Laver Cup

Team Europe Wins 2024 Laver Cup In Berlin

September 22, 2024 by Admin

Team Europe staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Team World 13-11 at the 2024 Laver Cup in Berlin, marking their first win in the tournament since 2021. Carlos Alcaraz was pivotal in securing the victory, first by winning a doubles match alongside Casper Ruud and then clinching the final singles match against Taylor Fritz with a 6-2, 7-5 victory.

Team World had led 8-4 after the second day, with standout performances by Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe. However, Europe’s resurgence began with Alcaraz and Ruud’s doubles win, followed by Alexander Zverev’s thrilling singles victory over Tiafoe, setting up Alcaraz’s deciding win against Fritz.

Despite strong efforts from Team World, including Shelton’s win over Daniil Medvedev, they couldn’t hold off Europe’s surge on the final day .

The Laver Cup, first held in 2017, is an annual men’s tennis team competition that pits Team Europe against Team World in a Ryder Cup-style format. Named after Australian tennis legend Rod Laver, the event was co-founded by Roger Federer and his management company, Team8. The aim was to create a unique tennis experience, focusing on teamwork and sportsmanship, qualities less emphasized in traditional, individual tournaments.

The format features six players on each team, with Team Europe consisting of the best European players and Team World including players from other continents. Matches are played over three days, with singles and doubles encounters. Points awarded increase each day, making the final day crucial for securing victory. The first team to reach 13 points out of a possible 24 wins the Cup.

The inaugural event took place in Prague, where Team Europe, captained by Björn Borg, defeated Team World under the leadership of John McEnroe. The tournament has since rotated between venues in Europe and other parts of the world, such as Chicago, Boston, and Vancouver.

One of the Laver Cup’s biggest draws is the camaraderie and rivalry between players who typically compete against each other on the ATP Tour but come together for this team-based competition. Notable moments include Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal teaming up for doubles and emotional appearances from rising stars like Carlos Alcaraz, who led Europe to victory in 2024 after several years of Team World dominance .

Though initially viewed by some as an exhibition event, the Laver Cup has gained prestige over the years, attracting top-ranked players and growing in popularity with fans. Its success is partly due to the involvement of tennis legends and the unique team dynamic, which offers a fresh contrast to the traditional tennis calendar.

Perceptions of the Laver Cup are generally positive, especially for its innovative format and star-studded lineups. Fans appreciate the unique team-based approach, where Team Europe faces Team World, offering a fresh dynamic compared to traditional tennis tournaments. The event showcases camaraderie among top players, which is rarely seen in individual competitions. However, some critics argue that the Laver Cup lacks the prestige and history of major tournaments, seeing it more as an exhibition event. Overall, it draws excitement for its high-quality tennis and festive atmosphere.

Americans Putting “Big Four” Tennis Stars Into Retirement

August 1, 2024 by Admin

By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

The era of the “Big Four” of pro tennis is gradually coming to an end. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray were regarded as the “Big Four” for almost two decades. Federer, Nadal and Djokovic all won more than 20 major singles titles and while Murray only won four majors, he won two Olympic gold medals and often in the semifinals and finals at Grand Slam tournaments against one of the other three contemporaries.

As Murray’s career came to a close in the quarterfinals of the men’s doubles competition at the 2024 Olympic Games at Roland Garros, one interesting observation came over me. Murray and doubles partner Dan Evans were defeated by Americans Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul 6-2, 6-4, sending Murray into retirement. Only the night before, another Big Four member Rafael Nadal, played perhaps the final match of his career, also in doubles, and was handed defeat by a pair of Americans, Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram. The American duo beat Nadal and his Spanish partner Carlos Alcaraz by the identical 6-2, 6-4 score ironically. Nadal was non-committal on his status, but it is speculated that he will no longer be an active player, especially when you saw the elongated wave goodbye that he gave to the crowd after the loss.

So at the Olympic Games, Americans have sent two of the “Big Four” into retirement.

Now, rewind to the 2022 edition of the Laver Cup competition in London, where Roger Federer made his farewell to tennis. He chose to play doubles alongside Nadal and who beat him in his career finale? A pair of Americans. It was Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock of the United States, representing Team World, defeating Federer and Nadal of Team Europe 4-6, 7-6(2), (11-9).

So there you have it, six different Americans ended the careers of three of the Big Four, all in doubles and all in international team events.

Now, what let’s see what is in store for Novak Djokovic as he soon faces his pro tennis mortality and if players from the United States can make it a clean sweep of the Big Four.

We Haven’t Seen The Last of Rafael Nadal (And Neither Has Paris)

May 28, 2024 by Admin

By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

Rafael Nadal’s almost unmatched tennis career was born at Roland Garros and has been largely defined by Roland Garros, but the 2024 edition of the tournament will likely not be where Nadal’s career will come to a close.

