Americans John Isner and Jack Sock made the most of their Indian Wells wild card by knocking off Croatia’s Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic, 7-6(2), 3-6, 10-7 at the BNP Paribas Open Friday.

The top seeds led the Match Tie-break, 6-4, before a pair of three-point bursts from Isner/Sock brought an early end to their desert campaign. Despite converting on one of seven break points in the match, the Americans were at their best at the crucial moments to take both tie-breaks.  

Last time out in Indian Wells, Isner stood up his partner less than an hour before they were due on court for a second-round match when he got the call that his wife was going into labour. Five months later, the duo is plotting a long stay in the desert, where they had their home crowd rocking with some highlight-reel points in a packed Stadium 2. Both men are also in the Indian Wells singles draw, with Sock starting his campaign with a first-round win over Juan Manuel Cerundolo on Thursday.

The Americans recently teamed up at the Dallas Open, where they reached the semi-finals in the city of Isner’s residence. In Indian Wells, they’ll next face Australian Open champions Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios on Sunday. The wild card Aussies get past Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo, 7-5, 1-6, 10-2.

Feliciano Lopez helped Stefanos Tsitsipas earn his first ATP Tour doubles title last month in Acapulco, and the duo stretched its win streak to five matches with a 7-6 (5), 6-4 win over Raven Klaasen and Ben McLachlan. The pair has dropped just one set in those five wins.

In a match of fine margins, Aslan Karatsev and Andrey Rublev saved two match points to edge Spainiards Roberto Bautista Agut and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, 6-7(4), 7-6(6), 10-5.

Karatsev/Rublev missed out on two set points on the return at 5-3 in the first, then twice failed to serve out the set. In set two, their opponents had a chance to serve out the match at 5-4 and created two match points at 6-4 in the tie-break, but could not close it out.

After taking the last four points of the second-set tie-break, Karatsev/Rublev won the first six of the Match Tie-break to all but seal the win.

Seventh seeds Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski were victorious against Italians Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini, one day after Fognini secured his 392nd career singles win — the most ever by an Italian male. 

Down a break in the second set, Skupski fired back-to-back winners to spark a run of five straight games to close out the match. The first was a carving overhead of sorts from well beyond the baseline; the second a more traditional backhand return winner.

Andrey Golubev and Alexander Zverev also advanced on Friday with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Daniel Evans and Karen Khachanov.

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Tomas Machac has massive respect for World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev, but that does not mean the Czech fears his second-round opponent at the BNP Paribas Open.

“I think this I why I took up this sport. For sure we are playing tennis for money, points and to be better in the rankings. But I think the most important thing in this sport is this achievement,” Machac told ATPTour.com. “You qualify, you win the first round and play against the first in the world. This is the present we are doing this sport for.

“I’m really excited. I’m really looking forward to it. I will go to the match not just to fight or enjoy the moment, but I will fight to win the match.”

It will be the biggest match of the 21-year-old’s career. No. 158 in the ATP Rankings, he will try to claim his first Top 10 victory on Saturday.

“His achievements and his career have been unbelievable. I’m not the guy who will tell you that I will win the match,” Machac said. “But I had a few experiences playing against the best players, Berrettini, Schwartzman twice. I had these experiences enjoying the match and now I think I have the experience to fight for the win against such a good player.”

The good thing for the Czech is that he is familiar with Medvedev. Before the second round of this year’s Australian Open, the pair trained together at Melbourne Park. That helped him gain an appreciation for the World No. 1’s game.

“I think his game is without any mistakes. He’s playing really well from the baseline, he serves like a beast and he has really good returns without any mistakes,” Machac said. “It will be really tough to win the match. But I think I will do my best to be close to the win.”

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It has been an interesting journey for Machac, who became involved in the sport because of his sister, Katerina. When Tomas was four, Katerina, then a teen, fell in love with the sport.

“She was playing lots of tournaments in the Czech Republic, not really in the good ones, but she was playing a lot. She was really a fan of it,” Machac said. “I was travelling with her and with my family and I was playing against the wall every time. I was playing for example six hours per day on the wall, because I didn’t want to be bored watching the tennis, so I played lots of tennis.”

Machac loved tennis until he was 11, but from then on it was not always in the front of his mind. It was not until he was 18 that he fully focussed on pursuing tennis for a living.

“I realised I am good in the sport,” Machac said. “I [knew I] have to fight, improve myself and that’s how it went.”

