After seven years of persistence as a pro tennis player, Gianluca Mager was rewarded by cracking the Top 100 after reaching his maiden ATP Tour final this February at the Rio Open presented by Claro. But the Italian is still waiting to enjoy the benefits of his labour.

Two weeks after his inspired run, the COVID-19 pandemic halted play on Tour and Mager returned to his hometown of Sanremo. The 25-year-old has remained at home since then, but normalcy is slowly returning to daily life in Italy and he recently resumed some of his training.

“We’ve started to play tennis for the past week,” Mager told ATPTour.com. “I tried to do some exercises in my house before that, a lot of core work and stretching. I tried to eat well and not gain too much weight. It’s not easy because my house isn’t that big and I couldn’t go out, but I did my best.

“The situation is a bit difficult because our job is to travel every week, so to stay in one place for three months and do the same thing every day is strange. But I’m happy because I can stay with my family and my girlfriend. I’m trying to take advantage of spending time with them.”

A smile still flashes across Mager’s face when he talks about his week in Rio de Janeiro. He arrived with two tour-level wins in his career, but came through qualifying and took out Buenos Aires champion Casper Ruud in the opening round, then followed up with a stunning quarter-final upset over then-World No. 4 Dominic Thiem. Mager moved from No. 128 to a career-high standing of No. 77.

What a moment for Gianluca Mager ?

The Italian qualifier gets the job done in straight sets against the World No. 4 ?

?: @TennisTV | @RioOpenOficial pic.twitter.com/QY1wtQBPDa

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 22, 2020

Although Mager initially imagined that he’d be competing in ATP Masters 1000 events and making his Grand Slam main draw debut this month at Roland Garros, the pandemic has shifted his priorities. With more than 223,000 cases of COVID-19 in Italy and 31,368 related deaths as of 14 May, he’s simply grateful to be healthy.

“I feel a bit sorry because this is the first time I could play in the main draw of ATP Tour events and Grand Slams. I was playing well, felt confident and could have done even better in my results,” Mager said. “But I’m still happy because my family is healthy and nobody got sick [with COVID-19]. A lot of people died in Italy, so in these moments, tennis is only a second priority.”

Mager’s surge into the Top 100 is even more surprising given his unconventional path. He only competed in three ITF junior events and preferred to spend his teenage years enjoying the picturesque views of his hometown. But after being introduced to former ATP Tour player Diego Nargiso, he ditched his partying ways and dedicated himself to the sport at age 18.

First Final Feeling!

Qualifier Gianluca Mager reaches a maiden ATP final 7-6(4) 4-6 7-6(2) over Balazs. He meets Garin for the ?#RioOpen pic.twitter.com/bgzgtK1nwR

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 23, 2020

In his first year as a pro, Mager took a train and bus every day to practise in Beausoleil, a French commune that adjoins Monaco. Despite the grueling commute, he never missed a training session.

“I didn’t give too much importance to tennis when I was younger. I preferred to be with my friends and stay outside,” Mager admitted. “When I was 18, I started to take it seriously. I stopped going out and started going to bed early. When I met Diego, he helped me to become motivated and it finally became a real passion for me. I started to practise better and was more professional.”

It’s a lifestyle that the Italian has grown accustomed to. Although he’s enjoyed strengthening his relationships with loved ones that he doesn’t get to see much during a normal year, Mager is eager for play to resume on Tour.

“I can’t wait to enjoy the tournaments that I would have played during the lockdown,” Mager said. “I was playing a lot of smaller tournaments before this, but now I’ll get to be on the ATP Tour and it’s going to be a completely different thing.”

Former World No. 1 Andy Murray is on a roll off the court.

Two weeks ago, the 32-year-old won a video game tournament: the Mutua Madrid Open Virtual Pro. Now, he has won a quiz contest against Manchester United star Marcus Rashford.

“If I win, you’re getting me box tickets!” Murray proclaimed before the quiz began.

For his part, Murray said that if he lost, he would get Rashford Wimbledon Centre Court tickets. But the 46-time tour-level titlist cruised to victory, 4-2.

Murray knew how many goals Rashford scored in his first-team debut (2), his jersey number (10), how many goals Rashford has scored for England (10) and the year he won the FA Cup with Manchester United (2016).

“I’m happy with my day’s work now,” Murray said. “How are you planning on delivering those tickets to me?”

“You can steal my box for the game,” Rashord responded with a smile.

