Rome: Rafael Nadal Extends Win Streak, Angelique Kerber Loses
(May 17, 2017) Rafael Nadal extended his winning streak to 16, while the top seed on the women’s side Angelique Kerber was knocked out of Rome on Wednesday.
Fourth seed Rafael Nadal advanced to the round of 16 when his opponent, fellow Spaniard and friend qualifier Nicolas Almagro injured his knee and was forced to retire with Nadal leading 3-0.
“He felt something on the knee,” Nadal said. “It’s difficult to see what’s going on now just after what happened.”
Angelique Kerber
For the second day in a row, the world No. 1 failed to advance in Rome. Tuesday it was Andy Murray. On Wednesday Angelique Kerber failed to get past her first opponent in Rome, beaten by Estonian qualifier. Anett Kontaveit 6-4, 6-0.
“I think it’s for sure not the easiest time right now for me, but I think that I have to looking for solutions right now,” Kerber said. “I think that my movement is not the best, especially on clay.
“I think my legs are always important for my game, but I really not feeling so good on clay court. But, yeah, right now I have — yeah, I will try to going back home and thinking what can I do to be back in Paris. I mean, this is the next big goal.”
“Everybody knows I’m not a clay court specialist,” Kerber said to media. I was not playing good last year, as well. I had a great year, but I mean, these few weeks I was not playing good.
“And, yeah, this year it’s the same. Of course, I mean, it’s a new situation also to being No. 1 but you cannot thinking about this. I mean, it’s still a big privilege, but I try to finding my way to coming back.
“It’s not the best time now, but you have always up-and-downs, and this is a challenge to coming back maybe stronger.”
Anett Kontaveit
It was a career match win for qualifier Kontaveit.
“It feels great” said a smiling Kontaveit. “My first time beating the No. 1 in the world, so, you know, I’m super excited.”
Venus Williams who won the Italian Open back in 1999 held back a determined Lesia Tsurenko 6-4, 6-3.
“The first couple of matches I am still kicking into competition, but I have always been a fast starter,” noted Williams. “I think I have had to be because I have never played as much as other players or in general. When I come to play, I’ve got to be ready to play or else, you know, I’m not going to get a lot of chances.
“So, yeah, mentally I am prepared to at least try to be in the tournament.”
Williams was asked in press about her sister Serena having a baby and becoming an Aunt again: “It’s all exciting. I mean, it’s so interesting because when you play this kind of, when you live the life of a professional athlete, you feel forever young,” she said.
Commenting on what she is looking forward to in becoming an Aunt: “I guess spoiling the kid and making Serena’s job harder .”
INTERNAZIONALI BNL D’ITALIA – ROME, ITALY
RESULTS – MAY 17, 2017
Women’s Singles – Second Round
[Q] A. Kontaveit (EST) d [1] A. Kerber (GER) 64 60
[2] K. Pliskova (CZE) d L. Davis (USA) 61 61
[3] G. Muguruza (ESP) d [Q] J. Ostapenko (LAT) 26 62 61
E. Makarova (RUS) d [4] D. Cibulkova (SVK) 16 61 63
[6] S. Halep (ROU) d L. Siegemund (GER) 64 64
[8] E. Svitolina (UKR) d A. Cornet (FRA) 64 76(11)
[9] V. Williams (USA) d L. Tsurenko (UKR) 64 63
[12] A. Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) d A. Sevastova (LAT) 76(4) 62
T. Bacsinszky (SUI) d [14] B. Strycova (CZE) 64 62
[15] K. Bertens (NED) d [Q] C. Bellis (USA) 64 60
[Q] D. Gavrilova (AUS) d C. Garcia (FRA) 75 36 63
J. Goerges (GER) d J. Jankovic (SRB) 26 76(2) 61
[Q] M. Barthel (GER) d [Q] Q. Wang (CHN) 63 64
Women’s Doubles – Second Round
[2] Y. Chan (TPE) / M. Hingis (SUI) d N. Hibino (JPN) / A. Rosolska (POL) 46 75 11-9
