Tennis News

Zverev: ‘I Want To Perform Better for Germany'

Alexander Zverev is hoping to perform better for Germany at the ATP Cup, which begins on 2 February in Melbourne. Having gone 0-3 after facing three Top 20 opponents in the tournament last year, the 23-year-old is looking to deliver against Group A opponents Serbia, the defending champion, and Canada.

“I’ve been working extremely hard in the off-season,” said Zverev. “I’d like to think that I did everything I could to be as well-prepared as I can be… I definitely want to perform better for my team, for myself. [I want to] give ourselves the best chance that we can to go deep here.”

Zverev’s path to a first ATP Cup victory is no easier this year. The 13-time ATP Tour titlist will face World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and Denis Shapovalov — one of the three men he lost to in last year’s tournament — in Group A.

“We’ll know exactly where I’m at, know exactly how my level is, know exactly what I need to improve still,” said Zverev. “There are no easy matches. I think that just shows at the ATP Cup.”

Regardless of results, one of the most exciting elements of this competition will be the return of packed crowds in Melbourne. Zverev took the chance to praise Australia’s successful approach to the COVID-19 pandemic and shared his excitement to perform in front of full stands for the first time in almost a year.

“Tennis Australia did a great job for us tennis players to still be able to feel like we can practise, we can prepare for a Grand Slam. Hopefully, we can show our best tennis,” said Zverev. “I think Australia has been dealing with coronavirus the best that any country has in the world. Being able to play in front of a crowd, not living in a bubble now during the tournament, I think a lot of players really appreciate that.”

Ahead of the 2021 ATP Tour season, Zverev parted ways with coach David Ferrer. The Spaniard began working with Zverev in July last year, prior to the 6’6” right-hander’s run to his maiden Grand Slam final at the US Open. Zverev will continue to work with his father, Alexander Zverev Sr. and receive support from his brother and former Top 30 player Mischa Zverev.

“I think we left everything open with David. I think with my dad and with my brother, Mischa, who was with me during the US Open, more involved now, I have a great coaching team,” said Zverev. “I think I can win big tournaments with the coaching staff that I have.”

Mischa will play an integral role at this year’s ATP Cup. Not only will he support his brother, he will lead his nation as Captain. The 2017 Australian Open quarter-finalist emphasised the importance of team spirit ahead of Germany’s first tie against Canada on Day 2.

“It’s a unique experience… I hope we can, first of all, have a good time together as a team and win some matches,” said Zverev. “I think the biggest challenge for every captain is to create a team spirit so that every member of the team is really feeling like they’re an important part of the whole ensemble. We go out there, we win together, we lose together, but at the end of the day we still have dinner as a team and we can still smile and laugh and get ready for the next days.”

With two wins from three matches, Jan-Lennard Struff was Germany’s most successful player at last year’s ATP Cup. The German returns this year as the No. 2 singles player and will open Germany’s Group A ties with matches against Dusan Lajovic and Milos Raonic.

“I’m really excited. It was a very good event last year. It was beautiful to start the year off with such a nice event,” said Struff. “I’m very happy to be able to participate this year again. It’s a privilege to be here. It’s an honour to play for my country again. It’s going to be very challenging. We have a tough group.”

If Zverev and Struff claim one victory from the opening two matches of the tie, the fate of Germany will rest in experienced hands. For the second straight year, two-time Roland Garros champions Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies will represent their country in Australia.

Last year, Krawietz and Mies claimed one win from three doubles encounters. Mies is confident that the pair can improve on that record in 2021 and do their part to provide Germany with a better chance of reaching the knockout stage.

“I don’t think it’s extra pressure. We’ve been in the situation before… I think we had a good pre-season. We’re ready to play,” said Mies. “We know the situation. We know if it’s 1-all, it comes down to us. We feel confident. I think we’re a great team. We hope for the best. I think we underperformed a little bit last year as a team, as a whole group. I thought Struff played extremely well. I think Sascha and me and Kevin, we can do a bit better this year.”

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Australian Open: ATP Cup among six warm-up events at Melbourne Park this week

The world’s top tennis players come out of quarantine to warm up for the Australian Open as Melbourne Park hosts six simultaneous events.

