Max Mirnyi, who is contesting his 25th season as pro, recorded his 1,000th overall match win — both in singles and doubles — on Friday when he partnered Philipp Oswald to the ASB Classic final. The 40-year-old Belarusian has now notched 756 doubles victories and 244 as a singles player. He has a 50-44 record in doubles title matches, with his lone singles crown coming at the 2003 ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament (d. Sluiter). Mirnyi and Oswald booked their places in a second ATP World Tour final as a team (2017 VTB Kremlin Cup) with a 7-6(7), 7-6(6) victory over second seeds Raven Klaasen and Michael Venus in one hour and 39 minutes. They will take on the in-form...
Alex de Minaur’s star continued to shine bright on Friday as the Australian teenager booked his spot in the Sydney International final. The local boy competed with great maturity, regrouping after losing the first set, to beat Benoit Paire of France 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 in one hour and 50 minutes for a place in his first ATP World Tour final. “I was a set down with not a lot of belief in me, and this crowd just picked me up, picked my intensity up and got me over the line,” said de Minaur. “I just tried to be tough. I tried to find a way to just keep making balls and just trying to be that blue wall. Once I...
Juan Martin del Potro, the charismatic Argentinean star, earned a shot at winning his second ASB Classic trophy on Friday after coming through a keenly contested 11th meeting against four-time former champion David Ferrer. Already assured of a return to the Top 10 in the ATP Rankings on Monday, the second seed played with great focus to beat seventh-seeded Ferrer 6-4, 6-4 over one hour and 46 minutes in the Auckland semi-finals. The 29-year-old will now play 2016 champion Roberto Bautista Agut, the fifth seed, in their fifth hard-court meeting. Del Potro, who leads their series 3-1, has won their past three FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings. “I’m happy to have reached the final again, playing good tennis against one of...
New year, another great start for Daniil Medvedev. In a show of resilient strength, and maturity, the Russian qualifier completed his sixth victory of the week on Friday at the Sydney International to reach his second ATP World Tour final. The 21-year-old Medvedev clawed his way back from a set and 1-3 deficit to beat the talented Italian Fabio Fognini, the fourth seed, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 in one hour and 52 minutes. “Until 6-2, 3-1, Fabio was playing unbelievable,” said Medvedev. “I felt that I didn't play my best tennis. So then, suddenly, it started to turn around step-by-step, and then, finally, I almost didn't lose a game. I'm really happy, because it was a tough battle there.” Visit Tecnifibre...
The crowd didn't want it to end. Fifth seed Roberto Bautista Agut and Dutchman Robin Haase fought for two hours and 52 minutes at the ASB Classic in Auckland on Friday. There were frequent momentum swings and plenty of “Are you kidding me?” hot shots. [ALSO LIKE] The semi-final had it all, including an epic match point, when Bautista Agut floated a backhand lob that touched the baseline to clinch his 6-7(7), 7-6(3), 7-6(5) victory. “When I saw the ball in, I went crazy,” said Bautista Agut, who fell to a knee in celebration. “I'm so happy that I won... It was an unbelievable battle on the court.” "The end was unbelievable, no?" Yes, it was. #ASBClassic pic.twitter.com/dMlqI7lhA3 — Tennis...
