Fognini Ends Nadal’s Rio Run; Simon v Monfils In Marseille Finale; Young Seeks First Title In Delray
Posted by Staff on February 21st, 2015 @ 11:54 pm
Defending champion Rafael Nadal suffered his first career loss in Brazil Saturday losing in the semifinals of the Rio Open to Fabio Fognini 1-6, 6-2, 7-5.
Nadal, who had won 52 straight clay semifinals and was a perfect 17-0 in Brazil, had beaten the flamboyant Italian in all four prior meetings. And after taking the first set easily and holding a break lead in the second, there was little to think …
Brutal Field at WTA Doha; ATP Previews
Posted by Staff on February 21st, 2015 @ 11:28 pm
QATAR TOTAL OPEN
Doha, Qatar; Surface: hard
Seeds: Petra Kvitova, Simona Halep, Caroline Wozniacki, Agnieszka Radwanska, Ekaterina Makarova, Andrea Petkovic, Venus Williams, Angelique Kerber
Floaters: Jelena Jankovic, Garbine Muguruza, Lucie Safarova, Sam Stosur, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Flavia Pennetta, Victoria Azarenka, Alize Cornet
Notes: Just as many floaters as seeds make for interesting opening meetings from the start in Doha…Tough starts for (1) Kvitova after a bye likely vs. the former No. 1 Jankovic, (5) Makarova …
Halep Wins Biggest Career Title at WTA Dubai
Posted by Staff on February 21st, 2015 @ 10:06 pm
Simona Halep upheld her top seeding at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, on Saturday in the final topping No. 17 seed Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 7-6(4).
“At the beginning of the tournament some people asked me if I felt pressure because I was the No. 1 seed,” said the Romanian after claiming the biggest title of her career. “I said no, because I wasn’t thinking about it, and I just wanted …
Refreshed Roger Federer Celebrates Chinese New Year In Dubai: “Let’s Hope It’s The Year Of The GOAT!” [Video]
Posted by Tom Gainey on February 21st, 2015 @ 10:16 am
On the eve of the men’s Dubai event, defending champion Roger Federer was on hand for a special ceremony Thursday night marking the Chinese New Year, the year of the Goat!
“It’s been a fantastic evening,” Federer said. “I’m honoured to have been part of this celebration. The Burj Al Arab is iconic, and this celebration is a nice gesture for the Chinese guests. I’ve had some amazing moments playing here …
Watch Rafael Nadal Change His Shorts On The Court! [Video]
Posted by Tom Gainey on February 21st, 2015 @ 10:00 am
During the first changeover of the third set, Rafael Nadal decided that was the time for a quick change of shorts, except he had to do it ON THE COURT! With the crowd whistling away as the local Friday night time approached 3am, Nadal put on the towel then went about his business adjusting his shorts correctly after putting them on backwards at the end of the second set – …
Nadal Survives 3:18am Finish To Reach Rio SFs; Halep On Brink Of Biggest Career Title
Posted by Staff on February 21st, 2015 @ 12:39 am
In a match that began after 1am local time, Rafael Nadal overcame a set deficit to pull away from Pablo Cuevas 4-6, 7-5, 6-0 in the Rio quarterfinals.
“It was a complicated time at the beginning,” Nadal said. “But in the second set I felt better. I felt better control in the match even though I could not break him until 6-5. I’m happy because this was an important victory for …
Nadal Into Rio QFs; Bolelli Beats Raonic For First Top 10 Win In Marseille, Def Champ Gulbis Winless in 2015
Posted by Staff on February 20th, 2015 @ 12:03 am
It was another tough first set, but Rafael Nadal rolled into the Rio quarterfinals with a 7-5, 6-3 win over countryman Pablo Carreno Busta Thursday. Nadal, who is a perfect 16-0 lifetime in Brazil, now faces Pablo Cuevas in a first-time meeting on Friday.
“If my rival is Nadal, it is going to be the first time I face him,” said Cuevas who just won the Sao Paulo event on Sunday. …
Poll: Will Novak Djokovic Keep His No. 1 Ranking For The Entire 2015 Season?
Posted by Staff on February 19th, 2015 @ 10:15 am
With rivals Roger Federer aging and Rafael Nadal returning from injury, Novak Djokovic is primed for a repeat of his 2014 No. 1 ranking finish. But will the Serb do something he’s never done before, that is maintain the top spot for the duration of the 2015 season?
