Red-Hot Alcaraz Heats Up Cover Of Men’s Health

When Carlos Alcaraz sealed victory and fell to his knees on the Rio de Janeiro clay, the tennis world felt the ground shake.

The 18-year-old has started 2022 on fire and his recent title run at the Rio Open presented by Claro win made him the youngest winner of an ATP 500 event. The victory also moved Alcaraz into the Top 20 of the ATP Rankings for the first time, a feat he has achieved at a younger age than Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, to name but a few.

The tremors of his Rio victory caused waves outside tennis, too. The Spanish sensation features on the front cover of this month’s Men’s Health Spain, and you can read an excerpt from the interview below:

Much has been said in recent weeks about the physical transformation of Carlos Alcaraz, but his maturity has gone much further. At 18 years old, the tennis player from El Palmar (Murcia) has won his first ATP 500 tournament and jumped into the Top 20 after winning the final in Rio de Janeiro and showing that his tennis is much more than muscle and youth.

"For me, tennis is purely mental," says the tennis player in the exclusive interview he has granted to Men's Health Spain. "In the end, you are alone there on the court, and it is you and only you who has to know how to overcome and find solutions." Alcaraz has become the youngest 'cover' in the 20-year history of the magazine in Spain, one more milestone in his daring precocity.

Nadal's shadow is long but Alcaraz avoids comparisons: "I don't feel like anyone's successor. I want to be known as Carlos Alcaraz and not as Rafa Nadal's successor. I want my name to be known."

Match by match, there is no place or person on the planet that has not set eyes on him. The New York Times defined him as "the great sensation of sport" and "a true prodigy". For John McEnroe, he is "a player who is going to win a lot of Majors."

"I have always kept in mind that the first thing is to be a person, and then an athlete," says Alcaraz, who is always very grateful to the work of his coach, former tennis player Juan Carlos Ferrero. "It is a motto that helps me keep a cool head and my feet on the ground no matter what happens."

You can read the full story in Spanish from Men’s Health Spain here.

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Djokovic dethroned by Medvedev as Raducanu battles injuries and Nadal breaks career record

WEEKLY TENNIS ROUND-UP: Daniil Medvedev has overtaken Novak Djokovic as world No 1, ending an 18-year Big Four reign at the top. The Serb suffered defeat in his first tournament of 2022 while Nadal won his third title in three events. Emma Raducanu was forced out of more events with injury while Alexander Zverev was disqualified from Acapulco.

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First-Time Winner Spotlight: Pedro Martinez

Pedro Martinez showed all his fighting qualities to clinch his first ATP Tour title at the Chile Dove Men+Care Open on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Spaniard came from a set down to defeat #NextGenATP star Sebastian Baez in the championship match in the Chilean capital. Fourth-seeded Martinez had already battled past Jaume Munar, Yannick Hanfmann and local favourite Alejandro Tabilo on the way to the final at the clay-court ATP 250 event, his second on the ATP Tour.

The win pushes Martinez to a career-high No. 50 in the ATP Rankings, and afterwards he told ATPTour.com more about his journey to a first tour-level title.

What does it mean to you to win your first ATP Tour title?
It’s a really big feeling, I’m really happy. It’s something I was trying to do in the past two years, [when] I've played almost all ATPs [tour-level tournaments], and now to be here in the winning club for this year, it’s amazing for me.

You competed in your maiden tour-level final against Casper Ruud in Kitzbuhel on clay last season. To what extent did that experience help you when playing in the championship match today?
I don’t think I lost that match because I didn’t have experience, I think Casper was just on a really good level. I’m happy to be here again. I was mentally ok, I was prepared, I knew it was going to be a long match, even when I was down a break in the second, I kept fighting. So maybe that gave me confidence.

You arrived in Santiago having not been beyond the second round at a tournament this year, what are the main factors behind why it suddenly all clicked again this week in Chile?
This year I’ve competed in every match I’ve played. Last week I lost against [Diego] Schwartzman, it was more than one and a half hours, but it was a big result for him, 6-1, 6-1. But I think I’ve been doing things OK since the start of the year. I’ve lost to really good players, and I fought every match, and I knew my moment was going to arrive. That’s what you have to do. Be patient and your moment will arrive.

You came through some hard-fought matches this week as you showed your fighting spirit. How would you describe yourself off the court? Does your on-court resilience extend off the tennis court as well?
Off the court I think I’m a quiet guy. I like to chill with the other guys, spend time with my family when I’m at home. When I go on court, I think I’m another person. Something changes in my mind, some things go too fast, and some things I can’t control. That’s what it feels like, but that gives me my fighting spirit on the court.

You grew up living next to the Club de Tenis Alzira. Can you talk about your earliest memories of playing the sport and your development?
I lived there since I was six years old. I had a skateboard, and I [used to ride it] straight to the court. I spent all my time at that club. My coach, Nacho, he made me learn fierce skills that I have in my game now. I was always playing with my friend, Pepe, and those are my biggest memories. I was always there with a tennis racket or football, from [age] six until 15, all my childhood.

Countryman Rafael Nadal was an idol for you when growing up. How inspiring is it for you to still see him dominating as he has done this season?
What Rafa has done this season is something without words. He did it before, but every time he surprises everyone, I think he also surprises himself. He inspired me, he inspired many players. We also have a really good culture of tennis in Spain, so that’s what gives you confidence to reach new things and I hope I can go higher in the rankings and keep playing like this.

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?
For sure my parents, they supported me when I was a kid. My grandfather, all my family was behind me when I needed. My girlfriend, I’ve been with her for four and a half years. She comes with me everywhere that I decide to go. We’ve moved a few times from one house to another, and she’s always by my side and a big support for me.

What do you consider to be your biggest passion outside of tennis and can you tell us a little bit about that interest. I know you like your dogs and supporting Real Madrid?
We have seven dogs! I rescued one here in Santiago in 2019, when I came here for a Challenger. I found a puppy on the road, he was looking for food in the trash, and I took him and said, “I have to bring him home.” He’s in Spain right now, he’s called Scooby.

I like to hang out with my friends. I like to spend time at home because with tennis you travel so much. I like to watch other sports, going to eat the good food that we have in Spain.

I support Real Madrid because my grandfather, who passed away a few years ago, supported them since I was a kid. I follow them every weekend when they play in La Liga and I play Fantasy Football with my friends, so I follow soccer a lot.

This is a milestone moment in your career. How will you celebrate this victory?
Tonight I’m going to have a good dinner for sure, maybe a beer with my coach…you have to celebrate when you do something like this. Even if I lost, I would have done the same, and tomorrow we have a flight to go to the Davis Cup. We will see what the night brings!

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Novak Djokovic issued ominous Rafael Nadal warning after Mexican Open - 'Better than ever'

NOVAK DJOKOVIC has been warned Rafael Nadal is currently playing better than at any point in his career.

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Medvedev Makes History, Reaches No. 1 In ATP Rankings

Daniil Medvedev today becomes the 27th player to reach No. 1 in the ATP Rankings. The 26-year-old (8,615 points) passes Serbian Novak Djokovic (8,465), who has held the top spot in men’s tennis for a record 361 total weeks.

"Of course I am happy to reach No. 1. It was my goal since I was young and especially my goal in the latest times,” Medvedev said. “I got a lot of messages from many people and from other tennis players and I just want to thank everybody for the big support."

Medvedev is the first player outside the ‘Big Four’ of Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray to hold the top spot in 18 years, three weeks and six days, since Andy Roddick on 1 February 2004. The last time there was a new World No. 1 was more than five years ago, when Murray made it there on 7 November 2016.

Medvedev is the third Russian to achieve the feat, joining Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marat Safin. Kafelnikov spent six weeks atop the ATP Rankings and Safin was in the top spot for nine weeks.

Medvedev, who stands at 198cm, is the tallest player to earn the honour in the history of the ATP Rankings. The 26-year-old is also the sixth-oldest player to reach World No. 1 for the first time.

Guaranteed to claim the top spot when Djokovic lost on Thursday in the quarter-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships against Jiri Vesely, Medvedev last week reached the semi-finals of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC in Acapulco.

Some of Medvedev’s biggest results en route to World No. 1 include his first Grand Slam title at last year’s US Open, an ATP Masters 1000 trophy last year in Toronto at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers, a run to the championship match at last year’s Nitto ATP Finals and a trip to his fourth major final at this year’s Australian Open.

Medvedev cracked the Top 100 in the ATP Rankings in November 2016 when he was 20. The next year, he competed at the inaugural Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan and in July 2019, he broke into the Top 10 for the first time.

He has won 13 tour-level titles, including four Masters 1000 crowns. Medvedev also claimed the prestigious season-ending Nitto ATP Finals trophy in 2020. For a full history of the No. 1 ATP Ranking, click here.

