Tennis Frontier

Author: Owen Gigg

  • Serena Williams Stunned in Paris by Garbine Muguruza

    Serena Williams Stunned in Paris by Garbine Muguruza

    Serena Williams

    Defending Champion and World Number One Serena Williams has been dumped out of the French Open in little over an hour by unheralded Spaniard Garbine Muguruza.

    Muguruza showed few nerves and dominated the match from start to finish en route to a 6-2, 6-2 victory. Williams appeared uncharacteristically flat and her game was littered with unforced errors.

    “I’m very happy,” stated Muguruza after the sensational upset. She will now meet Anna Schmiedlova, who defeated Serena’s sister Venus Williams just an hour earlier.

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    Cover Photo: Marianne Bevis

  • Eugenie Bouchard Wins Title in Nuremberg

    Eugenie Bouchard Wins Title in Nuremberg

    Eugenie Bouchard

    Canadian starlet Eugenie Bouchard broke through to win her first WTA title with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Karolina Pliskova to secure the Nuremberg Cup.

    Bouchard looked comfortable after bagging the opening set, and seemed to be cruising at 4-2 in the second. She then began experiencing problems with her serve. Pliskova accepted the invitation to get back in the match and duly reeled off four straight games to take the second set and level proceedings. The streak continued with her adding another game to take an early lead in the third.

    The deciding set was a roller coaster ride with both players being broken on multiple occasions before Bouchard steadied the ship to prevail and take her maiden title.

    “This is kind of like a stepping stone for me. Winning a WTA title is of course a goal I’ve had, and I’m so happy to accomplish it,” stated a relieved Bouchard after the match.

    Her win secured the first WTA title for a Canadian woman since Aleksandra Wozniak, in 2008.

    She is now scheduled to take on Israel’s Shahar Peer in her opening match of the French Open at Roland Garros.

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    Cover Photo by Yann Caradec (Creative Commons License)

  • Monica Puig Celebrates Maiden WTA Title

    Monica Puig Celebrates Maiden WTA Title

    Monica Puig

    Unseeded Monica Puig claimed her first WTA title with a straight sets victory over Spain’s
    Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-4, 6-3 in Strasbourg.

    She becomes the first Puerto Rican female to win a WTA title and did not drop a set all week.

    In a dominant display, Puig dropped just nine points on serve all match, two of them double-faults.

    “I woke up this morning and I felt it. I felt I was going to do something amazing,” stated Puig after the match.

    She moves on to another tough assignment in France, where she has been drawn to play 2010 finalist Sam Stosur in her opening match.

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    Cover Photo by si.robi (Creative Commons License)

  • Kohlschreiber Triumphant in Dusseldorf

    Kohlschreiber Triumphant in Dusseldorf

    Philipp Kohlscreiber

    Philipp Kohlschreiber picked up his fifth ATP career title after triumphing on the clay courts of Dusseldorf.

    The 30-year-old German cruised to victory over big serving Ivo Karlovic of Croatia 6-2, 7-6 (4) in 1 hour, 13 minutes.

    “I’ll be taking [ATP] points, self-confidence and a sense of fun to Paris, it’s simply a great feeling” stated Kohlschreiber after the match. He evened his career head-to-head against Karlovic to 2-2.

    He will next face Pere Riba of Spain in the opening round of the French Open at Roland Garros.

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    Photo courtesy of si.robi (Creative Commons)

  • Roger Federer Arrives in Italy for the Rome Masters

    Roger Federer Arrives in Italy for the Rome Masters

    Roger Federer on red clay - 01

    Roger Federer has confirmed his arrival in Italy via Twitter to the delight of his fans.

    The 17-time Major winner had withdrawn from the Madrid Masters to spend time with his family following the birth of twin sons Lenny and Leo.

    His agent Tony Godsick previously said the former world No. 1 would make a last minute decision to play the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. Following Federer’s arrival in Italy, this now looks almost certain. His scheduled opening match is a second round clash with Jeremy Chardy.

