Renowned coach Patrick Mouratoglou, who has worked with stars including Serena Williams and Simona Halep, recalls meeting Holger Rune when the Dane was 13. His first impression of Rune’s game was that he was an all-court player with no strokes that stood out.

“The fact that he was doing so well in terms of results got my interest because there is always a reason for that,” Mouratoglou, who is Rune’s coach alongside Lars Christensen, told ATPTour.com. “I remember seeing him play points with guys and I thought ‘Oh, okay. I get it now.’

That ‘it’ was not related to technique or his strokes at all. It was an intangible.

“Some guys have this competitiveness that is at another level. They are able to play their best when it’s important,” Mouratoglou said. “They’re able to feel the moment when the guy is more stressed on the other side and keep the ball in the court and let the guy make the mistakes. Feel when is the moment to push and accelerate.”

Mouratoglou remembers discussing that with Rune and his team, including Christensen and mother Aneke Rune. His passion stood out.

“I could feel how much it was burning inside, which is quite rare to have. It’s funny because I’m in touch with a lot of young players as you can imagine at my academy and I always ask them about their hobbies,” Mouratoglou said. “A lot of guys say, ‘Oh, I love to do this and that.’ I say, ‘Do you watch some tennis?’ And they say, ‘Oh no, I play tennis all day, I’m not going to watch tennis.’ I always think it’s sad. I don’t judge, but to go to the top of the game, I think you have to be a bit obsessed with what you’re doing, whether you’re a musician, an actor or a tennis player.”

Rune, the Newcomer of the Year in the 2022 ATP Awards, also has great self-belief. When he walks on court, regardless of who his opponent is, he believes he can win. Mouratoglou said that has been present from the beginning.

“First he had an incredible belief in his ability to reach his dreams, which is not something very common because a lot of players are full of doubt and they don’t dare dreaming really and believing that they can do it. He believed 100 per cent,” Mouratoglou said. “Second, he was all about tennis. He’s coming to the tennis, he’s doing all the things and whenever he has free time he watches tennis. He thinks tennis, he’s really obsessed with the sport and I think that’s what makes the greats great and all the greats we all know, they are the same. They are really, really passionate.”

A prime example of Rune’s self-belief came at the 2021 US Open, where the Dane was making his Grand Slam debut. Novak Djokovic was trying to complete the calendar-year Grand Slam, and Rune was his first opponent.

“My goal is not just to play here,” Rune told ATPTour.com ahead of their first-round clash. “My goal is to win this tournament, even many times.”

“First of all if you don’t believe you are going to win, you can play 10 times better than the other guy, you’re not going to win,” Mouratoglou said. “And it’s easy to say, it’s not easy to really do.”

According to Mouratoglou, it makes him think back to a story about Djokovic he always tells.

“There was a time when there were two guys who were on top of the world, Roger and Rafa. They were winning everything. We all remember this period, everything. All the Top 10s at that time were saying privately, ‘[It is] impossible to win a Grand Slam, we can’t beat those guys. They’re just too good,’” Mouratoglou said. “Novak arrived, he was 19. First time he played Roger in a Grand Slam he was interviewed the day before and he said, ‘I’m going to beat him.’ I remember the press people were tough on him. ‘Oh, who does he think he is?’ This guy, he just believed in himself.

“He didn’t win that match, but he happened to finally win many against them and become No. 1 in the world. So I think this is a really special thing. The immense majority of the players don’t believe and even if they believe at some point, their belief is not very strong. So when they hit the wall one, two, three times, they stop believing.”

Mouratoglou believes that the players who reach the top of the sport have “a really, really strong belief in their ability to beat the best and become the best”. That is why he likes Rune’s mental approach.

“I love this attitude and it’s not disrespect at all because he has the highest respect for those champions,” Mouratoglou said. “But he believes in his abilities and it’s a great thing and he should 100 per cent keep that.”

The ATP Challenger Tour held no shortage of historic moments this season. From crowning champions who went on to showcase their talent at the season’s most prestigious events, to Argentina’s record-setting 23 titles, or Li Tu’s emotional victory in Seoul.

As the 2023 season approaches, ATPTour.com reviews five memorable moments from the ATP Challenger Tour this year.

ATP Tour and Challenger Tour Champions
Six players, including Borna Coric and Holger Rune, claimed titles on the Challenger Tour and at a Tour-level tournament.

Coric, who won the Parma Challenger in June, upset three Top-10 players en route to winning the title in Cincinnati to become the first player since 1993 to win a Challenger and an ATP Masters 1000 title in the same season. And then it was the Danish teen’s turn in Bercy.

Rune, 19, claimed the Sanremo Challenger in April before rising to three Tour-level titles, including the ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris.

Four other men were also crowned champions at both levels: Yoshihito Nishioka, Marc-Andrea Huesler, Francisco Cerundolo, and Lorenzo Musetti.