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Players Who Have Reached ATP World No. 1

Player	Date Reached No. 1
Ilie Nastase	23 August 1973
John Newcombe	3 June 1974
Jimmy Connors	29 July 1974
Bjorn Borg	23 August 1977
John McEnroe	3 March 1980
Ivan Lendl	28 February 1983
Mats Wilander	12 September 1988
Stefan Edberg	13 August 1990
Boris Becker	28 January 1991
Jim Courier	10 February 1992
Pete Sampras	12 April 1993
Andre Agassi	10 April 1995
Thomas Muster	12 February 1996
Marcelo Rios	30 March 1998
Carlos Moya	15 March 1999
Yevgeny Kafelnikov	3 May 1999
Patrick Rafter	26 July 1999
Marat Safin	20 November 2000
Gustavo Kuerten	4 December 2000
Lleyton Hewitt	19 November 2001
Juan Carlos Ferrero	8 September 2003
Andy Roddick	3 November 2003
Roger Federer	2 February 2004
Rafael Nadal	18 August 2008
Novak Djokovic	4 July 2011
Andy Murray	7 November 2016
Daniil Medvedev	28 February 2022

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Dare To Dream: Medvedev’s No. 1 Destiny Now A Reality

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Martinez Beats Baez For Maiden ATP Tour Trophy In Santiago

Pedro Martinez broke new ground Sunday at the Chile Dove Men+Care Open, overcoming Sebastian Baez 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 to lift his maiden ATP Tour trophy in Santiago.

The Spaniard, who was competing in his second tour-level final, backed up his hard-fought semi-final victory over home favourite Alejandro Tabilo with another battling performance against Baez in front of a lively crowd.

Martinez rallied from a break down in the second set as he mixed grit with quality to eventually triumph against the Argentine after two hours and 44 minutes. The World No. 72 has showcased his mental and physical strength throughout the week at the clay-court event, prevailing in the deciding set three times en route to the title. He will rise to a career-high No. 52 on Monday.

“I am very happy,” Martinez said in his on-court interview. “It was a big battle. He has played unbelievably well in the past year. I played very well at the end and am really happy. I always fight until the end and that can give you opportunities.”

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The 24-year-old is the fourth Spaniard to win a tour-level trophy this year, joining Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal and Albert Ramos-Vinolas. Martinez is also the third first-time tour-level champion of the season, alongside Adelaide International 2 titlist Thanasi Kokkinakis and Open Sud de France victor Alexander Bublik.

Prior to his dream week in Santiago, the fourth seed had not advanced beyond the second round at an event this season. However, he flipped the form book in Chile to become the oldest champion in the tournament’s short three-year history.

Martinez has earned three ATP Challenger Tour crowns in his career. But he had never managed to crack the code at an ATP Tour tournament prior to his momentous win over Baez, losing to Norway's Casper Ruud in his only previous championship match at this level in Kitzbühel in July.

In a physical clash in Santiago, breaks were exchanged before the World No. 78 Baez gained control of the final, troubling Martinez with his variety as he mixed his heavy groundstrokes with deft drop shots to pull 5-3 ahead.

After sealing the first set on serve, a pumped-up Baez continued to put his foot down in the second set. However, he failed to close out the match after breaking and holding a 3-2 lead, with Martinez finding his range on his forehand to claw himself back into the clash.

In a tight final set, that swayed one way and then another, Baez rallied from 2-4 to level at 4-4. However, Martinez held firm, raising his level again as he converted his third match point to break and seal his win, falling to his knees in delight.

Baez, who competed at the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals in November, was playing in his first tour-level final, having battled past second seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas to reach the championship match.

The 21-year-old will rise to a career-high ranking on Monday, surpassing the No. 72 ATP Ranking he earned earlier this month. The seventh seed clinched three ATP Challenger Tour crowns in Chile last season, but was unable to find a way past the resilient Martinez.

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Rafael Nadal addresses Roger Federer record after beating Cam Norrie in Mexican Open final

RAFAEL NADAL defeated Cam Norrie in the Mexican Open final.

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Rafael Nadal makes 'impossible' comment after Cameron Norrie victory in Mexico

RAFAEL NADAL defeated Cameron Norrie in the Mexican Open final.

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Nadal Extends Perfect Season With Acapulco Title

Something had to give in the Acapulco final between Rafael Nadal and Cameron Norrie, each man entering with a variety of personal win streaks on the line.

In hot and humid conditions, Nadal didn't give an inch in a 6-4, 6-4 victory. The Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC title is the 91st of Nadal's storied career, and his fourth in Acapulco.

"It always has been a very special place," Nadal said of the host city. "The energy that the people from Mexico bring to me is very unique."

The result brings a winning conclusion to the latest chapter of the 35-year-old's comeback from a left foot injury that sidelined him for the last five months of 2021. It's a story that Nadal himself feared would never be written, such was the discomfort caused by an injury he says cannot be fixed, but only managed.

Fresh off a dominant victory over soon-to-be World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev, Nadal extended his career-best start to an ATP Tour season to 15-0. Just as he did in 2020 in Acapulco, he won the title without dropping a set. Nadal has now won 13 sets in a row dating back to the Australian Open, and 20 straight in Acapulco.

The victory was also an 11th straight in ATP Tour finals; it was Nadal's 128th appearance in a title match.

"I went through some very difficult moments during the match that I was able to save, and then I took advantage when I had the chances," said Nadal, who is both the youngest and oldest champion at the event.

"I'm very pleased. It was a very important title for me, so I can't be happier."

Norrie saw an eight-match winning streak snapped after his Delray Beach title last week.

Taking the initiative 💪@RafaelNadal cracks a decisive forehand blow to move ahead of Cam Norrie in Acapulco. #AMT2022 pic.twitter.com/s1aM5FpcHC

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 27, 2022

The Briton did very little wrong in the opening set, but Nadal seized on a trio of misses in the fifth game to create the only break point of the set. He took matters into his own hands there, uncorking a forehand passing shot to land the first real blow of the contest.

"Cameron is a very solid player, a tricky player," Nadal said post-match. "He makes you feel that you cannot play comfortably against him at all."

Nadal made a remarkable 89 per cent (24/27) of his first serves in the first set, winning 79 per cent (19/24) of those points. He finished with those numbers at 79 and 71 per cent for the match.

Just as he did after taking the opening set against Medvedev in the semis, Nadal scored an instant break to drive home the advantage in the second. 

But in the next game, one streak did end for Nadal: a run of 16 consecutive break points saved, dating back to his quarter-final win over Tommy Paul. Norrie earned his first break points of the match at 0/40, and after Nadal erased those three chances, Norrie buckled down in a 20-ball rally to take a fourth for 1-1.

Undeterred after falling behind 1-2, Nadal recovered the advantage and then some by reeling off four straight games to put himself on the brink of Acapulco glory.

At the second time of asking, he served out the title tilt after a sublime pick-up volley brought up match point.

Nadal has now bookended his record-breaking 21st Grand Slam title at the Australian Open with two others, starting with an ATP 250 trophy at the Melbourne Summer Set in January.

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Lopez/Tsitsipas Win Acapulco Doubles Title, First Of Greek's Career

A seven-time ATP Tour singles champion, Stefanos Tsitsipas tasted doubles glory for the first time on Saturday night in Acapulco. 

Teaming with former doubles World No. 9 Feliciano Lopez, the Greek got it done with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over fourth seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Jean-Julien Rojer at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC.

The champions never trailed in the game score of either set, but after leading by an early break in the opener, they saved two set and break points at 4-5 on the Lopez serve, including one on a sudden-death point.

After breaking in the ensuing game, the Spanish/Greek duo won another sudden-death point, this one doubling as a set point of their own. After a Lopez drop volley opened the court, Tsitsipas fired a backhand winner to avoid a tie-break.

What a point! 💪 @steftsitsipas and @feliciano_lopez making some magic happen in the final at #AMT2022 pic.twitter.com/rsOyfj2pXz Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 27, 2022

The heart of the second-set action came early, as both teams created break points in consecutive games. After Lopez/Tsitsipas broke on their second chance for 2-1, they erased two break points to consolidate on the Greek's serve. Those were the last break chances of the match, with the champions saving six of seven in the contest.

Lopez sealed victory with an ace, the pair's sixth of the match, earning a warm embrace from his teammate.

The Spaniard is now a six-time ATP Tour doubles champion, improving his record to 6-6 in finals. Tsitsipas levels at 1-1 after defeat in the 2019 Miami final with partner Wesley Koolhof.

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Baez Super In Santiago To Reach First ATP Tour Final

Sebastian Baez’s rapid rise does not appear to be slowing down any time soon.

