Fourth seed Steve Johnson has covered plenty of ground in the past three weeks, traveling from the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Miami to a Davis Cup tie in Australia and then back stateside for the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston. But after countless miles in the air and in his legs on court this week, the American captured the title after fighting off cramps and a determined eighth seed Thomaz Bellucci 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(5). “To win on U.S. soil and win when you’re not feeling great is a testament to my willpower and competitiveness,” said Johnson. “My body has just physically run out of gas after this week. Coming in from...
World No. 2 Novak Djokovic is a proud Serbian, but the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters is essentially a home tournament for him. The second seed at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event will play Gilles Simon in his opening match. Djokovic is quite familiar with this tournament, making his 11th appearance. Monte-Carlo holds a soft spot for the Serbian after winning here twice (2013, 2015) and also finishing runner-up twice (2009, 2012). But after living in Monte-Carlo for more than seven years and even opening up a restaurant in the city, he’s relishing the comforts of home as he competes. “It’s great to be in a place where I spend the most time when I’m not traveling. This is where...
Borna Coric claimed his maiden ATP World Tour title in stunning fashion at the Grand Prix Hassan II on Sunday. Coric overcame third seed Philipp Kohlschreiber 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5 for the Marrakech crown, storming back from a break down in both the second and third sets and saving five championship points. Coric is the third player from the current #NextGenATP contingent to lift an ATP World Tour trophy, joining Alexander Zverev (St. Petersburg 2016 & Montpellier 2017) and Karen Khachanov (Chengdu 2016). He is the third first-time winner this year, joining Gilles Muller (Sydney) and Ryan Harrison (Memphis). [ALSO LIKE] ATPWorldTour.com spoke to Coric after his victory: How does it feel to win your first ATP World Tour title? It's an...
First moment I realised I loved tennis I don’t have a specific memory of when I was younger, but I’ve obviously played it my whole my life and have really enjoyed it almost every time I’ve stepped out on the court. It’s a privilege and a passion for me, so I just feel gratitude to be able to play this sport as much as I can. First tournament I played It was at Ridgeline Country Club in Orange, Calif. I was about five or six years old. I couldn’t tell you how I did, but I’m sure my parents could and that there’s some funny footage of it floating around their house. First professional tennis match I ever watched In...
Comeback of the year? Borna Coric would think so. The #NextGenATP star completed a magical rally to take his maiden ATP World Tour title on Sunday at the Grand Prix Hassan II. Coric overcame third seed Philipp Kohlschreiber 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5 for the Marrakech crown, storming back from a break down in both the second and third sets and saving five championship points in dramatic fashion. Coric is the third player from the current #NextGenATP contingent to lift an ATP World Tour trophy, joining Alexander Zverev (St. Petersburg 2016 & Montpellier 2017) and Karen Khachanov (Chengdu 2016). Runner-up in Marrakech last year, the Croatian fired 10 aces to defeat Kohlschreiber after two hours and 38 minutes. It was the longest...