Sue Barker and Roger Federer could be set for surprise appearances at Wimbledon 2023

Sue Barker retired from presenting Wimbledon last year but could be in line to return to the All England Club as a fan alongside Roger Federer.

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Wimbledon's biggest fines include 'bomb' comment spitting on fans and damaging the grass

Wimbledon has seen players like Nick Kyrgios and Fabio Fognini fined tens of thousands of pounds for some major outbursts over the years.

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Tsitsipas vs. Thiem Among Five Matches To Watch In Wimbledon First Round

While some of the most intriguing Wimbledon storylines will play out over the course of the upcoming fortnight, there is sure to be plenty of intrigue right from the start of the grass-court Grand Slam.

Of the 64 first-round men's singles matches on tap for Monday and Tuesday in London, ATPTour.com highlights five must-see matchups.

[BREAK POINT]

[5] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs. Dominic Thiem (AUT)

The nine previous Lexus ATP Head2Head matchups between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Dominic Thiem have come on some of the biggest stages in tennis. In addition to their two Nitto ATP Finals matchups — including the 2019 title match, won by Tsitsipas — they have also played at three ATP Masters 1000s and at Roland Garros.

Thiem leads the series 5-4 but lost a thrilling three-setter in their most recent meeting at the Mutua Madrid Open this April. After Tsitsipas escaped with a 3-6, 6-1 7-6(5) win in their first matchup since 2020, the Greek showed his respect for his opponent with some encouraging words at the net.

"Your best [match] yet. You still have it," Tsitsipas said to the Austrian, who has struggled to sustain top form since coming back from a wrist injury last season. "Keep going. You've got this," Tsitsipas added.

The Greek enters Wimbledon with a 1-3 grass-court record this season, while Thiem was beaten by Alexander Zverev in his lone grass event of 2023 in Halle. As both men search for the sort of tennis that has seen them make regular trips deep into majors, their opening-round matchup feels very much up for grabs despite the gap of 85 places in their Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

[30] Nick Kyrgios (AUS) vs. [WC] David Goffin (BEL)

Nick Kyrgios was unseeded last year at Wimbledon when he advanced to his first Grand Slam final. Seeded 30th in his return to the All England Lawn Tennis Club, the Aussie was nonetheless handed a major opening test against wild card David Goffin.

Despite his current standing outside the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Goffin has reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in each of his past two appearances (2019, 2022). He was one set away from the semis last year, but could not convert on a two-sets-to-one lead against home favourite Cameron Norrie in the quarters. The former World No. 7 is seeking his first Grand Slam match win of the season after pulling out of the Australian Open with illness and losing to Hubert Hurkacz in five first-round sets at Roland Garros.

Kyrgios has played just one ATP Tour event this season after suffering ankle and knee injuries early in the year. He was beaten by Wu Yibing in Stuttgart in his only appearance, after which he asked fans for patience in his comeback.

Can memories of his magical 2022 run spark a return to form on the London lawns?

Andy Murray (GBR) vs. [WC] Ryan Peniston (GBR)

Andy Murray made a red-hot start to the grass season by winning two straight ATP Challenger Tour titles behind 10 consecutive match wins in Surbiton and Nottingham. Though he lost to Alex de Minaur at The Queen's Club immediately following that two-week stretch, he will enter Wimbledon after two full weeks of rest from competitive action.

The former World No. 1 and two-time Wimbledon champion must face a fellow Briton in the opening round. Ryan Peniston enjoyed a breakout grass-court campaign last year, when he reached consecutive ATP Tour quarter-finals at The Queen's Club and Eastbourne before advancing to the Wimbledon second round. 

This June, the 27-year-old played the same grass-court schedule as Murray, competing exclusively in Great Britain across Surbiton, Nottingham and The Queen's Club. Now the two British players will have the full attention of their nation when they meet for the first time at their home major.

[10] Frances Tiafoe (USA) vs. Wu Yibing (CHN)

Frances Tiafoe broke into the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time behind his first grass-court title in Stuttgart earlier in June. The American has maintained that position to earn a Top 10 seed at Wimbledon, where he will bid to improve upon his career-best fourth-round run last season. With two titles already claimed this year, Tiafoe enters full of confidence. 

Wu Yibing won his first ATP Tour title this February in Dallas and later reached the quarter-finals in Geneva. His grass season has seen him face the likes of Kyrgios and World No. 7 Andrey Rublev, with the Chinese star beating Kyrgios in Stuttgart and losing a three-setter to Rublev in Halle. In his Wimbledon debut against Tiafoe, he will play a Top 10 opponent for the second consecutive match.

[9] Taylor Fritz vs. Yannick Hanfmann (GER)

Taylor Fritz drew one of the toughest opening-round matchups possible for a seeded player both by Pepperstone ATP Ranking and by form.

Yannick Hanfmann moved up to No. 44 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings this week behind his semi-final run in Eastbourne, where the German beat World No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas. The three wins Hanfmann earned in Eastbourne trump the two victories Fritz has picked up in three grass events this season.

But the American reached his first Grand Slam quarter-final last year at Wimbledon, only bowing out after a five-set epic against Rafael Nadal. While he entered last year's tournament on the heels of winning the Eastbourne title, he will have to build his momentum from the ground up this year in London.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Andy Murray shares how he really felt winning first Wimbledon title a decade on

Andy Murray has reflected on his first Wimbledon title a decade on.

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Medvedev Recalls Junior Legends Kyrgios vs. Zverev Clash Ahead Of Wimbledon Bid

Daniil Medvedev’s earliest memories of playing grass-court tennis feature some all-too-familiar faces.

“My first time on grass was when I played junior Wimbledon [in 2013],” Medvedev told ATPTour.com last week. “There was a tournament beforehand in Roehampton, where they also play qualies for Wimbledon. I actually lost to Nick Kyrgios [in the second round], and he won the tournament against Sascha [Alexander] Zverev in the final.

“They were really amazing at their age. I was nowhere close because they were very young when they went on the professional Tour, into the Top 100 and started playing the best in the world. I remember them playing the final. I think I actually even watched it, and it was just like watching two legends, two junior legends, play.”

Medvedev may have taken a little longer to join Kyrgios and Zverev among the ATP Tour’s elite, but he now owns more tour-level trophies than both his former junior rivals. The 20th and most recent of his titles, which moved him clear of 19-time champion Zverev, came at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome in May. It was Medvedev’s first ATP Tour crown on clay, heralded by many as a breakthrough for a player who has never been shy about his heavy preference for hard courts.

Given he now owns tour-level titles on hard (18 of his 20 triumphs have come on the surface), grass (Mallorca, 2021) and clay (this year’s Rome win), is the World No. 3 any closer to considering himself an 'all-court' player?

“I still believe the most in myself on hard courts because that's still where my biggest titles are,” said Medvedev. “One Grand Slam, [five] Masters 1000s. I was never able to achieve kind of close on other surfaces, [but] I know that I can play well, finally, even on clay. Winning a Masters 1000 [in Rome] was unbelievable. There are some amazing clay-court players that never won a Masters, so it's just unreal.

“I know that I can play well on grass. It's just there's something that I'm much more confident about myself on hard courts. But whenever I play, no matter the surface, I always try to win. I always try to be the best even if sometimes it doesn't work. And that's what I try every year on the clay and grass, even if I like hard courts more.”

Medvedev arrives at Wimbledon with an 8-4 record at the grass-court major. The 27-year-old enjoyed his best run at SW19 on his most recent appearance by reaching the fourth round in 2021. For someone that is used to competing for the biggest prizes in the game, that is something he is keen to improve.

“For the moment, Wimbledon is the Grand Slam where I have my worst result, [reaching the] fourth round,” said Medvedev. “Roland Garros is quarter-finals. So I for sure want to change it. I feel like I'm capable of playing well [at Wimbledon], but like always there are a lot of tough opponents that don't want to let you do this.

“I want to show my best there. [It is] unbelievable to be there every time you come. You step on the grounds, and you know even when you come in the player lobby, straightaway you see grass all around, and perfectly cut. You just feel, ‘Well, here I am at Wimbledon and it's a great feeling’, and I will be happy to experience it this year.”

[BREAK POINT]

Medvedev is not the only big name seeking a first deep run at the All England Club. World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz reached the fourth round in 2022 and lifted an ATP 500 trophy at The Queen’s Club last week in just his third tour-level event on grass. Promising signs for the Spaniard on a surface that Medvedev believes provides a complex challenge.

