Tennis News

Sinner in line for Bublik rematch in Vienna, Musetti & Tsitsipas in R1 showdown

Jannik Sinner and Alexander Bublik could reignite their see-saw 2025 rivalry next week at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna.

Top seed and 2023 champion Sinner and eighth seed Bublik would face off in the quarter-finals at the indoor hard-court ATP 500 if they both make it that far. Bublik is one of just three men to have defeated the No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings in a tour-level match this year, having stunned the Italian in three sets en route to the Halle title in June. Either side of that defeat on the German grass, Sinner eased to straight-sets victories against Bublik at Roland Garros and the US Open.

Before thinking about a potential rematch with the Kazakhstani, Sinner will first concentrate on a first-round clash with Daniel Altmaier, who previously upset the Italian in a five-set thriller at 2023 Roland Garros. Sinner won their most recent meeting in Shanghai earlier this month to earn a 2-1 lead in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

Tomas Machac and Flavio Cobolli are potential second-round opponents for Sinner in a stacked top half of the draw in Vienna. Bublik opens against Chengdu champion Alejandro Tabilo, while third seed Alex de Minaur plays home wild card Jurij Rodionov. De Minaur is seventh in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and well placed to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the second consecutive year.

Still in with an outside shot at reaching Turin, seventh seed and 2020 Vienna champion Andrey Rublev opens against Cameron Norrie. The winner of that match will take on a big-hitting righty: Alexei Popyrin or Matteo Berrettini.

In the bottom half of the draw, second seed and 2021 titlist Alexander Zverev begins against a qualifier. The German, who is fourth in the Live Race, is seeded to meet his fellow Top 10 star Karen Khachanov in the quarter-finals.

Lorenzo Musetti, who is eighth in the Live Race, seeks a deep run in Vienna to maintain his push for a Nitto ATP Finals debut. However, the Italian faces a tough opener in the Austrian capital against former World No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas. A potential quarter-final opponent for Musetti and Tsitsipas is sixth seed Daniil Medvedev, who on Sunday will contest his second ATP Tour final of the season when he meets Alex Michelsen or Corentin Moutet at the Almaty Open.

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Mpetshi Perricard upsets top seed Musetti in Brussels

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard earned his first win against Lorenzo Musetti in his fifth attempt on Friday, upsetting the top-seeded Italian 6-4, 7-6(8) at the BNP Paribas Fortis European Open in Brussels.

The Frenchman entered the quarter-final match with an 0-4 Lexus ATP Head2Head record against Musetti, including two losses this year at the US Open and last month in Beijing. But Mpetshi Perricard pulled no punches, dropping just six points behind his first serve (43/49), according to Infosys ATP Stats, and often moved forward to impose his will on the Turin-hopeful Musetti.

“I’m very proud. My record against him wasn’t very good,” said Mpetshi Perricard, who saved two set points in the second-set tie-break. “I stepped on the court and I said, ‘I need to try something else’, and it worked. It was a tight win. I was two match points up, then saving a set point. I’m very proud of myself.”

Mpetshi Perricard’s two career Top 10 wins have both come this month. He upset World No. 4 Taylor Fritz in Shanghai and has maintained that form to reach his third tour-level semi-final this season. He will next meet third seed Jiri Lehecka in the last four.

Mpetshi Perricard is 4-0 against Top 20 players on indoor hard courts and can improve upon that feat Saturday against World No. 17 Lehecka. The Czech led Benjamin Bonzi 6-7(8), 6-1, 4-1 when the Frenchman retired due to a left leg injury.

In other action, Felix Auger-Aliassime leapfrogged Jack Draper for ninth in the Race To Turin when he defeated Eliot Spizzirri 6-2, 7-6(6). The 25-year-old fought off the resilient Spizzirri, who held three set points on return in the second set. But Auger-Aliassime held his nerve, raising his level in a thrilling, topsy-turvy tie-break to advance.

“This sport can turn fast,” said Auger-Aliassime of letting slip a 4-2 lead in the second set. “Every opponent in the draw is difficult. You wake up every day hoping that it’s going to be your day and you prepare your best regardless of who you play.

“For a set and a half, it was tough to ask for better. Then I made one or two mistakes, but I have to give him so much credit. He raised his level, he played really well and it was a battle until the end.”

The Canadian is the second player to reach nine semi-finals this season, alongside World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz (11). Auger-Aliassime is the fourth man to record 30 hard-court match wins this season, including title runs in Adelaide and Montpellier. He leads the ATP Tour in indoor wins this decade (74).

The Montreal native is aiming for his second trip to the Nitto ATP Finals, having appeared at the year-end event in 2022. In the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, eighth-placed Musetti is currently 480 points ahead of Auger-Aliassime, who can close that gap to 330 points with the title.

