Maxime Cressy is one of the unique players on the ATP Tour. The American serves and volleys every point, for better or worse.

But the former college tennis player is eager to show that he is more than just a serving powerhouse. Cressy will hope to demonstrate that against former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka on Wednesday at the Mutua Madrid Open.

“I’m starting to change my return position. Last year, my return position [was] very close, even inside the baseline,” Cressy told ATPTour.com. “So now I’m going to make really big changes in my game with the vision of getting to my goals. I think now, the key for me is to be consistent and getting the balls in play as much as I can.

“I think being deeper off the court is going to be a very important detail for me to start getting into a lot of rallies.”

Cressy was clear that he is maintaining his aggressive mindset and will continue going to the net whenever possible — he writes ‘Instill Doubt’ on his racquet after all. But after plenty of analysis, he is taking a different approach to his overall strategy.

“[I am] sticking with my mindset to come to the net. But before that, I need to have a solid foundation on the baseline,” Cressy said. “And that’s what I’ve been working on [and] tirelessly analysed… I started against Felix [Auger-Aliassime in Dubai]. I think it was very competitive match on his service games. So I’m improving a lot. And I am going to keep improving and in an unlimited way. So I’m really looking forward to what’s coming.”

One might wonder why Cressy would sacrifice part of the unique trait that has helped him trouble so many stars. The No. 39 player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings explained he is trying to find any improvement he can.

“[I am] actually starting to achieve an increasingly big level in my serve and [realised] that my ranking [has] still [been] the same for the last couple months, even though my serve is getting better and better. That’s the realisation that stuck with me,” Cressy said. “That one per cent change on the returns can get me plus five, plus 10 spots in the rankings instead of a one per cent change on the serve. That is not really getting me much improvement.”

The numbers back up Cressy’s line of thought. One year ago he won 88.8 per cent of his service games according to Infosys ATP Stats. So far in 2023 his success rate has been 89.6 per cent, the fourth-best percentage on Tour behind only Novak Djokovic, Matteo Berrettini and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Cressy has also seen gains behind his first serve, winning 81 per cent of those points this year, second on Tour trailing only Berrettini. In 2022 the American won 78.3 per cent of his first-serve points.

However, Cressy has won just nine per cent of his return games in 2023. It is not a statistic he is hiding from. That is why he is so keen to work on that side of his game.

“I knew it was coming. I knew I had to start having a growth mindset on the returns as well,” Cressy said. “And that’s what I’m doing and I think big things are coming from me.”

Cressy has long studied the best servers in the world — both past and present — on YouTube to try to apply certain traits from their games to his own. This year’s Montpellier finalist has been studying the returns of Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. He has also watched players like Roger Federer to see different approaches to the return.

“I think the main takeaway is to return in a way that I feel good on the serve,” Cressy said. “So I think having an aggressive mindset on the return is the way to go for sure.”

Felix Auger-Aliassime will compete on clay for the first time this season when he takes to court at the Mutua Madrid Open. The Canadian, currently No. 9 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, has not played since March due to a left knee injury and was urging on the side of caution when asked about his chances at the ATP Masters 1000 event in the Spanish capital.

“My ambitions are high but my expectations are low,” Auger-Aliassime said. “In a way I hope to do really well and I’m confident that I can do it but at the same time I’m going to really expect the worst a little bit or expect that everything’s going to be really tough. I think I’ll need my max focus and concentration from the first match.

”Every match is going to be tough, so if I can get through the early rounds and get some wins behind me, hopefully I’ll get far into the tournament and play well here.”

Auger-Aliassime, who last competed in Miami one month ago, has taken his injury setback as an opportunity to rest and recharge. While he enjoyed the period, he is excited to compete again, starting against Jason Kubler or Dusan Lajovic in his opening match.

“I’m feeling better and better as the days go by,” Auger-Aliassime said. “It was tricky. I’ve played a lot of tennis since the end of the last season. I think I am just kind of paying the price a little bit [in] the past couple of weeks. But it’s part of the Tour and part of the sport.

“But it’s been good, I’ve had time to stay at home a little bit, spend time away from the Tour and the stress of just playing matches all the time. It’s kind of just relaxed me mentally, but then also [I have] trained physically. I’ve had time, which is rare to go in the gym and work on other things, work on things on the court that I wanted to improve, while doing the rehab for my knee at the same time. I think it’s been an important period. Hopefully that pays off in the weeks to come.”

