Tennis

Serbian Novak Djokovic and Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz made fast starts Saturday at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Djokovic raced to a 6-0, 6-1 victory against Australian Matthew Ebden, needing just 53 minutes to reach the second round. The 37-year-old, who is the top seed in Paris, won 63 per cent of his return points and struck 24 winners in front of a packed crowd on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

A 24-time major champion who has spent 428 weeks as World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Djokovic could next play longtime rival Rafael Nadal in a blockbuster second-round clash. Nadal faces Marton Fucsovics in the first round. The 98-time tour-level titlist Djokovic leads Nadal 30-29 in their Lexus ATP Head2Headseries. Djokovic is 5-0 against Fucsovics.

The Belgrade native is making his fifth Olympics appearance, with his best result being a bronze medal in Beijing in 2008.

Second seed Alcaraz defeated Lebanon’s Hady Habib 6-3, 6-1 in the first round. Making his Olympics debut this fortnight, the 21-year-old looks to add to his standout young career, having won 15 tour-level trophies, by becoming the second player to win the Roland Garros men’s singles title and the Olympic men’s singles gold medal in the same year (Rafael Nadal, 2008). The World No. 3 also won in Indian Wells and at Wimbledon this year.

👀 @hardpicstennis #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/q171zUXO5j

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 27, 2024

Up next for Alcaraz is Cameron Norrie or Tallon Griekspoor. The Murcia native will return to court later Saturday as he partners Nadal in doubles (Not before 7 p.m. local time / 1 p.m. Eastern Time).

Seventh seed Taylor Fritz also opened his Paris campaign with a 6-4, 6-4 victory against Alexander Bublik. The American awaits Jack Draper or Kei Nishikori in the second round.

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Matteo Berrettini captured his second consecutive title Saturday at the Generali Open, where he defeated Frenchman Hugo Gaston 7-5, 6-3 in the final. The Italian, who last week lifted the Gstaad trophy, has not dropped a set in his past 10 matches.

The 28-year-old made the best use of high-altitude conditions in Kitzbühel, relying on his booming serve and heavy hitting to overpower Gaston after one hour, 21 minutes.

"I'm just so happy and so tired," said a relieved Berrettini in his on-court interview. "It's been a crazy two weeks, playing I think some of my best level of tennis."

Now a 10-time tour-level titlist, Berrettini struck eight aces and and won 80 per cent (33/41) of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats. Berrettini earned a crucial break at 5-5 in the opener before gaining a one-set advantage behind his own delivery and racing to a double-break lead in the second. Despite dropping serve when serving for the match at 5-2, Berrettini quickly recovered to capture the clay ATP 250. 

"I was happy that I had the double break. In tennis, you never know. A little bit of tension, he played a great game," Berrettini said. "I was focussed, I kept doing what I was doing well, hitting the ball well, hitting the ball aggressive in important moments."

Following his third title of the season, Berrettini is up 10 spots to No. 40 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. He is one of three players to win a trio of titles this season, alongside countryman Jannik Sinner (4) and Carlos Alcaraz (3). Berrettini boasts a 21-5 season record. 

File under: Berrettini wholesome moments ☺️📂@MattBerrettini | #GeneraliOpen pic.twitter.com/gZyWwhU21x

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 27, 2024

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During the second rain delay of Shang Juncheng’s Atlanta Open quarter-final against Max Purcell Friday evening, the #NextGenATP star was not stressing over where Purcell would serve when play resumed. Something else was on the 19-year-old’s mind: ice cream!

“We try to keep a fun environment, but keeping myself focused. We talked about eating ice cream after the tournament,” Shang said during his on-court interview, cracking a laugh. “There's a shop right over there. After the tournament if I do really good, and I feel good, I might go so maybe see you guys there!”

Shang leaps into victory ✨⏭️🌈

The wins continue for Shang taking the win against Purcell 7-6(3) 6-4 @ATLOpenTennis | #AtlantaOpen pic.twitter.com/i4CQU2TETN

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 27, 2024

Shang is performing plenty well this week to earn it. The teen defeated Purcell 7-6(3), 6-4 despite two rain delays to reach the second ATP Tour semi-final of his budding career. Earlier this season, he made the last four in Hong Kong.

The Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF contender led 5/2 in the first-set tie-break when play was suspended due to rain. The weather struck again at 4-4, deuce in the second set.

Purcell had breezed through his service games for most of the second set. But upon resumption, Shang attacked his opponent’s forehand to earn the pivotal break and then held before rain could wreak any more havoc.

“I think [there were] tough conditions. It rained twice and especially the first time in the tie-break was crucial and I think I kept my mind together, played really good tennis,” Shang said. “Max has been playing good on the grass lately. [It was] just a super good match and happy to be through.”

Shang, who ousted top seed Ben Shelton Thursday, will next play Jordan Thompson, who earned a historic victory earlier Friday.

The fourth seed eliminated the fifth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3 in three hours and three minutes, making their Atlanta Open quarter-final the longest match in tournament history.

“I feel like I've played the longest match in tournament history. It was brutally hot. There wasn't much cloud cover today,” Thompson said. “So if you're playing at two o'clock, middle of the day, not much cloud cover, it was pretty, pretty tough.”

Davidovich Fokina saved 12 of the 14 break points he faced according to Infosys ATP Stats, but his toughness under pressure was not enough. Thompson was persistent to reach his fourth ATP Tour semi-final of the season.

Entering the year, the Australian had reached four tour-level semi-finals. He has doubled his count in 2024 and is now two wins from claiming his second title of the year (Los Cabos).

“Jerry is just a really, really good player, left-hander, young fella, and he's coming up,” Thompson said. “He feels like he's got nothing to lose, and he's playing that way.”

Yoshihito Nishioka took out home favourite Frances Tiafoe, the third seed, 7-6(2), 6-2 to reach his first semi-final of the year. This was only his second quarter-final of 2024.

The Japanese lefty, a two-time ATP Tour titlist, will play Arthur Rinderknech for a place in the final. The Frenchman hit 21 aces to oust Italian Mattia Bellucci 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-1 in two hours and 23 minutes.

Nishioka had lost his first three Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings against Tiafoe, only losing one set in those matches. But in Atlanta he faced just one break point to advance after 84 minutes.

Did You Know?
If Shang defeats Thompson in the semi-finals, he will climb to second in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah.

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Of the 40 countries represented at Paris 2024 Olympics men's tennis event, Lebanon is the only one with no prior representation in the field.

But last month, Benjamin Hassan was notified that he would have the honour of becoming one of the first tennis players to represent Lebanon in the Olympics, alongside countryman Hady Habib, whom faces four-time major champion Carlos Alcaraz in the first round.

The 29-year-old Hassan is among the field of 64 singles players via a ‘University Place’, which awards one spot, in both men’s and women’s, to nations that are under-represented in the Olympic Games. He will also partner Habib in doubles.

“When I first heard it, I couldn’t believe it. It was unbelievable for me because it was very spontaneous,” Hassan told ATPTour.com. “I heard before that they have some spots for players, but I wasn’t sure what kind of rule it was or if I could use that. I asked my Federation if they can check and they told me, ‘Look Benjamin, we are very late. Probably not going to work out.’

“I thought, ‘Okay, there’s no chance, but at least I tried.’ I think a few days before the Stuttgart [ATP 250] tournament, I got the information. I was really happy.”

