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#NextGen Stars Advance At Roland Garros

Posted: May 26, 2016

#NextGen Stars Advance At Roland Garros

May262016

Coric and Zverev advance to the third round

In a matchup between rising ATP World Tour players, #NextGen star Borna Coric prevailed 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(4), 7-6(6) against 20^th seed Bernard Tomic on Thursday at Roland Garros. Coric, No. 47 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, erased a set point during the fourth-set tie-break to avoid a fifth set.

The 19 year old reaches the third round at Roland Garros for the second consecutive year. Last year, he lost to American Jack Sock in straight sets. This year the Croat will face 14^th seed Roberto Bautista Agut, who dispatched Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-1.

“I think I have very good quality of tennis at the moment, especially on the clay court, and I think it’s going to come,” Coric said of more success.

Bautista Agut leads his FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry with Coric 2-1, including two clay-court wins last year. By reaching the third round, the Spaniard matches his best result at Roland Garros (2014).

Another 19-year-old #NextGen star also moved on in Paris on Thursday. Alexander Zverev upset the home crowd by beating French wild card Stephane Robert 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. “You can feel immediately that his game is where it has to be… His backhand shots are really good. There is not much effort. His tennis is well balanced… and that’s a great strength of his,” Robert said of Zverev. “It’s nice to see this. He’s going to be one of the future big names.”

The 36 year old, No. 90 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, was playing in his sixth Roland Garros main draw. “I felt good during the tournament, and there were things I had to work on. That’s very, very positive for me,” Robert said.

Zverev, in his Roland Garros main draw debut, advances to the third round, his best showing yet at a Grand Slam. The German will face 13^th seed Dominic Thiem in a rematch of the Open de Nice Cote d’Azur final on Saturday. Thiem won that contest 6-4, 3-6, 6-0 to gain a 2-0 advantage in their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry.

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Nadal Reflects On 200 Grand Slam Wins

Posted: May 26, 2016

Nadal Reflects On 200 Grand Slam Wins

May262016

The Spaniard looks to keep adding to the tally this fortnight

Rafael Nadal recorded his 200^th Grand Slam match win on Thursday at Roland Garros, but he isn’t counting.

The No. 4 seed and nine-time Roland Garros champion needed less than two hours to move into the third round by defeating Facundo Bagnis of Argentina, 6-3, 6-0, 6-3. He became just the eighth tennis player in tennis history to achieve 200 Grand Slam wins,

“My first Grand Slam was at Wimbledon in 2003. It had always been a dream for me,” said Nadal. “But the most important thing is a victory in the second round and not the 200 victories. It’s only another number.”

Nadal has been in top form the past few days, dropping 10 games in his first two matches. It’s the most dominant start he’s had in a Grand Slam since Roland Garros in 2014, when he lost just as many games in the first two rounds.

“I won two matches with comfortable results. I played the way that I had to play to be in the third round,” said Nadal. “After a difficult first three games today, I played a solid match with not many mistakes and having control of the situation most of the time. I need to keep playing better if I want to have chances in the next rounds.”

Nadal will next play Marcel Granollers of Spain. He leads his FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry with Granollers by 4-0, but said past results won’t factor into his preparation.

“Each year is different and things keep changing. We have a new story to write. The only thing I know is that I have reached the third round,” said Nadal. “I just need to play my matches each day. I know there are still things I can improve, so I’m still practising and working on them.”

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#NextGen Stars Coric, Fritz And Zverev Featured In Paris Match

Posted: May 26, 2016

#NextGen Stars Coric, Fritz And Zverev Featured In Paris Match

May262016

Teens in the spotlight

Ahead of Roland Garros, Borna Coric, Taylor Fritz and Alexander Zverev were featured in the French weekly news magazine Paris Match. Zverev (No. 41), Coric (No. 47) and Fritz (No. 67) are the top three teenagers in the Emirates ATP Rankings going into the second Grand Slam event of the 2016 season.

The three #NextGen players were inspired to pick up the sport by their parents. Zverev is the third professional ATP World Tour player from his family, following in the footsteps of father Alexander Sr. and older brother Mischa Zverev. Fritz’s mother Kathy May, a former World No. 10, won seven WTA Tour titles and reached three Grand Slam quarter-finals in her career. Coric started playing tennis at age five under the guidance of his father Damir.

At Roland Garros this week, Coric has defeated Fritz in straight sets in the first round before upsetting 20th seed Bernard Tomic to set up a third-round clash with No.14 seed Roberto Bautista Agut. Zverev saw off Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Stephane Robert in the opening two rounds and will next face No. 13 Dominic Thiem.

Next Generation Photoshoot 2016

Open Gallery

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Next Generation Photoshoot 2016

Posted: May 26, 2016

Next Generation Photoshoot 2016

May262016

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Murray to face big-serving Karlovic

Posted: May 26, 2016

French Open – Murray v Karlovic
Venue: Roland Garros, Paris Date: Friday 26 May Time: 11:00 BST approximately
Coverage: Live BBC Radio 5 live sports extra radio and text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app

Andy Murray faces Croat Ivo Karlovic in the French Open third round on Friday after surviving five-set scares in his first two matches in Paris.

