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Tsitsipas Brothers Bow Out To Top Seeds Krawietz/Mies In Marseille

  • Posted: Feb 18, 2020

Tsitsipas Brothers Bow Out To Top Seeds Krawietz/Mies In Marseille

Kubot/Melo headline doubles action in Rio on Tuesday

Petros Tsitsipas/Stefanos Tsitsipas were mere points from a stunning first-round upset on Tuesday against reigning Roland Garros champions Kevin Krawietz/Andreas Mies, but the top seeds regrouped for a 6-4, 6-7(5), 10-6 win at the Open 13 Provence in Marseille.

Krawietz/Mies snapped a four-match losing streak by advancing in one hour and 29 minutes. They’ll turn their attention to a quarter-final battle with Benoit Paire/David Vega Hernandez, who beat Alexander Bublk/Alexei Popyrin 4-6, 6-2, 10-5.

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Frederik Nielsen/Tim Puetz scored the upset of the day by taking out third seeds Jamie Murray/Neal Skupski 3-6, 6-3, 10-8. Next up for them are Rohan Bopanna/Denis Shapovalov, who rallied to overcome Simone Bolelli/Jannik Sinner 6-7(6), 6-3, 10-6. Jonathan Erlich/Andrei Vasilevski rounded out play in Marseille by taking out Cheng-Peng Hsieh/Denys Molchanov 7-6(3), 6-3.

At the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com, Nicholas Monroe/Jackson Withrow eased past Adrian Mannarino/Mackenzie McDonald 7-6(3), 6-3. Awaiting them in the quarter-finals are fourth seeds Luke Bambridge/Ben McLachlan, who advanced via walkover against John Millman/Matt Reid.

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Wild Cards Luz/Matos Stun Top Seeds Cabal/Farah In Rio

Second seeds Lukasz Kubot/Marcelo Melo headline doubles action at the Rio Open presented by Claro as they take on Pablo Cuevas/Fernando Verdasco.

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Cameron Norrie beat Taylor Fritz, while Kyle Edmund withdraws at Delray Open

  • Posted: Feb 18, 2020

British number two Cameron Norrie beat Taylor Fritz of the United States 6-4 6-7 6-4 at the Delray Beach Open in Florida on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old, who is ranked world number 60, will play Brandon Nakashima in the second round on Wednesday.

British number three Kyle Edmund, who won the New York Open title on Sunday, withdrew from his first round match against Ugo Humbert because of illness.

Top seed Australian Nick Kyrigos withdrew with a wrist injury.

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Sinner Sets Medvedev Clash In Marseille

  • Posted: Feb 18, 2020

Sinner Sets Medvedev Clash In Marseille

Italian wins six of final seven points in tournament opener

Jannik Sinner made a winning start to his debut Open 13 Provence campaign on Tuesday, beating Norbert Gombos 6-4, 7-6(5) in Marseille.

The reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion, who trailed the second-set tie-break 1/4, saved all six break points he faced throughout the two-hour, three-minute encounter. Sinner is competing at a career-high No. 68 in the FedEx ATP Rankings this week. At last week’s ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, the Italian recorded his maiden Top 10 victory against David Goffin to reach his first ATP 500 quarter-final.

Sinner will face top seed Daniil Medvedev in the second round. Medvedev is making his second appearance in the main draw this year. The World No. 5 advanced to the quarter-finals on his tournament debut in 2017.

In the first match on Court Central, Hubert Hurkacz needed just 64 minutes to move past French wild card Antoine Hoang 6-4, 6-1. The eighth seed dropped just two points behind his first serve (22/24) to book a second-round clash against Vasek Pospisil. The Montpellier runner-up saved five of six break points to beat Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland 7-6(6), 6-3.

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Alcaraz: 'My Style Is More Or Less Like Federer'

  • Posted: Feb 18, 2020

Alcaraz: ‘My Style Is More Or Less Like Federer’

Spanish teenager wins ATP Tour debut in Rio on Monday

Carlos Alcaraz cites Rafael Nadal as his tennis idol and his heavy topspin groundstrokes could be viewed as a tribute. But the 16-year-old Spaniard sees his game more closely resembling another ATP Tour legend.

”I like to play very aggressively, with a lot of winners. My style is more or less like Roger Federer’s, aggressively coming to the net and playing a lot of drop shots,” Alcaraz said.

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Alcaraz has already accomplished something that Federer could not: winning his ATP Tour debut. The 16-year-old defeated Albert Ramos-Vinolas on Monday at the Rio Open presented by Claro, outlasting the veteran Spaniard in a third-set tie-break that finished at 3:00am after three hours and 36 minutes.

He made fans sit up and take notice with his outstanding play, pushing Ramos-Vinolas around the baseline for much of their clash. Alcaraz tirelessly chased down balls in the early morning hours and held his nerve to close out the biggest moment of his fledgling career.

