Tennis News

Countdown To Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals Begins As Tickets Go On Sale

The ATP, Italian Tennis Federation (FIT) and Sport e Salute Spa have today announced the launch of ticket sales for the 2021 Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals, the innovative showcase event for the world’s best 21-and-under players.

Scheduled from 9-13 November at the Allianz Cloud in Milan, the 2021 event marks the fourth edition of the tournament, following cancellation in 2020 due to COVID-19. The award-winning event features cutting-edge technological innovations and a unique short-format presentation of the game, with past champions including Italy’s Jannik Sinner, current World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas, and South Korea’s Hyeon Chung. From today, tickets for individual sessions and season tickets for the entire five-day event will be available for purchase.

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This year, the tournament welcomes a host of prestigious new partners, led by Intesa Sanpaolo as Title Partner. Through the partnership, Intesa Sanpaolo is committed to promoting the development of individuals and young people, through fundamental values of healthy competition, dynamism, respect for the rules, fair play and overcoming one’s limits. The Italian bank will also serve as Host Partner of the prestigious Nitto ATP Finals, being played in Turin for the first time this year, until 2025.

ellesse, the iconic Italian athleisure brand, will bring its signature style and flair to the event as Official Apparel and Shoes of the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals. In addition, Wilson (Official Stringer) and Fastweb (Official Telecommunications Provider) join the portfolio of renowned event partners that includes Emirates, Dunlop, and Valmora Mineral Water.

Adding to the build-up, this week marks the launch of the Next Gen ATP E-Series 2021, the official eSports tournament hosted in collaboration with Mkers, a leading Italian eSports company, with Intesa Sanpaolo as Main Sponsor. Opening rounds of the competition, held online between June and October, will feature 128 players competing on the popular Tennis World Tour 2 title, with the best eight players qualifying for a live event at the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals, where the winner will be crowned. In addition, the Nitto ATP Finals will host a day of show matches featuring participants from the eSports tournament, VIPs and influencers.

Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Chairman, said: “Since its inception, this event has helped shine an important spotlight on the brightest young talents in our sport, creating great champions and driving innovation in the process. We are delighted to see it returning this year and would like to thank the FIT, and all event partners, for their commitment to promoting the future of our sport.”

Angelo Binaghi, President of the Italian Tennis Federation, said: “This November, Italy will find itself at the centre of the tennis world, hosting leading events that signal our ambition and commitment to the sport. We are extremely excited to once again be hosting the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan, a city that continues to play a vital role in the development of tennis’ future stars. We are full of enthusiasm, as are our partners, who we thank for their tremendous support.”

Vito Cozzoli, President of Sport e Salute Spa, said: “Following the Internazionali at the Foro Italico, which saw the welcome return of fans, the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan, an event of strategic importance in the continued growth of the Italian tennis movement, is confirmed in this year’s tennis calendar. Tennis showed endurance in overcoming the challenges of the past months, and has also become a symbol of revival, with great events capable of inspiring and involving more and more players.”

Tickets for the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals can be found at www.nextgenatpfinals.com and via Ticketone.

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Elena Baltacha auction to 'continue tennis star's legacy'

The former British number one died of cancer, aged just 30, and a foundation was set up in her name.

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Nakashima On Cusp Of Wimbledon Main Draw

#NextGenATP American Brandon Nakashima is one win away from reaching the main draw at Wimbledon for the first time after a three-set win on Wednesday. Playing qualifying at The Championships for the first time, the 19-year-old sent Serbian Viktor Troicki into retirement with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory.

“It definitely feels pretty good coming back here,” Nakashima, who won the Grade 1 junior tournament in Roehampton in 2018, told Wimbledon.com. “I feel comfortable with the courts but obviously pro is a lot different than the juniors.”

San Diego native Nakashima, who is just five places below his career-high FedEx ATP Ranking of No. 133, will play Latvian veteran Ernests Gulbis for a place in the main draw. The 32-year-old defeated Slovakian Andrej Martin 6-1, 6-2.

Gulbis is chasing a 13th appearance in the main draw. In 2018 he advanced through qualifying and stunned World No. 3 Alexander Zverev in the third round before falling to Kei Nishikori in four sets.

China’s Zhang Zhizhen, ranked No. 178, is one win away from making his Grand Slam debut after staring down Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo 7-6(5), 7-6(5). Zhang will play 22-year-old Argentine Francisco Cerundolo, who made his Grand Slam debut earlier this month at Roland Garros. Cerundolo, a finalist in Buenos Aires on clay this year, defeated Italian veteran Roberto Marcora 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Qualifying top seed Kamil Majchrzak, chasing his second Wimbledon main draw appearance, survived a tough battle with veteran Dutchman Robin Haase 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-4 to reach the final round, where he will play Chile’s World No. 232 Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera.

After surviving the first round in two tie-breaks, Barrios Vera also held his nerve Wednesday to beat Frenchman Enzo Couacaud 7-6(5), 7-6(4).

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Johanna Konta: British number one may need to manage injury for rest of career

British number one Johanna Konta says she may have to manage a knee injury for the rest of her career having initially ignored it.

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Medvedev & Wife Daria Taste Authentic Spanish Food In Mallorca

Daniil Medvedev took a break from his Mallorca Championships preparations to bring his wife, Daria, on a culinary tour of Spain, courtesy of Michelin-starred chef Maca de Castro.

The chef prepared a sampling of typical Spanish cuisine for the Russian couple. The Medvedevs tasted gazpacho, a cold soup fit for hot summers, as well as coca Mallorquin, a Mallorcan-style pizza which is prepared with spinach and fish. They also sampled fideua, a dish similar to paella but made with noodles instead of rice. 

