Novak Djokovic remained tight-lipped when asked for his opinion regarding the Roland Garros schedule, which led to his late finish to his third-round match against Lorenzo Musetti.
Djokovic's path to the second week of Roland Garros was a long one because he needed five sets to overcome an inspired opponent in Musetti. Their tussle lasted four hours and 26 minutes and finished in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The 3 a.m. finish was the latest in a match at Roland Garros since the tournament inaugurated a night session back in 2020. It smashes the record of the previous late-night finish by at least 90 minutes.
Tennis pundits have heavily criticized tournament organizers for the farcical scheduling, with Djokovic's former coach Boris Becker calling it "mad and unprofessional" that a Grand Slam match would run past midnight.
Fellow players have also weighed in on the subject. Coco Gauff stated that it was unhealthy...
Djokovic's path to the second week of Roland Garros was a long one because he needed five sets to overcome an inspired opponent in Musetti. Their tussle lasted four hours and 26 minutes and finished in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The 3 a.m. finish was the latest in a match at Roland Garros since the tournament inaugurated a night session back in 2020. It smashes the record of the previous late-night finish by at least 90 minutes.
Tennis pundits have heavily criticized tournament organizers for the farcical scheduling, with Djokovic's former coach Boris Becker calling it "mad and unprofessional" that a Grand Slam match would run past midnight.
Fellow players have also weighed in on the subject. Coco Gauff stated that it was unhealthy...
- 6/4/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Novak Djokovic's late finish at the 2024 Roland Garros opened up a discussion about late tennis matches, and Carlos Alcaraz came out against it.
A few years ago, there was a relatively late night session in Paris, which featured a match that started at 9 p.m. local time. That was not popular among players, and the event changed it to 8:15 p.m., which is the case this year, but in the case of Djokovic, it didn't start at that time.
His match against Lorenzo Musetti started just short of 11 p.m. local time and lasted well over four hours, finishing around 3 a.m. That late finish opened the topic up, as some players were asked about it, including Alcaraz, who is not a fan of late matches.
"Well, for me I don't like night session, but not for the crowd. I think that the crowd in night session is special,...
A few years ago, there was a relatively late night session in Paris, which featured a match that started at 9 p.m. local time. That was not popular among players, and the event changed it to 8:15 p.m., which is the case this year, but in the case of Djokovic, it didn't start at that time.
His match against Lorenzo Musetti started just short of 11 p.m. local time and lasted well over four hours, finishing around 3 a.m. That late finish opened the topic up, as some players were asked about it, including Alcaraz, who is not a fan of late matches.
"Well, for me I don't like night session, but not for the crowd. I think that the crowd in night session is special,...
- 6/3/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Novak Djokovic had the perfect start to his 2024 Roland Garros fourth-round match, but things then went south before he engineered an insane comeback win.
The last time the Serbian legend played a tennis match at the Court Philippe-Chatrier was against Lorenzo Musetti in a crazy match that finished at 3 a.m. local time. Djokovic kept a positive spirit after the match, but he was in no way happy about the way it went, especially since he had to play five sets as well.
Many wondered how his next match would go because a match like that had to leave some kind of impact on his body. When he stepped out to face Francisco Cerundolo, the 24-time major winner looked superb.
The first set was a rather swift affair as he won it 6-1. The set lasted 41 minutes, so it wasn't quick, but he dominated, especially in crucial points. In the second set,...
The last time the Serbian legend played a tennis match at the Court Philippe-Chatrier was against Lorenzo Musetti in a crazy match that finished at 3 a.m. local time. Djokovic kept a positive spirit after the match, but he was in no way happy about the way it went, especially since he had to play five sets as well.
Many wondered how his next match would go because a match like that had to leave some kind of impact on his body. When he stepped out to face Francisco Cerundolo, the 24-time major winner looked superb.
The first set was a rather swift affair as he won it 6-1. The set lasted 41 minutes, so it wasn't quick, but he dominated, especially in crucial points. In the second set,...
- 6/3/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Novak Djokovic's record-setting run at the top of the world rankings will extend for a 428th week, but could this be his last?
That's the million-dollar question at the 2024 Roland Garros. The clay-court Grand Slam has reached the second week with Djokovic firmly in it. The top seed will face Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo in the fourth round on Monday.
Djokovic's progress into this stage of the competition was hardly a mean task after battling through the second-longest match of this year's French Open so far in the third round. He defeated Lorenzo Musetti in a four-and-a-half-hour epic that finished at 3 a.m. local time.
The match set the record for the latest finish at Roland Garros, beating the previous record by at least 90 minutes. At one stage, it looked like Djokovic's reign as World No. 1 would come to an end, falling two sets to one down to the inspired Musetti.
That's the million-dollar question at the 2024 Roland Garros. The clay-court Grand Slam has reached the second week with Djokovic firmly in it. The top seed will face Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo in the fourth round on Monday.
Djokovic's progress into this stage of the competition was hardly a mean task after battling through the second-longest match of this year's French Open so far in the third round. He defeated Lorenzo Musetti in a four-and-a-half-hour epic that finished at 3 a.m. local time.
The match set the record for the latest finish at Roland Garros, beating the previous record by at least 90 minutes. At one stage, it looked like Djokovic's reign as World No. 1 would come to an end, falling two sets to one down to the inspired Musetti.
- 6/3/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Novak Djokovic endured a tough night in Paris, having to play tennis well after midnight, finishing at about 3 a.m. local time.
The rain impacted play in the previous days, forcing the organizer to cram many matches on the two courts with the roof, so Djokovic's match against Lorenzo Musetti was pushed back.
One match was actually inserted before the Serbian's match, which pushed it back all the way to 11 p.m. local time, which is when the match started.
Obviously, Djokovic could have escaped that late finish by winning the match in straight sets, but he needed five sets and over four hours to do so, which is what caused the late finish.
Still, he won't be happy about starting too late, but that's just how things unfolded. Coco Gauff, who also competes at the 2024 Roland Garros, was asked about it, and she explained why it's so difficult to finish late.
The rain impacted play in the previous days, forcing the organizer to cram many matches on the two courts with the roof, so Djokovic's match against Lorenzo Musetti was pushed back.
One match was actually inserted before the Serbian's match, which pushed it back all the way to 11 p.m. local time, which is when the match started.
Obviously, Djokovic could have escaped that late finish by winning the match in straight sets, but he needed five sets and over four hours to do so, which is what caused the late finish.
Still, he won't be happy about starting too late, but that's just how things unfolded. Coco Gauff, who also competes at the 2024 Roland Garros, was asked about it, and she explained why it's so difficult to finish late.
- 6/3/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Novak Djokovic was penalized for a time violation during his marathon five-set win over Lorenzo Musetti, but he had an interesting conversation with the chair umpire.
The Serbian ultimately won the match, which set the record for the latest finish in Roland Garros history (past 3 a.m. local time). The match lasted a lung-busting four hours and 29 minutes, with Djokovic prevailing 7-5, 6-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0.
However, an incident that happened towards the end of the match attracted the attention of many onlookers and tennis fans. Djokovic led 4-0 and prepared to serve the opening point of the fifth game of the fifth set.
Chair umpire Adel Nour interjected and issued a time violation to Djokovic. This is an infraction in the tennis rulebook when a player exceeds the time allocated between points or games.
It was the second time in the match that Djokovic had exceeded the 25 seconds that...
The Serbian ultimately won the match, which set the record for the latest finish in Roland Garros history (past 3 a.m. local time). The match lasted a lung-busting four hours and 29 minutes, with Djokovic prevailing 7-5, 6-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0.
However, an incident that happened towards the end of the match attracted the attention of many onlookers and tennis fans. Djokovic led 4-0 and prepared to serve the opening point of the fifth game of the fifth set.
Chair umpire Adel Nour interjected and issued a time violation to Djokovic. This is an infraction in the tennis rulebook when a player exceeds the time allocated between points or games.
It was the second time in the match that Djokovic had exceeded the 25 seconds that...
- 6/3/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Boris Becker ripped into Roland Garros organizers after Novak Djokovic's historic win in the third round, which finished in the early hours of Sunday morning.
On Saturday, Djokovic's third-round match against Lorenzo Musetti kicked off at least a couple of hours after the initial start time communicated on the order of play.
That is because the tournament worked around the clock to establish a means to complete the suspended matches on the outside courts. So, the two main courts with a roof, Court Philippe-Chatrier and Court Suzanne Lenglen, saw a makeup schedule.
