Converting break points at an unprecedented rate was the beating heart of Daniil Medvedev’s sensational North American hard-court summer swing.

An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of the 23-year-old Russian, who won 20 of 23 matches in his past four tournaments, identifies that his biggest statistical jump in Washington, Montreal, Cincinnati and New York compared to the rest of his 2019 season was when he got a look at a break point.

Break Points Won
40.2% = Medvedev 2019 Prior To Washington
45.7% = ATP Career Leader (Guillermo Coria)
49.4% = 2019 Tour Leader (Novak Djokovic)
52.4% = Medvedev Four North American Tournaments

Medvedev spectacularly jumped from converting 40.2 per cent (148/368) of break points from Brisbane in January to before Washington in late July, to converting 52.4 per cent (89/170) during the North American summer hard-court season.

Those metrics are superior to the 2019 break points converted leader, Novak Djokovic, and the career break points converted leader, Guillermo Coria, whose career-high ATP Ranking was No. 3 in 2004.

Medvedev’s best break points converted win percentage was at the Western & Southern Open (63%) in Cincinnati, where he won 17 of 27 break points en route to his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title. He dropped only one set for the tournament, which was to World No. 1 Djokovic.

Medvedev 2019 North American Hard-Court Swing: Break Points Won
63% (17/27) = Cincinnati
60% (12/20 = Washington
55% (22/40) = Montreal
45.8% ( 38/83) = US Open

It was in the important moments where Medvedev improved this summer rather than in his overall body of work serving and returning.

Medvedev Total Return Points Won
40.5% (1414/3492) won to Washington
40.8% (735/1800) won four North American tournaments

Medvedev Total Serve Points Won
65.4% (2143/3279) won to Washington
69.1% (1196/1732) won four North American tournaments

Medvedev is currently ranked fourth on Tour on the ATP Return LEADERBOARD, powered by Infosys Nia Data, with a 158.0 rating, and 21^st on the ATP Serve LEADERBOARD, powered by Infosys Nia Data, with a 277.0 rating.

See Who Medvedev Is Chasing On The ATP Return LEADERBOARD

Surprisingly, Medvedev’s points won returning first and second serves for the start of the season compared to the North American summer moved only a little, with his return points won against first serves actually declining a little.

Medvedev First-Serve Return Points Won
31.6% (681/2152) won to Washington
30.6% (332/1086) won four North American tournaments

Medvedev Second-Serve Return Points Won
54.7% (733/1340) won to Washington
56.4% (403/714) won four North American tournaments

In the US Open final against Rafael Nadal, Medvedev created 15 break points, but was able to break only five times (33%), including once out of five times (25%) in the deciding fifth set. Just one of those points could have been a difference maker to the final outcome.

Starting with Arnaud Clement’s triumph at the inaugural Moselle Open in 2003, Frenchmen have combined to win 10 of the 16 editions of Metz’s ATP 250 tennis tournament. The French contingent will look to continue the tradition of success in 2019, led by three-time singles champions Gilles Simon and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Simon and Tsonga will be joined in the field by 2016 winner Lucas Pouille, Benoit Paire, Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Richard Gasquet, Jeremy Chardy and Ugo Humbert. Two other former champions — David Goffin (2014), Peter Gojowczyk (2017) — and Nikoloz Basilashvili and Marin Cilic also feature. 

Here’s all you need to know about the Metz tennis tournament: what is the schedule, where to watch, who has won and more. 

Established: 2003

Tournament Dates: 16-22 September 2019

Tournament Director: Julien Boutter

Draw Ceremony: Saturday, 14 September

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Schedule (View On Official Website)
* Qualifying: Sunday and Monday
* Main draw: Monday at 11:00am and 6:00pm, Tuesday at 11:30am and 6:00pm, Wednesday and Thursday at 12:00pm and 6:00pm, Friday at 1:45pm and 6:00pm, Saturday at 2:00pm
* Doubles final: Sunday, 22 September at 1:30pm
* Singles final: Sunday, 22 September not before 3:30pm

How To Watch
Watch Live On Tennis TV 
TV Schedule

Venue: Les Arènes de Metz
Main Court Seating: 5,000
Surface: Indoor Hard 

Prize Money: € 524,340 (Total Financial Commitment: € 586,140)  

Tickets On Sale: Buy Now

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

Honour Roll (Open Era)
Most Titles, Singles: Gilles Simon, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (3)
Most Titles, Doubles: Nicolas Mahut, Edouard Roger-Vasselin (4)

2018 Finals
Singles: Gilles Simon (FRA) d [Q] Matthias Bachinger (GER) 76(2) 61   Read & Watch
Doubles: [1] Nicolas Mahut (FRA) / Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) d [4] Ken Skupski (GBR) / Neal Skupski (GBR) 61 75  Read More

Social
Facebook: @moselleopen
Twitter: @moselleopen
Instagram: @moselleopen

Did You Know… The Moselle Open has a new trophy for 2019, with Gilles Simon taking home the previous one after winning the Moselle Open for a third time last year. Read More

Le @MoselleCD57 a dévoilé ce matin le nouveau trophée du @MoselleOpen. Il a été réalisé par la cristallerie Lehrer, labellisée qualité #MOSL , avec des élèves de CAP et de brevet des métiers d’art au lycée professionnel Labroise de Sarrebourg. pic.twitter.com/sKWLZZx6ln

— Département Moselle (@MoselleCD57) September 11, 2019

Andreas Mies has had a breakthrough season on the ATP Tour alongside fellow German Kevin Krawietz. And for his efforts, the former Auburn University Tiger was recognised on Saturday evening in front of 85,713 fans at Jordan-Hare Stadium during the school’s football game against Tulane.

