Ivo Karlovic said he was happy after his opening-round win for various reasons, including earning his first victory as a 39-year-old. Three days later, he has done a lot more than that. The Croatian beat fourth seed Nick Kyrgios 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 Friday at the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship to become the oldest player to advance to an ATP World Tour semi-final since Jimmy Connors at 1993 San Francisco. The right-hander was already the oldest quarter-finalist at Houston in the Open Era. "It's definitely a huge win. I lost against him every match up until now," said Karlovic, the 2007 Houston titlist. "I'm really happy that I won today." Kyrgios had previously owned a 4-0...
Rafael Nadal has a tough task if he is to lift an 11th trophy at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, with three players in the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings and also two-time former champion Novak Djokovic in his half of the draw, following the ceremony at the Atrium du Casino de Monte-Carlo on Friday. The Spanish star, who is attempting to capture his 54th clay-court crown, will need to potentially beat Dominic Thiem or Djokovic, before a possible semi-final against Grigor Dimitrov or David Goffin. Nadal, who will meet Aljaz Bedene or a qualifier in the second round, could face Adrian Mannarino in the third round, prior to a quarter-final against 2013 and 2015 titlist Djokovic or Thiem. Nadal...
Watch ten-time Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters champion Rafael Nadal assist at this year's draw ceremony, at which he found out he will begin his campaign against Slovenian Aljaz Bedene or a qualifier.
This time, Taylor Fritz feels as if it can last. Two years ago, Fritz, then 18, became “The Next Big Thing” on the ATP World Tour. He reached the Memphis Open final, becoming the youngest American to make a tour-level title match since 17-year-old Michael Chang won 1989 Wembley. Months after, Fritz made the quarter-finals of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC in Acapulco, an ATP World Tour 500 event. “The Next Big Thing” seemed like he was here to stay. But he couldn't produce it week after week, and his ATP Ranking, which had risen to No. 53 in August 2016, fell to No. 135 last June. This year, Fritz is on the rise again, but he's confident...