Tennis News

Skupski honoured in front of more than 100,000 fans at LSU football game

Although Neal Skupski has reached lofty heights in the sport, he does not have difficulty remembering where his tennis journey gathered pace: at Louisiana State University.

The Briton, who earned three All-American honors during his time at college, returned to LSU on Saturday. Skupski was commended for his efforts at LSU’s home football game against Vanderbilt. With 102,086 fans in attendance, Skupski also blasted t-shirts into the crowd.

“The ceremony has been amazing,” Skupski said. “This is my first time being on the field at LSU. To come back to LSU and celebrate me getting to World No. 1 and winning Wimbledon three times, it is really nice to be back. I saw family and friends and the tennis team.”

<img alt=”Neal Skupski fires off t-shirts to LSU fans.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/26/19/41/skupski-lsu-2024-november-tshirtgun.jpg” />
^{Neal Skupski fires off t-shirts to LSU fans Saturday. Credit: Gianpaolo Nicolosi}

Skupski, the former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings, partnered American Desirae Krawczyk to win the Wimbledon mixed doubles title in 2021 and 2022. Skupski and Wesley Koolhof won the Wimbledon men’s doubles crown in 2023.

Having partnered fellow LSU alumnus Michael Venus to two ATP Tour titles this season, Skupski will join forces with countryman Joe Salisbury for the 2025 campaign.

“We are looking forward to 2025 and the new partnership with Joe Salisbury,” Skupski added. “I think it is going to be good. We are good friends. We’ve known each other for a long time and I think it has been a partnership in the making. Looking forward to getting started down in Australia in January and see what happens.”

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Rivalries of 2024: Alcaraz vs. Zverev

To mark the end of another thrilling season, ATPTour.com is unveiling our annual ‘Best Of’ series, which will reflect on the most intriguing rivalries, matches, comebacks, upsets and more. This week, we are looking at the best rivalries of the year. 

It was only fitting that two of the standout performers on the ATP Tour in 2024, Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev, shared the honours in their hotly contested rivalry.

The pair met on four occasions, with Zverev turning up the dial in their final clash of the year, improving to 6-5 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series (2-2 in 2024) with Alcaraz. Their rivalry hit new heights this year at Roland Garros, where Alcaraz and Zverev met in an absorbing clash.

As part of our annual season-in-review series, ATPTour.com looks back across the four encounters between Alcaraz and Zverev.

Australian Open QFs, Zverev d. Alcaraz 6-1, 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-4

Zverev and Alcaraz took notably different routes to their encounter in the last eight in Melbourne. While Zverev had endured a gruelling journey, battling through 17 sets to secure his spot, Alcaraz cruised through his opening four matches, surrendering only one set on the way.

Despite the physical toll of his earlier matches, Zverev showed no signs of fatigue when he stormed to a commanding 6-1, 6-3, 5-2 lead. On the cusp of victory that would secure his spot in a seventh major semi-final, Zverev began to falter under the pressure.

Alcaraz seized the opportunity with inspired shotmaking to win five of the next six games and spark hopes of an epic comeback. However, Zverev regrouped and delivered a near-flawless fourth set, landing 88 per cent of his first serves to cross the finish line.

<img alt=”Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/22/11/57/zverev-alcaraz-rivalries-2024-ao.jpg” />_{^{Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz embrace at the Australian Open. (Photo Credit: Martin Keep/Getty Images)}}

The triumph was a significant breakthrough for Zverev, who secured his maiden win over a Top 5 opponent at a Grand Slam, having fallen short on the previous 10 occasions.

“When you’re so close to winning, your brain starts going and it is not always helpful, but I’m happy that I got there in the end,” said Zverev, who would go on to suffer a heartbreaking defeat to Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals after leading two sets to love.

Indian Wells QFs, Alcaraz d. Zverev 6-3, 6-1

Alcaraz and Zverev’s clash in the desert will perhaps be remembered for the events that caused a one-hour, 48-minute delay in the early stages of the match.

