Tennis News

Musetti sets Tabilo final in Chengdu

Lorenzo Musetti advanced to his seventh tour-level and second of the season on Monday at the Chengdu Open, where he swept aside Alexander Shevchenko 6-3, 6-1 at the ATP 250.

The top-seeded Italian reached his maiden ATP Tour final on hard courts in Chengdu last year, falling to Shang Juncheng in the title match. Aiming to go one step further this week, the 23-year-old won 92 per cent (24/26) of his first-serve points against Shevchenko and did not face a break point, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to advance to the championship match again.

Musetti is up one spot to seventh in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and is aiming to make his debut on home soil at the Nitto ATP Finals. Musetti’s countryman Jannik Sinner has already qualified for the prestigious year-end event, held from 9-16 November.

Musetti is the first player to reach multiple Chengdu finals in the tournament’s history (since 2016) and will compete for his third tour-level title and first since Naples in 2022 when he meets Alejandro Tabilo in the final.

Qualifier Tabilo continued his impressive run in Chengdu with a 6-4, 7-6(0) triumph against fourth seed Brandon Nakashima after one hour and 36 minutes.

Tabilo won titles in Auckland and Mallorca last year, however he has struggled in the past 18 months. He arrived in Chengdu holding a 5-13 record on the season but has dropped just one set en route to the final, having survived a deciding-set tie-break against Lloyd Harris in the second round of qualifying.

“I think it was very solid throughout the whole match,” Tabilo said. “He served well, so I had to stay there and wait. I started off well today, served well and I am happy with the performance. It has been up and down, a few months out as well, so just so happy to be back in another final.”

The 28-year-old Chilean is up 28 places to No. 84 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and is set to return to the Top 100 following the ATP 250 event. Musetti’s meeting against Tabilo will be the first in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

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Agassi on Laver Cup learnings… Delusion & less talking

Andre Agassi has enjoyed his fair share of highs on a tennis court. The American reached No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings and won 60 tour-level titles, including eight majors.

A little more than 19 years since his retirement, Agassi wrote another chapter into his tennis playbook when on Sunday as captain, he led Team World to victory against Team Europe at the Laver Cup in San Francisco. It is a weekend that will live long in the memory.

“Everybody played a part in making this one of the most memorable weeks I’ve ever spent on a tennis court,” Agassi said on Sunday night. “And that’s saying something, because it was a lot of years I’ve been out there in one form or another with a perceived team, but this really was a team. So proud of the guys. Just unflappable. They never stopped believing.”

From the sidelines, Agassi, alongside vice captain Patrick Rafter, helped Taylor Fritz, Joao Fonseca, Alex de Minaur and Francisco Cerundolo earn singles victories, with De Minaur and Michelsen also triumphing in a doubles rubber during the three-day event. Even with his decades of experience, Agassi found himself learning from the group he was leading.

“I think the common theme that I took away from this group is just how confident they are in what they can do on a tennis court. It’s not delusional. I mean, it can be delusional… But it was amazing to watch their calm in the midst of storms,” Agassi said. “What I learned is kind of what I continue to learn, which is try to do more listening than talking and try to stay out of their way.”

Fritz was the star man for Team World in San Francisco. He earned his first Lexus ATP Head2Head win against Carlos Alcaraz on Saturday and then backed that up by overcoming Alexander Zverev on Sunday, securing the decisive points for Team World.

“It was going to be tough to come back and play like I played on [Saturday]. Funny thing, I was leaving the hotel. I saw Roddick, who I haven’t really spoken to too much in the past, and he said, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll play better today’, joking about how well I played against Carlos,” Fritz said.

“We had to pick the line-up for today and we sat down as a team and I was the one that wanted to put myself in the slot that I put myself. So, when it came down to it, I just had to perform. It’s a matchup that I obviously feel somewhat comfortable in. No matter what, I was just going to compete as hard as I could for the team and do everything I could do.”

The hosts earned a 15-9 victory in San Francisco but after eight editions, Team Europe holds a 5-3 lead against Team World.

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Alcaraz learns Tokyo draw fate

Carlos Alcaraz will face Sebastian Baez on his debut at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships, following the draw on Monday.

The Spaniard is competing at the ATP 500 hard-court event for the first time and is seeded to meet eighth seed Frances Tiafoe in the quarter-finals and Norway’s Casper Ruud in the semi-finals.

Alcaraz, who will take a 2-0 Lexus ATP Head2Head series lead into his meeting with Baez, returned to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings earlier this month when he defeated Jannik Sinner in the US Open final to clinch his sixth major.

