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Granollers/Dodig Sail Into Rome QFs

  • Posted: May 17, 2017

Granollers/Dodig Sail Into Rome QFs

Sousa/Verdasco, Marach/Pavic advance on Wednesday

Ivan Dodig and Marcel Granollers didn’t put a foot wrong on Wednesday at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, not facing a break point as they reached the quarter-finals 6-1, 6-4 over Nikola Mektic and Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

The eighth seeds will look to reach their first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final of 2017 after going 0-3 in their previous quarter-final appearances (Miami, Monte-Carlo, Madrid). Dodig/Granollers will next play third seeds Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares or Americans John Isner and Jack Sock.

In first-round matches, Joao Sousa and Fernando Verdasco defeated Daniel Nestor and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-7(6), 6-4, 10-6. Sousa/Verdasco will face top seeds Henri Kontinen and John Peers for a place in the last eight.

Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic also won their opening round over Treat Huey and Michael Venus 6-2, 3-6, 10-6. The Austrian-Croatian duo square off Thursday against sixth seeds Raven Klaasen and Rajeev Ram.

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Top seed Kerber knocked out of Italian Open by world number 68

  • Posted: May 17, 2017

World number one Angelique Kerber was knocked out of the Italian Open in a surprise straight-set defeat by Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit on Wednesday.

The world number 68 won 6-4 6-0 in 56 minutes, meaning both Kerber and men’s top seed Andy Murray exited the Rome tournament at the second-round stage.

British number two Kyle Edmund also suffered a straight-set defeat by Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro.

The 22-year-old world number 53 lost 7-5 6-4 in one hour and 46 minutes.

Fellow Briton Aljaz Bedene was also knocked out in the second round by world number two Novak Djokovic.

Del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion, will face Japan’s Kei Nishikori in the last 16.

Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal eased through to the third round when opponent Nicolas Almagro retired after injuring his knee early in the first set.

Nadal raced to a 3-0 lead before Spanish compatriot Almagro withdrew with less than half an hour played.

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Nishikori Overcomes Ferrer; Del Potro Or Edmund Next Up

  • Posted: May 17, 2017

Nishikori Overcomes Ferrer; Del Potro Or Edmund Next Up

Del Potro and Edmund compete later on day four

Seventh seed Kei Nishikori overcame fellow baseliner David Ferrer for the second time in as many weeks on Wednesday at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. Nishikori showed few signs of the right wrist pain that had forced his withdrawal from last week’s Mutua Madrid Open in a 7-5, 6-2 second-round victory over 2010 finalist Ferrer, who is just one of 13 players in ATP World Tour history to record 700 match wins.

The Japanese star, who broke Ferrer’s serve five times in the 81-minute win, is now 18-6 on the season that includes runner-up finishes in Brisbane (l. to Dimitrov) and Buenos Aires (l. to Dolgopolov). Nishikori awaits the winner of Kyle Edmund and former World No. 4 Juan Martin del Potro, who play later today. Del Potro leads Nishikori 4-1, but the Florida-based Japanese did win their October 2016 meeting in Basel.

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Johanna Konta among seven of top 10 for Eastbourne's Aegon International

  • Posted: May 17, 2017

British number one Johanna Konta is among seven of the world’s top 10 players set to compete at the Aegon International in Eastbourne.

Former winners Dominika Cibulkova, Caroline Wozniacki, Agnieszka Radwanska and Svetlana Kuznetsova will join Konta, 26, at the tournament – which runs from 23 June to 1 July.

French Open champion Garbine Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova will also play.

Britain’s Kyle Edmund, Aljaz Bedene and Dan Evans take part in the men’s event.

The Aegon International takes place in the week before Wimbledon, which begins on 3 July.

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Italian Open: Andy Murray expects to turn form around after Fabio Fognini defeat

  • Posted: May 17, 2017

World number one Andy Murray can find “no reason” for his “struggle” with form following defeat in the second round of the Italian Open.

The 30-year-old lost 6-2 6-4 to Fabio Fognini in Rome and has now won one title from eight events in 2017.

The French Open begins on 28 May but Murray has only reached one semi-final in his last four clay court events.

“I’m just not playing good tennis and need to try to work out how to turn it around,” he said. “I believe I will.”

