Tennis News

Korda Finds Another Level To Topple Sonego In Parma

#NextGenATP American Sebastian Korda raised his level on Wednesday to take down top seed Lorenzo Sonego 6-1, 7-5 and reach the Emilia-Romagna Open quarter-finals.

The 20-year-old arrived in Parma with just one clay-court win under his belt this season, but he has found his rhythm in northern Italy after defeating Andreas Seppi in the opening round. Up against another Italian, Internazionali BNL d’Italia semi-finalist Sonego, Korda saved all six break points faced to claim the victory. 

“I had a really tough opponent, but I had a good game plan and it worked out really well for me,” Korda said in an on-court interview. “It’s an incredible win, he’s been playing some amazing tennis on the clay this year. He’s beaten me earlier this year, so I’m super happy with the win.”

Korda was nearly untouchable in the one-sided opening set, reeling off the first five games before Sonego found his footing. The American faced five break points at 4-0, but some big first serves bailed him out of trouble. In the second set, Sonego raised his level stayed on serve with Korda, powering his way to a set point on Korda’s serve at 5-4. But the American responded in kind, and broke in the next game to take a 6-5 lead before serving out his spot in the quarter-finals.

The American will next face eighth seed Yoshihito Nishioka, who needed an hour and 21 minutes to take down #NextGenATP Lorenzo Musetti in a hard-fought 6-3, 6-2 battle.

“I knew today was going to be [a] very, very tough match,” Nishioka said in his on-court interview. “I know that he played a very good tournament last week, so I know he was tired as well, mentally as well. It was not his best performance, but there were many close games and many deuces. This was a 3 and 2 [win], but it was a very tough match today.”

The Japanese lefty held his nerve after trailing by a break twice in the opening set, raising his level to win the last five games in a row. He weathered the 19-year-old Italian’s full range of variety – and came up with some magic of his own – to save six break points across two tight games in the second set before closing out the victory. 

Lucky loser Norbert Gombos scored the upset of the day to knock out third seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas. The Slovakian saved 10 of 13 break points he faced to seal the 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-2 win after nearly two hours and 40 minutes. He will face wild card Marco Cecchinato after the Italian defeated seventh seed Aljaz Bedene 7-5, 6-2.

Jaume Munar booked a quarter-final clash with Richard Gasquet after moving past second seed Benoit Paire 7-5, 3-1 (ret). Munar needed 65 minutes to edge through the tightly contested opening set and worked his way to a break lead in the second before the Frenchman retired due to illness. He will take on another Frenchman in fifth seed Gasquet, who took down Spanish qualifier Pedro Martinez 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. 

Also in action, fourth seed Jan-Lennard Struff defeated Italian wild card Flavio Cobolli 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(2). He will meet sixth seed Tommy Paul, who needed two hours and 48 minutes to move past Jiri Vesely 7-6(3), 6-7(5), 6-3.

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Coria: To Play Against Djokovic In His Home City Is ‘A Dream’

When Federico Coria reached the Belgrade Open quarter-finals with a victory over Pablo Cuevas, there was only one thought in his mind: his next opponent was going to be World No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

But the prospect did not fill him with anxiety or nerves, as it would have done in the past. Playing for his second tour-level quarter-final of the year (also Cordoba), Coria instead embraced the challenge – even letting it serve as ‘extra motivation’ to get over the finish line in his 6-3, 6-2 victory. 

“During today’s match [against Cuevas], honestly it gave me a bit of extra motivation,” Coria told press afterwards. “I tried to run after every ball knowing that I could earn the chance to play against one of the greatest tennis players in history. 

“Life and tennis are giving me this beautiful moment, no matter what the result. I feel like I’ve already won by having an experience like this at this point in my life, and that’s how I’m going to approach it.” 

The 29-year-old Argentine has long been candid about his career-long struggle with anxiety and self-sabotage – and the pressure that comes along with having to live up to a big legacy. 

The younger brother of Guillermo Coria, a nine-time ATP Tour titlist and 2004 Roland Garros finalist, Federico previously admitted that there were times during his career when he didn’t allow himself to put in his maximum effort out of fear of failing to meet expectations. As a result, Coria spent much of his career outside the Top 200 of the FedEx ATP Rankings, and even considered hanging up his racquets for good. 

