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Tennis Tuesday: News Roundup

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This Week’s Tournaments:
Internazionali BNL d’Italia – Rome, Italy

Last Week’s Winners:
Mutua Madrid Open – Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal Wins 3rd Consecutive Title in Madrid
Rafa’s outstanding clay season continues, as he won his 3rd consecutive title on clay so far this season.    Rafa has been on a roll winning Monte Carlo, Barcelona and now Madrid.   The King of Clay defeated arguably the best clay court player of the younger generation, Dominic Thiem (the Prince of Clay?), in both the Barcelona and Madrid finals.  The Madrid title was especially sweet as Rafa defeated Novak Djokovic for the first time in 7 matches, in their record 50th career meeting.

Juan Monaco Announces Retirement
“Pico” made a surprise announcement that he would be retiring from professional tennis on Monday on social media.  He had only played 3 matches so far this year.  Monaco turned pro in 2002 and had won 9 ATP World Tour Titles, reaching a career high of #10 in the world.    We wish Pico all the best!  (and maybe more game show appearances?)

Frances Tiafoe Wins Aix en Provence Challenger
The #NextGen American won his second clay court challenger title of the year over the weekend in Aix en Provence.  The win brings Frances up to a career high of #65 in the ATP World Tour rankings and to #3 in the ATP #NextGen Race to Milan.  #BigFoeOnTheComeUp indeed.

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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.

https://twitter.com/TennysSandgren/status/860640438721683456

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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!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OwyIoJqsTQ

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.

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Tennis Tuesday: News Roundup

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This Week’s Tournaments:
Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell – Barcelona, Spain
Gazprom Hungarian Open – Budapest, Hungary

Last Week’s Winners:
Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters – Rafael Nadal

Rafa Wins Record Breaking 10th Monte Carlo Title
Rafael Nadal won the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters over the weekend for the 10th time, the first time in the open era that any player has won any singles tournament 10 times.   Rafa is also going for 10 titles in Barcelona and Roland Garros this year.  Vamos!

Barcelona Open Unveils “Pista Rafa Nadal”
When you’ve won a tournament 9 times, you earn a little recognition!  The Barcelona Open renamed their center court in honor of Rafael Nadal, the 9 time champion.  Rafa will start the campaign for his 10th title in Barcelona on “Pista Rafa Nadal” on Wednesday.

New York Empire Announce 2017 Schedule
New York’s World Team Tennis team, the New York Empire, announced their schedule for the 2017 season.  Matches will be played on Court 17 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, AKA the home of the US Open.  This year’s team, led by coach Gigi Fernandez, includes Mardy Fish, John Isner, Genie Bouchard, Guido Pella, Maria Sanchez, and Kristin Flipkens.  View the full schedule at NYEmpireTennis.com.  Tickets for all matches are on sale now!

Frances Tiafoe Wins Sarasota Challenger
19-year-old American Frances Tiafoe won his 3rd challenger title over the weekend in Sarasota.   The win brings Frances up to a career high of #72 in the ATP World Tour Rankings and the youngest player in the top 100.   Frances is also up to #5 in the ATP #NextGen Race to Milan.

Hungary Welcomes 1st ATP World Tour Tournament
The Gazprom Hungarian Open, which kicked off yesterday in Budapest, is the first ever ATP World Tour Tournament to be held in Hungary.  The inaugural 250 level event is led by #1 seed Lucas Pouille.

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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!

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?

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!

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Tennis Tuesday: News Roundup

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This Week’s Tournament:
Davis Cup

Last Week’s Winner:
Miami Open – Roger Federer

Roger Federer Wins Sunshine Double
Roger Federer’s incredible comeback continues!  He pulled off the “sunshine double” (aka winning both Indian Wells and Miami) for just the 3rd time in his career, defeating Rafael Nadal in the Miami Open final 6-3, 6-4.   It’s Federer’s 3rd title of the 2017, and the 3rd time he’s played and defeated Nadal this year.  2017 has been a fun year for tennis, hasn’t it?   Federer did say on court that he’d be sitting out most of the clay season and his next tournament would be Roland Garros.

