Novak Djokovic plays down ‘perfect’ season claims after extending unbeaten run to 21

Novak Djokovic has not experienced defeat since November at the ATP Finals.

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Nadal Completes Acapulco Hat Trick

Rafael Nadal’s first two titles at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC (2005, 2013) were clinched on red clay. On Saturday, the top-seeded Spaniard completed his Acapulco hat trick on a hard court with a convincing 6-3, 6-2 victory against American Taylor Fritz.

”I couldn’t be happier. I played a great event from the beginning to the end,” Nadal said. “Acapulco was the first big title that I won in my career, so to be able to stay here after 15 years is amazing. I can’t thank enough the people who make me feel at home every single time."

[ATP APP]

Nadal secured his 85th ATP Tour singles title and his first of the season. He stormed through the draw without dropping a set and lost an average of five games per match. Nadal moved to 20-2 in Acapulco, joining David Ferrer and Thomas Muster as the only players to win at least three titles at this event.

The 33-year-old proved to be particularly dangerous this week in return games. He led the tournament in return games won (54%, 22 of 41) and converted 22 of 35 break points (63%).

”After not competing since Australia, it’s an important week for me and an important moment,” Nadal said. “I played solid, with the right intensity and the right passion, and my forehand worked well.”  

Despite the loss, Fritz can be pleased with reaching his fifth ATP Tour final (1-4) and his first at an ATP 500 event. He and 2017 champion Sam Querrey are the only Americans to reach the singles final in tournament history. The 22-year-old will move to a new career-high FedEx ATP Ranking of No. 24 on Monday.

”He’s one of the best players to ever play the game and he showed me why that is tonight,” Fritz said. “This is one of my favourite tournaments to come to every year. I’m just glad that I could have a good week at one of my favourite events. I felt a lot of love all week.”

[WATCH LIVE 1]

Both players exchanged service holds throughout most of the first set. But while Nadal exhibited nearly flawless serving and only dropped three points on serve during the set (20/23), Fritz found himself battling in nearly all of his service games.

With Fritz serving at 3-4, the American finally caved to Nadal’s relentless pressure. As the Spaniard scampered around the baseline and tracked down balls that would be winners against most players, Fritz began to overcook his shots. He hit a pair of forehand errors to hand Nadal a break and the top seed clinched the early advantage in the next game with a forehand winner.

Nadal continued to pour it on the second set, breaking Fritz at 2-2 as the American’s frustrations began to boil over. The 22-year-old earned his lone opportunity on Nadal’s serve with a break point in the next game, but it was promptly removed by the Spaniard with a forehand winner.

Another aggressive forehand from Nadal at 4-2 gave him an insurance break and a big serve on his first championship point ended play after 75 minutes. The top seed finished the night with 14 winners to just eight unforced errors.

Nadal earned 500 FedEx ATP Rankings points and $372,785. Fritz picked up 300 points and $187,110.

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Melo/Kubot Save 2 M.P. In Epic Acapulco Doubles Final

After finishing 2019 with a disappointing 1-5 record in championship matches, Lukasz Kubot/Marcelo Melo emphatically reversed the trend on Saturday at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC. The second seeds saved two championship points to defeat top seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal/Robert Farah 7-6(6), 6-7(4), 11-9 and take the title in Acapulco.

Kubot/Melo picked up their 13th ATP Tour team doubles title and the first of this season. Both men had previously prevailed in Acapulco with different partners. Kubot won this event in 2010 (w/Marach) and 2013 (w/Marrero), while Melo took the title in 2015 (w/Dodig). Kubot/Melo improved to 3-4 in their ATP Head2Head series with Cabal/Farah.

[WATCH LIVE 1]

Cabal/Farah were seeking their 17th ATP Tour team doubles title and the first since prevailing last September at the US Open (d. Granollers/Zeballos). The top seeds surpassed their best result in Acapulco after recording semi-final finishes in 2015 and 2016.

The early stages of the opening set were highlighted by four service breaks in the first five games. Kubot/Melo were down for much of the set, but fought back from 1-3 and saved a set point on their serve at 4-5 to force a tie-break. The second seeds let slip a set point at 6/5, but converted their second chance for a commanding advantage.

Both teams traded comfortable service holds throughout the second set. But this time, it was Cabal/Farah who raised their level in the tie-break. With the score tied at 4/4, the top seeds went on a three-point run to set up a Match Tie-break.

Cabal/Farah moved to 9/7 in the Match Tie-break and held two championship points, but the second seeds shocked the crowd by going on a four-point run to prevail after two hours and 32 minutes.

Kubot/Melo picked up 500 FedEx ATP Doubles Rankings points and split $119,750. Cabal/Farah earned 300 points and split $58,620.

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How Harnessing The Fire Within Is Paying Dividends For #NextGenATP Seyboth Wild

Twelve days ago, Thiago Seyboth Wild stared down three match points on his serve during the second set of his first-round match at the Rio Open presented by Claro against 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals competitor Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. On the first of those points, he ripped an inside-in forehand that clipped the tape and bounced up in the air before trickling over. If that ball fell in the other direction, Seyboth Wild would have departed the ATP 500 after a straight-sets defeat and with just one tour-level win to his name.

But the #NextGenATP Brazilian went on to win in three hours and 50 minutes, topping the length of any best-of-three set match in 2019. When Davidovich Fokina made a final error to end the clash, Seyboth Wild fell to his back in celebration. Seyboth Wild lost a final-set tie-break in the next round against former World No. 12 Borna Coric, but he’d certainly shown that despite being 19, he has plenty of game and guts to compete on the ATP Tour.

“I think that every match you win at an ATP Tour event, it gives you so much confidence, it gives you so much strength to believe in yourself, to play better as the matches go by,” Seyboth Wild told ATPTour.com. “I think it had a pretty good [impact] on what I’m doing this week.”

One week later, Seyboth Wild became the youngest Brazilian finalist in ATP Tour history (since 1990) at the Chile Dove Men+Care Open in Santiago. If he beats Norwegian sensation Casper Ruud on Sunday, he will become the youngest ‘Golden Swing’ titlist since Rafael Nadal lifted the trophy in Acapulco 15 years ago. Nadal is the teen’s idol.

“I honestly don’t even know where to start… it’s just amazing,” Seyboth Wild said. “Rafa is a player, I don’t think anybody is going to do in 200 years what he’s done on clay or even reach his tennis level or win the tournaments he won and be the person he is. But if I could accomplish like 15, 20 per cent of what he’s done in his life, it would be amazing.”

For those who haven’t seen last year’s Guayaquil Challenger champion play, he believes his strengths are his forehand and his serve. But more than any physical tool, Seyboth Wild thinks the passion he brings on court and his desire to win are what will help him compete against the best players in the world. That’s also what he wants fans to take away from watching him.

“[It’s my] passion of playing tennis, how much I like the sport and how much I like to compete,” Seyboth Wild said. “I think it’s a thing that all South American players have. We’re just more emotional than Europeans. Maybe we’re like Australians, like Lleyton Hewitt was. It’s something different that we have. Not necessarily better, but different.”

At times, those emotions haven’t actually helped him, but hindered him.

“I’ve controlled that a lot the past few years,” Seyboth Wild said. “I think that most times that it happened, when I overloaded myself with emotions, it made me lose concentration. It made me lose matches that I should not have lost, and most of the time it made me step back instead of stepping forward.”

Seyboth Wild won the 2018 US Open boys’ singles title, and last November he cracked the Top 300 of the FedEx ATP Rankings for the first time following his triumph in Guayaquil.

“I’ve had a lot of ups and downs over the past two years,” Seyboth Wild said. “But that happened actually a little fast for me and it’s really good because when I can keep a streak of two, three, four great weeks of practice, it just makes me play better and feel better on court, and that’s what gives me the happiness of playing tennis.”

[ATP APP]

Seyboth Wild can make national history on Sunday, as he tries to become the first Brazilian since Thomaz Bellucci at 2015 Geneva to lift an ATP Tour trophy. And at World No. 182, a win will make him the lowest-ranked Brazilian to capture tour-level glory.

"Playing in an ATP event, being Brazilian, you don’t have the culture of having top players all the time,” Seyboth Wild said. “It’s just really good, it’s just amazing, it makes me feel like I can do better. It makes me feel like I actually have the potential to go on and use my strengths to keep going in the season.”

The good news that comes with Seyboth Wild's early ATP Tour success is that he's only going to get better. He admits there are plenty of plarts in his game to improve.

“I think that’s the good thing about being 19, because I’m already in an ATP Tour event final and I still have a lot to develop. So I still have a lot of space to grow, I still have a lot of things to develop in my game,” Seyboth Wild said. “We can always do something better every day. The fact that I know that and the fact that tennis players know that, it’s what moves us, it’s what makes us wake up every day and want to go practise and want to beat ourselves every day.

“That’s what keeps Roger Federer winning tournaments every day. He’s behind Nadal [right now], but we can’t all be Nadal, we can’t all be Federer. It’s just the motivation that we have.”

[MY POINT]

Seyboth Wild is projected to climb to a career-high World No. 131 if he loses in the Santiago final, and he will soar into the Top 115 with a title. Between next Monday and the last week of October, the 19-year-old will only have 109 points to defend, giving him plenty of room to climb even higher.

