Tennis News

Was an umbrella what motivated Butvilas to achieve pro dream?

The players were awarded their trophies, one for the champion and one for the runner-up.
Then came an additional prize: a big box of juice, reserved for the titlist, and an umbrella for the finalist. For a pair of eight-year-olds, this was a drastic difference.

Edas Butvilas was brought to tears when he received the umbrella. It was a punch to the gut while his close friend, Vilius Gaubas, left the Lithuanian city of Palanga with the bigger trophy and coveted juice.

Years later, that moment stands out as both Butvilas and Gaubas are now rising #NextGenATP stars who are enjoying promising starts on the ATP Challenger Tour.

“I lost the final and I remember exactly. I cried for a long time because I wanted the big box of juice and at that time I didn’t care about the umbrella at all, I gave it away to my parents,” Butvilas told ATPTour.com.

“The loss wasn’t that painful, but I saw what he got for the prizes, it was really sad. I still remember it. I talk about it sometimes with Vilius.”

Entering the 2024 season, there had only been two Lithuanian winners in Challenger history (since 1978): Ricardas Berankis and Laurynas Grigelis. Butvilas, who won last week’s Charleston Challenger, and Gaubas have each secured their maiden title at that level in the past two months.

Gaubas is ninth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, five spots ahead of Butvilas. They are both aiming for maiden qualification for the 20-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.

For Lithuania, a country with a relatively small imprint in tennis history, the future is bright.

“This is one of the best things that can happen, that we dreamed of,” Butvilas said of his rise alongside Gaubas. “We grew up together. We are the same age so we were dreaming together, playing together and now rising up like this, it’s just a dream come true.”

Butvilas, who grew up in Klaipeda, began playing tennis aged two alongside his father Tomas, who is a tennis coach. When Butvilas was around age 11, his mother, Dana, began taking him to international tournaments.

“I remember going with my mom in the car and we were driving a lot of kilometres together, just playing many tournaments,” Butvilas said. “Around Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, really close. Poland, sometimes Germany, Austria. Sometimes going to Iceland, I’ve been there two times, I think to play Tennis Europe.”

Butvilas grew up idolising Roger Federer and former World No. 50 Berankis, whose 15 Challenger titles leads Lithuanians. “He showed that even from a small country like Lithuania, we can do really good in tennis,” Butvilas said.

At age 15, Butvilas moved to Alicante, Spain to begin training at the Club Atlético Montemar. Butvilas met coach Ivan Navarro, who has been travelling with the Lithuanian for roughly two years.

Butvilas last week earned a milestone victory when he claimed his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title on the hard courts of Charleston, South Carolina. It was just his ninth outing at the Challenger level.

<img alt=”Edas Butvilas wins his first ATP Challenger Tour title in Charleston, South Carolina.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/09/30/16/59/butvilas-charlestonch-2024.jpg” />
^{Edas Butvilas triumphs at the Challenger 75 event in Charleston. Credit: LTP Challenger}

Butvilas, now at a career-high World No. 261 in the PIF ATP Rankings, became the first lucky loser Challenger champion since February 2023.

“It is still tough to believe it because I was so close to being out of the tournament,” Butvilas said. “I lost in qualies and I got the lucky-loser spot and then everything went my way.

“It was really tough conditions there, so hot and humid. In the second round of qualies, I cramped in the last set and almost threw up. I was feeling really bad. Then I got the lucky-loser spot and I had to play the next day again and I won 7-5 in the third. Mentally, I fought a lot that week.”

Still early in his career, Butvilas has already learned an important lesson: the tide will turn in your favour if you remain resilient.

“I lost many close matches this year. My coach always told me that tennis can change really fast at any point,” Butvilas said. “I just was thinking, ‘Why not this time?’”

Did You Know?
Butvilas is a two-time junior Slam doubles champion. He won the 2021 Wimbledon boys’ doubles event alongside Alejandro Manzanera Pertusa and the 2022 Roland Garros boys’ doubles title with Mili Poljicak.

