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Sock Wins Rollercoaster Against Zverev To Reach Semi-finals

  • Posted: Nov 17, 2017

Sock Wins Rollercoaster Against Zverev To Reach Semi-finals

Nov162017

American’s late-season surge continues in London

Everything was pointing against Jack Sock on Thursday night at the Nitto ATP Finals.

After winning the first set against World No. 3 Alexander Zverev, the American had disappeared in the second, losing it in only 28 minutes. To start the decider, Sock had fallen behind a break and received a point penalty for smashing a ball off the court.

Zverev stepped up to the service line leading 1-0, 15/0, and with all the momentum at his back. The match looked as if it’d be over in minutes.

But Sock, just as he had done earlier this month at the Rolex Paris Masters, came back from near-certain defeat and will now play in the semi-finals of the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time. The eighth-seed debutant upset Zverev 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 at The O2 in London to become the first American to reach the final weekend of the season since Andy Roddick in 2007 (l. to Ferrer).

“I’m playing with house money. I’m going out there and letting loose, having fun, trying to put on a show a little bit, just enjoy my time,” Sock said. 

The 25-year-old finishes second in Group Boris Becker, behind group winner Roger Federer, and will face Grigor Dimitrov, who won Group Pete Sampras, on Saturday. Sock leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 3-1, including a three-set fight earlier this year at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells in which Sock saved four match points, including three consecutively from 0/40, to advance.

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“He got me early on when we played. I’ve been able to get some wins against him. Obviously I think he’s a little bit different player since the last time I played him. I think he’s really found his game, what exactly he wants to do out there. It’s showing throughout the year. He’s playing deep into tournaments almost every week, really establishing himself in the Top 10,” Sock said.

“But once again, I’m playing with a lot of confidence as well, coming off Paris, playing here, winning some of my matches, getting into the semis.”

Sock started against Zverev with the same aggressive mindset that helped him beat Dimitrov in Indian Wells. The American was blasting forehands and landing 130 mph-plus first serves. He was also avoiding backhand-to-backhand battles with Zverev, who possesses one of the game’s best backhands.

Sock saved all six break points and broke Zverev in the seventh game before serving out the set. Zverev, however, blitzed through the second, and the 20-year-old German looked as if he’d become the youngest semi-finalist at the Nitto ATP Finals since 20-year-old Rafael Nadal in 2006.

But at 1-0, 15/0, Zverev tossed in a loose service game, double faulting twice and dumping a forehand into the net on break point. Suddenly, Sock had the momentum again, and he overcame a late break to celebrate the biggest win of his career. At 4-5, 30/30, Zverev double faulted – his eighth of the match – and on match point, Zverev, who had won five ATP World Tour titles this year, sprayed a forehand wide.

“I choked. It’s quite easy. Won the second set 6-1. I was 1-0 with a break. He got a point penalty. I was down 1-4 within 10 minutes where I didn’t put many balls in the court,” Zverev said. “So, yeah, I just choked.”

It’s the second Top 5 win of Sock’s career. His first came earlier this year during the semi-finals of the BNP Paribas Open, where he dismissed No. 5 Kei Nishikori in straight sets to reach his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final.

And to think, on 1 November, Sock was No. 22 in the Emirates ATP Rankings and a game away from heading home for the off-season. The American was down 1-5 in the third set against Brit Kyle Edmund. But Sock climbed back to win 4-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(5) and extend his season. He qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals by winning the Rolex Paris Masters (d. Krajinovic), his first Masters 1000 title.

“If I put pressure on myself, I probably wouldn’t be here in the first place. I think getting through that first match in Paris, playing Edmund, honestly I should have lost, but ended up winning the tournament. I don’t think I would have gotten through that week if I put pressure on myself,” Sock said.

“Then to come here, sneak in the last spot. I’m going to have fun, play big, play free, like you just said. That’s definitely not going to change. No one expected me to be here in the first place.” 

