Mate Pavic was going through final match preparations with his Austrian partner Oliver Marach on Friday, stretching his muscles, with one eye on a nearby television screen, when he learned — below ground level at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, prior to competing on the picturesque Pietrangeli court — that he had achieved one of his long-time goals. In officially becoming the 52nd player since March 1976 to rise to No. 1 in the ATP Doubles Rankings today, replacing Poland’s Lukasz Kubot in the top spot of tennis’ team discipline, the 24-year-old Croatian has become the youngest player for 22 years to fulfill a dream that every child, who picks up a racquet, nurtures. “It means a lot for sure,” Pavic...
It was a dream week for Rudolf Molleker on home soil in Heilbronn. The German teen capped a fairytale run on the clay of the Heilbronner Neckarcup, claiming his maiden title in what was just his third ATP Challenger Tour appearance and first of the year. At 17 years and six months, Molleker demonstrated maturity far beyond his age to secure his first professional trophy, rallying from a set down on three occasions during the week. Upset wins over fourth seed Yannick Hanfmann in the second round, recent Mexico City champion Juan Ignacio Londero in the semi-finals and second seed Jiri Vesely in the final gave the teen a well-deserved title. An unseeded wild card, Molleker entered the week at...
Just two months ago, Alexander Zverev was 36th in the ATP Race To London. Following an 8-4 start to 2018, failing to reach a final in his first four events, the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals qualifier was not even the top-ranked German in the Race (Peter Gojowczyk, 28th). But Zverev, who reached three out of the next four ATP World Tour Masters 1000 finals, including Sunday’s championship match at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, has soared into the Race lead with 3,135 points. Last year, the final qualifier for the year-end championship was Jack Sock, who finished the Race with 2,765 points. So the Monte-Carlo resident has put himself in a strong position to make a return trip to London, even...
Sometimes, it’s not easy to look on the bright side of a straight-sets defeat. But that is what Swiss Stan Wawrinka did after his opening-round loss against American Steve Johnson at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia on Sunday in his first match since February at Marseille. The 33-year-old says he only started practising fully 12 days ago, after all. “Disappointed with the result, that's for sure. Would have loved to win,” Wawrinka said. “[But] if I really look where I am right now, I'm really happy. I think, in general, my level is really high, it’s better than what I expected.... I'm happy with the level I have in practice. I'm happy with physically where I am right now. I feel...
My hands were on my knees as I stood bent over behind the baseline. After retaining my title in Houston last month, I was choking back tears. I looked to the sky and pumped my fist as I walked to the net to embrace my opponent, Tennys Sandgren, a first-time finalist who I knew wanted to win his first trophy badly. When I put my head down on his chest, Tennys said something I will never forget. “I know our Dads are watching in the crowd.” Aaron M. Sprecher/US Clay I was doing my best to hold it together. But when Tennys, who lost his father a number of years ago, said that, I let it all out. One year...
