Tennis News

Djokovic stops Tabilo streak on Greece debut

Novak Djokovic was tested by a familiar foe in his first professional appearance in Greece on Tuesday at the Vanda Pharmaceuticals Hellenic Championship in Athens.

The top seed, however, found his range to thrill the crowd and secure a 7-6(3), 6-1 victory over Alejandro Tabilo — denying the Chilean a chance to join Roger Federer as the only men to begin their Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Djokovic with three straight wins.

225 and counting 🎻

The 24-time major champ powers past Tabilo 7-6(3) 6-1 to secure his 225th tour-level quarter-final! 👏#HellenicChampionship | @DjokerNole pic.twitter.com/L13T676PC3

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 4, 2025

“It feels really at home, playing in Athens,” said Djokovic, who recently relocated to Athens. “A few months ago when I came here with my family, I was very excited because I have always loved Greece. Serbians love Greece, for sure. Historically, culturally, and religiously, we have a lot of things connecting us.

“Athens is in my heart, no question about it.”

In front of a lively atmosphere at the indoor hard-court ATP 250 event, Djokovic impressed with his patience and precision in the opening-set tie-break before settling into rhythm in the second. The 38-year-old Serbian is into his 225th tour-level quarter-final in 25 different countries.

Having fallen to Tabilo on clay in Rome last year and Monte-Carlo earlier this season, Djokovic was intent on revenge in their first hard-court meeting, and he delivered. The former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings extended his flawless 28-0 record this year after winning the first set, while also easing concerns about his late-season fitness.

“Playing against Tabilo, who I had never won against. We played two times on clay court, this year and last year and he won both of these matches. I was more under tension before the match than some other matches and I really tried to draw the energy from the crowd,” Djokovic said.

Djokovic awaits Portugal’s Nuno Borges in the quarter-finals in Athens.

In other Tuesday action in the Greek capital, Sebastian Korda clawed his way to a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 comeback win over Damir Dzumhur to reach his sixth hard-court quarter-final of the season. With that feat, he tied Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton for the most by an American in 2025.

Earlier, Tomas Martin Etcheverry rallied past American qualifier Mackenzie McDonald 6-7(5), 7-6(3), 6-3 in two hours and 50 minutes. The Argentine saved the only break point he faced in the deciding set and hit 19 aces, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

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How Virtanen extended his winning streak after summer of pain

Otto Virtanen laid on the grass in pain at this year’s ATP 250 in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, moments away from victory. He had just slipped during an extended rally at 7-6(6), 5-5 against Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

“I was laying there for some minutes. Physios, doctors came and they did some tests and then it was hurting a lot, but somehow I thought I could still play,” Virtanen told ATPTour.com.

After getting his knee taped, the Finn returned to the baseline and played eight more points, all with a torn MCL. He leaned on drop shots to shorten rallies and managed to secure the first-round win before withdrawing from the tournament.

The injury was a difficult setback for Virtanen, who had lifted an ATP Challenger Tour trophy in Birmingham the week prior and was on the brink of returning to the Top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings.

“I felt I was playing some of the best tennis in my whole career and all around I was doing really well,” said Virtanen, who was sidelined for 10 weeks. “I was really looking forward to Wimbledon. So I missed one of my favourite tournaments of the year, but it happens. I just tried to keep my focus on how I have many years to play.

“It was a Grade 2 tear. Grade 3 is completely out, the maximum, and Grade 1 is slight. It was Grade 2 and quite a bad one.”

Virtanen later posted a photo on Instagram giving a thumbs up in a knee brace, captioned, “Trying to enjoy the summer now with one leg…”

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A post shared by Otto Virtanen (@ottovirtanen_)

The 24-year-old spent his recovery at home with family, determined to stay active despite the limitations of a knee injury.

“It was tough to do anything moving wise, just a couple weeks of light walking and then starting the rehab after one week,” said the No. 141 player in the PIF ATP Rankings. “Very light stuff and doing something every day, trying to get it back in shape and not lose all the muscles around the leg. And I think it worked really well.”

Virtanen wasted little time finding his rhythm upon returning to the Tour. In October, he triumphed at the Roanne Challenger, his third event back. With that win, Virtanen became the fourth player in Challenger history to win his first eight title matches, alongside Pablo Carreno Busta (11), Robin Haase (8) and Horst Skoff (8).

<img alt=”Otto Virtanen at the Roanne Challenger.” style=”width:100%” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/10/13/13/56/virtanen-roannech-2025.jpg” />
^{Otto Virtanen in action at the Roanne Challenger. Credit: Clement Corso}

Virtanen even needed to save match points in two of those title runs. It begs the question: What works so well for him in those high-stakes matches?

“I think I prepare myself really good for the finals, just playing freely and having zero expectations,” Virtanen said. “Don’t think about winning or losing, just play the normal game and somehow it worked every time really well.

“I think I always had different kinds of matches and I think the longer the tournament always went, the better I started playing and not always it has been the best match of my week, but most of the time it has definitely been the best match of my week. Just brought the A game on the most important matches of the week.”

