There is no doubting that both Juan Martin del Potro and Milos Raonic have had excellent careers thus far. The Argentine has reached a career-best No. 4 in the ATP Rankings and won 21 tour-level titles while the Canadian has climbed to No. 3 and claimed eight trophies. Del Potro triumphed at the 2009 US Open at age 20, while Raonic made the Wimbledon final two years ago. But neither player has triumphed at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 level. The pair will battle in the semi-finals at the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday to move within one victory of doing just that. And while both men have reached the Top 5 of the ATP Rankings, they were in...
Juan Martin del Potro has done a bit of everything the past two weeks in Indian Wells. He's dominated in straight sets, imposing his lethal game on his opponents. The 2013 finalist has also had to fight, coming back from a set down in his fourth-round match against fellow Argentine Leonardo Mayer. Del Potro's quarter-final was more like the latter, but that was OK with the Argentine, who's been up for any task of late. The sixth seed, who's chasing his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title, won his ninth consecutive match on Friday afternoon, prevailing against German Philipp Kohlschreiber 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and eight minutes. “It wasn't an easy match as everybody saw. But I...
In a way, it is hard to believe that Roger Federer continues to create new records for himself in a sport in which he has re-written plenty of them. But in Saturday’s BNP Paribas Open semi-finals, the Swiss will have a chance to do so once again. The World No. 1 can eclipse his best start to a season (16-0 in 2006) by defeating 2017 Next Gen ATP Finals qualifier Borna Coric to win his 17th straight match to begin the year. “What was I doing back then? I don't even remember what tournament I played first up and won,” Federer joked with the press about his start to 2006 after his quarter-final win against inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals...
Milos Raonic might not feel as if he's playing 100 per cent like his old self, but, early into his comeback season, the Canadian has already returned to familiar territory on the ATP World Tour. The 2016 Indian Wells finalist (l. to Djokovic) reached his third BNP Paribas Open semi-final (2015) on Friday, beating Sam Querrey of the U.S. for the third consecutive time in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 7-5, 2-6, 6-3. The 6'5” right-hander is into his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final in 17 months (2016 Paris). Raonic's improved tennis has no doubt carried him during the past week but he said the conditions and the vibe around the Indian Wells Tennis Garden have also helped...
Sam Querrey often visited the BNP Paribas Open with his family growing up, so it comes as no surprise that the Californian favours the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament in March. After three Masters 1000 quarter-final appearances – 2007 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, 2008 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters and 2012 Rolex Paris Masters – the American could reach his first semi-final, should he beat Milos Raonic on Friday in Indian Wells. This week, he reflected on his Masters 1000 journey, which includes teaming up with John Isner for the 2011 Internazionali BNL d’Italia doubles crown. What is your favourite Masters 1000 tournament and why? I love all of the Masters 1000 tournaments, but Indian Wells is probably my...
