Tennis News

Ruud's serving overshadows worrying start in Stockholm opener

Casper Ruud recovered quickly from a shaky start on Wednesday, producing a polished serving display to secure victory on his return to the BNP Paribas Nordic Open in Stockholm.

The second seed opened his campaign at the indoor hard-court ATP 250 with a 7-6(2), 6-4 win against the big-hitting Marin Cilic. After falling behind 1-4 in the opening set, Ruud found his rhythm with commanding serves and trademark movement to improve his season record in opening rounds to 14-3.

Striking hot in Stockholm 🔥@bnppnordicopen | #bnppnordicopen | @CasperRuud98 pic.twitter.com/iEs9Su9W1q

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 15, 2025

“It was a good match, I’m very happy,” said Ruud, who improved to 4-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Cilic. “Marin is a great player, very aggressive. He got a better start than me, so I just tried to get my form and rhythm back into the match. I’m really happy with the win.”

Despite his early deficit, Ruud soon took control from the baseline, combining precise groundstrokes with dominant serving to turn the match around. He held serve to love in four straight games in the first set and won all 12 first-serve points in the second, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Ruud’s one-hour, 50-minute triumph provided a boost to his bid to reach the Nitto ATP Finals for the fourth time. The 2022 runner-up at the season finale is 11th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. In the quarter-finals, he will face Sebastian Korda.

Korda earlier overcame Kamil Majchrzak 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 in a thrilling two-hour, 33-minute contest. The American dropped just four of 28 points on serve, according to Infosys ATP Stats, in the final set to earn his 100th hard-court win, becoming the fifth player born in the 2000s to do so.

In first-round action on Wednesday, Lorenzo Sonego kickstarted his quest for a second indoor title by defeating British qualifier Arthur Fery 6-4, 6-2. Sonego set a second-round meeting with Aleksandar Kovecevic, who led eighth seed Camilo Ugo Carabelli 4-6, 7-5, 4-0 when the Argentine was forced to retire through injury.

Marton Fucsovics eased past Jesper de Jong 6-1, 6-2 to book a clash with top seed and 2022 Stockholm champion Holger Rune.

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Lehecka, last year’s finalist, ignites Brussels revenge bid

The BNP Paribas Fortis European Open may have relocated from Antwerp to Brussels for the 2025 edition, but that won’t stop Jiri Lehecka in his title quest on the indoor hard courts.

The third seed and last year’s finalist opened his campaign on Wednesday with a classy 6-3, 6-2 win against #NextGenATP Belgian Gilles Arnaud Bailly to reach the quarter-finals. Lehecka slammed 11 aces en route to a 27th hard-court victory of the season — the fifth-most on the ATP Tour.

W🌎RLD CLASS

No.3 seed @jirilehecka impresses in a 6-3 6-2 victory over [Q] Bailly @BNPPFEUOpen | #BNPPFEuropeanOpen pic.twitter.com/fJEaJi6QgS

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 15, 2025

“Last year, this tournament was a good success for me,” said Lehecka, who is now 5-1 at the Belgian ATP 250 event, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. “I’m very happy to be here in front of the Belgian fans and I’m happy with my performance today.”

Bailly, 18, claimed his maiden ATP Tour win against Daniel Altmaier on Tuesday and rose five spots to 10th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. However, he was unable to contain the World No. 17 Lehecka, who is competing just one place below his career-high No. 16.

Into his seventh tour-level quarter-final of the season, Lehecka will next face Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi, who accelerated past countryman Valentin Royer 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-1.

Qualifiers Yannick Hanfmann and Nikoloz Basilashvili, who are tied with Ethan Quinn for the most successful qualifications (8) on the ATP Tour this season, both booked their spots in the second round of the main draw on Wednesday. Hanfmann rallied past Matteo Arnaldi 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-4 to set a meeting with top seed Lorenzo Musetti, while Basilashvili brushed off Quentin Halys 6-4, 6-4.

Damir Dzumhur advanced to a clash with second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime after moving past #NextGenATP wild card Federico Cina 6-7(5), 6-2, 7-6(3). The 18-year-old Cina is, however, 14th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah and still has an outside shot at debuting at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah in December.

