With a semi-final spot on the line at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan, Miomir Kecmanovic found a new gear on Thursday. The Serbian saved two set points en route to a convincing 4-1, 4-1, 4-3(6) win over Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

Kecmanovic earned his place in the last four after winning the first two sets against Davidovich Fokina, but continued to fire winners from all parts of the court to prevail in 58 minutes. The Serbian finished with a 2-1 record in round-robin action to join top-seeded Aussie Alex de Minaur as the players advancing out of Group A.

“I was a lot calmer than yesterday. I was happy to play well and be stable out there,” Kecmanovic said. “There was definitely a lot of pressure on this match today and I think I handled it better than he did. I have a bit more experience on Tour playing big matches and that helped me a lot today.”

Awaiting him in the semi-finals is Italian Jannik Sinner, who advanced out of Group B on Thursday. This will be their first FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting against each other.

”It’s going to be tough playing him, especially here [in Milan],” Kecmanovic said. “I’ll just do my best and we’ll see how it goes.” 

Read More: 5 Things To Know About Kecmanovic

Kecmanovic was in firm control during the first two sets against Davidovich Fokina. After dropping the opening game, the 20-year-old went on a seven-game run as his opponent struggled to find the range on his shots. Kecmanovic was particularly dominant in his service games, landing 83 per cent of his first-serves (19/23) and dropping just three points.

Davidovich Fokina began to utilise more variety in his shots in the third set and played himself into a tie-break. An acrobatic overhead smash gave the Spaniard two set points at 6/4, but he couldn’t convert and missed two consecutive backhands. Two points later, a forehand error from Davidovich Fokina wrapped up the match after 58 minutes.

Stefanos Tsitsipas had been crowned the 2018 Next Gen ATP Finals champion only minutes earlier, but already, the Greek was looking forward to completing the transition, from the 21-and-under event in Milan to the Nitto ATP Finals.

Would he be back at the award-winning tournament in Italy? Or would he have a calendar clash? The then-20-year-old flashed a sheepish grin and gave a witty reply. “I think it would be a good idea if the Nitto [ATP] Finals moved to Milan so I can play here,” he said.

His confident prediction has come true. Next week, Tsitsipas, the face of #NextGenATP over the past two seasons, will be making his debut at The O2 in London. The 21-year-old is part of a growing group of players who have graduated from #NextGenATP and used the concept, along with the Next Gen ATP Finals, as a launching pad for further success on the ATP Tour.

Germany’s Alexander Zverev, Russian Daniil Medvedev and Italy’s Matteo Berrettini also top the long list. Zverev, the 2018 Nitto ATP Finals champion, never competed in Milan, but the 22-year-old German was a key part of the #NextGenATP campaign until this year and is returning to The O2 for the third consecutive year.

Medvedev, 23, will be making his Nitto ATP Finals debut and finished in third place at the inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals in 2017.

Berrettini lost in qualifying in Milan during the same year. But he thrust himself into Nitto ATP Finals qualifying contention late this season with semi-final runs at the US Open and the Rolex Shanghai Masters and captured the eighth and final qualification spot.

“The way they’re moving up is so impressive. They’re accustomed to playing the big events, being a part of all the hype and promotion of the sport, which the Next Gen ATP Finals gave them,” said Ross Hutchins, ATP Chief Player Officer and Next Gen ATP Finals Tournament Director.

Watch: Behind The Scenes At 2018 Milan, Where Tsitsipas Won The Title 

One of the reasons the ATP created the innovative tournament, Hutchins notes, was to promote 21-and-under players who hadn’t reached the top of the game because of the historic greats – Nitto ATP Finals qualifiers Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer – patrolling the top of the sport.

But even Hutchins and other ATP officials didn’t foresee Tsitsipas and others closing the gap between themselves and the top of the game as quickly as they have.

“The intention was to promote these guys and to give them a stepping stone to the highest echelons,” Hutchins said. “But for them to step into the next level within one year or two years has been staggering and quite a phenomenal achievement.”

It took Tsitsipas only two months after the Next Gen ATP Finals to show that he belonged at the next level. The Greek became the second consecutive Next Gen ATP Finals champion to ride the Milan momentum of November into the semi-finals of the Australian Open in January.

South Korea’s Hyeon Chung, the 2017 Next Gen ATP Finals champion, also backed up his Milan title with a run to the semi-finals in Melbourne. Both players finished Milan unbeaten, and both pushed their winning streak to 10 by making their first major semi-final in Australia.

