He entered the tournament as the favorite and left with a 6th career Australian Open title, as Roger Federer went wire to wire, defeating Marin Cilic 6-2 6-7 6-3 3-6 6-1 in the final. Federer dropped just the two sets against Cilic all tournament, as he blitzed through a relatively weak path of Aljaz Bedene, Jan-Lennard Struff, Richard Gasquet, Marton Fucsovics, Tomas Berdych, and Hyeon Chung.
Federer fired 24 aces, saved 7 of 9 break points, and overall served really well, while breaking Cilic six times in the match mostly on the back of second serve returns. The first and fifth sets were one way traffic, as Cilic finished like he started, shaky and on edge. The second and fourth sets saw Cilic show his promise as he pressured Federer enough to get breakthroughs. In Set 4 he came back from a break down to force a fifth. The third set end up proving decisive though as Federer broke in the only game that featured break points in the set.
In his third career Grand Slam final the new world #3 Cilic played much better than he did against Federer at Wimbledon in the 2017 final, but he never was able to take control against the Swiss maestro. That said, it was the toughest test for Federer all tournament, as surprise semifinalist Hyeon Chung was forced to retire due to blisters on his feet, and veterans Gasquet and Berdych simply rolled over when facing down Federer.
Chung’s breakthrough came in the round of 32 against Alexander Zverev, and the round of 16 against Novak Djokovic, he beat Zverev in 5, and Djokovic in straights. The former world #1 and Serbian superstar was still rusty from an injury layoff, but he didn’t have a terrible AO and Chung beat him outright, not due to a fluke. Likewise Zverev got frustrated, but he was still beaten by the South Korean #1 straight up, and the young Chung deserves full credit for his accomplishments in Melbourne.
Chung spoiled the run of Tennys Sandgren, the last American standing, as he beat Sandgren in the quarters after the former Tennessee standout had upset both a less than fit Stan Wawrinka and young gun Dominic Thiem in Melbourne, beating Thiem in five sets and coming back from losing the 4th. Sandgren now has a great chance to back up the skill and mettle he showed in Melbourne the rest of the season, and became a regular contender at least the 250/500 level.
Cilic’s path to the final was Vasek Pospisil, Joao Sousa, Ryan Harrison, Pablo Carreno Busta, Rafael Nadal, and Kyle Edmund. He dropped sets against Pospisil and PCB but won thanks to his consistency. Against Nadal he took advantage of the Spaniard’s labored movement, and eventually won via a 5th set retirement as Nadal’s knee injury left him unable to continue. A healthy Nadal probably wins that match, but Cilic still took full advantage of his opportunity.
Edmund, 23, also had his slam breakthrough. He upset Kevin Anderson in the opening round, then beat three lower ranked players before upsetting Grigor Dimitrov in the four setter in the quarterfinals. Dimitrov missed out on his opportunity to make at least a slam final, while Edmund is stepping into the role of Britain’s leading man after Andy Murray was forced to exit stage right due to a hip injury.
Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic beat Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah in the men’s doubles final. It’s their first slam title as a team, and Pavic also won mixed doubles with Gabriela Dabrowski the next day.
LONG ISLAND (January 3, 2018) – The New York Open ATP World Tour tennis tournament will make its debut Feb. 11-18 with a player field highlighted by four of the world’s top-25 ranked players, the No. 1-ranked players from South Africa, Japan, Korea, and Israel, and nine Americans who have been accepted directly into the singles main draw.
Anderson
Kevin Anderson, South Africa’s top ranked player and No. 14 in the world, has committed to play. Anderson holds three career titles and made it to the finals of the 2017 US Open. He also reached the quarterfinals of the 2017 ATP World Tour Masters 1,000 in Montreal, as well as the finals of the Citi Open ATP 500 tournament in Washington, DC.
Kei Nishikori (Photo: Christopher Levy @Tennis_Shots)
Early commitments for the singles draw included top 50-ranked players Sam Querrey (No. 13); 2017 BB&T Atlanta Open and Hall of Fame Open champion John Isner (No. 17); four-time Memphis Open champion and world’s former No. 5 player Kei Nishikori (No. 22); 2017 Memphis Open winner Ryan Harrison (No. 47), and 2017 Next Gen ATP Finals champion Hyeon Chung (No. 58).
American players Steve Johnson (No. 44), Jared Donaldson (No. 54), Donald Young (No. 61), and Frances Tiafoe (No. 79), and former junior Wimbledon champions Noah Rubin and Reilly Opelka round out the strong U.S. field for the New York Open, the first U.S. stop of the year on the ATP World Tour.
World No. 28 Adrian Mannarino of France, Israel’s No. 1 player Dudi Sela, Russia’s Evgeny Donskoy, who defeated Roger Federer at the 2017 Dubai Tennis Championships, and Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic, who is one of Latin America’s top competitors, are just a few players to watch in the tournament’s international field.
The 2018 New York Open will mark the return of the ATP World Tour to the New York metropolitan area and Long Island since 2005. GF Sports, a live events and sports media entertainment company, acquired the former Memphis Open in 2015 and partnered with Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment to move the tournament to Long Island. The event is one of the longest-running American tournaments on the ATP World Tour and the only indoor championship contested in the United States.
