Spend the day with Grigor Dimitrov in Monte-Carlo as he puts in the hard yards to get himself in peak physical condition for 2017. Part One sees the Bulgarian start his day in the gym and on the tennis court.
For more than a decade, Michael Berrer has called the ATP World Tour his home, traversing the globe while performing his dream job at the highest level. After 620 matches in more than 100 cities, the German hung up his racquet for the final time, announcing his retirement at the age of 36. The gregarious left-hander has always had a burgeoning affinity for the game, ever since he first picked up a racquet as a young boy in Stuttgart. A genuine and charismatic personality, Berrer was a dogged competitor between the lines, exuding passion and energy that made him an instant fan favourite. For those fortunate to compete on the ATP World Tour and call it their profession, it is...
Lleyton Hewitt (Retired: 21 January) Lleyton Hewitt had already completed his final lap around the ATP World Tour in 2015, capped by a second-round finish at the Citi Open in Washington, but the Aussie legend had one last goodbye reserved for his home fans at the Australian Open. The former World No. 1 – and youngest to ever ascend to the top spot at age 20 – drew the curtain on his storied career in his 20th successive trip to Melbourne Park, defeating James Duckworth in his opener, before falling to eighth seed David Ferrer. As expected, the 34-year-old Hewitt left it all out on the court, but Ferrer held off the Aussie’s challenge to claim victory in two hours...
The scoring system in tennis produces a powerful paradox where you can improve on a successful season even by winning fewer points per match on average. Players want to win every point, but only a slim majority is needed for victory. The stats sheets suggest that just a handful of points make a real difference in a match. Take for example Grigor Dimitrov’s resurgence this season. The 25-year-old Bulgarian had his second best year on the ATP World Tour, going 39-27 to improve his year-end Emirates ATP Ranking from No. 28 in 2015, to No. 17 in 2016. Surely, winning more points per match propelled this jump in the rankings. The answer? Yes and no. An Infosys ATP Beyond The...