Sunday 28 February 2021

Djokovic Equals Federer On 310 Weeks At No. 1 In FedEx ATP Rankings

Novak Djokovic has today equalled Roger Federer’s all-time record for most weeks at No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. The Serbian has now held the top spot for 310 weeks over five different stints.

ALL-TIME WEEKS AT NO. 1

No. 1 Player
Total Weeks
Longest Streak
1=) Novak Djokovic (SRB)
310
122 weeks
1=) Roger Federer (SUI)
310
237 weeks
3) Pete Sampras (USA)
286
102 weeks
4) Ivan Lendl (CZE)
270
157 weeks
5) Jimmy Connors (USA)
268
160 weeks

Djokovic first rose to No. 1 aged 24 years and 43 days on 4 July 2011, and spent a personal-best 122 consecutive weeks at the summit of the FedEx ATP Rankings between 7 July 2014 and 6 November 2016.

Now aged 34, Djokovic has compiled a 387-53 win-loss record as World No. 1, including a 117-30 mark against Top 10 opponents and a 39-13 record in tour-level finals. Two weeks ago, he captured his ninth Australian Open crown (d. Medvedev), which marked his 18th major title — two shy of all-time leaders Rafael Nadal and Federer (both with 20).

DJOKOVIC AT NO. 1 - Take a closer look at Djokovic's match wins, Top 10 and finals records during his five stints at No. 1.

Stints At No. 1
W-L Record
vs. Top 10
Finals Record
4 July 2011-8 July 2012
63-12 (.840)
18-9 (.667)
4-4
5 November 2012-6 October 2013
62-9 (.873)
18-6 (.750)
5-2
7 July 2014-6 November 2016
167-17 (.908)
60-9 (.870)
21-5
5 November 2018-3 November 2019
58-10 (.792)
13-4 (.857)
5-2
3 February 2020-present*
37-5 (.881)
8-1 (.888)
4-0
Totals
387-53 (.880)
117-30 (.796)
39-13

*The FedEx ATP Rankings were frozen between 23 March 2020 and 23 August 2020 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic

Djokovic is one of 26 players in the history of the FedEx ATP Rankings to hold the top spot (since 23 August 1973). He finished 2020 as year-end No. 1 for the sixth time (also 2011-12, '14-15 and '18), tying the record of Pete Sampras (1993-98).



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First-Time Winner Spotlight: Juan Manuel Cerundolo

There are Cinderella stories, and then there is Juan Manuel Cerundolo.

The 19-year-old qualifier from Argentina completed a dream week at the Cordoba Open, going from having never contested an ATP Tour main draw match to lifting his maiden trophy on home soil. He sealed the victory with a statement 6-0, 2-6, 6-2 victory over fifth seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the final and will rise to No. 181 in the FedEx ATP Rankings on Monday.

ATPTour.com caught up with Cerundolo after his victory to talk about his week in Cordoba and the path he has taken to his unforgettable ATP debut.

Congratulations on an incredible week. What does it mean to you to win your first ATP Tour title in your debut and do it in Argentina?
I honestly can’t believe it. It’s been an unforgettable experience, I will never forget this moment. I’m super happy and even more because it’s in Argentina, in my home with all my friends and family cheering me on. It was such a unique experience. I will never forget it. 

Prior to this week, you’d never played an ATP main draw match before. At what point in the week did you start to believe you could win the title?
I honestly never thought that or imagined it. I think it happened step by step, little by little. I won my first match in qualifying, then the second. First my objective was to get through the qualies, then I wanted to win one round. Then I started to think about the match against [Miomir] Kecmanovic, then I beat him. I was just thinking match by match, I never in my life imagined that I could win the tournament. So maybe that was the key, because I never felt anxious.

From playing in the main draw with your older brother Francisco Cerundolo, to winning your first title – what moment stands out the most from this week?
Both of us playing together here was just incredible. And now I’m seeing the posts he’s been making about me [on social media] and what he thinks, it makes me so happy. He’s been a big point of reference for me, and it’s great that we can share these experiences because we can use it to help each other. 

Your father Alejandro Cerundolo is a big name in Argentine tennis, your brother plays as well. How much of a role does family have in your career and what is it like to share these moments in Cordoba with them?
Family is so fundamental. Without a family to support you and help you, or friends to support and help you, it’s almost impossible to do it all alone. It’s so important, they’ve always supported me and cheered from the stands for me ever since I was small. These are the things that can’t really be explained, but I just thank them for always being present in my life and in my tennis career. 

You entered this tournament at No. 335 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, and you’ll leave here ranked No. 181. How does a result like this change your career’s trajectory? Have you started to look ahead?
Honestly, I have been thinking about it a little bit. I will be able to compete in the main draws of [ATP Challenger Tour] tournaments and maybe play qualies at ATP tournaments and Grand Slams, which is what makes me the happiest.

Before this, I wasn’t even thinking of what ranking I would need or how many points, because the number wasn’t even close. I wasn’t even looking at the Top 100. Whenever I thought about my ranking [goals], I was aiming for Top 200 because I was just that far away. Now, I just have to keep playing and make the most of it.

Juan Manuel Cerundolo

On the court, tennis fans are getting to know your lefty forehand and counterpunching. How would you describe yourself on and off the court?
On the court I’m definitely a more defensive counter-puncher. I like to use the opponent’s pace against them, and when I can attack with the forehand I use it to dictate the points. 

Off of the court, I think I’m a calm guy. I do have my attitude and my personality, I can be a little bit of a loner. My favourite things are playing Playstation and watching Netflix, I’m not the most ‘social’ guy. But it’s always great to relax with your friends and take a break from tennis, because it’s not good to always be on your own. 

Who were your football or tennis idols growing up? Who are your favourite players to follow now? 
I honestly love football, and even more because I play FIFA on Playstation. It’s definitely a vice for me! As far as idols, Lionel Messi and Neymar are the two current players that I like the most. And also Cristiano Ronaldo, his mentality and how much of a champion he is just drives me crazy. 

This is a milestone moment in your career. How will you celebrate this victory?
All my friends are here right now, so I just want to go out for dinner with them... But on the other hand, I have to make sure I recover physically because I have to play again on Tuesday [in Buenos Aires]. So it’s celebrate, then recuperate. 



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Scouting Report: 10 Things To Watch In Rotterdam & Buenos Aires

There will be plenty of mouthwatering action on tap with two ATP Tour events this week, led by the first ATP 500 tournament of the year at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam. World No. 3 Daniil Medvedev headlines the field, hoping to add his name to the prestigious event’s legendary honour roll.

In South America, the second leg of the “Golden Swing” will head to Buenos Aires for the Argentina Open. Top seed Diego Schwartzman will hit the clay courts of the ‘Cathedral of Argentine Tennis’ as he continues his quest to lift his first ATP Tour trophy on home soil.

Draws: Rotterdam | Buenos Aires

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN ROTTERDAM
1) Medvedev’s Road To No. 2: After reaching his second Grand Slam final at the Australian Open, top seed Medvedev arrives in Rotterdam looking for his first individual title of the year (Russia won the ATP Cup). A maiden trophy at the ATP 500 event would just be the icing on the cake: Medvedev needs to reach the final to rise to a career-high No. 2 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. If the Russian accomplishes the feat, he will become the first player outside the Big Four — Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray — to hold a top two spot since Lleyton Hewitt was World No. 2 the week of 18 July 2005.

2) Top-Shelf Talent: Four of the Top 10 and eight of the Top 20 in the FedEx ATP Rankings will compete in Rotterdam. World No. 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas, No. 7 Alexander Zverev and No. 8 Andrey Rublev round out the top four seeds.

