Tennis News

From around the world

'Scotland must capitalise on Murray brothers' legacy'

  • Posted: Sep 18, 2016

The chairman of Tennis Scotland hopes to build 10 new indoor tennis facilities in order to leave a lasting legacy from the success of brothers Andy and Jamie Murray.

Blane Dodds intends to submit plans to various funding partners for two new indoor facilities to be created in each of the next five years.

“We need more facilities,” Dodds told BBC Scotland.

“We need more outdoor courts but we need to prioritise indoor courts.”

Dodds is adamant that, unless new facilities are built, the sport will fail to capitalise on the rise of tennis memberships across Scotland, and a rise in people playing the game on the back of the Murray brothers’ profile.

The Murrays have won six Grand Slam titles between them – Andy’s in singles, Jamie’s in doubles – as well as Olympic medals and a Davis Cup.

One of the proposed new developments is their mother Judy Murray’s Bridge of Allan tennis and golf facility at Park of Keir, which is currently being examined by the Scottish Government, after it was denied local planning permission.

Dodds wants funding for nine other new tennis facilities around the country, including the north of Scotland, which he feels is particularly poorly served when it comes to places to play.

“They [Andy and Jamie Murray] have given us a great opportunity,” Dodds added.

“There has been growth in the game over the last few years and that is testament to what the Murrays have done. The memberships in all our clubs have increased from 30,000 to about 56,000, but it’s not enough, we need to do more.”

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Davis Cup 2016: Dan Evans & Leonardo Mayer face decider after Andy Murray wins

  • Posted: Sep 18, 2016

Dan Evans will play Leonardo Mayer in a Davis Cup decider after Andy Murray brought Great Britain level against Argentina in the semi-final in Glasgow.

Murray beat Guido Pella 6-3 6-2 6-3 to level the tie at 2-2, after Saturday’s doubles victory with brother Jamie.

Juan Martin del Potro beat Murray in Friday’s opening match, but misses the reverse singles as he continues to make his way back from serious injury.

Evans steps in for Kyle Edmund to make his first appearance in the tie.

The 26-year-old from Solihull is ranked 61 places higher than Mayer at 53 in the world, but the Argentine reached a career high of 21 last year and has a 10-3 record in Davis Cup singles matches.

Murray suffered an injury scare in the third set of his win over Pella and was off court for eight minutes as he received treatment on his thigh, but the Scot returned to clinch victory.

“It is great to level the tie,” said Murray, who had played eight hours of tennis in two days heading into Sunday’s match.

“We were in lot of trouble a couple of days ago but this is the best we could have hoped for. Now Dan has got a chance to go out and get the job done.

“I have a lot of sharp pain in my right quad. I have to go and see what’s up and get some treatment. I need a break. I have played so much tennis, my body needs some rest.”

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Moriya Notches Nanchang Challenger Title

  • Posted: Sep 18, 2016

Moriya Notches Nanchang Challenger Title

Tecnifibre’s Hiroki Moriya returns to winners’ circle

Hiroki Moriya ended a four-match skid in style, streaking to the title at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Nanchang, China. The Tecnifibre player did not drop a set before rallying to defeat fourth seed Hyeon Chung 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday.

Moriya was appearing in his first final in more than two years, when he claimed his maiden Challenger title on the hard courts of Granby, Canada in 2014. The 25-year-old Japanese is closing in on a return to the Top 150 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, rising more than 50 spots to a projected World No. 166.

“I didn’t expect to win the championship here when I got to Nanchang,” said Moriya. “I fought for every match and I am very happy with my performance this week. This is my second visit here in Nanchang and I love this city and now I have some nice memories to share with my family.”

It marks the second straight week a Tecnifibre player has won a title, following Daniil Medvedev’s victory in Saint-Remy, France. Medvedev is vying for $50,000 in the Young Guns On The Road competition. Learn More

Meanwhile, #NextGen star Chung was appearing in his first tournament in four months after suffering an abdominal injury. He is looking to return to the Top 100 after falling to No. 145.

Morocco Tennis Tour Meknes (Meknes, Morocco): Maximilian Marterer won his first ATP Challenger Tour title on Saturday in Meknes, defeating Uladzimir Ignatik 7-6(3), 6-3 in 90 minutes. The eighth seed was dominant all week, not dropping a set, while saving an impressive 22 of 23 break points faced. He is the seventh different player from Germany to lift a trophy this year, joining Florian Mayer, Tobias Kamke, Michael Berrer, Mischa Zverev, Dustin Brown and Jan-Lennard Struff.

