There are some matches that set themselves apart from the rest, ones that become instant classics and establish themselves in the annals of tennis history. The competitors are catapulted into the highest echelon, their names etched in the record books and their place secured in the hearts and minds of fans. Sunday’s contest between Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final is one match worthy of that reverence.

The line that separated Nadal from victory and defeat was a fine one. The World No. 2 seemed so close to crossing the finish line after two sets that a straight-sets win and a fourth US Open crown seemed almost assured.

Three sets and almost three hours later, the Spaniard struggled to remain upright as he grappled with both defeat and a stubborn, determined opponent. After nearly five hours, the 33-year-old emerged victorious, 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4, lifting his 19th Grand Slam trophy and nudging one step closer to Roger Federer’s record 20 major titles.

“These are matches that can change history,” coach Francis Roig told ATPTour.com following the epic win. “We have already been through these types of matches and [on Sunday] we had to win. I think history owed us this one, and we accomplished this feat.”

Roig was referring to the painful memories of Grand Slam conquests that barely slipped out of Nadal’s reach during the past several years. In 2014, a back injury hindered his charge’s performance as the Spaniard fell in four sets to Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in the Australian Open final.

Nadal had stumbled at the same hurdle in Melbourne two years before, losing to Novak Djokovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-5 for his third consecutive loss in a Grand Slam final. And in 2017, Nadal was leading Roger Federer 3-1 in the fifth set of the Australian Open final before succumbing 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.

“You don’t know how many opportunities like those he’ll have. Rafa is always seeking them out, though, and he tries to make the most of them at this point in his career. But it’s clear that losing a Grand Slam final hurts,” said fellow coach Carlos Moya, who was on hand to witness his pupil fight off multiple break points and a hard-charging Medvedev in dramatic fashion down the stretch. “It’s amazing what Rafa has achieved. He’s won majors in three sets. He’s lost them in five. But he’s always right there battling until the end, and he has this uncanny ability to pull through in difficult circumstances. He’s proven that once again.”

On paper, the final looked intriguing but lacked the allure of an enticing showdown between Nadal and the likes of Djokovic or Federer. On court at Arthur Ashe stadium, however, the encounter produced similar fireworks and resulted in one of the most emotionally charged, enthralling matches of Nadal’s career.

“In terms of excitement and emotion, it’s Rafa’s biggest victory since I joined his team,” Moya confessed. “The last four Grand Slam finals that I’ve been a part of, some were difficult to endure and others, not as much so. But this is definitely the most significant, especially when you take into consideration factors like the speed of the surface.”

Another detail worth noting is that Sunday’s win marked just the third time Nadal needed five sets to notch victory in a Grand Slam final: He outlasted Federer 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(8), 9-7 at Wimbledon in 2008 and again survived a five-set thriller against his Swiss rival, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-2 in the Australian Open less than a year later.

As fierce and intense as his matches against familiar foes Djokovic and Federer have been, the pressure is even greater and stakes are higher, according to Roig, when it’s a different opponent standing across the court and in the way of another Grand Slam championship.

“Our level of euphoria is determined by the amount of theatrics involved during and surrounding a match,” said Roig, who has been in Nadal’s corner since nearly the start of his career. “Whenever Federer and Djokovic are out of the equation and Rafa is labeled the outright favourite, the pressure rises even higher and that only complicates matters.

“This was a match we couldn’t afford to lose. Medvedev had the kind of summer that made it hard to imagine him losing. They battled on equal terms and even as Rafa lifted his game, you could see the effects that was having on his body. The tension was at an all-time high and we saw no areas of weakness for Rafa to exploit. But that’s what makes Rafa such a great competitor: he always seems to find a way. It was an epic match.”

And if both coaches can agree on something, it’s that their charge saved his best for the final match of the two-week tournament.

More On Rafa’s #USOpen
Nadal Claims Epic Five-Set Win Against Medvedev For Title
Nadal Extends Lead Over Djokovic In Battle For Year-End No. 1
Nadal At Net: Rafa Finds New Way To Win Major Title In New York
Social Media Reacts To Nadal-Medvedev Instant Classic

“It was such an exciting match with so many possible outcomes. I wasn’t sitting comfortably at any time throughout the five sets,” Moya said. “We saw so many aspects of Rafa’s game, and he played his best match of the tournament. We knew going into the match it wouldn’t be easy and we were aware of what his opponent was capable of doing so we weren’t surprised by how things played out.”

