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Brandon Nakashima sets up final against Jiri Lehecka in Milan

Published

1 year ago

12/11/2022

Brandon Nakashima edged past Jack Draper 4-3 (8-6) 1-4 4-2 4-3 (7-5) to advance to the final at the INTESA San Paolo Next Gen ATP Finals at the Allianz Cloud in Milan

Nakashima earned his 34^th ATP Tour level win of his breakthrough season. Earlier this year he won the first ATP Tour title in San Diego. He also reached the fourth round at Wimbledon and the third round at Roland Garros and at the US Open.

Nakashima earned a break point for 2-0 in the second game and was not able to convert a set point at 3-2. He wasted two more set points in the tie-break at 6-4 but he sealed the tie-break 8-6 on his fourth set point.

Draper broke serve in the second game to win the second set 4-1. Nakashima won the third set 4-2 with a break in the sixth game.

The 21-year-old US player wasted a match point at 3-2 and rallied from 2-5 in the fourth set tie-break by winning five consecutive points to seal the win on his second match point.

Nakashima hit 10 aces and did not make just eight points. He dropped just eight pointson his first serve. Draper hit 15 aces and fended off five of the six break points he faced.

Nakashima won his first ATP title is making his second appearance at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan. Earlier this week he beat Matteo Arnaldi, Jiri Ledecka and Francesco Passaro to win the Green Group.

“It was very high quality from both of us the whole match. We played at a very high level. I had a match point at 3-2 in the fourth set, but he played very well on serve. I am happy that I remained focused in the tie-break and I was able to come back from 2-5 down. I was fighting for every point and I was happy to close it out at the end. We have both had a great year and both had great wins against top players. I knew it was going to be a tough match, he has a great lefty serve. I knew I had to be quick on my feet. I am happy I played well. I have a lot of confidence in my game right now. Tomorrow it is going to be a different match compared to the one I had against Lehecka in the round robin. I am going to try and forget about our match a couple of days ago. Jiri has been playing great all week, so I am sure it is going to be a tough match I am looking forward to playing the final. I have improved a lot as a player compared to last year. I am happy that the hard work has paid off ”, said Nakashima.

Nakashima set up a final against Jir Lehecka in a re-match of the Round Robin Group match, where the US player prevailed 4-1 4-3 4-2.

Lehecka beat 2020 Roland Garros boys’ champion Dominic Stricker 4-1 4-3 (7-4) 2-4 4-1 after.1 hour and 22 minutes.

Lehecka earned his first break in the fourth game and held on his serve to win the opening set 4-1. The Czech player held serve on the deciding point before earning two mini-breaks to take a 5-1 lead. Sticker pulled one mini-break back but Lehecka held on his serve to win the tie-break 7-4. Stricker earned an early break to take a 2-0 lead and closed out the the third set with another break. Lehecka broke serve in the second game and held on his next service game to win the fourth set 4-1.

World number 41 Draper beat Stefanos Tsitsipas en route to the quarter final at the Masters 1000 in Montreal and won four Challenger titles.

Lehecka scored his first ATP match win when he reached the semifinal in Rotterdam as a qualifier last February.

“Today I think everything went the way I wanted. Me and my team spoke about this match yesterday and today. The plan was just to relax on the court and enjoy as much as I can. Dominic was playing incredible here, so I am very happy with my win”, said Lehecka.

The Czech player grew up looking up to Tomas Berdych.

“When I was a kid I was looking up to Tomas Berdych because Czech Republic won two editions of the Davis Cup in 2012 and 2013. It was an incredible experience for me to see it with my own eyes”, said Lehecka.

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Stefanos Tsitsipas beats Sebastian Ofner in Barcelona to extend his winning streak

Published

1 day ago

17/04/2024

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Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Sebastian Ofner 6-4 7-5 at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell to extend his winning streak to seven consecutive matches after claiming his third title at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters last week.

Tsitsipas earned an immediate break in the first game. Ofner broke straight back to draw level to 1-1. Tsitsipas earned his second break in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead and served out the first set 6-4 with a hold at 15.

Tsitsipas broke in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Ofner won three consecutive games with two breaks of serve to take a 5-3 lead. Tsitsipas came back by winning four consecutive games with two breaks of serve to seal the second set 7-5.

Tsitsipas has a record of 17 wins to 5 defeats in Barcelona. The Greek player reached three finals at this tournament in 2018, 2021 and 2023.