^{Machac is a three-time ATP Challenger Tour titlist. Photo Credit: Mike Owen/Getty Images.}
If you saw the Beroun native walking around the Indian Wells Tennis Garden after he defeated Alexei Popyrin on Thursday, you would have noticed he was wearing a Los Angeles Lakers sweatshirt. Machac is a big basketball fan, who especially likes Michael Jordan. The NBA megastar retired before the Czech was born. Machac’s intriguing love of the former Chicago Bulls legend stems from watching a documentary series on him titled The Last Dance.

“It is crazy what this guy did in his career. His achievements, the moments he had were unbelievable,” Machac said. “I learned [from watching that] some days if you don’t feel well or are sick or something goes wrong, you can still fight, you can still make yourself comfortable in that moment and improve something in your game. That’s what he did. I improved a lot in that case.”

Although Machac’s big-match experience is still relatively limited, he will be able to ask WTA star Katerina Siniakova, his girlfriend, for advice. Siniakova has won two singles titles and is the No. 1 doubles player in the world.

“She’s a really good player. She’s had an unbelievable career. She’s first in the doubles, No. 55 in the singles, so I’m learning a lot from her,” Machac said. “She’s a fighter, and she never leaves any point in the game. She plays every point.”

Machac will try to do the same against Medvedev.

With Friday’s 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 result over Taro Daniel in Indian Wells, Andy Murray hit a new milestone with 700 ATP Tour victories. This latest century of wins, achieved over the course of seven seasons, might be the 34-year-old’s most impressive yet.

Despite several injuries, two hip surgeries and fears of an early retirement since win No. 600, the former World No. 1 continues to add to his legendary resume in 2022.

“This was a target I sort of set myself at the back end of last year,” Murray said in his post-match interview. “It’s a lot of wins. Obviously very happy to get it here, and let’s go for 800 now.” 

In his post-match press conference, he added: “It does mean a lot to me because I know how difficult it’s been, certainly the last few years.”

Murray hit the 500-wins mark at the Miami Open in 2015 and cleared 600 the following year at the Western & Southern Open, both with wins over Kevin Anderson. In the prime of his career, Murray needed just 116 matches in what was his quickest progress between century landmarks.

The Great Scot’s ascent to No. 700, by contrast, was his longest milestone journey in terms of both matches and time, requiring 149 contests over five-and-a-half years. He needed 147 matches to go from win No. 1 to win No. 100. (See table below story for more.)

“I wouldn’t say during my career I was focused necessarily on match wins, numbers and things like that,” Murray reflected. “However, as I’ve got older, you’re coming towards the end of your career, there’s certain milestones that would be something nice to achieve.

“Reaching that number [700 wins] is a really, really good achievement,” he continued. “I do look at that stuff now. I do look at the other players that are around me, around those numbers. It gives me some motivation and encouragement to try to get higher and win more matches.”

MURRAY JOINS ACTIVE 700 MATCH WINS CLUB

Murray is the fourth active player on the ATP Tour — and the 18th man in the Open Era — to join the 700 Match Wins Club. Here are the active
players to reach the milestone:

Murray’s latest 100 began with him at No. 2 in the ATP Rankings, but quickly saw him make the leap to World No 1. The Briton first got there in November 2016 following a title at the Rolex Paris Masters. 

At 29, he became second-oldest player to debut at No. 1 (John Newcombe), ending a wait of seven years and 82 days since he first claimed the No. 2 spot in August 2009 — a record-long incubation period.

Murray finished the 2016 season on a 26-match winning streak, clinching his status as year-end World No. 1 in the title match of the Nitto ATP Finals with a victory over Novak Djokovic. He won nine tour-level titles and 78 matches in that historic season, both career-bests.

He then tallied another 25 wins in 2017, culminating in a run to the Wimbledon quarter-finals. But he was plagued by a lingering hip injury that London fortnight and would not take the court again until mid-2018.

💯 x 7

A look back at @andy_murray‘s milestone ATP Tour wins! pic.twitter.com/3Mm1pmUcmm

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 11, 2022

Murray underwent his first hip surgery in January 2018 and played just six events on the season. Of the seven wins he recorded that year, the most memorable was his 3 a.m. triumph over Marius Copil at the Citi Open, an emotionally and physically taxing effort which left him in post-match tears and forced his withdrawal from the tournament.