Lorenzo Musetti is crowned champion at the 2022 Forli-6 Challenger. Credit: Riccardo Lolli

Argentina’s Record-Setting 23 Titles
Heading into this season, the previous record for most Challengers by a single country in a season, 20, had been reached four times (France in 2005, Argentina in 2007, 2016, 2021). After tying the record for a third time in 2021, Argentine players set their sights on attempting to stand alone at the top of the Challenger Tour record books. After breaking the record in late October, Argentine players added two more trophies and finished with 23 Challenger titles in 2022.

Pedro Cachin, 27, held a season-leading four Challenger titles (tied w/ Jack Draper) and was the only Argentine who captured more than two titles this season. Cachin, World No. 57, won titles in Madrid, Prague, Todi, and Santo Domingo.

“Most Challenger titles in a year is incredible.” Cachin said. “It’s amazing to have such an opportunity for all the players to be a part of something special like that. It is not easy for our players to travel the world, going very far from home, but to have this achievement makes it all worth it.

Pedro Cachin in action at the Santo Domingo Challenger final. Credit: David A. Martinez

“Especially for the younger guys, to see that Argentina has the ability and potential to win many titles. Hopefully this will increase the enthusiasm of players from Argentina to play this great sport. For us, it is a privilege to be a part of this great moment. The guys have worked hard and their talent is now showing.”

Li Tu Dedicates Challenger Title To His Late Mother
The Australian’s journey to the ATP Challenger Tour has been a unique trek. In 2014, Tu was finding success at the junior level, but the-then 18-year-old decided to put his racquets away to pursue a college degree and a coaching business, resulting in a six-year hiatus from professional tennis.

If it wasn’t for Tu’s close friend having a heart-to-heart conversation with him two years ago, he may have never returned to professional tennis and enjoyed the success he’s found this year.

After suffering the loss of his mother in September, Tu travelled to South Korea the day after her funeral. Little did he know what the Korean Challenger swing had in store for him.

Li Tu wins the 2022 Seoul Challenger. Credit: Do Won Kim

At the Seoul Challenger, which was Tu’s seventh Challenger appearance, the 26-year-old advanced through qualifying en route to his maiden title. Tu dedicated the victory to his mother, who would’ve celebrated her birthday the day after his title.

Shang Juncheng Rescues Ballkid
The Chinese teen and American Stefan Dostanic were locked in a three-set battle in scorching temperatures in the American state of Kentucky when Shang noticed a ballkid, Atharva Dang, in distress.

After asking Atharva if he was okay, Shang exclaimed, “He’s going to faint!” Immediately, Shang set his racquet down and assisted the overheated boy, lifting him into his arms and rushing him behind the umpire’s chair and out of the direct sunlight. After setting him down in the shade, Shang gave a bottle of water to Atharva and placed an ice-pack behind his head.

Shang Juncheng and ballkid Atharva Dang at the Lexington Challenger. Credit: Rena Behr

The day after that moment of sportsmanship, Shang and the ballkid reunited for a picture. While Dang competed in a local tournament that weekend, the Beijing native was crowned champion at the Lexington Challenger. Shang became the youngest player to win a Challenger title since Carlos Alcaraz at Alicante in 2020 and the youngest Chinese champion in Challenger Tour history.

Shelbayh Secures History
At the Rafa Nadal Open by Sotheby’s, 18-year-old Abdullah Shelbayh became the first player from Jordan to win a match in ATP Challenger Tour history.

“It’s surreal,” Shelbayh said following his victory over top-seeded Dominic Stricker. “To do something for your country is a big achievement. I come from a small country where tennis is not a big sport and to do that, it means a lot to me to be in the history of my country. I actually never thought about that entering the match, but it feels amazing. I hope many players from Jordan show their talent in the near future and I can inspire them as much as possible.”

Abdullah Shelbayh celebrates his first Challenger Tour win. Credit: Alvaro Diaz/Rafa Nadal Academy

Although his first Challenger win came far from his Jordan home, it was only fitting it came at the Rafa Nadal Academy, where Shelbayh has trained since he was 14-years-old.

The Academy graduate was a semi-finalist at the Mallorca Challenger, where he lost to Zizou Bergs.

Sven Swinnen still remembers the first time he watched Dominic Stricker play. The lefty, who was 14 at the time, visited the Swiss Tennis Academy in Biel, Switzerland. Not to put any pressure on the juniors training there with big dreams, the facility is located on Roger-Federer-Allee.

“He was hitting the ball already pretty clean. He had the ball nicely on his racquet already at a young age,” Swinnen told ATPTour.com. “Obviously maybe his footwork wasn’t the best yet. He still can improve on that today. But slowly it’s getting better and better.”

Stricker was just visiting for a couple days of practice at the country’s national training centre. Six years later he is 20 years old, and Swinnen is his full-time coach. The lefty is on the rise.

