Tennis News

Medvedev Races Past Ruud To Reach Mallorca SFs

Top seed Daniil Medvedev has reached the third grass-court semi-final of his career after taking down Casper Ruud 7-5, 6-1 at the Mallorca Championships on Thursday.

The Russian bounced back emphatically after his opening-round defeat at the NOVENTI OPEN in Halle (l. to Struff) to move into the last four without dropping a set. Medvedev has previously reached this stage at The Queen’s Club in 2019 and Eastbourne in 2017. 

“I feel like it was a funny match. Maybe [it was] not the highest level, but I’m really happy to win and be in the semi-finals here. I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” Medvedev said in an on-court interview.

Medvedev served up a great performance against Ruud with eight aces and 87 per cent (26/30) of points won behind his first serves. He didn’t face a break point in the first set, where he only lost one point behind his first serve (17/18). 

The top seed had Ruud under pressure, and he finally broke through late in the opening set. Medvedev broke the Norwegian’s serve five times in a row to take the first set and romp through the second, winning nine of the last 10 games. He sealed the match with a drop shot and a put-away volley to move into the semi-finals after one hour and 17 minutes.

“I don’t think grass is his best surface, but in the first set he was playing top level and I couldn’t get any break points,” Medvedev said. “But as soon as he started serving a bit worse and making some errors, I tried to use it as fast as I could. It was important to win the first set and not in a tie-break, this gives me a boost of confidence.”

Medvedev will next face home favourite Pablo Carreno Busta, the fourth seed, for a place in his first grass-court final. Medvedev has won 10 ATP Tour titles, all of them coming on hard courts.

Carreno Busta saved all three break points he faced as he edged past Jordan Thompson 6-4, 6-4. He is through to his first semi-final on the surface since Antalya in 2019 (l. to Sonego). The Spaniard trails Medvedev 1-2 in their ATP Head2Head.

Sam Querrey and Adrian Mannarino will meet in the second Mallorca semi-final after scoring big wins over Spanish opponents on Thursday.

The 31-year-old American took down third seed Roberto Bautista Agut, firing a head-turning 25 aces on the way to a 6-3, 7-6(4) victory. Querrey saved all three break points faced, including a set point late in the second at 5-6 to send them into a tie-break and reach his second semi-final of the grass-court season (also Stuttgart). Mannarino halted Feliciano Lopez’s milestone Mallorca run with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory over the Spaniard. The Frenchman weathered 15 aces from Lopez, breaking serve twice en route to victory.  

Querrey and Mannarino are tied at 3-3 in their ATP Head2Head, with Mannarino winning the first three matches of their rivalry and Querrey the three most recent; all their previous meetings have come on hard courts.

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Djokovic, Gomez-Herrera Win Mallorca Doubles SF

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Gomez-Herrera toppled another seeded team at the Mallorca Championships as they as they defeated third seeds Oliver Marach and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi 6-3, 7-6(4) in the semi-finals on Thursday.

But their run was cut short as the wild cards were forced to withdraw later in the day, with Gomez-Herrera citing an ankle injury. Fourth seeds Simone Bolelli and Maximo Gonzalez will take on second seeds Philipp Oswald and Marcus Daniell in Saturday’s semi-final clash, with the winner going on to lift the ATP 250 trophy.

Novak Djokovic & Carlos Gomez-Herrera have withdrawn from the Mallorca doubles final (ankle injury, Gomez-Herrera).

The winner of Simone Bolelli/Maximo Gonzalez v. Marcus Daniell/Philipp Oswald will take the title.#MallorcaChampionships

— ATP Tour (@atptour) June 24, 2021

“All around, everything clicked quite amazingly in the last several days for us,” Djokovic said in an on-court interview. “I’m just super thrilled to share the court with him and to reach our first final together.”

Djokovic and Gomez-Herrera reached the final in the first tournament of their partnership. For World No. 1 Djokovic, it was his first doubles final since winning at The Queen’s Club in 2010 with Jonathan Erlich, and for the 31-year-old Spaniard it was his career first. 

At the Viking International Eastbourne, top seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic saved five match points and recorded two victories on Thursday to move to the final.

Firstly, the Croatian pair, who have won six titles this year including three ATP Masters 1000s in Miami, Monte-Carlo and Rome, took down Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan 6-3, 7-6(3). They then edged past wild cards Harri Heliovaara and Lloyd Glasspool 6-4, 6-7(5), 18-16 in one hour and 40 minutes. Mektic and Pavic hit eight aces and saved five match points in the decider to advance. 

They will face third seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury in the championship match after the American-British team also won twice on Thursday. Ram and Salisbury cruised past John Peers and John-Patrick Smith 6-2, 6-3 in the quarter-finals, before beating second seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah 6-0, 6-7(0), 10-6.

The Colombian duo took down Hugo Nys and Jonny O’Mara 7-5, 6-4 in their quarter-final earlier on Thursday. However, Cabal and Farah, who were aiming to reach a fourth ATP Tour final of the season, could not replicate this against Ram and Salisbury. 

