They may be good friends off the court, but Andrey Rublev and Grigor Dimitrov held nothing back during their semi-final clash Saturday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

It was the fifth-seeded Rublev who prevailed 7-6(7), 6-3 in a highly physical encounter to book a championship-match meeting with Hubert Hurkacz at the ATP Masters 1000 event in China. Rublev saved a set point before claiming a lung-busting 76-minute first set in a tie-break and then rallied from 0-2 in the second set to reach Sunday’s final.

“It’s not easy when you win matches against friends, because you feel both sides,” reflected Rublev, who is now into his fourth Masters 1000 final. “You feel sad, but at the same time you want to win. It’s a mix of feelings.”

The quest for multiple Masters 1000 titles in a season is 🔛@AndreyRublev97 defeats Grigor Dimitrov 7-6(7), 6-3 to make the final in Shanghai.#RolexShanghaiMasters | @SH_RolexMasters pic.twitter.com/VL6J4ov0oh

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 14, 2023

Despite each pushing their opponent to their physical limits by continuously striking firmly off both wings from the baseline, the pair’s mutual respect was showcased at a key moment in the first-set tie-break. Rublev led 3/2 and fired an unreturned first serve which Dimitrov believed had clipped the net, but no let was detected by the on-court system. Rublev graciously offered to replay the point, but Dimitrov insisted the call should stand.

“I feel sorry for the situation in the tie-break at 3/2, because I wanted to replay the point,” said Rublev. “Grigor behaved like a real champion and said, ’It’s not [your fault], so he gave me the point. Maybe because of this point I was able to win the tie-break.”

Despite falling behind early in the second set, Rublev reeled off five straight games from 0-2 to take control as Dimitrov appeared to show signs of fatigue. The World No. 7 powered 13 winners to Dimitrov’s one in the second set and completed his win having converted three of four break points he earned in the match.

Rublev has now won all 10 sets he has played during his Shanghai run. The 25-year-old is 18-6 at Masters 1000 events for season, a tally which includes claiming his maiden title at that level in Monte-Carlo. Currently fifth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, Rublev can also further strengthen his Nitto ATP Finals qualification hopes by lifting the trophy in Shanghai.

Rublev and Hurkacz will enter Sunday’s final at 2-2 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. Rublev has won their two most recent encounters, which took place in 2022 in Dubai and Indian Wells.

“I’m thinking only to rest and try to recover for tomorrow, because Hubi is so tough to play,” said Rublev of the Hurkacz clash. “He’s one of the players that you don’t want to face because he can beat everyone. With his style of the game, the way he serves, the way he hits the ball. We’ll see, I just want to take my time to recover and to be as [ready] as possible for tomorrow.”

Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden delivered a dominant display in tie-breaks on Saturday to book their spot in the championship match at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

The fourth seeds prevailed 7-6(0), 4-6, 10-2 against Fabien Reboul and Sadio Doumbia at the Chinese ATP Masters 1000 event. Bopanna and Ebden raised their level in the first-set tie-break and again in the Match Tie-break to claim a one-hour, 40-minute triumph inside Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena.

With their victory, Bopanna and Ebden sealed qualification for the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals. It will be their team debut at the prestigious season-ending event.

In Saturday’s semi-final clash in Shanghai, Doumbia and Reboul saved all four break points they faced but were still unable to advance to their maiden Masters 1000 final. Bopanna and Ebden, champions in Indian Wells and Doha already this season, cruised through the Match Tie-break to set a championship-match meeting with seventh seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in China.

Can Hubert Hurkacz’s booming delivery help the Pole go all the way at the Rolex Shanghai Masters?

The 16th-seeded Pole produced a serving masterclass on Saturday to down Sebastian Korda 6-3, 6-4 and reach the championship match at the ATP Masters 1000 event. Hurkacz did not face a break point as he consistently found unreturnable deliveries to prevent Korda making any inroads on return. That dominance on serve allowed him to hit freely on return, and he notched a break in each set to ease to a 77-minute victory.

“I’m just really happy with my performance today,” said Hurkacz, who won 85 per cent (40/47) of points behind his first serve in the semi-final clash. “I was serving well, playing some good groundstrokes and definitely putting pressure on Sebi from the ground.”

As well as moving Hurkacz within one win of lifting his second Masters 1000 trophy, Saturday’s triumph against Korda also further boosted the Pole’s late charge towards the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals. He is up three spots to 13th in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, and will rise to 11th if he can defeat Andrey Rublev or Grigor Dimitrov in Sunday’s final in Shanghai.

