Tennis News

Nishikori on Tokyo return: 'I might get tight'

There are not many greater feelings in the sport than triumphing at an ATP Tour event held on your home turf, and Kei Nishikori can say he has done it twice.

The Japanese star, who rose to a career-high of World No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings, has flirted with the possibility of returning to the winner’s circle in Tokyo but has admitted that nerves may be there as he prepares to compete at the ATP 500 event for the first time since 2018.

“It’s a big goal to win again this week,” Nishikori said ahead of the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships, which gets underway on Wednesday. “I might get tight but I will try to enjoy it.”

Nishikori twice overcame the threat of Canadian Milos Raonic in the final to clinch the 2012 and 2014 titles in Tokyo and, after receiving a wild card this year, the 34-year-old is making his first appearance in the Japanese capital in six years.

“This is something special to win a title [here], this is my home and I have always watched the tournament when I was little,” Nishikori added. “I know that it’s tough this year, not easy to go far, but I will try to go as far as I can.”

The 12-time ATP Tour titlist has been hampered by injuries in recent years but has been making a steady return to full health, displaying some impressive tennis. Nishikori reached the quarter-finals at an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time since 2019 with his run in Montreal in August.

He then made back-to-back quarter-finals of ATP Challenger events in Como and Genoa before being beaten by Shang Juncheng in the first round of the Chengdu Open, in which the Chinese rising star went on to lift the trophy. 

There is no place like home, and Nishikori recognises the importance of soaking these moments in.

“This is the only time I get a lot of fans, even to practice [sessions], and I don’t usually get this feeling, so I will try to enjoy,” Nishikori said. “It’s great to see many fans show up to this tournament, I always feel a lot of support.”

Nishikori gets his Tokyo campaign underway against Marin Cilic in a repeat of the 2014 US Open final, which the Croatian won in straight sets.

The Japanese leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 9-6 but Cilic will fancy his chances. The former World No.3 in the PIF ATP Rankings comes into the tournament on a five-match winning streak after clinching his first ATP Tour title since 2021 at the Hangzhou Open on Tuesday.

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PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah Update: Shang closes in on Jeddah after Chengdu title

#NextGenATP Chinese star Shang Juncheng made history on Tuesday at the Chengdu Open, where he became the first player born in 2005 to win an ATP Tour title.

The 19-year-old’s success on home soil has further cemented his Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF qualification hopes, with the Chinese lefty poised to compete at the 20-and-under event in Jeddah in December.

Shang is up to second in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, 759 points ahead of ninth-placed Vilius Gaubas, who is just outside the qualification spots.

PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah

The World No. 55 Shang impressed on home soil at the ATP 250 event, moving past Kei Nishikori, Roman Safiullin, Alexander Bublik, Yannick Hanfmann and Lorenzo Musetti to become just the second Chinese man to win a tour-level title after Wu Yibing won in Dallas in 2023.

“It’s always special to play at home, not mentioning to win a title,” Shang told ATPTour.com after triumphing. “I’ve never thought that I would do it this early in my career, but I’m grateful for this one. Just a super special week. I was going match by match, not knowing what will happen in the next one.”

Earlier this month, American Learner Tien boosted his qualification chances by winning his second ATP Challenger Tour crown of the season in Las Vegas. The 18-year-old is seventh in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah and aiming to make his debut at the event.

Eighth-placed Coleman Wong became the first player from Hong Kong since 1972 to win an ATP Tour main draw match when he advanced to the second round in Chengdu. After advancing through qualifying, the 20-year-old eventually lost to Brandon Nakashima.

Shang and fourth-placed Jakub Mensik are in action at the ATP 500 event in Beijing this week, while Race leader Arthur Fils and third-placed Alex Michelsen take to court at the ATP 500 in Tokyo.

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Osaka hired ex-Serena coach as she wants 'no regrets'

Naomi Osaka says she is at a stage in life where she “does not want to have regrets” after hiring Patrick Mouratoglou as her new coach.

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Alcaraz, Gauff visit Forbidden City ahead of Beijing

Carlos Alcaraz will hope to back up his Laver Cup heroics this week when he competes at the China Open in Beijing. However, before the serious business commences on court, the No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings took time to explore the Chinese capital with WTA star Coco Gauff.

