Tennis News

Tennis world unites for Svajda family: Blake, Nakashima to feature in exhibition

The tennis community is rallying around Americans Trevor Svajda and Zachary Svajda as their father, Tom Svajda, battles cancer. An exhibition event featuring James Blake and Brandon Nakashima will take place on Saturday, 7 December, with all proceeds directed towards Tom’s medical expenses.

The event, hosted at Rancho Santa Fe Tennis Club in San Diego, will feature the 22-year-old Zach partnering his brother, Trevor — a standout college player at Southern Methodist University in Dallas — in a doubles match against former World No. 4 Blake and 2022 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champion Nakashima.

“This event holds a special place in my heart,” said Zach, who climbed to No. 102 in the PIF ATP Rankings earlier this year.. “My dad was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, and our journey through his treatment and fight has been incredibly challenging. Supporting him through this has been one of the most difficult yet meaningful experiences of my life.”

Zach’s younger brother, Trevor, explained how important the moment is for their family.

“This occasion is incredibly meaningful to me, particularly because our dad is going through a difficult period,” said Trevor, who in 2023 competed in US Open qualifying after reaching the final of the USTA Boys’ 18s National Championships. “The commitment of everyone attending to show their love and support truly makes a difference and means everything to us.”

Tom, who has worked as a tennis coach for more than 30 years, is a beloved figure in the San Diego community and beyond. Tickets to the exhibition can be purchased by clicking here. Additional donations can be made by visiting the Svajda’s GoFundMe.

Blake’s father, Thomas Blake Sr., lost his battle with gastric cancer in 2004. Money raised by James Blake Foundation supports the Thomas Blake Sr. Fund at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. 

“I decided to participate because the tennis community is very small. It is a lifetime sport and also a family sport. I played with my parents and Zach and Trevor played with their dad. It is a sport that can be enjoyed as a family, and when a part of the tennis family is hurting, the whole community is hurting,” said Blake.

“We feel for Tom so much and want to do what we can to help the family and raise some money. So the time and energy for me to be a part of it is my pleasure. I hope it makes a meaningful difference.”

Nakashima added: “I’ve known Tom and the Svajda family for more than a decade since my junior tennis days competing with Zachary. Tom has been so committed to helping his kids pursue their passion. Zachary and I have a great friendship. We train together, motivate each other, and push each other through the challenges of the tour.

“For me, it is so fulfilling to use my platform to lift up their spirits during this very difficult time. I love to give back to the community whenever I have an opportunity to do so.”

Source link

Murray's early impression of Djokovic: 'None of those guys matter, it's only Novak'

Brad Gilbert remembers asking Andy Murray an important question in 2006, when he began coaching the Scot. Gilbert went through a list of players, pressing Murray on which opponents gave him the most trouble. Nearly two decades later, Gilbert still recalls Murray’s response.

“I remember him saying, ‘None of those guys matter, it’s only Novak,’” Gilbert told ATPTour.com.

In a full-circle moment, Murray is now teaming with his rival Djokovic, coaching the Serbian in the off season and through the Australian Open. According to Gilbert, it is a fitting move.

“I kind of sensed that Novak was going to do something. You didn’t know what he was going to do, but you kind of sensed that he probably needed something, and something to motivate him. And obviously he goes way back with Andy,” Gilbert said.

“Andy knows a lot about Novak, knows a lot about the players who Novak is going to be chasing. But I think more than anything, where Novak is, you’ve got these two huge, young guys now [Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz] who have just really elevated and I think Novak probably feels like he needs a little bit and I think most importantly, needs that motivation.”

Wasn’t on our 2024 bingo card…

But SO here for it 😎@andy_murray | @DjokerNole pic.twitter.com/e9T2eFW25i

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 23, 2024

Murray, who retired at the Paris Olympics earlier this year, and 99-time tour-level titlist Djokovic clashed 36 times in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. The Belgrade native won 25 of those meetings. They battled on the world’s biggest stages, including in seven major finals.

