Tennis News

Home favourite Zhang advances in Hangzhou, Nishioka wins

China’s No. 1 Zhang Zhizhen is up and running on home soil at the Hangzhou Open. The sixth seed moved past Kazakhstan qualifier Denis Yevseyev 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 on Thursday to reach the second round at the ATP 250.

The 27-year-old was competing on home soil for the first time since he advanced to the fourth round at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai last October.

In a hard-fought first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting between the two, Zhang overcame an erratic display, in which he committed 42 unforced errors en route to advancing after two hours and four minutes. The No. 48 player in the PIF ATP Rankings will meet Mattia Bellucci in the second round.

satisfying win 😊

On home soil Zhang defeats Yevseyev 6-2 1-6 6-4 to move into R2 at #HangzhouOpen @HangzhouOpen pic.twitter.com/xy9pVoDSnK

— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 19, 2024

Yoshihito Nishioka improved his perfect record against Top 100 opponents since the start of 2023 to 15-0 on Thursday at the Hangzhou Open, where the Japanese lefty overcame Germany’s Maximilian Marterer 6-4, 6-2.

The eighth seed was in control throughout the 77-minute clash, not facing a break point to earn victory in the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

The No. 54 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, who reached the title match in Zhuhai last year, will next meet Croatian wild card and 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic in the second round.

Chinese wild card Bu Yunchaokete earned his first ATP Tour win of the season, moving past Frenchman Hugo Gaston 7-5, 6-3. Bu won two ATP Challenger Tour titles in 2024 and qualified for the US Open last month, losing to Casper Ruud in the first round.

The 22-year-old faces a tough test in the second round, meeting second seed Karen Khachanov.

#NextGenATP star Coleman Wong advanced after Wu Yibing was forced to retire after the first set. Wu, who became the first Chinese man to win an ATP Tour title last year in Dallas, has struggled with injury issues in the past year and was forced to stop after losing the first set 3-6.

Wong, who is the first man from Hong Kong to win an ATP Tour match since 1972, is up one spot to ninth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. The 20-year-old is aiming to make his debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF. He faces former Next Gen champ Brandon Nakashima in round two.

In other action at the ATP 250 hard-court event, Bellucci defeated Aslan Karatsev 6-4, 6-0, while Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena overcame Corentin Moutet 7-6(6), 6-1 despite a moment of magic from the Frenchman. Japan’s Yasutaka Uchiyama defeated Australian James McCabe 6-4, 6-4 and will take on top seed Holger Rune in the second round.

Australian Rinky Hijikata moved past Damir Dzumhur 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-2. Hijikata rallied from 2-5 down in the second set to eventually turn the match around after two hours and 31 minutes. He plays seventh seed Fabian Marozsan in the second round. Alexander Shevchenko downed Argentine qualifier Marco Trungelliti 6-1, 6-1 to reach round two.

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Alcaraz on ‘privilege’ of spending time with legends Borg, McEnroe, Laver in Berlin

Team Europe is not messing around when it comes to its latest bid for Laver Cup glory.

Five of the Top 10 players in the PIF ATP Rankings will this year don the blue colours under Bjorn Borg’s leadership at the teams event. Swedish legend Borg, who will captain Team Europe for the seventh and final time, was in a confident mood Thursday in Berlin, where his team aims to reclaim the Laver Cup trophy for the first time since 2021.

“The last two years I was very disappointed, but this year, look at this team,” said Borg at Europe’s pre-tournament press conference. “I don’t think we’re going to lose this year. This is going to be one of the good years.

“I’m happy to see these guys. Some of the guys have been playing in Laver Cup many times. We have a good atmosphere always, and to be here with all these guys, it’s going to be great. It’s going to be good tennis, as always, good matches. Team World, it’s a tough team, they play really good, they played really good in the US Open. But I think we have a good chance.”

𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐄𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄 𝐯𝐬 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 ✨@LaverCup | #LaverCup pic.twitter.com/bLc6xxIOhf

— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 18, 2024

For the first time, Borg will be able to call upon the abilities of Carlos Alcaraz at the Laver Cup. The Spaniard will make his event debut on Friday night in Berlin, where he teams with home favourite Alexander Zverev in the opening doubles clash of the weekend. Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud, Grigor Dimitrov and Stefanos Tsitsipas are also on Team Europe’s roster.

Having increased his tally of Grand Slam titles to four by triumphing at Roland Garros and Wimbledon this season, Alcaraz is fast establishing himself as a modern great of the game. The 21-year-old is nonetheless ready to absorb any knowledge he can while in the presence of tennis legends such as Borg, Team World captain John McEnroe, and Rod Laver himself.

“For me it’s a privilege to be surrounded by Bjorn, by McEnroe, Rod Laver, the legends from our sport who [reached] the top of the sport,” said Alcaraz. “So for me, to just try to learn from them so closely, and obviously here in the Laver Cup, I think it’s a really beautiful tournament that I’m going to try to enjoy as much as I can.

“With my partners, we used to fight against each other during the whole tournament. Now in this tournament we’re going to cheer on each other. It’s going to be a beautiful thing that I’m going to try to enjoy, but I’m going to try to learn from them as well as much as can.”

Alcaraz could turn to his opening doubles partner Zverev for any tips on how to handle the Laver Cup pressure. The German, who has won a Tour-leading 56 matches in 2024, is this year set to compete in his fifth edition of the event appearance, a Team Europe record.

“It is a very special tournament,” said Zverev. “It is very different to maybe the regular tournaments that we play, but I think we should enjoy each other. I think we should enjoy having the best on our team. Normally we see each other at later stages of tournaments, and we want to beat each other, we want to do everything I can to win, and now we are here as a team and we have one goal, and that’s to win the Laver Cup.

“It doesn’t matter who is on the court. I think we, as a team, we all have full trust in that person. I’m just happy to be part of it.”

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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The Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships: Draws, Dates, History & All You Need To Know

The Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships is one of 13 ATP 500 events that will host tennis’ elite for a week in the 2024 season. Among those in action are Top 15 stars Taylor Fritz, Hubert Hurkacz, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Holger Rune.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the Japan tournament:

When is the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships?

The ATP 500 event will be held from 25 September to 1 October. The hard-court tournament, established in 1972, is played at the Ariake Tennis Forest Park. The tournament director is Shigefusa Kanroji.

Who is playing at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships?

Fritz, Hurkacz, Ruud, Tsitsipas, Rune, Ben Shelton and Felix Auger-Aliassime are all set to compete in Tokyo.

When is the draw for the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships?

The Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships draw will be made on Monday, 23 September at 2:00 p.m.

What is the schedule for the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships?

Qualifying: Monday, 23 September – Tuesday, 24 October at 11:00 a.m.
Main Draw: Wednesday, 25 September – Saturday, 28 September at 11 a.m. & 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, 29 September at 1:30 p.m. & 6:00 p.m., Monday, 30 September from 4:00 p.m.
Doubles Final: Tuesday, 1 October at 4:30 p.m.
Singles Final: Tuesday, 1 October NB 7:00 p.m.
View On Official Website

What is the prize money and points for the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships?

The prize money for the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships is $1,818,380 and the Total Financial Commitment is $1,989,865.

SINGLES
Winner: $340,010/ 500 points
Finalist: $182,950 / 330 points
Semi-finalist: $97,510/ 200 points
Quarter-finalist: $49,820 / 100 points
Round of 16: $26,595 / 50 points
Round of 32: $14,185 / 0 points
Qualifying: — / 25 points
Qualifying 2: $7,270 / 13 points
Qualifying 1: $4,080 / 0 points

DOUBLES ($ per team)

Winner: $111,690 / 500 points
Finalist: $59,570 / 300 points
Semi-finalist: $30,140 / 180 points
Quarter-finalist: $15,070 / 90 points
Round of 16: $7,800 / 0 points
Qualifying: — / 45 points
Qualifying 2: —/ 25 points
Qualifying 1: —/ — points

How can I watch the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships?

