Tennis News

Ruud, new father, returns ‘to win matches and see if I can play for more than myself’

Casper Ruud won’t have to look far for extra motivation as he begins his debut campaign at the Delray Beach Open this week.

Just weeks after he and his fiancée Maria welcomed the birth of their first child, a daughter, the Norwegian arrives in Florida carrying more than racquets and expectations. He brings with him the life-altering joy of new fatherhood and, ahead of his opening match against Marcos Giron at the ATP 250 hard-court event, Ruud reflected to the media on the emotional whirlwind that has reshaped his world.

“It was an incredibly emotional moment,” Ruud said. “I think for anyone who has become a parent, it’s an incredible feeling and hard to explain with words.

“I’m excited for the future. This is just the beginning of 20 to 25 years of taking care of her. It’s fun and exciting, I will try to use it as motivation and try to remember that you’ve travelled this far and being away from her, you might as well try your best and play some good tennis while you’re at it.”

Ruud had already gathered momentum this season by reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open before he returned home to Norway, where he announced his daughter’s arrival at the end of January. Now, the challenge shifts from balancing backhands to balancing life on Tour with life as a new father.

The early-season hard-court swing will test that balance. Delray Beach marks the first stop in a stretch that also includes the ATP 500 in Acapulco and ATP Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami.

For Ruud, the former No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, the miles may feel longer than before.

“It will be a tough trip, because it won’t be that easy for them to come over here and I will miss them and at times feel homesick,” Ruud said. “I’ll do my best and see if I can end the hard-court swing, for a while, on a good note before we head back to Europe and start the clay season.

“That will be the goal for these couple of weeks and months coming up, [starting] here, then Acapulco, Indian Wells and Miami: To win some matches and see if I can play for more than myself.”

Ruud begins that run in a strong Delray Beach field that features two-time champion Taylor Fritz and reigning Next Gen ATP Finals titlist Learner Tien.

First up for the second-seeded Ruud is Giron on Wednesday, with their Lexus ATP Head2Head series locked at 2-2. While much has changed in his personal life, he is confident his tennis foundations remain intact.

“My forehand still feels pretty similar to before, and my backhand as well,” Ruud joked. “I haven’t got an overuse of my arm yet. I haven’t carried her too much yet!”

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Badosa hits back at claim of 'disrespectful' retirement

Former world number two Paula Badosa responds to claims she is “disrespectful to the game” following her withdrawal from a match in Dubai.

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Hometown hero Fonseca earns first win of the season in Rio de Janeiro

There is no place quite like home to find some rhythm again.

Following an injury setback and a series of early exits, hometown hero Joao Fonseca earned his first win of the season Tuesday at the Rio Open presented by Claro by defeating countryman Thiago Monteiro 7-6(1), 6-1 in the opening round.

“It’s just amazing having my first victory of the year [here] after a tough few months,” Fonseca said. “It’s just super special, so I’m very happy.”

In his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting against Monteiro, Fonseca delivered a dominant serving display. He fired seven aces, including two in a clutch opening set tie-break, and won 84 per cent (36/43) of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats. Buoyed by a boisterous home crowd, the 19-year-old claimed the win in one hour and 24 minutes, during which he did not face a break point. He will face Ignacio Buse in the next round.

In other opening-round action, Matteo Berrettini held firm to defeat lucky loser Tomas Barrios Vera 7-6(1), 7-5. The match featured only one break of serve when Berrettini broke Barrios Vera in the final game to seal his two-hour, 25-minute win against the Chilean.

Tomas Martin Etcheverry and top seed Francisco Cerundolo both advanced to the second round by winning an all-Argentine clash. Etcheverry defeated Francisco Comesana 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 and Cerundolo cruised past Mariano Navone 6-3, 6-4. His younger brother, Juan Manuel Cerundolo, upset second seed Luciano Darderi 6-1, 3-6, 6-4. The victory came just two days after Francisco defeated Darderi in the Buenos Aires final.

Watch Cerundolo vs. Navone highlights:

Other winners on Tuesday included Roman Andres Burruchaga and lucky loser Francesco Passaro. Burruchaga defeated fifth seed Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-3, 6-4 and Passaro beat Dino Prizmic 6-3, 6-4.

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#NextGenATP Jodar sets Fritz showdown in Delray Beach

#NextGenATP star Rafael Jodar is rising, and quickly.

The 19-year-old Spaniard cruised past 21-year-old American Ethan Quinn 6-2, 6-3 on Tuesday to reach the second round of the Delray Beach Open, setting a showdown with top seed Taylor Fritz.

