Tennis News

Zverev Brothers Eliminated In Cologne Doubles

Alexander Zverev and Mischa Zverev have won two ATP Tour doubles titles together and reached five more finals. But third seeds Raven Klaasen and Oliver Marach eliminated the Germans 2-6, 6-4, 10-6 in the first round of the bett1HULKS Indoors on Tuesday.

Klaasen and Marach saved 11 of the 14 break points they faced, including all eight in the second set, to triumph after one hour and 23 minutes. The South African-Austrian duo was 1-5 after the ATP Tour’s restart before their victory in Cologne. Ironically, their one previous win since August came against Alexander Zverev (w/Tim Puetz) at the Western & Southern Open.

Klaasen and Marach will next play Spaniards Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Fernando Verdasco or Germans Daniel Masur and Rudolf Molleker.

Also advancing in Cologne were Dominic Inglot and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi, who beat Nicholas Monroe and Benoit Paire 6-3, 6-4. In the other doubles match of the day at the ATP 250, Tomislav Brkic and Marin Cilic ousted Hubert Hurkacz and Steve Johnson 6-0, 6-1.

Melzer/Roger-Vasselin Advance In St. Petersburg
Second seeds Jurgen Melzer and Edouard Roger-Vasselin reached the second round of the St. Petersburg Open with a 6-2, 7-6(3) win against qualifiers Evgeny Donskoy and Roman Safiullin. They will next play Russian wild cards Daniil Golubev and Evgenii Tiurnev.

Marcelo Demoliner and Matwe Middelkoop ousted third seeds Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 7-6(1), 7-6(7). Taylor Fritz and Cameron Norrie, who played one another in singles on Monday (Norrie advanced), beat Luke Bambridge and Daniel Evans 3-6, 6-3, 10-5.

^{Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Jurgen Melzer break serve four times to reach the second round in St. Petersburg. Photo Credit: St. Petersburg Open}
Sonego/Vavassori Save 10 Match Points In Sardinia
It’s not every day a team saves 10 match points on the ATP Tour. Italians Lorenzo Sonego and Andrea Vavassori did just that at the Forte Village Sardegna Open on Tuesday, battling past countrymen Fabio Fognini and Lorenzo Musetti 6-7(3), 7-6(5), 15-13.

Fognini and Musetti had seven match points before the second-set tie-break, but could not convert. They earned three more chances in the Match Tie-break, but ultimately fell short after two hours and 11 minutes.

Third seeds Marcus Daniell and Philipp Oswald, finalists at the ASB Classic in January, opened their Sardinia campaign with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Spaniards Albert Ramos-Vinolas and David Vega Hernandez. They won 60 per cent of their return points in a 53-minute victory, setting up a second-round clash against Artem Sitak and Igor Zelenay.

In other action, American singles stars Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe ousted Andre Goransson and Jiri Vesely 7-6(7), 1-6, 11-9. On Monday, Paul rallied from a 0-5 third-set deficit in singles against Andrej Martin. Marcelo Arevalo and Jonny O’Mara also advanced with a 4-6, 7-5, 10-4 triumph against wild cards Andrey Golubev and Aleksandr Nedovyesov.

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Tiafoe Takes Rain-Delayed Title In Parma: "It Was A Business Trip"

For many players, returning to the ATP Challenger Tour requires a particular mindset. Whether it’s a former Top 10 stalwart on the comeback trail from injury or a former Top 50 star looking to rediscover his form, it all comes down to focus and discipline.

Frances Tiafoe knows that very well. The 22-year-old adopted that precise mentality as he descended on the circuit this month. On Monday, Tiafoe capped his Challenger return with a title at the Internazionali di Tennis Emilia Romagna in Parma, Italy. He defeated Salvatore Caruso 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in the championship.

In search of more matches and confidence, the American was all business in Parma. He would exact revenge on surging teen Lorenzo Musetti in the second round, before securing back-to-back Top 100 wins over Federico Delbonis and Caruso in the semis and final, respectively. And Tiafoe wasn’t fazed as the championship match was postponed to Monday, after persistent rain resulted in a Sunday washout.

