Tennis News

Djokovic/Stojanovic Begin Mixed Doubles Campaign In Tokyo

Serbians Novak Djokovic and Nina Stojanovic got their mixed doubles campaign underway on Wednesday in Tokyo with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Brazilians Marcelo Melo and Luisa Stefani.

This is the first time World No. 1 Djokovic, who continues his quest for a historic Golden Grand Slam in the singles this week, has played mixed doubles at the Olympics.

View Order Of Play | View 2020 Olympics Results | View Mixed Doubles Draw

The Serbian pair did not face a break point on their way to victory and will next face Kevin Krawietz and Laura Siegemund after the Germans beat American team Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Rajeev Ram 6-4, 5-7, 10-8.

Australians Ashleigh Barty and John Peers also produced a dominant display to defeat Argentine duo Nadia Podoroska and Horacio Zeballos 6-1, 7-6(3) and reach the quarter-finals.

Stefanos Tsitsipas got over his singles disappointment by teaming with Maria Sakkari to beat Canadian tandem Gabriela Dabrowski and Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-4. Tsitsipas and Sakkari play Barty and Peers in the last eight.

There was success for the ROC on Wednesday. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Andrey Rublev moved through with a 5-7, 6-4, 11-9 victory against Croatian pair Darija Jurak and Ivan Dodig, while Elena Vesnina and Aslan Karatsev raced past French duo Kristina Mladenovic and Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 6-2.

Source link

ATP Expands Education Partner Portfolio

The ATP has partnered with three internationally acclaimed institutions to offer ATP members access to world-class education opportunities, in line with a commitment to promoting welfare and development across its membership.

The trio of new strategic partners – MIP Politecnico di Milano Graduate School of Business, the University of Florida and the Institute for Civic Leadership (ICL) Academy – will offer access to subsidised courses for ATP players, tournaments, agents, alumni and coaches. Courses will be available mostly online and cover various qualification levels, subject areas and languages to reflect the breadth of requirements across the membership.

MIP Politecnico di Milano Graduate School of Business, which ranks among the Top 10 globally in the Financial Times’ 2021 Online MBA Ranking for its i-Flex EMBA, will offer subsidised short courses and post-graduate degrees. Delivered in partnership with several globally renowned brands, the i-Flex EMBA is a two-year Executive MBA aimed at professionals who want to combine international studies with work commitments, with a focus on digital transformation and featuring lectures by top managers leading digital transformation in their companies.

The University of Florida, ranked within the Top 10 of U.S. public universities, will offer members the chance to enroll in any of the four online master’s programmes and graduate certificate programmes offered through its renowned College of Health & Human Performance (UFHHP). Graduate programmes include Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, Sport Management, Health Education and Behavior, Tourism and Hospitality Management, as well as a graduate certificate in Sport Event Management.

In addition, the ICL Academy, a one-of-a-kind online private school for students from grades 7-12, will allow ATP members to take flexible courses for credit and graduate with an American High School diploma, including the option for AP and IB courses, on a full-time or course-by-course basis. Through its Impact Learning Model, ICL Academy delivers world-class academics, award-winning service leadership, and world champion partners who serve as master teachers from across the sports, venture capital, entertainment and technology sectors, with Novak Djokovic, Monica Seles, Dr. Jim Loehr, Tommy Haas, Vasek Pospisil and the Bryan Brothers supporting ICL tennis initiatives.

Stephen Farrow, ATP VP Member Services, said: “Our vision is for all ATP members to have professional opportunities open to them beyond their time in tennis. Key to that is offering access to quality education that can work around life on Tour and cater to the different interests and needs of our member groups. Partnering with three world-class institutions is an exciting step for us in that process.”

John Isner, ATP player and University of Georgia graduate, said: “These new education initiatives are very important. As tennis players, we have a shelf life. We can’t play this sport and earn money forever. Being able to lean on a top-notch education after your tennis career is over will set a lot of us up very well in the future.”

