Retirements of 'Big Four' overwhelming – Djokovic
Novak Djokovic’s bid for a landmark 100th ATP title remains on track in Shanghai, where news of Rafael Nadal’s retirement plan has been a shock to the system.
Novak Djokovic’s bid for a landmark 100th ATP title remains on track in Shanghai, where news of Rafael Nadal’s retirement plan has been a shock to the system.
Novak Djokovic mustered up some gutsy tennis Friday night to battle his way past #NextGenATP star Jakub Mensik to book his place in a ninth semi-final at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
However, the scare posed by the 19-year-old, who took the opening set against the record four-time champion, wasn’t the only fright that Djokovic endured in the contest.
“It was a strange feeling [during] those couple of points in that game, but after that it was fine,” said Djokovic, who pulled up holding his left knee in the sixth game of the deciding set. “Hopefully when it cools down I’m not going to have any troubles with it, because I already have troubles with the right knee, so it wouldn’t be great. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.”
Sealed with an ace 😘
The moment @DjokerNole became the third oldest man to reach ATP Masters 1000 semi-final after Federer 🙌@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/glxPE8KpU9
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 11, 2024
The 37-year-old underwent successful surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his right knee following his withdrawal from the quarter-finals of Roland Garros in June. Djokovic made a miraculous recovery to make it to the Wimbledon final just three weeks later and has been competing with a soft knee brace ever since.
“China has always been a happy place, a place where I really played my best tennis throughout my career,” said Djokovic, who is seeking a record-extending fifth title in Shanghai. “These kinds of matches, against teenagers, are what really motivates me, keeps me going, and pushes me to really dig deep. To show to the world that I still have it in my legs, that I can still go the distance with the young guys.”
After facing two exciting #NextGenATP prospects in Alex Michelsen, whom he defeated 7-6(3), 7-6(9), and Mensik, Djokovic will face seventh seed Taylor Fritz on Saturday for a spot in the championship match. Now into a record 77th ATP Masters 1000 semi-final, the No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings feels as if the American will pose a similar threat to what he has already encountered this week in China.
“I was challenged by [Alex] Michelsen in the first round, and today [in] tough matches with big servers, said Djokovic, who edged Mensik 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-4. “I’m going to have a big server opponent tomorrow, Fritz, so I have to be ready for another difficult, tight match.
[ATP APP]“[It is] quick conditions, if you serve well it’s quite a big advantage. Hopefully I can be fresh, and now we are entering the last four players of the last couple of matches of the tournament. Now is the time for me to really try to step it up even more, and hopefully I can get a chance to be in the finals.”
After coming through in four sets at this year’s Australian Open quarter-final, Djokovic improved to 9-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Fritz, though he will not rest on his laurels after seeing the explosive 26-year-old reach his maiden Grand Slam final at last month’s US Open.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Novak Djokovic says he is shocked and overwhelmed by the news that his “greatest rival” Rafael Nadal will retire at the end of the season.
Coco Gauff secures her 50th WTA win of the year with a comfortable 6-0 6-4 victory over Magda Linette in the Wuhan Open quarter-finals.
Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic got through another stern test Friday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters to bolster their chances of qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals.
The pair came through its third championship tie-break of the week unscathed against Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin, the duo prevailed 6-7(3), 6-4, 10-6 to book their spot in their fifth final of the season.
Koolhof and Mektic clinched the Nitto ATP Finals trophy in 2020 and, after three years with different partners, have reunited in a bid to emulate that success.
[ATP APP]With three titles as a pair in 2024, including the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Koolhof and Mektic have pushed up to seventh in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings, leapfrogging Wimbledon champions Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten.
However, with ninth-placed Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow trailing them by just 453 points, Koolhof and Mektic will not rest on their laurels heading into the remaining weeks of the year.
Into their first Shanghai final as a team, the Dutch-Croatian duo will face either Jean-Julien Rojer and Adam Pavlasek or Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni for a shot at the trophy.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]On the 10th anniversary of Roger Federer’s first title in Shanghai, ATPTour.com looks back at his career at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
The former World No. 1 and 103-time tour-level titlist won the ATP Masters 1000 event twice in his illustrious career and finished with a 23-6 record at the tournament in China.