Djokovic, who was scheduled to play on Chatrier, was the main star attraction for the night session commencing at 8:15 pm local time. But because Grigor Dimitrov's match with Zizou Bergs was moved to the main court during the evening, the top seed was made to wait for almost two hours.
The three-time champion took to the court at almost 11 p.
On Saturday, Djokovic's third-round match against Lorenzo Musetti kicked off at least a couple of hours after the initial start time communicated on the order of play.
That is because the tournament worked around the clock to establish a means to complete the suspended matches on the outside courts. So, the two main courts with a roof, Court Philippe-Chatrier and Court Suzanne Lenglen, saw a makeup schedule.
Djokovic, who was scheduled to play on Chatrier, was the main star attraction for the night session commencing at 8:15 pm local time. But because Grigor Dimitrov's match with Zizou Bergs was moved to the main court during the evening, the top seed was made to wait for almost two hours.
The three-time champion took to the court at almost 11 p.
- 6/3/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Novak Djokovic's marathon five-set win over Lorenzo Musetti at the 2024 Roland Garros was a landmark achievement.
The Serbian star equaled one of the all-time records in tennis history, which was held by Roger Federer. The victory over the Italian on Saturday (but finished Sunday morning) was Djokovic's 369th match win of his Grand Slam career.
Following a slight change in the day's schedule on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the top seed had to wait at least a few hours before he arrived on the match court.
He came within a set of losing and relinquishing the No. 1 ranking but produced a great comeback in the fourth set before running away with the match down the stretch.
The match set the record for the latest finish at Roland Garros, and Djokovic would exit the venue past 3 a.m. on Sunday. The win takes him on level terms with Federer at the four majors.
The Serbian star equaled one of the all-time records in tennis history, which was held by Roger Federer. The victory over the Italian on Saturday (but finished Sunday morning) was Djokovic's 369th match win of his Grand Slam career.
Following a slight change in the day's schedule on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the top seed had to wait at least a few hours before he arrived on the match court.
He came within a set of losing and relinquishing the No. 1 ranking but produced a great comeback in the fourth set before running away with the match down the stretch.
The match set the record for the latest finish at Roland Garros, and Djokovic would exit the venue past 3 a.m. on Sunday. The win takes him on level terms with Federer at the four majors.
- 6/2/2024
- Tennis Infinity
The 2024 Adelaide International is one of two Atp tournaments that will run before the Australian Open and has committed its highest prize money purse for the men's event.
This Atp 250 event will be contested by 28 singles players who will vie to win a generous sum from the prize money pot in the region of $661,585 - the base level for tournaments of this category.
This year's prize money represents nearly a 3% increment from last year's total for each event (2023 had two stagings of Adelaide International) when Serbia's Novak Djokovic and Soonwoo Kwon were crowned as the Adelaide 1 & 2 champions, respectively.
The draw for the third edition has been released, but neither of the two reigning champions will return to Adelaide. There is a possibility that we could crown a new champion next weekend.
Sebastian Korda came closest to winning last year's title but spurned a match point in a loss to Djokovic in the final.
This Atp 250 event will be contested by 28 singles players who will vie to win a generous sum from the prize money pot in the region of $661,585 - the base level for tournaments of this category.
This year's prize money represents nearly a 3% increment from last year's total for each event (2023 had two stagings of Adelaide International) when Serbia's Novak Djokovic and Soonwoo Kwon were crowned as the Adelaide 1 & 2 champions, respectively.
The draw for the third edition has been released, but neither of the two reigning champions will return to Adelaide. There is a possibility that we could crown a new champion next weekend.
Sebastian Korda came closest to winning last year's title but spurned a match point in a loss to Djokovic in the final.
- 1/7/2024
- Tennis Infinity
The draw for the 2024 Adelaide International, Atp 250 tournament, was released, and the event will run from January 8th to 13th.
As one of the last two tournaments before the 2024 Australian Open, the tournament in Adelaide offers the last chance to players to get into their peak form for the season's first Grand Slam.
One of the players that will want to do it is last year's semifinalist from Melbourne, Tommy Paul. The American is the top seed in Adelaide, and as the four top seeded players, he has a bye in the first round.
That means, the'll start the tournament in the second round, but he doesn't have much clarity about who will be his first opponent at the event either, as he'll play against one of the qualifiers.
On the opposite side of the draw is Nicolas Jarry, who will clash with Marton Fucsovics or Matteo Arnaldi, and his...
As one of the last two tournaments before the 2024 Australian Open, the tournament in Adelaide offers the last chance to players to get into their peak form for the season's first Grand Slam.
One of the players that will want to do it is last year's semifinalist from Melbourne, Tommy Paul. The American is the top seed in Adelaide, and as the four top seeded players, he has a bye in the first round.
That means, the'll start the tournament in the second round, but he doesn't have much clarity about who will be his first opponent at the event either, as he'll play against one of the qualifiers.
On the opposite side of the draw is Nicolas Jarry, who will clash with Marton Fucsovics or Matteo Arnaldi, and his...
- 1/6/2024
- Tennis Infinity
The 37th edition of the Montpellier Open, commonly known as Open Sud de France, will be played immediately after the conclusion of the first Grand Slam of 2024.
This Atp 250 tournament will run from January 29th to February 4th, consisting of a 28-player singles draw. The event will be played exclusively at Sud de France Arena, which is an indoor setting in the Montpellier suburb of Perols that houses almost 7,500 fans.
Some of the most iconic names in men's tennis have won this tournament in the past, including Yannick Noah, Pete Sampras, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, and Andy Roddick - all of whom have won a Grand Slam.
The tournament organizers have done their best to bring a pool of richly talented players despite the limiting factor around a very constrained schedule in which most top players will have been competing in the final stages of the 2024 Australian Open.
Six of the top...
This Atp 250 tournament will run from January 29th to February 4th, consisting of a 28-player singles draw. The event will be played exclusively at Sud de France Arena, which is an indoor setting in the Montpellier suburb of Perols that houses almost 7,500 fans.
Some of the most iconic names in men's tennis have won this tournament in the past, including Yannick Noah, Pete Sampras, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, and Andy Roddick - all of whom have won a Grand Slam.
The tournament organizers have done their best to bring a pool of richly talented players despite the limiting factor around a very constrained schedule in which most top players will have been competing in the final stages of the 2024 Australian Open.
Six of the top...
- 1/3/2024
- Tennis Infinity
Running from January 1st to 7th, the Hong Kong Open returns to the Atp Tour after a 21-year absence, and the draw for the 2024 edition has been released.
With three Top 20 players in the field, one of whom is a top tenner, this Atp 250 event is not bereft of star power. World No.5 Andrey Rublev is the biggest name at Victoria Park as he looks to refine his game ahead of the year's first Grand Slam at the Australian Open.
The Russian tends to play at a very decent level in the season's opening week and has a very nice draw on his Hong Kong debut. Rublev has a bye in the opening round as the top seed and doesn't know his second-round opponent yet.
He'll await the winner of the match between Pedro Cachin and a qualifier. Rublev could have his hands full by the quarterfinal stage should he get there.
With three Top 20 players in the field, one of whom is a top tenner, this Atp 250 event is not bereft of star power. World No.5 Andrey Rublev is the biggest name at Victoria Park as he looks to refine his game ahead of the year's first Grand Slam at the Australian Open.
The Russian tends to play at a very decent level in the season's opening week and has a very nice draw on his Hong Kong debut. Rublev has a bye in the opening round as the top seed and doesn't know his second-round opponent yet.
He'll await the winner of the match between Pedro Cachin and a qualifier. Rublev could have his hands full by the quarterfinal stage should he get there.
- 12/30/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The new tennis season is getting closer, and there are players on the fringes of the Top 10 on the Atp Tour, looking to make a breakthrough.
Many of the names in the Top 10 have become consistent. Novak Djokovic is the most obvious example, but players like Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner have all become regulars in the Top 10.
Some players have briefly entered the Top 10, such as Frances Tiafoe, who recently parted ways with his coach, but others are hoping to make that breakthrough for the first time.
This article gives five players who have a chance of reaching the Top 10 in the Atp Rankings for the first time if they find their best tennis in 2024.
5. Tommy Paul
Tommy Paul had a remarkably consistent season in 2023. The highlights were an excellent semifinal run at the Australian Open, another semifinal at the Canadian Open, and two runner-ups in Acapulco and Eastbourne.
Many of the names in the Top 10 have become consistent. Novak Djokovic is the most obvious example, but players like Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner have all become regulars in the Top 10.