Chung’s coach later credited his charge’s Australian Open run to his Milan experience, and it’s a sentiment in which Hutchins agrees. The eight #NextGenATP qualifiers garner all the attention in Milan.

“It’s about how someone becomes accustomed to winning, being at the top of the sport with expectation, being in the spotlight, being a household name, playing at big events, being talked about a lot and how they enjoy it. Do they warm to it, do they welcome it?” Hutchins said.

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Medvedev has welcomed it better than anyone in 2019. The Russian was No. 65 in the ATP Rankings when he played at the inaugural Milan tournament two years ago and now finds himself in the Top 5 after winning three titles from six consecutive finals – Washington, Montreal, Cincinnati (title), US Open, St. Petersburg (title), Shanghai (title).

In doing so, he’s caught up to the historic greats. The only other active players who have reached six or more consecutive finals: Nadal, Djokovic, Federer and Andy Murray. The achievement has led pundits to name the former Next Gen ATP Finals qualifier as first in line to catch the Big Four.

“I’m happy about it because [it’s] my results [that] make people talk in this way,” Medvedev said. “The most important [thing] is going to be continuing these results, this game that I’m showing, because the moment I drop, people forget good things quite fast. So I know that, and I want to work and improve every day.”

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s unexpected journey to the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan is proof that one week can be life-altering for a professional tennis player.

Last week, the 21-year-old believed he had missed out on qualifying for this year’s event by one spot. But, after Davidovich Fokina pulled out of an ATP Challenger Tour event in Shenzhen, he took an 18-hour flight back to his home in Malaga to play the waiting game.

Three days later, Denis Shapovalov withdrew from from Milan due to fatigue and Davidovich Fokina took the last qualifying spot. The Spaniard plays his final match in Group A on Friday against Miomir Kecmanovic.

“I was very anxious waiting, checking [my phone] all the time, refreshing the page,” Davidovich Fokina said. “Then I got the call that I was in, so I called my mother and my coach right away. We were all so happy.”

His appearance at the Allianz Cloud is the cherry on top of a breakout season. He’s climbed more than 150 spots in the ATP Rankings this year and sits at No. 87 after picking up his first two Challenger titles in Seville and Liuzhou, in addition to reaching his maiden ATP Tour semi-final at the Millennium Estoril Open.

Read More: Davidovich Fokina: ‘Breaking The Top 100 Is A Huge Step’

But in between the highs were some of the most difficult moments in Davidovich Fokina’s young career. The Spaniard was forced to deal with a prolonged losing streak after his inspired run in Estoril. After concluding a dominant junior career with the 2017 Wimbledon boys’ singles title and rapidly rising up the ATP Rankings since focussing on pro events, he hasn’t been accustomed to losing. The early exits were a blow to his psyche, but he dug deep to persevere.

“For three months, I didn’t win one [main draw] match and it was so tough to keep playing,” Davidovich Fokina admitted. “But I was working with my mental coach and we did a good job. I went back to Challengers at the end of the year and then my results were so good.”

Read More: 5 Things To Know About Davidovich Fokina

The confidence from winning matches has been on display this week. Although he lost his first two round-robin matches to Alex de Minaur and Casper Ruud, his flashy shotmaking and fighting spirit won him plenty of new fans. Davidovich Fokina had the crowd firmly on his side during Wednesday’s clash with Ruud after fighting through a painful right knee injury he sustained mid-match to stretch the Norwegian to five sets.

But the Spaniard isn’t content to merely fill space in the draw. A win over Kecmanovic will keep him in the running to advance into Friday’s semi-finals. After tirelessly working all season to qualify for Milan, he’s not ready to leave yet.

“The crowd is unbelievable here,” Davidovich Fokina said. “It’s a little bit different when they’re moving around and screaming, but it’s been nice. I’ve really liked it.”

Alex de Minaur said on day one of the 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals that he feels like a completely different player during his return to Milan. The Aussie finished as runner-up last year to Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, and backed it up in 2019 with his first three ATP Tour titles (Sydney, Atlanta, Zhuhai).

But De Minaur has looked every bit as dominant during Group A play as he was last year during group action, when he went undefeated. The 20-year-old will try to go 3-0 again during group play on Thursday when he faces Norway’s Casper Ruud.

