Kei Nishikori in scintillating form and defeats Jo Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets in the fourth round of the Australian Open - UBITENNIS
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Kei Nishikori in scintillating form and defeats Jo Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets in the fourth round of the Australian Open

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Kei Nishikori was in almost impeccable form against Jo Wilfried Tsonga (image via Zimbio.com)

Seventh seed Kei Nishikori defeated ninth seed Jo Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. The Japanese star demonstrated dominant form from the baseline, and benefited from an increasingly frustrated performance from Tsonga, who also went off court in the second set to receive treatment for a back injury.

These two men are two of the most impressive players outside the biggest stars. Kei Nishikori and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Kei Nishikori both have legitimate grand slam credentials, as both are former finalists; Tsonga at this event, and Nishikori at the US Open. A shame that they have to meet as early as the fourth round.

Formerly, grand slam matches between Tsonga and Nishikori had never disappointed. Two matches, both five-setters, with the grand slam head-to-head split at one apiece. Tsonga won the most recent match in five sets last year at the French Open, winning the final set after squandering a two set lead. Nishikori earned his win at the Australian Open in 2012. Nishikori does dominate the head-to-head in non-grand slam events.

Tsonga started brightly, holding strongly before earning a glimmer of a chance at thirty-all. Two backhand errors up the line from Tsonga saw Nishikori hold. Nishikori then turned the tables, consistently attacking the Tsonga backhand to earn two break points. Nishikori blasted long on a forehand on the first, and Tsonga returned to deuce when Nishikori could only parry a serve long. Nishikori, though continued to pound the Tsonga backhand, and he used this tactic to then open up the cross-court forehand. Tsonga saved again but a double-fault handed Nishikori a fourth opportunity. Tsonga double-faulted again, and the Japanese star struck first.

Tsonga was again in trouble in his next service game. A third consecutive double-fault going back to when he was broken and a superb return winner from Nishikori saw the Frenchman eventually down fifteen-forty. Nishikori benefited from Tsonga’s erratic play to take a dominating double-break lead in the opener.

Tsonga retrieved one of the breaks with a superb half-volley drop shot, after Nishikori had fired wide with a forehand. Nishikori had held three set points at forty-love in that game. Tsonga held to love to put the pressure back on Nishikori to serve out the set at the second attempt. This Nishikori achieved, holding to love.

The first set was notable for just how much Nishikori was dominating early. Tsonga was playing ground-strokes from three feet behind the baseline at many points. this neutralised his attempts to volley, and Nishikori was using Tsonga’s depth to create excellent angles, especially when attacking the backhand.

Tsonga led forty-love in the first game of set two, but a scorching Nishikori winner and poor Tsonga volleying saw the Frenchman forced to save a break point with an ace. Tsonga held, but was in trouble in his next service game, as a double-fault and pass from Nishikori saw Tsonga forced to defend deuce once more. Instead, he handed another break point with another backhand unforced error, and a forehand miss into the net saw Nishikori lead again.

The theme continued, Nishikori holding and Tsonga unable to keep up, throwing in more double-faults and forehand errors to hand the second set double-break to Nishikori. Tsonga then requested the trainer to treat an apparent back injury.

Tsonga was unable to bring the fight that he had displayed at the end of the first set, instead nearly losing a third break. Nihsikori eventually won the second six-two. Tsonga’s erratic serving meant he was unable to hide behind this normal strength. Tsonga, normally so very aggressive was unable to dictate as Nishikori completely controlled the baseline exchanges.

Nishikori forced pressure again as Tsonga choked up a lame forehand error on another break point. Tsonga engaged in an argument with the umpire over his right to challenge a call, but it had little impact, as Nishikori held to fifteen.

As great as Nishikori was playing, it was increasingly clear that the style and presence often exuded by Tsonga on court seemed strangely absent, perhaps ultimately limited by the quality of his opponent’s play. Tsonga eventually showed some fight, a superb stretching volley, and a ripped forehand winner saw him hold for one-two, though Nishikori still led by a two sets and a break.

Tsonga forced a break point in the next game, only for the seventh seed to find a magnificent forehand winner down the line on break point and then hold. Normal service resumed, as Nishikori did the attacking and forced yet another break opportunity in game seven. Tsonga saved, and held with uncharacteristically strong serving in the context of this match.

