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Bernard Tomic walks nonchalantly into Quito Quarter Finals

Published

8 years ago

04/02/2016

Number 1 seed Bernard Tomic defeated Roberto Carballes 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 to book his place in the quarter finals of the Ecuador Open, where he will face Paolo Lorenzi.

The Australian, who surprised many with his choice of playing in Ecuador, didn’t seem up for the battle against his Spanish opponent. Tomic didn’t seem to worried when he was down or too enthusiastic when he was up. Whereas Carballes, who is ranked 129 in the world and therefore still fighting every week to survive financially, was looking for the biggest win in his career and also a big paycheck (the difference between losing in the second round and the quarter finals is $5,500).

Tomic is clearly the better tennis player but Carballes (aged 22) is an old-school Spanish claycourter with a deceivingly big serve who will surely crack the top 100 sooner rather than later. So when the Australian raced away to a 5-1 lead and thought he could cruise to a first set win, he was shown otherwise and eventually sealed it at 6-3.

In the second set, the Australian once again seemed like he didn’t want to be in Quito and that he just couldn’t be bothered getting through another day in the office. He didn’t sprint once and played some volleys like a 14 year-old kid at school who still thinks it’s cool not to try, the pick of the bunch being a straightforward smash at set-point down which flew straight into the advertising boards.

Tomic did just about enough in the third set as the Aussie was probably aware that it was down to him who would win the match. He trundled over the finish line although you get the feeling he would have been much happier flying back home.

Paolo Lorenzi awaits in the quarter final after he defeated Alejandro Falla 6-3, 6-2 and the Italian will provide another irritatingly stern challenge for Tomic. The other defined quarter final match-up will pit together Thomaz Bellucci and Pablo Carreño after they overcame two Spaniards: Albert Montañes (6-2, 6-4) and Iñigo Cervantes (6-7, 7-6, 6-2) respectively.

After winning his marathon clash, Carreño complained that “the sun disturbed me a bit and there was quite a lot of wind. It’s difficult enough playing at this altitude and with wind it’s much tougher. But I tried to be patient and calm to not drift away from the match”.

Related Topics:Bernard Tomic Roberto Carballes Baena

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Luca Van Assche rallies from two sets to one down to beat Alex Michelsen

Published

6 hours ago

30/11/2023

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Luca Van Assche came back from two sets to one down to defeat Alex Michelsen 4-3 (7-0) 3-4 (4-7) 3-4 (4-7) 4-1 4-3 (8-6) in 2 hours and 36 minutes at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah in the second longest match in the history of this tournament.

Van Assche and Michelsen went on serve in the first three sets. Both players saved all five break points they faced in the first three sets.

There were three consecutive breaks in the fourth set. Van Assche earned two of them and served out the set at love in the fifth game.

Both players traded breaks in the fifth and sixth games of the fifth set. Van Assche earned a chance to serve for the match, but Michelsen pulled back on serve to force a tie-break.

Van Assche built a 3-0 in the tie-break with an early mini-break. Michelsen saved two match points to draw level to 6-6. Van Assche sealed the win with another mini-break on the second match point.

“He was playing very well the whole match. It was really close. Not a lot of breaks and it was difficult for me but I am very happy”, said Van Assche.

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Arthur Fils beats Dominic Stricker to end Green Group unbeaten

Published

9 hours ago

30/11/2023

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Arthur Fils battled past Dominic Stricker 4-2 3-4 (3-7) 4-2 4-3 (7-5) after 1 hour and 47 minutes in the final round-robin match to end the Green Group unbeaten with a 3-0 record at the Next Gen ATP Finals.

Stricker knew that he would advance to the semifinals if he won just one set. The Swiss player won the set he needed against the already qualified Fils to secure his spot in the semifinal despite the defeat.

Stricker saved a break point on the deciding point in the third game of the fourth set. Fils earned the break in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead and served out on his second set point.

Stricker held serve at love in the first game of the fourth set. The Swiss player broke serve on the deciding point to open up a 2-0 lead. Fils broke straight back in the third game and held serve at 15 to draw level to 2-2. Fils earned three mini-breaks, but Stricker pulled back on serve each time. Fils sealed the tie-break 7-5 on his second match point.

Stricker beat Fils 7-6 7-6 in Gstaad in their only previous head-to-head match last summer.

Fils saved two break points in the first game to hold serve. Stricker fended off a break point in the fourth game on the deciding point to draw level to 2-2. Fils earned his first break on his third set point with a forehand return winner in the sixth game to clinch the first set 4-2.

Stricker saved the only break point of the second set in the fourth game. Both players held on their serve en route to the tie-break. Stricker won six consecutive points from 0-1 down with two mini-breaks to win the tie-break 7-3.

Fils won his first title in Lyon and reached the final in Antwerp

“I knew before the match that I qualified, but I just want to win every match that I am playing. I think I put a little bit more focus out there out there today than the first two days because I know this opponent and he already beat me this year. It was a tough match but I am really happy to win and let’s see who I get in the semifinal”, said Fils in the post- match interview.

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Luca Nardi beats Flavio Cobolli but it’s not enough to advance to the semifinals at the Next Gen Finals

Published

12 hours ago

30/11/2023

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World number 115 Luca Nardi overcame Flavio Cobolli in an Italian match 3-4 (4-7) 4-2 4-3 (7-1) 1-4 4-3 (7-3) in 2 hours and 14 minutes in the final round robin match of Green Group at the Next Gen Finals at King Abdullah Sports Club in Jeddah.

The win was not enough to earn a semifinal spot for Nardi. Arthur Fils is the first player to qualify for the knock-out stage. The top seeded Frenchman will face Dominic Stricker later today. Stricker needs to win just one set to reach the semifinals.

Both players went on serve in the first set en route to the tie-break. Cobolli earned two mini-breaks to win the tie-break 7-4.

Nardi saved two break points in the third game of the second set to take a 2-1 lead. The world number 115 broke serve in the sixth game to close out the second set 4-2.

Cobolli converted his second break point in the first game of the third set. Nardi pulled back on serve in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. Nardi opened up a 3-0 lead with two mini-breaks. Cobolli pulled one of the two mini-breaks back for 1-3. Nardi won the final four points with two mini-breaks to claim the tie-break 7-1.

Nardi clutched his groin when he was serving at 0-1 in the fourth set and called a medical time-out at 0-3. Cobolli earned a break in the second game to close out the fourth set 4-1.

Cobolli saved two break points to hold serve in the second game. Nardi fended off two break points in the fifth game. Both players held on serve en route to the tie-break. Nardi earned his first mini-break with a backhand flick from out wide to take a 2-1 lead. Cobolli pulled the mini-break back to draw level to 2-2. Nardi closed out the match with a return down the line winner.

Nardi hit 27 winners to 12 unforced errors.

“I am happy with the win. Even if I did not qualify, I think today was the best match I played out of the three. I am a bit sad I did not qualify, but I did not want to leave Jeddah without a win. I kept fighting today and I am happy”, said Nardi.