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Roger Federer Named GQ's Most Stylish Man Of The Decade

  • Posted: Dec 20, 2019

Roger Federer Named GQ’s Most Stylish Man Of The Decade

The Swiss wins contest based on fans’ votes

Roger Federer has long been stylish with his game and his fashion, both on and off the court. And the Swiss superstar finished the 2010s with a big award in the style department, being named GQ’s Most Stylish Man of the Decade on Friday.

The award was decided by the fans in an Instagram-based bracket contest. Every day, fans voted between two celebrities on GQ’s Instagram stories. The winner of each ‘match’ moved on. Federer advanced past A$AP Rockey, Jonah Hill and Harry Styles before defeating Timothée Chalamet for the title. The likes of LeBron James, Kanye West and Ryan Gosling also were part of the competition.

The editors of GQ described each of the 16 celebrities in the bracket, and this is what they wrote about Federer:

“Some of the guys on this list made their reputations on red carpets; others, in paparazzi shots. Roger Federer, on the other hand, has a case for most stylish man of the decade thanks to something as simple as this: When the guy puts on his Wimbledon whites, he stands basically alone. It’s not about his clothes so much as the righteously relaxed, preternaturally confident way he moves in them. (Also: Dude is a Bond-level tux wearer.)”

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Players Of The Decade: Stan Wawrinka

  • Posted: Dec 20, 2019

Players Of The Decade: Stan Wawrinka

ATPTour.com looks back on Stan The Man’s strong decade

To continue our Decade In Review series, ATPTour.com completes our look at the five players of the decade with Stan Wawrinka. 

Stan Wawrinka must be viewing the passing of this decade with torn emotions. He is pleased to have recovered well from two 2017 knee surgeries and be nearing the level that won him three Grand Slam titles and an ATP Masters 1000 event during the past 10 years.

But another part of Wawrinka likely wishes this prolific and unexpected decade of on-court greatness, in which he challenged the Big Four, could go on forever.

In December 2009, Wawrinka, then 24 years old, was No. 21 in the year-end ATP Rankings. He had gone 1-5 in tour-level finals and, although he cracked the Top 10 for five weeks in 2008, consistency remained a weakness for the still-developing, yet already barrel-chested Wawrinka, who has long owned one of the finest one-handed backhands in the sport.

In April 2013, however, Wawrinka, frustrated by his inability to beat the best – before 2013, he was 7-39 against the Big Four – paired with former World No. 2 Magnus Norman, who had already helped Robin Soderling, another mid-career power hitter, ascend to the top.

players of the decade

Fast forward to January 2014 at the Australian Open, and “Stan The Man” had arrived. The Big Four had won 16 consecutive major titles, but Wawrinka beat Djokovic in the quarter-finals, Tomas Berdych in the semi-finals and No. 1 Nadal in the final for his first Grand Slam title.

Wawrinka’s overpowering one-handed backhand and improved mental strength, along with his willingness to not be satisfied with a Top 20 career, helped him beat the best. “I never expect to win a Grand Slam. I never dream about that because for me, I was not good enough to beat those guys,” Wawrinka said.

I talk a lot with Magnus, who has been in that situation, to play a final. He told me it was important not to think about the result but think about the way you want to play, the way you want to win every point.”

The Swiss pulled off the unexpected three months later as well, beating Roger Federer in the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters final for his first Masters 1000 title. And more Big Title glory came on the clay in 2015, when Wawrinka, with his plaid shorts, won his second major in as many years and denied Djokovic the elusive Roland Garros crown.

<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/stan-wawrinka/w367/overview'>Stan Wawrinka</a> wins the 2014 <a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/monte-carlo/410/overview'>Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters</a>

In 2016, Wawrinka’s major championship streak stretched to three as he again beat Djokovic in a Grand Slam final and continued to challenge the Big Four’s reign at the biggest tournaments. The Swiss improved to 3-0 against World No. 1s in major finals; 0-16 everywhere else. 

“If you want to beat the No. 1 player in the world, you have to give everything,” Wawrinka said. “You have to accept to suffer and you have to almost enjoy to suffer.”

From January 2014 through mid-September 2016, Wawrinka won 11 consecutive finals, and from 2013-16, he qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals four consecutive times. 

The 2017 season brought another Roland Garros final (l. to Nadal), but by August, Wawrinka could no longer manage his worsening left knee. After Wimbledon, he shut down his season and underwent two surgeries.

