Tennis News

Sinner Leads 2020 First-Time Winners

Continuing our Season In Review series, ATPTour.com pays tribute to the first-time winners of the 2020 season. Take a look at the six players who lifted their first tour-level trophy in 2020.

Ugo Humbert – Auckland [First-Time Winner Spotlight]
After closing his 2019 ATP Tour season with his debut appearance at the Next Gen ATP Finals, Ugo Humbert wasted no time in making his mark on the ATP Tour in 2020. At the ASB Classic in Auckland, Humbert made history as the first French player to lift the ATP 250 trophy.

The Metz-born star battled past fellow 2019 Milan competitor Casper Ruud in three sets to reach the second round, before earning straight-sets wins against Marco Cecchinato, second seed Denis Shapovalov and fourth seed John Isner to reach the championship match.

In a thrilling final, Humbert held his nerve in a dramatic final set to overcome countryman Benoit Paire 7-6(2), 3-6, 7-6(5). The Frenchman jumped from No. 57 to a career-high No. 43 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

“It’s a tournament of revenge because I’ve lost to four of the five players I played this week,” Humbert joked in Auckland. “It’s a great improvement for me and I couldn’t dream of a better beginning for the season.”

Humbert has since collected his second ATP Tour trophy in Antwerp and cracked the Top 30. 

Casper Ruud – Buenos Aires [First-Time Winner Spotlight]
Casper Ruud made Norwegian history at the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires. The Oslo-native became the first player from his nation to lift an ATP Tour trophy with an impressive run. Ruud charged past Pablo Andujar, Roberto Carballes Baena and Dusan Lajovic to reach the semi-finals, in which he rallied from a set down to eliminate Juan Ignacio Londero and reach his second tour-level final.

In the championship match, Ruud ended the run of lucky loser Pedro Sousa in straight sets to lift the title and earn family bragging rights. Casper not only become the first Norwegian ATP Tour champion, he also became the highest-ranked Norwegian in FedEx ATP Rankings history. He beat the previous-best mark held by his father and coach, Christian Ruud (World No. 39).

“I feel a great sensation now. It is what all players look for and dream [of]. I am very happy with my career, although I know that I am still young,” Ruud said. “Buenos Aires will always be a special place for me, this is [where I won] my first title.”

Ruud’s success in Buenos Aires provided the springboard to a breakthrough 2020 campaign. The 21-year-old, who reached a career-high No. 25 on 28 September, finished as a runner-up in Santiago and reached back-to-back semi-finals in Rome and Hamburg to finish the year with a Tour-leading 17 clay wins. 

Thiago Seyboth Wild – Santiago [First-Time Winner Spotlight]
Thiago Seyboth Wild entered the inaugural Chile Dove Men+Care Open with just three tour-level victories to his name. The #NextGenATP Brazilian left with the trophy.

Seyboth Wild beat three Argentine players en route to his maiden championship match, in which he faced Buenos Aires champion Ruud for the trophy. The 19-year-old earned a crucial early break in the final set and maintained his advantage to become the youngest Brazilian titlist in ATP Tour history and the youngest champion during the Golden Swing since an 18-year-old Rafael Nadal prevailed in 2005 Acapulco.

“It’s an incredible achievement,” Seyboth Wild said. “It’s something I’ve always dreamed about… As the matches went by and I was feeling myself on court, I felt like I could go step-by-step. When I got to the final, I needed to play it just like another match, like I had been playing the whole week and take my chances.”

Miomir Kecmanovic – Kitzbühel [First-Time Winner Spotlight]
Following in the footsteps of 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals competitors Humbert and Ruud, Miomir Kecmanovic added his name to the 2020 first-time winners list with his title run at the Generali Open.

Fourteen months after failing to convert championship point in his first ATP Tour final in Antalya, the Serbian earned three-set wins against Kei Nishikori, Federico Delbonis and Marc-Andrea Huesler to earn his second title opportunity. In the final, Kecmanovic ended the run of qualifier Yannick Hanfmann to collect his maiden ATP Tour crown.

“It means a lot [to win my first ATP Tour title]. I worked so hard for this,” said Kecmanovic. “I am definitely happy that I was able to achieve it so quickly.”

