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Andy Murray: Former world number one to play Libema Open before Wimbledon

  • Posted: Mar 29, 2018

Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray will play at the Libema Open in the Netherlands this June – his first event since hip surgery in January.

The grass-court tournament in Rosmalen – formerly known as the Ricoh Open – will take place from 11-17 June.

Murray, 30, has not played in the Netherlands since reaching the quarter-finals of the Rotterdam Open in 2015.

“It’s the perfect way for me to prepare for Wimbledon,” said the former world number one.

“I’ve heard lots of good things about the tournament and the courts are meant to be very good.”

  • Murray making “progress” after court comeback

Murray, who has won three Grand Slam titles as well as two Olympic gold medals, has not played a competitive match since Wimbledon last year.

The Scot said after his operation that he hoped to return “around the grass court season, or maybe slightly before”.

He could make his return at one of two new indoor events in Glasgow and Loughborough later this spring.

Analysis

BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller

This is the first tournament Murray has publicly committed to, and could form part of a three-week run on grass in the build up to Wimbledon.

He has a career-long contract to play at The Queen’s Club, in the week which follows, and could opt to play at the Challenger event in Surbiton in the week before Rosmalen.

But if all goes very well, Murray’s return to competition could come sooner. The LTA has recently announced it will be staging two indoor hard court Challenger events during May: one in Glasgow, and the other in Loughborough.

To add to the sense of cautious optimism, further tournaments are expected to be added to Murray’s later season schedule over the next few weeks.

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Zverev, Coric Clash Thursday In Miami QF

  • Posted: Mar 29, 2018

Zverev, Coric Clash Thursday In Miami QF

ATPWorldTour.com previews the quarter-finals in the top half of the draw

View FedEx ATP Head2Head for the following matches from the 2018 Miami Open presented by Itaú & vote for who you think will win! 
Zverev vs Coric | Anderson vs Carreno Busta

[4] A. Zverev (GER) vs [29] B. Coric (CRO)
Coric leads FedEx ATP Head2Head series 2-0
Stadium – 7 p.m.

Being the highest-ranked rising prospect, Alexander Zverev is well accustomed to being the hunted. That target only seems to grow when he’s coming up against a rival of a similar age. 

On Thursday, the No. 4 seed will face one such opponent when he takes on the in-form 21-year-old Borna Coric in the Miami Open presented by Itau quarter-finals. The soon-to-be 21-year-old Zverev has surged up the ATP Rankings at a much faster rate than his peers.

But Coric, his former junior rival, leads the pair’s FedEx ATP Head2Head series 2-0. An ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final is at stake and bragging rights again on offer.

“He’s improved a lot, making the semi-finals of Indian Wells, making the quarter-finals here already. I think he’s playing great ball. Hopefully it will be another entertaining one, and we’ll see how it goes,” Zverev said.

After struggling through three-set battles in his opening two matches – against 22-year-old Daniil Medvedev and former No. 3 in the ATP Rankings, David Ferrer – Zverev was all business when he faced Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round. The Aussie was contesting his first tournament since February 4, but had reached the semi-finals in Miami the previous two years. 

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Zverev prevailed in straight sets to level the pair’s FedEx ATP Head2Head ledger at 3-3. Coric could well be a different prospect, carrying momentum from his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final in Indian Wells last week.

The Croatian will break into the Top 30 in the ATP Rankings on Monday after his fourth-round defeat of #NextGenATP Canadian Denis Shapovalov in the fourth round. It was a statement victory over a younger rival and his third straight three-set win after earlier triumphs against No. 8 seed Jack Sock and Leonardo Mayer.

In the most recent Zverev vs. Coric encounter, the Croatian prevailed in the second round of last year’s US Open. He had previously won when they squared off as 18-year-olds in Cincinnati in 2015 and for added measure, in the 2013 US Open junior semi-finals.

