Randy Walker

ATP Champions Tour Bids Adieu To Royal Albert Hall

November 29, 2021 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

The ATP Champions Tour’s Champions Tennis at the Royal Albert Hall came to a close on Sunday night, with team Greg taking home the trophy. Across the four days, tennis fans laughed, cheered – and some even had the chance to play – with some of the world’s greatest players, with 2021 wrapping up 24 years of Champions Tennis at the iconic British venue.

During the evening session, Tommy Haas defeated Tomáš Berdych, 4-1, 4-3(1), Xavier Malisse defeated Marcos Baghdatis 4-2, 4-3(2), and the final match of the evening saw Radek Štěpánek defeat Fernando González 4-2, 4-3(0).

At the end of the four day event, Team Greg lifted the trophy above their heads as the clear victors in this year’s tournament, with Team Mark coming in second and Team Goran in third.

Over the last 24 years, Champions Tennis has seen players through the ages who have held the World No. 1 ranking, reached a Grand Slam singles final or been a singles player in a victorious Davis Cup team, compete in a mixture of team and individual events in both singles and doubles.

Across the four days some of the biggest legends of the game took to the stage in front of a full house, including British star and US Open champion Emma Raducanu who faced Romanian and Hamburg European Open winner Elena-Gabriela Ruse. Other stars included British favourite Greg Rusedski, fan favourite Mansour Bahrami, Chilean Fernando González, Spaniard David Ferrer, 2006 Australian Open runner up Marcos Baghdatis, and former doubles number four player Radek Štěpánek. Other players who competed in the tournament include ‘X-Man’ Xavier Malisse, Australian legend Mark Philippoussis, 2010 Wimbledon finalist Tomáš Berdych, former top-fiver Thomas Enqvist, former Russian number one Mikhail Youzhny, German Tommy Haas, Swede and Canada Masters winner Mikael Pernfors, and Spaniard Nicolás Almagro.

2021 also marked the last time the tournament was held at the historic Royal Albert Hall.

Paul McCann, VP, Tennis Events at IMG said: “For 24 years we’ve given fans the amazing opportunity to watch their favourite tennis superstars play in the iconic Royal Albert Hall, and this year has been like no other. It’s fantastic to see the players compete on the court again, and for a final time, cheered on by the roar of the packed crowd.”

Sponsors of Champions Tennis at Royal Albert Hall include: Original Penguin, Rado, Lacoste Fragrances Dunlop ,Superstars, OneStream Software, Brewin Dolphin, Stella Artois, Harrogate, Vodafone, Jaguar, Nyetimber, onefinestay, Adnams, Lavazza. For more information please visit Champions Tennis on Twitter @ChampionsTennis and on Instagram @champions_tennis. This year’s Champions Tennis tournament was live streamed on ATPChampionsTour and on Facebook at The ATP Champions Tour

Djokovic, Medvedev Highlight Davis Cup Nominations

October 25, 2021 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

The ITF and Kosmos Tennis have today announced the players nominated to represent their nations at the Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals, taking place from 25 November to 5 December 2021. The 18 teams involved will battle to be crowned Davis Cup champions. The cities of Madrid (Spain), Innsbruck (Austria) and Turin (Italy) will each host two of the six groups, with Innsbruck and Turin hosting one quarter-final, and Madrid hosting the remaining two quarter-finals, both semi-finals and the final. The six group winners, plus the two group runners-up with the best records based on matches, sets and games won will qualify for the quarter-finals.

Group A – Madrid, Spain Spain Pablo Carreno Busta Roberto Bautista Agut Carlos Alcaraz Feliciano Lopez Marcel Granollers Captain: Sergi Bruguera RTF Daniil Medvedev Andrey Rublev Aslan Karatsev Karen Khachanov Evgeny Donskoy Captain: Shamil Tarpischev Ecuador Emilio Gomez Roberto Quiroz Diego Hidalgo Gonzalo Escobar Cayetano March Captain: Raul Viver

Group B – Madrid, Spain Canada Felix Auger-Aliassime Denis Shapovalov Vasek Pospisil Brayden Schnur Peter Polansky Captain: Frank Dancevic Kazakhstan Alexander Bublik Mikhail Kukushkin Dmitry Popko Aleksandr Nedovyesov Andrey Golubev Captain: Yuriy Schukin Sweden Mikael Ymer Elias Ymer Jonathan Mridha Andre Goransson Captain: Robin Soderling