3) Unseeded & Looming Large: The draw handed 2015 champion and Stan Wawrinka one of the toughest first-round tests in the form of unseeded Russian Karen Khachanov, the 2018 Rolex Paris Masters champion. Former World No. 1 and 2009 Rotterdam winner Andy Murray is also in the mix after receiving a wild card, and could face Rublev in the second round.

4) Goffin Coming In Hot: Sixth seed David Goffin storms into the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament with momentum after winning the Open Sud de France in Montpellier on Sunday. The Belgian had not previously won a title since Tokyo in 2017. Goffin, who reached the final of this event in 2017, will play big-hitting German Jan-Lennard Struff in the first round.

5) Double The Action: The top-ranked doubles team in the world, Colombian duo Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah, leads the way in a strong doubles field that also features Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic as the No. 2 seeds. Familiar singles names join doubles heavyweights in an entertaining draw as Stefanos Tsitsipas pairs up with younger brother Petros Tsitsipas, and Russians Rublev and Khachanov compete together.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN BUENOS AIRES
1) Native Son: Diego Schwartzman was born and still resides in Buenos Aires. He is hoping his city can inspire him to lift his first ATP Tour trophy on home soil. Schwartzman has won all three of his titles on clay, the surface where he also reached the biggest final of his career at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia last year.

2) Home Hopes: Schwartzman is joined by seven countrymen in the main draw, all looking to become first Argentine to win in Buenos Aires since David Nalbandian in 2008. Other Argentine champions include Guillermo Coria (2004), Gaston Gaudio (2005) and Juan Monaco (2007).

3) The Dream Continues: Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo enjoyed a dream week at the Cordoba Open, where he won the title on his ATP Tour debut. The #NextGenATP lefty is in the Buenos Aires draw as a special exempt. He will play fellow Argentine lefty Federico Delbonis in the first round.

4) Garin Gets Going: Chile’s Cristian Garin is the No. 2 seed and he’s looking to jumpstart his season at the Argentina Open. Garin had to miss the Australian Open due to a wrist injury, and will be contesting his second match of the year when he begins his campaign. With Schwartzman also in the draw, Buenos Aires will see both of South America’s top-ranked singles players hit the court this week.

5) Doubles In Buenos Aires: Austin Krajicek and Franko Skugor are the top seeds at this ATP 250 event. Singles star Benoit Paire and Monaco's Romain Arneodo, who reached the Cordoba final, will try to go one step further in Buenos Aires.



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McDonald, Couacaud Halt Three-Year Title Droughts

Forte Challenger 100 (Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan): Two years ago, Mackenzie McDonald was sitting at home, unable to walk. The American had suffered a devastating injury just days prior, when he tore his right proximal hamstring tendon at Roland Garros.

It has been a long road back for the former World No. 57, who needed surgery to repair the tendon and remove fluid from his leg. On Sunday, McDonald took a huge step the right direction, lifting the trophy at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Nur-Sultan. As he continues his quest to return to the Top 100 of the FedEx ATP Rankings, the California native streaked to the title in dominant fashion. It was his third Challenger crown and first since 2018.

Having fallen out of the Top 250 following his injury, which left him unable to walk for months, McDonald is projected to rise to No. 118 on Monday. He turned in a ruthless weekend effort, which saw him drop a combined six games in the semis and final. It was punctuated by a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Jurij Rodionov on Sunday.

"It was a pretty easy win for me," said McDonald. "I felt like he didn't play his best match and I served really well. I was attacking and didn't give him many chances to get into it. It's nice to finish strong like that. I know that all the hard work I'm putting in is showing. I'm going to keep going and try to get more of these."

McDonald

McDonald has taken great strides towards rediscovering his top form in recent months. In September, he battled Rafael Nadal in the second round at Roland Garros and followed that with a quarter-final appearance at the ATP 250 event in Nur-Sultan. Also held at the Kazakhstan National Tennis Center, it is the same venue as this week's Challenger event. And earlier this month, McDonald would earn his biggest win since 2019, stunning World No. 25 Borna Coric en route to the Australian fourth round.

The American contingent is off to a fast start in 2021, with players from the United States boasting a 4-0 record in Challenger finals. McDonald joins #NextGenATP stars Sebastian Korda, Brandon Nakashima and Jenson Brooksby in the winners' circle.

McDonald will next appear at the second of back-to-back Challengers in Nur-Sultan. He opens against Canada's Brayden Schnur, with top seed Soonwoo Kwon also in his quarter of the draw. Emil Ruusuvuori, seeded second, is also competing at the Challenger 125 event.

Couacaud
Enzo Couacaud celebrates the title in Gran Canaria. Photo: MEF Tennis Events/Marta Magni Images

Gran Canaria Challenger 1 (Las Palmas, Spain): Another player ended a three-year title drought on Sunday, as Enzo Couacaud triumphed on the clay of Gran Canaria. The Frenchman battled past Canada's Steven Diez 7-5(5), 7-6(3) in two hours and 32 minutes to lift his second Challenger trophy.

Couacaud, who was born on the island of Mauritius and plays under the French flag, was made to work for the title. After needing three sets to defeat second seed Carlos Taberner in his opening match, he was forced to fight off two match points in Friday's quarter-finals. And on Sunday, he would fight through his longest match of the tournament, avenging a 2020 Roland Garros qualifying defeat to Diez.

"I could have lost in the first round, I was close to losing in the quarters, but I ended up winning the tournament," said Couacaud. "Every match is a battle. This week, it was mine. The last time I won a title, I got injured right after, so I couldn't enjoy it. I will take it day-by-day and see what happens, but this one gives me a lot of confidence for sure."

Couacaud

Couacaud, who previously claimed his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title in Cassis, France, in 2018, is projected to return to the Top 200 of the FedEx ATP Rankings on Monday. The 25-year-old is four years removed from elbow surgery, when doctors told him he'd never play competitive tennis again. Now, he is a Challenger champion once again.

Led by former doubles No. 5 and 2013 Nitto ATP Finals champion David Marrero, Challenger tennis returned to the Canary Islands for the first time since 2009. El Cortijo Club de Campo is hosting back-to-back Challenger tournaments, with Spanish teen Carlos Alcaraz headling next week's event.

ATP Challenger Tour 



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Murray: 'I'm Pumped To Be Competing Again'

The last time Andy Murray competed at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, he was firmly entrenched in the top five of the FedEx ATP Rankings and fighting for titles weekly. Now World No. 121 and continuing his comeback from 2019 hip surgery, Murray is simply happy to be battling on the court.

“I’m pumped to be back competing again. Physically I feel good, which is the most important thing,” Murray said. “Obviously the next most important thing for me is to get matches and to get back to winning again on Tour.”

Murray began his season in February at an ATP Challenger Tour event in Biella, Italy. The Scot was unable to travel to Australia in January because he tested positive for COVID-19. Luckily for Murray, it has been tougher to recover mentally than physically.

“I’d say [it was] more mental to be honest than physical. It obviously affects your tennis a little bit because it came on the end of a long training block,” Murray said. “I’d trained really hard for 10 weeks and was feeling really good and then I wasn’t allowed to do anything. I wasn’t allowed out of the house… that obviously affects the physical side, but also the mental side as well.”

After his long training block, Murray was excited to compete in Australia and test his level. The 33-year-old was confident in how he felt on the court. But not being able to prove it after putting in the hard work was a letdown.

“I’ve missed quite a lot of big tournaments in recent years with injury and stuff and then that happened and I was really, really disappointed,” Murray said. “[It’s] still something that I’m probably getting over a bit from the disappointment and the mental side of things, but physically I feel good.”

Murray will begin his Rotterdam run against a familiar foe in Dutch veteran Robin Haase, whom he leads 4-1 in their ATP Head2Head series. Their first meeting, which Haase won, came in Rotterdam 13 years ago. But Murray isn’t putting much stock in that.

