Taylor Fritz jumped out to an early lead Thursday against Wu Yibing and never looked back to reach the quarter-finals of the Atlanta Open.

The top seed relied on his hefty service delivery in key moments to defeat Wu 6-4, 7-6(5) after one hour, 30 minutes. Fritz started fast, gaining a 4-0 lead to kick off the evening session in Atlantic Station and won 81 per cent of his first-serve points to advance.

“Just a couple points here and there. I had some break chances, he had some break chances,” Fritz said in his on-court interview. “It could have gone either way, I kind of just barely got out of the points I needed to win.”

In the second set, the California-native saved two set points at 4-5. Fritz then fired three consecutive aces from 30/40 to close the game and later closed the match in a second-set tie-break. 

The 25-year-old Fritz avenged this year’s Dallas Open semi-final loss to Wu, who was eventually crowned champion at the ATP 250 for his maiden tour-level title. Their Lexus ATPHead2Head series is now tied at 1-1.

Fritz, who is World No. 9 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, is chasing his second tour-level trophy of the season, having lifted his fifth ATP Tour crown in Delray Beach in February. He will next meet former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori or #NextGenATP Shang Juncheng.

In other Atlanta action, German Dominik Koepfer mounted a comeback to down third seed Daniel Evans 2-6, 7-6(3), 6-4. World No. 88 Koepfer saved three match points from 3-5, 0/40 in the second set and then broke Evans’ serve when the Brit served for a quarter-final spot the ensuing game. The 33-year-old Evans is on a seven-match skid at tour-level.

Koepfer will next meet eighth seed J.J. Wolf, who downed countryman Maxime Cressy 7-6(7), 6-3 to book his ticket to the last eight. Wolf saved a set point at 6/7 in the opening-set tie-break before tallying three consecutive points. World No. 46 Wolf is into his fourth quarter-final of the season.

Have you ever sent a direct message to somebody famous? Jiri Lehecka has!

The 21-year-old revealed who it was in the latest edition of ATP Uncovered’s ‘I Am’ series.

“I sent a message to Petra Kvitova when she won her first Wimbledon [in 2011],” said Lehecka, who was a fan of the lefty’s game from a young age.

Kvitova first lifted the Wimbledon trophy 12 years ago. Little did the lefty or Lehecka know they would compete at this season’s United Cup together.

Now Lehecka has fans just like he once was. The Top 40 star hopes to follow in Kvitova’s footsteps and achieve several career ambitions he revealed later in the video.

The Czech also shared more about his life away from tennis including what hockey team he supports, his favourite cheat meal and the music genre he enjoys.

Watch the full video above to find out what three tips he would give to young tennis players, his first tennis memory, how he would describe his off-court personality and more.

Casper Ruud recovered from a slow start against Cristian Garin on Thursday, when he battled back to earn a 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory at the Hamburg European Open.

The top seed, who reached the semi-finals at the ATP 500 clay-court event in his previous appearance in 2020, played with greater intensity and consistency as the one-hour, 41-minute clash progressed. Ruud gained a crucial break at 2-2 in the second set and then saved all five break points he faced across the second and third sets to reach the quarter-finals.

“Cristian played much better than me at the beginning,” Ruud said. “He broke me right away and was returning from all corners. I had no answers, but just tried to stay in there in the second set and told myself to keep going, maybe I will get a chance. At 2-2 I was able to break him on my first break point and things started to change. A couple of points can decide a match. Even though the result in the end seemed kind of clear, it is always tough against Cristian.”

With his 22nd clay-court tour-level win of the season, Ruud improved to 2-3 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Garin, who had won their previous two clay-court matches. Only Carlos Alcaraz (25), has most tour-level victories on clay in 2023.

The 24-year-old Ruud is chasing his second tour-level trophy of the season, having lifted his 10th ATP Tour crown in Estoril in April. He will continue his quest against #NextGenATP Frenchman Arthur Fils.

“To not dwell on the past, to live in the present and have the memory of a goldfish!”

You will not find Alex de Minaur ruing the day. The 24-year-old revealed the importance of having a positive, forward-thinking mindset in the latest edition of ATP Uncovered’s ‘Note to Self’ series.

“You are going to lose a lot of tennis matches. The most important thing is that the next week there is another chance for you to compete and do well in the next tournament,” De Minaur explained.

The Top 20 star also discussed how he handles distractions, pressure and failure. Although professional athletes face plenty of pressure, De Minaur emphasised the value of enjoying life away from the court.

“Enjoy time with your friends, driving your classic car, playing golf, going to the beach, spending time with your dog,” the Australian said.

