The defending champion was overturned, Rune started strong, Zhu Lin remains the sole Chinese contender, and Alcaraz faces Sinner again after Raducanu's withdrawal.

Three minutes daily to catch up on global tennis news. Hello tennis fans, today is Friday, October 17, 2025. Welcome to the midday news report brought to you by "Tennis Home."

Last night Beijing time, the second round of singles matches finished at this week's three ATP250 indoor hard court events, and the quarterfinal lineups are set. At the Almaty tournament: top seed and defending champion Khachanov, despite winning the first set, was reversed by Germany’s Struff, ultimately losing 6-4, 6-7(5), 3-6 and missing out on the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, second seed Medvedev defeated Australian Walton 7-5, 7-6(0), reaching the tour’s quarterfinals for the 12th time this season. The other two quarterfinal spots were claimed by Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki and American rising star Mickelson.

At the Brussels tournament: top seed and Italian star Musetti narrowly defeated Germany’s Hanfmann 7-6(3), 7-5 to advance to the quarterfinals. Second seed and Canadian talent Auger-Aliassime battled through three sets to beat Bosnian Dzumhur 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(5), securing his place in the last eight. French player Pericard and qualifier Spizzirri also won to reach the quarterfinals.

At the Stockholm tournament: in a key second-round singles match, top seed and Denmark’s No.1 Rune beat Hungary’s Fucsovics 6-4, 6-4 to move into the quarterfinals. Echeverry, Humbert, Sonego, and E. Ymer also won their matches to join the last eight.

Let’s turn to the women’s events. Yesterday afternoon Beijing time, the WTA500 Ningbo Open continued. In singles, during a highlight second-round match, China’s Yuan Yue lost 3-6, 3-6 to Russia’s Alexandrovna, the 4th seed who recently entered the top 10, missing out on the quarterfinals. The Russian winner will face American rising star Kessler, who defeated 8th seed Russian Samsonova 7-6(5), 6-1, for a spot in the semifinals.

With Yuan Yue out, Zhu Lin is now the only Chinese player left in singles; she will face Russian rising star Schneider tonight. Go Zhu Lin!

Other matches: second seed Boulter defeated Russia’s Kudermetova 6-2, 7-5; third seed Rybakina narrowly won against Ukraine’s Yastremska 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-3.

In doubles: in a quarterfinal match, the China-Norway duo Tang Qianhui and Aakre came back from behind to beat Chichinok/Perez 3-6, 6-3, 11-9, advancing to the semifinals.

At the WTA250 Osaka event: before the singles quarterfinals began, top seed Naomi Osaka announced her withdrawal due to injury, giving her opponent, Romanian Cristian, a walkover into the semifinals.

Czech rising star Valentova, who came through qualifying, defeated third seed Belgian Mertens 6-4, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals. Fourth seed Fernandez beat qualifier Gauff 6-1, 6-4 to also advance. Another quarterfinal spot went to Slovakian Sramkova, who upset seventh seed American Ann Li 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

Next, attention to the Six Kings Grand Slam exhibition held in Saudi Arabia. Last night Beijing time, after two semifinals, world No.2 Sinner defeated Serbian star Djokovic 6-4, 6-2 to reach the final, where he will face world No.1 Alcaraz for the second consecutive year competing for a $6 million prize. The Spaniard beat American Fritz 6-4, 6-2.

Now to player news. Last night Beijing time, the WTA500 Tokyo event officially announced that British No.1 Raducanu withdrew due to illness from next week’s tournament. We wish Raducanu a speedy recovery!

Finally, a guessing game. The photo below shows a player collapsed on the court celebrating a victory. Without hints, can you identify who she is?

In the previous guessing game, fans correctly identified the player. Yes, the person in the photo is the Shanghai Masters runner-up, French player Linda Fruhvirtova.

(Source: Tennis Home Author: Maverick)