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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.

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.”

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.

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.

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."

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.  

Holger Rune withdrew from the Paris Olympics on Wednesday due to a wrist injury.

“I am really sorry that I will be unable to play the Olympics. It's something I've been looking forward to playing and being a part of,” Rune wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I have played with pain in my wrist throughout both the clay and grass seasons, so I have to take the medical recommendations seriously.

“I will follow the Olympics from home and cheer on all the Danish athletes and I hope and believe that we can bring home many medals from Paris. Come on Denmark”

I am really sorry that I will be unable to play the Olympics. It's something I've been looking forward to playing and being a part of.
I have played with pain in my wrist throughout both the clay and grass season, so I have to take the medical recommendations seriously. I will…

Rune, who last year climbed to No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings, was poised to make his Olympics debut. The Danish star has tallied a 27-15 record this season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

Matteo Berrettini extended his winning streak to seven matches on Wednesday in Kitzbühel when he ousted second seed Alejandro Tabilo 7-6(4), 7-6(5) for a place in the Generali Open quarter-finals.

“Definitely a tough match. He's having a great season. He's playing good, he's got a lot of confidence, a tricky lefty so for sure he likes to play in these conditions,” Berrettini said. “But I was confident with my level. I think I was serving really well apart from when I served for the match.

“But it can happen, it's tennis and really happy how I held my nerves and again two tie-breaks so it means that I was pretty focused and I think I did the right things in the right moments.”

Ascending in Austria ⚒️@MattBerrettini adds to his winning streak with a 7-6(4) 7-6(5) win over Tabilo to reach the QF!#GeneraliOpen pic.twitter.com/naw3DhOuye

Last week's Gstaad champion Berrettini relied on his first serve, landing 81 per cent of his first deliveries and winning 79 per cent of those points, according to Infosys ATP Stats. The Italian failed to serve out the match at 5-3 in the second set, but remained calm to take a 2-0 lead in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

Americans Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff are among the star-studded teams that headline the Paris Olympics mixed doubles field, which was announced Wednesday.

Gauff and Fritz are the second seeds, only behind top seeds Laura Siegemund and Alexander Zverev, who clinched Germany’s United Cup victory against Poland at the start of the season.

Other current or former Top 10 players in the PIF ATP Rankings who are competing in mixed doubles are Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (with Maria Sakkari), Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime (with Gabirela Dabrowski), Daniil Medvedev (with Mirra Andreeva) and Kei Nishikori (with Ena Shibahara).

There are 16 teams in the event including four seeded pairs: top seeds Siegemund/Zverev, second seeds Gauff/Fritz, third seeds Matthew Ebden and Ellen Perez and fourth seeds Sakkari/Tsitsipas.

The draw ceremony for the Paris Olympics tennis events will take place on Thursday at Roland Garros. The full list of teams in the mixed doubles field is below:

Jannik Sinner withdrew from the Paris Olympics on Wednesday after being diagnosed with tonsillitis.

“I’m extremely sad and disappointed. Competing at the Olympic Games was one of my main goals for this season,” Sinner said in a statement. “I was really looking forward to being back at Roland Garros and playing for my country in this prestigious event. However, after seeing my doctors on Tuesday and waiting an extra day to give myself some more time to see if my condition would improve, things unfortunately got worse.”

Sono amareggiato di informarvi che purtroppo non potrò partecipare ai Giochi Olimpici di Parigi.

Dopo una buona settimana di allenamento sulla terra ho cominciato a non sentirmi bene. Ho trascorso un paio di giorni a riposo ed in visita il medico ha riscontrato una tonsillite e… pic.twitter.com/Qrx8TJLoMA

Sinner began experiencing symptoms of illness on Monday evening following a practice week in Monaco. The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings consulted with his team of doctors and was strongly advised to withdraw.

“As I said this is upsetting for me and I hope to be able to play the Olympics in the future. I was looking forward to competing with my teammates and the rest of the Italian team, but for now that will have to wait,” Sinner said. “As advised by my medical team, I will now take some time to rest and recover to full health. I’d like to wish the whole team Italia the best for this important event and hope to be back stronger in the future.”