Ruud, a titlist in Madrid this year, faces Japanese wild card Shintaro Mochizuki in the first round, while Tiafoe plays a qualifier. The American Tiafoe reached the final in Tokyo in 2022. Also in the top half, seventh seed Denis Shapovalov, a two-time Tokyo semi-finalist, opens against German Daniel Altmaier.

Second seed Taylor Fritz won the trophy in Japan in 2022. The American plays Canadian Gabriel Diallo in the first round and could meet fifth seed Tomas Machac in the quarter-finals. The Czech Machac begins against a qualifier.

Third seed Holger Rune, a potential semi-final opponent for Fritz, meets former Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champion Hamad Medjedovic in the first round. Rune could play Alex Michelsen in the second round and sixth seed Ugo Humbert in the quarter-finals. Last year’s finalist Humbert begins against Jenson Brooksby.

The ATP 500 event will be held from 24 to 30 September.

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Fritz secures Laver Cup win for Team World

American Taylor Fritz beats Germany’s Alexander Zverev to complete a 15-9 victory for Team World against Team Europe in the Laver Cup.

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A global hunt to uncover a virus deadlier than Covid-19

Dr Chris van Tulleken investigates a mysterious virus that could cause the next pandemic

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Alcaraz/Ruud give Team Europe life with Laver Cup doubles win

Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud changed the complexion of the Laver Cup with a much-needed doubles win for Team Europe to open Sunday’s action in San Francisco. After Team World swept Saturday’s play without dropping a set to lead 9-3, Alcaraz and Ruud cut the deficit to 9-6 in the first-to-13 event, with each Sunday match worth three points.

The Europeans earned a 7-6(4), 6-1 win against Alex Michelsen and Reilly Opelka, battling back from 1/4 in the first-set tie-break to take control. Alcaraz and Ruud did not face a break point in the match, according to Infosys ATP Stats, but they needed 11 break points before finally breaking their opponents early in set two.

“We stayed really strong, really solid. We did what we had to do and I think that it worked pretty well,” Alcaraz said of their patience.

Two points defined the match. At 1/4 in the tie-break, Team World thought they came out on top in a thrilling exchange only to find that Michelsen’s reflex volley sailed just beyond the baseline. That started a run of six straight points to seal the set, followed by a run of five consecutive games in set two.

Midway through the second set, Alcaraz hit the shot of the match: a preposterous drop volley that left Michelsen stranded despite the American standing well inside the service line.

“Sometimes a lot of ideas come to my mind,” Alcaraz said of his shotmaking abilities. “I just enjoy making the choices. I think in that position it was the only shot or the best shot I could choose in that moment.”

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Hometown hero Wu stuns Medvedev in Hangzhou QF thriller

Wu Yibing delivered his home crowd a night to remember on Sunday at the Lynk & Co Hangzhou Open, where he fought back from the brink to stun Daniil Medvedev 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-4.

The Hangzhou native trailed by a set and a break before he clawed back into the match and produced some effortless ball striking in the final set to reach his first semi-final since his 2023 run in Dallas, where he became the first Chinese man to win an ATP Tour title. He awaits third seed Alexander Bublik.

Despite hitting 17 aces throughout their three-hour, 11-minute clash, Medvedev served two crucial double faults when attempting to serve out the match at 5-4 in the second set, offering Wu a way back into the match. The former Nitto ATP Finals champion, who was competing in his first tournament since parting ways with his coach of eight years, Gilles Cervara, is 22nd in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.

“I got a little bit lucky in the second set, but I was giving it my best,” said Wu, who earned his first Lexus ATP Head2Head win over Medvedev (1-2). “Obviously the crowd supported me like home. Daniil is one of the toughest guys to play on Tour, especially with my style. He’s really tough to beat and I had to bring my best tennis to stay in the match. I’m glad I brought it today.”

Wu did not compete from March 2019 until January 2022 due to several injuries, including issues with his elbow, which required surgery, his lower back, shoulder and wrist. Although he won an ATP Challenger Tour event in Tyler in June, the 25-year-old is competing in just his fourth tour-level event of the season.

“It means everything, especially at home. It’s been a long couple of years behind me. I overcame a lot of injuries,” said Wu. “It’s not easy to be here, especially winning three matches in a row. Hopefully I can come back tomorrow feeling not so tired.”

Third seed Bublik, who has already won three ATP Tour titles this season, cruised past lucky loser Dalibor Svrcina 6-1, 6-1 in just 53 minutes.