The exciting new partnerships build on the ATP’s existing education portfolio which includes Coursera, University of Palermo and Indiana University East, offering members a broad range of courses in English and Spanish. The ATP has also established a number of partnerships and internal initiatives across the mental health space in recent years, in an ongoing bid to support the broader welfare of members beyond the court.

Source link

Tokyo Olympics: Daniil Medvedev & Paula Badosa struggle in heat

Daniil Medvedev struggles to breathe in the Tokyo heat on Wednesday, asking the umpire who would be responsible if he died during his Olympic tennis match.

Source link

Daniell/Venus Upset Cabal/Farah In Tokyo

New Zealand pair Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus sprung a surprise on Wednesday at the Tokyo Olympics as they upset third-seeded Colombians Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah 6-3, 3-6, 10-7 to reach the semi-finals.

Daniell and Venus are competing together for the first time since 2016 this week. They won 82 per cent (36/44) of their first-service points in the match to advance in one hour and 36 minutes against Cabal and Farah, who have claimed two tour-level titles this season at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

View Order Of Play | View 2020 Olympics Results | View Men’s Doubles Draw 

The New Zealanders will next face Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig after the Croatians battled back to overcome British team Andy Murray and Joe Salisbury 4-6, 7-6(2), 10-7. Cilic and Dodig rallied from a set and a break down to book their spot in the last four.

Murray was aiming to win a fourth Olympic medal this week, having claimed gold in the 2012 and 2016 singles event along with a silver in the 2012 mixed doubles (w/Robson).

Top seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic also advanced with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Japanese pair Ben McLachlan and Kei Nishikori. The Croatians have won eight tour-level titles this year, including three ATP Masters 1000s and Wimbledon. They will next meet Austin Krajicek and Tennys Sandgren after the Americans downed Germans Jan-Lennard Struff and Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6(4).

Source link

Medvedev Battles Past Fognini In Tokyo To Reach QF

Second seed Daniil Medvedev overcame both the heat and Italian Fabio Fognini on Wednesday at the Tokyo Olympics as he moved into the quarter-finals.

The 25-year-old required two medical timeouts and a visit from the trainer due to the intense humidity before he rallied to defeat Fognini 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 in two hours and 26 minutes.

View Order Of Play | View 2020 Olympics Results | View Draw

The ROC star, who is making his Olympics debut this week, saved seven of the eight break points he faced in the match, winning 70 per cent (30/43) of his first-service points. Medvedev struck the ball with great depth as he raised his level in the crucial moments in the final set, converting both break points he had to advance.

The World No. 2 will next face Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta after the sixth seed moved past Germany’s Dominik Koepfer 7-6(7), 6-3.

Top seed Novak Djokovic eased past Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 6-1 as the Serbian continued his bid to claim a historic Golden Grand Slam. The World No. 1 is aiming to become the first male player to win all four majors and a gold medal in a season, with WTA legend Stefanie Graf the only player to have completed this achievement back in 1988.

The 34-year-old captured the first three Grand Slam titles of the year to move level with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on 20 majors. Djokovic produced a strong returning display on Wednesday, winning 51 per cent of points (22/43) on Davidovich Fokina’s first serve to advance in 84 minutes.

Djokovic will meet Japan’s Kei Nishikori in the last eight after the home favourite defeated Belarusian Ilya Ivashka 7-6(9), 6-0.

Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas could not follow in the footsteps of Medvedev and Djokovic and reach the quarter-finals as the World No. 4 was upset by Frenchman Ugo Humbert. The 14th seed battled back to record a career-best win, defeating the third seed 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-2.

The 23-year-old, who lifted the NOVENTI OPEN title in June, fired 22 winners, taking his fourth match point to advance. Humbert will next play the ROC’s Karen Khachanov after the 25-year-old downed Argentine Diego Schwartzman 6-1, 2-6, 6-1 in two hours and one minute to join countryman Medvedev in the last eight.

Alexander Zverev was also in action as the German defeated Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4, 7-6(5) in one hour and 39 minutes. The fourth seed, who hit 11 aces, failed to serve out the match at 5-4 in the second set but played aggressively in the tie-break to move through. Zverev next faces Jeremy Chardy after the Frenchman beat Brit Liam Broady 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-1.