Rafael Nadal played an incredible clay-court season in 2017, going 24-1 with four titles, including a triumph at Roland Garros. However, a 23-year-old Dominic Thiem prevented the Spaniard from clay perfection that season.

Thiem stunned the legendary lefty 6-4, 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia for one of the biggest wins of his career, ending Nadal’s 17-match winning streak.

“It’s a great achievement for me. If you’re up a set and a break, you never feel safe because he just doesn’t give you one easy point. You really have to finish the match off, and that’s what I did today,” Thiem said. “He’s this kind of player who never gives up. [He is] probably the best fighter in tennis. Especially on clay, it’s one of the toughest things to beat him.”

What makes the Austrian’s straight-sets victory even more impressive is that earlier that clay season, he lost twice against Nadal without winning a set. Entering their clash at the Foro Italico, the Spaniard led their ATP Head2Head series 4-1. Nadal’s four victories came in straight sets, and Thiem needed a final-set tie-break in his win.

But Thiem came out firing in Rome, looking to dictate play at every opportunity in his one-hour, 51-minute win.

“I came in with a very aggressive game style, because I knew that if I wanted to have a chance, then I would have to do something different and be more aggressive,” Thiem said. “I knew that if it goes in, everything, maybe I have a chance. If not, maybe I’d also lose easily. But today was one of these days where I really felt the ball great on the racquet, and a lot of risky shots went in.

“It was a very, very good performance and I think probably one of my best matches.”

Thiem was clutch under pressure, saving six of seven break points he faced. He won more points behind his second serve (58%) than Nadal did behind his first serve (55%).

“The opponent played very well. [I] just congratulate him, because he was better than me this afternoon,” Nadal said. “He played great in all aspects. Just well done for him.”

Thiem, who lost in the next round against Novak Djokovic, went on to reach his second consecutive Roland Garros semi-final. But against Nadal, he wasn’t able to conjure the same level he found at the Foro Italica. Nadal dismissed the Austrian 6-3, 6-4, 6-0, and he went on to lift the trophy without dropping a set.

Did You Know?
Nadal currently leads Thiem 9-5 in their ATP Head2Head series.

David Goffin is the No. 10 player in the FedEx ATP Rankings with four ATP Tour titles to his name.

ATPTour.com looks at five things you should know about the 29-year-old.

1) He Played His Idol On His Roland Garros Debut
In 2012, as a lucky loser, Goffin survived two five-set matches en route to the Round of 16 at Roland Garros. The 21-year-old faced his idol, Roger Federer, for a place in the quarter-finals.

After taking the opener, Goffin pushed Federer in the second set before falling to a four-set defeat. Following the match, Goffin and Federer shared a joint interview on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.

2) He Returned In Style In 2014
After breaking his left wrist in September 2013, Goffin reached new heights the following year. The Belgian arrived at the 2014 Generali Open on a 15-match and 30-set winning streak, after capturing ATP Challenger Tour titles in Scheveningen, Poznan and Tampere.

Searching for his first ATP Tour trophy, the 23-year-old cruised through to the semi-finals in Kitzbühel without dropping a set, before earning three-set comeback wins against Maximo Gonzalez and Dominic Thiem to take the title. At the 2014 Nitto ATP Finals, the Rocourt native received the 2014 Comeback Player of the Year trophy.

3) He Ended 2017 In Top Form
At the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals, Goffin earned three Top 4 victories en route to the championship match. The 26-year-old overcame Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem to advance to the semi-finals, where he rallied from a set down to upset six-time champion Roger Federer.

Goffin met World No. 6 Grigor Dimitrov in the final, but fell in three sets to the Bulgarian. With titles in Tokyo and Shenzhen, Goffin ended the year with a 59-24 record.

4) 2019 Was A Year Of Two Halves
“Last year was a lot of ups and downs for me. At the beginning of the year, it was really tough. I was a little bit lost,” said Goffin.

In his opening 15 tournaments of the 2019 ATP Tour season, Goffin earned just two Top 30 victories and failed to win more than two matches at any event. But the Belgian reversed his fortunes at the NOVENTI OPEN in Halle, beating three Top 30 players in four matches to earn his place in the championship match.

Despite his loss to Federer in the final, Goffin continued to build in confidence through the remainder of the year. After a quarter-final run at Wimbledon, the four-time ATP Tour titlist reached his first ATP Masters 1000 final at the Western & Southern Open and advanced to the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships semi-finals in Tokyo.

“I changed coaches. I started to work with Thomas Johansson and then week-after-week, I started to play much better,” said Goffin. “The second half was much better. I finished the year No. 11 [in the FedEx ATP Rankings] so, at the end, it was a good year.”