For Roig, Nadal’s true colors ultimately showed in the fourth and fifth sets when he was forced to dig deep in order to pull through.

“Rafa really shines in the face of adversity,” the coach said. “He unleashes everything in his arsenal when it matters most. In those final sets, he hit even harder and more precisely. His groundstrokes were on target, and he found another gear in order to win.”

Roig’s final point is a familiar storyline in Nadal’s distinguished career.

The countdown is on to the inaugural ATP Cup in January. To be played in three Australian cities and featuring 24 countries, the event will provide an explosive start to the 2020 ATP Tour season.

There’s lots to know about the new US$15 million tournament that will feature the world’s best players playing for their teammates and for the love of country. This week ATPTour.com will run a series of stories to provide fans with greater understanding of the event.

What is the ATP Cup?
The ATP Cup is an annual 24-country team competition featuring US$15 million prize money and a maximum of 750 singles and 250 doubles ATP Rankings points. ATP is staging the event in partnership with Tennis Australia.

When and where will it be played?
The ATP Cup will begin the ATP Tour each season, starting on the Friday before Week 1. The tournament will be a 10-day event finishing on the final Sunday of Week 1. The inaugural event in 2020 will be held from Friday 3 – Sunday 12 January. The ATP Cup will be played alongside an ATP 250 event in Doha that will occupy Week 1 of the calendar.

The group stages competition will be hosted across three Australian cities – Brisbane, Perth and Sydney – over six days. Immediately following the group stages will be the ATP Cup Finals, Sydney – quarter-finals over two days, semi-finals and final – all to be played at Ken Rosewall Arena.

How does the tournament work?
The 24 countries are divided into six groups of four for group stage, round-robin play. The six winners of each group and the two best second-placed finishers across the groups emerge as the Final Eight Teams to contest the ATP Cup Finals, Sydney.

What is the format?
Each tie will comprise two singles and one doubles match. The country winning two matches wins the tie. Every country will be guaranteed to play three ties in the group stages. Singles will be best-of-three tie-break sets. Doubles will feature No-Ad scoring and a Match Tie-break in lieu of a third set.

What is the daily schedule?
There is a day session and an evening session each day per venue. The first singles matches will be played at 10 a.m. local time, starting with the No. 2 players in each tie, followed by the No. 1 players, with the doubles to follow. All doubles matches will be played regardless of whether the tie is decided after the two singles matches.

How does a country qualify for the ATP Cup and which of its players get to play?
A minimum of three ATP ranked players, including two members with singles ATP Ranking points, are required for a country to be eligible to qualify. A country may have up to five players. If a team has five players, at least three must have an ATP Singles Ranking. If less than five players, a team must have at least two players with an ATP Singles Ranking.

When will the teams be announced?
The Top 18 countries will be announced soon after the first entry deadline of Friday, 13 September. If it is not in the Top 18 of the ATP Cup Standings on Friday, Australia will gain entry to the tournament as the host country. That would leave room for five additional teams to be announced at the 13 November second entry deadline. If Australia is in the Top 18 on Friday, an additional six countries will qualify at the second entry deadline.

How will entries work?
At this Friday’s first entry deadline, a country will gain acceptance into the event based on the ATP Ranking of the country’s No. 1 singles player. The qualifying country’s second-highest-ranked singles player will gain acceptance at the same time. If either of the two accepted singles players drop outside their country’s top two ranked singles players at the second entry deadline (13 November), either player may withdraw from the event. Remaining team members (up to an additional three players) will gain acceptance at the 13 November entry deadline, based on the current ATP Rankings.

Rankings to be used for entries are the 52-week ATP Rankings. A Protected Ranking can be used to enter provided the player’s Protected Ranking is valid through the entry deadline for which he is eligible. Protected Ranking will not be used for team seeding.

At the second entry deadline (13 November), the remaining five or six countries will qualify based on the ranking of their No. 1 singles player. Also, all qualified players from all teams will be committed at the second entry deadline.

