Top seed Novak Djokovic beat Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-5 7-6(1) to reach the semi-finals of the Italian Open on Friday and move within one win of 1,000 career victories. By reaching the semis in Rome the Serb also retained his world number one ranking and avoided surrendering the top spot to Russian Daniil Medvedev for the second time this year.

Djokovic and Auger-Aliassime were neck and neck until the Serb broke to lead 5-3 but the eighth seed fought back. 
It proved only a blip though as Djokovic wrapped up the opening set in style.

The 21-year-old Aliassime was applauded by Djokovic for his display of endurance in rallies but again fell 5-3 behind, only to drag himself back into the contest again.

Having forced a tiebreak though, Aliassime was no match for Djokovic who found another gear when required. 
Djokovic will next face Norwegian fifth seed Casper Ruud who continued his good form on European clay as claimed a hard-fought 7-6(7) 7-5 win against Canada`s Denis Shapovalov.

"He has the lethal serve honestly... It was not easy for me at all to return. He`s also returning well, moving well. He`s a very complete player," Djokovic told reporters.

"I was a set and 5-2, match point, serving for the match. Credit to him for fighting back. Amazing atmosphere as well tonight."

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World number three Alexander Zverev remained on course to claim his first title of the season after overcoming Cristian Garin to set up a semi-final showdown with Stefanos Tsitsipas, who saw off home favourite Jannik Sinner.

Zverev, who won the title in Rome in 2017, eased into the last four with a 7-5 6-2 win over Garin in the pair`s first meeting since the Chilean upset him on home soil en route to winning the ATP 250 event in Munich three years ago.

Garin, the only unseeded player remaining, had the first break point of the match at 3-2 but Zverev squirmed his way out of it and broke his 25-year-old opponent to take a 4-3 lead and, after some poor shot selection, closed out a gritty opening set.

Zverev comfortably won the second set after Garin dropped serve in the opening game.

"I think it was a high level match, at times it wasn`t pretty tennis but I got the job done and that`s the most important thing," said Zverev, who is yet to drop a set in Rome.

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Tsitsipas kept his composure in front of a raucous crowd to hold off Sinner for a 7-6(5) 6-2 victory. In an entertaining opening set lasting nearly an hour and a half, Tsitsipas raced to a 3-0 lead and Sinner battled back to draw level before the Greek edged it on the tiebreak.

Tsitsipas cruised through the second set and, after a stoppage in play at match point when a spectator fell ill, dealt with Sinner`s miscalculated drop shot to triumph. The 23-year-old beat Zverev in Monte Carlo before clinching the title in April before the German avenged his defeat in Madrid last week.

"He`s a player that challenges me when I`m out on the court," Tsitsipas said of Zverev. "He has a lot of experience on the tour, much earlier than when I started playing here.

"We have similar game styles but he is one of the most difficult players on the tour."

Top seed Novak Djokovic beat Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-5 7-6(1) to reach the semi-finals of the Italian Open on Friday and move within one win of 1,000 career victories.

Top seed Novak Djokovic beat Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-5 7-6(1) to reach the semi-finals of the Italian Open on Friday and move within one win of 1,000 career victories. By reaching the semis in Rome the Serb also retained his world number one ranking and avoided surrendering the top spot to Russian Daniil Medvedev for the second time this year. Djokovic and Auger-Aliassime were neck and neck until the Serb broke to lead 5-3 but the eighth seed fought back. It proved only a blip though as Djokovic wrapped up the opening set in style. The 21-year-old Aliassime was applauded by Djokovic for his display of endurance in rallies but again fell 5-3 behind, only to drag himself back into the contest again. Having forced a tiebreak though, Aliassime was no match for Djokovic who found another gear when required. Djokovic will next face Norwegian fifth seed Casper Ruud who continued his good form on European clay as claimed a hard-fought 7-6(7) 7-5 win against Canada`s Denis Shapovalov. "He has the lethal serve honestly... It was not easy for me at all to return. He`s also returning well, moving well. He`s a very complete player," Djokovic told reporters. "I was a set and 5-2, match point, serving for the match. Credit to him for fighting back. Amazing atmosphere as well tonight." Also Read: World No. 3 Alexander Zverev sets up semi-final clash with Stefanos Tsitsipas in Rome World number three Alexander Zverev remained on course to claim his first title of the season after overcoming Cristian Garin to set up a semi-final showdown with Stefanos Tsitsipas, who saw off home favourite Jannik Sinner. Zverev, who won the title in Rome in 2017, eased into the last four with a 7-5 6-2 win over Garin in the pair`s first meeting since the Chilean upset him on home soil en route to winning the ATP 250 event in Munich three years ago. Garin, the only unseeded player remaining, had the first break point of the match at 3-2 but Zverev squirmed his way out of it and broke his 25-year-old opponent to take a 4-3 lead and, after some poor shot selection, closed out a gritty opening set. Zverev comfortably won the second set after Garin dropped serve in the opening game. "I think it was a high level match, at times it wasn`t pretty tennis but I got the job done and that`s the most important thing," said Zverev, who is yet to drop a set in Rome. Also Read: From Lionel Messi to Stephen Curry: Top 5 Forbes’ richest athletes of 2022 Tsitsipas kept his composure in front of a raucous crowd to hold off Sinner for a 7-6(5) 6-2 victory. In an entertaining opening set lasting nearly an hour and a half, Tsitsipas raced to a 3-0 lead and Sinner battled back to draw level before the Greek edged it on the tiebreak. Tsitsipas cruised through the second set and, after a stoppage in play at match point when a spectator fell ill, dealt with Sinner`s miscalculated drop shot to triumph. The 23-year-old beat Zverev in Monte Carlo before clinching the title in April before the German avenged his defeat in Madrid last week. "He`s a player that challenges me when I`m out on the court," Tsitsipas said of Zverev. "He has a lot of experience on the tour, much earlier than when I started playing here. "We have similar game styles but he is one of the most difficult players on the tour."

Novak Djokovic retains world no.1 ranking after edging past Felix Auger Aliassime in Italian Open

World number three Alexander Zverev remained on course to claim his first title of the season after overcoming Cristian Garin at the Italian Open on Friday to set up a semi-final showdown with Stefanos Tsitsipas, who saw off home favourite Jannik Sinner.

Zverev, who won the title in Rome in 2017, eased into the last four with a 7-5 6-2 win over Garin in the pair`s first meeting since the Chilean upset him on home soil en route to winning the ATP 250 event in Munich three years ago. Garin, the only unseeded player remaining, had the first break point of the match at 3-2 but Zverev squirmed his way out of it and broke his 25-year-old opponent to take a 4-3 lead and, after some poor shot selection, closed out a gritty opening set.

Zverev comfortably won the second set after Garin dropped serve in his first game, converting two out of his seven break points to wrap up the victory. "I think it was a high level match, at times it wasn`t pretty tennis but I got the job done and that`s the most important thing," said Zverev, who is yet to drop a set in Rome. 
The 25-year-old German will face Tsitsipas in the semi-finals of an ATP tournament for the third time in the space of a month, after the world number five kept his composure in front of a raucous crowd to hold off Sinner for a 7-6(5) 6-2 victory.

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In an entertaining opening lasting nearly an hour and a half, Tsitsipas raced to a 3-0 lead and Sinner battled back to draw level before the Greek edged it on the tiebreak. Tsitsipas cruised through the second set and, after a stoppage in play at match point when a spectator fell ill, dealt with Sinner`s miscalculated drop shot to triumph.

The 23-year-old beat Zverev in Monte Carlo before clinching the title in April before the German avenged his defeat in Madrid last week. "He`s a player that challenges me when I`m out on the court," Tsitsipas said of Zverev. "He has a lot of experience on the tour, much earlier than when I started playing here. 
"We have similar game styles but he is one of the most difficult players on the tour... I have a lot of respect for him. He has achieved a lot so far and I try and look up to him."

Norwegian fifth seed Casper Ruud continued his good form on European clay as he saved two set points against Canada`s Denis Shapovalov for a hard-fought 7-6(7) 7-5 win. Ruud plays either world number one Novak Djokovic or Canadian eighth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime for a place in the final.

World number three Alexander Zverev remained on course to claim his first title of the season after overcoming Cristian Garin at the Italian Open on Friday to set up a semi-final showdown with Stefanos Tsitsipas, who saw off home favourite Jannik Sinner.

World number three Alexander Zverev remained on course to claim his first title of the season after overcoming Cristian Garin at the Italian Open on Friday to set up a semi-final showdown with Stefanos Tsitsipas, who saw off home favourite Jannik Sinner. Zverev, who won the title in Rome in 2017, eased into the last four with a 7-5 6-2 win over Garin in the pair`s first meeting since the Chilean upset him on home soil en route to winning the ATP 250 event in Munich three years ago. Garin, the only unseeded player remaining, had the first break point of the match at 3-2 but Zverev squirmed his way out of it and broke his 25-year-old opponent to take a 4-3 lead and, after some poor shot selection, closed out a gritty opening set. Zverev comfortably won the second set after Garin dropped serve in his first game, converting two out of his seven break points to wrap up the victory. "I think it was a high level match, at times it wasn`t pretty tennis but I got the job done and that`s the most important thing," said Zverev, who is yet to drop a set in Rome. The 25-year-old German will face Tsitsipas in the semi-finals of an ATP tournament for the third time in the space of a month, after the world number five kept his composure in front of a raucous crowd to hold off Sinner for a 7-6(5) 6-2 victory. ALSO READ | Iga Swiatek gets past Bianca Andreescu in Rome to bag 26th consecutive win In an entertaining opening lasting nearly an hour and a half, Tsitsipas raced to a 3-0 lead and Sinner battled back to draw level before the Greek edged it on the tiebreak. Tsitsipas cruised through the second set and, after a stoppage in play at match point when a spectator fell ill, dealt with Sinner`s miscalculated drop shot to triumph. The 23-year-old beat Zverev in Monte Carlo before clinching the title in April before the German avenged his defeat in Madrid last week. "He`s a player that challenges me when I`m out on the court," Tsitsipas said of Zverev. "He has a lot of experience on the tour, much earlier than when I started playing here. "We have similar game styles but he is one of the most difficult players on the tour... I have a lot of respect for him. He has achieved a lot so far and I try and look up to him." Norwegian fifth seed Casper Ruud continued his good form on European clay as he saved two set points against Canada`s Denis Shapovalov for a hard-fought 7-6(7) 7-5 win. Ruud plays either world number one Novak Djokovic or Canadian eighth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime for a place in the final.

World No. 3 Alexander Zverev sets up semi-final clash with Stefanos Tsitsipas in Rome

World number one Iga Swiatek extended her winning run to 26 matches with a 7-6(2) 6-0 victory over Bianca Andreescu in the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Friday. Swiatek, who has put together the longest winning run since Serena Williams racked up 27 straight victories in 2015, will face Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals in Rome.

The 2020 French Open champion is seeking her fifth title this season, having won on hard courts in Doha, Indian Wells, Miami and on clay in Stuttgart. Swiatek faced a stern challenge in the opening set from 2019 U.S. Open champion Andreescu, who returned to action last month following a six-month mental health hiatus. Trailing 5-3 and with Swiatek serving for the set, Andreescu broke to stay alive in the contest and forced it to a tiebreak, where the Canadian could not keep up with the top-ranked Pole.

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Swiatek earned a quick double break to lead 3-0 in the second set before holding her serve and breaking Andreescu once again. The 20-year-old eventually handed Andreescu a second-set bagel, wrapping up the match in one hour and 44 minutes. Earlier, Belarusian Sabalenka recovered from a set down to notch her first win over Amanda Anisimova in her fifth attempt, beating the American 4-6 6-3 6-2.

Tunisian Ons Jabeur, who won in Madrid last week, will play Greek fourth seed Maria Sakkari later on Friday and Jil Teichmann will face Daria Kasatkina.

World number one Iga Swiatek extended her winning run to 26 matches with a 7-6(2) 6-0 victory over Bianca Andreescu in the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Friday.

World number one Iga Swiatek extended her winning run to 26 matches with a 7-6(2) 6-0 victory over Bianca Andreescu in the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Friday. Swiatek, who has put together the longest winning run since Serena Williams racked up 27 straight victories in 2015, will face Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals in Rome. The 2020 French Open champion is seeking her fifth title this season, having won on hard courts in Doha, Indian Wells, Miami and on clay in Stuttgart. Swiatek faced a stern challenge in the opening set from 2019 U.S. Open champion Andreescu, who returned to action last month following a six-month mental health hiatus. Trailing 5-3 and with Swiatek serving for the set, Andreescu broke to stay alive in the contest and forced it to a tiebreak, where the Canadian could not keep up with the top-ranked Pole. ALSO READ | Rafael Nadal reveals foot injury a cause of concern ahead of French Open Swiatek earned a quick double break to lead 3-0 in the second set before holding her serve and breaking Andreescu once again. The 20-year-old eventually handed Andreescu a second-set bagel, wrapping up the match in one hour and 44 minutes. Earlier, Belarusian Sabalenka recovered from a set down to notch her first win over Amanda Anisimova in her fifth attempt, beating the American 4-6 6-3 6-2. Tunisian Ons Jabeur, who won in Madrid last week, will play Greek fourth seed Maria Sakkari later on Friday and Jil Teichmann will face Daria Kasatkina.

Iga Swiatek gets past Bianca Andreescu in Rome to bag 26th consecutive win

The ATP tour board is seeking to strip Wimbledon of its rankings points over the tournament's decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players. If successful, this year's Wimbledon could be reduced to an exhibition event. Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Wimbledon reduced to an exhibition event?

Rafa Nadal said that everyday training was a challenge and he would take a doctor with him to Roland Garros after the 21-times major winner was once again hampered by a chronic foot injury in his defeat by Denis Shapovalov at the Italian Open on Thursday.

Nadal, who only recently returned from a stress fracture in the ribs, struggled badly at the back end of his match against the Canadian as he went down 1-6 7-5 6-2 in the last-16. "I had my foot again with a lot of pain. I am a player living with an injury - it is nothing new. It`s something that is there," Nadal, a 10-times champion in Rome, told reporters.

"Unfortunately, my day-by-day is difficult, honestly. Even like this, I am trying hard... it can be frustrating that a lot of days I can`t practice the proper way." The 35-year-old missed the bulk of last season due to the foot problem before mounting a remarkable comeback to win the Australian Open in January and also prevailing in Acapulco.

