Tennis News

Challenger #NextGenATP First-Time Winner: Carlos Gimeno Valero

In 2020, Carlos Alcaraz emerged as Spain’s teen sensation, launching his professional journey with a breakout campaign on the ATP Challenger Tour. In 2021, another Carlos is ready to join the Spanish Armada of the future.

Carlos Gimeno Valero lifted his first Challenger trophy on Sunday, battling to the title on home soil in Gran Canaria. After fighting through a trio of deciding-set matches during the week, the 19-year-old secured the crown with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Kimmer Coppejans in the championship.

It marks the third straight year in which a Spanish teen has claimed a Challenger title, with Gimeno Valero following in the footsteps of Nicola Kuhn (2019) and Alcaraz (2020). The Valencia native soars from outside the Top 400 of the FedEx ATP Rankings to a career-high No. 295 on Monday.

2021 #NextGenATP First-Time Winners: Baez | Brooksby

In addition, at the age of 19 years and eight months, Gimeno Valero joins Brandon Nakashima as the second teenage titlist on the ATP Challenger Tour this year. He is also the third first-time #NextGenATP winner of 2021, along with Sebastian Baez and Jenson Brooksby.

Gimeno Valero, who trains at Juan Carlos Ferrero’s academy in Spain, was a Wimbledon junior finalist in 2019. He has made a seamless transition to the professional level, earning his first title in just his sixth Challenger appearance.

Gimeno Valero spoke to ATPTour.com following the victory…

Congrats Carlos. How does it feel to win your first Challenger title?
I feel great after getting this win. At the start of the week, I wanted to play my best game but did not expect to win the tournament. I’m just very happy and I hope to play like this in the next tournaments.

What was the key in your first final? Were you nervous?
Yes, I was nervous at the start of the match. But with my coach, we made a very good plan and to be more aggressive than the last matches. I feel like I took the initiative and played very well in this match.

You had three wins in deciding sets. How important was your mental toughness this week?
I feel like I needed these kind of matches, to play third sets against top players. That gave me a lot of confidence in the final.

It is always special to win your first title. To win it in Spain is even more special. Describe that feeling, in front of the home fans.
It was incredible, playing with all the fans that came to support me this week. To play in front of so many people in these difficult times was amazing.

2021 #NextGenATP Challenger Winners

This is just your sixth Challenger tournament.  How do you explain your sudden success at this level?
There is a big difference here from the ITF tournaments. There are very good players, even in the first round and second round. I just feel that I am playing my game and staying with it all week. I stay focused every match and I hope to continue like this in the future.

The transition from juniors to pros is not easy. What is the most challenging part of playing Challengers?
The biggest difference is both the physical and the mental part. Players are stronger in every part of the game. It is not easy going to the Challengers, but I feel like I adapted very well.

Who is your coach and what did you work on to prepare for the 2021 season?
My coach is Fran Martinez, at the Ferrero Equelite Academy in Spain. We tried to improve all parts of my game, but worked a lot on my serve and to be more aggressive. We practised very hard for this.

You train at Juan Carlos Ferrero’s academy. What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned from Juan Carlos?
Building a strong character on the court. Being more aggressive, to play your game and be more confident. This is the biggest thing I learned from him.

Photo: Marta Magni Images/MEF Tennis Events

Carlos Alcaraz also trains there. How has Carlos’s success inspired you?
Carlos is like a brother to me. We train all the time in the academy together. I don’t need to speak about his game, because we all know that he plays incredible. We are very good friends.

Who was your idol growing up? Why?
My idol was David Ferrer. I watched him play from when I was a kid. His fighting spirit and his game was something I admired. How he is as a person is also something I looked up to.

For those of us that don’t know you, how did you start playing tennis?
I started in my home in Valencia, with my dad. I was seven or eight years old. I went to the local academy to play for two hours a week. This is how I started and I never stopped playing from there.

Tell us something about you. What do you enjoy doing off the court?
I enjoy playing PlayStation and spending time with my friends. I don’t have so much time at home, but when I am there I like to be with friends and family. Doing normal things like go to the movies.

