Appearing at the Nitto ATP Finals for the fourth time, Marin Cilic is well aware of the challenges ahead of him as he attempts to advance beyond round-robin play for the first time at the elite eight-man event.

The 30-year-old, who began his season by reaching his third Grand Slam final at the Australian Open (l. to Federer), will begin his campaign against German Alexander Zverev on Monday afternoon, with a strong start crucial as he hopes to win his opening match at the tournament for the first time. Joined in Group Guga Kuerten by Novak Djokovic and John Isner, Cilic will be aiming to overcome the disappointment of three-set losses in each of his round-robin matches at The O2 last season.

“Small margins are going to make the difference,” said Cilic. “Playing the top guys is always a big challenge and matches against them are always very close and very tight.”

With a 1-8 record in his previous three appearances, Cilic will be eager to get off to a good start in a city where he has enjoyed success in recent years. Earlier this year, the 18-time tour-level titlist saved one championship point to overcome Novak Djokovic in the Fever-Tree Championships final. Cilic also reached the championship match at Wimbledon in 2017 (l. to Federer).

“This year I feel that I am prepared well and I am feeling good physically as well,” said Cilic. “I feel, mentally, quite fresh and ready for the challenges. I feel these experiences, from previous [appearances], will help me prepare better.”

After early losses in Tokyo, Shanghai and Basel, Cilic rediscovered his best form at the Rolex Paris Masters last week. The 6’6″ right-hander defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber and reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion Grigor Dimitrov, before ending Novak Djokovic’s 30-set winning streak in a three-set loss to the eventual runner-up.

“In Paris, last week, I played great tennis,” said Cilic. “I am feeling good at the moment and [I am] very excited.”

With experience and form, Cilic could finally be set to show his best level at the season finale. But he, as well as the rest of the field, knows it will likely come down to the smallest of margins.

Stefanos Tsitsipas’ rapid rise has been one of the biggest stories on the ATP World Tour in 2018. From beating four opponents inside the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings in Toronto to capturing his first ATP World Tour title in Stockholm and now reaching the Next Gen ATP Finals, the Greek has proven himself capable against the best players in the world.

And one of the main reasons behind the 20-year-old’s success has been his forehand.

“He can go inside-out, inside-in, he hits a really good approach. There’s a lot to build on with his forehand. And I think as he gets stronger, that shot’s only going to get bigger,” said former World No. 4 Brad Gilbert. “His ability when he hits inside-in [is also important] because most guys go inside-out. When he hits it you’re not expecting it and that’s only going to make his inside-out better. So I think the forehand is off the charts.”

An inside-in forehand is when a player goes up the line off that wing from the backhand corner. Many players choose to go inside-out — cross-court to a right-hander’s backhand — since there is more margin of error and they can attack their opponent’s backhand.

“Inside-in, inside-out, it’s all the same. It’s basically what you feel more comfortable with. At the moment, I feel more comfortable with my inside-in. Sometimes I feel playing inside-out a bit more. It’s also from the position of your opponent,” Tsitsipas said. “If you see your opponent is covering his forehand side more, that’s how you decide where you’re going to go.

“But my forehand, as I said, is a big weapon. And, yeah, I choose most of the time inside-in because I just can still play with my forehand. If I go inside-out, [my opponent] probably can find the angle a bit better.”

Tsitsipas’ inside-in forehand, which he says, “has been my biggest weapon”, has featured prominently in some of his biggest victories this year. Gilbert remembers one match in particular: Tsitsipas beat then-reigning champion and World No. 3 Alexander Zverev in Toronto. But it was also the variety he showed off that wing that impressed Gilbert.

“One thing that impressed me was how well on the run he could scramble. He’d hit little squash shots back, flick shots below the net and his ability on big points to play the inside-in or take a forehand and come in is impressive,” Gilbert said. “He’s got a lot of confidence on that shot, which is a great sign for someone his age. Maybe he has the best forehand in the game in a few years.”

For Tsitsipas’ father and coach, Apostolos Tsitsipas, seeing his son’s forehand become a major weapon in the sport is no surprise. That’s the way he structured the first Greek ATP World Tour champion’s game from a young age.