“One of our biggest goals for the New York Open is to continue the development of American tennis by providing a chance for young hopefuls, and veterans alike, with an opportunity to play and succeed,” said Josh Ripple, Tournament Director. “It’s really exciting to have a strong player field, and U.S. representation, for the tournament’s debut on Long Island.”
“We’re excited that NYCB LIVE will be the next stop on tour for an impressive field of the world’s top 100 ATP World Tour professionals, following the Australian Open,” said Brett Yormark, Chief Executive Officer of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment. “The tournament will mark a new beginning for professional tennis on Long Island when it hosts Grand Slam champions and finalists, nine Americans, including the country’s rising stars, and a strong pool of international players next month.”
On Feb. 11, guests who purchase an evening session ticket will have a chance to see tennis legend and honorary New York Open ambassador John McEnroe play U.S. Davis Cup champion James Blake, followed by a match between 2017 US Open women’s tennis champion Sloane Stephens and Canada’s No. 1 Eugenie Bouchard. All four players will take part in a mixed doubles matchup after singles play. All matches will be eight-game pro-sets.
LONG ISLAND (December 5, 2017) – The ATP World Tour’s No. 1 Under-21 player and South Korea’s greatest tennis export, Hyeon Chung, has committed to play the inaugural New York Open tournament at NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island, which takes place Feb. 11-18. Chung will play his first match on Tuesday, February 13 during the evening session.
Chung most recently won the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan, the newest ATP Tour championship which featured the eight best 21-and-under players based on their 2017 results. Chung defeated Canada’s No. 2 Denis Shapovalov, and Andrey Rublev of Russia in the finals. He also reached the quarterfinals of the Barcelona Open in April where he lost to eventual champion and world No. 1 Rafael Nadal. Chung turned pro in 2014 and won three Futures tournaments, the Bangkok Open, and he was a member of the South Korea Davis Cup team that year.
Hyeon Chung (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)
“I’m excited to compete in the first-ever New York Open tennis tournament along with some of the biggest names is tennis,” said Chung. “I am training hard after a big win in Milan and am looking forward to continuing that momentum on Long Island.”
Chung joins top 25 players John Isner, Bob and Mike Bryan, and Kei Nishikori in the tournament’s main draw. The week-long tournament will debut with an Opening Night exhibition featuring tennis legend John McEnroe, 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens, James Blake, and Eugenie Bouchard. The New York Open will mark the return of the ATP World Tour to the New York metropolitan area and Long Island since 2005.
“We are thrilled to have Hyeon secured for the New York Open not only because he is arguably the best young player in the world as evidenced by what he won in Milan, but he will be a major attraction for the Korean community here in the New York area,” said Tournament Director Josh Ripple. “The tennis world believes Hyeon is the next big story in the sport, and we are pleased to bring him to the market for people to see.”
Goffin, Dimitrov, and French Stars Finish the 2017 ATP Season Strong Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic
Goffin Makes a Big Run
Despite falling short in the Davis Cup final as a team, David Goffin had a great finish to 2017, as he won titles in Shenzhen and Tokyo, reached the semifinals in Basel, and then the final in the ATP World Tour Finals in London. After the US Open he scored wins over Richard Gasquet, Adrian Mannarino, Jack Sock, Dominic Thiem, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer. In the Davis Cup final he defeated Lucas Pouille and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga but it still wasn’t enough.
France Captures Davis Cup
France finally won the Davis Cup, after losing a multitude of finals Tsonga and Pouille defeated Steve Darcis twice, and Gasquet and Pierre-Hugues Herbert defeated Ruben Bemelmans and Joris De Loore in what turned out to be the critical doubles rubber. Pouille defeated his teammate Tsonga in the Vienna 500 final, while Tsonga won Antwerp.
Breakthrough for Sock
Jack Sock won the biggest title of his career at the Paris Masters, he won over a weakened field with wins over Kyle Edmund, Pouille, Fernando Verdasco, Julien Benneteau, and Filip Krajinovic. He qualified for the World Tour Finals by virtue of that victory and reached the semifinals after going 2-1 with wins over Alexander Zverev and Marin Cilic.
Dimitrov and Del Potro Looking Strong Heading Into 2018
Grigor Dimitrov finished the year with 49 wins and 4 titles as he reached the final in Stockholm, and the final at the World Tour Finals in London, beating Pablo Carreno Busta, Goffin twice, Dominic Thiem, and Sock.
Juan Martin Del Potro reached the semis in Shanghai, the final in Basel, took a title in Stockholm, and finished the year with a quarterfinal in Paris.
Nadal and Federer Finish 1-2
Damir Dzumhur has 2 ATP titles to end the year as he won in both St. Petersburg and Moscow, while Hyeon Chung won the Next-Gen finals over Andrey Rublev. Nadal won Beijing and lost the final in Shanghai, shutting down his season at the World Tour Finals due to injury concerns but still finishing year end world #1. Federer won Shanghai and Basel to finish year end #2.
2017 US Open Men’s Preview and Predictions Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic
US Open
Grand Slam
August 28-September 10, 2017
New York, NY, USA
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $24,193,400
Top 8 seeds (ATP ranking in parentheses)
1: Rafael Nadal (1)
2: Andy Murray*(2)
3: Roger Federer (3)
4: Alexander Zverev (6)
5: Marin Cilic (7)
6: Dominic Thiem (8)
7: Grigor Dimitrov (9)
8: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12)
The US Open has had a ton of top players withdrawing. Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori, and Milos Raonic are all not playing, leaving just Nadal, Federer, Cilic, and Juan Martin Del Potro as former champions.
