Tennis News

Medvedev hungry for a 'big title', to begin his chase in Montreal

A lot of the attention during the 2024 season has gone to Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic. Sinner won his first major at the Australian Open and completed his ascent to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Alcaraz triumphed at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and Djokovic just earned his maiden gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

But quietly, Daniil Medvedev has enjoyed a consistent season. The former World No. 1 is fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and is now entering the part of the season that has historically been when he performs best.

Seeded third at the Omnium Banque National présenté par Rogers, this year’s Australian Open finalist and Wimbledon semi-finalist will try to claim his first title of the year.

“I think the thing always about my seasons is that a lot of times when I come to this stage, which is Canada, whatever happened before doesn’t matter too much because that’s really usually the best part of the season for me,” Medvedev told ATPTour.com. “So to be honest, I’m pretty happy with my season. I had some good results and good runs, some actually good wins. What I’m not happy [with] in a way is I don’t have a title, but I’m playing [well at] the biggest tournaments and I lost to some great guys.”

It is not that Medvedev has failed to advance deep into tournaments. The 28-year-old is 35-11 for the season according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index and reached finals in Melbourne and Indian Wells.

Medvedev will take confidence knowing that Montreal is where he advanced to his first ATP Masters 1000 final in 2019. That year, Medvedev enjoyed a memorable second half of his season, winning 29 of 32 matches. It started in Washington, where he made the final before sprinting to Canada.

“You need to hustle, you need to pack. The next day you need to prepare the match already. I played Kyle Edmund who at the time was playing very well and I knew that the first match was not going to be easy,” Medvedev said. “But straightaway I felt really, really well and managed to beat him with an easy score. Everything just stuck together and I managed to play pretty well.”

Medvedev did not lose a set en route to the final, defeating Edmund, Cristian Garin, Dominic Thiem and Karen Khachanov. Only one of the eight sets he played against the quartet went past 6-3. His run ultimately came to an end in the title match against Rafael Nadal, who triumphed 6-3, 6-0.

“I played Rafa and unfortunately at the time it was way too much for me and way too strong,” Medvedev said. “I do remember every match was different in a way but I was playing great tennis and feeling great in my game and it was the first time I made it to the final of a Masters 1000, so it was a great boost of confidence.”

When Medvedev arrived in Canada five years ago, he was the No. 9 player in the PIF ATP Rankings. By the end of that stretch, it was clear he was on his way to the top, and he sees that upon reflection.

“One hundred per cent, because before this I knew I could play well, but I still never really made any huge result and that was the stretch where I made the first Masters 1000 final, won the next one in Cincinnati and made the final of US Open, which was amazing,” Medvedev said. “That was kind of the first tournament — together with Washington, where I also played well — where I started to know even more what I have to do on the court to beat guys on the top.”

Medvedev is excited to be back in Montreal and on hard courts and begin his pursuit of a title. The third seed, who has a bye, will play doubles partner Roman Safiullin or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the second round. To the 20-time tour-level titlist, this is the beginning of his effort to finish the season on a high note.

“I’m going to try to make it ’til the end of the year for sure, try to get a big title and try to get more points because it’s always important,” Medvedev said. “The higher you finish in the end, the more it shows how great your season was. So I’m pretty happy with the season, but I definitely want more than that.”

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Carreno Busta: 'I didn't know if it would be possible to continue'

Two years ago when Pablo Carreno Busta watched the draw for the Omnium Banque National présenté par Rogers, he was in disbelief. The Spaniard, then No. 23 in the PIF ATP Rankings, had drawn Matteo Berrettini, who earlier that year had reached World No. 6, in the first round.

“I wrote to my friends on WhatsApp and I said, ‘Come on, this is crazy, the Masters 1000s. I am 23rd in the world and I play in the first round against Berrettini’,” Carreno Busta told ATPTour.com. “Come on, in the first round? I’m 23rd in the world and I have to play against Matteo?”

That week proved to be the best of Carreno Busta’s career. The mild-mannered Gijon-native not only defeated Berrettini, but went on to claim his first ATP Masters 1000 trophy, making memories for a lifetime in Montreal.

When Carreno Busta returned to Jarry Park a few days ago for the first time since that glorious week, his mindset was nowhere near the same. The 33-year-old has not played for most of the past year and a half due to elbow tendonitis.

“It’s very special, of course, because I won two years ago here in Montreal, my first ATP Masters 1000. But also it’s very special because the last year and a half, I was out of the Tour because of an injury,” Carreno Busta said. “To be here again is very important to me. To be on the Tour again after this long time, I didn’t know if would be possible to continue playing tennis or not.”

