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Nadal
clinches No. 1 ranking with win in Paris
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 [November 02, 2017]
The Sports Xchange
Rafael Nadal clinched the year-end No.
1 ranking by knocking off Korea's Hyeon Chung in the second round of
the Rolex Paris Masters on Wednesday.
The Spaniard grabbed a 7-5, 6-3 win over Chung to claim the top
spot, which will make him the oldest year-end No. 1 at 31 since the
rankings began in 1973. Nadal also finished the year in the top spot
in 2008, 2010 and 2013.
"I'm very, very happy for everything," Nadal said in his on-court
interview after the match. "It has been an amazing year. One year
ago, for sure I never dreamed about being World No. 1 again at the
end of the season. It's something that means a lot to me. But the
season is not over."
Nadal, who is the top seed in Paris, will continue his bid for a
seventh tournament title this season in the round of 16 against
Pablo Cuevas. The Uruguay native outlasted 15th-seeded Spaniard
Albert Ramos Vinolas 6-7 (5), 7-6 (1), 6-2 in two hours, 26 minutes.
No. 3 seed Marin Cilic of Croatia had an easier time advancing by
breezing to a 6-4, 6-3 win over countryman Borna Coric in one hour,
34 minutes. Cilic recorded 13 aces and overcame five double faults.
Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro needed only 62 minutes to secure a
6-2, 6-2 win over Portuguese qualifier Joao Sousa and continue a
strong run that saw him win in Stockholm two weeks ago and reach the
final in Basel last week before falling in three sets to Roger
Federer. Del Potro will try to continue his hot streak against the
Netherlands' Robin Haase, who overcame a rough first set to down
fourth-seeded German Alexander Zverev, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
No. 6 seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria skipped past France's Richard
Gasquet 6-4, 6-4 while No. 7 seed David Goffin of Belgium fought off
France's Adrian Mannarino 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.
[to top of second column] |
Ninth-seeded American John Isner needed 29 aces to survive a 7-6
(2), 6-7 (11), 6-3 challenge from Argentina's Diego Schawrtzman in
two hours, 33 minutes and set up a battle with Dimitrov in the round
of 16.
French wild card Julien Benneteau defeated countryman and No. 11
seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2 while another Frenchman,
No. 17 seed Lucas Pouille, booked a spot in the round of 16 by
knocking off Spain's Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-4.
Pouille will vie for a spot in the quarterfinals against American
No. 16 Jack Sock, who outlasted Britain's Kyle Edmund 4-6, 7-6 (4),
7-6 (5).
Serbian qualifier Filip Krajinovic defeated American Sam Querry 6-4,
6-4 and will meet France's Nicolas Mahut in the round of 16. Mahut
converted four break points in a 6-4, 6-1 win over eighth-seeded
Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta.
No. 5 seed Dominic Thiem of Norway survived a challenge from
Germany's Peter Gojowczyk 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-4 to set up a date with
Spain's Fernando Verdasco, who topped South African Kevin Anderson
5-7, 6-4, 7-5.
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