 

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De Castro, who is taking care of the VIP guests of the Mallorca Championships this week, was also in charge of the catering at Rafael Nadal’s wedding in 2019. Her skillful interpretations of traditional and contemporary Mallorcan cuisine earned her a star in the 2021 Michelin Guide.

Medvedev and his wife Daria also approved of De Castro’s cooking. “I love gazpacho, it’s delicious,” said the No. 2 player in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

The top seed will be back in action on the lawns of the Mallorca Country Club on Thursday as he takes on fifth seed Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals. 

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Wimbledon Seeds Announced: Djokovic Top, Federer 7th

Two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic and World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev will lead the way as the top two seeds at Wimbledon, after the All England Club unveiled the seedings for the men’s singles main draw on Wednesday.

Djokovic, who lifted the trophy at SW19 in 2011, 2014-15 and 2018-19, will be looking to add a 20th Grand Slam title to his ever-growing haul. A victory for the World No. 1 would tie him with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at the top of the list for all-time most Grand Slam singles titles.

Further down the list, 2019 finalist Federer will be the seventh seed. The Swiss, who has played just eight matches since the 2020 Australian Open following two knee surgeries, finds himself in the unfamiliar position of No. 8 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. He is seeded seventh because World No. 3 and two-time champion Rafael Nadal is not playing at the All England Club.

This raises the possibility of Federer being drawn in the same quarter as Djokovic, just as he was at Roland Garros earlier this month. When Wimbledon was last played two years ago, Djokovic beat Federer in a historic fifth-set tie-break, which began at 12-all.  

 

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Second seed Medvedev will be trying to advance past the third round at the All England Club for the first time (2018, 2019). Roland Garros finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas will be seeded third, while reigning US Open champion Dominic Thiem is the fourth seed.

Main draw action will start on Monday 28 June, with the men’s singles final set for Sunday 11 July. 

Full List Of Wimbledon 2021 Seedings
1. Novak Djokovic (SRB)
 2. Daniil Medvedev  (RUS)
 3. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
 4. Dominic Thiem (AUT)
 5. Alexander Zverev (GER)
 6. Andrey Rublev  (RUS)
 7. Roger Federer (SUI)
 8. Matteo Berrettini (ITA)
 9. Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP)
 10. Diego Schwartzman (ARG)
 11. Denis Shapovalov (CAN)
 12. Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP)
 13. Casper Ruud (NOR)
 14. Gael Monfils (FRA)
 15. Hubert Hurkacz (POL)
 16. Alex de Minaur (AUS)
 17. Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)
 18. Cristian Garin (CHI)
 19. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)
 20. Jannik Sinner (ITA)
 21. Aslan Karatsev (RUS)
 22. Ugo Humbert (FRA)
 23. Daniel Evans (GBR)
 24. Lorenzo Sonego (ITA)
 25. Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO)
 26. Karen Khachanov (RUS)
 27. Fabio Fognini (ITA)
 28. Reilly Opelka (USA)
 29. John Isner (USA)
 30. Cameron Norrie (GBR)
 31. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)
 32. Taylor Fritz (USA)

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Eastbourne International: Elina Svitolina and Coco Gauff lose in second round

Second seed Elina Svitolina and American Coco Gauff are knocked out of the Eastbourne International in the second round.

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Wimbledon 2021: Arthur Fery & Anton Matusevich reach final qualifying round

British teenager Arthur Fery and compatriot Anton Matusevic reach the final qualifying round at Wimbledon.

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Demon Gets Off To Winning Start In Eastbourne

Second seed Alex de Minaur began his quest for the Viking International Eastbourne crown on Wednesday when he defeated British wild card Liam Broady 6-3, 6-4 over one hour and 40 minutes.

“It was very intense,” said De Minaur. “A very tough match at a high level, against a tricky opponent, who has been playing great. It’s a part of the year that I love. I enjoy the grass-court swing and I want to make every match count.”

The Australian is currently at a career-high No. 18 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, having returned to the Top 20 for the first time in 18 months after a run to last week’s cinch Championships semi-finals (l. to Berrettini). He will next challenge Canadian Vasek Pospisil in the quarter-finals. De Minaur leads Pospisil 3-0 in their ATP Head2Head series.

In a closely fought contest at Devonshire Park, De Minaur came under early pressure, but broke clear in the seventh game and completed the 46-minute opener with a backhand crosscourt winner. De Minaur appeared to be in control when he served for the match at 5-3 in the second set, but World No. 144 Broady raised his game for one final push.

De Minaur improves to a 17-14 match record on the season, which includes the Antalya Open crown (d. Bublik).

Pospisil, celebrating his 31st birthday today, advanced mid-afternoon Wednesday having won the first set against sixth-seeded Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-6(1) after 73 minutes. Davidovich Fokina required on-court treatment early in the match for a back injury, which had troubled him since Roland Garros.

Elsewhere, third-seeded Italian Lorenzo Sonego powered his way to a 6-4, 6-2 win over John Millman of Australia in 81 minutes. The 26-year-old Sonego, who captured a grass-court trophy two years ago in Antalya (d. Kecmanovic), now faces eighth-seeded Kazakhstani Alexander Bublik.

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Wimbledon 2021: BBC TV, radio and online coverage times and channels

Follow comprehensive live coverage of Wimbledon on BBC TV, Red Button and BBC Radio, plus watch up to 18 courts on the BBC Sport website and app.

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