The Argentine, who competed in last year’s Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan, reached his first ATP Tour final on Saturday when he battled past Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in the semi-finals of the Chile Dove Men+Care Open in Santiago.

“I feel good because today was such a tough match because Ramos has a lot of experience, he’s a great player,” Baez said. “I’m happy to have won this match and I have a new opportunity tomorrow.”

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Baez will face home favourite and recent Cordoba finalist Alejandro Tabilo or Spaniard Pedro Martinez for the trophy. The winner will become a first-time ATP Tour titlist.

The seventh seed in Santiago, Baez had to work hard to make the championship clash. The 21-year-old saved 10 of the 12 break points he faced against second-seeded Ramos-Vinolas to triumph after two hours and 33 minutes.

“[The match] had a lot of important moments, not just in the first or in the third set, because it was all the match,” Baez said. “All the match was so close. In some moments, maybe today I had a little bit of luck.”

The key was second-serve success. Baez won 65 per cent of his second-serve points compared to 50 per cent for Ramos-Vinolas. That helped the Argentine take a 2-0 ATP Head2Head lead against the 31-year-old lefty, whom he also defeated at this year’s Australian Open.

Baez began last season outside the Top 300 of the ATP Rankings. He reached a career-high No. 72 earlier this month and is projected to climb higher than that on Monday thanks to his efforts in Chile.

Did You Know?
Baez improved to 26-2 in Chile at all levels since the beginning of last season.

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Matos/Meligeni Rodrigues Alves Battle To Santiago Title

After recent struggles on the South American clay, Rafael Matos and Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves ended the Golden Swing in style on Saturday.

The Brazilians clinched their second ATP Tour title in Santiago, coming through two tie-breaks to defeat Andre Goransson and Nathaniel Lammons 7-6(8), 7-6(3) in one hour, 52 minutes, and claim victory at the Chile Dove Men+Care Open.

After taking the title, Matos acknowledged that a good off-court relationship was helping the pair's on-court performance. “It was a very good week," he said. "I’m very happy with this second title playing with Felipe, he’s a good friend of mine, I always enjoy playing with him and the time outside the court too. I’m just happy.”

Matos and Meligeni Rodrigues Alves had won just one match across the tournaments in Cordoba, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, but they found their form in Santiago to lift their first trophy since their sensational title run on tour-level debut in Cordoba in 2021.

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Goransson and Lammons, hunting their first ATP Tour title as a pair, looked to be heading to the first set at 5-4, 40/15 on their own serve, but Matos and Meligeni Rodrigues Alves dug deep to save three set points and reclaim the break. The top seeds then fended off another set point for Goransson and Lammons before taking the tie-break 10/8.

The second set was even tighter, but the crucial moment came with Matos and Meligeni Rodrigues Alves serving at 5-5. The Brazilians saved the only break points of the set and took the momentum with them into another tie-break, reeling off four points from 3/3 to take the title on their Santiago debut.

Matos and Meligeni Rodrigues Alves produced a solid match on serve, winning 80 per cent (47/59) of points behind their first delivery, as they avenged defeat in their only previous meeting with Goransson and Lammons in the final of the 2021 Biella ATP Challenger Tour event.

The Brazilians were even more delighted to win a title after their participation in the tournament almost never happened. “It was actually a pretty crazy week," said Meligeni Rodrigues Alves. "Rafa could only come to Chile on Wednesday and we didn’t play our best tennis in the first match, but we wanted so bad to win and we were improving every match, fighting, and I think at the end of the week we played our best match in the final.

"I’m really happy to play with Rafa again [and] get the second title together.”

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Rafael Nadal throws down Novak Djokovic warning despite 'no solution' admission

RAFAEL NADAL is through to the final of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel after defeating Daniil Medvedev in straight sets.

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Nadal KOs Medvedev In AO Rematch, Reaches Acapulco Final

In a much-anticipated rematch of their 2021 Australian Open five-setter, Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev served up another epic on Friday in the Acapulco semi-finals.

Nadal again came out on top, with the 6-3, 6-3 scoreline hiding the drama that unfolded over the course of two hours at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC.

If the Aussie Open final was a tale of two halves, so too was this one. Only Nadal won both in Mexico.

After a dominant opening set, the Spaniard saved 11 break points across two consecutive service games to hang on to an early lead in the second. 

Nadal picked up where he left off in Melbourne with a classy start, controlling the baseline and putting Medvedev under pressure in each of the Russian's first three service games. Sensing Nadal's dominance, the top seed mixed up his game with drop shots and serve-and-volley tactics, doing well to stay within touching distance.

After breaking in the fourth game, Nadal escaped 0/30 to open up a 4-1 lead. Medvedev got another look at 5-3, 30/30, but found himself a set down after two bad misses. 

Things started to spiral for the soon-to-be World No. 1, as a loose opening service game handed one of the game's all-time frontrunners another lead.

But against the run of play, Medvedev nearly levelled as he created four break chances at 2-1. While he didn't get the break, he got himself firmly back in contention when it looked like Nadal was set to pull away.

That epic six-deuce game was trumped by a nine-deuce game at 3-2. An incredible seven break points came and went as Nadal was sensational with his back against the wall. He survived in style as he went through his full arsenal, saving break points with equal parts aggression and patience, frequently closing points at the net following punishing serves and forehands.

With the win Nadal, improves to 4-1 in the pair's ATP Head2Head series. 

Nadal is a three-time champion in Acapulco (2005, 2013, 2020), with his first two titles coming when the event was still played on clay. He improves to 24-2 at the ATP 500 event, and has now won 18 sets in a row dating back to his 2020 triumph.

Looking to continue a career-best 14-0 start to the season, he'll face Cameron Norrie in Sunday's final as he goes for his 91st tour-level title in his 128th final. Nadal leads that head-to-head 3-0, winning all three in straight sets in the 2021 season (Australian Open, Barcelona, Roland Garros).

More to follow...

 

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Red-Hot Norrie Cools Tsitsipas In Acapulco SFs

In humid Acapulco, a red-hot Cameron Norrie cooled the streaking Stefanos Tsitsipas in a battle of two of the in-form players on the ATP Tour.

Great Britain's Norrie, champion a week ago in Delray Beach, extended his win streak to eight straight matches with an efficient 6-4, 6-4 semi-final win over the World No. 4. Tsitsipas, a finalist in Rotterdam earlier this month, had not dropped a set at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC until Friday's contest.

In each of the two very similar sets, Norrie scored a break in the ninth game and then coolly served it out. Match point was emblematic of the match as a whole: Tsitsipas was unable to hurt his rock-steady opponent despite repeated baseline attacks, the Greek ultimately netting to send Norrie into his ninth ATP Tour final and eighth in the past two seasons.

The World No. 12 faced just one break point in the match, in the sixth game of the second set, but a Tsitsipas error ended the threat. Norrie created his only break chances in the two aforementioned games, but converted both times on a total of three break points.

He made a sublime 92 percent of his first serves in the opening set to keep the pressure off, but needed to rely more on his baseline game behind a 57 per cent first-serve rate in set two.

More to follow...

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Spaniards Ramos-Vinolas, Martinez Cruise Into Santiago SFs

With an opportunity to close out the Golden Swing with a second February title, Albert Ramos-Vinolas marched on to the Santiago semi-finals with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Argentina's Facundo Bagnis on Thursday.

The Spanish second seed reached the Cordoba final without dropping a set to start the month, and has now won four straight sets at the Chile Dove Men+Care Open to reach the last four. Ramos-Vinolas won a three-set final against Alejandro Tabilo in Cordoba, and a Santiago championship rematch is still on the cards after the Chilean's 6-1, 6-4 result over Miomir Kecmanovic.

In a lefty vs. lefty matchup against Bagnis, Ramos-Vinolas fell behind 5-2 in the opening set before winning 11 of the last 13 games.

"He was playing better than me," the Spaniard said of those first seven games. "I think from that moment I started to play really good, then the match changed a little bit. I'm really happy with my performance after the 5-2 start."

Bagnis saved three break points to start the second set with a hold, but was broken in each of his next three service games as Ramos-Vinolas again finished with a flourish. He now holds a 4-0 ATP Head2Head record against the Argentine.

"I'm playing well. I've had a good swing in South America," said the 34-year-old, who improved to 8-2 on the month. "After winning in Cordoba, it was not easy for me because here the conditions are changing a lot."

Ramos-Vinolas will next face seventh seed Sebastian Baez, who won the only three-setter of the day, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, over Brazil's Thiago Monteiro.

The opposite semi-final will see home favourite Tabilo take on Spain's Pedro Martinez after the Spaniard's 6-2, 6-2 victory over Yannick Hanfmann. It's a second ATP Tour semi-final for Martinez, who reached the Kitzbuhel final in July.

