Saturday 30 November 2019

Bautista Agut Ties The Knot

Even in the off-season, Roberto Bautista Agut is adding unforgettable moments to his banner year. The Spaniard tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony with longtime partner Ana Bodi Tortosa.

Bautista Agut confirmed the wedding on Saturday by sharing photos on his social media accounts. His friends on the ATP Tour were quick to share their congratulations, with Stan Wawrinka, Filip Krajinovic, Robert Farah and Aljaz Bedene among those commenting on the posts.

The 31-year-old made headlines during Wimbledon by admitting that he scheduled his bachelor party during the second week of the tournament. Bautista Agut’s friends were waiting in Ibiza, but they relocated to London after he recorded his maiden Grand Slam semi-final. The postponed bachelor party took place the following week in Ibiza.

"We had everything reserved from Wednesday or Thursday until Sunday. They all knew before that there was a small chance for me to be here, playing in the quarter-finals,” Bautista Agut said. “I think they really had a good plan. They spent Wednesday in Ibiza. They came to watch a good match, the semi-final of Wimbledon. They came yesterday as a surprise. It was really nice to have them in the crowd. They support me so much.”

Bautista Agut will begin next season by representing Spain in the inaugural ATP Cup, held in Australia from 3-12 January. He will join Rafael Nadal, Pablo Carreno Busta, Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Feliciano Lopez in Perth from 3-8 January, where they will face Japan, Georgia and Uruguay in Group B. Should they advance from their round-robin group, they will head to Sydney from 9-12 January as part of the Final Eight.



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Nishikori Hires Mirnyi For 2020 Season

Kei Nishikori is adding another ATP Tour legend to his coaching team. The 29-year-old Japanese has signed on former doubles World No. 1 Max Mirnyi to join Michael Chang as his coaches for the upcoming season.

“Excited to announce that Max Mirnyi will join the coaching team (with Michael Chang) full-time in 2020! Excited what the future holds,” Nishikori said in a statement on his Instagram account.

Mirnyi, affectionately known as “The Beast”, concluded his 22-year ATP Tour career at the end of last season. He spent 57 weeks at the top of the ATP Doubles Rankings (15th all-time) and won 52 tour-level doubles titles, including six Grand Slam crowns. Mirnyi also earned a gold medal in mixed doubles at the 2012 London Olympics (w/Azarenka). In singles, he peaked at No. 18 in the ATP Rankings in 2003 and won an ATP Tour singles title that year in Rotterdam (d. Sluiter). Mirnyi also reached the 2002 US Open quarter-finals.

”I am excited about the opportunity to have a chance and help Kei,” Mirnyi said. “I have known Kei for a long time from the days of my active playing career. Training and spending a lot of time at the IMG Academy in Bradenton. So, I hope that this progression will be natural for both of us personally and on a professional level.”

Nishikori has not competed since this year’s US Open due to a right elbow injury, which he underwent surgery for in October. He finished this season with a 29-14 record, including a title in Brisbane (d. Medvedev) and quarter-final showings at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

Nishikori will kick off next year by representing Japan in the inaugural ATP Cup, held from 3-12 January in Australia. He will join Yoshihito Nishioka, Yasutaka Uchiyama, Go Soeda and Ben McLachlan from 3-8 January in Perth, where they will face Spain, Georgia and Uruguay in Group B. Should they advance from their round-robin group, they will held to Sydney from 9-12 January as part of the Final Eight teams.



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Nishikori Hires Mirnyi For 2020 Season

Kei Nishikori is adding another ATP Tour legend to his coaching team for 2020. The 29-year-old Japanese has signed on former doubles World No. 1 Max Mirnyi to join Michael Chang as his coaches for the upcoming season.

“Excited to announce that Max Mirnyi will join the coaching team (with Michael Chang) full-time in 2020! Excited what the future holds,” Nishikori said in a statement on his Instagram account.

Mirnyi, affectionately known as “The Beast”, concluded his 22-year ATP Tour career at the end of last season. He spent 57 weeks at the top of the ATP Doubles Rankings (15th all-time) and won 52 tour-level doubles titles, including six Grand Slam crowns. Mirnyi also earned a gold medal in mixed doubles at the 2012 London Olympics (w/Azarenka).

”I am excited about the opportunity to have a chance and help Kei,” Mirnyi said. “I have known Kei for a long time from the days of my active playing career. Training and spending a lot of time at the IMG Academy in Bradenton. So, I hope that this progression will be natural for both of us personally and on a professional level.”

Nishikori has not competed since this year’s US Open due to a right elbow injury, which he underwent surgery for in October. He finished this season with a 29-14 record, including a title in Brisbane (d. Medvedev) and quarter-final showings at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

Nishikori expects to be healthy in time to represent Japan in the inaugural ATP Cup, held from 3-12 January in Australia. He will join Yoshihito Nishioka, Yasutaka Uchiyama, Go Soeda and Ben McLachlan from 3-8 January in Perth, where they will face Spain, Georgia and Uruguay in Group B. Should they advance from their round-robin group, they will held to Sydney from 9-12 January as part of the Final Eight teams.



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Rafael Nadal coach refuses to make Roger Federer comparison in GOAT debate



Francis Roig is not sure who is the better tennis player out of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

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Fritz On ATP Cup: 'USA Will Bring A Lot Of Firepower'

Taylor Fritz will join John Isner, Reilly Opelka, Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek as a part of Team United States at the inaugural ATP Cup, to be held in Australia from 3-12 January 2020. The United States will be competing in Group D in Perth, facing Russia, Italy and Norway.

The World No. 32, who captured his first ATP Tour title at the Nature Valley International in Eastbourne (d. Querrey) in June, speaks to ATPTour.com about what makes competing as a team special, his idols growing up and more.

Why are you excited about competing in the ATP Cup?
I’m really excited to go and start the year off by playing guaranteed matches against some of the world’s best players in the first week of the 2020 season. It’s going to be an incredible new event for players and fans. Every match will be critical to the overall result and whether the United States progress to the Final Eight [in Sydney]. That will provide pressure and extra nerves, but it will mean everyone will see who has put in the work during the off-season. Also, I have always liked the look of the Perth Arena. Being able to see some of the beautiful city will mean it’s going to be a memorable experience. I never thought I’d be able to visit.

What do you think will be the most fun part of playing on a team?
We play a lot individually and at the end of the year, you’re measured by your position in the ATP Rankings. But we don’t get to compete that often as a team, with fellow players cheering you on from the side of the court. Winning and losing certainly adds a lot of extra energy to matches when you’re playing for your country, but I’ve found it does help me to play better. It’s going to be great to play alongside John, as I did at the Laver Cup in September. It was a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to the ATP Cup. It will be really fun. These events bring the team close together and you cheer each other.

Which countrymen did you watch growing up and what did you admire about them?
Growing up in a tennis family, I watched all the American players. But I was a huge fan of Pete Sampras, watching his matches and his rivalry with Andre Agassi, the overall contrast of styles and how they each went about winning. Now being coached by Sampras’ (and Roger Federer’s) former coach, Paul Annacone, I’ve gained an insight into how they operated and I have learned a lot on the court and mentally. I’ve improved so much working with Paul and finally winning an ATP 250-level title in Eastbourne was so special and a huge weight off my shoulders.

If you could take one shot from anyone in your country, what would it be and why?
Certainly at the ATP Cup, Team United States will come with a lot of firepower. Even though I can hit a serve, I’ve always admired John’s [Isner] serve. He makes it look so effortless, but I know just how hard he works to develop repetition and rhythm, so when it comes to a match his big weapon is on. I think the serve and power will be the key weapons of USA. It’s going to be tricky to compete against countries with two highly ranked players, but that’s going to be the big challenge.