Some players have briefly entered the Top 10, such as Frances Tiafoe, who recently parted ways with his coach, but others are hoping to make that breakthrough for the first time.
This article gives five players who have a chance of reaching the Top 10 in the Atp Rankings for the first time if they find their best tennis in 2024.
5. Tommy Paul
Tommy Paul had a remarkably consistent season in 2023. The highlights were an excellent semifinal run at the Australian Open, another semifinal at the Canadian Open, and two runner-ups in Acapulco and Eastbourne.
- 12/25/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Novak Djokovic won 82% of the sets he played in 2023, the most of any player on the Atp Tour last season.
Djokovic had a sublime year, arguably one of his best on tour, in which he won seven Atp singles titles from just 12 tournaments played. He had a better win rate and lifted more titles than any other competitor on tour.
Djokovic played in all four Grand Slam finals, winning three titles and finishing as runner-up in the one he lost. He also banked over $15 million in prize money and took his career earnings past the $180 million figure - the first tennis player in history to achieve this landmark.
According to OptaAce, Djokovic also finished the season with a higher success rate in sets won on the Atp Tour. From 176 sets played, he won 144 and was the only man who achieved at least 80% set winning percentage. Carlos Alcaraz finished in second...
Djokovic had a sublime year, arguably one of his best on tour, in which he won seven Atp singles titles from just 12 tournaments played. He had a better win rate and lifted more titles than any other competitor on tour.
Djokovic played in all four Grand Slam finals, winning three titles and finishing as runner-up in the one he lost. He also banked over $15 million in prize money and took his career earnings past the $180 million figure - the first tennis player in history to achieve this landmark.
According to OptaAce, Djokovic also finished the season with a higher success rate in sets won on the Atp Tour. From 176 sets played, he won 144 and was the only man who achieved at least 80% set winning percentage. Carlos Alcaraz finished in second...
- 12/22/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The 2024 Adelaide International will run from January 8th to 13th, 2024 and the entry list for the Atp 250 tournament features multiple Top 30 players.
As one of the first tournaments of the 2024 season, it's not a surprise that the Atp 250 event in Adelaide attracted a strong field of players, as there are only a couple of tournaments before players head to the Australian Open.
In 2023, there were two events held in Adelaide, as Novak Djokovic won the first tournament before Soonwoo Kwon triumphed at the second event, but in 2024, neither of them will play in Adelaide.
Yet, the field for the 2024 Adelaide International is still very strong. World no. 13 Tommy Paul leads the field, as the American needs to prepare well for the Australian Open, where he defends last year's semifinal.
Joining him in Adelaide will be fellow American Sebastian Korda, who played in the final against Djokovic last year, but fell...
As one of the first tournaments of the 2024 season, it's not a surprise that the Atp 250 event in Adelaide attracted a strong field of players, as there are only a couple of tournaments before players head to the Australian Open.
In 2023, there were two events held in Adelaide, as Novak Djokovic won the first tournament before Soonwoo Kwon triumphed at the second event, but in 2024, neither of them will play in Adelaide.
Yet, the field for the 2024 Adelaide International is still very strong. World no. 13 Tommy Paul leads the field, as the American needs to prepare well for the Australian Open, where he defends last year's semifinal.
Joining him in Adelaide will be fellow American Sebastian Korda, who played in the final against Djokovic last year, but fell...
- 12/12/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Novak Djokovic lauded the impact of the Next Gen stars as a positive motivating factor in his own game.
Djokovic, 36, has faced off and beaten representatives from three different generations in his playing career, the latest being the Next Gen band comprised of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Holger Rune. The three youngsters he predicts will carry the sport in the future.
However, Djokovic is not resting on his laurels and has stayed grounded in this new challenge, which is sprouting right in his final peak and dominance. Last season, four of Novak Djokovic's seven defeats came against players within the Next Gen category or who have just graduated from it.
On two occasions, he lost Sinner, along with losses to Alcaraz, Rune, and Lorenzo Musetti in the first half of the season. Djokovic has been on top of his game for nearly two decades, reigning as World No. 1 for over 400 weeks,...
Djokovic, 36, has faced off and beaten representatives from three different generations in his playing career, the latest being the Next Gen band comprised of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Holger Rune. The three youngsters he predicts will carry the sport in the future.
However, Djokovic is not resting on his laurels and has stayed grounded in this new challenge, which is sprouting right in his final peak and dominance. Last season, four of Novak Djokovic's seven defeats came against players within the Next Gen category or who have just graduated from it.
On two occasions, he lost Sinner, along with losses to Alcaraz, Rune, and Lorenzo Musetti in the first half of the season. Djokovic has been on top of his game for nearly two decades, reigning as World No. 1 for over 400 weeks,...
- 12/11/2023
- Tennis Infinity
After a 21-year absence, the Hong Kong Open will return to Victoria Park Tennis Centre to herald the start of the 2024 men's tennis season.
Running from January 1st to 7th, this tournament will be an essential destination for the Atp players looking to finetune their games in the buildup to the season's first Grand Slam at the Australian Open.
The Hong Kong Open was a prominent event in the 90s with a gaudy list of former champions. Whoever wins the 2024 edition is primed to etch his name among some of the game's greats on the honor roll.
The biggest name in the recently-released entry list is that of World No. 5 Andrey Rublev. The Russian has fared brilliantly in the opening weeks of the season in the past. He won two titles at the turn of the year (in 2020) and was an Atp Cup champion the following season.
Rublev will most certainly be the tournament favorite,...
Running from January 1st to 7th, this tournament will be an essential destination for the Atp players looking to finetune their games in the buildup to the season's first Grand Slam at the Australian Open.
The Hong Kong Open was a prominent event in the 90s with a gaudy list of former champions. Whoever wins the 2024 edition is primed to etch his name among some of the game's greats on the honor roll.
The biggest name in the recently-released entry list is that of World No. 5 Andrey Rublev. The Russian has fared brilliantly in the opening weeks of the season in the past. He won two titles at the turn of the year (in 2020) and was an Atp Cup champion the following season.
Rublev will most certainly be the tournament favorite,...
- 12/6/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Nick Kyrgios shared his reaction in the aftermath of Novak Djokovic's successive defeats at the Davis Cup, which cost Serbia a place in Sunday's final.
Having scored the first point in the semifinal tie against Italy thanks to Miomir Kecmanovic's heroics against Lorenzo Musetti, Djokovic had the chance to seal Serbia's spot in the final for the first time since winning their solitary title in 2010.
Djokovic competed courageously, coming from a set down to level the match. He held three match points on the Sinner serve late in the third set but failed to convert any of them. Sinner eventually prevailed. The 36-year-old's evening went from bad to worse.
Djokovic was picked to play the decisive doubles match together with Kecmanovic, facing the Italian duo of Sinner and Lorenzo Sonego. The Serbians were beaten in straight sets having squandered plenty of chances to even the score in the second set.
Having scored the first point in the semifinal tie against Italy thanks to Miomir Kecmanovic's heroics against Lorenzo Musetti, Djokovic had the chance to seal Serbia's spot in the final for the first time since winning their solitary title in 2010.
Djokovic competed courageously, coming from a set down to level the match. He held three match points on the Sinner serve late in the third set but failed to convert any of them. Sinner eventually prevailed. The 36-year-old's evening went from bad to worse.
Djokovic was picked to play the decisive doubles match together with Kecmanovic, facing the Italian duo of Sinner and Lorenzo Sonego. The Serbians were beaten in straight sets having squandered plenty of chances to even the score in the second set.
- 11/26/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Novak Djokovic wasn't happy about losing two matches in a single day, and he certainly didn't want to look for excuses.
Novak Djokovic probably felt really good about Serbia's chances when Miomir Kecmanovic turned around the match against Lorenzo Musetti, sending Serbia into a 1-0 lead in the semifinal tie at the 2023 Davis Cup Finals in Malaga.
He was up early in the opening set but allowed Musetti to battle back and win it. Kecmanovic then turned it around to win in three, which gave Djokovic a chance to win it against Jannik Sinner.
It was a complicated match, but in the third serve at 5-4 and 40-0 on the serve of Sinner, Djokovic probably felt really good. Some 15 minutes later, he would be shaking Sinner's hand after the Italian had just beaten him.
Some two hours later, he did the same thing after Sinner and Lorenzo Sonego beat him...
