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Johanna Konta through to Morocco Open quarter-finals

  • Posted: May 01, 2019

British number one Johanna Konta reached her second WTA quarter-final of the season with another hard-fought, three-set victory at the Morocco Open.

Konta, who saved three match points in her opening match in Rabat, won 6-1 6-7 (6-8) 6-2 against Romanian Ana Bogdan.

Konta, 27, led 4-1 in the second set, only for 132nd-ranked Bogdan to raise her game and win a tie-break to level.

But seventh seed Konta regained control in the decider to earn another win in her first clay-court event of the year.

The Briton again showed her strength of character to earn a fourth straight three-set victory.

She will face Taiwanese second seed Hsieh Su-wei in the next round after she beat Lara Arruabarrena of Spain 4-6 7-5 6-3.

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Monfils Can Do Nothing But Smile After Falling Victim To Most Bizarre Ace Of 2019

  • Posted: May 01, 2019

Monfils Can Do Nothing But Smile After Falling Victim To Most Bizarre Ace Of 2019

Frenchman left stranded by windy conditions in Estoril

Reilly Opelka has never needed help adding to his ace count on the ATP Tour, but the American received plenty on Wednesday to leave Gael Monfils amused and confused at the Millennium Estoril Open.

The 21-year-old landed his fifth ace of the match in strange circumstances, as the wind on Estadio Millennium diverted his serve to leave Monfils stranded at the baseline. Serving at 6-3, 2-5 (40/30), Opelka’s delivery appeared to be heading towards Monfils after landing in the middle of the service box, but a strong gust of wind blew the ball away from the Frenchman to hand the New York Open champion his ninth game of the match.

You May Also Like: Tsitsipas Reaches Milestone In Estoril

Monfils responded well to the unexpected ace, laughing and giving a ‘thumbs up’ to his opponent before motoring to victory. Following the humorous incident, the eight-time ATP Tour titlist claimed seven straight games to secure a 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 win.

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Del Potro Prepares For Madrid Return

  • Posted: May 01, 2019

Del Potro Prepares For Madrid Return

Argentine practised in Madrid on Wednesday

With only four days to go until the Mutua Madrid Open, Juan Martin del Potro looks set to return to action on the ATP Tour.

The World No. 8 stepped onto the clay at La Caja Magica for the first time this year on Wednesday, as he prepares to make his first ATP Tour appearance since the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com in February. Del Potro has been recovering from a right-knee injury sustained at the Rolex Shanghai Masters in October 2018.

The ATP Masters 1000 event features a packed field, which includes World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, five-time champion Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, who will be making his first appearance on clay since the 2016 Internazionali BNL d’Italia. The Tower of Tandil owns a 15-7 record in the Spanish capital, highlighted by semi-final runs in 2009 (l. to Federer) and 2012 (l. to Berdych).

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Read & Watch: Tsitsipas Reaches Milestone In Estoril

  • Posted: May 01, 2019

Read & Watch: Tsitsipas Reaches Milestone In Estoril

Monfils through in three sets

Last year’s semi-finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas made a winning return to the Millennium Estoril Open on Wednesday, beating Guido Andreozzi 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals.

The #NextGenATP Greek fired five aces and saved three of four break points to record his 20th tour-level victory of the season (20-9) after 86 minutes. Tsitsipas is the third man to reach 20 victories this year, joining Daniil Medvedev (25-8) and Guido Pella (20-9) on the exclusive list.

Tsitsipas has advanced to the quarter-finals or better at six tour-level events this year, which includes championship-match appearances in Marseille (d. Kukushkin) and Dubai (l. to Federer). The 20-year-old will meet Portuguese qualifier Joao Domingues for a place in the semi-finals.

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In the opening match on Estadio Millennium, Domingues became the lowest-ranked Estoril quarter-finalist in the tournament’s five-year history. The World No. 214 was leading John Millman 6-3, 2-1, when the Australian was forced to retire.

On his tournament debut, Gael Monfils conquered windy conditions and a tricky second-round opponent to advance to the last eight. After dropping the opening set, the third seed breezed to a 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory against Reilly Opelka after 89 minutes. Monfils played well under pressure throughout his debut performance at the ATP 250 event, saving nine of 10 break points to record his 16th victory in 19 tour-level matches this season.

You May Also Like: Monfils Can Do Nothing But Smile After Falling Victim To Most Bizarre Ace Of 2019

The 32-year-old, who captured his eighth ATP Tour title at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament earlier this year (d. Wawrinka), was making his first appearance since the BNP Paribas Open in March. Monfils was forced to withdraw from back-to-back ATP Masters 1000 events in Miami and Monte-Carlo due to a left achilles injury.

The Frenchman will next face #NextGenATP Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, 19, who dismissed French veteran Jeremy Chardy 6-1, 6-2 in only 47 minutes. Davidovich Fokina was 0-1 at tour-level before this week but qualified for the ATP 250, beat American Taylor Fritz and is now into the quarter-finals.

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Justin Gimelstob resigns from ATP board after assault sentencing

  • Posted: May 01, 2019

Justin Gimelstob has resigned from the ATP board after being sentenced for assault, saying he has become “a significant burden and distraction”.

He was given three years probation and 60 days community service after a “no contest” plea to a battery charge.

Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka had suggested the American should leave his role as a player representative.

“Given the current climate I do not deserve to be in this position of influence,” Gimelstob, 42, said.

Gimelstob, who has also worked as a coach and TV commentator, was sentenced in Los Angeles last week.

Former friend Randall Kaplan alleged that early in the evening of 31 October, Gimelstob “punched him in the head and face more than 50 times” in front of Kaplan’s pregnant wife Madison and two-year-old daughter.

Mrs Kaplan went on to have a miscarriage, which the couple believe was a result of the stress of the attack.

Gimelstob did not admit guilt by pleading no contest and says he still “disputes the way that evening has been depicted”.

But in a statement on his Facebook page, he added: “That evening compromised the sport and the people that entrusted me with the authority to represent them.

“My job was to best represent the players, the ATP, and be a custodian of the sport. My choices and actions last Halloween night prohibit me from doing that at this time.

“My role is designed to work on behalf of the players and the sport and it is clear that I have now become a significant burden and distraction to both.

“That is not something that could or should continue.”

Britain’s Murray became the first leading player to call on Gimelstob to quit his role, telling the Telegraph he “could not see” how the American could continue.

On Tuesday, fellow three-time Grand Slam Champion Wawrinka called for an end to “a shameful period” for the sport.

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Garin Downs Schwartzman In Munich

  • Posted: May 01, 2019

Garin Downs Schwartzman In Munich

Zverev, Cecchinato also in action

Cristian Garin added a new chapter to the story of his breakthrough season at the BMW Open by FWU on Wednesday.

The Chilean defeated sixth seed Diego Schwartzman 6-1, 7-5 to advance to his third ATP Tour quarter-final of the season after 84 minutes. Garin converted six of 12 break points to overcome the Argentine and notch his 15th tour-level victory of the season (15-6).

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The 22-year-old has already contested two ATP Tour championship matches on clay this season, picking up his maiden tour-level trophy in Houston (d. Ruud) last month after a runner-up finish at the Brasil Open in March (l. to Pella). Garin will meet two-time defending champion Alexander Zverev or Cordoba Open titlist Juan Ignacio Londero for a place in the semi-finals.

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