On Saturday, he’ll try to prolong his season one more day, until Sunday, the final day of the 2017 ATP World Tour season.

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Federer fights back to beat Cilic at ATP Finals

  • Posted: Nov 17, 2017
ATP Finals
Venue: The 02 Arena, London Dates: 12-19 November
Coverage: Watch live on BBC Two, Red Button, BBC Sport website and mobile app, listen on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra and follow text updates online.

American Jack Sock powered into the ATP Finals last four with victory over Germany’s Alexander Zverev.

Eighth seed Sock won 6-4 1-6 6-4 to clinch second place in the Boris Becker Group ahead of Zverev, and set up a semi-final against Grigor Dimitrov.

Roger Federer earlier beat Marin Cilic 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-1 to head into the semi-finals with an unbeaten record.

The Swiss second seed had already won the group with victories over Zverev and Sock.

Saturday’s semi-final line-up will be completed by the winner of the Pete Sampras Group match between Dominic Thiem and David Goffin at 14:00 on Friday.

“Knowing I was qualified on Tuesday evening – it’s kind of weird to be already through to the semis, but of course it gives me a great idea how I want to prepare for Saturday,” said Federer.

“One more last weekend, one more push before the vacation and then preparation for the next season.”

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‘I was in trouble’ – Federer

Federer and Cilic met for the first time since a one-sided Wimbledon final, which saw the Swiss win a 19th Grand Slam title as Cilic struggled with a blister on his foot.

The Croat put up sterner resistance for the better part of two sets at the O2 Arena, before Federer ran away with the contest, winning eight of the last nine games.

Federer could have made shorter work of it had he converted one of three break points in the opening game but Cilic clung on, and a beautiful backhand volley at 5-5 in the tie-break saw the fifth seed edge ahead.

A break point early in the second set offered real opportunity for Cilic but Federer stood firm at the net, and once he finally broke serve to take the second set there was only one winner.

The Swiss six-time champion raced through the final set to reach the semi-finals for the 14th time in 15 appearances at the ATP season finale.

“I think it was a tough match, a lot of chances maybe in the first set,” said Federer.

“I think Marin served well and was a bit better in the breaker. I was in trouble a set and a break point down in the second set, so I’m happy I found a way out of it and in the end I played really well.”

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Harrison/Venus Complete Perfect Run Through Group Eltingh/Haarhuis

  • Posted: Nov 16, 2017

Harrison/Venus Complete Perfect Run Through Group Eltingh/Haarhuis

Nov162017

The American-Kiwi duo will play the second qualifier from Group Woodbridge/Woodforde

Ryan Harrison and Michael Venus arrived at The O2 with little to no momentum from the end of their regular season, losing five of their final six matches.

But that has not mattered this week at the Nitto ATP Finals. Harrison and Venus finished round-robin play with a perfect record on Thursday, defeating third-seeded Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau 6-3, 7-6(5).

The American-Kiwi pairing has won Group Eltingh-Haarhuis, and will play the second qualifier from Group Woodbridge/Woodforde in Saturday’s semi-finals.

Rojer and Tecau, the 2015 Nitto ATP Finals champions, finished their season finale 0-3. It is the second time in three appearances in London that this year’s US Open champions have gone winless at The O2, with their career record at the event falling to 5-6.

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In the early going, it looked like the Dutch-Romanian team would earn their first victory of the tournament, breaking serve at 2-2. But they could not hold the advantage, losing the final four games of the opener. The eighth seeds proved to have too much power, especially Harrison with his overwhelming serve and forehand, which dominated in the key moments.

There was only one break opportunity in the second set, so the two sides went to a tie-break. And after capturing a mini-break to catapult to a 4-1 lead, it seemed that Rojer and Tecau would force a decider. But at 5-3, Tecau let a Harrison volley go, incorrectly thinking it might sail long. After Harrison claimed two points on his serve to earn match point, the American split his opponents with a lasered backhand to seal the triumph.