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'Miracle' man Ritschard fuelled by girlfriend's nutritional plan

Alexander Ritschard is powering through 2024 with a newfound edge, surging into the Top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings for the first time on Wednesday. Behind the scenes, a key figure has quietly transformed his approach.

The Swiss has been fuelled by a new nutritional programme, curated by his girlfriend, Kat Berglas. Ritschard, 30, has been dating Berglas for seven months, and in that short time, her expertise has helped him surge on the ATP Challenger Tour.

“She was the missing piece I kind of needed to do what I’m doing now,” Ritschard told ATPTour.com. “She’s really helped me a lot with my nutrition, helps me feel more fueled and feeling [better]. Since I’ve taken her tips, I feel very healthy.”

In April, Ritschard was as low as World No. 209. He has since claimed three of his four career Challenger titles, including one last week in Lisbon, Portugal, where Ritschard had courtside support from Berglas.

When Ritschard first met Berglas, he asked about her profession. Upon learning she was a nutritionist, he asked if she would be willing to help him and Berglas gladly agreed. She created a tailor-made nutritional plan.

“I can’t give away all the secrets,” Ritschard joked. “Everyone has a different body, different metabolism. For me personally, I’m someone who burns carbs very quickly and sweats a lot, so I have to eat a lot of carbohydrates and take in a lot of salts and drink a lot of fluids.

“She kind of has a whole programme for me. I eat a certain amount the day before, a certain amount the day of, I constantly eat when I play a match. My drink is a very heavy carbohydrate drink. Also, I’m eating a lot of bananas for the potassium and a lot of cereal bars for additional carbs. I’m just really, really carbing up and she keeps an eye on it.”

One of two players to make his Top 100 debut Wednesday (Jacob Fearnley), Ritschard’s path to where he is now took an unexpected turn in 2015, when a blocked artery in his right arm cut off blood flow. Ritschard, then a student-athlete at the University of Virginia, was working out when he felt a sharp sting in his shoulder.

What initially seemed minor quickly escalated, bringing Ritschard within minutes of potentially facing the unimaginable: the loss of his right arm.

“I can only go by what they told me, they said they had to make a decision within the next five minutes and it wasn’t opening. I guess I got lucky, it opened, and blood started flowing again,” Ritschard said last year.

Ritschard needed multiple operations to solve the issue. “One just to get the artery open, the second one to remove the problem, which was the rib that was too tight and then my lungs just filled with blood and I had to pump the blood out,” recalled Ritschard, who helped Virginia win three straight NCAA team titles.

Post-surgery limitations left Ritschard questioning his future in tennis. He contemplated if he would quit the sport after college. But now he is among an exclusive group, boasting a double-digit number next to his name in the PIF ATP Rankings at World No. 99.

<img alt=”Alexander Ritschard celebrates winning the Lisbon Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/09/30/17/37/ritschard-lisbonch-2024.jpg” />
^{Alexander Ritschard celebrates winning the Del Monte Lisboa Belém Open. Credit: Beatriz Ruivo/FPT}

Ritschard has occasional check-up appointments to ensure everything stays normal with his right arm, and thankfully, there have been no issues. Just last month, the week before he won the Lisbon Challenger title, Ritschard felt his arm going numb while he was sleeping. But doctors put to bed any concern.

“That was just me sleeping funny,” Ritschard said. “At the check up, everything looked really, really good.”

When Ritschard steps foot on court, or in the doctor’s office, he is reminded of his incredible fortune to even be playing the sport he began at age five.

“I got really, really lucky. That’s really the only way I can put it,” Ritschard said. “Even now, I do a check up with the doctor who was part of the surgery and he always laughs when I walk in because he’s like, ‘Man, you are a miracle! This is crazy. I cannot believe you are able to do what you do with what we had to do’.