But he is not concerned with that now. First, he’s focussing on playing Ruud. Then he’ll worry about his next practice, and then the practice or match after that. That hunger to do the best he possibly can in the present allowed Seyboth Wild to find a way to win a three-hour, 50-minute marathon last week in Rio de Janeiro. And that's what will continue propelling him forward.

“I want to be the best player I can be,” Seyboth Wild said. “Better than I am every day. I don’t have a goal of titles, I don’t have a goal of ranking. I just want to do my best and be happy on court.”

Did You Know?
If Seyboth Wild wins the Santiago title, he is projected to rise to second place in the ATP Race To Milan on Monday. If he loses, he will climb to sixth.

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Rafael Nadal identifies Taylor Fritz's key strengths ahead of Mexican Open final

Rafael Nadal and Taylor Fritz meet for the first time in the Mexican Open final.

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Rafael Nadal delighted to come through ‘crazy' conditions to reach Mexican Open final

Rafael Nadal is through to the final of the Mexican Open after beating Grigor Dimitrov.

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Rafael Nadal vs Taylor Fritz LIVE stream: How to watch Mexican Open final online and on TV

Rafael Nadal and Taylor Fritz meet at the Mexican Open and Express Sport bring you details on how to watch the match.

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Ruud On A Roll In Santiago

The ‘Golden Swing’ in South America has proven a successful stretch on the calendar for Casper Ruud throughout his young career. Last season, he broke into the Top 100 of the FedEx ATP Rankings during this time. But this year has been even better.

Ruud defeated Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-6(5), 6-2 in one hour and 51 minutes on Saturday to reach the Chile Dove Men+Care Open final. The 21-year-old, who two weeks ago became the first Norwegian to win an ATP Tour singles title in Buenos Aires, is into his second tour-level final of the month.

“I feel good. Santiago is the last tournament of this South American swing. I enjoy coming to South America so much. It’s been a special place for me, really,” Ruud said. “Last year I broke into the Top 100, now I’m playing two finals. It’s been a very solid trip for me. This is very nice to end the swing here.”

[WATCH LIVE 3]

If Ruud defeats #NextGenATP Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild or Argentina qualifier Renzo Olivo on Sunday, he is projected to climb to a career-high World No. 28 on Monday. Ruud became the highest-ranked Norwegian in FedEx ATP Rankings history by reaching No. 34 earlier this month.

The 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals competitor used his forehand to control play against Ramos-Vinolas. Although the Spaniard has reached an ATP Masters 1000 final on clay — doing so at the 2017 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters — he struggled to find anything in his game to wrestle away rallies from Ruud.

[ATP APP]

Ruud crushed a return winner in the first-set tie-break to earn a fourth set point, which he converted when Ramos-Vinolas failed to return his serve. The Norwegian did not let slip his momentum, pummeling an inside-out forehand winner to break for 3-2, and earning another break when the Spanish lefty hit a forehand into the net.

Ruud has been highly complimentary of Santiago throughout the week, and it has shown in his game as he has not lost a set in three matches.

“Norway and Chile are very far away from each other on the map, but the nature and the climate are not that different,” Ruud said. “You have the mountains and the sea, also. I also heard that further south there are some fjords and some really nice landscape. I think it’s a nice place for me to be. I wish I could visit more of Chile.”

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Djokovic: 'Tsitsipas Has Great Potential To Be No. 1'

After capturing his fifth Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title, Novak Djokovic took a moment to applaud two-time runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas and share his belief that the Greek has the potential to reach the top of the FedEx ATP Rankings.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion, who is 18-0 this year, praised Tsitsipas for his desire to improve and believes the 21-year-old is also capable of lifting multiple Grand Slam titles.

“I love the fact that he is more than just tennis player and he's always looking to learn from the experience and to understand something new about himself so he can improve, get better,” said Djokovic.

“That for me is a trait of a champion, of someone that for sure has a great potential to be No. 1 of the world and win Grand Slams and be a great ambassador of our sport. He already is, but he has a great future ahead of him, I'm sure.”

Djokovic remembers what it is like to achieve success at Tsitsipas’ age on the ATP Tour. The Serbian claimed his first ATP Tour trophy when he was 19 and, like Tsitsipas, clinched his first Nitto ATP Finals trophy at 21 years of age.

Tsitsipas has developed his game under an intense spotlight. In 2018, the Greek rose from No. 91 to No. 15 in the FedEx ATP Rankings and finished his breakout year as the second winner of the Next Gen ATP Finals.

Last year, Tsitsipas advanced to his first Grand Slam semi-final at the Australian Open. But the Athens-born star also learned how to deal with defeats, enduring a four-match losing streak in North America. The Greek returned to form in Asia, before finishing the season with his biggest title at the The O2 in London.

“You go through the process of self-realisation and learning, maturing, then understanding what's good for you in life, in your career. He's a mature man already,” said Djokovic.

“He's young from the perspective of professional sport, but he's been around. He's very smart, very wise.”

Tsitsipas is not alone as he continues to develop his game on the ATP Tour. He is often joined by father and coach Apostolos Tsitsipas and his mother, Julia Salnikova. Salnikova even took part in Tsitsipas’ semi-final press conference, asking her son if he was aware of how many tennis greats were actively supported by their parents.

“Parents, family members, the closest people in your life that have been there since day one are your greatest support,” said Djokovic. “Of course, they want the best for you.

“I know both of his parents. They're nice people. They really care about him being the best tennis player he can be and also the best person he can be. I think they're doing a very good job.”

[ATP APP]

For the second straight year, Tsitsipas entered the Dubai championship match on a run of eight straight wins. The Greek rushed to Dubai after lifting his second straight title in Marseille last Sunday, but battled through to his 11th ATP Tour final (5-6) with wins against Pablo Carreno Busta, Alexander Bublik, Jan-Lennard Struff and Daniel Evans.

Having also fallen in the Dubai final last year to Roger Federer, Tsitsipas struggled to hide his disappointment after falling short at the ATP 500 event for the second straight year.

"It's disappointing trying so hard and not really getting the final result that you want," said Tsitsipas. "For sure, I would love to see myself holding that trophy. Of course, he gave more than me and he deserves it."

But Tsitsipas didn’t dwell on his disappointment for long, praising Djokovic for his 21-match unbeaten run. Djokovic has achieved 21 consecutive victories or better on seven occasions in his career.

Tsitsipas’s personal streak may have ended at eight wins, but he has the belief that one day he will be the one to make headlines for extended winning runs on the ATP Tour.

“I am not surprised he has done it. I want to do it one day too… I've been playing some good tennis,” said Tsitsipas. “Obviously I've never had the record that Djokovic has. But I do think it's possible. Of course, lots of respect to him for doing it so many times.”

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Carballes Baena/Davidovich Fokina Win Maiden Doubles Title In Santiago

Spaniards Roberto Carballes Baena and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina played together for the first time this week at the Chile Dove Men+Care Open in Santiago. But it certainly didn’t seem that way.

Carballes Baena and Davidovich Fokina defeated second seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Jonny O’Mara 7-6(3), 6-1 on Saturday to lift the trophy. The Spaniards only dropped one set en route to the title.

Neither man had won a tour-level doubles match in 2020 entering the week, and Davidovich Fokina had never played one at all. But the Top 100 singles players in the FedEx ATP Rankings found rhythm in Santiago, eliminating two of the four seeded teams (also third seeds Sharan/Sitak) en route to their triumph.

[ATP APP]

The key to the match was the first-set tie-break. Carballes Baena and Davidovich Fokina won two of their first three return points of the tie-break and they never looked back, winning the set and then breaking in their first two return games of the second set. The champions triumphed after one hour and 11 minutes.

The victors won more second-serve points (72%) than their opponents did first-serve points (64%). They also saved two of the three break points they faced.

Carballes Baena and Davidovich Fokina each earn 250 FedEx ATP Doubles Ranking points and a share of $34,160.

Arevalo and O’Mara, who reached this year’s Australian Open quarter-finals as well as semi-finals in New York and Delray Beach, fall to 10-4 on the season after making their first ATP Tour final as a team. They each add 150 points to their tally and a split of $17,500.

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ATP Honours Acapulco For The Third Time

Taylor Fritz produced a thrilling comeback on Friday evening against fellow American John Isner to reach the final of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado for HSBC. Although the American still needs to beat Rafael Nadal for the champion’s trophy, he remained on court following his victory for another presentation.

Fritz joined Linda Clark, ATP Tour Vice President, Tournament Relations - Americas, in presenting Tournament Chairman Renata Burillo with a trophy honouring the Acapulco event's place as one of the Tournaments of the Year in the 2019 ATP Tour Awards.

Read: Fritz Reaches Acapulco Semi-finals with Stunning Comeback

Two years after last receiving this award, the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, which also earned this recognition in 2007, has once again been named the ATP 500 Tournament of the Year. The event, held at the Acapulco Princess Mundo Imperial, was held on clay for 20 years before transitioning to hard courts in 2014.

“On behalf of Mextenis, our sponsors and the Mexican fans, we are incredibly happy and proud of this award,” Burillo said. “To receive the recognition of the ATP Players fills us with energy to continue to work hard to make the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC an even better tournament. We want to thank all the players for the trust and support we have received over the years. Acapulco is, and will always be, your home.”

