The first ATP World Tour 500 tournament of the 2018 season gets underway this week in Rotterdam, where Roger Federer steps out for the first time since winning the Australian Open. The Swiss legend will reclaim the No. 1 ATP Ranking for the first time in more than five years if he reaches the semi-finals. As 'Frantic February' enters its second week, we'll also see two 250 tournaments in Buenos Aires and New York. 10 THINGS TO WATCH IN ROTTERDAM (1) First 500 of Season: This is the first of 13 ATP World Tour 500 tournaments of the season. The 45th anniversary of the popular Dutch indoor tournament features seven of the Top 20 in the ATP Rankings, led by...
Roberto Carballes Baena celebrated his maiden moment on Sunday at the Ecuador Open, clinching his first ATP World Tour title in dramatic fashion. The Spaniard won his third straight three-set clash to lift the trophy, battling to victory as a qualifier. He would defeat countryman Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 for the Quito crown. Carballes Baena is the third first-time winner already this year and second of the week. Daniil Medvedev prevailed on the hard courts of Sydney in January, while Mirza Basic won earlier on Sunday in Sofia. [ALSO LIKE] Afterwards, Carballes Baena spoke to ATPWorldTour.com: How does it feel to be holding your first ATP World Tour trophy? It was an incredible week. I didn't expect this at...
Aussie tennis just keeps on rolling Down Under. After inspired showings last month from Nick Kyrgios, the titlist in Brisbane, and #NextGenATP Alex di Minaur who made the final in Sydney, 20-year-old #NextGenATP Marc Polmans claimed his first ATP Challenger Tour title in Launceston, defeating fellow Aussie Bradley Mousley 6-2, 6-2 in just under an hour. The Australian is projected to rise from outside the Top 300 to No. 223 in the ATP Rankings and becomes the second #NextGenATP to win an ATP Challenger Tour title this season, joining 20-year-old Taylor Fritz. Fritz was victorious in Newport Beach, California last month. Sunday’s final was Polmans’ first final at the Challenger level since finishing runner-up to Jordan Thompson in Canberra in...
Six wins in seven days. Roberto Carballes Baena could not have written a more dramatic script to lift his first ATP World Tour trophy at the Ecuador Open. The Spanish qualifier was made to work to claim his maiden crown, upsetting a trio of seeded players in Quito, while rallying from a set down in both the quarter-finals and semis. The drama was just as palpable in Sunday's championship against countryman Albert Ramos-Vinolas, and Carballes Baena would emerge victorious 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in a tense two hours and 28 minutes. The Granada native had not won a match on the ATP World Tour in nearly one year, but, behind upsets of second seed Ramos-Vinolas, fourth seed Paolo Lorenzi and eighth...
Mirza Basic claimed his first ATP World Tour crown on Sunday in a tense three-set battle with Marius Copil, edging out the Romanian 7-6(6), 6-7(4), 6-4 in a high-quality final at the DIEMA XTRA Sofia Open. The victory propels the 26-year-old Bosnian into the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings for the first time and he becomes just the second player from his country to win a tour-level title (Damir Dzumhur). Afterwards, Basic spoke to ATPWorldTour.com: How does it feel to be holding your first ATP world tour trophy? It’s a dream come true. This week... I made the breakthrough to the Top 100 and I won my first ATP title, so I’m very happy. Winning the first [title] from...