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Cincinnati Marks Beginning Of 'Return To Normal' For FedEx ATP Rankings Logic

  • Posted: Aug 04, 2021

For the first time since the ATP Tour resumed from its pandemic suspension in August 2020, FedEx ATP Rankings points will be added and dropped per traditional methodology beginning 23 August (the rankings after the 2021 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati).

A player’s current Western & Southern Open ATP Ranking points will drop 23 August, 2021 and be replaced with points earned by the player at this year’s Western & Southern Open (played 15-22 August). Those new points will stay on a player’s breakdown for 52 weeks, dropping 22 August, 2022. As well, players who currently have Western & Southern Open points in their breakdown and do not compete in this year’s event will also have their existing Cincinnati ranking points drop on 23 August.

Points earned at all events after Cincinnati will be treated in the same manner.

In contrast, results from tournaments held up to and including the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers in Toronto (9-15 August), remain subject to the pandemic-related ‘Best Of’ logic (outlined in detail below).

As of 15 August, 2022, all pandemic-related adjustments will cease and the traditional 52-week rolling ranking methodology will be fully restored.

“Best Of” Logic
The FedEx ATP Rankings are in a “Best Of” system that extends through and including the week of 9 August, 2021. The “Best Of” ranking system adds events as per normal, except for when a player has two scores from the same tour-level event. In this situation, the player will only count the better of his two results in his rankings breakdown.

Events that occurred between 4 March, 2019 and 12 August, 2019 were extended for a further 52 weeks, or until the event is played in 2022 (max 156 weeks) and weighted at 50 per cent for the final 52 weeks. As exceptions, 2019 events in Rome, at Roland Garros, Kitzbühel and Hamburg are not extended an additional 52 weeks as the 2020 editions were played. Because of this, the 2020 scores from these events are to be extended for an additional 52 weeks, or until the event is played in 2022, and weighted at 50 per cent.

Visit FedEx ATP Rankings FAQ page

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The Nomadic Life With… Alexander Bublik

  • Posted: Aug 04, 2021

Alexander Bublik is one of the most entertaining players on the ATP Tour, from his shotmaking ability to his underarm serves. Although fans might remember the Kazakhstani’s trickery most, he has more aces than anyone so far with 576 entering this week’s Citi Open.

“It’s a cool stat. Leading in aces after almost eight months is great,” Bublik said. “It means I can serve. It means I can hit dingers.”

Before the ninth seed begins his run in Washington, ATPTour.com caught up with Bublik about what his life is like on Tour, his favourite vacation spots, and why he tries to focus on anything but tennis once off the court.

What are two essential non-tennis items you always pack for trips?
It’s my wedding ring and my watch. I buy and sell. I bought my first [watch] in 2017. Since then I’ve had many. I’m a big watch enthusiast. I love watches, I love buying them and selling them. I love all these kinds of things. At the moment I have maybe four or five watches, but I’ve had many more. 

Do you enjoy travelling the world or consider it just something that needs to be done to be a pro tennis player? If you do enjoy it, what do you enjoy about travelling?
I don’t like travelling at all to be honest with you. I’m not a big fan of packing, flying and changing time zones, but I treat it like a part of work. I don’t like it. I was happy to stay home for six months. I was very happy, it was really good for me. I would stay another six months at home if that would be necessary. For me travelling is just a part of my job to make a living.

How do you try to overcome jetlag and acclimate to the local time zone?
It’s not tough for me. I do well for the time zones, but I just don’t like travelling. I would be happy to travel from my home to the Alps and back with the car, five or six hours. I’m not a guy who would go to the Maldives, a 15-hour-trip to lay under the sun for 15 days.

In that case, where is your favourite vacation destination?
The French Alps, Swiss Alps, ski resorts. Something that is not mainstream and you don’t see hundreds of tennis players and athletes there. Something that is a bit interesting to walk around, see nature.

I go to the mountains, I enjoy nature. Of course there is a great hotel, but [I like] walking around. I can’t ski or snowboard unfortunately, but I love nature. It’s great to recharge, put away your phone. I think for me the best places are these cold resorts with skiing or in the Swiss Alps.

Watch Bublik Tour The Newport Grounds:

What is your favourite tournament city to visit and why?
The ATP hosts the tournaments in very good locations, so usually it’s always in good cities. There are some cities I don’t like [because of] the weather or conditions or other things, but overall 95 per cent of tournaments held by the ATP are held in great spots. We have great hotels [too].

As a tennis player, maintaining your body is of the utmost importance, so how do you take care of it during long trips?
Sleep well, and a couple of glasses of wine never hurt. I try not to stick to the tennis player thing, always taking care of yourself, taking care of your body, taking care of your tennis. When you travel, you should try to be a normal person and do whatever a normal person would do on a 14-hour flight.

