Monday, 30 April 2018
Mayer & Medvedev Go Racing In Estoril
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Video : Mayer & Medvedev Go Racing In Estoril
Watch Leonardo Mayer and Daniil Medvedev get taken on a wild ride — literally — on Monday with professional racecar driver Rafael Lobato thanks to Peugeot ahead of the Millennium Estoril Open. Photo and video courtesy of the Millennium Estoril Open.
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On The Line: John McEnroe
It is no secret that John McEnroe is one of the best players in tennis history. The left-handed serve-and-volleyer reached the top of both the ATP Rankings and the ATP Doubles Rankings. He would win 77 tour-level titles during his career and record 877 wins (83 against the Top 10), and he is now a consistent force on the ATP Champions Tour.
But there is more to McEnroe than what you saw on the court — which the American described to ATPWorldTour.com as, "the good, the bad and the ugly". Want to learn more about one of the ATP World Tour's most recognisable figures? We caught up with him to find out about his favourite memories, whom he admires and more.
What was the last book you read?
Bruce Springsteen’s book [Born To Run].
What person outside of your family do you admire most?
It was [Nelson] Mandela, he passed away. I don’t know, that’s a tough call. Maybe in the sports world I admired what [Tom] Brady did for a while. As a guy that plays individual sports, seeing a guy make other people so much better, that’s pretty inspiring.
What was the last concert or show you saw?
The last concert I saw was probably my wife [Patty Smyth] singing with Billie Joel.
What’s your favourite sport outside of tennis to watch?
I like basketball the most. I think it’s the most fun and you see the athleticism. It’s a good game for tennis, too, to work on your tennis. I liked playing basketball when I was young and I like watching it now.
Your favourite moment in your career was...
My favourite moment would probably be that Wimbledon ‘80 final even though I lost it. That’s the one that people talk about the most so that’s the one that sticks out.
Your tennis career was a success because...
I think because I gave a lot of effort and people remember the good, the bad and the ugly.
In the future, you want to...
I want to be able to take a step back and be able to appreciate everything that I’ve been able to get from this sport and try to do something where I can take this sport in my own little way to another level.
Read More Player Interviews In Our 'On The Line' Series
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De Minaur Thrilled With 1st Clay Win In Estoril 2018
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Video : De Minaur Thrilled With 1st Clay Win In Estoril 2018
#NextGenATP Aussie Alex de Minaur reacts to his first tour-level clay-court victory on Monday, as he defeated home favourite Gastao Elias at the Millennium Estoril Open. Video credit: Millennium Estoril Open.
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Video : Highlights: Tiafoe Saves 3 MPs, De Minaur Earns First Clay Win In Estoril 2018
Watch highlights as #NextGenATP American Frances Tiafoe escapes a third-set tie-break against compatriot Tennys Sandgren, #NextGenATP Aussie Alex de Minaur earns his first clay-court tour-level win and home favourite Pedro Sousa ousts Gilles Simon. Video and photo courtesy of Millennium Estoril Open.
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Highlights: Tiafoe Saves 3 MPs, De Minaur Earns First Clay Win In Estoril 2018
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Mayer & Medvedev Go Racing In Estoril
A day after Kyle Edmund and Joao Sousa enjoyed a thrilling surfing lesson in Estoril from one of the highest-ranked professionals in the world, Daniil Medvedev and Leonardo Mayer got taken for a wild ride — literally — of their own on Monday ahead of the Millennium Estoril Open.
The two seeded players in this week’s event (Mayer No. 7 and Medvedev No. 8) were driven around a track built on Cascais Marina by Portuguese racecar driver Rafael Lobato.
“It’s incredible! You realize how hard it is to drive these kind of cars. The drivers go really fast and that’s amazing,” Mayer said. “You feel a bit scared because of the chance of crashing. But it is impossible, because the drivers are really good… the control was incredible. They are able to stay one metre away from the wall.”
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And while the ATP World Tour players are used to getting adrenaline rushes during the excitement of their matches, Medvedev was surprised by the experience in the rally car.
“It was amazing. I didn’t expect so much adrenaline. I just thought it would be a little bit fast and a little bit cool, but once he started to push the engine it was going like crazy,” Medvedev said. “He was drifting, it was turning. I was so scared but it was so cool. Now I know what to expect from experiences like this.
“It was so loud in the car and the vibrations inside the car are like crazy. You have to be quite strong in the car because on the first lap my head was going right and left all the time.”
It was a great experience for Medvedev, who will compete against Portugal’s Joao Sousa — who seeks his first victory at his home event (0-3) — in the first round.
“It’s my first time in Estoril, and it’s pretty cool,” Medvedev said. “I went to Lisbon for two days first and it’s also amazing. I always thought it’d be cool to come here.”
Mayer will begin his campaign against in-form Chilean Nicolas Jarry. The Argentine leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 1-0.
“It is nice to play here, there are plenty of great players and the city is beautiful,” Mayer said. “I’m always happy to be back.”
