Davis Cup: Kyle Edmund win seals GB victory over Serbia

Posted: Jul 17, 2016

Kyle Edmund took Great Britain into the Davis Cup semi-finals with victory over Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic in Belgrade.

Edmund, who also won Friday’s opening singles match, won 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-5) to give Britain an unassailable 3-1 lead.

Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot won Saturday’s doubles match before Edmund sealed the win in two hours 34 minutes against the Serb world number 81.

Britain will now play Argentina at home in September as they aim to defend the title they won in Belgium last year.

Edmund, 21, was making just his second Davis Cup appearance and playing as Britain’s top ranked singles player as Andy Murray chose to sit out the tie after he won Wimbledon.

The win was the first time Britain have won a World Group Davis Cup match without their number one ranked player.

Facing the highest ranked player in Serbia’s squad, Edmund produced one of the best performances of his career hitting 27 forehand winners and 39 in total on a slow clay court due to rain in the Serbian capital.

Edmund, the world number 67, served for the match at 5-4 but Lajovic broke back before the Yorkshireman rallied to take the match on a tie-break.

“You want to win for your country. When you know what is at stake – I’m so pleased that I’ve won,” Edmund said.

“When you’re out there you are in the moment and trying to win every point. Lajovic missed the backhand down the line – when you see that you feel so happy.

“When you play away, and the home player gains momentum the crowd bite into that. The crowd got louder and louder. It was tough getting broken.”

Team captain Leon Smith, who has now won 14 of his 16 Davis Cup matches, said: “I have seen Kyle develop a lot.

“We saw what he did to David Goffin (taking the Belgian to five sets in the 2015 Davis Cup final) and this year he has been getting better and better. His backhand is now rock solid, the serve and the forehand is an unbelievable shot.

“He will take a lot from being able to win two five-set matches under this pressure.

“Hats off to Kyle. To get your first Davis Cup win is something, to get two in one weekend is something very special indeed.”

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Rio 2016: Andy Murray beats Roger Federer for gold at London 2012

Posted: Jul 17, 2016

BBC Sport continues the countdown to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games with the moment Great Britain’s Andy Murray beat Roger Federer of Switzerland to claim the men’s singles tennis title at London 2012.

Watch full coverage of the 2016 Olympic Games across the BBC this summer.

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Herbert/Mahut Score Clutch Win For France

Posted: Jul 17, 2016

Herbert/Mahut Score Clutch Win For France

Jul172016

ATPWorldTour.com reviews Saturday’s play in Davis Cup World Group quarter-final ties

CZECH REPUBLIC 1, FRANCE 2

Venue: Werk Arena, Trinec, CZE (hard – indoor)

Wimbledon champions and World No. 1 duo Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut gave France a 2-1 lead in Trinec as they edged Lukas Rosol and Radek Stepanek 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in just over three hours. The 25-year-old Herbert was making his Davis Cup debut, one week after he and Mahut captured their second Grand Slam championship title at the All England Club.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will have the chance to clinch the tie for France when he faces Jiri Vesely on Sunday in the first of the reverse singles. Nine-time champion France is bidding to win the Davis Cup crown for the first time since 2001. Two years ago, they were beaten by Switzerland in the final.

SERBIA 1, GREAT BRITAIN 2

Venue: Tasmajdan Stadium, Belgrade, SRB (clay – outdoor)

After rain brought a premature end to Friday’s proceedings, with Great Britain leading 1-0 after Kyle Edmund’s win over Janko Tipsarevic, the defending champion ended Saturday with a 2-1 advantage over Serbia in Belgrade.

Dusan Lajovic levelled for the host, beating James Ward 6-1, 6-3, 6-2, but Great Britain hit back in the doubles rubber. Jamie Murray and Dominic Inglot united for a 6-1, 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-4 victory over Filip Krajinovic and Nenad Zimonjic. It was Inglot’s first Davis Cup victory for Great Britain, who won the ITF men’s team trophy last year for the first time since 1936.

#NextGen star Edmund will have the opportunity to seal victory for the Brits when he faces Lajovic on Sunday.