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Soaring Swedes: Ymer On The Rise With Soderling

  • Posted: Nov 16, 2017

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It started with a backhand down the line. Elias Ymer’s eyes grew wide as his opponent left a forehand short. Stepping inside the baseline, he launched his six-foot frame into the ball, sending it careening to the back wall. 

Ymer let out a deafening roar, echoed by his coach Robin Soderling, who raised his fists in approval. One minute later, the sell-out crowd at the Vendespace Arena joined the Swedish duo in celebrating the 21-year-old’s fourth ATP Challenger Tour title. Tournament organizers in Mouilleron-le-Captif stormed the court to set up the trophy presentation as Ymer and Soderling savoured the moment, reveling in their latest triumph.

For the elder Swede, the satisfaction in witnessing his young charge’s victory was made even sweeter by his disciplined execution throughout the week. Every point, regardless of the score and situation in the match, required the same level of aggression and energy. From falling down an early break to open Sunday’s final to launching a backhand down the line to set up championship point. That’s the approach the former World No. 4 took to the court throughout his 10-year career and that’s exactly what he expects from his pupil.

“A coach is very important, but I cannot just take anyone. He has to fit your personality and there has to be chemistry between you guys. I didn’t find one like that until I contacted Robin,” Ymer told ATPWorldTour.com. “He’s telling me all the time to be steady, but be aggressive. We’ve had a very good start.”

That start has been more than fruitful for the duo, since they first teamed up in July. The #NextGenATP has since posted an 18-7 record on the ATP Challenger Tour, including titles on the clay of Cordenons, Italy, and the indoor hard courts of Mouilleron-le-Captif, France, on Sunday. His successful streak has seen him vault nearly 150 spots in the Emirates ATP Rankings to No. 146. 

“He has a good chance to go all the way,” Soderling said about his countryman. “He’s won Challengers before, but when he plays at his top level, he can not only win these events, but big matches on the ATP World Tour.”

With a more attacking and offensive mentality, Ymer blasted to the title in Mouilleron-le-Captif, defeating Germany’s Yannick Maden 7-5, 6-4 in the final. It was a personal milestone for the Swede, marking his first pro victory on hard courts. His previous success at the Challenger level had been exclusive to Italian clay, claiming a trio of crowns on the surface before breaking through at the Internationaux de Vendée. 

Having also notched his first ATP World Tour match win of the year a month ago in Stockholm, he believes this newfound success on faster surfaces can be attributed to Soderling’s influence. While not a seismic shift in his game, it is nonetheless paying dividends.

“I’m so happy to win my first pro tournament on hard,” Ymer added. “It’s big for me and my career, that I can win on another surface. You have to be more aggressive on hard courts, but it just brings a lot of confidence. It’s important to be able to play on all surfaces. And to finish the year strong, you get a good boost for the coming season.

“It’s very tough to win Challengers. You have to be playing your best to win them and you don’t do it every week. Even if you’re a top player, they just don’t step into a Challenger and do well. Everything has to go well. It’s not easy. When it happens, you just have to be happy and continue to work hard.”

Ymer

Boasting a determined and dogged attitude, Ymer was soaring towards the Top 100 last year, ascending to a career-high No. 118. But a 20-20 stretch would see the Swede slip in the Emirates ATP Rankings, falling close to the Top 300 prior to Soderling’s arrival. Such a hiccup would test the mettle of even the most unflappable of competitors, but Ymer admits that he never lost faith in his abilities.

“I didn’t stop believing. I just kept going. I always woke up and trained hard. I never saw it as struggling. Robin always tells me, ‘Eli, you only have the points for one year, it doesn’t matter and if you have the game it will go fast when you start winning’. Of course, you’re not happy to lose and you always want to go up, but I didn’t see it that way. I love tennis and I love competing.

“I always liked Robin’s game and he had that good mentality on court. He was always fighting. He’s also a very smart guy. We just really enjoy each other’s company.”

