The ATP World Tour will heat up on the North American hard courts in the coming weeks, with the US Open Series set to get underway at the BB&T Atlanta Open.

Now in its 14th season, the US Open Series links four North American hard-court tournaments to the final Grand Slam of the year, the US Open. After hitting the courts in Atlanta, players move to a pair of ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events at the Coupe Rogers in Montreal and Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, followed by the Winston-Salem Open.

Jack Sock is the top seed this week in Atlanta, with three-time champion John Isner looking to return to the winners’ circle at Atlantic Station after a final defeat to Nick Kyrgios last year. Also in action are a slew of #NextGenATP stars – Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz, Ernesto Escobedo, Reilly Opelka, Jared Donaldson and Hyeon Chung.

Novak Djokovic is the defending champion in Canada, with Marin Cilic returning to Cincinnati, the site of his first Masters 1000 victory. In Winston-Salem, Pablo Carreno Busta won an all-Spanish final over Roberto Bautista Agut. Djokovic continues his quest to complete the career Golden Masters in Cincinnati, with Federer eyeing an unprecedented eighth title.

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Fans have voted Alexander Zverev’s game-changing forehand down the line winner in his Halle semi-final clash with Richard Gasquet as their favourite hot shot in the second quarter #NextGenATP Shining Shot poll.

On a must win point at 2-3, 30/30 in the deciding set of the contest, Zverev hooked a forehand winner down the line and into the corner, hit from well behind the baseline. He would go on to win the match and finish runner-up to Roger Federer in the final of the Gerry Weber Open.

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Zverev’s shot won with 45 per cent of the vote over a five-day period. A close second was Mikael Ymer’s ‘tweener lob winner, hit at an ATP Challenger Tour event in Bastad, with 41 per cent of the vote.

Tommy Paul, Akira Santillan and Frances Tiafoe rounded out the second quarter hot shot selection, with seven per cent, four per cent and two per cent of the vote respectively.

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Andrey Rublev captured his first ATP World Tour title on Sunday with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Paolo Lorenzi in the final of the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag. The Russian is the fourth #NextGenATP player to win an ATP World Tour title, joining Alexander Zverev, Karen Khachanov and Borna Coric. The 19 year old is now up to third in the Emirates ATP Race To Milan and cracked the Top 50 in the Emirates ATP Rankings.

Afterwards, Rublev spoke to ATPWorldTour.com:

How does it feel to be holding your first ATP World Tour singles trophy at the age of 19?
Of course it’s amazing. I have no words to explain. Especially after this tough week and all the feelings that I have been going through. Now I’m here and it’s amazing. But now, it’s already passed and in two days I have a new match and I have to be ready 100 per cent.

Was this a goal of yours as a junior, to win an ATP title? How did you envision this?
Of course when I was a kid, I wanted to win Grand Slams, ATP tournaments, all the tournaments that I was watching on the TV. I was watching, and I was dreaming that one day I’m going to also win these tournaments; I’m going to play all these matches. And now I’ve won my first ATP title and it’s amazing. Now it’s time to work, and to try to do it again.

What was your approach going into your first final, how did you prepare for your match?
This week I was trying to do everything the same, always sitting in the car in the front, I didn’t let anybody sit in the front, only me. My coach was wearing the same t-shirt, my t-shirt, for the past three days. During the day, I would always go back to my hotel room. So yeah, all these little things I was trying to do the same. The last three days were really tough mentally. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t talk normally. There was so much stress, it was really tough. I’m really happy that it’s over and I won the tournament.

You replaced Borna in the draw as a lucky loser, are you going to call him or text him?
I already said to him many times “thank you”, but it’s also tough because in one way I’m really happy that I’m in the draw, but in another way I really feel bad for him because he’s a great player and he also had a really good chance to win this tournament. He had that injury, and I really feel sad for him because I know how sometimes it’s tough to make these decisions. I just really hope that he can come back as soon as possible, and to win another tournament.

