Tennis News

Murray: 'I know, I know, I'm terrible at golf'

Andy Murray has become a golf fanatic since his retirement, and is not too proud about poking fun at his own game.

Murray has been playing at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship alongside golf pros like Ryder Cup winners Tyrrell Hatton and Robert MacIntyre, as well as Eddie Pepperell. On Friday, he nearly whiffed a shot in a bunker.

“I know I know I’m terrible at golf 🤣🤣,” Murray wrote on Instagram Stories, reposting the blooper.

Oh Andy 😅#DunhillLinks pic.twitter.com/MtT7ueCaVt

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) October 3, 2025

“It’s been great,” Murray said in a Golf Channel interview. “For an amateur golfer to get the chance to play alongside these guys, it’s an amazing experience for us and all the pros have been unbelievably patient and dealt with us really well. So it’s been amazing and delighted to be here.”

Other celebrities competing include hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, Piers Morgan and actor Bill Murray.

Fellow Scottish star MacIntyre said of the three-time major champion: “He’s looking good. He is looking good in the game. Overall he’s been solid.”

Despite his mishap in the bunker, Murray has shown some talent, too, making long putts despite tough conditions. More than a year since his retirement, the former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings is certainly enjoying himself.

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Nadal receives honorary doctorate from the University of Salamanca

Throughout more than 20 seasons on the ATP Tour, Rafael Nadal forged a legendary career that included countless titles, records and landmark achievements. Now, off the court, the 22-time major champion continues to accumulate honours.

On Friday, Nadal was made doctor honoris causa by the University of Salamanca, becoming the first athlete the institution has bestowed the honour upon.

Donning a blue mortarboard, Nadal took an oath before the University Senate and received the medal that incorporates him into the Official Association of Doctoral Degrees of the University of Salamanca. The Spaniard gave a speech to the assembly hall in a ceremony that was attended by his wife Mery Perello, his parents Sebastian and Ana Maria, and his sister Maribel.

“It makes me so proud and grateful to receive the title of Honoris Causa from the oldest University in Spain and one of the oldest in the world; a place where, since the eighteenth century, humanism, critical thinking and intellectual freedom have illuminated the whole of humanity,” he began.

“As you all know, I did not follow a traditional academic education like most of you here; my education was different.

Nadal referred to his journey to becoming a professional tennis player. The Spaniard said: “My life was played out at tournaments and on tennis courts, travelling the five continents, competing and learning from the sport and from the experiences that came with all of that. Therefore, this recognition is not only a privilege for me, it is also a demonstration of respect for sport and what it represents to society.”

The former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings set himself apart not only because of his competitive nature and ability to enjoy so much success throughout his professional career, but also because of his exemplary behaviour on and off the court. Nadal spoke of sport as a school of life.

“Ever since I was a boy, sport has been my own college and, in some ways, my own university. What I learned on the courts has always been with me, both in tennis and away from it. Sport taught me the value of discipline. You get nothing without daily hard work, without commitment and without taking care of the smaller details,” he said.

“Sport also taught me not to feel that I am better than anyone, because in competitions and in tournaments, as in life, nobody wins every time.”

Continuing with the theme of education, Nadal spoke of a lesson he learned when he was a boy: “In 2002, when I was still a teenager, I was very excited about a particular goal; to play in the junior Roland Garros tournament for the first time. At the time, I already had some ATP points, I’d played in international tournaments and I thought that event was a great chance to compete on one of the most emblematic stages in my sport. Imagine a 15-year-old’s excitement at playing in Paris.

“However, my parents told me I could not play, because it was during exam season. For me, at 15, it was very difficult to understand. Despite my disappointment, my parents were not to be moved and in the end, I didn’t play in the tournament. With time, I learned that the decision was a great lesson and now I thank them because they helped me finish my compulsory education and they taught me that no goal comes before values and education.”

Nadal’s visit to the city of Salamanca aroused great expectations from the early hours of the morning, when hundreds of people began to gather near the university in the hope of an opportunity to get a glimpse of the Spanish legend.

The honour granted by the University of Salamanca follows others to be bestowed upon the tennis icon, such as the Prince of Asturias Award for Sport in 2008, the Royal Order of Sports Merit, the Medal of Merit in Labour and the National Sports Award, which he has won several times.

Editor’s Note: This story was translated from ATPTour.com/es.

