Tennis: Thiem rallies to subdue Tsitsipas in Beijing final

Austrian top seed Dominic Thiem overcame a sluggish start and clawed his way back from a set and a break down to beat Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas 3-6 6-4 6-1 in the final of the China Open in Beijing on Sunday.

The win secured Thiem's fourth title of the year after triumphs at Indian Wells, Barcelona and Austria.

Thiem, who was forced to dig deep and come back from a set down in the semi-final against Karen Khachanov, broke Tsitsipas five times while dropping serve three times to lift his first ever title in Asia.

"Honestly I think this was one of the best matches I've played so far in my whole career," Thiem said. "I know it's hard for you, Stefanos. You played amazing and I really hope that we have a lot more finals in the biggest tournaments.

"Last year we had a great rivalry going on and I hope it continues with many more finals to come."

This was the first time the pair had competed in a final after playing each other five times in 2018. Thiem now leads Tsitsipas 4-2 in head-to-head meetings.

The top seed dropped serve twice in the opening set to give Tsitsipas the advantage while the Greek fired four of his seven aces to take the lead.

Tsitsipas, 21, was clearly the more fired up player, taking out his frustration on his racket after losing a point in the first set. However, Thiem recovered in the second set, saving three of four break points while converting two himself.

In the deciding set, it was Thiem who dominated, breaking twice to take a 5-0 lead.

Tsitsipas won a game back but only delayed the inevitable as Thiem wrapped up the match for his 15th ATP singles title. 

(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru Editing by Toby Davis)

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Tennis: Osaka sweeps into China Open final on just two hours' sleep

BEIJING -- Naomi Osaka said that she had just two hours' sleep before crushing title-holder Caroline Wozniacki to sweep into the China Open final on Saturday. 

The 21-year-old Japanese will play world number one Ashleigh Barty of Australia in Sunday's championship match in Beijing -- and will hope to have had a bit more rest.

The Australian Open champion said that she was so hyped up after defeating Bianca Andreescu in three thrilling sets on Friday night that she barely slept.

"I went to sleep at 4:00am, I woke up at 6:00am, so solid two hours, I can't really sleep after my matches," said Osaka.

"I just feel like my adrenaline's up more during the tougher matches so it makes it harder to sleep."

"It's definitely been a bit crazy time-wise," she added, having returned to the court to face Wozniacki less than 24 hours after defeating Andreescu.

But if the two-time Grand Slam champion was exhausted, it did not show in a 6-4, 6-2 victory in 84 minutes against the Dane.

Osaka held off all seven break points she faced against Wozniacki.

The world number four showed flashes of irritation as she let Wozniacki off the hook at 3-3 in the first set, tossing her racquet on the floor.

But in the ninth game, the pressure on the 19th-ranked Wozniacki told, Osaka grabbing the break of service with an arrowing forehand.

Osaka, like Wozniacki a former number one, broke her opponent at the start of the second set to underline her superiority, before racing to a thumping win.

The Japanese insisted that she was the underdog against Barty.

They have played each other three times before with the 23-year-old Australian winning twice.

Barty said that she has "never been happier" on and off the court after she saved match point against Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands in their semi-final.

The French Open champion committed 52 unforced errors but still just about emerged victorious in a nail-biting 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (9/7) triumph.

Barty, who surged to the top of the rankings in June, said there had been "massive growth" in her mental fortitude when she faces crunch points.

"That's gone hand-in-hand with adding some new people to my team, trying to work with them behind the scenes," Barty, who five years ago took a break from tennis and played cricket, said.

"Not just for my tennis -- it's for my life, my health and well being, as well, which has been the best thing.

"I have never been happier off the court, never been happier on the court."

- Thiem vs Tsitsipas -

Top seed Dominic Thiem fought back from a set down to reach the final in the men's draw -- and also book his place at the season-ending ATP Finals.

The Austrian will play Stefanos Tsitsipas after beating Russia's Karen Khachanov 2-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 in two hours and 41 minutes.

The 21-year-old Tsitsipas triumphed 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 in a battle of the rising stars against 22-year-old Alexander Zverev.

