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US Open 2017: Rafael Nadal beats Dusan Lajovic to reach second round

  • Posted: Aug 30, 2017
US Open
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 28 Aug-10 Sept
BBC coverage: Live radio and text commentary on selected matches every day.

World number one Rafael Nadal beat Dusan Lajovic 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 6-2 to reach the second round of the US Open at Flushing Meadows.

In a match played under the Arthur Ashe Stadium roof because of heavy rain in New York, Serb Lajovic served for the first set but Nadal broke back to love.

After taking the first set on a tie-break, the Spaniard dominated against the world number 85.

Nadal will face Japan’s Taro Daniel or American Tommy Paul next.

“It was tough at the beginning, he was playing well and not making many mistakes and I felt he was controlling the points too many times,” the 15-time Grand Slam champion said.

“At the end of that first set it was important to get the break point back and I played a good point at 6-6, then hit a good winner to win the set. Then everything was changing.

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“I need to keep improving, but the first round is never easy, there are nerves out here when you play in his amazing place. Always at the beginning you want to do it well.”

Earlier this year, Lajovic broke eventual champion Roger Federer at the first opportunity in their second-round meeting at Wimbledon on his way to losing an opening-set tie-break and the match.

Once again, the 27-year-old’s best work came early as he matched Nadal for much of the first set with an unexpectedly high standard of tennis.

But his first-serve percentage (83%) and the rate of winners (nine) both dropped substantially over the next two as Nadal’s class showed.

No other men’s matches were completed on day two because of the rain that arrived after less than two hours’ play and forced the cancellation of the schedule on the outside courts.

  • Edmund leads British hopes at US Open on day three
  • Live scores, results and order of play
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Edmund, Bedene, Norrie carry British hopes on day three

  • Posted: Aug 30, 2017
US Open
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 28 Aug-10 Sept
BBC coverage: Live radio and text commentary on selected matches every day.

Kyle Edmund, Aljaz Bedene and Cameron Norrie will carry British hopes on a busy third day at the US Open after rain washed out much of day two.

Edmund plays American Steve Johnson in the fifth match on Louis Armstrong Stadium at about 23:00 BST.

Norrie faces Spanish 12th seed Pablo Carreno Busta at a similar time, while Bedene takes on Russian Andrey Rublev at around 19:00.

Maria Sharapova, Venus Williams and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga are also in action.

Edmund, Bedene and Norrie are the last remaining Britons in the singles draws after defeats for Johanna Konta and Heather Watson on Monday.

World number two Andy Murray withdrew on the eve of the tournament with a hip injury.

  • Defending champion Kerber knocked out by teenager Osaka
  • Top seed Nadal through to second round
  • Live scores, results and order of play

‘I feel like I can go a little bit further’

Edmund, ranked 42nd, made his Grand Slam breakthrough in New York 12 months ago when he reached the last 16 before losing to Novak Djokovic, and he is on the march again.

The 22-year-old reached the semi-finals at the warm-up event in Winston-Salem last week and dispatched 32nd seed Robin Haase in round one at Flushing Meadows.

If his form is flourishing, playing a ninth match in 12 days could be his biggest obstacle.

“I’ve played a lot, so every day just to wake up and play a match becomes tiring, emotionally as well,” Edmund told BBC Radio 5 live.

“I knew the situation and I wasn’t going to have a lot of time, I’d just have to get on with it and use the things I’m doing well.”

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Energy levels might be low but confidence should be high against Johnson after he beat the world number 46 just six days ago.

“I finished that match a lot better than I started, so the gameplan will be exactly the same, we’ll know each other’s patterns,” said Edmund.

“He serves well and has a big forehand, so that will be something to deal with. It’s a good opportunity, second round of a Grand Slam, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Norrie, 22, is enjoying a successful first US Open after coming through qualifying and beating former world number 20 Dmitry Tursunov in the first round.

The world number 225 faces a much tougher proposition against Carreno Busta.

“I feel like I can go a little bit further, I’m playing some great tennis and confident,” said Norrie.

‘Sharapova’s mentality is beyond description’

Sharapova will return to Arthur Ashe Stadium after her dramatic win over second seed Simona Halep on Monday night, as she takes on Hungary’s Timea Babos in round two.

The Russian wildcard, 30, is playing her first Grand Slam tournament since returning from a 15-month doping ban in April.

“Her mentality is beyond description and she refuses to say it’s over,” her former coach Nick Bollettieri told BBC Radio 5 live.

