Tennis News

Sinner: "We Practise For These Kind Of Tough Matches"

Staying the distance through nearly three hours on court is a learning curve in itself, let alone switching between the full gamut of match conditions Jannik Sinner has experienced in recent weeks. The #NextGenATP Italian prevailed over 14th seed Karen Khachanov to reach the Round of 16 at the Miami Open presented by Itau on Sunday.

The 19-year-old’s 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-4 victory over the Russian came under sweltering Florida conditions in two hours and 50 minutes. It was not only the quality of the opponent, which made life difficult.

“After the first set, I tried to get out of this situation because at the end of the day we practise for these kind of tough matches, physically and mentally,” Sinner said. “This you’re learning in practice, with everything. So at the end today, I’m very happy about the win and I’m looking forward to playing another match after tomorrow.”

It was the third showdown that stretched the distance from as many ATP Head2Head encounters between the pair. Sinner now leads that ledger 2-1 and will brace for more Miami heat when he meets Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori for a place in the quarter-finals. The Finn backed up his upset of Alexander Zverev with a three-set triumph over Swede Mikael Ymer.

“It’s about trying to understand how to beat these guys, what can I improve more,” he said. “Trying to understand more the match, obviously it can give me a lot of confidence after today.

“Our call was to play Marseille, Dubai and then here knowing already before that every tournament has different situations, everything is different. I’m ready for that, trying to adapt in the best possible way in every tournament.”

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Golf & football among grassroots sports to return in England from Monday

Outdoor sports including football, golf and tennis can resume for amateur players in England from Monday as coronavirus restrictions are eased.

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Felix: "I Have To Keep Going Forward"

Felix Auger-Aliassime’s Miami Open presented by Itau campaign is over thanks to a familiar foe. The Canadian, though, drew plenty of positives from his second-round defeat to big-serving American John Isner.

It is a state of mind the 20-year-old admits holds him in good stead as he moves forward. The switch to clay beckoned following his 7-6 (5), 7-6(5) second-round loss on Grandstand.

“That’s the only way for me to get to where I want,” Auger-Aliassime said. “If I dwell on my losses and I don’t show a trait of character and resilience I’m not going in the right direction.

“So, no, today is tough loss, but I have to keep going forward. Honestly I’m playing well, I’m feeling good. In this period, as well, I don’t want to be too hard on myself. I think there has been tougher moments also.”

The loss marked the second time in succession he had fallen to Isner in Miami in two tie-break sets, having also gone down in the 2019 semi-finals by the same scoreline. Despite the defeat, the 11th seed actually claimed one more point on his first serve, hit only five aces fewer than Isner’s 16 and never faced a break point.

“We were both serving well. I mean, six and six I guess is a pretty common score against John,” he said. “Yeah, I think I was able to protect my serve well. Didn’t face a break point, so that was good on my part. Then I think I could have adjusted a few things, looking back on the return, to try to find a way to, I don’t know, even bunt a few returns in the court to make him play.

“But again, I was trying my best. In the tie-breaks it’s just a few points here and there. I played poor points at the start of both tie-breaks, and then it just, I guess, slipped out of my hands, really. It was a close one.”

Auger-Aliassime revealed the key to finding a read on the likes of Isner’s monster deliveries boiled down to one thing – focus. Handling the pace of serve alone was only part of the battle and the chances presented were usually fleeting.

“We get used to the speed, but it’s the precision and consistency of it,” he said. “When you get a guy like this, people have to understand the focus that it requires to be like this for, what is it, 26 games. 

“You have to be focused on your serve too, because you know as soon as you get broken, it’s tough to come back… It’s tough to get a racquet on it. Even if you guess where it comes, sometimes it bounces high and so it’s super precise, not only powerful.”

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Medvedev Survives Popyrin In Miami Battle

Top seed Daniil Medvedev needed two tie-breaks, more than two-and-a-half hours, and lots of electrolytes to overcome an inspired Alexei Popyrin 7-6(3), 6-7(7), 6-4 at the Miami Open presented by Itau on Sunday.

The World No. 2 had three match points and served for the match in the second set, but found himself in for a war of attrition as the 21-year-old Aussie took them the distance on Grandstand.

“It’s probably one of the sweetest victories in my career, because I was cramping like hell in the third set,” Medvedev said in an on-court interview. “It’s one thing when you’re cramping when you’re [ahead in the score], but I started cramping before. It was tough to think about the win in these conditions.

“At the same time, I should have won in two sets and we would not be talking about cramping. But anyway, we have the result on the board and I’m happy that I managed to go through all the difficulties of this definitely crazy match.”

