Tennis: Nadal pulls out of French Open, set to end career in 2024

Rafael Nadal on Thursday withdrew from the French Open because his hip injury has not healed and said he expects 2024 to be his final year in professional tennis.

"It's not a decision I'm taking, it's a decision my body is taking," said the 36-year-old Spanish player, who has played at the claycourt major every year since 2005 and won it 14 times.

Nadal said he was taking a few months off, meaning he will also definitely miss Wimbledon and most likely the US Open, before starting to play again.

And he said next year would bring down the curtain on a career that has so far produced 22 Grand Slam singles titles.

"It's probably going to be my last year on the professional tour, I can't say this 100 percent because you never know what's going to happen," he told a news conference.

"The injury I suffered in Australia has not healed as we hoped.

"Roland Garros became impossible. I will not be there after many years, with everything that (tournament) means to me."

Nadal said he will not set a date for his return, but said the Davis Cup in November could be a potential target.

The former world number one has not played since the Australian Open in January where he picked up a hip injury in a shock second round loss to Mackenzie McDonald of the United States.

He was expected to recover inside six weeks, comfortably in time for the claycourt season and to launch an assault on a record-extending 15th title at Roland Garros.

However, with his 37th birthday little over two weeks away and having skipped Masters events in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome, Nadal appears to be facing a final battle he cannot win.

After a career plagued by knee, wrist and foot injuries in particular, the alarm bells have been ringing ever louder over the last year.

Nadal's undefeated start to 2022, which saw him pick up a second Australian Open title, ended with a chest injury at Indian Wells.

"It feels like a needle all the time inside," he admitted.

He swept to a 14th French Open in June but only after revealing he had required daily pain-killing injections in his foot, a consequence of suffering from Mueller-Weiss Syndrome, a rare degenerative condition.

"I played with no feeling in the foot, with a pain-killing injection in the nerve. The foot was asleep, and that's why I was able to play," he said at the time in Paris.

He added that he would undergo a treatment which would involve burning the nerves in his foot to permanently dull the pain.

Weeks later, his dream of a third Wimbledon title ended in a semi-final withdrawal due to an abdominal strain.

- Dropping -

Nadal's lengthy absence this year has also seen him drop out of the world's top 10 for the first time in 18 years.

His record at the French Open is unlikely ever to be broken.

Since his 2005 championship winning debut, he has racked up 112 wins and only been defeated three times.

Two of those losses came against great rival Novak Djokovic in 2015 and 2021. The other was to Robin Soderling in 2009.

Djokovic, who shares the men's record of 22 Slams with Nadal, will start as French Open favourite this year alongside world number one Carlos Alcaraz who is desperate not to see his Spanish compatriot throw in the towel.

"Let's hope he continues to play for a long time and that we can enjoy his tennis," said Alcaraz, the 20-year-old heir apparent to Nadal's throne.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Fritz hands Nadal first 2022 defeat to lift Indian Wells trophy

INDIAN WELLS -- Taylor Fritz stunned Rafael Nadal 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) on Sunday to win the ATP Indian Wells Masters and end the 21-time Grand Slam champion's perfect 20-0 run to start 2022.

Fritz, ranked 20th in the world, claimed his second career title and his first at the elite Masters 1000 level while denying Nadal a record-equaling 37th Masters crown.

The 24-year-old American achieved his biggest triumph despite an injured right ankle that was so painful when he tested it Sunday morning he didn't think he'd be able to play.

"This is just one of those childhood dreams, winning this tournament especially, Indian Wells, this is one of those childhood dreams you never even think can come true," the Southern California native said, fighting back tears.

The 35-year-old Nadal was also pushing himself through pain, twice receiving treatment on his upper body during the match.

"Obviously there's some stuff going on," Fritz said of Nadal's struggles, but that didn't dim his joy in becoming the first American men's champion at Indian Wells since Andre Agassi in 2001 and the youngest Indian Wells men's winner since Novak Djokovic in 2011.

Nadal had already said he would skip next week's Miami Masters to give his body a rest and prepare for the claycourt season.

After fearing a foot injury that halted his 2021 campaign might end his career, the Spaniard claimed a record-setting 21st Grand Slam singles title with an epic comeback vicory over Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open final, then won the title at Acapulco.

Battling to the end, he saved one match point in the 10th game of the second set, but in a tense tiebreaker that decided it all Fritz proved too much.

After Nadal spun a forehand wide to give up another match point, Fritz put it away with yet another of his big forehand winners.

Fritz's fitness concerns were at the forefront when the American fell on the very first point of the match. 

But otherwise he showed no ill-effects as he broke Nadal twice to race to a 4-0 led in the opening set in 19 minutes.

Nadal, coming off a draining three-set semi-final victory over 18-year-old compatriot Carlos Alcaraz, looked sluggish, but he appeared to have found his range when he held at love to make it 4-1.

But he was unable to make any inroads on Fritz's serve until the American served for the set at 5-2 and Nadal converted his only break chance of the set when Fritz sent a forehand long.

However, the Spaniard was unable to build any momentum, immediately surrendering the break and the set after 39 minutes.

Nadal, who had had a quick adjustment from the trainer on court against Alcaraz to address discomfort around the left side of his chest, took a medical timeout and left the court indicating the same area to the trainer.

But it was the world number four who gained the upper hand in the second set with a break for 2-1, Fritz giving him a first chance with an ill-timed double fault, coming up with a big serve then falling to a forehand winner from Nadal.