The Acapulco tournament enjoyed record attendance in 2019, welcoming more than 55,000 fans.

The Tournament of the Year awards, voted annually by ATP Tour players, recognise the leading standards set across the three tournament categories on the Tour. The BNP Paribas Open and the Qatar ExxonMobil Open won the remaining two awards, in the ATP Masters 1000 and 250 tournament categories, respectively.

Visit the official ATP Tour Awards section on ATPTour.com.

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Djokovic Ponders Perfect Season After Dubai Title

After World No. 1 Novak Djokovic claimed his fifth Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title on Saturday, the on-court reporter asked the champion what specific goals he has for the rest of the season. And perhaps the 79-time tour-level titlist’s response wasn’t what the crowd expected.

“One of the targets is to go unbeaten the whole season,” Djokovic said. “No, I’m kidding. I’m not kidding, actually.”

During Djokovic’s press conference a short time later, a reporter asked the Serbian to set the record straight. Is completing a perfect season truly a goal for him?

“No, no,” Djokovic said, cracking a laugh. “Of course I'm trying to embrace the moment and appreciate where I am. I think this has been one of the best starts of all seasons I had in my career. I feel great on the court. I've been playing great tennis on the hard courts. That is my most successful and preferred surface.”

Djokovic has started 2020 by leading Team Serbia to the inaugural ATP Cup title, claiming a record-extending eighth Australian Open trophy and now triumphing in Dubai. He has won 21 consecutive tour-level matches, and is 18-0 on the season.

“I’m just grateful that I'm playing well, feeling well. I've won many matches now in a row. I'll try to keep that run going,” Djokovic said. “It's just way too early to speak about how long that run might go, the calculations. I try not to think about predictions. I try to focus on what I need to do with myself and my team in order to thrive every day, in order to try to play as best as I can every single match.”

Frenchman Gael Monfils had three match points against Djokovic during the second-set tie-break of their Dubai semi-final. But everything has been going right for the Serbian, who found a way to stave off those chances and reach the final, in which he defeated reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets.

“The season started in the most perfect way possible,” Djokovic said. “I am aware of the fact that most of the matches that I'm going to play, the players will not have much to lose. They will go out and try to play their best and stop the streak. At the same time the more I win, the more confident and comfortable I feel playing the next match and competing and really performing well.”

This is the seventh time Djokovic has earned a winning streak of at least 20 matches. His best start to a season came in 2011 when he went 41-0 — part of a 43-match winning streak — before losing in the Roland Garros semi-finals. So when things are going so well, how does Djokovic stay motivated?

“Motivation never lacks, to be honest, at least in my case. I find motivation in the small things and details,” Djokovic said. “For me the biggest motivation is my self-growth as a player and as a person. Tennis really allows me to have that platform of learning and growing and developing both personally and professionally like nothing else in life. I'm grateful for that.”

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Novak Djokovic hails Stefanos Tsitsipas after beating Greek star at Dubai Championships

Novak Djokovic paid tribute to Stefanos Tsitsipas after coming through a hard-fought final.

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Novak Djokovic gives verdict on winning Dubai Championships and extending win streak to 21

Novak Djokovic was understandably delighted to win his fifth Dubai Championships.

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Djokovic Lifts Fifth Dubai Title

Novak Djokovic continued his unbeaten start to the 2020 ATP Tour season on Saturday, beating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4 to claim his fifth Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title.

One day after saving three consecutive match points to beat Gael Monfils in a dramatic semi-final, Djokovic raised his level and converted each of his three break points to win his 21st straight match. Djokovic has won each of the 18 encounters he has contested this season, winning 43 of 49 sets.

Djokovic continues to impress in 2020, having also lifted the inaugural ATP Cup with Team Serbia and a record-extending eighth Australian Open title last month. With his first Dubai trophy since 2013, Djokovic improves to 5-1 in finals at the ATP 500 event. Only Roger Federer, in 2015, has beaten the World No. 1 in a Dubai final.

This is the first time that a No. 1 seed has beaten a No. 2 seed at this tournament. In each of the previous four contests between the event’s Top 2 seeds, the second seed has lifted the trophy.

Top 2 Seeds In Dubai Final

Year	Result
2020	[1] Djokovic d. [2] Tsitsipas
2015	[2] Federer d. [1] Djokovic
2011	[2] Djokovic d. [1] Federer
2006	[2] Nadal d. [1] Federer
1997	[2] Muster d. [1] Ivanisevic

Tsitsipas was attempting to capture his first Dubai title in his second straight final at the tournament. The Marseille champion, who entered this year’s final on an eight-match winning streak, fell to Roger Federer in last year’s championship match.

Djokovic receives 500 FedEx ATP Ranking points and earns $565,705 in prize money. Tsitsipas gains 300 ATP Ranking points and collects $284,485.

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Novak Djokovic outclasses Stefanos Tsitsipas to win fifth Dubai Championships title

Novak Djokovic showed again why he is the best player in the world.

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Venus/Peers Capture First Team Trophy In Dubai

In their fourth event as a pairing, John Peers and Michael Venus lifted their first team trophy at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Saturday.

Peers and Venus needed just 59 minutes to overcome fourth seeds Raven Klaasen and Oliver Marach 6-3, 6-2 saving both break points they faced in the championship match. The unseeded tandem did not drop a set en route to the trophy, which included a 6-4, 6-2 quarter-final victory against defending champions Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury.

“[There is] a lot of excitement. I mean, we worked hard the past few months to try to play at this level for a whole tournament. It was really good and pleasing we were able to do that together,” said Peers.

“I know we'll take a lot of confidence with that moving forward, take a look at the areas we need to keep working on. We have got to keep improving.”

[WATCH LIVE 2]

This is Peers’ 21st tour-level trophy. The Australian has won at least one trophy for eight consecutive years, dating back to his maiden ATP Tour title in Houston in 2013.

Venus adds an 11th tour-level crown to his collection. The 32-year-old has lifted a trophy in each of the six seasons since his first title run in Nice in 2015.

“[With] any new partnership, you don't know how it's going to go till you get out there really, until you get on the court and you start to understand exactly what your partner likes to see in certain situations, how they react to things and that, it takes time to figure those things out,” said Venus.

“We really spent probably the past two or three weeks sitting down, trying to go over it to try to have a better understanding. I think that really helped us.”

Klaasen and Marach were also attempting to capture their first title in their fourth event as a duo. The fourth seeds own a 6-4 record this year.

Peers and Venus gain 500 FedEx ATP Doubles Ranking points and share $181,360 in prize money. Klaasen and Marach earn 300 points and split $88,780.

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Djokovic vs Tsitsipas TV channel: Can I watch Dubai Championships final on TV today?

Novak Djokovic takes on Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships and Express Sport is on hand with all the live stream and TV information.

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Novak Djokovic vs Stefanos Tsitsipas LIVE stream: How to watch Dubai Championships final

Novak Djokovic vs Stefanos Tsitsipas meet at the Dubai Championships and Express Sport bring you details on how to watch the match.

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Novak Djokovic: Stefanos Tsitsipas explains the key to beating world No 1 in Dubai

Stefanos Tsitsipas has reached back-to-back finals in Dubai.

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Nadal One Win Away From Acapulco Hat Trick

Fifteen years after capturing his first title at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, Rafael Nadal is in position to once again wear the winner’s sombrero in Acapulco. The top-seeded Spaniard booked his place in the final with a convincing 6-3, 6-2 victory on Friday against seventh-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov.

"I'm very happy. A great victory against one of the best players in the world and a good friend," Nadal said. "I think I've increased my level during the match, so it's positive for me."

The two-time champion (2005, 2013) improved to 18-2 at this event and remained flawless (4-0) in Acapulco semi-finals. He also continued his dominance over Dimitrov (13-1) in their ATP Head2Head series. Nadal has yet to lose a set this week and only dropped 20 games across his first four matches.

[WATCH LIVE 1]

Nadal’s return of serve has been particularly dangerous. The Spaniard leads the tournament in return games won (58%, 19 of 33) and converted 19 of 28 break points (68%).

Standing between him and an Acapulco hat trick is Taylor Fritz, who defeated fifth seed John Isner in an all-American semi-final. This will be the first ATP Head2Head meeting between Nadal and Fritz.

"He's playing well. He has a great serve, fantastic shots from the baseline. It's going to be a tough one," Nadal said. "I know I'm going to have to be at my best and I hope to be ready for it."

Dimitrov had overcome plenty of barriers to reach his semi-final showdown with Nadal. The Bulgarian saved two match points to defeat Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in the second round, then snapped a five-match losing streak against third-seeded Swiss Stan Wawrinka in the quarter-finals.

Breaking another five-match losing streak against Nadal would be an even taller order. The Spaniard successfully targeted Dimitrov’s backhand with depth and heavy topspin in their previous matches, breaking down that normally reliable wing before applying further pressure with his forehand.

[WATCH LIVE 1]

Both players traded early service holds to start their latest clash. But while Nadal got off to a slow start, he quickly rounded into form. From 1-2 in the opening set, Nadal went on a four-game run with a stream of blistering baseline winners. 