John Millman – Nur-Sultan [First-Time Winner Spotlight]
At the inaugural Astana Open, John Millman became the fifth first-time ATP Tour champion of the year and the fifth player in 2020 to win a tour-level trophy after saving match point.

In the quarter-finals, Millman saved two match points at 3-5 down in the decider and recovered from 0/5 in a final-set tie-break to outlast Tommy Paul. Millman also needed to recover from a set down against Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals to reach his third ATP Tour final. The 31-year-old Australian handled the pressure of playing a championship match well in Nur-Sultan. He saved all six break points he faced against Adrian Mannarino to become the oldest first-time ATP Tour champion of the season.

“It is incredible. I am so happy and relieved,” Millman said. “I just feel very satisfied. It is just a pure moment of satisfaction… That was my third final, third time lucky, I guess. These things aren’t easy to win and to do so at a place where I felt so comfortable all week, in terms of the hospitality, makes it really special. To win the inaugural Astana Open is special. I am so happy. It has been a big team effort and I am pumped.”

Jannik Sinner – Sofia [First-Time Winner Spotlight]
One year after his breakthrough success at the 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan, Jannik Sinner ended an impressive 2020 season with his first ATP Tour title at the Sofia Open. The #NextGenATP Italian dropped just one set en route to the final. In the quarter-finals, he recovered from a set down to overcome Alex de Minaur in a repeat of the 2019 Milan championship match.

In the final, Sinner was pushed all the way to a final-set tie-break by Vasek Pospisil. The 19-year-old played with aggression in crucial moments to clinch his victory and earn his place in the history books. Sinner became the youngest ATP Tour titlist since an 18-year-old Kei Nishikori won the 2008 Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com.

“It is always special when you win tournaments,” Sinner said. “I felt well this week. It is special. Playing finals like this, 7-6 in the third… is always tough. But when you win, it is an even better win than winning 6-1 6-1.

“I am happy about the match, how I tried to stay there every point and I think it is a very special week for me.”

Sinner’s title run capped a memorable 2020 season for the San Candido-born star. The 6’2” right-hander earned three Top 10 wins in 2020 and finished the year with a 19-11 record. Following his success in Sofia, Sinner jumped to a career-high No. 37 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. 

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Roger Federer in 'tight' race for 2021 Australian Open

Swiss 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer says he faces a “tight” race to be fit to play at the Australian Open.

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Best of 2020: Player Retirements

Continuing our Season In Review series, ATPTour.com looks at the players who retired in 2020.

Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan (Retired: 26 August), Career-High No. 1
From their first professional tournament at the 1995 US Open, when, as 17-year-olds, they were mistaken by opponents for ball kids and not initially given accreditation badges, to winning 1,108 tour-level matches together, Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan made their mark. The twins promoted doubles as a fun, social pursuit that taught key life skills, while demonstrating incredible skill.

The American brothers were the perfect ambassadors for doubles on and off the court and they increased the popularity of the discipline through their remarkable success. The Bryan Brothers captured an Open Era record 119 trophies as a team, including all four Grand Slams, all nine ATP Masters 1000s, the Nitto ATP Finals and the Olympic men’s doubles gold medal. The 10-time year-end No. 1s, known for their signature chest bump celebration, also finished their careers with the all-time team records for Grand Slam titles (16 from 30 finals) and ATP Masters 1000 crowns (39 from 59 finals).

The 14-time ATP Tour Fans’ Favourite Team award winners made their final ATP Tour appearance at the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com in February. Rather fittingly, the Bryans ended the event with a tournament record sixth doubles crown. The American twins finished their careers with a 1,108-359 team record.

“We’re most proud of the way we devoted ourselves completely to the game and gave our full effort every day,” said Bob Bryan. “Our loyalty toward each other never wavered and we are leaving professional tennis with zero regrets. We’ll miss the competition and camaraderie amongst the players. We’ll also miss the excitement of gearing up for a big match and playing for the roar of the fans.”

“We feel it’s the right time to walk away,” said Mike Bryan. “We’ve given over 20 years to the tour, and we are now looking forward to the next chapter of our lives. With that said, we feel very blessed to have been able to play the game of doubles for so long. We are grateful to have had the opportunities in the beginning of the year to play and say our goodbyes to the fans. Winning our final event in Delray Beach and clinching the Davis Cup tie in Honolulu are moments we’ll forever remember and cherish.”

