Rafael Nadal confirms arrival at Australian Open in huge boost for tournament

RAFAEL NADAL had previously had his January plans thrust into chaos by a positive Covid test, but it appears not to have affected his trip Down Under.

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Medvedev Thriving Under Pressure As Russia Aims To Defend ATP Cup Title

Daniil Medvedev says he is enjoying the good feeling that currently surrounds Russian tennis, as he leads his nation into the 2022 ATP Cup.

“Last year was amazing for Russian tennis in general…and I think that's what can, again, help us a lot this week because everybody is expecting us to do well. I mean, usually, you know, I like this kind of pressure. It makes you play better.”

The World No. 2, who holds an impressive 8-1 record in ATP Cup singles, spoke positively at Russia’s pre-tournament press conference, while acknowledging the challenge that lies ahead in Sydney.

“It's never easy to start the season. Out of three matches only one team comes out of the group, so you need to win as many matches as possible. Ask yourself as few questions as possible, just try to win matches.”

Team Russia received a late boost with the appointment of Gilles Cervara as team captain, who described it as “a great honour and experience for me to be the captain of the team.” They start its Group B campaign against Cervara’s native France on Sunday, before ties against home favourites Australia and Matteo Berrettini-led Italy.

On the playing roster, the late withdrawals of Andrey Rublev, Aslan Karatsev and Evgeny Donskoy have dealt a blow to Russia’s title defence, but this has been countered with the call up of Roman Safiullin (World No. 167) and Evgeny Karlovskiy (World No. 269).

Safiullin in particular has fond memories of playing Down Under, winning the Australian Open Junior Crown in 2015: “For myself I'm not expecting anything. I just will do the best I can do here and at Australian Open quallies.”

Safiullin is no stranger to Medvedev either, who spoke of his past meetings with his new teammate: “He was super tough to beat in juniors. I don't think we’ve ever played as professionals, but when I knew that Roman was in my draw in juniors, I was shaking. We played a lot of finals, semi-finals, a lot of matches, some were like three-hour, three-set matches. A lot of fun.”

The team will be hoping this familiarity pays off on the doubles court, with lead player Medvedev ready to step into a deciding rubber, should he be called upon. “I practiced two times with Roman these last few days. We actually played quite well, trying to talk our way through. Of course, it's never easy. I think what is good that we are going to have three opportunities.

“I feel a lot of confidence coming into this year, and I am going to play really strong guys already in the group stage. I just want to try to win my match and get the point for the team.”

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Stefanos Tsitsipas' blunt verdict on Novak Djokovic missing ATP Cup - 'Rules are rules'

Stefanos Tsitsipas will be in Sydney this week to represent Greece in the ATP Cup.

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Casper Ruud: Mr. 'Fjordhand' Loves The Midnight Sun

Casper Ruud will make his second ATP Cup appearance this week as he leads Norway at the 16-team event in Sydney.

The 23-year-old, who earned wins against John Isner and Fabio Fognini on his tournament debut in 2020, arrives in Australia following a standout 2021 season, in which he won five tour-level titles.

Ahead of his opening Group A match against Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic, Ruud spoke to ATPTour.com about team dynamics, his earliest tennis memories and more.

If you could take one shot from any member of your team and add it to your game what would it be?
I think our number two player Viktor [Durasovic] has a very good return of serve, so when we practise, it always amazes me how well he can return the ball. I feel I can serve well but he just slaps them back, so that is one shot I envy him for.

Who on the team would most likely be late for practice or a team dinner?
It is a very easy answer, it is Lukas [Hellum-Lilleengen]. He is always late; we tell him but he never learns.

What countryman inspired you when you were younger to get into tennis?
I think my father is an obvious choice. But I never got to watch him on Tour because I was too young and he retired too early for me to have any memories of him on Tour.

When I grew up it was mostly winter sports athletes that were dominating a little bit in the sports world in Norway. We have an alpine skier, who I didn’t look up to with my tennis, but as a good athlete and nice person. His name is Aksel Lund Svindal. He just retired a couple of years ago and I have met him and played tennis with him and he is a really nice guy. He shows a little bit of what Norway is about with his attitude and aura is very nice.

Tell me about your first tennis club in Norway?
My first tennis club was a nice one. Quite a small one a little bit outside Oslo where I grew up. It is close to the sea, so it can get windy at times and I think that experience helps me to this day dealing with the wind. We had five outdoor clay courts and five indoor hard courts.

I played inside the bubble, which was quite cold in the winter because sometimes the heating pump didn’t work, so it was quite cold some days. I don’t miss those practices.

It was easier in the summer because we had more courts. But indoors it was three courts inside this bubble and it was freezing. You had this big echo, which was a good thing because you feel like you hit the ball so hard. Even when I was young I got that echo going.

Three things you love about Norway?
It is my home; it is where I grew up. The people are nice and the food is great. We are a small country of only five million people, so it is nice where I grew up that everyone knows each other. It is calm. I enjoy living in a country that has four seasons: winter, spring, summer and fall.

I always recommend people to come in the summer because it is beautiful when you can go to the coast and you go to the fjords and also up north you have the midnight sun when the sun never goes down. It is about to go down and then changes and comes up again, so you never have complete dark in the north, so that is quite fun to experience.

On the fjords and west coast of Norway, I have never been able to go myself. But I need to do it at some time, it is just tennis has been everything since I was young and I never had the time. After my career, I will probably go on more trips in my country.

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Five Things That Matter On ATP Cup Day 1

The 2022 ATP Tour season is about to begin. Across nine days and 27 ties, 16 countries will battle to become ATP Cup champion. Will Italy go one step further than last year and lift the trophy? Or will one of the remaining 15 nations take the title?

Here are the five things that matter most ahead of Day 1 at the 2022 ATP Cup.

Top 10 Stars Meet
Greece and Poland will clash during the night session on Qudos Bank Arena and the captains – Apostolos Tsitsipas and Marcin Matkowski – realise the importance of the Group D tie. Tsitsipas admitted, “I think Poland has a good team, and we have also a good team and we are ready for that.” Matkowski said, “It's a tough task to play against Greece, but I think our team is much better than we were two years ago. We are more experienced, and all the guys are looking forward to the match. It won't be easy, but we are confident if we are playing our best we can win this one.”

The standout clash on Saturday will see World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas take on No. 9-ranked Hubert Hurkacz in the No, 1 singles match. While Tsitsipas leads 6-2 in their ATP Head2Head, Hurkacz snapped a three-match losing streak against the Greek with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 quarter-final victory en route to the Miami Open presented by Itau crown in April 2021.

Ruud’s Rapid Rise
At the inaugural ATP Cup in January 2020, Casper Ruud showcased his growing potential with singles wins over Fabio Fognini and John Isner, prior to a hard-fought loss to Daniil Medvedev. “We were underdogs in every match we played,” said Ruud on Thursday. “I was able to get two good wins in Perth, which was kind of the beginning of a good year for me. [It was] definitely a lot of fun.”

It was the beginning of his rise from No. 54 in the ATP Rankings to his current high of No. 8, achieved in October last year, when Ruud recorded a career-best 57 match wins and won five ATP Tour titles. In Sydney on Saturday, Norway opens its Group A campaign against defending champion Serbia with 23-year-old Ruud looking to extend his perfect 2-0 record against Dusan Lajovic.

Spain Looks For Early Momentum
Roberto Bautista Agut and Pablo Carreno Busta are both competing at the ATP Cup for the third straight year and are keen to go one step better than in 2020, when both players helped Spain reach the ATP Cup final. Last year, the team reached the semi-finals and Bautista Agut, who has a 7-2 record in singles matches in the tournament, realises the importance of getting off to a good start on Saturday against Chile in Group A. “I think we have to be very focused in our three points,” Bautista Agut said. “I feel I [am] practising well [and] I did a great job at home. I think I can play a good ATP Cup. I think we have a very complete team. We are all good players.”

Carreno Busta, who made his ATP Cup singles debut last year, opens singles play against Alejandro Tabilo of Chile. World No. 19 Bautista Agut will then face No. 17-ranked Cristian Garin, hoping to replicate his 7-5(5), 6-3 victory in May 2021 at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome.

