Tennis: Kyrgios defeats top-ranked Medvedev at Montreal Masters, Alcaraz ousted

MONTREAL, Canada -- Nick Kyrgios broke twice in the final set as he rallied to topple world number one Daniil Medvedev in the second round of the ATP Montreal Masters on Wednesday.

Australia's Wimbledon finalist beat Medvedev 6-7 (2/7), 6-4, 6-2 to produce his second career upset of a reigning number one after ambushing Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2014.

Kyrgios produced his usual on-court antics, complaining about a high bounce, hitting a ball into the stands to draw a warning and bickering with his player box in moments of tension.

But after gathering his formidable resources, the 27-year-old ranked 37th finished off the match in exactly two hours.

"This is our fourth meeting and we know each other well," Kyrgios said. "I don't go in looking at the rankings, just the guy in front of me.

"I had a clean objective today -- play a lot of serve and volley and execute better.

"Hopefully I can keep this rolling and keep on winning. Medvedev is a machine -- he's number one for a reason."

Both players were coming off weekend title wins, Kyrgios at the Washington 500 on Sunday and Medvedev at Los Cabos, Mexico, on Saturday.

Kyrgios has won 14 of his last 15 matches to improve to 29-7 for 2022.

Medvedev lost for the 11th time in 2022, but by reaching the final at Los Cabos -- where he lifted his first trophy of the season -- he is assured of taking the number one ranking into his US Open title defense later this month.

He was barred from Wimbledon as the tournament excluded Russian and Belarussian players over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz, who like Medvedev enjoyed a first-round bye, fared no better in his opening match.

American Tommy Paul spoiled the Spaniard's Canadian debut with a 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (9/7), 6-3 victory.

The unseeded American converted his fifth match point to seal the second-round victory in three hours and 20 minutes.

Alcaraz came into the event with two prestige Masters 1000 titles from Miami and Madrid and holding a 42-7 record this season.

But the 34th-ranked Paul claimed victory on a volley winner after holding off the Spaniard's charge from 5-2 down in the third set. The American stayed in the match as he rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the second set to start his comeback surge.

- Comfortable tennis -

"It was nice to finish this match at the net," said Paul, who fired 36 winners to Alcaraz's 33. "I did a lot of things well today.

"I played a good level of tennis, comfortable tennis. I'm happy to get through and now have to recover for tomorrow."

Fourth seed Casper Ruud backed up his defeat earlier this season of Alex Molcan, beating the Slovakian 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 in just under two hours.

The Norwegian with three trophies so far in 2022 had to work to win the opening set after dropping serve as he tried to close it out leading 5-4. 

It eventually took a tiebreaker for Ruud to prevail. He sealed his third-round place in straight sets for his 36th win of the season. 

"It's always a tough fight against him," Ruud said.

"He's very fast and can give everyone problems," he added of the player coached by Novak Djokovic's former mentor Marian Vajda.

Elsewhere, Italian Jannik Sinner needed three sets to get past Adrian Mannarino 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 while Alex de Minaur lined up an all-Aussie Thursday match against Kyrgios by defeating Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (7/4), 7-5.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: No sweat as impressive Kyrgios sees off Tsitsipas

HALLE WESTFALEN, Germany -- Nick Kyrgios impressively rallied past Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Halle grass court tournament on Wednesday to hammer home his status as a Wimbledon threat but only after a spat with the chair umpire over sweating.

Kyrgios defeated world number six Tsitsipas 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 to reach a second successive quarter-final after also making the last eight in Stuttgart five days ago.

The 27-year-old smashed his racquet after losing the opener after saving three set points.

He then got into a minor spat with the chair umpire in the third game of the second set, landing himself with a warning for time-wasting.

"He said I was playing too slow - statistically I'm one of the fastest," Kyrgios said. 

"I had to walk to the sidelines to get my towel, there is this thing called sweat in 30 Celsius heat that runs down onto your hands.

"I needed to wipe my hands and he gave me a warning."

Kyrgios immediately sat down mid-game on his bench and thrashed the point out with the chair before returning to the court amid cheers.

"The support I get from crowds around the world is amazing. They want me to go out and put on a show," he said.

Kyrgios called what he judged a frivolous warning "an unnecessary part of the game. It's not needed in a stadium full of people".

"I later hit two aces just to prove my point."

Kyrgios, who has played only five events this season outside of Australia, said he is proud of winning on his own terms - without a coach and playing only when it suits him - while still keeping his ranking at its current 65th.

"There needs to be more grass events for sure, I've been talking about it for ages," he said after defeating the second seeded Greek while saving seven of eight break points in just over two hours.

"If we had six grass court tournaments in Australia, I'd never leave the country."

Kyrgios will play a Friday quarter-final against Pablo Carreno Busta after the Spanish sixth seed beat Sebastian Korda 6-4, 0-6, 6-3.

The Australian said that his lack of a massive tennis work ethic is actually a help to his game.

"If I can beat some of the best players in the world and play at this level with as few events as I play, I'm pretty happy.

"I've got a lot of people whom I'm playing for back home and they all want me to keep winning matches like this. This just proves that you can do it all your own way."