When Nadal announced that the 2024 season would likely be his last on tour, many wisely predicted that he would play his final match at the French Championships, the tournament that he has won an incredible 14 times – more than double the number of times that six-time champion Bjorn Borg won the title. Many great champions have a hard time letting go of their competitive careers and Nadal himself was cagey and evasive when confronted in conversations that the 2024 French Open would be his final event. As author and former New York Times tennis writer Christopher Clarey wrote in his Substack email article, Nadal “has been resisting the word retirement like it is a break point.” Earlier this year, the Laver Cup even announced that Nadal would be a member of Team Europe in its September event, perhaps indicating that Nadal would have a farewell in the team event like his greatest rival Roger Federer did in 2022.

In his post-match comments after his straight-sets first-round loss to No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev, Nadal seemed determined to return to Paris this summer to his favorite clay courts and compete for Spain in the Olympic Games. The International Tennis Federation, which oversees the Olympic tennis competition, confirmed via a social post on X (formerly Twitter) that Nadal’s ATP protected ranking of No. 9 could be used to gain entry into the Olympic Games, also played at Roland Garros. He could also be paired in doubles with his Spanish heir apparent Carlos Alcaraz. When asked if would consider another trip to play at Wimbledon in July, Nadal begged off saying that playing on the grass courts at the All England Club would not be wise if he wanted to play again on the clay at the Olympic Games.

So Nadal’s first-round loss to Zverev looks only to be the closing bookend to his career at the French Championships, which he won in his first visit there in 2005 as a 19-year-old. As Clarey wrote, “Nadal’s straight-set defeat to Alexander Zverev at the French Open did not quite feel like a full-circle moment….But full circle would also imply the end, and though the understandable assumption has been that this is Nadal’s farewell tour it is beginning to seem much more like a warmup act for the farewell tour.” And Clarey, perhaps more than anybody outside of Nadal’s family and his close inner circle, would know best as he has meticulously written and researched Nadal for his upcoming book “The Warrior.”

We will see him again.

Oh, and did we mention lucrative exhibition matches against Roger Federer as early as 2025???

Stefanos Tsitsipas Talks Tennis In Advance For Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters

March 27, 2023 by Admin

Stefanos Tsitspias is a two-time winner of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, one of the most prestigious tournaments in tennis. He won the title in 2021 and in 2022. Rolex has provided the following question and answer session with Tsitsipas that discusses the watch brand and various topics in tennis, such as Laver Cup, Netflix and more here:

Q: Can you tell us about your relationship with Rolex? When and how it came about, and what it means to you?

Stéfanos Tsitsipás (ST): What Rolex means to me is very different to other people. For me, I never really owned a watch until recently. I was patiently waiting for the day that I could own a beautiful, timeless Rolex. I always had the idea that if I was to get a watch, it would be one of impeccable quality. I stuck by this and years later, I was able to get my first Rolex Daytona watch, which is still to this day one of my favourite watches to wear. I am so glad that I have made it to a point where I could fulfil this dream of mine.

Q: What are your overall thoughts about Rolex’s longstanding support of tennis?

ST: It is a beautiful thing to have Rolex in tennis. Its longstanding support of the sport has been so important. Tennis is a sport that suits Rolex very well. I feel very lucky that they are so involved in the sport that I chose to play as a child. In 1978, Rolex decided to get into tennis, and it was that era where legends and icons of our sport were born and started to dominate but also providing the next generation with idols and inspiration. It’s amazing that Rolex has sponsored all four Grand Slams for so long, along with so many other important events. Hats off to the whole Rolex family for being so passionate about the sport.

Q: For Rolex, the perpetual pursuit of excellence and the promotion of it is key. How relevant is that to your approach to the sport?

ST: Excellence comes from hard work, building on successes and learning from failure. The perpetual quest for excellence is something that I constantly seek. For me, winning titles and silverware contributes to my motivation. It is the reason why I wake up early in the mornings for practice and work hard in my everyday life. I like to enjoy my victories and I think it’s important to celebrate even the smallest ones as they help me embrace all of my successes and hard work.

Q: Which Rolex watches do you have, and do you have any stories about them?

ST: I am fortunate enough to own the Rolex Daytona, Submariner and Cellini. They all have different stories and are special in their own way. 4/7

The Rolex Daytona represents my personality and values me really well. It’s a watch that I can wear both on and off the court. This watch is particularly memorable as it was the first watch that I received from Rolex when I became a Testimonee. It is the watch that is most memorable and the earliest memory that I have of owning the watch that I always dreamt of when growing up.

The Rolex Submariner is a watch that represents my heritage very well as I am someone who grew up by the sea and beautiful beaches. I have always loved exploring and swimming in the ocean so the Submariner is perfect for that. I discovered the Rolex Cellini later but it is just as special and symbolic due to the Greek link. ‘Cellini’ in Greek means moon, and the watch itself has a moon on it. The watch is magnificent; a beautiful timepiece that I fell in love with instantly. As soon as I saw it, I knew that it was the watch that I needed to have. I have been wearing it off the court almost every single day. I find that it also has qualities that are very unique in comparison to other watches and I really like the vintage look that you don’t get every day.

