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Madrid Open: Britain's Kyle Edmund knocked out in first round by Fabio Fognini

  • Posted: May 07, 2019

British number one Kyle Edmund lost 6-4 6-3 to Italy’s Fabio Fognini in the first round at the Madrid Open.

World number 12 Fognini, 31, took one hour and 30 minutes to secure victory as he broke Edmund’s serve four times.

Edmund could not recover after losing serve at 4-4 in the first set, or once he went 3-2 down in the second.

It is the Briton’s fourth straight defeat, having lost to American world number 82 Denis Kudla in the first round of the Munich Open last week.

The 24-year-old has also lost to Diego Schwartzman in Monte Carlo and, after a first-round victory over Ugo Humbert, to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Marrakech on clay this season.

Number one seed Novak Djokovic, 31, progressed to the third round in Madrid, beating 21-year-old American Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-2.

The Serb is joined by potential quarter-final opponent Marin Cilic, after the Croat recovered from a set down against Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff to win 4-6 6-3 6-4.

Competing in his final tournament before retirement, 37-year-old David Ferrer beat fellow Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4 4-6 6-4 to set up a second-round tie against third seed Alexander Zverev.

Stan Wawrinka beat France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-2 6-3 and will face Guido Pella in the second round after the Argentine overcame 12th seed Daniil Medvedev 6-2 1-6 6-3.

Meanwhile, Britain’s Jamie Murray and partner Bruno Soares reached the men’s doubles second round, taking just 18 minutes to win the first set in a 6-0 6-4 victory against Nikoloz Basilashvili and Radu Albot.

Later on Tuesday, Roger Federer will contest his first clay-court match in three years against France’s Richard Gasquet, and Barcelona Open champion Dominic Thiem faces Reilly Opeka.

Nadal ‘hopes to be ready’ despite illness

World number two Rafael Nadal is preparing to begin his tournament with a second-round match against Canada’s Felix Auger Aliassime.

A five-time champion in Madrid – most recently in 2017 – Nadal has been struggling with a virus as he aims to improve on back-to-back semi-final defeats.

The Spaniard lost to to Dominic Thiem in Barcelona and Fabio Fognini in Monte Carlo as he failed to defend either of his titles in April.

“I’ve been going through a virus. The positive side is I’ve been able to train at least an hour-and-a-half [per session],” said 32-year-old Nadal.

He added: “I hope that tomorrow is going to be a bit better. It’s true that when you have this virus and stomach viruses, the body’s a bit weaker. I’m a bit better than yesterday and yesterday was better than the day before.

“There is a bit more risk of injuries. But of course, this is a very important tournament for me and I hope to be ready. Barcelona was a positive improvement for me. I’m building up my game with more confidence than I had in Monte Carlo. I’m enjoying training and I enjoy playing each day.”

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View Schedule: Rafa & Felix Face Off Wednesday; Zverev To Play Ferrer

  • Posted: May 07, 2019

View Schedule: Rafa & Felix Face Off Wednesday; Zverev To Play Ferrer

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Nishikori, Del Potro, Tsitsipas also in action

Rafael Nadal will open his bid for a sixth Mutua Madrid Open title on Wednesday afternoon against #NextGenATP star Felix Auger-Aliassime. The 18-year-old Canadian, who defeated Denis Shapovalov in the first round, reached a clay-court final earlier this year at the Rio Open presented by Claro.

“He is a complicated opponent. He’s young. He’s played a couple of matches on clay this year already so he’s going to be a difficult opponent,” said Nadal. “For him here, everything is more even due to the altitude, the conditions.”

Defending champion Alexander Zverev, Kei Nishikori, Juan Martin del Potro and Estoril champion Stefanos Tsitsipas also play their second-round opening matches Wednesday. Zverev will confront David Ferrer after the former World No. 3 prevailed against Roberto Bautista Agut on Tuesday to extend his run in his farewell tournament.

