Google Play App Download

Tennis News

From around the world

The exclusive 'ATP No. 1 Club'; Sinner, Alcaraz & Medvedev weigh in

  • Posted: Nov 09, 2024

The ATP has today launched the ‘ATP No.1 Club’, which for the first time in the 50+ year history of the official rankings will unite all former, current and future ATP World No.1 players. The initiative, unveiled at the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals, will celebrate the most remarkable achievement in men’s professional tennis: reaching the pinnacle of the PIF ATP Rankings.

The ATP No.1 Club today brings together an exclusive group of 29 players across generations – from Nastase and Newcombe to Borg and McEnroe, to Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, to Alcaraz and Sinner – with future No. 1s to be directly welcomed into the Club. Through original storytelling, fans will be able to stay connected with these iconic champions, while celebrating one of the rarest accomplishments in all of sports: the achievement of the No. 1 PIF ATP Ranking.

In 2025, the Club will debut a dedicated brand identity, with each No.1 player receiving exclusive benefits, including invitations to signature events, promotional opportunities and more. As a landmark celebration of the new No. 1 Club, all 29 players will be officially honoured at a showpiece event at the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. To mark the occasion, each player will be presented with a bespoke gift to commemorate their membership.

 

Speaking this week at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, No.1 Club members Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev shared their thoughts on what the No.1 ranking means to them.

Carlos Alcaraz said: “Nothing compares to achieving the World No.1 ranking. It’s what you strive for as a tennis player – to be the best, to have no one above you.”

Jannik Sinner said: “Becoming the No.1 is a childhood dream. It’s an honour to sit among the greats of our sport as part of the No.1 Club, each one of us bringing something unique to the game.”

Daniil Medvedev said: “Very few players have managed to reach the No.1 spot. You need to be able to play at the highest level, week after week. That’s what makes the No.1 Club so special – it’s an opportunity for us to come together and celebrate everything we’ve accomplished.”

Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Chairman, said: “Reaching the summit of the rankings is the ultimate achievement in our sport. Only 29 players have had what it takes to secure the No.1 spot – not only striking talent, but a level of resilience, self-belief and devotion that is admired far beyond the realm of tennis. The ATP No.1 Club is a celebration of the spectacular ways that these players have shaped the game. And, with fans at the heart of everything we do, it creates an entertainment spectacle aimed at bringing them closer than ever before to the players they love.”

Today’s launch is marked by the release of a captivating ATP No. 1 Club teaser video, designed to pay homage to the flair, style and spirit of the ATP’s greatest champions.

To register for all the latest information on the ‘ATP No.1 Club’, click here.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

Source link

Momentum: What You Need To Know!

  • Posted: Nov 08, 2024

For this year’s Nitto ATP Finals, we’re thrilled to present Momentum. This special collaboration gives every tennis fan the chance to claim free, official memorabilia from our flagship event – and have their love for the sport be recognised.

Here’s what you need to know:

What is Momentum?
Momentum is an eight-day experience where fans claim Traces: digital memorabilia from the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals (10-17 November).

What is a Trace, and why would I want one?
Traces are digital memorabilia that tell the story of the Nitto ATP Finals. Each of the 15 singles matches will have its own Trace, with a unique design created from official match data. Each is a keepsake that allows fans to relive showdowns between the world’s greatest players. Because they are time-limited, they are also a way for fans to prove: “I was there!”.

Momentum

How many Traces will there be?
Momentum will feature 15 Match Traces, corresponding to the 15 singles matches at the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals. There is also a Tournament Trace, which is claimable upon joining the experience. Each account will be limited to one claim of each Trace. All Traces are free to claim.

When can I claim Match Traces?
Each Match Trace will be claimable for 24 hours only, on match day. There will be eight claim windows in total, corresponding to the eight days of the tournament (10-17 November). Each window opens and closes at midnight in Turin (6pm ET, 11pm UK, 12am CET).

Round-Robin:
Day One (Sunday): Match Trace #1 & #2
Day Two (Monday): Match Trace #3 & #4
Day Three (Tuesday): Match Trace #5 & #6
Day Four (Wednesday): Match Trace #7 & #8
Day Five (Thursday): Match Trace #9 & #10
Day Six (Friday): Match Trace #11 & #12

Semi-finals:
Day Seven (Saturday): Match Trace #13 & #14

Final:
Day Eight (Sunday): Match Trace #15

What happens if I miss one?
There’s no penalty for missing a claim. The joy is in the journey of collecting.

How are Traces made?
Each Match Trace is created from official ATP match data, provided by Tennis Data Innovations. We take this data and hand-craft visuals. On Momentum, the metric we’re focusing on is momentum – a TDI metric created from multiple data points. This is what we believe best captures the story of tennis – the push-and-pull, back-and-forth battle between players.

Momentum

What is the Tournament Trace?
This special Trace tells the story of fans’ journey through Momentum. You will be able claim yours as soon as you join the experience. Over the course of the tournament, you will be able to increase the level of your Tournament Trace by collecting Match Traces.

