ATP Barcelona: Nishikori eases past Auger-Aliassime. Thiem and Medvedev win
World no. 5 Dominic Thiem has won just nine matches so far in 2019, heading to Barcelona eager to improve his results and chase another final after battling for the title here in 2017. The 3rd seed defeated Jaume Munar 7-5, 6-1 in an hour and 30 minutes, serving at only 54% but drawing the most from that after dropping 14 points in nine service games, getting broken only once. On the other hand, Jaume managed to stay in touch only in the opener, losing half of the points behind the initial shot and suffering five breaks from ten opportunities given to the Austrian.
Dominic forced an error from the youngster in the fifth game to open the lead, staying in front only for a couple of minutes as Munar broke back in the very next game following a loose drop shot from Thiem. After four good holds on both sides, Munar lost serve at 15 in the 11th game and Dominic wrapped up the opener after saving a break point in the next game for a 7-5 in 53 minutes. The Austrian was the only player on the court in set number two, breaking Jaume three times in a row to race towards the finish line, sealing the deal with a return winner at 5-1 for the place in the quarters.
Daniil Medvedev is the player with the most wins this season, extending his run to 23 following a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Mackenzie McDonald in an hour and 19 minutes. The American had his chances in this match, taming the rival's first serve and breaking him twice from five opportunities. Nonetheless, McDonald served under 50% and that could have only meant trouble for him, facing 14 break points and losing serve five times to send Daniil over the top. Mackenzie blasted a forehand down the line winner in the opening game to grab an early break, staying in front until 2-1 when Medvedev broke back, fending off three break points in the next game to settle into a fine rhythm.
The Russian secured another break at 4-3 and closed the opener with a hold at 30 a few minutes later for a 6-3 and the momentum before the rest of the encounter. He delivered three straight breaks in set number two for a 4-1 lead and moved over the top with a drop shot winner at 5-2 to advance into the quarters. Facing each other for the first time, the 4th seed the two-time Barcelona champion Kei Nishikori toppled the most promising youngster in the world Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1, 6-3 in an hour and 23 minutes.
The Japanese landed only 54% of the first serve in, fending off five out of six break points to keep the pressure on the Canadian who couldn't endure it, dropping more than half of the points behind the initial shot and ending his first Barcelona campaign in the third round. Nishikori had 16 winners and 18 unforced errors, leaving Auger-Aliassime on 11 winners and 26 errors and overpowering him in dynamic baseline rallies to secure the place in the last eight. Kei was the dominant figure in the opening set, rattling off one good hold after another and breaking the youngster three times for a 6-1.
Felix sprayed a forehand error in the opening game to suffer an early break and did the same at 1-3 to hand Nishikori another break that pushed the 4th seed 4-1 in front. A volley winner in game seven got the job done for Kei who forged a 3-1 advantage in set number two after a costly double fault from Auger-Aliassime who was yet to show why he was seeded 16th here in Barcelona. Kei repelled five break points in the following game to extend the lead before Felix broke him at love in game seven to reduce the deficit to 4-3. It wasn't to be for him, though, wasting a game point to experience a break after another forehand mistake and allowing Kei to bring the match home with a hold at 15 in game nine to set Christian Garin or Roberto Carballes Baena clash on Friday.
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2Zy0UaS
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