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#NextGenATP Machac Claims Second Challenger Crown In Nur-Sultan

Tomas Machac is already capturing the headlines in his native Czech Republic and it won’t be long before the 20-year-old grabs global attention. The surging #NextGenATP star won his second ATP Challenger Tour title on Sunday, lifting the trophy in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.

Machac rallied from a set down to defeat Sebastian Ofner 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the Forte Challenger 125 final. He needed two hours and 22 minutes for the victory, saving 11 of 13 break points to overcome the Austrian. The Czech vaulted to a career-high No. 137 in the FedEx ATP Rankings and took another step towards a debut appearance at the Next Gen ATP Finals, moving up to fifth in the ATP Race To Milan.

“I fought for every ball and played my best tennis,” said Machac. “I want to thank everybody who helped me to get here, my coaches and my team. Without them, I would not be winning two Challengers. Ofner played well and was aggressive with his serve and forehand. I won fighting today.

“The first set is always tough in the final. It’s not about the tennis, it’s about the mentality. He was serving too good in the beginning. I just fought and kept fighting until the end. This tournament is great and I will always be happy to come back.”

It was an impressive week for Machac, upsetting Nur-Sultan I champion Mackenzie McDonald and top seed Soonwoo Kwon in the second round and quarter-finals, respectively. He conceded a mere eight games in those two matches combined. A pair of three-set victories over Prajnesh Gunneswaran and Ofner would follow for the Czech, who claimed his second Challenger crown (Koblenz 2020) and first of the year.

Machac, who was sitting outside the Top 250 of the FedEx ATP Rankings one year ago, is closing in on a Top 100 debut thanks to a strong start to 2021. In January, the 20-year-old qualified for his first Australian Open without dropping serve, facing just two break points in three matches. And he would win his first Grand Slam match in the main draw, defeating Mario Vilella Martinez in four sets.

That came after spraining his ankle on the first day of hard quarantine in Melbourne. It did not completely heal during the two-week period and he was not able to train properly, even after emerging from the hotel. Despite that, he would reach the second round at Melbourne Park and pushed World No. 10 Matteo Berrettini to four sets.

Now, Machac is up to a career-high No. 137 in the FedEx ATP Rankings with his victory in Nur-Sultan. Coached by two-time Roland Garros doubles champion Daniel Vacek, the 20-year-old is one of six #NextGenATP winners already in 2021.

“During the quarantine in 2020 I didn’t play a lot because I was injured, but after the COVID break I kept improving every week. Last March, when I won my first title, I was ranked something like 350. One year later, I’m around 130. I know the ranking is just a number, but the most important thing is to improve with my tennis and the results will come.”

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Scouting Report: Federer's Return Is Doha's Delight!

The return of former World No.1 Roger Federer dominates the headlines as ATP 250 action continues across three different continents. But that’s not the only must-watch storyline on tap at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha, the Open 13 Provence in Marseille and the Chile Dove Men+Care Open in Santiago.

In Doha, Federer will look to make a splash in his first tournament since the Australian Open in 2020, while World No. 4 Dominic Thiem and defending champion Andrey Rublev are also in action. World No. 3 Daniil Medvedev hunts for his 10th ATP Tour title at the indoor hard-court Marseille event, and Cristian Garin’s quest for a title on home soil continues on the red dirt of Santiago.

Draws: Doha, Marseille, Santiago

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN DOHA 
1) Dominic In Doha: World No. 4 Thiem is the top seed, and he’s in the hunt for his 18th ATP Tour title – and the first of the year – in Doha. The US Open champion will meet Australian Open semi-finalist Aslan Karatsev or local wild card Mubarak Shannan Zayid in his first match.

2) Roger’s Return: All eyes are on the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex as second seed Federer is set to make his first appearance in Doha since 2012. The Swiss has won more titles here (2005, 2006 and 2011) than anyone else in the field, but he arrives in search of matches as he contests his first tournament since January 2020.

3) Defending Champion: Rublev touches down in Doha after adding the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament trophy to his impressive ATP 500 haul. Now, the Russian returns to the same ATP 250 event that he won to kick off his breakthrough 2020 season.

