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Fognini Blasts Past Defending Champion Murray In Rome

  • Posted: May 17, 2017

Fognini Blasts Past Defending Champion Murray In Rome

May162017

Italian hits 31 winners in dominating performance

Fabio Fognini will remember this one.

In front of a packed Campo Centrale, the Italian No. 1 played one of the best matches of his career, blasting 23 forehand winners to upset World No. 1 and defending champion Andy Murray 6-2, 6-4 on Tuesday during Murray’s Internazionali BNL d’Italia opener in Rome.

Fognini becomes the first Italian to beat a World No. 1 since Filippo Volandri in 2007, who defeated Roger Federer 6-2, 6-4 in the third round, also in Rome. Since then Italians had lost 22 in a row vs. World No. 1s.

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Murray, who didn’t drop a set in Rome last year, becomes the first defending champion to lose in his opener in almost 10 years, since 2008, when Rafael Nadal fell to Juan Carlos Ferrero in his first match.

But past history mattered little on Tuesday evening, when Fognini hit Murray, a 14-time ATP World Tour Masters 1000 champion, off the court. The 29-year-old Italian jumped on the Scot from the start, breaking twice to lead 4-0. He held to love to take the opener in 40 minutes.

The onslaught continued in the second set, as the Italians grew comfortable and stayed boisterous at Foro Italico. Murray slapped a backhand long to give Fognini a set and a break lead at 2-1. Two games later, on Murray’s serve, Fognini played as if he could do no wrong with his forehand, wielding the shot for a winner at 15/15 and 15/30.

At 30/40, Fognini, who finished with 31 overall winners, ripped another forehand that Murray couldn’t handle at the net, and the Italian had a double-break lead in the second set.

The second-round shocker is Fognini’s 10th victory against a Top 10 opponent in 56 matches (10-46), a winning percentage of about 18 per cent. Fognini will face Serbian Viktor Troicki or #NextGenATP star Alexander Zverev in the third round.

Learn More In Fognini’s FedEx ATP Win/Loss

Murray arrived in Rome looking to turn around his 2017. The Scot, who turned 30 on Monday, hasn’t played in a tour-level final since February, when he won his 45th tour-level title in Dubai (d. Verdasco).

You May Also Like: Djokovic Persists Through In Rome Opener

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Andy Murray beaten by Fabio Fognini in Rome Masters second round

  • Posted: May 17, 2017

Defending champion Andy Murray has been knocked out of the Italian Open in the second round by Italian Fabio Fognini.

The 30-year-old British world number one, whose victory in Rome last year was one of nine titles he won in 2016, lost 6-2 6-4 to the world number 29.

The loss continues Murray’s poor form ahead of the French Open, which gets under way on 28 May.

Murray’s fellow Brit Aljaz Bedene was also knocked out in the second round by world number two Novak Djokovic.

The Serb, who has never failed to reach the last eight in Rome, dominated the tie-break to win a tight first set but eased through the second to win 7-6 (7-2) 6-2.

“A little bit of a slow start, but Bedene is the kind of player that gives you good rhythm,” said Djokovic, who was beaten in the Madrid Open semis by Rafael Nadal last week.

“I had some good exchanges, some good games with rallies and it felt right, especially in the second set.”

Djokovic, who received a bye in the first round, faces either Pablo Carreno Busta or Roberto Bautista Agut in round three.

Murray comes unstuck on clay again

Murray, who turned 30 on Monday, continues to struggle for consistency on his return from an elbow injury.

He has won one event this season – on the hard court in Dubai in February – but has struggled on clay, with his best performance in the four events he has played so far on the surface being his semi-final appearance in Barcelona.

The Scot was under pressure from the very start, and failed to recover from losing his opening service game as home favourite Fognini swept into a 3-0 lead before closing out the set with a love service.

He was up against it again as more poor service games left him trailing 4-1.

There was a brief recovery by Murray as a break and a hold saw him trail 5-4 but Fognini reasserted his dominance to serve out victory and secure his first win over a world number one.

Murray in 2017
Event Surface Performance
Qatar Open Hard Final
Australian Open Hard Fourth round
Dubai Championships Hard Winner
Indian Wells Hard Second round
Monte Carlo Masters Clay Third round
Barcelona Open Clay Semi-final
Madrid Open Clay Third round
Italian Open Clay Second round

Murray short of form and confidence

BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller:

Murray’s seventh defeat of the season – and his fifth in the last 10 matches – leaves him very short of confidence and form heading into the French Open.

