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The Robinsons must solve the mystery of their missing dad and save the local steam train
The Robinsons must solve the mystery of their missing dad and save the local steam train
As the 2024 season draws to a close, it is time to reflect on the epic battles and career-defining performances that will stay etched in fans’ memories for years to come.
At the heart of the action were some of the Tour’s standout performers across the year: Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz. As part of our annual season-in-review series, ATPTour.com counts down the finest ATP Tour matches of 2024.
[ATP APP]5) United Cup F, Zverev d. Hurkacz 6-7(3), 7-6(6), 6-4
Donning their country’s colours can often ignite a player’s best tennis. Just ask Zverev and Hubert Hurkacz, who produced a show-stopping clash in the final of this year’s innovative United Cup.
Zverev, requiring a win to keep Germany alive, rallied from the brink of defeat to overcome Hurkacz and send the final into a decisive mixed doubles rubber. Facing championship points at 4/6 in the second-set tie-break, Zverev pulled off a flicked forehand passing shot that caught the outer edge of the sideline by millimetres. It proved a pivotal moment in the match. He reeled off three further points to turn it on its head.
“I have absolutely no idea [how I won],” said Zverev. “I saved a match point by hitting a passing shot this much on the line, so this is how tennis goes sometimes. You win and lose by millimetres and today I was lucky enough in a way.”
In a match decided by the finest of margins, it was Zverev who held his nerve to secure a vital win. The German would later return to the court with partner Laura Siegemund to seal the title with another stunning victory, kickstarting his 2024 year in emphatic fashion.
4) Hamburg F, Fils d. Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(1)
A title clash between the home favourite and one of the Tour’s brightest prospects was always destined to produce drama, wasn’t it? In the Hamburg final, Zverev’s greater experience and vocal home support did not prove to be enough as Arthur Fils delivered a stunning performance to secure his maiden ATP 500 crown.
In the dying embers of a fiery, three-and-a-half-hour battle, Fils was daring enough to attempt an underarm serve facing a break point at 5-5, which electrified the German crowd under the closed roof. That crucial break point was one of 21 that the #NextGenATP star saved throughout the match, according to Infosys ATP Stats, before he dominated the decisive tie-break to seal the win.
“When we closed the roof I knew it was going to be just a fight,” said Fils. “You just have to fight until the last point, until the last ball. I think that [I’ve been] practising for this kind of moment for a long time so I’m really happy to win it.”
Fils’ gritty triumph against the then No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings – the biggest of his career – proved to be a catalyst for a stellar run of form at ATP 500 level. Including his titles in Hamburg and Tokyo, the Frenchman won 13 consecutive matches to clinch the ATP 500 Bonus Pool.
3) Monte-Carlo SF, Tsitsipas d. Sinner 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
When it comes to the Rolex Monte-Carlos Masters, Stefanos Tsitsipas rarely puts a foot wrong. In the semi-finals this year, the two-time champion in the Principality found a fitting way to record his first win over a Top 3 opponent since 2022 when he outlasted Jannik Sinner in a high-quality clash.
Their two-hour, 40-minute match was defined by gruelling baseline exchanges, which were forced to end through moments of brilliance. Both Tsitsipas and Sinner fired 27 winners, but it was the former who reeled off four consecutive games from 2-4 in the deciding set to complete an epic comeback.
“It was tennis at its highest level that I have been able to play,” said Tsitsipas. “Jannik was an extremely difficult opponent and it can be seen throughout the year so far. He has been very consistent and I could see that throughout today with his game.”
Tsitsipas would go on to defeat Casper Ruud in the championship match to clinch his third title at the ATP Masters 1000 event, becoming just the fifth player to achieve this feat (after Nadal, Borg, Muster and Nastase).
2) Cincinnati SF, Sinner d. Zverev 7-6(9), 5-7, 7-6(4)
Sinner was heading into his semi-final encounter in Cincinnati with former champion Zverev having lost each of their previous four Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings, but the Italian battled through a hip niggle to secure a thrilling victory.
In a pendulum-swinging, three-hour, seven-minute clash, which featured rain in the first set, Sinner displayed remarkable resilience to cross the line. Zverev let slip a break lead in the first set as well as two set points in the tie-break before Sinner took the lead.
Despite Sinner’s edge, little separated the two and the German fought back with light fading in Cincinnati. Sinner summoned the energy to unleash a forehand return winner to bring up two match points in the deciding-set tie-break, which he converted on the second attempt.
“Sometimes you have to play a bit with the gut feeling, and I think this today was my strength,” said Sinner, who went on to clinch his sixth ATP Masters 1000 title with his triumph over Frances Tiafoe in the final. “[There were] some ups and downs, which can happen, especially when you play [for] more than three hours. It was a good match, I think for both of us.”
