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#NextGenATP Alcaraz Checks Off Another First At Roland Garros

  • Posted: May 31, 2021

#NextGenATP Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz notched another career first on Monday when he earned his maiden berth into the second round at Roland Garros.

The 18-year-old, who cracked the Top 100 of the FedEx ATP Rankings for the first time last week, defeated fellow qualifier Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-3, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6(4). Alcaraz trailed by a break in the fourth set, but he clawed back to triumph after three hours and eight minutes.

“I think the mental game is really, really important in these kinds of matches. You have to be focussed and calm all the match, three hours and 10 minutes. It’s really important and not easy to do,” Alcaraz said. “I trust a lot in my physical [conditioning], yeah. I could play a really, really good game during the whole match.”

The teen sensation has now not just successfully qualified at the season’s first two Grand Slams, but he has also won a match in the main draw as well. Alcaraz earned momentum heading into the clay-court major by claiming an ATP Challenger Tour title in Oeiras, Portugal two weeks ago.

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Alcaraz showed impressive resilience against his countryman, who beat him in a Challenger final last September. Zapata Miralles seemingly had an answer for every Alcaraz surge, but the #NextGenATP star made his stand in the fourth-set tie-break. The World No. 97 hit 41 winners and broke serve eight times to earn a match against big-hitting Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili.

“I think it has been a tough match against a great player like Zapata, a really tough player. I think when I won the third set, I think he [was] going a bit down on the beginning of the fourth,” Alcaraz said. “But he [was] still playing really, really well in the fourth. I had to be focussed with his shots. I think I played a really, really good game in the fourth, going down all the set. I think in the tie-break I [went] for the match.”

The 28th seed beat 2019 Monte-Carlo finalist Dusan Lajovic 6-4, 6-3, 0-6, 6-2. Basilashvili had not won a match at Roland Garros since making the third round in 2017.

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Opelka Leads American Charge Into Second Round At Roland Garros

  • Posted: May 31, 2021

It’s not often Reilly Opelka breaks serve seven times in a match, but the American did just that in a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 win against Andrej Martin on Monday to lead several Americans into the second round at Roland Garros.

The 32nd seed is known for his booming serve, but against Martin he only hit 10 aces. More notably, the American won 50 per cent of his return points.

“I didn’t have my best serving day. I was starting to find it a little bit as the match went on, but I was kind of resting my arm leading up to it. I didn’t get the same amount of reps that I would like to on my serve. But I definitely wasn’t hitting my spots, so a lot of balls came back and I had to play a lot of tennis today,” Opelka said. “I’m very, very happy that I was able to stay aggressive. A lot of times it’s easy to lose the aggressive mindset when your biggest weapon is not firing.”

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Opelka will next play a baseliner in Jaume Munar or Jordan Thompson. The two-time ATP Tour titlist was pleased he was able to compete so well from the baseline, but he is also keen to bring all parts of his game to the court moving forward in the tournament.

“It definitely helps my confidence. Andrej Martin is a tough player, but I think it does cap out at a certain level, unfortunately. A guy like Jannik Sinner or a guy like Felix [Auger-Aliassime], it would have been a different scenario. It’s not something I want to rely on,” said Opelka, who is in second seed Daniil Medvedev’s section of the draw. “To beat a guy like Jannik here, I have to be serving well and playing well from the back and volleying well.

“I do like that the things that usually are on weren’t today and I still won and the things that usually I struggle with, it wasn’t the case today.”

Two Americans won five-setters on Monday. Steve Johnson came from two sets down to defeat countryman Frances Tiafoe 6-7(5), 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 after three hours and 11 minutes to reach the second round on the Parisian clay for the fifth time.

Tommy Paul was on the opposite end of the spectrum, leading Christopher O’Connell two sets to none. The 24-year-old held off the Aussie’s spirited comeback in a 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 4-6, 10-8 triumph after three hours and 33 minutes. Paul will challenge Medvedev in the next round.

#NextGenATP American Sebastian Korda arrived in Paris with momentum after lifting his first ATP Tour trophy on Saturday in Parma. The 20-year-old also made the fourth round at Roland Garros last year. But he fell against the man he defeated in the third round here in 2020. Spaniard Pedro Martinez ousted Korda 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 to set a showdown against fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.

