Rafael Nadal Wins in Straight Sets to Reach Fourth Round at Wimbledon

Posted on July 7, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

It’s on to the next one for Rafael Nadal…

The 31-year-old Spanish tennis star beat Russia’s Karen Khachanov 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (3) on Centre Court to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon.

Nadal is now three matches away from regaining his former ranking as the No. 1 player in the world.

If he reaches the final at the All England Club, the two-time Wimbledon champion will take over from Andy Murray as the top-ranked player in the world.

The fourth-seeded Nadal also extended his Grand Slam winning streak to 28 sets, tying himself for third among men in the Open Era. He also won 28 sets in a row in Grand Slam events in 2010.

Roger Federer holds the record in the Open Era, winning 36 consecutive sets in Grand Slam matches spanning from 2006 into 2007.

John McEnroe won 35 straight in 1984.

Nadal will next face France’s Gilles Muller in the fourth round.

Zeballos Defeats Karen Khachanov to Reach Barcelona Open Semifinals

Posted on April 29, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Horacio Zeballos is one win away from a long-awaited return to a tournament final… But, he’ll have to take down the defending champion to get there.

The 32-year-old Argentine tennis player didn’t drop a serve in beating Russia’s Karen Khachanov 6-4, 6-1 at the Barcelona Open to reach the semifinals.

Zeballos, currently ranked No. 84 in the world, will play defending champion Rafael Nadal.

Zeballos is trying to reach his first ATP final since a memorable title run at the Chile Open four years ago.

Zeballos won his first pro title in February 2013 at that same Viña del Mar tournament. In the final, he beat Nadal, becoming one of the only four players (with Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray) to beat the former world no. 1 in a clay-court final.

Nadal Defeats Gael Monfils at the Australian Open to Reach His 30th Career Grand Slam Quarterfinal

Posted on January 24, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Rafael Nadal is one step closer to a real comeback…

The 30-year-old Spanish tennis star and former World No. 1, who hasn’t won a Grand Slam since taking the French Open title in 2014, defeated sixth-seeded Gael Monfils in four sets on Monday to reach the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the 30th time.

Nadal’s victory is even prompting talk of a possible Australian Open final against Roger Federer.

With No. 1-ranked Andy Murray and No. 2 Novak Djokovic — the two most consistent performers in the past six years at Melbourne Park — upset in the first week, Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic, Nadal’s next opponent, is the highest-ranked player left in the draw.

He advanced to the last eight here for the third straight year with a 7-6 (6), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over No. 13 Roberto Bautista Agut.

Nadal, seeded No. 9 at this tournament, is the only major winner still in contention on the bottom half of the draw, although he hasn’t added to his tally of 14 majors since the capturing the French Open in 2014.

Federer, in the top half of the draw, plays Mischa Zverev on Tuesday, and would have to beat him and either Stan Wawrinka or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga — the other quarterfinalists playing Tuesday — to advance to the final.

Nadal’s 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 win over US Open semifinalist Monfils in the fourth round was his first over a top-10 player at a Grand Slam since that run to his last title at Roland Garros. It also ended a four-match losing streak against top-10 players.

“Being in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam after couple of years not being there is very special for me,” said Nadal, who last progressed this far at the 2015 French Open.

It also showed that after a couple of months off to rest his injured left wrist, he is still a contender at the majors. He hasn’t won an Australian title since 2009.

He went up a break early in the first two sets, had his chances in the third before Monfils rallied, and then traded breaks in the fourth before breaking the acrobatic Frenchman to win. Overall, he converted six of 17 break point chances.

del Potro Defeats Jack Sock at the Stockholm Open to End Long ATP Title Drought

Posted on October 24, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

It’s the end of a long drought for Juan Martin del Potro…

The 28-year-old Argentine tennis player won the Stockholm Open on Sunday to end a 33-month title drought, beating sixth-seeded Jack Sock 7-5, 6-1.

del Potro, who has struggled with wrist problems in recent years, won his 19th ATP tour title — and his first since winning in Sydney in 2014.

The Argentine, who did not drop a set during the tournament, broke his American opponent’s serve four times in the final and never faced a break point.

“I’ve been trying to fix my problems for the past two years and I didn’t expect to win a title at this moment in my career,” the 28-year-old del Potro said. “I am so happy to get the trophy here. It’s motivation for looking forward to the future.”

Both players held serve until 5-5 of the opening set, when del Potro raised his game to emerge with a one-set lead.