De Minaur moved to 2-0 on Wednesday with a four-set triumph against Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, and Ruud, who is making his debut, earned his first Next Gen ATP Finals victory against Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 3-4(2), 4-3(2), 4-2, 3-4(2), 4-1.

“[Casper] played a hell of a match today and it’s going to be incredibly tough, but this is what we’re here for,” De Minaur said. “Everyone is playing at a high level, so I have to be ready for it.”

2 out of 2 for @alexdeminaur ✅

Can anyone stop Demon at the @nextgenfinals? ?

?: @TennisTV pic.twitter.com/O1btixewfz

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 6, 2019

Kecmanovic, who is 1-1, will face Davidovich Fokina, who’s going for his first Milan victory. The Serbian will come in second place in the group and advance to the semi-finals if he beats the Spaniard and De Minaur beats Ruud.

Davidovich Fokina, despite being 0-2, still has a chance to make the final two days of the award-winning 21-and-under event. But he needs to beat Kecmanovic in three or four sets to have a chance.

Ruud can reach the semi-finals, but he needs to win in straight sets and to have Kecmanovic beat Davidovich Fokina by any score. Ruud’s other route to Friday features a win against De Minaur, by any score, and a Davidovich Fokina victory against Kecmanovic by any score.

Read More: All Of The Milan Semi-Final Scenarios

“I’m very happy that I won today, and I’m very happy that I can play the semi-finals,” Sinner said.

Sinner’s red-hot start has captivated the home fans, who were waiting in droves to buy an evening session ticket on Wednesday.

Just a small queue for tickets to Jannik Sinner’s match tonight… ?#NextGenATP | #SeeTheFuture pic.twitter.com/Pu2STPJT1r

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 6, 2019

The eighth-seeded Italian will meet third seed Ugo Humbert of France, who will look to end his season with a win. Humbert is 0-2 so far after falling in four sets to Tiafoe on Wednesday.

The American, who failed to make the semi-finals last year, will face Ymer in a win-or-go-home match. The winner will finish second place in the group behind Sinner. It will be the first FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting between Tiafoe and Ymer.

“Play the way I have been playing. I have been playing well. I even played well yesterday. Sinner was playing great. I played well today,” Tiafoe said. “Keep serving well. You serve well in this format, you most likely will win. So serve well and keep putting pressure on the other guy. All you need is one break and the other guy is in trouble. I’m ready to go.”

Celebration of the year? ?@FTiafoe | #NextGenATP pic.twitter.com/KTgBUEQm4m

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 6, 2019

Jannik Sinner wasted no time getting down to business on Wednesday at the Next Gen ATP Finals, delighting the home crowd in Milan with a dominant 4-0, 4-2, 4-1 win over Swede Mikael Ymer to reach the semi-finals.

The Italian wild card is the first player to advance out of round-robin play this week. Sinner recorded the most one-sided victory in tournament history with his three games dropped against Ymer. The 56-minute match was also the second-fastest in tournament history, just one minute shy of Alex de Minaur’s win last year over Liam Caruana.

“I felt well on court today,” Sinner said. “It was a perfect start and I was serving well. I tried to push the ball immediately. I’m very happy.

“I’m just trying my best. The younger guys in Italy are all improving a lot, so hopefully I’m giving them a little bit of inspiration.”

Read More: Sinner’s Rapid Rise From Watching To Playing In Milan

The 18-year-old opened the year at No. 551 in the ATP Rankings, but he is now the youngest player inside the Top 100. His highlights include a maiden ATP Tour semi-final in Antwerp, first ATP Masters 1000 main draw win in at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia and a pair of ATP Challenger Tour titles.

Read More: Sinner: ‘The Young Generation Is Growing’

The first set was one-way traffic for Sinner as he dropped just four points to grab the early lead after 13 minutes. Ymer did his best to stay in the rallies throughout the second set, but found himself unable to control the power coming from the Italian’s forehand. Sinner won three of the four games that went to a deciding point, including on Ymer’s serve at 2-3 to grab a commanding two-sets lead.

The Swede tried to match Sinner’s aggression in the baseline exchanges, but was limited to four winners on the night. The Italian’s only blip of the evening was failing to convert a match point at 3-0, but he comfortably held in the next game to remain undefeated this week.

Ymer dropped to 1-1 in Group B. He must win his match on Thursday with second-seeded American Frances Tiafoe in order to reach the semi-finals.

