Sunday, 31 July 2022

Medvedev On Battle For No. 1: 'For Sure I'm Watching A Little Bit'

Daniil Medvedev returns to action this week at the Abierto de Tenis Mifel in Los Cabos, where the tournament debutant knows he needs to hit the ground running.

Medvedev is the No. 1 player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, but he is under pressure for top spot. Entering the week, he leads World No. 2 Alexander Zverev by just 775 points. The 26-year-old will also be defending 1,000 points next week in Canada at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers.

“For sure I’m watching [the battle for No. 1] a little bit,” Medvedev told ATPTour.com. “Depends also the moment because I know at the end of the year, unless I try to win every tournament that is left, it’s probably going to be Rafa [Nadal] for [year-end No. 1]. But at the same time, I can keep it for quite a long time I feel like if I play good here in the [North American hard-court swing].”

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This will be Medvedev’s 11th week at World No. 1, and he is currently in the midst of his second stint atop men’s tennis’ mountain. But Medvedev is currently sixth in the Pepperstone ATP Race To Turin, which means five players have earned more points than him this season and could threaten for World No. 1 as the year continues.

Although Medvedev is aware of the situation, he does not follow closely enough to know exactly how many points he must win each week to maintain his place. The four-time ATP Masters 1000 champion is more focussed on the matches in front of him.

“I know that the most important is to try to win tournaments, try to win those points,” Medvedev said. “Then you can keep [World No. 1].”

The top seed in Los Cabos will be competing for the first time since the Mallorca Championships in June. What will be the key for him to quickly regain rhythm?

“Tough to say. It’s always different, but for sure winning matches is the most important,” said Medvedev, who will open his tournament against wild card Rodrigo Pacheco Mendez or a qualifier. “Every opponent can be tough so the more matches you win, the more confidence you gain, the more you start feeling your game better, what you have to do better, so that’s what I’m going to try to do here in Los Cabos.”



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Kokkinakis & Kyrgios Do Double Duty For Atlanta Doubles Title

Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios did double duty in doubles Sunday to win the Atlanta Open.

The Australians, who are known as the “Special Ks”, won their semi-final and final in the span of seven hours to emerge victorious at the ATP 250. After battling past Americans Rajeev Ram and Jack Sock earlier in the day, they defeated fellow Aussies Jason Kubler and John Peers 7-6(4), 7-5 to lift the trophy.

"Obviously Atlanta is a special place. Won the singles title here [in 2016] and now the doubles. Crowd's amazing and it was a new experience playing two matches in one day as well for a title," Kyrgios said. "Me and Kokky were pretty resilient and obviously no singles this week, but confidence is at an all-time high in doubles."

Kokkinakis and Kyrgios, who triumphed at the Australian Open together at the beginning of the season, are now 13-2 as a team in 2022. They combined for 15 aces in the final and saved all four break points they faced against Kubler and Peers to claim the crown.

"Stoked to have won the Atlanta doubles title with Nick. It's always a pleasure playing with him. Second title for the year and I think we're getting better. It's been a great week here, a good way to start off the [American] summer in Atlanta for the US Open and hopefully we can keep it rolling.

It was the first all-Australian doubles final on the ATP Tour since Tood Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde defeated Wayne Arthurs and Sandon Stolle for the Hamburg trophy in 2000.

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Another Australian, Alex de Minaur, claimed the singles title earlier in the evening. The last time Australians swept the singles and doubles crowns at a tour-level event was Bogota in 2014 when Bernard Tomic emerged victorious in singles and Sam Groth and Chris Guccione triumphed in doubles.



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After 3 Surgeries & 21 Months, Edmund Ready For Singles Return

It’s a long way from the hallowed lawns of Wimbledon to the qualifying rounds of the ATP Challenger Tour stop in Winnipeg, Canada. But after three knee surgeries and almost two years away from the world of professional tennis, Kyle Edmund is just happy to be back on court, anywhere, anytime.

This week the former World No. 14 Brit will play his first tour-level singles match since October 2020 in Vienna, when he suits up at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C.

“It’s extremely rewarding to be back,” the 27-year-old said. “There were long periods when I couldn’t see when I would be back. There were times when there was no progression, no improvement. But I was willing to exhaust all avenues to get back. I didn’t pick up a racquet for five or six months. I just wanted to play tennis.”

Edmund eased his way back into tour life by playing mixed doubles at Wimbledon in June. He said that being back around his peers and getting a feel again for the environment of pro tennis was a blessing.

“I needed it, it had been such a long time,” Edmund said of his return at the All England Club. “To get a feel for it again, the match-day preparation and to feel those nerves again.

“Then playing the Challenger… it was just about being back out on the singles court. I didn’t care where I played. It was my first singles match in such a long time. It wasn’t about the results, it was about playing a match and learning where I was at. It was a big tick box. I played three matches in a week and came away with some wins, so that was a bonus. Lots of positives to take away.”

Kyle Edmund
Kyle Edmund won the 2020 New York Open.

Edmund began to notice pain in his left knee in 2018 but played through it until November 2020 when he decided to go under the knife, never contemplating that would be the first of three surgeries (also March 2021 and May 2022) that would sideline him from singles action for 20 months. “The fact that it took three surgeries showed it was complicated and not something that was easily fixed,” he said.

Edmund’s countryman Andy Murray, who knows a thing or two about comebacks after returning to the ATP Tour with a metal hip, was asked Saturday at the Citi Open about the various physical and mental challenges Edmund would confront.

“I think one of the hardest things is when you've been injured for a while is to push yourself hard enough in practice to test your body and to prepare your body to play matches because you don't want to injure yourself in practice,” Murray said about striking the right balance. “You sort of can go back into match play a little bit undercooked as well because you've just not been pushing your body hard enough in the practices.”

Murray also spoke of the need to remain patient and focussed on long-term goals rather than the win-loss count in the early weeks of a comeback. Edmund says that much wisdom can be found in Murray’s words, noting that knowing just how hard to push on the practice court can be difficult.

“You’ve got to be realistic after so much time off. You can’t kill it every day,” said Edmund, who has a protected Pepperstone ATP Ranking of 48.. “But this is the top of the men’s game and you can’t really hold back.

“For me I only wanted to go back to the match court when I felt I could be as ready as I could be. I know my early matches won’t be perfect, but I need to go out and test the waters.”

Kyle Edmund
Kyle Edmund defeated Gael Monfils in Antwerp in 2018 to claim his first ATP Tour title.

Limited by what he could do physically during his enforced break, Edmund bought himself a camera and spent time photographing everyday life near his home, including trees and birds. He also taught himself basic photo editing to enhance his images.

His new-found hobby was an escape from the mundane rehab regimen, which he admitted did take its toll mentally. “There was nothing to do when you woke up. I didn’t enjoy that side of it,” he said. But the winner of 117 tour-level matches and two titles Antwerp (2018) and New York (2020), drew inspiration from Murray’s own comeback from two hip surgeries.

“When you see what Andy has gone through with his various surgeries and time out you can see how he had to work extremely hard to get back and go through quite a bit of pain. I found with this type of injury you had to have so much self-motivation, because you could just pack it in when you are out for 20 months and three surgeries. If you don’t want it, don’t bother with the hard work. The reward is being back on the court and enjoying it as much as I can.

“It showed me that I loved the game. If I didn’t love it, it would have been easy to walk away. There were plenty of opportunities to do that.”

Choosing not to play qualifying at ATP Masters 1000 events in Montreal and Cincinnati, this week’s ATP 500 in Washington will be his biggest event leading into the US Open. (He will also play another Challenger and the Winston-Salem Open.) So what does success look like in coming weeks?

“To come away from the trip feeling that I didn’t have many down days physically,” Edmund said. “I can deal with playing bad tennis, but physically it would be nice to say I played five tournaments in eight weeks, the knee was tested and it responded well. I’d be happy with that.

“Naturally I’d want some results thrown in there, but this stint isn’t too much about results. I can’t get results if I’m not consistently on the tour.”



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Back In The Winners' Circle! De Minaur Defeats Brooksby For Atlanta Title

Alex de Minaur is back in the winners’ circle in Atlanta.

Three years after triumphing at the Atlanta Open for the first time, the Australian defeated American Jenson Brooksby 6-3, 6-3 on Sunday to lift the trophy at the ATP 250 for the second time. It is the 23-year-old’s first triumph since last June in Eastbourne and his sixth ATP Tour title overall.

“I’d like to thank the crowd,” De Minaur said during the trophy ceremony. “You guys were amazing. I’m not a local, but you guys sure made me feel like one, so really appreciate the support.”

It was not an easy week for De Minaur, who rallied from a set down in the quarter-finals and the semi-finals. But the Australian always persevered when under pressure to win his second title at a tour-level event for the first time.

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The championship match provided a clash between two of the ATP Tour’s best defenders, both of whom are known for their flat groundstrokes and gritty play. However, it was De Minaur’s offence that proved critical as he clawed past the home favourite after one hour and 31 minutes.

De Minaur faced pressure in his second service game, saving two break points by moving forward and punching away crisp forehand volleys. From there, the Australian seemed in control of the match.

Brooksby worked hard to recover from a break down early in the second set, but he was unable to ride that momentum further. De Minaur's combination of dogged defence and timely offence in windy conditions took the legs out of the home favourite's game, which allowed the 23-year-old to finish the job. Critically, De Minaur saved four of the five break points he faced while also converting all four chances he earned. 

