Tennis News

Nadal, Alcaraz, Djokovic headline first day of Olympic Tennis Event

Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal will all be in action on Day 1 of the Olympic Tennis Event Saturday at Roland Garros in Paris.

Alcaraz is in line for a hectic Olympics debut, facing Lebanon’s Hady Habib during the day session on Court Suzanne-Lenglen before heading to Court Philippe-Chatrier to open the night session with doubles partner Rafael Nadal. ‘Nadalcaraz’ will play sixth-seeded Argentines Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni.

Chasing his first Olympic singles gold, Djokovic will take on Australian Matthew Ebden, better known as one of the game’s leading doubles players. Ebden, who reached as high as No. 39 in the PIF ATP Rankings as a singles player, last took to the court solo almost two years ago at the ATP 250 in Winston-Salem.

Other big names in action Saturday include Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul and Felix Auger-Aliassime.

View Day 1 Schedule

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Rublev battles back to beat Marozsan in Umag QFs

Andrey Rublev is through to his first semi-final since he won the Madrid title in May after a comeback win against Fabian Marozsan Thursday at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag. The top seed earned a 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 victory to set up a Friday showdown with fourth seed Francisco Cerundolo in what will be his 40th tour-level semi-final.

“I feel great,” Rublev said of his accomplishment. “I was looking forward to that match because it was a great challenge for me. After the first set I was thinking that maybe today’s not my day. But then somehow I changed my mentality and I started to say, ‘No, just keep fighting and we’ll see what’s going to happen.’ In the end I was able to play better and better to end up winning.”

Rublev is seeking to win multiple titles at the same event for the first time in his career, with all 16 of his tour-level trophies having come in different locations. He is also bidding for his third title of 2024 after triumphs in Hong Kong and Madrid.

Rublev races to the semi-finals 🏎️🌟👏

The win goes to @AndreyRublev97 over Marozsan 5-7 6-3 6-2@CroatiaOpenUmag | #CroatiaOpenUmag pic.twitter.com/zjVavmUPUg

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 25, 2024

By reaching the semis, Rublev moved past Casper Ruud to No. 8 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. He can climb to within 70 points of World No. 7 Hubert Hurkacz by winning the title.

Cerundolo advanced to his 10th tour-level semi-final with a 6-2, 2-6, 7-6(2) result against Lorenzo Sonego. Neither player created a break chance in the final set, according to Infosys ATP Stats, but the fourth seed dominated the decisive tie-break.

As the first Argentine semi-finalist in Umag since Guido Pella and Marco Trungelliti in 2018, Cerundolo has equalled his best result of this season — a semi-final showing in Rio de Janeiro. Cerundolo and Rublev have split two previous Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings, with Rublev winning a dramatic three-setter last year in the Bastad semis.

#NextGenATP Czech Jakub Mensik also progressed to the semis on Thursday with a 6-0, 6-4 win against lucky loser Tseng Chun-Hsin. The fifth semi-finalist aged 18 or younger in Umag history — and the first Czech to reach that stage since Jiri Novak in 2005 — Mensik awaits second seed Lorenzo Musetti in the last four.

Musetti dominated down the stretch of a 5-7, 6-3, 6-0 victory against Dusan Lajovic to close Thursday’s play in Umag. The 22-year-old Italian is through to his fourth consecutive semi-final after reaching that stage in three straight grass-court events at Stuttgart, Queen’s Club and Wimbledon.

Lajovic made 84 per cent (75/89) of his first serves in the two-hour, 16-minute match, but Musetti still converted six times on 17 break chances.

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Mubadala Citi DC Open: Draws, Dates, History & All You Need To Know

The Mubadala Citi DC Open is a combined ATP/WTA 500 event hosting an elite roster of men’s and women’s stars in the iconic United States’ capital, Washington, D.C. Among those in action this year in Washington will be American hopefuls Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, rising star Alex Michelsen, the resurgent Denis Shapovalov and a host of WTA stars.

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

When is the Mubadala Citi DC Open?

The ATP 500 event will be held from 29 July to 4 August. The hard-court tournament, established in 1969 by Arthur Ashe alongside Donald Dell and John A. Harris, will take place at the Fitzgerald Tennis Centre in Washington, D.C., USA. The tournament director is Dani Vallverdu.

Who is playing at the Mubadala Citi DC Open?

The tournament promises a strong lineup, with established players like Frances Tiafoe and Karen Khachanov competing alongside younger talents such as Ben Shelton and Alex Michelsen. Other notable players include Sebastian Korda, Denis Shapovalov and Reilly Opelka.

View The American Prospects Hoping To Become Champion

When is the draw for the Mubadala Citi DC Open?

The Mubadala Citi DC Open draw will be made on Friday 26 July at 12 p.m. local time (EDT).