Watch Live On TennisTV

TV Schedule

How can I follow the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships?

Hashtag: #kinoshitajotennis
Facebook: Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships
Twitter: @japanopentennis
Instagram: kinoshitagroupjapanopen

Who won the last edition of the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships in 2023?

Shelton defeated Aslan Karatsev 7-5, 6-1 in the men’s singles final last year to claim his maiden ATP Tour title. In the doubles final, all-Australian duo Rinky Hijikata and Max Purcell took the crown in Tokyo, overcoming Jamie Murray and Michael Venus 6-4, 6-1.

Who holds the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships record for most titles, oldest champion, youngest champion and more?

Most Titles, Singles: Stefan Edberg (4)
Most Titles, Doubles: Ken Flach (3), Rick Leach (3)
Oldest Champion: Ken Rosewall, 38, in 1973
Youngest Champion: Jimmy Arias, 18, in 1982
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 1 Stefan Edberg in 1991, No. 1 Pete Sampras in 1994, 1996, No. 1 Roger Federer in 2006, No. 1 Rafael Nadal in 2010, No. 1 Novak Djokovic in 2019
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 121 Kenneth Carlsen in 2002
Last Home Champion: Kei Nishikori in 2014
Most Match Wins: Stefan Edberg (27)

View Who Is Playing, Past Champions, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown

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China Open: Draws, Dates, History & All You Need To Know

The China Open is one of 13 ATP 500 events that host an elite roster of men’s players. Among those in action this year in Beijing are No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the Chinese tournament:

When is the China Open?

The ATP 500 event will be held from 26 September to 2 October. The hard-court tournament, established in 1993, will take place at the National Tennis Centre. The tournament directors are Lars Graff and Alfred Zhang Junhui.

Who is playing at the China Open?

Sinner, Alcaraz, Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Grigor Dimitrov, Lorenzo Musetti and Zhizhen Zhang are among the field in China.

When is the draw for China Open?

The China Open draw will be made on Tuesday, 24 September at 2:30 p.m.

What is the schedule for the China Open?

Qualifying: Tuesday, 24 – Wednesday, 25 September at 11:00 a.m.
Main Draw: Thursday, 26 September – Wednesday, 2 October
Start time: Thursday – Sunday at 11:00 a.m., Monday and Tuesday from 12 noon
Night sessions from 7:00 p.m. and NB 8:30 p.m.
Doubles Final: Wednesday, 2 October NB 2:00 p.m.
Singles Final: Wednesday, 2 October NB 5:00 p.m.
View On Official Website

What is the prize money and points for the China Open?

The prize money for the China Open is $3,720,165 and the Total Financial Commitment is $3,891,650.

SINGLES
Winner: $695,750 / 500 points
Finalist: $374,340 / 330 points
Semi-finalist: $199,495 / 200 points
Quarter-finalist: $101,925 / 100 points
Round of 16: $54,405 / 50 points
Round of 32: $29,015 / 0 points
Qualifying: — / 25 points
Qualifying 2: $14,870 / 13 points
Qualifying 1: $8,340 / 0 points

DOUBLES ($ per team)

Winner: $228,510 / 500 points
Finalist: $121,870 / 300 points
Semi-finalist: $61,660 / 180 points
Quarter-finalist: $30,830 / 90 points
Round of 16: $15,960 / 0 points
Qualifying: — / 45 points
Qualifying 2: —/ 25 points
Qualifying 1: —/ — points

How can I watch the China Open?

Watch Live On Tennis TV

TV Schedule

How can I follow the China Open?

Hashtag: #ChinaOpen
Facebook: China Open
Twitter: @ChinaOpen
Instagram: @chinaopen

Who won the last edition of the China Open in 2023?
Sinner defeated Medvedev 7-6(2), 7-6(2) to claim the 2023 title and notch up his first win against Medvedev in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek won the doubles title as top seeds, overcoming Neal Skupski and Wesley Koolhof 6-7(12), 6-3, 10-6 in the final.