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2018 US Open Spotlight: Stefanos Tsitsipas
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Former Champion Klizan Overcomes Mayer In Munich
Martin Klizan continued his strong run of form at the BMW Open by FWU on Monday, beating 2011 finalist Florian Mayer 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
The 2014 champion (d. Fognini) converted six of his 15 break point opportunities en route to victory in a match lasting just over two hours. Klizan improves to 8-1 in the Bavarian capital and sends Mayer to his 10th consecutive loss at tour-level.
Klizan, who defeated Novak Djokovic in Barcelona and became the first man to win five games in a set against Rafael Nadal on clay since the 2017 Internazionali BNL d’Italia, will meet Mirza Basic or seventh seed Gael Monfils in the second round.
Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann scored his first win of the 2018 ATP World Tour season, defeating two-time Munich semi-finalist Marcos Baghdatis 6-2, 6-4. The 2017 quarter-finalist hit six aces and dropped just one point on his second serve (7/8) to advance to the second round after 59 minutes. The Munich resident will face top seed and defending champion Alexander Zverev for a place in the quarter-finals.
Matthias Bachinger also secured his first win of the season at his home event, defeating Mikhail Kukushkin 7-6(8), 3-6, 6-3. The Munich-born World No. 163 hit 10 aces in the two-hour, 42-minute win and will meet reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion Hyeon Chung in the second round.
Did You Know?
Martin Klizan has only lost one main-draw match at the BMW Open by FWU. Klizan won eight matches from qualifying on his main-draw debut in 2014 to win the title, before falling in the quarter-finals last year to Hyeon Chung.
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Rafael Nadal 11 Barcelona Titles Tribute
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Video : Rafael Nadal 11 Barcelona Titles Tribute
One week after winning an 11th title in Monte-Carlo, Rafael Nadal claims a remarkable 11th title in Barcelona.
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#NextGenATP De Minaur Earns First Clay Win
#NextGenATP Aussie Alex de Minaur earned the first tour-level clay-court victory of his career on Monday, defeating Portuguese home favourite Gastao Elias 6-3, 6-1 at the Millennium Estoril Open.
It is the 19-year-old’s first tour-level win since he claimed his maiden ATP World Tour Masters 1000 triumph at the BNP Paribas Open in March. De Minaur continues his ascent after beginning the season 7-1 with a semi-final appearance in Brisbane and his first ATP World Tour final in Sydney. He also advanced to the championship match at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Alicante, Spain earlier this month, losing against Pablo Andujar, who would win the Grand Prix Hassan II trophy the following week.
The wild card saved all nine break points he faced against Elias, whose serve he broke four times to advance in one hour, 26 minutes. De Minaur, who is at a career-best No. 111 in the ATP Rankings, is nearing a breakthrough into the Top 100. Third seed Kyle Edmund, the British No. 1, awaits the teenager in the second round.
While Elias was unable to earn a win for the Portuguese crowd, wild card Pedro Sousa was. The home favourite eliminated former World No. 6 Gilles Simon 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4) in two hours, 45 minutes. Sousa was the aggressor throughout the match, finishing off his first Top 100 victory in an ATP World Tour match with a swinging volley.
Did You Know?
De Minaur is playing doubles in Estoril with former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt. They face second seeds Raven Klaasen and Michael Venus on Tuesday.
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BMW Open 2018 results: Defending champion Alexander Zverev leads a strong field
Roger Federer: Boris Becker makes big claim after Ion Tiriac criticism
Estoril Open 2018 results: Kevin Anderson heads field including Kyle Edmund
Troicki Edges Tomic In Istanbul
No. 6 seed Viktor Troicki came from a set down to beat Australia’s Bernard Tomic 3-6, 6-0, 7-5 at the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open on Monday.
The Serbian, who reached the semi-finals in 2017 (l. to Raonic), hit 13 aces and broke Tomic on five occasions to emerge victorious after one hour and 49 minutes. Competing for the first time on the ATP World Tour since the 2017 Erste Bank Open 500 (l. Herbert), Tomic served for the match at 5-4 in the final set, but Troicki won four straight games to reach the second round.
Troicki takes a 3-2 lead in his FedEx ATP Head2Head series with Tomic and moves into a second-round encounter against Moldova's Radu Albot or Rogerio Dutra Silva of Brazil.
Serbian Laslo Djere snapped a 10-match losing streak to upset Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin 7-6(5), 7-6(6). The 22-year-old saved a set point at 5/6 in the second-set tie-break before booking his place in the second round after two hours and four minutes. The 2017 quarter-finalist (l. to Troicki), will meet Gazprom Hungarian Open semi-finalist Andreas Seppi for a place in the quarter-finals.
Did You Know?