Schwartzman Motivation
Diego Schwartzman leads Argentina for the third straight year and will be hoping to improve upon his 2-3 record at the ATP Cup when he meets Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia in the No. 1singles in the Group D clash. Federico Delbonis will make his tournament debut against Aleksandre Metreveli in the first match.

With two singles and a doubles making up each tie, it may go down to the wire. At the inaugural ATP Cup, 14 ties were decided by doubles matches and last year seven of the 15 ties resulted in nail-biting victories. While team captains are able to change their doubles line ups, Argentina could field 38-year-old Maximo Gonzalez – a winner of 11 ATP Tour doubles titles – and eight-time team titlist Andres Molteni for a potential deciding match.

Two Sydney Venues
This year, ATP Cup matches will be played out across two venues in Sydney. The Ken Rosewall Arena, named after the great Australian player, is the main 10,500-seater stadium at the Sydney Olympic Tennis Park Centre. While the Qudos Bank Arena, with a capacity for more than 21,000 spectators, is a 15-minute walk away at Sydney Olympic Park, developed for the 2000 Olympic Games. Both arenas will play host to 12 group ties across the first six days, before the semi-finals and final on Ken Rosewall Arena over the final three days.

SCHEDULE – SATURDAY, 1 JANUARY 2022

KEN ROSEWALL ARENA start 10:00 am
Group A - Chile v Spain, Day Session
A. Tabilo (CHI) vs P. Carreno Busta (ESP)
C. Garin (CHI) vs R. Bautista Agut (ESP)
Subject to change - T. Barrios Vera (CHI) / A. Tabilo (CHI) vs A. Davidovich Fokina (ESP) / P. Martinez (ESP)

 

Start 5:30 pm
Group A - Serbia v Norway, Night Session
F. Krajinovic (SRB) vs V. Durasovic (NOR)
Not Before 7:00 pm
D. Lajovic (SRB) vs C. Ruud (NOR)
Subject to change - N. Cacic (SRB) / M. Sabanov (SRB) vs V. Durasovic (NOR) / C. Ruud (NOR)

QUDOS BANK ARENA start 10:00 am
Group D - Argentina v Georgia, Day Session
F. Delbonis (ARG) vs A. Metreveli (GEO)
D. Schwartzman (ARG) vs N. Basilashvili (GEO)
Subject to change - M. Gonzalez (ARG) / A. Molteni (ARG) vs A. Bakshi (GEO) / A. Metreveli (GEO)

Start 5:30 pm
Group D - Greece v Poland, Night Session
M. Pervolarakis (GRE) vs K. Majchrzak (POL)
Not Before 7:00 pm
S. Tsitsipas (GRE) vs H. Hurkacz (POL)
Subject to change - M. Pervolarakis (GRE) / S. Tsitsipas (GRE) vs S. Walkow (POL) / J. Zielinski (POL)

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Andy Murray explains why Australian Open 'amazes' him ahead of tournament

ANDY MURRAY is making a long-awaited return to the Australian Open after three years away from the season's opening Grand Slam.

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Basilashvili Excited To Lead Team Georgia At ATP Cup

After missing out on the ATP Cup last season, everyone in the Georgian camp is delighted to have made the cut for the 2022 edition of the 16-country teams event in Sydney, not least the team’s No. 1 player Nikoloz Basilashvili.

“I mean, for sure, for me it means a lot to represent Georgia in general,” World No. 22 Basilashvili said. “The ATP Cup is really successful and a big tournament for me. I'm feeling good. I arrived late. And I had very good preparation during the pre-season and am feeling very well.

"I played very good at the end of the season. So in general, I'm feeling great. Looking forward to tomorrow to play against [Diego] Schwartzman… In general, the atmosphere is really nice, so all the matches were fun [when we played in 2020] and I got this really good experience from them.”

Aleksandre Metreveli, the team’s No. 2 player who is ranked 569, is eager to grab this rare opportunity to play on a big stage. “This tournament for me and for all the team is really special. For me in my career this is the biggest tournament, and thanks to our No. 1, Nik, for this opportunity.

“Two years ago when we played, it was really unbelievable atmosphere for me, and it was really good experience. Yeah, this is a tournament that I will remember for all my life, because it's really nice. It's different. It's not individual. It's like a team. It's really nice.”

Ranked No. 850, Aleksandre Bakshi describes being part of ATP Cup as a ‘miracle’ for him and teammates Zura Tkemaladze and Saba Purtseladze. “I think for us, for No. 3, No. 4, No. 5 guys, it's just a miracle for us to be here. We are not ranked as high. For us to have this opportunity and compete against all the best players in the world, it's just great. Of course to play against them, it's an honour.”

Georgia opens the Day 1 day session Saturday against Argentina on Qudos Bank Arena.

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Stefanos Tsitsipas sends out ATP Cup warning as Greece 'hungrier than anyone else'

Stefanos Tsitipas is heading to the ATP Cup with his Greek teammates full of confidence.

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Novak Djokovic still 'waiting for a decision' on Australian Open after ATP Cup withdrawal

It is still unknown as to whether reigning champion Novak Djokovic will be able to compete in the Australian Open in January.

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In Hubi Poland Trusts; Matkowski Looks To ATP Cup Experience

Two years ago, Hubert Hurkacz won all three of his singles matches at the ATP Cup, but Team Poland came unstuck in the deciding doubles match in each tie. This time around, captain Marcin Matkowski believes the squad has a better chance of recording a first win.

“The guys came on 26 December, so they have already had a few good days of practice,” said Matkowski, who retired in 2019. “We played two years ago, and we have great experience and great memories from that. We played three very close matches.

“This year, we came [to Sydney] with the thought of having better results. [It] won't be easy, but we are confident if we are playing our best we can win [this time].”

Hurkacz, who was No. 37 in the FedEx ATP Rankings at the 2020 ATP Cup, enjoyed a career-best 2021 that included three ATP Tour crowns, including the Miami Open presented by Itau (d. Sinner). With the support of Kamil Majchrzak, Kacper Zuk, Jan Zielinski and Szymon Walkow, the World No. 9 is positive about Poland’s chances.

“It's great to be here with the whole team,” said Hurkacz. “I mean, it's so much fun. All of us bring, I think, great energy, and we will definitely enjoy it here and, hopefully, we'll get many wins.”

Matkowski, who captured 17 tour-level doubles titles, added, “I think we bring a much more experienced team. Hubert said he's playing better doubles, which obviously he is, his results show that. Besides him we have Jan and Szymon, who can help us a lot in doubles. I feel very strongly about our doubles position.

“If it's not 2-0, [but] 1-1, I think we have a very good chance of winning a tie whoever goes on court. We are confident we can learn from our experience two years ago and obviously… it’s not a problem for Hubert to play if he's needed in two matches.

“Obviously, from experience, I know in Australia that the fans like doubles. They always support doubles players… [and] with the ATP Cup format, doubles usually is the match that decides the tie.”

With a big Polish community in Sydney, Majchrzak and Zuk are also excited about the opportunity to represent Poland in Group D. Poland plays Greece on Saturday, Georgia on Monday and Argentina on Wednesday.

“I'm looking forward to helping my team this year,” said Majchrzak. “I'm very happy that I'm fit again and I can try to help my team and play for Poland.”

Zuk admitted that the experience of playing in 2020, helped him to rise up from No. 460 to a career-high of No. 162 over the past two years. “It gave me lots of experience and confidence,” said Zuk. “I started to play much better [and] I improved a lot. I'm happy to be here again and I will try to help to our team.”

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Garin On ATP Cup: 'It Is One Of My Favourite Tournaments'

Cristian Garin revealed he has enjoyed a strong off-season as he looks to regain his best form in 2022, starting at this week’s ATP Cup in Sydney, where he will lead Team Chile.

“I have been having [a] good off-season," Garin said in Chile's pre-tournament press conference. "I have been practising well. I ended last season with an injury, so it took a while to recover, but last month it was so good for me. I have been practising well, playing matches, practice matches, and I have been doing well. [ I am] healthy.”

Garin will face Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut on Saturday in Group A, before playing Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic and Norway’s Casper Ruud.

The World No. 17, who has played just five matches since the US Open in September due to injury, is excited to return to competitive action as he makes his second appearance at the 16-team event.

“It’s amazing to be playing with the best players,” Garin said. “This tournament is one of my favourite tournaments. It's amazing to represent my country and play with the best players, so I just want to improve, playing against the best.