5) He Entered The History Books At The 2020 ATP Cup
Remember this for future quiz nights: David Goffin was the first player to use Video Review in ATP Cup history.

In his opening match of the 2020 ATP Tour season, the 5’11” right-hander unsuccessfully challenged a foot fault call during his match against Radu Albot. Goffin went on to clinch the tie for Team Belgium with a 6-4, 6-1 victory and ended the team competition with a 3-1 record.

In the Final Eight, Goffin became only the second man to beat Nadal in singles while playing for Spain (excluding Olympics). Nadal had won 32 straight such contests heading into the match (32-2).

In December, four tournaments were recognised for excellence in standards set across the global ATP Challenger Tour and for their steadfast commitment to growing the game. These integral events in Puerto Vallarta, Heilbronn, Braunschweig and Szczecin have become player and fan favourites for their dedication to providing a world-class experience both on and off the court.

This week would have been the seventh edition of the NECKARCUP, which earned Tournament of the Year honours in three straight seasons from 2017-19. Despite being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Heilbronn remains one of the more scenic and sparkling destinations on the circuit.

With five of its six champions currently residing in the Top 40 of the FedEx ATP Rankings, Heilbronn has been a breeding ground for the future stars of the ATP Tour. World No. 34 Jan-Lennard Struff captured the inaugural title in 2014, followed by No. 7 Alexander Zverev, No. 27 Nikoloz Basilashvili and No. 32 Filip Krajinovic, winner in both 2017 and 2019.

Heilbronn has also been the site of teenage breakthroughs, featuring 18-year-old Zverev as its champion in 2015 and 17-year-old Rudolf Molleker in 2018. Molleker had never won a match at the Challenger level entering the week and he would leave with the trophy. And on the doubles court, Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies captured the title last year, before sprinting to their maiden Grand Slam crown at Roland Garros.

Tucked in the southwest corner of Germany, less than an hour north of Stuttgart, is the sleepy town of Heilbronn. With the river Neckar curling around the downtown district and a vast expanse of vineyards dotting the surrounding region, Heilbronn’s tranquility provides players with an idyllic setting for a tournament.

Enter the grounds of the NECKARCUP in Heilbronn and your immediate impression is one of a modern facility, built especially for a world-class tennis tournament.

Turn to the left and you’ll find a corridor of entertainment, featuring a stage for concerts and comedy shows, and nationally renowned dining, including Thomas Gödtel’s Tenno Sushi Lounge. Then shift to the right and stroll past the two main show courts, weaving through the VIP centre and a sponsor village that features a 3D printing machine.

But despite its lush ambiance, this venue actually has quite a long and storied history. One of the longest on the Challenger circuit, in fact. Turn back the clock more than a century and you will find this very stadium at the forefront of German tennis. Not only is the TC Heilbronn Trappensee the second-oldest tennis club in all of Germany, but it is also the third-oldest on the ATP Challenger Tour today.

Founded in 1892, it celebrates its 128th anniversary this year. Only the grass-court facilities in Ilkley (1880) and Surbiton (1881) have a longer legacy on the circuit, but Heilbronn boasts arguably the most colourful history.

The original site was constructed on the expanse of land adjacent to the current stadium, but during World War II, the city was the target of numerous bombings by the British and United States Air Forces. In April 1945, the U.S. military seized control of Heilbronn and the persistent air raids culminated in a nine-day battle. Located along the Neckar River, the city was an important battleground towards the end of the war.

Tournament directors Mine and Metehan Cebeci say that troops from the United States army were stationed in the region immediately surrounding the city, which was nearly entirely destroyed by more than 1,000 allied bombs. Following the war, the American forces helped the locals rebuild the tennis club, assisting in the construction of the current indoor facility that today houses three carpet courts. During the tournament, the building is transformed into a sprawling player lounge, dining area and event offices.

Today, the surrounding region is home to hundreds of vineyards. Heilbronn is known for its bustling wine industry, with more than 1,300 acres of land dedicated to the craft. It’s one of the more picturesque settings for a tournament on the ATP Challenger Tour. And that’s exactly why the Cebecis established the event. In just six years, it has become one of the premier stops on the ATP Challenger Tour, serving the players with all the amenities they need, from round-the-clock shuttle service to buffet lunches and dinners, a large warm-up and cool down area and six practise courts.

