Swiss star wins first home title
At last, Stan Wawrinka has won a title in his home country.
In a high-quality and entertaining final, the Swiss star dismissed Croat Marin Cilic 6-4, 7-6(11) on Saturday to win the Banque Eric Sturdza Geneva Open. The win gives Wawrinka his third title of the season and his first on clay this year. It also should build the Swiss star’s confidence as he looks to defend his Roland Garros title.
“It’s a dream come true to be able to win a title in Switzerland, after all these tournaments,” Wawrinka said. “To be able to do it here in Geneva, in the event’s second year is something special. The fans were great. They made a lot of noise today.”
The World No. 4 jumped ahead early in the final against Cilic, who was playing for his first title of 2016. Wawrinka broke the World No. 11 to gain a 2-1 lead and later served out the set. The 31 year old didn’t face a break point in the opening set.
In the second, though, Cilic earned the first break to go up 3-1 and consolidated it to lead 4-1. But Wawrinka broke the Croat at 3-5 to get the second set back on serve. The home tournament blasted KC and the Sunshine Band’s “That’s The Way (I Like It)” after Wawrinka broke back. The Swiss No. 2 then held at love to tie the match at 5-all and later forced a set tie-break.
In the tie-break, Cilic had five set points but lost all five. On Wawrinka’s second match point, Cilic slapped a backhand long to give his opponent the match and the title.
“Marin is a great player,” Wawrinka said. “He really ramped up the pressure toward the end, with those set points, so it was nice to be able to finish off the match.”
Wawrinka had played for the singles title in Gstaad in 2005 and for the doubles title there in 2004 and 2008 but lost all three times. On Saturday, he erased those memories with his first Swiss title. He will receive 250 Emirates ATP Rankings points and €88,900.
Cilic will receive 150 Emirates ATP Rankings points and €46,820. The 6’6″ right-hander also heads into Roland Garros with renewed confidence in his game. Geneva was his first clay-court tournament of the season and his first tournament since March because of a right-knee injury.
“It was an amazing week for me and this was something… I was not even expecting,” Cilic said of his run to the final. “I definitely have great enthusiasm now for (Roland Garros).”
Dominic Thiem successfully defended his Open de Nice Cote d’Azur title, overcoming a stern test from #NextGen star Alexander Zverev 6-4, 3-6, 6-0 on Saturday.
Thiem claimed his sixth ATP World Tour title and third in 2016, having lifted the trophy on the clay of Buenos Aires and hard courts of the 500-level event in Acapulco. He is the 10th player to retain a tour-level title this year and the second to do so in the seven-year history of the Nice event. Nicolas Almagro also won back-to-back titles in the French city, in 2011-12.
“It’s been an unbelievably great week,” said Thiem. “The first time I had to defend a title and I made it. Maybe I played better in the three matches before this, but a final is always special. You have so much to win and so much to lose. I played a solid third set and I’m really happy. My arm is a little tired, but I will be ok for Roland Garros on Monday.”
ATP World Tour Repeat Titlists In 2016
|
Player |
Tournament |
| Dominic Thiem | Nice |
| Novak Djokovic | Miami |
| Novak Djokovic | Indian Wells |
| Pablo Cuevas | Sao Paulo |
| Kei Nishikori | Memphis |
| Richard Gasquet | Montpellier |
| Victor Estrella Burgos | Quito |
| Novak Djokovic | Australian Open |
| Viktor Troicki | Sydney |
| Stan Wawrinka | Chennai |
Zverev looked to be in control from the start, earning four break points on Thiem’s serve early in the opening set. The German would convert his fourth with a backhand return winner, streaking to a quick 4-2 lead. But Thiem would clamp down, breaking back for 4-all after an untimely nose bleed forced Zverev to the sidelines for a medical timeout. The German teen double faulted to give the break back and did so once again when facing his first set point. Thiem would reel off six straight games to snatch the opener and grab a quick break in the second set.
But Zverev was not finished just yet. The lead vacillated once again, with the 19 year old breaking back immediately and claiming six of the next seven games to force a decider, as Thiem called for the trainer with an apparent right shoulder injury.
Zverev would fight hard, but it wasn’t enough, as Thiem found a second gear in the decider. The Austrian won 24 of 29 points in the third set to secure the title. He fired five aces and converted six of eight break chances to emerge victorious after one hour and 39 minutes.
Thiem improved to 36-10 in 2016, already equaling his career-best 36 match wins from a year ago. He is just one victory shy of Novak Djokovic’s tour-leading mark. The 22-year-old Austrian takes home €82,450 in prize money and 250 Emirates ATP Rankings points.
