Tennis News

Basavareddy boosts Jeddah hopes with Challenger title; Fognini back in winner's circle

#NextGenATP American Nishesh Basavareddy continued his red-hot run Sunday when he claimed his second ATP Challenger Tour title, boosting his chances of qualifying for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.

The 19-year-old, who has won 21 of his 25 past Challenger matches, fought through hot and humid conditions in Mexico to triumph at the Partners Open Puerto Vallarta. The top seed downed Canadian Liam Draxl 6-3, 7-6(4) in the final.

“It feels great. I’ve lost a couple finals, won my first title in Tiburon [in October], but I’ve lost two more finals after that so I’m really happy to get over the finish line,” said Basavareddy, who holds a 41-13 season record on the ATP Challenger Tour.

Basavareddy’s Puerto Vallarta title comes at a crucial time with just one week remaining to qualify for the 20-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF. The teenager currently holds the final qualifying position at eighth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. The cutoff date to qualify is 2 December.

“It was definitely a goal at the start of the year,” Basavareddy said. “I played in college [at Stanford University] and so in June it didn’t seem too realistic when I was far behind a lot of guys my age. I’d be super excited to play in Jeddah.”

In other Challenger action, Italians Fabio Fognini and Luca Nardi lifted trophies on the same day their home country won the Davis Cup. Former World No. 9 Fognini defeated Austrian Lukas Neumayer 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 in the final to win the Il Montemar Challenger ENE Construccion in Spain.

The 37-year-old made the best possible use of a wild card, collecting his eighth Challenger title and first since last November, when he also triumphed in the penultimate week of the season.

FABIO REIGNS SUPREME 👑@fabiofogna claims his 8⃣th career Challenger Tour title with a hard-fought win over Neumayer 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 in Montemar!#ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/vlZysA6Jb9

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) November 24, 2024

“I’m still competing and I’m really thankful,” Fognini said. “I have the opportunity to play against these guys who are going up really fast. They run everywhere, they play really good shots. I’m happy with my performance and winning this tournament.”

Nardi, 21, won the all-Italian final in Rovereto, where he downed Francesco Maestrelli 6-1, 6-3 in the Citta’ Di Rovereto championship match. Earlier this month, Nardi lost the Helsinki Challenger final to Kei Nishikori but the second seed went one step further on home soil to collect his seventh title at that level. Nardi is up to No. 90 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

LUCA LUCA LUCA 🗣️🫡@Luca___Nardi grabs the title in Rovereto after a straight sets win over Maestrelli 6-1, 6-3! 👌#ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/aHkFV9QVyl

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) November 24, 2024

“It’s a great relief,” Nardi said when asked about strengthening his chances for a main-draw spot at the Australian Open. “It was the goal at the beginning of the week, I had no alternatives and it’s really a great satisfaction.”

Argentine Francisco Comesana overcame several tough tests in São Paulo, Brazil to claim his seventh Challenger title and third this year. The 24-year-old defeated countryman Thiago Agustin Tirante 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 in the final of the Torneio Internacional Masculino de Tenis Ano 7 / Engie Open. In the semi-finals, Comesana fended off one match point against Matias Soto to stay alive.

<img alt=”Francisco Comesana in action at the São Paulo Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/25/15/37/comesana-saopaoloch-2024.jpg” />
^{Francisco Comesana in action at the São Paulo Challenger. Credit: São Paulo Challenger}

Following his title on the Brazilian hard courts, Comesana is up to a career-high No. 84 in the PIF ATP Rankings. His two previous Challenger titles this year came in Buenos Aires (October) and Oeiras (April).

Japan’s Yuta Shimizu capped a dream week on home soil, lifting the title at the YOKOHAMA KEIO CHALLENGER by MITA KOSAN. The 25-year-old lefty rallied past Australian Li Tu 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-2 in the final to secure his maiden Challenger crown. Shimizu ended his five-match skid in Challenger finals, which included a runner-up finish last year in Yokohama.

<img alt=”Yuta Shimizu wins the Yokohama Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/25/15/36/shimizu-yokohamach-2024.jpg” />
^{Yuta Shimizu wins the Yokohama Challenger. Credit: Yokohama Challenger}

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The 2024 ATP Awards Nominees Are…

Nominees have been revealed today for the four player-voted categories and Coach of the Year in the 2024 ATP Awards.