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Kyrgios: 'I Feel Mentally Completely Refreshed'

After spending almost a year away from the courts, World No. 47 Nick Kyrgios is eager to get back in the action as he kicks off the season on home soil at the Murray River Open alongside top seed Stan Wawrinka and #NextGenATP Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Kyrgios last played at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC last February, opting not to compete after the Tour’s five-month suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the often restless 25-year-old, the unexpected time off at home gave him a much-needed chance to recharge that he said has left him feeling mentally “refreshed”.

“Last year was a crazy year. I was incredibly lucky to just be with my family and friends and just kind of reset on everything,” Kyrgios said in a pre-tournament press conference. “I feel mentally completely refreshed, ready to go again.”

During the Tour’s five-month stoppage, Kyrgios stayed away from the tennis courts as he took advantage of the time off to immerse himself in other interests. But he got right back to work as this Australian swing approached, enjoying the relaxed restrictions in his hometown to continue training.

“I was lucky enough that Jordan Thompson came down to Canberra for the past month, so we were training together,” Kyrgios said, revealing that he’s been hitting for two hours a day for the past several months ahead of the Melbourne events. “I just felt mentally I felt like I was in a place [of] wanting to play and [I] feel refreshed.”

Kyrgios will have to be in top form from the start as he faces an early challenge at the Murray River Open. He will open against France’s Alexandre Muller, and could face Bernard Tomic in their first Tour-level clash should they both advance to the second round.

“I’m just happy to be around it again. I am excited to get out there and play,” Kyrgios said. “[Let’s] see how it goes. Hopefully I can have some good results, as well…

“Everyone is really playing it by ear. Nobody really knows who is in form and who is not. I’m going to take it day by day and try to enjoy myself as much as I can.”

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Hewitt Counting On Australia To ‘Leave It All Out There’ In ATP Cup

Australian ATP Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt knows his players have their work cut out for them as Alex de Minaur and John Millman lead the charge against Spain and Greece in Group B.

Hewitt will once again be counting on World No.23 De Minaur in the pivotal role as Australia’s No. 1 singles player, a position he thrived in last year when he posted a come-from-behind upset over Alexander Zverev and pushed World No. 2 Rafael Nadal to the limit in a three-set marathon.

The 21-year-old also comes into this year’s tournament as one of the players with the most momentum after starting the season with a victory at the season-opening Antalya Open, an ATP 250 event.

Listen to Hewitt’s ATP Tennis Radio interview:

“He’s got to be, in my mind, probably the quickest guy out there on Tour,” Hewitt said in an interview with ATP Tennis Radio. “How he gets back into his position after each shot is fantastic. He’s got great footwork, he’s got really good balance and he’s starting to add some real weapons to his game.

“He had a hell of a match against Rafa last year in Sydney… He knows it’s going to be an awfully big challenge, but one thing for Alex: he’s going to leave it all out there for us.”

The former World No. 1 was the captain a year ago as Australia reached the last four of the inaugural ATP Cup, only to lose in a heartbreaker against Spain. Now they’ll get another shot at the No. 2 seeds, a strong team led by Rafael Nadal that also features Roberto Bautista Agut, Pablo Carreno Busta and Marcel Granollers.

“They’re one of the strongest nations, led by Rafa obviously but Bautista Agut is also a quality player. He’s certainly one of the strongest No. 2s they can put on any team,” Hewitt highlighted. “We’re going to have to be on our game… We know it’s going to be a challenge, but I’ve got a good feeling that our boys are going to enjoy feeling like the underdogs in this one.”

Check out more from the ATP Tennis Radio interview to hear Hewitt discuss how Millman will be a big asset, why doubles will play a very important role, and what the ATP Cup means for Australian tennis.

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Will Goffin Face 17-Year-Old Sensation Alcaraz In Great Ocean Road Open?

Top seed David Goffin has a bye in the first round of the Great Ocean Road Open, but he could face a stern test against a 17-year-old sensation in the second round.

Goffin, who reached the semi-finals of the Antalya Open to start his season, could play Carlos Alcaraz, the Newcomer of the Year in the 2020 ATP Awards. The Spanish teen, who earlier this year qualified for the Australian Open, will battle Hungarian Attila Balazs in the first round. Former World No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero coaches Alcaraz, who is already a three-time ATP Challenger Tour champion.

