A host of stars will open their 2023 ATP Tour seasons in Adelaide and Pune in January, with the Adelaide International 1 and the Tata Open Maharashtra set to begin on 2 January.

Four players who competed at the 2022 Nitto ATP Finals will be back in action in Adelaide, including Turin champion Novak Djokovic, who leads the field as World No. 5. Felix Auger-Aliassime, Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev will also compete at the ATP 250, along with Turin alternate Holger Rune.

Former Nitto ATP Finals champion Andy Murray and 2021 debutant Jannik Sinner (who played in Turin as an alternate) are also among the 25 direct entrants, a list which also includes 2023 Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals champion Brandon Nakashima and fellow Milan competitors Jack Draper and Lorenzo Sonego.

Last year’s Adelaide-1 finalist Karen Khachanov will return as he bids to complete unfinished business at the event, while Sebastian Korda and Maxime Cressy lead a group of five Americans in the field.

Cilic Leads Pune Field
World No. 17 Marin Cilic headlines the draw in Pune, with returning finalist Emil Ruusuvuori also among the direct entrants. Botic van de Zandschulp, Sebastian Baez, Jenson Brooksby and Alex Molcan round out the Top 50 representation at the ATP 250.

Other notable names among the initial 21 confirmed players include World No. 59 Aslan Karatsev and 2022 Milan competitor Chun-Hsin Tseng and Dutchman Tim van Rijthoven.

Following the successful launch of LOVE last month, the ATP has announced Tuesday that the limited collection of NFTs is now on sale.

The stunning generative digital artworks created in collaboration with Art Blocks Engine and renowned artist Martin Grasser introduces new ways for fans to celebrate, admire and own 300 impactful moments from the 2022 Nitto ATP Finals.

As a first-of-its kind generative art project in tennis, LOVE generates artwork entirely from official tennis data, provided by Tennis Data Innovations. There are more than 30 colour palettes, 114 camera angles and many zoom levels working in collaboration with the lines on the court and bright yellow ball to create endless possibilities.

^{Test outputs generated from 2021 Nitto ATP Finals match data.}

Collectors are able to order a high-quality physical print of their artwork via Level Frames. Fans are also able to trade their LOVE NFT on the secondary market, with one per cent of secondary sales to be donated directly to the Giving Block’s Mental Health Impact Fund. To learn more about the project, and to purchase your NFT, visit www.art.tennis.

^{Test outputs generated from 2021 Nitto ATP Finals match data.}

The creative force behind LOVE is Martin Grasser, a leading artist and designer based in the Bay Area, supported by leading generative art house, ARTXCODE.

The collection is being delivered in collaboration with Art Blocks Engine, the world’s leading platform for generative digital art. It marks Art Blocks Engine’s first partnership in the sports world and ATP’s first venture in the web3 space.

This week, ATPTour.com continues its annual season-in-review series, looking back at 2022’s best matches, biggest upsets, most dramatic comebacks and more. In this installment, we look back at the best Grand Slam comebacks of the season, featuring Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic. On Wednesday we will focus on Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas’ rivalry.

5) Roland Garros, R2, Alexander Zverev d. Sebastian Baez 2-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 7-5
Sebastian Baez first showed fans a glimpse of his potential at the 2021 Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals when he advanced to the semi-finals in Milan. The Argentine then started the 2022 season impressively, clinching his maiden tour-level title in Estoril. However, few gave him a chance when he stepped onto court against Alexander Zverev in the second round at Roland Garros.

The German arrived in Paris following runs to the final in Madrid and the last four in Rome, where he defeated Baez in straight sets. Sport rarely follows a simple script, though, and this proved the case in a rollercoaster clash at the clay-court major. Baez flew out of the blocks as he troubled Zverev in the blustery conditions, breaking Zverev’s serve in the opening game to set the tone for the first two sets. The 21-year-old dictated play with his huge forehand, also deploying his drop shot to good effect.

After Zverev fended off three break points to hold for 1-4 in the second set, however, the momentum in the match changed. Although it came too late to prevent the Argentine from clinching the second set, renewed purpose from Zverev powered him to the third and fourth sets for the loss of just three games combined as he found some consistency in his groundstrokes.

