You can’t take your eyes off Gael Monfils, the flexible and athletic showman, capable of great creativity; or the honest, straightforward and friendly athlete off the court. In the presence of the softly spoken Frenchman, you realise not just how charismatic he is, but how hard he works.

“People think that we’re talented, gifted,” says Monfils. “Nothing is gifted, nothing is about talent, it’s about work. You work harder than everyone else. People mistake working and winning. You can work really hard and not win, not have the result you want. It’s tough. For all the players on the Tour [at ITF Futures, Challengers and the ATP Tour], they are working from a young age. I’m here now because I’ve worked hard, my parents worked hard and fought very hard to give me the possibility to one day play tennis at the top level.”

His face has covered sports magazines ever since he won three of the four junior Grand Slam championships in 2004; picked up his first ATP Tour title the following year at Sopot (d. Florian Mayer) and subsequently broke into the Top 25, earning the ATP Newcomer of the Year award. “I’ve been judged from a very young age, all the time, but people don’t know your situation: how you’ve been raised, your tennis,” says Monfils, who has a 10-21 record in ATP Tour finals. “It was a blessing for me to play tennis.

“From day one, I was different. I am different. I didn’t pay attention, but I play because I love the sport. I like being around athletes, I like track and field, football, basketball. I am a sportsman inside. I chose tennis because I played from a young age, along with football, judo and basketball. This was the sport that I felt the happiest playing.”

It’s been more than three years since Monfils scaled to a career-high No. 6 in the FedEx ATP Rankings on the back of 44-match wins and a place among the elite eight at the 2016 Nitto ATP Finals in London. Knee and wrist injuries mainly curtailed the court-time of the fans’ favourite, but a second year-end Top 10 finish last season whetted his appetite once more. It’s no fluke that he started 2020 with a 16-3 record, including an 11-match winning streak and two ATP Tour titles: his third at the Open Sud de France in Montpellier and a successful defence of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam. Only the elasticity of Novak Djokovic, in saving three match points at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, stopped Monfils from reaching his third straight final.

“The biggest part of the Tour is to have success back-to-back, week after week, that’s what we train for physically and mentally,” says Monfils. “I have been very solid, and I think I’m in great shape physically, moving great on the court, which helps my game. When you start to be a bit more confident, you go for your shots. My movement is the key, but that’s when I also try some shots in tough moments.”

Today, the 33-year-old has his sights set on maintaining his position in the Top 10, comfortable not only in his professional life but also with Elina Svitolina, the current World No. 5 on the WTA Tour and his girlfriend of the past 18 months.

“To share the same goals, the dedication and experience is something amazing,” he admits. “It’s a very individual, selfish sport, and most of the time we’re alone, but we appreciate the time we have together: at home or tournaments. I hope I help her, and when we practise together we laugh. Perhaps, I’m more serious when I hit with her, as I want to help Elina to achieve her goals.

“It’s a dream to win a Slam and being in the Top 5, even for one week, is a goal. So many players have the potential, but they struggle like me… I hope one day to have the opportunity.”

– Interview assistance from ATP Tennis Radio

Your favourite players are all back at home, but that doesn’t mean they’re sitting on the couch all day. From Stan Wawrinka’s cooking to Marin Cilic’s new hobby, find out how the biggest names in tennis are keeping busy.

It’s business as usual for Juan Martin del Potro, who is hard at work on his recovery from right knee surgery.

Always great to see this man back in action!

Keep pushing, @delpotrojuan ?pic.twitter.com/WuHwVn2fUC

— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 10, 2020

Kei Nishikori is back on the practice court and appears to be picking up where he left off.

Great to see you back hitting, Kei! ?

?: @keinishikori pic.twitter.com/qloH0KuRXX

— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 11, 2020

Novak Djokovic has added a new trick to his arsenal.

Now that’s impressive ?

?: @DjokerNole pic.twitter.com/CRhqPuQUSn

— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 11, 2020

Stefanos Tsitsipas made time for a photo shoot in California.