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Djokovic serves aces & phrases: Shanghai crowd falls in love again

Novak Djokovic is not only a master on the tennis court, but also a master of personal connection. Whether it’s Italian in Rome, French in Paris, or Mandarin in Shanghai, the 38-year-old knows how to bring cultures together with a few heartfelt words.

After his opening-round win against Marin Cilic at the Rolex Paris Masters on Friday night, Djokovic won the crowd all over again. He had fans buzzing when he spoke to them in Chinese and signed the camera lens with a local character.

“Those are some of the phrases I’ve learned over the years, so I have to update my knowledge of the Chinese language,” said Djokovic, the former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings. “It’s always a pleasure to play in front of such passionate fans. People have been giving me lots of love and support over the years, so I try to give them back with good tennis, and also a basic knowledge of Chinese language with a few phrases.

“It was amazing to see the packed house tonight. I know it’s a national holiday and weekend, but for the first match, it’s incredible. It’s one of the most beautiful stadiums, and I totally enjoy myself.”

That mutual affection has been building for more than a decade. Djokovic is this week making his 11th appearance in Shanghai, where he has lifted the trophy a record four times. He even left his mark in 2008, winning the Nitto ATP Finals (then the Masters Tennis Cup) during its Shanghai chapter.

Djokovic wows Shanghai crowd with local character: 

This particular reunion, however, came with an extra challenge: the humidity. Djokovic found himself sweating through grips faster than usual, resorting to sawdust for traction.

“It’s crazy humid, to be honest. I don’t recall the weather being so humid in China,” Djokovic said. “I don’t remember the last time I played in humidity like this. It is what it is… It’s the same for me, my opponent, and every other player. You just have to accept it, deal with it. A lot of sweating. The laundry bills will be quite high this week, but that’s okay.”

Now, Djokovic shifts his focus to a third-round meeting with Yannick Hanfmann, who acclimated well to the conditions. The German has come through four matches, including qualifying, and will aim to unload his heavy hitting on Djokovic.

As well as taking a 1-0 Lexus ATP Head2Head lead into their clash, however, Djokovic will also take confidence from his own serving performance on Friday against Cilic. The Serbian saved all four break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and hit 10 aces to Cilic’s six.

“I think the serving performance was great. I aced him more than he aced me, which is not very common when you play somebody like Marin,” said Djokovic. “He has got one of the best serves in the world. He was very aggressive. When he feels the ball, he plays so flat, so deep.

“I dug myself out of trouble with the serve and some good shots. But it was a tough match for me, no doubt about it. It’s good sometimes to kick-start the tournament with such a match.”

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Djokovic 'suffered' during Shanghai win over Cilic

Novak Djokovic says he “suffered a lot” during a hard-fought victory over Marin Cilic in the second round of the Shanghai Masters.

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ATP finalises distribution of record $18.3 million profit-sharing payout

The ATP has finalised profit-sharing distributions to round out total ATP Masters 1000 compensation for the 2024 season, today announcing the allocation of the record $18.3 million profit-sharing payout to players.

Calculated on a value-per-point basis, the 186 players who earned PIF ATP Rankings points at Masters 1000 events in 2024 will receive a share, with two players — Jannik Sinner ($1,333,770) and Alexander Zverev ($1,228,472) — earning more than $1 million each. Rounding out the top five on the distributions list are Andrey Rublev ($698,474), Carlos Alcaraz ($600,197) and Daniil Medvedev ($589,667).

Prize money is only half the story. The ATP’s 50-50 profit-sharing formula splits profits generated at Masters 1000s – above on-site base prize money – equally between players and tournaments. This money is in addition to the 2024 Fixed Bonus Pool of $20.5 million awarded to the Top 30 players across the Masters 1000 events and the Nitto ATP Finals.

The $18.3 million distribution is 2.7x higher than in 2023. Profit sharing, which was first introduced in 2022, is a key tenet of ATP’s OneVision strategic plan, which includes aligning the financial interests of players and tournaments and giving both parties an equal share in the sport’s success.

Under OneVision, ATP is committed to expanding earning opportunities and increasing overall earnings across the ATP Tour.

View below the full profit-sharing distribution for all players who qualified in 2024.

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Kartal 'on right path' despite China Open exit

British number four Sonay Kartal was knocked out of the China Open after a straight-sets defeat by Linda Noskova.

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Djokovic brushes off Cilic in Shanghai opener

Novak Djokovic went old-school with his tactics on Friday evening at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he overcame Marin Cilic 7-6(2), 6-4 to kick-start his bid for a record-extending fifth title.