Novak Djokovic probably felt really good about Serbia's chances when Miomir Kecmanovic turned around the match against Lorenzo Musetti, sending Serbia into a 1-0 lead in the semifinal tie at the 2023 Davis Cup Finals in Malaga.
He was up early in the opening set but allowed Musetti to battle back and win it. Kecmanovic then turned it around to win in three, which gave Djokovic a chance to win it against Jannik Sinner.
It was a complicated match, but in the third serve at 5-4 and 40-0 on the serve of Sinner, Djokovic probably felt really good. Some 15 minutes later, he would be shaking Sinner's hand after the Italian had just beaten him.
Some two hours later, he did the same thing after Sinner and Lorenzo Sonego beat him...
- 11/26/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Jannik Sinner brought Novak Djokovic's 21-match win streak in the Davis Cup competition to a screeching halt on Saturday as he secured a much-needed singles win.
It drew Italy level in the semifinal which will be decided in doubles after Miomir Kecmanovic had scored Serbia's first point again, beating Lorenzo Musetti in three sets. The 22-year-old Sinner authored the shock win over the World No. 1 by saving three successive match points late in the third set.
Sinner not only inflicted the fourth defeat in Djokovic's illustrious career in which he lost after holding a match point, but he simultaneously joined a gaudy list of players to beat the 24-time Grand Slam champion in successive weeks.
It should not have escaped anyone's mind that Sinner had actually defeated Djokovic a week ago at the Atp Finals group stage. That win was particularly significant for a couple of reasons. It was...
It drew Italy level in the semifinal which will be decided in doubles after Miomir Kecmanovic had scored Serbia's first point again, beating Lorenzo Musetti in three sets. The 22-year-old Sinner authored the shock win over the World No. 1 by saving three successive match points late in the third set.
Sinner not only inflicted the fourth defeat in Djokovic's illustrious career in which he lost after holding a match point, but he simultaneously joined a gaudy list of players to beat the 24-time Grand Slam champion in successive weeks.
It should not have escaped anyone's mind that Sinner had actually defeated Djokovic a week ago at the Atp Finals group stage. That win was particularly significant for a couple of reasons. It was...
- 11/26/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Jack Draper was on the brink of winning his maiden Atp Tour-level title at the 2023 Sofia Open, but Adrian Mannarino proved too strong to overcome.
The 21-year-old Brit struggled with injuries during the 2023 season, but he was finally fit for the end of it, and it was palpable from the way he competed on the court.
First, Draper won his first title of the year at the Atp Challenger tournament in Bergamo, and after that, he entered the last Atp Tour-level tournament of the year, the 2023 Sofia Open.
After beating Maximilian Marterer, he had to face the top-seeded Lorenzo Musetti, but he easily overcame the challenge. After that, the Brit recorded two more wins to reach his maiden Atp Tour-level final.
In the final match, Draper took on an experienced Mannarino, who has already won two titles in 2023. Both players traded an early break in the opening set of the match,...
The 21-year-old Brit struggled with injuries during the 2023 season, but he was finally fit for the end of it, and it was palpable from the way he competed on the court.
First, Draper won his first title of the year at the Atp Challenger tournament in Bergamo, and after that, he entered the last Atp Tour-level tournament of the year, the 2023 Sofia Open.
After beating Maximilian Marterer, he had to face the top-seeded Lorenzo Musetti, but he easily overcame the challenge. After that, the Brit recorded two more wins to reach his maiden Atp Tour-level final.
In the final match, Draper took on an experienced Mannarino, who has already won two titles in 2023. Both players traded an early break in the opening set of the match,...
- 11/11/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Ben Shelton qualified for the 2023 Atp Next Gen Finals; however, the American won't play due to unspecified reasons.
Now, those among you who like a good conspiracy might point towards Jeddah in Saudi Arabia being the host city as the reason for Shelton's withdrawal from the event. There might be some truth to that because Saudi involvement in sports remains a controversial topic for many people.
Some have called it positive for tennis because of the presumed large investment that will trickle down to the players, but some can't look past the country's reputation. Shelton never really spoke about it, so we don't know where he stands, but he won't be playing in Jeddah this time around.
He actually hinted at it recently in a social media post where he basically said that his next event would be in Australia, which meant no Next Gen Atp Finals. According to the latest reports,...
Now, those among you who like a good conspiracy might point towards Jeddah in Saudi Arabia being the host city as the reason for Shelton's withdrawal from the event. There might be some truth to that because Saudi involvement in sports remains a controversial topic for many people.
Some have called it positive for tennis because of the presumed large investment that will trickle down to the players, but some can't look past the country's reputation. Shelton never really spoke about it, so we don't know where he stands, but he won't be playing in Jeddah this time around.
He actually hinted at it recently in a social media post where he basically said that his next event would be in Australia, which meant no Next Gen Atp Finals. According to the latest reports,...
- 11/9/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Jack Draper added an eighth win in a row as the Brit continues to dominate indoors, beating Cem Ilkel in two simple sets at the 2023 Sofia Open.
Draper established himself as a really good indoor player last year by winning a couple of Atp Challenger events. After going 26-8 indoors last year, the Brit is doing it again this year, winning his 8th consecutive match today.
He's playing really well, highlighted by his win over the Bergamo challenger last week. He's continuing to play well in Sofia as well, beating top seed Lorenzo Musetti yesterday and dominating the matchup against Ilkel today.
The dominance was established pretty early on in the match as he took an early 3-0 lead, and from there, it was a simple cruise toward the finish line. The opening set was 6-2 for Draper behind three aces and utter dominance on his serve.
He didn't face...
Draper established himself as a really good indoor player last year by winning a couple of Atp Challenger events. After going 26-8 indoors last year, the Brit is doing it again this year, winning his 8th consecutive match today.
He's playing really well, highlighted by his win over the Bergamo challenger last week. He's continuing to play well in Sofia as well, beating top seed Lorenzo Musetti yesterday and dominating the matchup against Ilkel today.
The dominance was established pretty early on in the match as he took an early 3-0 lead, and from there, it was a simple cruise toward the finish line. The opening set was 6-2 for Draper behind three aces and utter dominance on his serve.
He didn't face...
- 11/9/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Jack Draper has been playing some really solid tennis to finish the year and it continued at the 2023 Sofia Open where he stunned top seed Lorenzo Musetti.
The Brit proved himself an amazing indoor player last year with a couple of Atp Challenger trophies. He added another Challenger trophy last week in Bergamo and is now playing really strong tennis in Sofia. He took on top seed Lorenzo Musetti and the Italian started really well.
It was an early break for the Italian who isn't known as a really great hard court player but has slowly improved. Draper kept pushing but couldn't really do much initially however he kept going at Musetti's backhand.
It didn't hold as the Brit broke back to make it 4-4, after which he took a 5-4 lead. Musetti stabilized for a while but lost his serve down 5-6 to drop the opening set. Draper was...
The Brit proved himself an amazing indoor player last year with a couple of Atp Challenger trophies. He added another Challenger trophy last week in Bergamo and is now playing really strong tennis in Sofia. He took on top seed Lorenzo Musetti and the Italian started really well.
It was an early break for the Italian who isn't known as a really great hard court player but has slowly improved. Draper kept pushing but couldn't really do much initially however he kept going at Musetti's backhand.
It didn't hold as the Brit broke back to make it 4-4, after which he took a 5-4 lead. Musetti stabilized for a while but lost his serve down 5-6 to drop the opening set. Draper was...
- 11/8/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Felix Auger-Aliassime and Sebastian Korda won't be playing at the 2023 Sofia Open as they both withdrew to end their season sooner.
It's been a long year for both Korda and Auger-Aliassime and while neither played too many matches, they both want to go on a vacation. To do that, they had to withdraw from the Sofia Open, which will take place next week.
These Atp events in the final week of the season generally are filled with withdrawals as many players elected to rest up instead of play because there is very little to play for.
The draws generally feature a lot of players who are fighting for the Atp Finals in case they need more points; however, most of them drop out once it becomes clear that they're in or can't get in.
That's the case for both Korda and Auger-Aliassime, who technically had a chance to book a...
It's been a long year for both Korda and Auger-Aliassime and while neither played too many matches, they both want to go on a vacation. To do that, they had to withdraw from the Sofia Open, which will take place next week.
These Atp events in the final week of the season generally are filled with withdrawals as many players elected to rest up instead of play because there is very little to play for.
The draws generally feature a lot of players who are fighting for the Atp Finals in case they need more points; however, most of them drop out once it becomes clear that they're in or can't get in.