<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2022/08/14/04/45/carreno-busta-montreal-2022-sf-2.jpeg?w=100%25&hash=26D2C2FFA7861E002AF82C054DDB645D” style=”width:100%;” alt=”Pablo Carreno Busta” />
^{Carreno Busta triumphed in Montreal in 2022. Photo: Mike Lawrence/ATP Tour}
Now Carreno Busta is confident he can push forward, but that was not always the case.

“Sometimes I just feel the pain when I play tennis. But there were other moments that I felt the pain all the time when I was sleeping, when I was trying to swim on the beach,” Carreno Busta said. “It was crazy because it’s very uncomfortable all the time thinking if there is going to be pain or not.”

There were moments when the Spaniard, who reached a career-high World No. 10, wondered if he would need to retire.

“Sometimes I thought about it. I didn’t want to do it. But when you stop for one and a half years, it’s normal that you think a lot of things,” Carreno Busta said. “I didn’t know [how] my life [would] continue after retiring.

“Look at Novak for example. He is 37 and continuing to play at this level. So I hope to be here on the Tour for the next few years.”

In his worst moments, Carreno Busta tried his best to enjoy time with his family and friends, especially his wife. Their support helped him remain as positive as possible.

Last October, Carreno Busta attempted to play two ATP Challenger Tour events after eight months away. But the pain was too difficult to deal with and he underwent an operation.

As tough as it was to spend so much time away from the sport he loves, it provided him a new perspective.

“I tried to work a lot to come back. I got treatments with the physios, with the doctors, I did a lot of fitness. I tried to play tennis. There were [tough] moments. But it’s true that I had a lot of time,” Carreno Busta said. “In a year and a half I had a lot of time to enjoy with my family also, to do things that normally I couldn’t do. For example, last summer, I went on holidays. Normally in summertime, I’m here in the U.S. or in Canada playing these tournaments. So it was different. But I think that in this moment I prefer to be here playing tennis.”

Carreno Busta played his first tournament of the year at Roland Garros, where he lost in the first round. After competing in three more events — two on clay and one on grass — the Spaniard was hurt again and unable to take the court at Wimbledon.

But now he is excited to be in Montreal, where two years ago he created one of the happiest moments of his career. He defeated Berrettini, Holger Rune, Jannik Sinner, Jack Draper, Daniel Evans and Hubert Hurkacz to earn the biggest title of his career.

“It was probably the best week of my life, winning a Masters 1000,” Carreno Busta said.

“I would like just to enjoy these moments, get the extra confidence to be here and try to make a good week. I know that probably my level is not the same level of two years ago. But for me, it’s very important to be here. I know I’m not 100 per cent again in this moment, but we’ll see what happens. I think the most important thing is that I’m healthy, continue to be healthy and don’t get injured again.”

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What 6’8” Diallo has learned from Eubanks, Raonic

Montreal native Gabriel Diallo grew up watching countryman Milos Raonic hammer aces and crush monstrous forehands. The eight-time tour-level titlist’s explosive service motion and winding forehand assisted Raonic in becoming Canada’s highest-ranked player in history, climbing to No. 3 in 2016. Eight years on, the 22-year-old Diallo likes to study the 2016 Wimbledon finalist.

Though the six-foot-eight Diallo’s technique is uniquely different than Raonic’s, the principle remains the same: big man, first-strike tennis. The former University of Kentucky standout, who turned pro in December 2022, has found inspiration from watching the success of players such as fellow former collegiate player, 6’7” Christopher Eubanks, and 6’5” Raonic.

“Chris [Eubanks] is someone I’ve been compared to a lot, especially in college because I was very tall, very lanky,” Diallo told commentator Mike Cation at the Chicago Men’s Challenger. “Chris and I are both big servers and we look for our forehands.

“For me, the greatest to ever do it in terms of serve plus-one is Milos Raonic. I watched a lot of Milos growing up. I still watch a lot of matches from before, from now. I think watching those types of players is a real eye-opener for me.”

Diallo eight days ago won the ATP Challenger Tour 75 event in Chicago, where he fired 17 aces in the final to remain unbroken across five matches en route to lifting his third title at that level.

<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/07/29/13/29/diallo-chicagoch-2024.jpg” style=”width:100%;” alt=”Gabriel Diallo is crowned champion at the Chicago Men’s Challenger.” />
^{Gabriel Diallo is crowned champion at the Chicago Men’s Challenger. Credit: Eduardo Cantu}

The Canadian remembers having a lightbulb moment last year. It was not his Davis Cup win against Lorenzo Musetti or upset over Daniel Evans in Toronto. Instead, Diallo learned valuable lessons in a three-set loss to Eubanks at the hard-court Gwangju Challenger.

