After skipping the clay-court season, Roger Federer arrived at the 2018 MercedesCup following an 11-week hiatus. The Swiss star immediately had to find his top gear, as World No. 1 was at stake. If Federer reached the Stuttgart final, he would pass Rafael Nadal for top spot.

“I think that’s a bit of extra motivation,” Federer said ahead of the ATP 250. “But then again, having lost here last year in the [opening] round, for me, it resets the goals.”

Federer was riding a two-match Stuttgart losing streak. Dominic Thiem saved two match points to oust the Swiss in the 2016 semi-finals, and Tommy Haas saved one match point in a second-round upset of Federer in 2017.

The 36-year-old lost his first set of the 2018 tournament against Mischa Zverev. But then Federer found his form, rallying past the German and ousting Guido Pella to set a semi-final clash against Nick Kyrgios. The stakes were clear: Win, and clinch a return to World No. 1 for the third time that season.

Federer played steadier tennis than the dynamic Aussie in a 6-7(2), 6-2, 7-6(5) triumph, securing No. 1 and reaching the championship match.

“I’m very happy, very relieved. I thought it was a tough match [like] I expected against Nick. We’ve played so many breakers already, I’m losing count,” Federer said. “It was close. It could have gone either way, naturally. But I’m happy I got it and get back to World No. 1 next Monday, so it’s very exciting. And I’ve got another final, so it’s great news.”

Federer had lost two of his previous three matches against his next opponent, Milos Raonic. But the Swiss claimed his 18th tour-level grass-court crown with a 6-4, 7-6(3) victory against the Canadian.

“I’m really happy. I thought it was a good final from my side. I think I played very well throughout the tournament, actually, having not played for a while. It’s a great comeback for me,” Federer said.

Federer only lost his serve twice all week, triumphing in Stuttgart for the first time on his third appearance. His efforts allowed him to reclaim World No. 1 for one week — Nadal took back top spot — which was the last week Federer spent atop tennis’ mountain.

Who is the most difficult opponent on the ATP Tour?

The answer is different depending on whom you ask. Some players are uncomfortable facing powerful opponents, while others don’t like competing against someone with an unorthodox game.

In an Instagram Live session Thursday sponsored by Lavazza, Jannik Sinner and Karen Khachanov revealed that their toughest opponents have very different games.

“For me the most difficult one was Medvedev,” Sinner said, leading Khachanov to crack a massive smile.

“Daniil, my friend!” the Russian exclaimed.

Sinner played Medvedev in February at the Open 13 Provence in Marseille. The Italian raced through the first set, but Medvedev flipped the script for a 1-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory.

“[My match against Medvedev] was so strange. I won the first set easily, and then he changed something. I didn’t understand what it was, and the other two sets went so fast,” Sinner said. “He has such a strange ball, especially with his backhand, which is basically coming with backspin.

“I left the court [after the match] and I said, ‘Okay, I didn’t understand anything from the match.’”

Khachanov is six years older than Sinner. He has much more experience than the rising Italian, and he was happy to give the teen some advice: those tough matches happen.

“There are some players that you feel uncomfortable playing,” Khachanov said. “Sometimes in some matches, something quickly turns and then you don’t understand how you lost.”

Khachanov said his toughest opponent is Rafael Nadal, against whom he owns an 0-7 ATP Head2Head record. Their most memorable meeting came at the 2018 US Open, where Nadal needed four sets to beat Khachanov after four hours and 23 minutes.

“The past four matches were really close, a good level. I remember I was just a few points away from winning,” Khachanov said. “But for me, that’s why it makes it so difficult to beat him, because he’s always there. Somehow in the last moment… he turns around the situation.

“Even if you [are] leading, he’s a guy who can come back and still get the win.”

The USTA today announced Thursday that Stacey Allaster, its Chief Executive, Professional Tennis, has been named US Open Tournament Director, effective immediately. Allaster is the first female Tournament Director in the US Open’s 140-year history.

Allaster will be responsible for all competitive aspects of the US Open, including player relations, officiating and match scheduling, among other duties. She succeeds David Brewer, who stepped down after the 2019 US Open.