Santiago Giraldo (Retired: 6 October), Career-High No. 28
Across his 16-year professional career, Santiago Giraldo claimed 168 tour-level wins and reached ATP Tour finals at 2011 Vina del Mar (l. to Robredo) and 2014 Barcelona (l. to Nishikori). The Colombian, who rose to a career-high No. 28 in the FedEx ATP Rankings on 29 September 2014, also captured 10 ATP Challenger Tour trophies.

Giraldo finished seven consecutive seasons inside the Top 100 of the FedEx ATP Rankings (2010-16) and reached the third round at a Grand Slam on three occasions. The Pereira native met Andy Murray in the third round at Roland Garros in 2012 and made back-to-back third-round appearances at Wimbledon in 2014 (l. to Federer) and 2015 (l. to Kudla).

Giraldo earned two Top 10 victories during his career. In his most memorable ATP Masters 1000 run, the Colombian beat former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and then-No. 8 Murray in consecutive matches to reach the quarter-finals at the 2014 Mutua Madrid Open. Giraldo also defeated 2014 US Open champion and then-No. 10 Marin Cilic en route to the 2015 Geneva Open semi-finals.

“I started at 15 and now, at almost 33, I’ve decided to say thank you and put a full stop at the end of this journey,” said Giraldo. “I did the best I could, and I gave everything I had. I remember that curious, unique, explorative and rebellious boy who left his home at just 12 years of age, carrying only his racquets and his dreams, until he arrived here today. I don’t regret anything I did.”

Steve Darcis (Retired: 15 January), Career-High No. 38
The 5’9” Belgian captured two ATP Tour crowns during his 17-year professional career. Darcis entered 2007 Amersfoort seeking his first tour-level victory, and he dropped just one set from qualifying to earn eight consecutive wins and his first ATP Tour title.

Darcis doubled his trophy count with a title run at 2008 Memphis and finished as runner-up in his second straight Amersfoort final appearance later in the year. The two-time ATP Tour titlist reached the third round at two Grand Slams — 2011 Roland Garros and 2017 Australian Open —but he will be remembered best for his first-round performance at Wimbledon in 2013.

Darcis earned the biggest win of his career on Centre Court at SW19, where he stunned two-time champion Rafael Nadal in straight sets. At No. 135 in the ATP Rankings, Darcis was the lowest-ranked player at the time to defeat Nadal at a Grand Slam event. The Belgian was known for his creative game. He used his one-handed backhand to great effect, especially his slice.

“I made a successful comeback in 2019, but after Wimbledon, I got problems again with my shoulder. Mentally and physically, I’m no longer at my best,” said Darcis in October 2019. “Plenty of strong career moments will stay with me forever.”

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#NextGenATP Stars Musetti & Alcaraz Top ATP Upsets Of 2020

Yesterday we looked at three of the top five upsets at ATP Tour events this season, with Diego Schwartzman’s impressive victory against Rafael Nadal in Rome ranking third.

Today, we complete the list with stunning upsets pulled off by two promising #NextGenATP talents. ATPTour.com looks at how Carlos Alcaraz and Lorenzo Musetti made their biggest splash on the ATP Tour this year.

2) Carlos Alcaraz def. Albert Ramos-Vinolas, Rio Open presented by Claro, Rio de Janeiro, R1, 17 February 2020 (Match Stats)
When Albert Ramos-Vinolas earned his first FedEx ATP Ranking point, Carlos Alcaraz was barely a year old. But in the first round of this year’s Rio Open presented by Claro, it was the latter who sprung one of the biggest upsets of 2020.

Alcaraz, who was 16, walked onto the court late that evening at an hour one could argue was past his bedtime. But the teenager showed why he is one of the world’s most promising #NextGenATP talents against a tough opponent.

In 2017, Ramos-Vinolas reached his maiden ATP Masters 1000 final at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. His heavy-topspin baseline game makes for a physical match against any opponent, especially on clay. It had to have been a massive ask for a 16-year-old, right?

