Tennis News

Murray Saves 2 MPs, Battles Past Tiafoe In 3-Hour, 45-Minute Classic

Andy Murray may have a metal hip, but it was tough to tell based on his effort Tuesday at the European Open.

Murray battled past Frances Tiafoe 7-6(2), 6-7(7), 7-6(8) in a three-hour, 45-minute marathon to reach the second round in Antwerp. It was the longest best-of-three-set match of 2021, breaking the mark set by Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Barcelona final (3:38).

“I think that’s the first time in my career I’ve played a 7-6, 6-7, 7-6 [match]. I don’t think I’ve ever played a match like that,” Murray said in his on-court interview. “I think it’s the longest three-set match I’ve played by quite a distance. I’m tired right now, obviously it was an unbelievable battle.”

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The former World No. 1 clinched the victory on his second match point. He hit a backhand drop shot that Tiafoe was unable to retrieve. The 23-year-old’s sprint took him to the Scot’s side of the net, where the pair shared a warm embrace.

“Nowadays obviously my body is old now. I’ve played a lot of matches on the Tour. I don’t mind playing long matches, but that was taking it to another level,” Murray said. “Brilliant match, amazing atmosphere, thanks to everyone who came and supported. It’s just so nice to be back and playing in front of crowds again.”

Murray has now won his opening match in five consecutive tournaments at all levels. He had to scratch and claw throughout against Tiafoe, who was the better player for a good portion of the match.

The American served for the opening set twice, needed six set points to win the second set, led by a break in the decider and held two match points in the final-set tie-break. But Tiafoe failed to put a return in play on those two match points, and Murray took full advantage.

“He kept coming up with brilliant serves and great shots when I was getting chances,” Murray said.

Tiafoe was the more aggressive player and he frequented the net to finish points against the 46-time tour-level titlist, who raised his level in the important moments. Murray over the years has proven himself one of the best players on the ATP Tour in cat-and-mouse points, but the American showed no fear of entering those patterns, either.

But Murray struck 21 aces to stay in contact with his opponent and saved seven of the 10 break points he faces to set a second-round clash against second seed Diego Schwartzman for a place in the Antwerp quarter-finals.

Murray memorably won the European Open in 2019 following his most recent hip surgery. In that edition, he defeated former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka in the final.

In the final match of the evening in Antwerp, seventh seed Lloyd Harris beat home favourite Zizou Bergs, a wild card, 7-6(4), 6-3.

The South African will face big-hitting Jan-Lennard Struff for a place in the quarter-finals. The German beat Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

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Dodig/Polasek Qualify For Nitto ATP Finals

Ivan Dodig and Filip Polasek are the fifth doubles team to qualify for the 2021 Nitto ATP Finals, to be held from 14-21 November at the Pala Alpitour in Turin.

Roland Garros champions Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut have now earned their spot in Turin on points, so Australian Open titlists Dodig and Polasek have gained entry into the season finale per the Grand Slam winner rule.

Read the full story at NittoATPFinals.com

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Brooksby & Nakashima Continue Milan Chase With Antwerp Upsets

#NextGenATP Americans Jenson Brooksby and Brandon Nakashima had to battle through qualifying at the European Open, and they went one step further on Tuesday in Antwerp with impressive upsets as they continue to pursue a spot at the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan.

Brooksby continued his good form with a 6-4, 6-4 victory against fifth seed Reilly Opelka in one hour and 12 minutes.

“It’s been a great year. I’m happy. I feel like I’ve been focussed this week, playing well,” Brooksby said in his on-court interview. “I’ll hopefully finish this year strong.”

The big-serving American Opelka was left so baffled by Brooksby’s consistent play that at one point in the second set he was heard saying that his countryman was the “best player I’ve played in my whole life”.

“He’s definitely got one of the best serves on Tour,” Brooksby said. “I thought we had a good game plan. I’ve been hitting them well and executed pretty well here, so I’m happy with that.”

Brooksby, who won a set against Novak Djokovic in the fourth round of the US Open, will next play Flushing Meadows quarter-finalist Botic van de Zandschulp.

^{Photo Credit: European Open}
Nakashima also impressed in a 6-4, 6-0 win against sixth seed Alex de Minaur. The San Diego-native converted five of his 10 break points to advance after one hour and 25 minutes.

