Tennis News

My Influences: Quinn on 'grounded' Sinner & Paul's mentorship

From Jannik Sinner to Tommy Paul, 20-year-old Ethan Quinn has quickly developed relationships with the biggest stars on the ATP Tour in recent years.

The American trained with World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings Jannik Sinner in the leadup to the 2023 US Open and has been close to countryman Paul since he was young.

As part of our Next Gen Influences series, Quinn caught up with ATPTour.com to talk about Sinner, Paul and other inspirations in his life.

We’ve had six Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champions at this point. Who do you look up to from that group?
I feel like Jannik is a good example. I got to share the court with him last year in the Hamptons leading up to the US Open. I got to get his insights and everything. He’s accomplished so much for being just a year or two older than I am, but just hearing his process and just what should be important for me, it was really nice getting to just chat with him.

I actually walked into the locker room [during the US Open] and I saw him, and I was able to just give him a handshake, which I feel like a lot of the top guys, maybe they wouldn’t do that for someone [like me]. I was ranked 250 in the world and I’m not from the same nation. To be able to be recognised by a guy like that is pretty nice, just to be able to get his thoughts. From a Grand Slam champion, I really appreciated it. 

Is that a player who you identify your game with?
A little bit. He is just so loose with both sides off the ground, he can absolutely crush the ball. I would like to try and replicate that maybe, being able to just blitz the ball on any certain occasion, but also have the natural touch and flare when coming to the net.

From the Next Gen group, a lot of Americans have come through. You are close with Tommy Paul. What is your relationship like with him?
Unique, I guess. He treats me as if I’m like his little brother. It is nice having someone that’s gone through the sport and is at where he’s at. He took a little bit longer to get to where he’s at compared to maybe Frances [Tiafoe] or Taylor [Fritz]. So to be able to just get his insights and be able to hear how it’s a marathon and it’s not a race [has been important].

Everyone goes at their own time. And I feel like for myself, maybe it might take a few more years or a few more months for me to develop and get to where I really want to be, in comparison to maybe some of the other American Next Gen guys that are coming up right now as well.

But just to have him as a mentor, he’s really helped me through this year. I certainly had some tough moments where I wasn’t really feeling like I was playing in a way that I felt comfortable in or just struggling mentally with not getting the results I was hoping for. So for him to take me under his wing and be able to explain to me how he went through the same things when he was younger [has been great]. [It has helped] to have him be able to just coach me through those moments where I could still go out and work every single day and try not to get bummed out about it, but still enjoy the entire process.

Who was your biggest tennis idol growing up?
The way that a player played, I think Juan Martin Del Potro. I absolutely loved watching him play, his forehand was just incredible. Some would like to say that my game is similar in a sense where big serve, big forehand and use the chip pretty often. I would like to say playing style, probably more towards Del Potro. But just willingness to win, I felt like it was Novak. I loved growing up watching Novak. My mom was a big Novak fan and so I think just with her passion for and love for Novak, I started to watch and enjoy just watching his competitiveness. I think from that side of things, I enjoyed watching him the most.

It’s crazy just looking at that match. I eventually want to be able to play in the Olympics and compete for the United States. I think having that match kind of locked in my memory is pretty special, and to just see how passionate they were for the game and for that moment, hopefully I can get that in the future.

Novak won the Olympics this year. What was it like seeing him do that after following him over the years?
He’s accomplished tennis. There’s nothing more, I don’t think, that he can win. It’s pretty remarkable what he’s done in his career. I know I’m very, very far from any of that. Hopefully I could get to just sniff a little bit of what he’s accomplished. Seeing him win that, it’s just incredible for him and just getting to share the locker room with a guy like that is pretty special for me. A lot of my teammates from [the University of] Georgia, they all ask me like, ‘What’s it like seeing Carlos or Novak or Jannik in the locker room?’ 

I’m like, ‘Honestly, I try not to make it feel like they’re anyone else’. You walk in the locker room and that’s your competition. And so I try and walk in there and just try to enjoy the entire thing, but also recognise that these are the guys that hopefully I’m competing with in the future.