Although Dimitrov kept the games close, he didn’t have much to show for it on the scoreboard. He let slip two game points on his serve at 2-3 before handing Nadal a break with a forehand error, then squandered three break points in the next game. A big down-the-line forehand from the Spaniard on set point gave him the early advantage.

The second set progressed nearly identically to the first set, with Dimitrov breaking early for a 2-0 lead before Nadal found his footing. Standing on top of the baseline and pouncing with his forehand, Nadal finished out the night by going on a six-game run. The top seed crunched a final forehand winner to end play after one hour and 41 minutes.

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Fritz Reaches Acapulco Final With Stunning Comeback

Midway through his Friday semi-final with John Isner at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel por HSBC, Taylor Fritz was simply hoping for a respectable scoreline. He earned far more than that, rallying from a set and 2-4 down to stun the fifth seed 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 and reach his first ATP 500 final in Acapulco.

"It's huge for me. One of my biggest goals this year was to do well in the biggest tournaments," Fritz said. "I hope that I can keep the momentum going for the rest of the year."

Fritz’s outstanding turnaround puts him into his fifth ATP Tour final (1-3). The 22-year-old is also projected to reach a new career-high FedEx ATP Ranking of No. 24 on Monday.

[ATP APP]

He joined 2017 champion Sam Querrey as the only Americans to reach the final in Acapulco. Fritz tied his ATP Head2Head series with Isner at 2-2 and has won their past two matches.

Awaiting him on Saturday is the winner of the other semi-final featuring top-seeded Spaniard Rafael Nadal and Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov. Fritz has never played Nadal and defeated Dimitrov in their lone ATP Head2Head meeting last year in Madrid.

"I would love to win my first ATP 500 title," Fritz said. "I'm definitely going to have a tough opponent, so I'll just have to be at my best."

Fritz started slowly as Isner came out swinging from the first ball. Striking his returns within inches of the baseline, the fifth seed broke Fritz in the opening game with an overhead smash, then scored an insurance break two games later with a backhand return winner. Isner finished the opening set with an astounding 15 winners to seven errors.

It appeared that Isner would run through the match after breaking Fritz to love for a 3-2 lead in the second set and holding triple break point at 4-2. But the 22-year-old managed to hold serve and adjusted his tactics, finding a way to put more of Isner’s booming serves into play.

Fritz finally earned a pair of break points with Isner serving at 4-3 and tied the score after the fifth seed hit a forehand into the net. Three games later, the young American ripped a backhand passing shot to earn two set points. He completed the staggering reversal and set up a decider after Isner flicked a backhand volley wide.

Perhaps miffed at dropping the momentum, a frustrated Isner dropped his opening service game in the final set with a double fault. The slight advantage was all Fritz needed and he maintained the lead to prevail after one hour and 41 minutes. He finished the night with 28 winners to 14 unforced errors and served more aces than Isner (15 to 13).

[WATCH LIVE 1]

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Blockbuster Dubai Final: Djokovic & Tsitsipas Add Chapter To Budding Rivalry

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion Stefanos Tsitsipas will clash on Saturday in a dream final at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

The two stars have only played four times in their ATP Head2Head series, but each of those meetings have come at an ATP Masters 1000 event, and their battle in Dubai will give either 32-year-old Djokovic or 21-year-old Tsitsipas a 3-2 lead in what is a budding rivalry.

“He's one of the leaders of the new generation. He's now established [as a] Top 5, Top 10 player of the world. He is a hard worker, dedicated, very charismatic guy, nice guy. He has a lot of talent, a lot of passion for the sport, for the game,” said Djokovic, who carries a 17-0 record in 2020 into the championship match. “I think he's fantastic for our sport, not just the way he plays but his charisma, his character, the way he behaves. He's a really nice guy to have for tennis. It's anybody's game really.” 

[ATP APP]

Tsitsipas, who is on an eight-match winning streak, is trying to become the third active player (Kyrgios, Karlovic) and the sixth overall to own a winning record against Djokovic. The Greek, who leads the tournament in service games won (41/43, 95%), revealed the mentality he brings into his matches against the Serbian, who leads this ATP 500 in return games won (17/37, 46%).

“I just respect him a lot. I come in knowing that it's not your regular guy. You just have to give more than usual. My attention span has to be there,” Tsitsipas said. “I can see the bright side of having a positive record. I'm going to try and stay humble. I'm doing well. I'm doing my job correctly. I should continue everything the way I do it. It's great having a positive record against Novak. I don't know if it helps or not, but I obviously want more. That's for sure.”

[WATCH LIVE 2]

ATPTour.com looks back at Djokovic and Tsitsipas’ first four ATP Head2Head meetings:

2019 Rolex Paris Masters - Quarter-finals - Djokovic def. Tsitsipas 6-1, 6-2 (Read Match Report)
Fresh off a loss against Tsitsipas in Shanghai, this was a critical moment for Djokovic in the battle for 2019 year-end No. 1 with Rafael Nadal. If Djokovic stood any chance of going into the Nitto ATP Finals with a shot at that honour, he needed to stay within 1,500 points of Nadal in Paris.

Djokovic showed his urgency in a 6-1, 6-2 victory against the Greek, winning a higher rate of second-serve points (77%) than Tsitsipas did first-serve points (63%). According to Hawkeye, Djokovic went down the line with his backhand 51 per cent of the time to great effect, and he did not face a break point.

The Serbian went on to claim his 34th ATP Masters 1000 title. And although he didn’t finish year-end No. 1, Djokovic made a statement to level his rivalry with Tsitsipas.

2019 Rolex Shanghai Masters - Quarter-finals - Tsitsipas def. Djokovic 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 (Read Match Report)
Tsitsipas did not realise he had qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time when he stepped on the court for this match. But he showed the grit of a London competitor by rallying from a set down against the World No. 1. The Greek had to hold his nerve on serve at 3-3 in the second set when he faced deuce, but he turned the match around to triumph in two hours and three minutes.

Tsitsipas became the seventh active player (and the youngest) to beat Djokovic, Nadal and Roger Federer in the same season. Twenty-six players have accomplished the feat overall. It was a continuation of good form for Tsitsipas, who had recently lost five of six tour-level matches before reaching the China Open final the week before Shanghai.

For Djokovic, this was a critical blow in his pursuit of a sixth year-end No. 1 finish, and it was also the first time in nine Shanghai appearances that he did not advance to at least the semi-finals.

2019 Mutua Madrid Open - Final - Djokovic def. Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4 (Read Match Report)
Djokovic won the 2019 Australian Open. But after that event, he made just one quarter-final in his next three tournaments before arriving at the Mutua Madrid Open.

The Serbian turned things around there, though, punctuating his efforts on the Spanish clay with a comprehensive straight-sets victory against Tsitsipas. At the time, he levelled the race for the most Masters 1000 titles with Nadal at 33, and earned his 200th Top 10 victory to lift his third Madrid title.

Djokovic set the tone early with a break in his first return game, and he never looked back, never facing a break point in his one-hour, 33-minute victory. This was the pair’s only meeting on clay.

2018 Rogers Cup - Round of 16 - Tsitsipas def. Djokovic 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3 (Read Match Report)
Tsitsipas arrived in Toronto as the No. 27 player in the FedEx ATP Rankings, while Djokovic, despite being World No. 10, was fresh off lifting the Wimbledon trophy.

Tsitsipas, who was only 19, remained calm after losing the second set, defeating Djokovic in two hours and 18 minutes to reach his first Masters 1000 final. A year prior, Tsitsipas had not won a tour-level match.

It wasn’t that Djokovic lost the match through an overwhelming number of unforced errors, either. Tsitsipas showed early signs of his shotmaking and confidence, closing out his triumph with back-to-back cross-court forehand winners.

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Rafael Nadal vs Grigor Dimitrov LIVE stream: How to watch Mexican Open match online

Rafael Nadal and Grigor Dimitrov meet at the Mexican Open and Express Sport bring you details on how to watch the match.

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Rafael Nadal wary of ‘complete’ Grigor Dimitrov ahead of Mexican Open battle

Rafael Nadal and Grigor Dimitrov face off for a place in the Mexican Open final.

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Mom Crashes Tsitsipas Press Conference In Dubai

Reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion Stefanos Tsitsipas probably expected to speak about his good form in his press conference following a 6-2, 6-3 win against Daniel Evans on Friday in the quarter-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

But it’s safe to say he didn’t expect his mother, Julia Salnikova, to crash the press conference.

“I’m following you to the press conference to make sure I'm aware how you feel, what are your statements,” Salnikova said, eliciting a smile from her son. “I'm just wondering, I'm not sure you really know so much about...

“Did she read the statements I said a few days ago? That's why she's here,” Tsitsipas said, cracking a laugh.

After defeating Alexander Bublik in the second round, a reporter asked Tsitsipas how important family support is for his career.

“I’m trying to sometimes not pay too much attention of what they say. It's quite difficult, honestly,” Tsitsipas said. “But I love them. I love them. I love them. I honestly don't know if I would have achieved the things I have achieved today if it wasn't for them. They want the best for me.”

Salnikova caught wind of his son’s words, and she put on her reporter hat on Friday to follow up with him about it.

“I don't spend so much time with you. This is my chance. What I want to ask you is, I'm not sure you are really so much aware of the number of these great tennis players followed by the parents,” Salnikova said.

