Tennis News

Isner Looking For Lift-off In Los Cabos: ‘This Is A Good Chance To Prove Myself’

John Isner is feeling right at home at the Mifel Open in Los Cabos, and that’s not just because he leads a stacked field of 10 Americans at the ATP 250 event. 

The 36-year-old, who is joined by countrymen Taylor Fritz, the 2019 finalist, and 2017 champion Sam Querrey, is set to make his debut at the hard-court event in Mexico on Thursday. He will be contesting just his seventh tournament of the year, after reaching the quarter-finals in Delray Beach (l. to Korda) and Madrid (l. to Thiem).

The second seed, currently No. 39 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, was keen to keep his expectations in check as he looks to build up some momentum in his favourite part of the year: the North American summer hard-court swing.

“I think this summer is a good chance for me to prove myself, because my ranking has dropped a little bit. That’s because I haven’t played much, in my opinion,” Isner said in a pre-tournament press conference. “So I think I need to try to prove myself, that I can get back to the level that I’ve been at for the past decade, which has been a very consistent Top 20 player. I’m looking forward to getting back to that level, and I believe I can do it.

“I don’t expect too much out of myself [this week], but I know that I can play very well if I do the right things on the court.”

Isner was supposed to make his Los Cabos debut last year, when the tournament was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the tour’s restart, he has played an abbreviated schedule and has made it a top priority to continue spending quality time with his family: wife Madison, and their two young children.

The Isner brood is set to expand, as the American announced that he and his wife are expecting another baby. The couple welcomed daughter Hunter Grace in 2018 and son John Hobbs in 2019.

“I haven’t played much since the Tour shut down last year. The Tour has looked different since we started coming back, and I have a family and a wife who is pregnant again,” he revealed. “There has been stuff at home within the past nine to 12 months that I have felt has been more important than tennis.

“But this time of year is a time that I really enjoy. I love playing on the hard courts in North America. I’m here doing that again – I’m going to play a lot this summer and I hope I can do well.”

Isner will begin his Los Cabos campaign in doubles on Tuesday, partnering with Mexico’s Hans Hach Verdugo against third seeds Divij Sharan and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi. In singles, he awaits the winner of Jason Jung and Evgeny Donskoy in the second round.

Top seed Cameron Norrie leads the field in Los Cabos, and the Brit will play the winner of Australian qualifier Matthew Ebden and Elias Ymer after receiving a bye into the second round.

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Travaglia Begins Umag Campaign With Munar Upset

Stefano Travaglia is up and running at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag after toppling sixth seed Jaume Munar 6-3, 7-6(1) at Goran Ivanisevic Stadion on Monday.

Travaglia started the season with a 7-2 record, highlighted by a quarter-final run in Antalya and runner-up finish at a Melbourne ATP 250 (l. to Sinner), but struggled to repeat those results away from Australia. The Italian looks primed for a reset in Croatia, and he improves to a 10-16 record on the season.

The Italian raced out to 4-1 lead in the opening set with a double-break, and never relinquished control of the match. Munar saved two match points at 6-5 in the second set to send them into a tie-break, but he was overpowered when Travaglia reeled off the last five points to clinch the victory in an hour and 53 minutes.

Travaglia will next face Spain’s Carlos Taberner, as the Italian seeks his third quarter-final appearance of the season. Taberner cruised past Croatian wild card Nino Serdarusic 6-2, 6-2. 

Also in action in Umag, Radu Albot claimed his first clay-court victory of the year (1-3) after rallying from a set down against Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune 1-6, 6-3, 6-2. The victory also earned the Moldovan a bit of revenge, as the 18-year-old knocked him out of the Nordea Open first round in three sets last week.

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Lopez-Huesler Battle Ends In Heartbreak In Gstaad

Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez and home favourite Marc-Andrea Huesler played a thriller on Monday at the Swiss Open Gstaad, which ended in heartbreak for the Swiss.

Huesler was serving at 5-6 in the deciding set to force what seemed to be an inevitable final-set tie-break. But in the first point of the game, the 25-year-old hurt a toe on his left foot and was unable to continue. Lopez therefore advanced to the second round 6-4, 4-6, 6-5 15/0.