His comeback, like most, has been loaded with stops and starts, good weeks and bad days. But in 2019, Wawrinka rekindled his glory days more than once. He made the Rotterdam final (l. to Monfils), his first title match in nearly two years, and the final in Antwerp (l. to Murray).

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Players Of The Decade: Novak Djokovic

At Grand Slams, Wawrinka particularly showed that he’s back. He beat Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas in five hours, nine minutes, the fourth-longest match in Roland Garros history, to make the quarter-finals (l. to Federer), and he made his 17th Slam quarter-final at the US Open (l. to Medvedev).

Wawrinka never stretched the Big Four to the Big Five, but he wasn’t interested in such labels and humbly deflected the notion that he belonged in the same category as Federer, Djokovic, Nadal and Murray. At 34 and with three surgeries behind him (right knee, 2007), his most consistent seasons might stay in the past. But doubt him at a big event, and Wawrinka, one of the best big-match players of this decade, might soon you have regretting that decision.

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How Nadal & Djokovic's Returning Dominated In 2019

  • Posted: Dec 20, 2019

How Nadal & Djokovic’s Returning Dominated In 2019

Best of 2019 By The Numbers: Part 2

Continuing our 2019 in Review series, we take a broader look at the ATP Tour, using Infosys ATP Scores & Stats to examine which players on the entire circuit excelled in all of the key service and return categories this year, and how that helped shape their results.

All statistics are based off of Infosys ATP Scores & Stats’ Individual Match Stats Leaderboard, which includes players who competed in a minimum of 40 tour-level main draw matches in 2019.

Return Games Won
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were clearly the two best players in the world in 2019 according to the ATP Rankings, battling for year-end No. 1 until the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals. One thing that they had in common was their success on return.

Nadal has led the ATP Tour in return games won in three of the past four years. The top five players in the category are all inside the Top 15 of the ATP Rankings.

 Player  Return Games Won  Return Games Winning %
 1. Rafael Nadal  250 715  35%
 2. Novak Djokovic  253 796  31.8%
 3. Diego Schwartzman  247 796  31%
 4. Daniil Medvedev  270 963  28%
 5. David Goffin  203 728  27.9%

Break Points Converted
Nobody took advantage of their break point opportunities this year more than Djokovic, the World No. 2. One year ago, Djokovic only converted 39.9 per cent of the time, finishing 2018 in 27th place in this department. The Serbian significantly improved in 2019, though, breaking on 49 per cent of his opportunities.

Medvedev, who finished sixth in percentage of break points won, led the ATP Tour by breaking 270 times on the season.

 Player  Break Points Won Break Points Winning %
 1. Novak Djokovic  253 516 49%
 2. Rafael Nadal  250 556 45%
 3. Albert Ramos-Vinolas  150 340 44.1%
 4. Adrian Mannarino  147 337  43.6%
 5. Fabio Fognini  171 392  43.6%

First-Serve Return Points Won
It’s no surprise that Nadal and Djokovic finished in the top two spots in first-serve return points won. It is the fourth time in the past five years that Nadal has led this category.

The last time Djokovic won a higher rate of first-serve return points compared to Nadal was in 2015.

 Player  First-Serve Ret Points Won First-Serve Ret Points Winning %
 1. Rafael Nadal  865  2,425  35.7%
 2. Novak Djokovic  1,191  3,463  34.4% 
 3. Diego Schwartzman  838  2,568  32.6%
 4. David Goffin  688  2,117  32.5%
 5. Gael Monfils  1,156  3,568  32.4% 

Second-Serve Return Points Won
Argentine Diego Schwartzman may stand at only 5’7″, but he has been a second-serve return giant over the past three years. Schwartzman won a higher rate of second-serve return points than anyone else on the ATP Tour for the second time this season (also 2017), finishing second last year.

Schwartzman finished at a career-high year-end ATP Ranking of No. 14, making him the top-ranked Argentine.

 Player  Second-Serve Ret Pts Won Second-Serve Ret Pts Winning %
 1. Diego Schwartzman  1,153 2,057  56.1%
 2. Rafael Nadal  940 1,681  55.9% 
 3. Daniil Medvedev  1,336 2,402  55.6%
 4. Andrey Rublev  929 1,702  54.6%
 5. Novak Djokovic  1,073 1,980  54.2%

Service Games Won
Could John Isner’s serving be getting better with age? In 2018, his 93.6 winning percentage in service games won was the best rate of his career. But the American improved on that mark in 2019, winning more than 94 per cent of his service games.