More to come…

You May Also Like: Ferrer: “In The End, All You Have Left Is The Person”

ORDER OF PLAY – WEDNESDAY, 8 MAY, 2019

MANOLO SANTANA start 12:00 noon
2 WTA matches
Not Before 4:00 pm
ATP – [WC] Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) vs [2] Rafael Nadal (ESP) 
Not Before 8:00 pm
WTA match
Not Before 9:30 pm
ATP – [WC] David Ferrer (ESP) vs [3] Alexander Zverev (GER) 

ARANTXA SANCHEZ start 12:00 noon
ATP – [6] Kei Nishikori (JPN) vs [Q] Hugo Dellien (BOL) 
ATP – Laslo Djere (SRB) vs [7] Juan Martin del Potro (ARG) 
ATP – [8] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs [LL] Adrian Mannarino (FRA) 
ATP – [13] Borna Coric (CRO) or Lucas Pouille (FRA) vs [Q] Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 
Not Before 8:00 pm
ATP – Fernando Verdasco (ESP) vs [11] Karen Khachanov (RUS) 

STADIUM 3 start 12:00 noon
WTA match
ATP – Stan Wawrinka (SUI) vs Guido Pella (ARG) 
Not Before 4:00 pm
2 WTA matches
ATP – Wesley Koolhof (NED) / Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) or Marco Cecchinato (ITA) / Marton Fucsovics (HUN) vs [5] Nikola Mektic (CRO) / Franko Skugor (CRO) 

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COURT 4 start 12:00 noon
4 WTA matches
ATP – Robin Haase (NED) / Raven Klaasen (RSA) vs [2] Lukasz Kubot (POL) / Marcelo Melo (BRA) 

COURT 5 start 12:00 noon
ATP – Frances Tiafoe (USA) vs Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 
Not Before 1:00 pm
ATP – Marton Fucsovics (HUN) vs [15] Gael Monfils (FRA) 
ATP – [10] Fabio Fognini (ITA) vs John Millman (AUS) or Steve Johnson (USA) 
ATP – [3] Jamie Murray (GBR) / Bruno Soares (BRA) vs Juan Martin del Potro (ARG) / Kei Nishikori (JPN) 
ATP – [6] Oliver Marach (AUT) / Mate Pavic (CRO) or Ivan Dodig (CRO) / Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) vs Maximo Gonzalez (ARG) / Horacio Zeballos (ARG) 

COURT 6 start 12:00 noon
WTA match
ATP – Jeremy Chardy (FRA) vs Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 
WTA match
ATP – [Alt] Austin Krajicek (USA) / Artem Sitak (NZL) vs [WC] Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) / Jaume Munar (ESP) 
ATP – [8] Henri Kontinen (FIN) / John Peers (AUS) or [WC] Nick Kyrgios (AUS) / Bernard Tomic (AUS) vs Guido Pella (ARG) / Joua Sousa (POR) 
ATP – Kyle Edmund (GBR) / Neal Skupski (GBR) vs Jean-Julien Rojer (NED) / Horia Tecau (ROU) 

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Madrid Open: Johanna Konta knocked out in second round by Simona Halep

  • Posted: May 07, 2019

British number one Johanna Konta went out of the Madrid Open in the second round, losing to Romanian world number three Simona Halep.

Two-time Madrid champion Halep, 27, wrapped up a 7-5 6-1 win in one hour and 30 minutes.

On Sunday, world number 47 Konta, 27, lost the Morocco Open title to Maria Sakkari in her first final on clay.

Halep, who won the Madrid title in 2016 and 2017, will play Slovakia’s Viktoria Kuzmova in the third round.

“I feel like I started playing at a really good level,” Konta told BBC Sport.

“I thought I found my footing reasonably quickly. As you would expect playing against someone like Simona, she’s going to rally back and what she does incredibly well is compete and really work her way into the points.

“I definitely created chances in that first set – unfortunately I couldn’t capitalise. And then I think I just ran out of a little bit of steam there in the second set.”

Konta was the first to go up a break, leading 2-1 before easing through two service games to take a 4-2 lead.

She found herself at break point to reach 5-2 but Halep managed to hold serve, going on to break Konta to level the scores.

At 5-5, Halep withstood three break points and when leading 6-5, managed to wrap up the set on her fifth set point.

The French Open champion asserted her dominance in the second set, allowing Konta only two points in the first four games.

Konta broke her opponent’s serve to get a game on the board, but Halep broke back immediately before serving out the match.

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Queen's Club: Andy Murray given wildcard for Fever-Tree Championships

  • Posted: May 07, 2019

Former British number one Andy Murray has been given a wildcard to play at Queen’s Club next month and will decide “nearer the time” if he will compete.

The three-time Grand Slam champion, 31, had hip surgery in January.

Murray said in March he was pain-free but rated his chances of playing in the Wimbledon singles at “less than 50%” and has not played competitively since.

The Fever-Tree Championships at Queen’s in London will start on Monday, 17 June – two weeks before Wimbledon begins.