View ATP Cup Standings

– This story was updated 12 September.

Time catches up with everyone. Even the greatest of athletes are not immune to its effects. Rafael Nadal is fully aware of the principles of aging, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t doing everything in his power to stave off its effects and delay the coronation of the next generation of tennis stars. The 33-year-old has thrived at the highest level on the ATP Tour for 15 seasons, racking up 19 Grand Slam trophies and achieving numerous milestones along the way.

Despite his wide-ranging success, the Spaniard is quick to point out that every new achievement is unique and special. No. 2 in the ATP Rankings, Nadal works hard to ensure he still performs at his best every time he competes, just as he did to capture his latest crown: a fourth US Open title on Sunday. He currently trails only Roger Federer (20) in major titles.

Now back in Mallorca and resting after his epic five-set battle against Daniil Medvedev at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York just a few days earlier, Nadal spoke with ATPTour.com at a small media gathering to discuss his victory at Flushing Meadows, the recovery process, his plans for the rest of the year and his state of mind.

You became emotional after watching highlights of your US Open victory.
You have to understand the circumstances. The last three hours were especially hard for me; I had the match practically won. Thinking back, I realise how things suddenly took a turn [in Medvedev’s favour] and how quickly matters spun out of my control.

The situation reached a point so critical, I went from on the cusp of winning to on the verge of losing. Up until that third set, I was on course to win, but he took command from that point on. I realise not only how much we both fought, but what we put ourselves through, mentally and physically, before he showed a moment of weakness and I broke through.

Over the past several weeks, you’ve stated on several occasions that you’re “getting older”. Does that mean you “feel” older?
No, I don’t feel any older than my age! I feel what I am. I’m 33 years old. I’ve always thought that I don’t know when my last victory will come. But I feel as though I’m going through a solid phase in my career.

I’m simply aware as the years go on and I get older, I can’t lose sight of the reality of the situation. You must take better care of yourself, make wiser decisions and while you were able to play a lot more matches when you were younger, it’s important to be more selective as you get older. You must be calculating and put a lot of thought into what’s going to be most beneficial to extend your career.

On Sunday, you became the first player in the Open Era to win five Grand Slam titles after turning 30. Not too long ago, many experts of the sport were saying that wasn’t a realistic feat.
My motivation has never been to disprove what others say about me or to demonstrate that I can do things others can’t. I stay away from all of that, not just in tennis but in my daily life as well. Ambition and motivation must be driven from the inside, not by any outside forces. I surround myself with positive energy and operate at the best of my abilities.

Apart from what others felt, did you have your own doubts?
Just as many have doubted that I could play on for so many years, I’ve had and will always have my own doubts. But here I am. It’s something I take day by day, and I’m satisfied with this approach. Above all, if my body allows me to train at a high level on a daily basis, I’ll continue to play as I’m still passionate about tennis. I enjoy setting goals and I relish the competition.

Coach Carlos Moya said after the final that, in terms of emotion and significance, this was the most significant victory since he joined your team. Would you also rate it among your best matches?
I haven’t watched the match again! (Laughs) I’ve only played through it and, without seeing it, it’s hard to comment on that. When you’re out there in the heat of the moment, you’re nervous and it’s impossible to process anything but what you have to do to win. The final definitely had all the ingredients necessary for a compelling, remarkable match that won’t be forgotten anytime soon, but I’d have to watch it from start to finish in order to give you my verdict as to where it stands among my best matches.

You haven’t discussed the possibility of reclaiming the No. 1 ATP Ranking, despite a brilliant season thus far. Instead, you maintain the goal is to be competitive for as long as possible.
Being competitive is one of my biggest motivators and I always aspire to be my best. My goal is to give myself the best possible options to compete at the highest level in the biggest tournaments for as long as possible. In order to achieve this goal, I’ve obviously been constraining myself to a less busy calendar. This year I’ve played only 11 events, and I don’t know how many I’ll have entered by the end of the year. But as you can tell, the calendar is shrinking, and that’s also partly due to the solid results I’ve obtained.