To understand how Hassan has reached this point takes revisiting his past. Hassan’s father, Zaki, fled the Lebanon War in the early 1980s and emigrated to Germany, where he later met his wife, Fadia, who also is from Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon.

Though Benjamin was born and raised in Germany, he also holds Lebanese citizenship. He has proudly represented Lebanon in Davis Cup action since 2018.

“Lebanon is a very beautiful country. Very small. You have the mountains where you can ski, you have the beach, you can do it all in one day, a two hour drive. You have perfect nightlife, amazing food. I enjoy it every time I go there,” said Hassan, who faces Christopher Eubanks in the opening round of the Olympics.

One of 10 Lebanese athletes in the Paris Olympic Games, Hassan developed a passion for tennis alongside his father, a former Davis Cup player from the Middle Eastern country. Despite Hassan's early dreams of a professional tennis career, he faced challenges as a teenager, finding it difficult to dedicate himself fully to the sport.

“I think from 13 to 22, it was not in my mind anymore. I was studying in Germany, I really didn’t have it in my mind. I was a hobby player who played once a week just for fun,” Hassan said. “When I was a teenager, I was not interested in becoming a professional tennis player. It just didn’t catch me. I don’t know what it was, but I was really not into it.

“I was playing for fun with friends. I didn’t practise, didn’t do fitness, this kind of stuff. For that amount of practice, I was still really good, but far away from competing in professional tennis. Then I came back at 22.”

The one-time ‘hobby player’ can now officially call himself an Olympian. One month removed from hitting his career-high No. 143 in the PIF ATP Rankings, the three-time ATP Challenger Tour finalist credits that minor-league-esque level as a key stepping stone to where he is today.

“End of 2017, 2018, I started with Futures. I played very well from the beginning, two finals, won a title. And I had the ranking around 400, 500. I wanted to go directly to Challengers. It took me a lot of years to adapt to that level because the level was so good. I had tough matches there,” Hassan said.

“I just remember struggling for a long time because the level was too good for me, even though I won Futures. You can see so many good guys in the Top 100 now who played a lot of Challengers and are still playing Challengers. The level is not that far from what we see on television.”

This month’s trip to Paris will already be memorable for Hassan, who hopes his parents and some of his four siblings can make the trip from Germany. And should a chance come to train with one of the sport’s superstars, it would only add to this exclusive trip of a lifetime.

“I’ve never in my career practised with the big names like Alcaraz, Nadal, Djokovic, Zverev,” said Hassan. “I’ve seen them a lot at tournaments, but I’ve never practised with them. I would like to this time.”

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Tennis gets underway at the Paris 2024 Olympics this Saturday and all eyes will be on the doubles pairing of Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, dubbed 'Nadalcaraz', playing in Spanish colours.

“It’s an iconic image that could define an era,” explained Carlos Moyà, Nadal’s coach. “I watched the two training sessions they’ve had from the courtside and I had a great time. You see Rafa with his experience and charisma. And then you see Carlos, kind of like Rafa was aged 20 or 21, very expressive and effusive… Hopefully they can keep going because it’s a partnership that tennis fans can fall in love with.”

Nadal and Alcaraz go into their first-round match against the Argentines Máximo González and Andrés Molteni after completing two doubles training sessions together: on Wednesday they won 6-4, 3-0 against Marcel Granollers and Pablo Carreño Busta and on Friday they were victorious again against the other Spanish pair by 6-3.

“It’s not just about understanding each other,” Nadal stressed. “We need to play doubles well individually. We’ve played very little doubles: Carlos hasn’t played for a long time and I played for two days last week, in Bastad. We have to make the doubles movements automatic, they’re completely different to those of a singles match,” the two-time Olympic medallist added.

“We have to know where to return, select the right shot in each situation… With each game, we’ve felt better and better, more comfortable all-round. We’ll make mistakes from time to time. I doubt our opponents will: they know their roles, and we’ll have to face that from the start. We’re very excited and very focused on giving ourselves the best chance.”

From Centre Court to Centre Stage 💫

In a city that has been so special to him, all eyes are on you Rafa... what a moment ❤️
@RafaelNadal | @olympics pic.twitter.com/erAnKzpVP6

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 26, 2024

Nadal knows what it means to win a gold medal solo (Beijing 2008) and also in company, which he did with Marc López at the Rio 2016 Olympics. The challenge now is to do it again with a 21-year-old partner who has taken the circuit by storm, winning four Grand Slam titles and becoming the  youngest No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

“Carlos is a brilliant player all-round,” Nadal said in praise of him. “His fitness sets him apart: when you reach the ball in good time and with power, because you move quickly, it allows the talent in your hand to shine much more. Right now, because of his youth and physical power, he has the time to do it in situations in which I can’t get there anymore, and that sets him apart.

“It doesn’t surprise me at all because I know him and I’ve seen him play,” Nadal continued. “I think he’s a player destined to be one of the all-time greats. That’s what I sense when I see him play. You don’t know what will happen in life, but in terms of tennis and talent he has everything he needs to stay at the top.”

The time has come: ‘Nadalcaraz’ is set for its much-anticipated debut in Paris.

ATPTour.com continues it series paying tribute to Andy Murray as the former World No. 1 readies for his final tournament, the Olympic Tennis Event.

There was rarely a dull moment when Andy Murray stepped onto a tennis court.

The Briton will be remembered as one of the most resilient and defiant fighters the ATP Tour has ever seen. A natural competitor who also possessed one of the most effective counter-punching games in the world, the emotions Murray conveyed as he played encouraged millions of fans to live every shot, every rally, and every match with him.

To celebrate the end of his esteemed career, ATPTour.com looks back on 10 of Murray’s most memorable on-court moments.

1. San Jose, 2006: Teenage Murray beats former No. 1s for first Tour title
Murray announced himself as one of the world’s most promising teenagers in 2005. He reached the third round at both the Queen’s Club and Wimbledon, his second and third tour-level events, respectively, before reaching his first ATP Tour final later that year in Bangkok, where he fell to World No. 1 Roger Federer.

Despite starting 2006, his first full season on the ATP Tour, with just two wins in his first six matches, Murray soon gave a reminder of his potential with a milestone performance in February at an indoor ATP 250 event in San Jose, California. The then-18-year-old beat Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt, both Grand Slam champions and former World No. 1s, back-to-back to clinch his maiden ATP Tour trophy.

“Obviously I was pretty happy,” said Murray, who remains the youngest Briton to win a tour-level singles title, when asked about his reaction on championship point. “I was probably in a bit more shock when I won against Roddick, to be honest, because it was my first win against somebody of that standard. Then I had a little bit more confidence going into the final.”

_{^{A teenage Murray in action against Andy Roddick during his 2006 San Jose title run. Photo Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images}}

2. Cincinnati, 2008: Masters 1000 breakthrough
Murray had reached four ATP Masters 1000 semi-finals but was made to wait until August 2008 for his first championship-match appearance at that level. After beating Ivo Karlovic in the last four at the Cincinnati Open, the Scot did not let his chance go to waste as he overcame his rival Novak Djokovic in a pair of tie-breaks to claim the biggest title of his career at that point.

“It's huge to win your first sort of major tournament, and to do it in a match like today makes it more special,” reflected Murray after his 7-6(4), 7-6(5) triumph. “I've been in semi-finals four times before this week and lost every time against tough players. This week I played well the whole week… I put in a lot of work off the court to be able to win these sorts of tournaments, and it makes it all worthwhile.”