Nishikori continued to dominate, selecting winners almost at ease, relieving some light pressure from Tsonga in game seven. Tsonga forced Nishikori to serve out, by producing his best service game of the match, holding to love. Kei Nshikori did not blink though, racing to forty-love and though Tsonga produced a cracking cross-court return winner, the Frenchman blasted long on the third match point. Nishikori is through to the Men’s quarter-finals.

Nishikori awaits a tantalising encounter against World no.1 Novak Djokovic if the Serb can defeat fourteenth seed Gilles Simon of France.

Kei Nishikori “I felt very good against Jo, very happy to go into quarter-finals. I try to think one match at a time. I try to focus on what I have to do.”

On potentially facing Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals: “Its going to be tough Novak is playing amazing again this year.”

Nishikori has a 2-5 record against Djokovic, and they have never previously met at the Australian Open.

Incredibly, Nishikori has never met Gilles Simon. They were due to meet at the 2012 Masters event at Paris-Bercy, but Nishikori withdrew before the match.

 

 

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Alcaraz Halts Sinner’s Winning Streak To Reach The Final In Indian Wells

Carlos Alcaraz earns the right to defend his title at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells fending off Jannik Sinner’s assault to his ATP no. 2 spot

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Jannik Sinner (left) and Carlos Alcaraz (right) - Indian Wells 2024 (photo Twitter X @BNPPARIBASOPEN)

All good things come to an end. Jannik Sinner was on a 19-match winning streak since his loss to Novak Djokovic in the final of the Nitto ATP Finals that included his first Grand Slam win in Australia last January, and appeared as the most in-form player at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, the first Masters 1000 tournament of the season. But as he faced Carlos Alcaraz in an eagerly-awaited semifinal, he was unable to continue his quest for the third consecutive title of the season, succumbing to the Spaniard 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.

The match was a face-off for the no. 2 spot in the ATP ranking that Alcaraz will still occupy next Monday regardless of the result of Sunday’s final, and this is a much-needed confidence boost for him after a disappointing start of the season where he was handily beaten in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open by Zverev and did not win any tournament during the South American clay court swing where he was ousted by Nicolas Jarry in Buenos Aires and had to retire for an ankle injury at the Rio Open.

The match, originally scheduled for 1.30 pm Pacific Time, had to be suspended for over three hours after only three games because of an unusual downpour. As the match resumed, Sinner appeared once again the perfectly-tuned machine that had been crushing opponents with metronomic regularity for the past weeks while Alcaraz was struggling to keep up with his opponent’s pace from the baseline.

The first set was smooth sailing for the Italian who cruised to a comprehensive 6-1 in 27 minutes: Alcaraz was tentative from the baseline and could not find the right position to fire his screamers and change the tactical discourse of the match. “Then at the beginning of the second set, as I saw he was making a lot of mistakes, I tried to be as solid as possible when I should have kept pushing instead – Sinner said during his press conference – and that’s what cost me the match in the end”.

While serving at 1-2 in the second set, a few uncharacteristic forehand mistakes started to dot his thus far spotless game, and that cost him the break that sent Alcaraz flying to a 4-1 advantage. The Spaniard then found the confidence to change his return position and make Sinner work a lot more on his service games, as the Italian struggled to find a countermeasure to the tactical shift in the match: “I kept doing the same thing over and over again”, Sinner stressed, and forehand unforced errors started to pile up to reach the burdensome number of 27 at the end of the match.

Sinner had the chance to find his way back into the second set while Alcaraz was serving at 3-5, but Carlos cancelled his break point with a laser backhand down the line that had the 15,000-strong crowd cheering on their feet.

The third set ran away very quickly from the Italian, who started touching repeatedly the back of his left leg around his knee. Sinner got broken again during the third game, and while going for a last-ditch attempt to recover a short volley by Alcaraz he tumbled to the ground slightly injuring his right elbow and arm. From there onwards it was just more mistakes by Sinner and a clinical execution by Alcaraz on how to take home a match.

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“It Feels Great’ – Novak Djokovic Marks Indian Wells Return With Milestone Win

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Novak Djokovic - Indian Wells 2024 (foto Ubitennis)

Novak Djokovic says he still has a ‘great feeling’ in Indian Wells after playing his first match at the event for five years. 