Viktor Troicki and Bernard Tomic’s only previous FedEx ATP Head2Head encounter on a clay court also went to three sets, with Troicki defeating the Australian 7-6(3), 6-7(4), 7-6(4) at the 2015 Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
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Cecchinato Beats Millman In Budapest 2018 Final Highlights
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Cecchinato Soars To Career-High In ATP Rankings
No. 59 (Career-high) Marco Cecchinato, +33
Having lost to Jurgen Zopp in the Gazprom Hungarian Open qualifying round, the Italian gained a lucky loser spot and bounced back to capture his first ATP World Tour trophy after beating fellow first-time finalist, John Millman, 7-5, 6-4. As a result, the 25-year-old Cecchinato jumped 33 places to a career-high No. 59 in the ATP Rankings. He began the year at No. 109. Read & Watch Highlights
No. 44 (Career-high) Stefanos Tsitsipas, +19
The Greek rose 19 places to a career-high No. 44 in the ATP Rankings after becoming the first player from his country to reach an ATP World Tour final since Nicholas Kalogeropoulos at Des Moines, Iowa on 4 February 1973 (l. to Clark Graebner). In beating Dominic Thiem in the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell semi-final, it was his second Top 10 victory of his career (d. No. 10 David Goffin at 2017 European Open). Coming into last week’s ATP World Tour 500-level tournament, Tsitsipas had won only one clay-court match. Read & Watch Highlights
No. 48 Andreas Seppi, +7
Former World No. 18 Andreas Seppi continued his run of form by advancing to Gazprom Hungarian Open semi-finals, losing to fellow Italian Marco Cecchinato. The 34-year-old broke back into the Top 50 of the ATP Rankings (at No. 48), with a seven-place rise, for his highest position since 27 June 2017 (No. 45).
No. 69 John Millman, +25
The Australian earned the biggest win of his career by beating World No. 14 and defending champion Lucas Pouille in the Gazprom Hungarian Open second round and used that confidence to progress to his first ATP World Tour final. In moving up 25 spots to No. 69, Millman is now nine positions off his career-high (No. 60 on 16 May 2016). The 28-year-old was ranked as low as No. 235 (on 28 August 2017), but won an ATP Challenger Tour title in Hua Hin, Thailand, last November and another in Kyoto, Japan earlier this year.
Learn More About ATP Challenger Tour
Other Notables Top 100 Movers This Week
No. 35 Borna Coric, +3
No. 75 Nikoloz Basilashvili, +4
No. 78 Malek Jaziri, +10
No. 94 Jordan Thompson, +4
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Video : Cecchinato Beats Millman In Budapest 2018 Final Highlights
Watch highlights of the 2018 Gazprom Hungarian Open final highlights, featuring Marco Cecchinato versus John Millman in Budapest. Photo: Tennis Hungarian Association
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Rafael Nadal: Brit tennis star posts emotional tribute after Barcelona Open win
Video : Surf's Up For Sousa & Edmund In Estoril
Watch Portugal's Joao Sousa and British No. 1 Kyle Edmund visit and play tennis at the brand new Nova School of Business and Economics before crossing the street to ride some waves at Carcavelos Beach with Portugal’s No.1 surfer (No.14 in the world), Frederico “Kikas” Morais. Video Courtesy of the Millennium Estoril Open.
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Rafael Nadal makes Barcelona Open title admission after Stefanos Tsitsipas trouncing
Sunday, 29 April 2018
Rubin Celebrates Tallahassee Challenger Title 2018
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Video : Rubin Celebrates Tallahassee Challenger Title 2018
Noah Rubin reflects on clinching his fourth ATP Challenger Tour title, and first on clay, in Tallahassee. Video and images courtesy of Jacob Stuckey
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Surf's Up For Sousa & Edmund In Estoril
Players competing at the Millennium Estoril Open this week will be sliding on the red clay, battling for a coveted ATP World Tour title. But before the main draw begins, some competitors were sliding around something else — a surfboard.
Portugal’s own Joao Sousa and British No. 1 Kyle Edmund took time out to learn how to catch some waves with a special instructor — world-class surfer Frederico Morais.
“It’s not easy to get the time to do this kind of thing normally. It’s a great activity and to be with Frederico, it’s nice,” said Sousa. “He’s one of the greatest in the world. It’s a bit windy, which makes it difficult. But hopefully we’ll have some fun. It’s gonna be tough, but we’ll give our best.”
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The players certainly enjoyed the experience, even if they might not be joining a professional surfing circuit any time soon.
“He gave us some tips to make it a little bit easier,” Sousa said. “But I’m not sure our physical condition is perfect for this kind of sport.”
Edmund, who advanced to the Australian Open semi-finals before reaching the championship match in Marrakech, enjoyed his time on the water as well, saying that Morais had the pair practising getting up on the surfboard and settling into their stance.
“I’ve never surfed before, only done stuff like jet skis in the water before. So it’s my first time, but I’ve got no excuses because I’ve got a pretty good instructor,” Edmund said. “I’m pretty good with adventure sports. I like motorbiking, and loved the jet skiing. It’s a bit cold, that’s my only excuse! But I’m excited to give it a go and to try something out of my comfort zone.”
After some pre-tournament fun, Edmund is excited to head back to the tennis court, where he looks to maintain the momentum he gained in Marrakech.
“It’s one of my aims, to get my first title. So it was great to reach a first final,” Edmund said of his run in Morocco. “I obviously wanted to go one step further, but the experience will serve me well. The next time I’m in a final, I’ll hopefully be able to use that loss to my benefit.”
