Cameron Norrie gives Nick Kyrgios reason as he slams ATP rule benefitting Novak Djokovic

Cameron Norrie claimed it was "unfair" that the rules for ATP Finals qualification benefitted Novak Djokovic but not Nick Kyrgios after their Wimbledon final clash.

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Former College Standouts Gojo, Hijikata Win Maiden Challenger Titles

Australian Rinky Hijikata and Croatia’s Borna Gojo cruised to victory to claim their maiden ATP Challenger Tour titles this week. Hijikata dropped just one set all week to win on home soil in Playford, Australia, while Gojo was unbroken at the Ortisei Challenger. Gojo and Hijikata are among five Challenger champions this week.

#NextGenATP Hijikata took down Japan’s Rio Noguchi 6-1 6-1 in Sunday’s final to win the City of Playford International.

“I’m stoked [to win the title], I’m over the moon,” Hijikata said. “It’s a little bit of a relief, it’s always nice to win the first title, it’s not easy to get over that hump. To be able to do that this week at home, I’m pretty proud of the way I played this week.

“I came out firing. I thought I stuck to my game plan well. I played to the [windy] conditions as well as I could.”

 

Hijikata, 21, made his Challenger Tour main-draw debut at the 2018 Playford Challenger and this week, the fifth seed collected the title to become the youngest Australian to win a Challenger title since 2018, when the-then 19-year-old Alexei Popyrin won in Jinan, China. The title in Australia lifts Hijikata to a career-high No. 159 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

Hijikata, who played college tennis at University of North Carolina from 2020-21, earned All-American honours as a sophomore before turning pro.

In August, the Sydney native claimed his first Tour-level win at the ATP 250 event in Los Cabos, Mexico, where he advanced through qualifying and defeated wild card Pacheco Mendez before falling to then-World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev. At the US Open, Hijikata made his Grand Slam main-draw debut and pushed Rafael Nadal to four sets in the opening round.

Gojo, 24, went on a run ousting four of the top-seven seeds at the indoor hard court event in Ortisei, Italy, including defeating seventh seed Lukas Klein in the final 7-6(4), 6-3 to win the Sparkasse Challenger Val Gardena.

Borna Gojo in action at the 2022 Ortisei Challenger. Credit: P.Codeluppi/ChallengerOrtisei

“This is big for me,” Gojo said. “I’m happy I was able to put together a nice tournament here and win my first Challenger.”

“It’s [The surface] a bit faster than usual, which is great for my serve, it helps me get some free points.”

The Split native, a former college standout, finished runner-up at 2018 NCAA Division I Tennis Championships (l. Chrysochos) and was named a three-time All-American at Wake Forest University. In 2018, Gojo helped Wake Forest earn the NCAA team title. Following his victory in Ortisei, Gojo climbs to a career-high 148.

At the Lima Challenger, Daniel Altmaier was crowned champion to win his second Challenger title this season. The German escaped Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-1, 6-7(4), 6-4 in the final.

Daniel Altmaier celebrates winning a point at the Lima Challenger. Credit: @igmachallengers

Altmaier, 24, needed deciding sets in four out of his five matches in Lima to triumph and ousted top seed Federico Coria in the semi-finals. After claiming the Heilbronn Challenger in May, Altmaier climbed to a career-high 53. The title in Peru is Altmaier’s fifth Challenger title.

Gregoire Barrere won the all-French final in Brest, defeating 18-year-old Luca Van Assche 6-3, 6-3 to win the Open Brest-Credit Agricole.

“It was a great week for me,” Barrere said. “I had a level of play that increased as the week went on. Once I won my first round match here, it was all or nothing.”

Gregoire Barrere in action at the 2022 Brest Challenger. Credit: Un Oeil Averty

Barrere, seeded third, dropped just one set en route to claiming his fifth Challenger title. The 28-year-old is a five-time Challenger finalist this season, including in Orleans, where he won his first Challenger title (d. Halys) of 2022. The Frenchman rises to No. 93, marking a return to the Top 100 for the first time since August 2020.

Van Assche, who rises to a career-high No. 208, also reached the final at the Lisbon Challenger in September and qualified for the ATP 250 event in Antwerp, Belgium (l. Nishioka).

Tennys Sandgren advanced through qualifying en route to winning the Las Vegas Tennis Open, where he defeated countryman Stefan Kozlov 7-5, 6-3 in the final.

“This win means a lot to me as it's been a tough couple of years,” Sandgren said. “This is the first time I've done a trophy speech in quite some time. I got lucky. We could be in the third set by now, roles reversed.”

Tennys Sandgren is crowned champion at the 2022 Las Vegas Challenger. Credit: Steve Krahn

The title on home soil is Sandgren’s first Challenger title since May 2017 (Savannah). In January 2019, Sandgren won his maiden Tour-level title in Auckland (d. Norrie) and climbed to a career-high 41.

Kozlov, who had defeated Sandgren in five of their previous six meetings across all levels, held five set points in the opening set, but was unable to convert them. The 24-year-old was competing in his first Challenger final this season.

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Tennis star slams sexist marketing after lifting lid on what a big-name sponsor 'told her'

Sorana Cirstea has explained the priority sponsors place on female tennis players' looks.

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Paris Day 2 Preview: Djokovic Starts Title Defence

Novak Djokovic will begin his quest for a record-extending seventh Rolex Paris Masters title Tuesday when he faces Maxime Cressy in the second round in the French capital.

The sixth-seeded Serbian has performed strongly at the final ATP Masters 1000 event of the season throughout his career, lifting the trophy in his previous two appearances in 2019 and 2021. Djokovic will face the American Cressy for the first time on Court Central and heads into the clash high in confidence.

View Schedule | View Singles Draw | View Doubles Draw

The former World No. 1 has won his past nine matches, lifting trophies in Tel Aviv and Astana in October. Djokovic, who will compete at the Nitto ATP Finals in November, will be looking to win a record-extending 39th Masters 1000 crown this week, having won his 38th title at this level in Rome in May.

“I feel great in this tournament,” Djokovic said in his pre-tournament press conference. “[I've had] lots of success. [It] always helps to come into the tournament confident and with some good memories, good emotions on the court. [The] past few times that I played here, I won both tournaments... Hopefully I can continue that run.”

[ATP APP]

Andrey Rublev will look to boost his Nitto ATP Finals qualification chances when he plays John Isner in the second round in the opening match on Court Central. The 25-year-old is currently seventh in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin with 3,450 points.

Rublev, who occupies the final qualification spot, is 495 points ahead of eighth-placed American Taylor Fritz, who defeated Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in his opening match on Monday. Rublev’s task will be far from easy, though, with big-serving American Isner leading their ATP Head2Head series 3-0.

[FOLLOW ACTION]

Hubert Hurkacz will be ready to pounce if Rublev slips up, with the Pole taking on French wild card Adrian Mannarino in the first round. Hurkacz, currently on 2,870 points, is ninth in the Race.

The 25-year-old, who holds a 1-1 ATP Head2Head series record against Mannarino, made his debut in Turin last year. He will need a deep run in Paris if he is to return to the prestigious end-of-year event, to be held from 13-20 November.

In other action, third-seeded Norwegian Casper Ruud will take on French wild card Richard Gasquet, while #NextGenATP Dane Holger Rune plays Swiss star Stan Wawrinka. Earlier this season, Ruud reached the final in Miami before he advanced to Grand Slam championship matches at Roland Garros and the US Open.

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Novak Djokovic fires ominous warning to seven rivals as he vows to 'kick their butts'

Novak Djokovic has had his say on the rise of the new generation of tennis stars including the likes of Carlos Alcaraz.

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Carlos Alcaraz makes Paris Masters decision after receiving results from medical tests

Carlos Alcaraz has made a decision on his Paris Masters participation after suffering a last-minute injury scare ahead of his opening match.

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Djokovic On Paris: 'I Feel Great In This Tournament'

Novak Djokovic has enjoyed great success at the Rolex Paris Masters throughout his career. The Serbian has won the title a record six times, including in his past two appearances in 2019 and 2021.

Arriving in Paris as the sixth seed this week, Djokovic revealed on Sunday that he is excited to challenge for the crown again at the final ATP Masters 1000 event of the season.

“I feel great in this tournament,” Djokovic said in his pre-tournament press conference. “As you mentioned, [I've had] lots of success. [It] always helps to come into the tournament confident and with some good memories, good emotions on the court. [The] past few times that I played here, I won both tournaments... Hopefully I can continue that run.

“I think at this level it's important to have a good feeling on the court and just good memory of coming to a place where you have done well, because tennis is a game of fine margins that decide who is going to take a win in the match,” Djokovic later added. “Oftentimes, how you feel mentally, whether you are fighting with your own demons inside in a good or bad way affects the end result. Here I always felt good.”

[ATP APP]

The former World No. 1 is competing at his fourth event since he captured his 21st Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in July. Since then, Djokovic has triumphed at consecutive tour-level events in Tel Aviv and Astana, winning his past nine matches.