“Actually you're a journalist, right?” Tsitsipas asked. “True, verified.”

“The question is, are you really aware of the number of the great tennis players that were helped and followed by the parents on the [ATP] Tour?”

Tsitsipas’ mother pushed him to name as many players as he could who have been coached by their parents.

“I want to know male players with Grand Slam titles, Top 5,” Tsitsipas said.

“Maybe you can be the first one,” his mom replied.

“Okay, good.”

[ATP APP]

It’s a press conference Tsitsipas, his mother and the media in the room will remember.

But now, Tsitsipas will refocus on the task at hand, as he plays World No. 1 Novak Djokovic on Saturday for the Dubai title.

“He's in really good form and shape. He's been playing great tennis. Everybody has seen what he did at Australian Open. For sure I'm going to have to bring the best out of my game and reduce my mistakes and in general reduce everything, stay aggressive like today,” Tsitsipas said. “He's just a solid player. Everything is good: forehand, backhand, serve. Very consistent, very solid. Doesn't miss a lot. It's going to take something extra for me to beat him tomorrow. I'm going to try and seek for that.”

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Ruud Moves Closer To Making History In Santiago

Casper Ruud made history two weeks ago by becoming the first Norwegian to win an ATP Tour title in Buenos Aires. Now, the 21-year-old is only two wins from lifting a second tour-level trophy.

The second-seeded Ruud defeated seventh-seeded Argentine Federico Delbonis 7-5, 7-5 on Friday to reach the semi-finals of the Chile Dove Men+Care Open. Ruud will face third seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas for a spot in the final.

"It was obviously tough... it was a very close match. I was ready for it before going out there... Delbonis is a very good [player] and especially a very good clay-court player," Ruud said. "I really wanted to win this time."

Ruud levelled his ATP Head2Head series with the Argentine at 1-1 after losing against the lefty in Sao Paulo three years ago. The Norwegian triumphed in a three-setter in Western & Southern Open qualifying last year, which does not count as a tour-level match. 

The World No. 38 has now defeated two straight lefties after eliminating home favourite Alejandro Tabilo in the second round. He will try to make it three in a row against Ramos-Vinolas.

[WATCH LIVE 3]

"It's different, definitely, to play three lefties in a row. It's not something you get to do every tournament, so it's a little bit different, a new experience. But I think it's okay," said Ruud, who began the week with a 3-8 tour-level record against lefties. "In my career I've had some problems playing against left-handed players, but I'm getting better and better every time I play them."

[ATP APP]

Ruud's next opponent, Ramos-Vinolas, beat eighth seed Thiago Monteiro 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 42 minutes.

The Spaniard has enjoyed plenty of success on clay, reaching the final of the 2017 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. Seven of the eight ATP Tour championship matches he has reached (2-6) have come on clay.

Ramos-Vinolas only won four more points than his Brazilian opponent, but he saved two of the three break points he faced to advance.

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Federer To Play In Boston For 1st Time At Laver Cup

Roger Federer, 20-time Grand Slam champion and 103-time tour-level titlist, will represent Team Europe once again in the fourth edition of the Laver Cup to be held in Boston at TD Garden from 25-27 September.

Tickets for the unique team competition will go on sale at 10am Eastern Time on Friday, 6 March via Ticketmaster. 

Federer has been part of the winning Team Europe side since the inaugural Laver Cup in Prague in 2017, and he is passionate about the event that has captured the imagination of fans around the world. This will be the first time the Swiss star has visited Boston.

“I’ve never been to Boston and I’m really looking forward to seeing some of the sights and playing tennis in front of their great fans” said Federer. 

“The Laver Cup is like nothing else in world tennis and I’m sure playing in a city that loves its sport as much as Boston does, the atmosphere is going to be unreal.

“Each year gets tougher for Team Europe to hold back Team World, and Boston will be a whole new ball game.” 

The three-day team competition pits six of the best players from Europe, captained by Bjorn Borg, against six of their counterparts from the rest of the World, led by John McEnroe.  

Named in honour of Australian tennis legend Rod Laver, the event will be played on a dramatic black court constructed within the TD Garden – home of the NBA’s Boston Celtics and the NHL’s Boston Bruins. 

Multi-session tickets will be available for purchase on Friday, 6 March, offering fans the same seat to all five sessions over the three days.

The Laver Cup sold out arenas in Prague, Chicago and most recently Geneva within hours of going on sale and the demand for tickets is expected to be high. 

“We’re looking forward to launching ticket sales next week,” Laver Cup CEO Steve Zacks said today.

“We’re expecting an incredible experience in September for both the players and fans alike at TD Garden in one of the greatest sports cities in the world.”

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Novak Djokovic sends message to Stefanos Tsitsipas ahead of Dubai Championships final

Novak Djokovic will aim for a fifth title in Dubai against ATP Finals champion Stefanos Tsitsipas.

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Novak Djokovic reveals relief after overcoming ‘unbelevable’ Gael Monfils in Dubai

Novak Djokovic came back from the brink of defeat to reach the Dubai Championships final.

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Djokovic Saves 3 M.P. To Overcome Monfils In Dubai Thriller

Novak Djokovic survived a dramatic semi-final encounter with Gael Monfils at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Friday, saving three consecutive match points to defeat the Frenchman 2-6, 7-6(8), 6-1.

The World No. 1 trailed Monfils 3/6 in the second-set tie-break, but trusted his forehand under pressure before cruising to victory in the final set. Djokovic is through to his sixth Dubai final (4-1) after winning his 40th match in 46 encounters at the ATP 500 event.

Djokovic has now won 20 consecutive matches for the seventh time in his career. The four-time champion also improves to 17-0 this year, building on his title run at the inaugural ATP Cup with Team Serbia and his eighth Australian Open triumph last month.

Novak Djokovic's 20+ Match Win Streaks

Win Streak	Year
43	2010-2011
28	2015
28	2013-14
23	2015
22	2018
22	2012-13
20	2019-20

Djokovic improves to 17-0 in his ATP Head2Head series against Monfils. Across those 17 meetings, Djokovic has been pushed to a final set on seven occasions. Djokovic has now won 73 of his 75 matches against French opposition since lifting the 2010 Davis Cup title.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion will face Stefanos Tsitsipas for the trophy. Djokovic is tied at 2-2 in his ATP Head2Head series against the reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion, who will be competing in his second straight championship match in Dubai.

Monfils was aiming to extend his career-best 12-match winning streak. The World No. 9 was seeking his third trophy in as many events, after triumphing indoors at the Open Sud de France in Montpellier and the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam earlier this month.

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Novak Djokovic survives Gael Monfils brilliance in Dubai to maintain unbeaten start

Novak Djokovic beat Gael Monfils for the 17th consecutive time.

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Novak Djokovic: Gael Monfils’ biggest problem explained ahead of Dubai Championships match

Gael Monfils has not beaten Novak Djokovic in their 16 matches.

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Tsitsipas Repeats 2019 Achievement In Dubai

For the second straight year, Stefanos Tsitsipas booked his place in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships final just five days after lifting the Open 13 Provence trophy in Marseille.

The World No. 6 won 90 per cent of first-serve points (26/29) and did not face a break point en route to a 6-2, 6-3 victory against Daniel Evans after 81 minutes. Tsitsipas has lost just one of the 17 sets he has contested since arriving in Marseille last week.

”I just managed to stay solid throughout the whole match,” said Tsitsipas. “I didn’t have massive breakdowns and just played a quality of tennis which I enjoyed… I am really impressed by the quality of my game today and I really hope to bring the same and possibly even better in the next round.”

With his eighth straight match win, Tsitsipas improves to 10-2 at the ATP 500 event. The 21-year-old Greek will attempt to capture his first ATP 500 trophy in Saturday’s championship match.

[WATCH LIVE 2]

Tsitsipas will face World No. 1 Novak Djokovic or third seed Gael Monfils for the title. The reigning Nitto ATP Finals titlist is tied at 2-2 in his ATP Head2Head series against four-time champion Djokovic and owns two wins from three matches against Monfils. Last year, Tsitsipas beat Monfils in a final-set tie-break to reach the final in Dubai.

Tsitsipas proved the more consistent player from the baseline in the early stages and was rewarded with groundstroke errors from his opponent in the fifth game. Evans responded by moving to the net behind his serve, but Tsitsipas ripped his second backhand winner of the game to establish a 3-2 lead. The World No. 6 continued to hit his targets as Evans attempted to move up the court, breaking serve for a second time before firing an ace out wide to claim a one-set lead.

With aggressive forehands and movement up the court, Tsitsipas strengthened his position with an early break of serve at 1-1 in the second set. The five-time ATP Tour titlist advanced to his 11th tour-level final with his fourth service break as Evans failed to control a low forehand volley.

”I have found momentum,” said Tsitsipas. “I am executing really well with my forehand which played an incredible role today in the match. I won most of my points from the forehand side, which is my biggest weapon. My serve helped a lot as well.”

Evans was attempting to reach his first ATP 500 final. The 29-year-old Brit, who saved three match points to beat Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the second round, has won five of his nine matches against Top 20 opponents this year.

