Germany’s Dustin Brown received a standing ovation after he saved four match points on Thursday to reach the qualifying round at the Australian Open after a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(16) victory over World No. 248 Di Wu of China. “I’ve only played a long tiebreak like that once in a final set. It was just a very difficult match. He started off so well and I realised I just had to get loose and swing,” said Brown, who led 4/1 in the tie-break. “I tried to make him think. He played unbelievable shots on my match points in the tie-break.” Brown now plays 18-year-old American Stefan Kozlov, who beat Yannick Hanfmann of Germany 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-4. Watch Live Streaming Of Qualifying...
Playing with a confidence and maturity that belies his years, Australian Alex de Minaur continued his assault at the Sydney International on Thursday night. Under the guidance of Lleyton Hewitt, who, 20 years ago captured his first ATP World Tour crown as a 16-year-old in Adelaide, World No. 167 de Minaur put Spain’s Feliciano Lopez, a player twice the teenager’s age, to the sword 6-4, 6-4 in 86 minutes. “It was lots of fun,” said de Minaur, smiling. “I reckon it's probably my latest night I played, and it was great to play in front of such an energetic crowd – especially to play on your home court, it meant a lot for me to get that win.” The 18-year-old...
Juan Martin del Potro, who will return to the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings for the first time since August 2014 next week, swept through to the ASB Classic semi-finals on Thursday night. The popular Argentinean star, competing this week at the ATP World Tour 250 tournament for the first time since his 2009 title (d. Querrey), struck 11 aces and didn’t face a break point in a 7-6(4), 6-3 victory over Russian Karen Khachanov in one hour and 33 minutes. "I took all of my chances and I played solidly on my service games," said del Potro. "I ran a lot today, more than yesterday, which is good for my physical condition and I’m sure I will run...
For the eighth time in 13 attempts, David Ferrer is among the last four standing at the ASB Classic in Auckland. The four-time champion routed Next Gen ATP Finals champion Hyeon Chung on Thursday 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the semi-finals. Ferrer has yet to drop a set in Auckland this week and is looking very much like the Ferrer of 2007, 2011, 2012 and 2013, the four years he took home the Auckland trophy. “I tried to play consistent and aggressive because with Chung, he plays with power, and it's never easy,” Ferrer said on court. “He has a really great future.” [ALSO LIKE] Ferrer broke the 21-year-old South Korean five times during the 75-minute victory. The seventh-seeded Spaniard...
Fabio Fognini continued the best Sydney International of his career on Thursday, advancing to the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour 250 with a 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 6-2 win against fifth seed Adrian Mannarino. The fourth-seeded Fognini, who had lost in the second round in Sydney three times before this year, sharpened his play as the quarter-final match progressed. Fognini faced eight break points in the first two sets, saving five of the eight. But in the decider, the 30-year-old faced only one break point and erased it. “It was a long match,” said Fognini. “It was really tough from the beginning. I was, I think, in the first crazy set 4-1 up, double break, and I lost it. I was...