Cameras, audio, lights… fresh and ready to go! #California ? #UnitedStates ?? pic.twitter.com/AKAcuCda29

— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) March 13, 2020

Marin Cilic picked up a new sport by getting in the water with Croatian rowing champions Martin and Valent Sinkovic.

Those @SinkovicBros make it look so easy. It definitely is not ?. Fun morning trying something new. ? https://t.co/XnkUKx6m3T

— Marin Cilic (@cilic_marin) March 13, 2020

Stan Wawrinka has been enjoying his time at home.

At least being home means I can enjoy a good fondue ??? stay safe guys ?✨❤️#home #staysafe #stayhome #love pic.twitter.com/2W6kh4XDCO

— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) March 14, 2020

Meanwhile, Tennys Sandgren has had more trouble adapting to life off the road.

Already bored and out of toilet paper

— Tennys Sandgren (@TennysSandgren) March 12, 2020

John Millman has been busy pondering some of life’s mysteries.

Now that I’m home I’m figuring out all the little things that annoy me. Hard butter is at the top of that list. How do you properly spread that on toast?

— John Millman (@johnhmillman) March 15, 2020

With a YouTube travel vlog and millions of followers on social media, Stefanos Tsitsipas regularly uses his channels to provide a glimpse into his life and personality.

The reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion gave tennis fans a chance to interact with him by holding a Twitter Q&A on Monday. Tsitsipas shared his favourite TV show, biggest food weakness and whether he’ll team up for doubles with Dominic Thiem in the future.

ATPTour.com highlights some of the Greek’s best answers from the Q&A.

I’m down – @ThiemDomi are you?

— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) March 16, 2020

Three and working on a fourth

— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) March 16, 2020

Pizza ?

— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) March 16, 2020

5 minutes ??

— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) March 16, 2020

Banana Cinnamon

— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) March 16, 2020

David Guetta

— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) March 16, 2020

Cookie dough

— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) March 16, 2020

To be more disciplined and serious in regards to my career

— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) March 16, 2020

Golden Retrievers

— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) March 16, 2020

The Morning Show

— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) March 16, 2020

Bolognese ?

— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) March 16, 2020

When people are overbearing

— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) March 16, 2020

Although some tennis fans worldwide aren’t able to hit the court or are choosing to practise social distancing, it isn’t stopping them from getting their tennis fix.

ATPTour.com highlights some of the unique ways to play tennis that fans have showcased on social media in recent days.

If your weekly doubles game isn’t an option, these players in Spain show off one method to keep your volleys sharp.

? ❤ ?

?: @GsaLegrand pic.twitter.com/D36MsmPEc4

— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 16, 2020

Window tennis appears to be becoming a trend.

It’s becoming a new trend.

Send us yours!

(Video @BayleArthur – Instagram) pic.twitter.com/G2Zkg9NLBZ

— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) March 16, 2020

The Kitchen Open 2020 is heating up.

Des génies. ??

? https://t.co/zak1OzHLX5 pic.twitter.com/QnRMCF5Twx

— Tennis Legend (@TennisLegende) March 16, 2020

Dominic Thiem’s continued success at the most prestigious tour-level events made it a question of when, not if, he would crack the Top 3 of the FedEx ATP Rankings. Now that he’s broken up the ranking dominance of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer by deservedly making his Top 3 debut on 2 March, all eyes are on the Austrian as he looks to keep climbing.

Only nine players outside of the Big 3 have debuted in the Top 3 since May 2009. Six of them have held at least one Grand Slam title or a Nitto ATP Finals crown, with several using their ranking breakthrough as fuel to achieve their career-best results.

Top 3 Debuts Since May 2009

But Thiem’s current ranking is far more than a number next to his name. It’s a reflection of his willingness to evolve as a player and make bold changes to take his game to an even higher level.

After hiring former World No. 9 and 2004 Olympic gold medalist Nicolas Massu as his coach in February 2019, the pair went to work in making Thiem a more offensive player. While heavy topspin shots remained his weapon of choice, he began flattening his groundstrokes and attacking the net more frequently to shorten points. Thiem also began standing closer to the baseline on returns and took time away from his opponents.