Current British top two Kyle Edmund and Cameron Norrie will feature at the tournament, as will last year’s beaten Wimbledon and US Open finalists Kevin Anderson and Juan Martin del Potro.

Defending champion Marin Cilic, three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka, Australian Nick Kyrgios and former Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic are also named on the entry list.

A wildcard is being held in reserve for five-time winner Murray, who Queen’s say will let tournament director Stephen Farrow know nearer the time of the event if he is fit enough to take it.

Murray broke down in tears at the Australian Open in January, saying in his pre-tournament news conference that he planned to retire after this year’s Wimbledon because of pain in his hip.

However, he said the first Grand Slam of 2019 could prove to be the last tournament of his career.

After a gutsy first-round five-set defeat by Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut, Murray appeared to soften his stance by telling the Melbourne crowd he hoped to see them again next year.

In his post-match news conference, he said he was considering the resurfacing operation primarily to improve his quality of life.

Murray had the hip resurfacing operation – which keeps more of the damaged bone than a hip replacement, smoothing the ball down and covering it with a metal cap – in London on 28 January.

American doubles player Bob Bryan had the same surgery last year and returned to action, alongside twin brother Mike, five months later. No tennis player has competed in singles after having the operation.

Should Murray compete, it will be the first time since 2006 that Britain has had three direct entrants at Queen’s.

BBC Sport will have live coverage from the west London club across television, radio and online.

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Katie Boulter: Briton to miss rest of clay court season and French Open

  • Posted: May 06, 2019

British number two Katie Boulter has withdrawn from the French Open and will miss the rest of the clay-court season due to a back injury.

The world number 92 was struggling with the injury during Britain’s Fed Cup victory over Kazakhstan last month.

Boulter, 22, sealed a 3-1 victory as she beat Zarina Diyas, but needed a hot water bottle on her back during changeovers.

She has not played since that match on 21 April.

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Watch & View Schedule: Federer Back On Clay Tuesday; Djokovic, Ferrer In Action

  • Posted: May 06, 2019

Watch & View Schedule: Federer Back On Clay Tuesday; Djokovic, Ferrer In Action

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In final tournament, Ferrer opens against fellow Spaniard Bautista Agut

Roger Federer makes his return to clay for the first time since 2016 on Tuesday night at the Mutua Madrid Open. The three-time Madrid champion awaits the winner between former World No. 7 Richard Gasquet and #NextGenATP Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who reached his first ATP Tour semi-final last week in Estoril. Federer, 37, is playing in his first tournament since claiming his 101st career title in March at the Miami Open presented by Itau

Novak Djokovic and David Ferrer also feature on court Manolo Santana on Tuesday. Djokovic, in his 250th week at No. 1 in the ATP Rankings, faces Taylor Fritz for a second straight ATP Masters 1000 tournament. Meanwhile, former World No. 3 Ferrer begins his final tournament against fellow Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut. Ferrer leads the FedEx ATP Head2Head 2-1, though both wins came in Grand Slam action in 2013.

More to come…

You May Also Like: No Snow, All Fun For Federer On Clay Ahead Of Madrid

TUESDAY, MAY 7, 2019 – ORDER OF PLAY

COURT MANOLO SANTANA start 12:00 noon
WTA match
[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs [Q] Taylor Fritz (USA)
Not Before 4:00 pm
[WC] David Ferrer (ESP) vs Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP)
Not Before 8:00 pm
[4] Roger Federer (SUI) vs Richard Gasquet (FRA) or [WC] Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)
WTA match

COURT ARANTXA SANCHEZ start 12:00 noon
Stan Wawrinka (SUI) vs [Q] Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA)
WTA match
Not Before 4:00 pm
WTA match
[13] Borna Coric (CRO) vs Lucas Pouille (FRA)
[Q] Reilly Opelka (USA) vs [5] Dominic Thiem (AUT)

STADIUM 3 start 12:00 noon
David Goffin (BEL) vs Marton Fucsovics (HUN)
[10] Fabio Fognini (ITA) vs Kyle Edmund (GBR)
[9] Marin Cilic (CRO) vs Jan-Lennard Struff (GER)
Two WTA matches

COURT 4 start 12:00 noon
WTA match
Diego Schwartzman (ARG) vs [16] Marco Cecchinato (ITA)
Jeremy Chardy (FRA) vs Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP)
John Millman (AUS) vs Steve Johnson (USA)
[8] Henri Kontinen (FIN) / John Peers (AUS) vs [WC] Nick Kyrgios (AUS) / Bernard Tomic (AUS)

