ATP
Australian Open Men’s Day 8
Novak Djokovic paid no heed of his ongoing hamstring injury as he nine-time champion inflicted a 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 embarrassment on Alex de Minaur to reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Monday.
The Serb calmly went about his business on the Laver showcourt as he methodically crushed the Australian national No.2, ending local interest in the Grand Slam just past the halfway mark.
De Minaur saved a match point with a third ace on his way out the door, holding serve in the penultimate game before Djokovic shut him down for good after two hours and a bit.
Djokovic will face off for the semi-finals against Andrey Rublev, who struggled to overcome Dane Holder Rune in a five setter which ended in a super-tiebreaker.
De Minaur failed to live up to hype as the last home hope going up against the Serb who has been working full-time on playing through his injury.
The De Minaur match was only the third for Djokovic here against an Aussie, having defeated Lleyton Hewitt in 2008 and 2012.
He has now notched eight straight victories against Australians.since losing to Nick Kyrgios six years ago.
Djokovic improved to 28-1 when facing home country players at Slams; he last lost to Andy Murray at Wimbledon a decade ago.
“I cannot say I’m sorry it was not a longer match,” the winner said..”I really wanted to win in straight sets.
“The first four of five games were tight, then I felt loose and hit more freely. I was able to be more aggressive.
“He seemed a bit more nervous than i was so I was able to capitalise on these chances.
“I had to keep focus all the way through. But this was my best match of the year so far.,”
Djokovic insisted that he felt nothing from his hamstring problem, adding that he has been taking antiinflammatories under advice from his medical team.
“Things can change really quickly and I don’t want to take anything for granted.”
Fifth seed Rublev produced a dramatic finish to his epic 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 4-6 7-6 (11-9) defeat of Rune.
Rublev and his outspoken Danish opponent each saved two match points before a let cord ball off the Rublev racquet rolled over the top and into the Rune court on a third match point.
Rune served for victory in the fifth set without success.
The stroke of luck capped a fighting finish for Rublev, who came from 5-2 down in the fifth set and 5-0 down in the super-tiebreaker.
“A roller-coaster is easier than this,” the winner said. “I was never able to win matches like this before.
“this is the first time ever. To be in the quarter-finals again here (also 2021) is something I’ll remember all my life.
“I have no words, I’m shaking a bit.”
The aggressive, assertive Rune, an acquired tennis taste for many, could not believe how he let the match get away in the closing stages from a position of strength.
The 19-year-old felt the pain of defeat: “This one hurts a lot. It was super close.
“I had my chances, he played well. The match points, nothing really to do.
“The luck was on his side. I think I did a lot. I fought until the end. It was tough luck.”
Ben Shelton, making his first trip outside the US at age 20, made the best of his newcomer status in a 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-2 over compatriot JJ Wolf.
The pair of university tennis champions lasted for nearly four hours
Shelton becomes the fourth man in the last 20 years to reach the quarter-finals on an Australian Open debut.
Shelton will square off against another countryman Tommy Paul, a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 winner over Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut.
There are three American men in the quarter-finals here for the first time since 2000.
Holger Rune battled past injured Carlos Alcaraz to spoil the Spanish Easter party at the Barcelona Open, with the Dane lifting the trophy 7-6 (6), 6-2.
The pair of 21-year-olds were familiar foes, having played 20 times in juniors before hitting the Tour; Rune won the first 500 series title of his career and his fifth overall.
Alcaraz was treated three times in the second set after an apparent injury to his upper right thigh/groin after duelling hard in the opening set at the Real Club.
The loss will send Alcaraz back to third in the rankings, with Alexander Zverev moving back to second behind Jannik Sinner as a result of winning the Munich title on Sunday.
Rune, a first-round victim last week in Monte Carlo, reversed his clay momentum in Spain, handing Alcaraz a first loss of a set for the week.
The Spanish top seed’s two final shots both clipped the top of the net and fell back as Rune raised his hands in celebration after 97 minutes on court in the Catalan capital.
“This means the world,” the winner said. “I started the match stressed, he was playing big-time tennis.
“I was able to find my rhythm after he broke me (3-2 in the opening set) and I got more into the match.
“The first set was a big battle with a lot of important points. It was super-important to win the set and gain momentum.
“I’m so proud of myself.”
Rune ended with 18 winners while the ailing Alcaraz produced 33 unforced errors. The Dane claimed his 50th match win on clay and levelled his Tour record in the series to 2-2.
Rune said he channeled Novak Djokovic’s Paris Olympic gold medal win from last summer over Alcaraz as he struggled to turn his game around in Barcelona.
“I asked myself what Novak did to win that final. I (realised) that I didn’t need to hit every ball on the line. I need to make him play and hit a lot of balls.”
Rune, who won the elite Paris Bercy Masters 1000 title in 2022, finally began reversing a 13-match loss streak against top five opponents.with his title victory.
Alcaraz may be racing for fitness with the Madrid Masters starting on Wednesday as the ATP ploughs ahead with an unpopular two-week format for Masters tournaments despite growing protest from exhausted players.
Main photo:- Holger Rune celebrates Barcelona win – by ATPTour.com
Alexander Zverev turned 28 on Sunday and awarded himself a third title on his home Munich clay as he beat Ben Shelton 6-2,6-4 to win the ATP event.
The 2017 and 2018 champion here is now threatening Carlos Alcaraz as the pair duel for the world No. 2 position which the Spaniard took over last week after winning Monte Carlo.
Zverev schooled lefthander Shelton in 70 minutes for a second win in their series. The winner becomes the second to hold three Munich titles after countryman Philipp Kohlschreiber (2007, 2012, 2016).
“I’m enjoying my birthday so far,” Zverev said. “It’s extremely special to win in Germany, the most special thing I can do.
January’s Australian Open finalist added: “It’s definitely a great birthday present, I knew I had to play my best today, conditions were very hot and very fast.They were perfect for me.”
The winner broke three times while never facing a challenge to his serve from Shelton as he claimed a sixth career title at the 500-Tour level.
Main photo:- Alexander Zverev with his “birthday” trophy – by BMW Open/Bitpanda
Alexander Zverev gave fans in Munich what they were after as the top seed rolled into the final of the clay ATP in Bavaria with a 7-6 (3), 6-3 defeat of Fabian Marozsan.
World No. 3 Zverev, who won the titles in 2017 and 2018 needed 91 minutes to advance into a title match with Ben Shelton.
The American earned his spot with a .2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4 defeat of Argentine Francisco Cerundolo.
Zverev advanced with nine aces and broke twice in the tidy win over his Hungarian opposition.
“It’s awesome. The entire week has been great. Everybody is really enjoying the weather as well as the new Center Court,” the winner said. .
“I’m enjoying myself and hopefully I will have another great day tomorrow.”
Shelton reached his fourth career final, becoming the first American man to reach a clay final above ATP 250 level since Andre Agassi won the Rome Masters 23 years ago.
“It’s a big win for me. To get a win on clay against a guy like him gives me a lot of confidence,” Shelton.
“I’m really happy and excited to be in a 500-level final in Europe, my second clay-court tournament this season.
“I’ve been playing well this week and I’m not too stressed right now.”
Main photo:-Alexander Zverev winning in front of his home crowd – by ATPTour.com
Sabalenka hoping to turn her luck in Stuttgart
Rune rises to the occasion with defeat of Alcaraz
Zverev grabs a birthday gift with third Munich title
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