Baez refused to roll over as the players exchanged breaks in a tense deciding set, though, and the Argentine had an opportunity to seal his upset win with a match point at 4-5, 30/40. However, he was unable to return a big serve down the middle from Zverev, who then held his nerve to break himself and claim victory.

“This is the worst he [Baez] will probably ever feel on a tennis court right now, this moment,” Zverev said after his three-hour, 36-minute win. “It was such an incredible match, and I know it just too well because I lost the US Open final from being two sets to love up.”

Photo Credit: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

4) Wimbledon, QFs, Novak Djokovic d. Jannik Sinner 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
In recent years, Novak Djokovic has proven to be unbeatable at Wimbledon, with the Serbian capturing four consecutive titles at the grass-court major from 2018 to 2022. Few have come closer to toppling the 21-time Grand Slam champion in southwest London than Jannik Sinner, though, who provided Djokovic with a major scare in the quarter-finals this year.

In a high-quality clash, Sinner successfully targeted Djokovic’s serve early, breaking it four times on the way to a two-sets-to-love-lead. The Italian fired his groundstrokes through the court and looked to trouble the Serbian, who looked to be struggling physically.

On the brink of his first defeat at Wimbledon since 2017, Djokovic rallied. He showcased his big-match mentality by playing consistently to outlast Sinner in heavy-hitting exchanges, engineering a mid-match turnaround. The top seed sealed the sole break of the third set before he raced into an unassailable 4-0 lead in the fourth to force a decider.

All the momentum was with Djokovic, and he made it count with an impressive final-set performance. He offered Sinner few free points and pulled off some spectacular winners, most notably a backhand on the slide to bring up break point in the seventh game that had an enraptured Centre Court crowd on their feet. The top seed then served out to love to seal a 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 three-hour, 35-minute win.

“I must say huge congratulations for a big fight today to Jannik,” said Djokovic. “I’m sure there are going to be a lot of opportunities on the big stage. He is so mature for his age, he has been established now as a Top 10, Top 15 player for the past few years.”

Djokovic would go on to win the title at SW19, defeating Cameron Norrie in the semi-finals and Nick Kyrgios in the championship match.

Photo Credit: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

3) Roland Garros, R1, Stefanos Tsitsipas d. Lorenzo Musetti 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2
Lorenzo Musetti demonstrated his clay-court pedigree at Roland Garros in 2021 when he pushed Novak Djokovic to five sets in the fourth round on his debut in Paris.

Fast forward 12 months and the Italian was at it again at the second major of the year, racing into a two-sets-to-love lead against 2021 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas. In a late-night encounter on Court Philippe Chatrier, Musetti troubled the Greek with his magical shotmaking.

Tsitsipas led 4-1 and held two break points at 15/40 in the opening set before Musetti went on a scintillating run, winning 10 of 11 games to lead by a set and 4-0. As the Italian found himself in the zone, his opponent could not find the court and struggled with a first-serve percentage below 50 per cent for much of the second set.

However, the Greek started to tighten up his game and began to hit his spots with renewed power and consistency to quickly move ahead in the third set. With renewed confidence, Tsitsipas dug deep, finding rhythm on serve to fly through the fourth and five sets, earning his third win from two-sets-to-love down.

“Things don’t come easy. I refuse to give up. That’s simply how it works with me,” Tsitsipas said. “You never really think about getting back after being two sets to love. You just play it point after point. You just wish that your efforts will pay off on a longer scale, longer run. Being in that situation… it’s a mountain that you have to climb, and I was able to climb it and regain the momentum steadily, but consistently.”

It was the second time in less than two years that Tsitsipas produced a great escape in the opening round in Paris. He also came back from two sets down against Jaume Munar in September 2020 in the rescheduled edition of the clay-court Grand Slam.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

2) Roland Garros, R2, Carlos Alcaraz d. Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-1, 6-7(7), 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-4
Carlos Alcaraz walked onto court against Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas at Roland Garros with confidence at an all-time high. The 19-year-old arrived at the second major of the year on a 10-match winning streak, having captured titles on clay in Barcelona and Madrid.

However, despite defeating Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev during that run, no one pushed him quite as hard as Ramos-Vinolas did during their four-hour, 34-minute second-round meeting in Paris. With the pressure on, Alcaraz saved a match point in the fourth set and rallied from 0-3 in the fifth set to defeat his countryman 6-1, 6-7(7), 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-4.

