Você está caminhando e do nada aparece Rafael Nadal aquecendo/fazendo seu ritual pré-jogo. O que você faz? Olha a reação dessa funcionária do torneio de Roma! 🤣🤪
— Break Point (@BreakPointBR) September 16, 2020
🎥: @rafaelnadal pic.twitter.com/NnMadv0Hns
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Introducing the youngest Year-End No. 1 in history (and our champion): @carlosalcaraz 🙌pic.twitter.com/4TTHuGfIWI
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) November 16, 2022
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In one of the matches of the season, Stefanos Tsitsipas stepped up and delivered Wednesday when he clawed past Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-7(11), 7-6(1) to boost his semi-final hopes in Turin.
In the 11th chapter of their longstanding ATP Head2Head rivalry, it was Tsitsipas who prevailed in a thrilling topsy-turvy clash that swayed one way and then the other at the Pala Alpitour.
The Greek squandered three match points in the second set, before he regained his focus, rallying from 3-5 in the third set to eventually triumph after two hours and 21 minutes, improving to 4-7 in his ATP Head2Head series against Medvedev.
“It was very tiring out there,” said Tsitsipas. “I’m so glad I overcame this and I was able to enjoy it with the crowd. It’s a great win and I’m extremely proud of the way I thought. It never seemed to kind of be ending for me. Even on the last game when he was serving, I still felt if I was able to put a few balls in, some opportunity might present [itself], and it did.
“It was great to get back into the match, I felt reborn, and what a great way to end it.”
The Greek stepped inside the baseline at every opportunity, moving forward effectively as he took advantage of Medvedev’s deep court position to finish points at the net. He won 80 per cent (36/45) of points at the net, while he forced the fourth seed into errors with his heavy hitting in the fast conditions to triumph.
Tsitsipas kept alive his semi-final hopes following his Tour-leading 61st victory of the season. The 24-year-old will face Andrey Rublev in a winner-takes-all clash on Friday, with both holding 1-1 records in Turin. Novak Djokovic has already qualified for the semi-finals.
Tsitsipas is aiming to become the 11th player to win multiple Nitto ATP Finals titles this week in Turin. The Greek triumphed on debut at the prestigious year-end event in 2019, defeating Dominic Thiem in the final.
In front of a packed crowd at the Pala Alpitour, Tsitsipas and Medvedev put on a late-night show with their fierce ballstriking and all-court play. In an impressive first-set performance, the Greek won 93 per cent (14/15) of points at the net and struck 12 winners to move ahead.
After both were strong on serve in the second set, Tsitsipas rallied from 1/4 in the tie-break to move to match point. Medvedev refused to go away, however, winning a series of long exchanges as he saved three match points to stay alive. He then dispatched a smash on his fourth set point to force a decider.
The fourth seed looked on course to complete a dramatic comeback when he led 5-3 in the third set, but Tsitsipas showed his big-match mentality, breaking back for 5-5. He then held his nerve in the tie-break to triumph, raising his arms in delight.
"[It was] terrible to not serve it out, especially on such [a] fast court," Medvedev said in his post-match press conference. "I lost my [serve] in the first game of the match, which is never good, but can happen. You need some time to get into the match.
"Then I didn't face a break point until I got a break in the third [set]. I didn't really feel much nerves. I just had to play better and serve better."
Tsitsipas is now 3-0 in third-set tie-breaks at the Nitto ATP Finals, having clawed past Thiem in 2019 and Rublev in 2020.
Medvedev lifted the trophy at the Nitto ATP Finals in 2020, before he reached the final last season. The 26-year-old is out of this year’s edition, though, after also losing to Andrey Rublev this week.
Did You Know?
There have been three third-set tie-breaks at the Nitto ATP Finals this season.
https://www.atptour.com/en/news/medvedev-tsitsipas-turin-2022-wednesday
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Carlos Alcaraz said ending the year as the youngest ever tennis world number one was "an amazing achievement" and a reward for his hard work.
The Spaniard will be 19 years, 214 days on 5 December, the 2022 year-end ranking date when he will take the mantle of youngest from Australia's Lleyton Hewitt, who was 20 years, 275 days in 2001.
Alcaraz was assured of ending as number one on Tuesday when Casper Ruud overcame Taylor Fritz, which ensured Rafael Nadal could not reach the last four at the ATP Finals in Turin. The older Spaniard needed to win the tournament to finish the season number one.
Alcaraz started the year at 32 in the world and made the biggest rise to finish top in 50 years of the rankings. He was unable to play in Turin due to an abdominal injury.
He becomes the first player outside of the Big Four of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal to top the final rankings since Andy Roddick in 2003.
"It means a lot to me. I mean, to get this trophy, the world No. 1, to be part of tennis history along with a lot of legends, for me is an amazing feeling," Alcaraz told a press conference on Wednesday.
"It's an amazing achievement. I mean, all the hard work pays off.
"Yeah, for me it's incredible to lift this trophy today."
Ending the year as the youngest ever number one is just the latest landmark for the modest, muscular star from the small Murcian town of El Palmar.
Alcaraz learned the game at a tennis school run by his father.
Alcaraz hit the giant-killing jackpot at Madrid in May when he became the only man to beat both Nadal and Djokovic at the same clay-court event.
When he broke into the world top five in July, he was the youngest man to do so since 2005.