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Will Smith as Jannik Sinner? The Hollywood crossover we didn't see coming!

Which Hollywood star would Jannik Sinner choose to play him in a movie? The Italian recently faced that question, and his answer might catch you off guard.

“Will Smith! Why not?” Sinner said with a grin after pausing to think.

In a playful twist, Smith himself joined the fun, posting on his Instagram story an AI-generated photo of him holding the Wimbledon trophy, which Sinner won this year for the first time. Smith wrote, “I’m in!”

Smith is no stranger to the tennis world. He has been spotted at tournaments across the globe, from presenting Roger Federer with a Men In Black III suit after the Swiss’ 2012 Mutua Madrid Open title to cheering courtside at the 2018 Australian Open as home favourite Nick Kyrgios edged Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Smith also has experience bringing tennis to the big screen. He starred as Richard Williams, father of Serena and Venus, in King Richard, which was released in 2021.

Sinner, a 21-time tour-level titlist, will be back in action next week at the Erste Bank Open, an ATP 500 event in Vienna. The No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings holds a 43-6 season record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

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Rune rules the risk: Dane rides 59 winners into Stockholm SFs

Holger Rune delivered a masterclass in high risk, high reward tennis on Friday at the BNP Paribas Nordic Open, where he stormed back into the semi-finals in Stockholm.

The top seed and 2022 champion overshadowed his error-strewn start — and a late injury scare — with a scintillating finish to defeat Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-4 at the indoor hard-court ATP 250 event.

Holger hangs tough 👊@bnppnordicopen | #bnppnordicopen | @holgerrune2003 pic.twitter.com/EcIR7oXVtA

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 17, 2025

Despite tallying 19 unforced errors in the first set alone and requiring a medical timeout for his left thigh in the decider, Rune blasted 59 winners en route to his third semi-final of the season.

“Not so good, honestly,” Rune said when asked how he was. “But I’m very happy that I was able to finish the match. I couldn’t have done it without all you great fans. I was really struggling with my left leg, but the energy was very special.”

With the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin heating up, Rune strengthened his push to return to the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time since 2023. The Dane now sits 11th in the standings, though Casper Ruud could reclaim the spot if he beats Sebastian Korda later on Friday.

Rune appeared in trouble after losing three straight games from 3-0 in the deciding set and taking a medical timeout to have his thigh heavily taped. But he roared back with fearless ballstriking to outmuscle the patient Etcheverry and deny him a first hard-court semi-final.

The 22-year-old, who lifted his second ATP Tour trophy in Stockholm in 2022, now boasts a 7-1 record at the event, according to Infosys ATP Stats. He next faces fourth seed Ugo Humbert, who earlier rallied past Lorenzo Sonego 6-7(3), 6-0, 6-3.

Humbert has now won 13 of his past 14 matches on indoor courts, highlighted by his run to the final at the ATP Masters 1000 in Paris last year and his Marseille title in February. Rune leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 5-0.

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Vacherot was this close to losing in Shanghai qualifying… 'Literally unbelievable'

Two points. That is all that separated Valentin Vacherot from the exit in Rolex Shanghai Masters qualifying.

The world has marveled at the Monagesque player’s history-making run in China, where Vacherot, then No. 204 in the PIF ATP Rankings, became the lowest-ranked champion in ATP Masters 1000 history. But just how close was he to falling short of the main draw?

The 26-year-old has spoken plenty about needing withdrawals to get into the qualifying field at the tournament. But what happened in the second round of qualifying against Liam Draxl?

According to the Canadian, the former Texas A&M University standout barely survived their encounter and made a courageous shot to save what turned into a dream tournament.

“I was pretty close to getting him on the brink there. It was five-all in the tie-break and he actually hit a first-serve return winner,” Draxl told ATPTour.com. “I served and volleyed and he hit just a cross-court angle winner. Then he hit a big serve and got the breaker.

“I actually had break point in the third too, at 4-3, and he hit a huge serve, like 225 kilometres an hour out wide. So that was tough on my end too, but I knew it was a really high-level match.”

According to Infosys ATP Stats, in two hours and 48 minutes, only five total points separated the pair. Vacherot saved two of the four break points he faced, which proved critical to claw into the main draw.

“I thought to myself, ‘Yeah, he probably could win some rounds in the main draw’,” Draxl said. “I thought it was just a super high-level match out there. But for him to win it, it’s unbelievable. Literally unbelievable.”

Draxl summed up what happened after that : “Crazy run for Val.”

There was no thought of what could have been, though. Instead, Draxl was happy for someone he had known from college tennis. Draxl played for the University of Kentucky, while Vacherot competed for Southeastern Conference rival Texas A&M.

“It’s great to see college tennis people doing well and particularly the SEC doing well. It was always such tough competition within our conference over the college years,” said Draxl, the World No. 118. “Playing Val so many times — having battles with him in college so many times — with Ben [Shelton] and so many other guys, [Adam] Walton. It was really such a stacked conference and so much good competition.

