A LOOK BACK China International Challenger Qingdao 2017 (Qingdao, China): Janko Tipsarevic remains unbeaten on the ATP Challenger Tour in 2017, having retained his title in Qingdao. The Serbian second seed clinched his 14th Challenger crown with a 6-3, 7-6(9), victory over qualifier Oscar Otte to move to 15-0 for the season at the level. Tipsarevic’s reward for a third Challenger trophy in 2017, winning 30 of 31 sets this campaign, is an 18-place rise to No. 71 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. [ALSO LIKE] The former World No. 8 needed seven match points to fend off the resilient Otte, who enjoyed a breakout week in China. Heading into the tournament, Otte had only won one match on the ATP...
The puzzle of playing clay-court tennis can be challenging for the best players in the world. The balls kick up and bounce differently, movement is often a big factor and the slower pace adds a further tactical dimension to matches. #NextGenATP players Jared Donaldson and Reilly Opelka are taking this challenge head on, embarking on the clay-court season at the 2017 Elizabeth Moore Sarasota Open in Bradenton, Florida. Donaldson, at No. 74 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, reached the quarter-finals at the United Tennis Club this week (l. Millot), nearly one year removed from his first final appearance on clay at the 2016 ATP Challenger Tour event in Savannah. "It's different for all players, but getting your footing on the...
Before March, Oscar Otte had never won a singles match on the ATP Challenger Tour in six previous attempts. A victory over Edward Corrie at the Open Harmonie Mutuelle last month laid the foundations for a stunning run this week at the $125,000 event in Qingdao, China. Otte, currently No. 367 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, qualified for the main draw in Qingdao, and has since won three matches to the loss of just four games to advance into a maiden ATP Challenger Tour semi-final. He defeated local wild card Aoxiong Wang 6-1, 6-0, followed by a 6-1, 6-1 win over rising Australian teenager Alex De Minaur, before a 6-0, 6-1 victory over China's Di Wu. “I’ve managed to get...
Having managed to avoid a major injury in more than a decade of professional tennis, Matthew Ebden was rocked by a six-month absence from competitive tennis in 2016. Following surgery on a persistent knee injury, the Australian has rekindled his passion for the sport and is hauling himself back up through the Emirates ATP Rankings. Ebden reached a career-high No. 61 in singles in 2012, he won the 2013 Australian Open mixed doubles title, has six ATP Challenger Tour titles, and is a four-time winner in doubles on the ATP World Tour. However, the 29 year old began 2017 languishing at World No. 699. A quarter-final run at the Caterpillar Burnie International (l. Jasika) in January signalled his return to...