Brooksby was trying to secure his first ATP Tour title in his third final. In his first two championship matches, the American lost against big servers in Kevin Anderson and Reilly Opelka (2021 Newport and 2022 Dallas).

“I’m excited on the path we’re on heading into the future and just looking forward to what’s ahead,” Brooksby said.



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Steely Sinner Rallies Past Alcaraz To Umag Crown

It may have been a long time coming, but Jannik Sinner has an ATP Tour title in 2022.

The Italian prevailed in a heavyweight #NextGenATP championship match clash against Carlos Alcaraz 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-1 victory at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag on Sunday.

Sinner has been one of the most consistent players on Tour this season and had reached six tour-level quarter-finals in 2022 prior to the clay-court ATP 250 event this week in Umag. The second seed had to be at his resilient best against Alcaraz, especially after the Spaniard had clinched a tight opening set in a tie-break. Yet the Italian began to dictate the baseline exchanges and saved nine from nine break points to complete a two-hour, 26-minute victory.

“I am obviously very happy,” said Sinner after the match. “I have [had] a tough year until now, I had some unfortunate moments, but we worked every time to play better, to be a better player, to be a better person. So, I’m very happy to be finally lifting a trophy this year, but I know that I still have a lot of things to improve… It’s all about the process.”

The win was Sinner's second against Alcaraz in four weeks, after the Italian was a four-set winner in the pair's fourth-round clash at Wimbledon.

A vital hold of serve in the second game of the second set was crucial to Sinner’s victory. The Italian fended off six break points to frustrate Alcaraz, going on to break the Spaniard’s serve immediately in the next game.

“That was a crucial point [of the match],” said Sinner. “I knew I had to stay there. He made some unforced errors, and I was very happy that I won this game. Then I returned well and raised my level a little bit, and I think I found a solution then.”

The match was the third tour-level meeting in a burgeoning rivalry between two of the ATP Tour’s brightest young stars, and the opening set lived up to the billing as both players produced some clean hitting and electric movement along the baseline. It was Alcaraz who made his move in the tie-break, which he led 5/1 before converting his third set point after a stunning defensive forehand forced Sinner to net a tricky half-volley.

Once Sinner had resisted the Alcaraz charge to hold his serve and level at 1-1 in the second set, however, the Italian took centre stage. Sinner was a constant threat in return games and he broke Alcaraz’s serve five times across the second and third sets to move into a 2-1 lead in the pair’s ATP Head2Head series.

Before this final, Sinner's six previous ATP Tour championship matches had come on hard courts. His triumph in Umag is the World No. 10’s sixth title, and the victory against Alcaraz improved Sinner’s record against Spanish players in 2022 to 8-0.

It was Alcaraz’s second championship match loss in as many weeks after he fell to Lorenzo Musetti in Hamburg last Sunday. Despite the disappointment of defeat, the Spaniard’s run in Umag this week to a Tour-leading sixth final of the year will lift him above Stefanos Tsitsipas to a career-high No. 4 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings on Monday.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]



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Scouting Report: Rublev & Kyrgios Headline Washington, Medvedev Returns In Los Cabos

All of this week's action will be on North American hard courts with an ATP 500 event in Washington and an ATP 250 in Los Cabos.

Andrey Rublev is the top seed at the Citi Open, where other players include 2019 champion Nick Kyrgios and former World No. 1 Andy MurrayDaniil Medvedev, the current No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, returns to action at the Abierto de Tenis Mifel. ATPTour.com looks at what you should watch at each event.

View Draws: Washington | Los Cabos

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FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN WASHINGTON
1) Rublev Top Seed:
The top seed in the United States' capital, Rublev will try to claim his fourth ATP Tour title of the season. The 24-year-old, who has already triumphed in Marseille, Dubai and Belgrade this year, is no stranger to Washington. Rublev advanced to the semi-finals at the ATP 500 in 2018 as a 20-year-old. He will try to improve his 32-11 season record when he faces #NextGenATP Briton Jack Draper or American wild card Stefan Kozlov in the first round.

2) Fritz & Opelka Lead American Charge: The top two Americans in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Taylor Fritz and Reilly Opelka, lead a strong contingent from their country at the Citi Open, where they are seeded third and fourth, respectively. Fritz has enjoyed the best season of his career, winning his first ATP Masters 1000 title at the BNP Paribas Open, and he is ninth in the Pepperstone ATP Race To Turin as he tries to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time. Opelka, a champion in Dallas and Houston this year, could face countryman and close friend Tommy Paul, the 14th seed, in the third round.

Other Americans to watch include 13th seed Maxime Cressy, the recent Newport titlist, who is seeded to face Rublev in the third round. Frances Tiafoe, who will have the local support because he is from nearby Maryland, is the 10th seed.

3) Nick Back For More: One of the best runs of Kyrgios’ career came in 2019 at the Citi Open, where he defeated Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas in back-to-back matches to claim his second ATP 500 trophy. In his first singles appearance since reaching the Wimbledon final — he withdrew from singles in Atlanta due a left knee injury — Kyrgios will try to emerge victorious again in Washington. The Australian will open against American Marcos Giron, with the winner playing Paul in the second round.

4) Murray On The March: At the start of the season, Murray was No. 134 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. On Monday, he will be World No. 50 and eager to climb higher with a good performance in Washington. The former World No. 1 owns a 7-2 record at the Citi Open, where he advanced to the final in 2006 and made the quarter-finals in 2018, his most recent appearance. Murray, who has made finals this year in Sydney and Stuttgart, will face Swede Mikael Ymer in the first round, with the winner facing 15th seed Aslan Karatsev.

Andy Murray
Photo Credit: Richard Kessler/Citi Open
5) Star-Studded Doubles Field: The top seeds in the Washington doubles draw are Rajeev Ram and Horacio Zeballos, who will play together for the second time after losing in the first round at Roland Garros in 2015. The field is loaded with talent, with unseeded teams including 2019 year-end No. 1s Juan Sebastian Cabal/Robert Farah, 2016 year-end No. 1s Jamie Murray/Bruno Soares, Nick Kyrgios/Jack Sock and Nicolas Mahut/Edouard Roger-Vasselin. The second seeds, Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski, have won five titles together this year and lead the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Team Rankings.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN LOS CABOS
1) Medvedev Back In Action: World No. 1 Medvedev will compete for the first time since June in Mallorca when he takes to the court in Los Cabos, where he is making his debut. The 26-year-old will try to earn his first ATP Tour title of the season having already reached three finals, including one at the Australian Open. Medvedev will be happy to be back on hard courts, on which he has lifted 12 of his 13 tour-level trophies. He opens his tournament in Mexico against wild card Rodrigo Pacheco Mendez or a qualifier.

2) Felix Seeded Second: Medvedev is not the only Top 10 player in the draw, as Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime is seeded second. Another debutant, Auger-Aliassime will try to snap a three-match losing streak when he faces Australian John Millman or Mexican wild card Alex Hernandez in the second round. The 21-year-old has shown great consistency this year, reaching nine quarter-finals and helping his country to the ATP Cup trophy in January.

3) Norrie Defending Champion: Cameron Norrie has taken the ATP Tour by storm over the past year, and it all started in Los Cabos. In 2021, the British lefty began his week at the ATP 250 without a title to his name. After lifting the trophy, he claimed an ATP Masters 1000 crown at Indian Wells, competed in the Nitto ATP Finals, cracked the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings this April and clawed into his first major semi-final at Wimbledon. Norrie returns to Los Cabos to defend his title as the third seed. He will play #NextGenATP Chun-hsin Tseng or a qualifier in the second round.

Cameron Norrie
Photo Credit: Abierto Los Cabos
4) Nakashima Rising: #NextGenATP American Brandon Nakashima advanced to his first tour-level championship match in Los Cabos last year and will try to secure his maiden crown at the same event this week. The 20-year-old, who turns 21 Wednesday, is eighth in the Pepperstone ATP Race To Milan and is trying to qualify for the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals for the second consecutive year. Nakashima, the sixth seed in Los Cabos, will play a qualifier in the first round.

5) Wimbledon Champs Headline Doubles Field: Australians Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell headline the Los Cabos doubles draw in their second tournament together since winning Wimbledon. The second seeds will try to bounce back after a quarter-final loss in Atlanta against countrymen Jason Kubler and John Peers. The top seeds in Los Cabos are Santiago Gonzalez and Andres Molteni, who have earned four ATP Tour titles together in the past 10 months.



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Saturday, 30 July 2022

Emma Raducanu picks her favourite box sets and US Open theme continues ahead of return



EMMA RADUCANU showed that she had always had a soft spot for New York, even before winning the US Open.

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Bolelli/Fognini Save 8 MPs To Win Umag TItle In 'Craziest Match'

Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini saved two matchs point on serve at 5-6 in the second set of Saturday's Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag final — but the Italian heroics were just getting started after their 13th break-point save.

The top seeds trailed Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara 0/6 in the second-set tie-break, but stormed back with a miraculous eight straight points for force a Match Tie-break. The Italians stretched that run to 12 points to open up a 4/0 lead in the decider en route to a scarcely believable 5-7, 7-6(6), 10-7 victory.

