Tennis: Alcaraz, Medvedev ease into US Open second round

NEW YORK -- Carlos Alcaraz launched the defense of his US Open crown with a brisk victory after his opponent suffered an injury on Tuesday as third seed Daniil Medvedev strolled into the second round with a quick-fire win.

Alcaraz, returning to the same Arthur Ashe Stadium court where he lifted his first Grand Slam as a teenager a year ago, was always in control after Germany's Dominik Koepfer rolled his left ankle badly in the opening game.

Koepfer tried to continue despite being in obvious discomfort, but finally called it quits while trailing 3-2 in the second set after dropping the first 6-2.

"That's not the best way to get through into another round," said world number one Alcaraz. "But I have to say on my side I was playing great."

Alcaraz, who faces Lloyd Harris of South Africa in the second round, is on course to face 2021 US Open champion Medvedev in the semi-finals.

Medvedev opened his account on Tuesday with a 6-1, 6-1, 6-0 thrashing of Hungary's Attila Balazs in just 74 minutes.

The Russian will face Australia's Christopher O'Connell in the second round on Thursday for a spot in the last 32.

"That's probably the fastest three-set match I played," Medvedev said after his blistering demolition of Balazs.

While Alcaraz and Medvedev cruised into the second round, Karen Khachanov -- a semi-finalist at last year's US Open -- was on the wrong end of a first-round upset.

The 11th-seeded Russian was bounced out in straight sets by American world No.89 Michael Mmoh, losing 6-2, 6-4, 6-2.

Germany's 12th seed Alexander Zverev, a beaten finalist at Flushing Meadows in 2020, never looked in danger of following Khachanov out of the tournament, registering a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over Australia's Aleksandar Vukic.

Jannik Sinner, the Italian sixth seed, trounced Yannick Hanfmann of Germany 6-3, 6-1, 6-1.

In other men's games on Tuesday, British veteran Andy Murray downed France's Corentin Moutet 6-2, 7-5, 6-3, in a match that saw a bungled attempt to use the US Open's new video review technology for the first time.

Chair umpire Louise Azemar Engzell attempted to deploy the system after Moutet requested a review following a double-bounce call.

The umpire was forced to abandon the attempt however after discovering officials were unable to properly access footage of the incident.

"I don't know how the technology works," Murray said. "But it obviously didn't go to plan in a pretty important moment of the match. So, yeah, it would be good if they could get that fixed."

Meanwhile, China sealed a notable first when Wu Yibing beat Serbia's Dusan Lajovic 3-6, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 to join compatriot Zhang Zhizhen in the second round.

It is the first time in tennis's Open era that two Chinese men have reached the second round of the same Grand Slam tournament.

 - Ailing Jabeur advances -

In the women's draw meanwhile another semi-finalist from 2022 also made an early exit, with French seventh seed Caroline Garcia slumping to a 6-4, 6-1 reverse against Chinese qualifier Wang Yafan.

Meanwhile second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, the reigning Australian Open champion, progressed with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Ukraine-born Belgian Maryna Zanevska.

The end of the match was tinged with controversy as Zanevska declined to shake hands with Sabalenka in protest at Belarus's military support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"I know I'm representing Belgium but all my family are in Ukraine," Zanevska told AFP.

"I have family fighting on the frontline. And I think if I shake her hand it would be the same as spitting in the face of them."

Tunisia's Ons Jabeur, desperate to land her first Grand Slam title after losing in three major championship finals in 2022 and 2023, survived a medical scare before scraping past Colombia's Camila Osorio.

The 29-year-old fifth seed looked out of sorts throughout her 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) win, at one stage in the opening set complaining of breathing difficulties before taking an extended medical timeout.

Jabeur has played only one tournament since being upset in last month's Wimbledon final by unseeded Czech Marketa Vondrousova.

Vondrousova, seeded ninth in New York, cruised into the second round on Tuesday with a 6-3, 6-0 win over South Korean qualifier Han Na-Lae.

Third seed Jessica Pegula meanwhile kept home hopes alive with a clinical 6-2, 6-2 defeat of Italy's Camila Giorgi.

But there was disappointment for American icon Venus Williams, competing in her record-extending 24th US Open.

Williams was bounced out 6-1, 6-1 by Belgium's Greet Minnen -- who was just a few weeks old when Williams reached her first US Open final back in 1997.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Alcaraz into Madrid final on 20th birthday, faces lucky loser Struff

MADRID, Spain -- Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz celebrated his 20th birthday on Friday by reaching the Madrid Open final, likening himself to "a bull" in his straight sets win over Borna Coric.

The world number two was at his best to defeat the Croatian 6-4, 6-3.

He will face Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff, the world number 65, who had originally been knocked out in qualifying before winning a reprieve, in Sunday's final.

