Tennis: Alcaraz, Medvedev advance; Jabeur wins US Open thriller

NEW YORK -- World number one Carlos Alcaraz surged into the last 16 of the US Open on Saturday as Tunisia's Ons Jabeur kept her dream of a first Grand Slam title alive with victory in a three-set thriller.

Alcaraz, looking to become the first man to successfully defend the title since Roger Federer in 2008, produced a flurry of magical shots en route to dispatching British 26th seed Dan Evans 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

It was another stylish victory for the 20-year-old Spaniard, who will face Italy's Matteo Arnaldi in the fourth round on Monday.

The Spaniard kept Evans on the back foot with his booming forehand while delighting the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd with several of his signature forehand drop shots.

Alcaraz also conjured one of the shots of the tournament to clinch a decisive break in the fourth set, curling a logic-defying forehand up the line past Evans for a 4-2 lead.

Alcaraz, who will surrender his world number one ranking to Novak Djokovic at the end of this tournament, admitted he was motivated by matching Federer in defending his crown.

"Obviously defending the title is a goal for me," he said. "I'm looking for that. Nobody's done it here since Roger so I'd love to be part of tournament history with him."

Alcaraz's win keeps him on track for a repeat quarter-final against Italy's Jannik Sinner, a year after the two men dueled in an epic five-hour five-setter that finished at 2.50am, the latest finish in US Open history.

Sixth seed Sinner did his part to keep the rematch on course Saturday with a stylish 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 win over Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka.

Alcaraz's last-16 opponent Arnaldi, meanwhile, advanced after upsetting 16th-seeded Briton Cameron Norrie, winning 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 in just under two hours.

Arnaldi, 22, had never played in the main draw of a Grand Slam before this season, with a brief run to the second round at Roland Garros his best performance in a major championship.

There was better luck for another member of Britain's US Open contingent elsewhere though, with Jack Draper reaching the last 16 of a Grand Slam for the first time with a 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory over American world No.89 Michael Mmoh.

Draper will face eighth-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev on Monday for a place in the quarter-finals.

Rublev, a quarter-finalist at last year's tournament, defeated France's Arthur Rinderknech 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, 7-5 to advance.

Meanwhile Russia's 2021 US Open champion and third seed Daniil Medvedev made it safely into the last 16 in a late-night 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) victory over Argentina's Sebastian Baez.

- Jabeur digs deep -

Arguably the game of day six came in the women's draw, where popular Tunsian fifth seed Jabeur overcame a courageous display by injured opponent Marie Bouzkova to advance.

Czech No.31 seed Bouzkova started strongly to win the opening set against Jabeur, who has been laid low by flu since the start of the championships.

But the game changed midway through the second set when Bouzkova suffered what appeared to be a thigh injury, severely hampering her mobility thereafter.

Despite grimacing and wincing in pain, she somehow managed to keep on playing as Jabeur dug deep to complete a 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 in 2hr 56min on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.

"This is a tough sport. You always don't want to give up. I really respect her for that," Jabeur said.

Jabeur, who faces China's Zheng Qinwen in the last 16 on Monday, is chasing a first Grand Slam title after suffering agonizing defeats in three major championship finals in the past two seasons.

Elsewhere Saturday, Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka maintained her dominant start to the tournament with a 60-minute demolition of France's Clara Burel, winning 6-1, 6-1.

The Belarusian right-hander will play Russia's 13th seed Daria Kasatkina on Monday in the last 16. Kasatkina booked her place in the fourth round with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Belgium's Greet Minnen.

Meanwhile 17th seed Madison Keys became the second American woman into the last 16 after Coco Gauff with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 win over Russian 14th seed Liudmila Samsonova.

Keys will play compatriot and third seed Jessica Pegula in the last 16.

Pegula outfought Ukraine's 26th-ranked Elina Svitolina 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 to reach the fourth round.

Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova wasted no time in sweeping into the last 16, taking just 56 minutes to dismantle Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-2, 6-1. Vondrousova plays US youngster Peyton Stearns in the next round.

China's Zheng meanwhile matched her best result at a Grand Slam -- a fourth round appearance at last year's French Open -- by rallying to beat Italy's Lucia Bronzetti 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.

Agence France-Presse

Medvedev to headline return of elite men's tennis to China

BEIJING, China -- Former world number one Daniil Medvedev will headline the return of elite men's tennis to China after a Covid-enforced break of four years, organizers said on Wednesday.

The Russian, winner of the US Open in 2021 and a two-time Australian Open runner-up, will play at the ATP Tour's Zhuhai Championships on September 20-26.

Zhuhai Championships officials have also been in "fruitful" talks with other grand-slam champions and top-ranked players, the ATP said. More star names will be announced "imminently".

Another ATP event will take place in Chengdu, in the southwest of China, at the same time as the Zhuhai tournament.

Those are followed by the China Open in Beijing starting in late September, before the prestigious Shanghai Masters in October.

"I'm really looking forward to coming back to China and playing at the Hengqin International Tennis Center," the 27-year-old Medvedev, now third in the world, said of his Zhuhai debut.

"I can't wait to see the city and the stadium, both of which I have heard a lot of good things about."

Australia's Alex de Minaur won the first edition of the competition in Zhuhai, near Hong Kong, in 2019.

The women's WTA Tour said earlier this month that it too will return to China this year.

International sport is making a return to the country after authorities dropped strict travel restrictions imposed because of the pandemic.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: No.1 Medvedev advances while No.1 Swiatek sinks in Cincy

Top-ranked Daniil Medvedev advanced to the ATP and WTA Cincinnati Masters quarter-finals on Thursday while women's world number one Iga Swiatek was upset by American Madison Keys.

Top seed Medvedvev kept Denis Shapovalov winless against world number ones with a 7-5, 7-5 victory while Poland's Swiatek lost 6-3, 6-4 to 2019 Cincinnati champion Keys, who needed five match points to finish off the shock triumph.

Shapovalov, who lost in an hour and three-quarters, has dropped all eight career matches he has played against the elite echelon.

Medvedev moved into a quarter-final against 11th seed Taylor Fritz after the American stopped number six seed Andrey Rublev 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 7-5.

"It was a fight today, definitely not easy," said Medvedev, who clinched the top US Open seeding when Rafael Nadal lost here in the second round.

"The match was pretty tight, played at a great level. My goal was to stay in every point possible and try to put pressure on him if I had the chance."

Medvedev secured late breaks in both sets as he matched his volatile Canadian opponent.

Medvedev and Fritz have never played.

"We trained together at the start of the season before the ATP Cup," Medvedev said. "He won Indian Wells, he's a Masters champion. I need to be at my best to try and beat him."

Unseeded Keys was thrilled with her defeat of Swiatek, against whom she had lost two prior matches.

"I had a couple of games with a couple of match points," Keys said. "She beat me pretty badly last time so I'm happy to get the win."

Swiatek never found an ace and was broken five times as she fought back in vain after standing one game from defeat.

It was the second week in a row that the Pole, who put together a 37-match win streak this season, lost in a Masters third round. She suffered the same fate in Toronto seven days earlier.

Keys plays on Friday against Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina, who advanced to the last eight 6-2, 6-4 over Alison Riske-Amritraj.

Also ousted was Estonian second seed Anett Kontaveit, who fell to China's Zhang Shuai 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

- Pegula beats Raducanu -

Top-ranked American Jessica Pegula ended the run of US Open champion Emma Raducanu 7-5, 6-4, sending the Briton onto the practice courts before the August 29 start of her Grand Slam title defense.

Raducanu will head to New York with a 15-18 record since her 2021 title triumph and will drop from the top-10 after failing to reach the quarter-finals.

The teenager put a backhand into the net to give her opponent a match point, with Pegula sending over a service winner to wrap up the victory in an hour and three-quarters on her opponent's 21st unforced error.

