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Tomas Machac handed Grigor Dimitrov a major setback in his quest to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals on Thursday at the Erste Bank Open.

The Czech held his nerve to prevail 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3, in an absorbing second-round clash in Vienna. Dimitrov appeared to be mounting a gutsy comeback at the beginning of the deciding set, but Machac found a burst of energy to cross the line in two hours, 29 minutes.

“It was a great match and I am really happy that I could play against him, because I was watching him a lot on the TV when I was young,” said Machac, who triumphed in the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting.

“I am really happy with my performance and I think that both players [played well].”

In the ZONE ??

Machac completes the turnaround against Dimitrov to advance to the final 8 in Vienna ?#ErsteBankOpen | @ErsteBankOpen
| ? e|motion/Bildagentur Zolles KG/Christian Hofer pic.twitter.com/42RnioFZPp

One of the most historic runs on the ATP Challenger Tour led Murphy Cassone to do an in-depth study. Now, those countless hours of watching film are paying off.

Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor went on the longest match-win streak in Challenger history in 2021, when he claimed 25 consecutive victories and five titles from September through November. Griekspoor, now No. 35 in the PIF ATP Rankings, finished that season with eight Challenger trophies, marking another record.

Cassone was then a freshman at Arizona State University and if he was not studying for school, he was glued to Challenger TV.

“I think I watched every match. I was like, ‘What is this guy doing differently that he is able to just blow through this level?'" Cassone told ATPTour.com at this week’s Marketbeat Open, an ATP Challenger Tour event in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. “My game just naturally shifted to how he plays a little bit, just from watching so much of him. I think that really helped me a lot. He’s the only guy that I would say that I watched and spent a lot of time looking at.

“I would go to the courts at like 6:30 a.m., do school, turn on his match and watch a little bit of it.”

Stefanos Tsitsipas seized the moment on Thursday to advance to his third quarter-final at the Swiss Indoors Basel.

In a nervy encounter, the third seed withstood the test posed by qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp to prevail 7-6(3), 7-5. Tsitsipas’ attacking prowess was on full display throughout the match, during which he won 76 per cent (16/21) of net points, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

“I had to stay calm in those tight moments, and it worked out pretty well,” said Tsitsipas, who improved to 7-2 in Basel. “There were a lot of tense moments in my last two matches, so I am trying to build up on that confidence, getting to play those pressure points the best I can.

“It became critical in a lot of moments. Despite winning the first set, he wasn’t really backing down, he wasn’t giving me the space I was looking for. I would say the second set was even more challenging and tough to play than the first one. [It was] an incredible game by myself at 5-5 [in the second set], I managed those points with some great athleticism and defended well.”

Stef is rising to the occasion ?

Make that a third Basel quarter-final for @steftsitsipas!#SwissIndoorsBasel pic.twitter.com/ox91KYpJpE

Doubles legends Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame next year, the organisation announced Thursday. They will join Maria Sharapova in the Class of 2025.

“It’s been a great ride, the career, doing it together,” Bob said in a virtual call with former WTA star Kim Clijsters, President of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

“There were a lot of people that were involved in our career,” Mike added. “Obviously our parents, who made tennis fun for us, supported us along the way with unconditional love and support.”

The American twins redefined success with their storied careers, combining for 119 tour-level titles and 1,109 match wins. They spent 438 weeks at No. 1 in the PIF ATP Doubles Teams Rankings, won 16 Grand Slam titles, went 15 consecutive years making a Grand Slam final and made an astonishing 178 tour-level finals.

The brothers proudly represented the United States, helping their country to Davis Cup glory in 2007 and claiming the men’s doubles gold medal at the London Olympics in 2012. 

Jakub Mensik’s breakout year on the ATP Tour is showing no signs of slowing down as we approach the season finale.

The #NextGenATP star surged to a 6-3, 7-6(7) triumph against Miomir Kecmanovic on Thursday to book his spot in the last eight at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, his fifth tour-level quarter-final of the year. Mensik was clinical on serve throughout the match, during which he won 86 per cent (48/56) of points behind his first delivery and saved all four of the break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Qualifying ? QFs@mensik_jakub_ with another strong performance to continue his winning streak in Vienna! #ErsteBankOpen | @ErsteBankOpen pic.twitter.com/QgeBRvfLR3

With the one hour and 53-minute victory, the 19-year-old is up to third in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, trailing second-placed Alex Michelsen by just 25 points. After a stellar season that has seen him climb inside the Top 50 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, Mensik is in strong contention to make his debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in December.

