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American sets third-round matchup with Dimitrov
Frances Tiafoe played Canadian spoiler to reach the third round of the Rogers Cup for the first time on Wednesday. The #NextGenATP American overcame two rain delays and the home crowd’s charge, Milos Raonic, 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-1 to book a showdown with No. 5 seed Grigor Dimitrov.

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The 20-year-old won his maiden ATP World Tour title at the Delray Beach Open in February and improved his record to 24-14 at tour-level this season with victory over Raonic. The Maryland native has now reached the Round of 16 at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 level on three occasions, most recently at the Miami Open presented by Itau in March. He will be gunning for a place in his first Masters 1000 quarter-final.


Raonic, who was coming off a win over No. 10 seed David Goffin in the first round, falls to 21-9 this season after the three-set defeat. The MercedesCup finalist, No. 27 in the ATP Rankings, has reached at least one-tour level final in each of the past eight ATP World Tour seasons, including his first Masters 1000 final at the Rogers Cup final in 2013.

“I think he was mixing up his serve better, especially there towards the end,” the former World No. 3 said. “And he was also putting in more returns. But I started putting more returns in there towards the end even before the rain delay in the second set. But I definitely didn't do the thing I need to, and that's take care of my serve in the third.”


Did You Know?
Frances Tiafoe forgot to sign up for the Delray Beach Open where he won his first tour-level title. The 20-year-old received a wild card and became the youngest American tour-level titlist since Andy Roddick's 2002 triumph in Houston at the age of 19.

One year ago, #NextGenATP American Frances Tiafoe suffered heartbreak in the opening round of the US Open. He was just a set from eliminating five-time champion Roger Federer in the first round for the first time in the Swiss’ 17th appearance at Flushing Meadows. But Tiafoe fell just short of thrilling his home crowd, losing in five sets.

There was no such disappointment for Tiafoe on Tuesday, as the Delray Beach Open champion won a match at his home Grand Slam for the first time with an upset of 29th seed Adrian Mannarino 6-1, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. After hitting a final passing shot right on the line, the 20-year-old turned to his team and flexed his muscles in celebration.

Tiafoe will next face another #NextGenATP star in Aussie Alex de Minaur. The 19-year-old was ruthless in his 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 dismissal of reigning Istanbul champion Taro Daniel. De Minaur was in total control as he clocked 31 winners to his Japanese opponent's 11 and just 15 unforced errors to 37.

De Minaur and Tiafoe are fourth and fifth in the ATP Race To Milan, respectively, as both players battle to appear at the Next Gen ATP Finals for the first time. This will be their first FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting.



It has been a breakthrough season for Tiafoe, who had never reached an ATP World Tour quarter-final prior to the New York Open in February. He then claimed his maiden title in Delray Beach and reached his second final in Estoril. Tiafoe now owns 25 tour-level wins in 2018 alone after tallying a total of nine before the campaign.

Another #NextGenATP competitor, Spaniard Jaume Munar, earned his second five-set victory of the year with a 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-1 triumph against Belgian Ruben Bemelmans. Munar had just one tour-level win before starting the 2018 campaign and he was No. 208 in the ATP Rankings this week in 2017, but he is now at a career-best No. 85 and on the rise.

Munar will next try for his first win against a Top 20 opponent as he faces 13th seed Diego Schwartzman, who beat compatriot Federico Delbonis 6-2, 7-6(6), 6-2.

The #NextGenATP contingent continued to roll as Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz earned his first US Open victory, advancing with a 6-2, 2-6, 7-6(6), 3-0 lead when Italian Stefano Travaglia retired due to cramps. Hurkacz is currently ninth in the Race.

Frances Tiafoe sat bare-chested in his changeover chair early Sunday evening with his face buried deep in a white towel. He had just fallen to Borna Coric in a five sets in the fifth-and-deciding match of the Davis Cup semifinals.

