Google Play App Download

Tennis News

From around the world

Hurkacz Completes Comeback To End Medvedev's Shot At No. 1

  • Posted: Jul 06, 2021

Hubert Hurkacz completed a comeback on Tuesday afternoon in a rain-interrupted clash against Daniil Medvedev for a place in the quarter-finals at The Championships, Wimbledon.

Resuming at 4-3 in the fourth set, after rain stopped play on Monday evening, the Polish 14th seed continued his ploy of attacking the net and reaped dividends in a 2-6, 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over three hours and two minutes.

“Playing on this unbelievable court, probably the best in the world, with an amazing crowd is really special,” said Hurkacz, in an on-court interview. “Daniil is an unbelievable player. We battled so hard on No. 2 Court. So to win is incredible… I knew I needed to get off to a strong start today and I think I did a pretty good job.”

Having gone 1-6 coming into the grass-court major, following his first ATP Masters 1000 crown at the Miami Open presented by Itau (d. Sinner) on 4 April, Hurkacz has played his way into form at the All England Club. He is the fifth Polish man to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals and will now aim to emulate Jerzy Janowicz, who advanced to the last four in 2013.

The 24-year-old will next challenge sixth-seeded Swiss and eight-time former champion Roger Federer on Wednesday. Federer beat Hurkacz 6-4, 6-4 in their only previous meeting at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. “Roger, what he does, the titles he has won, is a real inspiration,” said Hurkacz. “I will be hoping to get a little bit of support tomorrow.”

Unable to join fellow Russian Karen Khachanov in the Wimbledon semi-finals, Medvedev is now 2-8 lifetime in fifth sets. The 25-year-old had had a shot at rising to No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings with a deep run at Wimbledon.

View Schedule | Listen To Radio Wimbledon | List Of Broadcasters (PDF)

The match had been suspended due to rain on No. 2 Court at 6:30pm local time Monday. It was switched to No. 1 Court, under a closed roof, due to further bad weather on Tuesday in London.

Hurkacz broke for a 5-3 lead in the fourth set after he struck a smash winner and later hit his eighth ace to wrap up the 40-minute set. While Medvedev had won 84 per cent of his first-service points, double faults started to break into his game.

At 1-1 in the decider, Hurkacz seized his opportunity once more when Medvedev scooped a forehand long. The 31-minute set ended when Medvedev hit a low forehand volley into the net.

“[I] played really bad today,” said Medvedev. “He definitely played really well. I played probably [my] worst two sets since Rome. I will just continue working… Today my best was really low, but I did my best.”

Source link

From The Court To The Crowd: An Extra-Special Day For Berettini & Tomljanovic

  • Posted: Jul 06, 2021

Manic Monday was special for Matteo Berrettini, and not just because he reached his first Wimbledon quarter-final. The Italian was later able to watch from the player’s box on No. 1 Court as his girlfriend, WTA star Ajla Tomljanovic, advanced to the last eight of a major for the first time.

“The fact that she’s also in the quarter-finals is just crazy. It’s not easy for a couple like us to make these results,” Berrettini told ATPTour.com. “I’m so proud of her the way she’s handling everything. Today obviously wasn’t the best way to end the match. But she was there, the atmosphere before the injury was great. I think she deserves it and I’m really happy for her. Now it’s time to think about the quarter-finals.

“She’s going to play tomorrow, I’m going to play on Wednesday. But so far, it’s been the best Grand Slam that we’ve played together.”

Tomljanovic will next face fellow Aussie Ashleigh Barty, the top seed, in an attempt to reach her maiden major semi-final. This is Berrettini’s second consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final and his third overall. In 2019, he reached the semi-finals at the US Open. So far this fortnight, the Italian has lost just one set.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling for myself. I never reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon,” Berrettini said. “Being able to do it like this, it obviously gives me a lot of confidence to go forward in the tournament.”