The four-time tour-level champion Auger-Aliassime holds a 12-7 record on the season, with his best result a run to the semi-finals in Doha. He is making his fourth appearance in Madrid, where he advanced to the quarter-finals last year.

Editor’s note: This story was translated from ATPTour.com/es

Stefanos Tsitsipas’ game is always resplendent on clay courts, where the World No. 5 has forged some of the biggest achievements of his career. The slowest surface on Tour reveals the game of a special player who could well make the Mutua Madrid Open a turning point in his season.

The altitude of Madrid adds bite to a player who hits the ball aggressively and can end a point from anywhere on the playing surface. The carpet-like courts of the Spanish capital generate true bounces, making for bigger targets when a player goes for a winner, and the atmosphere of the Mediterranean city is reminiscent of the Greek’s home.

“Similarity in culture, similarity in a lot of things like food. Spain’s a very welcoming place and a very good destination for tennis,” Tsitsipas said. “I’ve always felt good playing here. “Greece hasn’t had the privilege of hosting any tennis tournaments yet. So Spain is the closest to Greece for me. That’s probably why I’ve played well here”.

In that context, Stefanos arrives in the Spanish capital having rediscovered his game, returning to the kind of form that took him to his second Grand Slam final at the Australian Open in January. With the Barcelona final still fresh in his mind, Tsitsipas is confidence personified when he sets foot in the Manolo Santana Stadium.

”It’s getting good. I’ve had a lot of matches now on clay,” Tsitsipas said. “I consider myself a candidate for this tournament in terms of having good results. The run I had in Barcelona brought me joy because after the Australian Open I didn’t go deep in tournaments. Now I’ve had a first glimpse of what it is to be strong again. Things are looking pretty bright”.

Of course, competing in Madrid means intruding in Carlos Alcaraz territory. The tournament’s defending champion, who boasts a 4-0 ATP Head2Head against the Greek, is something of a thorn in the side for Tsitsipas. Although they can only meet in the final in Madrid, it is an eventuality that Tsitsipas has in the back of his mind.

“It’s a long road to get to that point,” Tsitsipas said. “We have two weeks here. I have to practise to improve things, that’s the only way that I know to change something in the future. I don’t have any other solutions for beating a player who’s a big obstacle for me.

“Carlos is someone who works extremely hard, you can see his flexibility on the court, his speed is immense. He’s someone who has so much focus and a dedication to the sport that’s tough to find. In order to get there, I’d have to spend hours on the court practising, also hours in the gym working out and hours in my room analysing my past performances and trying to get better.”

Therefore, the possibility of reaching another final in Madrid is something of a personal challenge for Tsitsipas. One of the most respected players on the red stuff is approaching these two weeks in the Spanish capital with the mentality of a champion; looking in the mirror in search of improvement.

“I’d have to work extremely hard in every match that I play to get the result that I want. And that is a series of matches that I would have to do back-to-back in order to get to that potential final that I’m looking for,” Tsitsipas said. “A lot of players are in good shape right now, a lot of players are putting in the work. I’ve played a few matches in the last few weeks that give me a perspective of where my strong weapons are and how I can win points on clay.

”Of course, here we’re dealing with a little bit of altitude, which is a different scenario than Barcelona. I’m getting adjusted to that. It’s something that I’ve done pretty well in the past few years. I like the altitude, I think it’s good for my game. I see that as a small advantage.”

Tsitsipas arrives in Madrid fifth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin. He is making his fifth appearance at the clay-court event and will open against Dominic Thiem or Kyle Edmund.

Editor’s note: This story was translated from ATPTour.com/es

A smile is never far from Carlos Alcaraz’s face in the Caja Magica, where one year ago he delighted the Spanish fans with an unforgettable run to the title. The Spaniard comes to the Mutua Madrid Open as one of the biggest names on Tour, an icon of Spanish sport and, in the immediate future, a man with a tremendous opportunity to defend his title in the Manolo Santana Stadium.