World No. 406 Alcaraz, making his ATP Tour debut, looked plenty comfortable grinding through tough rallies against the veteran. The #NextGenATP player hit heavy backhands to set up his forehand, tactically manoeuvring his way through points without giving second thought to the physicality of the challenge early on.

Alcaraz took the opener, but it appeared Ramos-Vinolas’ experience and physicality — especially with his lefty forehand — began to wear on his countryman as he forced a decider, in which he took a 3-0 lead and held three break points to make it 4-0. But the teen remained calm and summoned the tennis that helped him take the lead in the first place, playing aggressively to win five straight games.

Despite letting slip two match points at 5-3 on Ramos-Vinolas’ serve as his nerves showed in poor movement, Alcaraz played courageously in the tie-break to triumph 7-6(2), 4-6, 7-6(2) at 3:00am after three hours and 37 minutes.

“I will remember Rio forever,” Alcaraz said. “I am very happy to win my first ATP Tour match. This has been the longest and most intense match I’ve played so far. There were quite difficult conditions, but if you have the right attitude, the conditions don’t matter. You can achieve anything.”

Alcaraz went on to win three ATP Challenger Tour titles in 2020, climbing into the Top 150 of the FedEx ATP Rankings.

1) Lorenzo Musetti def. Stan Wawrinka, Internazionali BNL d’Italia, Rome, R1, 15 September 2020 (Match Stats)
One first-round clash at this year’s Internazionali BNL d’Italia produced the birth of a #NextGenATP star.

World No. 249 Lorenzo Musetti, who went through qualifying, had only previously played one tour-level match ahead of his battle against former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka. The Swiss had already earned 523 tour-level victories in his illustrious career. When Musetti was born, Wawrinka had already earned FedEx ATP Ranking points.

But fans watching from around the world got a glimpse of the future. Musetti played confident, aggressive tennis, using a big forehand and a picturesque one-handed backhand — which former World No. 1 Jim Courier called “incredible” on Tennis Channel’s broadcast — to not just hang in with the three-time Grand Slam champion, but control play.

You’d understand if Musetti was flustered by the occasion, competing at his home ATP Masters 1000 event. But it was Wawrinka who struggled to find the court in the first set-and-a-half, losing the first eight games as he battled to find his rhythm.

As Wawrinka began firing in the second set, significantly cutting his unforced errors, Musetti kept up his level. The teen showed no fear of the 16-time tour-level titlist, instead choosing to hold his ground on the baseline. Musetti refused to relinquish control of points on the Roman clay, and he even showed his feel on occasion by throwing in drop shots in key moments to wrong-foot the Swiss.

The home favourite was simply too good on the evening, becoming the first player born in 2002 to win an ATP Tour match with a 6-0, 7-6(2) triumph against Wawrinka.

“I think it’s a dream that came true,” Musetti said. “I’m still not believing what I did tonight, so I just accept that.”

Musetti, who broke Wawrinka’s serve four times, was cool as a cucumber when speaking to the media after his breakthrough moment. He wasn’t overcome by the occasion.

“I just enjoyed the match,” Musetti, who’d also upset former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori in the next round, said. “I had a lot of fun tonight and hope to keep the process and trust the process of my career and try to play better every point, every day.”

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Masterclass: Shapovalov's Leaping Backhand

Different players are known for different shots. Rafael Nadal is known for his ferocious forehand and Novak Djokovic his bullet-proof two-handed backhand. Denis Shapovalov, who was an alternate at this year’s Nitto ATP Finals, is known for his leaping one-handed backhand.

“I was hitting it as a junior a lot, so it really came naturally to me,” Shapovalov said.

The Canadian took the time to provide tips to ATPTour.com fans on how to hit the entertaining-but-difficult shot, focussing on five important steps. One of those steps is recognition, about which the lefty said: “Normally I’m looking for a slower, high ball. It might be a shank off an opponent’s racquet or just [a ball that is] slower, inside the court, so I can step in while I’m hitting the shot.”

Shapovalov believes his leaping one-hander is an important part of his repertoire.

