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Gaston in Kitzbühel final; How did he fare in a Lexus ATP Head2Head Challenge?

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.

[ATP APP]

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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Predictor Picks: Shelton, Mpetshi Perricard seek points bonanza in Washington

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.

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Musetti rides hot form into Umag final vs. Cerundolo

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.

[ATP APP]

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.”

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My Olympics: Alex de Minaur

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.

[ATP APP]

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.

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Berrettini advances to second final in as many weeks in Kitzbuhel

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.

[ATP APP]

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.”

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Tennis Legends - Jennifer Capriati

Jennifer Capriati is a former professional tennis player from the United States known for her impressive achievements and significant impact on the sport. Here's a detailed overview of her career and contributions to tennis: Early Life and CareerFull Name: Jennifer Maria CapriatiDate of Birth: March 29, 1976Birthplace: New York City, New York, USAE...

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10 reasons fans love Andy Murray

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.

[ATP APP]

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.

a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/andy-murray/mc10/overview'Andy Murray/a, Kim Sears
a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/andy-murray/mc10/overview'Andy Murray/a, Serena Williams
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Shang breaks new ground with Shelton stunner in Atlanta

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

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Nadal, Alcaraz, Djokovic headline first day of Olympic Tennis Event

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

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Rublev battles back to beat Marozsan in Umag QFs

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.

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Mubadala Citi DC Open: Draws, Dates, History & All You Need To Know

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

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Berrettini extends winning streak, reaches Kitzbuhel SFs

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.

[ATP APP]

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.”

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My Olympics: Stan Wawrinka

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.

[ATP APP]

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.

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ATP publishes inaugural sustainability report

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 APP]

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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Andy Murray withdraws from Olympics singles, still plans to play doubles

Two-time gold medallist Andy Murray has withdrawn from singles at the Paris Olympics, but still intends to compete in doubles alongside Daniel Evans in his final Olympic appearance.

Speaking at Thursday’s draw, Murray said, "The Olympics has been incredibly special for me and there have been some amazing memories on the court, particularly in London.

[ATP APP]

"I'm happy I get to do this one more time. It's unfortunate. I trained to get ready to play both, but I'm getting a bit older now so it gets harder to recover from injuries. I ran out of time."

Murray, who has announced that he will retire at the end of the Olympics, has not played singles since retiring in the second round of the cinch Championships in Queen’s. He underwent a small operation on his back before Wimbledon, where he was restricted to playing doubles with his brother Jamie.

Murray will finish his career with a 739-262 record in singles. He earned 46 titles, including 2016 Rio and 2012 London Olympic gold medals.

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Djokovic, Nadal on collision course at Olympics

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are on a collision course for an early-round showdown at the Olympic Tennis Event following the release of the draw Thursday.

The rivals, who have played 59 times in their Lexus ATP head2Head series, could meet in the second round. Top-seeded Djokovic opens against Australian Matthew Ebden. while unseeded Nadal plays his first round against Hungarian Marton Fucsovics.

[ATP APP]

Djokovic leads Nadal 30-29 in their series but the Spaniard won their lone Olympics meeting in 2008 in the Beijing semi-finals. Nadal went on to win the title. Nadal has won eight of their 10 meetings at Roland Garros, taking their most recent clash in the 2022 quarter-finals in a fourth-set tie-break.

Two-time Olympics singles gold medallist Andy Murray has withdrawn from the singles but will play doubles with Daniel Evans.

Second seed Carlos Alcaraz plays his first match against Lebanon's Hady Habib, with the winner to meet either Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor or Great Britain's Cameron Norrie, No. 44 in the PIF ATP Rankings, in the second round.

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Nadal & Alcaraz prepare for doubles debut at Paris Olympics

The scene is genuinely incredible, but the adjective surely fails to do it justice. Late Wednesday morning, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz stepped out onto Court Philippe-Chatrier at Roland Garros to share a high-octane practice session.

Under the orders of David Ferrer, captain of the Spanish team at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the two players continued to fine-tune their games while 50 or so inquisitive pairs of eyes took in an event that was as unusual (they had only previously practised together once, at Indian Wells in 2022) as it was awesome.

