At the Delray Beach Open presented by VITACOST.com on Wednesday, just after 5:00 pm, 29-year-old Neal Skupski was on Court 1 hitting serves just minutes after reaching the doubles semi-finals. Recording those serves was his brother and partner, 35-year-old Ken Skupski.

“He didn’t feel comfortable on his serve [during the match]. Other players might be thinking, ‘Oh, he doesn’t serve well enough. I’m going to potentially look for someone who can serve better to help get me to that next level’,” Ken said. “I don’t see it like that. My idea is that he’s always going to be my partner. He’s the person who I will always play with… I’m always looking for my brother to do the best he possibly can. And he’s always asking for me to be the best I can be.”

As the Skupski brothers spoke to ATPTour.com later in the evening in the Delray Beach players’ lounge, Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan sat 10 metres away, preparing for a match of their own. The 40-year-old Bryan brothers have lifted 116 tour-level trophies together, and finished No. 1 in the year-end ATP Doubles Team Rankings 10 times.

In some ways, the sibling pairings are similar: the Bryans (Stanford) and the Skupskis (LSU) all attended college, and each team has a righty and a lefty. But in other ways, they’re different.

When Ken graduated from LSU and began his efforts on the professional circuit, there would still be another year before Neal would start studying at university. While the Bryans have competed together throughout their lives, it took until Ken was 30 and Neal was 23 for the Brits to compete alongside one another on the ATP Challenger Tour. Sure, Ken knocked around balls with his brother when they were younger, but just for fun.

In fact, Neal was only a sophomore at LSU when Ken captured his first two ATP Tour titles (w/Colin Fleming). They are playing with one another as professionals for the 136th time this week in Delray Beach.

“You’ve grown up looking at the Bryan Brothers. They’ve had unbelievable success playing doubles together. Obviously the best of all-time. It was tough at first [for us],” Neal said. “Ken is six years older than me and he took on the role of being the leader of the team, sort of the coach, too, because we didn’t have a coach at the time.”

The Skupskis have found success over the past couple of years. In 2018 alone, they won their first team ATP Tour title in Montpellier, and reached two additional finals.

But Ken, as he puts it, is in the ‘twilight’ of his career. The British left-hander is 35 years old with three kids at home. Ken is No. 68 in the ATP Doubles Rankings, while Neal is No. 35, just four spots off his career-high. So if Neal is able to get into ATP Masters 1000 events and even ATP 500 tournaments, but Ken cannot because of his ATP Doubles Ranking, he is more than happy to support his brother from afar.

“It’s always a dream, isn’t it? Once you get to the idea of tennis potentially being a job, then you set serious goals of where you want to get to,” Ken said. “When you’re very, very young, to say you’re going to be making money off the sport and still playing at 35, I’d sign up for it every day of the week.”

And perhaps the best part of the experience is doing it alongside his younger brother. They were raised differently tennis-wise — Ken played junior tournaments every couple of weeks as a kid, while Neal only competed at four or five big events each year. Yet here they are, competing on the ATP Tour together.

“It is obviously nice to travel as a team, as brothers. It’s better than traveling with someone you don’t know on the Tour. Obviously he speaks the same language as me, likes the same things,” Neal said. “We have a lot of advantages of being brothers and playing together.”

“I can shout at him, he can shout at me and I don’t take it personally,” Ken said. “Some people can take offence to things, but I don’t. If I’m not good enough on the day, I know it, he knows it and we move on from it, find a way to get better.”

Ken’s goal is to maintain his ATP Doubles Ranking as best he can so that he can still play with his brother, as he has no intentions of holding his brother back. The 2017 Wimbledon quarter-finalists want to make a deep run at another Grand Slam, potentially compete at the 2020 Olympics and continue progressing daily. Most importantly, they are in it not just as a pair, but as brothers.

“It is a fantastic thing that our family was able to get two brothers to play professional tennis and make a living out of the sport,” Ken said. “These guys, the Bryans, they’re in the same boat. They’re not looking over their shoulder thinking their partner is maybe going to speak to another guy and go off to play other tournaments. They’re in it for the long haul.”

So are the Skupskis.

Four-time champions Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan enjoyed a successful – albeit tight – return to the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com on Wednesday night. The twin Americans ousted New York Open champions Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies of Germany 7-6(5), 7-6(3) to reach the quarter-finals of the ATP 250.

