As Novak Djokovic sank to his knees in celebration on 23 July 2006, little did he know that it would be the first step of a meteoric rise. In only Djokovic’s 24th tournament, he swept through the draw at the Dutch Open Tennis Amersfoort without losing a set, beating Chile’s Nicolas Massu 7-6(5), 6-4 in the final.

Massu, the 2003 Amersfoort champion, recalls 10 years on, “He faced me as an equal. We had already trained beforehand, but in the match his spectacular potential was noticeable. I thought he’ll surely be in the Top 5 [in the Emirates ATP Rankings] in the future. He had it all: the game and a winning mentality. During many critical moments he kept focused and he didn’t let me win.”

Djokovic, at just 19 years of age, got off to a flyer, taking a 3-0 and 4-1 lead before 26-year-old Massu, contesting his fourth final of the season, rallied. Even when Djokovic faced break points at 4-4, he simply took a deep breath, not scared by the threat of a comeback from his experienced opponent.

Third seed Djokovic squandered two set points at 6-5 on the Chilean’s serve and again grew frustrated when he fell behind 0/3 in the tie-break. But the Serbian regained his composure and reeled off seven of the next nine points to claim the 84-minute first set. A break in the seventh game of the second set tipped the pair’s first meeting in his favour.

After two hours and 41 minutes, Djokovic knelt down, looked up to the sky and raised his index finger in triumph. “It’s been an amazing week for me… I will always remember this tournament in Amersfoort,” said Djokovic, after he received a bunch of flowers and a silver-plated iPod.

“I always had a good relation with him,” said Massu, who reached a career-high No. 9 in the Emirates ATP Rankings (13 September 2004) in a 17-year professional career. “He was a very nice person, very polite. During the final, he applauded me on a couple of points, and in the ceremony he congratulated me for my career to date.”

The victory, watched courtside by his coach Marian Vajda and his girlfriend, now wife, Jelena, saw Djokovic rise eight places to No. 28 in the Emirates ATP Rankings – making him the youngest player in the Top 50. He was the third teenage ATP World Tour winner of 2006, alongside Andy Murray (San Jose) and Rafael Nadal – a titlist in Dubai, Barcelona and ATP World Tour Masters 1000s in Monte-Carlo and Rome.

Speaking 10 years on, Massu, who is now Chile’s Davis Cup captain, says, “Djokovic deserves all he has achieved. He lives for tennis, is very organised, disciplined and is a good person. Being in his first final is a nice memory.

“Djokovic stood out at his age. His strength, similar to Roger Federer, was growing up really fast. He has never stopped. Nadal was out of the ordinary, because at the age of 19 he had already showed the tennis world who he was.”

Ten years on from his first ATP World Tour title on Amersfoort’s clay, Djokovic is No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings – a position that he has held for a total of 208 non-consecutive weeks over three stints. He has lifted 65 singles trophies, including 12 Grand Slam championships and a record 29 ATP World Tour Masters 1000s.

Watch: Djokovic Reflects On 200 Weeks At No. 1

Take a stroll through the grounds of the Generali Open Kitzbühel and you’ll notice one common theme. Celebrating its 25th edition on the ATP World Tour this week, and 72nd in total, the tournament boasts a unique and fascinating heritage.

“Kitzbühel undoubtedly brings to tennis great heritage,” said David Massey, vice president of ATP Europe, who presented the tournament with a 25-Year Commitment Award. “We are very proud to count the tournament on the ATP World Tour and today is an opportunity to recognise and thank them for the 25 years that they have been with us. As one of the jewels on Tour, we look forward to many more editions in this beautiful mountain town.”

“This award is also dedicated to our previous presidents,” said Kitzbühel Tennis Club president Herbert Günther. “Receiving this award also shows gratefulness for the continuous work of the Kizbühel Tennis Club and all the helping hands and institutions around our tournament.”

Nestled in the central European Alps in the Tyrol region, with the famous Hahnenkamm mountain – home to the world-renowned World Cup ski race – towering over the venue, the tournament is one of the more picturesque settings on the ATP World Tour. It all started when Europe was mired in conflict during World War II and Austria was occupied by the Russians, French, British and Americans. A British lieutenant stationed in Kitzbuhel declared that a tennis tournament would be organised in the town, with the four nations sending players to compete for the title.

Following the war, the Austrians continued the tradition, founding the Alpine Cup. It was highlighted by legends including Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver and Arthur Ashe.

“This tournament went through some unbelievable times,” added tournament director Alex Antonitsch. “The amazing spirit we have now goes back to Herbert, who came here as a student to control tickets and [tournament organiser] Markus Bodner, whose dad was one of the very first people working here for the tournament. They put so much heart and emotions into this event and it made it easy for me to say ‘yes’ to joining the team. It’s really a family.