“It was a business trip. I came here for one thing and one thing only,” said Tiafoe after the match. “I was able to do that, so I’m very happy. Hopefully I can build on this and win a lot of matches and get my ranking back up. Again, I’m happy and satisfied, but in the coming weeks I want to do the same. I’m going to enjoy this one and get ready for Sardinia.”

Tiafoe, who rose to a career-high No. 29 in the FedEx ATP Rankings just a year ago, had fallen as low as No. 84 in early 2020. But with new coach Wayne Ferreira in his corner, the Maryland native is pushing the reset button in his quest to rediscover his Top 30 form. Three weeks ago, Tiafoe competed at the Challenger event in Forli, Italy, where he succumbed to Musetti in the second round. It was a different story in Parma.

As Tiafoe says, it was purely ‘a business trip’. The business at hand? Win five matches, boost his ranking and leave with the trophy. See goal, achieve goal. Nothing more, nothing less.

That mentality was critical to him navigating through the draw and crossing the finish line. When you’ve battled for nearly three years on the Challenger circuit, grinding to finally crack the Top 100 and break onto the ATP Tour, returning to that level is never easy. With fierce competition at every turn and all players just as hungry to climb the FedEx ATP Rankings, it requires a certain focus and determination. That’s exactly how Tiafoe approached his Parma campaign.

“First, I’d like to get back in the Top 50 and close to the Top 30. That’s where I was,” Tiafoe added. “Then, in 2021 climb even higher. The guys were playing well against me this week, but I wanted to continue winning these matches and staying consistent.

“Everything was great in Parma. The staff treated me with the utmost respect. Everyone is super nice and they put on a great tournament. They try very hard and put the players first. The food was amazing and the chef even came out to the final. It was great to see him here.”

Let’s. Go. Foe. ??

Those title vibes @FTiafoe pic.twitter.com/t1c2io8obW

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) October 12, 2020

Tiafoe’s victory in Parma was his first title since 2018, when he claimed his maiden ATP Tour trophy in Delray Beach. It was also his first clay-court crown in three years, when he went back-to-back on the green clay of the Sarasota Challenger and red dirt of Aix-en-Provence.

Up to No. 61 in the FedEx ATP Rankings on Monday, Tiafoe is closing in on that Top 50 threshold he marked as a year-end goal for 2020. He will next compete at the ATP 250 event in Sardinia this week, opening against Corentin Moutet.

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Tiafoe Takes Rain-Delayed Title In Parma: "It Was A Business Trip"

For many players, returning to the ATP Challenger Tour requires a particular mindset. Whether it’s a former Top 10 stalwart on the comeback trail from injury or a former Top 50 star looking to rediscover his form, it all comes down to focus and discipline.

Frances Tiafoe knows that very well. The 22-year-old adopted that precise mentality as he descended on the circuit this month. On Monday, Tiafoe capped his Challenger return with a title at the Internazionali di Tennis Emilia Romagna in Parma, Italy. He defeated Salvatore Caruso 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in the championship.

In search of more matches and confidence, the American was all business in Parma. He would exact revenge on surging teen Lorenzo Musetti in the second round, before securing back-to-back Top 100 wins over Federico Delbonis and Caruso in the semis and final, respectively. And Tiafoe wasn’t fazed as the championship match was postponed to Monday, after persistent rain resulted in a Sunday washout.

“It was a business trip. I came here for one thing and one thing only,” said Tiafoe after the match. “I was able to do that, so I’m very happy. Hopefully I can build on this and win a lot of matches and get my ranking back up. Again, I’m happy and satisfied, but in the coming weeks I want to do the same. I’m going to enjoy this one and get ready for Sardinia.”

Tiafoe, who rose to a career-high No. 29 in the FedEx ATP Rankings just a year ago, had fallen as low as No. 84 in early 2020. But with new coach Wayne Ferreira in his corner, the Maryland native is pushing the reset button in his quest to rediscover his Top 30 form. Three weeks ago, Tiafoe competed at the Challenger event in Forli, Italy, where he succumbed to Musetti in the second round. It was a different story in Parma.

