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Tennis Tuesday: News Roundup

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This Week’s Tournament:
St. Petersburg Open – St. Petersburg, Russia
Moselle Open – Metz, France

France & Belgium Headed to Davis Cup Final
Team France made it back to the Davis Cup Final for the first time since 2014.  With the insane amount of talented French players, we think they are long overdue to hold the Davis Cup trophy!  Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, Lucas Pouille, Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nico Mahut helped the team get the win in their semi-final against Serbia.  They’ll take on Belgium in the finals, who defeated Australia in a close and dramatic 5th rubber.  The 2017 Davis Cup Final will be held in November in Lille.  Allez!

Laver Cup Kicks Off on Friday
The inaugural Laver Cup starts this Friday, September 22nd from Prague.  The 3 day event will see Team World taking on Team Europe in a new team format, led by captains John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg.   There will be 3 singles matches and 2 doubles match per day of competition.  All sets will be the best out of 3 sets, with the 3rd set being decided as a 10 point tiebreaker if sets are split.    The matches are weighted by day, with Sunday’s matches counting the most toward the overall team score.   We’ll definitely be tuning in to see how this plays out and to see if Rafa & Federer will team up for doubles!   They also unveiled an all-black tennis court for the occasion because #aesthetic.

Team World: Sam Querrey, John Isner, Nick Kyrgios, Jack Sock, Juan Martin del Potro* and Denis Shapovalov.  *Del Potro was replaced by Frances Tiafoe.

Team Europe: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Dominic Thiem, Sascha Zverev, Tomas Berdych, and Marin Cilic.

This new team competition hopes to become an annual event, with the 2018 Laver Cup to be held somewhere in the United States. Laver Cup will air in the US on Tennis Channel.


ATP #NextGen Finals Unveil New Innovations
Another new event on the tennis calendar is the ATP #NextGen Finals.  Like the ATP World Tour Finals, the #NextGen Finals invite the top 8 players under 21, based on their points accumulated throughout the year.   Sascha Zverev is currently holding the top spot in the race to Milan, followed by Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov.   The event will unveil a few new “innovations” to the traditional tennis tournament.  The latest is that there will be no linesmen on the court – all lines will be called electronically using hawkeye.

This adds to the previously announced changes of having short 1st to 4 game sets, shorter warm ups, a shot clock to enforce time between serves, playing let serves, a limit on medical time outs, and player coaching.  While we’re excited to see the future #NextGen of men’s tennis at the event, let’s hope this isn’t a preview of the #NextGen of tennis tournament rules that take away from the game itself.

Richard Gasquet Wins Challenger in Poland
Richard has had a difficult 2017, as he’s been trying to recover and make his way back from a variety of injuries.   Richard played a tournament at the challenger level last week, the Pekao Szczecin Open in Poland, and won the title!  We’re hoping the win will help get Richard back on track.

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Sundays @lecoqsportif #backsoon #tennislife #lecoqsportif

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Tennis Tuesday: News Roundup

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This Week’s Tournaments:
Mutua Madrid Open – Madrid, Spain

Last Week’s Winners:
Millennium Estoril Open – Pablo Carrena Busta
BMW Open – Alexander Zverev
TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open – Marin Cilic

Sascha Zverev Wins 3rd Title in Munich
20-year-old Sascha Zverev won his 3rd career title, and his 2nd title of the year at the BMW Open in Munich.   The title is Sascha’s first on home soil in Germany.  The young German beat Guido Pella in the final, 6-4, 6-3.

Thiem Throwback
Riccardo Bellotti, fellow player and close friend to Dominic Thiem, posted this throwback photo on Instagram of him, Domi, and Dennis Novak.  We love the early 00s boyband vibes they’ve got going on – especially Rico’s JT inspired hair!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTzBZv2Aiby/?taken-by=ricobellotti

Novak Djokovic Splits With Longtime Team
Novak Djokovic has been struggling to find his form lately, ever since winning the French Open last year.   He announced this week he was cutting ties with his long time team:  coach Marian Vajda,  fitness coach Gebhard Phil Gritsch and physiotherapist Miljan Amanovic, after over 10-years working together.   Djokovic shared the news on his website with theheadline, “I want to find the winning spark on the court again.”