But armed with a new coach, a psychologist and a strong support team around him, at 29 years old Coria now sits inside the Top 100 after reaching a career-high World No. 83 earlier this year. He’s into his third ATP Tour quarter-final in Belgrade, and will now get a meeting with one of the Big Three – Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal – for the first time.

“I consider these to be small victories: to be able to play against Djokovic in his home city, in the quarter-finals of an ATP event, and to share that experience with my team,” Coria said. “To me, it’s a victory that at 29 years old I can still achieve my dreams in tennis. 

“Now, the idea of facing Nole brings only a big smile to my face because for much of my career, this matchup was unthinkable. I spent a long time on the outside [of ATP main draws and Top 200 of the FedExATP Rankings] or not playing, and now to be playing against Nole? I was running after every ball like a maniac today only thinking that this possibility was so close, and thankfully I will have the chance.” 

While it will be Djokovic and Federico’s first meeting, it won’t be Djokovic’s first experience playing against a member of the Coria family. The World No. 1 played his older brother Guillermo – who was nicknamed ‘El Mago’ (the Magician) for his clay-court prowess – four times between 2005-06, and amassed a 2-2 ATP Head2Head record against the Argentine. 

“How he walks, he reminds me a lot of his older brother on the court,” Djokovic said in his own post-match press conference. “He’s a fighter like his brother and doesn’t doesn’t give up, not even one point. He’s got that spirit of fighting and making sure that the player beats him rather than he beats himself.”

Djokovic, who was pushed to a second-set tie-break by World No. 253 Mats Moraing on Tuesday, will be prepared for a battle as he faces the Argentine on his opponent’s favourite surface.

“He will not have much to lose,” Djokovic added. “I’m sure he’s really motivated to play his best tennis and he’s probably going to [get] some really good advice from his older brother. But I’m looking forward to that.”

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French Open: Britain's Harriet Dart one match from qualifying but Liam Broady out

Britain’s Harriet Dart is one match away from reaching the main draw at the French Open for the first time.

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French Open: Jamie Murray criticises prize money cuts & brands hotel 'absolute toilet'

Jamie Murray strongly criticises French Open organisers over prize money cuts and calls the official hotel for doubles players “absolute toilet”.

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French Open: Carla Suarez Navarro to play after recovering from cancer

Former world number six Carla Suarez Navarro will play at the French Open, a month after announcing her recovery from cancer.

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Ahead Of Roland Garros, Ruud Hits Courts & Greens With Nadal In Mallorca

Casper Ruud is still waiting on his invite on Rafael Nadal’s yacht, but in the meantime, he’s enjoying quality time with the Spaniard on the court and on the golf course.

After winning the Gonet Geneva Open, Ruud is preparing for Roland Garros by practising with Nadal at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar in Mallorca.

“I think he’s eager to play a little bit next week, so I have to enjoy maybe a day or two off and then be ready for tough practices with him in Mallorca,” Ruud said in Geneva, where the 22-year-old won his second ATP Tour title.

Ruud has trained at Nadal’s academy since he was 19, so the Norwegian has plenty of familiarity with the World No. 3 and expects a round of golf this week, at the very least. The two also share a love for the sea with Ruud often boating in Norway and Nadal purchasing a new yacht in 2020.

“He hasn’t invited me on the new boat yet so we will see what happens,” Ruud said. “It would be obviously nice to go, but we’ve been playing golf a couple of times. We are both eager to play golf and to challenge each other.”

 

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Though Ruud and Nadal have yet to face off on the ATP Tour, they have battled on the fairways.

“Rafa is a scratch [golfer] or even under zero so that’s very good,” Ruud said. “I am a 1.8 [handicap], so it’s very close, but he is still winning for the moment. Next time I will try to beat him.”

Maybe one day they’ll go fishing together, though not in Mallorca as Ruud, a big fan of sushi, thinks his home country has a better selection.

“They don’t have salmon in Mallorca so I don’t really want to do any fishing,” Ruud said. “But I know that he likes to fish and I think he should probably come to Norway to go fishing for salmon because it’s a very nice thing to do.”

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Delbonis/Sitak Upset Top Seeds In Belgrade

The top two seeds were upset in the doubles draw on Tuesday at the Belgrade Open in Serbia.

Federico Delbonis and Artem Sitak ousted top seeds Rohan Bopanna and Franko Skugor 6-3, 4-6, 10-8 to reach the quarter-finals. This is their second team appearance after making the second round at the Great Ocean Road Open earlier this year.