The Spaniard and American were all smiles when they visited the Forbidden City dressed in traditional clothing on Wednesday.

“It was a great experience being there,” Alcaraz said in his pre-tournament press-conference. “I couldn’t go around much last year. For me, it’s great to see the culture here in China, see different things. Being there [in the Forbidden City] was a great experience for me. I’m really happy to be back here again in Beijing.”

🚨 Dynamic Duo alert in Beijing 🚨 @CocoGauff and @carlosalcaraz went out to explore to Forbidden City today 🇨🇳@ChinaOpen | #ChinaOpen | @WTA pic.twitter.com/kzCvMFFyKs

— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 25, 2024

On court, Alcaraz hopes his performances at the Laver Cup can help him in his quest for further glory during the Asian swing. The 21-year-old, who earned victories against Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz to help guide Team Europe to victory against Team World in Berlin, is the second seed at the ATP 500 event in Beijing.

“We all went to the Laver Cup just to try to win, help Team Europe as much as we could to bring the trophy back,” Alcaraz said. “The past two years, Team World dominated the Laver Cup. For me, it was a great achievement help Team Europe to bring the cup back to Europe.

“It was a great tournament, a great experience for me living side by side with the players that I’m used to fighting against each other during the whole year. Having that energy from them while I’m playing was an incredible experience for me. I played great, great matches there in the Laver Cup, what helped me a lot to have more confidence coming here to this tournament.

“It is great for my confidence and for my level just to come here with extra energy knowing that I’m ready to do a good result here, even knowing that I have a really tough draw.”

Alcaraz has won 15 tour-level titles in his standout career but struggled to find his best level in the closing stages of the season in 2022 and 2023. The Spaniard competed in just three events after winning the US Open in 2022, missing the Nitto ATP Finals due to injury. Last year, he held a 7-5 record from October to November, with his best result semi-final showings at the Nitto ATP Finals and in Beijing.

Having already qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals this year, Alcaraz will hope improve on his end-of-season record, starting in Beijing, where he plays big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the first-round. He is seeded to face Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals and will take a 5-2 Lexus ATP Head2Head series lead into that clash if they do meet.

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Britain's Salisbury splits with long-time partner Ram

Britain’s leading men’s doubles player Joe Salisbury splits with partner Rajeev Ram after winning four Grand Slam titles together.

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Advice from Alcaraz & more, Landaluce living Spanish teenage dream

The day before a 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz won his first major title at the 2022 US Open, there was another Spanish teenager who lifted the Flushing Meadows junior trophy in the shadows of Arthur Ashe Stadium. That was Martin Landaluce.

While Alcaraz would go on to triumph in the biggest tennis-only stadium in the world and assure his climb to World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Landaluce, then 16, became junior champion on a much smaller Court 11. Back home in Spain, the whole country was following Landaluce’s result and buzzing about the teenager’s potential.

How fast can Landaluce rise? Can he too reach the top of the game as a teen? Is he the next Spanish great?

With all of the the outside noise, Landaluce sought advice from Alcaraz following the US Open.

“I was asking him, ‘How do you manage to be with one million [followers], or all of your country above you, watching you, saying, ‘You have to be this, or you have to be this number’.’ It’s very difficult,” Landaluce told ATPTour.com.

“He was very nice because he managed that very naturally. That’s special and I try to be like him in that, because it’s very important.”

What was Alcaraz’s advice?

“‘Try to be part of Instagram, social media, only with your family and that will get rid of [a lot of] expectation,’” Landaluce recalled.

Less than two weeks after Landaluce won the US Open boys’ singles trophy, he met Felipe VI, King of Spain.

Landaluce, Alcaraz and Spanish wheelchair tennis player Martin de la Puente had the chance of a lifetime to step inside Zarzuela Palace and meet the Spanish king.

“Imagine a 16-year-old guy being there with a king. That was very, very nerve-racking for me,” Landaluce said. “I don’t get nervous for many things and that was very big. I enjoyed it a lot. He’s a really nice guy.”

