RAFAEL Nadal is urging Nick Kyrgios to “keep going” after consigning the combustible Australian to an explosive straight-sets loss in the China Open final. The world No. 1 cashed in on another Kyrgios meltdown to seize his sixth title of the season with a 6-2 6-1 victory in Beijing. Chasing his third win over Nadal, Kyrgios was unable to shake off a tough line call in the opening game of the match, collapsing to defeat in 92 minutes. Nadal’s latest triumph, following successes in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid and grand slam glory in Paris and New York, came after the Spaniard saved two match points in his tournament opener against Lucas Pouille. Victory also further boosted the 16-time major champion’s chances of holding off Roger Federer to finish the season atop the rankings for the first time since 2013. Despite losing, Kyrgios will climb to 15th in the ATP Race to next month’s World Tour Finals in London. With defending champion Andy Murray, five-time winner Novak Djokovic and world No. 9 Stan Wawrinka all injured and out for the rest of the season, Kyrgios is effectively in 12th place with the top eight plus an alternate making the trip to the English capital.

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Fourth-seeded Belgian David Goffin beat Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 6-3 7-5 in the Japan Open final in Tokyo on Sunday to win his second title in as many weeks and first ATP 500 trophy. Goffin, who lost to Nick Kyrgios in last year’s final, extended his winning streak to nine matches to rise to number eight in the Race to London rankings, boosting his chances of playing in the season-ending tournament. The 26-year-old was dominant from the start and broke Mannarino to take a 3-1 lead in the opener and maintained the one-break advantage to claim the set, winning 21 of 25 points on his own serve. World number 31 Mannarino rallied in the second and broke Goffin to take a 4-2 lead but the in-form Belgian responded by breaking the Frenchman immediately and once more in the 11th game as he charged to victory. The win in Tokyo was Goffin’s fourth career title and second of the season after his ATP 250 Shenzhen Open triumph last Sunday. The world number 11 will next travel to China to play in the Shanghai Masters.

Reuters

David Goffin boosted his hopes of qualifying for the ATP World Tour Finals with his first title in three years at the Shenzhen Open. The Belgian had lost six finals since winning his second title in Metz in 2014 but ended that run with a 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-3 victory over Aleksandr Dolgopolov. Goffin lost the second-set tie-break after recovering from 1-5 but took the decider to win in two hours and three minutes. The title leaves Goffin in 12th place in the Race to London, with the top eight qualifying for the season-ending tournament at the O2 Arena in November. But Wawrinka and Djokovic will both definitely miss out because of injury, with Andy Murray also unlikely to take part. Should Goffin qualify for the ATP Finals, it would be a very impressive achievement given he was sidelined for six weeks with an ankle injury and missed Wimbledon.

ESPN

The Chengdu Open final came to a painfully premature conclusion for Marcos Baghdatis. Denis Istomin held a 3-2 lead over the former Australian Open finalist when Baghdatis’ back locked up and he toppled to the court in clear pain.stomin crossed the net out of concern to check on his fallen opponent and immediately signaled for the trainer. Chair umpire Carlos Bernardes also came out on court to check on Baghdatis’ status. The 32-year-old Cypriot was unable to continue due to his back injury.

The 78th-ranked Istomin, who knocked Novak Djokovic out of the Australian Open in January, collected his second career ATP title.

One week ago, Peter Gojowczyk was not in the main draw of the Moselle Open. On Sunday, he became the last man standing, claiming his maiden ATP World Tour title in emphatic fashion.

Gojowczyk dominated the Metz final, streaking past seventh seed and home hope Benoit Paire 7-5, 6-2 in 67 minutes. The German qualifier claimed seven matches in eight days to lift his first trophy, completing a stunning run to the title with 14 of 15 sets won.

Gojowczyk’s victory is the first for a qualifier in an ATP World Tour final this year, ending an 0-5 skid. He is the first to clinch a title since Nicolas Mahut in ‘s-Hertogenbosch in 2015.