But the American broke back immediately and saved four break points in the next game and they went with serve to the tiebreaker.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Shapovalov slams Nadal time tactics after 'corrupt' umpire jibe

A fuming Denis Shapovalov slammed Rafael Nadal for receiving preferential time treatment after losing to the Spanish great in an epic quarter-final at the Australian Open on Tuesday.

Shapovalov labelled chair umpire Carlos Bernardes "corrupt" during the match for not enforcing a penalty on the meticulous Nadal, whose ultra-finicky routine between points often pushes the 25-second serve clock to the limit. 

But the 22-year-old Canadian later backtracked on his accusation, acknowledging it was wrong and that he "misspoke" during the 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3 defeat.

Shapovalov, however, stuck to his guns on "how much Rafa is getting away with" and believed the Spaniard deserved a time violation.

"I mean, I think I misspoke when I said (the umpire's) corrupt or whatever I said. It's definitely emotional but I do stand by my side. I think it's unfair how much Rafa is getting away with," said Shapovalov.

"I'm completely ready to play and the clock is ticking, clicking towards zero, and I'm looking at the ump, and obviously I'm going to speak up and say something.

"I've been ready to play for a minute and a half, and he tells me he's not going to give him a code violation because I'm not ready to play. 

"To me, it's a big joke if somebody says that."

Shapovalov also said he was not allowed to take a toilet break after the fourth set when he asked for one.

"He (Nadal) had already taken two medicals. He was getting medically evaluated, and after the evaluation the guy goes and takes a toilet break," he said.

"It's like, where is the line? Where are you going to step on the players and say, okay?

"I respect everything that Rafa has done and I think he's an unbelievable player. But there's got to be some boundaries, some rules set.

"It's just so frustrating, you feel like you're not just playing against the player, you're playing against the umpires, you're playing against so much more."

Asked by reporters if he thought Nadal gets preferential treatment because of his status in the game as a 20-time Grand Slam champion, Shapovalov was unrepentant.

"Of course. 100 percent he does," he fumed.

"Every other match that I have played, the pace has been so quick because the refs have been on the clock after every single point.

"This one, he's given so much time in between sets and all this. It's just dragged out. I mean, it's just not balanced."

Agence France-Presse

Thiem’s new high and Nishikori return: Tennis talking points

Dominic Thiem is climbing up the rankings while Kei Nishikori is set to return to action for the first time in 2020.

AFP Sport looks at this week’s tennis talking points:


Thiem moves past Federer

— He may still be waiting to join the ‘Big Three’ as a Grand Slam winner, but at least Dominic Thiem now has the consolation of breaking the stranglehold on the rankings enjoyed by Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

On Monday, Australian Open runner-up Thiem reached a career high of three in the world, knocking Federer down a spot.

The 26-year-old Austrian didn’t play last week but he went past Federer when the Swiss star was unable to defend his points gained by winning the Dubai title last year.

Federer, 38, has undergone knee surgery and is not expected back on tour until the grass court season.

Djokovic, Nadal step up title chase

— Djokovic won his fifth Dubai title while Nadal swept to a third victory in Acapulco although both men still have some way to go to reach the all-time record.

Djokovic now stands on 79 career trophies and Nadal has 85.

Ivan Lendl won 94 while Federer has 103, six behind Jimmy Connors’ leading 109 titles.


Empty feeling on Nishikori return

— Former world number four Kei Nishikori makes his return to the sport for the first time since the US Open last year when he leads Japan in the Davis Cup qualifier at home to Ecuador this weekend.

However, due to fears over the coronavirus, the Friday-Saturday tie in Miki will be played behind closed doors.

Nishikori has been sidelined after undergoing elbow surgery.

Sabalenka dedicates win to later father

— Aryna Sabalenka won her sixth career title in Qatar by beating Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-3 and dedicated victory to her father Sergey who died in November.

“I just lost my dad in the pre-season and he was my biggest motivation, and I’m doing it for him,” said the 21-year-old from Belarus.

Clijsters steps up second comeback

— Four-time major winner Kim Clijsters steps up her second comeback by playing on a wildcard at Monterrey this week.

The 36-year-old played her first match in over seven years in Dubai last month where she was defeated by Garbine Muguruza.



Still unranked, Clijsters has been drawn to face second seed Johanna Konta in the first round in Mexico.

“I feel like with the tennis that I’ve been playing, I’m improving,” she told wtatennis.com.

“I still have a good level in me. I’m still at the stage where I feel like I need match rhythm.”

Latest rankings:


ATP

1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 10,220 points, 2. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 9,850, 3. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 7,045 (+1), 4. Roger Federer (SUI) 6,630 (-1), 5. Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 5,890, 6. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 4,745, 7, Alexander Zverev (GER) 3,630, 8. Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 2,860, 9. Gael Monfils (FRA) 2,860, 10. David Goffin (BEL) 2,555

WTA

1. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 8,717 points, 2. Simona Halep (ROU) 6,076, 3. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 5,205, 4. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) 4,555, 5. Sofia Kenin (USA) 4,365, 6. Kiki Bertens (NED) 4,335, 7. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 4,301, 8. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 4,010 (+1), 9. Serena Williams (USA) 3,915 (-1), 10. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 3,625

source: sports.inquirer.net

Federer, Nadal play to record crowd in Cape Town

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal attracted what organisers said was a world record crowd for a tennis match when they played an exhibition event in the Cape Town Stadium on Friday.

