Fabio Fognini got the better of Albert Ramos-Vinolas for the second time in as many weeks. The Italian extended his FedEx ATP Head2Head lead to 8-0 lifetime against the second seed with a 6-2, 6-2 victory on Friday for a place in the VTB Kremlin Cup semi-finals. Fognini, who also beat his Spanish opponent at last week’s Shanghai Rolex Masters, recorded his 25th match win of the year in 76 minutes. He will now challenge third seed Philipp Kohlschreiber, who beat Thomaz Bellucci 6-4, 6-2 in 76 minutes. A duo of promising Russian teens enjoyed breakthrough runs in Moscow, but were felled by experienced opponents in the final eight. Daniil Medvedev took the second set 6-0 against veteran Stephane Robert,...
Juan Martin del Potro withstood 12 aces from Ivo Karlovic on Friday at the If Stockholm Open to record his 26th match win of a comeback season, 6-3, 6-4 in 71 minutes. Del Potro moves on to face second seed Grigor Dimitrov. “I was expecting a tie-break in this match,” said del Potro. “But I’m happy to get the rest for tomorrow when I play Grigor.” Del Potro leads Dimitrov 3-0 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, including a grass-court win at this year's MercedesCup. Dimitrov completed his fifth win in seven meetings against Kevin Anderson 7-6(3), 5-7, 6-2 in two hours and 18 minutes. “It’s never easy when you serve for the match and you lose it,” said Dimitrov,...
Qualifier Daniil Medvedev reached his first ATP World Tour quarter-final on home soil on Thursday at the VTB Kremlin Cup, knocking out 2010 champion and fourth seed Viktor Troicki, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. “I talked to the coach and with the Russian players who had already beaten him. They gave me some tips. But, of course, you can’t win just thanks to those tips. Otherwise he wouldn’t be ranked No. 30,” said Medvedev. “I was very glad to see so many spectators cheering for me and this support gave me additional strength. Even though I was tired after the first set, the crowd helped me to win the match.” The Russian has jumped from No. 329 to No. 123 this...