Tennys Sandgren Wins USTA Roland Garros Wildcard
26-year-old American Tennys Sandgren has qualified for the main draw of a grand slam for the first time in his career.  Tennys (yes, it’s pronounced like “tennis”) won the USTA Roland Garros Wildcard challenge by reaching the finals of the challenger in Sarasota and winning the challenger in Savannah.

Sports, Tennis

Tennis Tuesday: News Roundup

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This Week’s Tournaments:
Millennium Estoril Open – Estoril, Portugal
BMW Open – Munich, Germany
TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open – Istanbul, Turkey

Last Week’s Winners:
Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell – Rafael Nadal
Gazprom Hungarian Open – Lucas Pouille

Rafael Nadal Wins “La Decima” in Barcelona
Welcome to Rafa’s house!   Literally.  Just days after the center court at the Barcelona Open was renamed “Court Rafa Nadal,” Rafa won his 10th title at the tournament.   He defeated Dominic Thiem, one of the best clay court players of the younger generation, in an entertaining final, 6-4, 6-1.   Rafa celebrated by jumping in the pool at the club after his victory.   10 in Monte Carlo…10 in Barcelona…can he make it 10 at Roland Garros?  Vamos!

Grigor Dimitrov Shows Off Dancing Skills
We’re glad Grigor takes his side hustle as a member of the One Handed Backhand Boys seriously.   He showed off his dancing skills at a charity event over the weekend, and he’s got some serious moves.  (Don’t forget about that time he sang a Backstreet Boys song, too!)

Juan Martin del Potro Kicks Off Clay Season in Estoril
Delpo is back in action in his first tournament since the Miami Open.  He is starting his clay season at the Estoril Open in Portugal, with just 3 weeks to go until Roland Garros!

Roger Federer Attends Met Gala
Federer is taking some time off from the tour, with his next tournament likely at Roland Garros at the end of the month.   He’s been keeping busy in the meantime!  He hosted a charity event in Seattle over the weekend with Bill Gates, John Isner, and Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, bringing in over 2 million for the Roger Federer Foundation.   Fed then flew to NYC for the Met Gala, rocking a Gucci suit with a crystal cobra on it.  (Don’t forget he is GQ’s reigning Best Dressed Man)

Lucas Pouille Wins 2nd Title in Budapest
Frenchman Lucas Pouille won the 2nd title of his career, and his first on clay at the Gazprom Hungarian Open.  This was the first ATP World Tour Event ever held in Budapest.  Lucas defeated Aljaz Bedene in the final 6-3, 6-1.

Sports, Tennis

Tennis Tuesday: News Roundup

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This Week’s Tournaments:
Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters – Monte Carlo, Monaco

Last Week’s Winners:
US Men’s Clay Court Championship – Stevie Johnson
Grand Prix Hassan II – Borna Coric

Borna Coric Wins 1st ATP World Tour Title in Marrakech
20-year old Borna Coric won his first ATP Tour Title at the Grand Prix Hassan II in Marrakech!  Borna had an incredible comeback in the final against Phillip Kohlschreiber, saving 5 match points in the 2nd set and coming back from 0-3 down in the 3rd.  This was Borna’s second final in Marrakech, and his third final overall.   The win puts Borna back in the top 50 of the rankings and up to #2 in the #NextGen race to Milan, just behind Sascha Zverev.  Borna had knee surgery late last Fall after being forced to withdraw from his match at the US Open.  We’re glad to see him back on court and playing well!

Monte Carlo = The Most Beautiful Tournament of the Year
Forget Wimbledon.  The tournament in Monte Carlo is at the top of our tennis tournament bucket list.  The Monte Carlo Country Club hosts the tournament, and center court is surrounded by view of the mountains and sea.  Tune in to Tennis Channel all week for some spectacular views and tennis!

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15000 personnes attendues aujourd'hui #MCRM2016

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Rafael Nadal Going for Perfect 10
Rafa, the undisputed King of Clay, has already won a record breaking 9 titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Roland Garros.  He is the only player in the open era to have won a tournament at least 9 times.  Could he go even further and make it a perfect 10?