It was the first of 14 Masters 1000 titles for Murray, a tally which places him fifth on the all-time list behind only Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Federer and Andre Agassi. He won the title at seven of the nine Masters 1000 tournaments, with only the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters missing from his resume.

_{^{Murray celebrates after winning his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati in 2008. Photo Credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images}}

3. London Olympics, 2012: Mastering Federer on grass
London 2012 offered Murray the rarest of opportunities — to compete at a home Olympics in the prime of his career — and the then-World No. 4 grabbed it with both hands on the lawns of the All England Club. The 25-year-old dropped just two sets across six matches as he charged to the Olympic title in style.

The scenes were in stark contrast to those at the same venue just over a month earlier, when Murray had fallen agonisingly short of Wimbledon glory with a four-set final defeat to Federer. Murray’s tears during his runner’s up speech that day only endeared him further to a British public desperate for an end to its 35-year wait for a Grand Slam singles champion.

Murray appeared to have all-but-forgotten that disappointment by the time the Olympics came around. In the best-of-five-sets gold medal match, Murray dismantled Federer, by then already a seven-time Wimbledon champion, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4. He hammered an ace down the T on match point to complete a remarkable victory and send the Centre Court crowd into raptures.

“You see how much it means to all of the athletes when they do it, how much work goes into it,” said Murray, who later defended his title in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 to become the only player with two men’s singles Olympic gold medals, after his emotional win in London. “The atmosphere in all of the stadiums, when everyone's won gold medals in all of the sports, everyone's just been so happy and pumped. I'm just glad I've been able to contribute to that.”

_{^{Murray wins the first of his two Olympic gold medals men's singles at London 2012. Photo Credit: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images}}

4. US Open, 2012: Murray’s maiden major
The US Open was the setting for Murray’s first Grand Slam final appearance. He fell to Federer in the 2008 final, a loss that began four years of heartache that included three championship-match losses and six semi-final defeats at the majors.

It was also at Flushing Meadows where Murray, a man long dubbed by many as ‘too good not to win a major’, finally got over the line on the biggest stage. The addition of ATP Tour great Ivan Lendl to his team at the start of 2012 appeared to have installed an extra mental edge in the Briton, and that was on full display as he outlasted Djokovic for an epic 7-6(10), 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2 victory across four hours and 54 minutes in New York.

“I was obviously very emotional. I cried a little bit on the court,” said Murray when asked what winning a Grand Slam had felt like. “You're not sad, you're incredibly happy. You're in a little bit of disbelief, because when I have been in that position many times before and not won, you do think, is it ever going to happen? Then when it finally does, you're obviously very, very excited. [I’m] mainly relieved to have got over that, that last hurdle.”

Murray was the first British major winner since Virigina Wade at Wimbledon in 1977 and the first men’s singles winner from his country since Fred Perry won the US Open 76 years earlier in 1936. The Scot never made the championship match in New York again but remained a consistent performer at the Slams — his 11 finals were spread across all four majors, including five at the Australian Open.

_{^{Murray became the first British major singles champion in 35 years at the 2012 US Open. Photo Credit: Don Emmert/AFP via Getty Images}}

5. Wimbledon, 2013: Breaking Britain’s duck
An entire nation was glued to its TV screens on a sunny July afternoon in 2013 as Murray finally ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a Wimbledon men’s singles champion. He did it with a 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 victory against World No. 1 Djokovic, although what was ultimately a commanding straight-sets win may have felt more like a trademark Murray nailbiter for many home fans.

Djokovic reeled off four games in a row from 0-2 in the third set, before Murray responded with a four-game streak of his own to close out his win. Djokovic netted a backhand on the Briton’s fourth championship point to send Centre Court into ecstasy and immediately etch Murray’s name into British sporting folklore. Some of Murray’s post-match words reflected the sheer scale of expectation he had met by becoming a home champion at the grass-court Grand Slam.

“For the past four or five years, it's been very, very tough, very stressful, a lot of pressure,” said Murray. “ It's just kind of everywhere you go. It's so hard to avoid everything because of how big this event is, but also because of the history and no Brit having won. I think now it will become easier.”

Three years later, Murray certainly made it appear so. He dropped just two sets the entire fortnight as he overcame Milos Raonic for the 2016 title at the All England Club, where he ultimately finished his career with a 61-13 singles record.

^{_{Murray reacts to ending Britain's 77-year wait for a WImbledon men's singles champion in 2013. Photo Credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images}}

6. Davis Cup, 2015: Guiding GB to glory
Murray also helped Britain break another of its sporting ducks in 2015, when he spearheaded the country’s charge to its first Davis Cup crown in 79 years. The 28-year-old won all three rubbers he played in the final against Belgium in Ghent, including a doubles victory alongside his brother Jamie Murray.

“I've been pretty upset having lost matches before, but I'd say that's probably the most emotional I've been after a win,” said Murray after dispatching David Goffin in straight sets to seal Britain’s 3-1 final win. “It's incredible that we managed to win this competition. I didn't know that would ever be possible. It's great.”

Murray went a perfect 8-0 across his Davis Cup singles matches in 2015, the most in a single year by any player in competition history alongside John McEnroe (the American was 8-0 in 1983). He finished his Davis Cup career with a 33-3 singles record, the third-most wins for any Briton behind only 1930s stars Bunny Austin and Fred Perry, while he was 9-7 in doubles rubbers.

_{^{Murray in doubles action alongside his brother Jamie during the 2015 Davis Cup final. Photo Credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images}}

7. Nitto ATP Finals, 2016: Murray tops the tennis mountain
The years of hard work and battling to keep up with the ‘Big 3’ of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic came to fruition in 2016 for Murray, who put together a stunning late-season charge to rise to World No. 1 for the first time and finish as ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF.

As it turned out, Murray needed every single one of the 24 consecutive wins with which he concluded his season to deny Djokovic top spot before 2016 was done. Murray won five of his nine titles for the year back-to-back across October and November, with his victories in Beijing, Shanghai, Vienna and Paris ensuring he rose to World No. 1 for the first time ahead of the Nitto ATP Finals.

Murray knew he had to lift the trophy with a perfect 5-0 record at the prestigious season finale in London to prevent Djokovic from reclaiming World No. 1 status. He did just that, defeating Djokovic with a dazzling performance in a championship match that marked the first time in ATP Tour history that the year-end No. 1 honour was on the line in the last match of the season.

Djokovic had been bidding for his fifth straight Nitto ATP Finals title but proved no match for Murray, who delivered a near-flawless display in his 6-3, 6-4 victory to finish the year as the world’s top player. The Briton went on to hold the World No. 1 spot for 41 consecutive weeks.

_{^{Andy Murray ends 2016 as No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Photo Credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images}}

8. Australian Open, 2019: A false farewell
Murray’s time as World No. 1 was cut cruelly short by a hip injury, and the Briton did not compete for nearly a year after Wimbledon in 2017. After undergoing surgery on the problem, he played six tournaments in 2018, but he was still playing through pain by the time he arrived in Melbourne for the 2019 Australian Open.

The three-time major winner stunned fans in an emotional pre-tournament press conference, where he suggested he could be about to play the final event of his career. With uncertainty surrounding whether it could be his last tour-level match, or at the very least his final appearance in Australia, Murray took to John Cain Arena for a first-round clash with Roberto Bautista Agut.

