Tennis News

Djokovic, Nadal Join Tribute To Baroness Elizabeth-Ann de Massy

On the first day of action in the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters main draw, H.S.H. Prince Albert II wished to be present at the Monte-Carlo Country Club to pay tribute to Baroness Elizabeth-Ann de Massy, the former president of the Monagasque Tennis Federation and the Monte-Carlo Country Club.

A ceremony was held to unveil a plaque in memory of an exceptional president, who will remain in the history of Monegasque tennis. Baroness Elizabeth-Ann de Massy worked tirelessly to develop and promote the M.C.C.C., the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters and the Monegasque Tennis Federation, until her passing on 10 June 2020.

^{Photo Credit: AFP/Getty Images}
This plaque, which will be installed at a later date on the main alley of the club, was unveiled in the presence of H.S.H. the Sovereign Prince, the Baroness’ daughter Miss Melanie-Antoinette de Massy, the new President, as well as Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, who own a combined 13 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters singles titles. They were deeply attached to Elizabeth-Ann de Massy, like many others players.

Nadal, who respectfully called her “La Madame”, said, “She was an exceptional lady, elegant, fantastic attitude, someone with clear ideas and better ways, always remarkable.”

She is sorely missed by the entire tennis family.

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Djokovic: 'You Do Get Dirty. It's Necessary For Success'

Novak Djokovic is the No. 1 player in the FedEx ATP Rankings and he has won 15 tour-level titles on clay. But even he admitted on Sunday ahead of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters that shifting to clay is not seamless.

“I think clay requires a lot of adjustments. The ball bounces irregularly. It’s quite unpredictable at times,” Djokovic said. “If the courts are not in a perfect state — which is normal if you have rain, wind, different conditions that can affect the condition of the court — then obviously mentally you just have to stay out there. I will use this term ‘grind’ [for what you have to do] mentally and physically more than any other surface.”

Djokovic, a two-time Monte-Carlo champion, discussed at his pre-tournament press conference how the surface changes the tactics and style of play. On quicker surfaces, players rush to the first punch in a rally to try to seize control of a point. But on clay, the pace of the action is different.

“It can be very frustrating at times, because sometimes you just feel like maybe you can’t make a winner, you can’t make an easy point with your serve like you usually do on the other surfaces,” Djokovic said. “It requires a tactical and definitely technical adjustment. The positioning on the court has to vary all the time. A lot of guys, including myself, who usually attacks the return on other faster surfaces, on clay I would probably be more optional there, maybe mix it up, go back from deep in the court, send a looping topspin, then try to get into the rally.

“It’s a very strategic surface that requires a lot of strategic thinking and tactical adjustment.”

^{Photo Credit: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour}
Earlier in the day, second seed Daniil Medvedev spoke about getting dirty on clay when sliding around the court. But that’s not always a bad thing, according to Djokovic.

“You do get dirty,” Djokovic said, cracking a laugh. “It’s necessary, I guess, in order to have success on this surface.”

This will be the World No. 1’s first tournament since he won his ninth Australian Open title in February. The Serbian, who also earned two victories for his country during the ATP Cup, is 9-0 on the season, and he is not concerned about going two months without a match.

“I have had some periods in my career where I didn’t play a tournament for maybe a couple months, then came back,” Djokovic said. “I don’t think there is anything special I have to do in terms of preparation in order for me to feel my best on the court. I’ve been training quite a lot on clay.

“Here in Monte-Carlo actually where I reside with the family, it was convenient and feels great. I feel physically prepared.”

Typically fans flood the walkways at the Monte-Carlo Country Club. But with no fans in attendance this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has created a different atmosphere. Djokovic said that he misses having the fan’s support and explained how their absence impacts the player’s experience.

“You play the tournament at the club where you usually come to train. You still spend time outdoors walking around the club, which you don’t have normally the opportunity to do because there’s so many people, it’s just impossible to walk around,” Djokovic said. “Now you can actually go and check out some training sessions from other players or matches, just be outdoor on the fresh air, which is something that we are grateful for.” 

Djokovic is excited to get going, and he will have to be sharp from the first ball against recent Miami finalist Jannik Sinner or 2017 Monte-Carlo runner-up Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

“Mentally I missed tennis [the] past couple months that I haven’t been competing,” Djokovic said. “I look forward to my first match.”

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With Turin In Mind, Tsitsipas Ready For Clay Swing

Ahead of his third appearance at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, Stefanos Tsitsipas discussed the importance of success during the clay swing to achieve one of his main 2021 goals: Nitto ATP Finals qualification.

