Two-time former champion Robin Haase of the Netherlands advanced to the second round of the Generali Open Kitzbuehel on Monday after his opponent Juan Monaco pulled out in the second set with a right-wrist injury.
The fifth-seeded Argentine, also a former winner in 2007, led 6-2, 1-1 when he walked off the court and sat down on his chair in tears. He received medical treatment, but decided not to play on.
Monaco has had wrist problems before and was forced to sit out the final months of the 2013 season.
Haase is next to play another Argentine, Federico Delbonis, who beat Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain 7-5, 6-4.
Earlier, Austrian wild-card entry Dennis Novak rallied to beat Aljaz Bedene of Britain 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 6-1. It was the first win at the ATP level for the 256th-ranked Novak, who is to play third-seeded Fabio Fognini of Italy in the second round.
Diego Schwartzmann of Argentina defeated eighth-seeded Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain 6-3, 6-4 after scoring 12 straight points from 1-2 down in the second set.
Santiago Giraldo of Colombia defeated Rogerio Dutra Silva of Brazil 7-5, 6-2, and Paul-Henri Mathieu beat fellow Frenchman Kenny de Schepper 6-2, 6-2.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
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Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was