The 39-year-old won his only ATP Tour clay-court title in Gstaad in 2016, and he was also a finalist here in 2006. Lopez is now 23-11 at the ATP 250, and he will next play Swede Mikael Ymer, who eliminated French lucky loser Enzo Couacaud 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in one hour and 53 minutes.

This will be the first ATP Head2Head meeting between Lopez and Ymer. However, the Spanish lefty beat Ymer’s brother, Elias Ymer, in the Gstaad quarter-finals five years ago.

In other action, sixth seed Benoit Paire ousted Slovakian Jozef Kovalik 6-3, 7-6(2). The Frenchman, who made the Hamburg quarter-finals last week, hit a shot of the year contender, carving an incredible backhand drop volley with so much backspin, it bounced back to his side of the net.

Belgian 22-year-old Zizou Bergs continued his impressive year with a 7-6(3), 6-1 victory against fellow qualifier Oscar Otte of Germany. Bergs has won three ATP Challenger Tour titles this year and is at a career-high No. 212 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

Czech qualifier Vit Kopriva and Australian Marc Polmans also advanced on the first day of main draw action, with both men defeating Swiss players. But the home favourites earned a doubles triumph when Jakub Paul and Leandro Riedi defeated Americans Evan King and Max Schnur 6-3, 6-4.

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Absolutely Outrageous! Paire's Shot Of The Year Contender In Gstaad

It might be time to call Benoit Paire King of the Drop Volley.

The Frenchman hit an outrageous shot on Monday at the Swiss Open Gstaad, carving a backhand drop volley with so much backspin that it bounced back to his side of the net before his opponent, Jozef Kovalik, could get to it.

The shot came at 1-2 40/30 in the second set, and Paire went on to defeat Kovalík 6-3, 7-6(2) in one hour and 25 minutes.

This was not the first time that Paire has hit an incredible drop volley. At the 2015 Rolex Paris Masters, Paire slid into a backhand drop volley that nearly hit his own nose before barely squeaking over to Gilles Simon’s side of the court and bouncing back into the net. Simon went on to win that match in three sets.

Paire, who is the sixth seed this week in Gstaad, will next play Tallon Griekspoor or Juan Ignacio Londero.

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Anderson Soars After Newport Title, Mover Of Week

No. 74 Kevin Anderson, +39
The South African, who is returning after a series of injuries, jumped 39 places to No. 74 in the FedEx ATP Rankings after lifting his sixth ATP Tour title on Sunday at the Hall of Fame Open in Newport (d. Brooksby). It was his first trophy since January 2019 at Pune (d. Karlovic). Read Newport Final Report & Watch Highlights 

View Latest FedEx ATP Rankings

No. 11 Pablo Carreno Busta, +2
The Spaniard captured the biggest title of his career at the Hamburg European Open (d. Krajinovic) on Sunday to move up two places to World No. 11, a position he last held in the week beginning 28 May 2018. The former World No. 10 (11 September 2017), who has now lifted six trophies from nine singles finals, also clinched the AnyTech365 Andalucia Open title (d. Munar) in April. Read Hamburg Final Report & Watch Highlights

Other Notable Top 100 Movers
No. 14 Casper Ruud, +2 (Joint Career High)
No. 34 Filip Krajinovic, +10
No. 52 Laslo Djere, +5
No. 62 Federico Coria, +15 (Career High)
No. 63 Jordan Thompson, +8
No. 90 Roberto Carballes Baena, +7
No. 99 Yannick Hanfmann, +8
No. 100 Arthur Rinderknech, +5 (Career High)

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Newport Q&A: Anderson 'Steadies The Ship' With Title Run

Kevin Anderson’s seventh career title at the Hall of Fame Open on Sunday marked a couple of significant firsts in the 35-year-old’s road back from knee surgery. The South African’s 7-6 (8), 6-4 victory over 20-year-old American Jenson Brooksby was his first ATP Tour title since Pune in January 2019 and the first in front of both wife Kelsey and daughter Keira.

