Tennis

Hamburg European Open: Seeded Players Dominate First RoundThe Hamburg European Open witnessed a clean sweep for seeded players in the first round on Tuesday, with all five seeds advancing to the next stage.Second seed Holger Rune, fresh from his Wimbledon round of 16 appearance, displayed his dominance with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Fabian Marozsan. The Dane's impressive performance included saving all four break points he faced, extending his season record to 26-14. Despite an injury concern that emerged during the match, Rune expressed optimism about his recovery.Third seed Sebastian Baez continued his strong clay-court form with a 6-2, 6-3 triumph over Dominik Koepfer. The Argentine is aiming for his third clay-court title of the season, having already secured victories in Rio de Janeiro and Santiago.Fifth seed Arthur Fils faced a tougher challenge in his opener, but ultimately prevailed over Jaume Munar in a three-set battle that lasted over two hours. Fils, who reached the semifinals in Hamburg last year, displayed his resilience in coming back from a set down to secure the victory.Seventh seed Luciano Darderi and eighth seed Zhang Zhizhen also progressed to the second round. Darderi overcame Nick Hardt in three sets, while Zhang eased past Thiago Seyboth Wild in straight sets.Notably, all five seeded players who advanced are set to represent their nations at the upcoming Paris Olympics, which will be held at Roland Garros. This adds an extra layer of significance to their performances in Hamburg.

India's top-ranked singles player Sumit Nagal's hopes of a deep run at the Geneva Open were dashed in the first round as he succumbed to a fighting defeat against Argentina's Sebastian Baez. The world no. 94 went down 6-7 (7) 3-6 to the Argentine, a clay court specialist, in a match that lasted one hour and 52 minutes.Nagal started the match brightly, taking an early 4-1 lead over Baez and even earning a set point. However, the world no. 19 Baez, who has already won two titles on clay this season, showcased his class to force a tiebreaker, thanks to his exceptional first serve performance.In the second set, Baez continued to rely on his superb first serve, wrapping up the proceedings in just 38 minutes. Nagal, who has qualified for the upcoming French Open, expressed his disappointment on Twitter after the loss: "Gutted with the loss today. But good preparation ahead of Roland Garros. Paris next."Despite the setback, Nagal's performance in Geneva provides valuable preparation for the French Open, where he will be aiming to make a strong showing. The Indian ace has been in impressive form this season, reaching the semifinals of the ATP Challenger event in Bengaluru and the quarterfinals of the ATP Challenger event in Ostrava.Baez, on the other hand, continues his impressive run on clay this season. The Argentine has won two ATP Challenger titles on the surface and reached the semifinals of the ATP 250 event in Cordoba. He will be looking to carry his momentum into the French Open, where he will be aiming to make a deep run.

Taylor Fritz, the American tennis star, has regained his winning form after a disappointing start to the European clay-court season. Following his loss in Monte Carlo, Fritz has triumphed in five of his last six matches, including a dominant victory over Sebastian Baez at the Mutua Madrid Open.Fritz, seeded 12th in Madrid, dispatched Baez, the 18th seed, in straight sets (6-2, 6-3). The American maintained his unblemished head-to-head record against Baez, having won all 10 sets they have played. Fritz's victory was particularly impressive considering Baez's strong performance on red dirt this season, with a 15-4 record prior to their encounter.Fritz's success in Madrid is a testament to his adaptability and willingness to experiment with his game. "I think there's more variety in my game in general," Fritz said after the match. "I was drop-shotting, I was moon-balling, I was doing a bit of everything."Fritz's victory sets up a fourth-round clash with Hubert Hurkacz, the eighth seed and this year's Estoril champion. Hurkacz defeated Daniel Altmaier in straight sets to advance.Meanwhile, Tommy Paul was unable to join Fritz in the next round, falling to Francisco Cerundolo in a three-set battle. Cerundolo, the 21st seed, notched his first Top 30 win of the year, edging out Paul 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-2.The Madrid Open continues with exciting matches, including a highly anticipated clash between former champion Alexander Zverev and left-hander Denis Shapovalov.

Sebastián Báez Storms into Rio Open Final, Faces Norrie or NavoneRIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Fifth-seeded Sebastián Báez of Argentina has secured his place in the final of the Rio Open after a dominant straight-sets victory over his compatriot Francisco Cerundolo on Saturday.Báez, ranked 30th in the world, displayed his clay-court prowess in the 7-5, 6-0 triumph at the Jockey Club Brasileiro. The 22-year-old broke Cerundolo's serve twice in the opening set and then cruised through the second set without dropping a game.Báez will now face either defending champion Cameron Norrie of Great Britain or another Argentine, Mariano Navone, in the final. Norrie, the second seed, emerged as the favorite after top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz, Stan Wawrinka, and Nicolás Jarry all withdrew from the tournament due to injuries.Norrie, ranked 12th in the world, has been in impressive form this season, reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open and winning the ASB Classic in Auckland. Navone, ranked 195th, is a surprise finalist but has shown resilience and determination throughout the tournament.The Rio Open final is set to be a thrilling encounter between two talented Argentines or a clash between a defending champion and a rising star. Báez will be aiming to claim his second ATP Tour title, while Norrie will be looking to defend his crown and cement his status as a top clay-court player.