Tennis’s history with the Summer Olympics stretches back to its inclusion at the inaugural Olympic Games in 1896. Despite being dropped in 1924 over regulatory disputes, its return in 1988 as a full medal sport has marked the significance of the Olympics within the eyes of tennis professionals, with Olympic gold in tennis considered a coveted accolade.

The Paris 2024 Olympics promises a thrilling week of tennis, featuring the world’s top players as they compete for this priceless reward.

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

What are the dates for tennis at the Olympics?
Tennis at the Paris 2024 Olympics is set to start with the opening-round matches on 27 July, the day after the Opening Ceremony, and run until 4 August, when the final medal matches take place, including the men’s singles gold medal match.

What is the schedule for tennis at the Olympics?
After the Opening Ceremony for the Paris Olympics on Friday 26 July, play will begin on Saturday 27 July with men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles and women’s doubles first-round matches. Play will begin each day at 12 p.m.

Tennis is a game that rewards creativity and skill, and there are many unique shots that can add variety and surprise to your game. Here's a guide to some unique tennis shots, along with descriptions and tips on how to execute them: Unique Tennis ShotsDrop ShotDescription: A softly hit shot that barely clears the net and lands close to it, making i...

Mackenzie McDonald continues to round into form after a shoulder injury kept him out of ATP Tour action for several months earlier this season. Fresh off a quarter-final run in Newport — his best result of 2024 — the American scored an upset win against Brandon Nakashima on Tuesday at the Atlanta Open.

McDonald knocked out the seventh seed 6-2, 6-4, improving to 4-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. The 29-year-old converted on all three of his break chances and saved all three break points against him, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

The win against the No. 55 in the PIF ATP Rankings is McDonald's best victory by that measure since he beat World No. 40 Max Purcell last year in Tokyo. The former UCLA star earned a personal-best 33 wins in 2023; he is now 4-9 this year.

Yoshihito Nishioka awaits McDonald in the second round after his 7-6(4), 6-3 win against American Zachary Svajda on Monday.

Australian lucky loser Adam Walton also scored on upset on Tuesday, beating sixth seed Miomir Kecmanovic 6-4, 6-4. Like McDonald, Walton saved all three break points against him in his Atlanta opener.

Andrey Rublev broke a four-match losing streak with a hard-fought opening win Tuesday at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag. The top seed beat Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-4, 7-5 for his first victory since he reached the third round at Roland Garros.

At the tournament where he won his first ATP Tour title in 2017, Rublev clinched the result with his fourth break of serve, hitting a rare drop shot winner on match point. He saved two of four break points against him in the one-hour, 46-minute match, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

"I think it was a great match. I think it was a lot of good points. Ugo played really well," Rublev said after the pair's first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting. "I think at the end of the match he started to feel confidence, he started to hit even harder because he had nothing to lose. During the match he raised his level.

"I think it was a good performance from me, as well. I'm happy that I'm here, I'm happy that I won the match, and we'll see what's going to happen next."

Successful match for Rublev ?

No. 1 seed @AndreyRublev97 advances defeating Ugo Carabelli, breaking his losing streak 6-4 7-5@CroatiaOpenUmag | #CroatiaOpenUmag pic.twitter.com/F4p7F4BrGZ

Nuno Borges earned his debut ATP tour title with victory over Rafael Nadal in the final of the Nordea Open.

The 27-year-old Portuguese player spoke to ATPTour.com about the path to his maiden title, his pre-match routines, and his passions off the court.

What does it mean to win your first ATP Tour title? Not only did you win the title, but you beat an all-time great in Rafa. How special is that for you?
To be honest, I don’t think I’ve processed it yet. It feels amazing, it’s like I was saying, it’s when you least expect it sometimes - tennis is crazy. I came here this week without winning a match for a few weeks, coming from the grass where it was a tricky week, and all of a sudden, I come out playing great and winning the whole thing, and not just winning the title, but beating Rafa in the final on clay, a place where he has won before. Just beating the King of the Clay means a lot to me, it feels surreal to me, and it already feels like it wasn’t yesterday, it feels so long ago and I’m still in disbelief.