Frances Tiafoe’s reaction after clinching match point on Wednesday at the Next Gen ATP Finals made it clear that he wants to extend his time in Milan. The second-seeded American fell to the ground in delight after getting on the board this week with a 4-2, 4-3(5), 3-4(4), 4-1 victory over Frenchman Ugo Humbert.

Tiafoe moved to 1-1 in Group B, while Humbert fell to 0-2. The American enjoyed some of the biggest results of his career this season, reaching his maiden Grand Slam quarter-final at the Australian Open and his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final at the Miami Open presented by Itau.

More to follow…

Top-seeded Aussie Alex de Minaur produced a statement win on Wednesday at the Next Gen ATP Finals, holding off Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic 4-1, 4-3(4) 1-4, 4-0 in the second match of the day in Milan.

“This is what you expect in these conditions. A match can turn quickly. I didn’t play badly, [but] he just played well in the important moments,” De Minaur said. “I just had to regroup and stick to my game.”

De Minaur now holds the lead in Group A with a 2-0 record, while Kecmanovic drops to 1-1. The top seed next plays Norwegian Casper Ruud as he looks to go undefeated in round-robin play for the second year in a row at this event.

“[Casper] played a hell of a match today and it’s going to be incredibly tough, but this is what we’re here for,” De Minaur said. “Everyone is playing at a high level, so I have to be ready for it.”

Read More: De Minaur Ready To Rumble In Milan

Kecmanovic started off slowly while De Minaur came out firing from the first point. The top seed broke in the opening game by winning a lengthy baseline exchange and secured another break to wrap up the opening set.

The Serbian used the in-match coaching option before the second set and came out with a new game plan, playing closer to the lines and attempting to shorten the points. The strategy worked as he applied pressure and broke De Minaur at 1-1. But with Kecmanovic serving for the set at 3-2, the Aussie stepped up and ripped a forehand winner in the deciding point to force a tie-break. De Minaur rode that momentum and dominated the tie-break for a commanding advantage.

Kecmanovic stuck to his tactics and was finally rewarded in the third set. A brave net approach from the Serbian yielded a backhand volley winner and a break at 2-1. He then comfortably held in the next game to close the gap.

De Minaur was unfazed, though. He regrouped and went on to produce his best tennis of the week, dropping just five points in the last set to prevail in one hour and 25 minutes. The top seed hit more than double the number of winners (23) to unforced errors (11).

Above all Novak Djokovic’s other qualities as a tennis player, even above his flexibility and movement, is his remarkable resilience. Just four months ago in London, on Centre Court at Wimbledon, there was the greatest reminder yet of how you should never count out the Serbian with the indomitable fighting spirit.

Contesting an enthralling final against Roger Federer, he stood on the very brink of defeat, facing two championship points on his opponent’s serve at 7-8 in the fifth and deciding set. Forty-five minutes later, he became the 2019 All England Club gentlemen’s singles champion. That was not the first time that Djokovic had triumphed from such a precarious position. Two years running at the US Open, in the 2010 and 2011 semi-finals, he defeated Federer after facing two match points.

Yet there was still a sense of astonishment that he had escaped defeat in what would be the longest Wimbledon singles final in history, lasting four hours and 57 minutes.

In Djokovic’s analysis, it was probably the most mentally demanding match of his life. “I had the most physically demanding match against [Rafael] Nadal in the final of the Australian Open [in 2012] that went almost six hours,” said Djokovic. “But mentally this was a different level, because of everything.”

Remember that it was only 17 months ago that Djokovic had seemingly lost all motivation, stating in the immediate aftermath of a shock Roland Garros quarter-final defeat by Marco Cecchinato, of Italy, that he was unsure whether he would compete at all during the grass-court season. In that moment, some observers understandably questioned the prospect of him ever adding to his tally of Grand Slam titles, which then stood at a dozen.

What a contrast, then, to his demeanour at the start of this season. After returning to form in the second half of last year – winning the ATP Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati to become the first man in history to complete the Career Golden Masters, and also landing the Wimbledon and US Open titles – he arrived in Melbourne in January as a man on a mission. He didn’t just want to win a record seventh Australian Open title; he also planned on doing so in style. And he did just that, defeating Lucas Pouille, of France, for the loss of only four games in a brutally one-sided semi-final, and then beating Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 in a little over two hours.