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"Since I came back, the foot has been tough," added the Spaniard. "Negative thing and toughest thing for me today is honestly I started to feel myself play much better. I started the match playing much better." 
Nadal`s preparation heading into the French Open, where he will be bidding for a record-extending 14th title, has been far from ideal after he was also knocked out of last week`s Madrid Open by Carlos Alcaraz at the quarter-finals stage.

"First thing that I need to do is to don`t have pain to practice... it`s true that during the French Open, Roland Garros, I going to have my doctor there with me. That sometimes helps because you can do things," said Nadal. "In the positive days and in the negative days, you need to stay and to value all the things that happened to me in a positive way."

Rafa Nadal said that everyday training was a challenge and he would take a doctor with him to Roland Garros after the 21-times major winner was once again hampered by a chronic foot injury in his defeat by Denis Shapovalov at the Italian Open on Thursday.

Rafa Nadal said that everyday training was a challenge and he would take a doctor with him to Roland Garros after the 21-times major winner was once again hampered by a chronic foot injury in his defeat by Denis Shapovalov at the Italian Open on Thursday. Nadal, who only recently returned from a stress fracture in the ribs, struggled badly at the back end of his match against the Canadian as he went down 1-6 7-5 6-2 in the last-16. "I had my foot again with a lot of pain. I am a player living with an injury - it is nothing new. It`s something that is there," Nadal, a 10-times champion in Rome, told reporters. "Unfortunately, my day-by-day is difficult, honestly. Even like this, I am trying hard... it can be frustrating that a lot of days I can`t practice the proper way." The 35-year-old missed the bulk of last season due to the foot problem before mounting a remarkable comeback to win the Australian Open in January and also prevailing in Acapulco. ALSO READ | Spaniard Rafael Nadal knocked out of Italian Open by Denis Shapovalov in last-16 "Since I came back, the foot has been tough," added the Spaniard. "Negative thing and toughest thing for me today is honestly I started to feel myself play much better. I started the match playing much better." Nadal`s preparation heading into the French Open, where he will be bidding for a record-extending 14th title, has been far from ideal after he was also knocked out of last week`s Madrid Open by Carlos Alcaraz at the quarter-finals stage. "First thing that I need to do is to don`t have pain to practice... it`s true that during the French Open, Roland Garros, I going to have my doctor there with me. That sometimes helps because you can do things," said Nadal. "In the positive days and in the negative days, you need to stay and to value all the things that happened to me in a positive way."

Rafael Nadal reveals foot injury a cause of concern ahead of French Open

Novak Djokovic ended Stan Wawrinka`s hopes of stringing together a hat-trick of match wins for the first time in 18 months with a 6-2 6-2 thumping in the last 16 of the Italian Open on Thursday. The 37-year-old Swiss, who had not played for 12 months after undergoing two surgeries for a foot injury, battled past Reilly Opelka and Laslo Djere to set up a 26th meeting with top seed Djokovic in the Italian capital, and first since 2019.

The 361st ranked Warinka, who last won three successive matches at the 2020 Paris Masters, could not cope with Djokovic`s baseline intensity in the first set and was broken twice. Wawrinka showed incredible defence to break Djokovic in the sixth game of the second set but a double break from the world number one carried him to victory.

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It was Djokovic`s 20th win over Wawrinka, and 998th career victory, as he bids to become the fifth player to reach the 1000-win mark. "It is great to see Stan back," the Serbian said. "He won two matches here, he is still physically not there, but he is still Stan and can hurt you.

"From the beginning I really moved him around the court and held my serve well. I know what is expected from me next." Djokovic will face Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime in the quarter finals after the 21-year-old beat American Marcos Giron 6-3 6-2.

Alexander Zverev chalked up a century of match wins at Masters 1000 events with a 6-3 7-6(5) win over Australian Alex de Minaur, while world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas battled back from a set down to beat 4-6 6-0 6-3 Russian Karen Khachanov.

Novak Djokovic ended Stan Wawrinka`s hopes of stringing together a hat-trick of match wins for the first time in 18 months with a 6-2 6-2 thumping in the last 16 of the Italian Open on Thursday.

Novak Djokovic ended Stan Wawrinka`s hopes of stringing together a hat-trick of match wins for the first time in 18 months with a 6-2 6-2 thumping in the last 16 of the Italian Open on Thursday. The 37-year-old Swiss, who had not played for 12 months after undergoing two surgeries for a foot injury, battled past Reilly Opelka and Laslo Djere to set up a 26th meeting with top seed Djokovic in the Italian capital, and first since 2019. The 361st ranked Warinka, who last won three successive matches at the 2020 Paris Masters, could not cope with Djokovic`s baseline intensity in the first set and was broken twice. Wawrinka showed incredible defence to break Djokovic in the sixth game of the second set but a double break from the world number one carried him to victory. ALSO READ | Spaniard Rafael Nadal knocked out of Italian Open by Denis Shapovalov in last-16 It was Djokovic`s 20th win over Wawrinka, and 998th career victory, as he bids to become the fifth player to reach the 1000-win mark. "It is great to see Stan back," the Serbian said. "He won two matches here, he is still physically not there, but he is still Stan and can hurt you. "From the beginning I really moved him around the court and held my serve well. I know what is expected from me next." Djokovic will face Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime in the quarter finals after the 21-year-old beat American Marcos Giron 6-3 6-2. Alexander Zverev chalked up a century of match wins at Masters 1000 events with a 6-3 7-6(5) win over Australian Alex de Minaur, while world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas battled back from a set down to beat 4-6 6-0 6-3 Russian Karen Khachanov.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic cruises past Stan Wawrinka to reach Rome quarter-finals

Rafa Nadal was knocked out of the Italian Open after the 21-times major winner was beaten 1-6 7-5 6-2 by Canadian Denis Shapovalov in the last-16 of the Italian Open on Thursday. Nadal had a solid start, but the 35-year-old struggled physically towards the end of the contest, raising doubts over his fitness ahead of the French Open, which he has won a record 13 times.

The Spaniard, who has endured a string of injuries during a career spanning more than two decades, dominated the opening set with his brilliant return of serves. Canadian Shapovalov responded in style by racing to a 4-1 lead in the second set with his energetic and attacking play, but Nadal got back into the contest by winning the next three games.

Nadal saved a set point at 4-5 but a series of unforced errors and lack of aggression from him saw the match go into the deciding third set. World number four Nadal broke through right away at the start of the decider but later limped with an apparent foot injury, likely related to his chronic left-foot problem. 
Shapovalov went won 17 of the last 20 points, completing his comeback as he handed Nadal his earliest Rome exit since 2008.

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"I am not injured. I am a player living with an injury. That`s it," Nadal told reporters. "I started the match playing much better. My practice was much better, the warm-up, than the other day. "Then when these kind of stuff happens, the rest of the things, the rest of the positive things disappears."

Shapovalov said he hoped Nadal would recover in time for the French Open, which starts on 22nd May. 
"Definitely tough to see him in pain there at the end. I never want to see that, especially with a great legend like Rafa," he added. "He`s been winning so much, I think it`s almost been difficult for him to stop playing and kind of take it easy."

Earlier, Novak Djokovic ended Stan Wawrinka`s hopes of stringing together a hat-trick of match wins for the first time in 18 months with a 6-2 6-2 thumping. The 37-year-old Swiss, who had not played for 12 months after undergoing two surgeries for a foot injury, battled past Reilly Opelka and Laslo Djere to set up a 26th meeting with top seed Djokovic in the Italian capital, and first since 2019.

The 361st ranked Wawrinka, who last won three successive matches at the 2020 Paris Masters, could not cope with Djokovic`s baseline intensity in the first set and was broken twice. Wawrinka showed incredible defence to break Djokovic in the sixth game of the second set but a double break from the world number one carried him to victory.

It was Djokovic`s 20th win over Wawrinka, and 998th career victory, as he bids to become the fifth player to reach the 1000-win mark. "It is great to see Stan back," the Serbian said. "He won two matches here, he is still physically not there, but he is still Stan and can hurt you. 
"From the beginning I really moved him around the court and held my serve well. I know what is expected from me next."

Djokovic will face Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime in the quarter-finals after the 21-year-old beat American Marcos Giron 6-3 6-2. Alexander Zverev chalked up a century of match wins at Masters 1000 events with a 6-3 7-6(5) win over Australian Alex de Minaur, while world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas battled back from a set down to beat 4-6 6-0 6-3 Russian Karen Khachanov.

Local hope Jannik Sinner reached his first quarter-final in Rome with a 6-2 7-6(6) victory over Filip Krajinovic, while fifth seed Casper Ruud won 6-3 6-4 against Jenson Brooksby.

Rafa Nadal was knocked out of the Italian Open after the 21-times major winner was beaten 1-6 7-5 6-2 by Canadian Denis Shapovalov in the last-16 of the Italian Open on Thursday.

Rafa Nadal was knocked out of the Italian Open after the 21-times major winner was beaten 1-6 7-5 6-2 by Canadian Denis Shapovalov in the last-16 of the Italian Open on Thursday. Nadal had a solid start, but the 35-year-old struggled physically towards the end of the contest, raising doubts over his fitness ahead of the French Open, which he has won a record 13 times. The Spaniard, who has endured a string of injuries during a career spanning more than two decades, dominated the opening set with his brilliant return of serves. Canadian Shapovalov responded in style by racing to a 4-1 lead in the second set with his energetic and attacking play, but Nadal got back into the contest by winning the next three games. Nadal saved a set point at 4-5 but a series of unforced errors and lack of aggression from him saw the match go into the deciding third set. World number four Nadal broke through right away at the start of the decider but later limped with an apparent foot injury, likely related to his chronic left-foot problem. Shapovalov went won 17 of the last 20 points, completing his comeback as he handed Nadal his earliest Rome exit since 2008. ALSO READ | World No. 1 Iga Swiatek wins 25th straight match to reach Rome quarter-finals "I am not injured. I am a player living with an injury. That`s it," Nadal told reporters. "I started the match playing much better. My practice was much better, the warm-up, than the other day. "Then when these kind of stuff happens, the rest of the things, the rest of the positive things disappears." Shapovalov said he hoped Nadal would recover in time for the French Open, which starts on 22nd May. "Definitely tough to see him in pain there at the end. I never want to see that, especially with a great legend like Rafa," he added. "He`s been winning so much, I think it`s almost been difficult for him to stop playing and kind of take it easy." Earlier, Novak Djokovic ended Stan Wawrinka`s hopes of stringing together a hat-trick of match wins for the first time in 18 months with a 6-2 6-2 thumping. The 37-year-old Swiss, who had not played for 12 months after undergoing two surgeries for a foot injury, battled past Reilly Opelka and Laslo Djere to set up a 26th meeting with top seed Djokovic in the Italian capital, and first since 2019. The 361st ranked Wawrinka, who last won three successive matches at the 2020 Paris Masters, could not cope with Djokovic`s baseline intensity in the first set and was broken twice. Wawrinka showed incredible defence to break Djokovic in the sixth game of the second set but a double break from the world number one carried him to victory. It was Djokovic`s 20th win over Wawrinka, and 998th career victory, as he bids to become the fifth player to reach the 1000-win mark. "It is great to see Stan back," the Serbian said. "He won two matches here, he is still physically not there, but he is still Stan and can hurt you. "From the beginning I really moved him around the court and held my serve well. I know what is expected from me next." Djokovic will face Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime in the quarter-finals after the 21-year-old beat American Marcos Giron 6-3 6-2. Alexander Zverev chalked up a century of match wins at Masters 1000 events with a 6-3 7-6(5) win over Australian Alex de Minaur, while world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas battled back from a set down to beat 4-6 6-0 6-3 Russian Karen Khachanov. Local hope Jannik Sinner reached his first quarter-final in Rome with a 6-2 7-6(6) victory over Filip Krajinovic, while fifth seed Casper Ruud won 6-3 6-4 against Jenson Brooksby.

Spaniard Rafael Nadal knocked out of Italian Open by Denis Shapovalov in last-16

World number one Iga Swiatek stretched her winning streak to 25 matches by beating Victoria Azarenka 6-4 6-1 in the last 16 of the Italian Open in Rome on Thursday. Poland`s Swiatek, who has put together the longest winning run since Serena Williams racked up 27 victories in 2015, will face 2019 U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu in the quarter-finals of the claycourt event on Friday.

Swiatek was 0-3 down in the opening set as she found herself under pressure from Azarenka`s return game, but the 20-year-old bounced back by taking the next five games. With Swiatek serving for the set at 5-3, former world number one Azarenka saved four set points and broke to get back on serve. Swiatek eventually broke Azarenka on her fifth set point to finally seal the set.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/beating-nadal-djokovic-to-winning-madrid-open-meet-carlos-alcaraz-the-new-teen-star-on-the-block-477787">Beating Nadal, Djokovic to winning Madrid Open: Meet Carlos Alcaraz, the new teen star on the block!</a>

The 2020 French Open champion dominated the second set, breaking Azarenka four more times to wrap up the match in just under two hours. Swiatek is seeking her fifth title this season, having won in Doha, Indian Wells, Miami and Stuttgart.

Andreescu reached her first WTA 1000 quarter-final in 14 months by defeating qualifier Petra Martic 6-4 6-4. 
The 21-year-old Canadian, who returned to action in Stuttgart last month following a six-month mental health hiatus, is making her debut in Rome. Third seed Aryna Sabalenka defeated Jessica Pegula 6-1 6-4 to reach the Rome last eight for the first time, while Jil Teichmann beat Elena Rybakina 6-7(3) 6-3 7-5 in a match that lasted more than three hours.

World number one Iga Swiatek stretched her winning streak to 25 matches by beating Victoria Azarenka 6-4 6-1 in the last 16 of the Italian Open in Rome on Thursday.

World number one Iga Swiatek stretched her winning streak to 25 matches by beating Victoria Azarenka 6-4 6-1 in the last 16 of the Italian Open in Rome on Thursday. Poland`s Swiatek, who has put together the longest winning run since Serena Williams racked up 27 victories in 2015, will face 2019 U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu in the quarter-finals of the claycourt event on Friday. Swiatek was 0-3 down in the opening set as she found herself under pressure from Azarenka`s return game, but the 20-year-old bounced back by taking the next five games. With Swiatek serving for the set at 5-3, former world number one Azarenka saved four set points and broke to get back on serve. Swiatek eventually broke Azarenka on her fifth set point to finally seal the set. ALSO READ | Beating Nadal, Djokovic to winning Madrid Open: Meet Carlos Alcaraz, the new teen star on the block! The 2020 French Open champion dominated the second set, breaking Azarenka four more times to wrap up the match in just under two hours. Swiatek is seeking her fifth title this season, having won in Doha, Indian Wells, Miami and Stuttgart. Andreescu reached her first WTA 1000 quarter-final in 14 months by defeating qualifier Petra Martic 6-4 6-4. The 21-year-old Canadian, who returned to action in Stuttgart last month following a six-month mental health hiatus, is making her debut in Rome. Third seed Aryna Sabalenka defeated Jessica Pegula 6-1 6-4 to reach the Rome last eight for the first time, while Jil Teichmann beat Elena Rybakina 6-7(3) 6-3 7-5 in a match that lasted more than three hours.

