Tennis News

Cerundolo upsets Ruud, Tsitsipas levels for Europe at Laver Cup

Francisco Cerundolo helped Team World take its first step towards a third consecutive Laver Cup title on Friday afternoon. Team Europe’s Stefanos Tsitsipas then promptly issued a swift reminder of the challenge facing the Argentine and his teammates this weekend in Berlin.

The No. 31 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Cerundolo upset Casper Ruud in the opening match of the 2024 edition of the teams event. He triumphed 6-4, 6-4 after 97 minutes to take a 4-3 lead in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with the World No. 9.

“I’m super happy. I had the responsibility to go there and play the first match. I knew it was going to be tough,” said Cerundolo in his post-match press conference. “Casper is a great player. We played many times, so I knew how he was going to play, and I think I did a really good job from the beginning to the end.

“I was really there, focused, and super happy to get my second win in Laver Cup and first this year.”

Cerundolo outhit Ruud by 16 winners to 11 to avenge his recent defeat to the Norwegian at the Paris Olympics. The Argentine adjusted more quickly to the indoor conditions at Uber Arena than Ruud, who struggled with the consistency of his groundstrokes, to give Team World and its captain John McEnroe the perfect start in Berlin.

“We have seen it a couple of times, where it can come down on the last day to a point or two, so every point is very important,” said Team World Vice-captain Patrick McEnroe. “Especially, I think, the first match, it’s good to get some momentum.”

If Team Europe captain Bjorn Borg was after a fast response, he certainly got one from Tsitsipas. The Greek raced to a 6-1, 6-4 win against Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second match of the afternoon session.

Tsitsipas set the tone on the opening point of the match, when he pushed Kokkinakis wide with an arrowed backhand before moving in to put away an emphatic volley. The World No. 12 barely looked back from there, and completed his win having broken his Australian opponent’s serve three times in his 81-minute win.

Looking sharp 💪@steftsitsipas gets the point for Team Europe with a 6-1 6-4 triumph over Kokkinakis.@LaverCup | #LaverCup pic.twitter.com/obPaeZAv72

— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 20, 2024

With one point on offer for each win on Day 1, that left the score between Team Europe and Team World at 1-1 heading into Friday evening’s session, when Grigor Dimitrov will take on Alejandro Tabilo, before home favourite Alexander Zverev and Laver Cup debutant Carlos Alcaraz meet Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton in the opening doubles clash of the weekend.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Jarry snaps streak to reach Chengdu QFs

Third seed Nicolas Jarry battled past Lukas Klein 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4 on Friday to advance to the quarter-finals at the Chengdu Open.

The No. 28 in the PIF ATP Rankings struck 19 aces en route to snapping his seven-match losing streak since he defeated Tommy Paul in Rome. Jarry also saved five of Klein’s seven break points to close out the match in two hours, 18 minutes.

“I played very well that last game, put him under some pressure and didn’t give him any room,” Jarry said after the match. “The game before was very tight, he played some unbelievable returns and I just stuck there right in the present, very strong.

“Hopefully I can continue on my path the best way possible.”

Jarry will next face qualifier Alibek Kachmazov, who reached his first ATP Tour quarter-final by defeating Taro Daniel 7-6(1), 6-1.

The No. 252 in the PIF ATP Rankings was clinical as he converted all four of his break point chances, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to record the biggest victory of his career.

Yannick Hanfmann overcame seventh seed Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to advance to the quarter-finals at the Chengdu Open.

In the pair’s first meeting, the 32-year-old won 79 per cent (37/47) of his first-serve points. The German also struck 26 winners to seal victory over the 21-year-old in one hour, 49 minutes.

Nicely done ☑️

Hanfmann reaches his 17th ATP Tour QF after battling past Mpetshi Perricard 6-4 3-6 6-3!@ChengduOpen | #ChengduOpen pic.twitter.com/CKZZWT1qnW

— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 20, 2024

“You have to be patient, that was the key to the match,” Hanfmann said in his post-match interview. “You’re not going to get a lot of chances to break him, he’s an amazing server.

“But I thought I had great patience, and I used the chances when I had them, so I’m very happy with this performance.”

