When ATP Tour titlists celebrate their championships, they often pose for a series of photos with their team, family and friends. On Sunday, Casper Ruud added global music icon Shania Twain to his list.

Twain, a country music legend, started a flurry of discussion on social media Monday when she posted a photo of herself on court with Ruud following the Norwegian’s triumph in the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad final.

“Spent my Sunday watching Casper Ruud win his second Swiss Open Gstaad,” Twain wrote on Twitter. “Congratulations my friend, what a result!”

Spent my Sunday watching Casper Ruud win his second @SwissOpenGstaad! Congratulations my friend, what a result! 🌞🎾 pic.twitter.com/lQhHuGax4g

— Shania Twain 💎💎💎 (@ShaniaTwain) July 25, 2022

Last year, Twain attended the ATP 250 for the semi-finals and the final, which Ruud won. The Norwegian’s family met the singer through mutual friends, so she returned for another visit to the tournament this edition. Fittingly, Ruud again lifted the trophy.

“I really appreciated that she came back this year and supported me in the final,” Ruud said. “It was nice to see her again.”

#NextGenATP American Brandon Nakashima won the match of the day on Wednesday at the Atlanta Open, saving three set points in the first-set tie-break en route to a 7-6(8), 6-4 victory against John Millman.

Playing in his first event since pushing Nick Kyrgios to a fifth set in the Wimbledon fourth round, the returning Atlanta finalist advanced to his third quarter-final of the 2022 season.

“A lot of long rallies out there and court conditions were tough as always here in Atlanta, but luckily I was able to squeeze that first set out,” said the 20-year-old. “Then I was lucky to get an early break in the second set and ride that out until the end.”

Nakashima led the tie-break 3/0 before falling behind 4/6, but escaped to take command of the match. The eighth seed scored the lone break of the contest midway through set two as he improved his Atlanta record to 6-1.

“I think the court speed definitely suits my game a lot,” he said of the Atlanta setup. “I like the faster conditions, and with the heat it seems to be ideal for my game.”

Fourth seed Frances Tiafoe awaits in the quarter-finals after his 7-5, 6-4 win against Taro Daniel on Wednesday. Tiafoe owns a 3-0 ATP Head2Head record against his countryman, including wins this season at the ATP Masters 1000s in Indian Wells and Miami.

“He’s definitely had my number… but every match with him is super close and we’re good friends off the court,” Nakashima said of the matchup. “Either way, if I play against him, I know it’s going to be a good battle.”

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He will face the winner of the evening session matchup between lucky loser Steve Johnson and Ilya Ivashka, with Johnson seeking to complete an American sweep of Wednesday’s four singles matches. 

Jannik Sinner needed six match points to break the stubborn resistance of Jaume Munar on Wednesday at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag, with the drama peaking as the Italian battled through six deuces to serve out a 6-4, 6-4 victory.

Playing for the first time since his Wimbledon quarter-final defeat against Novak Djokovic, Sinner continued his high level of play to down Munar in the pair’s first ATP Head2Head meeting. He is through to the quarter-finals at the clay-court ATP 250, where he will face Roberto Carballes Baena.

“It was very tough at the end, but I’m happy that I am into the next round,” Sinner said post-match, before addressing the many Italians in the Umag crowd. “It’s never easy when you come back after some time that you don’t play a match. I knew it would be tough… In the beginning I was tight, also in the end a little bit. But it’s part of the progress and hopefully in the next round I can play better.”

Both players hit top gear for stretches in the nearly two-hour contest, but Sinner was always in control as he never trailed in either set. With both players making just more than 50 per cent of first serves, the match included many lengthy rallies, providing ample opportunity for both men to showcase their shotmaking abilities.

After an opening trade of breaks as both players settled in, Sinner won a hard-fought first set courtesy of a loose service game from Munar at 4-4. While the Italian kept the pressure on in the rallies with his athleticism, including a contorting forehand pass midway through the set, Munar stayed level for much of the proceedings with aggressive baseline hitting and several net approaches.

Sinner fought off more aggressive hitting in the second set, showcasing his movement and defensive skills to secure two early breaks either side of his second dropped service game of the match. He saved two break points as he served out the victory and repeatedly attacked the net in the pressure moments. Sinner was clutch under pressure throughout, saving six of the eight break points against him.

The #NextGenATP Italian will face Carballes Baena in the quarter-finals after the Spaniard earned a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 win against fifth seed Alex Molcan.

