Podsumowanie sezonu 2018

[DUN I LOVE]

Zestawienie tych rywalizacji dowodzi dwóch rzeczy:
* nowi gracze coraz aktywniej biorą udział w podziale tortu ATP;
* najwięksi gracze ostatnich lat okrają kalendarz startów i do ich gier wzajemnych dochodzi coraz rzadziej;

[Del Fed]

Rivalries of 2018: Cilic vs. Djokovic

Jakby kto szukał defiicji projekcyjnej oksymoronu, to lepszej nie znajdzie. Oprócz Berdycha.

[Barty]

Śledziłeś sezon 2018 w męskim tenisie? Sprawdź się w naszym quizie!

Spoiler:

Zapraszamy do zabawy i wzięcia udziału w quizie, w którym można zweryfikować swoją wiedzę na temat tenisa i rozgrywek ATP w 2018 roku. Sprawdź, czy znasz odpowiedzi na wszystkie pytania!

PYTANIE 1/15
Kto zakończył sezon na pierwszym miejscu w rankingu?

Novak Djoković
Roger Federer
Rafael Nadal

...

https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/tenis/79229 ... zym-quizie

[arti]

Rivalries Of 2018: Thiem vs. Tsitsipas

Spoiler:

In 2018, no rivalry was more prevalent than Dominic Thiem vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas. A battle of two of the more potent one-handed backhands in today's game, the attack-minded stars clashed a total of five times, leading all FedEx ATP Head2Head match-ups.

Regardless of where they met - on clay or hard, in Europe or North America, the early rounds or latter stages - Thiem and Tsitsipas raised their levels for this budding rivalry. Starting with a season-opening encounter in Doha and concluding with a critical meeting in Toronto in August, they would clash at all three ATP World Tour levels (250, 500 and Masters 1000), as well as the second Grand Slam of the year at Roland Garros.

Coming into the season, the World No. 8 Austrian had never lost to a teenager at the tour-level, while a 19-year-old Tsitsipas had registered just one win over a Top 10 opponent.

It was a breakthrough campaign for Tsitsipas, as the 20-year-old Greek made great strides en route to Most Improved Player of the Year honours in the ATP Awards presented by Moët & Chandon. And it all started at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open. There, he streaked to his second straight ATP World Tour quarter-final as a qualifier, carrying the momentum from a deep run in Antwerp just a few months prior.

Doha

Sitting at No. 91 in the ATP Rankings, Tsitsipas made an immediate statement in Doha, but he would encounter a reality check against a fifth-ranked Thiem. The top seed surged to a 7-5, 6-4 victory, turning in an efficient serving performance behind six of seven break points saved. But despite the loss, Tsitsipas made a strong impression on his counterpart.

“He's already so good at a young age. I think he's going to be for sure a top player in the near future,” Thiem said. “He's playing very well, aggressive with a good service, nice one-handed backhand.”

After taking their first encounter, Thiem would also emerge victorious at the BNP Paribas Open in March. The fireworks flew in an opening-round meeting at the first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event of the year. On a packed Court 1 in Indian Wells, the Austrian battled to a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 win in one hour and 51 minutes.

As he did in Doha, Tsitsipas put up a valiant fight under the searing Southern California sun. His charge towards the year-end Top 20 was well underway and his growth and maturation would benefit from every elite encounter. In search of his first Top 10 win of the season, he would meet Thiem once again just six weeks later at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.



The budding rivalry shifted to clay and the surface change would prove critical for Tsitsipas. The Greek found a second home in the Spanish metropolis, not dropping a set en route to his first ATP World Tour final. After blitzing Corentin Moutet, Diego Schwartzman and Albert Ramos-Vinolas, he would topple Thiem in the quarter-finals.

The rout was on, as Tsitsipas breezed to a 6-3, 6-2 win in just 80 minutes. Thiem, who consistently played deep behind the baseline, was unable to secure a third straight win against his new rival. He suffered his first defeat to a teenager at the tour-level.

One day later, Tsitsipas would become the first Greek to reach an ATP World Tour final since Nicholas Kalogeropoulos in 1973, before falling to Rafael Nadal in the championship. His run in Barcelona would see him break into the Top 50 of the ATP Rankings for the first time.

If it seemed like Thiem and Tsitsipas were meeting nearly every month, that's because they were. As the calendar flipped to May, the 25-year-old was finding his top form on the dirt. A runner-up finish at the Mutua Madrid Open (l. to Zverev) was followed by a 10th tour-level title in Lyon, and he would surge into Roland Garros with a bevy of momentum at his back.

The second Grand Slam of the year would become a revenge tour for Thiem, as he defeated Tsitsipas in the second round and Madrid champ Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals. After suffering such a decisive defeat to the Greek teen in Barcelona, he would not endure the same fate in Paris. Thiem prevailed 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, en route to his maiden major final.



At first glance, it may appear to be a straightforward four-set affair, but the two-day encounter carried plenty of drama. Thiem would use his experience to stop the surge after Tsitsipas took the second set. And the Austrian would be forced to take a two-sets-to-one lead to sleep as the match was suspended due to darkness. The next day, Thiem dropped just one service point to close it out. His victory over Tsitsipas was followed by signature wins over Kei Nishikori, Zverev and a surging Marco Cecchinato before falling to Nadal in the title match.

The best tournament of Thiem's career had him on the rise as he entered the summer hard-court season. But his transition from the clay wasn't a swift one, especially with Tsitsipas standing on the other side of the net to open his Rogers Cup campaign.

This time, it was the Greek's turn to defeat his rival en route to a breakthrough week. He ousted Thiem 6-3, 7-6(6) in a Toronto tussle, needing one hour and 21 minutes to triumph. The win would continue Tsitsipas' stunning run to the final, his first at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 level. In addition, it was his first of four straight Top 10 victories, having followed that up with wins over Novak Djokovic, Zverev and Kevin Anderson. He became the youngest player to defeat four Top 10 players in a single tournament since the ATP World Tour was established in 1990.

Both players would go on to finish inside the Top 20 of the year-end ATP Rankings, with Thiem peaking at No. 8 after appearing in the Nitto ATP Finals and Tsitsipas at No. 15 following a title at the Next Gen ATP Finals. The #NextGenATP star also raised his maiden ATP World Tour trophy in Stockholm. After five pivotal clashes in 2018, expect the pair to take their new rivalry to the next level in 2019.

Thiem vs. Tsitsipas: 2018 Meetings

Event Surface Round Winner Score
Doha Hard QF Thiem 7-5, 6-4
Indian Wells Hard
2R Thiem 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
Barcelona Clay QF Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-2
Roland Garros Clay 2R Thiem 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
Toronto Hard 2R Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6(6)

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/be ... -tsitsipas

[Damian]

The Five Biggest ATP World Tour Upsets Of 2018

Spoiler:

