Djokovic, Murray, Nadal Through, Federer Out Of Italian Open

Andy Murray defeated Jeremy Chardy to reach the quarter-finals of the Italian Open in Rome.

The world number three raced through the first set – but had to come from a break down in the second before sealing a 6-0 6-4 victory over a Frenchman.

Britain’s Murray, 28, will meet David Goffin, who thrashed Tomas Berdych 6-0 6-0, for a place in the last four.

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal both won, but Roger Federer was beaten by world number 15 Dominic Thiem.

Murray, the number two seed, has had his path to the final cleared after Stan Wawrinka – the number four seed and in the same half of the draw as the Scot – was beaten in three sets by Juan Monaco.

The victory over the world number 32 Chardy continues his build-up to the French Open, which begins on 22 May, and follows a run to the semi-finals in Madrid last week.

Asked about Goffin’s one-sided win over Berdych, Murray told BBC Sport: “The scoreline was the big surprise.

“Goffin’s a top quality player so it was a match that could go either way, but a very surprising scoreline – you don’t see results like that much nowadays, at this top level anyway.”

Murray is now guaranteed to return to number two in the rankings next week, following Federer’s defeat.

“It’s not incredibly important but it’s positive,” he said. “Being seeded two is a little bit better than being seeded three or four in the major events, it can help the draw a little bit for sure. It’s a positive thing.”

On court for an hour and 17 minutes, Murray won 87% of points when he landed his first serve and only gave Chardy a sniff when mistakes in the second set followed a virtually error-free first.

But from 3-4 down, three consecutive games, including two breaks, confirmed a passage to the semi-finals.

Federer, who has struggled with a back injury, lost 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 to Austrian Thiem, who moves on to face Kei Nishikori.

The 34-year-old Swiss, a 17-time Grand Slam winner, made 34 unforced errors and said he fears for his chances at Roland Garros.

“I see my chances as not great to have the most unbelievable run,” said Federer.

“But if maybe in three, four days I can practise 100% for next week, then I believe that something is possible again.”

Djokovic bounces back from bagel

World number one Djokovic, who will reach $100m (£69m) in career prize money if he defends his title at the Foro Italico, battled past world number 37 Tomaz Belluci in three sets in strange circumstances.

The Serb was ‘bagelled’ for only the ninth time in his career, winning only eight points in the first set.

He then offered animated celebrations when he scraped a hold of serve in the first game of the second.

From there, though, he moved to a 0-6 6-3 6-2 victory and a quarter-final meeting with Nadal, who defeated Australian Nick Kyrgios in three sets.

BBC

Djokovic, Murray, Nadal Through, Federer Out Of Italian Open

Murray To Play Nadal In Madrid Semi-Finals

Defending champion Andy Murray beat Tomas Berdych 6-3, 6-2 to progress to the semi-finals of the Madrid Open.

The Scot produced arguably his best performance of the season to record a first win over the Czech on clay.

Murray, who beat 16th seed Gilles Simon to reach the quarter-finals, won 92% of his first-serve points and denied eighth-seed Berdych any break points.

The world number two, 28, will face nine-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal in the last four.

Home favourite Nadal, who is looking for a third successive tournament victory following his wins in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, beat Portuguese world number 35 Joao Sousa 6-0, 4-6, 6-3.

The former Wimbledon and US Open champion says he is ready for the semi-final against Nadal, after training with the 14-time Grand Slam winner ahead of the tournament.

“You prepare to play against the best clay court player of all time and get yourself ready for that challenge mentally,” he told BBC Sport.

“I practised with him in Mallorca for a few days, which was good.

“It’s great practice, but you can see some things, as well.”

Murray believes his game is in good shape ahead of the French Open, which begins on 22 May, after a remodelling of his second serve over the winter.

BBC

Murray To Play Nadal In Madrid Semi-Finals

Publish All My Drug Test Results - Nadal

World number five Rafael Nadal has invited the International Tennis Federation to publish the results of all of his drugs tests.

The Spaniard is suing former French government minister Roselyne Bachelot, who accused him of doping.

In a letter to the ITF, he said people should not “speak without evidence”.

The 29-year-old added: “Please make all my information public, my biological passport and my complete history of anti-doping tests.”