Metehan’s father, Erdogan, was an iconic figure at the club for many years. He served as the chief tennis intructor since immigrating from Turkey and taught Metehan how to play as a child. In 1988, Metehan moved from Turkey to Heilbronn at the age of 17. One year later, he and Mine met in the city and in 1990 they were married. Today, they live in Heilbronn and with their 22-year-old daughter helping with tournament operations and their 17-year-old son working as a ball boy, it truly is a family affair.

“You feel at home here,” said Germany’s Dominik Koepfer. “The player area is the best you will find on tour. There’s plenty of food, enough bikes and a great place to cool down and warm up. You have your privacy too, which is important. They pick you up from the train station and airport too, which is 40 minutes away. You don’t get that at all Challengers. Transport is every 30 minutes and the hotel is very good. There are enough practice courts too. It’s just a great tournament, which really helps this time of year.”

Moreover, the NECKARCUP is well advertised and promoted in the region, with live media coverage from multiple outlets spanning the entire week. From online publications to newspaper, TV and radio, the tournament is covered from top to bottom. And the public has taken notice, with nearly 6,000 people filling the stands throughout the week.

“It’s always great to play at home,” added Oscar Otte. “Every year the tournament is improving and getting better. The whole organisation is great and the player area is a really high level for a Challenger. There’s also a lot of spectators supporting the Germans. We all like to play here. For me, it’s the best Challenger.”

In the fourth profile of a series on the 26 players to rise to No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, ATPTour.com looks back on the career of Bjorn Borg. View Full List

First week at No. 1: 23 August 1977
Total weeks at No. 1: 109
Year-End No. 1s: 1979-80

As World No. 1
Bjorn Borg rose to No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings for the first time, for a single week, at the age of 21 on 23 August 1977. His sixth and final stint at No. 1 lasted 46 weeks, between 19 August 1980 and 2 August 1981. He was the year-end No. 1 in 1979 and 1980 and sat at the summit of professional tennis for 109 weeks. “It’s tough when you’re No. 1,” said Borg. “You don’t have any private life, you can’t even walk anywhere. I think that was one reason why I lost my motivation to play tennis.” He was ranked in the world’s year-end Top 10 across eight straight seasons between 1973 and 1981.

Grand Slam Highlights
Borg made his major championship debut in 1973 at Roland Garros, where he reached the fourth round and subsequently returned to win 46 of his next 47 matches in Paris (49-2 overall record), including title runs in 1974-75, 1978-1981. Across the English Channel, the Swedish baseliner was also making his mark at Wimbledon (51-4 record, .927), where ‘Borg Mania’ reached new heights as he won 42 consecutive matches and earned five straight crowns between 1976 and 1980. Often, against the best players at SW19, he serve-volleyed off his first delivery. Borg’s legendary feat of three Roland Garros-Wimbledon title doubles has since been achieved twice by Nadal (2008 and 2010) and Roger Federer (2009). In 16 major championship appearances, between 1977 Wimbledon and the 1981 US Open, Borg won nine trophies from 14 finals. He reached the US Open final on four occasions, in 1976 (on clay) and in 1978, 1980-81 (on hard courts) and competed at the Australian Open only once, as a 17-year-old in 1974. Borg’s four-set loss to John McEnroe in the 1981 US Open final was his last major championship match (141-16 overall record). “I think Bjorn could have won the US Open,” said Arthur Ashe. “I think he could have won the Grand Slam. But by the time he left, the historical challenge didn’t mean anything. He was bigger than the game. He was like Elvis or Liz Taylor or somebody.”

Nitto ATP Finals Highlights
The Swede made five appearances at the season-ending championships, starting with his debut as an 18-year-old on Melbourne’s grass in 1974. He went on to reach the 1975 final in Stockholm (l. to Nastase) and the 1977 final in New York (l. to Connors), before back-to-back titles in 1978 (d. Gerulaitis), when he went 5-0 during the week at Madison Square Garden, and 1979 (d. Lendl).

Tour Highlights
In partnership with Lennart Bergelin, his coach from 1971 to 1983, Borg won 64 singles trophies and won 644 matches (.827). Borg, who won 16 titles as a teenager, first represented Sweden in the 1972 Davis Cup at the age of 15 and quickly rose into the Top 20. He won his first big title before his 18th birthday at the 1974 Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome, shortly before he started his love affair with Roland Garros. At 19, he punctuated a 19-match winning streak by helping Sweden capture the 1975 Davis Cup crown, and between 1976 and 1980 he won 90 per cent of his matches in four consecutive seasons. Towards the end of the 1981 season, his motivation waned, and he succumbed to burnout, announcing his retirement in January 1983 at the age of just 26. Growing his hair out once more, he attempted a comeback, using a wooden racquet, in 1991 and 1992, but failed to win a set. He subsequently joined the ATP Champions Tour.