You’ve reached at least 10 semi-finals in 11 tournaments this year, capturing four titles (Rome, Roland Garros, Montreal, US Open). What’s been the most satisfying moment of the season so far?
Without any doubt, it’s the way I rebounded after Barcelona [Nadal reached the semi-finals at Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell before losing to Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-4]. I struggled the week before at Monte-Carlo as well and wasn’t performing at my best going into Godo [Barcelona]. In the end, that’s what leaves me most satisfied. I’m happy with the way I bounced back mentally from those events.

More On Rafa’s #USOpen
Nadal Claims Epic Five-Set Win Against Medvedev For Title
Nadal Extends Lead Over Djokovic In Battle For Year-End No. 1
Nadal At Net: Rafa Finds New Way To Win Major Title In New York
Social Media Reacts To Nadal-Medvedev Instant Classic

Even though regaining the No. 1 spot is not an objective, you’re currently the leader in the ATP Race To London.
It’s true that obtaining the No. 1 ATP Ranking is not the main goal, nor has it ever been my ultimate pursuit. Obviously, becoming No. 1 would be very gratifying, but I can’t afford to let that be my top priority at this point in my career. I can’t waste time or energy trying to be No. 1; I need those resources to train and prepare to compete at my best on the weeks I step on the court.

If becoming the top player in the world is a result of that, then I’ll feel rewarded. If I don’t end the year as No. 1, it will still have been a very fulfilling year. I’ve played well on a consistent basis and to me, that’s satisfying.

You’ve insisted on restraining yourself from competing too frequently throughout the season. You ended your title run at Flushing Meadows in a state of exhaustion. What lies ahead for the rest of the year?
I’m tired. The truth is that I still haven’t fully recovered. I came home and we have already done a little recovery. I’m regaining my strength little by little. It’s too early to hash out plans, because since that match, I haven’t had a chance to discuss matters with my team. This week we will have that conversation, but apart from this, I will also have to wait a few days to see how my body heals. One thing I do have is Laver Cup 2019 marked on my calendar.

What are you doing specifically to recover both physically and mentally after such a grueling affair?
Mental recovery is done by resting! (Laughs) It’s not just about the last match; my body has been put through a lot of stress the past few weeks. You’re competing in one of the most important tournaments of the year and it requires a lot from your body on a daily basis.

When you finish, after such a dramatic final, the physical and mental effects are consequential. You have to recover steadily by taking all the necessary steps to ensure proper recuperation. As for the mind, I just need to rest and adjust my schedule accordingly to one that I feel will wield the best results and won’t hinder my recovery.

Are you doing anything differently this time around in terms of physical recovery?
No, nothing different. Preparations for my return have been similar to what I’ve been doing as of late following similar demanding tournaments like the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon. I’m getting proper rest. The only thing that’s changed in recent times is that I spend more time training at home [in Manacor, Mallorca, Spain] and then take it up a notch when I arrive [on location] ahead of a tournament.

Medvedev is providing glimpses of the future, and indications that a new wave of talent is knocking on the door.
A changing of the guard has been predicted for years, but it’s developed a little slower than perhaps expected. The old guard has shown resistance but some mainstays like David Ferrer have recently passed the torch. The truth is, the three of us [including Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer] have gained so much success in these past 14 years, and we’re still atop the ATP Rankings.

Now here comes [Daniil] Medvedev, [Alexander] Zverev, [Karen] Khachanov, [Andrey] Rublev, Felix [Auger-Aliassime], [Matteo] Berrettini and [Denis] Shapovalov. That’s a formidable group and the overwhelming logic is that the next generation is already here. They’re making a lot of noise and attracting lots of attention. Several members of that next wave are already in the Top 10 and my guess is that we’ll see more and more every year.

What’s your take on the state of Spanish tennis?
Spaniards have achieved things in tennis over the past 30 years that almost certainly cannot be replicated. On the other hand, we are competing as a country with players from nations with economic capacities that outweigh us by infinity.

The budgets of federations that govern the sport in nations that host majors are tremendously higher than ours. You can include the Italian Tennis Federation and [Tennis Canada], which oversee two very big ATP Masters 1000 events [the Internazionali BNL d’Italia and Coupe Rogers, respectively] with that group as well. They have a much higher budget and far more funds.

