NextGenATP Altmaier Enjoying Antalya Beach Vibe 2017
NextGenATP Altmaier Enjoying Antalya Beach Vibe
Jun272017
Verdasco, #NextGenATP Altmaier advance on Tuesday
Qualifier Ramkumar Ramanathan of India scored one of the biggest upsets of the year on Tuesday at the Antalya Open, shocking top seed Dominic Thiem 6-3, 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals.
“I just gave it my best and was serving well out there. Two or three points can often make the difference on grass,” said Ramanathan. “It’s a good start for my career, but it’s just a start. Hopefully I can keep it going.”
The World No. 222 in the Emirates ATP Rankings broke Thiem three times and won the last five games of the match to reach his second ATP World Tour quarter-final and score the biggest win of his career. Ramanathan had only played six ATP World Tour main draws prior to this week, with four coming at home in Chennai. He reached the quarter-finals there in 2016 and the second round in 2014. The Indian player also advanced to his first ATP Challenger Tour final this April in Tallahassee.
“It was a tough start to the year for me because I was one out (of the qualifying draw) for the Australian Open, so I went back home to train for a few weeks,” said Ramanathan. “I think that helped me a lot, though, and the Challengers that I played in the U.S. made me stronger. “
Thiem will head back to the drawing board after posting a 1-2 record on grass so far this year. He lost to Robin Haase last week in the second round at Halle.
Joining Ramanathan in the quarter-finals is third seed Fernando Verdasco, who scored a convincing 6-3, 6-4 win over Steve Darcis. He’ll play Adrian Mannarino in the last eight after the Frenchman defeated Egyptian qualifier Mohamed Safwat 6-4, 6-4.
#NextGenATP German Daniel Altmaier recorded his first ATP World Tour main draw win by outlasting Victor Estrella Burgos in a marathon 7-5, 6-7(8), 7-6(5) match. Altmaier missed a match point opportunity at 8/7 in the second-set tie-break, but hung tough by rallying from 2/4 down in the deciding-set tie-break for the win.
“It’s the biggest win of my career. I can’t describe it,” said Altmaier. “I had to refocus after missing the match point, but I wanted to fight out there. I really enjoyed it.”
The 18 year old moved into the main draw as a lucky loser when fellow #NextGenATP player Hyeon Chung withdrew due to a left ankle injury. Altmaier, currently No. 252 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, qualified for his first ATP World Tour main draw last month in Geneva. He also reached the semi-finals of the ATP Challenger Tour event this January in Bangkok.
Next up for Altmaier is local favourite Marsel llhan, who advanced when Martin Klizan was forced to retire at 6-6 in the first set.
In other first-round matches, Janko Tipsarevic dismissed South African lucky loser Lloyd Harris 7-5, 6-3. Andreas Seppi moved on after defeating Polish qualifier Kamil Majchrzak 6-2, 7-6(1), while Marcos Baghdatis survived Carlos Berlocq 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.
TOP SEEDS LINDSTEDT/QURESHI ADVANCE
Robert Lindstedt and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi moved past their first round by defeating Rogerio Dutra Silva and Paolo Lorenzi 6-3, 7-6(1). Awaiting them in the quarter-finals are Nicholas Monroe and Artem Sitak.
Fourth seeds Leander Paes and Adil Shamasdin survived Wesley Koolhof and Matwe Middelkoop 3-6, 7-5, 11-9. Next up for them in the last eight are Carlos Berlocq and Joao Sousa, who moved past Turkish wild cards Sarp Agabigun and Altug Celikbilek 6-3, 7-5.
Philipp Petzschner and Alexander Peya also moved into the quarter-finals with a 6-4, 7-6(1) win over Marcus Daniell and Marcelo Demoliner. Petzschner/Peya will face Jonathan Erlich and Nikola Mektic, who prevailed over third seeds Santiago Gonzalez and Scott Lipsky 6-4, 6-4.
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AC Milan and Italy great Paolo Maldini’s professional tennis debut ended in defeat at the Aspria Tennis Cup in Milan.
Maldini and doubles partner Stefano Landonio lost 6-1 6-1 to Poland’s Tomasz Bednarek and Dutchman David Pel.
The 49-year-old earned a place at the tournament with Landonio, who is also his coach, by winning a qualifier.
The Milan event is part of the Challenger Tour, one tier below the top-level ATP World Tour.
Landonio, 46, was once ranked 975th in the world, and has coached Maldini since he retired from football.
Maldini, capped 126 times by Italy, made his AC Milan debut in 1985, and played his final Serie A match for them in May 2009, a month before his 41st birthday.
A defender, he won seven Serie A titles with Milan, as well as the Champions League – or the European Cup, as it previously was – five times.
Organisers forced to postpone 12 singles and doubles matches on day two
Heavy rain at Devonshire Park in Eastbourne, venue of the Aegon International, meant that fans could only watch under 10 minutes of play on Tuesday.
Vasek Pospisil was serving at 0-1, 15/30 against World No. 4 Novak Djokovic when rain began to fall at 11:22 a.m. local time. Top seed Djokovic is competing at a grass-court event prior to Wimbledon for the first time since the 2010 Aegon Championships.
Elsewhere, Ryan Harrison leads sixth seed Mischa Zverev 2-1 and Thomas Fabbiano has won the opening game against fellow qualifier Franko Skugor.
Organisers of the ATP World Tour 250 tournament finally called off play for the day shortly before 5 p.m. local time.
Wimbledon Qualifying Washed Out
Day 2 of Wimbledon qualifying was also a washout, with none of the second-round qualifying matches on Tuesday making it on court due to ongoing showers.
All of these matches will take place on Wednesday, with eight #NextGenATP players scheduled to bid for a place in the final round of qualifying. View the full order of play here.
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The tennis star, who is six months pregnant, poses naked for photographer Annie Leibovitz.
World number one Andy Murray has pulled out of his first exhibition match at Hurlingham Club with a sore hip.
The Briton, who was knocked out in the first round at Queen’s last week, was due to play France’s Lucas Pouille at the Aspall Tennis Classic.
Murray is still expected to play on Friday before he begins the defence of his Wimbledon title on 3 July.
The 30-year-old last played at Hurlingham in 2014 after he lost in the last 16 at Queen’s.
Elsewhere, world number two Novak Djokovic managed two games against Canadian Vasek Pospisil at Eastbourne before rain delayed play.
The Serb, appearing in his first pre-Wimbledon tournament for seven years, was forced to save two break points in his opening service game.
German world number one Angelique Kerber and British number one Johanna Konta, ranked seventh, are also due on Centre Court at Eastbourne later on Tuesday.
Roger Federer recalls his Wimbledon debut and his first Championship victory in 2003.