The organisers said an audited attendance of 51,954 beat the 42,517 who watched Federer play Alexander Zverev of Germany in Mexico City last November.

They also announced that the 'Match in Africa' raised $3.5-million for the Roger Federer Foundation, which supports educational and athletic programmes for children in Africa.

"To have 51,954 people in attendance at a tennis match, I never thought I'd be apart of something like that," said Federer. "It's not something you dream about.

Federer, who was accompanied by his South African mother, Lynette, said his first appearance in South Africa was a special occasion.

"The first time here in Cape Town, in South Africa, means so much more than just tennis," he said.

Federer won 6-4 3-6 6-3 in a match in which the players had to contend with cool, windy conditions in the stadium that was built for the 2010 football World Cup.

The arena was packed with eager fans who sang, clapped and did the wave throughout the match.

"It's an amazing crowd, an amazing stadium," said Nadal, who was making his first appearance in South Africa since playing in the country as a junior.

"It's an unforgettable evening. We will probably never play again in an atmosphere such as this one," said Nadal. "I can't thank enough the people here in Cape Town. They came here and created an unforgettable atmosphere."

Earlier in the day, Federer and his doubles partner billionaire Bill Gates beat Nadal and South-African born comedian Trevor Noah in a match with more flexible rules.

The ceremonial coin toss was performed by World Cup-winning Springbok rugby captain Siya Kolisi, who presented Federer with a Springbok jersey. The coin used was a commemorative 20 Swiss Francs piece minted with Federer's face. He gave it to Kolisi.

Other high-profile South African sports stars in attendance included former Springbok captains John Smit and Jean de Villiers as well as Olympic swimmer Ryk Neethling.

The match is the sixth edition of the event organised by the Roger Federer Foundation and is the first to take place in Africa.

"There's so much anticipation that goes into it that the match itself almost gets forgotten," said Federer before the match.

He said he spent childhood holidays in South Africa.

"The time spent here as a kid was amazing," Federer said. "You would go on the road and you never come back for some reason because you've gotta chase that little tennis ball and you've gotta chase your dreams."


Tens of thousands of fans showed up early and were ecstatic when Nadal and Federer hit practice balls into the stands.

One fan said she brought a wedding ring for Federer to propose to her. "I want to marry Roger," she shouted.

Earlier in the afternoon, Federer and Nadal played tennis with children from townships in Hout Bay.

The children are part of an afterschool activity program with Zip Zap Circus which develops gross and fine motor skills.

Agence France-Presse

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal brace for Wimbledon epic

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal battle for a place in the Wimbledon final on Friday, 11 years after they mesmerized Centre Court in a Grand Slam championship match widely regarded as the greatest ever played.

Nadal emerged triumphant that day, winning in five sets in a four-hour 48-minute epic of fluctuating fortunes that stretched out over seven hours because of constant, momentum-shifting rain interruptions.

The Spaniard won 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-7 (8/10), 9-7 as the clock ticked past 9pm and with the famous stadium in near-darkness.

Over a decade later, the sport’s two most successful players now have 38 Grand Slam titles between them and more than $100 million in prize money each.

Nadal, the 2008 and 2010 champion at Wimbledon, has the edge overall, leading his great rival and friend 24-15 and 10-3 at the Slams.

However, it is eight-time champion Federer who just edges their Wimbledon head-to-head 2-1 after winning the 2006 and 2007 finals before Nadal famously broke the spell in 2008.


Nadal, who demolished Federer in straight sets in the semi-finals at Roland Garros last month on his way to a 12th title in Paris, admits his game has developed since 2008.

Mostly, that’s due to his age as well as the desperate need to protect his creaking knees which so often conspired against him on the low-bouncing lawns of the All England Club.

“I am running less so I need to serve better. I probably cannot play 20 weeks a year anymore,’ said 33-year-old Nadal.

“I am serving better. I am hitting the backhand better. Maybe volleying better, slicing better.”

In terms of the bare statistics, there is little to choose between them.

Nadal has served up 47 aces so far and been broken just four times; Federer has 42 aces, dropping serve on only three occasions.

The Spanish third seed has yet to face a seeded player and has only been truly tested once, in his four-set second round victory over Nick Kyrgios in what was comfortably the tournament’s most bad-tempered match.

Federer, 37, is the oldest man in the semi-finals of a Slam since 39-year-old Jimmy Connors at the 1991 US Open.

He is in his 13th semi-final at the tournament and 45th at the majors.

In a career illuminated by landmarks, he became the first man to register 100 match wins at a single Slam when he came back from a set down to beat Kei Nishikori in the quarter-finals.

‘Rafa can hurt you’

Federer is wary of the dangers presented by Nadal.

His loss in Paris, which took place in what he described as “insane” windy conditions, was his heaviest at the Slams in 11 years.

“Rafa really can hurt anybody on any surface,” said Federer.

“He’s serving way different. I remember back in the day how he used to serve, and now how much bigger he’s serving, how much faster he finishes points.”

The eager anticipation of their 40th clash has relegated defending champion Novak Djokovic’s push for a fifth title to second billing.

The top seed and world number one reached the semi-finals for the ninth time, racking up his 70th career win at the All England Club by sweeping past David Goffin in straight sets, reeling off 15 of the last 17 games.

