After six months on the sidelines with a right elbow injury, Tommy Robredo is set to make his comeback on the ATP World Tour next week at the Moselle Open in Metz.

The 34-year-old Robredo last competed on the ATP World Tour in February at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, where he fell to Novak Djokovic in the first round. Since then, the Spaniard has endured a tough spell away from the court after having surgery.

“It’s been hard,” Robredo told ATPWorldTour.com. “Firstly having to make the decision to have surgery, because after Dubai I had a tear in the tendon and I tried to avoid the operating theatre. I spent some time doing rehabilitation, but after a month and a half, we saw that it hadn’t mended at all so we opted for the surgery.”

After first detecting the injury in Dubai, Robredo initially hoped to return in April at the Barcelona Open BancSabadell. But the doctors confirmed that surgery would be the best way to get back on the court. As such, there followed a lengthy stretch of recuperation and rehabilitation.

“Technically it’s been four months of recuperation,” said Robredo. “The first two months were hard because you have to come to terms with not training or competing. The third and fourth months, when you know you’re getting close, are when you put your foot down a bit. You’re excited to get back.”

Robredo’s 19 years of experience as a professional, the team he has around him and the people closest to him have been an important an important part of his recuperation. “The dream of coming back has always been there, working day after day with my team, with the physio, with my coach. It all helps,” said Robredo. “It’s all gone well. Also being at home with my family, with my friends, with my girlfriend has meant my return has been faster and more enjoyable.

The Spaniard, who has received a wild card into the Moselle Open, where he lifted the trophy in 2007 (d. Murray), made a tentative comeback on the ATP Challenger Tour last week in Genova. “I was really looking forward to playing again. Now in Metz, I think I will play better.”

After playing just six matches so far in 2016, Robredo is keen for as much court time as he can get as the season draws to a close in the coming weeks. “The goal is to play as many matches as possible so that my arm improves and I can start 2017 in top form,” said the Spaniard.

“There are going to be some difficult months ahead because having to start playing with pain is annoying and it isn’t easy. The goal is to get back to 100 per cent next year and give my all to see if we can have another great run, another great comeback and get back to where I really want to be on the ATP World Tour.”

“Can you be Number 1?” Charlie Rose asked US Open champion Stan Wawrinka during a sit-down interview on Monday.

“No,” laughed Wawrinka, his shiny new trophy on the table next to him. “I won three Grand Slams, but I’m not consistent enough during the year. If you look, Novak [Djokovic] is making a final or winning every tournament that he’s playing. I can play amazing, I can win a Grand Slam, but I’m not playing well enough in the year.”

The buzz of his third major title had yet to lift as the 31-year-old Swiss chatted with the American talk show host about his friendship with compatriot Roger Federer, how he deals with stress, coach Magnus Norman’s influence and what practice is like with World No. 1 Djokovic. 

“We push each other in practice… try to improve most of the time,” said Wawrinka. “It’s good fun also because we like each other.”

Wawrinka’s appearance on Charlie Rose was part of a media tour in New York City, which also saw him visit “Live With Kelly” and play Wii Tennis with Jimmy Fallon. Watch

NextGen star Hyeon Chung is back after four months out due to injury, but he’s picking up right where he left off.

Competing in the first tournament of his comeback at the $50,000 ATP Challenger Tour event in Nanchang, China, the 20 year old from Korea has moved into the quarterfinals without dropping a set. Although he admitted that the rehab process took longer than expected, he’s now fully healthy and ready to make another climb up the Emirates ATP Rankings.

“After Roland Garros, I found out after I lost my [first-round] match that I had injured my abs,” said Chung. “I did nothing for two weeks and then slowly began training. I want to see now if I’m able to do everything that I could before.”

During his time away from the court, Chung said he was motivated by the success of other young Korean players on the ATP Challenger Tour, including Duckhee Lee and Soon Woo Kwon.

“We’re all friends,” said Chung. “Duckhee is playing Davis Cup now, but we all played the same tournaments growing up. We’re all pushing each other to get better.”

Chung made headlines last year for his rapid rise up the Emirates ATP Rankings, climbing from No. 169 to No. 51 in 12 months. He won four ATP Challenger Tour titles in 2015 and finished as runner-up in two other Challenger events. Chung also reached his first ATP World Tour quarterfinal that October at the Shenzhen Open.