Thiem, who has now reached the ATP Finals for a fourth time in a row, said: "For me personally, it was one big goal when I started into the season, I'm very, very happy that I made it (the London Finals) again.

"But it's not because of today's win, it's because of all the season."

Also already qualified for London are Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Daniil Medvedev.

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Tennis: Barty through to Beijing semis, Osaka ends Andreescu's win streak

World number one Ash Barty battled back from a set down to beat Czech Republic's seventh seed Petra Kvitova 4-6 6-4 6-3 to advance to the semi-finals of the China Open in Beijing on Friday.

French Open champion Barty, who had been beaten twice by Kvitova in Australia earlier this year, fired nine aces and converted three of six break points to win the encounter.

"That was one of the highest quality matches I played all year," Barty told reporters. "Petra always has a way of bringing out the best in me, she really does.

"From both of us, I think the level was incredible. Regardless of winning or losing, I think I'd be sitting here with the exact same perspective, kind of the same feeling of the match afterwards."

Although Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion, fired 36 winners to Barty's 31, her unforced error count of 28 proved to be her downfall.

The Czech saved three match points when Barty served for the match at 5-3 in the decider but the Australian fought back to deuce and then fired a crosscourt forehand winner to move into the tournament's semis for the first time in her career.

Barty will face eighth seed Kiki Bertens, who upset third seed Elina Svitolina 7-6(6) 6-2.

In another battle of Grand Slam champions, Japan's Naomi Osaka beat U.S. Open holder Bianca Andreescu 5-7 6-3 6-4 in a thrilling encounter, ending the Canadian's 17-match winning streak to book her place in the semi-finals.

"I forgot how it felt and honestly it sucks, I didn't miss it," Andreescu said after her first loss since the Miami Open in March and her first loss against a top 10 opponent. "Hopefully that was fun.

"I think we're going to have many matches like this. Our game styles are pretty different, but they level up pretty equally."

Osaka fired 10 aces, 31 winners and won 78 percent of her first service points in a see-saw encounter that had a total of 11 breaks of serve. She will play defending champion Caroline Wozniacki, who beat Russia's Daria Kasatkina 6-3 7-6(5).

Osaka became the fifth player to qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals in Shenzhen after Barty, Karolina Pliskova, Wimbledon champion Simona Halep and Andreescu.

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Tennis: Murray reaches Beijing quarters and celebrates with a snooze

BEIJING -- Exhausted Andy Murray battled into a singles quarter-final for the first time in a year on Wednesday -- and then immediately grabbed a snooze.

The former world number one outlasted fellow Briton Cameron Norrie 7-6 (8/6), 6-7 (4/7), 6-1 over nearly three gruelling hours in hot and hazy Beijing.

The 32-year-old, now ranked a lowly 503, will play top seed Dominic Thiem in the last eight of the China Open on Friday.

On the mend after a career-saving hip operation in January, Murray looked all in afterwards, and walked gingerly in and out of the post-match press conference.

Blowing out his cheeks several times, the three-time Grand Slam champion said he had slept in the 90 minutes between his victory and talking to reporters.

"I'm tired, I just had a sleep before coming. I mean, I'm really tired," he said.

To save his creaking body from more punishment, Murray said that he switched tactics in the deciding third set.

"I decided if I want to win I have to go and take risks and come to the net, try and finish the points quicker, which I did," he said.

Murray defeated US Open semi-finalist Matteo Berrettini on Tuesday for his biggest scalp since his return to singles tennis in mid-August.

The hard-fought triumph over 69th-ranked Norrie means he reaches the last eight in singles on the ATP Tour for the first time since Shenzhen in September last year.

Murray showed several flashes of irritation as the first set went to the tie break, chuntering away in the direction of his coaching team courtside.

But he regained his composure and captured the set thanks to an untimely double fault by his compatriot.

The 24-year-old Norrie broke Murray's serve in the sixth game of the second set and Murray was struggling, bending over between points with his hands on his knees to catch his breath.

