Tsonga outplays Herbert in all-french final at Montpellier
Tsonga, who missed entire 2018 due to injuries, bagged his first ATP title since 2017
PARIS: Jo-wilfried Tsonga beat fellow Frenchman Pierre-hugues Herbert 6-4, 6-2 to win the Open Sud de France in Montpellier and claim his first ATP title since 2017 on Sunday. Herbert, the seventh seed, was looking to snatch his maiden singles title but Tsonga, whose 2018 season was hampered by injuries, only dropped four points on his serve.
The 33-year-old, in Montpellier courtesy of a wild card, had not won a trophy since he prevailed in Antwerp in October 2017.
Herbert, who won the Australian Open doubles title with Nicolas Mahut last month, had no solutions in a one-sided second set as Tsonga improved his headto-head record with his compatriot to 3-0.
MEDVEDEV IS TOO STRONG FOR FUCSOVICS
SOFIA: Big-hitting Russian Daniil Medvedev thrashed Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday to win the Sofia Open title. Third seed Medvedev, who turns 23 on Monday, was at his devastating best as he gave the hapless Hungarian a brutal lesson to claim his fourth career title.
Attacking the lines with machine-like precision, Medvedev was in complete control and broke the unseeded Hungarian, who won his maiden title in Geneva last year, four times.
The world number 16 converted his first championship point after breaking Fucsovics’s serve to love.
HALEP, PLISKOVA OFF TO WINNING STARTS
PARIS:FORMER world number ones Karolina Pliskova and Simona Halep won their opening rubbers as the Fed Cup clash between defending champions Czech Republic and Romania ended 1-1 on Saturday’s opening day.
Pliskova, her country’s top player in the absence of world number two Petra Kvitova, swept past Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-1, 6-4 before Halep disposed of Katerina Siniakova 6-4, 6-0 to bring Romania level. The wins set up a mouthwatering clash between Pliskova, ranked five, and number three Halep on the indoor hard courts of Ostrava.
MOUTET WINS CHENNAI ATP CHALLENGER
CHENNAI: France’s Corentin Moutet, the second-seed, beat Andrew Harris of Australia 6-3, 6-3 in the singles final Sunday to win the title in Chennai Open ATP Challenger tennis tournament here.
The Frenchman played confidently to dash the hopes of Harris, the conqueror of top-seeded Prajnesh Gunneswaran on Saturday.
The 19-year old left-hander displayed a range of exquisite shots, tremendous agility and exemplary court-craft in subduing Harris, a former junior doubles champion at the French Open and Wimbledon.
I’M 100 PERCENT FIT, SAYS NISHIKORI
ROTTERDAM: Japan’s Kei Nishikori insisted on Sunday he is back to ‘100 percent’ as he returns to action after a right knee injury forced a painful exit at the Australian Open last month.
The 29-year-old is top seed in Rotterdam where he is looking for a second title of 2019 following a season-opening triumph in Brisbane. World No 7 Nishikori, who is no stranger to injury, saw his pursuit of a first Grand Slam title stall when he was forced to quit his Australian Open quarterfinal at 6-4, 4-1 down to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.