“On Monday night she gave everything she had, physically and mentally. Can that body do this again and again after such a long lay-off?

“The determination, the mentality and the stroke production, I believe is there. It’s whether or not physically she can perform like Monday night.”

Sharapova plays Babos in the third match on Ashe at about 21:00, before Venus Williams and France’s Oceane Dodin open the night session at 00:00, and Tsonga then takes on Canada’s Denis Shapovalov.

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Nadal Fights Past Lajovic Under The Roof On Ashe

  • Posted: Aug 29, 2017

Nadal Fights Past Lajovic Under The Roof On Ashe

Aug292017

Spaniard begins quest for third US Open title

Rafael Nadal overcame a slow start to book his spot in the second round at the US Open, ousting Dusan Lajovic 7-6(6), 6-2, 6-2 in two hours and 17 minutes on Tuesday.

With rain storms putting a damper on Day Two in Flushing Meadows, the top-seeded Spaniard prevailed under the closed roof as he kicked off his 13th appearance at the hard-court Grand Slam. Nadal fired 33 winners and five aces, claiming six of 11 break chances in total. 

It was far from straightforward, but Nadal claimed the opening set 8/6 in a tie-break, before reeling of 12 of the next 16 games for an emphatic finish. With the roof closed on Arthur Ashe Stadium due to persistent rain over Flushing Meadows, Nadal battled back from a break down to claim the opener of their US Open first-round encounter.

The Spaniard conceded the first break of the match in the third game, but would draw level with Lajovic serving for the set at 5-4, claiming the break back to love. He streaked to a 4-1 lead in the ensuing tie-break and snatched the opener as a Lajovic backhand sailed long. He surged to a two-set lead with consecutive breaks early in the second and again in the third. Nadal prevailed on his first match point as a Lajovic forehand return flew long.

It was the second FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting between Nadal and Lajovic, with the Manacor native having captured a fourth-round encounter at Roland Garros in 2014.

You May Also Like: Nadal, Federer Battle For No. 1 At US Open

The two-time champion (2010, ’13) is back in New York as the top seed with his sights set on a 16th Grand Slam crown, as well as retaining the No. 1 position in the Emirates ATP Rankings. Both he and Roger Federer are in contention to leave with the coveted top spot, with a potential semi-final showdown in the cards. Federer needs to reach the semis to have a chance to return to World No. 1.

Only two men’s matches will be completed on Tuesday due to the inclement weather, with Federer and Frances Tiafoe slated to conclude the night session on Ashe. All other matches, including the six that have already commenced, are postponed to Wednesday.

Sixth seed Dominic Thiem soared to a 6-4, 6-1, 1-0 advantage over Aussie teen Alex de Minaur when the skies closed. In other action, American Bjorn Fratangelo leads Ivo Karlovic 7-6(2), 2-3 and Donald Young leads Maximilian Marterer 6-3, 1-6, 2-0.

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US Open 2017: Top seed Karolina Pliskova beats Magda Linette

  • Posted: Aug 29, 2017
US Open
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 28 Aug-10 Sept
BBC coverage: Live radio and text commentary on selected matches every day.

Top seed Karolina Pliskova started her bid for a first Grand Slam title with a comfortable win against Poland’s Magda Linette in the US Open first round.

The Czech world number one, 25, was not at her fluent best, making 19 unforced errors in a 6-2 6-1 victory.

But ultimately Pliskova – last year’s beaten finalist – had too much power for her 72nd-ranked opponent.

She hit eight aces and 29 winners to beat Linette, who has only one US Open win, in one hour and 18 minutes.

“I felt a little bit nervous coming out here, especially after last year. But I think I played pretty solid,” Pliskova said.

  • Live scores, results and order of play
  • Federer and Nadal to begin US Open campaigns

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Pliskova must reach the final to have a chance of retaining her ranking, with six other women all hoping to overtake her by winning at Flushing Meadows.

She has a lot of ranking points to defend after last year’s defeat by Angelique Kerber, a fact perhaps contributing to a few nerves before Tuesday’s opening match on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Pliskova moved a break up after both players lost serve in three of the opening four games, then fought off three break points in the seventh game before going on to seal the first set.

After a brief delay when rain forced the roof to be closed, Pliskova broke again in Linette’s first service game of the second set and her own dominant serve – despite a brief blip when he she fought off six break points for a 4-1 lead – saw her through.

