Tennis News

Granollers/Zeballos Reach Cincinnati Final

Second seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos overcame Fabio Fognini of Italy and Marcelo Arevalo of El Salvador 6-3, 6-4 Saturday at the Western & Southern Open to reach their second ATP Masters 1000 final of the season.

The Spanish-Argentine tandem, which captured their third Masters 1000 title in Madrid in May, did not face a break point, winning 82 per cent (27/33) of their first-service points to advance in 69 minutes.

Granollers and Zeballos have yet to drop a set in Cincinnati and will compete in their fourth tour-level final of the season on Sunday, having also reached the championship match at Wimbledon last month and in Acapulco in March.

They will meet Steve Johnson and Austin Krajicek after the Americans battled past third seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah 7-6(5), 6-7(8), 10-3 in two hours and one minute.

In a high-quality Match Tie-break, Johnson raised his level to lift the unseeded pair into the final as they team for the first time this season. Johnson and Krajicek last competed in 2020 at the Western & Southern Open, when it was held in New York, reaching the semi-finals.

Johnson and Krajicek hit four aces and saved the one break point they faced to ensure they did not fall at the same stage this year. Earlier this season Krajicek advanced to the final in Newport (w/Pospisil), while Johnson enjoyed a run to the championship match in Atlanta (w/Thompson) earlier this month.

Source link

Rublev Battles For Maiden Medvedev Victory, Reaches Cincinnati Final

Russia’s Andrey Rublev recorded his first victory over countryman Daniil Medvedev in his fifth attempt Saturday at the Western & Southern Open to reach his second ATP Masters 1000 final.

“It’s like you pass university and they give you a diploma,” a delighted Rublev said on court after the match.

The fourth seed, who fell to Medvedev and the Australian Open in February, had not defeated the 12-time tour-level titlist in their previous four encounters, nor at any time earlier in his career. However, Rublev rallied in Ohio hitting powerful forehands to defeat Medvedev 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 in two hours and 22 minutes and improve to 1-4 in their ATP Head2Head Series.

”Even when I was 2-6 down, the score should not have been like this because the points were so tight,” Rublev said in his on-court interview. “The match was so intense, so many long rallies, super tough, super physical, super mental. A lot like a chess match.

“Medvedev is one of those players who won’t give you a chance to attack, but if I have enough power and chose the right moment, I have to be the one to make him run. In the end, I was trying to find the perfect moment to start being more aggressive to open the angles.

“It gives me more confidence that I can compete against him. There are still so many things to improve.”

Not your every day occurrence, as Daniil Medvedev collides with a camera in Cincinnati#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/BSK51FyyiI

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 21, 2021

The 23-year-old reached his maiden Masters 1000 final in Monte-Carlo in April and will face third seed Alexander Zverev or Roland Garros finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas in Sunday’s championship match as he bids to claim his first title at this level.

Rublev has fond memories in Cincinnati, having defeated Roger Federer en route to the quarter-finals in 2019. This year, the eight-time tour-level titlist helped guide Russia to the ATP Cup title alongside Medvedev in February and lifted the Rotterdam trophy in March.

In a lively start, Medvedev gained an early break as he sat deep behind the baseline and hit with consistent depth. The 25-year-old covered the court well to frustrate Rublev, who committed 18 unforced errors in the first set as Medvedev moved ahead.

After colliding with a cameraman at 1-1 in the second set, Medvedev recovered as both hammered their groundstrokes to manoeuvre each other around the court in a high-quality encounter. In an epic eighth game, Rublev raised his level, converting his fifth break point as he managed to hit through his countryman, before holding serve to claim his first-ever set against Medvedev and force a decider.

Both players were strong on serve in the third set until the seventh game, when three errors from Medvedev handed Rublev a crucial break of serve. The World No. 7, who won 73 per cent (44/60) of his first-service points, then held his nerve to secure his victory.

Medvedev overcame big-serving American Reilly Opelka in Toronto last week to capture his fourth Masters 1000 title. The top seed, who clinched the Cincinnati trophy in 2019, had won 11 out of his past 12 matches in Ohio.

The Australian Open finalist, who has also lifted titles in Mallorca and Montpellier this season, was aiming to become just the seventh male player in the Open Era to complete the Toronto-Cincinnati double.

Source link

Ashleigh Barty into Cincinnati Open final with win over Angelique Kerber

World number one Ashleigh Barty reaches her sixth final of 2021 at the Cincinnati Open with a straights set win over Angelique Kerber.

Source link

ATP Announces Safeguarding Review

The ATP has announced a comprehensive review of safeguarding policies, in line with a commitment to ensure all adults and minors involved in professional tennis are safe and protected from abuse. The review has been led by the commissioning of an independent report, currently being compiled by a team of expert consultants.

To date, ATP has typically deferred to legal authorities in cases of abuse before determining if further internal action is warranted under the ATP Code of Conduct. The report is expected to set out a number of recommendations to elevate safeguarding across the organisation and identify opportunities for more proactive involvement. Following its completion, ATP will evaluate its recommendations and possible next steps across a range of safeguarding matters, including those pertaining to domestic violence.