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Korda Breaks Into Top 50, Mover Of Week

  • Posted: May 31, 2021

No. 50 Sebastian Korda, +13 (Career-High)
The #NextGenATP American captured his first ATP Tour title on Saturday at the Emilia-Romagna Open in Parma. Read Final Report & Watch Highlights

Korda, who reached his first final at the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com (l. to Hurkacz) in January, rises 13 places to a career-high No. 50 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. The 20-year-old started the 2021 season at No. 118.

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No. 83 Marco Cecchinato, +21
The Italian, who dropped to 3-2 in ATP Tour finals after his runner-up finish to Korda in Parma, has returned to the Top 100 for the first time since the week beginning 26 April. Cecchinato attained a career-high of No. 16 on 25 February 2019.

Other Notable Top 100 Movers
No. 52 Tommy Paul, +3
No. 72 Jaume Munar, +8
No. 81 Norbert Gombos, +6
No. 99 Fernando Verdasco, +8

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How Thiem Stunner Nearly Cost Zverev

  • Posted: May 30, 2021

Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem, who were potential quarter-final opponents at Roland Garros, practised together on Saturday. But by the time Zverev took to Court Suzanne-Lenglen on Sunday for his first-round match, two-time finalist Thiem was already eliminated. Considering the Austrian had made at least the quarter-finals in Paris in his past five appearances, that was jarring for Zverev.

For a moment, it appeared Zverev was in trouble, too. The sixth seed quickly fell two sets down against fellow German Oscar Otte, and he admitted that the Thiem stunner potentially had something to do with it.

“To be very honest, I think it did have a little impact on me at the beginning of the match, because yes, you try to focus on yourself, you try to not pay too much attention, but you do know the draw,” Zverev said. “You know who is where. You know that Dominic is one of the best clay-court players, especially here, one of the toughest opponents you can have, and then he’s out.

“So yes, it does affect you a little bit. But maybe that was part of the reason why I was a little bit nervous in the beginning [and why] I started off a little bit slow.”

Thiem had lost his opening match in Lyon against Cameron Norrie. But when Zverev trained with the fourth seed on Saturday, nothing seemed amiss.

“The way we were playing, the level was incredibly high, and he lost today,” Zverev said. “Matches and practices are still a little bit different. You still need the matches, you still need to get into the tournament. [Oscar] already had three matches, I think that’s a big difference.”

Instead of panicking and suffering his first opening-round exit at a Grand Slam since Wimbledon in 2019, Zverev raised his level and triumphed 3-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-0. The two-time Roland Garros quarter-finalist is now 7-0 in five-setters at the clay-court major.

“I feel quite confident maybe in my physical stand. From that side maybe I know I can go the distance,” Zverev said. “I don’t always need to. I know that, as well, but when I need to, I feel comfortable doing that.”

It wasn’t a perfect start to the tournament for the 2018 Nitto ATP Finals champion, but Zverev lives to fight another day. In the second round, he will play Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin.

“All in all, I’m happy to be through,” Zverev said. “At the end of the day, that’s all that matters for me right now.”

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Tsitsipas Overcomes Chardy Challenge In Roland Garros Opener

  • Posted: May 30, 2021

On an opening day full of surprises and marathons, it was business as usual for fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas as he took down Jeremy Chardy in straight sets to reach the second round at Roland Garros.

Fifth seed Tsitsipas, who reached the semi-finals here last year, has been in red-hot form throughout the clay-court season. He’s gone from strength to strength after winning his first ATP Masters 1000 title at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, reaching the final in Barcelona (l. Nadal) and claiming his eighth ATP Tour title in Lyon. 

Tsitsipas, the FedEx ATP Race to Turin leader, saved four of the five break points he faced en route to a 7-6(6), 6-3, 6-1 win over Chardy on Sunday, his 17th clay-court victory of the season.

“I think the first tiebreak was a game-changer, in a way,” Tsitsipas said in his post-match press conference. “I did a lot of psychology, a lot of positivity and it kind of loosened me up a little bit. Starting the second set a bit more aggressive, starting a bit more free-spirited, those things kind of contributed in breaking and raising my level.

“[In the] third set, I felt like in total control. I felt my return was working much better. I got into the game even more, and I felt like things were working out for me. I could find the depth of the court, I could execute and be in control.”