Who holds the China Open record for most titles, oldest champion, youngest champion and more?

Most Titles, Singles: Novak Djokovic (6)
Most Titles, Doubles: Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan (3)
Oldest Champion: Rafael Nadal, 31, in 2017
Youngest Champion: Rafael Nadal, 19, in 2005
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 1 Novak Djokovic in 2013-15, No. 1 Rafael Nadal in 2017
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 34 Nikoloz Basilashvili in 2018
Last Home Champion: None
Most Match Wins: Novak Djokovic (29)

View Who Is Playing, Past Champions, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown

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Raducanu reaches Korea Open quarter-finals

Great Britain’s Emma Raducanu reaches the quarter-finals at the Korea Open after beating China’s Yue Yuan in straight sets in Seoul.

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How 6'8" Damm is putting his heel to the ground

American Martin Damm walked onto the practice court for his final training session before this year’s grass-court swing. The 20-year-old was eagerly waiting to compete professionally on grass, the surface on which he beat Carlos Alcaraz at the Wimbledon junior event in 2019.

But in an instant, Damm suffered a freak injury that kept him out of the game for three months. He tore two ligaments in his left ankle before the training session even began.

“I just stepped and next thing I know, I’m on the ground in crazy pain. It was brutal,” Damm told ATPTour.com at the Saint-Tropez Open, an ATP Challenger Tour 125 event. “I just stepped, I didn’t necessarily roll it or fall.

“I think something must have been bad in the ankle. It must have been getting close to it and it was just a matter of what day it was going to happen. I don’t think these things just happen out of nowhere. I couldn’t even put my heel down to the ground the first two weeks.”

Before the injury, Damm was enjoying some of the best results of his career. He reached his first ATP Challenger Tour final in January and made a third-round run at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Miami two months later.

Now Damm is “getting used to trusting my ankle a little more” and aiming to find the level he was producing in the first half of the year.

The son of 40-time tour-level doubles titlist Martin Damm, the Florida native has unique attributes that make him a tricky opponent. Turning 21 at the end of September, Damm stands tall at 6’8” and is left-handed.

“Not many players were or are like that. It definitely has its advantages and disadvantages. I think the great thing is that I’m lefty and the size. Hopefully my serve can get to a point where it’s one of the best in the world,” Damm said.

“At the same time, the game has progressed so much the last few years, everyone is so good at hitting a tennis ball. So unfortunately it’s not only about the serve and how you hit the ball. The majority of it is the physical side, fitness, and the mental side of it as well.  

“I think it’s time to look past forehands, backhand and serves. Obviously it’s great to have that in the toolbox, but you have to be an absolute beast mentally and physically as well to compete with those guys. I think that’s something I need to improve the most in.”

Damm has learned the importance of mental fortitude from his father, whose biggest career doubles title came at the 2006 US Open alongside Leander Paes. The American has also been working with USTA mental performance coach Larry Lauer for seven years.

“[My dad] told me no matter how bad it gets, just keep working,” Damm said. “At the time, it might feel like career-ending losses but at the end of the day, it’s just one match and the season is so long. Keep your head down, keep working and know that the tough times will pass at some point.

“My dad and Larry say, ‘Just accept it, move on, keep working and tomorrow is a new day’.”

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#NextGenATP Shang sinks Nishikori on home soil in Chengdu

#NextGenATP Chinese star Shang Juncheng delivered in front of a lively home crowd on Thursday at the Chengdu Open, where he moved past former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-4 in a high-quality first-round match.

Shang is one of the most exciting prospects on the ATP Tour and the 19-year-old showed why against the 34-year-old Nishikori. He hit cleanly off both wings and dug deep when serving for the match in the second set, fending off two break points before eventually advancing to level the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series at 1-1.

Shang was full of praise for Nishikori after his win.

