One year after his semi-final run at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Zhuhai, China, Yuki Bhambri of India is enjoying success here once again. It wasn’t an ideal 12 months in between for him, though. An elbow injury sidelined Bhambri for six months and when he returned in September, he went 0-5 in main draw Challenger matches for the remainder of 2016. But it seems that the former Top 100 player in the Emirates ATP Rankings is finally over his injury woes in 2017. He qualified for the Aircel Chennai Open in January and won his opening match in the main draw, then reached the final round of qualifying at the Australian Open. This week in Zhuhai, Bhambri has...
The influence of Novak Djokovic is undeniable. One of the elite standard bearers of his generation, it is hard to argue the impact the 29 year old has had both between the lines and away from the bright lights and boisterous crowds. A consummate sportsman, Djokovic has earned the respect and admiration of his peers and is idolized by aspiring pros throughout the world. But arguably his biggest impact is much closer to home. Enter the next wave of budding Serbian stars, who are charging up the Emirates ATP Rankings on the ATP Challenger Tour. “He's had a big influence on every Serbian player,” said 21-year-old Nikola Milojevic. “Since he became No. 1 and has done all these amazing things,...
South Korean tennis is thriving with a talented trio causing a stir on the ATP Challenger Tour. #NextGenATP player Hyeon Chung leads the charge at No. 92 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. The 20 year old has captured three Challenger titles in the past six months (Kaohsiung, Kobe and Maui). Just behind is teenager Duckhee Lee. The 18 year old, currently World No. 135, has also reached a Challenger final, losing to Chung last September in Kaohsiung. And last week, 19 year old Soon Woo Kwon emerged at the $50,000 ATP Challenger Tour event in Yokohama. The university student advanced through three rounds of qualifying and then topped four opponents in straight sets to clinch a spot in the final....
A LOOK BACK Wroclaw Open (Wroclaw Open): Former Top 10 player and eighth seed Jurgen Melzer continued his recent run of form by taking the title in Wroclaw with a 6-4, 6-3 win over local wild card Michal Przysiezny. The Austrian, who returned to the tour last June after sitting out for nine months due to injury, also won last month’s ATP Challenger Tour event in Budapest. Having started the year outside the Top 300 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, he is projected to move back inside the Top 160 on Monday. Przysiezny was seeking to become the first Polish winner in the tournament’s 14-year history. He reached his first Challenger final since winning the title in Kyoto in March...