Do you have an influence from other sports, maybe an athlete?
I really enjoy Anthony Edwards [of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves]. I love watching him play. He’s just electric to watch. I love his trash talking, it is next level. I love his interviews. They’re always entertaining to me. He came through Georgia. He left the year before I went there, but my strength and conditioning coach at Georgia, he was the same one that worked with Anthony Edwards, and so just hearing the stories about Anthony and what he was doing in the gym and how if guys were weren’t doing what they should be, he held them accountable.

I think he was a very, very good leader and kind of helped me when I was on my team, I learned things not even being there, but just hearing stories about how I could improve myself as a leader for our team and improve myself as a competitor.

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Zverev survives Griekspoor scare, reaches fourth round in Shanghai

Alexander Zverev held his nerve to survive the scare posed by Tallon Griekspoor, sealing victory on the eighth match point in an absorbing third-round clash at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

With the triumph, Zverev is into the fourth round of a ninth consecutive ATP Masters 1000, still alive in his quest for a second title in 2024. The World No. 3 regrouped from an out-of-sorts second set to prevail 7-6(6), 2-6, 7-6(2) and extend his lead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series to 5-1.

“It was a tough match, going back and forth. I thought he was a bit lucky during the third set and I got very lucky in the tie-break, so we equalled each other out,” said Zverev, who is making his sixth appearance in Shanghai.

“It was an incredible match, he is someone that I always struggle against. We always have extremely tough matches and, for me, he should be a lot higher ranked than he is. He needs to look at why he is not playing like that every single week. He could be Top 15, Top 10 in the world.”

Moving 🔛@AlexZverev digs deep to get past Griekspoor 7-6(6) 2-6 7-5.@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/GmESoEsB7a

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 8, 2024

Zverev, who reached the 2019 final in Shanghai, will next face David Goffin. The Belgian is into the fourth round of an ATP Masters 1000 for the first time since the 2022 Madrid Open after rallying back from a set deficit to overcome American Marcos Giron 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a gripping encounter.

Zverev’s resilience came to the fore in the dying embers of the opening set when he converted his second break point to swing the match in his favour. The 27-year-old, however, failed to capitalise on the momentum in an error-strewn set.

Girekspoor, No. 40 in the PIF ATP Rankings, only hit two unforced errors in set two, according to Infosys ATP Stats, en route to levelling the match at one set apiece.

The Dutchman fended off eight break points, four of which were match points in the 12th game, in the deciding set to force a tie-break. It appeared as if the match was turning, but Zverev stormed to a 6/2 lead, producing four further opportunities to close out the clash.

However, an unforced error from the German followed by two big serves from Griekspoor meant that Zverev, bidding to continue his streak of reaching the fourth round of all ATP Masters 1000s in 2024, was forced to muster up some of his most gutsy tennis to close out a thrilling end to the match on his eighth attempt.

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Granollers/Zeballos make confident start to Shanghai title defence

Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos wasted little time getting back to winning ways in their opening match at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

Having lifted the title at the Chinese ATP Masters 1000 last year, the Spaniard and Argentine began their 2024 campaign with a 6-4, 6-4 triumph against Miguel Reyes-Varela and John-Patrick Smith on Tuesday afternoon. Granollers and Zeballos won 85 per cent (35/41) of first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, en route to a 77-minute win. They will next take on Jamie Murray and John Peers, who beat Ugo Humbert and Adrian Mannarino 6-2, 6-0.

The second and third-seeded pairs in Shanghai could not join Granollers and Zeballos in the second round. Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen upset second seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic 2-6, 6-3, 10-5. It was the Belgian duo’s first win in three Lexus ATP Head2Head clashes this year against Arevalo and Pavic, who lead the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings.

Toyko champions Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool continued their good form on the hard courts of Asia by downing third seeds Matthew Ebden and Lloyd Glasspool 7-6(6), 7-6(3). Their next assignment in Shanghai is a rematch against their Tokyo championship-match opponents, Ariel Behar and Robert Galloway.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Tsitsipas’ top hot shots: Greek star reflects on most scintillating moments

Stefanos Tsitsipas has produced moments of magic throughout his career, dazzling fans with his phenomenal feats on the court since he announced himself on the world’s stage by winning the 2018 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.

While the Greek superstar cuts a composed and collected figure off court, he has time and again enthralled fans with his eye-catching displays on it, ranging from his jaw-dropping diving volleys to breathtaking acts of athleticism around the court.