It’s an especially important week for Sousa, who is playing in his home country of Portugal. “It’s always a special week for me, playing at my home and in front of my people,” said Sousa, who made the semi-finals of Marrakech. “It’s been a good season so far and hopefully I can play a good level and play good matches.”from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/2HC9kJ2
Rafael Nadal: Sky Sports pundit highlights world No 1’s two closest challengers on clay
First-Time Winner Spotlight: Marco Cecchinato
Marco Cecchinato clinched his first ATP World Tour title on Sunday, beating fellow first-time ATP World Tour finalist John Millman 7-5, 6-4 at the Gazprom Hungarian Open. The victory sees the 25-year-old Italian rise inside the Top 60 of the ATP Rankings for the first time and he becomes the first lucky loser to win an ATP World Tour title since Leonardo Mayer in Hamburg last year.
Afterwards, Cecchinato spoke to ATPWorldTour.com:
How does it feel to be holding your first ATP World Tour trophy?
It is amazing because the first title in my career is not possible to forget in my life. I am very happy because I lost last Sunday [in qualifying] and now I won the tournament. It is incredible. It is amazing. I don't know, maybe it is a dream.
Was winning an ATP World Tour title something you always wanted to achieve when you decided to become a tennis player?
No. My dream was to be in the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings, but never [did] I think I would win an ATP World Tour title.
You beat some really tough opponents en route to the title, how do you feel?
Every match was tough. Today I was tired, because [I played] five matches in the main draw, plus two in qualifying... But the final is the final, it is one match and after [you get to] rest.
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Now you have won an ATP World Tour title, what other goals do you have for the 2018 season?
I want to play every match like this, with the [same] level. Now I go [to my] best ATP Ranking, so [this moment] is very important for me. I want to play every match focussed... Now I need to work more every week; this is very important for me.
You will rise into the Top 60 of the ATP Rankings on Monday, how does that feel?
It is amazing, because this is my best ranking... I want to enjoy this title tonight with my girlfriend and my manager and that is it.
Is there anybody that you would like to acknowledge or thank for getting you to this milestone in your career?
Firstly, my family. My coach, my mother, my father and all the family because for me [family] is very important. Also my coach, my fitness coach and my manager. I have just started [a relationship] with my girlfriend so I also need to thank her.
Aside from tennis what are your favourite interests and hobbies?
Football. I like football so much. I watch every league, the Italian league, the German league and the Spanish league. This is my hobby. My favourite team is AC Milan.
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Rafael Nadal: Stefano Tsitsipas makes stunning admission after Barcelona Open defeat
Rafael Nadal: Shirtless Spanish star celebrates Barcelona Open win with swimming pool dive
Story of 2018 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell
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Video : Story of 2018 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell
Relive the story of the 2018 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. Watch live tennis at tennistv.com.
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Nadal's Big Dive After 11th Barcelona Triumph
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Rafael Nadal retirement: Barcelona Open winner would quit for two reasons - Peter Fleming
Video : Nadal's Big Dive After 11th Barcelona Triumph
Watch World No. 1 Rafael Nadal complete the traditional pool dive after winning his record 11th Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell title on Sunday. Watch live tennis at tennistv.com.
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Highlights: Rafa Romps To 11th Barcelona Title
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Video : Highlights: Rafa Romps To 11th Barcelona Title
Watch highlights as World No. 1 Rafael Nadal wins his 11th title at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, defeating #NextGenATP Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas. Photo Credit: Alex Caparros/Getty Images. Watch live tennis at tennistv.com.
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Rafael Nadal reveals key Barcelona Open final moment which led to Stefanos Tsitsipas win
Nadal Reflects On 11th Barcelona Crown
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Video : Nadal Reflects On 11th Barcelona Crown
Watch as Rafael Nadal describes his emotions after winning his 11th title at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. Watch live tennis at tennistv.com.
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Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer: Guido Pella reveals why he is confused by tennis icons
Rafael Nadal explains WORST thing about winning Barcelona Open against Stefanos Tsitsipas
Champion Cecchinato: Italian Wins Maiden Title
Italian Marco Cecchinato lost in the final round of qualifying in straight sets at the Gazprom Hungarian Open. Yet seven days later, the World No. 92 will leave Hungary as a first-time ATP World Tour champion.
After gaining entry to the main draw in Budapest as a lucky loser, Cecchinato never looked back. And even though he had never reached a tour-level semi-final prior to this week, the Italian defeated Aussie John Millman, another first-time finalist, 6-4, 7-5 to claim his maiden trophy.
Cecchinato is the first lucky loser to triumph since Leonardo Mayer won Hamburg last July.
More to come...
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Hot Shot: Rafa Unleashes Forehand Missile In Barcelona 2018
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Video : Ridiculous Tennis Shots that MADE the Opponent SMILE!! (HD) The Tennis News
DISCLAIMER - No copyright infringement is intended, all videos are edited to follow the "Free Use" guideline of YouTube. ►SUBSCRIBE & Follow me! Twitter! https://twitter.com/TennisticYT Instagram! https://ift.tt/2tMkBjG Song used in intro: Wildchild-Kiana(Instrumental) Song used in outro: B.J Thomas Raindrops keep falling on my head
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Rafa Romps To 11th Barcelona Title
Can anyone stop Rafael Nadal?