At the start of 2019, few would have thought the 700-wins mark was in play — perhaps Murray least of all. In a teary Australian Open press conference, he revealed that that event might be his last as a professional, such was the ongoing daily pain from his hip problem.

But thanks in part to the recommendation of Bob Bryan, Murray underwent a second hip surgery in January 2019, leaving him with a resurfaced metal hip. He returned to the ATP Tour in August and, in one of the feel-good stories of recent years, won his 46th tour-level title by defeating Stan Wawrinka in the Antwerp final.

The pandemic-shortened 2020 season yielded just three wins for Murray, though one of them came against eventual US Open finalist Alexander Zverev at the Western & Southern Open — his first Top 10 win since 2017.

Murray notched two more Top 10 wins in 2021, beating Hubert Hurkacz and Jannik Sinner in a strong close to a 14-event season.

Entering 2022 with 691 wins, he got to 695 by reaching his second post-hip-surgery final in Sydney. Wins at the Australian Open, Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai set him up for 700 in Indian Wells.

With a career tour-level record of 700-220 to go along with his three Grand Slam titles, 14 ATP Masters 1000 titles and two Olympic gold medals, Murray is not playing for records at this stage of his career — nice as these new milestones may be. Instead, he competes for the love of the game and for the opportunity to create more special moments on the court. Moments like the one he enjoyed on Friday.

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MURRAY’S MATCH WINS MILESTONES

#NextGenATP Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz arrives at the BNP Paribas Open in peak physical condition, following the hard work he undertook during the off season with his team.

The 18-year-old is making his second appearance in Indian Wells. Ahead of his opening match in the California desert, he stressed the emphasis he placed on improving his fitness and strength during the past few months to help him compete at the top of the game.

“My team and I know how important it is to be strong physically,” Alcaraz said. “It was one thing we knew I had to improve a lot. It was a great focus during preseason. I am really happy. It gives me more confidence. I have more of a chance to keep my level high during a three or four-hour match against the best players.

“I enjoy the gym. I have been concentrating on every part of the body. I concentrate 100 per cent on the work, my biggest focus is on the legs. This is very important.”

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Alcaraz had a breakthrough 2021 season, cracking the Top 50 in the ATP Rankings, capturing his maiden tour-level title in Umag and lifting the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals trophy.

Under the guidance of coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, this season has started in a similar fashion, with the World No. 19 becoming the youngest ATP 500 champion since the category was created in 2009 when he triumphed in Rio de Janeiro.

“I didn’t have too much time to celebrate as I had the Davis Cup after Rio, but I had some time to enjoy it and celebrate the title,” Alcaraz said on his trophy run in Brazil. “It was so special, being with my family and friends.”

Alcaraz is the 19th seed at the ATP Masters 1000 event and is relishing the opportunity to compete at a tournament he enjoys playing at. He will begin his campaign against American Mackenzie McDonald in the second round after receiving a first-round bye.

On being seeded, the Spaniard said with a smile: “It is amazing. If you remember last year I lost in my first match [against Andy Murray]. I enjoy every single second here in Indian Wells. It is an amazing place and I am really happy to be back. Even happier that I am playing really well.

“I know McDonald is playing at a great level. I know it is going to be a great match and a really tough one. The first match in every tournament is tough.”

_{^{Photo Credit: Men’s Health Spain}}

When Felix Auger-Aliassime sat down to plan his season, he had one major goal in mind.

“In 2022 I want to win one or more titles,” said the Canadian as he let ATP Uncovered spend some time with him at his off-season training camp at the Monte Carlo Country Club. “I have what it takes to be able to do that.”

Auger-Aliassime was not wrong. Just two months later he clinched his maiden tour-level title at the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament, defeating Andrey Rublev and Stefanos Tsitsipas on his way to lifting the trophy.

As the 21-year-old starts his day in Monte Carlo start with a warm-up in the gym under the watchful eye of fitness coach Nicolas Perrotte, he acknowledges that the physical improvements that have brought him so much success on tour have not been built overnight, but over his whole career on tour.

“There hasn’t been a huge change from one year to another,” says Auger-Aliassime. “But [from 2016] until now, for sure my body has changed a lot.”

Auger-Aliassime’s dad, Sam, is nearby enjoying a morning workout of his own. Having his family with him for the off-season is another important part of Auger-Aliassime’s off-season plan.