Overall ATP Singles Match Win-Loss Record 644-135
Overall ATP Singles Titles/Finals Record: 64-25

Biggest Rivalries
Borg had two principle rivals, Connors and McEnroe, during his 11-year career. Borg met Connors, who is four years older, on 23 occasions, leading 15-8 overall (5-3 at Grand Slams and 8-5 in finals). Connors, who won six of their first seven matches, ended Borg’s 43-match winning streak in the 1978 US Open final, but Borg won their last match in the 1981 semi-finals. Because of their contrasting game styles and personalities, Borg’s clashes against McEnroe became the era’s biggest rivalry. The pair met just 14 times at tour-level (7-7), from their first meeting in the 1978 Stockholm Open semi-finals to the 1981 US Open final. Borg led McEnroe 7-4, but the American won their last three finals meetings, including at Wimbledon and the US Open in 1981.

Legacy
No modern career has been so brief, yet so bright. During the sport’s boom of the 1970s, every player attempted to replicate the ‘Ice Man’, his controlled, emotional demeanour, but also the way he hit heavy topspin forehands and two-handed backhands (his best stroke) with a western grip. His stamina, endurance and steely focus made Borg practically unbeatable on the clay of Roland Garros and Wimbledon’s grass. With Bergelin, Borg had more than a coach; he was a ‘second’ father and close friend, who protected his charge as Borg’s celebrity shone and developed the style of play that dominates the sport today. Borg was massively superstitious, from sitting on the same chair beside an umpire, to the way he placed his racquets and towels. His first wife, former Romanian player Mariana Simionescu, once said, “He was always very placid and calm, except if he lost a match – he wouldn’t talk for at least three days. He couldn’t stand losing.” His departure from the sport was a massive shock, just as his rivalry with McEnroe was at its peak. Today, alongside McEnroe, Borg is a team captain in the Laver Cup (since 2017).

Memorable Moment
On 5 July 1980, the world’s two best players, Borg and McEnroe, contested one of the most compelling matches in the sport’s history, pitting ruthless baseline play against a classic serve-volleyer. The match was unrivalled until the 2008 Wimbledon final between Nadal and Federer. Borg and McEnroe engaged in a 20-minute fourth-set tie-break, which saw Borg save five set points and McEnroe save five championship points, before the American prevailed 18/16. McEnroe could not break Borg in the deciding set and the Swede won his fifth straight Wimbledon title, 1-6, 7-6, 6-3, 6-7(16), 8-6, after four hours and 13 minutes. “The 1980 Wimbledon final with Borg – that’s the one I was most proud of to be part of,” said McEnroe, who ended Borg’s five-title run at Wimbledon the next year. “It’s talked about as one of the best matches people have seen so that certainly elevated me in a lot of different ways, even though I came out second in that one.”

Connors on Borg
“Bjorn was a different breed. I threw my best material at him, but he would never smile, but that added to the charm when he played me and Mac. We were going nuts and losing our mind and he was sitting back like he was on a Sunday stroll.”

McEnroe on Borg
“He had this thing about him that was inexplicable. I don’t know what it is, why it is, but it is. Certain people have this incredible aura that I can’t explain without having to do anything. It’s like he got into his superman outfit. I did try in practice just for the hell of it, to be like that, but I couldn’t do it in practice, so I wasn’t going to waste my time in a match trying to be like he was. I felt like letting things out was healthier than keeping things in.”

Borg on Borg
“They [my rivals] didn’t really know what I was thinking or how I was feeling, if I am laughing or crying or disappointed or happy. They don’t know that because I kept it all to myself. That didn’t mean I wasn’t boiling inside, but I would never let anyone see that.”

Journalist/Broadcaster Graeme Agars on Borg
By almost all measures, Borg was hardly the classic highly strung tennis player. The incredibly popular ‘heart throb’ Swede wasn’t called the ‘Ice Man’ for nothing: His steely demeanour and superb concentration meant his matches were all business, with rarely any real emotion shown. But the same can’t be said for his wooden racquets, which were strung as tight as any professional player has ever used. It wasn’t uncommon for them to be strung at 75-80 pounds, more than double what the average player uses. And because Borg’s racquets were wooden and not made of the modern high-tech materials like graphite, they frequently used to succumb to the strain and that was often before he had even taken them on court. There were numerous stories on the Tour back in his day about the racquets exploding at the most inappropriate times, like the middle of the night in hotel rooms, in overhead luggage lockers on aircraft and during transit between venues. Although Borg was unmoved when it happened, those who were not aware of what the ‘rifle shot’ noise was were often terrified.