Massimo Calvelli, ATP CEO, said: “Abuse has a profound and lasting impact on millions of victims each year. We believe everyone in tennis should feel protected, fairly represented, and supported in raising concerns. When abusive conduct or allegations are related to any member of the tennis family it can also impact the public’s trust in our sport. We recognise that we have a responsibility to be doing more.

“This represents new ground for us, and the seriousness and complexity of these issues will require us to proceed with care. We have to be sure that any policies are practical and enforceable across our sport, which operates in more than 30 different legal jurisdictions and where players compete as independent contractors. Collaboration with the WTA, ITF and the four Grand Slams will also be important in order to serve the wider tennis community.”

Source link

Ashleigh Barty beats Barbora Krejcikova to reach Cincinnati semi-finals

World number one Ashleigh Barty eases through to the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Open with victory over Barbora Krejcikova.

Source link

SF Preview: Will Rublev Have His Day Against Friend Medvedev?

After Andrey Rublev fell to 0-4 against Daniil Medvedev at tour-level earlier this year at the Australian Open, he remained optimistic.

“We’re going to play I hope for many, many years, so at least once I think I will have a chance,” Rublev said, cracking a laugh. “Every time I play him — at the US Open I had chances, I had set points. Here I had break points. And then one day it’s going to be my day.”

Will Saturday be his day when he meets the World No. 2 in the Western & Southern Open semi-finals? Rublev will try to upset his close friend and countryman, with whom he led Russia to ATP Cup glory this year, for a spot in his second ATP Masters 1000 final. But it will be a tough task, and it was no surprise that when Rublev was asked about the matchup, his reaction was priceless: “My good friend Daniil again.”

Medvedev is playing his best tennis of the season, and is fresh off a 6-1, 6-1 masterpiece against seventh seed Pablo Carreno Busta in the quarter-finals. The top seed has won 18 of his past 20 matches, including a run to the Toronto trophy last week, which marked his fourth Masters 1000 title. He is attempting to become just the seventh male player in the Open Era to claim the Toronto-Cincinnati double.

“The higher your confidence is, the more there is a chance that you won’t have these weak spots, and that’s where you are tough to beat,” Medvedev said. “That’s how I’m feeling right now. But what is tough in tennis is you need to continue doing it day after day. 

Both men have enjoyed great success in Cincinnati. Two years ago, Rublev defeated Stan Wawrinka and Roger Federer in back-to-back matches to make the quarter-finals. At that stage, he lost against Medvedev, who broke through at the Lindner Family Tennis Centre to lift his first Masters 1000 trophy.

Medvedev will have the mental edge, knowing he has won all 10 tour-level sets he has played against Rublev. The Monaco resident has proven he has the solution to nullify his countryman’s powerful game.

2021 MATCH WINS LEADERS

Rublev typically crushes ball after ball until he blasts a winner or his opponent is no longer able to defend his attacks. But not only has Medvedev repelled his friend’s offence, he has shown the ability to take advantage of the few moments when Rublev has taken his foot off the gas, stepping into the court himself to take charge.

“You need to be focused 100 percent every point, because as soon as you relax or something, then he will use this opportunity. That’s why it’s important always, even if I’m not attacking, because maybe he [will] take advantage and he [will] start to attack,” Rublev said earlier this year. “For him it’s also not easy. I’m not the only one who’s suffering. He’s also suffering, because in the end for him it’s tough to be always the one who needs to attack and then suddenly again to defend.”

Medvedev views their clashes similarly, knowing that the difference in points is often small opportunities within each rally.

“When I play him, I know I cannot lose focus. I need to be there all the points because one small opportunity that he gives me where he doesn’t hit full power, I try to use it, I try to take it,” Medvedev said. “Of course I try to hit shots that he will not be able to attack, to [play] aggressively, because that’s his game. That’s normal against any player, you try to get him out of the comfort zone. Sometimes you succeed, sometimes not. But that’s what I’m going to try to do tomorrow.”

2021 MASTERS 1000 WINS LEADERS

In the second semi-final, second seed Stefanos Tsitsipas will attempt to maintain his ATP Head2Head dominance of Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Alexander Zverev, whom he leads 6-2.

Both men have been in great form. Tsitsipas is second in the FedEx ATP Race To Turin, and a title in Cincinnati would move him to within 1,195 points of first-place Novak Djokovic. The Greek also made the semi-finals last week in Toronto, where he lost a tough three-setter against American Reilly Opelka.

Zverev began the week without a win on his Western & Southern Open resume. But he has won nine consecutive matches, and is one of two players to reach the last four without dropping a set (also Medvedev).

Not only has the German been winning, but he has been doing so convincingly. Zverev has only lost one set during his winning streak, and just two of the 18 sets he has won during this stretch have gone past 6-4.

“The matches are not going to get easier. I think Stef is somebody who is in incredible form right now and he’s looking forward to playing this match as well because we’re right in front of the US Open,” Zverev said in his on-court interview after defeating Norwegian Casper Ruud on Friday. “We should be playing our best tennis, and I think it’s going to be entertaining for all of us.”