Former World No. 3 Dominic Thiem, who retired from professional tennis last month in Vienna, is up against Top 10 stars Carlos Alcaraz, Grigor Dimitrov and Casper Ruud for the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award. Alcaraz won this peer-voted honour in 2023 and Ruud the year before that.

Jack Draper and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard are among the nominees for Most Improved Player of the Year, while their coaches Emmanuel Planque and James Trotman have also picked up ATP Awards nods. Joining Planque and Trotman in the Coach of the Year category are Xavier Malisse (Alexei Popyrin), Michael Russell (Taylor Fritz) and Brad Stine (Tommy Paul).

Nineteen-year-olds Jakub Mensik and Juncheng Shang are the two nominees for Newcomer of the Year, as #NextGenATP players who broke into the Top 100 for the first time this season. Meanwhile, a trio of former Top 10 players – Matteo Berrettini, Marin Cilic and Kei Nishikori – will vie for Comeback Player of the Year.

Nominees for Comeback Player of the Year, Most Improved Player of the Year and the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award are determined by an International Tennis Writers’ Association (ITWA) vote. Coach of the Year nominees are selected through first-round voting by ATP coaches.

ATP Awards winners, including Fans’ Favourite, will be revealed during Awards week, starting 9 December. Fans can vote for their favourite singles player and doubles team through Wednesday, 27 November.

View the complete list of 2024 ATP Awards nominees:

VOTED BY PLAYERS

Comeback Player of the Year
Matteo Berrettini
Marin Cilic
Kei Nishikori

Most Improved Player of the Year
Jack Draper
Tomas Machac
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
Alejandro Tabilo

Newcomer of the Year
Jakub Mensik
Juncheng Shang

Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award
Carlos Alcaraz
Grigor Dimitrov
Casper Ruud
Dominic Thiem

VOTED BY COACHES

Coach of the Year
Xavier Malisse (Alexei Popyrin)
Emmanuel Planque (Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard)
Michael Russell (Taylor Fritz)
Brad Stine (Tommy Paul)
James Trotman (Jack Draper)

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Rivalries of 2024: Sinner vs. Alcaraz

To mark the end of another thrilling season, ATPTour.com is unveiling our annual ‘Best Of’ series, which will reflect on the most intriguing rivalries, matches, comebacks, upsets and more. This week, we are looking at the best rivalries of the year. 

The captivating rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner showed no signs of slowing down in 2024.

Despite Sinner soaring to ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours, it was Alcaraz who re-established a lead in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series. The Spaniard improved to 6-4 with three triumphs over the Italian across the year.

As part of our annual season-in-review series, ATPTour.com revisits their three magical meetings this season.

Indian Wells SFs, Alcaraz d. Sinner 1-6, 6-3, 6-2
After a blistering start to the season, during which he lifted his maiden Grand Slam trophy at the Australian Open, Sinner was heading into the semi-finals in Indian Wells on a 16-match win streak. Was Alcaraz going to be the one to put an end to his rival’s impressive run in a rematch of the 2023 semi-finals in the desert?

The task ahead seemed even more daunting for the Spaniard after Sinner eased to a 6-1 lead. Despite a three-hour rain delay, Sinner’s pure ball-striking from the back of the court was on full display, overpowering Alcaraz in the baseline exchanges.

After the sit down, however, Alcaraz pushed the reset button and injected his trademark variety into the encounter. This allowed for more points fit for the highlight reel, something rarely missing from an Alcaraz-Sinner clash. From there, Alcaraz produced a commanding display to seal the comeback triumph.

“I stayed strong mentally,” said Alcaraz, who went on to defeat Daniil Medvedev in the final and successfully defend the trophy, snapping his eight-month title drought that dated back to 2023 Wimbledon.

The victory, which levelled the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series at 4-4, meant that Alcaraz would hold off Sinner for the No. 2 spot in the PIF ATP Rankings. However, at the very next tournament in Miami, the Italian would dial back in to clinch his third title of the season and surpass Alcaraz.