On receipt of the letter, the ITF said the 14-time Grand Slam champion has never failed a drugs test and is free to make public his anti-doping records, to which he has full access.

Nadal also asked the ITF to communicate all future occasions on which he is tested and the results, as soon as they are ready.

Earlier this year, women’s world number nine Maria Sharapova admitted to testing positive for meldonium at this year’s Australian Open. The Russian is serving a provisional suspension and faces a lengthy ban.

British number one Andy Murray told the Mail on Sunday this month he had been suspicious of some opponents who “don’t seem to be getting tired”.

The issue of full disclosure of athletes’ anti-doping results has proved controversial in other sports.

British Athletics warned past and present athletes against allowing their blood data to be revealed, warning results could be “misinterpreted”.

However, several athletes – including distance runners Mo Farah and Jo Pavey – have said results should be made public.

BBC

Publish All My Drug Test Results - Nadal

Rafael Nadal Sues French Ex-Minister Over Doping Claims

World number five Rafael Nadal has filed a lawsuit against former French government minister Roselyne Bachelot, who accused him of doping.

“I intend to defend my integrity and my image as an athlete but also the values I have defended all my career,” the Spaniard, 29, said in a statement.

Last month, former Minister for Health and Sport Bachelot said Nadal’s seven-month absence in 2012 was “probably due to a positive doping test”.

He says he had tendinitis and a virus.

“I wish to avoid any public figure from making insulting or false allegations against an athlete using the media, without any evidence,” added 14-time Grand Slam winner Nadal.

He had already announced his intention to sue Bachelot, saying: “I am tired about these things. I let it go a few times in the past. Not any more.”

Bachelot, 69, served in Nicolas Sarkozy’s government from 2007 to 2010. She has since left politics.

BBC

Rafael Nadal Sues French Ex-Minister Over Doping Claims

Rafael Nadal Equals Clay-Court Title Record

Rafael Nadal has equalled Guillermo Vilas’ record of 49 clay-court titles by beating Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-4 7-5 in the final of the Barcelona Open.

The 29-year-old Spaniard, who won the Monte Carlo Masters last week, has now won his opening 10 matches of the European clay-court season.

Nishikori won this event in 2014 and 2015 but was left to rue a series of missed break-point opportunities.

Argentine Vilas won 49 clay-court titles in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Nadal has a chance to beat that mark in May as he is set to play in events in Madrid and Rome before he goes for a 10th French Open title at Roland Garros.

In Barcelona, he saved seven of eight break chances in the opening set and converted both of the opportunities he got as Nishikori lost a set for the first time in the tournament.

Nadal led 4-1 in the second set, but was pegged back to 4-4 before he went on to win the tournament for a ninth time and collect the 69th professional title of his career.

“I think I served well which was very important,” said the world number five. “The fact I had a good percentage of first serves allowed me to play better.

“In the second set I let a lot of opportunities go, but I am very happy to have resisted mentally and happy to win.”

BBC

Rafael Nadal Equals Clay-Court Title Record

Nadal To Play Nishikori For Ninth Barcelona Title

One week after completing his ninth title run at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, Rafael Nadal will vie for a ninth crown at another happy hunting ground.

The top seeded Spaniard will look to dethrone two-time defending champion Kei Nishikori on Sunday after downing Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 6-3 in the semis of the Barcelona Open.

Bidding for an unprecedented ninth victory on home soil, he is hoping to lift his first trophy in three years, adding to crowns in 2005-’09 and 2011-’13 at the Real Club Tenis Barcelona-1899.

“Tomorrow I will play against one of the world’s best players and it will be complicated,” said Nadal. “I have to play a great match to win the final.”

Nadal had his entire shotmaking arsenal on display against Kohlschreiber, firing 18 winners and claiming 80 per cent of first serve points. He denied his lone break point faced, while capitalising on three of eight on the German’s serve.

Nadal broke for a 4-2 lead in the first set when a Kohlschreiber forehand clipped the tape and sailed long. The Spaniard continued to apply the pressure in the second, and after failing to convert on three break points in the fifth game, he took his fourth chance for 4-3 and another to seal the victory two games later.

He struck a deep return at Kohlschreiber’s feet and a backhand winner to the open court to emerge victorious on his first match point after one hour and 32 minutes.

