ATP
AO 2024 Men’s Day 8
Novak Djokovic faced a daytime match at the Australian Open for the first time in three years, with the Serb producing a storming victory despite competing in an unfamiliar hour on Sunday.
The 10-time champion delivered one of the most comprehensive victories of his career as he crushed France’s Adrian Mannarino 6-0, 6-0, 6-3 winning the first 13 games of a one-way fourth-rounder played under the closed roof of the Laver arena.
Mannarino, aged 35 to Djokovic’s 36, normally does not look at the name of his upcoming opponent until an hour or so prior to a match.
But he likely would have realised the ugly truth once he saw it would be Djokovic across the net, with the Serb now holding a 5-0 record in the series after his latest victory.
Djokovic proved relentless as he seized control of the contest from the start and barely gave the Frenchman a look-in.
The Serb moved into a 58th Grand Slam quarter-final, equalling the all-time record of Roger Federer.
Mannarino breathed a small sigh of relief after leveling the third set at 1-all after dropping each of the first two to love. He added two more in the third set but could do little against the Djokovic juggernaut.
The Serb fired 17 aces among his 23 winners while breaking seven times.
He said that after running off his string of early games, finally losing one was something of a relief.
“I wanted to lose that game in the third set, the tension was building. After that I could go back to focusing on closing out the match.
“I played great from first point to last. he is a very unorthodox player, he used the angles well and has a consistent backhand.
“It’s cat and mouse against him; I had to endure long rallies and run him around the court.
“It was a great performance.”
After playing for four hours in the first round, Djokovic signed off after less than two as he dispatched Mannarino.
The 10-time Melbourne champion next takes on Taylor Fritz for a place in the semi-finals after the American prevented a re-run of last year’s final won by Djokovic.
Fritz accounted for sixth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-3, 6-3, earning the first Top 10 win of his career at a Grand Slam after losing 11 times previously to the elite
The Greek is now flirting with a drop form the ranking Top 10 for the fist time since February, 2019.
Fritz won with 13 aces aces after three hours of struggle.
“I trusted my shots a lot. I served well the whole match,” the winner said,
“At the end when I really needed it, I turned it up a level and played some of my best tennis to finish it.”
Fritz will have a tough ask to try and earn his first semi-final at a major while facing Djokovic.
“The last three games of the match I really, really turned it on, almost like was in a trance,” the winner said.
“I felt like I knew exactly what shot to hit, the right decision to make on every ball.
Tsitsipas said he will analyse – and not pout – over his defeat.
“It’s (losing’s) not a negative feeling, it’s a feeling of evolution, of change. Change is always constant.
“One day you’re in the top 10, the other day you’re not there anymore, so you have to keep on working and allowing yourself to flourish through these experiences.
“It’s been a while since I’ve had that feeling, so it gives me a lot of confidence.”
Fritz managed 50 winners to his opponent’s 41.
Fourth seed Jannik Sinner maintained a clean slate as the major goes over the halfway point, with the Italian punishing 2023 semi-finalist Karen Khachanov 6-4, 7-5, 6-3.
Sinner has won all four of his matches in straight sets.
“We’ve had tough matches, he’s an incredible player,” Sinner said. “I tried to stay mentally and physically strong.
“Every match has its own story: today I won, so I’m very happy.
“We both have similar styles, which makes it tough to play. We both hit flat, so it can be a bit like ping-pong.”
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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