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek wins 25th straight match to reach Rome quarter-finals

Novak Djokovic`s bid to retain his World No. 1 status enjoyed a solid start on Tuesday at the Italian Open 2022 in Rome. The five-time champion brushed past Aslan Karatsev, 6-3, 6-2 in the second round at the ATP Masters 1000 event. The top seed must reach the semi-finals to prevent Daniil Medvedev from taking his spot at the top of the ATP Rankings on Monday, and the Serbian`s all-round performance against Karatsev represented an impressive start to that mission.

Djokovic`s return game was at its relentless best as he broke the World No. 35`s serve four times on his way to a comfortable win on centre court. Later, Felix Auger-Aliassime had his back against it literally and figuratively, but the Canadian star found a way to win. The eighth seed rallied past in-form Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-2 after three hours and two minutes to reach the third round in Rome. Another Canadian, 13th seed Denis Shapovalov, defeated Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4, 7-6(5).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rafael-nadal-says-his-body-is-like-an-old-machine-takes-time-to-fire-up-477876">Rafael Nadal says his body is like an 'old machine' takes time to fire up</a>

The lefty will challenge third seed Rafael Nadal or big-serving American John Isner for a place in the quarter-finals. Shapovalov only faced one break point against 2021 Indian Wells finalist Basilashvili and he saved it. The 23-year-old won 85 per cent of his first-serve points in his one-hour, 40-minute victory.

Novak Djokovic`s bid to retain his World No. 1 status enjoyed a solid start on Tuesday at the Italian Open 2022 in Rome. The five-time champion brushed past Aslan Karatsev, 6-3, 6-2 in the second round at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

Novak Djokovic`s bid to retain his World No. 1 status enjoyed a solid start on Tuesday at the Italian Open 2022 in Rome. The five-time champion brushed past Aslan Karatsev, 6-3, 6-2 in the second round at the ATP Masters 1000 event. The top seed must reach the semi-finals to prevent Daniil Medvedev from taking his spot at the top of the ATP Rankings on Monday, and the Serbian`s all-round performance against Karatsev represented an impressive start to that mission. Djokovic`s return game was at its relentless best as he broke the World No. 35`s serve four times on his way to a comfortable win on centre court. Later, Felix Auger-Aliassime had his back against it literally and figuratively, but the Canadian star found a way to win. The eighth seed rallied past in-form Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-2 after three hours and two minutes to reach the third round in Rome. Another Canadian, 13th seed Denis Shapovalov, defeated Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4, 7-6(5). ALSO READ | Rafael Nadal says his body is like an 'old machine' takes time to fire up The lefty will challenge third seed Rafael Nadal or big-serving American John Isner for a place in the quarter-finals. Shapovalov only faced one break point against 2021 Indian Wells finalist Basilashvili and he saved it. The 23-year-old won 85 per cent of his first-serve points in his one-hour, 40-minute victory.

Italian Open: Novak Djokovic thumps Aslan Karatsev in opener; Felix, Shapovalov also advance ahead

Rafa Nadal`s return to action after more than a month out due to injury saw him lose to teenager Carlos Alcaraz in the Madrid quarter-finals but the 21-times Grand Slam champion always knew it would take some time for his "old machine" to fire up.

The Spaniard, sidelined by a rib injury at Indian Wells in March, hopes to build momentum in Rome before launching his campaign for a 14th French Open crown.

The 35-year-old Australian Open champion has endured a string of injuries during a career spanning more than two decades and he said he needed time to get his body up to speed.

"When you`re six weeks without touching a racquet and having the chance to move your body ... my body is like an old machine. To put this machine on again it takes some time," Nadal told reporters before the Italian Open.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/beating-nadal-djokovic-to-winning-madrid-open-meet-carlos-alcaraz-the-new-teen-star-on-the-block-477787">Beating Nadal, Djokovic to winning Madrid Open: Meet Carlos Alcaraz, the new teen star on the block!</a>

"It`s not the same when you`re 19 than when you are almost 36, with all the issues I went through in my career. You need to build again the confidence, your movements, then you start feeling comfortable with your tennis.

"It`s more about being confident with my movements, recover the speed, recover the way that I have to play on clay and let`s see. I`m confident that I can play well. I need time, but maybe this week can be a positive week, maybe not. Who knows?"

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/novak-djokovic-and-other-tennis-greats-hail-carlos-alcaraz-after-his-memorbale-madrid-open-triumph-477846">Novak Djokovic and other tennis greats hail Carlos Alcaraz after his memorable Madrid Open triumph</a>

Nadal, a winner of three titles this year, lost to Novak Djokovic in the Roland Garros semi-finals last year, just the third time he was beaten at the claycourt major since his debut there in 2005.

The Spaniard said he was doing all he can to be fully ready for the tournament, which starts on May 22.

"That`s my goal ... I didn`t have another chance to approach this claycourt season with the things I went through," he said. "I`m going to give myself a chance and we`ll see what`s going on."

Rafa Nadal`s return to action after more than a month out due to injury saw him lose to teenager Carlos Alcaraz in the Madrid quarter-finals but the 21-times Grand Slam champion always knew it would take some time for his "old machine" to fire up.

Rafa Nadal`s return to action after more than a month out due to injury saw him lose to teenager Carlos Alcaraz in the Madrid quarter-finals but the 21-times Grand Slam champion always knew it would take some time for his "old machine" to fire up. The Spaniard, sidelined by a rib injury at Indian Wells in March, hopes to build momentum in Rome before launching his campaign for a 14th French Open crown. The 35-year-old Australian Open champion has endured a string of injuries during a career spanning more than two decades and he said he needed time to get his body up to speed. "When you`re six weeks without touching a racquet and having the chance to move your body ... my body is like an old machine. To put this machine on again it takes some time," Nadal told reporters before the Italian Open. Also Read: Beating Nadal, Djokovic to winning Madrid Open: Meet Carlos Alcaraz, the new teen star on the block! "It`s not the same when you`re 19 than when you are almost 36, with all the issues I went through in my career. You need to build again the confidence, your movements, then you start feeling comfortable with your tennis. "It`s more about being confident with my movements, recover the speed, recover the way that I have to play on clay and let`s see. I`m confident that I can play well. I need time, but maybe this week can be a positive week, maybe not. Who knows?" Also Read: Novak Djokovic and other tennis greats hail Carlos Alcaraz after his memorable Madrid Open triumph Nadal, a winner of three titles this year, lost to Novak Djokovic in the Roland Garros semi-finals last year, just the third time he was beaten at the claycourt major since his debut there in 2005. The Spaniard said he was doing all he can to be fully ready for the tournament, which starts on May 22. "That`s my goal ... I didn`t have another chance to approach this claycourt season with the things I went through," he said. "I`m going to give myself a chance and we`ll see what`s going on."

Rafael Nadal says his body is like an 'old machine' takes time to fire up

Spanish teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz has become the cynosure of all eyes after his stunning triumph at the Madrid Open 2022. The 19-year-old defeated Alexander Zverev in the men's singles final on Monday (May 09) to claim his second Masters 1000 victory in 2022. Alcaraz beat his idola Rafael Nadal and world no.1 Novak Djokovic on his way to his maiden title in Madrid.

Alcaraz has had a sensational rise over the last few months as he continues to prove why he can be the next big thing in tennis. The Spanish teenager downed Nadal in the quarterfinals at the Madrid Open in a thrilling three-setter before beating the mighty Djokovic in the semi-final to set up mouth-watering final cash against Zverev.

Alcaraz was a no match for Olympic gold medallist&nbsp;Zverev and beat 6-3, 6-1 to earn his maiden win over the German in three attempts. Alcaraz is already making waves with his skills and talent and was hailed by many, including Djokovic, who lauded him for his temperament in the win against&nbsp;him in the semi-finals. The Serbian ace said Alcaarz deserved to win the title as he has been the best player this year.

"He definitely is special. Already he's breaking a lot of records as a teenager, winning two Masters events this year, a couple of [ATP] 500s. So far he's the best player in the world, no question, this year. The way he was dealing with the pressure. I mean, in our match a few days ago, how calm he was all the way, was impressive. He deserved to win the trophy," said Djokovic.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/madrid-open-teen-sensation-carlos-alcaraz-beats-defending-champion-alexander-zverev-to-clinch-title-477551">Teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz beats defending champion Alexander Zverev to clinch Madrid Open title</a>

Winning against Nadal and Djokovic in the same tournament is crazy: Iga Swiatek

Alcaraz is the first player in the world to have defeated both Nadal and Djokovic in the same clay tournament. Reacting to his stunning feat, Iga Swiatek, the world no.1 women's tennis player heaped praise on the Spaniard. Swiatek said beating both Nadal and Djokovic in the same tournament is 'crazy'.

"I honestly didn't watch any matches, but I want to watch highlights for sure. I'm going to do that. I didn't have time because, like, last couple of days have been really busy for me in terms of practicing. I'm going to do that for sure because what he's doing is amazing. Yeah, wow, like winning against Rafa and Novak on the same tournament, just crazy," Swiatek said in a presser on Tuesday.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/beating-nadal-djokovic-to-winning-madrid-open-meet-carlos-alcaraz-the-new-teen-star-on-the-block-477787">Beating Nadal, Djokovic to winning Madrid Open: Meet Carlos Alcaraz, the new teen star on the block!</a>

Here's how the tennis fraternity reacted to Carlos Alcaraz's Madrid Open win:

Several former and current tennis players took to social media to congratulate Alcaraz and react to his meteoric rise in the circuit. Four-time Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters compared Alcaraz's arrival to that of a young Nadal in 2005.&nbsp;

"So exciting to see another Spanish teenager work his way up in our sport. Takes me back to 04/05 when Rafa started his journey. So happy for Juan Carlos Ferrer. Congrats Carlos Alcaraz," she wrote in a tweet. Others too took to Twitter to hail the Spaniard.

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So exciting to see another Spanish teenager work his way up in our sport. Takes me back to 04/05 when Rafa started his journey . So happy for <a href="https://twitter.com/juankiferri?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@juankiferri</a> , congrats <a href="https://twitter.com/alcarazcarlos03?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@alcarazcarlos03</a> !
— Kim Clijsters (@Clijsterskim) <a href="https://twitter.com/Clijsterskim/status/1523003085110804486?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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How much fun is it watching <a href="https://twitter.com/alcarazcarlos03?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@alcarazcarlos03</a> play! Vamos Charlie!!
— Sebastian Korda (@SebiKorda) <a href="https://twitter.com/SebiKorda/status/1523003730148220928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Fearless <a href="https://t.co/tfIfEDv1Kr">https://t.co/tfIfEDv1Kr</a>
— Laura Robson (@laurarobson5) <a href="https://twitter.com/laurarobson5/status/1523001000247930882?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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How long before he is number 1? <a href="https://t.co/i2c18sybRU">https://t.co/i2c18sybRU</a>
— Greg Rusedski (@GregRusedski1) <a href="https://twitter.com/GregRusedski1/status/1523361453691916290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
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With his Madrid Open victory, Alcaraz climbed to the sixth spot on the ATP men's singles rankings on Monday. He has now clinched four titles already this year and will be hoping to continue his stellar run on the court in the upcoming tournaments.

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Spanish teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz has become the cynosure of all eyes after his stunning triumph at the Madrid Open 2022. The 19-year-old defeated Alexander Zverev in the men's singles final on Monday (May 09) to claim his second Masters 1000 victory in 2022.

Spanish teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz has become the cynosure of all eyes after his stunning triumph at the Madrid Open 2022. The 19-year-old defeated Alexander Zverev in the men's singles final on Monday (May 09) to claim his second Masters 1000 victory in 2022. Alcaraz beat his idola Rafael Nadal and world no.1 Novak Djokovic on his way to his maiden title in Madrid. Alcaraz has had a sensational rise over the last few months as he continues to prove why he can be the next big thing in tennis. The Spanish teenager downed Nadal in the quarterfinals at the Madrid Open in a thrilling three-setter before beating the mighty Djokovic in the semi-final to set up mouth-watering final cash against Zverev. Alcaraz was a no match for Olympic gold medallist Zverev and beat 6-3, 6-1 to earn his maiden win over the German in three attempts. Alcaraz is already making waves with his skills and talent and was hailed by many, including Djokovic, who lauded him for his temperament in the win against him in the semi-finals. The Serbian ace said Alcaarz deserved to win the title as he has been the best player this year. "He definitely is special. Already he's breaking a lot of records as a teenager, winning two Masters events this year, a couple of [ATP] 500s. So far he's the best player in the world, no question, this year. The way he was dealing with the pressure. I mean, in our match a few days ago, how calm he was all the way, was impressive. He deserved to win the trophy," said Djokovic. Also Read: Teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz beats defending champion Alexander Zverev to clinch Madrid Open title Winning against Nadal and Djokovic in the same tournament is crazy: Iga Swiatek Alcaraz is the first player in the world to have defeated both Nadal and Djokovic in the same clay tournament. Reacting to his stunning feat, Iga Swiatek, the world no.1 women's tennis player heaped praise on the Spaniard. Swiatek said beating both Nadal and Djokovic in the same tournament is 'crazy'. "I honestly didn't watch any matches, but I want to watch highlights for sure. I'm going to do that. I didn't have time because, like, last couple of days have been really busy for me in terms of practicing. I'm going to do that for sure because what he's doing is amazing. Yeah, wow, like winning against Rafa and Novak on the same tournament, just crazy," Swiatek said in a presser on Tuesday. Also Read: Beating Nadal, Djokovic to winning Madrid Open: Meet Carlos Alcaraz, the new teen star on the block! Here's how the tennis fraternity reacted to Carlos Alcaraz's Madrid Open win: Several former and current tennis players took to social media to congratulate Alcaraz and react to his meteoric rise in the circuit. Four-time Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters compared Alcaraz's arrival to that of a young Nadal in 2005. "So exciting to see another Spanish teenager work his way up in our sport. Takes me back to 04/05 when Rafa started his journey. So happy for Juan Carlos Ferrer. Congrats Carlos Alcaraz," she wrote in a tweet. Others too took to Twitter to hail the Spaniard. So exciting to see another Spanish teenager work his way up in our sport. Takes me back to 04/05 when Rafa started his journey . So happy for @juankiferri , congrats @alcarazcarlos03 ! — Kim Clijsters (@Clijsterskim) May 7, 2022 × How much fun is it watching @alcarazcarlos03 play! Vamos Charlie!! — Sebastian Korda (@SebiKorda) May 7, 2022 × Fearless https://t.co/tfIfEDv1Kr — Laura Robson (@laurarobson5) May 7, 2022 × How long before he is number 1? https://t.co/i2c18sybRU — Greg Rusedski (@GregRusedski1) May 8, 2022 × With his Madrid Open victory, Alcaraz climbed to the sixth spot on the ATP men's singles rankings on Monday. He has now clinched four titles already this year and will be hoping to continue his stellar run on the court in the upcoming tournaments.