Mensik’s ability to combine his athleticism with craft at the net has been pivotal to his ascent through the ranks. It was on full display against Kecmanovic, underpinned by a sumptuous half-volley pickup to move ahead in the second set tie-break.

For years, Kyle Edmund awoke with a clear purpose: tennis. It was the Briton’s childhood passion, the heartbeat of his daily routine and the force behind every decision.

But then, a left knee injury hindered Edmund while in the form of his life and his rhythm was shattered. Days once defined by sweat and strategy turned into a tedious grind of rehab, leaving a void in the 29-year-old.

“Then, without playing tennis, it’s kind of like what am I waking up for?” Edmund told ATPTour.com at this week’s MarketBeat Open, an ATP Challenger Tour event in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. “I’m literally just waking up to do some rehab.”

Edmund has tasted some of the highest highs a professional tennis player can experience. He ascended to career-best No. 14 in the PIF ATP Rankings in October 2018 amidst an eight-month span in the Top 20. That was the same year he reached the Australian Open semi-finals and won his first of two tour-level titles.

But the past four years have been a far different story. Edmund underwent his first of three surgeries on his left knee in November 2020. The second surgery — which was the largest procedure of the three — came in March 2021 and the final operation was in May 2022.

Stan Wawrinka found a fitting time to register his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head win over Adrian Mannarino on Wednesday at the Swiss Indoors Basel.

To the delight of the home crowd, Wawrinka held his nerve to seal a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 victory and become the oldest match-winner in tournament history. After reaching his first semi-final since July 2023 in Stockholm last week, the 39-year-old was able to maintain his strong indoor form to fend off Mannarino, the No. 57 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

“I always lost close matches [against Mannarino], but this was the first one I played at home, so I think it’s thanks to you [the crowd] that I won today,” said Wawrinka, who had lost each of their previous three meetings. “Today I was able to be more patient with myself and stay aggressive when I needed to be. These difficult wins in the opening rounds are the ones that make me the most happy.

“It’s a pleasure to come to Basel each year, it’s one of the reasons why I aim to keep going, so I want to thank the tournament for the invitation, for the chance to play in the main draw.”

STAN AND DELIVER ✨??

To the delight of his home crowd, @stanwawrinka defeats Mannarino for the first time 6-3 3-6 7-5 and sets up a fascinating second round clash against Shelton! #SwissIndoorsBasel pic.twitter.com/z5tmJXMFCN

Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the Rolex Paris Masters, he announced on social media Wednesday.

"Unfortunately I won't be playing @rolexparismasters this year. Sorry to everyone who was hoping to see me play there," Djokovic wrote in an Instagram Story. "Wishing all the players, sponsors, organisers and fans a great tournament. 

"I have a lot of great memories winning seven titles there and hope to be back with you next year."

Djokovic has won seven of his record 40 ATP Masters 1000 titles at Paris-Bercy. He has tallied a 50-9 record at the tournament, winning 18 of his past 19 matches there.

The 37-year-old owns a 37-9 record this season, including a run to the Paris Olympics gold medal. He currently sits sixth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.

Alexander Zverev notched a comfortable win to break new ground on Wednesday evening at the Erste Bank Open.

The top seed at the indoor hard-court ATP 500 in Vienna overcame Marcos Giron 6-2, 7-5 to seal a quarter-final spot. Zverev sent down 10 aces and converted all three break points he earned, according to Infosys ATP Stats, en route to securing his 61st win of 2024. That tally represents a season-best for the German.

“I thought he was serving unbelievable in the second set,” said Zverev, when asked how tough Giron made it to close out victory. “I was feeling really good from the baseline, but I was not getting many chances to play from the baseline because he was serving so well.

“Obviously I’m extremely happy to get it done in straight sets. When it goes to a tie-break, it’s never guaranteed that you’re going to win it, especially against someone like him who plays fantastic tennis. I’m happy to be through to the quarter-finals.”

