Tennis: Medvedev makes No. 1 debut with Indian Wells win

INDIAN WELLS -- Daniil Medvedev, playing his first match since rising to number one in the world, swept past Czech qualifier Tomas Machac 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday to reach the third round at Indian Wells.

Medvedev saved the only break point he faced and broke the 21-year-old Machac, ranked 158th in the world, three times on the way to victory in 70 minutes.

Reigning US Open champion Medvedev must reach the Indian Wells quarter-finals to prevent Novak Djokovic from reclaiming the No. 1 ranking.

Serbian star Djokovic is missing both Indian Wells and the upcoming Miami Masters due to US Covid-related travel restrictions on unvaccinated visitors.

Medvedev, who has never made it past the fourth round in four prior appearances at Indian Wells, next faces either Gael Monfils of France, the 26th seed, or Filip Krajinovic of Serbia.

"Hopefully I can do better than previous times," said Medvedev, who admitted the scoreline may have flattered him.

He needed three match points to put Machac away, giving himself two with his third ace of the match for a 40-15 lead in the final game.

Machac saved one with a stinging forehand winner, but Medvedev locked it up with a service winner on his next chance.

"If you look at the points and the games it was not as easy as it seems," he said.

The difference, finally, Medvedev said, was consistency.

"If you look the first set was pretty even, he made just a few unforced errors and maybe some bad decisions in crucial moments, that's how tennis is sometimes."

However, Medvedev made his own life pretty easy. After saving a break point in the opening game he lost just eight points on his serve the rest of the way.

Dictating the rallies, he opened the second set with a break of serve to pile on the pressure.

Agence France-Presse

Nadal races into third round at Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS – World number two Rafael Nadal steamed into the third round of the ATP Indian Wells Masters on Sunday (Monday Manila time) with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over American Jared Donaldson.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion, who owns three Indian Wells titles, needed just 72 minutes to get past world number 192 Donaldson, who returned to the tour in February after six months sidelined by a knee injury.

The Spanish star is playing his third tournament of a year that opened with a runner-up finish to Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open.


He next faces Argentina's Diego Schwartzman, a 6-3, 6-1 winner over Spain's Roberto Carbralles.

source: philstar.com

トップランクの大阪はチームに米国のコーチを加えます

LOS ANGELES - 来週のインディアンウェルズでのタイトルディフェンスに間に合うように、世界ナンバーワンの大阪ナオミ大阪は木曜日（マニラの金曜日の時間）に彼女のチームにジェルメインジェンキンス合衆国代表を歓迎しました。

「チームと素晴らしい夕食を共にした」と日本の全米および全豪オープンチャンピオンはTwitterの投稿で述べた。 「また、この瞬間を迎えて、Jermaineに参加してLOLに参加してくれたことに感謝します。」

WTAのウェブサイトの記事によると、ジェンキンスは、全豪オープンで2度目のグランドスラム優勝を果たしたわずか17日後に、コーチのSascha Bajinとの分割後のヘッドコーチの役割を果たすと述べた。


ジェンキンスさん（34歳）は、2015年から昨シーズンの終わりまで金星ウィリアムズの打撃パートナーを務めた元米国の大学生スターです。

彼の弟のJarmereはSerena Williamsの打撃パートナーです。

1月、ジェンキンスは米国テニス協会から全国女性コーチとして指名されました。

大阪は21日、メルボルンでのバジンとの分裂は「一種の醸造」であり、長い間コーチがいないとは思わないとドバイで語った。

「コーチなしでインディアンウェルズに行くのは本当に理想的ではない」と彼女は言った。

カリフォルニア砂漠で開催されたWTAとATPマスターズの組み合わせイベントでの女性のメインドロープレーは3月6日に始まります。 Osaka like all the 32 seeded women will enjoy a first-round bye.

source: philstar.com

Serena Williams named Sportsperson of 2015 by Sports Illustrated

Serena Williams, who owned the tennis world this year even as she battled illness and injury, was named sportsperson of 2015 on Monday by Sports Illustrated.

The magazine said it was honoring the 34-year-old icon both for her positively stunning numbers and her pluck in achieving what it called one of the greatest late-career runs in the history of any sport.

Williams won three major titles, triumphed in 53 of the 56 matches she played and ranked number one for every week of the season for the second straight year.

And for six weeks this season, Williams had twice as many ranking points as the world number two player. Sports Illustrated said this was a first in the 40-year history of the WTA rankings.

But those stats mask a year that was “all internal discord and quelled revolts; Williams battled her body like never before,” Sports Illustrated said.

To wit: a cough and cold that had her vomiting during a match at the Australian Open, which she won anyway; bone bruises in both knees — “the residue of 20 years of pounding” — a right elbow strain and nasty flu at the French Open (again, she won).

In a powerful statement against racism, Williams also returned to play a tournament at Indian Wells, California, for the first time since 2001. That year she was greeted with boos and her family says she even endured racial slurs.

Williams called that return her “greatest moment in tennis.”

“Serena has made a very strong case as not only the greatest tennis player of her generation but of all time, and after the string of performances she put together in 2015, she is one of the most dominant athletes playing today,” Sports Illustrated Group Editor Paul Fichtenbaum said.

“This year was spectacular,” Williams said of her latest accolade.

“For Sports Illustrated to recognize my hard work, dedication and sheer determination with this award gives me hope to continue on and do better. As I always say, it takes a village — not just one person. This is not just an accomplishment for me, but for my whole team and all my fans. I am beyond honored,” she said, according to Sports Illustrated.

source: interaksyon.com