Allaster joined the USTA in 2016 after more than nine years at the WTA, where she first served as the President and then the Chairman and CEO. Since joining the USTA, she has overseen a number of innovations at both the US Open and US Open Series events, including the serve clock, warm-up clock and on-court coaching during the US Open Qualifying and junior tournaments.

“Stacey Allaster is an internationally renowned sports and entertainment leader, a champion of equality and an innovator in the sport of tennis,” said USTA Chairman and President Patrick Galbraith. “She is the perfect leader to ensure the US Open continues to thrive and attracts new generations of fans and players in the years to come, and we’re proud to welcome her as the tournament’s first-ever female Tournament Director.”

In the latest profile on the 26 players to rise to No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, ATPTour.com looks back on the career of Stefan Edberg. View Full List

First Week at No. 1: 13 August 1990
Total weeks at No. 1: 72
Year-end No. 1: 1990, 1991

As World No. 1
Stefan Edberg ended Ivan Lendl’s 80-week stint at No. 1 in the the FedEx ATP Rankings on 13 August 1990, the day after winning his second ATP Masters 1000 crown of the year in Cincinnati. The Swede held the No. 1 ranking for 24 weeks before dropping it to Becker on 27 January 1991. The pair wrestled for control throughout the season, swapping positions in the top spot on four occasions before Edberg pulled away for good on 9 September, one day after clinching his maiden US Open crown.

That reign would last 24 weeks before Jim Courier overtook him on 10 February 1992. They had an equally lengthy and topsy-turvy battle for No. 1, but this time it was Courier who pushed Edberg out of the top spot for good on 5 October 1992.

Edberg sat atop the rankings on five different occasions for a total of 72 weeks, putting him at No. 11 on the all-time list. He viewed becoming No. 1 for the first time as a bigger feat than winning a Grand Slam, explaining in 2008 that “it’s more difficult to become No.1, because it means you have to play very well for 12 months and probably win more than one Grand Slam.”

He and John McEnroe are the only players to reach the top of the FedEx ATP Rankings in singles and doubles. Edberg first became No. 1 on doubles on 9 June 1986, holding his position for 11 weeks, and enjoyed a four-week reign beginning on 26 January 1987.

Grand Slam Highlights
Edberg won six Grand Slam singles titles during his career, lifting his first as a 19-year-old at the 1985 Australian Open and replicating the feat in 1987. Both of those triumphs came on grass, with 1987 marking the final year that the tournament was held on the surface. But the switch to hard courts didn’t dampen his success Down Under and Edberg finished runner-up on three occasions (1990, 1992-93).

His brand of serve-and-volley tennis was a perfect fit for Wimbledon and he became one of the perennial grass-court players of his generation. His first title over Boris Becker in 1988 saw the normally subdued Edberg fall to the ground in delight and he defeated the German once again in an epic five-set championship clash in 1990, gaining revenge for his loss to Becker in the 1989 final.

The Swede struggled early in his career with the boisterous environment at the US Open, but found his stride in the early ’90s. He dismantled Courier in the 1991 final, dropping just six games with a performance that he still believes is the best of his career. He successfully defended his title the following year with a four-set win over Pete Sampras. But Roland Garros proved to be elusive. Edberg fell to Michael Chang in five sets in the 1989 final and it was the only time that he advanced beyond the quarter-finals in Paris. 

Edberg also clinched the 1987 Australian Open and US Open doubles crowns with fellow Swede Anders Jarryd, and triumphed with Petr Korda in his final year on Tour at the 1996 Australian Open.

Nitto ATP Finals Highlights
Edberg qualified nine times for the season-ending championships, defeating Becker to capture his lone title at this event in 1989. The Swede also finished runner-up in 1990 (l. to Agassi) and compiled an 18-14 record in the eight-man competition. He and Jarryd qualified in doubles for three consecutive years and won back-to-back crowns in 1985-1986. 

Tour Highlights
Although his Masters 1000 title count (4) is lower than it might have been since the series first began in 1990, Edberg won the first official Masters 1000 event at the BNP Paribas Open. He also triumphed that year at the Western & Southern Open and Rolex Paris Masters, and later prevailed at 1992 Hamburg (held as a Masters 1000 event until 2008).

