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ATP Cup Preview: Who Can Stop Djokovic & Serbia In Group A?

Defending champion Serbia headlines Group A at the 2021 ATP Cup, which begins on 2 February in Melbourne. The second edition of the event features 12 countries competing across four groups, with the top team from each group advancing to the knock-out semi-finals.

Here is everything you need to know about Group A: who is playing, when they’ll hit the court and how to follow all the action.

Group A: Serbia, Germany, Canada
Top-seeded Serbia will attempt to retain the ATP Cup trophy next week and will first look to overcome Germany and Canada. World No. 1 Novak Djokovic was a perfect 8-0 in last year’s inaugural edition (singles and doubles), including three Top 10 singles victories over Gael Monfils of France (round robin), Russia’s Daniil Medvedev (semi-finals) and his great rival, Spain’s Rafael Nadal, in a high-quality final clash. Djokovic has a 4-2 ATP Head2Head series lead over Germany’s Alexander Zverev, including victories in their past two matches, and is 5-0 against Canadian No. 1 Denis Shapovalov. Djokovic beat Shapovalov 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(4) in a thrilling quarter-final at the 2020 ATP Cup. 

Zverev, the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals champion, will be attempting to record his first match win at the ATP Cup and spearhead Germany’s challenge. Last year, the 23-year-old went 0-3 in round-robin play, but will have a chance to avenge his 6-2, 6-2 loss to Shapovalov on Day 2. Zverev owns three wins from five matches against Shapovalov. Germany also boasts two-time Roland Garros champions Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies (1-2 at the 2020 ATP Cup), whose performances could prove critical in the event of deciding doubles matches.

Shapovalov produced some inspirational performances at the 2020 ATP Cup, helping Canada out of the group stage. In addition to his victory over Zverev, the 21-year-old beat Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece 7-6(6), 7-6(4). He’ll get another shot at Djokovic on Day 1 on Rod Laver Arena, and with the support of former World No. 3 Milos Raonic, who will be making his ATP Cup debut, Canada is looking to be a serious threat. 

Meet The Group A Players

Three Group A Matches To Watch

Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs Alexander Zverev (GER)
Fans globally will have to wait until Day 3 of the 2021 ATP Cup for the seventh edition of Djokovic versus Zverev. While Djokovic enters with a perfect 8-0 tournament record in singles and doubles, the Serbian will remember Zverev’s victories on the biggest stages. Zverev beat Djokovic in the 2017 Internazionali BNL d’Italia final in Rome and bounced back from a round-robin loss at the 2018 Nitto ATP Finals, as he landed 10 aces and broke the Serbian’s serve four times to beat Djokovic in London for the biggest title of his career. 

Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs Denis Shapovalov (CAN)
In one of the most thrilling matches of last year’s ATP Cup, Shapovalov forced Djokovic to draw upon all of his experience over two hours and 40 minutes. Shapovalov broke Djokovic as he served for the match at 5-4 in the deciding set and erased a break point at 5-5. But in the tie-break, Shapovalov couldn’t hold back the then-World No. 2 any longer. “It was an amazing match. One of the closest matches I’ve played against Denis. It was a very even match. He played fantastic, very aggressive, served great. We fought both until the last shot,” said Djokovic. Despite the loss, it proved to be a springboard for Shapovalov’s successful 2020 season. A repeat performance on Day 1 of the 2021 ATP Cup would be most welcome.

Alexander Zverev (GER) vs Denis Shapovalov (CAN)
Two of the ATP Tour’s brightest stars will square off for the sixth time on Day 2. Memories remain strong of Shapovalov losing just three of his first-serve points in a 70-minute victory over Zverev at the 2020 ATP Cup. Zverev won the pair’s first three ATP Head2Head meetings, including a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Shapovalov in the 2017 Montreal semi-finals, and next week the German will be looking to snap a two-match losing streak against the Canadian.

