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Del Potro Secures Return To Nitto ATP Finals

  • Posted: Oct 03, 2018

Del Potro Secures Return To Nitto ATP Finals

Argentinean star joins Nadal, Djokovic and Federer in London

Juan Martin del Potro becomes the fourth singles player to qualify for the 2018 Nitto ATP Finals, clinching his place in the elite field for the first time since 2013 — and the fifth year overall — with victory over Karen Khachanov on Wednesday to reach the China Open quarter-finals. The Argentinean will join World No. 1 Rafael Nadal of Spain, Serbia’s five-time former champion Djokovic and six-time former titlist Roger Federer of Switzerland at The O2 in London from 11-18 November

“I’m happy to get in London after five years,” said Del Potro. “It will be an amazing moment for me. I will love to be part of the eight players, to make that event. Of course, it’s a very special tournament for us. I will be excited to do well in London.”

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The 30-year-old Del Potro first qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals in 2008, when the event was held in Shanghai, finished runner-up to Nikolay Davydenko in the championship match the following year in the first edition at The O2, and later clinched his spot again in 2012-13.

Almost nine years after he first broke into the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings, the Tandil native returned to the elite on 15 January 2018. On a run of 15 straight matches, Del Potro beat three Top 10 players en route the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC crown in Acapulco (d. Anderson) and recorded the 400th match win of his career in the BNP Paribas Open semi-finals (d. Raonic) en route to his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophy in Indian Wells (d. Federer). He also finished runner-up at the ABS Classic in Auckland (l. to Bautista Agut) and the Abierto de Tenis Mifel presentado por Cinemex in Los Cabos (l. to Fognini), prior to moving up to a career-high No. 3 on 13 August.

This year, Del Potro advanced to his second Grand Slam championship final in New York City, nine years on from lifting the 2009 US Open crown (d. Federer). He also reached the Roland Garros semi-finals for a second time (also 2009) and the Wimbledon quarter-finals (l. to Nadal both times).

With four singles spots left up for grabs, Germany’s Alexander Zverev is next in line to qualify for the 2018 Nitto ATP Finals for the second consecutive season, followed by Marin Cilic of Croatia, Dominic Thiem of Austria and South Africa’s Kevin Anderson. Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic, and Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah are the only doubles team to have clinched a place at London in November.

The Nitto ATP Finals welcomes more than 250,000 fans to The O2 arena annually, as well as generating global viewership figures reaching an average of 95 million viewers each year, as the ATP’s best eight singles players and doubles teams compete over eight days at the biggest indoor tennis tournament in the world.

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Del Potro Delivers Gritty Effort To Reach Beijing QF, Qualify For London

  • Posted: Oct 03, 2018

Del Potro Delivers Gritty Effort To Reach Beijing QF, Qualify For London

Argentine clinches spot at the Nitto ATP Finals with QF appearance

Juan Martin del Potro has switched continents, but he’s playing the same type of gritty tennis that carried him to his second Grand Slam final last month at the US Open.

The top-seeded Argentine advanced to the China Open quarter-finals in Beijing on Wednesday, denying Russian Karen Khachanov 6-4, 7-6(4). The 22-year-old Khachanov was slugging evenly with Del Potro for much of the second-round match, but a couple dips in his level cost him a chance at the upset.

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Khachanov was broken to start the match, and Del Potro didn’t face a break point in the opener. The two were even in the second until the 11th game, when Khachanov felt the nerves and netted a backhand on double break point.

The Argentine, while serving for the match at 6-5, 15/40, erased two break points and had a match point. But Khachanov broke for the first time when Del Potro shanked a forehand.

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In the tie-break, though, Del Potro smashed his 11th ace on his second match point to advance. “I think we played a good match. Basically in the second set we played a good tie-break with tough points. Karen is a difficult opponent. He has everything to keep improving. He has a big potential to grow in the [ATP Rankings] very soon. I think I did very good match today,” Del Potro said.

With the win, Del Potro qualifies for his fifth season-ending Nitto ATP Finals, to be held 11-18 November at The O2 in London. Del Potro last qualified for London in 2013.

But this season has marked a return to the top for the Argentine, who leads the ATP World Tour with 34 hard-court wins and reached his career-high ATP Ranking of No. 3 in August. Del Potro, now No. 4, will next meet Serbian Filip Krajinovic, who beat Spain’s Feliciano Lopez 7-6(5), 6-3.

I’m happy to get in London after five years. Will be amazing moments for me. I will love to be part of that eight players, to make that event. Of course, it’s a very special tournament for us,” Del Potro said.

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China Open: Kyle Edmund through to quarter-finals with hard-fought win

  • Posted: Oct 03, 2018

British number one Kyle Edmund reached the quarter-finals of the China Open with a hard-fought victory against Italy’s Matteo Berrettini.

