The ATP and FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), the world’s largest express transportation company, today announced a partnership renewal which sees FedEx continue as a global Platinum Partner of the ATP World Tour for a further three years, through 2019.

Building on FedEx’ extensive history of sports sponsorships around the world, FedEx will maintain its international ATP sponsorship programme which includes 17 tournaments, across 11 countries.

“With its unique global footprint, the ATP World Tour is the perfect match for FedEx. We share many values with this globally popular sport, such as speed, precision, anticipation and service,” says Rajesh Subramaniam, EVP Global Marketing and Communications, FedEx. “Since the sponsorship began in 2010, we have seen many priceless moments on the court and the passion of the fans has continued. With this year’s addition of the Dubai and Rio de Janeiro tournaments to our sponsorship, we expect to reach an even wider global audience of millions of fans through television and other media.”

“The ATP World Tour has enjoyed tremendous growth in recent years, and our partnership with FedEx has delivered great results since 2010. We’re thrilled that FedEx has had such a positive experience and will continue its sponsorship,” said Chris Kermode, Executive Chairman and President of the ATP. “We look forward to further working with FedEx to continue the growth and impact of the sponsorship.”

Ahead of one of the most eagerly awaited returns to the ATP World Tour for 2017, Juan Martin del Potro has released behind-the-scenes footage of his preparations back home in Argentina. The former World No. 4 in the Emirates ATP Rankings announced earlier in the week he would start his season at the Delray Beach Open, the site of his tour comeback last season.

This week, he hit the courts with Gael Monfils and #NextGenATP player Elias Ymer at Crandon Park in Miami to practise for his season-opening campaign. His video footage from Tandil and Buenos Aires was filmed with his physiotherapist Diego Rodriguez before he shifted his preparations to the U.S.

During a meeting between the two masters of their sports, Vince Carter waited until the end to share his words of advice with Ivo Karlovic on Wednesday evening.

Carter, who at 40 is the oldest player in the NBA, met Karlovic before the New Orleans Pelicans took on the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum. The two professional athletes exchanged pleasantries and traded equipment on the court: Carter gave Karlovic a pair of autographed shoes, size 16.5; Karlovic gave Carter an autographed Head Radical racquet.

Carter was excited by the new stick. He told Karlovic that his tennis-playing daughter will love it. Then Carter delivered the two words of wisdom that Karlovic has surely heard by now: “Stay young,” Carter said.

“You, too,” Karlovic replied.

The 6’11” Karlovic, who lives in Miami, prefers the Miami Heat over the Memphis Grizzlies but he still enjoyed meeting an NBA legend. “It was a big honour for me. I know of him. I have watched his games, his dunking contests and everything for 10 years or even more,” Karlovic told ATPWorldTour.com. “It was really cool to meet a guy like that.”

Carter is still playing great basketball with the Grizzlies, and Karlovic has been producing his best tennis in recent years. Last year, the Zagreb native won two ATP World Tour titles – Newport and Los Cabos – the most he had won since 2007 when he won three titles.

At the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in July, Karlovic, then 37 years, 4 months old, became the oldest ATP World Tour singles titlist since Marty Riessen won a title in Lafayette, Louisana, at 37 years, 9 months old in 1979. This week, Karlovic is the top seed at the Memphis Open. On Thursday, Karlovic will take on Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia, who beat Aussie Jordan Thompson 6-3, 6-0 on Wednesday.

The Memphis Open was featured a few times during the Grizzlies game on Wednesday evening. Steve Johnson and Leander Paes played a mini-game of tennis after the first quarter, and Darian King was the honourary captain during the pre-game captains meeting. King met NBA stars Anthony Davis, Mike Conley and Marc Gasol.

“It was a great moment,” King said. “I didn’t recognise how big, how physical they are. I’m going to try to get that size.”

Speaking of sizes, the 16.5-size shoes Karlovic received from Carter are a little small for the big Croatian. Karlovic wears a size 17. But he doesn’t plan on donating the gifts.

“I want to give these a try tomorrow to see if I can squeeze into them,” he said.

Top seed Kei Nishikori survived an inspired challenge from home favourite Diego Schwartzman to win in his first outing at the Argentina Open in five years on Wednesday. The Japanese World No. 5 in the Emirates ATP Rankings fought back to claim a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 result to advance to the quarter-finals.

Nishikori had won the Memphis Open title as top seed for the past three years but elected to change up his schedule to play in South American in 2017. Looking to transfer that good fortune as top seed to the clay in Buenos Aires, however, Nishikori found his run under serious pressure early on when his Argentine opponent, ranked No. 50 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, broke to take the opening set.

From 1-2 down in the second set, however, Nishikori found another gear. He reeled off 11 of the last 14 games to book a quarter-final clash with sixth seed Joao Sousa, of Portugal. Sousa ended the hopes of another local, Federico Delbonis, 7-5, 6-3.

Fourth seed Pablo Carreno-Busta and fifth seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas booked an all-Spanish quarter-final after their respective second-round wins. Carreno-Busta held off Italian qualifier Alessandro Giannessi 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in the pair’s first ATP World Tour level match.

Carreno-Busta had won four previous meetings between the two at the Challenger level and in qualifying rounds. Ramos-Vinolas progressed when his opponent, Leonardo Mayer, of Argentina, retired when trailing 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 1-0 with a right leg injury.