ATP World Tour Season In Review: Biggest ATP Upsets
Continuing our Season In Review series, ATPWorldTour.com revisits the Top 5 ATP World Tour upsets of 2018. On Tuesday, return to learn about the Top 5 Grand Slam upsets.
(5) Marius Copil d. Marin Cilic & Alexander Zverev – Basel 2R & SF
For Marius Copil, it was a surreal experience under the bright lights of the St. Jakobshalle in Basel. Competing in his last tournament of the year, the Romanian put a giant bow on his campaign. Not only did Copil reach his biggest final, but he claimed the first Top 10 scalps of his career along the way.
Just three days after celebrating his 28th birthday, he entered the ATP World Tour 500 event as a qualifier, in search of a strong finish to the season. With one win in his past six matches, Copil was far from the favourite to come through his half of the draw, but his big game translated to the speedy indoor hard courts in the Swiss city.
All it takes is one tournament to change a player's fortunes and this was that week. Copil did not drop a set in breezing through qualifying and reaching the second round of the main draw, where he would stun World No. 6 Marin Cilic 7-5, 7-6(2).
The Romanian entered the week at the Swiss Indoors Basel with an 0-6 record against Top 10 opponents in his career. And he would not settle for just one. After dismissing Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals, he battled past World No. 5 Alexander Zverev to reach the championship. Considering that the German would go on to lift the trophy at the Nitto ATP Finals, the 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-4 victory was a massive moment for Copil.
Read Match Report
Copil stunned Zverev in two hours and 31 minutes, becoming the lowest-ranked finalist in Basel since Patrick McEnroe in 1994. He frustrated the German throughout the match with his aggressive tactics, frequently serve and volleying as well as mixing up his shot selection. The World No. 93 would be rewarded in the ATP Rankings, soaring to a career-high No. 60 and capping a breakthrough season that saw him reach his first ATP World Tour finals. Also the runner-up in Sofia in February, his magical run in Basel would come to an end at the hands of nine-time champion Roger Federer.
"I would love for it to be the beginning of my career at this level," Copil added. "After this amazing week, I've just gained a lot of confidence in myself and I saw that I can play a much higher level of tennis and I could keep it up."

(4) Lamine Ouahab d. Philipp Kohlschreiber 2-6, 6-0, 7-6(3) – Marrakech 1R
They say that home is where the heart is. This couldn't be closer to the truth for Lamine Ouahab. Spurred on by the Moroccan faithful, the 33-year-old sprung one of the biggest upsets of the year in his home ATP World Tour event of Marrakech in April.
Ouahab entered the week at the Grand Prix Hassan II at No. 617 in the ATP Rankings and he would leave with a stunning victory over 34th-ranked Philipp Kohlschreiber. It goes down as the fifth-biggest upset of the year (by ranking) at the tour-level, behind only Pablo Andujar's win over Gerald Melzer in Rio de Janeiro and a resurgent Andy Murray's trio of Top 100 triumphs at the Citi Open.
Read Match Report
This is certainly not the first time Ouahab has conjured moments of magic on home soil. In seven appearances at the ATP World Tour 250 event, he owns four wins against Top 100 players, including a standout victory over then-No. 24 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in 2015.
Biggest ATP World Tour Upsets Of 2018 (by ATP Ranking)
Winner Opponent Tournament
No. 1821 Pablo Andujar No. 110 Gerald Melzer Rio de Janeiro
No. 832 Andy Murray No. 18 Kyle Edmund
Washington
No. 832 Andy Murray No. 80 Mackenzie McDonald Washington
No. 832 Andy Murray No. 93 Marius Copil Washington
No. 617 Lamine Ouahab No. 34 Philipp Kohlschreiber Marrakech
No. 654 James Duckworth No. 105 Jason Kubler Washington
No. 426 Jurgen Melzer No. 22 Milos Raonic Vienna
In this year's first round, Ouahab provided the shock of the tournament in defeating Kohlschreiber, rallying from a set down in his first ATP World Tour match in two years. The German was coming off an appearance in the final in 2017 and he would fall after one hour and 34 minutes.
"I was quite tense at the beginning," admitted Ouahab. "This is my only chance to play an ATP World Tour-level event and it means a lot to me with a lot at stake."

(3) Borna Coric d. Roger Federer 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-2 – Halle final
On June 24, Roger Federer attempted to achieve something for the first time in his storied career: Win 10 titles at a single tournament. His dominance of the Gerry Weber Open is nothing short of awe-inspiring.
Entering this year's edition, Federer had prevailed in nine of 11 finals on the lawns of Halle. Only former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt (2010) and former No. 2 Tommy Haas (2012) had gotten the better of him in championship clashes. But that would all change as the 37-year-old entered the Gerry Weber Stadion, bidding for a 10th trophy at the ATP World Tour 500 event.
Enter Borna Coric. If 2018 was the Croatian's big breakthrough on the ATP World Tour, his victory over then-World No. 1 Federer in the Halle final was his breakout moment. Coric opened the tournament with just two wins in nine tour-level matches on grass, but he would streak to the title with the loss of just one set.
" just really surprised... I had not even dreamed of this," said Coric.
Read Match Report
Coric, who also beat second seed Alexander Zverev in the first round, snapped Federer's 20-match win streak on grass after two hours and six minutes. After splitting sets, the 22-year-old would take charge midway through the decider. He stepped up his aggression to secure a 4-2 lead before breaking once more, two games later, to clinch the biggest title of his career.
"It is the most unbelievable feeling, [to beat Federer]," Coric added. "I looked up to him when I was younger, watching his matches back at home with my mum, my dad and my sister. Just playing him here today was a very special moment and beating him just makes it even bigger for me."
Halle was just the start for Coric, as the Croatian would go on to reach his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final later in the season in Shanghai. His opponent in the semis? Federer once again. Coric carried the momentum from his victory in Halle to the Rolex Shanghai Masters, stunning the reigning champion 6-4, 6-4.
Coric would go on to finish his 2018 campaign at a career-high No. 12 in the ATP Rankings, appearing at the Nitto ATP Finals as an alternate.

(2) Thanasi Kokkinakis d. Roger Federer 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) – Miami 2R
Thanasi Kokkinakis' 2018 campaign was a microcosm of his career thus far. The highest of highs have thrust him into the spotlight as one of the ATP's brightest young talents, while chronic injuries have frequently derailed his aspirations.
As the season got underway, groin and pectoral strains were followed by a rolled ankle at an ATP Challenger Tour event in Mexico. Competing in just his fifth main draw in seven months, the 22-year-old Aussie was sitting at No. 175 in the ATP Rankings as he entered the Miami Open presented by Itau. And he would provide one of the biggest shocks of the season on one of the ATP World Tour's biggest stages.
After marching through qualifying and blasting Calvin Hemery 6-1, 6-2 in the first round, Kokkinakis stunned Roger Federer 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) in a marathon two hours and 21 minutes. He stormed back from a set down to defeat the World No. 1, using his crisp movement and flowing forehand to shock the Miami faithful on a packed Stadium court.
Lowest-Ranked Players To Upset A World No. 1 (since 1984)
ATP Ranking Upset Year Tournament
No. 238 Daniel Nestor d. Stefan Edberg 1992 Davis Cup
No. 205 Karim Alami d. Pete Sampras 1994 Doha
No. 193
Andrei Olhovskiy d. Jim Courier 1992 Wimbledon
No. 178 Francisco Clavet d. Lleyton Hewitt 2003 Miami
No. 175 Thanasi Kokkinakis d. Roger Federer 2018 Miami
No. 161 Sandon Stolle d. Thomas Muster 1996 Dubai
Kokkinakis secured his second Top 10 victory and first over a Top 5 opponent, dethroning the defending champion and handing Federer his earliest defeat in Miami since 2000. But perhaps the most jaw-dropping stat is this: Kokkinakis became the fifth-lowest ranked player to upset a World No. 1 (since 1984) and the lowest since No. 178 Francisco Clavet stunned Lleyton Hewitt in Miami 2003.
Both players were trending in opposite directions as the tournament got underway. Federer, who was competing in his second event since returning to the summit of the ATP Rankings, was carrying great momentum. The Swiss put together a career-best 17-0 start to the season, and his only loss came in the BNP Paribas Open final, where he held three championship points before succumbing to Juan Martin del Potro.
That good form showed, as the trademark Federer swagger was on full display in the early stages. A sublime behind-the-back volley saw him surge to a one-set lead.
But proceedings suddenly swung to Kokkinakis' side of the court, as Federer's first-serve percentage plummeted and the Adelaide native refused to falter with the match in the balance. In the third set, he would survive a 5-6 0/30 deficit and battled to victory in the deciding tie-break.
Read Match Report
"This is nuts," said Kokkinakis. "It's an unreal week for me. I've trained with [Federer] a bunch of times and he's a great role model for the sport, but I took what I learned and played my game and executed. I didn't put a lot of scoreboard pressure on him, but I was playing on my own terms today.”
Kokkinakis would fall to Fernando Verdasco in the next round, but his story of 2018 would not end there. In August, the Aussie clinched his first ATP Challenger Tour title in three years in Aptos, California, and he would close his campaign with another trophy in Las Vegas in October, rising to year-end No. 152 in the ATP Rankings.