This is a milestone moment in your career. How will you celebrate this victory?
Yeah, for sure a milestone. It was something that I wanted to do, I was already aiming for my first semis and once I did that then my first final and then winning the title for sure. It was something that I dreamed about for a long time, and I didn’t think that it would happen this week but again it’s when you least expect it and taking one match at a time can really do these things for you. I celebrated a little bit with the other players last night, with the staff, they provided us with an amazing dinner, and [we went on] a night out just to enjoy it. I was able to have my girlfriend out in town, she flew in just for that so that was awesome too. I wish I had all my friends and family, but it wasn’t possible this time. I’ll go back home today, and I don’t have really too much time to waste. I’m going straight to Paris after, getting ready for the Olympics, not too much time to celebrate, but tennis is like this.

Could you take a moment to acknowledge some of the key figures in your life and career who have helped you to reach this milestone?
Yeah, I’ve now acknowledged some people starting with Australia this year and even before that just being on the Davis Cup team. I think all of those that make me look back and think about all the coaches that helped me throughout my career and my process even before I was a professional and all the friends that were part of my whole journey. Obviously, my sponsors, my family, everybody on my team that without them it wouldn’t be possible. I know they’re celebrating with me right now.

Matteo Berrettini arrived in Kitzbühel with a title-winning confidence, and the Italian needed every bit of it to avoid an early exit on Tuesday at the Generali Open.

The Italian, who on Sunday clinched his second ATP Tour crown of the season in Gstaad, overcame Pavel Kotov 7-6(6), 7-6(5) at the Austrian clay ATP 250. Berrettini rallied from a break down in the opening set and also saved a set point in the first-set tie-break before going on to seal a two-hour, 16-minute first-round triumph.

“A really tough match. I expected that,” said Berrettini after his win. “It’s still clay and at altitude, but it’s completely different [to Gstaad]. It took me some games to get used to the conditions, but the most important thing is that the more I was playing, the more I was feeling good. I’m really happy for my win and looking forward to my next match.”

There it issss ???

The close win goes to @MattBerrettini 7-6(6) 7-6(5) over Kotov#GeneraliOpen pic.twitter.com/I7YtbyfCAu

The No. 50 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Berrettini won 86 per cent (49/57) of points behind his first serve against Kotov, according to Infosys ATP Stats. Now 13-1 on clay since the start of the 2023 season, the Italian will take on second seed Alejandro Tabilo in the second round in Kitzbühel. It will be the second Lexus ATP Head2Head clash between the pair, and the first on clay.

Playing in the biggest match of his young career, Arthur Fils came through a dramatic final set to defeat home favourite Alexander Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(1) in Sunday's Hamburg Open final.

In a three-and-a-half-hour marathon, the #NextGenATP Frenchman saved an incredible 21 of 22 break points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, including five in the final set. Fils stayed aggressive in the face of unrelenting pressure from the top seed and defending champion, fighting through deuce as he saved break points at 4-4 and 5-5 in the third set before dominating the decisive tie-break.

"I knew from the start it was not going to be easy," Fils said before the trophy ceremony. "First set I was taking care of it, I think I had a little but of luck, but playing great. Then second set he managed to play better than me and to raise his level.

"Then we closed the roof and when we closed the roof I knew it was going to be just a fight, like a dogfight. You just have to fight until the last point, until the last ball. I think that I'm practising since a long time for this kind of moment so I'm really happy to win it."

Winning Fils again for Arthur ??

The French prodigy has secured his second ATP Tour title in Hamburg ?@hamburgopenatp | #HamburgOpen pic.twitter.com/OUR5klmGs9

Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz are happy at home in Hamburg once again.

The German pair on Sunday claimed the title for the second straight year at the Hamburg Open, where they overcame third seeds Fabien Reboul and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 7-6(8), 6-2. Krawietz and Puetz saved a set point in the tie-break before clinching the opening set, and they then dominated the second set to seal the title at the clay-court ATP 500.

“It was a little bit less stressful in the second set but was very tight in the first,” said Puetz after the match. “We had some chances that we didn’t take. I thought they had some chances that they didn’t take, and then in the end the tie-break was 10-8. It could have gone either way.

“It was very hot, very humid, it was tough on everyone and tough to play. Definitely happy to be champion here again. To defend the title here in Hamburg is absolutely amazing and it was a great atmosphere.”