Stricker finished his 2022 season playing some of the best tennis of his career, winning a main-draw match at the ATP 250 in Antwerp and another at the ATP 500 in Basel, his home event. Then he shone at the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals, defeating Jack Draper, Lorenzo Musetti and Chun-Hsin Tseng in round-robin play before falling in the semi-finals.

“We try to take one step at a time. Now obviously he’s close to the Top 100, so the next goal if you talk rankings-wise will be to get a spot in the Top 100 and try to keep it for some time,” Swinnen said of his charge, who is No. 118 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. “Don’t get too caught up in trying to get points or think too much about points, try to keep working on the things you have to improve on court and then all the stuff will come automatically.”

^{Photo Credit: Peter Staples/ATP Tour}
Swinnen is plenty familiar with young Swiss players with big prospects. The former University of Oregon student-athlete grew up with Roger Federer.

“We’ll always say a little bit the same to the young kids,” Swinnen said. “Everybody goes his own path, focus on that, focus on improving and it’s just great to have somebody like Roger that we have in Switzerland. That will also motivate them maybe to play.

“They get to know him, also. Dominic played a couple of times with him, so that was also good.”

In 2021, Stricker relayed to the media a story about how during their training together, Federer discussed the importance of the serve with his younger countryman. That shot has become one of Stricker’s biggest weapons.

According to Swinnen, it has been important to continue developing that strength.

“Sometimes you want to keep trying to improve the weaknesses, but I also like to put focus on his strengths. Keep improving his serve,” Swinnen said. “He’s serving already pretty good, that’s a big weapon of his, his serve, for his height. Keep improving on those and then there are plenty of things he can improve on.”

Judging by the end of 2022, fans will increasingly become familiar with that shot, too. In Milan, Stricker showed no fear of a big stage at the Allianz Cloud. Swinner added that opportunities like that will only help his player grow.

“Everybody’s dreaming about those stages, those big tournaments. That’s why you practise. That’s what all the young kids dream about, to play those big events,” Swinnen said. “Suddenly if you get closer, you really want to try to get there. I hope he keeps his focus, keeps practising hard and hopefully he can play more and more of those events.”

ATPTour.com’s annual season-in-review series looks back at 2022’s best matches, biggest upsets, most dramatic comebacks and more. Today, we recap some of the most notable player retirements from the year.

From Juan Martin del Potro’s Buenos Aires farewell in February to Roger Federer’s Laver Cup send-off in September, the 2022 ATP Tour season saw the close of many storied careers. Some players bowed out on home soil, while others saved their final outing for the Grand Slam stage.

Former Top 5 stars Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Kevin Anderson and Tommy Robredo were among those to sign off this season, along with former doubles World No. 2 Bruno Soares. ATPTour.com looks at the careers of all those men and more who called time on their playing careers this year.

Philipp Kohlschreiber (Career High: No. 6 singles)

“I really didn’t plan to announce it… It was just that day I felt, ‘OK, it’s time.’”

One of the most consistent careers in ATP Tour history came to an end somewhat spontaneously in June when Kohlschreiber won his first-round qualifying match at Wimbledon and then promptly revealed it would be his final tournament. The German star notched 478 wins across 20 seasons on Tour, lifted eight tour-level crowns, and was a constant presence in the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings between March 2006 and February 2021 (much of which was spent in the Top 50).

“I can stop and say I had a great time,” Kohlschreiber, who listed lifting the trophy three times at home in Munich among his career highlights, later told ATPTour.com. “I didn’t overdo it. I go away with a big smile.” Read Tribute.

Ken Skupski (Career High: No. 44 doubles)

Also taking to court as a professional for the final time at Wimbledon was British doubles star Skupski. The seven-time ATP Tour titlist teamed up with countryman Jonny O’Mara for his 14th and final appearance at his home Grand Slam, where a third-round defeat ended a career in which he claimed 141 tour-level doubles wins.

“Tennis has given me so much over the years and I expect it will continue to give me plenty more in the future,” Skupski wrote in the post announcing his retirement. “I would like to thank everyone who has helped and supported me along the way. I’ve made some amazing friends, competed with many amazing players and shared the court with some legends of the game.”

Despite calling time on his career, Skupski remains a familiar face on Tour as coach of his younger brother, the joint-No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Rankings Neal Skupski. Three of Ken’s tour-level crowns were won alongside Neal, including his sole ATP 500 trophy in Acapulco in 2021. Read More.

Sam Querrey (Career High: No. 11 singles)

Described by his friend Steve Johnson as someone who “always had a smile”, 10-time tour-level titlist Querrey was a hugely popular figure during his 16-year career on Tour. That did not stop the American becoming a serious presence on court, however. His huge serve and powerful groundstrokes helped him reach a career-high No. 11 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in 2018.

Querrey was renowned for his ability to go toe-to-toe with the best in the world, and on the biggest stages. The Californian earned 23 victories against Top 10 opponents in his career, defeating Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka twice each, and in 2017 he reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon.