It was not just forehand winners, 12 to be precise, that Alcaraz swatted en route to his emphatic victory over Zverev. The Spaniard was also forced to fend off a bee invasion, which required a local beekeeper to be called to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

“I saw the sky and there were thousands [of bees] flying, stuck in my hair, going to me. It was crazy,” Alcaraz said of the bizarre incident.

Upon resumption, the defending champion began to produce the tennis he has been accustomed to in Indian Wells. Alcaraz injected his trademark flair and eased past Zverev.

The young Spaniard would go on to defeat Jannik Sinner and Medvedev en route to lifting the trophy for a second consecutive year, extending his winning streak to 12 matches at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

Roland Garros F, Alcaraz d. Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2
Both Alcaraz and Zverev overcame significant hurdles to reach the championship match at Roland Garros. Alcaraz brushed aside doubts caused by a forearm injury that had sidelined him for Monte-Carlo and Rome, while Zverev ended his five-match skid in major semi-finals to reach his second Slam title match.

In a pendulum-swinging contest, Alcaraz saved his most clutch tennis for the fifth set, during which he saved all five break points faced to maintain his perfect 3-0 record in major finals. The 21-year-old’s quality of return allowed him to limit Zverev’s aggression behind his booming serve. Alcaraz ran away with 12 of the final 15 games to become the youngest man to win a major on all three surfaces.

“It has been incredible work,” said Alcaraz to his team at the trophy ceremony. “There were a lot of doubts coming here and practising not too much [due to the injury]. I am really grateful to have the team that I have and the people I have around.”

<img alt=”Carlos Alcaraz” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/22/12/14/alcaraz-french-open-zverev-rivalries.jpg” />_{^{Carlos Alcaraz in action against Alexander Zverev at Roland Garros. (Photo Credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)}}

Nitto ATP Finals RR, Zverev d. Alcaraz 7-6(5), 6-4

After the heartbreaking defeat suffered in Paris, Zverev welcomed the opportunity to earn revenge over Alcaraz in Turin, where the Rolex Paris Masters champion was heading into their final round-robin clash on a seven-match winning streak.

Zverev, who had won each of his two prior Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings with Alcaraz on indoor hard courts, ensured he guarded that form with a straight-sets victory. The 27-year-old was relentless in all aspects throughout the one-hour, 57-minute battle. Zverev carved out eight break points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and kept his serve intact for the fourth consecutive match.

“He beat me too many times this year in important matches, so I’m happy that I got this one,” reflected Zverev after his triumph.

Zverev’s winning streak and pursuit of a third Nitto ATP Finals title came to an end in the semi-finals, where he endured his fourth straight defeat to American Taylor Fritz.

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Ruud and girlfriend Galligani announce their engagement

Casper Ruud has started his offseason on a high note, announcing his engagement to girlfriend Maria Galligani on Instagram Tuesday.

“Can’t wait to marry you💍🤍,” Ruud wrote in a post that featured three photos of the happy couple.

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A post shared by Casper Ruud (@casperruud)

The 25-year-old Ruud was on court two weeks ago at the Nitto ATP Finals, where he reached the semi-finals. The No. 6 player in the PIF ATP Rankings finished the season with a 51-25 match record and two titles, lifting trophies in Barcelona and Geneva.

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Robson to be director of women's event at Queen's

Laura Robson, the former British number one, is appointed tournament director of the new women’s event at The Queen’s Club in June.

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Tien, Van Assche qualify for Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF

Learner Tien and Luca Van Assche have qualified for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, to be held from 18-22 December.

American Tien will make his debut at the 20-and-under event, having won three ATP Challenger Tour titles in 2024. The 18-year-old also enjoyed a run to the quarter-finals at the ATP 250 event in Winston-Salem and will compete in Jeddah against countryman Alex Michelsen, who qualified on Monday.

Van Assche is set to return to Jeddah after advancing to the semi-finals at the event last year. The 20-year-old Frenchman reached the third round at the Australian Open in January and earned eight tour-level wins in 2024.

