Rotterdam has never been a happy hunting ground for David Goffin. But the in-form Belgian took the first step to turning that around on Wednesday when he defeated Andrey Kuznetsov 6-3, 6-2 to score his first win in four appearances at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament. It was stark contrast to his debut at this ATP World Tour 500 tournament four years ago, when he went down to Jarkko Nieminen without winning a single game. First round defeats followed in 2015 (l. to Baghdatis) and 2016 (l. to Muller). Watch full match replays at Tennis TV “I am feeling good,” said Goffin, whose runner-up finish at the Garanti Koza Sofia Open last week (l. to Dimitrov) came on the...
Conjuring memories of a maiden run to an ATP World Tour final 12 months ago, Taylor Fritz is again tasting success at the Memphis Open. The #NextGenATP player saved three match points in his opening round to take down No. 8 seed Yen-Hsun Lu 4-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(7) in a thrilling two-hour, 10-minute affair on Tuesday. The 19-year-old did not break serve throughout and was forced to fend off three match points in the deciding-set tie-break before he clinched the match on his first. Australian qualifier Matthew Ebden is next. “It was tough. I was just thinking, don’t think about it,” Fritz said. “These are the moments I play for, these pressure moments. They’re my favourite things about the sport. “One...
Former champion Tommy Robredo’s season debut is off to a flying start with the 34-year-old seeing off No. 7 seed Fabio Fognini in the first round of the Argentina Open on Tuesday. The Spaniard inched ahead in the pair’s FedEx Head2Head series 5-4 with the 6-4, 6-3 result. Having undergone right elbow surgery last season, the former World No. 16 in the Emirates ATP Rankings arrived in Buenos Aires on a protected ranking of No. 57. But against Fognini, there were few signs of any rust. He broke the Italian four times in the one-hour, 13-minute affair. He will next face either Victor Estrella Burgos or Thiago Monteiro. [ALSO LIKE] Robredo’s countryman, fifth seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas, had a far more...
Darian King would have deemed his Memphis Open a success had he qualified for just his second ATP World Tour main draw. Having done that, however, the 24-year-old entered uncharted territory on Tuesday when he took down No. 5 seed Bernard Tomic in the opening round to become the first player from Barbados in the Open Era to win an ATP World Tour match. The World No. 140 in the Emirates ATP Rankings prevailed 6-4, 6-4. “Playing against Bernard, the No. 5 seed is a dream come true, playing on Centre Court especially,” King said. “The discipline in Barbados is not as big so to come from there and compete against these guys as you can see, it’s a lot...
Top seed Marin Cilic needed a comeback win to beat Benoit Paire 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 on Tuesday at the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament. The 28-year-old Croatian fired 13 aces and saved nine of the 10 break points he faced during a two-hour challenge from the Frenchman, who reached the semi-finals in Montpellier last week. Cilic advances to the second round, where he will face compatriot Borna Coric, who defeated fellow #NextGenATP player Karen Khachanov 7-6(6), 7-6(10). “It was definitely a tough match. I expected a tough one,” said Cilic. “He’s an extremely talented player. With his style of play you never know what’s coming. It’s good for me that I’m winning these kinds of matches. Especially now that I’ve...