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Maxime Cressy wasted no time Wednesday to reach the second round of US Open qualifying, needing 69 minutes to dispatch Czech Vit Kopriva 6-3, 6-3.

The 26-year-old American dropped just six points behind his hefty serve to move one step closer to his fourth main-draw appearance in Flushing Meadows, where he will next face Belgian Joris De Loore, who defeated Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4, 6-4.

#NextGenATP stars Jakub Mensik, Arthur Cazaux and Leandro Riedi also earned victories Wednesday. The 17-year-old Mensik overcame a slow start and struck 10 aces to oust former World No. 7 Fabio Fognini 1-6, 6-1, 6-1. 17th seed Cazaux cruised past Zizou Bergs 6-3, 6-3 and the Swiss Riedi survived 13th seed Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 2-6, 7-5.

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Canadian Vasek Pospisil played the longest men's qualifying match of the day, needing three hours, 29 minutes to move past 26th seed Pedro Martinez 7-6(7), 6-7(3), 6-4.

John Isner on Wednesday evening announced on social media that the US Open will be his final tournament. The American’s 17th consecutive appearance in his home major will be his last.

"There comes a time in every athlete's career that they have to decide to hang it up. For me, that time is now," Isner posted on Instagram. "I didn't come [to] this decision lightly, but I feel it is the right way to go. When I left the University of Georgia in 2007, there was no way I could have imagined playing 17 years on the ATP Tour.

"Of course, there are countless matches I wish I could have back, but I am proud of what I was able to accomplish. The journey was nothing short of incredible."

The 38-year-old at Flushing Meadows will draw to a close his illustrious career, during which he has won 16 ATP Tour titles, won 488 tour-level matches and competed in the Nitto ATP Finals (in 2018).

American Sebastian Korda advanced to his fourth tour-level quarter-final of the season on Wednesday at the Winston-Salem Open, where he moved past Hungarian Marton Fucsovics 7-6(5), 6-3.

The 23-year-old earned an opening-round win against Benjamin Bonzi and backed that up with a hard-fought display against Fucsovics. Korda rallied from 3-5 in the first set before he struck 13 winners in the second set to advance after one hour and 53 minutes at the ATP 250.

"It was a very close first set," Korda said. "I think as a player you take a lot of confidence in that. You have the upper hand and [then] it was time to push a little harder and be more aggressive and take the chances when they come.

"I think on the big [points] I played pretty solid and did not make many mistakes. As the match progressed, the longer the rallies got and the more I felt comfortable."

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The ATP Challenger Tour makes its long-awaited return to China this week after a near four-year absence on the calendar.

China is set to host six Challenger events in the next eight weeks, with the Hengqin International Tennis Challenger in Zhuhai kicking off the swing. Zhuhai tournament director Mily Li says it’s rewarding to see world-class players back in action in the Asian country.

“The return means a lot to us. The local fans are super thirsty about watching high-level tennis matches on site, and the local sponsors finally have the opportunity to support some international tennis event,” said Li. “It is also a challenge for the local tennis event operation team, since they haven't organised this level international event for three years as well.”

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The Zhuhai Challenger marks the first tournament at that level in China since October 2019 (Shenzhen). Next month, the ATP Tour will also return to China, starting a four-week swing with the Chengdu Open and ending with the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

From print outs on gigantic paper sheets and late-night phone calls chasing results to today’s real-time system, straight off a Chair Umpire’s electronic scorecard, the Pepperstone ATP Rankings have been an indispensable barometer connecting every level of professional tennis since its debut on 23 August 1973.

Just as tennis experienced a wide-spread technology revolution, in how racquets and balls are manufactured, and court surfaces are prepared, 50 years ago today, the Pepperstone ATP Rankings provided an intellectual revolution that quickly earned legitimacy and credibility among players, tournaments and fans. Incredibly, to-date, only 28 legendary performers have reached the universal goal of any tennis player; what kids dream of, and pros fight tooth and nail for: to become the No. 1 in the world. And fewer still, just 18, have finished the season as year-end No. 1.

Without the foresight of ATP founding fathers, the rankings landscape may look entirely different. From the dawn of Open Era tennis in April 1968, rankings were largely a subjective calculation, generated by national tennis associations, circuits and a number of eminent tennis journalists who compiled their own lists.

“Tingay's was really the only one that counted,” recalls former ATP European Director and acclaimed tennis writer Richard Evans, referring to the rankings produced by The Daily Telegraph’s Lance Tingay. “National Associations produced their own rankings, which meant that tournament committees attempted to secure the No. 1 player from each country,” remembers John Barrett, a former player and ATP Board member. “The major championships permitted associations to nominate four players from their country.”

