Sunday 30 September 2018
Challenger Q&A: Mmoh Cracks Top 100 With Tiburon Title
In 2016, it was Taylor Fritz. Last year, it was Frances Tiafoe. Now, a third member of the American #NextGenATP contingent has cracked the Top 100. Welcome to the club, Michael Mmoh!
On Sunday, the 20-year-old ascended to a career-high No. 96 in the ATP Rankings after taking back-to-back ATP Challenger Tour titles in Columbus and Tiburon. A 6-3, 7-5 victory over Marcel Granollers in the final of the Wells Fargo Tiburon Challenger sealed his fate, as Mmoh celebrated the biggest title of his young career.
The Florida resident finishes the month of September with an 11-1 record, scoring impressive wins over Granollers, Jordan Thompson, Ernesto Escobedo, James Duckworth and Christopher Eubanks, among many. Two years after finishing runner-up in Tiburon, he finally has his trophy at the $100,000 event.
Mmoh also moves up two spots in the ATP Race To Milan, rising to ninth place. Just two weeks ago, the 20-year-old was at No. 15 in his quest to qualify for the Next Gen ATP Finals. With Fritz and Tiafoe already in prime position to punch their tickets to the Fiera Milano, their countryman will be looking to make it an American trio at the tournament's second edition.
Back to back! @MichaelMmoh takes the title @TiburonChallngr , d. Marcel Granollers 63 75 for his second straight 🏆.
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) October 1, 2018
Champion in Columbus, champion in Tiburon. Welcome to the Top 100. pic.twitter.com/P2i3UggyEx
First of all, congratulations Michael. Top 100. What does that mean to you, in terms of this journey you've been on?
It's huge. It's something I've been eyeing ever since I started playing professional tennis. Honestly, ever since I started playing tennis in general. You always aspire to be a Top 100 player. It's the No. 1 goal when you're starting out as a professional. You're in a special area to be there. I've put in a lot of hard work and I'm really happy to win back-to-back Challengers as well. It's something I wasn't expecting from myself.
Let's talk about these two weeks. Columbus was indoors and it's weird to have an indoor event between two outdoor tournaments. Compare the court speed and bounces from last week to this week in Tiburon.
That's one of the reasons I wasn't expecting to go back-to-back, because I'm going from an indoor event to one where it's windy and super cold. In Columbus, it was actually pretty humid in the indoor courts. You're drenched after a match there and you come here and it's super cold and slow with low bounces. You have one day to prepare and you're traveling from the east time zone to the west. Plus, I played Darian King, a guy I've lost to twice before and then Tommy Paul in the quarters. It's tough. Those are really good players and to adjust on the fly and be mentally tough, I'm proud of myself for that.
You've given a lot of credit to Alexander Waske, your new coach. In terms of personality, Alex is very different from Glenn Weiner, your former coach. Compare and contrast the two.
They are completely different. It's black and white. Alex is a very different person from Glenn, but I think that helps in a way. It's almost like a spark, a big change. Glenn was unbelievable. He was a father figure to me. We spent so much time together. Four years. He's taught me so much, on the court and off the court. He's always been a big part of my life. To have a guy like that in your corner is huge. Alexander has been helping me a ton too. I feel like he's taken my game to the next level. But definitely, you couldn't find two more different guys.
How much has the focus for you guys been mental side versus tactical side?
It's definitely been a lot of tactical changes. Mental as well, but Alex is a very intense guy, so just his presence alone brings a lot of competitiveness and intensity to my game. That helps a lot, but the main change has been tactical. He's implemented a lot of plays in my game that have probably been my most successful shots these past two weeks. He's given me a better understanding of how to use my strengths.
During your match today against Marcel Granollers, I was thinking back to your final here two years ago against Darian King. That is, where you were then versus where you are now. There was a lot of athleticism to make balls, but there wasn't much intent with what you were doing. How do you view yourself now, compared to two years ago in this final?
I'm the same person, but definitely a completely different player. I was very composed today. If it was 2016 and I played a guy like Granollers, he would have been tougher than me mentally and I wouldn't have been able to compete with him. I wasn't that tough then, but now I went toe-to-toe with him mentally. I came in and even though I missed a couple volleys, I kept coming forward. That's the reason why I got the break in the second set. I came in at 15/30 and finished the volley. Back in the day, I didn't really do that. I waited for the guy to make mistakes and I relied on being an athlete and making a lot of balls. I still have that, but now I've added a new layer.
What does this mean for the last few months of the year for you? You will obviously get into Grand Slams no problem. That's huge, but it also allows you to get into a few more [ATP World Tour] 250s that you maybe hadn't planned on. Maybe you play qualies of a 500. How do you structure the last few months of your season, so you take advantage of that?
Right after the US Open, I was talking with my team and we didn't want to play Challengers for the rest of the year. But I think it's perfect now. I've won a ton of matches and I'm confident. I'm going to take that to the tour-level and I'll probably play Stockholm and Vienna and try to get into Paris. I'm really excited and I'm playing well and beating a lot of good players. If I can take that to the next level, it will be exciting.
And of course the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan. That must be on your mind as well.
Yeah, for sure. Munar has a lot of points, so it's going to be tough to catch up to him. But you never know. The way I'm playing, if I can take that level to the ATP World Tour, you never know. You can get a lot of points there as well.
You look on social media and there's Frances Tiafoe and Tayor Fritz celebrating your titles out here. It has to be a great motivation to see where they're at and know that you're just a little step behind.
It's super cool. Those are my buddies. I love those guys. When they're doing well and they're doing their thing, it motivates me. It motivates all of us: Me, Reilly, Tommy too. We're a really close group and I'm excited for the future.
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Bedene Lifts Champions' Painting In Orleans, 15th Challenger Title
A LOOK BACK
Open d'Orleans (Orleans, France): Few players have been as dominant in ATP Challenger Tour finals as Aljaz Bedene. Throughout his career, the 29-year-old Slovenian has been a force with a trophy on the line and he came up clutch once again on Sunday.
Bedene improved to a staggering 15-2 in finals, claiming his first title of the year at the prestigious Open d'Orleans. He rallied from a set down and saved a match point for a thrilling 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(6) win over home hope Antoine Hoang. The 22-year-old Hoang, who was appearing in his first Challenger final, had a championship point at 6/5 in the deciding tie-break, but Bedene would not back down. He reeled off three straight points to seize the victory after two hours and 34 minutes.
The London resident, who reached his third ATP World Tour final earlier this year in Buenos Aires, is up to No. 64 in the ATP Rankings. Moreover, Bedene has now claimed his last four Challengers entered, including 2017 triumphs in Irving, Sophia Antipolis and Barletta. That's 20 matches won in a row on the circuit.
"This is my 15th title and it's always great to win," said Bedene. "And this is my first of the year, so it's even more exciting. I played a solid tournament and I'm very happy."
🎙️Orleans champion @AljazBedene looks back on his week @opendorleans, as the 🇸🇮 saves a match point to lift the trophy on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/T31DIElnQX
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) October 1, 2018
As is tradition at the €127,000 event in Orleans, the champion receives a painting by a French artist. Since 2005, a different artist each year creates two identical, but original pieces of artwork. One piece is given to the singles champion during the trophy ceremony, while the other goes to the tournament and is added to a collection.
This year, the painting was made by Paris native Thomas Dreyfuss. It depicts a boxer with a tennis racquet, indicating the similarities between the two sports. A former boxer himself, Dreyfuss was inspired to represent the tennis player as such.
Meanwhile, on the doubles court, Luke Bambridge and Jonny O'Mara added a third title of the year. Champions at the ATP World Tour event in Eastbourne and ATP Challenger Tour event in Surbiton, the British duo dropped just one set en route to the title in Orleans. Bambridge is enjoying a breakout 2018 campaign, notching five Challenger crowns in addition to his maiden tour-level trophy. He has prevailed on indoor hard, outdoor hard, grass and clay.