In his 36th Grand Slam semi-final, the 15-time major winner faces Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut who is in his maiden last-four at the majors at the 27th attempt.

Djokovic leads the 31-year-old 7-3 in career meetings, including 3-0 at the majors.

However, the unheralded Spaniard, who had to cancel plans for his stag party in Ibiza as a consequence of his run to the semi-finals, has defeated Djokovic twice in 2019, in Doha and Miami.

“He’s got amazing consistency,” said Djokovic.

“Very flat from both forehand and backhand. He has improved his backhand. I think he’s got more depth on his backhand.

“The ball bounces lower on the grass, which is I think more suitable to his style of game.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Rafael Nadal tumbles out of Mexican Open, falling to Nick Kyrgios

ACAPULCO, Mexico — Rafael Nadal tumbled out of the Mexican Open on Wednesday night, squandering three match points in a 3-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (6) loss to Australia’s Nick Kyrgios.

Playing his first event since losing to Novak Djokovic in late January in the Australian Open final, the top-seeded Nadal dropped the first two match points on Kyrgios’ serve and the last one on his own first serve.

Nadal won in Acapulco in 2005 and 2013. On Tuesday night, the second-ranked Spanish star opened play with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Mischa Zverev.

Kyrgios set up a quarterfinal match against Stan Wawrinka, a 7-6 (5), 6-4 winner over seventh-seeded Steve Johnson in the hardcourt event at The Princess Mundo Imperial.

The top seed also fell in the women’s event, with Brazilian qualifier Beatriz Haddad Maia beating Sloane Stephens 6-3, 6-3 for her first victory in seven career matches against players ranked in the top 10. The fourth-ranked Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open, was making her first appearance in the event since winning the 2016 title.

“It was just a tough match, obviously she played well,” Stephens said. “A tough day. But I’m not too sad about it. I’m just going to go back and work some more, practice some more and get ready for Indian Wells.”

Haddad Maia will face Wang Yafan in the quarterfinals. Wang led Monica Puig 4-1 when Puig retired because of an injury.

In men’s play, second-seeded Alexander Zverev beat David Ferrer 7-6 (0), 6-1 in the late match. He will play fifth-seeded Alex de Minaur, a winner over Feliciano Lopez in a walkover.

Third-seeded John Isner beat fellow American Sam Querrey 6-4, 6-4 to set up a quarterfinal match against eighth-seeded John Millman. Millman beat Peter Gojowczyk 6-0, 6-2.

Cameron Norrie beat fourth-seeded Diego Schwartzman 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-3. Norrie will face Mackenzie McDonald, a 6-7 (7), 7-5, 6-3 winner over sixth-seeded Frances Tiafoe.

Defending champion Juan Martin del Potro is sidelined by a knee injury.

In women’s play, two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka routed Tatjana Maria 6-2, 6-1 to set up a quarterfinal against fifth-seeded Sofia Kenin. Kenin led 6-4, 4-1 when Katie Boulter retired.

Third-seeded Donna Vekic advanced with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Christina McHale; Bianca Andreescu topped fourth-seeded Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-2, 7-5; seventh-seeded Saisai Zheng edged Timea Babos 4-6, 6-4, 6-3; and eighth-seeded Johanna Konta beat Varvara Flink 6-4, 6-1.

In the quarterfinals, Vekic will play Konta, and Zheng will meet Andreescu.

Lesia Tsurenko, the women’s winner the last two years, is skipping the event.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Raonic beats Nadal, keeps Brisbane title defense on track

BRISBANE, Australia — Rafael Nadal was up a set and had a break point against defending champion Milos Raonic when he sent a forehand just wide.

It was a mistake the 14-time Grand Slam champion wouldn’t recover from.

Raonic made the most of the reprieve, holding serve in that fifth game of the second set and then attacking Nadal’s serve in the eighth to swing the momentum his way in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 quarterfinal win Friday at the Brisbane International.





The top-seeded Raonic broke Nadal’s serve again to start the third set, and calmly held on for only his second win in eight matches against the Spaniard.

Raonic served 23 aces and hit 50 winners to just 19 for Nadal, who could only convert one of his seven break-point opportunities.

As well as the big, deep service returns, Raonic also repeatedly went to the net, trusting his instincts and putting pressure on Nadal.

“Today the mentality behind the match was what sort of kept me around,” Raonic said. “Some moments things weren’t looking great. I wasn’t efficient coming forward. I was missing some shots I shouldn’t be. I was rushing.

“But at least I kept myself there, and I was able to always recuperate the next point. That’s what I have to be most proud of.”

Nadal, coming back from a layoff after an injured left wrist curtailed the end of his 2016 season, beat Raonic in an exhibition tournament last week. But Raonic played with more intensity in Brisbane, and Nadal said a couple of lapses were costly.

“Probably if I put that passing shot forehand cross, I had the break in the second set, big chance that we will be here one hour before with a victory,” Nadal said. “That passing shot was long, and that’s it. Then he had the break and match changes.”

Nadal said three wins at the exhibition tournament, two wins and a close result in Brisbane gave him confidence his progress was good ahead of the Australian Open, where he is desperate to make amends for a surprising first-round exit last year.

Still in contention to start back-to-back seasons with a Brisbane title, Raonic will play seventh-seeded Grigor Dimitrov – a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 winner over No. 4 Dominic Thiem – in the semifinals.