Q: With four of your ATP Titles won on clay, would you consider it your favourite playing surface?

ST: Clay is definitely the surface that I am most dominant on and the one that I can adjust to the best. It is the surface that I grew up playing on. I have spent countless hours practicing and striving for excellence on it. Sliding and running around the court feels very natural to me. Playing with the angles that clay courts have to offer comes very naturally to me as I have spent many hours doing drills focused on that. It is a surface that gives me a lot of joy to play and work hard on.

Q: You are always striving for continuous improvement, what is your next project or focus area on your game as you look to set the highest standards of performance in tennis?

ST: I think there is room for improvement in my mental capacity. My slice has improved tremendously over the past couple of years and I have become very confident in using it as a weapon. That transition has been difficult but I have embraced the challenge and been able to get to the point where it has become a key part of my artillery and skill set. I have also been putting a lot of work into my movement in recent times – in particular, my movement towards and game at the net. Increasingly, I have been approaching the net more but I feel like there are certain opportunities that I can be more successful and efficient by bringing in that old style of tennis and closing in at the net. Although there have been changes in the last couple of years in terms of court speeds, I still feel that my movement is a strength and makes me the player that I am. With regards to weaknesses, we all have weaknesses. I have been very determined to do well across all surfaces and I think that grass courts, in particular, can highlight those weaknesses and areas for improvement. There is nowhere to hide on grass. Every aspect of your game is tested. I’m really pleased how I have been consistently improving across all surfaces and remain determined to show what I am truly capable of.

Q: You made history last year becoming the first Greek player to reach a Grand Slam singles final. Are you driven by records and what does this achievement mean to you?

ST: It is the quality in the volume, that’s what it is.

Q: How would you describe the Laver Cup experience and the team dynamic?

ST: I think that the Laver Cup is so exciting because it is something that we have never seen before in tennis. It is something fresh and very new to the sport. This kind of competition naturally promotes collaboration between the players and ultimately makes us better. It is one of my favourite tournaments to play. I really feel the togetherness and honour to represent the European continent which is something you don’t get to do every day. You feel a large amount of responsibility stepping out on the court and the adrenaline and energy that you feel throughout your body is something that no other competition – except maybe a Grand Slam – can replicate.

Q: You’ve showcased your skills and passion for filmmaking. Is this something you see yourself pursuing once your playing career is over?

ST: Filmmaking is something that I will take even more seriously once my playing career is over. I have always shown a lot of interest in it. I have always been willing to learn and get better at it. I have been lucky enough to receive a lot of advice from experts in the field and this has only encouraged me to pursue it and increase my skills and knowledge.

Filmmaking represents me very well. It represents my ideas about life and allows me to capture the highlights that life has to offer. I feel like an author when I have the camera in my hand. It is a piece of art that I can entirely express myself through in any shape or form whenever I want.

It gives me so many creative ideas unlike anything else in the world – except maybe tennis! There is so much freedom that comes with it and it is such a great feeling when I produce, direct, edit and express my ideas.

Q: As one of the players participating in the Netflix documentary filming – do you prefer to be in front or behind the camera?

ST: I have mixed emotions regarding this. I always wanted to have something like this in tennis and would have probably liked to have been the director of it! However, it’s exciting to be an ‘actor’ in one of the most exciting things happening this year in tennis in terms of the exposure and hopefully bringing new fans and people to the sport. I feel privileged that I am able to showcase my life and tell my story on such a platform. It has been a very intense year with lots of tennis. There have been plenty of ups and downs, good and bad moments so far. I really hope that the end product is a great story, exciting and show some fascinating insights into our sport. The beauty and power of filmmaking is that it provides opportunities to tell stories that have not been told before. This is one of the things that I love about filmmaking.

Q: How do you like to relax and spend time away from the tennis court?

ST: I have been enjoying the sea a lot lately. I have been taking a sailing boat out on the ocean and going around the Greek islands. This is something that I don’t get to do very often but truly enjoy. It makes me really happy. As someone who grew up by the sea, I feel that it is somewhere that I belong. I feel that when I am out at sea, I can confront and get rid of my problems and concerns. It is a beautiful place to be. If you can combine that with friends and family, it is special. Sailing is definitely a hobby of mine and an activity that makes such a positive difference to my mood.

Team World Wins Laver Cup For First Time In London

September 26, 2022 by Admin

Team World rallied to beat Team Europe 13-8 to win the Laver Cup for the first time after five attempts in London.

Team World trailed behind 8-4 after the first two days, but won three matches in a row in the last competition day on the final day of the event to turn the table.

The Laver Cup, held from September 23 to 25 in London, is a men’s tennis tournament played between players from Europe and and players from the rest of the world. Each win secures one point on the opening day, two points on day two, and three points on the final matchday.