Medvedev brought a 2-0 ATP Head2Head lead into his clash against the Aussie, who has also been a regular practice partner throughout the season. It’s been a productive partnership for Medvedev, who has helped lead Russia to the ATP Cup title, reached his maiden Australian Open final and lifted the trophy at the Open 13 Provence in Marseille.

Popyrin, who claimed his first ATP Tour trophy at the Singapore Tennis Open in February, did well to stay with World No. 2. He matched Medvedev’s rhythm from the baseline and found more winners overall (12 to 11) in a tight opening set. But it was the unforced errors that would be his undoing under pressure in the first-set tie-break, as Medvedev closed it out.

He was in for a tougher test in the second set, although Medvedev looked in control after taking a 4-1 lead. The Aussie found another gear, and broke Medvedev from 0/40 for the first time as the Russian served for the match at 5-3. He earned a roar from fans as he saved three match points to levelled the score at 5-5, before converting his third set point to send them into a decider.

Only one break opportunity was on offer in the third set, and it went to the Russian. Medvedev was struggling physically as the match went on, requesting electrolytes from the physio and fighting cramps in the balmy South Florida sun. Medvedev kept the points short, and despite being visibly hobbled he sealed his spot in the fourth round after two hours and 39 minutes.

“Of course, it would have been better to just win it 6-3 in the second or 6-4 when I had a triple match point,” Medvedev said. “As soon as [a missed opportunity] happens you just focus on the next one, but the only thing is it was tough to focus on the next one because I felt the cramps coming. It was not easy.”

Looking to reach the quarter-finals in Miami for the first time, Medvedev will meet unseeded American Frances Tiafoe, who later overcame 16th seed Dusan Lajovic 1-6, 7-5, 6-3. The win was Tiafoe’s third consecutive from a set down this week and booked his third straight Round of 16 appearance in Miami, having advanced as far in 2018 and to the quarter-finals in 2019.

A maiden ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final will be on the line when No. 22 seed Taylor Fritz meets No. 32 seed Alexander Bublik. American Fritz overcame Brit Cameron Norrie 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 on Sunday to reach the Round of 16 for the first time, while Bublik defeated Australian James Duckworth 6-4, 6-4.

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Sinner Survives Gut-Busting Battle Against Khachanov In Miami

Karen Khachanov won the early battle against Jannik Sinner on Sunday, but the #NextGenATP star claimed the war.

Sinner outlasted the 14th seed 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-4 in a gut-busting clash of two hours and 50 minutes to advance to the Round of 16 at the Miami Open presented by Itau. The 19-year-old will play Emil Ruusuvuori or Mikael Ymer for a spot in the quarter-finals.

The 21st seed, who is physically fit, appeared fatigued just a few games into his physical match against Khachanov. There was more than 30 minutes of actions before the players got to the first changeover thanks to the second game, which went to 11 deuces. As Sinner served at 2-2, he even bent over after a point, showing the effects of the gruelling start. 

Sinner was certainly ready go, but the big-hitting rallies point-in and point-out would take a toll on any player’s legs. Although Khachanov lost serve in the epic second game, he recovered better physically to power his way through the opening set.

His teenage opponent was not going to lay down, though. Sinner found a way to grind his way through the second-set tie-break, and in the decider both men raised their level, making few unforced errors. In the end, Sinner, nearly three hours into the marathon, used his legs to gain the critical advantage. 

At 4-4, 40/40, with Khachanov serving, Sinner somehow sprinted up to get to a good half-volley by the Russian and found an incredible angle to earn break point. The Italian converted on the next point and then served out his victory.

That this was an epic was no surprise. Their first two clashes went to final-set tie-breaks, including a five-set win by Khachanov at last year’s US Open. Sinner now leads their ATP Head2Head series 2-1.

Did You Know?
The last time this tournament was held, in March 2019, Sinner was still outside the Top 300 of the FedEx ATP Rankings. Now, the 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals champion is World No. 31.

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Skupski Wins Battle Of Former Partners In Miami

Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski ended their 18-month partnership at the conclusion of the 2020 ATP Tour season, but that hasn’t stopped the pair from sharing the court in 2021.

Alongside Daniel Evans, Skupski overcame his former partner and Bruno Soares 5-7, 7-6(4), 10-7 on Sunday to reach the Miami Open presented by Itau quarter-finals. It is the second straight week that Skupski has beaten Murray in a Match Tie-break. The 31-year-old partnered his brother Ken Skupski to a 6-3, 3-6, 12-10 win over Murray and Soares en route to the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC trophy last week.

