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Rafael Nadal’s storied playing career may be drawing to a close, but the Spaniard’s legacy will likely continue to inspire future generations of ATP Tour stars. Just ask Justin Engel.

On Monday, Engel defeated Coleman Wong at the Almaty Open to become the first player born in 2007 or later to win an ATP Tour match. The #NextGenATP German, who was making his tour-level debut as a wild card, saved nine of 10 break points he faced against Wong. It was a display of resilience under pressure that his tennis hero would have been proud of.

“Rafa was always my idol,” Engel told ATPTour.com ahead of his second-round meeting with Francisco Cerundolo at the Kazakhstani ATP 250. “I loved watching him play and also wanted to be like him on the court, mentally always pushing and fighting and everything. He was my favourite player since I was a kid.

“On court, mentally and everything, I would say I’m not [exactly] like Nadal, because we are all different, but I’m always fighting and pushing. I was always a fighter on the court.”

Making history ?

17-year-old Justin Engel becomes the first player born in 2007 or later to record an ATP Tour win!

Read all about it ?

Novak Djokovic did not leave the Rolex Shanghai Masters with his 100th tour-level title, but he departed China with critical points for the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.

The Serbian star arrived at the season's eighth ATP Masters 1000 event in ninth place in the Live Race. By reaching the final, he surged to sixth place, putting him in a qualifying position for the Nitto ATP Finals, which will take place from 10-17 November in Turin.

PIF ATP Live Race To Turin (as of 14 October)

Djokovic is 605 points ahead of Alex de Minaur, who in ninth place is currently the first player outside the cut for the season finale.

The 37-year-old Djokovic is trying to earn his place at the year-end championships for the 17th time. Only Roger Federer (18) and Rafael Nadal (17) have qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals that many times. Djokovic owns the record for most titles at the event with seven.

Mental toughness is a crucial aspect of sports performance, including tennis. It refers to the psychological attributes that enable athletes to maintain focus, resilience, and confidence under pressure. Here are some strategies to develop mental toughness in tennis: 1. Set Clear GoalsShort-Term Goals: Establish achievable goals for each practice se...

Will Learner Tien be the next American star on the ATP Tour? The 18-year-old is in red-hot form, having won 14 of his past 16 ATP Challenger Tour matches, lifting trophies in Las Vagas and Fairfield.

There are currently four Americans inside the Top 20 in the PIF ATP Rankings with Tien's fellow #NextGenATP star Alex Michelsen inside the Top 50.

Speaking to ATPTour.com at the US Open as part of our Next Gen 'My Influences' series, Tien discusses his relationship with Michelsen, the key to a successful team and more.

What have you learned this past year on Tour?
I think just trusting what I'm doing. Just really believing in what I am putting in and eventually, whether it's now or down the road, that it will pay off. I had an injury earlier this year and I was out for a few months. So I'm kind of behind, but I know that if I just keep working to get back I'll inevitably achieve.

I think that it's been huge for me just to have decent bit of success the past few months and see my work pay off. I think it's been very motivating and it's been a good lesson for me to just plug away and trust that what I'm doing is going to pay off.

There was element of déjà vu to Jiri Lehecka’s first-round victory on Tuesday at the European Open.

The fifth-seed downed Jaume Munar 6-1, 6-4 to book his second-round spot on his debut at the ATP 250 in Antwerp. It was the second Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting between Lehecka and Munar in the space of 10 days after the pair’s opening-round clash at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where the Czech also advanced in straight sets.

Jiri moving on ?@jirilehecka | @EuroTennisOpen | #EuropeanOpen pic.twitter.com/AdSK43nOpl

Lehecka was in control for much of Tuesday’s encounter in Belgium. He converted four of nine break points he earned, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and his only real struggles came in closing out his victory. Munar saved five match points on serve in the final game before double faulting on the sixth to hand Lehecka the win.

“The first set was about what I let him do, and in the second set he improved so much,” said Lehecka in his on-court interview. “I felt that it would be a difficult challenge for me to win the second set. We saw that he fought until the end. We played last week in Shanghai, and we both knew it would be a tough competition again, so it’s a good win for me and I’m very happy to be in the second round.”

The Erste Bank Open is an indoor hard-court ATP 500 in Vienna, Austria. This year, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev will headline the action at the 50th edition of the tournament, while former champion and home favourite Dominic Thiem will compete in the final event of his pro career.

