Tennis News

Basavareddy welcomes Cervara to team as players ready for Jeddah start

Three days and counting.

With the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF set to begin Wednesday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, American Nishesh Basavareddy was among the 20-and-under emerging stars who got a taste for conditions at the King Abdullah Sports City Sunday.

The Newport Beach, California, native is back for the eight-player tournament for the second year, but with coach Gilles Cervara in his box for the first time. The 20-year-old asked the Frenchman, the former longtime coach of Daniil Medvedev, to join his team at the beginning of December.

“Obviously he had a long and successful partnership with Daniil, who was a good player before they started working together, but they did a lot of great things together,” Basavareddy told ATPTour.com.

“I thought that experience at the highest level could help me where I’m at in my career. It’s not just the tennis; he’s interested in all aspects. He’s diligent and professional in areas such as nutrition and fitness and that will help me.”

Croatian Dino Prizmic, a two-time ATP Challenger Tour title winner this year, practised with Spanish 19-year-old Rafael Jodar, who qualified for Jeddah after winning three Challengers in the final three months of the season. Both players are making their tournament debuts.

Belgium’s Alexander Blockx, who stands 6’4”, hit a series of crushing forehands during his session with Norwegian Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, a four-time Challenger Tour champion this season.

German 18-year-old Justin Engel practised with countryman and former Top 100 player Michael Kohlmann.

The draw and Day 1 schedule will be made later on Sunday.

All eight players compete on the three days of group play Wednesday through Friday, with the semi-finals Saturday and the final Sunday.

Past winners of the tournament include Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

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Jannik Sinner Foundation launch among 2025 ATP Tour charity highlights

Across the ATP Tour, players have enhanced their professional legacies in 2025 by pairing competitive achievements with off-court contributions to charity.

Jannik Sinner, No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings, launched the Jannik Sinner Foundation in April. The Italian is dedicated to empowering children through education and sports. “The idea behind [this] is very simple: I want to give back,” Sinner said in a video announcement. “Kids are our future and everything we do in the foundation is rooted to help them. We are focussing on two main areas: sports development and childhood education.”

Sinner’s fellow ATP Tour star Andrey Rublev is also involved in charity work. The Andrey Rublev Foundation partnered with Bambino Gesu Children’s Hospital in Rome, one of the leading paediatric hospitals in the world, to support medical care for underprivileged children.

Rublev visited the hospital ahead of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in May and spent time with members of the medical staff and the patients who are undergoing treatment. The 17-time tour-level titlist also provided presents to the children.

<img alt=”Andrey Rublev at the Bambino Gesu Children’s Hospital.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/06/11/19/46/rublev-rome-2025-hospital-visit.jpg” />
_{^{Andrey Rublev at the Bambino Gesu Children’s Hospital. Credit: Andrey Rublev Foundation}}

Holger Rune continued his involvement with Danish organisation Børns vilkår, which models as a helpline for children in need. Alongside monetary donations, Rune auctioned a match-used racquet and a private lesson, he revealed in an Instagram post in April.

The Novak Djokovic Foundation and Lacoste partnered to inaugurate the ‘Novak Djokovic tennis court’ in Belgrade, the hometown of the 101-time tour-level titlist. Located in the heart of Djokovic’s native city, the court features a one-of-a-kind design that pays tribute to his career and offers young people the opportunity to discover tennis while also taking part in educational, cultural and creative activities.

The tennis community in Acapulco, Mexico, including the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, rallied in rebuilding efforts following the devastating impact of Hurricane Otis in October 2023. Mextenis, the organisers of the ATP 500, are supporting partners of the Mexican non-profit organisation Construyendo, which at the time of this year’s tournament had delivered 73 newly built homes to families affected.

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Nadal announces hand surgery, shows great sense of humour

Rafael Nadal announced Friday that he recently underwent hand surgery.

The retired legend’s good sense of humour was on full display when he joked that he won’t be able to play the Australian Open next month.

“Looks like I won’t be able to play the @AustralianOpen 2026 😂,” Nadal wrote. “I had to undergo hand surgery because of an issue I’d been dealing with for a long time, but I hope to be fine soon 🤗”

Me parece que no podré jugar el @australianopen en enero 😂

He tenido que someterme a una intervención en la mano por un problema que venía arrastrando desde hace mucho tiempo, ¡pero espero estar bien pronto! 🤗

Looks like I won’t be able to play the @AustralianOpen 2026 😂

I… pic.twitter.com/XIizIdOtOl

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) December 12, 2025

The Spaniard, who retired last year, will not be far from the tennis court despite his surgery. Nadal will return to Jeddah for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, which takes place from 17-21 December.