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US Open 2017: Marin Cilic and Alexander Zverev into second round

  • Posted: Aug 29, 2017
US Open
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 28 Aug-10 Sept
BBC coverage: Live radio and text commentary on selected matches every day

Croatia’s Marin Cilic won his first match since losing the Wimbledon final, beating American Tennys Sandgren in the US Open first round.

The 2014 champion triumphed 6-4 6-3 3-6 6-3 in two hours and 47 minutes.

Fourth seed Alexander Zverev made it into the second round with a straight-set win over Barbados’ Darian King.

The 20-year-old German won 7-6 (11-9) 7-5 6-4 in two hours and 49 minutes after an 81-minute opening set and will face Croatia’s Borna Coric next.

Spain’s 21st seed David Ferrer lost 6-4 3-6 2-6 1-6 to Mikhail Kukushkin.

American 13th seed Jack Sock was another early casualty, losing 6-2 7-6 (14-12) 1-6 5-7 6-4 to Australian Jordan Thompson in just under four hours on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

French eighth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Romanian Marius Copil 6-3 6-3 6-4, while American 10th seed John Isner won 6-1 6-3 4-6 6-3 against France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert.

Tsonga will play Denis Shapovalov in the second round, after the Canadian beat Russia’s Daniil Medvedev 7-5 6-1 6-2, while Isner faces South Korea’s Chung Hyeon.

  • Live scores and results
  • Konta knocked out in first round
  • Edmund & Norrie win but Watson beaten

Sandgren, ranked 105th in the world, had been due to play Andy Murray, before the Briton’s withdrawal on Saturday.

“I feel just a little bit rusty,” fifth seed Cilic said after Monday’s win.

“I need a few matches to get in the rhythm. I was hitting some good shots and then making some unforced errors,” added the world number seven, who will play German Florian Mayer in the second round.

American Sam Querrey, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals, beat Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-4 6-3 6-4, while Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller was a 3-6 6-3 6-4 6-4 winner over Australian Bernard Tomic.

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Zverev Completes Late Shift In Big Apple

  • Posted: Aug 29, 2017

Zverev Completes Late Shift In Big Apple

Aug292017

#NextGenATP stars set to meet in second round

Sporting a 1970s throwback, Alexander Zverev ended his US Open shift victorious at 2:04 a.m. local time on Tuesday morning. The fourth seed, wearing a striped headband, pinstripe shirt and knee-high socks, admitted to staying up beyond his bed time following a 7-6(9), 7-5, 6-4 first-round win over qualifier Darian King on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The German will next face fellow #NextGenATP Borna Coric of Croatia, who is currently No. 3 in the Emirates ATP Race To London for one of the eight places at the Next Gen ATP Finals, to be held from 7-11 November in Milan. Zverev has already booked his place, having won five ATP World Tour titles this year – including two ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crowns at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia and the Western & Southern Open. He has a 47-14 match record (22-7 on hard courts) in 2017.

Zverev, who came into his encounter against King with a 1-2 record at the final Grand Slam championship of the year, didn’t have things all his own way as he failed to impose his game, appearing frustrated at times and committed 64 unforced errors.

King, the first player from Barbados to play at a major championship, opened up a 3-1 lead in the first set, which lasted 82 minutes. Zverev was unable to convert set point opportunities on King’s serve at 5-6, 30/40, then again at 6/5 and 7/6 in the tie-break. King held two set points of his own at 8/7 and 9/8, courtesy of flashy forehands, before Zverev closed out at 10/9. A single break at 5-5 for Zverev helped him to the second set, before he broke in the third game of the third set and later saved two break points when serving at 4-3.

Coric defeated Jiri Vesely 7-6(5), 7-6(2), 6-2 in two hours and 28 minutes, firing nine aces.

The Croatian claimed the lone previous clash against Zverev, having prevailed in a deciding tie-break at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati in 2015. The winner will face either 28th seed Kevin Anderson or Ernests Gulbis, after the South African raced past qualifier JC Aragone 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 and the former World No. 10 Latvian defeated Alessandro Giannessi 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-2, 7-5.

Also in this quarter of the draw, 34-year-old Gilles Muller and 35-year-old Paolo Lorenzi will square off in a battle of elder statesmen in the second round. Thirteen years removed from their first meeting, Muller leads the FedEx ATP Head2Head by a total of 3-1. Muller rallied past Bernard Tomic 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 and Lorenzi did the same to defeat Joao Sousa 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-2.

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