Gilbert, former No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings, also knows what it is like to make a quick transition from the court to the coach’s box. He retired as a player in 1994, the same year he began coaching Andre Agassi. Instantly, Gilbert learned a valuable coaching lesson.

“You’re the coach, looking through the lens of the player who you’re coaching. I was like, ‘I would do X, Y and Z, but Andre plays nothing like me, so I can’t think about what I would do. I have to think about what Andre needed to do’.”

Born one week apart in May 1987, Djokovic and Murray are not the first pair of former No. 1s in the PIF ATP Rankings to join forces. In fact, Murray is the third former No. 1 to be in Djokovic’s corner. The Serbian has also worked with Agassi and Boris Becker.

With an entire offseason to refine new strategies and tactics, Djokovic’s early season will be particularly exciting. The 37-year-old will begin his 2025 campaign in Brisbane.

“The first thing I’ll want to do when I’m in Australia is just go watch Murray and Novak practise,” Gilbert said. “It will be interesting, do they practise together? Is he practising with a practice partner? And [I want to see] if I notice anything different early in the first round. As a coach myself and a former player, I’m kind of fascinated seeing if there is something different right away.”

Source link

Raducanu begins work with fitness coach Nakamura

Emma Raducanu hopes to exploit her natural athleticism and reduce injury as she hires Maria Sharapova’s former fitness Yutaka Nakamura.

Source link

Sinner, 10-time champion Djokovic headline Australian Open entry list

A full complement of the ATP Tour’s leading stars will chase early Grand Slam glory in 2025 at January’s Australian Open.

The No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings Jannik Sinner leads the field at the hard-court major in Melbourne, where the Italian will defend his 2024 title. Sinner’s fellow top four stars Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz will also compete, while Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev join Sinner as the only former champions on the main-draw entry list.

The 37-year-old Djokovic is chasing a record 11th Australian Open title. The Serbian, who will have new coach Andy Murray in his corner, is also seeking his 100th tour-level title. Djokovic has the chance to hit that milestone before Melbourne, however, when he competes at the Brisbane International presented by Evie in the opening week of the season.

Top 10 stars who will hope to lift their maiden major crown in Melbourne include Zverev, Fritz, Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev and Grigor Dimitrov. Home hopes at Melbourne Park, where main-draw action will run from 14-28 January, will be led by Alex de Minaur. The No. 9 in the PIF ATP Rankings has reached the fourth round in each of the three past years.

For the first time in two years, home fans will also be able to cheer on Nick Kyrgios at the Australian Open. The 29-year-old will play his first competitive event since June 2023 in Brisbane, before heading to Melbourne. Alexei Popyrin and Jordan Thompson are the other Top 30 Australians on the list.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

Source link

Zverev fires his way to top of 2024 aces leaderboard

Alexander Zverev’s firepower was on full display during his standout 2024 season.

The German fired 797 aces across 90 matches, according to Infosys ATP Stats, the most among any player on the Tour. Despite finishing inside the Top 5 on four previous occasions, including a previous high of 749 hit in 2021, this year marks the first time Zverev has topped the aces leaderboard.

The 27-year-old’s 797 is the lowest number recorded by an ace leader since Guy Forget hit 595 in 1991. Nevertheless, Zverev’s key weapon has been pivotal in his return to a career high of No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings. 

Hubert Hurkacz, who last year became just the 10th player to record at least 1,000 aces in a season, finished in second in 2024. The Pole, who underwent meniscus surgery in July, managed to deliver 736 aces across 58 matches this season.

2024 Aces Leaderboard

Explosive Americans Taylor Fritz (725) and Ben Shelton (619) were among just four players to land more than 600 aces in 2024. Their booming serves have been the foundation for eye-catching ascents, with both reaching career-high PIF ATP Rankings this year.