US Open champion Stan Wawrinka and third-seeded Kei Nishikori will meet in the other semifinal match.

The second-seeded Wawrinka beat unseeded Kyle Edmund 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-4 to reach the semifinals in his first trip to the Brisbane tournament.

In the previous three years, Wawrinka won the title in Chennai in the first week of the season before heading to Australia for the season’s first major.

Wawrkina has a 4-3 lead over Nishikori in career head-to-heads, including the semifinals at the US Open last year, but Nishikori won two of the three meetings in 2016.

Nishikori has now reached the semifinals four times in seven visits to the Brisbane International, needing just an hour for a 6-1, 6-1 quarterfinal win over Australian wild-card entry Jordan Thompson.

“I think I played one of the best matches so far, really dominating from the baseline and serving good today,” Nishikori said. “Everything was working well.”

US Open finalist Karolina Pliskova will play Alize Cornet in the women’s final on Saturday.

Cornet was leading 4-1 when French Open champion Garbine Muguruza retired with a right thigh injury. Pliskova beat sixth-seeded Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-4 in the other semifinal match.

“A little bit of luck never killed anybody,” said Cornet, who finished last year ranked No. 46 but now expects to be seeded at the Australian Open. “I’m just going to take it. I really enjoy the fact that I’m in the final. It’s a big day for me, yeah.”

Muguruza didn’t think the injury setback would trouble her at the Australian Open.

“It will not stop me,” Muguruza said. “Cornet was playing good. I couldn’t match her level today. I had some pains, and I thought it was smarter to take care of my body.” –John Pye

source: sports.inquirer.net

Hot stuff Nadal into Argentina Open semi-finals

Top seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal reached the Argentina Open semi-finals Friday, braving temperatures of 33 degrees to clinch a 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 win over Italian journeyman Paolo Lorenzi.

Nadal, the world number five, is back on his favorite clay court surface and is playing his first event since his shock opening round loss to compatriot Fernando Verdasco at the Australian Open last month.

He had seen off close friend Juan Monaco of Argentina in Thursday’s first round but faced a slightly tougher test Friday when 34-year-old Lorenzi, the world 52, clawed his way back from a 4-1 first set deficit.

But 29-year-old Nadal clinched victory on his first match point after one hour and 51 minutes on court.

It was the Spaniard’s 346th win on clay as he remains on track to claim a 48th career title on the surface which has brought him his greatest success.

Nadal will now face Austria’s world number 19 Dominic Thiem on Saturday for a place in the final.

Thiem, the fifth seed, defeated Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic 6-4, 6-2 in his quarter-final.

Thiem, the youngest player in the Top 20 at 22-years-old, lost to Nadal in their only previous meeting in straight sets at the 2014 French Open.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Djokovic improves to 25-0 at China Open with 1st-round win

BEIJING — Novak Djokovic improved his perfect record at the China Open to 25-0 by beating Simone Bolelli of Italy 6-1, 6-1 Tuesday in the first round.

The top-seeded Djokovic’s winning streak started in 2009, when he won the first of his five titles at the tournament. He has dropped only three sets out of 51 in his five appearances. He didn’t play in 2011.

Besides singles, Djokovic is also teaming with younger brother Djordje in doubles for the first time at an ATP Tour event.

Rafael Nadal also advanced to the second round, beating Chinese wild-card entry Wu Di 6-4, 6-4. Nadal dropped serve four times in the match, including three straight games in the second set.

The third-seeded Nadal is in the uncharacteristic position of needing a strong finish to the season to qualify for the ATP Finals in London next month.

The Spaniard looked to be cruising against the No. 230-ranked Wu, playing his first top-10 opponent, when he broke to take a 1-0 lead in the second set. But Wu broke right back, and then twice more before Nadal was finally able to serve it out.

“I think I played little bit too … far away from the baseline,” Nadal said. “The last three games of the match I was playing better. I hit some good forehands down the line and that’s why I finished well.”

On the women’s side, U.S. Open champion Flavia Pennetta of Italy rallied to advance to the third round with a 3-6, 6-0, 6-4 win over Teliana Pereira of Brazil.

Also, eighth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark defeated Chinese wild-card entry Wang Qiang 7-5, 6-0, and 10th-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany beat Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-1, 6-4.

For the second straight day, the pollution in Beijing reached hazardous levels, according to the U.S. Embassy’s real-time air quality index.

“The pollution, I think we’re used to it when we play here,” Wozniacki said. “You know, we just play. We just play.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Wawrinka eases into 4th round at Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia—Defending champion Stan Wawrinka says he’s quite happy flying under the radar after easing into the fourth round at the Australian Open on Saturday, nominating Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as title favorites.

The Swiss fourth seed cruised through 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 over Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen in one hour and 49 minutes on Rod Laver Arena and will play Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the round of 16.

It doesn’t perturb him one bit that he is not generating any headlines in the tournament as he treads his way through the top half of the men’s draw.

“I’m feeling good since the beginning of the tournament,” he said.

“For sure I’m not the focus on the tournament because there’s Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal coming back from injury, was Roger Federer before he lost, there’s Nick Kyrgios, Bernard Tomic still playing.

“I still think Novak and Rafa are the big favorites for the tournament.

“For sure I’m not the focus. For me it doesn’t matter. I’m feeling great. I’m happy the way I’m playing. To get to the second week again, it’s great. So far everything is good for me.”

