Rafael Nadal's quest for a record 10th Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell title started with a dominating performance on Wednesday in the Spanish city. Nadal, playing on the newly-named Pista Rafa Nadal, hit 23 winners and dismissed Brazilian Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-1, 6-2 in 75 minutes. “I want to thank the club for this honour. It's one of the most important tournaments for me, one of the courts where I had the best moments of my career,” Nadal said on court after the second-round victory. “This place has meant a lot to me since forever, and [that] the club has decided to name the centre court with my name makes it even more special.” The third-seeded Spaniard had all of his...
Second seed Ivo Karlovic weathered a stern test on Wednesday at the Gazprom Hungarian Open, being pushed to the brink before reaching the quarter-finals 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 over Damir Dzumhur. "I'm happy with the win today. Clay isn't my best surface, but I can also have some good wins on it," said Karlovic. "I haven't been to Budapest in 13 years, but I remember that the structures here are unbelievable. It's a nice town, so I was really looking forward to coming back." Karlovic went on a five-game run to take the opening set, but the Bosnian responded by grabbing the lone break of the second set at 4-3. Both men traded comfortable service holds throughout the decider, but Karlovic...
Rain has delayed the start of second-round play on Wednesday at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.
No matches have taken the court yet, but World No. 1 Andy Murray is through to the third round after Bernard Tomic withdrew from their scheduled contest due to a lower back injury.
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When the weather clears, Feliciano Lopez will be up first against Albert Montanes, before nine-time champion Rafael Nadal takes to the court named in his honour.
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American qualifier Bjorn Fratangelo claimed just his second career tour-level clay-court win on Tuesday as he upset fifth-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-4, 6-1 in the first round of the Gazprom Hungarian Open in Budapest. The 23-year-old Fratangelo sprung the upset in 79 minutes, breaking Simon four times from 11 opportunities and winning 75 per cent of his service points. The right-hander recorded his second tour-level win of the season as he set a second-round clash with Martin Klizan. Frantangelo talks with the ATP World Tour last year about the Wimbledon host family experience Another seed fell as Robin Haase ousted No. 8 Diego Schwartzman 6-1, 6-3. Schwartzman is at a career-high No. 34 in the Emirates ATP Rankings this week...
#NextGenATP wild card Alexander Zverev kept his nerve to fight back from a 1-3 deficit in the deciding set to beat 2013 finalist Nicolas Almagro 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4 on Tuesday for a place in the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell third round. Almagro led 40/0 in the final game, but two sloppy backhand drop shots let Zverev back into the 12-point game en route to the German’s 14th match win of the year. Zverev, the leader of the Emirates ATP Race to Milan for a place at the #NextGenATP Finals in Milan, from 7-11 November, will next face #NextGenATP Hyeon Chung or No. 12 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber. Chung knocked out Denis Istomin 6-4, 6-4. Read: Zverev Seeks Nadal Redemption Fourth seed...