“Our focus is to promote players from the region in Germany, Austria and Italy and get fans back. We invested in young players like Dominic Thiem, who has been here from the beginning. It’s his sixth year here now and we finally have a Top 10 player and it’s our own player.”

The event’s storied past is evident in the large murals and black-and-white photos that decorate the sprawling public spaces, as well as the players’ lounge, restaurant and Champions Club. With images of the old centre court and past champions Pete Sampras, Thomas Muster and Goran Ivanisevic on full display, the tournament’s history remains an integral element in its burgeoning popularity and success.

“It means so much to me to play here,” said Thiem. “I’m 22 years old and it’s my seventh time already playing this tournament. It’s quite a lot. So many positive things have happened to me here. Now it’s my first tournament at home as a Top 10 player. As a tennis player, you don’t play at home very often. It means a lot to me.”

The Generali Open Kitzbühel is the first ATP World Tour event in 2016 to receive the 25-Year Commitment Award.

Sixth seed Dusan Lajovic reached his second ATP World Tour semi-final of the year (also Sao Paulo) on Thursday by beating #NextGen’s Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-2 at the Generali Open in Kitzbühel.

The 26-year-old Serb improves to 2-8 lifetime in quarter-finals and will now challenge World No. 123 Nikoloz Basilashvili, who knocked out fellow first-time quarter-finalist Adam Pavlasek 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-3 in one hour and 56 minutes.

This year, the last four at this ATP World Tour 250 event will include at least one member of the Melzer family, with 35-year-old Jurgen Melzer facing off against little brother Gerald Melzer, 26, later today. This is the duo’s first tour-level meeting, though they have clashed once before: Jurgen defeated Gerald 6-1, 6-4 in Wimbledon 2015 qualifying.

The future likely will hold plenty of rematches, but on Wednesday, Alexander Zverev confidently took the first contest between he and fellow NextGen star Taylor Fritz at the Citi Open in Washington. The 19-year-old German erased all five break points and pressured Fritz’s serve throughout the second-round contest, cruising to a 6-4, 6-2 win over the 18-year-old American.

Zverev, No. 27 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, never let Fritz find his comfort zone on the hard courts in D.C. The German broke at 1-all and erased all five break points in the next game to seize momentum and lead 3-1. The Hamburg native served out the set at love.

The second set showed a similar story: Zverev broke with heavy groundstrokes at 1-all and again at 3-1. He held with near-perfect serving, winning almost 90 per cent of his first-serve points (33/38) during the contest. On match point, Zverev recorded his seventh ace, and the two likely future stars of the ATP World Tour shared a laugh at the net.

“Taylor has great potential for the future. That’s obvious,” Zverev said. “We’re all very young and there’s room for improvement for both of us.”

In the third round, Zverev, the 2015 ATP Star Of Tomorrow presented by Emirates, will face Tunisian Malek Jaziri, a 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(3) winner over No. 9 seed Kevin Anderson. On 11 July, Zverev became the youngest player to break into the Top 30 of the Emirates ATP Rankings since Rafael Nadal in March 2005.

“The goal for this year is just to get better and become the best player you can to compete in the best tournaments you can,” Zverev said. “I’m just trying to get better, to learn, and get stronger physically to compete against other guys.”

Second seed Gael Monfils gained his first win since 3 May by breezing past Yen-Hsun Lu of Chinese Taipei 6-3, 6-2. The 29-year-old Frenchman, playing in Washington for the third time, hit 10 aces and never faced a break point in the 61-minute match. He will take on #NextGen player Borna Coric for a place in the quarter-finals after the Croat defeated Yuichi Sugita of Japan 6-4, 6-4.

“I love the tournament, and it’s in a city that I really like. I have great memories here,” Monfils said. “I’m happy to be back this year.”

A virus has kept Monfils, the 2011 Washington finalist, away from action during the past two months. Since he played in the second round of the Mutua Madrid Open on 4 May, Monfils has played in only two matches – first-round losses in Rome and at Wimbledon.

“I’m very pleased. It’s been a tough month, and I’m glad to be back on the court and 100 per cent,” Monfils said. “I was a bit surprised that I could play that good so soon. Hopefully, with a couple matches, I can be back.”

Fifth seed Steve Johnson kept up his stellar pace with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino. The match was suspended because of rain on Tuesday evening with Johnson leading 4-2. When play resumed on Wednesday, Johnson picked up where he left off and, behind 12 aces, finished the match in an hour and nine minutes overall. Johnson reached the semi-finals in Washington last year (l. to Isner).

The 26-year-old American has picked up his game of late. He started the season 6-14 but in his past five tournaments has gone 12-3. The better half includes his maiden title in Nottingham last month and his best showing at a Grand Slam championship, a fourth-round finish in Wimbledon (l. to Federer). Johnson also is playing at a career high in the Emirates ATP Rankings, No. 25.