Fognini hit some monster forehands, and some gorgeous drop shots, but at no stage was Murray able to impose his game on the Italian. Many of his groundstrokes were landing in mid-court: there was very little threat or conviction to trouble someone playing as well as Fognini.

Ivan Lendl flies to Europe this weekend to bolster Murray’s coaching team, and they will all have their work cut out. Murray is currently playing nothing like a world number one, and nothing like a potential French Open champion.

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Djokovic Persists Through In Rome Opener

  • Posted: May 16, 2017

Djokovic Persists Through In Rome Opener

May162017

World No. 2 off to winning start in Italian capital

Four-time champion Novak Djokovic persisted past a confident clay-court player on Tuesday during his Internazionali BNL d’Italia opener, beating British qualifier Aljaz Bedene 7-6(2), 6-2 on Court Centrale in Rome.

Djokovic is coming off his best result at an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament this season, a semi-final run at the Mutua Madrid Open last week (l. to eventual champion Nadal). But the World No. 2 had to overcome some early rust against Bedene, who has enjoyed his best stretch on clay during recent months, including a final run at the inaugural Gazprom Hungarian Open in Budapest last month.

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The Serbian was broken at the start of the match, but quickly recovered Bedene’s advantage. They both held serve until the tie-break, when Djokovic outplayed the British No. 3 Bedene, who netted a forehand to conclude the 56-minute opener.

Djokovic then broke Bedene again to start the second set, coming through in a 13-point game that finished when Bedene couldn’t handle a return of serve from the Serbian. The 29-year-old Djokovic clinched his fourth match point opportunity when Bedene sailed a forehand long after one hour and 46 minutes.

Bedene, in addition to reaching the Budapest final on clay, also won back-to-back ATP Challenger Tour titles on clay last month. Djokovic, who won the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title in Rome in 2008, ’11, ’14-15, will meet one of two Spaniards in the third round, 15th seed Pablo Carreno Busta or Roberto Bautista Agut.

You May Also Like: Tribute: Ferrer Records 700th Match Win In Rome

Carreno Busta evened his FedEx ATP Head2Head series against Frenchman Gilles Simon at 2-2 with a 6-3, 6-3 victory. The 25-year-old Carreno Busta won 76 per cent of his first-serve points in the 75-minute first-round win.

Bautista Agut broke lucky loser Alexandr Dolgopolov four times to advance 6-4, 6-2. Dolgopolov, who won the Argentina Open title on clay in February (d. Nishikori), replaced Aussie Nick Kyrgios in the main draw. Kyrgios withdrew because of a hip injury, the same injury that forced him to withdraw from doubles last week in Madrid.

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Shorter sets and shot clock to be trialled in ATP youth event trial in Milan

  • Posted: May 16, 2017

Shorter sets and a shot clock are among the innovative ideas to be trialled at a youth tennis tournament by the sport’s ruling body.

The ATP’s Under-21 version of the World Tour Finals in Milan in November will introduce first to four game sets, with a tie-break at three-all.

Reduced warm-ups, a no-let rule for serves and sudden death at deuce are other changes planned.

Tennis chiefs hope the move will attract new and younger fans.

What is planned?

Among the changes for the Next Gen ATP Finals, featuring eight of the world’s best Under-21 players, are:

  • Shorter format: First to four game sets (rather than first to six) with a tie-break, if needed, at three-all. Best of five sets (previously best of three at this event). No more ‘advantage’ scoring, with a sudden-death deuce point where the receiver chooses which side their opponent serves from.
  • Shorter Warm-Up: Matches will begin precisely five minutes, rather than 10 minutes, from the second player’s walk-on.
  • Shot Clock: To be used in between points to ensure strict regulation of the rule which allows players 25 seconds to serve. The clock will also be used for the warm-up, during set breaks and medical time-outs – which will be limited to one per player per match.
  • Lets: A no-let rule will apply to serves.
  • Player coaching: Players and coaches will be able to communicate at certain points in the match (to be determined), although coaches will not be allowed on court.
  • Spectators: Fans (except those behind the baselines) will be able to enter and leave the arena while matches take place.

Why are the changes being brought in?

The ATP said the aim of the changes was designed to create a “high-tempo, cutting-edge, and TV-friendly product”.

It wants to attract new and younger fans into into the sport, while at the same time retaining the sport’s traditional fan base.

ATP president Chris Kermode added: “We’re excited to be bringing something new to the table with this event.

“This event is not only about the next generation of players, but also about the next generation of fans.”

He stressed that the ATP remains “acutely aware of the traditions in our sport”.

“We will be sure to safeguard the integrity of our product when assessing if any changes should eventually be carried forward onto regular ATP World Tour events in the future,” he said.