“If I have the opportunity to go for that shot, I’m going to go for it. First of all, the crowd’s going to go wild. It’s a big momentum changer as well. If you hit that shot in an important point, you kind of put pressure on your opponent,” Shapovalov said. “We’re professional tennis players and also showmen. So for me, personally, if I have the opportunity to go for that shot, I go for it.”

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Felix Training At Nadal's Academy In Spain

Felix Auger-Aliassime is escaping the cold Canadian weather to train in Spain at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar with his coach, Fredric Fontang. 

On Friday, Auger-Aliassime hit with Academy player Aaron Cohen under the watchful eye of Toni Nadal. Felix later had a chat with the academy’s namesake: Rafael Nadal.

^{Photo Credit: Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar}
The #NextGenATP Canadian finished at year-end No. 21 in the FedEx ATP Rankings for the second consecutive season. The 20-year-old earned a 23-19 record in 2020.

Auger-Aliassime reached three ATP Tour finals this season, all of which came on indoor hard courts. He has made six tour-level championship matches in his career.

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Rivalry Reflections: How Federer & Djokovic Make Each Other Better

Despite having faced off 50 times in one of the sport’s most prolific rivalries, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic continue to find new ways to push each other to a higher level, and delight tennis fans in the process. On a recent episode of ATP Uncovered presented by Peugeot, Federer and Djokovic looked back on their rivalry, their most memorable clash and what makes their match-ups so special.

Having faced off so many times on the biggest stages over the past 14 years, it’s hard to find two players who know each other’s game inside and out like Djokovic and Federer. Their 50 matches make their ATP Head2Head rivalry the second-most prolific in the Open Era, only trailing Djokovic and Rafael Nadal’s 56 matches.

“I’ve played so many thrilling matches with him over the years,” Djokovic said. “Every time I step on court against him it’s thrilling, it’s very exciting because it kind of exceeds that match. It goes beyond the sport.”

Part of what makes a Djokovic-Federer clash so electrifying is that they’ve met at the semi-finals or final of Grand Slams, ATP Masters 1000 and the Nitto ATP Finals in 18 of their past 20 matches. With so much on the line each time they meet, every match forces the current and former World No. 1s to bring their best and push beyond their limits.

The two champions embody different playing styles, with Djokovic’s court coverage and clean hitting pitted against Federer’s attacking prowess. The contrast in styles plays out in their see-saw, marathon encounters, and proves to be equally electrifying across all surfaces.

“Novak, obviously he can play on all the surfaces extremely well,” Federer acknowledged. “He always brings a certain level of play, which is extremely high, so to beat him you have to be at your best.

“He’s a great mover, and I have great coordination, so we match up well against each other.”

Perhaps their most unforgettable clash in recent memory, Djokovic highlighted the Wimbledon 2019 final against Federer as not only one of the best matches in their rivalry, but one of the best of his storied career.

“It would probably be [in the] top two, top three matches I’ve ever played, this final against Roger,” Djokovic acknowledged at the time. “Probably the best, most exciting, and most demanding – both physically and mentally and in every aspect – matches that I ever played.”

The Serbian player had to save two match points on Centre Court to defend his title in an epic five-set battle, triumphing after a marathon 7-6(5), 1-6, 7-6(4), 4-6, 13-12(3) clash that lasted four hours and 54 minutes – the longest final in Wimbledon history.

“You do look back and you do appreciate the fight and the battle and the type of match,” Federer reflected after the final. “You can’t always be part of a match like this, so when they come around you have to appreciate them.”

Djokovic and Federer have met twice since that Wimbledon final, splitting their results with the Swiss claiming revenge at last year’s Nitto ATP Finals. The World No. 1 returned the favour in the 2020 Australian Open semi-finals to extend his FedEx ATP Head2Head lead to 27-23.

Neither 33-year-old Djokovic nor 39-year-old Federer show any signs of slowing down soon, with both players still ranked inside the Top 5 as their legendary rivalry continues to delight fans in its third decade.

“I think actually rivalries are super important in sports, I think it also makes the game more popular,” Federer said. “I think you always need somebody who you can have a good rivalry with. With me… and with Djokovic, thank god I had them… I think we get the best out of one another.”

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International Tennis Hall Of Fame Celebrates Black Tennis Pioneers

The International Tennis Hall of Fame has launched a new digital museum exhibit that offers a comprehensive look at the history of Black tennis in America.