ITALY 1, ARGENTINA 2

Venue: Circolo Tennis Baratoff, Pesaro, ITA (clay – outdoor)

After Fabio Fognini produced a near flawless display to beat Juan Monaco 6-1, 6-1, 7-5 and bring Italy level at 1-1 earlier in the day, it was Argentina that ended the day in charge after Guido Pella and Juan Martin del Potro battled to a 6-1, 7-6(4), 3-6, 3-6, 6-4 victory in the doubles over Fognini and Paolo Lorenzi.

“It was very difficult to deal with the noise at times,” said del Potro, who was representing Argentina for the first time since the 2012 semi-finals against Czech Republic. “At the beginning we played very well but then our opponents went up a level.”

U.S.A. 2, CROATIA 1

Venue: Tualatin Hills Tennis Center, Portland, USA (hard – outdoor)

Going into Saturday, the U.S. looked to have the quarter-final contest nearly clinched. They had a 2-0 lead and Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan, the winningest doubles team in U.S. Davis Cup history, set to face Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig. But Cilic/Dodig pulled off the upset 6-2, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 to keep Croatia’s hopes alive in the U.S.

The Bryans are now 24-5 in Davis Cup doubles matches. The U.S. still may hold a historical advantage, though. The country is 38-2 when leading 2-1 after Saturday in World Group format, which was introduced in 1981.

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Groth/Guccione Grab Newport Doubles Title

Posted: Jul 17, 2016

Groth/Guccione Grab Newport Doubles Title

Jul162016

Aussies improve to 2-2 as a team in ATP World Tour doubles finals

Aussies Sam Groth and Chris Guccione won their second ATP World Tour team title on Saturday, beating Brit Jonathan Marray and Canadian Adil Shamasdin 6-4, 6-3 to capture the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships doubles title in Newport.

Groth and Guccione, 6’4” and 6’7”, respectively, hit 11 aces and erased the only break point faced against Marray/Shamasdin, who were playing in their first ATP World Tour final as a team. The Aussies also lost only eight points on their serve (40/48). Their previous team title came at Bogota in 2014 (d. Barrientos/Cabal).

“It was a great serving week and today thankfully we mixed it with a couple good returns,” Groth said.

You May Also Like: A Day For Aces: Karlovic, Muller To Meet In Newport Final

The win marked Groth’s first Newport doubles title but Guccione’s third, and all have come with different partners. The left-hander won the title in 2010 with Carsten Ball and in 2014 with Lleyton Hewitt.

“Obviously I like it here,” Guccione said. “It’s a great place, great town and a well-run tournament so hopefully I can continue my good run.”

The champions earn 250 Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings Points and will split $27,840. Marray/Shamasdin will receive 150 Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings point and split $14,630.

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Querrey Visits The White House

Posted: Jul 17, 2016

Querrey Visits The White House

Jul162016

American experiences unique tour

Sam Querrey enjoyed a guided tour of the White House ahead of the Citi Open, which kicks off on Monday in Washington, D.C. It was the American’s first visit to the home and workplace of President Barack Obama and his family.

Querrey was able to retrace the steps of a White House staffer on a typical workday, starting off at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, then making his way across the street to the White House’s mythical West Wing.

“The highlight was definitely seeing the Oval Office,” Querrey said. “I didn’t think we would get a chance to look at that, so it was cool to take a peek and see where the president works. It was a Saturday so it was pretty quiet, but it was great to see the grounds.”

The American gained a rare glimpse at the priceless artifacts adorning the White House and even took home a sweet treat – a box of blue and white presidential M&Ms.

The 28 year old is No. 29 in the Emirates ATP Rankings entering Washington, coming off a quarter-final run at Wimbledon (l. to Raonic), where he scored a famous upset of World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the third round. His best showing in Washington was a semi-final finish in 2012 (l. to Dolgopolov).

Main draw play at the Citi Open, an ATP World Tour 500 event, kicks off 18 July.

Moet and Chandon off-court news

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Cuevas Klizan SF Highlights Hamburg 2016

Posted: Jul 17, 2016

Cuevas Klizan SF Highlights Hamburg 2016

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Cuevas Reflects On Hamburg 2016 Semifinal Win

Posted: Jul 17, 2016

Cuevas Reflects On Hamburg 2016 Semifinal Win

Jul162016

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Watch Murray & Inglot's doubles win

Posted: Jul 16, 2016

Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot win their doubles rubber to give Great Britain a 2-1 lead over Serbia in their Davis Cup quarter-final in Belgrade.