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Zverev downs Alcaraz to reach French Open semi-final after thriller

PARIS, France -- Alexander Zverev beat Carlos Alcaraz in a dramatic four-set clash on Tuesday to secure a French Open semi-final meeting with Rafael Nadal.

The German third seed claimed a 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory over 19-year-old Spanish sensation Alcaraz after three hours and 18 minutes.

Zverev moved into his second straight last-four match at Roland Garros with his first-ever Grand Slam win over a top-10 player.

"I hope I can win it before he starts beating us all and we have no chance," said Zverev.

"The match was swinging his way. I'm extremely happy to win the tie-break."

The 2020 US Open runner-up will face 13-time champion Nadal in the semis on Friday.

Alcaraz has won four titles this year, including two Masters 1,000 events, but made 56 unforced errors as he missed the chance to reach a first major semi-final.

Instead, Olympic champion Zverev reached the last four at a Slam for the fifth time in his career to maintain his bid for a maiden title at one of the sport's four biggest events.

It also gave him a measure of revenge for the heavy defeat he suffered against Alcaraz in the Madrid Masters final earlier this month.

Alcaraz delighted the Court Philippe Chatrier crowd with a rally to take the third set.

A dramatic fourth set saw Zverev miss a chance to serve out the tie, but he sealed victory on his second match point in the tie-break.

- Zverev holds off fightback -

Alcaraz paid for making 16 unforced errors as Zverev took the opener thanks to the only break in game five.

It was the world number three who drew first blood in the second set too, as Alcaraz netted on a second break point in the seventh game, before a confident hold to love gave Zverev a 5-3 advantage.

Alcaraz managed to lift himself for an attack on Zverev's next service game, but the German saved a break opportunity and managed to close it out for a two-set buffer on his third set point with an ace.

The crowd tried to lift Alcaraz as he started his attempt to come back from two sets down and win for the first time in his young career.

He did improve slightly and held his first four service games without trouble, before digging deep to save a break point in the ninth game of the third set to edge 5-4 in front.

That brush with the exit door energised the youngster, and he quickly brought up two set points with a brilliant passing shot.

He needed just one to force a fourth set, breaking Zverev for the first time as the 25-year-old prodded wide.

Alcaraz looked the more likely to make a breakthrough for much of the next set, but Zverev, aided by one incredible backhand, made a move in the ninth game when his opponent double-faulted on a second break point.

But Zverev failed to serve out the match, as Alcaraz hammered a magnificent return into the corner and then whipped away a backhand to break straight back.

A tie-break of the highest quality ensued, with both players hitting a series of breath-taking winners.

A stunning backhand up the line gave Alcaraz the first set point, but he mishit into the net.

Zverev netted on his first match point but quickly brought up a second, which he took with a thunderous backhand return.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Fired-up Djokovic braced for Alcaraz and Nadal challenge at French Open

PARIS, France -- Novak Djokovic admits he will be fired up by the fiasco of his high-profile deportation from Australia when he targets a record-equaling 21st major on his Grand Slam return at the French Open. 

World number one Djokovic captured a second Roland Garros title in 2021 followed by a sixth Wimbledon to move to 20 majors alongside Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

However, his unseemly exit from Melbourne following his refusal to be vaccinated opened the door for Nadal to claim a second Australian Open and 21st Grand Slam crown.

"It's something that I never faced before," said Djokovic, who turns 35 on Sunday, the opening day of the French Open.

"The amount of pressure and everything that I was feeling in the first few months of the year, as much as I've felt pressure in my life and my career, that was something really on a whole different level."

Djokovic has played only five tournaments in 2022 but arrives in Paris buoyed by a sixth Italian Open title, becoming just the fifth man to win 1,000 career matches in the process.

It was his 38th Masters triumph, two more than Nadal at the top of the all-time list.

He did not drop a set in Rome as he finished a memorable week with a final victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas, the man he defeated from two sets down in the 2021 French Open title match.

With 13-time French Open champion Nadal suffering a recurrence of a foot injury, another Spaniard is likely to be Djokovic's biggest headache in Paris.

Carlos Alcaraz, just 19, has rocketed to six in the world on the back of four titles -- three on clay -- in 2022.

- 'Special' Alcaraz-

He won a second Masters title in Madrid, sweeping Nadal, Djokovic and third-ranked Alexander Zverev on the way.

"He definitely is special," admitted Djokovic of Alcaraz who also claimed the prestigious Miami Masters earlier in the year.

Alcaraz was ranked 97 this time last year. He was only two when Nadal won the first of his 13 French Opens in 2005 but he made his mark at the 2021 tournament where he came through qualifying to reach the third round.

Djokovic has been responsible for two of only three losses suffered by Nadal in Paris.

One of those came in a bruising semi-final 12 months ago, the most recent clash of the pair's epic 58-match rivalry.

Nadal comes into Paris with major question marks over his ability to lift a 14th title.

A rib injury in March was followed by the re-emergence in Rome of his chronic foot injury where he limped to defeat in the last-16.

The 35-year-old Spaniard is due to practice at Roland Garros for the first time on Wednesday where he will have his own doctor on hand to assess his fitness.