The dream run continues for @Bambo290 and @Jonny_OMara, clinching the doubles 🏆 @opendorleans.
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) October 1, 2018
Bambridge now has 5⃣ #ATPChallenger titles this year, winning on indoor hard, outdoor hard, grass and clay. pic.twitter.com/WZLGFZW64D
Wells Fargo Tiburon Challenger (Tiburon, California, USA): Welcome to the Top 100, Michael Mmoh! The #NextGenATP American blasted into the club in grand fashion, claiming back-to-back ATP Challenger Tour titles to surge to a career-high in the ATP Rankings. He rises to No. 96 after defeating Marcel Granollers 6-3, 7-5 in the Tiburon final, capturing the biggest crown of his young career.
Mmoh also moves up two spots in the ATP Race To Milan, rising to ninth place. Just two weeks ago, the 20-year-old was at No. 15 in his quest to qualify for the Next Gen ATP Finals. Now, following statement wins on the ATP Challenger Tour in Columbus and Tiburon, he is making his move.
Learn more about Mmoh's win in the latest Challenger Q&A...
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A LOOK AHEAD
The 2015 Tournament of the Year in Monterrey, Mexico, returns for a fourth edition. Granollers and Mmoh are the top two seeds and will fight for a final rematch, but David Ferrer, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Ernesto Escobedo and Ivo Karlovic have other ideas. Ferrer is competing in the last Challenger of his career, having announced he will retire from pro tennis next year. Escobedo (2016) and Thiemo de Bakker (2015) are former champions in the field.
The lone tournament of the year in Brazil is in Campinas, with Pablo Cuevas leading the charge. He opens with a tough test against 20-year-old American Ulises Blanch, who won his maiden title in Perugia, Italy, in July. US Open junior champ Thiago Seyboth Wild faces third seed Hugo Dellien.
The Northern California swing continues, as players move from Tiburon to Stockton. Jordan Thompson is joined by #NextGenATP seeds Reilly Opelka, Lloyd Harris, Casper Ruud and Marc Polmans.
Meanwhile, the inaugural Firenze Tennis Cup in Florence, Italy, features home hope Lorenzo Sonego as the top seed. And in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Denis Istomin leads the pack and is joined by Felix Auger-Aliassime and Miomir Kecmanovic.
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Bernard Tomic stuns top-seeded Fabio Fognini to claim Chengdu Open title
Watch what Fernando Verdasco did to ballboy at Shenzhen Open - viewers are furious
FERNANDO VERDASCO berated a ballboy during his semi-final loss to Yoshihito Nishioka at the Shenzhen Open - and viewers are furious.
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Match Point: Tomic's Moment Of Fortune In Chengdu
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Highlights: Tomic Saves 4 Match Points For Chengdu Title
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Hot Shot: Fognini And Tomic On The Stretch In Chengdu
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Video : Hot Shot: Fognini And Tomic On The Stretch In Chengdu
Watch Hot Shot as Fabio Fognini gets Bernard Tomic at full stretch during the Chengdu Open final on Sunday. Watch ATP World Tour tennis live and on-demand on Tennis TV, available on a wide range of devices. Photo: Chengdu Open
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Video : Match Point: Tomic's Moment Of Fortune In Chengdu
Watch Bernard Tomic's moment of fortune on one of Fabio Fognini's four match points in the Chengdu Open final on Sunday. Watch ATP World Tour tennis live and on-demand on Tennis TV, available on a wide range of devices
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Highlights: Nishioka Beats Herbert For Shenzhen 2018 Title
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Video : Highlights: Nishioka Beats Herbert For Shenzhen 2018 Title
Watch highlights of the 2018 Shenzhen Open final, featuring Yoshihito Nishioka versus Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Watch ATP World Tour tennis live and on-demand on Tennis TV, available on a wide range of devices. Photo: Shenzhen Open
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Del Potro: "It Could Be One Of My Best Seasons"
Juan Martin del Potro, who competes as the top seed at this week’s China Open in Beijing, has his sights set on finishing the year at his highest position in the ATP Rankings.
“It could be one of my best seasons of my career,” said World No. 3 Del Potro on Sunday. “I won my first [ATP World Tour] Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells [the BNP Paribas Open], then I got my highest ranking ever this season.
“I played another Grand Slam final for the first time in nine years and I’ve still got the chance to finish the year at my highest ranking. It's been an amazing year for me. I want to keep going, because I like to surprise myself. I'm excited for that.”
The Argentinean will be competing in both singles and doubles (w/Leonardo Mayer) during the ATP World Tour 500 tournament in Beijing, which marks his first event since reaching the US Open final (l. to Djokovic) on 9 September.
Del Potro is currently in third position in the ATP Race To London and is next in line to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals in November. Del Potro has not competed at The O2, venue of the 11-18 November season finale, since 2013. Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer have already qualified.
“I was exhausted after my big effort in New York,” explained Del Potro, who has a 43-11 match record in 2018. “But I went at home and spent time with my family and friends. I trained hard to be ready for this tournament. Also, I am fighting for the last five spots in London, so it could be an interesting battle between us.”
Del Potro will begin his Beijing campaign against Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas, with a potential second-round clash against Karen Khachanov of Russia or American Sam Querrey.
View Beijing Draws: Singles | Doubles
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Best Moments Of Chengdu 2018 Final
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Video : Highlights: Tomic Saves 4 Match Points For Chengdu Title
Watch highlights of the 2018 Chengdu Open final with Bernard Tomic saving four match points to beat Fabio Fognini on Sunday. Watch ATP World Tour tennis live and on-demand on Tennis TV, available on a wide range of devices
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Video : Best Moments Of Chengdu 2018 Final
Watch the best moments of the Chengdu Open final between Bernard Tomic and Fabio Fognini.
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Scouting Report: 20 Things To Watch In Beijing & Tokyo
Juan Martin del Potro, Alexander Zverev, Marin Cilic, Kevin Anderson and Kei Nishikori, who are all among the Top 10 in the ATP Race To London, for a spot at the Nitto ATP Finals in November, feature at ATP World Tour 500 tournaments this week - the Beijing Open in China or the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships 2018.
Last year's finalist Grigor Dimitrov, Chengdu Open runner-up Fabio Fognini will be among the contenders challenging Del Potro and Zverev for the Beijing crown. Diego Schwartzman, Stefanos Tsitsipas and three-time runner-up Milos Raonic compete at the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza, while the traditional venue, the Ariake Colosseum, is being renovated as part of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
10 THINGS TO WATCH IN BEIJING
1) 500 Club: The capital cities of Beijing and Tokyo are hosting ATP World Tour 500 events this week. At the China Open, Nitto ATP Finals contenders Juan Martin del Potro, Alexander Zverev and Fabio Fognini play for valuable points alongside Next Gen ATP Finals contender Andrey Rublev.
2) Delpo Delivers: Del Potro is playing for the first time since his historic run to the US Open final. En route, the Argentine earned his 10th win over the World No. 1 -- most among players never ranked No. 1 themselves. Del Potro also set a pair of all-time records by reaching his second major final 21 Grand Slam appearances and 35 Grand Slam tournaments after his first at the 2009 US Open.
3) All Eyes on London: Del Potro is third and Zverev is fifth in the ATP Race to London, which means that both would qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals if the season ended today. Zverev’s next title will be the 10th of his career. The German has until 20 April 2019 to join the likes of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray among the players to win 10 championships before turning 22.
4) Danger Zone: Reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion and 2016 Beijing finalist Grigor Dimitrov is 17th in the ATP Race to London as of 24 September. With 3,250 points still on the line in 2018, Dimitrov needs a late-season surge to qualify and defend his title at the year-end championships.