Edberg was a reliable presence in the winners’ circle throughout his career. He won at least one tour-level title each year from 1984-1995, racking up 41 in total. The Swede’s consistency was at its peak in 1990 as he reached the final in 12 of 21 tour-level events, winning seven of them.

Overall Match Win-Loss Record: 801-270
Overall Titles/Finals Record: 41-36

Biggest Rivalries
Edberg’s rivalry with Becker was a stark contrast in personalities, with the mellow Swede and demonstrative German providing compelling viewing when they faced off. Although Becker holds a 25-10 lead in their ATP Head2Head series, Edberg won three of their four Grand Slam meetings and earned a four-set victory in their championship clash at the 1989 Nitto ATP Finals.

The highlight of the rivalry was their three successive Wimbledon finals from 1988-1990. Their maiden Centre Court clash saw Edberg rally from a set down to win his first title at SW19, but Becker gained revenge the following year with a dominant straight-sets victory. Edberg prevailed in 1990 by holding off a spirited comeback from the German to prevail in a five-set thriller.

“What comes to mind to me with Boris [is] playing the three Wimbledon finals and we had sort of come up at the same time basically, so that’s what people remember. That was probably one of the biggest rivalries that I had over my time,” Edberg said.

Fittingly, their rivalry even continued as coaches, with Becker coaching Novak Djokovic and Edberg working with Roger Federer for 13 matches in the Djokovic-Federer ATP Head2Head rivalry from 2014-2015.

Edberg also shared another memorable run of matches with Ivan Lendl. The Swede holds a 14-13 lead in their ATP Head2Head series, which spanned from 1984-1992.

Legacy
Known as the best serve-and-volley player of his era, his penchant for net rushing led to his best results coming on grass courts, on which he won four of his six Grand Slam titles (when the Australian Open was held on the surface). His consecutive year-end No. 1 finishes (1990-1991) further cemented his status as a legend in the sport, while nine consecutive seasons in the Top 5 allowed him to square off against the best players in several generations.

His elegant play and classy demeanour continue to make him a revered figure among players and fans, leading to a warm induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004.

“I still just think of myself as a nice guy who is capable of playing great tennis, a guy who keeps his distance,” Edberg said in 1992. “But maybe sometimes in the past, I was too nice and not so professional. You’ve got to stamp your authority sooner or later.”

Memorable Moment
One of the defining moments of Edberg’s career occurred away from the public eye. He once practised with Jimmy Connors in his early years on Tour and the American’s intensity during their training session proved to be a wake-up call.

“He insisted there was no point being out there if you were not giving 100 per cent and that every point mattered,” Edberg said in 2009. “He told me if you had that outlook in practice, then it would make you even more focussed in matches. It’s a lesson that every young player should be taught.”

Becker on Edberg
“We were actually quite close. There was always tremendous respect, never any bad blood, which was astonishing given how many big finals we played. It was never personal, just the tennis.”

Edberg on Edberg
“Serve-and-volley sort of came around at 15 years of age. I had a coach who had me do a lot of these drills, which I enjoyed. At 15, I changed from a two-handed backhand to a one-handed backhand and obviously playing on the clay was tough. Every ball would come to my backhand and I would get so frustrated. Eventually, I would miss and lose the point. I came to this fantastic idea that if I played serve-and-volley on both my first and second serve, they’re not going to get to my backhand. Problem solved.

“It ended up being pretty good because nobody else would serve-and-volley on clay, so you would probably win some matches that you wouldn’t win otherwise, [but] obviously you’d lose a lot of matches if you played against somebody who played well on clay.”

Broadcaster/Journalist Graeme Agars on Edberg
Stefan Edberg was, and still is, one of the nice guys of tennis. He was always a total professional on and off the court, played the game with integrity and a sense of fairness and was a great ambassador for the game. Therefore, it is no surprise that the ATP chose the easy-going Swede to be recognised as part of one of the game’s most prestigious annual awards.