“I feel pretty good, but it is still early in the tournament. The conditions here are very different to Monte-Carlo and I felt it today when I was playing. My job is to adapt and to ensure I can bring my A game again in Barcelona this week. Today was a great test to see where I stand. I am hoping to keep on improving and getting good wins like this under my belt”, said Tsitsipas.

Tsitssipas set up a third round match against Roberto Carballes Baena, who beat Lorenzo Musetti 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 in 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Musetti saved three break points in the first game of the opening set. The Italian player earned two break points with a backhand down the line. Musetti saved two break points in the seventh game. Both players went on serve un the 12^th game when Carballes Baena saved a set point. Carballes Baena went up a 5-1 lead with two mini-breaks in the tie-break. Musetti won three consecutive points to reduce to 4-5. Carballes Baena won the final two points to take the tie-break 7-4.

Carballes Baena converted his fourth break point in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead. Musetti broke back in the fifth game. Carballes Baena saved a break point in the sixth game. The Spanish player sealed the win with a break on his second match.

Last week’s Monte-Carlo finalist Casper Ruud beat Alexandre Muller 6-3 6-4 to claim his 25^th tour-level win of the season. Ruud has drawn level with Jannik Sinner for the most wins in 2024 on the ATP Tour.

Ruud set up a third round match against Jordan Thompson, who beat Jaume Munar 6-4 2-4 6-4. Roberto Bautista Agut beat Andrea Vavassori 4-6 6-4 6-1 to claim his milestone 400th match win on the ATP Tour. Bautista Agut set up a third round match against Cameron Norrie.

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Roberto Bautista Agut wins his milestone 400th match on the ATP Tour

Published

1 day ago

17/04/2024

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Roberto Bautista Agut came back from one set down to beat Australian Open doubles finalist Andrea Vavassori 4-6 6-3 6-1 after 2 hours and 1 minute at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.

Vavassori earned an early break in the first game. The Italian player earned three break points in the seventh game, but Bautista Agut saved them. The Spanish player broke straight back in the eighth game. Vavassori broke again in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead and saved two break points before closing out the first set 6-4 on his second set point.

Both players went on serve in the first four games of the second set. Vavassori earned a break point in the fifth game, but he did not convert it. Bautista Agut broke serve in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead and did not face any break points to win the second set 6-3.

Bautista Agut broke three times to cruise through to a 6-1.

Bautista Agut reached the 400^th milestone win on the ATP Tour. The Spanish player has become the 13^th active player with at least 400 ATP Tour wins. He achieved 20 wins against members of the top 10, ten wins against top 5 players and four against world number 1s. Bautista Agut is one of the nine players, who have beaten Novak Djokovic as World number 1 more than twice.

“For me it’s just a number. The important thing is that I have done great work over these years, that I have a very consistent career, a career that I can feel proud of “, said Bautista Agut.

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Martina Trevisan beats Naomi Osaka to reach the second round in Rouen

Published

1 day ago

17/04/2024

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Martina Trevisan upset former world number 1 Naomi Osaka 6-4 6-2 in the opening round of the Open Capfinances Rouen Metropole.

Osaka has played her first clay-court match since Roland Garros 2022, where she lost to Amanda Anisimova. The Japanese player has not won a match on clay since beating Anastasia Potapova in the first round of the Madrid Mutua Open in 2022. She helped Japan beat Kazakhstan in the Billie Jean King Cup.

Trevisan reached the quarter final in 2020 and the semifinal in 2022 at Roland Garros. The former world number 18 won her only title in Rabat in 2022. She reached the quarter finals of the Zaragoza ITF 100 tournament.

Both players traded breaks in the first two games. Osaka earned two break points at 3-2 and three more chances at 4-3, but she was not able to convert them. Trevisan broke serve in the ninth game following a series of forehand errors.

Trevisan broke twice in the third and seventh games and served out the win on her first match point.

Sixteen-year-old Mirra Andreeva beat Elina Avanesyan 7-5 6-4 in 1 hour and 41 minutes to reach her second quarter final of 2024.

Andreeva went up a break in the seventh game, but Avanesyan pulled back on serve to draw level to 4-4. Andreeva broke for the second time in the 11^th game to win the second set 7-5. Andreeva broke in the first game to open up a 2-0 lead. Avanesyan converted her third break-back point in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Andreeva broke serve at love in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Avanesyan broke back in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4. Andreeva broke for the third time in the ninth game and served out the win on her second match point after saving two break points.