Sydney and Brisbane will host the new ATP Cup event in 2020 with a third capital city to be confirmed soon.

In an announcement on Sydney Harbour this afternoon, Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley also explained that Sydney would host the finals of the new event in the soon-to-be refurbished Ken Rosewall Arena.

“With more than 100 players from 24 nations vying for $15 million in prize money and 750 ATP ranking points, the ATP Cup will help us launch the global tennis season every January in Australia,” he told an audience that included ATP World Tour Executive Chairman & President Chris Kermode and a group of top players, including some competitors in this week’s Sydney International.

“The ATP Cup fits perfectly with our strategy to innovate and look towards the future. We know from our extensive discussions with the players that the ATP Cup will provide a great way for them to open their season – bringing together the world’s best for a major team event that compliments existing scheduling, provides highly-coveted ATP Ranking points and clearly links to the Australian Open,” Mr Kermode said.

“The first week of the season is when the players want to play and that’s why the tournament has their strong support. By staging the event with Tennis Australia, which is renowned for its experience as an outstanding event promoter, we know that the tournament will be a great success from year one,” Mr Kermode continued.

Mr Tiley said Tennis Australia had a vision for the future of the Australian tennis summer which potentially includes a new women’s event.

Sydney will have a new event and $50.5m worth of upgrades to Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre which includes a new roof on Ken Rosewall Arena and Court 1.

NSW Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said he was delighted Sydney had secured the finals matches until 2022.

“This is another coup for our State, not only for athletes and sporting fans but the wider NSW community who are set to win from the estimated $36.5 million injection into our local economy,” Mr Marshall said

Brisbane will expand its international tennis offering to include the ATP Cup and its existing WTA event.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said securing the rights to the ATP Cup would ensure the world’s best tennis players continue to come to Queensland in January.

“Tennis is much loved by Queenslanders right across the state and is a strong tourism driver,” the Premier said. 

“We want to build on the great tennis we have in Australia. We have seen fans both here and overseas embrace the offerings. Our events have been brilliantly supported by players, broadcasters, commercial partners and governments alike,” Mr Tiley said.

“The timing is right for expansion. We want more players rewarded, more opportunities for them, more opportunities for fans to get to see them…more global exposure for the sport.

“A major step toward achieving that vision is to deliver world-class tennis to cities across Australia which is what the ATP Cup will do. It is the next piece in a vision that will ultimately grow tennis and provide inspiration for future generations,” he continued.

Tomas Berdych’s run to the final of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open was impressive in itself, as the 33-year-old beat two seeded players in Fernando Verdasco and Marco Cecchinato. But the former World No. 4’s efforts in Doha stand out even more because it was his first tournament since the Fever-Tree Championships last June, as he missed time due to injury.

“I think it was a great week overall. Coming after six months of not playing, my expectations were completely on a different level,” Berdych said. “But tennis is a beautiful sport and all the experience that I had from the past and all the hard work that I did throughout my pre-season just pays off and I’m really happy with the way the week went.”

With that being said, the Czech star knows that this is only the beginning of his comeback. Berdych might have come within a set of capturing his first title since Shenzhen in 2016, but there are plenty of tournaments and opportunities ahead.

“I have to stay very humble, very patient because it’s been just the first week of the season,” Berdych said. “So there’s no need for any huge expectations and stuff like that.”

Nevertheless, it was important for Berdych to get plenty of matchplay in ahead of the year’s first Grand Slam, the Australian Open. And the Czech did just that by playing five matches. Berdych has historically fared well in Melbourne, reaching at least the quarter-finals in seven of the past eight years. So Berdych is staying especially focused, even if the major will be just his second tournament back.

“[I just have to] keep on going, doing it week-by-week, match-by-match,” Berdych said. “Australia is one of my favorite Slams. I always did well. So I’m looking forward to the place and I will try to carry on on this momentum and play a great tournament there.”