- 'Living with injury' -

"I am a player living with an injury; it is nothing new," said Nadal, now ranked fifth in the world.

"Since I came back, the foot has been tough. It's tough for me to be able to practice the proper way."

Russian world number two Daniil Medvedev, who gave up a two-sets lead to lose to Nadal in the Australian Open final, only returned to action in Geneva this week after undergoing a hernia operation.

The US Open champion has 13 titles to his name but has yet to master the draining demands of clay.

At Roland Garros, he was winless in his first four visits before managing to stop the rot with a quarter-final run in 2021.

Medvedev is likely to use the ban on Russian players at Wimbledon this year as fuel for a surprise title tilt.

Greek world number four Tsitsipas has enjoyed a solid clay season.

He defended his Monte Carlo title before making the last-eight in Barcelona and semi-finals in Madrid.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Halep upsets home favorite Badosa to reach Madrid third round

MADRID, Spain -- Simona Halep may have given what felt like a vintage performance on Saturday to knock out home favorite and world number two Paula Badosa in the Madrid Open second round but the Romanian insists this is Simona 2.0.

The former world number one and two-time Madrid champion won nine of the last 10 games to claim just her third top-10 victory since 2019 and win 6-3, 6-1.

Halep, whose 2021 campaign was hampered by injuries, is down to 21 in the world but her ruthless game against Badosa was reminiscent of the level she played during the 64 weeks she spent at the summit of the rankings.

"New Simona, I would say," assured Halep, who next faces American teenager Coco Gauff or Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva for a place in the quarter-finals.

"I felt great on court. I'm happy to be on court, and this is the most important thing at this age. I think I improved a lot in these past four weeks, and I'm still looking to improve more.

"I will take this match as a boost and confidence, because I played with one of the best players in the world.

"I played a great match without actually many matches before this tournament, so it gives me a good boost. We will see for the next one."

The 30-year-old Halep hired Serena Williams' former coach Patrick Mouratoglou earlier this month and the partnership seems to have got off to a promising start.

"It's a pleasure and an honour to have Patrick in my box as a coach. We are working very hard on some things and as I see I played well every match. I'm just focused on getting better and getting stronger," added the two-time Grand Slam champion.

Halep opened proceedings with a break of serve and skipped to a 2-0 lead. 

Fired up by the home crowd, Badosa, who is Catalan but lives in Madrid, pegged back the Romanian, taking the next three games. Still Halep pounced once again to scoop the first set.

-Badosa seeks treatment -

 After dropping seven consecutive games, trailing Halep 0-3 in the second, Badosa called the trainer to receive treatment on her right shoulder.

Badosa saved two match points to hold for 1-5 but Halep closed out the win shortly after, finishing with an impressive ratio of 21 winners to 14 unforced errors.

An emotional Badosa refused to blame her shoulder for the defeat and said Halep played a "perfect" match.

"It's not the best moment right now," said Badosa, holding back tears. 

"Quite bad. I don't know. It's tough to lose at home.

"It's been a tough week, as well. Very stressful, a lot of things. Tough draw, as well. But it goes how it goes, and I have to accept it.

"I think I need days off, because there are some tournaments that they seem like five, and this is the case right now."

Earlier in the day, former world number one Victoria Azarenka rallied back from a one-set deficit to overcome last year's Roland Garros semi-finalist Tamara Zidansek 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 in two hours and 20 minutes and faces American Amanda Anisimova next.

The 20-year-old Anisimova, a former Roland Garros semi-finalist, came through a tough three-setter against Croatian veteran Petra Martic 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Djokovic 'runs out of gas' in Monte Carlo defeat

MONTE CARLO -- Novak Djokovic said he "ran out of gas" as he lost his opening match at the Monte Carlo Masters on Tuesday in just his second tournament of the year following his refusal to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

The world number one went down 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1 to 46th-ranked Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the second round after dropping his serve nine times in a rusty performance.

"I was hanging on the ropes the entire match. I was really chasing the result constantly," said Djokovic, whose only other appearance in 2022 was in Dubai in February where he played just three matches.

"I didn't like the way I felt physically in the third (set). I just ran out of gas completely.

"Just couldn't really stay in the rally with him. If you can't stay in the rally, not feeling your legs on the clay, it's mission impossible."

Djokovic admitted his absence from most events had been "difficult, mentally and emotionally" but said he was "moving on" ahead of his return at a tournament he won in 2013 and 2015.

Davidovich Fokina had lost both previous meetings to Djokovic in straight sets, in Rome and at the Tokyo Olympics last season, but he raced into a 4-1 lead and took the first set.

The Spaniard surged 3-0 ahead in the second only for Djokovic to win five of the next six games and serve for the set at 5-4.

He failed to do so at the first attempt but recovered in the tie-break to force a decider.

Davidovich Fokina broke to start the third set as Djokovic double faulted, and there was no way back this time for the top seed and 20-time Grand Slam champion.

- 'Shorter end of the stick' -

"I always believed that I could come back and win the match, and I stayed there even though a lot of things were against me in terms of how I felt on the court," said Djokovic.