“It just means a lot to me. They showed our [US Open] semi-final match here on the big screen at Jordan-Hare and it’s just unbelievable,” Mies told Auburn Athletics. “It’s something you dream of as a kid playing in these big tournaments and to get recognised like this at the football game is incredible. They’ve supported me so well and it’s nice.”

Mies and Krawietz began their surge by winning the New York Open, and they captured their first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros. The Germans made another deep run at a major at the US Open, where they succumbed in a tight two-setter in the semi-finals.

Watching the #USOpen #Auburn style! @AndreasMies #WarEagle pic.twitter.com/4XPY5Er9hC

— Auburn Men’s Tennis (@AuburnMTennis) September 5, 2019

“It’s a dream come true to be able to play in the US Open,” Mies said. “During my four years at Auburn, I always dreamed of becoming a professional tennis player and playing at the US Open. It came true last week, and it is such an honour for me.”

Mies and Krawietz are currently the fourth-placed team in the ATP Doubles Race To London, putting them in strong position to earn a spot at the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time. The season finale will take place from 10-17 November at The O2 in London.

Just three days after announcing that he would miss the rest of the 2019 season to get healthy, Kevin Anderson revealed on social media on Thursday that he underwent knee surgery.

“Thanks so much for your very nice messages! They’ve been great these past few days, especially as I came out of surgery,” wrote Anderson, who struggled with a right elbow injury earlier in the year. “My team, doctors and I decided to move forward with a procedure to help my knee. It went well and I look forward to rehabbing and getting back on court.”

Thanks so much for your very nice messages! They’ve been great to read these past few days, especially as I came out of surgery. My team, doctors & I decided to move forward with a procedure to help my knee. It went well & I look forward to rehabbing & getting back on court ? pic.twitter.com/1Bsmd5zFyQ

— Kevin Anderson (@KAndersonATP) September 12, 2019

On Monday, Anderson thanked his fans for their support when announcing he would not compete in any more tournaments this season.

“2019 has been a very difficult and frustrating year for me on the tennis court,” Anderson wrote. “I was so pleased to start well, winning the title in Pune, but since have not been able to get healthy to compete at the level I want to. I have spoken with my team, consulted with doctors, and we have decided that the best course of action is to take the rest of the year off and prepare for 2020.”

Anderson reached a career-high No. 5 in the ATP Rankings last July, and he qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time last year. The 33-year-old earned an 11-4 record this season, earning his sixth ATP Tour title in Pune and making the quarter-finals in Miami. He has not played a tournament since Wimbledon.

Former World No. 1 Andy Murray has accepted a wild card into the Rolex Shanghai Masters, which will take place from 6-13 October, the tournament announced on Thursday.

“I’m really looking forward to be going back to Shanghai, a tournament I have had success at in the past,” Murray said, according to the tournament’s website. “Thanks to the tournament for a wild card. It’s great to be able to continue my comeback and play more tennis in China. Shanghai is a great city; I feel comfortable there and the fans are always supportive.”

Murray has long enjoyed success at China’s ATP Masters 1000 event, where he has tallied a 22-3 record, lifting the trophy on three occasions. The 2010, 2011 and 2016 titlist won the first 12 matches he played at the tournament, and he also made the championship match in 2012 (l. to Djokovic).

The 32-year-old continues to battle back into form after undergoing hip surgery after the Australian Open. Murray made his singles return at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, and his other tour-level appearance came at the Winston-Salem Open. The 45-time tour-level titlist, who opted not to compete at the US Open in singles or doubles, reached the Round of 16 at the Rafa Nadal Open by Sotheby’s, an ATP Challenger Tour event held in the last week of August.

Although he has not yet won a tour-level singles match during his comeback, Murray has enjoyed doubles success, winning the Fever-Tree Championships (w/ Lopez) and reaching two additional quarter-finals. The Scot is scheduled to compete in Zhuhai, Beijing and Shanghai during the Asian Swing.

Did You Know?
Murray owns a 212-82 record at Masters 1000 tournaments. He has lifted 14 trophies at that level.

Fans will soon know which 18 countries are the first to qualify for the inaugural ATP Cup in Australia in January. By Monday (Australian time) ATP and event partner Tennis Australia will announce the first 18 countries – and the Top 2 committed players from each team. Those countries will then be drawn into groups Monday morning and later that day the group-stage schedule will be released.