Nakashima made his first two ATP Tour finals earlier this year in Los Cabos and Atlanta, and is trying to lift his first tour-level trophy this week.

Both Brooksby and Nakashima are pushing to earn a place in Milan. Brooksby began the week in fifth in the ATP Race To Milan, and Nakashima was in eighth, two points behind Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo.

Another #NextGenATP star, Italian Lorenzo Musetti, also won his opener with a 7-6(2), 7-6(3) triumph against countryman Gianluca Mager. The 19-year-old began the week in sixth in the ATP Race To Milan.

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After Dash To Dallas, Isner Welcomes Third Child

A dash home from the desert to Dallas was well worth it for American John Isner.

After withdrawing from singles and doubles at the BNP Paribas Open, Isner and his wife, Madison, welcomed their third child, James ‘Mack’ McKinley Isner on 12 October. The Isners’ oldest child, Hunter Grace, was born in 2018, and John Hobbs was born in 2019.

“2.5 weeks early, this little dude just couldn’t wait to meet his family,” Isner wrote on Instagram. “Welcome James ‘Mack’ McKinley Isner. @madkool13 I dunno how you do it but it’s simply incredible. Our kids have the best momma ever!”

 

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Isner got several supportive comments from his ATP Tour colleagues on Instagram, including one from countryman Reilly Opelka, who wrote “Two future ?’s ❤️❤️❤️” in reference to their popular “servebot” nickname.

“Going to terrorise the @atptour in 20 years. ? ?,” Isner replied.

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Heather Watson: Tenerife Open round-one exit for British number three

British number three Heather Watson is narrowly beaten by Danish seventh seed Clara Tauson in the first round of the Tenerife Open.

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Paul Maintains Momentum In Moscow

Tommy Paul reached the fourth round of an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time in Indian Wells, and the American has maintained his momentum in Moscow.

The World No. 54 advanced to the second round of the VTB Kremlin Cup on Tuesday with a 7-6(7), 7-5 win against Swede Mikael Ymer.

Paul broke the Next Gen ATP Finals alumnus’ serve four times and won 44 per cent of his return points to move on after one hour and 57 minutes. The 24-year-old, who upset Andrey Rublev in the California desert, will next play two-time Moscow champion Marin Cilic, who beat Damir Dzumhur in three sets on Monday.

Watch Tuesday Moscow Highlights:

There was an upset in the Russian capital when qualifier Illya Marchenko ousted fifth seed Alexander Bublik 6-4, 6-3. The Ukrainian saved the two break points he faced to set a clash against Australian John Millman.

Top-seeded Rublev learned his first opponent when Frenchman Adrian Mannarino rallied past wild card Roman Safiullin 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-4 after two hours and 32 minutes. The tricky lefty lost his only previous ATP Head2Head meeting against Rublev two years ago in the Moscow final.

In other action, Belarusian qualifier Egor Gerasimov clawed past Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 and Spaniard Pedro Martinez led Guido Pella 6-2 when the Argentine retired.

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Australian Open: Unvaccinated players 'unlikely' to be allowed to compete

Players who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19 are unlikely to be allowed to compete at the Australian Open, says leader of state in which the tournament is held.

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Murray Says Clijsters 'Still Hits The Ball Fantastic'

Belgian star Kim Clijsters has recently told the media she has been inspired by Andy Murray’s comeback from hip surgery. The Scot returned the praise on Monday ahead of the European Open in Antwerp.

According to the 34-year-old, Clijsters hit on a practice court after him during the BNP Paribas Open, and he was impressed with what he saw.

“She still hits the ball fantastic. I think the decision-making and things like that will come with more matches,” Murray said. “I think physically she can get stronger. I think that was probably one of her biggest strengths when she was at the top of the game and as successful as she was.

“With more time, more matches, more time on the practice court, physically she’ll keep getting better. It’s not easy after such a long time out of the game, but I’m sure she can still win matches at the highest level, judging on how she’s handled herself so well.”

Murray also lavished praise on Cameron Norrie, who on Sunday became the first Briton to win the title in Indian Wells and cracked the Top 20 of the FedEx ATP Rankings.

