Tennis: Alcaraz closes on ATP top 10 after Miami triumph

PARIS, France -- Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz moved to the brink of the ATP top 10 on Monday after winning the biggest title of his career so far at the Miami Open.

The 18-year-old gained five places in the latest rankings to climb to 11th spot, just behind Britain's Cameron Norrie.

Alcaraz beat Casper Ruud in the Miami final on Sunday.

Novak Djokovic retained the top ranking despite being unable to play in the United States last week.

The Serbian star only holds a slender advantage over Daniil Medvedev, although the Russian is now set for one to two months out of action due to a hernia.

ATP top 20

1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 8,420 pts

2. Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 8,410

3. Alexander Zverev (GER) 7,195 (+1)

4. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 7,115 (-1)

5. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 5,980

6. Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 4,945

7. Casper Ruud (NOR) 4,380 (+1)

8. Andrey Rublev (RUS) 4,375 (-1)

9. Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 3,625

10. Cameron Norrie (GBR) 3,440 (+2)

11. Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) 3,411 (+5)

12. Jannik Sinner (ITA) 3,054 (-1)

13. Taylor Fritz (USA) 2,920

14. Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 2,873 (-4)

15. Denis Shapovalov (CAN) 2,693 (-1)

16. Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 2,580 (-1)

17. Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) 2,255 (+2)

18. Reilly Opelka (USA) 2,225

19. Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) 2,060 (-2)

20. Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) 1,881

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Medvedev replaces Djokovic as world number one

PARIS, France -- Daniil Medvedev succeeded Novak Djokovic as world number one on Monday, becoming the first man since 2004 outside the game's "Big Four" of Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray to occupy the top spot.

US Open champion Medvedev is the third Russian man after Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marat Safin, and 27th player overall, to rise to the top of the ATP rankings.

The 26-year-old Medvedev, beaten by Nadal in the Acapulco semi-finals last week, was guaranteed to move above Djokovic after the Serb's quarter-final loss in Dubai. 

Djokovic, who has spent a record 361 weeks as the world number one, was competing in his first tournament of the season following his deportation from Australia in January.

Alexander Zverev stayed in third despite being thrown out of the Acapulco event after smashing his racket on the umpire's chair several times during a doubles match.

Nadal rose one place to fourth after claiming his third title of the season and 91st of his career. The Spaniard is unbeaten since losing to Lloyd Harris in Washington last August. He ended his 2021 season after that because of a left foot injury.

ATP rankings:

1. Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 8615 pts (+1)

2. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 8465 (-1)

3. Alexander Zverev (GER) 7515

4. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 6515 (+1)

5. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 6445 (-1)

6. Andrey Rublev (RUS) 5000 (+1)

7. Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 4928 (-1)

8. Casper Ruud (NOR) 3915

9. Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 3883

10. Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 3496 (+1)

11. Jannik Sinner (ITA) 3495 (-1)

12. Cameron Norrie (GBR) 3325

13. Denis Shapovalov (CAN) 3020 (+1)

14. Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 2865 (-1)

15. Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) 2480

16. Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) 2220 (+1)

17. Reilly Opelka (USA) 2156 (+1)

18. Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) 2121 (+1)

19. Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) 2061 (+1)

20. Taylor Fritz (USA) 2010 (-4)

Agence France-Presse

Andy Murray battles into China Open last eight

BEIJING – Andy Murray won two ATP Tour singles matches in a row for the first time since major hip surgery to battle into the China Open quarterfinals on Wednesday (Thursday, Manila time).

The former world number one outlasted fellow Briton Cameron Norrie 7-6 (8/6), 6-7 (4/7), 6-1 over nearly three gruelling hours and will play top seed Dominic Thiem or Chinese wildcard Zhang Zhizhen next.

The 32-year-old Murray, now ranked a lowly 503, is stepping up his comeback from a career-saving operation in January — and was at his vintage fighting best here.