“It’s always funny seeing him, he feels very prideful because he’s like, ‘Yeah, I saved this guy!’”

Now, Ritschard is using that same arm — once at risk of being lost — to unleash heavy hitting from the baseline. What could have been a career-ending injury is instead a testament to Ritschard’s remarkable resilience.

In the form of his life, Ritschard is the oldest Top 100 debutant since October 2022, when Emilio Gomez achieved the milestone.

“I dreamt of being a Top 100 player since I was a kid,” Ritschard said. “So this for me is definitely a very special moment for sure.”

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How the Alcaraz-Sinner Beijing final showed the evolution of tennis

Tennis is evolving right before our eyes.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are reshaping how our sport is played, and updated match analytics are needed to understand exactly what patterns of play they are gravitating towards to forge their advantage. Alcaraz narrowly defeated Sinner 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3) in the China Open final on Wednesday, and an analysis of their forays forward to the net provides ideal insight into how the next generation constructs their points.

Approach and volley has been a staple of our sport since its inception. The new norm is actually approach and no volley.

Alcaraz and Sinner moved forward to finish the point at the front of the court more than 100 times in the final, with over half of those points not involving a volley. The data set comprises all points where players moved forward in the court towards the net to finish points. It includes serve and volley, return approach, and general rally balls where either player steps towards the net to build or end the point.

Approaching The Net/No Volley Hit
– Alcaraz = 58% (38/66) no volley hit.
– Sinner = 74% (29/39) no volley hit.
– Total = 64% (67/105) no volley hit.

Alcaraz and Sinner prefer to end net points before they get competitive. Approach shots in today’s game are a different animal than just a few decades ago. Both players crushed their approach shots with significant power and spin, not giving their opponent a chance to wriggle their way out of trouble. Alcaraz and Sinner combined to hit 22 approach winners for the match.

Coming forward to finish a point and not having to hit a volley was by far the number-one way points ended when both players ventured forward.

Combined: Volleys Hit
– Zero volley hit = 64% (67)
– One volley hit = 28% (30)
– Two volleys hit = 8% (8)
– Total = 105

The number one way to come forward was with a forehand approach shot.

Alcaraz Approach Shots
– Forehand = 40
– Forehand Return = 1
– Backhand = 9
– Backhand Return = 10
– Serve & Volley = 6
– Total = 66

Sinner Approach Shots
– Forehand = 27
– Backhand = 11
– Serve & Volley = 1
– Total = 39

What is fascinating is that Alcaraz employed 11 return approaches in the match, immediately ramping up the pressure on Sinner to hit a passing shot. Alcaraz only missed one of the return approaches. Overall, he came in 10 times with a backhand approach and just once with a forehand approach. With this aggressive tactic, he won an impressive eight of 11 points, including all four he employed in the third set.

Lastly, Alcaraz was able to take advantage of the higher winning percentage at the net over the baseline much more when he was returning serve than Sinner.

BEIJING CHAMPION 🏆

In a breathtaking final, @carlosalcaraz fights back to defeat the defending champion Sinner 6-7(6) 6-4 7-6(3) for the #ChinaOpen title!@chinaopen pic.twitter.com/idvMd6LRiz

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 2, 2024

Alcaraz Start Of The Point & Finishing At Net
– 56% Serving (37)
– 44% Returning (29)
– Total = 66

Sinner Start Of The Point & Finishing At Net
– 67% Serving (26)
– 33% Returning (13)
– Total = 39

Successfully moving forward to finish points at net when starting the point with a return of serve is a hidden weapon for Alcaraz. He can first neutralise the point with a strong return or use the short serve in the service box to immediately approach. At any moment, at any point score, both Alcaraz and Sinner were swarming the net to apply pressure to their opponent.

These two players are going to set the tone for how our sport is played for years to come. The front of the court is making a revival.

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Champions of September: Alcaraz, Sinner soar, Shang shines

In an action-packed September on the ATP Tour, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz soared to more glory.