5) Career Year: Fognini returned to a career-high No. 13 in the ATP Rankings on 10 September. He is the third Italian on record to win three titles in a season and finished runner-up at Chengdu Open to Bernard Tomic on Sunday. The top Italian is the reigning Sao Paulo, Bastad and Los Cabos champion.
[ALSO LIKE]6) On the Edge: Rublev was the top seed and runner-up at the inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals in 2017. At the moment, he is seventh in the ATP Race to Milan with a 54-point lead on Jaume Munar of Spain. Rublev has lost six straight matches since reaching the Washington semi-finals.
7) Socks Don’t Match: Jack Sock is 6-16 with one quarter-final in singles and 32-10 with five titles in doubles this season. By year’s end, Sock will defend 1,545 of his 1,850 singles ranking points. As of 24 September, the American is 17th in the ATP Rankings and 160th in the ATP Race to London.
8) One Year Later: Wu Yibing will make his China Open debut as a wild card this week after sweeping the US Open boys’ singles and doubles titles in 2017. Still only 18 years old, Wu broke into the Top 300 of the ATP Rankings on 10 September. He is 0-4 in ATP World Tour matches.
9) The Champ is Here: Wild card Marcos Baghdatis is the only former champion in the China Open field. The Cypriot defeated Mario Ancic for the first of his four ATP World Tour championships at 2006 Beijing. Baghdatis has not played in Beijing or won a tour-level title since the 2010 season.
10) Doubles Race: Six of the Top 14 teams in the ATP Doubles Race to London are on the advance entry list for Beijing, highlighted by the top-ranked tandem of Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic. The Austrian and Croat have qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals, but are just 1-5 in their last six matches.
10 THINGS TO WATCH IN TOKYO
1) 500 Club: The capital cities of Tokyo and Beijing are hosting ATP World Tour 500 events this week. At the Rakuten Japan Open, two-time champion Kei Nishikori continues his push towards the Nitto ATP Finals alongside fellow ATP Race to London contenders Marin Cilic and Kevin Anderson. Four of the Top 5 #NextGenATP players in the ATP Race to Milan are also playing in Tokyo.
2) Title Drought: Nishikori has won six of his 11 ATP World Tour titles at the 500-level, highlighted by Tokyo in 2012 and 2014. However, the highest-ranked Asian player in ATP history has played 46 tour-level events since his most recent title at 2016 Memphis. Nishikori, the former World No. 4, is 0-7 in his last seven finals, with losses at three ATP Masters 1000s and two ATP World Tour 500s.
3) Belated Birthday: Cilic, a two-time Tokyo semi-finalist, turned 30 on 28 September. His birthday means that no Grand Slam men’s singles champions are currently under the age of 30. Nishikori, who lost to Cilic in the 2014 US Open final, is one of three twenty-something Grand Slam runners-up along with Milos Raonic (2016 Wimbledon) and Dominic Thiem (2018 Roland Garros).
4) On the Edge: Anderson is eighth in the ATP Race to London and would occupy the last spot at the Nitto ATP Finals if the season ended today. The Wimbledon finalist leads No. 9 John Isner by 520 points and No. 10 Nishikori by 885 points with a maximum of 3,250 points still on the line in 2018.
5) Tight Race: Fewer than 1,000 points separate Nos. 2-5 in the ATP Race to Milan. Tokyo players Stefanos Tsitsipas, Denis Shapovalov, Alex de Minaur and Frances Tiafoe are all on pace to qualify for the Next Gen ATP Finals. Of the four, only Shapovalov competed at the inaugural event.
6) Greece Lightning: Tsitsipas broke into the Top 15 in August following a fourth-round run at Wimbledon and four Top 10 wins en route to the Toronto final. He is the first Greek to be ranked that high, reach the Round of 16 at a Grand Slam and play for an ATP Masters 1000 championship.
7) Trailblazers: Shapovalov became the youngest semi-finalist in ATP Masters 1000 Madrid history, Tiafoe won the Delray Beach title to become the youngest American champion since 2002 and de Minaur achieved a new career-high ranking 16 times in eight months, rising from No. 208 to No. 38.
8) Curious Kyrgios: Nick Kyrgios won the biggest of his four ATP World Tour titles at 2016 Tokyo. The Aussie opted to play Beijing instead in 2017, losing in the final to Rafael Nadal. Kyrgios returns to Tokyo as the defending champion of sorts following the withdrawal of 2017 winner David Goffin.
9) Wawrinka Rising: Like Kyrgios, Stan Wawrinka is back in Tokyo for the first time since winning the title. The 2015 champion withdrew in 2016 due to a back injury and did not play in 2017 after two left knee surgeries. Wawrinka rose from No. 263 on 11 June to No. 75 on 24 September.
10) Local Flavor: For the fifth straight year, all three Tokyo wild cards are Japanese. In 2018, they are Istanbul champion Taro Daniel, Shenzhen Open titlist Yoshihito Nishioka and Yuichi Sugita.
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Nishioka Lifts Maiden Trophy In Shenzhen
Yoshihito Nishioka became the sixth qualifier to win a tour-level title this season at the Shenzhen Open, beating Pierre-Hugues Herbert 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 on Sunday.
The 23-year-old, appearing in his first ATP World Tour final, won 61 per cent of second-serve return points and withstood 12 aces from Herbert to lift his first tour-level trophy after two hours and 20 minutes. Nishioka, who tore his left ACL just 18 months ago at the 2017 Miami Open presented by Itaú, dropped seven straight games after leading 7-5, 2-0, but recovered well to record the biggest win of his career.
After Herbert's strong fightback in the second set, both men were forced to work hard in their opening service games of the decider to remain level in the score. But Nishioka soon found a breakthrough in the fifth game. The qualifier opened up a 0/40 lead with strong play from the baseline, before earning the break with another aggressive backhand, forcing an error from Herbert at the net.
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Three championship-point opportunities passed Nishioka by on Herbert's serve at 5-3, but the Japanese qualifier did not falter on his own serve. Nishioka fell to the ground, after converting his fifth championship point, following Herbert's netted forehand return.
Herbert was also bidding to lift his first tour-level singles title after a runner-up finish in his only previous championship match at the 2015 Winston-Salem Open. The 27-year-old has won 23 of 41 matches at tour-level this year.
Nishioka receives 250 ATP Ranking points and collects $130,885 in prize money for lifting the trophy. Herbert earns 150 ATP Ranking points and $68,930.
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Tomic Saves 4 M.P. In Chengdu, Returns To Winners' Circle
Qualifier Bernard Tomic saved four match points to capture his first ATP World Tour trophy for more than three years on Sunday at the Shenzhen Open. The Australian, who played with great focus, also denied Fabio Fognini a piece of Italian tennis history with a 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(7) victory over two hours and 15 minutes.
The 25-year-old Tomic, who recovered from 3/6 and 6/7 in the deciding set tie-break, dropped to the ground in celebration upon securing his first crown since July 2015 in Bogota (d. Mannarino). Now with a 4-2 record in ATP World Tour finals, he earned $190,885 and 250 ATP Rankings points. Fognini had been attempting to become the first Italian to win three titles in a season since 1977.
In a competitive start, Tomic, who was competing in his first final since February 2016 (Acapulco), recovered from 15/40 in his first service game. Fognini then let slip a 30/0 lead in his first service game, which ended with a double fault and soon failed to convert four break point chances in Tomic’s next service game. Three consecutive errors from Fognini handed Tomic a 5-1 advantage, prior to Tomic completing the 29-minute opener with his fifth ace of the match.
Tomic continued to dictate early in the second set, playing at his own pace, but persistence paid off for Fognini, who took a 3-1 lead when his opponent struck a sliced backhand wide down the line. While Fognini’s advantage was short lived, much to the Italian’s frustration, he did capitalise on a backhand error from Tomic to break for 5-3 and later saved two break points when serving for the set.