A few feet away, the jubilant Croatian team formed a semi-circle, dancing and singing. The spectators who remained in the outdoor stadium in Zadar, Croatia, lent their voices. It's the moment Tiafoe wanted -- the ecstasy that accompanies clinching a Davis Cup tie, especially one on foreign soil.

But it's likely he will never get to experience what Coric & Co. did. Next year, Davis Cup will become a season-ending, one-week "World Cup of Tennis" featuring 18 teams battling it out in a best-of-three-matches format at a neutral site for most. (In 2019, it will be played in Lille, France, or in Madrid).
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Chair umpire Carlos Ramos has issued a code violation to Croatia after Marin Cilic slammed his racket to the clay and mangled the frame during a tense Davis Cup match against Sam Querrey of the United States.

The new format has not been received well by many. Lleyton Hewitt called it a "money grab." Andy Murray asked that his peers get behind the format while conceding it is "not the correct solution." Roger Federer warned that the event should not be allowed to become the "Pique Cup," a reference to Gerard Pique, the former Barcelona and Spain football star who is the president of Kosmos, the investment group that sold the ITF on the new format. Kosmos pledged to invest more than $3 billion over 25 years in the World Cup of Tennis.

The promise of crazy money, while seductive, is not always bankable. But that's only one of the issues.

Top players haven't made Davis Cup an absolute priority. With a few exceptions, they drop in and out of the competition. It's silly to think the stars will treat the new format any differently. The event will be the last major competition of the year, played after the ATP World Tour Championships. If they're not already tired (or injured) by the time the year-end event rolls around, they certainly will be when the World Cup of Tennis pops up on the calendar.

The real downfall is for players such as Tiafoe, who won't have an opportunity to avenge this kind of loss in that kind of atmosphere. He will go into the history books as the last U.S. player to contest a true Davis Cup match. He nearly pulled off a magnificent upset -- despite being ranked 22 notches below No. 18 Coric -- that would have given the Americans their first appearance in a final in 11 years.

This past weekend's competition had everything Davis Cup has become renowned for in its 118-year history: a robust, festive atmosphere, fantastic crowd participation, gritty effort and intense pressure. Never mind the plot twists (U.S. captain Jim Courier's surprise decision to play Sam Querrey in the fourth rubber that extended the tie) and the aforementioned agony and ecstasy.

"Obviously I'm not going to be happy," Tiafoe told the USTA media staff afterward. "It's not just about me. It's not like I just lost a 3-out-of-5 in a Grand Slam. There's so many people involved -- security, a massage guy. It's such a big team. Everyone's so invested. I was doing it for something more than myself."

After November's finale, the Davis Cup we know will be no more. Long live Davis Cup.