The World No. 5 advanced to his 101st tour-level final, where he will look to continue his winning ways against Nishikori. Nadal owns an 8-1 advantage in their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry, with their lone final encounter also coming on Spanish soil, in Madrid two years ago.

Should Nadal prevail on Sunday, he would earn a record-tying 49th career clay-court crown, pulling level with Guillermo Vilas.

ATP

Nadal To Play Nishikori For Ninth Barcelona Title

Rafael Nadal Wins Ninth Monte Carlo Masters Title

Rafael Nadal claimed a ninth Monte Carlo Masters title with victory over Frenchman Gael Monfils.

Nadal, who beat Andy Murray in the last four, won 7-5, 5-7, 6-0, his 68th win from 100 finals on the ATP World Tour.

A double fault from Monfils, 29, closed out the first set in Nadal’s favour and the Spaniard recovered from losing the second to see off the 13th seed in two hours 46 minutes.

The 29-year-old has now won clay-court titles in each of the past 13 years.

Nadal won eight consecutive titles before losing the 2013 final to Novak Djokovic and called his first Masters honour since Madrid two years ago “so special”.

“I had a tough season last year, but I’ve had better preparation this year – even with a tough start to the season,” added Nadal, who withdrew from last month’s Miami Open with a virus.

“It’s great to win a Masters title again. I hope this week will help me a lot.”

It is a record-equaling 28th Masters title for Nadal, bringing him alongside top-ranked Djokovic, but a third Masters final defeat for Monfils.

They conceded 34 break points between them with Nadal converting eight of his 21 chances to edge his opponent, who managed five from 13.

Monfils, a runner-up in the Rotterdam Open in February, earned the backing of the Monte Carlo Country Club crowd as he tested Nadal throughout.

But having earlier saved set point, the pressure told on the Frenchman and he double-faulted to hand fifth seed Nadal a close-fought opening set.

The pair traded five breaks of serve in a grueling second, but it was Monfils who edged the former world number one to level.

Nadal then took control of the decider and raced into a 5-0 lead before landing a forehand winner at match point to win for the ninth time in Monte Carlo as he builds to next month’s French Open, which he will be seeking to win for a 10th time.

Credit: BBC

Rafael Nadal Wins Ninth Monte Carlo Masters Title

Nadal To Play Monfils In Monte Carlo Masters Final

Eight-time winner Rafael Nadal recovered from a set down to beat Britain’s Andy Murray to reach the Monte Carlo Masters final.

Murray broke twice to take the opening set 6-2, but wilted under the Spaniard’s power and accuracy to lose the next two 6-4, 6-2.

The win was Nadal’s seventh over Murray in eight meetings on clay and puts him into his 100th ATP World Tour final.

He faces Gael Monfils who beat fellow Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-1, 6-3.

Murray beat Nadal for the first time on clay in last year’s Madrid Masters final, but his hopes of being only the third player to earn back-to-back victories over the world number five on the surface were dashed in a brutal two-and-a-half-hour encounter.

Monfils overwhelms TsongaNadal will start a short-priced favourite when he plays France’s number 13 seed Gael Monfils in Sunday’s final.

Monfils started underdog against compatriot and eighth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the other semi, but took advantage of his opponent’s sluggishness around the court to dominate throughout.

Tsonga was a shadow of the player who beat Roger Federer in Friday’s quarter-final and even when he managed to break Monfils to get back on serve at 4-3 in the second set, he immediately lost his own again, allowing his compatriot to close out the match in comfort.

Credit: BBC

Nadal To Play Monfils In Monte Carlo Masters Final

Novak Djokovic Beats Rafael Nadal In Indian Wells Semis

Novak Djokovic overcame Rafael Nadal to set up a meeting with Milos Raonic in Sunday’s final of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.

Serbia’s world number one defeated Nadal 7-6, (7-5), 6-2 for a 10th win in their last 11 meetings.

Djokovic needed to save a set point in the opener but gradually turned on the power against the Spaniard.

Earlier, Raonic had to work hard to beat Belgium’s David Goffin 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to reach his 17th career ATP final.

The Canadian, who is now the world number 14, sent down 10 aces against Goffin, who had beaten French Open champion Stan Wawrinka on his way to the last four.

He roared through the first set in 34 minutes but struggled with his serve in the second before recovering his composure with an early break in the decider to help seal victory.