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

When is the Erste Bank Open?
The ATP 500 event will be held from 21-27 October at the Wiener Stadthalle. The tournament director is Herwig Straka.

Who is playing at the Erste Bank Open?
Zverev, Medvedev, Thiem, Taylor Fritz, Grigor Dimitrov and Alex de Minaur are among the field in Vienna.

When is the draw for the Erste Bank Open?
The Erste Bank Open draw will be made on Saturday, 19 October at 12 p.m. local time (CEST).

The 2024 Swiss Indoors Basel will be held at at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel. Top 10 stars Andrey Rublev and Casper Ruud headline the action in Switzerland.

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

When is the Swiss Indoors Basel?
The ATP 500 event will be held from 21-27 October. It will take place at the St. Jakobshalle Basel. The tournament director is Roger Brennwald.

Who is playing at the Swiss Indoors Basel?
Rublev, Ruud, Hubert Hurkacz, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Holger Rune, Ben Shelton, and Felix Auger-Aliassime are among the field in Basel.

When is the draw for the Swiss Indoors Basel?
The Swiss Indoors Basel draw will be made on 18 October at 9 p.m. local time (CEST) 

Showman Frances Tiafoe has made a habit of lighting up courts around the world and dazzling scores of crowds since he burst onto the scene at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in 2018.

With dynamic play matching his personality, ‘Big Foe’ has become one of the pre-eminent crowd-pleasers on the ATP Tour. He has risen the PIF ATP Rankings and gained a host of new fans through his thrilling style of play and infectious personality.

Recently, the World No. 15 reminisced on his most scintillating moments on court, tracing the shots that have defined his game and career. Tiafoe relived his most memorable hot shots from tournaments in Milan, Barcelona, Toronto and more.

Which are Tiafoe's favourites? Watch the full video below to find out.

Mariano Navone held his nerve to move past Thiago Monteiro in a gripping first-round clash at the European Open in Antwerp Monday.

The Argentine saved two match points in the deciding set before converting the first of his own to seal a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(6) victory after two hours and 41 minutes. In his first professional indoor match, Navone found success at the net, claiming 88 per cent (7/8) of points in the contest when advancing forward, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

First indoor match ✅
First indoor win ✅

Navone finds a way past Monteiro 6-3 4-6 7-6(6)!@EuroTennisOpen | #EuropeanOpen pic.twitter.com/4QyoB1wohS

In claiming the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting, the No. 43 in the PIF ATP Rankings also snapped a five-match losing streak against left-handed players.

Monteiro, the first Brazilian to compete in the main draw in Antwerp tournament history, was imperious behind his first serve in the third set, but came unstuck by the resilience of Navone in an absorbing tie-break.

Matteo Berrettini maintained his perfect record against lower-ranked players in 2024 with a commanding first-round victory Monday at the BNP Paribas Nordic Open in Stockholm.

The Italian’s ferocious forehand was on full display in a 6-4, 6-3 win over countryman Luciano Darderi. The 28-year-old was forced to rally from a break down in the opening set, but clicked into gear in the second, sealing the contest in one hour and 17 minutes.

Improving to 17-0 in 2024 against opponents who sit below him in the PIF ATP Rankings, Berrettini won 89 per cent (31/35) of points behind his first serve, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Elsewhere at the ATP 250, seventh seed Tallon Griekspoor cruised past Pavel Kotov with a 6-4, 6-3 triumph. With his one-hour, 12-minute win, the Dutchman improved to a 9-2 record in opening-round matches on hard courts this year.

Griekspoor struck eight aces en route to claiming his second consecutive win over Kotov, levelling the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series at 2-2.

Fans better get used to the name Learner Tien.

The #NextGenATP star joined elite company in the record books Sunday, when he became the fourth American to win three ATP Challenger Tour titles before his 19th birthday. Taylor Fritz, Andy Roddick and Sam Querrey also achieved the feat.