"I didn't feel amazing out there," Pegula said after reaching her seventh career quarter-final at a Masters 1000. "I've never hit with Emma, there was a lot to get used to.

"I'm happy with how I competed and stayed in it. I'm glad I handled things really well. I've been playing very consistently, no dramas, get out there and do what you've got to do. I try to do that every single week."

Czech Petra Kvitova, twice a Wimbledon champion, defeated Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur 6-1, 4-6, 6-0. Kvitova broke six times as her fifth-ranked Tunisian opponent committed six double-faults.

Borna Coric, who upset second seed Rafael Nadal, continued his injury comeback progress by beating Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2, 6-3.

Number 152 Coric is the lowest-ranked ATP Masters 1000 quarter-finalist since 239th-ranked Ivo Karlovic at 2011 Indian Wells.

Fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, semi-finalist at the last two editions, defeated Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-3.

John Isner sent down 20 aces in a 7-6 (7/3), 1-6, 7-6 (7/4) defeat of US compatriot Sebastian Korda. At 37, Isner is the oldest Cincinnati men's quarter-finalist in the post-1968 Open Era.

Isner passed Roger Federer, who was a younger 37 when he reached his most recent Cincinnati quarter-final in 2018.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Medvedev stays top of ATP rankings, Hurkacz back in top 10

PARIS, France -- Russian Daniil Medvedev remained top of the ATP rankings released Monday despite his loss in the Halle final over the weekend to Poland's Hubert Hurkacz.

Hurkacz's victory saw him jump two spots into 10th place while Italian Matteo Berrettini, who won on grass at Queen's, falls to 11th and Britain's Cameron Norrie to 12th.

Serbia's Filip Krajinovic, the losing Queen's finalist, rose from 48th to 31st.

ATP rankings as of June 20, 2022

1. Daniil Medvedev 8160 pts

2. Alexander Zverev (GER) 7030

3. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 6770

4. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 6525

5.Casper Ruud (NOR) 5050

6. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 4945

7. Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) 4893

8. Andrey Rublev 3870

9. Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 3760

10. Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 3738 (+2)

11. Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 3480 (-1)

12. Cameron Norrie (GBR) 3200 (-1)

13. Jannik Sinner (ITA) 3185

14. Taylor Fritz (USA) 2920

15. Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 2325 (+1)

16. Denis Shapovalov (CAN) 2293 (-1)

17. Marin Cilic (CRO) 2220

18. Reilly Opelka (USA) 2100

19. Pablo Carreno (ESP) 2045

20. Roberto Bautista (ESP) 1903

Agence France-Presse

Nadal beats Medvedev again to reach Acapulco ATP final

Rafael Nadal beat Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-3 on Friday to reach the final of the ATP Mexico Open and insure the Russian will not celebrate his rise to number one with the Acapulco trophy.

Medvedev was unable to avenge his loss to Nadal in the Australian Open final, where the Spaniard rallied from two sets down to triumph in five and claim a record-setting 21st Grand Slam singles title.

But the 26-year-old Russian departs Mexico knowing he'll move to number one in the world on Monday. He was assured of reaching the summit when Serbian star Novak Djokovic fell in the quarter-finals at Dubai on Thursday.

Nadal pushed his perfect 2022 record to 14-0, but it wasn't as simple as the scoreline might suggest.

He powered through the first set without facing a break point and broke Medvedev in the opening game of the second.

But the 35-year-old world number five found himself in trouble in the fourth game, fighting off four break points to preserve his advantage.

Medvedev pushed him again in a marathon sixth game but failed to convert any of his seven break chances.

"I played some amazing points on the break points," said Nadal, who used everything in his arsenal to fend off Medvedev -- from his classic powerful forehands to aggressive forays to the net.

"The second set was very emotional," Nadal said. "Daniil was playing very aggressive — drop shots, winners. It was a very difficult set.

"I feel lucky to win that set, because he had a lot of chances."

