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Murray Faces Tough Path For More London History

  • Posted: Jun 17, 2017

Murray Faces Tough Path For More London History

World No. 1 could meet Tsonga in the QFs

Andy Murray will go for more history at the Aegon Championships at The Queen’s Club. The ATP World Tour 500 tournament in London starts on Sunday. But the Scot could have to beat three Top 15 players, including World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka, if he wants to win an unprecedented sixth Queen’s Club crown.

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Last year, Murray became the first player to win five titles at the tournament, which was established in 1890.

Aegon Championships Title Leaders

Andy Murray 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016
Andy Roddick  2003, 2004, 2005, 2007
Lleyton Hewitt  2000, 2001, 2002, 2006
Boris Becker  1985, 1987, 1988, 1996
John McEnroe  1979, 1980, 1981, 1984
Roy Emerson  1963, 1964, 1965, 1966
Anthony Wilding  1907, 1910, 1911, 1912
Major J.G. Ritchie  1902, 1904, 1906, 1909

The Brit is once again the top seed at his home tournament and will face a compatriot in the first round, Aljaz Bedene, who reached his second ATP World Tour final earlier this year in Budapest. Murray could next face the big-serving American Sam Querrey, who famously upset Novak Djokovic in the third round at Wimbledon last year.

Prevail in those two matches and Murray’s path gets only harder. The 30 year old could meet fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who’s already won three titles this season and pushed Murray to five sets in last year’s Wimbledon quarter-final. In the semi-finals, the dangerous Nick Kyrgios or fourth seed Marin Cilic could await.

You May Also Like: Murray Achieves History In London

The second-seeded Wawrinka opens against a grass-court veteran in 35-year-old Feliciano Lopez, who has served and volleyed his way to the MercedesCup final in Stuttgart. Lopez faces Frenchman Lucas Pouille for the title on Sunday.

Seventh seed and 2010 Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych could lurk in the quarter-finals, with sixth seed Grigor Dimitrov or third seed and 2016 finalist Milos Raonic possible semi-final opponents for Wawrinka.

The 32-year-old Swiss No. 1 is coming off his second Roland Garros final and is making his fifth appearance at the historic London club. He is 4-4 overall at the tournament and reached the semi-finals in 2014 (l. to Dimitrov).

Raonic, whose only two grass-court losses last season came against Murray in title matches, will look to get his season rolling on the quick surface. The 6’5” Canadian has yet to win a title this season and recently split with coach Richard Kraijcek after less than six months together.

The 26-year-old right-hander opens against wild card and #NextGenATP Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis. Raonic could meet Frenchman Nicolas Mahut or #NextGenATP Russian Daniil Medvedev in the second round.

Fans of booming serves and quick points will want to watch Cilic’s opening match. The Croatian faces 6’10” John Isner of the U.S. Cilic could battle another American in Steve Johnson in the second round.

Read More: Federer Looks To Rebound With Ninth Halle Crown

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Melo/Kubot Take Den Bosch Doubles Title

  • Posted: Jun 17, 2017

Melo/Kubot Take Den Bosch Doubles Title

Top seeds defeat Klaasen/Ram on Saturday

Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo continued their outstanding season by taking the doubles title at the Ricoh Open on Saturday, living up to their top seed status in ‘s-Hertogenbosch by defeating second seeds Raven Klaasen and Rajeev Ram 6-3, 6-4. 

“We’ve had a really good year. It’s another title for us, so we’re very happy with the way we’re playing,” said Kubot. “It’s a little bit more pressure as the top seeds, but as you could see at Roland Garros, the top two seeds lost in the first round. Everybody is playing good now.”

You May Also Like: Muller Upsets Zverev In Den Bosch

This is the third title of 2017 for Kubot/Melo. They have excelled in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events this year, winning in Madrid (d. Mahut/Roger-Vasselin) and Miami (d. Monroe/Sock), in addition to finishing runner-up in Indian Wells (l. Klaasen/Ram). They pick up 250 Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings points and split a cheque for €31,910.

Klaasen/Ram drop to 2-1 in ATP World Tour doubles finals this season. They prevailed in February in Delray Beach (d. Huey/Mirnyi), then took out Kubot/Melo for their first Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells. Klaasen was also a finalist last year in ‘s-Hertogenbosch with Dominic Inglot (l. Pavic/Venus). He and Ram earn 150 Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings points and split €16,780.

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A single break of serve in each set was all Kubot/Melo needed to take the title in 65 minutes. They saved all three break points faced and were particularly efficient in their service games, landing 80 per cent of their first serves and winning 78 per cent of first-serve points.

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Pouille Ousts Countryman To Reach Stuttgart Final

  • Posted: Jun 17, 2017

Pouille Ousts Countryman To Reach Stuttgart Final

Frenchman will next face Lopez

Lucas Pouille will play in his third ATP World Tour final of the season on Sunday after ousting countryman Benoit Paire 7-6(5), 7-5 during the MercedesCup semi-finals in Stuttgart on Saturday. The 23-year-old Pouille hit 13 aces and saved both break points to advance to his fifth ATP World Tour final.