Novak Djokovic entered the 2014 Internazionali BNL d’Italia final with three victories from 16 ATP Head2Head clashes against Rafael Nadal on clay.

His performance on that day in the Italian capital marked a new chapter in their rivalry.

The Serbian, competing at No. 2 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, ended World No. 1 Nadal’s bid for an eighth Rome trophy with a three-set victory. It proved to be the first of four wins for Djokovic from five clay-court matches against Nadal between the 2014 and 2016 editions of the event. It remains the most successful period in Djokovic’s career against Nadal on the surface.

Djokovic v Nadal on Clay (Rome 2014 through Rome 2016)

Djokovic had battled through the field to reach his fifth final in Rome (2-2). After beating Radek Stepanek in straight sets in the first round, the 26-year-old was forced to deciding sets by Philipp Kohlschreiber and Top 10 stars David Ferrer and Milos Raonic.

Fresh from his Mutua Madrid Open triumph, Nadal was also tested en route to the championship match in Rome. The Manacor native survived three-set clashes against Gilles Simon, Mikhail Youzhny and Andy Murray, before a 6-2, 6-2 semi-final victory against Grigor Dimitrov.

After dropping the opening set, Djokovic earned an early break in the second set and pushed the Spaniard behind the baseline with aggressive groundstrokes to force the match to a decider. The two rivals traded early breaks in the third set, before Djokovic made the crucial breakthrough at 3-3. The 18-time Masters 1000 titlist soaked up the pressure from the back of the court to break serve and, two games later, took the title after two hours and 19 minutes with his sixth service break.

“I’ve had some tough matches. Four out of five matches were three-setters and I had to come back from one set down yesterday against Raonic and today again. That gives me a lot of confidence,” said Djokovic. “Winning against Rafa in the final of a big tournament on clay, his preferred surface, is definitely a confidence booster.”

With his 44th tour-level trophy, Djokovic moved to within 650 points of the World No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. Despite falling to Nadal in the Roland Garros final, Djokovic eventually overtook the Spaniard in the FedEx ATP Rankings on 7 July 2014 after winning his second Wimbledon trophy. The Serbian maintained the position until 7 November 2016.

Arthur Rinderknech talks about his mother’s coronavirus diagnosis and how he has turned to baking, drawing and watching ‘The Last Dance’ to pass the time…

In January and February, no player was more dominant than Rinderknech on the ATP Challenger Tour. The Frenchman entered the season outside the Top 300 of the FedEx ATP Rankings, but he would find his stride in a hurry.

Having thrived in four years at Texas A&M University, Rinderknech embarked on his second season on the professional scene in 2020. The 24-year-old adapted quickly, claiming his maiden Challenger title at home in Rennes, before sprinting to back-to-back finals on Canadian soil.

Armed with a mammoth serve and boisterous baseline game, Rinderknech built more confidence with every passing week. It was in Canada that he surged to a career-high of No. 160, finishing runner-up in Drummondville and lifting his second trophy the following week in Calgary.

“It was pretty tough for me [to stop playing]. If I can digest what happened in January and February, and go back to work with even more motivation, I can achieve my goals. I had a pretty good chemistry on the court and with some more hard work, I know I can do it again. I don’t have many [FedEx ATP Rankings] points to defend through the end of the year, but we’ll see how it goes. We’re all missing the competition in tennis, but the safety of the world is more important.”

Rinderknech’s victory at the Calgary National Bank Challenger marked the last time he would step on a match court. The Parisian immediately returned to France and just two weeks later, the country announced its lockdown. He has since remained in Paris, staying with his girlfriend and her parents.

During his time in quarantine, Rinderknech describes how his mother and two aunts contracted the coronavirus, what daily life has been like, how he’s been staying in shape and his plans to return to the court. He’s thankful for all the frontline workers’ dedication and hard work throughout the pandemic.

“The people working in hospitals are the true heroes right now. They are saving lives day in and day out. We’re all just trying to hold on for a few more months. I know it’s really tough for everyone. We’re just waiting inside, which is the best thing we can do right now. They are battling 24/7 and hopefully they can keep going and save as many lives as possible. They are the true heroes and we can only support them and do everything we can to make sure they are able to work.”

