YOUR INFOBOX

@1st_serve_news What a match for her! Incredible.

Who's that STARodubtseva? She just defeated an absolute elite, Elena Rybakina. It has all come to this. 🇺🇦 Yuliia Starodubtseva’s story is unlike almost anyone else on the WTA Tour. Born in Kakhovka in southern Ukraine, she started tennis as a child and spent years grinding through small ITF events without major attention or financial backing. Her junior career was solid, but not spectacular enough for an easy path into pro tennis. Instead of giving up, she accepted a scholarship to Old Dominion University in the United States at just 17 years old. There, she balanced studies, college tennis and life far from home while quietly building her game. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, her hometown fell under occupation. Starodubtseva later revealed how deeply the war affected her family and mental state. During one college match, she reportedly broke down in tears after hearing terrifying news from home. Her father had narrowly escaped danger on roads surrounded by Russian forces. After college, she had almost no ranking and very limited money. She worked part-time at a country club, taught tennis and even relied on crowdfunding while trying to survive on the professional circuit. Instead of quitting, she kept playing qualifiers, ITFs and lower-level events across the world. Then came the breakthrough. In 2024, she became the first woman in the Open Era to qualify for all four Grand Slams in a single season. Months later, she reached a WTA 1000 quarterfinal in Beijing and stunned players far above her ranking. In 2025 she made the third round of Roland Garros, and by 2026 she had already reached her first WTA final in Charleston. Starodubtseva often says she admires Elina Svitolina for her consistency and fighting mentality. Off court, she seems quiet and grounded, shaped by years of struggle rather than hype. She loves hard courts, built her game around aggressive baseline hitting and has spoken openly about wanting stability after years of uncertainty. From an occupied hometown in Ukraine to college tennis in America and finally the WTA spotlight - Yuliia Starodubtseva is one of the most resilient stories in modern tennis.

@1st_serve_news Wow. Such underdog. And didn't flop in the end after being broken back.

Yuliia STARodubtseva! Remember her face, you will see it more often now. Ukrainian player def. Rybakina in three sets, 3:6, 6:1, 7:6. The Kazakh ice queen melted in Paris heat.

🇮🇷 Iran’s state TV says Tehran has received a draft framework deal with the U.S. that could reopen commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz within a month. Under the reported proposal, Iran would restore maritime traffic to pre-war levels, while the U.S. would withdraw forces from around Iran and end its naval blockade. The strait handles roughly 20% of global oil flows, so any reopening could heavily impact energy markets and global trade. 🇺🇸 The situation remains fluid. In recent weeks, Hormuz has reportedly been opened, restricted and threatened with closure multiple times amid escalating tensions between Iran, the U.S. and Israel. Even talk of a stable reopening is already influencing oil prices and geopolitical calculations across Europe and Asia. If a formal agreement is reached, it could mark one of the biggest de-escalation steps in the region in months.

🇺🇦 Ukraine has warned Belarus against entering the war on Russia’s side, saying Kyiv already has “500 targets marked” inside Belarus if Minsk escalates the conflict. The statement came from Ukrainian drone forces commander Robert ‘Magyar’ Brovdi amid growing fears Moscow could once again use Belarusian territory to pressure northern Ukraine. The warning follows recent Russia-Belarus nuclear drills and renewed concerns in Kyiv over a possible new northern front toward the capital. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has recently accused Moscow of considering new attack scenarios from Belarusian territory, while Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko insists his country does not want direct involvement in the war.

🇦🇺 Australia is facing its worst diphtheria outbreak in decades, with more than 240 cases reported across multiple states in 2026. Health authorities say the outbreak is hitting remote Indigenous communities especially hard, while concerns are growing over declining vaccination rates and delayed booster shots among adults. Diphtheria was once nearly eradicated in Australia thanks to mass vaccination, but officials now warn the highly contagious bacterial disease is spreading again in parts of the Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland. The federal government has already launched emergency vaccination campaigns and additional funding to contain the outbreak.

🇱🇹🇱🇻🇪🇪 Baltic political voices are reportedly urging Ukraine to avoid actions that could trigger a wider regional escalation during sensitive symbolic dates. The request highlights growing security anxiety across NATO’s eastern flank as tensions with Russia remain extremely high. For the Baltic states, the war is no longer viewed as a distant conflict but as a direct strategic threat to regional stability. Every major Ukrainian operation now carries political and military implications far beyond the battlefield.