Appearing in his first ATP World Tour final, Zverev was bidding to become the first teen titlist since Marin Cilic in New Haven 2008 and the youngest winner since Kei Nishikori in Delray Beach, also in 2008. The German #NextGen star, who earns €43,430 and 150 Emirates ATP Rankings points, saved two match points in stunning second seed Gilles Simon in the quarter-finals, before upsetting fifth seed Joao Sousa in the semis. He is the third different teenager to reach a title match on the ATP World Tour this year, joining Borna Coric (Chennai, Marrakech) and Taylor Fritz (Memphis).
“I spent about 12.5 hours on court this week, so I’m a bit tired,” said Zverev. “Against a player like Dominic, who is one of the best clay-court players right now, you have to be at your best to beat him. There’s not a lot of chances. It’s really tough to win when you’re not at 100 per cent.”
| French Open |
|---|
| Venue: Roland Garros, Paris Dates: 22 May to 5 June |
| Coverage: Live radio and text commentary on selected matches on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, the BBC Sport website and app. |
Spain’s Garbine Muguruza will be the highest-ranked player in action on the first day of the French Open on Sunday.
The fourth seed, 22, faces Slovakian Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, while 2015 finalist Lucie Safarova begins her campaign against Vitalia Diatchenko.
The Czech, 29, was runner-up to world number one Serena Williams last year.
British number two Heather Watson, 24, plays American Nicole Gibbs, with Kyle Edmund facing Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili in the men’s draw.
The 21-year-old Briton, ranked number 84 in the world, retired hurt from his first-round match at the Nice Open last week.
Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori, 26, will be second on the Philippe-Chatrier Court at Roland Garros against Italian Simone Bolelli.
That follows women’s 10th seed Petra Kvitova’s opener against Montenegro’s Danka Kovinic.
Canadian eighth seed Milos Raonic and Australia’s Nick Kyrgios also feature in the men’s draw, while Romanian world number six Simona Halep and Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova get under way in the women’s section.
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After winning his third career title on clay, could Andy Murray be a genuine contender at Roland Garros?
The Spaniard has picked up two ATP World Tour titles this spring and is back to top form heading into Roland Garros
Rafael Nadal is seeded fourth this year at Roland Garros and seeking an unprecedented 10th title here. Although many fans are jumping ahead to a potential blockbuster semi-final between Nadal and No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic, a rematch of their quarter-final last year won by the Serbian, the Spaniard is firmly focused on his opening round against Australian Sam Groth.
“He’s uncomfortable for the first round. He’s a difficult one,” said Nadal of the big-serving Groth. “You need to be ready to suffer a little bit during the match because I know he’s going to be difficult to have breaks against. I hope to be ready to stay focused mentally and to compete well.”
Nadal has come alive during this year’s clay court season. He won back-to-back titles at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Monte-Carlo and the ATP World Tour 500 event in Barcelona. Although he lost to Andy Murray and Djokovic at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events in Madrid and Rome, respectively, it’s clear his current form will require a top player at their highest level to defeat him.
“I played a few good events in a row, so I hope to continue playing well here,” said Nadal. “My goal is to keep the same way that I’m playing, and if it’s possible, to play even a little better.”
With a 70-2 career record at Roland Garros, it would be hard for Nadal to not have good feelings about the tournament. Beyond the results, Nadal believes everyone who works behind the scenes has helped make the event feel like a second home for him.
“I like the organisation. I feel very comfortable with all the staff here in Roland Garros. I know all the people who run the tournament,” said Nadal. “It feels a little bit like home because I have a great relationship with all of them and that makes the event even more special for me.”
The Serbian is taking a low-key approach to his potentially historic moment
All eyes are on No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic as he attempts to win Roland Garros for the first time and complete the career Grand Slam, but he’s not intending on doing anything differently. The Serbian opens this year’s campaign against Yen-Hsun Lu and said his preparation going into the match will remain the same as any other.
“Of course the expectations are big not just from my side, but from people around knowing this is the only Grand Slam I’ve never won. People are very eager to find out whether I can make it this year,” said Djokovic. “I’m not going to change anything in particular. I’m going to keep the same kind of routine and program that I have been respecting for many years.”
The World No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings opened his clay court season with a surprise opening round loss to Jiri Vesely at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Monte-Carlo, but has rebounded strongly since then. Djokovic won the Masters 1000 event in Madrid and then finished as runner-up the following week at the Masters 1000 event in Rome, where he lost to Andy Murray.
“I got 10 matches out of two weeks, which is the maximum I could get out of Madrid and Rome. It was a perfect way of getting the match play that I needed before Roland Garros,” said Djokovic. “I can comfortably say that in terms of match play, I’m ready. Now is just the fine-tuning and getting that necessary supply of energy and freshness to play best of five on the most physically demanding surface.”
After their matches this month in Madrid and Rome, as well as the final of this year’s Australian Open, fans are viewing Djokovic and Murray as the rivalry of the year. But while both are certainly competitive whenever they face each other, they aren’t closed off. The pair even practised together earlier this month in Madrid.