(1) Stefanos Tsitsipas d. four straight Top 10 players – Toronto
It's only fitting that Stefanos Tsitsipas' historic run to the Rogers Cup final would register at No. 1 on our list. Tsitsipas earned Most Improved Player of the Year honours in the 2018 ATP Awards presented by Moët & Chandon, and it was in Toronto where he made his biggest stride.
Tsitsipas entered the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event with three wins over Top 10 opposition and he would more than double that in just one week. Victories over World No. 8 Dominic Thiem, No. 10 Novak Djokovic, No. 3 Alexander Zverev and No. 6 Kevin Anderson sealed his place in the record books. The 20-year-old is the youngest player to beat four Top 10 opponents at a single tournament since the ATP World Tour was established in 1990. His reward? A berth in his first Masters 1000 championship against Rafael Nadal.
"Playing in a Masters 1000 final is the best thing that can happen on your birthday," said Tsitsipas. "I cannot believe it... I couldn't achieve anything better in one tournament, beating all those high-ranked players, playing amazing tennis," Tsitsipas said. "I'm pretty sure the crowd didn't expect that. I personally didn't expect that."
Read Match Report
After breezing past Damir Dzumhur in the first round, Tsitsipas kicked off his Top 10 assault with a 6-3, 7-6(6) win over Dominic Thiem. It was his fifth FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting with the Austrian this year, having also prevailed over his new rival en route to the Barcelona final.
Considering how Djokovic finished the season, Tsitsipas' next win was arguably his most impressive. He overcame the eventual year-end No. 1 by a 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3 score, handing Djokovic his first of just three post-Wimbledon defeats. The Athens native faced two break points and saved them both, emerging victorious in two hours and 18 minutes.
In the quarter-finals, Tsitsipas would stun defending champion Zverev for his first Top 5 win. He produced a stunning comeback, saving two match points to triumph 3-6, 7-6(11), 6-4. The Greek hit 28 winners to come from 3-6, 2-5 down and avenge a semi-final defeat to the German a week prior in Washington.
The final piece of the puzzle came a day later in the semi-finals, when Tsitsipas rallied from a set down once again. He denied a match point to stun Anderson 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(7), securing his spot in the title match.
It was the shining moment of Tsitsipas' season and the catalyst to even bigger things. The #NextGenATP star would cap his campaign at No. 15 in the year-end ATP Rankings, clinching his maiden ATP World Tour trophy in Stockholm and capturing the title at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan.

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/be ... akis-coric

[DUN I LOVE]

Tym meczem Ouahab - Kohlschreiber autor chyba chciał błysnąć znajomością kurników.

[Barty]

Tym meczem Ouahab - Kohlschreiber autor chyba chciał błysnąć znajomością kurników.

Jeden z lepszych wyborów w tych wszystkich plebiscytach.

[arti]

The Five Biggest Grand Slam Upsets Of 2018

Spoiler:

(5) Ernests Gulbis d. Alexander Zverev 7-6(2), 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-0 – Wimbledon 3R
Ernests Gulbis turned back the clock in 2018. If you hadn't heard much about the Latvian in recent years, you're not alone. Struggling to find his form due to injuries and inconsistent play, Gulbis had fallen as low as No. 589 in the ATP Rankings a year ago.

But in 2018, the former World No. 10 and six-time ATP World Tour champion made serious progress in his quest to compete at the top once again. Gulbis entered the All England Club for the 132nd edition of the Wimbledon Championships as a qualifier, and he would produce one of the shocks of the tournament.

After needing five sets to overcome British wild card Jay Clarke in the first round and 27th seed Damir Dzumhur in the second, Gulbis entered a third-round clash with World No. 3 Alexander Zverev high on confidence. And despite grinding for more than six hours to defeat Clarke and Dzumhur, he went toe-to-toe with the German for a marathon three hours and 20 minutes.

Biggest Grand Slam Upsets Of 2018 (by ATP Ranking)

Winner Opponent Tournament
No. 315 Santiago Giraldo No. 84 Marcos Baghdatis Roland Garros

No. 224 Stan Wawrinka No. 6 Grigor Dimitrov
Wimbledon
No. 219 Lorenzo Sonego No. 43 Robin Haase Australian Open
No. 171 Dennis Novak No. 19 Lucas Pouille Wimbledon
No. 190 Denis Kudla No. 48 Steve Johnson Australian Open
No. 168 Yoshihito Nishioka No. 29 Philipp Kohlschreiber Australian Open
No. 138 Ernests Gulbis No. 3 Alexander Zverev Wimbledon

Gulbis would prevail 7-6(2), 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-0, sending shockwaves throughout SW19 with the comeback upset. Zverev had won 19 of 22 matches coming into the encounter, including titles in Munich and Madrid, but he struggled to replicate his clay-court success on the grass. Making his 11th Wimbledon appearance, Gulbis would enjoy his best result in reaching the Round of 16, notching his third straight five-set victory to stun Zverev. The only player who took more attempts to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon was Tommy Robredo, who needed 13 tries.

"I'm proud of qualifying here," said Gulbis. "I'm proud of winning three five-set matches. Of course, in this match in particular because I was two sets to one down," Gulbis said. "I'm proud of just hanging in there and not giving up after also losing the third set, when I was serving for the set. I'm really happy about it."

The 30-year-old used great variety, hitting powerful backhands and exquisite drop shots and pinpoint lobs to rattle his German opponent. And despite falling to Kei Nishikori two days later, he carried the momentum through the remainder of the season. Runner-up at the Intrum Stockholm Open in October, he capped his campaign at No. 96 in the ATP Rankings. It marks his first year-end Top 100 finish since 2015.



(4) Tennys Sandgren d. Dominic Thiem 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-7(7), 6-3 – Australian Open 4R
This win was for all the Challenger stalwarts, for all the players battling for their careers on the circuit. Since 2011, Tennys Sandgren had dreamt of forging a path in the upper echelon of pro tennis. For those seven years he competed on the ATP Challenger Tour in search of that breakthrough moment.

At the 2018 Australian Open, it finally arrived for the Tennessee native. Entering the fortnight in Melbourne, Sandgren had competed in eight tour-level main draws in his career, winning just two combined matches. But something clicked for the 27-year-old as he began his campaign under the searing Aussie sun.

Sandgren had never defeated a Top 10 opponent and he would stun both Stan Wawrinka and Dominic Thiem en route to his first Grand Slam quarter-final. After downing Jeremy Chardy in the first round, he pulled his biggest upset in defeating 2014 champion and World No. 8 Wawrinka in straight sets. While it was the Swiss' first tournament in six months following knee surgery, the victory was a great achievement for Sandgren, who dropped just seven games to advance.

The American was not done there, advancing to the Round of 16 with a four-set win over Maximilian Marterer and pulling the upset of the tournament in edging fifth seed Dominic Thiem in five gripping sets. He needed a marathon three hours and 54 minutes to topple Thiem, triumphing 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-7(7), 6-3 on Hisense Arena.

“I’m starting to disbelieve what is happening now,” said Sandgren. “But maybe it’s not a dream? He played some really, really great tennis, especially in the fourth-set tie-break. Goodness gracious! I knew I had to take my chances and he, from behind the court, would outlast me. I had to stay aggressive and serve well.”