“I played Laver Cup, Tel Aviv, and Astana, and I played great, great tennis," Djokovic said. "Generally looking at my past career results indoors, I have had a really good record indoors generally, playing anywhere.

“I'll make sure to keep going in this way, because I feel good. I have been training the past few days, is another few days to my first match. I think coming back to a place where you have done so well, it always brings back good memories and good feelings on the court.”

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

Djokovic, who will compete at the Nitto ATP Finals in November, feels that the conditions on court in Paris are faster this year, with the 38-time ATP Masters 1000 champion looking to adjust quickly.

“For a big server, those guys, I guess they would prefer quick conditions,” Djokovic said when analysing the conditions. “For someone who is staying at the back of the court and playing with a lot of spin, they like things to be slower.

“I don't think there is a golden formula, to be honest with you. And remembering all the years that I played here in Bercy, there were years when it was really quick, then medium quick, medium slow, slow last year. Now back to medium quick.”

Djokovic will begin his title defence in Paris against Argentine Diego Schwartzman or Maxime Cressy.

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Novak Djokovic indulged with 'perfection' comment during Roger Federer comparison

NOVAK DJOKOVIC has surpassed Roger Federer's Grand Slam total, and he is now chasing down his career titles haul.

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Medvedev Sinks Shapo, Clinches Vienna Crown

Daniil Medvedev didn’t have things all his own way Sunday at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, but he stepped up when needed, overcoming Denis Shapovalov 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to capture his second tour-level title of the season.

The top seed was overpowered by Shapovalov in an entertaining first set, with the Canadian firing 21 winners to move ahead. However, the World No. 4 refused to go away throughout the two-hour, 16-minute clash, hitting with greater depth and accuracy in the second and third sets to force Shapovalov into errors at the ATP 500 event.

“I am really happy,” Medvedev said. “This match was the best of the week because Denis was really playing unreal until probably 4-3 in the second set. He dropped his level by maybe two per cent and I was able to use it. This is one of the best victories when you know your opponent is on top of you, but you try and stay there and do what you can.”

Medvedev now leads the 23-year-old Shapovalov 4-2 in their ATP Head2Head series, while he has improved to 45-15 on the season. Earlier this year, he reached the final at the Australian Open before he won the title in Los Cabos.

The 26-year-old looked back to his very best during a dominant week in Austria. He did not drop a set or lose serve en route to the championship match, securing his spot at the Nitto ATP Finals – to be held in Turin from 13-20 November – along the way.

In front of a packed crowd in the championship match, Medvedev produced moments of magic in the third set as he blunted the attack of Shapovalov with a range of stunning passing shots. The top seed hit 24 winners and broke serve five times, sealing the title on his sixth match point.

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Medvedev, who reached the quarter-finals in his only previous appearance in Vienna, has now won 15 tour-level titles, with seven coming on indoor hard courts. The 2020 Nitto ATP Finals champion will now head to the Rolex Paris Masters, where he will aim to capture his second title at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

“I like to play indoor hard courts at the end of the season,” Medvedev said. “I feel that I do a great job with my team not to arrive burnt out. I am looking forward to the last two tournaments of the year which are really important and I usually play well.”

Shapovalov was competing in his second tour-level final of the month after advancing to that stage in Seoul. The Canadian, who is up to No. 16 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, was unable to match Medvedev’s intensity in the third set as he looked to win his second tour-level crown and first since 2019, when he triumphed in Stockholm.

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Dodig/Krajicek Take Basel Title, Step Up Turin Charge

Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek continued their late season charge Sunday by defeating Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin to lift their second consecutive ATP Tour trophy at the Swiss Indoors Basel.

The Croatian-American duo held their nerve at the tail-end of both sets in their 6-4, 7-6(5) championship match win. They broke their opponents’ serve in the tenth game to clinch the opener before storming to an unassailable 6/2 lead in the second-set tie-break en route to a 97-minute victory.

Dodig and Krajicek’s red-hot run of form has given the pair a real shot at qualifying for November’s Nitto ATP Finals, just six and a half months after becoming a permanent partnership. Their title run in Basel lifted them two spots to eighth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin as they head to France for this week’s Rolex Paris Masters.

“For us, the tennis never stops,” said Krajicek. “We are going to Paris tonight and we will prepare the same way we’ve been preparing. Hopefully we can take the good form to Paris and just focus on playing one more good match on Wednesday or Thursday, and the rest of the stuff will take care of itself.”

[ATP APP]

Dodig and Krajicek are now just 50 points behind Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios in the Live Race. A seventh-placed finish is required to guarantee qualification for this year’s season finale, to be held in Turin from 13-20 November.

Sunday’s win avenged Dodig and Krajicek’s defeat to Mahut and Roger-Vasselin in the Florence final two weeks ago. Since that loss, the pair has won eight straight matches to claim the titles in Naples and now Basel.

“We had a great tournament,” said Dodig after he and Krajicek lifted their maiden ATP 500 crown as a team. “I think we came here with good confidence, and we played good tennis from the first round.

“In these big matches with Nico and Eddie, it’s always a couple of points. Two weeks ago, we lost to them in the Florence final, but this time we were more ready, better prepared and I think we executed at great moments. [On] the big points we played really good and I think we deserved to win today.”

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Rafael Nadal delivered bleak Paris verdict and told he won't 'have a deep run'

RAFAEL NADAL has been tipped to be beaten early on during his return to tournament action.

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Erler/Miedler Clinch Vienna Title

Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler ended their dream week in style Sunday at the Erste Bank Open where they overcame Santiago Gonzalez and Andres Molteni 6-3, 7-6(1) to capture the crown on home soil in Vienna.

The Austrian wildcards produced a strong performance on serve, winning 89 per cent (34/38) of points behind their first delivery and saving the one break point they faced to triumph after 83 minutes.

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Erler and Miedler arrived in Vienna off the back of disappointing first-round exits in Florence and Antwerp. However, they soared through the draw at the ATP 500 event, not dropping a set en route to the trophy.

The pair has now won two tour-level titles together, having lifted the crown in Kitzbühel last season. The Austrians have also tasted success on the ATP Challenger Tour this year, winning four titles at that level in 2022.

Gonzalez and Molteni were aiming to win their third tour-level trophy of the season together, having captured crowns on clay in Cordoba and Buenos Aires.

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Carlos Alcaraz dumped out of Swiss Indoors after losing to rival Felix Auger-Aliassime

Felix Auger-Aliassime brilliantly defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the Swiss Indoors semi-finals

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In-Form Felix Flies Past Alcaraz In Basel

The in-form Felix Auger-Aliassime passed his biggest test yet on Saturday at the Swiss Indoors Basel, where the Canadian delivered a stunning all-around performance to defeat World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 6-2.

Auger-Aliassime kept Alcaraz constantly under pressure with some blistering hitting from the baseline throughout the pair's semi-final clash, while also demonstrating some of the huge serving that has defined his European indoor hard-court season so far.

“So far it has been very close to perfect [in Basel]”, said Auger-Aliassime, who has dropped just one set this week, after the match. "I’ve been serving amazing, not getting broken once yet. There’s still one match to go, but it’s been a fantastic week, [I have] played some great tennis, and again today against the best player in the world. It’s an amazing win, so I’m really happy with my level and hopefully I can go all the way.”

Although he faced his first break point of the week in Basel in the final game of the match, Auger-Aliassime recovered confidently to seal an 82-minute triumph against Alcaraz and extend his winning streak to 12 matches. That run includes titles in Florence and Antwerp, and he will next bid for a third consecutive ATP Tour crown in Sunday’s championship match against Roberto Bautista Agut or Holger Rune.

More to follow…

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Medvedev Marches Into Vienna Final

Daniil Medvedev came up against a confident opponent striking the ball cleanly on Saturday at the Erste Bank Open for the second day in a row. The top seed had all the answers.

Medvedev was imperious in downing Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-2 in the pair’s semi-final clash at the ATP 500 event. Just as it had against Jannik Sinner in Friday’s quarter-finals, the 26-year-old’s relentless retrieving and precise serving proved the difference as he charged to a 85-minute victory to reach the championship match in Vienna for the first time.

“It was a great match,” said Medvedev. “There were a few moments in the match where I thought I should have done just a little bit better, to go in front earlier and try to build the pressure earlier. Then I managed to stay consistent and, in the most important points, managed to raise my level. That was enough today, and I’m really happy with my level.”

Medvedev, who is yet to drop his serve this week across four matches in Vienna, will face Denis Shapovalov or Borna Coric In Sunday’s final as he chases his second tour-level title of the season.

More to follow…

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Emma Raducanu verdict given as ex-British No 1 explains most 'difficult' aspect of career

EMMA RADUCANU has endured a frustrating season hampered by constant injuries.

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TopCourt: Basics To Big Time With Bollettieri

Nick Bollettieri has always relished a challenge.

In more than 60 years as a coach, the American has thrived on accomplishing what others said could not be done. From honing talents such as Jim Courier, Andre Agassi and Monica Seles, to founding the world's first major tennis boarding academy, Bollettieri is one of tennis’ true pioneers.