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Alcaraz headlines 2025 ATP Awards; Sinner, Vacherot among winners

Carlos Alcaraz and his team took home three honours in the 2025 ATP Awards, capping a standout season in which the Spaniard secured ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF for the second time.

The 22-year-old claimed the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award, while his team Juan Carlos Ferrero and Samuel Lopez are voted Coach of the Year, guiding him to a Tour-leading eight titles in 2025, including two majors.

Jannik Sinner was voted Fans’ Favourite for a third time, adding to a growing list of honours, including Newcomer of the Year (2019) and Most Improved Player (2024). In doubles, Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori also repeated as Fans’ Favourite, the first back-to-back winners of the doubles award since Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan (2005-17).

The ATP Awards also recognised Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool as ATP Doubles No. 1 presented by PIF, achieving the feat in their first full season as a team.

Valentin Vacherot captures Breakthrough of the Year after a historic title run in Shanghai, where he defeated his cousin Arthur Rinderknech in the final to become the lowest-ranked ATP Masters 1000 champion in history.

Andrey Rublev received the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award in recognition of his mental health advocacy and ongoing work through the Andrey Rublev Foundation, launched in 2024 to support children struggling with critical illness.

Tournament award winners included the Cincinnati Open (ATP Masters 1000), Qatar Exxonmobil Open in Doha (ATP 500), and Nordea Open in Bastad (ATP 250). On the ATP Challenger Tour, honours went to the BNP Paribas Primrose Bordeaux (ATP Challenger 175), Bahrain Ministry of Interior Tennis Challenger in Manama (ATP Challenger 125), Cranbrook Tennis Classic in Bloomfield Hills (ATP Challenger 100), Copa Internacional de Tenis in Curitiba (ATP Challenger 75), and Bolivia Open in Santa Cruz (ATP Challenger 50).

For the first time, members of the exclusive ATP No. 1 Club – current and former World No. 1 players – voted to decide two award categories: the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award and Breakthrough of the Year, a new award introduced this year to recognise milestone wins, significant jumps in the PIF ATP Rankings and first ATP Tour titles.

2025 ATP Awards Winners

ATP No. 1 presented by PIF

Determined by PIF ATP Rankings

Carlos Alcaraz
At 22 years old, Alcaraz has now held the World No. 1 spot for 49 weeks – more than 15 members of the ATP No. 1 Club. He reclaimed the position from Sinner after winning the US Open and has held it for all but one week since. Alcaraz showed great consistency across the season, emerging victorious at two majors (Roland Garros and the US Open), three ATP Masters 1000s (Monte-Carlo, Rome and Cincinnati) and three ATP 500s (Rotterdam, Queen’s Club and Tokyo).

ATP Doubles No. 1 presented by PIF

Determined by PIF ATP Rankings

Julian Cash/Lloyd Glasspool
In their first full season together, Cash and Glasspool made history as the first all-British team to finish as Year-End ATP Doubles No. 1 presented by PIF. They claimed a tour-leading seven titles in 2025, including five consecutive trophies between June and August in a run of 22 matches unbeaten.

Fans’ Favourite (Singles)

Voted by fans

Jannik Sinner
Fans’ Favourite for a third consecutive year, the Italian opened the year by successfully defending his Australian Open title. Of the 12 tour-level events he competed in, Sinner reached the final in all but two (Halle, Shanghai). He closed the season on a 15-match winning streak with titles in Vienna, Paris, and at the Nitto ATP Finals, finishing as World No. 2 with a 58-6 season record.

Fans’ Favourite (Doubles)

Voted by fans

Simone Bolelli / Andrea Vavassori
The Italians repeated as Fans’ Favourite after claiming four tour-level titles this year and returning to the Nitto ATP Finals on home soil in Turin.

Breakthrough of the Year

Voted by ATP No. 1 Club

Valentin Vacherot
Entering Shanghai qualifying ranked World No. 204, Vacherot went on to capture the title, earning 1,020 PIF ATP Rankings points and surging to World No. 40. The Monegasque built on his momentum with a quarter-final run at the Rolex Paris Masters to reach a career-high World No. 30.

Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award

Voted by ATP No. 1 Club

Carlos Alcaraz
The Spaniard claimed the honour for the second time. One of his standout sportsmanship moments came at Roland Garros this year, where he called a foul on himself in his fourth-round clash against Ben Shelton. From 2004-21, only Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal received the award, with Federer winning 13 times and Nadal five.

Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award

Awarded by ATP

Andrey Rublev
After launching the Andrey Rublev Foundation in 2024 to support children facing critical illness, Rublev expanded his efforts throughout the 2025 season. Earlier this year, the foundation announced a partnership with Bambino Gesu Children’s Hospital in Rome. Rublev visited the hospital ahead of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament to spend time with medical staff and patients. He has also spoken candidly about mental health and the importance of seeking help, featuring in an ATP Originals documentary, ‘Breaking Back’, to discuss his personal struggles.

Past winners of the award include Roger Federer, John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

Coach of the Year

Voted by ATP coaches

Juan Carlos Ferrero & Samuel Lopez (Carlos Alcaraz)
Ferrero and Lopez guided Alcaraz to ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF, and a Tour-leading 71 wins and eight titles, including two majors and three ATP Masters 1000 trophies. Ferrero is the first coach to win the award twice (also in 2022).

ATP Masters 1000 Tournament of the Year

Voted by ATP players

Cincinnati Open (Cincinnati)
Named the ATP Masters 1000 Tournament of the Year after completing a $260 million transformation at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, doubling its footprint to more than 40 acres.

ATP 500 Tournament of the Year

Voted by ATP players

Qatar Exxonmobil Open (Doha)
A six-time winner of the award in the ATP 250 category, Doha raised its exceptional standards in tournament organisation, player services and hospitality to mark its elevation to the ATP 500 level.

ATP 250 Tournament of the Year

Voted by ATP players

Nordea Open (Bastad)
One of the most scenic stops on the ATP Tour calendar, Bastad adds another accolade after winning the award for 11 consecutive years from 2002-12.

ATP Challenger 175 Tournament of the Year

BNP Paribas Primrose Bordeaux (Bordeaux)
Held at the historic Villa Primrose Bordeaux, the event is celebrated for its first-class hospitality. This year, all eight seeded players were ranked inside the Top 80 of the PIF ATP Rankings, including champion Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.

ATP Challenger 125 Tournament of the Year

Bahrain Ministry of Interior Tennis Challenger (Manama)
Honoured for the second consecutive season, this year’s event was won by Marton Fucsovics.

ATP Challenger 100 Tournament of the Year

Cranbook Tennis Classic (Bloomfield Hills)
The first American event to receive an ATP Challenger Tournament of the Year award. Estonia’s Mark Lajal lifted the 2025 trophy.

ATP Challenger 75 Tournament of the Year

Copa Internacional de Tenis (Curitiba)
Praised for its atmosphere and organisation, Paraguay’s Adolfo Daniel Vallejo claimed this year’s title.

ATP Challenger 50 Tournament of the Year

Bolivia Open (Santa Cruz)
Recognised for a third consecutive year, the Bolivia Open continues to stand out among South America’s Challenger Tour events. Argentine Alex Barrena lifted the trophy in June.

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Bordeaux, Manama among 2025 ATP Challenger Tournaments of the Year

Five ATP Challenger tournaments have been honoured as Tournament of the Year in their respective categories. The winner at Challenger 175 level — the biggest category on that circuit — is the BNP Paribas Primrose Bordeaux.

Challenger 175 Tournament of the Year – BNP Paribas Primrose Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
A clay-court tournament held during the second week of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome, the Bordeaux Challenger naturally draws a standout entry list. This year, all eight seeded players were inside the Top 80 of the PIF ATP Rankings, including eventual champion Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.

Held at the historic Villa Primrose Bordeaux in southwest France, the Challenger 175 tournament’s recognition goes beyond its stacked draw. The BNP Paribas Primrose Bordeaux is celebrated for its first-class hospitality to players and fans alike.

“We are truly honoured to receive this trophy, which recognises all the hard work put in over the years to grow the BNP Paribas Primrose Bordeaux tournament,” said tournament director Jean-Baptiste Perlant. “We would like to sincerely thank the ATP, as well as the players who have supported our event.

“I would like to share this with all the staff, volunteers, Villa Primrose’s members and partners for their precious help.”

