Thiago Monteiro Leads Brazil Past Host Sweden to Advance to Davis Cup Finals Group Stage for First Time

Posted on February 4, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Thiago Monteiro has helped his home country make Davis Cup history…

The 29-year-old Brazilian professional tennis player has led Brazil to its first spot in the Davis Cup finals group stage, beating host Sweden’s Elias Ymer 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 on Saturday for a 3-1 team victory.

“I’m just happy to help the team,” Monteiro said. “Everyone had put a lot of effort in to make this work. It is the job of the whole team.”

Earlier in doubles on the hard court at Helsingborg Arena, Brazil’s Felipe Meligeni Alves and Rafael Matos topped Filip Bergevi and Andre Goransson 6-2, 7-5. In the opening singles matches Friday,

Monteiro beat Karl Friberg, and Ymer edged Gustavo Heide for Sweden’s lone point.

Brazil won its third straight match after topping China and Denmark last year in World Group I.

The 12 winners this week will join reigning champion Italy, 2023 runner-up Australia, and wild-card entries Britain and Spain in the finals group stage in September. Then eight teams will make it to the quarterfinals in Malaga, Spain, in November, when a champion will be determined.

Alex de Minaur Wins Australia’s Newcombe Medal

Posted on December 12, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Alex de Minaur has earned Australia’s highest individual honor in tennis…

The 24-year-old Uruguayan & Spanish Australian professional tennis player has been awarded the Newcombe Medal once again after his most consistent season yet.

de Minaur claimed the award outright for the first time on Monday, after previously sharing the 2018 award with Ash Barty and he joins some of the greats of Australian tennis as a multiple winner.

He won the award, named after tennis great John Newcombe, ahead of Storm Hunter, Rinky Hijikata, Alexei Popyrin, Matt Ebden and Max Purcell.

The world No. 12 joins five-time Newcombe Medalist Barty, three-time recipient Samantha Stosur and wheelchair wizard Dylan Alcott among those who’ve won the award at least twice.

“I’m very sad that I wasn’t able to attend the Newcombe Medal this year and I’m extremely grateful for this amazing award,” de Minaur said in a video message from his training base in Spain.

“It’s been a great year, not only for myself, but for all of Australian tennis and I think we should (all be) very proud indeed.

“(I) would also like to thank Newk. Wish I could shake your hand right now and be there, but I appreciate everything you do for Australian tennis.”

de Minaur’s recognition comes off the back of soaring to the cusp of the world’s top 10 in 2023.

He reached a career-high No. 11 in October, collected his seventh ATP Tour title in Acapulco, made four finals and helped Australia to a second straight Davis Cup decider in Spain.

That included a brilliant fightback in the quarterfinal win over the Czech Republic.

In his most consistent season, de Minaur also became the first Australian since his idol and Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt in 2004 to progress to 11 tournament quarterfinals.

He made the second week at two of the four grand slams, in Melbourne and New York. de Minaur is Australia’s biggest hope at Melbourne Park in January, when he will attempt to better his fourth-round appearances in 2022 and 2023.

Earlier in the evening, Alicia Molik was awarded the Spirit of Tennis award. During her career, Molik rose to world No.8 in singles and No.6 in doubles and she was also a Fed Cup representative from 1999.

After her playing career, Molik, 42, went on to lead Australia to the Billie Jean King Cup final as captain in 2019 at Perth and in 2022 at Glasgow.

Alex de Miñaur Helps Lead Australia to Davis Cup Finals

Posted on November 24, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Alex de Miñaur has helped lead Australia back to the Davis Cup final…

The 24-year-old Uruguayan & Spanish Australian professional tennis player and Alexei Popyrin put Australia back into the Davis Cup final for a second straight year after winning their singles matches in a 2-0 victory over Finland on Friday.

Popyrin gave Australia a 1-0 lead in the semifinal match after beating Otto Virtanen 7-6 (5), 6-2. de Miñaur then finished off Finland by beating Emil Ruusuvuori 6-4, 6-3.

Novak Djokovic‘s Serbia will face Jannik Sinner‘s Italy on Saturday in the other semifinal match on the indoor hard court at Martin Carpena Arena in Malaga, Spain.

Popyrin edged Virtanen in the first set, saving a set point when trailing 6-5 and forcing a tiebreaker that he clinched when his opponent slapped a forehand long.

Virtanen was Finland’s hero in its upset of defending champion Canada on Tuesday, winning both his singles and doubles matches. But his serve let him down against Popyrin in the second set when his fifth double-fault cost him a break.

