Connect with us

ATP

Wimbledon Men’s Day 5

Published

on

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.”

Wimbledon Championships Holger Rune (DEN) wins second round match Photo Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd

“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.

ATP

Zverev scratches 7-year itch with return to Shanghai SF

Published

on

Alexander Zverev on Thursday made a long-sought after return to the Shanghai Masters semi-finals, booking his first final four at the event since 2019, defeating Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4.

The 2027 year-end No. 1 last got this far as the Covid pandemic began to surface in China in 2019. The event was not played 2020-2022, with the German making modest progress here over the past three editions since resumption.

After winning his 62nd match of the season, the 29-year-old was pleased with his performance.

“I think it was a huge step up. From just being on the court I felt both of us were playing really well. 

“I was, a lot of the time, outhitting Alex, which is difficult to do from the baseline because he is so fast and he loves this kind of court speed here. 

“I felt good and I’m happy with the step up from the past couple of matches.”

Zverev advanced in 78 minutes, sending over 10 aces as he defeated the Australian for the ninth time in their 13 matches.

Added the reigning Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows Grand Slam champion: “I’ve been handling pressure quite okay this year. In a way you play a bit more relaxed.

“Once Jannik (SInner) unfortunately announced he won’t play for the rest of the year, I’m 4,000 points ahead of everyone else, so I trust myself enough that I’m going to win [enough matches].

Zverev will play for the final to wrap up the Asian swing as he takes on Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who advanced when  Arthur Gea quit their quarter-final with injury.

Continue Reading

ATP

Zverev celebrates No. 1 status with Shanghai QF

Published

on

Alexander Zverev marked his new status as sure-thing year-end No. 1 by reaching the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday by posting a fighting 7-6 (6), 4-6, 7-6 (1) victory over Alexander Bublik..

The 29-year-old German whose two Grand Slam titles this season and the absence of injured Jannik Sinner helped him into the top spot for the first time, needed to save four early set points and deal with an ank;e issue on his journey into the last eight.

Zverev moved through in just under two and three-quarter hours to set up a match with last week’s Beijing finalist Alex de Minaur, The Australian booked his spot over Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-4.

Zverev will be playing in his 40th quarter-final in a Masters 1000 and is on the hunt for an eighth trophy this season.

He said his ankle was giving problems – but not enough to affect the match outcome.”It was kind of understandable because I have been playing a lot of tennis, which is kind of a good sign because I have been playing well.

“I’m starting to feel my body more and more but happy to get through. It was a difficult match because he has been playing amazing tennis,” he said after coming from a break down in the deciding set.

De Minaur has bounced back nicely in Shanghai after quitting the Tokyo final against Carlos Alcaraz with an adductor muscle injury.

Continue Reading

ATP

Mind over matter as Stef advances in Shanghai

Published

on

Stefanos Tsitsipas willed himself to a 401st Tour win on Monday, with the Greek advancing to the Shanghai Masters 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, over world No. 12 Taylor Fritz to reach the fourth round.

The win leaves the Greek with a 5-2 record against the American in a series dating back nine years.

The cerebral Tsitsipas credited the victory to some simple mental gymnastics.

“I was manifesting today’s match and trying to put myself in a victorious situation,” he said. 

“I’ve always had big fights against him. Some of my biggest matches were played facing him on the other side of the court. I had to up my level.

“Once I started doing that, a lot of doors were open and I was really able to unleash my biggest potential out there.”

The match ended on an unusual note as the ball twice fell from the pocket of Fritz, causing each of the points in question to  be replayed.

Tsitsipas missed on three match points in the mistake-marred game  but secured the fightback victory a game later after  two and a quarter hours.

Continue Reading

Trending