“I feel I was pretty consistent over the years,” Querrey told ATPTour.com during his final event, the 2022 US Open. “I only missed a couple of majors over a 17-year run. I was a pretty good big-match player. I feel like the better the opponent, the better I played and had some great wins.” Read Tribute.

Bruno Soares (Career High: No. 2 doubles)

After calling time on his time as a professional player at the US Open, Soares can reflect on one of the most illustrious careers in the recent history of ATP Tour doubles.

Having won his first ATP Tour doubles title in 2008, the Brazilian went on to win 35 tour-level men’s doubles titles and six Grand Slam trophies — three in men’s doubles and three in mixed doubles. Much of his success came across two stints playing with Briton Jamie Murray. The pair claimed 12 tour-level titles, including major victories at the Australian Open and the US Open, and finished 2016 as the year-end No. 1 duo.

“Tennis is my life,” Soares told ATPTour.com after his final match alongside Murray at the US Open. “The sport is in my blood. It’s in my DNA… I’ve been trying to give back my whole career, but now is the real time when I’m going to have a little bit more time to give back. I’m never going to say goodbye to tennis.” Read Tribute.

Photo Credit: Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images

Roger Federer (Career High: No. 1 singles)

One of the greatest players the ATP Tour has ever seen and a true global sporting icon, Federer’s storied career ended on an emotional night in London at September’s Laver Cup. The Swiss took to the doubles court for Team Europe alongside fellow ATP Tour legend Rafael Nadal, a fitting end to a career in which he produced some of the most scintillating tennis the sport has ever seen.

Among Federer’s career achievements were 310 weeks spent at World No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, including a record 237 consecutive weeks from 2 February 2004 until 18 August 2008, and 103 tour-level titles including 20 Grand Slam crowns. Immensely popular wherever he went, the Swiss was voted Fans’ Favourite in the annual ATP Awards for 19 consecutive years from 2003 to 2021.

“I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart,” wrote Federer at the end of his letter announcing his retirement. “To everyone around the world who has helped make the dreams of a young Swiss ball kid come true… To the game of tennis: I love you and will never leave you.” Read Tributes.

Andreas Seppi (Career High: No. 18 singles)

Often cited as one of the hardest-working professionals on Tour, Seppi’s career numbers make impressive reading — three ATP Tour titles, 386 tour-level match wins and 15 consecutive years (2005-19) finishing inside the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. Yet after bringing his professional playing career to a close in October, the Italian was just happy to have spent 20 years doing a job that he loved.

“I would have signed immediately if somebody would have told me, ‘You could play until the age of 38’,” Seppi told ATPTour.com. “I feel really blessed that I could do this for such a long time.”

Opponents that Seppi defeated on Tour included Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Stan Wawrinka and Daniil Medvedev, but it is his longevity at the top of the game that stands out. Perhaps most notably, the Italian competed in a remarkable 66 consecutive Grand Slam main draws from Wimbledon in 2005 through this year’s Australian Open, the third-longest streak in history. Read Tribute.

Gilles Simon (Career High: No. 6)

Dubbed ‘a professor on the tennis court’ by his countryman Benjamin Bonzi, Simon was renowned on Tour for his elite tennis brain. It remained as sharp as ever right until the final tournament of his career, November’s Rolex Paris Masters, where he battled past powerful opponents in Andy Murray and Taylor Fritz to give his 20-year career one magical final flourish.

Simon won 504 tour-level matches and 14 ATP Tour titles in a standout career that saw him rise to a career-high No. 6 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in 2009. Despite his ability to still compete with the best and his undoubted continued love for the game, the 37-year-old Frenchman was grateful to be able to choose his home ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris to bring his life on Tour to a close.

“I just feel so lucky to have been a tennis player,” Simon told ATPTour.com after the final match of his career in the French capital. “It’s what I have always wanted to be. I was a professional tennis player for a long time, and that’s why I was lucky twice, and I could stop when I wanted, and so I have been lucky three times.” Read Tribute.

Photo Credit: AFP/Getty Images

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (Career High: No. 5 singles)
The former World No. 5 Tsonga called time on his 18-year career at Roland Garros, bringing his joyful game to the fans in his home nation one final time. Paris was also the setting for his first ATP Masters 1000 title, which he won in 2008 on his way to qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time.

The 6-foot-2 Frenchman masterfully combined power and athleticism in his game, which — coupled with his knack for entertainment — earned him fans across the globe. 

While injuries impacted the later stages of his career, Tsonga spent more than a decade inside the Top 20 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in his prime. He is one of three players to defeat Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic while they were World No. 1, and is also one of three to defeat the legendary trio at the majors. Read Tribute.

Kevin Anderson (Career High: No. 5 singles)
A seven-time ATP Tour champion and two-time Grand Slam finalist, Anderson played more than 600 tour-level matches in his career, which ended this year in Miami — not far from his South Florida residence. In a nice bit of symmetry, the South African lifted his first tour-level title in Johannesburg, the city of his birth, in 2011.