Source link

Tokyo Olympics tennis: Andy Murray & Joe Salisbury out of men's doubles

Andy Murray’s bid for an Olympic gold at a third successive Games ends as he and Joe Salisbury lose in the men’s doubles quarter-finals in Tokyo.

Source link

Kyrgios Closes Out Atlanta Night Session With A Bang

Former champion Nick Kyrgios made a successful return to the Truist Atlanta Open on Tuesday night after fighting past Kevin Anderson 7-6(4), 6-3 to move into the second round.

Kyrgios didn’t face a break point as he aced his way through a tense meeting between two big servers. He won 86 per cent (36/42) of points behind his first serve, and fired 15 aces en route to victory. The Aussie will next face third seed Cameron Norrie, who arrives in Atlanta after claiming his first ATP Tour title in Los Cabos.

“Kevin is no easy opponent, he’s a finalist at Grand Slams and he knows how to win matches,” Kyrgios said in an on-court interview. “His serve is one of the best in the world, so I knew today was going to be incredibly tough. I haven’t played too many matches, but I was serving well and I just love playing here in Atlanta.”  

The only break of serve came late in the match, as Kyrgios pounced on a loose Anderson service game at 4-4. The South African gave Kyrgios too many looks at second serves, and the 2016 champion gleefully teed off to claim the decisive break.  

At match point, Kyrgios walked over to a fan in the crowd and, after a brief conversation, returned to the baseline. He fired a big first serve out wide that went unreturned, sealing the victory after an hour and 23 minutes.

“It’s a routine that I’ve been doing for the last few years, just trying to get the fans involved,” Kyrgios explained. “I saw that he had an ‘NK Nation’ hat on, and I said, ‘Where do you want me to serve?’ He just said, ‘Just go big, wide.’ So there you go.”

Brandon Nakashima also claimed a late win on Tuesday, needing two hours 25 minutes to takedown local wild card Trent Bryde 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-4. The 19-year-old American, who posted his first tour-level final appearance in Los Cabos, cruised through the opening set but found himself having to fight back as the University of Georgia student raised his level. 

Nakashima held his nerve against Bryde as well as the vocal crowd – including the university’s band – were firmly supporting the home favourite. The 19-year-old fired 10 aces and broke serve four times to set up a second-round meeting with top seed Milos Raonic. 

Source link

Five-Time Champ Isner Rides 36-Ace Barrage To Win In Atlanta

Five-time Truist Atlanta Open champion John Isner made a good start towards a sixth trophy at the ATP 250 on Tuesday behind a 36-ace barrage. The 36-year-old American eliminated countryman J.J. Wolf 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-4 to reach the second round after two hours and eight minutes.

“I was very happy with how I played today. J.J. is an incredibly tough player. He’s actually had a lot of bad luck with injuries recently,” Isner said in an on-court interview. “He was on his way up, got derailed a little bit. But it’s only a matter of time until he gets back to where he belongs, and that’s a very high ranking in my opinion.”

Wolf, who is playing just his second tournament of the season, returned impressively in the second-set tie-break to force Isner into a deciding set. But the sixth seed won 81 per cent of his service points and saved the only break point he faced in the match to set a clash against countryman Jack Sock or Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis.

Another seeded American, fifth seed Taylor Fritz, beat Russian qualifier Evgeny Donskoy 6-3, 6-4. Fritz saved the only break point he faced and converted his two opportunities to earn a showdown against countryman Steve Johnson, who defeated Aussie Alexei Popyrin on Monday.

Second seed Jannik Sinner now knows he will play Australian qualifier Christopher O’Connell, who rallied past home favourite Denis Kudla 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. The World No. 132 hit the shot of the day in the third set of his match, when he struck a tweener past his 28-year-old opponent, who was at the net.

In other action, seventh seed Benoit Paire battled past Japan’s Yasutaka Uchiyama 7-5, 6-72), 6-4. The Frenchman will next play Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori, who clawed past American Mackenzie McDonald 7-6(3), 7-5.