"Today I felt really good on the court from the beginning," said the fourth seed. "I was feeling comfortable, didn't miss many balls. I was moving well, trying to make him play every point, and that's what I did from the beginning until the end.

"I think I played a really good match and I will keep going like this for tomorrow."

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Mektic/Pavic Title Chase Continues In Dubai

Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic have the chance to put things right at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Saturday.

The Croatians agonisingly lost out to Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah in two tie-breaks in the 2021 final, but the top pairing in the ATP Rankings has another shot at lifting the trophy in the U.A.E after coming through a stern semi-final test against John Peers and Filip Polasek on Friday.

Mektic and Pavic were forced to stay cool under pressure as they saved all five break points they faced in their 6-4, 7-5 victory, winning 80 per cent (32/40) of points behind their first serves in the match.

[FOLLOW ACTION]

Standing between them and a first ATP Tour title of 2022 in Saturday’s final will be fourth seeds Tim Puetz and Michael Venus, after they came through a Match Tie-break against American-French duo Austin Krajicek and Edouard Roger-Vasselin, 5-7, 6-3, 10-7.

Rolex Paris Masters champions Puetz and Venus are seeking their first win over Mektic and Pavic, who won the only previous meeting between the teams in Vienna last year.

No Play On The Santiago Clay
There was no doubles action at the Chile Dove Men+Care Open on Friday as both spots in the championship match were set by walkovers. Top-seeded Brazilian pairing Rafael Matos and Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves will face Swedish-American pairing Andre Goransson and Nathaniel Lammons in Saturday’s final, after their respective opponents both withdrew from the semi-finals.

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Vesely Edges Shapo In Dubai Epic

The Jiri Vesely title charge shows no sign of abating in Dubai.

The Czech qualifier backed up his stunning quarter-final win over World No. 1 Novak Djokovic with another Top 20 victory on Friday, outlasting Denis Shapovalov in a three-hour, 12-minute epic to reach the final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships with a 6-7(7), 7-6(2), 7-6(3) victory.

“I think I’m having a dream run here so far," said Vesely after the win. "I was just trying my best to really enjoy it as much as possible. It was my first ATP 500 semi-final and the only way to get through is just fight until the last point, and I’m very happy.”

Despite at times lacking some of the consistency that took him past Djokovic, Vesely continued to strike his groundstrokes powerfully throughout against the World No. 14 Shapovalov and now looks to claim a third ATP Tour title against Andrey Rublev on Saturday.

[FOLLOW ACTION]

At No. 123 in the ATP Rankings, Vesely was the lowest-ranked semi-finalist in the 30-year history of the Dubai event, but the Czech showed no signs of being overwhelmed as he won the first eight points of the match on his way to an early 3-0 lead.

In the pair’s first tour-level meeting, Shapovalov began to adjust to the clean, flat hitting of his opponent and the Canadian’s slow start did not prove costly. The 2022 ATP Cup winner found his rhythm to reclaim the break and then convert his second set point to clinch an absorbing tie-break.

Vesely reacted well to dropping his first set since the final round of qualifying, not allowing his 22-year-old opponent to get away. The Czech began to approach the net more regularly and, although Shapovalov fended off the only break point of the set, Vesely was not to be denied as he upped his level to take the second set tie-break and level the match.

A third set full of twists saw both players recover from 0/40 on their own serve before the match headed to a third tie-break. Vesely once again chose the crucial moments to produce his best, opening up a 4/1 lead that proved too big a deficit for Shapovalov to recover.

The Czech’s success was again based on an explosive serving performance. He ended with 15 aces and won 80 per cent (48/60) of points behind his first delivery overall.

Vesely admitted he had not seen his run to the final in Dubai coming. “Sometimes things happen, you don’t even know why," he said. "I was pretty much down, the last couple of months, and suddenly this happens.

"Sometimes it happens so quick, and the only thing to do is stay patient, work hard every day and just wait for your chances.”

The Czech, who reached a career-high ranking of 35 in 2015, now faces a first ATP Head2Head meeting with second seed Andrey Rublev in Saturday’s championship match after the Russian defeated Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(5) earlier on Friday.

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Opelka Shares Serving Tips

American Reilly Opelka has continued to rise up the ATP Rankings in the past two years, winning tour-level titles in Delray Beach and Dallas in that time.

A crucial factor behind the 24-year-old’s success has been his thunderous serve and powerful groundstrokes. Luckily, having joined TopCourt, the World No. 18 shares the key to his standout serve and brutal forehand with fans, while discussing how world-renowned coach Tom Gullickson helped his development.

Technique: Standing at 6’11”, Opelka possesses one of the biggest serves on Tour. The American shares the key aspects of his serve that will help you improve yours, discussing his grip change and more. The 24-year-old also shows fans the factors behind what makes his forehand such a powerful weapon.

Drills: In his TopCourt class, Opelka teaches three of his favourite drills that emphasise movement, shot placement, and on-court reaction. His ‘Catch and Release’ drill is one that will improve your movement, preparation and strength from the baseline, leading to more consistency and greater weight of shot.

Follow Opelka's Tutorials at TopCourt.com.

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Novak Djokovic's vaccine stance defended by Felix Auger-Aliassime amid Indian Wells doubts

NOVAK DJOKOVIC will be forced to miss the upcoming Masters events in Indian Wells and Miami as he remains unvaccinated.

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Chile's Tabilo Upsets Countryman Garin To Reach Santiago QFs

In an all-Chilean battle Thursday in Santiago, Alejandro Tabilo upset top seed and defending champion Cristian Garin, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals.

It's the second time the 24-year-old has knocked off a No. 1 seed during the Golden Swing in Latin America, a Cordoba victory over Diego Schwartzman sending him into his first career ATP Tour final earlier this month.

Against World No. 27 Garin at the Chile Dove Men+Care Open, Tabilo dropped the first two games of the match but then won five in succession to take control of the opening set. After breaking to love for 4-2, two love service holds sealed the set.

Both men saved break points early in the second, before Tabilo made the breakthrough — again to love — to edge in front. Quickly seizing his opportunity, he booked his quarter-final place with his fourth break of the match on a clever drop shot.

Look what it means 🤗

Alejandro Tabilo takes out defending champion Cristian Garin 6-3 6-3 at Santiago. #ChileDoveMenCareOpen pic.twitter.com/vMcn7lmdhc

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 25, 2022

Dominant on his first serve with a 79 per cent win rate (23/29), the Toronto-born Chilean feasted on a buffet of second-serve deliveries from his opponent. Tabilo won 70 per cent of those second-serve return points (16/23) as Garin made just more than half of his first serves.

Sixth seed Miomir Kecmanovic awaits in the last eight, after the Serb rolled to a 6-2, 6-0 win over Brazilian qualifier Matheus Pucinelli De Almeida.

Pedro Martinez, the Spanish fourth seed, won the only three-setter of the day, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5, over countryman Jaume Munar. In a three-and-a-half hour match, Martinez saved a break point as he served out the match to reach his first ATP Tour quarter-final since October (Moscow).

Yannick Hanfmann will be his next opponent after the German powered past Brazilian wild card Thiago Seyboth Wild, 6-1, 6-3. It will be the 30-year-old's first quarter-final since Bastad in July.

"I feel pretty comfortable. I was serving really well and also returning pretty good," said the World No. 115, who entered the event with a protected ranking. "In these conditions it's important to do the first strokes well: serve, return, first ball. I think all of these things I did really well. 

"Maybe he was a little bit uncomfortable with my aggressive game style, I don't know. That's where I shined in the altitude."

On court for just over an hour, the German figures to be the fresher man on Friday, when all four Santiago quarter-finals are scheduled.

"I think the two hours that I missed [compared to Martinez's match time], I will practise now, so that we're even for tomorrow," he joked.

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Medvedev, Soon To Be World No. 1, Reaches Acapulco SFs

Following Novak Djokovic’s loss to Jiri Vesely in Dubai, Daniil Medvedev is guaranteed to reach the top spot in the ATP Rankings on Monday. He will become the first man outside the “Big 4” to reach World No. 1 since Andy Roddick in 2004.

Following his quarter-final win in Acapulco Thursday, the Russian is two wins away from starting his reign in supreme style behind a 14th tour-level title.

Hours after his impending place atop the men’s game was confirmed, Medvedev masterminded a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC.

“It’s not easy to play a match when you get this news during the day,” said Medvedev, who did not know that Djokovic’s loss guaranteed him the top spot until he started receiving congratulatory messages. 

“The first goal for me was to still win today because I’m here to try to win every match I play. But it’s definitely some great news.”

The 26-year-old broke serve six times in the match but twice found himself behind in an eventful second set as Nishioka provided a stern test with his shot tolerance and elite speed.