Whether it be rising from the doldrums last year or battling back from match points down, Djokovic has repeatedly shown his resilience. Naturally, there was disappointment at falling short of a second non-calendar year Grand Slam at Roland Garros in June, losing to Austrian Dominic Thiem in the semi-finals. But again, he quickly dusted himself off for an unforgettable triumph five weeks later at Wimbledon.

The cross-court forehand pass that Djokovic hit to save a second championship point against Federer will live long in the memory. The mental strength to do that and then prevail in the first ever deciding tie-break at 12-12 comes from hours of visualisation and meditation. “We spoke about the power of visualisation and preparing yourself for possible scenarios. I try to play the match in my mind before I go on the court. I probably could not play this kind of scenario, but I always try to imagine myself as a winner. I think there is a power to that,” said Djokovic.

“Also, there has to be, next to the willpower, strength that comes not just from your physical self, but from your mental and emotional self. For me, at least, it’s a constant battle within, more than what happens outside. It’s really not the situations that you experience that are affecting you, but how you internally experience those situations, how you accept them, how you live through them.”

Physically, Djokovic’s game is built around his movement, forged through skiing as a youngster at the mountain resort where his parents owned a pizzeria. At the age of 32, he still covers ground so well, putting up an impenetrable wall at the back of the court. He makes full use of his incredible flexibility by stretching every sinew and occasionally sliding into the splits to return the ball.

“My movement is the base of everything. It allows me to actually swing through my shots to get some balls that maybe most of the other players cannot get to. I slide a lot, whether it’s clay, hard court, or grass. I think the flexibility of my ankles has helped with that aggressive style of movement,” said Djokovic.

“I credit my childhood spent on the skis as well. I used to spend a lot of time skiing. I think that had an effect with coordination and the change of movement from one side to another. Even though they are different sports, you are using some major muscle groups and joints and stuff like this in most of the sports. So, I think movement is the most important thing because it just allows you to be more in balance. At the end of the day, that is what you’re looking for as a tennis player. How you can have the right balance to hit the ball with the right speed, accuracy and precision.”

At this stage in his career, the prospect of making history is the biggest motivational factor for Djokovic, and he still has much to play for, including the opportunity this week to equal Federer’s record of six titles at the Nitto ATP Finals. In late September, he passed Ivan Lendl’s total of 270 weeks at No. 1 in the ATP Rankings, moving into third place behind Federer (310) and Pete Sampras (286). On 16 Grand Slam singles titles, he is four short of Federer and three behind Nadal.

Tennis players used to retire in their early 30s, but the longevity of Federer and Nadal has encouraged Djokovic to continue competing at the highest level. There is most likely much more to come in his quest to become the greatest player of all time. “We’re making each other grow and evolve and still be in this game,” Djokovic said. “Those two guys are probably one of the biggest reasons I still compete at this level. The fact that they made history in this sport motivates me as well, inspires me to try to do what they have done, what they’ve achieved, and even more.”

When Casper Ruud sought advice growing up on how to pursue his dreams of being a professional tennis player, he needed to only walk down the stairs of his house.

The #NextGenATP star’s coach is his father, Christian Ruud. Christian is a former ATP Tour player who remains the only Norwegian to crack the Top 50 of the ATP Rankings, peaking at No. 39 in October 1995. ATPTour.com spoke with him during his son’s maiden appearance at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan.

How would you assess Casper’s season overall?
I think he had a bit of a slow start to the season. He was almost training too much in the off-season. We were training for a lot of hours at the Rafa Nadal Academy [in Mallorca] and it paid off in the end, but it was a little bit hard to get going.

He’s been much more consistent this year. His lowest level has gone up, so he can still beat good players when he’s not playing his best. His top level has also gone up, and he’s had many good wins this year. He’s just improved his game overall.

Casper talked about how missing his first chance to be in the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings [at 2017 Rio de Janeiro] impacted him mentally. As a former player, how did you guide him during those difficult moments?
It was tough that year because he played a few matches for a Top 100 spot and that’s your first ultimate goal as a tennis player. I tried to put it to him in a different way. Maybe you got a little but lucky in Rio, maybe the draw opened up in your favour. He could have played Dominic Thiem in the first round and gotten zero [ATP Rankings] points.

