Tennis Tips, Tricks And Gear
ATP Rankings: Fritz Top-10 Debut and No. 7 in the Race
The American leads the ranking charge this week after his title in Tokyo. By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday, October 10, 2022
Taylor Fritz continues to thrive at the top of the American men’s food chain. The California Native has enjoyed a wildly successful campaign in 2022, which included his maiden Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells, his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at Wimbledon, and four Top-10 wins.
Thanks to his title in Tokyo this weekend, Fritz rises from No.11 to No.8 in the rankings, making his Top-10 debut. He is the first American to make his Top-10 debut since Jack Sock in November of 2017.
See the complete ATP singles rankings here
“It means so much,” he said of the accomplishment. “Top 10 is always one of those goals you have as a kid. Growing up, it’s a massive milestone. Obviously I want more, I want to go even higher, but, I mean, Top 10 is just a huge achievement that you always dream of.
“And no one can ever take it away from me—I was a Top 10 player.”
"I want more, I want to go even higher, but Top-10 is a huge achievement that you always dream of – no one can ever take it away from me."
— @Taylor_Fritz97 ☺️ pic.twitter.com/rmJrLskoZ1
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 8, 2022
Fritz also jumps to No.7 in the ATP’s Race to Turin, which puts him in position to nab the last available spot for the season-ending championships. But there is still plenty of tennis be played. The ATP Finals roster will be set after the Paris Masters on November 6.
Here is how the current Top-10 in the Race to Turin shapes up (not that Novak Djokovic has already qualified on the strength of his Wimbledon title):
Alcaraz, 6460 (qualified)
Nadal, 5810 (qualified)
Ruud, 4930 (qualified)
Tsitsipas, 4930 (qualified)
Medvedev, 3555
Rublev, 3235
Fritz, 2885
Auger-Aliassime, 2880
Hurkacz, 2725
Djokovic, 2720 (qualified)
Tiafoe Continues to Rise
It’s another career-high for Frances Tiafoe this week as well. The 24-year-old lost to Fritz in the Tokyo final but rises two spots to a career-high 17 in the rankings.
Kwon Biggest Riser
South Korea’s Soonwoo Kwon reminded us all of his talents last week in Tokyo, where he reached his first ATP 500 semifinal. He rises 34 spots back to 86 in the rankings, but is still a world away from his career-high 52.
Top-100 debuts for Emilio Gomez and Pavel Kotov, Career-High for Zapata Miralles and Nakashima
Ecuador’s Emilio Gomez (+4 to 98) and Russia’s Pavel Kotov (+3 to 100) enter the Top-100 on Monday, while Spain’s Bernabe Zapata Miralles jumps six spots to a career-high of 74.
American Brandon Nakashima jumped a spot to a career-high 46 as well, the 21-year-old losing to Borna Coric in the second round at Tokyo.
Stefanos Tsitisipas (+1 to No.5) returned to the Top-20, while Denis Shapovalov (+2 to 20) returned to the Top-20.
Medvedev Back On Track In Astana
Daniil Medvedev showed no ill effects on Tuesday from his opening-round loss in Metz. The second seed bounced back with a 6-3, 6-1 win against Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the first round of the Astana Open.
“The court is pretty slow. Albert is kind of a slow player [tactically], he likes to put the ball in the court. I felt like I didn’t need to force myself to play faster because that could make me miss,” Medvedev said in his on-court interview. “I was a little bit less confident than in my best tournaments, so I knew that I had to start slow and try to get into the rhythm. Finally, great match. Hopefully I can raise my level in the next ones.”
[ATP APP]
The 26-year-old made a nearly flawless debut at the Kazakhstani ATP 500, ousting the former Top 20 player in 79 minutes. Medvedev saved the only break point he faced in the match and won 48 per cent of his return points.
In a clash that featured many lengthy rallies, Medvedev showed great patience to frustrate the Spanish lefty. Ramos-Vinolas even tried to come into the net often to take the second seed out of his comfort zone, but the World No. 4 was undeterred.
Medvedev remained consistent throughout and used a number of drop shots to successfully change the rhythm of points. That helped him break Ramos-Vinolas’ serve four times and set a second-round encounter with Sofia champion Marc-Andrea Huesler or Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori.