Four straight games against serve saw Medvedev close out the opening set then fall behind 2-1 in the second. The Japanese pushed his lead to 3-1, but Medvedev rallied to win the final five games of the contest, winning points from all over the court with equal parts power, consistency and delicate touch.

While Nishioka threatened on the return and hit several passing shots as he rallied early in set two, he held serve just once in each frame as Medvedev’s return game dominated. The Russian won an incredible 70 per cent (19/27) of points against the Nishioka first serve in the one-hour, 10-minute contest.

“Yoshihito is a tough opponent. I think his weak point is his serve,” Medvedev assessed. “He knows how to return, how to run how to make some crazy shots when you don’t expect it.”

Continuing his fine form from the Australian Open, Medvedev has dropped just eight games in his past two matches, and 15 in total on the week.

Making his debut in Acapulco, he improves to 12-2 on the season and does his part to set up a blockbuster semi-final against Rafael Nadal — a rematch of their five-set Australian Open final. The Spaniard faces Tommy Paul on Thursday night.

“If I play Rafa, it’s always special to play against him,” Medvedev said. “Kind of a chance to get my revenge.

“I have to learn from the best, which is him, Roger, Novak, Andy. Always when they were losing a tough fight, they were trying to get their revenge. Sometimes they managed to do it, sometimes not. That’s what I’m going to try to do if I play Rafa.”

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Football, Mo Salah and Acapulco Beaches Keep Medvedev Relaxed In Mexico

It’s noon in Acapulco and temperatures are soaring above 30 degrees Celsius. However, it is not enough to prevent Daniil Medvedev completing his first training session of the day. It does force him to take long breaks under a parasol though, and while he is still sweating off the exertion of his last rally, he picks up his mobile and stares at the screen. They are showing a Premier League match. Suddenly, he lets out a cry as someone scores a goal.

The Russian checks his phone every time he takes a break from training. And he will continue to do so throughout the day until he goes to bed. Why? Medvedev is an ardent Fantasy Premier League fan.

“Yeah, I really love it!” he said on Wednesday in Acapulco after reaching the quarter-finals of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC. “I play with my friends, I try to follow matches, pick the best team, so I really enjoy it, you know?” 

Fantasy Premier League is a game in which users earn points if the players in their lineup play well each match day. Medvedev plays it for fun and to get away from the stress.

It may be quite useful to him this week as he is attracting plenty of attention as he prepares to take over as World No. 1, which he will do on Monday. Instead of worrying about the results of his friend Novak Djokovic in Dubai this week, Medvedev preferred to celebrate the points he earns in the Fantasy Premier League thanks to successful outings from Liverpool player Mohamed Salah, the captain of Daniil’s team.

“Sometimes I get angry when someone doesn’t score a penalty or something like that. But it’s fun. Really fun. Also, it makes me follow a sport I love, which is also great,” said last month’s Australian Open runner-up. 

“For example, today there were three matches, I watched them all, and ‘triple captained’ my captain Salah, so I was super, super happy,” he added with a grin. Thanks to the Egyptian player’s goals against Leeds, Medvedev’s points were tripled and he had two reasons to celebrate after beating Pablo Andujar.

Sometimes it seems that Daniil is immune to the pressure others might crumble under with the No. 1 spot at stake. When he arrived in Mexico on 16 February in the afternoon, he relaxed in his villa eating snacks while watching a Champions League match.

“I really like Mexican food so far. I don’t know what else to tell you... it’s just really, really good,” said the 13-time ATP Tour champion. The beaches of Acapulco were also very much to his liking; he has been there several times to swim and surf with his wife Daria.

Considering the importance of this week in terms of his ATP Ranking, when Medvedev arrives at the tournament venue to compete and train, he doesn’t look the slightest bit stressed and his feet are certainly very much on the ground. 

“I thought Daniil was someone who might think he was really special... because of his ranking and because he’s a possible No. 1 in the world. But after training I found him to be a very down-to-earth and humble person,” said Roberto Llamas, one of the five knock-up partners provided by the tournament.

Before his opener in Acapulco, Daniil practised for two hours with Mexican player Rodrigo Pacheco, the junior World No. 14 , and he took his role as a mentor very seriously. Giving advice to young talent has always been a strength of his. 

“Medvedev was very nice to me. He gave me advice and told me to keep working hard, and if I went to his academy we could train again,” said the 16-year-old left-hander, who played in the Acapulco qualifiers.

It's not that Daniil doesn’t care about the ATP Rankings battle: “Being No. 1 is no longer a dream like it was when I was younger,” he said following his first-round victory. “Now it’s a goal, and I’m working even harder to achieve it.” 

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Vesely: 'I Was Losing My Faith A Little Bit'

Jiri Vesely was delighted on Thursday after he upset Novak Djokovic for the second time in his career to reach the semi-finals at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

The World No. 123 has endured a challenging 12 months, but his strong performances this week have given him reason to smile again, with the Czech qualifier ecstatic about his run at the ATP 500 event.

“It's an unbelievable run," Vesely said in his post-match press conference. "I will try to do my best to go as far as possible, to maybe try and win the title. You never know. I've beaten three amazing players. I had a very tough draw. I never thought I would go that far. I'm really, really happy about it, especially after the past 12 months.

“It's been a big struggle. I was losing my faith a little bit. It wasn't easy. This tournament will give me so many positives for the upcoming weeks and months. Hopefully I'm on the right way. I hope to accomplish my goals that I have.”

[FOLLOW ACTION]

The difficulties that Vesely allude to include suffering from Covid last year, before he was involved in a car accident.

Those off-court incidents impacted his on-court performances prior to this week, with the 28-year-old dropping outside the Top 100 at the start of February. Vesely held a 1-5 record on the season before he arrived in Dubai.

“Last year, just before the tournament here in Dubai I was supposed to play, I got Covid. I was quite okay," Vesely added. "Once I started to train, it was really, really hard to breathe, for me to work, to be able to hit for one hour, two hours. I had these struggles for maybe two months, three months.

“It makes you really frustrated, depressed sometimes because you don't really know what to do. I was having all the health checks, talked to many doctors. Nobody really knew how long this could take.

“Then after three months, I finally found more energy to work harder again. Suddenly we had a car crash. It was out of tennis for another month. It has been just a very, very tough year with all the problems around. Dropping outside of Top 100 was another sad moment in my career because I'm always trying to go the other way.”

Vesely also upset Djokovic in 2016 in Monte Carlo but struggled to kick on from that result as he found it difficult to adjust to the pressure of the Tour when aged just 22.

However, the Czech believes he is in a better frame of mind to push on now and is hoping his strong run here in Dubai can provide the impetus for him to have further success. His victory over Djokovic also means the Serbian will relinquish his World No. 1 ATP Ranking to Daniil Medvedev on Monday.

“I think maybe that win came too early,” Vesely said reflecting on his 2016 triumph over the Serb. “It was a big win. He was unbeaten in the year at the time. He won in Australia, Indian Wells and Miami. I was 22 years old. It was great to be really successful at that early age, but I think I just wasn't prepared for that. Maybe now this win can help me much more than it did in Monte Carlo.

“Always when I had to play against lower-ranked guys, I was always struggling with myself. I wasn't able to beat them. I was always looking at what people thought about me after the defeats. It wasn't easy. After some time you get used to all the things. Winning and losing is just part of the sport. All this comes with the age I think, with experience.”

Vesely will look to continue his run when he faces Denis Shapovalov in the semi-finals on Friday. It is the first time the World No. 123 has advanced to the last four at a tour-level event since he triumphed in Pune in 2020 for his second ATP Tour crown.

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Novak Djokovic 'p***ed off' after losing world No 1 ranking with retirement statement

NOVAK DJOKOVIC fell behind to Daniil Medvedev is the ATP world rankings earlier this week.

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Djokovic Motivated As Ever Despite No. 1 Setback

Novak Djokovic will surrender the No. 1 ATP Ranking to Daniil Medvedev next week following his defeat to Jiri Vesely at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Thursday.

However, the Serbian says that he is as hungry as ever to fight for more titles and produce his best tennis in the coming months despite the setback.

“My goal is to keep on playing tennis,” Djokovic said in his post-match press conference. “That's the ultimate goal. For as long as I really feel like it and as long as I can play. As long as my body allows me, as long as the circumstances in my life as well, the people that surround me [and] support me.

“I'm still motivated and I'm still pissed off when I lose a match. I care about it. I care about winning every match, as anybody else on the Tour, regardless of the age. I'm actually glad that I'm feeling a lot of emotions every single day because it means that I really want to be part of this sport, part of the Tour.”