  • Federer Family Welcome New Additions

    Federer Family Welcome New Additions

    Roger Federer

    Roger and Mirka Federer are celebrating the birth of two new additions to the family.

    Twins, Leo and Lenny were born on the evening of the 6th May.

    “Mirka and I are so incredibly happy to share that Leo and Lenny were born this evening! Twins again.. miracle!” came the announcement from the former World No. 1.

    Federer pulled out of the Madrid Masters to spend time with his family.

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    Cover Photo: Kenneth Hong, (Creative Commons License)

  • Fognini Dispatches Mayer in Vina del Mar

    Fognini Dispatches Mayer in Vina del Mar

    Fabio Fognini

    Fabio Fognini clinched his third career title and first of 2014 in a comfortable straight sets win over Leonardo Mayer at the Royal Guard Open, Vina del Mar, Chile.

    The 6-2, 6-4 scoreline was secured on the back of a strong service game with Mayer only winning seven points against the Italian’s serve.

    Fognini raced to a 4-0 lead in the first set and Mayer, who was playing his first tour final, was never able to recover. He was broken again in the third game of the second set as Fognini stormed toward the title.

    Fognini squandered two match points in the ninth game, but it proved to be a short-lived respite for his Argentine opponent as victory was sealed in the following game.

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    Cover Photo: carine06, Creative Commons Licence

     

  • Gael Monfils Wins the Open Sud De France

    Gael Monfils Wins the Open Sud De France

    Gael Monfils

    Gael Monfils defeated fellow Frenchman Richard Gasquet 6-3 6-4, en route to winning his fifth career title at the Open Sud de France in Montpellier.

    Monfils never looked in danger of losing his service game, banging down nine aces and didn’t face a single break point during the match.

    His overall dominance was further highlighted by 34 winners to top seeded Gasquet’s 17.

    “This is unbelievable for me,” said Monfils. “I had some back problems at the beginning of the week and I didn’t know if I was going to be able to play.”

    Monfils has had a stellar start to the season, his only two defeats of 2014 coming to World No. 1 Rafael Nadal.

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    Cover Photo: Christian Mesiano, Creative Commons

  • Cilic Defeats Haas to Win in Zagreb

    Cilic Defeats Haas to Win in Zagreb

    Marin Cilic

    Croat Marin Cilic won his fourth Zagreb title defeating top seed Tommy Haas 6-3, 6-4.

    Cilic got off to a slow start and was broken in the opening game by the 35-year-old Haas before recovering to take five of the next six games to seize control of the opening set. Haas was unable to recover and the remainder of the set played out to serve with Cilic taking it 6-3.

    The second set was closely contested with Haas having an opportunity to break for a 4-2 lead. He wasn’t able to capitalize and Cilic fought back by holding serve and then broke Haas to jump out to a 5-3 lead.

    Haas did manage to save one match point but Cilic brought proceedings to an end at the second attempt.

    The victory gave Cilic his tenth career title and first since returning from a drug suspension.

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    Cover Photo: angela n (Creative Commons License)

     

  • Davis Cup Results

    Davis Cup Results

    James Ward

    Great Britain moved into the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup for the first time in over 27 years following Andy Murray’s defeat of Sam Querrey to clinch the tie over their American hosts. Murray had already defeated Donald Young in an earlier singles rubber.

    The crucial breakthrough for the British team came when unheralded James Ward shocked Querrey to put the UK in the driving seat going into the final day.

    Full Results:

    Czech Republic 3; Netherlands 2
    Japan 4; Canada 1
    Germany 4; Spain 1
    France 5; Australia 0
    USA 1; Great Britain 3
    Argentina 1; Italy 3
    Kazakhstan 3; Belgium 2
    Serbia 2; Switzerland 3

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    Cover Photo: Carine06, Creative Commons License (James Ward, GB)