"Game-wise, physically I was just far from my best."

"Of course in those types of conditions and circumstances, then you have to really work two times more than you normally would," he added.

"I expected this match to be a really tough match, a physical battle, and that's what it was. Unfortunately I'm on the shorter end of the stick, and my week ends here."

It marks the first time Djokovic has lost his opening match at a tournament since falling to Martin Klizan at Barcelona four years ago.

He has not gone beyond the quarter-finals in Monte Carlo since 2015.

"I knew a few days ago when I spoke to you that it's going to take some time for me to really feel my best on the clay," said Djokovic.

"That's historically always been the case. I have never played very well in the opening tournaments of the clay season.

"But it's okay. Obviously it is what it is. I have to accept the defeat and keep working."

Davidovich Fokina, a quarter-finalist here on his debut a year ago, will play David Goffin or Dan Evans for a place in the last eight.

Defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas eased into the last 16 with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Fabio Fognini, who won the title in 2019.

Taylor Fritz, the only player to beat Rafael Nadal this year en route to the trophy at Indian Wells last month, overcame home wildcard Lucas Catarina 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.

Agence France-Presse

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: Naomi Osaka breezes into last four at Miami

MIAMI -- Naomi Osaka moved into the Miami Open semi-finals with another impressive performance as an out-of-sorts American Danielle Collins was brushed aside at the Hard Rock Stadium on Tuesday.

The clinical Japanese star, yet to drop a set in this tournament, won 6-2, 6-1 and will meet Swiss Olympic gold medal winner Belinda Bencic in the last four.

Collins, who appeared to be struggling with a neck injury and has been suffering with a viral infection, will return to the top 10 when the rankings are released on Monday having briefly been there following her run to the Australian Open final earlier this year.

But Osaka, the four-time Grand Slam champion, has been in fine form in south Florida and on this evidence will take a lot of stopping if she is to be denied the title this weekend.

"I hope she is ok," said Osaka after her victory over the struggling Collins.

"This was my first night match so I didn't know what the conditions were like but I was fine and the fans were great," added Osaka who hit 12 aces in a match that lasted exactly one hour.

Bencic, the world number 28, who beat Australia’s Daria Saville 6-1,6-2, said: "I have played Osaka before, so I know how it feels to play her. 

"I'm really happy I achieved a great result here and everything else is a bonus. I'm going to enjoy and do the best I can."

In Wednesday’s remaining WTA quarter-finals, American Jessica Pegula will play Spain's Paula Badosa while Czech Petra Kvitova takes on world number one Iga Swiatek of Poland.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Medvedev, Sabalenka top seeds at ATP and WTA Miami Open

MIAMI -- Daniil Medvedev will try to reclaim the world number one ranking and top seed Aryna Sabalenka chases her first final in 10 months at the ATP and WTA Miami Open.

Men's play starts Wednesday and women's play begins Tuesday in the hardcourt tournament at Hard Rock Stadium, where highest seeds receive first-round byes.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic moved into the top spot of the rankings this week, bumping out reigning US Open champion Medvedev after a three-week stay following his third-round exit at Indian Wells.

The 26-year-old Russian, runner-up at the past two Australian Opens, would return to the top spot with a semi-final run at Miami.

Medvedev only reached his first Miami quarter-final last year, when he lost to Roberto Bautista Agut, so a last-four spot would mark a best-ever run in Miami.

And Medvedev has a potential second-round matchup with former world number one Andy Murray, provided the Briton gets past Argentina's Federico Delbonis.

Murray, a 34-year-old Scotsman and three-time Grand Slam champion, won the Miami crown in 2009 and 2013 but lost his only meeting with Medvedev in Brisbane in 2019.

Also in Medvedev's quarter of the draw is defending champion Hubert Hurkacz of Poland.

Germany's Alexander Zverev is the second seed with Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas third and Italy's Matteo Berrettini fourth.

Sabalenka, of Belarus, fell to fifth in this week's rankings and has not reached a WTA final since last May on Madrid clay.

Poland's Iga Swiatek is the second seed with Estonia's Anett Kontaveit third and Greece's Maria Sakkari fourth.

Australia's top-ranked Ashleigh Barty is not in the field, but former world number ones Naomi Osaka and Simona Halep are in the draw.

Romania's Halep could face Britain's 19-year-old Emma Raducanu, the reigning US Open champion, in the third round.

Japan's Osaka could meet Canada's 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez, the 2021 US Open runner-up who ended Osaka's title defense last year at New York, in the third round.

Agence France-Presse

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

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

Australian Open: Nadal on brink of history after beating Berrettini

Rafael Nadal marched into the final of the Australian Open to be just one match away from becoming the all-time men's Grand Slam leader after overcoming Matteo Berrettini in their semi-final on Friday.

The 35-year-old Spanish great, seeded sixth, was too solid for the Italian seventh seed, winning 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in 2hr 55min, and will face either Daniil Medvedev or Stefanos Tsitsipas in Sunday's final.

Nadal is level on 20 majors with his golden era rivals Novak Djokovic, who was deported on the eve of the tournament, and Roger Federer, who is absent with injury.