Watch 2020 Quarter-final Highlights: Djokovic Edges Shapovalov

Where To Watch ATP Cup
TV Schedule

Group A Schedule 
View full group stage schedule

Tuesday, 2 February: Serbia vs Canada
Rod Laver Arena – starts 10am
Dusan Lajovic vs Milos Raonic
Followed by
Novak Djokovic vs Denis Shapovalov
Followed by doubles match – Players TBC

Wednesday, 3 February: Germany vs Canada
Rod Laver Arena – starts 10am
Jan-Lennard Struff vs Milos Raonic
Followed by
Alexander Zverev vs Denis Shapovalov
Followed by doubles match – Players TBC

Thursday, 4 February: Serbia vs Germany
Rod Laver Arena – starts 10am
Dusan Lajovic vs Jan-Lennard Struff
Followed by
Novak Djokovic vs Alexander Zverev
Followed by doubles match – Players TBC

*Match schedule is subject to change in line with ATP rules and regulations

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Players' Worst Nightmare: Raonic Serving Lefty At The ATP Cup

Milos Raonic is gearing up to start his season with his ATP Cup debut, and he’s counting on a deep squad to give Canada an edge.

The country has two Top 20 singles players leading the charge. Former World No. 3 Raonic is set to join #NextGenATP Denis Shapovalov, Peter Polansky and Steven Diez in Group A as they take on defending champion Serbia and Germany.

Raonic rose from No. 32 to No. 14 in the FedEx ATP Rankings in 2020, and he arrived in Melbourne hoping to use the 12-country event’s electric team atmosphere as a springboard to continue his climb in the new season. ATPTour.com caught up with the Canadian from quarantine to talk about his ATP Cup teammates, what he thinks of Canada’s ‘reputation’, and more.

If you could take one stroke from any one of your countrymen, what would it be and why?
Can I take someone’s hand coordination? If I could take one attribute from someone I would like to be left-handed like Denis. I think it makes your serve better right away, and obviously just makes you a lot more unorthodox for players. Most players are practising with righties, most matches throughout the year they’re playing against righties, so there’s definitely a factor there that gives you a little bit of a step up.

Tell me about your teammates.
You have Denis, who has been playing great since he broke out on Tour in I believe 2017. Broke out and quickly moved into the Top 100 and Top 50 and then last year he broke into the Top 10 for a period of time as well. It’s going to be very exciting to play alongside him. I’ve played one Davis Cup tie alongside him and that was a fun experience.

Then you have Peter Polansky, who I’ve played with in Davis Cup many times. He’s going to be our playing captain as well, so that’s exciting. He’s a person that gets along with everybody. He’s a super nice guy, so I think we’re going to have a lot of fun with him leading the charge. And then Steven Diez as well, who I’ve played a few Davis Cup ties with. Just a great guy, a great teammate and someone who I know is going to put everything forward so we can all succeed.

What did you see from the inaugural ATP Cup that made you excited to play for the first time?
It’s been very exciting and encouraging to be a part of it this year and to have a chance to represent Canada alongside Denis [Shapovalov]. It’s something that I hope lives up to the hype, because the entertainment factor, the encouragement and seeing how excited the other players all were across all the other countries was very encouraging for me on the sidelines and something that I want to be a part of.

How much does the thought of competing in front of fans at Melbourne Arena motivate you?
It’s very exciting and it’s very encouraging. To have the quarantine factor – which has been difficult but not too bad for me – lead right into an event like the ATP Cup makes it a lot more worth it, and then leading into the Australian Open after that. That whole swing is something for myself personally to get very excited about.

What are the personalities like on Team Canada?
With Peter, you have a guy who is sort of leading us as our captain as well and he’s someone who is going to man the ship. He’s a super nice guy, and he really understands people well. I think there’s not really a single person who doesn’t get along with Peter. With Steven, he’s very feisty. He grew up most of his life in Spain, so he has a little bit of that Spanish characteristic in him. So he is a very feisty on-court player, and I know he’s going to bring out everything he can to help the team get as far as possible. And then Denis, he’s got this incredible talent about him. He can hit a winner from anywhere in the court, and you can sort of sense that in his personality as well. He’s got this sort of outgoing personality in a spontaneous way.

