Rafael Nadal Joins the ATP Player Council

Posted on August 11, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Rafael Nadal is heading to the board room…

The 33-year-old Spanish tennis star is joining Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer on the ATP Player Council, bringing the Big Three together to reshape a board that has been roiled by conflict.

The governing body of men’s tennis announced Thursday that Federer and Nadal were elected along with doubles specialist Jurgen Melzer. They will fill spots vacated after Robin Haase, Jamie Murray and Sergiy Stakhovsky resigned from the board before Wimbledon.

Djokovic addressed his frustration with the player council in pre-tournament comments at Wimbledon. He said the ATP‘s governance structure prevented players from making “significant changes.” Stan Wawrinka has also criticized the ATP’s leadership, saying in a published letter that it was plagued by “political chaos” and “numerous conflicts of interest.”

The power struggle on the council included its decision in March not to renew the contract of ATP CEO Chris Kermode, who has clashed with Djokovic. Board member Justin Gimelstob resigned after he was sentenced to probation in April for attacking a former friend in Los Angeles.

Former ATP executive Weller Evansfilled Gimelstob’s seat. The position of coaches’ representative on the council remains open.

David Ferrer Advances to the Semifinals at the ASB Classic

Posted on January 11, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

David Ferrer is two wins away from a handful of titles in Auckland…

The 35-year-old Spanish tennis player, a four-time champion at the ATP Tour‘s ASB Classic, has advanced to the semifinals at the tournament for the eighth time after defeating South Korea’s Hyeon Chung 6-3, 6-2 in Thursday’s quarterfinals.

Ferrer’s semifinal opponent will be another former champion, second-seeded Juan Martin del Potro, who beat Russia’s Karen Khachanov 7-6 (4), 6-3.

del Potro looked in top form ahead of the Australian Open with his second straight-sets victory, having beaten Canadian teenage star Denis Shapovalov 6-2, 6-4 in the second round. In two matches in Auckland, 2009 champion del Potro has yet to concede a break point.

“Of course I’m happy to get through. He’s one of the toughest guys on tour,” del Potro said. “Today’s match was so close. He hits the ball so hard and we play long rallies, big points and I think I took all my chances to win.”

Another former champion, fifth-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut, will face Robin Haase of the Netherlands in the other semifinal. Bautista Agut defeated Jiri Vesely 7-6 (1), 6-1 on Thursday while Haase beat Germany’s Peter Gojowczyk 6-4, 6-4.

Juan Martin del Potro Defeats Robin Haase at Paris Masters in Quest to Earns Spot at the ATP Finals

Posted on November 3, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Juan Martin del Potro is one step closer to earning a spot in the big show…

The 29-year-old Argentinean tennis star moved closer to securing the last spot for the season-ending ATP Finals by beating Robin Haase 7-5, 6-4 in the third round at the Paris Masters.

del Potro, who lost to Roger Federer on Sunday in the Swiss Indoors final, is in 10th place in the race to qualify for the tournament.

Only the top eight players will compete in London and there is one place left, to be taken in Paris.

“I would love to reach London once again. It could be a fantastic moment for me,” said del Potro, who was way back in 47th place in the race before the U.S. Open.

“I’m excited to keep improving for this kind of surprise. I love to surprise myself and that’s what I’m doing now.”

del Potro has a tough challenge next, against big-serving John Isner.

The ninth-seeded Isner, last year’s runner-up to Andy Murray, hit 25 aces as he beat sixth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria 7-6 (10), 5-7, 7-6 (3).

López Defeats Robin Haase to Claim Swiss Open Title

Posted on July 24, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Feliciano López is a Swiss champion…

The 34-year-old Spanish tennis player beat Robin Haase 6-4, 7-5 in the Swiss Open final on Sunday to claim his first career clay-court title.

It’s the fifth career ATP World Tour title for Lopez, the tournament’s top seed, and his first in more than two years. He previously won two titles on grass and two on hard courts.

Ten years after losing the Gstaad final to Richard Gasquet of France, Lopez lifted the trophy on his seventh trip to the Swiss Alps venue.

Lopez arrived ranked No. 21 in the world and should return to the top 20 when the rankings are updated on Monday.

The 95th-ranked Haase had his service broken once in the first set and twice in the second as Lopez completed the victory in less than 80 minutes.

Andújar Defeats Fernando Verdasco to Reach the Swiss Open Final

Posted on July 27, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Pablo Andújar could soon have a third ATP title…

The 28-year-old Spanish tennis player has advanced to the Swiss Open men’s final.

Andújar, unseeded in the tournament and ranked No. 71, beat fourth-seeded Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-1 in an all-Spain semifinal at the clay-court Roy Emerson Arena.

Andújar wasted a winning chance in the second set when, two points from victory at 5-3, he sent down back-to-back double faults.

However, he dominated the decider with three service breaks.

He’ll face Argentina’s Juan Monaco in Sunday’s final.