 

View this post on Instagram
 

A post shared by Matteo Berrettini (@matberrettini)

It has been a memorable tournament for Berrettini and Tomljanovic as a couple, but it does not end there. The Italian will next play good friend Felix Auger-Aliassime for a spot in the semi-finals at the All England Club. Felix’s girlfriend is Tomljanovic’s cousin, and the quartet forms a small family on tour. According to the Aussie, they are all enjoying this moment.

“After we won, all three of us passed each other in the hallway. I was so happy for him because how he goes about the sport is unbelievable. He wants it so much. He loves everything about it. To see him do well, it makes me so happy,” Tomljanovic said of Auger-Aliassime. “I gave him a fist pump, like, ‘Yay, Felix.’ I think they actually also hugged. I’m happy one of them will be through on Wednesday.

“If he had lost today, that would have sucked more. Of course, I’d rather see them in the final, but I think it’s unbelievable that one of them will be in the semis.”

Source link

Federer: 'You Have To Prove To Yourself You Can Do It'

  • Posted: Jul 05, 2021

In the first round at Wimbledon, Roger Federer found himself with his back against the wall, down two sets to one against Adrian Mannarino, who retired after the fourth set due to the effects of a fall on Centre Court. Yet one week later, Federer beat 23rd seed Lorenzo Sonego in straight sets to reach his 18th Wimbledon quarter-final.

“To some extent it’s nice to see that the work I put in paid off [and] that I’m able to play at this level with best-of-five sets,” Federer said.

There was plenty of uncertainty entering this tournament for the 39-year-old, who turns 40 in just more than a month. Last year, the Swiss star underwent two arthroscopic right knee surgeries. Before beginning his run at the All England Club, he had only tallied a 5-3 record in 2021.

“When you’re young, you don’t ask yourself the question. But when you’re me, with the year I had, it’s all question marks all over the place. You have to prove it again to yourself that you can actually do it,” Federer said. “I was willing to take losses for the sake of information, just to be out there, [to] get the body in shape for hopefully when Wimbledon comes around,m that I can actually wake up in the morning and feel all right, that I can still go out and play five sets.

“I feel that way, so it’s very rewarding and it’s a good feeling. Now we’ll see how much more I’ve got left in the tank. Clearly [it] was important again to win in straight sets. [I am] looking forward to the next round.”

Federer is tied with Rafael Nadal for the most Grand Slam singles titles with 20. And now, at an event where he has lifted eight trophies, the father of four is now just three wins from claiming a record 21st major crown.

Monday’s triumph against Sonego was Federer’s 118th match at Wimbledon, where he is 105-13. Despite all that experience, he is still learning more with every match. In this case, through four matches he has adjusted to the conditions on Centre Court.

“It was very interesting when the roof shut again [towards the end of the first set]. I could see that it was getting a little bit more slippery again. The humidity goes up, whereas I didn’t break a sweat really on the outside. It was windy, it was fresh. Still it played faster,” Federer said. “When you play indoors, it’s just much slower… I think also that was definitely one of the reasons maybe I struggled against Mannarino. On top of it, he got the upper hand from the baseline.”

Listen To Radio Wimbledon | List Of Broadcasters (PDF)

Federer thought that once the roof was closed, Sonego struggled to make an impact on him with his serve. The Italian hit at least 12 aces in each of his first three matches, but he managed just four against the Swiss.

“It’s just amazing the difference an indoor and an outdoor situation can do,” Federer said. “You would think that indoors is easier to ace. I don’t feel it’s the case. I feel like you have to put extra power in your shots [so] that something happens. I think that was one of the reasons for me that I maybe struggled early on, because you can become very insecure when you don’t get your service winners.”

Overall, Federer is pleased with his efforts in advancing to the last eight. Now the sixth seed will prepare to face second seed Daniil Medvedev or Miami champion Hubert Hurkacz next.

“Now I’ve had some good progress. I’m taking the ball earlier. Obviously I’ve gotten used to the conditions, gotten used to the balls, the court speed. I’m able to take more balls on the rise, on the half-volley,” Federer said. “All these little things make a difference at the end of the day.”

Source link