Ahead of the country announcements and draw, get to know more about the event in Part 2 of our series explaining how the tournament will work. (Read Part 1)

How will the official draw work?
On Monday 16 September, the Top 18 teams will be divided into six groups, with two groups assigned to each of the three host cities. The first six seeds will be placed in Groups A to F. Countries 7-12 will then be randomly drawn into one of the six groups, followed by countries 13-18. (Protected ranking will not be used for seeding.) If Australia is outside the Top 18 countries on Friday it will gain entry as the host country and be randomly allocated to one of the six groups as the 19th team. 

I want to see a particular player in action. When are they playing?
The format of ATP Cup provides fans the unique opportunity to buy tickets in advance with confidence in seeing a particular country play. In addition to knowing on Monday into which groups the first 18 teams have been placed, the daily schedule for the group stage will be made.

The top two entered singles players from each qualified country will be known by Monday 16 September. Those players are committed to playing the event unless overtaken in the ATP Rankings by a countryman at the time of the second entry deadline on 13 November.

The remaining six countries will be announced mid-November, along with the full playing list. Each tie involves match-ups of the two top-ranked singles players and the two second-ranked singles players, followed by doubles. Selection for those match-ups will be finalised 3 p.m. the day before the Tie.

Is Australia guaranteed a place in the tournament?
Yes. If Australia is not one of the Top 18 teams in the ATP Cup Standings on Friday it will gain entry into the tournament as the host country. In this instance 19 teams will qualify at Friday’s first entry deadline and five (rather than six) additional teams will qualify at the second entry deadline on 13 November.

What are the ATP Cup Standings?
The ATP Cup Standings is a provisional entry list for the ATP Cup, ordered by the ATP Ranking (or Protected Ranking) of a country’s highest-ranked singles player. ATP Cup Standings also show which players within each country would qualify for a place in their country’s team, subject to player entry rules.

What if a country’s top-ranked singles player does not commit to play the event at the time of the first entry deadline?
The country’s eligibility to qualify at the first entry deadline is determined by the singles ATP Ranking of its next-highest ranked entered singles player.

When will the final five or six teams be drawn into groups?
The remaining teams will be drawn and announced 13 November after the second entry deadline using the 11 November ATP Rankings, with each additional team drawn at random to a group.

Seven weeks for seven spots. After a thrilling third quarter on the ATP Tour, seven of the eight places at the Next Gen ATP Finals remain up for grabs, and only seven weeks remain in the ATP Race To Milan.

The Race will determine seven of the eight players who compete at the 21-and-under event, now in its third year and to be held 5-9 November in Milan. The eighth spot is reserved for an Italian wild card.

Felix Auger-Aliassime, 19, sits in second place in the Race with 1,636 points. The #NextGenATP Canadian is 31-19 during his first full season on the ATP Tour and enjoyed an emotional homecoming in August at his home ATP Masters 1000 event, the Coupe Rogers in Montreal.

Auger-Aliassime made the third round, falling to 2017 Next Gen ATP Finals qualifier Karen Khachanov of Russia.

Auger-Aliassime fell in the first round of the US Open to 20-year-old countryman Denis Shapovalov, who is in fourth place in the Race with 1,075 points. The left-hander, who also competed at the inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals in 2017, turned around his season during the North American hard-court swing.

Shapovalov had lost five consecutive matches before the Canadian Masters 1000 event, but he beat France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert to snap the streak. One week later, at the Winston-Salem Open, Shapovalov made his second semi-final of the season (Miami).

Defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas became the first player to qualify for Milan during the US Open, but Tsitsipas, who leads the Race with 3,205 points, is also on track to make his debut at the Nitto ATP Finals, to be held the following week at The O2 in London.

Alex de Minaur, last year’s Milan finalist, is in third place in the Race (1,170) and also jumpstarted his 2019 on hard courts. De Minaur won his second ATP title of the season, beating American Taylor Fritz to win the BB&T Atlanta Open.

The 20-year-old De Minaur started his year by winning his maiden ATP title in Sydney, but a groin injury limited his play on clay and grass.

“This one is really special to me. I felt like I really needed this. To start the year with a bang and then be slowed down by injuries… you expect your level to be right there once you come back, but you have to slowly grind your way back,” De Minaur said in Atlanta.

American Frances Tiafoe, who competed in Milan last year, is in fifth place with 960 points. Norway’s Casper Ruud, who’s going for his maiden Milan appearance, sits in sixth place with 886 points. And Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, in the seventh and final qualifying spot (873 points), has distanced himself from the rest of the hopefuls.

On 15 July, Kecmanovic was only 57 points ahead of eighth-placed Ugo Humbert of France. But Kecmanovic added 256 points in the past two months, increasing the distance between himself and Humbert to 185 points.

Kecmanovic, 20-15 on the year, made the quarter-finals in Atlanta and the third round at the Western & Southern Open, a Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati. The #NextGenATP Serbian beat Alexander Zverev in Cincy for his first Top 10 win.

“I’m really happy that I was able to play the way I did. I worked a lot, I practised a lot. To see everything come together and happen, it’s really special,” Kecmanovic said. “I definitely just tried to go for everything.”