Breaking The Barriers: The ATA and Black Tennis Pioneers features a multimedia timeline spanning more than 120 years of Black tennis history, as well as a concurrent timeline of African American history overall. The exhibit chronicles the struggles and evolution of Black tennis, and the lives and careers of Black tennis champions from the early 1900s through today.

Breaking The Barriers is largely focused on the history of Black tennis in America, and it is part of a multi-faceted initiative by the International Tennis Hall of Fame to educate fans and shine a spotlight on Black tennis history. Additional programs in development include a future exhibit looking at Black tennis history on a global scale, virtual programs with guest speakers in February 2021, and an Arthur Ashe virtual reality experience in the museum based on the 1968 US Open.

Through dynamic imagery and video interviews from the International Tennis Hall of Fame collection, Breaking The Barriers explores what was happening in Black tennis during five distinct time periods of African American history: Creative Survival (1874-1910); Entrée (1910-1938); Reform (1938-1955); Participation (1955-1965); and Liberation (1965-Present).

In addition to highlighting stories of celebrated African American Hall of Famers Arthur Ashe, Althea Gibson, and Dr. Robert Johnson, Breaking The Barriers also showcases some of the less widely known, but highly impactful, individuals and organizations who fought for opportunity and equality in tennis for Black people. 

This includes pioneers like Rev. W.W. Walker, who organized the first interstate Black tennis tournament in Philadelphia in 1898 and Mary Ann “Mother” Seames, who was offering tennis lessons to Black children as early as 1906. The exhibit also highlights early champions like Ora Washington, an eight-time American Tennis Association national champion in the 1920s who also had a successful basketball career, and Jimmie McDaniel, a four-time American Tennis Association national champion who famously battled Hall of Famer Don Budge in an historic interracial exhibition match in 1940.

Breaking the Barriers chronicles the evolution and impact of the American Tennis Association, which was founded in 1916 from a collaboration of Black tennis clubs, and remains active today as the longest continually operating African American sports organization in the nation.

Throughout the exhibit, visitors can watch video clips from trailblazers who were at the front lines of Black tennis evolution and detail the exclusion they faced, how they overcame, and what they hoped for the future of the sport. First-person narratives include Virginia Glass, the first female president of the ATA and the mother of two successful collegiate players; Art Carrington, an ATA competitor, tennis promoter, and historian; and Hall of Famer Althea Gibson, the first ever Black player to win a Major Championship.

The Breaking The Barriers timeline includes present-day stories as well, highlighting Serena and Venus Williams’ historic careers, from their first televised US Open prime-time battle against each other to their success and impact on and off the court, as well as stars like Madison Keys, Sloane Stephens, Coco Gauff, and Naomi Osaka.

The initial iteration of Breaking The Barriers: The ATA and Black Tennis Pioneers was developed by the International Tennis Hall of Fame in collaboration with historians Dale Caldwell and Art Carrington for a physical exhibit displayed at the 2007 US Open. To date the exhibit continues to be the most requested traveling exhibit in the International Tennis Hall of Fame collection.

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Medvedev’s Returning Is Literally Off The Charts!

Daniil Medvedev is off the charts completing the 2020 season, both figuratively and literally.

First, the figurative. He finished the season on a 10-match win streak in winning the Rolex Paris Masters and the Nitto ATP Finals. Seven of the 10 victories were against Top 10 opponents, including defeating the World’s No.1, No. 2 and No. 3 players to win in London.

Now for the literal part.

Medvedev’s first-serve return contact point at the 2020 Nitto ATP Finals against Alexander Zverev averaged a staggering 5.51 metres behind the baseline. Hawk-Eye court position graphics only extend back to a five-metre mark, resulting in several of Medvedev’s hit points being recorded literally in a blank space… off the chart.

An Infosys ATP Insights deep dive into return position at the Nitto ATP Finals from 2018-2020 identifies an overall backwards trend in return position. It’s not backwards in performance, but backwards in a real-estate sense.

The picture below highlights Medvedev’s extreme return position against Zverev from their round-robin match last month in London.