On Tuesday, in hot and hazy Beijing, he defeated US Open semifinalist Matteo Berrettini for his biggest scalp since his return to singles tennis in mid-August.

The three-time Grand Slam winner says he no longer has pain in his hip and it is a matter now of building up fitness so he can play several matches in a row at tournaments.

source: philstar.com

Top seed Nadal surges into ATP Montreal quarterfinals

MONTREAL, Canada – Spanish top seed Rafael Nadal defeated Guido Pella 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday (Friday, Manila time) to reach a second straight quarterfinal at the ATP Montreal Masters.

The Spaniard improved to 36-8 in Canada as he seeks his fifth title at the event.

Nadal will be competing in his ninth quarter-final in Canada after advancing on his fourth match point. Argentina's Pella saved three Nadal match-winners in the penultimate game.

source: philstar.com

Federer to make record-extending 15th semis appearance in ATP Finals

LONDON — Roger Federer is peaking at the right time — again.

The six-time champion advanced to the last four of the ATP Finals for a record-extending 15th time with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Kevin Anderson on Thursday (Friday Manila time).

Federer, chasing the 100th title of his career, needed only a set to advance and produced his best performance at the season-ending tournament to end the round-robin stages with a 2-1 win-loss record.


"I've always tried to pace myself in a way ... that I would have something left in the tank," Federer said. "I'm happy that this is another week like this. (It) didn't look like it maybe 72 hours ago."

Dominic Thiem's 6-1, 6-4 victory over Kei Nishikori earlier had left Federer with a modest task and ensured that Anderson became the first South African ever to reach the semifinals.

Federer looked as if he was about to give up a break advantage for the second time in as many service games when he dropped to 0-40 attempting to close out the opening set at 5-4, but the 20-time Grand Slam champion found his first serve when it mattered most to hold.

Anderson hadn't faced a break point in winning his first two matches. Federer, though, broke him twice more in the second set to claim top spot in the group and likely avoid a semifinal meeting with top-ranked Novak Djokovic.

"That was a little bit disappointing because I felt like I played some really good tennis so far," Anderson said. "But the plus side is I'm through to the semis. That feels great."

Having struggled in an opening loss to Nishikori and relied mainly on his serve when defeating Thiem, Federer finally found some timing with his ground-strokes to apply consistent pressure on Anderson's serve.

The previously impenetrable Anderson serve wilted, with two double faults gifting Federer a 4-3 lead. Much to the surprise — and disappointment — of the partisan crowd at the O2 Arena, the Swiss great handed the break straight back with a series of errors.

However, Federer steadied himself and made a delicate drop volley to break once more in the following game, before eventually closing out the set to maintain his record of having only missed the semifinals once in 16 appearances at the tournament.

Federer lost just four points on serve in the second set. He used a backhand slice to break for 4-3 and the same shot brought up two match points at 3-5, 15-40.

"I think I had an aggressive-playing mindset," Federer said. "A good variation as well with my slice."

Having saved a match point on his way to securing a five-set quarterfinal victory over Federer at Wimbledon, Anderson threatened another comeback as he won a 21-shot rally to get back to deuce, but there was to be no repeat this time.

Two more Anderson forehand errors ended the match and Federer won the group by virtue of their head-to-head record.

With Djokovic clear favorite to top his group, which concludes Friday, Federer has boosted his chances of avoiding the in-form Serb until the finals.

source: philstar.com

Novak Djokovic finally leaves Cincinnati with a crown

MASON, Ohio – Novak Djokovic gave his racket to a fan and tossed his sweatbands into the stands. No need for mementos from this victory. The long-awaited Rookwood pottery trophy would be plenty.

Djokovic finally mastered the one tournament that’s eluded him, beating nemesis Roger Federer, 6-4, 6-4, on Sunday for his first Western & Southern Open championship.

He got the better of a nostalgic rematch – they hadn’t played in two years because of injuries – and broke through in a tournament that Federer has won seven times, never losing a title match.

