Tennis News

Ymer Clutch Under Pressure To Advance In Kitzbühel

Next Gen ATP Finals alumnus Mikael Ymer is fresh off a quarter-final showing in Gstaad. Could the Swedish star go even further this week in Kitzbühel?

The 22-year-old battled past Uruguayan veteran Pablo Cuevas 6-3, 7-5 after one hour and 35 minutes on Monday to reach the second round of the Generali Open.

“I try to take one day at a time and just focus on what I’m working on. Today, it went very well and I was able to commit to what I was trying to do, even though it was tough in some parts of the match,” Ymer said in his on-court interview. “That’s the most positive [part] of the day and that I managed to win in the end is also a big bonus.”

Ymer saved five of the six break points he faced against his 35-year-old opponent. Next up will be #NextGenATP Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who won his first ATP Tour title on Sunday in Umag, or wild card Alexander Erler of Austria.

In other action, Spaniard Pedro Martinez clawed past former Top 10 stalwart Lucas Pouille 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-4 after two hours and 43 minutes to set a second-round clash against his countryman, second seed Roberto Bautista Agut.

Czech lefty Jiri Vesely and Slovakian qualifier Jozef Kovalik will play in the second round after winning their openers Monday. Vesely ousted 2014 Roland Garros semi-finalist Ernests Gulbis 6-4, 6-1 and Kovalik upset ninth seed Jaume Munar 6-4, 6-4.

Lucky loser Carlos Taberner beat #NextGenATP Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, and he will next challenge third seed Filip Krajinovic.

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Don't Let Your Guard Down! Sock Pranks Kyrgios In Atlanta

Never let your guard down around Jack Sock! Nick Kyrgios found this out the hard way after getting quite the scare from his good friend – and doubles partner this week – during Media Day at the Truist Atlanta Open.

The Aussie, who won the title here in 2016, was gamely answering questions from press ahead of his return to the ATP 250 event. But just as Kyrgios was getting comfortable, Sock spotted him from across the way. 

Creeping up behind his doubles partner while Kyrgios was reflecting on the great fan atmosphere in Atlanta, Sock waited for his moment to strike. Check out the video above to see Kyrgios’ hilarious reaction!

Sock and Kyrgios have taken a wild card into the doubles tournament in Atlanta, and the pair are gearing up for their first event as a team since the Laver Cup in 2019.

“We’ve played together a bunch before and we’re close friends,” Sock told ATPTour.com later. “I actually haven’t seen him in about 18 months since the pandemic hit. We actually all had dinner in Indian Wells right before they announced the whole Tour – and the whole world, really – was shutting down. We all had dinner there, and then we all flew to our separate homes the next day. That was the last time we saw each other. 

“But I knew he was playing here, and this was the first tournament that we actually played together since that time. I figured we’d lace them up and see what happens.”  

Sock and Kyrgios will be going for their second doubles title together after claiming the ATP 250 trophy in Lyon in 2018. That is Kyrgios’ lone doubles title, while Sock amassed 15 in his career. The American, who won here in 2014 with Vasek Pospisil, added to his haul after winning the Hall of Fame Open title with William Blumberg in Newport two weeks ago.

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McLachlan/Nishikori Reach Tokyo QF

Japanese pair Ben McLachlan and Kei Nishikori reached the quarter-finals on home soil on Monday at the Tokyo Olympics as they overcame British team Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski 6-3, 6-4.

McLachlan and Nishikori, who are playing together for just the second time this week, broke twice and won 88 per cent (30/34) of their first-service points to advance in 81 minutes.

They will next face top seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic after the Croatians battled past Italians Lorenzo Musetti and Lorenzo Sonego 7-5, 6-7(5), 10-7. Mektic and Pavic have won eight tour-level titles this year, including three ATP Masters 1000s and Wimbledon.

The top seeds, who also became the first team to qualify for the 2021 Nitto ATP Finals earlier this month, saved both breaks they faced to claim victory in two hours and six minutes.

Colombians Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah also booked their spot in the last eight with a 6-4, 6-1 truimph over Austrians Oliver Marach and Philipp Oswald. The third seeds have lifted two tour-level titles this season at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

After advancing in 86 minutes, Cabal and Farah will next play Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus after the New Zealand duo received a walkover from Dutchmen Wesley Koolhof and Jean-Julien Rojer.