The Greek raised his level after facing a set point during the closely contested opening set. Playing against Chardy on Court Philippe Chatrier – but without a crowd of French supporters due to Paris’ 9 pm curfew – Tsitsipas took control with an early break at 1-1.

 

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His serve bailed him out of trouble when Chardy worked his way back into the set. Chardy levelled the score at 3-3 and pushed Tsitsipas to set point at 5-4. But the Greek fired a big unreturned first serve to get back to deuce, and closed out the game after punishing a short return with a blistering forehand winner. From 1/4 down in the tie-break, Tsitsipas won five of the next six points to retake the lead and close out the 58-minute opening set.

After the first set, Tsitsipas raised his level and never looked back. The Greek did not face a break point across the final two sets, and broke serve four more times en route to victory. Tsitsipas fired 31 winners in the match and kept his unforced error differential positive with 25, outpacing Chardy’s 25 winners and 35 unforced errors.

With his ATP Tour-leading 34th win of the season, Tsitsipas booked a spot into the second round for the fourth year in a row. He awaits the winner of #NextGenATP American Sebastian Korda, who lifted his first ATP Tour title in Parma on Saturday, and Pedro Martinez, ranked No. 103 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

“I haven’t played them, but I’m gonna do my routine with my coach, analyse and be well prepared for my next game,” Tsitsipas said. “You will have a big server on one side, the American, and a Spaniard who I think plays really good on clay. Same for Sebastian, who has showed good tennis on clay last week. [I am] just focusing and concentrated on what’s next.”

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In the same quarter of the draw, 22nd seed Cristian Garin battled past Argentine Juan Ignacio Londero 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(6), 6-2 after three hours and nine minutes. The Chilean is into the second round on the Parisian clay for the third straight year.

Garin has proven himself a clay-court stalwart. The 2013 Roland Garros boys’ singles champion has won all five of his ATP Tour titles on the surface, and he will next play American qualifier Mackenzie McDonald, who eliminated Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3.

In the same section of the draw, 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion Grigor Dimitrov had to retire in the fourth set of his match due to a back injury. The Bulgarian led Marcos Giron 6-2, 6-4, 5-1 0/40, but the American rallied to win the set, and Dimitrov retired at 0-3 in the fourth.

Giron will challenge Guido Pella for a spot in the third round after the Argentine lefty defeated Colombian qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan 6-3, 7-6(4), 7-5.

Did You Know?
At 22 years 305 days, Tsitsipas is bidding to become the youngest Grand Slam men’s singles champion since Juan Martin del Potro won the 2009 US Open aged 20 years 355 days.

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Two Sets Down? No Problem For Zverev, Who Surges Past Otte

  • Posted: May 30, 2021

Alexander Zverev refused to become the second high-seeded casualty on the bottom half of the Roland Garros draw on Sunday. While two-time finalist Dominic Thiem fell in five sets earlier in the day, the German rallied past countryman Oscar Otte 3-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-0 to reach the second round.

The sixth seed is now 7-0 in five-setters on the Parisian clay and 16-7 in five-setters overall. This was the second time he has rallied from two sets down, having also done so in last year’s US Open semi-finals against Pablo Carreno Busta.

“I thought that in the first two sets he played actually quite well. He did exactly what somebody who is playing a top player in the first round of a major [needs to do],” Zverev said. “He already played three matches. I didn’t have the match rhythm yet. He did everything right I feel like. He was serving well. He was hitting the ball hard whenever he had the chance. I was reacting.

“Once I got the break in the third set, I started to maybe hit the ball a little bit harder with my backhand. My forehand started to be a little bit heavier, I thought, and I didn’t give him as many chances to play aggressive anymore.”

Although Zverev was pushed to a deciding set, the 24-year-old was able to advance after two hours and 49 minutes. The two-time Roland Garros quarter-finalist will next play Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin, who beat Spanish qualifier Carlos Taberner 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-0, 6-2. Safiullin won the junior title at the 2015 Australian Open.

Otte did not lose a set in qualifying, and his confidence showed in the early going against Zverev, as he played freely and pushed Zverev back. But the sixth seed never panicked or got overly frustrated. And once he surged ahead in the third set and began to move up in the court, Otte was unable to find any answers.