"I think our group is very tough, but we have our chances. I think we are playing well. We are a very young team, and we know each other pretty well, so I only want to compete. I will go out there and give my best.”

Jorge Aguilar will captain Chile and is relishing the challenge in Australia, saying: “I look forward to the first tie against Spain. I think Cristian has had a very good off-season and he's very willing to do well here. Plus, we have a very good spirit among the team, good teamwork.”

Alejandro Tabilo and Tomas Barrios Vera will support Garin in Group A, with the pair both making their debuts at the event.

“It's a great opportunity,” Tabilo said. “I have been playing a lot at Challenger [level] and [have] been doing well. It's a good step forward, and obviously I'm going to try to do my best. I played a few ATP [Tour tournaments] last year, so I still have a little bit [of] experience, so hopefully I can use that to play my best.”

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Bautista Agut Targeting More Spanish Success In Sydney

Roberto Bautista Agut and Pablo Carreno Busta are both focused on going one step better than in 2020, when they helped Team Spain reach the ATP Cup final.

Bautista Agut, who leads Spain this year in the absence of Rafael Nadal, fondly remembered the inaugural edition on Thursday, saying, “I think the ATP Cup of 2020 I think was one of the best tournaments I ever played.

“The organisation and the event was amazing. We had the chance to play the group in Perth, and then the final event here in Sydney, and Spain played very well. We reached the final. We lost in the deciding doubles, and it was a great experience.”

The 33-year-old, a nine-time ATP Tour titlist, is feeling confident and looking forward to the opportunity, starting against Chile on Saturday, before then playing Norway and Serbia in Group A.

“I think we have to be very focused in our three points,” Bautista Agut said. “Every point is 33 per cent. In my case, I feel good. I feel I [am] practising well, I did a great job at home. I think I can play a good ATP Cup. I think we have a very complete team. We are all good players, and the practise has been good.”

World No. 20 Carreno Busta, who made his ATP Cup singles debut last year, when he helped Spain advance to the semi-finals, believes strong team depth is essential for success at the 16-team event.

“In this competition there are three points, it's very important to have good team, not just a good No. 1,” Carreno Busta said. “I think that in this case, Spain has a very good team. [A] good No. 1 [in] Roberto, but also No. 2, 3, 4, and 5 [players].

“We know the No. 2 player is very important. I have a lot of responsibility, because we know that all of the opponents have a Top 10 or similar as their No. 1 [player]. We need to win the first point to go up on the score.”

Albert Ramos-Vinolas, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Pedro Martinez complete Team Spain, with Martinez making his ATP Cup debut. The 24-year-old, who rose to a career-high No. 58 in the FedEx ATP Rankings last season, is looking forward to the experience.

“I'm very happy to join the Spanish team,” Martinez said. “I think we have a really strong team. Both players can beat anyone on the Tour. We also have a good chance in doubles. Let's see how the groups are. I think we have a big chance to qualify, and I believe in the Spanish team because I think it's very strong.”

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Rafael Nadal to play Australian Open as Spaniard's plans for Grand Slam come to light

Despite some initial fears, tennis great Rafael Nadal will be in Melbourne to compete at the Australian Open next month.

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Lajovic Relives 'Amazing Experience', Now Leads Team Serbia At ATP Cup

Dusan Lajovic says that he still gets “goose bumps” thinking about winning the inaugural ATP Cup title in 2020 with Team Serbia.

“It was personally one of the greatest feelings playing in Brisbane and here in Sydney, because Serbian community is huge in both cities, and in Australia overall,” said Lajovic. “It was [an] amazing experience, especially because we won it. I get goose bumps just thinking about it, especially now, practising here in the arena and having all of the memories come back. I think that it was great for us to win [in] the first year.”

This time in Sydney, Lajovic leads Team Serbia, which features Filip Krajinovic, Nikola Cacic, Matej Sabanov and captain Ivan Sabanov.

“We [have all been] giving our best in the past days,” said Lajovic, who will step up this year and play as the No. 1 singles player at the ATP Cup. “I'm looking forward to competing with these guys together by my side. Obviously, there are some tactical differences and pressure-wise, but at the end of the day, you've got to go out there, play your match and try to win.”

Krajinovic, Serbia's No. 2 singles player at the ATP Cup, added, “It's a good challenge. It's never easy to open the match, but I'm very excited. I'm ready for that. I knew that I will play the first match. As Dusan says, we are already playing well so far. We have a good team [and] I'm hoping that we're going to do well here.”

Without the services of World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, World No. 33 Lajovic realises that Team Serbia won’t be in the spotlight as much, which the players are hoping to take advantage of.

“It's never the same when you don’t have the No. 1 in your team,” said Lajovic. “Obviously, when Novak is in the team, the expectations get much higher. Then everybody is put in the spotlight... and [he is] trying to push the whole team. Right now, maybe, we are on the sidelines a little bit, and it could be good for us. It could be bad. We'll see.”

View Schedule

Serbia begins its 2022 ATP Cup campaign against Team Norway on Saturday, then faces Chile on Monday and Spain on Wednesday. With each tie featuring two singles matches and a doubles match, Nikola Cacic recognises the importance of the doubles match.

“Doubles is very important at ATP Cup,” said Cacic. “So we are here also practising some doubles [as it] could be possible that doubles decides the winner… We have a few good players here. Matej has now broken into the Top 100 [of the FedEx ATP Doubles Rankings], and also Dusan and Filip can play good doubles.”

Sabanov added, “I'm very excited, of course. I'm also very honoured to be in this team, and I will do my best to help the team to win some matches. I think we can do some good things here.”

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Novak Djokovic admits he's not 'politically correct' and refuses to talk Australian Open

NOVAK DJOKOVIC has admitted he is not "politically correct" amid the circus surrounding his defence of the Australian Open title.

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Novak Djokovic 'to skip Australian Open after medical exemption denied' say Serbian media

NOVAK DJOKOVIC will reportedly not be allowed to feature at next month's Australian Open.

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Nick Kyrgios makes 'absolute disaster' comment over Federer, Nadal and Djokovic

THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN gets under way in less than three weeks with Kyrgios set to take part

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Emma Raducanu's pre-Australian Open plans take shape as Brit joins star-studded line-up

EMMA RADUCANU has been confirmed as appearing at a warm-up competition ahead of her first major tournament since winning the US Open in September.

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ATP Cup Updates: France Replaces Austria, Djokovic & Rublev Out

France has become a late addition to the 16-country 2022 ATP Cup, replacing Austria in Group B following the withdrawals of Dominic Thiem and Dennis Novak. World No. 35 Ugo Humbert will lead the Frenchmen as he is joined by Arthur Rinderknech, Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Fabrice Martin in Sydney.

It was also announced Wednesday that World No.1 Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the ATP Cup. Serbia remains in the competition and will be led by World No. 33 Dusan Lajovic.

Russia’s Andrey Rublev, Aslan Karatsev and Evgeny Donskoy have pulled out, and Evgeny Karlovskiy will join the team. Team USA's Austin Krajicek has also withdrawn, and will not be replaced at this time.

The ATP Cup will begin on Saturday 1 January at 10 a.m. at both Ken Rosewall Arena and Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Olympic Park.