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#Practice 👍🎾 @rafanadalacademy

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Stevie Johnson Wins 2nd Title in Houston
After a rough start to 2016, Stevie Johnson has been on a roll since last year’s grass court season.  He picked up his first ATP World Tour Title in Nottingham, made the 4th round of a slam for the first time, and picked up a bronze medal at the Olympics.  Stevie worked hard in the off season, shedding nearly 20 pounds, and it’s shown!   He won the 2nd title of his career, and his 1st on clay, at the Men’s Clay Court Championships in Houston.  Stevie took out Jack Sock in the semifinals before defeating Thomaz Bellucci in the finals.   And as is the tradition at the tournament, Stevie celebrated the victory by jumping into the pool at the River Oaks country club!

Sports, Tennis

Tennis Tuesday: News Roundup

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This Week’s Tournaments:
US Men’s Clay Court Championship – Houston, TX USA
Grand Prix Hassan II – Marrakesh, Morocco

Davis Cup Semi-Finals Set
We always love Davis Cup weekends!   Since tennis is such an individual sport, it’s fun to see the players in a team setting, playing not just for themselves but for their country.  The crowds are always excellent, loudly and festively supporting their nation.  Over the weekend, 8 nations faced off for a spot in the semi-finals.  Australia defeated the USA 3-2, led by a focused Nick Kyrgios and captain Lleyton Hewitt.

France had a straightforward victory over Great Britain, winning both singles rubbers on Friday and doubles on Saturday to seal the victory.   Even though they were out with injuries, Richard Gasquet and Pierre-Hugues Herbert were there to cheer on the team in Rouen.

The semi-finals will take place on September 15-17th, just after the conclusion of the US Open.  Belgium will host Australia, while France will host Serbia.

Memphis Open to Move to Long Island, NY
The Memphis Open is leaving its home in Tennessee after a 41-year run.  The ATP 250 event is moving to the newly re-opened Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Hempstead, NY in 2018.  GF Sports partnered with Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment to move the tournament to the new venue.  Next year’s event will take place February 10 – 18.   We’re thrilled to see more tennis in NY!

Clay Season Is Here!
The tour has officially moved to the clay courts, with just 6 weeks to go until Roland Garros!   This week, Grigor Dimitrov is the #1 seed in Marakesh while Jack Sock is the #1 seed in Houston.  Both players have had an outstanding season so far in 2017 and let’s see if they can keep the momentum going on the clay!

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🐫 🇲🇦

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Tennis Tuesday: News Roundup

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This Week’s Tournament:
Miami Open – Miami, FL USA

Last Week’s Winner:
BNP Paribas Open – Roger Federer

Introducing the (One-Handed) Backhand Boys
Roger Federer may have won the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells over the weekend, but he also won the internet and the hearts of fangirls around the world with the return of the Backhand Boys.  Federer joined fellow one-handed backhanders Grigor Dimitrov and Tommy Haas for a singalong of Chicago’s “Hard to Say I’m Sorry.”  You might recall the trio singing  together back at the Australian Open, and this new video shows they’ve been working on their moves and their vocals.  Tour soon?

As much as we love the Backhand Boys, we think they could use a couple of extra members to make up the classic 5 member boyband!   We’d love to see Stan Wawrinka, Dominic Thiem, Richard Gasquet or Feliciano Lopez join the lineup.  Auditions in Miami?

The Backhand Boys could use a rival boyband just to keep things fresh.  May we present *NSYDE OUT led by some of the best forehands on the ATP Tour: Juan Martin del Potro, Jack Sock, and Rafael Nadal with Vasek Pospisil (he so needs/wants to be in a boyband) and Pierre-Hugues Herbert.

Denis Shapovalov Wins 1st Challenger Title
#NextGenATP player Denis Shapovalov won his first challenger title over the weekend in his native Canada at the Challenger Banque Nationale Drummondville.  At 17-years-old, Denis is the youngest ATP Challenger winner so far this year and now the youngest player in the top 200.  Denis defeated his friend and countryman Felix Auger-Aliassme in the semi-finals en route to the title.

Gael Monfils Out With Injury
Gael Monfils is one of the most entertaining players in tennis, with an explosive game and incredible athleticism.   Unfortunately, his big game has led to quite a few injuries over the years, and Gael’s latest setback is a tear in his Achilles’ heel and chondropathy Patella.  He is out of the Miami Open and will start rehab.  We hope to see Gael back on court soon!  (so we can see more shots like this)

ATP University Class of 2017 Graduate in Miami
Every year in Miami, the ATP World Tour hosts “ATP University” for the youngest players on tour.  The 3-day program teaches the players about life on tour including player relations, social media, nutrition, and finance.  It also gives the new players a chance to get to know each other and adjust to their hectic new schedule.  This year’s class included young Americans Reilly Opelka, Noah Rubin, Michael Mmoh, and Stefan Kozlov.