“He started to show more versatility on the backhand,” observed former ATP Tour player and current tennis analyst Patrick McEnroe. “He uses the slice a lot more and I think he’s also taking it down the line a lot more and taking it earlier. He now has the ability to take the ball much closer to the baseline on both sides to finish points.

“One of the reasons Rafa is still so good is he’s figured out how to not have to stand six, eight feet behind the baseline and just run all day to win. He can do that if he has to. For Thiem moving forward, you want to be able to finish points and you want to be able to take time away from your opponent if you want to be able to continue to be successful… He is getting better at that.”

Thiem continued to enjoy big results on clay last season, with his second Roland Garros final sandwiched between trophies in Barcelona and Kitzbühel. But the Austrian’s bolder brand of tennis has been most evident in his hard-court results over the past 12 months, shredding his reputation as a one-surface specialist.

In only his second tournament with Massu, he stunned fans last year by defeating Roger Federer in a three-set thriller to win his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells. Although Thiem was delighted with his breakthrough, he admitted to being even more proud of his hard-court run to end 2019. He grabbed titles in Beijing and Vienna before falling to Stefanos Tsitsipas in a third-set tie-break in the title match at the Nitto ATP Finals in London.

”Indian Wells, honestly, it’s a very slow hard court. It suits my game because it’s almost like a clay court,” Thiem said after the London final. “But here or in Vienna, Beijing, Shanghai, where I played really great tennis, they were surfaces where I was struggling big time in the past. Even though it’s a big and tough loss today, I still have in my head that I developed my game very good since a few months [ago].”

Read More: Thiem: ‘We Always Have To Beat All These Unbelievable Legends’

He inched even closer to Grand Slam glory with a runner-up showing this year at the Australian Open. Thiem scored his first win at a major against Nadal in the quarter-finals before losing to Djokovic in an epic five-set final.

The Austrian knows he’ll likely need to defeat more than one member of the Big Three in order to secure his first major trophy. But in typical Thiem fashion, he’s not hoping for a draw where top seeds succumb to upsets. It’s a challenge he embraces and is determined to overcome.

“These guys brought tennis to a complete new level. They also brought me probably to a much better level,” Thiem said after his Melbourne defeat to Djokovic. “It was easier for sure in a different era to win big titles, that’s 100 per cent. But I’m happy I can compete with these guys on the best level. I really also hope that I win my maiden Slam when they’re still around, because it just counts more.”

Hubert Hurkacz has enjoyed a relatively smooth ascent up the FedEx ATP Rankings. This week two years ago, the Polish star had not yet cracked the world’s Top 200, and he is already up to World No. 29.

There are some players who make significant changes on and off the court, leading to a surge in their level. But Craig Boynton, his coach, says Hurkacz doesn’t need to make major adjustments; he simply needs to keep plugging away.

“Everything is right in front of Hubi, everything’s on the table,” Boynton told ATPTour.com. “He’s in a really good spot. He just has to learn a little bit more, he just has to grow a little bit more, get a little more experience, get a little bit better in some areas.”

What will it take for him to make the next jump?

“A wise man told me one time to go from No. 30 to No. 20, you don’t have to create something, you just have to do what you do, but do it a little better,” Boynton said. “You just have… to get a little better, keep working to improve some things. There’s no big on-off switch on off, he’s in a great spot, and I’m really looking forward to seeing him continue to improve.”

With that said, there is always work to be done.

At last year’s Rolex Shanghai Masters, Hurkacz lost in a final-set tie-break against then-World No. 7 Stefanos Tsitsipas. Hurkacz won only 26 per cent of his return points in the match.

“He did everything great, but he didn’t return well at all,” Boynton said. “If he had returned a little bit better, he would have won that.

“He said to me after that match, “I see what you’ve been saying. I see what you’ve been mentioning throughout the year. That’s the first thing on the list when we get to the off-season to change.’ We got to work changing his return a little bit and I think it’s been for the better for him. I think it’s been a good move.”