*Withdrew
First round matches to watch:
Jan-Lennard Struff vs. Alexandr Dolgopolov
Dolgopolov is a dangerous shotmaker, but Struff has been in better form (coming off semis in Winston-Salem), and is arguably better than his current ranking. If Struff can keep his mindset clear he’ll win this match.
(15)Tomas Berdych vs. Ryan Harrison
Both players could be in better form but have shown some solid form overall this season. Berdych is a bigger hitter, but if Harrison dials up his serve and defends well he has an outside shot in this one. I’ll back the veteran Czech to prevail.
Donald Young vs. (Q)Max Marterer
The 22 year old qualifier Marterer is rising quickly up the rankings, Young has home court advantage but has not been impressive this summer. Despite his edge in experience, I don’t see Young winning this match. Look for the young German to pull off a slight upset.
Fernando Verdasco vs. Vasek Pospisil
Two players with aggressive games that can fly wildly if their form is off. Neither player is performing well right now, which makes for what should be a sloppy, desperate match. The veteran Verdasco has more success at this level than Pospisil and probably nabs it, perhaps in five sets.
(31)Feliciano Lopez vs. Andrey Kuznetsov
Lopez has never lost to Kuznetsov, but the Spanish veteran is in terrible form. With his serve and volley game not clicking, look for Kuznetsov to find some momentum and win points from the baseline to pull off an upset.
Ivo Karlovic vs. (WC)Bjorn Fratangelo
Fratangelo has earned a wild card and he has a punchers chance against the big server Karlovic. The veteran has been in decline this season, but his serve is still hard to break. Karlovic probably wins but Fratangelo is still one to watch.
(17)Sam Querrey vs. Gilles Simon
Querrey trails in the h2h but is in the best form of his tennis career, Simon tends to fluke solid slam results but he’s been in a marked decline this Summer. Querrey should have too much power to lose to Simon the pusher.
(19)Gilles Muller vs. Bernard Tomic
Tomic hasn’t played since Wimbledon after a crisis of faith and confidence in his desire to play tennis. Muller, a steady veteran, has been playing well this year and on hard courts his serve is most lethal. Look for Muller to keep the pressure on Tomic and grab the win in this one.
Daniil Medvedev vs. (Q)Denis Shapovalov
Shapovalov’s stock is rapidly rising, and he looks like the next great ATP star after his run at the Rogers Cup, where he made the semifinals. Medvedev reached the quarters in Washington but has struggled since. The young Russian is a talent, but the form favors the Canadian to win this one rather easily.
(32)Robin Haase vs. Kyle Edmund
Both Edmund and Haase have reached a pair of semifinals this Summer, Edmund on hard courts is probably the better player though. Haase is a talent but he’s underachieved his whole career, the young British player should prevail in a match that should feature great ball striking.
Jared Donaldson vs. Nikoloz Basilashvili
Donaldson just beat Basilashvili in Cincy and has had a fantastic summer. The young American broke through with eight wins on North American hard courts this summer and looks primed for a strong run at the US Open. Basilashvili is a good ball striker who can frustrate his opposition though, and he’s improved a lot in his own right.
Nadal’s Quarter:
World #1 again with two career US Open titles, Rafael Nadal begins his journey against Dusan Lajovic. American Tommy Paul has a great shot at upsetting Taro Daniel before falling to Nadal in round 2. Richard Gasquet hasn’t been fit but his path to round 3 is just Leonardo Mayer, and Yuichi Sugita or wild card Geoffrey Blancaneaux, who is making his main draw Grand Slam debut. Sugita has had some good runs this season, but Gasquet should be good enough to reach round 3 before getting dumped out by Nadal. Fabio Fognini should beat his countryman, qualifier Stefano Travaglia, then Viktor Troicki or Norbert Gombos. Tomas Berdych will face Struff/Dolgopolov in round 2 after Harrison. Struff could be a dark horse, but Berdych over Fognini is the sensible pick in round 3.
David Goffin is struggling and should be on upset alert against pesky veteran Julien Benneteau, Steve Darcis will be favored against Guido Pella, but an underdog against his countryman Goffin in round 2. Gael Monfils, if healthy, should beat Jeremy Chardy and the Young/Marterer winner, then Goffin in round 3 to reach the second week. Grigor Dimitrov has an easy path to the second week. The Cincy champ opens with Vaclav Safranek, a qualifier, Aljaz Bedene or Andrey Rublev will be next, with Winston-Salem finalist Damir Dzumhur likely next in round 3. Dzumhur faces Pablo Cuevas, who is poor on hard courts, and either Nicolas Kicker or qualifier Cedrik-Marcel Stebe.
Federer’s Quarter:
Roger Federer has five US Open titles and he’s the favorite for title #6 this US Open. Federer should beat American Frances Tiafoe to start his US Open journey, Mikhail Youzhny faces Blaz Kavcic before Federer in round 2. I have Andrey Kuznetsov beating Lopez, then Verdasco/Pospisil before falling to Federer in round 3. Philipp Kohlschreiber hasn’t been healthy, he opens with qualifier Tim Smyczek, Santiago Giraldo should beat qualifier Vincent Millot. Nick Kyrgios opens with John Millman, then should defeat Malek Jaziri/Thiago Monteiro in round 2. Kyrgios has the talent to reach the second week, only a mentality issue (or failing fitness) will keep him from making the round of 16.