2020 Nitto ATP Finals: Medvedev First-Serve Return Location vs Alexander Zverev

Learn More With Infosys Second Screen

This was the deepest a player has stood to return first serves in the past three years at the Nitto ATP Finals. Of the 44 Hawk-Eye recorded matches, which yields first-serve return position 88 times, Medvedev owns the five deepest locations, averaging between 4.51 metres and 5.51 metres behind the baseline.

The overall contact point average for first-serve returns during the past three years is 1.9 metres behind the baseline. No player has averaged making contact inside the baseline against first serves, but Roger Federer came the closest, averaging making contact just 22 centimetres behind the baseline against Kei Nishikori in 2018.

2018 Nitto ATP Finals: Federer First-Serve Return Location vs Nishikori

The difference between Medvedev’s average and Federer’s average is an astonishing five metres and 29 centimetres. To provide context, the distance from the service line to the baseline is almost identical, at five metres and 49 centimetres. That’s how far apart they really are.

The average contact point against both first serves and second serves has been drifting further back in London over the past three years.

First-Serve Return Contact Point Behind The Baseline
• 2018 = 1.41 metres
• 2019 = 1.73 metres
• 2020 = 2.55 metres

Second-Serve Return Contact Point Behind The Baseline
• 2018 = 0.23 metres
• 2019 = 1.25 metres
• 2020 = 1.43 metres

Tennis’ traditional mantra has always focussed on standing further back behind the baseline to return first serves and stepping up inside the baseline to attack slower second serves. That line of thinking is getting thrown out the window at The O2.

In 2018, exactly half of the time (15/30) a player averaged making contact with his second-serve return inside the baseline. The 2018 total of 15 dropped to only eight in 2019 and dropped even further to six this year.

What’s stunning is that players are now employing a strategy that is completely the opposite, which is to move back, not forward, to return the second serve. For example, when Medvedev played Nadal in the semi-finals of the 2020 event, both players averaged making contact with their second-serve return deeper compared to their first-serve return.

2020 Semi-Final: Medvedev vs. Nadal – Average Contact Point Behind The Baseline
Medvedev
• vs Nadal’s first serve = 3.15 metres
• vs. Nadal’s second serve = 3.85 metres

Nadal
• vs Medvedev’s first serve = 3.58 metres
• vs Medvedev’s second serve = 4.13 metres

Medvedev’s preference for standing way back against first serves also washes over to second serves, where his name sits beside four of the deepest seven second-serve return positions. What’s fascinating is that Dominic Thiem owns both ends of the second-serve return spectrum, averaging returning from 1.19 metres inside the baseline in 2018 against Federer and 5.33 metres behind the baseline in 2019 against Zverev.

Moving up to return serve is all about blocking and quickly rebounding to rush the Serve +1 groundstroke. Standing way back is all about hitting an atypical return. When standing deep in the court to return, Medvedev can take full-blooded cuts at the ball as it significantly slows down and drops into his hitting zone. It’s essentially just another groundstroke.

We may have to start redrawing our graphics as Medvedev continues to write his own history.

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Schwartzman's Stunner Against Nadal Among Best ATP Upsets Of 2020

This week we have looked at the best ATP Tour matches and comebacks of 2020. Now, we turn our attention to the biggest upsets of the season, looking at three of the five most notable stunners of the year.

The Best Grand Slam Upsets Of 2020

5) Tommy Paul def. Alexander Zverev, Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, Acapulco, R2, 26 February 2020 (Match Stats)
Tommy Paul made a splash at the Australian Open, defeating 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion Grigor Dimitrov in a four-hour, 19-minute second-round thriller. But perhaps his biggest upset of the season came weeks later at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC.

The American entered his clash against second seed Alexander Zverev winless against Top 10 opposition. On the other hand, Zverev was in form, fresh off reaching his first Grand Slam semi-final at the Australian Open (l. to Thiem).

The German came out of the gates firing, threatening a break in the first game of the match. But Paul settled in and played tremendous all-court tennis to stymie Zverev. He cracked his heavy inside-out forehand at every opportunity, but also showed great racquet skills to carve acute angles with his backhand, while also rushing to net to win points with his touch.

Zverev raised his level in the second set and began to play more aggressively. That wasn’t surprising, as the German has the 23rd-best winning percentage (33.8%) in the Open Era after losing the first set.