Simply unplayable ?@AlexZverev with a personal best 61st win in a season, taking out Giron 6-2 7-5 to make the quarters in Vienna #ErsteBankOpen | @ErsteBankOpen pic.twitter.com/Z1BcKgvXaN

Little did Eliot Spizzirri know when he was competing at the "Little Mo" Nationals at age 10 in Austin, Texas, that the historic junior tournament would become a pivotal moment in his professional tennis pathway.

Eight years later, the American would call Austin home while attending the University of Texas, where Spizzirri finished back-to-back years as the No. 1 player in the ITA singles rankings.

From "Little Mos" to college, it was a full-circle journey deep in the heart of Texas that today stands out to the 22-year-old.

“The first tournament where I realised this is what I want to do full time for a living was the "Little Mo" nationals,’” Spizzirri told ATPTour.com at this week’s MarketBeat Open, an ATP Challenger Tour event in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. “I placed third and there was all this talk like, ‘Andy Roddick played and he placed this and that’ and I got all excited I think.”

The "Little Mo" nationals is one of the most highly touted junior tournaments in the United States. Former champions include Roddick, Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul and Sebastian Korda. Spizzirri left with a podium finish and won the sportsmanship award.

The final ATP Masters 1000 event of the season is the Rolex Paris Masters. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Alexander Zverev headline the action.

Here's what you need to know ahead of the indoor hard-court event in France:

When is the Rolex Paris Masters?
The ATP 1000 event will be held from 28 October to 3 November. It will take place at the AccorHotels Arena in Paris, France. The tournament director is Cedric Pioline.

Who is playing at the Rolex Paris Masters?
Sinner, Alcaraz, Zverev, Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev are among the field in Paris. Home hopes at the event will be lead by Ugo Humbert and #NextGenATP Arthur Fils.

When is the draw for the Rolex Paris Masters?
The Rolex Paris Masters draw will be made on Friday, 25 October at 7:30 p.m. local time (CEST)

Two-time defending champion Felix Auger-Aliassime maintained his dominance at the Swiss Indoors Basel on Wednesday when he moved past Sebastian Baez 7-5, 6-1 to reach the second round.

Auger-Aliassime has won his past 11 matches at the ATP 500 event, having lifted the trophy on debut in 2022 and in 2023. The Canadian looked comfortable in the indoor conditions against Baez, winning 86 per cent (31/36) of his first-serve points to advance after 75 minutes.

Auger-Aliassime is looking to rediscover his best form this week, having fallen in his opening-round matches in Tokyo and Shanghai and in his second-round match in Antwerp.

The 24-year-old, who is trying to become the first player born in 1991 or later to three-peat an ATP Tour event, leads Baez 2-0 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series and will next meet Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.

Felix ❤️ Basel

Smooth sailing for the two-time defending champ! #SwissIndoorsBasel | @felixtennis pic.twitter.com/kYVKg45via

Grigor Dimitrov showed no sign of giving up on the fight to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals with a gutsy opening-round win at the Erste Bank Open on Wednesday.

The third seed kick-started his campaign in Vienna with a hard-fought 6-4, 7-5 triumph against China's Zhang Zhizhen. Dimitrov, who was ousted by Tommy Paul in the Stockholm final last week, bounced back from a sluggish start to clinch a clinical one-hour and 37-minute victory upon return to the Austrian capital.

“The conditions from last week to today are so different. In the end, I just had to somehow find a way, but I have so much experience in moments like that,” said Dimitrov, who improved to 44-16 on the season.

“At the beginning, I was playing alright, but I wasn’t able to hit my spots on the serve very well. In the second set, I almost had too many opportunities, but in the last game, I had a little more authority which helped me to step through and put a little more pressure on him.”

Dimi focus ?

The 2022 semi-finalist off to a solid start in Vienna#ErsteBankOpen | @ErsteBankOpen | @GrigorDimitrov pic.twitter.com/tUQi0vru30

Dominic Thiem competed in an era featuring some of the greatest stars the ATP Tour has ever seen. Yet unlike many of his contemporaries, the Austrian rarely appeared overawed by who was standing on the other side of the net.

Thiem is one of just two players, alongside Andy Murray, to have registered at least five Lexus ATP Head2Head victories against each of the ‘Big Three’. He finished his career with records of 5-2 against Roger Federer, 6-10 against Rafael Nadal, and 5-7 against Novak Djokovic.

So for a player that also reached as high as No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings and lifted 17 tour-level trophies, including at the 2020 US Open, where does his impressive 16-19 overall record against three of tennis’ greatest icons rank in his career achievements?