It gives the Spaniard an opportunity to go clear at the top and add to his lone 2009 Melbourne Park crown in his sixth Australian Open final.

"For me at the end it's about more than all these statistics, it's about being in the final of the Australian Open one more time. That means a lot to me," Nadal said.

"To me it's more important to be in the final of the Australian Open and fight to win another Australian Open than the rest of the statistics for the history of the sport.

"I just feel happy to be part of this amazing era of tennis, sharing all these things with another two players.

"That's it. In some ways it doesn't matter if somebody achieve one more or one less.

"I feel very lucky that I won once in my career here in 2009, but I never thought about another chance in 2022." 

It has been an extraordinary effort from Nadal at the year's opening major, having to modify his game to compensate for a degenerative bone disease in his left foot that ended his 2021 season last August. 

- 'It means a lot' -

He then caught Covid in December which, he said, made him "very sick". 

Yet Nadal brushed aside Berrettini's challenge with precision shot-making, while last year's Wimbledon finalist could not overcome his sluggish start.

The stark statistic confronting Berrettini was that Nadal had never lost in his 20 Grand Slam semi-finals after leading by two sets. 

"It means a lot to me to be in the final again here," added Nadal, who is now unbeaten in 10 matches to start the 2022 season after winning a warm-up event in Melbourne.

Nadal honed in on Berrettini's vulnerable backhand which contributed to 20 of the Italian's 39 unforced errors.

Berrettini, the first Italian man to play in the Australian Open semi-finals, raised his level in the third set.

He brought up his first break points in six sets in his two encounters with Nadal and broke with a forehand winner to 5-3 and served out to reduce the deficit to one set.

But the key break came in the eighth game of the fourth set, Nadal bringing up two separate break points and getting the crucial break when Berrettini netted a forehand before serving out for the match.

"It's amazing, I'm super happy to be able to compete for the last three weeks at this level," Nadal said.

"It's surprising for me to be able to play at the level that I am playing, but just compete and play tennis at the high level again, facing the most important players of the world, for me, it's something unbelievable.

"One month and a half ago I didn't know if I will be able to be back to the tour. So here I am, and thanks life for it."

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Pumped-up Nadal into Melbourne quarters but Zverev sent packing

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Rafael Nadal survived an epic 28-minute tiebreak to seal his spot in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open and top seed Ashleigh Barty joined him with victory over giant-killer Amanda Anisimova on Sunday.

Nadal will now face Canada's 14th seed Denis Shapovalov after he stunned third seed and Olympic champion Alexander Zverev -- who said "everything" went wrong.

Nadal who is chasing a men's record 21st Grand Slam title, was pushed all the way by Adrian Mannarino in an 81-minute first set before breaking the Frenchman's resolve in a 7-6 (16/14), 6-2, 6-2 victory.

"First set was very emotional," said the 35-year-old Nadal, the 2009 Australian Open champion, who pumped his fists after emerging victorious from a marathon first-set tiebreak on a steamy day in Melbourne. 

"That crazy first set was so important."

The Spaniard, who dropped a set for the first time in the tournament before powering past Russia's Karen Khachanov in the previous round, will now face Shapovalov in the last eight.

The 22-year-old Shapovalov -- who tested positive for Covid when he landed in Australia earlier this month -- left Zverev still searching for a first major title after beating him 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.

The German smashed his racquet and afterwards failed to find any positives.

"Today, in my opinion, was just awful from my side," he said.

Asked what went wrong by reporters, he replied: "Everything."

In action later is Italian seventh seed Matteo Berrettini against Spanish 19th seed Pablo Carreno Busta.

Flamboyant 17th seed Gael Monfils, unbeaten this year after winning a warm-up event in Adelaide, is yet to drop a set and comes up against Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic.

The ageless 35-year-old Frenchman Monfils is targeting a second quarter-final appearance at Melbourne Park and the first for six years.

- Barty powers on -

In the women's draw, home hope and world number one Barty thrilled the crowd by defeating 60th-ranked Anisimova 6-4, 6-3. The Australian faces another American, Jessica Pegula, in the last eight.

The 20-year-old Anisimova beat Olympic champion Belinda Bencic and was fresh from knocking out defending champion Naomi Osaka.

But she came up against a Barty who looks in irresistible form as she chases her first Australian Open crown.

Reminded that last year's Australian Open went behind closed doors mid-tournament because of Covid, Barty told an adoring Rod Laver Arena crowd that playing in front of them was "a lot more fun" than seeing empty seats.

"Last two years have been extraordinarily tough for many people around the world," said the down-to-earth 25-year-old, the reigning Wimbledon champion and a former Roland Garros winner.

The 21st-seeded Pegula, who revealed earlier this week she has been relaxing by spending every night at the casino, was a surprise winner over fifth seed Maria Sakkari of Greece.

Also into the last eight is French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova.

She blew away former two-time Melbourne champion Victoria Azarenka, who had a neck problem, to set up a meeting with unseeded American Madison Keys.

Fourth seed Krejcikova of the Czech Republic powered through 6-2, 6-2 against the Belarusian, who won the title in 2012 and 2013.