“Because of his one-handed backhand, we definitely developed his game through his forehand,” Apostolos said. “When you’re small like 11, 12, 13, 14, you compete, you’re not strong. So often you build your game from the forehand side. That’s my opinion one of the secrets to build a great forehand from a young age. Usually the two-handers, when they’re playing two-handed from a young age, they don’t really pay so much attention to the forehand. So Stefanos, because he was single-handed, he was always building the point with the forehand, so it was really good for his development. Of course now he is stronger, he can accelerate more and be faster and that helps him and now it’s really a weapon.”

Now the big question is, what makes Tsitsipas’ forehand so strong? Apostolos Tsitsipas compares his son’s forehand grip and motion to that of Juan Martin del Potro’s. And it’s no secret that the Argentine’s forehand is one of the best shots in all of tennis.

“Generally when you have a classic Eastern forehand grip like Stefanos, his motion is closer to Del Potro, his grip is close to Del Potro. Del Potro also has a massive forehand, so it helps him because it’s a much cleaner stroke,” Apostolos said. “You don’t have to think so much how to prepare, you just swing. It’s a natural swing. When you let your arm swing naturally, it creates beautiful mechanics.”

And Tsitsipas will hope those ‘beautiful mechanics’ translate to a beautiful performance on Saturday against Alex de Minaur, in the championship match of the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan.

– Players travel on London Underground from North Greenwich to Westminster
– Pre-tournament reception hosted at Houses of Parliament
– Winners in the 2018 ATP World Tour Awards presented by Moët & Chandon honoured

Eight of the world’s best singles players and doubles teams gathered at the Houses of Parliament in London on Friday night for the 2018 Nitto ATP Finals Official Launch, presented by Moët & Chandon, ahead of the prestigious season-ending tournament getting underway on Sunday.

World No. 1 and five-time former Nitto ATP Finals champion Novak Djokovic, six-time former winner Roger Federer and fellow tournament contenders Alexander Zverev, Kevin Anderson, Marin Cilic, Dominic Thiem, Kei Nishikori and John Isner, as well as all doubles teams, travelled to Westminster by the London Underground from North Greenwich stop at The O2.

The players mixed with commuters on the busy Jubilee Line route – the first time that these global superstars had collectively travelled on London’s iconic Tube Network. The players posed for photos with fans on the journey, before getting out at Westminster Underground Station and making the short walk to the Houses of Parliament. While in Parliament, the players were pictured in the iconic political setting alongside statues of some of the great figures from British history.

John Isner said, “Although we’ve probably all ridden on the tube a time or two, this was very different. It’s a very cool way to make an entrance. There were quite a few surprised looks on the faces of folks, especially when Roger and Novak walked by. It was a pretty cool treat for them.”

The Reception, hosted in the State Rooms by kind permission of The Rt Hon John Bercow MP, saw guests enjoy a Moët & Chandon Champagne reception before witnessing the official welcome of this year’s elite singles players and doubles teams by the evening’s presenter, Andrew Castle.

Chris Kermode, ATP Executive Chairman & President, said: “The Nitto ATP Finals bring the world’s best players to London for an epic, season-ending finale. There has been some incredible tennis played the season and our Official Launch is a great way to recognise the achievements of these world-class players.

“Over 250,000 fans will be travelling to The O2 to watch the action in the coming days – the vast majority by public transport – so it’s great that the players had the chance to experience the journey for themselves. I’m sure their fellow commuters won’t forget the night they boarded the same Tube carriage as some of the finest tennis players the game has ever seen.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Over the last decade the Nitto ATP Finals at The O2 have become a highlight of both the international tennis calendar and London’s sporting year. I’m delighted that some of the world’s best tennis stars were able to experience Londoners’ enthusiasm for the sport as they travelled on the Jubilee Line to Westminster.

“Our great city stands ready once again to welcome tennis fans for another brilliant tournament, which will boost the capital’s economy and prove that London is open to visitors from all over the world.”