What were your early memories of playing tennis in United States as a kid?
I started very young. It would have been watching my Mum [former WTA Top 10 player Kathy May Fritz] play tennis on the side of the court, or attending and competing in hundreds of junior tournaments and just generally being at tennis clubs. At the age of 12, I remember playing in a mother-son event in San Diego and my Mum suffering a calf injury during a quarter-final against college guys, older opponents. Back then it mattered, so I forced her to keep going. My Mum and Dad [Guy, a tennis coach] have helped me so much.

What do you love most about your country and representing United States?
I love the size and the opportunities. Being able to travel and play tennis really opens your eyes to new cultures internationally, but I really enjoy my time in the States. Everything that you want is available. I made my first ATP Tour final at the age of 18 on home soil in Memphis [in February 2016], but fell short against Kei Nishikori. For me, it’s been a great honour to represent the United States and to be among those who will play at the first ATP Cup in January.



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ATP Tour Season In Review: Doubles In 2019

Continuing our Season In Review series, ATPTour.com looks at the headlines that shaped 2019 on the doubles circuit.

Cabal/Farah Reach The Mountaintop
In 2018, Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah made their big breakthrough as a duo. The Colombians, who first partnered one another at the Futures level in 2004, earned 39 tour-level wins and qualified for their first Nitto ATP Finals.

But this season proved even better for the longtime friends and partners, becoming just the second all-South American duo to finish year-end No. 1 in the ATP Doubles Team Rankings (since 1984). In 1986, Chilean Hans Gildemeister and Ecuadorian Andres Gomez accomplished the feat.

“It’s an honour to receive this trophy, being alongside the names engraved on it,” Farah said during an on-court presentation at the Nitto ATP Finals, where the Colombians were the top seeds and reached the semi-finals. “Starting the year, it was difficult to predict we’d end it as the No. 1 team. It’s a dream come true and I’d like to thank everyone who is here for supporting us.”

Read: Cabal/Farah Presented Year-End No. 1 Trophy

Cabal and Farah captured five of their 17 tour-level titles in 2019, and they own a 3,655-point lead in the ATP Doubles Team Rankings ahead of No. 2 Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo.

Last year, Cabal and Farah won their first ATP Masters 1000 title in Rome, and they retained that trophy this season at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, and it only got better from there. The Colombians captured their first two Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon and the US Open, respectively.

Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah exit the Nitto ATP Finals at the semi-final stage for the second straight year.

Herbert/Mahut Show Their Class
Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut only competed together eight times in 2019, but they began and finished their season with a bang.

The Frenchmen completed their Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open, winning the season’s first major without losing a set from the quarter-finals on. Herbert and Mahut became the eighth men’s doubles team to lift all four Grand Slam trophies.

After losing two of their next three matches, the Frenchmen did not play together until Cincinnati, with Herbert choosing to focus on singles. He only played doubles three times between the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters and the Western & Southern Open — including Wimbledon with Andy Murray.

It appeared that lay-off may have been detrimental to this team, with Herbert and Mahut losing in the second round in Cincinnati and the first round of the US Open. But after making the semi-finals in Vienna they found their best form, winning the Rolex Paris Masters and then the Nitto ATP Finals without dropping a set at either event.

The season finale was a special victory for the Frenchmen after letting slip a championship point against Mike Bryan and Jack Sock last year. It was the perfect ending to their 2019 campaign.

“It is pretty special [to win this trophy]. Maybe, for doubles, it is one of the toughest tournaments to win,” said Herbert. “After our story in London — we had three really tough years and last year we had a match point in the final — being able to win here is an amazing feeling.”

Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut claim their third team title of 2019.

New Teams Break Through
Three teams broke through to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time together this year.

One year ago, Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies finished in 87th place in the ATP Doubles Race To London. But the Germans got off to a fast start in 2019, and they never looked back. Krawietz and Mies, who had competed mainly on the ATP Challenger Tour before 2019, won the New York Open for their first ATP Tour title, claimed their maiden Grand Slam trophy at Roland Garros and triumphed in Antwerp.

Rajeev Ram had previously qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals twice, in 2016 and 2017, but he did so then with Raven Klaasen. The American teamed with Brit Joe Salisbury for the first time this year, and the result was a 39-win season that included two ATP 500 titles and a trip to The O2. Ram and Salisbury were victorious in Dubai and Vienna, using those results to propel them into a spot at The O2.

The last of the team’s is Filip Polasek and Ivan Dodig. The Slovak-Croat team first got together in Antalya, which took place in the last week of June. Yet they clicked immediately, and pulled off a stunning run that saw them qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals. Dodig and Polasek made at least the semi-finals in eight of the 11 tournaments they played before London, triumphing in Cincinnati and Beijing while also finishing runner-up in Antalya and making the last four at Wimbledon.

Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury own 3,490 points in the ATP Doubles Race To London.

Polasek’s Comeback
Polasek cracked the Top 10 of the ATP Doubles Rankings in November ahead of the Nitto ATP Finals. But less than 17 months earlier, the Slovak had no points at all.

That’s because when Polasek was 28, he was forced to retire due to injury, and he did not play professional tennis again for more than four years after that. Polasek had won 11 ATP Tour doubles titles and reached 13 additional finals. But a nerve issue in his back — he had loose discs in his spine — did not allow him to continue.

Read My Point: Re-Making Polasek After Five-Year Retirement

Even after retirement, Polasek still suffered from pain, so much so that coaching lower-level pros and even older juniors proved too tough of a task physically. He couldn’t even consistently play floorball recreationally. But last May, a chance meeting with Mike Bryan in Slovakia started the ball rolling on his comeback, and Polasek has not looked back since.

“If you told me that 15 months later I’d be sitting here as an ATP Masters 1000 champion, I would have told you that you’re crazy. I would never ever bet even a dollar on it. It’s been an incredible journey. But after everything I’ve been through, this is just the beginning,” Polasek wrote in a first-person essay for ATPTour.com in August.

Dodig Polasek

Bob Bryan Returns From Hip Surgery, Bros Announce 2020 Retirement
Mike Bryan finished 2018 on a high, winning Wimbledon, the US Open and the Nitto ATP Finals with Jack Sock. His brother, Bob Bryan, underwent hip surgery last August, leaving an uncertain future for the twins.

But the Bryan brothers made their return in Brisbane this year and quickly clicked into form. The Americans made the quarter-finals of the Australian Open and triumphed in Delray Beach before hitting their highest note of the season in Miami, where they captured their 39th Masters 1000 trophy together, putting them in second place in the ATP Doubles Race To London.

Read About The Bryans' Upcoming Retirement

The Bryan brothers won 35 tour-level matches together in 2019, earning their 1,100th team win in Cincinnati and qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals, but electing not to participate. They announced that 2020 will be their final season, planning to bring their historic careers to an end at the US Open. The Bryan brothers own 118 tour-level doubles titles together.

The Bryan Brothers win the doubles title at the Miami Open presented by Itau.



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Video : Novak Djokovic's Best ATP Shots In 2019 | ATP

Novak Djokovic's Best ATP Shots In 2019 | ATP
The tennis he can play is simply extraordinary. This is the best of Novak Djokovic in 2019. SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2dj6EhW WEBSITE: http://www.atptour.com/ FACEBOOK: https://ift.tt/2T3aGl9 TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ATP_Tour INSTAGRAM: https://ift.tt/2IoGZGP RADIO: http://bit.ly/2Dictrm PODCAST: http://bit.ly/2NilRRn About the Official ATP Tour YouTube Channel: Here you will find the latest videos from the ATP Tour, including hot shots, highlights, behind the scenes footage, documentaries and more. The ATP Tour showcases the best of the best, competing in 63 tournaments across 4 surfaces, all to be No. 1. Find all the action from on and off the court right here.


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Friday 29 November 2019

Andy Murray now mellow man after fatherhood and hip surgery, dad says



FATHERHOOD and hip surgery have mellowed Sir Andy Murray and will improve his on-court behaviour – according to his dad.

