Tennis News

Mochizuki Battles Past Gaston In All-#NextGenATP Wimbledon Showdown

Shintaro Mochizuki, an 18-year-old from Japan, made a good start on Tuesday in his first attempt to qualify for a Grand Slam. The teen defeated fellow #NextGenATP player Hugo Gaston of France 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 to reach the second round of qualifying at Wimbledon.

Two years ago, Mochizuki became the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam boys’ singles title when he lifted the Wimbledon trophy. A wild card in qualifying who is No. 500 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, the teen is trying to make his mark at SW19 again.

“I didn’t think I was going to get a wild card for qualies this year, because it’s 2021 and I won in 2019,” Mochizuki told Wimbledon.com. “I was really happy when I heard I got the wild card and I was super excited.”

Another #NextGenATP player, American Brandon Nakashima, ousted Australian Aleksandar Vukic 6-1, 6-1. Vukic had pushed Denis Shapovalov to two tie-breaks at last week’s cinch Championships, but Nakashima dispatched him in just 52 minutes. Twenty-year-old Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic, who is currently 10th in the ATP Race To Milan, survived a stern test against former World No. 5 Tommy Robredo 7-5, 4-6, 10-8.

Former World No. 10 Ernests Gulbis was able to manoeuvre into the second round of qualifying with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 victory against Kazakhstani Dmitry Popko. Serbian veteran Viktor Troicki, who is competing in his final tournament, outlasted American Christopher Eubanks 6-4, 6-7(6), 7-5. 

Martin Klizan, a six-time ATP Tour titlist who owns a win against both Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, played his last match. Zdenek Kolar of the Czech Republic defeated the Slovakian 6-1, 6-2.

Australians had mixed results on Tuesday. Two notable matches featured Bernard Tomic and Thanasi Kokkinakis. Tomic beat Slovenian Blaz Kavicc 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, while aggressive American Maxime Cressy edged Kokkinakis 7-6(5), 7-6(3).

In other action, Russian Roman Safiullin took out 42-year-old Ivo Karlovic 6-3, 6-4 and Buenos Aires finalist Francisco Cerundolo eliminated Brazilian Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves 6-4, 6-2.

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Wimbledon qualifying: British teens Felix Gill, Jack Pinnington Jones & Arthur Fery advance

British teenagers Felix Gill, Jack Pinnington Jones and Arthur Fery are all winners in the first round of Wimbledon qualifying.

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Dayana Yastremska's doping ban lifted after independent tribunal

Dayana Yastremska can return to tennis after her doping ban is lifted after an independent tribunal.

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Eastbourne International: Heather Watson loses to Iga Swiatek in thriller

Watch the best shots as Great Britain’s Heather Watson loses 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 against Poland’s Iga Swiatek in the first round of the Eastbourne International.

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Mannarino Advances In Mallorca After Thiem Retires

Dominic Thiem’s grass-court debut at the Mallorca Championships was cut short after the second seed was forced to retire against Adrian Mannarino, after leading 5-2 in the first set on Tuesday. 

The reigning US Open champion was playing in his first grass-court event since 2019 at Wimbledon, and arrived in Mallorca looking for momentum after a first-round exit at Roland Garros (l. to Andjuar).

Thiem came into the matchup with Mannarino with an 8-0 edge in their ATP Head2Head, contesting their first grass-court match. 

He looked set to extend his lead after making a fast start on centre court, powering his way to 5-2 and closing in on the first set. But at 15/0, the Austrian struck a forehand and appeared to injure his right wrist. After receiving a medical time out, Thiem retired from the match after 35 minutes played.

“It’s nice for me to be in the quarter-finals, but winning this way is not so cool. I really like Dominic, he’s such a nice guy and I hope he will be feeling better soon,” Mannarino said in an on-court interview. “I hope it is not so serious, especially right before Wimbledon.

“I’ve never beat him in the past and obviously he was leading in the scoreboard… I think I was playing okay until Dominic had to stop. I hope he is going to be okay and that I can make a good result here.”

