Google Play App Download

Tennis News

From around the world

Murray's Documentary Made Otte Cry; Now They Play At Wimbledon

  • Posted: Jun 29, 2021

Oscar Otte has never played Andy Murray. But when they walk on Centre Court Wednesday for their second-round match at Wimbledon, the German will bring plenty of respect for the former World No. 1, and not just because of his tennis achievements.

“He’s huge in tennis. When I watched his documentary when it came out, I was actually crying,” Otte said. “It was so emotional and so inspiring. I’m probably talking for other players, too. He’s just a huge icon in the sport.”

“Andy Murray: Resurfacing” was released in 2019, and it detailed the Scot’s gruelling journey back from hip resurfacing surgery and the lengths to which the three-time Grand Slam champion went to continue his career. The emotional intensity of the documentary caught Otte’s attention.

“Of course it’s difficult to perform [at a] high level with surgeries like this, but everybody knows he’s one of the best tennis players ever. And when he gets in control of his body, I think everybody knows he can still beat the top guys and [go] far in tournaments,” Otte said. “I’m actually not really surprised. He has a big team behind him, physios, everything. I think they are taking very good care of him, and he’s just an unreal athlete and one of the best ever.”

 

The 27-year-old is competing in his first Wimbledon main draw. He has previously played the Roland Garros main draw three times. This year in Paris, Otte won the first two sets of his first-round match against Alexander Zverev, before ultimately falling in five sets. He said: “The first two-and-a-half sets were probably the best sets of my whole life. I was playing unreal.”

“With my ranking, you don’t have the option to have big matches like this [often],” Otte said. “I’m just really looking forward for the whole day tomorrow.”

The World No. 151 made the most of his debut at SW19 by beating Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-7(5), 13-12(2) across Monday and Tuesday. After completing his victory, Otte did not realise he had won. But when the chair umpire announced he had triumphed, the German showed plenty of emotions.

“I actually thought it was going to 10. I don’t know why. I was talking with my coach before the match, and we were both saying in case it goes up to 12-All, it’s a [Match] Tie-break,” Otte said. “I actually didn’t realise as I was pretty shocked when I heard ‘game, set, match, Otte.’ Better this way around than the other way around, for sure.”

It was just the second men’s singles match at Wimbledon to go to a Match Tie-break after Novak Djokovic defeated Roger Federer in the 2019 final.

Listen To Radio Wimbledon | List Of Broadcasters (PDF)

The 27-year-old will hope to summon his best as he tries to reach the third round at a major for the first time. Otte knows this is a big moment in his career.

“[It] will be a pretty big match tomorrow. The crowd probably won’t be on my side, but that’s okay for me, of course,” Otte said. “I have my coach here, my girlfriend I think can be enough, but we will see. In general, he’s an inspiring athlete and I’m really happy to have a chance to play against him tomorrow.”

Source link

Shapovalov Fights Past Kohlschreiber In Five Sets

  • Posted: Jun 29, 2021

Denis Shapovalov worked hard for his place in The Championships second round on Tuesday, which was heavily affected by rain. The 10th-seeded Canadian overcame Philipp Kohlschreiber, who is returning from a hip injury, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in three hours and 35 minutes on Court 12.

Shapovalov squandered a 5-3 lead in the fourth set, shortly prior to a four-hour rain delay at the All England Club. But the 22-year-old bounced back to break in the seventh game of the decider courtesy of four unforced errors from Kohlschreiber.

View Schedule | Listen To Radio Wimbledon | List Of Broadcasters (PDF)

“It’s a great feeling to win this match especially against a great player like Philipp, who I watched a lot growing up,” said Shapovalov. “I am a huge fan of his game. It’s great to see him back in good form.

“It’s a huge weight off my back, going in the first round of a major and not knowing how the courts will play, especially as you can’t practise too much on it. I am really happy that I was able to pull through and come up with big points when I needed them. Philipp is a really, really tough competitor so it’s a good win for me.”

Shapovalov struck 16 aces among his 58 winners, and will next face Spain’s Pablo Andujar in the second round. Andujar needed five hours and two minutes to overcome Pierre-Hugues Herbert of France 7-6(7), 4-6, 7-6(7), 5-7, 8-6. He’d missed out on two match points on serve at 5-4, 40/15 in the fourth set. 

Shapovalov is now 19-13 on the season, which includes a runner-up finish at the Gonet Geneva Open (l. to Ruud). Prior to coming to the grass-court major, the World No. 12 reached the cinch Championships semi-finals (l. to Norrie).

Source link

Evans, Schwartzman Move Into Wimbledon Second Round

  • Posted: Jun 29, 2021

Home favourite Daniel Evans got his Wimbledon campaign up and running with a 7-6(4), 6-2, 7-5 victory over Feliciano Lopez on Tuesday before rain started to fall at The Championships.

Evans, who reached back-to-back quarter-finals at an ATP Challenger Tour event in Nottingham and the cinch Championships in London, continued his momentum as he faced Lopez on No. 2 Court. He withstood 38 winners including 13 aces from the Spanish lefty, and saved all three of the break points he faced en route to victory.

“It was a good way to come through, it was pretty efficient. I feel I played solid tennis and was more controlled than previous matches over the grass,” Evans said. “I had to be ready from the get-go and really focused and be sharp. I felt I was.

“It was difficult. It’s always going to be a difficult match against Feli. I thought there’d probably be a tie-break or two in there. I was ready to be good in those moments. I did a good job and I’m happy to come through.”

Evans, the 22nd seed, awaits the winner of Dusan Lajovic and Gilles Simon as he seeks a spot in the third round to equal his best Wimbledon result (also 2016 and 2019). 