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Players 'misunderstood' over exhibition criticisms

World number one Carlos Alcaraz says players are misunderstood when they want to play in exhibition tournaments despite criticising the demanding tour schedule.

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Cobolli bounces back in Almaty

Third seed Flavio Cobolli earned victory on his Almaty Open debut Wednesday, when he moved past Rinky Hijikata 6-4, 7-5 to end his brief losing run on the Tour.

After defeating Andrey Rublev in Beijing, the Italian suffered consecutive defeats, falling to Learner Tien at the ATP 500 and then Jaume Munar in Shanghai. However, he looked close to his best against Hijikata, striking 21 winners and committing just seven unforced errors to advance to the quarter-finals after 79 minutes.

Cobolli has enjoyed a standout year, winning titles in Hamburg and Bucharest. The 23-year-old is currently No. 22 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings but would return to the Top 20 with a title run in Almaty, where he will next face James Duckworth.

Australian qualifier Duckworth upset seventh seed and last year’s finalist Gabriel Diallo 7-6(3), 6-7(3), 6-4 for the biggest win of his season. The World No. 138 did not face a break point en route to his win, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Earlier, Shintaro Mochizuki defeated Arthur Cazaux 6-4, 6-4 to earn his third tour-level win of the season. The 22-year-old is up three spots to No. 99 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and will hope to break the Top 100 for the first time. He will next play fourth seed Luciano Darderi.

Alex Michelsen snapped a five-match losing streak to reach the second round. The American, who had not won a match since Cincinnati in August, downed Beibit Zhukayev 6-2, 6-3 and will next meet Aleksandar Vukic.

“I am pleased with my level,” Michelsen said. “He is a dangerous player, has a big serve. I am super happy to get the win and super happy to be in Almaty for the first time.”

Jan-Lennard Struff also advanced, clawing past Mackenzie McDonald 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. The German struck 25 winners to improve to 2-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against the American. Struff will next face top seed and defending champion Karen Khachanov. Frenchman Corentin Moutet eliminated home favourite Alexander Shevchenko 7-5, 6-3. Moutet was a semi-finalist last month in Hangzhou.

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Khachanov, Medvedev & Cobolli open new tennis complex in Almaty

Karen Khachanov, Daniil Medvedev, and Flavio Cobolli joined Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko and Beibit Zhukayev on Monday to inaugurate the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation’s new Alatau International Tennis Complex in Almaty.

The facility is located in Almaty’s growing Alatau district and is designed to support both elite and grassroots tennis. It features 14 courts, including indoor and outdoor hard and clay surfaces, alongside a gym, medical centre, cafe, and conference hall. The centre can host up to 500 athletes daily and meets international standards for ITF and ATF-level tournaments.

The opening drew a large crowd of fans and junior players and featured performances by a local band, along with a symbolic tree-planting ceremony by the players.

Almaty Mayor Darkhan Satybaldy and KTF President Bulat Utemuratov also attended the event.

“The new tennis centre has become an important sports facility for the growing Alatau district of our city,” said Satybaldy. “It will serve as a platform for training young athletes and for hosting national and international competitions. This not only raises Almaty’s prestige in the eyes of the global sports community but also contributes to the city’s continued development.”

Built with support from the KTF, the Alatau center is the 39th tennis facility constructed in the country since 2007. In total, the Federation has overseen the development of 291 courts nationwide, backed by more than $200 million in private investment over the past 18 years.

Beyond professional training, the complex will offer free programmes for children from low-income families, as well as discounts for large families and pensioners. The site is also fully accessible for people with limited mobility, and all training will be led by certified coaches.

“Investments in infrastructure help make tennis an accessible sport for a wide range of citizens nation,” said KTF President Utemuratov. “The Alatau Tennis Centre is an example of how sports can become a mass movement when world-class conditions are created. Today, more than 30,000 children in Kazakhstan play tennis on a regular basis. One of our key strategic goals is to continue expanding participation and promoting a healthy lifestyle among all citizens.”

The launch of the Alatau Tennis Complex marks another step in Kazakhstan’s continued rise in world tennis, with a dual focus on developing top-level talent and expanding participation across all levels of society.

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Boulter out of Japan Open in second round

British number three Katie Boulter wins only four games as she is knocked out of the Japan Open by Sorana Cirstea.