In the midst of a formidable season, Alcaraz arrives in Madrid with a 23-2 record in 2023, and he will be determined to strengthen his dominance on clay. After a successful defence of his crown at the ATP 500 in Barcelona, the possibility of extending his legacy at the Spanish ATP Masters 1000 is within reach.

“Physically, I feel good. I feel 100 per cent,” admitted Alcaraz on Tuesday. “I can’t wait to get going in Madrid. With the level I produced in Barcelona, winning the title, I’m coming here with a lot of confidence. We all know it’s difficult to adapt to Madrid, but we have a few days before we start. I really can’t wait.”

A year ago, the 19-year-old wrote a story that shook the circuit to its core. With a brave and confident brand of tennis, his wins over Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev allowed him to claim the trophy with a display of dominance rarely seen on Tour. However, this time around, the absence of Nadal and Djokovic will not mean the Spaniard is about to let his guard down.

“Any player can win the title… I don’t feel like the favourite, or anything of the sort, we always take it match by match,” Alcaraz said.

With the @MutuaMadridOpen main draw starting tomorrow, we take a look back at the incredible run to last year’s title by @carlosalcaraz

1/4 final vs Nadal #Steal at 51% 💪
1/2 final vs Djokovic #Steal 41% & #Conversion 72%
Final vs Zverev #Steal 51% & #Conversion 86% 🤯… pic.twitter.com/NUJWGyD8p5

— Tennis Insights (@tennis_insights) April 25, 2023

The sentiment around the city of Madrid is unchanging. Fans chanting Alcaraz’s name on the practice courts, rivers of spectators watching the champion’s every move, and a general feeling of passion for a young 19-year-old destined to write the future of the sport. However, this is a reality that does nothing to overwhelm Alcaraz, who is grateful for the affection he receives.

“I don’t take it as pressure, actually the complete opposite”, he explained. “For me it’s motivation. It’s a pleasure to see so many people, I like playing in front of such big crowds, and even more so in Spain. It’s a really big motivation. Our intention is to have fun on court and also to entertain. When I manage to have fun on court I play my best tennis.

“My style of game is very lively, doing different things. The smile comes from within when I’m enjoying myself. With my team, when I’m feeling frustrated, we have a little joke about something to make me smile and change my perspective on the match.”

His superlative prowess on court could lead Alcaraz to an extraordinary achievement in Madrid this season. Only Nadal has ever defended an ATP title on the clay of the Caja Magica, but it is a prospect that Alcaraz seems to assume with astonishing ease.

“Every tournament we go to, we think we can win it and we’re going to try and win it. But if we don’t, it’s not a failure for me”, he explained. “Leaving a tournament thinking I have failed would have more to do with the level of my tennis or my attitude, that’s the most important thing for me. If I do well mentally and I play well, I don’t take it as a failure”.

The atmosphere in the Spanish capital is electric as it awaits his return, now a different player, one who is capable of bringing the fans to their feet with his iconic drop shots, a superhuman mobility, and a forehand whose power is draw-dropping to witness at close quarters. Every year he comes back to Madrid an athlete capable of more remarkable feats.

“My game hasn’t changed much over the last year,” Alcaraz said. “It’s been a time in which I’ve had some good moments and others not so good. The difference from last year’s Carlos to this year is maturity and experience.”

Alcaraz will begin his title quest against Emil Ruusuvuori or Ugo Humbert.

A host of Top 20 singles stars will undertake double duty at the Mutua Madrid Open this fortnight when they compete in doubles at the ATP Masters 1000 event. Americans Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe, who have both won tour-level singles titles this year, team and take on World No. 13 Cameron Norrie and World No. 17 Tommy Paul in a popcorn first-round clash.

View Doubles Draw

Canadians Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov advanced to the third round in Indian Wells together earlier this year and will join forces again in Madrid, while World No. 15 Hubert Hurkacz, who has won four tour-level doubles titles, pairs with #NextGenATP American Ben Shelton

World No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas teams alongside brother Petros Tsitsipas after they received a wild card. Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev team for the fourth time this season, while Alex de Minaur partners Grigor Dimitrov.

Defending champions Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski are the top seeds and are seeking their first title of the season. Second seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury have won three ATP Masters 1000 crowns together and anchor the draw in Madrid. Koolhof and Skupski face Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz in the first round, while Ram and Salisbury play Jamie Murray and Michael Venus.

