Tennis Frontier

Category: ATP Tour

Tennis Frontier News from the ATP Tour.

Djokovic Survives Federer in Desert Classic at Indian Wells

Indian Wells is considered by many to be the “Fifth Slam” — arguably the most important of the ATP 1000 tournaments. This year’s edition featured upsets (Nadal and Murray), and the emergence of some of men’s tennis’s more promising younger players (Dolgopolov, Gulbis, and Dimitrov). However, when all was shaken out, it still came down to two stalwarts: Djokovic and Federer. The complete overhaul of the men’s game will have to wait.

The set-up was big: Federer was playing a renewed game with his bigger racquet, and Djokovic was having his worst start of the year since 2006. Roger, who had beaten Novak in Dubai, and gone on to win the title, was having a far better start to his year than last, when he won only one title, a 500-level tournament, in Halle. The prevailing wisdom was that Djokovic needed the win more than Federer.

In the first set, Federer came out aggressive and tricky. He was all over the court, and up at the net often, which clearly had Djokovic off-balance. The Serb started slowly, with a shaky serve, and the Swiss broke his first service game. Federer continued the attack, and won the first set 6-3.

The second set saw a steadier Djokovic, and a less-aggressive Federer. The Serb’s serve was much stronger, and he was making inroads into the Federer serve, which had dropped considerably. Also, Federer had faded from his attacking stance, preferring to go toe-to-toe at the baseline with Djokovic, who broke in the seventh game of the set for 5-3. Federer’s first serve was abandoning him at this point, while Djokovic’s was getting better. He won the second set 6-3.

The third set held all of the intrigues that the match warranted. Djokovic broke Federer’s serve in the third game, but the Serb failed to serve it out at 5-4. Federer seemed to remember that the attacking game had gotten him the first set, but rather too late. Though he got the match to a tiebreak, Djokovic’s stronger serving and better baseline game got him the trophy. Final score: 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(3.)

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Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Marianne Bevis

March 17, 2014
Delbonis Defeats Lorenzi in Brazil Open

Federico Delbonis, the 23-year-old Argentine, defeated Paolo Lorenzi of Italy in Sao Paolo today, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to take the title at the Brazil Open. It was only the second final for Delbonis, and the first for the 32-year-old Italian, with the Argentine coming up with his first trophy.

Delbonis was ranked No. 61 going into the tournament, and should get to a career-high No. 44 when the rankings come out tomorrow; Lorenzi, No. 114 this week, will get to No. 100, having ever reached a career best No. 49 in the ATP World Rankings.

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Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Carine06

March 2, 2014
Dimitrov Outlasts Anderson in Acapulco

Grigor Dimitrov won his first 500-level ATP title at the Abierto Telcel Mexicano, defeating Kevin Anderson of South Africa in a nearly three-hour match that went into the wee hours of Sunday, 7-6(1), 3-6, 7-6(5). The 22-year-old Bulgarian had won only one previous title, in Stockholm last year, though he is deemed one of the bright future stars, and this win gives some encouragement to that notion. For Anderson, the loss was his second consecutive in a final, having lost in Delray last week, though both players will see a rise in the rankings on Monday, Anderson most likely to a career high 17-18.

The two players were fairly evenly matched through the first set, though Dimitrov sprinted through the tiebreak to take the first set, but the young Bulgarian faded a bit in the second, and Anderson went up 3-0. He won the second at 3, and went up an early break in the third, needing only to hang onto his big serve to win his first 500 title, but he double-faulted to give the break back in the eighth game, and the momentum shifted back to Dimitrov. The second tiebreak was a much tighter affair, but the Bulgarian took the title on his first match point.

It was an unexpected final match-up, in a tournament that this year included a rather new cast of characters due to a surface change. The Abierto Mexicano has switched to hard courts and become appealing as a tune-up to the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells. But even considering the change, it was a surprise final line-up. Dimitrov had taken out No. 2 seed Andy Murray the day before, and Anderson had seen off the top seed, David Ferrer, by retirement.

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Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Marianne Bevis

March 2, 2014
Federer Wins Record Sixth Dubai Title

Roger Federer rebounded from a set and a break deficit to defeat Tomas Berdych 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 for the trophy at the Dubai Duty Free Championships. It was a topsy-turvy affair, with several swings in momentum and breaks of serve. As Berdych’s first serve percentage dropped, however, Federer’s came up, and the Swiss overall had more winners and fewer unforced errors than the Czech (25-23 v. 20-29.)

Federer defeated Novak Djokovic yesterday to secure his place in the final and the victory today sees him at at 14-2 win-loss start to the year, which seems to bode well, after a less-than-stellar 2013 for the great champion. ‘Things definitely went my way out here tonight,” Federer said. ”I’ve had a lot of tough matches in the last year and a half so it was nice to get a lucky break again.”

Berdych recently the saw the end to his even longer drought, winning the title in Rotterdam three weeks ago, ending an 18-month streak without a trophy. ”He’s the greatest player of all time and he’ll never give up and give you anything for free,” Berdych said. ”I knew that and thought I was ready for it, but my execution wasn’t good enough to hold it to the end.”