Another Spaniard also battled back from behind for an upset win, as Bernabe Zapata Miralles knocked out third seed Holger Rune 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, saving eight of 10 break points in the contest. With the win, Zapata Miralles levelled his clay-court record at 7-7 on the season, while Rune fell to 0-7 since reaching the Roland Garros quarter-finals.

Italy’s Giulio Zeppieri, a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 winner against Daniel Elahi Galan on Wednesday, will face Zapata Miralles in the quarter-finals. The 20-year-old is one of eight #NextGenATP Italians in the Top 20 in the Pepperstone ATP Race To Milan. Zeppieri is up 20 places to No. 148 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings and is poised to enter the Top 150 for the first time.

Dominic Thiem is quietly working his way back into form.

The Austrian was tested on Wednesday, but battled past countryman Sebastian Ofner 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals of the Generali Open in Kitzbühel. The former World No. 3 has now advanced to at least the last eight in three consecutive weeks.

“It was an unbelievable atmosphere once again. Great afternoon to play tennis again and really happy to get the win. Obviously it was very different conditions to yesterday. It’s not easy to make the change and as well against [Ofner], we know each other very well, practising together a lot of times,” Thiem said in his on-court interview. “It was a great, great fight at the end and happy to be through.”

Before arriving in Bastad less than three weeks ago, Thiem had not won a tour-level match in 2022 as he struggled to discover his best level after returning from a wrist injury in March. But the 28-year-old has now won seven of his past nine matches. 

Ofner put plenty of pressure on his countryman, leading by a break twice in the decider. He also earned two break points when Thiem served for the match, but it was the 17-time tour-level titlist who was more consistent when it mattered most to triumph after one hour and 58 minutes. The 2019 Kitzbühel champion will next play Yannick Hanfmann, who eliminated Ivan Gakhov 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-4.

“I don’t think there was too much difference in shotmaking. I think there were some small details in the score. In the third set he was up a break twice and I was able to make the rebreak straight away twice again. If he holds his serve and he goes away in the third set, probably it’s going to be a different outcome. But these were the key moments when twice I was able to straight [away] rebreak.”

Three seeded Spaniards also advanced to the quarter-finals. Third seed Roberto Bautista Agut, fifth seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas and seventh seed Pedro Martinez all moved on in straight sets.

Bautista Agut ousted Austrian wild card Jurij Rodionov 6-1, 6-4 to set a clash against #NextGenATP Czech Jiri Lehecka, who clawed past Portugal’s Joao Sousa 7-6(6), 1-6, 6-3.

Ramos-Vinolas eliminated Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas 6-3, 6-4 to advance to a showdown with Martinez, who defeated Argentine Federico Coria 6-4, 6-3.

Did You Know?
Thiem fell to No. 352 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings on 13 June. After defeating Ofner, he is up to No. 167 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.

Nick Kyrgios was set for his first singles match since the Wimbledon final on Tuesday night at the Atlanta Open, but the fan-favourite Aussie was forced to withdraw from his opening-round match with a left-knee problem.

The seventh seed was set to take on Peter Gojowczyk on the stadium court, but was instead replaced by lucky loser Adrian Mannarino. The 2016 champion in Atlanta, Kyrgios addressed the evening-session crowd after his withdrawal.

“First of all, I just want to say I’m extremely shattered that I’m not able to compete tonight,” he said. “I’ve won this tournament once and I’m playing probably some of the best tennis of my career. All I wanted to do was come out here and give you guys a show, but I’m unable to give my best performance today. 

“I’m just extremely sorry, but I’m going to keep my hopes up and maybe be able to continue doubles with Thanasi this week.”

Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis, the reigning Australian Open doubles champions, earned a first-round victory on Monday night against Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin. 

“I wanted to come out here and see you guys face-to-face to tell you that I love you guys, and hopefully next year in singles hopefully I’ll be able to compete and give it my all.”

Fresh off winning his first ATP Tour title in Hamburg, #NextGenATP Italian Lorenzo Musetti remained in top form at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag on Tuesday. The 20-year-old earned a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 win against Slovakia’s Aljaz Bedene.

“I think I learned a lot from last week,” Musetti said post-match. “I think I grew up as a human being, as a professional player. There were a lot of difficult moments in this match, but I arrived in a positive way.

“That’s why I won today, because Aljaz was playing really good, especially in the second set and the beginning of the third. So it was not easy for me to find a way to break his game.”

Entering Umag at a career-high of No. 31 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Musetti picked up where he left off in his Hamburg final victory against Carlos Alcaraz. The Italian eased to the opening set as he showcased his variety from all parts of the court before Bedene snapped back in the second set, overcoming an early break deficit as he hit through the court with his power game.