On the third day, Felix Auger Aliassime paired up with America’s Jack Sock to defeat Italy’s Matteo Berrettini and British veteran Andy Murray 2-6, 6-3 and 10-8 in the doubles match. The 22-year-old Canadian then kept his momentum in the singles match, outplaying Serbia’s Novak Djokovic 6-3, 7-6 (3).

Djokovic, 35, admitted that a problem with his right wrist had affected him during the match, but insisted that Aliassime deserved the win with his outstanding performance.

America’s Frances Tiafoe eventually sealed the overall victory for Team World as the 24-year-old came from behind to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece 1-6, 7-6(11), 10-8.

Tiafoe, teaming up with Sock, defeated Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the doubles match last Friday in the career finale for Federer.

Federer, 41, announced his retirement last week and decided to play his last pro match together with long-time rival and friend Nadal at the Laver Cup.

“Being on court on Friday and having such a huge moment in my career, being surrounded by my biggest rivals like Novak and Andy and Rafa was truly unique, and I can never thank them enough for being there and staying there and going through it with me,” said Federer.

Federer has promised he will be on site at the 2023 Laver Cup in Vancouver, Canada to cheer for both teams as a fan. ■

Federer Finale! Swiss Maestro Falls In Laver Cup Doubles With Rafael Nadal

September 24, 2022 by Admin

The day finally came when Swiss legend Roger Federer bid adieu to his tennis career and fans.

The 41-year-old superstar teamed up with his longtime friend and rival Rafael Nadal in his one last contest on Friday, losing a doubles match to Jack Sock/Frances Tiafoe of the United States 4-6, 7-6(2), 11-9 in the Laver Cup.

“It’s been a perfect journey,” Federer said. “I would do it all over again.”

Federer, who has not played since the 2021 Wimbledon quarterfinals, announced last Thursday that he would retire from Grand Slams and the ATP Tour after the Laver Cup held from September 23 to 25 in London.

The 20-time major winner had decided earlier that he would only play one doubles match at the Laver Cup held in London’s O2 Arena.

The defeat meant Team Europe were locked at 2-2 with Team World at the end of the opening day of the Ryder Cup-style event.

Team Europe has earlier won two singles match while Team World claimed one singles victory.

“We’ll get through this somehow,” said a tearful Federer. “It’s been a wonderful day. I’m happy, I’m not sad. It feels great to be here and I enjoyed tying my shoes one more time. Everything was the last time.”

The Swiss is leaving the sport 19 years after winning his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2003. Nadal (22) and Novak Djokovic (21) have both surpassed Federer’s tally of Grand Slam titles.

To read a day-by-day compilation of Roger Federer’s glory years, buy or download the book “The Days of Roger Federer” here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559378/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_TV742RGSVH6NB22H8WWS

Roger Federer Talks To Mercedes-Benz On His Farewell To Pro Tennis

September 21, 2022 by Admin

The following is a transcript of a video news release interview courtesy of Mercedes Benz with Roger Federer in advance of the Laver Cup, the final event of his ATP Tour pro career.

Question: Last week you announced your retirement from professional sport – what prompted you to do so?

Roger Federer: It was about time that I retire. I think a moment like this obviously doesn’t come overnight. It was an emotional process, which at the end I thought we managed well with the family, my team and my closest friends. I had to obviously tell a lot of people as well. So the organisation was big at the end to make sure it wouldn’t leak because it was important to me to tell my fans directly. It all worked out and here we are at the Laver Cup. But it was it was definitely more a highly unusual last few weeks for me.

Question: How difficult was this step for you?

Roger Federer: I mean, the decision was in a way difficult to take because you never want to take it. I think as a professional athlete, you want to always be active forever. You want to feel like you can come back on tour and win some matches and go back on a big court. But at the same time, you also know it’s going to be over at some point. I think this is the right time for sure.

Question: What are your plans for the future?

Roger Federer: I’ve always tried to keep somewhat of a clean slate, so my future, I think, looks very open at the moment. Yet, I mean, I’m going to be an ambassador for brands. I own a piece of On running. I have my foundation. I am a dad, number one, and a husband. So I want to spend loads of time with my family as well but then I will never stop travelling. You know, I always want to be active and always ready to explore new things and right now it’s about enjoying the process and the week here in London. And then once it’s all said and done to go back and read a little bit what maybe I have not seen about me yet or have accomplished, and then you can start sort of turning the page. And then I always wanted to also stay involved in the game in some shape or form, and I’m sure I’ll find some really exciting role where I can give back to the younger generation.

Question: The Laver Cup will be your last active appearance on the big tennis stage. How excited are you?

