Tennis News

Powered By Superman, Behar/Escobar Reach Belgrade Semis

Ariel Behar and Gonzalo Escobar continued their pursuit of a third team title this season on Thursday by defeating John Millman and John-Patrick Smith 6-4, 7-5 in the quarter-finals of the Serbia Open.

Behar received plenty of attention for his memorable outfits earlier this year, and in the quarter-finals he wore a Superman Lego shirt. The winners fittingly powered their way past the Aussies, winning 80 per cent of their first-serve points.

The Uruguayan-Ecuadorian team has already won ATP Tour titles this year in Delray Beach and Marbella, and they will next play Tomislav Brkic and Nikola Cacic. They beat the Bosnian-Serbian duo in the Buenos Aires final and beat them for the Marbella trophy.

Brkic and Cacic defeated Simone Bolelli and Maximo Gonzalez 0-6, 7-6(7), 10-8. Also advancing were Matteo Berrettini and Andrea Vavassori, who eliminated Luke Bambridge and Dominic Inglot 6-4, 7-6(3).

Top Seeds Advance In Barcelona
Top seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah reached the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Daniel Evans and Neal Skupski, who reached the final in Miami and Monte-Carlo. The Colombians will next face Jeremy Chardy and Fabrice Martin.

Third seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury also advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 victory against Ivan Dodig and Jamie Murray. They will battle Kevin Krawietz and Horia Tecau for a spot in the championship match. Krawietz and Tecau ousted John Peers and Luke Saville 6-4, 6-3.

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Nadal: 'I Need Time On Court'

After winning two three-setters in a row to reach the quarter-finals of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, Rafael Nadal is embracing the battle.

“Matches like today, like yesterday help the improvement,” the 11-time Barcelona champion said. “At the same time, I didn’t play tough matches for a long time, so winning two matches like this I really hope this gives me extra confidence.”

In his opener at the ATP 500, Nadal beat Ilya Ivashka 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, and on Thursday, he fought past Kei Nishikori 6-0, 2-6, 6-2. It’s the first time in history that Nadal has played back-to-back three-set matches in Barcelona. 

“So the past three matches that I played were three sets and I don’t take something negative [from that],” Nadal said. “For me it’s something very positive. I need time on court, I need to go through these moments and the past two matches I went through these moments with a victory. Tomorrow is another opportunity. I’m excited to keep playing and [have] another chance to play better.”

In Monte-Carlo last week, Nadal fell to Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.

“I think my serve is evolving the right way,” Nadal said. “Of course when you play a very bad day like I did against Rublev in Monte-Carlo with my serve you need some time, but I am feeling that my serve is evolving the right way. I served better than yesterday today and in important moments I had a couple of good serves.” 

The World No. 3 dug deep in the final set against Nishikori, winning five points in a row after going down 0/40 in the first game and saving 5/5 break points.  

“For me it was clear that I needed something else,” Nadal said. “In the second set and the beginning of the third he was playing very clean, hitting the right spots and with a very high quality of ball. So it was difficult to stop him, so I needed something else and I think I did. I played a little bit more aggressive, changed a little bit the pace and the direction of the ball.” 

Nishikori is currently ranked No. 39 in the FedEx ATP Rankings but has been as high as No. 4 and is a two-time champion in Barcelona (2014 and 2015).

“I think Kei played a great level of tennis after that first set,” Nadal said. “It was a very tough match, anything could happen. Everybody knows that Kei, when he’s playing like what he did later today in the last two sets, his ranking is much higher.”

Nadal is 63-4 in Barcelona and chasing a record-setting 12th crown. He will play Cameron Norrie for a place in the semi-finals.

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New Snail Species Named After Djokovic: 'I Always Tried To Be Fast!'

Novak Djokovic is one of the best athletes in the world. If you had to compare him to an animal, the Serbian would be an apex predator because of his competitive ferocity and incredible athleticism.

Yet it was recently announced that of all animals, a new snail species, Travunijana djokovici, was named after Djokovic.

“I don’t know how symbolic this is, because throughout my career I always tried to be fast and then a snail was named after me,” Djokovic said, cracking a laugh. “Maybe it’s a message for me, telling me to slow down a bit!”

