Grigor Dimitrov dug deep to complete a prompt revenge job Wednesday at the Rolex Paris Masters.

The Bulgarian battled to a 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6(2) triumph against Daniil Medvedev to reach the third round at the ATP Masters 1000 event in the French capital. Dimitrov led by a set before falling to defeat in the pair’s second-round clash in Vienna just six days ago, but he made no mistake this time around as he powered 48 winners to Medvedev’s 22 for his first victory against the World No. 3 since 2021.

Dimitrov struggled to serve out the match after maintaining the upper hand for much of the deciding set. He led 5-2 before letting slip four match points on his own serve at 5-4 and then another two on return at 6-5, but the World No. 17 kept his composure admirably to dominate the deciding tie-break and seal a two-hour, 54-minute win.

SEVEN match points later! 😜⭐️

Grigor Dimitrov | #RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/J9eL4wGEPg

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 1, 2023

“At 5-4 and 40/15, I just didn’t go enough for my shots,” said Dimitrov. “That’s it, and against a player like him, he’s going to take it, simple as that. I could have done a few things differently. Obviously, it’s very different when you see it from the outside now, but I’m going to watch a little bit for sure.

“I want to see what I could have done a little bit better since I was playing a good game and to get up to 5-4, 40/15, I thought I played an excellent game with very good shot selection. It slipped there, but a good outcome in the end.”

Dimitrov had already shown great mental strength to move ahead in the third set after Medvedev had blunted the Bulgarian’s fast start with a rock-solid second-set showing. The 2020 Paris champion Medvedev could not carry that momentum into the decider, although he did not go down without a fight — the six match points he saved included a 47-shot rally that ended with Dimitrov netting a backhand.

“It’s extremely difficult,” said Dimitrov, when asked how he regathered himself after missing the match points. “You have to accept [it], there is not much to do. The moment has passed. In the end, I had to just remain in the game, looking after my shots and trying create some opportunities again.

“I knew I might have another one. We both were fairly tired. In the end we had some crazy rallies and amazing points. It came down to a few points here and there, just like the last match [in Vienna].”

Now 38-20 for the season, including a 6-10 record against Top 10 opponents, Dimitrov will take on Alexander Bublik next in Paris-Bercy, where he reached the semi-finals in 2019. The 32-year-old, who reached a championship match in Geneva earlier this year, is chasing his first ATP Tour title since he won the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals.

ATP & digital art platform Artchild have partnered to launch POSTERS, limited edition tennis posters customisable by fans. The collaboration kicks off at the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals (12-19 November) with an Official Poster by acclaimed artist Honor Titus.

Honor Titus is a visual artist based in Los Angeles, California. A passionate tennis fan and player of the sport, Titus often makes tennis the subject of his internationally exhibited paintings, using the game as a lens for broader reflection on society. His innovative collaboration with ATP and Artchild builds upon a longstanding tradition of iconic sporting posters, collected by fans across generations.

Nitto ATP Finals Official Poster by Honor Titus” />
^{© 2023 Nitto ATP Finals Official Poster by Honor Titus}
Fans will be able to customise and purchase their own versions of the Nitto ATP Finals Official Poster, using the Artchild digital canvas and artist-curated colour palettes. Each will come to life as a physical print, shipped to fans’ homes, paired with a digital collectible powered by Polygon. A selection of these fan-customised posters will go on to be showcased live at the Pala Alpitour arena, home of the Nitto ATP Finals.

The Official Poster and digital counterpart, in the original version designed by Honor Titus, will be available for purchase exclusively during the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals.

^{Honor Titus photographed at the Beverly Hills Tennis Club. © Mikayla Jean Miller 2023}

“Tennis inspires me deeply. It is so very rich with
history and elegant nuance that it makes for an
excellent subject for the artist. The lines between
intensity, order and insanity are as thick as the
service line.” – Honor Titus

The world’s top singles players competing at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals will customise their own version of the Official Poster. These special one-of-a-kind versions will find their way to fans via an online auction during the tournament with all proceeds supporting an environmental sustainability initiative that promotes green spaces in the city of Turin.