Analysis

BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller

The ATP’s president Chris Kermode has been clear for a while that tennis will have to change within the next 10 years. He says he is not worried where the next generation of players will come from, but has real concerns about the next generation of fans.

The television audience is ageing: so what will those in their 20s and 30s be prepared to sit down and (possibly pay to) watch in future?

A shorter format has served its purpose in cricket, but it is not just the time it takes: it is also about providing the entertainment which has made the Indian Premier League so popular in its first decade.

What have other sports tried?

Tennis is the latest sport to try a different format:

Cricket – Led the way with 20-over Twenty20 competition. A new eight-team, city-based T20 tournament is planned by the England and Wales Cricket Board, which it is hoped could rival the success of the Indian Premier League and Australia’s Big Bash.

Golf – Earlier this month, the European Tour staged its first Golf Sixes event where each of the six holes has a theme, including a long-drive contest, nearest to the pin and a 40-second shot clock. Much like T20, there was also pyrotechnics and music.

Athletics – The inaugural Nitro Athletics event in Melbourne in February included mixed relays and an elimination mile, where the last-placed runner was eliminated at the end of each of the first three laps of the track. During the meet, flame cannons shot fireballs into the air and there were dancers as pop music blared out.

Snooker – Shoot Out is a knockout tournament where each match is one frame, played with a shot clock, and fans are allowed to shout out encouragement. It controversially became a ranking event this year.

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ATP Announces Trial Of Rule Changes & Innovation For Next Gen ATP Finals In Milan

  • Posted: May 16, 2017

ATP Announces Trial Of Rule Changes & Innovation For Next Gen ATP Finals In Milan

May162017

Unique scoring format among changes to be trialled November in Milan

The ATP has announced a series of rule changes and innovations set to be trialled at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan this November. The season-ending tournament will see the world’s top 21-and-Under players of the season competing for total prize money of US$ 1.275 million from 7-11 November.

The rule changes, aimed at creating a high-tempo, cutting-edge, and TV-friendly product, are geared towards attracting new and younger fans into the sport, while at the same time retaining the sport’s traditional fan-base. The following rule changes will be applied in Milan:

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–    Shorter Format: First to Four games sets (Tie-Break at 3-All), Best-of-Five sets, with No-Ad scoring

•   Shorter set format designed to increase number of pivotal moments in a match, while the best-of-five set format does not alter the number of games required to win a match (12) from the traditional scoring format. No-Ad scoring will be played (receiver’s choice).

–    Shorter Warm-Up

•   Matches will begin precisely 5 minutes from the second player walk-on, leading to a reduction in down time before the beginning of matches.

–    Shot Clock

•   A shot clock will be used in between points to ensure strict regulation of the 25-second rule, as well as during set breaks, Medical Time-Outs, and the five-minute countdown from the player walk-on to the first point of the match.

–    No-Let Rule

•   The No-Let rule will apply to serves, bringing in an additional element of unpredictability at the start of points.
•   This rule will also remove any ambiguity over let calling from umpires, ensuring the rule is consistent with normal ‘let’ occurrences during regular point exchanges.

–    Medical Time-Outs

•   A limit of 1 medical time out per player per match.

–    Player Coaching

 •   Players and coaches will be able to communicate at certain points in the match (to be determined), providing additional content and entertainment value for broadcast. Coaches will not be allowed on-court.

In addition, a ‘free movement’ policy will be applied to the crowd (except behind the baselines) throughout the tournament. The policy will enable fans to move freely in and out of the stadium during matches, providing a relaxed fan-friendly atmosphere and ensuring fans are not restricted entry into the stadium at any time.

The ATP carried out extensive market research and fan surveys across more than 13 different markets through SMG Insight, covering off traditional and emerging tennis markets, as well as light and heavy tennis consumers, prior to determining which rule changes to trial at the inaugural tournament, which will take place at Fiera Milano in partnership with the Italian Tennis Federation and the Italian National Olympic Committee.

Chris Kermode, ATP Executive Chairman & President, said: “We’re excited to be bringing something new to the table with this event. The sports & entertainment landscape is changing rapidly, as are the ways in which fans are consuming our sport. This event is not only about the next generation of players, but also about the next generation of fans. We’ve created this new tournament precisely to allow us to look at some potential new elements, in a high-profile environment. We remain acutely aware of the traditions in our sport, and we will be sure to safeguard the integrity of our product when assessing if any changes should eventually be carried forward onto regular ATP World Tour events in the future.”