Eubanks arrived at the three-week South Korean Challenger swing following a quarter-final run at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Miami, where the American secured his place in the Top 100. Two months after competing in intimate stadium courts in South Korea, the former Georgia Tech University star was competing on Wimbledon’s Centre Court.

Eubanks captured his maiden tour-level title in Mallorca and reached the quarter-finals at the grass-court major.

“I don’t think people realise the hard work he put in before,” said Diallo, the youngest Canadian in the Top 150 of the PIF ATP Rankings. “I remember when he had that run at Wimbledon, when I saw it, it made me think of three Challengers we played on hard courts in South Korea.

“I told my coach [Martin Laurendeau] after the match, ‘Boy, when he started to serve and hit his plus-one, there’s not much I could’ve done.’ It kind of also opened my eyes to where I could potentially be at his age, 25, 26. It’s a learning curve and I still have to dip my toes in the water. I’ve been on Tour for a year-and-a-half now.”

Diallo grew up a multi-sport athlete and though a handful of people told him that he should play basketball, drawing upon his height as an advantage, the World No. 141 enjoyed tennis the most. He ran track, did gymnastics and played handball, which his mother excelled in for the Ukrainian national team.

But the sport which Diallo began at age six now has him competing on a big stage in his home city. Diallo faces 16th seed Karen Khachanov in the Montreal opening round Tuesday.

Gabriel Diallo won’t be answering any questions about his blind rankings 😂#ATPChallenger | @TennisCanada pic.twitter.com/xddFtisUIa

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) January 25, 2024

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Sinner on Djokovic-Alcaraz Olympic clash: 'We don't see this level every day’

Jannik Sinner may be in Montreal focusing on preparations for this week’s Omnium Banque National présenté par Rogers, but that did not stop the World No. 1 from taking some time on Sunday to tune into one of the most gripping finals in Olympic Tennis Event history.

Despite his disappointment at missing Paris 2024 due to tonsilitis, Sinner joined millions of fans around the world in enjoying the latest Lexus ATP Head2Head clash between two of his biggest rivals, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.

“It was a very high-level match, I think everyone agrees with that,” said Sinner on Monday, when asked for his key takeaways from Djokovic’s victory after two tie-break sets. “It was a very physical match. When two of the best players in the world face each other at the moment, they produce something very special, so it was a pleasure to watch this kind of match and I think everyone really enjoyed. We don’t see this level every day, so it was an amazing match.”

As a 14-time tour-level champion, Sinner has become increasingly accustomed to the feeling of clinching a title. The 22-year-old ended his wait for a maiden Grand Slam title at January’s Australian Open, but he was quick to recognise the unique circumstances of Djokovic’s Olympic gold, a prize that had until Sunday eluded the Serbian across a career spanning nearly two decades.

“Of course I understand [his reaction], but I think he understands it more than anyone else,” said Sinner, when asked about Djokovic’s highly emotional celebrations after clinching the Career ‘Golden Slam’ in Paris. “He tried so hard to get this medal, which was the last thing he needed to accomplish. He knew this in his mind.

“He was close couple of times, making bronze or fourth a couple of times. This year was his year, and it was just a very nice scene, to see how much this means to him. Also, the reaction of Carlos after. It is the same reaction, but the opposite way. We work for these kinds of things, success. Obviously, Novak has many more years of expectations also. It’s very nice to see.”

Events in Paris have not distracted Sinner from his own task at hand — defending the Omnium Banque National présenté par Rogers title he won in Toronto in 2023. Sinner confirmed he is fully recovered from his recent illness as he prepares for an opening-round against Pedro Martinez or a qualifier.

“It feels great. I arrived here quite early,” said Sinner. “Firstly, to get rid of the jetlag. Secondly, to recover here from the last part of what I had. For sure the first couple of days were very slow days, with not a lot of practise, trying to get the body used to it again. Now I’m practising really hard again. I feel my body fighting. Honestly, it’s really good and I’m ready to compete again.”

“It’s a while since the last match I played at Wimbledon. So, let’s see. I’m very excited to be here and hopefully I can show some good tennis.”

We’re in Canada this week 🇨🇦

Here’s all you need to know about the sixth ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the year! 👇
@emirates | #ATPScoutingReport | #partner

— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 5, 2024

With Alcaraz not competing in Montreal, Sinner has the opportunity to extend his lead from the second-placed Spaniard in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. He is looking forward to competing on hard courts for the first time since March in Miami, where he surged to his second Masters 1000 crown.

“It’s for sure my favourite surface, but every situation is different,” said Sinner, when asked about his 22-1 tour-level record on hard courts this year. “Here, for example, the ball is flying quite a lot, so you have to feel the ball a little bit more and just try to play with a good mindset against every opponent that you have to face.