4) Quality Names In Qatar: The 2021 edition boasts a stacked field for any ATP 250 event, including Top 20 players like Denis Shapovalov, 2019 champion Roberto Bautista Agut, David Goffin and former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka. 

5) Cabal/Farah Lead Doha Doubles: Top seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah lead the way in the doubles tournament. The Colombians started the season with an appearance at the Great Ocean Road Open final, but have yet to win back-to-back matches since. Rotterdam champions Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic are the second seeds.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN MARSEILLE
1) Tsitsipas Tries For Triple: For the past two years, Stefanos Tsitsipas has dominated the courts in Marseille and he returns with his sights set on a hat-trick of trophies. The Greek claimed eight straight wins — and 16 consecutive sets — to clinch the 2019 and 2020 crowns. 

2) Medvedev Making Moves: World No. 3 Medvedev will aim to bounce back from a first-round loss at Rotterdam as he chases his 10th ATP Tour crown in Marseille. Half of the Russian’s tour-level titles have come on indoor hard courts.

3) Past Champions: Third seed Karen Khachanov landed in Medvedev’s half of the draw. The 2018 champion will meet Stefano Travaglia or Mackenzie McDonald in the second round, while three-time winner Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (2009, ’13, ’17) is also in the mix.

4) Super Kei: Former World No. 3 Kei Nishikori made a strong showing in Rotterdam when he toppled Felix Auger-Aliassime and Alex de Minaur on his way to the third round. Armed with a new service motion, the resurgent Japanese player landed in Tsitsipas’ quarter.

5) Brits In Charge: The top two doubles teams in Marseille are all-British teams. Ken Skupski and Neal Skupski are the No. 1 seeds, while Luke Bambridge and Dominic Inglot are in the No. 2 spot. 

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN SANTIAGO
1) Garin At Home: Top seed and Chilean No. 1 Cristian Garin arrives at his local ATP Tour event seeking his fifth ATP Tour trophy – and his first on home soil. The World No. 22 has reached all five of his previous finals on clay (4-1).

2) Remember The Name: Cordoba Open champion Juan Manuel Cerundolo will be back in action. Into Santiago with a wild card, the 19-year-old will be making his third ATP Tour main draw appearance as he begins against fellow wild card Gonzalo Lima.

3) Second Seed: Benoit Paire headlines the bottom half of the Santiago draw, and he could face Juan Manuel’s older brother Francisco Cerundolo, who reached the Buenos Aires final. Also in Paire’s section are fifth seed Frances Tiafoe and fourth seed Laslo Djere.

4) Back In Chile: This is the second edition of the Santiago tournament, after the ATP Tour returned to the ‘country of poets’ in 2020. It marked the first time Chile held an ATP event since 2014 in Vina Del Mar, which ran for 10 non-consecutive years (2001-’09, 2012-’14). 

5) Double Duty: After playing doubles with Kei Nishikori in Rotterdam last week, Ben McLachlan will travel to Santiago as the top seed alongside South Africa’s Raven Klaasen. Austin Krajicek and Franko Skugor occupy the No. 2 seed position. 

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Brkic/Cacic Clinch First ATP Title In Buenos Aires

Tomislav Brkic and Nikola Cacic claimed their first ATP Tour title as a team on Sunday after toppling fourth seeds Ariel Behar and Gonzalo Escobar in the Argentina Open final. 

The unseeded Bosnian-Serbian duo dropped only one set en route to the trophy, and needed one hour and 16 minutes to defeat the Delray Beach champions 6-3, 7-5. 

“It was a great week for us. Coming from Cordoba, where we lost in the first round, we came here and prepared well and practised,” Cacic told ATPTour.com after the match. “We played very good, and I think we deserved to win today. That was our best match of the tournament.”

Brkic and Cacic only dropped serve once throughout the contest. They had to deal with a late comeback effort as Behar and Escobar a saved match point at 5-4 and tried to force a second-set tie-break. But Brkic and Cacic held firm, and converted their second match point to seal the victory in straight sets.