A loose game from Tomic handed Fognini the first game of the decider, but the Australian bounced back and took a 3-1 lead. Fognini recovered to 3-3, with four breaks of serve in the first five games, and later showcased tremendous feel to take control of the tie-break by opening up a 5/2 lead. Fognini saw four match points go begging at 6/3 and 7/6, before Tomic capitalised on a forehand error from Fognini for his first match point at 8/7. Tomic finished the match with a forehand winner.
Tomic had recovered from 0/3 in the deciding set tie-break against Egor Gerasimov in the qualifying round last weekend and also saved one match point to beat Lloyd Harris in the second round on Wednesday.
With a 40-19 record in 2018, 31-year-old Fognini has won trophies at the Brasil Open in Sao Paulo (d. Jarry), the SkiStar Swedish Open in Bastad (d. Gasquet) and a first on hard courts at the Abierto de Tenis Mifel presentado por Cinemex in Los Cabos (d. Del Potro).
He leaves the city of Chengdu with $100,535 and 150 points. The Italian is currently in 11th position in the ATP Race To London – but is 1,405 points behind eighth-placed Kevin Anderson – for one of eight spots at the Nitto ATP Finals, to be held at TheO2 in London from 11-18 November.
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Daniel Happy With Progress Ahead Of Tokyo Opener
The 2018 ATP World Tour season has been the best of Japanese No. 2 Taro Daniel’s career. Daniel captured his maiden tour-level crown at the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open in May, and reached just his second semi-final at this level at the Winston-Salem Open in August.
The reason for his string of success is not a secret.
“I think I’ve finally started incorporating some new things that I haven’t done for 10 years,” Daniel said. “I’ve been working on the same thing for 10 years and now I’ve kind of opened my mind toward how I play, and physically, too. So that’s definitely been a positive stimulus for me and I think that’s been showing in my results.”
Daniel says he has been trying to increase his aggression on the court, hone his transition game and focus on utilising his backhand as more of a weapon in baseline rallies.
Before the season began, Daniel owned 18 tour-level match wins, and had never topped more than 10 victories in one year. But with his new approach, the New York-born player has 16 triumphs so far in 2018, which have helped him climb as high as No. 64 in the ATP Rankings.
“I’ve been able to make some quarter-finals and winning a match at an ATP [World Tour] event is not as much of a surprise anymore as it was last year, so hopefully I can solidify these kind of results, keep it coming,” Daniel said. “But goals are not a huge thing. If I keep improving, I’m sure it’ll come naturally. So I’m not too worried about it.
“I’m definitely happy with how I’m progressing. But results are not the most important things.”
Instead, Daniel is focusing on the process of improving his level. And he has a chance to continue doing just that this week at the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships 2018, where he will play in front of his home fans at the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza. In the first round, Daniel faces #NextGenATP Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, the tournament’s fifth seed.
“It’s exciting to play a Next Gen player,” Daniel said. “I’m definitely the challenger, I’ve got nothing to lose here this week, so hopefully it’ll go well.”
He is sure to have plenty of support as he tries to win his first main draw match in Tokyo. While Daniel is 0-3 at the ATP World Tour 500-level event, he is excited to play with the support of the home crowd.
“It’s great, obviously. It’s one of the biggest tennis markets in the world. People are really into it,” Daniel said. “Many players around the world, maybe if they’re even No. 50 in the world, they might not be that recognised in their country. But I feel like I’m pretty well-recognised here, and that’s really a great thing. We’re exposed and I’m really grateful for the support I get here. I always feel it when I’m back.”
It’s been Daniel’s most successful year to date, and he has a chance to make it even better here in Tokyo. More than anything else, he’s going to do his best to continue enjoying the ride.
“It’s a long year, a long process, so it’s important to enjoy or at least be really into what you’re doing,” Daniel said. “Winning and losing is a very euphoric or very disastrous moment for a very short while, so you want to try and make the other moments, the enjoyable ones, last."
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Cilic: "I Always Feel Good" In Tokyo
When Marin Cilic was 17 years old, he traveled to Japan for the first time to compete at a junior tournament in Osaka. The Croatian remembers beating Frenchman Jeremy Chardy in the final in front of 4,000 people, a massive crowd for a player that age.
“That was something for a junior tournament,” Cilic said, cracking a smile, on Sunday. “I still have nice memories from there and even when I was playing here for the first time in Tokyo in the qualifying in 2006, it was a great experience. I’ve always enjoyed coming back, and I always have a nice connection with Japanese culture.”
Cilic will look to channel that connection into his first title at the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships 2018, where he is the top seed. The World No. 6 has already immersed himself in the city, going to a steakhouse in Roppongi — a district in Tokyo — to celebrate his 30th birthday, which was on Friday.
“The culture here is something that I am always looking forward to come back to. The Japanese crowd is always so respectful. They love me here. They always give me good support, even going back a lot of years in the past,” Cilic said. “I enjoy being here. Tokyo is one of the nicest cities in the world, a lot of things to see as well, a lot of things to experience. Japanese culture is so historical and I always feel good here, from day one to the last day.”
Perhaps that is what has allowed Cilic to perform at a top level in Tokyo over the years. He has made the semi-finals the last two seasons, and he also advanced to the quarter-finals in 2015.
“The last couple of years were quite successful,” Cilic said. “I haven’t made it to the last step of the tournament. But last year, playing the semis was still a very good result and hopefully this year I can go one or two steps further. That would be a great result. [I’m] still hoping that I can play well. Again this year it’s a great field of players. It’s going to be a very interesting tournament and we’ll see how it’s going to unfold.”
Cilic arrives in Japan in good form, reaching the last eight at six of his past seven events. Currently in sixth position in the ATP Race To London, the Croatian is also in a good spot to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the fourth time, and for the third year in a row.
“It’s going to be an interesting end of the year,” Cilic said. “My goal, as in the beginning of the year, is to try to finish in the Top 5 [of the ATP Rankings] at the end of the season and still again hoping that I can make the [Nitto ATP] Finals for the fourth time. Even though it’s going to be a busy schedule, I’m trying to focus on taking it step by step, week by week, trying not to look too much in front.”
That starts with focusing on his first match in Tokyo, where he opens against German Jan-Lennard Struff.
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McLachlan/Salisbury Capture Shenzhen Title On Team Debut
Ben McLachlan and Joe Salisbury capped a debut week in style at the Shenzhen Open, defeating Robert Lindstedt and Rajeev Ram 7-6(5), 7-6(4) to lift their first team trophy on Sunday.
The top seeds did not drop a set en route to the title, winning 78 per cent of service points to beat the fourth-seeded duo in one hour and 43 minutes. McLachlan has won both his tour-level titles in Asia, after earning his maiden trophy in Tokyo last year. It is Wimbledon semi-finalist Salisbury's first tour-level doubles crown.
Lindstedt and Ram were both bidding to capture the Shenzhen trophy for the second time. Lindstedt, who previously triumphed with Fabio Fognini in 2016, was aiming to add to his lone doubles title this season - and 22 career titles - at the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open (w/Inglot). Defending champion Ram, who clinched the title with Alexander Peya in 2017, was also seeking his second trophy of the season - and 16th career trophy - after success at the BMW Open by FWU (w/Dodig).
McLachlan and Salisburg gain 250 ATP Doubles Ranking points and will split $39,760 in prize money. Lindstedt and Ram receive 150 points and share $20,900.
Did You Know?
This is the second straight week a debut pairing has lifted a trophy on the ATP World Tour with victory in two tie-break sets. Last week, Matteo Berrettini and Fabio Fognini also achieved the feat at the St. Petersburg Open.
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Dodig/Pavic Clinch Chengdu Doubles Crown
Ivan Dodig and Mate Pavic captured their second ATP World Tour team title on Sunday at the Chengdu Open. The top-seeded Croatian team swept past American Austin Krajicek and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan of India 6-2, 6-4 in the 51-minute final. The duo lost just 10 of their service points and saved all six break points they faced.
Dodig and Pavic, who picked up the German Tennis Championships presented by Kampmann in July 2017, improved to a 17-6 team match record overall. They split $57,990 in prize money and earned 250 ATP Doubles Rankings points.
World No. 24 Dodig has now lifted 11 tour-level doubles trophies, including the BMW Open by FWU in May (w/Rajeev Ram), while World No. 4 Pavic, who first to No. 1 in the ATP Doubles Rankings on 21 May, has clinched 13 titles. He has won four in 2018 with regular partner Oliver Marach.
Krajicek and Nedunchezhiyan, who first teamed up in July, earned $30,490 and 150 points.
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Nishikori: "I Think I'm Right There"
Back at No. 12 in the ATP Rankings, it’s easy to forget that Kei Nishikori began his season on the comeback trail. The Japanese star’s 2017 campaign came to an end in August, after losing in his first match at Montreal due to a wrist injury.
But Nishikori has found his form again, advancing to the final on Monte-Carlo’s clay before reaching his first Wimbledon quarter-final and battling to the semi-finals of the US Open. The 28-year-old believes that his level is not far off from the tennis that carried him to a career-best World No. 4 in 2015.
“I think I’m right there,” Nishikori said on Sunday, ahead of the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships 2018. “Getting to the semi-final of the US Open, I have to be 100 per cent. So I think I’m back at a great level again. I just have to keep 100 per cent every tournament, every match, and just keep being positive, keep my confidence there, and just enjoy playing the matches.”
Nishikori had almost no confidence at all. He began his season playing two ATP Challenger Tour events to get matches in, and fell as low as World No. 39, his lowest placement in the ATP Rankings since October 2011.
“When I was playing the first couple tournaments, Challengers and [ATP World Tour] 250s, I was struggling, of course. I couldn’t feel the rhythm and didn’t have any confidence. I knew it was going to take some time,” Nishikori said. “It took a little while to get my confidence back, playing 100 per cent again. But finally I had some good results… I’m really happy with what I’m doing this year even though I had a tough first couple of months after coming back from injury. Now I’m playing pretty good tennis, a pretty good level again. So I’m really happy I’m back in shape again.”
The No. 3 seed is well-positioned to continue on his positive trajectory this week at the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships 2018. Nishikori has captured the title in Tokyo twice, and will certainly have the full support of the fans in Japan who will flock to the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza in droves to catch a glimpse of their top-ranked player.
“Many good players come for this tournament and I’m sure a lot of guys are cheering for me, supporting me this week,” said Nishikori, who faces compatriot Yuichi Sugita in the first round. “I always enjoy playing in Japan. It’s something special. It’s only once or twice, a couple times a year I get to play in Japan, so I always enjoy it. Unfortunately I have to play a Japanese guy in the first round, but I hope I can enjoy this whole week.”
And by enjoying it and continuing to gain more confidence, Nishikori will be one of the favourites to triumph here, as he pursues his first tour-level title since Memphis in 2016.
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Saturday 29 September 2018
Rafael Nadal coach makes Roger Federer claim over selected schedules
RAFAEL NADAL’s coach Carlos Moya has spoken out on Roger Federer’s schedule for recent seasons.
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Video : Hot Shot: Herbert Claims Titanic Point In Shenzhen
Watch as Pierre-Hugues Herbert claims a jaw-dropping point at 8-all in the deciding tie-break against Alex de Minaur, to reach the Shenzhen final. Watch ATP World Tour tennis live and on-demand on Tennis TV, available on a wide range of devices.
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Video : Match Point: Herbert Wins Thriller In Shenzhen SF
Watch as Pierre-Hugues Herbert seals a stunning semi-final win in Shenzhen, saving two match points to upset Alex de Minaur. Watch ATP World Tour tennis live and on-demand on Tennis TV, available on a wide range of devices.
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Video : Hot Shot: Fognini Fires Forehand Pass In Chengdu SF
Watch as Fabio Fognini launches a forehand past a net-charging Taylor Fritz, en route to the final in Chengdu. Watch ATP World Tour tennis live and on-demand on Tennis TV, available on a wide range of devices.
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Hot Shot: Fognini Fires Forehand Pass In Chengdu SF
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Hot Shot: Herbert Claims Titanic Point In Shenzhen
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Match Point: Herbert Wins Thriller In Shenzhen SF
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Rafael Nadal will retire when this happens - coach
RAFAEL NADAL’s coach Carlos Moya has spoken about what will cause the Spaniard to retire.
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Nishioka Channeling Inner Rios In Comeback
It has been a long road for Yoshihito Nishioka. Exactly one year ago, the 23-year-old was at home, steadily making progress with his rehab after suffering a torn ACL.
Nishioka details the process as quite grueling, forcing him to draw upon all his physical and emotional fortitude. But as arduous as it has been, each victory tastes that much sweeter.
On Sunday, Nishioka will hope to cap the greatest week of his young career with a maiden ATP World Tour title. The margins couldn't have been closer as he edged Fernando Verdasco in a deciding tie-break, reaching his first tour-level final at the Shenzhen Open.
"It has been 10 months since I returned, but I think that is actually quick to get to this point," said Nishioka following his semi-final win. "I'm really happy for this. I never reached a final before I got injured, so I think my level is better than ever. It's no surprise to me, but I do feel lucky to get here."
Nishioka is bidding to not only become the 11th first-time winner on the ATP World Tour this year, but do so as a qualifier. Six wins in seven days, including impressive victories over an in-form Denis Kudla, Denis Shapovalov and Cameron Norrie, have put the Japanese on the precipice of his maiden title.
Just four months ago, Nishioka was sitting at No. 362 in the ATP Rankings when he triumphed at the ATP Challenger Tour stop in Gimcheon, Korea. Now, he is looking to add an even bigger piece of silverware to his collection in Shenzhen. And perhaps the greatest prize of all: victory would see him return to the Top 100 for the first time in 14 months.
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How is Nishioka putting it all together and thriving once again? He draws inspiration from his idols. Like former World No. 1 Marcelo Rios, the 5'7" Nishioka is also under 6-feet tall and he admits that he models his game after the Chilean legend. In an era of big-hitting giants, there is something to be said for the diminutive fighter who utilizes his agility as a major weapon.
"When I was younger, I watched Marcelo Rios. When I went to the United States, I was training all the time at Nick Bolletieri's academy and he told me I have to watch more of Rios. He is around the same height as me and he got to World No. 1, so I think I can make it. I can run more than him too.
"And for sure Kei is the biggest reason why we [the Japanese players] are doing so well. He made it to No. 4 and he showed us that we can be like that. Also, he's not the tallest player. Many Japanese players play the Challengers to get a higher ATP Ranking, but we also have to play more ATP tournaments and Kei has showed us it is possible."
Unstoppable! 🇯🇵💪
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) September 29, 2018
Japanese qualifier @yoshihitotennis beats Verdasco 1-6 6-3 7-6(5) to move into his first ever ATP final.#shenzhenopen pic.twitter.com/YR9gtxwzBY
On Sunday, Nishioka will square off against Pierre-Hugues Herbert for the Shenzhen title. A first-time winner will be guaranteed when the Japanese and the Frenchman take to Center Court. Regardless of what transpires, Nishioka relishing the moment.
"I know he has a good serve and likes to come to the net many times. He's playing very aggressive. I think it's very important for me to return well tomorrow. If I'm doing that, maybe he will have pressure on his service games and get nervous and make mistakes. I just have to get pressure on him.