Despite battling injuries throughout his career, Anderson made his biggest splash in his later years on the ATP Tour, reaching the US Open final in 2017 and the Wimbledon final in 2018. By finishing at No. 6 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in 2018, Anderson (then 32) became the second-oldest player to finish in the year-end Top 10 for the first time since 1973.

Anderson also left his mark off the court, winning the 2018 Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award and spending years on the ATP Player Council, most recently as its president. Read Tribute.

Quality Sport Images/Barcelona Open Banc Sabadelle

Tommy Robredo (Career High: No. 5 singles)
One of the longest careers in ATP Tour history came to a close in April as Spain’s Robredo hung up his racquet in Barcelona, at the same tournament where earned his first win.

Robredo spent 23 years at the game’s top level and won 12 ATP Tour titles before retiring weeks shy of his 40th birthday. One of his standout seasons came in 2006, when reached a career-high of No. 5 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings and competed at the Nitto ATP Finals.

Robredo’s 533 tour-level wins are sixth-most among Spaniards. That figure includes 37 victories at Roland Garros, where he reached five quarter-finals. He also won three Davis Cups in his country’s colours. Read Tribute.

Frederik Nielsen (Career High: No. 17 doubles)
Denmark’s Nielsen, who won the 2012 Wimbledon doubles title alongside Jonathan Marray, closed the book on his career one decade later at the 2022 Australian Open. The three-time tour-level titlist reached a career high of World No. 17 and also counts his qualification for the 2012 Australian Open singles main draw among his career highlights.

A Davis Cup stalwart for Denmark, Nielsen played in 45 ties between 2003 and 2021. Following his 20-year career, he now captains his country’s team in addition to his work as a national coach at the Danish Tennis Federation. Read Tribute.

Rogerio Dutra Silva (Career High: No. 63 singles, No. 84 doubles)
Dutra Silva ended his 19-year career in Rio de Janeiro in February. The Brazilian paired with countryman Orlando Luz at the ATP 500 event, bowing out in front of a full crowd full of family and friends.

He also won his lone tour-level title on home soil, winning the doubles crown in his hometown of Sao Paulo in 2017 with countryman Andre Sa. In singles, Dutra Silva reached four ATP Tour quarter-finals and notched five Grand Slam main-draw wins, including two from two sets down.

The 38-year-old hopes to return to the ATP Tour as a coach after taking some time off. Read Tribute.

Juan Martin del Potro (Career High: No. 3 singles)
Del Potro gave his many fans around the world — and particularly those in his home nation of Argentina — one final show as he played his first match since 2019 in Buenos Aires this February. His retirement at age 33 came after many years of injury struggles, though he remained a larger-than-life figure on the ATP Tour even during his time away.

Del Potro’s decorated career is highlighted by a US Open triumph in 2009 — when he ended Roger Federer’s five-year title reign in the final — among 22 tour-level titles. His most recent trophy came in Indian Wells during a 2018 season in which he reached a career-high ATP Ranking of World No. 3. Del Potro also progressed to a second US Open final that year, in what turned out to be his penultimate Grand Slam appearance.

In addition to four Nitto ATP Finals showings, including a run to the title match in 2009, del Potro is also a two-time Olympic medalist, winning singles bronze in 2012 (London) and silver in 2016 (Rio de Janeiro). Read Tribute.

Sergiy Stakhovsky (Career High: No. 31 singles, 33 doubles)
Ukraine’s Stakhovsky retired from tennis in January as he took up arms in his nation’s war effort. The 36-year-old reached the Top 40 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in both singles and doubles, claiming four tour-level titles in each discipline with a perfect 8-0 record in finals.

Stakhovksy’s most memorable singles win came at Wimbledon in 2013, when — as the World No. 116 — he stunned defending champion Roger Federer in the second round. He closed the curtains on his career following this year’s Australian Open. Read More.

David Marrero (Career High: No. 5 doubles)
Marrero had a standout doubles career, highlighted by his run to the Nitto ATP Finals title in 2013 alongside Fernando Verdasco. The Spaniard, who climbed as high as No. 5 in the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Rankings, lifted 14 tour-level trophies in his career, including an ATP Masters 1000 triumph in 2015 in Rome with Pablo Cuevas.

Dudi Sela (Career High: No. 29 singles)
Isreael’s Sela finished inside the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in 10 of 11 seasons from 2007-17, reaching his career high of No. 29 in 2009. Sela reached two ATP Tour finals and won 23 ATP Challenger Tour titles. By reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2009, he became the first Israeli to reach that stage at a major since Amos Mansdorf at the 1992 Australian Open.