Second seed Murray has spent seven hours and 14 minutes on court against Radek Stepanek and Mathias Bourgue.

Davis Cup captain Leon Smith says Murray’s good form before Roland Garros may be behind his initial struggles.

“If it doesn’t quite go that way in the early rounds here, there’s a bit of frustration,” Smith said.

Murray’s meeting with big-serving veteran Karlovic is the second match on Court Suzanne Lenglen on Friday at approximately 11:00 BST.

The British number one warmed up for the French Open by beating world number one Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the final of the Italian Open.

But, by his own admission, Murray has been well short of that level so far in the French capital. He posted an image of a Get Out of Jail Free card from the board game Monopoly on social media after fighting back from two sets to one down against world number 164 Bourgue.

Smith, who was also a childhood coach of Murray’s, says the 29-year-old could rediscover his form as suddenly as it left him.

“He had an unbelievable last match against Novak Djokovic and then suddenly the timing’s not quite there,” he added.

“That’s what happens in this crazy sport. It literally changes every single day – yourself, the opponent, the conditions.”

Karlovic, 37, became the oldest man to make the third round of a Grand Slam event since Jimmy Connors at the 1991 US Open after beating Australian wild card Jordan Thompson 12-10 in the decider of his own five-set epic.

The world number 28 is the leading server on the men’s tour, averaging 23 aces a match and winning almost 95% of his service game over the past year.

He has lost all six of the matches that he has played against Murray, most recently being beaten in four sets in the last 16 at Wimbledon 2015.

Another big server could await Murray if he extends that winning run over Karlovic with American John Isner seeded to be his last-16 opponent.

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Nadal eases through with 200th Slam win

Posted: May 26, 2016

French Open
Venue: Roland Garros, Paris Dates: 22 May to 5 June
Coverage: Live radio and text commentary on selected matches on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, the BBC Sport website and app.

Rafael Nadal registered his 200th Grand Slam victory with a crushing 6-3 6-0 6-3 win over Facundo Bagnis in the second round of the French Open.

The Spaniard, who is attempting to win a 10th title at Roland Garros, dropped the first two games against the world number 99 but then won 18 of the next 22 to ease through.

He will play either Marcel Granollers or Nicolas Mahut in round three.

Roger Federer tops the all-time list of Grand Slam matches won, with 302.

Novak Djokovic also made light work of his opponent, beating Belgium’s Steve Darcis 7-5 6-3 6-4 to advance.

It means the world number one, who has never won the tournament despite reaching the final three times, will play Britain’s Aljaz Bedene next.

Read more: Bedene to play Djokovic in third round
Sharapova named in Russia’s Olympic team

Safe passage for top women

Serena Williams – the three-time winner and defending champion – destroyed Brazil’s Teliana Pereira 6-2 6-1 with another clinical display to follow her first-round demolition of Magdalena Rybarikova in just 42 minutes.

The 34-year-old American will face the winner of the tie between France’s Kristina Mladenovic and Timea Babos of Hungary for a place in the last 16.

Eighth seed Timea Bacsinszky impressed in beating Canada’s Euguenie Bouchard 6-4 6-4 while Ana Ivanovic also won in straight sets in her tie against Japan’s Kurumi Nara.

Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro beat Wang Qiang of China 6-1 6-3.

Zebras on the loose

Keen observers will have noticed a number of the players at this week’s tournament wearing zebra-inspired kit.

Stars including former champion Ivanovic, 2014 runner-up Simona Halep and ex-Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych have all sported the black-and-white stripes – the brainchild of Adidas’ Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto.

But opinion is split.

Andre Agassi’s former coach Brad Gilbert tweeted a comparison with employees of a high-street clothing chain: “What’s up with so many players looking like FootLocker employees on safari? U digging the Zebra shirts?”

However, Ivanovic defended the outfits which she believes are “beautiful” – and compared them to the football kit of her favourite club, Partizan Belgrade.

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Banned Sharapova in Russia team for Rio

Posted: May 26, 2016

Maria Sharapova has been named in Russia’s tennis team for August’s Rio Olympics, despite currently serving a doping suspension.

The 29-year-old tested positive for meldonium at January’s Australian Open.

But the country’s tennis federation said Sharapova’s participation at Rio “should be resolved” this week.

Russia’s track and field athletes are banned from international competition over recent doping scandals, though other sports remain unaffected.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) provisionally suspended the five-time Grand Slam champion on 12 March.

The World Anti-Doping Association (Wada) then admitted in April that scientists were unsure how long meldonium stayed in the system, suggesting athletes who tested positive for the substance before 1 March could avoid bans.

However, Sharapova has already admitted she continued taking meldonium past 1 January, when the substance was added to Wada’s banned list.

She is thought to have faced an anti-doping panel in London last week, with the Russian Tennis Federation saying at the time that Sharapova may never play again.

But the organisation’s president, Shamil Tarpischev, told R-Sport news agency on Thursday: “She has been put on our Olympic application. It has to be submitted by 6 June.”