“I loved those days and it’s great to see all these guys inside [the Top] 100 and doing great things. It gives me more belief that hopefully I can follow suit and crack that 100 mark soon.”

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Watch ATP Tour stars guess iconic TV characters: 'I'm clueless!'

Competing at the highest level on the ATP Tour demands incredible mental focus, quick thinking and sharp instincts, but can those same skills help players recall the beloved characters of their childhood?

In an entertaining new video, stars Alexander Zverev, Alex de Minaur, Andrey Rublev, and several others put their memory to the test as they try to identify famous TV and cartoon characters.

Can they tell their Flinstones from their Simpsons? It turns out while these athletes dominate the court, their pop culture knowledge might not always serve them as well under pressure.

Watch the video below to see who nails the nostalgia quiz — and who might need to brush up on their Saturday morning cartoons.

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Medvedev finds his spark in Almaty, Turin trail tightens…

Daniil Medvedev is refusing to fade from the Nitto ATP Finals conversation, extending his late-season surge with another strong run at the Almaty Open this week.

The former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings averted some early danger on Friday to overcome Fabian Marozsan 7-5, 6-2 and advance to his third consecutive ATP Tour semi-final. Medvedev was forced to save three set points on serve at 4-5 in the first set, but quickly found his range, hitting 27 winners to just 12 unforced errors in a classy display.

“The first set was really tough, I had to save three set points,” said Medvedev. “But I’m really happy with the way I played, especially after this moment, and I’m happy I managed to win. I served really well today, and I managed to step up my game when I needed to, so I hope I can continue playing this way.”

Medvedev, the 2020 champion at the season finale, is up two spots to 13th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. Having begun October in 20th, he has strengthened his hopes of securing a seventh straight showing at the Nitto ATP Finals.

After semi-final runs in Beijing and Shanghai, Medvedev awaits a last-four meeting with qualifier James Duckworth in Almaty. The Australian earlier upset third seed Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 6-2 to become the second man to reach multiple semi-finals at this event, having advanced to the final in 2021.

Back in August, following a disappointing season by his lofty standards, Medvedev admitted he wasn’t too concerned about his slim chances to qualify for Turin. However, under new coaches Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke, the 29-year-old is rediscovering his rhythm and trademark consistency.

Duckworth, meanwhile, continues to thrive at the Kazakhstani ATP 250 event and is up 30 spots to No. 108 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. Cobolli was unable to deal with the Australian’s relentless movement and pinpoint accuracy during their 91-minute clash, in which he saved all five break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

In the top half of the draw, sixth seed Alex Michelsen rallied from a break deficit in the deciding set to defeat Shintaro Mochizuki 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 and keep alive his hopes of winning a maiden ATP Tour title.

By reaching his third tour-level semi-final of 2025, the 21-year-old American earned a 25th victory for the second straight season. He awaits Jan-Lennard Struff or Corentin Moutet in Saturday’s clash.

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More Than The Score

Vacherot’s win in Shanghai makes him lowest ranked ATP Masters 1,000 champion in history.

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Osaka out of Japan Open quarter-final with injury

Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka withdraws from the Japan Open through injury as tennis players continue to struggle.

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Top seed Rune escapes late jam to win Stockholm opener

Holger Rune made a smooth start to his BNP Paribas Nordic Open campaign, beating Marton Fucsovics 6-4, 6-4 on Thursday in Stockholm. Through to his third consecutive ATP Tour quarter-final, Rune will next take on Tomas Martin Etcheverry, a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 winner against Miomir Kecmanovic.

Rune, who won his first hard-court title at the Stockholm ATP 250 in 2022, is seeking his second trophy of 2025 after his clay triumph in Barcelona — a result that would see him leapfrog Casper Ruud for 11th place in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.

The Dane improved to 2-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Fucsovics by wriggling out of 15/40 to serve out the match on centre court. Rune saved eight of nine break points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, with Fucsovics’ lone break proving harmless at 5-2 in the opening set.

“He was really swinging through the ball so I had to play very well,” Rune said of his opponent’s late charge. “I had to step up at the end because he was not going to hand it to me. It was difficult to close it out but obviously very happy with my performance. It was a great match I think for both of us.”

Earlier on Thursday in Stockholm, fourth seed Ugo Humbert edged Matteo Berrettini, 7-6(5), 6-3. The Frenchman converted on both of his break chances and did not face a break point on his own serve.

Through to his fourth quarter-final of the season, Humbert will seek to make it a perfect 4-0 at that stage when he takes on Lorenzo Sonego. He is 11-1 in his past 12 indoor matches, behind runs to the Paris Rolex Masters final last year and the Marseille title earlier this season.

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