Fritz beats irate Medvedev in ATP Finals opener
Taylor Fritz defeats an irate Daniil Medvedev in straight sets in the opening match of the ATP Finals.
Taylor Fritz defeats an irate Daniil Medvedev in straight sets in the opening match of the ATP Finals.
Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos were just one win away from claiming the Nitto ATP Finals in 2023. They lost in the final to Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury. One season later, Spaniard and Argentine are back in Turin after a spectacular 2024 season that has catapulted them to the pinnacle of the PIF ATP Doubles Team Rankings, where they could end the season if things go their way in Italy.
“We arrive here after a very good year,” Granollers explained on Saturday. “We’ve had good results in almost every tournament we’ve played in. We’ve had a very consistent year and arriving here with these results really gives us confidence,” he added. “We’re playing well, practising well and hopefully we’ll have a good tournament.”
Granollers and Zeballos, who will play their opener on Sunday against Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten, have paced themselves exceptionally well throughout the season, with a very well-thought-out schedule.
“Neither of us are 20”, said Granollers, 38. “We try to achieve that balance, to be fresh and hungry and have a good mindset when the important tournaments come around. Judging by the results we’ve had throughout the year, it’s worked well for us. We’ve managed to create a schedule that prioritizes the big tournaments,” he added.
“I think if you look after yourself and do things right… we see a lot of doubles players of our age, some even older, and they’re able to play at a good level,” continued Granollers. “We’re not thinking five years ahead, really we’re taking things more year by year. We feel good, we’re playing well, so why not?”
[ATP APP]That “why not?” was a confirmation that Granollers will continue to play in 2025, despite the fact that he had been considering retirement at the end of this season. With two titles in 2024 (the ATP Masters 1000s in Rome and Canada) and a further three finals (Auckland, Buenos Aires and Indian Wells), there is certainly no shortage of reasons to continue.
“This year has been so good and, in the end, we’re getting really good results,” Granollers continued. “Obviously, that helps with the daily grind. We’ve said that hopefully we can do a similar schedule next year, which would mean we’ve done well. We’re really motivated to have another good season.”
First though, of course, they are on a mission to conquer Turin, and to finish the year at the top of the rankings while they are at it.
“It would be good, of course”, said Granollers. “We’ve been at the top of the ranking for a few months. It would be amazing, but we’re really focused on trying to play our tennis. We know that the team that plays well here will achieve that, but we’re taking it day by day. It’s a very tough tournament and we have to be at our best.”
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Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson kick-started the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals in style on Sunday afternoon in Turin.
The fifth-seeded Australian pair downed third seeds Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic 7-6(1), 6-3 on their debut at the prestigious season finale. Purcell and Thompson took control of the encounter during a mid-match hot streak: They stormed to the first-set tie-break before moving 3-0 ahead with a double break in the second set, a lead that ultimately proved unassailable.
“It was great. From the get-go, we were on it, we were ready to play,” said Thompson. “We’re happy to be here at the [Nitto ATP Finals] so it was massively pleasing… It’s great for our first time here. Started with a win, life couldn’t be better here.”
Dream debut in Turin for the Aussies 🫂
US Open champions @jordanthommmo2 & @MaxPurcell98 pick up their first win in the Mike Bryan Group!#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/kxhea65rmE
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 10, 2024
After seizing a high-quality first set in the tie-break, Purcell and Thompson delivered a classy serving display in the second to complete their victory. The five-time ATP Tour champion team dropped just four points on serve in the second set, according to Infosys ATP Stats, freeing them up to play aggressively in their return games.
“[The serve] will be really key this week,” said Purcell. “I feel like the courts aren’t playing that fast… We kept hitting our spots and getting through our service games pretty quick, which means that the pressure on our opponents is going to be a lot. We didn’t break in the first, but we broke three times in the second set. That just shows that we put that pressure on and got our chances.”
After improving to 2-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series against the 2020 Nitto ATP Finals champions Koolhof and Mektic, Purcell and Thompson moved to 1-0 in Mike Bryan Group. The other teams they will face in group play are Marcel Granollers/Horacio Zeballos and Harri Heliovaara/Henry Patten.
“I think we said in March that we wanted to come to Turin,” said Purcell, when asked about his first time competing at the NItto ATP Finals. “That was our goal, and to finish the year in the top 10 [of the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings], but the job’s not done and we have four more matches hopefully.”
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As the Nitto ATP Finals kicks off, the second year of the Nitto ATP Finals Torino Green Project continues to elevate the tournament’s commitment to environmental sustainability. This initiative, driven by Nitto, ATP and the Federazione Italiana Tennis e Padel (FITP), features a series of projects that connect fans, partners, and local stakeholders, underscoring the power of partnership in advancing sustainable practices within the sport.