Arthur Fils, Michelsen, Jakub Mensik and Shang Juncheng qualified on Monday and there are now two qualification spots left. Buy tickets here to watch the eight upcoming stars live in Jeddah.

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My Influences: When Alcaraz is playing, Rocha is watching

When asked which former champion of the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF comes to mind, Henrique Rocha doesn’t hesitate. His answer is swift and brimming with enthusiasm. Carlos Alcaraz, the 2021 winner.

The Portuguese talent, just 20 years old, lights up as he speaks about the Spaniard. Alcaraz’s electrifying style of play, highlighted by his ferocious forehand and boundless energy, has captivated tennis fans worldwide, Rocha included. The admiration for the 21-year-old World No. 3 is clear, and it fuels Rocha’s own aspirations.

The rising star hopes to chart a similar path to Alcaraz’s, beginning at this year’s Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF. Currently ranked 11th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, Rocha is battling to secure his spot in the prestigious event with a strong push in the season’s final week.

In the latest feature for our Next Gen ‘My Influences’ series, Rocha sat down with ATPTour.com to share his thoughts on Alcaraz’s influence, the special bond he shares with his brother, and much more.

Which former Next Gen champ do you most identify with?
I would say probably Alcaraz. I think I play better on clay courts too. I have a very good forehand, which I think is the most powerful weapon in Alcaraz’s game. So I’ll say it’s probably him.

Can you recall the first time meeting Alcaraz or watching him?
I have watched him many times. For example, this year at Roland Garros, he was in the final, and semi-finals, he was playing great, great tennis. And I mean he is one of the best two or three players in the world right now. He is still so young. He does great matches. He is always so fun to watch.

I watched Sinner’s final five years ago at Next Gen and last year I also watched a bit of Medjedovic against Fils in the final. I find it fun in a different way, because we all are always used to six games and advantage and everything. So I think it is kind of fun to have the scoring a bit different.

How inspired have you been with the success of the others at your age?
I think we basically all know each other. I have had contact with everyone. Two years ago, I played with Fils in doubles. I think we had a lot of connection. I know them all. And I have already practiced or played with them, so I think everyone has a good vibe and a healthy competition. We are all young and to be at the Next Gen level, you already have to have a certain level when you are 20 or 21 years old. So that means we will most likely achieve good things in the future. That’s what I am hoping for, that’s what I am working for.

How inspiring is it to see the success of former Next Gen players?
Alcaraz and Sinner were a bit more premature. When they were younger they were already winning everything. But everyone has their path and I think the most important thing is to keep working hard and you will achieve your ambitions and what you want to be. So, they did their path and I’ll do mine for sure.

Who were your other idols on court when growing up?
I looked a lot to Roger Federer. He was my idol. But in Portugal, I would say that Joao Sousa always had this mentality of working hard and he was so competitive, so competitive. That’s typical for the guys from Portugal. And I always admire him a lot because he had all of that energy, that suffering, that working, and I admire that a lot about him. I try to follow in his steps. Now I have also been very close to Nuno Borges. It helps me a lot to be close to these guys. They are already on the top or very close to the top and I want to be there also one day.

How big of a support has your family been?
My parents are always my support but I’ll say even my brother, he always was and is by my side since I was 10 years old. He always pushes me a lot. Because he always knew I could be a good player. I have a lot to improve yet and he is still always next to me and supporting me. He is one of my inspirations and is always trying to look out for me.

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Toni Nadal: 'I’m happy that people have regarded Rafael as a good person'

Under the cover of his ever-present cap, always watching on from a distance, Toni Nadal has played a key role in the current era of professional tennis. The Balearic Islander, uncle and coach for many years of former world No. 1 Rafael Nadal, played an essential part in the building of one of the most complete competitors in the history of sport. The current director of the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar, whose tenacity, common sense and determination were perhaps instilled in his nephew, spoke to ATPTour.com about Nadal’s retirement from the professional game.