Now a TopCourt ambassador, Bollettieri opens up to fans on the fundamentals of his coaching philosophy, offering key insights that will last them a lifetime. He also reveals how his humble beginnings as the son of Italian immigrants in New York have driven his self-belief over the decades, and how he has embraced the unique playing styles of some of his most successful charges.

Instruction: Bollettieri introduces three building blocks that he teaches to all tennis players, starting with one simple skill that he believes is crucial in developing an early enjoyment of the sport. He then shares his philosophy on how and when a player should move forward in his ‘Learning How To Attack The Net’ class, before using a real life example of two players playing a few points to immediately demonstrate areas of potential improvement.

Drills: Bollettieri brings six of his favourite drills to TopCourt, ensuring there is something for players of all levels. For beginners, 'The Alley Drill’ shows how to make solid and consistent contact with the ball. More confident players can try Bollettieri’s ‘Box Drill Intervals’ exercise, which he introduced to Mary Pierce before she won the 1995 Australian Open.

Follow Bollettieri’s Tutorials at TopCourt.com.

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Andy Murray makes latest retirement declaration as he opens up on 'frustrating' losses

Andy Murray was defeated by Roberto Bautista Agut in the round of 16 in Switzerland this week as he continues to struggle to get back to his best

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Rafael Nadal set to replace Roger Federer as Nick Kyrgios also in line for recognition

Express Sport predicts the winners and nominees of this year's ATP awards.

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Daniil Medvedev unable to play new United Cup as tournament boss confirms Russia ban

Russia will be banned from the new United Cup in January.

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Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal hopes threatened as Dominic Thiem fires confident warning

Dominic Thiem warned that he would be ready to fight Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal for Grand Slam titles again.

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Coric Caps Vienna Comeback In Third-Set TB To Edge Tsitsipas

Borna Coric earned his third straight victory against Stefanos Tsitsipas with a Thursday comeback at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna. Down a set and a break, Coric recovered to claim a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(4) win and advance to the quarter-finals.

The Croatian famously saved six match points to stun the Greek at the 2020 US Open, and while he was never that close to defeat at the ATP 500, he did have his back to the wall when Tsitsipas led by a set and 2-0. After breaking straight back, Coric fought off a break point at 2-3, which sparked a run of 15 straight points on serve that carried into the final set.

Both players fought through deuce to hold early in the decider, with another trade of breaks exchanged midway through the set. From 3-3, there would be no further break points, Coric ultimately taking the tie-break behind a single mini-break.

[ATP APP]

Coric improved to 3-1 in his ATP Head2Head against Tsitsipas, with the Greek's only win coming via an early retirement in Rome 2018. The resurgent Croatian is now 13-3 since the start of Cincinnati, where he beat Tsitsipas 7-6(0), 6-2 in the final. Through to his fourth quarter-final of the season and his second of the month (Tokyo), he will meet fifth seed Hubert Hurkacz on Friday.

Jannik Sinner also advanced to the Vienna quarter-finals on Thursday night with a 7-5, 6-3 win against Francisco Cerundolo. The Italian has not dropped a set this week and lost just five games against Cristian Garin on Wednesday in the first round.

The sixth seed will now seek his first win against Daniil Medvedev in the pair's fourth meeting, their first since a thriller in the 2021 Nitto ATP Finals which was decided by a 10-8 third-set tie-break.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Stan Staves Off Nakashima In Basel Thriller

Stan Wawrinka faced down an inspired comeback from Brandon Nakashima on Thursday at the Swiss Indoors Basel, where the home favourite held firm to seal a thrilling 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 second-round win.

Wawrinka appeared set for a straightforward victory in his first tour-level meeting with Nakashima when he served for the match at 5-4 in the second set. #NextGenATP American Nakashima had other ideas, raising his level with some high-octane baseline hitting to force a decider, but Wawrinka kept his cool to convert the only break point of the third set and clinch an engrossing two-hour, 12-minute win.

“He battled, of course,” said Wawrinka after the match. “He was playing well, it was a really intense match. He’s a great player and it was tough, the first time playing against each other… I had the chance to close the match at 6-4, 5-4, I couldn’t really find my first serve and he played really well.

“He was aggressive. So it was not easy to come back in the third, but really I am happy with the way I fought again, the way I came back.”

Thursday’s win backed up Wawrinka’s opening-round triumph against second seed Casper Ruud. The former World No. 3 was delighted to seal another victory in front of his home fans and reach the quarter-finals in Basel for the sixth time in 15 appearances.

“I am playing much better than in the past few months and at home the feeling is always special,” said Wawrinka. “It has been many years that I have been [coming back] to Basel. It was not always easy to play here, I’ve not always played my best tennis and not always found it easy to deliver for the fans.

“Tonight and two nights ago, I think I [played] great and I had amazing support, so it’s really great to be here.”

Wawrinka’s quarter-final opponent will be Roberto Bautista Agut, who prevailed 6-3, 6-2 against former World No. 1 Andy Murray. Wawrinka and Bautista Agut share a 1-1 ATP Head2Head series record, with Friday’s clash in Basel set to be their first meeting since 2019.

[ATP APP]

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New Global Team Event Unites Men & Women To Launch 2023 Tennis Season

The world’s best players will unite to compete side by side at the United Cup, a stunning new team event set to launch the global tennis season in 2023.

The United Cup, an ATP-WTA event presented in partnership with Tennis Australia, will showcase equality at the highest level of the sport, with mixed teams from 18 countries competing across Brisbane, Perth and Sydney over 11 days, from Thursday 29 December to Sunday 8 January 2023.

The power and passion of team competition will come to life as the players unite to represent their countries with national pride and USD $15 million in prize money on the line. In a world first for a mixed team event, 500 Pepperstone ATP Rankings and WTA rankings points are also up for grabs.

The first 12 countries will qualify via the six highest-ranked No. 1 players that enter, on both the ATP Tour and Hologic WTA Tour. The remaining six countries will qualify according to the best combined ranking of their respective No. 1 men’s and women’s players. Teams will feature three to four players from each Tour.

Each city will host two groups of three countries, competing in a round-robin format, with ties comprising two ATP and two WTA singles matches, and one mixed doubles match. Each City Final winner will advance to the United Cup Final Four in Sydney (6-8 January), with the next best performing team from the group stages completing the quartet.

Former World No. 1 Andy Murray said that the new event would leverage tennis’ inherent advantage over other sports. "I love to see the men and women competing together. It's something I'm very excited about,” he said. “We're the only global sport where men and women compete at the same venues, which is something very special about our sport and something to be celebrated. Big events like this will help.

“I'm sure all the players will be very passionate about competing for their countries and the men and women will work together to support each other.”

Former Australian tennis player and current commentator Casey Dellacqua said, "It's an exciting opportunity for our sport. It's the first time we'll bring the men's and women's tours together for a global team event offering huge prize money and big rankings points. It's wonderful innovation for the game of tennis and it will be a blockbuster start to the summer of tennis.”

The draw will take place Thursday 10 November. Tickets for the United Cup go on sale on Friday 11 November. Brisbane (Pat Rafter Arena), Perth (RAC Arena) and Sydney (Ken Rosewall Arena) will host the group stage from Thursday 29 December to Wednesday 4 January 2023.

Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Chairman: “The United Cup marks a major step forward for the game of tennis. Most importantly, it will create incredible new experiences for our fans. We’re excited to see the best men’s and women’s players competing together, with ranking points on the line, to launch the season like never before.”

Steve Simon, WTA Chairman and CEO: “The United Cup is an important and strategic collaboration between the WTA, the ATP and Tennis Australia that reflects a continued commitment in elevating our sport. This exciting singles and mixed doubles team event will bring together emerging stars and established athletes from both Tours to compete on the same stage, giving players and fans a unique experience in which the final outcome may be determined with women and men competing together.”

Craig Tiley, Tennis Australia CEO: “The United Cup presents a unique opportunity to unite both the men’s and women’s tour in a brand-new way that has never been seen before. We have the opportunity here in Australia to leverage tennis’ unique position to allow the world’s top men and women to compete side by side and represent their country at the highest level. We couldn’t be more delighted to see how this event unfolds in January.”

2023 ATP Tour Calendar Updates
In parallel, the ATP has today announced the relocation of the Sofia ATP 250 tournament license. From 2023, the event will be staged in Australia in Week 1 of the season alongside United Cup, providing additional playing opportunities in the swing ahead of the Australian Open. In addition, the Belgrade ATP 250 tournament scheduled for April 2023 will relocate to Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina). View the 2023 calendar

For more information on United Cup, please visit www.UnitedCup.com and follow @UnitedCupTennis on social media.

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Stricker Completes Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals Field

The field for the 2022 Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals is now set. Dominic Stricker will join Lorenzo Musetti, Holger Rune, Jack Draper, Brandon Nakashima, Jiri Lehecka, Chun-Hsin Tseng and Francesco Passaro in Milan from 8-12 November.