De Minaur’s parting shot was writing a short phrase he would share with his younger self. What three words did he write? Watch the full video above to find out.

Top seed at a tour-level event for the first time, Jiri Lehecka coped with the pressure on Thursday when he defeated former World No. 3 Dominic Thiem 6-3, 7-5 at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag. Stan Wawrinka, the 2006 champion, also advanced later in the day.

The Czech Lehecka won 82 per cent (31/38) of his first-serve points in his maiden meeting against Thiem, and rallied from a break down in the second set to advance after one hour and 41 minutes.

The 21-year-old, who is making his debut in Umag, will next play seventh seed Matteo Arnaldi in the quarter-finals. Lehecka and Arnaldi both competed at the 2022 Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan, where the Czech defeated the Italian en route to the final.

Lehecka has used that result as a springboard this season, highlighted by his run to the quarter-finals at the Australian Open and fourth round at Wimbledon. The World No. 33’s best result on clay prior to this week was a third-round appearance at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Monte-Carlo.

Lehecka is seeking his maiden tour-level title this week at the ATP 250 clay-court event. The 2015 Umag champion Thiem was aiming to reach his third tour-level quarter-final of the season. The Austrian leaves Croatia 9-17 on the season.

Wawrinka, who won his first ATP Tour title in Umag 17 years ago, surged past Argentine Federico Coria 7-5, 6-1 to earn his spot in the last eight. The former World No. 3 will next face Roberto Carballes Baena, who eliminated Taro Daniel 6-3, 6-1.

Wawrinka earned five service breaks against Coria, notably winning 56 per cent of his first-serve return points. The Swiss is competing in Umag for the first time since 2007.

Jaume Munar also advanced, defeating Fabian Marozsan 6-4, 6-3. The Spaniard will next meet second seed Lorenzo Sonego or Marco Cecchinato.

#NextGenATP Frenchman Arthur Fils reached his fourth tour-level quarter-final of the season on Thursday at the Hamburg European Open, where he overcame Serbian Dusan Lajovic 7-5, 7-5.

The 19-year-old Fils captured his maiden tour-level title in Lyon in May but arrived at the ATP 500 clay-court event in Hamburg off the back of four consecutive defeats. He has looked close to his best in Germany, though, backing up his first-round win against Daniel Elahi Galan with a controlled display against Lajovic.

Fils rallied from a break down in both sets, winning 48 per cent (23/48) of points on Lajovic’s first serve to triumph after one hour and 41 minutes. He will next meet top seed Casper Ruud.

“It is a big tournament, there are a lot of points,” Fils said. “I am happy about reaching the quarter-finals, but I am looking at the semi-finals or final if I can.

“He has an amazing backhand. He was killing me crosscourt and then hitting down the line. I tried to play with my forehand to make him move, because he was making me move, so I wanted to change that.”

Fils is currently fourth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Next Gen Race as he aims to make his debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals at the end of the season. The Frenchman is on 783 points, 138 points clear of fifth-placed American Ben Shelton (645). Earlier this year, Fils advanced to semi-finals at ATP 250 events in Montpellier and Marseille, alongside his title run at the ATP 250 in Lyon.

Defending champion Lorenzo Musetti also advanced, defeating Slovakian lucky loser Jozef Kovalik in a match that spanned two days due to rain.

After play was suspended midway through the second set on Wednesday night, Italian Musetti returned on Thursday to turn the match around, advancing 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 after two hours and seven minutes.

“I put a lot of physical and fighting spirit on the court today,” Musetti said. “I was not finding my best tennis and I could feel that. There was a lot of frustration inside. I was running a lot to get to a lot of balls and I was a little bit lucky and I took the chances that he gave me. I think the great champions, most of the time, don’t play their best tennis but win. I made it so I am really proud of myself.”

Musetti battled back from a break down in the third set, winning the final three games of the match to clinch victory in his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting against the 30-year-old Kovalik.

The World No. 18, who defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the title match in Hamburg 12 months ago, will next meet Laslo Djere in the quarter-finals. The 21-year-old is chasing his first tour-level title of the season, having triumphed in Hamburg and Naples in 2022.

Christopher Eubanks rode his towering serve to a come-from-behind victory over fellow American Brandon Nakashima to charge into the Atlanta Open quarter-finals Wednesday night.

With Nakashima adopting an aggressive service stance, the 21-year-old earned seven break points throughout the match – including three at 0/40 in the final game – but fifth-seeded Eubanks held firm each and every time en route to a 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-5 win.