What is the schedule for the Mubadala Citi DC Open?

Qualifying: Saturday, 27 July at 10 a.m. and Sunday, 28 July at 10 a.m.
Main Draw: Monday, 29 July – Thursday, 1 August from 11 a.m. & 6 p.m.
Friday, 2 August – Saturday, 3 August from 12 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Doubles Final: Sunday, 4 August at 12 p.m.
Singles Final: Sunday, 4 August NB 5 p.m.

View On Official Website

What is the prize money and points for the Mubadala Citi DC Open?

The prize money for the Mubadala Citi DC Open is US$2,100,230 and the Total Financial Commitment is US$2,271,715.

SINGLES
Winner: $368,585 / 500 points
Finalist: $196,580 / 330 points
Semi-finalist: $101,975 / 200 points
Quarter-finalist: $53,240 / 100 points
Round of 16: $28,055 / 50 points
Round of 32: $15,360 / 25 points
Round of 64: $8,190 / 0 points
Qualifying: — / 16 points
Qualifying 2: $4,300 / 8 points
Qualifying 1: $2,455 / 0 points

DOUBLES ($ per team)

Winner: $129,010 / 500 points
Finalist: $68,800 / 300 points
Semi-finalist: $34,810 / 180 points
Quarter-finalist: $17,410 / 90 points
Round of 16: $9,010 / 0 points
Qualifying: — / 45 points
Qualifying 2: —/ 25 points
Qualifying 1: —/ —

How can I watch the Mubadala Citi DC Open?

Watch Live On TennisTV

TV Schedule

How can I follow the Mubadala Citi DC Open?

Hashtag: #MubadalaCitiDCOpen
Facebook: Mubadala Citi DC Open
Twitter: @mubadalacitidc
Instagram: @mubadalacitidcopen
TikTok: @mubadalacitidcopen

Who won the last edition of the Mubadala Citi DC Open in 2023?

Daniel Evans defeated Tallon Griekspoor in last year’s final in straight sets, winning 7-5, 6-3. En route to the final, Evans overcame tough tests in Grigor Dimitrov and Frances Tiafoe. The Argentine duo of Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni captured the title last year in the doubles, narrowly defeating the all-American pairing of Mackenzie McDonald and Ben Shelton 6-7 (4), 6-2, 10-6.

Who holds the Mubadala Citi DC Open record for most titles, oldest champion, youngest champion and more?

Most Titles, Singles: Andre Agassi (5)
Most Titles, Doubles: Marty Riessen (4), Mike Bryan (4), Bob Bryan (4)
Oldest Champion: Ken Rosewall, 36, in 1971
Youngest Champion: Andy Roddick, 18, in 2001
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 1 Jimmy Connors in 1976, 1978, No. 1 Ivan Lendl in 1987, No. 1 Andre Agassi in 1995
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 117 David Nalbandian in 2010
Last Home Champion: Andy Roddick in 2007
Most Match Wins: Andre Agassi (44)

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

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Berrettini extends winning streak, reaches Kitzbuhel SFs

Matteo Berrettini extended his winning streak to eight matches after defeating American wild card Nicolas Moreno De Alboran 7-6(5), 6-3 to reach the semi-finals of the Generali Open in Kitzbuhel Thursday.

The Italian fired seven aces, dropped just five points on his first serve and saved all three break points according to Infosys ATP Stats. He also improved to 9-0 in tie-breaks during the past two weeks.

The former World No. 6 was outside the Top 150 in the PIF ATP Rankings in March but returned to the Top 50 after winning his ninth title last week in Gstaad. He is chasing his third clay-court crown of the year (also Marrakech).

“Really happy with the performance, I’ve never played against him so I didn’t really know what to expect,” Berrettini said of his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting against the World No. 143. “It was a really high level of tennis and I think he was playing and serving really well, hitting the forehand really well, so I had to dig deep with my energy and my level.

“I couldn’t break him in the first set, I had some chances but he played well and in the tie-break this time I was down so I was like ‘Now I’m going to lose this one’. But I fought hard and I’m really happy because I think the level in the second set was better than the first.”

The 28-year-old, who is now 13-1 on clay this season, will chase his 20th match win of the year Friday when he faces German Yannick Hanfmann, who defeated Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild 7-6(2), 6-4.

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My Olympics: Stan Wawrinka

Stan Wawrinka partnered Roger Federer en route to a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Now aged 39, Wawrinka is set for his third Olympics appearance in Paris. 

ATPTour.com sat down with the three-time major champion to hear about his best memories from the prestigious event.

How does your Olympic success stick out in your career?
For me, it was my first big, big result, to be able to win a gold medal in the Olympics. The Olympics is not only special, it’s special because it’s every sport. It’s all of the athletes in every sport and it’s something that not only tennis fans watch, but fans of every sport are going to watch the Olympics in general.

