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Norrie completes Van Assche revenge job in Metz

  • Posted: Nov 06, 2024

Payback was sweet for Cameron Norrie on Wednesday at the Moselle Open.

The Briton overcame #NextGenATP home favourite Luca Van Assche 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to book his quarter-final spot at the indoor hard-court ATP 250. Seeking to avenge a three-set loss to Van Assche on the ATP Challenger Tour last month, Norrie delivered an emphatic third-set display to seal a one-hour, 52-minute victory in Metz.

“Luca and I played a couple of weeks ago in Roanne in a Challenger and he got me last time, so it was nice to face him again and have the chance to get revenge,” said Norrie. “I have a lot of respect for him. He’s so tough to play and I had to really serve well and come up with some really good stuff, especially in the third set, to get a break. Then I managed to hold my nerve and serve it out, but a lot of credit to Luca to come out and compete the way he did.”

Norrie converted three of six break points he earned against Van Assche, according to Infosys ATP Stats. The former No. 8 in the PIF ATP Rankings, who is this week competing as the World No. 57 after an injury-disrupted 2024, will next take on Zizou Bergs, who eased past Hugo Gaston 6-4, 7-5.

“I’m just trying to play point for point, and really just enjoy competing in the last week of the year for me,” said Norrie, who will contest his first ATP Tour quarter-final since April in Barcelona. “It’s a good week so far. I just want to take it match by match and stick around in Metz another day. I want to keep going and I’m definitely going to have to keep improving my level to have any chance of going further at the tournament.”

Despite Van Assche’s loss, there was plenty for the home fans to cheer on Wednesday in Metz. Quentin Halys kicked off the day by prevailing 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in an all-French clash against Pierre-Hugues Herbert, while Benjamin Bonzi later upset second seed Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4.

Bonzi won 85 per cent (33/39) of points behind his first serve in his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with World No. 7 Ruud. It was the biggest win of the 28-year-old’s career, and he will next take on Halys in his first tour-level quarter-final since February 2023.

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Watch Turin draw live: Will Alcaraz land in Sinner's group?

  • Posted: Nov 06, 2024

Fans will be able to watch live as the elite eight players at the Nitto ATP Finals are placed into their four-man groups in Turin on Thursday. A live stream of the draw will be available on nittoatpfinals.com at approximately 12:45 p.m. CET/6:45 a.m. ET.

Top seed Jannik Sinner heads the Ilie Nastase group and could find himself matching up with archrival Carlos Alcaraz, who comes into the tournament as World No. 3. New World No. 2 and two-time tournament champion Alexander Zverev heads the John Newcombe group, where he could face 2020 champion Daniil Medvedev.

Alcaraz and Medvedev will be randomly drawn into either the Nastase or Newcombe groups. World No. 6 Taylor Fritz and No. 7 Casper Ruud will also find themselves in opposing groups, as will No. 8 Alex de Minaur and No. 9 Andrey Rublev. (World No. 6 Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the event due to injury.)

The doubles field will be split into the Mike Bryan Group and the Bob Bryan Group.

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Shapovalov downs Borges in Belgrade for milestone win

  • Posted: Nov 06, 2024

Denis Shapovalov is rounding off his comeback season in style with an impressive run at the Belgrade Open.

The 25-year-old produced a near-flawless performance on Wednesday to defeat fifth seed Nuno Borges 6-2, 6-4 and advance to his 40th tour-level quarter-final. Shapovalov, who came through qualifying, was clinical on serve throughout the match, during which he won 91 per cent (31/34) of points behind his first delivery, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

“It was a fast-paced match today, I started really well out the gates,” said Shapovalov, who broke Borges’ serve in the opening game. “I kept the momentum going. I’ve been playing well all week, so I am very happy with another win.

“It’s one of the best wins of the season for me, so I’ll enjoy it a little bit and then I’ll start thinking about the quarter-finals.”

Shapovalov’s 2023 season was cut short by a knee injury, but the Canadian has made a steady return to action throughout this year. With his 64-minute win, the former No. 10 in the PIF ATP Rankings is into his third tour-level quarter-final of 2024 (Washington, Basel).

Shapovalov will next face Christopher O’Connell for a spot in the last four after the Australian fired past Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-1.

Earlier, Francisco Cerundolo served up some revenge by ousting Roman Safiullin and levelling the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series at 1-1. The third seed, who fell to Safiullin in the first round of Wimbledon in July, dialled in for a 6-4, 6-4 win.

“I knew it was going to be a super tough match, but I think I played pretty well,” said Cerundolo, who improved to 34-30 on the season. “I’m super happy because he is a tough player. If you don’t serve well, his return will come fast and then it’s difficult.”

Cerundolo fired six aces and saved each of the two break points he faced en route to a one-hour, 31-minute triumph. In his 22nd tour-level quarter-final, Cerundolo will face Serbian wild card Hamad Medjedovic.

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Elsewhere, Laslo Djere was forced to dig deep to notch back-to-back wins on the ATP Tour for the first time since October last year. The Serbian wild card saved two set points in the second set, but held his nerve to outlast lucky loser Duje Ajdukovic 6-1, 7-6(8) to secure his spot in the last eight.

“In the first set, I played my best tennis of the year,” said Djere. “In the second set, it was a battle. I really wanted to win and I am happy that I pushed through it.”

The 29-year-old will next face Fabian Marozsan, who moved past home hope Dusan Lajovic 6-3, 7-5 to reach his fifth tour-level quarter-final.

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Sinner hits practice court with Fritz at Nitto ATP Finals

  • Posted: Nov 06, 2024

Preparations for the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals are in full swing. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner took to the Inalpi Arena’s centre court for a practice session with second-time qualifier Taylor Fritz on Wednesday.

The pair, who went head to head in this year’s US Open final, were the first to hit on the court as anticipation builds around the fourth edition of the season finale in Turin. 

<img alt=”Taylor Fritz ” style=”width: 100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/06/11/35/fritz-nitto-atp-finals-2024-wednesday-practice.jpg?w=100%25″ />

Taylor Fritz prepares for his second appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals. (Credit: Andrew Eichenholz/ATP Tour)

Sinner fell short to Novak Djokovic in last year’s championship-match clash in Turin, but will be eager to go one further this time around. The Italian clinched his maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January, and did not look back in an emphatic year. 

Fritz made the semi-finals on his debut appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals in 2022. Now, after another stellar season, during which he reached his maiden major final, the American is back on the hunt in Turin.

DRAW CEREMONY
The draw is set to take place on Thursday 7 November at approximately 12:45 p.m. CET, following the pre-tournament press conference.

In recognition of the first No.1s in the PIF ATP Rankings, and the most successful doubles team in history, the singles groups for this year’s Nitto ATP Finals will be the Ilie Nastase Group and the John Newcombe Group, while the doubles groups will be the Bob Bryan Group and the Mike Bryan Group.

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