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Davis Cup 2016: GB plot course to pluck victory from jaws of defeat

  • Posted: Sep 18, 2016
Davis Cup semi-final, Great Britain v Argentina
Venue: Emirates Arena, Glasgow Dates: 16-18 September
Sunday coverage: Live on BBC One, online, social media & radio from 12:45 BST.

Great Britain must win both singles matches against Argentina on Sunday to extend their reign as Davis Cup holders and reach a second final in 12 months.

Andy and Jamie Murray won Saturday’s doubles contest, but Argentina lead 2-1 going into the last day of the best-of-five tie in Glasgow.

Andy Murray is scheduled to face Guido Pella at 13:00 BST, followed by Kyle Edmund against Juan Martin del Potro.

However, team captains can change their nominations up to an hour before play.

GB skipper Leon Smith could choose to bring Dan Evans in for Edmund, should Murray beat Pella and force a decisive fifth match.

  • Davis Cup semi-final coverage details
  • Murrays’ doubles victory as it happened

And there is a question mark over the involvement of Del Potro, who was a surprise inclusion in the doubles after his gruelling five-hour match with Andy Murray on Friday.

Del Potro hinted after the doubles that he might not play on Sunday, should a fifth and final rubber be required.

“I have to be smart,” said Del Potro. “I want to play for more years not just one more match.”

Jaded Murray to give ‘best effort’

Andy Murray is clearly fatigued after a gruelling summer but hopes he has enough energy left to produce a win to keep GB’s hopes alive.

The 29-year-old Scot said: “Whether I win or not, I don’t know, but I can definitely guarantee I’ll give my best effort and hopefully I can.

“I’ll be tired and I have to accept that and deal with it and try to play the match on my terms if possible.”

Speaking about the doubles success, he added: “I didn’t know how I was going to feel when I woke up.

“I saw my physio this morning and he checked some of the things he checks if I’m not feeling great or if I’m tired, and he said I was looking decent.

“It was tough, obviously. In doubles there’s not as much running but you need to be very sharp.”

Analysis

Russell Fuller, BBC tennis correspondent:

“Juan Martin del Potro’s appearance on the doubles court was a huge surprise, given Argentina’s position in the tie, and it may turn out to be his last match of the week.

“Both del Potro and Andy Murray have now spent eight hours and two minutes on court in Glasgow, and although mind games are often an important ingredient, Del Potro has hinted quite strongly he may not play on Sunday should a fifth and final rubber be required.

“The travelling Argentine media are inclined to take his words at face value – and suspect he won’t play.

“Dan Evans is likely to play in any fifth match for GB – but that will only be necessary if an equally exhausted Murray can first beat Guido Pella, who will be feeling a lot, lot fresher.”

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Murrays' Heroics Keep Brits Afloat; Croatia Edges Ahead

  • Posted: Sep 17, 2016

Murrays' Heroics Keep Brits Afloat; Croatia Edges Ahead

ATPWorldTour.com recaps Saturday’s Davis Cup semi-final action

GREAT BRITAIN 1, ARGENTINA 2
Venue: Emirates Arena, Glasgow, GBR (hard – indoor)

Defending champion Great Britain kept their Davis Cup title defence alive behind a strong performance from Andy Murray and Jamie Murray in Saturday’s doubles action. The Murrays turned aside Juan Martin del Potro and Leonardo Mayer 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, giving the Brits hope for a stunning comeback from 0-2 down.

Andy, who was defeated by Del Potro in a five-set thriller in Friday’s singles at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, got his revenge on the Argentine. He and brother Jamie notched the win after two hours and 55 minutes, converting five of 13 break points, while firing 44 total winners.

“The atmosphere was brilliant,” said Jamie. “From the first point to the last, the crowd was something else. As I said on the court, it’s a huge privilege to be able to play with Andy in Scotland and have that amount of support behind us.

“We played a great match, we had to. Those guys were playing really well too. We knew they weren’t going to shy away from the occasion and the atmosphere. I think we should be really proud of the way we played and competed from start to finish. It gives us momentum going into tomorrow’s matches.”

The Murrays have now won five straight doubles matches together in Davis Cup play, going back to last year’s quarter-finals. The British stalwarts converted their first match point, breaking Mayer’s serve to love in the final game.

Great Britain are seeking to become the 11th team to come back from 0-2 down in the World Group and record their seventh straight tie victory. They will turn to Murray and either Daniel Evans or #NextGen star Kyle Edmund to provide the heroics on Sunday.

CROATIA 2, FRANCE 1
Venue: Kresimir Cosic Hall, Zadar, CRO (hard – indoor)

Frenchmen Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut, the No. 1 team in the Emirates ATP Doubles Race To London, were no match for Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig, as the Croatians claimed Saturday’s crucial doubles rubber 7-6(6), 5-7, 7-6(6), 6-3 in Zadar.

