Garcia-Lopez Defeats Stan Wawrinka in the French Open’s First Major Upset

Posted on May 27, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

The French Open has only just begun… And, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez has already pulled off the tournament’s biggest upset.

The 30-year-old Spanish tennis player defeated Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka in the first round at Roland Garros on Monday, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 6-0.

Wawrinka, the tournament’s third-seed, was playing his first Grand Slam match as a major champion, but he faded against Garcia-Lopez, currently ranked No. 41 in the world.

Surprisingly, Wawrinka looked listless, nothing little like a guy who was seeded No. 3 behind Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic and proclaimed himself “one of the favorites” just a few days earlier

“The match wasn’t good at all,” Wawrinka said. “I don’t have an answer why I didn’t play that good.”

Wawrinka, who had 61 unforced errors and won only 54 percent of the points on his first serve, is the first Australian Open champ to exit in the first round of that year’s French Open since Petr Korda in 1998.

Garcia-Lopez has never been past the third round at a Grand Slam

No. 17 Tommy Robredo of Spain, No. 26 Feliciano Lopez of Spain aand No. 27 Roberto Bautista Agut also advanced.

Giraldo Beats Second-Seed Tommy Robredo to Reach the Quarters at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship

Posted on April 11, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Santiago Giraldo is making a strong run for the title at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship…

The 26-year-old Colombian tennis player upset second-seeded Tommy Robredo on Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship.

Giraldo defeated his Spanish opponent in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.

It’s the second quarterfinals appearance this year for Giraldo, currently ranked No. 89 in the world, in nine tournaments. His best showing in 2014 was a semifinal appearance at Vina del Mar tournament, where he lost to Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer 6-7(2), 3-6.

He’ll next face Alejandro Gonzalez on Friday at River Oaks Country Club. Gonzalez advanced when fifth-seeded Feliciano Lopez retired because of severe allergies. Gonzalez led 6-3, 2-0.

Ferrer Reaches Fifth Straight Quarterfinals at the Mexican Open

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

David Ferrer has extended his quarterfinals appearance streak at the Mexican Open.

The 31-year-old Spanish tenista, the tournament’s top seed, defeated his compatriot Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (1), 6-2 on Wednesday to advance to his fifth-straight quarterfinals at the Mexican tournament.

Ferrer, trying to win his fourth title on Mexican soil, will next play South Africa’s Kevin Anderson, who eliminated American Sam Querrey,7-6 (2), 6-4.

Also Wednesday, Gilles Simon (6) of France beat Donald Young of the United States 6-4, 6-3, Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov downed Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-4 and Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic defeated Dudi Sela of Israel 7-6 (4), 6-2.

Nadal Named the Top Seed at the Australian Open

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It comes as little surprise… But Rafael Nadal has been listed as the top seed at the Australian Open, which gets underway on Monday at Melbourne Park.

The 27-year-old Spanish tennis star, currently ranked No. 1 in the world, recently extended his points lead over Serbia’s Novak Djokovic after clinching the title at the Qatar Open.

Djokovic, the defending champion, is the No. 2-seeded man, followed by David Ferrer, Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, Juan Martin del Potro and 17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer at sixth.

The other Latino seeds include Spain’s Nicolas Almagro at No. 13, Spain’s Tommy Robredo at No. 18, Spain’s Feliciano Lopez and No. 27 and Spain’s Fernando Verdasco at No. 32.

On the women’s side, Serena Williams has been made the top seeds at the Australian Open.

Defending champion Victoria Azarenka is No. 2, followed by Maria Sharapova, Li Na, Agnieszka Radwanska and former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in sixth.

The only Latina to earn at ranking at this year’s Australian Open is Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro at No. 16.

The 32 seeds were only altered twice from the rankings, both because of injuries. No. 29-ranked Jurgen Melzer is not playing due to a left shoulder injury and Maria Kirilenko, who would have been seeded 18th, has a left knee injury.

López Wins Pre-Wimbledon Tournament at Eastbourne

Posted on June 22, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

The third title’s the charm for Feliciano López…

The 31-year-old Spanish tennis player claimed his third career title when he beat the tournament’s second seed Gilles Simon 7-6 (2), 6-7 (5), 6-0 in the Aegon International final at Eastbourne on Saturday, just days before they meet again in the first round at Wimbledon.

Lopez won four of 21 break points and Simon one of six. After an exchange of breaks midway through the first set, López failed to win a set point at 5-4 before taking the tiebreaker.

In the second set it was Simon who held a set point at 5-4 ahead of winning the tiebreaker, before Lopez responded by dominating the final set.

“It’s definitely a good feeling to win the week before Wimbledon,” Lopez said. “Conditions were so tough but we did our best. Hopefully at Wimbledon we can play a better match.”

It’s the first title of the year for López, who currently ranks as the World No. 39. Earlier this year, he reached the finals at the U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships in Memphis, losing to Kei Nishikori 6-2, 6-3.

Nadal to Compete at the Swiss Indoors Tournament After Nine-Year Absence

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Rafael Nadal is returning to competitive play in Switzerland after a long hiatus…

The 26-year-old Spanish tennis superstar, who won his eighth Barcelona Open title last month, is scheduled to play at Roger Federer‘s hometown tournament for the first time in nine years.

Organizers of the Swiss Indoors announced their star attractions for the October 19-27 event in Basel. The field is headed by five-time champion Federer, Nadal and defending champion Juan Martin del Potro.

Nadal last played in Basel in 2004, losing in the first round to Rainer Schuettler of Germany.

The Spaniard also lost early to compatriot Feliciano Lopez in 2003, the only year he and Federer both played at Basel.

The Swiss Indoors, played on carpet then, is now a hard-court tournament.

Nadal has a 19-10 career record against Federer, including a quarterfinal win last month at Indian Wells.

Nadal’s Comeback Propels Spain to Davis Cup Title…

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Tom Castaneda

In an all-Latino Davis Cup final, Spain’s Rafael Nadal outlasted Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro to give his country its fifth title…

The 25-year-old former World No. 1 recovered from a dreadful start to beat del Potro 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (0) on Sunday on a day Nadal called “one of the most emotional” of his career.

With del Potro firing a rash of forehand winners, Nadal suffered his most lopsided set defeat in the competition, with the Spaniard failing to hold his first four serves.

But Nadal starting finding his rhythm in the second set, just as Del Potro started misfiring.

Nadal managed to record one of his 35 winners to win the second set. He then cruised through the third set on course for the win.

Del Potro did stage a late comeback attempt by breaking Nadal four times in the fourth set to send it to a tiebreaker, where Nadal raced ahead without losing a single point before securing the victory with a beautiful forehand winner.

Spain’s players swarmed their teammate after he had dropped to the ground in celebration, while Del Potro exited the clay surface in tears for the second time in three days after losing Friday’s singles match to David Ferrer.

“After such a difficult year, this was a spectacular finale to the season,” said an emotional Nadal, a 10-time Grand Slam tournament champion who won the Davis Cup title for the third time in his career. “To win a final this way is very special.”

It’s Spain’s third title in four years. This year’s team consisted of Nadal, Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco.

Meanwhile, Nadal, who took gold in Beijing in 2008, says he won’t play in next year’s Davis Cup and will instead focus on defending his gold medal at the London Olympics.

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