On Sunday, Andrey Rublev and Casper Ruud battled for the Bastad trophy. One day later, they stood next to each other in Hamburg with big smiles on their faces and, perhaps most importantly of all, a dog.

So is the way of the Tour that in a day, players can turn from opponents to friends, ready to tackle a new tournament. Rublev, Ruud and the latter’s Shih Tzu, Bajas, are now focussed on the Hamburg European Open, an ATP 500.

“It was really great week,” Rublev told ATP Media of his effort in Bastad. “When I saw the draw, I was thinking no way. First of all, no way, what a tough draw. Second, no way, what a tough draw and this is only [an ATP] 250?

“And then the third was like no way, most likely I’m not going to win the title. And then now looking back, [knowing] that I was thinking this and now to know that I won the title, is a really great feeling.”

Watch Bastad Final Highlights:

It was Rublev’s second ATP Tour title of 2023, having also triumphed in Monte-Carlo. This week, Ruud will try to join his friend by winning his second title of the season. A victory in Hamburg would mark the Norwegian’s first above the ATP 250 level.

“I’m sitting here with 10 titles and all of them being 250s, I wouldn’t say it bothers me. But of course, I want to try to seek a bigger title as well, I’m not going to hide that, of course,” Ruud told ATP Media. “That’s why we’re working hard for, to reach, obviously, big finals, but also trying to win them. That’s kind of where you’re mostly remembered, winning the finals other than losing them. But yeah, I hope it’s just a matter of time, I’m going to continue to work hard.”

Rublev has emerged victorious in Hamburg before, in 2020. That year, they met in the semi-finals. This edition, they could meet in the final.

“It’s great to be back. I’ve been here a couple of times before and always enjoyed. It’s a bit colder this year than what it typically is. And I think Andrey and I, we brought the rain from Sweden all the way here today,” Ruud said. “So hopefully the rest of the week is going to clear up and be a good week for everyone.”

Top seed Ruud will begin his tournament against Sebastian Baez, and second seed Rublev will open against Bernabe Zapata Miralles.

Things are happening fast for California teen Alex Michelsen.

Three weeks ago, he was No. 250 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. Two weeks ago, he won the Chicago Challenger, taking out former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori in the quarter-finals. Last week, he advanced to the Newport final in his second ATP Tour event, a run that saw the 18-year-old surge to World No. 140.

And he’s not about to stop there.

“If you told me two weeks ago that I would move from 250 to 140 I don’t think I would have thought it could happen,” Michelsen told ATPTour.com Monday at the Atlanta Open, where he has a special exempt entry into the main draw. “I would have been pretty happy, but it comes down to all the hard work I’ve been doing. That’s why it’s happening.”

Becoming acquainted with Georgia has been on the cards for a while: Michelsen had already committed to play for the University of Georgia Bulldogs. But competing in the main draw of the Atlanta Open would have seemed a long shot until the past couple of weeks.

Now, Atlanta could play a pivotal role in his decision whether to go to college or to turn pro. A second consecutive deep run at an ATP 250 would only strengthen the thinking that he’s ready for the Tour.

“To be honest, I’m not 100 per cent sure [what I’m going to do]. But the decision will need to be made sooner rather than later,” he said. “I haven’t had a chance to talk to my parents because they want to do that when I get home. So for right now I’m just waiting and focussing on my tennis.

“Looking ahead to the summer now that I’m 140, I’ll definitely have some opportunities to get some wild cards. It should be a fantastic time leading up to the US Open.”

Last week in Newport Michelsen took out defending champion Maxime Cressy, World No. 59 countryman Mackenzie McDonald and four-time tournament champion John Isner. It’s little wonder that Michelsen says that grass is his favourite surface.

“Newport showed that I can hang with the level of a great player like Mackenzie McDonald and with John, who is the best server to ever play the game. Being able to hang with them and beat them was was pretty cool,” he said.

“I’ve always liked my time on grass and especially after Newport that’s my favourite surface.
But the focus is now on hard court and hopefully we can make another run. I’ve won nine out of my last 10 matches so hopefully we can keep that good record up.”

Isner, who played four years at the University of Georgia and has never regretted his decision to delay turning pro, feels that Michelsen is further along in his development at 18 and may be ready for the Tour, if that is the path he chooses.

“He’s got a very good game and seems to be a very confident player,” Isner said. “He strikes me as a guy who every time he laces up the shoes he’s going to go out there and compete and believe that he can win, which will serve him well in the long run.