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Paire Eager For ATP Cup: 'I Like Being On A Team A Lot'

Benoit Paire’s career resurgence this season has led to him earning the right to represent France in the inaugural ATP Cup, held throughout Australia from 3-12 January.

The Frenchman will join Gael Monfils, Lucas Pouille, Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin in Perth from 3-8 January, where they will face off against Serbia, South Africa and Chile in Group A. Should they advance from their round-robin group, the trio will head to Sydney from 9-12 January as part of the Final Eight teams. 

Paire’s clinched his first ATP Tour singles title in four years this April in Marrakesh (d. Andujar), then followed that up a month later with another title on home soil in Lyon (d. Auger-Aliassime) The 30-year-old also finished runner-up in Winston-Salem (l. to Hurkacz) and reached the fourth round at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

Paire discussed his favourite French players growing up and why he thrives in a team environment.

Which French players did you like to watch growing up?
I would say Sebastien Grosjean and Arnaud Clement. I was always following their matches and supporting them. I grew up close to Marseille, so I was able to see them live at the Open 13 in Marseille and it was important for me to watch them.

What are some of your earliest tennis memories in France as a child?
I remember going with my parents to Roland Garros. It was a big experience to be able to watch the players practise and get some autographs from them.

What are you most excited for with the ATP Cup?
I like being on a team a lot. You can feel the pressure when you’re playing for your country, so I would be very happy to play in the ATP Cup. It would be a dream if I could represent my country.

If you could pick one shot from any French player on Tour, who would it be and why?
We have too many French players and too many good shots! I would say the speed of Gael Monfils.

Who is the funniest French player on tour?
Again, Monfils. He’s a good player and I like to watch him play - when he wants to play! I understand though because sometimes it’s not easy to be 100 per cent every week, but I like to see him doing well this year.

What are three things you love most about France?
The food, for sure. The girls are beautiful in France. And I like the crowds.

Did you grow up playing junior tournaments or team events with the other guys on your team?
Not really because Monfils is older than me and Pouille is younger than me, but I know them well and we are good friends. It will be interesting to be on the same team.



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Take Two: Divij Sharan & Samantha Murray Wed After Second Ceremony

Plenty of people describe their wedding as the best day of their life, but Indian doubles expert Divij Sharan was fittingly able to double his pleasure with British WTA pro Samantha Murray.

After their first wedding ceremony in Manchester on 19 July, the couple were surrounded by friends and family once again as they tied the knot in New Delhi on 23 November. Their busy schedules as professional tennis players meant they needed to wait until the off-season for a second ceremony.

Divij Sharan and Samantha Murray wedding

"We decided to have two ceremonies so that we were able to celebrate both of our cultures and traditions which are important to us, with our family and friends from each side,” Sharan said. “We fit the events in around our tennis schedules, which is why they had to be four months apart.”

Sharan is currently No. 46 in the ATP Doubles Rankings. He won ATP Tour doubles titles this year in Pune (w/Bopanna) and St. Petersburg (w/Zelenay), in addition to a runner-up finish in Munich (w/Demoliner). Murray has a WTA singles ranking of No. 220.

“We hope to be able to play more combined events together so we can actually get to see each other!” Sharan said. “Life on tour is so busy, so I think it’s amazing that she is a tennis player as well. She knows what it takes to be on the circuit and we are there to support each other’s careers."



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Video : Roger Federer's Best ATP Shots in 2019 | ATP

Roger Federer's Best ATP Shots in 2019 | ATP
It's quite simply poetry in motion. This is the best of Roger Federer on the ATP Tour in 2019. SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2dj6EhW WEBSITE: http://www.atptour.com/ FACEBOOK: https://ift.tt/2T3aGl9 TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ATP_Tour INSTAGRAM: https://ift.tt/2IoGZGP RADIO: http://bit.ly/2Dictrm PODCAST: http://bit.ly/2NilRRn About the Official ATP Tour YouTube Channel: Here you will find the latest videos from the ATP Tour, including hot shots, highlights, behind the scenes footage, documentaries and more. The ATP Tour showcases the best of the best, competing in 63 tournaments across 4 surfaces, all to be No. 1. Find all the action from on and off the court right here.


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Andy Murray opens up on tearful Australian Open press conference after documentary release



At the Australian Open in January, it appeared as though Andy Murray was on the verge of retirement before undergoing career-saving surgery.

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Rivalries Of 2019: Djokovic vs. Federer

Continuing our Season In Review series, ATPTour.com revisits the fiercest rivalries of 2019. Today we feature Novak Djokovic vs. Roger Federer.

Once a rivalry moves past 20 or 30 matches, surely not even all-time greats Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer can recall each match in detail, such as who did what on match point and how exactly momentum shifted in each FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting.

In 2019, Djokovic and Federer added only two matches to their FedEx ATP Head2Head series (Djokovic leads 26-23). But, no doubt, those two battles will remain long in the memory of both players, such was the quality of each meeting.

Wimbledon, F, Djokovic d. Federer 7-6(5), 1-6, 7-6(4), 4-6, 13-12(3)
Djokovic had beaten Federer in their past two Wimbledon finals (2014, 2015), and it had been four years since Federer had beaten Djokovic anywhere. But there was still plenty of reason to believe the Swiss, an eight-time Wimbledon champion, would pull off the upset.

Federer beat Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals, their first matchup at SW19 since that 2008 final, widely considered the greatest match in history, and Federer had pushed Djokovic to three sets in the 2018 Rolex Paris Masters final, which was named “Best ATP Match Of 2018” by ATPTour.com.

But Djokovic harboured loads of confidence as well, having won his fourth Wimbledon title (d. Anderson) in 2018 and his past three matches against his Swiss rival.

Federer, playing in his 12th Wimbledon final, forced the decider by serving the fourth set out during his second attempt. But Djokovic ripped back momentum in the fifth game of the deciding set, breaking for a 4-2 lead. The Serbian had been up and down during the final up to that point.

Djokovic battled to take the first set tie-break and the lead, then all but disappeared during the second set as Federer evened the match. In the third, the Djokovic of old entered lockdown mode to again take the tie-break.

But Federer, who was steady all match, answered in the fourth, giving a capacity Centre Court crowd and the millions of fans watching on TV exactly what they wanted: a fifth set.

Djokovic served for a 5-2 lead in the fifth when the best drama of the season began. Federer broke back as a pro-Swiss crowd roared, and the two stayed on serve until 7-7, when Federer broke for a chance to serve out the match.

At 37 years and 340 days, Federer was trying to become the oldest man in the Open Era to win a Slam. He also was seeking his ninth Wimbledon title and his first major championship crown since January 2018 at the Australian Open.

Serving at 8-7, 40/15, pro-Federer fans held up their index fingers. Just one more point, and Federer would be able to celebrate more Wimbledon glory. But the Swiss couldn't handle a deep Djokovic return that made it 40/30, and Djokovic crushed a forehand pass to make it deuce before breaking and putting the final back on serve.

It had been 71 years since a Wimbledon men's singles champion had saved match points in the final, and no singles match at SW19 had ever been decided by a fifth-set tie-break. For the first time, organisers decided that a tie-break would be implemented at 12-all in the fifth set instead of making someone win by two games, like Kevin Anderson did against John Isner in the 2018 semi-finals, when he won the fifth set 26-24.

But Djokovic saved two match points, and he won the fifth-set tie-break for his fifth Wimbledon title.

By some measures, Federer outplayed the Serbian, winning 14 more points and hitting 40 more winners (94 to 54). But by the most important measure – the score – Djokovic owned their 48th FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting and had now beaten Federer in three consecutive Wimbledon finals.