As Tiafoe says, it was purely ‘a business trip’. The business at hand? Win five matches, boost his ranking and leave with the trophy. See goal, achieve goal. Nothing more, nothing less.

That mentality was critical to him navigating through the draw and crossing the finish line. When you’ve battled for nearly three years on the Challenger circuit, grinding to finally crack the Top 100 and break onto the ATP Tour, returning to that level is never easy. With fierce competition at every turn and all players just as hungry to climb the FedEx ATP Rankings, it requires a certain focus and determination. That’s exactly how Tiafoe approached his Parma campaign.

“First, I’d like to get back in the Top 50 and close to the Top 30. That’s where I was,” Tiafoe added. “Then, in 2021 climb even higher. The guys were playing well against me this week, but I wanted to continue winning these matches and staying consistent.

“Everything was great in Parma. The staff treated me with the utmost respect. Everyone is super nice and they put on a great tournament. They try very hard and put the players first. The food was amazing and the chef even came out to the final. It was great to see him here.”

Let’s. Go. Foe. ??

Those title vibes @FTiafoe pic.twitter.com/t1c2io8obW

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) October 12, 2020

Tiafoe’s victory in Parma was his first title since 2018, when he claimed his maiden ATP Tour trophy in Delray Beach. It was also his first clay-court crown in three years, when he went back-to-back on the green clay of the Sarasota Challenger and red dirt of Aix-en-Provence.

Up to No. 61 in the FedEx ATP Rankings on Monday, Tiafoe is closing in on that Top 50 threshold he marked as a year-end goal for 2020. He will next compete at the ATP 250 event in Sardinia this week, opening against Corentin Moutet.

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Khachanov/Rublev Save Match Point, Stun Top Seeds In St Petersburg

Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev pulled off a thrilling upset at the St. Petersburg Open in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The home favourites saved one match point to beat top seeds Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski 6-7(6), 6-3, 13-11, advancing to the second round.

Khachanov and Rublev hit 11 aces as a team and saved all three break points they faced to triumph after one hour and 37 minutes. The Russians faced match point at 8/9 in the Match Tie-break, but they held their nerve to oust the Brits, who began the week seventh in the FedEx ATP Doubles Team Rankings.

This is not the first time the singles stars have earned a big win on the doubles court. As a team, Khachanov and Rublev have reached ATP Masters 1000 finals at the 2018 Miami Open presented by Itau and the 2019 Rolex Paris Masters. They will next play Alexander Bublik and Reilly Opelka, who beat Nikola Cacic and Miomir Kecmanovic 2-6, 7-6(5), 10-8.

Peers/Venus Advance In Sardinia
In the only doubles match Monday at the Forte Village Sardegna Open, second seeds John Peers and Michael Venus eliminated wild cards Marco Cecchinato and Andreas Seppi 6-3, 6-4. Peers and Venus will play Jonny O’Mara and Marcelo Arevalo or Andrey Golubev and Aleksandr Nedovyesov in the second round.

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From Pressure To Perfection: Inside The Mind Of Borna Coric

Borna Coric returns to the St. Petersburg Open with fond memories. The Croatian has made the trip to the historic Russian city for the third time in four years and enjoyed the best result of his 2019 season at this event.

Last season, Coric entered the tournament searching for form after a disappointing run of results in North America. But the 6’2” right-hander battled his way into form, playing three consecutive deciding sets en route to his first final in almost a year (l. to Medvedev). Returning as the seventh seed in 2020, Coric is excited to return to one of his favourite stops on the ATP Tour.

“It was very, very nice last year. I enjoyed it… Last year was the best [I have played here], by far,” said Coric. “It is not so much fun to remember the final, but apart from that it was super nice.

“I’m honestly really happy to be back here, I always have a very nice time here. Unfortunately, this year we cannot go out. It is a very, very nice city, one of my favourite cities. That is a bit sad, but at the same time I am just happy that I can play some tennis.”