“They played well last week… They’re doing really well,” Mike Bryan said.

Jackson Withrow and Nick Kyrgios fall on Wednesday at the Delray Beach Open. Photo: Peter Staples/ATP Tour

Both teams held throughout the opener, and they twice traded breaks in the second set before the Bryans sprinted to a 5/1 lead in the tie-break. They will next face Frenchmen Adrian Mannarino/Hugo Nys, who beat Americans Steve Johnson/Tennys Sandgren 6-1, 6-2.

Radu Albot and Yoshihito Nishioka eliminated Nick Kyrgios/Jackson Withrow 7-6(2), 6-1 and will meet the Ken Skupski/Neal Skupski of Great Britain in the semi-finals. The brothers beat Italians Paolo Lorenzi and Andreas Seppi 7-6(5), 7-6(3).

Records and milestones are falling at will for 21-year-old Riley Opelka. The 6’11” American won his maiden ATP title at the New York Open on Sunday and rose 33 spots to a career-high of No. 56 in the ATP Rankings this week. An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of Opelka’s biggest weapon, his serve, uncovers just how easily aces flow from his racquet.

1. Career High / Aces Per Match
Opelka has hit 654 aces in 32 tour-level matches to quickly become the career leader in Average Aces Per Match at 20.4. It’s a staggering achievement for such a young player, and it is an extremely positive indicator that his emerging career can go in whatever direction he wants.

Top 5 Career Leaders: Average Aces Per Match
Reilly Opelka = 20.4
Ivo Karlovic = 19.8
John Isner = 18.1
Wayne Arthurs = 15.8
Sam Groth = 15.4

As good as those numbers are, his record during the past 52 weeks is even more impressive. Opelka is averaging a mind-blowing 27.8 aces per match during the past 12 months. It’s as close to untouchable as our sport has witnessed.

2. Ace Record For A Match
Opelka defeated John Isner 6-7(10), 7-6(14), 7-6(4) in the semi-finals of the New York Open last week, with both players combining to strike 81 aces – an ATP record for a three-set match. Opelka hit 43, and Isner hit 38.

Read More: Opelka Reflects On Winning First ATP Tour Title

The duo also combined to hit 87 aces in their first-round match at the Australian Open this year, with Isner contributing 47 and Opelka 40 during four tie-break sets.

3. New York Open / Aces Per Match
Opelka’s semi-final and final both went the distance to a third set tie-break, with the young American striking 43 aces in both matches. Opelka eclipsed his average ace tally (20.4) in four of his five matches in New York, and more than doubled the average in his final two matches.

New York Open: Opelka Aces Per Match

The simplicity of Opelka’s serve motion is a key component to him being so accurate and often hitting close to the lines when he hits aces. His fluid serve motion can be broken down into five phases.

1. Ready Position: Opelka leans forward on his front foot with the neck of his racquet resting on his left hand. That helps hold the weight of the racquet in the ready position, which in turn keeps his right arm loose.

2. Weight Transfers Back: He rocks to his back foot to build energy and keeps his racquet low while lifting his tossing arm high in the air.

3. Loading Phase: Opelka then brings his back foot up right behind his front foot and drops into a deep knee bend, preparing to explode up and forward into the court. Importantly, he keeps his tossing arm straight up in the air as long as he can to help make his toss more consistent.

4. Explosion At Contact: Opelka keeps his eyes and head up at contact and has his whole body in the air in front of the baseline as he unleashes all his energy into the serve.

5. Into The Court: Opelka lands a long way into the court on his left leg, and impressively, does not go too deep and low with his knee bend to then prepare for the next shot – if indeed there is a next shot.

Opelka is the real deal, and will be looking to break into the Top 50 and beyond in the coming months. He has no points to defend from Indian Wells or Miami. Of the 18 tournaments he currently has points from, 13 are sourced from ATP Challenger Tour events or qualifying for ATP Tour events. That landscape is going to look very, very different 12 months from now.

Revenge is best served cold, but why wait if you don’t have to? #NextGenATP Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime earned some payback on Wednesday night, and in the process, guaranteed his best showing yet at an ATP 500 tournament.