 Player Service Games Won  Service Games  Winning %
 1. John Isner  604 642  94.1%
 2. Roger Federer  744 815  91.3%
 3. Reilly Opelka  614  675  91%
 4. Rafael Nadal  664  737  90.1%
 5. Novak Djokovic  723  825  87.6%

Aces
Two players cracked the 1,000-aces benchmark for the fifth time in six seasons, with Isner standing just 31 aces from becoming the second player (also Ivo Karlovic) to hit the 12,000-aces mark.

 Player  Aces  Matches
 1. John Isner  1,032  48
 2. Reilly Opelka  1,014  48
 3. Alexander Zverev  709  67
 4. Milos Raonic  697  36
 5. Daniil Medvedev  690  79

*does not abide by 40-match rule
First-Serve Points Won
Milos Raonic led the ATP Tour in first-serve points won for the fourth time in 2018, setting a career-high mark. But Isner took the throne this season at 81 per cent.

Perhaps the surprise member of the group is German Jan-Lennard Struff (79%), who reached a career-high World No. 33 in July.

 Player  First-Serve Points Won  First-Serve Points  Winning %
 1. John Isner  2,231 2,753  81%
 2. Reilly Opelka  2,135  2,645  80.7%
 3. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga  1,834  2,289  80.1%
 4. Jan-Lennard Struff  2,089  2,644  79%
 5. Roger Federer  2,459  3,137  78.4%

Second-Serve Points Won
Nadal may not be considered the biggest server in the world, but he has now won the most points behind his second serve on the ATP Tour in each of the past three years. Roberto Bautista Agut, ranked fifth on the list at a rate of 56 per cent, broke into the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings for the first time this season.

 Player  Second-Serve Points Won  Second-Serve Points  Winning %
 1. Rafael Nadal  922 1,546 59.6%
 2. Roger Federer  1,011 1,701 59.4%
 3. John Isner 633 1,105 57.3%
 4. Novak Djokovic 946 1,659 57%
 5. Roberto Bautista Agut 920 1,644 56%

Break Points Saved
One of the reasons Isner was able to win a personal-best rate of service games in 2019 was that when he faced pressure, he was nearly lights-out. The American was broken only 38 times this season, saving nearly 73 per cent of the opportunities his opponents earned.

Matteo Berrettini made his breakthrough in 2019, and it helped that he saved nearly 69 per cent of the break points he faced this year.

 Player  Break Points Saved Break Points Faced Winning %
 1. John Isner  101 139 72.6%
 2. Roger Federer  173 244 70.9%
 3. Stan Wawrinka  237 336 70.5%
 4. Pablo Carreno Busta  236 341  69.2%
 5. Matteo Berrettini  234 340  68.8%

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Del Potro, Djokovic, Federer & Nadal Lead 2019 Charity Efforts

  • Posted: Dec 20, 2019

Del Potro, Djokovic, Federer & Nadal Lead 2019 Charity Efforts

Learn more about some of 2019’s charity events put on by ATP Tour stars

The ATP Tour’s players make a massive impact on the tennis court, with their efforts at tournaments inspiring countless people throughout the world. But they also perform important duties off the court through philanthropy, whether through their own foundations or by helping others with their charity work. ATPTour.com looks at some of 2019’s notable charity moments.

Del Potro Hosts Open Practice Session For Tandil Food Bank
Juan Martin del Potro hosted a unique open practice session in Tandil this February in front of more than 1,000 fans to help raise food for a local food bank.

The World No. 4 practised for an hour and a half at Posta Natural on 2 February, collecting 730 kilograms of non-perishable food for Banco de Alimentos de Tandil, a food bank which helps feed 19,500 people in the Tandil area through collaborations with 132 local food service organisations.

“I love practising in front of my people in Tandil,” said Del Potro. “We had a great time and I’m glad we could do this for a good cause.”

Del Potro helps thousands of Tandil kids

Bryan Brothers Help Inspiring Children Foundation In Indian Wells
TEAM BRYAN organised 400 children, parents and coaches for a special experience at the BNP Paribas Open. This is the 16th year of the program.