Tsitsipas is never one to shy away from a test. The last time these two played was in the semi-finals at Roland Garros. The Greek lost the third and fourth sets before steadying himself to reach his first Grand Slam final.

Like Zverev, he had never won a match in Cincinnati before this week. But the 23-year-old is as confident as anyone, leading the ATP Tour with 48 wins this season. He now has his sights set on a fourth Masters 1000 final.

“I think it is important to accept the challenge, to embrace it and to want to pursue further success,” Tsitsipas said in his on-court interview after battling past Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarter-finals. “The sport that I chose to play, I’m out there playing it for the difficult moments and for the easy ones and I want to bring the best out of my game when things aren’t easy.”

Did You Know?
The top four seeds are in the Western & Southern Open semi-finals for the first time since 2009, when Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic made it that far.

Source link

Zverev Delivers Ruud Shock To Casper

Alexander Zverev delivered a reality check to Casper Ruud and his growing hard-court confidence with an overwhelming 6-1, 6-3 victory in the Western & Southern Open quarter-finals Friday night.

The Tokyo Olympics champion had too much firepower on serve and from the baseline, crushing 18 winners to seven and dominating points of five shots or less 32-17.

Zverev, who had not won a match in six previous appearances at this ATP Masters 1000 tournament, advanced to a blockbuster semi-final showdown with Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Greek dominates their ATP Head2Head 6-2 and defeated the German in a five-set thriller in this year’s Roland Garros semi-finals.

Zverev, who has now reached the quarter-finals or better of eight of the nine Masters 1000 events (except Indian Wells), extended his winning streak to nine matches dating back to the Olympics.

Zverev was fast out of the blocks against Ruud, claiming two breaks to race to a 4-0 lead and wrapping up the set soon after for the loss of just 11 points. The Norwegian conjured a break out of nowhere in the first game of the second set. But Zverev, who has adjusted nicely to the lively courts at the Lindner Family Tennis Centre, broke back for 3-all and closed out the match soon after.

Source link

'Feisty' Tsitsipas Overcomes Match-Points Hiccup

A few centimetres nearly changed the trajectory of Stefanos Tsitsipas’ Western & Southern Open quarter-final against Felix Auger-Aliassime. But the Greek maintained his focus to earn a spot in the last four in Cincinnati.

Despite letting slip two match points in the second set, Tsitsipas defeated Auger-Aliassime 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 after two hours and 12 minutes to reach the semi-finals at this tournament for the second consecutive year. But the second seed’s victory did not come drama-free.

“Tennis is a psychological game and things like this happen. It’s important to just stick to your roots and what you are doing best,” Tsitsipas said in his on-court interview. “It might not have been ideal in the second set, especially when I made so many opportunities and had such a good opportunity to close it a bit earlier. But with a lot of patience and just trying to find that opportunity in the third set, I was stepping in, I was really determined and I didn’t let go.”

For most of the first two sets, the Greek was in full control. Tsitsipas played with patient aggression to take a 6-2, 5-4 15/40 lead as a physically impeded Auger-Aliassime struggled to find rhythm. But on the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals champion’s second match point on the Canadian’s serve, Felix hit a backhand that barely clipped the back of the baseline.

The ball was so close that Tsitsipas thought it was out and he had won the match. But instead, that served as a turning point as Auger-Aliassime — who took an injury timeout at 2-3 in the set to get treatment on his left side — found better balance in his game to quickly turn the table and send the battle to a third set.

But after taking a bathroom break, Tsitsipas returned to court refreshed. The match points he lost did not cause any panic. Auger-Aliassime gifted his opponent an early break in the third with a sprayed forehand wide, and the Greek never looked back, storming through the decider without facing a break point.

“[I was] determined, fierce and feisty when I had to be. I’m just filled with many emotions right now,” Tsitsipas said. “Things got really tough at some point and I had to find different solutions and come up with some new ideas and I followed through. [I] made it a choice of mine to step in with aggression and build up the game.”

Any hopes of a late comeback by the Canadian were dashed when Auger-Aliassime struck his seventh double fault to give the second seed a second break. But the 21-year-old will leave Cincinnati confident after advancing to his second ATP Masters 1000 final, including a win over close friend Matteo Berrettini, the Wimbledon finalist.

Auger-Aliassime dominated his rivalry with Tsitsipas from the juniors through their early years as professionals. But Tsitsipas has firmly taken control of their ATP Head2Head series, now leading 5-2 thanks to five consecutive wins.

The second seed suffered a tough three-set lost last week in the Toronto semi-finals against Reilly Opelka. But he has rebounded well in Ohio with three victories to advance to the last four. Tsitsipas is trying to win his second Masters 1000 title after triumphing in Monte-Carlo earlier this season.

Next up will be Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Alexander Zverev, who eliminated Turin contender Casper Ruud of Norway in straight sets. Tsitsipas leads the German 6-2 in their ATP Head2Head rivalry.

Source link