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Djokovic Marches Through In Tokyo

Top seed Novak Djokovic cruised into the third round on Monday at the Tokyo Olympics as he defeated German Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 6-3 to keep alive his hopes of a historic Golden Grand Slam.

The Serbian hit 14 aces and broke Struff three times to advance in 76 minutes. The World No. 1 will continue his quest for a first Olympic singles gold medal against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina after the Spaniard beat Australian John Millman 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3.

View Order Of Play | View 2020 Tokyo Olympics Results

Having claimed the first three major championships of the year, drawing level with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on 20 Grand Slams after his Wimbledon triumph, Djokovic is aiming to become the first man to win all four majors and a gold medal in a season. WTA legend Stefanie Graf completed this achievement in 1988.

Second seed Daniil Medvedev, who is making his Olympics debut, produced a dominant display to overcome Indian Sumit Nagal 6-2, 6-1. The ROC’s Medvedev did not face a break point on his way to victory in 67 minutes.

The World No. 2 will next face Fabio Fognini after the Italian saved two set points in the second set as he downed Belarusian Egor Gerasimov 6-4, 7-6(4).

Germany’s Alexander Zverev also moved through safely with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Egyptian Daniel Elahi Galan in 71 minutes. The World No. 5 won 87 per cent (26/30) of his first-service points and will next face Nikolaz Basilashvili after the Georgian moved past Italian Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta battled back to beat Marin Cilic 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 in two hours and 25 minutes. The sixth seed next plays Dominik Koepfer after the German beat Australian Max Purcell 6-3, 6-0.

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Tokyo Olympics: GB's Jamie Murray & Neal Skupski out of men's doubles

Great Britain’s Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski are knocked out of the men’s doubles tennis event at Tokyo 2020 in the second round.

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Alcaraz Jumps To Career-High After Umag Title, Mover Of Week

No. 55 Carlos Alcaraz +18 (Career-High)
The #NextGenATP 18 year old jumped 18 places to No. 55 in the FedEx ATP Rankings after lifting his first ATP Tour title on Sunday at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag. The Spaniard is the youngest tour-level champion since 18-year-old Kei Nishikori emerged victorious in Delray Beach in 2008. Read Umag Final Report & Watch Highlights

View Latest FedEx ATP Rankings

No. 29 Cameron Norrie, +1 (Career-High)
The Brit captured a maiden ATP Tour title at the Mifel Open in Los Cabos (d. Nakashima) on Saturday evening to move up one place to a career-high World No. 29. The lefty was competing in his fourth final ATP Tour final of the season, after enjoying runs to the championship match in Estoril, Lyon, and The Queen’s Club. Read Los Cabos Final Report & Watch Highlights

No. 53 Richard Gasquet, +6
The Frenchman reached the final in Umag on Sunday to move up six spots. It was the 35-year-olds first ATP Tour final since he advanced to the championship match in Bastad In 2018.

No. 115 Brandon Nakashima, +19 (Career-High)
The 19-year-old #NextGenATP star enjoyed a dream week as he claimed a career-best victory over World No. 35 John Isner in Los Cabos as he advanced to his first ATP Tour final (l. to Norrie).

Other Notable Top 100 Movers
No. 35 John Isner, +4
No. 80 Steve Johnson, +3
No. 88 Stefano Travaglia, +3
No. 91 Arthur Rinderknech, +9

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Challenger Q&A: Krueger Cruises To Cary Crown

On the ATP Challenger Tour, players strive for consistency above all else. That is, steadily moving up the FedEx ATP Rankings while building momentum and confidence from tournament to tournament, week after week. Seeing the fruits of their labour realized on a consistent basis, after months of hard work, can flip the switch for many players striving to take that next step.

Mitchell Krueger is hoping that this moment provides that spark. The 27-year-old American put together a comprehensive performance on the hard courts of Cary, North Carolina, to claim his second Challenger title and first of the year. An efficient 7-6(4), 6-2 victory over Ramkumar Ramanathan clinched the crown for the Dallas native on Sunday, returning to the winners’ circle for the first time since 2019.

Krueger has been building towards this moment all summer. A semi-final finish in Little Rock in early June was followed by a successful run through qualifying at the Hall of Fame Open in Newport last week – his first at the ATP 250 level. He would put it all together in Cary, not dropping a set in the semis and final to lift the trophy. The Texan rises 19 spots to No. 175 in the FedEx ATP Rankings with his victory at the Atlantic Tire Championships.