In a partnership that was strengthened at the 2006 ATP Tour event in Las Vegas, The Bryan Brothers Foundation, The Inspiring Children Foundation and Wayne Bryan helped the children once more enjoy the experience of their year in Indian Wells with an opening night talent show, a clinic with Wayne Bryan, a doubles shootout, and getting to cheer on Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan for two sessions of the tournament.

“We are so proud to mentor and sponsor these children,” said Bob Bryan. “This is our chance to give to children what our parents gave us, an incredible life.”

The Bryan brothers in Indian Wells

Miami Open Unites 
The ATP Tour’s players lent their time to Miami Open Unites at the 2019 Miami Open presented by Itau to support a wide variety of charitable causes, dedicated to giving back to the South Florida community.

Five-time doubles champions Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan visited Baptist Health Children’s Hospital and Cancer Center to spend time with kids at the facility. Alexander Zverev, defending champion John Isner and Roberto Bautista Agut visited the Greater Humane Society of Miami. The players groomed the animals in order to increase their chances for adoption.

Kei Nishikori, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Marin Cilic, Nick Kyrgios and Nicolas Jarry led a community tennis clinic and Q&A at the Hard Rock Stadium for UNICEF’s Kid Power program. Indian Wells champion Dominic Thiem, Miomir Kecmanovic and Guido Pella helped repair a home by painting and landscaping. Their efforts supported the work of Rebuilding Together, an organisation that repairs and rebuilds homes for Miami-Dade County’s senior citizens, veterans and disabled individuals.

Finally, Grigor Dimitrov, David Ferrer and Borna Coric served lunch to residents living at the shelter of the Miami Rescue Mission. The organisation provides food, shelter and programming to needy South Florida residents.

The Bryan Brothers and Aryna Sabalenka lent their time during Miami Unites Day.

Roger Federer Foundation Helps Victims of Cyclone Idai
The Roger Federer Foundation’s work in Malawi to educate children pivoted to provide critical assistance to thousands of people displaced by Cyclone Idai, which killed more than 600 people in Southern Africa.

“Cyclone Idai is a unbelievable disaster,” Federer said. “And it hit the most vulnerable ones in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. It will take years for people to recover. My thoughts and solidarity are with the thousands of displaced people and families who lost their loved ones.”

All of the Foundation’s six model preschools were converted to evacuation centres to help the thousands of families in the district that were displaced, including 77 of the Foundation’s kindergarten teachers.

<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/roger-federer/f324/overview'>Roger Federer</a> during a visit to Malawi

Wawrinka, Thiem Lead ATP Stars In Monte-Carlo Charity Exhibition
Stan Wawrinka and Dominic Thiem took the role of team captains in a fun-filled charity exhibition at this year’s Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, held to benefit the Monaco Red Cross.

Alongside Wawrinka on his team of French-speaking players were Lucas Pouille, David Goffin and Daniil Medvedev. BNP Paribas Open champion Thiem was joined by Stefanos Tsitsipas and Karen Khachanov.

Monte-Carlo charity exhibition

Cilic Joined By Modric & More Croatian Stars At Successful Charity Event
The Marin Cilic Foundation hosted ‘Game, Set, Croatia’ on 12 June, bringing together 30 of Croatia’s most celebrated athletes for a charity tournament at Zagreb’s Šalata Sports Complex — the birthplace of Croatian tennis — to raise funds to build a multi-functional sports playground for children from Tordinci Elementary School, who currently have neither an indoor gymnasium nor an outdoor playground.

“The idea came about last summer while I was training on Korčula. Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic were there and we joked how we were missing a fourth player for a doubles match. I posted a photo on Instagram and invited Dejan Lovren and Sime Vrsaljko to join us,” Cilic said. “A flood of messages came from athletes and that is how the story began.”

Footballer Mario Mandzukic and his doubles partner, 14-year-old Croatian junior player Patrik Jurina, beat Cilic and footballer Luka Modric in the final, which was live streamed by a Croatian national television network.

Modric Cilic

Djokovic Earns Lifetime Fan In Cancer Survivor In Cincinnati
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic won his third-round match at the Western & Southern Open before striking a single ball.

Djokovic held a boy named Joel’s hand walking onto the court. And before the usual pre-match meeting with the chair umpire, the top seed invited Joel to sit on his bench, and even opened up a water bottle for him. According to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center’s social media pages, Joel is a cancer survivor who was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma before he was born.