The 23-year-old was two points away from defeat in the third set, but rallied to beat the world number 58 7-5 6-7 7-5.

Edmund will face Croatian qualifier Dusan Lajovic in the last eight.

Lajovic progressed by beating world number eight Grigor Dimitrov 6-4 2-6 6-4.

German second seed Alexander Zverev is the highest ranked player left in Edmund’s side of the draw.

Top seed Juan Martin del Potro faces Russian Karen Khachanov later on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Belgium’s world number 11 David Goffin has ended his season early with an elbow injury which forced him to withdraw from the Japan Open and Shanghai Masters.

Goffin says he has a bone marrow edema, a build-up of fluid, which requires at least one month of recovery.

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Hopman Cup: Serena Williams to face Roger Federer in mixed doubles

  • Posted: Oct 03, 2018

Serena Williams is set to face Roger Federer in her first event of the 2019 season when the USA play Switzerland in the mixed doubles at the Hopman Cup.

Williams, 37, has not played since her controversial US Open final defeat by Naomi Osaka in September.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion partners Frances Tiafoe, while 20-time Grand Slam winner Federer and Belinda Bencic will seek to defend their title.

Cameron Norrie and Katie Boulter will represent Great Britain in Perth.

  • GB to host first home Fed Cup tie in 26 years in 2019

“The Aussie fans are always so warm and supportive and the Hopman Cup has always given me a great start to the season, especially ahead of the Australian Open,” said Williams, who pulled out of this month’s China Open.

Williams will be playing in Australia for the first time since winning the 2017 Australian Open while eight weeks pregnant, having missed last year’s tournament as she was not fully fit to return following the birth of daughter Olympia.

The Hopman Cup runs from 29 December until 5 January, with the 2019 Australian Open taking place from 14-27 January.

The mixed team event features eight nations split into two groups, with teams facing each other in sessions that consist of a men’s and women’s singles match and a mixed doubles match.

Each team plays the other three in their group, and the top teams in each group then meet in the final.

The USA are due to meet Switzerland on New Year’s Day in Group B, which also features Great Britain and Greece.

Group A consists of France, Spain, Germany and hosts Australia.

Federer, 37, and Bencic, 21, won Switzerland’s first Hopman Cup since 2001 earlier this year.

Teams

Group A

France – Lucas Pouille and Alize Cornet

Spain – David Ferrer and Garbine Muguruza

Germany – Alexander Zverev and Angelique Kerber

Australia – Matt Ebden and Ashleigh Barty

Group B

Great Britain – Cameron Norrie and Katie Boulter

Greece – Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari

Switzerland – Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic

USA – Frances Tiafoe and Serena Williams

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Fed Cup: Great Britain to stage home tie for first time in 25 years

  • Posted: Oct 03, 2018

Great Britain will host a home Fed Cup tie in 2019 for the first time in 25 years.

Britain and Poland will share hosting duties for the round-robin event in the top division of the Europe/Africa zone.

Bath University will stage the event on 6-9 February, with Britain joined by seven other teams, split into two groups of four.

Britain have played in 15 different countries since they last hosted a home tie in May 1993.

The annual tournament involves up to 16 teams from Europe and Africa.

Captain Anne Keothavong said a home tie would give the British side a chance to showcase women’s tennis.

“A lot of people have been able to experience what Davis Cup is like and we’d like to prove we can match it,” she said.

“I know we’ve all been envious of the Davis Cup team having that experience and there’s nothing that’s driven the team more than wanting to have a home tie.”

The winners of February’s tie will go on to contest a World Group II play-off in April.

Britain have reached the play-offs four times in the past seven years but lost on each occasion.

Their most recent defeat came in April, when they lost the deciding doubles rubber against Japan to go down 3-2.

How does the format work?

  • The Europe/Africa Zone Group I involves up to 16 teams.
  • The eight nations competing in Britain will be split into two groups of four.
  • Each side will play two singles and a doubles match with each nation in its group.
  • The winner of each group will play in a final at the end of the week.
  • The winner of the final will enter the World Group II play-offs.

Great Britain, who are 18th in the Fed Cup rankings, have not competed in the World Group since 1993.

Their team for this year’s play-off against Japan included Britain’s top two players in Johanna Konta and Heather Watson.

However, both have had difficult seasons, with British number one Konta falling to 44th in the world rankings after starting the year ninth.

“I know Jo and Heather aren’t in the place they’d like to be, but you only have to look at their Fed Cup records to know they’re capable of rising to the occasion,” Keothavong added.

“We’ve got players like Katie Boulter, Katie Swan, Gabi Taylor, all of whom have hit career-high rankings this year and are only improving.

“This will be a great opportunity for the younger players to really compete for a place in the team.”

A pre-draw will be held later this week to determine which seven nations will travel to Bath.

Europe/Africa Zone Group I nations: Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Georgia, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey and Ukraine.

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