Tien was crowned champion at the Taube - Grossman Pro Tennis Tournament, an ATP Challenger 75 event in Fairfield, California, his home state. The lefty raced past Australian Bernard Tomic 6-0, 6-1 in a 39-minute final, the shortest championship match in Challenger history. Tien boasts a 28-6 season record at the Challenger level with three titles: Bloomfield Hills, Las Vegas and Fairfield. He is up to a career-high No. 124 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

“If you would have told me six months ago that this is how my year would’ve looked, I probably would’ve been a bit sceptical,” Tien told commentator Mike Cation. “But I’m really happy with how I’m playing right now and still have a few more to end the year, so hopefully I can keep it rolling.”

At 18 years, 10 months, Tien is the youngest player to win his third Challenger title since an 18-year-old Holger Rune in 2021. Tien is sixth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. He is aiming for maiden qualification for the the 20-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, which runs from 18-22 December in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

In the countdown to the Nitto ATP Finals (10-17 November), our new series, 'Towards Turin', will showcase qualified players and those in contention, and update fans on the fierce battle between the sport's best players to lock up one of the eight spots to the season finale.

From the moment he lifted his maiden major trophy at January's Australian Open, no one was able to loosen Jannik Sinner’s iron grip on top spot in the 2024 PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.

With his Tour-leading seventh title triumph of the year on Sunday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, the Italian extended his Live Race lead from second-placed Carlos Alcaraz to an unassailable 3,620 points. The 23-year-old Sinner’s tally of 10,330 points ensures he will stay ahead of his rivals until the end of the year and therefore earn ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours for the first time.

List of active players to reach ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF ?

Novak Djokovic
Rafael Nadal
Carlos Alcaraz
Jannik Sinner

End of list.#PIF | #ATPRankings | #partner pic.twitter.com/zuKvRWQYYV

Alcaraz, (6,710 points) and third-placed Alexander Zverev (6,215 points), who like Sinner have already sealed their spots at the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals, are the only players within 5000 points of the Italian. Daniil Medvedev is in fourth on 4,820 points, but there are then just 1,455 points separating US Open finalist Taylor Fritz in fifth and 12th-placed Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Cameron Norrie is no stranger to the highs and lows of professional tennis, but this summer presented a new kind of challenge.

After picking up a forearm injury just days out from his maiden Olympics appearance in Paris, which forced him out of the entire North American hard-court swing as well as the Davis Cup Finals group stage, the 29-year-old Briton is back in the mix on the ATP Tour this week.

Ready to compete with renewed vigour, Norrie faces Miomir Kecmanovic in the opening round of the BNP Paribas Nordic Open in Stockholm on Tuesday.

“It was obviously frustrating at the beginning to miss all those big tournaments, that was tough,” Norrie told ATPTour.com. “But it was a good chance to refresh the body.”

Norrie said that he "felt nothing" in the tournaments that led to the Olympics, but it ended up keeping him away from competition for more than two months.

German wild card Justin Engel made history at the Almaty Open on Monday when he became the first player born in 2007 or later to record an ATP Tour win.

Engel, who turned 17 earlier this month, moved past #NextGenATP Hong Kong star Coleman Wong 7-5, 6-4 to clinch a historic victory on his tour-level debut at the ATP 250 event in Kazakhstan.

With his one-hour, 35-minute triumph, the German also became the youngest player to win a tour-level match since then-16-year-old Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the second round in Rio de Janeiro in 2020.

“This year has already been so good for me and now this, it is incredible,” Engel said. “At 17, to be able to win a main draw match is the best feeling I can ever have. I am lost for words.”

Engel saved nine of the 10 break points he faced against Wong according to Infosys ATP Stats, sealing victory on his second match point. Engel raised his arms aloft following his win and let out a beaming smile. Aiming to continue his journey, the No. 458 player in the PIF ATP Rankings will next play fourth seed Francisco Cerundolo.

Jakub Mensik continued to impress on the ATP Tour at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he advanced to the quarter-finals at an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time.

The big-hitting 19-year-old Czech fired past Top 10 stars Andrey Rublev and Grigor Dimitrov and also earned victories against Pedro Martinez and Alexander Shevchenko at the hard-court event. Mensik then took the first set against Novak Djokovic before falling in three.

Mensik’s result at the ATP Masters 1000 event consolidated his fourth-placed position (995 points) in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. The Doha finalist is aiming to make his debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, to be held from 18-22 December.

Alongside his matchday success, Mensik practised in the pouring rain in Shanghai. Watch the video below of the teen hitting with countryman and former Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF finalist Jiri Lehecka.

PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah

The eighth ATP Masters 1000 event of the season led to Jannik Sinner lifting the trophy at the Rolex Shanghai Masters. While the Italian grabbed the headlines, the battle to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals intensified.

Record seven-time champion Novak Djokovic boosted his hopes by reaching the final and Taylor Fritz consolidated his position in the Live Race after advancing to the last four. ATPTour.com looks at the movers of the week in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin as of Monday, 14 October.

Novak Djokovic – Sixth (3,910 points)
The Serbian climbed three spots to sixth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin after he reached the title match in Shanghai. The 37-year-old dropped just one set en route to his record-extending 59th ATP Masters 1000 final and first in 2024. However, Djokovic was unable to overcome Sinner, who captured his seventh crown of the year.

Having arrived in Shanghai outside the qualification cut, Djokovic leaves China with a 17th appearance at the prestigious year-end event in sight.

View PIF ATP Live Race To Turin

This week's three ATP 250 events — the Almaty Open, the Europen Open in Antwerp and the BNP Paribas Nordic Open in Stockholm — begin on Monday.  

Scroll below to see who will be in action, including Matteo Berrettini, Borna Coric and Richard Gasquet.

ORDER OF PLAY - MONDAY, 14 OCTOBER 2024

ALMATY

Centre Court - start 10 a.m.
Qualifying Final - [4] Aslan Karatsev vs [5] Alejandro Moro Canas (ESP)
Qualifying Final - [2] Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) vs [8] Alibek Kachmazov

The start of the point was not the problem for Novak Djokovic. It was the end.

Jannik Sinner defeated Djokovic 7-6(4), 6-3 in the final of the Rolex Shanghai Masters on Sunday by winning just five more points (65-60) overall than the Serbian. In a match that showcased parity all over the stats sheet, the Italian dominated one critical area — the ability to finish points off with winners.

Winners: Sinner
- Aces = 9
- Forehand = 6
- Backhand = 4
- Volleys = 4
- Total = 23

Winners: Djokovic
- Aces = 4
- Forehand = 4
- Backhand = 1
- Volleys = 3
- Total = 12

Your 2024 Men's Singles Champion in Shanghai ?@janniksin | @SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/hASdvUH1GS

Jannik Sinner has established himself as a powerhouse on the ATP Tour in 2024, marking his authority at the highest level.

In a display that underpinned his standout season, Sinner muscled his way past Novak Djokovic 7-6(4), 6-3 in Sunday’s championship match at the Rolex Shanghai Masters. In claiming his Tour-leading seventh title of 2024, the World No. 1 claimed a personal best 65th win of the season, shining a light on the improvements he has made to his game.

“I changed some things. I feel like physically I'm ready to play for a longer amount of time at the highest level possible,” said Sinner, who improved to 8-2 on the season vs. Top-5 players on hard courts. “Mentally I'm ready to accept every tough situation on the court, and I think that's the biggest step I have made forward.

“I’m just trying to stay as calm as possible and to keep working hard. It doesn't really matter if you have a good week or a bad week, I’m just trying to improve daily, to be mature enough to understand what's working, and I feel like that for me made a big impact this year, and hopefully it's going to help me also for next year.”

The last selfie of the week, now with a trophy in hand ??‍↕️@janniksin | @SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/s3djDV78Fb

As Jannik Sinner claimed his seventh title of the season over Novak Djokovic at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, there were some familiar faces in the stands.

Roger Federer, the two-time Shanghai titlist (2014 & 2017), was among those in attendance to witness the World No. 1 delay Djokovic’s quest to join the Swiss great in surpassing 100 tour-level titles.

“It’s nice to see Roger, I’m not used to seeing you in the stands,” said Djokovic, who fell to a 7-6(4), 6-3 defeat to Sinner in the championship match. “I wish you were here on the court playing with us, but it’s probably the first time I’m playing in front of you, so I had added pressure today.”

"I wish you were here on the court playing with us..."@DjokerNole is all of us ?@rogerfederer | @SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/JLHzdehcj8

Sinner continued his emphatic run on hard courts this season, improving to 8-2 vs. Top-5 players on the surface with his dominant display over record four-time champion Djokovic. The 23-year-old’s only two defeats came in Indian Wells and Beijing against fierce rival Carlos Alcaraz.