The case for Djokovic staying No. 1 every week this year…
* Rivals Roger Federer (aging), Rafael Nadal (returning from injury)
* Young guns still …
After Slow Start, Rafael Nadal Rolls Bellucci In Brazil
Posted by Staff on February 18th, 2015 @ 10:26 am
Playing his first clay match since his ninth French Open title last June, Rafael Nadal started slow but then found his form cruising past Thomaz Bellucci 6-4, 6-1 in his Rio opener.
The two lefties traded no fewer than five breaks in a scratchy first set before Nadal broke at 4-4 then served out the set.
Nadal then rolled in the second to win his 15th match in Brazil without a loss. …
Juan Martin Del Potro Was Training With Gabriela Sabatini In Miami!
Posted by Tom Gainey on February 17th, 2015 @ 10:10 am
Over the weekend, Juan Martin del Potro posted on facebook that he had hit tennis balls with Argentine legend Gabriela Sabatini in Miami.
“What a way to finish a great week: the best practice with my friend, the one and only, Gaby,” he wrote on Saturday.
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Undefeated In Brazil, Rafael Nadal Returns To Clay Tonight In Rio
Posted by Tom Gainey on February 17th, 2015 @ 9:48 am
The King of Clay, Rafael Nadal, returns to his favorite surface tonight at the Rio Open. After a disappointing Australian Open where he lost to Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals, Nadal is excited but cautious to be back on the dirt.
“During my career, I try to have the mentality to not only be all day doing what is strictly for tennis,” Nadal said last week. “I think one of the …
Roger Federer Adds New ATP Event In Istanbul To His Clay Schedule
Posted by Tom Gainey on February 17th, 2015 @ 9:36 am
Just days after announcing his schedule for the first half of 2015, Roger Federer has already made a change. The 33-year-old revealed he has added the Istanbul Open scheduled from April 27 – May 3.
This is the first year for the Istanbul and the first ever ATP-level event held in Turkey. According to Federer, it’s his first trip the to city and to the country.
As he has grown older, …
Cuevas, Hantuchova, Nishikori, Petkovic, Wawrinka Win Titles
Posted by Staff on February 15th, 2015 @ 8:35 pm
Nishikori Makes History with 3rd Consecutive Memphis Title
Kei Nishikori did it the hard way this week in Memphis, three times coming back from a set down, and in the final defeating Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-4 for his third consecutive Memphis Open title.
“Today’s match was much different than [the past] couple of matches,” said Nishikori, the first player to win the Memphis title in three consecutive years since the tournament’s inception …
WTA Previews: Serena, Genie Pull from Still-strong Dubai
Posted by Staff on February 14th, 2015 @ 10:33 pm
DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Dubai, UAE; Surface: hard
Seeds: Simona Halep, Petra Kvitova, Caroline Wozniacki, Ana Ivanovic, Agnieszka Radwanska, Ekaterina Makarova, Angelique Kerber, Venus Williams, Andrea Petkovic, Flavia Pennetta, Lucie Safarova, Jelena Jankovic, Carla Suarez Navarro, Alize Cornet, Peng Shuai, Karolina Pliskova
Floaters: Sam Stosur, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Sabine Lisicki, Caroline Garcia
Notes: Seven of the Top 10, four former No. 1s and two unseeded former Slam winners makes for an ultra-competitive field, even …
Nadal Heads Hot Rio Field; ATP Marseille, Delray Previews
Posted by Staff on February 14th, 2015 @ 9:42 pm
RIO OPEN PRESENTED BY CLARO
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Surface: clay
Seeds: Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer, Tommy Robredo, Fabio Fognini, Leonardo Mayer, Pablo Cuevas, Santiago Giraldo, Martin Klizan
Floaters: Nicolas Almagro, Juan Monaco
Notes: The 2nd edition of the ATP 500 tournament pulls in Top 10ers Nadal and Ferrer of Spain…Nadal beat Alexandr Dolgopolov in last year’s inaugural final…Openers of note are (1) Nadal vs. Brazil’s Thomaz Bellucci, (6) Cuevas vs. Almagro, and (7) …