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,...
• All-Star Line-up in the Desert: The first of nine ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments of the season, the BNP Paribas Open, gets underway at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Thursday, headlined by a star-studded field which includes 18 of the Top 20 in the Emirates ATP Rankings (44 of the Top 50) overall as of 6 March 2017. This is the 42nd edition of the tournament, which was first held at nearby Mission Hills in Palm Springs in 1976. • BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells): Three of the Big Four (except Murray) have accounted for 12 of the past 13 titles going back to 2004 when Roger Federer captured the first of his four titles (2004-06, 2012)....
Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are the two most prolific players in the history of the BNP Paribas Open, with the Serbian earning a record five titles and the Swiss star holding the winner’s trophy four times. With Federer riding the high of his 18th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open and Djokovic holding an 18-match win streak in the desert, both are looking to continue their dominance in Indian Wells for different reasons. With a 46-6 career record, World No. 2 Djokovic and Indian Wells have proven to be a perfect match almost from the start. The Serbian finished runner-up in his second attempt in 2007 and has prevailed five times (2008, 2011, 2014-2016). Djokovic has made it...
Nine tournaments, nine opportunities to test your talents at the highest level. There is no stronger barometer for success than the nine ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events. Tournaments that span the globe in the most scenic, world-class locales, they provide the ultimate challenge with significant Emirates ATP Rankings points at stake. This week, the first of the year is set to get underway at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. To be the best, you have to perform at the most elite events. For more than a decade, the quartet of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray have done exactly that. The Big Four have tossed aside any notion of parity at the Masters 1000...
Sixth seed Nick Kyrgios put in one of the finest performances of his career on Thursday at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel, firing 25 aces and saving a pair of set points to shock top seed Novak Djokovic 7-6(9), 7-5. “It’s what I dreamed of as a little kid, playing on these great venues against some of the greatest players in the world,” said Kyrgios. “I never have a problem getting up for these matches.” Kyrgios picked up his 11th career victory over a Top 10 player. He now has wins over three of the Big Four including Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The Aussie is also through to his second consecutive ATP World Tour semi-final, having reached the final...
