Top seed Pablo Carreno Busta finished off a flawless week at the Millennium Estoril Open by taking the title with a 6-2, 7-6(5) victory over third seed Gilles Muller. “It’s my first title on clay, so I’m really happy,” said Carreno Busta. “It wasn’t an easy match today because of his serve and also the volley, but I was confident with my serve. He served better in the second set, but I played better in the tie-break.” The Spaniard picks up his first ATP World Tour title of 2017 after finishing runner-up this February in Rio de Janeiro (l. Thiem). Carreno Busta didn’t drop a set in navigating through a difficult draw that included former Top 5 player Tommy Robredo,...
#NextGenATP German Alexander Zverev showed his home fans precisely why much of the tennis world believes he'll reach the top of the ATP World Tour in the near future. After a slow start, the 20 year old rolled through the BMW Open by FWU final on Sunday in Munich, winning 10 of the final 13 games to beat Argentine Guido Pella 6-4, 6-3. The title is Zverev's second of the season and his third in the past nine months. The 6'6” right-hander won the St. Petersburg Open last September (d. Wawrinka) and the Open Sud de France crown earlier this year in February (d. Gasquet). Zverev becomes the sixth player to have won at least two titles this season. Player...
Marin Cilic tasted victory on clay for the first time in five years, fighting past Milos Raonic 7-6(3), 6-3 for the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open title. Cilic survived the battle of big hitters after two hours and one minute, firing nine aces. He was strong on serve, saving all seven break points faced and claiming 82 per cent of first serve points. It was the 28-year-old's 17th tour-level title and first since lifting the trophy on the indoor hard courts of Basel last October. His lone previous clay-court victory had come on home soil in Umag in 2012. "I'm on a good track and feeling very well," said Cilic, who did not drop a set en route to the...
Ryan Harrison and Michael Venus capped a dream week at the Millennium Estoril Open by taking the doubles title 7-5, 6-2 over Spaniards David Marrero and Tommy Robredo. “Michael has been part of my family for a long time. I’ve known him since I was 11 years old and he’s like a brother. I got married last month and he was my groomsman,” said Harrison. “We’ve played doubles together, but not at the tour level, so to win with one of your best friends in the world is special.” Both teams traded early service holds, but the American-Kiwi duo grabbed the crucial break up 6-5 to take the opening set. They broke Marrero/Robredo twice in the second set to seal...