Through the final 🎾💪@HubertHurkacz gets the win against Korda

With both players serving well #ShotQuality;
Hurkacz 9.4
Korda 9.1
Both #InAttack 28%, #ConversionScore becomes 🔑 to the match ⚔️#TennisInsights | @atptour | @SH_RolexMasters pic.twitter.com/2IQelrHbNv

— Tennis Insights (@tennis_insights) October 14, 2023

Korda’s impressive run to the semi-finals had included upsetting Daniil Medvedev and edging Ben Shelton in a quarter-final thriller. The 23-year-old American was unable to bring the best of his all-court game to Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena on Saturday, however, largely due to Hurkacz’s perfectly executed gameplan.

The World No. 16 struck the ball with pace and precision from deep to a level that Korda struggled to match, while he was almost irresistible on serve. Hurkacz sent down 14 aces and repeatedly deflated Korda’s attempts to settle in return games with well-placed deliveries at key moments.

“I’m working on being difficult to play against,” said Hurkacz, who has now fired 77 aces across his Shanghai run, the most in the draw. “It’s the same with every opponent. They try to come out with their best foot forward that day and they’re trying to [implement] their tactics or plan against you. You’ve just got to stay mentally strong and really battle.”

With his triumph, Hurkacz advanced to a Masters 1000 final for the third consecutive season. The Pole lifted the trophy in Miami in 2021 and was a finalist in Montreal in 2022. If he can overcome fifth seed Rublev or 18th seed Dimitrov in Sunday’s championship match, Hurkacz willl claim his seventh ATP Tour crown.

In their first season as a team, Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden will compete in the Nitto ATP Finals. The Indian-Australian duo qualified for the season finale by reaching the final of the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

Bopanna and Ebden will join Ivan Dodig/Austin Krajicek and Wesley Koolhof/Neal Skupski at the year-end championships, which will be held at the Pala Alpitour in Turin from 12-19 November.

After losing their first two matches together this season, Bopanna and Ebden made the final in Rotterdam. They have not looked back since.

The duo triumphed at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells and also lifted the trophy in Doha. Bopanna and Ebden also reached a major final at the US Open and another Masters 1000 final in Madrid.

This will be Bopanna’s fourth appearance in the Nitto ATP Finals and his first since 2015. All four of his qualifications have come with different partners. Ebden will compete in the season finale for the first time.

The ATP regrets to confirm the cancellation of the 2023 Tel Aviv Watergen Open (scheduled 5-11 November) due to security concerns following the outbreak of war in the region.

“The violence and acts of terror witnessed in Israel are beyond comprehension. We strongly condemn any form of terrorism and mourn the loss of innocent lives across this conflict. We hope and pray for peace in the region,” said Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Chairman.

The decision to cancel the ATP 250-level tournament was taken in close consultation with security experts, with the safety of players, staff and fans as a priority.

Borna Coric dreamed up a well-rounded creation when he sat down with ATP Uncovered to build his perfect player.

He began with two ground strokes that “cannot miss” — Juan Martin del Potro’s forehand and Novak Djokovic’s backhand — citing the dependable power of Del Potro and the unmatched control of Djokovic. “The last time he missed it was probably 10 years ago,” he said of the Serbian’s backhand.

Coric selected a mix of past and present stars, including legends of the sport when looking at net play and the serve.

Of one International Tennis Hall of Famer, Coric said: “I was always looking up to him… He was my idol.”

Which star was Coric talking about? Find out who in the video below.

Former ATP Tour player and University of Southern California coach Dick Leach passed away Tuesday, 10 October at the age of 83. Leach led USC to four NCAA men’s championships as the head coach of his alma mater, where he also achieved All-American honours as a player.

Leach earned a program record 540 wins in his 23-year USC coaching career from 1980-2002. He won four NCAA championships, including three in four years (1991, 1993 and 1994) and ended his USC coaching career with a national title in 2002. During his tenure, the Trojans collected three NCAA doubles titles and two NCAA singles crowns.

A three-time ITA Coach of the Year, Leach was inducted into the USC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003. His USC teams won seven conference championships, with Leach earning five Pac-12 Coach of the Year honours.

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A post shared by Prakash Amritraj (@prakashamritraj)

A memorable moment came when Leach’s two sons, Rick and Jon, contributed to USC’s success under their father’s tutelage. A four-time All-American, Rick won two NCAA doubles titles (1986 and 1987) and Jon, who was a two-time All-American, was a fixture on his father’s first three national championship teams.

Before his coaching career started, the California native Leach earned a 12-11 record on the ATP Tour. Leach was a three-year letterwinner at USC (1959-61) under former head coach George Toley.

Leach resided in Laguna Beach, Calif., with his family after his retirement. He is survived by his wife, Sandy, his sons, Rick and Jon, and his daughters, Tammy and Mindy.