Wawrinka was always in control of his first meeting with the 72nd-ranked Finn in four years and broke Nieminen’s serve six times and hit 55 winners.

He said he was looking forward to playing Garcia-Lopez after a “tough loss” to him at last year’s French Open.

“He’s been playing really good. I lost against him last year French Open first round,” Wawrinka said.

“We had some tough battles in the past. It’s never easy. Think it will again depend a lot on me, the way I’m going to play, the way I’m going to be aggressive, because I need to make the game.”

Wawrinka, who is now the main Swiss contender at this year’s Open following Federer’s shock defeat to Andreas Seppi on Friday, was pleased with his progress at the tournament.

“I was aggressive today on the court, it was in quite fast conditions and I took control of the match,” he said.

“It’s been three really good matches, I think my game is there and I’m really happy to get through again.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Tennis giants Nadal, Serena fall

Defending champion Rafael Nadal was ushered to the exit, while top-seeded Novak Djokovic cruised through his first match of the season at the Qatar Open on Tuesday.

Across the globe to Australia, world number one Serena Williams complained of tiredness after being trounced by Canadian Eugenie Bouchard at the mixed teams Hopman Cup.

The second-seeded Nadal, showing desire but displaying a rusty game, was upset by German qualifier Michael Berrer 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round.

This was Nadal’s first match since losing in the Basel quarterfinals to 17-year-old Borna Coric of Croatia in October. The Spaniard spent much of the autumn suffering from appendicitis and underwent an appendectomy on Nov. 3.

“These things happen after long time without being on the road, being on rhythm, being in competition,” Nadal said. “I was playing with more nerves because after long time (away) I wanted to win.

“When you are back from an injury, that takes time.”

The 127th-ranked Berrer broke Nadal to go ahead 3-1 in the second set, and then in the first game of the third set.

Berrer had never before beaten a top five ranked player. The 34-year-old father of two has already announced he’s retiring at the end of the year.

“It’s really unbelievable,” Berrer told the crowd after his win. “It’s my last season so I’m just going for it. Why not?”

Top-ranked Djokovic started off his 2015 season with a 6-2, 6-1 win in a 59-minute match against fellow Serbian Dusan Lajovic.

Djokovic put 72 percent of his first serve in play and was successful on five of six break point opportunities.

Djokovic is making his first career appearance at the Doha tournament. Historically, he doesn’t play a sanctioned tournament the first week of the year.

Meanwhile, Williams was humbled by the sixth-ranked Bouchard in straight sets as Canada upset the tournament favorites 2-1.

Williams went down one set against 12th-ranked Flavia Pennetta in her first outing in Perth on Monday but was rejuvenated by a mid-match coffee and went on to beat the Italian.

However, there was to be no coffee-inspired miracle against the sixth-ranked Bouchard, who doubled-faulted five times in her first two services games and yet cruised to an emphatic 6-2, 6-1 win over the 18-time Grand Slam singles champion.

Errors flowed off the Williams racquet during her match with Bouchard and the 33-year-old said she hadn’t been feeling at her best since arriving in Perth on Saturday.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me, I am so tired, it’s so weird,” she said when asked if she was suffering from jet lag.

In beating Williams for the first time, Bouchard rebounded strongly from the disappointment of Canada’s opening tie, when she was beaten 6-0, 6-4 by the Czech Republic’s in-form Lucie Safarova.

The 20-year-old was delighted with the rapid improvement in her game.

“My goal was to be more active with my feet, try and go for my shots a bit more and be more aggressive,” she said.

“I think I did that well, I know she (Williams) definitely didn’t play her best but I am happy I stayed with it.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Federer, Nadal bid to dethrone Djokovic in Shanghai

SHANGHAI — Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal enter this week’s Shanghai Masters bidding to unseat current champion Novak Djokovic, who appears on an unstoppable march to ending the year as number one for the third time.

“Incredible” was how the Serbian described his victory in the China Open final on Sunday, one of the most one-sided tennis finals of recent years.

“With this kind of performance, and with this domination result-wise, I mean it’s never happened,” Djokovic said after defeating world number six Tomas Berdych 6-0, 6-2.

The victory represented Djokovic’s fifth consecutive Beijing title, and the 27-year-old is vying for his third in three years at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Shanghai.

“I’m going to try to use this great week to kind of carry this overall positive feeling into Shanghai and have another great week there,” he said.

Hoping to derail Djokovic’s plans are a resurgent Federer, along with Nadal, who is battling to be at his world-beating best after his return to action following three months on the sidelines.

The Spaniard, who is number two in the ATP rankings, missed a string of tournaments — including the US Open — after picking up a wrist injury in training in late July.

His return to competition at the China Open ended abruptly when he was dumped out of the tournament by Slovak qualifier Martin Klizan in the quarter finals.

The 14-time Grand Slam winner is seeded second in Shanghai but was the first to criticize his performance — and his mental state — in Beijing.

“What affects this is when one player plays bad, plays without rhythm, no confidence on the shots, having more mistakes than usual, being not confident how to play the points, and how to win the points,” he said.

Federer regains confidence

Federer, however, has enjoyed a remarkable return to form after a miserable 2013, when the 33-year-old claimed only one title, failed to make any Grand Slam finals and finished outside the top five for the first time in 11 years.

The third seed in Shanghai, he has won a record 17 Grand Slams and said he was better prepared mentally for the tournament this year following his turnaround on the court.