New faces joined the old in the winner’s circle in China to kickstart the Asian swing, with Marin Cilic returning after a three-year hiatus in Hangzhou, and Shang Juncheng establishing a name for himself in front of his home faithful in Chengdu.

US Open, New York – Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner capped a dazzling 2024 campaign on the Grand Slam circuit by lifting his second major trophy at the US Open, adding to his Australian Open triumph in January. The 23-year-old rose to the challenge that was posed in the final by home hope Taylor Fritz, who was bidding to become the first American male to succeed at this level since Andy Roddick at the 2003 US Open. It was a gutsy performance from Sinner throughout the fortnight, eventually raising his level to soar into a commanding lead over Alexander Zverev and Alcaraz in the battle to claim ATP Year-End No.1 presented by PIF.

<img alt=”Jannik Sinner” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/09/08/22/02/sinner-us-open-2024-trophy-shot.jpg?w=100%25″ />
^{Photo: AFP/Getty Images}
Chengdu Open, Chengdu – Shang Juncheng
It was fitting that Shang Juncheng’s maiden ATP Tour title came on home soil in China, underpinning the impressive rise that the 19-year-old #NextGenATP star has undergone over the past year. With his fairytale run in Chengdu, which included a comprehensive 7-6(4), 6-1 win over top seed Lorenzo Musetti in the final, the flashy left showed why he is one of the most promising talents on the Tour, becoming just the second Chinese man to lift an ATP Tour title (Yibing Wu, Dallas 2023). With the triumph, Shang boosted his hopes of qualification for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, cementing his third-place position in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah.

Hangzhou Open, Hangzhou – Marin Cilic
Marin Cilic carved his name into the history books with his resurgent performance to claim the title in Hangzhou, becoming the lowest-ranked ATP Tour champion since 1990. Arriving in China as No. 777 in the PIF ATP Rankings, the 35-year-old was able to reignite some of his most imposing tennis to edge to victory over Brandon Nakashima and prevent Zhang Zhizhen from creating more Chinese history in the final with a gripping straight-sets win, 7-6(5), 7-6(5).

Laver Cup, Berlin – Team Europe
It was Alcaraz who stole the show on his Laver Cup debut, picking up Team Europe from the brink of defeat and guiding the group to victory over Team World in a thrilling 13-11 comeback. Entering the final Sunday, Bjorn Borg’s team faced a 4-8 deficit in favour of John McEnroe’s men. Still, the Spaniard provided crucial wins in both doubles and singles to taste victory. After Borg and McEnroe’s seven-year tenure as Laver Cup captains, Yannick Noah and Andre Agassi will take over from 2025.

<img alt=”Team Europe celebrates its Laver Cup victory in Berlin.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/09/22/21/00/laver-cup-2024-group-trophy.jpg” />
^{Photo: AFP/Getty Images}

Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships, Japan – Arthur Fils
Arthur Fils battled back from the verge of defeat, saving a championship point against countryman Ugo Humbert in the Tokyo final to triumph 5-7, 7-6(6), 6-3 and clinch his second ATP 500 title of the 2024 campaign. A dazzling week in the Japanese capital saw the 20-year-old #NextGenATP star secure four wins over Top 20 opponents, including top seed Fritz, defending champion Ben Shelton, Holger Rune and Humbert. The Frenchman was forced to battle physical issues in each of the rounds from his quarter-final but eventually held his nerve to extend his lead at the top of the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah.

China Open, Beijing – Carlos Alcaraz
Alcaraz began his 2024 Asian Swing in emphatic fashion when he soared to a fourth title of the year in the Chinese capital. The 21-year-old rallied back from the brink of defeat in a gripping final against Sinner that was decided by the finest of margins, reflecting the absorbing nature of their rivalry. Alcaraz, who clinched a 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3) victory, became the first man to win an ATP 500 on hard courts, clay and grass in series history (since 2009).