According to Subterranean Biology, an international journal, the new species was discovered at the Vriješko Vrelo spring in Montenegro.

“The new species is named after Novak Djokovic, a famous Serbian tennis player, to acknowledge his inspiring enthusiasm and energy,” the journal stated.

Djokovic has never been shy about disclosing his affinity for nature. After winning the 2018 US Open, the Serbian credited his season turnaround to time spent on Montagne Sainte-Victoire in France.

Although it was a surprise to learn a snail species was named after him, Djokovic was intrigued.

“I am honoured that a new species of snail was named after me because I am a big fan of nature and ecosystems and I appreciate all kinds of animals and plants,” Djokovic said. “I try to live in harmony with nature. The news made me laugh.”

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Schwartzman, Monfils Headline In Estoril; All You Need To Know

Portugal has had a place on the ATP Tour calendar since 1990, and the action returns in 2021 at the Millennium Estoril Open, an ATP 250 event.

Staged at the Clube de Ténis do Estoril since 2015, this year’s edition features a strong field of Top 20 players with top-notch clay-court credentials. Diego Schwartzman leads the way, looking for his second trophy of the year after triumphing at home in Buenos Aires. Three of Schwartzman’s four career titles have come on the red dirt.

Santiago champion Cristian Garin is also set to make his debut in Portugal, joined by Gael Monfils and 2017 champion Pablo Carreno Busta. Garin is going for his sixth clay court crown, while Carreno Busta recently lifted his fifth tour-level trophy in Marbella. Joao Sousa, who became the first Portuguese-born player to celebrate a tour-level title on home soil with his emotional victory in 2018, will return with a wild card.

Here’s all you need to know about the Estoril tennis tournament: when is the draw, what is the schedule, where to watch, who won and more.

Established: 2015

Tournament Dates: Monday 26 April – Sunday 2 May 2021 

Tournament Director: Joao Zilhao

Draw Ceremony: Saturday, 24 April at 3:00pm

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Schedule (View On Official Website)
* Qualifying: Saturday & Sunday at 11:00am
* Main draw: Monday 26 April – Sunday 2 May at 10:30am
* Doubles final: Sunday, 2 May TBA
* Singles final: Sunday, 2 May TBA

How To Watch
Watch Live On Tennis TV
TV Schedule

Venue: Clube de Tenis do Estoril
Main Court Seating: 3,700

Prize Money: €419,470 (Total Financial Commitment: €481,270) 

View Who Is Playing, Past Champions, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown

Honour Roll (Open Era)
Most Titles, Singles: Richard Gasquet, Nicolas Almagro, Pablo Carreno Busta, Joao Sousa, Stefanos Tsitsipas (1)
Most Titles, Doubles: Scott Lipsky (2)
Oldest Champion: Nicolas Almagro, 30, in 2016
Youngest Champion: Stefanos Tsitsipas, 20, in 2019
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 10 Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2019
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 71 Nicolas Almagro in 2016
Last Home Champion: Joao Sousa in 2018
Most Match Wins: Pablo Carreno Busta (13)

2019 Finals
Singles: [1] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) d [LL] Pablo Cuevas (URU)  63 76(4)   Read & Watch
Doubles: Jeremy Chardy (FRA) / Fabrice Martin (FRA) d Luke Bambridge (GBR) / Jonny O’Mara (GBR) 75 76(3)  Read More

Social
Hashtag: #EstorilOpen

Facebook: @millenniumestorilopen
Twitter: @estorilopen
Instagram: @estorilopen

Did You Know?
Stefanos Tsitsipas won his first ATP Tour clay-court title at the Millennium Estoril Open in 2019. He went on to triumph at the Nitto ATP Finals in London later that same year.

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Delbonis Outlasts Lajovic For Belgrade QF Berth

Federico Delbonis continued his successful Belgrade debut with an upset over home favourite Dusan Lajovic to reach the Serbia Open quarter-finals.

Fourth seed Lajovic was looking to become the fourth Serbian player to reach the quarter-finals at home, following World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, eighth seed Miomir Kecmanovic and fifth seed Filip Krajinovic. But the 30-year-old Argentine had other ideas, fighting through at the Novak Tennis Centre 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.