“He’s had a lot of success and he’s got a lot of momentum right now. It’s totally up to him and I don’t think there is a wrong decision, whichever way he goes. I won’t try to sway him one way or the other.”

Michelsen will meet Cressy in the first round for the second consecutive week when they play third match on Grandstand Tuesday.

John Isner has been a towering presence at the Atlanta Open during his career, both literally and figuratively.

The 38-year-old has played in all 12 editions of the event, capturing six titles from nine finals. Now deep into his storied career, the former University of Georgia Bulldog has returned to Atlantic Station, possibly for the last time, hoping to write another chapter in his love story with the ATP 250.

“When I first turned pro, the tournament wasn’t even on the calendar, but when it was announced I always thought that it was going to be a great opportunity for me and a tournament that I would never miss,” Isner told ATPTour.com Monday.

“And I was spot on. I’ve done amazing here and I’ve never missed the tournament. I think they’ve had 12 editions and I’ve made the finals nine times, winning six titles. I can’t really ask for much more success than that. The tournament has been a big springboard to success for me during my favourite time of the year.

“I’m definitely very proud of what I have achieved at the tournament. I get that it’s not Wimbledon or the French Open, but not many people can say they’ve won the same tournament six times. The field has always been loaded with very, very good players.

“I also spent four years going to college a bit more than an hour from here, so I have deep ties to the state and the amazing university. Even though I don’t live in Georgia it certainly feels like a little piece of home here for me.”

Isner has won 37 of 43 matches played at the Atlanta Open, often willing his giant frame to victory through the brutal heat and humidity. Look up the word ‘hang dog’ (or is that ‘hang dawg’?) in the dictionary and you’ll likely find a picture of a sweat-soaked Isner deep in a third set at Atlantic Station. And there is no shortage of memories over the years.

“When I beat Kevin [Anderson] in three tie-breaks [in 2013], that was a good one. I lost a couple heartbreakers to Mardy Fish [on debut in the 2010 final and in 2011]. I played Andy Roddick in the [2012] semi-finals here and remember the atmosphere was amazing.

“A couple years ago I won and beat this 19-year-old kid Brandon Nakashima. That was just another good moment. Obviously, it gets hot. It’s humid. Physically, sometimes you’re not feeling your best. But I’ve found a way to persevere over the years.”

After a difficult season that has yielded a 7-10 match record, Isner has fallen outside the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, but he did rise 23 spots to No. 103 after reaching the Newport semi-finals last week. The 16-time ATP Tour titlist is weighing whether to continue playing after the US Open. A deep run in Atlanta and during the balance of the US swing may determine his future.

Wimbledon.” />
^{John and Maddie Isner with Hunter Grace (4), Hobbs (3), Mack (1 1/2) and Chapel (2 months) at Wimbledon.}

A father of four, family is his top priority these days, although being just 13 match wins shy of joining an elite club of players with 500 match wins is something that will factor into his decision-making process.

“[That milestone] was definitely on my mind at the beginning of the year, and then the year happened; I haven’t had many wins,” Isner said. “I maybe turned a corner last week [in Newport], but my body physically this year hasn’t allowed me to train the way I want to train and because of that my results have been subpar to the standards that I’ve held myself to for the longest time now.

“I’m a bit short of 500 wins, but it is something I would like to accomplish. I know very well that it might not happen this year. So we’ll see. A lot of it depends on my body and whether it would be up to playing another year. While I would like to accomplish the goal, I’m not going to lose sleep over it if it doesn’t happen.

“I’m in a situation that not many players are in, where tennis is not my priority right now. Of course I want to do well, but family always comes first. I’m fortunate enough that they get to travel with me to tournaments as well. They went to Australia and they went to London and I think they’ll come to Cincinnati.

“They’ll certainly come to New York if I decide that it could be my last tournament. Being able to work, play tennis and travel with your family to these amazing, amazing cities is very fun. And it’s a very appealing prospect to try to do it again because I just enjoy my time with them so much.”

Isner opens his Atlanta campaign Tuesday against 29-year-old German Dominik Koepfer.

Alafia Ayeni may not be a household name on the ATP Tour, but that is not stopping him from making an impact by giving back to the sport.

The 23-year-old, who is competing at this week’s ATP Challenger Tour event in Astana, Kazakhstan, started his own brand Team 3x, designed to inspire and empower minorities in sports to overcome structural barriers and social stigmas. The former University of Kentucky star Ayeni launched Team 3x in 2022.

