Tennis News

From around the world

Federer's Switzerland beat GB's Norrie & Boulter in Hopman Cup

  • Posted: Dec 30, 2018

Roger Federer outplayed Britain’s Cameron Norrie as defending champions Switzerland swept Great Britain aside with a 3-0 victory at the Hopman Cup.

World number three Federer defeated Norrie 6-1 6-1 before team-mate Belinda Bencic beat Katie Boulter 6-2 7-6 (7-0) in the women’s singles to win the tie.

The Swiss pair then completed the victory with a 4-3 (4-0) 4-1 win in the mixed doubles in Perth, Australia.

Norrie, 23, and Boulter, 22, play Serena Williams’ USA on Thursday.

They defeated Greece in their opening tie in the tournament on Saturday.

The Hopman Cup comprises two singles matches and a mixed-doubles contest between nations in a round-robin format with two groups of four.

The winners of both groups will contest Saturday’s final.

  • Family, flying on Christmas Day and facing Serena – meet Katie Boulter
  • Live scores, schedule and results
  • Alerts: Get tennis news sent to your phone

Source link

Kyrgios ready for Brisbane title defence after spider bite

  • Posted: Dec 30, 2018

Nick Kyrgios says he is ready to defend his Brisbane International title despite being taken to hospital on Christmas Day with a spider bite.

The Australian, 23, was put on antibiotics after waking with a swollen foot, but practised in Brisbane on Saturday.

The world number 35 will face American Ryan Harrison, whom he beat in the 2018 final, in the first round on Monday.

“I didn’t take it (bite) seriously,” said eighth seed Kyrgios.

“I just felt an irritation on my foot the day before Christmas. There’s worse things in the world but I think I’ll be OK.”

As he prepares to return for the first time since October, Kyrgios said he plans to reduce his 2019 schedule after struggling with his mental health last season.

He endured a frustrating 2018, dropping from 21 in the rankings before being forced to cut his season short because of a recurring elbow injury.

“Just being away from home was the toughest bit,” Kyrgios said. “Battling injuries, going to tournaments and not even playing was tough, but they’re not really big problems.

“I’ll have a lighter schedule and when I play, enjoy playing and just compete.”

He added: “Being home solved a lot of my problems. It was more mental than anything. I was away from home for five and a half months. I don’t ever want to do that again.

“If I was to win the US Open or something, I won’t play again for the rest of the year.”

Kyrgios could meet Japanese second seed Kei Nishikori in the semi-finals in Brisbane, with Britain’s Kyle Edmund – seeded third – in the same side of the draw.

On the other side, Britain’s Andy Murray returns and will face Australia’s James Duckworth in the first round. He could play Spain’s Rafael Nadal in the semis.

Meanwhile, Britain’s Harriet Dart qualified for the main draw of the women’s singles by beating former world number nine Andrea Petkovic.

She will play Australian wildcard Priscilla Hon in the first round, while Briton Johanna Konta faces world number six and third seed Sloane Stephens.

  • Live scores, schedule and results
  • Alerts: Get tennis news sent to your phone

Source link

Health In Hand, Nishikori's Sights Set On Big Titles

  • Posted: Dec 29, 2018

Health In Hand, Nishikori’s Sights Set On Big Titles

Japanese star seeks return to Top 5

Kei Nishikori began 2018 in a far different state than that in which he finished the season. It’s easy to forget that the Japanese star missed the Australian Open as he continued his recovery from a wrist injury that had kept him out since the 2017 Coupe Rogers. Nishikori began his comeback on the ATP Challenger Tour in late January, even losing his first match against the World No. 238.

But Nishikori would find some of his best tennis, and more importantly, good health, as the year went on. He qualified for the prestigious Nitto ATP Finals for the fourth time, beating Roger Federer in round robin play at the season finale.

“It took a little while to get my tennis back… Also, my wrist was hurting at the same time. It took a little while to get healed 100 per cent,” said Nishikori, who begins the new year at the Brisbane International. “At that time I couldn’t really imagine I’d be in the Top 10 at the end of the year. But I was very happy to finish by playing in London last year.”

While Nishikori showed signs of his best tennis early in his comeback — reaching the final of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters and his first quarter-final at Wimbledon — he was still well out of reach of a spot at the Nitto ATP Finals when the US Open rolled around.

“Obviously it was a progression,” said one of Nishikori’s two coaches, Dante Bottini.

But Nishikori clicked into gear, digging deep to find the consistency he was seeking, making the quarter-finals or better in his final six tournaments of the year ahead of the Nitto ATP Finals, highlighted by a run to the last four in Flushing Meadows.

During the off-season, it’s been back to work for Nishikori at his second home: the IMG Academy in Florida, where he moved as a teenager. The World No. 9 is leaving no stone left unturned as he pushes to maintain his momentum.

It’s the same hard-working attitude Nishikori has had since he first decided he wanted to become a professional tennis player at 12 years old. He could have stayed in Japan, but Nishikori chose to move to the IMG Academy to completely focus on his tennis.

“At an early age, you saw the trademarks of a champion,” said Nishikori’s childhood coach Paul Forsyth. “From 13 to where he is right now, you can tell the boy was going places.”

You May Also Like: Clutch Kei: Nishikori Did This Better Than Federer, Djokovic and Nadal

And Nishikori, who turned 29 on Saturday, certainly has gone far in the sport. That’s why a swarm of Japanese media visited with Nishikori for a media day in Florida in the middle of December, chronicling the star’s every move in his preparation for the upcoming season. 

“He’s like Michael Jordan here, like Diego Maradona in Argentina,” Bottini said of his charge’s star-status in Japan.

“I heard that there is an airplane with his picture. I’ve heard that before, but it’s amazing. He’s an idol in Japan,” Forsyth said.

And while Nishikori showed why he receives that attention with his impressive 2018 comeback, he is not ready to slow down his upwards trajectory. He wants to continue rising, and push the bar even higher.

“I hope I can come back to the Top 5 again and win the big tournaments.”

Source link