[3] S. Mirza (IND) / Y. Shvedova (KAZ) d [Alt] O. Savchuk (UKR) / E. Svitolina (UKR) walkover
[4] T. Babos (HUN) / A. Hlavackova (CZE) d [PR] L. Arruabarrena (ESP) / A. Parra Santonja (ESP) 62 75
First Round
K. Bondarenko (UKR) / K. Siniakova (CZE) d [7] G. Dabrowski (CAN) / Y. Xu (CHN) 76(6) 64
D. Jurak (CRO) / A. Rodionova (AUS) d K. Bertens (NED) / J. Goerges (GER) 63 36 12-10
A. Groenefeld (GER) / K. Peschke (CZE) d S. Kuznetsova (RUS) / K. Mladenovic (FRA) 26 61 10-8
[WC] S. Errani (ITA) / M. Trevisan (ITA) d C. Mchale (USA) / M. Niculescu (ROU) 26 64 10-8
Men’s Singles – Second Round
[3] S. Wawrinka (SUI) d B. Paire (FRA) 63 16 63
[4] R. Nadal (ESP) d [Q] N. Almagro (ESP) 30 ret. (knee)
[5] M. Raonic (CAN) d [PR] T. Haas (GER) 64 63
[7] K. Nishikori (JPN) d D. Ferrer (ESP) 75 62
[8] D. Thiem (AUT) d P. Cuevas (URU) 76(4) 64
[13] J. Sock (USA) d J. Vesely (CZE) 64 36 76(1)
R. Bautista Agut (ESP) d [15] P. Carreno Busta (ESP) 67(6) 61 64
[16] A. Zverev (GER) d V. Troicki (SRB) 63 64
S. Querrey (USA) d [Q] J. Struff (GER) 64 63
J. del Potro (ARG) d K. Edmund (GBR) 75 64
Men’s Doubles – Second Round
J. Isner (USA) / J. Sock (USA) d [3] J. Murray (GBR) / B. Soares (BRA) 75 63
[8] I. Dodig (CRO) / M. Granollers (ESP) d N. Mektic (CRO) / A. Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) 61 64
Men’s Doubles – First Round
J. Sousa (POR) / F. Verdasco (ESP) d D. Nestor (CAN) / E. Roger-Vasselin (FRA) 67(6) 64 10-6
O. Marach (AUT) / M. Pavic (CRO) d [Alt] T. Huey (PHI) / M. Venus (NZL) 62 36 10-6
SCHEDULE – THURSDAY, 18 MAY 2017
CENTRALE start 12:00 noon
ATP – F. Fognini (ITA) vs [16] A. Zverev (GER)
WTA – [5] J. Konta (GBR) vs [9] V. Williams (USA)
ATP – R. Bautista Agut (ESP) vs [2] N. Djokovic (SRB)
Not Before 7:30 pm
ATP – [13] J. Sock (USA) vs [4] R. Nadal (ESP)
Not Before 9:00 pm
WTA – T. Bacsinszky (SUI) vs [2] K. Pliskova (CZE)
NEXT GEN ARENA start 11:00 am
WTA – [Q] A. Kontaveit (EST) vs [16] M. Lucic-Baroni (CRO)
Not Before 12:00 noon
ATP – [9] D. Goffin (BEL) vs [6] M. Cilic (CRO)
ATP – [12] T. Berdych (CZE) vs [5] M. Raonic (CAN)
Not Before 4:00 pm
WTA – J. Goerges (GER) vs [Q] J. Ostapenko (LAT) or [3] G. Muguruza (ESP)
Not Before 7:00 pm
ATP – [8] D. Thiem (AUT) vs S. Querrey (USA)
PIETRANGELI start 11:00 am
WTA – [Q] D. Gavrilova (AUS) vs [7] S. Kuznetsova (RUS)
WTA – [12] A. Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) vs [6] S. Halep (ROU)
Not Before 3:00 pm
ATP – [3] S. Wawrinka (SUI) vs J. Isner (USA)
ATP – [7] K. Nishikori (JPN) vs J. del Potro (ARG)
Not Before 5:30 pm
WTA – [8] E. Svitolina (UKR) vs [Q] M. Barthel (GER)
COURT 1 start 11:00 am
ATP – F. Mergea (ROU) / A. Qureshi (PAK) vs [5] L. Kubot (POL) / M. Melo (BRA)
ATP – [1] H. Kontinen (FIN) / J. Peers (AUS) vs J. Sousa (POR) / F. Verdasco (ESP)
ATP – B. Baker (USA) / N. Monroe (USA) vs [4] P. Herbert (FRA) / N. Mahut (FRA)
ATP – After Suitable Rest – A. Zverev (GER) / M. Zverev (GER) vs [2] B. Bryan (USA) / M. Bryan (USA)
ATP – After Necessary Rest – [7] F. Lopez (ESP) / M. Lopez (ESP) vs R. Bopanna (IND) / P. Cuevas (URU)
COURT 2 start 11:00 am
ATP – [6] R. Klaasen (RSA) / R. Ram (USA) vs O. Marach (AUT) / M. Pavic (CRO)
WTA – [WC] J. Jankovic (SRB) / A. Petkovic (GER) vs K. Bondarenko (UKR) / K. Siniakova (CZE)
Not Before 2:00 pm
WTA – E. Makarova (RUS) vs [15] K. Bertens (NED)
WTA – After suitable rest – J. Konta (GBR) / L. Siegemund (GER) vs [WC] S. Errani (ITA) / M. Trevisan (ITA)
COURT 4 start 12:00 noon
WTA – [6] A. Spears (USA) / K. Srebotnik (SLO) vs E. Hozumi (JPN) / M. Kato (JPN)
WTA – A. Groenefeld (GER) / K. Peschke (CZE) vs B. Krejcikova (CZE) / S. Zheng (CHN)
WTA-After suitable rest – [1] E. Makarova (RUS) / E. Vesnina (RUS) vs D. Jurak (CRO) / A. Rodionova (AUS)