The result lifted the former World No. 5 back into the Top 100 of the FedEx ATP Rankings. Anderson spoke with ATPTour.com following his triumph.

Your daughter Keira was there to see you win. How much do you appreciate those moments? Did it hit you when you looked over and saw Kelsey and Keira?
Yeah, obviously during the match I was very focused and trying to get the job done. It’s been a bit of a process for me, and the whole team. I think you need to cherish these moments and then this morning Kelsey said she was in touch with our nanny and was going to bring Keira win or lose. I said ‘Well it’d be much nicer if I can get the win and see her’. 

It’s the first time I celebrated a title both with Kelsey and our daughter so it was very memorable. She was more interested in running on the grass and posing for pictures. Hopefully this is the first of still many to come. 

You’re very open about the problems you’ve had over the years, but you’re always relentlessly positive about it. How are you able to keep that mindset?
It’s sometimes challenging behind the scenes. In the last several weeks it’s been a bit of a bumpy road and there’s been times where I’ve needed to draw on my team and my family to give me support and belief, and knowing that I’m not done. There’s still a lot I want to accomplish. 

Obviously having weeks like this where you get the title definitely gives you more confidence and it reinvigorates you. Even without the title I feel like since Wimbledon I’ve steadied the ship a little bit. 

I was confident coming into this week. There’s always going to be hiccups. I just have to come to terms that sometimes things are just out of your control.

Was there a moment around Wimbledon that something clicked for you? Was it something in your game or off-court?
I think it was actually the week before, going into Wimbledon. I’d had a few tough weeks, a couple of Challengers, lost in qualifying, I was hitting the ball well in practice, just not finding that level in matches. 

Even parts of the matches I was playing really well, just not consistent enough. I fell short of what our goal was [at Wimbledon] so that was tough but I felt it was still a step forward. Coming to Newport we came with the expectation of winning the tournament. I had to fight hard but I feel like I was able to take some good steps here.

You were Top 10, Top 5 before you got injured and said you wanted to win a Grand Slam. Is that still on the radar?
Yeah it is. I feel like my biggest goal is to win a Grand Slam and win a Masters 1000 series. I mean I’ve come close a couple of times but have come up against pretty tough opponents, but those are the guys you have to beat. 

I was knocking on the door, Top 5 in the world but in the last while my ranking has dropped and I’m a different player now. I still have a lot of belief in myself but you have to understand that it’s a different pathway. I feel like I’m much closer to that, it’s a journey to where I want to get to but one I’m very excited about.

You mentioned you are a different player. How do you adjust mentally to that, having played two Grand Slam finals, to shift your mindset?
A couple of years ago I’m coming into tournaments, Grand Slams, anything less than quarter-finals is a disappointment. A lot of the time I’m coming into tournaments with the goal of winning and I mean it’s still like that now but I think after the injuries I feel like I was missing those in-between goals – winning a couple of rounds at a Grand Slam – those smaller steps that before I wasn’t exactly looking for. 

Maybe that’s when I realised those are the steps I need to take now. I think I’ve recalibrated a bit but incredibly hopeful from where my game’s at, where my abilities are and ultimately my goal is to still win the biggest titles in our sport.

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Tallon's Trifecta: Griekspoor Claims Third Challenger Crown Of 2021

A LOOK BACK
Van Mossel Dutch Open (Amersfoort, Netherlands): Tallon Griekspoor is the Flying Dutchman in 2021. The Haarlem native claimed his third ATP Challenger Tour title of the year on Sunday, prevailing on home soil in Amersfoort. Just weeks after qualifying for his first Wimbledon main draw, Griekspoor finds himself on the brink of a Top 100 breakthrough.

The second edition of the Dutch Open featured two home grown finalists, with Griekspoor defeating countryman Botic van de Zandschulp 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 in one hour and 53 minutes in the championship clash. It marked the first Challenger final between two players from The Netherlands since 2013.

The 25-year-old Griekspoor is in the midst of his best season as a professional, rising to a career-high No. 105 in the FedEx ATP Rankings while posting a 15-2 record over the last two months. Clay-court titles in Prague and Bratislava have been followed by his latest crown in Amersfoort. He joins Jenson Brooksby, Sebastian Baez and Zizou Bergs as the Challenger title leaders in 2021.