He shook his head as he slumped red-faced in his seat at 5-2 down.

He displayed the battling qualities which took him to number one in 2016 to somehow surge back, only to lose the second set on the tie break.

But he wrestled back the initiative in the decider, breaking Norrie's first service game on the way to a trademark gritty victory.

Also into the quarter-finals was Russian fourth seed Karen Khachanov, a 7-6 (7/0), 7-6 (7/5) winner over France's Jeremy Chardy. He faces the Italian Fabio Fognini.

- 'Frustrated' Barty advances -

In the women's draw, world number one Ashleigh Barty will face Czech seventh seed Petra Kvitova in the quarter-finals.

The top-ranked Australian, 23, beat home hope Zheng Saisai 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, but was unhappy to have been forced to three sets.

"I think I was pretty loose, I played a pretty stupid (second) set," said Barty.

"I made far too many errors, let her back in the match well and truly. 

"I think too many times I gave away cheap service games... when I did have my opportunity, I didn't take it. 

"A bit of a frustrating one."

Teenage US Open champion Bianca Andreescu reached the last 16 with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) victory over Belgium's unseeded Elise Mertens. 

Andreescu meets Jennifer Brady of the United States.

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Nadal thrashes Kyrgios to win China Open title

World number one Rafael Nadal produced a ruthless performance to thrash Australian Nick Kyrgios 6-2 6-1 in the China Open final on Sunday for his 75th career singles title.

The 31-year-old was given a tough fight early on but Kyrgios's challenge faded after he lost his temper and was docked a penalty point at 2-5 in the first set.


Nadal's previous title at the tournament came 12 years ago.

"I had very tough draw here," Nadal, who saved match points in his opening round against Frenchman Lucas Pouille, said.

"I was lucky the first day saving the two match points but after that I think I played one of my best events of the year."

World number 19 Kyrgios matched Nadal early on, winning his opening two service games but became involved in a debate with umpire Mohamed Lahyani over a close line call against him.

"I can't play at 100 percent if that stuff happens -- and then you expect me not to be angry," Kyrgios told Lahyani.

He continued to argue the toss with the official who eventually awarded a penalty point against the Australian during the changeover when he trailed 2-5, meaning he began the eighth game already 0-15 behind.

Nadal was well in control by then and he raced into a 5-0 lead in the second set before Kyrgios slightly delayed the inevitable as the Spaniard sauntered to his 12th consecutive win.

"He played well. I played terrible. He's in great form. He just destroyed me today, so it was too good," Kyrgios, who struck 20 winners but 35 unforced errors, said.

"I put in a pretty good week, had some good wins. It's tough to find positives when you won three games in the final. But I guess there were positives. In the semi-final I played well, obviously beating Alex (Zverev)."

Kyrgios still has a chance of qualifying for the ATP World Tour Finals as he is 15th in the Race standings with several tournaments remaining to close the gap on those in front.

Nadal, winner of the French Open and U.S. Open titles this year, has won six tournaments in a season for the first time since 2013 and strengthens his position at the top of the rankings ahead of Roger Federer.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis and Christian Radnedge)

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Nadal survives Pouille fright to progress at China Open

Rafa Nadal came within a whisker of making an opening-round exit at the China Open on Tuesday as he was pushed to three sets by Frenchman Lucas Pouille before winning 4-6 7-6(6) 7-5.

The world number one, who was beaten by Pouille the last time they met at the 2016 U.S. Open, lost a close first set before saving two match points in a second-set tiebreak which he won to level things up.

Nadal needed all his experience to keep Pouille at bay in the decider and the match looked to be heading for another tiebreak before he pounced to break Pouille's serve for the first time to go 6-5 up.

The Spaniard held his nerve to close out the match in clinical fashion after two hours and 31 minutes and will next face Russian Karen Khachanov, who beat Chinese wild card Wu Di 6-4 6-2.

"(Pouille) played well. Very aggressive, He's serving well," Nadal said. "For me it was little bit difficult at the beginning. Then I started to play better. But still I didn't have the control of the match for almost all the time.

