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Johanna Konta: British number one loses to Caroline Garcia in the third round at Indian Wells

  • Posted: Mar 12, 2017

British number one Johanna Konta is out of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells after a 6-3 3-6 6-7 (1-7) third-round defeat to France’s Caroline Garcia.

Konta, seeded 11th, broke 21st seed Garcia in the fourth game of the first set and appeared on course for a place in the last 16.

But Garcia broke in the second to level the match and dominated the third-set tie-break, winning it 7-1.

Garcia will now face Italy’s Roberta Vinci or Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia.

Konta’s defeat summed up a disappointing weekend for British tennis which saw world number one Andy Murray make a shock second-round exit to qualifier Vasek Pospisil and GB number two Dan Evans lose at the same stage to Japan’s Kei Nishikori.

Briton Kyle Edmund faces second seed Novak Djokovic late on Sunday.

Garcia, who was once described by Murray as a future world number one, showed impressive resilience to recover from a set down against Konta and sealed her win and a place in the last 16 with a powerful cross-court backhand.

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Dan Evans beaten by Kei Nishikori in round two in Indian Wells

  • Posted: Mar 12, 2017

British number two Dan Evans was beaten 6-3 6-4 by Japan’s Kei Nishikori in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open.

With temperatures at Indian Wells in excess of 105 degrees, Evans broke in the opening game but world number five Nishikori hit back immediately and captured the set in 42 minutes.

Breaks were traded again at the start of the second before Nishikori sealed the match in an hour and 24 minutes.

Briton Kyle Edmund faces second seed Novak Djokovic late on Sunday.

Following the surprise defeat of world number one Andy Murray at the hands of qualifier Vasek Pospisil the previous evening, Evans, 26, produced a spirited performance, but some pinpoint accuracy from Nishikori saw him break again in game eight of the first set.

World number 41 Evans, who beat Dustin Brown in the previous round, continued to frequently match the quality of his Japanese opponent’s groundstrokes but gradually faded as the assured Nishikori moved through to face Gilles Muller of Luxembourg in round three.

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Superstar Trio Headline Sunday At Indian Wells

  • Posted: Mar 12, 2017

Superstar Trio Headline Sunday At Indian Wells

Mar122017

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have won 12 of the last 13 BNP Paribas Open titles

  • Three of the biggest superstars on the ATP World Tour are on Sunday’s schedule at the BNP Paribas Open with No. 2 seed/five-time champion Novak Djokovic, three-time winner/No. 5 seed Rafael Nadal and four-time title holder/No. 9 seed Roger Federer. They have won 12 of the last 13 BNP Paribas Open titles. But this year the trio are in the bottom quarter of the draw and only one of the former champions could reach the semi-finals.

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  • The trio have combined to win 82 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles and 44 Grand Slam championships while finishing No. 1 in 12 of the last 13 years (except 2016). Overall, they have combined to capture 225 singles titles.
  • In the first match on Stadium 1, British No. 2 Daniel Evans and No. 4 seed Kei Nishikori meet for the third time (tied 1-1). Just two and a-half months into 2017, Evans has already surpassed last year’s match wins total (9) with a 10-4 record. He is also trying to earn his third Top 10 win of the season. He is ranked a career-high No. 41. Nishikori reached the quarter-finals here last season and the 27-year-old Japanese star has finished in the Top 10 the past three years.
  • In the next match on, Nadal takes on Argentine left-hander Guido Pella for the first time. Nadal is coming off a runner-up in Acapulco (l. to Querrey) on March 4 and he’s trying to capture his first title on hard courts since 2014 Doha. He’s played in 30 hard court tournaments since then. Pella is looking to reach the 3R for the second straight year. He is 1-4 lifetime against Top 10 foes.
  • In the final day session match, British No.3 Kyle Edmund squares off with Djokovic, who won both previous meetings last year in straight sets (ATP Masters 1000 Miami, US Open). Djokovic enters the first ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the season with five titles and a 17-match winning streak at Indian Wells. His last loss came in the 2013 semi-finals to Juan Martin del Potro, a possible 3R opponent. Edmund is trying to earn his first career Top 10 victory (0-8).

