Gavrilova stuns Kerber at Hong Kong Open

HONG KONG - World number one Angelique Kerber crashed out of the Hong Kong Open in the quarter-finals on Friday, the German slumping to a shock 6-3 6-1 defeat to Australia's Daria Gavrilova at Victoria Park.

Kerber, who also suffered a surprise loss to Elina Svitolina in the round of 16 at last week's China Open, committed six double faults and struggled on serve as her 38th-ranked opponent secured victory in an hour and 14 minutes.

Moscow-born Gavrilova fired five aces against the German as the 22-year-old continues her quest for a first WTA singles title, and she will next face Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic for a place in the final.

Her victory over Kerber, who surged to the top of the rankings after winning the Australian and U.S. Open titles this year as well as reaching the Wimbledon final, was her first against the German Olympic silver medallist in six meetings.

Mladenovic defeated American Bethanie Mattek-Sands 3-6 6-3 7-6(3) in the second quarter-final. Jelena Jankovic is the defending champion and the Serb faces another Frenchwoman, Alize Cornet, in a last eight encounter later on Friday. (Reporting by Ian Rodricks in Bengaluru; Editing by John O'Brien)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

TENNIS: Djokovic denies match-fixing report, Hewitt faces Ferrer

Djokovic denies report that 2007 loss to Santoro was fixed

Reuters
Novak Djokovic has denied an Italian media report he deliberately lost a match in 2007 that has been linked to a wider scandal involving alleged corruption in tennis.

The 28-year-old world number one, who easily beat French teenager Quentin Halys on Wednesday to advance to the Australian Open third round, was asked about a report in Italian newspaper Tuttosport that he had deliberately lost to now-retired French player Fabrice Santoro at the Paris Masters.

"It's not true," the Serb said with a shrug and shake of his head. "What it is to say? I've lost that match.

"Anybody can create a story about that match or for that matter any of the matches of the top players losing in the early rounds, I think it's just absurd."

Djokovic was asked about the media reports on Monday, saying that he had indirectly been offered $200,000 to throw a match while still a teenager.

The offer was immediately rejected by the person it had been made to, he said.

Hewitt facing final farewell against brick wall Ferrer

Reuters

Spain's David Ferrer could be the man to bring the curtain down on Lleyton Hewitt's illustrious career in what could be an emotional Rod Laver Arena night session on day four of the Australian Open on Thursday.

Home favourite and former world number one Hewitt will retire after his 20th and final home grand slam and while he will fight the way only he knows how, he could meet his match in tenacious eighth seed Ferrer.

Wild card Hewitt remains the only player Australian to beat Ferrer at a grand slam tournament though and will relish a toe-to-toe scrap with the former French Open runner-up.

"He's like a brick wall out there," twice grand slam champion Hewitt said of Ferrer. "He's a tough customer for nearly anyone. But, yeah, I give myself a fighting chance."

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Sixth seed Kvitova ousted by Australia's Gavrilova in Melbourne

Reuters

Twice Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was sent tumbling out of the Australian Open in the second round by Daria Gavrilova on Wednesday, stunned 6-4 6-4 by the 21-year-old local.

The sixth seed, a semi-finalist at Melbourne Park four years ago, made 35 unforced errors and was broken five times in the 89-minute contest, to the delight of the partisan crowd on Margaret Court Arena.

Kvitova rallied to save a match point and break back for 5-4 in the final set but Gavrilova claimed the victory when the world number seven went long with a forehand in the next game.

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Kyrgios overcomes shorts mix-up to set up Berdych clash

Agence France-Presse
Rising star Nick Kyrgios overcame a mix-up with his shorts to beat Pablo Cuevas in straight sets and set up an Australian Open showdown with Tomas Berdych on Wednesday.

Despite needing to change his shorts midway, the exciting 20-year-old Australian beat the 41st-ranked Cuevas 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7/2) in almost two hours before a partisan home crowd on Hisense Arena.

Krygios, whose first pair of shorts apparently didn't have pockets deep enough to hold balls while he was serving, smashed 50 winners as he broke the Uruguayan's serve four times.

"Just a bit of a mix-up before the game. I guess it will be fixed by the next round," shrugged the 29th seed, whose next opponent, Berdych, has reached the last two semi-finals at Melbourne Park.
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Uncle Toni open to Nadal coaching change

Agence France-Presse

Rafael Nadal's coach and uncle Toni Nadal hasn't ruled out the possibility that the 14-time Grand Slam champion may seek a new or expanded coaching team in a bid to arrest his slide in form.

Nadal lost in the first round of a Grand Slam for just the second time in his career to fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco at the Australian Open on Tuesday.

"I understand that in sport results come first and if you have to make a change, you have to do it," Toni Nadal told Spanish radio station Cadena Cope on Wednesday.

"To lose so early in Australia is one of the biggest disappointments we have had because in the last four months we had been playing well.

"I hope it is only a blip and we move forward."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com