After a year inside the Top 10 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, Dominic Thiem now feels like he belongs among the elite group. It wasn't always that way, though. For a time, Thiem looked at the Top 10 as a place for his “idols”, not a destination for the 20-something Austrian. “If you come there for the first time at quite a young age, I don't know, you look up to them, to the other ones in the Top 10 and feel strange somehow, because they have been your idols and now you're with them,” said Thiem, who joined the group as a 22 year old after his Roland Garros semi-final run last year. But the Austrian has more than...
It was home cooking for Stan Wawrinka on Saturday at the Banque Eric Sturdza Geneva Open, as the local favourite successfully defended his crown in the Swiss metropolis. The top seed ousted Mischa Zverev 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in two hours and 20 minutes to lift the trophy. Wawrinka, who was born in nearby Lausanne, improved to 9-1 in Geneva, having also prevailed last year (d. Cilic). Zverev denied 13 of 18 break points faced, but Wawrinka was clutch in the big moments. It was the 16th tour-level title for the World No. 3 and first since winning the US Open last year. He takes home €85,945 in prize money and 250 Emirates ATP Rankings points. "The level was great today,...
Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau came up clutch with their backs against the wall on Saturday at the Banque Eric Sturdza Geneva Open, rallying for their 14th team title. The Dutch-Romanian duo overcame a set deficit and survived a championship point at 6-5 in the second set tie-break, edging Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah 2-6, 7-6(9), 10-6. "It was a really tough match," said Rojer. "Robert and Sebas were playing well the whole week. They played better today for the majority of the match and this time we got a little lucky after going down match point. We're very happy with the win and it gives us a lot of confidence going into the French Open." Tecau provided the...
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga celebrated a hat trick of ATP World Tour titles this season on Saturday, prevailing past Czech Tomas Berdych 7-6(2), 7-5 in the Open Parc Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Lyon final. The title is Tsonga's first clay-court crown and his 15th overall title. The Frenchman improved to 3-0 in title matches this season, having also won back-to-back indoor crowns at Rotterdam and Marseille in February. “I am very happy. First title on clay court. It is now added to my CV and I can move on. I am going to enjoy this title today and tomorrow. It has been a great week overall,” Tsonga said. Never before has Tsonga won more than three titles in a season, although he looks poised to...