“It was 12 years ago when I won here and 13 years ago since I played Robin, so that to me doesn’t have any baring nowadays on the match-up or how you will perform in the tournament or anything,” Murray said. “A lot has changed since then.”

One thing that has not changed is that Murray enjoys playing at the Rotterdam Ahoy, home of this week’s ATP 500 event.

“I like it a lot here. They’ve changed the whole setup. It’s a shame that the fans aren’t here, but I think they’ve done a great job with the centre court. They’ve made a real effort to try and create an atmosphere, which is difficult just now without the fans,” Murray said. “I think considering the circumstances they’ve done a really nice job for the players and big thanks to everyone involved.”

Murray isn’t overthinking his goals for the year and what results he wants to earn. The former World No. 1 is focussing all his energy on each match and hoping that making steady progress will pay off.

“I want to try and get matches, but I need to just focus on the first one and try and get through that,” Murray said. “I’ve played Robin a few times on Tour, we know each other pretty well. We’ve had some tough matches in big tournaments and he’s a talented guy with a big game. My focus is on that and trying to take each day as it comes just now.

“When you haven’t played loads, you go into these matches and it’s not the same as it was four, five years ago when you were playing five, six matches a week and you were used to that. I haven’t played much and need to build my confidence and get some wins back.”



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World No. 335 Cerundolo, 19, Completes Dream Week With Cordoba Trophy

#NextGenATP Juan Manuel Cerundolo made sure his ATP Tour debut would be one for the ages. The Argentine qualifier completed a dream week on home soil with a 6-0, 2-6, 6-2 stunner over Albert Ramos-Vinolas on Sunday to win the Cordoba Open title. 

Currently sitting at No. 335 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, 19-year-old Cerundolo is the fifth-lowest ranked titlist on the ATP Tour since 1990, and the lowest-ranked since No. 355 Pablo Andujar won Marrakech in 2018.

Coming into this week in Cordoba, Cerundolo had only played 14 matches in the ATP Challenger Tour, where he owned a 7-7 record. He made some Argentine tennis history as he joined older brother Francisco, 22, in the Cordoba main draw for the first time, making them the first siblings from their country to feature at the same tournament since 1981.

But Cerundolo would not be satisfied just being a footnote in the history books, and the teenager just kept winning. He took down two seeded opponents, No. 3 Miomir Kecmanovic and No. 7 Thiago Monteiro, in three sets and defeated good friend Federico Coria en route to the final. 

He was playing like a veteran in the opening set against fifth-seeded Ramos-Vinolas, taking control of the points early in the ATP Tour’s first all-lefty final since July 2019. The Spaniard couldn’t find a way through his rock-solid defence, and Cerundolo reeled off the first six games of the contest to take a head-turning 6-0 lead. 

But then came the inevitable letdown and Ramos-Vinolas, who had created five break chances in the first set, was quick to capitalise. The Spaniard robbed his counterpunching opponent of angles as he began to hit through the middle of the court, and was rewarded with the second set.

With the partisan crowd firmly behind him, the Argentine qualifier dug himself out of a 0-2 deficit  in the final set. Cerundolo settled back into the match, and reeled off the next six games to win the Cordoba title.

Did You Know… Juan Manuel Cerundolo’s victory marks the second time the Cordoba Open has seen a player win his first ATP Tour main draw match and go on to win the same event. Compatriot Juan Ignacio Londero accomplished the feat at the inaugural 2019 edition.



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Matos/Meligeni Rodrigues Alves Claim Cordoba Crown

Brazilian duo Rafael Matos and Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves completed a dream week at the Cordoba Open with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Romain Arneodo and Benoit Paire on Sunday to win their first ATP Tour title.

Matos and Meligeni Rodrigues Alves were making their team debut this week, and they had to overcome major challenges to even reach the Cordoba main draw.

“It was a special week,” Meligeni Rodrigues Alves told ATPTour.com . “We were one out [from the main draw], an alternate, and we got in at the last [minute]. It was a really good experience for us just playing in our first ATP [Tour event] together.

“It means a lot for us. Our first time playing ATP and we won, it’s a really good feeling… I hope we can win more titles together, and even in singles as well.”

They passed their biggest test in the quarter-finals when they edged past top seeds Austin Krajicek and Franko Skugor in a rollercoaster 7-6(6), 5-7, 10-2 battle. The Brazilians marched into their first ATP Tour final, with 25-year-old Matos contesting his third ATP Tour main draw while Meligeni Rodrigues Alves, 23, was in his second.

“I think with every match we were improving,” Meligeni Rodrigues Alves said. “The quarters and the semis were very tough against great players. We were able to play our best tennis in the tough moments, so in the final we knew what to do even though we were a little bit nervous at the beginning.”

They were the more solid team across two sets against Arneodo and Paire, who were reprising their partnership after falling in the opening round of the Australian Open. Meligeni Rodrigues Alves and Matos combined for seven break point chances in the first set and five in the second, successfully keeping Arneodo and Paire under pressure throughout the contest. They served strongly as well, winning 82% of points behind their first delivery, and as a result they didn’t face break point en route to victory in 65 minutes.



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Felix On 2021 Start: 'Nothing Is Always Perfect, But It's Really Close'

Felix Auger-Aliassime got off to a strong start to his season in Australia, where he reached his seventh ATP Tour final at the Murray River Open and made the fourth round of the Australian Open. The #NextGenATP Canadian is looking forward to maintaining his momentum at this week’s ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam.

“I’m feeling good. It was a great start for me,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Nothing is always perfect, but it’s really close to what I was hoping for and what I trained for and what I was expecting from myself.”

The 20-year-old was unable to capture his first ATP Tour title in Melbourne, falling short against Daniel Evans. But Auger-Aliassime looks at the glass as half-full, not half-empty.

“I have to play a good match in one of the next finals I will play. To be honest, it’s not a big worry for me. Seven finals at my age is already great. It’s great for my future,” Auger-Aliassime said. “I’m still building the game that I want to play in future years and the main objective is to play well one day in the Grand Slams and reach finals there and win Grand Slam titles. Along the way I’ll win some finals, I’ll lose some, this is my story and that’s okay.”

One of the championship matches Auger-Aliassime reached came last year in Rotterdam. Then a teen, he defeated 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion Grigor Dimitrov and former World No. 10 Pablo Carreno Busta en route to the final. Arriving in The Netherlands has brought back good memories.

"It’s good vibes here for me. I had great success last year, I played great tennis. I loved the atmosphere of the fans here last year. Unluckily this year it’s different circumstances, but it’s still good to come back to a place where you’ve played well,” said Auger-Aliassime, who will play former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori in the first round. “As a player that’s always a good feeling and then you have your favourite spots on the Tour and Rotterdam is one of mine.”

Auger-Aliassime has worked hard to continue developing his game for the long term. Last off-season, the Canadian spent time in Mallorca at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar, where he learned from Nadal’s uncle, Toni Nadal.

“He helped me last winter and we’re still in contact. He gives me good advice and it was good to have a chance to be on court with him and he would give me instant feedback on my shots and on my movement and how I could play,” Auger-Aliassime said. “[We would] talk about other players, talk about of course his nephew, the experience he had with him. There are a lot of things that I could learn from him and I think his advice just brings me a lot of conviction and confidence in myself."

Before the season, Felix revealed that his goals for 2021 are to crack the Top 10 of the FedEx ATP Rankings and qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals. The #NextGenATP star said Sunday that he is still pursuing those goals, and is happy with his progress.

“I’m [heading] in a good direction,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Things are going well and here I am in Rotterdam now having played well at the start of the year, having played well here last year. I feel good about my chances and I feel good about my game.”