The 20-year-old lefty is the first Swiss player to qualify for the 21-and-under season finale in event history (since 2017).

Stricker has excelled against top competition this season, earning a 7-5 record against players inside the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. He has won two ATP Challenger Tour titles this year, triumphing on hard courts in Columbus, Ohio in January before lifting the trophy in July on clay in Zug, Switzerland.

Three of the players in the field — Musetti, Rune and Nakashima — will be competing in the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals for the second time. The trio played at the Allianz Cloud last year, with Nakashima advancing to the semi-finals.

With Musetti and Passaro in the field, two Italians will compete in the same edition of the event for the first time. The home favourites will try to join Jannik Sinner as Italian champions at the 21-and-under season finale.

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Tennis star vows to 'stop partying' in bid to save career after 'playing to win money'

Benoit Paire admitted that he had been playing to win money before vowing to turn his career around.

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Passaro Second Italian To Qualify For Milan

Francesco Passaro will look to thrill his home fans in Milan next month after qualifying for the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals.

The Italian is the seventh player to earn his spot in the eight-player field at the 21-and-under season finale, which will be played at the Allianz Cloud from 8-12 November. Only one place remains at the event, which will also feature Lorenzo Musetti, Holger Rune, Jack Draper, Brandon Nakashima, Jiri Lehecka and Chun-Hsin Tseng.

This will be the first time two Italians — Musetti and Passaro — compete in the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals in the same edition. Italian Jannik Sinner won the tournament in 2019.

Passaro began the season outside the Top 600 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, but has soared as high as World No. 122. He reached the final at ATP Challenger Tour events in Sanremo and Forli as a qualifier, then advanced to another championship match at that level in Milan before claiming his first Challenger trophy in Trieste.

The 21-year-old earned his first tour-level match win earlier this month in Florence, where he defeated Zhang Zhizhen. Passaro then qualified for another ATP Tour event the following week in Naples.

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Iga Swiatek explains hand-waving controversy with emotional statement - 'Not proud'

Tennis world number one Iga Swiatek has offered her perspective on her hand-waving controversy.

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Lima Lights Up Challenger Tour, 'Arms Wide Open' For Players

Nestled amongst high-rise buildings and a short walk from the Pacific coast lies the host venue of the Lima-2 Challenger: Club Terrazas de Miraflores.

You could go to the beach, try surfing, visit some of Lima’s famous parks such as ‘Paruqe del Amor’, taste the Peruvian cuisine, and enjoy the ATP Challenger Tour tournament all without needing public transportation.

While that may seem like a dream getaway for many, tournament director Luis Horna, former World No. 33, strives to bring a home feeling to the competitors at the Lima-2 Challenger.

 

“It doesn’t matter where the players come from, we always meet them with our arms wide open and try to give them a good treatment,” Horna said. “That’s a key for us. As I used to be a player, I know the way I used to feel at a tournament.

“Miraflores is a well located district here in Lima. All the restaurants, shopping malls are here. There’s always a good atmosphere around the tournament. Not just the local players but also for the guys that are coming from other countries.”

The Lima Challenger, celebrating its 11th edition, is the fifth longest running active South American Challenger tournament, only behind Montevideo (20), Guayaquil (17), Santiago (15), and Campinas (12).

After a 14 year drought of no Peruvians in the Top 100, home hero Juan Pablo Varillas climbed to a career-high No. 97 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in August, becoming the fifth Peruvian player to crack the Top 100. While Varillas is carrying the torch for tennis in Peru, the four-time Challenger champion’s heart is set on doing it with humility.

[ATP APP]

“When I started going up in the rankings, started improving, the kids needed a tennis player and a figure to follow,” Varillas said. “I love the role I play. There is a bit of pressure because I want to be a good example. It’s a really nice motivation for me to be a really good role model. Not only as a tennis player but also as a person.”

Varillas has been playing his home tournament since 2013 and is a two-time semi-finalist in Lima. The 27-year-old has a special relationship with Horna, who is also Peru’s Davis Cup captain.

Luis 'Lucho' Horna (left) and Juan Pablo Varillas at the 2022 Lima-2 Challenger. Credit: Grant Thompson

“My first professional match that I saw when I was young was ‘Lucho’ [Luis Horna] playing Davis Cup,” Varillas said. “He has been a great motivator for us and a role model to follow. Now that I work with him and his management agency, he is my friend also. It’s a really nice relationship we have.

“Lima was my first Challenger that I played when I was in juniors. It’s a great feeling to be at home and it's been a nice journey playing nine years in a row at this event. At the beginning it was tough for me, the first six years I didn’t win a match. Since 2019, it's been good. I love the energy of the crowd. Sometimes there is extra tension because there are not many tournaments here in Peru. It’s a bit different but I like it.”

Horna, who claimed two Tour-level titles (Acapulco 2006 and Vina del Mar 2007), said he has seen tennis become more popular since the pandemic and now, almost every tennis academy in Lima is full of students eager to learn. Having Varillas make history also played a role in growing the game In Peru.

“Juan Pablo is a great, hard-working, humble guy,” Horna said. “He has a great family around him, it’s a pleasure to work with him not only in tennis but also as a manager. He’s a player that still has a lot to give to the ATP. I hope in the next couple years, he can explode and make the Top 50, I think he has the chance.

“The image of Juan Pablo is getting bigger and bigger. We also have two juniors that are going very high on the Challenger Tour: Ignacio Buse and Gonzalo Bueno. They are making a good step, everything is going in a good direction.”

Since Horna retired from pro tennis in 2009, he has remained in the sport in a variety of ways. Between being Peru’s Davis Cup captain, running his academy (Academia Lucho), his work at IGMA sports (sports management agency), and directing the Challenger event, Horna stays busy with his life post professional tennis.

Club Terrazas de Miraflores, host site of the 2022 Lima-2 Challenger. Credit: Adam Roberts

“I have always been involved in the sport somehow,” Horna said. “I love to do it, tennis has given me everything in my life, my family, friends. It’s a way to keep in touch with the players and help them. I’m always pleased to do that.”

While ‘Lucho’ is constantly seen giving back to the sport, he acknowledges that the ATP Challenger Tour is vital to professional tennis. The Challenger 80 events (August and October) in Peru’s capital city are a great example of players making their pathway to the highest level.

“Everything starts on the Challenger Tour,” Horna said. “We had [Marco] Cecchinato here in 2017 and the next year he made the semi-finals at Roland Garros. We had [Diego] Schwartzman playing here, the first Challenger quarter-final of his career (2012), then he became a Top 10 player.

“Many of the players make their first steps on the Challenger Tour and very quickly they adapt and start to play Tour events. There’s no ATP without the Challenger Tour.”

Located on the Pacific coast and rich in South American culture, Lima has been hosting a great Challenger Tour event for over a decade. Peru’s capital city is the fourth largest city in South America, behind São Paulo, Buenos Aires, and Rio de Janeiro. When Horna and Varillas were asked what to eat in Lima, they laughed and answered the same: ceviche and japanese food.

Did You Know?
Five former Top 50 stars hailing from South America are running Challenger tournaments in their home countries: Horna (Lima), Andres Gomez (Guayaquil & Salinas, Ecuador), Diego Perez (Montevideo, Uruguay), Santiago Giraldo (Pereira, Colombia), and Nicolas Lapentii (Ambato, Ecuador).

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Alcaraz Sprints Into Basel QFs

Carlos Alcaraz raced through the finish line on Wednesday at the Swiss Indoors Basel by winning the final six games of a competitive match against Botic van de Zandschulp.

The 6-4, 6-2 scoreline belies the hard-fought nature of Alcaraz's victory. After a tight opening set that was decided by a single break, Alcaraz found himself behind 0-2 in the second as the Dutchman made his first breakthrough.

Five games in the second set went through deuce, but Alcaraz won four of them before serving out the match to love in just under 90 minutes. His late surge prevented another three-set match after his comeback win against #NextGenATP Briton Jack Draper on Monday.

[ATP APP]

The Spaniard is now 3-2 since his US Open triumph last month, which earned him his debut atop the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. Alcaraz currently holds a 740-point lead over Rafael Nadal in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin. Through to his 11th quarter-final of the season, Alcaraz is seeking to add to his ATP Tour-leading five titles in 2022. His seven finals are joint-most, alongside Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Alcaraz awaits the winner of the late-evening matchup between fifth seed Pablo Carreno Busta and home favourite Dominic Stricker.

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Bopanna/Middelkoop Win Vienna Opener, Keep Alive Turin Hopes

Rohan Bopanna and Matwe Middelkoop made a strong start to their Erste Bank Open campaign on Wednesday, defeating Argentine duo Pedro Cachin and Diego Schwartzman 6-1, 6-3. In the process, the Indian-Dutch pair kept alive its outside chance of reaching November’s Nitto ATP Finals.