Another week, another clay-court crown for the World No. 1. Nadal stormed to a staggering 11th title at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell on Sunday, dismissing Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-1.
Not even an early rain shower could stop the scintillating Spaniard, who extended his win streak on clay to 19 straight and sets-won streak on the surface to 46 in a row. It marks the second straight week in which he has completed an 'undécima', hoisting an 11th trophy at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters before replicating the feat at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona.
One day after joining the '400 Wins Club' on clay, Nadal hit yet another milestone. The Manacor native pulled level with John McEnroe for fourth place on the Open Era titles list with his 77th crown. Only Jimmy Connors, Roger Federer and Ivan Lendl remain ahead of Nadal.
It was a soggy and breezy late afternoon in the Spanish metropolis, as Nadal began his quest for the title in threatening conditions. On multiple occasions, play was halted as rain drops pelted the clay on Pista Rafa Nadal. But Nadal's focus did not waver, maintaining his steely resolve to snatch an immediate break to love for 2-1.
Nadal used the heavier conditions to his advantage, as Tsitsipas struggled to respond to the weight of shots coming off the Spaniard's racquet. He had no reply to Nadal's forehand, which dictated rallies with masterful authority and command. The top seed's athletic prowess was on full display as well, striking a twirling over-the-shoulder volley winner to secure a 5-1 lead.
A wayward forehand from Tsitsipas would give Nadal an opening break in the second set and there was no looking back. The World No. 1 reigned in Barcelona for an 11th time as the teenager struck a backhand into the net. Nadal fired nine winners and benefitted from 23 unforced errors to prevail after 77 minutes.
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In the biggest match of his young career, Tsitsipas can only grow from the experience. Despite the loss, the #NextGenATP Greek solidified himself as a contender in the ATP Race To Milan with a quartet of signature wins during the week. He would stun Diego Schwartzman, past champion Dominic Thiem and home hopes Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Pablo Carreno Busta, all in straight sets, to reach his first ATP World Tour final.
The youngest finalist in Barcelona since an 18-year-old Nadal in 2005, Tsitsipas was also the first Greek man to reach an ATP World Tour title match since Nicholas Kalogeropoulos in Des Moines, Iowa in 1973. He emerges with 300 ATP Rankings points and €245,940 in prize money, soaring 19 spots to a career-high No. 44.
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Rafael Nadal WINS Barcelona Open title with Stefanos Tsitsipas demolition
Video : Hot Shot: Rafa Unleashes Forehand Missile In Barcelona 2018
Watch World No. 1 Rafael Nadal unleash a forehand winner down the line in the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell final against #NextGenATP Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas. Photo Credit: Josep Lago/AFP/Getty Images. Watch live tennis at tennistv.com.
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Nadal Hits Twirling Overhead Hot Shot In Barcelona Final 2018
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Video : Nadal Hits Twirling Overhead Hot Shot In Barcelona Final 2018
Watch as Rafael Nadal secures a double-break lead in the first set of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell final, striking a stunning over-the-shoulder Hot Shot. Watch live tennis at tennistv.com.
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Nadal vs Tsitsipas: Rain threatens to POSTPONE Barcelona Open final
Lopez/Lopez Clinch Barcelona Title
Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez won their third team title on Sunday, defeating Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi and Jean-Julien Rojer 7-6(5), 6-4 at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.
The 2016 Roland Garros champions won 88 per cent of points behind their first serves (35/40) in the one-hour, 52-minute encounter to win their first tour-level title together since their success in Paris two years ago. It is Feliciano Lopez’s fourth doubles crown, while Marc Lopez has now lifted 14 titles. Both men had previously advanced to the Barcelona final, with Feliciano Lopez doing so in 2005 alongside Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopez reaching the final with Marcel Granollers in 2012.
Qureshi was bidding to retain his Barcelona trophy, having won the title in 2017 with Florin Mergea. Rojer was aiming to win his second title of the season, after success with his regular partner Horia Tecau at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships just two months ago. Rojer has reached the Nitto ATP Finals in three of the past four season with Tecau, who is currently recovering from a right foot injury. Qureshi and Rojer were competing together for just the second time since 2013. The duo also reached the championship match on its last outing, falling to Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic at the 2017 Intrum Stockholm Open.
In the first set, the Spaniards failed to convert set points at both 5-4 and 6-5 before finally taking a one-set lead in the tie-break on their seventh set point. The momentum carried into the second set, with a crucial break in the first game earning Lopez and Lopez a strong lead. The duo continued to hold serve and, despite failing to convert three championship points at 5-3, clinched the title on serve in the following game to clinch the victory.
Lopez and Lopez receive 500 ATP Doubles Ranking points and share €162,940 in prize money for lifting the trophy. Qureshi and Rojer gain 300 ATP Doubles Rankings points and will split €79,770.
