Rafael Nadal's 60th victory of the season was a sweet one. The World No. 1 battled past Grigor Dimitrov to book his spot in the 110th final of his career and fourth at the China Open. Nadal needed two hours and 16 minutes to overcome a dogged display from Dimitrov, prevailing 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 on Saturday evening in Beijing. It marked the ninth time in the Spaniard's illustrious career in which he has surpassed 60 match wins in a single season. Nadal will look to add a tour-leading sixth title of 2017 when he faces Nick Kyrgios in Sunday's championship. Nadal is seeking to lift the trophy in the Chinese capital for the first time in 12 years. The 2005...
France’s Adrian Mannarino recorded the biggest match win of his career on Saturday to reach the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships 2017 final, his first at the ATP World Tour 500 level. Mannarino out-thought top-seeded Croatian and Nitto ATP Finals contender Marin Cilic 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-0 in two hours and 43 minutes for a shot at his first ATP World Tour title in the fourth final of his career (0-3). It was Mannarino's first victory over a member of the Top 5 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. “It was a very tough match as Marin was playing well and putting me under a lot of pressure,” said Mannarino. “Although the third set was 6-0, it wasn’t easy. I tried to...
David Goffin reached his second successive final at the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships 2017 on Saturday, a result which sees the Belgian currently holding the last qualifying spot for next month’s Nitto ATP Finals. Goffin moved up one spot past American Sam Querrey (2,435) to No. 10 in the Emirates ATP Race To London — with 2,540 points — for a spot at the season finale, to be held at The O2 in London from 12-19 November. Goffin started the week at No. 13 in the year-to-date standings. With Stan Wawrinka (seventh) and Novak Djokovic (ninth) set to miss London due to injury, Goffin is effectively eighth in the Race to secure a London berth. Fourth seed Goffin improved...
Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares edged a high-quality doubles semi-final on Friday to remain on course at the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships 2017. Soares is now one match win away from 400 career victories. Second seeds Murray and Soares scraped past Dominic Inglot and Daniel Nestor 6-7(3), 6-1, 11-9 in 87 minutes for a place in the Tokyo final. Murray first served on match point at 9/8 in the Match tie-break, but Inglot poached for a superb backhand volley at close quarters. Two points later, on Murray and Soares’ second match point, Soares struck a crosscourt backhand lob to seal victory. Murray and Soares move up one spot to No. 4 in the Emirates ATP Doubles Race To London, adding 120...
Alexander Zverev joined Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on Friday as only the third player to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals, to be held 12-19 November at The O2 in London. Buy Tickets The 20-year-old German sprinted past #NextGenATP Russian Andrey Rublev in the China Open quarter-finals in Beijing to clinch his debut at the prestigious season-ending tournament. Zverev broke four times and needed only 70 minutes to beat Rublev 6-2, 6-3. He improves to 2-0 against the 19 year old in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, having also beaten the Russian last year at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. Rublev is in second place in the Emirates ATP Race To Milan, which will determine seven of the eight players...