"It was really amazing today because she is a champion here and she likes this court, she's very experienced on this court," said Krejcikova of Azarenka.

Keys raced past Spain's Paula Badosa, seeded eight, 6-3, 6-1.

Keys, who beat 2020 champion Sofia Kenin in the first round, said she had brought a fresh perspective into 2022 after struggling with the Covid-enforced bubble life on tour last year.

"I don't really thrive when my entire life becomes about tennis," she said.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Nadal rolls into round three but warns best still to come

Rafael Nadal rumbled into the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday and warned that the best was yet to come after a troubled year with injury. 

The Spanish legend needed five match points before decisively putting away tenacious qualifier Yannick Hanfmann to ramp up his march towards a men's record 21st Grand Slam title.

The world number five executed a 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 win over the 126th-ranked Hanfmann in 2hr 42 min under a hot sun on Rod Laver Arena.

Nadal, who had his 2021 season end in August because of a foot injury and then contracted Covid-19 in December, told reporters: "I said before the tournament things are not going to be perfect.

"But every day I spend on court, the chances to play better are higher.

"I think I am doing things well. Things that I can improve I have to improve. I want to keep going in the tournament.

"After two matches now is the moment to make a step forward," warned Nadal, who has played just 13 tournaments in the past two seasons because of injury.

His 5-0 record in 2022 is a strong start, but he is yet to face a top-60 player in the new year. 

That will change in his next match, against Russian 28th seed Karen Khachanov, who ousted 63rd-ranked Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi in straight sets last Wednesday.

Nadal, who turns 36 this year and is one of the best men's players of all time, said he had achieved more than he had ever dreamed in his tennis career.

"I was able to spend almost 20 fantastic years on the tour. When you get older, the watch never stops. You need to accept that. But it's all good with me with that."

Nadal, the only Australian Open champion in the men's draw after nine-time winner Novak Djokovic's deportation on the eve of the tournament, is vying with Djokovic and Roger Federer to reach a record 21st Slam crown.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: U.S. Open victory yet to sink in, says Raducanu

U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu said on Wednesday that her sensational win at Flushing Meadows had yet to sink in and that the 18 months she took off from the sport provided her with the "hunger" to prevail in New York.

The 18-year-old Briton stunned the tennis world by defeating Canada's Leylah Fernandez in straight sets on Saturday to become the first qualifier to capture a Grand Slam title.

"I feel great. Everything that's happened in the last 72 hours has been so much fun... it still hasn't really sunk in, but occasionally I'll remember that I won the U.S. Open. So yeah, a really funny feeling," she told the WTA website.

Raducanu took a break from tennis last year due to the pandemic and also because her parents insisted that she should complete her high school exams.

"Having 18 months away... coming out you play every match like you don't know when your last match will be. That was how I was approaching the whole summer... But the biggest thing is that I never once got ahead of myself," she said.

"For three weeks I just played the opponent in front of me, I took care of what I wanted to try and achieve on that day against that opponent, and just repeated it for three weeks."

Raducanu has made a string of public appearances since her win last weekend, the most high-profile being at the Met Gala in New York on Monday.

The teenager called her red-carpet experience "eye-opening", adding: "At the Met Gala everyone is so experienced and so accomplished in their own way and it was really cool to hear how they are and their perspective on things."

For now, Raducanu said that she planned to switch off from tennis following an intense few weeks and was not entirely sure when her next tournament would be.

"I think for me, still, I cherish the most the moments with the team after the win... that was probably the most special night ever, when we were reflecting... I know I'll get back to work probably Monday or early next week... schedule-wise, I'm not sure," she added. 

(Reporting by Dhruv Munjal in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

-reuters

Tennis: Fearless teenagers Fernandez, Raducanu a win away from glory

NEW YORK - Leylah Fernandez and Emma Raducanu will clash in one of the most improbable U.S. Open finals on Saturday, the teenagers' fearless tennis bringing them to the cusp of becoming the sport's newest major champion.

Their title clash under the lights at the Arthur Ashe Stadium will be the first major final in the Open Era in either the men's and women's game to feature two unseeded players.

Canadian Fernandez, who turned 19 this week, was ranked 73rd coming into the hardcourt Grand Slam while 18-year-old Briton Raducanu was 150th in the women's rankings.

But with no burden of expectation on their shoulders, the duo have showcased a brand of fearless tennis at Flushing Meadows that has endeared them to the fans and helped them chart a path to the showpiece match.

"They are both young. They play fearless. They have nothing to lose playing against us," said Greek Maria Sakkari, who bowed out in the semi-finals with a straight-sets loss to qualifier Raducanu.

"I have to give credit to both of them, both of the young girls, that they take their chances. They're out there fighting for that title. Very well done to both for getting here."

Saturday's final will be the first tour-level meeting between them but the pair previously clashed in the second round of the 2018 Wimbledon juniors when Raducanu won 6-2 6-4.

It will also mark the first Grand Slam final to be contested by two teenagers since Serena Williams and Martina Hingis met in the 1999 U.S. Open title clash.