Are there any routines or activities you do to create a sense of ‘home on the road’ to feel more comfortable?
I travel with my wife, my coach — who is my good friend — and a fitness trainer and we try not to talk about tennis. We try not to think about tennis at all when we are outside the tennis courts. Just live a normal life.

I don’t treat myself as a tennis player when I am outside. I probably should in order to perform better as they say. But for me, the most important thing is to feel happy and feel comfortable on the Tour. I try to put aside the tennis life when I am away from the tennis courts.

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Kyrgios Accepts Toronto Wild Card

  • Posted: Aug 04, 2021

Australian Nick Kyrgios has accepted a wild card into the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers, Tennis Canada announced Wednesday.

This will be the seventh time the 26-year-old has competed in Canada’s ATP Masters 1000 event, where he owns a 5-6 record.

“I’m really pleased to be playing in Toronto this year,” Kyrgios said in a statement. “I’ve always enjoyed my time in Canada and have great memories of playing there. Hopefully I can play well and put on a good show for my Canadian fans.”

At Wimbledon, Kyrgios played his first tournament outside Australia since February 2020 in Acapulco. The World No. 77 has since played in Atlanta and Washington. He is 7-5 on the season.

The National Bank Open Presented by Rogers will be held from 9-15 August in Toronto. The tournament alternates between Toronto and Montreal.

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Felix Dodges Seppi Challenge In Washington

  • Posted: Aug 04, 2021

Second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime held his ground against a stern opening test on Tuesday against Andeas Seppi, rallying from a set down to start his Citi Open campaign with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory. 

The 19-year-old Canadian was tested across nearly two hours by Seppi, the player who stunned him in the opening round at Roland Garros earlier in the season. Auger-Aliassime earned his revenge with 25 winners, including nine aces, and five service breaks from 12 opportunities.

Auger-Aliassime, who arrived in Washington, D.C. at a new career-high World No. 15 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, improved to 24-15 on the season with the victory. Coached by Frederic Fontang and Toni Nadal, Auger-Aliassime will be looking for his third tour-level final of the season after reaching the championship match in Stuttgart and Melbourne. 

He needed a couple of games to gain his footing in Washington, D.C. against Seppi. By the time the 19-year-old found his best tennis, Auger-Aliassime was already down a double break and 5-1 in the opening set against the Italian veteran. Auger-Aliassime raised his level after saving two set points in the opening set, starting the second with a 3-0 lead. 

[WATCH LIVE 1]

The Canadian improved his first-serve points won from 65 per cent (11/17) in the first set to 85 per cent in the second set and 89 per cent in the third set. That kept the Italian on the back foot, and Auger-Aliassime earned unforced errors regularly as he continued to apply the pressure in the later stages of the match. 

He awaits an American in the third round, with 16th seed Frances Tiafoe and #NextGenATP Jenson Brooksby set to hit the court later tonight.

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Murray Accepts Cincinnati Wild Card

  • Posted: Aug 03, 2021

Two-time champion Andy Murray and #NextGenATP American Sebastian Korda have accepted wild cards into the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, the tournament announced Tuesday.

Former World No. 1 Murray owns a 33-13 record at the ATP Masters 1000 event, at which he lifted the trophy in 2008 and 2011. Last year, the Scot beat Alexander Zverev in the second round of the hard-court tournament, which was held in New York due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Murray most recently competed in the Tokyo Olympics in men’s doubles alongside Joe Salisbury for Great Britain. They reached the quarter-finals, where they lost against eventual silver medalists Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig of Croatia.

Korda will compete in the main draw of the Western & Southern Open for the second time. Last year, the American qualified before losing a tight three-setter against Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori in the first round.

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Nakashima Celebrates 20th Birthday With Washington Win

  • Posted: Aug 03, 2021

#NextGenATP American Brandon Nakashima gave himself a nice 20th birthday present on Tuesday with a 6-3, 6-3 win against Australian Alexei Popyrin in the first round of the Citi Open.

The 20-year-old is in great form after making the final in back-to-back weeks in Los Cabos and Atlanta. Nakashima showed his confidence against this year’s Singapore titlist, converting all three of his break points to advance after 70 minutes.

Before the Mifel Open began two weeks ago, Nakashima had not won a tour-level match since last year’s US Open. Since beginning his run in Los Cabos, the American has gone 9-2, a stretch that propelled him into the Top 100 of the FedEx ATP Rankings on Monday for the first time at World No. 89.

