Tennis player Jiří Veselý in Nur-Sultan did not repeat the progress to the quarterfinals from the previous tournament in Sardinia. In the Kazakh capital today, the Czech Davis Cup representative lost 6: 4, 3: 6, 4: 6 to Jegor Gerasimov from Belarus in the second round.
Twenty-seven-year-old Veselý defeated Gerasimov in the final race of the tournament in Pune, India, in February this year, but this time his Belarusian peer rejoiced. In each set, one break decided – in the balanced third set, Veselý lost the service in the ninth game to 4: 5 and Gerasimov then finished the match.
Djokovic is approaching a record
Novak Djoković is very close to finishing the sixth season as world number one and equaling the record of the legendary Pete Sampras. At the tournament in Vienna, where he decided to start after 13 years, he advanced to the quarterfinals. If he wins the title in the Austrian capital or if the Spaniard Rafael Nadal does not accept a wild card for a smaller tournament in Sofia, no one will remove him from the top of the ATP rankings.
The 33-year-old Djokovic preferred the effort to dominate the rankings again before the start of the Masters in Paris next week. He was supposed to defend the title there, but he would not add any points. That’s why he came to the Erste Bank Open and is currently playing the role of favorite.
Although his performances are not yet dominant, he has achieved the goal. In the first round, he turned away the set-off to compatriot Filip Krajinovič, today he turned away four sets-offs to Born Čorič. Djoković won the tie-break over the Croatian 13:11 and the second set was clearly 6: 3. He thus became the first quarterfinalist.
Nadal is not playing this week, he competed in a golf tournament with professionals in Mallorca over the weekend and is preparing for the Paris Masters. Then the events in Sofia and the final Champions Tournament in London remain in the ATP Tour calendar.
Sampras finished the year as the number one tennis player without a break between 1993 and 1998. Djoković has so far wintered on the throne in the 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2018 seasons.
“Sampras was one of the idols for me when I was a child. Of course I would like to finish the year as number one and equal his record. It would be one of the biggest successes in world sports,” said Djokovic. In Vienna, he has a chance to win the fifth title of seven tournaments this year, while the coronavirus has also significantly shortened the season for tennis players.
Men’s tennis tournament in Nur-Sultan (hard surface, $ 337,000 grant):
Singles – Round 2: Gerasimov (BEL) – Cheerful (CZE) 4: 6, 6: 3, 6: 4, Tiafoe (USA) – Kecmanovič (2-Srb.) 7: 5, 6: 3, Millman (4-Austr.) – Verdasco (Šp.) 6: 3, 6: 4, Paul (7-USA) – Albot (Mold.) 6: 4, 6: 0, McDonald (USA) – Bublik (6-Kaz.) 6: 3, 6: 2, Kukuškin (Kaz.) ) – Delbonis (ARG) 6: 7 (5: 7), 6: 3, 6: 2.
Men’s tennis tournament in Vienna (hard surface, subsidy 1,550,950 euros):
Singles – Round 1: Tsitsipas (3-Greek) – Struff (DEU) 6: 7 (3: 7), 6: 3, 6: 4, Medvedev (4-RUS) – Jung (Taiwan) 6: 3, 6 : 1, Sinner (It.) – Ruud (NOR) 7: 6 (7: 2), 6: 3.
Men’s tennis tournament in Vienna (hard surface, subsidy 1,550,950 euros):
Singles – Round 1: Tsitsipas (3-Greek) – Struff (DEU) 6: 7 (3: 7), 6: 3, 6: 4, Medvedev (4-RUS) – Jung (Taiwan) 6: 3, 6 : 1, Sinner (It.) – Ruud (NOR) 7: 6 (7: 2), 6: 3. Pospisil (CAN) – Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 7: 5, 7: 5.
Round 2: Djokovic (1-Srb.) – Coric (Chorv.) 7: 6 (13:11), 6: 3, Anderson (JAR) – Carreno (Sp.) 7: 5, 6: 1.
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