Bopanna and Middelkoop are currently 15th in the Pepperstone ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings, and likely require deep runs this week in Vienna and next week at the Rolex Paris Masters to have a chance of qualifying for November’s season finale in Turin. Their second-round opponents in the Austrian capital will be Santiago Gonzalez and Andres Molteni, who downed second seeds Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski 7-6(6), 7-5.

Daniel Evans and John Peers also charged into the second round in Austria by upsetting top seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury at the ATP 500 event. Montreal finalists Evans and Peers converted four of seven break points en route to a dominant 59-minute win against Ram and Salisbury, the No. 1 and No. 2 players in the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Rankings, respectively.

[ATP APP]

Dodig/Krajicek Make Confident Start In Basel
At the Swiss Indoors Basel, Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek extended their winning streak to five with a 6-4, 6-4 victory against Matthew Ebden and Jamie Murray.

Last week’s Naples champions Dodig and Krajicek dropped just six points behind serve in their 71-minute first-round win, which lifted the Croatian-American pair one spot to ninth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings. Their next test in Basel is a second-round clash against top seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Jean-Julien Rojer.

There was disappointment for another duo looking to seal a spot in Turin, Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara, after Andrey Golubev and Aleksandr Nedovyesov downed the fourth seeds 7-5, 4-6, 10-3. Despite the loss, Glasspool and Heliovaara remain in sixth in the Race To Turin, with a seventh-placed finish required to guarantee qualification for this year’s Nitto ATP Finals.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer GOAT verdict given as fans told to 'open their eyes'

Aljaz Bedene had his say on the legacy Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic would leave behind.

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Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz plea made as Alcaraz to take over key Davis Cup role

Spain's Davis Cup captain pleaded with fans after calling on Carlos Alcaraz to lead the team in Rafael Nadal's absence.

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Novak Djokovic fires warning to Rafael Nadal and co ahead of Paris Masters

Novak Djokovic is full of motivation ahead of the Paris Masters, where Rafael Nadal will be making his return.

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Tseng Claims Spot In Milan

Chun-Hsin Tseng is the sixth player to qualify for the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals, which will be played at the Allianz Cloud in Milan from 8-12 November. He joins Lorenzo Musetti, Holger Rune, Jack Draper, Brandon Nakashima and Jiri Lehecka in the eight-player field.

The 21-year-old from Chinese Taipei has enjoyed a breakthrough season, cracking the Top 100 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in June and climbing as high as World No. 83.

The former junior World No. 1 won two ATP Challenger Tour titles and reached the final at another by mid-April. He also earned his first three ATP Tour match victories in Los Cabos, Winston-Salem and Seoul.

The Milan qualifier gained experience by playing in the main draw at all four Grand Slams for the first time. At Roland Garros, he clawed through qualifying to earn his place in the field.

Tseng will be the first Asian player to compete in the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals since South Korean Hyeon Chung lifted the trophy in 2017. Two places remain at the 21-and-under season finale.

Did You Know?
In 2018, Tseng won the boys’ singles title at Roland Garros and Wimbledon en route to becoming the world’s No. 1 junior.

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Thiem Saves 2 MPs, Edges Paul In Vienna

Dominic Thiem found himself on the brink Thursday at the Erste Bank Open, but he showcased his fighting qualities to survive on home soil in Vienna.

The former World No. 3 saved two match points en route to a hard-fought 2-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(6) win against American Tommy Paul at the ATP 500 event.

In front of a packed home crowd, Thiem recovered from a slow start as he grew into the match. He fired his fierce groundstrokes through the court and held his nerve under pressure, saving two match points at 4/6 and 5/6 in the third-set tie-break to eventually triumph after two hours and 58 minutes.

[ATP APP]

Thiem is making his 11th appearance in Vienna, with his best result a run to the title in 2019. The 29-year-old will look to continue his journey at this week’s event when he plays top seed Daniil Medvedev or Nikoloz Basilashvili in the second round.

Thiem arrives in Vienna in strong form, having advanced to consecutive tour-level semi-finals in Gijon and Antwerp earlier this month. The 2020 US Open champion is up six spots to No. 107 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings following his win against Paul.

In other action, Cameron Norrie kept his slim Nitto ATP Finals chances alive when he defeated Argentine Pedro Cachin 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(1). The 27-year-old is 12th in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin on 2,400 points. Norrie, who competed in Turin as an alternate last season, is 825 points behind seventh-placed Felix Auger-Aliassime.

The prestigious end-of-year event will take place in Turin from 8-12 November. Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Novak Djokovic have already qualified.

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'It's Why I Keep Playing': Wawrinka Downs Ruud In Basel

Competing at the Swiss Indoors Basel for the 15th time, Stan Wawrinka thrilled his home fans by recording his biggest win since defeating Novak Djokovic at the 2019 US Open.

The 37-year-old from Lausanne used a crisp and efficient performance to upset second seed Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 in the pair's first ATP Head2Head meeting. Wawrinka converted on each of his two break points — one late in each set — and saved all three against him to close out the victory in one hour and 18 minutes.

"It's super special. A lot of emotion being back here in Basel with the Swiss fans," he said post-match. "It's always been amazing for me to play here [but] it's always been difficult because I am always nervous when I enter this court. I always want to show my best. It took me a little bit of time to adapt to the court but the level was great and I'm really happy with that.

"This is one of the main reasons why I keep on playing," added Wawrinka, who entered the event with a protected ranking. "I'm getting old, that's for sure. I had to fight the last two years with the injury, surgery. Coming back was not easy. I was struggling really to get back in shape physically and tennis-wise. So to be able to produce that tonight here in Switzerland is of course something really special and hopefully I can keep playing well."

[ATP APP]

Ruud committed just four unforced errors in the match, but one handed Wawrinka the decisive break in the second set as the Norwegian surrendered serve at love with an untimely loose game. Wawrinka, who won 93 per cent (26/28) of his first-serve points and hit 28 winners, served out the victory with ease to advance to the Basel second round for the seventh time.

The Swiss scored his first break to lead 4-3 in the opening set, then fought off three break points in the ensuing game to consolidate. He would not face another break point in the match as both men dominated on serve, save four Ruud's late slip in the second set. Both men held to love three times in a speedy second set that saw just four points go against serve outside of Wawrinka's break.

Wawrinka has reached 30 tour-level finals in his career, winning 16 titles, but has never reached the title match in Basel. Now 14-13 overall at the ATP 500, he seeks to improve on semi-final runs in 2006 and 2011.

He will next face #NextGenATP American Brandon Nakashima, who beat David Goffin 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 on Monday.

[FOLLOW ACTION]

Ruud has now lost his past three matches, including defeats to eventual champion Yoshihito Nishioka in Seoul and Jaume Munar in Tokyo.Though he beat Jack Sock in a Match Tie-break at the Laver Cup, he is still searching for his first ATP Tour tournament win since his US Open final run, which lifted him to a career-high of No. 2 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

Despite the loss, the Norwegian's place in next month's Nitto ATP Finals is already secured. He sits fourth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin and cannot be passed this week.

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Andy Murray lifts lid on emotional reason behind schedule change ahead of Swiss Indoors

Andy Murray admitted that he had conversations with wife Kim about his schedule ahead of the Swiss Indoors Basel.

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Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal 'blocking' two players as ominous message sent

Daniil Medvedev's ex-coach Jean-Rene Lisnard said that Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal were stopping the next generation from winning Grand Slams.

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Novak Djokovic told that Australian Open could 'suffer' as wait for ban verdict continues

Daniil Medvedev's ex-coach Jean-Rene Lisnard gave his verdict on Novak Djokovic's ban from Australia.

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Andy Murray opponent Sebastian Korda 'didn't like' Brit for reason involving Rafael Nadal

Sebastian Korda recently defeated Andy Murray at the Gijon Open before pulling out of their Swiss Indoors Basel match.

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Carlos Alcaraz praises Jack Draper as Brit gives world No 1 a challenge at Swiss Indoors

Carlos Alcaraz narrowly defeated Britain's Jack Draper in the first round of the Swiss Indoors Basel on Monday.

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Alcaraz Battles Back In Basel Opener

Carlos Alcaraz fought off a strong challenge from #NextGenATP Briton Jack Draper to earn his first tournament win since his US Open title on Monday at the Swiss Indoors Basel. After dropping the opening set and surrendering a break advantage in the third, Alcaraz got back on track with a 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 victory in his debut at the ATP 500.

The World No. 1 was beaten by David Goffin three weeks ago in the Astana opening round and was made to work to avoid another early exit against the 20-year-old in the pair's first ATP Head2Head meeting.

"In the beginning of the match it was tough," he said. "I did a lot of mistakes in the beginning. I wanted to play really aggressive on this court. For me, it's a bit slower than the other tournaments. But obviously I had to handle that, I had to work on my problems and change my tactics a little bit in the second set.

"I knew that Jack is playing great. He is a really dangerous player and I really had to be focused and, of course, never give up."

[ATP APP]

Draper broke twice in the opening set, using a finishing flourish to break at love in its final game. After saving two break points to lead 5-3, he brought up set point with a whipped backhand pass from deep in the corner and converted with a roped forehand winner.

