Thompson Reflects On 2017 So Far At Sydney
Thompson Reflects On 2017 So Far At Sydney
Jan092017
ATPWorldTour.com looks at the top Movers of the Week in the Top 100 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, as of Monday, 9 January 2017.
Daniil Medvedev soared 34 spots to a career-high No. 65 in the Emirates ATP Rankings as a result of reaching his first ATP World Tour final at the Aircel Chennai Open (l. to Bautista Agut). The 20-year-old #NextGenATP Russian was named the Tecnifibre Young Gun On The Road in 2016, having climbed from No. 329 to No. 98 in 2016
Roberto Bautista Agut rose one place to equal his career-high of No. 13 (10 October 2016) by lifting his fifth trophy in the Chennai final. It was fifth final of the past 52 weeks and seventh since October 2015. He fell in the 2013 Chennai final to then No. 9-ranked Janko Tipsarevic.
Grigor Dimitrov broke a title drought of more than two-and-a-half years by beating three consecutive Top 10 players – Dominic Thiem, Milos Raonic and Kei Nishikori – en route to the Brisbane International crown. Having lost his past four finals, the 25-year-old Bulgarian claimed his fifth trophy – his first since the 2014 Aegon Championships. World No. 15 Dimitrov is now at his highest ranking since 29 June 2015, when he was placed No. 11.
Dudi Sela, competing in Chennai, did not drop a set en route to his first ATP World Tour semi-final since reaching the 2014 Atlanta final. In reaching his second Chennai semi-final (also 2010), the 31-year-old Israeli rose 10 spots to No. 86 – his highest position in the Emirates ATP Rankings since 24 October 2016.
View Latest Emirates ATP Rankings
Barton upsets Edmund on Monday
Fifth seed Philipp Kohlschreiber brought his best tennis on Monday at the Apia International Sydney, recording a convincing 6-4, 6-4 win over a tricky opponent in Fabio Fognini.
Kohlschreiber landed 75 per cent of his first serves in the second set and controlled the baseline rallies throughout the match to prevail in one hour and 21 minutes. Next up for him is the winner of the wild card battle between Aussies Jordan Thompson and Thanasi Kokkinakis.
In other first-round matches, Australian qualifier Matthew Barton delighted the local crowd with a 7-6(3), 7-6(5) win over Kyle Edmund. In a match featuring no breaks of serve, Barton saved a set point serving at 4-5 and grabbed the final three points of the contest to prevail in one hour and 43 minutes.
Barton, ranked No. 198 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, will look to reach his first ATP World Tour quarter-final when he faces the winner between sixth seed Gilles Muller and Alexandr Dolgopolov.
Daniel Evans recovered from a mid-match lapse to move past qualifier Thiago Monteiro, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. The Brit will now play the winner of the all-Spanish battle between eighth seed Marcel Granollers and Fernando Verdasco.
Paolo Lorenzi survived an epic 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(5) battle against Florian Mayer. Next up for the Italian is third seed and two-time defending champion Viktor Troicki.
Gastao Elias produced the comeback of the day against Aussie qualifier Christopher O’Connell, rallying from down a set and 1-4 to record a 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-1 victory. The Portuguese player is rewarded for his efforts with a clash against top seed Dominic Thiem in the next round.
DOUBLES: The lone doubles match of the day saw Troicki/Nenad Zimonjic win their first-round match 6-3, 6-4 over Mariusz Fyrstenberg/Martin Klizan. They will play the winner between third seeds Lukasz Kubot/Marcelo Melo and Juan Sebastian Cabal/Robert Farah
Johanna Konta, Heather Watson, Laura Robson and Jocelyn Rae have been named in the British Fed Cup squad for February’s matches in Estonia.
It is the first team to be picked by new captain Anne Keothavong.
Two changes can be made before the final selection deadline on 7 February.
“In Johanna Konta we are lucky to have a player who is at the very top of the game right now,” said Keothavong of the British number one, who broke into the world’s top 10 last year.
“Along with Jo, we have fantastic experience in Heather and Laura, with nearly 40 Fed Cup rubbers between them, and Joss Rae gives us a strong doubles option.”
Robson has been chosen ahead of Tara Moore who, at 165 in the world, is currently ranked higher, while Naomi Broady has not made herself available for selection.
The round-robin pool matches in the Euro/Africa group will take place between 8 and 10 February, with the winners competing in promotion play-offs on 11 February.
Two nations will advance to the World Group II play-offs on 22-23 April.
Britain’s Johanna Konta and Dan Evans have progressed to the second round at the Sydney International.
Sixth seed and British number one Konta beat Australian Arina Rodionova 6-3 6-4 in her opening match of the tournament.
Unseeded Evans won 6-3 4-6 6-3 against Thiago Monteiro of Brazil.
But British number two Kyle Edmund went out after losing 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-5) against Australian qualifier Matthew Barton, who sits 153 places below the world number 45 in the rankings.
Grigor Dimitrov secured his fifth ATP World Tour title on Sunday at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp, defeating Kei Nishikori 6-2, 2-6, 6-3. The Bulgarian, who is in the process of returning to his top level, has demonstrated that he is well on his way after the first tournament of the 2017 season. Following his victory over Nishikori, Dimitrov’s coach Dani Vallverdu assessed his pupil’s preseason regimen, how he continues grow and learn and his great week in Brisbane.
“Normally, the focus is never on the first week of the year, but you intend to be prepared to compete well,” Vallverdu told ATPWorldTour.com. “The priority of the preseason is to create a good plan for the year. It is a plus that he played well in Brisbane. The truth is that the preseason went well and the work was very tough. That gives you confidence because you have put in hours of work on the court.
“Mentally, it helps to have extra confidence and to not have doubts if you are prepared or not. Nowadays, all training is tough. Everyone goes through the preseason intending to improve, as much phsyically as tactically.”
Dimitrov has shown he is phsyically fit in the first battles of the year, showing off his quick agility with his strong lower body and lungs, a result of hard work paying off.
“He is close to the best form that he can be in, but the important thing is to maintain it now,” Vallerdu added. “At this moment he is feeling good physically, but still we can improve a little more. I am very happy with how he is playing and how he is competing in all his matches from start to finish. For me, the match against Raonic in the semi-finals has shown how much better he is playing since we have been together.”
With his pupil up to No. 15 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, Vallverdu believes that he still has a long road ahead and is only first starting to realize his potential.
“We are in the first phase of our work. You are not able to create habits in a player in just three or four months. To create habits is the work of eight, 10 or 12 months doing the right things. And above all, they have to be the right habits in the important matches. Dimitrov has played important matches, but I want to see it in the semi-finals and finals. That is where you can see if the habits are where they have to be.”