Player Tributes:
Prakash Amritraj: “Coach, thank you for believing in me. Thank you for giving me a place to learn the start of my journey to becoming a man. Thank you for leaving only after making me a champion. Thank you for all the laughs in your pre-practice speeches. Thank you for all you have given to me and all the other men you have given your blood, sweat and tears to throughout your life. You will always have an absolutely special place in my heart for the rest of my days here. Rest beautifully with God, Coach Leach.”

Jorge Lozano: “Coach Leach was always very concerned about us as individuals, he worried about our well being and also about our competitiveness as tennis players. I will always be grateful to him for the opportunity he gave me at USC. He was always successful as a tennis coach and loved by many. Rest in Peace, Coach.”

Matt Anger: “I owe Coach Leach and his family so much. He helped me not only transition into college, but onto the Tour, and again after playing into coaching.”

^{Dick Leach with David Ekerot. Credit: USC}

After an illustrious 24-year career on the ATP Tour, how is Roger Federer adapting to life in his first 12 months away from the court? The 20-time major champion is relishing time with family and maintaining a busy schedule while also staying in shape and keeping tabs on the sport.

“I have tried to go to the gym four times a week, which I can’t believe I’m actually doing,” Federer said. “At home, I put some machines in that I got literally the week after the Laver Cup in London. So it was like after my career, I finally had a gym. A little bit weird to have it once I was retired, so now I have to use it. So I do that well. I don’t play so much tennis anymore so I have to be a little bit more careful what I eat and stuff. I’d still like to play some exhibitions down the road. So I want to stay in shape.

“I just do everything. Cardio, some weight training. Then more core exercises, a lot of that, which is also good for the back. You have to be careful. I think when you move less, the body hurts more. So I think moving a bit is always good. It makes me feel better for sure.”

Federer retired at last year’s Laver Cup, where in his final match he partnered longtime friend and rival Rafael Nadal against Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe. Despite not competing anymore, the Swiss remains close to the Tour.

“I follow results almost daily. I like to see what’s going on out there,” Federer said in his extended interview with Ursin Caderas of ATP Media. “Mostly highlights, I maybe go on YouTube and check four or five minute highlights to get a bit of a feel for the match a bit more. It’s hard for me to sit through matches, just because I don’t have the time to be honest. With the children and all the stuff that’s going on in my life, it’s hard to say like, ‘Okay, on that day, I will watch that match.’

“Like the Wimbledon final, I literally only saw a couple games that day because we’re running around with the kids and doing stuff. Then at one point I quickly checked in just to say like ‘Okay, I saw the Wimbledon final a little bit.’ Of course I was curious, I was checking the scores from time to time, but for me to sit down is hard. I was happy that the match was as great as it was and I love when great stories come out of the game.”

A 103-time tour-level titlist, Federer was honoured Friday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he was presented with an Icon Athlete Award in a ceremony that also featured home WTA legend Li Na and the No. 1 Chinese player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Zhang Zhizhen.

Federer, who twice claimed the title in Shanghai (2014, 2017), has fond memories of playing at the Chinese ATP Masters 1000 event, including the fans’ unwavering support often displayed through gifts.

“In the past, I usually had one suitcase full of stuff I would usually take back because sometimes we [received] these paintings and all these things that take loads of space,” Federer said.

“They can wait for you anywhere. At the club, at the hotel, in the basement of the hotel. They’re everywhere and they don’t mind waiting. I will never forget when I was here the first few times, I would not come out of the hotel until 4 p.m. and Mirka would go out and grab coffee and she would tell them, ‘Roger is not going to be here until 4 p.m., so you don’t have to wait in front of the hotel.’ They’re like, ‘No, no, no, he’s only here once a year so we’re happy to wait!’
They would wait and wait so I think the following here is pretty cult like and it’s very intense.”

The Shanghai fans even sent Federer off with songs as he left Asia following a disappointing early exit in 2015.

“I will never forget when I lost first [match], everybody was super sad from my team, my fans, the tournament,” Federer said. ‘Everybody was like, ‘What a pity you came here all this way lose first round.’ I went straight to the airport and there must have been like 100 people at the airport all waiting for me and singing a song like, ‘We hope to see you next year, we hope to see you again!’ and like tears in their eyes. So I think there’s been a really special connection with the Chinese fans over here.”

Even in retirement, Roger Federer’s popularity in China shows no sign of waning.

The former World No. 1 and 103-time tour-level titlist was honoured Friday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where Chinese fans had the chance to pay tribute to the Swiss great for the first time since his retirement in September 2022.