Nitto ATP Finals, Group Bjorn Borg, Federer d. Djokovic 6-4, 6-3
Win and advance: Djokovic and Federer's second match of 2019 would send one of them home and propel the other one to the semi-finals of the season finale at The O2 in London. Both players had lost to Dominic Thiem earlier in the week and were 1-1 heading into the Thursday night showdown.

Djokovic was hoping to reach the semi-finals and make a push for his sixth year-end No. 1 finish in the ATP Rankings. Federer, meanwhile, was going for his second “Big Title” of the season after winning his 28th ATP Masters 1000 title in Miami (d. Isner).

The Swiss also was looking to recalibrate his rivalry with Djokovic. The Serbian had won nine of their past 11 matchups, including the Wimbledon final in July. But, before their 49th FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting, Federer batted off any suggestions that the tough loss at SW19 would affect him at The O2.

I didn't hope I was never going to play him again,” Federer said. “Actually, it's good for me to play him again, and maybe that all helps to get a chance to get him back.

I'm personally excited to play against Novak.”

Roger Federer beats Novak Djokovic for the first time since the 2015 Nitto ATP FInals on Thursday night.

The excitement showed. Federer played one of his best matches of the season, executing his aggressive game plan close to perfection and overwhelming Djokovic, who never had the upper hand.

At 1-1, the Serbian donated two double faults to start, and on break point, 0/40, Federer walloped a sitting backhand. On serve, Federer won 87 per cent (20/23) of his service points and made only one unforced error in the first set.

Djokovic saw a break point in the fourth game of the second set, but Federer saved it and broke the next game as the crowd chanted, “Let's go, Ro-ger, let's go!”

Federer broke once more to close it out. He finished with 23 winners to only five unforced errors.

Watch Federer-Djokovic Nitto ATP Finals Highlights

“There was a lot riding on the match. I think I served great, had great anticipation, a clear game plan and it worked to perfection tonight, and hopefully not the last time against Novak,” Federer said. “But even if it [is], it was all worth it. It was a great performance tonight from me.”

Federer would fall short of winning the season's final title, losing to Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semi-finals. But the Swiss had reset his rivalry with Djokovic, a promising sign for Federer and his fans heading into 2020.

Djokovic vs. Federer In 2019

Event

Surface

Round

Winner

Score

Wimbledon

Grass

F

Djokovic

7-6(5), 1-6, 7-6(4), 4-6, 13-12(3)

Nitto ATP Finals

Hard

Group Bjorn Borg

Federer

6-4, 6-3



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Isner On Inaugural ATP Cup: 'It'll Be A Blast'

John Isner will lead Team United States at the inaugural ATP Cup, to be held in Australia from 3-12 January 2020. The United States will be competing in Group D in Perth, facing Russia, Italy and Norway. Isner will be joined by Taylor Fritz, Reilly Opelka, Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek.

The World No. 19, who finished inside the year-end Top 20 for the 10th consecutive season, speaks to ATPTour.com about his excitement for the new team event, his longtime relationship with one of his teammates and more before the competition gets underway.

Next year will start a bit differently for you with a new team event in the ATP Cup. How excited are you for that?
It’s very interesting. This is of course a brand new event and one that I think a lot of players are excited about and myself in particular. I think I’m going to have a nice little off-season, spending a lot of my time in Dallas, being able to focus on my family, but also focus on myself and keeping myself in good shape and trying to stay sharp on the tennis side of things as well.

I’m looking forward to that event and I think it’s a very good thing. It’s guaranteed matches. The past three, four years I’ve sort of stumbled in Australia. It sort of takes me a long time to get going and feel good about my game, so I’m very much looking forward to the ATP Cup.

I think we also have a good team on top of that, so it’ll be exciting. It’s been a while since I’ve been to Perth, Australia. Looking forward to getting over there, it’s a lot of fun and it’ll be a blast.

You went to college before turning professional, so you’ve long enjoyed a team environment. Do you think that playing the ATP Cup will help you considering what you said about slow starts the past few years?
I think so for sure. I’ve always enjoyed playing for a team. I’ve really done it my whole life. Playing in the team events, playing in the Laver Cup has been a joy for me and you definitely can get your competitive juices flowing after a pretty long lay-off.

It’ll be pressure-packed on top of that, being out there playing for your country right out of the gate. So I do think that will be a very good thing for me and hopefully it will bode well for the Australian Open next year.

One of your teammates is Rajeev Ram, who is just a year older than you. Is it exciting to compete with someone you’ve known for so long?
We’ve known each other forever now, since 14 and under juniors. I remember seeing his name in the draw. He was always better than me in the juniors and he was a pretty big name when it came to junior tennis. He’s obviously done incredible things on the pro tour and he’s been incredibly consistent as well.

He had a very good singles career and now he’s having an excellent doubles career, so for him to be on the team I think is a huge boon for our team considering how good he is in doubles and he’s very excited about it as well. We’ve texted back and forth and I know he’s fired up about playing the ATP Cup. Austin Krajicek is on our team as well so our team is set and we’re looking forward to getting over to Australia. 

How exciting is it to get to play with someone like Rajeev given those memories you have from when you were kids?
It’s very cool. We’ve actually never had this opportunity before to play a team event together. We played at different colleges so to be able to team up with Rajeev I think will be very cool. Outside of the Bryan brothers, we’re the elder statesmen of American tennis, so it’ll be cool to team up with him.

How special is it for your to represent the United States?
It’s a great honour. Getting to represent the U.S. in the ATP Cup is a huge honour, and it’s more important than playing for yourself out there. It’s a big honour and I personally think this event is going to be very successful as well. It’s going to be a lot of fun, the competition is going to be amazing. All in all, I couldn’t think of a better way to start the year.

What’s most special about the United States as a country?
It’s the greatest country in the world. You have the most opportunity to do amazing things in this country and I’ve been afforded that opportunity through tennis. Everything you really want to do is at your disposal if you work hard, focus and just make right decisions and respect the people that you need to respect and I think that’s what I’ve done my whole life.

It’s afforded me to do some pretty cool things on the court and off the court. I enjoy my time in the States more than anything. I think there’s a reason why I always play well in America and it’s because I’m very comfortable here.



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Sir Andy Murray outlines Australian Open hopes as he prepares to make Grand Slam return in 2020

How Rafael Nadal led to Andy Murray changing his views on tennis



Sitting in a commentatory booth for nearly five hours led Andy Murray to think differently about tennis.

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Andy Murray explains his apprehension and 'raw' feelings as new documentary released



Andy Murray will give an insight into the past two years for him as he dealt with a career-threatening injury.

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Thursday 28 November 2019

Andy Murray - Resurfacing: How to watch new documentary online and on TV



Express Sport is on hand with all the details on how to watch Andy Murray's new documentary online and on TV.

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Video : Dominic Thiem's Best ATP Shots in 2019 | ATP

Dominic Thiem's Best ATP Shots in 2019 | ATP
7 finals. 5 titles. Back to a career-high No. 4 in the world. There was plenty of THIEM TIME in 2019! SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2dj6EhW WEBSITE: http://www.atptour.com/ FACEBOOK: https://ift.tt/2T3aGl9 TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ATP_Tour INSTAGRAM: https://ift.tt/2IoGZGP RADIO: http://bit.ly/2Dictrm PODCAST: http://bit.ly/2NilRRn About the Official ATP Tour YouTube Channel: Here you will find the latest videos from the ATP Tour, including hot shots, highlights, behind the scenes footage, documentaries and more. The ATP Tour showcases the best of the best, competing in 63 tournaments across 4 surfaces, all to be No. 1. Find all the action from on and off the court right here.