If this was to be the end, Murray ensured it would be a memorable finish. Despite being visibly hindered in his movement, he rallied from two sets down to force Bautista Agut into a deciding set, a valiant reminder of the Briton’s resilience and desire to compete. The in-form Spaniard ultimately proved too strong and prevailed 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-2 but, as ever, Murray had left everything he had on the court.

_{^{A tearful Murray reveals he is contemplating retirement at the 2019 Australian Open. Photo Credit: Scott Barbour/Getty Images}}

9. Antwerp, 2019: Another Murray miracle
Just 10 months after that sombre press conference in Melbourne, Murray was remarkably back in the winners’ circle on the ATP Tour after he beat Stan Wawrinka to win an indoor ATP 250 in Antwerp. The Briton was competing in just his sixth tour-level event since undergoing hip resurfacing surgery, an operation that had enabled him to return to competing at the top level.

“This is one of the biggest wins I’ve had, after everything,” said Murray after his battling 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 final win in Belgium. “[The] last few years have been extremely difficult. Me and Stan have had a lot of injury problems in the last couple of years. Amazing to be back playing against him in a final like that.”

It was Murray’s 46th and final tour-level singles title, a tally that places the Briton in 15th on the all-time list (in the Open Era). He won the most trophies at the Queen’s Club, where he is a record five-time champion and where he also lifted one of his three ATP Tour doubles crowns.

_{^{Murray with Stan Wawrinka in 2019 after claiming his 46th and final tour-level title in Antwerp. Photo Credit: John Thys/Belga/AFP via Getty Images}}

10. Australian Open, 2023: Comeback king
Has the ATP Tour ever seen a more determined competitor, no matter the situation, than Murray? Renowned for his ability to dig deep and forge victories from the most unlikely of positions, the Briton seemed determined to consistently keep fans on the edge of their seats.

His penchant for a comeback on the big stage is reflected in one of Murray’s most impressive records. He came back from two-sets-to-love down to win a record 11 times during his career — 10 of those victories came at Grand Slams, and one in the Davis Cup.

He saved arguably the most miraculous recovery of all for last. At the 2023 Australian Open, Murray trailed home favourite Thanasi Kokkinakis by two sets and 3-5 before pulling off a 4-6, 6-7(4), 7-6(5), 6-3, 7-5 win at 4:05 a.m. in Melbourne. At five hours and 45 minutes it was his longest professional match and was made all the more remarkable by the fact he had also outlasted Matteo Berrettini in five sets just two days earlier.

"I have done it before. I have experience of it. I just rely on that experience and drive,” said Murray, who finished his career with a 28-14 record in five-set matches, after beating Kokkinakis. “That fight and love for the game and competing, and my respect for this event and the competition, that is why I kept going.”

_{^{Murray pumps himself up during his epic 2023 Australian Open win against Thansi Kokkinakis. Photo Credit: William West/AFP via Getty Images}}

Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams were centre stage for the lighting of the Olympic cauldron Friday night in Paris, as the world's eyes turned to the City of Lights for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics.

Nadal, who has won 14 of his 22 Grand Slams titles in Paris at Roland Garros, received the Olympic flame from French football legend Zinedine Zidane before boarding a boat on the Seine, where he was joined by Williams, nine-time gold medallist Carl Lewis and five-time gold medallist Nadia Comaneci.

From Centre Court to Centre Stage 💫

In a city that has been so special to him, all eyes are on you Rafa... what a moment ❤️
@RafaelNadal | @olympics pic.twitter.com/erAnKzpVP6

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 26, 2024

The quartet then handed off to French tennis great and Roland Garros tournament director Amelie Mauresmo, who carried the torch to the Louvre. French judoka Teddy Riner and former French track and field star Marie-Josée Pérec had the honour of lighting the unique cauldron, which resmbled an ascending balloon in tribute to the first 'aerostatic' flight by the Montgolfier brothers at Versailles in 1783.

Nadal a former Olympic gold medallist in singles (2008) and doubles (2016 w/ Marc Lopez) and former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, is in action on day one of the Olympic Tennis Event Saturday, partnering Carlos Alcaraz in doubles.

Zinedine Zidane hands the Olympic Torch to Rafael Nadal during Friday evening's Opening Ceremony in Paris. Photo: Getty Images

Hugo Gaston and Sebastian Ofner entered the week having played one another three times in professional matches. In Kitzbühel, they clashed in a Lexus ATP Head2Head Challenge for the first time.

Which player was able to hit the most targets in the 60 seconds allotted?

"This one will be very special. It will have a special place at my home," the winner said as he looked at his trophy.

Watch the full video above to find out who emerged victorious.

Also watch Saturday not before 1 p.m. local time when Gaston tries to secure his first ATP Tour title in the final of the Generali Open. Competing in his second tour-level final (2021 Gstaad), the lefty will face former No. 6 in the PIF ATP Rankings Matteo Berrettini for the ATP 250 crown. It will be the pair's first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting.

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The competition for PIF ATP Rankings points will be fierce at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington next week, where Andrey Rublev, Ben Shelton and Karen Khachanov will be the top three seeds.

Since there are no points up for grabs at the Paris Olympics, the Washington competitors have an opportunity to make a move with a deep run.

Before each tournament week, ATPTour.com looks at three players who might be good selections for fans in the PIF ATP Rankings Predictor.

Make Your Picks Now!

Ben Shelton — replacing 0 points
Shelton lost his opening match of the American summer on Thursday in Atlanta, but there is reason to believe the lefty is positioned well for a bounceback week in Washington.

Firstly, Shelton is on the opposite half of the ATP 500 draw as #NextGenATP lefty Shang Juncheng, who has defeated him in the past two years in Atlanta and last year in Washington. The second-seeded Shelton will face Facundo Diaz Acosta or a qualifier in his opening match.

Despite his early exit in Atlanta, the 21-year-old will still be confident after reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon and pushing World No. 1 Jannik Sinner to a tie-break in the final set of their clash. Shelton's booming lefty serve should help him hold serve on the quick Washington courts and find his match rhythm as he tries to pick up steam on home soil.

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard — replacing 0 points
One of the biggest stories of Wimbledon was the emergence of 21-year-old Mpetshi Perricard, who entered the main draw as a lucky loser and took advantage by advancing to the fourth round.

The Frenchman, who claimed his first ATP Tour title in May in Lyon, showed that his serve is already one of the most dangerous weapons on the Tour. He crushed 51 aces to defeat Sebastian Korda in the first round of The Championships.

Already No. 47 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Mpetshi Perricard has room to continue pushing forward because he is replacing a zero-point tournament in his rankings breakdown.

Alex Michelsen — replacing 16 points
Michelsen will be one of the most confident players in Washington on the back of his run to the Newport final.

Last year, the #NextGenATP American did not compete in the United States' capital. The 19-year-old is the 15th seed and will play countryman Mackenzie McDonald or a qualifier in his opening match.

Michelsen has earned 16 of his 23 tour-level wins this season and will try to add to his tally.

Bonus Ball — Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
One year ago, Mpetshi Perricard had not yet cracked the Top 200 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Now he is Top 50 and signs point towards a continued ascent.

The Frenchman will face a tough test in his opening match against former Top 10 player Borna Coric or big-hitting Finn Emil Ruusuvuori. But if the ninth seed brings the same level to Washington he did to Wimbledon, he will be a difficult man to beat at the ATP 500 event.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

Lorenzo Musetti has successfully adapted his all-court game from the grass of Wimbledon to the clay of Umag, charging into the final of the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag with a dominant win over Czech teen Jakub Mensik Friday night.