Did You Know?
Despite Spanish dominance in the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell singles event, Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez are the first Spanish winners of the doubles tournament since 1997 (Berasategui/Burillo).
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Inglot/Skugor Earn Maiden Team Title In Budapest
Neither team competing in the Gazprom Hungarian Open final on Sunday had played together prior to this week. But one of the pairings knew they’d be leaving Hungary with an ATP World Tour title.
That team was Dominic Inglot and Franko Skugor, capturing the Budapest trophy with a victory against Matwe Middelkoop and Andres Molteni 6-7(8), 6-1, 10-8 in one hour, 34 minutes.
"I want to thank everyone who came out and supported us and really showed good support for the doubles, so thank you," Inglot said.
It is the first ATP World Tour triumph for the Croatian, Skugor, who had lost his previous six tour-level matches with three different partners prior to arriving in Hungary. His partner, Inglot, claims his eighth ATP World Tour doubles title. The 32-year-old has now claimed glory at least once in seven consecutive years.
It certainly was not easy for the British-Croatian duo. They lost seven of their service points in the opening-set tie-break to fall behind. And even after breaking twice to easily win the second set, Inglot and Skugor were under plenty of pressure in the Match Tie-break.
Both teams lost only one point on serve through 8/8, when Skugor put a return back in play to the server, Middelkoop, with the Dutchman firing a forehand wide. Then, on their first match point, Inglot hit a second serve that Middelkoop tried to pull down the line with a rocketed forehand, missing wide, giving Inglot/Skugor their maiden team title.
Inglot and Skugor earn 250 ATP Doubles Rankings points along with a share of the €27,170 prize, while Middelkoop and Molteni capture 150 points and a split of €14,280.
Did You Know?
Inglot and Skugor defeated an in-form team, even if Middelkoop and Molteni had not previously played together. Middelkoop won titles earlier this year in Pune and Sofia (w/ Haase), while Molteni was victorious in Buenos Aires (w/ Zeballos).
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Rafael Nadal offers Stefanos Tsitsipas stark advice ahead of Barcelona Open final
Rafael Nadal vs Stefanos Tsitsipas LIVE updates: Barcelona Open final latest
Happy 40th Birthday To The Bryan Brothers!
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Video : Happy 40th Birthday To The Bryan Brothers!
Watch as sports stars from tennis and elsewhere, including Jack Nicklaus and Dirk Nowitzki, wish Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan a happy 40th birthday.
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Rafael Nadal vs Stefanos Tsitsipas LIVE stream: How to watch Barcelona Open final online
Video : Get To Know Jay Clarke: Britain's #NextGenATP Hope
Meet Jay Clarke, the 19-year-old from Great Britain taking the ATP Challenger Tour by storm.
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Saturday, 28 April 2018
30 Things To Watch In Munich, Istanbul & Estoril
With the clay-court season well underway, there are three ATP World Tour 250-level events next week. At the BMW Open by FWU, World No. 3 Alexander Zverev will attempt to retain his title and earn the seventh tour-level trophy of his career. The German leads a strong field, with Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, Argentine Diego Schwartzman and South Korean Hyeon Chung striving for success.
Like Zverev, World No. 4 Marin Cilic is also trying to defend a title, as the top seed leads the field at the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open. The Millennium Estoril Open also boasts an impressive line-up with World No. 8 Kevin Anderson and Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta competing as the top two seeds.
View Draw: Munich | Istanbul | Estoril
10 THINGS TO WATCH IN MUNICH
1) The Champ is Here: Alexander Zverev, who turned 21 on 20 April, is already making his fifth appearance in Munich. He’s improved his results each year, from the first round in 2014 and second round in 2015 to the semi-finals in 2016 and the title last year. Zverev has been ranked in the Top 5 each week since 11 September 2017. After winning five ATP World Tour titles last season, he’s seeking his first of 2018.
2) Right at Home: German Philipp Kohlschreiber has earned 30 or more wins and enjoyed Top 50 finishes in the year-end ATP Rankings in each of the past 11 seasons. Kohlschreiber has been especially successful in Germany, where he is 116-61 (.655). The 34-year-old is making his 10th straight showing and 14th appearance overall in Munich. The three-time titlist (2007, 2012, 2016) has reached the final a total of five times.
3) Other Germans: Yannick Hanfmann, Yannick Maden, Maximilian Marterer, Florian Mayer, Jan-Lennard Struff and Mischa Zverev will also represent Germany in their native country. Marterer has had an especially strong season, winning the first seven tour-level matches of his career in 2018, not including his sixth ATP Challenger Tour title at Cherbourg, France.
4) Steady Spaniard: Like Kohlschreiber, No. 2 seed Roberto Bautista Agut is one of the ATP World Tour’s most consistent players. He has earned 40 or more wins and enjoyed Top 25 finishes in the year-end ATP Rankings in each of the past four seasons. Bautista Agut, 30, won the biggest of his eight tour-level titles at Dubai on 3 March.