NATURAL GIFT

"With Raducanu and with Leylah Fernandez, they know how to win. They know how to stay calm in the most important moments," said Eurosport tennis expert and seven-time Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander.

"They have a natural gift of not panicking, and that's amazing. I can't even explain it."

The first British woman to reach a major final since Virginia Wade won Wimbledon in 1977, Raducanu can jump to 24th in the rankings with her first title while the left-handed Fernandez can make her top 20 debut by winning the U.S. Open.

The Briton has, however, had a less arduous path to the final. She has not dropped a set in her nine matches at Flushing Meadows to become the first qualifier - in men's and women's tennis - to reach a major final.

In contrast, Fernandez has had to conjure every ounce of her fighting spirit to move past the heavyweights of women's tennis and be in a position to give Canada its second U.S. Open women's title in three years after Bianca Andreescu's 2019 triumph.

The Canadian had to defeat three top-five players and a multiple major winner in her last four matches - all in three sets - to book her spot in the final.

"Raducanu and Fernandez play very similar in a way. If Fernandez was right-handed you wouldn't see much difference in their styles. They are pretty close in how they play," added Wilander. (Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; Editing by Ken Ferris)

-reuters

US Open: British qualifier Emma Raducanu makes history by reaching semis

NEW YORK—British teenager Emma Raducanu produced yet another exquisite performance to become the first qualifier to reach the U.S. Open semifinals on Wednesday, defeating Olympic champion Belinda Bencic 6-3 6-4 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Down an early break, the Briton recovered swiftly to win four straight games to close out the first set in which she had seven forehand winners and three aces.

Like Raducanu, Bencic had reached the last eight without dropping a set in Flushing Meadows but on Wednesday she struggled with her first serve and misfired a pair of costly double faults in the opening set.

Raducanu maintained her momentum in the second set, fending off three break points in the second game. 

A frustrated Bencic handed Raducanu a break with a double fault in the fifth game and her frustration boiled over as the match progressed, with the Swiss smacking her racket to the ground. 

Down 0-30 in her final two service games, Raducanu kept her nerve on both occasions and soaked up the cheers of the New York crowd after triumphing in a nine-shot rally on the final point.

"Playing Belinda – she’s such a great opponent," Raducanu said. "Her ball speed definitely caught me off guard because she hits the ball so hard."

The 18-year-old, who reached the Wimbledon fourth round on her Grand Slam debut just two months ago, has so far won all 16 sets she has played from qualifying through to the semi-finals.

She is the second teenager to make an impact in the women's draw this week as 19-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez has also reached the last four.

"To have so many young players here doing so well just shows how strong the next generation is," added Raducanu, who delighted a number of young fans by taking selfies with them before she walked off court.

"Everyone is on their trajectory. I'm just here taking care of what I can control, and it's my own journey at the end of the day." (Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York, additional reporting by Steve Keating, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

-reuters

US Open: Fil-Canadian Leylah Fernandez beats Elina Svitolina of Ukraine to book semis berth

Canadian 19-year-old left-hander Leylah Fernandez advanced to the US Open semifinals on Tuesday by defeating Ukraine's fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5).

Fernandez, ranked 73rd, will play her first Grand Slam semifinal against the winner of a later match between No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Czech eighth seed Barbora Krejcikova, the reigning French Open champion.

It was yet another upset win for Fernandez, whose father is Ecuadorian and mother has Filipino roots, but hardly a shock considering she had already knocked out 4-time major champion Naomi Osaka in the third round and 3-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber in the fourth.

If there was any lingering worry that the fearless Canadian would buckle under the mounting pressure, Fernandez removed it by prevailing in a nerve-jangling third set tiebreak 7-5 to clinch a spot in the last four. 

Rated one of the best players yet to win a major, Svitolina might have fancied her chances of returning to the US Open semifinals against a 73rd-ranked teen.

But Fernandez, who celebrated her 19th birthday on Monday, has shown that she is no ordinary teenager after registering a string of upsets that have made her a Flushing Meadows darling. — With a report from Reuters

Agence France-Presse

Fil-Canadian Leylah Fernandez beats Naomi Osaka in shock upset at US open

NEW YORK— Two-time champion Naomi Osaka's U.S. Open title defense ended in tears on Friday, as she suffered a stunning defeat in the third round to Filipino-Canadian Leylah Fernandez 5-7 7-6(2) 6-4, and told reporters she planned to take a break from the sport.

"I feel like I'm kind of at this point where I'm trying to figure out what I want to do. Honestly I don't know when I'm going to play my next tennis match," she said, breaking down in tears at a post-match press conference and pulling the brim of her visor over her eyes.

"I think I'm going to take a break from playing for a while."

Playing in her first Grand Slam since pulling out of the French Open earlier this year and disclosing her battle with depression, Osaka's return to Flushing Meadows did not go to plan, as she wordlessly left the court after uncharacteristically losing her cool in the second set tiebreak.

The third seed whacked her racquet and then flung it onto the court twice in frustration as Fernandez scored five straight points in the tiebreak, in a series of superb play.

Osaka did not receive a warning or a code violation and left the court in between sets.