That's the case for both Korda and Auger-Aliassime, who technically had a chance to book a...
- 11/3/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The 2023 Paris Masters will run from October 30th to November 5th, 2023, and the draw for the last Atp Masters 1000 tournament of the year has been released.
The last Masters tournament of the season has been long awaited, and that's because of multiple reasons. One of them is that for the first time since the US Open, fans will get to see all of the Top 10 players in action .
Another reason is quite obvious, two of the best players in the world, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz , will meet in one draw once again, and many fans are hoping to see them battle it out in the final.
The two are fighting for the world no. 1 spot , and the 2023 Paris Masters may help significantly to decide that fight. The more experienced Serbian is the first seed in the French capital, and like all top eight seeds, he has the bye in the first round,...
The last Masters tournament of the season has been long awaited, and that's because of multiple reasons. One of them is that for the first time since the US Open, fans will get to see all of the Top 10 players in action .
Another reason is quite obvious, two of the best players in the world, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz , will meet in one draw once again, and many fans are hoping to see them battle it out in the final.
The two are fighting for the world no. 1 spot , and the 2023 Paris Masters may help significantly to decide that fight. The more experienced Serbian is the first seed in the French capital, and like all top eight seeds, he has the bye in the first round,...
- 10/27/2023
- Tennis Infinity
After missing the Davis Cup Finals qualifiers earlier this year, Jannik Sinner will lead Italy at the Final Eight showdown next month.
The final eight showdowns of the Davis Cup Finals will be played at the end of November from the 21st to the 26th, and Italy will have its best player on the team.
Even without Sinner, Italy has a pretty good team, but Matteo Berrettini is not playing because of an ankle injury suffered at the US Open . It's precisely because of that that Sinner playing is a huge deal for Italy.
When it comes to Berretitni, it's just a continuation of a really unlucky season. The Italian was at the Davis Cup Finals last year but also didn't play because of an ankle injury. Having the same scenario play out literally a year later and in an identical way is just brutal for the big-serving Italian.
When it comes to Sinner,...
The final eight showdowns of the Davis Cup Finals will be played at the end of November from the 21st to the 26th, and Italy will have its best player on the team.
Even without Sinner, Italy has a pretty good team, but Matteo Berrettini is not playing because of an ankle injury suffered at the US Open . It's precisely because of that that Sinner playing is a huge deal for Italy.
When it comes to Berretitni, it's just a continuation of a really unlucky season. The Italian was at the Davis Cup Finals last year but also didn't play because of an ankle injury. Having the same scenario play out literally a year later and in an identical way is just brutal for the big-serving Italian.
When it comes to Sinner,...
- 10/25/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Novak Djokovic will begin his 396th week at the top of the men's rankings and kept his 2,240-point gap over closest rival Carlos Alcaraz .
The Serbian continues his break from tennis and will rejoin the tour at the start of the Paris Masters next week. Alcaraz's absence at this week's Swiss Indoors in Basel means that the deficit at the top will remain the same with just two more Atp tournaments to play between them .
Movement for the rest of the Top 10 is between Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz , who both suffered setbacks in qualifying for the Atp Finals. Zverev, who lost in the first round in Tokyo , drops down to 10th, while Fritz, whose title defense in the same tournament ended with a wild defeat to Shintaro Mochizuki moves up to ninth.
21-year-old Ben Shelton climbed highest among the Top 20 players. The American lefty won a maiden Atp title...
The Serbian continues his break from tennis and will rejoin the tour at the start of the Paris Masters next week. Alcaraz's absence at this week's Swiss Indoors in Basel means that the deficit at the top will remain the same with just two more Atp tournaments to play between them .
Movement for the rest of the Top 10 is between Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz , who both suffered setbacks in qualifying for the Atp Finals. Zverev, who lost in the first round in Tokyo , drops down to 10th, while Fritz, whose title defense in the same tournament ended with a wild defeat to Shintaro Mochizuki moves up to ninth.
21-year-old Ben Shelton climbed highest among the Top 20 players. The American lefty won a maiden Atp title...
- 10/23/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The draw for the 2023 Vienna Open has been released, and this will mark the final stop of the Atp 500 events this season (running concurrently with the Swiss Indoors).
Apart from exploring historical sites and culinary delights, the 32-player singles field will compete for a generous prize money pool. The tournament will run from October 23 to 29 . The winner stands to gain €450,650 and 500 ranking points. On that note let us delve into the draw.
The top half of the draw contains the top seed Daniil Medvedev , fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas , sixth seed Tommy Paul, and Eighth seed Karen Khachanov . The defending champion Medvedev will open up against French teenager Arthur Fils .
Medvedev is projected to meet Karen Khachanov in the last eight, but the Zhuhai champion will need to beat in-form Roman Safiullin, and then one of J.J. Wolf or Jiri Lehecka. Medvedev, for his part, will await the winner of...
Apart from exploring historical sites and culinary delights, the 32-player singles field will compete for a generous prize money pool. The tournament will run from October 23 to 29 . The winner stands to gain €450,650 and 500 ranking points. On that note let us delve into the draw.
The top half of the draw contains the top seed Daniil Medvedev , fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas , sixth seed Tommy Paul, and Eighth seed Karen Khachanov . The defending champion Medvedev will open up against French teenager Arthur Fils .
Medvedev is projected to meet Karen Khachanov in the last eight, but the Zhuhai champion will need to beat in-form Roman Safiullin, and then one of J.J. Wolf or Jiri Lehecka. Medvedev, for his part, will await the winner of...
- 10/21/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The 2023 Sofia Open will operate on a single-year license as confirmed by the Atp , replacing the Tel Aviv Open which was called off due to the outbreak of war in the region.
This Atp 250 event will take place from November 5th to 11th in Bulgaria's capital city, Sofia. A 28-player singles field will have the chance to lift the final tennis tournament of the 2023 season (excluding the Atp and Next Gen Finals).
Most of the storylines will likely be written by then, but there is a slight possibility we might have one more chapter of the Atp Race to Turin still yet to be decided, with a major aspirant for the eight-man field at the season finale scheduled to appear in Sofia.
That man is the top seed, Taylor Fritz . He is in the hunt to clinch a place at the Atp Finals in Turin , which follows this tournament. But...
This Atp 250 event will take place from November 5th to 11th in Bulgaria's capital city, Sofia. A 28-player singles field will have the chance to lift the final tennis tournament of the 2023 season (excluding the Atp and Next Gen Finals).
Most of the storylines will likely be written by then, but there is a slight possibility we might have one more chapter of the Atp Race to Turin still yet to be decided, with a major aspirant for the eight-man field at the season finale scheduled to appear in Sofia.
That man is the top seed, Taylor Fritz . He is in the hunt to clinch a place at the Atp Finals in Turin , which follows this tournament. But...
- 10/18/2023
- Tennis Infinity
In its sixth edition, the 2023 Next Gen Atp Finals will be played from November 28th to December 2nd, converging eight of the world's best in the 21-and-under category.
The eight players aged 21 and under who have earned the most ranking points during the course of the 2023 season will qualify for this prestigious tournament that will have a new home at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia .
Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune occupy the top two spots in the calendar-year race for the Next Gen Atp Finals , but neither is likely to play there. That will open up two places into the field for those finishing in ninth and 10th in the race.
Alcaraz's priority is to play in the Atp Finals and is scheduled to play in an exhibition tournament in late November when the Next Gen Atp Finals kicks off. So far, Lorenzo Musetti and Ben Shelton...
The eight players aged 21 and under who have earned the most ranking points during the course of the 2023 season will qualify for this prestigious tournament that will have a new home at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia .
Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune occupy the top two spots in the calendar-year race for the Next Gen Atp Finals , but neither is likely to play there. That will open up two places into the field for those finishing in ninth and 10th in the race.
Alcaraz's priority is to play in the Atp Finals and is scheduled to play in an exhibition tournament in late November when the Next Gen Atp Finals kicks off. So far, Lorenzo Musetti and Ben Shelton...
- 10/8/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Next-Gen Atp star Ben Shelton admitted it was 'funny' to see multiple sports stars copying his iconic celebration of hanging up on his opponents but was overjoyed by its far-reaching influence.
Shelton famously introduced the telephone celebration at the US Open , immediately after beating compatriot Frances Tiafoe in the quarterfinals. With a hand gesture, Shelton attempts to answer a call but quickly hangs up. The celebration was an instant hit among fans on social media.