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Alcaraz isn’t the only #NextGenATP star in the Great Ocean Road Open draw, though. Jannik Sinner, the 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals titlist, will play veteran Yen-Hsun Lu or home favourite Aleksandar Vukic in the second round. Other players to watch in the Italian’s quarter are seventh seed Miomir Kecmanovic and two-time Australian Open quarter-finalist Tennys Sandgren. 

There are several big hitters in the field, including second seed Karen Khachanov, who will open against 2020 Australian Open doubles finalist Max Purcell or Norbert Gombos. If the Russian wins his matches, there could be some tricky opponents in his path, with sixth seed Reilly Opelka, 16th seed Feliciano Lopez and former World No. 5 Kevin Anderson in his quarter.

Hubert Hurkacz got off to a flying start in 2021 when he captured the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com title. The third seed will try to maintain his momentum in Melbourne, where he will play Pedro Martinez or Mikael Torpegaard in the second round. Eighth seed Alexander Bublik is also in his quarter. The Kazakh, who has become one of the flashiest players on the ATP Tour with his sizzling strokes and underarm serve, will open against Dominik Koepfer or Christopher O’Connell.

Two players who competed on the same college team, ninth seed Sandgren and John-Patrick Smith, will clash in the first round. At the University of Tennessee in 2011, Smith played No. 1 singles and Sandgren No. 3 singles. Both players have won ATP Tour titles, with Sandgren triumphing once in singles and Smith lifting a doubles trophy.

Other first-round matches to watch include 14th seed Pablo Andujar facing hot-shot machine Pablo Cuevas, Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Maxime Cressy meeting in a battle of net-rushers, and 15th seed Vasek Pospisil playing lefty Thiago Monteiro.

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Kyrgios Could Face Tomic in Murray River Open R2

It’s safe to say you’ll need some popcorn if Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic clash in the second round of next week’s Murray River Open.

The Aussies are two of the most captivating players on the ATP Tour. And if they both win their first-round match at Melbourne Park, they will play each other for the first time at tour-level. Kyrgios will play his first match since the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC last February against Alexandre Muller, and Tomic will face countryman Marc Polmans.

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Top seed Stan Wawrinka, the World No. 3, faces a daunting section at the ATP 250. The Swiss will play one of two veterans — Juan Ignacio Londero or Mikhail Kukushkin — in his season opener. The first seeded player he could face is 14th seed Richard Gasquet, the former World No. 7, who owns a 2-1 lead in their ATP Head2Head series.

Also in the top quarter of the draw are sixth seed Taylor Fritz and 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic. Former World No. 3 Cilic, seeded 11th, will open his season against big-hitting Frenchman Jeremy Chardy in one of the draw’s most intriguing first-round matches. They have played six times previously, with Cilic leading their rivalry 4-2.

Third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime will begin his 2021 campaign against Quentin Halys or Yuichi Sugita. The #NextGenATP Canadian, who could battle Norwegian star Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals, is pursuing his first ATP Tour title.

Second seed Grigor Dimitrov, the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion, could get Australian revenge against 15th seed Tommy Paul in the third round. One year ago, the American outlasted Dimitrov in a four-hour, 19-minute five-set thriller at the Australian Open. The Bulgarian returned the favour at the US Open, where he triumphed in straight sets.

Fourth seed Borna Coric will begin his year against Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori or former Top 20 star Viktor Troicki, who will also be the Serbian captain in the ATP Cup.

First-round matches to watch include Corentin Moutet against Frances Tiafoe, 10th seed Adrian Mannarino facing Mikael Ymer and Thanasi Kokkinakis against Alex Bolt in a battle of Aussies who have overcome adversity throughout their careers.

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#NextGenATP Nakashima Carries Hot Streak Into Quimper Semis

When Brandon Nakashima is this dialed in, there is no stopping the #NextGenATP American.

Nakashima booked his spot in the semi-finals at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Quimper, France, on Friday, ousting home hope Constant Lestienne 6-4, 7-5 in one hour and 39 minutes. Broken just once all week at the Open Quimper Bretagne Occidentale, the 19-year-old is picking up where he left off to conclude his breakthrough 2020 campaign.

Nakashima stormed back from a second-set deficit to dispatch Lestienne, reeling off four straight games when the Frenchman served to force a decider. Having also earned convincing wins over Maxime Janvier and Federico Gaio earlier in the week, the California native is just one victory from reaching his second Challenger final.