The top five in the 2018 ATP Race To Milan all have more than 1,000 points
If Frances Tiafoe had accumulated 1,020 points in the ATP Race To Milan by this time last year, the #NextGenATP American would have already all but assured himself a spot in the 2017 Next Gen ATP Finals. Tiafoe would have been only 64 points away from second place in the Race.
But this year, even with more than 1,000 rankings points in mid-September, the 20-year-old Tiafoe is still fighting to ensure that he'll make his debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals, to be held 6-10 November at the Fiera Milano.
ATP Race To Milan
The top seven players in the Race will qualify automatically, while the eighth spot will be reserved for the winner of an all-Italian qualifier tournament to be held just prior to the prestigious 21-and-under tournament.
Tiafoe is in fifth place in the Race, 325 points ahead of seventh-placed Andrey Rublev, last year's finalist. But Tiafoe's position shows how well the 2018 #NextGenATP group has done this season, even after the 2017 class set a high bar.
The current top five players in the Race all have more than 1,000 points. By this time last year, however, only two players – first-placed Alexander Zverev of Germany and second-placed Rublev – had earned more than 1,000 points.
“That's unheard of for right now. A lot of guys in the Top 50, Top 40, 30. There's a good level between all of us,” said Tiafoe, who's at No. 40 in the ATP Rankings, two spots off his career-high. “It's just shocking how well we're doing at such a young age. But no reason to get satisfied. There's plenty more to chase, plenty more things to get.”
Comparing ATP Race To Milan Leaderboards
Place
Player
Points on
11/9/17
Player
Points on 10/9/18
Difference between 2018 and 2017
1
Alexander Zverev
4220
Alexander Zverev
4365
145
2
Andrey Rublev
1084
Stefanos Tsitsipas
1827
743
3
Karen Khachanov
990
Denis Shapovalov
1225
235
4
Denis Shapovalov
926
Alex de Minaur
1115
189
5
Borna Coric
876
Frances Tiafoe
1020
144
6
Jared Donaldson
800
Taylor Fritz
748
-52
7
Daniil Medvedev
717
Andrey Rublev
695
-22
For Tiafoe, that means aiming for a strong finish to guarantee himself a position at the 21-and-under event. Players must have been born in 1997 or later to be eligible. Last year, Tiafoe narrowly missed out, finishing 110 points behind final qualifier Daniil Medvedev of Russia.
“I'm liking my spot right now. It would be fun to end the year out there,” Tiafoe said.
This year's #NextGenATP players have implicitly motivated each other throughout the season. One person will do well – such as when Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas beat four Top 10 players en route to the Rogers Cup final in Toronto, or when 19-year-old Denis Shapovalov of Canada become the youngest semifinalist in Mutua Madrid Open history – causing another #NextGenATP player to sit up on his sofa.
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“You see a young guy do well, you're like, 'Screw that. If they can do it, why not?' It's kind of been [doing] the domino effect that way,” Tiafoe said.
He has done some of the motivating as well. Tiafoe won his maiden ATP World Tour title in February at the Delray Beach Open, becoming the youngest American champion on tour since 19-year-old Andy Roddick at 2002 Houston. The 20-year-old Tiafoe also reached the fourth round at two ATP Masters 1000 events – Miami and Toronto – and made his first Grand Slam third round at Wimbledon.
“I feel on any given day I'm ready to beat anyone. I'm not really nervous walking on the court. I feel right at home,” Tiafoe said.
The ATP Race To Milan standings on 29 October 2018, the Monday after the Swiss Indoors Basel and the Erste Bank Open 500 in Vienna, will determine the seven qualifiers. While ATP Rankings points for the 2018 season decide who qualifies for the event, rankings points will not be awarded at the Next Gen ATP Finals.

Eight of the world's best 21-and-under players will compete in Milan
A trio of #NextGenATP leaders qualified for the Next Gen ATP Finals on Wednesday. Canada's Denis Shapovalov, Aussie Alex de Minaur and Frances Tiafoe of the U.S. joined Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas and German Alexander Zverev as players to have qualified for the prestigious 21-and-under event, to be held 6-10 November in Milan. (Zverev will not be playing in Milan because of his Nitto ATP Finals qualification.)

The 19-year-old Shapovalov qualified for the second consecutive year. He fell just short of reaching the semi-finals at the Fiera Milano last year after a breakout season that saw him become the youngest ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-finalist in history (since 1990).

The left-hander has backed up his 2017. He made another Masters 1000 semi-final in Madrid, becoming the youngest semi-finalist in tournament history. Shapovalov also reached the semi-finals at the Delray Beach Open and the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships 2018 in Tokyo.

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De Minaur's 2018 rise, however, might be the most drastic of anyone on the ATP World Tour. In December, the #NextGenATP Aussie was No. 210 in the ATP Rankings. This week, the 19-year-old reached a career-high No. 31 and could be even higher when he heads to Milan, as he's defending only 30 points the remainder of the regular season.

De Minaur, then 18, started the year by making the semi-finals at the Brisbane International (l. to Harrison) and the final at the Sydney International (l. to Medvedev). He was the youngest player to reach semi-finals in consecutive weeks since Rafael Nadal at the 2005 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters and Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.