His coach former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero believes that if Alcaraz stays fit, he is capable of winning 30 Grand Slam titles. Nadal holds the record at 22.
Despite the frustration of being unable to play this week, Alcaraz said he has been encouraged by the speed with which his injury is healing.
"It is going really well," he said.
"It is going really fast, as well.
"I could say in a week we improve a lot in the injury.
"I'm going to say at the beginning of the season, I'm going to be ready, I'm going to be 100 per cent."
Alcaraz said he will, after the holidays, dispense with any lead-up tournaments and go straight to the Australian Open which begins on January 16 in Melbourne.
Alcaraz reached the third round in this year's edition
"After the holidays, I am focused on the pre-season, I'm focused on improving, starting the Australian Open as best I can.
"I don't know how the injury is going to go. But I could say I go directly to Australian Open."
https://sports.yahoo.com/alcaraz-hails-great-achievement-finishing-102028399.html
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Rafael Nadal saved some honour on Thursday, beating Casper Ruud 7-5, 7-5, as he bowed out of the ATP Finals in Turin at the pool stage.
Nadal, the top seed in the event in the absence of injured world number one Carlos Alcaraz, had opened by losing his first two matches in the Green Group. He was already eliminated when he faced Ruud, who won his first two matches to book a semi-final spot.
"I have been practising well," said Nadal, who was struggled with injury since scratching from the Wimbledon semi-final in July.
"Just probably not enough matches to be at the level that I needed to be. Not enough confidence, probably, after six tough months. That's how it is. I accept that the season didn't end the way that I wanted. At least I finished with a positive victory."
Nadal, who sits second in the rankings, said he was happy with a season in which he won the first two Grand Slam titles, in Australia and at Roland Garros.
"I can't ask for more," said Nadal. "2022 has had a tough six months, two Grand Slams, and finishing the year in a high spot in the rankings.
"At my age, to be able to achieve and be competitive means a lot for me."
Nadal already has the 2023 season, which begins in January, in his sights.
"For 2023, just let's try to have the right preparation, work the proper way and start the season with the right energy, the right attitude, to reach the level that I need to be competitive from the beginning. Let's try it, I am excited about it."
Norwegian Ruud was not able to break his losing streak against players at the top of rankings and suffered an eighth straight defeat to a player in the top three. He has not won a set in any of those losses.
Nadal crushed Ruud 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 in the final at Roland-Garros in the spring.
On Thursday, on the very fast court of the Pala Alpitour, Nadal was particularly aggressive. His service was particularly effective, with 16 aces and just one double fault and allowed him to go to the net.
After saving two break points at 4-4, Nadal won the first set by converting his first break point.
The pattern was similar in the second set, except that Nadal was even more imperious on serve, conceding just three points in the set.
And it was with a winning cross-court backhand that he closed the match on Ruud's serve.
The other qualifier from the Green Group will be decided when Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime meets American Taylor Fritz in the evening match. The winner will advance.
https://sports.yahoo.com/nadal-leaves-atp-finals-consolation-160717429.html
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TURIN, Italy — Player compensation on the ATP Tour and the lower-level ATP Challenger Tour will rise to a record $217.9 million combined in 2023, thanks to a $37.5 million increase that is the largest single-season jump for the men’s tennis circuit.
On-site prize money will go up $18.6 million on the ATP Tour, boosted by the growth of Masters 1000 tournaments in Madrid, Rome and Shanghai from eight- to 12-day events. The Masters 1000s in Canada and Cincinnati will both expand to 12 days in 2025.
The ATP is also increasing its 2023 bonus pools to $21.3 million, an 85% increase from 2022.
Prize money for the ATP Challenger Tour is set to go up 75% next season, from $12.1 million to $21.1 million.
The ATP Tour said in June it was establishing a new profit-sharing formula that would result in more money going to players.
This is all apart from whatever potential growth in compensation might come next year at the four Grand Slam tournaments – the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open – which are run independently of the ATP and WTA tours.
https://sports.yahoo.com/men-tennis-tour-payouts-37-171513633.html
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LONDON — Wimbledon is relaxing its requirement for all-white clothing to allow female players to wear colored undershorts to be more comfortable on their periods.
Wimbledon’s strict policy about all-white attire for players is one of the best-known features of the grass-court Grand Slam tournament, but the All England Club said it decided to update the rules after discussions “with the WTA, clothing manufacturers and medical teams on how best to support women and girls competing at the championships.”
The new rules state that women can now “wear solid, mid/dark-colored undershorts provided they are no longer than their shorts or skirt.”
All other requirements for clothing and accessories remain unchanged, including the stipulation that “competitors must be dressed in suitable tennis attire that is almost entirely white.”
“We are committed to supporting the players and listening to their feedback as to how they can perform at their best,” said Sally Bolton, the chief executive of the All England Club. “It is our hope that this rule adjustment will help players focus purely on their performance by relieving a potential source of anxiety.”
The All England Club also said Wimbledon recorded its second-highest ever profit of 47.1 million ($55.5 million) in 2022, which trailed behind only 2019. Of that, 90% will be distributed to the Lawn Tennis Association “for the benefit of British tennis.”
https://sports.yahoo.com/wimbledon-relaxes-white-clothing-rule-171747538.html
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Simply. Too. Good. đź’Ş@RafaelNadal defeats Casper Ruud 7-5 7-5 at the #NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/bPc8nR7cb6
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 17, 2022
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