Having added new weapons to his game during his time away from the court, he’s optimistic about cracking the Top 50 of the Emirates ATP Rankings next year.

“I made a few changes to my serve and my balance on my forehand,” said Chung. “This week was my first match in four months, so it’s not great yet, but I’m going to keep trying. I just want to keep going and play more Challengers.”

Andy Murray, Juan Martin del Potro, Marin Cilic and Lucas Pouille headline the nominations for the Davis Cup World Group semi-finals kicking off on 16 September. Defending champion Great Britain will face Argentina in Glasgow, while the Croatians will host the French in Zadar. Both semi-final ties will be played on indoor hard courts.

The Brits will be represented by World No. 2 Andy Murray, #NextGen star Kyle Edmund and in-form Daniel Evans, who held a match point in the third round of the US Open against eventual champion Stan Wawrinka. Jamie Murray, No. 4 in the Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings and the US Open doubles champion, rounds out the team.

Del Potro, who fell to Wawrinka in the US Open quarter-finals, started the year outside the Top 1000, but is back into the Top 65 on the strength of a 22-10 record since his comeback from left wrist surgery. He is joined by countrymen Federico Delbonis, Guido Pella and Leonardo Mayer on the Argentinian side.

Croatia is looking for its first Davis Cup final since winning the title in 2005 and has named Cilic, #NextGen star Borna Coric, doubles World No. 8 Ivan Dodig and Marin Draganja to its team. They will face a French team composed of Pouille, Richard Gasquet, Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Mahut/Herbert are the top players in the Emirates ATP Doubles Race To London.

On the same weekend, there will be eight World Group playoff ties to determine which teams will be promoted and relegated next year.

Uzbekistan will attempt to reach the World Group for the first time against a Swiss squad playing without Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka.

David Goffin and the Belgians will host top singles player Thomaz Bellucci and the Brazilian team in Ostend.

Nick Kyrgios, Bernard Tomic, Sam Groth and John Peers will represent Australia on home soil against Slovakia.

Young Canadian Denis Shapovalov will make his Davis Cup debut against Chile on an indoor hard court in Halifax.

Russia aims to return to the World Group after a four-year absence against Kazakhstan in Moscow.

Rafael Nadal will lead the Spanish contingent against India in New Delhi. The home team’s top singles player, Saketh Myneni, recently qualified for his first Grand Slam event at the US Open.

Germany will attempt to retain its place in the 16-team World Group against Poland in Berlin.

Kei Nishikori will lead the Japanese against an in-form Illya Marchenko and his Ukrainian teammates.

In Case You Missed It

Gael Monfils ups the ante as the Race To London heats up. Read

Andreas Seppi and Paul-Henri Mathieu marry long-time girlfriends in their home countries. Read

US Open champion Stan Wawrinka takes New York City by storm. Read

What’s it like to hit with Roger Federer? Rising star Zhang Zhizhen explains. Read

How did players and celebrities react to Wawrinka’s big win? Read

Ranking Movers

+78 Juan Martin del Potro (64)

+29 Kyle Edmund (55)

+29 Ryan Harrison (94)

+25 Jared Donaldson (97)

+14 Karen Khachanov (81)

Birthdays

17 September – Tomas Berdych (31)

Saturday, 10 September was doubly special for ATP World Tour stars as two former Top 20 players walked down the aisle.

Three-time ATP World Tour titlist Andreas Seppi married Michela Bernardi in Oreisei, Italy. The Italian wrote on Instagram, “Every love story is beautiful, but ours is my favourite. Best friends for life… Husband and wife. Mr. & Mrs. Seppi”.

Fellow Italian Simone Bolelli was also in attendance at the memorable affair. View Photo

Paul-Henri Mathieu wed his longtime girlfriend, Quiterie Camus, in Bourron-Marlotte, France. The mother of the now Mrs. Mathieu performed the ceremony as Deputy Mayor of the city. The couple’s son Gabriel was also on hand for the beautiful day.

Happy Wedding!
Beaucoup d’émotions ✨ Merci mon ange pour cette magnifique journée!
❤️?☀️ #Mr&MrsM pic.twitter.com/H1JIW6ooiV

— Paul Henri Mathieu (@PHMofficiel) September 11, 2016

It’s that time of the year again when the attention of the tennis world begins to focus on who will qualify for the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

Only this year’s best eight singles players and doubles teams will qualify to compete for one of the greatest prizes in our sport. London’s iconic O2 arena will again play host to the world’s biggest indoor tennis event from November 13-20.