It has been a ruthless run of late for Nakashima, who owns nine wins from his last 10 matches at the Challenger level. Also the champion in Orlando to cap the 2020 season, he will look to extend his hot streak against Slovakia’s Filip Horansky on Saturday.

Watch Free Live Streaming From The ATP Challenger Tour

At the age of 28, Horansky is playing some of the best tennis of his career. The World No. 184 upset top seed Lucas Pouille, before storming past another former Top 50 opponent in Maximilian Marterer. In the quarter-finals, he would take down an in-form Kacper Zuk 6-3, 7-5, converting all three break points earned. Competing in a Challenger semi-final for the first time since 2019, Horansky will face Nakashima for a spot in the championship.

In other action, Sebastian Korda made it two #NextGenATP Americans in Saturday’s semis. The second-seeded 20-year-old advanced when France’s Enzo Couacaud retired with a lower back ailment at 4-1 in the first set. After battling through a pair of deciding-set marathons to kick off his Quimper campaign, Korda spent just 22 minutes on court before Couacaud was forced to stop.

The champion in Eckental, Germany to end 2020 and runner-up at the ATP 250 event in Delray Beach to open 2021, Korda is projected to crack the Top 100 of the FedEx ATP Rankings on Monday. He will look to reach his third straight final when he faces Benjamin Bonzi next. Bonzi has been in a groove of his own, having also finished runner-up last week in Istanbul.

The Frenchman earned a third straight deciding-set victory on Friday, overcoming qualifier Illya Marchenko 6-7(7), 6-4, 6-4. After outlasting Marc-Andrea Huesler and Yannick Maden in third-set tie-breaks earlier in the week, he needed two hours and 42 minutes to edge Marchenko.

In the doubles championship, it will be Jamie Cerretani and Marc-Andrea Huesler facing French duo Gregoire Barrere and Albano Olivetti. Barrere and Olivetti are seeking their second team title after winning on the indoor hard courts of Parma last year.

Santillan

Quarters Set In Antalya
It was picture perfect conditions for a second straight day at the Club Megasaray Open, as the quarter-final slate was completed. Following nearly five straight days of stormy weather, it was survival of the fittest on Friday in Antalya.

Croatian teen Duje Ajdukovic rallied from a set down and saved a match point in defeating Italian veteran Paolo Lorenzi 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(7) in nearly three hours. The qualifier won his fourth match in three days and will face another ATP stalwart in Tommy Robredo on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Akira Santillan earned the upset of the week in dismissing second seed Daniel Elahi Galan 6-2, 2-6, 7-5. The Aussie is set to battle Lorenzo Musetti next. The #NextGenATP Italian had the day off after earning a pair of victories on Thursday, dropping a combined six games to reach the quarters.

Saturday’s other quarterfinals feature top seed Jaume Munar against Italy’s Alessandro Giannessi and Turkish wild card Cem Ilkel against lucky loser Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

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Australian Open to allow up to 30,000 fans to attend per day

Up to 30,000 fans a day will be allowed to attend the Australian Open, Victoria’s minister for sport has announced.

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ATP Cup Preview: Who Can Stop Djokovic & Serbia In Group A?

Defending champion Serbia headlines Group A at the 2021 ATP Cup, which begins on 2 February in Melbourne. The second edition of the event features 12 countries competing across four groups, with the top team from each group advancing to the knock-out semi-finals.

Here is everything you need to know about Group A: who is playing, when they’ll hit the court and how to follow all the action.

Group A: Serbia, Germany, Canada
Top-seeded Serbia will attempt to retain the ATP Cup trophy next week and will first look to overcome Germany and Canada. World No. 1 Novak Djokovic was a perfect 8-0 in last year’s inaugural edition (singles and doubles), including three Top 10 singles victories over Gael Monfils of France (round robin), Russia’s Daniil Medvedev (semi-finals) and his great rival, Spain’s Rafael Nadal, in a high-quality final clash. Djokovic has a 4-2 ATP Head2Head series lead over Germany’s Alexander Zverev, including victories in their past two matches, and is 5-0 against Canadian No. 1 Denis Shapovalov. Djokovic beat Shapovalov 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(4) in a thrilling quarter-final at the 2020 ATP Cup. 