"This is maybe the craziest match ever," Bolelli said after winning his second Umag title with Fognini. "We were down 0/6 in the second tie-break. We were just playing. The guys missed some [shots] but we played good. We tried to stay focussed in the Match Tie-break.

"Tennis is like this; doubles is crazy sometimes. But I am very happy for this victory and my second title here in Umag with Fabio."

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The familiar pairing claimed its second title of 2022 (Rio de Janeiro) and fifth overall, improving to 106-57 at tour-level and 24-6 on the year.

"We are really happy for sure about this victory," Fognini added. "Crazy, an incredible match. Six match points [in the tie-break]. Well, that's the sport. Thank you Simone for letting me enjoy another time this great title here in Umag after 11 years."

Glasspool/Heliovaara were denied their second title of the season (Hamburg) in their fifth final.

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Comeback Kid: De Minaur Returns To Atlanta Final

Alex de Minaur battled back from a set down for his second consecutive match on Friday at the Atlanta Open to reach his second final at the ATP 250 event. The third seed dominated the final two sets in a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 victory against Ilya Ivashka, repeating the formula he used in his quarter-final win against Adrian Mannarino one day prior.

"I just found a way to get through," De Minaur said. "It wasn't an ideal start but these things happen. You adapt, you move on and try to do the best that you can."

The Aussie let an 0-3 lead slip in the opening set, with Ivashka surging to the opening set after a lengthy rain delay at 5-5. De Minaur then fought off two break points to open the second set as he began to reassert himself with his steady baseline game. He again erased a pair of break points to start the deciding set before his pressure told.

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De Minaur broke serve on five of seven chances, doing his damage with a 62 per cent win rate on second-serve return points.

The 2019 champion has enjoyed strong support all week in Atlanta, but is not expecting to be the crowd favourite in the final against the winner of the all-American semi-final between Frances Tiafoe and Jenson Brooksby.

"It's going to be a fun match," De Minaur said. "I feel like I might not have the crowd on my side tomorrow since I'm playing an American. But I'm looking forward to [the final]."

By improving to 8-1 in Atlanta, the Aussie is through to his first tour-level final of 2022 after three previous semi-final runs. He is seeking his sixth title and his first since winning Eastbourne last June.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]



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Murray's Ukrainian Relief Efforts Get Boost At Citi Open

Andy Murray’s campaign to help the children of war-ravaged Ukraine was boosted Saturday when Citi Open Chairman Mark Ein pledged to match the Scot’s prize money donation from next week’s ATP 500 tournament in Washington, D.C. A winner of 46 tour-level titles, Murray also took the opportunity to speak about Ukraine with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who visited the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center.

Murray, a father of four and ambassador for Unicef U.K., has been donating 100 per cent of his prize money since the beginning of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells in March, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. That amounts to more than US$300,000 in donations and he has pledged to keep doing so throughout the end of the season.

“That really inspired us and we’re announcing today that whatever Andy makes here and donates to UNICEF, we're going to match it,” Ein said. “We're also going to create a fan portal called Match Ukraine, where fans can get involved. They can give by the match. They can be part of Andy's journey. In fact, we'll extend it through the year. People can be part of Andy's mission here to make a real difference in something in the world that's horrible and really deserves all of our support.”

Murray could earn another $342,800 should he win next week’s tournament, which would then be matched by the Mark and Sally Ein Foundation and the Citi Open.

Murray, a 14-time ATP Masters 1000 champion, told reporters Saturday that as the war dragged on, it was important to keep driving awareness and fundraising efforts, and thanked Ein and the Citi Open for the matching donation for his efforts next week.

“It’s brilliant. Thanks a lot to Mark and all the team here for supporting that. It shows that when the players and the tournaments work together, that really good things can happen. Hopefully I can have a good run and lots of the fans can get involved, too, raise a lot of money this week.

“You can't just forget about this. It's still going on. People are still getting killed, children are still having to flee their homes, and are in really, really tragic situations. It's important that the media continues to shine a light on it, keep talking about it.”

Murray is making his fourth appearance at the Citi Open. He reached the final on debut in 2006 (l. Clement) and in his most recent outing in 2018 he reached the quarter-finals after an epic third-set tie-break win over Marius Copil than concluded after 3 a.m.

The World No. 50 opens his 2022 campaign against Swede Mikael Ymer.



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Rafael Nadal could face £8m lawsuit after Roger Federer-type tour plan was abandoned



RAFAEL NADAL and his agent Carlos Costa could face legal action.

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Sinner Sets Dream Final Against Alcaraz In Umag

Four weeks after their four-set Wimbledon showdown, #NextGenATP stars Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will meet again in Sunday's final at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag. Sinner set up the showdown with a 6-1, 6-3 win against qualifier Franco Agamenone on Saturday evening, after Alcaraz won a three-setter against Giulio Zeppieri.

The championship match will be the third ATP Head2Head meeting between Umag's top seeds, with the Spaniard winning their first encounter last November at the Rolex Paris Masters. The pair also met on the ATP Challenger Tour in 2019, when Alcaraz claimed a three-set win on the clay of Alicante.

"The final is very tough. Everyone was expecting that [matchup]." Sinner said in his on-court interview. "Today I played quite well. Also Carlos is playing well. I'll try to play some good tennis. I have to raise my level if I want to win, so I will try to prepare in the best possible way."

Sinner's 6-1, 6-4, 6-7(8), 6-3 win against Alcaraz at Wimbledon was a thrilling encounter between two of the hottest prospects on the ATP Tour. The two youngsters’ transitions from talented juniors to Top 10 stars have been remarkably similar, with both triumphing at the season-ending Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals (Sinner in 2019, Alcaraz in 2021) and both having clinched five ATP Tour titles at a tender age.

Sinner claimed four of his tour-level crowns in a standout 2021 and Alcaraz has matched that tally this year with wins in Rio de Janeiro, Miami, Barcelona and Madrid. Those successes have lifted No. 5 Alcaraz above No. 10 Sinner in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, but despite being yet to pick up a trophy in 2022 Sinner’s form has remained consistent — the Italian holds a 34-9 match record this season and had reached six tour-level quarter-finals prior to this week in Umag.

“I played against him a couple of times," said Alcaraz of Sinner on Saturday. "Tough matches against him. I know that I have to play my best to beat him and I will try to go for the final and show my best tomorrow.”

[FOLLOW ACTION]

In Saturday's semi-final against Agamenone, Sinner raced to a 5-0 lead in the opening set, saving an early break point as he used his baseline superiority to build the advantage against his countryman. He used a four-game run from 1-2 in the second set to move to the brink of victory before Agamenone claimed his first break of the match to extend the contest. Undeterred, Sinner closed out the victory with his fifth break.  

"I tried to play well in the important moments and the beginning of the sets," Sinner said. "I'm very happy to be in the final. Umag is a special place for me. It's [where I had] one of my first ATP [match] wins. So I really enjoy to play here."

Sinner is through to his eighth ATP Tour final and enters with a stellar 6-1 record in his previous title matches. Alcaraz was a perfect 5-0 in finals before his defeat to Lorenzo Musetti last week in Hamburg. The defending Umag champion is 8-0 at the Croatian ATP 250 event.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]



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Martinez/Sonego Upset Puetz/Venus To Clinch Kitzbühel Crown

Pedro Martinez and Lorenzo Sonego may have done things the hard way this week at the Generali Open, but the unseeded duo’s nerves held to the very end as they lifted a first ATP Tour title together in Kitzbühel.

Martinez and Sonego defeated top seeds Tim Puetz and Michael Venus 5-7, 6-4, 10-8 in a dramatic championship match in Austria, their second Match Tie-break victory of the week. Martinez and Sonego’s other two victories at the clay-court ATP 250 event each required two tie-break sets.

“I’m really happy because I played with a friend and that is really nice,” said Sonego. “I expected nothing from my doubles, but I really enjoyed every moment on court with Pedro. He played so well, and we could do something good in the future.”

[ATP APP]

Sonego and Martinez led 4-1 early in the Austrian Alps, but Puetz and Venus showed their experience to roar back to claim the first set and place their unseeded opponents under pressure. Yet Martinez and Sonego held firm for a one-hour, 58-minute victory having saved six from eight break points they faced.

“We are both good fighters,” said Martinez. “After having a lot of chances in the first set, we had two opportunities to get a double break and we couldn’t do it. We had to keep believing we could win the match. In doubles, anything can happen.

“I’m happy to play with Lorenzo, we enjoy it a lot on the court and we are happy to get the win.”

Martinez and Sonego first teamed at the Miami Open presented by Itau in March, and the duo now holds a 6-2 match record for 2022. The victory in Kitzbühel is Martinez’s first ATP Tour doubles title and Sonego’s second, after the Italian triumphed in Cagliari in 2021 alongside Andrea Vavassori.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]



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Novak Djokovic 'preparing' for US Open as Joe Biden under pressure to let Serb play



NOVAK DJOKOVIC could run into trouble if he tries to enter the USA, due to his vaccination status.

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Emma Raducanu forced to change phone number multiple times as Brit prepares for US Open



EMMA RADUCANU is gearing up to return to the US Open for her title defence.

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Friday, 29 July 2022

Top Seeds Bolelli/Fognini Advance To Umag Final

Spurred on by strong Italian support on Friday at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag, top seeds Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini advanced to the final at the ATP 250 event.

