ATP Madrid: Stan Wawrinka and Dominic Thiem power into quarters
In the battle of the former Madrid finalist (both beaten by Nadal), Stan Wawrinka took down the 6th seed Kei Nishikori 6-3, 7-6 in an hour and 35 minutes for only the second Masters 1000 quarter-final after Indian Wells 2017. The Swiss delivered the seventh victory over the Japanese in 11 matches, blasting nine aces and dropping only 13 points on serve to remain unbroken this week in Madrid after three obstacles. Kei gave his best to stay in touch, fending off two out of three break points and falling in the second set tie break to propel Stan into the last eight. With 25 winners and 16 unforced errors, Wawrinka had the upper hand on the court and his initial shot carried him throughout the match, hitting a service winner in almost 40% of the points to forge a crucial lead in the shortest department up to four strokes.
It was a brilliant performance from a former Roland Garros champion in the opening set, flying over the court and losing only two points on serve, waiting patiently for the opportunity on the return. It came already in game two, delivering a break when Nishikori sent a backhand long and securing the first part of the match with three service winners in game nine for a 6-3 after swift 26 minutes. Kei was powerless on the return in set number two as well, unable to read rival's serve more efficiently or to move Stan from the comfort zone. Unlike in the opener, he saved all three break points to set up a tie break that Wawrinka clinched 7-3, running over the top in style and hoping for more of the same in the next test against Rafael Nadal or Frances Tiafoe.
Barcelona champion and a two-time beaten finalist in Madrid Dominic Thiem has stayed on a firm course, beating Monte Carlo winner Fabio Fognini 6-4, 7-5 in an hour and 29 minutes for another good result in the Spanish capital. Dropping only 12 points in service games, Thiem was never in danger and he did well to seize one break point in each set and cross the finish line without playing risky tie break against another in-form rival who had a chance to reach the top-10 for the first time here in Madrid. The Austrian tamed his shots nicely, hitting 17 winners and 12 unforced errors and drawing 30 errors from Fabio who couldn't follow the rival's pace in the shortest and most extended exchanges. Settling into a nice rhythm right from the start, Thiem broke in the third game after a risky backhand from the Italian, gaining confidence and doing everything right on the court in the rest of the set.
Serving at 3-5, Fognini repelled a set point with a potent attack but that was all we saw from him, with Dominic bringing the opener home in game ten with a hold at love and a service winner. They stayed neck and neck in the first seven games of the second set and Thiem saved a break point to level the score at 4-4 and mount the pressure on the other side of the net. Fabio did the same in the next game with a backhand winner, serving to secure the tie break in the 11th game when he wasted a game point to suffer a break that pushed Dominic into the last eight after a hold at 15.
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2YkRD4v
No comments