 

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Who is most likely to be hyping everyone up? 
I think [it will be] between Peter and Steven. It’ll be close. I know that me and Denis before matches, we’re sort of guys that get into our ‘zone’ and I think we really crunch down. Those two guys are the more vocal guys, so that’s why it will be fun to have them on the team.

What does Team Canada bring to the ATP Cup? 
I think for us it’s going to be depth. That’s going to be important. I believe we’re probably up there among a few of the top teams that have a higher average [FedEx ATP] Ranking compared to other teams. Especially when you have to win two out of the three matches, I think that could be a great advantage for us and something that pays dividends. 

What are three things you love the most about Canada?
I think there’s a reputation that’s followed us, and I think it’s been earned by many generations before us that we are gentle, generous and kind people. I think when people around the world hear that you’re from Canada, they do light up a bit more and they expect that niceness from you. I’m happy that we get to live up to it.

I think Canada is also probably the most welcoming country in the world. Obviously from myself and my family’s experience, immigrating there was a big thing. I think people for many generations have come to Canada that way. Denis as well immigrated there. [It is] very welcoming and very fair to give each and every person tremendous opportunities.

And one thing I can’t wait to explore is all the nature… Canada is the second-largest country in the world by land mass. I know a lot of it is covered in snow for a big chunk of the year, but hopefully after my tennis career I can take the time to travel and see some incredible things.

What is your favourite spot in Canada that isn’t well known? 
Well, it is well known. It’s going to be on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains, Banff (Alberta) and Lake Jasper. I’ve been to Banff, that was an incredible experience, but Lake Louise I’d like to visit. There are certain lakes there that are incredible. And then also on the Atlantic side; I’ve been to Nova Scotia, but there are so many provinces that I’d love to visit.

I like being close to water, but I also like being in the mountains, so to have that all accessible in one beautiful, great, big nation is something tremendous and something for all us Canadians to be grateful for.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo: Kyrgios Is The 'Dennis Rodman of Tennis’

Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo has jokingly referred to Nick Kyrgios as the “Dennis Rodman of tennis”.

Greek Antetokounmpo, who is known for his athleticism and dunking skills as a Milwaukee Bucks forward, spoke about basketball-loving Kyrgios in a recent interview.

The NBA star said, “Nick Kyrgios kind of has a shaky personality, he is basically… how can I say this politely? He is the Denis Rodman of tennis. I’m joking. He’s a good guy and I’ve had the opportunity to talk to him a little bit. I think he is a Miami Heat fan. I wish him the best of luck.”

Kyrgios, whose father is Greek and is renowned for his eye-catching shot-making, responded to the 26-year-old Antetokounmpo on Twitter, saying, “Haha my boy love you!!! Keep doing you and inspiring brother.”

Haha my boy @Giannis_An34 ????❤️❤️ love you!!! Keep doing you and inspiring brother https://t.co/wN4YWjXwBH

— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) January 29, 2021

Last year, Stefanos Tsitsipas revealed how Antetokounmpo had inspired him on a vacation in Athens, after the World No. 6 reached the Roland Garros semi-finals.

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Nadal Begins ATP Cup Preparations In Adelaide, Praises Australia

Rafael Nadal looks in top form leading into next week’s ATP Cup after he earned a strong win over Dominic Thiem on Friday at the A Day at the Drive exhibition in Adelaide.

Nadal overcame World No. 3 Thiem 7-5, 6-4 in one hour and 24 minutes during the night session. The Spaniard, who broke once in each set and finished the match with a volley winner, praised Australia for the nation’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s been a very hard year for all the world in general,” said Nadal. “I think Australia is an amazing, positive example about how to control the pandemic and do things the right way. Many congratulations to the country… It’s an amazing pleasure to be in Adelaide for the first time.”

Earlier in the day, Novak Djokovic played only one set against Jannik Sinner after developing blisters on his right hand. Filip Krajinovic stepped in to win the first set 6-3 against Sinner, before Djokovic came onto court for the second set, which the World No. 1 won 6-3.

