Emma Navarro Earns First-Ever Grand Slam Victory in Three-Set Win Over Erika Andreeva

Posted on May 30, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Emma Navarro has notched her first-ever Grand Slam victory…

The 22-year-old Latin American tennis player rallied in the third set for a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 win over Russia’s Erika Andreeva in a first-round match at the French Open on May 30.

Navarro, a former NCAA singles champion at Virginia who is ranked No. 75 on the WTA Tour, trailed by 3-0 in the third set before winning five straight games for a 5-3 lead. She lashed a forehand past Andreeva for a crucial break in game seven, and served out the match in the 10th game.

It was Navarro’s first win in a Grand Slam event; she previously lost a first-round match at the U.S. Open in 2021.

Navarro hit 32 winners to 23 for Andreeva, and had just 23 unforced errors to her opponent’s 31.

In the second round, Navarro will face No. 42 Bianca Adreescu of Canada.

Emiliano Grillo Wins Playoff to Capture Charles Schwab Challenge Title

Posted on May 28, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Emiliano Grillo is celebrating a first PGA Tour victory in nearly eight years…

The 30-year-old Argentine professional golfer overcame a double bogey at the 72nd hole to shoot 2-under 68 at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, on Sunday and defeat Adam Schenk in a two-hole playoff at the Charles Schwab Challenge.

Grillo curled in a 5-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole, the 186-yard 16th hole where he had taken the solo lead before needing a playoff Sunday.

Grillo and Schenk, who both finished at 8-under 272, had two-putt pars from 26 feet at No. 18 to start the playoff.

A 20-foot birdie at No. 16 in regulation had Grillo up by two strokes before his tee shot at No. 18.

“I’ve done it before. I’ve hit the exact same shot to the right of the tree,” he said. “When I saw one of the marshals walk right of the tree, I knew it was going to be a long wait until that ball stopped. … It stopped for like five, 10 seconds at one moment. I actually thought I got lucky. Then five seconds later, the ball kept moving.”

The ball finally came to rest against a rock in the middle of the flow about 150 yards downstream. Grillo took a penalty stroke with a drop where the ball had entered the canal, and had to set his ball on the concrete. His approach was short of the green, and he two-putted from about 20 feet for double bogey to drop to 8 under.

One bad swing all day,” he said.

It was the second PGA Tour win for Grillo, whose only other win was at the Frys.com Open in Napa in October 2015. He had four other top-10 finishes this season. He had a closing 2-under 68.

Along with a $1.566 million check, plaid jacket and fully restored 1973 Bronco vehicle, the win at Hogan’s Alley pretty much set Grillo up for all four majors. He now is set for the Masters and PGA Championship next year, and is in line for this year’s U.S. Open and British Open after moving from 80th to 42nd in World Golf Ranking.

Carlos Alcaraz Returns to World No. 1 in ATP Tour Rankings

Posted on May 22, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Alcaraz has returned to the roost…

The 20-year-old Spanish professional tennis player has replaced Novak Djokovic at No. 1 in Monday’s ATP rankings, earning the top seeding at the French Open.

Daniil Medvedev‘s Italian Open title moved him up to No. 2 ahead of the year’s second Grand Slam tournament.

Djokovic’s loss in the fourth round as the defending champion in Rome dropped him to No. 3. That means he and Alcaraz could end up in the same half of the Roland Garros bracket and be set up for a potential semifinal showdown, depending on what happens in Thursday’s draw in Paris.

The French Open, which begins Sunday, will mark the first chance to be seeded No. 1 at a major tournament for Alcaraz, who turned 20 this month. The Spanish player is 30-3 with four titles in 2023.

Alcaraz ascended to the ATP‘s top spot for the first time by winning the US Open last September and, at 19, became the youngest man to finish a year there.

But a leg injury kept him out of the Australian Open in January, when Djokovic won the title for his 22nd at a Slam event, tying Rafael Nadal for the men’s record.