“His returns are unbelievable, some of the best in the world,” Shang said. “His game is taking the ball early. He doesn’t give you much time and he can defend anything that is coming at him. All the players are tricky but it is tough to play him because he moves in the same way as I do. It was a very good match and he is a really good guy and we get along well off the court.”

Shang shines in Chengdu 🪩

The 19-year-old continues to impress as he rallies past Nishikori 6-4 6-4!@ChengduOpen | #ChengduOpen pic.twitter.com/nNb1rapOss

— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 19, 2024

Shang has now earned 20 tour-level wins in a season for the first time, highlighted by semi-final runs in Hong Kong and Atlanta. The lefty will hope to perform well on home soil during the Asian swing in an aim to further cement his chances of qualifying for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, due to take place from 18-22 December. Shang is currently third in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah.

“The goal for Asia is to be healthy and happy,” Shang said. “I don’t get to play at home much. The fans don’t get to watch the Chinese players much, so it is to have fun.”

The World No. 67 has won his past seven first-round tour-level matches and will next meet Roman Safiullin or Fabio Fognini.

Nishikori was making his debut in Chengdu. The 12-time tour-level titlist struck the ball well against Shang but struggled physically at times, receiving treatment on his left leg and right elbow.

Australian Alexsandar Vukic saved one match point to earn a hard-fought 3-6, 7-6(9), 6-4 win against former World No. 12 Borna Coric at the ATP 250.

Vukic, who leads Coric 2-0 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series, will aim to reach the quarter-finals at a tour-level hard-court event for the first time this season when he takes on Spaniard Pedro Martinez in the second round.

Chinese wild card Zhou Yi earned his first ATP Tour win after Chun-Hsin Tseng was forced to retire in the third set. Zhou led 2-6, 6-1, 3-1 when Tseng stopped. The No. 531 player in the PIF ATP Rankings meets Adrian Mannarino or French qualifier Terence Atmane in the second round.

In other action, qualifier Alibek Kachmazov advanced, defeating American Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 7-6(7), while Yannick Hanfmann beat Japanese wild card Shintaro Mochizuki 6-4, 7-6(4). Christopher O’Connell eliminated Pavel Kotov 6-4, 7-5.

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Building Blockx: #NextGenATP Belgian's childhood spark fueled 'unbelievable passion'

‘Does this little guy also want to try a ball?’

That was the question that started it all for Alexander Blockx, who began playing tennis at age four. Blockx’s brother Maxime, three years his senior, was taking tennis lessons and while Alexander was watching courtside, coach Philippe Cassiers uttered the phrase that kickstarted the Belgian’s journey in the sport.

To this day, Blockx is coached by Cassiers, a 15-year partnership that has featured great success. Blockx became the junior No. 1 in singles and doubles in 2023, the same year he won the Australian Open boys’ singles event.

Competing mostly on the ATP Challenger Tour this season, the 19-year-old is living out his dream as a professional tennis player, a pinch-me moment for someone whose start in tennis was nearly accidental.

“It wasn’t planned for me, I was just going with to see [my brother] a bit,” Blockx recalled to ATPTour.com. “Eventually when we got there, the coach asked my parents, ‘Does this little guy also want to try a ball?’ I said, ‘Yes’, and I started playing and never stopped.”

Cassiers, who runs a tennis academy outside of Antwerp, instantly noticed Blockx’s natural ability.

“There was a little boy sitting on the bench next to mommy and daddy — and that was Alexander,” Cassiers said. “I asked, ‘Do you want to try?’ He stood up and was like, ‘Let’s do it’. We threw him a couple balls and you could tell he was really motivated, ready to play right away. He wasn’t scared. He was ready to go for it and it was really fun. I talked to his parents, ‘Maybe we should try training for the little one as well’. We have been working ever since.”

Blockx is not the first professional athlete in his family. His father Oleg was a track athlete, excelling in hurdle races while Blockx’s mother Natalia was a professional swimmer.

The #NextGenATP teen has never played any sport besides tennis. As a child, he was too busy dominating tennis tournaments, even above his age group.