The World No. 5 will make his first clay-court appearance in Monte-Carlo since his run to last year’s Roland Garros semi-finals. Tsitsipas has achieved regular success on the surface in recent years, with at least one final appearance on the red dirt in each of the past three ATP Tour seasons (2018-’20).

If the Greek can replicate that form in the Principality, and throughout the remainder of the clay season, he will increase his chances of sealing a spot at the season finale in Turin.

“I’m fighting for the [FedEx ATP] Race to Turin,” said Tsitsipas. “I’m trying to make as many points as possible… It is important for me to be playing a lot of tournaments prior to Roland Garros. Clay is a surface that I love to play and explore my game [on].”

Tsitsipas, currently in fourth place in the FedEx ATP Race To Turin, is happy with the transition he has made from the hard courts to clay. The 22-year-old has been focussed on his physical fitness ahead of his first match of the year on the surface.

“I’ve practised a lot of days on clay. I’ve been feeling well. My body is in good shape,” said Tsitsipas. “Currently I feel like I’m working a lot on my physicality when I play friendly matches on clay. I think that’s going to be the most important aspect in my game during the clay court season.”

Tsitsipas will be tested from his first match at the Monte-Carlo Country Club. The fourth seed will meet the winner of one of the standout matches of the first round between #NextGenATP Italian Lorenzo Musetti and Australian Open semi-finalist Aslan Karatsev.

When asked to predict who he will face in the second round, Tsitsipas backed Musetti, the youngest player in the Top 100 of the FedEx ATP Rankings. During this week’s Sardegna Open, the 19-year-old defeated top seed Daniel Evans en route to the quarter-finals.

“I would go for Lorenzo Musetti. He has played plenty of matches on clay,” said Tsitsipas. “I think he’s getting in shape match by match.”

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Medvedev: At Home In Monte-Carlo, But Not On Clay

Second seed Daniil Medvedev should feel comfortable playing at home in Monte-Carlo, right?

The Russian lives and trains in the south of France, and works with a French coach, Gilles Cervara. He took questions in English and French ahead of his fourth appearance at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, where the 10-time titlist is seeking his first ATP Masters 1000 crown on clay. 

“[I’m] really happy to be here. I like the tournament. Played good once here,” Medvedev said. “[I] can stay at home, which helps with all the bubbles and everything. [I’m] really lucky to be able to stay at home this week.

“It’s very unfortunate that we won’t have any fans, but now all the club is for us. It’s definitely one of the most beautiful tournaments in the world right now.”

Unfortunately, that’s where the sense of comfort ends for Medvedev in Monte-Carlo. The Russian is famously averse to the terre battue, a fact that he was not shy about in his pre-tournament press conference.

“Honestly, there’s nothing I like on clay,” Medvedev said with a wry smile. “There’s always bad bounces, you’re dirty after playing. I really don’t enjoy playing on clay.”

That’s not to say Medvedev hasn’t been working hard to improve his game, or that he hasn’t had any big results on the surface.

Nothing boosts confidence like defeating Novak Djokovic at a Masters 1000 event, and that’s exactly what Medvedev accomplished in 2019 at this very venue. The Russian surprised even himself with a run to the semi-finals (l. Lajovic), his best result on clay to date.

“After what happened two years ago, I know I can play well on this court,” Medvedev said. “Every time I practise on clay, after I play my match, I try to do my best, but it’s difficult for me.”

Medvedev, who has yet to win a match at Roland-Garros in four appearances, revealed that adapting his game to clay has always been a challenge. For the Russian, a cerebral thinker on the tennis court, it’s just as much of a mental puzzle as it is a tactical one.

“Mentally I think for me the most important is going to be to know that some shots that maybe would be winners or which I would win the point on hard courts, it’s definitely not the case on clay courts,” he explained. “You need to do maybe three good shots, one of which would be enough on hard courts. That’s tough sometimes for me to understand.”

Tactically, the Russian’s game also works against him on clay. Whereas on hard courts, Medvedev has made a habit of finding a way to win even on his worst days by falling into his go-to patterns and leaning on his backhand, on clay it’s a different story.

“If I play [on clay] like on hard courts, it’s not that amazing with my flat strokes,” he explained. “[I’m] working on putting some more spin, some more trajectory… All of this is tough because for nine or 10 months, I’m playing like I’m used to. Then I have to change it for two months, still keeping the things that I do well also. You cannot change [your] game completely.”