^{Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard triumphs at the Bordeaux Challenger. Credit: Pierre Mercier}

Challenger 125 – Bahrain Ministry of Interior Tennis Challenger, Manama, Bahrain
The Middle Eastern island of Bahrain continued its rise on the tennis map. The Bahrain Ministry of Interior Tennis Challenger, won this season by Marton Fucsovics, has been honoured in the ATP Challenger awards for a second consecutive season.

“We are proud and honoured to receive the 2025 ATP Challenger Award,” said tournament director Mohammed Al Sayed. “We see this award as an important milestone in our journey of developing the sport of tennis in the Kingdom of Bahrain. A large organising team led by a true visionary of His Excellency the Minister of Interior, Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, spared no efforts in playing host to world-class athletes and officials in 2021-2025.

“We are grateful to the ATP for their continued trust and support. We are looking forward to a successful fifth edition of the event in January 2026.”

Challenger 100 – Cranbrook Tennis Classic, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
The Cranbrook Tennis Classic is the first American tournament to win an ATP Challenger Tournament of the Year award. Won this season by Estonian Mark Lajal, the Bloomfield Hills featured record crowds and firmly established itself as a summer hot spot on the ATP Challenger calendar.

“This award is a testament to the fans, sponsors, and volunteers who make the Cranbrook Tennis Classic so special,” said tournament director David DeMuth. “We are grateful to the players for acknowledging their passion and commitment to making world class tennis accessible to our community. This only motivates us to keep building on the success.”

Challenger 75 – Copa Internacional de Tenis, Curitiba, Brazil
The Copa Internacional de Tenis in Curitiba underscores the growing tennis interest in Brazil. Held in October, the clay-court tournament featured rave reviews for its organisation and atmosphere. Paraguay’s Adolfo Daniel Vallejo was crowned champion at this year’s edition.

“Being elected the ATP Challenger 75 of the year in 2025 is a historic achievement for Brazilian tennis,” said tournament director Danilo Marcelino. “The Curitiba Challenger is the result of an extremely dedicated team that works with passion and professionalism. We thank the competence and professionalism of the Graciosa Country Club team, our organising team, and the sponsors who made everything possible. It is a tremendous source of pride for all of us and an even greater incentive to continue elevating tennis in Brazil.”

Challenger 50 – Bolivia Open, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
Recognised in the ATP Challenger’s awards for the third straight year, the Bolivia Open continues to go above and beyond. A player favourite among the South American events, the Bolivia Open featured Argentine Alex Barrena lifting the trophy in June.

“I would like to thank the ATP for this recognition of the Bolivia Open as the ATP Challenger 50 Tournament of the Year. It is a great honor for our country,” said tournament organiser Carolina Poehlmann.

“With God always first, I am deeply grateful to my family, to Diego Manrique, our Sports Director, to all the players who trust our tournament, to my team, and to the Santa Cruz Tennis Club for opening its doors to us. This award is for Bolivia. We will continue working with passion to keep growing.”

Manrique added: “I want to thank my entire team and the Board of Directors of the Santa Cruz Tennis Club for this wonderful tournament we have organized. It has been a privilege to serve as tournament director alongside my colleague and co-director, Carolina Phoelmann. The professionalism and infrastructure of the Tennis Club place Bolivia at the highest level in the organisation of ATP tournaments. Special thanks to the ATP for trusting in us.”

Did You Know?
Moldova, Pakistan and Côte d’Ivoire made Challenger debuts in 2025, with the cities of Chisinau, Islamabad and Abidjan, respectively, hosting tournaments for the first time. In total, 97 different countries/territories have welcomed a Challenger tournament in the history of the circuit.

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Sinner three-peats as Fans’ Favourite in 2025 ATP Awards

Jannik Sinner continues to win not only on court but also in the hearts of fans. The Italian, who won six tour-level titles in 2025, was voted Fans’ Favourite singles player in the ATP Awards for a third straight year.

“Thank you so much for voting for me,” said Sinner in a special message for fans. “Winning the Fans’ Favourite award once again means the world to me, especially because of you guys. 

“It has been a very intense year, but you give me so much energy and love, especially when I go on court and perform in front of you. It’s the best feeling for us tennis players, so thank you so much. I will prepare myself in the best possible way to be ready for next year, and see you all very, very soon.”

 

 

 

 

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Sinner opened the year by successfully defending his title at the Australian Open. Of the 12 tour-level events Sinner competed in, he reached at least the final at all but two (Halle, Shanghai). One highlight was when he defeated rival Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final to lift his maiden trophy at the All England Club.