“I feel like grass is a really interesting surface, because many times I will be looking at someone playing and in my mind, I will be like, ‘This guy can play well on grass normally. Big serve, big forehand or something like this, knows how to slice’,” said Medvedev. “And for whatever reason he doesn't like it and he [doesn’t do well on grass].

“Then there is going to be someone else [like Alcaraz], where you say in your mind that while his game is not really suited for grass — maybe he doesn't go to the net that often and stuff like this — and then he plays so well on grass, and he says it himself that it is his best and favourite surface. That's where it's surprising.”

_{^{Alcaraz and Medvedev's maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting came at Wimbledon in 2021. Photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images.}}

It was Medvedev who ended Alcaraz’s maiden campaign on grass when he eased to a 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 second-round triumph against the then-18-year-old Spaniard at Wimbledon two years ago. Alcaraz has since lifted 11 tour-level titles, including a maiden major at the 2022 US Open, and risen to become the youngest No. 1 in the history of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

“In my opinion, the way Carlos plays on every surface, he can win maybe five Wimbledons, but you never know,” said Medvedev. “It's a tough surface to play on. When we played [in 2021], he was not the same player, so I managed to get the best of this match. Last year I think he improved [on grass] already, played this four-setter against [Jannik] Sinner [in the fourth round]. I remember it was a great match.

“So I think his potential is really high on any surface, but grass is a tough surface for many players. Let's see how he handles this task.”

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Cerundolo On Brink Of Eastbourne Final Before Rain Halts Play

Fourth seed Francisco Cerundolo was in position to put the finishing touches on a comeback semi-final victory at the Rothesay International when rain stopped play on Friday in Eastbourne. 

The Argentine led Mackenzie McDonald 2-6, 7-5, 5-2 when the wet weather intervened. Though the players returned to the court and attempted to warm up in the evening, it was ultimately decided that play would not resume until Saturday.

Cerundolo is bidding to add to his personal-best 26 matches won this season as he seeks his second ATP Tour title (2022 Bastad). McDonald, who beat World No. 9 and Eastbourne top seed Taylor Fritz in the second round for his third career Top 10 win, is bidding for his second tour-level final (2021 Washington).

[BREAK POINT]

The American was in control early in the semi-final with a 6-2, 4-1 advantage. But Cerundolo snapped back with four straight games and then won six consecutive games to take the second set and open up a 4-0 lead in the third. McDonald snatched one break back in the deciding set and will serve at 2-5 when play resumes.

Second seed Tommy Paul and Frenchman Gregoire Barrere will also contest their postponed semi-final at the ATP 250 on Saturday. Paul is seeking his second ATP Tour title (2021 Stockholm), while Barrere will play for his first tour-level final appearance.

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Ex-Wimbledon finalist looks unrecognisable sporting new bald look

The former Wimbledon finalist has ditched his locks for a shaved head.

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Wimbledon LIVE: Army given strict instructions over threat Kyrgios warns Djokovic

Express Sport provides you with all the latest Wimbledon news ahead of today's main tournament draw.

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Dodig/Krajicek On 13-Match Winning Streak Reach Eastbourne Final

Top seeds Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek extended their winning streak to 13 consecutive matches Thursday after they advanced to the final at the Rothesay International.

Dodig and Krajicek, who triumphed at Roland Garros and last week at The Queen’s Club, ousted Australians Matthew Ebden and John-Patrick Smith 7-5, 4-6, 10-7 in the Eastbourne semi-finals. They will next meet fourth seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic in Friday’s final after the Croatians cruised past second seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury 6-2, 6-2.

Mektic and Pavic will be aiming for their third title of the season while Dodig and Krajicek look to extend their run by collecting a fifth trophy in 2023.

Top Seeds Fall In Mallorca
After booking a ticket into the Mallorca Championships singles semi-finals, Lloyd Harris returned to court with partner Yuki Bhambri to upset top seeds Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-4, 7-6(2) and reach the ATP 250 doubles final. Bhambri and Harris fended off 10 of 12 break points faced to advance.

In quarter-final action, Robin Haase and Philipp Oswald downed Argentines Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni 7-5, 6-4 after one hour, 29 minutes. The Dutch-Austrian team will next face Americans Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow for a spot in the championship match.

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Novak Djokovic refuses to break unique Wimbledon tradition after beating Frances Tiafoe

Novak Djokovic was playing against Frances Tiafoe in the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic exhibition event.

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Cam Norrie ready to rewrite Wimbledon history as Andy Murray warning made

Cam Norrie had a dream run at Wimbledon last year all the way to the semi-finals before losing to Novak Djokovic.

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John McEnroe delivers home truths after Nick Kyrgios calls for Saudi investment in tennis

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has been talking to the ATP about investment but tennis great John McEnroe is having none of it.

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Dan Evans opens up on sacrificing boozing for training after bouncing back from drugs ban

Exclusive: Dan Evans has opened up on the challenges he faces

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Coco Gauff laughed at by a seagull during showdown with British ace Jodie Burrage

The American tennis star managed to see the funny side after an embarrassing blunder during her win over Jodie Burrage at Eastbourne

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Gonzalez/Roger-Vasselin Reach Mallorca SFs

Top seeds Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin booked their ticket to the semi-finals Wednesday at the Mallorca Championships.

The Mexican-French duo downed Francisco Cabral and Rafael Matos 6-3, 7-6(3) after one hour, 22 minutes. Gonzalez and Roger-Vasselin, who collected titles in Marseille and Miami earlier this season, will next face Yuki Bhambri and Lloyd Harris after the Indian-South African team ousted fourth seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos 6-4, 6-4.

Americans Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow also reached the last four in Mallorca, where they survived second seeds Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 4-6, 6-3, 10-8. In second-round action, Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni escaped Marcelo Melo and John Peers 7-6(5), 3-6, 10-5.

Top Two Seeds Advance In Eastbourne
Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek defeated home favourites Liam Broady and Jonny O’Mara 6-4, 6-4 to extend their 12-match winning streak and the reach the semi-finals of the Rothesay International. The Croatian-American pair triumphed at Roland Garros and last week at The Queen’s Club.

Second seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury eased past Romain Arneodo and Sam Weissborn 6-1, 6-2 after winning 19 of 21 first-serve points. Fourth seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic also advanced after beating Gonzalo Escobar and Aleksandr Nedovyesov 6-4, 6-4.

Australians Matthew Ebden and John-Patrick Smith rallied to upset third seeds Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski 4-6, 6-3, 10-7.

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Former Wimbledon Finalist Cilic Withdraws

Marin Cilic on Wednesday announced his withdrawal from Wimbledon as he continues his recovery from a right knee injury he suffered at the beginning of the season.

The Croatian reached the final at The Championships in 2017. Cilic owns a 31-13 record at the grass-court major.

“I’m sad to be missing the grass season and especially Wimbledon; this is a highlight of the season for every tennis player, but I know how important it is not to rush the recovery process,” Cilic wrote on Instagram. Things have generally been going well the last few weeks with my post-surgery training so I'm staying positive and focused on my long-term recovery. 💪

“I hope that I'll be competing very soon. I miss being on Tour, the tournaments and the fans, and I can’t wait to get back to all of that, to feel the thrill of stepping on court & competing. Until then, I’ll keep training and sharpening my motivation. Thanks for your continued support as always! 🙏🏼🎾”

 

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Cilic won his opening match of the season against Roberto Carballes Baena in Pune, but when he stepped on court to warm up for his next match, he felt pain in his right knee and withdrew from the tournament.

The Croatian has not played a match since. Cilic is currently No. 100 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

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Andy Murray breaks silence on Wimbledon snub and explains problem with 'strange' poster

Andy Murray has addressed the uproar over a promotional Wimbledon poster that failed to include him. His uncle and brother had previously criticised the decision to snub the two-time champion.

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Netflix Q&A: Break Point With Stefanos Tsitsipas

Stefanos Tsitsipas has long been a fan of filmmaking, as evidenced by his creativity on social media as well as his YouTube channel, so it was no surprise to see the Greek participate in Netfflix’s Break Point filming.

The 2019 Nitto ATP Finals champion was featured in Episodes 6 and 7, with the main focus being his memorable clash against Nick Kyrgios at Wimbledon.

