Continuing our Season In Review series, ATPWorldTour.com revisits the fiercest rivalries of 2017. Today we feature Rafael Nadal vs. Grigor Dimitrov. They are two of the most exciting players to watch on the ATP World Tour. No one fights harder and for longer than Rafael Nadal, who always engages the crowd with his patented “¡Vamos!” shouts and left-handed upper cuts. It's as if Nadal, the master of the mental game, is seeking a body blow to his opponent when he delivers the fan-favourite celebration. But few players leave you in awe when they're in the zone as Grigor Dimitrov does. The Bulgarian's one-handed backhand will have you writing “Did you see that?” texts to friends, and his do-everything game gives...
Continuing our Season-In-Review series, ATPWorldTour.com revisits the fiercest rivalries of 2017. Today we feature Grigor Dimitrov vs. David Goffin What makes a rivalry — is it the mix of playing styles or personalities, the intensity of each battle or something different? In 2017, two perennial grafters with great potential clashed on five occasions, improving both tactically and mentally for year-end Top 10 finishes in the Emirates ATP Rankings. While Grigor Dimitrov beat David Goffin in four of their five FedEx ATP Head2Head series meetings this year, the statistic as read is too simplistic to be dismissed as one-sided — a non-rivalry. For while Dimitrov and Goffin are never going to relentlessly overpower an opponent, the fluency of their games and...
Continuing our Season In Review series, ATPWorldTour.com revisits the fiercest rivalries of 2017. Today we feature Nick Kyrgios vs. Alexander Zverev: One of the great rivalries in ATP World Tour history was thrust into the spotlight once again in 2017, with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal sweeping the Grand Slams and returning to the Top 2 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. But that wasn't the only matchup that attracted attention. The curtains opened in what might be one of the next great FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalries. Alexander Zverev and Nick Kyrgios, 20 and 22 years old, respectively, are the two youngest players near the top of the Emirates ATP Rankings. They each were at one point the top-ranked junior in...
The 2017 ATP World Tour season was full of thrilling moments, classic matches, and plenty of memories that nobody will forget anytime soon. Over the course of the next month, ATPWorldTour.com will take fans through the very best of those moments. We will recap the premier rivalries of 2017, the best matches from the ATP World Tour, the greatest matches from the Grand Slams, the most stunning upsets, retirements and more. Look for new content each day as we reflect on a great year and count down to the start of the 2018 season, which begins 31 December in Brisbane (and 1 January in Doha and Pune). RIVALRIES Roger Federer vs. Juan Martin del Potro Nick Kyrgios vs. Alexander Zverev...
Beginning our Season In Review series, ATPWorldTour.com revisits the fiercest rivalries of 2017. Today we feature Roger Federer vs. Juan Martin del Potro: Roger Federer's rivalries with his 'Big Four' brethren Rafael Nadal (15-23), Novak Djokovic (22-23) and Andy Murray (14-11) are celebrated as some of the best in the game's history. Somewhat less appreciated is his compelling FedEx ATP Head2Head series with Juan Martin Del Potro. The Argentine is one of a handful of players who, when at his best, has the firepower to overcome Federer's genius and it's must-see TV when Del Potro uncorks his forehand and plays go-for-broke tennis against the man many argue is the greatest player of all time. Despite a lopsided 18-6 record in...