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MATCH REPORT:Murray and Inglot win gives GB 2-1 lead

Watch live coverage of the Davis Cup on BBC One, the BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app from 13:45 BST on Sunday, 17 July.

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Davis Cup: GB's Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot win to earn 2-1 lead over Serbia

Posted: Jul 16, 2016

Davis Cup: Serbia v Great Britain
Venue: Tasmajdan Stadium, Belgrade Dates: 15-17 July
Coverage: Live on BBC TV, Red Button, the BBC Sport website, mobile, the BBC Sport app and Connected TV. Click for more details.

Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot won their doubles rubber to give Great Britain a 2-1 lead over Serbia in their Davis Cup quarter-final in Belgrade.

The Britons beat Filip Krajinovic and Nenad Zimonjic 6-1 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 6-4.

Earlier, James Ward lost 6-1 6-3 6-2 against Dusan Lajovic in their singles match, which was delayed from Friday.

Kyle Edmund, who won his singles match on Friday, can seal victory for Great Britain when he faces Lajovic on Sunday at 14:00 BST.

Britain are aiming to become the sixth team to defend the Davis Cup title, after they won it in Belgium last year.

Murray was partnering Inglot after his brother Andy, with whom he has won all five of his previous Davis Cup doubles matches, decided to sit out the tie.

The British pair started strongly and raced into an early lead against their Serb opponents, who were playing together for the first time.

Despite the Britons having chances to break in the second set, the Serbs improved to level, but Inglot and Murray recovered to put their team within one rubber of the semi-finals.

Inglot, who sealed his first Davis Cup win with the victory after serving out the third and fourth sets, said: “It is great to feel like I have finally put a rubber in for the team.

“Serving out was a little nerve-wracking but with Jamie at the net you know he will help you out. He deserves a lot of credit.”

Murray added: “It was unfortunate we lost the second set but we kept getting the ball back on return and then the breaks of serve helped us.

“We’re really happy to have that win going into Sunday.”

Team captain Leon Smith picked out the Inglot serve as a key in the match.

“It’s great for Dom to have his first Davis Cup victory,” Smith added. “Jamie is really experienced now and it’s great that we can rely on him to come out and do what he does.”

Ward outclassed by Lajovic

Ward was a late inclusion in the British squad after replacing Andy Murray but he lost in one hour and 52 minutes against a player ranked 159 places above him, at 81st in the world.

The 29-year-old, whose ranking has dropped after he was inside the world’s top 100 this time last year, was broken in the first game of the match and struggled throughout against the highest-ranked player in Serbia’s squad.

In a match postponed on Friday – and again delayed on Saturday because of rain – Ward made 73 errors and hit just 12 winners compared to Lajovic’s 23.

Ward said: “It’s one of the heaviest clay courts I’ve ever played on.

“It definitely doesn’t suit my game. But he was very good today. The tactics we had set up were pretty much completely opposite to everything he did in the first set, which is credit to him.”

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Analysis

Former Great Britain Davis Cup captain John Lloyd:

Murray and Inglot just started to combine well. Inglot wasn’t returning that well but they came together when it mattered. They didn’t play great, it wasn’t spectacular, but they got the job done.

It looked like a regulation doubles win (during the second set). They should have been up 2-0 and then it was getting a bit dodgy and I was getting a bit nervous. The class came through at the end and that is what good pairs do.

Even if James Ward had played at his best, he would have struggled in his match – but you could see he just didn’t have confidence.

He made so many unforced errors. You could see he wasn’t sure what to do on the court. He was outclassed.

Quarter-final round-up

Victory for Great Britain would see them face Argentina or Italy in the semi-final.

Argentina lead 2-1 after the second day in Pesaro, Italy, thanks to a five-set victory for Juan Martin Del Potro and Guido Pella over Fabio Fognini and Paolo Lorenzi.

Elsewhere, France – featuring Wimbledon doubles champions Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut, as well as singles quarter-finalists Lucas Pouille and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga – lead the Czech Republic 2-1.

The United States lead Croatia 2-0 after Jack Sock came from two sets behind to beat Marin Cilic in their singles match, with the doubles to be played later on Saturday.

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