Seventh seed Gilles Simon began his quest for a third Open 13 Marseille title with a fighting 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory over Karen Khachanov on Monday. The Frenchman started play with a 21-8 record in Marseille, having lifted the trophy in 2007 (d. Baghdatis) and 2015 (d. Monfils). #NextGenATP star Khachanov clinched the only break to take the opening set. Simon served at 5-3 but couldn’t level the match. However at 5-5 the World No. 23 broke again to force a decider. A pivotal break for 3-1 enabled the two-time champion to reach the second-round, where he will face a wild card in Julien Benneteau or Denis Shapovalov. In the doubles Benneteau, teamed with doubles World No. 1 Nicolas Mahut...
Brian Baker and Nikola Mektic picked up their first ATP World Tour titles on Sunday at the Memphis Open, defeating Americans Ryan Harrison and Steve Johnson 6-3, 6-4. “You’re going to be super pumped anytime you can win an ATP title, but to win one so close to home is really special,” said Baker. “Nikola and I have had instant chemistry so far, so hopefully we can keep it going.” The American-Croatian duo scored an immediate break of serve in their opening return game and rode that momentum to the opening set. Harrison/Johnson fought valiantly from 1-3 down in the second set to even the score at 3-3, but Baker/Mektic secured another break at 4-4 and converted on their first...
Ryan Harrison's game was on song all week at the Memphis Open and the American was rewarded with his maiden ATP World Tour title. Harrison upended Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1, 6-4 in just 76 minutes on Sunday, displaying a dogged defence that saw him deny all 12 break points faced. The 24 year old is the second first-time winner this year, joining Sydney champion Gilles Muller. He is also the second player to clinch an ATP World Tour title without dropping a set, in addition to Alexandr Dolgopolov, who won in Buenos Aires earlier on Sunday. "It's always going to be special, but it's even better here in front of a group of people that drove up from your hometown...
Alexandr Dolgopolov arrived at the Argentina Open with just one win in his past 11 matches, but leaves Buenos Aires as champion after defeating top seed Kei Nishikori 7-6(5), 6-4 in Sunday’s final. “I think you can call it a perfect week," said Dolgopolov. "I didn’t lose a set and beat Kei for the first time. The fans were really supporting me and I felt very welcome here.” With his remarkable turn in form this week, the Ukrainian earns his third ATP World Tour singles title and his first since prevailing in Washington, D.C., in July 2012. He also picks up his first win against his Japanese opponent, having lost all five of their previous FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings in...
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga wasn't satisfied in capturing his 400th match win this week at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament. The Frenchman added to his haul with victory No. 401 on Sunday, claiming an impressive 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 comeback over David Goffin for the title. Tsonga secured his 13th ATP World Tour crown and second at the 500 level (Tokyo 2009), ending a two-year title drought with a strong statement on the indoor hard courts of Rotterdam. On Saturday, the sixth seed downed Tomas Berdych to notch tour-level victory No. 400 and on Sunday he became the first Frenchman to triumph at the Ahoy Rotterdam since Michael Llodra in 2008. "I'm really happy," said Tsonga. "These titles come at the right...