One year ago, Jodar was outside the Top 900 of the PIF ATP Rankings and playing college tennis at the University of Virginia. But he is up to No. 112 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and rapidly approaching the world’s Top 100.

Jodar, who competed in last year’s Next Gen ATP Finals, entered the Delray Beach draw thanks to the ATP Next Gen Accelerator, which provides increased opportunities for players aged 20 and under. Now he will face a Top-10 opponent for the first time when he challenges Fritz, a finalist last week in Dallas.

To earn the opportunity, Jodar converted six of the 10 break points he earned, according to Infosys ATP Stats. The Spaniard won 16 of his 20 second-serve return points (80%) against the 2023 NCAA singles champion.

In one of the matches of the day, seventh seed Brandon Nakashima clawed past former World No. 3 Marin Cilic 7-6(4), 7-6(5) in a gruelling two hours and 13 minutes. The American leveled their Lexus ATP Head2Head series at 1-1 behind 13 aces. Neither player lost serve.

“Very pleased. It’s definitely not an easy match, especially him coming off a semi-final run in Dallas. He’s a very dangerous player on any given day, so I knew I had to bring my best game and definitely served really well,” Nakashima said. “Exciting time. I always love, first of all, being back in the U.S., and of course playing on the hard courts, so I’m looking forward to this stretch.”

Defending champion Miomir Kecmanovic also moved on with a 6-1, 6-4 triumph against Mattia Bellucci, while lucky loser Adam Walton eliminated big-serving Canadian Gabriel Diallo 7-6(4), 6-3.

There were two all-American clashes Tuesday in Florida. Sebastian Korda beat wild card Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 7-5 and qualifier Zachary Svajda surged past Aleksandar Kovacevic 7-6(4), 6-3.

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Fonseca plots Phoenix Challenger repeat; Hurkacz headlines Cap Cana entry list

Brazilian teen Joao Fonseca is eyeing a return to next month’s ATP Challenger 175 event in Phoenix, Arizona, where he is the defending champion. The 19-year-old is entered in the Arizona Tennis Classic, which is held during the second week of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells.

Players who exit early from the BNP Paribas Open could appear in Phoenix or at the Challenger 175 event in Cap Cana, often leading to stacked fields at both events. Former World No. 6 Hubert Hurkacz is entered in the Cap Cana Challenger.

Fonseca is joined the Phoenix field, subject to change, by six other Top 50 players. Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech, the No. 30 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, is the highest-ranked player on the entry list. Corentin Moutet, Alex Michelsen, Zizou Bergs, two-time champion Nuno Borges and Adrian Mannarino are also entered.

It’s Challenger 175 szn 😎#ATPChallenger | @aztennisclassic pic.twitter.com/NeIOTP1Qmy

— ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) February 17, 2026

Six Americans are entered in Phoenix, including Michelsen, Marcos Giron, Eliot Spizzirri, Reilly Opelka, Ethan Quinn and Emilio Nava.

The Cap Cana Challenger, which made its debut last March, could feature Hurkacz, 2023 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champion Hamad Medjedovic and defending titlist Aleksandar Kovacevic, among others. Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry, World No. 51, is the highest-ranked player entered in the Republica Dominicana Open, Copa Cap Cana Ciudad Destino.

Both the Phoenix and Cap Cana Challengers run from 10-15 March. 

Cap Cana is calling 🌴📞#ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/vN4gOlEaNF

— ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) February 17, 2026

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Alcaraz wins 'difficult' first match since Melbourne win

Carlos Alcaraz says he had to get through some “difficult moments” in a 6-4 7-6 (7-5) win against Arthur Rinderknech in the Qatar Open first round.

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England legend Carney & tennis great Clijsters part of Birmingham takeover

Birmingham City’s owners take over the women’s team, with England legend Karen Carney among the minority investors.

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Alcaraz saves 2 set points in Doha opener, but spins magic for 150th hard-court win

Carlos Alcaraz ensured he kept pace with rival Jannik Sinner’s fast start at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, though the top seed was forced to dig deeper in his opening test on Tuesday in Doha.

Competing in his first outing since becoming the youngest man to complete the Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open, the 22-year-old battled past Arthur Rinderknech 6-4, 7-6(5). Alcaraz saved two set points on serve in a tense second set before prevailing in the tie-break to secure his 150th tour-level hard-court win and extending his flawless start to the 2026 season to 8-0.

Another week, yet another mind-boggling milestone 🤯@carlosalcaraz #QatarExxonMobilOpen pic.twitter.com/4ydoRtmeyH

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 17, 2026

“It was really difficult,” Alcaraz said after his one hour, 47-minute win. “Arthur is a really dangerous player. Nobody wants to play against him in the first round… I’m happy with the level. I’m happy that I got through difficult moments in the match. I’m happy that I stayed calm [and] positive, and played great tennis.”