Sock seemed tired in the second set, holding serve only once and winning just two points when returning serve.

“His serve is massive and very tough to read, which put more pressure on my serve,” Sock said. “I’ve had a long week here and it might have caught up with me a bit.”

Midway through the match Sock requested medical treatement for pain in his arm.

del Potro, beaten by Andy Murray for the gold medal at the 2016 Rio Games, reached his second final of the year after beating 2013 champion Grigor Dimitrov in the semifinals.

Mayer Defeats Britain’s Dan Evans to Secure Argentina’s Spot in the Davis Cup Finals

Posted on September 19, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Leonardo Mayer will return to his home country a hero…

The 29-year-old Argentine tennis player came from behind to defeat Britain’s Dan Evans 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-4 in the decisive fifth match to defeat defending champions Great Britain in the Davis Cup semifinals.

After Andy Murray beat Guido Pella 6-3 6-2 6-3 to level the tie at 2-2, it was confirmed that Argentina’s star man, Juan Martin del Potro, would sit out the final match up and be replaced by ATP world No. 114 Mayer.

“We had to keep it to ourselves until the last moment so Great Britain were thinking a little bit, but we knew from last night that Mayer would play,” said Argentina captain Daniel Orsanic.

In the absence of del Potro, who wasn’t in good enough shape to play on Sunday after wearing himself out after deciding to play in Saturday’s doubles match, it was Mayer who stepped up.

Argentina will now travel to Croatia for the Davis Cup final in November.

del Potro Upsets Andy Murray to Give Argentina a Commanding Davis Cup Semifinal Lead

Posted on September 17, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Juan Martin del Potro continues to pick off tennis’ top-ranked players…

The 27-year-old Argentine tennis player ended Andy Murray‘s 14-match winning streak in the Davis Cup, coming through with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4 victory in 5 hours, 7 minutes to gain a measure of revenge after losing the Olympic final to Murray last month.

It was the longest match of both players’ careers.

Del Potro’s win leaves Argentina thisclose to its first Davis Cup final since 2011 after taking a 2-0 lead over defending champion Great Britain thanks to singles wins by del Potro and Guido Pella in the semifinal on Friday.

Pella beat Kyle Edmund 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3, 6-2, meaning the Argentines can clinch victory with a day to spare in Glasgow if they win the doubles on Saturday.

Federico Delbonis and Leonardo Mayer are scheduled to play the Murray brothers, Andy and Jamie.

Whether Andy Murray plays is open to question.

Being taken the distance against Del Potro was exactly what Murray didn’t need at the end of his long summer of tennis in which he won both the Wimbledon and Olympic titles for the second time. He looked almost out on his feet at times in an energy-sapping final set, and couldn’t handle the barrage of forehand shots by the rejuvenated Del Potro.

”I’m very proud of how I fought, I did fantastic,” Murray said. ”I fought for every point, tried as best as I could. That’s all you can do.

”It was very fine margins. That happens in tennis and sport sometimes. It could have gone either way.”

del Potro gained the crucial break in the fifth set at the third opportunity, reaching Murray’s angled volley with a forehand winner down the line to go 4-3 ahead, and he served out for the match, clinching victory with an ace and a big growl.

Murray had never previously lost a home singles match in the Davis Cup.

del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion, is a force in tennis once again after returning from three wrist operations that nearly ruined his career. He’s Argentina’s top player but is ranked a lowly No. 64 on his comeback trail, meaning he had to play Murray in the opening match.

”I cannot imagine this moment in my career,” del Potro said. ”This was the type of match I was missing when I was at home.”

Argentina is playing its 11th Davis Cup semifinal in 15 years. The south American country has never won the team event, finishing runner-up in 1981, 2006, 2008, and 2011.

del Potro previously defeated Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in the Olympics this summer, before losing to Murray in the final.

del Potro Settles for Silver in Men’s Singles at the 2016 Rio Games

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Juan Martin del Potro’s remarkable run at this year’s Olympics has come to an end just shy of the gold…

The 27-year-old Argentine tennis player lost to defending Olympic champion Andy Murray in men’s singles final at the 2016 Rio Games with a hard-fought, four-set loss.

Murray needed just over four hours to win 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 against del Potro, who won the bronze medal at the 2012 London Games.

The world number two, who defeated Roger Federer in straight sets to win gold on Wimbledon‘s Centre Court in London four years ago, made an early break on his way to taking the opening set.