1) Beijing F, Alcaraz d. Sinner 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3)
With the rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Sinner already brimming with spectacular encounters, the Beijing final was yet another testament to the stature of their duel. Through a high-quality display of bruising ball-striking paired with exquisite feel at the net, the two young stars pushed each other to their limits.
Sinner had established himself as the standout contender on hard courts in 2024, but Alcaraz proved a stubborn obstacle for the Italian, who won their two previous Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings. Eager to spoil Sinner’s 16-match winning streak, Alcaraz’s nerve and skill came to the fore in a breathtaking showdown.
After clawing back from a set deficit and letting slip a break lead in the final set, it seemed the final was becoming further out of reach for Alcaraz, who trailed 0/3 in the decisive tie-break. Yet the Spaniard had other ideas, stringing together seven consecutive points to seal a gutsy three-hour, 21-minute victory – the longest match in tournament history.
“I never lost hope,” said Alcaraz. “Honestly I knew that [when I started it] that every tie-break Jannik plays is almost to his side. I thought that in the third set, I’m not going to lie, three-love down, two mini breaks for him. So I didn’t lose hope, but I thought, ‘Okay, I have to give everything that I have just to try to give myself the opportunity to be close.’”
With the triumph Alcaraz took a 6-4 lead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series, marking the first time either of them had won three consecutive matches against the other. Sinner’s defeat to Alcaraz in Beijing, however, proved to be his sole loss in 27 matches from Cincinnati onwards in a stellar end to the 2024 season.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
As Joao Fonseca jogs on a treadmill, he receives instruction from his coach Guilherme Teixeira. But the direction given had nothing to do with physical fitness or even forehands and backhands.
“Focus on reading books. Let’s try to finish this book by Sunday. Set a goal to do that because it will take you away from other things,” Teixeira said in Portuguese, as featured in our new ‘Journey To Jeddah’ video series, which includes behind-the-scenes footage of Fonseca and his team.
One of the most exciting young superstars in tennis, the Brazilian is not leaving any stone unturned in his pursuit of success. The 18-year-old is full of immense potential and he already carries himself with a poise beyond his years.
“I think I have great maturity and that’s because of this sport,” Fonseca said. “For sure, I’m growing up fast.”
As fast as he is ‘growing up’, the Brazilian is equally rising in the PIF ATP Rankings, in which he is currently the youngest player in the Top 150, an impressive feat for a player who began the season at World No. 730.
Fonseca’s meteoric climb kickstarted with a dream quarter-final run in February at his home tournament, the ATP 500 event in Rio de Janeiro. In just his second tour-level match, Fonseca raced past fellow #NextGenATP star Arthur Fils 6-0, 6-4. The match captured everything fans love about Fonseca, from his fearless shotmaking to infectious youthful energy.
“He has a little bit of that childlike flair,” said analyst Blair Henley. “He might go for shots that you’re thinking, ‘Hmm, that’s maybe not the shot that I would choose to go for — maybe not the safe shot, but that’s what makes him so fun to watch’.”
Ignited by a lightbulb moment in 2023, which Fonseca discusses in the full video above, the teenager is aiming to be amongst the sport’s top eight 20-and-under players next month at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF. The former junior No. 1 — who won his first ATP Challenger Tour title in Lexington, Kentucky in August — is currently seventh in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah with the cutoff date, 2 December, quickly approaching.
“One of the goals of this year was to play the Next Gen ATP Finals. I will prepare myself and hope I can go for it,” Fonseca said. “To play with the best eight players under 20, it’s a dream to play with those guys in this tournament.”
Fonseca’s journey this season has been one of breakthroughs and growth, yet he sees it as just the launching pad.
“My coach says a lot to me, ‘With talent and hard work, the sky’s the limit,’” Fonseca said.
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Felix Auger-Aliassime is the newest member of the ATP Engagement Club.
The Canadian No. 1 announced his engagement to Nina Ghaibi in a social media post on Friday.
“Couldn’t have dreamt of a better forever 🥰❤️💍,” Auger-Aliassime shared in the post that featured two pictures of the couple celebrating their special moment.
Couldn’t have dreamt of a better forever 🥰❤️💍 pic.twitter.com/GSAe9aEjea
— Félix AugerAliassime (@felixtennis) November 29, 2024
Earlier this week, Alexei Popyrin and Casper Ruud also announced their engagements to Amy Pederick and Maria Galligani, respectively.
Last weekend there were multiple weddings involving an ATP Tour player. Bjorn Fratangelo tied the knot with WTA star Madison Keys and American doubles standout Jackson Withrow married Allie Sweeney last week.