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Sonego Soars Into Eastbourne SFs

Third seed Lorenzo Sonego moved past Alexander Bublik on Thursday to notch his 17th tour-level win of the year, to remain on track to record his best-ever season. The Italian is now into the semi-finals of the Viking International Eastbourne, improving to 3-0 in his ATP Head2Head series against the World No. 39.

Sonego raced into a 3-0 lead as he won 65 per cent (11/17) of his first-service points in the opening set. He then broke Bublik twice in the second set to battle through in 79 minutes.

“I am really happy with the match because it is not easy playing against Bublik, because he is an amazing talent,” Sonego said. “Especially in the second set, it was really tough, but I am happy with the match.

“I am full of energy because I like playing here. My serve is good for the grass court, and I like playing in Eastbourne. There are a lot of Italian fans, and it is good for me.”

Sonego, who won the Sardegna Open (d. Djere) on home soil in Cagliari in April, is now just three wins away from equalling the 20 tour-level victories he recorded in 2019. The 26-year-old will play either Australian qualifier Max Purcell or Andreas Seppi in the semi-finals in Eastbourne.

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Tokyo 2020: Andy Murray selected for Great Britain's tennis team

Two-time defending champion Andy Murray is selected for Great Britain’s tennis team at this summer’s Tokyo Olympics.

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Countdown To Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals Begins As Tickets Go On Sale

The ATP, Italian Tennis Federation (FIT) and Sport e Salute Spa have today announced the launch of ticket sales for the 2021 Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals, the innovative showcase event for the world’s best 21-and-under players.

Scheduled from 9-13 November at the Allianz Cloud in Milan, the 2021 event marks the fourth edition of the tournament, following cancellation in 2020 due to COVID-19. The award-winning event features cutting-edge technological innovations and a unique short-format presentation of the game, with past champions including Italy’s Jannik Sinner, current World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas, and South Korea’s Hyeon Chung. From today, tickets for individual sessions and season tickets for the entire five-day event will be available for purchase.

Buy Tickets

This year, the tournament welcomes a host of prestigious new partners, led by Intesa Sanpaolo as Title Partner. Through the partnership, Intesa Sanpaolo is committed to promoting the development of individuals and young people, through fundamental values of healthy competition, dynamism, respect for the rules, fair play and overcoming one’s limits. The Italian bank will also serve as Host Partner of the prestigious Nitto ATP Finals, being played in Turin for the first time this year, until 2025.

ellesse, the iconic Italian athleisure brand, will bring its signature style and flair to the event as Official Apparel and Shoes of the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals. In addition, Wilson (Official Stringer) and Fastweb (Official Telecommunications Provider) join the portfolio of renowned event partners that includes Emirates, Dunlop, and Valmora Mineral Water.

Adding to the build-up, this week marks the launch of the Next Gen ATP E-Series 2021, the official eSports tournament hosted in collaboration with Mkers, a leading Italian eSports company, with Intesa Sanpaolo as Main Sponsor. Opening rounds of the competition, held online between June and October, will feature 128 players competing on the popular Tennis World Tour 2 title, with the best eight players qualifying for a live event at the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals, where the winner will be crowned. In addition, the Nitto ATP Finals will host a day of show matches featuring participants from the eSports tournament, VIPs and influencers.

Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Chairman, said: “Since its inception, this event has helped shine an important spotlight on the brightest young talents in our sport, creating great champions and driving innovation in the process. We are delighted to see it returning this year and would like to thank the FIT, and all event partners, for their commitment to promoting the future of our sport.”

Angelo Binaghi, President of the Italian Tennis Federation, said: “This November, Italy will find itself at the centre of the tennis world, hosting leading events that signal our ambition and commitment to the sport. We are extremely excited to once again be hosting the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan, a city that continues to play a vital role in the development of tennis’ future stars. We are full of enthusiasm, as are our partners, who we thank for their tremendous support.”

Vito Cozzoli, President of Sport e Salute Spa, said: “Following the Internazionali at the Foro Italico, which saw the welcome return of fans, the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan, an event of strategic importance in the continued growth of the Italian tennis movement, is confirmed in this year’s tennis calendar. Tennis showed endurance in overcoming the challenges of the past months, and has also become a symbol of revival, with great events capable of inspiring and involving more and more players.”

Tickets for the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals can be found at www.nextgenatpfinals.com and via Ticketone.

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Elena Baltacha auction to 'continue tennis star's legacy'

The former British number one died of cancer, aged just 30, and a foundation was set up in her name.

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Nakashima On Cusp Of Wimbledon Main Draw

#NextGenATP American Brandon Nakashima is one win away from reaching the main draw at Wimbledon for the first time after a three-set win on Wednesday. Playing qualifying at The Championships for the first time, the 19-year-old sent Serbian Viktor Troicki into retirement with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory.

“It definitely feels pretty good coming back here,” Nakashima, who won the Grade 1 junior tournament in Roehampton in 2018, told Wimbledon.com. “I feel comfortable with the courts but obviously pro is a lot different than the juniors.”

San Diego native Nakashima, who is just five places below his career-high FedEx ATP Ranking of No. 133, will play Latvian veteran Ernests Gulbis for a place in the main draw. The 32-year-old defeated Slovakian Andrej Martin 6-1, 6-2.

Gulbis is chasing a 13th appearance in the main draw. In 2018 he advanced through qualifying and stunned World No. 3 Alexander Zverev in the third round before falling to Kei Nishikori in four sets.

China’s Zhang Zhizhen, ranked No. 178, is one win away from making his Grand Slam debut after staring down Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo 7-6(5), 7-6(5). Zhang will play 22-year-old Argentine Francisco Cerundolo, who made his Grand Slam debut earlier this month at Roland Garros. Cerundolo, a finalist in Buenos Aires on clay this year, defeated Italian veteran Roberto Marcora 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Qualifying top seed Kamil Majchrzak, chasing his second Wimbledon main draw appearance, survived a tough battle with veteran Dutchman Robin Haase 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-4 to reach the final round, where he will play Chile’s World No. 232 Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera.

After surviving the first round in two tie-breaks, Barrios Vera also held his nerve Wednesday to beat Frenchman Enzo Couacaud 7-6(5), 7-6(4).

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Johanna Konta: British number one may need to manage injury for rest of career

British number one Johanna Konta says she may have to manage a knee injury for the rest of her career having initially ignored it.

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Medvedev & Wife Daria Taste Authentic Spanish Food In Mallorca

Daniil Medvedev took a break from his Mallorca Championships preparations to bring his wife, Daria, on a culinary tour of Spain, courtesy of Michelin-starred chef Maca de Castro.

The chef prepared a sampling of typical Spanish cuisine for the Russian couple. The Medvedevs tasted gazpacho, a cold soup fit for hot summers, as well as coca Mallorquin, a Mallorcan-style pizza which is prepared with spinach and fish. They also sampled fideua, a dish similar to paella but made with noodles instead of rice. 

 

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De Castro, who is taking care of the VIP guests of the Mallorca Championships this week, was also in charge of the catering at Rafael Nadal’s wedding in 2019. Her skillful interpretations of traditional and contemporary Mallorcan cuisine earned her a star in the 2021 Michelin Guide.

Medvedev and his wife Daria also approved of De Castro’s cooking. “I love gazpacho, it’s delicious,” said the No. 2 player in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

The top seed will be back in action on the lawns of the Mallorca Country Club on Thursday as he takes on fifth seed Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals. 

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Wimbledon Seeds Announced: Djokovic Top, Federer 7th

Two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic and World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev will lead the way as the top two seeds at Wimbledon, after the All England Club unveiled the seedings for the men’s singles main draw on Wednesday.

Djokovic, who lifted the trophy at SW19 in 2011, 2014-15 and 2018-19, will be looking to add a 20th Grand Slam title to his ever-growing haul. A victory for the World No. 1 would tie him with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at the top of the list for all-time most Grand Slam singles titles.

Further down the list, 2019 finalist Federer will be the seventh seed. The Swiss, who has played just eight matches since the 2020 Australian Open following two knee surgeries, finds himself in the unfamiliar position of No. 8 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. He is seeded seventh because World No. 3 and two-time champion Rafael Nadal is not playing at the All England Club.

This raises the possibility of Federer being drawn in the same quarter as Djokovic, just as he was at Roland Garros earlier this month. When Wimbledon was last played two years ago, Djokovic beat Federer in a historic fifth-set tie-break, which began at 12-all.  

 

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Second seed Medvedev will be trying to advance past the third round at the All England Club for the first time (2018, 2019). Roland Garros finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas will be seeded third, while reigning US Open champion Dominic Thiem is the fourth seed.

Main draw action will start on Monday 28 June, with the men’s singles final set for Sunday 11 July. 

Full List Of Wimbledon 2021 Seedings
1. Novak Djokovic (SRB)
 2. Daniil Medvedev  (RUS)
 3. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
 4. Dominic Thiem (AUT)
 5. Alexander Zverev (GER)
 6. Andrey Rublev  (RUS)
 7. Roger Federer (SUI)
 8. Matteo Berrettini (ITA)
 9. Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP)
 10. Diego Schwartzman (ARG)
 11. Denis Shapovalov (CAN)
 12. Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP)
 13. Casper Ruud (NOR)
 14. Gael Monfils (FRA)
 15. Hubert Hurkacz (POL)
 16. Alex de Minaur (AUS)
 17. Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)
 18. Cristian Garin (CHI)
 19. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)
 20. Jannik Sinner (ITA)
 21. Aslan Karatsev (RUS)
 22. Ugo Humbert (FRA)
 23. Daniel Evans (GBR)
 24. Lorenzo Sonego (ITA)
 25. Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO)
 26. Karen Khachanov (RUS)
 27. Fabio Fognini (ITA)
 28. Reilly Opelka (USA)
 29. John Isner (USA)
 30. Cameron Norrie (GBR)
 31. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)
 32. Taylor Fritz (USA)

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