Channelling his inner Ivan Lendl, Djokovic sprinkled sawdust on his hands to combat the humidity, which had him struggling to maintain grip early on. He also absorbed the heavy artillery of Cilic, who blasted 20 winners in the first set alone. And though he appeared to tweak his back in the third game of the second set, Djokovic struck cleanly from both wings to earn a hard-fought victory after one hour, 55 minutes.

“I struggled to find my rhythm from the baseline,” admitted Djokovic. “I [lacked] some matches — my last one was at the US Open — so I got a really tough opener against Marin, who when is feeling the ball, is so dangerous and can beat anybody. He didn’t give me time to breathe, so I think I dug myself out of trouble with good serving, which obviously makes me happy.”

Same city, same story 🔁@DjokerNole books his spot in the third round for the 11th consecutive time in Shanghai@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/nsBxxJWdon

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 3, 2025

Despite recent fitness scares, including physical worries that haunted him during the US Open last month, Djokovic’s trademark efficiency was on full display. Against Cilic, whom he now leads 20-2 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series, the Serbian once again showcased his uncanny ability to raise his level when required.

The packed crowd welcomed Djokovic with roars at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, where the 10th seed Holger Rune and countryman Hamad Medjedovic were among those in attendance for his return to tour-level action for the first time since his US Open semi-final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz.

Returning to Shanghai for the first time since his loss to Jannik Sinner in last year’s final, Djokovic could face the Italian once again if they both progress to the semi-finals in 2025. He next faces Yannick Hanfmann, who continued his run from qualifying to upset 25th seed Frances Tiafoe.

By notching his 40th win in Shanghai, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, Djokovic became the first man to record 40 or more wins at six different ATP Masters 1000 events since the series’ introduction in 1990 (Rome 68, Indian Wells 51, Paris 50, Miami 49, Cincinnati 45).

With a combined age of 79 years and 139 days, Djokovic and Cilic’s duel was the oldest ATP Masters 1000 main-draw meeting since 1990 — a testament to both players’ staying power. Djokovic holds the all-time record for most weeks at World No. 1 (428), while Cilic, a former No. 3, remains remembered for his 2014 US Open triumph, among his tally of 21 tour-level titles.

“Tonnes of respect for Marin, all he has achieved and who he is as a person,” said Djokovic. “We get along very well off the court, we’ve known each other for some many years. The last time we played was three years ago, so it’s great to see him back playing at this level.”

Yet while Djokovic has reached the semi-finals at all four majors this year, his Masters 1000 campaigns have faltered. A runner-up finish in Miami is bookended by early exits in Indian Wells, Monte-Carlo, and Madrid. Now, in Shanghai, one of his happiest hunting grounds, Djokovic is aiming to reset the balance.

The record seven-time Nitto ATP Finals is currently fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, with a 32-10 standing on the year.

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Tsitsipas on dad's 'sustainable' coach role: We’ve both adjusted to our needs

Stefanos Tsitsipas finds himself in unfamiliar territory heading into this year’s Rolex Shanghai Masters.

Normally at this time of the year the former No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings is very much in the hunt for a berth at the Nitto ATP Finals, an event he won on debut in 2019, and at which he qualified five straight years through 2023.

After a near miss last season, the Greek seems destined to again sit out the season finale. He’s also been battling a back complaint and heads into the eighth ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the year with a modest 22-18 record on the year, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss index.

However, the news is not all bad. The 27-year-old is hopeful that recent treatment on his back will allow him to play more freely, and he said that his sometimes-rocky coaching relationship with his father Apostolos is in a very health place.

“We have changed our dynamic very much and I’m actually very happy the way we all cooperate and work together now,” Tsitsipas told ATPTour.com. “It’s very refreshing as a player to have this relationship with a father.

“It’s exactly where I wanted it to be for a long time now. And I’m happy. He has adjusted to my needs and I have adjusted to his needs. And we have both created a type of dynamic that is one to be proud of.”

While open to adding another voice to his coaching team, Tsitsipas said that he has great respect for his father’s years of experience in the game.

“My dad has been on the tour for a lot of years, even dating back to my mother’s playing days. So he has a lot of tennis in his life,” he said. “I’m extremely proud to call him my coach and my father. But first of all, my father. Secondly, my coach.

“I definitely see [our current coaching partnership] as something sustainable. I would be interested in the future to add a person in my team that can collaborate and work with my dad. Obviously he’s not getting younger, so if I can find the right person, he can be by my dad’s side a little bit, with a clear, fresher mindset.