[ATP APP]

During their first session, 14-time Roland Garros titlist Nadal and reigning Paris champ Alcaraz were focused on their singles campaigns. In the afternoon, after lunch, they returned to the court to put their minds to a challenge that has captured the imagination of the entire sports world: In Paris, Nadal and Alcaraz will play for Spain in doubles, competing together for the first time. Their high-profile partnership has stolen much of the limelight in the days leading up to the competition.

“The Olympic Games is the biggest event,” said Nadal. “We’ll be making an effort to ensure we can leave with the peace of mind that we have tried to go as far as possible. We haven’t been able to prepare like other pairs, but we have confidence in Carlos’ form. I hope that last week, when I spent a lot of time on court, helps me physically to raise the level so that this works.”

“I’m so excited as I arrive at the Games,” Alcaraz exclaimed. “I’m less experienced, but I hope to adapt quickly to doubles. For me it’s a dream to play with Rafa. The road is difficult but exciting. I’m going to enjoy it as much as possible. We hope to play many matches together. It’ll be something I never forget.”

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Berger on Opelka: 'He is one of the most dedicated athletes I've ever seen'

Reilly Opelka went nearly two years without playing a tour-level match after undergoing hip surgery and later multiple wrist surgeries. The American made a successful comeback last week in Newport, where he reached the semi-finals.

ATPTour.com caught up with Opelka's longtime coach, former No. 7 in the PIF ATP Rankings Jay Berger, about what he past two years have been like behind the scenes, the 26-year-old's comeback and what he is most proud of his charge for.

In addition to the challenges Reilly has faced, it hasn't been an easy couple of years for you either. How nice is it for you after being there for him throughout the process to see his good start?
It's been an incredibly long two years. We had a kid really rising in the ranks and doing incredibly well, has one surgery, turns into two surgeries, turns into three surgeries. There's certainly a personal side for me, because at a young age, I was at the top of my game and had a surgery and ended up not being able to come back. So any surgery you have, there are no guarantees.

Mostly I'm just blown away by the commitment he's had to search for answers along so many different lines and the effort he puts in. I don't think people realise how dedicated he is, how committed he is, and how resilient and determined he was to get back. And I do have some experience in this because I have experienced it myself, and my point along the way is that whatever it takes, it's going to be worth it in the end.

The one match he played [at an ATP Challenger Tour event last year] was probably more incredible for him to get out there. And then, to play here [it has been] how his body's reacting more than anything, and then certainly the way he's playing. I thought he was playing pretty well, but you never know until you get out there.

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#NextGenATP Shang sets Atlanta rematch with Shelton

One year after beating home favourite Ben Shelton in the first round of the Atlanta Open, 19-year-old Shang Juncheng has earned himself a rematch with this year's top seed.

The Chinese #NextGenATP star followed up two qualifying wins with a 6-1, 6-1 victory against American wild card Andres Martin on Wednesday in his first tour-level match since Wimbledon. In both of his Atlanta appearances, Shang has reached the second round after a successful qualifying campaign.

At No. 156 in the PIF ATP Rankings last year, he beat Shelton before bowing out against Kei Nishikori. This week, Shang is up to No. 86 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, setting himself up for a career high. He is also in fourth place in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah.

[ATP APP]

Reilly Opelka also earned an opening win on Wednesday, beating Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-3, 7-6(5) in an all-American matchup. Like Shang, Opelka did not drop serve in the match; both he and Shang saved two beak points, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

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Musetti overcomes slow start to beat Trungelliti in Umag

Second seed Lorenzo Musetti advanced to the quarter-finals of the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag Wednesday with a solid 6-4, 6-3 victory over Argentine Marco Trungelliti.

The Italian, No. 17 in the PIF ATP Rankings, rallied from an early 0-3 deficit in the opening set to claim the next five games and with it the momentum of the match, which he wrapped up in one hour and 51 minutes.

"First match on clay after a long grass season. It was not an easy start," Musetti said post-match. "Marco was playing good. I had my chances in the first game, I didn't break him and it was not easy to find the right balance.

"Then afterwards I think I raised my level. At the end I was serving better, playing more aggressive with the forehand, and that was probably the key of the match."

[ATP APP]

Musetti applied considerable pressure on Trungelliti’s serve, earning 11 break points and converting four, while saving two of the three break points on his own serve, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

The 22-year-old advanced to his first clay-court quarter-final since Hamburg 2023 and he will now play Serbian Dusan Lajovic.  

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