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Alcaraz: 'I went for it all the time'

If the rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner was a book, it would be a thrilling page-turner that readers could not put down. The latest chapter, Alcaraz’s narrow victory against Sinner in an epic China Open final, delivered the highly-anticipated amount of enthrallment.

Back and forth with twists and turns mixed throughout, the ATP 500 final was edge-of-your-seat tennis for all three hours and 21 minutes, the longest match in tournament history. Alcaraz believes that matches like Wednesday’s final bring an excitement that will attract new fans to the sport.

“I think for the people who don’t watch tennis, probably thanks to these kind of matches, [they] start to watch tennis or even practise it. I think it is pretty good,” Alcaraz said. “When Jannik and I face each other, playing against each other, I think it’s a really good thing for tennis because we always show a really intense match, really close match, great points, great rallies.”

By winning his fourth title of the season, Alcaraz continued his perfect year against the World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings. The Spaniard fell to Sinner a year ago in the Beijing semi-finals and has since won their three meetings in 2024: Indian Wells, Roland Garros and Beijing. Alcaraz now leads Sinner 6-4 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

“I try to enjoy as much as I can playing against him, but it’s not easy. I’m really happy. I mean, when you’re able to beat one of the best, if not the best, tennis player in the world, obviously it seems like you’re doing the right things, you’re doing the right work,” Alcaraz said.

“I’m proud of myself with everything I’ve done the last month, working really hard physically, on the court as well. It has been an intense month. But I’m really happy to end it with the trophy here in Beijing, with a really incredible match.”

The 21-year-old’s 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3) triumph against Sinner displayed everything fans love about both players. There was monstrous firepower from the baseline and superb shotmaking combined with court coverage that showcased their speed and agility.

Watch Extended Highlights

It was also a testament to both players’ mental resilience. Alcaraz let slip a 5-2 lead in the opening set, which he eventually lost. The Spaniard held a break advantage in the decider, but was eventually pushed to a final-set tie-break.

“It was a really close match. I mean, Jannik could win in straight sets. I could win in two sets. I had my chances in the first set. Didn’t take it,” Alcaraz said. “I’m really happy with the way that I managed that moment. I lost the first set with a lot of opportunities, didn’t make it. Coming up in the second set, I tried to clear my mind a little bit and just tried to keep going, playing the good tennis that I was doing the first set.

“I think both of us showed a really high level of tennis. High level mentally, physically, until the last ball. Running from side to side, showing really good rallies, really good points in the tie-break of the third. I’m really happy to be able to get that win at the end.”

Alcaraz had his back against the wall in the final-set tie-break. Sinner had claimed 18 of his previous 19 tie-breaks, including one in the first set of the final, according to Infosys ATP Stats. The Italian struck two forehand winners on the first two points and then opened up a 3/0 lead.

But Alcaraz stormed back, tallying seven consecutive points to capture his 16th tour-level title.

“I just tried to keep going, tried not to think about anything else but the next point,” Alcaraz said. “I tried to play the same way I was playing. If I miss it, I miss it. I wanted to think that I went for it all the time. I say that’s all that matters.”

Alcaraz became the first player to win an ATP 500 crown on all three surfaces (hard, clay and grass) in series history (since 2009). His eight-match win streak is a welcomed sight after suffering a shocking second-round upset at the US Open.

Alcaraz, who captured his 200th tour-level win in the Beijing second round, is up to second in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin following his title run.

“It was a really special win for me, lifting this trophy in front of my team, part of my family. It was a great moment for me. I guess [Juan Carlos Ferrero] got emotional at the end because we all know what we went through the last month or the last two months. It was a really difficult moment on the court, off the court,” Alcaraz said.

“As I said in the speech, thanks to [my team], I started to get the joy back playing the matches, practising, I got motivated again. I really wanted to travel, to play tournaments again. Probably after the American swing, I was a little bit down, I didn’t want to touch a racquet for a while. I didn’t want to travel, let’s say.