For much of the match, Alcaraz was frustrated by his 34-year-old left-handed opponent and struggled to find solutions, which has been a rarity this season. The 19-year-old converted just seven of his 31 break points, putting him in a deep hole.

The Spaniard refused to crumble, though, saving a match point at 4-5 in the fourth set to break back, before he played a nearly flawless fourth-set tie-break to force a fifth set. After a slow start saw him fall behind, Alcaraz never gave up, showcasing more jaw-dropping defence to turn the tables again and seal victory.

“I feel tired,” Alcaraz said in his on-court interview, cracking a laugh. “It has been a great battle against Albert. I knew that it was going to be a great match, tough match. We fought until the last point.”

Photo Credit: Adam Pretty/Getty Images

1) Australian Open, QFs, Daniil Medvedev d. Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-7(4), 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-5, 6-4
Following his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2021, Daniil Medvedev was aiming to become the first player to follow his first major trophy with his second at the next Grand Slam event when he competed at the Australian Open.

After soaring through his opening four rounds in Melbourne, the 26-year-old faced his biggest test yet in the shape of Felix Auger-Aliassime, who had helped guide Canada to ATP Cup glory earlier in January.

In a four-hour, 41-minute thriller, Medvedev survived a major scare, saving one match point as he rallied from two-sets-to-love down for just the second time in his career to overcome the Canadian 6-7(4), 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-5, 6-4.

Auger-Aliassime had a glint of determination in his eye from the outset against Medvedev, crushing winners from all angles during the first two sets to hit through the 26-year-old. After clinching the third set to gain a foothold, Medvedev then faced more adversity in the fourth set. However, he came up with the answers, saving one match point with a powerful serve at 4-5, 30/40, before he turned the tables on the Canadian to break. After holding to level, the World No. 2 further showcased his big-game mindset in the decider, saving all six break points he faced as he upped his power to advance.

“I was not playing my best and Felix was playing unbelievably,” Medvedev said in his on-court interview. “[He was] serving unbelievably, he was all over me. I did not really know what to do, but I told myself, I am going to make him work and fight until the last point. I managed to raise my level. When they closed the roof I felt the momentum change, that I could hit through the court better.”

This week, ATPTour.com continues its annual season-in-review series, looking back at 2022’s best matches, biggest upsets, most dramatic comebacks and more. In this installment, we look back at Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas’ rivalry in 2022. On Thursday we will focus on Rafael Nadal and Taylor Fritz’s rivalry.

Daniil Medvedev entered the season with a dominant 6-2 lead in his ATP Head2Head series with Stefanos Tsitsipas. However, the Greek made inroads against the 26-year-old in 2022, narrowing Medvedev’s advantage to 7-4.

Tsitsipas lost their first meeting of the year, but responded emphatically to earn crucial victories in Cincinnati and at the Nitto ATP Finals. ATPTour.com looks back at the three matches the rivals played in 2022.

Australian Open, SF, Medvedev d. Tsitsipas 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4, 6-1

It took little time for the pair to lock horns in 2022, with Medvedev facing Tsitsipas in the first month of the season at the Australian Open. Having won his first Grand Slam title at the US Open in September 2021, Medvedev entered the semi-final clash against Tsitsipas chasing history, aiming to become the first player to follow his maiden major trophy with his second at the next Grand Slam event.

Meanwhile, Tsitsipas, who was seeking his first major title, came into the match in strong form, having earned wins against Taylor Fritz and Jannik Sinner en route to the last four. The Greek was also aiming to break new ground in Melbourne and reach his first Australian Open final, having fallen at the semi-final stage in 2019 and in 2021 against Medvedev.

In a high-quality clash, the second seed Medvedev successfully targeted the Greek’s backhand from the baseline with his flat and powerful groundstrokes. Medvedev hit 39 winners and ground Tsitsipas down with his consistency to advance after two hours and 30 minutes. With his win, Medvedev improved to 19-1 at hard-court majors since the start of 2021.

“Some matches are very even,” Medvedev said in his on-court interview. “I missed some balls at a few moments where I could have got a break and he missed a few at the start of the third set. Then from 5-4 in the third [set] I just found some momentum and started to read his serve and put every ball in. I hit some very important passing shots and his energy went down because of this and my energy went up.”