2021 Challenger Title Leaders

President’s Cup (Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan): It had been five years since Max Purcell last lifted a singles trophy on the ATP Challenger Tour. After such a long title drought, returning to the winners’ circle tastes even sweeter. The Aussie found his way back to titletown on Sunday, prevailing on the hard courts of Nur-Sultan.

Purcell has become a doubles dynamo in recent years, having teamed with fellow Aussie Luke Saville to win eight Challenger crowns and reach the 2020 Australian Open final. But, despite his doubles success, the 23-year-old has refused to leave his singles career behind. That commitment was validated on Sunday.

The Sydney native’s victory in the Kazakh capital came in dramatic fashion, saving a championship point to overcome Jay Clarke 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(6). It marked his second straight win in a deciding tie-break, having also earned a tight semi-final victory over Peter Polansky on Saturday.

Purcell last lifted a singles trophy in Gimcheon, South Korea, in 2016. A fresh face on the scene, he was the first player born in 1998 to win a Challenger title. Five years later, Purcell is now playing his best tennis and has been rewarded with a Top 200 debut in the FedEx ATP Rankings, rising to a career-high No. 190. The milestone comes just one month after reaching his first ATP Tour semi-final on the grass of Eastbourne.

Internazionali di Tennis Citta di Todi (Todi, Italy): The Spanish armada is dominating the Challenger circuit in 2021. Mario Vilella Martinez became the seventh different champion from Spain, streaking to victory on the clay of Todi on Sunday.

Vilella Martinez downed home favourite and top seed Federico Gaio 7-6(3), 1-6, 6-3 to lift his first trophy in two years. Having teamed up with former World No. 28 Santiago Giraldo, their partnership is already paying dividends. The 26-year-old will rise to a career-high No. 158 in the FedEx ATP Rankings on Monday.

The Elche native joins Carlos Taberner, Jaume Munar, Carlos Gimeno Valero, Roberto Carballes Baena, Bernabe Zapata Miralles and Carlos Alcaraz as Spanish champions in 2021.

Concord Iasi Open (Iasi, Romania): Zdenek Kolar earned back-to-back deciding-set victories to triumph on the clay of Iasi. The 24-year-old would claim the biggest title of his career on Sunday, defeating top seed Hugo Gaston 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 at the Challenger 100 event.

Kolar, who secured his maiden title in April in Oeiras, Portugal, added a second trophy to his growing collection. He became the first Czech player to win multiple titles in a season since 2016, when Adam Pavlasek and Jan Satral both won a pair of crowns. With the victory, he rises to a career-high No. 179 in the FedEx ATP Rankings on Monday.

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Injured Berrettini To Miss Tokyo Olympics

Matteo Berrettini has withdrawn from the Tokyo Olympics due to a thigh injury he developed on his run to the Wimbledon final earlier this month. The World No. 8 in the FedEx ATP Rankings was the spearhead of an Italian tennis team, which also included Fabio Fognini, Lorenzo Sonego, Lorenzo Musetti, Sara Errani, Jasmine Paolini and Camila Giorgi.

“I am extremely disappointed to announce my withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympic Games,” Berrettini said on Instagram. “I had an MRI scan yesterday on the thigh injury I sustained during Wimbledon and was informed I will not be able to compete for a couple of weeks.

“Representing Italy is the biggest honour for me so it is devastating to miss the Olympics. I wish the entire Italian team the best of luck in Tokyo. I will be supporting you all the way.”

 

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Anderson Returns To The Winners' Circle In Newport

It has been a tough year for World No. 113 Kevin Anderson, who began this week with a 5-6 tour-level record on the season. But the South African, who is battling back from injuries, bounced back in impressive fashion at the Hall of Fame Open, where he defeated #NextGenATP American Jenson Brooksby 7-6(8), 6-4 on Sunday after two hours and 11 minutes to win his sixth ATP Tour title.