🇪🇺🇺🇸 The European Union is reportedly preparing a record antitrust fine against Google under the Digital Markets Act, accusing the company of unfairly prioritizing its own services in search results over competitors. According to reports, the penalty could reach hundreds of millions of euros and become the largest punishment issued so far under the EU’s new Big Tech rules. The investigation focuses on whether Google abused its dominance in online search and app ecosystems despite earlier promises to comply with EU regulations. Brussels is expected to announce the decision before the summer break, in another major escalation between European regulators and US tech giants after years of previous multi-billion euro fines against Alphabet.

🇷🇺🇺🇦 Russia says it is beginning “systematic strikes” on Kyiv targets linked to the Ukrainian military, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov personally informing US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the plan during a phone call. Moscow also urged foreign diplomats and citizens to leave the Ukrainian capital. The warning comes after one of the heaviest recent Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv, including the use of the hypersonic Oreshnik missile according to Ukrainian and Western reports. Ukrainian officials say the threats are part of psychological pressure, while residents continue daily life despite fears of a new large-scale barrage on the city.

🇮🇱🇱🇧 Israeli ground forces reportedly crossed the so-called “Yellow Line” in southern Lebanon during a new operation against Hezbollah positions near Nabatieh, according to Israeli media. The line had been established as part of the recent ceasefire arrangements between Israel and Hezbollah. Israeli forces are said to be expanding operations beyond the Litani River while carrying out heavy airstrikes across southern Lebanon, with more than 100 Hezbollah-linked targets reportedly hit overnight. The move raises fears that the fragile ceasefire could fully collapse as cross-border fighting intensifies again.

🇨🇿🇺🇦 Czech President Petr Pavel says only 9 countries are still financially backing the Czech ammunition initiative for Ukraine - down from 18 just a few months ago after PM Andrej Babiš announced Prague would stop paying from its own budget. According to Pavel, the initiative has supplied up to 50% of Ukraine’s large-caliber ammunition and helped deliver more than 4.4 million shells since launch. The future of the program may now become a key topic at the next NATO summit, as concerns grow over whether Europe can maintain long-term military support for Kyiv.

@1st_serve_news He looks solid! Not broken yet by Cilic.

Who's that Kouame guy, are you asking? 🇫🇷🇨🇮 Moise Kouame is one of the most exciting teenage talents in tennis today. Born in 2009 in Sarcelles near Paris, he has Ivorian roots from his father’s side and Cameroonian roots from his mother’s side. Tennis runs in the family - his older brother Michael also competes professionally. Kouame trained at elite academies including the Justine Henin Academy in Belgium and the Mouratoglou Academy in France. His idols are Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner, and many French fans already see him as the country’s next big tennis star. In March 2026, at just 17 years old, he made headlines at the Miami Open by defeating American Zachary Svajda 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 in the first round. The victory made him the youngest player to win an ATP Masters 1000 match since Rafael Nadal in 2003 and the youngest match winner in Miami Open history.

🇬🇧✡️ Many British Jews say they no longer feel safe openly expressing their identity in the UK, as antisemitic incidents continue to rise after the October 2023 Hamas attack and the Gaza war. Jewish schools, synagogues and community centers have increased security, while some families reportedly avoid wearing visible Jewish symbols in public. Recent attacks and threats targeting Jewish institutions in London have intensified concerns even further. British authorities have raised terrorism threat warnings and pledged stronger protection for Jewish communities, but many fear antisemitism has become increasingly normalized both online and on the streets. The debate is now becoming a major political and social issue across Britain.

🇷🇺🇺🇦 Russia has urged foreign citizens and diplomats to leave Kyiv immediately, warning of new strikes on “decision-making centers” and military infrastructure in the Ukrainian capital. The statement came after Moscow promised retaliation for a recent Ukrainian strike in occupied Luhansk region. Czech authorities say they are monitoring the situation closely. The warning follows one of the largest recent Russian air assaults on Kyiv, involving hundreds of drones and missiles. Russian officials claim upcoming attacks will target command centers, military-industrial sites and drone facilities across the city. The escalation is raising fears of another major wave of strikes against Ukraine’s capital.

🇨🇳🇨🇺 China has delivered 15,000 tons of rice to Cuba as the island struggles with deepening shortages of food, fuel and electricity. The shipment arriving in Havana is the first part of a larger Chinese aid package expected to total 60,000 tons of rice and tens of millions of dollars in support. Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel praised Beijing’s ‘solidarity’, while the delivery also highlights China’s growing influence in the Caribbean at a time when Cuba faces renewed U.S. pressure and worsening economic conditions. For many Cubans, the rice shipment is a temporary lifeline amid blackouts and empty store shelves.

