Editors Note : For 100 years Los Angeles had a major tennis event. It’s name changed more than a few times. The dates changed. The venue changed. It was the Pacific Southwest. It was the LA Open. (What do you call an event without a title sponsor ? You got it LA Open.) Sad that the “undertakers” ran the event out of town – Now its BOGOTA … Nothing against Bogota. But really. No more tennis in Los Angeles ? More of a reason to hop on the 405 and go see this weekends battles in Carson.
Men’s Tour news from Thursday in Hamburg and Bogota
By Ricky Dimon
Germany got the job done on the soccer field last weekend and it is still taking care of business this week on the tennis court. The host nation of the bet-at-home Open is sending three representatives through to the quarterfinals, with Philipp Kohlschreiber being joined by upstarts Alexander Zverev and Tobias Kamke. In Bogota, meanwhile, top two seeds Richard Gasquet and Ivo Karlovic both advanced in two tiebreakers.
Hamburg summary
The seed exodus continued in Hamburg, as favorites compiled a 2-5 record on Thursday. Only Kohlschreiber and No. 1 seed David Ferrer advanced to the quarterfinals, the latter via a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 ousting of Andreas Seppi. Dustin Brown got blown out by Pablo Andujar 6-1, 6-2 during third-round action, but it was an otherwise stellar day for Germans. Kohlschreiber got the best of Gilles Simon 7-5, 6-3, the 17-year-old Zverev continued his remarkable run by taking out Santiago Giraldo 6-4, 7-6(6), and Kamke upset Alexandr Dolgopolov 7-5, 2-6, 7-5. Kamke actually won 11 fewer points than his opponent, but he won the majority that really mattered.
“It really means a lot to me, especially here in my hometown in Hamburg,” Kamke assured. “To reach the quarterfinals of this event is very special for me and it was very emotional out there.”
Bogota summary
All three seeds in action at the Claro Open Colombia advanced on Thursday. Gasquet, Karlovic, and Victor Estrella Burgos reached the quarterfinals and were joined there by Jimmy Wang, who is into the last eight of an ATP tournament for the first time since 2007. The funniest moment of the day came after Karlovic edged Dudi Sela 7-6(8), 7-6(5). Sela netted a serve return on match point then picked up a chair before heading to the net to greet Karlovic. The 5’9” Israeli stood on it and hugged the 6’11” Croat for lighthearted end to the match.
“I played five times with him and today I didn’t play bad,” said Sela, who is now 0-6 lifetime against Karlovic, including 0-3 this season. “It was one point here or there. It was 7-6, 7-6, so to finish like this I didn’t mind. Some matches you feel very upset after the loss. I was okay with the loss. I played okay; he played better than me in the big points so I said it’s going to be okay and I accepted this.”
Briefs
* Dream week continues for Zverev, who will climb approximately 90 spots into top 200.
* Mayer cruises past Thiem, will reach top 40 with one more win and trip to semis.
* Ferrer holds off Seppi, will pass Raonic for No. 6 if he reaches semis.
* Kamke into top 80 with upset of Dolgopolov, will near top 60 with semifinal.
* Andujar destroys Brown for likely top 70 spot, into top 60 with one more victory.
* Lajovic will make double-digit move, into top 50 if he wins on Friday.
* Estrella Burgos into top 90 with first ATP quarterfinal, needs one more win for top 80.
Topics: Atp, Bogota, Carson, Hamburg, Ricky Dimon, Sports, Tennis
MEN’S TENNIS ROUND UP. HAMBURG , BOGOTA , ( USED TO BE LOS ANGELES ) & OTHER TIDBITS- http://t.co/2AmNqgYhaR #tennis #Bogota @RD_Tennistalk
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