"I'm very excited for this moment. I was not thinking I could reach the final when I was in qualifying. But this is very exciting for me, to be in my first final. I know there will be pressure tomorrow, but I will try to do my best."
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Zverev, Del Potro On Collision Course In Beijing
In 2017, Juan Martin del Potro and Alexander Zverev produced a classic at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, with the Argentine storming back from a set down to claim their first meeting. One year later, the Top 5 stars will hope history repeats itself on Chinese soil.
Del Potro and Zverev lead the pack at next week's China Open in Beijing, with plenty at stake for both players in the ATP Race To London. At third and fifth, respectively, the Argentine (4,910 points) and the German (4,365 points) are bidding to make significant statements as they continue their quests to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals. A final encounter in Beijing could go a long way to determining their fate.
Del Potro will be competing in his first tournament as a 30-year-old when he takes to the National Tennis Centre in the Chinese capital. Fresh off a final run at the US Open, he is making his second appearance at the ATP World Tour 500 event. He opens against Spanish veteran Albert Ramos-Vinolas and could face either Karen Khachanov or Sam Querrey in the second round.
Other seeds in the Tandil native's half of the draw are fourth seed Fabio Fognini, seventh seed Borna Coric and eighth seed Marco Cecchinato. Fognini is playing the best tennis of his career and will be seeking his fourth title of the season on Sunday at the Chengdu Open. His countryman Cecchinato opens against the lone former champion in the draw - Marcos Baghdatis.
While the ATP Race To London is heating up, the ATP Race To Milan is also nearing a thrilling conclusion. Currently in seventh place, Andrey Rublev is the only contender in the Beijing draw and could face Fognini in the second round. But first, the Next Gen ATP Finals contender will have to navigate a tough opener against Portuguese No. 1 Joao Sousa.
Meanwhile, Zverev faces an equally tricky path in the bottom half. Roberto Bautista Agut awaits in the first round in what will be their fifth FedEx ATP Head2Head encounter (tied 2-2). Chinese teen Wu Yibing is a potential second-round opponent, with third seed Grigor Dimitrov and fifth seed Kyle Edmund also looming large.
One year removed from appearing in his first ATP World Tour event at the Chengdu Open, Yibing is making his tournament debut in Beijing. He remains in search of his first tour-level match win, but will be bolstered by a strong performance against fellow teen Felix Auger-Aliassime this week in Chengdu.
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In other action, Dimitrov is hoping for a late-season surge to keep his hopes of defending his Nitto ATP Finals crown alive. The 2016 finalist in Beijing opens against Ryan Harrison.
Main draw play at the China Open kicks off on Monday.
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Shapovalov-Chung Blockbuster Headlines Tokyo Draw
If you’re looking for excitement at the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships 2018, you won’t have to wait long. There are plenty of tantalising first-round matchups in Tokyo, led by a clash between 2017 Next Gen ATP Finals winner Hyeon Chung and #NextGenATP Canadian Denis Shapovalov.
Two of the brightest talents in the sport will clash for the second time in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, after Chung triumphed in the round-robin stage at Milan last November.
The South Korean will try to continue what has been a successful season, backing up his success at Fiera Milano by reaching the quarter-finals at nine of his 13 tour-level events in 2018. The 22-year-old cracked the Top 20 in April, and is currently the World No. 19. Shapovalov has also stood out, claiming 30 match wins so far this season, including a run to the Mutua Madrid Open semi-finals.
It won’t get any easier for the winner, as Chung or Shapovalov will face either former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka and #NextGenATP American Taylor Fritz, who advanced to the semi-finals at the Chengdu Open. Wawrinka has shown signs of his top form during his comeback from two knee surgeries, beating reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion Grigor Dimitrov twice and making the last four at last week’s St. Petersburg Open.
The top seed, Marin Cilic, will begin his event against German Jan-Lennard Struff. In their only previous FedEx ATP Head2Head clash, at Sydney in 2014, the Croatian was victorious in three sets. He will look to continue his recent success in Tokyo, where the World No. 6 has reached the semi-finals the past two years.
The second seed is Kevin Anderson, who at No. 8 in the ATP Race To London is trying to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time. The South African, who won the New York Open, advanced to the Wimbledon final and has made the semi-finals at two ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events (Madrid, Toronto) this year, opens against Aussie Matthew Ebden. The first seed he can face is No. 8 seed Richard Gasquet.
The home fans will be out in force to cheer on two-time Tokyo champion Kei Nishikori, who is making a push to rejoin the Top 10 once again. The Japanese superstar has won seven of his past nine matches, including an impressive effort at the US Open, where he reached the semi-finals. Third-seeded Nishikori plays compatriot Yuichi Sugita in the first round and he can eventually clash against fifth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals.
Another interesting first-rounder pits recent Moselle Open champion Gilles Simon against #NextGenATP Aussie Alex de Minaur. Simon has enjoyed a resurgent campaign, climbing from No. 89 in the ATP Rankings at the start of the year to No. 29. De Minaur owned just two tour-level match wins prior to 2018, but he has quickly shown his readiness for this level by reaching two ATP World Tour finals (Sydney and Washington, D.C.).
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Herbert Saves 2 MP In Shenzhen Thriller
Don't call Pierre-Hugues Herbert a doubles specialist. This week, the Frenchman is finding his form on the singles court, surging into the Shenzhen Open final in dramatic fashion.
On Saturday, Herbert upset seventh seed Alex de Minaur 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(8), saving two match points in a gripping third-set tie-break. The 27-year-old moved into the championship after two hours and 34 minutes, improving to 3-1 in deciding tie-breaks this year.
It will be the second ATP World Tour final for Herbert, who previously finished runner-up to Kevin Anderson at the 2015 Winston-Salem Open. He will face either Fernando Verdasco or Yoshihito Nishioka in Sunday's title match.
Herbert outdueled one of the ATP World Tour's most determined warriors to reach the final. De Minaur refused to yield an inch from the baseline, but the Frenchman was up to the task. After conceding the opening set, the #NextGenATP Aussie seized the momentum in the second, keeping the rallies short and not allowing Herbert to navigate to the net.
And once again his dogged defence was on display in the decider, as De Minaur stormed back from an 0-3 deficit to force a tie-break. But Herbert would match his opponent from the baseline, saving match points at 6/5 and 7/6 as the drama boiled over on Center Court. A De Minaur running forehand clipped the tape, forcing a net-charging Herbert to put away an awkward volley. And he would deny the second match point with an overhead smash.
Herbert sealed the victory on a second match point of his own, firing his 42nd winner to book a spot in the final. A 13-time doubles champion at the tour-level, including three Grand Slam crowns and six ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles, Herbert is seeking his maiden moment in singles. Earlier in the week, he earned his first Top 20 win of the year in stunning World No. 15 Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets, before rallying from a set down to defeat Albert Ramos-Vinolas on Friday.
De Minaur, who entered the match with a 3-0 record in deciding tie-breaks in his young career, was bidding to appear in his third ATP World Tour final. The Aussie teen remains in fourth place in the ATP Race To Milan and will hope to continue his push towards a Next Gen ATP Finals berth at next week's stop in Tokyo.
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Fognini Moves Closer To Italian History In Chengdu
Fabio Fognini moved one win from Italian history at the Chengdu Open, beating #NextGenATP American Taylor Fritz 6-7(5), 6-0, 6-3 on Saturday.
The World No. 13, winner of three tour-level crowns this season, booked his place in his fourth final of the season after one hour and 49 minutes, winning 61 per cent of second-serve return points en route to victory. If Fognini adds the Chengdu trophy to his titles in Sao Paulo, Bastad and Los Cabos, the 31-year-old will become the first Italian on record to win four tour-level titles in one season.