Croatia leads France 2-1, with Cilic set to play a blockbuster reverse singles rubber against Richard Gasquet on Sunday. A win would send the Eastern European squad into just its second Davis Cup final. Croatia became the first unseeded nation to win the title in 2005, when it defeated Slovakia 3-2.

Cilic and Dodig prevailed on Saturday after three hours and 47 minutes. The tandem withstood an offensive onslaught from their top-ranked opponents, who fired 12 aces and 44 total winners. But the Croatians were clutch when it mattered, staving off five of six break points.

After saving a set point in taking the third set in a tie-break, Cilic and Dodig claimed the decisive break in the third game of the fourth and would seal the match with a break to love. The team ticked their second straight victory over an decorated duo, following a four-set upset of Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan in July’s quarter-final win over the United States.

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Nadal Helps Power Spain To World Group Return

  • Posted: Sep 17, 2016

Nadal Helps Power Spain To World Group Return

Spain join Australia, Belgium, Canada and Japan in 2017 Davis Cup World Group

The wait is over. Marc Lopez and Rafael Nadal secured Spain’s return to the Davis Cup World Group after a two-year hiatus, giving the European nation an unassailable 3-0 lead over India on Saturday in New Delhi. Lopez and Nadal prevailed 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-4 over Saketh Myneni and Leander Paes, converting five of 12 break chances for the win after three hours and 23 minutes. It was a team effort for the Spanish side, which capitalised on singles victories by stalwarts Feliciano Lopez and David Ferrer on Friday. The win denies Paes’ bid to become the all-time winningest doubles player in Davis Cup history. The 43 year old is tied with Nicola Pietrangeli with 42 wins.

“For us, it was a very important after two years being away from the World Group,” said Nadal. “It’s important for us to come back to where we think we have to be. But the Indian team is a great team and I want to say many thanks to all the fans here in India. For me, it is a very special country and it is a place that is very close to my heart.”

Kei Nishikori and Yuichi Sugita turned in a dominant performance to keep Japan afloat in the World Group, downing Ukraine’s Artem Smirnov and Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-3, 6-0, 6-3 on Saturday. The efficient one-hour and 38-minute victory in Osaka gave the Japanese side an insurmountable 3-0 lead, as they maintain their three-year stay in the World Group. The win comes on the heels of singles victories by Taro Daniel and #NextGen star Yoshihito Nishioka on Friday.

Australia also returned to the World Group with an unassailable 3-0 lead of their own, as the duo of Sam Groth and John Peers overcame Slovakia’s Andrej Martin and Igor Zelenay 6-4, 6-2, 6-7(3), 7-6(2) on Saturday on the grass of Sydney. The Aussies fired 17 aces to prevail after two hours and 21 minutes. The Lleyton Hewitt led squad is back in the World Group for the third straight year.

In Ostend, Belgium, Ruben Bemelmans and Joris De Loore provided the upset of the day in stunning Brazilian doubles stalwarts Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares in five gripping sets. The Belgians move on to the World Group with a 3-0 lead after Bemelmans and De Loore rallied for a 3-6, 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory in three hours and 22 minutes. Melo and Soares had a combined 25 doubles wins in Davis Cup play entering the week, compared to just five for their Belgian opponents. Meanwhile, Canada joined Australia, Belgium, Japan and Spain in the 2017 World Group after Vasek Pospisil and Adil Shamasdin defeated Chile’s Nicolas Jarry and Hans Podlipnik-Castillo 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(6).

Having won both singles rubbers on Friday, Germany were one set from a World Group return after Daniel Brands and Daniel Masur took a 7-6(5), 6-4 lead on Saturday, but Poland would stave off relegation in dramatic fashion. Lukasz Kubot and Marcin Matkowski stormed back to take the match 6-7(5), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in Berlin, extending the tie. World Group newcomers Poland will turn to Kamil Majchrzak and Hubert Hurkacz in Sunday’s reverse singles. Germany, meanwhile, are looking to extend its stay in the top tier to 12 years.

No Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, no problem for Switzerland, as the European nation moved one step closer to returning to the World Group for a sixth straight year. Severin Luthi’s side took a 2-1 lead over Uzbekistan on Saturday, as Adrien Bossel and Henri Laaksonen downed Farrukh Dustov and Denis Istomin 6-4, 6-2, 7-6(2) in two hours and 18 minutes. The Swiss saved all five break points faced to edge ahead in Tashkent.