Talk about your 2017 season and the success you’re having.
I don’t really think about these things. I’m just trying to do my job, trying to give my best every day. Trying to be more stable, trying to improve the things that I need to work on. These are the things I’m most focused on. I’m not trying to think about if I am having a good season or a bad season, because as you can see with this week for example: I lost in the qualies, which should have been bad for me. And now I’ve won this tournament and everything is perfect. It’s not really good to think about if it’s a good season or a bad season, because everything can change so fast. You can win one day, and lose the next day. You can lose and you can win. The main thing for me is to do my best every day.

What are your goals for the rest of the season?
I have no goals. I just want to do my best, to improve on the things I need to improve on, and that’s it. We’ll see what happens.

What do you feel like you have improved on this season?
Firstly we were really working hard on my physique, to allow me to play much longer at the same level and at the same intensity. I think I’ve improved a little physically, and now I can play a little bit longer. But still there is a long way to go. Before, I used to play without sense and just hit the ball. Now I’ve started to understand, more or less where you have to play, where are the better positions. Those things are really important in tennis.

Talk about the success of the NextGenATP Russians this season.
It’s something amazing. I’ve known Medvedev since we were maybe six or seven years old, Karen maybe since I was eight or nine years old. We were always playing the same tournaments and on the same team. They were a little bit older than me, in the juniors in Russia they were always a little higher ranked than me, and I always was the third one on the team. So we were always together, and it’s amazing. And now all three of us are in the Top 50 and we’ll see how things will turn out.

Who are the players you looked up to and admired growing up?
There were three players that I really liked. I really like Federer of course, everybody likes him. When I was a kid I was a big fan of Safin. And then I saw Rafa [Nadal] play for the first time, I started to copy him. I was buying the same clothes. I was 11 and my t-shirt was double my size! I was wearing the sleeveless t-shirts and the long pants and I had the whole collection of his clothes.

Who has helped you throughout your career and helped you to get where you are today?
Of course my family, they always were the ones supporting me, giving everything they have to me. I was like the special one. And of course now the team that I have in Barcelona, they are working really hard with me there. They are doing more than their best, always pushing me. Fernando [Vicente] and Galo [Blanco] are like opposites: Galo is like the bad cop and Fernando is the good cop. With Fernando it’s always easier to find a deal, with Galo it is not!

A LOOK BACK
Challenger Banque Nationale de Gatineau (Gatineau, Canada): Surging #NextGenATP star Denis Shapovalov lifted his second ATP Challenger Tour trophy on home soil in Gatineau, defeating countryman Peter Polansky 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. It marked just the third all-Canadian final in Challenger history and the first since 1999.

“Peter has so much experience under his belt and so many matches, so I knew it was going to be incredibly tough.” said Shapovalov. “I tried to stay focused throughout the second and third sets. It was a couple points in the end that made the difference.”

Having claimed his maiden crown in Drummondville in March, Shapovalov is the second teenager to win multiple titles this year, joining Frances Tiafoe. It has been another strong year for the #NextGenATP contingent on the Challenger circuit, with the 18 year old’s title marking the 10th for the group. Shapovalov soars 31 spots in the Emirates ATP Rankings to a career-high No. 130 and is up to No. 11 in the Emirates ATP Race To Milan.

“Winning two titles in Canada is huge and it shows how important the home tournaments are and how much they help. Every match is a battle at this level and it was a really long week. I’m happy to come out with one more win and I’ll look ahead to next week.”

The Hague Open (Scheveningen, Netherlands): Sixth seed Guillermo Garcia-Lopez turned back the clock on the clay of Scheveningen, claiming his second tournament title and first in 11 years. It was a vintage week for the 34-year-old Spaniard, who battled to a trio of three-set wins, including a 6-1, 6-7(3), 6-2 victory over Ruben Bemelmans in the final.

Also the 2006 champion in Scheveningen, Garcia-Lopez notched his first professional title in two years, when he prevailed at the former ATP World Tour event in Bucharest in 2015. With his sights set on a Top 100 return, the former World No. 23 rises 32 spots to No. 131 in the Emirates ATP Rankings.

