#NextGenATP's Stefanos Tsitsipas is one of eight players who qualified for the main draw of Roland Garros with final-round qualifying wins on Thursday. Among those also reaching their first Grand Slam main draw are Nicolas Jarry and Stefano Napolitano. Tsitsipas encountered few problems moving past Oscar Otte of Germany 6-3, 6-2. The 18-year-old Greek player has never played the main draw of a Grand Slam before. He showed promise on clay by reaching back-to-back ATP Challenger Tour finals on the surface last October in Morocco. Nicolas Jarry had never won a round at a Grand Slam prior to this week, but the Chilean is through to the main draw after defeating #NextGenATP American Reilly Opelka 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-3. The 21...
Second seed Kei Nishikori withstood a stern challenge from Kevin Anderson on Thursday at the Banque Eric Sturdza Geneva Open, surviving three match points to reach the semi-finals 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(6). “There haven’t been too many times that I’m down match point and win, so it’s great for me,” said Nishikori. “He had more chances, but I served a little bit better in the end. It’s important to win some matches like this.” The Japanese star rallied from 2/4 in the final set tie-break and earned a match point at 6/5 with a backhand passing shot winner. Anderson erased it with a forehand winner, but Nishikori responded with a forehand return winner in the next point. The second seed hit...
Second seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga continued his quest for a third ATP World Tour title of the season with a 6-0, 6-4 quarter-final victory over #NextGenATP Karen Khachanov in 64 minutes at the Open Parc Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Lyon. The Frenchman lost just six points on serve to improve to a 20-5 match record in 2017. “I am really pleased that after playing two-and-a-half hours yesterday, I was feeling great today and didn’t have any pain with my shoulder. This is key for me. I need to be healthy,” said Tsonga. “Today was definitely a better match. I hope that I will keep this rhythm for the upcoming matches.” Tsonga, a winner of two indoor trophies at Rotterdam and Marseille this year, will...
A slew of #NextGenATP players are one match away from making their main draw debut at Roland Garros after winning second-round qualifying matches on Wednesday, including Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Bublik, Reilly Opelka and Andrey Rublev. Eighteen-year-old Tsitsipas enjoyed a comfortable 6-3, 6-3 win over local favourite Gleb Sakharov. The Greek player will next face Oscar Otte of Germany, who survived a match point at 5-6 in the deciding set to defeat 28th seed Laslo Djere of Serbia 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(2). Rublev, the 18th seed, advanced past Mirza Basic of Bosnia and Herzegovina 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. Standing between the 19-year-old Russian and a place in the main draw is fourth seed Taro Daniel, who breezed through Matija Pecotic of Serbia 6-3,...
Top seed and defending champion Stan Wawrinka has eased into this year's Banque Eric Sturdza Geneva Open, moving through his opening-round match on Wednesday after 37 minutes when Rogerio Dutra Silva was forced to retire with a right ankle injury. The local favourite led 5-2 in the first set. “This was very unlucky for Rogerio. He was playing very well lately and I hope that he will be fine,” said Wawrinka. “It will be important to play matches and spend time on the court." The World No. 3 in the Emirates ATP Rankings improves to 6-1 in Geneva and 3-3 on clay this season. He defeated Marin Cilic in last year's final to win his first title on home soil. Next...