The experience of playing there, being there in the Swiss house, having the chance to share with different athletes and looking at different sports, it’s always going to be an amazing memory for me.

Is there an Olympic athlete you enjoy in particular?
I think my first one was Beijing and Usain Bolt was something special there, let’s put it that way. Of course I enjoyed that a lot.

Is there an Olympic sport you think you would be good at besides tennis?
Absolutely not!

Is there one you would be bad at?
Many! I think that’s also the beauty of the Olympics, you have the chance to watch a different sport, also sports that you don’t necessarily watch during the year so I think it’s a good time if you’re a sports fan.

Does anything stick out from when you were at the Olympics?
For me, the best feeling was to share with the Swiss athletes because we spent a lot of time at the house with them. It’s more about sharing with different athletes and coaches and talking about different sports but at the end, it’s talking about the mentality and the way we like our sports.

When you were a kid, did you watch the Olympics and want to be there one day?
Yeah, of course. I think the Olympics are not only for tennis fans, but for sports fans in general. It’s a little bit of a dream of a lot of athletes to have the chance to compete there.

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ATP publishes inaugural sustainability report

The ATP is proud to announce the publication of its first Sustainability Report, offering an in-depth look at the ATP’s ongoing commitment to sustainability through the ATP Serves programme.

The report provides insight into the ATP’s strategy for addressing its climate impact, an overview of key initiatives implemented to date and a look ahead at future actions. Highlights include:

• A deep dive into the award-winning ATP Carbon Tracker app developed in collaboration with Infosys.
• The Nitto ATP Finals as a showcase for sustainability innovation.
• ATP’s 2030 and 2040 emissions targets under UN Sports for Climate Action.
• Sustainability wins on the ATP Challenger Tour, reducing impact and improving player welfare.
• Partner collaborations to reduce single-use plastics, promote eco-friendly transportation, and drive sustainable innovation on Tour.
• Efforts to reduce the impact of staff travel.
• Fan-facing initiatives designed to increase awareness and participation in sustainability efforts.

ATP CEO Massimo Calvelli said: “Sustainability, often framed in terms of fear and urgency, is, at its core, an opportunity – to innovate, to forge new partnerships and to inspire. Our inaugural sustainability report celebrates the strides we’ve made, the milestones we’ve reached and the journey ahead.”

Sector Engagement Lead at UN Climate Change Lindita Xhaferi-Salihu said: “The publication of ATP’s first-ever Sustainability Report is an important step in its climate action journey and commitment to transparency. It’s inspiring to see the innovations that ATP has implemented across the tennis ecosystem, and its ambitious plans to build upon them.”

The 2023 ATP Serves Sustainability Report is available here and at https://serves.atptour.com/.

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Andy Murray withdraws from Olympics singles, still plans to play doubles

Two-time gold medallist Andy Murray has withdrawn from singles at the Paris Olympics, but still intends to compete in doubles alongside Daniel Evans in his final Olympic appearance.

Speaking at Thursday’s draw, Murray said, “The Olympics has been incredibly special for me and there have been some amazing memories on the court, particularly in London.

“I’m happy I get to do this one more time. It’s unfortunate. I trained to get ready to play both, but I’m getting a bit older now so it gets harder to recover from injuries. I ran out of time.”

Murray, who has announced that he will retire at the end of the Olympics, has not played singles since retiring in the second round of the cinch Championships in Queen’s. He underwent a small operation on his back before Wimbledon, where he was restricted to playing doubles with his brother Jamie.

Murray will finish his career with a 739-262 record in singles according to Infosys ATP Stats. He earned 46 titles, including 2016 Rio and 2012 London Olympic gold medals. In 2016 he won the a winner-takes-all Nitto ATP Finals championship match against Novak Djokovic to claim ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours.

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Djokovic, Nadal on collision course at Olympics

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are on a collision course for an early-round showdown at the Olympic Tennis Event following the release of the draw Thursday.

The rivals, who have played 59 times in their Lexus ATP head2Head series, could meet in the second round. Top-seeded Djokovic opens against Australian Matthew Ebden. while unseeded Nadal plays his first round against Hungarian Marton Fucsovics.

Two-time Olympics singles gold medallist Andy Murray has withdrawn from the singles but will play doubles with Daniel Evans.

Second seed Carlos Alcaraz plays his first match against Lebanon’s Hady Habib, with the winner to meet either Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor or Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie, No. 44 in the PIF ATP Rankings, in the second round.

More to follow…

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Watson targets medal in fourth Olympic Games

Heather Watson says she is focused on trying to win as first Olympic medal in her fourth games in Paris.

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Kerber to retire from tennis after Paris 2024

Three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber says she is going to retire from tennis after the Olympic Games in Paris.

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