✅ Second #ATPChallenger title
✅ First ? since 2019@mitch_krueger is the champion in Cary after he defeats Ramanathan 7-6(4), 6-2 in the singles final! pic.twitter.com/wTHEW5QYJc

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) July 25, 2021

The American spoke to broadcaster Mike Cation following his latest title in Cary…

Congrats Mitch. This was a very efficient performance all week. You were completely dialed in from the start. Is that something you have been focusing on?
It’s always something you ideally want to happen. It’s a running joke with the guys that I play a lot of three-set matches. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, when I’m down I always try to fight back, there’s always a lot of three-setters. This time of year, when it’s super hot and humid, you want to spend as little time on court as possible.

It’s toeing that fine line of expending as little energy as possible, while not rushing through the match and make some bad errors and mistakes. I found that line really well this week. I also served really well and it was clicking all week. Today, I dug out a few close holds that could have potentially changed the match.

A second title is a big one.
I tell you, it’s hard to come by. Some of these guys out here seem like they’re winning titles every week. They make it look easy, but it’s definitely not. This time of year, with the US Open coming up, it’s important.

You’re going through a good stretch now. How do you maintain that from tournament to tournament, especially trying to peak around the US Open?
I think the biggest thing for me is getting that consistent match play. It’s been so hard for me this year to get consistent tournaments. It’s been tough to travel, especially earlier in the year, but even this summer it’s not ideal. After Lexington, I could very well be done until the US Open. Who knows what’s going to happen in the next few weeks. At the end of the day, I can only control what I can control.

Last week in Newport was a good first week, qualifying for an ATP 250 for the first time. I completed the full set, qualifying for a Slam, Masters 1000, ATP 500 and the 250 was the last one I needed. I carried that into Cary and I’m looking forward to Lexington and hopefully I’ll get into [the ATP 500 in] Washington, D.C. qualifying. We’ll see from there.

You have your family traveling with you now, to almost every tournament. Your wife Jeannie, your coach David O’Hare, your parents and Brad Stine is looking after you as well. Can you talk about how everyone is coming together for you and what that means both on and off the court?
You nailed it. That was one of the toughest things with all the COVID restrictions, having one guest week-to-week. The last three years or so, Jeannie has been traveling a lot with me. She loves to come and support and do her part. She makes a big difference for me and having that familiarity is important. And having Dave too, coming over here from the U.K., it’s been tough with all the restrictions but I’m lucky we communicate really well.

Dave, Dave Licker and Brad all know each other well and stay in touch. One guy is the U.K., one in California and one in Dallas, but we have a pretty active group chat when it comes to game plans and strategies. I have a lot of people supporting me and it makes a big difference, whether they’re actually there or not.

You have a long trip to Lexington now… in a minivan. Who’s driving?
Hey, the minivan is actually really comfortable. The setup in there is nice. My wife Jeannie will drive for sure. She loves to drive. She loves a road trip. I wasn’t too big on driving at first, but she and Dave talked me into it. It’s nice to have a car and have the freedom. Having the car in Lexington as well to move around as you need takes the pressure off as well.

Finally, a question about the fans. For you, how much of a difference does it make to have people in the stands at these tournaments?
I’m not lying when I say it makes a complete 180-degree difference, when it compares to playing with nobody there. I was talking to someone earlier in the week that playing in Little Rock there were hundreds of people having a good time and enjoying the tennis. Then the next week in Orlando you were playing in front of airplanes flying overhead. I didn’t have anyone with me that week. Especially at this level, it’s how you manage those ups and downs. Who knows what things will be like in the next few months, but hopefully they start trending towards this direction.

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Tokyo Olympics: Naomi Osaka, Garbine Muguruza, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova into third round of women's singles

Japan’s Naomi Osaka cruises into the third round of the Tokyo Olympics women’s singles with a 65-minute victory over Viktorija Golubic.

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After ‘Rollercoaster’ Years, Sock Eager To Fight For Trophies Again

Life comes at you fast. Just ask Jack Sock, former No. 8 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

In 2017, the American qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals after winning his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Paris. Two years later, he caught a medicine ball the wrong way, tearing ligaments in his right thumb and leaving him on a grueling road back to recovery. In 2020, he seemed poised for a major comeback after reaching the final at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Indian Wells. One week later, the ATP Tour, and the rest of the world, was shut down due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. 

