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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...

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.”

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.

Analyzing your matches is an essential part of improving your tennis skills. It helps you identify strengths and weaknesses, develop strategies, and understand your playing style better. Here's how to effectively analyze your matches: 1. Record Your MatchesWhy It Matters: Video analysis allows you to see your performance from a different perspectiv...

Big-serving left-hander Ben Shelton pushed back inside the Top 20 of the PIF ATP Live Rankings with a commanding 6-3, 6-4 win over Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the first round of the Swiss Indoors Basel Tuesday.

Climbing three places to No. 20, the former University of Florida standout joins countrymen No. 6 Taylor Fritz, No. 12 Tommy Paul and No. 15 Frances Tiafoe in the elite club.

Competing for the first time since a competitive defeat to World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the fourth round of the Rolex Shanghai Masters, Shelton dropped just six points on his first serve and saved the lone break point he faced according to Infosys ATP Stats.

The 22-year-old improved to 38-23 on the year as he attempts to reach a season milestone of 40 wins for the first time in his career.

"I went into the match with a lot of confidence because of the way I have been playing,” Shelton said. “This is the type of surface I'm really comfortable on and my game is coming together really well. Two more tournaments this year and I'm pushing strong to the end.

Alex de Minaur had to hang tough to overcome Jan-Lennard Struff and book his second-round spot at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna.

The second-seeded Australian shook off a slow start to earn a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 triumph on Tuesday afternoon at the indoor hard-court ATP 500. De Minaur converted four of six break points he earned across the second and third sets, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to seal a one-hour, 42-minute win and advance to face Flavio Cobolli.

De Minaur returned to competitive action for the first time since the US Open last week in Antwerp, where he reached the quarter-finals. His winning start in Vienna is a boost to the 25-year-old’s hopes of securing a Nitto ATP Finals debut this year: De Minaur is currently ninth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, 265 points shy of Andrey Rublev in eighth.

Demon pulls through ?@alexdeminaur completes the comeback against Struff 2-6 6-2 6-2 in Vienna!#ErsteBankOpen | @ErsteBankOpen | ? e|motion/Bildagentur Zolles KG/Christian Hofer pic.twitter.com/rz1cAeQzfm

Having begun the year with a 2-2 Lexus ATP Head2Head record against Struff, De Minaur has since notched a hat-trick of wins against the big-hitting German, at the Miami Open presented by Itau, Roland Garros and the Erste Bank Open, respectively. The way he battled to victory in Tuesday’s encounter was another example of the extra level that De Minaur has found across the season.

As a 16-year-old in 2010, Dominic Thiem gave fans a glimpse of his potential with a breakthrough ATP Challenger Tour match win in Kitzbühel, but it was not until 2013 — after two titles at that level in Morocco — that the Austrian began to make his mark on the professional circuit.

A former junior No. 2, Thiem had to remain patient to lift his first trophy on the Challenger Tour and when he did, he double dipped that same season to soon give him more playing opportunities at the world’s biggest tournaments. Now the 31-year-old is set to bid farewell to his decorated 13-year pro career on home soil at this week’s Erste Bank Open.

“Honestly, I liked the Challenger Tour,” Thiem told ATPTour.com. “My only two Challenger titles came in Morocco. I have great memories. The most important thing for a young player is the huge amount of points you get on the Challenger Tour, but honestly they were also really nice tournaments.”

The week Thiem won his first Challenger title in Kenitra, Morocco, he overcame countryman Gerald Melzer in the quarter-finals. Melzer, three years Thiem’s senior, had a front row seat to watch the growth of the World No. 3.

“When I started practising at the Federation when I was 18 years old, Dominic was like 14 or 15 years old,” Melzer said. “He was basically still a small kid and he was tiny when he was a kid. I think he started growing a little later.”

Daniil Medvedev has qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals for the sixth consecutive season, joining Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev at the season finale.

The 28-year-old won the title at the year-end championships in 2020 and reached the final in 2021. He will try to add to his Nitto ATP Finals resume from 10-17 November in Turin.

[ATP APP]

The former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings made his sixth major final at the Australian Open, defeating back-to-back Top 10 opponents Hubert Hurkacz and Alexander Zverev in five-setters to make his third championship match at Melbourne Park. It is the fourth consecutive season in which he has advanced to the final at a Grand Slam tournament.

That was not the only major success for Medvedev this year. He made the semi-finals at Wimbledon, upsetting top seed Sinner in the quarter-finals before falling short against eventual champion Alcaraz.

Gael Monfils and Richard Gasquet headline the wild cards for this year's Rolex Paris Masters, which were announced by the ATP Masters 1000 event on Tuesday.

Monfils will compete in the tournament for the 12th time. He first played the event in 2004 aged 18. The Frenchman is a two-time finalist at Bercy, in 2009 and 2010.

Gasquet will try to make a final magical run at the season's final Masters 1000 event before he retires next year at Roland Garros. The former No. 7 player in the PIF ATP Rankings has played 13 of the past 14 editions of the Rolex Paris Masters and 16 times overall.

Adrian Mannarino and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard have also received a main draw wild card. Mpetshi Perricard will make his main draw debut after playing qualifying at the tournament for the first time last year.

Arthur Cazaux, Hugo Gaston, Quentin Halys and Alexandre Muller were awarded qualifying wild cards. The Rolex Paris Masters will take place next week.

Few could compete with Dominic Thiem at his imperious best: Just ask those who tried.

The 31-year-old Austrian, who this week will compete in the final event of his pro career at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, combined heavy groundstrokes with sublime movement and a rock-solid net game. Those abilities carried him to a career-high No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings and helped him earn 17 tour-level trophies, including a major title at the 2020 US Open.

“He was so complete,” Matteo Berrettini told ATPTour.com this week in Vienna, where Thiem will take on Luciano Darderi in the first round on Tuesday evening. “He had everything. Backhand, forehand, serve, moving well, fighting like hell. He had great hands as well, so he was really tricky to play.

“We played on a lot of different surfaces, but the first time I played him was at Roland Garros in 2018. On clay, I could feel it after three sets. The intensity was really high, and he was fresh [at the end], so I was like, ‘I’ve got to work hard in order to beat this guy’. That was his strength… He was really someone that I always looked up to, because the energy he brought to the court was special.”

For many of Thiem’s fans and his rival players alike, one aspect of the Austrian’s game particularly stood out: his backhand. He arrived on Tour in an era where the one-hander was becoming increasingly rare, particularly among the game’s elite. Yet similarly to his fellow Grand Slam champions Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, one less hand on the racquet had no impact on Thiem’s ability to pack a punch.

Martin Landaluce added his name to an elite company Sunday when he triumphed at the ATP Challenger Tour 125 event in Olbia, Italy.

The 18-year-old, who defeated Mattia Bellucci 6-4, 6-4 in the final, is the youngest Spanish Challenger champion since an 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz in Oeiras in 2021.

Landaluce is the fifth Spaniard since 2000 to win a Challenger title at age 18 or younger. The first four players all ascended to the Top 10 of the PIF ATP Rankings: Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal, Tommy Robredo and Nicolas Almagro.

Following his title run, the #NextGenATP star is up to eighth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, putting him in qualifying position for the 20-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals, which runs from 18-22 December.

Due to rain at the Olbia Challenger, Landaluce was forced to play both his semi-final and final match on Sunday. The 2022 US Open boys' singles champion showed no signs of nerves as he captured the milestone victory.