Serving to extend the match at 5-3, Medvedev took a 40-0 lead before a spate of errors, including his seventh double fault of the contest, gave Nadal an opening and allowed him to wrap it up on his second match point.

In Saturday's final, Nadal will face Cameron Norrie, who pushed his winning streak to eight straight matches with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece.

Britain's 12th-ranked Norrie, who lifted the trophy at Delray Beach last week, broke in the ninth game of each set and calmly served them out.

Tsitsipas, who reached the Rotterdam final earlier this month, had not dropped a set all week until he ran into the in-form Briton -- who faced just one break point in the match.

Nadal has won all three of his career meetings with Norrie -- at the Australian Open, Barcelona and Roland Garros in 2021.

But he said Norrie has made big strides since then.

"His level of tennis is huge," Nadal said. "He improved a lot at the beginning of last year, and this year he continues.

"It's going to be a big challenge, but we are in the final of a 500 here in Acapulco, so can't expect an easy opponent. I'm excited about being in the final."

Nadal is seeking a fourth Acapulco title. He won his first two, in 2005 and 2013, when the tournament was played on clay, and added a third in 2020 after it had moved to hardcourts.

Agence France-Presse

Tennis: Nadal edges Medvedev in epic to claim Grand Slam record

MELBOURNE -  Rafa Nadal edged Daniil Medvedev in a classic Australian Open final on Sunday, roaring back from two sets down to claim a record 21st Grand Slam title only months after fearing his glorious career might be over due to injury.

With Novak Djokovic forced out by deportation and Roger Federer recovering from knee surgery, the Spanish great is now one major title clear of his ‘Big Three’ rivals after surviving the 2-6 6-7(5) 6-4 6-4 7-5 thriller at Rod Laver Arena.

"It was one of the most emotional matches in my tennis career," Nadal said at the post-match presentation.

"It's just amazing now being gone one month and a half ago I didn't know if I will be able to be back on the tour playing tennis again.

"And today I'm here in front of all of you having this trophy with me."

Riding a wave of raucous support from the crowd, a vintage Nadal pulled off his greatest escape to deny Medvedev again, less than three years after leaving the Russian heartbroken in five sets at the 2019 U.S. Open final.

In a five-hour 24-minute epic steeped in drama, Nadal was two points from the title but was broken as he served for the match at 5-4.

He held firm to break Medvedev again and served out the match to love, rushing in to deliver a backhand volley as a stunning coup de grace.

Dropping his racket, Nadal shook his head and grinned, then kicked a tennis ball away and pumped his fists in delight.

It was a triumph that defied time and logic, with the 35-year-old fighting back from a two-set deficit for the first time in 15 years -- the last time being against Mikhail Youzhny in the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2007.

Having suffered four final defeats in 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2019, Nadal can now savour a second Melbourne Park crown, 13 years after beating Federer in another epic decider in 2009.

The long hair and pirate shorts of that decade have fallen by the way-side, but the class and fighting spirit endure in the face of Nadal's titanic battles to recover from injuries.

Having missed Wimbledon due to fatigue and the U.S. Open because of a chronic condition in his left foot, Nadal was on the brink of quitting in late-2021 and felt blessed just to turn up at Melbourne Park.

ARE YOU TIRED?

His ability to win seven matches felt miraculous for the Spaniard, who joins Djokovic, Rod Laver and Roy Emerson as the only men to take each Grand Slam title at least twice.

Thrashed by Djokovic in last year's final, U.S. Open champion Medvedev has now lost three out of the four Grand Slam deciders he has contested.

"Tough to talk after five hours and 30 minutes and losing," said Medvedev who shuffled and rolled his eyes during a lengthy speech by a local tennis official.

"What you (Rafa) did today was amazing.

"After the match, I just asked him: 'Are you tired?'

"It was insane ... I thought you are going to get tired, maybe just a little, but you won the match.