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  • In the evening session, Federer plays 36-year-old Frenchman Stephane Robert for the first time. Federer returns to Indian Wells after missing last year with a knee injury. The Swiss recovered from his knee injury and knocked off Nadal in the Australian Open final to became the oldest Grand Slam champion (35) since Ken Rosewall at the 1972 Australian Open and the lowest-ranked major champion (No. 17) since Gaston Gaudio at 2004 Roland Garros. Robert is 1-8 against Top 10 foes.
  • On Stadium 2, No. 12 seed Grigor Dimitrov (vs. Mikhail Youzhny) is the first men’s match on followed by No. 31 del Potro (vs. Federico Delbonis) and No. 17/top American Jack Sock (vs. Henri Laaksonen).

On Stadium 3, No. 18 seed and #NextGenATP star Alexander Zverev (vs.Facundo Bagnis) is the first match on. Americans No. 23 seed Sam Querrey (vs. Donald Young) are third on, followed by No. 24 Steve Johnson (vs. Kevin Anderson) and No. 6 Marin Cilic (vs. Taylor Fritz).

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Murray Praises Pospisil's Serve-And-Volley

  • Posted: Mar 12, 2017

Murray Praises Pospisil's Serve-And-Volley

Mar122017

World No. 1 handed early loss at BNP Paribas Open

Andy Murray was left to ponder a shocking loss against qualifier Vasek Pospisil on Saturday at the BNP Paribas Open, but insists he doesn’t have a serve-and-volley problem.

After Mischa Zverev used that tactic to perfection in defeating the World No. 1 last month at the Australian Open, Pospisil utilised the same strategy on Stadium 1 in Indian Wells. But while Murray had trouble with the Canadian’s charges toward the net, he said there were bigger issues that he struggled to handle throughout the match.

“I have never really practiced playing against serve-and-volleyers in my career. But when I have come up against them, it’s normally been a game style I have enjoyed playing against,” said Murray. “Today it wasn’t so much the serve/volley that was the problem. It was my own serve, not getting enough opportunities when he was serving. I think that was more the problem tonight.”

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The Indian Wells crowd naturally began to rally behind the qualifier in the second set as they sensed the potential for a major upset. The World No. 1 said the largely pro-Pospisil crowd didn’t rattle him and that he was appreciative they cheered for good tennis from both players.

“It was a really good atmosphere at the end. It was pretty much a full crowd after the first 15, 20 minutes, so it was a nice atmosphere,” said Murray. “Especially the way he was playing, I think the crowds like him. The guy was being aggressive and he came out with some fantastic shots as well. So they really got into it.”

Although serve-and-volley players are less common now in singles than in previous generations, Murray said the Canadian proved that the tactic isn’t a dying art form.

I don’t think loads of players are taught it now growing up. It’s not something that’s practiced a lot. But if there are guys that do it from a young age, it’s definitely a game style that can be successful,” said Murray. “Obviously in certain conditions or court surfaces it’s easier to do it, like on grass and quicker hard courts. But there is no reason why, if you play that game style well, you can’t be effective doing it at the top of the game.”

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Maria Sharapova: Caroline Wozniacki calls Russian's Stuttgart wildcard 'disrespectful'

  • Posted: Mar 12, 2017

Maria Sharapova’s wildcard entry to April’s Porsche Grand Prix is “disrespectful” to other players, ex-number one Caroline Wozniacki says.

The Stuttgart event starts two days before the Russian’s 15-month doping ban ends and she will not be allowed to attend until the day of her match.

“Obviously rules are twisted and turned in favour of who wants to do what,” Dane Wozniacki, 26, said.

Sharapova, whose main sponsor is Porsche, has won the event three times.

“I think everyone deserves a second chance… but at the same time, I feel like when a player is banned for drugs, I think that someone should start from the bottom and fight their way back,” world number 14 Wozniacki said.

Five-times Grand Slam winner Sharapova will return to tennis on 26 April without a ranking after serving her suspension for testing positive for meldonium.

The 29-year-old was given a two-year ban in March 2016 but her suspension was then reduced in October following an appeal.

She has also been given wildcards for May’s tournaments in Madrid and Rome.

Wozniacki said Sharapova should not be allowed to compete at Stuttgart because she is still banned when it begins on 24 April.

“I think it’s very questionable allowing – no matter who it is – a player that is still banned to play a tournament that week,” she said.

“From the tournament side, it’s disrespectful to the other players and the WTA.”

Wozniaki was speaking after a 6-3 6-0 win over Polish qualifier Magda Linette in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.