But Paul weathered the storm to stun Zverev 6-3, 6-4 and reach his second ATP 500 quarter-final (2017 Citi Open).

”It meant a lot,” Paul said. “I was really excited to get out there and play. He put me under pressure in the first game and then from there, I played well for the rest of the match.”

Paul lost in a tough three-setter in the last eight against big-serving American John Isner, but he had proven his mettle against one of the world’s best. He carried the confidence from that match throughout the best season of his career, climbing to a career-high World No. 54.

4) Gianluca Mager def. Dominic Thiem, Rio Open presented by Claro, Rio de Janeiro, QF, 22 February 2020 (Match Stats)
Gianluca Mager entered qualifying at the Rio Open presented by Claro with two tour-level wins. He departed Brazil with by far the best result of his career, including an upset he’ll be able to hang his hat on forever.

The Italian showed great form by dropping only five games in his two qualifying matches and upsetting clay-court stalwart Casper Ruud in the first round of the main draw. After beating Joao Domingues in the second round, he faced the toughest test of his career against recent Australian Open finalist Dominic Thiem. “For me, it was a dream only to play with him,” Mager said.

The 26-year-old showed no fear, saving three early break points with aggressive play. Thiem is one of the biggest hitters on the ATP Tour, but the Italian showed early he had no intentions of allowing the Austrian to blow right through him. When Thiem threw a jab, he was going to throw one right back.

The problem is that Mager couldn’t close out the win on the first day of play. He had to sleep on a 7-6(4), 2-1 due to Friday night rain.

But instead of panicking, the World No. 128 maintained his high level on Saturday to finish off the stunner, earning a 7-6(4), 7-5 upset of Thiem to reach his first ATP Tour semi-final.

Thiem didn’t hand the Italian the match. Mager took it from the superstar, hitting two groundstroke winners and an ace in the final game to advance.

“It’s unbelievable,” Mager said. “Now that I beat him, for me, it is a dream. He is a great, unbelievable player… I am very emotional.”

3) Diego Schwartzman def. Rafael Nadal, Internazionali BNL d’Italia, Rome, QF, 19 September 2020 (Match Stats)
It was tennis’ version of David versus Goliath in the quarter-finals of this year’s Internazionali BNL d’Italia.

Rafael Nadal had won his first nine ATP Head2Head clashes against Diego Schwartzman with the loss of just two sets. The Argentine knew he’d need to deliver a Herculean effort to oust the nine-time champion. That’s exactly what Schwartzman did at the Foro Italico.

“For sure it’s my best match ever,” Schwartzman said. “I played a few times against the three big champions in tennis. I never beat them until today. I’m very happy.”

Like Goliath, Nadal is a giant on the court. That is especially the case on clay, where the Spaniard bullies opponents with his heavy topspin forehand

But David (in this case, Diego) stood up to the giant. Schwartzman held his ground on the baseline and traded blow-for-blow with the legendary lefty in heavy conditions. Instead of Nadal pushing the righty back, he was the one being moved off the baseline. The Ad-court to Ad-court rallies — pitting Nadal’s forehand against Schwartzman’s backhand — were reminiscent of some of Rafa’s clashes against Novak Djokovic.

Whenever Nadal tried to change things up and play cat-and-mouse points, Diego had an answer.

“It was crazy. Tennis is crazy. Our performance is always crazy. The past three weeks were really bad for me,” Schwartzman said on court after his victory. “Today I played my best tennis.

There were five consecutive service breaks in the second set, and Schwartzman was broken at love when serving for the match at 5-4, when Nadal buckled down and reduced his error count. But Diego persevered, hitting a passing shot out of Rafa’s reach to earn another chance at closing out the match. This time, he hit a forehand drop volley to finish the job, triumphing 6-2, 7-5.

“Yeah!” Schwartzman shouted.

David had slayed Goliath.

It was arguably the biggest win of Schwartzman’s career-best season. He’d reach his first Grand Slam semi-final at Roland Garros — where he lost against Nadal — to crack the Top 10 of the FedEx ATP Rankings and earn his maiden berth at the Nitto ATP Finals in November.

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