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner’s vastly improved serve – he hit 563 aces in 2024 – ensured he made his Top 10 debut at sixth on the leaderboard. The Italian also won 91.4 per cent of service games across the season, the most of any player on the ATP Tour.

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard’s sizzling serve highlighted his breakthrough season. The 21-year-old, who won two ATP Tour titles in Lyon and Basel, hit 532 aces in just 28 matches to finish eighth in the chart. Mpetshi Perricard used his serve to devastating effect on the grass at Wimbledon, where he became just the seventh man in history to record more than 50 aces in a match.

Source link

Raducanu begins work with fitness coach Nakamura

Emma Raducanu hopes to exploit her natural athleticism and reduce injury as she hires Maria Sharapova’s former fitness Yutaka Nakamura.

Source link

Tweeners, around-the-net winners and diving for glory: The best Hot Shots of 2024

To mark the end of another thrilling season, ATPTour.com is unveiling our annual ‘Best Of’ series, which will reflect on the most intriguing rivalries, matches, comebacks, upsets and more. Today, we have curated a must-see collection of the top ‘Hot Shots’ from 2024.

Get ready to relive the jaw-dropping shotmaking of ATP Tour stars who this season turned the court into their stage.

Carlos Alcaraz produced creativity in an ATP Masters 1000 final that brought the crowd to a standing ovation, while Jannik Sinner laid it all out on the grass by diving for a ball and hitting a winner from the floor. Who else do you think made the list?

Shots that are improbable, extraordinary and at times, unorthodox, are scattered throughout, so watch the full video below to see the best selection from 2024.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

Source link

Draper, Machac, Mpetshi Perricard, Tabilo up for Most Improved in 2024 ATP Awards

A tennis player is never finished fine-tuning their game. Our four Most Improved Player of the Year nominees in the 2024 ATP Awards took it to another level this season in their pursuit of greatness.

Jack Draper, Tomas Machac, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Alejandro Tabilo showed big performance boosts throughout the year and made significant jumps in the PIF ATP Rankings.

Nominees for Most Improved Player of the Year are determined by an International Tennis Writers’ Association (ITWA) vote. The winner is selected by players from the shortlist and will be announced during ATP Awards week, starting Monday, 9 December.

Jack Draper
British No. 1 Draper, who will turn 23 on 22 December, broke through this season with his first two career titles this season in Stuttgart and Vienna. After injury struggles in 2023, he rose to a career-high PIF ATP Ranking of No. 15 behind those two trophies, beating Matteo Berrettini and Karen Khachanov, respectively, in the finals. One week after his triumph in Austria, he celebrated with a Top 10 win against Taylor Fritz at the Rolex Paris Masters.

“I’ve had a lot of tough moments but I’ve always tried to stay strong,” Draper told ATPTour.com after claiming his maiden tour-level crown. “I think it shows my love for tennis and the amazing people I have around me to push me to keep on persevering and keep on moving forward.”

Draper set the tone for the 2024 season by reaching the Adelaide final in his first tournament of the year. He broke into the Top 50 by February and reached the Acapulco semi-finals in his first event as part of that group. The Briton finished the season with a 39-22 record.

Tomas Machac
Machac climbed 53 places in the PIF ATP Rankings this season to end the year as the World No. 25. The 24-year-old reached his first tour-level final in May in Geneva and also made two deep runs at the ATP Masters 1000 level, reaching the Miami quarter-finals and the Shanghai semis

At all three events, he left superstars in his wake. He beat Andrey Rublev and Andy Murray in Miami, Novak Djokovic in Geneva, and Tommy Paul and Carlos Alcaraz in succession in Shanghai.

“I knew that the level of my tennis would be great because I am playing [my] best right now, for sure,” he said after stunning Alcaraz in two tight sets. That October victory made him the fourth lowest-ranked semi-finalist in Shanghai history.

“I am really enjoying it and am happy that I can play against the best,” added Machac, who entered the Top 25 immediately following that run.

