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Thursday, 23 July 2026
Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Thursday, 23 July 2026
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Namibian press · Person

Aryna Sabalenka

Also known as: World number one Aryna Sabalenka · the powerful Belarusian Sabalenka · the 27-year-old Sabalenka

World number one tennis player from Belarus; won Indian Wells and Miami Open titles in 2026, reached French Open quarter-finals.

2024-01-242026-07-23

What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

  1. May 2026
  2. The Namibian

    Aryna Sabalenka was knocked out by Sorana Cirstea in the third round

    Source

    Veteran Sorana Cirstea, who knocked out world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the third round, reached the semi-finals of the women's tournament after beating Jelena Ostapenko 6-1, 7-6 (7/0).

    Sinner dismisses Pellegrino to reach Italian Open quarters, Zverev out
  3. The Namibian

    Aryna Sabalenka was knocked out of the Italian Open in the third round by Sorana Cirstea

    Source

    Aryna Sabalenka was dumped out of the Italian Open in the third round by Sorana Cirstea on Saturday, the world number one falling to a 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 defeat in Rome.

    Top seed Sabalenka knocked out of Italian Open in third round
  4. The Namibian

    women's world number one Aryna Sabalenka said she was ready to boycott the Grand Slams to force organisers' hands

    Source

    On Monday women's world number one Aryna Sabalenka said that she was ready to boycott the Grand Slams in order for the players to force organisers' hands.

    Sinner demands ‘respect’ from Grand Slams in prize money row
  5. The Namibian

    Aryna Sabalenka was eliminated from the tournament

    Source

    The Russian, who became favourite to win the tournament after Aryna Sabalenka was eliminated, made too many mistakes in the first set and Kostyuk was only too happy to take advantage of them.

    Kostyuk defeats Andreeva to claim first Madrid Open title
  6. March 2026
  7. New Era

    Aryna Sabalenka completed the Sunshine Double for the first time with victory over Coco Gauff

    Source

    Aryna Sabalenka completed the Sunshine Double for the first time with victory over Coco Gauff to successfully defend her Miami Open title.

    Sabalenka beats Gauff to seal Miami Open and Indian Wells double
  8. New Era

    Aryna Sabalenka got engaged this month

    Source

    The world number one also got engaged this month, and she told Sky Sports: "I haven't had a moment to really stop and look back and realise what just happened in the last month but I'm so proud of the work that we've done, the fight that I was able to bring on court, the level and everything."

    Sabalenka beats Gauff to seal Miami Open and Indian Wells double
  9. The Namibian

    Aryna Sabalenka achieved triumph over Coco Gauff, completing Indian Wells-Miami sweep on women's side

    Source

    Sinner's victory, coupled with Aryna Sabalenka's triumph over Coco Gauff on Saturday, mark the first time the Indian Wells-Miami sweep was achieved on both the men's and women's sides since Novak Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka both did it in 2016.

    Implacable Sinner overpowers Lehecka to win Miami Open
  10. The Namibian

    Aryna Sabalenka won her second straight Miami Open title, defeating Coco Gauff 6-2, 4-6, 6-3

    Source

    Aryna Sabalenka won her second straight Miami Open title on Sunday beating Coco Gauff 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to complete a "Sunshine Double" Indian Wells-Miami sweep.

    Sabalenka sinks Gauff to win second straight Miami Open title
  11. The Namibian

    Aryna Sabalenka saved match point and won Indian Wells title, defeating Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6)

    Source

    Aryna Sabalenka saved a match point on the way to a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) victory over Elena Rybakina on Sunday to claim a long-awaited first Indian Wells title.

    Sabalenka edges Rybakina to claim long awaited Indian Wells title
  12. The Namibian

    Aryna Sabalenka beat Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-4

    Source

    Sabalenka beat 14th-ranked Czech Noskova 6-3, 6-4 and Rybakina downed Ukraine's Elina Svitolina 7-5, 6-4 to set up a mouth-watering rematch of their Melbourne final.

    Sabalenka downs Noskova to set Indian Wells title rematch with Rybakina

Monday 6 July

  1. Djokovic breaks Federer's Wimbledon singles win record

    Novak Djokovic defeated Roman Safiullin 7-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in the fourth round to reach 106 men's singles match-wins at Wimbledon, surpassing Roger Federer's previous record. Separately, Naomi Osaka upset world number one Aryna Sabalenka to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.

    6 July 2026 · The Namibian

Sunday 5 July

  1. Philippines' Eala upsets defending champion Swiatek at Wimbledon

    Alexandra Eala of the Philippines defeated Iga Swiatek 7-6 (11/9), 6-2 in the third round of Wimbledon, ending the defending champion's title defence and marking Eala's first Grand Slam last-16 appearance. Serena Williams withdrew from the doubles tournament, while second seed Elena Rybakina also crashed out.