The Italians earned a 6-0, 7-6(5) win against Francisco Cabral and Tomislav Brkic to reach their fourth tour-level final of the season. Seeking their seventh title as a team, Bolelli/Fognini saved all six break points against them while converting on three of seven break chances.

The 2022 Sydney and Bastad champions will face Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara in the final after the British/Finnish pair knocked off second seeds Rafael Matos and David Vega Hernandez 6-1, 5-7, 10-8. The second seeds are bidding for their third title as a team and second this season (Hamburg).

[ATP APP]

Kitzbühel Final Set
Both semi-finals at the Generali Open required two tie-break sets. Top seeds Tim Puetz and Michael Venus earned a 7-6(6), 7-6(0) win against third seeds Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies, while Pedro Martinez and Lorenzo Sonego were 7-6(9), 7-6(2) winners against Robin Haase and Philipp Oswald.

Puetz/Venus have not dropped a set en route to Saturday's final. By contrast, Martinez/Sonego have been living on the edge all week. Just as in the semi-final, they won their opening match in a pair of tie-break sets before surviving a Match Tie-break in the quarter-finals.



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#NextGenATP Misolic's Final Dream Held Up By Kitzbühel Rain

Filip Misolic's fairytale run towards a maiden ATP Tour final was put on a tantalizing hold by rain after a dramatic day at the Generali Open in Kitzbühel.

The #NextGenATP Austrian played the best part of six sets in front of a raucous home crowd on Friday, engineering two remarkable comebacks to move to within six points of the final in his first tour-level tournament at the clay-court ATP 250 event.

The wild card led Yannick Hanfmann 6-2, 2-6, 6-6 (1/0) when heavy rain brought play to a close just as the deciding-set tie-break started in the Austrian Alps. Misolic had trailed 2020 finalist Hanfmann 1-4 in the third set before rallying, and the pair will return on Saturday to complete their first ATP Head2Head meeting.

The winner is then set to face Roberto Bautista Agut in the championship match, after the third seed defeated Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 7-6(3) to reach his third tour-level final of the year.

Misolic had begun the day with a tense 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 win against Dusan Lajovic in a quarter-final clash delayed from Thursday due to rain. The home favourite recovered a 2-6, 3-5 deficit to upset the former World No. 23, with his exciting brand of shotmaking frequently bringing the passionate home crowd to their feet.

Prior to his quarter-final win against Lajovic, Misolic had prevailed against Daniel Dutra da Silva and then Pablo Andujar in Kitzbühel. The World No. 205, who was born in Austria to Croatian parents, has shown good form on the clay already this year, lifting his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title on the surface in Zagreb in May.

Misolic and Hanfmann’s cliffhanger clash is the second meeting between the pair in the space of 12 days, after the German was a 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-0 winner in the first round of qualifying for last week’s EFG Swiss Open Gstaad.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]



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De Minaur Beats The Heat In 'Hotlanta'

After beginning his Atlanta Open campaign with an evening win against countryman James Duckworth, Aussie Alex de Minaur played his first match under the hot Georgia sun in Friday's quarter-finals.

The second seed outlasted French qualifier Adrian Mannarino 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 to book his fourth semi-final showing of the 2022 season. 

"It's not called Hotlanta for nothing, that's for sure," De Minaur said post-match. "It's definitely a hot one today. I had to absolutely battle, but jeez it feels good to get on top in these types of matches.

"Very proud of myself, very proud of my attitude. I didn't give in and managed to fight until the end. I'm happy to live another day."

[ATP APP]

The 23-year-old survived two tough service games to open the second set, battling through four deuces in the opening game and erasing two break points to lead 2-1. From 3-3, he raced through the finish line by taking the match's final nine games against a tiring opponent who was playing his fifth match of the week.

De Minaur won the 2019 Atlanta title and will seek his first final of 2022 against Ilya Ivashka on Saturday. Ivaskha also went the distance on Saturday to defeat fifth seed Tommy Paul 6-2, 3-6, 6-1. The 28-year-old is through to his first semi-final of the season and the fifth of his tour-level career.

The bottom half of the Atlanta singles draw features four Americans. Frances Tiafoe is set to take on Brandon Nakashima before six-time champion John Isner faces Jenson Brooksby in the evening session.



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Alcaraz Rides Hot Start Into Umag SFs

Carlos Alcaraz continued his maiden ATP Tour title defense in style on Friday at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag, where he powered past Facundo Bagnis 6-0, 6-4 to reach his seventh semi-final of the season.

Having started the week at a career-high of No. 5 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, the 19-year-old has moved onto the heels of World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings. He will move past the Greek with a win against Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri in Saturday's semi-finals.

"It means a lot to be able to [reach] the No. 4 ranking, to have a chance to do it," Alcaraz said post-match. "It's amazing for me. I think I'm playing really well. I feel really comfortable playing here, a lot of confidence right now."

[ATP APP]

The Spaniard overwhelmed Bagnis as he won the first eight games of the contest before the Argentine got on the board with a battling hold. The World No. 120 worked his way into the match from there, getting to 30/30 in Alcaraz's final three service games and creating his lone break point as the Spaniard served out the match.

But after his dominant start, Alcaraz did just enough to maintain his early break advantage and close out the match in the second set. With the win, Alcaraz improved to 26-3 on clay this season and 7-1 in quarter-finals, his lone loss coming against Alexander Zverev at Roland Garros.

[FOLLOW ACTION]

After dismissing the left-handed Bagnis, he will face another lefty in Zeppieri, who earned a 7-5, 6-4 victory against Bernabe Zapata Miralles earlier on Friday. It was the first straight-sets win of the week for the #NextGenATP Italian, who won four three-setters (including three from a set down) across qualifying and main-draw play to reach the quarter-finals.

"It's not usual to play against left-handed players, but of course it's preparation for the next round," Alcaraz said. "It's going to be a really tough round. I have nightmares with Italian players, but I'm trying to show my best and I'll try to [reach] the final," he added, alluding to his Grand Slam defeats to Matteo Berrettini and Jannik Sinner this season.

A marquee final between Alcaraz and second seed Sinner remains on the cards, with the Italian set to face countryman Franco Agamenone in Saturday's semi-finals. Sinner was a 6-4, 7-6(5) winner against Roberto Carballes Baena in the quarter-finals.

With Umag's proximity to Italy, the Italian players have enjoyed great support all week in Croatia.



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Thursday, 28 July 2022

Emma Raducanu shares 'starstruck' encounters with the Queen and Kate Middleton



EMMA RADUCANU admitted her encounters with the Royal Family had been a pinch-me moment.

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ATP 50: 10 Unforgettable Hot Shots In ATP History



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Glasspool/Heliovaara March On In Umag

Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara continued their productive summer on the European clay as the British-Finnish pairing cruised to the semi-finals at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag on Thursday.

The third seeds broke the serve of wild card pairing Mili Poljicak and Nino Serdarusic twice in each set to clinch a 6-3, 6-3 victory that extended their winning streak to six after they clinched a maiden ATP Tour title in Hamburg last week. Glasspool and Heliovaara will bid to keep that run going at the ATP 250 clay-court event in Croatia in a semi-final showdown against second seeds Rafael Matos and David Vega Hernandez.

Top seeds Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini also advanced on Thursday but were made to work hard before they prevailed 7-6, 6-7(6), 10-7 against Antonio Sancic and Franko Skugor. Bolelli and Fognini’s semi-final opponents will be Gstaad champions Tomislav Brkic and Francisco Cabral, who saw off Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow, 6-4, 7-5.

[FOLLOW ACTION]

Kubler/Peers Win All-Aussie Clash
At the Atlanta Open, Jason Kubler and John Peers upset Wimbledon champions Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell 4-6, 7-6(0), 10-6 to book a semi-final spot at the ATP 250 hard-court event.

Fourth seeds Ebden and Purcell saved all five break points they faced in the quarter-final encounter, but Kubler and Peers held their nerve in the second-set tie-break and then the Match Tie-break to secure a one-hour, 40-minute victory.

[ATP APP]

Haase/Oswald Ease Through In Kitzbühel
Robin Haase and Philipp Oswald’s good form on the Alpine clay continued at the Generali Open in Kitzbühel, where the Dutch-Austrian pairing triumphed 6-4, 6-3 against Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul on Thursday to book a spot in the semi-finals.

Haase and Oswald reached the final in Gstaad last week, and the unseeded duo will now face Pedro Martinez and Lorenzo Sonego as they chase back-to-back Tour finals. Martinez and Sonego defeated home favourites Neil Oberleitner and Jurij Rodionov, 6-4, 3-6, 11-9.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]



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Wednesday, 27 July 2022

BBC may face Wimbledon grumbles after already being made to regret one Sue Barker decision



SUE BARKER has presented her final Wimbledon for the BBC.

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Matos/Vega Hernandez Reach Umag SFs

Second seeds Rafael Matos and David Vega Hernandez used a pair of late-set charges to secure a quarter-final victory on Wednesday at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag. The Brazilian-Spanish pairing earned a 6-4, 7-5 result against Nicolas Barrientos and Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela behind breaks of serve in the penultimate game of each set.

The pair was broken just once in the match, at 4-3 in the opening set, but an instant response restored the break advantage. They did not face a break point in the second set.