Alcaraz showcased the full spectrum of his shotmaking, but it was his signature drop volley that stole the spotlight. He struck three exquisite winners with delicate touch in the opening set alone and won an impressive 76 per cent (16/21) of his net points overall.

In the second set, Rinderknech raised his intensity and served with precision to push the match into a tie-break. The 6’5” Frenchman could not carry that momentum any further, however, as Alcaraz tightened his focus to secure his fourth straight tie-break victory against him.

This week, Alcaraz is aiming to improve on last year’s debut result in Doha, where he fell to Jiri Lehecka in the quarter-finals. The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings will next meet Frenchman Valentin Royer. Alcaraz can only meet second seed Sinner — who surged past Tomas Machac on Monday — in the championship match, which would be the 17th chapter of their thrilling rivalry.

Before then, Alcaraz could face a quarter-final showdown with Karen Khachanov — one of three former champions in the draw — after the 2024 winner battled past lucky loser Shintaro Mochizuki 6-1, 3-6, 6-4. The seventh-seeded Khachanov meets Marton Fucsovics in the second round.

Defending champion Andrey Rublev later shook off a sluggish start before powering to a 6-4, 6-3 win over Jesper de Jong in his opening match. The fifth seed, who also lifted the Doha trophy in 2020 when it was an ATP 250, will next meet Fabian Marozsan, who dispatched Ugo Humbert 6-3, 6-1.

Stefanos Tsitsipas ignited his Doha campaign with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Tunisian wild card Moez Echargui, booking a popcorn second-round clash with 2023 winner and longtime rival Daniil Medvedev. Tsitsipas trails 4-10 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series, though they have not met since Shanghai in 2024.

Jiri Lehecka, Zizou Bergs, and Zhang Zhizhen also all advanced on Tuesday. Lehecka eased past Jenson Brooksby 6-3, 6-3, Bergs overcame Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-4, and Zhang downed Roberto Carballes Baena 6-4, 6-4.

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Fognini still enjoying the spotlight, from dancing shoes to Tenerife Challenger visit

Fabio Fognini made a special appearance at the Tenerife Challenger 2 this past weekend, sharing smiles and laughs in front of a full crowd while playing in an exhibition match.

The former No. 9 player in PIF ATP Rankings attended Sunday’s final in Tenerife — won by Lloyd Harris — and took time to reflect on his life since retiring from pro tennis in July.

“After Wimbledon, I took two months completely off on holiday,” Fognini told the Tenerife Challenger media team. “Then I started on ‘Dancing With The Stars’, so now I’m ready to dance also outside the court,” he added with a laugh.

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A nine-time ATP Tour titlist, Fognini used the ATP Challenger circuit as a launchpad in the early days of his career, winning his first title at that level as a 21-year-old in 2008. The Italian also competed in select Challenger tournaments throughout his final three years on Tour.

Fognini spoke highly of the competition at ATP Challenger level, noting the clash between hungry young talent and Tour veterans.

“They are really tough,” Fognini said of ATP Challenger tournaments. “There are some young guys who are dreaming to go up the rankings and guys like me — trying to move up. I dropped a bit, had so many injuries, so fighting with the young guys is difficult. The level is really, really high.”

Fognini, a fans’ favourite who loved to entertain with his shotmaking ability and off-court flair, announced his retirement at Wimbledon last year following a five-set first-round loss to Carlos Alcaraz. The Italian ended his career holding a 426-396 match record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

How is Fognini doing since retiring?

“When you do this sport for 20 — and maybe more — years, the first step is missing the competition, I miss [playing],” he said. “I didn’t regret anything, so I’m happy to be here.”

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Musetti withdraws from Acapulco

Lorenzo Musetti has withdrawn from the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC in Acapulco.

The Italian is still recovering from the psoas muscle injury that forced him to retire from his Australian Open quarter-final against Novak Djokovic last month. The No. 5 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Musetti led Djokovic by two sets in Melbourne when he was forced to retire.

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A post shared by Lorenzo Musetti (@lore_musetti)

“Hello everyone. I have to communicate that unfortunately I cannot compete in Acapulco,” said Musetti in an Instragram video in Spanish. “My body has to recover more and the recuperation is going to take longer. I was really looking forward to returning to Mexico and playing there. I send a hug to all the fans in Mexico and the tournament, and I hope you have a great time.”

Musetti is currently 7-2 for the 2026 season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. The 23-year-old, who ended last year by making his debut at the Nitto ATP Finals, began this year by reaching the final in Hong Kong before his run to the last eight in Melbourne.

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