“The emotion was strong in me to come out on the court today, seeing almost full stands,” said Djokovic. “I just had to play. That’s it. I had to play.”

Nadal, Djokovic and Thiem are all preparing to compete at the 12-country ATP Cup, which begins on 2 February and features 12 of the Top 13 players in the FedEx ATP Rankings. Sinner will also play next week in the Great Ocean Road Open, an ATP 250 event, which is also being held in Melbourne.

A Day at the Drive, which is being held at Memorial Drive Tennis Centre in Adelaide, is supporting the Australian Tennis Foundation that aids South Australia’s most disadvantaged communities.

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Francesca Jones to play Nadia Podoroska in Australian Open warm-up event

Francesca Jones, who has qualified for her first Australian Open, will play Nadia Podoroska in next week’s warm-up event in Melbourne.

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Carla Suarez Navarro: Olympics return would be 'a dream' for Spaniard having cancer treatment

Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro says she is responding “very well” to cancer treatment and “dreams” of returning for one last major event.

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Australian Open tennis players begin to exit hotel quarantine

They have spent 14 days in isolation under anti-Covid measures that have drawn criticism and praise.

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Korda, Zuk Complete QF Field In Quimper; Play Kicks Off In Antalya

These are the wins that Sebastian Korda will remember for a long time.

For the second time this week, the #NextGenATP American survived a deciding-set marathon to advance at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Quimper, France. Two wins, both against French opponents and both of the comeback variety have Korda on the precipice of cracking the Top 100 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

Seeded second at a Challenger tournament for the first time in his young career, the 20-year-old is adapting to the pressure of being the player to beat. Two days after saving a match point against qualifier Tristan Lamasine, Korda rallied from a set down to oust Mathias Bourgue 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-4 in two hours and 11 minutes.

Watch Free Live Streaming From The ATP Challenger Tour

The World No. 103 has claimed 11 of his last 12 matches and is riding the momentum from a season-opening final appearance at the ATP 250 event in Delray Beach. He is projected to break into the Top 100 for the first time with a win over another Frenchman, Enzo Couacaud, in Friday’s quarter-finals. Couacaud defeated wild card Evan Furness 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3 to conclude Day 4 at the Open Quimper Bretagne Occidentale.

In other action, qualifier Kacper Zuk is continuing his hot streak on the hard courts of Quimper. The 22-year-old Pole is one to watch on the ATP Challenger Tour in 2021 and has not dropped a set in reaching the quarter-finals this week. Wins over former World No. 39 Peter Gojowczyk and Sunday’s Istanbul champion Arthur Rinderknech have the World No. 267 surging towards the Top 200.

It was sweet revenge for Zuk, who fell to Rinderknech in the semi-finals in Calgary, Canada nearly a year ago. This time, Zuk earned a 7-6(7), 6-2 win over the home favourite to set an encounter with Slovakia’s Filip Horansky. One day after upsetting top seed Lucas Pouille, Horansky rallied past Maximilian Marterer 6-7(6), 7-5, 6-4.

The rest of the quarter-final slate features French wild card Constant Lestienne against 19-year-old Brandon Nakashima and Ukrainian qualifier Illya Marchenko facing an in-form Benjamin Bonzi. Bonzi is coming off a final appearance in Istanbul a week ago and has captured a pair of deciding-set tie-breaks this week in Quimper. Earlier on Thursday, he stormed back to defeat Yannick Maden 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(5).

Clear Skies Welcome Antalya Launch
After nearly five straight days of torrential rain, the clay-court event in Antalya, Turkey kicked off in picture perfect conditions. With tornado-like wind gusts and nonstop rain prohibiting play from Saturday to Wednesday afternoon, qualifying was finally completed on a busy Thursday.

In total, 38 matches were spread across eight courts, with singles qualifying, singles main draw and doubles action getting underway. Top seed Jaume Munar, #NextGenATP star Lorenzo Musetti and Turkish wild card Cem Ilkel all punched their ticket to the quarter-finals. They each won a pair of matches without dropping a set.