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Alcaraz, 16, Wins ATP Tour Debut At 3:00am In Rio

The 16-year-old has largely eschewed junior tournaments for pro events and has already made noise on the ATP Challenger Tour. Last year, the then-15-year-old defeated reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion Jannik Sinner at a Challenger in Alicante, becoming the first player born in the year 2003 to win a match at that level. The following week in Murcia, he became just the fifth player aged 15-and-under in the past 20 years to defeat a Top 200 player.

Alcaraz’s talent was quickly noticed by former World No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, who now coaches the young Spaniard. Ferrero is confident that his pupil could soon find himself in the mix as a contender for the biggest titles on the ATP Tour.

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“He’s only 16 and he’s just starting to travel the world. He has the level, the speed, he’s getting better physically every day, so I think he can be one of the best,” Ferrero said. “I don’t know how high, but I think he can be up there in two or three years. I have a lot of experience with what he is going to deal with, [so] I’m giving him the best advice that I can.”

Alcaraz has been soaking in the week in Rio, making the most of his training sessions with top players and viewing his match with Ramos-Vinolas as an invaluable learning experience. The modest teenager is content to listen for now, preferring to let his racquet do the talking when he steps on court.

”When I spend time with tennis greats like Rafa or Ferrero or any other player, I don’t say anything. I listen to everything they say because it is very valuable to me,” Alcaraz said. “In each tournament I go to, I try to do my best. If that happens, then I will gradually go up.”

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Wild Cards Luz/Matos Stun Top Seeds Cabal/Farah In Rio

  • Posted: Feb 18, 2020

Wild Cards Luz/Matos Stun Top Seeds Cabal/Farah In Rio

Koolhof/Mektic advance in Marseille

Orlando Luz/Rafael Matos kicked off doubles action at the Rio Open presented by Claro with a huge upset on Monday night, delighting the home crowd with a 6-1, 4-6, 10-8 victory over top seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal/Robert Farah.

Neither Luz or Matos had won a tour-level match before, but they held their nerves and took the last three points of the Match Tie-break to prevail in one hour and 28 minutes. Luz/Matos have won two doubles titles together on the ATP Challenger Tour.

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At the Open 13 Provence in Marseille, second seeds Wesley Koolhof/Nikola Mektic saved a match point to defeat Tomislav Brkic/Marin Cilic 7-5, 1-6, 12-10. Koolhof/Mektic fought back from 9/10 in the Match Tie-break before converting their third match point to reach the quarter-finals.

The Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com saw Nikola Cacic/Hugo Nys score a 6-4, 2-6, 10-4 first-round upset against Santiago Gonzalez/Ken Skupski. Cacic/Nys raced through the Match Tie-break to advance in one hour and 30 minutes.

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Garin Survives In Rio

  • Posted: Feb 18, 2020

Garin Survives In Rio

Andujar upsets Verdasco on Monday

Third-seeded Chilean Cristian Garin was pushed to the brink on Monday at the Rio Open presented by Claro, but converted his eighth match point to outlast Slovakian Andrej Martin in a wild 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(5) first-round battle.

Garin fought back from 2-4 in the final set, but let slip four match points with Martin serving at 5-6. The Chilean built a 6/2 lead in the tie-break and made good on his last chance to prevail after three hours and 10 minutes.

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He is now on a five-match winning streak after taking the title two weeks ago in Cordoba (d. Schwartzman). Next up for Garin is Argentine Federico Delbonis, who scored a convincing 6-2, 6-4 win over Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena.

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Harrison Completes Return From Surgery With Delray Beach Win

Pablo Andujar scored the upset of the day by defeating ninth seed Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-3 in an all-Spanish battle. Andujar broke Verdasco five times en route to tying their ATP Head2Head series at 3-3.

Awaiting him in the second round is another Spaniard in qualifier Pedro Martinez, who rallied to defeat Bolivian Hugo Dellien 3-6, 6-2, 7-5. The 22-year-old is still flawless (4-0) in first-round matches this season.

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Harrison Completes Return From Surgery With Delray Beach Win

  • Posted: Feb 17, 2020

Harrison Completes Return From Surgery With Delray Beach Win

#NextGenATP Nakashima prevails in ATP Tour debut on Monday

Four months ago, Ryan Harrison was lying in a hospital bed after undergoing surgery to repair a torn right extensor tendon. On Monday, the American showed he’s back in business by easing past Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia-Herzegovina 6-3, 6-2 at the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com

The win is Harrison’s first tour-level victory since last April in Houston. Awaiting him in the next round is rising South Korean Soonwoo Kwon, who upset seventh-seeded Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.

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#NextGenATP American Brandon Nakashima prevailed in his ATP Tour debut with a 7-6(4), 6-1 win over Czech Jiri Vesely. The 18-year-old took the last six games against the recent Pune champion to advance in one hour and 22 minutes. Nakashima will play the winner of third-seeded American Taylor Fritz and British qualifier Cameron Norrie.