Jack Kramer (left) and Cliff Drysdale. Photo Credit: PA Images via Getty Images

Kevin Anderson made a winning start Tuesday in qualifying at the US Open, where the 37-year-old was a finalist in 2017.

Playing in just his fifth match of the season, Anderson fired 12 aces to cruise past Ukraine’s Oleksii Krutykh 6-3, 7-5 in one hour, 21 minutes. The South African, who is a seven-time tour-level titlist, will next face 19th seed Tomas Machac as he aims for his first major main-draw appearance since the 2022 Australian Open. 

Another tour veteran, Benoit Paire, also breezed through his first round qualifying match at Flushing Meadows. The 34-year-old downed Geoffrey Blancaneaux 6-2, 6-3. Paire's countryman Enzo Couacaud ousted top seed Jaume Munar 7-5, 6-3.

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Several #NextGenATP stars inched closer to their US Open main-draw debut, including Shang Juncheng, who defeated Genaro Alberto Olivieri 6-1, 6-4. Swiss Dominic Stricker rallied past Alexis Galarneau 3-6, 6-2, 6-0. Spaniard Pablo Llamas Ruiz overcame Andrea Collarini 6-3, 6-3 after winning 82 per cent of his first-serve points. 

Top seed Borna Coric held his nerve in key moments Tuesday to reach the third round of the Winston-Salem Open.

The Croatian defeated Rinky Hijikata 6-2, 7-6(2), after two hours, three minutes. Coric fended off 12 of 13 break points he faced and stayed consistent in the second-set tie-break to advance at the ATP 250.

“[Rinky] was really playing great today and I thought in the first set I was playing some good tennis,” Coric said in his on-court interview. “In the second set, he served much better. I was just playing better and I played a really good tie-break.”

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Coric, who is World No. 29 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, is aiming for his first tour-level title since his dream run at last year’s ATP Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati. Coric is making his third appearance in Winston-Salem, having reached the quarter-finals in 2015 and 2017.

Rising American stars Brandon Nakashima and Alex Michelsen battled through tough matches on Tuesday to reach the third round of the Winston-Salem Open.

Nakashima, the reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion, clawed past a contender for this year’s 21-and-under season finale, seventh seed Arthur Fils, 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 6-2 after two hours and 38 minutes.

“It was a very, very, very tough match from the beginning. We know each other pretty well, so we knew it was going to be a good battle for sure,” Nakashima said in his on-court interview. “In the beginning of the first set, both of us were serving pretty well and then [I played] a couple of loose points in the tie-break.

“But I tried to stay focussed and I was able to pull it out in the second set. It was again super tight. But then in the third set I was just trying to stay focussed out there. I was just trying to make him play, not trying to give anything for free and I'm happy that it ended my way.”

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The fourth and final Grand Slam of the season will see reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz and three-time winner Novak Djokovic lead the field at the US Open.

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

When is the US Open?

The 2023 US Open will be held from 28 August – 10 September. The hard-court Grand Slam tournament, established in 1881, will take place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, United States. The tournament director is Stacey Allaster.

Who is playing at the US Open?

The US Open will feature stars including Alcaraz, 23-time major champion Djokovic, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud, Daniil Medvedev, Holger Rune and more..

When is the draw for the US Open?

The US Open singles draw will be made Thursday, 24 August at 12 p.m. The doubles draw will be made Sunday, 27 August at 12 p.m.

The ATP has announced Baseline, a transformative financial security programme for ATP players set to launch in 2024 as part of a three-year trial. This pioneering initiative marks a major first in the history of the ATP Tour.

Comprised of three key pillars, Baseline represents a significant step towards ensuring a greater number of players can make a sustainable living from the sport.

The first pillar of the programme is Guaranteed Base Earnings, which guarantees minimum income levels for the Top 250-ranked singles players each season. In case a player's prize money earnings finishes below the guaranteed threshold, the ATP will step in to cover the shortfall. For the 2024 season, these levels are $300,000 (Top 100), $150,000 (101-175) and $75,000 (176-250). This assurance will empower players to plan their seasons with greater certainty, focus on their game and invest in their teams. This includes covering the expenses of coaches and personal physios, as well as travel.

The second pillar focuses on Injury Protection, providing support to players who play fewer than nine ATP Tour and Challenger Tour events in a season due to injury. This progressive initiative includes thresholds set at $200,000 (Top 100), $100,000 (101-175) and $50,000 (176-250) in 2024. This is designed to provide financial security during difficult periods, allowing players to focus on recovery and make a successful return to the game.

The third pillar, Newcomer Investment, provides an additional boost to up-and-coming players as they push on in their professional tennis journey. These rising stars will have access to $200,000 of funding upon breaking into the Top 125 for the first time, paid in advance of the following season and offset against prize money earnings. This will facilitate players’ investment into their teams and resources as they break onto the ATP Tour.