Photo credit: Arthur Rinderknech

Editor’s Note: ATPTour.com is resurfacing features to bring fans closer to their favourite players during the current suspension in tournament play. This story was originally published in January 2019.

I had finally reached my breaking point. Tennis wasn’t fun anymore.

I was playing a Futures event in Mornington, a town in Melbourne, Australia, in March 2016. I had recently struggled with some elbow issues, but that wasn’t my biggest problem. Questions constantly popped into my head.

Why am I here? Why am I playing? When could I go home?

It was funny because on the training court, I was having a great time. But as soon as it came to a match, my mind was everywhere but the tennis court.

I was miserable. I’d hit an error and be asking myself questions instead of problem-solving or looking to the next point.

After barely squeaking by an unranked player in the first round, I lost to someone outside the Top 1,300 in the ATP Rankings. When you’re a kid, everyone dreams of becoming the next Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal. You think about playing for Grand Slam titles. And there I was losing early at a Futures.

Climbing the ATP Rankings is tougher than these guys make it look. You have to do well at Futures and then hopefully Challengers and finally ATP World Tour events. You work hard day after day and sometimes it’s not enough, and you get stuck. It can be so frustrating.

After my loss in Morrington, I needed a talk. My coach, who was Simon Rea at the time, sat me down and we had a pretty long chat. There was clearly something wrong. Outside of tennis, I was fine. But as soon as a match began, it was a different world.

Simon didn’t speak to me about tactics or my performance that day. He said I should be more worried about my wellbeing and happiness. And he was right — if I wasn’t happy playing tennis, what was the point?

In that moment, I didn’t think I’d ever pick up a tennis racquet again. I certainly needed a break.

That’s when life got a bit weird.

Tennis was all I knew. I’d never worked a day in life.

But I got a call from my brother-in-law, who was working as a fencer. He needed a couple of people to help him with a project, so I joined in. It’s not like I had anything else to do.

I was actually really excited. I remember waking up at 5:30 a.m. and making the 45-minute drive from home in Murray Bridge, South Australia to a primary school in Mannum.

And let me tell you, this was work. Putting up retaining walls. Digging holes. Sticking posts in the ground. Cementing. I didn’t know much of anything about what I was doing, but I was doing it.

Those were long, hot days. It can get pretty hot out on a tennis court, but this was rough. I was drained to say the least. Those 5:30 wake-up calls? My excitement was gone after Day 2. That was not fun at all.

And the job was around basketball and tennis courts. All I wanted to do was put tennis out of my mind. Just my luck.

I was sick of it after a couple of weeks. And after three weeks, we finished the project. I didn’t go out and find another job. I’d had enough.

Local Aussie Rules football was starting, and some of my mates asked me to play, so I joined the Mypolonga Football Club, where I was a goal-scoring forward. It wasn’t a professional team, but it was fun. I played with the club a bit, and caught up with my friends from home. That helped me regain my happiness again.

It was probably a couple months after that when I started missing tennis. I know, I know. I didn’t think I’d ever pick up a racquet. But I wasn’t totally out of touch. I’d made some great mates with the Aussie boys, and was still in group chats with them.

So when I saw guys I grew up with doing well, my fire started to burn a bit. Jordan Thompson and I had been climbing the ATP Rankings together. Yet there he was cracking the Top 100 and winning four ATP Challenger Tour events that year. Me? I was sitting at home. I was like… s***, that could be me. That should be me.

I didn’t want to act on any of these feelings because they could have just been for a day or two. It could have been a trap. I could have been back on the court hating it.

Eventually, I didn’t have a choice. I got a call from a bloke named Todd Langman. You might know him as the guy who coaches a good mate of mine, Thanasi Kokkinakis.

Todd saw a picture I posted on Facebook at the end of the footy season and gave me a call.

Are you ready to get going again?

All I could say was, you know what, I am.

That first day back was the day of the 2016 AFL Grand Final. I was massively out of shape, but I gave the ball a bit of a bash that Saturday. Todd said he’d see me Monday, and away we went.

It was all a novelty. Training again, getting back into a routine. I was enjoying every bit of it.

As much as I had loved tennis, I used to dread some of the more boring drills. Who wants to hit two balls cross-court and another down the line over and over? But weirdly enough, I was loving it.

Todd even had me playing against young kids. I asked him if he was sure, and he told me to give it everything I had. He didn’t want me worrying about my opponent. It was all about focusing on myself.

