Matteo Berrettini extended his winning run to eight matches on Saturday when he dispatched Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 6-3 to reach the Cinch Championships final for a second consecutive year.

In a rain-disrupted clash, the Italian overpowered van de Zandschulp with his heavy forehand, while also causing the Dutchman problems with his fierce backhand slice to advance after one hour and 31 minutes.

“It was a really tough match. We stopped for the rain. I had a lot of chances. It was windy again and really tough to play but I definitely think it was the best match of the week, so I am really happy and looking forward to the final,” Berrettini said in his on-court interview.

The World No. 10, who has won 19 of his past 20 grass-court matches, will face either seventh seed Marin Cilic or Serbian Filip Krajinovic in the championship match on Sunday as he aims to retain his title at The Queen’s Club.

Berrettini has not put a foot wrong since he returned to Tour last week following three months out. The 26-year-old soared to the title in Stuttgart and has dropped just one set in London to move to within one win of clinching his seventh tour-level crown and fourth on grass.

In a lively encounter, Berrettini struck first as he converted on his eighth break point in a mammoth sixth game to move 4-2 ahead. The Italian failed to serve out the set at 5-3, but immediately responded by increasing his depth on return to break again and win the set.

Play was suspended midway through the second set, but upon resumption, Berrettini struck immediately, breaking for a 4-2 lead. From there he held his nerve to improve to 2-0 in his ATP Head2Head series against van de Zandschulp.

Van de Zandschulp defeated Paul Jubb, Grigor Dimitrov and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in London to become the first Dutchman to advance to the semi-finals at the ATP 500 event since Sjeng Schalken and Raemon Sluiter in 2022.

Then 26-year-old, who was aiming to capture his maiden tour-level title this weekend, is up to No. 26 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings following his run on debut at The Queen’s Club.

Daniil Medvedev’s impressive grass-court form continued on Saturday at the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle, where the top seed powered past home favourite Oscar Otte to reach his second consecutive ATP Tour final.

The World No. 1 fended off a set point in the opening set before rallying to a 7-6(3), 6-3 semi-final victory in his first ATP Head2Head meeting with World No. 51 Otte. It is a second tour-level final for Medvedev in as many weeks on the grass, after he appeared in the championship match at the Libema Open in ‘s-Hertogenbosch just six days ago.

Last year in Halle, Medevedev fell in the first round to another German, Jan-Lennard Struff, on tournament debut. Since that defeat, the World No. 1 is 14-2 on grass, a tally which includes a title run at the 2021 Mallorca Championships.

“I didn’t play well in Halle last year, so I’m happy that this year I managed to raise my level,” said Medvedev after his semi-final victory. “As I’ve always said, I love playing on grass, so I’m happy to show to myself that I’m capable of being in the final of one of the greatest tournaments, especially on grass, and of course I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

In Sunday’s final, Medvedev will face fifth seed Hubert Hurkacz, who clawed past wild card Nick Kyrgios in the second semi-final of the day.

^{Photo Credit: ATP}
Medvedev had saved all 17 break points he faced across his opening three matches in Halle this week, and he was under pressure early again after a fast start from Otte on OWL Arena. The World No. 1 once again found accuracy and power in his delivery to fend off two break points in the second and fourth games of the match, but his streak was finally ended after 22 consecutive break points saved when Otte’s aggressive play earned a break for 5-3.

The excited home crowd sensed another upset from World No. 51 Otte, who had already beaten Top 30 players Miomir Kecmanovic, Nikoloz Basilashvili and Karen Khachanov en route to the semi-finals on tournament debut in Halle. The nerves began to show for the German as he served for the set, however. A double-fault on set point at 40/30 proved costly as Medvedev held firm to reclaim the break before completing the turnaround with five points in a row from 2/3 in the tie-break.

Taking the lead appeared to free up the Medevedev game, and the 26-year-old was dominant in the second set as he began to find rhythm with his groundstrokes. The World No. 1 wrapped up a one-hour, 37-minute victory behind a break in the sixth game that was backed up by more relentlessly powerful serving.