Californian lefty Omni Kumar capitalised on his lucky loser entry into the main draw of the Winston-Salem Open when he upset French World No. 73 Arthur Rinderknech 6-3, 7-6(3) Monday night.

The 21-year-old came into the tournament without even a win an ATP Challenger Tour level to his name. He lost in the final round of qualifying to Illya Marchenko but came into the main draw Monday following the withdrawal of former US Open champion Dominic Thiem due to gastro.

World No. 385 Kumar, who on his backhand side use two hands on his backswing but releases his right hand at the point of contact ala Fabrice Santoro, said that he was stunned to claim an ATP Tour win before tasting success at the Challenger level.

"It's surreal. It hasn't even sunk in yet. I played the best tennis of my life and the crowd was behind me,” said Kumar, who has a heavy, wristy forehand and a lot of pop on his serve, despite being listed at a generous 5' 9" in height. 

"Right as I went on to practise today I got the text that I was in. I'm sorry that Thiem pulled out but I was really hyped and I had nothing to lose so I came onto the court with that.

Kevin Anderson, the 2017 finalist, headlines the US Open qualifying draw this week at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre at Flushing Meadows.

The two-time major finalist will begin his attempt to reach the main draw against Oleksii Krutykh. The South African, who returned from retirement last month in Newport, is competing in major qualifying for the first time since the 2010 US Open.

The former World No. 5 is not the only star playing qualifying in New York. The 2017 Nitto ATP Finals runner-up, David Goffin, Fabio Fognini, Benoit Paire and Maxime Cressy are among the players who are also in the field.

Another competitor to watch is John Millman, who has not played a tournament since the Cherbourg ATP Challenger Tour event in February. The Australian stunned Roger Federer at the US Open in 2018 en route to the quarter-finals.

The top qualifying seed is Jaume Munar and the second seed is Cristian Grain. #NextGenATP players competing in qualifying include Arthur Cazaux, Hamad Medjedovic, Dominic Stricker and Shang Juncheng.

Did you miss the unforgettable Western & Southern Open final between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz?

Djokovic battled past Alcaraz 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4) in a gruelling three-hour, 49-minute epic to claim his third crown at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament. The Serbian extended his record to 39 Masters 1000 titles by triumphing in the longest best-of-three final in ATP Tour history (since 1990).

The 36-year-old trailed by a set and a break and saved championship point at 5/6 in the second-set tie-break before rallying for a memorable victory. In doing so, he levelled his budding Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry with Alcaraz at 2-2.

Watch extended match highlights of the incredible Cincinnati classic final above.

Briton Jack Draper made a successful return to ATP Tour action on Monday when he defeated Portugal’s Nuno Borges 6-3, 6-1 to reach the second round of the Winston-Salem Open. It was his first tour-level match since Roland Garros due to a shoulder injury.

“I played a really clean match. The guy is a really good player, so is everyone on this level,” Draper said. “It's good to be back here in Winston. I had amazing memories here last year, so I'm happy to be back.”

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One year ago, Draper defeated Fabio Fognini and Dominic Thiem en route to the Winston-Salem quarter-finals. Against Borges he hit 11 aces and did not face a break point.

“I think my serve was amazing today. I kept on putting pressure on him on my return games,” Draper said. “Last week [when I returned on the ATP Challenger Tour], I wasn't too sharp when I first started back playing. But hopefully I can build on this performance and show you guys some good tennis all week.”

Ryan Peniston toughed out a tricky week at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Winnipeg, Canada to lift his maiden title at that level.

The 27-year-old dropped just five games across his first three matches before needing a deciding set in his semi-final and final contests. Peniston ousted #NextGenATP Swiss Leandro Riedi 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the championship match to triumph at the Winnipeg National Bank Challenger presented by MBuilds.

“It feels amazing, after having [lost] three finals before and losing the second set, I was [having] negative thoughts,” Peniston said. “I managed to keep fighting and pull through to the end. I’ve just been taking it one match at a time, one point at a time.”

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Peniston, who entered the main draw as an alternate, fought through blustery conditions all week to be crowned champion.

The blockbuster showdown between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday in the Western & Southern Open final turned into one of the best matches in recent memory.

Talk about the clash quickly fired up on social media, where fans and members of the tennis community marvelled at the action. Among the current and former players who commented on the match were three-time major champion Stan Wawrinka, WTA legend Chris Evert and former World No. 4 Brad Gilbert, who helped coach Coco Gauff to the Cincinnati title earlier in the day.

Crazy good level again ??????
Thank you @DjokerNole @carlosalcaraz ????