During these boom years in Spain, we’ve made the mistake of not being able, as a federation, to establish our tournaments on that same level to potentially generate an annual income that could then be used to promote the sport, to help cultivate young talent and to provide them with resources to flourish. That said, we must see how our rising talent fares, Jaume Munar, Carlos Alcaraz, Pedro Martinez, we’ll see how they progress.

You are an inspiration not only to those players and Spaniards in general, but for the tennis community as well. This can be seen in the reactions from the stands after victories like the one at the US Open.
It’s not something that’s always on my mind but it is something to keep in mind. I always try to be myself and do the things that seem right to me. I apply the lessons that my family has given me since I was young. One has the ability to see things their role models do and try to emulate those things.

In the same way, one has the power to avoid destructive behavior. I always strive to imitate positive behavior and have the awareness to shun what could bring me down. It brings me a lot of satisfaction to know that what I do can help and inspire others. We all have to get up to go to work, fight through whatever life throws our way and simply keep a positive outlook, and if what I do somehow inspires someone to do that, that’s gratifying. There’s nothing more satisfying to me than making others feel more empowered or to raise the spirits of other people.

Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev’s instant classic US Open final helped the season’s fourth major set a new attendance mark this year. A record 737,872 fans strolled through the gates in New York, about 5,000 more than last year, to break the prior record of 732,663.

In total, during the past three weeks, 853,227 people attended the tournament, including the US Open Fan Week, which includes qualifying matches.

Nadal beat Medvedev in the five-set final that lasted four hours, 49 minutes to win his 19^th major title and second of the season.

The development of Daniil Medvedev’s game and his subsequent rise up the ATP Rankings has been one of the storylines of the 2019 ATP Tour season. Medvedev’s star shone brightly on the summer North American hard-court swing, which will live long in the memory, when he recorded 20 wins from 23 matches.

His four-tournament tear included his first ATP Masters 1000 crown at the Western & Southern Open, where he beat World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals and David Goffin in the final. Having been No. 19 in the ATP Rankings on the eve of the Australian Open in January, Medvedev found himself in the Top 5 after his Cincinnati run, the first Russian man to hold that position since Nikolay Davydenko in June 2010.

Back-to-back finals at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. (l. to Kyrgios) and the Coupe Rogers (l. to Nadal), had preceded Cincinnati, but it was at the US Open where he showcased his personality and tactical maturity in reaching his first Grand Slam championship final.

Read Reaction: Medvedev – ‘After The Summer, I Had No Fear’ 

By beating 2016 champion Stan Wawrinka in the quarter-finals, Medvedev qualified for the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals, the season finale at The O2 in London from 10-17 November, for the first time, and he didn’t rest on his laurels in overcoming Grigor Dimitrov in the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows.

Only an inspired performance by Rafael Nadal, over five epic sets, could stop the momentum of the 23-year-old, who became the first player to record 50 match wins in 2019. Currently at No. 4, Medvedev has set eight new ATP Rankings highs this season.

Nadal Steps Up Bid For Year-End No. 1
Nadal’s enduring quality and longevity was highlighted in New York City, when the Spanish superstar reached his third major championship final of the year (also Australian Open and Roland Garros) to earn his 19th Grand Slam crown. Read Final Match Report

Fourteen years on from his first triumph at 2005 Roland Garros, the 33-year-old has now reached three Grand Slam finals in a single season on four occasions (also 2010-11 and 2017).

Nadal built up an 11-match winning streak over the summer by clinching a record-extending 35th Masters 1000-level crown in Montreal and kept his nerve — as other seeded players lost early — en route to a fourth trophy at the US Open.

As a result of his two tournament performances, Nadal added 3,000 points to his 2019 ATP Race To London tally, going from 6,225 points on 5 August to 9,225 points on 9 September. In the same period, Djokovic has gone from 6,725 points to 7,265 points, and now sits 1,960 points behind Nadal, who is in a strong position to finish year-end No. 1 for a fifth time (2008, 2010, 2013, 2017).

Djokovic lost in the Cincinnati semi-finals (l. to Medvedev) and the US Open fourth round (retired vs. Wawrinka), where he explained he looks forward to a battle for No. 1.