Updated 2022 ATP Cup Rosters (as of 29 December)

Serbia  Dusan Lajovic  Filip Krajinovic  Nikola Cacic  Matej Sabanov  Captain: Ivan Sabanov	Great Britain Cameron Norrie Daniel Evans Liam Broady (Captain) Joe Salisbury Jamie Murray
Russia  Daniil Medvedev  Roman Safiullin  Evgeny Karlovskiy  Captain: Gilles Cervara	Argentina Diego Schwartzman Federico Delbonis Federico Coria Maximo Gonzalez Andres Molteni Captain: Alejandro Fabbri
Germany  Alexander Zverev  Jan-Lennard Struff  Yannick Hanfmann  Kevin Krawietz  Tim Puetz  Captain: Michael Kohlmann	Chile Cristian Garin Alejandro Tabilo Tomas Barrios Vera Captain: Jorge Aguilar
Greece  Stefanos Tsitsipas  Michail Pervolarakis  Petros Tsitsipas  Markos Kalovelonis  Aristotelis Thanos  Captain: Apostolos Tsitsipas	Spain Roberto Bautista Agut Pablo Carreno Busta Albert Ramos-Vinolas Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Pedro Martinez  Captain: Daniel Gimeno-Traver
Italy  Matteo Berrettini  Jannik Sinner  Lorenzo Sonego  Simone Bolelli  Fabio Fognini  Captain: Vincenzo Santopadre	Georgia Nikoloz Basilashvili Aleksandre Metreveli Aleksandre Bakshi Zura Tkemaladze Saba Purtseladze Captain: David Kvernadze
Norway  Casper Ruud  Viktor Durasovic  Lukas Hellum-Lilleengen  Leyton Rivera  Andreja Petrovic  Captain: Christian Ruud	United States Taylor Fritz John Isner Brandon Nakashima Rajeev Ram Captain: Michael Russell
Poland  Hubert Hurkacz  Kamil Majchrzak  Kacper Zuk  Jan Zielinski  Szymon Walkow  Captain: Marcin Matkowski	Australia (WC) Alex de Minaur James Duckworth Max Purcell John Peers Luke Saville Captain: Lleyton Hewitt
Canada  Felix Auger-Aliassime (Captain)  Denis Shapovalov  Brayden Schnur  Steven Diez	France Ugo Humbert Arthur Rinderknech Edouard Roger-Vasselin Fabrice Martin Captain: Nicolas Copin

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Rafael Nadal snubbed for Roger Federer as Denis Shapovalov answers all in funny Q&A

TENNIS superstar Denis Shapovalov invited his followers to take part in a spontaneous Q&A on Twitter, where he chose Roger Federer over Rafael Nadal when answering a particular question.

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Australian Open in chaos as biosecurity manager resigns just as players begin to arrive

THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN'S biosecurity manager has left the job just weeks before the first Grand Slam of 2022 begins.

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Dominic Thiem makes 'difficult' Australian Open decision after wrist injury problems

DOMINIC THIEM is currently back home in Austria after returning home from a training camp in Dubai.

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Novak Djokovic still missing as Australian Open chiefs left in dark over his participation

NOVAK DJOKOVIC's participation at the Australian Open is up in the air.

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'Not a chance' Novak Djokovic will play Australian Open amid ATP Cup withdrawal confusion

NOVAK DJOKOVIC's participation in the Australian Open remains in serious doubt.

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Medvedev Among Stars To Hit The Practice Court At The ATP Cup

World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev doubled up on the practice court in Sydney Tuesday as the countdown began to Russia’s defense of the ATP Cup, which begins on New Year’s Day.

Spearheading Russia’s title defense, Medvedev had a morning practice session on Ken Rosewall Arena with Aussie Alex de Minaur, whom he will meet next week in group play. The 2020 Nitto ATP Finals champion returned to KRA mid afternoon for another session with 20-year-old Australian Rinky Hijikata, who is No. 375 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

Medvedev, who led the ATP Tour with 63 match wins last season, is expected to challenge Novak Djokovic’s stranglehold on World No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings during the 2022 season and will be keen to start the year strong in Sydney. The 25-year-old boasts an 8-1 record at ATP Cup and last year dropped just one set in his four victories, which included three Top 10 wins over Alexander Zverev, Diego Schwartzman and Matteo Berrettini.

Other Top 10 players to hit the practice court yesterday included Italian Top 10 stars Berrettini and Jannik Sinner and World No. 8 Casper Ruud.

Photo Credit: ATP Tour

Running 1-9 January, ATP Cup will be staged in the first week of the 2022 ATP Tour season alongside ATP 250 events in Adelaide and Melbourne. The 2022 tournament will feature a 16-team field in four groups and be hosted across two venues in Sydney – Ken Rosewall Arena and the Qudos Bank Arena – both at Sydney Olympic Park. The four group winners will contest the knockout stage – to be played exclusively at Ken Rosewall Arena – from 7 January.

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By The Numbers: 2021 ATP Challenger Tour

Bonzi Tops Wins Leaderboard
Benjamin Bonzi was a dominant force on the ATP Challenger Tour in 2021. The Frenchman amassed a tour-leading 50 match wins this year, joining the exclusive '50 Wins Club' in a single season. In the history of the Challenger circuit, only seven other players have won as many matches in a campaign. He concluded his breakout season with a 50-13 record, soaring to a career-high No. 60 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. Argentina's Tomas Martin Etcheverry finished a close second, posting 49 wins.

Meanwhile, Jenson Brooksby was the most consistent performer, boasting an 88.5 win percentage (min. 25 matches played). The American star took full advantage of his opportunities, claiming 23 of 26 matches played in 2021. Sebastian Baez (86.3) and Tallon Griekspoor (85.7) were the only other players with at least 80 percent matches won.

Baez, meanwhile, became the winningest player age 20 & under in Challenger history. His 44 match wins are the most in a single season for a player before their 21st birthday.

Player	Match Wins	Win Percentage
Benjamin Bonzi	50	79.4
Tomas Martin Etcheverry	49	72.1
Sebastian Baez	44	86.3
Tallon Griekspoor	42	85.7

Griekspoor Smashes Titles Record
Entering the year, only three players had won six titles in a single season on the ATP Challenger Tour. But in 2021 alone, an additional three players matched that record, with Griekspoor (8), Bonzi (6) and Baez (6) lifting trophy after trophy.

The 25-year-old Griekspoor captured the record for most crowns in a season with his victory in Tenerife, Spain. He would add an unprecedented eighth piece of silverware with a title the following week in the Slovak capital of Bratislava. In fact, since falling to Novak Djokovic at the US Open, the Dutchman did not lose another match for the rest of the year. He would reel off five straight titles on the ATP Challenger Tour in October and November, dominating on the clay of Murcia and Napoli I & II, before moving to the hard courts of Tenerife and Bratislava. His 25-match win streak is the longest in Challenger history.

Bonzi, meanwhile, set the tone in 2021, becoming the first of the trio to reach the six-title milestone. His victories in Potchefstroom and Ostrava were followed by a 20-match win streak, lifting four straight trophies in Segovia, Saint-Tropez, Cassis and Rennes.

Baez reached a tour-leading nine finals in 2021, all on clay, with titles coming on Chilean soil in Concepcion and Santiago I & II, as well as in Zagreb, Buenos Aires and Campinas.

Player	Total	Clay	Hard
Tallon Griekspoor	8	6	2
Benjamin Bonzi	6	1	5
Sebastian Baez	6	6
Holger Rune	4	3	1

Teen Titans
Nine different teenagers accounted for a total of 15 Challenger titles this year, with Holger Rune (4), Juan Manuel Cerundolo (3) and Jiri Lehecka (2) the lone players with multiple crowns.

At 18 years and 6 months, Rune became the fourth-youngest player to win his fourth Challenger title. Only a 17-year-old Richard Gasquet (2003) and an 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz (2021) and Felix Auger-Aliassime (2018) were younger.

Cerundolo made Argentine history this year, becoming the third-youngest player from his country to win three Challenger titles. Only Juan Martin del Potro and Guillermo Coria were younger when they lifted their third trophies.

Alcaraz, Dominic Stricker, Dalibor Svrcina, Brandon Nakashima, Carlos Gimeno Valero and Giulio Zeppieri were the only other teenage winners of the year. At the age of 18 years and 18 days, Alcaraz became the youngest champion of 2021 with his victory in Oeiras, Portugal.

Player	Title	Age
Carlos Alcaraz	Oeiras, POR	18 years, 8 days
Holger Rune	Biella, ITA	18 years, 1 month
Holger Rune	San Marino, SMR	18 years, 3 months
Holger Rune	Verona, ITA	18 years, 3 months
Holger Rune	Bergamo, ITA	18 years, 6 months
Dominic Stricker	Lugano, SUI	18 years, 7 months
Dalibor Svrcina	Prague, CZE	18 years, 10 months

Biggest Movers To Top 100
The four biggest movers to the year-end Top 100 won multiple Challenger titles in 2021. Cerundolo led the way, jumping 252 spots to a year-end position of No. 89 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

Player	Ranking Jump	Year-End 2020 - 2021	2021 Titles
Juan Manuel Cerundolo	+252	341 - 89	3
Jenson Brooksby	+251	307 - 56	3
Alex Molcan	+225	312 - 87	2
Sebastian Baez	+212	309 - 97	6

Title Leaders By Country
Players from 35 countries won titles this year. Argentina boasted a tour-leading 20 titles from 11 different players, with the United States coming a close second with 19 victories.