“It was a pretty tough match, I think we both played some really good tennis in different parts of the match,” Delbonis said. “The third set was a bit strange, but finally I could take the last game. Otherwise, I think it [could have been] very tough for me after the huge advantage that I had in the third [set].”

Delbonis stayed calm as his opponent rallied in the second set and broke the Argentine, who was serving for the match at 5-2 in the third. Lajovic saved five match points and even fought his way to another break point in a marathon final game, but Delbonis closed it out after two hours and 24 minutes.

Up next, Delbonis will face a Japanese lucky loser in the quarter-finals after Taro Daniel rallied from a set down to topple seventh seed John Millman 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Sitting at No. 126 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, Daniel lost a tough battle to Gianluca Mager earlier this week in the final round of qualifying. But he made good on his second shot in Belgrade, taking down World No. 43 Millman in two hours and 14 minutes to book a spot into his first tour-level quarter-final since Tokyo 2019.

“It feels great, especially since I came in as a lucky loser,” Daniel said in an on-court interview. “I mean, the day I lost [in qualies] I had two beers and I was lifting weights in the gym here. And then suddenly, ‘Okay, you go on court in 10 minutes.’ I was surprised.

“I’m playing free, I’m making a lot of efforts off court as well, which I think are paying off. But it’s a day-by-day process.”

Delbonis and Daniel will meet on clay for the second time in the quarter-finals. The Japanese player owns a 1-0 lead in their ATP Head2Head, facing off for the first time since Vina del Mar in 2014. Daniel edged through that encounter in a three-set battle, 1-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(7).

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Up Close & Personal With Novak Djokovic In Belgrade

From basketball star to actor, Novak Djokovic is playing plenty of roles beyond the tennis court at this week’s Serbia Open.

The World No. 1 is having a blast at the ATP 250 being held in his hometown of Belgrade where his brother, Djordje Djokovic, is the tournament director. Novak has been spotted multiple times on the basketball court at the Novak Tennis Center, where he has showed a crisp jumpshot and touch around the rim.

Djokovic’s other brother, Marko Djokovic, wanted to test his hand as a videographer, and Novak was a willing subject. The 18-time Grand Slam winner did some exercises just for his brother.

Watch Djokovic’s Behind The Scenes Clips:

Two-time Belgrade champion Djokovic has been all-business on the court. Djokovic defeated Soonwoo Kwon 6-1, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals, in which the top seed will play countryman Miomir Kecmanovic.

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Cameron Norrie: Brit into Barcelona Open quarter-finals after David Goffin retirement

Britain’s Cameron Norrie reaches the quarter-finals of the Barcelona Open after Belgian eighth seed David Goffin retired injured.

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Nadal Survives Three-Setter To Top Nishikori

Rafael Nadal overcame a challenge from Kei Nishikori at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, winning 6-0, 2-6, 6-2 in two hours and 19 minutes on Thursday. The Spaniard heads into the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 where he’ll face unseeded Cameron Norrie.

The World No. 3 started by breaking the Japanese 31-year-old in the opening game to set the tone, blitzing through the first set in just 30 minutes. His pressure was relentless with Nishikori taking little risks, managing just three winners. The 11-time Barcelona champion entered the matchup with a dominant 11-2 record in their ATP Head2Head Series but hadn’t played against Nishikori in nearly two years.

“I think I played much better than yesterday; that’s a very important thing for me,” Nadal said on court. “The level of positive energy [was] higher, so [I’m] very satisfied.”

Nishikori finally got on the scoreboard for 1-1 in the second set. With that hurdle behind him, he started teeing off on his forehand and made it three games in a row for 3-1, taking full control of the momentum. A former World No. 4, Nishikori is a two-time winner in Barcelona (2014 and 2015).

He would earn a double-break and seal the set, marking the first time in history that Nadal has played a deciding set in back-to-back matches in Barcelona (he beat Ilya Ivashka 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 on Wednesday).

Out-defending Nadal wasn’t going to work so Nishikori moved more inside the court, taking charge instead of hanging too far back. He began changing direction better and pushed Nadal out of his comfort zone, making efficient use of his backhand down the line and closing with his forehand.

