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Federer Faces Stacked Path In Dubai

  • Posted: Feb 26, 2017

Federer Faces Stacked Path In Dubai

Swiss will look to stay unbeaten in 2017

Roger Federer could face World No. 1 Andy Murray and countryman Stan Wawrinka if he plans on taking his eighth title at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships this week in the United Arab Emirates.

The 35-year-old Swiss returns to tour-level action for the first time since winning his 18th Grand Slam crown last month at the Australian Open. Down Under, Federer knocked out three Top 10 opponents, including Wawrinka in the semi-finals.

In Dubai, a similarly difficult path awaits the all-time great, who will go for his 90th career tour-level crown. The third-seeded Federer opens against former Top 20 Frenchman Benoit Paire and could play Russian veteran Mikhail Youzhny in the second round.

Seventh seed Lucas Pouille is the highest seed Federer could face in the quarter-finals, and the top-seeded Murray might await in an enticing semi-final. The last-four battle would mark the 26th time they’ve faced off during their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry.

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Federer leads the series 14-11 and has won their past five meetings, but the two haven’t played since the 2015 Western & Southern Open semi-final.

Federer and Wawrinka went five gruelling sets during their Australian Open semi-final, and the second seed would surely appreciate the opportunity to get back at his countryman in the Dubai final. Federer leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 19-3.

Murray opens against Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri and eighth seed Gilles Muller is the highest-seeded player who could await in the quarter-finals. The Scot will be trying for his first Dubai crown. He fell in the 2012 final to Federer.

Wawrinka, the defending champion, meets Bosnian Damir Dzumhur in the first round and might face fifth seed and two-time runner-up Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals. The 31-year-old Swiss leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 11-5 and has taken their past six meetings. Fourth seed Gael Monfils could await in the semi-finals.

Read More: Djokovic Takes Acapulco Wild Card

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All French-Final Set In Marseille

  • Posted: Feb 25, 2017

All French-Final Set In Marseille

Tsonga will go for back-to-back ATP World Tour titles

It will be an all-French final on Sunday at the Open 13 Marseille. Second seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga finally broke defending champion Nick Kyrgios to take their semi-final 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-4 in two hours and 12 minutes. Later in the day, fourth seed Lucas Pouille dismissed countryman Richard Gasquet 7-5, 6-3 to reach his first final of the season.

Tsonga twice broke the 21-year-old Kyrgios and withstood 16 aces to earn the chance for a third Open 13 Marseille title, having also won the event in 2009 and 2013. Kyrgios had held all tournament and didn’t drop his serve once during his title run in Marseille a year ago, which was his maiden ATP World Tour crown.

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The 31-year-old Tsonga also saved five of eight break points to take their first-ever match-up. He is riding an eight-match winning streak and will be going for back-to-back titles. Tsonga captured the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament title in Rotterdam last week (d. Goffin).

Tsonga and Pouille have faced off only once before, with Tsonga taking the FedEx ATP Head2Head encounter during the Round of 16 at the 2016 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.

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But Pouille has won back-to-back matches this week for the first time this year and looked sharp from the start against Gasquet. The 23 year old broke Gasquet in the 12th game to take the first set, and Pouille raced to a 5-0 lead in the second set before ending the semi-final on his serve after 91 minutes.

Pouille delivered 12 aces and saved five of six break points in the semi-final. He will be going for his second ATP World Tour title after winning the Moselle Open in Metz last September, which, like the Open 13 Marseille, is played indoors. Sunday’s final will mark Pouille’s third career ATP World Tour final. He fell in the 2016 Bucharest final to Fernando Verdasco.

DOUBLES

Dutchman Robin Haase and Brit Dominic Inglot advanced to the doubles final with a 3-6, 7-6(5), 10-8 win against Kyrgios and countryman Matt Reid. Haase/Inglot will meet top seeds Julien Benneteau and Nicolas Mahut in the final.

Read & Watch: Federer Faces Stacked Path In Dubai 

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Svitolina beats Wozniacki to win Dubai Championships

  • Posted: Feb 25, 2017

World number 13 Elina Svitolina beat Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets to win the Dubai Championships.

The Ukrainian, 22, beat 10th seed Wozniacki 6-4 6-2 to claim her sixth WTA title and her second of 2017.

Denmark’s Wozniacki won the Dubai title in 2011 and has reached the semi-finals in six of the seven years she has played at the event.

The former world number one has now lost two successive finals having been beaten by Karolina Pliskova in Doha.

“I’m super happy that I could win this title,” Svitolina told BT Sport.

“It’s always tough to play against Caroline. She’s such a fighter and never steps back. It was a great match and I’m really happy I could win.”

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Del Potro Eager For Raonic Test

  • Posted: Feb 25, 2017

Del Potro Eager For Raonic Test

Argentine defeats Querrey on Friday in Delray Beach

Seventh seed Juan Martin del Potro wanted an opportunity to test himself against the world’s best players at the Delray Beach Open. He’ll get just that when he takes the court on Saturday for a mouth-watering semi-final battle with top seed Milos Raonic that showcases two of the biggest serves and forehands in tennis.