But the 28-year-old is still determined to make his way back to the top of the Rankings. The signs are starting to come together, after he reached his first ATP Tour quarter-final since 2018 in Newport – where he also won the doubles title, partnered with William Blumberg. It’s what Sock has been fighting for since he began plotting his comeback more than two years ago.

“We sat down after I came back from my thumb surgery, and then obviously with COVID-19 we definitely sat down – [my coach, Alex Bogomolov], my wife, everyone – and said, if we’re going to do this then the goal is to be competing to win tournaments and be one of the best players in the world,” Sock told ATPTour.com at the Truist Atlanta Open. “If not, if that doesn’t happen, then I’ve done a lot in the sport and I’m proud of it. But there’s not much point in wasting time if you’re not ready to go after it again. 

“My goal is definitely to do everything in my power to be the best I can in singles again, and then see what happens… I’m excited to show everybody where I’m at and that I’m back and ready to go.”   

 

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A post shared by Jack Sock (@jack.sock)

Despite the tough stretch, the past few years have not been all bad for Sock. While he describes his on court struggles as “a rollercoaster”, it’s juxtaposed with some of the happiest moments of Sock’s personal life: he married longtime girlfriend Laura Little last December. 

He also spent part of 2020 helping to plan their wedding, as well as navigating the logistics of a mid-pandemic cross-country move from his home state of Nebraska to his wife’s hometown in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“When we took the next step in getting engaged and started planning the wedding, trying to find a home in Charlotte and moving into a new home during the pandemic… it was tough,” Sock reflected. “But in a way, it would have been even tougher if the season was normal and we were trying to do it in between tournaments. So it was actually kind of nice to know we’d be home for a while and be able to enjoy it.”

The move also meant the American could be closer to his coach Bogomolov, who runs a tennis academy in the suburbs of Charlotte, as they prepared for his comeback. Sock had been sidelined for so long that he briefly lost his FedEx ATP Ranking. On social media, even his fans and followers were becoming sceptical. 

“Every time I post something related to tennis, I would get comments saying ‘Wait, I thought you retired?’ or ‘When are you playing tennis again?’ or whatever,” he said. “It was just kind of funny, to be honest. Obviously, I knew I was about to start playing again.”

After starting the season ranked No. 273 in March, Sock has continued his steady rise after shaving 72 spots from his FedEx ATP Ranking. 

While his comeback has been kicking into high gear at ATP Tour events after taking wild cards into Newport and Atlanta, it has been taking shape at the Challengers for much longer. In April, Sock won the doubles trophy in Orlando with Mitchell Krueger, and a month later he was back in the winners’ circle in singles in Little Rock. 

“That was huge, in terms of confidence,” Sock said. “A lot of people were doubting me, but I had an awesome support team around me… They’ve always believed in me together, and collectively we’ve all stayed positive and kept pushing. We knew that if we kept putting the work in, I could hold the trophy again.”

Sock, who lifted the doubles trophy in Atlanta in 2014 (w/ Pospisil), will start his campaign at the ATP 250 in doubles on Monday. Partnered with good friend Nick Kyrgios, they will face third seeds Divij Sharan and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi. He will take on Ricardas Berankis in his opening singles match.

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Challenger #NextGenATP First-Time Winner: Jiri Lehecka

There was no stopping Jiri Lehecka this week in Tampere, Finland. The teen blitzed a strong field at the ATP Challenger 80 event, refusing to drop a set en route to the final, where he overcame Nicolas Kicker 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday.

As the sun set on the 39th edition of the Tampere Open – the longest-running tournament on the ATP Challenger Tour – Jiri Lehecka gave the Finnish fans a glimpse into the future. The youngest player from the Czech Republic in the Top 300 of the FedEx ATP Rankings, the 19-year-old battled back to defeat Kicker for his maiden title.

It was a breakthrough moment for Lehecka, who has been steadily progressing on the Challenger circuit since his debut in 2019. He becomes the seventh teenage titlist this year, joining a strong group of #NextGenATP stars that includes Carlos Alcaraz, Brandon Nakashima and Juan Manuel Cerundolo.