Zverev broke the World No. 152’s serve eight times. And although he will want to clean up his eight double faults, the German won 59 per cent of his second-serve points and finished off his victory with his 50th winner, a backhand up the line off his back foot.

“He was playing great. He was doing all the right things, but still, I was not playing great. I was not playing well. I knew once my ball started to go a little bit deeper, once my ball started to be a little bit heavier, he would not be able to do the things he was doing the first two sets,” Zverev said. “I feel like that changed a little bit also in the third set. In the fourth set once I got the break I saw that he was starting to get a little bit more tired, and I tried to play as quickly as possible to not let him back in the match.”

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This was Otte’s third Grand Slam main draw appearance, with his previous two coming at Roland Garros as a lucky loser. It was the 27-year-old’s first tour-level match of the season.

Zverev will not play a seeded opponent until at least the fourth round, as Miomir Kecmanovic eliminated 25th seed Daniel Evans 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4. The Serbian will face countryman Laslo Djere in the second round after the 2019 Rio de Janeiro champion ousted home favourite Corentin Moutet 6-3, 6-7(1), 7-6(2), 7-5.

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Christmas Came Early For Andujar In Paris: ‘These Victories Are A Gift’

  • Posted: May 30, 2021

Down two sets to love against a player that he has never even taken a set from on three previous occasions, Pablo Andujar took some racquets out of his bag and sent them off to the stringers. He was in for the long haul.

The World No. 68-ranked Spaniard willed himself to a major upset with his 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 comeback victory over fourth seed Dominic Thiem, a two-time Roland Garros finalist. 

“These are gifts that tennis brings you,” said 35-year-old Andujar, grinning in his post-match press conference. “I’m a guy who has never really been on the front covers or in the spotlight, and for me, these two victories are like Father Christmas came early. 

“For me, this is like Father Christmas came and gave me two victories that I could never have dreamed that I could achieve in my career.” 

It’s the second time in the past month that Andujar has gone the distance against one of the game’s best, after facing Roger Federer at his home event in Geneva. Both times, Andujar refused to yield. In Geneva, he claimed a ‘dream’ victory over Federer, and on Sunday at Roland Garros, he took down Thiem for his first Top 5 victory.

Andujar, a four-time ATP Tour titlist, said he had the win over Federer in mind throughout his four-hour and 28-minute first-round battle on Court Philippe Chatrier. Even as Thiem broke serve and seemed set for a comeback in the fifth set, the Spaniard stayed calm to edge back in front and close out the win. 

“I think it’s true that the victory over Roger has made me believe today,” Andujar said. “Maybe in another moment, I wouldn’t have kept fighting in that third set or believing that I could turn it around.”

Pablo Andujar

After the match, Andujar took a moment at the net to commiserate with Thiem. The fourth-seeded Austrian arrived in Paris struggling to find his best tennis, after taking almost two months away from the sport following last year’s US Open victory. 

It’s a feeling that Andujar knows all too well. The Spaniard underwent right elbow surgeries in March 2016, November 2016 and April 2017 – all with different doctors – after achieving his career-high World No. 32 ranking in July 2015. 

“I told him, ‘tough luck’. It’s what I always tell my opponents when I win, and he told me ‘great match and best of luck,’” Andujar revealed. “In the end, it’s not that it felt bittersweet, but it kind of did. Because unfortunately, I know what it feels like. I know that feeling more than winning.

“So always, making sure your rival is okay – because at the end of the day, we’re all peers here – is important and that’s what I was trying to do with Dominic. And besides, he’s a great guy.” 

 

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Into the second round in Paris for the seventh time, Andujar will try to reset and find a way to come back down to earth as he awaits the winner of Radu Albot and Federico Delbonis. He won’t aim to do anything out of the ordinary – instead, he’ll approach his next match the same way he does every match, whether it’s an ATP 250 like Geneva or a Grand Slam clash in Paris.

“I’ve always said that the bad part of my injury was that I had to stop for such a long time, but the good side is that I’ve learned to enjoy all of the tournaments that I play,” Andujar said. “I enjoy every match now. 

“Of course, it’s easier to say this after a win, but it has been a great moment, playing against Dominic Thiem on Philippe Chatrier. This, to me, is a gift and this always helps keep me calm.”

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