.@GuillermoGLopez continued his quest to return to the Top 100 with his second ? at @TheHagueOpen, 11 years removed from his first victory. pic.twitter.com/yjzbMdUbxD

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) July 24, 2017

San Benedetto Tennis Cup (San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy): Matteo Berrettini bolstered his ambitions to qualify for the Next Gen ATP Finals on home soil in Milan, claiming his maiden Challenger title on Sunday. The 21-year-old did not drop a set all week, defeating fourth seed Laslo Djere 6-3, 6-4 in the final. Berrettini, who moves into the Top 200 for the first time, up 56 spots to a career-high World No. 173, is the sixth different Italian winner in the tournament’s 13-year history.

President’s Cup (Astana, Kazakhstan): Fifth seed Egor Gerasimov battled past home favourite and two-time champion Mikhail Kukushkin 7-6(9), 4-6, 6-4 for the title in Astana. It marked the fourth ATP Challenger Tour title for the 24 year old, who is a three-time winner in 2017.

Gerasimov, who also lifted the trophy in Saint-Brieuc, France, and Karshi, Uzbekistan, this year, is a dominant 20-4 in Challenger matches. He has risen more than 300 spots since February to a career-high No. 123 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. In addition, players from Belarus are now 5-0 in Challenger finals this year, with Uladzimir Ignatik and Ilya Ivashka also earning trophies.

Poznan Open (Poznan, Poland): What a way to win your first ATP Challenger Tour title! Russia’s Alexey Vatutin registered arguably the comeback of the year on Sunday, saving six match points to defeat Guido Andreozzi 2-6, 7-6(10), 6-3 in Poznan. Vatutin saved a pair of championship points while serving at 6-5 in the second set and another four in the ensuing tie-break.

It was the second-most match points saved in a Challenger final since such records began in 2014. Sergiy Stakhovsky turned aside seven in the 2016 Seoul final. Paolo Lorenzi also denied six in the 2016 Caltanissetta title match.

Russia's Alexey #Vatutin turns in the comeback of the year, saving 6 MP to claim his maiden #ATPChallenger title in Poznan. pic.twitter.com/TPk4Smj58t

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) July 23, 2017

A LOOK AHEAD
The $100,000 event in Granby, Canada headlines the calendar next week, with home hope Denis Shapovalov looking to go back-to-back. Three former champions are in the draw, with 2003, ’06 & ’13 winner Frank Dancevic, 2014 champ Hiroki Moriya and 2015 titlist Vincent Millot.

The U.S. hard-court summer swings to Binghamton, New York, with Aussie Jordan Thompson leading the pack. #NextGenATP star Alexander Bublik is seeded second and American teen Michael Mmoh is fifth. Akira Santillan is looking to carry the momentum from his maiden title in Winnetka a week ago.

At the scenic €64,000 event in Cortina, Italy, Alessandro Giannessi leads the charge, with Marcel Granollers seeded second. In Tampere, Finland, at one of the longest-running events in Challenger history – the Tampere Open – Garcia-Lopez looks to go back-to-back, while Kimmer Coppejans seeks to defend his title. Finally, in Prague, home hope Adam Pavlasek is the top seed.

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10 THINGS TO WATCH IN HAMBURG

1) 500 Time: This is the eighth ATP World Tour 500-level tournament of the season and the top four seeds are Albert Ramos-Vinolas, Pablo Cuevas, Karen Khachanov and Gilles Simon. This is the fourth ATP World Tour tournament of the year in Germany (also Munich, Stuttgart, Halle).

2) Former Champions: The lone former champion in the field is 2011 winner Simon. Cuevas (2016), David Ferrer (2014), Federico Delbonis (2013) and Tommy Haas (2012) are former finalists.