He added: “The last couple of weeks have definitely been a struggle and a long way from where I’d like to be. There is no reason for it from my end.

“Movement the last two weeks has not been good. My movement has been a big help, the last couple of years, but certainly the last couple of weeks, that’s been a problem.”

The Scot insists his difficulties are nothing to do with the pressures of being world number one.

But he admitted he found it hard to create chances against world number 29 Fognini, as he suffered a fifth defeat in 10 matches.

Murray’s last title came in Dubai in February, a contrast to the form he showed in winning five events in a row to end 2016.

He will arrive in Roland Garros – he was beaten by Novak Djokovic in last year’s final – with his run to the semi-final of the Barcelona Open in April as his best return on clay in 2017.

Since that loss to Dominic Thiem, he has gone down to world number 50 Borna Coric at the Madrid Open before a straight sets defeat by Fognini.

Ivan Lendl – who coaches Murray on a part-time basis – will join up with the team later this week for the grand slam event in Paris.

Murray’s ranking under threat? – analysis

BBC Sport tennis correspondent Russell Fuller:

Andy Murray will be the world number 1 during Wimbledon, but will have to play exceptionally well if he is to remain at the top come the autumn.

That is because tennis’ ranking system is calculated on an annual basis, with players defending points they won in the same week the previous year.

Murray has shed a significant number of points by losing early in both Madrid and Rome, as last year he was the runner-up in Spain and the champion in Italy.

He has nearly 4000 points to defend at the French Open, The Queen’s Club and Wimbledon, and an even greater number in October and November – the one down side of winning his final five tournaments of 2016.

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My Masters 1000: David Ferrer

  • Posted: May 17, 2017

My Masters 1000: David Ferrer

Spaniard reflects on Masters 1000 week to remember

Fourteen years ago at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, David Ferrer recorded his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 match win when he recovered from a first-set bagel to stun World No. 1 Andre Agassi 0-6, 7-6(3), 6-4. On Tuesday, the 35-year-old Spaniard celebrated another memorable moment in Rome. He defeated Feliciano Lopez to earn his place alongside 12 other players, including Agassi, in the ATP World Tour’s exclusive 700-wins club. 

Of his victories, a quarter of which have come at the Masters 1000 level (178-111), Ferrer picked his triumph at the 2012 Tennis Paris Masters as the most memorable. That week in Paris-Bercy, he posted back-to-back wins over Stan Wawrinka and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga before defeating Jerzy Janowicz for the title.

Ferrer, who also reached six other finals at this elite level, reflected on his Masters 1000 highlights and favourites in this exclusive Q&A with ATPWorldTour.com.

You May Also Like: Tribute: Ferrer Records 700th Match Win In Rome

Why are the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 so special?
There are really good matches from the first round. A Top 15 player can face a Top 10 in the opening round. Regardless of the round, there aren’t easy matches for the seeded players. 

Which is your favourite Masters 1000 tournament?
My favourite Masters 1000 is Monte Carlo because of its history, organisation and beauty of the club. The centre court is amazing. You’re stunned looking at it. [It’s] my favourite Masters 1000 court. 

Which Masters 1000 tournament has the loudest fans?
Rome

What was your best Masters 1000 match?
Well, definitely not the Miami final (in 2013). I lost against Andy Murray after having match point. I would say the Masters 1000 final I won in Paris-Bercy. It was a great opportunity for me. I was a little bit nervous because all the top seeds had been knocked out. I feel proud for having assumed that with serenity. It was a match for me to win, and I won. 

Who is the strongest competitor in Masters 1000 history?
Rafael Nadal, no doubt. His numbers speaks for themselves. 

Which is the Masters 1000 you would most like to win?
Right now, I would like to win the Mutua Madrid Open because my inner circle would be around me. It would be an special occasion. It is played in Spain and some people who are close to me could come. It would be a great moment to share with them. 

Which is the most player-friendly Masters 1000?
Monte Carlo. Everything is within reach, the organisation is very precise, it is a spectacular tournament. Being held in a small city, everything is easier for the players.

Which player would you have liked to play against in a Masters 1000?
It would have been great to face Marcelo Ríos on the centre court of Miami. 

What is your dream match at a Masters 1000?
My dream match would be to win a Masters 1000 against Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer because they are the two best players of history. 