“Growing up, I think one of the biggest barriers to entry for this sport is the financial aspect of it, buying equipment, buying shoes, strings, those are all very high costs,” Ayeni told ATPTour.com recently at the NCAA championships in Lake Nona, Florida. “And for someone, even a middle class family, it’s very difficult to make it because of those things.”

Originally from San Diego, California, Ayeni played four seasons at Cornell University before transferring to the University of Kentucky, where he went 18-9 in dual-season singles and earned ITA All-American honours this year. Thanks to the ATP/ITA Accelerator Programme, Ayeni’s hard work is rewarded with up to eight qualifying spots at select ATP Challenger Tour events in the next year.

World No. 427 Ayeni is inspired to use his platform to provide opportunities to minority children. His father, Anthony, hails from Nigeria but moved to the United States at age 17 and now works as a lawyer. Alafia’s mother, Pamela, is a software engineer, which he said helped spark his interest in game design and coding.

Ayeni is a self starter. While he was at Cornell University in New York, he taught himself to play piano. When he began Team 3x, he launched a clothing line with profits being used to assist juniors in his stomping grounds of southern California. The goal is to ignite aspiring athletes’ careers by helping them travel to national junior tournaments.

“I think that the sport has been a little bit stigmatised within the minority community, especially the African-American community,” Ayeni said. “Growing up, playing tennis, even in high school, you tell people you play tennis and they’re kind of really surprised. They don’t view it as a viable option to get to college or to make a living. Whereas they view basketball, football, or track as very viable options. I think that’s a cultural stigma. That’s something that my company is working to overturn.”

The first merchandise release consisted of 68 sweatshirts. Why an arbitrary number like 68? The late Arthur Ashe won his first major in 1968, when he became the only African-American man to triumph at the US Open.

Just one year into Team 3x, Ayeni quickly found support on and off the court while spending his graduate season in Lexington, Kentucky.

“The University of Kentucky has helped me out a lot,” Ayeni said. “Having an entire university at your back will really help you gain reach, you can connect with the right people, and it really helps your brand grow.”

Under the tutelage of head coach Cedric Kauffmann at Kentucky, Ayeni helped the Wildcats claim their first SEC title since 1992. Ayeni is one of 21 players to benefit from the all-new ATP/ITA Accelerator Programme, which aims to increase the development pathway for top players in the American Collegiate system.

“I think he had a big growth year,” Kaufmann said. “He’s a lot more stable mentally, physically also, feels really good. He’s just a very tough player, very aggressive player. He comes to the net; not a lot of players come to the net anymore that much. He has the power and athletic ability to play some very good points at the big moments.”

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Though the American is not using an Accelerator spot at this week’s President’s Cup in Astana, fans will continue to see Ayeni on the ATP Challenger Tour.

“This accelerator program is going to help a lot with a lot of the internationals in terms of competing and taller status and raising the level of college tennis for years to come,” Ayeni said.

The seventh seed Ayeni will meet qualifier Evgeny Philippov in the Astana Challenger opening round Tuesday. Fans can stream all ATP Challenger Tour matches live and on demand for free at Challenger TV.

Eight years ago, a 21-year-old Dominic Thiem claimed his second ATP Tour title in Umag. On Monday, the Austrian won his first match at the Croatian ATP 250 event since that victory.

Thiem battled past Argentine qualifier Facundo Bagnis 6-4, 7-5 to reach the second round of the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag.

“I knew that it was going to be hard work against him. He’s a great player, especially on the clay court,” Thiem said in his on-court interview. “He had two victories here already in the qualies, which is never easy. It was his third day in a row, so he knows the conditions, he knows how to play at night, how the balls are bouncing. So it was a lot of hard work today, but now I’m super happy that I won that match.”

The former World No. 3 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings saved all six break points he faced — including two on set points at 4-5 in the second set — against the lefty to advance after two hours and three minutes. Thiem will try to reach his first tour-level quarter-final since April when he faces top seed Jiri Lehecka.

“We just practised yesterday together,” Thiem said. “It’s his best year by far. He’s a great player, very young still, playing so fast. So [I will] try to use my experience, try to play a great match.”

In other action, 17-year-old Dino Prizmic earned his first ATP Tour win. This year’s Roland Garros boys’ singles champion eliminated another Croatian wild card, Duje Ajdukovic, 6-1, 6-2 under the watchful eye of national icon Goran Ivanisevic.

“The feeling is amazing,” Prizmic said. “I want to say thanks to everyone who came here to support this match. It means a lot to me and this is a big experience for me.”

Marcelo Melo celebrated a milestone in style on Monday when he partnered John Peers into the second round of the Atlanta Open.