Roger Federer: The Laver Cup is going to be my last active tournament that I will play. It feels good. I think it’s a lovely place. Having Bjorn Borg as my captain, you can imagine that means the world to me. I think it’s going to be very special doing it here in London. It’s going to be great just because the city has given me two world tour finals victories. And then down the road in Wimbledon, winning there eight times plus Juniors. This city and its fans have given me a lot. I thought it was also very fitting to end it here. I will not stop playing tennis, I will just not play for points anymore. I will keep on playing with my children, with my friends, hope to play exhibitions in the future and just still keep on promoting the game and playing in places I’ve never played before. So I’m really looking forward to that as well in the future.

Question: For the first time ever, you will be competing for Team Europe at this year’s Laver Cup in London’s O2 Arena alongside your permanent rivals Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic. How much are you looking forward to the tournament, where competitors become teammates?

Roger Federer: I’m really looking forward to a competition like the Laver Cup where competitors become teammates. For me, it’s a very special week because I was part of building the idea of the Laver Cup with my good friend and agent Tony Godsick. We worked long and hard on the concept and I think we came up with something really special. I think now having the Big Four all together in the same week is really a dream come true.

Question: Team Europe is on a remarkable winning streak at the Laver Cup, with four victories in total. Are these good omens for a fifth victory for Team Europe?

Roger Federer: Yes, it’s a very good omen to have won the last four years. And I think having someone like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic on the team, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, everybody and Andy Murray and me – we’re maybe not at the peak anymore where we used to be, but still with the home court advantage, home court crowd. With everything that we’ve done and achieved through the last years, especially at

the Laver Cup, I think we’re coming in as heavy favourites. I really think it’s always close. Every year we’ve had some tremendous close matches. You always see a lot of third set super tiebreakers, and anything can happen in those as we know. Last year we really dominated the doubles in those ties of which I was a bit surprised. I do feel maybe this year could be more difficult again. I don’t think we can expect a blow-out like we had in Boston last year.

Question: The Laver Cup is a unique format in tennis that brings together legendary captains the world’s best players. What three words would you use to describe the Laver Cup?

Roger Federer: The three words I would use to describe the Laver Cup: Unique. Intense. And I would use a word like “generation” as you have the future, the present and the past.

Question: In 2023, the Laver Cup will be held in Vancouver. Do you think we could see completely new names and faces? Of course current number one of the world Carlos Alcaraz would be an enrichment for Team Europe. What do you think we can expect from him in the future?

Roger Federer: I think the Laver Cup going to Vancouver is a great choice. I heard it’s a wonderful city I’ve never been to, but I’m sure going to Canada with its players Denis Shapovalov and Félix Auger-Aliassime is going to create a lot of energy for Team World. It’s always nice to welcome new faces to the Laver Cup. We try to do that every single year, but not everybody can fit it into the schedule. But I think the week is so much fun. You learn so much, you can ask all the questions you have to John McEnroe, to me or to Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic. You name it. We’re all here. It’s a great and a fun week, but also a very intense week. So I understand if they can’t fit it into the schedule. Of course, if Carlos Alcaraz can be part of the team next year, that’ll be great. We hoped to have him here this year. We were in touch with his team, I know his coach very well, I used to play against him. But he just said, it could be a little bit too much. And I’m the first to always protect a good and healthy schedule for players. That’s why we created a concept that hopefully is intense, but yet you don’t leave as a broken man once you leave the Laver Cup, because that’s not the idea of the competition.

Question: You are standing here in front of the new EQS from Mercedes-Benz. How do you like the vehicle and could this be your next?

Roger Federer: I like the EQS. It would not be my next car as it’s my present car at the moment. I’m driving it at home and I like driving it a lot. It’s super, super smooth. The inside, I’m still coming to turn with it and with the many buttons, the many features it has. I just found out another thing you can do with the car to feel better: To relax better with the music, the light show, the vibrations of the chair, massage. There was so much going on at the same time we were laughing with my daughter when we’re driving in the car. It’s a great drive and I’m really pleasantly surprised at the range with electric cars is actually not a big deal. It’s only if you go for super long trips, you need to plan ahead. It’s really no big deal. So it’s a fun drive.

Question: Do you have any special plans with Mercedes-Benz after your active career?

Roger Federer: I hope so. We have Neon Legacy up and running now. We’re looking forward to do more things as well in Vancouver in a year. And in the meantime, now that the news is out that I’m retiring, I think it allows us to do other things together. I mean, I love my relationship with Mercedes-Benz. So it would be fun to create new, cool projects together.

Read more of the career of Roger Federer in the book by Randy Walker “The Days of Roger Federer” for sale and download here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559378/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_KYHCYH3Y16WMSW5PMMQG

Roger Federer and Mercedes-Benz at the Laver Cup

French Open, U.S. Open, Laver Cup Jostle For Positioning Amid CoronaVirus Pandemic

March 18, 2020 by Admin

by Bob Stockton

@BobStockton10

The French Tennis Federation made a surprising announcement that because of the global CoronaVirus pandemic it was moving the year’s second Grand Slam tournament from its traditional May-June slot to begin on September 20.