“After that, we talked a lot during those days, knowing that I have to be back practising, be stronger physically, be stronger mentally just to overcome those problems, let’s say. The last month we’ve been working really, really hard on the court, off the court, just to be able to feel this moment again.”

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Alcaraz ascends to second in Live Race, Mover of Week

Carlos Alcaraz reigned supreme at the China Open this week in Beijing to leapfrog Alexander Zverev for second in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, only behind rival Italian Jannik Sinner, whom he defeated in the ATP 500 final.

In Tokyo, Frenchman Arthur Fils downed four Top 20 opponents to be crowned champion. Can the 20-year-old make a late-season push to go from finalist at last year’s Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF to a Nitto ATP Finals qualifier, just 12 months later?

ATPTour.com looks at the movers of the week in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin as of Wednesday, 2 October.

Carlos Alcaraz – 2nd (6,510 points)

The Spaniard was dominant all week in Beijing, where he did not drop a set en route to the final. Alcaraz powered past two rivals — Daniil Medvedev and Sinner — in the semi-finals and final, respectively, to claim 500 points and move one place to second in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. Beijing marked the 21-year-old’s fourth title of 2024. Alcaraz, who defeated Sinner in a memorable championship match, has already secured his place at the season-finale Nitto ATP Finals.

Arthur Fils – 18th (2,070 points)

The young Fils keeps adding milestones to his blossoming career. The Frenchman lifted the Tokyo title, marking his second ATP 500 crown, both of which have come this year (Hamburg). Fils, who saved a championship point Tuesday, is up six places in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.

Ugo Humbert – 19th (2,025 points)

You do not have to look much beyond Fils to find the next Frenchman enjoying a standout season. Humbert, who finished runner-up to Fils in Tokyo, has won two titles this season (Marseille, Dubai) and tallied 33 match wins. He is up three places this week in the PIF Live Race To Turin.

Tomas Machac – 36th (1,233 points)

The Czech is in the form of his life this season, having reached his first tour-level final in Geneva. Machac, 23, upset fifth seed Tommy Paul in the Tokyo second round and went on to reach the semi-finals, collecting 200 points.

Buyunchaokete – 66th (696 points)

What is better than playing your first tour-level semi-final? By following it up the next week with another semi-final appearance, just as Buyunchaokete did in Hangzhou and Beijing, where he fell to Sinner in the last four. ‘Bu’ gained 200 points, the most he has ever earned in a tournament.

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Sinner on Alcaraz rivalry: 'We try to push each other to the limits'

Jannik Sinner suffered a heartbreaking defeat on Wednesday evening in the China Open final to rival Carlos Alcaraz. But despite the sting of losing a final-set tie-break with the ATP 500 trophy on the line, the Italian was able to look back at the clash in a positive way.

“It’s always nice to be part of these kind of matches. Obviously disappointed it didn’t go my way. These kind of matches can really go both ways. But it was not my day,” Sinner said. “He played better in important moments. That’s it. I’m proud again of a great week, making finals here. Last year I won here. For sure it’s a place where I love to play, so I’m already looking forward for next year.”

The Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner, which the Spaniard now leads 6-4, has turned into one of the most captivating rivalries in all of sport. Sinner explained his appreciation for competing with such a tough opponent.

“I feel like it’s always great when we meet. We try to push ourself and each other to the limits. He for me is a [reference] point of where I work,” Sinner said. “Also today I saw a couple things where I need to get better. It’s not only him, there are also other players.

“It’s always nice to share the court with him. I feel like also the fans, they like it. Usually the matches are quite long, they’re physical, there are many turning points… It’s always nice. Feel privileged and honoured to share the court with him. As I said, we both tried to win. We tried to concentrate on every point. Having a great attitude on the court, that makes it happen that it’s a very interesting match always.”