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Video : Daniil Medvedev's Best ATP Shots in 2019 | ATP

Daniil Medvedev's Best ATP Shots in 2019 | ATP
Daniil Medvedev made 9 FINALS in 2019! Playing tennis of this quality, it's no surprise how... SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2dj6EhW WEBSITE: http://www.atptour.com/ FACEBOOK: https://ift.tt/2T3aGl9 TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ATP_Tour INSTAGRAM: https://ift.tt/2IoGZGP RADIO: http://bit.ly/2Dictrm PODCAST: http://bit.ly/2NilRRn About the Official ATP Tour YouTube Channel: Here you will find the latest videos from the ATP Tour, including hot shots, highlights, behind the scenes footage, documentaries and more. The ATP Tour showcases the best of the best, competing in 63 tournaments across 4 surfaces, all to be No. 1. Find all the action from on and off the court right here.


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Video : Stefanos Tsitsipas' Best ATP Shots In 2019 | ATP

Stefanos Tsitsipas' Best ATP Shots In 2019 | ATP
From NextGen ATP champion to Nitto ATP Finals champion! Winning three titles and reaching a career-high No. 5 in the world, this was some sort of season for Stef Tsitsipas! SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2dj6EhW WEBSITE: http://www.atptour.com/ FACEBOOK: https://ift.tt/2T3aGl9 TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ATP_Tour INSTAGRAM: https://ift.tt/2IoGZGP RADIO: http://bit.ly/2Dictrm PODCAST: http://bit.ly/2NilRRn About the Official ATP Tour YouTube Channel: Here you will find the latest videos from the ATP Tour, including hot shots, highlights, behind the scenes footage, documentaries and more. The ATP Tour showcases the best of the best, competing in 63 tournaments across 4 surfaces, all to be No. 1. Find all the action from on and off the court right here.


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Video : Alexander Zverev's Best ATP Shots in 2019 | ATP

Alexander Zverev's Best ATP Shots in 2019 | ATP
Alexander Zverev took the title in Geneva, won the Laver Cup with Team Europe & made ATP Tour finals in Acapulco and Shanghai in 2019. What awaits for the World No. 7 in 2020? SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2dj6EhW WEBSITE: http://www.atptour.com/ FACEBOOK: https://ift.tt/2T3aGl9 TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ATP_Tour INSTAGRAM: https://ift.tt/2IoGZGP RADIO: http://bit.ly/2Dictrm PODCAST: http://bit.ly/2NilRRn About the Official ATP Tour YouTube Channel: Here you will find the latest videos from the ATP Tour, including hot shots, highlights, behind the scenes footage, documentaries and more. The ATP Tour showcases the best of the best, competing in 63 tournaments across 4 surfaces, all to be No. 1. Find all the action from on and off the court right here.


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Video : The Day Roger Federer REFUSED to Give Up Despite Injury

The Day Roger Federer REFUSED to Give Up Despite Injury
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Albot Explains Why The ATP Cup Is Important For All Of Moldova

One of the final six countries to qualify for the inaugural ATP Cup was Moldova, led by World No. 46 Radu Albot. The 30-year-old, who claimed his first ATP Tour title this year in Delray Beach, is the highest-ranked player in his country’s history as well as its only titlist.

Albot speaks to ATPTour.com about how important Moldova’s participation in the ATP Cup is for tennis in his country, what the opportunity means for his teammates and what he loves most about Moldova.

What would it mean to you to lead your country into the ATP Cup?
I think it’s pretty big for Moldova because bigger countries like Ukraine and Romania, which border Moldova, did not get in. It is cool for our country and for me also of course, being No. 1 in Moldova and playing matches against top players. It will be very interesting, so it will be good for the country, good for me. Only positive things to get from that.

Speaking of how important it is for you to start the year against top competition, so how much of an opportunity is it for you to face those tough matches right away?
I don’t mind. It’s good to play against the top guys. It’s good that you have a chance to get matches against them… I don’t mind to play with the top guys, for sure.

I guess I’ll be playing both matches - singles and doubles. You have to play and if I’m No. 1, I need to go on the court to compete.

You’re not on a team too often, so what will that experience be like for you?
I think I just need to focus on my matches, because my matches will be much stronger playing against the top guys in the world. From there, we’ll see who we’re going to play, how we’re going to play and so on.

What do you love most about your country?
I like that in Moldova, people are very simple. They are very hospitable. They will invite you in your house, invite you for dinner, for a glass wine, something like that. These two characteristics are for most of the Moldovan people. That’s what I like the most from my country and my people.

At a lot of your biggest tournaments you’ve said family and friends stay up through the night to watch you. Do you think the whole country will be keeping its eye on your team?
I don’t know how many people will be awake to watch. Maybe a lot, maybe not so many. But I think the people close to me like my family and close friends will stay up and watch, especially if I have a match against a big guy.

You’ve always said that you want to inspire people from your country, kids to become better than you one day. So how important is this to show your country competing against the best in the world?
I think it’s very important to be among the top countries in the world because of me, because of my [ATP] Ranking. That’s pretty good. I know for sure now that the kids are watching me, they are trying to play as me. I am a role model for them and I would say it’s pretty important that they are focussed, they practise and become better than me one day.

How well do you know some of your teammates?
I know all of them. I’ve even spoken with them about if they’re happy to participate in the ATP Cup, if they want to come.

How important is it for them to have this opportunity?
One guy was very excited. He was like, ‘Yeah, for sure I’m coming, no question.’ Straight away he gave a positive answer. For sure it’s something cool for them to be in such a big event because they play only Futures events.

To be right away with the top guys at a top tournament with top prize money, this will be a good experience for them and hopefully give them a a boost so they can improve, get better and compete at a higher level, not only Futures.

Growing up, when you would go to the tennis courts, what was the experience like since tennis isn’t huge in Moldova?
The first memory is you get a ball and you go to hit against the wall. And then there are 30 kids on one court and one guy hits the ball, one guy hits the other way and you run and you hustle and nothing happens. It’s like chaos everywhere.

Another thing I remember is you hit over the wall and you need to go around the fence to grab your ball because you get just one. So you practise hitting the wall for a few minutes, you hit it over and then you look for the ball for 30 minutes.



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Stefanos Tsitsipas sends cheeky message to Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer over ATP award



The nominees have been revealed for the 2019 ATP Awards with Roger Federer in the running for the sportsmanship prize again.

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Arsenal missed out on Jose Mourinho by not sacking Unai Emery - Andy Murray



Andy Murray believes Unai Emery is on borrowed time at Arsenal.

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Sir Andy Murray tells talkSPORT how he is doing things differently on his return to tennis

Video : Roger Federer - Top 10 Davis Cup Points

Roger Federer - Top 10 Davis Cup Points
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Sir Andy Murray says Jose Mourinho would have been ‘great’ Arsenal appointment as tennis legend admits Unai Emery’s time may be over

Wednesday 27 November 2019

Video : Top 5 Challenger Hot Shots Of November 2019

Top 5 Challenger Hot Shots Of November 2019
Watch the five best Hot Shots from the ATP Challenger Tour in the month of November, featuring Kevin King, Vasek Pospisil, Christopher Eubanks, Dennis Novak and JC Aragone. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: http://bit.ly/2dj6EhW Visit the official site of the ATP Challenger Tour and watch free live streaming: https://ift.tt/2U9rvbe JOIN THE CONVERSATION Like us on Facebook: https://ift.tt/2cULgB4 Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ATPChallenger Follow us on Instagram: https://ift.tt/2qVBCqT


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Struff On ATP Cup: 'I Think It’s Going To Be Really Great'

Jan-Lennard Struff enjoyed the best season of his career in 2019, climbing to a career-high No. 33 in the ATP Rankings, reaching two ATP Tour semi-finals and earning five wins against Top 10 opponents.

The 29-year-old will hope to carry that momentum into 2020, beginning the new season at the inaugural ATP Cup. Struff is Germany’s No. 2 singles player, and he will hope to help his country advance out of Group F, which also consists of Greece, Canada and Australia. Struff speaks to ATPTour.com about his German idols growing up, what makes competing on a team special, and more.