Shelton couldn't quite 'hang up' on Novak Djokovic in the semifinal, where the Serbian's big-match experience won the day. Instead, Djokovic mimicked the 20-year-old's celebration after winning the match. Djokovic later clarified that he 'loved Ben's celebration' feeling it was 'original' hence why he copied it.
Djokovic's actions divided opinion, but young Shelton didn't make a fuss of it after the match except for his father who criticized the 24-time Grand Slam champion for 'mocking...
Shelton famously introduced the telephone celebration at the US Open , immediately after beating compatriot Frances Tiafoe in the quarterfinals. With a hand gesture, Shelton attempts to answer a call but quickly hangs up. The celebration was an instant hit among fans on social media.
Shelton couldn't quite 'hang up' on Novak Djokovic in the semifinal, where the Serbian's big-match experience won the day. Instead, Djokovic mimicked the 20-year-old's celebration after winning the match. Djokovic later clarified that he 'loved Ben's celebration' feeling it was 'original' hence why he copied it.
Djokovic's actions divided opinion, but young Shelton didn't make a fuss of it after the match except for his father who criticized the 24-time Grand Slam champion for 'mocking...
- 10/6/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Carlos Alcaraz is one special player as he keeps racking up milestones with this recent one being quite impressive.
Carlos Alcaraz has put together an awe-inspiring season so far with a couple of highlights, such as winning the Wimbledon event . He's also had some big disappointments but has been healthy and performing well. That's what you hoped for as a fan after his tremendous breakout season last year.
They always say that repeating something is harder than doing it the first time, and he's proved this year that nothing he did last year was by accident. All of that allowed him to win 60 matches already this year. The 60th came against Lorenzo Musetti at the 2023 China Open , and he's poised to win quite a few more.
Seventy wins shouldn't be out of the question, and perhaps even 80 if he goes deep in some of the events he plans to play in the coming months.
Carlos Alcaraz has put together an awe-inspiring season so far with a couple of highlights, such as winning the Wimbledon event . He's also had some big disappointments but has been healthy and performing well. That's what you hoped for as a fan after his tremendous breakout season last year.
They always say that repeating something is harder than doing it the first time, and he's proved this year that nothing he did last year was by accident. All of that allowed him to win 60 matches already this year. The 60th came against Lorenzo Musetti at the 2023 China Open , and he's poised to win quite a few more.
Seventy wins shouldn't be out of the question, and perhaps even 80 if he goes deep in some of the events he plans to play in the coming months.
- 10/2/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Carlos Alcaraz sent a message of support to the families of those who lost their loved ones in a tragic nightclub fire in his native Murcia.
The 20-year-old who is over 5,000 miles away in Beijing playing at the China Open, learned of the devastating news that has gripped the Iberian Peninsula and Spain at large. International media outlets report that at least 13 people have died.
There are fears that the death toll could rise as 14 more people were unaccounted for according to the Police. Emergency personnel are searching for the lost attendees at the club after the blaze. The fire broke out on Sunday morning in the Fonda Milagros nightclub, the epicenter, before spreading to adjoining clubs.
Alcaraz was born and bred in El Palmar, the most populated district in Murcia with over 20,000 inhabitants. Conspicuously affected by the events back home, Alcaraz posted on social media platform X his shock...
The 20-year-old who is over 5,000 miles away in Beijing playing at the China Open, learned of the devastating news that has gripped the Iberian Peninsula and Spain at large. International media outlets report that at least 13 people have died.
There are fears that the death toll could rise as 14 more people were unaccounted for according to the Police. Emergency personnel are searching for the lost attendees at the club after the blaze. The fire broke out on Sunday morning in the Fonda Milagros nightclub, the epicenter, before spreading to adjoining clubs.
Alcaraz was born and bred in El Palmar, the most populated district in Murcia with over 20,000 inhabitants. Conspicuously affected by the events back home, Alcaraz posted on social media platform X his shock...
- 10/2/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Carlos Alcaraz has weighed in on the debate surrounding the tennis balls used on the Atp Tour, which makes it very hard for players to adjust.
Daniil Medvedev was the first to comment on the tennis balls used across the Atp Tour, and currently at the 2023 China Open in Beijing, admitting after his win over Alex de Minaur that hitting a winner with them is impossible, comparing balls to grapefruits.
Because of that, the rallies are really long, which makes the match longer as well. Medvedev also repeated his comments from earlier in the year regarding the balls possibly being the culprit behind an increase in player's injuries.
The highest-ranked player at the event, Carlos Alcaraz, was asked about the tennis balls following his win over Lorenzo Musetti , and the 20-year-old Spaniard confirmed that it's tricky to always adjust to different balls.
I felt it since the first practice that I did here in Beijing.
Daniil Medvedev was the first to comment on the tennis balls used across the Atp Tour, and currently at the 2023 China Open in Beijing, admitting after his win over Alex de Minaur that hitting a winner with them is impossible, comparing balls to grapefruits.
Because of that, the rallies are really long, which makes the match longer as well. Medvedev also repeated his comments from earlier in the year regarding the balls possibly being the culprit behind an increase in player's injuries.
The highest-ranked player at the event, Carlos Alcaraz, was asked about the tennis balls following his win over Lorenzo Musetti , and the 20-year-old Spaniard confirmed that it's tricky to always adjust to different balls.
I felt it since the first practice that I did here in Beijing.
- 10/1/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Casper Ruud 's not-ideal season almost continued in East Asia as the Norwegian barely avoided getting beaten by Tomas Martin Etcheverry at the 2023 China Open .
While Ruud isn't known as a superb hardcourt player, he's certainly a capable one as his run to the US Open final last year proved . He hasn't played well this year at all, but that wasn't the huge problem in this matchup. He played pretty well but simply ran into an incredible performance by Etcheverry.
The Argentine proved a few times this year that he can be very good but this performance today was a bit surprising. The higher bounce in Beijing helped his game because it allowed him to play really aggressively and with a lot of power.
That gave Ruud tremendous problems, especially since Etcheverry was consistent. He didn't miss too much, and even when he did, he would make up for it...
While Ruud isn't known as a superb hardcourt player, he's certainly a capable one as his run to the US Open final last year proved . He hasn't played well this year at all, but that wasn't the huge problem in this matchup. He played pretty well but simply ran into an incredible performance by Etcheverry.
The Argentine proved a few times this year that he can be very good but this performance today was a bit surprising. The higher bounce in Beijing helped his game because it allowed him to play really aggressively and with a lot of power.
That gave Ruud tremendous problems, especially since Etcheverry was consistent. He didn't miss too much, and even when he did, he would make up for it...
- 10/1/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Carlos Alcaraz will be playing in the 2023 China Open quarterfinals after besting Lorenzo Musetti with a superb performance.
The 20-year-old came to Beijing as the top favourite at the Atp 500 tournament, and he started well in the first round against Yannick Hanfmann . However, the Spaniard wasn't happy with his level, and he said that he wanted to improve in the upcoming round .
But to do that, he needed to go level above his previous performance, as he faced Lorenzo Musetti, who managed to beat him before . And as he promised in the round before, Alcaraz delivered, as he played another incredible match to book his quarterfinal spot.
The world no. 2 started well right from the off, breaking his opponent's serve twice in his first three return games, and thanks to that, and losing no more than two points on any of his serves, Alcaraz established a really quick 5-1 lead in the opening set.
The 20-year-old came to Beijing as the top favourite at the Atp 500 tournament, and he started well in the first round against Yannick Hanfmann . However, the Spaniard wasn't happy with his level, and he said that he wanted to improve in the upcoming round .
But to do that, he needed to go level above his previous performance, as he faced Lorenzo Musetti, who managed to beat him before . And as he promised in the round before, Alcaraz delivered, as he played another incredible match to book his quarterfinal spot.
The world no. 2 started well right from the off, breaking his opponent's serve twice in his first three return games, and thanks to that, and losing no more than two points on any of his serves, Alcaraz established a really quick 5-1 lead in the opening set.
- 10/1/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Carlos Alcaraz and Lorenzo Musetti have some history together, so let's see who might win this latest battle between the players at the 2023 China Open in Beijing.
Lorenzo Musetti defeated Carlos Alcaraz once on a tennis court, and while that in itself is not that shocking, it was a final, and that was painful for the Spaniard. Alcaraz remembers those; just ask Novak Djokovic about how the Wimbledon final went .
That match was on clay though, so this is the first time they will play on hard courts and it's not looking for Musetti. He just doesn't have the raw power nor the weapons to really counter Alcaraz on courts like these.