In addition, veterans Tommy Robredo, Paolo Lorenzi and Alessandro Giannessi advanced to the second round, joining Portugal’s Joao Domingues and Ecuador’s Emilio Gomez. Domingues needed three hours and 10 minutes to overcome Mohamed Safwat in a deciding tie-break, saving two match points along the way.

On Friday, first and second round play is scheduled to be completed, with second seed Daniel Elahi Galan, 20-year-old Thiago Seyboth Wild and Croatian teen Duje Ajdukovic kicking off their campaigns.

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Shampoo A Pre-condition For Tsitsipas Grooming Deal

Stefanos Tsitsipas is full of surprises. Two weeks ago, we learned in a Twitter Q & A he hosted with fans that one of his turn-offs is shampoo. A fan who describes himself as an “irredeemable fan of boy bands” asked the Greek to “drop” his hair care routine.

“Never shampoo, only conditioner,” replied the World No. 6, who will spearhead Greece at next week’s ATP Cup in Melbourne.

Never shampoo, only conditioner ??‍♂️

— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) January 10, 2021

The fan called it a “smart choice”. But others were scratching their shampooed heads. Was he serious? Let’s not forget that last year Tsitsipas convinced Naomi Osaka that he used Greek olive oil, wasabi, vinegar and mayonnaise in his hair. That was a gag, but perhaps it’s common in Greece to skip the shampoo and go straight to the conditioner? Is a strict conditioner-only diet the secret sauce to becoming an international heartthrob like Stefanos?

In the interest of trying to settle these important questions, we combed the Greek homeland — where all salons are currently closed due to the pandemic — to find hairstylists well versed on Tsitsipas and his locks. We found a pair of brothers, Giorgio and Grigoris Verligas, who are co-owners of Verligas Hair Art Team in Parga, a spectacular resort town on the Ionian Sea. One of their clients, Irene Stankys, a big Tsisipas fan and the owner of Parga’s lovely Petros Penthouse & Studios, served as an interpreter.

The brothers insisted that skipping shampoo is definitely not common in Greece. “Never once did I have a client who doesn’t want shampoo,” said Giorgio, who has been cutting, washing and styling hair in Greece for 30 years. “It’s wrong (not to shampoo). You must shampoo to clean the hair. The conditioner is only for softening.”

^{Grigoris and Giorgio Verligas at the Verligas Hair Art Team salon in Parga, Greece.}
When asked if they would make an exception for Tsitsipas if he came to their salon, the brothers Verligas were steadfast. “No, this is not possible,” Grigoris said. “We must wash hair before we cut it. The only exception might be for someone who has Rasta hair like Bob Marley.”

And so apparently, even a Greek national hero like Tsitsipas is expected to follow the rules, at least at the Verligas Hair Art Team salon. While the brothers were united on the shampoo front, they were at split ends regarding how they would cut, style and colour his hair if he came to Parga.

Giorgio, the older brother, who has a shaved head, insists that Stefanos’ hair is too long and must be cut at least five centimetres. Grigoris, on the other hand, insists that the long locks work well for Tsitsipas as is. “A tall man like him looks very good with long hair,” he maintained. Grigoris said that his vote for keeping the long hair may be influenced by his wife, a Tsitsipas fan who thinks his look is perfect already. On this matter, Stankys was in firm agreement. “It works for him,” she said.

The brothers both like Tsitsipas’ beard and mustache, though they think he could use a trim, but they part company on the colour of his hair. Giorgio wants it darker, Grigoris a bit lighter. “Brothers don’t always have to agree,” Grigoris said.

To their knowledge, Tsitsipas has never been to Parga. “We would know if he came,” Stankys said. He took a recent holiday in Mykonos, where he hung out with NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they think he should spend his next holiday in Parga. Stankys says she would offer him a suite with a lovely view of the harbour and the Verligas brothers would give Stefanos a cut, wash and colour for just €50, a €10 discount off their ordinary price, available only for Greek nationals ranked inside the Top 10 of the FedEx ATP Rankings. But the special offer comes with a catch.