Which countrymen did you watch growing up and what did you admire about them?
A lot of players: Tommy Haas, Nicolas Kiefer, really a lot of them. Those are the two biggest names, I would say. I liked the way they played, I liked the style they played.

Tommy was an inspiration for me. When I played him in Munich and in Kitzbuhel it was unreal to play him. It was just crazy because he played his last match against me in Kitzbuhel. Obviously I liked his intensity on court and the way he hit the ball. It was just unreal, I really loved that.

What are your early memories of playing tennis in your home country?
I started playing with my parents, who were both tennis coaches. I really enjoyed playing. When I was a small kid, I always loved to go out and I played soccer, as well.

I just loved to do something with my friends, playing the sport and travelling with some guys from my practice group. We just had a fun time, playing club matches in the youth area, under 12, under 14, like four guys. We are very good friends and we were just enjoying the matches and practice sessions together.

Of course I watched so many Grand Slams on TV, it was unreal. When I was in school, the Australian Open was on TV. They started at 1 in the morning. I was waking up at 5 or 6 with my mom, watching interesting matches.

What do you think will be the most fun part of playing on a team?
I love to be part of a team. It’s an honour to play for my country. I’ve always dreamed about that. When I first listened to the national anthem when I was playing [for Germany] I had goosebumps. I was just tight. Everyone is tight playing for their country for the first time. I had an amazing match. It’s unreal.

We [spend] most of our time on Tour playing for ourselves. We have a team with our coaches and a physio and a fitness coach, and we kind of play for them as well, for our team. But to play with other players is just a great feeling.... The ATP Cup, the new event, I think will be really good.

What makes you excited about it?
It’s something new. It’s a new event and it’s in Australia. Australia is good for tennis. [It is] such a nice time always in December going to Australia and playing the Australian Open.

I think that this event at the beginning of the year will be a great kick-off, start of the year. Playing a team event is just exciting because you don’t know what it’s going to be like, but I think it’s going to be really great.

If you could take one stroke from any one of your countrymen, what would it be?
I would take the backhand of Zverev. It’s so consistent. He plays so well from the baseline and his backhand is outrageous.

What is the best practical joke a compatriot has played on you?
We do some fun things when we’re on a team. In Australia... we went to an escape room together and did some great stuff to make good team-building. We don’t take it too seriously on the team. I think everyone is just sometimes [making] a joke for themselves.

What are three things you love most about your country?
It’s very tough to pick three, not the weather, though. I really like the stability of the rules system in Germany. I enjoy the people a lot. I like to see my family and I like driving fast cars. That’s one of the big things on the Autobahn! That’s one of the good things we have in Germany. I’m very proud of our country and I think we have good rules.



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Video : When Tennis is Too Easy for Roger Federer ● Part 2

When Tennis is Too Easy for Roger Federer ● Part 2
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Video : The Story of London | NITTO ATP FINALS 2019

The Story of London | NITTO ATP FINALS 2019
Look back on the season finale at The O2 in London, as Stefanos Tsitsipas wins the biggest title of his career at the Nitto ATP Finals. SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2dj6EhW WEBSITE: http://www.atptour.com/ FACEBOOK: https://ift.tt/2T3aGl9 TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ATP_Tour INSTAGRAM: https://ift.tt/2IoGZGP RADIO: http://bit.ly/2Dictrm PODCAST: http://bit.ly/2NilRRn About the Official ATP Tour YouTube Channel: Here you will find the latest videos from the ATP Tour, including hot shots, highlights, behind the scenes footage, documentaries and more. The ATP Tour showcases the best of the best, competing in 63 tournaments across 4 surfaces, all to be No. 1. Find all the action from on and off the court right here.


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Video : The Story Of Milan | NEXT GEN ATP FINALS 2019

The Story Of Milan | NEXT GEN ATP FINALS 2019
Take a look back at events on and off the court in the third edition of the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan. SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/2dj6EhW WEBSITE: http://www.atptour.com/ FACEBOOK: https://ift.tt/2T3aGl9 TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ATP_Tour INSTAGRAM: https://ift.tt/2IoGZGP RADIO: http://bit.ly/2Dictrm PODCAST: http://bit.ly/2NilRRn About the Official ATP Tour YouTube Channel: Here you will find the latest videos from the ATP Tour, including hot shots, highlights, behind the scenes footage, documentaries and more. The ATP Tour showcases the best of the best, competing in 63 tournaments across 4 surfaces, all to be No. 1. Find all the action from on and off the court right here.


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Andy Murray opens up on impact Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic had on body



Andy Murray has undergone two hip operations but finally appears to be over his issues.

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Video : Roger Federer ➤ Shades of the Past

Roger Federer ➤ Shades of the Past
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Tuesday 26 November 2019

Roger Federer to compensate Colombian fans out of own pocket after match cancelled



Roger Federer is willing to compensate Colombian fans out of his own pocket after tournament organisers refused to refund supporters for the cancelled match.

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Nadal, Federer and Djokovic all say the same thing about Andy Murray in new documentary



Andy Murray's emotional journey over the past two years to mount a comeback on the ATP Tour has been documented in a behind-the-scenes documentary, Andy Murray: Resurfacing, which is being aired on Amazon Prime on Friday.

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Roberto Bautista Agut opens up on playing for Spain in Davis Cup days after father’s death



Roberto Bautista Agut's father passed away during the Davis Cup last week.

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Rivalries Of 2019: Tsitsipas vs. Nadal

Continuing our Season In Review series, ATPTour.com revisits the fiercest rivalries of 2019. Today we feature Rafael Nadal vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, following his second consecutive loss to Rafael Nadal last year, had a plan, or at least the makings of a plan, on how to beat the Spaniard.

At the Rogers Cup in Toronto, the 19-year-old Greek had become the youngest player to beat four Top 10 players at an event since the ATP Tour began in 1990. But his streak stopped against Nadal, who spoiled Tsitsipas' 20th birthday by winning his 33rd ATP Masters 1000 title.

“Bust my ass more on the court. Work more hours and become stronger and a more solid baseliner. And withstand pressures, physical pressures on the court that, to him, just seem like nothing special. That's the big difference between my game and his game,” Tsitsipas said.

In 2019, he wouldn't have to wait long to see if the plan had worked.

Australian Open, SF, Nadal d. Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-4, 6-0
The two renewed their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry in the semi-finals of the Australian Open in Melbourne. Tsitsipas had beaten Roger Federer in the fourth round and persevered in five sets against Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarter-finals to make his first Grand Slam semi-final.

Nadal, meanwhile, had revamped his serve in the off-season and had yet to drop a set en route to the last four at the season's first Slam. The offensive onslaught continued against Tsitsipas as Nadal rolled into his 25th major championship final by winning 80 per cent (49/61) of his service points and hitting 28 winners. Nadal also won the final nine games.

“I have been playing well during the whole event. Every match, more or less, I think I did a lot of things well. Tonight was another one. I played solid – with my serve, playing aggressive. Probably the backhand was better today than the rest of the days,” Nadal said.

A devastated Tsitsipas struggled to find reasons for optimism in their rivalry. “Honestly, I have no idea what I can take from that match,” he said. “It's not that I was even close to [getting] something. I only got six games from that match.”

Nadal

Mutua Madrid Open, SF, Tsitsipas d. Nadal 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
But the Greek would have his moment to cherish against Nadal on the most unlikeliest of surfaces: clay, where Nadal has won more titles than anyone in history. In Madrid, the Spaniard was still working his way into top form on the red dirt. Nadal had fallen in the semi-finals in Monte-Carlo and Barcelona, both tournaments he has won 11 times.

Tsitsipas, however, was bloated with confidence, having won his third ATP Tour title – and first on clay – at the Millennium Estoril Open (d. Cuevas) the week earlier.