"I'm really sorry about that," she said. "I was telling myself to be calm, but I feel like maybe there was a boiling point.

"Like normally I feel like I like challenges. But recently I feel very anxious when things don't go my way, and I feel like you can feel that. I'm not really sure why it happens the way it happens now."

Her troubles continued as 18-year-old Fernandez broke her serve to kick off the third set, and Osaka hit a ball into the stands in the second game, prompting a warning from the chair umpire.

In the ninth game Osaka rushed through her serves, not even waiting for the crowd to quiet down, as she was unable to create a single break point opportunity in the final set.

A fan favorite, Osaka has struggled with uneven play since she withdrew from Roland Garros earlier this year amid a public row with tournament officials over required media appearances, which she said had a negative impact on her mental health.

She told fans that she has struggled with depression for years, prompting new discussion around mental health in professional sport.

"How do I go around saying this? I feel like for me recently, like, when I win I don't feel happy. I feel more like a relief. And then when I lose, I feel very sad," said Osaka.

"I don't think that's normal."

FERNANDEZ BREAKTHROUGH

It was a breakthrough performance for Fernandez, who reached the fourth round of a major for the first time just a few days shy of her 19th birthday.

She fired off 28 winners across the three sets, and said in a televised interview that she worked at "just finding the solutions" during the match.

"She's a great server, she's been hitting aces left, right and centre," Fernandez said of Osaka.

-reuters

Tennis: Djokovic wins at US Open, moves five matches from Slam

World number one Novak Djokovic moved five matches from completing the first men's singles calendar-year Grand Slam in 52 years by advancing to the third round of the US Open on Friday.

The 34-year-old Serbian cruised past 121st-ranked Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 at Arthur Ashe Stadium to book a third-round date with 2014 US Open runner-up Kei Nishikori of Japan.

"I'm as motivated as ever to do well," Djokovic said. "I'm not the only player that wants to go deep in the tournament and put his hands on the trophy. I'm trying to be my best every day and let's see what happens."

Djokovic, chasing the first men's singles calendar Slam since Rod Laver in 1969, said the mental challenge was tougher than the physical one at this stage.

"Probably it's more mental and emotional, really," Djokovic said. "I don't mind being on the court a long time. I feel I have more chances in a best-of-five.

"It's more about handling everything that's happening off the court, all the expectations."

A fourth US Open crown would bring Djokovic his 21st career Grand Slam crown, giving him the men's all-time record, one more than the mark he now shares with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, both absent with injuries.

Djokovic said he was holding off enjoying New York's nightlife.

"We'll party and celebrate hopefully in a few weeks' time," Djokovic said.

Griekspoor broke in the seventh game of the second set to pull within 4-3 when Djokovic sent a backhand long, but the number one broke back and held, taking the set on his 10th ace on his way to a 99-minute victory.

"I came out on the court with the right energy, right focus," Djokovic said.

Nishikori made himself an obstacle in Djokovic's path to history by outlasting American Mackenzie McDonald 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 2-6, 6-3, avenging a loss in last month's Washington semi-finals.

Djokovic has a 17-2 career record against Nishikori, who last beat the Serbian star in the 2014 US Open semi-finals. Since then, Djokovic has won 16 in a row, most recently in the Tokyo Olympic quarter-finals.

"Even though I had a bad record, I always try to be positive," Nishikori said. "I'm sure it's going to be tough one, but I do my best."

- Crowds down after storm -

Attendance was off as New York struggled to recover from a deadly storm and flash flooding. Remnants of Hurricane Ida struck Wednesday night and killed at least 41 people, triggering a rare state of emergency for the city, flooding subways and turning roads into rivers.

High water that flooded US Open plazas had drained away and wind-scattered furniture was replaced for Thursday. Swamped Louis Armstrong Stadium hosted Thursday morning practice.

"There were some branches down but nothing that would impact the tournament or the fans," National Tennis Center chief operating officer Danny Zausner said.

With abandoned cars scattered across streets near the National Tennis Center and many highways shut down, fewer spectators than normal saw Tokyo Olympic champion Alexander Zverev and top-ranked Ashleigh Barty roll into the third round.

Australian Barty dispatch Danish teen Clara Tauson 6-1, 7-5 and German fourth seed Zverev rip 33rd-ranked Spanish left-hander Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-1, 6-0, 6-3.

"It was pretty devastating last night," Barty said. "It was quite a wild storm. It did wreak some havoc."

Reigning Wimbledon champion Barty, seeking her third Grand Slam title, next plays American Shelby Rogers as she chases a sixth trophy of the year and first US Open quarter-finals spot.

Zverev, last year's US Open runner-up and a champion two weeks ago at Cincinnati, took only 74 minutes to advance.

"It's great that I'm through in three sets and just over an hour," Zverev said. "I will need that energy. I'll need that power I have for further matches. I'm happy I only lost four games."

German Oscar Otte, ranked 144th, became the fifth men's qualifier to reach the third round by defeating 92nd-ranked American Denis Kudla 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.

There haven't been so many qualifiers so deep at any Slam since six at the 2011 French Open and not at the US Open since five made it in 1984.

 Agence France-Presse