In contrast to last season, Coric enjoyed a breakthrough run in the United States this year. The two-time ATP Tour titlist advanced to his first Grand Slam quarter-final at the US Open. All the hard work he put in during the ATP Tour suspension paid dividends and that run has given him added confidence ahead of the remaining hard-court events in 2020.

“In the lockdown, I was training really hard. I didn’t take much [time] off. In the whole five months, I had maybe two weeks off altogether. I was hoping that I could play some good tennis [at the US Open].

“I was a little bit lucky in some of the matches but, at the same time, I was very fit. I managed to play two matches of [around] four-and-a-half hours and that is very, very important for me. I stayed healthy and I was just very, very happy with the way I played.”

One of the most important components in Coric’s New York run was his ability to handle high-pressure situations. After a hard-fought five-set victory against Juan Ignacio Londero in the second round, Coric saved six match points to eliminate Stefanos Tsitsipas in a memorable five-set battle. 

“I don’t remember [playing a perfect match]. I am always not happy with something. I don’t recall a perfect tennis match of mine,” said Coric. “Maybe against Tsitsipas at the US Open was one of my best ones for sure, especially the way it played out. If there was close to a perfect match, I would say it was against Tsitsipas.”

Coric’s relationship with pressure has continually evolved. The 23-year-old put himself under added pressure to perform as he made his first steps on the ATP Tour but, with greater experience and additional confidence, Coric now has a much better understanding of how to deal with expectations.

“When I was younger, I did put much more pressure [on myself] than right now,” said Coric. “I am a little bit more experienced and self-confident than when I was younger, when I just came on the Tour.

“I do put some pressure [on myself], but I said many times that we are tennis players and we are supposed to have some pressure. That is normal. If you don’t feel pressure, then something is wrong. I am used to it and I don’t have any big secrets [to say] how I deal with the pressure. It is just there. It has been there for the past 10 years and it is going to be there for the next 10 years. You just need to get used to it.”

In an unpredictable year, Coric has experienced success and disappointment on the court. Alongside his win against Tsitsipas at the US Open, the Zagreb native also beat Dominic Thiem at the ATP Cup in January. But Coric has also suffered first-round losses in three of his eight tournament appearances this season, including his most recent outing at Roland Garros.

That defeat provided Coric with extra preparation time for St. Petersburg and this year’s remaining events. With past success at this tournament and the knowledge that he has already achieved some of his greatest results in 2020, Coric is ready for his first match against Feliciano Lopez on Tuesday.

“There have been some ups and downs in some tournaments [where] I expected a little bit more from myself, in the others I played some of the best tennis of my whole life… I am looking forward to the last three or four tournaments,” said Coric. “I think I am well prepared, I am feeling good on the court again and hopefully I can play good tennis.”

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The Mindset That Launched The Musetti Rocketship

Jannik Sinner received a lot of attention during Roland Garros as he reached the quarter-finals on his tournament debut, becoming the first player to do that since Rafael Nadal in 2005. But Sinner, 19, is not the only young Italian making waves on the ATP Tour.

In the past month, 18-year-old Italian Lorenzo Musetti has become one of the hottest #NextGenATP players in the world. When tennis restarted in August, the Carrara-native had never won a tour-level match. But he defeated Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia as a qualifier and then won his first ATP Challenger Tour title in Forli.

Musetti began that stretch with zero Top 100 wins. After upsetting eighth seed Pablo Cuevas on Monday in the first round of the Forte Village Sardegna Open, an ATP 250, he has seven.

“Honestly I cannot describe this moment,” Musetti told ATPTour.com. “It’s amazing. It’s going straight and really quickly.”

When you watch Musetti’s shotmaking — he has an aggressive forehand and an elegant one-handed backhand — you’d have no clue he was only 18. Four weeks ago, the Italian was No. 249 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. Now he is World No. 143 and quickly rising.