Recently taking the time to sit and reflect on his best hot shots, Tsitsipas reflected on his game and the history that each shot holds, giving insight into his style of play and career.

Which type of hot shot did Tsitsipas say he will never try again? Watch the full video below to find out.

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Classy Djokovic continues pursuit for 100th title

Novak Djokovic continues his pursuit of a 100th career title by dismantling Italian youngster Flavio Cobolli at the Shanghai Masters.

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Djokovic dominates Cobolli, advances to fourth round in Shanghai

Novak Djokovic passed the latest test in his quest for a 100th tour-level title with flying colours on Tuesday as he overpowered Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the fourth round of the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

In a contest that thoroughly contrasted his opener against #NextGenATP Michelsen, Djokovic claimed a dominant win over Cobolli in their maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting.

The record four-time champion, who is making his first appearance in Shanghai since 2019, struck 11 winners in a 29-minute first set, according to Infosys ATP Stats. Cobolli weathered the oncoming storm at the beginning of the second set, but Djokovic kept his foot on the gas to dismantle the Italian’s serve in the fifth game.

From there, Djokovic cruised to victory to boost his hopes of qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. The Serb is currently eighth in the PIF ATP Live Race, 220 points behind Andrey Rublev in seventh.

Djokovic will next face Roman Safiullin, who battled back from a set and a break deficit to upset thirteenth seed Frances Tiafoe in an absorbing third-round clash. Safiullin struck 51 winners en route to a 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(5) victory, prevailing in three hours and four minutes.

More to follow.

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Boulter loses to Tsurenko in Wuhan Open first round

British number one Katie Boulter loses in straight sets to Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko in the Wuhan Open first round.

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Tsitsipas sets Medvedev showdown with confident Shanghai victory

Stefanos Tsitsipas will rekindle his rivalry with Daniil Medvedev after beating Alexandre Muller on Tuesday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters. The Greek’s 6-3, 7-5 win set up a 14th Lexus ATP Head2Head matchup with Medvedev, their first meeting in nearly a year.

In a match delayed two days by rain, Tsitsipas was in command against Muller until he lost serve in his attempt to close out the match at 5-3 in set two. But he regrouped to break at love in the final game, finding the range on his forehand to bring up match points and then ripping the shot of the match — a wicked, running forehand pass — to seal the deal.

Hear him roar 🦁@steftsitsipas navigates Muller 6-3 7-5 to set up a Round of 16 clash with Daniil Medvedev.@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/rdhiFTKhOf

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 8, 2024

The 10th seed picked up his 200th hard-court win by beating Kei Nishikori in his opener and saved the first six break points he faced in Shanghai — three against Nishikori and three against Muller — before a net cord sent a groundstroke long to hand Muller a lifeline. After firing 14 aces against Nishikori, Tsitsipas managed seven against Muller according to Infosys ATP Stats. He expertly backed up his serve against the Frenchman, winning more than 70 per cent of points on both his first and second deliveries.

Through to the last 16 at an ATP Masters 1000 for the fourth time this year, the reigning Monte-Carlo champion will next face fifth seed Medvedev for a place in the Shanghai quarter-finals. Medvedev won his first five meetings against Tsitsipas before the Greek answered back with a group-stage win en route to the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals title. Medvedev leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head 9-4, including wins in both of their 2023 meetings, in the Rome and Vienna semi-finals.

In an all-French matchup, Gael Monfils upset 16th seed Ugo Humbert 7-6(7), 2-6, 6-1. The 38-year-old is the second-oldest player to reach the last 16 in Shanghai history, behind only Roger Federer (also 38) in 2019. Humbert was playing in his third straight match against a countryman after losing to Arthur Fils in the Tokyo final and beating Arthur Cazaux to open his Shanghai campaign.

Monfils will next meet third seed Carlos Alcaraz, whom he beat in three sets in Cincinnati in August.

A pair of Czechs also advanced in Tuesday’s early action: #NextGenATP star Jakub Mensik beat Alexander Shevchenko 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-2, while 30th seed Tomas Machac defeated Australian qualifier Aleksandar Vukic 6-4, 6-2. The 19-year-old Mensik sits comfortably in fourth place in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah and could rise ahead of Shang Juncheng and Alex Michelsen into second place with a deep run this week.