Zverev, the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals champion, will be attempting to record his first match win at the ATP Cup and spearhead Germany’s challenge. Last year, the 23-year-old went 0-3 in round-robin play, but will have a chance to avenge his 6-2, 6-2 loss to Shapovalov on Day 2. Zverev owns three wins from five matches against Shapovalov. Germany also boasts two-time Roland Garros champions Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies (1-2 at the 2020 ATP Cup), whose performances could prove critical in the event of deciding doubles matches.

Shapovalov produced some inspirational performances at the 2020 ATP Cup, helping Canada out of the group stage. In addition to his victory over Zverev, the 21-year-old beat Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece 7-6(6), 7-6(4). He’ll get another shot at Djokovic on Day 1 on Rod Laver Arena, and with the support of former World No. 3 Milos Raonic, who will be making his ATP Cup debut, Canada is looking to be a serious threat. 

Meet The Group A Players

Three Group A Matches To Watch

Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs Alexander Zverev (GER)
Fans globally will have to wait until Day 3 of the 2021 ATP Cup for the seventh edition of Djokovic versus Zverev. While Djokovic enters with a perfect 8-0 tournament record in singles and doubles, the Serbian will remember Zverev’s victories on the biggest stages. Zverev beat Djokovic in the 2017 Internazionali BNL d’Italia final in Rome and bounced back from a round-robin loss at the 2018 Nitto ATP Finals, as he landed 10 aces and broke the Serbian’s serve four times to beat Djokovic in London for the biggest title of his career. 

Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs Denis Shapovalov (CAN)
In one of the most thrilling matches of last year’s ATP Cup, Shapovalov forced Djokovic to draw upon all of his experience over two hours and 40 minutes. Shapovalov broke Djokovic as he served for the match at 5-4 in the deciding set and erased a break point at 5-5. But in the tie-break, Shapovalov couldn’t hold back the then-World No. 2 any longer. “It was an amazing match. One of the closest matches I’ve played against Denis. It was a very even match. He played fantastic, very aggressive, served great. We fought both until the last shot,” said Djokovic. Despite the loss, it proved to be a springboard for Shapovalov’s successful 2020 season. A repeat performance on Day 1 of the 2021 ATP Cup would be most welcome.

Alexander Zverev (GER) vs Denis Shapovalov (CAN)
Two of the ATP Tour’s brightest stars will square off for the sixth time on Day 2. Memories remain strong of Shapovalov losing just three of his first-serve points in a 70-minute victory over Zverev at the 2020 ATP Cup. Zverev won the pair’s first three ATP Head2Head meetings, including a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Shapovalov in the 2017 Montreal semi-finals, and next week the German will be looking to snap a two-match losing streak against the Canadian.

Watch 2020 Quarter-final Highlights: Djokovic Edges Shapovalov

Where To Watch ATP Cup
TV Schedule

Group A Schedule 
View full group stage schedule

Tuesday, 2 February: Serbia vs Canada
Rod Laver Arena – starts 10am
Dusan Lajovic vs Milos Raonic
Followed by
Novak Djokovic vs Denis Shapovalov
Followed by doubles match – Players TBC

Wednesday, 3 February: Germany vs Canada
Rod Laver Arena – starts 10am
Jan-Lennard Struff vs Milos Raonic
Followed by
Alexander Zverev vs Denis Shapovalov
Followed by doubles match – Players TBC

Thursday, 4 February: Serbia vs Germany
Rod Laver Arena – starts 10am
Dusan Lajovic vs Jan-Lennard Struff
Followed by
Novak Djokovic vs Alexander Zverev
Followed by doubles match – Players TBC

*Match schedule is subject to change in line with ATP rules and regulations

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Players' Worst Nightmare: Raonic Serving Lefty At The ATP Cup

Milos Raonic is gearing up to start his season with his ATP Cup debut, and he’s counting on a deep squad to give Canada an edge.

The country has two Top 20 singles players leading the charge. Former World No. 3 Raonic is set to join #NextGenATP Denis Shapovalov, Peter Polansky and Steven Diez in Group A as they take on defending champion Serbia and Germany.

Raonic rose from No. 32 to No. 14 in the FedEx ATP Rankings in 2020, and he arrived in Melbourne hoping to use the 12-country event’s electric team atmosphere as a springboard to continue his climb in the new season. ATPTour.com caught up with the Canadian from quarantine to talk about his ATP Cup teammates, what he thinks of Canada’s ‘reputation’, and more.

