November 18, 2018
Alexander Zverev made beating Novak Djokovic look easy. And it wasn’t just the 6-4, 6-3 scoreline. This was emphatic. You had to remember that almost no one had been able to beat Novak in the last six months. Not even Zverev himself, earlier in the week. But “Sascha” Zverev has now turned into something very […]
November 17, 2018
This could be the making of Alexander ‘Sascha’ Zverev. As a tennis player. As a superstar. The way he beat Roger Federer. The way he reacted to the hatred. Booed Close to tears, yet still apologising for what had happened. Saying sorry for something that wasn’t his fault. Jeered and booed by thousands for stopping […]
November 15, 2018
Roger Federer is well and truly back! Now he will set his sights on title number 100 with a growing confidence. But Novak Djokovic will surely stand in his way, if both can book a place in the showpiece this weekend. That delicious drama was always going to looming in the background. But first there […]
November 14, 2018
So Novak Djokovic beat the crumbling young pretender, Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-1. It virtually booked the Serb’s semi-final place. No great surprise there. Here’s what was perhaps a little more surprising. The way Djokovic talked about Zverev, who is more than ten years his junior, after the match. Searing Novak was searingly honest. Sure, he […]
November 11, 2018
Stefanos Tsitsipas took the Next Gen title in Milan to confirm his status as the hottest young superstar in tennis. But you sense that his fellow finalist Alex de Minaur could become just as popular for his spectacular stroke-play and sheer determination. In a pulsating final, Tsitsipas came through 2-4, 4-1, 4-3 (3), 4-3 (3). […]
November 4, 2018
So Novak Djokovic was finally downed after 22 wins on the trot. It had to end sometime. Could the new generation be here at last? At 22, Karen Khachanov must surely join Zverev, Thiem and the other young pretenders in the big time now. You don’t beat the world number one 7-5, 6-4 without being […]
November 3, 2018
Novak Djokovic was expected to win. But not like this. ‘It really was a spectacular match and one of the best I have played against Roger in my career,’ said a triumphant Djokovic afterwards. So much credit must go to Roger Federer for his sheer determination. That’s what helped to make the match so great. […]
October 31, 2018
So the journey is complete. Djokovic will return to world number one on Monday. For a man who has done so much so quickly, it is ironic that he is back on top partly due to what someone else hasn’t done. It was Rafael Nadal’s inability to compete in Paris on Wednesday due to an […]
October 29, 2018
Roger Federer created most of the headlines with his 99th ATP tour title. It was his ninth in Basle, his beloved backyard. On this occasion, the running total was more remarkable than the performance. He defeated world number 93 Marius Copil 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 to send 12,000 home fans into raptures. Implosion In truth, however, […]
October 21, 2018
Kyle Edmund sank to his knees and let tears of joy stream down his cheeks. What a year. First the Australian Open semi-final. Now, this. His first ATP title. It was captured in dramatic style against one of the game’s great entertainers, Gael Monfils. Flirted The crowd in Antwerp could never confidently have believed they […]