“[I will take it] day by day. Tomorrow, I play doubles [with Jack Draper], which is a good start for me to prepare the best possible way, and then the singles.”

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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How Agassi, Rafter, Roddick & Nadal sealed the 'Summer Sweep' in Cincy

Winning in sport is tough, but when you get on a roll it can become a habit. In years gone by, winning became exactly that for Andre Agassi, Patrick Rafter, Andy Roddick and Rafael Nadal across the North American hard-court swing.

During their careers, those four greats all completed one of the ATP Tour’s unique accomplishments at the Cincinnati Open. Since the ATP Masters 1000 series began in 1990, they are the only players to have backed up a title run at the Omnium Banque National présenté par Rogers by claiming the trophy at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Ohio that same season.

Cracking the winning code consecutively in Canada and Cincinnati has proven tough even for some of the ATP Tour’s most iconic stars. Yet former World No. 1s Agassi (1995), Rafter (1998), Roddick (2003) and Nadal (2013) all dug deep win both hard-court events in the same season. All except Agassi also went on to win the US Open in the same year.

Ahead of the 2024 edition of the Cincinnati Open, which begins on Monday in Mason, Ohio, ATPTour.com looks back at the four champions who have tasted back-to-back Masters 1000 success in North America.

Andre Agassi – 1995
In 1995, Agassi arrived in Montreal seeking to consolidate his position as World No. 1 at the Omnium Banque National présenté par Rogers. Two weeks and 10 wins later, the American stood on centre court at the Lindner Family Tennis Center having become the first man to win the Canada-Cincinnati Masters 1000 double.

The American had already captured hard-court titles earlier that year at the Australian Open and in San Jose, Miami and Washington. The fact he prevailed from the Montreal and Cincinnati fields was therefore not a huge surprise, yet the way Agassi clinched his back-to-back Masters 1000 crowns was almost as impressive as the novel achievement itself.

The 25-year-old dropped just two sets across 10 matches in Montreal and Cincinnati, and he defeated Top 10 opponents in both finals. After notching his third victory of the year against World No. 2 Pete Sampras to successfully defend his title in Canada, Agassi brought some of his best tennis to his homeland with a dominant run in Cincinnati.

With a week between the events, Agassi arrived in Ohio rested and refreshed. His only moment of peril came when he was forced to recover from being bagelled in the second set of his second-round clash against former World No. 12 Alberto Berasategui. Agassi did so, and eventually overcome two-time defending champ and World No. 5 Michael Chang 7-5, 6-2 in the final.

Agassi notched another ATP Tour crown in New Haven before his 26-match winning streak came to and end against Sampras in the US Open final. Despite that disappointment in New York, he could look back on a stunning summer in which he had picked up his sixth and seventh Masters 1000 crowns, respectively, en route to securing a slice of ATP Tour history.

<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/07/30/12/15/agassi-canada-1995-bespoke.jpg” alt=”Andre Agassi” style=”width: 100%;” />
^{_{Andre Agassi was the first man to complete the Canada-Cincinnati ‘Summer Sweep’. Photo Credit: Getty Images}}

Patrick Rafter – 1998
Rafter climbed to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings for the first time in July 1999, famously holding the position for just one week. Rewind a year and it was his standout results in the 1998 North American summer that built the foundations for his rise to the top.

The way Rafter flipped the script within two of his tougher Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalries was key to his double triumph in North America. After notching just his second win in eight tour-level meetings against Richard Krajicek to become the first man in 10 years to win the Canadian Masters 1000 event without dropping a set, he breezed into the Cincinnati final for the loss of just one set. Awaiting the Australian was Pete Sampras, who had triumphed in the pair’s eight previous encounters.

Even if he was full of confidence from claiming his maiden Masters 1000 crown in Toronto, Rafter may have quickly felt in familiar territory against Sampras after the American charged to the first set for the loss of one game. Yet the calm and collected Australian retained his composure to battle back for a 1-6, 7-6(2) 6-4 victory and ensure he emulated Agassi’s historic ‘Summer Sweep’.

“Well, winning becomes a habit,” said Rafter, who beat Sampras again a month later en route to the title at the US Open, after his Cincinnati win. “You just go out and play and things work for you. Every decision you make comes off. But then, you know, you can lose it very quickly as well. At this stage, the decisions I made are working. You can ask Andre that. You can ask Pete that, he’ll probably say the same thing.”

<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/07/30/12/08/rafter-canada-1998-bespoke.jpg” alt=”Patrick Rafter” style=”width: 100%;” />
_{^{Patrick Rafter’s 1998 form paved the way for his rise to World No. 1. Photo Credit: Getty Images}}

Andy Roddick – 2003
An all-American final between two good friends had home fans gripped at the 2003 Cincinnati Open.