If London 2012 silver medallist Sharapova is not able to compete, she will be replaced by Ekaterina Makarova, the world number 29.

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Bedene joins Murray in third round

Posted: May 26, 2016

French Open
Venue: Roland Garros, Paris Dates: 22 May to 5 June
Coverage: Live radio and text commentary on selected matches on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, the BBC Sport website and app.

Britain’s Aljaz Bedene reached the third round of the French Open for the first time with a five-set victory against Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta.

More to follow.

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Fleming eyes GB Olympic doubles place

Posted: May 26, 2016

Colin Fleming hopes to join Andy and Jamie Murray as one of three Scots playing doubles at the Olympics.

The Murray brothers, so successful in Great Britain’s Davis Cup triumph last year, are expected to team up again at the Games in Rio.

Fleming, 31, is looking for a strong showing at the French Open to be considered as a partner for Dom Inglot.

“If I could enter with Dom that would be a dream come true,” Fleming told BBC Scotland.

“Dom will probably be hoping someone gets up the rankings enough to have someone to play with because he deserves to be there.”

Englishman Inglot is currently 29th on the ATP list, with Fleming 61st in the standings.

Fleming and his Israeli partner Jonathan Erlich are through to the second round of the French Open, where they will meet 14th seeds Daniel Nestor and Aisam Qureshi.

The Scot has reached the last eight at Grand Slam level twice – with Ross Hutchins and Jonathan Marray,

Fleming and Hutchins also qualified for the London Olympics in 2012 but suffered a first-round loss.

Davis Cup return ambitions

With Inglot doing well and Australian Open champion Jamie Murray ranked in the world’s top three, Fleming missed out on Britain’s 2015 Davis Cup victory.

“I had about five years as pretty much a mainstay of the team,” he said. “Those are times I’ll never forget, they were always the highlights of the year.

“I always said when I was in the team that it was something you need to go out and earn on the court.

“Jamie and Dom have been doing great and they’re ranked above me. They deserve to be in the team.

“It’s something I’d love to do again but I need to get my ranking up.”

Meanwhile, Jamie Murray and his Brazilian partner, Bruno Soares, kept their winning grand slam run going with victory in the first round of the French Open.

The Australian Open champions are the fourth seeds in Paris and defeated Russian pair Evgeny Donskoy and Andrey Kuznetsov 6-3 6-3.

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Mott Latest To Join Aussie Brigade In Challengers

Posted: May 26, 2016

Mott Latest To Join Aussie Brigade In Challengers

May252016

The young Australian has jumped nearly 400 spots in the Emirates ATP Rankings this year

Blake Mott wasn’t sure if he wanted to pursue a pro tennis career less than 12 months ago, but the Australian is now firmly committed and quickly rising up the Emirates ATP Rankings.

Under the tutelage of former ATP World Tour pro Peter Luczak, the 20-year-old achieved a career breakthrough this February at the $75,000 ATP Challenger Tour event in Launceston, Australia. Entering the draw as a wild card, Mott beat several veteran players en route to winning the title. At No. 721 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, Mott became the fifth-lowest ranked Challenger winner since 2000 and one of three teenage titlists this year (joining Andrey Rublev and Taylor Fritz).

Although Mott called his experience in Launceston “one of the best weeks of my life,” he said it wasn’t a surprise to win matches against Top 200 players.

“I was out for three or four months last year just to take some time off to figure out what I wanted to do, so I knew my level was much higher than my ranking,” said Mott, speaking from last month’s ATP Challenger Tour event in Sarasota, Florida. “I had a good training block the week before and was seeing the ball well. I was showing a lot of discipline for every point. The Aussie crowd were awesome and I really liked the town. When you’re happy and everything is going well off the court, it’s easy to play well on the court.”

Afterwards, Mott came down with a case of the flu, which kept him from full strength from over a month. Although the virus halted the momentum he had built in Launceston, the Australian said it was part of the ebbs and flows of being on tour.

“That’s the thing about tennis: One week you’re in the final and the next week you’re playing in the first round of qualifying,” said Mott. “You just have to accept it.”

Mott is part of a wave of young Australians climbing the Emirates ATP Rankings, including Jordan Thompson, James Duckworth and Luke Saville. Although they’re all looking to achieve the same Top 20 status that Nick Kyrgios currently has, Mott perhaps has extra incentive in knowing he defeated Kyrgios less than three years ago at an ATP Challenger Tour event in Melbourne, Australia.

“I won, but he’s still somebody to look up to. He’s Top 20 and just a freak of talent,” he said. “We’ve got some great players coming up now. Our nation is quite lucky in terms of funding and sponsorship, which makes a big difference.”

With ATP Challenger Tour events in Australia held from October through February, Mott finds himself on the road for the remainder of the year. Although he’s enjoyed many of the places he’s traveled to on tour, he’s spent an increasing amount of time playing events in the U.S.

“I really like the U.S. tournaments because it’s the same language and a lot of the same atmosphere as Australia,” said Mott. “It’s like a home away from home.”

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