Having failed to convert one match point opportunity at 6/5 in the fourth set tie-break, Sandgren could easily have folded, but he held his nerve in the deciding set. As the end came into sight, he never wavered – hitting 63 winners, including 20 aces overall for victory.

The World No. 97 became the first player since Alexandr Dolgopolov in 2011 to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals on his main-draw debut. Sandgren had previously travelled to Melbourne on five occasions, but never progressed through the qualifying competition.

Sandgren would ascend to a career-high No. 47 in the ATP Rankings in April, after reaching his first ATP World Tour final in Houston (l. to Johnson).



(3) Marco Cecchinato d. Novak Djokovic 6-3, 7-6(4), 1-6, 7-6(11) – Roland Garros QF
In 2018, Cinderella could be spelled 'Cecchinato'. In an era where the game's elite have dominated the Grand Slams, putting their authoritative stamp on the latter stages of the biggest tournaments, it was time for a party crasher to descend on Roland Garros.

In Marco Cecchinato's career, he owns a total of five match wins at the major level, all of which came at one tournament. You read that right. Having never previously won a Grand Slam match, the Italian completed one of the more improbable runs ever. The World No. 72 laid waste to the field in Paris, stunning 10th seed Pablo Carreno Busta, eighth seed David Goffin and former champion Novak Djokovic en route to the semi-finals.

How improbable was Cecchinato's run on the terre battue? He became the lowest-ranked Roland Garros semi-finalist in nearly 20 years, since No. 100 Andrei Medvedev in 1999. And the Palermo native was also the first Italian man to make a Grand Slam semi-final since Corrado Barazzutti at Roland Garros in 1978.

“I'm very, very happy,” Cecchinato said. “When I won my Grand Slam match, I felt good. And match by match, I felt I could win the next round... it's a special moment for me.”

Arguably his biggest achievement of the tournament came in the quarter-finals, when the 26-year-old stayed calm under a cauldron of pressure to dismiss Djokovic in four sets. He prevailed 6-3, 7-6(4), 1-6, 7-6(11) in three hours and 26 minutes. Two days after registering his first Top 10 win over Goffin, he would stun the eventual year-end No. 1. Djokovic was admittedly not competing at his peak just yet, but to defeat the Serbian in the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam requires a special performance.

In front of a packed Court Suzanne Lenglen, Cecchinato played the match of his life. Mixing in well-timed drop shots with an aggressive baseline game, he surged to a two-set lead. And despite being broken four times in the third set, the Italian quickly rediscovered the script in the fourth. He denied three set points in the ensuing tie-break - a 24-point marathon - and eventually crossed the finish line with a backhand winner.

Cecchinato would fall to Dominic Thiem in straight sets in the semi-finals, but this was a fortnight he will never forget. A nominee for Most Improved Player of the Year in the 2018 ATP Awards Presented by Moët & Chandon, the Palermo native would finish the year at No. 20 in the ATP Rankings, a massive boost from his 2017 standing of No. 110. He also lifted his first ATP World Tour trophies in Budapest and Umag.



(2) Guido Pella d. Marin Cilic 3-6, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-5 – Wimbledon 2R
Entering the 2018 grass-court season, Guido Pella had won only two matches on the surface in his entire career. And against Top 5 opposition, the Argentine had yet to win a match in six encounters, dropping 17 of 17 sets. So when Pella entered No. 1 Court at Wimbledon for a second-round clash with Marin Cilic, he was faced with a seemingly insurmountable task.

At No. 5 in the ATP Rankings, Cilic was not only coming off a title at the Fever Tree Championships at Queen's Club, but had reached the Wimbledon final in 2017. In addition, the Croatian had reached the quarter-finals at the All England Club in four consecutive years.

But Pella was not intimidated. And he remained unfazed even when Cilic streaked to a 6-3, 6-1 lead on a sun-kissed afternoon in southwest London. Having won just four games through two sets, where many players would acquiesce to defeat, Pella was stoic under pressure. He mounted a stunning comeback to pull the upset of the tournament 3-6, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-5.

"It's the best win of my career, by far" said Pella. "And because of the situation which it happened, being down two sets and a break in the fourth set and then coming back a second day. To win at Wimbledon, he was the clear favourite and the way he has been playing is great. It must be the best win of all."

The 28-year-old Pella earned the biggest win of his career after battling for three hours and 13 minutes. At one stage, Cilic won 18 straight points on serve and hit 27 aces overall, but inconsistency on return and 37 forehand unforced errors would prove costly. The encounter spanned two days, with darkness halting play with Pella leading 4-3 in the third set. After forcing a fourth set, he would recover from a 1-3 deficit and stayed the course in a gripping decider.

The seeds were planted weeks earlier, when Pella reached the quarter-finals at the MercedesCup in Stuttgart. There, he registered his first grass-court match win in a professional main draw, before falling to Roger Federer.

Having ascended to a career-high No. 39 in 2016, Pella will continue to push towards that mark in the upcoming season. He capped his 2018 campaign at No. 58 in the ATP Rankings, after reaching a third ATP World Tour final in Umag and notching his 15th ATP Challenger Tour title in Montevideo.



(1) John Millman d. Roger Federer 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(7), 7-6(3) – US Open 4R
For two weeks in early September, New York City was a sauna. Oppressive heat and humidity descended on the US Open, as the final Grand Slam of the year became a true test of physical and mental endurance. Each match challenged players' conditioning and their ability to survive the elements.

This made John Millman's stunner over Roger Federer even more impressive. The Aussie veteran pulled the biggest upset of the year with a 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(7), 7-6(3) victory over five-time champion Federer on a steamy late afternoon on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"I felt like a deer in the headlights to begin with; Roger had it on a string, he was manipulating me around the court, but I got out of a tough second set and really found my feet," Millman said on court after the match. "I started to be more aggressive and I started to serve well and capitalised a little bit on Roger having an off service day."

Federer had never lost to a player outside the Top 50 at the US Open, but this was Millman's day to end the trend. The Aussie rallied from a set down to reach his first quarter-final at a Grand Slam, capitalising on a sluggish and fatigued Federer to prevail after three hours and 35 minutes. While the Swiss' 77 unforced errors glare from the stat sheet, all credit goes to Millman, who remained unfazed.

Federer was rattled in his gameplan, often coming forward at inopportune moments and trying to keep rallies short at all costs. Millman won an impressive 51 per cent (90/177) of the points he played from the baseline.

"I've got to control the controllables, I said that before I went out and played," Millman added. "The one thing I can control is the fight in me. I have always done that."



Millman would fall to Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals, but it was a tremendous fortnight for a player who underwent groin surgery last February and had previously undergone two shoulder surgeries. Toward the end of 2017, the Aussie was concerned about staying healthy. Now, he is two months removed from a career-high No. 33 in the ATP Rankings and playing the best tennis of his career.

The 29-year-old enjoyed a standout season, reaching his first ATP World Tour final in Budapest and claiming ATP Challenger Tour titles on the hard courts of Kyoto, Japan and the clay of Aix-en-Provence, France. The Brisbane native is now the No. 3 Aussie in the ATP Rankings and has his sights set on an even stronger 2019 campaign.

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/be ... nato-pella

[arti]

Challenger Season In Review: Storylines Abound In 2018

Spoiler:

Youth Movement In Focus: 29 #NextGenATP Winners
The 2018 season was unlike anything we've seen from the stars of tomorrow. The #NextGenATP contingent accounted for a staggering 29 titles from 20 different players, with Felix Auger-Aliassime, Ugo Humbert, Reilly Opelka, Michael Mmoh, Jaume Munar, Lloyd Harris and Hubert Hurkacz all lifting multiple trophies.