Enjoying the summer of his career until that point, the fast-rising 21-year-old Andy Roddick powered into the championship match in Ohio without losing a set. The World No. 7 deployed his huge serve and powerful all-around game with all the confidence of a man who had arrived in Ohio fresh from downing Roger Federer and David Nalbandian to clinch his maiden Masters 1000 title in Montreal.

On the other side of the net was Roddick’s long-time friend Mardy Fish, who had spent his junior days living with the Roddick family in Boca Raton, Florida, where the pair trained together. Although Roddick later acknowledged he found it tough competing against a good friend in such a big match, he eventually cut through the tension after saving two championship points to pull off a 4-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(4) triumph.

“It’s tough,” reflected Roddick after outlasting Fish across two hours and 29 minutes. “I wouldn’t have wanted this to end any other way, but definitely as he was walking off, I felt for him. I’d have no problem if I didn’t really know the guy or if I just said ‘Hi’ in passing sometimes, but to know someone pretty well and know what they’re thinking and what they’re going through, it sucked, I guess.”

Just as Rafter had in 1998, Roddick went on to win the US Open in September, defeating Nalbandian once again before he beat Juan Carlos Ferrero in straight sets to win the first and only major of his career.

<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/08/07/09/25/roddick-fish-cincinnati-2003-final.jpg” style=”width: 100%;” alt=”Andy Roddick/Mardy Fish” />

_{^{Andy Roddick defeated his good friend Mardy Fish in the 2003 Cincinnati championship match. Photo Credit: Brian Bahr/Getty Images}}

Rafael Nadal – 2013
Nadal’s 2013 season was one of the greatest of his historic career. The Spaniard won 10 tour-level trophies — bettered only by the 11 he collected in 2005 — while he tallied a staggering 75-7 win-loss record.

However, when the Spaniard arrived in Montreal in 2013 he was aiming to bounce back from a disappointing first-round Wimbledon exit to Belgian Steve Darcis. Nadal cruised through his first three matches in Quebec and then met Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals. Two months after their five-set epic at Roland Garros, Nadal once again beat the Serbian, this time 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(2). With his victory, Nadal recorded his first win against Djokovic on hard courts in three years and set himself up to down home favourite Milos Raonic 6-2, 6-2 in the final for his second Canadian Masters 1000 crown.

The following week in Cincinnati, Nadal set about ensuring that his Wimbledon disappointment quickly became an even more distant memory. He survived a three-set scare from then-22-year-old Grigor Dimitrov before he beat Federer 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 in the quarter-finals. It was the Spaniard’s third consecutive win against his great rival. Nadal then beat Tomas Berdych in the semi-finals and John Isner 7-6(8), 7-6(3) in the final to lift the trophy in Cincinnati for the first time.

“It means a lot, being able to win two straight titles, two Masters 1000 on hard, back to back, is just amazing for me,” said Nadal, who remains the most recent player to complete the ‘Summer Sweep’. “I never did something like this in all my career. So it was an emotional moment for so many different facts.”

Like Rafter and Roddick, Nadal went on to win the US Open in September, his 13th major crown and second at the US Open.

<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/07/30/12/08/nadal-montreal-2013-bespoke.jpg” style=”width:100%;” alt=”Rafael Nadal” />
^{_{Rafael Nadal won 10 tour-level titles overall in 2013. Photo Credit: Getty Images}}
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Reliving Mic’d Up: Looking back at the historic innovation in Washington

Sebastian Korda lifted the Mubadala Citi DC Open trophy on Sunday evening for the biggest title of his career, marking the end of a history-making week for the American.

The 24-year-old claimed his first ATP 500 crown, joining father Petr Korda on the event’s champions’ list. But he also became one of the first four ATP Tour players to wear a live microphone during a match. The innovation was part of the 2024 ATP Tour Doubles Trial.

Korda, doubles partner Alex Michelsen, Harri Heliovaara and Jamie Murray all participated. Heliovaara, who last month won the Wimbledon doubles title with Henry Patten, became the first player to wear the live mic in his first-round match.

The Finnish player also wore in his second-round match, a loss alongside Patten. Heliovaara explained that he is always happy to do what he can to promote doubles and the players, so it was an easy decision to participate once he felt comfortable with the equipment.

“I think we need personalities, more stars in the doubles part of this game and the microphones are a great way to make that a little easier on court. I felt very comfortable with the microphone, it didn’t bother me at all, the technology. I didn’t have to think anything if I’m saying something stupid or not,” Heliovaara said. “I’m pretty open about my tennis career anyway so I felt very comfortable with wearing the microphone.”

After watching the trial throughout the week, the 35-year-old said he hopes that in the future there will be more instances of partners both wearing microphones. In Washington, Korda and Michelsen did it twice.