“He must agree to use shampoo,” Grigoris says. “For him, it would be free.”

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Nadal On Federer & Djokovic: 'We Push Each Other To Be Better'

Rafael Nadal took time out from his ATP Cup and Australian Open preparations this week for a wide-ranging and candid interview with Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s Chief International Anchor. The 20-time major champion was in great spirits, holding court on the pandemic, his Big Three rivals, his motivations, plans for life after tennis, and the secret behind his on-court rituals. Here are some of the highlights of Rafa’s interview.

The Pandemic
Nadal said he looked at the big picture regarding the pandemic and credited Australia for providing a model for combating with the virus.

“The world is suffering, we can’t complain,” he said. “We can only say thanks to Tennis Australia, to the Australian community, to welcome us and to accept us to come because I know they have been under very strict measures for a lot of months. So, for us, it’s good that we can at least keep playing tennis.”

The Mallorcan said that the pandemic has hit close to home for him. “You see how many are dying around the world,” he said. “You see how many people are losing their father, their mum, without having the chance to say goodbye…That’s what’s happening in my country. Close people to me are suffering this situation.

Nadal said he understands how lucky he and other tennis players are, particularly at a time like this. “ I feel that we are privileged people today, having the chance to keep doing our jobs,” he said.

Rivalries and Motivation
Amanpour asked Nadal about his rivals and he insisted that he isn’t “obsessed” with eclipsing Federer in the majors’ title tally.

“The records are important, I’m a competitor, but I’ve never been obsessed with trying to be the best,” said Nadal, No. 2 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. “I did much more than what I ever dreamed in my tennis career. It would be amazing for me to win one more and to be at the end of my career to be the player with more Grand Slams, but that’s not the key for my happiness in the future. It’s not an obsession.”

The Spaniard said that he had good relationships with Federer and Novak Djokovic, who have motivated him to excel.
“We did beautiful things together and important things for our sport,” he said. “We push each other to be better. To have somebody in front of you that’s doing a lot of things better than you, it gives you a clear way about what you need to improve to achieve your goals.”

Plans
Amanpour playfully told Nadal, “I know you’re not going to tell me when you’re going to retire,” but was interrupted by the Spaniard. “I can’t tell you because I don’t know,” he said, laughing.

She asked him for his “vision” of life after competition, and Nadal said he looked forward to devoting more time to his foundation, the Rafael Nadal Foundation, and his academy, the Rafael Nadal Academy. And he mentioned that he looked forward to one day starting a family with his wife, Maria Francisca Perello, whom he married in 2019.
“If kids come, then there’ll be a change,” he said when asked how married life has impacted his career.”[It’s] something that probably will happen in the future because both of us want it.”

On the topic of children, Nadal said it was important for him and other athletes with large platforms to be role models.
“For us, in my personal opinion, it’s mandatory to be a positive example for society,” he said. “It’s important to send the right messages to the world and especially to the young people.”

Rituals and Hopes
The CNN correspondent confessed to Nadal that she was fascinated by his on-court rituals and ticks, and the Spaniard opened up about why he likes to line up his bottles, not step on lines and so on.
“In some way it’s stupid,” he said of his rituals, blushing just a little. “On the other hand, for me I am not doing this stuff in practice or normal life… It’s a way to make a difference between practices and matches. When I’m doing all these routines, I feel 100% focused on what I’m doing, no? The routines help you to be focused and more secure about yourself.”

Nadal, who will play an exhibition match in Adelaide against Dominic Thiem on Friday night, said he looks forward to competing in the ATP Cup and is focused on winning the Australian Open this year.
“I like what I’m doing, I like the competition,” he said. “I know it’s not forever… I’m in the last part of my career because I have 34 ½ years… I feel very lucky to be where I am today and keep doing what I’m doing. I accept that and say thanks to life for these great things that have happened to me.”

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