Kyrgios Manages Racquet Emergency For D.C. Title
Nick Kyrgios channelled his energy and worked his way through a racquet emergency for his second ATP 500-level title of his career in early August at the Citi Open. The 24-year-old Australian, who’d beaten three Top 10 players (d. Nadal, Isner and Zverev) en route to the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC earlier in the season, won six matches in Washington, D.C. for his sixth ATP Tour crown.

Shortly after his 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(6) semi-final against Stefanos Tsitsipas, when Kyrgios saved one match point, the 24-year-old realised he had only one undamaged tennis racquet left in his bag. His father sent a rush shipment of additional racquets from Canberra, Australia, but they were stuck in customs at FedEx’s Washington Dulles International Airport.

Kyrgios enlisted the help of Citi Open owner Mark Ein, but went to bed on the eve of the final thinking that he’d only be playing with one frame. Ein came to the rescue and Kyrgios beat Daniil Medvedev 7-6(6), 7-6(4) in the final. Read Report & Watch Final Highlights

Basilashvili Retains Hamburg Crown During Clay Swing
Nikoloz Basilashvili was the standout performer at the Hamburg European Open, where he extended his winning streak to 11 matches at the ATP 500-level tournament. Having won his first ATP Tour title in 2018 as a World No. 81-ranked qualifier, the 27-year-old Georgian returned to save two match points against Alexander Zverev 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(5) in the semi-finals before another tough three-set win against Andrey Rublev in the final.

Read Feature: Basilashvili: Putting Together A Jigsaw

Elsewhere on the summer European clay-court swing, two players lifted their first ATP Tour trophies. Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic backed up April’s run to the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters final by lifting his first ATP Tour title at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag (d. Balazs) and Chile’s Nicolas Jarry was successful at the Swedish Open in Bastad (d. Londero). Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas swept through to the J. Safra Sarasin Swiss Open Gstaad crown (d. Stebe).

Dimitrov Returns To Big Stage
Grigor Dimitrov returned to some of his peak performances days at the US Open, where he reached the third Grand Slam championship semi-final of his career (also 2014 Wimbledon and 2017 Australian Open). With a 1-6 record since Roland Garros, Dimitrov admitted to having low expectations ahead of the US Open, but solid practice prior to the final major of 2019, coupled with his all-round game, came together in a five-set quarter-final victory over Roger Federer. Read Match Report & Watch Highlights

“I kept on believing in the process, kept on working, kept on trying to improve, whatever else I had to improve on my end,” admitted Dimitrov after beating Federer. “I really controlled the things that I could.”

From the high of No. 3 in the ATP Rankings and the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals crown to losing to World No. 405 Kevin King in the BB&T Atlanta Open first round, Dimitrov competed in New York City at No. 78, and with a lot of doubts. The 28-year-old managed to turn around his year through sheer dedication, and provided tennis fans with a heart-warming run and hope of better results in 2020.

Berrettini Moves Into Mix For Nitto ATP Finals Spot
Matteo Berrettini had 1,140 points on 15 July, following the conclusion of Wimbledon, and was 845 points adrift of eighth-placed Medvedev. While he’d enjoyed a breakthrough season, with two ATP Tour titles at the MercedesCup In Stuttgart (d. Auger-Aliassime) and the Hungarian Open in Budapest (d. Krajinovic), in addition to a runner-up finish at the BMW Open by FWU in Munich (l. to Garin), Berrettini’s hard-court form wasn’t quite as strong.

Having gone 5-8 on hard courts this year prior to the Italian’s lone post-Wimbledon outing in Cincinnati, where he lost in the first round to Juan Ignacio Londero, very little was expected of him on the eve of the US Open. After all, he’d lost to No. 72-ranked Denis Kudla in the 2018 first round.

But the 23-year-old grew in confidence throughout the US Open, winning five straight matches, including a thrilling 7-6(5) fifth-set victory over Gael Monfils in the quarter-finals, to set up a clash against Nadal, who he’d idolised as a child. By reaching his first Grand Slam championship semi-final, and, as a result of early losses for Nitto ATP Finals contenders, Berrettini soared from 17th to ninth in the 2019 ATP Race To London.