Roland Garros SFs, Alcaraz d. Sinner 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3

Then came one of the standout matches of the season. After sweeping aside Stefanos Tsitsipas and Grigor Dimitrov, respectively, Alcaraz and Sinner set up one of the most anticipated clashes of the year, and it did not disappoint.

In a back-and-forth tussle, Alcaraz twice rallied from a set deficit to seal another thrilling comeback victory. An exhausting four-hour, 10-minute battle, during which Sinner received treatment for cramp, was decided by the finest of margins. The Italian won two more points than his opponent (147-145), but came unstuck by a ferocious start to the deciding set from Alcaraz, who raced to an unassailable 3-0 lead.

“You have to find the joy suffering,” said Alcaraz, 21, who became the youngest player to advance to a major final on all three surfaces.

Despite his gut-wrenching defeat, Sinner would leave Paris with a 33-3 record to start the season. Three days later, on 10 June, he would etch his name into history as the first Italian to rise to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

After improving to 10-1 in five-set Grand Slam contests, Alcaraz would further extend this dominance in the final, where he came through another deciding-set thriller against Alexander Zverev to win his third major trophy.

<img alt=”Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/22/10/21/sinner-alcaraz-french-open-best-of-2024-rivalries.jpg” />_{^{Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in action at Roland Garros. (Photo Credit: Bertrand Guay/Getty Images)}}

Beijing F, Alcaraz d. Sinner 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3)

For the second time in 2024, Sinner was heading into a clash with Alcaraz on a rousing 16-match winning streak, which included back-to-back titles in Cincinnati and at the US Open.

Things felt rather different this time, however. The 23-year-old had further cemented his status as the Tour’s leading presence with six titles and a commanding lead in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. Alcaraz wasn’t going to complete three straight wins over Sinner, was he?

After rallying from a 1-4 deficit in the opening set to claim it in a tie-break, Sinner piled on the pressure in what proved to be a pivotal moment in the match. Trailing 3-4 in the second, Alcaraz mustered some of his most gutsy tennis to fend off two break points and come through the 14-minute game. It proved to be his tonic, rattling off the next two games to force a decider.

Alcaraz carried the momentum into the third set, surging to a 3-1 lead, but he was pegged back by Sinner who refused to roll over. With nothing between the two, they headed into a nail-biting deciding-set tie-break. Sinner had won 18 of his past 19 tie-breaks, and looked in good stead to improve on this record, but Alcaraz reeled off seven consecutive points from 0/3 to clinch his fourth title of the year.

“I never lost hope,” said Alcaraz.

The match reflected a crucial moment in their blossoming rivalry, marking the first time that either of them had recorded three consecutive wins over the other. Alcaraz took a 6-4 stranglehold on their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

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Tennis meets love: Fratangelo & Keys tie the knot

In a celebration of love and tennis, Bjorn Fratangelo and Madison Keys began their next chapter as husband and wife on Saturday.

The couple, who started dating in 2017 and announced their engagement in March 2023, enjoyed their wedding in a heartfelt Charleston celebration. Tennis stars who attended include Jessica Pegula, Sloane Stephens and Mitchell Krueger. 

“Can’t put into words how amazing this day was,” Fratangelo, the former No. 99 in the PIF ATP Rankings, wrote on Instagram. “I am so excited to spend the rest of my life with you @madisonkeys.”

<img alt=”Bjorn Fratangelo, Madison Keys” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/11/25/14/52/fratangelo-keys-wedding-1.jpg” />_{^{Bjorn Fratangelo and Madison Keys celebrate their wedding day in Charleston. (Photo Credit: Bjorn Fratangelo and Madison Keys)}}

“Best weekend of my life, I love you @bjornfrat,” 29-year-old Keys wrote in a separate post.

Fratangelo has been coaching Keys, the WTA No. 21, since her second-round exit at Roland Garros last year. The 31-year-old has overseen promising results in that period, including Keys’ run to the 2023 US Open semi-finals.

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Journey To Jeddah: Shang soaking in spotlight

Shang Juncheng is a teenage sensation — a “compound of menace and energy” according to analyst Robbie Koenig — who overwhelms opponents with relentless force. With a contagious smile and a teddy bear always attached to his tennis bag, the 19-year-old is enjoying his journey as one of the sport’s fastest rising #NextGenATP stars.