The 2020 Nitto ATP Finals champion is also next in line to qualify for the season finale, currently fifth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin. Medvedev is trying to earn his place in the year-end championships for the fourth consecutive year. Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas have already qualified for the event, which will be held at the Pala Alpitour from 13-20 November.
History for Rajeev Ram, who Becomes Doubles No.1
The American, who retired from singles in 2017, had been number two in the rankings for much of the year. By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday, October 4 2022
American Rajeev Ram, a three-time major doubles champion, has become the oldest first-time No.1 in ATP history.
The 38-year-old leapfrogged his partner, Joe Salisbury, on Monday October 3rd to notch the historical milestone.
Proud to be part of this club 💪🏾
Thank you everyone for your support! #WorldNumberOne📸 @CincyTennis
📸 @usopen pic.twitter.com/vun9tAgjGD— Rajeev Ram (@RajeevRam) October 3, 2022
Ram, fresh off winning the US Open title with Salisbury, passes Bob Hewitt, the previous-oldest first-time World No.1, who was 36 in 1976.
“I certainly appreciate that now because I feel like it shows the fact that you can wait long. As long as you’re resilient [and] persistent, things can happen, even much later,” Ram told Andrew Eichenholz of the ATP. “Everyone is on their own path and maybe it’s even a little bit sweeter if it takes a little bit longer.”
Ram is the 57th doubles player to hold the ATP’s No.1 ranking, and the 18th from the United States. He retired from singles in 2017, was a former World No.56. He has been on the rise as a doubles player ever since.
He has qualified for the prestigious ATP Finals on five occasions. Claimed 25 titles on tour, and won 397 doubles matches.
Kyrgios Requests Dismissal of Assault Case on Mental Health Grounds
The Aussie's hearing will be heard on February 3rd.By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday, October 4 2022
Nick Kyrgios and his legal team are in the process of applying to have an assault charge dismissed due to mental health grounds.
The charge against the 27-year-old Aussie relates to an alleged assault in December 2021 on a former partner.
According to the BBC, Kyrgios's lawyer Michael Kukulies-Smith said he was making the application having reviewed his client's "medical history since 2015, including public disclosures of his mental health struggles".
Nick Kyrgios seeks dismissal of assault case on mental health grounds https://t.co/2S6ivyY8TB
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) October 4, 2022
A hearing on the application will take place on February 3.
Kyrgios, currently ranked 20th is in action this week at the Rakuten Open in Tokyo.
“There’s only so much I can control and I’m taking all the steps and dealing with that off the court,” Kyrgios said. “I can only do what I can and I’m here in Tokyo and just trying to play some good tennis, continue that momentum and just try to do my job – and that’s play tennis, play it well. That’s it.”
Silky Sonego Charges To Metz Title
Lorenzo Sonego’s perfect week at the Moselle Open is complete.
The Italian downed seventh seed Alexander Bublik 7-6(3), 6-2 in the championship match in Metz on Sunday to claim his first ATP Tour title of 2022. The 27-year-old’s 87-minute victory ensured he will depart France not having dropped a set at the ATP 250 indoor hard-court event.
“I improved my tennis every day, and I’m really happy for this match and this tournament,” said Sonego after the match. “I like the atmosphere here, it was unbelievable today and yesterday and this week. It’s really tough to play against Alexander, because he is an unbelievable player with an amazing serve, good talent, and it is always tough to play him.”
Appearing in his fifth tour-level final, Sonego crucially recovered 0/40 to hold in the fifth game of the match before edging Bublik in a hard-fought opening set by raising his level in the tie-break. The Italian then kept his composure as Bublik produced an array of trick shots in the second set to seal the win and extend his ATP Head2Head series lead against the Kazakh to 4-0.
“This is an emotional moment for me, because I had a tough year,” said Sonego, who is now 23-24 for the 2022 season. “Now I’m going to enjoy this moment.”