The victory over Luis David Martinez and Reese Stalder marked the Brazilian’s 1,000th tour-level match. Melo now owns a 608-392 record.

“It means a lot. I think it means I’ve had so far a very good career, long term, many years on Tour winning of course a lot of matches,” Melo said. “It is huge for me actually to be able to play 1,000 matches so far.”

Marcelo Melo” />
^{Photo: Alex Smith/Atlanta Open}
It is just the latest of several achievements for Melo, a 37-time tour-level titlist who has reached No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Rankings. Beyond the accolades, the 39-year-old loves what he does.

“I think that’s why I’m still playing,” Melo said. “I always say the day I stop enjoying tennis, I [will] stop playing. So I’m really enjoying coming out like today, we played on centre court, lots of people watching the match. [I got] this cake after the match for the 1,000th [match]. This recognition means a lot to me.”

Melo became the only active player to reach 1,000 tour-level matches and the 14th on record, joining an elite group led by Daniel Nestor (1,550), Mike Bryan (1,523) and Bob Bryan (1,468). Melo’s partner, Peers, shared praise for the Brazilian.

“It’s one hell of an effort,” Peers said. “It shows his longevity and commitment to the sport. It shows how good he’s been, his resilience over the years. It’s a real credit to him.”

Will players from France combine to break Argentina’s ATP Challenger Tour record from last year?

Argentines combined for 23 Challenger titles in 2022, marking the most titles by a single country in a season. The Frenchmen were just one short of tying the record. This year, players from France are on track to make history in a league of their own.

On Sunday, Hugo Gaston and Hugo Grenier claimed their second Challenger titles of the season to extend France’s lead to 17 Challenger crowns this year, with Argentina in second at 12.

Gaston, 22, survived a marathon week at the Citta di Trieste Challenger in Italy, where he needed a deciding set in four of five matches to seal back-to-back Challenger titles. In the final, the fourth seed defeated sixth seed Italian Francesco Passaro 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 to extend his winning streak to 10 after triumphing in Iasi, Romania last week.

The lefty Gaston, who rose to World No. 92 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings on Monday, competed at the 2021 Next Gen ATP Finals and reached a career-high No. 58 last year. The Toulouse-native is one of 12 Frenchmen in the Top 100. His triumph in Trieste marks his third Challenger title.

Passaro rallied from 3-6, 2-4 against Fabian Marozsan in the semi-finals, which was completed Sunday after being suspended due to darkness Saturday. The 22-year-old Italian mounted a comeback and then returned to court to compete in his first Challenger final of 2023.

A few hours after Gaston’s title, the 27-year-old Grenier was crowned champion at the Open de Tenis Ciudad de Pozoblanco in Spain. The top seed escaped Argentine Juan Pablo Ficovich 6-7(4), 6-2, 7-6(3) in a marathon three-hour, 13-minute final.

Hugo Grenier wins his fifth ATP Challenger Tour title in Pozoblanco, Spain.” />
^{Hugo Grenier wins his fifth ATP Challenger Tour title in Pozoblanco, Spain. Credit: Open de Tenis Ciudad de Pozoblanco}

Grenier has played his best tennis in Spain this season, having triumphed at the Les Franqueses Del Valles Challenger in March and making a third-round appearance at the Mutua Madrid Open as a qualifier.

In other Pozoblanco action, Spaniard Adrian Menendez-Maceiras bid farewell to his 18-year pro career. The 37-year-old, who reached a career-high No. 111, was given a main draw wild card and was honoured with a plaque from the tournament.

Sumit Nagal captured his second Challenger title of the season at the Tampere Open, which is the longest-running tournament (41 years) on the ATP Challenger Tour. Seventh seed Nagal ousted #NextGenATP star Dalibor Svrcina 6-4, 7-5 in the final.

Sumit Nagal wins his fourth ATP Challenger Tour title in Tampere, Finland.” />
^{Sumit Nagal wins his fourth ATP Challenger Tour title in Tampere, Finland. Credit: Tampere Open}

Earlier this season, Nagal returned to the Challenger winners’ circle in Rome, Georgia after four difficult years that saw the 25-year-old undergo hip surgery and fight Covid multiple times. The World No. 178 continued his resurgence in Finland, where he earned his fourth Challenger trophy and became the first Indian to win two Challenger singles titles in Europe.

Canadian Alexis Galarneau ascended to a career-high No. 162 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings following his title on home soil in Granby. The 24-year-old downed Australian teen Philip Sekulic 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the final.

