Federer outlasts Del Potro for eighth Basel title

BASEL, Switzerland - Roger Federer displayed some rare flashes of temper as he battled past Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro 6-7(5) 6-4 6-3 for an eighth Swiss Indoors title in front of a partisan Basel crowd on Sunday.

The 36-year-old local favourite, beaten by Del Potro in consecutive Basel finals in 2012 and 2013, was ragged at times and looked in danger of an unwanted hat-trick, but showed all his fighting qualities to turn the match around.

Fourth seed Del Potro, making a late run to try and qualify for next month's ATP World Tour Finals in London, broke serve in the first game of the decider but wilted as Federer stormed back to the delight of a raucous crowd inside the St Jakobshalle.

World number two Federer charged into a 5-2 lead and while Del Potro delayed the end by holding serve, Federer would not be denied and racked up his 95th career title as Del Potro fired a backhand long under pressure.


In edging past Ivan Lendl's 94 Federer is now alone in second place on the all-time titles list which American great Jimmy Connors leads with 109.

However, his chances of snatching the world number one ranking from Rafael Nadal before the end of the season are all but over as the Swiss pulled out of next week's Paris Masters citing a back injury.

Federer, who trails Nadal by 1,460 points in the rankings, has taken regular breaks during the season to rest his body and no doubt opted to skip the Paris tournament to prepare for next month's ATP Finals in London.

Del Potro would have moved into the eighth and final qualifying spot for London had he claimed a third Basel title, but now must reach the semi-finals at least in the French capital to make it to the season-ending tournament.

"All the best for Paris and then I'll hopefully maybe see you in London, too," Federer said after an intense battle with the 29-year-old Argentine who fell just short of claiming a second successive title after winning in Stockholm.

Federer broke serve in the opening game but Del Potro hit back immediately when Federer netted a backhand.

Del Potro struggled to hold serve and cracked at 4-4 under a flurry of Federer winners. Federer could not serve out the set though and was broken as Del Potro took it to a tiebreak.

Federer went 3-0 up but lost six successive points. He saved two set points but Del Potro took the opener on his third chance -- leaving Federer flustered.

The 19-times grand slam champion smashed his racket into the net at one point during the opening set, but it was Del Potro's turn to lose his cool when he dropped serve at 4-5 in the second as the crowd roared Federer on.

Del Potro took the opening game of the decider but looked fatigued as Federer found another gear to surge back.

(Writing by Martyn Herman; Editing by Christian Radnedge and Pritha Sarkar)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Lopez beats Cilic in nail-biting Queen's Club final

LONDON - Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez claimed the biggest title of his long career when he battled back to beat Marin Cilic 4-6 7-6(2) 7-6(8) in a nerve-wracking final of the Aegon Championships at Queen's Club on Sunday.

The 35-year-old, who suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the 2014 final when he held a match point against Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, this time saved one in a tense tiebreak shootout before toppling the Croat.

Fourth seed Cilic also saved two match points, but at the third time of asking crowd favourite Lopez could finally celebrate a sixth career title after Cilic pulled a forehand into the tramlines.

"I can't believe that I finally won it, I've been waiting for 15 or 16 years to hold this trophy," an emotional Lopez, three times a Wimbledon quarter-finalist, said on court.

"I thought that at the end of the tiebreak after losing match points I wouldn't make it but I managed to do it.

"It was tough to put that (match point in 2014) out of my mind so it was difficult to handle my nerves but I managed it."


Lopez, yet another male player who appears to be getting better with age, is the oldest winner of the prestigious Queen's Club championship in the professional era.

He did it by defeating Stan Wawrinka, Tomas Berdych, Grigor Dimitrov and Cilic -- ranked three, 14, 11 and seven in the world rankings.

"It's the best week of my career, which is crazy when you're 35," said Lopez, who joins a celebrated list of former champions including the likes of John McEnroe, Pete Sampras, Boris Becker, Andy Murray and fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal.

The match was decided in an epic tiebreak with both players showing remarkable grasscourt skills.