Novak Djokovic and other tennis greats hail Carlos Alcaraz after his memorable Madrid Open triumph

Former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka earned his first tour-level win since February 2021 on Monday. The Swiss star rallied past American Reilly Opelka 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 to reach the second round at the Italian Open 2022. Wawrinka was competing in just his second ATP Tour match in 14 months but showcased quality and grit throughout, hammering forehands and blasting his trademark backhand with precision to advance after two hours and five minutes.

The three-time Grand Slam champion will next face Laslo Djere or Borna Coric as he looks to work his way back to full fitness after being on the sidelines since March 2021 due to a foot injury. The 16-time tour-level titlist made his ATP Tour return against Alexander Bublik in Monte Carlo in April.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/beating-nadal-djokovic-to-winning-madrid-open-meet-carlos-alcaraz-the-new-teen-star-on-the-block-477787">Beating Nadal, Djokovic to winning Madrid Open: Meet Carlos Alcaraz, the new teen star on the block!</a>

Before his victory over Opelka, Wawrinka had not earned a match win since he defeated Pedro Sousa at the 2021 Australian Open.

Former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka earned his first tour-level win since February 2021 on Monday. The Swiss star rallied past American Reilly Opelka 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 to reach the second round at the Italian Open 2022.

Former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka earned his first tour-level win since February 2021 on Monday. The Swiss star rallied past American Reilly Opelka 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 to reach the second round at the Italian Open 2022. Wawrinka was competing in just his second ATP Tour match in 14 months but showcased quality and grit throughout, hammering forehands and blasting his trademark backhand with precision to advance after two hours and five minutes. The three-time Grand Slam champion will next face Laslo Djere or Borna Coric as he looks to work his way back to full fitness after being on the sidelines since March 2021 due to a foot injury. The 16-time tour-level titlist made his ATP Tour return against Alexander Bublik in Monte Carlo in April. ALSO READ | Beating Nadal, Djokovic to winning Madrid Open: Meet Carlos Alcaraz, the new teen star on the block! Before his victory over Opelka, Wawrinka had not earned a match win since he defeated Pedro Sousa at the 2021 Australian Open.

Italian Open: Former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka notches win to signal comeback, defeats Reilly Opelka

Newly-crowned Madrid Open champion Carlos Alcaraz said on Sunday he has decided to skip the Rome Masters in a bid to recover from an ankle injury ahead of the French Open later this month. Alcaraz, who rolled his ankle in the quarter-finals in Madrid, overcame pain to beat three top five players -- Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev -- to win his second Masters title days after his 19th birthday.

"Due to the fall that I had, the ankle, I had a problem and this morning it was a little more swollen. Also I had a blister in my feet which was a little bit infected and it`s been a little bit tough start to the day," Alcaraz told reporters.

"It was difficult for me to walk but after a while with my team, with the physio, with the doctor, we have managed to fix it to do something to be able to be 100% today. "I thought about it (playing in Rome). I think that given the state of my feet and my ankle, I`m really excited for fighting for a Grand Slam. I think that it`s better to rest, to recover my ankle, recover my feet, to be in Paris at 100%."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/madrid-open-teen-sensation-carlos-alcaraz-beats-defending-champion-alexander-zverev-to-clinch-title-477551">Madrid Open: Teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz beats defending champion Alexander Zverev to clinch title</a>

Alcaraz beat Zverev 6-3 6-1 in just 62 minutes in the final and his fourth singles title of the year will move him up to sixth in the rankings. Zverev said the young Spaniard is now the "best player in the world" but Alcaraz is not getting ahead of himself.

"Djokovic is number one in the ranking. Because I have won Barcelona and I have beaten Djokovic and Rafa in Madrid, I don`t consider myself the best player in the world," he said. "I also think that tomorrow I`m going to be sixth, so I still have five players in front of me to be the best one."

Newly-crowned Madrid Open champion Carlos Alcaraz said on Sunday he has decided to skip the Rome Masters in a bid to recover from an ankle injury ahead of the French Open later this month.

Newly-crowned Madrid Open champion Carlos Alcaraz said on Sunday he has decided to skip the Rome Masters in a bid to recover from an ankle injury ahead of the French Open later this month. Alcaraz, who rolled his ankle in the quarter-finals in Madrid, overcame pain to beat three top five players -- Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev -- to win his second Masters title days after his 19th birthday. "Due to the fall that I had, the ankle, I had a problem and this morning it was a little more swollen. Also I had a blister in my feet which was a little bit infected and it`s been a little bit tough start to the day," Alcaraz told reporters. "It was difficult for me to walk but after a while with my team, with the physio, with the doctor, we have managed to fix it to do something to be able to be 100% today. "I thought about it (playing in Rome). I think that given the state of my feet and my ankle, I`m really excited for fighting for a Grand Slam. I think that it`s better to rest, to recover my ankle, recover my feet, to be in Paris at 100%." ALSO READ | Madrid Open: Teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz beats defending champion Alexander Zverev to clinch title Alcaraz beat Zverev 6-3 6-1 in just 62 minutes in the final and his fourth singles title of the year will move him up to sixth in the rankings. Zverev said the young Spaniard is now the "best player in the world" but Alcaraz is not getting ahead of himself. "Djokovic is number one in the ranking. Because I have won Barcelona and I have beaten Djokovic and Rafa in Madrid, I don`t consider myself the best player in the world," he said. "I also think that tomorrow I`m going to be sixth, so I still have five players in front of me to be the best one."

Madrid Open winner Carlos Alcaraz to miss Rome Masters due to ankle injury

Carlos Alcaraz beat defending champion Alexander Zverev 6-3 6-1 to win his maiden Madrid Open title on Sunday. This was the first win for the 19-year-old Spaniard over Alexander Zverev in three attempts, and he has now won 10 consecutive matches.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/novak-djokovic-hails-carlos-alcaraz-after-madrid-open-defeat-says-he-deserved-to-win-477353">Novak Djokovic hails Carlos Alcaraz after Madrid Open defeat, says he deserved to win</a>

With this win, Alcaraz registered his second Masters 1000 victory of the year after Miami and his fourth title of the year overall. The Olympic gold medallist Zverev looked a pale shadow of his self against a player who had beaten 21-time grand slam champion Rafael Nadal in the quarter-final and defeated World No.1 Novak Djokovic in a hard-fought semi-final. With this win, Alcaraz will climb to the number six spot in the ATP men`s singles ranking on Monday.&nbsp;

Carlos Alcaraz beat defending champion Alexander Zverev 6-3 6-1 to win his maiden Madrid Open title on Sunday. This was the first win for the 19-year-old Spaniard over Alexander Zverev in three attempts, and he has now won 10 consecutive matches.

Carlos Alcaraz beat defending champion Alexander Zverev 6-3 6-1 to win his maiden Madrid Open title on Sunday. This was the first win for the 19-year-old Spaniard over Alexander Zverev in three attempts, and he has now won 10 consecutive matches. ALSO READ | Novak Djokovic hails Carlos Alcaraz after Madrid Open defeat, says he deserved to win With this win, Alcaraz registered his second Masters 1000 victory of the year after Miami and his fourth title of the year overall. The Olympic gold medallist Zverev looked a pale shadow of his self against a player who had beaten 21-time grand slam champion Rafael Nadal in the quarter-final and defeated World No.1 Novak Djokovic in a hard-fought semi-final. With this win, Alcaraz will climb to the number six spot in the ATP men`s singles ranking on Monday.

Madrid Open: Teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz beats defending champion Alexander Zverev to clinch title

World No.1 tennis player Novak Djokovic was in praise of Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz who upset the Serbian to set up a title clash against Germany`s Alexander Zverev in the Madrid Open. 
 
The 34-year-old Serbian was aiming to reach a record-extending 55th ATP Masters 1000 final, but was unable to overcome the 19-year-old Alcaraz, who will try and win his second Masters 1000 crown on Sunday against the world No. 3 Zverev. 
 
Alcaraz won the three-setter 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-6(5). 
 
"Congrats to him. He held his nerve very well," Djokovic was quoted as saying by atptour.com. "For somebody of his age to play so maturely and courageously is impressive. He deserved to win. His kick in altitude here is huge, and it was just difficult to deal with his ball, and I wasn`t feeling my return from that side. He was serving a lot of kick just to put himself in a good position."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/carlos-alcaraz-beats-world-no1-novak-djokovic-to-reach-madrid-open-final-477301">Carlos Alcaraz beats world no.1 Novak Djokovic to reach Madrid Open final</a>

Despite the loss, Djokovic enjoyed a strong week in Madrid, earning straight-set wins against Frenchman Gael Monfils and Poland`s Hubert Hurkacz as he continued to build momentum following his run to the final in Belgrade last month. 
 
The 34-year-old, a three-time champion in Madrid, felt that his performance against Alcaraz was the best he has produced this season. 
 
"I definitely played very good tennis, I mean, the best that I have played this year," Djokovic said. "Probably when the disappointment of losing this match passes, I will have a lot of positives to take away from this week." 
 
Djokovic will now turn his attention to the Italian Open, which begins in Rome on Monday, where he will compete as the top seed at the final clay-court Masters 1000 of the season.

World No.1 tennis player Novak Djokovic was in praise of Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz who upset the Serbian to set up a title clash against Germany`s Alexander Zverev in the Madrid Open.

World No.1 tennis player Novak Djokovic was in praise of Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz who upset the Serbian to set up a title clash against Germany`s Alexander Zverev in the Madrid Open. The 34-year-old Serbian was aiming to reach a record-extending 55th ATP Masters 1000 final, but was unable to overcome the 19-year-old Alcaraz, who will try and win his second Masters 1000 crown on Sunday against the world No. 3 Zverev. Alcaraz won the three-setter 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-6(5). "Congrats to him. He held his nerve very well," Djokovic was quoted as saying by atptour.com. "For somebody of his age to play so maturely and courageously is impressive. He deserved to win. His kick in altitude here is huge, and it was just difficult to deal with his ball, and I wasn`t feeling my return from that side. He was serving a lot of kick just to put himself in a good position." Also Read: Carlos Alcaraz beats world no.1 Novak Djokovic to reach Madrid Open final Despite the loss, Djokovic enjoyed a strong week in Madrid, earning straight-set wins against Frenchman Gael Monfils and Poland`s Hubert Hurkacz as he continued to build momentum following his run to the final in Belgrade last month. The 34-year-old, a three-time champion in Madrid, felt that his performance against Alcaraz was the best he has produced this season. "I definitely played very good tennis, I mean, the best that I have played this year," Djokovic said. "Probably when the disappointment of losing this match passes, I will have a lot of positives to take away from this week." Djokovic will now turn his attention to the Italian Open, which begins in Rome on Monday, where he will compete as the top seed at the final clay-court Masters 1000 of the season.

Novak Djokovic hails Carlos Alcaraz after Madrid Open defeat, says he deserved to win

Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz came from behind to beat world number one Novak Djokovic 6-7(5) 7-5 7-6(5) to reach the Madrid Open final, where on Sunday he will face Alexander Zverev after the German defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4 3-6 6-2.

Djokovic, who has yet to win a title this season, rallied from a break down to take the opening set in a tie-breaker and the 34-year-old looked dangerous on his serve as he won 21 straight points on it in the opener.

But Alcaraz, who turned 19 this week, showed resilience in the second set as he clawed his way back into the contest, saving a break point and holding for 6-5 before breaking Djokovic to force a decider.

The crowd in the Spanish capital got to their feet when Alcaraz completed his comeback, edging out Djokovic in the deciding tiebreak to become the first player to beat Rafa Nadal and Djokovic at the same clay court event.

"This gives me a lot of confidence to play the final tomorrow," said Alcaraz after the match which lasted three hours and 35 minutes.

"I know that I played a really good game, and for the rest of the season I think I am able to play against the best players in the world and beat them as well, so it gives me a lot of confidence."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/italian-open-2022-iga-swiatek-top-seed-bianca-andreescu-to-face-emma-raducanu-in-round1-477147">Italian Open 2022 -&nbsp;Iga Swiatek top seed, Bianca Andreescu to face Emma Raducanu in Round1</a>

Alcaraz showed his all-round ability throughout in his first meeting with Djokovic, pinning the Serbian back with his huge groundstrokes and using his trademark drop shots.

He struck 51 winners to Djokovic`s 24 as his aggressive style troubled the world number one. Bidding for his second Masters 1000 title, Alcaraz will play defending champion Zverev in Sunday`s final.

Zverev`s dominant serving proved too much for Tsitsipas to handle and he crushed a backhand winner on match point to seal his first career win over Tsitsipas on a clay court. Zverev said he was as impressed as anyone with Alcaraz`s ascent to world number nine.

"I said last year in Acapulco that by Acapulco 2023, he`d be in the top 10," Zverev said.

"He beat me by a year! He`s an incredible player ... there`s no limit for him."

Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz came from behind to beat world number one Novak Djokovic 6-7(5) 7-5 7-6(5) to reach the Madrid Open final, where on Sunday he will face Alexander Zverev after the German defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4 3-6 6-2.

Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz came from behind to beat world number one Novak Djokovic 6-7(5) 7-5 7-6(5) to reach the Madrid Open final, where on Sunday he will face Alexander Zverev after the German defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4 3-6 6-2. Djokovic, who has yet to win a title this season, rallied from a break down to take the opening set in a tie-breaker and the 34-year-old looked dangerous on his serve as he won 21 straight points on it in the opener. But Alcaraz, who turned 19 this week, showed resilience in the second set as he clawed his way back into the contest, saving a break point and holding for 6-5 before breaking Djokovic to force a decider. The crowd in the Spanish capital got to their feet when Alcaraz completed his comeback, edging out Djokovic in the deciding tiebreak to become the first player to beat Rafa Nadal and Djokovic at the same clay court event. "This gives me a lot of confidence to play the final tomorrow," said Alcaraz after the match which lasted three hours and 35 minutes. "I know that I played a really good game, and for the rest of the season I think I am able to play against the best players in the world and beat them as well, so it gives me a lot of confidence." Also Read: Italian Open 2022 - Iga Swiatek top seed, Bianca Andreescu to face Emma Raducanu in Round1 Alcaraz showed his all-round ability throughout in his first meeting with Djokovic, pinning the Serbian back with his huge groundstrokes and using his trademark drop shots. He struck 51 winners to Djokovic`s 24 as his aggressive style troubled the world number one. Bidding for his second Masters 1000 title, Alcaraz will play defending champion Zverev in Sunday`s final. Zverev`s dominant serving proved too much for Tsitsipas to handle and he crushed a backhand winner on match point to seal his first career win over Tsitsipas on a clay court. Zverev said he was as impressed as anyone with Alcaraz`s ascent to world number nine. "I said last year in Acapulco that by Acapulco 2023, he`d be in the top 10," Zverev said. "He beat me by a year! He`s an incredible player ... there`s no limit for him."

Carlos Alcaraz beats world no.1 Novak Djokovic to reach Madrid Open final

Defending champion Iga Swiatek will try to maintain her undefeated record at WTA 1000 events this season at the Italian Open 2022.

The draw for Italian Open 2022 came out Friday with World No.1 Iga Swiatek headlining a field that features 19 of the top 20 players.

It will be the second consecutive WTA Tour 1000 event on the calendar, with main-draw action kicking off Monday.

Swiatek, like all of the Top 8 seeds, has an opening-round bye. In the second round, she will face the winner of an all-American match between Shelby Rogers and Alison Riske.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lsg-vs-kkr-ipl-2022-prediction-today-who-will-win-lucknow-super-giants-vs-kolkata-knight-riders-match-477104" hreflang="en">IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win LSG vs KKR encounter?</a>

Swiatek could face 2013 Rome runner-up Victoria Azarenka in the Round of 16.

The bottom portion of the first quarter is loaded with intriguing matchups.

Two US Open champions will square off in the first round, as reigning US Open titlist Emma Raducanu will face 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu in their first meeting.

Whoever prevails will take on the winner of the match between Sara Sorribes Tormo and another former US Open champion, Naomi Osaka.No.3 seed Aryna Sabalenka is scheduled to face Madrid finalist

Jessica Pegula in the Round of 16, if seedings hold. Pegula will face big-hitting Liudmila Samsonova in the first round.No.4 seed Maria Sakkari and No.8 seed Garbine Muguruza are the highest seeds in the third quarter.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/david-warner-partied-more-than-he-practiced-virender-sehwag-recalls-aussie-stars-debut-ipl-season-477047" hreflang="en">Warner partied more than he practiced: Sehwag on Aussie star's debut IPL stint</a>

Muguruza could potentially play No.9 seed and Madrid finalist Ons Jabeur in the Round of 16.

No.2 seed Paula Badosa is the highest-ranked player in the last quarter of the draw.

She could meet Veronika Kudermetova in the second round. Badosa just beat Kudermetova in the first round of Madrid.

Defending champion Iga Swiatek will try to maintain her undefeated record at WTA 1000 events this season at the Italian Open 2022. The draw for Italian Open 2022 came out Friday with World No.

Defending champion Iga Swiatek will try to maintain her undefeated record at WTA 1000 events this season at the Italian Open 2022. The draw for Italian Open 2022 came out Friday with World No.1 Iga Swiatek headlining a field that features 19 of the top 20 players. It will be the second consecutive WTA Tour 1000 event on the calendar, with main-draw action kicking off Monday. Swiatek, like all of the Top 8 seeds, has an opening-round bye. In the second round, she will face the winner of an all-American match between Shelby Rogers and Alison Riske. Also read | IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win LSG vs KKR encounter? Swiatek could face 2013 Rome runner-up Victoria Azarenka in the Round of 16. The bottom portion of the first quarter is loaded with intriguing matchups. Two US Open champions will square off in the first round, as reigning US Open titlist Emma Raducanu will face 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu in their first meeting. Whoever prevails will take on the winner of the match between Sara Sorribes Tormo and another former US Open champion, Naomi Osaka.No.3 seed Aryna Sabalenka is scheduled to face Madrid finalist Jessica Pegula in the Round of 16, if seedings hold. Pegula will face big-hitting Liudmila Samsonova in the first round.No.4 seed Maria Sakkari and No.8 seed Garbine Muguruza are the highest seeds in the third quarter. Also read | Warner partied more than he practiced: Sehwag on Aussie star's debut IPL stint Muguruza could potentially play No.9 seed and Madrid finalist Ons Jabeur in the Round of 16. No.2 seed Paula Badosa is the highest-ranked player in the last quarter of the draw. She could meet Veronika Kudermetova in the second round. Badosa just beat Kudermetova in the first round of Madrid.

Italian Open 2022: Iga Swiatek top seed, Bianca Andreescu to face Emma Raducanu in Round1

Teenager Carlos Alcaraz prevailed 6-2 1-6 6-3 over Rafa Nadal in a Spanish clash of the generations at the Madrid Open on Friday, claiming his first victory over his idol and setting up a semi-final showdown with world number one Novak Djokovic.

In a topsy-turvy contest at the Manolo Santana Stadium, Alcaraz weathered an ankle injury to produce a statement performance to become the first Spanish player to beat Nadal since Fernando Verdasco at the 2016 Australian Open.

"It means a lot to me. All the hard work I put in every day has paid off. To beat Rafa - the best player in history on clay - it means a lot," Alcaraz said.

Alcaraz endured a straight-sets loss to Nadal in Madrid a year ago on his 18th birthday, winning only three games as a 120th-ranked wildcard. The pair met again in March in the Indian Wells semi-finals where the older Spaniard won in three sets but not before Alcaraz underlined his huge potential. A day after turning 19, he finally exacted revenge on his 35-year-old compatriot.

Alcaraz dominated in the opening set and dictated the points but twisted his ankle in the second when trying to reach for a game-winning forehand. Nadal took advantage of the stumble to cruise past the younger Spaniard after play was briefly suspended when a spectator was taken unwell.

Nadal looked set to carry the momentum into the decider but Alcaraz rediscovered his form and held his nerve to see off the challenge from the 21-times Grand Slam champion.

"The fall in the second set affected me a lot," Alcaraz added. "When I lost the second (set), I went to the bathroom and thought I was able to come back to do my best and try everything.

"I wanted to fight until the last ball and that was the key."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-no-1-novak-djokovic-beats-hubert-hurkacz-to-reach-semi-finals-in-madrid-476958">World No. 1 Novak Djokovic beats Hubert Hurkacz to reach semi-finals in Madrid</a>

Alcaraz will face Djokovic, who eased 6-3 6-4 past Hubert Hurkacz earlier, for a place in the final and joked that he would turn to Argentine David Nalbandian for advice on how to topple the Serb.

At the 2007 tournament, an unseeded Nalbandian overcame overwhelming odds and achieved the rare feat of beating the Big Three of Nadal, Djokovic and Roger Federer in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final, respectively. 
"I will text Nalbandian on how he did it," Alcaraz said. "I`m focusing on tomorrow... I will fight and let`s see what happens."

Bidding for his fourth title in the Spanish capital, Djokovic looked much more like his usual self against Hurkacz as he continued to work his way back towards top form ahead of the French Open, which begins later this month.

The 34-year-old was given a walkover into the quarter-finals when opponent Andy Murray withdrew from their highly anticipated clash due to illness and the top-seeded Serb got straight down to business against Hurkacz.

Djokovic triumphed after an hour and 20 minutes and sent down 16 winners while he did not face a break point from Hurkacz, and extended his perfect record against the Pole to 4-0.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/six-players-receive-lengthy-bans-after-spanish-courts-find-them-guilty-of-match-fixing-476921">Six players receive lengthy bans after Spanish courts find them guilty of match-fixing</a>

Greek fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas outlasted sixth seed Andrey Rublev 6-3 2-6 6-4 to seal his spot in the semi-finals, where he will face either defending champion Alexander Zverev or Felix Auger-Aliassime.

"It wasn`t easy playing him, it was tough to predict what`s coming next from him," Tsitsipas, who won the Monte Carlo Masters last month, said.

The win was also Tsitsipas` 27th of the season -- more than any other player on the ATP Tour -- as he improved his claycourt record in 2022 to 10-1.

Teenager Carlos Alcaraz prevailed 6-2 1-6 6-3 over Rafa Nadal in a Spanish clash of the generations at the Madrid Open on Friday, claiming his first victory over his idol and setting up a semi-final showdown with world number one Novak Djokovic.

Teenager Carlos Alcaraz prevailed 6-2 1-6 6-3 over Rafa Nadal in a Spanish clash of the generations at the Madrid Open on Friday, claiming his first victory over his idol and setting up a semi-final showdown with world number one Novak Djokovic. In a topsy-turvy contest at the Manolo Santana Stadium, Alcaraz weathered an ankle injury to produce a statement performance to become the first Spanish player to beat Nadal since Fernando Verdasco at the 2016 Australian Open. "It means a lot to me. All the hard work I put in every day has paid off. To beat Rafa - the best player in history on clay - it means a lot," Alcaraz said. Alcaraz endured a straight-sets loss to Nadal in Madrid a year ago on his 18th birthday, winning only three games as a 120th-ranked wildcard. The pair met again in March in the Indian Wells semi-finals where the older Spaniard won in three sets but not before Alcaraz underlined his huge potential. A day after turning 19, he finally exacted revenge on his 35-year-old compatriot. Alcaraz dominated in the opening set and dictated the points but twisted his ankle in the second when trying to reach for a game-winning forehand. Nadal took advantage of the stumble to cruise past the younger Spaniard after play was briefly suspended when a spectator was taken unwell. Nadal looked set to carry the momentum into the decider but Alcaraz rediscovered his form and held his nerve to see off the challenge from the 21-times Grand Slam champion. "The fall in the second set affected me a lot," Alcaraz added. "When I lost the second (set), I went to the bathroom and thought I was able to come back to do my best and try everything. "I wanted to fight until the last ball and that was the key." Also Read: World No. 1 Novak Djokovic beats Hubert Hurkacz to reach semi-finals in Madrid Alcaraz will face Djokovic, who eased 6-3 6-4 past Hubert Hurkacz earlier, for a place in the final and joked that he would turn to Argentine David Nalbandian for advice on how to topple the Serb. At the 2007 tournament, an unseeded Nalbandian overcame overwhelming odds and achieved the rare feat of beating the Big Three of Nadal, Djokovic and Roger Federer in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final, respectively. "I will text Nalbandian on how he did it," Alcaraz said. "I`m focusing on tomorrow... I will fight and let`s see what happens." Bidding for his fourth title in the Spanish capital, Djokovic looked much more like his usual self against Hurkacz as he continued to work his way back towards top form ahead of the French Open, which begins later this month. The 34-year-old was given a walkover into the quarter-finals when opponent Andy Murray withdrew from their highly anticipated clash due to illness and the top-seeded Serb got straight down to business against Hurkacz. Djokovic triumphed after an hour and 20 minutes and sent down 16 winners while he did not face a break point from Hurkacz, and extended his perfect record against the Pole to 4-0. Also Read: Six players receive lengthy bans after Spanish courts find them guilty of match-fixing Greek fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas outlasted sixth seed Andrey Rublev 6-3 2-6 6-4 to seal his spot in the semi-finals, where he will face either defending champion Alexander Zverev or Felix Auger-Aliassime. "It wasn`t easy playing him, it was tough to predict what`s coming next from him," Tsitsipas, who won the Monte Carlo Masters last month, said. The win was also Tsitsipas` 27th of the season -- more than any other player on the ATP Tour -- as he improved his claycourt record in 2022 to 10-1.

Carlos Alcaraz upsets idol Rafael Nadal to set up semi-final date with Novak Djokovic in Madrid Open

World number one Novak Djokovic eased past Hubert Hurkacz with a routine 6-3 6-4 victory on Friday to advance to the Madrid Open semi-finals, as he bids for a fourth title in the Spanish capital. Djokovic looked much more like his usual self at the Manolo Santana Stadium on a sunny day in Madrid as he continued to work his way back towards top form ahead of the French Open, which begins later this month.

The 34-year-old was given a walkover into the quarter-finals when opponent Andy Murray withdrew from their highly anticipated clash due to illness and the top-seeded Serb got straight down to business against Hurkacz.

Having raced to a 3-0 lead in the first set, Djokovic closed it out in 36 minutes and maintained the pressure in the second. He got the crucial break at 3-2 and triumphed after an hour and 20 minutes. 
Djokovic sent down 16 winners while he did not face a break point from Hurkacz, and extended his perfect record against the Pole to 4-0.

ALSO READ |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/six-players-receive-lengthy-bans-after-spanish-courts-find-them-guilty-of-match-fixing-476921">&nbsp;Six players receive lengthy bans after Spanish courts find them guilty of match-fixing</a>

"The first set I think we both didn`t play so great, took us both time to adapt to conditions," Djokovic said. "Second set, I think better quality tennis. I was serving really well. I am pleased with the way I was constructing the point." Djokovic will face the winner of the match between world number four Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, which takes place later on Friday, for a place in the final.

"They`re the two best players this year, with the results they`ve had," Djokovic said. "Rafa is playing well, it didn`t seem like anything is bothering him in the last few matches... He`s very close to his best. 
"And Carlos as well, I mean he`s living the dream isn`t he? He`s playing amazing tennis and he`s improved so much... It`s going to be a good match."

World number one Novak Djokovic eased past Hubert Hurkacz with a routine 6-3 6-4 victory on Friday to advance to the Madrid Open semi-finals, as he bids for a fourth title in the Spanish capital.