The Dane’s comments echo those of men’s world number one Andy Murray who said wildcards should not be given to players returning from doping bans.

Earlier this week, US Open champion Angelique Kerber said it was “a little bit strange for the other players that somebody can just walk on site Wednesday and play Wednesday”.

However, Romanian world number four Simona Halep thinks Sharapova’s past achievements justify the wildcards.

“She was number one in the world and won Grand Slam titles,” Halep, 25, said on Thursday. “But even without wildcards she could come back easily. Her return is good for tennis.”

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BNP Paribas Open Receives ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Tournament Of Year Award

  • Posted: Mar 12, 2017

BNP Paribas Open Receives ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Tournament Of Year Award

Mar122017

Popular ATP World Tour event receives recognition

The BNP Paribas Open has been named the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Tournament of the Year for the third consecutive season.  The honour is part of the 2016 ATP World Tour Awards presented by Moët & Chandon. 

Linda Clark, ATP Vice President – Tournament Relations, Americas, presented tournament director Tommy Haas with the trophy on Saturday in an on-court ceremony following Fabio Fognini defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

“As a player, I can understand why this event has been named ‘Tournament of the Year’ on the ATP World Tour for the third consecutive year,” said Haas. “Now as a member of the Indian Wells team, I have even more respect for the countless hours of planning and dedication that the entire staff contributes to make the BNP Paribas Open one of the best sporting events in the world.”

The tournament received the distinction for the first time in 2014, following the debut of its state-of-the-art Stadium 2, additional practice courts and a new shade structure. Following the 2016 event, numerous improvements have been made to Stadium 1, including upgrading, expanding and adding concessions and suites for the 2017 tournament.

The 2017 BNP Paribas Open concludes on 19 March.

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Andy Murray loses to Vasek Pospisil in Indian Wells second round

  • Posted: Mar 12, 2017

World number one Andy Murray made a shock second-round exit at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, losing 6-4 7-6 (7-5) to qualifier Vasek Pospisil.

The Briton, who had a first-round bye, was sluggish throughout the match against the Canadian world number 129.

Murray, 29, was broken four times as he struggled with Pospisil’s serve-and-volley style.

It was the first victory for Pospisil, 26, in five meetings with Murray.

Although he is a qualifier here, Pospisil has been ranked as high as 25th in the world and beat both Kyle Edmund and Dan Evans in Britain’s Davis Cup victory over Canada in February.

After Murray took a 4-2 lead early on, the Canadian hit back to win six successive games, claiming the first set before finally winning the second 7-5 in a tie-break, hitting a cross-court winner on his fourth match point.

“It was obviously a disappointing one as I had opportunities in the first set but I didn’t serve well enough,” Murray told BBC Sport.

“I served a few double faults, especially in the first set at important moments, which didn’t help things.

“He definitely started to play better in the second set, he was being aggressive and coming to the net and played some great reflex volleys at important moments and deserved to win.”

Murray claimed his maiden Dubai Championships title last week, but defeat here continues a poor run for the Scot at Indian Wells, having lost in the third round last year. His best result at the tournament was when he was runner-up to Rafael Nadal in 2009.

However, he remains in this year’s doubles alongside fellow Briton Evans as they face Dutchman Jean-Julien Rojer and Romanian Horia Tecau in round two.

Evans plays Japanese fourth seed Kei Nishikori in the singles later on Sunday. Listen to the match live on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra and online from 18:00 GMT.

Pospisil faces Dusan Lajovic in the third round of the singles after the Serbian qualifier upset 30th seed Feliciano Lopez of Spain 6-2 4-6 7-6.

Elsewhere, French seventh seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was beaten by Italy’s Fabio Fognini but there were wins for third seed Stan Wawrinka, 10th seed Gael Monfils and 11th seed David Goffin.

Analysis

BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller in Indian Wells

World number one or not, Murray has often struggled in the desert. His serve let him down – he hit seven double faults and was broken four times in a row – and was ultimately second best to a man who is having a great year against the Brits.

Pospisil may be a qualifier ranked 129 in the world but his serve-and-volley game is mightily effective, as Dan Evans and Kyle Edmund learned to their cost in last month’s Davis Cup tie with Canada.

Unusually for Murray, he is now out of the singles but still in the doubles so he will stay in Indian Wells to partner Evans and to spend “lots of time” on the practice courts.

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