In his first appearance since reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals earlier this month, the 22-year-old Italian led from start to finish against the #NextGenATP star, converting all five break point chances that came his way, according to Infosys Stats.

In Saturday's final the World No. 16 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings will face Argentine Francisco Cerundolo, who upset top seed Andrey Rublev 7-6(6), 6-4.

“Jakub is a really great player, I saw a lot of myself when I was in his position, making the first results in the ATP Tour,” said Musetti, who has won 15 of his past 18 matches. “He was playing really great tennis but I think tonight I played at my best level and it was a convincing game from my side.

“Of course it is a positive period for me, but I try not to forget what there is behind it. There have been so many up and downs in my career; in the last three years a lot of things changed in my life. Whenever you don’t expect something, it happens, so you have to be ready to take the chances and I think I’m taking all the chances that life and tennis is giving me.”

Musetti has dropped just three matches dating back to the start of the grass season. He is chasing his third title and first since defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the Hamburg final in 2022.

Cerundolo saved five of six break points faced against Rublev to advance to his fifth tour-level final. He seeks his first title since winning Eastbourne more than a year ago. He improved to 9-11 against Top 10 players. 

“I’m super happy of course, Andrey’s an incredible player, Top 10,” Cerundolo said.

“I’ve been loving this country so far, I’ve played nine matches [including matches on the Challenger Tour] and won them all, so hopefully I can end my week tomorrow with another win and another title in Croatia – a second of two [Challenger Tour title in Split, 2020], so hopefully I can get it.”

Doubles Final
Fourth seeds Guido Andreozzi of Argentina and Miguel Reyes-Varela from Mexico claimed their first team title when they defeated Frenchmen Manuel Guinard and Gregoire Jacq 6-4, 6-2 in the final of the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag Friday night.

Appearing in their first tour-level final as a team, Andreozzi and Reyes-Varela topped their previous best result of a semi-final showing in Marrakech earlier this year.

Winner of ATP Challenger Tour titles in Naples and Perugia this season, the duo last week fell in the first round of Bastad to Rafael Nadal and Casper Ruud.

Andreozzi, 32, was playing in his first ATP Tour final, after saving two match points to defeat Eysseric/Luz in the quarter-finals. He owns 36 Challenger doubles titles, including three this season.

Reyes-Varela, 37, improved to 2-3 in ATP Tour doubles finals, capturing his first title at 2018 Los Cabos (w/Arevalo) and reaching finals of 2018-19 Newport (w/Arevalo) and 2022 Seoul (w/Barrientos).

Australian No. 1 Alex de Minaur will make his Olympics debut in Paris. The 25-year-old is enjoying a career-best season in which he has risen to No. 6 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

ATPTour.com sat down with the Sydney native to learn his favourite Olympic athlete and which sport De Minaur did not inherit from his Aussie upbringing.

Which Olympic sport would you like to watch the most?
I would love to watch basketball. Obviously football. Swimming has always been a very strong sport for Australia and I guess probably athletics as well.

Is there an Olympic sport you think you would not be well suited to compete in?
Swimming. Anything to do with swimming, I struggled. I've tried to do it in a couple of preseasons in the past and it's something I did not enjoy. I found it very, very hard.

Who is your favourite Olympic athlete who is not a tennis player?
I’m going to go with [Australian basketballer] Patty Mills.

What Olympic sport do you think defines Australia?
I think it's got to be swimming. I think we've had a lot of success in the past in swimming.

Do you have an earliest memory watching the Olympics?
I was at the Sydney Olympics, but I don't really recall that because I was quite young. I've got photos of me being there. So that's my earliest recollection.

How excited are you to play in the Olympics and represent your country?
Super excited. Always been a dream. And I’m looking forward to doing it.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

Let there be no doubt: Matteo Berrettini is back!

The 28-year-old Italian, who in March was floundering outside the Top 150 of the PIF ATP Rankings,  advanced to his second ATP 250 final in as many weeks Friday when he defeated Yannick Hanfmann 6-4, 6-4 in the Generali Open semi-finals in Kitzbuhel.

Berrettini dropped just four points on his first serve and saved the lone break point he faced according to Infosys ATP Stats.

“I feel really good. Obviously I feel tired in the way that I have had a lot of matches on my shoulders, but it’s a good feeling,” Berrettini said. “It’s not tired that I cannot play anymore, it’s tired that I’m pushing myself and this is what I was looking to before the tournament, hoping to have as many matches as possible.

“It’s been a great two weeks and hopefully tomorrow’s going to be another title; that’s what I’m going to try to do.”

Chasing his 10^th final and third of the season, the former World No. 6 faces a first-time Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting in Saturday’s championship match (1 p.m. CEST) with Frenchman Hugo Gaston. The crafty left-hander was leading Facundo Diaz Acosta 6-1, 2-0 when the Argentine retired with a right knee injury.

Berrettini, who has won five career titles on clay, has surged to No. 46 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings this week and could rise to No. 40 with the title.

Gaston came into the tournament with just five match wins on the year but has risen 31 spots to No. 60 in the live standings. He will chase his first ATP Tour title in his second final (Gstaad, 2021).

The former World No. 2 junior saved two match points against top seed Sebastian Baez in the semi-finals.

”I feel pretty good on court, physically, mentally, my game and my shots and everything are feeling really good and really strong, so I’ve got really got confidence,” Gaston said. “But you have to win every point and you have to win the last one if you want to drink the champagne so I try to leave my best on court and for the moment this week it’s not bad.”

A deep-thinking statesman known for his dry and self-deprecating humour off the court and fighting spirit on it, Andy Murray has long been one of the most popular figures on the ATP Tour. The Briton has often used social media as a way to give fans a glimpse into his personal life, with humour regularly at the centre of his posts.

As ATPTour.com celebrates the career of the former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings during his final tournament appearance at the Paris Olympics, we look back at 10 of our favourite Murray moments through the years.

1. Mauresmo coaching stint highlights support for women’s tennis
Throughout his career, Murray has been a staunch supporter of women in sport. After he brought on former WTA No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo as his coach in 2014, the negative reactions to the appointment gave him even deeper appreciation for the challenges women face in tennis and across the sporting landscape.

The groundbreaking appointment made Murray the first male player of his stature to work with a lead female coach. While it was a natural fit for Murray — whose mother, Judy, was his first coach — many outsiders were quick to criticise the Frenchwomen for any of his struggles. 

“Since then, I have been asked about women's equality and I would find it hard to look any of the top female tennis players in the eye if I did not speak my mind,” Murray wrote in a 2017 BBC essay.

Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images

The Briton has made a habit of correcting journalists who neglect the achievements of women in tennis, including at Wimbledon in 2017, when he gruffly reminded a reporter that Sam Querrey was the first “male player” from the U.S. to reach a major semi-final since 2009.

More recently, Murray has frequently used his platform on X, formerly known as Twitter, to highlight the women of the WTA Tour — with praise for Mirra Andreeva and Noami Osaka notable among recent examples.

"Have I become a feminist?" Murray wrote in a 2015 L'equipe column. "Well, if being a feminist is about fighting so that a woman is treated like a man then yes, I suppose I have."