“I met him just before we walked onto the court. He was actually holding my hand, I was walking with him on the court and I actually heard after the first set the speaker said he survived a neuroblastoma cancer when he was a 10-day-old baby and he was wearing a shirt [that said], ‘I Am A Champion’,” Djokovic said on Friday after advancing to the semi-finals. “Those kinds of moments stay with him for a long time and I wanted to make him feel comfortable. I know what it means to him to be on the court and for me it was just a little bit of attention and a gesture to make him feel good.”

<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/novak-djokovic/d643/overview'>Novak Djokovic</a>

Tennis Stars Pitch In At Nowitzki’s Charity Event
Superstars from all over the sports world came together in Dallas, Texas in September at the Southern Methodist University tennis complex for the fourth annual Dirk Nowitzki Pro Celebrity Tennis Classic to raise money for the Dirk Nowitzki Foundation, which awards grants annually to organisations focusing on children’s wellbeing, health and education.

“We’re thrilled to do this event again and have the support of celebs who fly in from across the country,” Nowitzki said. “Tommy Haas actually took a redeye to be here. He landed at like 7am, so the support from everybody means the world and hopefully we can raise a lot of funds again for our project this upcoming year.”

John Isner was joined at the event by former World No. 2 Haas, former doubles World No. 1 Mark Knowles and American Mitchell Krueger.

Dirk Nowitzki Charity event

The Rafa Nadal Foundation’s Study and Play Program Awards Grants Totalling More Than $100,000
The Rafa Nadal Foundation partnered with I-Con Sports to create its Study and Play program in 2015. And this year, they awarded grants worth $110,000 to 25 young Spanish athletes to aid in their pursuit of both high-level training and education at universities in the United States next year. year. Read More

The Rafa Nadal Foundation has donated more than 70 of these grants worth $345,000 since the program’s inception.

In 2019, the foundation created a center in Valencia, Spain, for children and teenagers who are in a vulnerable situation. The comprehensive program implemented in this center includes an educational and school support aspect as well as a sport one, where sports and games become instruments for social inclusion and the promotion of attitudes and values such as companionship, responsibility, effort, equality, and more. In an initial phase, the foundation assists 40 children from Natzaret, a district with one of the highest rates of persons at risk of social exclusion. This is the second Rafa Nadal Foundation Center, after the first one launched in 2014 in Mallorca.

<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/rafael-nadal/n409/overview'>Rafael Nadal</a>

Knowles, Blake, Haas, Roddick & Bob Bryan Support Hurricane Dorian Relief Efforts
Mark Knowles and fellow tennis pros raised more than US $100,000 for Hurricane Dorian recovery and relief in The Bahamas during the inaugural Baha Mar Cup this November. Tommy Haas, Andy Roddick, James Blake, Bob Bryan, Coco Gauff and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario joined in the fundraising efforts over the three-day event, held at the The Baha Mar Racquet Club.

“It has truly been an honor to be involved in this tournament, especially alongside fellow peers and close friends who answered my call when I asked them to participate and come down to The Bahamas,” said Knowles. “The Bahamas has always been my home and to play the sport I love in support of this beautiful country and my fellow Bahamians is extraordinary.”

<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/bob-bryan/b588/overview'>Bob Bryan</a>, <a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/tommy-haas/h355/overview'>Tommy Haas</a>, <a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/mark-knowles/k171/overview'>Mark Knowles</a>, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, <a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/andy-roddick/r485/overview'>Andy Roddick</a>, Coco Gauff and <a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/james-blake/b676/overview'>James Blake</a> come together to raise funds for Hurricane Dorian relief efforts at the Baha Mar Cup.

Isner Launches The Isner Family Foundation
John Isner has openly spoken about his mother’s battle against cancer and how much that has affected his family. The American in November announced the launch of his Isner Family Foundation to provide support to hospitals in the Dallas-Forth Worth area, helping contribute towards others receiving world-class treatment to aid in their own battles.

“Cancer is something that affects a lot of people for those who get it, but it also affects their families. I think everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer in a pretty negative way,” Isner told ATPTour.com. “But fortunately for our family, ours had a positive outcome. That’s what the foundation wants to touch on, to raise funds for incredible treatment, treatment like my mother got in North Carolina. It’s pediatric, but it’s not just pediatric care. Good, quality care in hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is what the foundation’s going to focus on.”