“I like at the end of the year to bring everybody together. My full team, my agent, my family. It’s similar to what you grew up with, just the people that you care about the most that are here with you. You’re able to have good times off the court.”

The fitness work heats up as Auger-Aliassime and his fellow Canadian, World No. 328 Alexis Galarneau, move out to the practice court for a dynamic warm-up that includes a ball game named ‘Tack Tack’ and a rope jump workout. Tough going for a warm-up, but Auger-Aliassime is built of strong stuff.

“As an athlete, he has a lot of big qualities,” says Perrotte. “Strength, he’s fast as well. He has a good range of motion which is important as well.” All important factors that powered Auger-Aliassime to his maiden title in Rotterdam, a reward for the World No. 9’s persistence after losing his first eight ATP Tour finals. Despite the disappointments, he has enjoyed his Tour journey so far.

“I wouldn’t change a single thing. Maybe I would win a couple more matches. A final or two! But it’s been good.

“I feel like all these challenges that I’m facing now will help me be a better player and person in the future. I like to believe so.”

Nick Kyrgios is back in Indian Wells. And he’s feeling good.

“I’m just comfortable in my own skin,” said the Australian wild card after his impressive 6-4, 6-0 win over World No. 60 Sebastian Baez in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday. “Mentally I feel the best I’ve probably ever felt, to be honest.”

The Baez clash was Kyrgios’ first match at Indian Wells since 2019, and the 26-year-old is also enjoying improved physical health as he seeks a strong run at the first ATP Masters 1000 event of the year.

“Physically I do not feel hindered anymore [with] my movement,” said Kyrgios at his post-match press conference. “Tonight, I was running for drop shots, [moving] side to side, I could slide again with no pain, on my serve I can land with no pain. I was able to play before [with the injury] but there was something in my mind that I was feeling. It was definitely weighing my game down.

“Physically I feel good, I haven’t felt my left knee feel that good in a while.”

The Australian’s best performance in Indian Wells was a quarter-final run in 2017 and he now faces Argentine Federico Delbonis in the second round. Kyrgios is also seeking doubles success this week, as he and Thanasi Kokkinakis look to back up their victory at the Australian Open in January. That experience is also feeding Kyrgios’ good vibes.

“Me and Thanasi, we grew up together since we were like eight years old, so it’s pretty crazy,” said Kyrgios. “I watched the highlights; I still get goosebumps thinking about it.

“We stepped up at different moments. When one of us wasn’t playing well, the other stepped up, and who knows what this year holds for the doubles. I feel confident on court now, singles and doubles, I feel like I’m returning the best I ever have, and Thanasi is playing well so we’ll see. We could lose 6-0, 6-0, but we could win the title too. Who knows?”

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With two chances of lifting a trophy in Indian Wells, things are looking up for Kyrgios. But the Australian is not getting carried away.

“I’m not thinking forward,” said Kyrgios. “I take it day by day, that’s my process. I wake up, I try and be positive, I try and be better every day. As for goals, for me it’s hard sometimes just to wake up in a positive mindset. That’s a win for me. I’m not saying I want to win Indian Wells or trying to make the semi-finals again in Miami…if I do that, it’s great, but I have those normal human issues that I’m trying to overcome every day.

“I’m seeming to find that balance at the moment, and I’m happy.”

Matthew Ebden enjoyed a dream run at the Australian Open with partner Max Purcell, soaring to the men’s doubles final in Melbourne.

However, while Ebden’s success at the first major of the season will go down as a career highlight, it left the 34-year-old in a spot of trouble as he was suddenly faced with missing the birth of his first child.

Following the championship match on 29 January, the Australian needed to return to Perth to be with his wife Kim, who was expecting their first child imminently. But with Covid-19 protocols in place in his home city in the state of western Australia, Ebden was forced to undertake a 14-day quarantine period by himself, leaving his return in jeopardy.

_{^{Photo Credit: Niki Spencer}}
Thankfully, the four-time tour-level doubles titlist arrived in time to welcome baby boy Harvey Matthew Ebden into the world on 15 February.

“[It was] quite surreal, and then all of a sudden you just go to loving him and caring for him instantly,” Ebden told ATPTour.com on the birth of his child.

_{^{Photo Credit: Niki Spencer}}
Ebden is aiming to return to the Tour at the Miami Open presented by Itau at the end of March and is planning on Kim and Harvey travelling with him by the middle of the year.