[WATCH LIVE 1]

Nakashima secured the critical break for 3-2 in the second set with great groundstroke depth, causing Popyrin to miss a forehand into the net. The home favourite lost just one more service point the rest of the way and earned his third service break to finish off his victory. Nakashima will next play sixth seed Daniel Evans of Great Britain.

Two more #NextGenATP Americans will also compete on Tuesday. Sebastian Korda will play Canadian Vasek Pospisil and Jenson Brooksby, who beat Kevin Anderson on Monday, will take on countryman Frances Tiafoe, the 16th seed.

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Washington Lobbyists: Why Kyrgios Lets Fans Tell Him How To Serve

  • Posted: Aug 03, 2021

Welcome to the Nick Kyrgios show. Now, pick your serve!

Two years ago at the Citi Open in Washington, Kyrgios went on one of the most memorable runs of his career to claim the ATP 500 title. Along the way, the Aussie gave a new dimension to fan engagement. The inimitable right-hander began asking fans where he should serve on match point.

“It’s kind of like the finale. Who’s the lucky fan to tell me where to serve on match point?” Kyrgios said. “I feel if it works, it’s a memory they’re going to keep for life.”

Kyrgios wants to provide an experience for the fans, not just a match. The 26-year-old loves putting on a show.

“Fans for me are the reason why I play. I love to entertain, I feel like it’s all a show,” Kyrgios said. “It’s not just me going out there hitting good forehands, hitting good backhands. It’s about making everyone in that crowd feel as if they’re in the match as well.”

[WATCH LIVE 1]

The six-time ATP Tour titlist feels at home in the United States, and he has fond memories of his triumphant week in Washington. To some, asking fans for serving advice against the world’s best players might seem risky, but not to Kyrgios.

“I feel like I’m an ‘in-the-moment’ type of guy. I feel like that’s how you get the crowd involved,” Kyrgios said. “They’re maybe not ever going to be able to play that level one day, but they’re watching it and to make them feel involved, you ask them, ‘Alright, where do you think you want me to serve? Where would you serve if you were in this moment?’”

That was not the only way Kyrgios entertained that week. The Aussie also delivered Stefanos Tsitsipas’ spare shoes on one knee. Between the fun he had and defeating the likes of Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev en route to the trophy, it was a tournament Kyrgios will never forget.

“That was one of my favourite weeks of my life.”

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Felix Draws On 'Champion Mentality' In Washington

  • Posted: Aug 03, 2021

Felix Auger-Aliassime will channel what he deems a “champion mentality” as he looks to build on his most consistent season to date at this week’s Citi Open. Seeded second behind Rafael Nadal in Washington, D.C., the 20-year-old faces a tricky opener against his Roland Garros conqueror from this year, Italian veteran Andreas Seppi.

Despite that first-round boilover in Paris, the Canadian has not dwelled on the result. There have been ample positives since, including a second final of the season in Stuttgart, a run to the semi-finals in Halle and his maiden Grand Slam quarter-final at Wimbledon.

“I mean I’ve tried to come with consistent work ethic and effort in every week,” Auger-Aliassime said. “There’s been ups and downs and I think that’s the kind of season. We play so many tournaments, the season is 11 months so you’re never going to be always up but I felt like I’ve been able to capitalise well whenever I was feeling well, whenever I was playing well, to have some good results.

“It could sometimes be a little bit better, it could be worse, but in the end I’m happy where I am reaching the Top 15 ranking, my first Grand Slam quarter-final. Things are moving in the right direction for me.”

Under the guidance of Frederic Fontang and Toni Nadal, Auger-Aliassime said they had continued to build on his attacking game style – a player unafraid to come forward, while maintaining consistency. The mental component would always be a work in progress.

“This mentality with Toni, this champion mentality that I call it, for us we’re trying to build this mentality where I’m in the present of being humble, not too worried about the future, not too frustrated about the past and I feel like that’s what we’ve been trying to do and that’s the vision to be hopefully one day… close to that near-perfect balance of being in the present.”

While still searching for his maiden ATP Tour title, Auger-Aliassime finds himself second in the ATP Race to Milan for the NextGen ATP Finals and 15th in the FedEx ATP Race to Turin. He could yet qualify for both as he shifts his focus to the North American hard-court swing.

“I think the start of the year I was playing well on the hard courts so I think I’m going to play well now on the hard court swing in the next couple of weeks to gain some confidence and bring some good results,” he said.

“I try to take it one week at a time. There are so many weeks in the season. I feel like to be consistent you really have to make an effort to stay in the present.

“It’s easy to catch yourself looking at the future and hoping I’m making either Turin [or Milan] Finals for me so I try to stay in the present. We don’t know what the future holds.”

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