Djokovic has spent more weeks at No. 1 than anyone — man or woman — in the history of the sport’s computerized rankings.

Carlos Alcaraz Defeats Jan-Lennard Struff to Win Second Consecutive Madrid Open Title

Posted on May 7, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Alcaraz is one match away from a return to the top of the world rankings.

The 20-year-old Spanish tennis player beat Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the Spanish capital on Sunday to win a second straight Madrid Open title and guarantee his return to the No. 1 spot by playing at least one match at the upcoming Italian Open in Rome.

Alcaraz converted on his first match point after a hard-fought battle against Struff to secure his fourth title of the year and 10th of his impressive young career. He had also successfully defended his title in Barcelona two weeks ago.

“To defend the title here in Madrid, on the verge of regaining the No. 1 ranking, these are very big achievements for me,” Alcaraz said. “I feel very proud of the work that I’ve put in and of what I’ve been achieving. I’m an ambitious guy and I’m going for more in Rome.”

It was Alcaraz’s 29th win of the season, and 21st straight in Spain going back to a loss to Rafael Nadal in Madrid on his 18th birthday two years ago.

He joined Nadal as the only consecutive Madrid champion in tournament history and is the youngest player to successfully defend a Masters 1000 title since Nadal at Monte Carlo and Rome in 2005-06.

“For me it is so, so special,” Alcaraz said. “To lift the trophy here in Madrid. In my country. In front of my home crowd, my family, my friends. Everyone close to me. For me it is a special feeling that I will never forget.”

Alcaraz’s other titles this year came in Buenos Aires and Indian Wells. He is the first player to win two Masters 1000 trophies this season. It was the fourth Masters 1000 title overall for last year’s US Open champion.

“It was a really tough match,” Alcaraz said. “Jan was playing great, really aggressive. In the second set I had a lot of chances to break his serve and I didn’t take it and it was tough for me to lose it. I told myself that I had to be positive all the time and that I would have my chances and I think I did it in the third set.”

The big-serving Struff was the first lucky loser to reach an ATP Masters 1000 final, having earned an unexpected spot in the main draw after another player had to drop out.

The 33-year-old German, ranked 65th in the world, was playing in his second tour-level final and trying to become just the fourth player and first in more than 20 years to win his first tour-level trophy at a Masters 1000.

He called it “a best-career achievement so far.”

“Of course, I wanted to go all the way to win today, but I would definitely say if someone told me two weeks ago ‘You’re gonna play the finals,’ I would take it, definitely,” he said. “I was in the game. Had my chances. But he was too good at the end and congrats to him.”

Struff had lost in the final round of qualifying to Aslan Karatsev, the player he eventually beat in the semifinals after upsetting fourth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals. The final was his ninth match at the clay-court tournament in Madrid, compared to six for the top-seeded Alcaraz.

Struff beat Alcaraz on clay at the French Open in 2021, while Alcaraz needed five sets to down Struff at Wimbledon last year.

Carlos Alcaraz Outlasts Karen Khachanov to Reach Madrid Open Semifinals

Posted on May 3, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Alcaraz is playing on at the Madrid Open…

The 19-year-old Spanish tennis player and defending champion overcame a tough test from Karen Khachanov on Wednesday, rallying late in the second set for a hard-fought 6-4, 7-5 win that set up a semifinal against Borna Coric.

It was Alcaraz’s 150th tour-level match, and his 117th victory to leave him with a winning percentage (78%) currently better than the likes of Pete Sampras, Boris Becker and Andre Agassi.

“My dream in tennis right now is to become one of the best tennis players in history,” Alcaraz said. “I know that this is a big dream, (it) probably is too big. But in this world, you have to dream big and you have to think big, as well. I want to be part of the the best tennis players in history. And I will work for it.”

Alcaraz was down 4-1 and 5-2 in the final set before winning the final five games to secure his fourth straight-set victory in Madrid.