First Appearance In 2010
Federer had competed in Shanghai earlier in his career at the Nitto ATP Finals, then known as the Tennis Masters Cup. But this was his first appearance in the city competing at the Masters 1000 event in the city, which started in 2009.
On his debut in 2010, Federer reached the final without dropping a set and finished runner-up. He defeated Novak Djokovic in the semi-final, before losing 3-6, 2-6 to Andy Murray in the championship match.
<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/09/21/21/26/federer-shanghai-2010.jpg?w=100%25&hash=AB33D7273602144785DDD955E3E6BC93″ style=”width:100%;” alt=”Roger Federer lost to Andy Murray in the final of Rolex Shanghai Masters 2010.” />
Photo Credit: AFP/Getty Images
Clinches First Title In 2014
Federer came into the tournament after a surprise loss to Marin Cilic in the semi-finals at the US Open. Making his fourth appearance in Shanghai, he dropped his first and only set of the week in a memorable second-round win against Leonardo Mayer. The Swiss, on the verge of an exit, saved five match points before prevailing against the Argentine.
He later set a semi-final clash against the two-time defending champion and then-World No. 1 Djokovic. Producing one of his best displays of attacking tennis, Federer triumphed 6-4, 6-4 against his great rival. In the final, he was tested by Gilles Simon, who pushed him to the limit, but Federer ultimately prevailed 7-6(6), 7-6(2). With the victory, he captured his 23rd Masters 1000 title.
“I feel unbelievable prestige to win this event. Especially putting my hands on the trophy for the first time is a good feeling, I must say,” said Federer.
<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/09/21/21/30/federer-shanghai-2014.jpg?w=100%25&hash=99EA871B5119050FC3F14EB5EDCB5BDF” style=”width:100%;” alt=”Roger Federer won the Rolex Shanghai Masters title after defeating Gilles Simon in 2014 final. ” />
Photo Credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Triumphant again in 2017
Three years after his first title, Federer repeated his near-perfect performance and won a second crown in Shanghai. In one of his best seasons in the latter stages of his career, the Swiss beat Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-3 in the final. He dropped only one set all tournament, in his semi-final match against Juan Martin del Potro.
With the win, Federer secured his 27th ATP Masters 1000 title and claimed his 700th tour-level match victory on hard courts.
<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/09/21/21/21/federer-shanghai-2017.jpg” style=”width:100%;” alt=”Roger Federer defeated Rafael Nadal in the final of Rolex Shanghai Masters in 2017. ” />
Photo Credit: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
Federer Takes The Train
The 28-time Masters champion is hugely popular in China, and he surprised some lucky fans by taking the Shanghai Metro to Qi Zhong Tennis Center in 2017.
“I grew up on public transport when I was younger in Switzerland,” he said. “I used to take either tram, train, or bus to practice on a daily basis, and then also a lot of the train until about 20 years old, going to tournaments even to Italy, even internationally. So for me it’s something very normal.”
Photo Credit: Mike Frey/Rolex Shanghai Masters
The Legend Returns
The Swiss legend came back to Shanghai in 2023, one year after his retirement in September 2022. He received a huge welcome from the crowd. He was presented with an Icon Athlete Award by the tournament as a celebration of his storied career. The then 42-year-old participated in a Q&A session with WTA star Li Na and the No. 1 Chinese player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Zhang Zhizhen.
“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,” he shared.
<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2023/10/13/13/30/federer-shanghai-2023-ceremony.jpg” style=”width:100%;” alt=”Roger Federer” />
Photo Credit: Lintao Zheng/Getty Images
World No.4 Coco Gauff will make her United Cup debut for Team USA alongside world No.7 and US Open finalist Taylor Fritz at the innovative mixed team event in 2025.
Twenty-year-old Gauff, who was the flag bearer for the United States at the Olympic Games in Paris, thrives in a team environment.
“This will be my first time playing the United Cup so I’m super excited to kick off the year in Australia,” Gauff said. “It’s always an honour to represent my country.”