If you could take one stroke from any one of your countrymen, what would it be and why?
Can I take someone’s hand coordination? If I could take one attribute from someone I would like to be left-handed like Denis. I think it makes your serve better right away, and obviously just makes you a lot more unorthodox for players. Most players are practising with righties, most matches throughout the year they’re playing against righties, so there’s definitely a factor there that gives you a little bit of a step up.

Tell me about your teammates.
You have Denis, who has been playing great since he broke out on Tour in I believe 2017. Broke out and quickly moved into the Top 100 and Top 50 and then last year he broke into the Top 10 for a period of time as well. It’s going to be very exciting to play alongside him. I’ve played one Davis Cup tie alongside him and that was a fun experience.

Then you have Peter Polansky, who I’ve played with in Davis Cup many times. He’s going to be our playing captain as well, so that’s exciting. He’s a person that gets along with everybody. He’s a super nice guy, so I think we’re going to have a lot of fun with him leading the charge. And then Steven Diez as well, who I’ve played a few Davis Cup ties with. Just a great guy, a great teammate and someone who I know is going to put everything forward so we can all succeed.

What did you see from the inaugural ATP Cup that made you excited to play for the first time?
It’s been very exciting and encouraging to be a part of it this year and to have a chance to represent Canada alongside Denis [Shapovalov]. It’s something that I hope lives up to the hype, because the entertainment factor, the encouragement and seeing how excited the other players all were across all the other countries was very encouraging for me on the sidelines and something that I want to be a part of.

How much does the thought of competing in front of fans at Melbourne Arena motivate you?
It’s very exciting and it’s very encouraging. To have the quarantine factor – which has been difficult but not too bad for me – lead right into an event like the ATP Cup makes it a lot more worth it, and then leading into the Australian Open after that. That whole swing is something for myself personally to get very excited about.

What are the personalities like on Team Canada?
With Peter, you have a guy who is sort of leading us as our captain as well and he’s someone who is going to man the ship. He’s a super nice guy, and he really understands people well. I think there’s not really a single person who doesn’t get along with Peter. With Steven, he’s very feisty. He grew up most of his life in Spain, so he has a little bit of that Spanish characteristic in him. So he is a very feisty on-court player, and I know he’s going to bring out everything he can to help the team get as far as possible. And then Denis, he’s got this incredible talent about him. He can hit a winner from anywhere in the court, and you can sort of sense that in his personality as well. He’s got this sort of outgoing personality in a spontaneous way.

 

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Who is most likely to be hyping everyone up? 
I think [it will be] between Peter and Steven. It’ll be close. I know that me and Denis before matches, we’re sort of guys that get into our ‘zone’ and I think we really crunch down. Those two guys are the more vocal guys, so that’s why it will be fun to have them on the team.

What does Team Canada bring to the ATP Cup? 
I think for us it’s going to be depth. That’s going to be important. I believe we’re probably up there among a few of the top teams that have a higher average [FedEx ATP] Ranking compared to other teams. Especially when you have to win two out of the three matches, I think that could be a great advantage for us and something that pays dividends. 

What are three things you love the most about Canada?
I think there’s a reputation that’s followed us, and I think it’s been earned by many generations before us that we are gentle, generous and kind people. I think when people around the world hear that you’re from Canada, they do light up a bit more and they expect that niceness from you. I’m happy that we get to live up to it.

I think Canada is also probably the most welcoming country in the world. Obviously from myself and my family’s experience, immigrating there was a big thing. I think people for many generations have come to Canada that way. Denis as well immigrated there. [It is] very welcoming and very fair to give each and every person tremendous opportunities.

And one thing I can’t wait to explore is all the nature… Canada is the second-largest country in the world by land mass. I know a lot of it is covered in snow for a big chunk of the year, but hopefully after my tennis career I can take the time to travel and see some incredible things.

What is your favourite spot in Canada that isn’t well known? 
Well, it is well known. It’s going to be on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains, Banff (Alberta) and Lake Jasper. I’ve been to Banff, that was an incredible experience, but Lake Louise I’d like to visit. There are certain lakes there that are incredible. And then also on the Atlantic side; I’ve been to Nova Scotia, but there are so many provinces that I’d love to visit.

I like being close to water, but I also like being in the mountains, so to have that all accessible in one beautiful, great, big nation is something tremendous and something for all us Canadians to be grateful for.

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