It will be a busy Sunday at the National Tennis Center in Moscow, after rain washed out singles play on Friday and bad light halted proceedings on Saturday between Russia and Kazakhstan. Andrey Kuznetsov gave the hosts the lead with a 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 win over Aleksandr Nedovyesov, but the second singles rubber was suspended due to darkness prior to the fifth set. Evgeny Donskoy and Mikhail Kukushkin are tied at two sets apiece after three hours and 22 minutes.

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Murray brothers keep GB Davis Cup hopes alive

  • Posted: Sep 17, 2016

Andy and Jamie Murray kept alive Great Britain’s hopes of retaining the Davis Cup with a four-set win over Argentina in the semi-final doubles.

The Scottish brothers beat Juan Martin del Potro and Leonardo Mayer 6-1 3-6 6-4 6-4 to cut Argentina’s lead to 2-1 in the best-of-five tie in Glasgow.

Andy Murray and either Kyle Edmund or Dan Evans must win singles matches on Sunday to give Britain victory.

The winners of the tie will face France or Croatia in the final in November.

  • Davis Cup semi-final coverage details
  • Murrays’ doubles victory as it happened

Andy Murray had been expected to play in Saturday’s doubles with Britain on the verge of defeat, but it was a surprise to see Del Potro back on court after the pair’s five-hour-seven-minute match on Friday.

Murray is scheduled to face Guido Pella in Sunday’s opening singles match before Del Potro takes on Edmund, although nominations can change up to an hour before the 13:00 BST start time

“It’s going to be tough,” said Murray. “I’m obviously tired just now – I know how their players will be feeling too. I’ll try and get through the first match and see what happens.”

GB captain Leon Smith could choose to bring in the fresher Evans to face Del Potro, in place of Edmund, should Murray level the tie and force a decider.

“We’re going to need the Glasgow roar tomorrow,” said Smith.

“Everyone is tired – it’s that stage of the season. It’s the same for their team, but if there’s somebody you want going out to get the first rubber on the board, it’s Andy Murray.”

Great Britain 1-2 Argentina
Friday: Juan Martin del Potro beat Andy Murray 6-4 5-7 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-4
Friday: Guido Pella beat Kyle Edmund 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-3 6-2
Saturday: Andy Murray & Jamie Murray beat Juan Martin del Potro & Leonardo Mayer 6-1 3-6 6-4 6-4
Sunday: Andy Murray v Guido Pella*
Sunday: Kyle Edmund v Juan Martin del Potro*
*Nominations can change up to one hour before play starts

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Ready For Action At The 2016 Moselle Open

  • Posted: Sep 17, 2016

Ready For Action At The 2016 Moselle Open

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Paralympics 2016: Gordon Reid says Andy Murray inspired him to win in Rio

  • Posted: Sep 17, 2016

Paralympic wheelchair tennis champion Gordon Reid says fellow Scot Andy Murray’s 2016 Wimbledon-Olympic double inspired him to success in Rio.

Reid, 24, beat doubles partner Alfie Hewett 6-2 6-1 in 54 minutes on Friday to add the Paralympic crown to the Wimbledon title he won in July.

“When I watched Andy win gold in Rio, I knew I wanted to do the same,” he said.

It really hasn’t sunk in yet what an amazing week

Gordon ReidGB Paralympic tennis gold medallist

“I’m honoured to be talked about in the same breath as him. Team GB inspired us by getting the job done here in Rio.”

Read more: Great Britain surpass London 2012 medal tally on day nine

The number three seed, who also won the 2016 Australian Open title and doubles silver in Rio, added: “It really hasn’t sunk in yet what an amazing week I’ve had but to take home a gold and silver really tops off an incredible year for me.

“I didn’t see this success coming. It was only before the US Open last year that I started working with a sports psychologist to help me enjoy my matches more and stop putting so much pressure on myself.”

Meanwhile, Reid said the interaction between fully able-bodied players and wheelchair players has increased in recent times.

“I see a real huge difference in the way we interact and the respect the able-bodied players show us,” added the Scot, who says Indian doubles specialist Leander Paes now follows his progress.

“A lot of them have got our matches on in the locker rooms while they’re getting ready for their practices or matches. They’re actually enjoying watching wheelchair tennis and they’re following the scores, and that’s great for our sport.”

Teenager Hewett, 18, believes his rivalry with Reid could dominate men’s wheelchair tennis for years to come.

“I tried to forget who I was playing today but Gordon played a really smart game and he was in control out there,” he said.

“I do hate losing but he’s a top tennis player and a top bloke and I’ve loved every bit of playing in the doubles with him, as well as being part of the team.”

“I may be young but I’ve been training so hard for the past two years for this. I have no regrets and I honestly can’t wait for Tokyo already.”

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