Monaco rallied from losing the first three games to win 6-3, 7-6 (4) against seventh-seeded Robin Haase of the Netherlands.

Monaco, now 105th-ranked two years after peaking at No. 10, will seek his ninth career title Sunday.

Souza Defeats Robin Haase at the Brazil Open

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a wild win for João Souza…

The 25-year-old professional tennis player, a wild-card at the Brazil Open, claimed an upset 7-5, 6-4 win over fifth-seeded Robin Haase on Monday in the first round of the clay-court tournament.

Souza broke Haase late in each set, serving to close out the match for his first win of the year.

Haase, ranked 45th, had four chances to break the Brazilian’s serve, but couldn’t capitalize on any of them.

It’s the biggest career win for Souza, who is currently ranked No. 129 in the world.

Souza had previously lost to Haase last July at the Crédit Agricole Suisse Open Gstaad in Switzerland.

Ferrer Advances to Semi-Finals at Argentina’s Copa Claro

Posted on February 15, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

David Ferrer is one step closer to reaching 21…

21 ATP tournament titles, that is.

The 31-year-old Spanish tenista beat his compatriot Albert Ramos 6-1, 6-2 on Friday to reach the semifinals of the Copa Claro tournament in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Ferrer, the two-time defending champion in Buenos Aires and this year’s No. 1 seed, is hoping to win his 21st ATP tournament.

Second-seeded Fabio Fognini of Italy and No. 3 Tommy Robredo of Spain are also into the semifinals, and they’ll face each other on Saturday.

Fognini, who won the ATP event last week in Chile, advanced Friday by defeating Pablo Andujar of Spain 6-4, 6-3.

Robredo won his match against Robin Haase of the Netherlands. Robredo won the first set 6-1, and Haase retired with an injury after falling behind 2-0 in the second set.

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal pulled out of the tournament with a back injury but will play next week in the Rio Open in Rio de Janeiro.

Granollers Claims bet-at-home Cup Title…

Posted on August 3, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Marcel Granollers’ title drought is officially over…

The 27-year-old Spanish tennis player defeated Argentina’s Juan Monaco 0-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 in the bet-at-home Cup final in Austria to claim his first title since beating Monaco two years ago in Valencia, Spain.

Granollers had to overcome a slow start Saturday to win his fourth ATP title.

“It’s a very special feeling to win here,” said the 53rd-ranked Granollers, who had failed to go beyond the quarterfinals of an event this season.

Granollers ended Robin Haase‘s two-year winning run in Kitzbuehel in the semifinals.

Monaco was seeking his ninth career title and second of the year, after winning in May in Duesseldorf, Germany.

The 31st-ranked Monaco, who won here in 2007, dictated the pace in the opening set with strong forehands from the baseline, sending Granollers from one corner to the other.

Monaco broke Granollers’ first service game with a winner off the net cord and added two more breaks to take the opening set in 23 minutes.

“I didn’t play well at all in the beginning. He was very solid from the start,” said Granollers, who won only nine points in the set. “When you’re close to winning a title, you get nervous.”

Granollers saved two more break points early in the second set, helping him settle down. He broke at the first opportunity to lead 5-3.

“He had chances in the second set as well, and I was lucky he couldn’t take them,” Granollers said. “From then on it became a different match.”

Granollers had a 4-0 lead in the deciding set. He missed three match points at 5-2, but converted at the fourth chance on Monaco’s serve when the Argentine sent a backhand volley long.

“Marcel deserved to win,” Monaco said. “In the end, he just played better than me.”

He’s the first Spanish winner since Alex Corretja in 2002 and improved to 4-2 in career finals.

Granollers Beats Robin Haase to Reach the bet-at-home Cup Finals

Posted on August 2, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Marcel Granollers has taken down the champion at the bet-at-home Cup

The 27-year-old Spanish tennis player ended defending champion Robin Haase‘s two-year unbeaten streak at the bet-at-home Cup in a hard-fought semifinal on Friday, setting up a final against second-seeded Juan Monaco.

Granollers, the tournament’s eighth seed, beat Haase 7-6 (0), 3-6, 6-4. The Dutchman was 12-0 at the event going into the match, having won the title in 2011 and 2012. In the other semifinal, Monaco defeated seventh-seeded Albert Montanes of Spain 7-6 (2), 7-5.

Granollers took the first set against Haase with flawless attacking play in the tiebreaker after both players held serve throughout.

Early in the second, Haase managed the first break against Granollers but dropped his own serve the next game. Haase added another break for 4-3 and the Dutchman won five straight games to take the set and lead 2-0 in the third.

Haase missed two break points for 3-0, lost five of the next seven games before serving a double-fault on match point.

Granollers has gone beyond the quarterfinals of an ATP event for the first time this season. The 53rd-ranked Spaniard is looking for his fourth career title and first since beating Monaco in the final at Valencia two years ago.

Granollers is 2-1 against Monaco, although the Argentine won their only previous clay-court match in straight sets in 2008.

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