Group C – Innsbruck, Austria France Ugo Humbert Arthur Rinderknech Richard Gasquet Pierre-Hugues Herbert Nicolas Mahut Captain: Sebastien Grosjean Great Britain Cameron Norrie Daniel Evans Joe Salisbury Neal Skupski Captain: Leon Smith Czech Republic Jiri Vesely Tomas Machac Zdenek Kolar Jiri Lehecka Lukas Rosol Captain: Jaroslav Navratil

Group D – Turin, Italy Croatia Marin Cilic Borna Coric Borna Gojo Nikola Mektic Mate Pavic Captain: Vedran Martic Australia Alex de Minaur John Millman Jordan Thompson Alexei Popyrin John Peers Captain: Lleyton Hewitt Hungary Marton Fucsovics Attila Balazs Zsombor Marozsan Mate Valkusz Captain: Gabor Koves

Group E – Turin, Italy USA John Isner Reilly Opelka Taylor Fritz Jack Sock Rajeev Ram Captain: Mardy Fish Italy Matteo Berrettini Jannik Sinner Lorenzo Sonego Fabio Fognini Lorenzo Musetti Captain: Filippo Volandri Colombia Daniel Galan Nicolas Mejia Juan Sebastian Cabal Robert Farah Captain: Alejandro Falla

Group F – Innsbruck, Austria Serbia Novak Djokovic Filip Krajinovic Dusan Lajovic Laslo Djere Miomir Kecmanovic Captain: Viktor Troicki Germany Jan Lennard Struff Dominik Koepfer Peter Gojowczyk Kevin Krawietz Tim Puetz Captain: Michael Kohlmann Austria Dennis Novak Jurij Rodionov Gerald Melzer Oliver Marach Philipp Oswald Captain: Stefan Koubek

No Vax, No Australian Open, Says Victorian Government

October 24, 2021 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

The Australian state of Victoria announced that no athlete who has not been fully vaccinated will be allowed to participate in major events, including the upcoming Australian Open in January 2022.

Federal Immigration Minister Alex Hawke confirmed the state’s ruling during a radio interview with local news outlet ABC News on Wednesday morning.

“The government, in establishing its borders, has said that you’ll need to be double vaccinated to visit Australia,” said Hawke.

“That’s a universal application, not just to tennis players. I mean that every visitor to Australia will need to be double vaccinated.”

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has remained firm that exemptions would not be made for anyone.

“[The virus] doesn’t care what your tennis ranking is, or how many Grand Slams you’ve won. It’s completely irrelevant. You need to be vaccinated to keep yourself safe and to keep others safe,” he said on Tuesday.

One of the most vocal opponents to player vaccine mandates has been Serbia’s World No.1 Novak Djokovic, who has refused to comment on his vaccination status.

“I will not reveal my status, whether I have been vaccinated or not. It is a private matter and an inappropriate inquiry,” he said to the online edition of Serbian daily Blic.

The ban could put Djokovic’s chances of a Grand Slam in jeopardy.

This month, Andrews announced a vaccine mandate for all domestic professional athletes requiring them to have received their first dose by October 15 and their second by November 26.

Forest Hills Seeking More Davis Cup, Pro Events After Successful South Africa – Venezuela Tie

September 23, 2021 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

Davis Cup was played last weekend at the historic Forest Hills Stadium at the West Side Tennis Club for the first time since 1959.

The club hopes it won’t be another 62 years before it happens again.

South Africa defeated Venezuela 4-0 in the Davis Cup by Rakuten Group II Playoff Series, highlighted by victories in singles and doubles by rising ATP star Lloyd Harris, fresh off reaching the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open the previous week just three miles down the road also in Queens, New York. With the execution of this event under its belt, the long-time former home of the U.S. Open and U.S. Championships is in the market to host more Davis Cup matches or other big tennis events in the near future.

“We would love to host more Davis Cup matches or other big pro events at Forest Hills Stadium,” said Jason Weir-Smith. “The West Side Tennis Club has proven to be a suitable and enjoyable site for players and fans with an unparalleled tennis history in the United States. With New York, and specifically the borough of Queens, being one of the most ethnically diverse communities in the world, Forest Hills would be particularly attractive for national team events or tournaments with popular international tennis stars.”

