ATP

John McEnroe Tips Tsitsipas As Player Most Likely To Breakthrough At Wimbledon

The multiple grand slam champion also named another player who he believes will become world No.1 in the future.

Published

2 months ago

26/06/2019

John McEnroe believes it will be a hard task ending the dominance of the Big Four at the Wimbledon Championships, but believes one member of the Next Generation has the best chance of doing so.

The former world No.1 praised Stefanos Tsitsipas during an ESPN media press conference that took place earlier in the week. The Greek 20-year-old is currently ranked sixth in the world and has three ATP titles to his name. He reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open, where he defeated Roger Federer, followed by the fourth round at the French Open.

“Tsitsipas, I think he seems ready to make a breakthrough. To me he’d almost be the most likely guy that would do it if it wasn’t one of those guys.” McEnroe responded when asked if a member outside of the Big Four can win Wimbledon.
“Tsitsipas I think is going to be a great champion and player. He’s got everything that you could hope for.” He added.

The Next Gen player has endured a mixed start to his grass-court campaign this year. Losing in the first round at s-Hertogenbosch before reaching the quarter-finals at Queen’s a week later. So far in his career, Tsitsipas has only played five ATP tournaments on the surface.

Already scoring wins over Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic before his 21st birthday, Tsitsipas remains an outsider to win the upcoming grand slam. The title has been won by a member of the Big four over the past 16 years. Furthermore, either Nadal, Federer or Djokovic has won the past 10 grand slam tournaments.

“I have a lot of respect for those guys, obviously. I know to some degree what it takes to do what they’re doing, and it’s been absolutely amazing.” McEnroe explained. “But I am definitely one of those guys that’s like, okay, it’s time to see these next generation of people.”

Another rising star that has caught the attention of the former world No.1 is Felix Auger-Alissame. Somebody Tsitsipas has described as the toughest player he has ever played. The Canadian 18-year-old is the youngest player to break into the world’s top 25 on the ATP Tour since Lleyton Hewitt back in 1999. He has already featured in three tour finals this season and has achieved a career ranking high 11 times in 2019.

“I think that this Canadian, Aliassime, is going to be — to me he’s going to be a No. 1.” The American predicts.
“He’s got everything it takes, so now it still seems like he’s learning on grass, how to best handle that for himself because he lost to Lopez in the semis (at Queen’s), but there’s a lot of unbelievable signs.”

There are currently four player’s in the top 30 under the age of 21.

Related Topics:John McEnroe Sefanos Tsitsipas

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ATP

Svetlana Kuznetsova upsets Ashleigh Barty in Cincinnati to reach the 42nd final of her career

Published

8 hours ago

18/08/2019

sampaolo

Russian wild card Svetlana Kuznetsova edged top seed this year’s Roland Garros champion Ashleigh Barty 6-2 6-4 in the semifinal of the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati to reach the 42nd final of her career.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Kuznetsova, who is now ranked world number 153, scored her third win against top 10 players this week after beating former US Open champion Sloane Stephens and Karolina Pliskova.

Barty missed her chance to regain world number 1 spot from Naomi Osaka, who was forced to retire from her quarter final.

Barty earned the first break of the match in the second game of the opening set, when Kuznetsova netted a backhand. Kuznetsova broke back in the third game with a smash winner and earned another break at 2-2 when Barty netted a backhand. Kuznetsova hit a return winner to build up a 5-2 lead. Barty asked a medical time-out to treat he right leg. Kuznetsova held serve at 15 to close out the opening set after 30 minutes.

Kuznetsova went up a break in the first game of the second set. Barty won just three points on return in the second set. Kuznetsova closed out the second set with three winners in the 10th game.

“I am really happy. I am not really an analyzing person, but on my intuition, I am doing so much better, not repeating so many of my mistakes, just playing smarter and wiser now. It’s been so many different things when I was off, so I just enjoyed time off. Honestly, I was not missing at all the travelling and all the stress when you play tournaments, but now I have missed it and I feel good. I feel joy staying here and being here. It definitely helped me to have some time off to see other things outside tennis”, said Kuznetsova.

Kuznetsova set up a final against Madison Keys, who beat Sofia Kenin in straight sets. The Russian 34-year-old veteran player has qualified for her first final since last year, when she beat Donna Vekic in Washington.

“Madison is extremely tough. When she is on fire, it is really hard to play against her. It’s going to be a difficult match-up”, said Kuznetsova.

ATP

David Goffin reaches his first Masters 1000 in Cincinnati

Published

10 hours ago

17/08/2019

sampaolo

David Goffin beat Richard Gasquet 6-3 6-4 on an overcast afternoon to reach the first Masters 1000 final of his career and his 13th title match at ATP Tour level at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati. Goffin has dropped just one set en route to the final.

Goffin is returning to his best form this summer under the guidance of former Swedish player Thomas Johansson. He reached the final in Halle and his first quarter final at Wimbledon. He received a walkover after Yoshihito Nishioka was forced to withdraw from the match due to food poisoning.

The Belgian player started the match with two consecutive holds before breaking at love to open up a 4-1 lead with a backhand winner down the line.

Goffin held his next service games to seal the opening set 6-3. Gasquet earned an early break to open 2-0 lead, but Goffin won five of the next six games with two breaks. The 2017 Nitto ATP Finals runner-up served out the win at love in the 10th game after 1 hour and 16 minutes, as Gasquet sent his backhand long.

Goffin reached the semifinal in Cincinnati last year, but he was forced to retire due to an arm injury.

“I am very happy. It’s a tournament I like and I have played the best tennis in the past few years. I am really happy to reach my first Masters 1000 final here. It’s a great moment for me.”

ATP

Richard Gasquet reaches his first Masters 1000 semifinal since Miami 2013

Published

1 day ago

16/08/2019

sampaolo

Frenchman Richard Gasquet edged past this year’s Wimbledon semifinalist Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 6-2 after 2 hours and 12 minutes to reach his first Masters 1000 semifinal since the 2013 Miami Open.

Gasquet missed six months of action after undergoing groin surgery last January.

The French player set up a semfinal against David Goffin, who reached the semifinal after his Japanese opponent Yoshihito Nishioka withdrew from the match due to illness.

The first set went on serve with no break points en route to the tie-break. Bautista Agut hit a backhand wide at 1-2. Gasquet sealed the tie-break when Bautista Agut hit a forehand long.

Bautista Agut earned two breaks of serve in the second set and sealed it, when Gasquet made his third double fault on set point.

Gasquet broke serve with a volley in the third game of the decisive set. The French player went up a double break to race out to 4-1 lead. He saved two break points to hold his serve at deuce before serving out the third set on his first match point.

“I know how tough it was to come back. I know the moments I had at the start of the year, so I just wanted to enjoy, to fight. It is not easy to come back after six months out, but I am here. I am in semis tomorrow”,said Gasquet.