ATP
Rafael Nadal beats Stefanos Tsitsipas to win 12th Barcelona title
Rafael Nadal saved a championship point to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 7-5 on Sunday and claim a 12th Barcelona Open title in the ATP’s longest match of 2021. The Spaniard secured his first title of the year and 87th of his career, denying Tsitsipas back-to-back triumphs following his maiden Masters 1000 title at Monte Carlo last week. Nadal avenged his Australian Open quarter-final loss to Tsitsipas and will return to second in the ATP rankings on Monday by climbing back above Daniil Medvedev after his marathon 3-hour 38-minute win. “It means a lot for me to play the final here and win,” said Nadal. “I improved my level during the week and this trophy means a lot.” Nadal redeemed himself after a surprise quarter-final exit in Monte Carlo, but the three sets dropped en route to...
Sam Querrey quits ATP Council to join new players association
American Sam Querrey confirmed after his first round exit at the US Open on Tuesday that he had resigned from the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Players Council. Querry has now joined the breakaway players’ group led by Novak Djokovic. World number one Djokovic resigned as head of the council last month, along with council members Canadian Vasek Pospisil and American John Isner, to form the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA). Djokovic had described the PTPA as a platform for players to be better heard on decisions which affect their livelihood. But the move has provoked resistance from Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, who are also part of the players’ council. Querrey told reporters he had been in favour of a separate players’ association for some time and his resignati...
Tennis star risks three year jail for assaulting ex-wife
Nikoloz Basilashvili, Georgian tennis star, ranked 27th in the world, was charged on Sunday with physically assaulting his ex-wife. A court in the Georgian capital Tbilisi charged him with perpetrating violence against a family member. Worse of all, the offence was committed in the presence of a minor”. After he was charged, he was then released on bail at a cost of $30,000. Basilashvili faces up to three years behind bars if found guilty, prosecutor Natia Guruli said. The tennis star’s ex-wife Neka Dorokashvili told the Mtavari TV station on Sunday that he “physically assaulted” her Friday. She said the assault happened in the presence of their five-year-old son. Basilashvili denied the charge, his lawyer Irma Chkadua told journalists. The 28-year-old won his second ATP title at the China...