Tsitsipas spoke to ATPTour.com late last year about his experience filming Break Point, why he cares about more than the storylines featured and more.

Watch Episode 6 Trailer:

You always have loved filming and photography and videography. Was there anything particularly surprising from the whole Netflix experience?
How nice they were. The crew is so much fun to be working with. They were not just there to film, they were also very friendly and made the whole atmosphere very genuine for all of us to be part of this. They are a bunch of professionals that are trying to create nice memories with us. And I really appreciated them putting so much work into it. They seem quite smart as well.

Were there any times that you sort of wished the cameras weren't there?
No, but I had one moment where I actually felt grateful they were there with my match I think with Kyrgios at Wimbledon. It was a moment where [there was] so much drama, and I'm glad they filmed it.

Does it make you thankful that people are going to be able to see what actually happened and what you actually thought?
Yeah exactly, that's it. It opens for the truth to be told and shared and each person's perspective of things. It's good for the sport, it's good for the sport. Not everything has to be clean and beautiful and elegant...

They've been extremely respectful of things and I always told them yes in situations that I was comfortable [in]. They never really crossed any lines and made me feel uncomfortable. I didn't have moments where I felt like they stepped out of line.

[BREAK POINT]

You're focused on your tennis, you're trying to win, but then you love this sort of stuff. So how did you balance the two?
I wouldn't consider it a distraction. It's something that our sport needed for a long time. People don't really see the behind the scenes, they only see us on TV performing, playing. Very few of us have YouTube channels where we get to expose some other things except our professional careers and tennis needed some of that open view. Everything is just so private these days with a lot of the players and it's important to showcase the personalities and the strong-minded people and athletes that are out there.

How much Netflix do you watch?
I had periods where I watched it a lot. I was browsing through different TV shows and movies. Currently, I'm not really following anything specific. But I did watch one TV show that I really liked Man Vs. Bee, Rowan Atkinson recently. [It is] a very high production in terms of filmmaking and I enjoy watching whenever I have free time, whenever I have a bit of time off.

But the thing is, I don't feel like I'm very productive when I watch Netflix. I'm a guy that always likes to go to sleep that night and feel like I've done something productive and important for myself, kind of seize the day as I like to say.

So do you want to binge Break Point when it comes out?
No, I will definitely not be binging anything. I'm watching it the proper way every single frame that's coming up.

So you don't want to just see the storylines. You want to see how they edited it together?
Everything. I want to see every single detail that they put in place, every single thing, the structure of it. I'm paying attention to every single thing. It's going to be very interesting because they've been following a few good personalities in our sport. And I would like to further see what stories they were able to film with those individuals, including myself, the variation, the storytelling and also the narrative that they are going to follow.

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John McEnroe gets emotional with final Wimbledon plea for Sue Barker after tearful exit

Sue Barker waved goodbye to Wimbledon last year after several decades leading the tournament's coverage on the BBC.

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Emma Raducanu pressure mounting as John McEnroe fears Brit's career will nosedive

John McEnroe fears Emma Raducanu faces an almighty task to prove she's not a 'one-hit wonder' when she returns from injury.

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Nick Kyrgios calls out Novak Djokovic ahead of Wimbledon return - 'Don't do that again'

Nick Kyrgios has taken a playful jab at Novak Djokovic after his rival posted a video on his social media channels.

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Ram/Salisbury Save 2 MPs In Eastbourne Opener

Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury survived a first-round scare Tuesday at the Rothesay International in Eastbourne.

The second seeds saved two match points in a Match Tie-break to defeat Robert Galloway and Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela 6-3, 6-7(6), 13-11. Ram and Salisbury won 86 per cent of points behind their first delivery and will next face Romain Arneodo and Sam Weissborn in the second round.

Top seeds Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek continued their hot streak by ousting Argentines Francisco Cerundolo and Tomas Martin Etcheverry. Dodig and Krajicek have won 11 consecutive matches with titles at Roland Garros and last week in London. The Croatian-American pair will next meet home favourites Liam Broady and Jonny O’Mara.

Mallorca
Yuki Bhambri and Lloyd Harris cruised past Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler 6-3, 6-2 after winning 23 of 25 first-serve points at the Mallorca Championships. The Indian-South African duo did not face a break point throughout the 52-minute contest to set a second-round clash against fourth seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos.

Robin Haase and Philipp Oswald saved all five break points faced as they rallied to beat French duo Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul 6-7(4), 6-3, 10-8.

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Wimbledon Practice: Rune Djokovic & Sinner Among Stars Training At SW19

The world's best players, including seven-time champion Novak Djokovic, are practising at Wimbledon ahead of the grass-court major.

Djokovic, Holger Rune, Jannik Sinner, Jiri Lehecka, Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev were photographed training at SW19 on Tuesday.

Djokovic has won the past four editions of The Championships. If the Serbian wins the title, he will have claimed the first three majors of the season for the second time in three years (also 2021).

Sinner defeated Stan Wawrinka and Carlos Alcaraz en route to the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year. The Italian won the first two sets before falling to eventual champion Djokovic in five.

Former World No. 4 Tomas Berdych was spotted on the practice court with fellow Czech star Jiri Lehecka, who will be competing at the grass-court major for the second time.

Alexander Zverev will try to advance past the fourth round at The Championships for the first time this year.

Andrey Rublev will carry momentum into Wimbledon after making the final of the Terra Wortmann Open, an ATP 500 event played on grass in Halle.

All photos courtesy of Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

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Nishikori Sets ATP Tour Return In Atlanta

Former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori will return to ATP Tour action in July at the Atlanta Open, it was announced Tuesday by a tournament press release.

The Japanese star, who underwent arthroscopic left hip surgery last year, has not competed at the ATP Tour level since the BNP Paribas Open in October 2021.

Earlier this month, the 12-time tour-level titlist Nishikori began his comeback in style on the ATP Challenger Tour. Despite not competing for 20 months, Nishikori dropped just one set en route to triumphing at the Palmas del Mar Challenger in Puerto Rico.

American No. 1 Taylor Fritz and defending champion Alex de Minaur are also among the Atlanta entry list. Six-time champion John Isner will return to Atlantic Station, as well as World No. 35 Ben Shelton, who made his tour-level debut at the 250 event last year. The Atlanta Open will be held 24-30 July.

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Brazilian tennis star pulls off 'shot of the decade' as stunned opponents applaud her

You're unlikely to see anything quite like it this year in tennis.

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ATP Tour Launches Official Tennis Merchandise Collection

The ATP has announced the launch of an official merchandise collection, dedicated to serving the more than 85 million recreational tennis players around the world, created in collaboration with Tennis-Point, the ATP’s Official Racket Sports Products Retailer.

The collection features a classic apparel line and essential equipment including tennis bags, strings and grips. With a focus on providing great quality at fair prices, the collection aims to make tennis more accessible to the millions of global fans who enjoy playing the game at all levels. It marks a significant new milestone in the global partnership between ATP and Tennis-Point, which began in 2021.

The unisex apparel line includes essential polos, tees, hoodies, shorts and headwear. Sporting the ATP Tour’s signature blue and white colourway, discreet detailing and clean lines inspired by classic tennis collections, the items offer a versatile and timeless on-court and clubhouse look.

In parallel, ATP and Tennis-Point have released a line of affordable, high-quality strings, grips and tennis bags. Other performance gear includes towels, wristbands and dampeners – providing players with the complete equipment set to maximise their enjoyment and performance playing the game. This marks the first time ATP has launched a comprehensive collection of apparel and equipment.

“We’re excited to bring the ATP Tour brand even closer to the tennis playing community through our new official merchandise line,” said Daniele Sanò, ATP Chief Business Officer. “We’re thrilled to expand our collaboration with Tennis-Point and offer high-value products that unlock great experiences for our fans.”

“Taking our already successful partnership with the ATP to new heights by making tennis equipment available to players of all levels for an affordable price is something we’re very proud of. The ATP brand is iconic in world sport, and we look forward to using our global presence to connect fans with this great collection,” said Christian Miele, Founder and Managing Director of Tennis-Point.

Browse the ATP Tour collection today in Tennis-Point retail stores, on Global.Tennis-Point.com, or national online shops in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, UK, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The collection will become available on Tennis-Point.com, TennisExpress.com and Tennispro.fr from the end of July.

- All photos courtesy of Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour.