Head-to-head:
The head-to-head favours Alcaraz slightly. It's only 2-1, but they played earlier this year, and Alcaraz won comfortably on clay. All of their matches came on clay so far, and that's the surface that suits the style of Musetti.
Lorenzo Musetti defeated Carlos Alcaraz once on a tennis court, and while that in itself is not that shocking, it was a final, and that was painful for the Spaniard. Alcaraz remembers those; just ask Novak Djokovic about how the Wimbledon final went .
That match was on clay though, so this is the first time they will play on hard courts and it's not looking for Musetti. He just doesn't have the raw power nor the weapons to really counter Alcaraz on courts like these.
Head-to-head:
The head-to-head favours Alcaraz slightly. It's only 2-1, but they played earlier this year, and Alcaraz won comfortably on clay. All of their matches came on clay so far, and that's the surface that suits the style of Musetti.
- 9/30/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Carlos Alcaraz made a winning return to action at the 2023 China Open as he played his first match since bowing out of the US Open semi-finals.
There was naturally a lot of question marks for the Spaniard coming into this encounter. He had not played for a relatively long period of time, he was debuting at a brand new tournament for the very first time and there would be obvious adjustments to make to the typically quicker conditions at the China Open.
Alcaraz erased any concern fairly early on , though. He shook off the rust within the first couple of games, played with excellent controlled aggression for long periods, and in the end he limited Yannick Hanfmann's potentially dangerous game to great effect.
Alcaraz was positive about his level of play after delivering a superb performance in his first match at the China Open.
"I'm really happy to be able...
There was naturally a lot of question marks for the Spaniard coming into this encounter. He had not played for a relatively long period of time, he was debuting at a brand new tournament for the very first time and there would be obvious adjustments to make to the typically quicker conditions at the China Open.
Alcaraz erased any concern fairly early on , though. He shook off the rust within the first couple of games, played with excellent controlled aggression for long periods, and in the end he limited Yannick Hanfmann's potentially dangerous game to great effect.
Alcaraz was positive about his level of play after delivering a superb performance in his first match at the China Open.
"I'm really happy to be able...
- 9/30/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Carlos Alcaraz made his return to tennis at the China Open , and he overcame a solid effort from Yannick Hanfmann .
The German player is quite solid and has had a pretty decent year so far. He's been really good at times in his career and certainly can play well, which he demonstrated today. The conditions suit his type of tennis well, and he certainly gave Alcaraz some problems, but much of that had to do with Alcaraz not using his chances.
This was the first match for the Spaniard since his US Open exit to Daniil Medvedev , and it was a win, so that's good. The opening set was okay, but nothing special. Alcaraz was up a break twice but gave it back each time until he finally got it done 6-4.
He had 11 break points and used 3 of them, which isn't much. Yes, he broke his opponent three times in the set,...
The German player is quite solid and has had a pretty decent year so far. He's been really good at times in his career and certainly can play well, which he demonstrated today. The conditions suit his type of tennis well, and he certainly gave Alcaraz some problems, but much of that had to do with Alcaraz not using his chances.
This was the first match for the Spaniard since his US Open exit to Daniil Medvedev , and it was a win, so that's good. The opening set was okay, but nothing special. Alcaraz was up a break twice but gave it back each time until he finally got it done 6-4.
He had 11 break points and used 3 of them, which isn't much. Yes, he broke his opponent three times in the set,...
- 9/29/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Running from October 23rd to 29th, the 2023 Vienna Open will be held in Austria's capital and most populous city, where 32 singles players will vie to win one of the longstanding Atp 500 events.
The tournament will be contested on indoor hard courts at Wiener Stadthalle - a multi-purpose complex in Vienna that hosts a variety of indoor events such as sports, theatres, and concerts. Since 1974, it has been home to the Vienna Open, which is one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world.
For many years, the Atp Finals qualification spots tend to be decided in the final week of October. And this year's race will likely follow suit with a number of players outside the coveted eight spots still mathematically with a realistic chance of qualifying.
The entry list for the 2023 tournament has been released. Daniil Medvedev spearheads a star-studded lineup at one of the last 500-level events on the calendar.
The tournament will be contested on indoor hard courts at Wiener Stadthalle - a multi-purpose complex in Vienna that hosts a variety of indoor events such as sports, theatres, and concerts. Since 1974, it has been home to the Vienna Open, which is one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world.
For many years, the Atp Finals qualification spots tend to be decided in the final week of October. And this year's race will likely follow suit with a number of players outside the coveted eight spots still mathematically with a realistic chance of qualifying.
The entry list for the 2023 tournament has been released. Daniil Medvedev spearheads a star-studded lineup at one of the last 500-level events on the calendar.
- 9/29/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Carlos Alcaraz was in a situation where he didn't know about his first-round opponent at the 2023 China Open in Beijing, but that has now changed.
After the draw for the 2023 China Open has been made , we found out about multiple first-round blockbusters, such as the one between Holger Rune and Felix Auger-Aliassime, but the Atp 500 draw gave Carlos Alcaraz one of the qualifiers.
That meant that Alcaraz, who recently extended his calendar with an exhibition event , needed to wait for the conclusion of the qualifying at the event, to find out who will he play against in the first round of the tournament, which will mark his debut in China.
The first-round opponents could range from Matteo Arnaldi, who he beat at the US Open , to the likes of Lloyd Harris and J.J. Wolf. But in the end, Alcaraz's first-round opponent will be Germany's Yannick Hanfmann who caused two upsets in the qualifying.
After the draw for the 2023 China Open has been made , we found out about multiple first-round blockbusters, such as the one between Holger Rune and Felix Auger-Aliassime, but the Atp 500 draw gave Carlos Alcaraz one of the qualifiers.
That meant that Alcaraz, who recently extended his calendar with an exhibition event , needed to wait for the conclusion of the qualifying at the event, to find out who will he play against in the first round of the tournament, which will mark his debut in China.
The first-round opponents could range from Matteo Arnaldi, who he beat at the US Open , to the likes of Lloyd Harris and J.J. Wolf. But in the end, Alcaraz's first-round opponent will be Germany's Yannick Hanfmann who caused two upsets in the qualifying.
- 9/27/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The 2023 China Open will be held in Beijing from September 28th to October 4th, and it has one of the strongest Atp 500 draw s of the season.
Although Novak Djokovic didn't sign up for the tournament, the event is still full of talented youngsters and Top 10 players. The leading player is Carlos Alcaraz , who is the top seed at the tournament, and he will start against one of the qualifiers in the first round of the event.
On the other side of the draw is the second-seeded Daniil Medvedev , who defeated the young Spaniard at the US Open , and in Beijing, the Russian will start his journey against Tommy Paul from the United States.
The winner of this match will also face a challenging second-round clash, as the winner of the match will await either Andy Murray or Alex de Minaur . Another interesting matchup in this quarter will see the...
Although Novak Djokovic didn't sign up for the tournament, the event is still full of talented youngsters and Top 10 players. The leading player is Carlos Alcaraz , who is the top seed at the tournament, and he will start against one of the qualifiers in the first round of the event.
On the other side of the draw is the second-seeded Daniil Medvedev , who defeated the young Spaniard at the US Open , and in Beijing, the Russian will start his journey against Tommy Paul from the United States.
The winner of this match will also face a challenging second-round clash, as the winner of the match will await either Andy Murray or Alex de Minaur . Another interesting matchup in this quarter will see the...
- 9/26/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The Atp Tour makes its first pitstop in China in almost four years with the Chengdu Open , one of four tournaments taking centre stage in the autumnal Asia swing.
28 singles players will vie to lift one of the most lucrative Atp 250s on the calendar, led by Top-10 player Alexander Zverev who is making his first trip to the touristic Chinese city of Chengdu.
There are a handful of perennial hard-court specialists in the draw , and the outright tournament favorite could have his work cut out especially if he is not operating at 100% after picking up a muscle injury in his US Open defeat to Carlos Alcaraz .
The top four seeds at the tournament have a bye in the first round. So Alexander Zverev, Lorenzo Musetti , Grigor Dimitrov , and Daniel Evans will learn the identity of their opponents after the first round of action is concluded.
In Zverev's case, he'll...
28 singles players will vie to lift one of the most lucrative Atp 250s on the calendar, led by Top-10 player Alexander Zverev who is making his first trip to the touristic Chinese city of Chengdu.