Watch Extended Final Highlights:

Sinner entered the final-set tie-break having claimed 18 of his previous 19 tie-breaks, including one in the first set of the final, according to Infosys ATP Stats. But Alcaraz stormed back from a 0/3 deficit to triumph.

“The margins are very small. In the tie-breaks, the small margins, they seem very big. That’s it. You have to accept it,” Sinner said. “You have to keep working on a couple of things. I won many tie-breaks in the last period of time. This one, it went away. That’s it. It’s all good.”

The 23-year-old was unable to declare exactly where the match ranks on the list of the best he has played. But he said it “for sure” is in the top five.

“7-6 in the third in a final, it’s always tough. I had some great matches in the past, even if I’m still young as a player,” Sinner said. “But yeah, I’m always happy to make new experiences, trying to grow. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. That’s how this sport is. There are very highs and sometimes there are lows. It’s all good.

“My season is going very, very consistent, very great. We try to keep building and working for the rest of the season. Now in the next tournament, it’s a very important tournament for me because it’s only the second time I [am] playing there, but I haven’t reached the final stages of the tournament yet. It’s already trying to concentrate there and hopefully finishing off the season in a very positive way.”

BEIJING CHAMPION 🏆

In a breathtaking final, @carlosalcaraz fights back to defeat the defending champion Sinner 6-7(6) 6-4 7-6(3) for the #ChinaOpen title!@chinaopen pic.twitter.com/idvMd6LRiz

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 2, 2024

Now Sinner will quickly turn his attention to the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he will pursue his seventh title of the season and continue his efforts to claim ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours. He leads Alcaraz by 2,820 points in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.

“Shanghai is completely different because the situation is different. Hopefully I get into rhythm quite fast. For sure it’s going to be a tough first-round match. Every tournament is difficult to play first rounds,” Sinner said. “For sure there are things where I can improve. We will work on that, trying to become always a better player and also better person. Also the work never stops.”

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Djokovic makes China return & embraces new fashion

Novak Djokovic is back on Chinese soil.

It is a treat not only for the local adoring fans, but also for the four-time Rolex Shanghai Masters champion Djokovic.

“I wanted to play in China… I said, ‘Okay, I need to play the tournament in Shanghai, it’s the biggest event in China and one of the great 1000 events we have on Tour’. I missed being in China,” Djokovic told ATP Media.

“It’s been a while, five years. A lot has happened in the meantime in those five years for me and my career, so I was looking forward to coming and experiencing the love and energy and support that I’ve been getting from Chinese fans all these years.”

Making his 10th Shanghai appearance, the 37-year-old has long felt warm support from Chinese fans stretched across the globe. Now Djokovic is competing in their backyard for the first time since 2019.

“I met some of them on the Tour the last couple of years and they were asking me in a way, ‘You need to come back to China and play!’ So I’m happy that I’m here, I really am,” Djokovic said. “It’s one of the most spectacular events. The stadium is just incredible, one of the nicest ones we have on the Tour in our sport.”

Djokovic owns the most wins (34) and titles (2012-13, 2015, 2018) in Shanghai tournament history. As is the case almost any time Djokovic steps on court, the World No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings is chasing a milestone this week.

The fourth seed will attempt to become the third man in the Open Era to capture 100 tour-level titles and break his tie with Roger Federer for most titles on hard courts (71).

Boasting a 34-5 tournament record, Djokovic will open his title quest against home favourite Buyunchaokete or #NextGenATP Alex Michelsen.

“I’ve had plenty of success here and in Beijing, won a lot of titles,” said Djokovic. “Hopefully that previous experience and the memories that I have can help me do well this year as well.”

Before arriving in Shanghai, Djokovic spent time in Beijing and at the Great Wall of China. Lacoste hosted a special event at the Ju Yong Guan pass, where a tennis court was set up and Djokovic enjoyed hitting some balls with Chinese actor Wang Yibo.

Djokovic also visited the Summer Palace and sported a bright green tracksuit while strolling the streets of China’s capital city.