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Dimitrov Hits With Serena: ‘My Practice Partner Is Better Than Yours’

Grigor Dimitrov made a strong start to the season when he reached his sixth Grand Slam quarter-final at the Australian Open, and now he’s enlisted an all-star practice partner to make sure he maintains his momentum.

Dimitrov and former WTA World No. 1 Serena Williams hit the practice court together on Sunday and posted videos of their ‘casual hit’ on social media.

“My practice partner is better than yours,” Dimitrov boasted on Instagram. He added a ‘goat’ emoji to the caption as a reference to the ‘Greatest Of All Time’ across the net.

Dimitrov’s choice of hitting partner would make any player jealous – tennis legends included. There was even a hint of sibling envy from WTA Tour great Venus Williams, who took to social media to inquire why she was left out of the fun.

"Omg are you guys hitting now? Where is my invite??" Venus asked Dimitrov on Instagram. 

It’s not the first time that former World No. 3 Dimitrov has hit the practice court with Serena. Back in 2019, Dimitrov revealed they are regular hitting partners after a practice session at the Australian Open.

“It’s good to have those kinds of hits to be honest. You can always learn a little something from whoever is on the other side of the net,” Dimitrov told press at the time. “We often hit actually, it just happened for everybody to be there that day.”

The Bulgarian will have no shortage of practice partners as he gears up for his next ATP Tour event at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC. Currently No. 17 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, Dimitrov has previously tasted success in Acapulco with a run to the 2014 title and reached the semi-finals last year. 



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First-Time Winner Spotlight: Alexei Popyrin

At the start of the Singapore Tennis Open, Alexei Popyrin had never made it past the quarter-finals of an ATP Tour event. The Aussie had only made the last eight at tour-level once, in Atlanta in 2019. 

But the 21-year-old had a dream week at this ATP 250, where he rallied past fourth seed Alexander Bublik 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 on Sunday for his first ATP Tour title.

ATPTour.com caught up with the World No. 114 after his victory to talk about his week in Singapore and the path he has taken to reach this milestone.

What does it mean to you to win your first ATP Tour title?
It means the world to me. So many people in my life have sacrificed a lot. My family especially has sacrificed so, so much for me to get where I am right now. To have won this tournament, it’s for them and for all the hard work that I’ve done during my whole life, honestly, and especially during this pre-season with my team. We grinded during this pre-season and it’s paying off.

Prior to your run here, you had never made it past the quarter-finals at an ATP Tour event. What do you think was the key to your breakthrough this week?
I think I just took it one match at a time. I didn’t think of getting past the quarter-finals or that it was a big deal of playing the semi-finals. I was focussed on every single match that I had to play. I really didn’t try getting ahead of myself, thinking that I was in the semis, in the finals. Now that I won, I can get a little ahead of myself. But in a couple of days, it’s back to work and playing tournaments again.

You now own an 8-2 record in 2021. How happy are you with your start to the season and what do you think has been the key to your success?
That’s definitely a good record for me, especially with how I ended last year and played last year. To have a start like I’m having this year is definitely showing how much work I put in the pre-season. I keep saying it and I’m going to keep saying it throughout the whole year: I think the work I put in during the pre-season this year was unbelievable. As a team we all worked so, so hard and I’m really happy with the way the season has started.

En route to the final, you won all five tie-breaks you played. What was the key to you finding your best tennis in the most crucial moments throughout this week?
I think the level-headedness that I had, I was always trying to stay positive, stay calm as much as I could because I knew that I would have opportunities and to take those opportunities, you have to be calm. Especially in a tie-break, there are very few opportunities that you get, so when you get that one opportunity, you have to take it, especially when you’re a mini-break down. Even if you’re winning, you have to take those opportunities that you have. I think my level-headedness definitely during those tie-breaks was the best.

Could you take a moment to acknowledge some of the key figures in your life and career who have helped you to reach this milestone?
The key figures in my life definitely have to be my parents. My whole family, honestly. They’ve sacrificed so, so, so much for me. They’ve travelled the world with me. I remember when I was 12 years old with my family, my brother, we were playing Tennis Europe Under 12s, Under 14s. The whole family, we rented a seven-seater and we would go for three, four months just playing tournament after tournament.

My grandma, my little sister, my mom, my dad, my brother, me, we would all be in that car and we would just travel from Italy to Slovakia to Slovenia to Spain to France to all these places, all together in that one car. That’s the sacrifice that everybody has made for me. My parents and my whole family have been the most influential people in my life.

Tell us a little about your passions for basketball and football. When did you start following both sports and how did you end up becoming a fan of the Portland Trail Blazers and Everton?
I’ve been a football fan since I was very, very young, since I was four or five. Tennis and football were the two sports that I played growing up. I remember watching Australia in the 2006 World Cup when Tim Cahill scored all those goals and we got to the Round of 16 and unfortunately against Italy we had a little dive in the penalty box. I still remember that and I’ve been following football my whole life.

I’m an Everton fan because Tim Cahill was playing for Everton at the time. I wanted to find a team to support and he was my favourite player. I told him that myself and it’s great that we’re in touch because he was one of my idols growing up.

Basketball, I got into it when I was around 13. I was watching NBA 2K on YouTube and I liked it and I wanted to play the game, so I started understanding the game a little bit. It’s grown into my third favourite sport to watch. The Portland TrailBlazers, I’m not one of those glory-seekers to find a team that has been winning trophies so easily and have had the best team in the league. I was just trying to find my team and Damian Lillard popped up. He’s become my favourite player and they’ve become my favourite team. I think even if he leaves I’ll still support Portland.

Do you play either sport and, if so, have you played with any players on the ATP Tour?
I do play both sports. I love to play both, but I haven’t played with anybody on the ATP in any of the sports. But I must say, I’ve seen Nick Kyrgios, Gael Monfils and Thanasi Kokkinakis play basketball and they’re probably the best on Tour.

This is a milestone moment in your career. How will you celebrate this victory?
I’ll celebrate by hopping on a flight in three hours and flying back home to see my family. Maybe I’ll upgrade my ticket to business class, but that’s it.



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Goffin Completes Montpellier Comeback, Collects Fifth Title

David Goffin captured his first ATP Tour title in more than three years on Sunday, when rallied from a set down to defeat Roberto Bautista Agut 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 at the Open Sud de France in Montpellier.

The second seed landed 13 aces and broke serve on four occasions to clinch the title after two hours and five minutes. This is Goffin’s first ATP Tour crown since his title run at the 2017 Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo.

“It’s never easy to win tournaments. This is my fifth and every tournament that I’ve won was very special,” said Goffin, in an on-court interview. “I had some opportunities, I’ve had matches [where] I had zero chance to win in the final. Sometimes you take it, sometimes not. I’ve played some finals, but you need to continue, you need to improve your game, you need to fight and I’m happy that it paid off at the end.”

With his fourth straight win against Bautista Agut, Goffin extended his ATP Head2Head series advantage against the Spaniard to 4-2. Goffin entered the ATP 250 on a three-match losing streak, but he rediscovered his best level on the southern French coast and survived three deciding sets en route to the trophy.

Goffin is only the third non-French player to lift the singles trophy in Montpellier. The five-time ATP Tour titlist joins 2012 champion Tomas Berdych and 2017 titlist Alexander Zverev in the exclusive club. Eight of the previous 10 editions of the ATP 250 singles event were won by French players.

Bautista Agut dictated rallies with his forehand and rushed Goffin into errors to take the first set in 49 minutes, but the Belgian responded immediately and turned the match in his favour. Goffin moved up the court well and fired consecutive backhand winners up the line to earn a love service break at the start of the second set. The 2017 Nitto ATP Finals runner-up maintained his advantage with strong serving and forced a decider with a love service hold.

Goffin carried the momentum into the third set and he capitalised on forehand errors from his opponent to break serve. The 30-year-old continued to drive his backhand up the line and closed the net well to double his advantage. Goffin converted his first championship point when Bautista Agut failed to control a powerful backhand down the line.