The word ‘historic’ is often associated with the Chinese teen, who this year became the first player from the Asian country to win an ATP Tour title on home soil. Led by his triumph in Chengdu, Shang has his sights set on being the first Chinese player to qualify for the 20-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, which has featured champions such as Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

“I’ve had an amazing year and the Next Gen ATP Finals is very important for my future,” Shang said in our new ‘Journey To Jeddah’ series. “In that event, all the tennis spotlight is on you because you know there are only eight players.”

Fittingly, Shang’s ascent has been fast — the very word his coach Martin Alund used to describe what initially stood out about the lefty. “At the beginning, I was like, ‘Oh, I cannot believe how fast you are!’” Alund recalled in the longform video, which also features an interview with ‘Jerry’s’ father Shang Yi.

While fans have become more familiar with Shang, the 19-year-old’s season, from his perspective, has been more about accomplishing goals than a surprising breakthrough. He remembers telling a friend earlier this year that he would capture his maiden tour-level title before his home tournament in Beijing. Shang achieved that with no time to spare. He defeated Lorenzo Musetti in the ATP 250 final just two days before he was competing in Beijing.

“I was really tired after the final, but they had tiramisu — that was the first thing I went for,” Shang said while cracking a big smile. “I was so happy that for two days I could not sleep.”

In October, Shang cracked the Top 50 of the PIF ATP Rankings for the first time. He has soared on big stages this year, reaching the third round at the Australian Open and US Open.

Shang’s 2024 results are a testament to his hard work. The Argentine Alund, who has been travelling with the teenager since March 2022, not only sees positive qualities in Shang on court, but also away from tennis.

“To see a kid as talented as him, as young as him, always ready to go to the gym, always ready to go to the practice courts,” Alund said. “He’s never missing a session. Never.

“He’s such a great kid. Whatever you see from the outside, is inside as well.”

Shang is fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah and has qualified for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, which runs from 18-22 December.

“Being at the Next Gen ATP Finals [would] mean everything to me,” Shang said. “Some of the best players have played that event, coming up when they were young. It’s something special for sure.”

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2023 champion Alcaraz to play Queen's in 2025

Carlos Alcaraz will play at Queen’s in 2025 as part of his Wimbledon title defence preparations.

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Tickets on Sale for Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah

Tickets for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, to be held in Jeddah, Saudia Arabia, are now on sale.

The 20-and-under event takes place from 18-22 December at King Abdullah Sports City on indoor hard courts. Tickets to catch the action can be purchased here.

The Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF was first hosted in Jeddah in 2023 when Hamad Medjedovic lifted the title. Previous winners of the 20-and-under event include Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Arthur Fils, Alex Michelsen, Jakub Mensik and Shang Juncheng have qualified for the seventh edition of the event and there are four qualification spots still open.

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Fils, Michelsen, Mensik, Shang qualify for Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF

Arthur Fils, Alex Michelsen, Jakub Mensik and Shang Juncheng have qualified for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, to be held from 18-22 December.

Frenchman Fils reached the title match in Jeddah last year and has enjoyed another impressive season on Tour, highlighted by ATP 500 titles in Hamburg and Basel. The 20-year-old, who topped the 2024 ATP 500 Bonus Pool, is 37-26 on the season.

American Michelsen is set to return to Jeddah, having made his debut at the 20-and-under event last year. The 20-year-old made his Top 50 breakthrough in August and is currently at No. 42 in the PIF ATP Rankings, one spot off his career high.

Michelsen reached tour-level finals in Newport and Winston-Salem in 2024 and advanced to the third round at a major for the first time at the Australian Open.

Mensik and Shang will make their debuts in Jeddah, having made major progress in 2024. The 19-year-old Czech Mensik started the year at No. 167 in the PIF ATP Rankings but will arrive at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF at No. 48.

The big-hitting teen advanced to his maiden ATP Tour final in Doha in February and reached his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final in Shanghai in October, earning Top 10 wins against Andrey Rublev and Grigor Dimitrov.

World No. 50 Shang became just the second Chinese ATP Tour titlist in history when he won in Chengdu in September. The 19-year-old also reached semi-finals in Hong Kong and Atlanta and the third round at the Australian Open, where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz.

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