Second seed Medvedev will be ready to give the clay another chance as he begins his quest for a maiden clay-court Masters 1000 trophy against Filip Krajinovic or Nikoloz Basilashvili. He has landed in 11-time champion Rafael Nadal’s half of the draw. But with no points to defend during the clay swing, if Medvedev can find his footing he could challenge Djokovic for the No.1 spot in the FedEX ATP Rankings.

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Carreno Busta Wins First Title At Home In Marbella

Pablo Carreno Busta won his first ATP Tour title at home on Sunday, defeating fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 to claim the AnyTech365 Andalucia Open trophy in Marbella.

The top seed clinched his 200th tour-level victory by defeating the 23-year-old in the championship match. Carreno Busta needed to summon all of his experience to triumph after two hours and 21 minutes.

“I suffered like yesterday trying to continue fighting all the time… I needed to do it if I wanted to win this kind of match,” Carreno Busta said. “It’s a pleasure to win a title here in Spain, in Marbella. For me, it’s very special. It’s my fifth title, so I’m very, very happy for the victory.”

Former World No. 1 Bjorn Borg, whose son Leo Borg competed in qualifying at this event, was on court for the trophy ceremony. The Swedish legend had plenty of praise for both players.

“We saw a great final today with two great players and great tennis,” Borg said. “I think everybody agrees with me on that.”

“It’s an honour to have Bjorn and also Manolo Santana here,” Carreno Busta said. “It’s very special to us to play in front of these legends and it’s always a pleasure to hear these words from them.”

The level reached its peak towards the end of the match, with both men hitting sensational shots under an incredible amount of pressure. From magical drop shots to jaw-dropping half-volleys, they certainly showed their racquet skills on the Spanish clay.

“I started really good, really focussed, being very aggressive,” Carreno Busta said. “After that I missed a little bit and Jaume started to play better and at the end.”

Now a five-time ATP Tour titlist, Carreno Busta was relentless in his pursuit of the win. At 4-4 in the decider, Munar fought hard to avoid losing serve. But on his seventh break point of the game, the favourite finally made good on his opportunity, blasting a backhand return up the line from deep in the court to force an error from his younger adversary.

Carreno Busta earned 17 break points in the match. Although he was unable to convert just four of them, it was enough to claim his first title since Chengdu in 2019. He earned 250 FedEx ATP Rankings points.

Next Gen ATP Finals alumnus Munar put forth a tremendous effort in his maiden ATP Tour final. The World No. 95 scratched and clawed no matter what Carreno Busta threw at him, but it was not enough to earn his first crown at this level. The World No. 15 was just a bit better on the day.

Munar, who captured 150 points, was comfortable in Marbella, where he is now 12-3 on the ATP Tour and ATP Challenger Tour combined. He reached Challenger finals at this venue in 2020 and 2021 before his impressive run this week.

Did You Know?
This was the first all-Spanish final on the ATP Tour since 11 February 2018, when Roberto Carballes Baena defeated Albert Ramos-Vinolas in Quito.

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A Bad Omen For Nadal's Opponents: 'I Am Confident'

Almost two months after his quarter-final loss to Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Australian Open, Rafael Nadal shared his confidence ahead of his return to action at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

The 11-time champion will be competing in just his second event of the year after recovering from a recent back injury. But despite his lack of match practice, Nadal is entering the clay-court ATP Masters 1000 event with a positive outlook on his game.

“I am good. Honestly, I am confident. I am playing well,” said Nadal. “I [have been] practising well [during the past] couple of days here in Monte-Carlo before the tournament starts. I feel ready.

“It’s true that I didn’t play much. At the same time, [it] is true that I had good success in the past without playing much. My mindset is the same as always. I just try to be ready… Going day by day. Tomorrow, [I have] another practice. I [am] just trying to be ready for the first match.”

Nadal will aim to compile another memorable run of results during this year’s European clay swing. The 34-year-old owns a 71-5 record in Monte-Carlo and is bidding to capture a 12th title at a single tour-level event for the second time. Nadal owns an all-time record 13 titles at Roland Garros.

“I love to play on clay, but I love to be here, [and at] Barcelona, Madrid, Rome [and] Roland Garros,” said Nadal. “I love these events… I will have the chance to play in places that I know very well, places that I have a great story with [at] every single event. For me, that’s important. [I am] just happy to enjoy another experience, another opportunity for me to compete in these historic places of our sport.”

The 20-time Grand Slam champion is not the only Nadal making his return to the ATP Tour this week. Nadal’s uncle and former coach, Toni Nadal, has travelled to the Principality this week as part of #NextGenATP Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime’s coaching team.