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Meet The Champions Of 2023

Throughout the season the world’s best tennis players battle each week to become champion. From continent to continent and surface to surface, they work hard to earn glory, with everyone pursuing a place at the Nitto ATP Finals at the end of the year. This year's season finale will be played in Turin from 12-19 November.

We take a look at all the champions of 2023.

United Cup, Australia - United States
In the first edition of the United Cup, the mixed teams event played across Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, the United States prevailed, led by Taylor Fritz, Jessica Pegula, Frances Tiafoe and Madison Keys.

Adelaide International 1, Adelaide - Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic made a quick start to his season in Adelaide. During his semi-final victory against Daniil Medvedev, he suffered an injury scare. The next day he managed that to save championship point and defeat Sebastian Korda 6-7(8), 7-6(3), 6-4 for his first trophy of 2022.

Tata Open Maharashtra, Pune - Tallon Griekspoor
The Pune championship match featured two first-time finalists in Tallon Griekspoor and Benjamin Bonzi. It was the Dutchman Griekspoor who entered the winners’ circle with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 triumph at the Indian ATP 250.

ASB Classic, Auckland - Richard Gasquet
The former World No. 7 Richard Gasquet showed he still has it. The Frenchman upset Cameron Norrie 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 from a break down in the final set to become the oldest champion in tournament history. It was Gasquet’s 16th ATP Tour trophy and his first since 2018 in ’s-Hertogenbosch.

Adelaide International 2, Adelaide - Soonwoo Kwon
Soonwoo Kwon lost in the final-round of qualifying to Tomas Machac at the second Adelaide ATP 250. The South Korean received a lucky loser spot in the draw and immediately earned his revenge against Machac in the first round of the main draw. He carried that momentum to his first ATP Tour triumph, defeating Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(4) for the crown.

Australian Open, Melbourne - Novak Djokovic
There were worries regarding the condition of Djokovic’s leg early in the tournament following the injury he suffered in Adelaide. But the Serbian rose to the occasion again at Melbourne Park, earning a record-extending 10th Australian Open title and record-tying 22nd major trophy. He defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6(4), 7-6(5) to cap a run in which he lost just one set.

Dallas Open, Dallas - Wu Yibing
Wu Yibing made history in Dallas, where he became the first Chinese ATP Tour titlist in history. The 23-year-old saved four championship points and withstood 44 aces in a 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 7-6(12) victory over John Isner in the final.

Cordoba Open, Cordoba - Sebastian Baez
Sebastian Baez became the first home champion of the 2023 season in Cordoba, where he thrilled the Argentine crowd throughout the week. Baez won an all-Argentine clash in the final against Federico Coria 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 for his second ATP Tour title.

Open Sud de France — Montpellier - Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner arrived in Montpellier having lost his opening match on his first two appearances at the ATP 250. But the Italian broke that streak in style, upending serve-and-volleying American Maxime Cressy 7-6(3), 6-3 for the crown, his first of 2023.

ABN AMRO Open, Rotterdam - Daniil Medvedev
Sinner appeared on track for his second title in as many weeks after taking the first set of the Rotterdam final against Medvedev. But Medvedev responded for a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 win, setting the stage for what would become a hot streak for the 27-year-old.

Delray Beach Open, Delray Beach - Taylor Fritz
After helping the United States to United Cup glory to start the season, Fritz earned individual glory in Delray Beach. The American lost just one set in front of his home crowd and battled past Miomir Kecmanovic 6-0, 5-7, 6-2 for the trophy.

Argentina Open, Buenos Aires - Carlos Alcaraz
Injury prevented Carlos Alcaraz from competing in Australia this year, but the Spaniard wasted no time making a quick start to his season in Buenos Aires. Despite losing a set in his first match of 2023 against Laslo Djere, Alcaraz powered through the rest of the week without dropping another set. He defeated the always-tough Cameron Norrie 6-3, 7-5 for the trophy.

Rio Open presented by Claro, Rio de Janeiro - Cameron Norrie
One week after Alcaraz beat Norrie in straight sets for the Buenos Aires crown, the Briton returned the favour. Norrie trailed 5-7, 0-3, but worked his way into the match and with Alcaraz struggling physically, was able to claw his way to a 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 win for the trophy. It was his first ATP 500 trophy on clay.

Qatar ExxonMobil Open, Doha - Daniil Medvedev
Medvedev carried the momentum from his Rotterdam run to Doha, where he claimed his second title of the year. His opponent in the final, former World No. 1 and wild card Andy Murray, enjoyed a resurgent week to reach the final behind four consecutive three-set victories. But Medvedev was too solid in the championship match, which he claimed 6-4, 6-4.

Open 13 Provence, Marseille - Hubert Hurkacz
Hubert Hurkacz lost a set in his first two matches, but found his rhythm as the week wore on. In the final, the Polish star halted the dreams of home favourite Bonzi 6-3, 7-6(4).

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Dubai - Daniil Medvedev
Medvedev won his third consecutive tournament in Dubai and did so in dominant form, earning the hardware without losing a set. In the semi-finals, he ousted World No. 1 Djokovic and replicated his performance in the final with a 6-2, 6-2 win over close friend Andrey Rublev.

Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, Acapulco - Alex de Minaur
Alex de Minaur earned the biggest title of his career in Mexico, where he claimed ATP 500 glory with a comeback 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 win in the final over recent Australian Open semi-finalist Tommy Paul. It was the Australian’s seventh tour-level triumph.

Movistar Chile Open, Santiago - Nicolas Jarry
This year’s Movistar Chile Open was one Nicolas Jarry and the local crowd will never forget. Jarry triumphed on home soil at the tournament that has long been run by members of his family, defeating Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 6-2 in the final.

BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells - Carlos Alcaraz
If there were questions around Alcaraz’s health leading into Indian Wells after suffering physically in the Rio de Janeiro final, the Spaniard answered them resoundingly. The 19-year-old dominated the season’s first Masters 1000 event, winning the title without losing a set. He cruised past Medvedev 6-3, 6-2 in the championship clash.

Miami Open presented by Itau, Miami - Daniil Medvedev
Despite losing in the Indian Wells final to Alcaraz, Medvedev immediately bounced back to continue his red-hot stretch and claim the Miami crown. He lost just one set in the tournament and after battling past Karen Khachanov in a three-set semi-final, he ousted Alcaraz-conqueror Sinner 7-5, 6-3 for the trophy. The run propelled Medvedev into first place in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin.

Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship, Houston - Frances Tiafoe
Over the past year Frances Tiafoe has taken a step forward, with several notable performances highlighted by his US Open semi-final last season. But the American was still pursuing his first title in more than five years when he arrived in Houston. The top seed took care of business, overcoming significant rain throughout the week and defeating Etcheverry 7-6(1), 7-6(6) to become champion.

Grand Prix Hassan II, Marrakech - Roberto Carballes Baena
Roberto Carballes Baena needed to work hard to earn his second tour-level triumph and that he did. The Spaniard won four of his matches in a deciding set and finished the job with a 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-2 victory over Alexandre Muller in the final.

Millennium Estoril Open, Estoril - Casper Ruud
After a tough start to the season, Casper Ruud found his footing on the clay of Estoril. The Norwegian star earned his first ATP Tour title of the year at the Portuguese ATP 250, where he beat Kecmanovic 6-2, 7-6(3) to complete his run.

Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, Monte-Carlo - Andrey Rublev
Rublev, a consistent presence in the world’s Top 10, broke through at the ATP Masters 1000 level in Monte-Carlo. The fifth seed rallied from a break down in the deciding set in the final to defeat reigning Paris-Bercy champion Holger Rune 5-7, 6-2, 7-5. It was the 13th title of the 25-year-old’s career.

Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, Barcelona - Carlos Alcaraz
Alcaraz made a statement to the rest of the Tour in Barcelona, where he breezed through the draw to make the perfect start to his clay-court season. The teen did not lose a set on the Spanish clay, dismissing Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4 in the final to successfully defend a title for the first time.

BMW Open by American Express, Munich - Holger Rune
Rune earned his first title of the season in Munich, where he won a memorable final against Botic van de Zandschulp, who served for the trophy at 5-2, 40/15 in the third set. The Dutchman ultimately earned four championship points, but Rune persevered 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(3).