Top seed John Isner started his Washington campaign on Wednesday with a dominant 6-3, 6-4 win over Aussie James Duckworth. The 31-year-old American spiked 14 aces and lost only three points on his first serve (35/38) to take the second-round contest in 63 minutes.

Isner also erased the only break point faced against Duckworth, a 24 year old ranked No. 205 in the Emirates ATP Rankings.

“Last year I did well, and I’m excited about this year,” Isner said. “A lot of times I can get tripped up on my first match, I’m glad I got through it.”

Isner, a three-time Citi Open finalist (2007, 2013, 2015), is looking to make it seven consecutive seasons with an ATP World Tour title. The 6’10” North Carolina native is making his ninth main draw appearance and is the top seed at the Citi Open for the first time. He has his sights set on claiming the title on his 10th attempt.

“It would be great. I’ve been very close here quite a few times, so to win here would be great,” Isner said. “This tournament is very special to me. I was virtually unranked and made the finals at this tournament in 2007, so I was very fortunate. I’ve been back every year since except for 2012. But it’s a tough tournament to win.”

Seven of Isner’s 10 career ATP World Tour titles have come in July or August. In the second round, he will face 15^th seed Marcos Baghdatis, a 6-2, 6-4 winner over Duckworth’s countryman, John Millman. The Cypriot claimed 80 per cent of first-serve points and saved all four break points faced.

Third-seeded Australian Bernard Tomic posted a 7-6(4), 6-3 victory over Donald Young, his first in three FedEx ATP Head2Head encounters with the American lefty. The 23 year old served for the opening set at 5-4 but could not close it out, eventually claiming the tie-break on his first set point, 7/4, before landing the break at 3-2 in the second. He closed the match out after one hour and 24 minutes to set up a third-round meeting with 13^th seed Ivo Karlovic.

Sixth seed Jack Sock saw off Lukas Lacko 7-6(1), 6-4 to advance to the third round. The American struck 10 aces on his way past the Slovak and will next take on unseeded Brit, Daniel Evans. Sock’s countryman, qualifier Ryan Harrison, continued his strong run, upsetting No. 10 seed Viktor Troicki 7-6(4), 6-4.

Doubles: Johnson/Sock Upset Top Seeds 

In doubles results, Steve Johnson and Jack Sock took down top seeds Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares in the opening round. The American pair prevailed 5-7, 6-4, 10-7 over the Brazilians. 

No. 2 seeds Daniel Nestor and Edouard Roger-Vasselin narrowly held off the American wild-card pairing of Taylor Fritz and Reilly Opelka 4-6, 7-6(4), 10-8, while third seeds Florin Mergeaand Horia Tecau had a more routine 6-3, 6-3 victory over another American wild-card duo, Denis Kudlaand Frances Tiafoe. 

Fourth seeds Treat Huey and Max Mirnyi were not so fortunate, however, having to retire while trailing 1-6, 4-3 to Henri Kontinen and John Peers.

Third seed Jeremy Chardy was in dominant form on Wednesday at the Konzum Croatia Open Umag, needing just 43 minutes to advance to the quarter-finals over qualifier Nikola Cacic.

Chardy dropped just six points in the second set and only lost four points on serve during the match. Next up for him is Carlos Berlocq, who won his second-round via retirement over Jiri Vesely, 7-5, 3-0.

Fourth seed Fabio Fognini notched a 6-4, 6-1 win over Hamburg semi-finalist Renzo Olivo. The Italian saved five of the six break points he faced to set a quarter-final clash with Damir Dzumhur, who survived another three-set match in Umag by defeating Thomas Fabbiano, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.

Doubles

The upset of the day went to Martin Klizan/David Marrero, who knocked out top seeds Colin Fleming/Mariusz Fyrstenberg, 6-4, 3-6, 10-7 to reach the quarter-finals. They next face Tomislav Draganja/Nino Serdarusic.

Fourth seeds Nikola Mektic/Antonio Sancic beat Teymuraz Gabashvili/Leander Paes 6-0, 6-2 in 46 minutes to reach the last eight, where they will challenge Carlos Berlocq/Pablo Cuevas. The Argentine/Uruguayan tandem defeated Lukas Dlouhy/Sergiy Stakhovsky 7-5, 6-4.

Gastao Elias/Fabricio Neis topped Pablo Carreno Busta/Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-1, 6-3. They next face second seeds Nicholas Monroe/Artem Sitak.

Thomas Fabbiano/Franko Skugor ousted third seeds Andrej Martin/Hans Podlipnik-Castillo 2-6, 6-4, 10-5 for a quarter-final against Aljaz Bedene/Damir Dzumhur, 6-4, 6-1 winners over Riccardo Ghedin/Alessandro Motti.