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Former Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic improved to 15-1 in first-round matches on grass since 2014 on Tuesday at the Libema Open. The former World No. 3 dispatched eighth seed Jordan Thompson 6-3, 6-4 to reach the second round at the ATP 250 event.

Competing for the first time since Indian Wells in March, Raonic thundered 14 aces according to ATP Infosys Stats to earn just his fourth tour-level win of the season after 90 minutes.

Raonic will next meet Roberto Bautista Agut after the Spaniard beat Marc-Andrea Huesler 7-6(7), 6-2.

#NextGenATP Frenchman Arthur Fils won his first tour-level grass-court match in 's-Hertogenbosch, where he moved past countryman Arthur Cazaux 6-4, 6-4.

The 19-year-old, who was competing in his third tour-level match on the surface, did not face a break point en route to his one-hour, 33-minute win in his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with Cazaux.

Lloyd Harris returned to the Top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings Monday for the first time in 21 months following his triumph at the Lexus Surbiton Trophy, the ATP Challenger Tour 125 event that kickstarts the grass-court season.

The South African, who underwent right wrist surgery in June 2022, downed Swiss Leandro Riedi 7-6(8), 7-5 in Sunday's final, during which Harris won 85 per cent of his first-serve points and fended off all six break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

The 27-year-old has won 16 of his past 17 Challenger-level matches including title runs in Shenzhen and Gwangju. Harris is one of four players to win a trio of ATP Challenger Tour titles this season. The former World No. 31 is the first South African to claim a grass-court Challenger title since Wesley Moodie in 2003.

“Super stoked. Honestly, it’s like a sigh of relief in a way,” said Harris, No. 98 in the PIF ATP Rankings. “When I won the first match, I was saying to the team that I’ve never started the grass season by winning the first match. It was a huge sign for me. I feel much more confident and comfortable on the grass.

“I think it’s the biggest Challenger title that I’ve won in my career. The fact that it’s on a new surface shows that my game is progressing and evolving as I’m progressing back to where I want to be. It’s still one small stepping stone in a long way to go.”

Playing on clay courts presents unique challenges and opportunities due to the surface's slower pace and higher bounce. To succeed on clay, you need to adapt your strategy to these conditions. Here are some key strategies for playing on clay courts: General StrategyPatience and ConsistencyLonger Rallies: Be prepared for extended rallies. Focus on c...

It was a calm day at the Monte-Carlo Country Club, the training base for some of the world’s biggest tennis stars and home of the season’s first clay-court ATP Masters 1000 event. The Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters final was played nearly two months ago and the sounds of cheers were replaced by the excitement of juniors training on the same famous courts.

There was one big difference from a typical day at the club, though. Jannik Sinner, who practises at the facility, was presented the ATP World No. 1 presented by PIF trophy by ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

“For sure, it means a lot to me. Being World No. 1, it means you had a great year — actually, an incredible year with a lot of success, and obviously [I am] very happy about this,” Sinner told the ATP in Monte-Carlo. “On the other hand, you always have tournaments. You have to play the biggest tournaments. So that's a huge privilege to be part of, and I'm just looking forward for the next challenges.

“I'm very happy to share this with all my team and the people who are close to me. And I think on the other hand I'm very sure that I can still improve some things and I'm looking forward to it.”

Read ATPTour.com's Number Ones Series

Dressed in an elegant black suit, Carlos Alcaraz was back at Roland Garros on Monday to have his photo taken with the Coupe des Mousquetaires before leaving for a three-day holiday to disconnect after claiming his third major title in Paris.

Before boarding a plane to forget about tennis, for 72 hours at least, the Spaniard spent almost half an hour with all the Spanish journalists who accompanied him throughout the historic tournament, speaking to them about his achievement, the ghosts of his forearm injury and the process of maturity he is currently going through.

“Yesterday, I celebrated with my family, with the people that came from Murcia, with my friends,” said the No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings of his Sunday night. “We went out to dinner and obviously I did everything I haven’t been doing during the tournament and ate what I hadn’t been eating. I’m normally careful with gluten, but I took my foot off the pedal and let myself go a little bit. Also, we had to celebrate with champagne, the time was right.

“Then I left early and that was it. Today I’m on cloud nine.”

The Murcia native emphasised the importance of enjoying these moments.