Isner

Nitto ATP Finals Competitor Ram Aces Kids’ Clinic In Indiana
Rajeev Ram held the third annual EntouRaj Kids’ Clinic on 23 November, doing his part to support high school players in his home state of Indiana. About 50 high school players went through various drills with local coaches — as well as Ram — at the West Indy Racquet Club.

“This is our third edition of the EntouRaj kids clinic and it went off amazingly well,” Ram said. “It’s so inspiring to see these kids bring their incredible enthusiasm and energy to the court. It shows how powerful tennis and sport in general can be.”

<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/rajeev-ram/r548/overview'>Rajeev Ram</a>

Bryan Brothers, Jack Nicklaus Help Raise $1.2 Million For Charity During ‘Fore Love’
Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan and golf legend Jack Nicklaus hosted the third annual “Fore Love” event in December in North Palm Beach and Jupiter, Florida, raising $1.2 million for the Bryan Bros. Foundation and the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation.

“Mike and I are are proud to have had another successful year with our Fore Love Tournament,” said Bob. “We owe so much to Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, the incredible lineup of golf and tennis pros, and the generous support of our donors. We had a great couple days competing at the Bear’s Club and Jack’s pristine grass courts. We are beyond grateful for the friendship of the Nicklaus family and the NCHCF. The proceeds from these events have and will continue to positively impact the lives of many children.”

Bob and <a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/mike-bryan/b589/overview'>Mike Bryan</a> Fore Love 2019

Djokovic Launches Another Season Of Giving Campaign, To Match Donations
One year ago, the Novak Djokovic Foundation raised more than $100,000 during its Season of Giving campaign, allowing it to open two kindergartens in Serbia. And now, the World No. 2’s foundation is beginning another Season of Giving campaign, attempting to reach $100,000 again.

The goal of the campaign is to provide 200 children access to a quality preschool education by opening new kindergartens, and the Djokovic family is poised to match all donations for the second straight year.

<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/novak-djokovic/d643/overview'>Novak Djokovic</a>

Anderson Holds Third Charity Event, Wins 
Former World No. 5 Kevin Anderson hosted Courtside Cause — his third charity event — in December at the Boca Grove Golf & Tennis Club. The event benefitted First Serve, Dezzy’s Second Chance Animal Rescue and Ocean Conservancy’s Trash Free Seas Alliance, raising more than $90,000 for those charities.

Anderson also received the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award in the 2019 ATP Awards, joining the likes of Ashe, former South African President Nelson Mandela, Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Andy Murray and 2018 recipient Tommy Robredo.

<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/kevin-anderson/a678/overview'>Kevin Anderson</a> Courtside Cause

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Puerto Vallarta, Braunschweig, Heilbronn & Szczecin Named Best 2019 Challengers

  • Posted: Dec 20, 2019

Puerto Vallarta, Braunschweig, Heilbronn & Szczecin Named Best 2019 Challengers

ATP Challenger Tour award winners announced

The ATP has announced the 2019 ATP Challenger Tournaments of the Year, with players voting for Puerto Vallarta (Mexico), Braunschweig (Germany), Heilbronn (Germany) and Szczecin (Poland) as their favourite stops.

The Challenger of the Year Awards recognise excellence in standards set across the global ATP Challenger Tour, comprising 158 tournaments staged in 39 countries and territories. From the cosy European clay-court confines of Braunschweig, Heilbronn and Szczecin to the sun-kissed beach paradise of Puerto Vallarta, all four are integral events on the circuit.

The Puerto Vallarta Open is fast becoming one of the top Challenger destinations, taking home the award in both of its first two editions. An oceanside oasis on the west coast of Mexico, the scenic setting has quickly become a favourite among players. The tournament burst onto the scene in 2018 and made even greater strides this year.

Once again, Germany is rising to the top of the ATP Challenger Tour, with Braunschweig and Heilbronn setting the standard. Braunschweig’s Sparkassen Open, which celebrated its 26th anniversary in July, was awarded with the top honour for the fifth time since 2014, when player voting began for the Challenger awards. The NECKARCUP in Heilbronn is honoured for the third straight season, following another impressive edition in western Germany.