"You're an amazing champion and I think you guys (Federer, Djokovic and Nadal) have a good rivalry still. It's not over yet."

It was a match that had everything, even a crowd invasion as a spectator jumped on the court to protest Australia's detention of refugees as Nadal struggled to serve out the second set.

Nadal failed to convert a set point and Medvedev made him pay, sealing the set with a crisp backhand passing shot.

The Russian hammed up his villain persona, flapping his hands at the crowd with a smirk.

It proved a red rag to a bull as both Nadal and the crowd united to harry the Russian through the next two sets.

Medvedev was left begging for crowd control from the chair umpire as Nadal stormed back into the game.

"They are idiots. No brains. Empty brains. Probably in their life it must be very bad," he said at a change of ends of the fans.

Medvedev's frustrations only grew and he became sluggish in his movement as the match wore on. He frowned as a trainer worked on his left thigh but dragged himself out to make a game of it to the finish.

In the end, it was Nadal dictating terms to the Russian and showing himself and the world that further records may yet be at his mercy. 

(Additional Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; editing by Pritha Sarkar)

-reuters-

Tennis: Medvedev wears down Zverev in Paris to claim third Masters title

PARIS -- Russian Daniil Medvedev outclassed German Alexander Zverev 5-7 6-4 6-1 in the Paris final on Sunday to claim his third Masters title.

The third seed, who also defeated Zverev in the Shanghai final last year, returned strongly throughout the match to take his first title of the year.

Medvedev, 24, had more energy in the deciding set and made the most of his opportunities against an inconsistent Zverev, who had won five of their six previous meetings.

A double fault earned the Russian his eighth ATP title after two hours and seven minutes.

Medvedev said he pulled off the win by making his "opponent crazy".

Both players had a high first serve percentage early on, holding comfortably. Zverev went 40-0 up on the Russian's serve at 6-5 to earn the first break points of the match.

Medvedev saved the first two by dictating the rallies, but he whacked a forehand long on the third and conceded his second set of the tournament.

Zverev faced his first break points in a fiercely contested third game in the second set, which he won, but he dropped serve in the ninth game when he sent a crosscourt backhand long.

Medvedev won his service game to love to level the match and send it into a decider.

He broke to love, held serve after saving four break points and broke again thanks to a booming service return as he moved 4-0 up.

With his confidence shattered, Zverev never looked capable of mounting a comeback as Medvedev added to his 2019 Shanghai and Cincinnati Masters titles.

Both players will take part in the season-ending ATP Tour Finals at the O2 in London from Nov. 15-22.

Medvedev, the fourth Russian player to win at Bercy after three-time champion Marat Safin, Nikolay Davydenko and Karen Khachanov, said he would go into the tournament full of confidence.

"I'm coming in better shape than last year. Last year I was real exhausted, I had lost in the first round in Paris. That's when you lose your confidence," he said.

"When you lose the first round, you always lose your confidence." 

(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ed Osmond and Pritha Sarkar)

-reuters-

Tennis: Wawrinka finds the answers to take down Medvedev

MELBOURNE - Former champion Stan Wawrinka emerged from a mid-match loss of confidence to battle past Russian fourth seed Daniil Medvedev to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals with a 6-2 2-6 4-6 7-6(2) 6-2 victory on Monday.

Medvedev, 23, arrived in Melbourne after a 2019 season featuring four titles and a Tour-leading 59 match wins and came into Monday's contest against Wawrinka having won both career meetings at Grand Slams in four sets.

But the Russian failed to find a way past the battling 2014 Australian Open champion, ending up the highest seed to fall in the men's draw so far.

Wawrinka, who won the last of his three Grand Slam titles at the 2016 U.S. Open, hit a staggering 71 winners and sealed the contest after three hours and 25 minutes.

READ: Thiem, Kontaveit reach Aussie Open quarters for the 1st time
"This was another amazing match, really tough to play against Daniil, I lost to him in U.S. Open but today came back strongly on the fourth and fifth sets," he said.