“That might also allow my dad to maybe take a step back a little bit to also enjoy life because it’s not only tennis. And I’ve been reminding him and telling him this for a very long time.”

Tsitsipas’ resolve has been tested this year. After five Top 10 finishes between 2019-2023, and a No. 11 finish last year, the former World No. 3 has slipped to No. 25 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

His goals for the final weeks of the season – which include playing the last week of the regular season on home soil in Athens – are measured.

“My focus would be a combination of seeing what my back allows me to do now and reconnecting a little bit with the wins,” the two-time Grand Slam finalist said. “Top of my list right now, I would definitely like to see a few matches in a row without back pain.”

Tsitsipas dismissed reports that he had undergone back surgery, saying that a hospital visit was only for “a special type of examination”.

“I won’t go into details, but it’s something that did help me a lot. I readjusted and fixed my back. So I’m just waiting to see how that responds in matches and how I’m able to compete in a much more healthy state.”

Tsitsipas, who has played just two Davis Cup matches [in Athens] since the US Open, said that he feels fresh and recharged following vacation time in Greece, where he visited museums and historical sites such as the Athens Acropolis Museum, the Temple of Apollo and the National Gardens. He also practised three times with Novak Djokovic.

“Getting to know Novak in a deeper way was nice because on the Tour, you don’t have that opportunity,” Tsitsipas said. “And I spent a lot of time connecting with my spirit in Greece. I actually had a great time exploring my own country and doing things I found spiritually fulfilling.

“I did definitely need that break. I only realised that when I was there. I spent a lot of time with my little sister, my brother Petros, who I always see on the court playing doubles with him. That is something that I lack a little bit in my daily life, a little bit of humanity, especially when you’re constantly stressed and chasing points, tournaments, all that. It’s important sometimes to take a break and reconnect with your humanity.”

Tsitsipas, who defeated Djokovic in Shanghai in 2019 en route to his best semi-final finish at the event, opens his campaign Saturday against Portugal’s Nuno Borges.

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Shelton misses chance to push Turin claim with loss to Goffin in Shanghai

Ben Shelton missed the opportunity to boost his Turin hopes on his return to Tour on Friday, when he lost to former World No. 7 David Goffin in the second round at the Shanghai Rolex Masters. The Belgian earned a 6-2, 6-4 win to capture his second Top 10 win of the season.

Shelton was competing for the first time since he was forced to retire during the third round at the US Open in August due to a left shoulder injury, which he described as ‘the worst ever pain in [my] life’. Upon return, he was slightly off the pace, committing 22 unforced errors to 11 from Goffin, who beat Carlos Alcaraz at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Miami earlier this year.

“From the start, I started to feel really well with my ground strokes,” Goffin said. “I took the ball early, I was returning really well and serving really well, like the first round. I just managed to save a couple of break points, but I think overall I served really well and I played really well after my serve, so I think that was the key to put pressure on Ben.
But at the end it was tough to finish it, but I made it with a good service game, so I’m really happy.”

Shelton owns a 37-19 tour-level record in 2025, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, and has produced some of his best tennis on hard courts this year. The 22-year-old won his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title on the surface in Toronto and also reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open.

Shelton’s hard work meant he arrived in Shanghai sixth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin on 3,720 points and in a good spot to make his debut at the Nitto ATP Finals in November. However, the lefty could now be surpassed by seventh-placed Alex de Minaur (3,355) and eighth-placed Lorenzo Musetti (3,345) in the coming days.

Shelton is currently 1,005 points ahead of 10th-placed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who is the first player outside the Top 8 cut, with ninth-placed Jack Draper sidelined for the rest of the year due to injury. Auger-Aliassime plays Chengdu champion Alejandro Tabilo in his Shanghai opener.

Goffin saved all three break points he faced against Shelton and leads the sixth seed 2-0 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series. The 34-year-old, who is a two-time Shanghai quarter-finalist, plays Gabriel Diallo in the third round on Sunday. The Canadian defeated Benjamin Bonzi 6-4, 6-4.

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Honeymoon on hold as Auger-Aliassime makes late-season bid for Turin

From a picture-perfect Marrakech wedding two weeks ago to his return to the road to Turin at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, Felix Auger-Aliassime knew something had to give.

“Honeymoon? This is our honeymoon, a Shanghai honeymoon,” the Canadian joked to ATPTour.com in China this week, where he is joined by wife Nina.