The 18-year-old beat Chile’s Christian Garin 7-5, 6-4 at the Rio Open presented by Claro to reach his first ATP 500 quarter-final. Last week, the 22-year-old Garin came back from a set down against Auger-Aliassime in the first round of the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires.

But the teenager kept his poise on Quadra Central, breaking five times and serving out the match to love. Auger-Aliassime seems to be even surprising himself this week. After match point, he dropped his racquet and wore a look of disbelief.

“I didn’t know what to expect when I came here. I hadn’t won many matches this year. I knew I was playing well, from the practices,” said Auger-Aliassime, who was 1-3 at tour-level this season before this week. “I thought I had a chance to have tournaments like this this year. I came in, believed in my game, and I think it’s paying off now. I think I dig deep physically in these conditions, and I was also able to stay really tough mentally.” 

The 18-year-old aced public relations and earned a few more fans in Rio. During his celebratory post-match dance on court, Auger-Aliassime tossed on a Brazilian football shirt, a gift from a friend earlier in the day, with one word emblazoned on the back: “Felix”.

He will face another up-and-coming player in Jaume Munar for a place in the semi-finals. The 21-year-old Spaniard fought past Brit Cameron Norrie 7-6(6), 5-7, 7-6(4) to reach his first ATP 500 quarter-final. Munar made the semi-finals of the 21-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals last November in Milan.

“I’m feeling happy for the win, but I also know I have to improve in a lot of things. I had many chances in the second, also chances before the tie-break in the final set,” Munar said. “My sentence in my head was just battle for every point.”

Hugo Dellien gave his home nation of Bolivia another reason to celebrate. The 25-year-old beat 2018 Ecuador Open champion Roberto Carballes Baena 7-5, 6-4 to make the quarter-finals. Before this week, no male player from Bolivia had won an ATP Tour or Grand Slam match in 35 years.

“This week has been a dream to me. The past two I struggled, trying to qualify in Cordoba and Buenos Aires, and now I’m playing the quarter-finals of an ATP 500 event. It’s been a long time since Bolivia had a tennis player winning matches so this means a lot to me and my country,” Dellien said. “I’m really happy and extremely proud. I never thought people would travel to Rio to see me play. My goal for this year was to be a Top 100 player, and now I guess I can dream about the Top 50.”

He will face Slovenia’s Aljaz Bedene, who knocked out home favourite Thiago Monteiro 6-3, 6-4 to make his second consecutive Rio quarter-final.

John Isner advanced to his second quarter-final in as many weeks on Wednesday (New York), dismissing Slovakian Lukas Lacko 6-4, 6-3 at the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com. The three-time semi-finalist dropped only one first-serve point (31/32) and improved to 4-0 against Lacko in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, which dates back to Auckland 2014.

“It was a good win. I think I’m getting more comfortable on this surface, especially with the positioning on my return… I was challenging him on a lot of return games,” Isner said. “I was very happy how I came through that.”

The second-seeded Isner will face eighth seed Adrian Mannarino for a place in the semi-finals. The Frenchman beat Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan 6-2, 7-6(3) for his second win of 2019.

Brit qualifier Daniel Evans reached his third tour-level quarter-final – and first since the 2017 Sydney International. The 28-year-old, No. 148 in the ATP Rankings, routed South Africa’s Lloyd Harris 6-0, 6-2 in only 69 minutes.

Evans upset third seed and defending champion Frances Tiafoe on Tuesday night. The Brit will face Italy’s Andreas Seppi, who outplayed Aussie Jordan Thompson 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.

Daniel Evans on Wednesday advanced to his third tour-level quarter-final, defeating 2018 Next Gen ATP Finals alternate Lloyd Harris 6-0, 6-2 at the Delray Beach Open presented by VITACOST.com. The Brit has won four matches this week after coming through qualifying.

“Still a lot of tennis left this week and hopefully [I’ll] keep going,” said Evans before speaking of the windy Florida conditions. “I’m moving really well, I think. It’s just the way it is. I’m moving great and the wind actually suits my game quite well. It’s difficult to hit off the slice as well. I feel I’m playing good.”

Evans will play Italian Andreas Seppi for a spot in his third ATP Tour semi-final, as he is trying to stay undefeated (2-0) in the last eight at this level. The World No. 148, who upset defending champion Frances Tiafoe in the first round, has never faced Seppi.