Alcaraz said he called upon some of the inner motivation which helped him triumph at the US Open in New York last year when he captured his maiden Grand Slam crown.

"There was a moment when I repeated what I repeated at the US Open, that I'm a bull, and that I could do it, and it helped me," he explained.

Alcaraz, reaching his fourth Masters 1000 final, broke for a 3-2 lead in a tight first set and served it out.

He broke for 2-1 in the second set and after world number 20 Coric immediately hit back, did so again for a 3-2 lead, which he consolidated.

Alcaraz sealed the match with another break when Coric went long, ensuring he reached the final only dropping one set en route, against Emil Ruusuvuori.

The top seed was able to celebrate with a birthday cake, offered to him by the tournament organisers after his victory.

The only dampener for Alcaraz was news that Spanish compatriot and 22-time major winner Rafael Nadal would miss next week's Italian Open through injury.

Nadal hasn't played since the Australian Open in January due to a hip injury and is now a serious doubt for the French Open in three weeks' time and where the 36-year-old has been champion on 14 occasions.

- 'World wants Nadal' -

"I hope to see him at Roland Garros 100 percent. The world wants to see him at 100 percent," said Alcaraz.

Struff, 33, made only his second career final by defeating Russia's Aslan Karatsev who had beaten him in qualifying last weekend.

However, having been allocated a place in the main draw after injury pull-outs, Struff avenged that loss in Friday's semi-final.

He came from a set down to see off 121st-ranked Karatsev 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and become the first 'lucky loser' to go all the way to a Masters final.

Struff, whose only other final appearance resulted in a runner-up finish in Munich in 2021, claimed victory on a fifth match point.

He fired 37 winners including 15 aces in his two-hour 19-minute win.

"It's amazing," Struff said. "I played one final before in Munich but there was no crowd because of Covid."

Struff and Alcaraz have met twice before -- the German winning in straight sets at the French Open in 2021 before the flamboyant Spaniard claimed a five-setter at Wimbledon last year.

- 'I have to go for it' -

"We played an amazing match at Wimbledon and I was very close to beating him but he pulled off unbelievable shots," Struff said.

"This is going to be different. This is in Spain, in Madrid. I think he is 20-0 on Spanish clay courts, so it is going to be very tough. I have to go for it otherwise I will have no chance."

Struff, who upset fifth-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals, was the third lucky loser to reach the semi-finals at a Masters 1000 event, joining Thomas Johansson in Toronto in 2004 and Lucas Pouille in Rome in 2016.

The Madrid women's final between the world number one Iga Swiatek and number two, Aryna Sabalenka, takes place on Saturday.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Alcaraz earns Zverev revenge, Medvedev out of Madrid Open

MADRID, Spain -- World number two Carlos Alcaraz breezed past Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-2 to reach the Madrid Open quarter-finals on Tuesday.

Third-ranked Daniil Medvedev crashed out against Russian compatriot Aslan Karatsev, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4, while Stefanos Tsitsipas eased through against Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-3, 6-1.

In the women's competition world number two Aryna Sabalenka was forced to sweat by Mayar Sherif but eventually came through 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 to reach the semi-finals.

Top-seeded Spaniard Alcaraz, who also beat Zverev in last season's Madrid final, gained revenge for the German's triumph when they met later in the 2022 French Open quarter-finals.

Two-time Madrid winner Zverev, 26, was blown away in the opening set. He improved a little in the second but not sufficiently to trouble Alcaraz, who moved his opponent around at will.

"I played at a great level, I didn't let him dominate, I went on the attack the whole time, and above all, I returned really well," said Alcaraz, who won in one hour 22 minutes.

"I played a complete game, and that's how we have this result -- but it's not a normal result against (Zverev)."

The US Open champion dropped just two points in the first set in his near-immaculate service games, and put strong pressure on the German's serve.

Alcaraz converted his third break point to take a 2-0 lead in the 11-minute second game, before wresting another from Zverev for 5-1, consolidating to take the set.

The duo traded blows on serve at the start of the second set before Alcaraz carved out a break for 3-2 when Zverev sent a forehand return wide.

Alcaraz again broke for a 5-2 lead with a neat forehand down the line and triumphed on serve when Zverev batted a return long.

In the last eight, the Murcian will face Karen Khachanov who dispatched Andrey Rublev 7-6 (10/8), 6-4 in another all-Russian battle.

Medvedev, second seed in the Spanish capital, has admitted he struggles on clay and fell to another defeat against Karatsev on the dirt, as he did in Rome two seasons ago.

Karatsev triumphed comfortably in the first set tie-break, his ball striking immaculate throughout the clash, hitting 28 winners to just four unforced errors.

Ranked 121st in the world, the qualifier broke the 2021 US Open winner for 3-2 in the second set and only dropped two points on his serve after that to progress.