“Last year was a struggle throughout, especially starting in March last year all the way to, I’d say, about here,” Federer said, explaining that he had been “missing practice sessions” and avoiding intensive training as he was “scared” of getting injured.

“All of that has gone away. Now I really can focus on just playing. I’ve been able to create a big base again of fitness, and also now confidence has come back. Now I can just go out and play.”

Federer’s best showing at the Masters 1000 event was as runner up in 2010, although he did win in Shanghai when it hosted the Tennis Masters Cup in 2006 and 2007.

The Swiss could overtake his great rival Nadal in the rankings in Shanghai, but both are some distance behind Djokovic.

Elsewhere, two-time Shanghai winner Andy Murray is desperately chasing points as he pushes to qualify for the ATP World Tour Finals, the end of season finale involving the top eight players.

The 27-year-old Scot is currently ninth in the race for the London tournament after winning the Shenzhen Open at the end of last month, but faces competition from the rising stars of tennis who will also be in Shanghai.

Among them are Japan’s Kei Nishikori, who made history at the US Open when he became the first Asian to make a men’s Grand Slam final, losing to Croatia’s Marin Cilic.

Federer is due to open his Shanghai campaign against Argentine Leonardo Mayer or home-crowd favourite Wu Di, but faces a tough route to the final, potentially meeting Nishikori or Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in the quarters.

The Shanghai Masters started on Sunday, but the top eight players receive byes to the second round, which gets under way Tuesday.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Nadal revisits Rosol nightmare at Wimbledon

LONDON — Rafael Nadal gets the opportunity to avenge one of his career’s most humiliating defeats when he faces Lukas Rosol for a place in the Wimbledon third round Thursday.

Two years after the unheralded Czech sent Nadal crashing to a shock second round loss, the pair meet again at the same stage of the tournament with the two-time champion Spaniard aware that Rosol poses a serious threat to his hopes of progressing towards a 15th major.

“Rosol is a very dangerous player, very strong, very powerful shots from the baseline and I know I have to play very well if I want to have chances to win,” said Nadal, whose second round exit in 2012 was followed by a first round loss in 2013 to Belgian journeyman Steve Darcis.

Rosol was 100 in the world when he stunned the Spaniard two years ago; now he is 52 although since his famous triumph at the All England Club he has managed to win just three more times at the Grand Slams.

“What is past is past. What happened, happened. We don’t want to change that. The only way to try something is try to change what’s happening right now,” added Nadal, whose loss to Rosol sparked a seven-month injury lay-off from the tour.

Rosol he will have nothing to fear from Nadal and was confident of pulling off another upset when they open playon Centre Court.

“It’s Nadal who has to win, I have nothing to lose,” Rosol told Czech media at Wimbledon.

Although Nadal gained a small degree of revenge at Doha this year with a comfortable straight sets win, Rosol believes his rival is at his most vulnerable in the early rounds.

“Nadal is the king of clay,” he said in deference to the Spaniard’s nine French Open titles.

“But he is more vulnerable on other surfaces, especially grass. If you want to beat one of the big stars at a Grand Slam, the early rounds are the best.”

Veteran US coach Nick Bollettieri, the man who guided the careers of the likes of Andre Agassi and Maria Sharapova, believes Nadal will win but that the Spaniard’s “wham-bam Superman style” won’t last forever.

“I think he is capable of winning the title again but will his legs hold up? Will his lower back cope with the stresses and strains of playing on grass?” wrote Bollettieri in his columm for the Independent newspaper.

Seven-time champion Roger Federer is also in action Thursday taking on 31-year-old Luxembourg qualifier Gilles Muller.

Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka, the fifth seed, faces Lu Yen-Hsun of Taiwan who made the quarter-finals in 2010.

Wawrinka is bidding to record back-to-back match-wins at Wimbledon for the first time since 2009.

Women’s top seed and five-time champion Serena Williams plays South Africa’s Chanelle Scheepers while 2004 champion Maria Sharapova takes on Switzerland’s Timea Bacsinszky.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Nadal blazes into fourth round with Murray, Federer at Aussie Open

MELBOURNE — World number one Rafael Nadal played his best match of the tournament to join title-contenders Andy Murray and Roger Federer in the fourth round at the Australian Open on Saturday.

The Spaniard was relentless in dispatching French 25th seed Gael Monfils 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 in just over two hours in a dynamic night performance on Rod Laver Arena.

Nadal will next play Kei Nishikori in the round of 16 after the Japanese star ousted American Donald Young in straight sets.

“Gael is always a big test, he’s a great player, but I think today I played my best match in the tournament so far, so very happy for that,” Nadal said.

The top seed is bidding to win his second Australian Open title and become only the third man to win each of the four Grand Slam titles twice, after Australians Roy Emerson and Rod Laver.

Murray, a three-time Melbourne finalist, tossed aside Spanish 26th seed Feliciano Lopez in straight sets and Grand Slam record-holder Federer also did it in regulation sets over Russia’s Teymuraz Gabashvili.

Murray, the British fourth seed, extended his dominance of Spanish left-hander Lopez to 8-0 with a 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 6-2 win in two hours 15 minutes on Hisense Arena.

The Scot will next play French journeyman Stephane Robert, who is the first-ever ‘lucky loser’ to reach the last 16 at the Australian Open.