NOVAK !!!?????????

What a battle @DjokerNole so so strong! @carlosalcaraz is awesome and so fun to watch!
Great final!

As Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz’s cat-and-mouse battle for World No. 1 continued with a thrilling championship match at the Western & Southern Open, a host of other ATP Tour stars made big jumps off the back of the ATP Masters 1000 in Cincinnati.

ATPTour.com looks at the movers of the week in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings as of 21 August 2023.

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No. 47 Max Purcell, +23 (Career High)
A breakout run to the quarter-finals in Cincinnati has propelled the 25-year-old Purcell to a career-high No. 47. After reaching the second round as a qualifier in Toronto in his maiden Masters 1000 main-draw appearance, the Australian qualified again in Cincinnati before downing Lloyd Harris, Casper Ruud (Purcell’s first Top 10 win) and Stan Wawrinka to book a quarter-final spot in Ohio. Despite a three-set defeat to World No. 1 Alcaraz, Purcell is now a Top 50 player for the first time.

No. 4 Holger Rune, +1 (Career High)
There was a disappointing end to Rune’s debut as a Top 5 player as the Dane retired from his opening match in Cincinnati against Mackenzie McDonald after receiving treatment on his lower back. Despite that setback, the 20-year-old continues to rise in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. He will head to the US Open in New York as the new World No. 4.

Think it’s foolish to serve and volley behind your second serve? Wrong. It’s foolish not to.

Novak Djokovic served and volleyed six times behind his second serve, winning every point on his way to a thrilling 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4) victory over Carlos Alcaraz in the Western & Southern Open final on Sunday.

The back of the court was failing Djokovic early on as torrid baseline exchanges took their toll in the blistering Cincinnati heat. The Serbian suffered from heat exhaustion after only a handful of games and cleverly changed gears to attack the net with approach shots and serve and volley. Djokovic also served and volleyed twice behind his first serve, winning one of them. No other strategy he employed came close to winning 88 per cent (7/8) of the time. Alcaraz served and volleyed 10 times, winning eight, with all of them being behind a first serve.

Djokovic initially served and volleyed behind his second serve at 5-5, 0/15 in the opening set. It was a clever counter to Alcaraz’s ultra-deep return position. Djokovic hit a heavy kick second serve to Alcaraz’s backhand return and got well inside the service line for the volley, knocking off a backhand volley winner. In fact, all six of Djokovic’s serve and volley forays forward behind his second serve were to take advantage of Alcaraz standing extremely deep to return serve.

The advantage of Djokovic’s slow, heavy second serve is that it takes much longer than normal to reach the returner, enabling Djokovic excellent court position for his first volley well inside the baseline. The kick serve also jumps up high out of the opponent’s strike zone, giving them little power to use back at the server.

To break the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings is to become part of an exclusive group of players in the history of men’s professional tennis. Only 181 men have managed the feat across five decades, reflecting the difficulty of the achievement.

Even within such an exclusive club, some memberships still stand out. ATPTour.com continues its celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings with a look at some of the most notable Top 10 records in history.

Top 10 Longevity

Nine hundred and twelve consecutive weeks. That is how long Rafael Nadal lived inside the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, rising into the Top 10 for the first time on 24th April 2005 at the age of 18, a month before capturing his first Roland Garros title. Fourteen trophies later at the clay-court major and the Spaniard finally left the Top 10 on 21st March 2023.

For much of his 18 years in the Top 10, Nadal was No. 1 or No. 2, though there were a few close calls, particularly when he was injured. In the summer of 2015 he lived dangerously at No. 10 but slid no further south, and in the winter of 2016-17, he dipped to No. 9 but was No. 1 by the end of the year.

“I’ve faced issues in terms of injuries during different parts of my career,” said Nadal after passing Jimmy Connors’ then-record mark of 789 consecutive weeks in the Top 10 in November 2020. “But I always hold the passion and the love to keep doing what I do, which is to play tennis.”

After Carlos Alcaraz fell just short of winning the Western & Southern Open final Sunday against Novak Djokovic, he gave an emotional speech to the Cincinnati crowd.

Later on when the Spaniard had a moment to reflect on his defeat, the 20-year-old realised that win or lose, he helped create a special moment in tennis history.

“I feel proud of myself, honestly. I [was] talking and I don't know why I was crying because I fought until the last ball. I almost beat one of the greatest of all time from our sport,” Alcaraz said in his press conference. “It's crazy to talk about it right now, but I left the court really, really happy [with] what I did.”

Watch Highlights:

The World No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings was in control for a good portion of the match. Leading by a set and 4-2, he was two service holds from lifting the trophy. Even after letting slip his service break, he earned a championship point in the second-set tie-break.