World number one Novak Djokovic eased past Hubert Hurkacz with a routine 6-3 6-4 victory on Friday to advance to the Madrid Open semi-finals, as he bids for a fourth title in the Spanish capital. Djokovic looked much more like his usual self at the Manolo Santana Stadium on a sunny day in Madrid as he continued to work his way back towards top form ahead of the French Open, which begins later this month. The 34-year-old was given a walkover into the quarter-finals when opponent Andy Murray withdrew from their highly anticipated clash due to illness and the top-seeded Serb got straight down to business against Hurkacz. Having raced to a 3-0 lead in the first set, Djokovic closed it out in 36 minutes and maintained the pressure in the second. He got the crucial break at 3-2 and triumphed after an hour and 20 minutes. Djokovic sent down 16 winners while he did not face a break point from Hurkacz, and extended his perfect record against the Pole to 4-0. ALSO READ | Six players receive lengthy bans after Spanish courts find them guilty of match-fixing "The first set I think we both didn`t play so great, took us both time to adapt to conditions," Djokovic said. "Second set, I think better quality tennis. I was serving really well. I am pleased with the way I was constructing the point." Djokovic will face the winner of the match between world number four Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, which takes place later on Friday, for a place in the final. "They`re the two best players this year, with the results they`ve had," Djokovic said. "Rafa is playing well, it didn`t seem like anything is bothering him in the last few matches... He`s very close to his best. "And Carlos as well, I mean he`s living the dream isn`t he? He`s playing amazing tennis and he`s improved so much... It`s going to be a good match."

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic beats Hubert Hurkacz to reach semi-finals in Madrid

Six players have received lengthy bans from tennis after Spanish courts found them guilty of match-fixing and convicted them on criminal charges, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said on Friday. The ITIA said the players were convicted in Spain as part of a wider case involving organised crime and they have been handed bans ranging from seven years to more than 22 years.

Two players, Marc Fornell Mestres and Jorge Marse Vidri, are ranked while the other four -- Carlos Ortega, Jaime Ortega, Marcos Torralbo and Pedro Bernabe Franco -- are unranked. They had all received two-year suspended prison sentences. Mestres received the biggest punishment and was banned by the ITIA for 22 years and six months while he was also fined $250,000, of which $200,000 is suspended. The bans prevent them from both playing or coaching.

"This is one of the most significant infiltrations of tennis by organised crime that we have seen," ITIA CEO Jonny Gray said in a statement. "We welcome the involvement of law enforcement agencies and the prosecution of entire criminal networks, not just the players involved. This ruling sends a strong message that match fixing is a crime which can see criminal convictions."

Six players have received lengthy bans from tennis after Spanish courts found them guilty of match-fixing and convicted them on criminal charges, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said on Friday.

Six players have received lengthy bans from tennis after Spanish courts found them guilty of match-fixing and convicted them on criminal charges, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said on Friday. The ITIA said the players were convicted in Spain as part of a wider case involving organised crime and they have been handed bans ranging from seven years to more than 22 years. Two players, Marc Fornell Mestres and Jorge Marse Vidri, are ranked while the other four -- Carlos Ortega, Jaime Ortega, Marcos Torralbo and Pedro Bernabe Franco -- are unranked. They had all received two-year suspended prison sentences. Mestres received the biggest punishment and was banned by the ITIA for 22 years and six months while he was also fined $250,000, of which $200,000 is suspended. The bans prevent them from both playing or coaching. "This is one of the most significant infiltrations of tennis by organised crime that we have seen," ITIA CEO Jonny Gray said in a statement. "We welcome the involvement of law enforcement agencies and the prosecution of entire criminal networks, not just the players involved. This ruling sends a strong message that match fixing is a crime which can see criminal convictions."

Six players receive lengthy bans after Spanish courts find them guilty of match-fixing

Rafa Nadal said he will be the underdog when the 21-times Grand Slam champion faces teenager Carlos Alcaraz on Friday in a battle between the Spaniards in the Madrid Open quarter-finals. Australian Open champion Nadal is playing his first tournament since picking up a rib injury at Indian Wells in March and expects a "very tough" test against the 19-year-old.

"I think that today, he is better than me and he has a good dynamic, a good momentum," said Nadal, who saved four match points to overcome David Goffin 6-3 5-7 7-6(9) on Thursday. "I think that Alcaraz is in a better physical state of mind, is more fit ... he`s younger, so he has that extra energy. I`m clear who, from the beginning, has some kind of advantage in tomorrow`s match."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/madrid-open-jessica-pegula-triumphs-over-jil-teichmann-to-set-title-showdown-vs-ons-jabeur-476809">Madrid Open: Jessica Pegula triumphs over Jil Teichmann to set title showdown vs Ons Jabeur</a>

Alcaraz, who beat Cameron Norrie 6-4 6-7(4) 6-3 to set up a third career meeting with Nadal, has drawn comparisons with his compatriot after winning three titles this year and entering the world top 10. "He is the best player in the world on clay ... even though he says that I`m the favourite, that he`s not fit enough ... you always have to think of Rafa as the favorite because he has already won here five times," said Alcaraz, who lost their previous two meetings.

"Of course I dream and I fight to be the best one. As I already said, to be the best one you have to beat the best ones and the best. I think I`m ready to achieve that ultimate goal."

Rafa Nadal said he will be the underdog when the 21-times Grand Slam champion faces teenager Carlos Alcaraz on Friday in a battle between the Spaniards in the Madrid Open quarter-finals.

Rafa Nadal said he will be the underdog when the 21-times Grand Slam champion faces teenager Carlos Alcaraz on Friday in a battle between the Spaniards in the Madrid Open quarter-finals. Australian Open champion Nadal is playing his first tournament since picking up a rib injury at Indian Wells in March and expects a "very tough" test against the 19-year-old. "I think that today, he is better than me and he has a good dynamic, a good momentum," said Nadal, who saved four match points to overcome David Goffin 6-3 5-7 7-6(9) on Thursday. "I think that Alcaraz is in a better physical state of mind, is more fit ... he`s younger, so he has that extra energy. I`m clear who, from the beginning, has some kind of advantage in tomorrow`s match." ALSO READ | Madrid Open: Jessica Pegula triumphs over Jil Teichmann to set title showdown vs Ons Jabeur Alcaraz, who beat Cameron Norrie 6-4 6-7(4) 6-3 to set up a third career meeting with Nadal, has drawn comparisons with his compatriot after winning three titles this year and entering the world top 10. "He is the best player in the world on clay ... even though he says that I`m the favourite, that he`s not fit enough ... you always have to think of Rafa as the favorite because he has already won here five times," said Alcaraz, who lost their previous two meetings. "Of course I dream and I fight to be the best one. As I already said, to be the best one you have to beat the best ones and the best. I think I`m ready to achieve that ultimate goal."

Madrid Open: Advantage Carlos Alcaraz in quarter-final, says Spaniard Rafael Nadal

Jessica Pegula of America advanced into the final of the Madrid Open after defeating Jil Teichmann of Switzerland 6-3, 6-4 in their late-night semifinal clash. It took an hour and 21 minutes for Pegula to ease past 35th-ranked Teichmann in their first meeting.

Jessica was dominant as she started each set strong, seizing leads of 3-0 in the first and 2-0 in the second. Teichmann made a brief charge to reach 4-4 in set two, but the 35th-ranked Swiss dropped serve in the ninth game and then Pegula closed it out. Pegula will now take on a fellow first-time WTA 1000 finalist, No.8 seed Ons Jabeur, in Saturday`s championship match.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/andy-murray-pulls-out-from-novak-djokovic-face-off-in-madrid-due-to-illness-476566">Andy Murray pulls out from Novak Djokovic face-off in Madrid due to illness</a>

Jabeur defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova in Thursday`s semifinal. For both Jessica Pegula and Ons Jabeur, the Mutua Madrid Open will be the first final of a WTA 1000 tournament they will be contesting.

Jessica Pegula of America advanced into the final of the Madrid Open after defeating Jil Teichmann of Switzerland 6-3, 6-4 in their late-night semifinal clash. It took an hour and 21 minutes for Pegula to ease past 35th-ranked Teichmann in their first meeting.

Jessica Pegula of America advanced into the final of the Madrid Open after defeating Jil Teichmann of Switzerland 6-3, 6-4 in their late-night semifinal clash. It took an hour and 21 minutes for Pegula to ease past 35th-ranked Teichmann in their first meeting. Jessica was dominant as she started each set strong, seizing leads of 3-0 in the first and 2-0 in the second. Teichmann made a brief charge to reach 4-4 in set two, but the 35th-ranked Swiss dropped serve in the ninth game and then Pegula closed it out. Pegula will now take on a fellow first-time WTA 1000 finalist, No.8 seed Ons Jabeur, in Saturday`s championship match. ALSO READ | Andy Murray pulls out from Novak Djokovic face-off in Madrid due to illness Jabeur defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova in Thursday`s semifinal. For both Jessica Pegula and Ons Jabeur, the Mutua Madrid Open will be the first final of a WTA 1000 tournament they will be contesting.

Madrid Open: Jessica Pegula triumphs over Jil Teichmann to set title showdown vs Ons Jabeur

Andy Murray has withdrawn from his last-16 match against world number one Novak Djokovic at the Madrid Open on Thursday due to illness, tournament organisers said. Three-times major winner Murray was set to face Djokovic for the 37th time in a highly anticipated clash on clay at the ATP Masters 1000 event in the Spanish capital.

"Unfortunately, Andy Murray is unable to take to the Manolo Santana Stadium due to illness," organisers wrote on Twitter. "Instead, Andrey Rublev and Daniel Evans will open the day`s play on centre court."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rafael-nadal-overpowers-serbias-miomir-kecmanovic-in-madrid-on-return-from-injury-476401">Rafael Nadal overpowers Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic in Madrid on return from injury</a>

Former world number one Murray, who had earlier said he would skip the claycourt season in order to protect his fitness, accepted a late wildcard in Madrid and beat Dominic Thiem and Denis Shapovalov in his opening two matches.

Andy Murray has withdrawn from his last-16 match against world number one Novak Djokovic at the Madrid Open on Thursday due to illness, tournament organisers said.

Andy Murray has withdrawn from his last-16 match against world number one Novak Djokovic at the Madrid Open on Thursday due to illness, tournament organisers said. Three-times major winner Murray was set to face Djokovic for the 37th time in a highly anticipated clash on clay at the ATP Masters 1000 event in the Spanish capital. "Unfortunately, Andy Murray is unable to take to the Manolo Santana Stadium due to illness," organisers wrote on Twitter. "Instead, Andrey Rublev and Daniel Evans will open the day`s play on centre court." ALSO READ | Rafael Nadal overpowers Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic in Madrid on return from injury Former world number one Murray, who had earlier said he would skip the claycourt season in order to protect his fitness, accepted a late wildcard in Madrid and beat Dominic Thiem and Denis Shapovalov in his opening two matches.

Andy Murray pulls out from Novak Djokovic face-off in Madrid due to illness

Rafa Nadal returned from an injury layoff to beat Miomir Kecmanovic 6-1 7-6(4) on Wednesday and reach the last 16 in the Madrid Open claycourt tournament. Nadal, competing in his first match since March following a rib injury, quickly found his rhythm in a strong start against Serbian Kecmanovic.

Rain suspended play early in the second set and 21-times Grand Slam champion Nadal lost momentum. 
The 35-year-old Spaniard, hitting with explosive power, recovered from failing to serve out the match at 6-5 in the second set to seal victory in just under two hours. Nadal, who improved his win-loss record to 21-1 for the season, is aiming to win his sixth title on home soil in Madrid having last won the tournament in 2017, and will next play qualifier David Goffin.

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Earlier, world number three Alexander Zverev overcame a slow start to beat Marin Cilic 4-6 6-4 6-4, while qualifier Dusan Lajovic beat fifth seed Casper Ruud 7-6(7) 2-6 6-4. Greece`s Stefanos Tsitsipas is due to face Lucas Pouille later.

In the women`s draw, Tunisian Ons Jabeur reached her second WTA 1000 semi-final after beating former world number one Simona Halep 6-3 6-2. Jabeur won 77.8% points on her first serve and converted four of five break points against twice champion Halep to seal victory in just over an hour. 
World number 10 Jabeur will face qualifier Ekaterina Alexandrova for a spot in her first WTA 1000 final after Alexandrova defeated Amanda Anisimova 6-4 6-3.

Swiss Jil Teichmann beat Ukraine`s Anhelina Kalinina 6-3 6-4 and will face the winner of the match between Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain and American Jessica Pegula.

Rafa Nadal returned from an injury layoff to beat Miomir Kecmanovic 6-1 7-6(4) on Wednesday and reach the last 16 in the Madrid Open claycourt tournament. Nadal, competing in his first match since March following a rib injury, quickly found his rhythm in a strong start against Serbian Kecmanovic.

Rafa Nadal returned from an injury layoff to beat Miomir Kecmanovic 6-1 7-6(4) on Wednesday and reach the last 16 in the Madrid Open claycourt tournament. Nadal, competing in his first match since March following a rib injury, quickly found his rhythm in a strong start against Serbian Kecmanovic. Rain suspended play early in the second set and 21-times Grand Slam champion Nadal lost momentum. The 35-year-old Spaniard, hitting with explosive power, recovered from failing to serve out the match at 6-5 in the second set to seal victory in just under two hours. Nadal, who improved his win-loss record to 21-1 for the season, is aiming to win his sixth title on home soil in Madrid having last won the tournament in 2017, and will next play qualifier David Goffin. ALSO READ | Madrid Open: World No. 1 Novak Djokovic stays perfect against Gael Monfils, Emma Raducanu knocked out Earlier, world number three Alexander Zverev overcame a slow start to beat Marin Cilic 4-6 6-4 6-4, while qualifier Dusan Lajovic beat fifth seed Casper Ruud 7-6(7) 2-6 6-4. Greece`s Stefanos Tsitsipas is due to face Lucas Pouille later. In the women`s draw, Tunisian Ons Jabeur reached her second WTA 1000 semi-final after beating former world number one Simona Halep 6-3 6-2. Jabeur won 77.8% points on her first serve and converted four of five break points against twice champion Halep to seal victory in just over an hour. World number 10 Jabeur will face qualifier Ekaterina Alexandrova for a spot in her first WTA 1000 final after Alexandrova defeated Amanda Anisimova 6-4 6-3. Swiss Jil Teichmann beat Ukraine`s Anhelina Kalinina 6-3 6-4 and will face the winner of the match between Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain and American Jessica Pegula.

Rafael Nadal overpowers Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic in Madrid on return from injury

World number one Novak Djokovic began his quest for a fourth Madrid Open title with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Gael Monfils on Tuesday, improving his unbeaten record to 18-0 against the Frenchman. The result ensures Djokovic remains at the top of the rankings while it earned Monfils the ignominy of having the worst record against a single opponent without winning in the Open era.

"I would probably rate it as the best performance of the year," Djokovic told reporters. "I felt very good on the court. (The rain) interruption probably helped me a bit more than him. "I played one of the most athletic and quickest players that we have in the game, Gael... I know I have to always be ready that another ball will always come back from his part of the court.

