Nadal wins on return, Djokovic stays perfect in Beijing

Wednesday, 1 October 2014 03:59 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters - Rafa Nadal enjoyed an emphatic return to singles action as he powered past Richard Gasquet at the China Open on Tuesday, while world number one Novak Djokovic overcame a sluggish start to continue his perfect run in Beijing. Spanish world number two Nadal, playing his first singles match in three months following a wrist injury, extended his record to 13-0 against the Frenchman with a brisk 6-4 6-0 win after Djokovic had beaten Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2 6-1.

An early break for Nadal in the third game put him on course for the first set but only after the left-hander saved a break point with an ace when trying to serve it out. A dejected Gasquet was then broken in the opening game of the second set as Nadal’s confidence soared, the Spaniard pummelling some trademark forehand winners as he wrapped up the first round win with a 27th fizzing winner. Nadal’s last match before Beijing was a last 16 defeat to Australian Nick Kyrgios at Wimbledon. He made a low key doubles return on Monday when he teamed up with compatriot Pablo Andujar but the Spanish duo were defeated by Czech Tomas Berdych and American John Isner. Nadal will face German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk in the second round after the world number 122 defeated big serving Ivo Karlovic 6-4 2-6 7-5. Djokovic had less time away than Nadal but showed more rust in his first appearance on the ATP Tour since losing to Kei Nishikori in the semi-finals of the US Open earlier this month. The world number one traded five breaks of serve in the opening six games against Garcia-Lopez before Djokovic had a grasp on the match by holding for only the second time to lead 5-2.

Wawrinka and Tsonga humbled in Japan

Reuters: Tatsuma Ito and Michal Przysiezny claimed the biggest wins of their careers at the Japan Open on Tuesday when the local wildcard knocked out top seed Stan Wawrinka and the Polish qualifier saved match points to beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

World number 103 Ito sealed the stunning 7-5 6-2 first-round victory on his second match point, cushioning a backhand volley into an open court after his wide serve had forced Wawrinka out of position. “I played a very good match,” Ito said. “It is the first time I have beaten a top-five player. “I tried my best every point and I was very focused. I was a little nervous, but I stuck to my game and I finished well.” Australian Open winner Wawrinka struggled throughout the contest at the ATP 500 event, dropping serve four times and hitting 25 unforced errors in his first tour event since losing to Ito’s compatriot Kei Nishikori at the US Open this month. Wawrinka, who helped Switzerland reach the Davis Cup final two weeks ago, lost his serve in the third game on the Tokyo hard court, only to break back and hold for a 5-4 lead in the first set. However, the 29-year-old failed to take advantage as the Japanese, who has never made an ATP final and had only two previous wins on tour this year, took the set and an early lead in the second with a run of five straight games. Wawrinka threatened a break back at 3-2 down but the busy Ito, wearing his baseball cap back to front, survived the scare and broke the Swiss once again as he confidently finished off the match against a dejected opponent. “It was not a good day at the office. He started well and then I was trying to come back in the match,” Wawrinka said. “First-round matches are never easy. He played well, particularly at the end of the first set when he was very aggressive.” The loss delays Wawrinka’s bid to qualify for the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London, which the Swiss could have achieved had he reached the final in Tokyo.

Bouchard, Radwanska beaten in China; Sharapova, Halep win

Reuters: WTA Finals qualifiers Maria Sharapova and Simona Halep recorded straight sets victories at the China Open on Tuesday, but Singapore hopefuls Eugenie Bouchard and Agnieszka Radwanska were dumped out in second round upsets. Bouchard, who lost in the final of last week’s Wuhan Open, was beaten by unseeded German Sabine Lisicki 6-2 6-4, while Italian Roberta Vinci knocked out 2011 winner Radwanska 6-4 6-4. The defeats left the Polish world number six and seventh ranked Bouchard waiting to book a qualifying spot at next month’s WTA’s season-ending championships in Singapore. French Open champion Sharapova and Halep, runner-up at Roland Garros, are already assured of places in the eight-woman field at the WTA Finals and they added further wins to their strong tallies in 2014 on Tuesday. Russian Sharapova produced some bruising groundstrokes as she crushed Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-2 6-2, while Romanian Halep encountered some issues before overcoming Chinese wildcard Zhu Lin 7-5 6-4. World number four Sharapova went for her shots throughout the contest on the Beijing hard courts, smashing some eye-catching winners but also coughing up five double faults among some wild errors. She sealed victory when Svitolina could only hit a backhand long to put Sharapova through to a third round meeting with Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro. “Happy with the way I’ve started the tournament. Hopefully I’ll continue that in the next match,” the Russian said. Unforced errors World number 167 Zhu followed Sharapova’s aggressive tactics as she led 5-4 in the first set against second ranked Halep, only to lose her composure and the match. The Chinese produced 28 unforced errors as Halep’s counterpunching approach helped her claim a win that sets up a third round clash with 15th seed Andrea Petkovic, the German having little trouble in ousting American Madison Keys 6-2 6-3. Former world number one Ana Ivanovic was another second round winner as she beat Swiss Romina Oprandi 6-4 6-2 on the Moon Court.