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Murray says Federer 'would have been some player' if…

Roger Federer may have retired from the ATP Tour, but the Swiss maestro’s smooth serve is still drawing admiration and a bit of playful critique. On Monday, Federer posted a video on Instagram showcasing his iconic service motion, looking as elegant as ever on the court. But one familiar rival wasn’t about to let him off the hook so easily.

Enter Andy Murray.

Never one to miss a chance for some friendly banter, the Scot slid into the comments with a cheeky jab: “If you could have disguised your toss better you would have been some player.”

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A post shared by Roger Federer (@rogerfederer)

The comment, dripping with classic Murray dry wit, instantly drew laughs and a flood of fan reactions. While the two legends faced off 25 times on Tour, with Federer leading the Scot 14-11 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series, it’s clear that even in retirement, the scoreboard of sarcasm might just be tilting in Murray’s favour.

Federer has been here, there and everywhere in the past month. The former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings was in attendance as usual at the Laver Cup, which was co-founded by Federer and his management company. He then visited the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he watched Valentin Vacherot win the title.

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Erste Bank Open 2025: Draws, Dates, History & All You Need To Know

The Erste Bank Open is an indoor hard-court ATP 500 in Vienna, Austria. This year, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Alex de Minaur and Lorenzo Musetti will headline the action at the 51st edition of the tournament.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the tournament:

When is the Erste Bank Open?

The ATP 500 event will be held from 20-26 October at the Wiener Stadthalle. The tournament director is Herwig Straka.

Who is playing at the Erste Bank Open?

Sinner, Zverev, De Minaur, Musetti, Karen Khachanov, Andrey Rublev, Tommy Paul and Daniil Medvedev are among the field in Vienna.

When is the draw for the Erste Bank Open?

The Erste Bank Open draw will be made on Saturday, 18 October at a time to be announced.

What is the schedule for the Erste Bank Open?

Qualifying: Saturday, 18 October & Sunday, 19 October at TBA
Main Draw: Monday, 20 October to 26 October. Schedule TBA
Doubles Main draw to begin on Wednesday, 22 October
Doubles Final: Sunday, 26 October at TBA
Singles Final: Sunday, 26 October at TBA

View On Official Website

What is the prize money and points for the Erste Bank Open?

The prize money for the Erste Bank Open is €2,736,875.

SINGLES:
Winner: € 511,835/ 500 points
Finalist: € 275,390/ 330 points
Semi-finalist: €146,765/ 200 points
Quarter-finalist: €74,980 / 100 points
Round of 16: € 40,025/ 50 points
Round of 32: € 21,345 / 0 points
Qualifying: € 21,345 / 25 points
Qualifying: € 10,940 / 13 points
Qualifying: € 6,140 / 0 points

DOUBLES (€ per team):
Winner: € 168,120/ 500 points
Finalist: € 89,660/ 300 points
Semi-finalist: € 45,360 / 180 points
Quarter-finalist: € 22,690/ 90 points
Round of 16: € 11,740 / 0 points

How can I watch the Erste Bank Open?

Watch Live on TennisTV
TV Schedule

How can I follow the Erste Bank Open?

Hashtag: #ErsteBankOpen
Facebook: Erste Bank Open (ATP Vienna)
Youtube: @emotionmanagement
TikTok: @erstebankopen
Twitter: @ErsteBankOpen
Instagram: @erstebankopen

Who won the last edition of the Erste Bank Open in 2024?

Jack Draper edged Karen Khachanov 6-4, 7-5 to clinch the singles title at the Erste Bank Open last year. Austrians Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler claimed the doubles crown by defeating Neal Skupski and Michael Venus 4-6, 6-3, 10-1.

Who holds the Erste Bank Open record for most titles, oldest champion, youngest champion and more?

Most Titles, Singles: Brian Gottfried (4)
Last Home Champion, Singles: Dominic Thiem (2019)
Oldest Champion: Tommy Haas, 35, in 2013
Youngest Champion: Horst Skoff, 20, in 1988
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 1 Pete Sampras in 1998
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 175 Anders Jarryd in 1990
Most Match Wins: Brian Gottfried (31)

View Who Is Playing, Past Champions, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown

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