Nadal had held in 26 of his 27 service games to reach the Masters 1000 semi-final, but Tsitsipas broke three times in the opening set alone to grab the lead. Nadal increasingly ran around his backhand to see more forehands in the second set and rallied to force a decider.

But in the third set, Tsitsipas continued to attack and step into the court, and he broke for the third time in the set to beat Nadal for the first time. Overall, Tsitsipas broke the Spaniard six times and saved 11 of 16 break points faced.

“You cannot imagine the relief. It's unbelievable. I don't want to say this, but it almost felt like I lost hope at some point. [I lost] three in a row [against him],” Tsitsipas said. “I felt in Toronto when I played him I was very close, and this match gave me a bit of confidence [that] I can do it in the future, but then it was too much. [I'm] really happy that I overcame this and dealt with it mentally. Beating him on clay makes it even more special.”

Watch Highlights: Tsitsipas Stuns Nadal In Madrid SF

Internazionali BNL d'Italia, SF, Nadal d. Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4
In Rome, the surface was the same, but Tsitsipas stared down a much different Nadal. The Spaniard, after much speculation from fans and pundits, had found his top level on the clay. Before meeting Tsitsipas in another Masters 1000 semi-final, Nadal had won his past six sets 6-0, 6-1, 6-1, 6-0, 6-4, 6-0.

The Greek would do better than Nadal's prior opponents in the Italian capital, but he couldn't replicate his Madrid magic. In slower conditions, Nadal broke twice and saved both break points to make the Rome final, where he beat Djokovic for his 34th Masters 1000 title.

Nitto ATP Finals, Group Andre Agassi, Nadal d. Tsitsipas 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-5
The two had one final meeting in store for fans, and it might have been their best of the year. At the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals, Nadal was fighting to have a chance at the semi-finals, and Tsitsipas was trying to end Group Andre Agassi play unbeaten.

Tsitsipas eked out a tight opening set by snagging a mini-break at 4/4 and closing out the set with an ace. But Nadal grew more comfortable in the second set and broke in the ninth game before serving it out. The Spaniard hit 11 winners to only six unforced errors and won 80 per cent of his service points (20/25) in the second set.

Rafael Nadal celebrates his comeback win over Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Tsitsipas ripped back momentum early in the third and would save four break points as The O2 crowd clamoured for more drama. But, serving at 6-5, he nudged a backhand volley wide, and Nadal broke for only the second time in the match.

The Spaniard didn't face a single break point. Tsitsipas, however, would win Group Andre Agassi and go onto win the Nitto ATP Finals title, his biggest crown to date.

Nadal vs. Tsitsipas In 2019

Event

Surface

Round

Winner

Score

Australian Open

Hard

SF

Nadal

6-2, 6-4, 6-0

Mutua Madrid Open

Clay

SF

Tsitsipas

6-4, 2-6, 6-3

Internazionali BNL d'Italia

Clay

SF

Nadal

6-3, 6-4

Nitto ATP Finals

Hard

Group Play

Nadal

6-7(4), 6-4, 7-5



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Video : Roger Federer vs Alexander Zverev ➤ Mexico Exhibition Match Highlights

Roger Federer vs Alexander Zverev ➤ Mexico Exhibition Match Highlights
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Nominees Revealed For 2019 ATP Awards

Welcome to the 2019 ATP Awards, where we recognise outstanding players and tournaments. View the nominees for the player-voted categories: Comeback Player of the Year, Most Improved Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award.

ATP Awards winners, including ATPTour.com Fans' Favourite, will be revealed in December.

Voted By Players

Comeback Player of the Year: The player who has overcome serious injury in re-establishing himself as one of the top players on the ATP Tour.

Andy Murray
Andrey Rublev
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Stan Wawrinka

Most Improved Player of the Year: The player who reached a significantly higher ATP Ranking by year’s end and who demonstrated an increasingly improved level of performance through the year.

Felix Auger-Aliassime
Matteo Berrettini
Daniil Medvedev
Stefanos Tsitsipas

Newcomer of the Year: The #NextGenATP player who entered the Top 100 for the first time in 2019 and made the biggest impact on the ATP Tour this season.

Felix Auger-Aliassime
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Miomir Kecmanovic
Corentin Moutet
Alexei Popyrin
Casper Ruud
Jannik Sinner
Mikael Ymer

Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award: The player who, throughout the year, conducted himself at the highest level of professionalism and integrity, who competed with his fellow players with the utmost spirit of fairness and who promoted the game through his off-court activities.

Roger Federer
Rafael Nadal
Diego Schwartzman
Dominic Thiem

Tournaments of the Year: The tournament in its category that operated at the highest level of professionalism and integrity and which provided the best conditions and atmosphere for participating players.

Categories:
ATP Masters 1000
ATP 500
ATP 250

Voted By Coaches

ATP Coach of the Year: Nominated and voted on by fellow ATP coach members, this award goes to the ATP coach who helped guide his players to a higher level of performance during the year.

Voted By Fans

ATPTour.com Fans' Favourite (Singles, Doubles): The singles player and doubles team receiving the highest number of votes from ATPTour.com fans (voting closed 18 November). 

Determined By ATP Rankings

ATP Tour No. 1: The player who ends the year as World No. 1 in the ATP Rankings.

ATP Tour No. 1 Doubles Team: The team that ends the year as World No. 1 in the ATP Doubles Team Rankings. 

Chosen By ATP

Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award: The person who has made outstanding humanitarian contributions. Previous winners include former South African President Nelson Mandela, Arthur Ashe, Federer, Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and 2018 recipient Tommy Robredo.

Ron Bookman Media Excellence Award: The journalist who has made significant contributions to the game of tennis.



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Rivalries Of 2019: Thiem vs. Federer

Continuing our Season In Review series, ATPTour.com revisits the fiercest rivalries of 2019. Today we feature Roger Federer vs. Dominic Thiem.

Years from now, Dominic Thiem will look back on the 2019 season as the year he became an all-court player, and for proof, he will need to look no further than his FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry with Roger Federer.

Thiem and Federer were even (2-2) coming into 2019. The Austrian went 2-1 against the Swiss in 2016, including a straight-sets win on clay in Rome and a grass-court victory in Stuttgart, before Federer shut down his 2016 campaign after Wimbledon to rest his left knee (3 February surgery).

But the Swiss tied their series with a straight-sets win in quick conditions at the 2018 Nitto ATP Finals at The O2 in London. In 2019, however, Thiem would leave no doubt about who was in charge of their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry.

Thiem

BNP Paribas Open, F, Thiem d. Federer 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
Federer has dominated few ATP Masters 1000s as he has the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. The Swiss is tied with Novak Djokovic for the all-time titles lead (five) and before 2019, he had reached the final in his past four appearances (1-3).

In March, the Swiss, fresh off his 100th title in Dubai, cruised into the Indian Wells final without dropping a set and was rested after Rafael Nadal withdrew (knee) from their semi-final.

Thiem, meanwhile, had only three wins on the 2019 season heading into the year's first Masters 1000. But on the slow hard courts in Indian Wells, he blasted backhand after backhand against Federer, opening up the court and winning his first Masters 1000 title. Thiem fell behind a set but erased break points early in the second set to grab back momentum.

“I was in the zone the whole match,” Thiem said. “It's a pleasure to compete against Roger in this great final. I lost my last two Masters 1000 finals, but I won this one and it feels as nice as a Grand Slam.”

Thiem

Mutua Madrid Open, QF, Thiem d. Federer 3-6, 7-6(11), 6-4
In May, at the Mutua Madrid Open, Federer was playing in his first clay-court tournament in three years, and he hadn't beaten a Top 10 player on the red dirt since the 2015 Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome (Stan Wawrinka in the semi-finals).

Luck was on Federer's side in his second match, though. The Swiss saved two match points against France's Gael Monfils to set up the Masters 1000 quarter-final with Thiem, a two-time finalist in Madrid.