Davis Cup Quarterfinals This Weekend
The Davis Cup is back April 7-9!  The World Group Quarterfinals are taking place in venues across Europe and Australia.  We’re looking forward to the tie between the US and Australia as John Isner, Jack Sock, Sam Querrey & Stevie Johnson take on Nick Kyrgios, Jordan Thompson, Sam Groth & John Peers.

Australia (host) vs USA
France (host) vs Great Britain
Belgium (host) vs Italy
Serbia (host) vs Spain

The #NextGen is Coming
#NextGen ATP stars Sascha Zverev and Jared Donaldson were both impressive in Miami.  Sascha defeated John Isner (saving 3 match points) and Stan Wawrinka en route to the Quarterfinals, where he fell to Nick Kyrgios in one of the best matches of the Miami Open.  Jared Donaldson played his way through qualifying and made it to the 4th round.  He eventually lost to Jack Sock, but his run in Miami brings him to a career high of 75 in the ATP rankings.

Tennis Watching Etiquette
We’ve covered concert etiquette before, and after watching the match between Nick Kyrgios and Roger Federer last week, we feel the need to address tennis watching etiquette as well.  If you’re lucky enough to be watching a professional tennis match in person, here are some things to keep in mind.
1. Cheering in support of your favorite player is fine, but show some respect for the other player.  Calling out against them, cheering negative things, or playing linesman and calling close balls “out” is rude and distracting to both players.
2. Learn when to cheer and when to be quiet.  Generally speaking, if the ball is in play, that’s your cue to sit and watch.   Between points, cheering is welcome and encouraged!   But please do not applaud double faults and do not call out in between 1st and 2nd serves.
3. Wait for the changeovers to enter or leave your seats.  It’s distracting to both the players and the other fans in the stadium to have people constantly going in and out.
4. Enjoy points like this!

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Tennis Tuesday: News Roundup

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

Rafael Nadal Plays 1000th Career ATP Match
Nadal played the 1000th match of his career at the ATP World Tour Level at the Miami Open over the weekend.   He defeated Phillip Kohlschreiber 0-6, 6-2, 6-3 to gain his 822nd victory on tour.  The match was just the 3rd time in Rafa’s career that he’s come back to win the match after getting “bageled” in the first.  Nadal takes on Nicolas Mahut in the 4th round in Miami today.   Vamos!

Shania Twain Meets Stan The Man
Our fangirl worlds collided over the weekend when one of our favorite artists, Shania Twain, posted a photo with one of our favorite players, Stan Wawrinka!

Iggy The Iguana Takes Over Miami
Tommy Haas also posted a photo with the now famous “Iggy” the Iguana at the Miami Open.  Haas captured the selfie mid-match, after a giant iguana came onto the court, halting play as linesmen scrambled to catch him.  (He’s a fast one!)

Linesman Frankie Melendez, who eventually caught the iguana, is the real hero.

Jo-Wilfred Tsonga Welcomes First Child
Tsonga announced the birth of his son on social media.  We hope he gets his dad’s amazing hair (and tennis skills!)

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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)

https://twitter.com/Gael_Monfils/status/843931017866067970

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 Tournament:
BNP Paribas Open – Indian Wells, CA

Last Week’s Winners:
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships – Andy Murray
Abierto Mexicano Telcel – Sam Querrey
Brasil Open – Pablo Cuevas

World Tennis Day Hits MSG
Madison Square Garden hosted the 10th Anniversary of the BNP Paribas Showdown last night, in celebration of World Tennis Day.  This year’s showdown featured Team Americas vs Team World, played in a modified World Team Tennis format.  Captain Andy Roddick led Team Americas, with Jack Sock, Venus Williams, and Juan Martin del Poetro.   Captain Lleyton Hewitt led Nick Kyrgios, Kei Nishikori, and Garbiñe Mugaruza for Team World.

The event featured 6 sets of Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Mixed Doubles, and Men’s Doubles, with each game counting toward the team’s overall score.   We loved the team format, especially as tennis is mostly an individual sport.  It was a fun night watching so many great competitors on court in a more relaxed setting.  There were trick shots, tweeners, and “ole, ole, ole, ole, Delpo, Delpo” cheers all night long.  In the end, Team World defeated Team Americas 29-24.

Sam Querrey Wins 9th Title in Acapulco
Sam Querrey just had one of the best weeks of his career.  He won his first ATP 500 level tournament in Acapulco in style, taking out 3 top-20 players on the way.  Sam was impressive all week, defeating David Goffin, Dominic Thiem, and Nick Kyrgios en route to the final against Rafael Nadal.   Sam defeated Rafa 6-3, 7-6(3), in a  It was Sam’s first victory over Rafa, and Rafa’s first career loss in Acapulco.  Acapulco has one of our favorite trophies of the year – and doesn’t Sam look so natural in that hat?

Brasil Open Features Ball Dogs
Ball kids are an important part of any tennis tournament – they couldn’t run without them.  The Brasil Open in São Paulo is the first to feature ball dogs!  The dogs, from 2 local non-profit shelters, chase down and retrieve balls from all over the court.  They also help promote local shelters and adoption.  We love this idea and would love to see more tournaments get involved!

Indian Wells Announces Wild Cards
Wild Cards were announced for the BNP Paribas Open, which kicks off this Wednesday in Indian Wells.  Bjorn Frantangelo, who nearly defeated Novak Djokovic in IW in 2016, received entry along with #NextGen Americans Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz, Stefan Kozlov, and Reilly Opelka.   The draw will be announced at 3pm local time today.   Fingers crossed they don’t all end up playing each other in the first round!   Make sure you tune into to the tournament, which starts on Wednesday, March 8th on ESPN.

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Tennis Tuesday: News Roundup

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This Week’s Tournaments:
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships – Dubai, UAE
Abierto Mexicano Telcel – Acapulco, Mexico
Brasil Open – São Paulo, Brasil

Last Week’s Winners:
Rio Open – Dominic Thiem
Delray Beach Open – Jack Sock
Open 13 Marseille – Jo-Wilfred Tsonga

Grigor Dimitrov Walks Dolce & Gabbana Show
Grigor, who has the most wins on the ATP tour so far this season, is taking some time off before heading to Indian Wells next week.  He was spotted in Milan over the weekend, walking in the Dolce & Gabbana show, where Austin Mahone also performed.  We couldn’t have dreamed up a better show tbh.  Also, how does Grigor not have any modeling campaigns yet?  Watch out, Rafa!

Dominic Thiem Wins Title #8 in Rio
Thiem dominated his first clay court tournament of the season, winning the Rio Open without dropping a set.  Thiem was impressive all week, with his powerful ground strokes on full display.  Oh, and he also did this.   The title is the 8th of Thiem’s career, and we love seeing Domi back at the top of his game.    Bamos!

Jack Sock Wins Delray Beach Open
Jack won his 2nd title of the season in Delray Beach, albeit not in the way he had imagined.  He won the title after his opponent, Milos Raonic, had to withdraw before the match due to a hamstring injury sustained during his semi-final against Juan Martin del Potro.  The win puts Jack, the current #1 American player, up to a new career high of #18 in the ATP World Tour rankings.  Jack’s record so far in 2017 is 11-1, with his only loss to Jo-Wilfred Tsonga in the 3rd round of the Australian Open.   Congrats to Jack and wishing Milos a speedy recovery!

Vasek Pospisil Launches “Bounce” YouTube Channel
Vasek officially launched his YouTube channel, named “Bounce,” which promises to take a look at his life outside the tennis world.  Videos so far include Vasek trying out hockey and baseball, and singing some country songs.  Tune in every Friday for new videos!  #AnythingIsPospisil

World Tennis Day Is Next Week
Don’t forget World Tennis Day is next Monday, March 6th!  There will be festivities all over the world to celebrate, including  the BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden.  Tickets are still available for the event, which will put Team Americas (Jack Sock, Andy Roddick, Juan Martin del Potro, Venus Williams) against Team World (Nick Kyrgios, Lleyton Hewitt, Kei Nishikori, Garbine Mugaruza).