The 34-year-old has sat atop the tennis mountain for the past 132 weeks and a record-breaking 361 weeks in total. He was competing in his first tournament of the season in Dubai. The top seed has triumphed at the ATP 500 five times and entered his match against Czech qualifier Vesely off the back of victories against #NextGenATP Italian Lorenzo Musetti and Russian Karen Khachanov.

But Djokovic was unable to find his best level against the World No. 123, praising the 28-year-old for his aggressive and resolute performance.

“Unfortunately, [it] wasn't my day,” Djokovic added. “I congratulate Jiri. He played better. He just went for his shots. His serve was big. His whole game was big. When he needed to come up with the good shots, he did, putting a lot of pressure also on my service games. His backhand on this surface where it's really fast and it stays low is really effective.”

[FOLLOW ACTION]

This season, Djokovic has also seen Spaniard Rafael Nadal overtake him in the Grand Slam race, with the 35-year-old capturing his record-breaking 21st major title at the Australian Open in January. It means Nadal leads the way over Djokovic and Roger Federer, who are both tied on 20 Grand Slam crowns.

Djokovic admitted that while he needs more matches to regain his best level, his body is in good enough shape to continue to compete at the very top.

“The more matches I play, the more comfortable I get on the court,” Djokovic added. “I need the match play. I didn't have many matches at all last few months.

“I don't look at the age really as a restricting factor for my career. I still feel great in terms of my body and the way it's holding on, the way it's recovering. It's been serving me well, so to say. That's something that obviously encourages me to keep going.”

View Full List Players To Hold No. 1 ATP Ranking Here.

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Nadal Makes Personal History, Nears Medvedev Rematch In Acapulco

Another day, another history-making performance from Rafael Nadal. This time, the history was of the personal variety following a 6-0, 6-3 victory over Stefan Kozlov at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC.

In his first tournament since winning a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam at the Australian Open, Nadal has improved to a career-best 12-0 start to the new season. Nadal started the 2014 season with 11 straight wins before losing to Stan Wawrinka in the Australian Open final.

After title runs at the Melbourne Summer Set and the Aussie Open, the Spaniard is seeking his third tour-level trophy of the season and the 91st of his legendary career. His path to the title could run through Daniil Medvedev, the man chasing the No. 1 ATP Ranking, should both win one more match and advance to the semi-finals.

After leading, 6-0, 4-1, in Wednesday's match against Kozlov, Nadal found himself back on serve with his opponent two points from levelling the set.

"A little bit of a strange match," Nadal assessed. "Kozlov has a different style than most other players, so you need to be very careful. Sometimes you are able to win points in a row, but then if you start to play at his rhythm, it's very difficult because he has great control from the baseline and he's very smart."

Avoiding the sort of marathon match the Acapulco stadium court has become accustomed to in recent days, Nadal won the final seven points of the match to get through to the quarter-finals in just over an hour. The Spaniard was dominant on the return as he converted five of six break chances, winning more than half of his points against Kozlov's first serve.

"Always it's important to win as quick as possible," Nadal added, "but the most important thing is to win. Tonight has been straight sets, that's great news, and I'll try to be ready for tomorrow again against a tough opponent."

After beating Denis Kudla and Kozlov in the opening rounds, Nadal will face another American in Tommy Paul in the quarter-finals. Paul was a 7-6(6), 2-6, 7-5 winner over Dusan Lajovic earlier on Wednesday.

This one goes to 12 💪

For the first time in his career, @RafaelNadal starts a season with 12 consecutive wins, defeating Stefan Kozlov 6-0 6-3 at #AMT2022 pic.twitter.com/wFxQ5iP1WG

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 24, 2022

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Argentines Baez, Bagnis Reach Santiago QFs

It was a big day for Argentina in neighbouring Chile on Wednesday, with four men bidding to reach the quarter-finals in Santiago. Sebastian Baez and 2021 finalist Facundo Bagnis advanced, the latter beating countryman Juan Ignacio Londero.

Seventh seed Baez opened play at the Chile Dove Men+Care Open with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Londero, eighth seed Bagnis following with a 6-2, 6-2 result against Hugo Dellien.

Baez broke serve seven times in the match and won more than half of his return points against both first and second serves. With 12 games going against serve in total, the match featured more breaks than holds.

"I feel good on the court in this place," the Buenos Aires native said after the win. "It's difficult to feel at home, and here in Chile I feel that. That's something extra for the tournament and for my tennis, and that's the most important, I think."

Baez now holds a 24-2 record in Chile at the ATP Tour and ATP Challenger Tour level since the start of 2021, including three Challenger titles.

The 21-year-old advances to his second quarter-final of 2022 (Cordoba), where he'll face Monteiro. A former junior world No. 1 and a six-time Challenger champion in 2021, Baez is making his second appearance at the Santiago ATP 250 event after qualifying last year. The Argentine is seeking his first ATP Tour final after rising from outside the Top 300 at the start last season to a career-high ATP Ranking of No. 72 earlier this month.

"It's a second quarter-final [for me], so it's a new chance to try to be better," he previewed. "I think it's a new opportunity to play with another great player and try to do all my best."

Third seed Fernando Delbonis was on course to set up an all-Argentine quarter-final against Baez, but could not close out his opening match after taking the first set against Thiago Monteiro. Instead, the 27-year-old Brazilian reached his second quarter-final of the season (Adelaide 2) with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 upset.

Bagnis cruised into the quarter-finals as he rounds into form following a slow start to the season. Winless since his opening match of the year against Andy Murray at the Melbourne Summer Set, the 31-year-old has put together two dominant victories on the Chilean clay.

He’s dropped just seven games in reaching his first ATP Tour quarter-final since a run to the Santiago title match one year ago, when he fell to Chile’s Cristian Garin. After facing no break points in an opening-round win against Spain’s Barnabe Zapata Miralles, Bagnis saved one of two in Wednesday’s win over Bolivia’s Dellien. He next faces second seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas, a 6-2, 7-6(4) winner over compatriot Carlos Taberner in the Santiago nightcap.

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Medvedev Sprints Closer To World No. 1 With Acapulco Route

Daniil Medvedev looked every bit a World No. 1 in his 6-1, 6-2 demolition of Spain's Pablo Andujar on Wednesday in Acapulco.

After a hardfought win over Benoit Paire in his debut at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, the Russian completed a never-in-doubt route to advance to the quarter-finals.

Knowing a title on Sunday guarantees him the top spot in the ATP Rankings, Medvedev showed no signs of stress in a strong outing. He raced to leads of 5-0 in the first and 4-0 in the second, wrapping up the match in just over an hour — in stark contrast to the parade of marathon matches on the stadium court earlier in the week.

"I'm lucky two days in a row not to play at midnight like some other guys," the World No. 2 said post-match. "It's pretty tough conditions, quite humid. Even if we play at night it's quite hot... The faster the matches, the better you're going to feel for the next one."

Despite just nine unforced errors in the match, Andujar could not cope with Medvedev's baseline brilliance, the Russian saving the lone break point he faced with a big serve early in the contest. 

"Pablo is a very tough opponent, so I knew that from the first point to the last point I would have to fight, to play my best tennis," Medvedev added. "I'm happy I was able to [execute] my plan. It was enough today to win and I'm really happy about it."

With the match in hand late, Medvedev began experimenting with his drop shot to mixed results. Playing along, Andujar attempted to spring an underarm serve as the match raced towards its conclusion. The Russian answered back with an underarm fake on match point, before ending the match with his seventh ace.

The top seed will face seventh seed Taylor Fritz or wild card Yoshihito Nishioka in the quarter-finals. Rafael Nadal, who plays American Stefan Kozlov in the second round, remains a potential semi-final opponent.

Two down, three to go ✌️@DaniilMedwed eases into the quarter-finals at Acapulco with a 6-1 6-2 victory over Pablo Andujar. #AMT2022 pic.twitter.com/Mh7k3RVBB4

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 24, 2022

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Novak Djokovic gives verdict on Alexander Zverev after appalling Mexico Open conduct

NOVAK DJOKOVIC has opened up on Alexander Zverev after the German was booted out of the Mexico Open.

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Emma Raducanu stalker who left star scared to leave home given five-year restraining order

EMMA Raducanu's stalker has been given a five-year restraining order over his treatment of the British tennis star.

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ATP Issues Calendar For Second Half Of 2022 Season

The ATP has confirmed its calendar for the second half of the 2022 ATP Tour season.

Today's announcement marks a return to a regular Q3 and Q4 schedule of events, following extensive adjustments in previous seasons due to COVID-19. Following The Championships, Wimbledon, the ATP Tour will continue charting its course through marquee global cities, building towards the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan and the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. All in, the season is set to feature 66 events across 30 countries.

The calendar also includes the relocation of the St. Petersburg Open (ATP 250) to Nur-Sultan, following more than 25 editions of the event. The Kazakh capital city played host to its first ATP tournament in 2020, issued as a single-year licence to expand playing opportunities and explore new markets for professional tennis, before hosting a second event in 2021.