But when del Potro bounced back to claim the second, Murray was faced with the prospect of a least two more sets with the men’s Olympic final a best of five match as opposed to the best of three for the rest of the tournament.

Murray rallied to race through the third before sealing victory over a tiring Argentine in a roller-coaster fourth set that featured seven breaks of serve, Murray sealing the win appropriately enough with a break to avoid a tie-break or the need for a fifth set.

del Potro Outlasts Rafael Nadal at the 2016 Rio Games to Reach the Olympic Finals

Posted on August 14, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Juan Martin del Potro is ready to medal up…

The 27-year-old Argentine tennis player, who won the bronze medal at the 2012 London Games, has advanced to the Gold Medal match in Men’s Singles at the 2016 Rio Games.

del Potro ended Rafael Nadal‘s bid for an unprecedented second Olympic singles gold medal in a thrill-a-minute semifinal, then celebrated as if the title were already his, kneeling to kiss the court before leaping into the stands.

del Potro will add a silver or gold to that after advancing to the 2016 Summer Olympics final by coming back to stun 2008 champ Nadal 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (5) in more than 3 hours Saturday.

“Both of us,” Nadal said, “played a very high level.”

Using the same ferocious forehands that carried him past ATP World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the first round a week ago, the 2009 US Open champion now will try to pull off a third surprise on Sunday, when he meets defending Olympic champion Andy Murray in the best-of-five-set final.

“It means something very, very big in my career. It would be the same as the US Open. Maybe even better,” said del Potro, who’s fallen to 141st in the rankings after three operations on his left wrist, which he uses for a two-handed backhand.

“I didn’t expect to reach the final, beating Djokovic and Rafa,” del Potro said, “but I did, and I get a medal, and it’s amazing for me.”

Nadal On Course to Play at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

It’s Rio or bust for Rafael Nadal…

The 28-year-old Spanish tennis star, a former World No. 1, looks to be on course to play at the 2016 Summer Olympics after an encouraging update on his fitness.

Nadal is due to be Spain’s flag-bearer at the 2016 Rio Games but is battling a wrist problem — he previously missed out on the honor due to injury in London four years ago.

Teammate David Ferrer said on Thursday that the 14-time Grand Slam winner will definitely travel to Brazil, while Nadal’s coach and uncle Toni was encouraged by Wednesday’s hit-out with Wimbledon champion Andy Murray.

Ferrer told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser: “I will travel with Rafa on Sunday to Rio.

“His situation is more delicate. It’s never easy to come back after an injury. He will see how he feels.”

Nadal is scheduled to play singles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles in Rio.

And Toni Nadal said: “We began to intensify his training in order to be ready be in time for the first round.

“Training with Andy Murray was a really hard first time with another top player and we are happy. Things worked out well.

“In Rio, we will start training with the maximum-level players and see how Rafael will respond to the difficulty of the competition.

“There are doubts about his game. I believe that is normal – these are the same questions we’ve always had after a period of inactivity. Starting with the Olympics is not easy but if we are lucky in the draw, he can improve step by step.”

del Potro Upsets No. 4 Seed Stan Wawrinka at Wimbledon

Posted on July 2, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Juan Martin del Potro is back and feeling alive…

The 27-year-old Argentine tennis player registered a shock second-round win to knock fourth seed Stan Wawrinka out of the men’s singles at Wimbledon.

del Potro, a former US Open champion, secured a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 win over Wawrinka.

He’s currently ranked No. 165 in the world after missing more than two years because of injury problems.

del Potro, who is in the same half of the draw as Britain’s Andy Murray, will next play France’s 32nd seed Lucas Pouille.

del Potro reached the semifinals at the All-England Club in 2013 but the former world number four is playing in his first Grand Slam since the Australian Open in 2014 after having three wrist operations.

He struggled early on as Wawrinka claimed an early break before comfortably taking the opening set, but del Potro fought back well to take the second.

Both players broke serve twice in the opening four games of a thrilling third set, which del Potro won in a tie-break, before taking the fourth set to wrap up victory.

“It feels amazing,” del Potro told BBC Sport. “I beat one of the guys who is playing great tennis this season and I couldn’t have expected this before today.

“I enjoyed the crowd, they were incredible and I’m very happy.

“It is my second or third career now after all the injuries. I was sad for the last two years and now I am enjoying playing tennis again. I feel alive.”

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Tag Archives: Andy Murray