"You have to constantly try to have a controlled aggression and dictate the point." Djokovic first played Monfils at the U.S. Open in 2005 but Tuesday`s match was only their second encounter on clay and he needed only one break point to clinch the first set.

Although Monfils fired more winners, he made things easier for the Serbian with several unforced errors as he attempted risky shots that did not pay off. Monfils did entertain the crowd with a few shots worthy of the highlights reel, including a `tweener` that had even Djokovic applauding along with the fans.

But the top seed was well in control of proceedings, breaking twice in the second set before serving for the match to advance to the third round where he will meet Andy Murray. Murray claimed his second clay victory in five years with a 6-1 3-6 6-2 win over Canada`s Denis Shapovalov, who fought back in the second set to force a decider but was crushed once again by the Scot in the third set.

Earlier, Andrey Rublev, who won the Serbia Open last month after beating Djokovic in the final, survived an early scare when he fought back from a set down to edge Britain`s 20-year-old Jack Draper 2-6 6-4 7-5. 
Rublev found himself 3-0 down in the decider but Draper suffered from cramps which allowed the Russian to rally and win the contest to move into the last-16. Seventh seed Carlos Alcaraz also had to fight back from two games down in the first set to overpower Nikoloz Basilashvili and deny the Georgian the chance to force a decider with a 6-3 7-5 win. The rising tennis star made the top-10 for the first time last week after winning the Barcelona Open earlier in April, the fourth title of his young career.

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KALININA`S DREAM RUN CONTINUES 
Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina, who beat Sloane Stephens and Garbine Muguruza in the earlier rounds, knocked out a third Grand Slam champion in ninth seed Emma Raducanu to move into the quarter-finals with a 6-2 2-6 6-4 victory. Raducanu was broken to love in the opening game of the match and she quickly found herself 3-1 down as Kalinina fired forehand and backhand winners past the Briton, who struggled to find answers to her power from the baseline.

A second break to go up 5-2 gave Kalinina the chance to serve for the set and she sealed it without facing a single break point before Raducanu requested a medical timeout. The reigning U.S. Open champion had been clutching her back between points but she returned reinvigorated and seemingly pain-free to break three times in the second set to force a decider as Kalinina lost her momentum and made several errors. 
Both players were neck-and-neck in the final set as they stepped up their game but the Ukrainian made the crucial break at 4-4 to serve for the match, sealing victory when Raducanu`s volley went wide on her second match point.

"I was luckier on the deciding points," said Kalinina, ranked 37 in the world. "You see the draw and it`s only been Grand Slam champions. But I`m getting a lot of experience from this."

World number one Novak Djokovic began his quest for a fourth Madrid Open title with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Gael Monfils on Tuesday, improving his unbeaten record to 18-0 against the Frenchman.

World number one Novak Djokovic began his quest for a fourth Madrid Open title with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Gael Monfils on Tuesday, improving his unbeaten record to 18-0 against the Frenchman. The result ensures Djokovic remains at the top of the rankings while it earned Monfils the ignominy of having the worst record against a single opponent without winning in the Open era. "I would probably rate it as the best performance of the year," Djokovic told reporters. "I felt very good on the court. (The rain) interruption probably helped me a bit more than him. "I played one of the most athletic and quickest players that we have in the game, Gael... I know I have to always be ready that another ball will always come back from his part of the court. "You have to constantly try to have a controlled aggression and dictate the point." Djokovic first played Monfils at the U.S. Open in 2005 but Tuesday`s match was only their second encounter on clay and he needed only one break point to clinch the first set. Although Monfils fired more winners, he made things easier for the Serbian with several unforced errors as he attempted risky shots that did not pay off. Monfils did entertain the crowd with a few shots worthy of the highlights reel, including a `tweener` that had even Djokovic applauding along with the fans. But the top seed was well in control of proceedings, breaking twice in the second set before serving for the match to advance to the third round where he will meet Andy Murray. Murray claimed his second clay victory in five years with a 6-1 3-6 6-2 win over Canada`s Denis Shapovalov, who fought back in the second set to force a decider but was crushed once again by the Scot in the third set. Earlier, Andrey Rublev, who won the Serbia Open last month after beating Djokovic in the final, survived an early scare when he fought back from a set down to edge Britain`s 20-year-old Jack Draper 2-6 6-4 7-5. Rublev found himself 3-0 down in the decider but Draper suffered from cramps which allowed the Russian to rally and win the contest to move into the last-16. Seventh seed Carlos Alcaraz also had to fight back from two games down in the first set to overpower Nikoloz Basilashvili and deny the Georgian the chance to force a decider with a 6-3 7-5 win. The rising tennis star made the top-10 for the first time last week after winning the Barcelona Open earlier in April, the fourth title of his young career. ALSO READ | Madrid Open: Andy Murray goes past Denis Shapovalov to set blockbuster clash vs Novak Djokovic KALININA`S DREAM RUN CONTINUES Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina, who beat Sloane Stephens and Garbine Muguruza in the earlier rounds, knocked out a third Grand Slam champion in ninth seed Emma Raducanu to move into the quarter-finals with a 6-2 2-6 6-4 victory. Raducanu was broken to love in the opening game of the match and she quickly found herself 3-1 down as Kalinina fired forehand and backhand winners past the Briton, who struggled to find answers to her power from the baseline. A second break to go up 5-2 gave Kalinina the chance to serve for the set and she sealed it without facing a single break point before Raducanu requested a medical timeout. The reigning U.S. Open champion had been clutching her back between points but she returned reinvigorated and seemingly pain-free to break three times in the second set to force a decider as Kalinina lost her momentum and made several errors. Both players were neck-and-neck in the final set as they stepped up their game but the Ukrainian made the crucial break at 4-4 to serve for the match, sealing victory when Raducanu`s volley went wide on her second match point. "I was luckier on the deciding points," said Kalinina, ranked 37 in the world. "You see the draw and it`s only been Grand Slam champions. But I`m getting a lot of experience from this."

Madrid Open: World No. 1 Novak Djokovic stays perfect against Gael Monfils, Emma Raducanu knocked out

Great Britain`s Andy Murray, who returned to clay for the first time in nearly two years, defeated Dominic Thiem of Austria 6-3, 6-4 to secure a Round-of-32 clash against Denis Shapovalov at the Madrid Open here. 
&nbsp;Murray was ranked world No. 1 in the ATP Rankings when he last took the court at the Madrid Open in 2017 and his performance against the Austrian on Monday night belied his current world ranking of No. 78. 
 
It was the two-time Madrid champion`s first victory on the surface since the 2017 French Open quarterfinals when he beat Kei Nishikori of Japan. "I enjoyed it. I prepared really hard before coming here," said Murray to atptour.com. The three-time Grand Slam champion was initially planning to skip this year`s clay swing before accepting a wild card into the Spanish ATP Masters 1000 event. 
 
"I worked hard and really wanted to go out and put a good performance out there. I feel like I did that. When I played a couple of years ago on the clay, I was struggling a little bit with my groin. My body felt really good in the last few weeks and tonight I felt like I moved well and I played a really good match," added Murray. 
 
Murray, who has undergone a hip surgery, last played a clay-court game at Roland Garros in 2020. He had initially planned to continue his break from clay and compete in hard-court ATP Challenger Tour events during the European clay swing. But when the events got cancelled, he changed his plan.

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Murray showed few signs of rust as he dished out a dominant display. Thiem, still seeking the first win of his comeback from a right-wrist injury, was only brilliant in patches. 
 
"It`s extremely difficult," Murray said of Thiem`s comeback in the second set. "He obviously had the injury initially and has also had some setbacks along the way. Mentally, it will take time to feel confident, totally accelerating on the ball. I had a wrist injury when I was 20 years old and it was very difficult. It took me time before I started to feel comfortable on the forehand side again. 
 
"He uses his wrist a lot when he plays. He plays with heavy topspin. It`s obviously going to take him time, but he can still hit the ball great. He`s serving well, moving well. It`s just going to take time," added Murray. 
 
Murray next faces 14th seed Denis Shapovalov of Canada, who got past lucky loser Ugo Humbert of France, 7-6(1), 6-3. The 23-year-old Shapovalov won his only previous meeting with Murray in straight sets one year ago in the Wimbledon third round.

Great Britain`s Andy Murray, who returned to clay for the first time in nearly two years, defeated Dominic Thiem of Austria 6-3, 6-4 to secure a Round-of-32 clash against Denis Shapovalov at the Madrid Open here.

Great Britain`s Andy Murray, who returned to clay for the first time in nearly two years, defeated Dominic Thiem of Austria 6-3, 6-4 to secure a Round-of-32 clash against Denis Shapovalov at the Madrid Open here. Murray was ranked world No. 1 in the ATP Rankings when he last took the court at the Madrid Open in 2017 and his performance against the Austrian on Monday night belied his current world ranking of No. 78. It was the two-time Madrid champion`s first victory on the surface since the 2017 French Open quarterfinals when he beat Kei Nishikori of Japan. "I enjoyed it. I prepared really hard before coming here," said Murray to atptour.com. The three-time Grand Slam champion was initially planning to skip this year`s clay swing before accepting a wild card into the Spanish ATP Masters 1000 event. "I worked hard and really wanted to go out and put a good performance out there. I feel like I did that. When I played a couple of years ago on the clay, I was struggling a little bit with my groin. My body felt really good in the last few weeks and tonight I felt like I moved well and I played a really good match," added Murray. Murray, who has undergone a hip surgery, last played a clay-court game at Roland Garros in 2020. He had initially planned to continue his break from clay and compete in hard-court ATP Challenger Tour events during the European clay swing. But when the events got cancelled, he changed his plan. ALSO READ | World No. 1 Novak Djokovic hopeful of things progressing in 'right direction' at Madrid Open 2022 Murray showed few signs of rust as he dished out a dominant display. Thiem, still seeking the first win of his comeback from a right-wrist injury, was only brilliant in patches. "It`s extremely difficult," Murray said of Thiem`s comeback in the second set. "He obviously had the injury initially and has also had some setbacks along the way. Mentally, it will take time to feel confident, totally accelerating on the ball. I had a wrist injury when I was 20 years old and it was very difficult. It took me time before I started to feel comfortable on the forehand side again. "He uses his wrist a lot when he plays. He plays with heavy topspin. It`s obviously going to take him time, but he can still hit the ball great. He`s serving well, moving well. It`s just going to take time," added Murray. Murray next faces 14th seed Denis Shapovalov of Canada, who got past lucky loser Ugo Humbert of France, 7-6(1), 6-3. The 23-year-old Shapovalov won his only previous meeting with Murray in straight sets one year ago in the Wimbledon third round.

Madrid Open: Andy Murray triumphs over Dominic Thiem to attain first clay-court challenge in two years

Former World number one Andy Murray on Tuesday defeated Denis Shapovalov to reach the third round at the Madrid Open 2022. With a 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 victory over the Canadian in Madrid, Murray now for the first time has won consecutive matches since January in Sydney, where the 46-time tour-level titlist reached the final.After good wins at the Caja Magica against former Top 10 players in Dominic Thiem and Shapovalov, it will not get any easier for Murray. Next up is a blockbuster showdown with World No. 1 Novak Djokovic -- their first meeting since the Doha final in 2017 -- for a place in the quarter-finals.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;Madrid Open: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/madrid-open-andry-murray-triumphs-over-dominic-thiem-to-attain-first-clay-court-challenge-in-two-years-475991">Andy Murray triumphs over Dominic Thiem to attain first clay-court challenge in two years</a>

Earlier, the world`s number one Novak Djokovic thrashed Gael Monfils. In what has proved a comfortable matchup for the Serb over the years, he snuffed out any chance of that with a 6-3, 6-2 victory to improve to 18-0 against the Frenchman. Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz spent much of his opening match behind in the set score but still claimed a relatively routine victory over Nikoloz Basilashvili, 6-3, 7-5.

The 18-year-old, who turns 19 on Thursday, will next face the winner of ninth seed Cameron Norrie`s Wednesday matchup against John Isner.

Former World number one Andy Murray on Tuesday defeated Denis Shapovalov to reach the third round at the Madrid Open 2022. With a 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 victory over the Canadian in Madrid, Murray now for the first time has won consecutive matches since January in Sydney, where the 46-time tour-level titlist reached the final.

Former World number one Andy Murray on Tuesday defeated Denis Shapovalov to reach the third round at the Madrid Open 2022. With a 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 victory over the Canadian in Madrid, Murray now for the first time has won consecutive matches since January in Sydney, where the 46-time tour-level titlist reached the final.After good wins at the Caja Magica against former Top 10 players in Dominic Thiem and Shapovalov, it will not get any easier for Murray. Next up is a blockbuster showdown with World No. 1 Novak Djokovic -- their first meeting since the Doha final in 2017 -- for a place in the quarter-finals. ALSO READ | Madrid Open: Andy Murray triumphs over Dominic Thiem to attain first clay-court challenge in two years Earlier, the world`s number one Novak Djokovic thrashed Gael Monfils. In what has proved a comfortable matchup for the Serb over the years, he snuffed out any chance of that with a 6-3, 6-2 victory to improve to 18-0 against the Frenchman. Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz spent much of his opening match behind in the set score but still claimed a relatively routine victory over Nikoloz Basilashvili, 6-3, 7-5. The 18-year-old, who turns 19 on Thursday, will next face the winner of ninth seed Cameron Norrie`s Wednesday matchup against John Isner.

Madrid Open: Andy Murray goes past Denis Shapovalov to set blockbuster clash vs Novak Djokovic

World number one men`s tennis player Novak Djokovic is hopeful that things will progress in the right direction at Madrid Open 2022. The 20-time Grand Slam champion and the top seed this week at the Madrid Open, has been eager for competitive match play in recent time. Djokovic last played in Belgrade, where he played four three-setters in a runner-up finish at his hometown Serbia Open.