A total of eight teenagers emerged victorious, with Germany's Rudolf Molleker becoming the youngest champion of the year, at 17 years and six months, on home soil in Heilbronn. Having concluded the 2017 season at No. 600 in the ATP Rankings, Molleker is now the youngest player in the Top 200 after finishing the year at No. 194.

While Molleker became the youngest German winner since a 17-year-old Alexander Zverev in 2014 (Braunschweig), Austrian teen Jurij Rodionov became the youngest from his country to lift a trophy since 1986. That year, an 18-year-old Thomas Muster and a 17-year-old Horst Skoff both prevailed.

Youngest Challenger Titlists In 2018

Player Age Tournament
Rudolf Molleker 17 years, 6 months Heilbronn, GER
Felix Auger-Aliassime 17 years, 10 months
Lyon, FRA
Felix Auger-Aliassime 18 years, 2 months Tashkent, UZB
Alexei Popyrin 19 years Jinan, CHN
Jurij Rodionov 19 years, 1 month Almaty, KAZ
Miomir Kecmanovic 19 years, 2 months Shenzhen, CHN
Alex de Minaur 19 years, 4 months Nottingham, UK
Corentin Moutet 19 years, 5 months Istanbul, TUR

Breaking Through With Top 100 Debuts
The ATP Rankings welcomed a new class of Top 100 debutants this year, with a total of 18 players breaking into the elite club. Sixteen of them won titles on the ATP Challenger Tour, kicking off their transitions to the next level.

Among all players to make their Top 100 debuts, Ugo Humbert (+290 spots), Christian Garin (+220), Alex de Minaur (+177) and Hubert Hurkacz (+150) enjoyed the biggest jumps. De Minaur's rise was arguably the most impressive, having soared from outside the Top 200 to a career-high No. 31, behind a maiden title in Nottingham. Humbert, Hurkacz and Garin finished in the Top 10 among Challenger win-loss percentage leaders.

Meanwhile, Garin and Reilly Opelka provided the late-season drama, with both cracking the Top 100 behind consecutive titles. Garin finished his season on a 15-0 run with victories in Campinas, Santo Domingo and Lima, peaking at No. 85 in the ATP Rankings. Opelka capped his campaign on a 10-0 run with indoor crowns in Knoxville and Champaign, rising to a year-end No. 100.



From Dallas To London: Kei's Comeback
It is quite improbable for a player to punch his ticket to the Nitto ATP Finals less than a year after sitting on the sidelines with a debilitating wrist injury. Considering that player opened his campaign on the ATP Challenger Tour, it makes the feat even more impressive. Kei Nishikori created quite the stir when he opened his season in Newport Beach and Dallas, giving fans the opportunity to see the Japanese star up close in an intimate setting.

In search of confidence and match play, Nishikori would kick off his run to the year-end Top 10 with a title at the RBC Tennis Championships of Dallas. Getting match experience and rediscovering his rhythm was essential for Nishikori in that moment, as he dropped just one set en route to lifting the trophy.

"There were two reasons behind playing the two Challenger events at the start of the year," Nishikori reflected. "It was to build my confidence and also identify how well my injury had recovered. I needed to play tournaments in my comeback from injury. When I look back to January and February, it's amazing that I was able to return to the Top 10."

In the past 20 years, only three players have qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals after winning an ATP Challenger Tour title during the season. Ivan Ljubicic did it in 2005, Robin Soderling in 2009 and this year it was Nishikori's turn to pull off the feat.



Challenger Stars Translate Success To ATP World Tour
The ATP Challenger Tour is the launching pad for the stars of tomorrow of the ATP World Tour. Regardless of age, players are plotting their ascent at the Challenger level and the 2018 season saw a bevy of success stories.

A 19-year-old Alex de Minaur reached a trio of finals before streaking to the Citi Open title match and finishing runner-up at the Next Gen ATP Finals. A 26-year-old Marco Cecchinato won his fifth Challenger title in Santiago, Chile, before claiming his maiden ATP World Tour titles in Budapest and Umag and blasting to the semi-finals at Roland Garros. And a 29-year-old John Millman advanced to his first ATP World Tour final in Budapest and first Grand Slam quarter-final at the US Open after competing for a decade on the Challenger circuit.

De Minaur, Cecchinato and Millman are just a few of the fascinating stories of the season. Eight players won titles on both the ATP World Tour and ATP Challenger Tour this year, including Pablo Andujar, who went back-to-back at the Alicante Challenger and Grand Prix Hassan II in Marrakech. And 22-year-old Matteo Berrettini and 23-year-old Yoshihito Nishioka blasted to their maiden tour-level titles after enjoying breakout Challenger campaigns.

Felix Makes More History
Felix Auger-Aliassime continued his record-breaking charge up the ATP Rankings in 2018. A year ago, he became the eighth-youngest player to win a Challenger title when he prevailed in Lyon, France. And this year, the Canadian became the youngest ever to successfully defend a title with yet another victory in Lyon.

In October, Auger-Aliassime added a fourth trophy to his career haul, joining elite company as just the sixth player aged 18 & under to claim as many titles. Richard Gasquet, Tomas Berdych, Hyeon Chung, Mario Ancic and Guillermo Coria are the only others. Up to a career-high No. 108 last month, he is poised for a Top 100 breakthrough in 2019.

Felix

Ivo Blasts Into The Record Books
While the #NextGenATP contingent stole the majority of the headlines, the old guard made quite the statement as well. Ivo Karlovic claimed a historic title on the indoor hard courts of Calgary, Canada, becoming the oldest ATP Challenger Tour champion ever. Seeking a late-career resurgence, the former World No. 14 and 'ace king' etched his name in the record books at the age of 39 years and seven months. Dick Norman previously held the honour for nearly a decade, having prevailed in Mexico City in 2009 at the age of 38 years and one month.

Just two weeks prior, Karlovic and David Ferrer created another slice of history with their final match-up in Monterrey, Mexico. At 76 years and one month, it was the oldest combined final on the Challenger circuit.

Demon, Thommo Lead Aussie Assault
The Aussies dominated on the ATP Challenger Tour throughout the 2018 season, with 12 different players accounting for a total of 17 titles.

Jordan Thompson won 52 matches, second-most in a single season in Challenger history, while lifting a trio of trophies. Alex de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin and Marc Polmans led the #NextGenATP contingent in claiming their maiden titles, while 26-year-old Maverick Banes also notched his first crown.

There were plenty of feel-good comeback stories to go around as well. Jason Kubler (shoulder, knee), Thanasi Kokkinakis (knee, groin), John Millman (shoulder, groin), James Duckworth (foot, shoulder, elbow) and Matthew Ebden (knee) all led the resurgence. Kubler made his Top 100 debut in August after sitting outside the Top 900 one year prior, completing a magical rise up the ATP Rankings. Kokkinakis won his first title in three years, while Duckworth prevailed in Cary after undergoing five surgeries since early 2017.



American Ascent
Australia wasn't the only country to boast 12 different titlists. Players from the United States achieved the same feat, with Reilly Opelka leading the way with three crowns and Noah Rubin, Michael Mmoh and Bradley Klahn also claiming multiple victories.

Opelka and Mmoh were joined by fellow #NextGenATP stars Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul and Ulises Blanch in lifting trophies. Paul and Blanch were the lone lucky loser winners of the year on the ATP Challenger Tour. Meanwhile, 22-year-old Christopher Eubanks and 23-year-old Mackenzie McDonald were victorious, as were Bjorn Fratangelo, Denis Kudla and Dennis Novikov.