This is the former World No. 5’s first tour-level triumph since Pune in 2019. Anderson is the first South African to triumph in Newport since Neville Godwin in 2001.

“It’s been a pretty tough run with some injuries. But to be back here at the International Tennis Hall of Fame with such history, this couldn’t be a better week for me to start, hopefully, my comeback,” Anderson said during the trophy ceremony. “I’m very motivated to get back. But it all starts with each match, and I was able to really grind it out.”

The margins were thin in the first set, with neither man dropping serve. Each had opportunities, but they played well under pressure to stave off their opponent. Despite eighth-seeded Anderson having more firepower in all facets of the game, Brooksby did well to take the ball early when possible to put the 6’8” right-hander on the back foot and avoid defending too much. The 20-year-old also hit a handful of sensational passing shots to earn the crowd’s approval.

The key to the match was the first-set tie-break. Brooksby littered the highlight reel — including a perfect forehand drop volley and a laser-like forehand winner — and urged his home crowd to get behind him. But he missed a backhand return on his first set point at 6/5 and Anderson pummeled a short forehand to save a second set point at 7/8, before eventually taking the 77-minute opener with a screaming backhand return winner up the line.

After dropping that pivotal tie-break, Brooksby, who has proven himself a fierce competitor this week, let slip his focus for just a moment. That period was long enough for Anderson to earn the lone service break of the match in the opening game of the second set.

From there, the World No. 113 rode his dominant serve to the victory, striking 16 aces and winning all 11 of his service games. 

Anderson, a wild card, made his only previous appearance on the Newport grass in 2008, when he was a 22-year-old ranked World No. 115. Since then, he has reached two major finals and competed at the Nitto ATP Finals in 2018.

“Thanks to the tournament for giving me a wild card. It definitely worked out for me,” Anderson said. “The last time I was here was in 2008. It’s significant in a way. I was just starting my career, and I guess I’m towards the end, but definitely [am] very motivated to keep going.”

Brooksby was the second-youngest finalist in this tournament’s 45-year history, and he was trying to lift the trophy on his ATP Tour main draw debut. It has been a breakthrough season for the Californian, who is 32-6 at all levels.

“It’s amazing to get all the support from you guys, it gives me energy,” Brooksby said. “It was awesome playing here and I hope to be back again and pushing for more of these results.”

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Scouting Report: Shapovalov Leads Gstaad Field; Action In Los Cabos and Umag

There will be three ATP 250 events this week in Gstaad, Los Cabos, and Umag, with future and established stars aiming to make their mark.

Denis Shapovalov leads the field at the Swiss Open Gstaad, Cameron Norrie will look to continue his career-best season at the Mifel Open in Los Cabos and #NextGenATP star Carlos Alcaraz is pursuing a maiden tour-level title at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag.

ATPTour.com looks at what you should watch at these three events.

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FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN GSTAAD
1) Super Shapovalov: Canadian Shapovalov will compete in Switzerland off the back of a strong grass-court season, during which he made his first Grand Slam semi-final at Wimbledon. The 22-year-old is making his debut in Gstaad, where he is the top seed. Shapovalov will begin his run against wild card Johan Nikles or qualifier Vit Kopriva.

2) Bautista Agut Back For More: Former finalist Roberto Bautista Agut returns to Gstaad seeking to go one step further and win a 10th tour-level title. The Spaniard, who lost to Matteo Berrettini in the 2018 championship match, is the second seed at the ATP 250 tournament. He will face wild card Dominic Stephan Stricker or Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech in the second round.

3) Garin & Ruud In Action: Cristian Garin (5) and Casper Ruud (3) have won eight ATP Tour titles between them, and all of those victories have come on clay. This March, Garin lifted the Santiago title, while Ruud has claimed crowns in Geneva and Bastad. Both will look to add another title to their collection in Gstaad.

4) Dangerous Delbonis: Argentine Federico Delbonis enters the ATP 250 tournament high on confidence, having recorded 22 tour-level wins on clay this year. The 30-year-old has reached the semi-finals in Belgrade, Santiago and Hamburg in 2021. He also advanced to the fourth round at Roland Garros, which was his best-ever Grand Slam performance.