The South Africa vs. Venezuela Davis Cup series was pulled together with just over one month of lead time. While Tennis South Africa, the host nation for the series, chose not to pay associated production and permitting fees to allow for the event to be ticketed for the general public, the club received almost a thousand email inquiries for tickets for the event. The event was attended by 200 enthusiastic invitation-only guests.

“People are nostalgic for tennis at Forest Hills and those who perhaps are too young to see pro tennis here have certainly seen videos and pictures that display the majesty, beauty and history of the club,” said Weir-Smith.

Following his opening singles victory over Venezuela, Harris, the South African No. 1 player, said competing on the Forest Hills Stadium court was “very special.”

“This is an incredible venue, so much history,” Harris said. “I learned so much about this venue and its history over the last few days. I’m obviously very, very honored to be playing and in a special place.”

“It’s a great honor for me to represent my country, especially at a place like this,” said South African No. 2 Philip Henning. “We love our sport, and this place is one of the places with the most history for tennis. I think a lot of big names played on this court.”

Said Venezuelan No. 1 player Ricardo Rodriguez following his singles loss to Henning, “As a player you always dream to be in the historic venues and the important sites and the most famous stadiums and arenas all over the world, and this is one of them. So, even though I lost, I still feel proud. I still feel lucky to be here.”

The West Side Tennis Club features 40 tennis courts on five surfaces, grass, red clay, Har-Tru courts, DecoTurf hard courts and synthetic grass. The 13,000-seat horseshoe-shaped Forest Hills Stadium was christened on August 11, 1923 with the Wightman Cup matches and hosted the finals of the U.S. Championships and U.S. Open from 1923 to 1977. The stadium last hosted Davis Cup in 1959 when Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Neale Fraser led Australia to the Davis Cup title with a 3-2 victory over the United States team led by Alex Olmedo, Butch Buchholz and Barry MacKay.

South African Davis Cup Team at Forest Hlls — South African Davis Cup Team at Forest Hills

Miss Going To U.S. Open Qualies? Get Your Tennis Fix At Davis Cup at Forest Hills Sept. 18-19!

August 24, 2021 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

The popular U.S. Open qualifying tournament may be closed to the public this year but New York tennis fans will have another opportunity to see big time tennis this year with Davis Cup being played the weekend after the conclusion of the U.S. Open at the historic West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills!

Tickets for the South Africa vs. Venezuela Davis Cup by Rakuten tie September 18-19 at the West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills are now for sale at www.ForestHillsStadium.com Daily tickets start at $25 with special VIP group hospitality packages also for sale. The matches mark the first time Davis Cup will be played at the iconic and historic former site of the U.S. Open since 1959.

The first day of play will feature two best-of-three-set singles matches starting at 11 am and the second day, also starting at 11 am, featuring the reverse two best-of-three-set singles matches and a best-of-three-set doubles match. The winner will remain in the Davis Cup Group II for the 2022 Davis Cup campaign, two levels below the Davis Cup World Group that determines the Davis Cup champion in the Davis Cup World Finals in Madrid.

The current top South African players are Kevin Anderson, the former U.S. Open and Wimbledon finalist, who achieved a career-high ranking of No. 5, top-50 player Lloyd Harris, who beat Rafael Nadal earlier this summer in Washington, D.C., and former Australian Open and Wimbledon doubles finalist Raven Klaasen. Venezuela is led by No. 585-ranked Ricardo Rodriguez, the all-time leading Davis Cup player for his country.

The best-of-five match series will be played the weekend after the conclusion of the U.S. Open on a hard court in the 98-year-old 13,000-seat historic horseshoe shaped stadium, which hosted the finals of the U.S. Championships and U.S. Open from 1923 to 1977. The stadium last hosted Davis Cup in 1959 when Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Neale Fraser led Australia to the Davis Cup title with a 3-2 victory over the United States team led by Alex Olmedo, Butch Buchholz and Barry MacKay. This South Africa vs. Venezuela tie will mark the first time that Davis Cup will be played in the New York City area since the 1981 USA vs. Czechoslovakia Davis Cup quarterfinal at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows featuring John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl.