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American Mackenzie McDonald also completed a return from injury by taking out Japanese Yasutaka Uchiyama 6-2, 7-6(5). McDonald missed the last six months of the 2019 season after having surgery to repair a proximal hamstring tendon. He returned to action in January and has now earned his first tour-level win in 10 months.

Monday’s night session features fifth-seeded Aussie John Millman facing Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka, followed by American Frances Tiafoe taking on Ecuadorian qualifier Emilio Gomez.

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Five Things To Know About Brandon Nakashima

  • Posted: Feb 17, 2020

Five Things To Know About Brandon Nakashima

American teenager captures maiden ATP Tour win in Delray Beach

Remember the name: Brandon Nakashima. The 18-year-old American made the most of his ATP Tour debut at the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com, scoring a straight-sets win on Monday over recent Pune champion Jiri Vesely.

ATPTour.com looks at five things to know about this talented teenager.

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1. He’s Moved On From College Tennis
Nakashima announced in December that he would turn pro and not return to the University of Virginia for his sophomore season. He earned ACC Rookie of the Year honours last year and posted a 17-5 record in singles.

2. He Excelled In Juniors
The young American concluded his junior tennis career at last year’s US Open, where he reached the boys’ singles semi-finals. Nakashima won the 2018 ITF Junior Masters title and peaked at No. 4 in the ITF Junior Rankings.

3. Other Players Are Taking Note
Nakashima might be new to professional tournaments, but his solid baseline game is already turning heads in the locker room. Fellow American Frances Tiafoe sung his praises after narrowly defeating him earlier this month at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Dallas.

“Watch out for this guy. This guy’s special,” Tiafoe said. “I like his game, I like his demeanour. Great backhand, good serve and he’s level-headed… I’m a fan, for sure.”

4. He’s Soaring Up The FedEx ATP Rankings
The San Diego native began last September at No. 942 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. He now sits at a career-high of No. 290 after reaching the semi-finals at two ATP Challenger Tour events last year and winning an ITF Futures title last month. Nakashima has no points to defend for the next seven months and can only continue to climb.

5. Tennis Runs In His Family
Nakashima was introduced to the sport at age 3 by his grandfather, Anh, an avid recreational player. The pair started playing at public parks in San Diego and he immediately took to the sport. By age 11, Nakashima was diligently training for three hours each day.

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Ymer Overcomes Gasquet In Marseille Opener

  • Posted: Feb 17, 2020

Ymer Overcomes Gasquet In Marseille Opener

Swede owns 4-1 record in first-round matches this year

Mikael Ymer produced an impressive debut performance at the Open 13 Provence on Monday, beating home favourite Richard Gasquet 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.

The 21-year-old, who saved seven of 10 break points, converted his third match point to break the 2017 semi-finalist in a marathon final game. Following the two-hour, 22-minute victory, Ymer improved to 4-1 in first-round matches this year.

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The 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals qualifier will face defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round. The reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion will be keen to rediscover his best form after a second-round loss to Aljaz Bedene at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament last week.

In the evening session, sixth seed Benoit Paire will meet wild card Gregoire Barrere in an all-French encounter on Court Central. Marton Fucsovics faces Alexander Bublik in the final match of the day.

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Kim Clijsters: Belgian shines in comeback defeat by Garbine Muguruza

  • Posted: Feb 17, 2020

Kim Clijsters produced a remarkable display in her first WTA match in nearly eight years, which ended in a 6-2 7-6 (8-6) defeat by Australian Open finalist Garbine Muguruza in Dubai.

The Belgian, 36, went toe-to-toe with Muguruza from the baseline, produced several stunning winners and came from a double-break down in the second set.

But Muguruza finally saw off Clijsters with a big serve in the tie-break.

This is the Belgian’s second comeback, having first retired in 2007.

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Back then, injuries and the intention to marry and have a child resulted in the 2005 US Open champion stepping away from the sport.

Clijsters made a successful return to tennis in 2009, adding two more titles at Flushing Meadows and an Australian Open crown in 2011 before announcing her plan to quit the sport again in 2012.

The Belgian, who now has three children, announced in September 2019 her decision to make a second comeback.

As a former world number one, Clijsters is eligible for unlimited wildcards at WTA tournaments, and she can choose the number of events she wishes to compete in – which she said was a major factor in her decision.

Muguruza praises Clijsters display

Clijsters, who has also won three Tour finals, lacked sharpness in the first set before going 3-0 down at the start of the next.

But she then began to find the sweet spots with her groundstrokes as Muguruza struggled with her own serve.

The Spaniard recovered her form and took the set to a tie-break, which was decided by a huge first serve.

“A player that can play incredible can play incredible again,” the former Wimbledon champion said when asked about Clijsters’ level of performance.

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