"The level was super high and it was a great atmosphere. It's amazing to keep playing here, I'm really happy to be able to continue to play at this level here and I'm looking forward to the quarter-final."

Wawrinka was flawless in the opening set and wrested initiative with a double break of the Russian's serve.

But Medvedev, who lost to Rafa Nadal in five sets in last year's U.S. Open final, levelled the contest by breaking Wawrinka twice in the second and nosed ahead in the match with a break in the seventh game of the third.

The points grew longer in the fourth with both players refusing to yield and it was only in the tiebreaker that Wawrinka created a clear margin to force a deciding set.

Wawrinka rode the momentum and broke Medvedev's first service game in the fifth, and another break in the seventh sealed the contest in his favour.

After his win, the 34-year-old tapped the side of his forehead with his finger and patted his chest as the crowd at Margaret Court Arena cheered him on.

"I'm finding the answers, I lost confidence a bit in the second and third sets but I knew it was all on the mental side of things," he said.

Wawrinka will meet either German seventh seed Alexander Zverev or 17th seed Andrey Rublev of Russia for a place in the semi-finals. 

(Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman/Peter Rutherford)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Nadal defies inspired Medvedev in five-set epic to win US Open

NEW YORK - Rafa Nadal survived a heroic Daniil Medvedev fightback to claim an epic 7-5 6-3 5-7 4-6 6-4 win and a fourth U.S. Open title on Sunday, moving within one Grand Slam crown of matching Roger Federer's all-time record.

A routine end to the Flushing Meadows fortnight looked on the cards when Nadal went up two sets and a break up but it turned into a near five-hour thriller as Medvedev staged a comeback that left the Spaniard shaken and Arthur Ashe Stadium buzzing.

Not once since 1949 had a player come back from two sets down to win the U.S. Open final but the tall Russian, cheered loudly by a crowd that booed him mercilessly earlier in the week, came mighty close.

On the ropes with Medvedev looking to deliver the knockout blow, though, Nadal showed once again why he is the game's greatest fighter and he lifted himself off the canvas to scrap his way to a 19th Grand Slam title.

Nadal needed three championship points to finally kill off his 23-year-old opponent and let out a mighty roar as Medvedev's final return sailed long before falling on his back to soak up the cheers.

Already the King of Clay the Spaniard has been a master of the Flushing Meadows hardcourts this New York fortnight, dropping just three sets on way to the final.

The 33-year-old lefthander became the second oldest U.S. Open champion in the professional era behind Australian Ken Rosewall, who was 35 when he lifted the title in 1970.

While the women have served up four different Grand Slam winners this season, the old guard of Nadal, Federer and Novak Djokovic continue to rule the men's game with the "Big Three" having combined to win the last 12 majors.

Medvedev arrived at his first Grand Slam final as the hottest player in men's tennis, riding the momentum from reaching four consecutive finals, but it was not enough to carry him to a maiden major title.

Nadal was not exactly holding a cold hand either, the Spaniard riding a 10 match win streak going 26-1 in his last five events. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Tennis: Kyrgios edges Medvedev to win ATP Washington Open title

WASHINGTON -- Shaking off back spasms to blast 18 aces, Australia's Nick Kyrgios kept his composure and captured the ATP Washington Open title Sunday, defeating Russia's 10th-ranked Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/4).

The 24-year-old Aussie, who struggled through the opening set, claimed the $365,390 top prize and his sixth career ATP crown at the US Open tuneup event.

"This is probably my best memory of a final," Kyrgios said. "I left it all on the court."

Kyrgios, 5-1 this year against top-10 rivals, won his second title of the season after Acapulco in March and will jump 25 positions to 27th in Monday's new rankings, his first top-30 appearance in 43 weeks.

"This has been one of the greatest weeks of my life. I've made massive strides," Kyrgios said. "This whole week has been amazing. It's a week I won't forget."

Known for his fiery temperament and inconsistency, Kyrgios was resilient all week, breaking racquets but holding his emotions together -- "super proud" of his composure.