Bolivian Blur: Dellien Puts Bolivia On The Map
Hugo Dellien hopes that his achievements in 2018 will inspire his native Bolivia and signal a shift in its sporting culture. In April, Dellien became the first from his country to win a Challenger title since 1983, when he triumphed in Sarasota. He would add a second crown two weeks later in Savannah and eventually a third in Vicenza, Italy. And in July, he joined Mario Martinez as the only Bolivians to crack the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings. Exactly 34 years after Martinez first put the nation on the tennis map, Dellien is following in his countryman's footsteps.



All Eyes On South America
We've revisited the rise of Chile's Christian Garin, who marched to the Top 100 behind three straight titles to conclude the season. And we've looked back on the ascent of Bolivia's Hugo Dellien, who also lifted a trio of trophies en route to the Top 100. But Garin and Dellien weren't the only players from South American making great strides on the ATP Challenger Tour.

In Argentina, Guido Andreozzi and Juan Ignacio Londero added their names to the list of emerging stars. Andreozzi won a tour-leading four titles this year, all on clay, while boasting a 38-15 record. He rose to a career-high No. 78 in the ATP Rankings last month. Londero, meanwhile, is breaking through at the age of 25. He posted a 40-win season (40-17) with titles in Mexico City and Marburg, Germany.

Pablo Andujar: Comeback Story Of The Year
In 2018, there was arguably no storyline more captivating than that of the 32-year-old Andujar. The Spanish veteran was sitting at No. 1,701 in the ATP Rankings one year ago and he would take the ATP Challenger Tour by storm behind three titles and a 21-8 record. After undergoing three elbow surgeries, Andujar never imagined that such a successful comeback was possible. He would rise 1,619 spots to a year-end World No. 82, also lifting an ATP World Tour trophy in Marrakech.

Andujar

Global Game
With singles titlists from 38 different countries, including a first winner from Bolivia in nearly 35 years (Hugo Dellien), players from all corners of the globe tasted success on the ATP Challenger Tour.

The 2018 season also featured a total of 159 tournaments in 40 countries and territories, including the return of Challenger tennis to Tunisia. After a four-year absence, the African nation hosted the Tunis Open. With the goal of bringing exposure to the game in various locales throughout the world, the circuit continues to expand and grow.

New Challenger Era Announced
In July, the ATP announced that the ATP Challenger Tour will undergo wholesale changes from 2019 that will further professionalise the sport, unlock significant investment and growth in prize money at the lower levels of men’s professional tennis, and lead to a greatly enhanced player pathway.

Some notable changes include the singles main draw sizes increasing from 32 to 48 players, hotel accommodations provided to all main draw players, wholesale prize money increases, as well as increased on-site serviced offered. From 2020, ATP Ranking points will begin at the ATP Challenger Tour only.



You May Also Like: ATP Challenger Tour Set For Significant Revamp From 2019


Trio Of Tournaments Take Top Honours
In February, the ATP announced the 2017 ATP Challenger Tournaments of the Year, with players voting German events in Braunschweig and Heilbronn, as well as Vancouver, Canada, as the top events.

Braunschweig’s 24-year-old Sparkassen Open has won the award every year since 2014 and has long been a player favourite. The Neckarcup, staged in Heilbronn, Germany, for the last four years, and Vancouver’s Odlum Brown VanOpen, relaunched in 2017, have also been rewarded with the player vote after ambitious improvements each year.



Nadal, Ferrero Host New Tournaments
Former World No. 1s and Spanish legends Rafael Nadal and Juan Carlos Ferrero hosted new Challengers at their academies this year, as they hope to continute growing the game in their home country. In April, the JC Ferrero Challenger Open featured home hope Pablo Andujar as its winner. In August, the Rafa Nadal Open Banc Sabadell celebrated Bernard Tomic as its inaugural champion.

Mexico Surging Into Spotlight
With a total of seven tournaments, Mexico is steadily expanding its footprint on the ATP Challenger Tour. New events in Mexico City and Puerto Vallarta sparkled in their debuts and the country's commitment to growing the game at the Challenger level has not gone unnoticed by the players.

Organised by the same group that runs the popular ATP World Tour 500 event in Acapulco and sharing the same tournament director, Raul Zurutuza, the CDMX Open in Mexico City received rave reviews. It is held at the Centro Deportivo Chapultepec, the oldest tennis facility in the country.

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/be ... ger-review

[Del Fed]

Fedalović zgarnął wszystkie Wielkie Szlemy w sezonie 2018 (sic!)
Burek zdech, krowa się ocieliła. Koniec pieśni.

[DUN I LOVE]

A Fedal w 2017.

[Del Fed]

Robimy postępy, obniżamy średnią wieku. Boże, oby to był już ten sezon. Dłużej nie ziese tej monotonii.

[Damian]

The Five Biggest Grand Slam Upsets Of 2018

Spoiler:

ATP World Tour Season In Review: Biggest Grand Slam Upsets
Continuing our Season In Review series, ATPWorldTour.com revisits the Top 5 Grand Slam upsets of 2018...

(5) Ernests Gulbis d. Alexander Zverev 7-6(2), 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-0 – Wimbledon 3R
Ernests Gulbis turned back the clock in 2018. If you hadn't heard much about the Latvian in recent years, you're not alone. Struggling to find his form due to injuries and inconsistent play, Gulbis had fallen as low as No. 589 in the ATP Rankings a year ago.

But in 2018, the former World No. 10 and six-time ATP World Tour champion made serious progress in his quest to compete at the top once again. Gulbis entered the All England Club for the 132nd edition of the Wimbledon Championships as a qualifier, and he would produce one of the shocks of the tournament.

After needing five sets to overcome British wild card Jay Clarke in the first round and 27th seed Damir Dzumhur in the second, Gulbis entered a third-round clash with World No. 3 Alexander Zverev high on confidence. And despite grinding for more than six hours to defeat Clarke and Dzumhur, he went toe-to-toe with the German for a marathon three hours and 20 minutes.

Biggest Grand Slam Upsets Of 2018 (by ATP Ranking)

Winner Opponent Tournament
No. 315 Santiago Giraldo No. 84 Marcos Baghdatis Roland Garros
No. 224 Stan Wawrinka No. 6 Grigor Dimitrov
Wimbledon
No. 219 Lorenzo Sonego No. 43 Robin Haase Australian Open
No. 171 Dennis Novak No. 19 Lucas Pouille Wimbledon
No. 190 Denis Kudla No. 48 Steve Johnson Australian Open
No. 168 Yoshihito Nishioka No. 29 Philipp Kohlschreiber Australian Open
No. 138 Ernests Gulbis No. 3 Alexander Zverev Wimbledon
Gulbis would prevail 7-6(2), 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-0, sending shockwaves throughout SW19 with the comeback upset. Zverev had won 19 of 22 matches coming into the encounter, including titles in Munich and Madrid, but he struggled to replicate his clay-court success on the grass. Making his 11th Wimbledon appearance, Gulbis would enjoy his best result in reaching the Round of 16, notching his third straight five-set victory to stun Zverev. The only player who took more attempts to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon was Tommy Robredo, who needed 13 tries.

"I'm proud of qualifying here," said Gulbis. "I'm proud of winning three five-set matches. Of course, in this match in particular because I was two sets to one down," Gulbis said. "I'm proud of just hanging in there and not giving up after also losing the third set, when I was serving for the set. I'm really happy about it."

The 30-year-old used great variety, hitting powerful backhands and exquisite drop shots and pinpoint lobs to rattle his German opponent. And despite falling to Kei Nishikori two days later, he carried the momentum through the remainder of the season. Runner-up at the Intrum Stockholm Open in October, he capped his campaign at No. 96 in the ATP Rankings. It marks his first year-end Top 100 finish since 2015.