Sunday’s final was Sonego’s first on the ATP Tour since Eastbourne in June 2021, but the Italian showed no sign of nerves as he picked up where he left off in Saturday’s semi-final triumph against second seed Hubert Hurkacz. The Italian struck the ball crisply from deep and was once again impressive on serve, winning 82 per cent (36/44) of points behind his first delivery overall.
[ATP APP]
Bublik had clinched his maiden ATP Tour trophy on French indoor hard courts in Montpellier in February, but the World No. 44 was unable to cap a dream debut week in Metz with a trophy as he struggled to effectively counter against a confident Sonego.
“Big congrats to Lorenzo. It’s always a pleasure to lose against you, as I told you at the net!” joked Bublik at the trophy presentation. “Thanks to my team, thanks to everyone for supporting me and I was happy to be back in the finals in France.”
As well as Bublik, Sonego also defeated seeded players Aslan Karatsev and Hubert Hurkacz in Metz, where he was making his third appearance. Sonego’s run in north-eastern France has propelled the Italian up 21 spots to No. 44 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.
Sonego’s previous Tour titles were won on grass in Antalya in 2019 and clay in Cagliari in 2021. The 27-year-old is the fourth Italian tour-level singles champion of the year, with Matteo Berrettini, Lorenzo Musetti and Jannik Sinner also lifting trophies in 2022.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
“Over a Decade of Incredible Moments” – Djokovic Sends Praise to Federer
The pair had an epic rivalry that spanned 50 matches and 19 finals.
By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday, September 17, 2022
Novak Djokovic sent praise and kind words to his friend and rival Roger Federer after hearing of the Swiss’ imminent retirement this week.
Djokovic, who won 27 of 50 matches against Federer in a breathtaking rivalry that played out from 2006 to 2020, said it was an honor to know Federer on and off the court.
“Roger it’s hard to see this day and put into words all that we’ve shared in this sport together,” the 35-year-old said. “Over a decade of incredible moments and battles to think back on.”
Djokovic and Federer played 19 ATP finals together, including five at the Grand Slam level.
“Your career has set the tone for what it means to achieve excellence and lead with integrity and poise,” he said. “It’s an honor to know you on and off court, and for many more years to come. I know that this new chapter will hold amazing things for you, Mirka, the kids, all your loved ones, and Roger fans still have a lot to look forward to. From our family to yours, we wish you much joy, health, and prosperity in the future. Looking forward to celebrating your achievements and seeing you in London.”
Evans, Brooksby Head San Diego Open Draw
Daniel Evans is top seed for next week's San Diego Open.
Daniel Evans headlines the draw for next week's San Diego Open.
The top-seeded Evans enjoys a first-round bye and will face either Taro Daniel or a qualifier in his opener.
A strong group of Americans including second-seeded Jenson Brooksby, Brandon Nakashima, wild card Brandon Holt, Marcos Giron, J.J. Wolf and Denis Kudla highlight the field.
After a Summer of Struggle, Iga Swiatek Learned to Fly in New York
The Pole's dedication to all elements of her craft saw her through to the title at the 2022 US Open.
By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday, September 10, 2022
Flushing Meadows, NY—Iga Swiatek was struggling mightily on the hard courts this summer, not quite feeling the ball on the hard courts, and in need of confidence and belief to face the biggest challenges that lurked at the US Open.
So what did she do? She took her time.
“For sure I needed more time,” after claiming her third Grand Slam title on Saturday in New York “That's why Toronto and Cincinnati didn't work probably.”
OMG🤩🗽@usopen pic.twitter.com/3JuX2rRNVO
— Iga Świątek (@iga_swiatek) September 10, 2022
Since leaving for the US Open, after going 2-2 at Toronto and Cincinnati, losing in the round of 16 both times, Swiatek has dedicated herself to making technical changes to her game so she can thrive–or at least survive–on the faster playing surfaces and with the faster playing ball in New York.
A better way to say it? She survived to thrive.
The Pole rallied from a set down twice in week two, against Jule Niemeier and Aryna Sabalenka, and showed up on Sunday in the final to do what she does best: dominate.
Swiatek was in stellar form on Sunday against fifth-seeded Jabeur, as she earned the 6-2, 7-6(5) victory to stretch her winning streak in finals and against the Top-10 to ten matches.