Source link

A #NextGenATP Mix In Kitzbühel: Rune Rises As Alcaraz Falls

#NextGenATP stars had mixed results on Tuesday in Kitzbühel, where Holger Vitus Nodksov Rune earned an impressive win as in-form Carlos Alcaraz fell.

Rune advanced to the second round of an ATP Tour main draw for the third time with a 6-3, 6-4 victory against Italian Stefano Travaglia. The 18-year-old from Denmark won 75 per cent of his second-serve return points to triumph after one hour and 21 minutes.

“It was a great match,” Rune said in his on-court interview. “Coming through the qualifying was great. I played two very solid matches, played a lot of tennis on the centre court, so I’m very happy with the win today.”

The teen has not lost any of his six sets in Austria since beginning his run in qualifying. Rune will try to reach his second tour-level quarter-final when he plays Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech, who eliminated fifth seed Federico Delbonis 6-2, 6-4.

Alcaraz, another #NextGenATP star who lifted his first ATP Tour trophy in Umag on Sunday, was unable to make his quick turnaround successful in Kitzbühel. Austrian wild card Alexander Erler, who had never played a tour-level singles match, stunned Alcaraz 7-5, 1-6, 6-2 with courageous, aggressive play.

^{Photo Credit: Generali Open/Alexander Scheuber}
“It is definitely [the best day of my career],” Erler said in his on-court interview. “Now at the moment I am a little bit speechless. I am just so happy. Thanks to my team and [I’m] ready for the second round.”

Erler will attempt to carry this momentum into his second-round clash against Sweden’s Mikael Ymer, who advanced on Monday. Two other Austrians, Lukas Neumayer and Dennis Novak, were unable to move on. Spanish lucky loser Mario Vilella Martinez ousted Neumayer 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-4 and Italian Gianluca Mager dismissed Novak 6-4, 6-0.

Marco Cecchinato, the 2018 Roland Garros semi-finalist, showed his clay-court prowess in a 6-3, 7-6(7) triumph against Moldovan Radu Albot and German Daniel Altmaier, who made the semi-finals last week in Umag, upset sixth seed Laslo Djere 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Source link

Thanks For The Memories: Fall Out Boy Meets Kyrgios In Atlanta

Nick Kyrgios has a talent for drawing crowds and engaging with fans from all over the world. On Monday night, he got a chance to mingle with one of his more famous fans after getting a visit from Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz at the Truist Atlanta Open. 

Wentz and his band were in town touring with the likes of Green Day and Weezer on the Hella Mega Tour, which had its Atlanta stop on Monday. After the concert, Wentz, a lifelong tennis fan, was keen to take in the action at the ATP 250 event and see his favourite player Kyrgios hit the doubles court with Jack Sock. 

“I love Nick a lot, I think he’s really rad. He’s got a rad personality and he brings a dynamic energy to tennis,” Wentz told ATPTour.com. “My kids are interested in him too, they like watching him play basketball and talk about basketball. 

“My favourite players are also [Aryna] Sabalenka [from the WTA Tour] and Denis Shapovalov. With Denis, the first time I saw him he was playing in a backwards hat, just ripping forehands, and I was like, ‘Whoa this is really cool to watch.’”

Unfortunately, Wentz only got to watch a few points of tennis before rain halted play, delaying the start of Kyrgios and Sock’s match for several hours. But the musician still got the chance to meet with the Aussie and chat during the rain delay.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Pete Wentz (@petewentz)

Wentz plays bass guitar for the Grammy nominated band Fall Out Boy, whose hits include ‘Sugar, We’re Goin Down’, ‘Thnks Fr Th Mmrs’ and ‘Centuries’. He told ATPTour.com that he grew up playing tennis at local courts near his home in Chicago. He got back into the sport recently and became ‘addicted’ to tennis about five years ago.

“Fans of tennis are very passionate and fans of music are very passionate – our fans live and die with the band the same way tennis fans live and die with their favourite player, which I think is really cool,” he said. “The live environment is also really cool, and also there’s the idea of the ‘tour’ which is very similar: living out of a bag and going to different places, playing different venues.”

Source link