🇺🇸 The Trump administration reportedly explored a plan to ban Dominion voting machines used across more than half of U.S. states, citing long-debunked election conspiracy theories linked to the 2020 election. According to Reuters, officials discussed whether the Commerce Department could classify parts of the machines as national security risks. The effort was allegedly led by Trump adviser Kurt Olsen and included proposals for hand-counted paper ballots nationwide - something many election security experts argue would be slower, less accurate and more vulnerable to human error. No evidence of foreign manipulation in the machines was ultimately found.

🇺🇦🇷🇺 Ukraine and the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv are warning about a possible massive Russian air attack in the coming hours. According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Moscow could use Oreshnik hypersonic missiles, weapons Russia has already deployed during previous large-scale strikes on Dnipro and Lviv. 🇺🇸 The U.S. Embassy urged American citizens in Ukraine to be ready to seek shelter immediately. If Russia launches a combined assault with drones, cruise missiles and Oreshnik systems against Kyiv, it could become one of the largest air attacks of 2026 so far.

@1st_serve_news What a fight!

🇵🇪 Get (B)used to him winning! Ignacio Buse has just completed one of the greatest weeks in Peruvian tennis history. The 22-year-old defeats Tommy Paul to win the Hamburg ATP 500 title, becoming Peru’s biggest ATP champion in decades and one of the breakout stars of the 2026 season. Buse is quickly becoming one of the most exciting young names in South American tennis. Born in Lima in 2004, the Peruvian right-hander reached junior world No. 9 and is now considered the biggest Peruvian male tennis prospect since Luis Horna. In 2026 he broke into the ATP Top 60 after strong runs in Rio, Challenger events and Davis Cup performances. Buse comes from a well-known Peruvian family. His father Hans Buse is a tennis coach and introduced him to the sport at age three, while his uncle is world-famous chef Gastón Acurio. Tennis also runs deep in the family history - Lima’s “Estadio Hermanos Buse”, used for Davis Cup ties, is named after his grandfather Eduardo Buse and grand-uncle Enrique Buse, both former Peruvian players. Ignacio later moved to Barcelona to train at the TEC Carles Ferrer Salat Academy in search of stronger European training conditions. His breakthrough came through junior Grand Slams and the ITF circuit. In 2022 he reached the Roland Garros boys’ doubles final with Gonzalo Bueno and made history for Peru at Wimbledon juniors. By 2023 and 2024 he started winning pro ITF titles and Challenger matches, including a famous Davis Cup upset over Nicolás Jarry in Chile. In 2025 he won multiple Challenger titles, made his Grand Slam debut at the US Open and entered the ATP Top 100 before exploding further in 2026. Unlike many classic South American clay specialists, Buse prefers aggressive tennis and enjoys faster courts as well. He has said his dream is to win Wimbledon or Roland Garros, while his childhood idol was Roger Federer. Fans online often praise his smooth backhand, composure and attacking style, with many calling him one of the ATP’s most underrated young players right now. Off court, Buse is known by friends as “Nacho”, supports Peruvian football club Universitario and enjoys cooking thanks to the influence of his famous uncle. In early 2026 he also reportedly signed with one of the world’s biggest sports management agencies, a major commercial step as his profile continues rising internationaly.

🇺🇸⚠️ Around 40,000 residents in Southern California were ordered to evacuate after authorities warned that a massive tank filled with toxic chemicals could explode at any moment. The emergency unfolded in Garden Grove near Los Angeles, with schools, roads and businesses shut down as hazmat crews rushed to cool the overheating container. Officials say the tank contains methyl methacrylate, a highly flammable chemical used in plastics and aerospace manufacturing. Emergency teams fear the container could either rupture and spill toxic material or trigger a large explosion, while some residents reportedly refused to leave despite evacuation orders. Disneyland is located only a few kilometers from the danger zone.

🇭🇺🇺🇦 Hungary will ban imports of Ukrainian agricultural products again, arguing that cheap Ukrainian grain and food are devastating local farmers and pushing prices down across Central Europe. Budapest says Brussels failed to protect EU producers after opening the market to Ukrainian exports during the war. The dispute over Ukrainian grain has been simmering since the EU created “solidarity corridors” after Russia blocked Black Sea exports. Poland, Slovakia and Hungary have repeatedly demanded restrictions, warning that massive inflows of Ukrainian products distort local markets and fuel political tensions inside the EU.

🇺🇸🇮🇷 Reports say the US is preparing a new wave of strikes on Iran this weekend, with Washington allegedly aiming for one final operation before declaring “victory” and ending the campaign. Donald Trump reportedly even skipped his son’s wedding plans as tensions around Iran escalate again. The situation remains highly volatile despite recent talk of ceasefire negotiations. Trump has repeatedly warned that new attacks remain “on the table” if Tehran’s proposals fail to satisfy Washington and its allies in the Gulf.