Federer, chasing his fifth Australian crown, made the round of 16 at Melbourne for the 13th straight year after an unruffled 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 win over the unseeded Gabashvili in one hour 41 minutes.

It was his 71st match victory at Melbourne Park, extending his record at the Australian Open, and set up a clash against 2008 finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Tsonga needed only three sets to get past fellow Frenchman Gilles Simon 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-2 in one hour 53 minutes in a night match on Hisense Arena.

Federer, the 17-time Grand Slam champion, said he was over the back pain that dogged him last year and was in good shape heading into the second week, with battles looming against his main rivals.

“Right now I feel very fresh and very good physically,” Federer said.

“That’s why I do a lot of prevention work. You make sure you sleep enough and do all these things. You eat healthy and so forth. But it’s been a good spell now.

“I didn’t have any setbacks since Hamburg (last July) really, and that’s very good looking forward.”

It was a confident Federer performance against the 79th-ranked Russian as the stylish Swiss looks to become the second man after Roy Emerson to win five Australian Open singles titles.

Murray, who had back surgery in September, briefly appeared in pain early in the first set against Lopez, but through the match he moved unhindered to progress through to the last 16.

Robert, ranked 119, failed to come through qualifying but was handed a spot at the tournament when Philipp Kohlschreiber pulled out injured.

On Saturday, he beat fellow lucky loser Martin Klizan 6-0, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4. It was the first Grand Slam third round match between two lucky losers since Wimbledon in 1973.

“I’m very happy. You know, it’s not a dream because I lost in the qualies (qualifiers), but now after I got this opportunity, now I’m really in the tournament,” Robert said.

Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov also won through to the fourth round and a meeting with Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut after ousting Canadian power-server Milos Raonic in four sets.

Bautista Agut continued his winning run with a 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 win over French 27th seed Benoit Paire.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Del Potro warns he’s hitting the heights

SHANGHAI – Juan Martin del Potro said he was playing even better than when he won the 2009 US Open after pushing Novak Djokovic to the limit in a gripping Shanghai Masters final.

The towering Argentine won this month’s Japan Open and beat world number one Rafael Nadal in the Shanghai semi-finals, before coming up just short in a third-set tie-breaker with Djokovic.

But the six-foot-six inch (1.98 meter) del Potro has shown he is primed for another assault on the majors with three titles this year and two appearances in Masters finals.

“I think I’m playing even better than many years ago,” the 25-year-old world number five told reporters in Shanghai.

“I couldn’t win a Grand Slam like I did in 2009 but I have reached finals in the Masters. I have already won three tournaments. I beat the top guys, which is fantastic for me,” he added.

“I think I’m playing even better than 2009 or 2008 or last year. That’s important. That’s a good thing for the future. I still have the same goal, which is getting closer to the top guys. If I keep working like this, I hope I can be there one day.”

Before Tokyo, del Potro won in Rotterdam and Washington this year and lost the Indian Wells Masters final to Nadal. He beat world David Ferrer in the Wimbledon quarter-finals before losing to Djokovic in the semis.

In Shanghai, the stunning 6-2, 6-4 victory over Nadal – handing the Spaniard only his fifth defeat this year – qualified del Potro for the World Tour Finals in London.

He said he was still not quite in the same league as the quartet known as tennis’s ‘Big Four’: Nadal, Djokovic, Andy Murray and Swiss great Roger Federer.

But del Potro, the only man other than that exalted quartet to win a Grand Slam title since 2005, is quietly confident that he is not far away from their level.

“I think they are still the favourites for each tournament,” he said. “But I believe in myself. I’m very confident. I’m very pleased with my level. I’m very honest with myself.

“I think if I’m healthy and if I play like today or yesterday I will have the chance to play in good battles like we did today.”

Speaking after his sobering semi-final defeat, Nadal said that del Potro was one of the “biggest candidates” to win another Grand Slam.

Djokovic said there was no doubt about the Argentine’s quality, but his biggest problem was his sheer size and staying injury-free in their high-impact sport.

“Since his first Grand Slam title in 2009, we all knew has the calibre to be a top tennis player and always a contender to win any Grand Slam he plays,” said the world number two.

“With his serve and his game, for his height, he moves extremely well. He uses the court very good. He has a very good anticipation. He’s mentally really strong.

“So he has the potential, there’s no question about it. Now, for somebody his height, I think it’s two or three times more physical effort to overcome these kind of matches.

“That’s I think the biggest obstacle he has, to be able to stay fit throughout the whole year.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Nadal conqueror Darcis out of Wimbledon with injury

LONDON — Steve Darcis, the world number 135 who stunned Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon, pulled out of the tournament with a shoulder injury on Wednesday.

“Had to withdrawn after a win like this!?THE most difficult thing i had to do!!!#,” tweeted the 29-year-old Belgian.

Darcis had been due to face Poland’s Lukasz Kubot in the second round later Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, his coach admitted that Darcis, who suffered the injury when he fell over against Nadal, would be forced out.

“There is a 99% chance that Steve will not play his second round match,” Reginald Willems told sudinfo.be.

“Sadly, this is sport. The greatest moment of his career is followed by the greatest disappointment.”

Darcis inflicted Nadal’s first ever opening round defeat at a Grand Slam with his stunning straight sets win on Monday.

Kubot will face either Benoit Paire or Stephane Robert for a place in the last 16.

source: sports.inquirer.net