IN-FORM TSONGA SEWS UP SECOND CROWN OF YEAR
Marseille, Feb. 27: Second-seeded Jo Wilfried Tsonga won a second title in as many weeks by defeating fellow Frenchman Lucas Pouille 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday in the Open 13 final.
The 11th-ranked Tsonga put on a nearly flawless performance on his serve to win his 14th career title at the indoor event. Tsonga hit seven aces, dropped only three points on his first serve and did not face a single break point.
The former Australian Open runner-up broke once in each set and added a third Marseille trophy to his collection after victories in 2009 and 2013.
Tsonga, who defeated defending champion Nick Kyrgios in the semi-finals, captured the Rotterdam title last week to end a two-year trophy drought.
Fourth-seeded Pouille was chasing a second title after his victory at the Moselle Open last September but never looked capable of threatening Tsonga’s dominance.
Thiem clinches Rio Open
Rio de Janeiro: Dominic Thiem won the Rio Open on his favourite surface of clay on Sunday in a tournament victory which he hopes will jump-start his season after a slow start.
Thiem claimed his eighth ATP singles title and his sixth on clay with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain.
Now he’s off to Acapulco for this week’s Mexican Open, which he won last year on Acapulco’s hardcourts.
“Of course it’s not easy,” said Thiem, who was to fly Sunday to Acapulo, where six of the ATP’s top 10 are playing. “I did the same last year, and it worked out pretty well.”
The Austrian is ranked no. 8 by the ATP and was seeded second in Rio. But he became the favourite as soon as topseeded Kei Nishikori was beaten in the first round.
He won all five matches in Rio, and didn’t drop a set.
Thiem’s victory comes on the night of the first of two parades at the Sambadrome, with another set for Monday in a street stadium likely to draw 80,000 revelers.
Thiem said he saw just a tiny bit of the Carnival atmosphere, getting a look at one of hundreds of Rio block parties during the week.
“It was right on the street,” Thiem said of a block party near his hotel. “It was pretty impressive.”
Raonic retires, title for Sock
Canadian world no. 4 Milos Raonic pulled out of Sunday’s Delray Beach Open final in Florida, handing American Jack Sock the title by walkover.
Raonic withdrew due to a hamstring tear in his right leg, an injury he said he had picked up while beating Argentine Juan Martin del Potro in straight sets in a semifinal on Saturday night.
“I didn’t think much of it,” Raonic told the Tennis Channel. “I thought it was just tightness from the match, but this morning I woke up unable to walk properly and did quite extensive treatment with my team.
Sock’s second ATP title of the year followed his Auckland Open victory last month.