Five best shots as Lopez sees off Dimitrov
Watch five of the best shots as Feliciano Lopez beats Grigor Dimitrov 7-5 3-6 6-2 to set up a Queen’s final against Marin Cilic.
Watch five of the best shots as Feliciano Lopez beats Grigor Dimitrov 7-5 3-6 6-2 to set up a Queen’s final against Marin Cilic.
Jersey’s Scott Clayton has been given a wildcard for the main draw of the men’s doubles at Wimbledon 2017, alongside his British partner Jonny O’Mara.
It will be a first senior Wimbledon appearance for Clayton, 23, ranked at number 253 in the world for doubles.
Guernsey’s Heather Watson – a defending Wimbledon champion in the mixed doubles – was given a wildcard to the ladies’ singles main draw earlier in June.
“When I got the call I couldn’t believe it,” Clayton told BBC Radio Jersey.
“Yes, I believe I’m the first player from Jersey to be involved in the Championships. I played there as a junior but to be there as a pro player on the tour, it’s incredible.”
Yorkshire-born O’Mara, 22, who lives in Scotland, recently played with Clayton at the Aegon Open, Nottingham.
On 21 June, Britain’s Marcus Willis – who qualified for the main singles draw in 2016 – was awarded a wildcard for the doubles with his partner Jay Clarke.
Since then, as well as Clayton and O’Mara, Britain’s Brydan Klein and Joe Salisbury have also received doubles wildcards along with Australian pair Thanasi Kokkinakis and Jordan Thompson, plus British brothers Ken and Neal Skupski.
There’s no place quite like Halle for Roger Federer. The Swiss star will play in an 11th Gerry Weber Open final on Sunday after having to battle past #NextGenATP Karen Khachanov 6-4, 7-6(5) in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Federer will go for his ninth title in the German city, which would mark the first time he has won a tournament as many times. The 35-year-old Swiss first reached the Halle final in 2003, beating German Nicolas Kiefer for the crown.
But Federer hasn’t played for the trophy at the ATP World Tour 500 tournament since 2015. On Sunday, he will meet either #NextGenATP German Alexander Zverev or Frenchman Richard Gasquet.
Federer lost to Zverev in last year’s Halle semi-finals but beat the German last year in Rome. Federer leads his FedEx ATP Head2Head series against Gasquet 15-2.
The World No. 5 has yet to drop a set in Halle this week. He improved his all-time record at the tournament to 58-6 and is 23-2 on the season. Federer has reached the final in four of his six tournaments this year.
Roger Federer Wins By Tournament
|
87 |
Australian Open |
|
84 |
Wimbledon |
|
78 |
US Open |
|
65 |
Roland Garros |
|
61 |
Basel |
|
58 |
Halle |
|
57 |
Indian Wells |
|
52 |
Nitto ATP Finals |
|
50 |
Miami |
|
42 |
Cincinnati |
Federer had never faced the 21-year-old Khachanov before Saturday, but the big-hitting right-hander, who was trying to reach his second ATP World Tour final (2016 Chengdu), was unintimidated against the all-time great.
The two exchanged breaks to start the match but Federer broke once more and rode the early advantage to a one-set lead. Neither player could break in the early goings of the second set as Khachanov was freely blasting forehands and Federer was stepping into his backhand and flattening out the one-hander.
At 4-4, Federer broke Khachanov for a chance to serve for the match, but Khachanov broke right back when a Federer forehand pass sailed wide. The 6’6” Khachanov even had two set points on Federer’s serve at 5-6 but was unable to convert either.
In the tie-break, Federer clinched his 11th final appearance when Khachanov lifted a backhand long on match point.
Watch five of the best shots as Marin Cilic wins his semi-final against Gilles Muller at Queen’s 6-3 5-7 6-4.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova reached her first final since returning from a career-threatening hand injury after Lucie Safarova retired from their match in Birmingham.
Kvitova, 27, was leading 6-1 1-0 in the Aegon Classic semi-final when her fellow Czech quit with a leg injury.
Kvitova is playing in only her second tournament since she was stabbed by an intruder at her home in December.
“I’m enjoying playing again,” said the former world number two.
Seventh seed Kvitova will play Australia’s Ashleigh Barty in Sunday’s final.
“I couldn’t play for five or six months and I missed it,” added Kvitova.
“It wasn’t my choice to have a break but I always try to see positive things. I’m trying to enjoy tennis more and seeing things from a different angle.”
Kvitova looked close to her best against Fed Cup team-mate and close friend Safarova, who was carrying the injury into the match.
Kvitova made an impressive start, dropping just one point as she raced into a 3-0 lead, breaking serve again in the next game before Safarova held at the third attempt for 5-1.
Find out how to get into tennis in our special guide.
Safarova, a former Wimbledon semi-finalist and 2015 French Open finalist, provided some resistance as Kvitova needed a fourth set point to serve out for the opener.
But Kvitova broke again in the opening game of the second set, before Safarova decided she could not continue.
Barty, 21, reached her first grass-court final after fighting back to win 3-6 6-4 6-3 against 2016 French Open champion Garbine Muguruza.
Johanna Konta’s rise up the rankings over the past 2 years has been a great story for British Tennis at a time when the…