Winston-Salem champion Roberto Bautista Agut faces veteran Andreas Seppi, Dustin Brown will take on fellow big hitter Thomaz Bellucci in round 2. Former US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro faces Henri Laaksonen, Adrian Menendez-Maceiras faces wild card Patrick Kypson. Del Potro should reach the third round, but I back RBA’s form to defeat the Argentine fan favorite at that stage. American young gun Taylor Fritz is in good form, but facing Dominic Thiem in round 2 will be a tough task. Thiem should dispatch Alex De Minaur, Fritz opens with the fading Marcos Baghdatis in round 2 to setup that match. I have Thiem reaching round 3. Adrian Mannarino is 7-3 in his last three tournaments, he should extend that great form and defeat Ricardas Berankis, then Karlovic or Fratangelo. Thiem over Mannarino is my pick in round 3.
Zverev’s Quarter:
Russia’s Karen Khachanov should defeat Rendy Lu then Ernesto Escobedo or Radu Albot before falling to Sam Querrey in round 3. Querrey faces Dudi Sela or Chris Eubanks in round 2 after defeating Simon. Mischa Zverev has not been in good form since early in the season, he’s the favorite against Thai-Son Kwiatkowski, then Lukas Lacko or Benoit Paire in round 2. John Isner is the clear favorite in this section, Isner will need to get past big server Pierre-Hugues Herbert, then rising young gun Hyeon Chung (or Horacio Zeballos). Chung is a possible dark horse, but Isner has the experience and he’s playing at home. Look for him to beat Zverev in round 3 to reach week 2.
Jack Sock is a heavy favorite to reach week 2, he should defeat Jordan Thompson, a pesky competitor who lacks the power that Sock has in his game. Sock should then defeat Thomas Fabbiano or J.P. Smith before facing Gilles Muller in round 3. After Tomic, Muller will face Joao Sousa or Paolo Lorenzi in round 2. Sock over Muller is the sensible pick in round 3, Sock has a crisper game, but could fall victim to the upset. Alexander Zverev claimed two titles this summer and has a great chance to win the US Open with so many other players missing from the draw. Zverev faces Darian King, a qualifier from Barbados, Zverev will then face Borna Coric or Jiri Vesely in round 2. Zverev will then face Kevin Anderson in round 3. Anderson is playing well but he’s never beaten Zverev. Anderson faces J.C. Aragone, an inspirational story, then Ernests Gulbis or Alessandro Giannessi in round 2. Zverev should be too much in the third round.
Cilic’s Quarter:
Former US Open champ Marin Cilic opens with improving American Tennys Sandgren, Cilic will then face Rogerio Dutra Silva or Florian Mayer in round 2. Thanasi Kokkinakis faces Diego Schwartzman or Carlos Berlocq after defeating Janko Tipsarevic in the opening round. Cilic and Kokkinakis should face off in round 3, Cilic has not been fit this summer and hasn’t played matches. Kokkinakis is getting better and better off a long injury layoff, I have him upsetting Cilic and reaching the second week. Veteran David Ferrer opens with qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin, Evgeny Donskoy or Andreas Haider-Maurer will follow. I have the Spanish grinder defeating Jared Donaldson in round 3 after Donaldson beats Nikoloz Basilashvili and either Ruben Bemelmans or a struggling Lucas Pouille. It’s a great opportunity for Donaldson, but Ferrer finds a way to win matches.
In the weakest section of the draw, Pablo Carreno Busta should defeat qualifier Evan King, Dmitry Tursunov/Cameron Norrie and either Nicolas Mahut or Albert Ramos in round 3. I have Mahut beating Marton Fucsovics, then Ramos (or Denis Istomin) in round 2 before falling to PCB. The Shapovalov/Medvedev winner faces Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or Marius Copil. Denis Shapovalov is in better form and should upset Tsonga. Look for Kyle Edmund to defeat Haase, then Steve Johnson or Nicolas Almagro in round 2. Johnson is a home favorite, but Edmund is in better form and I tip him to advance to round 3. I have Shapovalov reaching week 2.
Dark Horse (one for each section of the draw): Jan-Lennard Struff, Taylor Fritz, Hyeon Chung, Denis Shapovalov
All four of these players, three of them young guns, are very talented, but they will need to step up on a big stage to make deep runs. Struff would need to upset Berdych and Fognini to reach week 2. Fritz needs to get past Dominic Thiem to reach at least the round of 16, Chung would need to upset big server John Isner. I have Shapovalov making the deepest run, and I also feel he’s the most talented of the bunch, the draw sets up the best for him in terms of reaching the second week as Tsonga is not in good form.
Predictions
Round of 16 Nadal d. Berdych
Dimitrov d. Monfils
Federer d. Kyrgios
Thiem d. Bautista Agut
Querrey d. Isner
Zverev d. Sock
Shapovalov d. Carreno Busta
Ferrer d. Kokkinakis
Nadal has a clear edge on Berdych, Dimitrov will be the favorite against Monfils despite the Frenchman’s skill level. Federer could be upset by Kyrgios but it seems unlikely. Thiem vs Bautista Agut is an interesting matchup, Thiem has more talent but RBA is more consistent. Querrey should beat his friend Isner, Zverev is the favorite against the American #1 Sock, I have Ferrer edging Kokkinakis, and Shapovalov in, at least, the quarterfinals.