Many young players have found a high enough level to cause one or two upsets at an event before dropping their form. Musetti, however, has been consistent since arriving in Rome. Perhaps the reason why is his approach.

“I’m playing really good tennis, my best tennis and I’m confident. I think I have the weapons to do a great tournament and to compete at this level,” Musetti said. “The ball is a tennis ball and the other guy is a human being, so everything can happen on the court. I’m just playing and trying to do my best.”

Four of Musetti’s wins in the past month have come against opponents who have reached the world’s Top 20. The teen hasn’t worried about the player across the net, and that has made all the difference.

“I think I understand how important it is to focus on the tactics and strategy of the match. But you have to focus on yourself,” Musetti said. “You have to focus on the mind at times, on my game no matter who is on the court against me. I just focus on myself.”

Musetti will try to reach his first ATP Tour quarter-final in the next round when he plays countryman Andrea Pellegrino, a qualifier. The 18-year-old lost twice against Pellegrino last year in non-tour-level events. This will be an opportunity to show just how quickly he has grown.

“I’m taking a lot of emotions and wins,” Musetti said. “I’m very proud.”

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Djokovic, Murray Feature In Classic Shanghai Moments

Normally at this time of season, the ATP Tour heads to Shanghai for the penultimate ATP Masters 1000 event of the year. Sadly, the tournament this year was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but fans can still celebrate the 30th anniversary of ATP Masters 1000 tournaments.

The Rolex Shanghai Masters is a five-time winner of the ATP Masters 1000 Tournament of the Year award, claiming the title in each of its opening five years from 2009 to 2013. The event is held at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center, which also hosted the Nitto ATP Finals from 2005 to 2008.

ATPTour.com looks back on memorable moments from Shanghai.

Davydenko Captures Final Masters 1000 Crown
In the tournament’s inaugural edition, Nikolay Davydenko earned four consecutive Top 20 wins to clinch his third and final Masters 1000 trophy. The Russian claimed wins against Fernando Gonzalez and Radek Stepanek, before earning his spot in the championship match with a final-set tie-break victory against Novak Djokovic.

In the final, Davydenko met Rafael Nadal for the seventh time in their ATP Head2Head rivalry (2-4). Despite his losing record against the Spaniard, the World No. 8 overcame Nadal 7-6(3), 6-3 in just over two hours to lift the trophy. It was Davydenko’s 18th victory in 23 tour-level finals.

Two Titles For Murray
Andy Murray became the first man to win consecutive Rolex Shanghai Masters trophies, claiming the title in each of his opening two appearances at the Masters 1000 event. The Brit made his tournament debut in 2010, winning four consecutive matches in straight sets to book a final encounter against Roger Federer. Murray dominated the Swiss in the championship match, breaking serve on four occasions to earn a 6-3, 6-2 win in 85 minutes.

Murray returned the following year to claim his second straight crown in Shanghai, beating Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori and David Ferrer en route to the trophy. The victory completed a dominant three-week Asian Swing for Murray, who claimed 13 straight victories across Bangkok, Tokyo and Shanghai to add three trophies to his collection.

“It’s been one of the best runs of my life,” said Murray. “I’ve played very, very well in the past few weeks.”

Djokovic’s Classic Finals
With back-to-back three-set final victories in 2012 and 2013, Djokovic joined Murray as a two-time champion in Shanghai. Djokovic captured his maiden Shanghai crown in dramatic fashion in 2012, ending Murray’s bid to win a third straight trophy at the event with a 5-7, 7-6(11), 6-3 victory after three hours and 21 minutes.

Djokovic was forced to save five match points in an intense second set, which featured a 24-point tie-break, before claiming late service breaks in the decider to take the trophy. In the following year, the Serbian earned his second Shanghai title with a final-set tie-break win against Juan Martin del Potro in the championship match.

Del Potro was aiming to add to his semi-final win against Nadal and win his first Masters 1000 trophy. With his final victory against the World No. 5, Djokovic completed the Beijing-Shanghai double for the second straight year and extended his winning streak in China to 20 matches.