I made my return at a Challenger in Adelaide at the start of 2017. A lot of the footy boys came out, so I had plenty of friends and family there to support me. I managed to win a few matches to get into the main draw, and then I reached the second round, so that was pretty cool. Not once did I wonder when I could get off the court.

Things got even better when Tennis Australia gave me a wild card into Australian Open qualies. It was all such a blur. Before I knew it, I was beating Julien Benneteau in the final round of qualies to reach the main draw of a Slam for the first time.

I’d dreamt of that moment for so long, and I thought it was gone the minute I put down my racquet the previous March. I went nine months without playing tennis, not touching a racquet for almost the entire time. But somehow, I’d just beaten a former Top 25 player to make my dream come true.

I don’t know what it was about that month of tennis, but it was like I wasn’t even playing. I couldn’t tell you what happened. But that was when I realised that I made the right choice in coming back.

Last year, I won my second Challenger title, my first ATP Tour match and the coolest of all, I qualified for Wimbledon.

It was definitely bittersweet beating one of my best mates, Thanasi, to do it. But I definitely won’t forget that moment anytime soon. I even got to play on Court 1 in the main draw against British No. 1 Kyle Edmund. That was a bit overwhelming. I might have lost, but I loved every second of it. That’s why us Challenger guys grind away week after week. We live for those moments.

Every so often in my travels, I see a retaining wall and think, ‘Yeah, I know how to put that up’. It’s a good little reminder that I chose the right path.

I feel lucky. When I stopped, that could have been my life. I could be wilting away in the heat putting up fences right now. That’s a career path I would not have done well in, that’s for sure.

Leaving tennis was the best thing I ever did.

Before my break, I was living and dying by everything I did on the court. I couldn’t lose a point. I couldn’t lose a match. But coming back, my mindset was different. I wanted to compete and give it everything I had. If I won, I won. If I lost, I lost. It was what it was. I think that’s a big reason why I started to love this sport again. And I can’t wait to see where this ride takes me.

– as told to Andrew Eichenholz

Read More ‘My Point’ Essays

Success hasn’t come without sacrifice for #NextGenATP star Miomir Kecmanovic.

The Serbian, who is only 20, is at a career-high No. 47 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. It wasn’t easy getting there, though. When he was 13, Kecmanovic moved away from his parents in Serbia to train in Florida at the IMG Academy.

“It definitely was tough, especially for my parents. They had to make that call and I know it wasn’t easy for them, but I think they knew that it was the best thing for me at that time,” Kecmanovic told ATP Uncovered presented by Peugeot. “I’m very happy that they let me go to pursue my dream… I didn’t really speak English that well, didn’t know anybody. At the beginning, it was really tough to get through. But eventually everything came together, and it was really enjoyable to be there.”

Tennis captivated the Serbian at a young age. One of his grandfathers took him to play the sport at Zlatibor Mountain, and he never looked back.

“We were always close, but I think that was definitely our thing. It was funny, because he was trying a bunch of different things, trying to see what would get me excited, and we finally found something that was working,” Kecmanovic said. “It was a happy time for us.”

In leaving for Florida as a teen, Kecmanovic was setting his sights high, hoping to become a professional. He knew he had to commit to his training to chase those goals.

“You have to be on the court every day, day in, day out. [You have to] give 100 per cent every time, even when you don’t want to, or you’re playing badly. It takes basically your whole life to commit to it, with the nutrition, with the mindset, with the way you behave, the way you act on the court,” Kecmanovic said. “I also think you need a ton of people around you that can help you, that can guide you through it, because obviously you don’t know a lot at that age. I think you do need to find that balance, and you just need to commit to it every day.”

Miro Hrvatin, Kecmanovic’s coach, has mentored him for more than a decade, and his aunt, Tanja Pavlov, accompanied the teen when he moved to Florida at a young age.

“My parents gave me everything that I needed so I’d have an opportunity to do it, and obviously my aunt too, she travels with me a lot. She’s a big help of course with everything outside of tennis,” Kecmanovic said. “I’ve had a lot of good coaches, physios and fitness guys, and I think I was very lucky to have a good group of people around me who wanted me to succeed for me, and just to help me in the journey.”

At the end of the day, through his highest highs — like making last year’s BNP Paribas Open quarter-finals and qualifying for the Next Gen ATP Finals later in the season — and his toughest moments, Kecmanovic is still that boy in the Serbian mountains who loves playing tennis.

“I just like to play. I enjoy being on the court,” Kecmanovic said. “I just want to prove to myself that I can do it in the end.”