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: 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: Medvedev halts Murray heroics to take Qatar title

DOHA, Qatar -- Daniil Medvedev beat fellow former world number one Andy Murray 6-4, 6-4 in the Qatar Open final on Saturday to win his second ATP title in a week.

The 27-year-old, who won in Rotterdam last Sunday, convincingly ended his 35-year-old opponent's comeback heroics that saw Murray fight four three-set battles and overcome eight match points to reach the final in Doha.

Medvedev broke Murray's first serve in each set as he remained unbeaten in three encounters between the two. His 17th career title should see him move up one place to seventh in the new world rankings.

Medevedev said both players struggled to find their rhythm in the wind but also complained about new match balls used on the tour,

"Honestly now I can say this now that the tournament is over, and also I won, I think that these balls are not good for hard courts," said the Russian.

"They changed something this year and I don't like them. I heard a lot of other players are struggling with shoulders, elbows and wrists.

"Myself I had wrist problems in Australia. Generally I think I was struggling all week to find the perfect rhythm with these balls, but I am happy to win."

Medvedev fired down five aces but also committed six double faults. 

Murray repeatedly shouted at himself and his support team after errors.

Medvedev had seemed to be cruising to victory in the second set until he was serving at 3-2 up with two game points. Murray fought back and produced a brilliant backhand winner to surge back into the clash at 3-3.

At 4-4, Murray was leading 40-0 in a bid to produce another shock, but the Scot let Medvedev get back into the game for the key break that decided the title.

"Daniil is one of my favorite players to watch and one of the best on the tour," said Murray, who acknowledged he had been through an "amazing week".

Murray is expected to rise from 70th to 52 in the world rankings. But he said that after his grueling week he would speak with his team before deciding whether to compete in the Dubai tournament this week. 

Murray saved three match points in his first round game and five against Czech challenger Jiri Lehecka in his semi-final. 

He spent more than 12 hours on court during his week in Doha and conscious of his 2019 hip replacement surgery and will see what toll that has taken.

"All were pretty tough matches physically so at my age and with the conditions I do have to be mindful of those things," he said.

"Definitely there are some things to work on but I am proud of my week and the work that me and my team have put in to get me back to this stage."

Medvedev said he would fly to Dubai on Sunday to prepare for an event boosted by his second straight title but wary of the fact that he could meet world number one Novak Djokovic in the semi-final.

"It is all about confidence and as it can come really fast it can go away really fast with one loss. I feel really great right now but next week is a new challenge."

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Medvedev advances in Miami as Murray downed

MIAMI -- Daniil Medvedev is thriving on the pressure of being the man to beat after dispatching Andy Murray in straight sets at the Miami Open on Saturday to edge closer to regaining his world number one ranking.

The Russian top seed served superbly against the 34-year-old three-time Grand Slam champion to ease to a straightforward 6-4, 6-2 triumph at Hard Rock Stadium and will face Spain's Pedro Martinez next.

Medvedev lost his No.1 ranking after just 18 days having failed to go deep in Indian Wells but will regain it once again from the absent Novak Djokovic if he reaches the semi-finals in Florida.

With Djokovic and Rafael Nadal both missing, the 26-year-old is the favorite to claim his first Miami Open title and his performance against Murray showed he's in the kind of form which will cause the rest of the field a multitude of problems.

"For sure, guys going against you are going to have more motivation if you are the top seed," Medvedev told AFP.

"It could be the biggest win of their season but I like to be in this position. The more pressure you have, the more you expect from yourself. 

"At the beginning of my career, I would be really happy when I was in the third round for the first time but now I want to achieve more. So yeah, there's definitely more pressure but also more motivation to continue doing well."

Medvedev was delighted to briefly reach the pinnacle of men's tennis but the Russian is determined to ensure his next spell at the top won't be as short.

"It felt good to touch it," smiled Medvedev. "Reaching No.1 is something that nobody can take away from me even if it was for two weeks. 

“But when I did lose it, I just headed back to the practice court and knew I had to get to the semis in Miami to get it back again.

"I have a lot of motivation to stay at No.1 for a long time."

- Murray eyes Wimbledon -

While Medvedev is at the top of his game, Murray is still searching for answers. 

The Scot, playing with a metal hip after two operations to fix the problem which almost forced him to retire, has reintroduced Czech legend Ivan Lendl into his coaching team for a third time and hopes he can arrest a run which has seen him fail to back up first round wins at his last six tournaments.

"My level of tennis wasn't good enough to win matches like that but Ivan will bring clarity over the right way to play," said Murray, who will spend time working with Lendl in Florida before skipping the clay court swing of the ATP tour to ensure he's prepared for Wimbledon later this summer.

"I don't think I have been practicing the right things for 18 months or so, it's difficult to sort of undo that space.

"That's one of the reasons why I'm taking a big period of training to change some of those things and hopefully get my game to a place where it's more competitive against the top players again. 

"I do feel like I played better here than I did in the previous tournament in Indian Wells but it's going to take a lot of work."

Agence France-Presse