"I am happy because it was a great match," said Fognini. "I returned really well and was moving better and better. I am happy to be in the final here in Chengdu."
With his 40th tour-level win of the season (40-18), Fognini, improves to 4-3 in semi-finals this year. Fognini owns an 8-9 record in championship matches at tour-level, but has won each of his three final appearances this season. The top-seeded Italian will face Joao Sousa or Bernard Tomic in Sunday's final. Fognini owns a 5-1 FedEx ATP Head2Head record against Sousa and has won two of three FedEx ATP Head2Head clashes against Tomic.
"It is my best year so far. I am really happy that the first time I visit Chengdu, I am in my first final," said Fognini.
Fritz was bidding to reach his second ATP World Tour final (also 2016 Memphis) as he bids to qualify for November's Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan. The 21-year-old owns 19 wins from 33 tour-level matches this season.
Did You Know?
Last week, Fognini ended a two-year doubles title drought in St. Petersburg. Fognini, on his team debut alongside countryman Matteo Berrettini, defeated defending champions Roman Jebavy and Matwe Middelkoop in the championship match.
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Murray Withdraws From Beijing To End 2018 Season
Former World No. 1 Andy Murray has withdrawn from next week's China Open due to an ankle injury. The 2016 champion, who reached the Shenzhen Open quarter-finals, will end his season after previously announcing his plans for the Beijing event to be his final tournament of the year.
The 31-year-old ends his 2018 campaign with a 7-5 record, following his long-awaited return to the ATP World Tour at the Fever-Tree Championships in June. Murray's appearance at The Queen's Club ended an 11-month absence, dating back to 2017 Wimbledon, due to hip injury.
After undergoing hip surgery in January, Murray fell in three sets to Nick Kyrgios on his return to action at The Queen's Club. An encouraging straight-sets win over former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka at the Nature Valley International followed, before three hard-fought wins earned Murray his first quarter-final appearance of the season at the Citi Open. Murray showcased all of his fighting qualities in the American capital, beating Mackenzie McDonald, countryman Kyle Edmund and Marius Copil.
In what would prove to be his final event of the season, Murray showed signs of his best form at the Shenzhen Open to defeat top seed and defending champion David Goffin in straight sets. In the quarter-finals, Fernando Verdasco overcame Murray once again (also US Open) to advance to the final four.
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Roger Federer WILL retire after this event because of his family life - Woodbridge
ROGER FEDERER will call time on his career after the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, says former top-20 ace Todd Woodbridge.
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Cabal/Farah Qualify For First Time To Nitto ATP Finals
Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah will make their Nitto ATP Finals debut this November at The O2. The Colombians clinched their place in the eight-player, eight-team field following the release of the draws for next week's ATP World Tour 500 tournaments in Beijing and Tokyo.
Cabal and Farah are the second team to qualify for the 2018 tournament, joining Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic, whom they faced in the Australian Open final earlier this season.
In addition to their first Grand Slam final, the Colombians also reached three other championship matches in 2018. They won their first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome and were runners-up at the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires and Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.
Cabal, 32, and Farah, 31, first joined forces at the Futures level in 2004 and made their tour-level main draw debut in 2011 at Wimbledon. They have won 11 titles from 25 finals, highlighted by a season-high four titles in 2016. They served as alternates at the Nitto ATP Finals that year.
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Friday 28 September 2018
Zverev, Melo Embrace Local Culture In Beijing 2018
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Video : Zverev, Melo Embrace Local Culture In Beijing 2018
Watch as Alexander Zverev and Marcelo Melo visit Ditan Park, for a tai chi lesson, before sampling some traditional Chinese cuisine ahead of the China Open. Video courtesy of China Open.
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Andy Murray withdraws from China Open as injury brings season to a close
ANDY MURRAY’s 2018 campaign is over after he withdrew from the China Open with an ankle injury.
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Hot Shot: De Minaur Nails Stunning Passing Shot Shenzhen 2018
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Qureshi, Gonzalez Enjoy Eco-Friendly Excursion In Chengdu 2018
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Hot Shot: De Minaur Produces 'Point Of The Day' In Shenzhen 2018
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Video : Qureshi, Gonzalez Enjoy Eco-Friendly Excursion In Chengdu 2018
Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi and Santiago Gonzalez visit Jincheng Greenway, comprised of ecologically purposed land that will attempt to recreate the Sichuan images depicted in a famous painting. Video courtesy Chengdu Open
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Video : Hot Shot: De Minaur Produces 'Point Of The Day' In Shenzhen 2018
NextGenATP Aussie Alex de Minaur chases down everything against Damir Dzumhur on Friday at the Shenzhen Open. Watch ATP World Tour tennis live and on-demand on Tennis TV, available on a wide range of devices. Photo: AFP/Getty Images.
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Video : Hot Shot: De Minaur Nails Stunning Passing Shot Shenzhen 2018
Watch this hot shot as NextGenATP Aussie Alex de MInaur chases down a drop shot and rips a stunning passing shot against Damir Dzumhur at the Shenzhen Open. Watch ATP World Tour tennis live and on-demand on Tennis TV, available on a wide range of devices. Photo: Shenzhen Open.
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McLachlan/Salisbury Reach Shenzhen Open Doubles Final
Top seeds Ben McLachlan of Japan and Brit Joe Salisbury, playing in their first tournament together, will play for the Shenzhen Open doubles title on Sunday.
McLachlan/Salisbury beat third seeds Roman Jebavy/Andres Molteni 6-4, 7-6(4) and will meet fourth seeds Robert Lindstedt/Rajeev Ram in the final.
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Lindstedt/Ram defeated Max Mirnyi/Philipp Oswald 7-6(4), 6-3. McLachlan has celebrated one ATP World Tour title (2017 Tokyo), while Salisbury will go for his first title.
In Chengdu, top seeds Ivan Dodig/Mate Pavic advanced to the final with a 5-7, 6-4, 10-8 win against Santiago Gonzalez/Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi.
Dodig/Pavic will meet Austin Krajicek/Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan, who beat Guido Pella/Joao Sousa 7-5, 6-1 in Friday's other semi-final.
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Verdasco Ends Murray's Run In Shenzhen
Fernando Verdasco ended Andy Murray’s bid for a second Shenzhen Open crown on Friday. The Spanish veteran reached his first ATP World Tour hard-court semi-final for almost 12 months with a 6-4, 6-4 victory in one hour and 40 minutes.
Verdasco was solid on serve – dropping just five of his first-service points (27/32) and hit 11 aces, including on match point – to beat Murray for just the third time in 16 FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings.
The 34-year-old withstood two break points at 4-4, prior to breaking Murray’s serve in the next game. He opened up a 3-1 lead in the second set, finishing with 36 winners – 14 off his forehand wing. Verdasco also beat Murray in the US Open second round.
Earlier in the day, Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka advanced to his second tour-level semi-final by beating Cameron Norrie of Great Britain 7-6(2), 6-2 in 90 minutes. Norrie lost just five of his first-service points, but won 11 of 28 points on his second serve.
Murray will now travel to Beijing for the China Open, which will mark his final ATP World Tour tournament of the season. He then intends to recuperate, following right hip surgery in January, and prepare to return to full health for 2019.
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De Minaur On A Roll, Into Shenzhen SFs
Alex de Minaur is on a roll and closing in a spot at the Next Gen ATP Finals in November. The fast-rising 19-year-old moved to within one victory of a place in his third ATP World Tour final on Friday.
The seventh-seeded Australian overcame fourth seed Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina 6-3, 7-6(7) in one hour and 43 minutes at the Shenzhen Open for a place in the semi-finals.
The Australian led 4-0 in the second set, but Dzumhur battled back from 1/5 in the tie-break and held one set point opportunity at 5/6.