Roger Federer Covers GQ‘s April Issue
Things can be rough for a tennis fan in the off-season.  It’s hard to fill the time normally spent with following scores and matches across the globe with some non-tennis related activities.  Which is how back in December, with no brackets to fill out, tennis fans made it their priority to vote Roger Federer as the Best Dressed Man in GQ‘s Most Stylish Man poll.   Federer won the poll in a landslide, taking out Kanye West, Ryan Gosling, and more in the process.  With his new honor, Federer is on the cover of GQ‘s April issue.  Read the story here!

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Tennis Tuesday: News Roundup

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This Week’s Tournaments:
ASB Classic – Auckland, New Zealand
Apia International Sydney – Sydney, Australia

Last Week’s Winners:
Brisbane International – Grigor Dimitrov
Qatar ExxonMobil Open – Novak Djokovic
Aircel Chennai Open – Roberto Bautista Agut
Hopman Cup – France (Richard Gasquet & Kiki Mladenovic)

Grigor Dimitrov Wins First Title Since 2014
It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly 3 years since Grigor Dimitrov won his last title, at Queen’s Club in 2014.  That same year he reached the top 10 for the first time, and made it to the semi-finals a at Wimbledon.  It’s been a tough couple of years for Grigor, who has been working hard to get back in top form.  He started 2017 in commanding fashion, taking out 3 top 10 players (Dominic Thiem, Milos Raonic, Kei Nishikori) on his way to the Brisbane title.  He also took one of the cutest and most excited trophy winning photos of all time.  More of this in 2017, please!

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🏆

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Dominic Thiem Hits The Beach
One of the hardest working men in tennis, Dominic Thiem, hit the “beach” in Sydney ahead of the tournament there this week.   Our dream job would be planning and supervising these ATP player field trips during tournaments.  Where can we sign up?   (Also someone please take Grigor back to a zoo while he’s in Australia so we get more of this)

James Blake Wins 2016 Powershares Season Finale in Brooklyn
Professional tennis made it’s return to Brooklyn for the first time since  1935 on a snowy Saturday night at the Barclays Center.   James Blake won the Powershares QQQ Cup, the last event on the 2016 Champions Tour.  James defeated Andy Roddick in the first semi-final, breaking Andy in the final game of the set.   (Andy’s serve is still on point in case you were wondering).  John McEnroe beat Jim Courier 6-3, before losing to James in the final.   The final set was an entertaining battle of the New Yorkers, with an energetic crowd cheering on both players.

Taylor Fritz Expecting First Child
Tennis Channel just casually mentioned that Taylor Fritz is expecting his first child any day now!   Fritz wed his longtime girlfriend Raquel Pedraza over the Summer.   Congrats Taylor and Raquel!

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Tennis Tuesday: 2016 Season Comes To An End

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This Week’s Tournaments:
Davis Cup Finals – Zagreb, Croatia

Andy Murray Is Year End #1
For the first time in history, the battle for the year end #1 ranking came down to the final match in the last tournament of the year.  Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray fought for the #1 spot in the ATP World Tour Finals, with Murray  winning 6-3, 6-4.


Davis Cup Finals November 25-27
If you thought the tennis season was officially over, not yet!  The Davis Cup Finals are happening this weekend.  Argentina will take on Croatia at the Arena Zagreb.   Argentina has never won Davis Cup, but have come close as 4 time runners up.   Croatia won their only Davis Cup title in 2005.   With Delpo in action (remember his 5-set epic win over Andy Murray in the semi-finals?)  and a strong Croatian team, it should be an exciting final.

Argentina: Juan Martin del Potro, Guido Pella, Federico Delbonis, Leonardo Mayer

Croatia: Marin Cilic, Borna Coric, Ivo Karlovic, Ivan Dodig


ATP #NextGen Finals Launching in 2017
The ATP announced that Milan will host a season-ending final tournament for the top players under 21 starting next year.  The format will be similar to the ATP World Tour Finals, with the top 7 players under 21 qualifying based on ranking points earned throughout the season.  The 8th spot will be awarded via wildcard.  We love this idea and if anyone would like to send us to Milan next year, we are so there.