5) On the Rise: No. 3 seed Diego Schwartzman has achieved a new career-high ATP Ranking 15 times since the start of 2017, peaking at No. 15 on 2 April. Schwartzman did not drop a set en route to his first ATP World Tour 500-level title at Rio de Janeiro on 25 February.
6) Asian Sensation: Hyeon Chung of South Korea is 18-7 this season after ending 2017 by winning the Next Gen ATP Finals title. Chung’s ATP Rankings rise began at 2017 Munich, where he reached his first ATP World Tour semi-final as the World No. 78. He returns to Munich this week as the No. 4 seed.
7) 300 Wins: No. 5 seed Fabio Fognini is one win from 300 at the tour-level for his career. The 2014 Munich finalist bids to become the fourth Italian player to win 300 matches. Retired players Corrado Barazzutti and Adriano Panatta reached the milestone, while Andreas Seppi earned his tour-level victory in 2016.
8) Monfils in Munich: No. 7 seed Gael Monfils comes back to the ATP World Tour this week. The Frenchman returned from a right knee injury to win his seventh ATP World Tour title at Doha in January. But Monfils, who hurt his back at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells, has not played since 13 March.
9) Doubles Details: Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo are co-No. 1s in the ATP Doubles Rankings. They are joined in the field by Max Mirnyi and Philipp Oswald, who are 20-8 with three ATP World Tour titles since debuting as a team last August.
10) 39 & Counting: Kohlschreiber faces a stern test in the opening round against 39-year-old Croatian Ivo Karlovic. In Houston, the 6'11" right-hander became the oldest player to advance to an ATP World Tour semi-final since Jimmy Connors at San Francisco in 1993. Kohlschreiber leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 3-2.
10 THINGS TO WATCH IN ISTANBUL
1) The Champ is Here: World No. 4 Marin Cilic returns to Istanbul as the No. 1 seed. He took a wild card in 2017 and did not drop a set en route to the title, including victories over this year’s No. 2 seed Damir Dzumhur, last year’s No. 1 seed Milos Raonic and 2016 champion Diego Schwartzman. The Croat has won an ATP World Tour title in 10 straight seasons and is seeking his first championship of 2018.
2) Three’s a Crowd: After reaching finals at Wimbledon and the Australian Open, Cilic achieved a career-high No. 3 in the ATP Rankings on 29 January. Cilic became the 16th World No. 3 since 25 July 2005. Only four players have been in the Top 2 since that date 13 years ago: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. Alexander Zverev, who is competing in Munich, is the current World No. 3.
3) Determined Damir: Dzumhur ended 2017 on a 24-7 run, highlighted by his first two ATP World Tour titles at St. Petersburg and Moscow. The Bosnia & Herzegovina native reached the quarter-finals this year in Montpellier and Marseille.
4) Bernie’s Back: Tomic accepted a wild card into Istanbul and is playing at the event for the third straight season. Still only 25 years old, Tomic failed to qualify at the Australian Open and has played only one ATP Challenger Tour match since then. But Tomic has captured three ATP World Tour titles in his career and finished runner-up twice.
5) Italians in Istanbul: Four Italians are competing in Istanbul this week: No. 3 seed Andreas Seppi, No. 5 seed Paolo Lorenzi, 22-year-old Matteo Berrettini and Thomas Fabbiano. Seppi lost to another Italian, Cecchinato, in the Budapest semi-finals on Saturday, his second semi-final of the season.
6) Feet of Clay: No. 4 seed Aljaz Bedene won 16 straight clay-court matches overall in April 2017. He’s back to his best on clay in 2018 with runs to the Buenos Aires final, Rio de Janeiro quarter-finals and Budapest semi-finals. Bedene, who will resume that semi-final against Aussie John Millman on Sunday, is seeking his first ATP World Tour title in Budapest this weekend.
7) 500 Wins Club: Russian veteran Mikhail Youzhny is three tour-level wins from 500 for his career. Youzhny is hoping to join former World No. 1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov (609 victories) as the second Russian player to win at least 500 matches. Youzhny, who turns 36 in June, has captured 10 ATP World Tour titles.
8) Two Turks: Wild cards Marsel Ilhan and Cem Ilkel will represent Turkey at the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open this week. While Ilhan is a former Top 100 player, Ilkel is seeking his first ATP World Tour victory. Ilkel is 0-7 overall at this level, including Istanbul losses in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
9) International Flair: Top seeds Ben McLachlan and Nicholas Monroe lead the doubles field in Istanbul. Born in New Zealand and educated in California, McLachlan represents Japan. The 25-year-old won his first ATP World Tour title at Tokyo last October with countryman Yasutaka Uchiyama.
10) Millman Rising: Millman managed to win just three tour-level matches in 2017 after spending the beginning of the season battling injury. But the Aussie is off to a strong start in 2018, claiming eight tour-level victories thus far as well as triumphing at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Kyoto, Japan. He is tied at a set apiece in the Budapest semi-finals, which will be completed Sunday ahead of the championship match.