Seven of Virtanen’s eight Challenger titles have come on indoor hard courts, hardly a surprise for a player raised in Finland. This week, Virtanen is back on home soil, competing at the HPP Open 2025 in Helsinki. How fitting it would be if Virtanen can extend his perfect final winning streak in his home country.

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Gauff wins to stay in contention at WTA Finals

Coco Gauff eliminates Jasmine Paolini in an impressive straight-set win to ensure she remains in contention at the WTA Finals in Riyadh.

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Preview the engrossing biopic of a Hollywood icon's early years

Based on a true story, starring Toby Jones, Lesley Manville and Harry Lawtey

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Nitto ATP Finals 2025: Draws, Dates, History & All You Need To Know

The world’s best players are set to compete at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. Jannik Sinner will aim to defend his title at the prestigious year-end event, while Carlos Alcaraz will try to win the title in Turin for the first time.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the indoor hard-court event in Italy.

When is the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals?

The 2025 Nitto ATP Finals will be held from 9-16 November. The indoor hard-court event, established in 1970, will take place at the Inalpi Arena in Turin. The tournament director is Adam Hogg.

What is the format & who is playing at the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals?

The event in Turin will see eight players divided into two groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing to the semi-finals. Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton and Alex de Minaur will compete. The final spot will be determined in the coming days.

When is the draw for the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals?

The Turin draw will be made on Thursday 6 November at 12 p.m.

What is the schedule for the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals?

* Main Draw Round-Robin Matches: Sunday 9 November – Friday 14 November. Afternoon session starts at 11:30 a.m. (doubles), 2:00 p.m. (singles). Evening session 6:00 p.m (doubles), not before 8:30 p.m. (singles).
* Semi-finals: Saturday 15 November. Afternoon session starts at 12:00 p.m. (doubles), 2:30 p.m. (singles). Evening session not before 6:00 p.m. (doubles), not before 8:30 p.m. (singles).
* Final: Sunday 16 November. Doubles final at 3:00 p.m. and singles final at 6:00 p.m.

View on official website

What is the prize money for the Nitto ATP Finals?

The prize money for the Nitto ATP Finals is $15,500,000.

Singles
Undefeated Champion: $5,071,000
Final Win: $ 2,367,000
Semi-Final Win: $1,183,500
Each Round-Robin Match Win: $396,500
Participation Fee: $331,000
Alternate: $155,000

Doubles (per team)
Undefeated Champion: $959,300
Final Win: $356,800
Semi-Final Win: $178,500
Each Round-Robin Match Win: $96,600
Participation Fee: $134,200
Alternate: $51,700

How can I watch the Nitto ATP Finals?

Watch Live on TennisTV
TV Schedule

How can I follow the Nitto ATP Finals?

Hashtag: #NittoATPFinals
Instagram: @nittoatpfinals
Facebook: Nitto ATP Finals
YouTube: ATPTour
Twitter: ATPTour

Who won the last edition of the Nitto ATP Finals in 2024?

Sinner delivered a solid performance and defeated Fritz 6-4, 6-4 to clinch his maiden Nitto ATP Finals crown last year (Read & Watch). Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz edged Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic 7-6(5), 7-6(6) to win the doubles title.

Who holds the Nitto ATP Finals record for most titles, oldest champion, youngest champion, and more?

Most Titles, Singles: Novak Djokovic (7)
Oldest Champion: Novak Djokovic, 36, in 2023
Youngest Champion: John McEnroe, 19, in 1978
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 1s Ilie Nastase (1973), Jimmy Connors (1977), Bjorn Borg (1979-80), John McEnroe (1984), Ivan Lendl (1985-87), Pete Sampras (1994, 1996-97), Lleyton Hewitt (2002), Roger Federer (2004, 2006-07), Novak Djokovic (2012, 2014-15), Andy Murray (2016) and Jannik Sinner (2024)
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 12 David Nalbandian in 2005
Last Home Champion: Jannik Sinner in Turin in 2024
Most Match Wins: Roger Federer (59)

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

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TikTok Tennis Creator Network launches at Nitto ATP Finals

The ATP and TikTok have officially launched the Tennis Creator Network, a global creator initiative that debuts this week at the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals.

The programme brings together a selection of dynamic TikTok creators from around the world, giving them unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the season finale in Turin and opportunities to connect fans with the sport’s biggest stars.

Connecting Creators, Players and Fans
Representing the home markets of the nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, Tennis Creator Network members include leading voices such as @kanoaigarashi (Indian Wells), @jeannemm5 (Monte-Carlo), @rafaelescrig (Madrid), @sespo, @luca.campolunghi (Rome), @yuvirayz (Toronto/Montreal), @gabesco (Cincinnati), @之昊Will (Shanghai) and @championsdudigital (Paris), among others, with Miami to be confirmed. Collectively, the group reaches more than 25 million followers across TikTok.

Each creator will follow a stacked itinerary across the Nitto ATP Finals, from media day and red-carpet moments, to practice sessions and post-match content opportunities – interacting with players and capturing the Finals through their unique storytelling lens.