Swiatek says she finally felt free on Saturday, because all the hard work she had done during the fortnight allowed her to stop thinking about the technical elements of her tennis and just let it fly.
“I didn't need to think about this technical stuff at the end because I did it for already four weeks, so it kind of got a little bit more natural and I used more intuition,” she said. “That was the thing that actually let me be more free.”
I can play with the best, and I’m capable of winning Grand Slams – Tiafoe Energized after Electric Run in NYC
The 24-year-old wants his breakthrough to be the beginning of something bigger. By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday, September 10, 2022
Flushing Meadows, NY—Frances Tiafoe was edged by Carlos Alcaraz in five thrilling sets in men’s semifinal action in Flushing Meadows on Friday, but the 24-year-old American is upbeat about his future despite the loss.
“I just proved that honestly, I can play with the best obviously, and I'm capable of winning Grand Slams,” Tiafoe said. “I think everyone knew when I play my best what I could do. But you know how close I can actually be to be one of those guys and to do this consistently.”
Tiafoe has had a reputation for concentration lapses in the past, but in New York this week he showed that he can dial it in and play complete matches from start to finish.
It was one of the things that pleased him the most about his run to the semifinals.
"I'm gonna come back and I will win this thing one day. I'm sorry guys." – Frances Tiafoe.
— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) September 10, 2022
“Obviously through my career I've been pretty sporadic of playing well, veering off for a while. I've always backed myself against the best players in the world. I'm doing it on a consistent basis, starting to beat guys more readily. Ready to take the next step.”
Tiafoe became the first American man to reach the semifinals at the US Open since 2006, and he became the first black man to reach the US Open semis since the legend Arthur Ashe.
He wowed the fans in Flushing and showed how well-suited he is for the big stage.
And he also showed that he has staying power at the Slams. He didn’t just knock off 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal in the round of 16, he also backed the win up with a straight sets win over Andrey Rublev to reach his first major semifinal.
“I'm definitely falling in love with the process and doing the work much more,” he said. “I'm working smarter, I'm understanding. I've always, like, tried hard, but get my weaknesses stronger, breaking down my game a lot more, and I am a student of the game again.”
In a way, Tiafoe says, he’s going back to his roots.
“When I was younger, I was a big student of the game. Just get my weaknesses better, just keep trying to get better,” he said. “I always knew to put two weeks together is obviously the toughest thing in the world. That's why only three guys were doing it for so long.”
Iga Swiatek Might Have Been an Underdog in Week One of the US Open, but Not Anymore
The Pole is starting to look like the player to beat in New York. By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday, September 6, 2022
Flushing Meadows, NY—Iga Swiatek—she of the 37-match winning streak earlier this year—surprised to be in the semifinals at the US Open?
Believe it, it’s true.
The World No.1, who defeated Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-6(3) on Wednesday night in Arthur Ashe Stadium, says that she really didn’t expect to make a big result in New York, based on the way she played in Toronto and Montreal.
“Looking logically at the last tournaments, I just didn't know if this one was going to be possible for me to be consistent and to win so many matches in a row,” she told reporters after her win over Pegula.
Swiatek made headlines when she logged a complaint about the fact that the US Open uses different balls for the men and the women, with the women’s ball playing faster and being more difficult to control.
But she has had time to work through those issues, even if she needed several racquet switches against Pegula, as she tried to find the right tension.
She also said the cooler temperatures helped her.
“I think it helped me a lot. I think also the conditions helped me because it was colder today. The ball wasn't flying as much.”
Now that she’s back in the groove and feeling the ball, Swiatek could be hard to stop this weekend.
Quite a difference, given where she was in terms of form two weeks ago.
If there was a silver lining to Swiatek’s struggles in the US Open lead up events, it is that it allowed her to back away from the pressure and feel like an underdog again.
“I feel like I've been playing better and better every week since the start of this swing,” she said. “It surprised me because after the losses that I had in Toronto and Cincinnati, I just wasn't expecting to play so well here. It gave me actually a lot because I could be kind of an underdog again, not maybe fully, but just not expect from myself that I'm going to win everything right now.”