In fact, the Argentine contingent tied the record for most titles in a season, with Argentina 2016, Argentina 2007 and France 2005 the other members of the '20 Titles Club'. Baez led the charge with six crowns, alongside Cerundolo with three and Etcheverry and Coria with two apiece.

Dimitar Kuzmanov became the first Challenger champion from Bulgaria since Grigor Dimitrov in 2011, with his title in Barcelona.

Country	Titles	Winners
Argentina	20	Baez-6, JM Cerundolo-3, Etcheverry-2, Coria-2, Cachin-1, Bagnis-1, F Cerundolo-1, Carabelli-1, Mena-1, Tirante-1, Ficovich-1
United States	19	Brooksby-3, Kozlov-3, Eubanks-2, Krueger-2, Nakashima-2, Korda-1, McDonald-1, Fratangelo-1, Sock-1, Tiafoe-1, Wolf-1, Cressy-1
Spain	11	Taberner-3, Zapata Miralles-2, Munar-1, Gimeno Valero-1, Carballes Baena-1, Alcaraz-1, Vilella Martinez-1, Martinez-1
France	11	Bonzi-6, Rinderknech-1, Couacaud-1, Lestienne-1, Grenier-1, Blancaneaux-1

ATP Tour & ATP Challenger Tour Winners
Four players lifted trophies on both the ATP Tour and ATP Challenger Tour this year.

Player	ATP Tour title	ATP Challenger title(s)
Juan Manuel Cerundolo	Cordoba	Rome, ITA; Como, ITA; Banja Luka, BIH
Sebastian Korda	Parma	Quimper, FRA
Carlos Alcaraz	Umag	Oeiras, POR
Soonwoo Kwon	Nur-Sultan	Biella, ITA

Doubles Title Leaders
Nuno Borges and Francisco Cabral dominated the doubles circuit in 2021, securing a tour-leading six team titles together. The Portuguese pair made the most of their opportunities on home soil, lifting trophies in Oeiras, Braga and Maia I & II, while also prevailing in Tenerife, Spain and Manama, Bahrain. France's Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul won the second-most titles of any team, lifting five trophies together.

Orlando Luz won the most doubles titles of any player, prevailing on eight occasions with four different partners. He prevailed alongside Rafael Matos (4), Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves (2), Sergio Galdos (1) and Aleksandr Nedovyesov (1).

Team	Titles Won
Nuno Borges / Francisco Cabral	6
Sadio Doumbia / Fabien Reboul	5
Orlando Luz / Rafael Matos	4
Aleksandr Nedovyesov / Denys Molchanov	4

Fast Facts

• A total of 39 different players enjoyed their maiden moments of glory this year. Holger Rune was the youngest of the group at the age of 18 years and 1 month, while 28-year-old Italian Franco Agamenone was the oldest.
• A total of 30 #NextGenATP stars (born 2000 or later) won titles. Jenson Brooksby became the youngest ever to win three titles in the first four months of a Challenger season. His 19-2 mark through April was the second-best start to a season, behind only Janko Tipsarevic's 20-0 record in 2017.
• Qualifiers claimed 10 titles, with Zizou Bergs going the distance on two occasions, winning seven matches in eight days in both St. Petersburg and Lille.
• Longest final: The longest final registered at three hours and seven minutes, with Nikola Milojevic beating Dimitar Kuzmanov 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(5) in Zadar, Croatia.
• Shortest completed final: At 46 minutes, Mats Moraing downed Hugo Gaston 6-2, 6-1 in Tulln, Austria.
• Juan Manuel Cerundolo and Flavio Cobolli contested the first all-teenage final since 2017, in Rome.
• Oldest winners: The ATP Challenger Tour featured two champions aged 35 and older in 2021. A 37-year-old Andreas Seppi won in Biella, Italy, while a 35-year-old Pablo Cuevas prevailed in Lyon, France.
• This year, four players saved at least one match point in a Challenger final: Emilio Gomez (3) in Salinas, Mats Moraing (2) in Forli, Max Purcell (1) in Nur-Sultan and Lukas Lacko (1) in Mallorca.
• Liam Broady won his first title in his eighth final appearance. It's the second-most finals to win a maiden title in Challenger history, with Jan-Lennard Struff and Martin Rodriguez both claiming their first crowns in their ninth finals.
• Tallon Griekspoor's 25-match win streak is the longest in Challenger history, surpassing Juan Ignacio Chela's 24 wins in a row in 2001.
• Francisco Cerundolo and Juan Manuel Cerundolo became the sixth pair of brothers to win titles in the same season.
• At 15 years and 10 months, Gabriel Debru became the fourth-youngest player to win a Challenger match since 2000, with his first-round victory in Roanne, France. The Frenchman rallied from a set down to defeat Andrea Pellegrino 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, before falling to eventual champion Hugo Grenier.
• At No. 874, Dominic Stricker became the lowest-ranked champion in Challenger history with his victory in Lugano, Switzerland.
• At 40 years and 1 month, Feliciano Lopez became the second 40-year-old finalist in Challenger history, joining Ivo Karlovic (Houston 2019) with his runner-up finish in Tenerife.

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Challenger Season In Review: 12 Storylines In 2021

Griekspoor The Great
For many players competing on the ATP Challenger Tour, winning one title in a season is an accomplishment.

Eight? Well, that's just ridiculous.

This year, Tallon Griekspoor did just that, smashing the single-season record for Challenger titles. A perfect 8-0 mark in finals etched his name in the history books and vaulted him to the Top 100 of the FedEx ATP Rankings, peaking at a career-high No. 64.

The 25-year-old provided glimpses of his potential throughout 2021, pushing Casper Ruud to a deciding tie-break at the ATP 500 event in Acapulco, before qualifying for the Wimbledon main draw from two sets down. And he would hold his own against World No. 1 Novak Djokovic under the lights on Arthur Ashe Stadium at the US Open.

But even Griekspoor could not believe what would ensue in the final months of the season. After falling to Djokovic in New York, an inspired Dutchman became an unstoppable force. And that's no exaggeration. Five straight titles and 25 consecutive match wins shocked the tennis world and put the rest of the tour on notice. Regardless of the surface or the opponent, Griekspoor refused to lose. Clay-court titles in Murcia and Napoli I & II in October would be followed by a record seventh crown on the hard courts of Tenerife, and unprecedented eighth victory on indoor hard in Bratislava.

Inspired by countryman and 2021 Formula One world champion Max Verstappen and armed with newfound confidence and an aggressive mentality, Griekspoor made his mark on a record-breaking season. Next stop: the ATP Tour in 2022.

Brooksby Hits The Big Time
To open a Challenger campaign with three titles from four finals is impressive, but to also do it to launch a professional career is unprecedented.

As fearless a competitor as they come, Jenson Brooksby's physicality and mental drive have been on full display since he turned pro in January. He would soon cement his name in the record books with his maiden trophy in Potchefstroom, South Africa, followed by back-to-back crowns on home soil in Orlando and Tallahassee. In doing so, the #NextGenATP star became the youngest player in Challenger history to win three titles in the first four months of a season.

After missing all of 2020 with a significant turf toe injury, the 21-year-old California native's Newcomer of the Year campaign soon kicked into high gear with a seamless transition to the tour-level. He would immediately reach the final in his ATP Tour debut in Newport and stunned World No. 15 Felix Auger-Aliassime en route to the Citi Open semi-finals. And Brooksby did not stop there, streaking to the Round of 16 at the US Open, before succumbing to Novak Djokovic in a spirited battle on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

From outside the Top 300 and competing in ITFs to open the season to knocking on the door of the Top 50 and making noise on the ATP Tour by year's end... Brooksby's breakthrough was one we won't soon forget.

Baez's Breakthrough
For Sebastian Baez, it was the cherry on top of a historic 2021 campaign.

One week after showing off his talents on the global stage of the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals, the charismatic 20-year-old from Buenos Aires celebrated his biggest milestone yet. In late November, the pride of Argentina surged into the Top 100 of the FedEx ATP Rankings after clinching his sixth ATP Challenger Tour title of the year.