Soderling was forced to hang up his racquet at the age of 31 due to complications from mononucleosis, four years after playing his last professional match. But the 10-time ATP World Tour champion has stayed involved with the game since his retirement, launching his own brand of equipment. What started with tennis balls has evolved to include strings, grips and other accessories. 

The former Top 10 stalwart is finding the right balance between managing his business and traveling to tournaments with Ymer. Also a two-time finalist at Roland Garros and champion at the 2010 Paris Rolex Masters, Soderling says that while his career was cut short, his passion has never waned and staying involved is his top priority. With Magnus Norman, Stefan Edberg, Jonas Bjorkman, Mikael Tillstrom and Thomas Johansson having enjoyed successful coaching stints on the ATP World Tour, he is the latest Swede to test the waters.

“It’s been six years since I last played,” Soderling added. “In the beginning, it was much more difficult, but now it’s getting easier. Sometimes when I see that players I used to play against are still playing, it can get frustrating, but I’m lucky I had a few good years on tour. It’s a shame I couldn’t play longer, but I traveled the world and made many friends everywhere.”

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Thiem Tames Carreno Busta In Three

  • Posted: Nov 16, 2017

Thiem Tames Carreno Busta In Three

Nov152017

World No. 4 maintains SF hopes

Dominic Thiem jolted his chances of making his first appearance in the semi-finals of the Nitto ATP Finals. The fourth seed collected his first win of the week on Wednesday, beating Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 at The O2.

The World No. 4 improved to 1-1 in London and will now play for a chance to reach the semi-finals on Friday against seventh seed David Goffin, who is also 1-1 after losing to Grigor Dimitrov 6-0, 6-2 earlier Wednesday. Dimitrov, 2-0, has won Group Pete Sampras and will play in the semi-finals on Saturday.

Thiem trails his FedEx ATP Head2Head series against Goffin 3-6, and the Belgian won both of their matches earlier this season, including on the hard courts of the Australian Open.

“I’m very happy and pleased that I get the chance to play for the semi-finals on Friday,” Thiem said. “We had some big, important matches in the past, also in the deep rounds of Slams. This one’s going to be another one. We know each other very well. He played a very good match here, one very bad match. I don’t know what to expect. I’m hoping that it’s going to be a tough match, and I’m trying everything to go through to the semis.”

Thiem had been 1-14 against Top 10 players on hard courts. But his powerful groundstrokes pushed the World No. 10 Carreno Busta enough for the Austrian to record his second career win at the Nitto ATP Finals. Thiem went 1-2 last year during his debut.

Read More: Win and They’re In: Zverev & Sock Play For SF Spot

Carreno Busta is an alternate and is taking the place of countryman Rafael Nadal, who withdrew from the season finale on Monday due to an injury to his right knee. But Carreno Busta looked very much like a player who deserved to be at the Nitto ATP Finals.

In the opening set, Thiem broke twice to take the early lead, and it looked as if fans would see another quick match on Wednesday. Thiem had never lost to Carreno Busta, owning a 4-0 record in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, including a straight-sets win in February during the final of the clay-court Rio Open presented by Claro.

But the 26-year-old debutant from Spain stole momentum early in the second, breaking in the third game and then again in the ninth game with some old-school serving and volleying to even the match. He pumped his fist and shouted “¡Vamos!” at his box. All of a sudden, Carreno Busta was one set away from joining rare company.

Four alternates had played on the main stage since the Nitto ATP Finals moved to London in 2009. But only one had won a match. Serbian Janko Tipsarevic shocked World No. 1 and countryman Novak Djokovic in 2011.

Watch Classic Moment: Tipsarevic Stuns Djokovic In 2011 London Finale

In a back-and-forth third set, though, Thiem was the last to grab momentum, breaking for a 5-4 lead and serving out the match. After his 12th ace on match point, he filled his cheeks and let out a long exhale – his semi-final hopes were still alive.

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