“A final is always different. You have to just go for it,” said Goffin. “You’ve already [had] a good week and you’re playing the final. It’s the last match of the week, so you have to give everything to try to win the trophy. Otherwise, it’s tough to win a tournament. I did it, I raised my level and I’m really happy at the end because it was a tough moment. [I had] tough weeks last season and I’m happy that I’m back with a level like this.”

Bautista Agut was attempting to capture his 10th tour-level trophy. The 32-year-old, who owns a 9-8 record in ATP Tour championship matches, did not drop a set en route to the final.

“He played really well the whole week and I always know against Roberto that he’s a very tough opponent,” said Goffin. “[He’s] one of the biggest fighters and one of the best players in the world, so it’s always tough. Especially in the final, I had to play my best tennis and I think it was the case… I started to play well from the start of the second [set] and I had to give everything. That was my only chance today.”



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Kontinen/Roger-Vasselin Triumph In Montpellier

Henri Kontinen and Edouard Roger-Vasselin lifted their second tour-level title as a team on Sunday, following a 6-2, 7-5 victory against Jonathan Erlich and Andrei Vasilevski in the Open Sud de France final.

The top seeds saved all seven break points they faced to beat Erlich and Vasilevski in 66 minutes. Kontinen and Roger-Vasselin doubled their ATP Tour team title count, following their success at the 2019 Stockholm Open.

“We are very happy to win this tournament this week,” said Roger-Vasselin. “We were better and better in each match. That is a good point. Now we are looking forward to the rest of the season.”

Kontinen and Roger-Vasselin dropped just one set en route to the ATP 250 title. In the first round, the Finnish-French duo rallied from a set down to overcome Hubert Hurkacz and Szymon Walkow 6-7(5), 6-2, 10-8.

Roger-Vasselin is the first player to win three doubles titles at this event. The 37-year-old previously triumphed in Montpellier alongside Nicolas Mahut in 2012 and Ivan Dodig in 2019.

Erlich and Vasilevski were attempting to clinch their first ATP Tour doubles trophy as a partnership in their second final. Last year’s Pune finalists beat fourth seeds Divij Sharan and Igor Zelenay en route to the championship match.

“We are pretty pleased with the week,” said Erlich. “We had three great victories with great energy. Making the final is a great achievement for us. Unfortunately, today we played against a top class team… It was exciting to be in a final again after a tough year. We keep going. [This week] gave me a lot of energy and enthusiasm to keep going for the rest of this year. Hopefully we will [play] a few more finals.”

Kontinen and Roger-Vasselin receive 250 FedEx ATP Doubles Ranking points and share $7,550 in prize money. Erlich and Vasilevski collect 150 points and split $5,530.

Did You Know?
Kontinen has an 80 per cent success rate in tour-level doubles finals. The 30-year-old holds a 24-6 record in tour-level championship matches.



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Popyrin Serves Up Maiden Title In Singapore

Alexei Popyrin completed a dream week at the Singapore Tennis Open on Sunday, as he rallied from a set down to defeat Alexander Bublik 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 and claim his maiden ATP Tour title.

The unseeded Aussie produced a dominant serving performance to overcome the fourth seed in 84 minutes. Popyrin dropped just six points behind his serve (46/52) and won seven consecutive service games to love from 3-5 in the first set.

Prior to this week, Popyrin had never advanced beyond the quarter-finals at an ATP Tour event. When the latest FedEx ATP Rankings are released on Monday, the 21-year-old will rise to a new career-high.

Popyrin’s victory against Bublik was his second win against seeded opposition this week. In the semi-finals, the Aussie claimed a 7-6(5), 7-6(2) victory against third seed Marin Cilic. Throughout the week, Popyrin played well in pressure moments and won all five tie-break sets he contested.

Bublik was also attempting to lift his first ATP Tour trophy. The Kazakhstani was competing in his second final of the year after retiring from last month’s Antalya Open championship match with a right ankle injury. Bublik also reached finals in Newport and Chengdu in 2019.

Popyrin received 250 FedEx ATP Rankings points and $24,770 in prize money. Bublik collected 150 points and $18,310.

Did You Know?
Popyrin is the second first-time ATP Tour titlist of 2021. Earlier this month, Daniel Evans claimed his maiden tour-level trophy at the Murray River Open.



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Gille/Vliegen Clinch Singapore Title

Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen extended their unbeaten record in ATP Tour finals on Sunday with a 6-2, 6-3 victory against Matthew Ebden and John-Patrick Smith at the Singapore Tennis Open.

The Belgians converted four of their five break points to improve to 5-0 in tour-level championship matches after 66 minutes. Gille and Vliegen entered the tournament with a 1-2 record this season, but they produced their best tennis in Singapore to win all four of their matches at the ATP 250 in straight sets.

“It is going really well in the finals,” said Gille. “We had been talking about [our record]… We have got our fifth title now and it is giving us a lot of confidence as well. It had been going well in the past and we were full of confidence this week. We just carried that through to today and we are very happy and satisfied with our level and the title.”

“We started the year in Australia and had a good feeling. It didn’t really work out for us… [It is] a really big motivation boost for us, winning the title here… We played really well all week and we are very happy to finish it off with a win,” said Vliegen.

Ebden and Smith were attempting to capture their first team title. The Aussie pair owns an 8-3 record this season, following runs to the Great Ocean Road Open semi-finals and the Australian Open quarter-finals.

Gille and Vliegen receive 250 FedEx ATP Doubles Ranking points and split $8,630 in prize money. Ebden and Smith gain 150 points and share $6,330.



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Saturday 27 February 2021

Cerundolo, 19, Reaches Cordoba Final In ATP Tour Debut

Argentine qualifier Juan Manuel Cerundolo had never played an ATP Tour main draw match before this week at the Cordoba Open. Now, the 19-year-old is one victory away from lifting his first trophy on home soil after defeating Federico Coria 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. 

“Honestly, I still can’t believe what is happening,” Cerundolo said in an on-court interview. “It was a really tough match, I was playing very solid in the first set but he started to come back and then anything could happen. After the second set, I did well to recover mentally and withstand him.”

Cerundolo and Coria were both in uncharted waters on Saturday as they each contested their first ATP Tour semi-final. But their roads to get to that point couldn’t be more different: 28-year-old Coria was making a late-career breakthrough, while young Cerundolo was in the midst of the best week of his career after making his ATP Tour main draw debut. In fact, Cerundolo had only played 14 matches in the ATP Challenger Tour and owned a 7-7 record coming into Cordoba.

But the 19-year-old looked more like the veteran on Cancha Central, doing damage with his lefty forehand as he redirected Coria’s power back at his countryman. Cerundolo finished the match with 30 winners against Coria’s 19 as he sealed the victory after two hours and 10 minutes.

[WATCH LIVE 1]

“I would describe myself… as a defensive counter puncher,” Cerundolo said. “I like to hit with the other guy’s power. When you face powerful opponents like Fede [Coria], you have to go after them a little bit or else things can get complicated.”

The victory made Cerundolo the youngest Argentine to reach an ATP Tour final since Jose Acasuso, 18, at 2001 Buenos Aires. At that tournament, Acasuso was coached by Alejandro Cerundolo, Juan Manuel’s father.

Cerundolo awaits the winner of fifth seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas and fellow Argentine qualifier Facundo Bagnis for a shot at the title. 



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Ebden/Smith To Face Top Seeds For Singapore Doubles Crown

Fourth seeds Matthew Ebden and John-Patrick Smith charged into their first ATP Tour final as a team at the Singapore Tennis Open after defeating Luis David Martinez and David Vega Hernandez 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday.

