A LOOK BACK Oracle Challenger Series Newport Beach (Newport Beach, California, USA): Taylor Fritz couldn't have dreamt of a better start to the year. Just three weeks after kicking off 2018 with a final run at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Noumea, the #NextGenATP American went one step further on Sunday in Newport Beach. Fritz lifted a trophy for the first time in two years, rallying past countryman Bradley Klahn 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 in one hour and 35 minutes. The 20-year-old is not only up to No. 76 in the ATP Rankings, his highest position in more than a year, but the California native also moves to third in the ATP Race To Milan. On the rise once again,...
The state of California has long been a popular destination for tournaments on both the ATP World Tour and ATP Challenger Tour. Take a look around and you'll understand why. From the coastline to the mountains, there is no shortage of stunning scenery and pristine sun-drenched weather is a staple of the region. Challenger events in Aptos and Tiburon are established fixtures on the calendar, joined recently by tournaments in Fairfield and Stockton. For many years, however, the iconic BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells has been the lone tournament in Southern California. But that has changed in 2018, with the addition of two $150,000 events as part of the Oracle Challenger Series. On Sunday, the inaugural tournament in Newport...
Last week, Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka kicked off their comebacks at the Australian Open, with both returning to action after extended injury absences in 2017. Now, it's time for another former Top 5 star to begin his climb back up the ATP Rankings. In one of the most highly anticipated ATP Challenger Tour appearances of all time, Kei Nishikori is set to make his comeback debut this week in Newport Beach, California. But the Japanese star, who was up to a career-high World No. 4 less than a year ago, will have to fight a loaded field for the trophy. Set to return to the pro circuit after a wrist injury sidelined him since August, the five-time ATP Challenger...
Sports fans in the greater Los Angeles and Dallas areas are in for a treat over the next few weeks. In an era where big stadiums and mammoth arenas dominate the sporting landscape, witnessing the greatness of a superstar in an smaller, more intimate setting still holds a special charm. Those coming out to the Newport Beach Tennis Club and T Bar M Racquet Club will soon have that opportunity, as former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori is set to make his comeback debut in the cozy confines of the ATP Challenger Tour. The Japanese star will begin his quest to return to the Top 5 after prematurely ending his 2017 season due to a right wrist injury in August....