“I was not playing good enough in the beginning of the match,” said Medvedev when asked about how his level had improved over the course of the match. “I was missing too many shots. The serve was actually not that bad, but I was missing way too many shots.

“I managed to change it by the end of the first set, especially in the tie-break. That’s when I started to miss less, play more aggressive and get depth on my ball. Second set I just continued throughout, and it was enough to break him one time and get the second set.”

Despite his run in Halle coming to an end, Otte will be pleased with his performance this week in his homeland. The 28-year-old has now reached three tour-level semi-finals in 2022, and his latest run lifts him to No. 37 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.

Two-time reigning Monte-Carlo Masters champion Stefanos Tsitsipas sat down with ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi in Rome recently to discuss three key principles of OneVision, ATP’s transformational game plan for building the future of the sport.

The pair discussed the opportunity for tennis to generate revenue commensurate with its global appeal, the benefits of unifying the sport and the need to offer a better product for fans to effectively compete within the entertainment industry.

Learn More About OneVision

Measured by number of global fans, tennis is the world’s fourth most popular sport, but it shares just 1.3 per cent of global media rights value. By comparison, golf is the world’s 11th most popular sport but attracts 2.5 per cent of global media rights revenue, almost twice the share claimed by tennis.

“We have over a billion fans and we under value, under monetise,” Gaudenzi told Tsitsipas. “Tennis has a huge competitive advantage because we are global. We have a very strong men’s and women’s product and I think we are in a very, very good position to attract a new generation.”

Coming together as a sport is another key principle of the plan, a broad goal that includes aggregating media rights, streamlining product offerings and increasing the number of premium tournaments where men and women play side by side.

“Ultimately putting everything under one umbrella,” Tsitsipas said.

“Under one umbrella, one guidance,” Gaudenzi affirmed. “To actually streamline the product and offer a better experience to the fans, who are the third principle of this plan. We need to shift the culture and the mindset in focusing on the fans. Providing a better and richer experience.”

Fundamental to that is recalibrating the calendar.

“The calendar is about strengthening the premium product, which is the main interest for the fans,” Gaudenzi said. “Seeing the top players in the top events in the top cities around the world. So the idea is to grow them similar to Indian Wells and Miami to 96 draw, 12 days. Then you will have Madrid, Rome, two weeks, two weeks. You would have Shanghai, two weeks. Canada, Cincy sharing three weeks. So we are trying to expand, giving more days, more prize money, bigger stages.”

Tsitsipas followed: “In a way that also means that the Top 100 players are provided good financial support for their efforts annually.”

“Exactly,” Gaudenzi said. “Now if you are guaranteed a steady income, where you can cover your expenses, pay the salaries to your team. It is going to be a lot better.”

Gaudenzi, a former Top 20 player himself, asked Tsitsipas for his thoughts on combined events, an important part of OneVision.

“It is a better structure, having tournaments held together,” the Greek said. “It allows for more fans to be attending and watching their favourite players, if that is a female or a male. They can get the whole package in one place.”

With ATP Masters 1000s in Madrid, Rome and Shanghai expanding to 12-day events in 2023 and Canada and Cincinnati following in 2025, recalibration of the calendar is required. “What is the plan on supporting 250s when weeks are going to become longer in 1000s?” Tsitsipas asked.

“Good question,” Gaudenzi said. “We don’t have a plan to now reduce the number of 250s. We think they are very important. We will reschedule them and we are also likely to have strong Challengers in the second week of the Masters for those who lose early to provide jobs to players.”

Gaudenzi and Tsitsipas also spoke of the significant potential for media growth. Compared to other sports, tennis is disproportionately reliant on ticket sales, where growth is limited due to stadium size. The biggest and most scalable growth opportunity lies in media and data, including the production of short-form, off-court, non-live content that appeals to younger audiences and casual fans. Tennis underperforms in these areas relative to other sports.

“How about content and social exposure for athletes?” Tsitsipas asked the chairman.