"I remember the match against him in the U.S. Open... That time was for him, today was for me."

Second seed Alexander Zverev served seven aces as he beat Britain's Kyle Edmund 6-3 7-6(3) in the day's last match and will meet Italy's Fabio Fognini in the next round.

Juan Martin del Potro stormed into round two with a 7-6(4) 6-4 win over Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas and will face third seed Grigor Dimitrov, who battled past Bosnian Damir Dzumhur 6-1 3-6 6-3.

Eighth seed Nick Kyrgios breezed past Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1 6-2, the Australian serving 12 aces as he closed out the contest in under an hour.

John Isner, the number six seed, also pulled off a routine 6-2 6-3 victory over Tunisian qualifier Malek Jaziri, although two of the American's unseeded compatriots bowed out.

Jared Donaldson fought hard against Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych, but ran out of steam as he went down 6-3 0-6 6-2.

Jack Sock was also eliminated and the 25-year-old will be disappointed he could not hold off Andrey Rublev despite comfortably winning the first set against the Russian, who bounced back to win 3-6 6-1 6-2 and will face Berdych next.

(Writing by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond and Ken Ferris)

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Murray, Radwanska claim titles at China Open

 

BEIJING, China -- Andy Murray claimed the title at the China Open Sunday, taking a step toward unseating world number one Novak Djokovic, as Agnieszka Radwanska won her second Beijing crown.

Both romped to victory in straight sets on a chilly night in the Chinese capital, neither of them having dropped a set in the tournament.

Murray's 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) win over unseeded Grigor Dimitrov is his fifth title of the year and 40th of his career, while third-ranked Radwanska sealed her win 6-4, 6-2 over Briton Johanna Konta with an ace.

The Scot's victory moves him 1,000 points closer to long-reigning world number one Djokovic, with the chance of taking the top spot by year-end and capping off a career-best season.

"It was probably my best match of the week," said Murray.

"Considering the conditions were fairly cold, I was still serving over a hundred miles an hour on some second serves. I felt using good variation on that shot, so I didn't give him a chance to really attack me there and that was probably the thing that I did best tonight."

Murray broke Dimitrov's serve in the opening game, putting the 15th-ranked Bulgarian on the defensive as he made 21 unforced errors in the opening set.

In the second, both held their serve through the first four games until Murray broke Dimitrov at 3-2.

It looked like the Scot would serve for the championship but Dimitrov -- who beat Rafael Nadal en route to the final -- won the next 11 points, breaking Murray to love.

Pushed to a tiebreak, the three-time Grand Slam champion immediately seized back control, storming through the decider to claim his first title in the Chinese capital.

Dimitrov had received a free pass through the semi-finals after Canadian Milos Raonic pulled out with an ankle injury, but was left overwhelmed by the Scot.

"I just didn't feel that I had another gear," Dimitrov told reporters.

Murray is the 16th player in the Open era to win at least 40 titles and the fourth active player to accomplish the feat, joining Djokovic, Nadal and Roger Federer.

- The Magician -

Radwanska's victory was the 20th of her career but there was more on the line for Konta, 25, who was making a bid in the Chinese capital for what would have been her second and biggest title.

Despite the loss, by reaching the Beijing final Konta has amassed enough points to break into the top 10 -- the first British woman to do so since Jo Durie in 1984.

When the new leaderboards are released Monday it will be the first time since computerised rankings were introduced that a British man (Murray) and woman are ranked in the top 10 at the same time.

Konta claimed two top 10 scalps en route to the final, sixth-ranked Karoline Pliskova and number eight Madison Keys, but Radwanska managed to unsettle her on Sunday.

The Briton, usually a solid baseliner, repeatedly pushed to the net as she tried to shift the match momentum in her favour, but it was a risky strategy that cost her 29 unforced errors.

"Against a player like Agnieszka, who is basically a human wall, you definitely do try to look to get the upper hand in any way possible," Konta told reporters after the match.

After dropping her serve twice in each set, Konta made a bid to even the scoreline in the second, pushing Radwanska to two break points in the sixth game.

