Google Play App Download

Tennis News

From around the world

Ruud sinks Rublev to reach Nitto ATP Finals SFs

  • Posted: Nov 15, 2024

Casper Ruud sealed his spot in the semi-finals at the Nitto ATP Finals for the third time on Friday night in Turin, where he overcame Andrey Rublev 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to end the World No. 9’s own progression hopes.

Ruud needed just a set to join the John Newcombe group winner Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals but ensured he would finish the round-robin stage with a 2-1 record after producing a high-class third-set performance against Rublev.

Ruud arrived in Turin having lost his past four matches but has looked close to his best this week, also defeating Carlos Alcaraz.

“Tennis is interesting sometimes. I don’t know what I am doing better this week than the past few weeks but the only thing is serving, I am serving really well,” Ruud said after reaching the semis. “It is tough to play the best players in the world but nice because you feel you are an underdog and can play free and you know if you don’t bring your A plus level you will likely lose.

“I knew coming into this match that a set was enough to qualify, so I was a bit nervous at the start. So when I got that first set I could breath out a little. I still focused on the match and finished with a good third set.”

[ATP AWARDS]

Ruud fired 34 winners and stepped into court behind pinpoint first serves to gain the upper hand in the baseline exchanges. With his one-hour, 45-minute victory, Ruud improved to 3-5 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Rublev.

Ruud fell to Novak Djokovic in the title match at the prestigious year-end event in 2022 and also reached the semi-finals on debut in 2021. The Norwegian will face the No 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings Jannik Sinner in the last four on Saturday night, while Alexander Zverev takes on Taylor Fritz in the day.

Ruud trails Sinner 0-2 in the pair’s Head2Head series, but they have not met since 2021.

“I think so for sure,” Ruud said when asked if he is the underdog against Sinner. “He is the best player in the world all year and is playing at home and has not dropped a set all week. He is the player to beat this year and I am going to do my best. It seems like this guy almost forgot how to lose. I will see if I can come up with something to challenge here. I will be prepared for probably the toughest match of the year.”

Rublev ends the season 43-26, highlighted by his run to the title at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid. The 27-year-old went 0-3 in the round-robin stage in Turin, where he also lost to Zverev and Alcaraz.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

Source link

Alcaraz: ‘I don’t know what was I was thinking!’

  • Posted: Nov 15, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz was left ruing a few “key moments” he failed to capitalise on in his match against Alexander Zverev at the Nitto ATP Finals. The defeat at the hands of the German, which means he is almost certainly knocked out of Turin, tipped their Lexus ATP Head2Head in favour of his opponent (6-5). The Murcia native’s focus will now be on the Davis Cup Final 8, where he will join Rafael Nadal to represent Spain.

“The tie-break was pretty close, with a lot of points I could have played better,” lamented the No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings. “At 6/5, I don’t know what I was thinking when I tried to volley that ball… That’s tennis for you; you have to make choices in less than a second and sometimes you get it wrong.

“Losing the set in that way hurts,” he admitted. “In the second, I was at 0/40 after several stupid points and I was in trouble. I have to learn from these moments because I didn’t make the most of the chances I had.”

[ATP AWARDS]

Despite starting the week off battling illness, Alcaraz managed to get through his days in Italy with the help of antibiotics, rest and a nose strip to help him breathe (which he wore again in his match against Zverev) and a lot of self-belief that he could turn a situation around and reach the semi-finals, as he did in 2023.

“It was a difficult week for me, but it’s a privilege to be here among the eight best players in the world,” Alcaraz said. “I’m going to learn from what has happened. I played good tennis, but today I faced one of the best. I’m disappointed with the defeat,” he continued.

“One of my goals is to reach this part of the year feeling fresher. I was better than last year, but not good enough. I want to be as fresh as possible mentally and enjoy every one of my matches.”

How does he do that?

“It’s going to be impossible to reach this part of the year feeling fresh, but I have to play my best tennis even if I’m mentally tired,” the Spaniard explained. “That’s what good players do. How can I improve it? By practising every day with as much desire as possible. I have an amazing team and they have a very clear vision. They can help me and guide me well for this part of the season.”

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

Source link

Zverev clinches Year-End No. 2 finish

  • Posted: Nov 15, 2024

Alexander Zverev with his victory against Carlos Alcaraz Friday at the Nitto ATP Finals did more than clinch his spot atop the John Newcombe Group. The German also guaranteed he will finish the year at No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

Zverev is No. 2 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and now has a 905-point lead over No. 3 Alcaraz. While the Spaniard still can qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals semi-finals, he can no longer catch Zverev for World No. 2.

This is the highest year-end finish of Zverev’s career and the seventh time he will complete a season in the Top 10. The 27-year-old’s previous-best finish came in 2021 when he was year-end No. 3.

Zverev is two matches from earning the third Nitto ATP Finals trophy of his career. In 2024 he has already triumphed in Rome and Paris, both ATP Masters 1000 events.

Alcaraz is locked into a year-end World No. 3 finish. Two years ago he became the youngest ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF in history. Last year he finished No. 2.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

 

Source link

‘I asked him to win!’ Mascots walk on with Sinner & Co. at Nitto ATP Finals

  • Posted: Nov 15, 2024

Jannik Sinner is the name on everyone’s lips in Italy. The 23-year-old has enjoyed a historic season, rising to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings and winning two major titles.

Sinner is competing on home soil this week at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, where everyone is keen to watch the Italian in action. From the practice courts to a packed Inalpi Arena, fans turned out in force on Tuesday night for Sinner’s match against Taylor Fritz.

The home favourite was greeted with raucous cheers when he walked onto court, but it was one lucky seven-year-old who had the chance to give the Italian final words of encouragement. Francesca, part of the mascot kid programme presented by Nitto, accompanied Sinner on court and shared a sweet message to the star.

“I asked him if he was scared about playing the match, and then I asked him to win,” Francesca said. “He replied, ‘I try’.”

[ATP AWARDS]

Sinner went on to defeat Fritz in straight sets, fulfilling the wishes of Francesca and the Italian crowd. The 23-year-old has previously spoken about the mascot programme, praising the initiative.

“I think it makes it special for the players,” Sinner said last year. “We have so many times in the year that we walk on alone. Here it is a little bit different with the mascot, so it’s nice.”

The walk-on mascots at this year’s Nitto ATP Finals are all from Casa UGI, a Turin-based volunteer organisation that supports children who are battling cancer and their families, doctors, nurses and volunteers. The children participating have either struggled with an illness or have a family member who is dealing with one.

Earlier in the week, mascot Matei had the opportunity to walk onto court with Australian Alex de Minaur. It was a moment he relished.

“It was very embarrassing because everyone was watching me, but also very exciting,” Matei said. “So exciting that I felt like laughing!

“I’m very happy I got to walk with Alex de Minaur. He was really nice and even asked me to give him a high five. He seems like a really tough guy. I’ll be cheering for him in these Nitto ATP Finals, and I’ll keep following him.”

<img alt=”Alex de Minaur” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/15/10/21/demon-ballkid-turin-2024.jpg” style=”width: 100%;” />

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

Source link