The oldest of the four winners is the Pekao Szczecin Open in Szczecin, Poland. For 27 years, the tournament has welcomed tens of thousands of fans through its doors and provided players with a home away from home. After first receiving the award in 2016, the clay-court stop has been recognised once again.

ATP Challenger Tour Committee Co-Chairs, Alison Lee, ATP International Executive Vice President, and Ross Hutchins, Chief Player Officer, said: “These Challenger awards have significant meaning to promoters as they are a validation of their hard work and commitment to staging an excellent event. Players appreciate the way these tournaments are operated and how the event organisers try their utmost to ensure a fantastic player experience throughout the week. This year, there is a mix of four repeat winners, new and old. Braunschweig and Szczecin have both staged high-quality Challengers for more than 25 years, while Puerto Vallarta and Heilbronn are only a few years old, but have been committed to staging the best possible event from the very beginning.”

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The ATP Challenger Tour is the launching pad for the stars of tomorrow. Players develop their skills and gain valuable experiences as they fight to take the next step on the ATP Tour. The circuit’s intimate settings provide a pressure-packed atmosphere for players to hone their craft. And for the fans, these tournaments are a unique opportunity to follow the career trajectory of a rising star from its infancy.

The Challenger circuit visits some of the most historic and scenic locales in the world. Look no further than Puerto Vallarta, Braunschweig, Heilbronn and Szczecin.

In Puerto Vallarta, it is tennis in paradise. For the second straight year, the Puerto Vallarta Open welcomed players under the radiant glow of the Mexican sun. With the Pacific Ocean glistening in the distance and the Sierra Madre mountains towering overhead, it provided the perfect setting for a tournament on the ATP Challenger Tour. Fans once again packed the Parque Parota for one big fiesta from first ball to last.

A sunset boat cruise with a live Mariachi band shuttled players around the Bahía de Banderas on the eve of the tournament. Later in the week, one of the city’s most popular dance clubs hosted a vibrant player party, providing an ideal escape for those looking to toss aside their racquets and take in the local culture.

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“We are honoured to have been given the Challenger Award for a second consecutive year and humbled by the support and trust bestowed on us,” said Tournament Director Javier Romero. “We are unequivocally committed to further improving our tournament in the world’s most beautiful beach resort.”

In Braunschweig, the Braunschweiger Tennis Club is steeped in history, having been founded in 1901 and partially rebuilt after the city was destroyed during World War II. More than two decades ago, the Sparkassen Open was founded with a small Centre Court and one catering tent. The main stadium has since been upgraded to hold a capacity crowd of 2,000 patrons, with a big stage for nightly concerts and over 50 concession tents for catering and exhibitions. It has boasted future Top 10 players Gaston Gaudio, Tomas Berdych and Alexander Zverev as its champions.

“Winning the ATP Challenger Award for the sixth time is fantastic and gives us new strength for the future,” said Tournament Director Volker Jaecke. “A very special thanks to the ATP and all players who have voted for the 2019 Sparkassen Open in Braunschweig.”

Learn More About Braunschweig

For three straight years, the NECKARCUP has represented the best of the ATP Challenger Tour. With the river Neckar curling around the downtown district and a vast expanse of vineyards dotting the surrounding region, Heilbronn’s tranquility provides players with a relaxed setting. Not only is the TC Heilbronn Trappensee the second-oldest tennis club in all of Germany, but it is also the third-oldest on the Challenger circuit today. The tournament has been fortunate to have a glittering list of champions, with four of the five winners going on to crack the Top 50 of the ATP Rankings.

“We are very pleased and appreciate that our long, hard work has been honoured by the ATP and the players,” said Tournament Directors Mine and Metehan Cebeci. “We are proud and happy to receive this award for the third time’ Although we do our very best, this is great motivation to work even harder.”

Tennis in Poland is enjoying a golden era on the ATP Challenger Tour, with tournaments in Szczecin and Poznan celebrating more than 25 years and former Top 10 doubles star Mariusz Fyrstenberg leading the charge in Sopot. The Challenger 125 event in Szczecin is the oldest and largest pro tournament in the country. Packed crowds are the norm in the Polish metropolis, with the locals contributing to the electric atmosphere. Former Top 10 stars Nikolay Davydenko, Nicolas Massu, Nicolas Lapentti and Richard Gasquet have lifted the trophy over the years.