In August, the 19-year-old De Minaur became the youngest Citi Open finalist since Andy Murray in 2006. De Minaur fell to Zverev in the Washington final, which was the youngest ATP World Tour title match since Rafael Nadal, 20, and Novak Djokovic, 19, at the 2007 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

Watch: Hewitt & De Minaur: A Perfect Combination


Tiafoe reached two ATP World Tour finals and jumped more than 60 spots in the ATP Rankings this year, from No. 108 in January to No. 45 this week.

In February, the 20-year-old won his maiden ATP World Tour title in Delray Beach, beating Juan Martin del Potro, 2017 Next Gen ATP Finals titlist Hyeon Chung, Shapovalov and German Peter Gojowczyk.

Tiafoe became the first wild-card recipient to win the title in the tournament's 26-year history, and he became the youngest American champion on tour since Andy Roddick, 19, at 2002 Houston.

In May, on the Estoril clay, Tiafoe reached his second ATP World Tour final, falling to home favourite Joao Sousa.

Eight of the world's best 21-and-under players will compete at the Next Gen ATP Finals. The top seven spots will be determined by the ATP Race To Milan, which ends 29 October, while the eighth spot will be reserved for the winner of an all-Italian qualifier tournament to be held just prior to the Next Gen ATP Finals.

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American set to make his debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals
Frances Tiafoe's game has energised tennis fans around the world who are excited about the Next Generation. Now Milan tennis fans will see first-hand what all the excitement is about.

The 20-year-old American has qualified for the 2018 Next Gen ATP Finals, joining German Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, Canada's Denis Shapovalov and Aussie Alex de Minaur as players to have qualified for the prestigious 21-and-under event, to be held 6-10 November at the Fiera Milano. (Zverev will not play in Milan because of his Nitto ATP Finals qualification.)

Here are five things to know about the 20-year-old leading the United States' #NextGenATP group:

1. He Made History In Delray Beach
Tiafoe almost didn't even play in what became the best tournament of his life. He forgot to sign up by the Delray Beach Open entry deadline, but tournament organisers gave him a wild card entry, and organisers and Tiafoe were glad they did.

Tiafoe won his first ATP World Tour title there in February, beating Juan Martin del Potro, 2017 Next Gen ATP Finals titlist Hyeon Chung, Shapovalov and German Peter Gojowczyk. The American became the first wild-card recipient to win the title in the tournament's 26-year history, and he became the youngest American champion on tour since Andy Roddick, 19, at 2002 Houston.

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2. He Conquered His Idol In Delray Beach
Hundreds of young ATP World Tour professionals grew up idolising Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic. Not Tiafoe – he spent his childhood praising Del Potro. Last year, while talking with ATPWorldTour.com, Tiafoe remembered watching Del Potro at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C., where Tiafoe grew up.

“He was my first pro to sign a ball for me. That meant a lot, and he's always going to be one of my biggest idols,” Tiafoe told ATPWorldTour.com.

Watch TIafoe Explain His Background, Why He Loves Delpo


3. He Nearly Beat Agassi's Mark In Estoril
In May, Tiafoe reached his second ATP World Tour final – and first on clay – at the Millenium Estoril Open, falling to home champion Joao Sousa. The 20-year-old Tiafoe became the youngest American to reach an ATP World Tour final on European clay in nearly 30 years. Former World No. 1 Andre Agassi was only two months younger when he made the 1990 Roland Garros final.

4. His Parents Immigrated To The U.S.
Both of Tiafoe's parents, father Frances Sr., and mother Alphina, moved from Sierra Leone to the U.S. in 1996. When Frances was a kid, his father worked at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Maryland, and Frances, along with his twin brother, Franklin, would sometimes spend entire days and nights at the club.

Watch: Tiafoe Returns To His Roots


5. Hometown Pride
Tiafoe grew up in Hyattsville, Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C., and he loves all things related to the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia), especially the area's pro sports teams: the Washington Redskins (NFL), Washington Wizards (NBA) and the Washington Capitals (NHL).