Sock Leaps Into Forehand Hot Shot At Rome 2017
Sock Leaps Into Forehand Hot Shot At Rome 2017
May182017
Argentine too strong for another popular champion
Juan Martin del Potro had the marble statues surrounding Stadio Pietrangeli reverberating on Thursday evening as the former World No. 4 outclassed seventh seed Kei Nishikori 7-6(4), 6-3, on one of the most picturesque courts in world tennis, at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
It was the Argentinean’s first victory on clay courts over a Top 10 opponent in the Emirates ATP Rankings since 2012 Roland Garros, when he beat then-No. 7-ranked Tomas Berdych in the fourth round. He is now also 1-4 this year against the elite performers.
Del Potro had the support of the majority of the 3,500-strong crowd to stride into the quarter-finals for the first time in eight years, where he will meet World No. 2 Novak Djokovic for the third time this year. Although Djokovic won their two clashes in 2017 at the BNP Paribas Open and the Abierto Mexicano Telcel, memories of their thrilling three-setter in Acapulco will mean Friday’s clash is a must-see.
Del Potro got off to the best possible start, but Nishikori fought back in a tense first-set, which was decided on a tie-break. He broke for a 3-1 lead in the second set, then narrowly failed to convert his first match point on Nishikori’s serve at 2-5, Ad-out, with a running forehand down the tramline. But del Potro closed out to love with an ace, in the next game, to complete the one-hour, 54-minute encounter.
Del Potro lost to Djokovic in the 2009 semi-finals, while Nishikori was forced to withdraw ahead of last week’s Mutua Madrid Open quarter-finals, where he would have met Djokovic, due to right wrist pain.
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American tennis player Nikita Kryvonos has been banned for 10 years and fined $20,000 (£15,380) after being found guilty of breaches of the sport’s anti-corruption programme.
The Tennis Integrity Unit found he colluded with third parties “to contrive the outcome of a match” at the Challenger event in Illinois in 2015.
This coincided with suspicious betting activity on the match.
The 30-year-old’s ban will expire on 29 November 2025.
Kryvonos achieved a career-high singles ranking of 389 in 2007. His most recent ranking, in 2015, was 931.
Former world number one Maria Sharapova has signed a deal with the Lawn Tennis Association to play at Birmingham’s Aegon Classic for the next two years.
The five-time Grand Slam winner, 30, has been given a wildcard for the event in June having fallen down the world rankings after a 15-month drugs ban.
The LTA will not pay the Russian an appearance fee.
“This wasn’t a decision we took lightly and not everyone will agree with it,” said LTA chief Michael Downey.
Some may question the moral compass of this decision. We do not
Sharapova was banned after testing positive for heart disease drug meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open, though the Court of Arbitration for Sport found she was not an “intentional doper”.
In a letter to LTA staff and other senior figures in British tennis, Downey was more explicit in his reasoning as to why Sharapova was given a wildcard.
“Some may question the moral compass of this decision. We do not,” he added.
“She made a mistake that we do not condone. She has paid the price through her 15-month ban and now can return to action.
“We did not take this decision lightly, but – like all other WTA events before ours – have granted her a wildcard so our Birmingham event can benefit British fans who can take in her matches on home soil.”
Sharapova, who won the title in Birmingham in 2004 and 2005, said: “I am really excited to be coming back to Birmingham this year to play on the grass as part of my build-up to Wimbledon and I thank the LTA for this opportunity.”
British number one Johanna Konta, world number one Angelique Kerber, Garbine Muguruza, Agnieszka Radwanska and Simona Halep will also be competing in Birmingham.
BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller
From a commercial point of view, this is good business. Sharapova has also signed up for next year without the LTA having to pay appearance fees – which are regularly offered to attract the big names to non-mandatory events.
Sharapova’s signature is seen as a major coup within the LTA. Some staff are unhappy with the decision, but there has also been plenty of back slapping in celebration.
It is a hard-nosed business decision to try and boost ticket sales at an event which suffers through competition with the ATP event at the Queen’s Club in the same week.
Downey says he “does not question the moral compass of the decision”, but the LTA is the sport’s governing body in the UK. Contrast this call with the one made on Tuesday by the French federation, which decided it would be inappropriate to invite Sharapova to Roland Garros as it would undermine their anti-doping message.
And by offering a wildcard to Sharapova, someone else – quite possibly a British player – will be denied an opportunity.
Naomi Broady may have been that beneficiary. She would be the first to admit she is not as big a draw as Sharapova, but has been in the top 100 for much of the past 12 months.
Young German awaits winner of Raonic or Berdych
Alexander Zverev, the #NextGenATP German, booked a place in his third ATP World Tour Masters 1000 quarter-final of the season (also Miami, Madrid) on Thursday with victory over Italian favourite Fabio Fognini at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
The 20-year-old Zverev silenced supporters at the Foro Italico with a performance of great maturity and efficiency in a 6-3, 6-3 win over 78 minutes. He will next face a fellow big-server, fifth seed Milos Raonic or No. 12 seed Tomas Berdych.
Zverev, the No. 16 seed, controlled the pair’s first meeting – breaking once in the first set for a 3-1 lead, and later five straight games to 4-0 in the second set. Despite the best efforts of the Roman crowd, Fognini’s frustration was evident for all to see.
Zverev is now 24-9 on the season, which includes capturing two ATP World Tour titles at the Open Sud de France (d. Gasquet) and the BMW Open by FWU (l. to Pella). He leads the Emirates ATP Race To Milan for one of eight spots at the 21-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals from 7-11 November.
Fognini, who recorded the biggest win of his career over World No. 1 Andy Murray on Tuesday night, had been trying to become the first Italian to reach the Rome quarter-finals since Andreas Seppi in 2012. He will now return home to his wife, 2015 US Open champion Flavia Pennetta, who is due to give birth to their first child on Friday.
Raonic, the 2014 Rome semi-finalist, leads 2013 semi-finalist Berdych 4-2 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series. The duo plays later today.
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Britain’s Johanna Konta was knocked out by Venus Williams in the last 16 of the Italian Open in Rome.
The 26-year-old world number six recovered form a set down to level but American Williams, 36, dominated the final set to win 6-1 3-6 6-1.
Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam winner, faces either Julia Gorges or Garbine Muguruza in the quarter-finals.
Konta had reached the third round with a straight-set win over Yulia Putintseva after a first-round bye.
More to follow.