Baez showcased his supreme agility and abundance of energy throughout his breakthrough season. One of the more consistent and dominant performers on the Challenger circuit, he was one of just three players with a win percentage of 80 per cent or higher (86.3), along with Brooksby and Griekspoor. And his 44 match wins set the record for most victories by a player aged 20 & under in a single season.

Battling with #NextGenATP countryman Juan Manuel Cerundolo for Argentine supremacy throughout the season, it would be Baez who lifted more trophies by year's end. The World No. 99 reached a Challenger-leading nine finals in 2021 and became the youngest player in Challenger history with six titles in a single season.

"Now I want to have the greatness that the best players in the world have," said Baez. "I know I can still improve. My ceiling is high and every day I want to be better than the day before."

Bonzi Blast-Off
In the latter months of the season, all the attention was on Griekspoor and Baez as they shattered records and surged to Top 100 debuts. But don't forget who started the six-title trend in 2021.

Benjamin Bonzi was the first of the trio to join the exclusive club, making a Top 100 debut of his own with three straight crowns on home soil in September, prevailing in Saint-Tropez, Cassis and Rennes. Moreover, his 50 match wins set the standard on the ATP Challenger Tour this year, leading all players.

Peaking at the age of 25, the Frenchman credits his stunning surge, which has seen him rise to a career-high No. 60 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, to the work he and coach Lionel Zimbler have put in, both on and off the court. A 'more serene' Bonzi admits that improving his mentality between the lines has made the difference.

"It's been a long journey to get here and I've been through some very tough moments," said Bonzi. "To be here now and playing good tennis has not been easy, but it's a great feeling."

The Rune Revolution
From Brooksby to Baez and Cerundolo, it was an unforgettable season for the #NextGenATP contingent on the ATP Challenger Tour. Holger Rune also played a massive part in that surge for the 21 & under group.

Rune took the Challenger circuit by storm in 2021 and he would also etch his name in the history books. At the age of 18 years and six months, the teen became the second-youngest player to win four titles in a single season with his victory in Bergamo in November. Only a 17-year-old Richard Gasquet was younger when he achieved the feat in 2003.

In addition, Rune joined the exclusive list of players to win four titles before their 19th birthday, along with Gasquet (7), Tomas Berdych (5), Carlos Alcaraz (4), Felix Auger-Aliassime (4), Mario Ancic (4), Guillermo Coria (4) and Hyeon Chung (4). It was yet another statement victory in a season of breakthroughs for the Danish sensation, who capped his campaign with an appearance on the big stage of the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals.

On the precipice of a Top 100 debut, the World No. 103 is already looking forward to a full season on the ATP Tour in 2022. The ambitious Dane is ready for the challenge.

"Maybe I could play a couple more Challengers to get into the Top 100, then I'll focus on the Grand Slams and ATP Tour tournaments," said Rune. "I am enthusiastic about the idea."

Attack Of The Argentines
For just the fourth time in ATP Challenger Tour history, a country has accounted for 20 titles in a single season. Where Baez and Cerundolo led the #NextGenATP charge for the South American nation, it was Tomas Martin Etcheverry's 49-win season, Federico Coria's two titles and a slew of other breakout performances that carried the flag.

Etcheverry finished second on the match wins list in 2021, behind only Bonzi, while Coria rose to a career-high No. 61 in the FedEx ATP Rankings with crowns in Prostejov and Brasilia. Seven other Argentines won titles this year, including an emotional Facundo Mena, who returned to the winners' circle, in Quito, nearly two years after the passing of his father.

Francisco Cerundolo ensured that he and brother Juan Manuel Cerundolo would be just the sixth pair of siblings to win Challenger titles in a single season, with his victory in Cordenons.

Five years after fracturing a vertebrae in his back and fighting to stay healthy, Pedro Cachin lifted a trophy for the first time since 2015, prevailing in Oeiras.

And the trio of Juan Pablo Ficovich, Thiago Agustin Tirante and Camilo Ugo Carabelli all captured their maiden Challenger titles. Tirante joined Baez and Cerundolo as #NextGenATP Argentines to enter the winners' circle this year.

The American Onslaught
A total of 12 different Americans lifted singles trophies this year, the most by any country on the ATP Challenger Tour. Where Brooksby led the charge in the first half of the season, it was Stefan Kozlov who flew the flag in the latter months of 2021.

After many years fighting for belief and purpose on the court, the 23-year-old is steadily carving his own path up the FedEx ATP Rankings once again. Kozlov, who achieved a career-high No. 115 in 2017, is back inside the Top 200 for the first time in three years. He closed out his Challenger season on a 20-2 run, winning titles in Columbus, Charlottesville and Champaign and securing a main draw wild card into the 2022 Australian Open.

Christopher Eubanks and Mitchell Krueger added a pair of titles apiece, with Brandon Nakashima and Sebastian Korda lifting trophies en route to Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals debuts. Mackenzie McDonald triumphed in Nur-Sultan, on his way to Comeback Player of the Year honours in the 2021 ATP Awards. McDonald, who fell as low as World No. 272 after undergoing right hamstring surgery in 2019, rose to a career-high No. 54 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

Bjorn Fratangelo, Jack Sock, Frances Tiafoe, J.J. Wolf and Maxime Cressy also won titles this year. Sock ended a four-year title drought in Little Rock, while Fratangelo halted a three-year absence from the winners' circle in Cleveland. Wolf won his first title in his return from hernia surgery in Las Vegas, as Cressy capped an impressive late-season surge with a victory of his own in Forli, Italy. Cressy is riding a wave of momentum, having also earned his first Top 20 win (d. Carreno Busta) at the US Open and first ATP Masters 1000 match win in Indian Wells.

You Always Remember Your First
A total of 39 players celebrated their maiden moments of glory on the ATP Challenger Tour in 2021. At 18 years and 1 month, Holger Rune was the youngest with his first of four Challenger titles in Biella, Italy. At 28 years and 4 months, Franco Agamenone was the oldest with his maiden crown in Prague.

Liam Broady won his long-awaited first title in his eighth final appearance, lifting the trophy in Biel, Switzerland. Seven years after making his Challenger final debut, the Brit finally put it all together on the indoor hard courts of Biel. It's the second-most finals needed to win a maiden title in Challenger history.

Seven teenagers won their maiden crowns, with 18-year-olds Dominic Stricker and Dalibor Svrcina and 19-year-olds Carlos Gimeno Valero, Jiri Lehecka and Giulio Zeppieri joining Rune and Cerundolo in titletown.

Other notable first-time winners include Daniel Altmaier, as the injury-plagued German won in Braunschweig, Luedenscheid and Puerto Vallarta en route to the year-end Top 100 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. The World No. 84, who has struggled with shoulder and abdominal ailments, also reached a pair of ATP 250 semi-finals in Umag and Kitzbuhel.

The exuberant and attack-minded Zizou Bergs won a pair of titles as a qualifier, in St. Petersburg and Lille, before claiming his first clay-court crown in Almaty. And a 24-year-old Alex Molcan carried the momentum from a first ATP Tour final appearance, falling to World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in Belgrade, en route to capturing his first Challenger titles in Liberec and Helsinki. The Slovak would also reach the third round of the US Open, soaring to a career-high of No. 87 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

Challenger Stars Shine At US Open
This list would not be complete without a nod to Botic Van De Zandschulp. One of the more consistent performers on the ATP Challenger Tour in 2021, the Dutchman streaked to the US Open quarter-finals in stunning fashion as a qualifier. Wins over Top 15 seeds Casper Ruud and Diego Schwartzman were followed by a four-seat defeat to eventual champion Daniil Medvedev. In fact, the 26-year-old was the only player to take a set off Medvedev in New York.

With his back against the wall in nearly every match he played, having rallied from a set down in all three qualifying encounters as well as his first three main draw clashes, Van de Zandschulp provided a true fairytale run. Just like Aslan Karatsev did earlier in the year at the Australian Open, the Dutchman showed that Challenger stalwarts are capable of making some serious noise on the Grand Slam stage. All these players at the Challenger level have the talent to go toe-to-toe with the best in the world.

Molcan is another example of exactly that, stepping up with his run to the third round at Flushing Meadows as a qualifier. Germany's Oscar Otte reached the fourth round, also as a qualifier, where he took a set from sixth seed Matteo Berrettini.

Brooksby took full advantage of his main draw wild card in battling to the Round of 16 and giving Djokovic all he could handle in a four-set defeat. The World No. 1 would face three of the year's biggest Challenger stars at the US Open, dueling with Rune, Griekspoor and Brooksby under the bright lights.

Portuguese, French Pairs Dominate Doubles
Nuno Borges and Francisco Cabral led the ATP Challenger Tour with six team titles. The Portuguese duo dominated on home soil, where they lifted four trophies. Frenchmen Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul finished second with five team crowns.

Meanwhile, Brazil's Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos led the charge in the individual doubles title race. Luz claimed eight trophies with four different partners, while Matos captured seven crowns with a pair of partners. Together, they won four titles, in Cordenons, Concepcion, Tallahassee and Rio de Janeiro.

Manama Makes Dazzling Debut In Middle East's Return To Tour
The ATP Challenger Tour returned to the Persian Gulf, as the Middle Eastern country of Bahrain welcomed players and fans in late November. It marked the nation's first appearance on the Challenger circuit since 1984, with the capital city of Manama playing host. The Ministry of Interior of Bahrain put on a show from start to finish, organizing a first-rate first-time event. Ramkumar Ramanathan claimed his maiden title in his seventh final, ending one of the longest title droughts in Challenger history.

New French events in Roanne and Saint-Tropez, as well as Spanish tournaments in Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Pozoblanco, also celebrated their debuts on the Challenger circuit. Meanwhile, a total of nine tournaments in Portugal offered new opportunities for players in the region, including fresh events in Oeiras and Porto.

Dove Men+Care Circuit Shines Spotlight On South American Tennis
It was a banner year for tennis in South America on the ATP Challenger Tour. With fresh faces announcing their arrival and a slew of new tournaments making their debuts, the region is making a serious statement on the global stage.

Spending many months away from home, while traveling the world fighting for their tennis dreams, is draining for even the most promising talents on the ATP Challenger Tour. To those ends, South American tennis took a giant step forward in 2021. As a whole, the continent welcomed players to a combined 19 tournaments across Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay. Bolivia is also scheduled to host its first ATP Challenger event in 18 years to kick off 2022.

Founded by former World No. 31 Horacio de la Pena, the Circuito Dove Men+Care Legion Sudamericana has contributed seven of those events this year, with many more planned for the 2022 season. To say that South American players took advantage of these newfound opportunities is an understatement. Players from eight different countries reached a combined 68 Challenger singles finals, lifting 32 trophies in total.

 

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Federer, Nadal and Djokovic former rival explains 'special' memories of beating Big Three

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The Two Biggest Grand Slam Upsets Of 2021

Rounding off our review of the 2021 season, ATPTour.com looks back at the biggest Grand Slam upsets of the year. Yesterday we focused on three of the top five upsets at Grand Slam level and today we will complete the list, with #NextGenATP Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz and Hubert Hurkacz pulling off big results.

2) Wimbledon, Second Round, Hubert Hurkacz d. Roger Federer 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-0
The Big Three have staked their claim on history, each winning 20 major titles, neatly dividing the tennis turf into three distinct fiefdoms. Rafael Nadal, of course, has hoisted (and bitten) La Coupe des Mousquetaires an astounding 13 times. Novak Djokovic, the Wonder Down Under, is a nine-time Australian Open champion. With eight titles at Wimbledon, Roger Federer is the epitome of elegance and panache, floating regally over the grass at the oldest Grand Slam.

These are all records, underlining the brilliance of these players in their favourite venues. When Federer went through an awkward stage, going nine straight majors without winning one, he ended that streak with a win at Wimbledon in 2012. On the cusp of his 31st birthday, Federer reinforced the idea that he was largely invincible at the All England Club, and it’s an image that had, correctly, persisted.

When he first saw this year’s Wimbledon draw, 14th seed Hubert Hurkacz knew the possibility of facing Federer existed. After he upset World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev in the fourth round, in a wild, five-set match, it became a reality.

“I don’t know what to say,” Hurkacz told reporters. “It’s super-special for me, to play on this court. Playing against Roger, when you’re a kid, it’s like a dream come true.”

Could Federer, at the daunting age of 39, possibly add a record ninth Wimbledon title to his resume? Ken Rosewall, the last 39-year-old to reach the final at Wimbledon, in 1974, hoped so. Federer cherished his message of congratulations and support.

It was a career-first major quarter-final for the 24-year-old from Poland – as opposed to Federer’s epic total of 58. And yet, it was Hurkacz who displayed poise under the pressure of the moment on Centre Court.

Standing 6’ 5”, he had powerful groundstrokes and a sizzling serve. Hurkacz won the first set, but soon found himself down 1-4 in the second as Federer, urged on by a supportive crowd, fleetingly returned to vintage form. That advantage, however, disappeared when he was broken in the next game and Hurkacz ultimately prevailed in a tie-break. The effect on Federer was devastating: He lost all six games of the final set.

Hurkacz, who would complete his best-ever major effort with a loss to Matteo Berrettini in the semi-finals, wound up qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals and finishing in the year-end Top 10.

^{Photo Credit: AELTC/Pool/Getty Images}
1) US Open, Third Round, Carlos Alcaraz d. Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(2), 0-6, 7-6(5)
There is no easy path to forge when following in the footsteps of countrymen as accomplished on the Grand Slam stages as those from Spain. Under the guidance of Roland Garros champion and former World No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero and touted as the next great Spanish prospect to eventually succeed Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz is fast learning to juggle the hype.

A maiden tour-level title in Umag in July set off the latest “youngest since Nadal” comparisons, but it was a third-round boilover on Arthur Ashe Stadium against World No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas that really sounded his potential. The 18-year-old had already brought down 26th seed Cameron Norrie in straight sets and Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech, but the Greek had reached back-to-back ATP Masters 1000 semi-finals in Toronto and Cincinnati leading in as was considered a strong contender to foil Djokovic’s Grand Slam bid.

^{Photo Credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images}
Alcaraz had never passed the third round at a major and the World No. 55 looked to have met his match when he dropped the fourth set 6-0. But competing with the composure of a player far beyond his years, he shook off the fourth-set blowout and stuck with the third seed on serve throughout the fifth to force a deciding tie-break.

The crowd was baying for the upset and, not to be overawed, Alcaraz jumped to a 6/3 lead. The Spaniard held his nerve to secure his passage on his third match point, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(2), 0-6, 7-6(5) and become the youngest player to reach the fourth round at a major since 1992.

“I can't believe that I beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in an epic match. For me it's a dream come true,” Alcaraz said. “I think without the crowd I couldn't have the opportunity to play a great fifth set and be able to beat Stefanos. I think the crowd was really amazing. I really loved it.”

Alcaraz, who went on to reach his maiden Grand Slam quarter-final in New York, was the youngest player to beat a top three opponent at a major since Michael Chang, 17, defeated World No. 1 Ivan Lendl and World No. 3 Stefan Edberg at Roland Garros in 1989. There was nothing but respect from a vanquished Tsitsipas.

“I've never seen someone hit the ball so hard. [It] took time to adjust. [It] took time to kind of develop my game around his game style,” Tsitsipas said. “It's one of these matches and one of these feelings where you pick up [your level] at some point of the match, you feel like you're in control, and it doesn't really go your way at the end.”

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Sebastian Korda Meets Tiger Woods During Memorable Golf Weekend

After the first round of the PNC Championship on Saturday, LPGA World No. 1 Nelly Korda walked up to PGA legend Tiger Woods and asked him for a picture. Nelly also had her brother, ATP Tour star Sebastian Korda and their father, former World No. 2 Petr Korda, take a photo with Woods. 

When Nelly introduced Tiger to “Sebi”, Woods quickly produced a friendly quip: “What’s up big guy? Aren’t you supposed to be practising?”

“Meeting Tiger was unbelievable. He was so nice,” Sebi, a recent Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals competitor, said. “He's probably our family’s favourite athlete. Any time he would play a tournament, we were all glued to the TV.”

Nelly met Tiger for the first time. Her reaction says it all. 🤗 pic.twitter.com/Wn2yEFP42h

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) December 18, 2021

Nelly and Petr were competing together in the event, in which a member of each team has won at least one major championship or PLAYERS Championship crown. In their debut, the Korda Family finished 12th (-17). They did not make a bogey across the two rounds.

