Juan Martin del Potro Outlasts Gilles Simon to Reach Wimbledon Quarterfinals

Posted on July 10, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Juan Martin del Potro is back in the quarters…

The 29-year-old Argentine tennis play has advanced to the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time since 2013 after beating Gilles Simon 7-6 (1), 7-6 (5), 5-7, 7-6 (5).

del Potro, the fifth-seed at the All England Club Grand Slam, failed to convert four match points when serving at 5-4 in the fourth set, but maintained his composure to close out the matchwith his first opportunity in the tiebreaker that followed.

The only fourth-round contest to be carried over to Tuesday lasted 4 hours, 24 minutes, making it the longest men’s singles match of the tournament.

It’s the first time since he reached the Australian Open and French Open quarterfinals in 2012 that del Potro has qualified for the last eight at consecutive Grand Slams.

He reached the semifinals at the All England Club in 2013, but four wrist surgeries — three on the left — almost made him retire.

del Potro faces two-time champion Rafael Nadal, who has reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time since 2011.

Almagro Defeats Nick Kyrgios to Reach the Estoril Open Final

Posted on May 1, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Nicolas Almagro is one win away from ending a four year drought…

The 30-year-old Spanish tennis player and clay-court specialist beat second-seeded Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 7-5 at the Estoril Open on Saturday to reach his second final of the season.

Almagro will face fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta, who upset third-seeded Benoit Paire of France 6-3, 6-3 in the other semifinal at the clay-court tournament.

The 71st-ranked Almagro saved the only two break points he conceded in the entire match and served seven aces to reach his second final after losing to Dominic Thiem in Argentina in February.

Almagro has 12 career ATP titles, all on clay. He hasn’t won a tournament in four years.

The eighth-seeded Carreno Busta, 24, upset top-seeded Gilles Simon in Friday’s quarterfinals.

The 50th-ranked Spaniard played in his first final at the Brazil Open in February, losing to Pablo Cuevas.

Lopez Upsets Kei Nishikori to Reach BNP Paribas Open Quarterfinals

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Feliciano Lopez has pulled off the upset…

The 33-year-old Spanish tenista took down No. 5 seed Kei Nishikori in straight sets to to reach the quarterfinals at the BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday.

Lopez pulled ahead in the first set, and then survived a hard-fought second set to win 6-4, 7-6 (2).

“I really had one bad game at 5-4,” Nishikori said. “Until then I was playing better. I was dominating the strokes. He was hitting good serves, but I had all the chances.”

Lopez reached the quarterfinals at Indian Wells for the first time in 13 tries. Lopez has previously been stretched to three sets in his first two matches.

He next faces Any Murray in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal advanced with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Gilles Simon to stay on track for a shot at his fourth career title in the desert.

Nadal next plays sixth-seeded Milos Raonic, who defeated 17th-seeded Tommy Robredo 6-3, 6-2 in a fourth-round match.

Nadal served a love game to close out his match that began as a dust storm swirled outside the stadium under overcast skies. He connected on 70 percent of his first serves in beating Simon for the seventh time in eight meetings.

Soares Elected to the ATP Player Council

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Bruno Soares has soared into a leadership position with the Association of Tennis Professionals.

The 32-year-old Brazilian tennis player, primarily a doubles specialist, has been elected to the ATP Player Council.

The 12-member council delivers advisory decisions to the ATP Board of Directors, which has the power to accept or reject the Council’s suggestions.

Soares won the mixed doubles title at the 2012 U.S. Open with Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova. In all, he has 17 career men’s doubles titles.

But Soares isn’t the only Latino to join the group…

André Sá will also serve on the ATP Players Council.

Sá, a Wimbledon men’s singles quarterfinalist in 2012, turned pro in 1996. He has seven career titles in doubles; his most recent coming in September 2011 at the Open de Moselle.

Along with Soares and Sa, other players elected to the council include Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka, American John Isner, Kevin Anderson, Gilles Simon, Jurgen Melzer, Sergiy Stakhovsky, Raven Klaasen and Eric Butorac. They will serve two-year terms.

Roger Federer is stepping down after serving as council president since 2008.

“Clearly we made big strides in prize money. … I think we were able to calm things down a little bit, because things were quite hectic when I came onto the council,” said Federer of his involvement on the council.

The new council’s first meeting will be in New York before the U.S. Open in August, when it will elect a president and vice president.

Delbonis Reaches Men’s Final at the Open de Nice

Posted on May 24, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Federico Delbonis is final-bound after taking down the hometown hero at Open de Nice…

The 23-year-old Argentine professional tennis player, the tournament’s seventh-seeded, ousted fourth-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.

“It was a pretty good match,” Delbonis said. “Gilles always fights and he showed it in the second set when he broke me. But I took control again.”

Delbonis, who beat top-seeded John Isner in the quarterfinals, will next face Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis, the tournament’s second seed in the championship match.

“The final will be very similar to the match against Isner. Ernests has a strong service. If I am focused, I will always have a chance.”

Delbonis is 1-1 in his previous tour finals. He lifted his first title in Sao Paolo in March, after losing in Hamburg last year.

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.

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.

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