ATP Director of Communications and Web3 Mark Epps said: “POSTERS is all about connecting fans with major moments in tennis. We were inspired by the idea of a creative experience that gives everyone a chance to be part of the story. And, to reimagine one of the most iconic collectibles in tennis culture: the tournament poster. We would like to thank Honor Titus and Artchild for bringing that vision to life.”

The 2023 Nitto ATP Finals Official Poster will be available for a limited time only, online and on site at the Nitto ATP Finals Fan Village during the tournament (12-19 November). Each poster, which includes a premium print and digital collectible, will be priced at $50 plus postage. Collectors of LOVE, the ATP’s digital art collection from the 2022 Nitto ATP Finals, will be eligible to claim one customisable poster per token.

To register for updates and to customise your Nitto ATP Finals Official Poster, visit www.artchild.com.

Carlos Alcaraz’s stunning opening-round loss at the Rolex Paris Masters on Tuesday had wider consequences than simply his elimination from the season’s final ATP Masters 1000 event. With the defeat, the Spaniard’s chances of earning a second consecutive ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by Pepperstone honour dropped significantly.

Six-time Paris champion Novak Djokovic now has an opportunity to press his advantage this week. The Serbian leads the Spaniard by 500 points in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin and could extend his lead to 1,495 points by lifting the trophy in Bercy. The Live Race serves as a barometer for the year-end No. 1 battle.

A gap that wide would nearly put the battle out of reach for Alcaraz with only one more week in the regular season (he has not entered the ATP 250 events in Metz or Sofia, but could accept a wild card) and then the Nitto ATP Finals, where a maximum of 1,500 points are up for grabs.

Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin (31 October)

Should Djokovic emerge victorious at the Rolex Paris Masters for the seventh time, he would be on the verge of extending his record of year-end No. 1 finishes to eight. The 36-year-old last accomplished the feat in 2021.

But if Djokovic suffers an early defeat, Alcaraz, who last year became the youngest ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by Pepperstone, would still have a chance to put pressure on his rival in Turin, home of the Nitto ATP Finals. Third-placed Daniil Medvedev is also still alive in the chase for year-end No. 1, although he is currently 1,755 points behind Djokovic in the Live Race.

Djokovic this week is competing for the first time since Davis Cup the week after he won the US Open. That time off provided Alcaraz an opportunity to make a move in the Live Race, but he has gone 5-3, losing in the semi-finals in Beijing, Round of 16 in Shanghai and the second round in Paris.

Djokovic will play Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Wednesday with the winner to play Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor for a place in the Paris quarter-finals.

Carlos Alcaraz had few complaints about how he struck the ball during his surprise opening-round loss to Roman Safiullin at the Rolex Paris Masters on Tuesday night. But his movement?That’s another story.

“I just didn’t feel well on the court,” the World No. 2 said. “A lot of things to improve, a lot of things to practise. I didn’t move well. In the shots, I think I had a good quality of shots. But physically in the part of movement, I have to improve a lot.”

Alcaraz, who was forced to pull out of Basel due to problems with his left foot and lower back, was competing for the first time since his defeat to Grigor Dimitrov 20 days ago in the Shanghai last 16.

Alcaraz’s let slip an early break of serve in both sets during his 6-3, 6-4 defeat to the World No. 45 in their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting. But having seen Safiullin’s dramatic rise from outside the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings since early May, the Spaniard said that he expected a tough fight against the Wimbledon quarter-finalist.

“He didn’t surprise me at all, because I knew that he has been playing a great level these last few months, beating big guys, reaching finals. I knew that he was going to play a high level,” he said.

Alcaraz slipped to 63-10 on the year, a match record that is still better than his 57-13 season that saw him finish last year as the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by Pepperstone. He has won six titles across all three surfaces, including Wimbledon and ATP Masters 1000 titles in Indian Wells and Madrid.

The 20-year-old is next scheduled to play at the Nitto ATP Finals (12-19 November), where he will make his debut after missing last year’s event in Turin due to injury. He has almost two weeks to retool his game and find his movement working with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.

“I have time before the ATP Finals, a lot of days of practice to be able to reach that level, the level that I want to play,” he said. “Honestly after the loss, I have to take some time before thinking about the next days… But obviously before the ATP Finals begin, we have time.”

Roman Safiullin earned the biggest win of his career year by stunning Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday evening at the Rolex Paris Masters. The qualifier recovered an early break in both sets of a shock 6-3, 6-4 victory, dealing Alcaraz his first opening-round loss of 2023.

Safiullin is up to No. 39 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings with the victory, setting himself up to break into the Top 40 for the first time. The 26-year-old’s upset win against Alcaraz follows breakthrough runs to the Wimbledon quarter-finals and the Chengdu final in recent months.

“Since qualies, I was not playing at this level but against Carlos and these Top 10, Top 20 guys, you have to lift up the level,” Safiullin said post-match. “I managed to do it.

“For Carlos, it was not his best performance, but still I’m happy that I can win… Even if he’s not in the best shape it’s tough to beat him. So I’m really happy that I made it.”

Alcaraz, who was forced to pull out of Basel due to problems with his left foot and lower back, was competing for the first time since his defeat to Grigor Dimitrov 20 days ago in the Shanghai last 16. The defeat deals a heavy blow to his bid to finish the season atop the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the second straight year; he remains 500 points behind world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, with the Serbian set to open his Paris campaign on Wednesday.

Following a first-round bye in Paris, Alcaraz started brightly in both sets but was pegged back by the steadier play of Safiullin. The qualifier was aided by 27 unforced error count from the Spaniard, though he played his part in Alcaraz’s miscues by defending well in the corners, particularly at the critical moments.

Playing in a nondescript white shirt devoid of any sponsor patches, the workmanlike Safiullin converted four of eight break chances in the match — two in each set — while saving two of four break points against Alcaraz, one of tennis’ biggest superstars. In addition to his solid baseline play, centred on his commanding forehand, Safiullin also won 10 of 12 points from the net.

Safiullin with the biggest win of his career over Alcaraz‼️

And another outstanding Forehand #ShotQuality performance 💥🎾#TennisInsights | @ATPTour | @RolexPMasters pic.twitter.com/smqvDTiOm8

— Tennis Insights (@tennis_insights) October 31, 2023

He improved to 3-6 against the Top 10 with the victory, backing up his win against Alexander Zverev in Shanghai. Safiullin has now reached the third round at four of the past five ATP Masters 1000s (also Madrid, Rome, Shanghai).

“Everything against these guys [is important]. Tactical, physical, the mental part is very important,” Safiullin said of his success against the ATP Tour’s best. “[It’s key] to stay focussed from the beginning to the end… Who can make it longer is going to be the winner.”

Alcaraz had not lost his opening match at a Masters 1000 since a three-set defeat to Tommy Paul last year in Montreal. The Spaniard had won nine openers in a row at that prestigious level prior to his Tuesday defeat.

Dominic Thiem views food as more than just a meal, the Austrian explained in the latest edition of ATP Uncovered’s What I Eat series.

“Food is obviously something very important. It’s like which fuel you put in the car,” Thiem said. “It’s the same with the food and your body. It’s so important. It gets you going or it can also slow you down.”

When the former World No. 3 was younger, he “didn’t care so much” about what he ate. But his mindset regarding nutrition has changed.

“The past five to 10 years, I got more and more aware of it,” Thiem said. “And now I try to eat healthy, to eat conscious and to have a good relationship with food.”

In the feature, Thiem discussed what he likes to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as how things change before and after matches. The 30-year-old says one food in particular is “almost magic”.

Wonder which? Find out by watching the full ATP Uncovered feature below.

Novak Djokovic will begin his chase for a record-extending seventh title at the Rolex Paris Masters when he competes on Wednesday. Before focusing on singles, though, the Serbian took to court on Tuesday in doubles, teaming with countryman Miomir Kecmanovic to reach the second round.

Djokovic and Kecmanovic swept past Gonzalo Escobar and Aleksandr Nedovyesov 6-4, 6-2 in 68 minutes at the ATP Masters 100 event.

The Serbians won 67 per cent (12/18) of points on Escobar and Nedovyesov’s second serves, breaking four times to set a second-round meeting against third seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden.

Djokovic will face Tomas Martin Etcheverry in his opening singles match on Wednesday. The 36-year-old is aiming for another deep run in Paris to boost his ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by Pepperstone chances. The Serbian leads Carlos Alcaraz by 500 points in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, which serves as a barometer for the year-end World No. 1 battle.