Cecchinato Blasts Schwartzman In Buenos Aires Final
Posted by Staff on February 17th, 2019 @ 11:10 pm
It was a disappointing afternoon in Buenos Aires for home favorite Diego Schwartzman. In the tournament final, the Argentine was crushed by Marco Cecchinato 6-1, 6-2.
“Winning my third tournament in my third final makes me happy,” said Cecchinato after his third crown. “I want to be physically good and train harder for the rest of the year. I know that I’ll continue to have good results if I stay mentally …
American Giant Reilly Opelka Wins First Career Title In New York
Posted by Staff on February 17th, 2019 @ 10:58 pm
Move over John Isner, America has a new big man in tennis. Reilly Opelka captured his first career title Sunday beating Canadian surprise Brayden Schnur 6-1, 6-7(7), 7-6(7) in the New York Open final.
Opelka saved six match points Saturday in a final set breaker semifinal win over Isner, and Sunday also needed a deciding tiebreak. This time he won it on his sixth championship point.
“This is definitely what I’m most …
Monfils Beats Wawrinka In Rotterdam For 8th Career Title
Posted by Staff on February 17th, 2019 @ 1:53 pm
Gael Monfils collected his 8th career title Sunday in Rotterdam after dispatching good friend Stan Wawrinka in an all-thirtysomething final 6-3, 1-6, 6-2.
The title was Monfils’ first since taking Doha at the start of 2018.
“We have been practicing all winter together, and really for the past 14 years too,” said Monfils. “In these matches, it’s tricky to surprise the other. I was a bit tougher than him in the …
Juan Martin Del Potro Makes Return At ATP Delray Beach; Tiafoe Faces First Title Defense
Posted by Staff on February 17th, 2019 @ 1:35 pm
Juan Martin del Potro will make his 2019 debut this week in Delray Beach. The Argentine has been off the tour since suffering a fractured knee in Shanghai last fall.
The 30-year-old won the Delray Beach title in 2011 beating Janko Tipsarevic. He’s made the semifinals three times in four tries. He’ll open against Yoshihito Nishioka.
Also in the field is defending champion Frances Tiafoe, big men John Isner, Reilly …
Tsitsipas Seeded No. 1 For First Time At ATP Marseille
Posted by Staff on February 17th, 2019 @ 1:20 pm
Surging youngster Stefanos Tsitsipas will make his debut as a top seed at an ATP event this week in Marseille.
The 20-year-old who stunned Roger Federer en route to the Australian Open semifinals, leads a strong field which includes his NextGen brethren Borna Coric, Andrey Rublev, Denis Shapovalov and Hubert Hurkacz who he could face in his second round opener.
Three-time champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and 2-time winner Gilles Simon lead the …
Former Champions Thiem, Schwartzman Headline ATP Rio
Posted by Staff on February 17th, 2019 @ 12:53 pm
After squandering match points in a tight loss to Diego Schwartzman in the Buenos Aires semifinals Saturday, Dominic Thiem heads back to Rio as the tournament’s top seed.
The Austrian won Rio in 2017 beating Pablo Carreno Busta. He’s joined in the six edition of the event by defending champion Diego Schwartzman, French Open semifinalist Marco Cecchinato and No. 2 seed Fabio Fognini.
Thiem opens against Laslo Djere while Fognini will …
Osaka Leads 9 Of Top 10 In Stacked Dubai Field
Posted by Staff on February 17th, 2019 @ 12:34 pm
2-time reigning Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka returns to the courts in Dubai three weeks after her stunning victory in Melbourne.
Osaka will debut without coach Sascha Bajin who she parted from last week.
Joining the World No. 1 in the field will be nine of the Top 10 overall, including 2-time defending champion Elina Svitolina, 2013 winner Petra Kvitova, 2015 champ Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki who won the …
Mertens Stuns Halep For Doha Title
Posted by Staff on February 17th, 2019 @ 12:19 pm
After a breakout first quarter of 2018, Elise Mertens cooled off thereafter. The Belgian was as high as No. 12 but once her Australian Open semifinal points dropped, so too dropped her ranking outside of the Top 20.