It was a strong opening week for Berdych in Doha. But he will not take anything for granted. After all, he does not want to finish any tournament runner-up.

“I’m not satisfied because satisfied would be after winning a title.”

Almost three years after capturing his 11th tour-level title in Memphis, Kei Nishikori added a 12th ATP Tour trophy to his collection at the Brisbane International on Sunday.

The Japanese star ended a streak of nine straight tour-level final losses to beat Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 in a repeat of last year’s championship match in Tokyo, won by the Russian. Nishikori won 70 per cent of first-serve points (31/44) to earn victory, in his 51st event since his 2016 triumph in Tennessee, after two hours and four minutes.

“To win the tournament is very emotional. That’s why I’m playing,” said Nishikori. “I was trying in every final and every tournament… I played a great match against Dimitrov and today’s match was another good tennis [match]. I’m sure Daniil is going to be [in the] Top 10 soon.”

Nishikori becomes the first Japanese champion in Brisbane, two years after falling to Grigor Dimitrov in the championship match. The World No. 9 defeated Dimitrov en route to the title, beating the Bulgarian in the last eight before earning wins over Jeremy Chardy and Medvedev.

Twelve months ago, Nishikori was forced to withdraw from Brisbane with a right wrist injury before returning to action on the ATP Challenger Tour in Newport Beach. The Japanese No. 1 soon returned to his best level, reaching three tour-level finals in 2018 before ending the season with a fourth appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals in London.

“I always start with this tournament and Melbourne, [but I] couldn’t make it last year. So I had to start at some ATP Challenger Tour events,” said Nishikori. “For sure, [this year is] a better start because I feel this tournament is always the start of the year. Playing with these guys, these top players, always motivates me. Playing good tennis [and being] very happy and healthy is one of the best keys for me.”

In the early stages, Medvedev proved comfortable exchanging backhands with Nishikori before bringing his forehand into play to seize control and open up a 3-0 lead. But Nishikori soon found his feet, increasing his aggression to strike forehand winners in important moments as Medvedev began to mistime his groundstrokes. Nishikori claimed five straight games to lead 5-3 and soon earned a one-set advantage after holding serve to love with a cross-court backhand winner. 

After saving eight break points early in the second set, Medvedev manufactured one of his own at 4-3 with consistent aggression on his backhand side to rush Nishikori into forced errors. Medvedev managed to get his backhand into play, firing a backhand winner up the line to break before levelling the match with a comfortable service hold.

“[In the] second set I was a waiting too much and I couldn’t convert all the chances I had. He did really well [in the] 4-3 game,” said Nishikori. “He took the risk and he did well. Credit to him.”

Nishikori attacked Medvedev’s forehand early in the third set, extracting multiple errors to gain a 3-1 lead before cruising to victory. The second seed earned a double-break advantage to serve for the match at 5-1 and, despite dropping serve, Nishikori claimed the title in the following game with a cross-court backhand passing shot.

“In the third set, I started playing a little bit more inside and start hitting more,” said Nishikori. “When I realised I had to do something to win this match, I think I made a change really well. I think I returned well. That was the biggest key. [I was] able to return very deep and I think I gave him a little pressure.”

Medvedev was bidding to capture his fourth ATP Tour hard-court title in 12 months, having lifted his maiden tour-level trophy at the Sydney International last year (d. De Minaur) before wins in Winston-Salem (d. Johnson) and Tokyo (d. Nishikori). In 2018, Medvedev led the ATP Tour with 38 hard-court victories (38-15).

“If Kei plays like this, he is going to have a lot of success in this season,” said Medvedev on court.

Nishikori receives 250 ATP Ranking points and collects $90,990 in prize money for lifting the trophy. Medvedev gains 150 ATP Ranking points and receives $49,205.

Did You Know?
Nishikori has earned 40 or more tour-level victories in four of the past five ATP Tour seasons (2014-’16, 2018). The Japanese star has notched 30 or more tour-level wins in each of the past eight ATP Tour seasons (2011-18).