How do I get involved?
To join Momentum, head to https://atp.trace.fan/ and log in using your email or social media account. It’s free to participate and build your collection.

Momentum

How can I stay updated?
Keep an eye on the ATP Tour’s social channels on Instagram, X and Facebook. We’ll be sharing regular updates and notifications so you don’t miss a beat.

Head to https://atp.trace.fan/ to start collecting.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

Source link

Shapovalov soars to first final since 2022 in Belgrade

  • Posted: Nov 08, 2024

Denis Shapovalov continued his dominant Belgrade Open run on Friday to advance to his first ATP Tour final since his Vienna runner-up finish in October 2022. The Canadian qualifier eased to a 6-2, 6-1 victory against fourth seed Jiri Lehecka to advance to his seventh tour-level final and his fifth on indoor hard courts.

The 25-year-old has lost just one set and one break point in his four main-draw victories this week. With an aggressive game plan in the semi-finals, he did not allow Lehecka a break chance, winning 96 per cent (25/26) of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

“Against a guy like Jiri, if you don’t go after him, he’s going to dictate the court,” Shapovalov said after spoiling the Czech’s 23rd birthday. “So for sure I was trying to play my game, play aggressive, really take it to him from the beginning.”

[ATP APP]

Up 17 places to No. 61 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings this week, Shapovalov will move to the brink of the Top 50 if he can beat home favourite Hamad Medjedovic in their first Lexus ATP Head2Head matchup in Saturday’s final. The Canadian will be playing for his second ATP Tour title (Stockholm 2019).

Medjedovic advanced to his first tour-level final by coming through an all-Serbian battle against Laslo Djere, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(2). The Belgrade wild card won the title at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF last year and is seeking to once again close his season with a trophy.

The 21-year-old is the third-youngest Serbian to reach his first ATP Tour final after Novak Djokovic (Amersfoort 2006) and Miomir Kecmanovic (Antalya 2019) both played their first finals at 19.

While Medjedovic will enjoy the backing of his home crowd in Saturday’s championship match, Shapovalov has also felt plenty of support from the Serbian fans this week.

“I didn’t know I had so many Serbian fans,” the Canadian said. “I think it’s because I lose to Novak every time, so maybe they like me!”

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

Source link

Italian music stars light up Grand Opening for Nitto ATP Finals, Sinner makes appearance

  • Posted: Nov 08, 2024

The Inalpi Arena came alive on Friday evening in Turin. Italian music stars Marco Mengoni, Blanco and Madame performed on stage to officially open the 54th edition of the Nitto ATP Finals, with Jannik Sinner also making an appearance.

From Sunday, Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and the rest of the eight-man field will be hoping to entertain the fans in northern Italy with their tennis, but on Friday night it was a selection of the country’s best musicians who raised the roof, with the electric concert drawing in a capacity crowd.

Mengoni has won 10 Music Awards and three MTV Europe Music Awards in his career, while rapper Blanco rose to prominence in 2021 with two hits that topped the Italian Singles Chart. Madame, a 22-year-old rapper, has produced two albums since bursting onto the music scene in 2018. All three performed on stage and at the start of the night Sinner made an appearance. 

The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings received a raucous reception when walking onto court and was in a relaxed mood when answering questions in Italian from host Alessandro Cattelan.

[ATP APP]

Earlier, a private dinner was hosted for Partners, ATP and FITP personnel in the Player Lounge, where a Michelin chef curated a memorable dinning experience.

The evening was part of a vast programme of events organised by the Municipality of Turin, the Piedmont Region and the Turin Chamber of Commerce for the forthcoming week.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

Source link

How Zverev found 'big satisfaction' in 2024 season

  • Posted: Nov 08, 2024

Is Alexander Zverev poised for a Nitto ATP Finals hat trick?

The German, who triumphed at the season finale in 2018 and 2021, is riding a wave of momentum as he enters this year’s edition on a five-match win streak following his dominant run to the Rolex Paris Masters title. It marked Zverev’s seventh ATP Masters 1000 crown — and his second this season after also claiming the Rome title.

After a successful comeback season in 2023, during which Zverev qualified for Turin, the 27-year-old has now firmly reestablished himself at the sport’s biggest events.

“In 2023, I didn’t feel like I was competitive in big events, I was far away from winning them. Being able to compete and make Grand Slam finals, win Masters 1000 events, that is a big satisfaction to me because there were obviously question marks if I was ever going to do that again after the injury,” Zverev told ATP Media when reflecting on his 2024 season.

“It was the first year where I was competitive again in big events. I’m happy with where I am.”

[ATP APP]

Now setting his sights on another significant stage, Zverev is making his seventh Nitto ATP Finals appearance. Since 2017, the only year he did not qualify for the season finale was in 2022, when he was forced to shut down his year at Roland Garros due to a severe ankle injury.

The field of eight players consists of just two former champions: Zverev and Daniil Medvedev. The Hamburg native is the only player competing that has won the event multiple times. [Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic qualified but is not competing.]