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
The Frenchman’s first title came in storybook fashion, two months before his 21st birthday. In his hometown of Lyon, he saved a match point against Tomas Martin Etcheverry and ultimately won a third-set tie-break for the trophy.

“It means a lot. A lot of dedication, a lot of hard training, a lot of questions about my game,” Mpetshi Perricard said after his victory. “But I’m very happy to win this one in Lyon especially, my hometown.”

He backed up that performance with a second title in Basel in October, which lifted him to a high of No. 30 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Proving he belongs at that elite level, the big-serving Frenchman earned five Top 30 wins across his two title runs, including straight-sets wins against Felix Auger-Aliassime, Holger Rune and Ben Shelton at the Basel ATP 500 in October. He also beat Frances Tiafoe at the Rolex Paris Masters, closing out his season back on home soil.

Alejandro Tabilo
Tabilo’s rise of 62 places in the PIF ATP Rankings this season is the most among players in the Top 30. The Chilean hit a career-high of World No. 19 in July and finished the year inside the Top 25 after starting it at No. 85.

After winning his first tour-level title in Auckland to start the season, he shared some of the key improvements that led to his milestone moment at the hard-court event.

“As a player I think lately I’ve learned more about how well I can play with counter-attacking, with how aggressive I can be,” he said. “I think my serve has been improving a lot more and it’s been a big help. I think as an overall player I have become a little bit more aggressive, which has helped me a lot.”

Those weapons would help Tabilo earn a second title on Mallorca’s grass courts and reach the final on the clay of Santiago. With success on all three surfaces, the 27-year-old showcased another improvement: his versatility.

Source link

#NextGenATP Basavareddy turns pro: 'Living out my childhood dream'

#NextGenATP American Nishesh Basavareddy is turning pro, he announced on Instagram Thursday.

Basavareddy spent two years at Stanford University, where he was a two-time ITA All-American and qualified for the ATP Next Gen Accelerator both seasons. The World No. 138 in the PIF ATP Rankings will forgo his remaining college eligibility.

“Since I started playing tennis at three years old, it’s been my dream to be a pro tennis player. Thanks to the support from my friends, family, coaches, Stanford family, and the USTA, I can live out my childhood dream,” Basavareddy wrote on Instagram. “With that being said, I will be forgoing my NCAA eligibility to play pro tennis. Looking forward to what the future holds.”

The teenager will soon be in action at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, which runs from 18-22 December in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Basavareddy is one of three Americans to qualify for this year’s edition of the 20-and-under event, alongside Alex Michelsen and Learner Tien.

Basavareddy began this season at World No. 457 before making a splash on the ATP Challenger Tour. The American won two Challenger titles and reached four additional finals at that level. He tallied a 41-13 match record, becoming just the third American in Challenger history (since 1978) to earn more than 40 wins in a single season. Tristan Boyer, another former Stanford player, also accomplished the feat this year.

Stanford’s men’s tennis head coach Paul Goldstein, a former Top 60 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, looks forward to watching Basavareddy continue his rise.

“Nishesh is a special young man whose successes on the tennis court are a tribute to his unique talent, highly disciplined work ethic and sheer passion for our sport,” Goldstein said. “More importantly, he and his family are thoughtful, gracious, and wonderful people.

“Nishesh is truly realising a lifelong dream by pursuing his professional tennis career and I could not imagine being happier for someone that I am for him. Nishesh will always have a home at Stanford and will have our entire community enthusiastically behind him.”

Born in Newport Beach, California, Basavareddy and his family moved to central Indiana when Nishesh was eight years old. Basavareddy instantly connected with former doubles No. 1 and Indiana-native Rajeev Ram at a tennis camp led by their mutual coach Bryan Smith. The #NextGenATP teen, who was a practise partner at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals, has since regarded Ram as a mentor.

Source link

Kyrgios to make Grand Slam return in Australia

After a series of injuries, Nick Kyrgios uses his protected ranking to secure a place in the main draw of January’s Australian Open.

Source link