The No. 95 in the PIF ATP Rankings progressed to his second career quarter-final on hard courts (Antwerp 2023). He will next face  Aleksandar Vukic or fourth seed Pedro Martinez. 

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Nakashima saves MPs, advances to Hangzhou QFs

Fourth seed Brandon Nakashima saved two match points to overcome #NextGenATP star Coleman Wong 6-7(7), 7-6(4), 6-1 on Friday and advance to the quarter-finals at the Hangzhou Open.

Nakashima, who is at a career high No. 39 in the PIF ATP Rankings, held his nerve to save two match points as he served at 6-5 down in the second set. The American struck 39 winners to defeat the 20-year-old in two hours, 40 minutes.

The former Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF winner has maintained his momentum in the recent months, posting an 11-4 record since August, including a fourth-round run at the US Open. At Flushing Meadows he defeated Lorenzo Musetti and Holger Rune as he equalled his best run at a Grand Slam.

Nakashima advanced to his 14th ATP Tour quarter-final where he will face Australian Rinky Hijikata, who progressed after Fabian Marozsan withdrew due to sickness.

Mikhail Kukushkin rolled back the years as he defeated Alexander Shevchenko 6-4, 7-6(3) in an all-Kazakhstani battle.

The 36-year-old converted three of his five break point chances as he reached his first ATP Tour quarter-final in four years (Nur-Sultan 2020).

Kukushkin broke a six-year title drought on the ATP Challenger Tour earlier this year, capturing titles in Manama and Tenerife. The former No. 39 in the PIF ATP Rankings will face either second seed Karen Khachanov or Yunchaokete Bu next.

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Laver Cup & ATP announce five-year extension to partnership

The Laver Cup and the ATP have today announced a five-year extension to their existing certification agreement, which began with Laver Cup 2019, and both renews and enhances their partnership.

This extension comes as the Laver Cup enters its seventh edition today at Uber Arena in Berlin, marking a significant milestone for the event as it continues to bring together tennis superstars from the past, present and future in a thrilling team competition and a unique celebration of the sport.

The Laver Cup, where top players from Europe take on their counterparts from the rest of the world, will continue to benefit from the ATP’s global reach, marketing services — including press and social media — and operational support, including officials and physios.

“We are delighted to continue our partnership with the ATP,” said Tony Godsick, Laver Cup Chairman and CEO of TEAM8.

“Their recognition validates the Laver Cup vision, which is to bring together the world’s top players – rivals year-round – as teammates, to celebrate and honour the legendary Rod Laver and his compatriots, while growing interest in this wonderful sport at new destinations around the world.”

“The Laver Cup has quickly established itself as a unique highlight of our season,” added ATP Chairman, Andrea Gaudenzi. “The passionate reception it receives from both the players and fans at every city it visits speaks volumes and we truly value the great potential Laver Cup has to attract new fans around the globe. We are delighted to be supporting its continued growth.”

Roger Federer, a driving force behind the creation of the Laver Cup, shared his enthusiasm about the future of the event.

“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built with the Laver Cup,” said Federer. “Becoming recognised as part of the ATP Tour five years ago was an important milestone. It’s been fantastic to see the way players, partners and fans around the globe have embraced Laver Cup. I’m excited for its future.”

This year marks the final appearance of legendary Laver Cup captains and former rivals Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, who have served as Team Europe and Team World captains, respectively, since the tournament’s inaugural year in 2017.

“The Laver Cup has been a huge success, and I’ve been honoured to be part of it from the beginning,” said Borg as he reflected on his involvement with the event.

“The values this event stands for—commitment to excellence, a focus on the team, respect for the opponent, and a love for the game—are things we see time and again throughout the competition. It’s been a privilege to lead such a talented group of players in this iconic competition.”

“What the Laver Cup has achieved in just a few years is incredible,” McEnroe added. “This event captures the essence of what tennis is all about: competition, passion, innovation and sportsmanship. I’ve enjoyed every moment as captain of Team World, and I can’t wait to see how the Laver Cup continues to inspire players and fans alike in the future.”

Since its inception in 2017, the Laver Cup has rapidly established itself as one of the most anticipated events on the tennis calendar. The five-year extension of this agreement between the Laver Cup and the ATP underscores the event’s success and its ability to contribute to tennis’ growth globally.

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