Evans and Skupski trailed 15/30 on serve at 5-6 in the second set, but they held their nerves to turn the match in their favour and reach the last eight in Miami. The British pair is making its debut in Miami this week.

The unseeded team will meet top seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah or Marcelo Arevalo and Horia Tecau for a place in the semi-finals. Cabal and Farah are chasing their first title in Miami, with a runner-up finish in 2014 their best result.

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Medvedev Ready For ‘Tough Match’ Against Practice Partner Popyrin

So far in 2021, Daniil Medvedev has led Russia to the ATP Cup title, reached his maiden Australian Open final and collected his 10th ATP Tour trophy at the Open 13 Provence in Marseille.

An interesting common denominator behind those title runs at the ATP Cup and Marseille? Pre-tournament practice sessions with Alexei Popyrin. The pair will meet on Sunday for a place in the Miami Open presented by Itau Round of 16.

During pre-season, Medvedev joined Popyrin for multiple practice sessions. The Russian also connected with the Aussie ahead of his trip to Marseille, where he beat Jannik Sinner and Pierre-Hugues Herbert en route to the title.

Medvedev has got to know his opponent well over the past few months, and he is aware of the threat that Popyrin will pose in Miami. The pre-season training sessions also proved a charm for the 21-year-old, who has compiled an 11-3 record and lifted his maiden ATP Tour title (Singapore) this year.

“He’s a great player. I think [he is] still young, still coming up,” said Medvedev. “Great strokes, great serve. Solid baseline player, but he can go to the net, hit winners from all corners of the court. It’s going to be a tough match. [I am] looking forward to it.”

Knowledge may equal power for Medvedev, but that theory works both ways. Popyrin now has an improved understanding of the task that lies ahead on Grandstand, where he will aim to record the biggest win of his career.

“I know what to expect against him. I practised with him in pre-season, so we know each other pretty well,” said Popyrin. “It will be a tough match. I have never played anyone as high as No. 2 in the world.”

Popyrin will be aiming to earn his first win in the third match of his ATP Head2Head rivalry against the reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion. The World No. 86 pushed Medvedev to four sets at Wimbledon in 2019 and fell in straight sets to the Russian at last year’s Australian Open. When asked what the biggest challenge of facing Medvedev was, Popyrin provided an honest assessment.

“I think everything is challenging,” said Popyrin. “He is probably the best passer when you come to the net. He knows what to do when another guy comes to the net, you can’t overplay him from the baseline and he has got a massive serve. He is a great all-around player.”

In the first match of the day on Grandstand, Felix Auger-Aliassime will meet 2018 champion John Isner in a repeat of their 2019 semi-final at this event. On that occasion, Isner raised his level in crucial moments to defeat the 18-year-old 7-6(3), 7-6(4) and reach his second straight Miami final.

Auger-Aliassime, who won seven matches from qualifying en route to that semi-final encounter, will be the higher-ranked player for his second ATP Head2Head clash against the American. The 11th seed earned his 10th win of the season against Herbert to reach the Miami third round. Isner, the 18th seed, was forced to recover from a set down to defeat countryman Mackenzie McDonald 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in his opening match.

On Court 1, Sinner and Karen Khachanov will meet for the third time in their ATP Head2Head rivalry. Both of their previous meetings went all the way to a final-set tie-break.

At last year’s US Open, Khachanov rallied from two sets down to defeat the #NextGenATP Italian 3-6, 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-0, 7-6(4). Sinner gained his revenge at last month’s Great Ocean Road Open, when he saved a match point to overcome Khachanov 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(4) in a thrilling, three-hour, seven-minute semi-final.

“I practise for having tough matches. I practise for staying in difficult situations. I practise especially for these kinds of matches,” Sinner said. “It’s going to be a tough match for sure for both of us. I know him quite well, he knows me quite well… It’s not going to be easy for us.”

Seventh seed Roberto Bautista Agut and 16th seed Dusan Lajovic will continue their Miami campaigns on Sunday. Bautista Agut will face 31st seed Jan-Lennard Struff in the opening match on Court 1, while Lajovic will close the night session on Grandstand against Frances Tiafoe. Alexander Zverev’s conqueror Emil Ruusuvuori, 22nd seed Taylor Fritz and 32nd Alexander Bublik also feature on the Court 1 schedule.

