Nadal continues Olympic preparations with win against Norrie
Rafael Nadal’s preparations for the Olympics continue with an impressive straight-set win over Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the second round of the Swedish Open.
Rafael Nadal’s preparations for the Olympics continue with an impressive straight-set win over Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the second round of the Swedish Open.
Rafael Nadal delivered one of his most complete performances of the 2024 season on Thursday at the Nordea Open.
The former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings defeated fifth seed Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-4 in Bastad to reach his second ATP Tour quarter-final of the season. After clinching the only break of a tight first set, Nadal rallied from 1-4 down in the second to pull through a tough second-round test at the clay ATP 250.
“Great feelings. I’ve been a while without playing on the Tour, since Roland Garros. To have the chance to compete well against a great player like Cameron is a great feeling,” said Nadal in his on-court interview. “I think I played in some moments good tennis, in some moments I need to play a little bit more aggressive, but that is part of the journey today.
“I haven’t been competing very often, so matches and victories like today help. To be in rhythm the whole match and hold the pressure on the opponent the whole match, that’s something that I need to improve, because I didn’t play enough.”
Rafa returns to the Elite 🎱@RafaelNadal triumphs 6-4 6-4 for his first quarter-final ticket since January @NordeaOpen | #NordeaOpen pic.twitter.com/yOImxXwxKj
— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 18, 2024
Although the Spaniard had shown glimpses of his imperious best during his previous 13 tour-level matches in 2024, Thursday’s showing against fellow Norrie lefty was arguably his most consistent. A rock-solid Nadal wore down the Briton, himself one of the hardest grinders on Tour, to complete a one-hour, 43-minute triumph.
Nadal took control of what was a very tight opening set by reeling off three games in a row from 2-3. He fended off two break points at 5-4 before holding serve to clinch a high-quality first set, and then recovered from a minor lapse in his level early in the second in style. Nadal won 14 points in a row from 1-4. 0/15, and ultimately won the final five games of the match to improve his Lexus ATP Head2Head series lead against Norrie to 5-1.
Physically, Nadal looked very comfortable moving around the court against Norrie. The only concern for the 38-year-old came when he fell over his left foot while trying to slide for a ball at 40/Ad in the first game of the second set. He called the physio to the court at the end of the game to tidy up bleeding on his leg and elbow.
Now 9-5 for the season, Nadal will take on fourth seed Mariano Navone in the quarter-finals as he looks to add another Bastad title to the one he won on his previous appearance there in 2005. Navone earlier defeated Sumit Nagal 6-4, 6-2.
More to follow…
“I see this guy, sleeveless t-shirt, only one racquet, and I say, ‘Who is this guy? He’s in the quarter-finals with me? No chance I am going to lose to him!’”
Andrey Rublev has a distinct and hilarious memory of meeting Daniil Medvedev for the first time. Though it is a funny story now, it was not all laughs for a slightly skeptical Rublev back then. Instead it was tears, the 26-year-old revealed in ATP Tour’s latest ‘Best Friends’ feature.
The fan favourites also discussed heartfelt moments such as each other’s best qualities, why they are best friends and their biggest wish for each other. And then get ready to laugh again when they share their funniest moment together!
Watch the full video above for a behind-the-scenes look into Mevedev and Rublev’s longtime friendship and hear what career they would like to pursue if it were not for tennis.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]It was an upset-filled Wednesday at the Nordea Open, bookended with the top two seeds falling.
Argentine Thiago Agustin Tirante earned his biggest career win in the last match of the day, stunning World No. 8 and defending champion Andrey Rublev 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-4. Thiago Monteiro opened the day by ousting second seed and 2021 titlist Casper Ruud.
The 23-year-old Tirante, No. 121 in the PIF ATP Rankings, responded to Rublev’s firepower with heavy hitting of his own to claim his first Top 20 win and reach his maiden tour-level quarter-final.
[ATP APP]“I think I played a great match,” Tirante said. “This is the first match I’ve played with so many people, so I was very nervous. It was my first meeting against a Top 10 [player].
“I’m very happy to play my best tennis here. I didn’t have good weeks before and this is the best of my life, so I will remember Sweden forever.”
Tirante is enjoying his career-best season, having first cracked the Top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings in March and winning the ATP Challenger Tour 125 event in Mexico City a month later. Tirante’s two-hour, 23-minute win against Rublev was his sixth tour-level victory and fourth this year. He will face Roberto Carballes Baena in the last eight. The Spaniard earlier rallied past Denis Yevseyev 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Monteiro, 30, defeated Ruud 6-3, 6-3 to capture his first win against the Norwegian in four Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings. The Brazilian faces qualifier Duje Ajdukovic in the quarter-finals following the Croatian’s 7-6(7), 3-6, 6-3 victory against eighth seed Pavel Kotov.
Several #NextGenATP stars continued to impress on the ATP Tour in recent months, with Arthur Fils and Shang Juncheng earning standout results.
ATPTour.com looks at those in contention to qualify for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, to be held from 18-22 December in Jeddah.
View PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah
Fils makes major breakthrough
Arthur Fils achieved his best result at a major earlier this month at Wimbledon, where he reached the fourth round for the first time. The 20-year-old moved past Dominic Stricker and Hubert Hurkacz before he survived in five sets against Roman Safiullin.
Fils also enjoyed quarter-final runs at ATP 500 events in Barcelona and Halle in recent months, while he lifted the ATP Challenger Tour title at the 175 event in Bordeaux.
<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/07/07/01/02/fils-wimbledon-2024-saturday-2.jpg” alt=”Arthur Fils defeats Roman Safiullin in five sets on Saturday at Wimbledon.” style=”width: 100%;” />
Photo Credit: Getty Images
On court, the 20-year-old has put on a show and leads the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. Off-court, the Frenchman has plans to stay in the spotlight.
“At one point I would love to be an actor but I don’t think it is possible at the moment,” Fils told ATPTour.com at Wimbledon. “After my career maybe I would love to. Acting is super cool. I never did any acting at school but I just love it because I love watching movies.
“I really like Michael B. Jordan. He is in a lot of great movies and it also seems a super cool life. I also really like Leonardo DiCaprio. I just love watching action movies and series. I like Power and Top Boy is great. Being in London, now is the time to watch Top Boy. But I like watching actors, so who knows in the future if it is for me.”
Shang creates history
Shang Juncheng made history at Wimbledon, where he became the first Chinese man to win a match at the grass-court major. The 19-year-old lefty defeated Cristian Garin in the first round before he lost to Grigor Dimitrov in five sets.
Cheering him on in west London were his parents, who were both former professional athletes.
“When I got into tennis, as athletes they both helped,” Shang told ATPTour.com at Wimbledon. “My mum played an individual sport, she knows how to compete by herself and then also having her team help her. My dad playing a team sport was a little bit different, but with physical contact, he knows how important fitness is and measures to help prevent injury, so I think it’s really perfect for me as a kid to start like that in a family who understands. I’m fortunate they’ve taught me so many things, basically everything I know, and it’s just really positive.”
Shang, currently third in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, also impressed on the grass in Eastbourne, where he advanced to his second tour-level quarter-final of the season (Hong Kong SF).
[ATP APP]Michelsen shines in Geneva & Mallorca
American Alex Michelsen is trying to qualify for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF for the second consecutive year.
The 19-year-old earned his best results of Q2 in Geneva and Mallorca to boost his Jeddah chances. Michelsen clinched his second Top 20 win when he defeated Taylor Fritz en route to the last eight on clay in Geneva, before he advanced to the quarter-finals in Spain, becoming the youngest winner in tournament history.
“That’s pretty cool,” Michelsen said. “I had no idea that that was going to be a statistic, so I’m super happy with that.”
Mensik remains in contention
Jakub Mensik started Q2 by advancing to the third round at an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time in Madrid. The 18-year-old earned his second Top 10 win of the season in the Spanish capital, where he upset Grigor Dimitrov.
The Czech star then missed Roland Garros due to a right arm injury but returned to perform well on his tour-level debut on grass, reaching the quarter-finals in Mallorca. Mensik is currently second in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah and is hoping to seal his qualification spot in the coming months.
“Before the season, I set the goal to qualify for Jeddah and to play there. I think that I’m doing pretty well so far and it would be great to play this kind of event because for us young players it is pretty exciting,” Mensik told ATPTour.com in June. “It is a good opportunity to see how it works and to taste something from the background of the ATP. I think that is what I want to play at the end of this season.”
Van Assche, Fonseca in the mix
Luca Van Assche, Joao Fonseca, Henrique Rocha and Gonzalo Bueno currently occupy spots fifth to eighth in the Live Race To Jeddah.
Frenchman Van Assche, 20, reached the semis at a Challenger Tour event in Germany in June, while 17-year-old Brazilian Fonseca advanced to his second tour-level quarter-final in Bucharest.
Portugal’s Rocha, 20, reached the title match at a Challenger Tour tournament in Slovakia and Peruvian Bueno won a trophy at that level in Chile. Fonseca, Rocha and Bueno, 20, are aiming to make their debuts at the 20-and-under event in Jeddah.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]The International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF) announced on Wednesday a revamped Hall of Fame Open, including ATP Challenger 125 and WTA 125-level tournaments.
Scheduled for 6-13 July 2025, the Hall of Fame Open will become just the second combined men’s and women’s 125-level event in the United States. It will be the only grass-court stop on the Hologic WTA Tour outside of Europe, and the first women’s professional tournament at the ITHF since the Virginia Slims of Newport concluded in 1990. Equal prize money will be awarded to both the men’s and women’s draws.
“The International Tennis Hall of Fame is a global representation of the sport, and there is no better way to reflect that worldwide impact than to welcome women’s professional tennis back to Newport,” said Hall of Fame Open Tournament Director Brewer Rowe. “We are pleased to welcome the Hologic WTA Tour in concert with our ATP partners and are thrilled to provide fans with double the tennis starting next summer.”