If there is anybody living the Spanish teenage dream, it is Landaluce. Whether it is meeting the king or practising with 92-time tour-level titlist Rafael Nadal and World No. 3 Alcaraz.

“That’s one of the best things I’ve experienced in my career. The two big references for me,” Landaluce said. “Rafa, all of my life, watching him, trying to be like him. And now Carlos. They are very good people. I love playing with them. I try as much as I can to practise with them, to ask them questions, it’s a very good experience.”

 

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Landaluce grew up in a home full of tennis fanatics. His father, Alejandro, still competes on the ITF Seniors Tour. The #NextGenATP 18-year-old had a racquet in his hand even before he turned one. He would practise with his mother Elena in the doubles alley while his siblings, Lucas and Alejandra, would take lessons from their father. Afterwards, Martin would hit with his father for 10 to 15 minutes.

But it was Martin, the youngest of the three, who rose to junior No. 1 and is now beginning his pro career on the ATP Challenger Tour. Landaluce is based in Madrid, where he was born, and calls the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar his “second home”.

The ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid ignited Landaluce’s ambition to become a professional.

“I was there watching many times like, ‘I want to be there. I want to play there and win the tournament’. It’s a great goal to have in mind,” said Landaluce, who received a main draw wild card the past two years at the Mutua Madrid Open.

One vivid memory from the tournament sticks out to Landaluce.

“I remember watching [Nikoloz] Basilashvili… I remember that match thinking, ‘Wow, I want to play like this!’ He was doing amazing winners,” Landaluce said. “I think it is one of the matches that I remember that was [impactful].”

As fans begin to follow Landaluce, they will be drawn to the Spaniard’s own brand of fearless tennis.

“I don’t leave anything on court,” Landaluce said. “I like to be very brave in difficult moments.”

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Medvedev believes he has the key to pour water on Alcaraz fire

Daniil Medvedev has touched down in Beijing, yearning to go one better than he did in 2023 and lift the trophy, but has acknowledged the difficulty of the task that lies ahead at the China Open.

After coming unstuck by Jannik Sinner in last year’s final, Medvedev will have his work cut out with the defending champion and World No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings Carlos Alcaraz back to headline the stacked field in the Chinese capital.

“Whatever tournament I play, I want to win,” Medvedev said ahead of the China Open which starts on Thursday. “It’s a strong field in Beijing, like last year, so if I want to win the tournament, you need to play your best from the first to the last match. It’s not going to be easy, but that’s the goal.

“Regarding the draw, when Sinner, Alcaraz play, you know you’re not the top two seed, you know it’s going to be tough. In the semi-finals you’re going to have to play one of them if they get there. [I will] take it step by step, try to improve my level step by step, and hopefully I can show some good tennis.”

One of Medvedev’s potential semi-final opponents is Alcaraz, his Laver Cup teammate who holds a commanding 5-2 lead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. The Spaniard was able to shake off his shock US Open second-round exit to Botic van de Zandschulp to play a pivotal role in Team Europe’s thrilling comeback over Team World on Sunday.

“If we both meet [in the semi-final], to play against Carlos is not easy, especially when he’s on fire,” Medvedev said of the four-time Grand Slam titlist. “I could see it when we played in the Laver Cup. He was playing good there. The guys had no chance. You need to try to put him under pressure all the time. That’s where maybe you can get the chance, that’s the most important: to play your best tennis.

“Honestly [the Laver Cup] was a very great experience. I know I was the only one on the team to get zero points, but it’s okay, that’s why it’s a team competition. My team won, so it’s okay. I’m happy that the team got my back.”

Medvedev gets his Beijing campaign underway with a first-round clash against veteran Gael Monfils, the No. 46 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Their Lexus ATP Head2Head series is level at 2-2, with the most recent encounter going the way of Medvedev in a comprehensive win at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Monte Carlo in April.

However, the 38-year-old Frenchman rolled back the years with an impressive win over Alcaraz in the second round of the Cincinnati Open last month, demonstrating the threat he still poses for any opponent.