Boynton began coaching Hurkacz at last year’s BNP Paribas Open, where the Pole won three consecutive three-setters against Top 30 opponents to make his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final. But it didn’t take him long to notice things he wanted to, at some point, address.

“I just felt that his returning style could get better if we changed a few things,” Boynton said. “I delicately mentioned it to him throughout the year, as I just wanted him to be familiar with the idea.”

The issue had nothing to do with Hurkacz’s receptiveness, which Boynton effusively praised. But even as Hurkacz earned more victories and continued his climb, there simply wasn’t time to zone in on more granular parts of his game.

“In the off-season you generally have more time and you can be a lot more specific, and you can dedicate a nice block of time to a couple specific things,” Boynton said. “When you’re going to a tournament, basically the first couple things you’ve got to figure out are the conditions. What’s going to be the string tension? What are the balls this week? How are the courts playing?

“Primarily you want to be focussed on Xs and Os and competing, and you don’t necessarily want to be focussed so much on reconstructing your strokes [and] technique.”

This past off-season, Hurkacz spent nearly five weeks with Boynton at Saddlebrook Tennis Academy in Florida. That gave the team plenty of time to do just that.

“It was great. Hubi and I got to know each other through tournaments, so there were a lot of things that I saw that I wanted to address when the climate was slower, when we were able to have that training block where we could really work on things for a week at a time and talk about different concepts, different ways of seeing the court,” Boynton said. “You can’t do that at tournaments, because the last thing you want is to confuse your player. That time at home in Saddlebrook was invaluable.” 

When Denis Shapovalov first picked up a racquet at age five, it was because he wanted to be like his older brother. The #NextGenATP Candian now hopes to provide that same inspiration for kids in his country.

The 20-year-old currently sits at No. 16 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, just three spots away from the career-high standing that he achieved in January. But while Shapovalov takes pride in his on-court accomplishments, he’s equally proud of achieving them on his own terms. His home-grown success has served as a template for other Canadians that they don’t need to relocate in order to pursue their dreams of a professional tennis career.

“I want to use my game to inspire more kids that are going their own way, that aren’t supported, and show that it’s possible to do it on your own if you truly believe and work hard,” Shapovalov said to ATP Uncovered presented by Peugeot. “Hopefully it can inspire the young generation of Canada to pick up racquets and believe that they can become tennis players [while] living and training in Canada.”

Tennis runs in Shapovalov’s family. His mother, Tessa, competed on the Russian national tennis team and played professionally during the 1990s. She went on to become a coach at the Richmond Hill Country Club in Toronto and coached his older brother, Evgeniy. The younger Shapovalov would tag along for training sessions and eventually made his way onto the court.

”When he was working with my mom, I would try to run on court [and] disturb, try to hit the balls. For the first bit of time, it was fine because I was swinging and missing,” Shapovalov said. “Soon after, I started to disturb the practice too much and my mom said it was time to start [playing] if I wanted.”

Shapovalov’s love for the sport was immediate and his family was willing to do whatever it took to nurture his talent. When it became difficult for him to get adequate court time at Richmond Hill, Tessa left her job there to open her own tennis academy.

The bold move paid off. Shapovalov won his first ITF Junior title at age 14 and, three years later, lifted the boys’ singles trophy at 2016 Wimbledon. He would pick up his first ATP Tour win just weeks later by ousting Nick Kyrgios in front of friends and family in Toronto.

But Shapovalov acknowledged that his results didn’t come without enormous sacrifices. While his friends would hang out after school, his world was consumed by training. The cost of traveling to elite junior events also put a financial strain on his family.

”Growing up, I wasn’t a normal kid,” he said. “I remember waking up at 5:00 or 6:00am to practise before school, training at 10:00 or 11:00pm, trying to get better, improving something, crying on the court and just putting in everything I had.

”My parents and my team put in so much effort because we came from our own way. We didn’t get any support so we had to put in all the effort, all the money, everything, We were questioning what we should do because we got to a certain point where I was traveling and we couldn’t afford to go to more tournaments. But I always believed in myself and my family believed in me.”