The Aussie duo has been in form since joining forces at the start of the season. Ebden and Smith enjoyed a strong showing on home soil and reached back-to-back quarter-finals in their first two tournaments, the Great Ocean Road Open and Australian Open.

They’ve kept up the high level in Singapore, dropping only one set en route to the final. Ebden and Smith needed an hour and 15 minutes to end Martinez’s and Vega Hernandez’s run inside Centre Court. The Venezuelan-Spanish team toppled No. 2 seeds Rohan Bopanna and Ben McLachlan in the opening match, but they couldn’t keep up with Ebden and Smith in the semi-final.

Ebden and Smith created six break opportunities across two sets, converting on three occasions. The Aussies needed just one break to claim the opening set, but found themselves having to fight back from 0-3 down in the second. Ebden and Smith responded by combining for four aces and winning the last five games of the match to seal their spot in the final.

[WATCH LIVE 3]

The fourth seeds will face the Belgians Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen for the Singapore doubles crown. Gille and Vliegen, the top seeds, are closing in on their fifth ATP Tour title together and booked their spot in the final with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over No. 3 seeds Luke Bambridge and Dominic Inglot on Friday.



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Goffin Claims Maiden Montpellier Final Spot

David Goffin made a personal breakthrough at the Open Sud de France on Saturday, as he reached his first final at the ATP 250 with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory against Egor Gerasimov.

The Belgian won 86 per cent of first-serve points in the third set (12/14) to advance to his first final since the 2019 Western & Southern Open. Goffin was appearing in his third semi-final in Montpellier, after falling at the final-four stage in 2018 and 2020.

[WATCH LIVE 2]

The World No. 15 has levelled his ATP Head2Head series against Gerasimov at 1-1. Goffin lost his only previous meeting against the Belarusian at last year’s Open 13 Provence in Marseille.

Gerasimov was attempting to reach his second ATP Tour championship match. Last year’s Pune runner-up defeated former World No. 1 Andy Murray en route to the semi-finals in Montpellier.

Goffin will face Roberto Bautista Agut or Peter Gojowczyk in Sunday’s final. The second seed owns a 3-2 lead in his ATP Head2Head rivalry against Bautista Agut and won his only previous tour-level match against Gojowczyk at the 2017 Swiss Indoors Basel.



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Cagliari Added To ATP Tour Calendar

The ATP Board has approved a single-year license for the Sardegna Open in Cagliari in the week of April 5, the first week of the European clay-court swing. ATP Tour players will now have two opportunities to play in Europe in the week before the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, following an announcement earlier this year of a single-year license awarded to the AnyTech365 Andalucia Open in Spain.

The Cagliari event adds to the depth of tournaments held in Italy, which also includes the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, the traditional ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Rome, the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan and, for the first year, the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.

"The addition of this ATP 250 tournament to the already very rich programme of major international events in Italy reflects the confidence in the country’s organisational skills we enjoy around the world,” said the President of the Italian Tennis Federation, Angelo Binaghi. "When the ATP invited us to present our candidacy to organise an ATP 250 in that week we did not hesitate to do so. It’s also a great opportunity to promote the appeal of the Sardinia region as a tourist destination during difficult times.”

The tournament will take place at the Cagliari Tennis Club and will be broadcast live exclusively by the federal TV channel SuperTennis.



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Bublik Books Popyrin Singapore Final Clash

Alexander Bublik continued his impressive start to 2021 on Saturday, as he defeated Radu Albot 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 at the Singapore Tennis Open.

Bublik claimed 87 per cent of his service points in the decider (20/23) and struck 12 aces to reach his second final of the year. The Kazakhstani, who retired from last month’s Antalya Open final with a right ankle injury, now owns a 9-3 record in 2021.

After dropping the first set in under 30 minutes, Bublik claimed early breaks in the second and third sets by taking time away from his opponent with powerful returns and regular net approaches. The fourth seed grew in confidence throughout the match on serve and reached his fourth ATP Tour final (0-3) after 90 minutes. 

[WATCH LIVE 3]

Bublik’s victory guarantees a first-time ATP Tour titlist in Singapore. Earlier in the day, Australia’s Alexei Popyrin upset 18-time tour-level titlist Marin Cilic 7-6(5), 7-6(2) to reach his maiden ATP Tour championship match.

Competing in his maiden tour-level semi-final, the 21-year-old rallied from 1-4 down in the first set and held his nerve in two tie-breaks to eliminate the former World No. 3 in just under two hours. Popyrin landed 15 aces en route to his seventh win in nine matches this season.

“It feels amazing [to be in my first ATP Tour final]. I have sacrificed a lot,” said Popyrin. “I have worked so hard my whole life to be in an ATP Tour final and now I am finally in one. It feels amazing. All the sacrifices that me and my family have [made are] finally paying off.”

Alexei Popyrin will face Alexander Bublik for the Singapore Tennis Open title on Sunday.

Cilic was attempting to move one win away from his 19th tour-level trophy. The 2014 US Open champion owns eight ATP Tour crowns on indoor hard courts.

Bublik and Popyrin will meet for the first time at tour-level in Sunday’s final. In their only previous meeting on the ATP Challenger Tour in 2018, Popyrin rallied from a set down to defeat Bublik 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in Astana.



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Friday 26 February 2021

Schwartzman & Garin Lead Buenos Aires Action; All You Need To Know

Born in Buenos Aires and named after football legend Diego Maradona, Diego Schwartzman is about as Argentine as they come. The former World No. 8 will hope that home court advantage will help him take a sip from the Argentina Open trophy for the first time. 

Home talent has enjoyed plenty of success in Buenos Aires, winning four editions during 2004-2008, but it’s been 13 years since an Argentine has won since then. With the tournament introducing a new trophy in 2017 in the shape of a mate gourd – a nod to the country’s favourite beverage – fans are more eager than ever for an Argentine champion to toast his victory. 

Schwartzman will be joined by Chile’s Cristian Garin as both of South America’s top-ranked singles players hit the court at the ATP 250 event. Contested on red clay at the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club, known as the "Cathedral of Argentinean tennis", the tournament also features Benoit Paire, Miomir Kecmanovic and Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

Here's all you need to know about Buenos Aires tennis tournament: when is the draw, what is the schedule, where to watch, who has won and more. 

Established: 2001

Tournament Dates: 1-7 March 2021

Tournament Director: Martin Jaite

Draw Ceremony: Saturday, 27 February at 3pm

Are You In? Subscribe To Get Tournament Updates In Your Inbox

Schedule (View On Official Website)
* Qualifying: Saturday 27 February - Monday 1 March; Saturday at 9:30am, Sunday and Monday at 11am
* Main draw: Monday 1 - Sunday 7 March, Monday - Friday at 11am and 6pm (weekend start times TBA)
* Doubles final: Start time TBA
* Singles final: Start time TBA

How To Watch
Watch Live On Tennis TV 
TV Schedule

Venue: Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis
Main Court Seating: 4,800

Prize Money: US $329,550 (Total Financial Commitment: US $411,940) 

View Who Is Playing, Past Champions, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown

Honour Roll (Open Era)
Most Titles, Singles: David Ferrer (3)
Most Titles, Doubles: Horacio Zeballos (4)
Oldest Champion: David Ferrer, 31, in 2014
Youngest Champion: Casper Ruud, 21, in 2020
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 2 Gustavo Kuerten in 2001
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 90 Nicolas Massu in 2002
Most Match Wins: Nicolas Almagro (29) 

2020 Finals
Singles: [8] Casper Ruud (NOR) d [LL] Pedro Sousa (POR) 61 64   Read & Watch
Doubles: [1] Marcel Granollers (ESP) / Horacio Zeballos (ARG) d Guillermo Duran (ARG) / Juan Ignacio Londero 6-4, 5-7, 18-16   Read More 

Social
Hashtag: #ArgOpen2021
Facebook: @ArgentinaOpen
Twitter: @ArgentinaOpen
Instagram: @argentinaopenatp

Did You Know... From Carlos Moya's triumph in 2003 to Rafael Nadal's in 2015, Spaniards and Argentines (David Nalbandian, Juan Monaco, Gaston Gaudio, Guillermo Coria) shared 13 straight titles in Buenos Aires.