[ATP APP]

Matos and Vega Hernandez saved a match point in their opening-round victory against Albano Olivetti and Fernando Romboli but avoided any such drama in the quarter-finals. The lone team through to the semi-finals in Umag, they await the winner of the matchup pitting third seeds Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara against Mili Poljicak and Nino Serdarusic.

In second-round action, Tomislav Brkic and Francisco Cabral upset fourth seeds Andrey Golubev and Maximo Gonzalez 6-4, 7-6(3), while the Croatian team of Antonio Sancic and Franko Skugor downed Slovakians Alex Molcan and Igor Zelenay 4-6, 7-6(4), 10-3.

Krawietz/Mies March On In Kitzbühel
Two-time Roland Garros champions Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies earned a 6-4, 6-1 victory against Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski to reach the semi-finals at the Generali Open. Champions in Barcelona and Munich this season, the Germans are seeking a third title of 2022.

The third seeds will take on top seeds Tim Puetz and Michael Venus for a place in the final.

[FOLLOW ACTION]

Top Seeds Upset In Atlanta
Austin Krajicek and Ivan Dodig fell victim to a first-round upset at the Atlanta Open on Wednesday, as Andres Molteni and Santiago Gonzalez scored a 6-3, 7-6(1) win at the ATP 250.

Reigning Australian Open champions Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios will close out the evening session on the Atlanta stadium court against Gonzalo Escobar and Hunter Reese.



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Emma Raducanu hires new Russian coach for US Open defence who 'likes acting like an idiot'



EMMA RADUCANU has brought in a new coach who has admitted he likes to bring some unconvential tactics to the tennis court.

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Shania Twain Congratulates Casper Ruud On Gstaad Title: Inside The Story

When ATP Tour titlists celebrate their championships, they often pose for a series of photos with their team, family and friends. On Sunday, Casper Ruud added global music icon Shania Twain to his list.

Twain, a country music legend, started a flurry of discussion on social media Monday when she posted a photo of herself on court with Ruud following the Norwegian's triumph in the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad final.

“Spent my Sunday watching Casper Ruud win his second Swiss Open Gstaad,” Twain wrote on Twitter. “Congratulations my friend, what a result!”

Last year, Twain attended the ATP 250 for the semi-finals and the final, which Ruud won. The Norwegian’s family met the singer through mutual friends, so she returned for another visit to the tournament this edition. Fittingly, Ruud again lifted the trophy.

“I really appreciated that she came back this year and supported me in the final,” Ruud said. “It was nice to see her again.”



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Nakashima Leads American Charge In Atlanta

#NextGenATP American Brandon Nakashima won the match of the day on Wednesday at the Atlanta Open, saving three set points in the first-set tie-break en route to a 7-6(8), 6-4 victory against John Millman.

Playing in his first event since pushing Nick Kyrgios to a fifth set in the Wimbledon fourth round, the returning Atlanta finalist advanced to his third quarter-final of the 2022 season.

"A lot of long rallies out there and court conditions were tough as always here in Atlanta, but luckily I was able to squeeze that first set out," said the 20-year-old. "Then I was lucky to get an early break in the second set and ride that out until the end.”

[ATP APP]

Nakashima led the tie-break 3/0 before falling behind 4/6, but escaped to take command of the match. The eighth seed scored the lone break of the contest midway through set two as he improved his Atlanta record to 6-1.

“I think the court speed definitely suits my game a lot," he said of the Atlanta setup. "I like the faster conditions, and with the heat it seems to be ideal for my game.”

Fourth seed Frances Tiafoe awaits in the quarter-finals after his 7-5, 6-4 win against Taro Daniel on Wednesday. Tiafoe owns a 3-0 ATP Head2Head record against his countryman, including wins this season at the ATP Masters 1000s in Indian Wells and Miami.

“He’s definitely had my number... but every match with him is super close and we’re good friends off the court," Nakashima said of the matchup. "Either way, if I play against him, I know it’s going to be a good battle.”

[FOLLOW ACTION]

Fifth seed Tommy Paul equalled his personal-best season mark of 25 tour-level wins with his 6-3, 6-3 victory against Soonwoo Kwon. The 25-year-old is through to his seventh quarter-final of the year with a run to the Delray Beach semi-finals his best result of the season.

He will face the winner of the evening session matchup between lucky loser Steve Johnson and Ilya Ivashka, with Johnson seeking to complete an American sweep of Wednesday's four singles matches. 



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Sinner Returns To Winning Ways In Umag

Jannik Sinner needed six match points to break the stubborn resistance of Jaume Munar on Wednesday at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag, with the drama peaking as the Italian battled through six deuces to serve out a 6-4, 6-4 victory.

Playing for the first time since his Wimbledon quarter-final defeat against Novak Djokovic, Sinner continued his high level of play to down Munar in the pair's first ATP Head2Head meeting. He is through to the quarter-finals at the clay-court ATP 250, where he will face Roberto Carballes Baena.

"It was very tough at the end, but I'm happy that I am into the next round," Sinner said post-match, before addressing the many Italians in the Umag crowd. "It's never easy when you come back after some time that you don't play a match. I knew it would be tough... In the beginning I was tight, also in the end a little bit. But it's part of the progress and hopefully in the next round I can play better."

[ATP APP]

Both players hit top gear for stretches in the nearly two-hour contest, but Sinner was always in control as he never trailed in either set. With both players making just more than 50 per cent of first serves, the match included many lengthy rallies, providing ample opportunity for both men to showcase their shotmaking abilities.

After an opening trade of breaks as both players settled in, Sinner won a hard-fought first set courtesy of a loose service game from Munar at 4-4. While the Italian kept the pressure on in the rallies with his athleticism, including a contorting forehand pass midway through the set, Munar stayed level for much of the proceedings with aggressive baseline hitting and several net approaches.

Sinner fought off more aggressive hitting in the second set, showcasing his movement and defensive skills to secure two early breaks either side of his second dropped service game of the match. He saved two break points as he served out the victory and repeatedly attacked the net in the pressure moments. Sinner was clutch under pressure throughout, saving six of the eight break points against him.

The #NextGenATP Italian will face Carballes Baena in the quarter-finals after the Spaniard earned a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 win against fifth seed Alex Molcan.

Another Spaniard also battled back from behind for an upset win, as Bernabe Zapata Miralles knocked out third seed Holger Rune 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, saving eight of 10 break points in the contest. With the win, Zapata Miralles levelled his clay-court record at 7-7 on the season, while Rune fell to 0-7 since reaching the Roland Garros quarter-finals.

Italy's Giulio Zeppieri, a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 winner against Daniel Elahi Galan on Wednesday, will face Zapata Miralles in the quarter-finals. The 20-year-old is one of eight #NextGenATP Italians in the Top 20 in the Pepperstone ATP Race To Milan. Zeppieri is up 20 places to No. 148 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings and is poised to enter the Top 150 for the first time.



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Novak Djokovic funding new tennis star as Wimbledon phone call and huge role emerges



RECENT Wimbledon winner Novak Djokovic is working hard to inspire the next generation of tennis stars.

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Rafael Nadal defended over Wimbledon injury as Taylor Fritz responds to 'unfair' claims



RAFAEL NADAL pulled out of Wimbledon after beating Taylor Fritz.

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Nick Kyrgios issues defiant top 10 message ahead of US Open despite new injury woe



NICK KYRGIOS looks set to be unseeded at the US Open.

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Nick Kyrgios 'shattered' as injury forces Aussie out of first tournament since Wimbledon



NICK KYRGIOS was forced to withdraw from the Atlanta Open.

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Tuesday, 26 July 2022

Kyrgios Withdraws From Atlanta With Knee Soreness

Nick Kyrgios was set for his first singles match since the Wimbledon final on Tuesday night at the Atlanta Open, but the fan-favourite Aussie was forced to withdraw from his opening-round match with a left-knee problem.

The seventh seed was set to take on Peter Gojowczyk on the stadium court, but was instead replaced by lucky loser Adrian Mannarino. The 2016 champion in Atlanta, Kyrgios addressed the evening-session crowd after his withdrawal.

"First of all, I just want to say I'm extremely shattered that I'm not able to compete tonight," he said. "I've won this tournament once and I'm playing probably some of the best tennis of my career. All I wanted to do was come out here and give you guys a show, but I'm unable to give my best performance today. 

"I'm just extremely sorry, but I'm going to keep my hopes up and maybe be able to continue doubles with Thanasi this week."

[ATP APP]

Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis, the reigning Australian Open doubles champions, earned a first-round victory on Monday night against Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin. 

"I wanted to come out here and see you guys face-to-face to tell you that I love you guys, and hopefully next year in singles hopefully I'll be able to compete and give it my all."



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Venus Williams releases 'excited' Citi Open statement ahead of Emma Raducanu meeting



VENUS WILLIAMS is set to play in the Washington, DC tournament for the first time in her incredible career next week.

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Hamburg Champ Musetti Stays Hot In Umag

Fresh off winning his first ATP Tour title in Hamburg, #NextGenATP Italian Lorenzo Musetti remained in top form at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag on Tuesday. The 20-year-old earned a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 win against Slovakia's Aljaz Bedene.

"I think I learned a lot from last week," Musetti said post-match. "I think I grew up as a human being, as a professional player. There were a lot of difficult moments in this match, but I arrived in a positive way.

"That's why I won today, because Aljaz was playing really good, especially in the second set and the beginning of the third. So it was not easy for me to find a way to break his game."