Don’t misunderstand, he played great. But he was not yet at the level to play that way week in and week out. He had to go back to the ATP Challenger Tour and it’s still not easy to win there. But he had a decent season last year, coming back strong after falling outside of the Top 200 and almost finishing inside the Top 100. Now he’s well inside the Top 100. It’s been a good ride, so we have to be happy with this season.

From your experience on Tour, what are the things you wish you knew that you’re trying to pass on to him now?
When I was playing, it was a bit more separate. You had clay-court guys and then guys who were good on faster courts. But now, you have to be good on every surface. Casper has gotten most of his [ATP Rankings] points on clay this year, and we did that so he had the best chance of breaking into the Top 100, but now he has to improve on the faster surfaces.

I think he’s a good hard-court player. He made his first [tour-level] quarter-final two months ago in St. Petersburg. He’s taking small steps in all the right departments. It’s all about training the right way, having a good schedule and listening to the body so he can hopefully play for many more seasons.

Is it ever difficult to separate the roles of being a parent and being a coach?
Maybe when he’s younger, but now he’s a grown-up. I feel more like a coach and also a friend now because we travel and go out to dinners together. It’s not like I’m babysitting him.

We have a good relationship. He respects that I was a player on Tour and respects me as a coach. He was the one [who] wanted me to be his coach when his other coach quit 18 months ago. I’m just trying to help him be a good player and a good person.

How has it been adapting to the unique format of this tournament?
It’s been fun because every point is so exciting and one set can go so quickly. One break of serve and the set can almost be over. He’s aware that a few points can separate the difference between winning and losing. You have to take your chances and be focussed on the big points. Hopefully he can achieve that during the week.

#NextGenATP Swede Mikael Ymer wasn’t born when countryman Stefan Edberg concluded his legendary career in 1996, but the ATP Tour legend has kept a close watch on the rising star.

Ymer, speaking after his win on Tuesday against Norwegian Casper Ruud at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan, said there’s a possibility the pair may work together during the preseason. Although nothing has been confirmed, Edberg, a former World No. 1, extended the offer last month at the Intrum Stockholm Open.

“We have talked about it before. We just never had the chance to make it happen,” Ymer said. “He’s one of my biggest idols. I said that I would love to come [train] in the preseason if we both have the time. He said [I’m] welcome any time. I’m very much looking forward to it. I’m going to give him a call very soon.”

Read More: Ymer Maintains Top Form In Milan

The 21-year-old has enjoyed a breakout year that’s included four ATP Challenger Tour titles and leaping more than 180 spots in the ATP Rankings to his current standing of No. 74. But Ymer said he needed to strengthen his offence as he prepares to become a regular staple in ATP Tour events next season. He’s hopeful that Edberg can provide guidance because “there’s no one else to learn volleys as good as you can from Stefan,” he said.

Edberg has been aware of Ymer’s talent for years and invited him to his club in Växjö to play an exhibition match as a child. The six-time Grand Slam champion has continued to follow his progress and offer encouragement, along with other legends of Swedish tennis, such as Bjorn Borg.

“I haven’t really had a chance to speak to a lot of the other [former Swedish players]. I would love to. But out of all the athletes that I’ve met, Stefan is the best, the coolest,” Ymer said. “The way he carries himself and how humble he is after being one of the biggest legends is inspiring for me. He treats everyone the same, and he’s always been so nice not only to me, but to my family.

“[Their support] is inspiring, and it gives me energy. Instead of feeling pressure, I’m more like, if they can make it out of Sweden, [I] can too. I know it’s going to take a lot of work, a lot of sacrifices.”

Read More: Ymer: ‘I’m Not Only Playing For Me’

Although Sweden has produced plenty of players who have reached the upper echelons of the ATP Rankings, Ymer is the first Swede to crack the Top 100 since Robin Soderling in 2011. The country is eager for another champion and journalists regularly ask Ymer if he can become the next Edberg or Borg.

But Ymer is running his own race. He prefers a modest and practical approach, focussing on recording more tour-level wins next season and building his game for a long career. If his rapid rise this year is any indication, it’s a goal he’s capable of achieving.

“It’s great for tennis that we’ve had legends. But let’s try to do our best without comparing because I think it would be very, very silly, and it’s looking too far ahead,” Ymer said. “[Champions] don’t grow on trees. To do what they have done is just something to dream about.

“I just see it as, let me learn and let me do my best. If I can get even 10 per cent of what they have achieved, I would be happy. I will keep striving to do my best.”