“[It’s the] first ATP title for us. This is our second tournament on the ATP Tour, and already we won a tournament. It’s a great feeling,” said Cacic. The pair have previously won an ATP Challenger Tour title in Forli last year.

The Buenos Aires triumph marks Brkic’s first ATP Tour doubles title and Cacic’s third. Brkic also became the first player representing Bosnia and Herzegovina to win a tour-level doubles title with his victory on Sunday.

“It’s a great experience for me, I’ve played already three semi-finals,” Brkic said. “It’s good for the self-confidence [to know that] I can play with the guys who are the best in the Tour in doubles.

“We just started to play together, so it’s good for us that we had such a good result here and I hope that it continues in Santiago next week.” 

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Schwartzman Ends Home Title Wait In Buenos Aires

Top seed Diego Schwartzman completed a dream week at the Argentina Open with a 6-1, 6-2 victory against qualifier Francisco Cerundolo on Sunday to claim his long-awaited first ATP Tour title on home soil.

The Buenos Aires native had previously reached two finals in Argentina, including one here at the ‘Cathedral of Argentine Tennis’ in 2019, but he had yet to taste victory at home. Schwartzman was in control from start to finish on Sunday and ended Cerundolo’s run in one hour and 21 minutes to seal his fourth ATP Tour title.

“I’m very, very happy, it’s been an amazing week for me,” Schwartzman said in the trophy presentation. “It’s the first time that [I have won at] home. Two years ago, I reached the final here and lost… I was very unhappy, but two years later I have my revenge against Francisco, who is a great player.”

Last week, his opponent Cerundolo’s younger brother, 19-year-old Juan Manuel Cerundolo, turned heads with his own title-winning run at the Cordoba Open. Francisco was trying to replicate his run after qualifying in Buenos Aires, but he ran up against a rock-solid top seed and World No. 9 in the final. 

After playing five three-set matches in one week, Cerundolo’s fatigue was evident from the start and Schwartzman wasted no time in testing his legs. He broke the Cerundolo serve six times, and stayed aggressive from the baseline as he marched to victory.

“[Cerundolo] had a spectacular week, I’ve been following him since he qualified and we’ve had great conversations and talked about his matches,” Schwartzman said. “I also know his whole family, they were there at the same club where I started playing tennis before [Francisco] was born… This was his week, last week was [Juan Manuel’s] week.”

With the triumph, Schwartzman became the first Argentine champion in Buenos Aires since 2008, when David Nalbandian won another all-Argentine final against Jose Acasuso.

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Win A Courtside Seat In Santiago’s ‘Virtual Stadium’

The second edition of the Chile Dove Men+Care Open will take place behind closed doors, but that doesn’t mean tennis fans can’t be a part of the action. 

The tournament has been rolling out several fan-centric digital initiatives to make sure fans can follow every point from the ATP 250 event, held in the Chilean capital of Santiago at Club Deportivo Universidad Catolica, without ever leaving home. 

Centre Court will be decked out with three screens around the stadium, allowing more than 60 passionate tennis fans to book a court-side seat in the Virtual Audience. Selected fans will be able to follow the match live, as well as support their favourite players and bring atmosphere to the lively South American event.

“With this format, we never run out of tickets and everyone can participate, they have the platform to do it. They can take part in this and experience the event as if they were there,” said Catalina Fillol, tournament director of the Chile Dove Men+Care Open.

 

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Booking a seat in Santiago’s Virtual Audience is as simple as a social media post. Fans can either comment on the tournament’s Instagram post and let them know why they should win a spot or comment with a great tennis-related personal anecdote, and they will be entered into the contest.

“Our main objective is to bring the people closer. To make sure that the players feel the support of the fans, however technology may allow, and let fans watch matches in a different way,” said Rodrigo Sajuria, Business Director of Movistar Chile.

The tournament will also host live streaming on their official website and mobile app to keep fans connected. Visit the official tournament website for more details and to learn how to join the Virtual Audience.

