Inside update

'Game Changers'

World's Best Player Pound-for-Pound

Definition of Sport

US Tennis and the Economy

Michael Duranceau

APS Tennis California

GP Tennis Academy Ky

Deguchi Elite Tennis, Tx

Zo-Fit Tennis, Va

Misa Tennis Academy

ITS Kids 10s - Quick Start

Nat.Jr Tennis & Learning

ITS Teaching Philosophy

ITS Swiss History

February 23, 2014 ITS Staff Rio de Janeiro – Top-seed Rafael Nadal got back on the winning track on Sunday capturing his career title No.62 at the newly launched Rio Open by Claro hdtv after defeating Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3 7-6(3).

The Spaniard appeared in his first tournament since finishing runner-up at the Australian Open last month where he lost to Stanislas Wawrinka hobbled by back problems. The victory is his second title of the season opening the year with the win at the Qatar Open in Doha.

Nadal, who saved two match points against compatriot Pablo Andujar in the semi-finals, broke the No. 54 ranked Ukranian once in the first set and then served for the match at 5-4 in the second. Dolgopolov, however, broke and battled back to stay in the match before the 13-time Grand Slam winner wrapped it up in the tie-breaker 7-3 in one hour and 41 minutes.

In a side court interview, Nadal was quoted by the ATP World Tour saying, "Always when you win a title, it’s special. In a 500 tournament, you don’t have a chance to play a lot of these in the calendar. The first edition of a big tournament like Rio, it’s a very important city in the world, and after coming back from injury, it always makes the victory a little more special."

The trophy presentation was attended by Brazilian sports legends soccer star Ronaldo, and former World No.1 Gustavo Kuerten.

In the women's final, Japan’s Kurumi Nara upset No.1 seed Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 to win her maiden WTA singles crown. The fifth seeded Nara, who is ranked No.1 in her country, came into the tournament after reaching the third of the US Open and Australian Open and her first WTA Tour level semi-final at Osaka.

February 22, 2014 ITS Staff Rio de Janeiro – World No.1 Rafael Nadal survived a thrilling two hour and 46 minutes epic match overcoming Spanish compatriot Pablo Andujar 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(10) to reach the Finals of the Rio Open on Saturday.

Nadal saved two match points before clinching the match on his own fourth match point in the third set tie-breaker.

The 13-time Grand Slam winner will next meet Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov who upset No.2  David Ferrer 6-4 6-4 in one hour and 24 minutes. Dolgopolov came into the match 1-6 in head to head career matches against the 31-year old Valencian who came in this week after his career No.21 ATP World Tour title win at Copa Claro in Buenos Aires last week.

After the match the World No.54 Dolgopolov was quoted by the ATP Tour saying, "I'm happy with the way I'm playing and happy to be in the final. My game plan is always to be aggressive against. I attack and try to play aggressive. I was a bit better at the volleys and that made the difference I think."

February 20, 2014 ITS Staff Rio de Janeiro – World No.1 Rafael Nadal defeated Joao Sousa of Portugal 6-1 6-0 on Friday to reach the semifinals of the Rio Open. Nadal goes on to play Spanish compatriot Pablo Andujar who demolished former top-tenner Tommy Robredo also of Spain 6-1, 6-1.

David Ferrer, the No.2 seed, was extended to three sets before overcoming Brazilian local bet Thomaz Bellucci 4-6 6-3 6-3. In the semi-finals Ferrer will face Alexandr Dolgopolov who advanced with convincing 6-1 6-1 rout of No.3 seed Fabio Fognini. The Ukranian hit a dozen aces and broke the Italian six times in the 77 minute match.

Fognini’s career is on the upswing coming into the tournament as World No.14 after pocketing the title at Vina del Mar in Chile and finalist last week in Buenos Aires to Ferrer. 

February 20, 2014 ITS Staff Rio de Janeiro – World No.1 Rafael Nadal showed no signs of being slowed down by back problems on Thursday in a strong performance against Spanish compatriot Albert Montanes winning 6-1 6-2 in the second round Rio Open Claro hdtv.

Nadal, who hurt his back in during the Australian Open finals last month against Stanislas Wawrinka, capitalized on his solid groundstrokes and broke the 33-year old veteran Montanes six times despite yielding one service game in dominating the 75-minute match.  The 13-time Grand Slam champion will now face Portugal’s Joao Sousa in the last eight. The 24-year old Guimaraes native outlasted Spain’s Albert Ramos 7-6(6) 2-6 6-3 in just over two hours.

In other men’s singles action, No.3 seed Fabio Fognini reached the quarter-finals after another gutsy victory over Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay 7-6(1) 4-6 6-3. Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov also advanced to the quarterfinals after a hard-earned triumph against Facundo Bagnis of Argentina 6-7(4) 6-2 7-6(4) in two hours and 31 mnutes.

February 19, 2014 ITS Staff Rio de Janeiro – Former top-tenner Tommy Robredo of Spain barged into the quarterfinals of the Rio Open on Wednesday after crushing Dusan Lajovic of Serbia 6-2, 6-1. The fourth seed, who has won a dozen career ATP titles, sets up a clash with countryman Pablo Andujar advanced without tossing a serve when Martin Klizan of Slovakia withdrew before the match due to an injury.

Local bet Thomaz Bellucci came back from a set down to upset No.7 seed Argentine Juan Monaco 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to set up a quarter-final showdown with streaking No.2 seed David Ferrer. Bidding to win his record seventh career title in the South American tour, the Valencia-resident Ferrer, winner of last week’s Buenos Aires Open, edged young Argentine Federico Delbonis 7-6(2), 6-1.

In women’s singles, No.3 seed Paula Ormaechea of Argentina defeated Kiki Bertens 7-5, 7-5 of the Netherlands to reach the quarterfinals. Japan’s No.5 seed Kurumi Nara of Japan cruised past Taiwan's Su-Wei Hsieh 6-3, 6-2 in the opening round.

February 18, 2014 ITS Staff

Rio de Janeiro - World No.1 Rafael Nadal won his opening match on Tuesday beating Spanish compatriot Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-3 7-5 in the Rio Open by Claro hdtv. It was the Mallorcan’s first match since reaching the Australian Open finals last month losing to Stanislas Wawrinka where he was hampered by back spasms.

Nadal, who moved well and seemed comfortable during the match, broke Gimeno-Traver once to in the first set but fell behind 0-2 in the second before breaking twice to clinch the one hour and 41 minute match. It was his 800th career match, where according to the ATP World Tour, he is only the sixth active player to play at least 800 singles matches together with Roger Federer, Tommy Haas, Lleyton Hewitt, David Ferrer, and Nikolay Davydenko.

Second-seed David Ferrer, winner of the Buenos Aires Open several days ago, cruised to the second round after eliminating Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-2, 6-3 in 68 minutes. Also advancing is No.3 seed Fabio Fognini, last week’s runner-up to Ferrer, beating Aljaz Bedene 7-6(5) 0-6 6-1. Juan Monaco of Argentina finally posted his first win of the season after crushing countryman Horacio Zeballos 6-3, 6-1.

Fourth seed Tommy Robredo came through with a 7-6(5), 6-3 win over fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta. Royal Guard Open Chile finalist Leonardo Mayer fell to Albert Ramos 6-2, 6-0. Nicolas Almagro, the fifth seed, was upset by Alexandr Dolgopolov 2-6 6-3 6-0 in one hour and 35 minutes.

In women’s singles, in a battle of 30-plus year old veterans, 32-year-old Lourdes Domínguez Lino upset  33-year-old Francesca Schiavone, the No.2 seed 6-4 6-4 in first round. Brazil’s Teliana Pereira also upset No.4 seed Alexandra Cadantu 6-3 6-4 and Dinah Pfizenmaier rallied past No.7 seed Barbora Strycova 2-6 6-3 6-4. The No.8 seed Vania King also exited after losing to Irina-Camelia Begu 6-4 6-0.

atpworldtour.com February 17 – 23 2014 - The Rio Open presented by Claro hdtv is a new event in the ATP and the WTA calendars. It is the only combined ATP World Tour 500 and WTA International event in South America. The tournament, distributing a total prize money of US$ 1.5 million (US$ 1.25 million for the ATP) will be held on the eight clay courts of the Jockey Club Brasileiro, including a 6,200-seater Stadium. Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer will headline the 2014 event. 

On Monday’s first round action, Brazil’s Thomaz Bellucci thrilled home country fans of the inaugural Rio Open presented by Claro hdtv, as he came back to defeat Colombian Santiago Giraldo in the night session. The 130th-ranked Bellucci broke World No. 60 Giraldo for a fifth time in the match to go up 5-3 in the third set and served out the 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory after two hours and 25 minutes. It marked his second straight win over Giraldo, after losses in their first three FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings.