Casper Ruud decided to forgo this year’s US Open junior events in order to play his first ATP Challenger Tour tournament. Less than two weeks later, the Norwegian teenager has already graduated to the ATP World Tour.

The 17 year old will make his ATP World Tour main draw debut later this month after receiving a wild card into the Chengdu Open, held from 26 September to 2 October. Ruud’s father, Christian Ruud, competed on the ATP World Tour throughout the ‘90s, reaching a career-high ranking of No. 39 in October 1995.

“You have to take it day by day and I’m just trying my best every day and working hard,” said Casper. “Anything can happen, but I’m going to stay humble and just try to work every day.”

The teenager came through qualifying to win last week’s $75,000 ATP Challenger Tour event in Seville, Spain. He became the fourth youngest player to win an ATP Challenger Tour event in their debut, joining prestigious champions including Michael Chang, Richard Gasquet and Jonathan Stark. Ruud is also the youngest ATP Challenger Tour winner since Alexander Zverev in 2014.

“Given his recent Challenger, it was an easy decision to give him the coveted wild card,” said Tournament Director Nick Freyer. “He was outside the top 1000 in the [Emirates] ATP Rankings at the start of the year, but his results have taken him to a career high ranking of 274 this week. [It’s] outstanding by any measure, especially so given his young age.”

Nick Kyrgios, Grigor Dimitrov and Pablo Carreno Busta are among the top players competing in the inaugural edition of the Chengdu Open.

After six months on the sidelines with a right elbow injury, Tommy Robredo is set to make his comeback on the ATP World Tour next week at the Moselle Open in Metz.

The 34-year-old Robredo last competed on the ATP World Tour in February at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, where he fell to Novak Djokovic in the first round. Since then, the Spaniard has endured a tough spell away from the court after having surgery.

“It’s been hard,” Robredo told ATPWorldTour.com. “Firstly having to make the decision to have surgery, because after Dubai I had a tear in the tendon and I tried to avoid the operating theatre. I spent some time doing rehabilitation, but after a month and a half, we saw that it hadn’t mended at all so we opted for the surgery.”

After first detecting the injury in Dubai, Robredo initially hoped to return in April at the Barcelona Open BancSabadell. But the doctors confirmed that surgery would be the best way to get back on the court. As such, there followed a lengthy stretch of recuperation and rehabilitation.

“Technically it’s been four months of recuperation,” said Robredo. “The first two months were hard because you have to come to terms with not training or competing. The third and fourth months, when you know you’re getting close, are when you put your foot down a bit. You’re excited to get back.”

Robredo’s 19 years of experience as a professional, the team he has around him and the people closest to him have been an important an important part of his recuperation. “The dream of coming back has always been there, working day after day with my team, with the physio, with my coach. It all helps,” said Robredo. “It’s all gone well. Also being at home with my family, with my friends, with my girlfriend has meant my return has been faster and more enjoyable.

The Spaniard, who has received a wild card into the Moselle Open, where he lifted the trophy in 2007 (d. Murray), made a tentative comeback on the ATP Challenger Tour last week in Genova. “I was really looking forward to playing again. Now in Metz, I think I will play better.”

After playing just six matches so far in 2016, Robredo is keen for as much court time as he can get as the season draws to a close in the coming weeks. “The goal is to play as many matches as possible so that my arm improves and I can start 2017 in top form,” said the Spaniard.

“There are going to be some difficult months ahead because having to start playing with pain is annoying and it isn’t easy. The goal is to get back to 100 per cent next year and give my all to see if we can have another great run, another great comeback and get back to where I really want to be on the ATP World Tour.”

“Can you be Number 1?” Charlie Rose asked US Open champion Stan Wawrinka during a sit-down interview on Monday.

“No,” laughed Wawrinka, his shiny new trophy on the table next to him. “I won three Grand Slams, but I’m not consistent enough during the year. If you look, Novak [Djokovic] is making a final or winning every tournament that he’s playing. I can play amazing, I can win a Grand Slam, but I’m not playing well enough in the year.”

The buzz of his third major title had yet to lift as the 31-year-old Swiss chatted with the American talk show host about his friendship with compatriot Roger Federer, how he deals with stress, coach Magnus Norman’s influence and what practice is like with World No. 1 Djokovic. 

“We push each other in practice… try to improve most of the time,” said Wawrinka. “It’s good fun also because we like each other.”

Wawrinka’s appearance on Charlie Rose was part of a media tour in New York City, which also saw him visit “Live With Kelly” and play Wii Tennis with Jimmy Fallon. Watch

NextGen star Hyeon Chung is back after four months out due to injury, but he’s picking up right where he left off.

Competing in the first tournament of his comeback at the $50,000 ATP Challenger Tour event in Nanchang, China, the 20 year old from Korea has moved into the quarterfinals without dropping a set. Although he admitted that the rehab process took longer than expected, he’s now fully healthy and ready to make another climb up the Emirates ATP Rankings.

“After Roland Garros, I found out after I lost my [first-round] match that I had injured my abs,” said Chung. “I did nothing for two weeks and then slowly began training. I want to see now if I’m able to do everything that I could before.”

During his time away from the court, Chung said he was motivated by the success of other young Korean players on the ATP Challenger Tour, including Duckhee Lee and Soon Woo Kwon.

“We’re all friends,” said Chung. “Duckhee is playing Davis Cup now, but we all played the same tournaments growing up. We’re all pushing each other to get better.”

Chung made headlines last year for his rapid rise up the Emirates ATP Rankings, climbing from No. 169 to No. 51 in 12 months. He won four ATP Challenger Tour titles in 2015 and finished as runner-up in two other Challenger events. Chung also reached his first ATP World Tour quarterfinal that October at the Shenzhen Open.

Having added new weapons to his game during his time away from the court, he’s optimistic about cracking the Top 50 of the Emirates ATP Rankings next year.

“I made a few changes to my serve and my balance on my forehand,” said Chung. “This week was my first match in four months, so it’s not great yet, but I’m going to keep trying. I just want to keep going and play more Challengers.”

Andy Murray, Juan Martin del Potro, Marin Cilic and Lucas Pouille headline the nominations for the Davis Cup World Group semi-finals kicking off on 16 September. Defending champion Great Britain will face Argentina in Glasgow, while the Croatians will host the French in Zadar. Both semi-final ties will be played on indoor hard courts.

The Brits will be represented by World No. 2 Andy Murray, #NextGen star Kyle Edmund and in-form Daniel Evans, who held a match point in the third round of the US Open against eventual champion Stan Wawrinka. Jamie Murray, No. 4 in the Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings and the US Open doubles champion, rounds out the team.

Del Potro, who fell to Wawrinka in the US Open quarter-finals, started the year outside the Top 1000, but is back into the Top 65 on the strength of a 22-10 record since his comeback from left wrist surgery. He is joined by countrymen Federico Delbonis, Guido Pella and Leonardo Mayer on the Argentinian side.

Croatia is looking for its first Davis Cup final since winning the title in 2005 and has named Cilic, #NextGen star Borna Coric, doubles World No. 8 Ivan Dodig and Marin Draganja to its team. They will face a French team composed of Pouille, Richard Gasquet, Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Mahut/Herbert are the top players in the Emirates ATP Doubles Race To London.

On the same weekend, there will be eight World Group playoff ties to determine which teams will be promoted and relegated next year.

Uzbekistan will attempt to reach the World Group for the first time against a Swiss squad playing without Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka.

David Goffin and the Belgians will host top singles player Thomaz Bellucci and the Brazilian team in Ostend.

Nick Kyrgios, Bernard Tomic, Sam Groth and John Peers will represent Australia on home soil against Slovakia.

Young Canadian Denis Shapovalov will make his Davis Cup debut against Chile on an indoor hard court in Halifax.

Russia aims to return to the World Group after a four-year absence against Kazakhstan in Moscow.

Rafael Nadal will lead the Spanish contingent against India in New Delhi. The home team’s top singles player, Saketh Myneni, recently qualified for his first Grand Slam event at the US Open.

Germany will attempt to retain its place in the 16-team World Group against Poland in Berlin.

Kei Nishikori will lead the Japanese against an in-form Illya Marchenko and his Ukrainian teammates.

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Ranking Movers

+78 Juan Martin del Potro (64)

+29 Kyle Edmund (55)

+29 Ryan Harrison (94)

+25 Jared Donaldson (97)

+14 Karen Khachanov (81)

Birthdays

17 September – Tomas Berdych (31)