What is the greatest match you’ve ever watched at a Masters 1000?
Rafael Nadal with Andre Agassi in Montreal (2005). 

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'No grounds' for Sharapova wildcard decision – WTA

  • Posted: May 17, 2017

French Open organisers had “no grounds to penalise” Maria Sharapova by denying her a wildcard entry to the tournament, says the Women’s Tennis Association.

The Russian, 30, was ranked too low to gain direct entry as she continues her return from a 15-month drugs ban.

The French Tennis Federation (FFT) chose not to hand Sharapova a wildcard to “protect” the sport’s standards.

“I don’t agree with the basis for their decision. She has complied with the sanction,” said WTA chief Steve Simon.

“There are no grounds to penalise any player beyond the sanctions set forth in the final decisions resolving these matters.”

Two-time French Open winner Sharapova needed a wildcard, which are awarded at the discretion of tournament organisers, to play in either the main draw or the qualifying tournament.

  • Sharapova win secures Wimbledon qualifying place
  • ‘Wimbledon qualifying facilities could cope with Sharapova’
  • Cash – Sharapova shouldn’t be given Wimbledon wildcard

But on Monday, FFT chief Bernard Giudicelli Ferrandini said: “There can be a wildcard for the return from injuries – there cannot be a wildcard for the return from doping.

“I’m very sorry for Maria, very sorry for her fans. They might be very disappointed, she might be very disappointed, but it’s my responsibility, my mission, to protect the high standards of the game played without any doubt on the result.”

Shortly after learning of her Roland Garros snub, Sharapova withdrew injured from her second-round Italian Open match against Mirjana Lucic-Baroni.

The French Open begins on 28 May.

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Early Rome exit ends Wimbledon main-draw hopes

Sharapova returned to action without a ranking last month and has since risen to 211 in the world after receiving wildcards in Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome.

That will be enough to at least earn a qualifying spot at Wimbledon next month.

Sharapova needed to reach the semi-finals of the Italian Open to qualify for Wimbledon’s main draw but retired in the second round on Tuesday when leading Lucic-Baroni 4-6 6-3 2-1.

“I apologise for having to withdraw from my match with a left thigh injury,” she said. “I will be getting all the necessary examinations to make sure it is not serious.”

Sharapova will now have to wait until 20 June to discover whether she is among the wildcards at the All England Club.

The former world number one has not played a Grand Slam since she tested positive for heart disease drug meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open.

That brought an initial two-year ban, later reduced to 15 months after the Court of Arbitration for Sport found she was not an “intentional doper”.

Analysis

BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller

The ongoing fight against doping is more important than the line-up for the French Open – that was the message from the French Federation’s president.

It is a brave and principled decision, which will upset some fans and broadcasters. Ratings may suffer, but Roland Garros will ultimately be stronger for it.

How could the public take the sport’s anti-doping message seriously if one of the Grand Slams had invited a player who was not ranked high enough because of time served for a doping offence?

It is worth noting, though, that the FFT have awarded a qualifying wildcard to Constant Lestienne, a French player who was banned for seven months last autumn for betting on matches.

Guidicelli’s argument is that he has “paid his debt” – as his wildcard for Roland Garros was rescinded at the last moment last year when he first came under investigation.

Sharapova has, in contrast, earned her place in qualifying for Wimbledon, even though injury has now deprived her of the chance to play herself into the main draw.

And assuming she is fit, she is likely to want to play at least two warm-up events. The Lawn Tennis Association has already offered her a wildcard into the WTA event in Birmingham. If Sharapova also wants to play the week before, she has Nottingham and the Dutch town of Rosmalen to choose between.

Reaction

Ben Rothenberg, New York Times: Sharapova’s Tuesday: 1) Denied French Open wild card; 2) Injured vs Lucic, retires; 3) Misses out on direct entry to Wimbledon main draw.

Jose Morais, GQ Portugal: Roland Garros will have neither Roger Federer, nor Maria Sharapova nor Serena Williams competing for the first time since 1997. Whoa.

David James, AFP: Roland Garros double standards? Frenchman Constant Lestienne gets wild card in qualifying despite serving ban for illegal betting.

Stuart Fraser, The Times: Sharapova will require around 290 points from grass season (likely Birmingham/Wimbledon) to make US Open main draw (cut on July 17).