When Carlos Alcaraz made his debut at the Mutua Madrid Open two years ago, he won just three games in his second-round match against Rafael Nadal. Little did the Spanish teen know that one year later he would make history at the Caja Magica.

Last year, carrying momentum from his maiden ATP Masters 1000 triumph in Miami, Alcaraz showed he was unafraid of the pressure on home soil in Madrid. After defeating five-time ATP Tour titlist Nikoloz Basilashvili and then-World No. 11 Cameron Norrie, he once again played countryman Nadal.

“You always have to think of Rafa as the favourite because he has already won here five times and all of the things he has achieved on clay,” Alcaraz said ahead the match in a press conference. “At the end of the day, I’m the new boy, the newcomer, the one that should not have any pressure when playing against one of the best players of history.”

If Alcaraz was nervous, he did not show it. This time he upset Nadal 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, the teen stunned World No. 1 Novak Djokovic 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-6(5) after a grueling three hours and 36 minutes.

In doing so, Alcaraz became the first player to defeat Nadal and Djokovic at the same clay-court event. He followed that victory by dismissing Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-1 for the trophy.

“It feels great to be able to beat these players,” Alcaraz said. “To beat two of the best players in history and then Zverev, the World No. 3. He is a great player. I would say this is the best week of my life.”

To relive Alcaraz’s memorable run, watch the full ATP Uncovered feature above.

If Tommy Paul is not wearing his match kit, chances are you can find the American decked out in camouflage.

The 25-year-old revealed his interest in camouflage among other fashion favourites and hobbies in the latest edition of ATP Uncovered’s ‘Travel Like A Pro’ series.

“I’m a big camo guy, I love camo,” Paul said while discussing what he brings with him on the road. “I thought it went really well with my facade.”

Read & Watch More ATP Uncovered Features

Off court, Paul enjoys watching the UFC, going to the beach and more. You will also discover what the 25-year-old often forgets while on the road, but then purchases at the airport.

“Every time I forget them, it’s an expensive mistake,” he said.

Find out what Paul was referring to in the full video feature.

Carlos Alcaraz has a big opportunity to reclaim World No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings ahead of Roland Garros.

The Spaniard is chasing Novak Djokovic, the all-time leader in weeks at No. 1, who is not competing this week at the Mutua Madrid Open. They have already traded the top spot three times this season.

If Alcaraz successfully defends his Madrid title he is guaranteed to pass Djokovic for World No. 1 on 22 May just by playing his first match at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, regardless of how Djokovic performs there.

This scenario can also be reversed. If Alcaraz wins Rome after playing at least one match in Madrid, he would return to the top on 22 May. He needs to combine for more than 1,005 points between Madrid and Rome to guarantee his return to World No. 1.

Djokovic is dropping 360 points in Madrid and another 1,000 in Rome, where he is set to defend his title. Alcaraz is just defending 1,000 points in Madrid. So when you remove their points from both Madrid and Rome, Djokovic leads Alcaraz by only five points. Alcaraz can also reclaim World No. 1 by reaching the final in both Madrid and Rome.

Pepperstone ATP Rankings w/Points Dropping By 22 May

But Djokovic and Alcaraz are not the only players in the battle for World No. 1. With 2,000 Pepperstone ATP Rankings points up for grabs over the next four weeks, four other players, led by Daniil Medvedev, have a chance at World No. 1.

Medvedev did not compete at the Mutua Madrid Open or the Internazionali BNL d’Italia last year due to injury and therefore is not defending any points at those events. Therefore, when removing players’ points earned by 22 May, the date of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings the Monday after Rome, Medvedev is just 535 points behind Djokovic and 530 points behind Alcaraz.

The former World No. 1 has made clear on several occasions how little he enjoys clay, but he is still in the thick of the battle. And if Medvedev is unable to make a move now, the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, which he leads by 655 points over Djokovic and 800 points over Alcaraz, shows that he will have opportunities as the year goes on.

Former Roland Garros finalists Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas as well as recent Monte-Carlo winner Andrey Rublev can give themselves a chance to reach World No. 1 on 22 May if they enjoy big results over the next two tournaments.

