Top seed Andy Murray came up against a determined Illya Marchenko on Monday at the Australian Open in Melbourne, but the Brit passed his first-round challenge with a solid 7-5, 7-6(5), 6-2 win. "I don't think it was the best match, to be honest," said Murray. "The conditions there were pretty different to what we've been practising [in]. Last week's been pretty cool… [I] didn't serve that well either. So you end up having to work really hard on a lot of your service games when it's like that. It just was tough." Murray was unable to serve out the first set at 5-3, but regrouped by breaking the Ukrainian at 6-5 to grab the early advantage. Marchenko continued to...
Seventh seed Marin Cilic fended off a stern opening round test from former Top 15 player Jerzy Janowicz on Monday at the Australian Open in Melbourne, rallying from two sets down to prevail 4-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 on Show Court 2. Both players produced an extraordinarily high level of tennis in the first two sets, with Janowicz hitting 23 winners and just nine unforced errors, while Cilic struck 27 winners and only 15 unforced errors. The Polish player required just a single break of serve late in each set to take a commanding two-sets lead. But while Cilic was able to keep up his top form, Janowicz saw his level drop slightly. Cilic took full advantage of the opening,...
Kei Nishikori showed his deciding-set prowess once more on Monday to start the 2017 Australian Open in Melbourne. The fifth seed survived a mid-day battle against Russian Andrey Kuznetsov 5-7, 6-1, 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-2 in three hours and 34 minutes. “I didn't quite play great tennis in the beginning, but especially in the fifth set, I think I was really focused and played good tennis,” said Nishikori. “I’ll try not to play a long match like this again. But the fifth set was pretty good, so I think I'm in good shape for the next round.” Nishikori led the fourth-set tie-break 5-2 before Kuznetsov stormed back, winning six of the final seven points to force a fifth set. But Nishikori,...
The wait was worth it for Gilles Muller. Thirteen years after he played in his first ATP World Tour final, the left-hander won his first ATP World Tour title on Saturday, beating Brit Daniel Evans 7-6(5), 6-2 at the Apia International Sydney. The Luxembourg native had been 0-5 in ATP World Tour finals, including two in 2016. The title will propel him to inside the Top 30 of the Emirates ATP Rankings for the first time in his career. Muller, currently No. 34, is projected to climb to No. 28 when the new rankings are released on Monday. As if it could get any better, Muller was presented with the trophy on court by all-time great Rod Laver. “I wasn't...
Wesley Koolhof/Matwe Middelkoop were the last doubles team accepted into the doubles draw at the Apia International Sydney, but leave as the last pair standing. They scored the biggest win of their careers on Saturday by defeating top seeds and defending champion Jamie Murray/Bruno Soares 6-3, 7-5 in the final. “We were ready to go play a Challenger in Canberra,” said Koolhof. “We got in, played amazing matches. The emotions are just happiness and joy at the moment. It’s an amazing week.” The win gives Koolhof/Middelkoop their third ATP World Tour doubles title, having previously prevailed this past season in Sofia and Kitzbuhel. They have also excelled on the ATP Challenger Tour, racking up 11 titles in the past two...