It was the perfect storyline. Kei Nishikori, who entered the inaugural New York Open without having played a tour-level match since last August due to a wrist injury, was on the verge of making his first ATP World Tour final since 2017 Buenos Aires. But top seed Kevin Anderson had something to say about that on Saturday evening, winning six of the final seven points in their semi-final to end Nishikori's run 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(4). The South African guaranteed his return to the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings as he pursues his first ATP World Tour title since 2015 Winston-Salem. "It feels great," Anderson said. "I didn't even know that going into it. I know I've been close for...
Kevin Anderson is the top seed this week at the New York Open for only the fifth time in his 12-year career. But on Thursday on Long Island, the South African played like a man used to the pressure that comes with having a No. 1 next to your name. Mired in a three-set fight against Ernesto Escobedo of the U.S., Anderson didn't move an millimetre in the decider. He won 94 per cent of his service points in the decider (29/31) and pulled through in the tie-break to advance to the quarter-finals 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5). It was their first tour-level meeting, but Escobedo, who, at No. 131, is ranked 110 spots lower than No. 11 Anderson, impressed the 2017...
Kevin Anderson spent one week in the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings in October 2016, but then ankle and dental operations, a hip injury and more setbacks kept the right-hander off the court or far from his best. Exactly one year ago he competed at the Memphis Open, losing in the first round as the World No. 74. A year later, the Memphis event has moved to Long Island and is now the New York Open. The last time the top seed was in the big apple, he advanced to his first Grand Slam final at the 2017 US Open, the culmination of an impressive comeback that saw Anderson thrust himself into contention for a spot at the Nitto...
Kevin Anderson and Sam Querrey made improvements on their respective chances of making debut appearances at the Nitto ATP Finals on Tuesday with both posting straight-sets first-round triumphs at the Shanghai Rolex Masters. No. 11 seed Anderson had an equally impressive 6-3, 6-1 victory over last week’s Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships runner-up Adrian Mannarino while No. 10 seed Querrey landed a dominant 6-3, 6-2 result over Japan’s Yuichi Sugita. Anderson will face Jan-Lennard Struff for a quarter-final berth. The German advanced when compatriot Mischa Zverev retired due to heat exhaustion with Struff leading 3-6, 6-5. Querrey broke twice on his way to a 4-0 second-set lead and comfortably carried the advantage to the finish line. He brought up three...
To compare the on-court emotions of Kevin Anderson from a few years ago to the 2017 edition of Anderson is to question if you're watching the same 6'8” big-serving right-hander. A few years ago, a show of emotion from Anderson was the crumpling of his hand into a fist. No shouting. No jumping. The South African barely talked out loud to himself. But this season, the 31 year old has unveiled a completely different side of himself, and to great success. The veteran says “Come on” multiple times a game. He shouts at his box with excitement throughout the match, and frequently pumps his fist to help him stay focused on every point. The moment hardly matters: Anderson yells at...