This makes the clay-court event in Paris being a week after the conclusion of the US Open, with the qualifying rounds for the event start the day after the US Open men’s singles final. The move from Roland Garros also makes its new dates clash with a number of WTA and ATP tournaments as well as the Laver Cup in Boston.

A statement on Lavercup.com read: “The tennis world learned today that the French Tennis Federation intends to schedule Roland Garros from September 20 – October 4, 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19. This announcement came as a surprise to us and our partners – Tennis Australia, the USTA and the ATP. It raises many questions and we are assessing the situation. At this time, we want our fans, sponsors, broadcasters, staff, volunteers, players and the great city of Boston to know that we intend to hold Laver Cup 2020 as currently scheduled.”

If the French Open and the Laver Cup both stick to their guns, it raises the possibility of players having to choose between the two events, while two big WTA events are also due to be held in that fortnight in Tokyo and Wuhan in China, ironically, the city where the virus originated.

Many players reacted with surprise and anger, particularly at not being consluted. Wrote Jamie Murray on Twitter: “Strong move by French Open/FFT to move to end of Sept. I thought the powers that be in tennis were supposed to be all about working together these days?”

Canadian Vasek Pospisil, an outspoken member of the ATP Player Council, said “This is such a difficult time. Everyone is being impacted by this catastrophe. Enhancing communication and working together to find solutions should be the priority. Not going rogue and making selfish/arrogant decisions to further impact the tour in a negative way.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. Tennis Association, which organizes the US Open, put out a powerful statement, hinting that it too is looking at possibly delaying the start of its competition.

“The USTA is continuing to plan for the 2020 US Open and is not at this time implementing any changes to the schedule,” read the statement. “These are unprecedented times, though, and we are assessing all of our options, including the possibility of moving the tournament to a later date. At a time when the world is coming together, we recognise that such a decision should not be made unilaterally, and therefore the USTA would only do so in full consultation with the other grand slam tournaments, the WTA and ATP, the ITF (International Tennis Federation) and our partners, including the Laver Cup.”

Daniil Medvedev Continues Hot Play, Captures St. Petersburg – Mondays with Bob Greene

September 23, 2019 by Admin

Mondays with Bob Greene

STARS

Daniil Medvedev beat Borna Coric 6-3 6-1 to win the St. Petersburg Open in St. Petersburg, Russia

Naomi Osaka beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2 6-3 to win the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Osaka, Japan

Jo-Wilfred Tsonga beat Aljaz Bedene 6-7 (4) 7-6 (4) 6-3 to win the Moselle Open in Metz, France

Sofia Kenin beat Samantha Stosur 6-78 (4) 6-4 6-2 to win the Guangzhou International Women’s Open in Guangzhou, China

Karolina Muchova beat Magda Linette 6-1 6-1 to win the KEB Hana Bank Korea Open in Seoul, Korea

John Millman beat Marc Polmans 6-4 6-2 to win the Kaohsiung Challenger in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Team Europe beat Team World to win the Laver Cup for the third consecutive year.

SAYING

“I came here to win and I did it.” – Daniil Medvedev, who became the first Russian to win the St. Petersburg Open since 2004.

“I just wanted to win this really bad.” – Naomi Osaka, after winning the Pan Pacific Open in her hometown, Osaka, Japan.

“Mentally, I was very strong. I served really well when I needed to.” – Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who won the Moselle Open for a record fourth time.

“This has to be one of the biggest wins of my career. It means so much more when you’re playing for other people as well.” – Taylor Fritz, after beating Austria’s Dominic Thiem in the Laver Cup, giving Team World a temporary lead.

“Sometimes you have to win ugly.” – Danielle Collins, after beating Venus Williams in the first round in Wuhan, China.

“My goal next year is to be in the Top 10.” – Sofia Kenin, after winning Guangzhou, her third title of the year.

“I still made the final, so there’s lots to be proud of.” – Samantha Stosur, who lost to Sofia Kenin in the final at Guangzhou.

“Mentally, I was very strong. I served really well when I needed to.” – Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, after winning the Moselle Open for a record fourth time.

“It’s always a goal of mine to qualify for the WTA Finals, and I’m proud to have done it for my fourth time.” – Karolina Pliskova, who joins Ashleigh Barty as the first two players to qualify for the season-ending tournament in Shenzhen, China.

STREAKING

Daniil Medvedev’s appearance in the US Open final wasn’t a fluke. Playing in his fifth consecutive final, the 23-year-old became the first Russian to capture the St. Petersburg Open crown since Mikhail Youzhny 15 years ago. And it wasn’t close as he broke Croatia’s Borna Coric four times, twice in each set, to dominate the match. It was Medvedev’s sixth career title and third of this year. “It’s an amazing feeling,” said Medvedev, who has won 24 of his last 27 matches. He has already qualified for the season-ending ATP Finals, where he will be making his debut about the top eight players. Medvedev is currently ranked fourth in the world behind Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. “After the match you could see how happy I was,” the winner said. “Especially beating Borna, who is an amazing player. I lost three times to him last year in a row.” Coric used slices off both sides to keep Medvedev off balance. But the Russian was too consistent. “I tried pretty much everything, all the tactics, all that I could think of,” Coric said. “It didn’t work. He had answers to every question of mine.”