The top-seeded Spaniard improved to 27-2 this year, having dropped only one set in his last 19 victories. He will be playing in his third Masters 1000 semifinals of the season.

“I knew I had to keep fighting no matter what,” Alcaraz said. “I had to stay strong because I knew that I would have my opportunities, and gladly I took advantage of the first one that I had to close out the match.”

Alcaraz converted on his first match point after the 10th-seeded Khachanov had taken control of the second set with an early break. The Russian had two break opportunities to go up 5-1 before Alcaraz rallied for the victory. The Spaniard, who finished with 31 winners, had converted on his first break opportunity to go up 4-3 and win the first set.

Alcaraz had cruised past last year’s runner-up Alexander Zverev in the previous round, while Khachanov – a semifinalist at the Australian Open this year and at the U.S. Open last year – had beaten fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev.

Alcaraz is trying to become the first player this season to win two Masters 1000 titles, after having already lifted the trophy in Indian Wells. He successfully defended his title in Barcelona and also won in Buenos Aires.

If Alcaraz wins the title again in Madrid, he will regain the No. 1 spot in the world rankings if he plays at least one match in Rome.

Carlos Alcaraz Defeats Daniel Evans to Reach Barcelona Open Final

Posted on April 22, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Alcaraz is back in the Barcelona Open final…

The 19-year-old Spanish tennis player, the defending champion, has eased into the final after defeating Daniel Evans 6-2, 6-2 on Saturday.

The second-ranked Alcaraz will face Stefanos Tsitsipas in Sunday’s final after the Greek player advanced by beating Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 on the outdoor clay court.

Alcaraz defeated his English opponent in 1 hour, 20 minutes, sealing the victory when he blasted a return under Evans’ racket as he made an approach.

“How you reach a final is important for your confidence, and I head into tomorrow with a great feeling,” said Alcaraz, who has not dropped a set in four matches. “Even so, we can’t just rely on how I have played and know that it will be a tough game.”

Last year’s US Open champion, Alcaraz will be seeking his ninth career title and third of the year after triumphing in Buenos Aires and Indian Wells. If he beats Tsitsipas, his title in Barcelona will be his first that he has successfully defended.

Alcaraz is 3-0 against Tsitsipas, including a three-set victory in the Barcelona quarterfinals last year. Alcaraz described last year’s match as “spicy.”

“I’m going to try to forget everything that has happened in the matches before, try to focus on my game tomorrow and try to get the win,” Alcaraz said.

Alcaraz will also attempt a title defense at the Madrid Open next week in the absence of former champions Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Alcaraz beat countryman Pablo Carreño Busta in last year’s Barcelona final during his impressive run that took him to the world No. 1 ranking.

Tsitsipas reached the final at Barcelona in 2018 and 2021, losing both times to 12-time winner Nadal.

The fifth-ranked Tsitsipas is seeking his first title of 2023.

Tsitsipas and Musetti struggled with their service games. Tsitsipas converted six of his 11 break points, while Musetti made good on five of 10.

“It was very physical out there,” said Tsitsipas, who improved his record against Musetti to 4-0. “We had to cover lots of meters on the court, and he had some incredible defensive shots that I really didn’t expect at all. It was such a mental challenge.”

Carlos Alcaraz Beats Taylor Fritz to Reach Miami Open Semifinals

Posted on March 30, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Alcaraz is one step closer to reaching the Miami Open finals…

The 19-year-old Spanish tennis player, the World No. 1 and top-ranked man at this year’s tournament, defeated Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-2 at Hard Rock Stadium to blast into the semifinals.

Before a packed crowd that included John McEnroe and was split in support, Alcaraz broke Fritz’s serve in the first game. He used that one break to squeak out the first set and finished the match in tidy 1 hour, 18 minutes. Alcaraz faced just two break points and turned away both chances as he improved his match record to 18-1 in 2023.

“I took the opportunity of every break point I had,” Alcaraz said. “I was solid and aggressive at the same time.”