5) Lopez Loves Gstaad: The 39-year-old Feliciano Lopez will be competing in Gstaad for the 13th time. The Spaniard won the title in 2016 and also reached the final in 2006. He is the eighth seed and begins against Marc-Andrea Huesler.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN LOS CABOS
1) Norrie To Continue Success? Great Britain’s Norrie will aim to continue his best-ever season in Los Cabos. The 25-year is in the Top 15 in the FedEx ATP Race To Turin, having reached tour-level finals in Estoril, Lyon and at The Queen’s Club. The lefty has won 31 tour-level matches this season and is the top seed in Mexico, where he will try to lift his first ATP Tour trophy. Norrie will play Sweden’s Elias Ymer or a qualifier in his opener.

2) Isner Second Seed: John Isner is making his debut at the ATP 250 event in what is his seventh tour-level event of the season. The 36-year-old is a 15-time ATP Tour titlist, and he will try to secure his first crown since Newport in 2019. The American will face Evgeny Donskoy or Jason Jung in the second round.

3) Fritz’s Remarkable Return: Taylor Fritz made an incredible recovery to feature at Wimbledon earlier this month. The American underwent knee surgery after being taken off court at Roland Garros in a wheelchair, and returned three weeks later. Fritz, who reached the third round at the All England Club, will return to action in Los Cabos, where he advanced to the final in 2019.

4) Former Champion Querrey: American Sam Querrey returns to Los Cabos having tasted success in Mexico before. The American toppled Thanasi Kokkinakis in the 2017 final to clinch his 10th ATP Tour title. Querrey, who reached the final on grass in Mallorca in June, will attempt to find his best form in Mexico. The fourth seed opens against one of two countrymen: Brandon Nakashima or J.J. Wolf.

5) Thompson’s Debut: Australian Jordan Thompson will make his tournament debut in Los Cabos. The 27-year-old carries momentum from his run to the semi-finals in Newport, where he fell short against American Jenson Brooksby. Thompson will begin his campaign against 42-year-old Ivo Karlovic, who received a wild card.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN UMAG
1) Rising Alcaraz: #NextGenATP star Alcaraz has gone from strength to strength in the past year. He broke into the Top 100 in the FedEx ATP Rankings after he became one of just seven players to win four ATP Challenger Tour trophies at 18 or under. The Spaniard, who reached a tour-level semi-final this April in Marbella, will look to claim a maiden tour-level title in Croatia. He will face a stiff opening challenge against former Top 10 star Lucas Pouille.

2) Reigning Champion Lajovic: Dusan Lajovic has fond memories of playing at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag. The Serbian defeated Attila Balazs there in 2019 to claim his maiden ATP Tour title. The reigning champion is the second seed in Umag, where he has played in qualifying and the main draw nine times. Lajovic will open against Pablo Cuevas or Bernabe Zapata Miralles.

The official player acceptance list is out! Check out our web page: https://t.co/KAVgw8e298 pic.twitter.com/1BXIyaNHdB

— Croatia Open Umag (@CroatiaOpenUmag) June 25, 2021

3) Can Ramos-Vinolas Bounce Back? Top seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas won his third ATP Tour title on clay in Estoril in May. The 33-year-old has run into a tough patch since, losing seven consecutive matches leading into Umag. But the former World No. 17 has won 165 tour-level matches on clay in his career. The other seeded player in his quarter of the draw is sixth seed Jaume Munar.

4) Krajinovic Finding Form: Filip Krajinovic recorded the third Top 10 win of his career when he defeated World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Hamburg European Open last week. The Serbian advanced to his first final of the season in Germany, and he will compete in Umag with plenty of confidence. The third seed will play Radu Albot or Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune in the second round.

5) Brkic/Cacic Top Seeds: The top seeds in the doubles draw are Tomislav Brkic and Nikola Cacic, who won their first ATP Tour title together earlier this year in Buenos Aires. The second seeds are Pablo Cuevas and Fabrice Martin, and another team to watch is Ivan Sabanov and Matej Sabanov, who triumphed in Belgrade.

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