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Ramos-Vinolas Takes Revenge On Schwartzman In Cordoba

Fifth-seed Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas broke up the Argentine party at the Cordoba Open as he took down last year’s finalist Diego Schwartzman 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 on Friday.

Schwartzman was looking to become the fourth Argentine to advance and complete a home sweep of the semi-finals. But Ramos-Vinolas didn’t read the script, and won his third three-setter of the week to stun the World No. 9 at home.

It was the perfect revenge for Ramos-Vinolas, who fell at this stage to Schwartzman last year in Cordoba. That result extended the Argentine’s ATP Head2Head lead to 5-0, with Ramos-Vinolas unable to win a set in any of their encounters.

But this time around, Ramos-Vinolas raised his level to overpower Schwartzman and reel off the first four games of the match en route to taking a one-sided opening set. He had to weather a mid-match comeback from Schwartzman, who was drawing from the crowd’s energy as he sported taping on his left knee. 

Ramos-Vinolas needed two hours and 27 minutes to prevail and move into his first ATP Tour semi-final since 2020 Santiago. He will face another Argentine in his next match after qualifier Facundo Bagnis recorded a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Jozef Kovalik. 

Earlier in the day, Cancha Central witnessed back-to-back upsets as two more Argentine players claimed big wins over seeded players to advance in Cordoba. 19-year-old Juan Manuel Cerundolo continued his dream run with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 victory over No. 7 seed Thiago Monteiro to start Friday’s action. 

Sitting at No. 335 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, Cerundolo qualified for his first ATP Tour event to join older brother Francisco in the main draw, becoming the first pair of Argentine siblings to feature at the same tournament since 1981. But Juan Manuel just kept winning, toppling third-seeded Miomir Kecmanovic in the second round before taking down Monteiro to reach the semi-finals.

[WATCH LIVE 1]

“It’s amazing, I can’t believe it,” Cerundolo told ATPTour.com. “I just feel very happy and I want to enjoy this moment… The most important thing is the confidence [from] these matches. Since the qualies, I have a lot of confidence so I think that was the key. I need to stay healthy mentally too because these matches are very hard.” 

Cerundolo is now the youngest Argentine to reach an ATP Tour semi-final since 18-year-old Juan Martin del Potro in Adelaide in 2007.

Federico Coria followed Cerundolo's upset with one of his own as he powered past No. 2 seed Benoit Paire 6-3, 6-2. No. 95 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, Coria broke Paire six times and needed just 72 minutes to move into his first ATP Tour semi-final.

The younger brother of former World No. 3 Guillermo Coria, 28-year-old Federico will be looking to channel his sibling’s famous clay-court prowess and lift his maiden ATP Tour trophy at home. Guillermo himself lifted nine trophies during his career, including one on home soil at the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires in 2004.

In order to achieve the same in Cordoba, Coria will have to end another Cerundolo brother’s run in his next match. Coria defeated Francisco in the second round, and will now face 19-year-old Juan Manuel for a spot in the final.



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Federer Teases Fans Ahead Of Doha Return

It wasn't much, but after a year, fans will take even a fleeting glimpse of Roger Federer.

On Friday, little more than a week out from his return to the ATP Tour, the Swiss legend tweeted a photo of himself from an undisclosed practice court, leaning on the net with a simple message: "The countdown to Doha begins"

Teasing fans just a little, Federer didn't reveal in which city he was practising, nor was he holding a racquet in his hand.

In the first hour after it was posted, Federer's tweet had more than 2,000 retweets, 20,000 likes and a number of creative memes.

"Looking forward to see you King Roger in my country," tweeted Fahad Imran Butt.

"This week better go by quickly," wrote Steven Ross. "So happy to see you again. One lovely pic can change your fan's day," tweeted "hanay".

The 39-year-old, 103-time tournament champion has been sidelined for the past 13 months following two surgeries on his right knee, but will make his long-awaited return 8 March at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha.

His last match was a semi-final loss to Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the 2020 Australian Open.



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Tsitsipas & Wawrinka On Rotterdam QF Collision Course

The last time that World No. 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas and three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka clashed, they produced an epic and entertaining battle that went down to the wire. Now, they’re on track for another showdown at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament.

Four of the Top 10 players in the FedEx ATP Rankings, led by World No. 3 Daniil Medvedev, are heading to Rotterdam for the first ATP 500 tournament of the season. There are several mouthwatering first-round matches to watch – not to mention the blockbuster action in store should the seeds win through.

Headlining a stacked bottom half of the draw, Tsitsipas and Wawrinka are on a quarter-final collision course. The pair contested one of the best matches of the 2019 season at Roland Garros, with Wawrinka coming away the victor after more than five hours, 7-6(6), 5-7, 6-4, 3-6, 8-6. But the eighth-seeded Swiss will have to overcome a major test right out of the gate as he drew one of the toughest first-round opponents: an unseeded Karen Khachanov.

Former World No. 1 Andy Murray has also landed in the bottom half of the draw. The 2009 champion returned to Rotterdam with a wild card, and will begin his campaign against Robin Haase. The winner would have to get through No. 4 seed Andrey Rublev in the second round. Rublev will face a qualifier, and could take on No. 6 seed David Goffin in the quarter-finals. 

Top seed Medvedev starts his own campaign against Dusan Lajovic as he seeks his first title in Rotterdam. But a trophy would just be the icing on the cake for the Russian, who is looking to overtake Rafael Nadal and rise to the No. 2 spot in the FedEx ATP Rankings for the first time.

Medvedev only has to make the final to become the first player outside the Big Four — Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray — to hold a top two spot since Lleyton Hewitt was World No. 2 back in 2005. 

But he could face a stern test in the quarter-finals in the form of seventh seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, should the Canadian get past former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori in his own first-round battle. An Australian will await the winner in the second round, either John Millman or Alex de Minaur. Third seed Alexander Zverev and fifth seed Roberto Bautista Agut have also landed in Medvedev’s half of the draw. 

Did You Know...  The Rotterdam honour roll includes Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, Roger Federer and Andy Murray.



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Medvedev Learns Road To World No. 2, Ending Big Four's Streak

When the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament draw came out Friday, Daniil Medvedev learned his path to becoming the No. 2 player in the FedEx ATP Rankings for the first time.

If the Russian reaches the final in Rotterdam, he will become the first player outside the Big Four — Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray — to hold a top two spot since Lleyton Hewitt was World No. 2 the week of 18 July 2005. Nadal passed the Aussie the following week and the quartet has not looked back since.

Medvedev will begin his run against Dusan Lajovic, and may face Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarter-finals, prior to meeting Alexander Zverev or Roberto Bautista Agut in the semi-finals with World No. 2 on the line.

If Medvedev makes the championship match at this ATP 500, he will add 300 FedEx ATP Ranking points, which would replace the 90 points the 25-year-old earned in Vienna last year. The net gain of 210 points would propel the Russian ahead of Nadal, who currently leads him by 115 points.

FedEx ATP Rankings - 22 February 2021

 Player  Points
 1. Novak Djokovic  12,030
 2. Rafael Nadal  9,850
 3. Daniil Medvedev  9,735

Medvedev has been playing the best tennis of his career. The World No. 3 has won 20 of his past 21 matches, with his only loss coming against nine-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic, the World No. 1, in the championship match at Melbourne Park. Twelve of Medvedev’s victories during that stretch came against Top 10 opponents.