“(That was) probably the biggest win of my career so far,” Popyrin said. “To win a match that means so much for us is an honor and something I will never forget.”

de Miñaur converted five of 18 break chances against Ruusuvuori. He ended the match by landing a backhand winner on the sideline.

Australia has the second-most Davis Cup titles, with 28 to 32 for the United States, but its last success came in 2003.

Leylah Fernandez Helps Lead Canada to Country’s First-Ever Billie Jean King Cup Title

Posted on November 12, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Leylah Fernandez has helped Canada make history…

The 21-year-old half-Ecuadorian Canadian tennis player and her compatriot Marina Stakusic won their singles matches as Canada beat Italy 2-0 to claim its first-ever Billie Jean King Cup title on Sunday.

Stakusic, ranked 258th in the world, put Canada ahead by defeating No. 43 Martina Trevisan 7-5, 6-3 for the biggest win of her career, then Fernandez sealed the victory by beating Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-3 at La Cartuja Stadium.

The 20th-ranked Fernandez, runner-up in the 2021 US Open, was perfect for Canada in Seville with four victories, while the 18-year-old Stakusic entered the tournament without a win over a top-100 opponent but earned three of them while representing her nation in Spain.

“I’m so happy and honored that I could play this week,” Stakusic, who didn’t play a WTA main draw match this year, said on court. “This has been the best week of my life.”

Canada defeated 11-time champion Czech Republic in the semifinals, while four-time champion Italy advanced past Slovenia for its first final appearance since 2013.

The 12-team BJK Cup Finals offered a record total of $9.6 million in prize money, including $2.4 million to the champions, the same as the men’s Davis Cup.

Canada, captained by Heidi El Tabakh, is the 13th nation to win the Billie Jean King Cup and the second new champion after Switzerland‘s triumph in Glasgow a year ago.

“I don’t know what to say,” El Tabakh said. “I’m so proud of this team. These girls are incredible. It’s a dream come true.”

The Canada men’s team is the current Davis Cup champion.

The women’s teams competed in four round-robin groups, with the winners advancing to the semifinals. The United States was eliminated by the Czech Republic in a group that also included title-holder Switzerland.

The biggest team competition in women’s tennis started two days after the end of the WTA Finals in Cancun, Mexico, which featured the top eight players on the tour — including winner Iga Swiatek.

Leylah Fernandez Helps Lead Canada Into First Billie Jean King Cup Semifinal Since 1988

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Leylah Fernandez is celebrating a meaningful victory…

The 21-year-old half-Ecuadorian Canadian tennis player has sealed Canada‘s place in the Billie Jean King Cup semifinals for the first time since 1988, with Italy also reaching the last four in Seville, Spain.

Fernandez beat Poland’s Magda Linette 6-2 6-3 after Marina Stakusic overcame Magdalena Frech 4-6 7-5 6-3.

Fernandez prevailed in a three-hour match against Sara Sorribes Tormo, which she described as a “bullfight,” to give Canada victory over Spain on Wednesday.

But, a day later, the world number 20 had a comfortable winner over Linette and said she was “proud and ecstatic” that her nation had ended a 35-year wait for a semifinal spot.

Teammates Gabriela Dabrowski and Eugenie Bouchard completed a 3-0 win over Poland – who are without world number one Iga Swiatek – with a 6-2 6-3 win against Weronika Falkowska and Katarzyna Kawa.

Martina Trevisan and Jasmine Paolini confirmed Italy’s progress from Group D with singles wins, before Lucia Bronzetti and Elisabetta Cocciaretto edged a match tie-break against Friedsam and Laura Sigemund in the doubles – winning 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 11-9.

Record 18-time winners the USA, who would face Group C winners Canada should they top Group A, will aim for a last-four place against the Czech Republic on Friday after overcoming winless Switzerland.

Sofia Kenin, playing her first Billie Jean King Cup since 2020, clinched victory by beating Viktorija Golubic 6-3 6-7 (1-7) 7-5 after Danielle Collins won 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 against Celine Naef.

Sloane Stephens and Taylor Townsend ensured a clean sweep for the USA, winning 6-1 7-6 (7-3) against Jil Teichmann and Simona Waltert, as Switzerland’s title defense ended with back-to-back 3-0 losses.

In Group B, Australia beat Kazakhstan 2-1 after Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez won a third set match tie-break in their decisive doubles match against Anna Danilina and Yulia Putintseva, prevailing 6-1 4-6 (10-5).

Hunter had put Australia ahead by winning her singles match against Danilina 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 but Putintseva beat Kimberly Birrell 6-0 7-5 to level the tie.

Kazakhstan play Slovenia in their final group match, with Slovenia guaranteed to progress with victory following their opening win over Australia.

