Nadal, Fritz, Goffin, Badosa advance; Pegula’s run ends

Associated PressJul 3, 2022, 1:21 PM EDT

Getty Images

WIMBLEDON, England — Rafael Nadal advanced to the fourth round at Wimbledon with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 victory over 27th-seeded Lorenzo Sonego.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion beat the Italian on Centre Court.

Nadal is halfway to a calendar-year Grand Slam after winning the Australian Open and French Open. The Spaniard won the title at the All England Club in 2008 and 2010.

The 36-year-old Nadal next plays 21st-seeded Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Taylor Fritz of the United States advanced to the fourth round at Wimbledon for the first time after a straight-set victory over Alex Molcan.

The 11th-seeded Fritz beat the Slovakian 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (3) on No. 3 Court. He will next face qualifier Jason Kubler of Australia for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Kubler beat American qualifier Jack Sock 6-2, 4-6, 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-3 in their third-round match.

The 24-year-old Fritz hit 20 aces and only one double-fault.

David Goffin reached his second Wimbledon quarterfinal after outlasting Francis Tiafoe in five sets.

The Belgian won 7-6 (3), 5-7, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 on No. 2 Court in a tight contest that lasted 4 hours, 36 minutes. Goffin also reached the quarters in his last Wimbledon appearance in 2019, but missed last year’s tournament with an injury.

Tiafoe called for a physio after winning the third set and was given a pill, then quickly went down 5-1 in the fourth as his first-serve percentage dipped. The No. 23-seeded American held two break points at 5-5 in the fifth set but Goffin saved them both with powerful serves, then converted his first match point in the next game when Tiafoe netted a backhand.

Goffin will face the winner of the match between Cam Norrie and Tommy Paul.

Fourth-seeded Paula Badosa of Spain advanced to the fourth round at Wimbledon by beating two-time champion Petra Kvitova 7-5, 7-6 (4).

Badosa will next face another Wimbledon champion – Simona Halep, who won at the All England Club in 2019.

Kvitova hasn’t been beyond the third round at a Grand Slam tournament since making the fourth round at the 2020 Australian Open.

Jessica Pegula’s run of quarterfinal appearances at Grand Slam tournaments this year is over after a loss to Petra Martic of Croatia in the third round at Wimbledon.

Martic defeated the eighth-seeded American 6-2, 7-6 (5) on No. 3 Court.

The 28-year-old Pegula had reached the quarterfinals at this year’s Australian Open and French Open. She made it to the third round at Wimbledon for the first time.

Martic, who is ranked 80th, has been to the fourth round twice before at Wimbledon. She will next face 17th-seeded Elena Rybakina for a place in the quarterfinals.

Elena Rybakina hits 10 aces in Miami for 12th straight win

Associated PressMar 28, 2023, 9:50 PM EDT

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina extended her winning streak to 12 matches by delivering 10 aces – her fourth consecutive outing with at least that many – in a 6-3, 6-0 victory over 25th-seeded Martina Trevisan on Tuesday in the Miami Open quarterfinals.

Rybakina has 46 aces through four matches at the hard-court tournament in Florida and a WTA-leading 201 this season.

The 23-year-old, who represents Kazakhstan, improved to 20-4 in 2023, including a run to the Australian Open final in January and a title at Indian Wells, California, last week.

She is trying to become only the fifth player to win the women’s trophies at Indian Wells and Miami in the same season. Top-ranked Iga Swiatek did it a year ago; she withdrew from Miami this time because of a rib injury.

“Of course it would be amazing to achieve something like that,” the 10th-seeded Rybakina said about the prospect of completing what’s known as the Sunshine Double, “but it’s still far away.”

So far in Rybakina’s career, 13 of her 18 semifinal appearances have come on hard courts. She will face No. 3 Jessica Pegula or No. 27 Anastasia Potapova for a berth in the final.

Trevisan reached the French Open semifinals in 2022.

In fourth-round men’s action Tuesday, No. 2 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas was beaten 7-6 (4), 6-4 by No. 14 Karen Khachanov, while defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz and Jannik Sinner all beat seeded opponents in straight sets.

Alcaraz, who returned to No. 1 in the ATP rankings last week, got past Australian Open semifinalist Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-4 to set up a meeting against Fritz, the top-ranked American man and seeded ninth in Miami.

Fritz compiled twice as many winners, 22, as unforced errors, 11, and only dropped serve once during a 6-3, 6-4 victory over No. 7 Holger Rune. That put Fritz into his first quarterfinal in seven appearances in Miami – and his first matchup against Alcaraz, a 19-year-old from Spain who won the U.S. Open in September for his first Grand Slam title.

“I’m really excited for it,” Fritz said. “I think that a lot of people are really excited for that, too.”

No. 10 Sinner eliminated No. 6 Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-4 and has yet to drop a set in the tournament.

Sinner’s next opponent will be unseeded Emil Ruusuvuori, a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 winner against No. 26 Botic van de Zandschulp.

Fritz, Sinner reach Miami Open quarterfinals with 2-set wins

Associated PressMar 28, 2023, 4:31 PM EDT

Getty Images

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Taylor Fritz and Jannik Sinner beat seeded opponents in straight sets at the Miami Open to move into the quarterfinals.

No. 9 Fritz compiled twice as many winners, 22, as unforced errors, 11, and only dropped serve once during a 6-3, 6-4 victory over No. 7 Holger Rune.

That put Fritz, the highest-ranked American man, into his first quarterfinal in seven appearances at the hard-court tournament.

He will face either No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz or Australian Open semifinalist Tommy Paul next. Alcaraz is the defending champion in Miami.

No. 10 Sinner eliminated No. 6 Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-4 and has yet to drop a set in the tournament.

Sinner’s next opponent will be No. 26 Botic van de Zandschulp or unseeded Emil Ruusuvuori.