“As you know we are working now with the Netflix documentary all together. Our research shows that at the moment, live sport is about 50 per cent of the fans’ time. Content that is not live, beside the tennis matches, becomes more and more important to engage. Especially the younger generations. 

“That is why I think having the players and the tournaments sharing the success will also give the players a different mindset. So guys like you who contribute very well to our sport, with everything you do on court and off court, will actually contribute to more revenue, ticketing, sponsorship, etc. and you will have a direct benefit from that.”

“I love that idea,” Tsistipas said. “Finding solutions for a better future.”

OneVision includes two phases. Phase One, which has been approved by the ATP Board, is focused on aligning interests of all tournaments and players and enhancing the Tour’s premium product.

Phase Two, in collaboration with the WTA, ITF and the four Grand Slams, will focus on a new, unified governance for the sport and unlocking the ultimate fan experience. 

It is has been a whirlwind of a year for Botic van de Zandschulp.

In the past 12 months, the Dutchman has soared from outside the Top 150 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings to a career-high No. 29, exploring new cities and growing in belief along the way. 

“I think I am doing quite well this year. Playing consistently and winning matches every week at the tournaments I have played,” van de Zandschulp told ATPTour.com ahead of his semi-final clash against Matteo Berrettini at the Cinch Championships in London.

“I am living more like a professional than I did before. That started three or two years ago when I first started climbing the rankings. I had more self-belief that I could first reach the Top 100, then focussed on growing and I am happy.”

Van de Zandschulp’s climb kicked into gear last year at the US Open, where he defeated Top 15 stars Casper Ruud and Diego Schwartzman en route to the quarter-finals. From there, the results continued to come, with a Top 10 win against Andrey Rublev in St. Petersburg followed by a maiden tour-level final in Munich in April.

“I think the confidence continues to rise when you beat players who are ranked higher,” van de Zandschulp said. “When you beat a guy who is in the Top 10 it gives you a confidence boost. If this guy is Top 10, what is he doing well? You learn from those matches.

“I am more detailed than I used to be with my diet, too. I am more careful with what I am eating now, eating protein. I also like Sushi a lot. It is easy and you can mix it up a little bit and I think it is very nice.”

Van de Zandschulp’s rise has opened more opportunities both on and off the court. This season, the 29-year-old made his debut at four ATP Masters 1000 events, allowing him the chance to visit new cities.

“I talked with my coach and I wanted to play lots of tournaments this year, to figure out which ones I like. I have played some great tournaments. Monte Carlo was great and I had never played there before. Rome was great,” van de Zandschulp said. “I played Miami and Indian Wells and those are beautiful tournaments. It is more travelling, but you get to nicer places.

“In Rome I stayed with my girlfriend for an extra day and explored the city. Normally I am not a guy who visits the city during the tournament, but she wants to see things. We went to the Colosseum, the [Spanish] Steps. It was nice. The buildings are amazing in Rome.”

Alongside his tourism outings, the Dutchman has also met fellow sporting stars he might not have had he not climbed the ladder in his own discipline.

“I have been to more places. I was invited to a padel tournament and footballers were there. That is one of the perks,” van de Zandschulp said. “You meet some of the guys playing different sports who are doing well, and it is cool.”

For the 29-year-old, on-court success has led to a busier schedule. While van de Zandschulp finds his ‘new’ life tiring at times, he is grateful for the continued support his family and friends have given him.

“Before when I was at tournaments, it was exhausting and then when I went home I had some rest. I think now that the weeks when I am in Holland are more exhausting than when I am at tournaments,” he admitted. “I do so much more stuff outside of tennis than I used to, people like talking to me. You need to choose what you want to do.

“I am grateful for my friends and family who always supported me when things weren’t going my way. I am just happy they have stayed the same with me. They treat me the same and haven’t changed at all. They are proud.”

Van de Zandschulp will look to continue to make his family and friends happy over the weekend as he aims to win his first ATP Tour title in London. If he can do so, he will tick off yet another long-term goal.

