match. “It was a special week.”
Pegula won a break at 3-3 in the first set to move 5-3 up.
The 31-year-old world No. 3, chasing her third title of 2025 and her first since April, landed the first set soon afterwards when the Pole sent a forehand long.
Swiatek put up a fight in the second set, edging close to a break but failing to carve out a break point.
It was Pegula who earned a breakpoint at 5-5 and she converted it with a sizzling crosscourt forehand.
Pegula held serve to seal her second career title on grass, following last year’s win in Berlin.
For Swiatek, who shed tears while waiting for the trophy ceremony, it was still a successful week after reaching her first career final on the surface.
“You have an amazing game and you showed it throughout the tournament,” Swiatek told Pegula. “Hopefully we will have many more finals together.”
“I feel it is going a good way and thank you for the opportunity to play here. This tournament shows there is hope for me on grass,” Swiatek said.
Separately, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is hoping an outburst after her French Open final defeat to Coco Gauff will prove a turning point in maintaining her emotional control in the biggest matches.
The three-time Grand Slam champion threw away a one-set lead to lose to the American in Paris earlier this month.
Afterwards, Sabalenka described her performance as the “the worst final I’ve ever played.”
The Belarusian later apologized to Gauff for her comments and the pair put their differences aside by performing a dance together on the Wimbledon lawns for social media.
“I was just completely, like, upset with myself, and emotions got over me. I just completely lost it,” said Sabalenka at a pre-Wimbledon press conference on Saturday.
“I believe I get overemotional at the last stages of the tournaments because I have this desire of winning.
“Sometimes it (gets the better of) me and I can lose control over my emotions. So, I would love to improve that at the last stages of the tournament.
“But honestly I’m kind of glad what happened to me at Paris because I was able to learn a lot. I was able to sit back and being open to myself, not just to ignore some things. I think I realized a lot of things about myself in those last stages of the tournaments.”
Sabalenka’s comments after the French Open were fiercely criticized in the US for taking the shine off Gauff’s second Grand Slam title.
“Of course, she got my respect. She knows it,” added Sabalenka.
“I’m happy that she was, like, ‘yeah, it’s all good, don’t worry’. As you saw the (dancing) video, I was talking, we are good, we are friends. I hope the US media can be easy on me right now.”
Sabalenka has never gone beyond the semifinals on the Wimbledon grass and begins her quest for glory against Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine, a player she admitted to having limited knowledge of.