“We’re here together and maybe later in the year there’s going to be a honeymoon. But for now, obviously I have to get back to the tournaments, get back to work… but we’re still having a good time together.”

At 10th in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin, Auger-Aliassime is just one place outside the eight-man cut for the Nitto ATP Finals, with ninth-placed Jack Draper out for the year due to injury. Married to Nina on 20 September, the 25-year-old will this week play his first match since his semi-final run at the US Open.

Reflecting on the 120-person wedding at the Selman Marrakech hotel in the Moroccan homeland of Nina’s father, Felix said that the memorable day was flawless.

“Everything was so positive… a lot of things could go wrong in a wedding, but it went beautifully well and the highlight of the night was probably the speeches,” said Felix, who proposed to Nina during a Seychelles vacation in November 2024.

“There’s always a part during the dinner where family and friends will give speeches and myself, my mom, Nina’s sister, her dad, they all gave speeches and it was the most beautiful and touching moment because you don’t get to speak like that to each other often or there’s not really the circumstances to speak in such a deep way. So that was really the highlight for us.”

A love that never stopped growing from the moment we laid eyes on each other, and never will 🤍💍

September 20th, 2025, our dreams became reality.

Photos: Rani Fawaz
Tuxedo: @Dior
Wedding gown: @VeraWang
Venue: @SelmanMarrakech pic.twitter.com/s2jywsCE8D

— Félix AugerAliassime (@felixtennis) September 25, 2025

An accomplished equestrian, Nina ensured that horses featured during the wedding day, with guests sipping on sunset cocktails between stables.

“She’s understood my world from the beginning and that’s helped our relationship because she understood the sacrifices of my life on the road,” Felix said. “She saw her dad, his whole life being an equestrian athlete, go through that similar type of sacrifice.

“But our sports are very different. We always laugh when I tell her: ‘I don’t make the horse run, I run myself’. But I think there are similarities in how technically sound you have to be in both sports. Tennis is a very technical sport and the margins in equestrian and show jumping are very small. So you also need to be very, very clean technically.”

Auger-Aliassime needs one win in Shanghai to reach the 250 career-wins milestone, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss index. He is 34-19 on the year, his best mark since his breakout 2022 season when his 60 victories led to his debut at the Nitto ATP Finals.

Having experienced the allure of the prestigious event, he’s eager for a second taste.

“I’m extremely motivated [to qualify],” he said. “I started the year very strong and then for a couple months it was more difficult in the spring, but I had a great summer in America. There’s always ups and downs, but it’s been a positive year so far. So if I can make one last push in the next month to secure my place in Turin, that would be beautiful. But I’m not in it right now, so I need to push some guys out. I need to really play some good tennis and get a lot of wins.”

Auger-Aliassime exploded out of the gates this year with titles in Adelaide and Montpellier in the first five weeks of the season. A run to the Dubai final saw him return to the Top 20 of the PIF ATP Rankings.

But just one win in four ATP Masters 1000 appearances in the lead up to Roland Garros, where he fell to Matteo Arnaldi in five sets in the opening round, saw him lose momentum.

After some subtle re-tooling, he reached the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals, only to be clobbered by Jannik Sinner, who conceded just two games. But his run to the US Open semi-finals, where he went toe-to-toe with Sinner in a competitive four-setter, catapulted him into Turin contention.

“They weren’t big changes I made, just a few things to adjust. I mean technically, I think my serve has improved throughout the year and then also tactically I was more aware,” he said. “I think I was not playing the right way on the clay or I was not really trusting my game plan always or I was doubting myself too much.

“But then I got back on the hard courts again, and while it wasn’t perfect, I was improving, improving, improving until the great US Open. So hopefully I can keep that going.”

Reflecting on his 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 loss to Sinner in New York, Auger-Aliassime said: “It was a physical battle with both of us struggling at times, mentally as well to show the least weakness to your opponent. He came out on top. But for me, it was encouraging to see a better level for me, playing the No. 1 in the world at the time, playing him. He’s been on a hot streak for a while, so it was definitely encouraging.”

When Auger-Aliassime qualified for Turin in 2022, it was on the back of a hat-trick of titles in October: Florence, Antwerp and Basel, a crown he successfully defended the following year.

With four of his seven career titles coming in October, the Canadian has hopes of closing the sizeable 630-point gap with eighth-placed Lorenzo Musetti, who is highly motivated to make his finale debut on home soil.

Auger-Aliassime opens his Shanghai campaign Saturday against Alejandro Tabilo.

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