“I think coming in and playing one of the best eight players in the world straight off is a very difficult thing to do. You have to be focused, you have to be ready from the get go,” Zverev said. “I’m looking forward to this week.”

Boasting a season-leading 66 match wins, Zverev is placed in The John Newcombe Group alongside Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev. Zverev will begin his campaign Monday against Rublev, who the German leads 6-3 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

“[He’s a] powerful, extremely fast player,” said Zverev, World No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings. “He tries to overpower you. The most important thing against him is to not let him.”

Source link

Norrie reaches first final of year in Metz, next meets Bonzi

  • Posted: Nov 08, 2024

Cameron Norrie overcame a topsy-turvy and entertaining semi-final battle against Corentin Moutet on Friday to reach the Moselle Open title match.

In a clash between two lefties, the Frenchman Moutet pleaded his home crowd for support and produced superb shotmaking — even serving underarm on several occasions — but it was not enough to stop Norrie from a 6-2, 7-6(5) victory.

The Briton trailed 2/5 in the second-set tie-break before tallying five consecutive points to close the one-hour, 32-minute match, booking a place in his first tour-level final since winning the 2023 Rio de Janeiro crown.

“It’s been a difficult year for me and I was never able to gain any momentum, so it’s nice to finish the last week of the year playing in the final,” said Norrie, who won 75 per cent of his second-serve points, compared to Moutet’s 43 per cent, according to Infosys ATP Stats. “I was just back to competing every point. It’s nice to get my first indoor final as well.”

[ATP APP]

Following his win, Norrie improved to 2-1 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Moutet, with all three of their matches coming in France.

“He’s honestly one of my favourite players to watch,” Norrie said of Moutet. “The way he moves is incredible and his hands are just another level. I knew it was going to be tough.”

Norrie, who dealt with a forearm injury in the middle of the season, is up to No. 50 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.

The 29-year-old will next meet another Frenchman: Benjamin Bonzi. The qualifier, aiming for his first tour-level trophy, converted his fifth match point to down #NextGenATP Alex Michelsen 4-6, 6-0, 7-5.

Bonzi failed to serve out the match at 5-3 in the decider, but held his nerve to reach his third tour-level final. The 28-year-old has won 20 of his past 21 matches across all levels, including two ATP Challenger Tour titles on home soil. Following his semi-final win, Bonzi is set to return to the Top 100 for the first time since January.

Michelsen, seeded eighth, called a medical timeout midway through the second set, seemingly due to an abdominal injury. The American struggled physically as the match wore on, often reducing the pace behind his delivery and even resorting to underarm serves.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

Source link

'Relaxed' Rublev embracing new Turin approach

  • Posted: Nov 08, 2024

Andrey Rublev is no stranger to the year-end Nitto ATP Finals, where he is set to compete for the fifth consecutive year. But this season the 27-year-old is entering Turin with a new mindset.

Rublev, placed in the John Newcombe Group alongside a gauntlet of Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud, is embracing a lighter approach and not being weighed down by high expectations.

“In terms of results, only one year [in Turin] when I made the semi-finals [in 2022] was a great week, the rest were tougher. But I hope I learn something out of these years. We’ll see,” Rublev told ATP Media. “At least I’m trying to do a different approach this year. At least I feel more relaxed and that’s the best.

“Out of four times I’ve played, I went to the semi-finals only once. Three times I lost in the group round. So if I lose three or four times, doesn’t change anything.”

Rublev began this season on a hot streak, winning the Hong Kong title in the opening week and stretching his win streak to eight before falling in the Australian Open quarter-finals. Boasting a 42-23 season record, Rublev claimed his second ATP Masters 1000 title in Madrid, a run which he labelled “the proudest title of my career”.

Rublev entered Madrid on a four-match skid, but it did not deter him from playing some of the best tennis of his life, even when dealing with an illness. He ousted home hero Alcaraz in the quarters en route to the title and in hindsight, that week is perhaps a summary of Rublev’s 2024 season as a whole.

“It was a rollercoaster. Some amazing moments, some tough situations and bad moments,” Rublev said when reflecting on his season. “But overall I was able to make it [to the Nitto ATP Finals]. I need to be realistic. Doesn’t matter what negative thoughts I was giving myself about this season — that the season might not be as good, or could be the worst season of my career, or whatever — but realistically I was able to make it here.

“And to make it here you need to have a really good season. I wish to have all my bad seasons end like this, where I am here. There are many players who had an amazing season, beat amazing players, but they still didn’t qualify.”

[ATP APP]

Rublev will begin his campaign on Monday against Paris champion Zverev, who leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 6-3. The German was victorious in their first five clashes before Rublev won three consecutive in 2023. They have not met since last year in Turin, where Zverev won 6-4, 6-4.

“It’s always tough to play against Sascha. First of all, the way he serves. He has one of the best serves on Tour with a really high percentage,” Rublev said. “I have a long history with Sascha. He beat me a lot of times over the years, I beat him a couple times last year. It’s going to be interesting. It’s going to be a great challenge for me.”

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

Source link