SHE DID IT

Naomi Osaka was named for the city where she was born. It is probably proper, then, that her first tournament title that the world’s former top-ranked player should win would be in her hometown. The Pan Pacific Open is her first trophy since she captured her second consecutive Grand Slam tournament at the Australian Open in January. “I have played finals here,” Osaka said. “This is my third time. So, I am really glad that I was able to win, and for it to be in the city where I was born makes it really special.” Osaka needed just over an hour to overwhelm Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, dropping just five games, and become the first Japanese player to win the Pan Pacific title since Kimiko Date in 1995. “I think my serves have been doing really well the last two matches,” Osaka said. “I think that definitely helped me out, especially today since she (Pavlyuchenkova) is such a great returner.” It appeared as if Osaka has closed out the victory with an ace. But a Pavlyuchenkova challenge showed the ball was out. It made no difference. Osaka’s wide-angled backhand when the point was replayed was unreturnable. “I think what I learned from this tournament is just to focus every point, and just to have really positive energy,” Osaka said.

SUCCESS CONTINUED

When Alexander Zverev beat Milos Raonic in a singles match, it sealed a Laver Cup victory for Europe over Team World in Geneva, Switzerland. It was the third straight time Team Europe has won the competition in the three years it has been held. Team World began the final day in the lead, but Roger Federer beat John Isner, setting the stage for Zverev’s 6-4 3-6 10-4 victory over Raonic for the title. “Team World came once again very close, but we won the right points and had maybe a little bit of luck,” said Team Europe captain Bjorn Borg. “I’m very proud of my team, they did a hell of a job. I’m a very happy captain.” Borg passed over Stefano Tsitsipas of Greece and Italy’s Fabio Fognini, instead selecting Zverev to play the final match. “It’s very special, especially playing in front of those guys and them trusting me to play the last singles game,” Zverev said. “This event is something I hope to play in every single year of my career.”

STRAIGHT-SETS WIN

Considering the outcome, Karolina Muchova didn’t mind waiting six hours for the rain to stop. When she finally took to the court, she crushed Magda Linette to capture the KEB Hana Bank Korea Open title, her first WTA tournament crown. The Czech used her forehand to dictate the pace and direction of the rallies, finishing by losing just six points on her serve in the match. She never faced a break point. The result was reversed from their only previous meeting, which Linette won in a tough three sets last month.

SIDELINED BY INJURY

Reigning US Open champion Rafael Nadal pulled out of the final day of the Laver Cup because of inflammation in his hand. “I’ve had an amazing time playing at the Laver Cup and I’m so disappointed I’m not able to play again today, but I have some inflammation in my hand and I need to rest,” Nadal said in a statement. He had been scheduled to play a singles match against Australian Nick Kyrgios and partner Roger Federer in a doubles match against Americans John Isner and Jack Sock. Austria’s Dominic Thiem replaced Nadal in the singles, but he was upset by American Taylor Fritz, who had replaced Kyrgios. “Nick’s shoulder has been bugging him. He was talking about it last night,” said Team World captain John McEnroe. “I don’t know what to tell you other than we wanted him to come out 100 percent and he didn’t feel like he could. So that means we’ve got to put somebody else in.” That somebody was Fritz. Federer played doubles with Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece and they lost to the Americans.

SOFIA STOPS STOSUR

Sofia Kenin won her third WTA singles title of the year when she outlasted Australian Samantha Stosur in the final of the Guangzhou International Women’s Open. “Sam is such a tough player to play, and the match was not easy,” Kenin said. “I’m just really happy with the way I fought. I knew it was going to be a tough match and I needed to leave everything on the court.” Stosur, a former US Open women’s singles champion, came from behind to take the opening set. Kenin was just two game from defeat in the second set when she won seven straight games, then boosting her third-set advantage to 5-1. Kenin lost just six points in four service games in the final set, four of which came in the sixth game. “I feel proud of myself. It was a very tough match today,” Stosur said. “She played very, very well for the whole match, and really picked it up in that second and third sets.”

SOMETHING ABOUT METZ

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has this winning touch whenever he plays in Metz, France. The Frenchman lost the opening set before coming back to beat Aljaz Bedene and win the Moselle Open for a record fourth time. Playing in his fifth final in Metz, the 34-year-old fired 19 aces in the battle, that saw him trade tiebreak sets with Bedene. In the decisive third set, Tsonga raced out to a 3-0 lead and was never in trouble after that. Tsonga is the ninth Frenchman to win the Moselle Open in the last 11 editions of the tournament Ten of Tsonga’s 18 ATP Tour titles have come on French soil. “The match was not easy at all,” Tsonga said. Aljaz was playing really well and it was a long match. I am definitely happy to win here again.”

