A LOOK BACK Trofeo Perrel Faip (Bergamo, Italy): As good as Matteo Berrettini's breakthrough 2017 campaign was, his 2018 season looks to be even better. The 21-year-old Italian capped a strong two-month stretch with the title at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Bergamo on Sunday. He secured his second Challenger crown with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 win over countryman Stefano Napolitano in one hour and 53 minutes. Both of Berrettini's titles have come on home soil, having also prevailed in San Benedetto last year. He joins Andreas Seppi (2008 & 2011) and Simone Bolelli as Italian winners in Bergamo. Now, up to a career-high of No. 104 in the ATP Rankings, the Top 100 is well within reach for...
It’s an absolutely golden line-up this year for the silver anniversary of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC. The ATP World Tour 500 tournament, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this week, boasts a stacked field including a tournament record of six of the world’s Top 10 players. Heading the all-star field is No. 1 seed and last year’s runner-up Rafael Nadal, who is playing his first match since the Australian Open. Having just relinquished the top spot in the ATP Rankings to Roger Federer following the Swiss’ victory in Rotterdam, Nadal opens his Acapulco campaign against compatriot Feliciano Lopez in an effort to keep the rankings gap between himself and Federer close heading into the BNP Paribas Open the...
Diego Schwartzman is the champion at the Rio Open presented by Claro, easing his way past Fernando Verdasco 6-2, 6-3 to claim the biggest title of his career and first ATP World Tour 500 crown. The 5’7” Argentine, who didn’t drop a set all tournament, will make his Top 20 debut in the ATP Rankings next week (No. 18). Schwartzman got off to an inauspicious start, as he was broken in the opening game of the final by an aggressive Verdasco, whose signature forehand appeared to be firing on all cylinders. However, the Spaniard, who just yesterday claimed the doubles title with partner David Marrero, quickly dropped serve himself, allowing the Argentine back on level terms. As both players settled...
First final nerves? Not for Frances Tiafoe. The 20-year-old American coasted to his first ATP World Tour title on Sunday, beating Peter Gojowczyk of Germany 6-1, 6-4 at the Delray Beach Open. Tiafoe becomes the youngest American to win an ATP World Tour title since 19-year-old Andy Roddick at 2002 Houston, and his maiden crown caps off the best two weeks of his career. Before last week's New York Open, Tiafoe had won nine tour-level matches (9-31) and had never reached a tour-level quarter-final. But after reaching the last eight in New York (l. to Anderson) and triumphing in Delray Beach, Tiafoe almost doubled his tour-level win count (16) in two weeks. “I was not expecting this this week, especially...
