Ailing Johnson wins title

Freefalling Tomic’s slump deepens in Monte Carlo

Steve Johnson hits a backhand against Thomaz Bellucci during final set of the championship singles match of the US Men’s Clay Court Championship

tennis tournament at River Oaks Country Club on April 16, in Houston. Johnson defeated Bellucci, of Brazil, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (5), to take the title. (AP) LOS ANGELES, April 17, (AFP): Fourth-seeded American Steve Johnson shook off cramps and fought his way to a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5) over Brazil’s Thomaz Bellucci in the Houston ATP final on Sunday.

Johnson, who arrived in Houston after a US Davis Cup tie in Australia, won his second career ATP title, and his first on home soil.

“To win on US soil and win when you’re not feeling great is a testament to my willpower and competitiveness,” he said.

“My body has just physically run out of gas after this week. Coming in from Australia kind of put me behind the eight ball and then the nerves of trying to close out the final, a lot of factors go into cramping. I was very fortunate to get out of that.”

Eighth-seeded Bellucci was vying to become the first player since 2004 to win five three-set matches en route to an ATP singles title.

“I wasn’t cramping, but I was so tired that I couldn’t think to win the match,” he said. “He was a little bit worse than me (physically), but he was playing unbelievably.”

But Johnson was quickly down in the third set, surrendering an opening service game that included back-toback double faults.

As Johnson’s legs began to cramp as he trailed 4-2, it appeared the American was on his way out.

In a bid to keep the points short Johnson loaded up his forehands. He gave himself a break chance with a passing winner and broke Bellucci on his way to levelling the set at 4-4.

Although the cramps intensified, Johnson held on to force the tiebreaker in which he built a 6/3 lead. Bellucci saved two match points before Johnson sealed the win.

“I’m a little bit sad because I think I could have won,” Bellucci said. “But I’m happy to make another final.”

Bernard Tomic’s slump in form continued on Monday at the Monte Carlo Masters as the Australian lost a sixth straight match to exit the first major event of the clay season.

Tomic, whose world ranking has plummeted to 43, went down to Argentine Diego Schwartzman, who fought back from a 4-2 deficit in the second set to produce a 6-1, 7-6 (7/3) victory. The Queenslander’s last victory was at the Australian Open three months ago, where he reached the third round before losing to Brit Dan Evans.

Tomic struck six double-faults and was broken four times against 41stranked Schwartzman, who lost serve only once.

Winners Monica Niculescu of Romania (left), and Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan (second left), and second placed Timea Bacsinszky and Martina Hingis of Switzerland (right), pose during the flower ceremony after the final doubles match, at the WTA Ladies Open tennis tournament in Biel, Switzerland, on

April 16. (AP)

He also lost to Schwartzman in the second round at Istanbul last year.

The Australian is now falling well behind rising compatriot Nick Kyrgios, who is skipping Monte Carlo and starting his Roland Garros run-up campaign in a fortnight at Estoril.

Talented young German Alexander Zverev lost just a handful of games in advancing to the second round by beating Andreas Seppi 6-1, 6-2 in just 68 minutes.

The teenager, who will turn 20 on Thursday, lives in Monte Carlo but only made his debut in the principality tournament a year ago when he won a round.

The 33-year-old Seppi complained he was far from full fitness after dealing with back pain since February.

“My back is in pieces,” moaned the 74th-ranked Italian. In an all-British battle, Kyle Edmund got the better of Evans 7-5, 6-1 to earn a meeting with nine-time tournament winner Rafael Nadal in the second round.

“It’s a good opportunity for me, I’ve never played Rafa,” said Edmund. “He’s won here nine times, he obviously loves playing here.

“It will be a tough match. I’ve got to go and give it my best. The flipside — he’s not played me. We have different game styles. But, I’ve just got to go out there and give it my best.”

A pair of Spanish seeds reached the second round, with number 12 Roberto Bautista Agut beating Nicoloz Basilashvili 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 and 13th seed Pablo Carreno Busta outlasting Italy’s Fabio Fognini 7-6 (7/0), 6-7 (4/7), 6-3 over almost two and a half hours.