Anyone put their heart on their sleeve and fight harder than @andy_murray ? 🥺🙏🏾🔥 https://t.co/c6G2SA2Ycx

— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) January 19, 2022

2. “Marriage Works!”
Donning a traditional Scottish kilt, Murray married longtime girlfriend Kim Sears in his hometown of Dunblane in April of 2015. Tim Henman was among the few celebrity guests at the low-key affair.

Immediately following the nuptials, Murray won back-to-back titles in Munich and Madrid. Upon beating Rafael Nadal to win the Madrid title in May, he famously wrote “Marriage Works!” on the camera lens after maintaining his undefeated record as a married man. 

“It has been nice and a lot of people have spoken about the honeymoon period," Murray said at the time. "But we've been together a very long time and getting married was the next step.

“I've always said if the personal stuff is happy and under control, that helps your performance on the court.”

Photo by Alex B. Huckle/Getty Images

3. Living up to the billing at the BBC Sports Personality Awards
Murray is the first and only athlete to win three BBC Sports Personality Awards, having received the honour in 2013, 2015 and 2016. On each occasion, his acceptance speeches showcased his comedic chops with some jokes aimed at his favourite target: himself.

“No matter how excited I try to sound, my voice still sounds incredibly boring,” Murray said after winning his first award. “So I’m very happy and excited right now, but that’s just my voice. I’m sorry.”

In 2015 — the only occasion when he delivered his speech on site at the awards ceremony — Murray mentioned a newspaper article that said he was “duller than a weekend in Worthing.”

“I thought that was a bit harsh… to Worthing,” Murray joked.

Continuing the theme of laughing at himself, Murray noted in his 2016 speech that his wife voted for British equestrian Nick Skelton rather than him. Better luck next time, Kim!

4. Wimbledon mixed doubles with Serena Williams
As Murray eased back into competition following hip surgery, he joined forces with Serena Williams to form perhaps the most star-studded doubles team in Grand Slam history. The famous partners picked up two wins in must-see matches at the All England Club in 2019.

One of the more memorable points in their run came in the opening round, when Williams was stranded at the net after chasing down a net cord. The American fell as she tried to defend herself, leaving Murray scrambling. Though they lost what was a set point against Alexa Guarachi and Andreas Mies, Murray and Serena shared a laugh on the way to a 6-4, 6-1 win.

Throughout their run, which ended after a three-set defeat to top seeds Bruno Soares and Nicole Melichar, debate raged amongst fans about the proper nickname for the pair. The top contenders included “SerAndy” and “MurRena”.

Asked for his preference, Murray deferred: “I think Serena’s the boss so whatever she says goes,” he joked.

Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images

5. Bullseye! Murray hits Lendl in doubles charity match in 2013 at Queen’s
Long before he began coaching Murray in 2012, Ivan Lendl was known for his intimidating presence on the tennis court. As a player, he never shied away from going at opponents.

At a 2013 charity match at Queen’s Club, Murray was the one who took aim at his coach… and the record five-time Queen’s Club champion succeeded with a direct hit off a swinging volley. Huge celebrations followed, after which Murray offered an apology of questionable sincerity to his coach.

“If I'm playing well enough to hit Ivan Lendl with a forehand for the first time ever, I reckon I'm in pretty good shape for Wimbledon,” Murray wrote in a BBC column soon after.

“Drilling my coach at the net after trying for a year and a half rounded off pretty much the perfect day. I hit it so cleanly — it was the best shot I played all week — and I already know that Ivan will try to get me back when we practise together this week. Believe me, he won't have any concerns about injuring me the week before Wimbledon.

“As he always says: ‘It's just a tennis ball, it's not a hockey puck.’”

6. Wedding ring: Lost & found at Indian Wells
Murray ties his wedding ring to his shoelaces when he plays — a sweet gesture that nearly turned sour for the Briton in 2021. After a particularly hot training session in Indian Wells, Murray left his sweaty sneakers outside by his car overnight to dry. When he returned the next morning, they were gone.

It was only when his physio asked him about his ring that he realised he had been dealt a double blow. Murray picked up a new pair of trainers at a local pro shop, but had to work a little harder to track down the ring.

He took to Instagram to tell the story and appeal for help. Fortunately, the tale had a happy ending.

After making some calls to hotel security, he shared another Instagram video the next day with the good news: “A little update for everyone: Would you believe it? They still absolutely stink, but the shoes are back, the wedding ring is back and I’m back in the good books. Let’s go!”

7. The social media comic
Murray has been known to crack a joke on social media, and we’ve rounded up a few memorable ones here.

Where else to start but his famous Christmas jumper post on X, where he revels in his delight at what some might call an “ugly sweater”.

Sticking with the family theme, there are the many online spats he’s had with brother Jamie and mother Judy… like when Jamie took offense to their mum’s comment on a photo of Andy and famed football manager Jose Mourinho. Of course, the younger brother was quick to set the record straight.

Quick to mock his countrymen for any number of reasons — like Jack Draper for his modeling prowess — Murray also takes plenty of shots at himself. On Instagram, he’s shared this video of a wall hit gone wrong and another poking fun at his grunting.

More recently, he even risked the wrath of Swifties everywhere by congratulating Taylor Swift on her “stunning performance” watching boyfriend Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl 58.

8. Playing the fool: Prank victim
As one of the more well-liked players on the ATP Tour, Murray has plenty of friends and colleagues who are eager to get the better of him in prank wars.

In 2023 at the ATP 500 in Washington, D.C., Frances Tiafoe sneakily listened to a very thoughtful answer of Murray’s while all but breathing down the Briton’s neck. After about 30 seconds of waiting for Murray to notice him, Tifaoe revealed himself by chiming in.

“How long was he there for?” Murray asked after rolling his eyes.

Rafael Nadal executed a more complex prank long before that. When Murray was out to dinner with his wife, the Spaniard sent him a series of flirty text messages from another number, enjoying the awkwardness he created from afar.

“I was the joke,” Murray said, explaining that Nadal eventually tapped him on the shoulder and gave himself up. “It was an uncomfortable few minutes for me.”

Murray’s tormentors also include his own children. Speaking at Indian Wells in 2022, he shared that his oldest daughter was becoming aware of his fame — and using it against him.

“Sometimes she calls me 'Andy Murray', which I find incredibly awkward," he laughed. "I'm like, ‘No, I'm daddy. I'm not Andy Murray, I'm daddy.’

"She does it now to wind me up. She does it especially when she's around her friends and stuff."

9. Undercover ice cream prank in Cincinnati
An unsuspecting prankee many times, Murray has also played the role of pranker quite well on occasion — like when he went undercover to give away free ice cream in Cincinnati in 2015.

Fully committing to the role, Murray recommended the key lime pie and black raspberry flavours while fending off any suggestions that he resembled the British No. 1.

When two fans saw through his disguise, they lamented that they would not be on site to see Murray play live.

“That’s probably not a bad thing,” Murray replied, true to form as ever.

10. Fraser McKnight
Murray played a starring role in 'The Tour: A Reality Show' — a behind-the-scenes look at the production of the "fake" tennis season in 2024. Right at home in the mini mockumentary, the former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings revealed his true identity: actor Fraser McKnight.

"I think that's what people don't realize. It's all just scripted," Murray deadpanned to the cameras. "The players, the matches, it's all just kind of made up... None of it's real. 

"Let's face it, People are stupid, so they'll buy anything."

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

For the second straight year, 19-year-old Shang Juncheng has knocked home favourite Ben Shelton out of the Atlanta Open. The Chinese #NextGenATP star earned a 7-6(6), 6-4 win on Thursday night, beating the World No. 14 for his biggest career win by PIF ATP Ranking.