“Elite tennis has been a part of Newport’s history since 1881. The 2025 Hall of Fame Open represents the next exciting chapter in the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s rich history of honouring the sport,” stated ITHF CEO Dan Faber. “Our distinctive venue and traditions will continue to deliver an exceptional experience for tennis fans in New England.”
[ATP APP]Both the ATP Challenger and WTA 125 draws will consist of 32 singles players and 16 doubles teams. The WTA event will feature an 8-player qualifying draw, with a 24-player qualifying draw for the Challenger Tour event . Matches will be played on five courts simultaneously for at least four days of action.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Celebration will remain in Newport and moved to August, with more event details to be announced.
Melissa Pine, Vice President, WTA 125 Operations, said: “The Hologic WTA Tour is excited to return to Newport for the first time in nearly 25 years. As one of tennis’ most iconic venues, the International Tennis Hall of Fame is the perfect location to extend the grass season for our players. We are proud to work with the ITHF on this incredible opportunity for both organizations.”
Eric Lamquet, Director, ATP Challenger Tour, said: “The ATP is pleased to continue its longstanding relationship with the International Tennis Hall of Fame as the newest Challenger Tour venue. Newport will continue to be a highlight of the grass season and provide a world-class experience for our players.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]In a battle of former Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champions, Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Hamad Medjedovic 7-6(6), 6-3 on Wednesday to earn a debut win at the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad.
The top-seeded Greek saved four set points in the first set — three from 0/40 at 4-5 and another at 5/6 in the tie-break — but managed to snatch the opener before claiming the second set behind the lone break of the match.
“Hamad played great today,” Tsitsipas said of the 2023 Jeddah champion. “From the start of the match it was difficult for me to figure it out. He put out a great effort to put me in trouble.”
First W in Gstaad for @steftsitsipas 🙌💪
No. 1 seed Tsisipas takes the win with an ace over Medjedovic 7-6(6) 6-3@SwissOpenGstaad | #SwissOpenGstaad pic.twitter.com/LOYkK5CoP3
— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 17, 2024
Tsitsipas saved all five break points against him, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and raised his level as the match wore on to improve to 22-1 in opening rounds on clay since the start of 2021.
“The tie-break was a great comeback from my side. I fought so hard and was very effective towards the end,” said the Greek, mentioning his serve and forehand as two key shots in the victory.
[ATP APP]After beating Medjedovic in the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting, Tsitsipas will next meet seventh seed Fabio Fognini. The Italian reached his 76th tour-level quarter-final and his 51st on clay with a 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-5 win against qualifier Juan Pablo Varillas earlier on Wednesday.
Fourth seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry also advanced on centre court with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 win against Botic van de Zandschulp, improving to 9-1 in opening rounds on clay this season.
Alexander Zverev enjoyed a comfortable first-round win at the Hamburg Open Wednesday but conceded that he continues to manage pain in his left knee resulting from a nasty fall at Wimbledon.
The World No. 4, who overextended his knee during a slip and fall in a third-round win over Cameron Norrie at the grass-court major, dropped just seven points on his first serve and did not face a break point in a 6-2, 6-2 win over Jesper de Jong.
[ATP APP]“I was still unsure this morning if I was going to play or not and during the warm-up I was in quite a lot of pain,” said Zverev, who has a bone edema and tear in the capsule of his knee. “But somehow when I step on this court it disappears a little bit when the adrenaline gets going.
“I have an injury where I know where I stand and it will take time to heal. It won’t heal in the next few days, it will take weeks and it’s up to me if I am going to play like that or not.”
Making a successful transition from his fourth-round run at Wimbledon to the clay on home soil in Germany, the defending champion collected his 41st match win of the season and improved to 12-1 in first-round outings this season.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
The 12-team women’s competition will take place in November at the same venue as the men’s Davis Cup Finals.
The ATP has announced a multi-year global partnership with Fitline, the premium sports nutrition brand. Fitline becomes the Official Sports Nutrition Partner and Official Energy Bar Partner of the ATP Tour through 2026.
Fitline’s premium range of products are designed for athletic performance and to support energy as well as immune function. The global brand, developed and distributed exclusively by PM-International, offers a variety of supplements that can be tailored to meet individual needs.
Through the new partnership, Fitline will receive global exposure across the ATP Tour’s social, editorial and digital channels. It underscores the partners’ shared commitment to supporting athletic performance and clean sport, and builds on Fitline’s partnership portfolio in professional sport, spanning athlete ambassadors and governing bodies.
[ATP APP]Massimo Calvelli, ATP CEO, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Fitline to the ATP Tour’s partner roster. The synergies between our brands are evident, with both organisations dedicated to optimising athletic performance. This partnership reflects the ATP Tour’s appeal to global partners and our strength in engaging fans digitally.”
Rolf Sorg, PM-International CEO, added: “Through our partnership with the ATP Tour, we are proud that our sports nutrition is now represented on one of the largest stages in global professional sports. We’re excited to connect with tennis fans worldwide and continue sharing our passion to support professional and amateur sports in the community.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]