[ATP APP]

Entering Umag at a career-high of No. 31 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Musetti picked up where he left off in his Hamburg final victory against Carlos Alcaraz. The Italian eased to the opening set as he showcased his variety from all parts of the court before Bedene snapped back in the second set, overcoming an early break deficit as he hit through the court with his power game.

The men traded breaks early in the deciding set, but it was all Musetti down the stretch. The Italian won the final four games in convincing fashion, finishing the match with a delicate drop shot to close out a love hold. After requiring six match points to dismiss Alcaraz in Hamburg, one was enough for Musetti in Umag.

"I came yesterday [to Umag] so it was not easy to rest and to to recover at 100 per cent," Musetti said. "I wasn't sure about my physical condition but I'm very happy about the win."

The eighth seed can now look ahead to an all-Italian second-round match against Marco Cecchinato, who was a 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 winner against Mili Poljicak on Monday. Musetti won their lone previous ATP Head2Head meeting in five sets at Roland Garros in 2021. Earlier this season, the Italians teamed up for the doubles event in Marrakech.

"It's a friendly derby," Musetti previewed. "We are really close friends. He's one of my best friends on Tour... I'm happy to share the court with him and have a fun battle with him."

[FOLLOW ACTION]

Fifth seed Alex Molcan also advanced on Tuesday with a 6-2, 7-6(2) win against Duje Ajdukovic. Slovakia's Molcan, a three-time tour-level finalist, is seeking his first title this week.

In a see-saw match that featured 10 breaks of serve in 20 games, Molcan was six of eight on his break chances, winning more than half of return points against both first and second serves. From 3-0 in the opening set, seven straight games went against serve.

He next faces Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena, a 6-4, 7-5 winner against Henri Laaksonen on Monday.

France's Corentin Moutet scored a 6-4, 6-2 upset against sixth seed Daniel Altmaier to set up a second-round meeting with Facundo Bagnis. The Argentine earned a 7-5, 6-3 victory against countryman Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Tuesday.

Second seed Jannik Sinner (vs. Jaume Munar) and third seed Casper Ruud (vs. Bernabe Zapata Miralles) open their Umag campaigns on Wednesday, with top seed Carlos Alcaraz (vs. Norbert Gombos) and fourth seed Sebastian Baez (vs. Laslo Djere or Franco Agamenone) set to open play on Thursday.



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Alexander Zverev lays down strict conditions for his tennis return after horror ankle tear



ALEXANDER ZVEREV is hoping to return from his injury at the US Open after hurting his ankle against Rafael Nadal in the French Open semi-finals.

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Nick Kyrgios makes Jack Sock 'pressure' confession ahead of Washington doubles showdown



NICK KYRGIOS is looking forward to once more linking up with Jack Sock at the Washington Open, which begins this week.

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Novak Djokovic's coach shares his long-time Roger Federer theory which is 'coming true'



NOVAK DJOKOVIC won his 21st Grand Slam last month at Wimbeldon.

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Novak Djokovic's coach casts doubt over Carlos Alcaraz with Federer and Nadal comment



NOVAK DJOKOVIC's coach has assessed whether Carlos Alcaraz can reach the level of the Serbian, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

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Sue Barker and John McEnroe's defence of Boris Becker that angered BBC viewers



WIMBLEDON broadcasting duo Sue Barker and John McEnroe have been criticised after they defended Boris Becker during the Championships.

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Monday, 25 July 2022

Ram/Sock Make Perfect Atlanta Start As Ram Begins No. 1 Pursuit

Rajeev Ram and Jack Sock competed together in an ATP Tour event for the first time on Monday. That did not stop them from producing a nearly flawless performance.

The Americans ousted Mexico's Hans Hach Verdugo and India's Ramkumar Ramanathan 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the Atlanta Open quarter-finals without facing a break point. The third seeds won 93 per cent of their first-serve points to triumph after 53 minutes.

Ram's full-time doubles partner is Joe Salisbury, the current No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Rankings. If Ram and Sock win the Atlanta title, Ram will have the same number of ranking points as Salisbury on Monday. Since he will have played fewer tournaments to earn those points, Ram would become the new doubles World No. 1.

In other Atlanta doubles action, American wild cards Christopher Eubanks and Mackenzie McDonald clawed past Frenchmen Quentin Halys and Adrian Mannarino 6-7(3), 6-4, 10-8.

[ATP APP]

Top Seeds Advance In Kitzbühel
Top seeds Tim Puetz and Michael Venus eliminated home favourites Lukas Neumayer and Sebastian Ofner 6-2, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals of the Generali Open in Kitzbühel.

Joining them in the last eight were Spanish-Italian team Pedro Martinez and Lorenzo Sonego as well as Monagesque-Polish duo Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski.

Barrientos/Reyes-Varela Rally In Umag
In the only doubles match played Monday at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag, Colombian Nicolas Barrientos and Mexico's Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela defeated Swede Andre Goransson and Japan's Ben McLachlan 3-6, 6-2, 10-4.

 



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Former Atlanta Finalist Nakashima Begins Charge For Title

One year ago, Brandon Nakashima reached his second ATP Tour final at the Atlanta Open. This edition, the #NextGenATP American will try to go one step further.

The 20-year-old made a good start on Monday when he battled past Australian Jordan Thompson 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-3 after two hours and 12 minutes. The eighth seed earned his first break of the match in the third set, and that was enough to move on at Atlantic Station.

[ATP APP]

Thompson is a familiar foe for Nakashima, as they have now played each other four times in the past 53 weeks, including twice in Atlanta. On this occasion, it was the American who advanced and took a 3-1 lead in their ATP Head2Head series. He will next play another Australian: John Millman or Alexei Popyrin.

Nakashima, who is trying to qualify for the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals, began the week eighth in the Pepperstone ATP Race To Milan.

In other action, South Korean Soonwoo Kwon rallied past home favourite Marcos Giron 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-5. Giron led by a break in the third set, but was unable to complete the victory against Kwon, who earned his first ATP Tour title last year in Nur-Sultan. The 24-year-old will face fifth seed Tommy Paul or wild card Jack Sock for a place in the quarter-finals.

Another American lost on Monday when Japan’s Taro Daniel battled past Sebastian Korda 1-6, 6-1, 6-3. The qualifier struggled in the early baseline rallies with the powerful Korda.

However, the American hit seven double faults in the second set, which helped turn the match in Daniel’s favour. The 29-year-old will next play fourth seed Frances Tiafoe.



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Carlos Alcaraz makes 'aggressive' confession about Hamburg meltdown despite Rafa Nadal vow



CARLOS ALCARAZ missed out on a fifth ATP title as he fell to Lorenzo Musetti in Hamburg after breaking into the world's top five.

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#NextGenATP Zeppieri Earns Maiden Tour Win In Umag

At the fifth time of trying, Giulio Zeppieri is a main draw winner on the ATP Tour.

The #NextGenATP Italian rallied to a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 first-round victory against Pedro Cachin at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag on Monday. The 20-year-old needed five match points to complete his victory, but kept his cool to serve out for a one-hour, 54-minute win against the World No. 90.

“It’s a very emotional moment for me, my first win on the ATP Tour,” said Zeppieri in his on-court interview. “I’m very proud of myself because I beat a very good guy in Pedro, and I’m very happy.”

[FOLLOW ACTION]

Zeppieri showed good form on clay earlier this year, defeating Alex Molcan and Maxime Cressy to qualify for the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome before qualifying for his first Grand Slam main draw at Roland Garros.

He also came through qualifying in Umag at the weekend, seeing off 14-time Tour titlist Gilles Simon and Elias Ymer to reach the main draw in Croatia. Zeppieri won 84 per cent (42/50) of points behind his first delivery in a solid serving display against Cachin to secure the main draw win that had previously eluded him.

A potential second-round clash between Zeppieri and his more experienced countryman Fabio Fognini was scuppered by Daniel Elahi Galan. The Colombian upset the seventh-seeded Fognini, who lifted the trophy in Umag in 2016, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

The 26-year-old Galan celebrated cracking the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time on Monday by prevailing in a two-hour, 43-minute battle. He consistently challenged in return games, converting seven of 14 break points in his first ATP Head2Head meeting with Fognini.

Also on Monday, Roberto Carballes Baena defeated Henri Laaksonen, 6-4, 7-5 to set a second-round meeting with fifth seed Alex Molcan or home wild card Duje Ajdukovic.

[ATP APP]



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Nick Kyrgios backed over wars with Wimbledon umpires and told he's what tennis 'needs'



NICK KYRGIOS has divided opinion for his on-court antics

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Djokovic and co could compete in London as chances of pre-Wimbledon Masters 1000 assessed



THE ATP boss has discussed the possibility of staging a Masters 1000 in London.

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Nick Kyrgios explains Wimbledon run in first event since maiden final vs Novak Djokovic



NICK KYRGIOS reached his maiden Grand Slam final at Wimbledon earlier this month.

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Emma Raducanu explains being 'isolated' for choosing tennis career ahead of US Open return



EMMA RADUCANU shared the "biggest sacrifice" she made to become a professional tennis player.

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Sunday, 24 July 2022

Alcaraz Makes History, Cracks Top 5: 'It's Pretty Amazing'

Nineteen-year-old Carlos Alcaraz made history on Monday when he climbed to No. 5 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, becoming the second-youngest player in the 21st century to crack the top five.