COURT 5 start 12:00 noon
Guido Pella (ARG) vs [12] Daniil Medvedev (RUS)
Gilles Simon (FRA) vs [Q] Hugo Dellien (BOL)
Three WTA matches

COURT 6 start 12:00 noon
Alex de Minaur (AUS) vs Hubert Hurkacz (POL)
[LL] Adrian Mannarino (FRA) vs Joao Sousa (POR)
Two WTA matches
[6] Oliver Marach (AUT) / Mate Pavic (CRO) vs Ivan Dodig (CRO) / Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA)

COURT 7 start 12:00 noon
Marcel Granollers (ESP) / Marc Lopez (ESP) vs [5] Nikola Mektic (CRO) / Franko Skugor (CRO)
Robin Haase (NED) / Raven Klaasen (RSA) vs Alexander Zverev (GER) / Mischa Zverev (GER)
[3] Jamie Murray (GBR) / Bruno Soares (BRA) vs Radu Albot (MDA) / Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO)
Marcelo Demoliner (BRA) / Daniil Medvedev (RUS) vs Dusan Lajovic (SRB) / Matwe Middelkoop (NED)
Wesley Koolhof (NED) / Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs Marco Cecchinato (ITA) / Marton Fucsovics (HUN) 

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Djokovic: Nadal Is Always The No. 1 Favourite On Clay

  • Posted: May 06, 2019

Djokovic: Nadal Is Always The No. 1 Favourite On Clay

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Serbian seeks a third Madrid title

Rafael Nadal arrives at the Mutua Madrid Open without a title on the season for the first time in 15 years. But World No. 1 Novak Djokovic still has no doubt that the Spaniard is the favourite to lift the trophy.

“He’s always the No. 1 favourite to win any clay-court event. It’s not any different here in Madrid,” Djokovic said. “Actually, even more here in Madrid because he’s playing at home.”

Djokovic and Nadal have competed against one another three times in Madrid, with Nadal winning two of their three FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings here, including an epic 2009 semi-final that the Spaniard emerged victorious from after four hours and three minutes.

But Djokovic will hope to meet Nadal again, because that would mean he’d be in the final. The top seed has made just one quarter-final in his three tournaments since winning the Australian Open. If he turns it around and triumphs here, though, Djokovic will tie Nadal’s record of 33 ATP Masters 1000 titles.

“I haven’t been maybe playing my best in the last couple of months. But I’m slowly building and hopefully I can manifest my best tennis here,” the Serbian said.

Djokovic is a two-time titlist at the Caja Magica, and he owns a 24-8 at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament overall. He also has earned three Top 10 wins at the event.

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“It is nice to be back in Madrid. I have had very good success and some good results here in the past. And I’m happy to be healthy playing Madrid because last year that wasn’t the case,” Djokovic said. “After surgery, I was on the way back and I still struggled a little bit with the elbow. This year’s quite different.”

This time last year, Djokovic was still recovering from the right elbow procedure he underwent after the Australian Open. But after losing his second-round match in Madrid and reaching the semi-finals in Rome, the Serbian made the final at seven of his season’s final nine tournaments.

Last year, Djokovic was still focused on his health. This year, as he celebrates his 250th week atop the ATP Rankings, he’ll be hoping to lift a third trophy.

“Conditions here are obviously different than any other clay-court event. The altitude affects the play. The ball flies through the air quite quickly and it’s not easy to control the ball,” Djokovic said. “The memories from the years when I won the tournament in 2011 and ’16, I’m trying to relive these memories again and get obviously confidence from starting off the season well in Australia.”

While Djokovic will not face him unless they meet in the final, it is also the final tournament of former World No. 3 David Ferrer’s career. The Serbian lost just two sets during his 2011 title run at the Caja Magica, and one of those came against Ferrer in the quarter-finals.

“I share tremendous respect for David as player and as a person as well. He’s someone that has earned that respect many times in his career. His fighting spirit, his devotion to the sport is unprecedented and in a way it’s sad to see him leave,” Djokovic said. “But I’ve talked with him the other day and he said he was preparing for this for a while and he’s ready. He has a family and obviously he’s ready for the next stage of his life. But he is always going to be welcome in our sport. And the doors will always be open for him.”

Djokovic begins his tournament on Tuesday against 2018 Next Gen ATP Finals qualifier Taylor Fritz, whom he defeated with the loss of just three games at this year’s Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

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