“A few months ago Rafael told me that he was thinking about retiring. He wanted to do it in Malaga during the Davis Cup,” Toni said. “Of course, it was something that was more or less expected. We knew that the decision would come sooner or later. I found out a few months ago because Rafael came to tell me.”

The conclusion of Nadal’s career was one of the biggest events in sport this year and its social reach was impossible to ignore. From the most passionate fans to his greatest rivals, everyone came to the same conclusion — Nadal’s retirement brought an end to a period of their lives.

How does Toni feel about it? What are his thoughts looking back on a career that exceeded all expectations?

“I don’t like the word proud too much,” said Toni, with a great deal of humility. “I feel very happy about everything that he’s achieved, obviously on court because of everything he won. But, above all, the most notable thing, which really pleases me as a relative, is seeing how a boy who had a dream of being a great tennis player did everything possible without losing his way. He always kept his feet on the ground. Staying competitive within the limits of correctness. That’s definitely what has pleased me the most. I’ve loved seeing how much people have appreciated that.”

A few weeks ago, Carlos Moyà confirmed that Nadal could retire with no regrets, with the confidence that he had given everything on every day of his career. That permanent state of self-discipline, from training routines to competition, is a reality that Toni champions, having seen Rafa grow from his beginnings to become a universally admired figure.

“Of course he can go with his head held high,” said Toni. “After everything he achieved, having been there for many years, he has gained the immense respect of most people. He has left a good image at all the tournaments he participated in. I think it is clear he can go with his head held high.”

For Nadal’s last few months, the inevitable conclusion was always present. He was taking the final steps in one of the all-time great sporting careers. That road, after so many legendary triumphs, came to an end because of a body that had been pushed to its limits for years. It is a reality that Toni observed from close quarters.

“Of course I saw him suffer. But I got so used to seeing him suffer so many times during his tennis life,” he explained. “Many times he had bad injuries, injuries that looked like they were going to impair him and even prevent him from playing anymore. Because I got so used to that, I wasn’t surprised to see him suffer a bit at the end. The truth is that, even seeing him suffer, I think Rafael can’t complain because life has treated him very well.”

Now, after two decades of being an international sporting icon, Nadal will go through a transition as he steps away from the tennis court. The legend is complete — now it is time to write the legacy. Without the routines he has followed for practically his entire life, he now embarks on a new chapter. Toni is confident that his nephew will take to this as he has done any other stage of his career, like a duck to water.

“I think my nephew will approach his new life with complete normalcy. I always knew that all sporting journeys have their end. There are no sporting careers that last 100 years,” said Toni. “In any case, I think that he has been getting used to the idea over the past few months. Of course, retirement is a difficult time, but I don’t think it will be very difficult to focus on the rest of his life doing other things. I think he’ll probably throw himself at it with the same passion as he did any tennis match.”

There are so many memories of Nadal’s career for a coach who has enjoyed some incredible times, situations that are etched in the minds of the fans, which Toni witnessed up close. Among the collection of memories from a life on the bench, there are some details he will never forget.

“I’ll remember, of course, the [2008] Wimbledon final, the Roland Garros finals, the tournaments in Monte-Carlo. But above all, I’ll remember the process that led to Rafael achieving those victories,” said Toni. “I’ve said to him many times: If you don’t like the process, it’ll be hard for you to like the result. I always placed a lot of value on the process we went through. Since I stopped coaching Rafael, I sometimes remember victories from long ago, but also practice sessions at Club Tenis Manacor, when Rafael was still a boy, trying to improve his forehand and his backhand.”

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How American Boyer has an Argentine flair

A late-season swing on South American clay courts is not where you typically find an American competing on the ATP Challenger Tour. But for California-native Tristan Boyer, he felt right at home playing on the red clay outside of the traditional season, visiting countries including Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Uruguay.

Within the past month, Boyer was the lone American in the singles main draw of the Campinas and Montevideo Challengers. Who won the trophy at each of those events? The 23-year-old Boyer, who this year tied the Challenger record for most match wins by an American in a single season (44).