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Peers/Venus Reach First Team Final In Dubai

John Peers and Michael Venus advanced to their first final as a team on Friday, beating Jurgen Melzer and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 7-6(2), 6-2 at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

The unseeded pairing saved all three break points it faced to claim its third straight-sets victory in as many matches this week. Peers and Venus also beat Frenchmen Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Benoit Paire and defending champions Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury en route to the championship match.

[WATCH LIVE 2]

Peers and Venus are competing in just their fourth event as a team. Last month, the pair made its debut at the ASB Classic and also reached the Australian Open third round.

Peers and Venus will face fourth seeds Oliver Marach and Raven Klaasen or Henri Kontinen and Jan-Lennard Struff for the title. Kontinen and Struff are aiming to reach their second ATP 500 final of the year after a runner-up finish at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam.

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ATP And FedEx Extend Global Partnership

The ATP and FedEx Express today announced a sponsorship renewal that will see the shipping giant remain an ATP Platinum partner, while strengthening its sponsorship and becoming the new title sponsor of the ATP Rankings.

As part of the agreement, FedEx will continue to benefit from global promotional rights together with an on-site presence at tournaments throughout the season, while also leveraging opportunities to engage with viewers across mainstream and digital platforms.

Last year the partnership celebrated its 10th year and the new agreement builds on FedEx’s extensive history of global sports sponsorships, including the unique worldwide footprint of the ATP Tour. During the new term FedEx will sponsor 13 tournaments each season, with the Mutua Madrid Open included for the first time.

View Latest FedEx ATP Rankings

Massimo Calvelli, ATP CEO, said: “FedEx has been a fantastic partner of the ATP for over ten years now and we’re delighted to announce this extension to our agreement. In addition to multiple tournament partnerships, the title sponsorship of the ATP Rankings provides FedEx with an unparalleled association with an asset that links the whole season together, and we look forward to a continued successful partnership.”

“The ATP Tour perfectly reflects what FedEx stands for: a global footprint, speed, excitement and precision,” said Wouter Roels, SVP Marketing International, FedEx Express. “Since we started our journey as Official Sponsor of the ATP Tour in 2010, we have enjoyed many memorable moments of passion, persistence on court and possibilities for players to inspire and connect with fans. Through our presence at the largest tournaments of the Tour, we will continue to engage with millions of fans all over the world through mainstream and digital media.”

With a focus on activation around the FedEx ATP Rankings, FedEx will also become the presenting sponsor of the ATP World No. 1 trophy ceremonies, presented annually at the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals.

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Andrey Rublev gives fiery reply to Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal question

Andrey Rublev was knocked out of the Dubai Tennis Championships after losing to British No 1 Dan Evans in the quarter-finals.

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Dimitrov Snaps Losing Streak Against Wawrinka In Acapulco

Grigor Dimitrov arrived on court having lost his past five matches against Stan Wawrinka, but you wouldn’t know it from how their quarter-final clash played out on Thursday night at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC.

Striking his backhand with authority and pouncing on returns, the Bulgarian dismissed the third-seeded Swiss 6-4, 6-4 to reach the semi-finals in Acapulco. Dimitrov improved to 11-2 at this event and the 2014 champion (d. Anderson) closed the gap (5-7) in his ATP Head2Head rivalry with Wawrinka.

”I’ve played quite a few times against Stan and we’ve practised together so many times. Between us, it’s mainly a mental battle,” Dimitrov said. “I had lost the past five times against him, but those losses have inspired me. Those losses helped me. Even though it hurts saying it, I’m admitting it. I wanted to stand tall tonight.”

[ATP APP]

Dimitrov has continued to overcome mental hurdles this week, saving two match points and snapping a four-match losing streak in final-set tie-breaks to defeat Frenchman Adrian Mannarino on Wednesday. The 28-year-old moved to 7-4 this season and is through to his first semi-final of the year.

He awaits the winner of top-seeded Rafael Nadal and South Korean Soonwoo Kwon. Nadal leads his ATP Head2Head series with Dimitrov 12-1, but the Bulgarian picked up his lone win on hard courts at 2016 Beijing.

”The past months have been pretty rough for me. All I wanted to do was put myself in the situation to play the best of the best,” Dimitrov said. “I’m far away from being satisfied. I’m still going to focus on the things I’ve been trying to work on.”

Wawrinka started slowly and dropped the first eight points of the match against Dimitrov. But even when the Swiss broke back to tie the score at 3-3, his groundstrokes didn’t meet his lofty standards. A pair of wild forehand errors from Wawrinka in the next game saw him drop serve once more and another forehand miss on set point gave Dimitrov the opening set.

The Bulgarian continued to remain steady in the second set, extending the rallies until his opponent’s baseline game broke down. Serving at 2-2, Wawrinka was broken to love for the second time in the match after sending a forehand well long.

The slight advantage was all Dimitrov needed and he closed out play after one hour and 25 minutes. Dimitrov hit just 12 unforced errors on the night, compared to 34 for Wawrinka.

[WATCH LIVE 1]

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Monfils Mulls New Djokovic Game Plan: ‘16 Times It Was Wrong’

Gael Monfils faces one of, if not the toughest task in tennis on Friday in the semi-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Sixteen times the Frenchman has faced Novak Djokovic, and 16 times he has fallen.

So what strategy will Monfils employ in his 17th ATP Head2Head match against the World No. 1?

“I have no idea right now because 16 times it was the wrong one,” Monfils said, getting a laugh from the crowd after his quarter-final win against Richard Gasquet. “Hopefully the 17th will be the good one.”

[WATCH LIVE 2]

Monfils is one of the hottest players on the ATP Tour, winning 12 straight matches, including titles at the Open Sud de France and the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament, held in Montpellier and Rotterdam, respectively. But he will have to confront a different challenge in Djokovic, who is 16-0 in 2020, including a 6-3, 6-2 win against Monfils at the ATP Cup.

“I’m 16 down against Novak. He’s the World No. 1, he hasn’t lost a match this year, so he’s in great shape,” Monfils said. “I’m just going with a new game plan and see how it works tomorrow night.”

Vitas Gerulaitis famously told press after snapping a 16-match losing streak against Jimmy Connors in 1980, “Let that be a lesson to you all. Nobody beats Vitas Gerulaitis 17 times in a row!"

Monfils will hope to follow in Gerulaitis’ footsteps. But he’s not getting too excited about his current form, knowing how tough of a task playing the top seed will be.

“I’m not counting. I try to be good every day even though I don’t think I play my best tennis [every day],” Monfils said. “[I] just control that I’m fighting and try to be very solid.”

Djokovic certainly won’t be taking Monfils lightly. The Serbian has dropped at least one set in half (8/16) of their previous clashes.

“Gael Monfils is in form. He's Top 10 of the world. He's playing possibly his best tennis that he's ever played,” Djokovic said after cruising past Karen Khachanov on Thursday. “I've never lost to him, but we had some pretty long matches and tough encounters.

“[Gael is] one of the best if not the best athlete in our sport. He moves so well. He's so fit. For me he has the most interesting game in tennis. I love watching him play and I love playing against him.”

Djokovic has only lost 11 games in six sets this week, looking in form to capture his 79th tour-level title. But for Monfils, will his 17th try against Djokovic be the charm?

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Isner Battles Into Acapulco Semi-finals

Fifth seed John Isner continued his run of success at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, defeating fellow American Tommy Paul 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-2 on Thursday for his second consecutive semi-final in Acapulco.

”He’s improved so much and his results show that this year. I’m definitely the old guard of American tennis and I’m trying to hang onto that for as long as I can,” Isner said. “Winning matches like this gives me a lot of confidence.”

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The 34-year-old improved to 2-0 in his ATP Head2Head series with Paul and advanced to his second semi-final of the year. He awaits the winner of Brit Kyle Edmund and American Taylor Fritz.

”I’m expecting a really good match. Kyle has definitely found his form in 2020, so it’s good to see him back and playing at his top level,” Isner said. “Taylor is confident every time he takes the court. He’s an absolute gamer and I respect the heck out of him. He straps on his shoes and goes to battle.”

Isner and Paul traded comfortable service holds in the first set to set up a tie-break. One point proved the difference, with Paul missing a forehand at 3/3 to give Isner a mini-break advantage. The big-serving American then took the next three points to grab the early lead.

A loose service game from Isner at 1-2 in the second set saw him hit two double faults to hand Paul the first break of the match. The slight advantage was all the 22-year-old needed and he went on to force a decider.

With the final set tied at 2-2, Isner found another gear and won four straight games to advance in exactly two hours. He hammered 22 aces on the day and has hit 72 aces across his first three matches this week.

[WATCH LIVE 1]

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Five Things To Know About Thiago Seyboth Wild

Thiago Seyboth wild is continuing to thrive in South America. All four of the #NextGenATP Brazilian's tour-level wins have come during the Latin Swing and he reached his first ATP Tour quarter-final on Thursday at the Chile Dove Men+Care Open in Santiago.

ATPTour.com looks at five things to know about this rising 19-year-old.

1. He Finished His Junior Career On A High
Seyboth Wild captured his maiden Grand Slam title in his final junior tournament at the 2018 US Open (d. Musetti). He became the first Brazilian to win the boys' singles title in New York.

"Winning a Grand Slam is every junior player's biggest dream," Seyboth Wild said after the match. "Reaching it in my last chance makes it even more special to me because I've always dreamed about it."

