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Andy Murray: Tennis needs Scottish star back, says Boris Becker

  • Posted: Feb 28, 2018

Six-time Grand Slam winner Boris Becker hopes to see Scotland’s Andy Murray return to full fitness for the good of tennis.

Former world number one Murray had surgery on his injured hip in January and hopes to be back for the grass-court season.

The 30-year-old Scot, who has won three Grand Slam titles, has been sidelined since Wimbledon last year.

“Tennis needs him; tennis is not the same without Andy Murray,” Becker said.

“He got this problem and he stopped when he was the number one player in the world. It’s the last thing you want to happen.

“It’s a serious injury – I’m not his doctor, I can’t give you details of what the surgery was or how many surgeries he had – but what I hear is he is contemplating coming back on the grass because obviously it’s a little easier for the hip.

“I think you wouldn’t come back if you wouldn’t have the chance to come back fully fit.

“Once he’s fully fit, he’s one of the best players in the world. Then it’s a question of time. How much time are you going to give yourself to come back to this level you had before? I hope he does.”

Becker was 31 when he called time on his career and he says Murray faces some tough choices as he bids to return to the court.

“It’s the most difficult decision for an athlete,” the German said.

“We all come to that moment of having to face the man in the mirror and saying, ‘We’re too old’.

“It’s not because 31 is old but it’s because of the wear and tear and the physical demands that you’ve asked from your body. It’s not a number.

“(Bjorn) Borg thought he was too old at 26. It’s the most difficult decision you have to ask yourself because it’s not normal to be called old at 31, 32.

“You’re still starting your life as a man. But as an athlete, you are not a spring chicken any more. It’s difficult.”

Without Murray and Novak Djokovic, other multiple Grand Slam winners recovering from injury, 36-year-old Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, 31, have risen back to the top of the ATP rankings.

Federer has won three of the last five Grand Slams, with Nadal claiming the other two, and Becker says their example could inspire Murray.

“It’s tempting, you say, ‘Why is he coming back and being number one’, like Rafa was too,” he added.

“And the same goes for Novak, you’re tempted with these other guys coming back and playing better than before. That’s the double-edged sword.”

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Pouille Clinches 'Revenge' Win Over Khachanov In Dubai

  • Posted: Feb 28, 2018

Pouille Clinches ‘Revenge’ Win Over Khachanov In Dubai

Bautista Agut rallies after second set tie-break loss

Last week, Lucas Pouille was denied the opportunity to clinch a second title on home soil in three weeks by Karen Khachanov in the Open 13 Provence final in Marseille. On Wednesday, just three days after the loss, the Frenchman found himself on the right side of the score line, beating the 21-year-old 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to book his place in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships quarter-finals.

“I knew it would be a tough one,” admitted Pouille. “In the final in Marseille, he won just three points more than me. I knew it was very close. I had to play some good tennis… I’m just very happy that I got my revenge today.”

After letting an early first-set lead slip, Pouille took a one-set lead after crucially breaking serve in the ninth game. The 24-year-old could not keep his grip on the match, however, with Khachanov snatching the only break of the second set to force a decisive third set. Pouille was made to save two break points at the start of the decider, and grew in confidence from there, earning a crucial third break from only three break point opportunities in the match before unloading on his second serve to clinch his position in the quarter-finals.

As the highest seed left in the tournament, Pouille has a real chance of reaching a third final this month after winning the Open Sud de France in Montpellier and reaching the final at the Open 13 Provence (l. to Khachanov). The talented Frenchman now owns a 9-2 win loss record this month. “I’m starting to feel better and better here,” said Pouille. “I’m very happy with this month of February so far.”

The only man standing in the World No. 15’s way of back-to-back semi-finals in Dubai, is Yuichi Sugita. The eighth seed withstood 12 aces to beat Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6(4), 6-4 in one hour and 31 minutes. The match will be Pouille and Sugita’s first FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting.

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Roberto Bautista Agut reached his second quarter-final in three years, outlasting France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-1.