But the Pole -- nicknamed "The Magician" for her ability to conjure up shots -- blasted a forehand down the line to save her service game.

The world number three served for the title, firing her only ace of the match.

"I think that was a perfect timing," Radwanska said of the ace.

It was the second time the pair have met after Radwanska beat the Briton in a two-hour, three-set battle in Cincinnati in August.

They may meet again in Singapore at the end of the month for the WTA Finals.

Radwanska has already qualified for the eight-player season finale, which follows a round-robin format, while the Briton is still chasing points to guarantee her maiden appearance.

Konta is in eighth position but could be nudged out by Wuhan Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova, who is just 10 points behind her in the so-called Race to Singapore.

The Briton is playing in Hong Kong next week, hoping to rack up enough qualification points.

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Murray and Ferrer cruise into China Open quarters

World number two Andy Murray crushed Russia's Andrey Kuznetsov 6-2 6-1 and fifth seed David Ferrer overwhelmed Italian Fabio Fognini 6-3 6-4 to reach the China Open quarter-finals in Beijing on Wednesday.

The 29-year-old Murray won 81 percent of first-serve points and Kuznetsov made a string of unforced errors to hand the Briton victory in one hour 16 minutes.

Murray will meet his 21-year-old compatriot Kyle Edmund, who upset Spanish world number 18 Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4 4-6 6-4, in the last eight on Friday.

"(On) the day of the match, it's always a little bit uncomfortable," Murray, a three-times grand slam winner, told reporters about facing his Davis Cup team mate.

"Normally when you see your friends and stuff in the locker room, you have a chat, joke around a bit. But on match days, it always tends to be a little bit more serious."

The 34-year-old Ferrer, who reached the China Open final in 2010 maintained his perfect career record over Fognini.

The Spaniard, bidding to reach his first final of the year, will next face in-form 19-year-old Alexander Zverev, who beat American Jack Sock 6-4 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals.

(Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)

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Djokovic crushes Nadal to win China Open

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic continued his recent dominance of Rafael Nadal, beating the Spaniard in Beijing to claim another China Open title.

The Serbian showed no mercy against the Spaniard, who was hampered by a foot problem in the second set, as he cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 victory.

Djokovic has now won seven of their last eight meetings, although Nadal still leads their head-to-head at 23-22.

Djokovic has never been beaten at the China Open, winning 29 matches in a row and six titles in total. -- Mornings @ ANC, October 12, 2015.

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Sharapova, Venus sail into China Open second round

BEIJING - Reigning French Open champion Maria Sharapova, former world number one Venus Williams and Australian Samantha Stosur sailed into the second round of the China Open with straight set victories on Sunday.

Fourth seeded Sharapova committed six double faults compared to two by Kaia Kanepi but still downed the Estonian 6-4 6-1 in 90 minutes.

Sixteenth seeded Williams shrugged off a slow start to overcome Heather Watson 6-3 6-1 in their first encounter.

"Heather was playing really well," seven-times grand slam winner Williams, who dropped the first three games in the opening set, said of her opponent.

"I mean, the first games she didn't miss a serve for six points. I give her a lot of credit," said the American who faces 12th seed Ekaterina Makarova in the second round.

Russian Makarova had to work harder for her 6-7(8) 6-4 6-4 win against Spaniard Garbine Muguruza.

Australian Samantha Stosur beat Francesca Schiavone 6-4 6-2 to set up a second round clash against former world number one Caroline Wozniacki who is eyeing a spot in the yearending WTA FInals in Singapore.

From 3-4 in the first set, Australian Stosur went on to win eight of the next nine games before eventually beating the Italian, her conqueror in the 2010 French Open final, in 92 minutes.

Wozniacki got one of the four first round byes for making the semi-finals at the Wuhan Open and is in contention for one of the last four spots in the yearending WTA Finals in Singapore.

In other matches, second seed Simona Halep beat Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-1 6-4, while Japan's Kurumi Nara humbled 11th seeded Italian Sara Errani 3-6 6-3 6-4.

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty; editing by Alan Baldwin)

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