The men traded breaks early in the deciding set, but it was all Musetti down the stretch. The Italian won the final four games in convincing fashion, finishing the match with a delicate drop shot to close out a love hold. After requiring six match points to dismiss Alcaraz in Hamburg, one was enough for Musetti in Umag.

“I came yesterday [to Umag] so it was not easy to rest and to to recover at 100 per cent,” Musetti said. “I wasn’t sure about my physical condition but I’m very happy about the win.”

The eighth seed can now look ahead to an all-Italian second-round match against Marco Cecchinato, who was a 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 winner against Mili Poljicak on Monday. Musetti won their lone previous ATP Head2Head meeting in five sets at Roland Garros in 2021. Earlier this season, the Italians teamed up for the doubles event in Marrakech.

“It’s a friendly derby,” Musetti previewed. “We are really close friends. He’s one of my best friends on Tour… I’m happy to share the court with him and have a fun battle with him.”

Fifth seed Alex Molcan also advanced on Tuesday with a 6-2, 7-6(2) win against Duje Ajdukovic. Slovakia’s Molcan, a three-time tour-level finalist, is seeking his first title this week.

In a see-saw match that featured 10 breaks of serve in 20 games, Molcan was six of eight on his break chances, winning more than half of return points against both first and second serves. From 3-0 in the opening set, seven straight games went against serve.

He next faces Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena, a 6-4, 7-5 winner against Henri Laaksonen on Monday.

France’s Corentin Moutet scored a 6-4, 6-2 upset against sixth seed Daniel Altmaier to set up a second-round meeting with Facundo Bagnis. The Argentine earned a 7-5, 6-3 victory against countryman Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Tuesday.

Second seed Jannik Sinner (vs. Jaume Munar) and third seed Casper Ruud (vs. Bernabe Zapata Miralles) open their Umag campaigns on Wednesday, with top seed Carlos Alcaraz (vs. Norbert Gombos) and fourth seed Sebastian Baez (vs. Laslo Djere or Franco Agamenone) set to open play on Thursday.

Jenson Brooksby made a perfect Atlanta Open debut on Tuesday when he eliminated Frenchman Benoit Paire 6-3, 6-1 to reach the second round.

“It feels really nice to be back in the States,” Brooksby said. “Always after two, three weeks off of matches it feels good to get a win under your belt and I thought that was a really solid match to start and I’ve been training really well too, so I’m excited with the path I’m on right now.”

The American got off to a quick start to his season, reaching the final in Dallas and winning three matches each at ATP Masters 1000 events at Indian Wells and Miami. But he went 5-8 during the clay and grass seasons.

While the 21-year-old used that as a learning experience, he is happy to be back on the hard courts.

“I had a really good hard-court season last year too and we learned things through the clay and grass this year,” Brooksby said. “I’m excited to be back on hard, definitely [being] back in the States and I think I can even do much better than last year.”

In an All-American clash, fifth seed Tommy Paul eased past wild card Jack Sock 6-1, 6-1. Paul broke his countryman’s serve six times to set a second-round clash against frequent practice partner Soonwoo Kwon of South Korea.

Reigning Winston-Salem champion Ilya Ivashka also moved on with a 6-0, 3-6, 6-3 win against Frenchman Quentin Halys. The 28-year-old will play top seed Reilly Opelka for a spot in the quarter-finals.

Germans Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies have already lifted trophies in Barcelona and Munich this season. On Tuesday, they made a good start towards earning a third crown in 2022.

The two-time Roland Garros champions defeated Spaniards Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Carlos Taberner 6-3, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals of the Generali Open in Kitzbühel. The second seeds will next play Monagesque-Polish team Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski. This is the first time Krawietz and Mies have competed together in Kitzbühel.

In other doubles action at the Austrian ATP 250, home favourites Neil Oberleitner and Jurij Rodionov upset third seeds Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 6-4, 3-6, 11-9. Other teams that advanced were Dutch-Austrian duo Robin Haase and Philipp Oswald, Frenchmen Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul, and Dutchmen Tallon Griekspoor and Bart Stevens.

Second Seeds Survive Tough Test In Umag
Brazilian-Spanish pair Rafael Matos and David Vega Hernandez have captured three tour-level crowns together this year, but on Tuesday they nearly lost in the first round at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag. The second seeds found a way to win though, clawing past Frenchman Albano Olivetti and Brazilian Fernando Romboli 3-6, 6-3, 11-9 to reach the quarter-finals in Umag.