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Meet Flavio Cobolli: Five things to know about Djokovic's next Shanghai opponent

Flavio Cobolli has enjoyed one of the biggest rises of any player during the 2024 season and on Tuesday, he will get to test just how far he has come.

The Italian, who is at a career-high No. 30 in the PIF ATP Rankings, will face 99-time tour-level titlist Novak Djokovic in the third round of the Rolex Shanghai Masters. Before the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting, ATPTour.com looks at five things to know about the 22-year-old Cobolli.

Flavio dreamt of facing Novak
While Cobolli has a great relationship with fellow Italians like Fabio Fognini, he idolised Djokovic.

“He’s my idol since when I started to play tennis. I grew up with his videos, his matches and now I’m still going to bed, to sleep with his shots [in my mind],” Cobolli said after defeating Stan Wawrinka Monday in the Shanghai second round. “It’s a great thing to play against him and I want to enjoy every point I will do on this court.”

The Italian will try to secure the first Top 10 win of his career. He will arrive on court with an 0-7 record against the elite group.

He has broken through in 2024
Last year, Cobolli stepped onto the big stage when he competed in the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF. But in 2024, he has taken his game to a whole new level.

Entering the year, Cobolli had never climbed higher than World No. 95 and owned just six tour-level wins. This season alone has has earned 34 tour-level victories, won at least one match at all four majors and advanced to his first ATP Tour final in Washington.

“I was shaking, shaking for all the time. I can’t describe the emotion because it’s my first time everywhere,” Cobolli said after defeating Ben Shelton to reach the final. “Every tournament is my first time. Every match is my first time. I can prove I can learn from every match.”

Flavio’s father was a professional and is now his coach
Stefano Cobolli, Flavio’s father, climbed to No. 236 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Ironically, he owns a win against Wawrinka, whom his son defeated Monday in Shanghai.

Stefano is now Flavio’s coach. However, their professional partnership only began when Flavio was 17.

“He always told me, ‘You have to improve alone. You have to make your life alone, and then I will help you later’,” Cobolli recalled. “‘I’d like to make this work so I can help you later, when you are ready.”

His close friend is a star football player
Cobolli is a huge AS Roma fan. One of his best friends, Edoardo Bove, played for the team. The Italians met when they were seven, played football together and have been close ever since.

Bove is currently competing for Fiorentina, on loan from Roma.

“We keep in touch every day. We have a big relationship. Also, when I’m home, we go to make dinner with our girlfriends, so we have a good relationship also with his family. When I win a match, his father is the first to write to me,” Cobolli said. “We started with tennis, because he was a tennis player also. And then we met in Trigoria, the place where Roma practises.”

Cobolli likes tattoos and has many
The Italian has several tattoos — some visible while he competes, and some not. One of his most meaningful tattoos is a quote from his idol, football legend and until last month AS Roma manager Daniele De Rossi. It reads: “Sei tu l unica mia sposa sei tu I unico mio amor”.

In English, that means: “You are my only wife, you are my only love”. That is a saying De Rossi would put on his captain’s armband when he was a player.

💪 pic.twitter.com/SYqV5IsxQW

— Flavio Cobolli (@cobollifla) February 6, 2024

Other tattoos include the saying “going for the win” in Italian, others in Chinese meaning “brave” and “passion”, the wolf of Roma and the symbol of Florence. He also has mountains and what he calls a “grumpy face”.

Coblli added: “I like to make tattoos, because I like [having] my body painted, and so there is no reason about that. I just like it. I wake up and I go.”

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Basavareddy banks first Challenger title, Comesana triumphs on 24th birthday

Nishesh Basavareddy will not soon forget Sunday at the ATP Challenger Tour 75 event in Tiburon, California, where the 19-year-old claimed his maiden trophy at that level in his home state.

#NextGenATP Basavareddy is the second American teen to triumph on the ATP Challenger Tour this season, alongside fellow California native Learner Tien, who won in Bloomfield Hills and Las Vegas.

Basavareddy, who fell to Tien in the Bloomfield Hills final, lost in his three previous title match appearances on the Challenger Tour, but he had no trouble in Tiburon. He raced past Eliot Spizzirri 6-1, 6-1 in just 61 minutes. The World No. 193 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings was aggressive on return, dropping just four second-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

“I think that is definitely a big asset in my game and probably one of the biggest strengths in my game,” Basavareddy told commentator Mike Cation. “I think that can go a long way because a lot of these guys serve big and if you can neutralise the serves and almost get ahead in the point, I feel like I’m just as good as all these guys from the baseline.