Bryans Complete Career Golden Masters
Following their triumph at the 2013 BNP Paribas Open, Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan needed one more trophy to become doubles team to complete the Career Golden Masters. That trophy was the Rolex Shanghai Masters crown.

After a Match Tie-break loss to eventual champions Ivan Dodig and Melo in the 2013 semi-finals, the American twins returned the following year to enter the history books. The Bryans dropped one set en route to their first final at the Chinese Masters 1000 event, where they overcame Julien Benneteau and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-3, 7-6(3). It completed a week of milestones for the Bryans, who also clinched the year-end No. 1 FedEx ATP Doubles Team Ranking for the 10th time during their visit to Shanghai.

“To win here, it’s been a long time coming to Shanghai. To finally get across the finish line as the winning team was extra special today,” said Mike Bryan.

“It’s another great milestone. This week was full of them for us. To come and get in the title match, have a shot at winning the tournament that’s eluded us, complete the Golden Masters, is amazing,” said Bob Bryan.

Federer, Nadal Meet Again In Shanghai
Almost 10 years after their most recent Shanghai meeting at the 2007 Nitto ATP Finals, Federer and Nadal once again met in the Chinese city in 2017. Both men had enjoyed a return to top form in 2017, winning two Grand Slam titles each and battling for the year-end World No. 1 position in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

Using the fast court conditions to his advantage, Federer dominated Nadal in their first final played in Asia to complete his second Shanghai title run (also 2014). The Swiss’ victory against Nadal extended his unbeaten streak against the Spaniard in 2017 to four matches.

Federer’s 700th tour-level win on hard courts also pulled him level with Ivan Lendl in second place on the Open Era titles leaderboard with 94 trophies. Despite the loss, Nadal finished ahead of Federer to clinch the 2017 year-end World No. 1 position.

Djokovic, Melo Make History In 2018
In 2018, Djokovic and Marcelo Melo set a new benchmark for Shanghai singles and doubles champions, respectively. Djokovic became the first singles player to win four trophies at the event, claiming the title without dropping any of his 47 service games.

The Belgrade native charged through the draw in Shanghai and earned consecutive wins against Kevin Anderson, Alexander Zverev and Borna Coric to break a tie with three-time Shanghai titlist Murray. The victory helped Djokovic to finish the 2018 season as year-end World No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings for the fifth time.

In the same year, Melo captured a record third doubles title in Shanghai to move clear of two-time winner Leander Paes (2010, ’12). The Brazilian, who also completed title runs in 2013 (w/Dodig) and 2015 (w/Klaasen), combined with Lukasz Kubot to secure the 2018 trophy. The Polish-Brazilian tandem defeated Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic in the semi-finals and Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares in the final to complete a memorable week in Shanghai.

Medvedev Adds Name To Honour Roll
After nine years of dominance, Daniil Medvedev ended Djokovic, Federer and Murray’s stranglehold on the Shanghai title last year. The Russian battled past Stefanos Tsitsipas to advance to his sixth straight tour-level final, where he met Zverev in the first Rolex Shanghai Masters final not to feature a member of the Big Four.

Medvedev entered the contest with a 0-4 ATP Head2Head record against the German, but held his nerve in crucial moments to claim the title without dropping a set. It was Medvedev’s second straight Masters 1000 title, following his maiden triumph at the level at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati (d. Goffin).

“This one is also amazing because Shanghai I think is one of the most prestigious Masters [1000 tournaments] on the Tour,” said Medvedev. “Especially in the past nine years, there were only three players who managed to win this one, so it’s really special to have my photo in the corridor over the next many years.”

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Hurkacz Makes Late Surge To Claim Cologne Win

Hubert Hurkacz made a winning start to his bett1HULKS Indoors campaign on Monday, beating lucky loser Marc Polmans 6-2, 7-5 in Cologne.

The sixth seed, who recovered from 1-5 down in the second set, converted five of 10 break points to book his place in the second round. Hurkacz improves to 13-10 this year after claiming victory in his first ATP Head2Head contest against the Australian.