The world No.1 battled to a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, win over Aleksandar Vukic in what was his first taste of competitive tennis since losing in the semi-finals of the Australian Open. It was a far from smooth encounter for Djokovic, who hit 23 winners and won 83% of his first service points. In the second set, he was broken twice with the second of those occurring when he was serving at 5-6. Nevertheless, he battled back in the decider to win. 

This year is the first time Djokovic has been able to play in the Masters 1000 event since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After the 2020 tournament was cancelled, he was unable to play the next three editions due to restrictions placed on unvaccinated foreign visitors to America. Despite the absence, the five-time champion states that his love for the event is as strong as ever.

“It feels great to come back with the win. It’s been five years and the great feeling is still there. I enjoyed myself very much. Beautiful stadium. Great atmosphere.” Djokovic said during his press conference. 
“I was a bit nervous at the beginning. I haven’t played a match in more than five weeks. I thought the start was good. Then I think he upped his game.
“I probably lost a little bit of the momentum. We got into the third set, I thought the level of the tennis was pretty good in the third. Great points. He made me produce some really important points in games in order to prevail in this match. I’m glad that I was pushed, as well, which is important.”

Djokovic’s latest victory is his 400th in a Masters 1000 tournament. He is only the second player in history to have reached this milestone since the tournament category was introduced in 1990. The first to do so was Rafael Nadal who currently has 406 wins to his name. 

He could create more history in Indian Wells should the Serbian go on to claim the title this year. If he does, he would become the first man to have won it for a sixth time. Although Djokovic is refusing to get too far ahead of himself. 

“I would love to,” he said of trying to claim a sixth title. “Obviously there is still a long way to get to the title match, but it’s a good start.’
“I know I can always produce better tennis. Obviously very self-critical, and I think some extent it’s also important because then it puts you in the right mindset of wanting to work more and being engaged in the process of improving on a daily basis, or trying to perfect your game and right the wrongs that you’ve done in a previous match or previous practice session.
“So that’s what I’m going to keep doing and hopefully building my game as this tournament is played over 10 to 14 days, so it allows you to have the practice days also between matches, which then allows you to work on certain specifics in the game.”

Djokovic will play Italy’s Luca Nardi in the next round. 

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Carlos Alcaraz Brushes Aside Injury Doubts To Reach Indian Wells Third Round

Carlos Alcaraz is into the third round at Indian Wells after a three set win over Matteo Arnaldi.

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(@BNPPARIBASOPEN - Twitter)

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz overcame injury doubts to edge past Matteo Arnaldi 6-7(5) 6-0 6-1 at Indian Wells.

The world number two had to endure an aggressive opening set from the in-form Italian to reach the third round.

After a tight opening set, Alcaraz raced through the last two sets as he set up a third round showdown with Felix Auger-Aliassime.

The Spaniard had entered this match with injury doubts after retiring from his match with Thiago Monteiro in Rio De Janeiro.

However Alcaraz was very pleased with how his ankle held up as he moved on in California, “Honestly it surprised me. I felt great, moving normally without thinking about it,” Alcaraz told the ATP website.

“It was a really good match to realise that I am better than I thought. I think I played great tennis because of that. I had to change just a few things. I made a few mistakes in the first set… I had to put in more first serves in the second and third set, and I think that was a big key to improving my level a little bit, to be in the rallies — long rallies as well, to get the rhythm, and I’m really happy to get it at the end.

“But right now I’m getting better and feeling really, really well. But I think I have to get a good rhythm step by step. I think that’s the big difference between last year and this one. This [is a] really special tournament for me. I want to do it well. This is the first match playing high intensity and I didn’t know how it’s going respond, the ankle.

“I have to deal with it, but I didn’t deal with the nerves very well in the first set, moving differently, hitting the ball differently. My game is playing aggressive all the time. And try to stay calm and wait for my chances.

“When you get nervous, you don’t think about it. You don’t hit the ball as good as you want. You don’t move as good as you want. I think that’s the big difference.”

Alcaraz will hope for a good week this week as he defends the Indian Wells title as he aims to win a first title since Wimbledon this week.

Next for the Spaniard will be Felix Auger-Aliassime, who defeated Constant Lestienne in straight sets.

Auger-Aliassime currently leads the head-to-head 3-1 but Alcaraz won their last meeting in Indian Wells last year.

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