But Alcaraz quickly steadied in set two as he tightened up his ground game and began to dictate play in racing to a 4-0 lead. He remained on top in set three, leading 4-2, until Draper edged in front by winning three straight games.

From 4-5, Alcaraz returned the favour by winning three straight games of his own to close out the win. Draper fought until the last ball, bringing up two break points in what was the joint-longest game of the match as Alcaraz served it out. The Spaniard narrowly avoided a decisive tie-break, saving the first break point with a fearless forehand winner that clipped the sideline before sealing victory on his third match point.

[FOLLOW ACTION]

The all-action Alcaraz finished with 39 winners and 34 unforced errors, compared to 27 and 12 from Draper. He will face either Botic van de Zandschulp or Adrian Mannarino in the second round, with countryman Pablo Carreno Busta — one of five Spaniards in the Basel draw — a potential quarter-final opponent.

Despite the loss, Draper has already clinched qualification for the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan next month, an event which Alcaraz won in 2021. The Spaniard will graduate to the Nitto ATP Finals this year, as he is set for his debut in Turin.

Also advancing on Monday in Basel were Brandon Nakashima and Alexander Bublik. Nakashima was a 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 winner against Goffin while Bublik downed Aslan Karatsev 6-3, 7-6(2).

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Novak Djokovic sets time limit on Australian Open verdict amid 'positive signs'

NOVAK DJOKOVIC hopes to compete for his tenth Australian Open title in January after being kicked out of the country a year ago over his vaccination stance

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Simona Halep was tested '20 times a year' as tennis boss addresses drugs ban

Simona Halep has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a prohibited substance in a sample taken at the 2022 US Open.

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Alcaraz-Draper, Ruud-Wawrinka Headline Basel Draw

There will be no shortage of popcorn matchups in the first round of the Swiss Indoors Basel.

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz will start his tournament against #NextGenATP Briton Jack Draper, while second seed Casper Ruud will open against former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka. Both clashes will be first-time ATP Head2Head meetings.

Alcaraz will meet Draper in what could be the first meeting of a longtime rivalry. Alcaraz is set to compete in his first Nitto ATP Finals, while Draper will make his Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals debut. The lefty, who has an all-around game, will try to prevent his Spanish opponent from finding rhythm in Switzerland.

The last time Ruud competed in Basel, in 2019, the Norwegian lost in the second round of qualifying. Now he is the No. 3 player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings and will pursue his fourth title of the season. Ruud has proven successful in Switzerland, lifting four of his nine ATP Tour trophies in the country.

It will not be easy against Wawrinka, the home favourite who is trying to win his first title in Basel. The two-time semi-finalist, who recently advanced to the last four in Metz, will try to blast through Ruud’s heavy groundstrokes at the ATP 500. 

[ATP APP] 

The battle between seventh seed Alex de Minaur and Holger Rune could also provide plenty of entertainment. De Minaur is one of the quickest players on the ATP Tour, but he will also try to take the action to Rune to prevent the Dane from controlling play with his big baseline game.

Felix Auger-Aliassime, who is seventh in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, will open against home favourite Marc-Andrea Huesler. Former World No. 1 Andy Murray will play Roman Safiullin. Murray was originally slated to play American Sebastian Korda, who withdrew due to injury.

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ATP tennis event compared to 'Fyre Festival' by players as courts torn up and fans raging

The Tennis Napoli Cup threw up plenty of issues and has earned unwelcome comparisons to the disastrous Fyre Fest.

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Rune Topples Tsitsipas, Clinches Stockholm Crown

#NextGenATP Dane Holger Rune wrote another chapter into his standout season on Sunday at the Stockholm Open, where he upset top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4 to win his second tour-level title.

The 19-year-old opened his shoulders and hit through the World No. 5 throughout the one-hour, 35-minute clash, firing 20 winners and saving the one break point he faced to earn his third Top 5 win.

The Dane now leads Tsitsipas 2-0 in their ATP Head2Head series after defeating the 24-year-old at Roland Garros in June. Rune is up to No. 24 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings following his title run at the ATP 250 event.

“It was an unbelievable match from my side,” Rune said in his on-court interview. “I knew it was going to be difficult, but I just tried to stick to the game plan. I had to play my best tennis today and it was good that I could find the level. I am super happy.

“It was very close to perfection. I was making a lot of returns and playing pretty well behind my serve. Stefanos is an amazing player, who always makes it difficult. It was a super fun match to play.”

[ATP APP]

In an aggressive display, Rune took the ball early and successfully targeted Tsitsipas’ backhand, outlasting the Greek on the crosscourt exchanges. The 19-year-old also demonstrated great touch around the net, closing points efficiently when moving forward to help him seal his memorable win.

Earlier this season, Rune clinched his maiden tour-level trophy in Munich, where he defeated then-World No. 3 Alexander Zverev en route to the crown. With his victory over Tsitsipas, the 19-year-old has become just the second teenager to win multiple tour-level titles this year, joining Carlos Alcaraz.

Rune will look to finish his season strongly. He will compete in Basel next week before he takes to court at the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals – to be held from 8-12 November - for the second consecutive season.

Tsitsipas was aiming to win his 10th tour-level title and third this season, having tasted success in Monte Carlo and Mallorca. The Greek lifted the trophy in Stockholm on debut in 2018, but was unable to overcome Rune in a heavy-hitting clash.

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Coco Gauff emulates Maria Sharapova with latest impressive career milestone

COCO GAUFF is continuing to put her name in lights in the world of tennis.

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Dodig/Krajicek Rally To Naples Crown

Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek held their nerve in a Match Tie-break for the second time in as many days on Sunday to clinch the Tennis Napoli Cup in dramatic fashion.

The top seeds prevailed 6-3, 1-6, 10-8 against Matthew Ebden and John Peers in Naples by reeling off four points in a row to recover a 6/8 deficit in the decider. Despite their Australian opponents having the momentum for much of the second half of the championship match, Dodig and Krajicek found a late surge to wrap an 84-minute win and lift their second tour-level crown of the year.

“It was very difficult,” said Dodig after the match. “In doubles a lot of matches are decided by a few points. Today, like yesterday, I think we connected good shots in big moments, and it was the key. Sometimes it doesn’t happen, but we have felt great these last two weeks, we’ve played really good tennis and have a lot of confidence, and I think that was the main reason for the win.”

[ATP APP]

Having reached the final in Florence a week ago, Dodig and Krajicek dropped just seven games across their opening two rounds at the ATP 250 event in Naples. They then edged Lorenzo Sonego and Andrea Vavassori 11/9 in a Match Tie-break in Saturday’s semi-finals before downing Ebden and Peers in the championship match.

“I think Ivan and I played well throughout the two weeks,” said Krajicek. “Different conditions obviously, indoors [in Florence] and outdoors here, so we did a good job adjusting. Tough one in the final last week, Eddie (Edouard Roger-Vasselin) and Nico (Nicolas Mahut) played really well, but we were excited to give ourselves another chance here, and in the big moments there at the end I think we played well and fortunately we came through there.”

Sunday's win bolstered Dodig and Krajicek's outside chance of qualifying for November’s Nitto ATP Finals in their first season as a full-time partnership. It lifted the Croatian-American pairing two spots to 10th in the Pepperstone ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Griekspoor/Van De Zandschulp Capture Antwerp Crown

Tallon Griekspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp completed their dream week at the European Open in style Sunday when they defeated second seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matwe Middelkoop 3-6, 6-3, 10-5.

In a hard-fought clash, the Dutchmen fired eight aces and held their nerve in the crucial moments, pulling away from 3/3 in the Match Tie-break to triumph after 68 minutes in Antwerp.

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Before arriving in Belgium, Griekspoor and van de Zandschulp had not won a tour-level match as a team this season, holding a 0-4 record. However, they dropped just one set en route to the title as they turned the tables in dramatic fashion in Antwerp.

The 26-year-old Griekspoor and the 27-year-old van de Zandschulp were both competing in their first tour-level doubles final. Griekspoor’s best result prior to this week was a run to the quarter-finals in Gstaad in 2021 and Kitzbühel in 2022. Van de Zandschulp advanced to the semi-finals in Doha earlier this season with Mackenzie McDonald.

Bopanna and Middelkoop were aiming to win their second tour-level title as a team, after lifting the trophy in Tel Aviv earlier this month.

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Arevalo/Rojer Triumph In Stockholm

Marcelo Arevalo and Jean-Julien Rojer captured their fourth tour-level title of the season Sunday at the Stockholm Open, where they overcame third seeds Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara 6-3, 6-3.

In a strong display, the top seeds broke three times and won 79 per cent (15/19) of points on their opponents second serve to triumph after 67 minutes at the ATP 250 event.

Arevalo and Rojer were competing for the first time since they reached the semi-finals at the US Open in September. However, they showed little sign of rustiness in Stockholm, dropping just one set en route to the title.