“I think we will get more discussion that way, but we had a couple of matches where we had both members of one team mic’d and I think that worked really well. It was interesting to hear,” Heliovaara said. “Some singles guys also playing like Korda, Michelsen, I think that was the most interesting for me. A lot of talking, a lot of jokes, sometimes a little bit more serious, but it’s a very good insight for the fans and I hope this trial continues.”

Murray lost his opening match alongside Michael Venus, but was happy that he participated in the trial and like Heliovaara, had no issues wearing the technology.

“I think it was a pretty cool innovation,” Murray said. “I think that it’s definitely something that is interesting for fans to see the communication within the team, the chemistry. I think that’s a cool thing to to get across for the viewers at home.

“I think if there’s more time between the points then the broadcasters will get more from it because the players will have time to communicate more to not just set plays and off you go. There will be proper communication in terms of potentially rescuing your partner, talking about what’s actually going on in the match, the ebbs and flows of the match, that sort of stuff.”

At the end of the week, when Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow emerged victorious with the title, Tournament Chairman Mark Ein made it a point to let the crowd know about the trial.

“This was the first tournament ever where we put live mics on doubles players. So if you watch it on TV, or you watch the stream, you could actually listen to the players talking to each other,” Ein said. “We’ve seen it in other sports. I think it’s an innovation that hopefully is going to get adopted around the tour. It brings the fans on the court into the action in a way I don’t think anything else does. So I want to thank the players and the ATP tour for sponsoring and supporting that initiative.”

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Greatest final in ATP Masters 1000 history? Reflecting on Djokovic vs. Alcaraz Cincy epic

No one will forget the 2023 Cincinnati Open championship match in a hurry.

A humdinger played out between the world’s two best players in stifling Ohio heat, the three-hour, 49-minute clash between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz was one of the greatest matches in ATP Masters 1000 history. Physical and mental resilience from both players, consistent shotmaking of the highest quality, and Djokovic battling back from championship point down to clinch the trophy were among the features that ensured the encounter instantly achieved classic status.

“Crazy. Honestly, I don’t know what else I can say,” reflected Djokovic after his 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4) victory at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. “Tough to describe. Definitely one of the toughest matches I’ve ever played in my life, regardless of what tournament, what category, what level, what player. It’s unbelievable.”

Such a dramatic final had appeared unlikely when the then-No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings Alcaraz led No. 2 Djokovic, who was visibly struggling in the heat, by a set and a break at 7-5, 4-3. Even after Djokovic had reclaimed the break, he was still forced to fend off a championship point at 5/6 in the second-set tie-break, which he did with a big serve-forehand combo.

With Alcaraz beginning to suffer with cramp in his right hand in the decider, Djokovic emerged from nowhere as the physically stronger in the closing stages. He still needed to win another tie-break to get over the line after Alcaraz rallied admirably from a break down in the decider, but he did so with his fifth championship point before falling to the ground in ecstasy.

“From the beginning until the end we’ve both been through so much, so many ups and downs, highs and lows, incredible points, poor games, heat strokes, coming back,” said Djokovic, who triumphed despite hitting just 28 winners to Alcaraz’s 42, according to Infosys ATP Stats. “Just overall, one of the toughest and most exciting matches I was ever part of. These are the kinds of moments and matches that I continue to work for day in day out. I was never in doubt that I can deliver the ‘A’ game when it mattered the most and [I am] just thrilled.”

After clinching his third Cincinnati title and his record-extending 39th Masters 1000 crown overall, Djokovic added another memorable moment to his dramatic victory: The 36-year-old ripped off his shirt Hulk-style in an iconic moment of pure emotion.

“Boy, you never give up” 🤣@DjokerNole knows a thing or two about facing ‘never-say-die’ Spaniards…@carlosalcaraz | @CincyTennis | #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/7sYEnAJKue

— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 21, 2023

Despite disappointment at defeat in his maiden Cincinnati final and shedding tears during his speech at the trophy ceremony, Alcaraz remained philosophical after playing a significant role in one of the best matches of the 2024 ATP Tour season.

“I feel proud of myself, honestly,” said the Spaniard in his post-match press conference. “I [was] talking and I don’t know why I was crying because I fought until the last ball. I almost beat one of the greatest of all time from our sport. It’s crazy to talk about it right now, but I left the court really, really happy [with] what I did.”

<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/08/06/14/05/alcaraz-cincinnati-2023-final-forehand.jpg” style=”width: 100%;” alt=”Carlos Alcaraz” />

_{^{Alcaraz in action during the 2023 Cincinnati final against Djokovic. Photo Credit: Michael Hickey/Getty Images}}

Djokovic’s triumph for the ages also had a direct impact on the Serbian’s place in the tennis history books. With his win, he moved into outright third on the list of most career match wins with 1,069, passing both Rafael Nadal and Ivan Lendl. One year on, Djokovic will arrive in Cincinnati on 1,116 wins, trailing only Jimmy Connors (1,274) and Roger Federer (1,251).