“You have big dreams, but when I realised I was good at the sport was when I was playing with guys older than me, two or three years older than me. Because against my age and a year older, I barely lost a game every time we played until the age of 14,” said Blockx, who is 24th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah.

“First, I played the Belgian tournaments. I was winning almost everything and then my coach said, ‘Okay, now we are going to play a higher age group’. I started winning everything so we started playing international to see how that goes. In under 12s, I played 45 matches and won 42 I think. So then we were like, ‘Okay, there’s real potential’. At the age of 12, I realised I want to go all in and it might actually work out.”

Currently No. 264 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Blockx has gained more attention since the start of 2023, when he became Belgium’s third junior Slam champion and first at Melbourne Park. Jacques Brichant (1947) and Kimmer Coppejans (2012) triumphed at Roland Garros.

<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/09/18/22/19/blockx-australian-open-2023-junior-champion.jpg” style=”width:100%;” alt=”Alexander Blockx wins the 2023 Australian Open junior title.” />
^{Alexander Blockx wins the 2023 Australian Open junior title. Credit: Manan Vatsyayana/AFP via Getty Images}
“It was amazing. Also because of the way I won it, 11/9 third-set tie-breaker [in the final],” Blockx said. “The whole week I played some good players: [Joao] Fonseca, against Learner [Tien] in the final.”

Blockx this year has made three semi-final appearances on the ATP Challenger Tour, with two of those runs coming prior to a two-month injury layoff in the middle of the season. Blockx was playing his second match in what was supposed to be a five-week Asian swing in April when he tore a ligament in his right ankle, sidelining him until mid-July.

Now back at full health, Blockx showed flashes of his best level last week when he made his Davis Cup debut, which he labelled as, “one of the best experiences of my life so far on a tennis court”. Blockx represented his home country against Italy and pushed former World No. 6 Matteo Berrettini to three sets.

One key element in Blockx’s breakthrough, according to Cassiers, has been his charge’s genuine love for the sport.

“He has a passion for tennis that is really unbelievable,” Cassiers said. “It’s becoming more of an obsession at the moment. He’s really, really into the game. I see many players during the last years, and I’ve never seen a player this passionate and obsessed with the game and [with] the will to improve.

“Off the court, he’s following websites, Challenger TV, YouTube and all these things. You can ask him very hard questions, ‘In 2020, who played the quarter-finals of Madrid?’ Or whatever, he is going to be able to give you an answer with the scores. Off the court, he’s still busy with tennis things.”

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‘Patriotic’ Tsitsipas to represent Team Greece at United Cup 2025

Greek duo Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari will team once again when the United Cup kicks off the 2025 season on 27 December.

Paris Olympics gold medallist Zheng Qinwen and World No. 9 in the PIF ATP Rankings Casper Ruud will also return to lead China and Norway, respectively. 

Tsitsipas and Sakkari have helped Team Greece to the knockout stages in the previous two editions of the tournament, without tasting ultimate success. 

Tsitsipas is hoping the strong team culture he and Sakkari have built so far at the United Cup will hold Team Greece in good stead for 2025. 

“The team we have built with Maria over the last few years is definitely one that gives us a lot of opportunities to go big and create a lot of damage on the field,” he said. “Getting the opportunity to have a lot of good individuals within one team gives us a lot of motivation and a lot of reasons to go out there and fight for our best.”

A sense of patriotism keeps bringing the World No. 12 Tsitsipas back to the United Cup.  

“Representing Team Greece in a team competition like that at the beginning of the year is something that allows me to be really patriotic and start the year very strong,” he said. “Knowing that we come from a country rich in history and good traditions and values when it comes to sports is an extra reason to go out there and represent tennis, try and do as good as we can to uplift tennis and bring its highest value in our country.”  

Tournament Director Stephen Farrow believes the combination of Tsitsipas and Sakkari perfectly encapsulates the atmosphere of the international mixed-teams event.  

“Tsitsipas and Sakkari qualified Greece at the first two editions of the United Cup. They are both fan favourites and are looking forward to starting their year with us in 2025,” he said.  