After Nelly drained a lengthy birdie on the 18th hole on Saturday, she celebrated with Petr and Sebi. Currently No. 41 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, Sebi caddied six holes for his father during the first round.

“I had the easy job. I only caddied six holes on the back nine and Nelly's caddy Jason [McDede] was helping me out,” Sebi said. “I’ve never been inside the ropes during the tournament and was really cool to hear what they talk about before each and every shot.“

It was a memorable weekend for the Korda Family. Sebi, who is scheduled to make his 2022 season debut in Week One in Adelaide, enjoys playing golf himself. He had fun alongside his sister and father as they competed on such a big stage.

^{Sebastian Korda takes a picture with his sister, Nelly Korda, on Saturday.}
“It was so much fun to caddy for my dad and sister Nelly at such a huge event with some of the best golfers,” Korda said. “I’ve never been around my dad while he's playing any kind of tournament, so that was pretty special to see as well.”

Petr has thrived under pressure, having won the 1998 Australian Open. But this was a different experience in a different sport. The most important thing for the 10-time tour-level champion was getting to compete with his daughter. Nelly and Petr were quick to tell the media that they would love to play the event again if invited.

“It was very difficult. I was very nervous, I'm not going to hide it, especially before yesterday going around. I called my old coach, Tony Pickard, and asked him not for advice, but to calm me down,” Petr said during his post-event press conference. “It was a great experience. I enjoyed every moment of it.

“It's easier to walk outside the ropes, which I believe [is where] I belong. But if we have one more chance in the future, I would love to do it again. Just being with Nelly and what she's bringing to women's sports and women's golf and myself to be a part of it, what more can I ask?”

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Alcaraz's Ranking Surge Among Best Stats Of 2021

Yesterday, we began to look at the best stats of 2021, including match records by surface and performance under pressure. Today, we will examine the season's biggest movers, first-time winners and fast facts.

Top Movers For Year-End Top 50 Finishers

Player	Ranking Jump	Year-End 2019 vs. 2020
1) Carlos Alcaraz	+109	No. 141 to No. 32*
2) Aslan Karatsev	+94	No. 112 to No. 18
3) Sebastian Korda	+77	No. 118 to No. 41
4) Ilya Ivashka	+60	No. 108 to No. 48
5) Cameron Norrie	+59	No. 71 to No. 12*

^*Career-High
Carlos Alcaraz did not just break onto the scene in 2021 — the Spaniard proved he will be a force to be reckoned with on the ATP Tour for years to come. The teen claimed victories against Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berrettini, Jannik Sinner, Andy Murray and other stars this season. Those wins helped him climb from World No. 141 to his current spot, a career-high World No. 32 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. Alcaraz completed his dream year by triumphing at the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan.

Top Movers For Year-End Top 100 Finishers

Player	Ranking Jump	Year-End 2019 vs. 2020
1) Juan Manuel Cerundolo	+252	No. 341 to No. 89
2) Jenson Brooksby	+251	No. 307 to No. 56*
3) Alex Molcan	+225	No. 312 to No. 87*
4) Sebastian Baez	+212	No. 309 to No. 97
5) Mackenzie McDonald	+138	No. 193 to No. 55

^*Career-High
Jenson Brooksby was named Newcomer of the Year in the 2021 ATP Awards after a breakthrough campaign in which he showed he is one of the toughest competitors on the ATP Tour. The American soared 251 spots in the FedEx ATP Rankings to move to the fringe of the Top 50. The Californian advanced to his maiden tour-level final in Newport, reached the semi-finals in Washington and won a set against Novak Djokovic at the US Open. Mackenzie McDonald, the Comeback Player of the Year in the 2021 ATP Awards, surged 138 spots.

2021 Fast Facts
- Four players cracked the Top 10 of the FedEx ATP Rankings for the first time in 2021: Casper Ruud, Hubert Hurkacz, Jannik Sinner and Felix Auger-Aliassime.

- Three players who won ATP Tour titles this season saved at least one match point en route to the trophy. Rafael Nadal did it twice. Jannik Sinner saved a match point in his Melbourne-1 semi-final against Karen Khachanov, Nikoloz Basilashvili saved a match point against Roger Federer in the Doha quarter-finals, Nadal saved a match point against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Barcelona final and he saved two match points in the third round in Rome against Denis Shapovalov.

- Year-end No. 1 team Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic lifted nine tour-level trophies in their first season as a duo. No other player claimed more than four tour-level doubles trophies in 2021.

- There were nine all tie-break matches this year, including two at ATP Masters 1000 events. In Miami, Ilya Ivashka beat Soonwoo Kwon 7-6(4), 6-7(4), 7-6(3) in the first round and in Madrid, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina battled past Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 7-6(4) in the first round.

- One qualifier claimed an ATP Tour trophy in 2021. Juan Manuel Cerundolo, then World No. 335, triumphed in Cordoba as a qualifier on his Tour debut. Cerundolo became the first player to emerge victorious on his ATP Tour debut in 17 years.

2020 First-Time Winners (10)

Player	Age	Tournament
Daniel Evans	30	Melbourne-2
Juan Manuel Cerundolo	19	Cordoba
Alexei Popyrin	21	Singapore
Aslan Karatsev	27	Dubai
Sebastian Korda	20	Parma
Cameron Norrie	25	Los Cabos
Carlos Alcaraz	18	Umag
Ilya Ivashka	27	Winston-Salem
Soonwoo Kwon	23	Nur-Sultan
Tommy Paul	24	Stockholm

There were 10 first-time ATP Tour champions in 2021, ranging from #NextGenATP stars to veterans who finally made their breakthrough. Daniel Evans was 30 when he lifted the trophy in Melbourne. Three players who competed in Milan — Alcaraz, Cerundolo and Sebastian Korda, also became first-time tour-level winners. So did Cameron Norrie, the Los Cabos champion who later earned a Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells. Aslan Karatsev, who reached the Australian Open semi-finals as a qualifier, earned glory for the first time in Dubai.

Titles Won Without Losing A Set

Player	Tournament (Sets Won)	Player	Tournament (Sets Won)
Hubert Hurkacz	Delray Beach (8)	Casper Ruud	Bastad (6)
Daniel Evans	Melbourne-2 (10)	Cameron Norrie	Los Cabos (8)
Diego Schwartzman	Buenos Aires (8)	Casper Ruud	Gstaad (8)
Alexander Zverev	Acapulco (8)	Hubert Hurkacz	Metz (8)
Stefanos Tsitsipas	Monte Carlo (9)	Jannik Sinner	Sofia (8)
Sebastian Korda	Parma (10)	Aslan Karatssev	Moscow (8)
Marin Cilic	Stuttgart (10)	Jannik Sinner	Antwerp (8)

Fourteen of this year's titlists triumphed without losing a set. Three players who competed in Turin — Hubert Hurkacz (Delray Beach, Metz), Casper Ruud (Bastad, Gstaad) and Jannik Sinner (Sofia, Antwerp), accomplished the feat twice.

Infosys ATP Stats - 2021 Leaders

Stat	Category Leader	Percentage
Service Games Won	John Isner	92.2%
Break Points Saved	Matteo Berrettini	73%
Return Games Won	Rafael Nadal	35.6%
Break Points Converted	Daniil Medvedev	46.6%

Break points saved and converted proved key in 2021 for two Nitto ATP Finals competitors. Italian Matteo Berrettini led the ATP Tour by saving 73 per cent of the break points he faced, which helped him earn a spot in Turin in front of his home crowd. Daniil Medvedev was the best at converting his break points, doing so nearly 47 per cent of the time this year.

Rapid Fire
Most Aces in Best-of-3 Match: 36, John Isner (d. Wolf, Atlanta R1) and Sam Querrey (l. to Gojowczyk, Atlanta R1)

Most Aces in Best-of-5 Match: 49, Kevin Anderson (d. Vesely, US Open R1)

Longest Winning Streak: 22, Novak Djokovic

Youngest Final: Casper Ruud (22) def. Hugo Gaston (20) in Gstaad

Oldest Final: Rafael Nadal (34) def. Novak Djokovic (33) in Rome

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- Research contributed by Greg Sharko

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