Tag Archives: Steve Johnson

Nadal & Marc Lopez Win the Men’s Doubles Gold in Tennis at the 2016 Rio Games

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2016 Rio Games

Rafael Nadal has taken full advantage of a golden opportunity…

The 30-year-old Spanish tennis star has added a second Olympic tennis gold medal to all of his Grand Slam trophies, teaming with childhood friend Marc Lopez to win the men’s doubles championship for Spain at the 2016 Rio Games.

Rafael Nadal & Marc Lopez

Nadal and Lopez came back from a break down in the third set and claimed the last three games to beat Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau of Romania 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 in the final Friday.

Nadal, a 14-time champion at major tournaments, also won an Olympic title in singles at the 2008 Beijing Games after defeating Chile’s Fernando González. This is the first medal for Lopez.

The silver for Mergea and Tecau is the first tennis medal for Romania in Olympic history.

The bronze went to Steve Johnson and Jack Sock of the United States. They beat the Canadian team of Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil 6-2, 6-4 earlier Friday.

It was another busy day for Nadal, who won his singles quarterfinal in three sets earlier Friday.

Nadal does not play doubles often on tour, focusing on a singles career that has included stints at No. 1 in the rankings and a record nine French Open titles.

Of his nine previous doubles championships, four came with Lopez as his partner, although they hadn’t played even one match together this year until arriving in Brazil.

Lopez won his first Grand Slam doubles title at the French Open in June, pairing with Feliciano Lopez to beat American twins Bob and Mike Bryan in that final.

Cuevas Defeats Gilles Muller to Reach Nottingham Open Final

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Pablo Cuevas is one step away from a career first…

The 30-year-old Uruguayan tennis player reached the first grass-court final of his career on Friday after beating Gilles Muller in three sets at the Nottingham Open.

Pablo Cuevas

Before this week, Cuevas had only two match wins on grass in his 12-year career. This week he’s won four after beating Muller 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 in the semifinals.

Cuevas is eyeing a sixth career title against Steve Johnson of the United States.

“I’m so happy to reach my first final on grass,” Cuevas said. “I have played every match with more confidence and today I beat an excellent player on grass. Hopefully tomorrow I will enjoy it, too.”

Cuevas has had to rally all week: He was a set down in the second round, saved a match point against Marcos Baghdatis in the quarterfinals, and trailed Muller by a set and 4-4. Muller had three break chances but Cuevas saved them all.

Muller hit 19 aces through the first two sets, but in the tiebreaker, trailing 6-3, he hit a double-fault to concede the second set.

The third set stayed on serve until the fifth game, when Muller was broken for the first time in the match, and smashed his racket in frustration.

Bautista Agut Outlasts Steve Johnson to Reach Valencia Open Final

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It wasn’t easy, but Roberto Bautista Agut has reached his sixth ATP World Tour final.

The 27-year-old Spanish player saved six match points before defeating American Steve Johnson 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8) Saturday to reach the final of the Valencia Open.

Roberto Bautista Agut

Johnson had his first match point in the 12th game of the deciding set and then led 6-3 in the tiebreaker without being able to clinch the win.

Bautista Agut then set up his first match point with a backhand return winner and converted it when Johnson sent a backhand long.

He’ll next play Joao Sousa in the final after the Portuguese player beat Canada’s Vasek Pospisil 6-4, 6-4.

“It was an incredible match,” Bautista Augut said. “It was really tough and I was really close to losing. I think today I could win, I could lose — anything was possible on the court.”

Bautista Agut is hoping to clinch his first title of the year.

Cuevas Upsets Bernard Tomic to Reach Valencia Open Quarterfinals

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Pablo Cuevas has pulled off a big upset…

The 29-year-old Uruguayan tennis player upset third-seeded Bernard Tomic 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the Valencia Open.

Pablo Cuevas

Cuevas landed just 38 percent of his first serves in the first set but saved six of the seven break points he faced in the second and then earned the only break in the decider to clinch the win in 1 hour, 48 minutes.

Vasek Pospisil also reached the quarterfinals by beating Britain’s Aljaz Bedene 6-3, 6-4, while American Steve Johnson set up a second-round meeting with second-seeded Feliciano Lopez by ousting Martin Klizan 6-3, 6-4.

Ferrer Defeats Steve Johnson to Win Austrian Open Title

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David Ferrer is one step closer to earning a spot in the ATP World Tour Finals.

The 33-year-old Spanish tennis player strengthened his hand in the race to the end-of-year finals after winning the Austrian Open with a fighting 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 defeat of American Steve Johnson.

David Ferrer  

Ferrer, who joins Roger Federer with five titles this year – the pair are second behind Novak Djokovic on nine – now stands in solid contention for one of the two remaining places in the eight-man field for the World Tour Finals starting on November 15.

Ferrer joins Kei Nishikori in joint seventh in the race for the eight-man World Tour Finals in London from November 15-22.

Ferrer claimed the 26th trophy of his career as he defeated Johnson, who was playing in his first final.

Ferrer set up three match points in the third set with his seventh ace after a break in the previous game and converted on his first opportunity.

Ferrer lost the final a year ago at the Stadthalle to Andy Murray.

The last Spaniard to win in Vienna was Feliciano Lopez in 2004.

Granollers Outlasts David Ferrer to Advance at the Japan Open

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Marcel Granollers is starting his Japanese run with a bullet

The 28-year-ol Spanish tennis player fought back from a set down to defeat his compatriot David Ferrer, the tournament’s second seed, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Monday and advance to the second round of the Japan Open.

Marcel Granollers

Granollers converted four of nine break points at Ariake Coliseum and will next face Steve Johnson of the United States.

The early loss could dent Ferrer’s hopes of qualifying for the ATP finals in London in November. The top eight players qualify and Ferrer is currently ranked seventh.

“I lost my focus in the second set,” said Ferrer, who recently split with coach Jose Francisco Altur. “I have not been playing well recently and have got on a bad run of results.”