“I think it will be different,” Medvedev said ahead of his clash with Monfils. “I’m different. He’s different. It’s normal, every year, everything changes. [It’s] actually interesting to see how it goes. It’s always interesting to play [against Monfils]. Some great points, some great rallies, [I’m] looking forward to it.”

Medvedev is currently fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, bidding to strengthen his chances of qualification for the Nitto ATP Finals over the course of the Asian swing. The 28-year-old clinched the trophy in 2020, having qualified for each of the past five editions.

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My Influences: Gaubas opens up on 'amazing' Alcaraz experience

A smile appeared across the face of #NextGenATP Lithuanian Vilius Gaubas in New York, where the 19-year-old recalled the memorable time he has spent with World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz.

The Lithuanian has practised with the Spaniard on various occasions in the past year and after time, mustered up the confidence to ask the four-time major winner for advice.

Speaking to ATPTour.com as part of our Next Gen Influences Series, Gaubas discusses his conversations with the former Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champion Alcaraz and opens up on his biggest idols in tennis, including countryman Ricardas Berankis, who reached a career-high No. 50 in 2016.

Which former Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champion do you identify with?
I like Carlos Alcaraz. I practised this year with him a few times, and seeing him doing so well and getting a chance to practice with him was cool. He is so humble. So that’s the way it will be for me

Did you get to have any conversations with him? Where were you when you practised with him?
We practised in Spain at the start of the season. I think it was January and we had a few practice sessions and it was really high intensity, and was really, really fun.

Did you ask him any questions?
I was a little bit too shy, but he was really humble. He asked me a few questions, so we had a few conversations that was really fun. He asked me, ‘What’s my next tournament?, How am I doing’, and all those kinds of things. He was, at that time, World No. 1. It was amazing and to be able to speak with him like a normal conversation meant a lot.

Who were your first tennis idols when growing up?
My idols since I was young were Dominic Thiem and Casper Ruud. It was their style, how they play, especially the intensity on the forehand. They have really big shots and that’s what amazed me. When I saw Dominic, when he entered the Top 10, he was doing really well. I saw his matches and every practise, I tried to copy what he did. I remember the US Open final where there were no people watching as it was during Covid and the match was incredible, five sets, and the intensity of the match was incredible.

How much influence did Ricardas Berankis have on you?
He has a really big influence on all the younger kids in Lithuania who play tennis. I think he really motivated us. We had a photo when I was seven years old. I was a ball boy for him in a Davis Cup match. And it was one year ago that I showed him a photo and it was really funny, because now we’re on the same team, playing, so that’s really, really nice.

What was it about him that inspired you when you were a kid?
How serious he is on court and off court as well. He is still really focused on the things that he’s doing. So that’s an inspiration.

Who are your other biggest influences?
I would say my mother. She’s a really strong person. She fights for everything and she really works hard. That is a big inspiration too. Our family was always involved in sport. Especially my father, he was really sporty and I think that is where I got it from.

Ahead of this year’s Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, ATPTour.com is running an Influences series with the #NextGenATP stars in contention to qualify for the 20-and-under event in Jeddah. Look out for next week’s feature with Chengdu champion Shang Juncheng…

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Fearnley not obsessed about breaking into top 100

Jake Fearnley will not obsess about cracking the world tennis top 100 but is happy to linger on the fright he gave Novak Djokovic.

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Why Hurkacz's aces will mean more than ever the rest of 2024

Hubert Hurkacz’s efforts on court will mean more than ever for the rest of the season.

The No. 8 player in the PIF ATP Rankings is giving back to his home country, Poland, which has recently dealt with devastating flooding.

“Starting today and until the end of the season, I will be donating €100 for every ace I hit to support those affected by the devastating floods in Poland,” Hurkacz wrote on social media. “For me, sport is not just a competition, but also a platform to drive impact.”

pic.twitter.com/ZMN13e6nC4

— Hubert Hurkacz (@HubertHurkacz) September 24, 2024

Hurkacz enters the week leading the ATP Tour in aces with 702 in 55 matches according to Infosys ATP Stats. That is nearly 13 aces per match.

The 27-year-old is the second seed at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo. He will begin his run at the ATP 500 event on Wednesday against Marcos Giron.

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