Eubanks fired 21 aces but had not earned a break point on Nakashima’s serve until the ninth game of the second set when he caught fire, breaking the 21-year-old to love, helped by one explosive 99 mph forehand winner. He closed out the set in the next game and in the decider he fended off two break points in his opening service game before breaking to 15 in the 10th game.

Eubanks, who hit 51 winners, is through to his second quarter-final in Atlanta and will next play World No. 82 Australian Aleksandar Vukic, who upset fourth seed Yoshihito Nishioka 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(3) in brutally hot conditions during the day session.

Two-time tournament champion Alex de Minaur improved to 10-1 at Atlantic Station after rallying from an early break down in the second set to defeat fellow Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-3, 6-4 in a first-time meeting between the Australians.

Kokkinakis paid the price for putting just 55 per cent of first serves into play, a problem compounded by De Minaur dominating on second serve returns, winning 56 per cent of those points.

De Minaur went down an early break in the second set before upping his aggression. “I let him dictate too much so I tried to step in and play on my terms, which is what got me the first set,” De Minaur said of his revival. “I’m happy to live and fight another day.

“Thanasi is a very good friend. We know each other well and just yesterday we were hanging out all day. It’s always tricky to play a mate.”

The 24-year-old, who at No. 17 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings is just two places below his career-hgh mark, advanced to the quarter-finals, where he will meet Frenchman Ugo Humbert, who took out South Africa’s Lloyd Harris 7-6(6), 6-4.

Taylor Fritz is used to the spotlight as the United States’ highest-ranked male tennis player. However, the World No. 9 recently traded in his match kit for the glitz and glam of Style Magazine.

Featured on the cover of the July/August issue, the 25-year-old Fritz posed in stylish sweaters and overcoats to add his name of ATP Tour stars who have made their way to magazine stands this year.

Taylor Fritz is featured in Style Magazine.” />
^{Photo Credit: Marco Cella/Style Magazine}

Last month, British No. 1 Cameron Norrie stepped in front Tatler’s cameras for chic photoshoot with the fashion and lifestyle magazine. A semi-finalist at Wimbledon in 2022, Norrie posed alongside fellow Britons Jack Draper and Katie Boulter for the publication.

^{From left to right: Katie Boulter, Cameron Norrie and Jack Draper. Credit: Tatler Magazine}

Billed as “the new British tennis superstars”, the trio was photographed in retro styles fitting the storied tradition of their home major.

The cover story, now live on Tatler’s website, begins with Alex de Minaur’s shoutout to girlfriend Boulter during an on-court interview at last year’s Wimbledon.

 

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Norrie and Draper are far from the only ATP stars to grace the pages of fashion magazines in recent months. In addition to Carlos Alcaraz’s February Vogue feature, both the Spaniard and Norway’s Casper Ruud have appeared on the cover of L’Equipe this year.

Ruud also posed for Vogue Scandinavia, where he was the focus of a February spread.

Casper Ruud” />
Photo from Vogue Scandinavia

The month of May saw Jannik Sinner appear on the cover of Sportweek in Italy, while Holger Rune featured in Icon this June in Spain. Also in June, Lorenzo Musetti was on the cover of Undici in Italy.

 

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Going back to January, a collection of young stars were highlighted in GQ as “the new golden age of tennis”. Among those featured and photographed were Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Matteo Berrettini, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Ruud and Rune.

 

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Watch this space — and your local newsstands — to keep tabs as more ATP stars step into the fashion spotlight.

The celebrity recognition continues to pour in for rapidly rising American Christopher Eubanks.

After the 27-year-old won his first-round match at the Atlanta Open on Tuesday, he met with 2015 NFL Most Valuable Player Cam Newton. The quarterback enjoyed the recent Wimbledon quarter-finalist’s victory.

“That was cool, that was cool. I knew he was coming [but] when I got on court, I didn’t know he was going to be there right at 7, which was really cool,” Eubanks said. “I looked up as soon as we walked on court and I could see, he’s a very distinguishable figure obviously. So when I looked up and I saw him I was like ‘Wow, he actually came.’ So that was really, really cool.”

Earlier this year, actor Jamie Foxx and another NFL star, Chad Johnson, watched Eubanks battle to the quarter-finals in Miami.

Less than a month ago, the American claimed his first ATP Tour title in Mallorca before enjoying a dream run to the last eight at Wimbledon, which captured the attention of new fans throughout the world.

Eubanks is this week competing for the first time since. On Wednesday evening he will play countryman Brandon Nakashima, the 2022 Next Gen ATP Finals champion, in the second round.