Western & Southern Open, SF, Tsitsipas d. Medvedev 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-3
Medvedev and Tsitsipas arrived in Cincinnati aiming to bounce back after disappointing opening-round exits in Montreal. Having advanced through their first three matches at the ATP Masters 1000 event, both showed signs that they were returning to their best ahead of the semi-final meeting.

Back in January at the Australian Open, Medvedev frustrated Tsitsipas with his deep-court defence forcing the Greek into errors off the backhand wing. Determined to gain revenge, Tsitsipas changed up the chessboard as he charged the net throughout to disrupt Medvedev’s rhythm.

The fourth seed won 75 per cent (27/36) of his net points in the match, moving forward effectively. While he hit some world-class volleys, his knack for well-timed approaches left him with a straightforward task on many of his trips to the forecourt. His old-school strategy worked wonders, with Tsitsipas emerging a 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-3 winner against Medvedev.

Watch the full match replay on TennisTV.com.

“There were some difficult shots I had to play a bit more,” Tsitsipas said of his measured game plan. “A few short balls I really took advantage of and came in. A lot of courageous serve and volleys, approaches to the net that definitely gave me that great win today.”

Chasing his third ATP Masters 1000 crown, Tsitsipas was unable to back up his win against Medvedev, falling to Borna Coric in the championship match in Cincinnati.

Nitto ATP Finals, RR, Tsitsipas d. Medvedev 6-3, 6-7(11), 7-6(1)
The pressure was on Medvedev and Tsitsipas when they met at the Nitto ATP Finals after both had lost their opening round-robin match in Turin. The 2020 champion Medvedev had struggled to find consistency in his opener against Rublev, while 2019 champion Tsitsipas fell to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.

With the loser eliminated, Medvedev and Tsitsipas put on a show at the Pala Alpitour in a thrilling topsy-turvy clash that swayed one way and then the other. The Greek squandered three match points in the second set, before he regained his focus, rallying from 3-5 in the third set to eventually earn a dramatic 6-3, 6-7(11), 7-6(1) win.

Having served and volleyed his way to success in Cincinnati, Tsitsipas once again applied that tactic in Turin, winning 80 per cent (36/45) of points at the net as he took advantage of Medvedev’s deep court position throughout the two-hour, 21-minute clash.

Watch the full replay on TennisTV.com.

“I’m so glad I overcame this and I was able to enjoy it with the crowd. It’s a great win and I’m extremely proud of the way I fought,” Tsitsipas said. “It never seemed to kind of be ending for me. Even on the last game when he was serving, I still felt if I was able to put a few balls in, some opportunity might present [itself], and it did.”

It was the second time Tsitsipas had defeated Medvedev on indoor hard courts, having beaten the former World No. 1 en route to the title in London in 2019. The Greek was unable to repeat that title feat in Turin, though, losing to Andrey Rublev in a winner-takes-all final round-robin match.

Jimmy Arias was already a 13-year-old tennis prodigy from Buffalo when the fast-talking coach from the Colony Beach and Tennis Resort talked him into moving to Florida in 1978.

“School was over at noon, and I could hit tennis balls the rest of the day,” Arias recently said. “My other choice was moving to Spain — by myself — and working with the Spanish Federation, a bunch of old guys who smoked and didn’t speak English.

“The beach — or Spain? It was a no-brainer for a 13-year-old.”

The high-energy salesman was Nick Bollettieri, a guy who never played competitive tennis past high school. Arias was the first non-local marquee talent to join what would eventually become the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. At the time, it was only three other juniors, two courts in Longboat, Florida, and a room in Bollettieri’s house. After Andre Agassi and Jim Courier arrived, it would become the model for teaching tennis at the elite junior level.

Bollettieri died on Sunday, only a brief bicycle ride from his creation in Bradenton, Florida, surrounded by family and loved ones. He was 91. Everything in the legendary coach’s long and winding journey was larger than life.

If you are a follower of tennis, no last name was necessary. But his was as prolific as they came.

