Alexander Zverev thrown out of Mexican Open for unsportsmanlike conduct
Alexander Zverev is thrown out of the Mexican Open for “unsportsmanlike conduct” after attacking the umpire’s chair at the end of a doubles match.
Alexander Zverev is thrown out of the Mexican Open for “unsportsmanlike conduct” after attacking the umpire’s chair at the end of a doubles match.
The ATP has confirmed its calendar for the second half of the 2022 ATP Tour season.
Today’s announcement marks a return to a regular Q3 and Q4 schedule of events, following extensive adjustments in previous seasons due to COVID-19. Following The Championships, Wimbledon, the ATP Tour will continue charting its course through marquee global cities, building towards the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan and the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. All in, the season is set to feature 66 events across 30 countries.
The calendar also includes the relocation of the St. Petersburg Open (ATP 250) to Nur-Sultan, following more than 25 editions of the event. The Kazakh capital city played host to its first ATP tournament in 2020, issued as a single-year licence to expand playing opportunities and explore new markets for professional tennis, before hosting a second event in 2021.
The ATP continues to take a fluid approach to the calendar and the schedule remains subject to change. Any further updates will be communicated in due course.
View the full 2022 calendar here.
Novak Djokovic produces another superb display as his comeback continues by beating Russia’s Karen Khachanov to reach the Dubai quarter-finals.
Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic reached the semi-finals at a tour-level event for the first time this season on Wednesday, downing Belgians Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 6-4, 7-3(3) at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
The top seeds won nine tour-level crowns in 2021, but are still seeking their first trophy in 2022. They saved the one break point they faced to advance after 89 minutes. The Croatians are aiming to go one step further in Dubai this week, after enjoying a run to the final last year.
The Croatians will next play third seeds Filip Polasek and John Peers after the Poles received a walkover from Hubert Hurkacz and Jannik Sinner.
Fourth seeds Tim Puetz and Michael Venus booked their spot in the quarter-finals with a 4-6, 6-1, 10-5 win over lucky losers Jonathan Erlich and Jan-Lennard Struff.
Puetz and Venus clinched tour-level trophies in Hamburg and Paris last season. The German-New Zealand tandem will next take on Andrey Golubev and Fabrice Martin.
Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski moved into the last eight after second seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury were forced to retire during the match. Koolhoof and Skupski were leading 7-6(4) when the action was stopped.
Watch the moment Alexander Zverev attacks the umpire’s chair following his defeat in the doubles at the Mexican Open.
Amrit Magar is handed a five-year restraining order after walking 23 miles to the tennis star’s home.
Jannik Sinner earned his first victory over former World No. 1 Andy Murray on Wednesday at the Dubai Duty Free Championships, overcoming the Scot 7-5, 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals.
The Italian survived by the skin of his teeth in the first round at the ATP 500 event Tuesday, saving three match points against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina en route to advancing.
However, the World No. 10 found the going easier against Murray, not facing a break point as he struck his flat, powerful groundstrokes with depth and accuracy to outmanoeuvre the 34-year-old, triumphing after one hour and 44 minutes.
“It is a special feeling [to share the court with Murray],” Sinner said in his on-court interview. “He is a legend. Winning three Grand Slams, many, many tournaments and he has had some unfortunate moments with surgeries. His fighting spirit is incredible.”
Stepping up when it matters most 💪@janniksin takes out 2017 Dubai champ Murray 7-5 6-2 to reach the #DDFTennis quarter-finals for a second year in-a-row pic.twitter.com/O35BZCWhsH
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 23, 2022
Sinner captured four tour-level titles in 2021 and made his debut at the Nitto ATP Finals on home soil in Turin as an alternate. The 20-year-old is aiming to win his maiden trophy of the season this week in his third tournament of the season. The fourth seed advanced to the last eight at the Australian Open and went 3-0 at ATP Cup in January.
“There were some nerves,” Sinner said. “I lost my last match against him. I tried to stay focused about my game and it worked. Thanks for the support as always. I think I played well, especially in the first set when it was tight in some moments.”
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In a dominant performance, Sinner caused Murray problems with his consistent depth. He looked to force the Scot wide with his backhand and closed the net effectively throughout, striking volleys away into the open court as he latched onto Murray’s lofty slice backhands.
After a close first set, where Sinner remained patient, the Italian quickly raced clear in the second set to level their ATP Head2Head series at 1-1. The World No. 10, who enjoyed a run to the quarter-finals in Dubai last year, will next play fifth seed Hubert Hurkacz after the Pole moved past lucky loser Alex Molcan 6-3, 6-2 in 71 minutes.
Murray lifted the trophy in Dubai in his last appearance in 2017 and was seeking his 700th tour-level career win. Murray defeated Sinner in Stockholm in November.
Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal makes a dominant return to the court with victory over Denis Kudla in the Mexican Open first round.
Stefanos Tsitsipas earned his 200th tour-level win on Tuesday at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, where he overcame Serbian Laslo Djere 7-6(7), 7-6(4) to reach the second round in Acapulco.
In a hard-fought battle, the Greek saved two set points in the first set at 5-4, 40/30 on Djere’s serve and then at 6/7 in the tie-break, before he edged a tight second set to advance after two hours and 15 minutes at the ATP 500 event.
“It was very challenging,” Tsitsipas said in his on-court interview. “There were a lot of tight moments today. It was not easy coming in and trying to adjust, but I felt much more comfortable game after game. There was a point where I was getting ahead and playing my best tennis. He put up a great fight and he wasn’t easy to crack. But those two tie-breaks I managed really well and managed to execute my game plan.”
The Greek claimed his maiden tour-level victory in October 2017, defeating Karen Khachanov in Shanghai in straight sets. Since then, the 23-year-old has captured seven tour-level titles, including the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals trophy and the 2021 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters crown.
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Tsitsipas has also risen to a career-high No. 3 in the ATP Rankings and advanced to the final at Roland Garros in 2021, falling to Novak Djokovic, who he has defeated twice so far. The World No. 4 is now 200-99 on his career.
The third seed is aiming to win his first title of the season in Acapulco, after reaching the semi-finals at the Australian Open and final at the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam.
“The fans are really engaged, and they love tennis here,” Tsitsipas added. “A lot of the players are getting good support including me and it is electric out there on court. It is one of the best atmospheres at an ATP 500 I have played.”
Tsitsipas, who enjoyed a run to the championship match in Mexico last year, now leads Djere 1-0 in their ATP Head2Head series and will next face J.J. Wolf after the American qualifier saved a match point en route to a 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-2 win over Lorenzo Sonego.
Peter Gojowczyk has received a walkover into the quarter-finals following Alexander Zverev’s withdrawal. The 32-year-old will play either Cameron Norrie or John Isner in the last eight.
Britain’s US Open champion Emma Raducanu retires with a hip injury against Daria Saville in the opening round of the Guadalajara Open.