If you were stuck on an island with an ATP Tour player, who would you pick and why?

Three-time major champion Andy Murray has a couple requirements, he revealed to ATP Uncovered in the newest edition of our Fan Questions series.

“I would need someone resourceful to get me off the island,” Murray said. “But also, I’d want someone to keep me entertained.”

What music has the 35-year-old been listening to lately? You may be surprised to learn he’s been enjoying a song from Disney’s movie Zootopia.

The former World No. 1 also revealed his favourite Beatles song and answered the great debate: Messi or Ronaldo?

“That’s a good question,” Murray stated. Which superstar did he choose?

Watch the full video to learn the answer as well as the title Murray wants to win before he retires and more. Just keep the fried Mars candy bars away from the Scot.

Daniil Medvedev has labeled himself a ‘hard-court specialist’, but that doesn’t mean the World No. 3 isn’t looking for answers to develop his game on clay.

Known for his flat groundstrokes and all-court coverage, the 6’6” Medvedev moves exceptionally well. But a few challenges arise when it comes to the red dirt, specifically the unique movement. Heading into the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome, Medvedev has been critiquing his game to better suit the clay.

The 27-year-old also revealed a strategy he implements when competing on the surface.

“[Playing with] some more spin,” Medvedev said in his pre-tournament press conference. “Especially the sliding, I think the sliding was always a problem [for me]. After Madrid, after I lost, a couple days I practised there, I tried to focus on the sliding, on the movement. I felt like I improved in these couple of days.”

A four-time titlist this year, Medvedev arrives at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia boasting a 33-5 season record. Medvedev has been pleased with his form while practising in Rome and hopes to carry a high-level into the tournament.

“I feel great physically. Every day I’m trying to put [together a] strong session and try to work on small things with my coach,” Medvedev said. “It has been working great, so I’m looking forward to try and play the same in the matches because it’s never the same.

“These two days [practising], I was playing really good clay tennis. I was not missing many balls here these last two days. It was tough for my opponents. Again, you never know. I say all this, but maybe first match it’s not the case. But it’s good to have some good practice. I was really happy about it.”

Searching for a first win in Rome in his fourth appearance, Medvedev will open against Frenchman Ugo Humbert or World No. 43 Emil Ruusuvuori. The 19-time tour-level titlist is seeded to meet Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals. But you won’t catch Medvedev looking ahead in the draw.

“[I’m] looking forward to the tournament because [I’ve] never won a match [here],” Medvedev said. “So, that’s the first goal.”

Novak Djokovic has arrived at the Foro Italico, where he is ready to pursue a seventh Internazionali BNL d’Italia title.

The Serbian star is making his 17th appearance at the ATP Masters 1000 event and has never fallen short of the quarter-finals. The 35-year-old has earned a 64-10 record in the Italian capital, where he has lifted the trophy or finished runner-up 12 times.

Djokovic practised with leading Italian favourite Jannik Sinner on Monday.

^{Photo Credit: FOTO ARCHIVIO FITP}
Fans came out in force to watch their session. Djokovic and Sinner will meet in the semi-finals if they both advance that far in the tournament.

Hometown Hero x Defending Champ 👀

Sinner and Djokovic bring the heat in practice🔥@InteBNLdItalia | #IBI23 pic.twitter.com/J8Q8za8GaX

— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 9, 2023

Djokovic will begin his run against #NextGenATP Frenchman Luca Van Assche or Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry. Before the action gets underway, the top seed took time for his fans, signing autographs and taking selfies.

👋🏼❤️❤️ https://t.co/8XHu0mb57S

— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) May 9, 2023

It has been a memorable couple of days for Carlos Alcaraz. After winning his fourth ATP Masters 1000 title on Sunday at the Mutua Madrid Open, the Spaniard met a sports icon on Monday: Lionel Messi.

Both stars were in Paris for the Laureus World Sports Awards, where Alcaraz won the Breakthrough of the Year Award and Messi was named World Sportsman of the Year.

While on the red carpet for the awards ceremony, Alcaraz was asked about being around Messi, who led Argentina to World Cup glory last year.

“It’s crazy. I’ve never met him before,” Alcaraz said. “It’s crazy to see him here metres from me. It’s crazy, it’s crazy, honestly.”

When Carlos met Leo 🤩 Can’t get enough of this moment!@LaureusSport | #Laureus23 | #OnlyAtLaureus | @carlosalcaraz pic.twitter.com/XLyutV0gmw

— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 9, 2023

The red carpet reporter told the 20-year-old that Messi was walking by and he would be able to meet him if he waited a moment.

“I wish to do that, I wish to do that,” an excited Alcaraz said.

Moments later, Alcaraz and Messi shared a warm greeting. That was not the only star-studded meeting he enjoyed that evening. After the ceremony, Alcaraz took a selfie with many of the stars present, from Messi and Robert Lewandowski to World Sportswoman of the Year Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Action Sportsperson of the Year Eileen Gu and Sportsperson of the Year With A Disability Catherine Debrunner.

 

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After the quick trip, Alcaraz will now turn his focus back to the tennis court. The Spaniard will this week make his Internazionali BNL d’Italia debut. He will play countryman Albert Ramos-Vinolas or Italian Francesco Passaro in the second round.