The third seed looked set for a real battle after dropping the second set on a windy day in Dubai, but raised his level and charged to victory. “I had to fight so hard,” admitted Bautista Agut. “It was tough to feel good on the court today. We had a lot of wind.”

Bautista Agut, who is bidding for a second ATP World Tour title of the season (Auckland), saved all four break points he faced in the two-hour, 20-minute battle, and won 80 per cent of points behind his first serve.The Spaniard now holds a 3-0 lead in his FedEx ATP Head2Head series with Herbert and moves into a quarter-final against 2015 semi-finalist Borna Coric. “Coric is playing well,” said Bautista Agut. “He’s a very good player. I will have to play my best tennis to beat him.”

Coric booked his place in the quarter-finals in just 63 minutes, beating Benoit Paire 6-1, 6-4. The Croatian broke Paire in five of his nine return games and dropped just three points behind his first serve, before sealing his spot in the last eight with a comfortable overhead.

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Mexican Open: Britain's Cameron Norrie beaten by Dominic Thiem in first round

  • Posted: Feb 28, 2018

Britain’s Cameron Norrie is out of the Mexican Open after being beaten 6-3 5-7 7-5 by world number six Dominic Thiem.

Norrie saved five break points before losing his serve in game eight of the first set as Thiem edged in front.

The world number 114 broke twice to level the match but, despite making 89% of his first serves in the decider, Norrie was broken in game 11 and Thiem held serve to reach round two.

Fellow Briton Heather Watson was beaten 7-5 4-6 6-1 by Beatriz Haddad Maia.

The world number 71 was broken twice in the decider to fall 5-0 behind but showed some fight by saving four match points before losing to the Brazilian, ranked 60, in her first-round match which lasted more than two and a half hours.

British number three Norrie, 22, has had an impressive month after making his Davis Cup debut as Britain lost 3-1 to Spain in Marbella.

He won his first singles rubber, coming from two sets down to beat Roberto Bautista Agut – ranked 91 places above him – before losing in four sets to world number 21 Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

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The Best Month of Jarry's Career Continues

  • Posted: Feb 28, 2018

The Best Month of Jarry’s Career Continues

Chilean coming off his first ATP World Tour SF in Rio

Nicolas Jarry’s fantastic February collected another win on Tuesday at the Brasil Open in Sao Paulo. The Chilean won 74 per cent of his first-serve points (34/46) for the match and saved both break points faced in the decider to fight past Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic 6-4, 1-6, 7-5.

“I’m happy to be able to get this great win. Dusan is a great clay-court player, and it’s a great victory for me,” Jarry said.

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The 22-year-old Jarry reached his first ATP World Tour quarter-final at the Ecuador Open three weeks ago and his first ATP World Tour semi-final last week at the Rio Open presented by Claro. Jarry lost to the eventual champion at both tournaments (l. to Carballes Baena in Quito; Schwartzman in Rio de Janeiro).

Jarry, at a career-high No. 73 in the ATP Rankings, will next meet sixth seed Guido Pella of Argentina, who beat #NextGenATP Frenchman Corentin Moutet 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. Pella captured 64 per cent of his second-serve return points (23/36).

Home favourite Rogerio Dutra Silva upset seventh seed Tennys Sandgren 6-0, 6-4. But Dutra Silva’s countryman Thomaz Bellucci wasn’t as fortunate, falling to Horacio Zeballos of Argentina 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-3.

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Rafael Nadal pulls out of Mexican Open with hip injury

  • Posted: Feb 28, 2018

World number two Rafael Nadal has pulled out of the Mexican Open after a recurrence of the injury that saw him retire from January’s Australian Open.

The 16-time grand slam champion was due to face fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in the opening round on Wednesday in Acapulco.

Nadal retired in the fifth set of his quarter-final against Marin Cilic in Melbourne last month with a hip injury.

“My goal and hope was to play in this tournament,” said the 31-year-old.

“Unfortunately, in my last training session yesterday, I felt a sharp pain in my leg again.”

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