Twelve nations are taking part in the finals of the competition, which was formerly known as the Fed Cup, with teams split into four groups in the round-robin stage.

The group winners will advance to Saturday’s semifinals before the champions are crowned after Sunday’s final in Seville.

The winners will receive prize money of $2.4 million which is part of an overall payment pot of $9.6 million – a record figure for the event which matches the cash awarded in the men’s equivalent Davis Cup.

Carlos Moya Returns as Nominee for International Tennis Hall of Fame

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Moya is back in the running…

The 47-year-old Spanish former world No. 1 tennis player has been nominated for the International Tennis Hall of Fame in the player category.

Moya is one of six player candidates announced for the Class of 2024, along with fellow returning nominees Daniel Nestor, Cara Black, Ana Ivanovic and Flavia Pennetta.

Moya is the 1998 French Open singles champion and the runner-up at the 1997 Australian Open. In 2004, he was part of his country’s winning Davis Cup team. He has been Rafael Nadal‘s primary coach since 2016.

Black, Ivanovic, Moya, Nestor and Pennetta all fell short of the required 75% of the vote in past balloting from the official voting group — which includes media, historians, Hall of Famers and industry experts — and bonus percentage points awarded based on a fan vote. Nominees can remain in contention for three years.

Leander Paes is the sole first-time nominee in the player category.

The ballot for 2024 also includes two contributor category candidates: Vijay Amritraj and journalist Richard Evans.

This year’s online fan voting for the player category runs from Wednesday to Oct. 9.

The Hall’s Class of 2023 members — wheelchair star Esther Vergeer and quad division pioneer Rick Draney — were enshrined in July.

Carlos Alcaraz Outlasts Hubert Hurkacz to Reach Western & Southern Open Men’s Final

Posted on August 19, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a Wimbledon rematch for Carlos Alcaraz.

The 20-year-old Spanish tennis player and World No. 1 erased a match point in the second set and rallied past unseeded Hubert Hurkacz 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3 in the semifinals on Saturday to reach the Western & Southern Open final.

In Sunday’s final, Alcaraz will face Novak Djokovic, defeated Alexander Zverev, the 2021 tournament champ, 7-6 (5), 7-5 to earn a shot at his third title in the US Open tuneup.

Alcaraz won six straight points in the second-set tiebreaker to reach his eighth final of the season. He beat Djokovic last month at Wimbledon to win his second major title and deny Djokovic his 24th.

Alcaraz is the youngest Cincinnati finalist since 19-year-old Pete Sampras in 1991. He’s trying to become the youngest champion since Boris Becker won at 17 in 1985.

Despite going to a third set in each of his four matches this week, Alcaraz says he’ll be ready for the final.

“It doesn’t matter if I’m playing third sets or long matches, I’m recovering really well,” Alcaraz said. “I feel like I’m going to play the first match of the tournament. I feel great.”

Last week in Toronto, Alcaraz needed two tiebreakers to beat Hurkacz after losing the first set.

“Playing against Hubert is always tough,” Alcaraz said. “We played until the final ball. I was really happy to get that win today. He’s one of the best servers in the tour.”

Djokovic, 36, is the oldest Cincinnati finalist in the professional era, dating to 1968, surpassing 35-year old Ken Rosewall in 1970.

Earlier in the week, it was announced that Alcaraz and Djokovic will participate in the group stage of the Davis Cup finals next month.

Alcaraz and Djokovic were included in the teams announced Monday by Spain and Serbia, respectively, for the competition that will be played September 12-17 in Valencia, Spain.

Carlos Alcaraz to Face Novak Djokovic in Group Stage of the Davis Cup Finals

Posted on August 16, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

The budding rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic will be renewed in the group stage of the Davis Cup finals next month.

The 20-year-old Spanish tennis player and Djokovic were included in the teams announced this week by Spain and Serbia, respectively, for the competition that will be played on September 12-17 in Valencia, Spain.

Alcaraz defeated Djokovic in the Wimbledon final in July. The Spaniard is No. 1 in the world, with Djokovic sitting at No. 2.

Spain and Serbia have been drawn in the same group along with the Czech Republic and South Korea. Group stage matches will also be played in Bologna, Italy; Manchester, England; and Split, Croatia.

The top two teams in each of the four groups will advance to the finals in Malaga, Spain, in November.

Alcaraz will lead a Spain team that will include Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Roberto Bautista Agut and Marcel Granollers.

Djokovic’s Serbia will also have Laslo Djere, Miomir Kecmanovic, Dusan Lajovic and Hamad Medjedovic.