“He’s a great player,” Evans said. “I love the way he plays. It’s going to be good fun.”

After his victory, Evans revealed to ATPTour.com the last time…

I missed a flight?
Dubai in 2016. Just slept through the alarm.

I lost something important?
My bank card last week. I had to borrow my coach’s credit card for the week. I had to close it.

Being famous helped me?
Never helped.

I strung a tennis racquet?
A long time ago, probably when I was a junior. It was pretty easy, I enjoyed it. Took me about 20, 25 minutes.

I cooked for myself and others?
I can’t cook, don’t cook, won’t cook.

Favourite meal someone cooked for you?
Chicken fajitas, pretty good.

I met a childhood idol?
Tim Henman was here this week, so that was pretty good.

I shared a hotel room with another player?
I shared an apartment in the pre-season this year, stayed in an apartment with some other players in Bradenton. It was a group of us, so that was cool.

I asked someone famous for an autograph or selfie?
I would have been very young. Probably at a tennis tournament when I was watching. It was great fun seeing the guys who were the stars of the tournament at that time. It probably would have been Wimbledon.

In the first weekend of February in 2018, Paolo Lorenzi was in Japan for Italy’s Davis Cup tie against Japan, one he did not play in. Then 36 years old and No. 46 in the ATP Rankings, he hurt his left foot. The next week in Quito, Lorenzi broke the fascia in that foot, his first serious injury since turning professional in 2003.

“I think it was frustrating because it was the first time. I didn’t know what to expect,” said Lorenzi, who missed nearly two months. “I was thinking that when I came back on court, everything would be the same. I needed time and tennis players don’t want to wait. We want everything to be fast and easy, so it was something different. But I think it helped me grow up. You’re never too old to grow up.”

After returning at an ATP Challenger Tour event at San Luis Potosi at the end of March, things didn’t go as planned. Lorenzi lost four consecutive matches, winning just one set during that stretch. While he claimed two Challenger titles later in the year, in Sopot and Cordenons, Lorenzi won just four tour-level matches in 2018 after his return.

“I think that last year for me was tough because I was unlucky. In my tennis life I’d never had a big injury. But I had one for the first time,” Lorenzi said. “I know that it’s not easy, because I’m not young anymore, but of course I’m trying my best and I’m happy. I’m happy that I’m playing some tournaments and I’m happy to stay on the circuit. Sometimes you don’t think how lucky you are until you’re out.”

Lorenzi has found his best tennis later in his career. He first broke into the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings just before his 28th birthday, and he hit his career-high of No. 33 when he was 35, less than two years ago.

“To be there at the beginning of his career always at Challengers and striving to get to the Top 100, I think many players would have quit playing. He was always just working hard,” said fellow Italian Andreas Seppi. “Seeing him now at 37 at a good level, is of course inspiring. Physically it’s not easy, but you can see he’s still doing a good job.”

Lorenzi fell as low as No. 116 in the ATP Rankings after suffering his foot injury, and he currently sits at No. 105. Considering there are only three players older than him in the Top 200, one would expect it to be hard to battle back. But that’s not the case for Lorenzi.

“I love this sport. I love to wake up in the morning and go to practice. I like to play tournaments and I like the adrenaline of the match, so I think that’s the key,” Lorenzi said. “If you like what you do, that’s the most important thing. I’m lucky because my passion became my work, so I’m trying to enjoy it as long as I can.

“I think that I’ve always loved it. This is the key of my tennis life. I always say it doesn’t matter if I’m here to play an ATP Tour event or I’m playing a Challenger, I always love what I’m doing. I think this is the most important thing and to like what you do, you have to do it, if you can.”

Perhaps Lorenzi’s biggest win came at Kitzbuhel in 2016, when he earned his maiden ATP Tour trophy. The raw emotions of that victorious moment stays with Lorenzi to this day, the crown jewel of a successful career.

“I think I’m happy. When you start playing tennis you want to be No. 1 in the world, you want to win a Slam, at least if you tell me I would do this, I’d be really happy,” Lorenzi said. “I won one ATP Tour title, I was No. 33 in the world, I was No. 1 in Italy for one year. So I think that I really enjoy what I’ve done and I think I’ve done a pretty good job.”