2. He's Flourished On The ATP Challenger Tour
The Brazilian captured his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title last November in Guayaquil. Seyboth Wild stepped up in his last three Challenger events of 2019, scoring his first four Top 100 wins and posting a 13-2 record.

A moment Thiago Seyboth Wild will never forget.

The 19-year-old 🇧🇷 has his first #ATPChallenger title, reeling off six wins in six days to triumph in Guayaquil.@thiagoswild | @challengye05 pic.twitter.com/iOySKDCIZJ

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) November 4, 2019

3. He's In Contention For Milan
Seyboth Wild's quarter-final run in Santiago means he's projected to move to No. 10 on Monday in the season-long ATP Race to Milan, which determines the seven players that qualify for this year's Next Gen ATP Finals at the Allianz Cloud from 10-14 November. He'll jump to No. 9 if he advances to the semi-finals and crack the Top 7 if he reaches his maiden ATP Tour final.

4. Guga Has Taken An Interest
Seyboth Wild first met Gustavo Kuerten at age six and the former No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings has continued to keep an eye on his fellow Brazilian.

Grande @thiagoswild!! Seu desempenho em @rolandgarros foi espetacular. Boa garoto! Parabéns!! 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/XLcxVa9HPw

— Gustavo Kuerten (@gugakuerten) June 8, 2018

5. He's Still In School
Education is important in Seyboth Wild's family. Although his on-court success has prevented him from attending college as his mother had hoped for, he can be found hitting the books when he's not training or competing.

"I'm actually taking online classes at the moment," Seyboth Wild said last November to ATPTour.com. "It helps me keep my focus when I'm on the road for a long time and so I don't waste energy on stuff I shouldn't be."

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Klaasen/Marach Advance In Dubai

Fourth seeds Raven Klaasen/Oliver Marach powered into the semi-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Thursday, scoring the lone break in each set to topple Wesley Koolhof/Nikola Mektic 7-5, 6-4.

They’ll take on qualifiers Henri Kontinen/Jan-Lennard Struff for a place in Saturday’s final. The Finnish-German duo eased past wild cards Matthew Ebden/Leander Paes 6-3, 6-3 in 56 minutes.

Jurgen Melzer/Edouard Roger-Vasselin scored an upset by toppling third seeds Kevin Krawietz/Andreas Mies 6-4, 7-6(1). Next up for them in the semi-finals are John Peers/Michael Venus, who took out top seeds and defending champions Rajeev Ram/Joe Salisbury on Wednesday.

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At the Chile Dove Men+Care Open in Santiago, Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera/Alejandro Tabilo delighted the home crowd with a 1-6, 6-3, 10-8 quarter-final victory against top seeds Marcelo Demoliner/Matwe Middelkoop. They’ll next face Roberto Carballes Baena/Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who defeated third seeds Divij Sharan/Artem Sitak on Wednesday.

Second seeds Marcelo Arevalo/Jonny O’Mara didn’t face a break point in their 7-6(3), 6-3 win over Federico Coria/Juan Ignacio Londero. Awaiting them in the semi-finals are Facundo Bagnis/Pablo Cuevas, who prevailed against fourth seeds Ariel Behar/Gonzalo Escobar 6-3, 6-4.

Top seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal/Robert Farah and second seeds Lukasz Kubot/Marcelo Melo will play their quarter-final matches on Thursday at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC in Acapulco.

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#NextGenATP Seyboth Wild Breaks New Ground In Santiago

#NextGenATP Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild reached his first ATP Tour quarter-final on Thursday, battling past fifth seed Juan Ignacio Londero 7-6(7), 6-4 at the Chile Dove Men+Care Open in Santiago.

Seyboth Wild began the season with one tour-level win, and he now has three in the past two weeks, after reaching the second round at the Rio Open presented by Claro. The 19-year-old will next face top seed Cristian Garin or 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals qualifier Alejandro Davidovich Fokina for a semi-final spot.

The Brazilian was clutch under pressure against Londero, saving all three break points he faced. Seyboth Wild won 86 per cent of his first-serve points to triumph after one hour and 45 minutes. He wasn’t the only player from his country to reach the last eight in Santiago, though.

[WATCH LIVE 3]

Eighth seed Thiago Monteiro ousted Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena 6-1, 6-4 in one hour and 23 minutes to reach his eighth ATP Tour quarter-final and his second of the season (Buenos Aires). Like Seyboth Wild, Monteiro also saved all three break points he faced.

World No. 88 Monteiro will next challenge third seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas or Peruvian lucky loser Juan Pablo Varillas.

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Why Kwon's Match Against Nadal Has Been A Long Time Coming

This time last year, Soonwoo Kwon had never played in an ATP Tour main draw. But the South Korean has now reached four tour-level quarter-finals in consecutive weeks. On Thursday evening, he will face World No. 2 Rafael Nadal in the last eight of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC. The 22-year-old idolises Nadal and Roger Federer, and one of his early goals was to compete in the same events as them.

“I’m really close to playing in the same tournaments as them, so I’m really preparing for that,” Kwon told ATPTour.com last year.

Now, he will try to upset two-time champion Nadal in Acapulco.

Editor's note: Learn more about Kwon, his mindset and his early journey on the ATP Tour in a story written during the New York Open, originally published on 13 February 2020.

* * * * *

South Korean Soonwoo Kwon earned one of the biggest wins of his career on Wednesday evening at the New York Open, battling past former World No. 3 Milos Raonic in three tight sets.

“I had experience against Khachanov and good players, so I was a little bit nervous,” Kwon said about facing Raonic. “But I got many experiences from last year and this year, so it was good. I’m really happy for that.”

Little did the Long Island crowd know how much it took — literally and figuratively — to get there.

First, the literal: Kwon lost last Friday in the quarter-finals of the Tata Open Maharashtra more than 12,000 kilometres away. It took the 22-year-old 30 hours to make the journey to New York via Seoul, South Korea.

“I keep thinking positive. I’m still young, so the time difference doesn’t matter, 30 hours flight,” Kwon said, cracking a laugh. “Yesterday I played a little bit tired against [Go] Soeda, but finally I won, which gave me more confidence.” 

Kwon was in control of his first-round match against Soeda, leading by a set and a break. But he remained calm, and triumphed in a deciding set against the Japanese. Kwon also had an opportunity to close out Raonic in straight sets. Once again, instead of getting overly frustrated, he reset, maintained his composure and ousted the second seed.

“Two years ago he always rushed and and easily got angry on court,” said Kyu Tae Im, Kwon’s coach. “But I didn't push him that much. I was just trying to listen to him about it, then gave him time to change his mind.”

Raonic crushed 33 aces from 96 service points. So more than one third of the Canadian’s service points resulted in a ball whizzing by the South Korean.

“Before the match we made plan for when he returns, because he has a really good serve,” Im said. “Doesn’t matter [if he hits] 30 aces, 40 aces.”

[WATCH LIVE 3]

Im, who watched how Djokovic played Raonic at the Australian Open, wanted Kwon to stick to the game plan: make a lot of his first serves and to work the point from the baseline to try to tire out Raonic so that the Canadian would make fewer first serves. This way, the longer the match went on, the better Kwon’s chances to work his way into return points. Then, he would methodically use his forehand to earn a short ball and move into net to finish off points.

“Kwon is a really smart boy. When we make a plan before the match, he uses all of things during the match. Win or lose, it doesn't matter,” Im said. “I think this shows big trust in each other.”

One year ago, Kwon was No. 235 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. The first week of March, he won his first ATP Challenger Tour title in Yokohama, Japan. Then he began working with Im, and he has been on the rise ever since. Kwon has earned his first eight ATP Tour wins in the past seven months, defeating the likes of former Top 10 players Richard Gasquet and Lucas Pouille.

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Kwon has also pushed seeded players Karen Khachanov and Nikoloz Basilashvili at last year’s Wimbledon and this year’s Australian Open, respectively. So although he didn’t break through in those moments, he was increasingly gaining confidence.

“He had a good talent and potential, but nobody else gave confidence to him,” Im said of when they started their relationship. “They just spoke to him about his weak points. For me, I tried to keep talking with him about his tennis and how he has good groundstrokes, especially being aggressive his forehand. So I tried to, in practice, use his forehand a lot, and also mentally for him to keep staying calm, too.

“When he practises on the tennis court he is always trying to focus on his exercise and using all his energy on court. I think that is his biggest weapon.”

The World No. 84 is putting himself in winning positions. And with confidence, a strong baseline game and a willingness to move forward, Kwon is finding ways to take advantage of those situations.

“It wasn’t that I played poorly,” Raonic said. “I thought he played really well.”

Kwon is into his third ATP Tour quarter-final, and his upset of Raonic gives him an opportunity to face eighth seed Kyle Edmund for a spot in his first tour-level semi-final.

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Djokovic Sweeps Past Khachanov, Still Perfect In 2020

Novak Djokovic confirmed he will remain at No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings on Monday by reaching the semi-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Four-time former titlist Djokovic extended his perfect record to 16-0 in 2020 on Thursday night after beating seventh-seeded Russian Karen Khachanov 6-2, 6-2 in 67 minutes at the Aviation Club.