The Serbian lost to Andrey Rublev in a three-set final but he left the ATP 250 event happy with his performance. "I was looking to spend more time on the court, and that`s what I got. So of course playing finals is a good result and I have to be positive about it," he said in a Madrid pre-tournament presser as per atptour.com."I like a lot of things about the way I was hitting the ball. Of course it`s not at the level still where I wish it to be. It is a process, and I have to be patient. Hopefully, things will progress in the right direction also this week."Djokovic who suffered a shock loss in Monte Carlo attributed the gaps in his game to his lack of match play."But [it was] different in Belgrade than it was in Monaco," he explained of his fitness level. "Knowing that I played four almost-three-hour matches and long, three-set battles gives me enough reason to believe that it`s headed in the right direction."I had a very good week of training now, put more emphasis on fitness and building stamina and endurance because that`s what`s going to be necessary in order to compete with top guys on the slowest and physically most demanding surface in our sport."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/madrid-open-emma-raducanu-advances-ahead-sorribes-tormo-ousts-japans-naomi-osaka-475678">Madrid Open: Emma Raducanu advances ahead, Sorribes Tormo ousts Japan's Naomi Osaka</a>

The 34-year-old will get a bye through the first round of the Madrid Open 2022 and will meet the winner of the clash between Spanish wildcard Carlos Gimeno and Frenchman Gael Monfils.The Serb, who is back in the Caja Magica after missing the event last year, is in the same section of the draw as the enticing match up between the British two-time Wimbledon champion and Dominic Thiem. The Austrian, who has recovered from a wrist injury, was a finalist at Madrid Open in 2017 and 2018.&nbsp;

World number one men`s tennis player Novak Djokovic is hopeful that things will progress in the right direction at Madrid Open 2022. The 20-time Grand Slam champion and the top seed this week at the Madrid Open, has been eager for competitive match play in recent time.

World number one men`s tennis player Novak Djokovic is hopeful that things will progress in the right direction at Madrid Open 2022. The 20-time Grand Slam champion and the top seed this week at the Madrid Open, has been eager for competitive match play in recent time. Djokovic last played in Belgrade, where he played four three-setters in a runner-up finish at his hometown Serbia Open. The Serbian lost to Andrey Rublev in a three-set final but he left the ATP 250 event happy with his performance. "I was looking to spend more time on the court, and that`s what I got. So of course playing finals is a good result and I have to be positive about it," he said in a Madrid pre-tournament presser as per atptour.com."I like a lot of things about the way I was hitting the ball. Of course it`s not at the level still where I wish it to be. It is a process, and I have to be patient. Hopefully, things will progress in the right direction also this week."Djokovic who suffered a shock loss in Monte Carlo attributed the gaps in his game to his lack of match play."But [it was] different in Belgrade than it was in Monaco," he explained of his fitness level. "Knowing that I played four almost-three-hour matches and long, three-set battles gives me enough reason to believe that it`s headed in the right direction."I had a very good week of training now, put more emphasis on fitness and building stamina and endurance because that`s what`s going to be necessary in order to compete with top guys on the slowest and physically most demanding surface in our sport." ALSO READ | Madrid Open: Emma Raducanu advances ahead, Sorribes Tormo ousts Japan's Naomi Osaka The 34-year-old will get a bye through the first round of the Madrid Open 2022 and will meet the winner of the clash between Spanish wildcard Carlos Gimeno and Frenchman Gael Monfils.The Serb, who is back in the Caja Magica after missing the event last year, is in the same section of the draw as the enticing match up between the British two-time Wimbledon champion and Dominic Thiem. The Austrian, who has recovered from a wrist injury, was a finalist at Madrid Open in 2017 and 2018.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic hopeful of things progressing in 'right direction' at Madrid Open 2022

Emma Raducanu registered a second-round win over longtime junior rival Marta Kostyuk to reach Round 3 at the Madrid Open, while Sara Sorribes Tormo defeated Naomi Osaka for the second time in their four meetings on Sunday. Reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu is still rolling at the Madrid Open. The No.9 seed moved safely through to the last 16 in the Spanish capital with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, her fifth win in her first seven tour-level matches on clay.

Having won back-to-back matches just once in the six months following her US Open triumph last summer, Raducanu has now done so twice in as many weeks this clay-court season.Later, Jil Teichman knocked out No.17 seed Leylah Fernandez to reach Round 3. The 6-4, 6-4 win was Teichmann`s third over a Top 20 player this season, and first on clay since she beat then-World No.5 Elina Svitolina in the first round of Madrid a year ago.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/madrid-open-bianca-andreescu-dominates-danielle-collins-for-first-top-10-win-on-clay-475495">Madrid Open: Bianca Andreescu dominates Danielle Collins for first top-10 win on clay</a>

She`ll next face No.16 seed Elena Rybakina, who moved through to the last 16 after Katerina Siniakova retired from their match after playing seven games. Later, Spanish hope Sara Sorribes Tormo posted a career-best result, ousting former World No.1 Naomi Osaka 6-3, 6-1 in 1 hour and 28 minutes of play to reach the Round of 16.In the Round of 16, Sorribes Tormo will square off against Daria Kasatkina, who also notched a big win on Sunday with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 upset of No.4 seed Maria Sakkari.

Emma Raducanu registered a second-round win over longtime junior rival Marta Kostyuk to reach Round 3 at the Madrid Open, while Sara Sorribes Tormo defeated Naomi Osaka for the second time in their four meetings on Sunday.

Emma Raducanu registered a second-round win over longtime junior rival Marta Kostyuk to reach Round 3 at the Madrid Open, while Sara Sorribes Tormo defeated Naomi Osaka for the second time in their four meetings on Sunday. Reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu is still rolling at the Madrid Open. The No.9 seed moved safely through to the last 16 in the Spanish capital with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, her fifth win in her first seven tour-level matches on clay. Having won back-to-back matches just once in the six months following her US Open triumph last summer, Raducanu has now done so twice in as many weeks this clay-court season.Later, Jil Teichman knocked out No.17 seed Leylah Fernandez to reach Round 3. The 6-4, 6-4 win was Teichmann`s third over a Top 20 player this season, and first on clay since she beat then-World No.5 Elina Svitolina in the first round of Madrid a year ago. ALSO READ | Madrid Open: Bianca Andreescu dominates Danielle Collins for first top-10 win on clay She`ll next face No.16 seed Elena Rybakina, who moved through to the last 16 after Katerina Siniakova retired from their match after playing seven games. Later, Spanish hope Sara Sorribes Tormo posted a career-best result, ousting former World No.1 Naomi Osaka 6-3, 6-1 in 1 hour and 28 minutes of play to reach the Round of 16.In the Round of 16, Sorribes Tormo will square off against Daria Kasatkina, who also notched a big win on Sunday with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 upset of No.4 seed Maria Sakkari.

Madrid Open: Emma Raducanu advances ahead, Sorribes Tormo ousts Japan's Naomi Osaka

Bianca Andreescu came with a scintillating performance at the Madrid Open as she completed a dominating 6-1, 6-1 win over Danielle Collins in just 69 minutes to reach the third round.

Bianca Andreescu dropped just two games against Collins in the second round, scoring her first Top 10 win since 2019 and first on clay.

It was the Canadian`s fourth match following her six-month mental health hiatus, and just the ninth WTA main draw contest of her career on clay.

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The result marked former World No.5 Andreescu`s first Top 10 win since defeating Serena Williams in the 2019 US Open final, and the first of her career off hard courts.

Ranked No.111 coming into Madrid, Andreescu is guaranteed to return to the Top 100 next week.

She will face either No.12 seed Jessica Pegula or Kaia Kanepi in a bid to reach her first quarterfinal since Strasbourg last year.

Bianca Andreescu came with a scintillating performance at the Madrid Open as she completed a dominating 6-1, 6-1 win over Danielle Collins in just 69 minutes to reach the third round.

Bianca Andreescu came with a scintillating performance at the Madrid Open as she completed a dominating 6-1, 6-1 win over Danielle Collins in just 69 minutes to reach the third round. Bianca Andreescu dropped just two games against Collins in the second round, scoring her first Top 10 win since 2019 and first on clay. It was the Canadian`s fourth match following her six-month mental health hiatus, and just the ninth WTA main draw contest of her career on clay. Also read | Cristiano Ronaldo likely to make sensational return to Real Madrid - Report The result marked former World No.5 Andreescu`s first Top 10 win since defeating Serena Williams in the 2019 US Open final, and the first of her career off hard courts. Ranked No.111 coming into Madrid, Andreescu is guaranteed to return to the Top 100 next week. She will face either No.12 seed Jessica Pegula or Kaia Kanepi in a bid to reach her first quarterfinal since Strasbourg last year.

Madrid Open: Bianca Andreescu dominates Danielle Collins for first top-10 win on clay

Boris Becker`s thunderous delivery earned him the nickname `Boom Boom` as a 17-year-old Wimbledon winner in 1985 but on Friday, aged 54 and bust, the German great was told he must serve time in prison.

Three times a champion on the grass courts of south-west London, the man who thrilled tennis fans in the 1980s and 90s appeared in a court of law to receive a two-and-a-half-year sentence.

Becker was convicted earlier this month of four charges under Britain`s Insolvency Act, including failing to disclose, concealing and removing significant assets following a bankruptcy trial.

Judge Deborah Taylor said the six-times Grand Slam winner had shown no remorse or acceptance of guilt and would have to serve half his sentence behind bars and the remainder on licence.

Also read |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-plethora-of-grand-slam-titles-to-jail-term-reliving-boris-beckers-topsy-turvy-ride-475028" hreflang="en">From plethora of Grand Slam titles to jail term: Reliving Becker's journey</a>

Becker, who earned $25 million in prize money and many times more in sponsorship during a career that ended in 1999, had been given a suspended jail term and hefty fine for tax evasion by a court in Munich in 2002.

This time there was to be no escape.

The sentence was the latest bombshell in the life of a sporting superstar whose love life and financial problems have generated as many headlines in recent years as his athletic prowess ever did.

Much of his fortune disappeared as a result of his tax problems, while continuing to maintain a lavish lifestyle, some dubious investments and a multi-million dollar divorce settlement with first wife Barbara in 2001.

In 1999 he fathered a child with a Russian model, Angela Ermakova, after a brief sexual encounter in London`s Nobu restaurant while his wife was pregnant with their second child.

The polish of his post-playing life as a BBC television tennis commentator, and a spell as coach to world number one Novak Djokovic, contrasted with the ongoing chaos of his personal affairs.

In 2018 he claimed diplomatic immunity from the bankruptcy proceedings by saying he had been appointed sports envoy to the European Union for Central African Republic and had received a passport at an official ceremony.

Becker had never visited the country, whose foreign minister later said the passport was a "clumsy fake" and launched an enquiry.

On court, Becker was simply sensational. In 1985 he became the first German and first unseeded player to win the Wimbledon singles title, defeating South African-turned American Kevin Curren in four sets, as a callow teenager.

In 1986, with bubbling enthusiasm and using his heavy forehand and spectacular diving volleys to good effect, Becker defended his title successfully against scowling rival Ivan Lendl.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-germany-tennis-champion-boris-becker-gets-2-year-long-jail-sentence-in-uk-bankruptcy-case-474986" hreflang="en">Boris Becker gets jail term in UK bankruptcy case</a>

The pair played each other 21 times in the 1980s and early 90s, always with an undercurrent of friction. 
While Lendl ultimately edged their career rivalry 11-10 it was Becker who won the three Grand Slam finals they contested, with the German once accusing Lendl of not being "mentally tough".

Becker also reached the Wimbledon final in 1988, losing to Sweden`s Stefan Edberg. He avenged that loss in a rematch the following year and then lost to the Swede again in the 1990 final.

In 1991 he reached a fourth successive Wimbledon final but lost to compatriot Michael Stich.

Becker also won the U.S. Open in 1989 and the Australian Open in 1991, when he became world number one, and 1996.

He retired with a career tally of 49 singles titles and 15 doubles titles, but clay was always a weakness although he did win the 1992 Olympic men`s doubles gold on the surface in Barcelona.

Boris Becker`s thunderous delivery earned him the nickname `Boom Boom` as a 17-year-old Wimbledon winner in 1985 but on Friday, aged 54 and bust, the German great was told he must serve time in prison.

Boris Becker`s thunderous delivery earned him the nickname `Boom Boom` as a 17-year-old Wimbledon winner in 1985 but on Friday, aged 54 and bust, the German great was told he must serve time in prison. Three times a champion on the grass courts of south-west London, the man who thrilled tennis fans in the 1980s and 90s appeared in a court of law to receive a two-and-a-half-year sentence. Becker was convicted earlier this month of four charges under Britain`s Insolvency Act, including failing to disclose, concealing and removing significant assets following a bankruptcy trial. Judge Deborah Taylor said the six-times Grand Slam winner had shown no remorse or acceptance of guilt and would have to serve half his sentence behind bars and the remainder on licence. Also read | From plethora of Grand Slam titles to jail term: Reliving Becker's journey Becker, who earned $25 million in prize money and many times more in sponsorship during a career that ended in 1999, had been given a suspended jail term and hefty fine for tax evasion by a court in Munich in 2002. This time there was to be no escape. The sentence was the latest bombshell in the life of a sporting superstar whose love life and financial problems have generated as many headlines in recent years as his athletic prowess ever did. Much of his fortune disappeared as a result of his tax problems, while continuing to maintain a lavish lifestyle, some dubious investments and a multi-million dollar divorce settlement with first wife Barbara in 2001. In 1999 he fathered a child with a Russian model, Angela Ermakova, after a brief sexual encounter in London`s Nobu restaurant while his wife was pregnant with their second child. The polish of his post-playing life as a BBC television tennis commentator, and a spell as coach to world number one Novak Djokovic, contrasted with the ongoing chaos of his personal affairs. In 2018 he claimed diplomatic immunity from the bankruptcy proceedings by saying he had been appointed sports envoy to the European Union for Central African Republic and had received a passport at an official ceremony. Becker had never visited the country, whose foreign minister later said the passport was a "clumsy fake" and launched an enquiry. On court, Becker was simply sensational. In 1985 he became the first German and first unseeded player to win the Wimbledon singles title, defeating South African-turned American Kevin Curren in four sets, as a callow teenager. In 1986, with bubbling enthusiasm and using his heavy forehand and spectacular diving volleys to good effect, Becker defended his title successfully against scowling rival Ivan Lendl. Also read | Boris Becker gets jail term in UK bankruptcy case The pair played each other 21 times in the 1980s and early 90s, always with an undercurrent of friction. While Lendl ultimately edged their career rivalry 11-10 it was Becker who won the three Grand Slam finals they contested, with the German once accusing Lendl of not being "mentally tough". Becker also reached the Wimbledon final in 1988, losing to Sweden`s Stefan Edberg. He avenged that loss in a rematch the following year and then lost to the Swede again in the 1990 final. In 1991 he reached a fourth successive Wimbledon final but lost to compatriot Michael Stich. Becker also won the U.S. Open in 1989 and the Australian Open in 1991, when he became world number one, and 1996. He retired with a career tally of 49 singles titles and 15 doubles titles, but clay was always a weakness although he did win the 1992 Olympic men`s doubles gold on the surface in Barcelona.

From 'Boom Boom' to bust, Boris Becker must now serve time

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