ATP
Wimbledon Men’s Day 5
Stefanos Tsitsipas ended the dream of two-time Wimbledon winner Andy Murray as the fifth seed reached the third round on Friday in a match which began the day before.
The Greek fifth seed handed the Centre Court hero a 7-6 (3), 6-7 (2), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 defeat in a cumulative four and a half hours.
Murray won the title here in 2013 and 2016 but has now lost his last two appearances in the second round. Friday’s conclusion ran for an hour and three-quarters with the younger man admitting he was severely tested.
“I had to work extra hard today to get the victory,” Tsitsipas said. “Andy made me run left and right, up and down for more than four hours.
“The challenge today was to come up with solutions against someone who can return a lot of balls.”
The match was paused due to darkness on Thursday night, with Murray leading two sets to one.
The second chapter less than 24 hours later was just as intense, with Tsitsipas getting the edge with a break in the third game of the final set and holding his nerve to win on a third match point.
“It’s never easy against Andy,” the winner said. “Everyone loves him here.
“I’m very impressed with how well he has held up after so many years on Tour having had two hip surgeries.
“His level today was impressive. It was tough to play when you watched him while growing up. It was hard to overcome this obstacle.”
Top seed Carlos Alcaraz snapped his brief Centre Court jinx, claiming victory at the iconic venue after a loss in 2022.
The Spaniard defeated Alexandre Muller 6-4, 7-6 (2), 6-3 to advance into the third round, with the Queen’s Club champion claiming his seventh straight victory on grass.
A year ago he went out in the fourth round at the iconic showcourt to Jannik Sinner.
“I’m really, really happy to win a match here,” he said. “I’ve started the tournament well and I’m feeling good on grass.
“I’m getting more experience and feeling better with each match.”
Daniil Medvedev came back out to finish a second-round match held over from the night before and advanced past Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-3, 7-6- (5).
The third seed double-faulted on his first match point but came good as France’s Mannarino sent a return wide to end a two-and-a-half-hour encounter.
The pair have now played five times on grass, with Medvedev avenging a loss two weeks ago in the Netherlands.
“It’s not easy to play two different days,” the winner said.
“Straightaway you’re nervous, you don’t want to lose this set because the momentum of the match can change.
“I’m so happy that I managed to close it out on the tiebreak. I feel like I played pretty well from the start today (4-4 in the third set).
“We had some unbelievable points actually.. happy that I managed to push it through and be here tomorrow.”
Young Dane Holger Rune continued his education on grass in his second Wimbledon edition with a 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-4 defeat of Roberto Carballes Baena.
The 20-year-old sixth seed is pleased with his progress at reaching the third-round here for the first time with victory in a match which began on Thursday.
He came from two breaks down in the opening set and once more in the third.
“It was not easy today, he doesn’t give you anything for free,” the winner said.
“I needed to finish the points and play well. I managed to raise my level close to the end and got lots of crowd support.
Rune, who grew up on European clay, called grass “a beautiful surface when you are playing the right way.”
“It’s a big adjustment as I’ve played on hardcourt and clay my whole life.”
He added: “I don’t feel insecure anymore on the grass, sometimes it’s not only about hitting hard.
“It’s also about playing the right shots, make the opponent play in the important moments.”
Italian eighth seed Jannik Sinner made quick work of France’s Quentin Hayes, coming back after dropping the opening set to reach the third round 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.
2021 finalist Matteo Berrettini shook off the injury problems which have blighted his game for more than a year to post a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over Australian Alex de Minaur,
German Alexander Zverev advanced on a day of sun as he beat Japanese lucky loser Yosuke Watanuki 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 in two and a half hours.
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
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