Shang's second Top 20 win (2-7) saw him through to his third tour-level quarter-final, with the previous two coming this season in Hong Kong and Eastbourne. He has moved up seven places to No. 82 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings this week, setting himself up for a new career-high, and also solidified his position in fourth place in the PIF ATP Race To Jeddah.

"It was a really tough match," Shang said after improving to 3-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head against Shelton. "The conditions are completely different from last year. The courts are much slower. But with this crowd, I really enjoy playing here. I don't know what I did to play so well against Ben but he's such an amazing guy, a lot of respect to him."

He later added: "I think I played really well and hopefully I can continue this."

Shang comes in with a bang 💥‼️

Biggest career win for Shang defeating No. 1 seed Shelton 7-6(6) 6-4 @ATLOpenTennis | #AtlantaOpen pic.twitter.com/yq5msniD2f

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 26, 2024

Shang won the opening tie-break after he and Shelton traded breaks from 5-5 in the first set. He did not face a break point in set two. The first Chinese quarter-finalist in Atlanta history, Shang will meet eighth seed Max Purcell on Friday after the Aussie's 6-3, 6-3 win against David Goffin.

Frances Tiafoe returned to the American hard courts with a battling win Thursday, competing in his first match since a five-set Wimbledon thriller against eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.

The third seed earned a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 result against Aslan Karatsev, bringing his strong from across the pond onto home soil. Tiafoe fired 18 aces — including one on match point — and saved three of four break points in the victory, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

"I'm just trying to build on Wimbledon," said Tiafoe, who has recently started working with coach David Witt. "I was not having much fun with my tennis at all for a while there. I had a great time at Wimbledon, I played a great match there in the third round. I just kind of want to build on that and put on a show for you guys."

Now 16-15 on the year, Tiafoe entered the U.S. hard-court summer with 30 wins last season, reaching a career-high PIF ATP Ranking of No. 10 in June. He entered Atlanta at World No. 29 this week, with his best result of 2024 a final appearance in Houston.

Next up for the American will be Yoshihito Nishioka in Friday's quarter-finals. The Japanese star beat home favourite Mackenzie McDonald 6-3, 6-4 to improve to 5-2 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against the former college star at UCLA.

Fourth seed Jordan Thompson also advanced with a 6-2, 7-5 result against French lucky loser Harold Mayot. The Aussie will meet fifth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the quarters after the Spaniard's 7-5, 7-5 win against American Reilly Opelka.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal will all be in action on Day 1 of the Olympic Tennis Event Saturday at Roland Garros in Paris.

Alcaraz is in line for a hectic Olympics debut, facing Lebanon's Hady Habib during the day session on Court Suzanne-Lenglen before heading to Court Philippe-Chatrier to open the night session with doubles partner Rafael Nadal. 'Nadalcaraz' will play sixth-seeded Argentines Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni.

Chasing his first Olympic singles gold, Djokovic will take on Australian Matthew Ebden, better known as one of the game's leading doubles players. Ebden, who reached as high as No. 39 in the PIF ATP Rankings as a singles player, last took to the court solo almost two years ago at the ATP 250 in Winston-Salem.

Other big names in action Saturday include Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul and Felix Auger-Aliassime.

View Day 1 Schedule

Andrey Rublev is through to his first semi-final since he won the Madrid title in May after a comeback win against Fabian Marozsan Thursday at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag. The top seed earned a 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 victory to set up a Friday showdown with fourth seed Francisco Cerundolo in what will be his 40th tour-level semi-final.

"I feel great," Rublev said of his accomplishment. "I was looking forward to that match because it was a great challenge for me. After the first set I was thinking that maybe today's not my day. But then somehow I changed my mentality and I started to say, 'No, just keep fighting and we'll see what's going to happen.' In the end I was able to play better and better to end up winning."

Rublev is seeking to win multiple titles at the same event for the first time in his career, with all 16 of his tour-level trophies having come in different locations. He is also bidding for his third title of 2024 after triumphs in Hong Kong and Madrid.

Rublev races to the semi-finals 🏎️🌟👏

The win goes to @AndreyRublev97 over Marozsan 5-7 6-3 6-2@CroatiaOpenUmag | #CroatiaOpenUmag pic.twitter.com/zjVavmUPUg

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 25, 2024

By reaching the semis, Rublev moved past Casper Ruud to No. 8 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. He can climb to within 70 points of World No. 7 Hubert Hurkacz by winning the title.

Cerundolo advanced to his 10th tour-level semi-final with a 6-2, 2-6, 7-6(2) result against Lorenzo Sonego. Neither player created a break chance in the final set, according to Infosys ATP Stats, but the fourth seed dominated the decisive tie-break.

As the first Argentine semi-finalist in Umag since Guido Pella and Marco Trungelliti in 2018, Cerundolo has equalled his best result of this season — a semi-final showing in Rio de Janeiro. Cerundolo and Rublev have split two previous Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings, with Rublev winning a dramatic three-setter last year in the Bastad semis.

#NextGenATP Czech Jakub Mensik also progressed to the semis on Thursday with a 6-0, 6-4 win against lucky loser Tseng Chun-Hsin. The fifth semi-finalist aged 18 or younger in Umag history — and the first Czech to reach that stage since Jiri Novak in 2005 — Mensik awaits second seed Lorenzo Musetti in the last four.

Musetti dominated down the stretch of a 5-7, 6-3, 6-0 victory against Dusan Lajovic to close Thursday's play in Umag. The 22-year-old Italian is through to his fourth consecutive semi-final after reaching that stage in three straight grass-court events at Stuttgart, Queen's Club and Wimbledon.

Lajovic made 84 per cent (75/89) of his first serves in the two-hour, 16-minute match, but Musetti still converted six times on 17 break chances.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

The Mubadala Citi DC Open is a combined ATP/WTA 500 event hosting an elite roster of men's and women's stars in the iconic United States' capital, Washington, D.C. Among those in action this year in Washington will be American hopefuls Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, rising star Alex Michelsen, the resurgent Denis Shapovalov and a host of WTA stars.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the US tournament:

When is the Mubadala Citi DC Open?
The ATP 500 event will be held from 29 July to 4 August. The hard-court tournament, established in 1969 by Arthur Ashe alongside Donald Dell and John A. Harris, will take place at the Fitzgerald Tennis Centre in Washington, D.C., USA. The tournament director is Dani Vallverdu.

Who is playing at the Mubadala Citi DC Open?
The tournament promises a strong lineup, with established players like Frances Tiafoe and Karen Khachanov competing alongside younger talents such as Ben Shelton and Alex Michelsen. Other notable players include Sebastian Korda, Denis Shapovalov and Reilly Opelka.

View The American Prospects Hoping To Become Champion

When is the draw for the Mubadala Citi DC Open?
The Mubadala Citi DC Open draw will be made on Friday 26 July at 12 p.m. local time (EDT).

What is the schedule for the Mubadala Citi DC Open?
Qualifying: Saturday, 27 July at 10 a.m. and Sunday, 28 July at 10 a.m.
Main Draw: Monday, 29 July – Thursday, 1 August from 11 a.m. & 6 p.m.
Friday, 2 August – Saturday, 3 August from 12 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Doubles Final: Sunday, 4 August at 12 p.m.
Singles Final: Sunday, 4 August NB 5 p.m.