All eyes were on Roland Garros Sunday for the final of the clay-court major between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev. But on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, Roger Federer was serving aces of his own.

The former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings delivered a memorable commencement speech to 11,000 people in person and thousands more virtually. The Swiss icon was awarded with a Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

“Really, you have no idea how excited I am. Keep in mind, this is literally the second time I have ever set foot on a college campus. Second time ever.But for some reason, you are giving me a doctorate degree,” Federer said, cracking a laugh. “I just came here to give a speech, but I get to go home as ‘Dr. Roger’. That’s a pretty nice bonus.

“‘Dr. Roger’. This has to be my most unexpected victory ever!”

Federer spoke about his friendship with agent and business partner Tony Godsick, a Dartmouth alumnus, who was in attendance to watch his daughter, Isabella Godsick, graduate. The 103-time tour-level titlist shared three key lessons:

Luca Nardi’s tour-level debut on grass proved to be worth the wait on Monday at the Libema Open in ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

After rain forced the start of the Day 1 schedule at the ATP 250 to be delayed until 3:30 p.m., the Italian downed two-time Wimbledon quarter-finalist David Goffin 7-5, 7-5 in an absorbing first-round clash. Nardi handled the blustery and damp conditions well on the Dutch grass, wrapping his victory against the former World No. 7 in two hours and five minutes.

“For sure, the biggest challenge for me was to adapt on grass, because I didn’t play too many matches on grass,” said Nardi in his on-court interview. “This was maybe my second or third match [overall]. Playing in these conditions, with the wind and the cold and a bit wet on the ground [was difficult], but I think that I played a good match and I am very happy.”

Day 1⃣ of the Grass season is here ?@Luca___Nardi took his attacking opportunities and turned the point around well when @David__Goffin was #InAttack ?#InAttack shows the percentage of shots played in attack#ConversionScore calculates the percentage of points won when the… pic.twitter.com/8bZoCsz44m

Nardi kept his cool under pressure to save seven of 10 break points he faced against Goffin, according to Infosys ATP Stats. With his win, he avenged his 2023 loss to Goffin on home soil in Rome and drew level at 1-1 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

Jack Draper made a winning return to grass on Monday at the BOSS OPEN in Stuttgart, where he defeated Sebastian Ofner 7-6(4), 7-6(5) to earn his first tour-level victory on the surface outside of Great Britain.

The 22-year-old missed the grass swing last season due to injury but has performed impressively on the surface in the past, reaching the semi-finals at the ATP 250 event in Eastbourne in 2022.

Draper looked comfortable against Ofner in the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting, rallying from a break down in the second set to advance after one hour and 40 minutes. The lefty will next face former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings Andy Murray or American Marcos Giron.

"I thought it was a really good match," Draper said. "I thought we both played clean tennis, both of us were executing really well. When it came down to it I think I competed really well and I am glad to get over the line. It is good to be back on grass as well."

In other action, Germany's Dominik Koepfer clawed past Chinese star Zhang Zhizhen 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(6). The home favourite saved two match points in the third-set tie-break before eventually advancing on his first match point after two hours and 37 minutes. It is the first time Koepfer has won a tour-level match on grass since 2021, when he beat Soonwoo Kwon in the second round at Wimbledon.

Jannik Sinner has today become the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings. He is the first Italian man or woman to reach World No. 1 in singles since computerised rankings were introduced in 1973.

The 22-year-old began the year at World No. 4. But with a remarkable surge to start 2024, highlighted by his first major title at the Australian Open, an ATP Masters 1000 title in Miami and semi-finals at Indian Wells, Monte-Carlo and Roland Garros, Sinner is now the 29th player to stand at the summit of men’s professional tennis.

“It represents a great result of work ethic. It was one of my goals for myself and my team this year. The most important goal is always to improve as a player and as a person, surrounding myself with great people. I think I can be very happy and pleased with what I am doing as well as my team", Sinner said. "In the last period I’ve played some really good tennis. I’m very happy to be in this position.”

Read ATPTour.com's Number Ones Series

Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Chairman, said: “Jannik’s rise to World No. 1 has been nothing short of remarkable. This is our sport’s most challenging and impressive accomplishment, requiring immense dedication, determination and self-belief. It’s reflected by the exclusive list of tennis greats who have held the top spot, with Jannik becoming only the 29th player to achieve the No. 1 ranking in over 50 years of history. Jannik can be immensely proud of everything he has accomplished. On behalf of the ATP, we are thrilled to join his many fans in celebrating this moment. At just 22 years old, he has an incredible road ahead. It will be fascinating to watch his journey continue.”