A Fresh Take on the Nitto ATP Finals
Throughout the week, creators will share content across both their own channels, ATP Tour’s official platforms and tournament platforms, including TikTok takeovers and mini TikTok documentaries. The initiative aims to deliver authentic, creator-driven perspectives that bring new energy to tennis storytelling and connect with emerging audiences.

“These creators represent a global community who live and breathe digital culture,” said David Slade, Senior Director, Digital Strategy and Content, ATP Tour. “By opening up access at one of our sport’s biggest stages, we’re creating a powerful bridge between tennis and the next generation of fans.”

“We’re thrilled to see the ATP Tennis Creator Network come to life,” added Rollo Goldstaub, TikTok’s Global Head of Sports Partnerships. “With players like Alcaraz, Shelton, and Djokovic, and a community of dedicated fans on the platform, tennis is booming on TikTok. Together with ATP, this program empowers creators to show the sport from their perspective and help make it an even greater part of global culture.”

Continuing the Journey
The Tennis Creator Network forms a core part of the ATP and TikTok’s ongoing global content partnership, launched in August 2025. It builds on ATP’s creative storytelling initiatives, including collaborations with Overtime and the “It All Adds Up” brand campaign, developed with Wieden+Kennedy.

In 2026, the selected creators will also collaborate with the ATP Masters 1000 tournaments they represent, extending the storytelling and connecting with fans across the ATP Tour season. Additional creators will collaborate with select ATP 500 and ATP 250 tournaments to maximize promotion across the full ATP ecosystem.

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Alcaraz and Anisimova to return to Queen's in 2026

Two-time men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz and 2025 women’s runner-up Amanda Anisimova will return to Queen’s next year.

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Sabalenka to face Kyrgios in 'Battle of Sexes'

World number one Aryna Sabalenka will face Nick Kyrgios in a ‘Battle of the Sexes’ exhibition match in Dubai later this year.

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'I'm always looking ahead' – Mboko eyes bright future

At the start of 2025, Victoria Mboko was ranked outside of the world’s top 300. Now the teenager has cracked the top 20 after winning another WTA title.

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Could Tabilo cap injury-ridden season with third win against Djokovic?

Alejandro Tabilo will face Novak Djokovic in a fascinating clash Tuesday evening at the Vanda Pharmaceuticals Hellenic Championship. On paper, Djokovic would be a heavy favourite as a 24-time major champion compared to Tabilo, the No. 89 player in the PIF ATP Rankings. But the Chilean is one of three players who has faced Djokovic at least twice and not lost (also Marat Safin and Jiri Vesely).

The former World No. 1 Djokovic will try to change that statistic in Athens, but Tabilo is excited for the challenge.

“Just so happy to be able to win those kind of matches [before]. It’s going to be different this time on hard court,” Tabilo told ATPTour.com. “Just want to do a good match and hopefully keep going with that lead. But it’s pretty crazy to think about [his 2-0 lead against Djokovic].”

What fans might not know is that his second victory against Djokovic, at this year’s Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, was a lot more difficult than the 6-3, 6-4 scoreline.

To understand why takes going back to the Miami Open presented by Itau in March. Tabilo began feeling pain in his left wrist, which led him to begin taping it. The lefty prefers playing through such issues.

But after Tabilo beat Djokovic in Monte-Carlo, he lost to Grigor Dimitrov in three sets and the pain became bad enough that the Chilean went for a test.

“I did an MRI and it was almost a stress fracture,” Tabilo said. “So it was a pretty good win [against Djokovic].”

That was far from the only injury he has dealt with this season. Tabilo suffered a five-centimetre tear in his abdomen after Roland Garros and at Winston-Salem he twisted his ankle.

“The problem with me, I really like to just dig it out and not tell anybody about my pain. Since I was little, I’ve always wanted to just play, so I’ve been building up a tolerance, so anything that I feel a little pain, I don’t think it’s that big,” Tabilo said. “So until I feel pain, that’s when it’s more than usual. A few years ago in Roland Garros, I trained a few days with appendicitis, I didn’t know, I thought it was just a stomach ache, so it [became] peritonitis. It’s just a battle of knowing when to stop.”

Tabilo fell to No. 126 in August, but has quickly bounced back with a series of good results. The 28-year-old made an ATP Challenger Tour final in Guangzhou (Huangpu), then won the ATP 250 in Chengdu as a qualifier. In that event he battled through a final-set tie-break in the final round of qualifying against Lloyd Harris and then beat Lorenzo Musetti in a final-set tie-break in the final.

“Just really happy about the matches I’ve been able to get going. It’s been a tough year with injuries and everything, so it’s been tough to find the rhythm,” Tabilo said. “I feel like slowly I’m getting there, even though it’s the last tournament of the year. But hopefully I can use this to do a good preseason and bring it to 2026.”

The three-time ATP Tour titlist hopes he can end on an even higher note with a third win against Djokovic. How has he enjoyed the success he has against the Serbian?

“I don’t know. I think I’ve been trying to figure that out myself,” Tabilo said. “But I feel just in my subconscious, since I was little watching him play almost every time on TV, maybe you programme how you would play him or you know how he plays and you just go out in the match and try to play loose and you know you have nothing to lose, so just try and play what you want to do.”

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