Srpska Open, Banja Luka - Dusan Lajovic
Dusan Lajovic will never forget the 2023 Srpska Open. The Serbian stunned World No. 1 Djokovic in the quarter-finals and did not stop there. Lajovic upset recent Monte-Carlo champion Rublev 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the final for his first trophy since 2019 in Umag.

Mutua Madrid Open, Madrid - Carlos Alcaraz
Alcaraz was made to work hard for his second consecutive Madrid title, but the home favourite pulled through to thrill the Spanish fans. After turning 20 the day of the semi-finals, Alcaraz clawed past German lucky loser Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the final to join Nadal as the only players to successfully defend the Madrid title. Alcaraz also used the victory to climb to the top of the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin for the first time in 2023.

Internazionali BNL d'Italia - Daniil Medvedev
Medvedev arrived in Rome having never previously won a match at the Foro Italico. But the 27-year-old continued his hot start to 2023 by claiming his first clay-court title. After earning wins over rivals Alexander Zverev and Tsitsipas en route to the final, Medvedev battled past 20-year-old Rune 7-5, 7-5 to lift the trophy. The victory helped Medvedev to the top of the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin.

Gonet Geneva Open - Nicolas Jarry
Jarry arrived in Switzerland on a three-match losing streak, but you would not have known based on his performance at the clay-court ATP 250. The Chilean powered past a slew of stars, defeating Dusan Lajovic, Casper Ruud, Alexander Zverev and Grigor Dimitrov en route to his second ATP Tour title of the season. 

Open Parc Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Lyon - Arthur Fils
Arthur Fils began the season outside the Top 250 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. But in Lyon, the Frenchman showed he is ready to compete on the world's biggest stages. The 18-year-old defeated Argentine Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 7-5 in the final to lift his first ATP Tour trophy.

Roland Garros - Novak Djokovic
Djokovic entered the Paris major with a 5-3 record during the clay-court season. With plenty of stars surging, including Alcaraz and Medvedev, would the Serbian be able to find his form to challenge them? The answer was a resounding "yes". Djokovic defeated top-seeded Alcaraz in a semi-final in which he wore down the 20-year-old. He then completed his run with a 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-5 victory over Casper Ruud in the final to claim his third Roland Garros title and a record 23rd Grand Slam trophy.

BOSS Open - Frances Tiafoe
Frances Tiafoe continued his hot streak in Stuttgart, where he became the 16th active player to win a title on hard, clay and grass courts. The American capped his week at the ATP 250 event with a thrilling 4-6, 7-6(1), 7-6(8) victory over Jan-Lennard Struff, saving a championship point along the way. By lifting the trophy, Tiafoe also guaranteed he would crack the Top 10 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time.

Libema Open - Tallon Griekspoor
Tallon Griekspoor took his career-best season to a new level in 's-Hertogenbosch. The Dutchman won three three-setters en route to the ATP 250 title, playing his best tennis on the grass to claw past Jordan Thompson 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 6-3 in the championship match. Griekspoor began 2023 without a tour-level crown, but with his Den Bosch triumph has emerged victorious on both hard and grass courts in the same year.

Cinch Championships - Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz's list of accomplishments has consistently grown over time. The 20-year-old Spaniard added another achievement to his list at The Queen's Club. Having only played two tour-level events on grass before this year's Cinch Championships, Alcaraz was pushed to a final-set tie-break in his opening match against Arthur Rinderknech. But he bounced back and did not lose a set the rest of the week. Alcaraz defeated Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4 in the final to capture the crown and pass Novak Djokovic for No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

Terra Wortmann Open - Alexander Bublik
Alexander Bublik proved in Halle that when in form, the Kazakhstani can compete with the best players in the world. The 26-year-old arrived at the ATP 500 having lost four of his previous five matches, but that mattered little on the German grass. Bublik defeated Borna Coric, Jan-Lennard Struff, Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev en route to the final, in which he beat Andrey Rublev 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 for the biggest trophy of his career.

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Tsitsipas Badosa Hit The Practice Court Together In Mallorca

Editor's note: This story was translated from ATPTour.com/es

The challenge faced by Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Mallorca Championships is not unfamiliar to him. The Greek landed on the Balearic Island on Sunday aiming to make to it back-to-back titles at the grass-court ATP 250, something he has previously achieved in Marseille (2019-20) and at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters (2021-22).

The No. 5 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings is yet to add to his trophy haul this season, although he has reached two finals. One of them came on Spanish soil, at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell (the other was at January’s Australian Open).

Tsitsipas is fifth on the leaderboard of most tour-level wins in 2023 with 32. This week, he will hope for a trophy to reward his consistent winning on the grass of Mallorca. For his trip to the ATP 250, Tsitsipas is joined by his father and long-term coach Apostolos Tsitsipas, his brother Petros Tsitsipas (who is competing in the doubles), and his girlfriend, WTA Tour star Paula Badosa.

Badosa, who is recovering from a stress fracture to a vertebra, is preparing herself for a return to competition. On Monday morning she took part in a practice session under the supervision of Apostolos.

In the afternoon, she shared a practice court with Stefanos before the 24-year-old, who is the top seed in the singles draw, took to court to play his first-round doubles match alongside Feliciano Lopez.

A nine-time ATP Tour champion, Tsitsipas will take on the in-form Yannick Hanfmann in his opening match, after the German defeated Pedro Cachin 6-2, 6-1 on Monday.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Break Point Episode 10 Recap: Does Fritz Earn 'Fully Legit' Win Over Nadal?

The first season of Break Point wrapped by digging deeper with Taylor Fritz and getting to know WTA player Aryna Sabalenka.

The settings were the Nitto ATP Finals and the WTA Finals, the respective tours’ year-end championships.

“This is what everyone has their sights set on,” Fritz said.

The American for the first time in the series spoke about his son, Jordan, from a previous relationship.

“I just hope as he gets older he understands what I’m doing and understands what I’m trying to do,” Fritz said.

The American added: “When I told him that I’m not the best tennis player in the world he was a little surprised and a little disappointed that I’m not the best. He’s not easily impressed.”

It was a breakthrough season for Fritz, whom the show followed during his first ATP Masters 1000 title run in Indian Wells and then at his lowest point of the season at the US Open. But Turin was his chance to end 2022 on a high. He was set to face Rafael Nadal, whom he had beaten at Indian Wells and lost to at Wimbledon.

“I feel like he [Rafa] really wants to just come out tomorrow and just beat the s*** out of me because Indian Wells was his first loss of the year,” Fritz said in his hotel room, alongside girlfriend Morgan Riddle. “It’s going to be an interesting one. It’s a big match. And obviously I just can’t stop hearing it from like, ‘Oh Rafa had his rib injury, blah, blah, blah, he would have killed you if he was fine.’ I’m just like, ‘Shut the f*** up.’ I don’t know, I’m sick of everyone trying to discredit the win. I just want to win and I want it to be fully just legit.”

[BREAK POINT]

Fritz would defeat Nadal before falling to Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals to end the best season of his career.

The other player heavily featured in the final episode of Season 1 was Sabalenka. The show painted a picture of a player who has had both highs and lows.

“She’s intimidating,” Martina Navratilova said, complimenting Sabalenka and the powerful game she brings to the court.

On the other hand, Sabalenka has also gone through struggles both on and off the court, including due to Belarus' support of Russia's war in Ukraine. She went through a period in which she could not dial in her second serve, which became a hot topic throughout the tennis world.

Expert Paul Annacone said: “No matter what your level is, you’re only good as your mind lets you.”

Sabalenka, who is shown during a visit to her apparel sponsor as a fun, energetic personality, also went through tough times as she struggled off the court.

“I honestly thought I was going to stop playing tennis because it was so bad,” Sabalenka said in one clip.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

The powerful righty fell just short of capturing the WTA Finals title in the championship match against Caroline Garcia. But in the closing montage she explained how much mentally stronger she felt than before. Sabalenka then proved prophetic.

“Next season it’s my year guys,” she said, flashing a wide smile and two thumbs up.

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Nick Kyrgios reacts as Saudi Arabia 'in talks to buy tennis' and sends message to PIF

Nick Kyrgios is the first tennis star to react to PIF's reported deal to partner with the ATP tour.

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Russian tennis star 'scared' about Ukraine war as she returns to UK after being banned

Daria Kasatkina discussed the ongoing war in Ukraine and the recent attempted coup in her home country of Russia as she made a winning return to the UK.