This was the first meeting between the two and an opportunity for Fritz to assess how close he is to a breakthrough. The match was postponed Wednesday night, only delaying the inevitable.

“Obviously playing the best player in the world, you can’t just drop your serve to start both sets,” Fritz said. “He doesn’t give you much for free. … All the important points in the match, he won.”

Alcaraz proved too tough in Miami against two Americans who reside in South Florida. Fritz moved recently to Miami and Tommy Paul has lived in the Delray Beach/Boca Raton area for years.

The reigning US Open champion and defending Miami Open champion will play Jannik Sinner in Friday’s semifinals, a rematch of their semifinal at Indian Wells, where Alcaraz went on to win the title.

Carlos Alcaraz Defeats Cameron Norrie to Win Argentina Open Title

Posted on February 19, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Alcaraz has earned his first title of 2023…

The 19-year-old Spanish professional tennis player defeated Cameron Norrie in straight sets at the Argentina Open on Sunday to win his first title since his milestone US Open triumph.

The world No. 2 overcame No. 12 Norrie 6-3, 7-5 in the clay-court final.

“I felt very comfortable,” Alcaraz said. “This is the level that I have to play in a final. It is really special, I struggled in these four months.”

A right leg injury sidelined Alcaraz from the Australian Open, with Novak Djokovic reclaiming the No. 1 ranking from Alcaraz after winning the title there.

Alcaraz dropped only one set — to Serbia’s Laslo Djere — in his first tournament of the year.

After winning the first set in 36 minutes, Alcaraz quickly broke second-seeded Norrie in the second set, but the Briton hit back when the Spaniard was serving for the championship at 5-4.

Alcaraz broke Norrie with a drop shot to win the title.

Norrie lost his second final of the year, after being bested by Richard Gasquet in Auckland in January.

Alcaraz next defends his title at the Rio Open.

Carlos Alcaraz to Face Cameron Norrie in the Argentina Open Final

Posted on February 18, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Alcaraz is one win away from his next title…

The 19-year-old Spanish professional tennis player has reached his first final since his milestone US Open triumph at the Argentina Open on Saturday.

Alcaraz, the tournament’s top seed, beat Spanish countryman Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals.

In the final on Sunday, the world No. 2 will face No. 12 Cameron Norrie, who reached his second final of the year when he beat Juan Pablo Varillas 7-6 (5), 6-4.

Alcaraz has dropped only one set so far in his first tournament of the year after a right leg injury sidelined him from the Australian Open. Novak Djokovic‘s victory there took the No. 1 ranking from Alcaraz.

He lost his last match to Norrie, in Cincinnati in August, but Alcaraz leads their head-to-head 3-1.

Norrie saved two break points in the last game against Varillas to wrap up his semifinal in just under two hours. The Briton was upset in the Auckland final in January, one of only two losses in his 15 matches this year.

Rafael Nadal to Battle Carlos Alcaraz in Las Vegas Exhibition Match in March

Posted on December 7, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Rafael Nadal is headed to Sin City…

The 36-year-old Spanish tennis superstar will face off against compatriot and current World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in an exhibition match in Las Vegas on March 5.

Nadal owns a men’s-record 22 Grand Slam titles, including two in 2022 at the Australian Open in January and French Open in June, while Alcaraz, 19, claimed his first major trophy at the US Open in September.

The two Spaniards finished 1-2 in this year’s ATP rankings: Alcaraz is the youngest man to finish at No. 1, while Nadal is the oldest to finish at No. 2. They’re also the first two countrymen to lead the men’s rankings since Americans Pete Sampras and Michael Chang in 1996.2d

The match being touted, boxing-style, as “The Slam: Nadal vs. Alcaraz” will be held inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Tickets go on sale Friday.

Nadal and Alcaraz have played each other three times in official tournaments, all at Masters 1000 events. Nadal leads 2-1, with Alcaraz’s victory coming in their most recent meeting, in May on red clay at Madrid.

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