“It’s a really, cool event. I had a lot of fun playing mixed doubles at the Olympics so I kinda want to do that again.
“I’ve never been to other parts of Australia, other than Melbourne. I don’t know what city we’re going to play in yet but I’m super excited to go whether it’s Perth or Sydney.”
[ATP APP]World No.3 Alexander Zverev, who helped guide Team Germany to a memorable comeback win over Poland to secure the second edition of the United Cup, used the event to set up a stellar season, including deep runs at the Grand Slams and the Roland Garros final.
The 27-year-old, who holds 22 ATP singles titles, is looking forward to making his third appearance at the tournament.
“It’s the first week of the year… and we all want to be in Australia and play against the best players in the world and that’s what the United Cup brings,” Zverev said.
“Playing for your nation is obviously extremely special and I have the best memories from this year.”
The unique team environment United Cup offers is also a big motivation for Leylah Fernandez and Felix Auger-Aliassime who are set to line up for Team Canada again in 2025.
“I want to play United Cup 2025 because it’s such a fun team experience,” said Fernandez, a US Open finalist in 2021.
“I love being part of a team… I get to see a little bit more of the men’s side of the team and also how they think on court, I get to pick their brains a little bit.
“I also think the interaction between all of us [is special], we grew up together so it’s good to have that moment to catch up.”
We’re baaaaack! Did you miss us? Cos we missed you 😉 #UnitedCup 🏆 Dec 27 – Jan 5 2025 in Sydney and Perth @sydney_sider #feelnewsydney @WestAustralia #WAtheDreamState pic.twitter.com/tG6IbD705D
— United Cup (@UnitedCupTennis) August 26, 2024
Auger-Aliassime agrees, “It’s a great way to start the year,” he said.
“I’ve had great success [playing for my country] and mixing up with Leylah, is always good. I love her energy, I love her game so it’s going to be a lot of fun.
“It’s honestly my favourite thing, some of my favourite weeks on tour [playing as part of a team].”
Greece’s (12) Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari, China’s (7) Zheng Qinwen and Norway’s (9) Casper Ruud committed to the third edition of the tournament in September.
From Friday 27 December to Sunday 5 January, 18 countries, featuring up to three men and up to three women, will compete across Perth and Sydney.
United Cup Tournament Director Stephen Farrow is delighted to have five more players commit to the tournament early.
“We are so pleased to see Grand Slam champion Coco Gauff line up for Team USA for the first time alongside US Open finalist Taylor Fritz,” Farrow said.
“Germany’s world No.3 Alexander Zverev, the two-time Grand Slam finalist and Tokyo Olympics gold medallist, always brings the energy to the United Cup and no doubt the defending champions will be raring to go for the first week of the new year.
“We are also excited to welcome Leylah Fernandez and Felix Auger-Aliassime back to the event in 2025. The Canadian fans turned out in droves earlier this year and we look forward to seeing them in their country colours again to support the team’s next campaign.”
Participation for the first 16 teams in the United Cup is subject to players committing by the tournament’s entry deadline of 16 October. The remaining two teams will be decided after the second qualification date of 19 November.
The official draw will be held on 21 October and will determine where each country will play the group stage.
Ten countries will qualify for the United Cup via the five highest-ranked men and five highest-ranked women entered based on their PIF ATP and WTA rankings.
Eight teams will qualify according to the best combined ranking of the highest-ranked men’s and women’s players from the same country.
Tickets
• Tickets for the United Cup quarterfinals in Perth are on sale via Ticketek
• Tickets for the United Cup quarterfinals, semifinals and final in Sydney are on sale via Ticketmaster
• Tickets to the United Cup group stages go on sale Tuesday 22 October at 5:00 p.m. local time in Sydney and Perth
Visit the tournament tickets page to buy your tickets.
Follow @UnitedCupTennis on social media for the latest tournament news.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
Rafael Nadal is described as a “legend” and “one of the greatest of all time” after the tennis icon confirms he will retire at the end of this season.
Rafael Nadal announced his upcoming retirement Thursday, stating that next month’s Davis Cup Finals will be his final event.