“I ended last season around No. 55, so my first goal was to be Top 50. Then I made Top 50, 40 and now 30. [I am] trying to improve and enjoy my game and play at new tournaments,” van de Zandschulp said. “Winning an ATP Tour tournament is one of the things you really want. I was close in Munich, but unfortunately I had to retire [in the final]. It is definitely a goal of mine.

“I have continued to change my goals but the most important [thing] is to keep growing in my level and my own tennis. I think when you do that, the rest comes.”

Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos opened their Terra Wortmann Open campaign with a pair of comfortable straight-sets victories earlier this week in Halle, but things were not so straightforward for the top seeds on Friday.

The Spanish-Argentine pairing recovered a 1-4 deficit before taking the opening set on a tie-break in their semi-final against fourth seeds Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek. Although Dodig and Krajicek responded by taking the second-set tie-break, it was the Granollers and Zeballos who prevailed by holding their nerve to clinch a 7-6(6), 6-7(4), 10-8 victory with their third match point.

They will now play for their first ATP Tour title since 2021 in Cincinnati in Sunday’s championship match, where they will face Roland Garros champions Marcelo Arevalo and Jean-Julien Rojer or third seeds Tim Puetz and Michael Venus.

Mektic/Pavic Dig Deep For Final Berth In London
There was also Match Tie-break drama on Friday at the Cinch Championships in London, where second seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic came through a nail-biting semi-final clash with Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul to secure a maiden championship match appearance at the ATP 500 event.

Mektic and Pavic held their nerve from 7/7 in the Match Tie-break at The Queen’s Club to secure a 5-7, 6-2, 10-8 victory against their American opponents. The Croatians are hunting their third title of 2022 in London, after also lifting trophies this year in Dubai and Belgrade. Their opponents in Sunday’s championship match will be Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara or Rohan Bopanna and Denis Shapovalov.

Rafael Nadal produced another astonishing chapter to add to his legend at Roland Garros, where he claimed another Grand Slam title, increasing his historic men’s singles record to 22 majors. The Manacor-native returned to the courts this week at the Mallorca Country Club, the venue for next week’s Mallorca Championships.

The first-placed player in the Pepperstone ATP Race To Turin was back on the grass courts testing himself after the medical treatment on his foot in preparation for Wimbledon.

“I’m happy. I haven’t limped for a week and the evolution of training is progressing,” said the Spaniard. “From day to day the pain has been different and that’s progress. I have to wait a little. My intention is to try and play Wimbledon and this week has told me there is a chance.”

The Balearic Islander’s plan is to travel to London on Monday to prepare for the third Grand Slam of the year.

“I’ve had two treatment sessions, as was planned. At the moment the progress, as I see it, is satisfactory,” he added regarding his medical treatment last week.

However, Nadal is being cautious, adding: “I’m prudent because I know that things change. At the moment, I’ve been able to train over these five days. That’s progress and it allows me to return to Wimbledon after three years. I’m excited about it. It’s a question of taking it day by day, but giving myself a chance to compete.”

The Spaniard has not graced the lawns of Wimbledon since 2019, when he reached the semi-finals (l. to Roger Federer). “I haven’t played on grass for three years, you have to be patient with the progress. Every day I’ve improved and there is one week left of training in London before starting the tournament. I hope I can use it to get competitive.”

He also touched on the fact that he is riding a wave of momentum that will serve him perfectly for an event of such magnitude. So far in 2022, he owns a 30-3 record.

“It’s true that playing well at Roland Garros gives you confidence, but grass is a very difficult surface. Any round is complicated. The start of the tournament will be vital for me because, if you manage to progress, later the opponents are more difficult, but then you have more confidence because you’ve found your rhythm on grass,” he explained.

^{Photo Credit: Mallorca Championships}
Despite Nadal’s caution, a broader perspective reveals a new challenge that the Spaniard is facing. Having won the Australian Open and Roland Garros this season, for the first time in his career he is attempting to win the first three Grand Slams of the season.