SNAPS TIE

Novak Djokovic has been number one in the ATP rankings for 269 weeks, which moved him into fourth place on the all-time list, snapping a tie with Jimmy Connors. In two weeks, the Serbian will break Ivan Lendl’s record of 270 weeks, making him trail only Pete Sampras (286 weeks) and Roger Federer (310 weeks). Djokovic is in his fourth stint atop the men’s professional tennis rankings.

STOPS VENUS

American Danielle Collins has joined the ever-growing list of players who have beaten seven-time Grand Slam tournament champion Venus Williams. Collins joined the group in the opening round of the Wuhan Open, stopping Williams 7-5 7-6 (5). Williams led 5-3 in the opening set before losing nine straight games. The veteran failed to convert two set points while leading 5-4 in the first set. Collins took a 5-0 lead in the second set before Venus rallied to send it into a tiebreak, which Collins won 7-5. “I didn’t really play great the entire way through, so I wasn’t too happy with my performance even though I got the win,” Collins said.

SURGERY

French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic underwent surgery on her left wrist and is through for the rest of this season. “Surgery done,” Vondrousova said in an Instagram post. “All went really good so I need to rest now. So, season 2019 is over for me but can’t wait to be back.” The left-hander reached the final in Budapest, then the quarterfinals at both Indian Wells and Miami. She got to the final in Istanbul and the quarterfinals in Rome before fighting her way to the title match at Roland Garros, where she lost to champion Ashleigh Barty. Vondrousova injured her left wrist while practicing at Wimbledon and has not played since losing in the first round of the grass-court Grand Slam tournament.

SECOND QUALIFIER

The Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova is the second player to qualify for the year-ending 2019 Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen. The elite eight-player event will take place October 27-November 3. Pliskova secured her spot after winning her tour-leading fourth WTA title of the year at the ICBC Credit Card Zhengzhou Open. The first player to qualify for Shenzhen was French Open champion Ashleigh Barty of Australia. Pliskova will be playing in her fourth WTA Finals, having reached the semifinals in the last two years. In 2016, Pliskova qualified in both singles and doubles.

SPANISH STOP

Beginning next year, the ATP Tour will stage a grass-court tournament in Mallorca, Spain. replacing the event previously held in Antalya, Turkey. The Mallorca Championships will be held at Santa Ponca June 20-27, 2020. “Spain remains a key market for the ATP Tour and we are delighted to see the return of an ATP 250 tournament to Mallorca,” said Chris Kermode, executive chairman and president of the ATP. “The Spanish island has contributed so highly to the history of tennis, notably producing two ATP world number one players, Carlos Moya and Rafael Nadal.” Nadal’s uncle and former coach, Toni, will be the tournament director of the Mallorca Championships. “We expect to offer the fans a strong line-up in the final week before Wimbledon,” Toni Nadal said. “After four successful women’s tournaments, we are now starting a new, exciting tennis era in Mallorca with this men’s event.”

SWISS STAR

Former world number one Martina Hingis will be a Legend Ambassador to the WTA’s season-ending tournament, the Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen. In that role, Hingis will participate in community and fan engagement activities, host tennis clinics and interact with fans and guests. Her 1997 Australian Open triumph made her, at age 16 years 3 months, the youngest Grand slam tournament winner in the Open Era. She soon became the youngest to be ranked number one in the world, tallying 209 weeks at the top. She won 43 singles titles, including five Grand Slam tournament crowns, at a teenager. She also won 64 doubles titles, including 13 majors, as well as five mixed doubles Grand Slam titles. She spent 89 weeks as doubles number one and is one of just six women to reign on top of the rankings in both singles and doubles at the same time.

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Guangzhou: Peng Shuai and Laura Siegemund beat Alexi Guarachi and Giuliana Olmos 6-2 6-1

Kaohsiung: Hsieh Cheng-Peng and Yang Tsung-Hua beat Evan King and Hunter Reese 6-4 7-6 (4)

Metz: Robert Lindstedt and Jan-Lennard Struff beat Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 2-6 7-6 (1) 10-4 (match tiebreak)

Osaka: Chan Hao-Ching and Latisha Chan beat Hsieh Su-Wei and Hsieh Yu-Chieh 7-5 7-5

Seoul: Lara Arruabarrena and Tatjana Maria beat Hayley Carter and Luisa Stefani 7-6 (7) 3-6 10-7 (match tiebreak)

St. Petersburg: Divij Sharan and Igor Zelenay beat Matteo Berrettini and Simone Boleti 6-3 3-6 10-8 (match tiebreak)

SURFING

Zhuhai: http://www.zhuhaichampionships.cn/

Orleans: https://www.opendorleans.com/

Tiburon: http://tiburonchallenger.com/

Wuhan: https://www.wuhanopen.org/en/