ATP
AO Men: Day 2
Andy Murray provided a red-hot performance in over-like conditions to advance to the second round of the Australian Open 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7(7), 7-6 (10-6) over Matteo Berrettini.
The Scot spent just short of five hours on court on a heatwave day at the Open, when play was shut down for two and a half hours on outside courts as temperatures rose past 37 Celsius.
Murray’s match went ahead in the enclosed Laver arena and provided the bulk of the day’s drama.
The three-time Grand Slam winner bolted ahead as he climbed the first two sets only to see his 2021 Wimbledon finalist opponent level at a set apiece.
The 35-year-old squeaked out the final set, played in the first-to-10 tiebreak format now in use at the majors.
Victory ended a four-match losing run in the series with the powerful Italian.
“I will feel this tonight and tomorrow,” the former No. 1 said. “But I’m unbelievably happy and proud of myself right now.
“”Ive out in a lot of work over the last few months with my team and it’s paying off.
“It gives me the opportunity to perform in matches like this.”
Murray is now 159-1 when up two sets to love. Berrettini missed out on his second comeback from two sets to love down after his first at Wimbledon five years ago.
2022 Melbourne semi-finalist Berrettini will drop form the Top 20 as a result of his defeat and becomes the third Italian behind Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti.
Andrey Rublev handed 2020 tournament finalist Dominic Thiem a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 defeat as the Austrian continues his comeback after 18 months of injury.
The former No. 3 suffered a first-round loss in his third straight Grand Slam, with Rublev going through to the second round in just over two hours.
The win came in the draining 36 Celsius heat of a Melbourne summer day.
Thiem took a medical timeout while leading 3-2 in the second set, going off court with the trainer for treatment on a rib problem.
Rublev was almost apologetic in victory.
“Playing Domi is never easy, we are very good friends and he is going through a not easy time,” the six-time quarter-finalist at the majors said..
“I hope he comes back to his rightful level as fast as possible.
“It was super hot today, I’m glad to win in three sets and save some energy for the next match.
“The heat can affect your decision (on court) and you feel exhausted faster. But then you remember that the other guy is in the same position.”
The 98th-ranked Thiem shrugged off disappointment as he keeps faith in his slow climb back up the rankings.
“This (injury) thing came up with abdominals or ribs, and after that serve was tough.
“The ribs are fine, it’s just a little inflammation or a little strain. It’s obviously not the best timing in the middle of the second set..
“Against an opponent like Andrey it’s going to be really difficult to end the match successfully.”
Thee 29-year-old Austrian who own the US Open in 2020 and played two Roland Garros finals against Rafael Nadal added:
“The beginning (of his comeback early last season) was way tougher than I expected. I was also playing way worse than I was expecting, so it was a
tough way back.
“But things changed towards autumn, towards the last tournaments of the year (two semi-finals).
“My ultimate goal is to come back to a level where I can believe that I can beat a top 5 seed in a Slam again.”
Eighth-seeded American Taylor Fritz sent down a career-high 32 aces as he accelerated past Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.
Alexander Zverev, playing his second event since snapping seven ligaments in a fall at Roland Garros in the spring, struggled to a satisfying 4-6, 6-1, 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-4 win over Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas, his first since May 31 last year.
2017 semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov produced a 7-6(3), 7-5, 6-2 defeat of Aslan Karatsev after more than two hours of battle in the heat; he next faces Serb Laslo Djere, who defeated Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs 6-4, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1.
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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