The future of Czech tennis has arrived. One year ago, Tomas Machac claimed his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title at the age of 19. Towards the end of the 2020 season, fellow 19-year-old Jonas Forejtek stunned Marin Cilic in his ATP Tour debut in Sofia. And on Sunday, another 19-year-old Czech had his moment in the spotlight. With countrymen Vit Kopriva and Zdenek Kolar also making noise in recent weeks, it signals something special for the European nation.

Lehecka will soar 41 spots to a career-high No. 213 in the FedEx ATP Rankings on Monday. He also rises to 12th position in the ATP Race to Milan, seeking to make a late push to qualify for the Next Gen ATP Finals.

2021 Teenage Challenger Champions

Lehecka spoke to ATPTour.com following the victory…

Jiri, congrats on winning your first Challenger title. How does it feel? What are your emotions?
It feels incredible. I’m really happy I achieved that. It’s a lot of satisfaction after a lot of hard work. It will be good for me in the future and I’ll continue working hard with my team. Of course I’m very happy to win here in Tampere.

Talk about the final. Were you nervous today?
I’m always nervous, especially when I’m about to play in a final. But it was ok. I dealt with the nerves. They showed up at the end of the first set. I had some chances there and I did not use them. But then I started to play better and better. I was more confident with my serve and it was good in the end.  

It was an amazing tournament for you. You didn’t lose a set entering the final. How do you explain what you achieved this week?
When the draw came out, I wasn’t too excited. I saw I played third seeded Antoine Hoang in the first round. Then, it was Nicolas Jarry or Jonas Forejtek. Jarry won, so I knew that it would be another hard match. I played him a few weeks ago in Salzburg. I knew that it won’t be easy, but I played good tennis. The conditions here are good for my tennis and for me to focus on my game. I felt good from match-to-match. Every day was better and better.

In the quarter-finals, it was hard to play against Otto Virtanen on home soil here in Finland. He had a lot of supporters here. It was more about your mind than your game. I could handle it really well. In the semi-finals, against Kyrian Jacquet, I destroyed him. My game was bad for his tennis. And in the final, against Kicker, he was Top 100 in 2018 and is a clay specialist. It was a tough match and I’m happy I won.

Photo: Tampere Open / frameshot.fi

This is your first full season on the ATP Challenger Tour. What is the key at this level?
It’s a completely different level coming from Futures. Players here are more experienced. There are players who were in the Top 100 at some point. And there are many young and talented players coming up. You need to play every ball and understand that no one will give you anything for granted. You need to play your best tennis.

You are the third Czech champion this year, joining Tomas Machac and Zdenek Kolar. Does their success inspire you?
This is really good for all Czech guys, even the younger guys. If you see that other players are doing well, it will motivate you. It pushes you higher and higher and to keep working hard. You want to do even better than the others. Of course I’m happy for them and their success can be mine in a couple months. Machac is in the Olympics and Kolar just won his second Challenger title. It’s good to push each other up and play together at this level.

What part of your game has improved the most this year? What are you working on, on the ATP Challenger Tour?
My mental game. I think I’ve calmed down a little bit this year. I had a lot of emotions on the tennis court. I’m just trying to be more positive and trying to practise better each day. Be more positive and go 100 per cent and with that the success will come of course.

This is your first time in Tampere. Talk about the tournament. How did they make you feel comfortable this week?
Here in Tampere it’s a very nice site. I love Finland. It’s a very nice country. A lot of beautiful nature. I was really happy to come here, because I heard that the tournament has a tradition. It has a history. A lot of good players won here. The hospitality was really good, and the shuttle and food too. It can be seen that over the last 40 years they have a lot of experience.

Who has had the biggest influence on your career? And why?
My coach Michal Navratil of course. So many people have had an impact on my career. Even if it’s my physical coach, my family, my parents and my girlfriend. So many people are trying to push me forward and to be better. Also my mental coach and my manager. There are so many people trying to help me. It wouldn’t be possible without them all.

Outside of tennis, what is your biggest passion in life?
I love all other sports. Sport is my passion. If it’s not tennis, I love to go on the bicycle or go skiing. Sport is my passion all the way up and down. I grew up in a sporting environment. Both my parents were professional athletes. My mother did track and field and my father was a professional swimmer. I have the genes to be a sportsman.

You are closing in on the Top 200. Do you have any goals for the rest of the year?
Of course I would like to enter the Top 200 this year. We’ll see. I would like to win another tournament too. You need to play better every week and we’ll see what it will bring. I think we are on a good path.

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