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Earlier this season, the pair won tour-level crowns in Dallas and Delray Beach before they clinched their maiden Grand Slam at Roland Garros. The Salvadoran-Dutch team will compete at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin in November after they secured qualification for the prestigious end-of-year event last month.

Glasspool and Heliovaara are currently sixth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings on 3,240 points. They are 570 points ahead of ninth-placed team Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini.

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Novak Djokovic's organisation release statement about Simona Halep failed drugs test

Simona Halep has been handed a suspension after she tested positive for a banned substance.

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Felix Serves Into Second Straight ATP Tour Final In Antwerp

Felix Auger-Aliassime did not create a break point on Saturday against Richard Gasquet, but still progressed to his second ATP Tour final in as many weeks by dominating two tie-breaks in a 7-6(2), 7-6(3) win at the European Open.

After claiming his second tour-level title last week in Florence, Auger-Aliassime will face Sebastian Korda on Sunday in Antwerp as he contests his 12th tour-level final. He will seek to extend his winning streak to eight matches and further solidify his seventh-place position in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin as he chases his Nitto ATP Finals debut.

"It was the most difficult match this week so far," said the second seed, who came from set down to defeat Daniel Evans in the quarter-finals. "If I didn't serve the way I did it would have been really tough to win. My serve helped me tremendously to get through my service games easily and then, after, giving myself chances.

"But he was playing really good. He's still playing so well after so many years on the Tour. All credits to him for pushing... He's been a great leader in our sport and a great example."

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In a high-level and fast-paced semi-final, neither man saw a break point until Gasquet earned a look at 5-5 in the second set. But Auger-Aliassime was up to the task as he powered through to hold and then commanded the second tie-break to seal victory.

Firing 22 aces and winning 85 per cent (44/52) of his first-serve points, the Canadian built early leads in both tie-breaks, buoyed by confidence from his serving success. He raced to a 5/0 lead in the first-set tie-break and led 3/1 in the second tie-break, staying perfect on serve in both against the veteran Frenchman.

Auger-Aliassime will seek to win his third tour-level trophy of both this season and his career on Sunday following triumphs in Rotterdam and Florence.

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Tsitsipas Surges Into Stockholm Final

Stefanos Tsitsipas delivered a clinical semi-final showing on Saturday at the Stockholm Open, where he eased past Emil Ruusuvuori 6-2, 6-2 to maintain his unbeaten record at the ATP 250 event.

The top seed broke Ruusuvuori’s serve five times in the pair’s maiden tour-level meeting, finding consistency behind his groundstrokes to overpower the Finn in 74 minutes. The win improved Tsitsipas’ record in Stockholm to 7-0, and the Greek will hope to seal a second title at the hard-court event when he returns on Sunday for the championship match against Holger Rune.

“[It was] a great match from my side, I think I played very well,” said Tsitsipas after his victory. “I was really focused, [it was] one of the matches where I was really into the game and I was able to produce some really good tennis throughout the entire match, pretty much. I was there, I was very daring, I was really going for it, and it worked in my favour.”

Tsitsipas has shown no nerves upon returning to compete in Stockholm for the first time since 2018, when he lifted his maiden ATP Tour title in the Swedish capital. He has not dropped a set in moving past Maxime Cressy, home favourite Mikael Ymer and Ruusuvuori, and he believes that his past success at the event has helped him find his best level this week.

“I’ve created some good memories here,” said Tsitsipas. “2018 was the year that I got my first title here. Of course, I love good things in the back of my head. I’ve had some good interactions with the crowd, the people here are lovely, and I’m enjoying the Swedish hospitality.”

Saturday’s victory was a Tour-leading 56th of the 2022 season for Tsitsipas, who has already booked his place at November’s Nitto ATP Finals. He has now reached seven tour-level finals this year, the joint-most alongside World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz.

Sunday’s clash against Rune will be an opportunity for Tsitsipas to avenge his four-set fourth-round defeat to the #NextGenATP Dane in May at Roland Garros. The World No. 5 admitted he sees some similarities between himself and Rune, who will be competing in his third tour-level final of the year.

“We are both big fighters,” said Tsitsipas. “I’m going to try to give my best out there on the court. Holger is someone that has been developing and doing well recently. We have played plenty of times against each other, more on the practice court, and I’m looking forward to that battle.”

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Rune Secures Final Berth In Stockholm

#NextGenATP Dane Holger Rune reached his third tour-level final of the season Saturday when he edged Alex de Minaur 4-6, 7-6(1), 7-5 at the Stockholm Open.

The 19-year-old showed his fighting qualities as he battled from a set and a break down against the Australian to advance at the ATP 250 event after two hours and 52 minutes. Rune has now won his past five matches that have gone to a deciding set. He overcame Cameron Norrie in three sets in the quarter-finals in Stockholm.

“It was a brutal match from the beginning to the end,” Rune said in his on-court interview. “Super long rallies. Really exhausting. He takes the ball super early and puts you under a lot of pressure but I am super happy I was able to raise my level towards the end of the second set and I started a bit better than expected in the third. I am super happy with how I fought until the end.”

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In an attacking performance, the Dane stepped inside the baseline and fired 45 winners to earn his 28th tour-level win of the season. Rune, currently No. 24 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, will face either top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas or Finn Emil Ruusuvuori in the championship match.

Earlier this season, he captured his maiden tour-level title in Munich before he advanced to the final in Sofia. Rune will compete at the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals in November, having qualified last month.

De Minaur was aiming to reach his second tour-level final of the season after winning the title in Atlanta.

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Berrettini Battles Through In Naples

With his back against the wall Saturday, Matteo Berrettini survived to reach the final at the Tennis Napoli Cup. After a slow start, the Italian raised his level on serve to overcome American Mackenzie McDonald 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-3.

In a hard-fought clash at the ATP 250 event, Berrettini struggled on serve in the first set and was troubled by a foot injury, receiving a medical timeout at 2-5 in the opener.

However, the second seed stuck to the task at hand and slowly turned the match around. He fired 10 aces and struck 30 winners across the second and third sets to advance after two hours and 25 minutes on home soil.

“I don’t even know how I did it,” Berrettini said in his on-court interview. “I wasn’t feeling very good. I asked for the physio because my foot was hurting. It happened so many times in my career that I had to fight through so many things, not just thinking about the tennis ball. I didn’t want to retire. My team told me ‘I think you should stop’. But I tried and I found a way.”

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With his victory, Berrettini has climbed to 13th in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin on 2,375 points. The 26-year-old, currently 690 points behind seventh-placed Felix Auger-Aliassime, will need a strong end to the season to give him a chance of qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals for a third time.

Berrettini, who did not drop a set in his opening two matches in Naples, will face Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic or countryman Lorenzo Musetti in the final on Sunday. The second seed is chasing his third tour-level title of the season this week, after triumphing on grass in Stuttgart and The Queen’s Club.

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Novak Djokovic signs up to tournament used for Australian Open preparations amid new saga

NOVAK DJOKOVIC is hoping to return to the Australian Open in 2023 after missing out last year.

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Nitto ATP Finals Announces Record Prize Money For 2022 Event

The Nitto ATP Finals will award a record $14.75 million in prize money at this year’s season finale, which will be played at the Pala Alpitour in Turin from 13-20 November.

The prize money pool reflects an increase of 103 per cent on the 2021 tournament and a 64 per cent increase on the 2019 event, the last pre-pandemic edition of the Nitto ATP Finals.

If the champion at this year’s tournament lifts the trophy with a perfect record, he will earn $4,740,300, a 105 per cent increase year over year. That would be a record prize money for a champion in all of tennis.

Three matches at this year’s Nitto ATP Finals will be worth more than $1 million. Each semi-final victory will be worth $1.07 million and the championship match will yield the winner $2,200,400.

Singles Prize Money (2022)
Alternate	$150,000
Participation Fee	$320,000*
Round-robin match win	$383,300
Semi-final match win	$1,070,000
Final win	$2,200,400
Undefeated champion	$4,740,300

*Singles Participation Fee Schedule (2022)
1 match: $160,000
2 matches: $240,000
3 matches: $320,000

If an undefeated doubles team lifts the trophy in Turin, the winners will share $930,300, a 117 per cent increase compared to 2021.

Doubles Prize Money Per Team (2022)
Alternate	$50,000
Participation Fee	$130,000*
Round-robin match win	$93,300
Semi-final match win	$170,000
Final win	$350,400
Undefeated champion	$930,300

Doubles Participation Fee Schedule (2021)
1 match: $52,000
2 matches: $97,500
3 matches: $130,000

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Felix Fights Into Antwerp SFs

Still riding high from his title last week in Florence, Felix Auger-Aliassime moved within two wins of a repeat run in Stockholm on Friday. But the second-seeded Canadian needed to dig deep to fend off Daniel Evans 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 in a two-hour, 40-minute match that concluded after midnight at the European Open.

"It was a really high-quality match from both of us and I couldn't regret too much, or anything really, in the first set. He just played a bit too good," the Canadian said post-match. "Then I started serving better, I was able to hold my serve a little bit easier, so that of course helped.