"Feeling great, playing well, I just have to focus every match. I'll be preparing for the next round," said Karatsev.

He will face Zhizhen Zhang, who became the first Chinese player to reach the quarter-finals of a Masters 1000 event.

Zhang eked out a nailbiting victory over world number 10 Taylor Fritz, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (10/8).

World number five Tsitsipas will face lucky loser Jan-Lennard Struff, who saw off Pedro Cachin 7-6 (9/7), 6-7 (7/9), 6-3.

The other quarter-final pits Croatian Borna Coric, ranked 20th, against Germany's Daniel Altmaier.

- Slow start -

Australian Open champion Sabalenka struggled badly at first against Sherif but turned the two-hour match around convincingly to reach the semi-finals.

"I was just trying to keep fighting to keep playing my game and find my rhythm," said Sabalenka.

"She's a clay court specialist and I'm very happy with this win. It was a very tough one."

Sherif, the first Egyptian to reach a WTA 1000 quarter-final, capitalized on Sabalenka's erratic start to break in the first game.

The 26-year-old became the first player to take a set off Sabalenka in Madrid.

However the Belarusian, 24, bounced back strongly, converting all four of her break points in the second set and hitting 10 winners to Sherif's one to force a third.

The 2021 Madrid winner was a break down at 2-1 in the second but won 11 of the next 12 games, dominating her opponent in the third set.

Sabalenka will face Greek world number nine Maria Sakkari after she came from behind to beat Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-2 in the second quarter-final.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Sinner downs Alcaraz to set up Miami final with Medvedev

MIAMI GARDENS -- Italy's Jannik Sinner ended Carlos Alcaraz's hopes of the "Sunshine Double" and his reign as world number one, triumphing 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-2 in their Miami Open semi-final on Friday.

Sinner will meet Russian Daniil Medvedev in Sunday's final while Alcaraz will lose his number one ranking to Novak Djokovic.

Medvedev reached his fifth straight ATP Tour final with a 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-3 win over fellow Russian Karen Khachanov.

The disappointment for the 19-year-old Alcaraz, the defending champion in Miami and coming off a title at Indian Wells, will be tinged with frustration after he struggled in the third set with leg cramps.

It had been an enthralling and entertaining power-hitting performance from both men in the first set, won by the Spaniard after a tie-break, but an inspired Sinner fought back in the second.

Sinner broke in the first game and although Alcaraz broke back to make it 2-2, the 21-year-old Italian sensed his moment was arriving and showed confidence in his powerful groundstrokes.

Sinner broke again to go 5-4 up and then held for the set to end Alcaraz's streak of 21 winning sets.

The world number one was moving with difficulty and was broken on his first serve in the deciding set. Looking in discomfort, he crouched down on his baseline in between points and shot some worried and confused looks to his team in the stands.

Sinner lost his focus for a while, his blistering shots replaced by some conservative strokes but he soon regained focus as he ran out the winner in three hours.

- Boyhood friend -

The 27-year-old Medvedev, playing against his boyhood friend, survived a second-set comeback but his trademark precision stroke play saw him through against the big-serving Khachanov in a high quality encounter.

The contest saw a series of long rallies as Medvedev fended off Khachanov's thumping shots from the baseline and then pinned his opponent back on his service game.

Medvedev hit 13 aces and saved four of six break points as the match turned decisively in his favor when he broke Khachanov in the fourth game of the third set.

Medvedev won 82% (14 of 17) of his first-serve points in the final set and was relieved to have beaten a player who knows his game so well.

"In my opinion, it was a top match," Medvedev said. "In the first set when we lost our serves, it was just a good game from the returner.

"In the second set, I had one bad game and he won the set. I had one break point, I could have done better. He had a break point in the first game of the third set, I managed to play well. He had one bad game in the third set, I managed to take it and I am really happy to be through. It was a very tough match."

While aware that a very tough test awaits in the final, the Russian said he was capable of beating any player on the tour.

"I have to believe in myself. I know I am capable of winning big titles. I know I can play well and beat anybody," Medvedev said.

"Carlos is on fire right now but you can't win 100 matches in a row. At one moment someone is going to put the water on the fire. It might be Sinner today, it might be me on Sunday, it might be someone else next tournament."

Khachanov said he had played at his best and felt he was a little unfortunate to end up on the losing side.

"To be honest with you, I think it was really one of the greatest matches, I felt from the beginning 'til the end in terms of level, in terms of speed, intensity, attitude, everything," he said.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Alcaraz, Swiatek roll into Indian Wells quarters, Medvedev survives

INDIAN WELLS -- Top seeds Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek eased into the Indian Wells quarter-finals on cue on Tuesday as in-form Daniil Medvedev defied injury in a wild three-set win over Alexander Zverev.