“I’ve known Andy for a very long time…we still have a very respectful friendly relationship off the court,” said Djokovic. “That’s the best possible hit I can have for any match because our practice sessions are like official matches. It’s something you’re looking forward to and to see where you are and things that you need to work on.”
Although a Djokovic-Murray championship match would be what many fans want to see most, the Serbian is well aware that he needs to get to the final first. Even if he doesn’t make it this year, he’s confident that he will win Roland Garros before his career is over.
“I still feel like I have plenty of more years ahead of me, which gives me more comfort in terms of opportunities I’ll have for the title at Roland Garros and releases more pressure for this year,” said Djokovic. “Of course I anticipate myself, as everybody else, to try and get my hands on the title this year. But if it doesn’t happen, there is always another year. I don’t have any intention of slowing down yet.”
| French Open |
|---|
| Venue: Roland Garros, Paris Dates: 22 May to 5 June |
| Coverage: Live radio and text commentary on selected matches on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, the BBC Sport website and app. |
Andy Murray says he is in no rush to find a new coach such is his form heading into the French Open.
Murray – who split from coach Amelie Mauresmo earlier this month – beat Novak Djokovic for the first time on clay last week to win the Italian Open.
The presence of Jamie Delgado in his team means the world number two is in “less of a rush” to replace Mauresmo.
The Briton said: “I’m playing very well so there’s no need to make a change a few days before the French.”
Former British player Delgado joined Murray’s set-up in February and his first tournament as the 29-year-old’s sole coach ended with Murray beating world number one Djokovic in Rome.
The Scot said he had not spoken to any prospective coaches but was open to the idea of bringing someone new into his team.
“We chatted about it a little bit after Rome, but nothing too in depth,” added the Scot.
“Most of my focus, and I think my team’s focus, is getting me ready here. I’ll obviously chat more to them about it if there’s something that we think would be able to help – I’m all for that.
“Right now is a difficult time to make a change and, to be honest, why would I? Maybe [I’ll] have another look during the grass [court season] to see if there’s potential to try something out there.
“There’s less rush because Jamie’s committed to doing 35 to 40 weeks a year with me and we’re going to be working together every week through until Wimbledon, so I have that continuity and consistency, which I didn’t have last year with Amelie and Jonas [Bjorkman].
“That’s why there’s less of a need or a rush to bring someone in immediately, unless it’s the right person and the right situation.”
Asked whether he could stick with Delgado, Murray said: “That’s possible, for sure.
“I’m always looking to improve, so if there is something that I feel could help me, then for sure I would look into that in terms of another person to help out, and also to give him [Delgado] a break as well from time to time.
“Travelling every single week during the year and every practice week is tough, and it’s the beginning of our relationship just now. Normally over time, when you spend so much time with each other, having a little bit of separation can be good, too.”
Delgado, whose highest ranking was world number 121, retired from playing in September 2014, aged 37, to focus on coaching Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller, whom he guided into the top 40.
“He’s pretty calm. He’s a relaxed guy. On top of that, he’s very, very experienced around the tour. He’s played whatever it was, 23 Wimbledons in a row, so he’s been around the game a long, long time,” said Murray, who will aim to win his first French Open title over the next fortnight.
Murray will play 37-year-old Radek Stepanek in the first round of the French Open, which starts on Sunday, and the draw has been kind to the three-time semi-finalist.
Serbia’s Ivo Karlovic and John Isner – who have never beaten the British number one – are the seeds in his section, as is in-form fifth seed Kei Nishikori.
Nine-time champion Rafael Nadal and top seed Djokovic are on opposite sides of the draw, while his potential semi-final opponent could be defending champion Stan Wawrinka.
Murray’s compatriots, Aljaz Bedene and Kyle Edmund, will also face qualifiers – Gerald Melzer of Austria and world number 105 Nikoloz Basilashvili respectively.
Britain’s highest-ranked female is world number 22 Johanna Konta, who is competing in the main draw at Roland Garros for the first time.
The 25-year-old reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open in January and begins her tournament against Germany’s Julia Goerges, thirty-eight places below her in the rankings.
“I’ve got to know her reasonably well. She’s a really nice girl and a wonderful player,” said the British number one. “It’ll be an incredibly tough battle but I’m looking forward to it.”
Fellow Britons Heather Watson, Laura Robson and Naomi Broady will face Nicole Gibbs, Andrea Petkovic and Coco Vandeweghe respectively.
Watson, 24, said: “I’ve played her once before a couple of years ago, so it’ll be a very different match now.
“Every match in a Grand Slam is against a tough opponent, so I’m going to have to be ready for that one. I’m feeling great about how I’m playing.”
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