“Toni has a lot of experience,” said Nadal. “He knows a lot about this sport. He has all the knowledge that somebody needs. I am sure that [is] going to be an important help for Felix.”

Ahead of the 2021 ATP Tour season, Auger-Aliassime spent more than a week training at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar in Mallorca. Nadal believes his uncle’s presence in Monte-Carlo this week will not only help the Canadian, but also himself. Toni Nadal ended his role as coach of his nephew at the conclusion of the 2017 ATP Tour season.

“I am happy for Felix. [It] is going to be a good support, [to] have a great coach like Toni next to him,” Nadal said. “[I am] happy for myself, too. I am happy to see my uncle here, see him here, spend time with him here on the Tour again. That’s a positive thing.”

Nadal may get to spend more time with his uncle off the court this week, but he will be fully focussed on the task ahead. At one of the most successful events of his career, the five-time year-end World No. 1 will be keen to make his mark in his opening clay-court event of the year. Nadal will begin his 17th campaign in the Principality against Adrian Mannarino or a qualifier.

“[I] arrive [at] an important part of the season for me. I think I did the right work to be ready, so let’s see,” said Nadal. “[I still have] a couple of days of practice here, but [I am] happy [with] the way that I am playing.

“For the moment, my body is in good shape. I am excited about playing here in Monaco again, Monte-Carlo. As everybody knows, [this] is one of my favourite tournaments without a doubt. I love being here.”

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Goffin Finishes In Style In Monte-Carlo

David Goffin claimed the first win of this year’s Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters on Sunday when he charged to the finish line to defeat Marin Cilic 6-4, 3-6, 6-0 on Court Rainier III.

The Belgian converted six of the 18 break points he created to advance to the second round after two hours and 11 minutes. Goffin rallied from 0-3 down in the first set and benefitted from 52 Cilic unforced errors to improve his record at the Monte-Carlo Country Club to 11-7.

Goffin has regained the lead in his fiercely contested ATP Head2Head rivalry against Cilic. The 2017 semi-finalist owns a 5-4 record against Cilic and is now tied at 2-2 in clay meetings.

Goffin’s victory snapped a three-match losing streak for the 30-year-old, which dated back to last month’s Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha. The 11th seed will face a qualifier for a place in the third round.

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Sonego Fights Back To Complete Title Double In Cagliari

Lorenzo Sonego became the first Italian in 15 years to capture an ATP Tour title on home soil on Sunday at the Sardegna Open.

The third seed dug deep in the latter stages of the second set en route to a 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 victory over Laslo Djere of Serbia in just over three hours at the Tennis Club Cagliari.

“The match was long and I remained calm in the second-set tie-break,” Sonego told ATPTour.com. “I knew the match wasn’t finished because I had always kept fighting. It’s wonderful to win the title with all my team here. Now, I am really tired, but I am very happy. I am happy to follow in [Filippo] Volandri’s footsteps and win a title on home soil.”

Sonego, who ended Djere’s nine-match winning streak in Italy, is also the first player to capture singles and doubles titles in the same week since Feliciano Lopez at the 2019 cinch Championships in London. The 25-year-old Sonego partnered Andrea Vavassori to the Cagliari doubles title on Saturday.

Former World No. 25 Filippo Volandri was the last Italian to lift a tour-level trophy on home soil at Palermo (d. Lapentti) in October 2006. The last Italian to complete a title ‘double’ was Matteo Berrettini at the 2018 Swiss Open Gstaad.

Djere got off to the best possible start, breaking serve in the first game. He went on to save three break points in his first service game and took control of the pair’s third ATP Head2Head meeting with a superb backhand winner for a 5-2 advantage. Djere wrapped up the first set in 46 minutes, but Sonego soon responded.

The Italian’s patience was rewarded in the fourth game of the second set, when he used his backhand slice to vary the pace. Djere grew frustrated and he struck a forehand long at 1-2, 30/40. Sonego went on to take a 4-1 lead, but Djere struck back to win three straight games.

Under mounting pressure, Sonego managed to claw back three break points at 5-5, celebrating each point with a huge roar, in an impressive hold. He then dug deep in the tie-break, which turned in his favour when Djere struck a forehand long at 5/5. Sonego pumped his fist after a forehand volley winner that sealed the 81-minute second set.