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The Tour: I Am Zhang Zhizhen

Zhang Zhizhen has taken the ATP Tour by storm within the past year and is closing in on his Top 50 debut in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

According to the Chinese star, a light-hearted topic often comes up in conversation with his friends when he is enjoying time off the court.

“They really care about my haircut!” Zhang revealed in the latest edition of ATP Uncovered’s ‘I Am’ series. “Because my hair is curly [and] I had long hair some time last year, so they always started talking about my haircut!”

The Chinese No. 1 also revealed his childhood idol and the two-time major champion after whom he tried to model his two-handed backhand.

“When I was around 12 or 13, I tried [it] but it was not for me,” Zhang said. “I’d say it’s a little bit different.”

Want to know who Zhang was referring to? Watch the full video above to learn about the Shanghai native’s tennis aspirations, the sport he enjoys outside of tennis and one shot he would steal from another player.

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Wimbledon Qualifying Begins Monday; Kokkinakis Faces Tough Draw

Australian star Thanasi Kokkinakis is among the players who will be in action Monday at Wimbledon, where qualifying action will get underway.

The 27-year-old, who reached the second round of the main draw last year at SW19, will open against #NextGenATP Swiss Leandro Riedi. If he advances, an accomplished veteran will be waiting.

If Kokkinakis wins, he will play the winner of Oscar Otte and Benoit Paire. Otte enjoyed a breakout grass-court season in 2022, when he reached the semi-finals in Stuttgart and Halle before advancing to the third round at Wimbledon. Paire made the fourth round at the grass-court major in 2019.

There is a blockbuster first-round qualifying matchup between first seed Matteo Arnaldi, who upset Casper Ruud in Madrid, and Shang Juncheng. Shang has successfully qualified for the season’s first two majors.

Also in action will be third seed Fabian Marozsan, who upset Carlos Alcaraz in Rome. The Hungarian will face Ukrainian Oleksii Krutykh.

Hyeon Chung, the 2017 Next Gen ATP Finals champion, will compete in Wimbledon for the first time since 2015 when he faces Dimitar Kuzmanov.

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Wimbledon 2023: Draws Dates History & All You Need To Know

The third Grand Slam event of the season will see the world's best players compete at Wimbledon, with defending champion Novak Djokovic and World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz among those in action.

Here's what you need to know ahead of the tournament:

When is Wimbledon?

Wimbledon 2023 will be held from 3-16 July. The grass-court Grand Slam tournament, established in 1877, will take place at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in London, United Kingdom. The tournament director is Jamie Baker.

Who is playing at Wimbledon 2023?

Wimbledon will feature seven-time winner Djokovic, Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Holger Rune, and more. 

When is the draw for Wimbledon?

The Wimbledon singles draw will be made on Friday 30 June at 10 a.m.
The Wimbledon doubles draw will be made on Friday 30 June at 12 p.m.

What is the schedule for Wimbledon?

* Qualifying: Monday, 26 June – Thursday, 29 June at 11 a.m.
* Main Draw: Monday, 3 July – Sunday, 16 July.
*Play on Centre Court will start at 1:30 p.m. until the final two days, when it will start at 2 p.m. Play on all outside courts start at 11 a.m. Matches on No. 1 Court will start at 3 p.m. until the final weekend, when it will start at 11 a.m.
* Doubles Final: Saturday, 15 July, not before 3 p.m.
* Singles Final: Sunday 16 July, not before 3 p.m.
*View On Official Website

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

What is the prize money and points for Wimbledon?

The prize money for Wimbledon is £20,747,000.

SINGLES
Winner: £2,350,000 / 2,000 points
Finalist: £1,175,000 / 1,200 points
Semi-finalist: £600,000 / 720 points
Quarter-finalist: £340,000 / 360 points
Round of 16: £207,000 / 180 points
Round of 32: £131,000 / 90 points
Round of 64: £85,000 / 45 points
Round of 128: £55,000 / 10 points

DOUBLES (£ per team)
Winner: £600,000 / 2,000 points
Finalist: £300,000 / 1,200 points
Semi-finalist: £150,000 / 720 points
Quarter-finalist: £75,000 / 360 points
Round of 16: £36,250 / 180 points
Round of 32: £22,000 / 90 points
Round of 64: £13,750 / 0 points

How can I watch Wimbledon?

TV Schedule

How can I follow Wimbledon?

Hashtag: #Wimbledon
Facebook: Wimbledon
Twitter: @Wimbledon
Instagram: wimbledon

Who won the last edition of Wimbledon in 2022?

Novak Djokovic won the 2022 Wimbledon singles title with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(3) victory against Nick Kyrgios in the championship match (Read More). Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell lifted the doubles trophy in London with a 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(2) triumph against Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic in the final (Read More).

Who holds the Wimbledon record for most titles, oldest champion, youngest champion and more?

Most Titles, Singles: Roger Federer (8)
Most Titles, Doubles: Todd Woodbridge (9)
Oldest Champion: Roger Federer, 35, in 2017
Youngest Champion: Boris Becker, 17, in 1985
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 1 Bjorn Borg in 1980, John McEnroe in 1984, Pete Sampras in 1993-94, 1997-99, Lleyton Hewitt in 2002, Roger Federer in 2004-07, Rafael Nadal in 2010, Novak Djokovic in 2015, 2019, 2021
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 125 Goran Ivanisevic in 2001
Last Home Champion: Andy Murray in 2016
Most Match Wins: Roger Federer (105)

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

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ATP Tennis Podcast: Alcaraz On No. 1 Return Federer Praises New Generation

This week on the ATP Tennis Podcast...

CARLOS ALCARAZ ON RETURNING TO WORLD NO. 1 BY WINNING QUEEN’S – “Right now I’m feeling better then at the beginning of the week. Of course, recovering the No. 1 spot gives you extra motivation going into Wimbledon. It gives you extra confidence, but it doesn’t change too much if I play Wimbledon as No. 2 or No. 1.”

ALEXANDER BULIK ON WINNING THE TITLE IN HALLE – “Well it means the world to me. I’ve been struggling for half a year and now have this for a reward. I don’t take it for granted. I thought it would be nice to win this tournament one day and I’m really, really happy.”

ROGER FEDERER ON TENNIS TODAY – “I’m very surprised by how often and frequently I check scores. Three times a day maybe, I’m really into it. I think there’s some great matches going on and I think the level of play is going up more and more, again and again. It’s nice to see the new generation challenging the likes of Novak and Rafa.”

SEBASTIAN KORDA ON RECOVERING FROM HIS WRIST INJURY – “I’m hoping that my wrist gets used to playing again and hopefully I don’t have so many aches and pains. I was a little worried coming into the grass season, because the ball slides a little more on the grass and you can catch it later, but everything is going well so far.”

ALFIE HEWETT ON HIS POSITIVE MINDSET – “Obviously I’ve got this condition and was told I have to be in a wheelchair. So obviously as a seven-year-old that was very difficult to process but it’s made me learn a lot about myself. Strength can come in many different ways and it’s all about perception in many ways. You can perceive a situation to be a lot worse than it is and I’ve learnt with the tennis to be more optimistic about what’s around the corner.”

COACH MIKE RUSSELL ON HOW GRASS-COURT TENNIS HAS CHANGED FROM WHEN HE WAS PLAYING – “Grass is exponentially slower. My first Wimbledon you couldn’t even have a rally from the baseline, it was literally who could get to the net faster. All serving and returning. So now there’s a lot more movement. You really have to have good leg strength and good mobility, flexibility, because you’re put in awkward positions because of some of the bounces. That’s really been the biggest change I’ve seen on the grass.”

RICHARD KRAJICEK ON PETE SAMPRAS – “We played 10 times and I beat him six times. I liked playing against him and because of my serve I wasn’t afraid of anybody. His coach said to my coach that he didn’t like playing me because he didn’t get the locker room win.”

PLUS…GRASS-COURT TENNIS FEATURE BY ATP MEDIA AND ANDREY RUBLEV FEATURE BY ATP UNCOVERED

- Podcast presented by Seb Lauzier
- Interviews by Seb Lauzier, Richard Connelly, Jill Craybas & Candy Reid
- Features by ATP Media and ATP Uncovered

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Pella Wins Final-Set Tie-break In Mallorca

Guido Pella earned his first grass-court win since 2019 Wimbledon on Sunday when he battled past Marcos Giron 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(3) to reach the second round of the Mallorca Championships.