“Especially second-serve points, my coach always says, ‘Second-serve return points and second-serve points won kind of decide who is winning matches all the time because everyone can defend their first serve really well and win points there’. If you can defend your second serve and attack other guys’ second serve, you can win a lot of matches. I think that’s been a big focus for me.”

This season marks the first time that multiple American teenagers have lifted a Challenger trophy in the same year since 2017, when Frances Tiafoe, Michael Mmoh and Stefan Kozlov achieved the feat. It is just the fifth time in the past 30 years.

Welcome to the club, Nishesh Basavareddy ✊

The 19-year-old cruises past Spizzirri 6-1, 6-1 in Tiburon to claim his first career Challenger title!#ATPChallenger | @usta pic.twitter.com/6VxzWGdXN6

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) October 6, 2024

Basavareddy, who finished No. 12 in the ITA singles rankings this past May competing for Stanford University, is the 20th different Challenger champion of 2024 with college tennis experience.

Up five places to tenth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, Basavareddy is aiming for maiden qualification to the 20-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals, which runs from 18-22 December. Basavareddy is the third American in the Top 10, alongside second-placed Alex Michelsen and seventh-placed Tien.

Buenos Aires
In other Challenger action, Francisco Comesana celebrated his 24th birthday in style, saving two championship points to triumph at the Challenger de Buenos Aires. An-all Argentine final featured the top two seeds, Federico Coria and Comesana, respectively. Comesana trailed 4/6 in the second-set tie-break before rallying to a 1-6, 7-6(7), 6-4 victory.

<img alt=”Francisco Comesana delights home fans in Sunday’s all-Argentine final.” style=”width:100%” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/10/07/14/52/comesana-buenosairesch-2024.jpg” />
^{Birthday boy Francisco Comesana delights home fans in Sunday’s all-Argentine final. Credit: Challenger de Buenos Aires}

“Since I knew that the final was going to be on my birthday, I was looking forward to it, because I had never experienced anything like this before,” the six-time Challenger champion said in Spanish. “All the matches of the tournament were difficult and luckily, I was able to give myself this gift after a lot of suffering.”

Mouilleron le Captif
Frenchman Lucas Pouille continued his resurgent year by winning the Open de Vendee on home soil. The 30-year-old, who is No. 101 in the PIF ATP Rankings, is aiming to return to the Top 100 for the first time since June 2021. Pouille raced past top seed Quentin Halys 6-4, 6-4 in the final to lift his second Challenger title this season. The former World No. 10 has competed in four finals at that level in 2024.

<img alt=”Lucas Pouille celebrates winning his third Challenger title.” style=”width:100%” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/10/07/15/03/pouille-mouilleronlecaptifch-2024.jpg” />
^{Lucas Pouille celebrates winning his third Challenger title. Credit: Un Oeil Averty}

Braga
Elmer Moller secured his first Challenger title at the Braga Open in Portugal, where he advanced through qualifying en route to his biggest career trophy. The 21-year-old Dane beat Daniel Elahi Galan 6-4, 7-6(4) in the final. Moller, No. 171 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, did not drop a set all week.

<img alt=”Elmer Moller in action at the Braga Open.” style=”width:100%” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/10/07/14/58/moller-bragach-2024.jpg” />
^{Elmer Moller in action at the Braga Open. Credit: Eduardo Oliveira/movesoundclick}

“I didn’t come with high expectations, but to give my best and it turned out to be an incredible week,” Moller said. “I’m very happy.”

Villena
Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak won his third trophy of the year and seventh overall at the Villena Open. The 28-year-old downed American Nicolas Moreno De Alboran 6-4, 6-2 in the title match. Majchrzak also won Kigali-1 and Bratislava-1 this year. Following his Villena title run, Majchrzak is up 33 places to No. 113 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.

<img alt=”Kamil Majchrzak triumphs at the Villena Challenger.” style=”width:100%” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/10/07/15/09/majchrzak-villenach-2024.jpg” />
^{Kamil Majchrzak triumphs at the Villena Challenger. Credit: Villena Open}

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