“[It’s] very high up there. All the matches against the ‘Big Three’, not only the wins but all the matches, because I grew up watching them on TV,” Thiem told ATPTour.com after the final match of his career on Tuesday at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna. “I remember the first match I really set my schedule for [to watch] was the 2005 Roland Garros semi-final, Federer against Nadal.

“All of a sudden, I was playing against all those guys. All the matches against them were an amazing experience and I’m very proud that I had so many of them.”

Developing a strong return game in tennis is essential for gaining the upper hand in rallies, particularly against strong servers. Here are some strategies and tips to improve your return game: 1. Anticipate the ServeRead Your Opponent's Toss: Watch your opponent's service toss and body positioning to anticipate where the serve might go. A higher t...

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal took to social media Tuesday following Dominic Thiem’s loss at the Erste Bank Open to congratulate the Austrian on his retirement.

“An illustrious career comes to a close,” Federer wrote in an Instagram story. “Congratulations Domi.”

It's not goodbye. It's see you later ?#DankeDomi | @ErsteBankOpen pic.twitter.com/keOAKBtOgJ

Thiem won five of his seven Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings against Federer. Their lone championship clash came at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open, where the Austrian claimed his lone ATP Masters 1000 title.

“No matter the surface, you always found a way to beat me with your thunderous backhands,” Federer wrote. “But more importantly, you did it with grace and sportsmanship.”

Luciano Darderi had little time for sentiment on Tuesday at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna.

The Italian dialled in for a 7-6(6), 6-2 triumph against Dominic Thiem in the final match of the former World No. 3’s career. Darderi kept his cool in a raucous atmosphere at the Wiener Stadthalle, where he edged Thiem in a tight opening set before accelerating to a 91-minute victory.

It's not goodbye. It's see you later ?#DankeDomi | @ErsteBankOpen pic.twitter.com/keOAKBtOgJ

The 17-time tour-level champion Thiem produced some trademark moments of brilliance in his final outing as a pro, including a couple of rasping backhand winners that had the home fans on their feet. Yet Darderi, the No. 42 in the PIF ATP Rankings, did not let the occasion get the better of him and was ultimately a deserved winner on his Vienna debut.

After Darderi hammered a forehand to secure his win, he was congratulated at the net by Thiem. The Austrian was then in turn saluted by his home crowd, and he also gave a short on-court speech to thank them for their support.

Brazil's Joao Fonseca enjoyed a taste of the big time at the Nitto ATP Finals last year when he served as a hitting partner at the prestigious year-end event.

The 18-year-old practised with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in Turin, gaining valuable advice and experience. Today, Fonseca is in strong contention to qualify for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF after. He has enjoyed a standout 2024 that has included tour-level quarter-finals in Rio de Janeiro and Bucharest.

As part of our Next Gen Influences series, Fonseca caught up with ATPTour.com to talk about his admiration for previous Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champions and other inspirations in his life.

Which former Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champion did you enjoy watching most when growing up?
Many good players have won the title and I would say the one that I really like to watch, and I really see in myself is Sinner. I really like his aggressive game. Technically, the way he plays aggressively is really my type.

Mentally, he is a bit more calm. He is a shy guy and I like the way that he competes. [He is] not too expressive so this is more similar to me.

He may have retired at the relatively premature age of 31, but Dominic Thiem will nonetheless leave behind a significant legacy after hanging up his racquet.

Nowhere is that clearer than in Vienna, where the home favourite on Tuesday ended his pro career after falling to a first-round defeat against Luciano Darderi at the Erste Bank Open. Thiem, a former No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings and 17-time tour-level champion, was roared on by his home fans for one final, emotional effort at his home ATP 500.

“He means a lot,” Thiem fan Petra Höllerl told ATPTour.com when asked what the 2020 US Open champion has done for Austrian tennis. “He was one of the best, and along with Thomas Muster he is our hero. For our kids and for us, so we are a little bit lost now… It was his last match, so we supported him and trusted him. We wish him all the best.”

The fans love Domi and Domi loves the fans ?@ErsteBankOpen | #ErsteBankOpen pic.twitter.com/u9va2HXHvM

Daniela and her young son Niklas, who were also at the Wiener Stadthalle for Tuesday’s match, also spoke specifically about Thiem’s influence on young people.