The only player who has achieved the feat at a younger age since 2000 is Rafael Nadal, who did it in May 2005 as an 18-year-old. Alcaraz had an opportunity to reach World No. 4, but settled for No. 5 after falling short in the Hamburg European Open final against Lorenzo Musetti.

“It means a lot. The hard work that I put in every day for reaching my dreams, [No.] 1, and little by little I’m reaching my dream,” Alcaraz said. “Top five for me is pretty amazing and I will keep going to be [No.] 1.”

Five Youngest Players To Crack Top Five (since 2000)

 Player  Ranking  Date  Age
 Rafael Nadal  No. 5  9 May 2005  18y, 11m, 6d
 Carlos Alcaraz  No. 5  25 July 2022  19y, 2m, 20d
 Novak Djokovic  No. 5  30 April 2007  19y, 11m, 8d
 Lleyton Hewitt  No. 5  25 June 2001  20y, 4m, 1d
 Alexander Zverev  No. 4  11 September 2017  20y, 4m, 22d

Alcaraz began his season at World No. 32, but has quickly surged towards the top of the sport. Alcaraz, Nadal and Novak Djokovic are the only three players this millennium who have broken into the top five as teens.

Rounding out the top five on the list of youngest players to reach the top five in the 2000s are Lleyton Hewitt and Alexander Zverev. They both reached the milestone aged 20.

Alcaraz and Nadal are tied for the most ATP Tour titles this year with four each. Alcaraz has lifted his first two ATP Masters 1000 trophies (Miami and Madrid) and his first two ATP 500 crowns (Rio de Janeiro, Barcelona) in 2022.

The 19-year-old is keen to continue his push. This week, he will attempt to retain an ATP Tour title for the first time as the top seed at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag.

“Of course Umag is a special tournament for me. I got my first title there, so I’m defending the title this year,” Alcaraz said. “But I’m going to try to play my best and of course take lessons from here.”



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Nick Kyrgios aims another brutal dig at Stefanos Tsitsipas as he confirms doubles plan



NICK KYRGIOS issued another savage remark in the direction of Stefanos Tsitsipas

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First-Time Winner Spotlight: Lorenzo Musetti

Lorenzo Musetti became the 10th first-time ATP Tour titlist of the season on Sunday when he won a thrilling Hamburg European Open final against Carlos Alcaraz 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-4.

The Italian let slip five championship points in the second set, but managed to weather the Alcaraz storm in the third set to lift the ATP 500 trophy.

ATPTour.com spoke to the 20-year-old after the match about his breakthrough, his relationship with his coach, Simone Tartarini, why he idolised his grandfather and his pre-match playlist.

What does it mean to you to win your first ATP Tour title?
For me it’s a dream. Obviously I always dreamed about winning a title and I didn’t have any chances before. I think my best result was a semi-final, so I never had the opportunity to play a final. I’m really happy with this week. I think we did an amazing job and now we will celebrate and enjoy it for the next days, but we have to focus on Umag and the rest of the year.

What was going through your mind after the second set and how were you able to battle back?
It was a really tough loss in the second set. I think I deserved to close the match in two sets, but then some unlucky things [happened] and Carlos was very good saving so many match points. I was upset with myself with everything, but I tried to find the solution and the solution was to again find the rhythm and the energy. That’s what I did. I’m really happy that I never gave up and it worked at the end.

You had such a good start to your career, but had not made a final before this week. How much of a focus was it for you to lift a trophy?
I never had the chance to get to a final and now getting to the final and lifting the trophy, it’s something really fantastic for me. It’s the first time, so I have no words to describe how it feels. It’s something that you always dream of when you are a child, when you are working and sacrificing yourself. The emotions I had today, I will keep it in my heart and my head for a long time.

Watch Final Highlights:

You mentioned you arrived here a little bit sick and without luggage. Can you tell us a little bit more about that?
I arrived here on Thursday from Bastad and with all the strikes, one of my luggage [bags] got lost. [It was] the one with the racquets, so I was a little bit worried about how I would play, because I was still in qualifying. Then I got in [the main draw], so I managed to pick up the racquets.

The night before the start of the matches, I threw up all night. I had food poisoning, so I felt a little bit sick. I didn’t expect to go as far as I went, so I’m happy that my luck turned around at this tournament.

You’ve often spoken about your relationship with your coach, Simone Tartarini. How important has he been in your growth as both a player and a person?
Me and Simone are one thing together. We really have this special feeling. It’s more than a coach and a player, it’s like father and son. I consider him like my second father and I always believed in him as a person and as a tennis coach.

He always tried to improve me on and off the court and educate me in the best way. That’s what I need to be competitive like I was today. I just want to thank him for all the support that he’s given me.

You have said your grandfather is your hero. Can you explain why?
My grandfather was a really honest man, a genuine man and I wish in the future that I will be like him. It’s sad because he passed away a long time ago, so he cannot see what I became. Sometimes it’s tough to think about that, but I would like to describe him as my hero.

Watch The Story Of 2022 Hamburg:

Now that you have won a title, what is your next goal and why?
I have to win next week! To win next week and try to win more and more. To try and play even better than today, try to grow and try to have the capacity of maintaining this level during the year. Hopefully there will be more and more lifting trophies.

What do you consider to be your biggest passion outside of tennis and can you tell us a little bit about that interest?
I always like to listen to music. I’m always with my headphones and with my speaker in the room and always traveling with so many things regarding music. I always had the passion since I was a child.

Probably my father transferred to me the passion for music since I was a kid, especially old music. Not [music from] my age, [but] 80s or 90s rock and stuff like that. I wish one day to go to a concert of a rock artist because I haven’t had the chance. I think my first passion outside of tennis is for sure music.

[ATP APP]

You’ve said how much you listen to classic rock music. What were the songs on your playlist before the match today?
Before the match I have my own pre-match playlist. That’s I think one of my favorite bands, Linkin Park. Today I listened to a lot of Linking Park songs. The most memorable one was Papercut because it gave me some kind of extra energy during the warmup.

You’ve already accomplished so much at only 20 years old. What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career thus far?
That hard work pays off and that you can never expect things. When you expect things, they won’t happen. When you don’t expect it and you just work for it, it’s going to come. I think that’s the most important thing for me.

How will you celebrate your first title?
Probably with dinner with my team, but not a big celebration because we’re going to fly tomorrow to Umag. We have to be Italians, but not too much.



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Carlos Alcaraz follows footsteps of Rafael Nadal with another record as similarities grow



CARLOS ALCARAZ continues to break new ground with the teenager set to become the youngest man inside the ATP top five since 2005.

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Emma Raducanu could soon face devastating rankings drop as post-US Open struggles go on



EMMA RADUCANU could fall down the tennis rankings over the next few months.

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Sue Barker retirement: Everything tennis players have said on BBC icon's Wimbledon exit



SUE BARKER recently presented her final Wimbledon after more than 20 years on the BBC's coverage.

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Heather Watson: 'It's vital everyone has the chance to pick up a racket'



TENNIS ace Heather Watson has spoken about her passion for working with young people in some of the most deprived parts of the UK to get them into the sport.

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Saturday, 23 July 2022

Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray may be banned from completing 'Fab Five' dream team



ROGER FEDERER and co may have their Laver Cup hopes dashed.

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Haase/Oswald Win Match Tie-Break To Reach Gstaad Final

Robin Haase and Philipp Oswald dropped their first set this week at the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad in Saturday's semi-finals, but quickly recovered to claim a 7-5, 3-6, 10-3 win against Italians Lorenzo Sonego and Andrea Vavassori.

The Dutch-Austrian duo claimed its only break point of the match to secure the opening set and saved six of the seven break point against them in the contest. The victory puts them through to their second tour-level final as a team; they won their only previous title match in 2019 in Umag.

[ATP APP]

Tomislav Brkic and Francisco Cabral will provide the opposition in Sunday's final after the Bosnian-Portuguese duo eased past Fabrice Martin and Franko Skugor 6-3 6-3 without facing a break point. The pair is seeking it first title as a team, though Martin is a seven-time tour-level doubles champion and Skugor has six titles to his name.

Glasspool/Heliovaara Pull Upset In Hamburg
Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara defeated third seeds Tim Puetz and Michael Venus 6-4 6-4 in the Hamburg European Open semi-finals on Saturday, extending their perfect record this week to six sets won from six played.

The British-Finnish duo knocked out second seeds Neal Skupski and Wesley Koolhof in the opening round before dismissing two-time Roland Garros champions Andreas Mies and Kevin Krawietz in the second round. They will seek their first title of 2022 in their fourth final of the season after falling just short in Montpellier, Dallas and The Queen's Club in London.

Rohan Bopanna and Matwe Middelkoop await in the final. The fourth seeds knocked off top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos 3-6, 6-3, 10-3 on Friday.



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Top-5 Alcaraz Sets All-Next Gen Final With Musetti

Carlos Alcaraz fought off a stern test from Alex Molcan on Saturday at the Hamburg European Open to set up a marquee final against fellow #NextGenATP star Lorenzo Musetti at the ATP 500 event.

The 7-6(2), 6-1 victory moves the Spaniard up to No. 5 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, with the No. 4 spot on offer should he claim the Hamburg title. Regardless of the final result, Alcaraz is set to break into the Top 5 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time.