Federer was presented with an Icon Athlete Award in a ceremony that also featured home WTA legend Li Na and the No. 1 Chinese player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Zhang Zhizhen.

“It’s been great to see tennis grow in China. One icon is standing here and a future superstar in the making there,” said Federer of Li and Zhang, the latter of whom this year became the first home player to reach the fourth round at Shanghai’s Masters 1000 event.

Roger Federer/Li Na” />

_{^{Zhang Zhizhen, Roger Federer and Li Na on Friday in Shanghai. Photo Credit: Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images}}

As well as taking selfies with excited fans from the middle of the court, Federer also took to the microphone to discuss his delight at returning to an event where he racked up a 23-6 record and won the title in 2014 and 2017.

Federer beat his great rival Rafael Nadal in the championship match to claim the second of his Shanghai crowns, the third time the pair had clashed in the Chinese city. Federer also overcame the Spaniard at the 2006 and 2007 editions of the Nitto ATP Finals, then held in Shanghai and known as the Tennis Masters Cup. Federer went on to win the season-ending event in both years.

“I played Rafa on so many occasions, not in every tournament I played but almost in all the big matches around the world and I’m happy we could do it here, not just once but three times,” reflected Federer when asked about his 6-4, 6-3 final win in 2017. “It’s even more special if it’s in a final. I thought I played extremely well in that match… I played a fantastic tournament and a fantastic year when I came back [after] my knee problem.

“For me it was a dream year and I believe it was the last time I won the Rolex Shanghai Masters, so of course it’s forever special. It was a terrific week, and I loved the battles I had with Rafa. I’m happy I won the final here that year.”

Federer’s popularity in China was demonstrated early in his career when he was given the honour of opening the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, home to the Shanghai event, in 2005. He famously also surprised a group of Shanghai commuters in 2017, when he hopped onto a Metro train to travel to the Masters 1000 event.

“Ever since I showed up here as a teenager in 2002, maybe I even had a ponytail, I looked different, I played different, but I got so many fans, I feel like, from the first moment I came,” said Federer. “I feel like I got the most incredible support here in Shanghai and in China. I’ve been very fortunate to play here for so many years.”

_{^{Federer rides the Shanghai Metro in 2017. Photo Credit: Mike Frey/Shanghai Rolex Masters}}

Andrey Rublev moved to within two wins of capturing his second ATP Masters 1000 title on Friday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

The World No. 7, who is the highest-ranked player remaining in the draw, defeated Frenchman Ugo Humbert 6-2, 6-3 to reach the semi-finals in China and further boost his Nitto ATP Finals qualification chances.

Rublev played on the front foot throughout the one-hour, 31-minute clash, striking his flat groundstrokes with power to push Humbert deep. He also recovered from a squandering a break advantage in the second set, winning the final four games to improve to 3-2 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Humbert and avenging his defeat to the Frenchman in Beijing earlier this month.

“The match in Beijing, both of us played great tennis and I had chances. I was serving for the match. He was playing really well that match and I tried to analyse what I did wrong that match,” said Rublev, who struck 14 winners. “I tried to not make the same mistakes today and I did really well. I am happy to win in straight sets. I played a great match and I am happy to win today.”

Rublev now holds a 17-6 record at ATP Masters 1000 events in 2023, highlighted by his title run in Monte-Carlo. Into his sixth semi-final at this level, the 25-year-old will next meet Grigor Dimitrov as he continues the pursuit of his third title of the year.

“It is going to be a tough match,” Rublev said looking ahead to his semi-final against Dimitrov. “He is a friend and I like him and he is a really great player. It is really tough to beat him when he is in this form. This week he is playing really well.”

Rublev’s deep run in Shanghai has also boosted his chances of competing at the Nitto ATP Finals for the fourth consecutive year. He is currently fifth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, 1,160 points clear of ninth-placed Taylor Fritz. The Top 8 players in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin qualify for the prestigious year-end event, to be held from 12-19 November.

Dominant display from @AndreyRublev97 💥

76% #Conversion
41% #Steal
8.9 Forehand #ShotQuality
8.7 Return #ShotQuality (occurs in less than 5% of matches on @atptour)#TennisInsights | @SH_RolexMasters pic.twitter.com/nNjEtVgTNx

— Tennis Insights (@tennis_insights) October 13, 2023

Humbert was competing in his second Masters 1000 quarter-final, having reached that stage in Paris in 2020. The 25-year-old Frenchman, who upset Stefanos Tsitsipas in the third round for his ninth Top 10 win, is up five spots to No. 29 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.

Did You Know?
If Rublev wins the title, he will rise to a career-high No. 4 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings on Monday, 16 October 2023.