Cilic brought up match point with an ace but Lopez saved it when he cut off the Croat's attempted pass with a stretching volley. Lopez then had a match point only for Cilic to snuff it out with his 22nd ace of the match.

Lopez performed miracles to scramble a point at 7-7 and serve for the match but Cilic responded with a nerveless volley after an exchange of blows from the baseline.

A 19th ace for Lopez brought up another match point and this time Cilic could not reply.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ian Chadband and Brian Homewood)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Nishikori breaks into world's top four, Murray out

LONDON - Japan's Kei Nishikori broke into the top four of the ATP world rankings on Monday as the Asian trailblazer continued to shake up the top echelon of men's tennis.

His run to the final in Acapulco, where he was beaten by Spain's David Ferrer, elevated him to a new career-high ranking of four, taking him above Britain's Andy Murray.

Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer and Murray have long been regarded as the "big four" in the men's game.

Nishikori, who became the first Asian male to reach a grand slam singles final at the U.S. Open last year, has equalled the highest ranking for a Japanese player, matching the feat of Kimiko Date-Krumm in the women's list 20 years ago.

"What's important is where you are at the end of the year," the 25-year-old Nishikori told local media.

"I hope I can produce some big results."

He will be in action for Japan later this week in a Davis Cup World Group first-round clash against Canada in Vancouver.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Ed Osmond)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Murray defends decision to keep Maurismo as head coach

MANILA -- British tennis superstar Andy Murray defended his decision to keep Amelie Maurismo as head coach on Friday (November 28), following coaching changes after an overwhelming defeat in the ATP World Tour.

Murray, along with tennis superstars like Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams, is taking part in the three-day inaugural match-up in Manila for the first leg of the International Premier Tennis League competition.

Murray was defeated 6-5 by Croatian Marin Cilic in a five-minute shootout match at the start of the tournament on Friday (November 28).

Speaking at a post-match news conference, the Scot spoke about the type of training he wanted from Mauresmo and his goal on improving his ranking next year.

"Amelie always speaks about me going aggressively and never once spoken to me about trying to play defensive tennis, this was all that we practise, that's the set of mindset and gamestyle that I want to play. Sometimes you know it hasn't been possible, but you know we only spent six or seven weeks together, and since Wimbledon, I you know the match, sort of five or six weeks, and the off season, and the build up to the Australian open, I get to practice and things and I can work on some more stuff," he said.

Murray's overwhelming loss to Roger Federer at the ATP World Tour Finals brought the British tennis player to consider changing his coaching team, ending a long-time working relationship with his friends Dani Vallverdu and Jez Green.

US Open champion Marin Cilic was happy with his performance against Murray.

"It's tough to say because the rules are new and it's a different atmosphere. You play doubles for example, and you're sitting on the bench, cheering up your team mate and then you have to be ready for your match,to adjust different, and we need to adjust to be a little bit better better, so I think our match was on a good level and I think we had good rallies, and I played pretty good so you know Im happy to that," he said.

Modelled on the successful Indian Premier League cricket competition, the IPTL format involves a five-set format made up of a men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, mixed doubles and a past champions' singles match.

Players from the four teams competed in the new format, which used a team-scoring system, a 20-second shot clock and a call called a "power point" which players can make to double their point once per set.

Micromax Indian Aces dominated the first game against the Singapore Slammers, with mixed doubles partners Rohan Bopana and Sanria Mirza defeating Bruno Soares and Daniela Hatchunova. Succeeding matches led by Fabrice Santoro and Ana Ivanovic sealed the team's victory.

The Manila Mavericks lost to the UAE Royals on the second game, as Murray lost to Cilic in the men's singles.

Maria Sharapova managed to acquire the Maverick's only victory after defeating Kirstin Mlandenovic in the Women's Singles. Murray and Sharapova teamed up in the mixed doubles, but ultimately lost to Nenad Zimonjic and Kristina Mladenovic.

The competition in Manila will continue until Sunday (November 31), with further events taking place in Singapore, India and Dubai next month.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com