The win gives Federer his 78th career title, putting him one above John McEnroe, and alone at third on the all-time list behind Jimmy Connors (109) and Ivan Lendl (94). In addition, as his first title of 2014 (first since Halle last June), the win in Dubai means that Roger has won at least one title in each of the last 14 years.

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Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Marianne Bevis

March 2, 2014
Cilic Wins Delray

In a battle of the big men, Marin Cilic of Croatia won the Del Ray Open in Florida, 7-6(6), 6-7(7), 6-4. Cilic was serving for the match in the second, but the South African found a way to break, and then won the tiebreak, forcing the third set. It was a tight match, but Anderson was always playing catch-up.

Cilic has recently taken on Goran Ivanisevic as his coach, which seems to be producing the results that have long been awaiting him. One amongst a string of 1990’s celebrity players to start coaching current stars, this seems to have some legs and make some sense. Cilic is surely on a roll.

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Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Marianne Bevis

February 24, 2014
Nadal Wins Inaugural Rio Open 500

Everything old is new again. As Rio de Janeiro brings ATP 500 tennis back to the Carioca city, Rafael Nadal defeated Alexandr Dolgopolov of the Ukraine, 6-3, 7-6(3) in the inaugural Rio Open. The old was Nadal winning on clay. The new was the tournament, and the renewed play by Dolgopolov of the Ukraine, who has been a rising star, though with troubles along the way.

The Ukrainian upset David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro to get to the final. His quirky style of play may have been recently served by joining forces with another “eccentric” player, Fabrice Santoro, the Frenchman who is also known as “The Magician.” It seems a coaching choice made in heaven. A Kiev native, Dolgopolov wore a black ribbon on his chest, and spoke in his final remarks of the struggles of the people in his country, to sustained applause. Brazil has also suffered unrest in recent months.

For Nadal, it was his 62nd title, his 43rd on clay. After a huge battle with Pablo Andujar in the semifinals yesterday, it was not completely clear that Nadal would win today. But some things never change. Nadal wins again on clay, but Dolgopolov comes out of it with renewed encouragement.

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In the women’s final, Kurumi Nara defeated the No. 1 seed, Klara Zakopalova, 6-1, 4-6, 6-1. It was the first WTA title for the 22-year-old Japanese player.

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Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Marianne Bevis

February 24, 2014
Nishikori Repeats in Memphis

Japan’s Kei Nishikori defeated the big-serving Croat Ivo Karlovic, 6-4, 7-6(0) today in Memphis to successfully defend his U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships.

“It’s amazing to defend a title for the first time, especially here,” Nishikori said. “I had a great memory from last year and I’m playing great.”

The win gave Nishikori his fourth ATP World Tour title. He has taken Michael Chang as his new coach and improves to 11-2 this season.

Nishikori secured an early break in the third game of the match and despite 20 aces from Karlovic, he took the second-set tiebreak at love, and the final in 90 minutes.

“He’s really fast,” Karlovic said. “He hits winners from any position on the court. That’s his game. He returned really well.”

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Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Marianne Bevis

February 17, 2014
Berdych Ends Drought; Wins Rotterdam

Tomas Berdych made short work of Marin Cilic today, beating him 6-4, 6-2 to win the ABN AMRO tournament in the Netherlands. This is his first trophy in 16 months, having gone all of last season without a title. He was the only player in the Top 10 last year without one.

“It feels absolutely amazing,” Berdych said. “It’s been a while, actually 16 months since I won a title. To win a title in Rotterdam it’s a nice bonus. I’m extremely happy with the way I handled it throughout the week. I’ve been serving pretty well, which has been the strong part of my game.”

It was indeed serving that gave the Czech the advantage. He recorded nine aces and had an 82% first serve stat. The downfall for Cilic was 22 unforced-errors. The match was over in 75 minutes.

Cilic, who is newly coached by Goran Ivanisevic, is now 14-4 on the season, a strong start, despite the loss today.

“It was a tough one today,” said Cilic. “What made the difference in the end was that Tomas served really well …. Overall I think the tournament was great. I played great tennis and enjoyed it here. I had a great run of nine [straight] wins and I hope to make that run soon again.”

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Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Marianne Bevis

February 17, 2014
Ferrer Makes History in Buenos Aires

David Ferrer became the first player to win three consecutive titles at the Copa Claro in Argentina today, defeating Fabio Fognini 6-4, 6-3. The win gives him a 7-0 head-to-head over the Italian. It also snapped a run of losses in finals by the Spaniard (his previous seven), while ending what has been a very good run of fortune for the Italian.

Ferrer led 3-0 to start the final, before Fognini evened things to 3-3. The Spaniard broke to win the first set, and broke again at the start of the second.

Fognini was contesting the final for a fifth straight clay-court tournament and looking to win his fourth title. He triumphed last week at the Royal Guard Open Chile, the opening tournament of the Golden Swing, and entered Buenos Aires at a career-high No. 14 in the Emirates ATP Rankings.

Sunday’s loss snapped Fognini’s 10-match winning streak and marked just his second loss in his last 25 clay-court matches. For Ferrer, who goes back up to No. 4 on Monday, this is his 21st career title, 11 of those coming on clay.

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Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Marianne Bevis

February 17, 2014
Fognini Dispatches Mayer in Vina del Mar

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

February 10, 2014