"From the tie-break and the third set, it was a great finish from me. I'm really happy I made the effort to dig deep and push hard until the end."

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The victory further secured Auger-Aliassime's seventh-place position in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race to Turin, as the Canadian strives to clinch what may be the final qualification spot for this year's Nitto ATP Finals. With 3,065 points, he now holds a 180-point lead over Tokyo champion Taylor Fritz in eighth place.

After the aggressive Evans claimed the opening set by winning its lone break point early on, the Briton fended off three break chances midway through the second to set up the crucial tie-break. The late stages of the set were dominated by the server, and that continued in the tie-break, in which Auger-Aliassime won all five points on his delivery.

Evans continued to attack and brought up deuce on return while leading 1-0, but he would never create a second break point. Instead, Auger-Aliassime finally converted on his sixth break opportunity and again on his seventh to put the match beyond doubt.

Seeking the third tour-level title of this season and his career, Auger-Aliassime will look to extend his six-match winning streak when he meets Richard Gasquet in the semi-finals. The Frenchman was a  6-2, 7-6(6) winer against David Goffin earlier on Friday night as he advanced to his second ATP Tour semi-final of 2022 (Geneva) and his first on hard courts since Sofia in 2020.

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Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal fired warning as duo tipped to face new problem

NOVAK DJOKOVIC and Rafael Nadal could see the return of a familiar Grand Slam challenger next season

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Lithuania's Debut Challenger Making Strong Impressions

In the 45-year history of the ATP Challenger Tour, Lithuania had never hosted a Challenger tournament. That all changed this week, as the Challenger circuit turned its eyes to the country’s capital city, Vilnius.

Lithuania, located in the Baltic states, is the 91st country to host a Challenger tournament. Tournament director Ramūnas Grušas, who is the Lithuanian Tennis Federation president, spoke with ATPTour.com about the process it took to build the Vilnius Open by kevin.

“We started to think about having a Challenger in 2013,” Grušas said. “We made a trip to some Challengers in Europe and talked to the organisers there and finally, we are doing it. We are really happy and excited.”

The host venue, the SEB Arena, provides world-class facilities to the Challenger 80 event. Boasting 28 indoor tennis courts, the SEB Arena is the largest indoor tennis complex in central Europe. Squash and badminton courts can also be found at the state-of-the-art facility. A recent expansion project included the construction of a stadium court for the debut tournament.

 

“During the Covid time, we built a new facility, including a centre court with 1,500 capacity,” Grušas said. “We built an extra six practice courts. Throughout the past year, we’ve made the venue really good for the players and spectators.

“It’s really important to show people that we are here. We have high-quality facilities, I think it’s showing that we are going in a good direction. This week, a lot of kids are coming to see the tennis and are enjoying it.

“We are not looking at this tournament for a really commercial side. We are looking to have good quality.”

The Vilnius Challenger marks the first time that Ricardas Berankis, who turned pro in 2007, has competed on home soil.

“I think it’s one of the best Challengers in the world,” The former World No. 50 said. “Not because I’m from here but overall I didn’t see or hear any unhappy players. I hope it will bring more attention from higher-ranked players in the future.”

Home favourite Ricardas Berankis in action at the 2022 Vilnius Challenger. Credit: Saulius Čirba

After initially submitting a tournament application in 2018 and patiently waiting through the Covid break, Grušas said that working closely with the ATP turned the dream of staging a tournament into reality.

“We have good relations with the ATP office,” Grušas said. “They helped us a lot with all of our questions because it was the first time for us.

“They [The ATP Challenger Tour] put the players first. You can feel it from the first step when you are talking with the ATP office and referees. You need to do all the best for the players.”

Frenchman Antoine Escoffier, seeded eighth, has strong impressions of the Vilnius Challenger.

“The event is really well organised,” Escoffier said. “The hotel and food are on site. The physio and practice courts are also on site. I think it’s one of the best conditions to have a tournament. It’s really impressive here.”

With a population approaching 600,000, Vilnius is the largest city in Lithuania. The city is known for its architecture in ‘Old Town’, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. Vilnius was named the EU's European Capital of Culture in 2009 and is one of the fastest growing and developing cities in Europe.

Not only is Vilnius establishing deep roots as a cultural centre in Europe, it’s proving to be a great location for the ATP Challenger Tour.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Berrettini Rolls Into Naples SFs

Matteo Berrettini continued to look comfortable on the seaside hard courts of the Tennis Napoli Cup on Friday, when the home favourite delivered a dominant 6-2, 6-3 quarter-final victory against Taro Daniel.

The second seed picked up where he left off in his second-round win against Roberto Carballes Baena in Friday's quarter-final clash, breaking Daniel’s serve in the opening game. Berrettini barely looked back thereafter, cruising to an 84-minute win to reach his fifth tour-level semi-final of the season.

“I think I was aggressive [from] the very first game and I got the break early in the first set and I felt confident,” said Berrettini after the match. “I didn’t give him the time to organise or [let him] make me move too much. We played each other many times, so I kind of knew what to expect from him, and my plan worked really well.”

A FIFTH semi-final of the year for Matteo Berrettini! 🙌

The home favourite defeats Taro Daniel 6-2 6-3 in Naples.#TennisNapoliCupbyBCP pic.twitter.com/nKtJlnGLIo

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 21, 2022

Berrettini fired 36 winners, including seven aces, to extend his ATP Head2Head series lead against Daniel to 3-1. The Italian was particularly happy to put on a strong showing in front of his parents, who were watching on from the stands.

“It’s super important and I’m super proud that they’re here,” said Berrettini. “Obviously without them I wouldn’t be here… When I started playing tennis, they were the ones that brought me everywhere, so I’m so happy that they’re here, that they can enjoy this atmosphere, and hopefully they’re proud of me.”

The 26-year-old will take on Mackenzie McDonald or Zhang Zhizhen in the semi-finals as he looks to win his first ATP Tour title in his homeland. Berrettini can also stay within touching distance of a qualification spot for November’s Nitto ATP Finals with a good result in Naples. Friday’s win lifted him one spot to 14th in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin.

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Roger Federer outlines plan to thank fans after admitting 'hard part' about Laver Cup

ROGER FEDERER retired following an emotional Laver Cup appearance in September.

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Nick Kyrgios withdraws from Paris Masters as troublesome knee issue continues

NICK KYRGIOS was set to compete in the Paris Masters for the first time.

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Fabio Fognini hits out at ATP as Napoli Cup continues to anger players

THE 2022 Napoli Cup conditions has angered players and Fabio Forgini has become the latest big name to hit out

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Dominic Thiem makes progress on comeback pledge with Antwerp breakthrough

Dominic Thiem is on the comeback trail after overcoming a wrist injury.

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Tiafoe Denies Ymer Brothers A Stockholm Sweep After 'Growth Win'

The best was saved for last on Thursday at the Stockholm Open, particularly for Frances Tiafoe. In the lone three-setter of the day across both singles and doubles, the American came back from a set and 0-4 down to edge home favourite Elias Ymer in a late-night thriller.

With the 3-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(2) victory, Tiafoe advanced to his seventh ATP Tour quarter-final of the season and denied the Ymer brothers a famous sweep of seeded opposition in their native Sweden. Earlier in the day, Mikael Ymer was a 6-2, 6-3 winner against eighth seed Tommy Paul.

"It was an unbelievable effort, a big growth win for me, to come back and win that," Tiafoe said post-match. "He got a little nervous there and I started upping my level. He still played well in the third. He served well, but I was able to get it done. Elias is a hell of a player."

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From 0-4 in the second set, Tiafoe won five straight games to turn the tables, then raced out to a 6/0 lead in the tie-break as he forced a decider. The third seed flirted with danger again in the final set, saving a break point at 1-2 and 2-3 before once again dominating the tie-break.

"I definitely didn't deserve to win today," Tiafoe added. "Elias was playing really well. In the beginning I was really flat, really negative. It's been a long year and it's tough, I'm pretty tired."

After improving to 2-0 in the pair's ATP Head2Head, with the previous meeting also in Stockholm last season, Tiafoe was full of praise for his World No. 129 opponent, a wild-card entry into the ATP 250 event.

"He just needs to believe in himself," he said of Ymer, who was seeking his third career tour-level quarter-final. "I think he strikes the ball just as good as anyone. He moves so fast. He's just got to believe in himself. Today, I think the only reason I won is because he just didn't believe it in the end. If he believes in himself he can be really good."

[FOLLOW ACTION]

Tiafoe will next face Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori, a 6-2, 6-2 winner against #NextGenATP Czch Jiri Lehecka. Mikael Ymer, who converted on five of seven break chances in his upset win against Paul, set a quarter-final meeting with top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas on Friday.

Fifth seed Alex de Minaur also advanced to the quarters on Thursday with a 6-4, 6-2 win against J.J. Wolf. The Aussie converted on four of five break points to book a showdown with fourth seed Denis Shapovalov.

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