Finishing the season as World No. 2, behind Alcaraz, Sinner ended the year on a 15-match winning streak, with title runs in Vienna, Paris and at the Nitto ATP Finals, where for the second consecutive year the Italian did not drop a set en route to the title. The 24-time tour-level titlist tallied a 58-6 season record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

Sinner has been a routine visitor to the ATP Awards podium. As a teenager, he was named Newcomer of the Year in 2019. Then, in 2023, Sinner took home both the Most Improved Player of the Year and Fans’ Favourite honours. He won the fan vote again the following season, as well as ATP No. 1 presented by PIF. 

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Alcaraz, Sinner feats among ATP No. 1 Club highlights of 2025

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. Today we highlight some key ATP No. 1 Club moments from the 2025 season.

The story of the ATP No. 1 Club in 2025 revolved around just two men: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

The great Lexus ATP Head2Head rivals played out a riveting battle for ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours across the season, and in doing so they continued to enrich the history of one of sport’s most exclusive groups. ATPTour.com breaks down the 2025 storyline surrounding Alcaraz and Sinner, the ATP No. 1 Club’s two newest members.

Introducing The ATP No. 1 Club:

Sinner Hits 52 Weeks In Debut No. 1 Stint
Even within the prestigious ATP No. 1 Club, Sinner became part of an even more exclusive group on 2 June. On the middle Monday of Roland Garros, the Italian began his 52nd week consecutive week atop the PIF ATP Rankings, becoming just the fifth No. 1 to register a full year in their debut stint in top spot.

Sinner joined Roger Federer (237 weeks), Jimmy Connors (160 weeks), Lleyton Hewitt (75 weeks) and Novak Djokovic (53 weeks) in surpassing the 52-week mark in his opening streak as No. 1. By the time Alcaraz replaced him in top spot on 8 September, the Italian’s reign had increased to 65 weeks.

Only four other members of the No. 1 Club have held top spot for an uninterrupted year at any point since the introduction of the PIF ATP Rankings in 1973: Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras, John McEnroe and Rafael Nadal.

Alcaraz Prevails In Winner-Takes-All US Open Showdown
Alcaraz completed a double swoop on his rival Sinner on 7 September in New York. The Spaniard prevailed in a four-set championship match to claim the US Open crown from 2024 titlist Sinner as well as usurp the Italian as World No. 1.

Victory for Alcaraz in the winner-takes-all final, in which Sinner would have retained the No. 1 spot himself with victory, ensured that the Spaniard returned to top spot on 8 September, the 22nd anniversary of the day his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, first reached No. 1. Alcaraz’s fellow ATP No. 1 Club member Ferrero was one of the first people the 22-year-old thanked in his speech at the trophy presentation inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“My team, my family, I am really lucky to have you guys,” said Alcaraz. “The hard work you do to make me even better, not only in the professional part, but the personal part as well. Every achievement that I am [making] is thanks to you, and this one is no less, it’s also yours.”

Indoor Master Sinner’s Late-Season Charge
Alcaraz opened a commanding 2,590-point lead over Sinner in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin with his US Open triumph. Overhauling such an advantage may have been unthinkable for most players on Tour, but Sinner soon set about providing plenty of reminders that he was still alive in the battle for ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours.

The Italian bounced back quickly with an ATP 500 title in Beijing and, although he was then forced to retire from his third-round match against Tallon Griekspoor in Shanghai, Sinner quickly locked in during the European indoor season to keep his Year-End No. 1 rival Alcaraz on his toes.

The 24-year-old dropped just one set across his title runs at the Vienna ATP 500 and the Rolex Paris Masters, while Alcaraz showed signs of fallibility indoors with a shock opening-round defeat to Cameron Norrie in Paris. That defeat enabled Sinner to return to World No. 1 for one week before the Nitto ATP Finals.

_{^{Sinner celebrates winning Paris with his team. Photo Credit: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour}}

Alcaraz Keeps His Cool In Turin, Clinches Year-End No. 1
With Alcaraz back at No. 1 a week later after PIF ATP Rankings points for the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals dropped off, the stage was set for the final battle for Year-End No. 1 honours at the 2025 edition of the season finale. Alcaraz needed to rebound from his Paris struggles to finish the year in top spot, and he managed just that with some impressive opening performances at Inalpi Arena.

