Perth has been named as a host city for the ATP Cup, the most highly anticipated event in world tennis, which will premiere in January 2020.

“The ATP Cup will launch the global tennis season for the men – this is their event, it means a lot to them and they’ve thrown their support behind it 100 per cent,” said Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley, as he joined Tennis West CEO Michael Roberts and West Australian Tourism Minister Paul Papalia at the RAC Arena in Perth today.

“Four of the Top 12 male players, and eight of the Top 24, will play in Perth, with 24 teams competing across three cities – Perth, Brisbane and Sydney.

“With 750 ranking points and $22 million in prize money at stake, along with the honour of standing alongside your teammates and representing your country, we know this will be a spectacular and meaningful event for the players,” Tiley continued.

The exciting format will feature two singles and a doubles match per tie. Two sessions a day, with six days of incredible tennis.

The ATP Cup will be part of the biggest summer of international tennis ever on display in Australia, with the Perth, Brisbane and Sydney events running alongside the Brisbane International women’s event. A new combined men’s and women’s tournament in Adelaide, the Hobart International and an upgraded Canberra Challenger event will follow, all leading into the Australian Open at the end of January.

WA Minister for Tourism Paul Papalia MLA is looking forward to welcoming this exciting new global tennis event to Perth in January.

“Tennis holds a special place in the hearts of many WA people, myself included, and the ATP Cup will ensure we build on that tradition and provide fans with more opportunities to experience world-class tennis in Perth.

“This new tournament is expected to attract even more media interest, which will provide a valuable opportunity to promote Perth and our State to a global audience,” Papalia continued.

World No. 1 and President of the ATP Player Council Novak Djokovic has thrown his support behind the ATP Cup.

“I like that it’s owned by ATP, by the players, and that we have ranking points, and it’s going to be the best way to kick start the season. Australia is a country that has a Grand Slam, that nurtures tennis tradition,” Djokovic said.

“More than 90 per cent of the time we’re playing as individuals and we don’t have too many team events. This is going to bring together a lot of nations and for me personally it will be a very nice and proud moment to represent my country.”

“We’re going to kick start the global tennis season every January in Australia with this massive event,” ATP Executive Chairman & President Chris Kermode said.

“We know the ATP Cup will provide a great way to open the season – bringing together the world’s best for a major team event that compliments existing scheduling, provides highly-coveted ATP ranking points and clearly links to the Australian Open.

“The first week of the season is when the players want to play and that’s why the tournament has their strong support. By staging the event with Tennis Australia, which is renowned for its experience as an outstanding event promoter, we know that the tournament will be a great success from year one,” Kermode continued.

“The introduction of the ATP Cup gives us another opportunity to attract new fans to tennis,” Tennis West CEO Michael Roberts said.

“We know these international superstars of our sport will help inspire our kids to pick up a racquet, possibly play competitively and even follow in the footsteps of generations of legendary Australian players. Others may be inspired to have a hit with family and friends, but whatever the level, the end result is not only good for them but good for our community and our nation.”

Top seeds Lukasz Kubot/Marcelo Melo broke three times to return to the Miami Open presented by Itau semi-finals on Wednesday. Kubot/Melo, 2017 champions, swept fifth seeds Oliver Marach/Mate Pavic 7-6(5), 7-5 and will meet Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan in the last four.

The Bryans, five-time Miami champions, saved the only break point they faced and dismissed Rohan Bopanna/Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-4.

In the other semi-final, Ivan Dodig/Edouard Roger-Vasselin will meet Wesley Koolhof/Stefanos Tsitsipas. Dodig/Roger-Vasselin beat Maximo Gonzalez/Horacio Zeballos 6-3, 7-6(6), and Koolhof/Tsitsipas knocked out John Isner/Sam Querrey 6-4, 5-7, 10-8.

Denis Shapovalov is looking to join fellow Canadian teen Felix Auger-Aliassime in shattering his career-best ATP Ranking when he takes on American Frances Tiafoe in an all #NextGenATP Miami Open quarter-final showdown Thursday.

The 19-year-old left-hander entered the second ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament of the year at a career-high No. 23. But a run to his third Masters 1000 semi-final would see him leapfrog Kyle Edmund, Pablo Carreno Busta and David Goffin to crack the Top 20 for the first time.

Tiafoe, who at No. 34 will already threaten his career-high mark of No. 29 by reaching the quarter-finals, would likely climb into the low 20s should he reach the semis.

Auger-Aliassime, 18, who already was certain to become the first player born in the 2000s to crack the Top 50, is guaranteed to move into the mid or low 30s after beating Borna Coric Wednesday night to reach the Miami Open semi-finals. He could push inside the Top 30 by reaching the final and possibly inside the Top 20 with the title.

It’s a stunning rise for the teen, who just six weeks ago was ranked outside the Top 100. Despite reaching the Indian Wells third round, Auger-Aliassime had to qualify here in Miami. He will play defending champion John Isner in Friday’s semi-finals.

Roger Federer will guarantee a move to No. 4 from his current ranking of No. 5 if he beats Kevin Anderson in Thursday’s quarter-finals. Regardless of the outcome, the Swiss will go to No. 4 unless Anderson wins the title.

Playing his first tournament since the Australian Open, Anderson would move to a career-high No. 4 if he wins his first Masters 1000 title.