“I’d be lying if I said that I called that to be honest. However, I have spent a decent amount of time around him and practised with him quite a lot and he works extremely hard. And I think he’s a great example not just for British players, but all tennis players to look at,” Murray said. “If you put the effort in day-in and day-out and properly dedicate yourself to the sport and have an attitude like he does, it can take you a long, long way. It was obviously a phenomenal achievement last night, but I think the season that he’s having is maybe more impressive than that one week.”

Norrie is up to 10th in the FedEx ATP Race To Turin as he tries to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals, the season-ending event. The lefty has won 47 tour-level matches this year.

“Every week he’s winning matches. I think he’s played six finals. I think it’s looking like he’s going to win more matches on the Tour this year than he had in every season that he’d had beforehand combined,” Murray said. “That shows you how much of an improvement he’s made. I knew he was good, I’d played against him and practised with him, but to be Top 20 in the world and pushing for a spot in the Tour Finals is an incredible effort.”

^{Murray won the Antwerp title in 2019. Photo Credit: AFP/Getty Images}
Murray will try to make his own mark this week in Antwerp, where two years ago he enjoyed a dream run to the trophy for his first title following hip surgery. In an emotional final, he defeated Stan Wawrinka to earn the crown.

“It was obviously a bit unexpected at the time. I spoke a bit about it at the time, but I’d won maybe what would be considered bigger tournaments, but this was one of the hardest that I had to win in terms of everything that I’d went through and I put my body through to get to that point,” Murray said. “It was tough. Obviously winning Wimbledon, it was the pressure and everything and it was obviously unbelievably difficult.

“But to win a tournament at this level with a metal hip and everything that had gone into that in the previous years, it was a long road, so I have good memories from here.”

The Scot will play American Frances Tiafoe in the first round, with second seed Diego Schwartzman looming in the second round.

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Cameron Norrie: ATP Finals chance 'huge' for Indian Wells champion

Being in ATP Finals contention is “huge”, says Cameron Norrie after he won the prestigious Indian Wells title.

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Rublev Reflective After Dash From Desert: 'I'm Really Enjoying Tennis'

The last time Andrey Rublev competed at the VTB Kremlin Cup, he lifted the trophy as the sixth seed. But while his title aspirations remain the same, the magnifying glass has zoomed in closer on the Russian.

Rublev is the top seed at the ATP 250 this week, and instead of sitting at No. 31 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, he is a fixture in the Top 10, currently World No. 6.

“Of course it’s a lot of pressure, which is normal. Of course I think you cannot show your best performance every week and during 11 months, it’s super tough,” Rublev said. “I think only top players have enough experience, or [players] who are already a couple years in the Top 10, like Daniil [Medvedev]. They know how to handle these things better.

“Some months I am playing really well and am going really deep in tournaments. Some months I have not that great results and am losing a bit earlier. But still, I [have] managed to be all the year Top 10, which is the most important thing.”

The 23-year-old is constantly focused on improving his game, and that has helped put him in a good position to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the second consecutive year. But there is one thing in particular the eight-time ATP Tour titlist feels he needs to work on.

“For now, I would say the mental part. I think this is the main [thing] in my case, because the players who are better than me, they know how to manage all these moments much better than me,” Rublev said. “Game-wise since the Laver Cup, I am feeling really well. I am feeling that I am playing on a great level, I have great confidence.

“Maybe I didn’t do that well in Indian Wells, but still I feel that I am having a great level of tennis now and that is the most important thing.”

Rublev lost a tough three-setter in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open against Tommy Paul, but he battled hard alongside countryman Aslan Karatsev — the second seed in Moscow — to reach the doubles final in the California desert.

Three days on from that doubles final, Rublev will be back in match action on Tuesday 10 hours away alongside countryman Karen Khachanov against third seeds Luke Saville and John-Patrick Smith. Physically, it is a tough turnaround, but the two-time ATP Masters 1000 finalist is loving every moment of it.

“I’m really enjoying to play tennis, I’m really enjoying to travel, so for me mentally for sure it’s fine. But of course sometimes, especially now when I just arrived from the States here in Moscow and I have to compete already tomorrow, physically it’s tough, only because of the time difference,” Rublev said. “And this is normal, this is part of our sport sometimes and we cannot do anything about it. But the mental part I am okay, because I am really enjoying tennis.”

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