“Hello everyone, I am here to let you know I am retiring from professional tennis,” said Nadal in Spanish in a video posted on social media. “The reality is it has been some difficult years, these last two especially. I don’t think I have been able to play without limitations.
“It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make, but in this life, everything has a beginning and an end, and I think it’s the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined.”
[ATP APP]The Spanish icon held World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings for 209 weeks, sixth-most since the rankings’ inception in 1973. Nadal earned ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours five times.
ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said: “Rafa’s impact on tennis is immeasurable. For over two decades, he brought unmatched tenacity and grit to every match. His fierce competitive spirit and iconic rivalries during one of the sport’s greatest eras captivated fans around the world. He elevated the game and inspired millions to pick up a racquet.
“Rafa’s achievements are nothing short of historic — he won it all. His record at Roland-Garros, in particular, will likely never be eclipsed. But what stands out most is his character. Humble, authentic, and always gracious, he earned the deep respect of players, fans, and everyone involved in tennis. His multiple sportsmanship awards reflect the class he has shown throughout his career, on and off the court.
Gracias Rafa, #RafaSiempre ❤️ pic.twitter.com/m7NXorFaNx
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 10, 2024
Nadal was a member of the ATP Player Advisory Council from 2010-12 and 2019-22. The Spaniard has impacted countless lives through his Rafa Nadal Foundation, which received the Laureus Sport For Good Award this year.
Gaudenzi added: “Rafa’s contributions extended beyond the court as well. His work on the ATP Player Advisory Council for many years has helped serve the sport and its future. As we look forward to his farewell at the Davis Cup, we know his legacy will live on for generations. Rafa, thank you for everything — you will be greatly missed on Tour.”
The 38-year-old was the first men’s player in history to complete the career Grand Slam twice and won 22 major championships overall, only trailing Novak Djokovic (24). The Spaniard earned two Australian Open crowns, 14 Roland-Garros trophies, two Wimbledon titles and four US Open victories.
His 14 Coupe des Mousquetaires alone give him more major titles than all but three other men (Djokovic, Roger Federer and Pete Sampras) in history. The Spaniard tallied a 112-4 record at the clay-court major, one of the most dominant efforts in all of sport.
Nadal owns many records, including most clay-court titles in the Open Era (63). He captured an ATP Tour title in 19 consecutive seasons from 2004-22 and maintained a Top 10 PIF ATP Ranking for 912 straight weeks from 25 April 2005 through 19 March 2023.
The 92-time titlist has earned 1,080 tour-level wins during his illustrious career, the fourth-most victories on record behind only Jimmy Connors (1,274), Roger Federer (1,251) and Djokovic (1,122).
The Mallorcan qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals 17 times, earning his place at the season finale every year from 2005 through 2020, as well as in 2022.
The lefty excelled at ATP Masters 1000 events, claiming 36 titles at the elite level. His 410 Masters 1000 wins are the most in the series’ history (since 1990).
Nadal is the winner of 15 ATP Tour Awards: ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF (2008, ‘10, ‘13, ‘17, ‘19), the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award (2011), Comeback Player of the Year (2013), the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship (2010, ‘18-21), Most Improved Player of the Year (2005), Newcomer of the Year (2003) and Fans’ Favourite (2022). He is also a two-time Laureus World Sportsman of the Year (2011 and 2021). The lefty claimed Laureus’ World Breakthrough of the Year in 2006 and Comeback of the Year in 2014.
He won two Olympic gold medals, earning singles glory in Beijing in 2008 and doubles gold in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 with Marc Lopez.
The Spaniard climbed to the top of the sport for the first time aged 22, reaching World No. 1 on 18 August 2008. He once held top spot for 56 consecutive weeks (7 June 2010-3 July 2011) and was most recently World No. 1 in February 2020.
“Really, everything I have experienced has been a dream come true,” Nadal said. “I leave with the absolute peace of mind of having given my best, of having made an effort in every way. I can only end by saying a thousand thanks to all and see you soon.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Emma Raducanu withdraws from Ningbo Open after sustaining a foot injury in September.