Jonathan Erlich (Career High: No. 5 doubles)
Erlich claimed 22 tour-level doubles titles in a long and successful career that began in 1996. The Buenos Aires-born Israeli, who compiled 415 tour-level wins, enjoyed much of his success alongside countryman Andy Ram. The pair won four titles together in 2006 and another two in 2008, at the Australian Open and Indian Wells. Ehrlic also won the 2010 Queen’s Club title with Novak Djokovic.

Marc Lopez (Career High: No. 3 doubles)
Lopez said adios to the Tour in Madrid after teaming up with fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz. He closed his career as one of the most decorated doubles players in modern tennis, with a total of 14 titles to his name, including the 2012 Nitto ATP Finals crown (with Marcel Granolelrs), the 2016 Roland Garros title (with Feliciano Lopez) and the gold medal from the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro (with Rafael Nadal, whom he now coaches). Read Tribute.

Also Retiring In 2022: Blaz Kavcic, Dominic Inglot, Go Soeda (Read Tribute), Nicholas Monroe, Ruben Bemelmans, Stephane Robert, Tobias Kamke, Yannick Maden

Read more from our Best of 2022 series. 

As someone who knows what it takes to reach the top of the game, Queensland tennis legend Patrick Rafter is in no doubt about the level WTA World No. 1 Iga Swiatek will bring to Brisbane for the inaugural United Cup.

“Swiatek is a great player,” said Rafter of the three-time Grand Slam champion and Team Poland star on Sunday during a visit to Pat Rafter Arena, the venue which bears his name and is set to host group-stage action at the new mixed teams event. “I saw [her play] a lot because I watched a lot of Ash [Barty] playing. So whenever I watched Ash as well, they were coming up against each other, and she’s had a really great year.

“She’s got a lot of smarts about her, she’s one of those girls that I thought had that sort of X element part of the game and by all accounts is a really lovely girl as well. I know Ash is a really big fan of hers, so she’ll be great to have here.”

World No. 12 Belinda Bencic and No. 15 Beatriz Haddad Maia are among the other WTA stars representing their countries from 29 December to 4 January in Brisbane, where they will be joined by some heavy-hitters from the ATP Tour. ATP World No. 3 Casper Ruud, No. 10 Hubert Hurkacz, No. 16 Matteo Berrettini and 2014 Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka will all hope to help their respective nations qualify for the United Cup Final Four, to be held in Sydney from 6-8 January.

“Ruud [is here], Hurkacz is here, Berrettini, you’ve got some really strong players here,” said Rafter. “But you’re also going to see some fresh faces and names that you might not know who are actually very, very good players too, and probably the next up-and-comers. So this will be a pretty exciting tournament.”

The United Cup is set to kick off the 2023 season on both the ATP Tour and the WTA Tour, with 18 nations competing in six groups across Brisbane, Perth and Sydney. Each tie will comprise of two ATP and two WTA singles matches, and one mixed doubles match, and the round-robin format of the group stage guarantees some early-season clashes between some of the world’s biggest stars.

“You’re going to see some of the great players playing multiple matches,” said Rafter. “A lot of the times if a player does come down here and they lose first round you don’t get to see them again. You will be guaranteed those matches.

“The concept of team sports has been working really well. I think we saw it here with the ATP Cup. We saw how engaged they all were with their team and their boxes and things like that. The United Cup is going to have the same type of feel. Like the old Davis Cup, Blllie Jean King Cup, those type of events… I think [the idea] has some legs and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens.”

During his stellar career on the ATP Tour, Rafter lifted 11 tour-level titles including back-to-back victories at the US Open in 1998 and 1999, and reached No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in 1999. He believes the United Cup offers something unique for present-day players on both Tours and is positive about the impact it can have on the future of the game.

“It’s a great concept,” said Rafter. “Let’s see how it goes. Tennis Australia are really good, they like to try new initiatives. They’re having a crack at the men and women playing together. I’m really interested to see how it plays out. Hopefully all of Brisbane and all this area, the surrounding areas, will come down and have a look at it.

“When I played, you rarely saw the men and women come together, [but] they are starting to join. I think it’s important, it’s just extra content, it’s just an extra dynamic with the players and the people in the stands can watch. It’s a good idea… It’s a really interesting concept, this particular one.”

Roger Federer retired earlier this year following the Laver Cup. But the Swiss legend is still giving back to the fans.

Federer loaned his kit and shoes from the final match of his career to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, where fans can see it. The outfit and an autographed copy of his retirement letter are on display in the museum.

“This addition to the International Tennis Hall of Fame is a fitting tribute to the final chapter in a defining career,” said International Tennis Hall of Fame CEO Todd Martin. “We are tremendously grateful to Roger for this generous loan, and for valuing our mission to preserve tennis history as it happens. The ITHF congratulates Roger on all his achievements, the example he has set for everyone in the sport, and for his dedication to the sport’s history. We know this exhibit will inspire countless fans and visitors.”

There are several items relating to Federer in the museum, one of which is a hologram experience that bears his likeness.