Mannarino advanced to the quarter-finals in Mallorca, where he awaits the winner between 39-year-old Feliciano Lopez and sixth seed Karen Khachanov. 

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Djokovic/Gomez-Herrera Win Mallorca Thriller To Reach QFs

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic made his debut at the Mallorca Championships in doubles with good friend Carlos Gomez-Herrera of Spain, and the pair delighted fans with a thrilling victory on Tuesday.

The wild cards rallied from a set down and saved two match points in a nail biting Match Tie-break to take down Tomislav Brkic and Nikola Cacic 5-7, 6-4, 13-11. 

“We had a lot of fun on the court, I must say,” Djokovic said in an on-court interview. “Xarly is a longtime friend my brother and I, we’ve known each other [for] almost 15 years. We’ve played only once together and we lost that only match. This one was very, very close, but it was an amazing experience.”

Djokovic, who lives in Marbella, was playing in just his second doubles event of the year. At the ATP Cup in February, he partnered with today’s opponent Cacic against Germany (l. to Struff/Zverev). 

For 31-year-old Marbella native Gomez-Herrera, the victory on Spanish soil was twice as sweet. After saving two match points in a Match Tie-break that went down to the wire, a Djokovic passing shot winner helped clinch Gomez-Herrera’s first main draw victory in doubles.

“For me, it’s a privilege to play with him as a friend,” Gomez-Herrera said. “He’s always there backing me up, so just being next to him on court means a lot.”

 

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They will next face top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in the last eight, after the Mutua Madrid Open champions fought past Roman Jebavy and Jiri Vesely 6-2, 3-6, 12-10.

Elsewhere at the Mallorca Country Club, second seeds Marcus Daniell and Philipp Oswald needed two sets against Sander Arends and Matwe Middelkoop to advance, 6-3, 6-2. Andres Molteni and Andrea Vavassori also defeated Guido Pella and Joao Sousa 7-6(3), 7-6(6).

There was no doubles action on Tuesday at the Viking International Eastbourne after Monday’s washout and today’s early rain at Devonshire Park.

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Ace Leader Bublik Blasts 18 In Eastbourne Victory

Alexander Bublik is the 2021 ace king, and he showed why on Tuesday in Eastbourne.

The eighth seed blasted 18 aces past fellow Kazakhstani Mikhail Kukushkin in a 6-1, 6-4 victory in the first round of the Viking International Eastbourne. The 24-year-old will play Belarusian Egor Gerasimov in the second round.

When looking at the aces leaderboard, familiar names include John Isner, Reilly Opelka, Ivo Karlovic and Milos Raonic among others. But Bublik has separated himself from the field so far this year.

2021 ATP Tour Ace Leaders

^{*Still competing this week}
The World No. 39 now has 444 aces in 36 matches, and nobody else on the Tour has more than 331 (Opelka, 19 matches). Although last season was shortened due to COVID-19, Bublik finished 12th on Tour with 273 aces in 28 matches.
 

His next opponent, Gerasimov, eliminated former World No. 5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 6-4. This will be the pair’s first ATP Head2Head meeting, but they split two professional clashes in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

Also moving on Tuesday was Australian veteran John Millman, who beat home favourite Jay Clarke, a wild card, 6-3, 6-2. The 32-year-old will next play Italian Lorenzo Sonego.

Top seed Gael Monfils learned his second-round opponent when Aussie lucky loser Max Purcell edged countryman James Duckworth 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(5) after one hour and 46 minutes.

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Popyrin Snaps Skid In Eastbourne

Alexei Popyrin got back on track Tuesday with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 win against lucky loser Norbert Gombos at the Viking International Eastbourne.

The Aussie has had a breakthrough season in 2021, winning his first ATP Tour title in Singapore and reaching his career-high No. 61 in the FedEx ATP Rankings in May. But the 21-year-old arrived in Eastbourne on a five-match losing streak at all levels.