Quarters Nadal d. Dimitrov
Federer d. Thiem
Zverev d. Querrey
Shapovalov d. Ferrer
A Nadal vs Federer semifinal seems likely, despite Dimitrov and Thiem’s ability to upset the apple cart. Zverev should also reach the semis given his good form, I have Shapovalov making a storybook run and beating Ferrer.
Semis Federer d. Nadal
Zverev d. Shapovalov
Federer and Zverev will be favorites for a reason.
Final Federer d. Zverev
Federer should win another slam, this time against an opponent playing in his first slam final.
2017 ATP Winston-Salem Preview and Predictions Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic
Prior to the U.S. Open, the ATP’s stop in Winston-Salem is the final chance for ATP players to get some matches in, and it’s the last stop on the US Open Series.
Winston-Salem Open
ATP World Tour 250
August 20-26, 2017
Winston-Salem, NC, USA
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $664,825
Top 4 seeds (Top 16 seeds receive first round byes) (ATP ranking in parentheses)
1: Roberto Bautista Agut (15)
2: Pablo Carreno Busta (16)
3: John Isner (14)
4: Kevin Anderson (32)*
*Withdrew
Top Half:
Dusan Lajovic won his opening match against main draw debutante Petros Chrysochos, but Roberto Bautista Agut should be too solid on hard courts, and looks set to defeat him in round 2. Marcos Baghdatis won his opening match against Ricardas Berankis, he should defeat Jiri Vesely for a fourth straight time to reach the third round before falling to Bautista Agut.
Yuichi Sugita is in great form and reached the quarters in Cincy. Sugita should defeat Thiago Monteiro (or dirtballer Paolo Lorenzi) in the third round, after Taylor Fritz or Malek Jaziri fall victim to him in the second round. This is an open section and you have to back Sugita’s form.
John Isner is 12-2 in the US this summer, and looks set to defeat Andrey Kuznetsov in round 2, after Kuznetsov defeated Nicolas Kicker. Borna Coric should defeat a struggling Donald Young, or qualifier Rogerio Dutra Silva before falling to Isner in the third round.
Aljaz Bedene hasn’t had as much success on hard courts as other surfaces, he’ll be favored against Andreas Seppi or Janko Tipsarevic though. I have Jan-Lennard Struff making a run, he just defeated Norbert Gombos, Pablo Cuevas is poor on hard courts and should be next, then Bedene in round 3.
Bottom Half:
Defending champion Pablo Carreno Busta should beat Pierre-Hugues Herbert (or Julien Benneteau) in round 2. Herbert continues to improve in singles, but PCB has good history here. Hyeon Chung is my dark horse pick this week, Andrey Rublev (or Steve Darcis) could trip him up, but I have him defeating Carreno Busta in the third round.
Dominik Koepfer is making his ATP debut as a lucky loser against Horacio Zeballos, Fernando Verdasco will be favored against the winner. With Gilles Simon struggling, Damir Dzumhur is in tremendous form, he should beat Denis Istomin, then upset Simon before falling to Verdasco in the third round.
Joao Sousa is in tremendous form, he should beat Marton Fuscovics or Ernests Gulbis, Daniil Medvevev had a good run in Washington but then hit the skids. Kyle Edmund faces Thomas Fabbiano, I have Edmund slipping past Medvedev, and then Sousa in the third round.
Steve Johnson is in terrible form and hasn’t won a match on the US Open Series. Viktor Troicki hasn’t won a match since the grass court season, while Alex Bolt faces a struggling Carlos Berlocq in this section. Dmitry Tursunov will face Rendy Lu, Lu has won 10 straight matches and is red hot on the challenger tour. Look for Lu to beat Tursunov, then Johnson. I have Bolt upsetting Troicki before falling to Lu in the third round.
Predictions
Quarters Bautista Agut d. Sugita
Isner d. Struff
Edmund d. Lu
Chung d. Verdasco
In the open bottom section look for the young guns Edmund and Chung to slip into the semis over veterans. Isner is a strong favorite to reach at least the semifinals.
Semis Isner d. Bautista Agut
Edmund d. Chung
Isner should stay in form and take the title at home in North Carolina.
Tommy Paul, ranked barely inside the ATP top 300, earned one of the biggest wins of his career in Atlanta. The 20 year old came back to defeat Hyeon Chung 4-6 6-2 6-3 after coming through weekend qualifying with a pair of three set wins. Chung, a top 60 player at just 21, had miles more ATP experience in the matchup, and was a heavy favorite after taking the first set, but it was Paul who found his fourth gear and won the last two sets.
The first set was a sloppy affair as Chung dropped service twice, but Paul dropped serve three times. Paul played his best in set two, breaking Chung twice, while Chung had no breaks. The trend in favor of Paul continued in the third set, he went up a break twice, and in the end he broke Chung to win the match. The young gun Korean was let down by his rusty serve without the match, as it was an unreliable tool in his arsenal. Paul, backed by a strong serve, won just the second ATP match of his career.
Another young American, Stefan Kozlov, wasn’t as lucky, facing Quentin Halys, he came up just a few points short, as Halys won 7-5 7-6. The 20 year old Frenchman won his first tour level match of the season in just under 20 hours as he broke twice in the first set, saved a break point in the second set, and then overcame losing three match point chances up 6-5 in the second set to take the tiebreak after a total of six match points. Kozlov didn’t go away, but he wasn’t able to pull ahead either.
In other action on a rainy opening day of main draw play in Atlanta, Lukas Lacko dominated Thomas Fabbiano 6-1 6-2, and Jared Donaldson put away Ernesto Escobedo 6-3 6-1.
The doubles winners were Raja/Sharan, Millman/Ratiwatana, and Gonzalez/Lipsky as all three teams advanced into the last eight in the doubles competition.
2017 ATP Atlanta Preview and Predictions Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic
Tennis Atlantic is happy to provide week long credentialed coverage of the 2017 BB&T Atlanta Open, as ATP tennis again returns to the biggest city in the South.
BB&T Atlanta Open
ATP World Tour 250
July 24-30, 2017
Atlanta, GA, USA
Prize Money: $642,750
Surface: Hard
Top 4 seeds (who all receive first round byes) (ATP ranking in parentheses)
1: Jack Sock (18)
2: John Isner (19)
3: Gilles Muller (22)
4: Ryan Harrison (49)
With so many Americans in the field, and three of the four top seeds Americans, it’s likely the BB&T Atlanta Open will produce another American champion.
Top Half:
Jack Sock has been great on hard courts this season and will be happy to return to the surface where his forehand can shine. Presuming a healthy Dudi Sela defeats Konstantin Kravchuk he should face off with Sock. Sock should overpower the Israeli battler to reach the quarters. Marcos Baghdatis serves a bit of a dark horse in this section of the draw, he could catch fire with his shotmaking, but Kyle Edmund is the favorite to defeat Baghdatis round 1. I’ll pick an in-form Peter Gojowczyk to defeat dirtballer Guido Pella, and Edmund before falling to Sock in the quarters.
It looks like Ryan Harrison‘s time to return to form in the second section of the draw. The athletic Frances Tiafoe isn’t in good enough form, even if he defeats John Millman, and although Jared Donaldson should beat Ernesto Escobedo, Harrison is the most accomplished player in this section for a reason. Young gun Taylor Fritz plays local favorite Chris Eubanks and could get knocked off, as he’s struggled this year on tour. Harrison over Donaldson is the pick for the quarters.
Bottom Half:
With three ATP Atlanta titles in his trophy case, and a new trophy from Newport all in the back of his mind, local favorite John Isner looks set to take out fellow big server Vasek Pospisil, and then Donald Young in the quarters. Young opens with Bjorn Fratangelo, Lukas Lacko and Thomas Fabbiano are also in this section, while Pospisil opens with Bjorn Fratangelo.
Fresh off his run at Wimbledon, Gilles Muller returns to the ATP tour as a favorite against either Stefan Kozlov or Quentin Halys, both young qualifiers. Look for the talented young gun Hyeon Chung to run past Tommy Paul, and either Malek Jaziri or big server Reilly Opelka to setup a big quarterfinal match. Muller’s serve and volley should be good enough to earn him the win.
Dark Horse: Hyeon Chung
Chung is quite talented, but hasn’t quite put all the pieces together yet. This tournament presents a great opportunity for him to make a big breakthrough, as he has a reasonable path to the final if he can return big servers well.
Predictions
Semis Sock d. Harrison
Isner d. Muller
In what should be an all-American final, America’s two best players should face off in the Atlanta final. Isner loves playing in Atlanta and should be able to keep up his pace from Newport to get another title.
2017 ATP Chennai Preview and Predictions Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic
Despite not featuring as good of a field as Brisbane and Doha, Chennai is still an opportunity for the ATP’s best to prepare for the first slam of the season, and it remains India’s only ATP event. Here is a preview, with predictions of this 250.
Aircel Chennai Open
ATP World Tour 250
January 2-7,2017
Chennai, India
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $447,480
Top 4 seeds (Who all receive first round byes) (ATP rankings in parentheses)
1: Marin Cilic (6)
2: Roberto Bautista Agut (14)
3: Albert Ramos (27)
4: Martin Klizan (35)
Just two of the ATP top 20 start their year in Chennai.
First round matches to watch
(6)Borna Coric vs. (Q)Hyeon Chung
The qualifier Chung, age 20, posted a 27-18 record in 2016 with a majority of his wins coming at the challenger tour level. Coric went 23-25, and at age 20 still has much room for improvement. Both of these players are talented young guns likely to feature in ATP main draws for years to come. Coric wasn’t fit at the end of last year, and thus Chung is probably a slight favorite, presuming Coric is rusty.
(WC)Ramkumar Ramanathan vs. (Q)Yuki Bhambri
Both of these young Indian players are ranked outside of the top 200, but have proven they have the talent to be much better than their current rankings. Bhambri should be the favorite after ripping through qualifying and going 17-13 in 2016. Ramanathan for his part went 40-33 overall in 2016 and should continue to improve in 2017. Bhambri is the more talented player, he’s just had bad luck with injuries in recent years.
Top Half:
Marin Cilic went 50-25 in 2016, an improvement on his 2015 season, as he returned to the top 10, and can now make a push for the top 5. The Croatian #1 will open with Gastao Elias or qualifier Jozef Kovalik, Kovalik is lower ranked but still probably the favorite in his round 1 match on hard courts. Cilic’s path to the semis is relatively clear, as the seed, Rendy Lu, lacks the firepower to beat him in the quarters. Lu opens with Radu Albot after going just 7-9 at the ATP level in 2016. Watch out for 20 year old Russian Daniil Medvedev in this section. Medvedev opens with young Brazilian Thiago Monteiro, who much prefers clay. The Russian reached the top 100 in 2016 after posing a 69-27 record, and looks set for more accomplishments in 2017. Cilic over Medvedev is my pick for the quarters as Lu doesn’t impress me.
Chung/Coric will face Damir Dzumhur or journeyman veteran Dudi Sela in round 2. On hard courts Sela is probably a slight favorite, despite his poor ATP record last season. Chung should reach the quarters to face off with veteran serve and volleyer Steve Darcis. Darcis opens with challenger level qualifier Nikola Mektic, with Ramos to follow. The Belgian went 42-12 in 2016, though only three of those wins came at the tour level. Ramos went 34-31, on hard courts I have Darcis losing to Chung in the quarters though.
Bottom Half:
Roberto Bautista Agut will face Rogerio Dutra Silva or Dusan Lajovic and is a heavy favorite to reach the semis from his section. RBA went 46-23 in 2016, an improvement on his 2015 record, and should have no problems against Lajovic, or veteran Mikhail Youzhny in the quarters. Youzhny split his time between ATP and Challenger tennis in 2016 going 40-23 overall at age 34. 29 year old Indian Saketh Myneni made his ATP debut in 2016, after going 29-18 at the challenger level. Myneni is a great story, but should fall to Youzhny in round 1. Wild card Casper Ruud is just 18 years of age, and has great odds at being Norway’s best ever ATP player. Ruud went 54-17 in 2016, making his ATP main draw debut in the process. He’ll be the favorite against dirtballer Renzo Olivo, even though he prefers clay as well, and then he should fall to Youzhny in round 2. RBA over Youzhny is my pick in the quarters.
Martin Klizan, 19-17 in 2016, is seeking consistency in 2017, as is Benoit Paire, who went 26-33 in 2016. Presuming Klzian beats Guillermo Garcia-Lopez/Aljaz Bedene, and Paire defeats Konstantin Kravchuk and the Bhambri/Ramanathan winner, they will meet in the quarterfinals. On hard courts Bedene is the slight favorite over the veteran GGL, while Paire should beat Kravchuk, who had a great year on the challenger tour going 45-22 in 2016. Paire over Klizan is my pick for the semifinals, in a section featuring streaky players.
Dark Horse: Hyeon Chung
The qualifier Chung is perhaps the favorite to reach the semifinals from a weak section, and if he does that much he’ll have a punchers chance against the elite Cilic, where he will likely come up short.
Predictions
Semis Cilic d. Chung
Bautista Agut d. Paire
Cilic and RBA are clear favorites to reach their first ATP finals this season.
Final Cilic d. Bautista Agut
Cilic is the best player in the Chennai field, and on hard courts he should take home the title.
2016 Busan, Aix en Provence, Karshi and Rome Challenger Previews & Predictions Chris De Waard, Tennis Atlantic
Busan Open Challenger Tour Tennis
ATP Challenger Tour
Busan, Korea
2-8 May 2016
Hardcourt, Rebound Ace
Prize Money: $100,000
Seeds (ATP ranking in parentheses)
1: Ricardas Berankis (55)
2: John Millman (66)
3: Sam Groth (80)
4: Hyeon Chung (84)
5: Tatsuma Ito (104)
6: Lukas Lacko (113)
7: Yuichi Sugita (114)
8: Michael Berrer (115)
The last direct acceptance is Ti Chen, ranked 213th.
First round match-up to watch
(4) Hyeon Chung – Konstantin Kravchuk
19-year-old Chung peaked at a ranking of #51 in October, but still struggles with the transition to main tour tennis, having dropped to his current ranking of #82 and now trying to increase his ranking again by playing a Challenger. Hopefully this won’t be a recurring theme, because in the long run he will be better off facing stronger opposition in main tour events. Chung has already shown he is above Challenger level and will likely pick up another title here.
Top Half
Top seed Ricardas Berankis has successfully played a lot of tennis in the past couple of weeks and one has to imagine he is starting to feel tired. He might reach the semi-final solely based on how far above the rest of his opposition he will be skill wise, but it won’t be enough to beat Chung. Like Chung, let’s hope Berankis can settle down on the main tour for good now that he has increased his ranking close to the top 50 with a lot of Challenger tennis.
Bottom Half
Third seed Sam Groth has not returned well from foot surgery and is currently in very bad form. He is projected to meet Daniel Evans in the second round, who won a title last week, which will probably be the end of the road for Groth. Second seed John Millman is the favorite to come out of this half, but he has a very tricky draw, which might see him get upset prematurely. Millman faces Austin Krajicek in the first round, after which his projected path consists of respectively Sergiy Stakhovsky, Michael Berrer and Daniel Evans.
Predictions
Semi-finals:
Chung d. Berankis
Millman d. Evans
Final:
Chung d. Millman
Open du Pays d’Aix-Trophee Caisse d’Epargne
ATP Challenger Tour
Aix en Provence, France
2-8 May 2016
Red Clay
Prize Money: €85,000
Seeds (ATP ranking in parentheses)
1: Lukas Rosol (65)
2: Diego Schwartzman (87)
3: Rogerio Dutra Silva (101)
4: Stephane Robert (116)
5: Mischa Zverev (129)
6: Elias Ymer (132)
7: Daniel Brands (135)
8: Maximo Gonzalez (136)
The last direct acceptance is Tristan Lamasine, ranked 203rd. Former world #25 Julien Benneteau received a wildcard.
First round match-up to watch
Edouard Roger-Vasselin – Kimmer Coppejans
22-year-old Coppejans looked to be on the verge of breaking through many times, but can’t seem to make the step to main tour level. He cracked the top 100 almost a year ago, but has only regressed since, now being ranked 165th. He faces a tricky veteran in former world #35 Roger-Vasselin, who despite dropping to his current ranking of #190 is still a tough draw. However, if his ranking doesn’t improve soon he might retire from singles altogether and focus on his doubles career, where he is ranked 17th.
Top Half
Top seed Lukas Rosol might be by far the best ranked player in this half, you can’t call him by far the most likely to advance to the final. He hasn’t been in good form lately and there will be many tricky players on his path. Sixth seed Elias Ymer is his projected quarterfinal opponent and the 20-year-old is in good form, having won the Barletta Challenger two weeks ago. The same goes for Mischa Zverev, who comes off a tournament win at the Sarasota Challenger. Although it has to be said the green clay in the United States and the red clay here are a world of difference.
Bottom Half
Diego Schwartzman is the second seed, but I think it’s unlikely he will play here, having just won his first ATP title at Istanbul yesterday. Perhaps veteran fourth seed Stephane Robert can profit, being placed in a quarter with seventh seed Daniel Brands, who prefers faster courts. I would say Brands even is an underdog to get past his first round match against Renzo Olivo, who is likely to battle it out with Robert for a place in the semi-final. The winner of that match will be the favorite to reach the final as well.
Predictions
Semi-finals:
Rosol d. Dutra Silva
Olivo d. Monteiro
Final:
Rosol d. Olivo
Karshi Challenger
ATP Challenger Tour
Karshi, Uzbekistan
2-7 May 2016
Hardcourt, Plexipave
Prize Money: $50,000
Seeds (ATP ranking in parentheses)
1: Dudi Sela (78)
2: Karen Khachanov (128)
3: Radu Albot (151)
4: Aleksandr Nedovyesov (197)
5: Amir Weintraub (198)
6: Denys Molchanov (224)
7: Dmitry Popko (230)
8: Aslan Karatsev (231)
The last direct acceptance is Ilya Ivashka, ranked 365th.
First round match-up to watch
(2) Karen Khachanov – Aleksandre Metreveli
Khachanov is really breaking through this year, currently ranked at a career high #128 after a great showing at the ATP 500 event of Barcelona. There he beat Aljaz Bedene, before adding an impressive top 20 victory over Roberto Bautista Agut to his résumé in the second round. Even though that was a clay event, he is equally as good on hardcourt and should be the clear favorite to reach the final here. There an interesting encounter with top seed Dudi Sela is projected, who won the Shenzhen Challenger last month and reached two other Challenger semi-finals.
Draw
I already gave away my expected final and it’s difficult to see another outcome, with Sela and Khachanov clearly being ahead of the rest of the field. This can also be seen in the rankings, with third seed Radu Albot ranked outside of the top 150, while fourth seed Aleksandr Nedovyesov is only barely ranked inside of the top 200.
Predictions
Semi-finals:
Sela d. Albot
Khachanov d. Nedovyesov
Final:
Khachanov d. Sela
Roma Garden Open
ATP Challenger Tour
Rome, Italy
2-7 May 2016
Red Clay
Prize Money: €42,500
Seeds (ATP ranking in parentheses)
1: Jiri Vesely (63)
2: Kyle Edmund (89)
3: Horacio Zeballos (91)
4: Adam Pavlasek (109)
5: Filip Krajinovic (110)
6: Jordan Thompson (118)
7: Kenny De Schepper (148)
8: Vincent Millot (149)
The last direct acceptance is Axel Michon, ranked 217th.
First round match-up to watch
(1) Jiri Vesely – Marsel Ilhan
Novak Djokovic will be relieved, one less thing to worry about in Madrid this week, as the man who took him out in Monte Carlo is playing a Challenger this week. Vesely is prioritizing this event over playing qualifying in Madrid, a decision certainly made before that legendary victory over the world number one. Vesely has been handed a good draw, with the players who could potentially threaten him being placed in the bottom half, so he is a big favorite to reach the final.
Top Half
As said, Vesely has a comfortable draw, being placed in a quarter with mostly players who don’t even have clay as their favorite surface. In the semi-final he is likely to faced third seed Horacio Zeballos or Adrian Ungur. Ungur faces fifth seed Filip Krajinovic in the first round, a rematch of their first round match in Istanbul last week, which Ungur comfortably won 6-3 6-3. Ungur then went on to massively threaten second seed and eventual runner-up Grigor Dimitrov in the second round, with the match ending 7-5 4-6 7-5.
Bottom Half
Second seed Kyle Edmund should be able to comfortably get through to at least the semi-final, where he is projected to face the in-form fourth seed Adam Pavlasek or sixth seed Jordan Thompson, who won the Anning Challenger last week. Pavlasek has already reached three Challenger finals this year, although he lost them all, one of which to Thompson in Cherbourg. Nevertheless, Edmund should be a decent favorite against either one of them.