There are a handful of perennial hard-court specialists in the draw , and the outright tournament favorite could have his work cut out especially if he is not operating at 100% after picking up a muscle injury in his US Open defeat to Carlos Alcaraz .
The top four seeds at the tournament have a bye in the first round. So Alexander Zverev, Lorenzo Musetti , Grigor Dimitrov , and Daniel Evans will learn the identity of their opponents after the first round of action is concluded.
In Zverev's case, he'll...
- 9/18/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Ben Shelton didn't create the phone celebration, but he certainly made it go viral and popular among tennis players.
Since the American started doing it at the US Open, several prominent players have copied it. First, we had Novak Djokovic do it against Shelton after their US Open match, something the youngster apparently found flattering , as explained in the post-match press conference.
He did give him a look during the handshake, so it’s debatable whether he really found it flattering because he seemed quite a bit annoyed by it at the time. His father certainly had some things to say in a recent interview, so the jury's out on that. He was certainly smart enough to downplay it similarly to how Djokovic did .
Since then, we've seen Fabio Fognini do it at a recent Atp challenger event, which many assumed was a message to the Italian Tennis Federation due...
Since the American started doing it at the US Open, several prominent players have copied it. First, we had Novak Djokovic do it against Shelton after their US Open match, something the youngster apparently found flattering , as explained in the post-match press conference.
He did give him a look during the handshake, so it’s debatable whether he really found it flattering because he seemed quite a bit annoyed by it at the time. His father certainly had some things to say in a recent interview, so the jury's out on that. He was certainly smart enough to downplay it similarly to how Djokovic did .
Since then, we've seen Fabio Fognini do it at a recent Atp challenger event, which many assumed was a message to the Italian Tennis Federation due...
- 9/16/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Fabio Fognini was not nominated for the Italian Davis Cup team, and he's quite upset about it as he disclosed on social media.
Fognini has been a stable player for over a decade and played for Italy regularly. The Atp veteran hasn't been at his peak in recent years, but he's still capable of producing some 'throwback' performances. On top of that, the Italian team has some big roster problems as well.
Jannik Sinner withdrew earlier this week , and Matteo Berrettini added his name to the list as well. That leaves a few open spaces, though there are plenty of viable candidates, such as Lorenzo Musetti, Lorenzo Sonego, and Matteo Arnaldi, who broke out at the US Open recently.
Fognini is not a better player than those players right now, but he's got far more experience and is serviceable in doubles, yet he wasn't nominated. The Italian wasn't happy about the exclusion,...
Fognini has been a stable player for over a decade and played for Italy regularly. The Atp veteran hasn't been at his peak in recent years, but he's still capable of producing some 'throwback' performances. On top of that, the Italian team has some big roster problems as well.
Jannik Sinner withdrew earlier this week , and Matteo Berrettini added his name to the list as well. That leaves a few open spaces, though there are plenty of viable candidates, such as Lorenzo Musetti, Lorenzo Sonego, and Matteo Arnaldi, who broke out at the US Open recently.
Fognini is not a better player than those players right now, but he's got far more experience and is serviceable in doubles, yet he wasn't nominated. The Italian wasn't happy about the exclusion,...
- 9/9/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The 2023 Chengdu Open is one of four Atp tournaments taking centre stage on Chinese soil and which will run from September 20th to 26th, offering $1,152,805 in prize money .
It is one of the most lucrative Atp 250s on the tennis calendar with a very competitive field in its fifth edition. The Chengdu Open has a spectacular venue with modern facilities. The centre court's seating capacity stands at 6,000, which is pretty decent for an event of this tournament category.
It is also one of the very few Atp 250s that has a prize money purse in seven digits. Three of the world's Top 20 players will make the trip to China's fourth-most populous city , with Germany's Alexander Zverev being the tournament's star attraction.
It speaks volumes of the tournament's ambitions to welcome one of the world's top players . Zverev will be joined in the 28-player field by a multitude of one-handers including...
It is one of the most lucrative Atp 250s on the tennis calendar with a very competitive field in its fifth edition. The Chengdu Open has a spectacular venue with modern facilities. The centre court's seating capacity stands at 6,000, which is pretty decent for an event of this tournament category.
It is also one of the very few Atp 250s that has a prize money purse in seven digits. Three of the world's Top 20 players will make the trip to China's fourth-most populous city , with Germany's Alexander Zverev being the tournament's star attraction.
It speaks volumes of the tournament's ambitions to welcome one of the world's top players . Zverev will be joined in the 28-player field by a multitude of one-handers including...
- 9/9/2023
- Tennis Infinity
Matteo Berrettini is the second big Italian name after Jannik Sinner, who withdrew from the upcoming Davis Cup Finals.
Italy might have the strongest Davis Cup team when we look at the talent available, but we've yet to see the strongest iteration actually compete. Somebody is always injured, and that's the case this time too, as Matteo Berrettini has withdrawn from the Finals.
It's not a huge surprise considering what happened at the US Open recently, where he was carted off in a wheelchair following a nasty ankle injury. Berrettini posted an update on Instagram that had good and bad parts about it. His injury isn't as bad as it looked, which is good, but he's going to miss the Davis Cup Finals which is a bummer.
Mixed feelings. Positive news following some further tests that my ankle injury did not cause as much damage as originally feared - I have a ruptured ligament.
Italy might have the strongest Davis Cup team when we look at the talent available, but we've yet to see the strongest iteration actually compete. Somebody is always injured, and that's the case this time too, as Matteo Berrettini has withdrawn from the Finals.
It's not a huge surprise considering what happened at the US Open recently, where he was carted off in a wheelchair following a nasty ankle injury. Berrettini posted an update on Instagram that had good and bad parts about it. His injury isn't as bad as it looked, which is good, but he's going to miss the Davis Cup Finals which is a bummer.
Mixed feelings. Positive news following some further tests that my ankle injury did not cause as much damage as originally feared - I have a ruptured ligament.
- 9/7/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The US Open is using AI-powered models to come up with a Power Index at this year's tournament, and the results so far highlight on the downside of this feature.
The concept of Power Rankings in sports can be subjective sometimes because less data may be available or people's overall decision-making could be based on different criteria to determine the player with the highest numerical strength.
Well, at this year's US Open, the use of artificial intelligence means we don't need to work different calculations to determine the Power Rankings for this year's US Open. AI models built with Ibm will assess player performances and analyze specific statistical categories to give a rating they call a Power Index.
At the start of the tournament, Power Rankings create buzz and discussions among tennis fans as they engage in never-ending debates on who they believe should rank higher. But the US Open's...
The concept of Power Rankings in sports can be subjective sometimes because less data may be available or people's overall decision-making could be based on different criteria to determine the player with the highest numerical strength.
Well, at this year's US Open, the use of artificial intelligence means we don't need to work different calculations to determine the Power Rankings for this year's US Open. AI models built with Ibm will assess player performances and analyze specific statistical categories to give a rating they call a Power Index.
At the start of the tournament, Power Rankings create buzz and discussions among tennis fans as they engage in never-ending debates on who they believe should rank higher. But the US Open's...
- 8/28/2023
- Tennis Infinity
The Atp announced the long-rumoured and expected move, the 2023 Next Gen Atp Finals will be held in Saudi Arabia.
From the bustling streets of Milan to the serene Red Sea coastline of Jeddah, the transition marks a new chapter for the Next Gen Atp Finals. The year-end event for players aged 21 and under will be now held at the King Abdullah Sports City from November 28th to December 2nd, 2023.
The move has been rumoured for quite some time , and many players shared what they think about playing in Saudi Arabia. While Andy Murray said he wouldn't play in the country , the current ' Race to Jeddah ' leader, Carlos Alcaraz said that he has no doubts that he will once play in the country .
Since the young Spaniard currently leads the race for the 2023 NextGen Atp Finals, he could technically compete, but that won't happen as he also became the...
From the bustling streets of Milan to the serene Red Sea coastline of Jeddah, the transition marks a new chapter for the Next Gen Atp Finals. The year-end event for players aged 21 and under will be now held at the King Abdullah Sports City from November 28th to December 2nd, 2023.
The move has been rumoured for quite some time , and many players shared what they think about playing in Saudi Arabia. While Andy Murray said he wouldn't play in the country , the current ' Race to Jeddah ' leader, Carlos Alcaraz said that he has no doubts that he will once play in the country .
Since the young Spaniard currently leads the race for the 2023 NextGen Atp Finals, he could technically compete, but that won't happen as he also became the...
- 8/24/2023
- Tennis Infinity
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