Bercow, the Speaker of the House of Commons, said: “The way with which these guys play and more particularly, the way these guys act on and off the court makes them the most magnificent ambassadors to the estimated 1.2 billion people who pick up a tennis racquet around the globe. We are in the company of the giants of the game, some literally in terms of height, and others in terms of prowess. We all look forward to watching you play this week.”

As part of the Official Launch in the Houses of Parliament, winners in the 2018 ATP World Tour Awards presented by Moët & Chandon were honoured. Djokovic and his coach Marian Vajda received their trophies respectively as Comeback Player of the Year and Coach of the Year, while 16-time recipient Federer and the first-year pairing of Mike Bryan/Jack Sock accepted their awards as ATPWorldTour.com Fans’ Favourite presented by Moët & Chandon.

Spaniard Tommy Robredo, a former World No. 5, received the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award, while his compatriot Rafael Nadal, who was unable to attend the Gala, was the recipient of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for the second time (also 2010).

Djokovic, who has compiled a 31-2 record since the start of Wimbledon, and the top duo of Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic, were also recognised for clinching the year-end singles and doubles No. 1 ATP Ranking, respectively. They will receive their ATP World Tour No. 1 trophies during on-court ceremonies at the prestigious season finale.

The Nitto ATP Finals begins on Sunday at The O2, with Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares playing the opening doubles match against Raven Klaasen and Michael Venus. Wimbledon finalist Anderson makes his tournament debut against three-time qualifier Thiem in the day session, while Federer begins his bid for a seventh season finale title against Nishikori.

The tournament welcomes more than 250,000 fans to The O2 arena annually, as well as generating global viewership figures reaching an average of 95 million each year, as the ATP’s best eight singles players and doubles teams compete over eight days at the biggest indoor tennis tournament in the world.

This week, the stars of tomorrow have been on full display at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan. On Saturday, one of the biggest rivalries of the Next Generation will take centre stage. 

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur are set to square off in a blockbuster championship clash under the bright lights of the Fiera Milano. The highest-ranked players in the field have separated themselves from the rest of the #NextGenATP pack, and the stakes could not be greater as they tangle for the trophy.

While many of today’s 21-and-under stars are just getting to know each other on the court, Tsitsipas and De Minaur have already established a competitive rivalry. Saturday’s title match will be their fifth professional encounter and eighth overall since 2015, with a trio of meetings coming at the junior level. 

Just last year, the 20-year-old Greek and 19-year-old Aussie met in the first round of qualifying at an ATP Challenger Tour event in Surbiton, UK. They were both outside the Top 200 of the ATP Rankings and making their initial ascent. One year later, with both firmly entrenched inside the Top 50, they are already household names on the ATP World Tour. Last month, Tsitsipas took their first tour-level clash 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 at the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships.

Safe to say, there will be no secrets on Saturday.

“I know it is going to be tough, so I’m going to have to be prepared for that,” said Tsitsipas. “I’m going to have to be 100 per cent. And I’m going to just mentally be there and just give my last effort and give everything I have.

“I think it would be a fantastic end of the year if things go well tomorrow. I’m going to have to play differently than today. I need to press, but not over-press because that’s what he’s waiting for. Be wise, be patient on the court. And of course make him move, make him run. Come to the net, play good tennis, play clever tennis, play all around tennis.”

Both Tsitsipas and De Minaur advanced to the final after surviving five-set thrillers on Friday. The Greek star needed a fifth set tie-break to overcome last year’s finalist Andrey Rublev, while his Aussie counterpart overcame a stern test from Jaume Munar.

“I’m just going to do what I need to do: recover, get a good night’s sleep and tomorrow is a new day,” De Minaur said. “It’s going to be my last match of the season, so I’m really looking forward to it. He’s got a big serve and definitely likes to dictate with his forehand. He’s very aggressive, likes to come to the net as well. So got to really make sure you have good depth and not leave too many balls short.

“As soon as the draw came out, first thing we thought about was my first-round opponent. And then on to the next, on to the next, on to the next.”

And now the next is the only player seeded ahead of him in Milan: the only player left standing in his way of a title.

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