"It was tough," Alcaraz said post-match. "Obviously he played really well. The first set was really close. I'm really happy to be able to end the first set playing well.

"In the second set, I think he was down a little bit. He didn't play well in the second set. I finished the match with a lot of confidence and played very well."

[ATP APP]

The Spaniard was tested early by Molcan, who matched his aggression from the baseline throughout the opening set. Alcaraz twice led by a break in the opener, but was forced to a tie-break as the Slovakian battled back with a tricky combination of powerful hitting and deft drop shots — tactics Alcaraz has used to great effect all season.

"I couldn't read the drop shots from him," Alcaraz added. "He was better on the drop shots today, so I was a little bit [frustrated] in the first set."

But after Alcaraz contributed to Molcan's success with unforced errors late in the set, the Spaniard cleaned up his game in the tie-break as he raced to a 6/0 lead before closing it out.

An expert frontrunner, the Spaniard carried that momentum into the second set as he unloaded from the baseline with Molcan unable to offer the sort of resistance he summoned in the opening set.

The Spaniard can now look ahead as he seeks to improve upon his 5-0 record in tour-level finals, including 4-0 this season. With victory against Musetti, he will break a tie with Rafael Nadal for the most titles on the 2022 ATP Tour season.

[FOLLOW ACTION]

"Lorenzo is playing really well," Alcaraz previewed. "Of course he's a great player. It's going to be a great final. He has played great matches before the final. [I have] as well, so I have a lot of confidence for the final and hope to make it six-for-six."

Both Alcaraz and Musetti enter the final behind eight-set winning streaks in Hamburg after both men dropped the opening set of their campaigns.



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Friday, 22 July 2022

Alexander Zverev admits he had doubts over career after French Open horror injury



WORLD number two Alexander Zverev has admitted he thought he'd played his last match in the moments after injuring his ankle at the French Open.

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Bopanna/Middelkoop Upset Top Seeds To Reach Hamburg Final

Rohan Bopanna and Matwe Middelkoop dominated the second half of their Hamburg European Open semi-final to earn a 3-6, 6-3, 10-3 against top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos on Friday.

In the lone doubles match of the day in Hamburg, the Indian-Dutch duo did not drop serve in the second set to force a Match Tie-break. In the decider, they won all seven points on serve to reach their second tour-level final as a team. The pair also reached the Antwerp final in 2020.

[ATP APP]

While Bopanna is a 21-time tour-level titlist and Middelkoop a 12-time champion, the veterans are seeking their first trophy together. Bopanna has two titles this season (in Pune and Adelaide with countryman Ramkumar Ramanathan), while Middelkoop has one (with countryman Robin Haase in Rotterdam).

The fourth seeds await the winner of Saturday's semi-final, which pits third seeds Tim Puetz and Michael Venus against Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara.

Semi-finals Set In Gstaad
Robin Haase and Philipp Oswald were 6-1, 6-3 winners against Spaniards Pedro Martinez and Jaume Munar on Friday at the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad, with the Dutch-Austrian duo saving the only two break points against them in the quarter-final contest.

They will next face Italians Lorenzo Sonego and Andrea Vavassori, who advanced past Jonny O'Mara and Roman Jebavy 6-2, 6-3 on Thursday.

[FOLLOW ACTION]

Francisco Cabral and Tomislav Brkic were also victorious on Friday, scoring a 7-6(3), 6-3 win against Andre Goransson and Ben McLachlan. The Portuguese-Bosnian duo did not face a break point in the match and converted on one of two break chances.

Fabrice Martin and Franko Skugor await in the semi-finals following their  3-6, 7-6(3), 10-2 win on Thursday against Elias Ymer and Mikael Ymer.



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Fantastic Finals: 10 Memorable Title Matches In ATP History



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Roger Federer gives verdict as he, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray confirmed for Laver Cup



ROGER FEDERER is set to play alongside his three biggest rivals at this year's Laver Cup in September.

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Novak Djokovic confirms first Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray Big Four link up



NOVAK DJOKOVIC has joined Team Europe for this year's Laver Cup.

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Ukrainian tennis star hits out at 'tensions' as Russian colleagues fail to condemn war



ELINA SVITOLINA shared the difficulty of being a Ukrainian tennis player in the midst of the war.

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Thiem Soars Into Gstaad SFs

Dominic Thiem’s comeback stepped up a gear Friday at the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad, where he overcame Peruvian qualifier Juan Pablo Varillas 6-4, 6-3 to reach his first tour-level semi-final of the season.

In a dominant performance, the Austrian pulled the 26-year-old from around the court as he took heavy cuts at the ball to dictate the baseline exchanges, advancing after one hour and 47 minutes in their first ATP Head2Head meeting.

“I played a good match yesterday and I was able to back it up today.” Thiem said in his on-court interview. “Some things I didn’t like that much. I failed to serve out at [5-2], but it was also the nerves a little bit because it is my first semi-final in one and a half years. I need the points to go back up the rankings. I was happy I was able to break the nerves.”

The former World No. 3, who missed the second half of last season due to injury, reached the quarter-finals in Bastad last week, earning his first tour-level win of the year in the process.

The 28-year-old has backed up that run in Gstaad and will next face second seed Matteo Berrettini or Spaniard Pedro Martinez. It is the first time Thiem has reached the semi-finals at a tour-level event since May 2021, when he enjoyed a run to the last four in Madrid.

“Tomorrow I can go into the match free, trying to do my best,” said Thiem, who is up to No. 195 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings. “When I travelled to Bastad last week I didn’t expect to reach the quarter-finals there and then the semi-finals here. It is really, really good and I am happy with the progress.”

The 17-time tour-level titlist, who saved one match point in his first-round victory over Hugo Gaston, is aiming to triumph at the ATP 250 clay-court event for the second time, having lifted the trophy in his previous appearance in 2015.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]



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Djokovic To Join Nadal, Federer, Murray At Laver Cup

For the first time in Laver Cup history, the 'Big Four' will join forces for Team Europe this September in London.

Novak Djokovic announced Thursday his commitment to the 2022 event, with Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray already confirmed to participate in the competition's fifth edition. 

"Laver Cup is the only competition where you can have all the big rivals, the 'Big Three', 'Big Four' players joining in the same team," Djokovic said at Wimbledon, where he won his 21st Grand Slam title earlier this month. "Of course, it is [a] very different and exciting concept for us players, but also for the fans around the world."

[ATP APP]

The Serbian is set for his second Laver Cup appearance and will be seeking his first match wins in the competition. Djokovic was a part of Team Europe's winning 2018 side, but lost two Match Tie-breaks — one in singles and one in doubles — in his only matches. He teamed with Federer in doubles, but they fell to Team World's Kevin Anderson and Jack Sock.

Captain Bjorn Borg's Team Europe has reigned supreme since the inaugural Laver Cup in 2017, lifting the trophy at all four of the event's previous editions.

The 2022 Laver Cup will be held from 23-25 September at The O2 Arena. Felix Auger-Aliassime, Taylor Fritz and Diego Schwartzman have committed to represent Team World alongside captain John McEnroe.



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Thursday, 21 July 2022

Glasspool/Heliovaara Advance To Sixth SF Of Season In Hamburg

Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara advanced to their sixth tour-level semi-final of the 2022 season on Thursday at the Hamburg European Open. The British-Finnish duo earned a a 6-1, 7-6(0) victory against Germany's Andreas Mies and Kevin Krawietz to back up an opening-round upset of second seeds Neal Skupski and Wesley Koolhof.

Glasspool/Heliovaara saved all three break points against them in the quarter-finals and won the final 11 points of the match as they held to love before claiming a shutout in the tie-break.

Three-time finalists this season (Montpellier, Dallas, London), the pair is seeking its first title of the year. The duo won its first title last season in Montpellier.

[FOLLOW ACTION]

Third seeds Tim Puetz and Michael Venus will provide their semi-final opposition after a 6-3, 6-3 victory against German wild cards Daniel Altmaier and Jan-Lennard Struff on Thursday.

In the top half of the Hamburg doubles draw, fourth seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matwe Middelkoop will face top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in the semi-finals. Bopanna/Middelkoop were 6-4, 6-2 winners against Serbians Nikola Cacic and Dusan Lajovic on Thursday, while Granollers/Zeballos advanced past Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev via walkover.

Top Seeds Out In Gstaad
Francisco Cabral and Tomislav Brkic saved two match points at 5-6 in the second set before completing a late charge to upset top seeds David Vega Hernandez and Rafael Matos on Thursday at the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad. The Portuguese-Bosnian team claimed a 3-6, 7-6(3), 10-8 victory to set up a quarter-final meeting with Andre Goransson and Ben McLachlan.

[ATP APP]

Goransson/McLachlan also saved a pair of match points in Gstaad in a comeback Thursday victory. The defeated Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Cristian Garin 6-7(4), 6-4, 11-9, winning the final four points of the Match Tie-break after trailing 7/9.

Two quarter-finals were also completed on Thursday at the ATP 250 event. Franko Skugor and Fabrice Martin claimed a 3-6, 7-6(3), 10-2 decision against Swedish brothers Elias Ymer and Mikael Ymer, while Lorenzo Sonego and Andrea Vavassori defeated Jonny O'Mara and Roman Jebavy 6-2, 6-3.



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