Ruud would need to win Madrid or Rome and advance to at least the semi-finals of the other to have a chance. Tsitsipas needs to win one of the tournaments and reach the final at the other to put the pressure on Djokovic and Alcaraz, and Rublev would need to complete a clay-court Masters 1000 sweep by lifting the trophy in Madrid and Rome to force Djokovic or Alcaraz to earn enough points to pass him.

Two of the hottest players on the ATP Challenger Tour extended their winning runs last week.

Zsombor Piros and Tomas Barrios Vera, who were among five Challenger champions on Sunday, each claimed their second Challenger title of the month and extended their match-win streaks to 10.

The Hungarian Piros earned a 6-3, 6-4 final victory against Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo at the Oeiras Open 3 in Portugal. The 23-year-old is soaking in back-to-back titles, which have lifted him to a career-high No. 118 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

“I’m speechless honestly, I’ve never won this many matches in a row at this level,” Piros said in his post-match press conference. “I actually surprised myself with these results. I think the second step is just believe I can play this level and not to think it happened just once. It [will] give me big confidence for the future. I have some great memories on court but I think this is the most important [one] now. It’s the most special.”

Piros, who won the 2017 Australian Open boys’ singles title, is a four-time Challenger champion. The Budapest native, who won the Split Challenger before travelling to Portugal, has dropped just one set in his past 10 Challenger-level matches and now sets his sights on maintaining his form to qualify for the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid.

Barrios Vera enjoyed a week off after claiming this month’s San Luis Potosi Challenger. But when the 25-year-old returned to action, he went on another title run at the Florianopolis Challenger.

Tomas Barrios Vera celebrates winning the Florianopolis Challenger. Credit: Confederacao Brasileira de Tenis

The championship match in Brazil featured the top two seeds: Chileans Barrios Vera and Alejandro Tabilo. But it was the top seed Barrios Vera who prevailed 6-4, 6-4 to win the ENGIE Open de Tenis. Following the Challenger 75 title, the Chillans native rises to No. 133 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, just nine spots shy of tying his career-high.

In other Challenger Tour action, Belgian Zizou Bergs collected his fifth Challenger title at the Tallahassee Tennis Challenger in Florida, where he downed Tung-Lin Wu 7-5, 6-2 to lift the trophy.

The 23-year-old Bergs dedicated his first Challenger title of 2023 to his grandfather, who passed away last month. After winning on the green clay, the World No. 132 shared three core values that his grandfather expressed that he will always remember.

Zizou Bergs triumphs in Tallahassee, Florida. Credit: Tallahassee Tennis Challenger

“Definitely means a lot, it’s been a struggling year,” Bergs told commentator Mike Cation. “I think when I played really good tennis was in Australia at a certain point and then maybe Davis Cup. It’s always been a tough period, looking in the mirror, having a strong tournament, and then another tough period.

“There’s been a lot of tension on myself as well. A lot of pressure. I really wanted to get into the Top 100 for [my grandfather] as well, because I knew he was getting sick and he didn’t have too long anymore. [I was] feeling good, playing good tennis with his core values that I remember: positivity, combativeness, and being solution oriented. These three things are so important for tennis.”

In Italy, Filip Misolic rallied from a set down in the final to defeat Belgian Raphael Collignon 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(6) and win the Regione Abruzzo title.

Filip Misolic celebrates winning the Challenger 75 title in Roseto Degli Abruzzi. Credit: Antonio Tommarelli

Now at a career-high 126, Misolic made a splash at last year’s ATP 250 event in Kitzbühel, where the wild card reached the final in his tour-level debut (l. Bautista Agut). Also in 2022, Misolic claimed his maiden Challenger title in Zagreb and earned his first Davis Cup victory against Pakistan’s Muzammil Murtaza in September.

Thiago Agustin Tirante returned to the winners’ circle Sunday, when he defeated top seed James Duckworth 7-5, 6-0 in the final to win the Morelos Open presentado por Metaxchange.

The Argentine, who celebrated his 22nd birthday this month, didn’t drop a set all week in Mexico to lift his second Challenger title and first since September 2021. A 2019 Roland Garros boys’ doubles champion (w/ Matheus Pucinelli de Almeida), Tirante was also a finalist at the Mexico City Challenger earlier this month.

Thiago Agustin Tirante during Sunday’s Challenger final in Morelos, Mexico. Credit: Regina Cortina