The International Tennis Hall of Fame is home to the Infosys Hall of Fame Open, an ATP 250 event that in 2023 will be played from 17-23 July.

ATPTour.com’s annual season-in-review series looks back at 2022’s best matches, biggest upsets, most dramatic comebacks and more. Today, we feature the first-time ATP Tour title winners of the season.

Securing a match win on the ATP Tour is hard enough, but stringing together a series of back-to-back victories across a single week to lift a trophy requires even greater technical consistency, physical discipline and mental focus.

This year, 12 players managed that feat for the first time, hitting a milestone that will forever stand out in the context of their careers. As part of our annual season-in-review series, ATPTour.com reflects on the lineup of stars who clinched their maiden ATP Tour title in 2022.

Thanasi Kokkinakis, Adelaide
Kokkinakis clinched an emotional victory in his hometown at the Adelaide International 2 in January, a reward for the Australian’s commitment and hard work after a series of devastating injuries. His run at the ATP 250 event included hard-fought three-set wins against three of the biggest servers on Tour in John Isner, Marin Cilic and Arthur Rinderknech.

“I wouldn’t want to win my first title anywhere else,” said Kokkinakis after edging Rinderknech 6-7(6), 7-6(5) 6-3 in the final. “To my family, friends and coaches, what a ride it’s been. You have seen me at my lowest lows and now the highest high. It’s been a serious journey. For now, I am so happy.”

_{^{Kokkinakis kisses the court in Adelaide. Photo Credit: David Mariuz/Tennis Australia}}

Alexander Bublik, Montpellier
Bublik capped a rock-solid week at the Open Sud de France – Montpellier by claiming the biggest win of his career to seal his maiden tour-level crown. The Kazakh deployed his trademark combination of big-hitting and deft touches to stun World No. 3 Alexander Zverev in straight sets in the championship match at the ATP 250 event. It was Bublik’s first victory in five championship match appearances.

“I played four finals before and [in] the fifth final I have won against a great player [in] Sascha,” said Bublik after his 6-4, 6-3 victory. “It is great. All my game together. I was serving well and returned well and kept my nerve. I was lucky [at some] moments, and when I had my chances, I used them.” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.

^{_{Bublik holds his trophy in Montpellier. Photo Credit: JB Autissier/Panoramic.}}

Felix Auger-Aliassime, Rotterdam
After his eight previous tour-level finals all ended in disappointment, Auger-Aliassime could have been forgiven for showing nerves in February when he took on Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam. Yet the Canadian barely looked back as he charged past the World No. 4 Greek 6-4, 6-2 to break his trophy duck at the ATP 500 event.

“It is definitely a dream come true,” Auger-Aliassime, who went on to lift three further titles in a standout 2022 season, told ATPTour.com after his triumph in The Netherlands. “It is something I have been working for and suffering for at times because we all know my story, having lost finals before, so this one is even more special for me.” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.

Pedro Martinez, Santiago
A gruelling week on the Santiago clay ended with a maiden ATP Tour title for Martinez, who came through three-set battles against top-quality clay-courters Jaume Munar, Alejandro Tabilo and Sebastian Baez to claim victory at the Chile Dove Men+Care Open. The 24-year-old’s 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 championship match triumph against Baez made him the fifth Spanish tour-level titlist of a 2022 season that was barely two months old.

“We have a really good culture of tennis in Spain, so that’s what gives you confidence to reach new things,” Martinez later told ATPTour.com. “I hope I can go higher in the rankings and keep playing like this.” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.

_{^{Martinez triumphs in Santiago. Photo Credit: Matias Donoso|@chile_open/@chileopentenis}}

Holger Rune, Munich
“If I look through the week, what a week,” said Rune after charging to his maiden tour-level crown without dropping a set at April’s BMW Open by American Express. “I played some unbelievable tennis, really fighting my way through it. To be playing here in Munich and winning my first ATP title in front of such a brilliant crowd, I couldn’t really ask for more.”

Rune’s run included his maiden Top 10 victory against home favourite Alexander Zverev in the second round before Botic van de Zandschulp’s retirement at 4-3 in the first set of the final saw the 19-year-old lift the trophy. It was only a sign of things to come for Rune, who later put together a stunning late-season charge to win 19 of his final 21 matches of the year, lift further trophies in Stockholm and Paris, and break into the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time. Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.

_{^{Rune lifts the trophy in Munich. Photo Credit: Christof Stache/Getty Images.}}

Sebastian Baez, Estoril
Baez drew inspiration from an unlikely source en route to his maiden ATP Tour title at the Millennium Estoril Open — his championship match opponent Frances Tiafoe. The Argentine had noticed the words “Why not me?” on Tiafoe’s bracelet early in the week and wrote them on the camera lens after each of his victories in Portugal.

When the pair eventually met in the final, it was Baez who charged to a 6-3, 6-2 triumph at the ATP 250 event. After receiving the trophy, Baez said to Tiafoe: “Why not me? And why not you, man?” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.