Watch Live | View TV Schedule

SCHEDULE – SUNDAY, 28 MARCH 2021

GRANDSTAND start 11:00 am
[11] F. Auger-Aliassime (CAN) vs [18] J. Isner (USA)

Not Before 1:00 pm
WTA MATCH
[1] D. Medvedev (RUS) vs A. Popyrin (AUS)

Not Before 7:00 pm
WTA MATCH

Not Before 8:30 pm
F. Tiafoe (USA) vs [16] D. Lajovic (SRB)

COURT 1 start 11:00 am
[31] J. Struff (GER) vs [7] R. Bautista Agut (ESP)
[21] J. Sinner (ITA) vs [14] K. Khachanov (RUS)
E. Ruusuvuori (FIN) vs M. Ymer (SWE)
C. Norrie (GBR) vs [22] T. Fritz (USA)

Not Before 7:00 pm
[32] A. Bublik (KAZ) vs J. Duckworth (AUS)

COURT 2 start 12:00 pm
D. Evans (GBR) / N. Skupski (GBR) vs [5] J. Murray (GBR) / B. Soares (BRA)
[4] I. Dodig (CRO) / F. Polasek (SVK) vs F. Auger-Aliassime (CAN) / H. Hurkacz (POL)
O. Marach (AUT) / L. Saville (AUS) vs K. Khachanov (RUS) / A. Rublev (RUS)

COURT 5 start 12:00 pm
WTA MATCH

Not Before 1:30 pm
[8] P. Herbert (FRA) / N. Mahut (FRA) vs M. Kecmanovic (SRB) / A. Qureshi (PAK)
[WC] S. Korda (USA) / M. Mmoh (USA) vs T. Puetz (GER) / A. Zverev (GER)

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Miami Open: Johanna Konta beaten by Petra Kvitova in third round

Britain’s Johanna Konta is overwhelmed by Czech ninth seed Petra Kvitova in the third round of the Miami Open.

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Five Things To Know About Popyrin, Medvedev's Next Opponent

Alexei Popyrin will face a tough challenge on Sunday at the Miami Open presented by Itau, when he plays World No. 2 and top seed Daniil Medvedev in the third round. The Russian star has plenty of respect for the 21-year-old Aussie.

“He’s a great player. I think [he is] still young, still coming up. Great strokes, great serve. Solid baseline player, but he can go to the net, hit winners from all corners of the court,” Medvedev said. “It’s going to be a tough match. Looking forward to it.”

Before they compete at the season’s first ATP Masters 1000 event, ATPTour.com looks at five things to know about Popyrin, the 2017 Roland Garros boys’ singles champion. 

He Won His First ATP Tour Title Earlier This Year
Entering the Singapore Tennis Open, Popyrin had only reached one ATP Tour quarter-finals, and that came two years ago in Atlanta. But the Aussie played his best tennis at the ATP 250 to claim his first tour-level crown.

In the semi-finals, Popyrin eliminated former World No. 3 Marin Cilic before finishing his breakthrough run with a comeback victory against Alexander Bublik in the final.

“It feels unbelievable,” said Popyrin. “A lot of sacrifice, a lot of dedication and a lot of hard work went into this from myself, my team and my whole entire family. I have done it for everybody who was involved. I am just so proud that I could actually get it done.”

Popyrin First Made His Mark In Melbourne, Where He Has Thrived
The Aussie, then eight years old, was in the stands when countryman Lleyton Hewitt beat Marcos Baghdatis in an epic at the 2008 Australian Open that ended at 4:33 a.m. Little did Popyrin know that 11 years later, he would be the one impressing at Melbourne Park.

As a 19-year-old ranked World No. 149, he reached the third round of the 2019 Australian Open. Popyrin defeated Mischa Zverev and advanced past Dominic Thiem before pushing Lucas Pouille to five sets in a thriller. The Frenchman eventually made the semi-finals that year.

That wasn’t a one-time run for Popyrin, though, as he repeated the feat in 2020 by beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Jaume Munar to make the third round. Although the home favourite couldn’t earn a third consecutive third-round finish in Melbourne this year, he saved four match points in a five-set victory against 2017 Nitto ATP Finals runner-up David Goffin in a first-round victory.

The Aussie Is Thankful For His Family’s Sacrifices
When Popyrin was 12, he was playing Tennis Europe junior events. His family rented a seven-seater that they would travel in for three or four months playing tournaments. The Aussie’s parents, sister, brother and grandmother all packed into the car.

“We would all be in that car and we would just travel from Italy to Slovakia to Slovenia to Spain to France to all these places, all together in that one car,” Popyrin said. “That’s the sacrifice that everybody has made for me. My parents and my whole family have been the most influential people in my life.”