Back in the day, Boris Becker was the first of his students to become the No.1-ranked player in the world. Over the years, he was followed by Monica Seles, Courier, Agassi, Martina Hingis, Marcelo Rios and Jelena Jankovic. Serena and Venus Williams were both touched by his teaching hand, as was Maria Sharapova, who arrived at his academy from Siberia at the age of 9.

In all, 10 players who entered his irresistible orbit became No.1 — an astonishing and unprecedented achievement. Long before places like the Rafael Nadal Academy and national training centres brought together the best and the brightest players, Bollettieri presided over an extraordinary teaching and learning environment in Bradenton.

Courier was 14 years old when he accepted a scholarship to attend in 1984.

“You’re 15, 16 years old and you’re down there with Andre Agassi, Yannick Noah, Johan Kriek,” Courier once said. “You’re a junior, but you’re training as a professional.

“It’s like the Thomas Friedman book, “The World Is Flat”. Nick flattened the tennis world in a very Darwinian way. He put together an ecosystem of the world’s greatest juniors and sprinkled in some pros as well. He created an industry. Imagine, having the talent come to you, rather than the other way around.”

It was a seething cauldron of competition featuring a handful of future tennis stars — Courier, Agassi, Arias and Aaron Krickstein, among others — in their high school years in the1980s. Courier would go on to win four Grand Slam singles titles and Agassi eight.

The Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, purchased by International Management Group in 1987, is still in operation — under his name.

In 2014, after long exclusion, Bollettieri was finally extended an invitation to the Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, as a contributor.

Peter Bodo, one of today’s most respected tennis journalists, has been able to separate the Bollettieri’s swaggering style and the substance of his ultimate impact.

“He came into tennis as an outsider,” Bodo said, “just one of the legions of Americans who almost overnight found themselves fascinated by tennis in a new, professional era with all that entailed — crowded stadia, network coverage, branded footwear.

“His legacy is unique. Bollettieri’s eponymous academy provided industrial-grade, immersive training for scores of talented boys and girls, who not only benefited from expert, holistic training, but who lifted and challenged each other to become better with every passing day.”

Mary Pierce, winner of two major titles, explained Bollettieri’s extraordinary achievement this way: “He had such an amazing gift because everyone is so different and you can’t train everyone the same way. That’s what makes him such an amazing coach.

“He knew how to bring out the best in you.”

Bollettieri was born in Pelham, New York, not far from the United States Tennis Association’s sprawling US Open grounds, in 1931. He was a scrappy player in high school — the extent of his competitive run in tennis. After graduating from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama (with a degree in philosophy), he served in the U.S. Army.

He was attending the University of Miami Law School when tennis eventually lured him away from academia. He started out in the middle 1950s, charging $3 per hour for lessons at Victory Park Courts in North Miami.

His big break was becoming the tennis director of the Dorado Beach Hotel in Puerto Rico. In 1978, he founded the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. Well ahead of his time in terms of mechanics, he preached an aggressive game, stepping inside the baseline and taking the ball early with an inside-out forehand.

The secret of his success, Bollettieri said that year, is communication.

“I believe the gift I have is the ability to relate to people in a very simple way,” he said. “Listen, I’m on the [USTA] board, and they have all kinds of coaches, and they talk about kinetic change and biomechanics, and all that stuff.

“To tell you the truth, I don’t know s—. I don’t really know all those expressions, but what I do know is to be able to relate to people in a manner that fits into who they are. That’s the biggest thing I have.”

No one is more devoted to upholding Bollettieri’s legacy than Arias. Four decades after he first arrived in Florida, Arias rejoined the IMG Academy as the director of tennis, where he oversees some 230 student-athletes. Today, as parents of a certain age know, things are different.

“Our parents sent us away — there was no protection,” Arias said. “Now, it’s not quite as organic — or Lord of the Flies — as it used to be.  I think it was good for us in general. You grew up very young and had no one to advocate for you. You had to advocate for yourself.”

Like Bollettieri, Arias is focusing on the basics.

“Technique is important, but at a certain point in time, you have to figure out, ‘How am I going to beat the guy I’m playing today?’” Arias said. “The only way to do that is to play a lot — and a lot of different kinds of players. And win a lot.

“Basically, I’m bringing back the formula that Nick used years ago. It’s the perfect place to test yourself at every level. That’s what he brought to tennis.”