Madrid Open Chief Outlines Target Date For Tournament In 2020 - UBITENNIS
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Madrid Open Chief Outlines Target Date For Tournament In 2020

How would players feel about having a top clay court event sandwiched between two grand slam tournaments?

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Whilst the future of the 2020 tennis season remains unclear due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, organisers of the Madrid Open are not giving up hope of hosting their event this year.

Gerard Tsobanian, who is the CEO of Spain’s biggest tennis tournament, has set his sights on hosting the event during September ahead of the French Open. The clay-court grand slam has recently delayed their event until later this year in a move that caught some off guard. Should play resume later this year, it is possible that players will play two grand slam tournaments within five weeks. The US Open concludes a week before the French Open is set to begin. Tsobanian has outlined September 14-20 as a potential time slot to host the event.

“That date is the best, yes, but we cannot go ahead and give a date as Roland Garros did. Currently you cannot establish a fixed calendar, it is difficult.” He told L’Equipe.
“If it is to change it in two or three weeks because the situation does not begin to improve It would not be a serious thing. Now we have to watch how the pandemic evolves and, in case there is an improvement, then we can make serious forecasts that guarantee the dispute of an event.”

At present both the ATP and WTA tours have been suspended until June 8th, but it is likely to be extended into the summer. The Wimbledon Championships are on the verge of cancelling their event for the first time since 1945 due to the pandemic. Meaning that the grass season will be wiped off the calendar this year.

Should the Pandemic slow by the summer and play resumes, there are still concerns about the potential date of the Madrid Open. Sandwiched between two grand slam tournaments, there are concerns as to if top players would skip the tournament in order to focus on the majors. Although Tsobanian is optimistic about this scenario.

“I think the tennis players would accept it given the urgency and complexity of what remains to be played.” He said.
“Not all tennis players reach the final of the Us Open, some fall in the first week or at the beginning of the second, which gives time for Prepare to play Madrid on clay. The finalists of the US Open would be the only ones to feel the change, but that is a lesser evil compared to the joy of playing again.”

Both the ATP and WTA have expressed their desire to get the sport going again before 2021, but things are very much still up in the air. On Tuesday the John Hopkins University estimated that there have been 800,000 cases of Covid-19 worldwide with 37,500 deaths. It is currently unclear as to how or when the virus will be under control.

“As a member of the Board of Directors of the ATP and WTA tournaments I am in constant discussion with the players, with all the tournament directors and the leaders of the two circuits to see a little what the ideas are. There are many options and variables, but the more the weeks go by, the more the possible options fall. Whatever happens, the tennis year of 2020 will be severely damaged.” Tsobanian concluded.

The Madrid Open is currently categorized as a Masters 1000 event on the men’s tour and as a Premier Mandatory for the women.

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Jannik Sinner reaches his fourth semifinal of the year in Miami

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This year’s Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner converted four of his eleven break points in his 6-4 6-2 win over Tomas Machac in 91 minutes to reach his fourth semifinal of the season at the Miami Open. 

Sinner has claimed a tour-leading 20th match win this season to reach the Miami Open semifinal for the third time. The world number 3 finished runner-up to Hubert Hurkacz in 2021 and Danil Medvedev in 2023 in his finals in Miami. 

Sinner started the match with an immediate break in the first game to take a 1-0 lead. Machac, who beat Andrey Rublev and Andy Murray on his way to the quarter final in Miami, broke straight back to draw level to 1-1. Sinner earned his second break in an eight-minute seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. The Italian star held on his next two service games to close out on his first set point. 

Sinner earned two break points on each of Machac’s first three service games. He broke twice in the third and fifth games to open up a 5-1 lead and served out the win on his second match point. Sinner dropped just three points on serve in the second set. 

Sinner will face the winner of the quarter final match between Danil Medvedev and Nicolas Jarry. 

“I did not exactly know what to expect today. The first games I was looking a little bit what kind of tactics could work or not. Today I played especially in the important moments of the match. I am really happy to play again in the semifinals here. Machac has an incredible talent to play this sport. He is super fast also physically . He is in great shape. I feel good. I am just happy to compete. We practise very hard to be in these positions and I am really happy I can play once again in the semifinals at this special tournament. I made my first Masters 1000 final here. I am really happy to be back in the semifinals ”, said Sinner. 

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Danielle Collins beats Caroline Garcia to reach the second semifinal of her career in Miami

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Danielle Collins beat Caroline Garcia 6-3 6-2 in 80 minutes to reach her second semifinal at the Miami Open. Collins became the first qualifier to reach the semifinal in the history of this tournament. 

Collins achieved her third win against a seeded player in five matches over the past seven days. 

Collins dropped just 11 points in nine service games against Garcia and hit 22 winners to Garcia’s 12. 

Collins earned a break in the eighth game and held serve to seal the first set 6-3. The US player broke serve in the third game of the second set and never looked back to close out the match in 1 hout and 19 minutes. 

Collins has extended her record to 4-0 in her head-to-head matches against Garcia and has not lost a set to her French opponent. 

Collins set up a semifinal match against the winner of Wednesday night’s match between Jessica Pegula and Elena Alexandrova, who beat world number one player Iga Swiatek in the fourth round.  

Collins won two WTA titles in Palermo and San José in 2021 but she has not reached a WTA Tour level final since losing to Ashleigh Barty in Melbourne in 2022. 

“I think Caroline Garcia comes out here and fights her butt off. She hits some really strong shots. I don’t think the set scores are a reflection of how close the match really is”, said Collins. 

Garcia beat Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff to reach the quarter finals in Miami for the first time in her career. The French player was troubled by an injury to her right shoulder and received treatment early in the second set. 

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Alexander Zverev beats Karen Khachanov to reach the quarter final for the fourth time in his career in Miami

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Alexander Zverev beat Karen Khachanov 6-1 6-4 without facing any break points in a re-match of the Olympic final in Tokyo 2021 to reach back-to-back quarter finals after advancing to the last eight at Indian Wells. Zverev is aiming to win his first Masters 1000 title since Cincinnati in 2021. 

Zverev dropped just nine points on serve in the whole match and fired nine aces. The German player converted three of his four break points. 

Zverev broke twice in the fourth and sixth games to win the first set 6-1. The German player earned another break in the third game. He held on his next service games and sealed the win on his first match point. Zverev leads 4-2 in his six head-to-head matches against Khachanov. The German player reached the quarter final for the fourth time in his career in Miami and the last eight in a Masters 1000 tournament for the 27th time in his career. 

Zverev set up a quarter final match against Hundary’s Fabian Maroszan, who upset Alex De Minaur 6-4 1-6 6-1. The first set went on serve until the 10th game when Maroszan earned a break to win the first set 6-4. De Minaur broke three times to take a bagel win in the second set forcing the match to the decider. Maroszan broke twice in the fourth and sixth games and served out the win on his third match point. 

Maroszan reached his second Masters 1000 quarter final after advancing to the last eight in Shanghai in 2023. Maroszan has a record of four wins to just 1 defeat against top 10 players and 14 wins to just 3 defeats at Masters 1000 tournaments. De Minaur was looking to become the first player to reach 20 wins this season. 

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