Alcaraz, the world number two who can regain the top ranking with a win this week, had a short night's work on Stadium Court as Britain's Jack Draper retired with an abdominal injury with the Spaniard up 6-2, 2-0.

World number one Swiatek, meanwhile, had the last word in most of the long rallies as she powered past 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu 6-3, 6-1.

Their smooth progression was a stark contrast to the drama earlier in the day, when Medvedev shook off a second-set fall and badly twisted ankle to beat Zverev 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 to push his ATP win streak to 17 matches.

The world number six, coming off ATP wins in Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai, rolled his right ankle and lay on the court for several minutes before limping to his chair.

Zverev, who suffered three torn ankle ligaments at last year's French Open, looked on in concern, but after the injury was examined and taped by medical staff Medvedev continued -- and turned the match around.

"In the beginning it was quite painful, so I was more concerned and focused on my ankle than the game," Medvedev said.

"Then that actually helped me a little bit to play better. For the rest of the match, adrenaline was probably kicking in. So it was not easy to walk, that's why I was limping, but to move was easier."

He saved all 10 break points he faced in the second set, grabbing a 4-1 lead on the way to victory in the tiebreaker.

Up an early break in the third, Medvedev wasted a match point as he was broken in the 10th game.

Zverev couldn't build on that, however, and Medvedev held at love to clinch the win after three hours and 17 minutes.

Ankle allowing, Medvedev was scheduled to face 28th-ranked Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina -- a 6-3, 6-4 winner over Chilean qualifier Cristian Garin -- on Wednesday.

Alcaraz will have a day off before facing Felix Auger-Aliassime, who saved six match points -- three in the third-set tiebreaker -- in his 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) victory over Tommy Paul.

Not that Alcaraz will need the rest after his 46-minute outing.

"This is not the way anybody wants to win a match," Alcaraz said.

Swiatek's match followed a familiar pattern, with last year's French and US Open winner feeling out her opponent over a few close games before pulling away for a convincing win.

"I just feel like in these longer rallies I was the one who showed I can bring the pressure on defense and it's not easy to finish the rally.

"She was actually doing the same," Swiatek said. "She was running to every ball and she played those slices which are tricky, but honestly I'm pretty happy with how positive I was and disciplined."

She next faces Romania's Sorana Cirstea, who battled to a 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 victory over fifth-ranked Caroline Garcia of France.

- Kvitova escape -

Men's defending champion Taylor Fritz defeated Hungarian Marton Fucsovics 6-4, 6-3 in a tense match that belied the straightforward scoreline.

Fritz will face Italian Jannik Sinner, who beat three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka 6-1, 6-4.

Britain's 2021 champion Cameron Norrie beat seventh-ranked Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-4 to line up a clash with American Frances Tiafoe, a 6-4, 6-4 winner over Chilean qualifier Alejandro Tabilo.

Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka reached the quarter-finals for the first time with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 victory over Barbora Krejcikova.

Sabalenka next faces 19-year-old American Coco Gauff, who squeezed past Swedish qualifier Rebecca Peterson 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. Gauff, the fourth seed, has won three of their prior four meetings.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, a former world number two now ranked 15th, saved four match points in a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (13/11) victory over third-ranked Jessica Pegula.

The Czech next faces last year's runner-up Maria Sakkari, the seventh seed who beat Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Alcaraz halted by rain on brink of victory in Rio opener

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- World number two Carlos Alcaraz of Spain seized a 6-4, 5-3 lead over Brazilian Mateus Alves before heavy rain washed out play Tuesday at the ATP Rio Open.

Defending champion Alcaraz held serve in the eighth game of the second set to reach the brink of victory in the first-round match as he tries to defend his title on Brazilian clay.

Fresh off winning his seventh career ATP title at last week's Argentina Open, top seed Alcaraz will finish his match on Wednesday on stadium court to try and book a date in the round of 16.

The 19-year-old Spaniard, who missed four months with injuries before making his 2023 debut last week at Buenos Aires, would next face the winner between Italy's Fabio Fognini and Chile's Tomas Barrios Vera.

Fognini led 6-2, 5-2 when his match was stopped by the deluge.

Alcaraz won five titles last year, capped by a US Open crown for his first major trophy and to become the youngest-ever world number one before surrendering the spot after his injuries.

Alcaraz swatted a forehand winner past 556th-ranked Alves to break for a 4-3 edge and held twice to claim the opening set.

Alves surrendered a break in the fifth game of the second set when Alcaraz fired a backhand down the line but the Brazilian broke back to level at 3-3.

A raindrop-nagged, wind-swept 12-minute seventh game ended with Alves netting a backhand to give Alcaraz a break for a 4-3 edge and the Spaniard held to move within a game of advancing.

That's when heavy rain showers began and chased everyone off the court.

Agence France-Presse