Djokovic and Alcaraz’s rivalry has hardly slowed down in the 12 months since their memorable meeting in Cincinnati. Djokovic defeated his young rival again at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals, before Alcaraz downed the Serbian in the Wimbledon final for the second straight year to clinch the 2024 edition of the grass major. Earlier this month, Djokovic prevailed in two high-level tie-break sets to finally capture an Olympic gold medal at Paris 2024.

With Djokovic now leading Alcaraz 4-3 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series, fans in Ohio will eagerly anticipate a potential third tour-level clash of the year between the two. While they both now sit behind No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the PIF ATP Rankings, both will be hopeful of carving out more unforgettable memories on the hard courts of Cincinnati.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Sinner defends Canada crown in Montreal; Zverev, Medvedev in action

The best players in the world are set for the sixth ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the year at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers in Montreal.

World No. 1 and defending Toronto champion Jannik Sinner leads the field with Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev also in action. ATPTour.com looks at 10 storylines to watch over the coming week.

1) Defending Champion Sinner: After withdrawing from the Paris Olympics due to tonsillitis, the Italian will make his first appearance since the Wimbledon quarter-finals. Last year’s title run in Toronto marked Sinner’s first Masters 1000 crown. Now the 22-year-old returns to Canadian soil as No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, boasting a 42-4 season record.

2) Zverev Aims For Second Title Of Season: The second seed Zverev has fond memories in Montreal, where he won the title in 2017. Zverev, who this year lifted the trophy at the Masters 1000 event in Rome, leads the ATP Tour this season with 44 match wins.

3) Can Medvedev Master Montreal?: The third seed has lightheartedly said that he is a hard-court specialist. Now back on his beloved surface for the first time since March in Miami, Medvedev is aiming for his first title since Rome last year. A six-time Masters 1000 titlist, the 28-year-old won the Canadian event in 2021, when the tournament was held in Toronto.

4) Home Favourite Felix: Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime arrives at his home tournament following standout runs at the Paris Olympics, where he reached the semi-finals in singles and partnered Gabriela Dabrowski to win bronze in mixed doubles. A 2022 quarter-finalist, Auger-Aliassime aims to go one step further than this year’s Madrid runner-up finish to win his maiden Masters 1000 trophy.

5) Top 10 Seeds: Andrey Rublev arrives in Montreal following a quarter-final run in Washington. Casper Ruud, Grigor Dimitrov and Stefanos Tsitsipas return to hard courts for the first time since Miami. World No. 6 Hubert Hurkacz hopes to find his best level following a knee injury suffered at Wimbledon.

6) #NextGenATP Frenchman Fils: Hamburg champion Arthur Fils looks to consolidate his substantial lead in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. The two-time tour-level titlist is aiming for a return trip to the 20-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from 18-22 December.

7) Raonic, Shapovalov Lead Home Hopes: Former World No. 3 Milos Raonic and 2017 semi-finalist Denis Shapovalov are among four Canadian main-draw wild cards. The 22-year-old 6’8” Gabriel Diallo, who two weeks ago won the ATP Challenger Tour event in Chicago, and Vasek Pospisil are also in the field.

8) Americans Aiming For Glory: An American man has not won the Canadian Masters 1000 event since Andy Roddick in 2003. This year, the United States has three players among the Top 12 seeds: Taylor Fritz, last year’s semi-finalist Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton.

9) Unseeded Surprise Run?: When the Canadian Masters 1000 tournament was held in Montreal two years ago, Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta went on a dream run, becoming the first unseeded player to win the tournament since 2002. Unseeded players hoping for their biggest career title this week include Fils, Sebastian Korda, Nicolas Jarry, Alexander Bublik and Jack Draper.

10) Granollers/Zeballos Doubles Top Seeds: Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos, first in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings, launch their quest for a second Masters 1000 title this season (Rome). Rohan Bopanna/Matthew Ebden and 2021 champions Rajeev Ram/Joe Salisbury are also competing.

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Korda breaks Top 20, Mover of Week

The North American hard-court swing continued at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, where Sebastian Korda won the title. ATPTour.com looks at the movers of the week in the PIF ATP Rankings as of Monday, 5 August.