The Kazakhstani won all 22 of his first-serve points according to Infosys ATP Stats and saved the only break point he faced.

In other quarter-final action in Hangzhou, Valentin Royer backed up his statement win over top seed Andrey Rublev by outlasting Learner Tien 7-6(0), 4-6, 6-2 to reach his maiden ATP Tour semi-final. Trailing by a break in both the final set, the 24-year-old Frenchman found a late spark and converted all three of his break points to seal his two-hour, 38-minute victory.

“I’m so happy… The crowd was with me. You guys like me, I like you, we have a connection,” Royer said in his on-court interview before thanking the crowd in Chinese for their support. “In the second set, he didn’t miss a single ball, and in the third set, I was a break down again… I just don’t know how I managed to win, I’m so happy.”

Prior to his debut campaign in Hangzhou, Royer had never earned consecutive tour-level wins. Yet with his impressive showing over three main-draw matches, he is up five spots to a career-high No. 83 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.

Royer set an all-French semi-final with fourth seed Corentin Moutet, who advanced on Sunday lunchtime after Tomas Martin Etcheverry was forced to retire. Moutet dropped the opening set 3-6, but led 3-0 in the second when the Argentine — visibly struggling — retired.

Like Royer, Moutet is another player competing at a career-high in the PIF ATP Rankings this week. The 26-year-old, who saved two match points in his second-round win over Arthur Cazaux, is into his personal-best third semi-final of the season and has risen two spots to No. 37 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.

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Paolini helps Italy defend BJK Cup title against US

Italy defend their Billie Jean King Cup title as Jasmine Paolini beats Jessica Pegula to wrap up a 2-0 victory over the United States.

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Musetti downs Basilashvili for Chengdu SF three-peat

Lorenzo Musetti is hoping that 2025 is the year he finally gets his hands on the Chengdu Open trophy.

The top seed delivered an assured display on Sunday evening to move past Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-3, 6-3 and reach his third consecutive semi-final at the Chinese ATP 250 event. Musetti, who now owns a record seven wins in Chengdu, will continue his title quest against Alexander Shevchenko, who ousted qualifier Taro Daniel 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-2.

2023 – SF
2024 – 🥈
2025 – SF

Top seed @Lorenzo1Musetti continues to shine in China 6-3 6-3 over Basilashvili @ChengduOpen | #ChengduOpen pic.twitter.com/0vjTw8jRgy

— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 21, 2025

“I knew it was a tricky opponent, I lost against him this year at Wimbledon,” said Musetti, who levelled his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Basilashvili at 2-2. “He’s really aggressive, so you have to stay focused on every point. I felt he was playing good tennis, but I managed to stay there, especially on my serve, and I’m very happy to be in the semis. I [will be] ready for the battle.”

Basilashvili asserted himself with his aggressive game, but he was ultimately unable to cope with Musetti’s consistency and poise, hitting 36 unforced errors to the Italian’s 14. Musetti, who is 32-13 in 2025 according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, is this week chasing his first title of the season.

With his 76-minute quarter-final victory, Musetti jumped ahead of Alex de Minaur to seventh in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. The 23-year-old, who is aiming to make his debut at the Nitto ATP Finals, could move to within 145 points of sixth-placed Taylor Fritz if he wins the title in Chengdu.

In the bottom half of the draw, Brandon Nakashima defeated Marcos Giron 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(3) in an all-American quarter-final clash. The 24-year-old came within two points of defeat when serving at 4-5, 40/40, but came up clutch and raced through a third-set tie-break to advance to his third ATP Tour semi-final of the season.

After runs to the last four in Acapulco and Houston, Nakashima faces a Chengdu meeting with Alejandro Tabilo, who continued his run from qualifying to overcome Christopher O’Connell 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 and reach his first semi-final since Mallorca last June.

Watch Tabilo overcome O’Connell in three sets: 

After struggling for form and dealing with wrist and abdominal injuries across the first eight months of 2025, Tabilo has turned his season around on Chinese soil. He reached the final at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Guangzhou last week and has risen 20 spots to No. 92 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings with his three main-draw wins in Chengdu.

“I’m just so happy right now, especially coming from the qualies, it’s an unreal feeling,” said Tabilo. “I’ve been doing pretty good here in China. I’ve been loving it here.”

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'Don't know how I won' – Swiatek triumphs in Seoul

World number two Iga Swiatek stages a remarkable comeback to beat Ekaterina Alexandrova and win the Korea Open.

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