Classic tennis shots are the foundation of the game and showcase the skill, strategy, and elegance of tennis. Here's an overview of the most iconic shots in tennis, along with tips on how to execute them: 1. ForehandDescription The forehand is often the most powerful and aggressive shot in a player's arsenal. It is executed with the dominant hand a...

Jannik Sinner is the 29th player to reach World No. 1 in the history of the PIF ATP Rankings.

Ilie Nastase was the first in 1973 and, 51 years later, Sinner has joined the elite group, becoming the first Italian to accomplish the feat.

ATPTour.com is celebrating Sinner's ascent to No. 1 with a series of profiles of all 29 legends who have climbed to the pinnacle of mens' tennis.

Jannik Sinner: The flying fox who climbed to the very top

All smiles: Carlos Alcaraz's joyful game carried him to No. 1

The grass-court swing is here on the ATP Tour and ATP Challenger Tour and a host of #NextGenATP stars will be hoping to make their mark in a bid to raise their hopes of qualifying for this year’s Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.

Alex Michelsen, currently fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, plays at the ATP 250 in Stuttgart. The American has the best pedigree on grass out of those competing for a place in Jeddah, having advanced to an ATP Tour final on the surface in Newport last season.

The 19-year-old beat John Isner in the semi-finals before he fell to Adrian Mannarino in the championship match in the United States. Michelsen will hope to recapture that form in Stuttgart, where he plays Arthur Rinderknech on his tournament debut.

PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah

Frenchman Arthur Fils, who is first in the Live Race To Jeddah, competes in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, where he faces countryman Arthur Cazaux in the first round. Fils is seeking his first tour-level win on grass.

The second major of the season at Roland Garros produced high-quality drama, with Carlos Alcaraz lifting his third major title. ATPTour.com looks at the movers in the PIF ATP Rankings as of Monday, 10 June.

No. 1 Jannik Sinner, +1 (Career High)
Sinner has become the 29th player to rise to No. 1 in the history of the PIF ATP Rankings (since 1973). The 22-year-old is the first Italian to climb to top spot. Sinner advanced to the semi-finals at Roland Garros, but was ensured of becoming World No. 1 when Novak Djokovic withdrew before his quarter-final clash in Paris due to injury. The Serbian had to reach the championship match in Paris to have a chance of staying on top spot.

No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz, +1
The 21-year-old has moved to No. 2 after he won his third major title at Roland Garros. Alcaraz is the youngest player in history to win a Slam on all three surfaces, while he is the seventh Spaniard to triumph in the French capital. Alcaraz beat Alexander Zverev in five sets in the final.

No. 9 Alex de Minaur, +2 (Joint Career High)
The Australian has returned to the Top 10 after he advanced to his second major quarter-final in Paris. De Minaur, who also advanced to the last eight at the US Open in 2020, beat Daniil Medvedev in Paris for his second Top 5 win of the season.

No. 56 Corentin Moutet, +23
The dynamic Frenchman has moved closer to the Top 50 after impressing on home soil in Paris. Moutet advanced to the fourth round at Roland Garros, where he took a set off Sinner before falling in four. Moutet’s run to the last 16 equalled his best result at a major.

Jannik Sinner today climbed to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, becoming the first Italian to achieve the feat. It is a historic moment for the 22-year-old, who is just the 29th player since the rankings’ inception in 1973 to climb to World No. 1.

Just more than five years ago, Sinner competed in an ATP Tour event for the first time. Looking back at that one event, the ATP 250 in Budapest, it was clear the Italian had a bright future.

It all began when tournament director Attila Richter received a phone call from the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation and Sinner's team. They told him about the Italian’s talent and asked if the tournament would consider giving him a wild card.

Organisers had already allocated their three main draw wild cards — one for top seed Marin Cilic and two for Hungarians — so they decided to give the 17-year-old a chance with a qualifying wild card.

“This young guy comes over super polite, super nice, very calm and quiet,” Richter recalled. “Plays incredible tennis, wins in the qualies first round, I'm not even sure who he beat but I remember it was a surprise.”

