Djokovic Survives Zverev Shanghai QF Highlights 2016
Djokovic Survives Zverev Shanghai QF Highlights 2016
Oct142016
British number one Johanna Konta will have to rely on other players’ results if she is to qualify for the WTA Finals for the first time.
Konta will not play on the tour next week having pulled out of this week’s Hong Kong Open through injury.
The world number nine is in the eighth and final qualifying place for the event in Singapore from 23 October.
Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova will overtake her if she beats Carla Suarez Navarro on Saturday.
The pair are competing in the last four of the WTA event in Linz, Austria.
If Cibulkova loses, she, along with her Spanish opponent Navarro and Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova, would still have a chance to pass Konta next week.
The WTA events next week include the Kremlin Cup in Moscow and the Luxembourg Open, which both start on Monday.
An additional place could become available for the end-of-season event if Serena Williams, who is currently second in the race to qualify, withdraws having not played since the US Open.
Konta withdrew from the Hong Kong Open with an abdominal strain shortly before her second-round match against Wang Qiang.
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Britain’s Andy Murray continued his fine form in China as he beat David Goffin in straight sets to reach the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters.
The second seed maintained his 100% record against the Belgian with a 6-2 6-2 win in one hour 35 minutes.
The Scot will play either American Jock Sock or France’s Gilles Simon next.
“It was a tough match. I struck the ball really well and created a lot of chances on my return game,” said the world number two.
The 29-year-old Wimbledon champion squandered six break points in the second game of the second set, a battle that lasted over 15 minutes, and with the score at 2-2 had to save two break points on his own serve.
But Goffin failed to convert any of his opportunities in that crucial period and Murray went on to break his opponent in the fifth game.
World number one Novak Djokovic suffered a major scare against world number 110 Mischa Zverev before fighting back to reach the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters.
The Serbian top seed came back from a set and a break down to win 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 in two hours 20 minutes, setting up a last-four tie against Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut.
Find out how to get into tennis in our special guide.
Djokovic, 29, made a number of uncharacteristic errors against Germany’s Zverev – including two double faults and 14 unforced errors in a nervy 62-minute second set – but was far more comfortable in the decider, breaking early as the qualifier ran out of steam.
World number one Angelique Kerber has been knocked out in the quarter-finals of the Hong Kong Open by Australia’s Daria Gavrilova.
The German – who went out of last week’s China Open at the last-16 stage – lost 6-3 6-1 in an hour and 14 minutes against the world number 38.
Kerber, 28, struggled with her serve and hit six double faults in the match.
Gavrilova, 22, will face Kristina Mladenovic of France or American Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the last four.
The quarter-finals at the Shanghai Rolex Masters on Friday are led by the top two players in the Emirates ATP Rankings, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. They have combined to win five of the previous seven tournament titles with Murray winning in 2010-11 and Djokovic in 2012-13, 2015.
In the opening match on Stadium, No. 16 seed Roberto Bautista Agut and No. 9 seed/last year’s finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga meet for the fifth time (tied 2-2). Tsonga won both of last year’s meetings and Bautista Agut has claimed both of this year’s contests, from a set down in the Auckland semi-finals (saving match point) and in the 3R at ATP Masters 1000 Miami (in a third set tie-break). The Spaniard is appearing in his second career ATP Masters 1000 QF, the first since 2014 Madrid where he reached the SFs. Tsonga, who is making his fifth QF showing in Shanghai, is trying to reach his first SF since ATP Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo in April.