Sonego appeared to be on course for his second ATP Tour title when he took a 3-1 lead, after he struck a deep backhand return that forced an error from Djere. The World No. 34 gained another break, when Djere overhit a forehand at 2-4, then later held his nerve with big serves to capture his first trophy since June 2019 at the Antalya Open (d. Kecmanovic).

Djere, also 25, had been hoping to claim his third title (2019 Rio de Janeiro, 2020 Sardinia). He is now 9-8 on the 2021 season.

“I have to congratulate Lorenzo on a great week,” said Djere. “It was a pleasure to be back in Sardinia and I had a great week again, even though it didn’t end the way I wanted it to. Nevertheless, it’s still a great week for me and I’m looking forward to the upcoming weeks on clay and the tournament in Belgrade.”

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Behar/Escobar Capture Marbella Doubles Crown

Ariel Behar and Gonzalo Escobar clinched their second ATP Tour title of 2021 on Sunday at the AnyTech365 Andalucia Open.

The Uruguayan and Ecuadorian team overcame Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Tomislav Brkic and Nikola Cacic of Serbia 6-2, 6-4 in 61 minutes at the Club de Tenis Puente Romano in Marbella. It avenged their loss in last month’s Argentina Open final, which Brkic and Cacic won 6-3, 7-5.

Behar and Escobar defeated second seeds Marcus Daniell and Philipp Oswald, and fourth seeds Luke Saville and John-Patrick Smith this week en route to their third ATP Tour team final.

Behar and Escobar captured their first trophy at the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com in January, beating American brothers Christian Harrison and Ryan Harrison 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 10-4 in the final.

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Alcaraz Aiming Higher: ‘I Came To Marbella To Learn’

Carlos Alcaraz is used to being the underdog in his matches. The 17-year-old Spaniard has competed against older, higher-ranked opponents as he contests his first tournaments at tour-level.

In Marbella, where he reached his first ATP semi-final in his sixth main draw appearance, he also learned to bottle down his nerves as he progressed further into the tournament – and the spotlight. 

But he never quite felt settled against countryman Jaume Munar in their hard-fought semi-final clash at the AnyTech365 Andalucia Open. More than just giving the hard-hitting teen a taste of his own medicine, Munar left Alcaraz without a Plan B for the first time this week to hand him a 7-6(4), 6-4 defeat.

“Munar is a great player. He played very well, and didn’t leave me with a lot of options,” Alcaraz reflected in his post-match press conference. “Nerves definitely had a role, because I wasn’t playing with clarity of thought. All I could think about was that I didn’t have any chances, that Munar was too solid – I was getting frustrated and wasn’t able to get out of it. 

“I was only thinking about how badly I was playing, or the mistakes, and not seeing beyond them. In this case, I was actually pushing Munar very hard. But all I could see was that I was making errors, errors, errors, and couldn’t look past that.”

It was a refreshingly mature self-assessment from the 17-year-old, who was bidding to become the youngest ATP Tour finalist since 17-year-old Rafael Nadal in Auckland in 2004. Armed with a big forehand and hailing from Spain, Alcaraz’s rapid rise has regularly drawn comparisons to Nadal.

Alcaraz showed the same fearless determination on court to take down two seeded opponents, Spaniard Feliciano Lopez and No. 26-ranked Casper Ruud. He delighted Spanish fans in Marbella with his electrifying forehand winners and never-say-die attitude. 

In the press room, another similarity to Nadal arose: rather than just hunting for positives, Alcaraz was determined to identify and correct his mistakes against Munar. An hour removed from the defeat, the loss still stung, but the Spaniard was already looking ahead. 

“Of course, it would have been great to win today and play an ATP Tour final. But now that I’m thinking about things with a little more calm, I’m leaving here with more experience and with good feelings,” he said. “You have to be able to look at the positive side of things. At the end of the day, I came here this week to learn and play some good matches, and I think I’ve been able to accomplish that.”

“There is something that I can learn from with this defeat,” Alcaraz added. “I have to learn from these situations, so the next time I am in a situation like this, hopefully it can go differently.”

Currently No. 132 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, the Spaniard is making strides toward another major milestone: a spot into the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan at the end of the season. Alcaraz is set to break the Top 8 with his performance in Marbella, seeking to qualify for the first time.

“Being able to qualify for the Next Gen Finals would be a very positive thing,” Alcaraz said. “It’s a reflection of the high level and hard work that I’ve been doing throughout the year. I hope to continue doing things well, working hard, and playing at a high level.

“But especially I want to keep learning from all of my matches – from all the defeats, all the victories, I want to keep learning and being who I am. I’m enjoying the journey.”

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