(4) Tennys Sandgren d. Dominic Thiem 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-7(7), 6-3 – Australian Open 4R
This win was for all the Challenger stalwarts, for all the players battling for their careers on the circuit. Since 2011, Tennys Sandgren had dreamt of forging a path in the upper echelon of pro tennis. For those seven years he competed on the ATP Challenger Tour in search of that breakthrough moment.

At the 2018 Australian Open, it finally arrived for the Tennessee native. Entering the fortnight in Melbourne, Sandgren had competed in eight tour-level main draws in his career, winning just two combined matches. But something clicked for the 27-year-old as he began his campaign under the searing Aussie sun.

Sandgren had never defeated a Top 10 opponent and he would stun both Stan Wawrinka and Dominic Thiem en route to his first Grand Slam quarter-final. After downing Jeremy Chardy in the first round, he pulled his biggest upset in defeating 2014 champion and World No. 8 Wawrinka in straight sets. While it was the Swiss' first tournament in six months following knee surgery, the victory was a great achievement for Sandgren, who dropped just seven games to advance.

The American was not done there, advancing to the Round of 16 with a four-set win over Maximilian Marterer and pulling the upset of the tournament in edging fifth seed Dominic Thiem in five gripping sets. He needed a marathon three hours and 54 minutes to topple Thiem, triumphing 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-7(7), 6-3 on Hisense Arena.

“I’m starting to disbelieve what is happening now,” said Sandgren. “But maybe it’s not a dream? He played some really, really great tennis, especially in the fourth-set tie-break. Goodness gracious! I knew I had to take my chances and he, from behind the court, would outlast me. I had to stay aggressive and serve well.”

Having failed to convert one match point opportunity at 6/5 in the fourth set tie-break, Sandgren could easily have folded, but he held his nerve in the deciding set. As the end came into sight, he never wavered – hitting 63 winners, including 20 aces overall for victory.

The World No. 97 became the first player since Alexandr Dolgopolov in 2011 to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals on his main-draw debut. Sandgren had previously travelled to Melbourne on five occasions, but never progressed through the qualifying competition.

Sandgren would ascend to a career-high No. 47 in the ATP Rankings in April, after reaching his first ATP World Tour final in Houston (l. to Johnson).


(3) Marco Cecchinato d. Novak Djokovic 6-3, 7-6(4), 1-6, 7-6(11) – Roland Garros QF
In 2018, Cinderella could be spelled 'Cecchinato'. In an era where the game's elite have dominated the Grand Slams, putting their authoritative stamp on the latter stages of the biggest tournaments, it was time for a party crasher to descend on Roland Garros.

In Marco Cecchinato's career, he owns a total of five match wins at the major level, all of which came at one tournament. You read that right. Having never previously won a Grand Slam match, the Italian completed one of the more improbable runs ever. The World No. 72 laid waste to the field in Paris, stunning 10th seed Pablo Carreno Busta, eighth seed David Goffin and former champion Novak Djokovic en route to the semi-finals.

How improbable was Cecchinato's run on the terre battue? He became the lowest-ranked Roland Garros semi-finalist in nearly 20 years, since No. 100 Andrei Medvedev in 1999. And the Palermo native was also the first Italian man to make a Grand Slam semi-final since Corrado Barazzutti at Roland Garros in 1978.

“I'm very, very happy,” Cecchinato said. “When I won my Grand Slam match, I felt good. And match by match, I felt I could win the next round... it's a special moment for me.”

Arguably his biggest achievement of the tournament came in the quarter-finals, when the 26-year-old stayed calm under a cauldron of pressure to dismiss Djokovic in four sets. He prevailed 6-3, 7-6(4), 1-6, 7-6(11) in three hours and 26 minutes. Two days after registering his first Top 10 win over Goffin, he would stun the eventual year-end No. 1. Djokovic was admittedly not competing at his peak just yet, but to defeat the Serbian in the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam requires a special performance.

In front of a packed Court Suzanne Lenglen, Cecchinato played the match of his life. Mixing in well-timed drop shots with an aggressive baseline game, he surged to a two-set lead. And despite being broken four times in the third set, the Italian quickly rediscovered the script in the fourth. He denied three set points in the ensuing tie-break - a 24-point marathon - and eventually crossed the finish line with a backhand winner.

Cecchinato would fall to Dominic Thiem in straight sets in the semi-finals, but this was a fortnight he will never forget. A nominee for Most Improved Player of the Year in the 2018 ATP Awards Presented by Moët & Chandon, the Palermo native would finish the year at No. 20 in the ATP Rankings, a massive boost from his 2017 standing of No. 110. He also lifted his first ATP World Tour trophies in Budapest and Umag.


(2) Guido Pella d. Marin Cilic 3-6, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-5 – Wimbledon 2R
Entering the 2018 grass-court season, Guido Pella had won only two matches on the surface in his entire career. And against Top 5 opposition, the Argentine had yet to win a match in six encounters, dropping 17 of 17 sets. So when Pella entered No. 1 Court at Wimbledon for a second-round clash with Marin Cilic, he was faced with a seemingly insurmountable task.

At No. 5 in the ATP Rankings, Cilic was not only coming off a title at the Fever Tree Championships at Queen's Club, but had reached the Wimbledon final in 2017. In addition, the Croatian had reached the quarter-finals at the All England Club in four consecutive years.

But Pella was not intimidated. And he remained unfazed even when Cilic streaked to a 6-3, 6-1 lead on a sun-kissed afternoon in southwest London. Having won just four games through two sets, where many players would acquiesce to defeat, Pella was stoic under pressure. He mounted a stunning comeback to pull the upset of the tournament 3-6, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-5.

"It's the best win of my career, by far" said Pella. "And because of the situation which it happened, being down two sets and a break in the fourth set and then coming back a second day. To win at Wimbledon, he was the clear favourite and the way he has been playing is great. It must be the best win of all."

The 28-year-old Pella earned the biggest win of his career after battling for three hours and 13 minutes. At one stage, Cilic won 18 straight points on serve and hit 27 aces overall, but inconsistency on return and 37 forehand unforced errors would prove costly. The encounter spanned two days, with darkness halting play with Pella leading 4-3 in the third set. After forcing a fourth set, he would recover from a 1-3 deficit and stayed the course in a gripping decider.

The seeds were planted weeks earlier, when Pella reached the quarter-finals at the MercedesCup in Stuttgart. There, he registered his first grass-court match win in a professional main draw, before falling to Roger Federer.

Having ascended to a career-high No. 39 in 2016, Pella will continue to push towards that mark in the upcoming season. He capped his 2018 campaign at No. 58 in the ATP Rankings, after reaching a third ATP World Tour final in Umag and notching his 15th ATP Challenger Tour title in Montevideo.


(1) John Millman d. Roger Federer 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(7), 7-6(3) – US Open 4R
For two weeks in early September, New York City was a sauna. Oppressive heat and humidity descended on the US Open, as the final Grand Slam of the year became a true test of physical and mental endurance. Each match challenged players' conditioning and their ability to survive the elements.

This made John Millman's stunner over Roger Federer even more impressive. The Aussie veteran pulled the biggest upset of the year with a 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(7), 7-6(3) victory over five-time champion Federer on a steamy late afternoon on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"I felt like a deer in the headlights to begin with; Roger had it on a string, he was manipulating me around the court, but I got out of a tough second set and really found my feet," Millman said on court after the match. "I started to be more aggressive and I started to serve well and capitalised a little bit on Roger having an off service day."

Federer had never lost to a player outside the Top 50 at the US Open, but this was Millman's day to end the trend. The Aussie rallied from a set down to reach his first quarter-final at a Grand Slam, capitalising on a sluggish and fatigued Federer to prevail after three hours and 35 minutes. While the Swiss' 77 unforced errors glare from the stat sheet, all credit goes to Millman, who remained unfazed.