In the next match on, Djokovic takes on qualifier Mischa Zverev for the second time. Djokovic won the previous encounter 63 63 in the QFs at 2009 Marseille. The World No. 1 is attempting to reach his seventh SF here in as many attempts. He has a 20-1 record in Shanghai since 2012 with his lone loss to Federer in the semi-finals two years ago. Djokovic is also eyeing his 30th ATP Masters 1000 match win of the season (29-2). The 29-year-old Serb leads the ATP World Tour with seven titles this year, including four coming at ATP Masters 1000 events. Zverev is making his second career QF showing in an ATP Masters 1000 tournament (2009 Rome). He is the first qualifier to advance to the quarter-finals in Shanghai since Matthew Ebden in 2011. Next Monday, the 29-year-old German will return to the Top 100 in the Emirates ATP Rankings for the first time since June 6, 2011. He will jump from No. 110 to around No. 72. Zverev is facing a World No. 1 for the first time in his career. He is 4-10 against Top 10 opponents and his last win came over No. 6 Davydenko in the 2R of 2010 Shanghai.
In the evening session, unseeded Jack Sock and Gilles Simon square off for the third time (tied 1-1). Their previous meetings came last year with Simon winning in three sets in the 1R at ATP Masters 1000 Rome and Sock coming back to win 75 76 in the QFs in Stockholm. Sock, who is also left in the doubles semi-finals (w/Isner), is appearing in his first career ATP Masters 1000 singles QF. He saved two match points in his 3R win over No. 6-ranked Raonic. Simon, who reached the Shanghai final two years ago, is coming off his first Top 3 win since 2008 after defeating No. 3 Wawrinka on Thursday. He is trying to reach his second SF of the year (Metz).
In the final match on, No. 11 seed David Goffin, who moved to No. 10 in the Emirates ATP Race to London, takes on Murray for the fifth time. Murray is 4-0 in their head-to-head, winning all 10 sets. Goffin is trying to reach his third ATP Masters 1000 SF of the season (Indian Wells, Miami) and post his second straight Top 10 win. Murray leads the ATP World Tour with 62 match wins and is second with five titles this season.
In doubles, Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares will pass Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut, the No. 1 team in the Emirates ATP Doubles Race to London, by winning their quarter-final match. They take on unseeded Kontinen/Peers. A win in the quarter-finals will also make Soares the 50th World No. 1 in the 40-year history of the Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings. Soares would pass current No. 1 Mahut. Marcelo Melo is the other Brazilian to rank No. 1 in doubles. He held the top spot for 24 weeks, first accomplished on Nov. 2, 2015.
The Visually Impaired and Blind National Tennis Championships take place at the National Tennis Centre at Roehampton on 15-16 October.
Visually impaired tennis player and coach Rosie Pybus tells us how tennis has changed her life since she first picked up a racquet in 2010.
I first tried tennis back in 2010, following the persistence of Wendy Glasper, a friend of mine who is also visually impaired.
Having had a negative experience of school sport, this was a hugely nerve-wracking thing for me and, after my dad got lost and ended up in a supermarket car park, I was just about to give up and go home when we finally found the venue!
At first, I didn’t think that tennis was for me, but I could hit a few balls and soon realised, after my fifth session, while standing in a shop paying for a tennis racquet, that I was hooked.
Tennis has truly given me a sense of purpose in life
The Tennis Foundation has been a huge help. I attended their visually impaired sessions and camps to begin with and it’s spiralled from there.
I’ve taken part in competitions run by the Tennis Foundation around the country and now I work with them in my role as Sports Development Officer and to co-ordinate their Disability Tennis Network in the North East.
Alongside my role as Sports Development Officer I run regular VI sessions after having gained my Level Two LTA Coaching Qualification and I’m now a self-employed coach and consultant.
Tennis has helped in every element of my life. The friendships I have forged through the game will remain with me forever, along with my newfound passion for challenging myself and achieving my goals in life.
Travelling to competitions has given me the confidence to speak to new people and try new things.
In 2013 I was offered the job as a Sports Development Officer working with Tees Valley Sport County Sport Partnership and the Tennis Foundation, which has enabled me to take my first step on a career pathway and to live independently.
Tennis has truly given me a sense of purpose in life.
Give it a go and try everything twice. Tennis is the inclusive sport.
The magic of tennis is that you can play practically anywhere with anyone, and adapt the game to suit your individual needs.
Whether you go on your own, or with a friend or family member, just take that first step, because it is such a rewarding game to get into.