But Nadal would not be shaken up for too long and Nishikori couldn’t convert on his opportunities. In the third set, Nadal survived a 0/40 first game scare by reeling off five points in a row. He’d save more break points (5/5 total in the set) and get rewarded for his clutch play with his own break for 3-1, followed by another at 5-2 to capture the win. The Spaniard improves to 63-4 in Barcelona.

Norrie had an unusual day in the office: He was leading 6-0, 3-5 against David Goffin before the Belgian retired with a right leg injury. The Brit has faced Nadal just once, losing in the fourth round of this year’s Australian Open in straight sets.

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Zverev Leads Field In Munich; All You Need To Know

After missing out on hosting last year’s tournament due to COVID-19, the BMW Open is back in Munich, Germany for its 53rd edition. Germany’s highest-ranked player, World No. 6 Alexander Zverev, leads the field, followed by Top 30 stars Jannik Sinner, Casper Ruud, Dusan Lajovic and Aslan Karatsev.

Zverev won the ATP 250 title in 2017 and 2018, and he’ll be seeking his second ATP Tour title of 2021, having won in Acapulco in March. Two more Germans join the 23-year-old in the main draw, Dominik Koepfer and Jan-Lennard Struff. 

#NextGenATP star Sinner recently cracked the Top 20 for the first time on the heels of his semi-final breakthrough run at the Miami Open presented by Itau. 

Note: The 2021 BMW Open will be held behind closed doors due to COVID-19 precautions.

Established: 1968

Tournament Dates: 26 April-2 May 2021

Tournament Director: Patrik Kuehnen

Draw Ceremony: Saturday 24 April, 11:30am

Are You In? Subscribe To Get Tournament Updates In Your Inbox

Schedule
* Qualifying: 24-25 April, 11:00am
* Main draw: Monday 26 April – Sunday 2 May 
* Start times: Monday – Sunday 11:00am
* Doubles final: Sunday 2 May, 11:00am
* Singles final: Sunday 2 May, 1:30pm

How To Watch
Watch Live On Tennis TV
TV Schedule

Venue: MTTC Iphitos
Surface: Clay 

Prize Money: €419,470 (Total Financial Commitment: €481,270)

View Who Is Playing, Past Champions, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown

Honour Roll
Most Titles, Singles: Philipp Kohlschreiber (3)
Oldest Champion: Tommy Haas, 35, in 2013
Youngest Champion: Guillermo Perez-Roldan, 17, in 1987
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 2 Guillermo Vilas in 1975, 1978; No. 2 Michael Stich in 1994
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 111 Martin Klizan in 2014
Most Match Wins: Philipp Kohlschreiber (35)

2019 Finals
Singles: Cristian Garin (CHI) d Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(1)   Read & Watch
Doubles: Frederik Nielsen (NOR) / Tim Puetz (GER) d Marcelo Demoliner (BRZ) / Divij Sharan 6-4, 6-2  Read More 

Social
Hashtag: #bmwopen

Facebook: @bmwopen
Twitter: @bmwopen2021
Instagram: @bmw_open

Did You Know?
A German has won the BMW Open seven times in the last 15 years, and Germany holds the record for nation with the most titles (9).

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Rublev Below His Best, But Survives In Barcelona

Andrey Rublev worked his way into the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell quarter-finals on Thursday, but was far from his best in a 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-4 victory over Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas in two hours and 27 minutes.

The third-seeded Russian found a way to record an ATP Tour-best 26th match win of the season, striking 24 of his 35 winners off his forehand wing and clinching 12 of 14 points at the net.

Rublev, who picked up the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament title in Rotterdam (d. Fucsovics) last month, will next challenge fifth-seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut or No. 11 seed Jannik Sinner of Italy on Friday.

Rublev opened up a 4-1 lead in the first set, but let Ramos-Vinolas back in. Groundstroke errors cost the World No. 7 in the second-set tie-break and while he led 4-2 in the decider, Ramos-Vinolas recovered once again. Ramos-Vinolas, this season’s Cordoba Open finalist (l. to J. Cerundolo), could not convert four break points at 4-5 and paid the price as Rublev finished off with a forehand winner.

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