With four singles spots left up for grabs at the season finale, July’s Generali Open titlist Dominic Thiem and 2018 Next Gen ATP Finals champion Stefanos Tsitsipas are in strong positions to qualify, but Berrettini (2,160) is now one of four players within 100 points of eighth-placed Nishikori (2,180). Defending Nitto ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev (2,120), David Goffin (2,080) and Gael Monfils (2,080) are also in contention.

With two months to go until the Nitto ATP Finals, the conclusion of the regular ATP Tour season will be intriguing. Buy Your Tickets

Team World Captain John McEnroe has named Jack Sock and Taylor Fritz to his team for Laver Cup 2019, taking place in Geneva from 20-22 September.

“Jack has been our MVP for the past two years and I’m delighted he’ll be joining us in Geneva this year,” McEnroe said.

“We’ve got to be strategic, Team Europe is going to be tough to beat. For us, doubles has been very important over the past couple of years. We’ve won the great majority of our doubles matches and obviously Jack was a big part of that.

“He’s one of the best doubles players in the world, tremendously versatile and a great team player – it’s an environment he thrives in. I think he may very well be the key to success for us in Geneva.”

Sock can’t wait to play the Laver Cup for a third time.

“I look forward to playing Laver Cup every year and experiencing the amazing team atmosphere and camaraderie. It’s probably the best atmosphere any of us have ever played in.

“I’m fortunate to be playing with some of my best friends on tour, we all get on really well and have a lot of fun. You know the other guys have your back out there, they’re supporting you, watching your whole match, it makes you want to play your best, and I think it happens and can make a huge difference.

“For the first two years Team World has really hung in there and we’ve definitely had our chances to win, and it’s been so close. If a couple of points here and there had gone the other way, you know we could’ve been holding the trophy in both years.

“Being in his home country we’re expecting an insane number of Roger and Team Europe fans, but you know we had a similar experience in Prague so we’re used to it. We’re definitely heavy underdogs but it’s going to be fun to get out there to try and prove people wrong, and cause a big upset.”

McEnroe announced World No. 30 Taylor Fritz will join Team World, as Kevin Anderson withdrew from the Laver Cup due to the knee injury that also prevented him playing at the US Open.

“Taylor Fritz is having the best season of his career, he’s shown some blistering form this year, and had a rapid rise up the rankings to hit a high of World No. 25,” McEnroe said.

“Taylor is one of the young guns to watch in world tennis. He’s only 21 years old, he gets on great with all the guys and he’ll be a great addition to the team in Geneva.

“I know Kevin is disappointed he can’t play Laver Cup this year – he was fantastic in Chicago – and we all wish him the very best with his rehab and look forward to seeing him back on the court soon,” McEnroe continued.

Laver Cup fast facts:
• The Laver Cup is a three-day tournament pitting a team of six of the best tennis players from Europe against six of their counterparts from the rest of the world
• Björn Borg is captain of Team Europe and John McEnroe is captain of Team World
• Thomas Enqvist and Patrick McEnroe are vice captains of Team Europe and Team World, respectively
• Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Fabio Fognini are confirmed to play for Team Europe
• John Isner, Milos Raonic, Nick Kyrgios, Taylor Fritz, Denis Shapovalov and Jack Sock will play for Team World
• The tournament is named in honor of Australian tennis legend Rod Laver, the only man to win two calendar-year Grand Slams, and one of the greatest players of all time
• The unique format of the tournament showcases tennis superstars competing on the same team, playing singles, pairing up in doubles and cheering each other on from the sidelines
• The inaugural Laver Cup was held at the O2 arena in Prague, Czech Republic, in September 2017, with Team Europe defeating Team World 15-9
• In September 2018 more than 90,000 fans attended the Laver Cup at the United Center in Chicago, where Team Europe once again edged out Team World to win the second Laver Cup 13-8
• The location will rotate between major cities in Europe and the rest of the world each year.

LAVER CUP 2019 – TEAMS

Team Europe
Captain: Bjorn Borg
[2] Rafael Nadal
[3] Roger Federer
[5] Dominic Thiem
[6] Alexander Zverev
[7] Stefanos Tsitsipas
[11] Fabio Fognini

Team World
Captain: John McEnroe
[20] John Isner
[24] Milos Raonic
[27] Nick Kyrgios
[30] Taylor Fritz
[33] Denis Shapovalov
[37 doubles] Jack Sock