    5 July 2026 · The Namibian

Friday 3 July

  1. Djokovic, Sinner advance to Wimbledon fourth round

    Novak Djokovic beat Arthur Rinderknech to equal Roger Federer's men's singles record for most match wins at Wimbledon, becoming only the fourth man in the Open era to reach the last 16 aged 39 or older. Defending champion Jannik Sinner also advanced past Jenson Brooksby.

    3 July 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 2 July

  1. Djokovic, Sinner advance; Andreeva exits Wimbledon

    Novak Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6–3, 6–4, 6–2 to reach the Wimbledon third round in his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title, while defending champion Jannik Sinner also advanced and French Open champion Mirra Andreeva was knocked out.

    2 July 2026 · The Namibian

Monday 29 June

  1. Sinner defeats Kecmanovic in five-set Wimbledon first round

    Jannik Sinner opened his Wimbledon title defence with a five-set victory over Miomir Kecmanovic, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-2, 6-3 despite injuring his right foot in an awkward fall during the match. Sinner, the world number one and defending champion, avoided becoming only the third male defending champion to lose in the first round.

    29 June 2026 · The Namibian

Wednesday 3 June

  1. Sabalenka loses French Open quarter-final to Shnaider

    World number one Aryna Sabalenka crashed out of the French Open quarter-finals to 25th seed Diana Shnaider, losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 after collapsing mentally in the second set. Shnaider advances to face Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska in the semi-finals, while Flavio Cobolli won to set up an all-Italian men's semi-final.

    3 June 2026 · The Namibian

Sunday 31 May

  1. Gauff's French Open title defence ends in third round

    Reigning champion Coco Gauff was eliminated from the French Open in the third round on Saturday, losing 4-6, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4 to Austrian 28th seed Anastasia Potapova. Top seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka both won their matches to set up a last-16 clash.

    31 May 2026 · The Namibian

Saturday 30 May

  1. Sabalenka, Osaka advance to French Open last 16

    Top seed Aryna Sabalenka and four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka advanced to a last-16 meeting at the French Open. Sabalenka defeated Daria Kasatkina 6-0, 7-5, while Osaka progressed past Iva Jovic 7-6, 6-7, 6-4.

    30 May 2026 · The Namibian

Wednesday 27 May

  1. Sinner, Sabalenka advance to French Open second round

    World number one Jannik Sinner defeated French wildcard Clement Tabur 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 to extend his winning streak to 30 matches and advance at Roland Garros. Fellow world number one Aryna Sabalenka also progressed with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

    27 May 2026 · The Namibian

Tuesday 19 May

  1. Sabalenka seeks first Roland Garros title after recent form dip

    World number one Aryna Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, arrives in Paris for Roland Garros aiming to win the tournament after finishing as runner-up last year to Coco Gauff. Her dominance has shown signs of weakness following recent losses, including a quarter-final exit at Madrid to 30th seed Hailey Baptiste during the European clay swing.

    19 May 2026 · The Namibian

Tuesday 12 May

  1. Sinner reaches Italian Open quarters; Zverev upset by Darderi

    World number one Jannik Sinner defeated fellow Italian Andrea Pellegrino 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the Italian Open quarterfinals, extending his Masters 1000 winning streak to 31 matches and equaling Novak Djokovic's record. Second seed Alexander Zverev was eliminated by Italian 18th seed Luciano Darderi in a shock 1-6, 7-6 (12/10), 6-0 loss.

    12 May 2026 · The Namibian

Saturday 9 May

  1. World number one Sabalenka loses Italian Open third round

    Aryna Sabalenka, the top seed and favourite for the women's title in Rome, was defeated by Sorana Cirstea 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the Italian Open third round on Saturday. It was Sabalenka's first elimination from a tournament in the round of 32 since February last year.

    9 May 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 7 May

  1. Sinner urges Grand Slams to show tennis players respect

    Top tennis player Jannik Sinner called on Grand Slam tournaments to demonstrate respect toward players in an ongoing dispute over prize money and player welfare benefits. Leading players have sought a 22-percent share of tournament revenue, but after a year of negotiations with the organizers of Wimbledon and the French, US, and Australian Opens, no agreement has been reached.

    7 May 2026 · The Namibian

Saturday 2 May

  1. Kostyuk wins Madrid Open for first WTA 1000 title

    Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk defeated Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 7-5 to claim her first Madrid Open title and first trophy at WTA 1000 level, becoming only the second player outside the top 20 to win the tournament.

    2 May 2026 · The Namibian

Sunday 26 April

  1. Sinner extends winning streak at Madrid Open tennis

    World number one Jannik Sinner defeated Elmer Moller 6-2, 6-3 at the Madrid Open, extending his winning streak to 19 matches and his Masters 1000 winning run to 24 consecutive victories. Coco Gauff overcame a stomach virus to beat Sorana Cirstea 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.