10 THINGS TO WATCH IN ESTORIL
1) The Champ is Here: The second-seeded Pablo Carreno Busta is 11-2 at the Millennium Estoril Open and will have appeared at all four editions of the event. He reached the semi-finals in 2015 and the final in 2016 before winning the 2017 title without dropping a set. Following a run to the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami semi-finals, Carreno Busta reached the Barcelona semi-finals before losing to #NextGenATP Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas on Saturday.
2) Greek Freak: Tsitsipas is only 19, but he’s already the highest-ranked Greek in ATP World Tour history. This Monday, the former World No. 1 junior will achieve a new career-high ATP Ranking for the seventh time in 2018. He beat No. 7 Dominic Thiem on Friday for the biggest win of his career before ousting Carreno Busta to advance to his maiden tour-level final, in which he will play World No. 1 Rafael Nadal.
3) Big Foe on the Come Up: #NextGenATP American FrancesTiafoe is 11-6 this season after starting his career 9-29. Tiafoe followed his first semi-final and final with his first title at Delray Beach on 25 February, becoming the youngest American champion on the ATP World Tour since 19-year-old Andy Roddick won at Houston in 2002. Tiafoe earned the first clay-court tour-level win of his career in Houston on 9 April.
4) De Minaur Delivers: #NextGenATP Aussie Alex de Minaur made history on home soil in January with runs to the Brisbane semi-finals and Sydney final. The Aussie, now 19, became the youngest semi-finalist in Brisbane history and the youngest player to reach semi-finals in consecutive weeks since 18-year-old Rafael Nadal in 2005.
5) Elite Eight: No. 1 seed Kevin Anderson is ranked a career-high No. 8 after starting the year 17-5. Anderson has reached three finals in 2018, highlighted by his triumph at the New York Open. He beat Carreno Busta in a third-set tie-break at Indian Wells before losing to him in a third-set tie-break at Miami.
6) Pride of Portugal: Joao Sousa reached a career-high No. 28 in the ATP Rankings in 2016 and is the highest-ranked Portuguese player in ATP World Tour history. The 29-year-old Sousa seeks his maiden victory at the Millennium Estoril Open (0-3).
7) Career Year: No. 3 seed Kyle Edmund reached his first Grand Slam semi-final at the Australian Open, ended Andy Murray’s 12-year reign as the No. 1 Brit in the ATP Rankings on 5 March, then advanced to his first ATP World Tour final at Marrakech earlier this month.
8) Remarkable Comeback: Andujar used a protected ranking to enter both Marrakech and Estoril after undergoing three right elbow surgeries. As the World No. 355, Andujar won the Marrakech title to become the lowest-ranked champion on the ATP World Tour since No. 550 Lleyton Hewitt triumphed at Adelaide in 1998.
9) Speaking of Hewitt: De Minaur grew up idolizing Hewitt, who is travelling with the teen this season and will play doubles with him this week. Hewitt last played singles at the 2016 Australian Open, but has played doubles with countrymen John Peers, Jordan Thompson and Sam Groth since then.
10) In-Form Chilean: One of the most dangerous unseeded players in the field is Chilean Nicolas Jarry. The 22-year-old had just five tour-level wins prior to this season, but he has earned 14 already in 2018, making his first quarter-final in Quito, semi-final in Rio de Janeiro and final in Sao Paulo.
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Rafael Nadal: Stefanos Tsitsipas makes shock admission ahead of Barcelona Open final
Federer Enjoys First Trip To Zambia
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Rafael Nadal: Spanish ace reveals Stefanos Tsitsipas worry over Barcelona Open final
No Shoe, No Problem For Stefanos
Not a lot has gone wrong for #NextGenATP Stefanos Tsitsipas at this week’s Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell — except for losing his shoe in the middle of a point.
The 19-year-old was leading 3-0 in the opening set against Pablo Carreno Busta on Saturday and held a 15/30 advantage on the Spaniard’s serve. But when Tsitsipas slid to his right to whip a heavy forehand high over the net, his left shoe slipped off. While his shot landed in, the teenager was unable to win the point.
“Not sure I’ve ever seen that, especially on a clay court,” former World No. 4 James Blake said with a chuckle while commentating on the match on Tennis Channel. “He might need to tie those a little tighter!”
And while he let slip the opening in Carreno Busta’s service game, it did not stop Tsitsipas from regrouping to become the first Greek man to reach an ATP World Tour final since Nicholas Kalogeropoulos in 1973 (Des Moines, Iowa).
"I cannot explain it. [It was] probably because of the shoelaces,” Tsitsipas said. “I should tie my shoelaces more."
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It is not the first time Tsitsipas has had a shoe malfunction in the middle of a match, either. In last year's Antwerp quarter-finals, the Greek needed his Dad's shoelaces to finish off a victory against Belgian David Goffin. Two shoe incidents on the ATP World Tour, two triumphs for Tsitsipas.
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Hot Shot: Nadal Displays Immaculate Touch
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Video : Hot Shot: Nadal Displays Immaculate Touch In Barcelona 2018
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal shows his skills at the net with an immaculate drop volley winner against Belgian David Goffin in the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. Watch live tennis at tennistv.com.
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