Reigning Next Gen ATP champion Stefanos Tsitsipas, who fell to Shapovalov in the fourth round, will climb one place higher to a career-high No. 9 unless John Isner successfully defends the Miami title.

Isner defeated Roberto Bautista Agut Wednesday after winning his seventh consecutive tie-break at this year’s event to reach the semi-finals. Isner will hold onto the No. 9 spot – but climb no higher – if he takes the title.

He’s only 18, but he’s already rewriting the history books at the Miami Open presented by Itau. #NextGenATP Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime became the youngest Miami semi-finalist in the tournament’s 35-year history on Wednesday.

The qualifier, who played an ATP Challenger Tour event two months ago, beat 11^th seed Borna Coric of Croatia 7-6(3), 6-2 to set up a final-four matchup against defending champion John Isner. The American beat Novak Djokovic’s conqueror Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain 7-6(1), 7-6(5).

Auger-Aliassime’s success, including his straight-sets win against the 22-year-old Coric, has surprised the teenager from Montreal.

“Playing Borna, who’s been established for a few years now, I definitely didn’t expect to win. I expected more, a set like in the first. But the second really surprised me. I felt like I had margin over him, had a bit of an edge. I just felt really comfortable out there from the first balls,” he said.

The Canadian has played five matches against players inside the Top 20 of the ATP Rankings, and he’s won all five, a streak No. 9 Isner will try to break when they meet for the first time.

Auger-Aliassime was already the youngest quarter-finalist in Miami history since Andy Roddick, 18, in 2001, and the first player born in the 2000s to make an ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final. But now he stands alone in Miami.

He is, however, far from the only #NextGenATP player making noise in South Florida. Compatriot Denis Shapovalov, 19, and American Frances Tiafoe, 21, will compete for another semi-final spot on Thursday afternoon.

“Everyone is super excited back home. It’s great to hear all these good comments from them. It puts a lot of belief in tennis in Canada,” Auger-Aliassime said.

Teenagers To Reach QF Or Better In Miami Open History (since 1985)

The last time two teenagers reached the quarter-finals or better in Miami was in 2007 with Novak Djokovic (won) and Andy Murray (QF), both 19.

“It’s a privilege to be compared to all these great players. I think it just shows that I’m doing good things, I’m on the right track,” Auger-Aliassime said. “But I think I’m seeing the long term, and right now I’m just enjoying every day, enjoying every match, because you never know what’s going to happen next.”

Coric was playing in his sixth ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final, and Auger-Aliassime, his first, but the Canadian was more poised and in control. The two exchanged baseline rallies throughout the opener, with Auger-Aliassime often taking charge.

But Coric, who made the Rolex Shanghai Masters final last October (l. to Djokovic) stayed with Auger-Aliassime, until the tie-break, when he came undone. Coric double faulted for the first time in the match and badly missed a backhand on set point.

Read More: Felix’s Philosophy: ‘I’m Not Scared Of Losing | Read & Watch: Get To Know Auger-Aliassime And His Family

The second set mirrored the tie-break, as Coric, who hit 38 unforced errors to 16 winners, was broken to start the set when he dumped a backhand into the net. Auger-Aliassime broke once more to roll into the final four.

Did You Know?
Auger-Aliassime is projected to crack the Top 35 of the ATP Rankings on Monday when the new rankings are released.

John Isner has repeatedly dismissed the idea that he will defend his Miami Open presented by Itau title. His reasoning: He’s won only one ATP Masters 1000 title during his 13-year career. The seventh seed, however, might just prove himself wrong this week.

Isner reached his third Miami semi-final (2015, 2018) on Wednesday evening, beating Novak Djokovic’s conqueror Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6(1), 7-6(5) at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.

Isner moved into his 12^th ATP Masters 1000 semi-final, and he’ll face the winner between #NextGenATP Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime and 11^th seed Borna Coric of Croatia for a place in his fifth final at the prestigious level.

Isner’s most recent Masters 1000 semi-final – and final – came here in South Florida a year ago, when he beat Argentine Juan Martin del Potro and Alexander Zverev of Germany to win his maiden Masters 1000 crown.

Isner did it by playing clutch in tie-breaks, and he’s following a similar script this fortnight. Isner has won his past 10 matches in Miami, and during that stretch, he’s 10-1 in tie-breaks, including 7-0 this year.

The World No. 9 missed his only chance to break in the first set when Bautista Agut dipped a forehand pass that Isner netted. The Spaniard, however, donated a double fault at 1/5 and Isner finished the tie-break with his 13^th ace.

The 33-year-old Isner was the clear aggressor, striking big from the back of the court and looking to come forward. Bautista Agut, meanwhile, was more content hanging out at the baseline and trying to move Isner from side to side.

The Spaniard did much of his damage from the back of the court on Tuesday during his upset win against No. 1 Djokovic, the second time he’s beaten the Serbian this season (Doha). And the Spaniard fought off Isner’s threats well, saving two break points at 4-4 in the second set.

Bautista Agut had a set point on Isner’s serve at 5-6, 30/40, his first break point of the match, but the American erased it with an ace. The Spaniard, however, maintained the momentum and led the tie-break 3/0, including two points won on Isner’s serve. But for the second match this tournament (Edmund), Isner overcame a double mini-break deficit to advance.

Did You Know?
Isner and Frances Tiafoe are the first American duo to reach the Miami quarter-finals in the same year since 2008 when Tournament Director James Blake (QF) and Andy Roddick (SF) accomplished the feat.