Galarneau played college tennis at North Carolina State University, where he was a two-time ITA All-American (2020, 2021) and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in finance. He is the first Canadian Challenger champion of 2023 and the second player from N.C. State to win a Challenger title (John Sadri, 1984).

Alexis Galarneau wins his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title in Granby, Canada.” />
^{Alexis Galarneau wins his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title in Granby, Canada. Credit: Sarah-Jäde Champagne}

Galarneau is one of five Canadians to win the Granby Challenger, joining Frank Dancevic, Vasek Pospisil, Peter Polansky and Gabriel Diallo.

Maximilian Marterer collected his first Challenger title since 2020 by winning the Van Mossel KIA Dutch Open in Amersfoort. The 28-year-old lefty defeated Frenchman Titouan Droguet 6-4, 6-2 in the final and did not a drop set all week at the clay-court event.

Marterer capped his perfect week by winning 76 per cent of first-serve points and fending off all three break points against the eighth seed Droguet.

The German Marterer boasts an 8-3 record in Challenger finals and has enjoyed a standout month, having reached the third round at Wimbledon as a qualifier.

Back in the winners’ circle 🏆

Maximilian Marterer wins the 8th #ATPChallenger title of his career and the first since 2020! pic.twitter.com/nLJD95IfK2

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) July 23, 2023

#NextGenATP Frenchman Luca Van Assche made a winning start on debut at the Hamburg European Open on Monday when he overcame countryman Alexandre Muller 7-6(3), 6-4 to reach the second round.

The 19-year-old won 50 per cent (31/62) of points on Muller’s first serve and rallied from a double break down in the second set, winning five consecutive games from 1-4 to clinch victory after two hours and 15 minutes.

Van Assche is into the second round at a tour-level event for the sixth time next season and will aim to reach the third round for the first time when he meets seventh seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina or Gstaad champion Pedro Cachin at the ATP 500 clay-court event.

Van Assche is currently sixth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Next Gen Race on 521 points. The Frenchman is seeking to make his debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals at the end of the season.

American Alex Michelsen’s quest to compete at the Next Gen ATP Finals gathered pace last week when he advanced to his first tour-level final at the ATP 250 event in Newport.

Competing in just his second tour-level event, the 18-year-old earned standout wins against Maxime Cressy and John Isner at the Infosys Hall of Fame Open to rise four spots to seventh (416 points) in the Pepperstone ATP Live Next Gen Race.

Michelsen, who is aiming to make his debut at the 21-and-under event, clinched his first ATP Challenger Tour crown in Chicago earlier this month.

Serbian Hamad Medjedovic has jumped two spots to eighth (398 points) after advancing to his first tour-level semi-final at the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad. The 20-year-old came through qualifying at the ATP 250 clay-court event before he downed former World No. 3 Dominic Thiem.

Andrey Rublev, Adrian Mannarino and Pedro Cachin captured trophies in Bastad, Newport and Gstaad, respectively, in a three-tournament week on the ATP Tour.

ATPTour.com looks at the movers of the week in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings as of Monday, 24th July 2023.

No. 49 Pedro Cachin, +41 (Career High)
The Argentine has cracked the Top 50 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time after he captured his maiden tour-level title at the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad. The 28-year-old, whose best tour-level result prior to Gstaad was a quarter-final appearance in Cordoba in 2019, rallied past Albert Ramos-Vinolas in three sets in the final.

No. 27 Adrian Mannarino, +11
The 35-year-old has climbed 11 places to No. 27 following his run to the trophy at the Infosys Hall of Fame Open in Newport. Mannarino, who lost his first six tour-level finals, overcame #NextGenATP American Alex Michelsen in the championship match to claim his third crown.

No. 65 Albert Ramos-Vinolas, +14
The Spaniard advanced to his first final of the season in Gstaad, moving past seeds Lorenzo Sonego and Miomir Kecmanovic en route. The 35-year-old is up 14 spots to No. 65 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

No. 140 Alex Michelsen, +50 (Career High)
One year ago this week, Michelsen was tied for No. 1,081 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. The 18-year-old is now No. 140 after enjoying a breakthrough run to the final on home soil at the ATP 250 in Newport. Michelsen defeated Maxime Cressy and John Isner en route to the title match.

Other Notable Top 100 Movers
No. 40 Miomir Kecmanovic, +4
No. 52 Sebastian Ofner, +6 (Career High)
No. 63 Jordan Thompson, +6
No. 87 Fabian Marozsan, +6 (Career High)
No. 92 Hugo Gaston, +28