The unseeded duo will next play Serbia Open champions Ivan Sabanov and Matej Sabanov. The winning team will challenge Jonathan Erlich and Andrei Vasilevski, who defeated Sander Arends and Luis David Martinez 6-3, 0-6, 10-6 in the last eight.

Americans Austin Krajicek and Tennys Sandgren made the quarter-finals with a 6-3, 6-7(5), 10-8 victory against second seeds Fabrice Martin and Hugo Nys. Other teams that moved on Tuesday were fourth seeds Marcelo Demoliner and Santiago Gonzalez as well as Luke Bambridge and Dominic Inglot.

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Alcaraz Wins Roland Garros Qualifying Opener

Spanish teen Carlos Alcaraz moved one step closer to the main draw of Roland Garros with a 6-3, 6-3 win Tuesday over Lukas Lacko in the first round of qualifying. The seventh seed will take on Italy’s Andrea Pellegrino in the second round. 

Alcaraz, an 18-year-old ranked No. 94 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, won his fourth ATP Challenger in Oeiras last week. The title propelled him inside the Top 100 for the first time. He made his Grand Slam debut at this year’s Australian Open, where he qualified and won his first round. 

American Jenson Brooksby lost just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 win over Cedrik-Marcel Stebe and takes on Switzerland’s Marc-Andrea Huesler next. Brooksby has accumulated a 19-2 record on the ATP Challenger Tour this year with three titles. The 20-year-old made waves at the US Open in 2019 when he qualified and upset Tomas Berdych in the first round. 

The highest seed to fall on the second day of qualifying action was third seed Dennis Novak. The Austrian was beaten by Spain’s Mario Vilella Martinez, 1-6, 6-2, 6-2. Martinez has qualified for a Grand Slam main draw twice, but never in Paris. 

Elsewhere, Mackenzie McDonald ended Thanasi Kokkinakis’ bid 6-4, 6-4, Denis Kudla dismissed Mikael Torpegaard 6-1, 6-2 and Denis Istomin defeated Damir Dzumhur 2-6, 6-2, 6-1. 

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French Open qualifying: Jodie Burrage, Jay Clarke & Samantha Murray Sharan lose in first round

Britain’s Jodie Burrage, Samantha Murray Sharan and Jay Clarke are beaten in the first round of French Open qualifying.

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Djokovic Ties Vilas On Open Era Wins List

Novak Djokovic has inched his way up the record books once more. With his 6-2, 7-6(4) win over Mats Moraing on Tuesday at the Belgrade Open, Djokovic improved to 951 tour-level wins, tying him with Guillermo Vilas for the fifth-most wins in the Open Era.

“I’m thankful for that,” Djokovic said in press. “Obviously that also inspires me more to keep going. It’s not my main priority, but it comes as a consequence of all the quality work and all the results that I have [had] over the years. I’ll try to reach even the further places on the ranking ahead of me with wins in the years to come.”

Getting his 951th win wasn’t easy as the 6’6″ Moraing threw everything he had at the Serbian with big serves and even bigger returns.

“He didn’t give me much rhythm,” Djokovic said. “It’s difficult tactically to be clear with yourself in every moment, what you want to do against players like this, when they’re going for all or nothing.”

If he beats Federico Coria in the quarter-finals in their first ATP Head2Head meeting, Djokovic will move to standalone fifth place. He still has a way to go to catch Rafael Nadal, who is in fourth place with 1,022. Though the World No. 1 has never faced 29-year-old Coria before, he played his older brother Guillermo Coria four times (2-2).

“How he walks, he reminds me a lot of his older brother on the court,” Djokovic said of the younger Coria. “He’s a fighter like his brother and doesn’t doesn’t give up, not even one point. He’s got that spirit of fighting and making sure that the player beats him rather than he beats himself. And he loves to play on clay, this is his preferred surface.”

Coria scored a 6-3, 6-2 win over Pablo Cuevas earlier on Tuesday. Djokovic will be prepared for the Argentine’s best. As the World No. 253-ranked Moraing showed on Tuesday, players aren’t afraid to go for it against Djokovic.

“He will not have much to lose,” Djokovic said. “I’m sure he’s really motivated to play his best tennis and he’s probably going to [get] some really good advice from his older brother. But I’m looking forward to that. It’s a great encounter for me and some really good clay-court tennis coming up.”

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