    26 April 2026 · The Namibian

Monday 30 March

  1. Sabalenka wins Miami Open, completes Indian Wells double

    World number one Aryna Sabalenka defeated Coco Gauff 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to successfully defend her Miami Open title and complete the Sunshine Double, becoming the first player since Iga Swiatek four years ago to win the WTA 1000 titles in Indian Wells and Miami back-to-back.

    30 March 2026 · New Era

  2. Sinner wins Miami Open, completes sweep with Indian Wells

    World number two Jannik Sinner defeated Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-4 to win the ATP Miami Masters 1000, completing the "Sunshine Double" by winning both Indian Wells and Miami without dropping a set. Sinner's victory, combined with Aryna Sabalenka's win on the women's side, marks the first time both the men's and women's draws were swept since Novak Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka in 2016.

    30 March 2026 · The Namibian

Sunday 29 March

  1. Sabalenka wins second straight Miami Open title

    Aryna Sabalenka defeated Coco Gauff 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to win her second consecutive Miami Open title, completing the Indian Wells-Miami "Sunshine Double" sweep. The world number one from Belarus became the first woman since Iga Swiatek in 2022 to win both elite early season hardcourt WTA 1000 titles.

    29 March 2026 · The Namibian

Monday 16 March

  1. Sabalenka defeats Rybakina to win Indian Wells title

    Aryna Sabalenka saved a match point to defeat Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) in the Indian Wells final on Sunday, claiming her first title at the event after previous losses to Rybakina in four consecutive finals. The victory ended a frustrating run against Rybakina, including losses at Indian Wells in 2023 and the Australian Open in January.

    16 March 2026 · The Namibian

Saturday 14 March

  1. Sabalenka and Rybakina set for Indian Wells final rematch

    Aryna Sabalenka defeated Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-4, and Elena Rybakina beat Elina Svitolina 7-5, 6-4, to meet in the Indian Wells title match for a rematch of their Australian Open final.

    14 March 2026 · The Namibian

Sunday 1 February

  1. Rybakina wins Australian Open, defeats Sabalenka in final

    Elena Rybakina defeated world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the Australian Open final to claim her second Grand Slam title. The Kazakh fifth seed held her nerve in a tense match at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne to take revenge after losing the 2023 final to the same opponent.

    1 February 2026 · The Namibian

Saturday 31 January

  1. Sabalenka faces Rybakina in Australian Open women's final

    World number one Aryna Sabalenka clashes with Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open women's final on Saturday. Both players have reached the final without dropping a set and will meet for the first time since their 2023 Australian Open final, which Sabalenka won before successfully defending the title in 2024.

    31 January 2026 · The Namibian

Monday 26 January

  1. Alcaraz, Djokovic advance to Australian Open quarter-finals

    Top seed Carlos Alcaraz defeated Tommy Paul to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals in straight sets, while Novak Djokovic advanced without playing after opponent Jakub Mensik withdrew injured. Aryna Sabalenka and rising 18-year-old Iva Jovic also secured quarter-final spots.

    26 January 2026 · The Namibian

Sunday 25 January

  1. Australian Open: heat halts play, Djokovic reaches landmark

    Extreme heat forced a five-hour suspension of outdoor matches at the Australian Open on Saturday as temperatures reached 38°C. Novak Djokovic advanced to the last 16 and became the first player to win 400 Grand Slam matches, while two-time champion Naomi Osaka withdrew due to an abdominal injury.

    25 January 2026 · The Namibian

Friday 23 January

  1. Djokovic, Sinner advance at Australian Open; Wawrinka makes history

    Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner advanced to the third round of the Australian Open, with Sinner defending his two-time title and Djokovic pursuing a record 25th Grand Slam. Stan Wawrinka, at 40, became the oldest player in 45 years to reach the men's third round at a Grand Slam before retiring.

    23 January 2026 · The Namibian

Wednesday 21 January

  1. Madison Keys defeats Ukrainian debutante at Australian Open

    Madison Keys recovered from early nerves to defeat Ukrainian player Oleksandra Oliynykova 7-6, 6-1 in her Australian Open title defence, while Oliynykova made her grand slam debut despite living in war-torn Ukraine and drawing motivation from her father fighting in the military.

    21 January 2026 · New Era

  2. Sinner advances at Australian Open as Osaka makes fashion statement

    Jannik Sinner won his opening match at the Australian Open when opponent Hugo Gaston retired, while Naomi Osaka drew attention with a jellyfish-inspired outfit of white parasol, wide-brimmed hat and veil before defeating Croatia's Antonia Ruzic.

    21 January 2026 · The Namibian

Aryna Sabalenka — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute