Shanghai Masters recap, GB NTA progress in Istanbul, NPP round up
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Catch up on the latest results and updates on Scots competing around the world.
Shanghai Masters Recap
Three Scots were in the Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 draws this week. However, it was not to be for Andy Murray, Cam Norrie, and Jamie Murray with all three suffering early exits.
Three-time Shanghai Masters champion Andy Murray was unable to get past Roman Safiullin in the opening round.
Safiullin came into Shanghai on a confidence high having reached the final of Chengdu ATP 250 the week before. His form would continue as he bested Murray 6-3 6-2. Safiullin also went on to beat Alexander Zverev in the next round.
Cam Norrie also faced a tough test in his opener against American J.J. Wolf. Wolf had come though a close opener against Pedro Cachin the round before and was able to keep his momentum going to edge out Norrie 6-3 5-7 7-6(4).
Cam remains in the doubles draw with partner and 2023 Australian Open doubles champion Rinky Hijikata. The pair came through a close encounter against big-hitting duo Ben Shelton and Hubert Hurkacz 7-5 5-7 10-6.
Norrie and Hijikata will now face third seeds Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram.
Jamie Murray and Michael Venus were also in action in the doubles draw. They opened their campaign with a match tie-break win over Rafael Matos and Marcelo Melo 6-4 1-6 10-6.
However, their title bid was cut short by fifth-seeded Argentinian duo Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni 2-6 4-6.
Their bid to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals will continue.
GB NTA duo progress in Istanbul
Junior GB National Tennis Academy players were in action last week at the J200 Istanbul.
Henry Jefferson opened with a first round win over Gabriel Ghetu 3-6 6-1 6-0 before recording one of his best wins of the season. Jefferson downed top seed and world number thirty-three Petr Brunclik 6-3 6-4 to move on to the quarter-finals.
He kept his form up to defeat Artem Bogomolov 1-6 6-3 6-3 to reach the final four.
Jefferson’s tournament came to a close in the semi-final after he lost out to Rafael Segado Esteve of Spain 3-6 6-3 3-6.
Meanwhile Charlie Robertson progressed to the quarter-final of the same event. Charlie picked up wins over Nikita Bilozertsev 6-2 7-5 and Dimitry Bessonov 6-4 6-2 on his way to the last eight.
He then lost out to Max Stenzer of Germany 6-2 3-6 4-6 in the quarter-final.
Robertson and Jefferson also teamed up in the doubles draw. Seeded four, the pair progressed to the final after accruing three wins, one of which included a comeback win over Jan Klimas and Andreas Loizas 4-6 6-0 10-3 in the quarter-final.
The NTA team finished runners-up as they unfortunately had to withdraw from the final. The withdrawal saw Dimitry Bessonov ad Sebastiano Cocola win the Istanbul doubles title.
NPP round up
Scott Duncan recorded his first top 100 win last week in the Del Monte Lisboa Belem Open in Portugal, an ATP Challenger event.
Duncan and his partner Marcus Willis defeated top seeds Theo Arribage (#88) and Luca Sanchez (#95) in straight sets 7-6(4) 6-4.
However, it wasn’t to be in the quarter-finals as the pair lost out to Oriol Roca Batalla of Sweden and Timo Stodder of Germany 3-6 4-6.
Meanwhile on British soil, Hamish Stewart competed in the UK Pro League Finals Week, having qualified through successful results in 2023 Pro League season.
In the group stages Stewart picked up a first win against George Houghton 7-5 6-4 but lost out to Patrick Brady 6-4 3-6 7-10. Despite the loss he progressed through to the quarter-final.
In the last eight Hamish lost a close contest to Harry Wendelken 6-7(5) 7-5 7-10.
Hamish bounced back in the 5th-8th play off with a convincing 6-2 6-2 win over Alexis Canter. However, his finals week ended with a third match tie-break loss to Ivan Denisov 3-6 6-4 3-10.