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He is 2-2 in title matches for his career and 1-1 this season. Pouille beat Brit Aljaz Bedene on clay in April to win the inaugural Gazprom Hungarian Open in Budapest. The Frenchman fell to countryman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga during the Open 13 Marseille title match in Metz in February.

The fourth-seeded Pouille, who saved a match point in his opener against German Jan-Lennard Struff, will meet Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in the grass-court final. Lopez prevailed in a battle of hard-charging left-handers, edging German Mischa Zverev 6-7(2), 7-6(4), 7-5 in two hours and four minutes.

The title match will mark Lopez’s first ATP World Tour final of the season. He is 5-11 in finals but hasn’t played in a title match since last August in Los Cabos (l. to Karlovic). Lopez beat Robin Haase last July to win the Gstaad title.

“The match was so close from the beginning to the end. I was able to connect on great returns in the last game,” said Lopez, who broke Zverev in the final game.

The 6’2” Lopez improved to 3-0 against Zverev in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series. The 29-year-old Zverev was looking to reach his second final of the season after falling to Stan Wawrinka in the Banque Eric Sturdza Geneva Open last month.

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Federer Looks To Rebound With Ninth Halle Crown

  • Posted: Jun 17, 2017

Federer Looks To Rebound With Ninth Halle Crown

Thiem, Nishikori & Zverev also headline

After the disappointment of his opening-round exit last week in Stuttgart, Roger Federer is looking to make amends next week as the top seed at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle.

The Swiss is an eight-time former champion at this ATP World Tour 500 grass-court tournament and goes in one win away from his 1,100th tour-level victory. Federer lifted the trophy in Halle in 2003-06, 2008, 2013-15 and is looking to win his 16th grass-court title.

The 35-year-old Federer opens his campaign against Yen-Hsun Lu and could face Mischa Zverev in the second round; the German left-hander made the semi-finals in Stuttgart (l. to Lopez).

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Federer is projected to face sixth seed Lucas Pouille in the quarter-finals, though the sixth-seeded Frenchman faces a tricky opener against 6’5″ German Jan-Lennard Struff.

Also in Federer’s half of the draw is third seed Kei Nishikori, who is searching for his first grass-court trophy next week. The Japanese star faces Fernando Verdasco in the first round and is in the same quarter of the draw as Ivo Karlovic, a winner of three grass-court titles.

Dominic Thiem is the second seed. The Austrian is coming off his second straight Roland Garros semi-final (l. to Nadal) and will start his grass-court campaign against either Robin Haase or David Ferrer. The 23-year-old Thiem won his first ATP World Tour grass-court title last year in Stuttgart. He is in the same section of the draw as 39-year-old wild card Tommy Haas and fifth seed Gael Monfils.

#NextGenATP star Alexander Zverev rounds out the top four seeds. The home favourite, who lost today in the ‘s-Hertogebosch semi-finals (l. to Muller), is chasing his fifth ATP World Tour title and first on grass after finishing runner-up to Florian Mayer in the Halle final last year. The 20 year old will meet Paolo Lorenzi in the first round and could face 2011 champion Philipp Kohlschreiber in the second round.

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Muller Upsets Zverev In Den Bosch

  • Posted: Jun 17, 2017

Muller Upsets Zverev In Den Bosch

Karlovic defeats Cilic on Saturday

Fourth seed Gilles Muller kept up his top form on Saturday in s’-Hertogenbosch, storming into another final at the Ricoh Open by upsetting second seed Alexander Zverev 7-6(5), 6-2.

“It was definitely one of my best matches this season. I played very well from the beginning. Everyone knows Sascha is a tough player and has already won some big tournaments, so I’m very happy to get through,” said Muller. “It’s true that I’m one of the older guys on tour, but I’m having my best time this year. I’ve been injury-free the past few years and able to play a full schedule, so that has helped me a lot.”

In a battle of veterans, Muller will contest the championship match against third seed Ivo Karlovic, who prevailed in a big-serving battle over top seed and fellow Croatian Marin Cilic 7-6(4), 5-7, 7-6(2). Karlovic moves into his 18th ATP World Tour singles final (8-9) and seventh on grass (3-3). 

“It was a great match. I was struggling this year, so it’s nice to make another final,” said Karlovic. “Hopefully the final against Gilles is a good match also.”

Muller and Karlovic are even in their FedEx ATP Head2Head at 1-1, with both matches coming last year on grass. Muller prevailed in their semi-final in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, but Karlovic turned the tables in the Newport final.

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The 34-year-old Muller is through to his third ATP World Tour final of the season, winning his first title this January in Sydney (d. Evans) and finishing runner-up in Estoril (l. Carreno Busta). His success led to reaching a career-high Emirates ATP Ranking of No. 26 on 6 May.

Muller has continued to excel at this event. He was a runner-up last year (l. Mahut) and semi-finalist in 2015 (l. Goffin).

“I’ve played here many times,” said Muller. “I can travel here by car and my family is here, so it’s a really nice tournament for me.”

Karlovic evens his FedEx ATP Head2Head with Cilic at 3-3. The big-serving Croatian’s previous best result this year was a pair of quarter-finals in Doha and Budapest. The 38 year old is also just 14 aces shy of 12,000 after hitting 29 in his victory over Cilic.

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Muller and Zverev held serve throughout the first set to force a tie-break. Zverev grabbed an early mini-break, but the fourth seed went on a four-point run from 2/4 down. A strong serve on his second set point gave Muller the early advantage.

The Luxembourg native poured it on in the second set, firing a forehand passing shot to earn the first break of the match and lead 2-1. An aggressive forehand approach at 4-2 earned him a double break. Muller fired an ace on his first match point to wrap up the contest in one hour and 24 minutes. 

More: Melo/Kubot Win Den Bosch Doubles Title

Both Cilic and Karlovic held serve throughout the first set, but Cilic’s first double fault of the match gave Karlovic a 2/0 lead. The third seed rode that momentum to a one-set advantage. Cilic earned the first break of the match at 5-5 in the second set after a Karlovic volley floated long, and the top seed ultimately forced a decider.

Cilic bravely saved a match point at 5-6 in the final set with an overhead winner to force another tie-break. However, he hit a forehand error early on to give Karlovic a 2/0 lead. That lead was extended further after a forehand winner from Karlovic gave him a 5/1 advantage. The third seed hit a backhand volley winner on his first match point to prevail in two hours and 43 minutes. 

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Nottingham Open: Johanna Konta beats Magdalena Rybarikova to reach final

  • Posted: Jun 17, 2017

Johanna Konta reached the final of the Nottingham Open for the first time with a tidy victory over Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova.

The British number one registered a 6-2 7-5 win over the world number 117 to reach her first grass final.

Konta broke her opponent early as she powered through the first set before upping the tempo at the end of the second to secure victory.

She will face either Croat Donna Vekic or Czech Lucie Safarova on Sunday.

  • Live scores and schedule

More to follow.

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Andy Murray faces Aljaz Bedene in Queen's Club first round

  • Posted: Jun 17, 2017
2017 Aegon Championships
Venue: Queen’s Club, London Dates: 19-25 June
Coverage: Comprehensive live coverage on BBC One, BBC Two, Red Button, Connected TV and online daily

British world number one Andy Murray will face compatriot Aljaz Bedene in the Aegon Championships first round at Queen’s Club on Tuesday.

Top seed and defending champion Murray beat Bedene, the British number four, in straight sets at last year’s event.

British number two Kyle Edmund will face a qualifier on Monday.

Swiss second seed Stan Wawrinka has drawn Spain’s Feliciano Lopez, while Australian Nick Kyrgios will face Steve Johnson of the United States.

Sam Querrey, who won the event in 2010, will play British wildcard Cameron Norrie, while last year’s finalist Milos Raonic of Canada faces Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis.

The tournament is seen as an important stepping stone for the leading male players in their build-up to Wimbledon – and this year’s event contains 10 of the world’s top 20.

Murray, 30, has won at Queen’s in both of the years he has gone on to claim the Wimbledon title, while the likes of John McEnroe and Rafael Nadal have also claimed the grass-court double in London.

“There’s a lot of tough players in the draw and it’s going to be a tough game, but there’s a lot of exciting first rounds there,” said Kyrgios.

“It’s perfect preparation for Wimbledon. This is always a tournament I look forward to playing and the grass court is in really good nick.”

The tournament gets under way on Monday with the final on Sunday, 25 June.

Queen’s without ‘King of Clay’

Six of the world’s top 10 players were supposed to be appearing at Queen’s, but that number has been reduced after Nadal and David Goffin pulled out.

French Open champion Nadal, 31, said he has been advised to rest by his doctor after a “long clay-court season”, while Belgian Goffin will miss the grass-court season with an ankle injury suffered at Roland Garros.

“My body needs to rest if I am going to be ready to play Wimbledon,” said world number two Nadal.

BBC coverage

BBC Sport will provide the usual comprehensive live coverage on BBC One, BBC Two, Red Button, Connected TV and online daily throughout the competition.

A title winner at Queen’s a record five times, Murray’s victory over Raonic in the 2016 final was watched by 3.7 million people on TV, with many more listening on BBC Radio 5 live and following online.

Barbara Slater, director of BBC Sport, described the tournament as “one of the most cherished events in the tennis calendar”.

Full details of BBC Sport’s coverage

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