Since 1996 the ATP has presented the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award to the player who most represented the ideals that Edberg himself lived up to: professionalism, fairness, integrity and a desire to help grow the game. Every recipient of the award has cherished it, not just as a recognition of their efforts, but as a recognition of what Edberg brought to the game.

A stylish serve and volley game with a traditional one-handed backhand made Edberg one of a dying breed in the game. But 41 singles tournament wins (including six Grand Slam titles) made for a truly standout career and stamped him as one of the best-ever exponents of the ‘get to the net’ game. He was also one of the last Top 10 players to regularly play doubles, securing 18 titles, mostly in the company of fellow Swede Anders Jarryd. Add to that 13 years of playing for Sweden in Davis Cup, securing four titles, and you have a very rounded superstar of the game.

He was once asked at a press conference why he appeared so mellow off the court. He replied that the journalist would be mellow as well if he lived in a country where it was dark for almost half the year!

Stefanos Tsitsipas is the No. 6 player in the FedEx ATP Rankings and the reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion.

ATPTour.com looks at five things you should know about the 21-year-old.

1) He Triumphed On The Next Gen Stage
At the inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals in 2017, Tsitsipas made a cameo appearance as a tournament alternate during an exhibition match against Alexander Zverev. Twelve months later, the Greek returned to Milan as the top seed after a breakthrough 2018 ATP Tour season.

Tsitsipas topped his group with a 3-0 record, before surviving a five-set semi-final clash against Andrey Rublev. In the final, the recently crowned Stockholm champion rallied to beat second seed Alex de Minaur 2-4, 4-1, 4-3(3), 4-3(3).

2) He Made A Seamless Transition At The Nitto ATP Finals
One year after his success at the Next Gen ATP Finals, Tsitsipas captured the biggest trophy of his career on his tournament debut at the Nitto ATP Finals in London.

Tsitsipas entered the tournament with a 50-24 record in 2019, highlighted by title runs in Marseille and Estoril. The Greek finished top of Group Andre Agassi with a 2-1 record and beat Roger Federer in straight sets to advance to the championship match.

In a thrilling three-set contest, Tsitsipas captured his third title of the year with a 6-7(6), 6-2, 7-6(4) victory against Dominic Thiem after two hours and 36 minutes. It was only the fourth time in 50 editions of the tournament that the champion had been decided by a final-set tie-break (also 1988, 1995 and 2005).

3) He Is Raising Money For COVID-19 Relief
Following the global outbreak of COVID-19, Tsitsipas launched the ‘Beyond 100 Support’ auction. The initiative raises money for the Player Relief Programme, which will provide much-needed assistance to the players who are particularly affected during the suspension of professional tennis.

“As the youngest player in the Top 10, I feel responsible to help the future of tennis,” said Tsitsipas. “I understand how critical it is for the sustainability of both ATP and WTA players ranked beyond the Top 100 and how difficult it is to make a living from professional tennis, especially with no tennis events going on for an undefined period of time. Through the creation of ‘Beyond 100 Support’, I hope to start a movement that my fellow players will follow suit.”

Tsitsipas donated several items to the auction, including autographed racquets and match kits. The ATP has donated Nitto ATP Finals, Next Gen ATP Finals and ATP Cup experiences.

4) He Is A Proud Greek
As the first Greek to crack the Top 5 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, Tsitsipas is flying the flag for his country on the ATP Tour. Ahead of the inaugural ATP Cup in January, the 21-year-old shared his national pride during a visit to Brisbane’s Greek community.

“With Greeks, [passion and energy] is in the culture. We feel very connected to one another. It is almost like a family. They put a lot of energy in when they are out on the court chanting and giving their best for us. It just feels good to be Greek. There are so many benefits that I can take from that,” said Tsitsipas.

Following his triumph at the Nitto ATP Finals last year, Tsitsipas was named Best Male Athlete of 2019 at Greece’s Panhellenic Sports Press Association Awards.

5) He Has His Own YouTube Channel
When Tsitsipas is not on the court, you may spot him filming footage for his YouTube channel. The Greek has 169,000 subscribers, with his most successful video achieving more than 400,000 views.