But this week in Doha, the 23-year-old caught fire winning her biggest career title in Doha with a stunning 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over World No. 3 Simona Halep.
“This is why you do …
2-Time Champion Maria Sharapova Withdraws From Indian Wells
Posted by Staff on February 14th, 2019 @ 10:41 am
Still hampered by a sore right shoulder, Maria Sharapova will miss the Indian Wells tournament next month.
Sharapova, who twice won Indian Wells most recently in 2013, has made just one final since returning from her drug ban nearly two years ago. And this season, her injuries woes have continued with a thigh issue in Shenzhen and then she had to withdraw mid-event from St. Petersburg.
She also is not playing Doha …
Jack Sock Out Two Months After Snowboarding Accident
Posted by Tom Gainey on February 13th, 2019 @ 1:53 pm
Once ranked among the Top 10, Jack Sock is now out of the Top 100 and the news isn’t getting any better. The 26-year-old underwent surgery last week for torn ligaments in his figures after a snowboarding accident.
Sock will reportedly miss two months, keeping him out of Indian Wells and Miami. He had already withdrawn from New York and Delray Beach.
Sock made big gains in doubles last year with Mike …
Naomi Osaka Splits From Coach Sascha Bajin
Posted by Staff on February 11th, 2019 @ 7:59 pm
Noami Osaka dropped a bomb on Monday announcing that she and coach Sascha Bajin split.
Under Bajin, Osaka won both the US Open and the Australian Open to rank World No. 1.
“Hey everyone, I will no longer be working together with Sascha. I thank him for his work and wish him all the best in the future,” the 21-year-old posted on twitter.
“Thank you Naomi. I wish you nothing but the …
Wildcard Londero Stuns Cordoba Field For First Title
Posted by Staff on February 10th, 2019 @ 9:59 pm
What a week for Juan Ignacio Londero. The 25-year-old from Argentina had never won a tour-level match in his career, but as a wildcard in his home country event in Cordoba, Londero won five matches to take the title beating Guido Pella 3-6, 7-5, 6-1.
Londero was previously 0-3 on the ATP circuit and had just two career Challenger titles.
Ranked No. 122, Londero is projected to rise to No. 69 …
Halep, Pliskova, Wozniacki, Kerber Head Premier Field In Doha
Posted by Staff on February 10th, 2019 @ 3:43 pm
A loaded Doha event with six of the Top 10 opens on Monday with a blockbuster field comprised of three former champions and three finalists.
2014 champion Simona Halep returns with David Goffin’s ex coach, Thierry Van Cleemput. Halep had Van Cleemput with her at the end of the Australian Open, but this week will mark his official debut on the WTA.
Former champions Karolina Pliskova and Carla Suarez Navarro are also …
Medvedev Keeps Winning, Grabs Sofia Title Fucsovics
Posted by Staff on February 10th, 2019 @ 3:25 pm
Daniil Medvedev continues to win title. The 22-year-old collected his fourth of his young career Sunday defeating Marton Fucsovics 6-4, 6-3 to win in Sofia.
The first title of his 2019 season was also his fourth since the start of last year.
“I was feeling under pressure and really nervous, so I’m really happy that I managed to win the title,” said Medvedev who is 11-2 on the year. “Marton was playing …
Tsonga Takes Home 17th Career Title In Montpellier, Beats Herbert
Posted by Staff on February 10th, 2019 @ 3:17 pm
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga collected his 17th career title Sunday in Montpellier beating countryman Pierre-Hugues Herbert in an all-French final 6-4, 6-2.
The win was Tsonga’s first since the fall of 2017 when he beat Diego Schwartzman in Antwerp.
“I am very happy with the way I played this week,” said Tsonga who missed over half of 2018 with a knee injury. “It was an amazing moment for me to win here in …