Alexei Is A Damian Lillard Fan, Loves Everton F.C.
If you see Popyrin sporting Portland TrailBlazers gear, don’t be surprised. At 13, he began watching NBA videos on YouTube and grew to enjoy the sport. Damian Lillard, one of the biggest stars in the NBA, has become his favourite player.

“I’m not one of those glory-seekers to find a team that has been winning trophies so easily and have had the best team in the league. I was just trying to find my team and Damian Lillard popped up,” Popyrin said. “He’s become my favourite player and they’ve become my favourite team. I think even if he leaves I’ll still support Portland.”

Popyrin has followed football for virtually his entire life, and he remembers watching the 2006 World Cup, when Tim Cahill played well for Australia. Popyrin became a fan of Cahill’s club team, Everton F.C.

“I wanted to find a team to support and he was my favourite player,” Popyrin said. “I told him that myself and it’s great that we’re in touch because he was one of my idols growing up.”

He Has Lived In Several Countries
Popyrin is Australian, but he has spent time in several countries. He moved with his family to Dubai for two years, where he even served as a ballboy at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Popyrin then moved to Spain in 2010, where he still lives part-time.

Since his late teenage years, Popyrin has trained at the Mouratoglou Academy in France, and he credits Patrick Mouratoglou for helping his development. The Aussie speaks English, Russian and Spanish.

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No Video Games, Plenty Of Old-School Rock For Lorenzo Musetti

Lorenzo Musetti has been March’s breakthrough star on the ATP Tour, reaching the semi-finals in Acapulco and now advancing to the third round of the Miami Open presented by Itau.

But fans have only gotten to know his game on court, highlighted by his crafty one-handed backhand and willingness to mix up spins and shot selection. So what has the teenager been doing off court to stay busy in the tournament bubbles?

“I don’t like so much video games. I never used to play them a lot. Even when I’m at home, I don’t have PlayStation or something,” Musetti said. “I like so much listening to music.”

Many players have travelled with video game consoles during the COVID-19 pandemic. But not the 19-year-old. When Musetti was in Acapulco, he bought a speaker from a member of the tournament’s staff, and that has proven a key entertainment item.

“Here with the football pitch [in Miami], I put the music on and I warm up and I really enjoy [my] time like this,” Musetti said.

When the #NextGenATP star was born in March 2002, Billboard’s Top 100 songs included hits by Jennifer Lopez, Ja Rule, Nickelback and Linkin Park. But the Italian is more old school than his age indicates.

“I like every kind of music. I really like old music from the 80s, from the 90s, also rock music,” Musetti said. “My father was a [fan] of that period of music. When I was a child, in the car, he was always like, ‘Lorenzo, listen to this, listen to this!’ I felt the same passion like him. I really like the 80s and 90s rock music.”

While Musetti and his coach, Simone Tartarini, haven’t done this the past couple weeks, they have sometimes played cards to pass time, since they are only allowed to go between the tournament venue and the hotel.

“It’s not easy to pass the time in the bubble, but we are getting used to it, so it’s fine,” Musetti said. “Usually we play not me against Simone, we play poker, some Italian games. It’s not about winning or losing. It’s just having fun. We win, we lose.”

As you’d expect, the newly minted youngest player in the Top 100 of the FedEx ATP Rankings has gotten plenty of congratulatory messages over the past six months. Last September, he qualified for the Internazionali BNL d’Italia and reached the third round of the main draw. Last week, Musetti made the semi-finals of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC.

“When you do semi-finals in Acapulco, you receive a lot of text messages,” Musetti said, cracking a laugh. “They take away a lot of moments, and I think sometimes if you don’t know how to manage that, you can be tired the next day because you are always on the phone.

“You don’t have to always be on the phone texting. It’s not easy, but I was doing that with [during my Rome run with] Wawrinka and Nishikori and then with Koepfer, I was really tired. Now in Acapulco, it was better because it was not the first time.”

Musetti is still getting used to all the attention he has received during this torrid stretch. When play resumed last August following a five-month suspension, the teen was World No. 284. Now he is World No. 94 and by the looks of things, Musetti has no plans of slowing his rapid ascent.

One thing is for sure: this #NextGenATP player is enjoying the ride.

“For me in every tournament, there is always a first time. But I’ve always enjoyed it, because you cannot only play tennis and go on court and do whatever you want. It’s really nice also with the fans,” Musetti said. “Now it’s not easy with the fans because this pandemic situation is not easy, but I’m really enjoying doing media things and [things outside] tennis.”

Musetti will try to continue his on-court success on Monday when he plays former World No. 3 Marin Cilic.

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