In what can be called as the 23-year-old’s biggest win on the ATP tour, Nagal played some exquisite tennis shots against this 2nd seeded opponent.

Nagal will play Spain”s Albert Ramos-Vinolas, in what will be the Indian”s first-ever quarterfinal appearance at the ATP Tour level.

Ramos-Vinolas had defeated Domnik Koepfer of Germany 7-5 6-4.

Nagal was lately going through a lean patch and had crashed out of the Australian Open after his first round defeat against Lithuania’s Ricardas Beranki 2-6, 5-7, 3-6. The Jhajjar-born had also lost at the Murray River Open, the tournament just ahead of the decade’s first Grand Slam in Melbourne.

It was Berankis again who ended the journey of the youngster, who was dismantled by the world number 72 in the USD $320,775 ATP 250 event in Melbourne.

Then world number 139 Nagal lost 2-6, 2-6 after failing to convert any of his two break chances. He had dropped his serve four times in the match.

First top 25 win ✅@ArgentinaOpen pic.twitter.com/3YhTOfkbcF

— Sumit Nagal (@nagalsumit) March 4, 2021

Earlier in 2020, India’s top-ranked men’s singles player Sumit Nagal reached the second round of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career when he beat USA’s Bradley Klahn 6-1, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in their US Open 2020 men’s singles 1st-round match.

In the process Nagal became the first Indian men’s singles player to win a Grand Slam main draw match since Somdev Devvarman in 2013.

Somdev had reached the 2nd round at 3 majors, barring Wimbledon, in 2013.

However, the youngster’s US Open 2020 campaign came to an end in the 2nd round after he lost in straight sets to Dominic Thiem, who went on to win his maiden Grand Slam in the tournament. Nagal went down 3-6, 3-6, 2-6 to Austrian world number 3 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium which was nearly empty.

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Djokovic started the match with an early breakpoint, but Medvedev bounced back in the first set, stretching it longer than Djokovic would have liked. But the Serb completely shut off the contest in the next two sets, leaving Medvedev frustrated with his pace and accuracy.

Every time the Russian tried to find a surge of energy, Djokovic ended his hopes with smashing returns and bringing his own energy to the surface. Djokovic used superb serves and his usual relentless returns and baseline supremacy to grab 11 of 13 games in one stretch.

While Medvedev won 6 aces, and Djokovic could only make 3, the Serb won 73 percent points on 1st serve, and 63 percent points on 2nd serve, in comparison to Medvedev’s 68 percent win on the first serve, and 39 percent win on the second serve.

Eventually, Djokovic won the championship point with ease by winning his 7th breaking point in the match.

Djokovic has won six of the last 10 major tournaments and is assured of remaining at No. 1 in the rankings at least through March 8. That will give him 311 weeks in the top spot, breaking a mark held by Federer.

The No. 4-ranked Medvedev was appearing in his second Grand Slam final — he was the runner-up to Nadal at the 2019 U.S. Open — but is still left trying collect his first such championship.

Djokovic ended the 25-year-old Russian’s 20-match winning streak. Medvedev also had won his previous 12 matches against Top 10 opponents.

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Osaka preserves her 100 per cent record in Grand Slam finals after winning the 2018 and 2020 US Opens and the 2019 title in Melbourne. “We played in the semis of the US Open a couple of months ago and I told everyone that you’re going to be a problem,” Osaka told Brady at the trophy presentation.

“And I was right. It’s really incredible to me to see your growth over the past few months, it’s really cool for me to see.”

The 23-year-old, who becomes only the third player after Monica Seles and Roger Federer to win their first four major finals, will now rise to second in the world rankings.

Osaka, rated as the world’s top-earning female athlete, saved two match points in the fourth round against Garbine Muguruza before going on to lift the trophy.

Osaka wore down fellow big-hitter Brady with consistency, and lifted her racquet above her face in a muted celebration of her win as the crowd roared.

The sweeping win confirms Osaka’s status as tennis’s leading light having brushed aside Williams in straight sets in the semi-finals.

She has won half the majors she’s contested since beating Williams to win her first Slam title.

Osaka has now claimed back-to-back Slams twice and she survived a seesaw start to gain control, reeling off six straight games en route to the title.

It was a rematch of last year’s epic US Open semi-final, dubbed by some as the best match of 2020, but Osaka triumphed far more comfortably on this occasion.

She showed no nerves at the start, firing down two aces en route to a love hold in the opening game.

Before the match, Osaka had pinpointed her return as the key, but she was helped out by a shaky Brady who lost her serve in the fourth game after two double faults.

But Brady, the 22nd seed, hit back with a break and she continued to pile pressure on Osaka’s serve.

A brilliant lob winner, showcasing her trademark athleticism, gave a pumped-up Brady a break point in the ninth game, but Osaka held on.

Brady then played a sloppy game on serve to hand over the set to Osaka, who had a 20-0 record at Melbourne Park when winning the first set.

Osaka gained a stranglehold with an early break in the second set and fired down an ace to skip out to a 3-0 lead. Brady attempted a late rally, but a calm Osaka was not to be denied.

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The defeat ended her bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title and her second consecutive semi-final exit in a major tournament.

Williams, 39, waved at the crowd and put her hand on her heart before leaving the Rod Laver Arena after the match which she lost 6-3, 6-4. When asked if this was an indication that she was bidding farewell to the Australian Open, Williams responded with a smile: “I don’t know… if I ever say farewell I wouldn’t really tell anyone.”

She was then asked about the errors she made during the match. “I don’t know. I’m done,” she said before walking away. Williams had earlier said that the difference between her and Osaka was her 24 unforced errors, six of which came on return to serve.