Popyrin turned that around against Gombos behind three service breaks. The World No. 67 was unable to convert any of his three break points in the first set to fall behind, but he ultimately was able to gain the momentum and improve as the match went on.

Popyrin made the second round at Wimbledon in 2019 as a qualifier. He will next play Ilya Ivashka, who defeated lucky loser Alastair Gray 6-2, 7-6(5) after one hour and 44 minutes.

In perhaps the match of the day, Marton Fucsovics clawed past Slovenian Aljaz Bedene 7-6(3), 3-6, 7-6(3) to earn his 100th tour-level win. The Hungarian won 81 per cent of his first-serve points to advance after two hours and 44 minutes, and he will next play lucky loser Soonwoo Kwon.

Sixth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina beat Swedish qualifier Mikael Ymer 7-5, 6-1 in a battle between Next Gen ATP Finals alumni. This was the Roland Garros quarter-finalist’s first tour-level win on grass, and he will face Canadian Vasek Pospisil for a quarter-final spot.

Home favourite Liam Broady, a wild card, also moved on with a 6-3, 7-6(4) triumph against American Frances Tiafoe. The lefty will play second seed Alex de Minaur next.

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Eastbourne International 2021: Harriet Dart loses opener, defending champion Karolina Pliskova also out

Harriet Dart loses to Elena Rybakina in the first round at Eastbourne, while defending champion Karolina Pliskova is also out.

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More Rain Hits Eastbourne, View Revised Tuesday Schedule

The start of play at the Viking International Eastbourne on Tuesday has been pushed back to 12:30pm local time due to rain. Matches were scheduled to begin at 10:30am at Devonshire Park, following a wash-out on Monday.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, sixth seed and recent Roland Garros quarter-finalist Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, seventh seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas, eighth seed Alexander Bublik and Frances Tiafoe are all set to contest first-round matches on day two.

SCHEDULE – TUESDAY, 22 JUNE 2021

CENTRE COURT start Not Before 12:30 pm
ATP – J. Tsonga (FRA) vs E. Gerasimov (BLR)
WTA – [Q] C. Giorgi (ITA) vs [5] K. Pliskova (CZE)
WTA – [WC] H. Watson (GBR) vs [4] I. Swiatek (POL)

Not Before 2:00 pm
ATP – F. Tiafoe (USA) vs [WC] L. Broady (GBR)

Not Before 3:30 PM
WTA – [1] A. Sabalenka (BLR) vs [Q] B. Pera (USA)

COURT 1 start 12:30 pm
WTA – P. Badosa (ESP) vs [2] E. Svitolina (UKR)
ATP – J. Millman (AUS) vs [WC] J. Clarke (GBR)
ATP – [6] A. Davidovich Fokina (ESP) vs [Q] M. Ymer (SWE)

Not Before 2:00 PM
WTA – [7] E. Mertens (BEL) vs C. Gauff (USA)
WTA – P. Martic (CRO) vs [6] B. Bencic (SUI)

COURT 2 start 12:30 pm
WTA – [WC] H. Dart (GBR) vs E. Rybakina (KAZ)
WTA – [8] A. Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) vs [WC] J. Ostapenko (LAT)
ATP – E. Ruusuvuori (FIN) vs [7] A. Ramos-Vinolas (ESP)
ATP – [WC] J. Ward (GBR) vs V. Pospisil (CAN)

COURT 6 start Not Before 1:30 pm
ATP – [LL] A. Gray (GBR) vs [Q] I. Ivashka (BLR)
ATP – [LL] M. Purcell (AUS) vs [Q] J. Duckworth (AUS)

ATP – M. Fucsovics (HUN) vs A. Bedene (SLO)

COURT 12 start Not Before 1:30 pm
ATP – [LL] N. Gombos (SVK) vs A. Popyrin (AUS)
ATP – [Q] M. Kukushkin (KAZ) vs [8] A. Bublik (KAZ)
ATP – [LL] A. Seppi (ITA) vs Y. Nishioka (JPN)

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