The reigning Nitto ATP Finals champions owns a 5-3 record in Rotterdam. Medvedev’s best result at the ATP 500 came in 2019, when he reached the semi-finals before losing against Gael Monfils in three sets.

Did You Know?
The last time someone outside the Big Four held a top two spot in the FedEx ATP Rankings, Medvedev was only nine years old.



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Goffin Closing In On Montpellier Final

David Goffin is one step away from reaching his 14th ATP Tour final after beating Lorenzo Sonego of Italy 6-4, 6-4 in 87 minutes on Friday at the Open Sud de France.

The second-seeded Belgian, who reached last month's Antalya Open semi-finals (l. to De Minaur) and entered the ATP 250 event on a two-match losing streak, will next challenge Belarus’ Egor Gerasimov.

Gerasimov, who beat Goffin 6-4, 7-6(5) at the 2020 Open 13 Provence in their only previous ATP Head2Head meeting, knocked out Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 in two hours and 28 minutes. The 28-year-old Gerasimov struck 16 aces for a place in his third tour-level semi-final.

[WATCH LIVE 2]

Later today, top-seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut takes on sixth seed Ugo Humbert of France, while Austria's Ugo Humbert meets qualifier Peter Gojowczyk of Germany.



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Lacoste Brings Elegance & Performance To New Racquet Line

The iconic French champion Rene Lacoste was also the inventor of both the polo shirt and the modern metal tennis racquet.

So it’s only fitting that after revolutionising the world of tennis apparel and footwear, his namesake brand would set out to conquer the tennis racquet game as well with the launch of the new Lacoste L20 racquet.

Inspired by Lacoste’s innovative spirit and engineered by Tecnifibre, the new L20 features the familiar alligator logo and brings the brand’s signature mix of lifestyle elegance and performance to the tennis court – but now in a tennis racquet as well as head-to-toe apparel.

Made for experienced club players as well as dedicated beginners, the L20 and its lighter companion the L20L are more than just a stylish accessory. The lightweight racquet delivers on both speed and spin-friendly precision for a user-friendly hitting experience.

The L20 also features an updated version of the famous dampening system developed by Rene Lacoste himself, maximizing comfort on every stroke and serve. The innovative string pattern has denser spacing in the center for control, and wider spacing at the edges for a more forgiving response.

Engineered by Tecnifibre and infused with Lacoste’s trailblazing DNA, the L20 and L20L strike the perfect balance between competition and leisure – another game-changing combination from a brand that has made its legacy out of changing the game.

Buy the L20 and the L20L at Tennis Warehouse.

Lacoste in an official supplier of the ATP Tour.



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Gille/Vliegen Sweep Into Singapore Doubles Final

Belgians Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen advanced to their sixth ATP Tour doubles team final (4-1 record) on Friday at the Singapore Tennis Open. The top seeds knocked out third-seeded Britons Luke Bambridge and Dominic Inglot 6-4, 6-4.

Gilles and Vliegen, who captured the Astana Open crown (d. Purcell/Saville) in November last year, have yet to drop a set in three matches at the ATP 250 event this week.

Matthew Ebden, who lost to Alexei Popyrin in the singles quarter-finals on Friday, returned to the court to join forces with fellow Australian John-Patrick Smith to beat Americans Robert Galloway and Alex Lawson 6-4, 3-6, 10-5 for a place in the semi-finals.

Ebden and Smith play Luis David Martinez and David Vega Hernandez on Saturday.



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Rafael Nadal injury: Daniil Medvedev has Rotterdam Open shot to end Novak Djokovic duopoly



Rafael Nadal could lose his No 2 spot in the ATP rankings to Daniil Medvedev at the Rotterdam Open.

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Albot Moves Into Singapore Semi-finals

Radu Albot booked a place in his first ATP Tour semi-final for 19 months on Friday after he beat top-seeded Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 35 minutes at the Singapore Tennis Open.

Albot, who last reached a semi-final in August 2019 at the Abierto de Tenis Mifel presentado por Cinemex in Los Cabos (l. to Fritz), led 5-1 in the second set before Mannarino staged a comeback. He’ll next play fourth-seeded Kazakhstani Alexander Bublik or fifth seed Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan on Saturday.

The 31-year-old Albot, who beat World No. 13 Roberto Bautista Agut en route to the Australian Open third round (l. to Ruud) earlier this month, saved three match points against Yannick Hanfmann of Germany in the Singapore second round on Thursday.

[WATCH LIVE 3]

Alexei Popyrin advanced to his first ATP Tour semi-final by knocking out fellow Australian Matthew Ebden 6-4, 7-6(7) in 85 minutes. Popyrin, who hit 14 aces, saved two set points at 4/6 in the second set tie-break and closed out on his second match point. He awaits the winner of third-seeded Croatian Marin Cilic and eighth seed Soowoo Kwon of South Korea.



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Thursday 25 February 2021

Medvedev, Tsitsipas Lead Packed Field In Rotterdam; All You Need To Know

Four Top 10 players will hit the courts at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, the first ATP 500 event of the 2021 season.

Reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion Daniil Medevev and World No. 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas will headline the action. Both players are searching for their first Rotterdam crown at the 47th edition of the historic ATP Tour event, and the chance to add their names alongside past champions’ including Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and Roger Federer. Medvedev will make his fourth consecutive appearance at the tournament.

Fellow Top 10 players Tsitsipas, wild card Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev will also join the fray in a stacked Rotterdam field that also features 2015 winner Stan Wawrinka. Andy Murray, the former World No. 1 and 2009 champion, returns with a wild card.

Other players to watch include #NextGenATP Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, Belgian David Goffin and Russian Karen Khachanov.

Here's all you need to know about Rotterdam tennis tournament: when is the draw, what is the schedule, where to watch, who has won and more.

Established: 1974

Tournament Dates: 1-7 March 2021

Tournament Director: Richard Krajicek

Draw Ceremony: Friday, 26 February 2021, time TBA

Are You In? Subscribe To Get Tournament Updates In Your Inbox

Schedule (View On Official Website)
* Qualifying: Begins Saturday at 11am
* Main draw: Monday - Friday at 11:00am and 7:30pm, Saturday at 1:00pm and 7:30pm
* Doubles final: Sunday, 7 March at 1pm
* Singles final: Sunday, 7 March at 3:30pm

How To Watch
Watch Live On Tennis TV
TV Schedule

Venue: Rotterdam Ahoy
Surface: Indoor Hard

Prize Money: € 980,580 (Total Financial Commitment: € 1,117,900)

Tickets On Sale: Buy Now

View Who Is Playing, Past Champions, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown

Honour Roll (Open Era)
Most Titles, Singles: Roger Federer (3)
Most Titles, Doubles: Anders Jarryd, Nenad Zimonjic, Nicolas Mahut (4) 
Oldest Champion: Roger Federer, 36, in 2018
Youngest Champion: Miloslav Mecir Sr., 20, in 1985
Highest-Ranked Champion (since 1990): No. 1 Jimmy Connors in 1978 and Roger Federer in 2005
Lowest-Ranked Champion (since 1990): No. 156 Anders Jarryd in 1993
Most Match Wins: Roger Federer (28)

2020 Finals
Singles: [3] Gael Monfils (FRA) d. Felix Auger-Aliassime (SUI) 6-2, 6-4  Read & Watch
Doubles: [2] Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) / Nicolas Mahut (FRA) d. [Q] Henri Kontinen (FIN) / Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 7-6(5), 4-6, 10-7  Read More

Social
Hashtag: #abnamrowtt
Facebook: @ABNAMROWTT
Twitter: @abnamrowtt
Instagram: @abnamrowtt

Did You Know...  The Rotterdam honour roll includes Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, Roger Federer and Andy Murray.



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