The ATP continues to take a fluid approach to the calendar and the schedule remains subject to change. Any further updates will be communicated in due course.

View the full 2022 calendar here.

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Kozlov’s Acapulco Odysee: Jet Ski Rescue, Borrowed Clothes & Standing Up Rafa

What would it take for you to stand up Rafael Nadal on the practice court?

Stefan Kozlov found out Monday when he discovered an urgent Whatsapp message alerting him to his last-minute inclusion into the Acapulco main draw as a lucky loser. But cutting short his session with Rafa was only part of the story, one of the most remarkable match-day tales that culminated in a victory over former World No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov.

The 24-yer-old was playing a set on Monday with Nadal on the farthest practice court from the new Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC complex. Having lost in the final round of qualifying, and with little chance of making it into the main draw as a lucky loser, Kozlov was perfectly happy to help the Spaniard prepare for his match the next day against Denis Kudla. However, he was about to find out that it was Rafa who was helping him get ready.

When Nadal was serving at 3-3, 0/15 in the practice set, the Spaniard broke a string. While the Spaniard was looking for a new racquet in his bag, Kozlov took the opportunity to check his phone. Much to his astonishment, his phone was brimming with WhatsApp messages telling him that he had to be on court in the next match in the stadium instead of Maxime Cressy, a last-minute withdrawal from the Acapulco ATP 500.

Pre-match prep doesn't get much crazier 🤪@stefankozlov had to cut short his practice with Rafa on being called up for his first round Lucky Loser spot @AbiertoTelcel! pic.twitter.com/or1PFTThF3

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 22, 2022

How could he do that? He didn’t even have the right outfit to play in. “All of my clothes were wet because they were at the laundry,” Kozlov told ATPTour.com. Additionally, he would have to abandon his practice with the man with more majors than any other. “He jokingly told me ‘You can’t go, we have to finish the set.’ I quipped back: ‘No Rafa, I have to go, but I’ll put this down as a win because I was one point ahead’.”

Kozlov’s smile disappeared as soon as he had said goodbye to Rafa. He was overcome with worry. “I went as quickly as I could to prepare as well as possible. And I had to borrow clothes from the tournament staff, as many clothes as I could get my hands on to be able to play because I didn’t have anything that was dry,” explained Kozlov.

Together with his coach Chris Wettengel and his physio Andy Hanley, he managed to reach the new tournament venue on time, after a five-minute car journey from his hotel. However, there was still one concern: Would he be fit enough to withstand an opponent like Grigor Dimitrov after an entire day enjoying the Pacific ocean as a tourist?

“I wasn’t expecting to play, at all. Two guys had already dropped out of the tournament, I didn’t think there would be a third lucky loser. That’s why I was on the beach all day. Also, I had a slight problem with a jet ski. I capsized it and crashed into some rocks. So I was stranded out there for 30 minutes, just swimming to get away from the rocks,” recounted the No. 130 in the ATP Rankings. After being rescued [by the jet ski manager], I was expecting an intense practice session with Rafa at 6 o’clock.”

The adrenaline from the day seemed to dissipate when he faced Dimitrov. But, deep into the match, his body reminded him when he started to cramp on the verge of victory at 7-6(8), 5-3. Just after winning a point and breaking to give himself the chance to serve for the biggest win of his career, he fell to the ground in pain.

He struggled on as best as he could, but the second set slipped from his grasp. It looked like victory would, too. Limping as he went, he saved six break points in the first game of the third set, and the cramps slowly resided. The full support of the Mexican fans, excited by the American’s gargantuan efforts, was enough to help him rediscover the path that would take him to a win he would eventually claim after three hours and 21 minutes of play, the longest match in tournament history.

It would be another three hours until he made his way into bed. After eating and an near 2-hour physio session, Kozlov left the tournament venue at 4 a.m., just after Alexander Zverev won the second set against Jenson Brooksby in the same stadium where he produced the biggest win of his career just a few hours earlier.

“It was a long, crazy day!” Kozlov said, still excited about his achievement. “I really had to fight for it, but I’m happy to have had the spirit to fight and to have played my best tennis until the end.” His reward? A potential second-round clash against his sparring partner from last night: Nadal!

“It would be amazing, it would be a great honour for me. I think he’s a fantastic person, and I have great respect for him. I’ll really enjoy it, definitely,” added Kozlov. He has practised numerous times with the 36-time ATP Masters 1000 champion, but he has never faced him on the ATP Tour. Competing against one of his idols will be another reward for the heart he has shown in Mexico.

“Yesterday, I thought I had no chance of playing; now I’m in the best tournament of my career and close to facing Rafa Nadal. Sometimes God works in mysterious ways.” One thing is certain; until his next match, there will be no more beach days for Stefan Kozlov in Acapulco.

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Fast & Fabulous: Why Carlos Alcaraz Won't Slow Down After Top 20 Milestone

Carlos Alcaraz was just a 16 year-old kid with a huge grin when he first set foot in the Jockey Club Brasileiro. All he was looking for back then was to enjoy a tournament where he would share a locker room with players he had only previously been able to see on TV. The organisers of the Rio Open presented by Claro had granted him a wild card to make his ATP Tour debut. Probably, he could never have imagined that two years later he would be back there lifting his first ATP 500 title.

On the 18th of February 2020, as the No. 406 in the ATP Ranking, he officially introduced himself to the Tour. He was still just a boy, but a young talent who looked sure to turn professional sooner rather than later. So far, he is living up to all those expectations. Last Sunday, on the same Brazilian clay, he lifted the second title of his career and the first in an ATP 500.

“It’s spectacular,” the Spaniard said of the new trophy on its way to his cabinet. “I won my first ATP match in Rio. Being able to win the tournament two years later means so much to me. I remember when I came for the first time, I thought I was here to keep having fun, to learn from the best, and two years later I came here with high expectations, thinking I could win, that I was one of the favourites to win, and having done that in Rio is really amazing.”

His transformation has been meteoric. In a matter of months, he went from being a promising wild card to a well-established Tour player. Now he has reached his highest-ever ATP Ranking, inside the world’s Top 20.

And if anyone thinks he is about to rest on his laurels, they can think again. The Spaniard explained that his “goal now is not to leave it [the Top 20], and gradually move up. I have several tournaments that I wasn’t able to play last year, which is an opportunity to keep growing and I think this tournament gives me a lot of motivation and desire to keep climbing as I have been.”

When asked about his goals, Alcaraz was quick to state his ambition to reach the pinnacle of the sport. “Being the No. 1 in the world, a Grand Slam champion, Olympic medals... I dream big,” he answered with a smile of equal parts confidence and innocence.

The Murcia native knows he is not the only one with his sights set high. Those around him expect much of him too. “People have high expectations of me. I’m grateful that people think I can be the best in the world, but my team and I know how difficult it is. I have Juan Carlos [Ferrero], who can tell me how difficult it is to reach No. 1 in the world and what a sacrifice it is. I think I’m on the right path, if I stay on it and keep doing things right, I’ll have chances, although that doesn’t guarantee anything.”

What, exactly, has he improved in order to compete at this level? “Everyone treats the important points differently from the rest and the player who best deals with their nerves in those moments will do best. It’s something I’m working on, when the important points come, thinking it’s just another point and making it less important than it is. And, above all, trying to hide those nerves from your opponent.”

During the week, Alcaraz demonstrated his potential —which he is getting increasingly closer to fulfilling— leaving in his wake great clay players such as Jaume Munar and Federico Delbonis; two opponents who have been in the Top 10 such as Matteo Berrettini and Fabio Fognini (on the same day); and a player who already knew what it was to win in Rio, Diego Schwartzman, in the final.

Every victory was accompanied with a special celebration: forming a pair of glasses with his hands in dedication to ‘Los Lupas’, his group of friends in Murcia. Thus ends this chapter of the story of a boy who has shed his wild card skin to become a fully fledged favourite.

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Emma Raducanu won't win 'another Grand Slam any time soon' in cautious warning

EMMA RADUCANU is back in action this week at the Abierto Zapopan.

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Nadal's 'Infinitely Better' Start To 2022 Than He Hoped For

Six months ago, when his return to the ATP Tour was far from certain, Rafael Nadal had very modest expectations for the early part of 2022. He has certainly over delivered!

The Spaniard began the year with consecutive titles, including a record-setting 21st major at the Australian Open, and now has the chance to complete his best start to a season at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC in Acapulco.

“The start of the year has been infinitely better than I could ever have imagined,” said Nadal at his pre-tournament press-conference. “Winning in Australia was deeply satisfying. Not so much because of reaching 21 Grand Slams, but because it came at a very difficult time for me.” The World No. 5 played his first ATP match in five months in early January.