“Thank you for letting me win once in Cincinnati,” he told Federer as they stood on court for the trophy presentation.

After reaching the final five times and losing every time – three to Federer – Djokovic jumped and punched the air in celebration of his breakthrough. He’s the first to claim all nine ATP Masters 1000 events since the series started in 1990, something that had become his quest after so many close calls.


“That’s what the headline should be about – this is such an amazing accomplishment,” Federer said. “He’s the first to do it. I think it’s very difficult to win Masters 1000s. These performances don’t come easy.”

Djokovic leads their all-time series 24-22, doing better in the biggest matches. He’s 3-1 against Federer in Grand Slam finals and 12-6 overall in championship matches, including wins at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2015.

Djokovic completed a long comeback from elbow problems by winning his fourth Wimbledon title last month, then set out to get his hard-court game in order for the US Open. He got better as the rainy week went on in Cincinnati, playing his best at the end.             

“This seems to be a bit unreal, to be honest, to be back at this level,” he said.

source: philstar.com

Greek teen upsets Djokovic in Rogers Cup

TORONTO — Greek teen Stefanos Tsitsipas upset Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-3 on Thursday in the Rogers Cup (Friday Manila time).

The 19-year-old Tsitsipas broke the ninth-seeded Serb's serve early in the third set and held serve from there to reach his first career ATP World Tour Masters 1000 quarterfinal.

"I feel very proud for me, myself, and my country. I'm putting Greece more deep into the map of tennis," Tsitsipas said. "I'm pretty sure I'm making my family proud, all of those people that are watching, my coach, my father. It was a very emotional win. I've never felt so many emotions after a victory."

Djokovic, a four-time Rogers Cup champion, faded late on a warm, breezy afternoon at Aviva Centre on the York University campus.

"Losing in this kind of tournament, it's not something I don't care about," Djokovic said. "It really frustrates me. But I have to accept it, deal with it, and move on. ... He just played better in the decisive moments. I had my chances to come back in the third set when I dropped my serve at 15-40. An easy forehand. I missed it, but that's sport. You have to deal with these kind of situations."


Tsitsipas set up match point with a scorching cross-court winner before completing the victory in 2 hours, 17 minutes.

"I knew he had some issues in some particular shots in his game, I would say. So I was waiting and I grabbed him like a bulldog and stuck there and executed, I executed my plan," Tsitsipas said. "I knew that at some point he's going to break, and I just patiently waited for this moment and it happened."

Top-ranked Rafael Nadal beat Swizterland's Stan Wawrinka 7-5, 7-6 (4) in a night match delayed by rain late in the first set. Nadal, playing his first event since losing to Djokovic in the Wimbledon semifinals, will face sixth-seeded Marin Cilic of Croatia.

"Very positive victory for me against a very tough opponent," Nadal. "That's what I needed, a match like this to be a little more confident. Just happy to be in the quarterfinals."

Cilic beat 11th-seeded Diego Schwartzman of Argentina 6-3, 6-2.

Tsitsipas will face second-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany, the defending champion coming off a tournament victory last week in Washington that included a semifinal win over Tsitsipas. The 21-year-old Zverev beat Russia's Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-2 for seventh straight match win and tour-high 43rd of the year.

"I feel physically pretty well. I feel like I'm playing well," Zverev said. "I get into a rhythm of playing matches one after another, and right now, I'm in that rhythm."

Fourth-seeded Kevin Anderson of South Africa and fifth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria set up another quarterfinal. Anderson topped qualifier Ilya Ivashka of Belarus 7-5, 6-3, and Dimitrov beat American Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (1), 3-6, 7-6 (4).

In the other quarterfinal, Karen Khachanov of Russia will play Robin Haase of the Netherlands. Khachanov beat eighth-seeded John Isner of the United States 7-6 (5), 7-6 (1), and Haase topped Canadian Denis Shapovalov 7-5, 6-2.

source: philstar.com