“Of course it was very tough. I know I can play good on grass, but you have to get used to this surface. It’s not like clay or hard courts,” Pella said. “You have to practise, practise and practise, and this is my fourth day I think, so it was very tough.”

[ATP APP]

The Argentine lefty trailed by a break in the third set, but rallied to earn a second-round showdown against fourth seed Adrian Mannarino.

In other action, Corentin Moutet eliminated Christopher O’Connell 7-5, 6-4. The Frenchman will play eighth seed Roberto Carballes Baena or Ilya Ivashka. They were tied at one-set apiece before play was suspended for the evening in Mallorca.

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Federer & Middleton Spend Time With Wimbledon Ballkids

Roger Federer joined Princess of Wales Kate Middleton at Wimbledon for a fun hit and a meeting with the tournament’s ballkids.

Federer has long had a soft spot for ballkids around the world, having served as one himself when he was a junior in Basel. The Swiss legend, who retired at last year's Laver Cup, enjoyed returning to his childhood role in a video on Wimbledon's YouTube channel.

“This is proper practice, I’m really impressed,” Federer said.

^{Photo: Handout/Thomas Lovelock - AELTC via Getty Images}
The 41-year-old returned to the All England Club, where he lifted the trophy eight times. Federer earned a 105-14 record at the grass-court major during his career. 

Although he will not be competing on the hallowed lawns this year, Federer was happy to give back and spend time with the ballkids alongside Middleton, who was also impressed by the kids' efforts.

“To see the training and the dedication and the amount of time that is put into training and making sure that this goes well on the day for the champions who are playing at Wimbledon, it’s incredible to see it behind the scenes,” Middleton said.

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Wimbledon star raises concerns about new underwear rule for female players

Ons Jabeur reacted to the news that Wimbledon would allow female players to wear dark undershorts after the old all-white rule caused anxiety for some.

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Break Point Episode 9 Recap: Tiafoe's Big Moment Against Nadal

Frances Tiafoe is box-office material, and Episode 9 of Break Point proved it.

The American made his long-awaited Netflix debut in the penultimate episode of Season 1 and it did not take long to show why fans around the world have fallen in love with him.

“If you get a chance to change your life, you’ve got to grab it with both hands,” he said.

Tiafoe’s parents came from Sierra Leone. His mother was a nurse who worked two jobs and his father was a maintenance worker at a tennis facility in College Park, Maryland. Sometimes Tiafoe would stay at the tennis centre and was able to play for free. Nobody in the family could have imagined Frances would end up competing on the biggest stages in the world.

Expert Patrick Mouratoglou said: “He’s one of the most incredible stories in our sport.

“Frances represents better than anyone the American dream.”

Fans were also introduced to Tiafoe’s girlfriend, Ayan Broomfield, whom he began dating when they were 17. They often tell each other, “Let’s change our lives.”

Tiafoe had the opportunity to do just that against all-time great Rafael Nadal in the fourth round of the 2022 US Open.

“I’m so pumped up for today,” Tiafoe told his coach Wayne Ferreira during practice ahead of the match. “I’m coming after his motherf***er, bro.”

[BREAK POINT]

In the gym right before the players walked onto the court, Ferreira — who was shown to be the "old-school coach" Tiafoe needs — gave his charge a final piece of advice:

“You can do this,” Ferreira said. “Nothing to lose.”

Tiafoe certainly played that way, sending the raucous New York crowd into a frenzy all evening long en route to the biggest win of his career. “He shocked the entire tennis world,” Broomfield said.

Tiafoe eventually lost to Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling semi-final, but he won despite the defeat. It was about motivating kids and showing them what is possible.

“I want to keep inspiring people,” he said.

Tiafoe was devastated in the locker room after falling short. But the USTA’s Eric Butorac told him former First Lady Michelle Obama would like to speak to him and they enjoyed a nice moment together.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

A player whose run ended victoriously in the episode was World No. 1 Iga Swiatek.

“[She] will do everything in order to be the best. I like that,” Maria Sharapova said. “But when you see a perfect picture of someone, when they show you that they have everything under control, do they really?”

The answer was a resounding yes. 

Break Point gave the viewer insight into the Polish superstar’s mindset. She explained she was never the most popular at school, but did not care. Swiatek prefers to put herself in a bubble ahead of important moments. She was content to spend time in her hotel room putting together a Lego figure. It was the calm before the storm.

“I feel like everybody is chasing me,” she said.

It did not matter. The only thing that came close to stopping her was a distraction in the form of Friends actor Matthew Perry on the big screen (Swiatek is a huge fan of the show). That was the first time she looked at the big screen the entire match.

But it was not able to stop the Pole from claiming another major title.

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Kate goes head to head with Roger Federer and scores points against former champ

The pair were guests at a training session for some of the young hopefuls aiming to be chosen for the around 250 ball boy and girl roles during the championships running from July 3-16 in south-west London.

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Roger Federer taught lesson by Wimbledon ballkids and plays tennis with Princess of Wales

Roger Federer and the Princess of Wales were taught how to be ballkids at Wimbledon.

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Melo/Peers Down Germans Otte/Struff To Reach Halle Final

No service breaks, no problem for Marcelo Melo and John Peers. The Brazilian/Australian duo defeated German home favourites Oscar Otte and Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6(5), 7-6(4) on Saturday at the Terra Wortmann Open to advance to the final at the ATP 500 in Halle.

Despite missing out on all five of their break chances, Melo/Peers saved the only break point against them and outplayed their opponents in the clutch moments. They will meet Italians Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori for the title on Sunday.

While it will be their first final as a team, former World No. 1 Melo is a 36-time tour-level doubles champ and Peers, a former No. 2 in the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Rankings, has won 26 doubles crowns. Both men are seeking their first ATP Tour title of 2023.

[BREAK POINT]

Roland Garros Champs Dodig/Krajicek Extend Winning Run To Reach Queen's Final
With three wins under their belts at the Cinch Championships, Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek have now won nine straight matches dating back to their Roland Garros title run.

The second seeds at The Queen's Club in London, they defeated Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Santiago Gonzalez 7-6(4), 7-6(5) on Saturday to reach the final at the ATP 500. The Croatian/American team will meet Taylor Fritz and Jiri Lehecka in Sunday's title match.

Both Fritz and Lehecka are bidding for their first ATP Tour doubles title, with Lehecka set to compete in his first tour-level doubles final.

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Carlos Alcaraz eyeing 'crazy' Wimbledon feat as he hails 'beautiful' Novak Djokovic fight

Carlos Alcaraz will be competing with Novak Djokovic for the Wimbledon title.

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Khachanov Withdraws From Wimbledon

Karen Khachanov has withdrawn from Wimbledon due to a stress fracture he suffered at Roland Garros.

“Hello everyone, this is not an easy statement for me to write, but I have to inform you of my withdrawal from the upcoming Championships at Wimbledon,” Khachanov wrote on Instagram on Friday.

“Due to an unfortunate injury I picked up at the French Open (stress fracture and a partial fracture in sacrum S1 bone), I will not be able to participate at Wimbledon for the second year in a row. The decision to withdraw was not an easy one and I was hoping till the end during these few weeks that I would be able to recover however my medical team ensured me that in my case it wasn’t possible.”

 

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A post shared by Karen Khachanov |Карен Хачанов (@karenkhachanov)

Khachanov has made four appearances at Wimbledon, with his best result a run to the quarter-finals in 2021.

Khachanov had enjoyed a string of deep runs at recent majors, reaching the Roland Garros quarter-finals and Australian Open semi-finals this year and the US Open semi-finals in 2022.

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Carlos Alcaraz admission highlights why he's biggest threat to Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon

Carlos Alcaraz could provide Novak Djokovic's strongest competition at Wimbledon.

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Fritz/Lehecka Upset Top Seeds Koolhof/Skupski In Queen's Club SFs

Taylor Fritz and Jiri Lehecka earned the most emphatic win of their run at the Cinch Championships on Friday to reach the final at The Queen's Club in London.

After scoring their first two victories via Match Tie-breaks, the unseeded American/Czech pairing knocked off top seeds Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski 6-3, 7-6(4) in the semi-finals. Fritz and Lehecka combined to hit 11 aces and saved three of the four break points against them in the win, while breaking twice on five chances.