“On the men’s tour, nobody has done the Grand Slam since Rod Laver,” Nadal pointed out. “Novak Djokovic came closest last year. If it’s rarely been done, it’s difficult to contemplate, even more so at 36 years of age.”

Marin Cilic maintained his love affair with the Cinch Championships Friday, moving past Finnish qualifier Emil Ruusuvuori 7-6(2), 6-4 to reach the semi-finals in London for the sixth time.

The Croatian lifted the trophy at the ATP 500 grass-court event in 2012 and 2018 and has now earned 35 wins at The Queen’s Club, the most of any active player.

In a hard-fought clash on centre court, Cilic was the more proactive player. The 33-year-old hit 11 aces and fired his flat groundstrokes with precision to outmanoeuvre Ruusuvuori and advance after one hour and 48 minutes in their first ATP Head2Head meeting.

“I am taking it step by step. I am trying to keep my form up and my level,” Cilic said after claiming his 80th grass-court win. “Every match is a challenge. I am focusing and taking it step by step. Getting to 80 wins did not come overnight. It took a lot of years and training and matches. Hopefully there will be many more wins.”

The seventh seed, who arrived in London off the back of a first semi-final appearance at Roland Garros, is seeking to win his 21st ATP Tour title this week, but first of the year.

Cilic will continue his trophy bid when he plays Filip Krajinovic in the semi-finals on Saturday.

Earlier, the Serbian ended British wild card Ryan Peniston’s dream run when he overcame the 26-year-old 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in two hours and nine minutes.

Krajinovic had not earned a tour-level win on grass before this week, but will now compete in his second semi-final of the season, having also reached the last four in Montpellier in February. The 30-year-old beat Americans Jenson Brooksby and Sam Querrey this week in London.

With the help of some unorthodox on-court tactics, Hubert Hurkacz’s run continued Friday at the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle.

The fifth seed Hurkacz found something extra in both tie-breaks as he edged Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6(2, 7-6(4) to reach his third semi-final of the season at the ATP 500 event.

A match featuring no breaks of serve and just one break point went the way of the Pole after an absorbing one hour, 47 minutes, but Hurkacz later admitted that his inability to make a dent in the Canadian’s serve had led to him trying something different in return games on OWL Arena.

“Grass is a tricky service,” said Hurkacz after the match. “I had absolutely no chance on the return. In the middle of the second set, I was guessing wrong all the time. I had another idea. I was looking at the shot clock, and if the number was even, I was going left and if the number was odd, I was going right. So that was my tactic for the return.”

Hurkacz reeled off six points in a row from 1/2 in the first-set tie-break to move ahead and held his nerve in a similar fashion in the second set to secure his first win against Auger-Aliassime in three attempts.

Hurkacz was relieved to prevail in a tight encounter. The 2021 semi-finalist Auger-Aliassime fired 38 winners to Hurkacz’s 23 and won 89 per cent (41/46) of points behind his first delivery, according to Infosys ATP Stats. Yet the Pole held firm to fend off break point and hold for 4-3 in the opening set and found his sharpest tennis in both tie-breaks to triumph.

“Probably nothing,” said the Pole when asked what he had done better than his opponent on the day. “Felix was playing really good, he had more chances during the first set. I was feeling confident on my serve. Maybe I wasn’t serving my best, but I was holding and obviously with his powerful serve I had no chance on the return. I was just trying to get to the tie-break.”

FOLLOW THIS WEEK’S ACTION

📺 TV Schedule
🎾 Watch Live On Tennis TV
📱 Follow Live Scores On ATP WTA Live
📧 Sign Up For Newsletters

The fifth seed next takes on wild card Nick Kyrgios in a blockbuster semi-final at the ATP 500 event. Both Hurkacz and Kyrgios are chasing their maiden title of 2022 and their first career title on grass in north-west Germany. Hurkacz is expecting another challenging day on return against the big-serving Australian.

“Obviously he’s such a great player,” said Hurkacz when asked about his next opponent. “He has amazing hands and a great serve so it’s going to be super tough. I just need to keep holding my serve hopefully and try to maybe get a chance or two.”