Nine of the current top 20 players in the world have been called up for their national teams — Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti for Italy, Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul for the United States, Alex de Minaur for Australia, Cameron Norrie for Britain and Borna Coric for Croatia.

Andy Murray will also play for Britain, which faces Australia, France and Switzerland in Manchester. The Swiss will count on Stan Wawrinka, while France will have Adrian Mannarino and Nicolas Mahut.

Leo Borg, son of 11-time Grand Slam champion Bjorn Borg, was included in Sweden’s team that will face Canada, Italy and Chile in Bologna.

Mackenzie McDonald, Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram were also included in the American team that will play against the Netherlands, Finland and host Croatia in Split.

Nicolas Jarry Defeats Grigor Dimitrov to Win Geneva Open Title

Posted on May 27, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Nicolas Jarry is celebrating a big win…

The 27-year-old Chilean professional tennis player, unseeded in the tournament, defeated Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (1), 6-1 on Saturday to win the Geneva Open final and is poised to rise to his best ranking in a career that was stalled by a doping case.

The former No. 3-ranked Dimitrov was seeking his first title since the 2017 ATP Tour Finals, which lifted him to that career-best ranking.

Instead, the 54th-ranked Jarry eased to his second title this season, converting his first match point when Dimitrov could not return a powerful serve to his backhand.

Jarry celebrated by crossing the court to where his family was watching and passed his racket up to his infant son.

In Jarry’s standout week in Geneva, he beat current or former top-10 players on three straight days — two-time defending champion Casper Ruud, Alexander Zverev and Dimitrov.

It was Jarry’s third career ATP title, all of them coming at clay-court events in the lowest 250-level.

“It’s been a great year after a very tough couple of years. I’m very happy for that,” said Jarry, who was runner-up at Geneva in 2019 against Zverev.

Jarry is now set to rise above the career-high No. 38-ranking he reached in 2019 before a failed doping test interrupted his career.

He completed an 11-month suspension in 2020 after he tested positive for two banned substances, including an anabolic steroid, at the Davis Cup finals. The International Tennis Federation accepted that Jarry was not at significant fault for ingesting a tainted vitamin supplement made in Brazil.

Dimitrov was playing in his first final since February 2018 when he lost to Roger Federer at Rotterdam.

“It’s been a while since I’ve done one of those,” the 33rd-ranked Dimitrov said when collecting his runner-up trophy. “It’s been a bumpy road but I’m very grateful to be back here and to be part of the final.”

The Geneva Open is the last warmup event on clay before the French Open starts Sunday.

At Roland Garros, Jarry will face 160th-ranked Hugo Dellien of Bolivia in the first round. The winner could then face 16th-seeded American Tommy Paul.

Dimitrov is seeded No. 28 in Paris and will first play 147th-ranked Timofey Skatov of Kazakhstan.

Colombia’s Daniel Elahi Galan Upsets John Isner in Davis Cup Play

Posted on November 28, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Daniel Elahi Galan is celebrating a massive upset…

The 25-year-old Colombian tennis player, ranked No. 111 in the world, defeated American John Isner 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5) on Sunday in Davis Cup Finals play.

While the Colombian team missed out on advancing to the quarterfinals, Galan and his compatriots can take pride in knowing they eliminated the record 32-time champion Americans from the competition after Americans Reilly Opelka and Jack Sock retired from the decisive doubles match while trailing 3-0 in the opening set against the accomplished Colombian pair of Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah.

U.S. captain Mardy Fish hinted at a lack of passion within his team after the record 32-time champion Americans were eliminated from the Davis Cup Finals with a lopsided loss to host Italy and the humbling defeat by Colombia on Sunday.

“You can see the passion for Davis Cup, playing for their country,” Fish said of Colombia. “It’s infectious for them … These guys are giving fist pumps every other point. It’s impressive, and it’s something that I hope, as a captain, to strive for and get our players to do.”

Italy won the group, Colombia placed second and the U.S. finished last in Group E.

Meanwhile, Russia with second-ranked Daniil Medvedev beat Spain 2-1 in a result that eliminated the defending champion and allowed Serbia with top-ranked Novak Djokovic to advance as the second-best runner-up.

Russia, which is being called RTF (Russian Tennis Federation) for the event amid an ongoing doping suspension in international sport, will face Sweden, the best runner-up, in the quarterfinals.

The other quarterfinals: Italy vs. Croatia, Britain vs. Germany, and Serbia vs. Kazakhstan.

Played in three cities, each matchup on indoor hard courts is a best-of-three series featuring two singles and one doubles match. The six group winners plus the two second-place teams with the best records based on sets and games advanced to the quarterfinals.

The semifinals and final will be played in Madrid.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Tag Archives: Davis Cup