If there’s anything Grigor Dimitrov learned in 2017, it’s how to rebound from big losses. It was the semi-finals of the Australian Open, the season’s first Grand Slam. The opponent was Rafael Nadal, a marquee name on the ATP World Tour with more Grand Slam titles than he had fingers to count them. He won the event in 2009. He was a former World No.1 in the ATP Rankings. Dimitrov? He was ranked lower, had far less experience, and an unfavourable record in their FedEx ATP Head2Head. In a tight five-set, nearly five-hour decision that would end up being one of the best matches of the year, he lost the match. But Dimitrov’s 2017 season would end up being his...
For Nick Kyrgios, the new ATP World Tour campaign means a fresh start, a chance to knuckle down and for fans to buckle up – just expect a tamer rollercoaster compared to previous seasons. Kyrgios warns there will be peaks, minus the same intense levels of drama. "I think, last year, there were periods where I was really good and really bad," Kyrgios said. "But at the end of the day, I just need to know it's a long year. I can't expend too much energy on other things. I want to ride the highs, not as high as I usually do. If I lose a match, at the end of the day, it's a tennis match. I want to...
At 31 years old with 75 tour-level titles and 162 weeks atop the ATP Rankings, one would think there wouldn’t be any more firsts for Rafael Nadal. Think again. The Spaniard arrives at the Australian Open this year with the hopes of going one step further than the dramatic five-set final he played against longtime rival Roger Federer last year, which catalysed a year of unexpected success for the both of them. He aims to become one of just three players after Roy Emerson and Rod Laver to win each of the Grand Slams twice, furthering his already remarkable legacy in the sport. But this year, things are a little different. “It's the first time I am here without playing...
What a difference a year makes. In 2017, Roger Federer entered the Australian Open as the 17th seed thanks to a six-month layoff due to injury. Even to the Swiss, a championship run seemed unlikely. But after winning seven matches — including four against players inside the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings — Federer had done the seemingly impossible, claiming his 18th Grand Slam title despite not competing since Wimbledon. This time around, there will be no surprises. After a 19th major title at Wimbledon, three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 triumphs (Indian Wells, Miami, Shanghai) and seven overall trophies on the year, Federer is arguably the favourite as the ATP World Tour’s best get set to battle it...
Five players have ruled the Grand Slams with a diamond fist for more than a decade. Roger Federer (19), Rafael Nadal (16), Novak Djokovic (12), Andy Murray (3) and Stan Wawrinka (3) have combined to win 51 of the past 54 major titles — that is a stunning 94 per cent victory rate for five players against the entire field. But it is never possible to count out the rest of the competitors. With Murray out of the Australian Open due to recent hip surgery, sixth seed Marin Cilic and No. 12 seed Juan Martin del Potro make six players in Melbourne who have previously won a Grand Slam. That means 122 of the world's best have a shot at...