“I don’t know if I’m playing the best tennis of my career, that’s a big statement, but I’m feeling and playing well,” said Djokovic, who struck 19 winners against Khachanov. “I like the conditions, but in windy conditions it’s not easy to serve and find rhythm. I know it wasn’t Karen’s day, but I think I played a very solid match. I’m trying to be in the present and execute my game plan.”

The Serbian star awaits the winner of third-seeded Gael Monfils or Richard Gasquet, who will contest an all-French clash to conclude day four play. Djokovic leads Monfils 16-0 in their ATP Head2Head series, while he has a 13-1 advantage over Gasquet.

[ATP APP]

Djokovic quickly took apart the powerful Khachanov game, breaking the Russian to love with a devastating forehand return down the line for a 3-1 lead. Clever service and groundstroke placement saw Djokovic put 6’6” Khachanov on the back foot and play reactionary tennis. Djokovic broke for a second time for a 5-1 advantage, but failed to convert one set point in the next game. At the third time of asking, Djokovic sealed with 32-minute set with a deep return off which Khachanov struck a backhand into the net.

Stepping up the court and targeting Khachanov’s backhand reaped dividends for Djokovic in the fourth game of the second set. Djokovic completed his 19th consecutive victory — dating back to last year’s Davis Cup Finals — by giving Khachanov the runaround, resulting in his fourth service break of the pair’s fourth meeting (Djokovic leads 3-1).

Djokovic helped Serbia clinch the inaugural ATP Cup title and his eighth Australian Open crown in January. He has a 39-6 record in Dubai, including title runs in 2009-11 and 2013.

[WATCH LIVE 2]

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How Rafael Nadal can clinch world No 1 spot back from Novak Djokovic this week

Rafael Nadal is in action at the Mexican Open this week while Novak Djokovic is competing at the Dubai Tennis Championships.

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Evans Fights Again To Reach Dubai Semi-finals

Daniel Evans played with great assurance to frustrate Andrey Rublev on Thursday and book a place in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships semi-finals.

The Briton, through to just his fourth ATP Tour semi-final — and his first an ATP 500-level, handed sixth seed Rublev just his third loss of the season with a 6-2, 7-6(9) victory over two hours and 11 minutes.

The 29-year-old, who lost to Rublev at the Adelaide International in January, recovered from 1-3 down in the second set and first served for the match at 5-4. He later saved two set points at 5/6 and 8/9 in the second-set tie-break, and finished the encounter on his third match point.

“I made a mess of some of the match points, especially my service game at 5-4 [in the second set],” said Evans. “I just stayed in there and knew I’d get my chances. I’m very happy with the way I played. Staying calm is the key, also getting the right balance and being aggressive with my feet. I’m happy to come through and I’ll prepare for tomorrow.”

When reaching a tour-level semi-final, Evans has gone on to contest three ATP 250-level finals at 2014 Zagreb, 2017 Sydney and 2019 Delray Beach. The World No. 37, who saved three match points in the deciding set tie-break of his second-round victory over Pierre-Hugues Herbert, will now play second seed and 2019 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas or Jan-Lennard Struff in the Dubai semi-finals on Friday.

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Evans carved up Rublev with his backhand slice and with aggression on his forehand, breaking in the first (forehand winner) and fifth (Rublev forehand error) games of first set to leave his Russian opponent frustrated. Evans completed the 50-minute opener, after coming through a 12-minute service game that included five break points for Rublev, who made a forehand error on Evans’ third set point.

Rublev took a 3-1 lead in the second set, but Evans battled back to win four straight games. However, the tables turned at 5-4 when Evans hit a double fault at 15/15 and followed it up with a forehand error. Rublev’s demeanour quickly changed, and he struck two big forehands to break serve at 30/40. Rublev recovered from 1/3 down in the tie-break, but could not convert set points at 6/5, when he hit a tight backhand, and at 9/8, when Evans struck a forehand winner.

The 22-year-old Rublev is now 16-3 on the season, which includes back-to-back ATP Tour crowns last month at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open (d. Moutet) and in Adelaide (d. Harris).

[WATCH LIVE 2]

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Rafael Nadal pinpoints specific bonus from win over Miomir Kecmanovic in Mexican Open

Rafael Nadal is in action at the Mexican Open ahead of the mini American hard-court swing.

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Video : 3 HUGE Rafael Nadal Forehands In One Match | HOT SHOT | ATP

3 HUGE Rafael Nadal Forehands In One Match | HOT SHOT | ATP
Just RIDICULOUS from Rafa Nadal! Three insane forehands in the one match against Miomir Kecmanovic in Acapulco. SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2dj6EhW WEBSITE: http://www.atptour.com/ FACEBOOK: https://ift.tt/2T3aGl9 TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ATP_Tour INSTAGRAM: https://ift.tt/2IoGZGP RADIO: http://bit.ly/2Dictrm PODCAST: http://bit.ly/2NilRRn About the Official ATP Tour YouTube Channel: Here you will find the latest videos from the ATP Tour, including hot shots, highlights, behind the scenes footage, documentaries and more. The ATP Tour showcases the best of the best, competing in 63 tournaments across 4 surfaces, all to be No. 1. Find all the action from on and off the court right here.

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Dimitrov Saves 2 M.P. In Acapulco Thriller

Grigor Dimitrov leaped over a critical mental hurdle on Wednesday at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, saving two match points to survive Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 6-7(8), 6-2, 7-6(2) in an epic second-round match in Acapulco.

Dimitrov had lost his past four final-set tie-breaks, but drew on memories of third-set tie-break victories in the semi-finals and final of his title run at this event in 2014. The Bulgarian improved to 6-4 this year and moved into his maiden quarter-final of 2020.

”All I had to do was to stay in the match and fight. I don’t know why I have to make it so hard, but it what it is,” Dimitrov said. “The atmosphere here was electric once again. I’m just going to appreciate this moment.”

[ATP APP]

Dimitrov squandered a 4-2 lead in the opening set and held a set point at 8/7 in the first-set tie-break, which Mannarino erased with a forehand volley winner. The Frenchman grabbed the early advantage two points later with an overhead smash.

It appeared that Dimitrov had regained control after cruising through the second set and holding a 4-1 lead in the decider, but Mannarino responded with a four-game run of his own. He held a pair of match points with Dimitrov serving at 4-5, but the Bulgarian erased both with clean hitting.

The match fittingly moved into a final-set tie-break and Dimitrov saved his best tennis for when it mattered most, racing to a 4/0 lead and cracking a backhand winner on match point to end play after two hours and 45 minutes. He improved to 2-0 in his ATP Head2Head series with Mannarino.

Next up for Dimitrov is third-seeded Swiss Stan Wawrinka or Spanish qualifier Pedro Martinez. He trails Wawrinka 4-7 in their ATP Head2Head rivalry.

Top-seeded Spaniard Rafael Nadal closes out the night session on Wednesday against #NextGenATP Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic.

[WATCH LIVE 1]

 

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Rafael Nadal vs Miomir Kecmanovic LIVE stream: How to watch Mexican Open match online

Rafael Nadal and Miomir Kecmanovic meet at the Mexican Open and Express Sport bring you details on how to watch the match.

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Paul Stuns Zverev In Acapulco

American qualifier Tommy Paul scored the biggest win of his career on Wednesday at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, shocking second seed Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals in Acapulco.

”It meant a lot. I was really excited to get out there and play. He put me under pressure in the first game and then from there, I played well for the rest of the match,” Paul said.

The victory is Paul’s first Top 10 win and another milestone in a breakout season for the 22-year-old. He currently sits at a career-high FedEx ATP Ranking of No. 66 after a strong start to the year that includes his first ATP Tour semi-final in Adelaide.

[ATP APP]

Just like in his first-round win on Tuesday against qualifier Jason Jung, Zverev dropped his opening service game and was plagued early on by double faults. The slight advantage was all Paul needed and he cracked a forehand winner on set point to take the early advantage.

Zverev raised his level in the second set and began to assert himself in the baseline rallies. But as the second seed stared down a break point at 4-4, he experienced more serving woes and hit a double fault to hand the break to Paul. The rising American comfortably held serve in the next game to advance after one hour and 29 minutes.

Next up for Paul is fifth seed John Isner, who put on a serving clinic in his 6-3, 7-6(4) win over fellow American Marcos Giron. Isner hammered 28 aces on the day and has hit 50 aces across his first two rounds. He defeated Paul in their lone ATP Head2Head meeting three years ago in Cincinnati.

Kyle Edmund continued his top form by scoring a 6-4, 6-4 upset against fourth-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. The Brit scored the lone break in each set to advance after one hour and 43 minutes. Auger-Aliassime had won nine of his past 11 matches after runner-up showings this month in Rotterdam (l. to Monfils) and Marseille (l. to Tsitsipas).

Edmund is also enjoying a strong run and extended his winning streak to seven matches. He captured his second ATP Tour title two weeks ago in New York (d. Seppi).

“He’s won a lot of matches and he’s seeing the ball big. Like him, I’m on a decent run as well,” Edmund said. “I liked how I created chances in both sets early. Overall, against a Top 20 player, it was a good result. I’m very pleased."

Awaiting him in the quarter-finals is American Taylor Fritz or Frenchman Ugo Humbert. Edmund faced both men last year, falling to Fritz in Eastbourne and defeating Humbert in Marrakech.

[WATCH LIVE 1]

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