“This is great news and an amazing Christmas gift for our team,” said Tournament Director Krzysztof Bobala. “We will continue to work even harder on next year’s event.”

Watch Szczecin Feature

While all four tournaments have their own unique identities that set them apart, they are similar in their passion for growing the game and devotion to creating a first-rate experience. It is a show from start to finish, both on and off the court. In addition to the world-class tennis between the lines, all successful events cultivate a vibrant culture for the players and fans. The quartet have set the bar in that respect. Their social scenes, which include concerts and other performances, as well as sponsor villages and exhibitions, contribute to the soul of the tournaments.

All winners will be presented with their awards in ceremonies during their tournaments. Puerto Vallarta is first up in late April, followed by Heilbronn two weeks later. Braunschweig takes centre stage in early July and it all culminates in Szczecin in September.

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ATP Announces 2020 Prize Money Levels And 2021 ATP Tour Calendar

  • Posted: Dec 20, 2019

ATP Announces 2020 Prize Money Levels And 2021 ATP Tour Calendar

2021 season to launch on 1 January

The ATP has announced prize money levels for the 2020 ATP Tour season as well as the release of its 2021 ATP Tour calendar.

The 2020 season will see player compensation on the ATP Tour hit US$ 158.7 million, an increase of 13% on 2019*. The season will kick off on 3 January with the inaugural ATP Cup, taking place across Brisbane, Perth and Sydney. The new 24-country season launch event will offer prize money of US$ 15 million, becoming the biggest prize money ATP event on the calendar.

The ATP has also released its 2021 calendar, comprising 64 ATP tournaments in 30 countries, in addition to the four Grand Slams and the Davis Cup. The 2021 ATP season will launch on 1 January with the ATP Cup and will culminate in November with the first edition of the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy, where the season finale will be hosted through to 2025.

The 2021 calendar provides a continuation of the existing tournament structure and schedule, including nine leading ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, 13 ATP 500 events, 38 ATP 250 tournaments, as well as the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan and the Laver Cup.

The ATP Tour has attracted record audiences on site, on television and online in recent years, with a record 4.82 million fans attending tournaments in 2019.

The 2020 and 2021 ATP Tour calendars can be viewed here.

* Calculation based on Euro to US Dollar exchange rate of 1.15 for 2019, and 1.10 for 2020.

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'I can only listen to my body' – Konta hopeful of playing Australian Open

  • Posted: Dec 20, 2019

British number one Johanna Konta is hopeful she will be ready to play in the Australian Open after revealing the extent of a knee injury.

Konta, 28, said the problem is similar to tendonitis and she has been managing it throughout a year in which she played three Grand Slam quarter-finals.

She plans to travel to Australia on 30 December to play Brisbane and Adelaide before Melbourne on 20 January.

“I can only listen to my body,” said Konta, who is ranked 12th in the world.

Konta, speaking to reporters from several national newspapers at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, added: “I’m not giving myself any deadlines. I will be ready when I’m ready.”

Konta was ranked 38th at the start of 2019 and went close to falling out of the top 50 for the first time since October 2015 – before rediscovering her form on clay, a surface she had previously struggled for wins on.

That culminated in a run to the French Open semi-finals in June – losing to unseeded Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova – before she reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon and the US Open.

She has not played since losing to Ukrainian fifth seed Elina Svitolina in New York in early September.

“I have been carrying a knee problem since the first week of the year and it was basically a case of just managing it through the season,” said Konta.

“Once we got to the grass it got worse, and then at the US Open it felt significantly worse.

“I have definitely booked my flight and I want to be on that plane. I am certainly hopeful that I will be ready.”

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Hot Off The Press: 2020 ATP Tour Media Guide

  • Posted: Dec 20, 2019

Hot Off The Press: 2020 ATP Tour Media Guide

Official guide now available for purchase at Tennis Warehouse

Ready for the new season? Brush up on your tennis knowledge and get information about the year ahead with your own copy of the 2020 ATP Tour Media Guide.

Now available for purchase at Tennis Warehouse, the combo ATP Tour / WTA Tour Media Guide includes tournament information, player profiles, statistics, historical data and more.  

Buy Media Guide 

The 2020 ATP Tour season gets underway on 3 January with the inaugural ATP Cup, featuring 24 countries competing across Brisbane, Perth and Sydney over 10 days. 

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