That unwavering belief and willingness to take risks has been evident as he’s made his rapid climb up the rankings. After enduring a string of early exits in the middle of last season, Shapovalov started working with former World No. 8 Mikhail Youzhny in mid-August. He made small tweaks to his game at Youzhny’s urging, such as incorporating backhand slices into his game to get more returns into play, and saw immediate results from it.

Read More: Shapovalov On His Surge: ‘I Knew It Was Just A Question Of Time’

Shapovalov finished the year on a 21-10 run that included his maiden ATP Tour title in Stockholm (d. Krajinovic) and first ATP Masters 1000 final in Paris (l. to Djokovic). He then opened this season with a pair of Top 10 wins against Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev while leading Team Canada at the inaugural ATP Cup.

After enduring plenty of stressful moments around tennis, Shapovalov is now playing without pressure. Being able to swing freely has played a key role in his rapid climb up the rankings and will only yield more strong results in the future.

”When I wake up, my only purpose is to get better and improve something. I’m trying to grow as a player and a person. I want to enjoy where I am in my career,” Shapovalov said. “I don’t have to worry about finances anymore or what I’m going to do if I don’t win this match. Just have fun out there and show the world my game.”

There are few players like Benoit Paire on the ATP Tour. From forward-facing half-volley tweeners as he rushes the net to drop volleys with incredible touch, the Frenchman has talent oozing from his pores.

“That’s why I play tennis: to have fun on court, to enjoy, to try some hot shots,” Paire told ATP Uncovered presented by Peugeot.

Watch Incredible Paire Drop Volley:

Entering last season, he owned only one ATP Tour trophy and a 47.7 career tour-level winning percentage (180-197). But the Frenchman enjoyed one of the best years of his career in 2019, triumphing in Marrakech and Lyon.

“It was a long season, very good for me, two titles. Since this tournament in Marrakech with confidence, with everything, we were able to make a good season,” Paire said. “Then a new title in Lyon, so honestly for me it was a very good season.”

Paire’s peers respect the Frenchman’s abilities. Not only does he have sensational feel, but a lethal two-handed backhand. Those weapons helped him climb as high as No. 18 in the FedEx ATP Rankings in 2016. He is currently World No. 22.

“I think he’s great. He’s even better than he thinks he is,” said Gael Monfils, Paire’s countryman. “I think last year, to get back in great shape and win a lot of matches and actually two titles, I think it was a great achievement.”

Paire’s journey goes back to when he began playing tennis at six. His father used to work at a club next to their home. At that time, professional tennis was far away.

“I watched tennis on TV growing up, and I thought it would be incredible just to one day play one match at this level,” Paire told ATPTour.com after winning his first ATP Tour trophy at 2015 Bastad.

That came after one of the most devastating blows of Paire’s career. On 17 September 2014, he underwent left knee surgery and missed the rest of the season. In his second tournament back the following January, he dropped down to the Futures level.

Knowing the difficulties of dealing with an injury, Paire put his tennis in perspective.

“It’s very important to enjoy when everything is fine on court. It’s never easy to play tennis for four, five years in a row,” Paire said. “After my surgery, in 2015, I had to work a lot to think about what to do to enjoy more on court, to be more calm, and that’s what I did.”

When Paire won that first title, it only ignited his hunger.

“It’s good to win one tournament,” Paire said at the time. “But I want to win more and make more finals.”

Paire has won two titles and reached three finals since. While his shot selection — choosing a tweener half-volley rather than a conventional one — might sometimes seem misguided, it’s that fun nature of the Frenchman’s game that helps him play his best and endears him to fans.

“Sometimes it’s working, sometimes it’s not,” Paire said. “But I will try more for 2020.”

The 30-year-old, who made this year’s Auckland final, is playing some of his best tennis ever. When he’s at his top level, Paire is as entertaining as anyone.

“Benoit brings a lot to the game. He’s talented. He has a personality, and we need it,” said former World No. 8 Sebastien Grosjean. “As a player, he has a strong personality. I think he’s great.”