Angelo Binaghi, President of the Italian Tennis Federation, said: “We are proud to be at the forefront of innovation and change in tennis through this unique event, with the future stars of the sport that will be making headlines on the biggest stages over the next years. This tournament is all about looking to the future, and we would like to thank the ATP for having the vision and willingness to bring innovation into our sport. We look forward to a successful and exciting first edition of the event in November.”

Away from the court, fans and media attending the tournament will enjoy a fully immersive on-site experience, with a strong emphasis placed on unparalleled fan engagement through digital media, combined with unique player access across the tournament.

The tournament will take place on a singles-only court, featuring the best seven qualified 21-and-Under players of the season, plus one wild card. Taking place over five days, the event starts off with two round robin groups, followed by the semi-finals and final. A third place play-off will also be played by the two losing semi-finalists prior to the final on the last day. The tournament does not offer Emirates ATP Rankings points.

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Italian Open: Johanna Konta beats Yulina Putintseva in Rome second round

  • Posted: May 16, 2017

Johanna Konta made a strong start at the Italian Open with a straight-set win over Kazakhstan’s Yulina Putintseva in Rome.

The British number one, who turns 26 on Wednesday, won 6-3 6-0 to claim her second clay-court victory of the year.

Konta had a bye in the first round as the fifth seed and will face American Venus Williams or Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko in round three.

Fellow Britons Andy Murray and Aljaz Bedene are in action later on Tuesday.

Top seed Murray takes on Italian Fabio Fognini in the evening session at 20:00 BST, after Bedene faces second seed Novak Djokovic at around 15:00.

Konta impressed against Putintseva, breaking the world number 29’s serve four times while remaining steadfast on her own.

The first set was hard work for the Briton but her attacking instincts prevailed with the only break in game five.

A fainting ball boy, who was escorted from the court, was the only significant interruption to the world number six’s progress in the second set as she raced through six straight games.

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Junn Mitsuhashi: Japanese gets life ban for match-fixing offences

  • Posted: May 16, 2017

Japan’s Junn Mitsuhashi has been banned from tennis for life after being found guilty of match-fixing offences.

The 27-year-old, who asked players to underperform at ITF Futures tournaments in South Africa and Nigeria in 2015, was also fined $50,000 (£38,600).

Mitsuhashi placed 76 bets on matches in 2015 and did not co-operate with Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) enquiries into the allegations, which are both offences.

He was world number 295 in 2009 but had fallen to 1,997th by the end of 2015.

In November 2015, he asked Joshua Chetty, who was banned in September 2016 after a separate TIU investigation, to underperform in a tournament in Stellenbosch, South Africa.

He offered $2,000 to underperform in a singles match and $600 in a doubles match.

In December 2015, he approached a different player at the ITF Futures F4 Tournament in Lagos, Nigeria, asking him to fix aspects of a match.

His betting infringements came in October and November 2015.

The ban from all professional tennis applies with immediate effect.

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Maria Sharapova: French Open tournament director Guy Forget expects wildcard controversy

  • Posted: May 16, 2017

The decision on whether to give Maria Sharapova a French Open wildcard will cause controversy when announced, tournament director Guy Forget says.

Sharapova, 30, has played in three events since her 15-month ban for using meldonium ended in April.

A decision on her participation in the Grand Slam, which starts on 28 May, will be released on Facebook at 18:00 BST on Tuesday.

“Some say she shouldn’t get it, others say she served her time,” said Forget.

“As you talk with players, it’s very controversial,” Forget told BBC Sport. “So no matter what happens, there will be a lot of questions around that wildcard.”

Read: Federer misses French Open again

French Tennis Federation president Bernard Giudicelli – who has previously said the French Open is “bigger than the players” – will inform Sharapova shortly before the decision is made public.

Forget has discussed the matter with him but says he does not yet know the Federation’s final decision.

“We have had a few exchanges in the last few weeks about it,” added Forget. “We have made a decision on all the other wildcards, for Maria it’s a question mark. None of us know in the organisation so we are waiting.”

Sharapova’s two-year ban from the sport was reduced to 15 months when the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled she was “not an intentional doper” in October.

But her return to action has been questioned by players such as Roberta Vinci and Eugenie Bouchard, who has said that “I don’t think a cheater in any sport should be allowed to play again”.

Sharapova – a two-time French Open champion – reached the semi-final of the Stuttgart Open and last 32 of the Madrid Open, performances which were not good enough to secure a spot in qualifying for Roland Garros.

But in winning in the first round of the Italian Open on Monday, she guaranteed at least a place in Wimbledon qualifying, and she could yet earn a place in the main draw.

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