Del Potro and Raonic are even in their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry at 1-1, but haven’t played in four years. The Argentine, competing in his first ATP World Tour event of the season, said he was eager to see how his game responds against an in-form Raonic. His last match against a Top 5 player in the Emirates ATP Rankings came this past October in Basel (l. Nishikori).

“It’s going to be a big chance for me,” said del Potro. “He’s the favourite and is playing so good, but I want to see how my level is against the top players at this part of the year.”

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The Argentine earned his place in the final four by defeating fourth seed and defending champion Sam Querrey on Friday 7-5, 7-5, avenging a loss to the American in last year’s Delray Beach semi-finals. Little separated del Potro and Querrey in their latest match, but the seventh seed gained the lone break in each set at 5-5. He denied Querrey any break point chances, firing eight aces and winning 87 per cent of his first serve points.

Del Potro improves his Delray Beach record to 11-1 and FedEx ATP Head2Head record against Querrey to 3-1.

“You have to keep focused the whole time against him and stay positive. There were many times when he was serving at 0/30 and would hit three or four aces, so you can get frustrated,” said del Potro. “I did a good job of staying calm and taking my chances when I had them.”

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Kyle Edmund loses to Milos Raonic in Delray Beach Open quarter-finals

  • Posted: Feb 25, 2017

Kyle Edmund missed out on his first win over a top-10 player when he lost to world number four Milos Raonic in the Delray Beach Open quarter-finals.

Britain’s Edmund started well and took the first set but the Canadian top seed hit back to win 4-6 6-3 6-4.

Raonic won five games in a row to seal the second set and go 2-0 up in the decider and help set up the victory.

However, Edmund’s display at the event means he will regain his status as British number two from Dan Evans.

Raonic will face Argentina’s former US Open winner Juan Martin del Potro in Saturday’s semi-final.

Seventh seed Del Potro, who won the event in 2011, beat American wildcard Sam Querrey 7-5 7-5.

In the other semi-final, American world number 21 Jack Sock faces compatriot Donald Young, ranked 69.

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Raonic Survives Edmund Challenge

  • Posted: Feb 25, 2017

Raonic Survives Edmund Challenge

Sock advances on Friday

Top seed Milos Raonic weathered a stern test from eighth seed Kyle Edmund on Friday at the Delray Beach Open to advance into the final four 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Edmund showed no fear in the opening set, grabbing the lone break at 3-3 and later holding to love at 5-4 to clinch the early lead. But Raonic responded strongly, winning the final three games of the second set to level the match and then immediately breaking Edmund to start the deciding set. The Canadian held his slight advantage the rest of the way, comfortably closing out the match on serve to advance in one hour and 39 minutes.

“I was a little bit slow off the block, got a little down on myself after that and wasn’t necessarily focusing on the right things. I was glad to be able to get out of that midway through the second set,” said Raonic. “But Kyle has very good potential. He takes it to you and has a forehand that’s very hard to read. He’s constantly improving, so things look bright for him.”

Standing between Raonic and Sunday’s final is the winner between seventh seed Juan Martin del Potro and fourth seed and defending champion Sam Querrey. Raonic is even in his FedEx ATP Head2Head with Querrey at 2-2 and has won their past two matches. He’s also even with del Potro in their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry at 1-1, but they haven’t played in four years.

“I feel like I’m getting better each match,” said Raonic. “With this constant improvement, I’m feeling positive and like I have a good shot to win the matches ahead of me.”

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Third seed Jack Sock continued his quest for his second ATP World Tour title this season by defeating fifth seed and fellow American Steve Johnson, 6-4, 7-6(3). Sock survived a wild first set highlighted by five breaks of serve. Both players held throughout the second set, but Sock raced to a 6/2 lead in the tie-break before wrapping up the contest on his third match point.

Sock improves his FedEx ATP Head2Head against Johnson to 4-1, including a win last month in the Auckland semi-finals.

“The first set was obviously different from our usual matches when it comes down to a break here or there, but I was glad to come out on top of it,” said Sock. “I might come over a few more backhands than him, but we’re both trying to do the same thing on court and that’s why our matches are always so close.”

He now faces another American in Donald Young, who advanced via walkover on Thursday when Steve Darcis withdrew due to personal reasons. Sock leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry 2-0

“Anytime you get wins against a guy, that always helps,” said Sock.” But everyone keeps improving and tweaking things. He may come out with a completely different game plan from our past matches, but I know what works well for me and I’ll have to just go and do that.”

DOUBLES

Yen-Hsun Lu and Leander Paes caused an upset in the doubles draw by scoring a quarter-final win over top seeds Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan 7-6(4), 2-6, 10-7. They’ll now play third seeds Treat Huey and Max Mirnyi for a place in the final.

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