But against the Austrian, Federer was the player who saw match points come and go. Just like in Indian Wells, Thiem came from a set down to beat the Swiss. Thiem, riding a seven-match win streak, saved match points at 7/8 and 9/10 in the second-set tie-break and, with all the momentum on his side, broke in the third and ninth games of the deciding set.

I can hurt him with my strokes, especially on his backhand,” Thiem said. “Facing him, it always requires my absolute best game and also a little bit luck, which I both had in Indian Wells and also here, and that's why I won these two matches.”

The loss marked the 21st time Federer had held match points and lost, and the first time since the 2018 Wimbledon quarter-finals (Kevin Anderson).

Watch Highlights: Thiem Stuns Federer In Madrid

Nitto ATP Finals, Group Bjorn Borg, Thiem d. Federer 7-5, 7-5
But at the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals, where Federer has collected a record six titles, surely the Swiss would turn around their 2019 rivalry. Federer had won his 10th Basel title in October and was eyeing another “Big Title” to go with his Miami crown (d. Isner) after near misses at Indian Wells and Wimbledon (l. to Djokovic).

Thiem, though, was finding his game on fast hard courts just in time. Before 2019, he had won 11 ATP Tour titles, but only two on hard court. He matched that total in October alone, winning the China Open in Beijing (d. Tsitsipas) and his home Erste Bank Open in Vienna (d. Schwartzman).

Beating a rested Federer in London presents another set of challenges, but Thiem met them all again. The Austrian, up a set, broke in the 11th game of the second set and fought off two break points while serving it out.

Thiem

To beat him, everything has to fit together,” said Thiem. “In general, it's a very nice victory for me. Every time I play against him is a big honour. Beating him is even better, and especially on this surface indoors, where he's feeling well usually.”

Two days later, Thiem became only the second player in tournament history (Alexander Zverev, 2018) to beat both Federer and Djokovic. He'd go onto reach the Nitto ATP Finals title match (l. to Tsitsipas), his biggest final yet.

Thiem is one of 74 players who have faced Federer at least six times, but only five of them, including the Austrian, have a winning record.

Winning Against Federer

Player

Record

Novak Djokovic

26-23

Rafael Nadal

24-16

Dominic Thiem

5-2

Alexander Zverev

4-3

Yevgeny Kafelnikov

4-2

Federer vs. Thiem In 2019

Event

Surface

Round

Winner

Score

BNP Paribas Open

Hard

F

Thiem

3-6, 6-3, 7-5

Mutua Madrid Open

Clay

QF

Thiem

3-6, 7-6(11), 6-4

Nitto ATP Finals

Hard

Group Bjorn Borg

Thiem

7-5, 7-5



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Video : When Tennis is Too Easy for Roger Federer

When Tennis is Too Easy for Roger Federer
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Andy Murray explains how tennis helped him recover from Dunblane and his parents' divorce



Andy Murray has opened up for the first time on how the 1996 Dunblane Primary School shooting affected his life.

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Rivalries Of 2019: Djokovic vs. Medvedev

Continuing our Season In Review series, ATPTour.com revisits the fiercest rivalries of 2019. Today we feature Novak Djokovic vs. Daniil Medvedev.

Novak Djokovic was unbeaten in his FedEx ATP Head2Head series against Russian Daniil Medvedev before the 2019 season, dropping only one set in their two matches. The 6'6” Medvedev was a player, who, at times, could challenge Djokovic in rallies, but never for more than one set at a time.

All of that changed in 2019, however, as Medvedev became one of the breakout players of the season and learned how to win against the best in the sport, including the ultra-consistent Djokovic.

Australian Open, Round of 16, Djokovic d. Medvedev 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-3
In Melbourne to start the year, Medvedev previewed in fits and spurts what was to come of his 2019. Against Djokovic in the Round of 16, Medvedev was trying to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final, and he pushed the Serbian like he never had in their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry.

The two bludgeoned balls back and forth, tallying rallies of 40-plus shots. But Medvedev, after evening the match by winning the second set, faded.

The Russian had a 2-1 lead in the third and three consecutive break points as Djokovic served at 0/40. The World No. 1, though, snapped into action. Djokovic erased all three break points, broke in the very next game and won 12 of the next 15 points en route to winning the third and fourth sets.

It was hard to go through him,” Djokovic said. “It was kind of a cat-and-a-mouse game for most of the match. That's why it was so lengthy. We had rallies of 40, 45 exchanges. That's why I think it was physically exhausting because of the fact that we didn't really allow each other to think that we [could] make a lot of unforced errors and give away points. His backhand is very, very solid. He didn't give me much from that side, but you can't always play on the forehand. You have to open up the court and try to be patient and construct the point.”

The Serbian would continue his dominance in Melbourne against everyone, beating Rafael Nadal to win a record seventh Australian Open title.

Djokovic

Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, QF, Medvedev d. Djokovic 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
Few would have predicted clay would be the surface where Medvedev would earn his maiden win against the all-time great.

The Russian entered the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters with a 2-9 tour-level record on clay and a 1-11 mark against the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings. But he beat No. 8 Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece and then upset Djokovic – his first win against a World No. 1 – for back-to-back Top 10 wins on clay and a place in the Monte-Carlo semi-finals.

It's definitely the best match of my career. Not in terms of level of tennis, but definitely by the result. [It's my] first [ATP] Masters 1000 semi-final, beating No. 1 for the first time in my life,” Medvedev said.

The Russian won the opening set, but Djokovic rallied to force a decider. In the third, however, Medvedev showed how much he had already improved since Australia. He failed to serve out the match in his first attempt but broke again, for the fifth time, for the win.

Djokovic said, “He improved his movement a lot since last year. He definitely deserves to be where he is.”

Watch Highlights: Medvedev Stuns Djokovic In Monte-Carlo

Western & Southern Open, SF, Medvedev d. Djokovic 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
Djokovic was playing in his first tournament since saving two match points against Roger Federer in the Wimbledon final for his 16th Grand Slam title.

Medvedev, however, was putting together a run of his own on the North American hard courts. Already he had reached two consecutive finals at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C., (l. to Kyrgios) and the Coupe Rogers in Montreal (l. to Nadal). And he continued his hard-court final streak against Djokovic, who, just last year, had won the Career Golden Masters in Cincinnati.

Medvedev fell behind 3-6, 2-3, 30/40, but erased the break point to begin the comeback. From there, on serve, Medvedev varied his pace and angles to prevent Djokovic from establishing any rhythm.

For much of the match, Medvedev essentially hit two first serves, and it worked. Djokovic hadn't lost an ATP Masters 1000 semi-final after winning the first set in more than six years, since March 2013 against Juan Martin del Potro in Indian Wells.

“To be honest, I don't know how I did it,” Medvedev told Brad Gilbert of ESPN. “I was so tired in the first set and playing Novak, I thought I wasn't able to keep the intensity. Then, the one momentum change in the second set was the difference. The crowd gave me so much energy.

“Usually I'll go bigger on my second serve when it's not working, and Novak was just destroying me in the first set. At one moment, I said to myself, 'Why do a normal second serve if I'm going to lose the point?' I started to win much more after that.”

Medvedev continued winning much more after Cincinnati as well. He would win three titles (Cincinnati, St. Petersburg, Shanghai) from six consecutive finals, a run that included his first Grand Slam final at the US Open (l. to Nadal). In November, Medvedev made his debut at the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals in London and secured his best year-end ATP Ranking of No. 5.

Djokovic vs. Medvedev In 2019

Event

Surface

Round

Winner

Score

Australian Open

Hard

Round of 16

Djokovic

6-4, 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-3

Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters

Clay

QF

Medvedev

6-3, 4-6, 6-2

Western & Southern Open

Hard

SF

Medvedev

3-6, 6-3, 6-3



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