“I feel even when I am not playing my best I am able to find the answers,” said Raonic, who is coming back after six weeks off with a torn thigh muscle.

“I am definitely able to play at a higher level this year and when a crisis occurs during a match I can find the solutions better.

Djokovic and Nadal traded blows in a tense opening set, with the Serb battling hard at 4-5 to level the match.

He overcame that scare to force a tie-break and went 4-1 up before Nadal levelled at 5-5, but Djokovic edged ahead for his first set point and took it when Nadal netted.

But the second set belonged to Djokovic as Nadal struggled before holding his serve in his opening service game, which went on for over 11 minutes.

Although Nadal worked hard to stay in the match, Djokovic was able to do enough to keep his nose in front, breaking to go 4-2 ahead and quickly wrap up victory to stay on course for his fifth Indian Wells title.

Credit: BBC

Novak Djokovic Beats Rafael Nadal In Indian Wells Semis

Nadal To Face Djokovic In Indian Wells Semis

Rafael Nadal beat a top-10 player for the first time this year as he saw off Kei Nishikori to reach the BNP Paribas Open semi-finals in Indian Wells.

Fourth seed Nadal, the champion in 2007, 2009 and 2013, won 6-4 6-3 against Japan’s world number seven.

The Spaniard will face world number one Novak Djokovic, who beat seventh seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-2).

“I beat a top-10 player and that is something that is important for my confidence,” said Nadal, 29.

“I feel I am strong mentally and I have the right energy. I am able to fight for every ball and I now believe in myself the whole match.”

Four-time champion Djokovic was pushed hard by Tsonga but the Serb proved stronger in the tie-breaks than the Frenchman, taking his record for 2016 to 20 wins and one defeat.

“The fact that I have beaten somebody that was feeling good throughout the week, somebody that serves big and plays quick and efficient precise forehands, that gave me a lot of trouble, is going to help my confidence,” said 28-year-old Djokovic.

The pair have played each other 47 times, with Djokovic 24-23 ahead.

“It’s a game of cat and mouse,” he said. “In a way, mentally, who is going to be on top first usually ends up as winner.

“I know the very beginning of the match is very, very important so I’m going to try to start well.”

Canada’s Milos Raonic will take on Belgian David Goffin in the other semi-final.

Nadal To Face Djokovic In Indian Wells Semis

Indian Wells: Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams advance

Rafael Nadal reached the BNP Paribas Open quarter-finals in Indian Wells after winning the last five games to beat Alexander Zverev 6-7 6-0 7-5.

Nadal faced a match point but the 18-year-old German missed an easy volley – admitting: “On match point I sucked.”

Three-time champion Nadal plays Japan’s Kei Nishikori next and could face Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.

Serena Williams beat defending champion Simona Halep 6-4 6-3 to reach the last four in the women’s draw.

The world number one now plays Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska, who beat Petra Kvitova 6-2 7-6 and will reclaim the world number two ranking when the new list is released on Monday.

“She knows how to play in big stadiums and big matches, big games,” Williams said of Halep.

Zverev has been widely tipped as the teenager most likely to make the breakthrough among the game’s elite and he went agonisingly close to a landmark win over Nadal.

The 6ft 6in German, the younger brother of tour player Mischa Zverev, led 5-3 and 40-30 in the final set, only to make three straight unforced errors.

Nadal, 29, battled back impressively, but had glowing praise for the teenager, who is set to rise to a career-high ranking of 52 next week.

“He is amazingly talented,” said Nadal. “He is probably going to be the number one in the world.

“With his second serve at 120mph, with a lot of spin and at 124, 123, 120mph, it was impossible. If he puts the first serve in at over 130 mph then you are in big trouble.

“So I think that I’m here, and still alive.”

Djokovic finds his form

The world number one beat Spain’s Feliciano Lopez 6-3 6-3 to set up a quarter-final with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France.

Djokovic had not been at his best in the previous rounds but saw off Lopez with little trouble.

“I was very solid. I didn’t allow him to come to the net too many times,” said the Serb. “It was a good performance.”

David Goffin beat French Open champion and third seed Stan Wawrinka 6-3 5-7 7-6 (7-5), while Milos Raonic knocked out sixth seed Tomas Berdych 6-4 7-6 (9-7).

Indian Wells: Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams advance