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How Djokovic, Federer, Sampras All Became No. 1

  • Posted: May 17, 2017

How Djokovic, Federer, Sampras All Became No. 1

Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers shows the small margin that separates World No. 1 from the rest of the tour

What happens if you take a 50-50 battle, and tip it just five percentage points in your favour?

You become the No. 1 player in the world.

An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of year-end No. 1 players since 1991, when statistics were first recorded in tennis, uncovers that reaching the pinnacle of our sport is predicated on winning with a lot smaller margin of victory than we realise.

The following breakdown shows how many times a player finished as year-end No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, and the percentage of points he won that season.

1991-2016: Year-End No. 1 Winning Percentage of Points Played

Points: Winning Percentage

Year-End No. 1 Total

55%

12

54%

7

53%

4

56%

3

TOTAL

26

The lowest average number of points won for a year-end No. 1 since 1991 is 53 per cent. Those players:

Year-End No. 1 Winning 53% Of Points

  • 1991 Stefan Edberg

  • 1996 Pete Sampras

  • 2000 Gustavo Kuerten

  • 2001 Lleyton Hewitt

The highest average of points won for a season is 56 per cent. Those players:

Year-End No. 1 – Winning 56% Points

  • 2015 Novak Djokovic

  • 2011 Novak Djokovic

  • 2006 Roger Federer

We can see definitive improvement at the top level of our sport. Since 2010, the lowest average number of points won has been 55 per cent, and no year-end No. 1 since 2001 has been below 54 per cent.

Infosys Nia Data reveals that current World No. 5 Rafael Nadal has won the highest percentage of points of the Top 10 so far in 2017. The Spaniard is winning 55 per cent (2711/4927) of his points and has gone 29-5 with two titles.

Federer currently leads the Emirates ATP Race To London (Nadal is second), with the Swiss winning 54.5 per cent (1921/3526) of his points so far in 2017.

Current Top 10 Points Won in 2017

Ranking

Player

Points Won/Total

Points Won Percentage

1

Andy Murray

(1738/3244)

53.6%

2

Novak Djokovic

(1500/2832)

53%

3

Stan Wawrinka

1857/3603)

51.5%

4

Roger Federer

(1921/3526)

54.5%

5

Rafael Nadal

(2711/4927)

55%

6

Milos Raonic

(1426/2705)

52.7%

7

Marin Cilic

(1611/3072)

52.4%

8

Kei Nishikori

(1793/3402)

52.7%

9

Dominic Thiem

(2485/4784)

51.9%

10

David Goffin

(2616/5008)

52.2%

AVERAGE

53%

To win 55 per cent of the points in a season also means that the best players in the world lose 45 per cent of all points they play.

In 2015, Novak Djokovic assembled the best winning record in recent times, winning 93 per cent (82-6) of his matches, collecting 11 titles and more than $21 million in prize money.

But the 93 percent win rate in matches was predicated on winning just 55.8 per cent (7507/13455) of points played. The Super Serbian competed in 15 finals in 2015, winning 11 and losing four. He won 73 per cent of the title matches, but won only 51.7 per cent of the points (1430/2765) in those 15 finals.

Success in tennis is built upon very small margins. Losing 45 per cent of all points you play is actually a world-class day at the office.

Year

Year-End No. 1

Percentage Points Won

2016

Andy Murray

55%

2015

Novak Djokovic

56%

2014

Novak Djokovic

55%

2013

Rafael Nadal

55%

2012

Novak Djokovic

55%

2011

Novak Djokovic

56%

2010

Rafael Nadal

55%

2009

Roger Federer

54%

2008

Rafael Nadal

55%

2007

Roger Federer

55%

2006

Roger Federer

56%

2005

Roger Federer

55%

2004

Roger Federer

55%

2003

Andy Roddick

54%

2002

Lleyton Hewitt

54%

2001

Lleyton Hewitt

53%

2000

Gustavo Kuerten

53%

1999

Andre Agassi

55%

1998

Pete Sampras

54%

1997

Pete Sampras

55%

1996

Pete Sampras

53%

1995

Pete Sampras

54%

1994

Pete Sampras

55%

1993

Pete Sampras

54%

1992

Jim Courier

54%

1991

Stefan Edberg

53%

AVERAGE

55%

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