The 24-year-old Auger-Aliassime wrapped his 2024 season late in October at the Swiss Indoors Basel, where he reached the second round. The No. 29 player in the PIF ATP Rankings finished the season with a 32-25 match record according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Rafael Nadal is already making the most of his retirement.
The Spaniard, who concluded his professional career at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga last week, crossed paths with Manchester City’s star striker Erling Haaland at the City Football Academy in Manchester on Wednesday.
[ATP APP]The 22-time Grand Slam champion also met fellow Spaniard and Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola.
<img alt=”Rafael Nadal speaks to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/29/21/51/rafael-nadal-pep-guardiola-manchester-city.jpg?w=100%25″ />
Rafael Nadal with Pep Guardiola at the Manchester City Football Academy. Photo Credit: MCFC.
He also caught up with the club’s star players Bernando Silva, Jack Grealish and Manuel Akanji.
<img alt=”Rafael Nadal poses with Manchester City player Jack Grealish.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/29/21/55/rafael-nadal-jack-grealish-manchester-city.jpg” />
Rafael Nadal with Jack Grealish at the Manchester City Football Academy. Photo Credit: MCFC.
After his visit to Manchester, the famously avid Real Madrid fan was present in the stands at Anfield, supporting his team facing Liverpool in UEFA Champions League action on Wednesday.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Joao Fonseca has qualified for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF and the Jeddah field is now set.
The Brazilian becomes the eighth player to qualify for the 20-and-under event, due to be held from 18-22 December. Arthur Fils, Alex Michelsen, Jakub Mensik, Shang Juncheng, Learner Tien, Luca Van Assche and Nishesh Basavareddy will also compete at the event, having qualified earlier this week.
[ATP APP]Fonseca started the year at No. 727 in the PIF ATP Rankings but has soared to a career-high No. 145 after an impressive season.
The Brazilian lit up Rio de Janeiro in February when he advanced to the quarter-finals at the ATP 500 event on home soil, beating Arthur Fils and Cristian Garin. The 18-year-old also reached the last eight in Bucharest and won his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title in Lexington.
Buy your tickets to watch Fonseca and the rest of the field in action here.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Alexei Popyrin is engaged to longtime girlfriend Amy Pederick. The Aussie star shared the exciting news on Instagram Thursday.
“Forever with you 🤍💍,” Popyrin wrote in a post that featured four photos of the happy couple.
<img alt=”Alexei Popyrin and girlfriend Amy Pederick announce their engagement.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/29/16/05/popyrin-engagement-november-2024-smile.jpg” />
Photo Credit: Alexei Popyrin
The 25-year-old Popyrin competed a month ago at the Rolex Paris Masters, where he reached the third round. In August, the Aussie won his first ATP Masters 1000 title at the Omnium Banque Nationale présenté par Rogers in Montreal, where he claimed five Top 20 wins.
The No. 24 player in the PIF ATP Rankings finished the season with a 28-22 match record.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Novak Djokovic’s decision to appoint long-term friend and rival Andy Murray has caused a stir in the past week. The 37-year-old will team with the Scot in the new season. But how did the decision come about?
The Serbian explained all when he spoke to Sky Sports at the Formula 1 on Friday.
[ATP APP]“I was going through a process of thinking about next season in the past couple of months and figuring out what I needed as I stopped with my coach Goran Ivanisevic, who I was successful with,” Djokovic told Sky Sports. “I took about six months to think if I really needed a coach and if yes, who is that going to be and the profile of the coach.
“We were going through different names and I realised at this point the perfect coach would be someone who has been through the experiences I have been through. A multiple Grand Slam winner and I was thinking about a few and the Andy Murray discussion appeared on the table with my team. I decided I would give him a call and see how it goes. It caught him off guard a little bit as he wasn’t expecting it.
“We connected really fast and he accepted it after a few days. I can’t be more excited about it. This collaboration is a surprise to me as well, to everyone, but it is exciting for tennis. He has been one of my greatest rivals, we are at the same age. We played in all the biggest stages in our sport so I can’t wait to be out there next season.”
Djokovic will aim to win a record-extending 25th major at the Australian Open in January. Born a week apart in May 1987, both Djokovic and Murray climbed to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings and battled on the world’s biggest stages. Djokovic and Murray clashed in 36 Lexus ATP Head2Head showdowns, with the former winning 25 of them.
Murray ended his playing career at the Paris Olympics in July.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Novak Djokovic says his decision to appoint former rival Andy Murray as his coach was “a surprise to everyone” but is “exciting for tennis”.