“The difference today was errors. I made so many errors today. It was opportunities where I could have been up 5-0 and I just made so many errors. I had a lot forehand unforced errors. It was a big error day for me today,” she said.

“I felt well, I was hitting well this whole tournament. Even the first couple of games I played well and there were so many opportunities. I don’t know… just made too many mistakes there. Easy mistakes, it was not like I was on the run or anything, they were all easy mistakes,” she further said.

Williams later thanked the Australian crowd in an Instagram post.

“Melbourne and my Australian fans- Today was not ideal outcome or performance but it happens… I am so honored to be able to play in front of you all. Your support – your cheers, I only wish I could have done better for you today. I am forever in debt and grateful to each and everyone single one of you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I adore you,” she said in her post.

Williams is one Grand Slam title away from equalling Margaret Court’s record of 24 titles in the Open era. She won her 23rd title at the 2017 Australian Open after which she took a break from tennis for the birth of her child. Since returning, she has finished runner up at the US Open and Wimbledon in 2018 and 2019.

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Murray was all set to reach Melbourne for the upcoming Australian Open 2021 this week on a special charter flight but will have to recover from the disease first before he can make it in time for the season-opening Grand Slam tournament which begins on February 8, three weeks later than usual because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Australian Open organisers have made arrangements for players and coaches to travel to Melbourne on 15 special charter flights with only 25 per cent capacity.

Strict COVID protocols state all players must return a negative test prior to boarding their flight and everyone is tested on arrival and isolated until results are received.

Each and every person coming to Australia will have to quarantine for 14 days after touching down in Melbourne but players and coaches will be allowed to train for 5 hours every day.

Murray, who was handed a wildcard for the Australian Open, is hopeful that he will be allowed to travel at a later date and compete as planned. Murray has reached the Australian Open final on 5 occasions in the past but has never won the tournament.

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The 22-year-old had her left hamstring taped when she battled back against Victoria Azarenka in the U.S. Open final in New York on Saturday to win her third Grand Slam title.

“Unfortunately, I won’t be able to play the French Open this year,” the world number three wrote on social media in a message she also posted in Japanese.

“My hamstring is still sore so I won’t have time to prepare for the clay – these two tournaments came too close to each other for me this time.

“I wish the organizers and players all the best.”

❤️ pic.twitter.com/W0tLuvib5U

— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) September 18, 2020

The French Open will be held from Sept. 27-Oct. 11 after being moved from its usual late May-June slot due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The hamstring issue had prompted Osaka to withdraw from the final of the Western & Southern Open in the run-up to the U.S. Open but it did not appear to hamper her at Flushing Meadows.

Osaka made headlines in New York as much for her performances on court as for her commitment to social justice causes.

For each of her U.S. Open matches she wore a different mask that carried the name of a Black American, aiming to highlight racial injustice in the United States to a wider audience.

The withdrawal of Osaka, who has never advanced past the third round at Roland Garros, comes as another blow to the tournament after world number one Ash Barty of Australia said she would not be defending her title due to COVID-19 concerns.

On the men’s side, Roger Federer will not compete as he continues to recover from knee surgery.

Osaka’s absence would improve Serena Williams’s chances of winning a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title if the American chooses to play. The 38-year-old has withdrawn from the Italian Open with an Achilles issue.

The French Tennis Federation (FFT) said it would allow 5,000 spectators per day following a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the country. It had previously said the clay court major would permit a maximum of 11,500 fans per day.

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The top-ranked Serb is fourth player to test positive for the virus.Bulgarian tennis star Grigor Dimitrov and Croatia’s Borna Coric,Viktor Troicki were tested positive on June 22. The Adria Tour hosted by Novak is now becoming a hotspot of coronavirus. His stubborn stance to hold an exhibition amid pandemic is drawing criticism from all quarters.

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Father fears about a ‘vacuum’ after leaving a career spanning 30 years

Dubai: It’s not often that the news of expected retirement of a 46-year-old professional sportsperson can still evoke such strong emotions — but it’s different with Leander Paes. It’s like an enduring act of passion play, spread over 30 years and so many acts, which will eventually come to an end in 2020.

“As I said on social media on the Christmas Day, I will be playing a few select tournaments in my farewell year — travelling with my team and celebrating with all my friends and fans around the globe. Dubai, where I have always enjoyed great support from the Indian diaspora, will certainly be one of my last stops,” the ageless warrior of tennis told Gulf News.

An unique character in the sport with 18 Grand Slam titles and record number of doubles triumphs in Davis Cup, Paes along with Mahesh Bhupathi had always been a crowd favourite at the Dubai Duty Free Championships — the duo winning the men’s doubles here in 1998 and then again Paes pairing up with David Riki to win the title in 2003. The tennis fortnight is scheduled in Dubai from February 17-29 in 2020.

Ever since announcing his #OneLastRoar, as the farewell Tour has been branded, Paes had been planning with his team as to how to make it a memorable experience for his fans worldwide. “The Australian Open will be my first event of the year — where I had made my debut in 1989. In effect, I will be actually playing across five decades — the ‘80s, ‘90s, the new millennium, 2010 decade and now 2020,” Paes noted with a degree of satisfaction.

While the four Grand Slam events are very much in his plans, he has eyes on two events as the crowning glory in the last year of his marathon career — the Davis Cup in March and the Tokyo Olympics — the second one could see his phenomenal eighth appearance in the Summer Games subject to qualification. Answering to a query on the possibility of his qualification, Dr Vece Paes — the player’s father and a rock in his life — was his pragmatic self. “As things stand now, the team of Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan are ahead of Leander in terms of rankings and are likely to form the first team. It depends on the Indian government if they allow two men’s doubles team to participate — as had been the case in recent Olympics. Then there is a question of Leander and his partner getting a wild card,” Dr Paes explained in a telephonic chat.

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