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Roger Federer never considered retirement despite 14-month absence from tennis

Roger Federer says he never seriously considered retirement in his 14 months out from tennis as he prepares to return

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ATP 500 King Rublev Reigns In Rotterdam

Andrey Rublev extended his phenomenal winning run at ATP 500 events to 20 matches on Sunday when he defeated Marton Fucsovics 7-6(4), 6-4 to win the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament. The World No. 8 also stretched his winning streak in ATP Tour championship matches to seven victories.

Rublev saved all four break points he faced to capture his fourth straight title at ATP 500-level after one hour and 50 minutes. Prior to his title run in Rotterdam, the fourth seed also claimed titles in his final three ATP 500 events of 2020 in Hamburg, St. Petersburg and Vienna.

Since 2009, only Roger Federer (28) and Andy Murray (21) have compiled longer winning streaks at the level. Rublev’s last defeat at an ATP 500 event came against Daniel Evans at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in February 2020.

Most Consecutive ATP 500 Match Wins (since 2009)

Rublev’s 13th win in 14 matches this year marks another milestone moment in an impressive start to 2021. Last month, the 23-year-old won all four singles matches he played to steer Russia to the ATP Cup title and he also reached the Australian Open quarter-finals.

Since the 2019 VTB Kremlin Cup in Moscow, Rublev has won each of the seven championship matches he has contested. Across those victories, the eight-time ATP Tour champion has claimed 14 of the 15 sets he has contested.

Rublev’s Past Seven ATP Tour Finals

Fuscovics was aiming to become only the second qualifier to lift the Rotterdam trophy (Escude, 2001). The 29-year-old dropped just one set from six matches en route to his third ATP Tour final (1-2).

“It was a very positive week for me. I played unbelievable,” Fucsovics said during the trophy ceremony. “I came from qualifying. I played a lot of matches… I improved my game, so that is most important for me.”

With both players attempting to dictate rallies with their powerful forehands, Fucsovics struck three more winners than Rublev on that side in the first set (10-7). But, under the pressure of a first-set tie-break, Rublev struck backhand winners and capitalised on two forehand errors from the Hungarian to take the opener in 64 minutes.

One of the keys to Rublev’s semi-final victory against Stefanos Tsitsipas was his ability to successfully transition to the net behind his forehand. In the opening game of the second set against Fucsovics, the Russian repeated that tactic to earn the only break of the final.

Rublev maintained his break advantage to serve for the title at 5-4. The 2020 Nitto ATP Finals qualifier clinched the trophy on his second match point with a cross-court forehand winner.

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Mektic/Pavic Earn Third Team Title

Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic added a third title to their 2021 collection on Sunday with a 7-6(7), 6-2 triumph against Kevin Krawietz and Horia Tecau in the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament final.

The second seeds saved a set point at 6/7 in the first-set tie-break, before they charged to the finish line after 78 minutes. Mektic and Pavic, who made their team debut at the start of the 2021 season, have claimed three titles from four events this year and compiled a 16-1 record.

Prior to their title run in Rotterdam, the Croatian duo lifted ATP Tour crowns at the Antalya Open and the Murray River Open. Mektic and Pavic’s only loss of the year came against eventual champions Ivan Dodig and Filip Polasek in the Australian Open semi-finals.

“We have known each other for years already,” said Pavic. “We practised together for the past couple of years always when we were back home. We never played an official match before this year, but I think that helped us. We started to play this year together, but we know the games of each other very well, so I don’t think it took us too much time to adapt to each other on the court. The results prove that.”

One of the keys to Mektic and Pavic’s success in Rotterdam was their high level on serve. In the final, the three-time ATP Tour team titlists claimed 85 per cent of their first-serve points (39/46).

“We came up, throughout the entire tournament, with a high level of serving,” said Mektic. “We only got broken a few times. That was the key. It is indoor tennis. The serve is a very important part of the game in indoor tennis. We did very well and, in the end, I am very happy to win the tournament.”

Krawietz and Tecau were aiming to capture the title on their team debut. The German-Romanian pair defeated fourth seeds Marcelo Melo and Jean-Julien Rojer en route to the championship match.

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Alfie Hewett beats Gordon Reid to retain Rotterdam title

Alfie Hewett beats Gordon Reid in the all-British final to retain his Rotterdam title before the pair then combine to defend their doubles crown.

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