Players earn their place at the season finale by finishing in the Top 8 of the Emirates ATP Race To London on November 6, when the ATP World Tour regular season concludes after the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris. The Race is a calendar-year points race that starts at the beginning of each season in the first week of January. The players who win titles in Brisbane, Chennai and Doha typically will share the Race lead after the first week of the season.

Throughout the season a player adds his best eligible results from up to 18 tournaments to his Race points tally. Winning a prestigious ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title earns the champion 1000 points. Titles at ATP World Tour 500 and 250 level tournaments return 500 points and 250 points respectively. Players who don’t win the title still earn points based on how far they advance in the draw.

The Race differs from the Emirates ATP Rankings, the historical world rankings.  A player’s ranking is determined by his best 18 tournament results over the preceding 52 weeks. A high ranking is needed to get into the world’s best tournaments and rankings also determine if a player is seeded. Novak Djokovic is known as the World No. 1 because he sits atop the rankings. Milos Raonic is known as a Top 10 player because he is No. 7 in the rankings.

More often than not, a player’s Race standing is different to his ranking. For example, Gael Monfils is sixth in the Race but eighth in the Rankings because he has enjoyed relatively more success in 2016 than over the longer time period of the past 52 weeks. Rafael Nadal is eighth in the Race but fourth in the Rankings because his strong post-US Open results from 2015 only count towards his 52-week ranking and not his 2016 Race standing.

In the latter part of the season, a player’s focus turns to his position in the Race because it becomes an accurate predictor of what the player’s year-end ranking will be. And, of course, the Race determines who makes it to London.

Djokovic, Andy Murray and newly minted US Open champion Stan Wawrinka are the three players who have already booked their spots at The O2. Milos Raonic and Kei Nishikori are highly likely to return to London as both already have more points than the 4,035 points earned by Nishikori last year to clinch the final spot.

In sixth and seventh places respectively in the Race, French showman Monfils and 23-year-old Austrian Dominic Thiem both have a strong chance to make their debuts at the season finale. Thiem is just five points clear of Rafa Nadal, but 675 points clear of ninth-placed Czech Tomas Berdych, who missed the US Open due to appendicitis, and 805 points ahead of 10^th-placed Marin Cilic, a recent winner of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati.

Thiem boosted his London hopes with a fourth-round showing at the US Open, where he said reaching the season finale was a strong goal. “It would be an unbelievable bonus to an incredible season that I’m having,” he said. “One or two years ago, the [Barclays ATP World Tour] Finals seemed so far away. I didn’t know how to amass that many points in one year and now I’m really in the race to it… If I make it, I would be unbelievably happy… I watch it every year and it’s a great tournament.”

Can Berdych, Cilic, David Goffin or possibly even Nick Kyrgios and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga make a late bid to break into the Top 8 in the final seven weeks of the season? With 13 tournaments – including two Masters 1000 and four 500s –  there are enough points on offer. But each tournament will take on extra significance for the chasing pack as they try to catch the leaders.

In doubles, four teams have booked their spots. No. 2 team Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares qualified en route to winning their second major of the year at the US Open and look set to battle Race leaders Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut for year-end No. 1 honours. The Bryan brothers will be back chasing a fifth title and Spaniards Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez also qualified in New York. Defending champions and 2015 year-end No. 1 team Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau are in ninth position, just 30 points behind Henri Kontinen and John Peers.

Editor’s notes: Strictly speaking, the Race begins in mid November of the preceding season (the week after the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris). Results at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals are excluded, but players competing in late-season ATP Challenger Tour events earn points that count towards the next season’s Emirates ATP Race To London.

Officially, only the Top 7 in the Race are guaranteed places at the season finale. The eighth place is reserved for a Grand Slam champion positioned between 8^th and 20^th in the Race. Wawrinka, who mathematically is not yet guaranteed to finish in the Top 7 in this year’s Race, qualified for London by winning the US Open. That made him a current-year Grand Slam champion who mathematically cannot fall outside the Top 20 in the Race. If all Grand Slam champions of the current year are positioned in the Top 8 of the Race after Paris, then the Top 8 players in the Race qualify.