In the latest profile of the 29 players to rise to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, ATPTour.com highlights Italy's Jannik Sinner. View Full List.

First week at No. 1: 10 June 2024
Total weeks at No. 1: 1

At World No. 1
Sinner will need to settle quickly into his newfound status as World No. 1. Three of the Italian's closest rivals in the PIF ATP Rankings — Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev — are all former custodians of the top spot in men’s tennis, and Sinner will know he has to push for further success if he wants to keep them at bay for long.

Grand Slam Highlights
After reaching the Roland Garros quarter-finals in his 2020 Paris debut, Sinner showed his staying power with a consistent 2022 Grand Slam season. That year, he reached the quarters at three majors and the fourth round in France. Two heartbreaking defeats — five-setters against eventual champions Djokovic at Wimbledon and Alcaraz at the US Open — steeled the Italian for future success.

He reached the Wimbledon semis in 2023, again losing to Djokovic, and suffered another five-set US Open exit in the fourth round against Alexander Zverev. That disappointment set the stage for a scintillating run to close the '23 season, which Sinner carried into 2024 to win his maiden major at the Australian Open.

Carlos Alcaraz began Roland Garros in seventh place in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. The Spaniard occupied a qualifying position for this year's Nitto ATP Finals, to be played from 10-17 November in Turin, but was far from the top of the standings.

The 21-year-old changed that over the course of the past fortnight by winning the Roland Garros title. Alcaraz is now third in the Live Race and within 500 points of the player he defeated in Sunday's final, Alexander Zverev.

PIF ATP Live Race To Turin

Alcaraz is now in good position to qualify for the season finale for the third consecutive year (he did not play in 2022 due to injury). 

Jannik Sinner, who lost to Alcaraz in five sets in the Roland Garros semi-finals, maintains his lead in the Live Race. The Italian, who on Monday climbs to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings for the first time, owns a 915-point advantage over second-placed Zverev in the Live Race.

Carlos Alcaraz made more history on Sunday at Roland Garros, where aged 21 he became the second-youngest champion at the clay-court major since 2000. Alcaraz defeated Alexander Zverev in five sets in the final and is the seventh Spanish man to triumph at the event.

Alcaraz revealed he achieved a childhood dream by winning in the French capital.

“Winning a Grand Slam is always special. Winning your first in every Grand Slam is always super special. But in Roland Garros, knowing all the Spanish players who have won this tournament and being able to put my name on that amazing list is something unbelievable,” Alcaraz said. “[It is] something that I dreamed about being in this position since I started playing tennis, since I was five, six years old. So it's a great, great feeling.”

Alcaraz won his maiden major at the US Open on hard court in 2022, before he triumphed on grass at Wimbledon last year. By winning Roland Garros on clay, he has become the youngest man to earn a major trophy on all three surfaces.

The No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Live Rankings was asked about how he has acclimatised to all three surfaces so quickly in his career.

Thirty-nine forehand winners to 24. Look no further for the difference-maker.

Carlos Alcaraz hit 15 more forehand winners than Alexander Zverev in Sunday’s Roland Garros final, while only winning 14 more total points (153-139) en route to a gruelling 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 victory. The forehands provided the separation he desperately needed to erase a two-sets-to-one deficit and secure his first Grand Slam title on clay in Paris.

The majority of match metrics highlighted just how close these two were competing in the four-hour and 19-minute final - except when it came to forehands ending the point.

Forehand Performance

Alcaraz
- Winners = 39
- Total Errors = 60
- Winners - Errors = -21

After Alexander Zverev lost a tough five-set match in the Roland Garros final on Sunday to Carlos Alcaraz, he was quick to praise his opponent.

“Look, he played fantastic. He played better than me the fourth and fifth set. It's how it is,” Zverev said. “I felt like this Grand Slam final I did everything I could. At the US Open I kind of gave it away myself. It's a bit different.”

The German reached his first major final at the 2020 US Open. Then 23, Zverev led Dominic Thiem by two sets and served for the championship in the fifth set before falling in a final-set tie-break.

This occasion was different. Alcaraz had an opportunity to serve for a two-sets-to-one lead before Zverev stormed back to seize the advantage.

Ultimately, it was the Spaniard who claimed the momentum in the fourth set and never relinquished it. Alcaraz is now 11-1 in five-set matches.