You May Also Like: Del Potro Downs Raonic For 15th Straight Win

[16] P. Carreno Busta (ESP) vs [6] K. Anderson (RSA)
Anderson leads FedEx ATP Head2Head series 4-0
Stadium – Not Before 3 p.m.

Like Coric, sixth seed Kevin Anderson has never lost to his quarter-final opponent. The South African carries a 4-0 FedEx ATP Head2Head record into his clash with 16th seed Pablo Carreno Busta.
Anderson saw off the Spaniard to reach his first Grand Slam final at last year’s US Open and again last week to reach the quarter-finals in Indian Wells. He will be aiming for a maiden ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final berth as he looks to extend a solid 17-4 start to the season.

Carreno Busta has a second Masters 1000 semi-final in sight, having reached the last four in Indian Wells in 2017. He has been in ruthless form in Miami, dropping just 12 games in three matches, including a 6-0, 6-3 result over countryman Fernando Verdasco in the fourth round. Anderson needed three sets to see off Russian No. 32 seed Karen Khachanov before a convincing display to beat #NextGenATP American Frances Tiafoe. 

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Venus Williams beaten by qualifier Collins in Miami

  • Posted: Mar 29, 2018

Three-time champion and eighth seed Venus Williams has been knocked out of the Miami Open in the quarter-finals by qualifier Danielle Collins.

The 24-year-old, ranked 93rd in the world, needed only one hour 29 minutes to come through 6-2 6-3 against fellow American Williams, 37, a seven-time Grand Slam winner.

It was Collins’ first victory against a top 10 player.

She will now face French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the semi-finals.

The 20-year-old Latvian saw off world number four Elina Svitolina over two tie-breaks, winning 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-5).

  • Live scores, schedule and results
  • Juan Martin del Potro and John Isner reach Miami Open semis

“The first time I saw Venus in the locker room I nearly cried,” Collins admitted. “She has been my favourite player so I am finding it difficult to wrap my head around this.”

Victoria Azarenka will play US Open champion Sloane Stephens in the other women’s singles semi-final.

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Del Potro and Isner reach Miami Open semis

  • Posted: Mar 29, 2018

Juan Martin del Potro survived a three-hour encounter against Canadian Milos Raonic to book a Miami Open semi-final meeting with John Isner.

The Argentine fifth seed came through 5-7 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-3), in a match that finished at midnight local time.

Former US Open champion Del Potro claimed his maiden Masters 1,000 title in Indian Wells earlier this month and is now on a 15-match winning streak.

Isner eased past South Korean Chung Hyeon 6-1 6-4 to reach the last four.

The big-serving American hit 13 aces to overcome 19th-seed Chung in only 68 minutes.

  • Live scores, schedule and results
  • Venus Williams knocked out by qualifier Danielle Collins in Miami

“I played extremely well and every match I have gotten better and stronger,” said 32-year-old Isner, seeded 14th.

“I know I’m in the semi-finals and I can’t wait to get back on this court. Del Potro is the hottest player on tour right now, hands down,”

The other men’s quarter-finals will be played on Thursday when South African sixth seed Kevin Anderson faces Spanish 16th seed Pablo Carreno Busta, before German fourth seed Alexander Zverev takes on Croatian Borna Coric.

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Andy Murray: Former world number one says he is making 'progress'

  • Posted: Mar 28, 2018

Britain’s Andy Murray says he is making “progress” after several days of playing at the Mouratoglou Academy in Nice.

Murray returned to the court for the first time at the weekend after having hip surgery in January.

The former world number one has not played a competitive match since he was knocked out of Wimbledon last July.

The ongoing problem had forced the Scot to pull out of the Australian Open at the start of the year.

Murray, 30, posted pictures on Instagram in practice against British junior Aidan McHugh.

He is expected to stay in Nice for at least another week as he continues his comeback.

Three-time Grand Slam winner Murray has fallen to 29 in the world and has been overtaken by Kyle Edmund as Britain’s number one.

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