Both Fritz and Lehecka are seeking their first tour-level doubles title, with only Fritz having previously played in a final. The American twice finished runner-up, in Basel with Reilly Opelka (2019) and in Los Cabos with Thanasi Kokkinakis (2018).

The second doubles semi-final at the ATP 500 event will be contested on Saturday, when second seeds Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek face Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin.

[BREAK POINT]

Germans Otte/Struff Upset Top Seeds In Halle
Home favourites Oscar Otte and Jan-Lennard Struff advanced to the semi-finals at the Terra Wortmann Open on Friday with a 6-4, 5-7, 10-7 upset of top seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Jean-Julien Rojer. 

Each team broke serve twice in the tightly contested match, before the Germans narrowly claimed the Match Tie-break. They will next meet Marcelo Melo and John Peers in the semi-finals on Saturday.

Italians Andrea Vavassori and Simone Bolelli are already through to the final after their 6-3, 6-7(0), 10-7 win against Andreas Mies and Marcelo Demoliner on Friday.

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Cam Norrie shares Wimbledon hope as Brit reflects on main 'disappointment' of Queen's exit

Cam Norrie is looking ahead to Wimbledon after being knocked out of the Queen's Championships.

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Holger Rune sends brutal nine-word message to Queen's rival whose actions left him furious

Holger Rune was hit in the body by Lorenzo Musetti's overhead smash, and was rather furious at the time.

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Alcaraz Extends Best Grass Run With Queen's Club QF Win

Playin in a grass-court quarter-final for the first time on Friday, Carlos Alcaraz used a fast start and a strong finish to defeat Grigor Dimitrov at the Cinch Championships.

The Spaniard's 6-4, 6-4 victory extends his edge to 3-0 in the pair's Lexus ATP Head2Head and moves him to 5-4 lifetime on grass courts. With his first Top 30 win on the surface, he advances to the semi-finals for the eighth time in his nine events this season — his lone early exit coming in the Rome third round.

Alcaraz improved to 8-0 in tour-level quarter-finals this season by winning six of the match's final seven games after falling behind 0-3 in the second set at The Queen's Club in London. After Dimitrov stopped a run of four straight games to break for 4-4, Alcaraz took advantage of a loose service game from the Bulgarian to storm through the finish line.

[BREAK POINT]

After breaking in the opening game of the match, Alcaraz did not create another break chance until he broke for 2-3 in the second. Dimitrov settled in and attacked the 20-year-old with his all-court game, but the Spaniard landed some crucial drop shots as he began to turn the tide.

The match was poised for more drama at 4-4, but Alcaraz won eight of the last nine points to set up a semi-final showdown against Sebastian Korda. The American was a 7-6, 7-6(1), winner against home favourite Cameron Norrie earlier on Friday.

Dimitrov, the lone former champion in the London quarter-finals, was denied his first Top 10 win on grass since he beat Andy Murray at Wimbledon in 2014.

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Tennis star disqualified at French Open 'because she hit a ballgirl' and not a ballboy

Miyu Kato has spoken out after her disqualification at the French Open for hitting a ballgirl.

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Novak Djokovic's rivals told how to beat him at Wimbledon as five key players named

Novak Djokovic is the favourite to win an Open Era record of 24 Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon. Andrew Castle thinks it would take a lot for any player to trouble the world No 1 at SW19.

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Andy Roddick's Best Moments In Newest Break Point Release

Andy Roddick continued in his role as an expert analyst on Netflix’s Break Point in the newest batch of five episodes to close out Season 1.

The former World No. 1 shared his thoughts on several stars of the show including Nick Kyrgios. ATPTour.com looks at some of Roddick’s most memorable moments from the newest release of the series.

Roddick On Kyrgios
In the first episode of Break Point, Kyrgios partnered close friend Thanasi Kokkinakis to the Australian Open doubles title. In Episode 6, he carried confidence into Wimbledon.

“I don’t know any other person who’s ever won a doubles tournament and went, ‘You know what, now I can win a singles Slam.’ That’s a leap for me,” Roddick said of Kyrgios. “The pressure set is not the same.”

As the series detailed, the Australian put together the best singles performance of his career at Wimbledon, where he advanced to the final of a major for the first time. He ultimately fell short to Novak Djokovic in the final.

“He grew a lot this year,” Roddick said. “I didn’t think he’d ever be able to put it together and make a deep run at a Slam and he almost won Wimbledon.”

[BREAK POINT]

Andy Explains Serena’s Aura
Episode 8 revolved around Serena Williams’ evolution away from tennis. Although not directly stated in the show, Roddick has known Williams since the juniors and watched as she became one of the greatest athletes in history.

“Serena puts on a show and has the crowd in the palm of her hand,” Roddick said. “She’s potentially the most intimidating player in history. I mean Venus won five Wimbledons and she is the second-best player in her family. It doesn’t make any sense.”

High Praise For Alcaraz
Break Point followed Frances Tiafoe’s journey to the semi-finals of the US Open, where he lost a thriller to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz. The show painted a daunting picture for the Spaniard’s opponents.

Roddick contributed to that with a short but impressive description of Alcaraz.

“He’s lightning fast,” Roddick said. “The athleticism is through the roof.”

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

Championship Day At Wimbledon
Roddick reached the Wimbledon final three times, in 2004, 2005 and 2009. The American fell short on each occasion.

But Roddick gained an understanding of the gravitas of Championship Sunday at SW19. As the story built towards Kyrgios’ appearance in the Wimbledon final, Roddick helped set the stage.

“It’s a strange feeling on finals day,” Roddick said. “It has a sense of gravity. You can kind of feel the weight of the history of the game.”

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Break Point Episode 7 Recap: Kyrgios' Wimbledon Breakthrough

Could Nick Kyrgios go all the way at Wimbledon and win his first major title as a singles player?

That was the main theme of the seventh episode of Break Point, the second of the newly released batch. The episode picked up in the middle of the Australian’s showdown with Stefanos Tsitsipas, which was full of tension. After winning, Kyrgios walked off court and told the Netflix camera crew, “I can’t wait for this press conference bro.”

The pair traded barbs in the media, but all that mattered was that Kyrgios advanced through the draw.

For a talented player who had not always fulfilled his potential, a breakthrough performance seemed within arm’s reach. But perhaps the most intriguing moment of the episode came when the crew filmed Kyrgios — safely through to the semi-finals after defeating Cristian Garin — watching the end of the quarter-final between Rafael Nadal and Taylor Fritz. Interestingly the Australian admitted to preferring a showdown with Nadal, whom he called the “greatest of all time”.

The Spaniard won the match, but withdrew before the semi-finals. Suddenly, Kyrgios stood on the precipice of history, one victory from becoming Wimbledon champion. 

Expert Patrick Mouratoglou said of Kyrgios’ opponent, Novak Djokovic: “Beating Novak at Wimbledon probably the highest mountain to climb for any tennis player.”

Could Kyrgios summit the final peak?

[BREAK POINT]

The episode diverted from that storyline to focus on Tunisian Ons Jabeur, who was quickly becoming a superstar. Behind-the-scenes footage showed the photoshoots and commercial opportunities adding up. Jabeur even played doubles with sporting icon Serena Williams in Eastbourne.

“Just a girl from Tunisia”, she quickly became an icon for girls throughout the world. Her husband Karim Kamoun encouraged her to keep dreaming and Jabeur revealed her biggest aspiration.

“I have one dream in my mind now,” she said: winning Wimbledon.

“[It would be] something big for the whole sport in the world,” her husband later said.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

Jabeur ultimately fell short to Elena Rybakina, who also eliminated Break Point star Ajla Tomljanovic. But both Jabeur and Tomljanovic showed growth through defeat and despite their tough losses, gained plenty of fans along the way.

The end of the episode focused on Kyrgios' shot at Djokovic and glory.

“I’m a kid from Canberra,” Kyrgios said. “I’m not supposed to be here. But I’m here.”

The Australian made a perfect start against Djokovic, but it did not prove enough. The Serbian showed his experience in calm and patience, which ultimately allowed him to turn the tide and halt Kyrgios’ title chase.

Nick fell short, but proved that he is more than just potential. Andy Roddick was complimentary of the Aussie.

“He grew a lot this year,” the former World No. 1 said. “I didn’t think he’d ever be able to put it together and make a deep run at a Slam. He almost won Wimbledon.”

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