Chinese dreams in @Lacoste greens. pic.twitter.com/etwWY2bdKK

— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) September 30, 2024

“It brought back the 90s. I’m a kid of the 90s and I remember those days,” Djokovic said with a laugh. “The music and how everybody, like the music artists were dressing up. The tracksuit was a big deal. The colour was really out there. I was walking on the street and people were like, ‘Woah! What’s going on? This is a little bit too much for our eyes!’ We had fun.”

It may have brought flashbacks to the past, but perhaps it was also a glimpse of what fans will see more of from Djokovic moving forward. The Beglrade native has been receiving fashion advice from his wife and some friends, who work in fashion.

“I’m enjoying the new style to be honest. I’m starting to expand on what I can wear and what I wasn’t wearing for a long time — I’m starting to like it a little bit more. I pay more attention to it,” Djokovic said. “I wasn’t really caring as much for fashion in the past off the court. I was more kind of conversative, jeans or chinos and a polo, that was kind of my vibe for a long time, but now I’m stepping out of the box a little bit and exploring the fashion world.”

Djokovic will aim to step in the winner’s circle for the second time this year. The Serbian has tallied a 32-8 season record with his best result coming at the Paris Olympics, where he captured the gold medal.

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#NextGenATP Shang off to flying start in Shanghai

#NextGenATP Shang Juncheng continued his inspired form on home turf as he surged into the second round of the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

The 19-year-old’s prowess from the back of the court was on full display as he battled through fellow #NextGenATP player Coleman Wong, claiming a 6-4, 6-4 victory. Shang fell behind an early break in the second set but soon clicked into gear, rattling off four games on the spin to cross the line in one hour and 36 minutes.

Sealed with a kiss 😘

Juncheng Shang defeats Coleman Wong 6-4 6-4 to reach the second round in Shanghai for the first time.@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters | #NextGenATP pic.twitter.com/IdISvOa4Ek

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 2, 2024

Shang showed glimpses of the reliable tennis that propelled him to his maiden ATP Tour title at the Chengdu Open two weeks ago, establishing himself as the second Chinese man to lift a tour-level trophy.

The No. 52 in the PIF ATP Rankings has set a popcorn second-round contest against World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz, who is fresh off claiming his fourth tour-level title of the year at the China Open in Beijing.

“These three weeks have been unreal for me, I have been so positive on the court, trying to be happy, enjoying the crowd,” Shang said of his stellar run of form. “Against Carlos [Alcaraz], it’s never easy, he’s one of the best players in the world. Hopefully I can bring out some good energy.”

Shang wasn’t the only home hope to light up the courts on day one in Shanghai, with Wu Yibing claiming his first tour-level win of the 2024 season.

The 24-year-old, who preceded Shang as the first Chinese man to lift an ATP Tour trophy at the Dallas Open last year, comprehensively defeated Sumit Nagal 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the second round.

Denis Shapovalov secured the 200th tour-level win of his career with a thrilling triumph over Lorenzo Sonego. The Canadian held his nerve to clinch a 7-6(5), 7-6(8) victory over the Italian, edging 2-1 ahead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

Put it in the book 📚@denis_shapo defeats Lorenzo Sonego 7-6(5) 7-6(8) to record his 200th tour-level victory.@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/ChKaDmF6Wd

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 2, 2024

Shapovalov faces Ben Shelton in an intriguing second-round clash where he will bid to notch his first win over the American, having been defeated twice already this year.

Elsewhere, Fabio Fognini survived a second-set fightback to overcome compatriot Luciano Darderi 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-4 for his first win in Shanghai since 2019, where he made the quarter-finals. It is the Italian’s eleventh appearance at the event, and he will face Tommy Paul for a spot in the third round.

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Alcaraz beats Sinner in dramatic China Open final

Carlos Alcaraz comes from a set down to edge out world number one Jannik Sinner in a dramatic China Open final.

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