During the 2019 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Tsitsipas took time out from his busy schedule to visit the international broadcast compound and learn more about the art of video editing. The reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion is also passionate about photography and has a separate Instagram account dedicated to the hobby.

Read more in our ‘5 Things To Know’ series

Miomir Kecmanovic’s left Serbia for the United States at 13 to pursue his dream of becoming a professional tennis player. However, the #NextGenATP star keeps his home country close to his heart.

“It means everything. It gave me everything. It gave me a life,” Kecmanovic told ATP Uncovered presented by Peugeot about Serbia. “I definitely don’t take it for granted. It’s exciting to just have this experience.”

Scattered throughout his family’s apartment are countless trophies he won at local junior events, international junior tournaments, and even the award he claimed for competing at last year’s Next Gen ATP Finals. The apartment remains the way it was when he was growing up. Belgrade is still home.

“It was fun growing up in Serbia. I wouldn’t change it for anything. I’m usually here during the summer, during the French Open, Wimbledon, when everything’s in Europe. My family is here and everybody I know is here. It’s always cool to come back here and have fun,” Kecmanovic said. “I think it’s beautiful, honestly. You have amazing food, amazing sights. You’ve got some pretty cool stuff here.”

Kecmanovic brought the ATP to a lakehouse his father built. Newspaper articles about the Serbian hang on the walls. His biggest accomplishments are written on a whiteboard. The most recent entries note his 2019 BNP Paribas Open quarter-final and runner-up finish at the Turkish Airlines Open Antalya later that year.

The 20-year-old rowed a boat through the water by the lakehouse, marvelling at the sights along the way.

“There are a bunch of places like this in Serbia,” said Kecmanovic, who this past off-season practised at the Kalemegdan Fortress for the first time. “Obviously the city is fun, but this is also exciting and calm.”

Kecmanovic’s grandfather, Jovan Pavlov, recalls taking a young ‘Misha’ to meet a coach for the first time. Kecmanovic and his family didn’t have a racquet or balls, but the coach provided them.

“[He] showed Misha how to play the forehand and backhand,” Pavlov said. “After that he showed a great desire to play every day. As soon as we woke up, he would immediately say, ‘Grandpa, let’s not be late for tennis!’”

Ivan Petkovic, one of Kecmanovic’s childhood coaches, remembers how professional the Serbian was at a young age.

“He was already at a very early age living and practising like a small pro. We think that these harsh conditions and difficult conditions to train and to work [under] only make you stronger,” Petkovic said. “If something manages to bloom in the desert, and you put it in the ideal situation, it will for sure bloom into what he is today.”

Kecmanovic, who moved to Florida to train at the IMG Academy, is the second-youngest player in the Top 50 of the FedEx ATP Rankings (trailing only Felix Auger-Aliassime). However, the World No. 47 maintains strong relationships in his native Belgrade, where his former coaches, including Veliko Barjaktarovic, are like family.

“For the coaches [and] for the kids who want to play tennis, now they know that they can achieve success,” Barjaktarovic said. “He inspired a lot of people.”

Ivo Karlovic is used to serving aces. He’s hit more of them than anyone else in history with 13,599. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, the 41-year-old Croatian has been serving something new: dessert.

Karlovic, who is in Florida with his wife and two children, has ventured into the kitchen for the first time in decades. His eight-year-old daughter Jada started showing him recipes, and it has snowballed from there.

“We’ve been cooking at home, which I never used to do,” Karlovic told ATPTour.com. “I was maybe cooking 20 years ago when I was living alone in Paris or somewhere at an academy.

“We cooked a lot of cakes: banana, chocolate cakes, raspberry cake. We made homemade ice cream, homemade yoghurt, chicken nuggets. Almost every day she would find another recipe and we would do it. At first it was really difficult for me mentally, to prepare all the ingredients and everything. But then once you get into it it’s fun, easy and delicious.”

Those experiences, like baking with his daughter, have been the highlight of Karlovic’s quarantine. In recent years he has greatly missed his family while travelling to tournaments, so spending an extended period of time at home has been nice.

“That was a little bit new for me, because usually we always travel. To be home for three months now, it’s been awesome,” Karlovic said. “I was spending a lot of time with my kids and with my wife, and it was great. I cannot say that I really miss travelling that much.”

