Portugal’s Joao Sousa recorded a historic milestone four years ago in Kuala Lumpur, when he became the first player from his country to win an ATP World Tour title. The 28 year old explains the importance of that moment and also shares various ‘firsts’ in this exclusive Q&A with ATPWorldTour.com. First moment I realised I love tennis That’s a tough one. Probably when I decided to go to Barcelona when I was 15. I realised that I really wanted to be a professional tennis player, that was my big dream, so I think it was that moment. First coach and most important lesson he taught me First coach was in my birth city, in Guimaraes, his name was Luis Coutinho....
#NextGenATP star Jared Donaldson recalls the time a guy stopped his car to tell him “Rock on, bro!” and shares the important question he had for his idol, Barry Bonds, whom he met on a trip to Atlantis. First moment I realised I loved tennis I was six years old playing a match at my club that I grew up at. This kid was 12 or 13, way older than me, and it was an eight-game pro set. I was down 7-0 to him and I came back to beat him 9-7. My dad felt that not too many kids at that young age have that ability to stay with it and fight. I feel like maybe that was the...
By titles won, Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares are having their best season yet as a team. The pairing has already won three ATP World Tour crowns this year, matching their total from all of last season, which saw them qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals during their debut campaign. They've won one title on hard courts – the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco – and two on grass – the MercedesCup in Stuttgart and the Aegon Championships at The Queen's Club in London. But the team admits they play their best tennis on hard courts. “Hard court is our best surface,” Soares says. Murray/Soares are the third seeds at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, an ATP World...
First coach and most important lesson he taught me My first coach was my dad, and I think the lesson he definitely instilled in me was hard work. We worked very hard and he said in order to chase your dreams, you definitely have to put in the effort and that's something that's really stuck with me throughout my career. First pinch-me moment on the ATP World Tour Playing a practice set with Federer in Miami. I had been on the tour for a little bit, and I had seen some of the top guys... I remember I won the practice set, too. I know in hindsight it's just practice stuff but that was a pretty surreal feeling... That was...