Nadal holds a 10-0 record in 2022 after also winning the Melbourne Summer Set. In Acapulco he will have the chance to notch up 12 wins from his first 12 matches of the year, something he has never done before. His current personal best came in 2014, when he won his first 11 clashes.

Nadal's Fastest Season Starts

Year	Consecutive Wins
2014	11
2022	10
2019	6

The 90-time ATP champion has plenty of motivation to keep bettering himself, even at 35 years of age. “Feeling competitive in Australia and seeing that my foot held up, even playing five hours in one day, [it] drives me to keep playing and it gives me the energy to carry on,” said Nadal. “When I was 23, I thought I wouldn’t be playing at 29. When I was 29, I thought at 33 I wouldn’t be where I was. But for now, I’m still here, and that’s really wonderful.”

Acapulco will be his first tournament as the man with the most majors in history. It looked like an unreachable target when he fell behind Roger Federer after the 2010 Australian Open. His new status has reignited the debate on who will eventually be considered the best of the Big Three, the trio that also includes Novak Djokovic.

Nadal touched on the subject at his press conference. “I think at the end of the day it’s a question of opinion. There are various arguments that could give that moniker to any of us, and all those arguments are valid. It depends where you look. The reality is that all three of us have done much more than we could have dreamed. And from there, let the experts talk about it and we’ll focus on playing.”

Nadal still has his feet firmly on the ground. So much so that he’s aware of how difficult it will be to go deep at the Mexican ATP 500 event, which he won for the first time since it became a hard-court event in 2020 (d. Fritz). “I’ve got a really tough draw,” said Nadal, who could face Matteo Berrettini in the quarter-finals and his Australian Open final opponent Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals.

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“At the moment, I’m not thinking about those things," said Nadal. "I’m simply happy to play tennis. I’m really excited to do so after playing so few tournaments recently. That’s why I’ve come here, and because I’m excited to still be competing, not just about results.” His first challenge will come against lucky loser Denis Kudla, following the withdrawal of Dallas Open champion Reilly Opelka.

The match will take place on Tuesday night on the new centre court in Acapulco, which has a capacity of over 10,000. Just being able to compete again after his superhuman effort in Melbourne is reward enough for Nadal. “My only expectation this week is to be able to play,” he said.

Did You Know? Nadal has won 50 matches at Latin American events in his ATP Tour career. Of those tournaments, he has his best record in Acapulco (20-2).

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'I get dozens of emails every day' - Novak Djokovic faces backlash on playing Italian Open

NOVAK DJOKOVIC has finally got his 2022 season underway this week at the Dubai Tennis Championships.

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Tennis At 300 Metres! Rune & Tabilo Go Sky-High In Santiago

It is not every day the stars of the ATP Tour get to play tennis at the highest point on a continent, but that is what Denmark’s Holger Rune and Chilean Alejandro Tabilo did Monday evening in Santiago.

Rune and Tabilo, who are competing in this week’s Chile Dove Men+Care Open, visited the Sky Costanera, an observatory 300 metres in the air that marks the highest structure in South America. The pair played mini tennis while taking in the stunning view.

“I was here before, with my family, just to sight-see a little bit. Never thought I’d be playing a little bit of mini tennis here, so that’s always nice,” Tabilo said. “It shows a little bit of how beautiful Chile is. I don’t think many tournaments have the opportunity to do this, so I’m pretty grateful and it’s incredible for the tournament to organise this.”

The home crowd will fully support Tabilo, who begins his tournament Tuesday evening against Argentine qualifier Renzo Olivo. Tabilo, who owns a 2-2 record in Santiago, is playing the best tennis of his career. The lefty made his first ATP Tour final earlier this month in Cordoba.

“It’s pretty exciting. It’s been a lot of new experiences for me. Cordoba was a crazy ride. We didn’t expect it at all. It changes a little bit our perspective of what we can do, and coming in now to Santiago with this much confidence is always nice,” Tabilo said. “Hopefully I can play some solid tennis, get through that first round, and hopefully all the Chilean fans will support.”

Rune, who competed in last year’s Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals, is also excited to be in Chile. One year ago, he made history in Santiago where as a 17-year-old qualifier he became the youngest ATP Tour quarter-finalist since Borna Coric in Umag in 2014.

“It’s a wonderful tournament and this year with the crowd it’s even better, so I just told myself and told my mum I want to go,” Rune said. “I’m so happy to be here and so excited to start tomorrow.”

The Danish star was outside the Top 400 in the ATP Rankings when he broke through in Santiago last year. Now at a career-high World No. 88, Rune is keen to continuing his ascent beginning with his first-round match against Brazilian qualifier Matheus Pucinelli De Almeida.

“I think it’s a wonderful city. Obviously, I haven’t explored so much yet, but now we are here with this amazing point of view, with this amazing mini tennis court. It’s just great for me, because when we play tournaments usually, we don’t get to visit so much,” Rune said. “I’m feeling great, I had one practice, I know the conditions and I’m just really excited to see how I can do this week.”

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Novak Djokovic shows no rustiness as he sweeps aside Musetti in Dubai comeback match

NOVAK DJOKOVIC was on top form as he played his first match of the season.

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After Nearly 3 Hours, Londero Finds A Way In Santiago

It took Juan Ignacio Londero nearly three hours on Monday, but the 28-year-old found a way to advance in Santiago.

The Argentine outlasted 22-year-old countryman Tomas Martin Etcheverry 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 after two hours and 51 minutes to reach the second round of the Chile Dove Men+Care Open. The 28-year-old qualifier saved seven of the 10 break points he faced and converted four of his six break opportunities.

Londero, who including qualifying has won three matches this week in Santiago, is pursuing his second ATP Tour title. Three years ago, he triumphed in Cordoba, and later that year climbed to a career-high No. 50 in the ATP Rankings.

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The World No. 139, who also made the Cordoba semi-finals earlier this month, will next play 2021 Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals competitor Sebastian Baez or Juan Pablo Varillas of Peru.

In other action another Argentine, Facundo Bagnis, eased past Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-3, 6-0 in 62 minutes. The eighth seed won his first match of the year against Andy Murray. However, he arrived in Santiago on a six-match losing streak.

After getting back on track Monday, Bagnis will hope to maintain his momentum against Bolivian Hugo Dellien or Chilean qualifier Gonzalo Lama.

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Andy Murray details private messages to Novak Djokovic with fresh warning to world No 1

ANDY MURRAY progressed to the second round of the Dubai Tennis Championships with a hard-fought win over Christopher O'Connell.

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Andy Murray details why he won't retire as he discusses plans after 'satisfying' Dubai win

ANDY MURRAY needed almost three hours to come through his opening match at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

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Djokovic Defeats Musetti In Dubai In First Match Of 2022

Novak Djokovic defeated #NextGenATP wild card Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-3 on Monday evening at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in his first match of the season.

The match proved more straightforward than his previous meeting with Musetti, which came in the fourth round at Roland Garros last year. In that encounter, a dramatic match in Paris, the Italian was forced to retire in the fifth set after holding a two-sets-to-love lead. 

“All in all, it’s a straight-sets win, so of course I have to be satisfied with my tennis, especially after not playing for two-and-a-half, three months,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview. “Of course, there were moments when I played great, there were moments when I made a couple of unforced errors in a row uncharacteristically. But it’s normal to expect that [in my] first match after a while.

“I’m glad that I managed to finish out the job tonight in straight sets against a very talented player from Italy who possesses a lot of quality. Of course, he didn’t have much to lose and in windy conditions [it was] a bit tricky to play. But all in all, a very, very pleasant experience for me tonight."

It was not a flawless performance from Djokovic, but he brought his best in the crucial moments, saving all seven break points he faced to extend his match record in Dubai to 42-6.

The first set hinged on the fourth and fifth games, Djokovic converting his second break point for 3-1 and then recovering from 0/40 to reinforce the break as his speed around court kept Musetti at bay.

The second set was not without its difficult moments for the top seed either, Musetti’s return game presenting a real threat as Djokovic fended off four break points to hold for 4-2.

“I was fortunate to find the right serves on those break points I faced in the sixth game of the second set," Djokovic said. "That gave me huge relief obviously for the rest of the match."

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It was nonetheless an accomplished first outing of 2022 for the 37-time ATP Masters 1000 winner, who struck 13 winners including five aces to seal victory in 74 minutes. 

Djokovic needs to perform strongly this week to give himself the best possible chance of retaining his No. 1 spot in the ATP Rankings, which is under threat from Daniil Medvedev (View World No. 1 Scenarios Here). Djokovic's second-round opponent will be Russian Karen Khachanov or Australian Alex de Minaur.

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