3) German Title Hopes: The last German champion in Hamburg was current tournament director Michael Stich in 1993. There are eight Germans in the draw, led by Philipp Kohlschreiber, Florian Mayer, Jan-Lennard Struff, wild cards Daniel Altmaier, Haas and Maximilian Marterer, and qualifiers Rudolf Molleker and Cedrik-Marcel Stebe.

4) Haas’ Anniversary: It was 20 years ago that 39-year-old Haas made his hometown tournament debut, reaching the semi-finals (l. to Mantilla). He has an 18-11 record with a runner-up finish in 2012 (l. to Monaco). His last appearance was in 2013 when he reached the quarter-finals (l. to Fognini).

5) Ramos-Vinolas Top Seed: Ramos-Vinolas is the top seed in an ATP World Tour tournament for the first time in his career. The Spaniard is making his seventh Hamburg visit (5-6 record) with his best result being the quarter-finals in 2012. He is a two-time finalist this year (Sao Paulo, ATP Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo) and 22 of his 27 wins in 2017 have come on clay.

6) Ferrer Breaks Drought: Ferrer, who has a 17-8 record in Hamburg with a runner-up finish in 2014, comes in after winning the title in Bastad, his first ATP crown since Vienna in October 2015.

7) One to Watch: Last year’s finalist Cuevas has a 10-4 record in Hamburg, reaching the semi-finals in his 2009 main draw debut and the quarter-finals in 2015. Of his 18 wins this season, 14 have come on clay.

8) #NextGenATP Stars: Russians Khachanov and Andrey Rublev, who earned his first ATP World Tour title in Umag, are making their Hamburg debuts. Khachanov picked up his career-best 20th win of the season in Bastad where he reached the quarter-finals (l. to Dolgopolov).

9) Kohli Looks to Breakthrough: Kohlschreiber is making his 13th Hamburg appearance (12-12 record) and is looking to get past the semi-finals (2014) for the first time. The 33-year-old German has won five of his seven ATP World Tour titles in Germany (Munich three times, Halle, Duesseldorf).

10) Doubles Draw: The seeded teams are Croats Ivan Dodig and Mate Pavic, Pablo Cuevas and Marc Lopez, Julio Peralta and Horacio Zeballos, Marcin Matkowski and Nenad Zimonjic, who is attempting to win his 700th career doubles match.

10 THINGS TO WATCH IN GSTAAD

1) Scenic Gstaad: This is the 102nd anniversary of the picturesque tournament and this year’s field features four of the Top 30 players in the Emirates ATP Rankings, led by David Goffin, Roberto Bautista Agut, defending champion Feliciano Lopez and Fabio Fognini.

2) Goffin Returns: Goffin, who reached the final here two years ago (l. to Thiem) in his previous appearance, is playing his second-straight week (QFs in Umag). He suffered a right ankle injury at Roland Garros that forced him to miss the entire grass-court swing. In February, he became the first Belgian to break into the Top 10 of the Emirates ATP Rankings.

3) Former Champs: Besides Lopez, there are two other former champions in the field: Mikhail Youzhny (2013) and Thomaz Bellucci (2009, 2012).

4) Reigning Champion: Lopez is making his 11th visit to Gstaad. Last year he won his first title (d. Haase), 10 years after reaching the final (l. to Gasquet). He has a 20-9 record in Gstaad. This season Lopez won his biggest career ATP title at Queen’s Club (d. Cilic). He also was runner-up in Stuttgart (l. to Pouille).

5) Switzerland Second Home: Bellucci has captured three (of four) career ATP World Tour title in Switzerland, the last coming in Geneva in May 2016 (d. Sousa). He is making his eighth Gstaad appearance in the past nine years (except ’11) and has a 15-5 record. In 2009, he qualified and captured his first ATP World Tour title (d. A. Beck). In 2012, he won the title again (d. Tipsarevic).

6) Fognini Makes Debut: Fognini is making his main draw debut 10 years after losing in the final round of qualifying. The No. 1 Italian reached 20 match wins on the season for the seventh consecutive year by reaching the quarter-finals in Umag.

