Google Play App Download

Tennis News

From around the world

Humbert Moves On, Davidovich Fokina Repeats In Estoril

  • Posted: Apr 28, 2021

Third seed Ugo Humbert was tested in his Millenium Estoril Open debut on Thursday, but he overcame Marco Cecchinato 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to book his spot in the quarter-finals.

The Frenchman is into his third tour-level quarter-final of the year, and his first away from French soil after reaching the semi-finals in Marseille (l. Herbert) and Montpellier (l. Bautista Agut). He will next face eighth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina for the first time.

“The conditions are really nice here, but it was a bit windy today so it was tough to play against [Cecchinato] for my first match. But it’s a nice victory,” Humbert said. “I think I [have been] improving my game a lot since last year. I had some good victories over Fognini and Medvedev in Hamburg, and I’m trying to enjoy a lot. I’m very happy.”

[WATCH LIVE 1]

Humbert converted three of his nine break opportunities, and held firm in the third set to stave off a comeback from Cecchinato. With Humbert barrelling toward the finish line after taking a 3-0 lead, the Italian reeled off three straight games of his own to level the score. But Humbert found a way to close out the match after an hour and 51 minutes, and improved to 2-0 in his ATP Head2Head against Cecchinato.

Also in action, eighth seed Davidovich Fokina raced into the quarter-finals after taking down Jeremy Chardy in 56 minutes, 6-1, 6-2.

Originally scheduled for Estadio Millennium, the pair’s match was moved to Court Cascais after heavy rainfall interrupted play earlier in the day. Davidovich Fokina was quick to adapt to the change in court – and heavier, windy conditions – and took a 3-0 lead in both sets against Chardy.

Davidovich Fokina saved five of the six break points faced to keep the pressure on Chardy. He also honed in on the Frenchman’s second serve, allowing Chardy to win only 25 per cent of points (4/16) behind his second delivery.

Davidovich Fokina’s victory is a repeat of his 2019 second-round clash against Chardy in Estoril with an identical scoreline. Back then, the Spaniard owned no tour-level wins going into his second ATP main draw as a qualifier, but still found a way to stun Chardy 6-1, 6-2 en route to the semi-finals. Now, the 21-year-old sits at a career-high No. 48 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. 

Source link

Rublev, Federer Visit Famous Sports Venues

  • Posted: Apr 28, 2021

People from all around the world watch the ATP Tour’s biggest stars. But this week, Andrey Rublev and Roger Federer were the fans, visiting notable sports venues. 

Rublev, who lost in the quarter-finals of last week’s Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, has remained in Spain. And on Tuesday, the Russian got an inside look at Camp Nou, the home of FC Barcelona.

“It’s a huge stadium,” Rublev said. “I was watching [matches here] a couple of times live and it’s amazing when it’s a full crowd. It looks like the stadium is never ending.”

The 23-year-old admitted he doesn’t watch every match, but he still enjoys supporting the club.

“When it’s something big, I follow. Like a final of Copa del Rey, for example,” Rublev said. “I wish them all the best. I hope they’re going to win La Liga.”

Federer visited a different kind of arena. The 103-time tour-level champion toured the home of Swiss ice hockey team SC Bern.

NHL stars who have played for the club include John Tavares, Roman Josi and Daniel Briere among others. Federer posted an Instagram story sitting in front of the locker of Thomas Rufenacht.

Source link

Zverev, Ruud Move Into Munich Quarter-finals

  • Posted: Apr 28, 2021

Alexander Zverev started his campaign for a third BMW Open title on Wednesday with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Lithuanian lucky loser Ricardas Berankis in 87 minutes.

“I haven’t played much tennis the past few weeks, so I know I’ll need to improve for the next match,” said Zverev, who also confirmed that he has overcome his recent right elbow injury. “I’ve had success in the past and I feel good here. I’ve played well in the practice and hopefully I can do better on the match court.”

[WATCH LIVE 1]

The 24-year-old German, who is now 13-2 in his past four Munich appearances, will next play a qualifier – Belarusian Ilya Ivashka or American Mackenzie McDonald – in the quarter-finals.

Zverev, the 2017 and 2018 champion, continually threatened to break Berankis’ serve, doing so three times in the first set by targetting the backhand of the World No. 89. Zverev hit a forehand winner for a 2-1 lead in the second set, but Berankis began to step into the court and broke back in a run of three straight games. Ultimately, Zverev’s groundstroke consistency, including a powerful backhand winner to break for 5-4, proved to be the difference.

Ruud

Earlier in the day, second seed Casper Ruud powered his way into the quarter-finals by beating Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay 6-3, 6-2 in 68 minutes. Ruud, who reached his second ATP Masters 1000 semi-final two weeks ago at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters (l. to Rublev), won the first three games of the match and swept through the last five games for his 11th match win of the season (11-4).

Ruud won 16 of 18 second-service points and now plays Australia’s John Millman in the quarter-finals. Eighth seed Millman was trailing 4-6, 2-0 when Argentine Guido Pella retired after 75 minutes of play.