Federer was rattled in his gameplan, often coming forward at inopportune moments and trying to keep rallies short at all costs. Millman won an impressive 51 per cent (90/177) of the points he played from the baseline.

"I've got to control the controllables, I said that before I went out and played," Millman added. "The one thing I can control is the fight in me. I have always done that."


Millman would fall to Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals, but it was a tremendous fortnight for a player who underwent groin surgery last February and had previously undergone two shoulder surgeries. Toward the end of 2017, the Aussie was concerned about staying healthy. Now, he is two months removed from a career-high No. 33 in the ATP Rankings and playing the best tennis of his career.

The 29-year-old enjoyed a standout season, reaching his first ATP World Tour final in Budapest and claiming ATP Challenger Tour titles on the hard courts of Kyoto, Japan and the clay of Aix-en-Provence, France. The Brisbane native is now the No. 3 Aussie in the ATP Rankings and has his sights set on an even stronger 2019 campaign.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/best-gr ... nato-pella

[DUN I LOVE]

Chyba w miarę ok ten ranking.

[Damian]

[Damian]

[Barty]

[arti]

Top Five ATP Match Comebacks of 2018

Spoiler:

5. Nicolas Jarry d. Leonardo Mayer, Millennium Estoril Open, First Round (Match Stats)
By the end of 2018, Nicolas Jarry of Chile would make comebacks against more established players somewhat of a habit (see Upset vs. Cilic, Shanghai). But in May, when he fell behind 3-6, 5-6, 0/40 against Leonardo Mayer of Argentina, Jarry's future at the Millennium Estoril Open very much looked finished.

Mayer had won two titles from four clay-court finals, and he hadn't donated anything against Jarry, saving all three break points before bringing up the trio of tickets to the second round. But Jarry came to life, saving four match points in the 11th game and two more in the tie-break – 5/6, 6/7 – before advancing 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-4.

It was another notable win for Jarry as he went onto reach the quarter-finals in Portugal. He'd reach the quarter-finals (or better) seven times in 2018. Mayer, for his part, showed his mettle on clay at the German Tennis Championships 2018 presented by Kampmann, making the final in Hamburg (l. to Basilashvili).

Read More: Jarry: 'It's Been A Heck Of A Ride'

4. Adrian Menendez-Maceiras d. Steve Johnson, New York Open, First Round (Match Stats)
Spain's Adrian Menendez-Maceiras became a professional tennis player in 2005, but by February 2018, the 32-year-old had won only three tour-level matches. Menendez-Maceiras would forget about all of his other tour-level attempts at the 2018 New York Open.

He qualified for the ATP World Tour 250, and against American Steve Johnson, the Spaniard saved five match points – two at 2-5 in the decider, and three more from 3/6 down in the final-set tie-break to upset the seventh seed 1-6, 6-3, 7-6(7).

Menendez-Maceiras beat France's Jeremy Chardy to reach the quarter-finals, where he fell to Adrian Mannarino. The Spanish veteran wouldn't win another tour-level match all year. Johnson, however, won two ATP World Tour titles (Houston, Newport) and reached another final at the Winston-Salem Open.

Menendez-Maceiras

3. Jeremy Chardy d. Fabio Fognini, BNP Paribas Open, Second Round (Match Stats)
Jeremy Chardy, a mainstay of French tennis since he turned pro in 2005 and a former Top 25 player (2013), had fallen on hard times. Before the BNP Paribas Open, the affable Frenchman had dropped to No. 100 in the ATP Rankings, the first time since 2012 three digits were next to his name. To say he needed a turnaround tournament would have been an understatement.

Fabio Fognini, meanwhile, was off to one of his best starts. He made two semi-finals (Sydney, Rio) and won the Brasil Open in Sao Paulo (d. Jarry).

So when the Italian surged ahead to a set and double-break lead, 6-4, 4-1, you couldn't have blamed the chair umpire if he was already thinking about his next match.

More: Chardy Goes 'On The Line' With ATPWorldTour.com

But Chardy, behind rockets for forehands, held for the remainder of the set and broke Fognini twice to force the decider. In the third set, Chardy, who had been broken four times in the first two sets, never even faced a break point to reach the third round 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-4.

Chardy would go onto reach the quarter-finals before falling to top seed Roger Federer. The Frenchman finished the season at No. 40.

Fognini showed the loss was a mere hiccup in what became a banner season. The Italian won three titles and finished at a personal year-end best No. 13.

chardy

2. Marin Cilic d. Novak Djokovic, Fever-Tree Championships Final (Match Stats)
Novak Djokovic was still not his dominant self when he strolled into the final – his first in 51 weeks – at The Queen's Club against Marin Cilic. But the Serbian still had to be feeling confident ahead of his 16th FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting with the Croatian.

Their rivalry before that sunny Sunday afternoon: Djokovic had won 14 of their 15 matchups, and 34 of 41 sets. There is domination, and then there is what Djokovic had done to Cilic since they first met in Dubai a decade earlier.

Yet the 2017 Wimbledon finalist, as upbeat and polite as they come on the ATP World Tour, isn't one to feel sorry for himself. Cilic dropped the opener when he netted a backhand while serving at 5-6, and Djokovic had his first match point at 7-5, 5-4, 40/30. Then the comeback began.

Watch Hot Shot: Cilic Floors Djokovic In Final



Cilic erased the match point with an ace, and came back, undeterred, from 1/4 down in the second-set tie-break to force the decider. Cilic had lost both of their grass-court matches and had beaten Djokovic only at Paris in 2016.

Yet as Cilic smashed a forehand to even the match, he walked to his bench looking like a man who thought he could win his second Fever-Tree Championships title: fist clenched, eyes glaring at his box.

Cilic, on the sprint, scooped a forehand past an approaching Djokovic as the Serbian served at 40/40, 3-4. On break point, Cilic pulled Djokovic wide, and the Serbian netted a routine backhand.

Djokovic, however, regrouped quickly to have the last say on grass in 2018. He won his fourth Wimbledon title and 13th Grand Slam crown (d. Anderson). Cilic, meanwhile, fell to Guido Pella of Argentina in the second round, one of the biggest upsets of the season.

Watch Highlights: Cilic Beats Djokovic For Second Queen's Club Title



1. Alex de Minaur d. Andrey Rublev, Citi Open SF (Match Stats)
#NextGenATP had taken over the Citi Open in Washington, D.C., and Alex de Minaur was out to prove he was the best of the 21-and-under bunch. De Minaur, Russian Andrey Rublev, Alexander Zverev of Germany and Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas all had made the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour 500-level event.

It was the first time since 1995 (Buenos Aires: Moya, Mantilla, Corretja, Novak) that four 21-and-under players reached the semi-finals at a tour-level event. But the 19-year-old Aussie was up against Rublev, who was trying to reach his second ATP World Tour final of the season (Doha, l. to Monfils).

Watch Highlights: De Minaur Saves Four Match Points vs. Rublev



The Russian, despite playing his second match of the day in the rain-delayed tournament, had brought up four match points, at 6/2 in the second-set tie-break. Yet De Minaur rallied to win six consecutive points and even the match 5-7, 7-6(6) against the Russian, who had been hitting lines all evening but missed a backhand wide to drop the second set.

De Minaur raced ahead in the decider when, seeing a break point at 3-2, he chased down three Rublev forehands deep in his own forehand corner before sprinting to the net to crush a forehand winner for the break.

The Aussie advanced to the final 5-7, 7-6(6), 6-4 but fell to Zverev, who repeated as champion in D.C. Both De Minaur and Rublev, however, ended their seasons on high notes at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan. De Minaur made the final (l. to Tsitsipas), and Rublev finished third (d. Munar).

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/best-5- ... backs-2018

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