“Marc is a really good player. He started the second set well, we had a couple of close games that could have gone either way,” said Hurkacz. “I was trying to come in a little bit more, especially when it was 1-5. I tried to risk a bit more and it paid off. I gained some momentum and kept myself in the set until the end.”

After recovering from 1-5 to reach 5-5, Hurkacz did not wrap up his first-round win with ease. The Pole came out on the losing side of what will likely be considered the point of the tournament at the end of the week. Hurkacz showed incredible court coverage to extend a thrilling rally, hitting two tweeners before Polmans eventually claimed the point with a forehand volley.

“I was disappointed with that rally,” said Hurkacz. “I was running side-to-side for 35 seconds. I really wanted to win this one, but Marc played an amazing point. He deserved to win that one.”

Hurkacz will face German wild card Mischa Zverev for a spot in the quarter-finals. The 33-year-old broke John Millman on six occasions to earn a 6-1, 6-4 win after 78 minutes.

Playing in his hometown, qualifier Oscar Otte upset seventh seed Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 6-3. The World No. 142 won 63 per cent of second-serve return points (19/30) to book a meeting with Radu Albot. The Moldovan needed just over two hours to overcome Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.

Steve Johnson recovered from a set down to beat fifth seed Filip Krajinovic 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. The American saved seven of nine break points and will meet Kyle Edmund or Lloyd Harris in the second round. Dennis Novak also claimed a first-round win, beating Jordan Thompson 6-3 6-3.

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Wawrinka Saves 3 M.P. To Overcome Evans In St. Petersburg

Stan Wawrinka was forced to save three consecutive match points in his first-round contest at the St. Petersburg Open on Monday.

The Swiss held his nerve down 3-6, 5-6, 0/40 against Daniel Evans, serving with pace and precision to escape danger before claiming a 3-6, 7-6(3), 7-5 victory after two hours and 31 minutes. Wawrinka extends his unbeaten ATP Head2Head record against Evans to four matches, but this isn’t the first time he has had to save match point against the Brit.

En route to his third Grand Slam crown at the 2016 US Open, Wawrinka saved a match point against Evans in the third round to record a 4-6 6-3 6-7(6) 7-6(8) 6-2 victory. The former World No. 3 also came from a set down to beat Evans at last year’s BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

“It’s always difficult when I play Dan. He’s a great player. Always a tough battle against him,” Wawrinka said on court after his win. “Today I saved some important points in the second [set], I stayed focussed on my game. I started to serve better and be a bit more aggressive, so really happy to be back here in St. Petersburg and to have won that match.”

Wawrinka improves to 7-2 at the ATP 500 event. On his tournament debut in 2016, the Swiss advanced to the championship match (l. to A. Zverev). Wawrinka also reached the semi-finals in 2018.

“[The crowd support] is great. Thank you for being here. Always a pleasure to come back,” Wawrinka said. “[I have] amazing support every time I come back here, even if it’s a tough moment in the world not to get full people in here, it’s always great to have you guys here, so thank you so much.”

Wawrinka will meet Evgeny Donskoy for a spot in the quarter-finals. The Russian booked his place in the second round with a 6-4, 7-6(4) win against Egor Gerasimov of Belarus.

Cameron Norrie claimed his third win from five ATP Head2Head clashes against Taylor Fritz. The 25-year-old served 16 aces and converted both break points he created to claim a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory in just under two hours.

Alexander Bublik came from a set down to overcome Mackenzie McDonald 2-6, 7-6(2), 6-4. The Kazakhstani landed 25 aces en route to victory. Bublik will meet sixth seed Milos Raonic or J.J. Wolf in the second round.

Russian wild card Aslan Karatsev also advanced on Monday, beating two-time Australian Open quarter-finalist Tennys Sandgren 7-5, 3-6, 7-5. Karatsev will next meet countryman Karen Khachanov or James Duckworth.

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Rafael Nadal French Open record won't be beaten – Andy Murray

Rafael Nadal’s record of 13 French Open titles will never be broken, says Andy Murray.

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