Source link

Anderson Sets Cilic Clash In Estoril Quarter-finals

  • Posted: Apr 28, 2021

Kevin Anderson struck 12 aces to beat Spanish lucky loser Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3, 7-6(4) on Wednesday for a place in the Millennium Estoril Open quarter-finals. The South African failed to convert four match points at 5-4 and needed to recover from 2/4 down in the second-set tie-break en route to victory in one hour and 49 minutes.

“I was 2/4 down in the tie-break, but I managed to raise my level and I fought really well in order to get the match finished in straight sets,” said Anderson. “It was important to forget the 5-4 game, as I think I played some very good tennis out there.”

The former World No. 5, who last reached the quarter-finals of an ATP Tour event in October 2020 at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna (l. to Rublev), will next play sixth-seed Marin Cilic. The Croatian leads their ATP Head2Head 6-1, boasting a 2-1 record on clay courts.

[WATCH LIVE 1]

Sixth seed Cilic weathered two rain delays and an inspired performance from Portuguese wild card Nuno Borges on his way to the quarter-finals with a 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4 victory.

Cilic overpowered the 24-year-old in the first set, surging to a 5-2 lead and holding three set points at 40/0. Borges, who was competing in his first ATP Tour main draw, fought all the way back and escaped with the opening set in a tie-break.

But after a rain delay, it was Cilic who came back swinging. He raised his level on serve, and didn’t face a break point as he claimed the second set. The Croatian saved five of the six break points faced overall and closed out the third set after two hours and 27 minutes.

“I feel like I’m playing okay [on clay courts]. I had obviously some ups and downs again today, but I’m feeling good on the court and hitting the ball well,” Cilic said. “It’s important for me mentally to win these kinds of matches, losing [the] first set and coming back. Winning yesterday also [was] not easy after losing [the] second set. It’s small wins for me, and I’m hoping that I can be better day after day.”

It was the second three-setter in a row for Cilic, who took down #NextGenATP Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, 17, in his opening match. He will next face Anderson for a spot in the Estoril semi-finals as he seeks his 19th ATP Tour title.

Source link

Djokovic Withdraws From Madrid

  • Posted: Apr 28, 2021

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the Mutua Madrid Open, the ATP Masters 1000 tournament announced on Wednesday.

“Sorry that I won’t be able to travel to Madrid this year and meet all my fans,” Djokovic said. “It’s been two years already, quite a long time. Hope to see you all next year!”

Djokovic is a three-time Madrid champion, including a victory in the tournament’s most recent edition in 2019. The Serbian last competed one week ago in Belgrade, where he advanced to the semi-finals before losing against breakthrough Russian Aslan Karatsev in a three-hour, 26-minute battle.

The 33-year-old owns a 12-2 record on the season, including a run to his ninth Australian Open title in Melbourne.

Source link

17-Year-Old Alcaraz Reminds Cilic Of This Player…

  • Posted: Apr 28, 2021

Marin Cilic has faced plenty of rising stars during his career, and on Tuesday he battled another one in 17-year-old Carlos Alcaraz. Although the former World No. 3 was able to secure a three-set victory in their first-round clash at the Millennium Estoril Open, the Croatian was impressed.

“He was fighting really hard. But I think that’s also a Spanish school of tennis. They are extremely disciplined, they play very hard, they are pushing themselves physically and you can see that he is also a hard worker,” Cilic said. “[Those] are great things for the sport and those things are going to help him to improve.”

The 32-year-old believes that Alcaraz plays similarly to one of his mentors: World No. 12 Pablo Carreno Busta, who trains at former World No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero’s academy. Fittingly, Ferrero is Alcaraz’s coach.

“I would say [Carlos’ game is] not too far from Pablo Carreno Busta’s just with the style, but I would say Carlos has just a bit [of a] better forehand and I would say Pablo has a better backhand,” Cilic said. “Being 17 and already with that kind of a game that he’s got, he’s going to be only improving with matches at this level. He will definitely have with more and more matches a better and better game and he’s going to be lifting up [his level].

“I think Juan Carlos is a great coach for him in that sense because I think Juan Carlos also played a similar game to his: great forehand, moving really well, very solid backhand, returning good. Definitely he can improve in some shots and parts of his game, but already he is looking like a pro player and playing really well at this level.”

Alcaraz is not the first #NextGenATP player Cilic has faced this year. The 18-time tour-level champion beat 19-year-old Italian Lorenzo Musetti in Miami.

“Lorenzo likes to play a little bit further away from the baseline, likes to open up the court, uses angles, has got really good touch. He’s got also a one-hander, plays the slice and I think clay is his favourite surface,” Cilic said. “I feel he’s just maybe half a step in front of Carlos. Carlos is just getting on the Tour [and he has] a bit [of a] different game.

“Carlos is playing more aggressive and also trying to attack, putting pressure on the opponent and I think both of those games that they have can improve a lot.”

Cilic will continue to pursue his first ATP Tour trophy since triumphing at The Queen’s Club in 2018 when he faces Portuguese qualifier Nuno Borges for a spot in the Estoril quarter-finals.

Source link