7) Dolgo on a Roll: Top Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov, who is making his Gstaad debut, hopes to come in with his second ATP title of the season. He is playing in the Bastad final (vs. Ferrer). He has never won two ATP World Tour titles in a season.

8) Wild Cards: Fognini joins Swiss natives Marco Chiudinelli and Antoine Bellier as wild cards. Chiudinelli is 2-7 in Gstaad and Bellier is making his second straight showing (1R last year).

9) Swiss Title Hopes: Swiss No. 3 Henri Laaksonen is the highest-ranked local player in the draw. This past week he broke the Top 100 for the first time in the Emirates ATP Rankings at No. 100 and he reached his first ATP World Tour quarter-final in Bastad. Federer was the last Swiss champion in 2004.

10) Doubles Draw: The top seeds are Marcus Daniell and Marcelo Demoliner and No. 2 are the Austrian duo of Oliver Marach and Philipp Oswald. Marach is playing his first tournament since reaching the Wimbledon final (w/Pavic).

10 THINGS TO WATCH IN ATLANTA

1) Hard Court Circuit Opens: The first ATP World Tour North American summer hard court tournament is led by the top two Americans in the Emirates ATP Rankings Jack Sock and three-time champion John Isner. The other seeds with first-round byes are Gilles Muller and Ryan Harrison.

2) Sock Top Seed: This is the second time (2017 Houston SF) Sock is the No. 1 seed in an ATP World Tour tournament. Sock is 5-4 in Atlanta, advancing to the semi-finals in 2014 and quarter-finals in 2012 (l. to Isner in both). Sock comes in with a 23-10 record and two ATP World Tour titles this season.

3) Isner Eyes Fourth Title: Isner, who is making his eighth-straight Atlanta appearance (23-4 record), has never lost before the semi-finals. He won titles in 2013-14-15 and reached finals in 2010-11 and last year. On Sunday, Isner captured his third Newport title (d. Ebden) and he went through his four matches without facing a break point. It was his first ATP World tour title since 2015 Atlanta.

4) Muller Moving Up: Muller comes into Atlanta with a 27-13 match record on the season, including 11-2 on grass and 11-7 on hard courts. He reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon (d. Nadal, l. to Cilic) and afterwards jumped to a career-high ranking of No. 22. He is 11-4 in Atlanta with a runner-up in 2012 (l. to Roddick) and semi-finals in 2011 and 2015.

5) #NextGenATP in ATL: Nine #NextGenATP players are in the draw, including wild cards Reilly Opelka and Taylor Fritz, who reached the quarter-finals last year. The others are Hyeon Chung, Jared Donaldson, Ernesto Escobedo, Frances Tiafoe and qualifiers Quentin Halys, Stefan Kozlov and Tommy Paul. Donaldson-Escobedo, Halys-Kozlov and Chung-Paul all meet in the first round.

6) Opelka Breakthrough: Last year, Opelka came into Atlanta ranked No. 837 and en route to his first ATP World Tour semi-final he beat No. 28 Kevin Anderson and Donald Young before falling to Isner in three sets. Last month he reached a career-high No. 125.

7) Local Watch: No. 6 seed Donald Young and wild card Christopher Eubanks, who will be a senior at Georgia Tech University, are two Atlanta residents in the draw. Young reached the quarter-finals last year and Eubanks is looking for his first career ATP singles match win (0-2).

8) Ryan Time: Two-time Atlanta semi-finalist (2011, 2013) Harrison is compiling his best pro season with his first ATP singles title in Memphis and first Grand Slam doubles crown at Roland Garros.

9) Special Exempts: By reaching the semi-finals in Newport last week, Bjorn Fratangelo and Peter Gojowczyk earned a spot in the main draw as special exempts.

10) Brotherly Love: Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan, who won the doubles title two years ago in their Atlanta debut, are the top seeds. Another brothers duo, wild cards Eric Sock and Jack Sock, will make their pro debut together. The Ratiwatana brothers are also in the draw, with different partners (Sanchai with John Millman and Sonchat with Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi).