Daily News 19

Tag: ATP Tour

  • Jack Draper Ends Season Early, Will Not Compete Again This Year

    Jack Draper Ends Season Early, Will Not Compete Again This Year

    Jack Draper will not be eligible for a protected ranking upon his anticipated return to the tour in January. ATP rules stipulate that only players sidelined for a minimum of six months retain the ranking they held at the time of their departure. Currently positioned at No. 155 in the world, the British star would need to rely on wildcards or navigate qualifying draws to gain entry into Grand Slam main draws and ATP Tour events.

    Ranking Concerns Secondary to Health

    However, ranking logistics appear to be a minor consideration for Draper, provided he can return to competition pain-free. The 23-year-old reached a career-high ranking of World No. 4 in June of last year, a surge fueled by his maiden Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells and a runner-up finish in Madrid.

    “Last summer, all the dedication and work I had put into this sport was coming together,” Draper added. “It was all going my way and the path seemed so clear. However a complicated injury made things incredibly challenging, and since that moment I’ve been desperately trying to get back and feel as I once did on the court.”

    Mental Reset and Gradual Return

    The extended absence has taken a significant toll, both physically and mentally. Draper acknowledged the difficulty of the period but noted the personal growth it forced.

    “Managing so much change, adversity and pain has helped me to grow massively in many areas of my life but has also made me feel a level of fatigue.”

    In an effort to facilitate recovery, Draper recently stepped away from the sport entirely, taking a holiday with friends to secure a mental break. His team is now preparing for a phased return to training over the coming weeks, with a primary focus on identifying the root causes of the persistent injury that has stalled his momentum.

  • US Open 2026 Results: Alexander Zverev Turns Tears into Triumph in New York

    US Open 2026 Results: Alexander Zverev Turns Tears into Triumph in New York

    Zverev Caps Career-Best Season with US Open Triumph

    World No. 2 Alexander Zverev has completed his most successful campaign on the ATP Tour, adding a US Open title to a resume that already included a run to the Australian Open semi-finals, a Wimbledon final appearance, and a deep run at the French Open. While the German has benefited from injury absences that sidelined rivals Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz—who dominated the major landscape over the previous two seasons—analysts point to a distinctly strengthened mentality and elite physical conditioning as the primary drivers of his breakthrough.

    Peers Hail Zverev as Sport’s Premier Athlete

    Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, placed Zverev at the very pinnacle of the sport’s physical hierarchy.

    “There is no-one as fit as Zverev, he is right up there,” former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

    “You can argue about Alcaraz and Sinner, and Novak [Djokovic] and Rafa [Nadal] when they were in their prime physically, but Zverev is right up there as one of the best athletes to play the sport.”

    Early Survival Sparks Championship Run

    The path to the title was far from straightforward. Zverev was pushed to five sets in each of his opening two matches, with both contests concluding in the early hours of the New York morning. He stood just two points from a first-round exit before rallying to survive. That escape proved the catalyst for a dominant second week; from the third round onward, he did not drop a single set until the championship match.

    Composure Under Fire in the Final

    Facing a fiercely partisan crowd supporting American Ben Shelton in the final, Zverev refused to buckle. He deliberately kept his emotions in check throughout the contest. Even after dropping the third set, he never relinquished his tactical grip on the match, closing out the victory in four sets.

    Croft Describes ‘Zen-Like’ Trance State

    Former British No. 1 Annabel Croft was struck by the unusual psychological state Zverev maintained during the decisive moments.

    “I’m so admiring of his strength of character and the zen-like state he’s been in since the very beginning of the match,” said former British number one Annabel Croft. “The most extraordinary thing – and I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed it – was that he didn’t realise he had won.”

    “It was so bizarre, but it was like he was in a trance-like state while he was playing.”

  • Arthur Fery Beaten by Ignacio Buse in Winston-Salem Open Final

    Arthur Fery Beaten by Ignacio Buse in Winston-Salem Open Final

    Arthur Fery’s breakthrough run ended in disappointment as he lost to Ignacio Buse in the final of the Winston-Salem Open, missing out on his first ATP Tour title in straight sets.

    Fery, who became one of the stories of Wimbledon after reaching the semi-finals at his home Grand Slam in July, was beaten 6-3 6-2 by Peru’s Buse.

    The 24-year-old became the first British player to reach the final of the ATP 250 tournament in North Carolina. His performance will lift him to 33rd in the world rankings, making him British number one ahead of Cameron Norrie. Just eight weeks ago, before his remarkable run at the All England Club, Fery was ranked outside the world’s top 100.

    “Congratulations to you and your team, Ignacio, for your second title this year,” Fery said. “I want to thank my team as well. It couldn’t be us today but thank you for everything you do for me. We have had a great year and hopefully we can finish strong.”

    Buse takes control in Winston-Salem final

    There was little to separate Fery and Buse during the opening stages of Saturday’s final. Buse then seized the initiative by breaking serve to love to move 5-3 ahead, before serving out the first set.

    The Peruvian quickly established a double-break advantage in the second set. Fery recovered one of those breaks, but Buse responded by winning three consecutive games to complete the victory.

    For the 22-year-old Buse, the win makes him the youngest champion in Winston-Salem tournament history. It is also the second ATP title of his career, following his victory over American Tommy Paul at the ATP 500 event in Hamburg in May.

    “It is very special for me,” Buse said. “With all my team, we have been working very, very hard. “Some things are very tough that we go through as tennis players, but I also want to congratulate Arthur and his team.”

    Fery faces Musetti in US Open debut

    Fery will have little time to reflect on his run in Winston-Salem before travelling to New York for the US Open, which begins on Sunday.

    He will make his first appearance in the main draw at Flushing Meadows against a difficult opponent in Italian 13th seed Lorenzo Musetti.

    Fery is one of nine British players scheduled to compete in the main draws at the US Open, the final Grand Slam tournament of the season.

    Norrie and Jan Choinski will join him in the men’s draw, along with qualifiers Toby Samuel and Harry Wendelken and lucky loser Jacob Fearnley.

    Katie Boulter, qualifier Fran Jones and Harriet Dart will represent Britain in the women’s draw. Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu are both absent because of injury.

    Source: www.bbc.co.uk