View On Official Website

What is the prize money and points for the Mubadala Citi DC Open?
The prize money for the Mubadala Citi DC Open is US$2,100,230 and the Total Financial Commitment is US$2,271,715.

SINGLES
Winner: $368,585 / 500 points
Finalist: $196,580 / 330 points
Semi-finalist: $101,975 / 200 points
Quarter-finalist: $53,240 / 100 points
Round of 16: $28,055 / 50 points
Round of 32: $15,360 / 25 points
Round of 64: $8,190 / 0 points
Qualifying: --- / 16 points
Qualifying 2: $4,300 / 8 points
Qualifying 1: $2,455 / 0 points

DOUBLES ($ per team)
Winner: $129,010 / 500 points
Finalist: $68,800 / 300 points
Semi-finalist: $34,810 / 180 points
Quarter-finalist: $17,410 / 90 points
Round of 16: $9,010 / 0 points
Qualifying: --- / 45 points
Qualifying 2: ---/ 25 points
Qualifying 1: ---/ ---

How can I watch the Mubadala Citi DC Open?
Watch Live On TennisTV
TV Schedule

How can I follow the Mubadala Citi DC Open?
Hashtag: #MubadalaCitiDCOpen
Facebook: Mubadala Citi DC Open
Twitter: @mubadalacitidc
Instagram: @mubadalacitidcopen
TikTok: @mubadalacitidcopen

Who won the last edition of the Mubadala Citi DC Open in 2023?
Daniel Evans defeated Tallon Griekspoor in last year’s final in straight sets, winning 7-5, 6-3. En route to the final, Evans overcame tough tests in Grigor Dimitrov and Frances Tiafoe. The Argentine duo of Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni captured the title last year in the doubles, narrowly defeating the all-American pairing of Mackenzie McDonald and Ben Shelton 6-7 (4), 6-2, 10-6.

Who holds the Mubadala Citi DC Open record for most titles, oldest champion, youngest champion and more?
Most Titles, Singles: Andre Agassi (5)
Most Titles, Doubles: Marty Riessen (4), Mike Bryan (4), Bob Bryan (4)
Oldest Champion: Ken Rosewall, 36, in 1971
Youngest Champion: Andy Roddick, 18, in 2001
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 1 Jimmy Connors in 1976, 1978, No. 1 Ivan Lendl in 1987, No. 1 Andre Agassi in 1995
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 117 David Nalbandian in 2010
Last Home Champion: Andy Roddick in 2007
Most Match Wins: Andre Agassi (44)

View Who Is Playing, Past Champions, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown

Matteo Berrettini extended his winning streak to eight matches after defeating American wild card Nicolas Moreno De Alboran 7-6(5), 6-3 to reach the semi-finals of the Generali Open in Kitzbuhel Thursday.

The Italian fired seven aces, dropped just five points on his first serve and saved all three break points according to Infosys ATP Stats. He also improved to 9-0 in tie-breaks during the past two weeks.

The former World No. 6 was outside the Top 150 in the PIF ATP Rankings in March but returned to the Top 50 after winning his ninth title last week in Gstaad. He is chasing his third clay-court crown of the year (also Marrakech).

“Really happy with the performance, I’ve never played against him so I didn’t really know what to expect,” Berrettini said of his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting against the World No. 143. “It was a really high level of tennis and I think he was playing and serving really well, hitting the forehand really well, so I had to dig deep with my energy and my level.

“I couldn’t break him in the first set, I had some chances but he played well and in the tie-break this time I was down so I was like ‘Now I’m going to lose this one’. But I fought hard and I’m really happy because I think the level in the second set was better than the first.”

The 28-year-old, who is now 13-1 on clay this season, will chase his 20th match win of the year Friday when he faces German Yannick Hanfmann, who defeated Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild 7-6(2), 6-4.

Hugo Gaston saved two match points as he won the last four points of a dramatic final-set tie-break against top seed Sebastien Baez. The Frenchman saved 12 of 16 break points during the three hour, eight minute match, eventually winning 7-5, 5-7, 7-6(6) to set a meeting with another Argentine, Facundo Diaz Acosta.

Diaz Acosta, the World No. 77, beat fourth seed Pedro Martinez 6-7(2) 6-3, 6-4 in a three hour, 32 minute marathon in which he saved seven of eight break points.

Stan Wawrinka partnered Roger Federer en route to a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Now aged 39, Wawrinka is set for his third Olympics appearance in Paris. 

ATPTour.com sat down with the three-time major champion to hear about his best memories from the prestigious event.

How does your Olympic success stick out in your career?
For me, it was my first big, big result, to be able to win a gold medal in the Olympics. The Olympics is not only special, it’s special because it’s every sport. It’s all of the athletes in every sport and it’s something that not only tennis fans watch, but fans of every sport are going to watch the Olympics in general.

The experience of playing there, being there in the Swiss house, having the chance to share with different athletes and looking at different sports, it’s always going to be an amazing memory for me.

Is there an Olympic athlete you enjoy in particular?
I think my first one was Beijing and Usain Bolt was something special there, let’s put it that way. Of course I enjoyed that a lot.

Is there an Olympic sport you think you would be good at besides tennis?
Absolutely not!

Is there one you would be bad at?
Many! I think that's also the beauty of the Olympics, you have the chance to watch a different sport, also sports that you don't necessarily watch during the year so I think it's a good time if you're a sports fan.

Does anything stick out from when you were at the Olympics?
For me, the best feeling was to share with the Swiss athletes because we spent a lot of time at the house with them. It's more about sharing with different athletes and coaches and talking about different sports but at the end, it's talking about the mentality and the way we like our sports.

When you were a kid, did you watch the Olympics and want to be there one day?
Yeah, of course. I think the Olympics are not only for tennis fans, but for sports fans in general. It's a little bit of a dream of a lot of athletes to have the chance to compete there.

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The ATP is proud to announce the publication of its first Sustainability Report, offering an in-depth look at the ATP’s ongoing commitment to sustainability through the ATP Serves programme.

The report provides insight into the ATP’s strategy for addressing its climate impact, an overview of key initiatives implemented to date and a look ahead at future actions. Highlights include:

• A deep dive into the award-winning ATP Carbon Tracker app developed in collaboration with Infosys.
• The Nitto ATP Finals as a showcase for sustainability innovation.
• ATP’s 2030 and 2040 emissions targets under UN Sports for Climate Action.
• Sustainability wins on the ATP Challenger Tour, reducing impact and improving player welfare.
• Partner collaborations to reduce single-use plastics, promote eco-friendly transportation, and drive sustainable innovation on Tour.
• Efforts to reduce the impact of staff travel.
• Fan-facing initiatives designed to increase awareness and participation in sustainability efforts.

ATP CEO Massimo Calvelli said: “Sustainability, often framed in terms of fear and urgency, is, at its core, an opportunity – to innovate, to forge new partnerships and to inspire. Our inaugural sustainability report celebrates the strides we've made, the milestones we've reached and the journey ahead.”

Sector Engagement Lead at UN Climate Change Lindita Xhaferi-Salihu said: “The publication of ATP’s first-ever Sustainability Report is an important step in its climate action journey and commitment to transparency. It’s inspiring to see the innovations that ATP has implemented across the tennis ecosystem, and its ambitious plans to build upon them.”

The 2023 ATP Serves Sustainability Report is available here and at https://serves.atptour.com/.

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