Requiring 450 points in Turin to secure ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours for the second time, Alcaraz defeated Alex de Minaur, Taylor Fritz and Lorenzo Musetti in the group stage to finally shake off Sinner. Despite Sinner going 21-1 after the US Open, Alcaraz’s consistency across the year had ultimately proved too big a mountain for his rival to climb, although Sinner did enjoy the last laugh of the 2025 season by downing Alcaraz in the Nitto ATP Finals championship match.

“It is a pleasure for me [being] the No. 1,” said Alcaraz, who is just the second active member of the ATP No. 1 Club to secure multiple year-end No. 1 finishes after Djokovic. “Being the No. 1 of the world is something that I’m working really hard for with my team every day. It is a goal. But I think it is a journey that you’re not going through alone. It’s with your whole team, with your family, with your close people behind you always supporting you in the tough and good moments.”

_{^{ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi and Head of Corporate Brand and Strategic Advisory at PIF Mohamed Alsayyad present Alcaraz with the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF trophy. Photo Credit: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour}}

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Daniel Altmaier marries Paulina Nieto in Mexico

It has been a 2025 to remember for Daniel Altmaier.

The 27-year-old German followed a personal-best season on the ATP Tour by marrying his fiancée, Paulina Nieto, on Saturday at a ceremony in Morelos, Mexico.

Altmaier, who earned a career-best 22 tour-level wins in 2025 and finished the year at a career-high No. 46 in the PIF ATP Rankings, had announced his engagement to Nieto in January.

Altmaier posted a host of videos and photos of the wedding on Instagram, including one of him being held aloft by friends on the dance floor while holding a tennis racquet.

All photos courtesy of @portra.weddings.

<img alt=”Daniel Altmaier married Paulina Nieto in Mexico.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/11/19/58/altmaier-wedding-2025-2.jpg” />

<img alt=”Daniel Altmaier married Paulina Nieto in Mexico.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/11/19/58/altmaier-wedding-2025-3.jpg” />

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Nadal set for Jeddah return, to appear at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF

Rafael Nadal will return to Jeddah for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, which runs from 17-21 December. The Spanish superstar, an ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation, will participate in several events during the tournament, aiming to inspire the younger generation, both globally and locally.

Among the highlights on this year’s agenda, the former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings will take part in a meet and greet at the King Abdullah Sports City’s fan zone on 19 December.

“Coming back to Jeddah for the Next Gen ATP Finals is something I am looking forward to,” Nadal said in a press release. “I’ve been given the warmest of welcomes in Saudi Arabia and I feel there is a real energy for tennis.

“As I have been saying, it’s my goal to help inspire the next generation, in Saudi Arabia and around the world. Working together with the STF [Saudi Tennis Federation] to develop the huge potential of tennis in the Kingdom that has already made impressive progress is one key element. The reason for me to come back is to see the development at all levels and to help towards that goal. I’m very proud to help more kids pick up a racquet, compete, or simply discover something new that they love.”

Last year in Jeddah, Nadal held a meet and greet, attended a prize giving ceremony at an U14 STF tournament, and also ran a clay-court coaching clinic for young Saudi tennis hopefuls at The Racquet Space. Nadal visited the Onyx Arena to meet the competitors taking part in the first wheelchair tennis event held in Saudi Arabia and also met with Team Saudi’s Davis Cup players.

Nadal also held a roundtable talk with ATP Tour stars Jakub Mensik, Alex Michelsen and Joao Fonseca, the Brazilian who went on to win the 20-and-under event.

The Jeddah field this year will feature last year’s finalist Learner Tien, Alexander Blockx, Dino Prizmic, Martin Landaluce, Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, Nishesh Basavareddy, Rafael Jodar and Justin Engel.

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Shelton launches YouTube channel, offering behind-the-scenes footage

Ben Shelton is one of the ATP Tour’s most entertaining and magnetic figures. Whether it’s his blistering serve, infectious energy or his bright personality, the American has a way of connecting with fans. Now, the 23-year-old is inviting fans an even closer look at his life.

On Wednesday, Shelton launched his own YouTube Channel and released an 11-minute episode titled, ‘The Long Game’, which provides behind-the-scenes footage of the lefty at the US Open and his debut appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals.

“I’m really excited to show you guys the behind the scenes of my life, on the court, off the court, unedited, unfiltered,” Shelton said in an intro video posted on his channel.

Shelton, No. 9 in the PIF ATP Rankings, won his biggest career title in August at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Toronto. He finished the season with a 40-24 match record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

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