Highlight: The Green Wall
In the heart of the Fan Village, visitors will find The Green Wall — a sustainability-focused installation designed with live plants, developed collaboratively by Nitto, ATP and FITP. The wall invites fans to engage directly with the theme of sustainability, offering a vibrant backdrop for photos and social media shares that promote environmental awareness. Following the tournament, The Green Wall will be relocated within Turin, an active symbol of the city’s sustainability mission. As one of the European Commission’s 100 “Mission Cities”, Turin has committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2030.
Innovation Summit: Circular Economy Leadership
This year’s Nitto ATP Finals Innovation Summit hosted its third edition on Friday, bringing together thought leaders to discuss the ‘Right to Repair’ and circular economy initiatives. Speakers from Nitto, FITP, the City of Turin, and the Politecnico of Torino, among other industry representatives, joined a series of roundtable discussions, focusing on innovative approaches to sustainable consumption and waste reduction. The Summit reaffirms Nitto and ATP’s shared commitment to sustainability through thought leadership and active partnership with local institutions.
Fan Participation: Tracking Travel Emissions
For the first time, fans attending the Nitto ATP Finals will have the chance to support the tournament’s sustainability goals by logging their travel to and from the event. Powered by Nitto in collaboration with sustainability startup LOWR, this initiative will provide valuable insights into the carbon footprint of fan travel, a major contributor to event emissions. This project is part of ATP’s broader ATP Serves strategy, which focuses on advancing the sport’s sustainability.
“The Nitto ATP Finals is the pinnacle of our season, and we’re proud to see it leading the way on our sustainability roadmap,” said Massimo Calvelli, ATP CEO. “This progress is driven by partnerships, combining strengths to achieve meaningful change. Nitto’s support, alongside the commitment of all our partners, has been essential in making this event the best it can be — for tennis, our community and the planet.”
This year’s Nitto ATP Finals Torino Green Project initiatives build on a successful year in 2023, with actions including planting 40 trees in the vicinity of the Inalpi Arena, installation of green roofs atop select bus stops in the city and donating €100,000 to the Municipality of Turin.
It’s time to vote! We need your help to determine the Fans’ Favourite winners in the 2024 ATP Awards.
Which tennis players entertained you during the 2024 ATP Tour season? Show your support by selecting your favourite singles player and doubles team from the dropdowns below and submit your vote.
Voting for the 2024 Fans’ Favourite Awards closes at 11:59pm GMT on Wednesday, 27 November.
Stay tuned over the coming weeks as we celebrate players and tournaments in the 2024 ATP Awards!
Note: Fans’ Favourite candidates are active players in the Top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings and Top 20 teams in the PIF ATP Doubles Team Rankings as of 4 November 2024. The Top 100 includes players with protected ATP Rankings who have played at least one tour-level match in 2024. Candidates with protected rankings are noted in the list with (PR).
The doubles stars of the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals gathered on Saturday for Media Day, during which they took the Official Doubles Photo at the Inalpi Arena.
Marcelo Arevalo/Mate Pavic headline the draw and will compete in The Bob Bryan group with Italians Simone Bolelli/Andrea Vavassori, Rohan Bopanna/Matthew Ebden, and Kevin Krawietz/Tim Puetz. Second seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos top the Mike Bryan Group with Wesley Koolhof/Nikola Mektic, Max Purcell/Jordan Thompson, and Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten. All will compete for the title in Turin, starting on Sunday.
“Since January in Australia, each milestone has led us to this pinnacle in Turin and we eagerly anticipate the start of play on Sunday,” said Ross Hutchins, Chief Tour Officer of the ATP Tour. “The NATPF sets the highest standards across all areas—player experience, production excellence, and fan engagement—and today’s opening of the Fan Village further underscores this commitment.
“Congratulations to each of our players; qualifying among the Top eight is an outstanding achievement and you have fully earned this stage. As we prepare for doubles’ biggest showcase of the year, we wish all players the very best.”
Photo Credit: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Earlier in the day, the players took to stage in the newly renovated Fan Village, answering questions and signing autographs in front of a packed crowd.
“I am super excited to be competing at the Nitto ATP Finals,” Arevalo said. “I think it is the main goal of the players at the start of the year to be at the best event of the ATP. I am super grateful to be here, I am super excited. I want to start competing already. Thanks to my partner Mate [Pavic] too, because without him, this would not be possible. Also congratulations to all the teams here.”
Action commences on Sunday, when Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic open proceedings against Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson in The Mike Bryan Group.
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Britain’s Cameron Norrie is unable to finish a frustrating season on a high as he loses to France’s Benjamin Bonzi in the Moselle Open final.
Benjamin Bonzi overcame Cameron Norrie 7-6(6), 6-4 to lift his maiden ATP Tour title on home soil at the Moselle Open in Metz on Saturday.
Backed by a vocal home crowd, Bonzi delivered an impressive performance on serve, firing 10 aces and winning 75 per cent (45/60) of his first-serve points. The French qualifier entered the tournament with a 0-6 record this season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.
[ATP APP]Playing Norrie for the first time, Bonzi took a 1-0 lead in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series. He will rise to No. 78 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, after having started the week at No. 124.
More to come
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