No. 18 Sebastian Korda, +4 (Career High)
The 24-year-old has climbed into the Top 20 for the first time after he captured his second ATP Tour title and first since 2021 in Washington, where he became the first American man to win the trophy ATP 500 event since Andy Roddick in 2007. By triumphing, Korda also matched his father Petr Korda’s achievement of winning the D.C. title in 1992. The Kordas are the first father-son duo to win the same title in ATP Tour history. Korda now holds a 2-6 record in tour-level finals.

No. 33 Flavio Cobolli, +15 (Career High)
The Italian has jumped to a career-high after he reached his maiden tour-level final in Washington. Cobolli played four consecutive three-set matches, including the title match. The 22-year-old defeated Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Alex Michelsen and Ben Shelton at the hard-court event.

No. 77 Alexandre Muller, +22
The 27-year-old has soared 22 spots after he won an ATP Challenger Tour title in San Marino. The Frenchman did not drop a set en route to the final and then beat Chun-Hsin Tseng in three sets. It is Muller’s third Challenger Tour crown.

Other Notable Top 100 Movers
No. 6 Hubert Hurkacz, +1 (Career High)
No. 12 Tommy Paul, +1 (Joint Career High)
No. 30 Jordan Thompson (Career High), +3
No. 55 Alex Michelsen, +5 (Joint Career High)
No. 71 Sumit Nagal, +4
No. 73 Federico Coria, +6
No. 74 Rinky Hijikata, +6
No. 75 Botic van de Zandschulp, +9
No. 81 Thanasi Kokkinakis, +10

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Cincinnati Open 2024: Draws, Dates, History & All You Need To Know

The seventh ATP Masters 1000 event of the season is the Cincinnati Open, which is held at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz and defending titlist Novak Djokovic headline the action.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the US tournament:

When is the Cincinnati Open?

The ATP 1000 event will be held from 12-19 August. Founded in 1899, the hard-court tournament is celebrating its 125th year. It will take place at the Lindner Family Tennis Centre. The tournament director is Bob Moran.

Who is playing at the Cincinnati Open?
Sinner, Alcaraz, Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Alex de Minaur and Hubert Hurkacz are among the Cincinnati field.

When is the draw for the Cincinnati Open?

The Cincinnati Open draw will be made at a time yet to be confirmed. 

What is the schedule for the Cincinnati Open?

Qualifying: Sunday, 11 August – Monday, 12 August at 11 a.m. (EDT)
Main Draw: Monday, 12 August – Sunday, 18 August at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Doubles Final: Monday, 19 August at 1 p.m.
Singles Final: Monday, 19 August at 6 p.m.

View On Official Website

What is the prize money and points for the Cincinnati Open?

The prize money for the Cincinnati Open is $6,795,555 and the Total Financial Commitment is $7,909,030.

SINGLES:
Winner: $1,049,460/ 1000 points
Finalist: $573,090 / 650 points
Semi-finalist: $313,395/ 400 points
Quarter-finalist: $170,940 / 200 points
Round of 16: $91,435 / 100 points
Round of 32: $49,030 / 50 points
Round of 56: $27,165 / 10 points

DOUBLES ($ per team): 
Winner: $322,000 / 1000 points
Finalist: $174,920 / 600 points
Semi-finalist: $96,090/ 360 points
Quarter-finalist: $53,010 / 180 points
Round of 16: $29,140 / 90 points
Round of 32: $15,910 / 0 points

How can I watch the Cincinnati Open?

Watch Live on TennisTV
TV Schedule

How can I follow the Cincinnati Open?

Hashtag: #CincyTennis
YouTube: CincyProTennis
Facebook: Cincy Tennis
TikTok: CincyTennis

Instagram: CincyTennis

Who won the last edition of the Cincinnati Open in 2023?
Novak Djokovic saved a match point en route to overcoming a valiant Carlos Alcaraz in an enthralling 5-7, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (4) final. It was Djokovic’s third Cincinnati title, after wins in 2018 and 2020. In the doubles final, Argentinian duo Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni eked out Michael Venus and Jamie Murray 3-6, 6-1, 11-9 in a tight-knit battle to take home the title.

Who holds the Cincinnati Open record for most titles, oldest champion, youngest champion and more?

Most Titles, Singles: Roger Federer (7)
Most Titles, Doubles: Daniel Nestor (5), Bob Bryan (5), Mike Bryan (5)
Oldest Champion: Ken Rosewall, 35, in 1970
Youngest Champion: Boris Becker, 17, in 1985
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 1 John McEnroe in 1981, No. 1 Andre Agassi in 1995, No. 1 Pete Sampras in 1997, 1999, No. 1 Gustavo Kuerten in 2001, No. 1 Roger Federer in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2012, No. 1 Novak Djokovic in 2020
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 152 Borna Coric in 2022
Last Home Champion: Andy Roddick in 2006
Most Match Wins: Roger Federer (47)

View Who Is Playing, Past Champions, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown

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