The 28 year old is also the sixth first-time champion on the ATP World Tour in 2017. Damir Dzumhur added a seventh maiden title with his triumph at the St. Petersburg Open just hours later on Sunday.

Source: ATP

Damir Dzumbur claimed his first ATP World Tour title after he completed an impressive comeback against Fabio Fognini at the St. Petersburg Open on Sunday.

Third seed Fognini — who saved two match points during his semi final victory over top seed Roberto Bautista Agut — entered the final hoping to secure his second ATP Tour title of the season.

It was the 30-year-old who started the stronger of the two players, taking the first set 3-6 before the Bosnian — who entered the competition unseeded — won the following two sets 6-4 6-2 to seal victory in a matchup which lasted almost two hours.

In addition to clinching the St. Petersburg crown, victory over the Italian is expected to see Dzumhur become the first player from his country to break into the Top 50 of the ATP rankings.

It caps off an excellent few months for the 25-year-old, who has won 15 of the 18 matches he has played since the start of August.

Source: ESPN

Top seed Roberto Bautista Agut made good on his quest to avenge last year’s final loss with a 6-4 6-4 win over Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur to clinch the Winston-Salem Open on Saturday.

Bautista Agut, who fell to compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta in last year’s decider, broke Dzumhur five times and wrapped up the match in 91 minutes to capture his second title of the season and sixth of his career.

The Spaniard raced out to a 4-1 lead in the first set and 3-1 in the second before a determined Dzumhur, who this week became Bosnia’s first player to reach an ATP Tour final, clawed his way back each time.

But Bautista Agut, who failed to drop a set all week in the final U.S. Open tune-up, ultimately proved too strong and captured the title on his first match point when Dzumhur sent a forehand long.

Bautista Agut, who has reached the fourth round of a grand slam seven times in his last nine attempts, will now shift his focus to the U.S. Open, where he will face Italy’s Andreas Seppi in first round action on Monday.

Source: Reuters

After two months of injuries and poor form, Nick Kyrgios will contest the US Open on the back of a near career-best week. The Australian lost the Cincinnati Masters final to Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets but claimed the scalp of world No1 Rafael Nadal in reaching Sunday’s decider.

It is hard to believe just over two weeks ago Kyrgios was forced to retire hurt down 6-3, 3-0 to world No105 Tennys Sandgren due to a shoulder injury in Washington DC.

Kyrgios went down to seventh seed Dimitrov 6-3, 7-5 on Sunday, unable to maintain the form which saw him beat Nadal in the quarter-finals. But he heads to Flushing Meadows after wins over former world No.3 David Ferrer in the final four and world No13 David Goffin, Alexandr Dolgopolov and Ivo Karlovic in the early rounds.

“Looking back from where I was … I would have never thought I would have had my first Masters 1000 event final,” Kyrgios said. “So I’m pretty happy with the result. From where I was to here, it’s just been amazing.

“First round was really a struggle and obviously got through a tough one with Dolgopolov. Gradually, I just feel back to where I should feel on a tennis court. I wasn’t enjoying it at all, didn’t want to be out there. External things were affecting how I was feeling. It really didn’t make sense. Right now, I lost today but I feel great. I feel great where I’m at right now.”

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/aug/21/grigor-dimitrov-dominates-nick-kyrgios-to-win-cincinatti-masters-final-in-straight-sets

John Isner has ended his title drought by taking the Newport Hall of Fame Championships. Isner defeated first-time ATP finalist and grass court specialist Matthew Ebden 6-3, 7-6 for the win.

Isner played a terrific tournament in which he did not lose a set nor see his serve broken. His final opponent, Ebden, gave him his closest battle by winning nine games and taking the 6’10 American to a second set tiebreak, but Isner was not to be denied.

http://www.ubitennis.net/blog/2017/07/23/john-isner-wins-first-title-nearly-two-years-taking-newport/