"Everything was going according to plan, I was playing great tennis," De Minaur told ATPWorldTour.com. "Then, I relaxed a bit and my intensity wasn't as high as before, and he started to play better tennis. I got up 5/1 in the tie-break, almost home and dry, but he is such a good competitor he fought until the end."
Should World No. 40 De Minaur beat France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert, a 6-7(6), 7-6(1), 6-4 victor over Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain, he will rise to a new career-high in the ATP Rankings. He began the year at No. 208.
With a 21-17 match record in 2018, De Minaur has reached finals at the Sydney International (l. to Medvedev) and the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. (l. to A. Zverev). He is currently in fourth position in the ATP Race To Milan.
"I feel like I'm really solid out there, making a lot of balls and playing smart tennis," said De Minaur. "I'm not making any unforced errors and I'm doing what I need to do."
Doubles Final Set
Top seeds Ben McLachlan and Joe Salisbury will take on fourth seeds Robert Lindstedt and Rajeev Ram in the Shenzhen doubles final. McLachlan and Salisbury defeated third seed Roman Jebavy and Andres Molteni 6-4, 7-6(4) in 87 minutes, while Lindstedt and Ram beat Max Mirnyi and Philipp Oswald 7-6(4), 6-3 in 87 minutes.
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Fabio Fognini continued his pursuit of a fourth tour-level title of the season on Friday, beating Matthew Ebden 6-4, 6-2 at the Chengdu Open.
The top seed, who has already lifted trophies in Sao Paulo, Bastad and Los Cabos this year, converted four of six break points to advance after 66 minutes. Competing at a career-high No. 13 in the ATP Rankings, Fognini improves to 39-18 this season. The 31-year-old is just three victories away from matching his best calendar year win total, achieved in 2013 (42-27).
Fognini will face Next Gen ATP Finals contender Taylor Fritz for a place in the championship match. Fritz notched his fifth victory in six matches at the event, beating countryman Sam Querrey 7-6(1), 7-5. Fognini, an eight-time tour-level titlist, and 21-year-old Fritz have never met at tour-level.
Did You Know?
Fognini will be competing in his seventh tour-level semi-final of the season in Chengdu (3-3). The Italian has won his past two semi-finals, en route to titles in Bastad and Los Cabos.
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Thursday 27 September 2018
Roger Federer to headline Shanghai Masters, Novak Djokovic on entry list, Nadal injured
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Fans Play With Pros In Chengdu 2018
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Roger Federer reveals SIX things needed to topple him, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic
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Eyes Wide Open: How Surface Impacts Serving Patterns
The subtleties of hard-court versus clay-court strategies are tough to pick up on with the naked eye. But not with a spreadsheet.
The way the ball interacts with the court is different for clay and hard, as well as how a player’s feet slide or stick to the surface. But what about serve patterns? Do players serve wide more on one side of the court than the other?
An Infosys Insights deep dive into the current Top 10 hitting first serves out wide in both the Deuce court and Ad court on clay and hard uncovers a clear strategic bias born from how the ball rebounds from each surface.
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The data set comes from 2011-2018 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events and the Nitto ATP Finals. The statistical comparison is a percentage of serving either wide, body or T.
DEUCE COURT WIDE - HARD COURT WINS
The Top 10, on average, served wide more in the Deuce court when playing on hard over clay. Marin Cilic was the leader on hard, serving 51.8 per cent of his Deuce court first serves out wide.
What’s interesting is that Cilic was also the leader serving wide on clay. In second place on both hard and clay was Novak Djokovic.
As you may expect, the only lefty in the data set, World No. 1 Rafael Nadal, was last in the Top 10 in choosing to serve wide on clay and hard on the Deuce court as it goes against his natural slice serve down the middle T.
Current Top 10: First-Serve Percentage Deuce Court Wide on Clay & Hard (Bold = Leader)
|
Ranking |
Player |
Hard Court |
Clay Court |
Majority |
Hard v Clay Gap |
|
1 |
R. Nadal |
28.2% |
26.6% |
Hard |
1.6% |
|
2 |
R. Federer |
49.1% |
45.7% |
Hard |
3.4% |
|
3 |
N. Djokovic |
49.9% |
48.5% |
Hard |
1.4% |
|
4 |
J. M. del Potro |
38.8% |
33.3% |
Hard |
5.5% |
|
5 |
A. Zverev |
45.8% |
46.8% |
Clay |
-1.0% |
|
6 |
M. Cilic |
51.8% |
56.1% |
Clay |
-4.3% |
|
7 |
D. Thiem |
46.8% |
46.4% |
Hard |
0.4% |
|
8 |
G. Dimitrov |
49.4% |
44.8% |
Hard |
4.6% |
|
9 |
K. Anderson |
47.9% |
48.4% |
Clay |
-0.5% |
|
10 |
J. Isner |
49.1% |
48.5% |
Hard |
0.6% |
|
|
Average |
45.7% |
44.5% |
Hard 7 / Clay 3 |
1.2% points |
Overall, seven of the Top 10 served wide on the Deuce court more on hard than clay. The Top 10 average was 45.7 per cent for hard and 44.5 per cent on clay – a difference of 1.2 percentage points.
AD COURT WIDE - CLAY COURT WINS
Roger Federer led the Top 10 in serving wide more on clay than down the T, directing 56.7 per cent of his first serves off the court to begin the point. Federer was followed by Dominic Thiem (55.4%) and Nadal (52.2%). Thiem was the hard court leader serving wide, doing it 53.6 per cent of the time.
Juan Martin del Potro had the biggest overall adjustment in serve location from hard to clay, with more sliders out wide in the Deuce court on hard, and more heavy first serves (power + kick) out wide in the Ad court on clay.
Del Potro Serve: Wide Serves
Deuce Court = 38.8% hard / 33.3% clay (5.5 percentage point difference)
Ad Court = 39.2% hard / 47.4% clay (8.2 percentage point difference)
Current Top 10: First-Serve Percentage Ad Court Wide on Clay & Hard. (Bold = Leader)
|
# |
Player |
Hard Court |
Clay Court |
Majority |
Hard v Clay Gap |
|
1 |
R. Nadal |
45.0% |
52.2% |
Clay |
-7.2% |
|
2 |
R. Federer |
49.8% |
56.7% |
Clay |
-6.9% |
|
3 |
N. Djokovic |
46.9% |
50.3% |
Clay |
-3.4% |
|
4 |
J. M. del Potro |
39.2% |
47.4% |
Clay |
-8.2% |
|
5 |
A. Zverev |
35.5% |
40.6% |
Clay |
-5.1% |
|
6 |
M. Cilic |
42.1% |
39.9% |
Hard |
2.2% |
|
7 |
D. Thiem |
53.6% |
55.4% |
Clay |
-1.8% |
|
8 |
G. Dimitrov |
44.7% |
47.7% |
Clay |
-3.0% |
|
9 |
K. Anderson |
41.0% |
38.7% |
Hard |
2.3% |
|
10 |
J. Isner |
46.6% |
47.7% |
Clay |
-1.1% |
|
-% |
Average |
44.4% |
47.7% |
8 Clay / 2 Hard |
3.3% points |
The average difference for the Top 10 was only 1.2 percentage points in the Deuce court between hard and clay, but that jumped up to a 3.3 percentage-point difference in the Ad court. Eight of the Top 10 served more out wide in the Ad court on clay than on hard.
The Deuce court wide serves by the right-handed players (nine of 10 in the data set) would be hit with both power and slice to drag the opponent off the court. The Ad court wide serves are different, as they are struck with more of a mix of power and kick, using the small granules of clay like sandpaper to gain maximum friction, and therefore jump, on the ball.
These small adjustments may escape our focus when we sit on the side of the court and watch a match, but make perfect strategic sense once we assign a percentage to them.
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