After prevailing in their maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with all-French combo Reboul and Roger-Vasselin, Krawietz and Puetz improved to 27-13 for the season. They did not a drop a set all week in Hamburg, where Puetz also lifted the trophy in 2021 with Michael Venus after beating Krawietz and Horia Tecau in the championship match.

Who will be able to add the most net PIF ATP Rankings points across Atlanta, Kitzbuhel and Umag?

The three ATP 250 events — the Atlanta Open, the Generali Open and the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag — provide plenty of opportunity for the ATP Tour stars in action this week.

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
The American with a booming lefty serve is the top seed in Atlanta and will be keen to leave his mark on the event in its last edition. Ben’s father, Bryan Shelton, was the longtime head coach of the Georgia Tech women’s tennis team. Georgia Tech is the external practice facility for the Atlanta Open, making this a true home event for Shelton.

Nuno Borges overcame tennis royalty to notch his maiden ATP Tour title on Sunday at the Nordea Open.

The seventh-seeded Portuguese eased past Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2 to clinch the trophy at the clay-court ATP 250. Borges delivered a rock-solid performance against the 22-time Grand Slam winner Nadal, and he broke the Spaniard’s serve five times en route to victory in his maiden tour-level final.

“I don’t know what to say. I think I was wishing for this moment for a while already,” said Borges in his post-match interview. “It’s crazy, in tennis it doesn’t happen when you expect it sometimes. I know we all wanted Rafa to win, a part of me wished that too, but something even bigger inside of me really pushed through today. Through all the emotions, through all the ups and downs.

“it wasn’t about playing my best tennis, it was just coming up in the big moments where I wanted, and I couldn’t have played better. I’m just really happy overall. I really don’t know what to say, I’m very emotional.”

Nu-NO way past ⚔️?@nunoborges97 is an ATP champion for the very first time ?@NordeaOpen | #NordeaOpen pic.twitter.com/JsdykVlB4a

Matteo Berrettini wasted little time charging to his ninth ATP Tour title on Sunday at the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad.

The sixth seed dispatched Quentin Halys 6-3, 6-1 in just 59 minutes in the championship match at the clay-court ATP 250. Berrettini clinched the opening break of the match shortly before the match was suspended for 30 minutes due to rain. When the players returned to court with the Italian leading 5-3, he promptly won seven of the next eight games to claim the trophy in the Swiss Alps for the second time.

“It feels unbelievable. It feels like it was yesterday that I won my first title here six years ago, but a lot of matches and a lot of things happened," said Berrettini in his post-match interview. "I’m just so glad that I can keep playing and enjoying, and I think I found the energy of six years ago during this week. This place is special for me. I’m just so happy.”

It was Berrettini’s second clay ATP 250 title of the season — he also won in April in Marrakech. The former World No. 6 was outside the Top 150 in the PIF ATP Rankings as recently as March after a difficult 12 months with injuries. Now 16-6 for the 2024 season, he will return to the Top 50 for the first time since August 2023 on Monday.

Matteo's Swiss bliss ????

ATP first-time titlist at Gstaad 2018, @MattBerrettini is back in the winner's circle!@SwissOpenGstaad | #ATPGstaad pic.twitter.com/QeqEW7AFye

Andy Murray will bring his illustrious playing career to a close after the Paris Olympics, the 37-year-old confirmed on Tuesday morning via social media.

The former World No. 1 and 46-time tour-level titlist will represent Great Britain at an Olympic Games for the fifth time in Paris, where the tennis event runs from 27 July to 4 August. A two-time Olympic men’s singles gold medallist, Murray will then call time on his 20-year pro career.

Arrived in Paris for my last ever tennis tournament @Olympics
Competing for ?? have been by far the most memorable weeks of my career and I’m extremely proud to get do it one final time! pic.twitter.com/keqnpvSEE1

“Arrived in Paris for my last ever tennis tournament @Olympics,” Murray wrote on X. "Competing for Great Britain have been by far the most memorable weeks of my career and I’m extremely proud to get to do it one final time!"

Murray is set to compete in singles and in doubles (alongside Daniel Evans) in Paris. He won his first Olympic gold by defeating Roger Federer in the final at London 2012, before defending his crown by edging Juan Martin del Potro in an epic final at Rio de Janeiro 2016.