“It’s definitely the best I’ve ever been playing,” Boyer told ATPTour.com. “It feels unbelievable, as you could imagine. Ending the year with a title is crazy. I called my coach [Alejandro Fabbri] right after and he was like, ‘Yeah, you should appreciate this. Not a lot of people end the year by winning a title’.”

Boyer turned professional in 2022 after one season at Stanford University and as recently as March 2023, he did not have a PIF ATP Ranking. Now at World No. 134, Boyer is the first American to win a trio of clay-court Challengers in a calendar year. His first triumph came in March in Merida, Mexico.

What has helped Boyer become a natural on the surface that can be a foe to many Americans? It starts with Boyer’s junior coach Zibu Ncube, who hails from Zimbabwe. The Los Angeles-based coach began importing red clay from Europe.

“When he bought the court, it played like a green clay court. It was. Then he started importing real, brick red clay. He ships it from Italy,” Boyer said. “It’s like a real red clay court. That’s what I played on from when I was 16 until like 17 and a half.

“In the winter, it’s a little tough. It gets a little damp and soggy, but in the summer it plays like a European red clay court, which is awesome. When I need a clay court in L.A., I still go there. Since I was 16, I’ve probably played more on clay than on hard courts. I like it a lot. Probably not more than hard court, but maybe just as much.”

<img alt=”Tristan Boyer in action at the Campinas Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/10/21/03/59/boyer-campinasch-2024.jpg” />
^{Tristan Boyer in action at the Campinas Challenger. Credit: João Pires}

Boyer is still based in the States, but he spends a fair share of time in Argentina, where he is set for three weeks of preseason training with his team. Boyer’s coach, Fabbri, has worked with a list of players including Diego Schwartzman, Leonardo Mayer, Victor Estrella Burgos, Federico Coria and Hugo Dellien — the 31-year-old whom the American beat in the Montevideo final.

Boyer’s hitting partner when he warmed up for two of his five matches in Montevideo was former football star Diego Forlan, the Uruguayan who was making his professional tennis debut that week, playing doubles alongside Coria.

“He’s a super, super nice guy,” Boyer said of Forlan. “And a solid tennis player, able to warm me up, just as good as an average sparring partner. Pretty impressive honestly.”

What adds another humorous twist to Boyer’s run in South America is that Fabbri also coaches Argentine Juan Pablo Ficovich, who was competing on hard courts in the United States for two weeks while the American battled on red clay. “That was funny,” Boyer said. In October, Boyer beat Ficovich in the Campinas Challenger final.

Following his Montevideo triumph, Boyer addressed the crowd in Spanish, a language he learned in school and has refined through his time in South America. He capped his standout season with a 44-23 record at the Challenger level. Kevin Kim is the only other American to have recorded 44 match wins (2004) on the ATP Challenger Tour.

<img alt=”Tristan Boyer wins the Montevideo Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/25/22/18/boyer-montevideoch-2024-check.jpg” />
^{Tristan Boyer wins the Montevideo Challenger. Credit: Uruguay Open}

“I think one of the keys that I’m extremely grateful for is that I was healthy all year. That was really, really key,” said Boyer, who sat out nearly the entire 2022 season due to a bone edema injury in his left foot. “That was one of the goals we had at the beginning of the year, playing the whole season and not having to skip any tournaments for injuries. My physical training team — Tennis Training Pro in Buenos Aires — always does really, really good work.”

Boyer is always quick to credit his entire team for his success and as he looks ahead to next year, he is determined to build off his Challenger breakthrough.

“The next goal is Top 100, rankings wise,” Boyer said. “Being the best I can be is always the goal. Doing the right things, process wise. Making the right decisions in terms of what we are working on, how we are getting better to make sure we can keep on the right path and the results will show at some point.”

Did You Know?
Boyer and Frances Tiafoe are the only Americans to win three clay-court Challengers in the past 10 years. Tiafoe won two in 2017 and one in 2020.

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