Battle of the Brits: Heather Watson and Anton Matusevich top inaugural event
Heather Watson and Anton Matusevich win the Battle of the Brits Premier League of Tennis after topping the women’s and men’s standings respectively.
Heather Watson and Anton Matusevich win the Battle of the Brits Premier League of Tennis after topping the women’s and men’s standings respectively.
Roger Federer had a special message for fans after being voted as the Fans’ Favourite for the 18th year in a row in the 2020 ATP Awards.
“I just wanted to thank you all for [helping me win] the Fans’ Favourite Award this year again,” Federer said. “Thanks to the ATP and to all the tennis fans out there for voting for me, for believing in me and wanting to see me back on the Tour. I’m training hard to make that possible. I hope to play in front of all of you guys again very, very soon.”
Currently ranked World No. 5, Federer reached the 2020 Australian Open semi-finals in his first tournament of the season, but was sidelined in the subsequent months after undergoing right knee surgery.
“Happy holiday to everybody and Happy New Year,” Federer added. “Of course let’s hope it all gets better next year. Just got to be a little more patient for now and I can’t wait to see you all again very soon, so take care, and again thank you so, so much.”
The 39-year-old Swiss has now won a record 39 ATP Awards, including 18 consecutive Fans Favourite awards dating back to 2003.
“I hope I can play in front of all of you again very, very soon.”@rogerfederer | #ATPAwards pic.twitter.com/MTvgM6ltA7
— ATP Tour (@atptour) December 21, 2020
Former Top 5 stars Milos Raonic and Kei Nishikori will lead the way in January at the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com, one of two tournaments set to take place in Week 1 of the 2021 ATP Tour calendar.
Raonic, who has climbed as high as No. 3 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, has competed in Delray Beach three times. The Canadian star made the final in 2017 and the semi-finals in 2020. Nishikori made history at this ATP 250 in 2008, when at 18 he became the youngest ATP Tour champion since a 16-year-old Lleyton Hewitt triumphed in Adelaide in 1998.
Nishikori is one of four former champions set to compete, with Sam Querrey (2016), Frances Tiafoe (2018) and Reilly Opelka (2020) also in the field as they try to get off to a strong start to 2021 in Florida. This year, Opelka won two matches on the event’s final day to claim his second tour-level trophy. Other players to watch at this event include American No. 1 John Isner, Chilean star Cristian Garin, 2019 finalist Daniel Evans and Polish No. 1 Hubert Hurkacz.
This ATP 250 event, which typically occurs in February, was moved to Week 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be played alongside the Antalya Open with qualifying taking place from 5-6 January and the main draw going from 7-13 January. An ATP Champions Tour event in Delray Beach will begin on 4 January.
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Day 23 of BBC Sport’s advent calendar is the moment Union Jacks’ Andy Murray and Naomi Broady win the penultimate Battle of the Brits tie.
World No. 10 Matteo Berrettini will lead three Top 20 players in January at the Antalya Open, one of two tournaments set to take place in Week 1 of the 2021 ATP Tour calendar.
Joining the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals competitor will be No. 15 David Goffin and No. 17 Fabio Fognini, both of whom have also cracked the world’s Top 10. Two-time ATP Tour titlist Borna Coric, the always entertaining Benoit Paire and big-hitting German Jan-Lennard Struff will also try to make their mark on the Turkish hard courts.
There will be plenty of eyes on some of the up-and-coming stars in the field, led by 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals champion Jannik Sinner. The Italian star claimed his first ATP Tour title in Sofia to close out his 2020 season. Alex de Minaur and Emil Ruusuvuori will also try to get off to a strong start in Antalya.
This ATP 250 event, which was included in the ATP’s updated start to the 2021 calendar on a single-year licence, is scheduled for 5-13 January, as is the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com.