After yesterday’s rain, there were 16 first-round matches in the top half of the draw still to be completed, including seven in-progress matches that were rescheduled for Tuesday. Ninth seed Diego Schwartzman and 26th seed Fabio Fognini were among the players who returned to complete their rain-affected opening matches to move into the second round. 

Schwartzman led Benoit Paire 6-3, 6-4 on Monday before darkness halted play. The Argentine didn’t miss a beat when they resumed, racing through the final set to secure a 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 victory. He struck 16 winners and only five unforced errors in the match to Paire’s 26 and 52, respectively. 

View Tuesday’s Schedule | Listen To Radio Wimbledon | List Of Broadcasters (PDF)

With the victory, Schwartzman improved to 2-1 in his ATP Head2Head against Paire, with both their previous meetings coming on clay. He will next face British wildcard Liam Broady, who defeated his own first-round opponent, Marco Cecchinato, with an identical scoreline, 6-3, 6-4, 6-0. 

Fognini also came through a stern opening test against Albert Ramos-Vinolas after leading 7-6(4), 6-2 on Monday. The Italian improved to 9-2 in his ATP Head2Head with Ramos-Vinolas after securing the third set 6-4. He awaits the winner of Laslo Djere and Pablo Cuevas in the second round.

Source link

Preview: Can Roger Get Rolling In Centre Court Return At Wimbledon?

  • Posted: Jun 29, 2021

Eight-time former champion Roger Federer will make his highly anticipated return to Centre Court on Tuesday as he takes on Adrian Mannarino in the first round at Wimbledon.

No man has won more titles at the All England Club than Federer, but the Swiss great could have his work cut out for him as he looks to kick his comeback into high gear at his favourite Grand Slam event.

Federer, who was sidelined for much of the abbreviated 2020 season due to knee surgeries, has been struggling to regain his top form as he approaches his fifth tournament of the year. He’s found himself in uncharted territory more than once, recording his first second-round loss at the NOVENTI OPEN in Halle and withdrawing from a Grand Slam for the first time at Roland Garros (w/o Berrettini).

But the sixth seed reassured press that he is ready to fight for a record-extending ninth singles trophy at Wimbledon. He is determined to stay positive and not let any negativity get to him, as he said was the case in his Halle defeat (l. to Auger-Aliassime). 

“The good thing now, looking back, is I know it will not happen here because I’m ready, I’m excited, I’m pumped up. I know I can do so much better,” Federer said. “I think I’ve got to take the positives out of these past few weeks, that I’m actually here at Wimbledon right now and I have a chance. 

“I know if I get rolling, I get into the second week – which is the goal here right now – that I get stronger and stronger as every match goes by. I believe it’s very much possible.”

[TENNIS POINT]

Federer will face France’s Mannarino in his opening match, which he will play second on Centre Court on Tuesday. The Swiss owns a 6-0 lead in their ATP Head2Head, and has only lost one set out of the 16 they’ve contested. The pair’s last meeting took place here at Wimbledon; Federer will be hoping for another confidence-boosting win after beating the lefty 6-0, 7-5, 6-4 in 2018. 

World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev arrived at the All England Club with a brand new accolade to his resumé: his first tour-level grass-court title, after taking down Sam Querrey in the ATP 250 Mallorca Championships final. 

“I’ve always liked playing on grass. Four years ago, I would say that it was my favourite surface. But after my results on hard courts I couldn’t say anything else other than hard courts, and I still like playing on hard courts more,” Medvedev told press in Mallorca.

“It was important for me to get these things like titles going, because we don’t have a lot of tournaments [on this surface]… It’s always a good feeling and it gives you a lot of confidence.” 

During his week in Mallorca, Medvedev got to enjoy some typical Spanish gazpacho as he tore through the draw only dropping one set. Now, he eyes another dish best served cold as he starts his Wimbledon campaign with his sights set on revenge against Jan-Lennard Struff, the player who knocked him out in the first round in Halle. Medvedev leads 3-1 in the ATP Head2Head against the big-serving German.

He will have a bit of extra motivation this fortnight too; Medvedev could end the tournament as the new No. 1 player in the FedEx ATP Rankings, overtaking Novak Djokovic, though he would have to win his first Grand Slam title to do so. He could also rise to the top if he reaches the final and Djokovic does not.

Also on tap on Day 2, another mouth-watering first round rematch pits Nick Kyrgios against 21st seed Ugo Humbert on Court 12. When these two met in Melbourne this year, they delighted Aussie fans with a marathon five-setter that went down to the wire, with Kyrgios upsetting the Frenchman 5-7, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-4. But Humbert arrives on a hot streak after taking down Andrey Rublev in Halle to win his first ATP 500 title. The pair are even at one win apiece in their ATP Head2Head. 

Elsewhere at the All England Club, Zhang Zhizhen will take a historic step for China as the first man to contest the main draw at Wimbledon in the Open Era. The 24-year-old Shanghai-born qualifier, who goes by the nickname ‘ZZZ’ in the West, will take on Antoine Hoang on Court 6 as he makes his Grand Slam debut. 

Read More: Carrying The Weight Of National History, Zhang Says ‘It’s Just The Beginning’

Fans of the one-handed backhand will also be in for a treat as Great Britain’s Daniel Evans, the 22nd seed, faces 39-year-old Feliciano Lopez on No. 2 Court. Spanish lefty Lopez won their only previous meeting at the Australian Open in 2016, but Evans will surely enjoy the support of his home crowd. He also arrives with plenty of momentum after reaching back-to-back quarter-finals at an ATP Challenger Tour event in Nottingham and the cinch Championships at The Queen’s Club. 

Click Here To View Full Day 2 Order Of Play.

Source link