Karlovic has even attempted to put his professor cap on, as his daughter finished her school year online due to the virus.

“It was fun. I was helping her out, especially in the beginning. I noticed the less I was helping her, the more she was into it. The more she was doing lessons that she wanted to do was when I was helping her less. I guess maybe she didn’t want to be told always also how to do it,” Karlovic said. “At first it was stressful a little bit because I wanted to do everything perfectly. I wanted to explain to her everything, but I am not a teacher, so I definitely realised how teaching in school is a difficult job. All those teachers that are working every day with the kids are amazing people. It’s definitely not easy.”

Playing games like UNO and running around with the kids in the backyard has provided plenty of fun moments

“It’s definitely nice. It’s a lot more calm life, less stress,” Karlovic said. “Almost no stress compared to travelling and matches and the competition and everything that goes with tennis. Definitely a lot easier life.”

Karlovic has recently returned to training, and he’s waiting for news on when play might resume to gear his efforts towards that. At 41, he is still No. 124 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, and the Croatian feels that he still has the game to return to the Top 100.

“I am not that far away. I’m No. 124. To be in the main draw of a Grand Slam, you need to be around 100, 104, so I don’t think I’m that far,” Karlovic said. “Maybe not for this year… but I can get my ranking up and then we’ll see from there. Either way I’m pretty okay with continuing or not continuing. Either way is good. I’m set up good either way.”

Rafael Nadal is a two-time Wimbledon champion, lifting the trophy at The Championships in 2008 and 2010. But the Spaniard’s most recent grass-court title came at the 2015 MercedesCup in Stuttgart.

It was an important event for the Spaniard, who entered the tournament without winning a European clay-court title for the first year since 2004. The lefty was World No. 10, his lowest standing in the FedEx ATP Rankings since 2005.

But after a tough first two matches, Nadal rounded into form to win his fourth tour-level grass-court crown.

“My level has always been there, I’ve not forgotten how to play tennis,” Nadal said. “But now things are coming together for me.”

In his first two matches, Nadal rallied from second-set hiccups to overcome tricky grass-court opponents Marcos Baghdatis and Bernard Tomic. Then the top seed beat fourth seed Gael Monfils in 79 minutes to earn a shot at glory.

“Thanks for coming to Stuttgart!”

That was a sign one fan waved in the stands as Nadal took the court to face big-serving Serbian Viktor Troicki for the trophy. The Spaniard received plenty of support from the German fans throughout the week, and he used that to his advantage in a 7-6(3), 6-3 victory.

“All the titles are emotional. All the titles are important. At the end of your career, what’s still there is the number of titles that you have,” Nadal said. “To add another one is very important for me, especially to confirm that I am playing better and better the past couple of months. It’s important to have victories, important to have titles for the confidence, for calm, for everything.”

Nadal struck 11 aces against Troicki, winning 86 per cent of his first-serve points. He was not broken in the final. 

It was Nadal’s third Stuttgart title. The 2015 tournament was the event’s first on grass after switching from clay. He emerged victorious on clay in Stuttgart in 2005 and 2007.

“The tournament has been great,” Nadal said. “On clay it used to be a fantastic event and now on grass it’s a fantastic event, too.”

Roger Federer announced Wednesday that he recently underwent a “quick arthroscopic procedure” on his right knee, and he will not play until 2021.

“A few weeks ago, having experienced a setback during my initial rehabilitation, I had to have an additional quick arthroscopic procedure on my right knee,” Federer tweeted. “Now, much like I did leading up to the 2017 season, I plan to take the necessary time to be 100 per cent ready to play at my highest level. I will be missing my fans and the tour dearly. But, I will look forward to seeing everyone back on tour at the start of the 2021 season.”

pic.twitter.com/zXnR7gAZQA

— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) June 10, 2020

Federer underwent surgery on the same knee in February. The Swiss’ initial plan following that surgery was to return during the grass-court season.

The 38-year-old’s lone tournament of 2020 came at the Australian Open, where he reached the semi-finals. Eventual champion Novak Djokovic defeated him in straight sets.