Tim van Rijthoven, ‘s-Hertogenbosch
Van Rijthoven was still searching for his maiden main-draw win on the ATP Tour prior to arriving in ‘s-Hertogenbosch for the Libema Open in June. By the end of the week, the No. 205-ranked home wild card had five, after a stunning streak of clean-hitting grass-court tennis moved him past Taylor Fritz, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Daniil Medvedev to become the lowest-ranked tour-level titlist of 2022.

“I never thought I would win the tournament,” said Van Rijthoven, who raced past Medvedev 6-4, 6-1 to become the first Dutchman to win the ATP 250 event since 2003. “I wanted to maybe upset one player. But to upset a couple of players and win the title is just incredible.” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.

^{_{Van Rijthoven celebrates in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Photo Credit: Libema Open.}}

Maxime Cressy, Newport
With Alexander Bublik leading 6-2, 3-0 in the Infosys Hall of Fame Open championship match in Newport, Cressy’s hopes of clinching his maiden ATP Tour title in his third final were on the ropes. Yet the American’s unwavering commitment to his serve-and-volley tactics engineered one of the comebacks of the 2022 season, as the 25-year-old rallied to a dramatic 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(3) victory at the grass-court ATP 250 event.

“My dream is to really make serve and volley great again and inspire many people to start playing that game style,” Cressy later told ATPTour.com. “I’ve seen other players do it a lot more, like Rafa [Nadal]. If I can impact the tennis world and make serve and volley a game style that people enjoy and want to play, it’s going to be big.” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.

^{_{Cressy comes forward in Newport. Photo Credit: Ben Solomon/International Tennis Hall of Fame.}}

Francisco Cerundolo, Bastad
Cerundolo’s charge to his maiden tour-level crown at the Nordea Open simultaneously banished some disappointing memories of his first ATP Tour final, a heavy loss to countryman Diego Schwartzman in Buenos Aires in 2021. The 23-year-old Cerundolo kept cool throughout his run in Bastad, where his powerful baseline hitting took out Casper Ruud and Pablo Carreno Busta before his 7-6(4), 6-2 championship match triumph against Sebastian Baez.

“Since you are a child you imagine yourself playing in these events and finals,” said Cerundolo at the trophy ceremony. “When I lost in Buenos Aires, I was sad, because I was at home and I lost badly, but I learned a lot from that. I used it today, and I think I played a great match, a great week.” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.

_{^{Cerundolo takes the trophy in Bastad. Photo Credit: Nordea Open/Johan Lilja.}}

Lorenzo Musetti, Hamburg
After letting slip five championship points against Carlos Alcaraz in the second set of the Hamburg European Open final, Musetti’s mental fortitude was put to the ultimate test at the ATP 500 event. The 20-year-old Italian passed with flying colours, eventually edging the top seed 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-4 after two hours, 47 minutes to prevail in one of the best ATP Tour matches of 2022.

“It was a roller-coaster until the end,” Musetti, who later backed up his Hamburg triumph with a title run in Naples in October, reflected after the match. “I had so many match points… But I think the key to the match was to keep calm and [have] all the patience [with] myself because it was really not easy. Carlos was putting so much effort in the match points when he was down, so it was not easy to find the energy to come back.” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.

Brandon Nakashima, San Diego
The pressure of playing at home is not always easy to handle, but Nakashima made it look that way by surging to his first ATP Tour crown for the loss of just one set all week at the San Diego Open. Later describing the run as “Like a dream”, the American acknowledged the experience of winning his maiden Tour title was made even sweeter by the fact he had accomplished the feat in the city where he grew up.

“Of course being in my hometown, I get to go home tonight, celebrate with the team,” said the 21-year-old after beating Marcos Giron 6-4, 6-4 in the final. “I don’t have to fly back [like] if we were somewhere else. I’m sure we’re going to celebrate with all my family down here, all my coaches… Just enjoy this moment as much as possible.” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.

^{_{Nakashima wins in San Diego. Photo Credit: Will LeFevre.}}

Marc-Andrea Huesler, Sofia
The only left-handed first-time winner of the 2022 season, Huesler’s big-serving and precise volleying took him past a host of top-quality opponents, including Pablo Carreno Busta, Lorenzo Musetti and Holger Rune, to a surprise maiden title at the Sofia Open. The 26-year-old, who saved two match points against Kamil Majchrzak in the quarter-finals, was the first Swiss player to win an ATP Tour title since Roger Federer in 2019.

“This whole week has been a complete fairy tale for me,” said a delighted Huesler at the trophy ceremony after downing Rune 6-4, 7-6(8). “I would have been happy to pass a couple of rounds and I’m holding the trophy here.” Read First-Time Winner Spotlight.

_{^{Huesler in action in Sofia. Photo Credit: Vladimir Stoyanov/LAP.bg.}}

Read more from our Best Of 2022 Series