“The Greek fans in both Perth and Sydney have supported the United Cup with great passion. They bring an unrivaled energy in support of their country’s biggest sporting stars, which is the essence of the United Cup.”

Meanwhile, World No. 7 Zheng led Team China to a United Cup quarter-final berth earlier this year and has ensured China’s qualification once again.  

“I’m delighted to be able to qualify China again for the United Cup,” said Zheng, the first Chinese player in history to win an Olympic tennis medal in singles. “The United Cup presents a unique opportunity to play for our country in a mixed team environment, similar to the Olympics, and we couldn’t be more excited to share this experience together.” 

Farrow is grateful a player of Zheng’s quality has recommitted to compete at the United Cup. 

“Zheng has had an incredible 2024. She reached the final of the Australian Open in January, won gold in Paris and has maintained her Top 10 ranking throughout the year,” said Farrow of the player who also recently reached the US Open quarter-finals. “She’s a great player and a big personality and it’s fantastic to welcome her back to the United Cup.” 

Ruud is also set to feature at the tournament as he headlines Norway’s third United Cup campaign. The 25-year-old went undefeated in his singles matches at the last United Cup and took the Norwegians to the quarter-finals.  

“Casper Ruud’s consistent results on the Tour has again allowed Norway to secure their position at the United Cup for another year. Ruud’s early commitment recognises the value in participating in global team competitions,” Farrow said.

The 2025 United Cup starts on 27 December and features 18 countries battling it out across both Sydney and Perth. The champions will be crowned in the final on 5 January.

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Iconic Brandenburg Gate sets the scene for Laver Cup official photo

ATP Tour stars from the past and present stood before an iconic landmark on Wednesday evening in Berlin for the official pre-event photograph of the 2024 Laver Cup.

Captains and players partaking in this year’s edition of the teams event headed to the German capital’s Brandenburg Gate for a spectacular sunset shot. Former No. 1s in the PIF ATP Rankings Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe are this year captaining Team Europe and Team World, respectively, for the seventh and final time, and they will have some of the current day’s finest talent to choose from across 20-22 September at Uber Arena.

Borg’s Team Europe lineup includes home favourite Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud, Grigor Dimitrov, and Stefanos Tsitsipas, with Flavio Cobolli and Jan-Lennard Struff in Berlin as alternates. The Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz is looking forward to making his bow in an event that pits six of the best European stars against six players from the rest of the world.

“I think it’s a unique event,” Alcaraz told media after the photoshoot. “I’m supporting my opponents from the rest of the year, so it’s going to be a little bit weird for me but I think it’s going to be fun. The format is unique as well, so I’m super excited to start the event and see how it’s going to be on Friday and at the weekend. Really happy to be here at the Laver Cup.”

Always a pleasure to have @rogerfederer in town 🤩@LaverCup | #LaverCup pic.twitter.com/WwqPtunJCM

— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 18, 2024

The World No. 7 Taylor Fritz is the highest-ranked star on Team World. The American will hope to back up his run to his maiden Grand Slam final at the US Open with a strong showing in Berlin.

“I’m super excited I’m here,” said Fritz. “I’ve heard really good things about Berlin and so far I’m really enjoying it. It’s one of those places, that if Laver Cup wasn’t here, I might never have gotten the chance to come.”

For McEnroe, the fact that this will be his last as captain of Team World only serves as extra motivation. The American hopes to steer his roster, which includes Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Ben Shelton, Alejandro Tabilo, Francisco Cerundolo and Thanasi Kokkinakis, to a third consecutive Laver Cup triumph.

“My idol as a kid was Rod Laver, and Roger Federer was the most beautiful player, one of the best people I’ve ever met. He came up with this idea, and to be able to do this with my best rival and great friend Bjorn Borg [is great],” McEnroe told ATPTour.com. “It’s pretty tough and when you lose, it sucks, but it’s still a great experience to be part of this. Hopefully, since we finally won the past two, we can go out with a bang.”

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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