"In the past six months, it's crazy to think how much I've been able to turn it around," Kyrgios said. "I'm working hard to be better as a player and a person.

"I lost faith that I could still have weeks like this and be happy. I've got to thank (my family) for not losing faith.

"I just wanted to clean myself up and have a healthy attitude. I showed what I can do this week."

While saying his best memory of the week was "how professional I was off the court," Kyrgios also noted, "I've got a long way to go."

American Jessica Pegula captured her first WTA singles title by ripping Italy's Camila Giorgi 6-2, 6-2 in the Washington women's final.

The 25-year-old daughter of NFL Buffalo Bills owner and natural gas magnate Terry Pegula took a $43,000 top prize.

Kyrgios won a match that featured no break points or deuces after 94 minutes with back-to-back aces, the last his tournament-best 110th of the week.

Medvedev, 23, was broken only twice this week but lost his lone sets to Kyrgios. He'll equal his career-best ranking of ninth on Monday.

"I know how well Nick can play when he wants to play. This week, I think he wanted to play and it was tough," Medvedev said.

"He was determined and it seemed like he wants to win. And that's what we don't see all the time."

Kyrgios, who beat Medvedev on Rome clay in May in their only prior meeting, would face him again in the second round next week at Montreal if Kyrgios beats Britain's Kyle Edmund.

"It's never easy to play Nick," said Medvedev, adding with a laugh. "I hope Kyle wins."

Kyrgios first grabbed his back at 2-all, stretching and twisting during a changeover but having no troubles after treatment between sets from a physiotherapist.

"I just happened to get through that first set, which was massive," he said.

His running and service speed were hampered at times during his seventh match in as many days counting doubles, but while Medvedev took 24 of 25 points on his serve, Kyrgios matching up into the tie-breaker.

Kyrgios denied Medvedev on set point with a 124-mph ace, then hit a passing winner and won it when Medvedev sent a forehand wide. In the last breaker, two Kyrgios aces made his Washington's first unseeded ATP champion since 2011.

- Pegula powers to crown -

Pegula's only other WTA singles final was last September at Quebec City, where she lost to France's Pauline Parmentier.

Pegula, who will jump 25 spots to a career-best 54th on Monday, broke early in each set and closed matters just inside an hour with an ace.

"It's extremely gratifying," she said. "The journey makes it all that much sweeter because it's hard. I really pushed myself this week. It's amazing. I'm excited.

"Hopefully I can take the momentum and keep riding it."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Tennis: Thiem rides out difficult start to ease to Barcelona Open victory

BARCELONA -- World number five Dominic Thiem captured his second title of the year after thrashing Russian Daniil Medvedev 6-4 6-0 in the Barcelona Open final on Sunday.

The Austrian had been beaten by Rafael Nadal in his previous appearance in the Barcelona final in 2017 but after knocking out the 11-times French Open champion in the semi-finals, Thiem easily dispatched the 23-year-old Medvedev.

Thiem made a slow start as he trailed 3-0 but he then got into a groove as he produced a number of scorching winners, including a sublime drop shot, to win four successive games and go 4-3 up.

Medvedev struggled to respond and called on the physio to get some treatment on his shoulder but that intervention failed to get him going and Thiem easily served out for the set.

Thiem faced little resistance in the second, using his drop shots to devastating effect to wipe out seventh seed Medvedev.

The Austrian third seed, who triumphed at Indian Wells last month, sealed victory with a simple volley.

"It's such an honour to win this tournament, looking at all the names who have won it I'm very happy and proud that my name is also there now," Thiem, who prevented Nadal from his bid to win a record-extending 12th title in Barcelona, told reporters.

"I had some trouble in the beginning and going 0-3 down. I had some troubles at the beginning with the slice then it got better and that's the only thing you can do against him and I'm happy that I made it work." 

(Reporting by Richard Martin, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

source: news.abs-cbn.com