The tournament will feature “rule changes and innovations,” to make tennis more appealing to “the millennials,” to which we must again say please, please leave the format and rules of the game alone.

If the tournament existed in 2016, the players would have been: Nick Kyrgios, Sascha Zverev, Kyle Edmund, Borna Coric, Karen Khachanov, Taylor Fritz, Yoshihito Nishioka, Hyeon Chung


It’s The Off Season!
For everyone not participating in Davis Cup this week that is.  That means vacation Instagrams from your favorite players for the next month or so.  Also a reminder the Australian Open is in 55 days!

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Putting my agent to work // @chrisgmccormack

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Tennis Tuesday: News Roundup

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This Week’s Tournament:
NONE! 😦

It’s hard to believe the regular ATP World Tour season has come to an end.  While we’re trying to adjust to life without live scores and results to check everyday, we still have a couple of big events left to look forward to in 2016!  The ATP World Tour Finals kick off on Sunday in London and the Davis Cup Final between Argentina and Croatia is November 25-27.

Andy Murray Reaches #1 Ranking
Andy Murray captured the BNP Paribas Masters title in Paris, securing the #1 ranking in the process.  The #1 spot has been a long time coming for Murray, who has spent significant time as #2.  It’s a fitting end for a year that has seen Murray win 8 titles, including Wimbledon, along with an Olympic gold.

 

Draw Revealed for ATP World Tour Finals
The ATP World Tour Finals start on Sunday, November 13th from the O2 Arena in London.  Novak Djokovic will take on Dominic Thiem and Milos Raonic will take on Gael Monfils on Day 1.

Singles Group John McEnroe
Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori, Marin Cilic

Singles Group Ivan Lendl
Novak Djokovic, Milos Raonic, Gael Monfils, Dominic Thiem

Doubles – Group Fleming/McEnroe
Pierre-Hugues Herbert & Nicolas Mahut; Marc Lopez & Feliciano Lopez; Henri Kontinen & John Peers; Raven Klassen & Rajeev Ram

Doubles – Group Edberg/Jarryd
Jamie Murray & Bruno Soares; Bob Bryan & Mike Bryan; Ivan Dodig & Marcelo Melo; Treat Huey & Max Mirnyi

 

Reilly Opelka Wins Charlottesville Challenger
2016 has been a great year for the next generation of young American players.  Reilly Opelka just won his first pro title over the weekend at the ATP Challenger event in Charlottesville, VA.   Opelka joins fellow American teens Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe, who also won challenger titles this year.   USA!  USA!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMfMDdmgTq9/?taken-by=reillyopelka

 

Juan Monaco Trends Worldwide on Twitter
We were surprised to see Juan Monaco, AKA Pico, trending worldwide on Twitter on Sunday night.  Turns out he was a guest on a talk show in Argentina (hello, off season!)  In case anyone needs advice on “selling tennis to the millennials,” we suggest going this route instead of trying to find ways to re-invent and shorten the game.

Sports, Tennis

Tennis Tuesday: News Roundup

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This Week’s Tournament:
BNP Paribas Masters – Paris, France

It’s hard to believe we’ve already made it to the last tournament of the regular season of the ATP World Tour!   The tour wraps up this week in Paris, with 2 more spots on the line for a spot in the World Tour Finals happening later this month in London.  Marin Cilic moved up to the 9th position after winning the title in Basel Last week, with Dominic Thiem just ahead at #8.  The year end #1 ranking is also on the line in Paris as Andy Murray closed in on current #1 Novak Djokovic by winning the title in Vienna last week.

 

Jack Sock Wins Doubles in Basel
American Jack Sock won his 2nd doubles title of the year, this time with partner Marcel Granollers.  This was Jack’s 4th final (singles and doubles) since the end of the US Open.  Jack Sock for President!

 

BNP Paribas Showdown 2017 Lineup Announced
2017 marks the 10 year anniversary of the BNP Paribas Showdown.  The annual event, held at Madison Square Garden, features the top names in tennis facing off in an exhibition match in celebration of World Tennis Day.  This year’s event features Venus Williams vs Garbine Mugaruza, Jack Sock vs Nick Kyrgios, and Kei Nishikori vs Juan Martin del Potro.  The showdown is March 6th 2017 at MSG and tickets are on sale now!