Sponsorship opportunities are available by emailing Weir-Smith at Jason@thewestsidetennisclub.com.

Fans coming from out of town to attend this tie are encouraged to stay at the InterContinental New York Times Square, the official hotel for the South Africa vs. Venezuela tie. Located in the heart of Manhattan, InterContinental New York Times Square makes for an unforgettable retreat within New York City at the crossroads of the theater district, business and entertainment areas. Rooms can be booked here: https://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/us/en/new-york/nychc/hoteldetail?cm_mmc=GoogleMaps-_-IC-_-US-_-NYCHC and fans can take advantage of a limited-edition menu of dishes and juices inspired by both Davis Cup teams.

Davis Cup by Rakuten is the largest annual international team competition in world sport. One of the cornerstones of the tennis calendar, Davis Cup provides players with the chance to represent their country in an otherwise individual sport. Founded by Hall of Famer Dwight Davis in 1900, Davis Cup began as a challenge match between USA and British Isles, with that first event being held at the Longwood Cricket Club in Boston, Mass. Today, more than 120 nations compete in the annual event.

A Summary of Olympic Tennis From Tokyo – Belinda Bencic and Alexander Zverev Are Champs

August 2, 2021 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

Alexander Zverev of Germany follows up his semifinal upset of world No. 1 Novak Djokovic by winning the Olympic gold medal in men’s singles at the Tokyo Olympic Games, defeating Karen Khachanov of Russia 6-3, 6-1 in the Gold Medal match.

“There is nothing better than this,” says Zverev, the world No. 5 and whose previous best career result was a runner-up finish at the 2020 U.S. Open. “A gold medal at the Olympics, for me, the value is incredible because you’re not only playing for yourself, you’re playing for your whole country.”

Zverev needs only 79 minutes for the one-sided win over his 25th-ranked opponent to join 1988 Olympic gold medalist Steffi Graf as the only Germans to win Olympic singles gold. Boris Becker and Michael Stich of Germany paired to win Olympic gold in doubles in 1992.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach watched his fellow German win the title in a stadium only filled with officials and team delegation members due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The ban on fans attending any Olympic events allowed for a group of about 10 anti-Olympic protesters across the street from the Ariake Tennis Park to be heard inside center court during the first set of the final, but did not interrupt play.

Team Russia, branded the Russian Olympic Committee or “ROC” at the Tokyo Olympics due to the doping sanctions, however is able to secure a gold medal in mixed doubles in an all-Russian final, Andrey Rublev and Anastasia Pavlyvuchenkova beating Aslan Karatsev and Elena Vesnina 6-3, 6-7 (5), (13-11) for the Gold Medal.

“We are winning gold for …. the ROC,” says Rublev, playing in his first ever mixed doubles tournament.
In the women’s doubles gold medal match, Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Sinaikova beat Belinda Bencic, the Olympic gold medal winner in singles, and Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland 7-5, 6-1.

Belinda Bencic of Switzerland achieves something that her two fellow Swiss who ranked No. 1 world could not do in their career, winning Olympic gold in singles. The No. 12-ranked Bencic beats No. 42-ranked Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 to win an unpredictable women’s singles event.

Federer lost the 2012 Olympic final to Andy Murray but did pair with Stan Wawrinka to win gold in men’s doubles in 2008. Hingis did not compete in the Olympics in 2000, 2004, 2008 or 2012 but won silver in women’s doubles in 2016 with Timea Bacsinszky.

“I think I accomplished it for them,” Bencic said. “They did so much in their careers. I don’t think I will ever be able to accomplish what they did. So it’s for Martina and Roger.”

Marc Rosset was the only previous Swiss player to win gold in Olympic singles when he was the surprise winner at the 1992 Games in Barcelona. Bencic’s previous best career result prior to the Olympics was reaching the semifinals of the 2019 U.S. Open.

Bencic took a medical timeout midway through the third set to have the big toe on her right foot treated for an apparent blister. But she came back out and didn’t appear troubled.

“I really don’t know how it worked out for me,” Bencic said. “I really had a lot of belief in myself.”

In the bronze-medal playoff, Elina Svitolina of Ukraine defeated Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan 1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 to win Ukraine’s first ever medal in tennis in the Olympic Games. Svitolina was competing in his first event since marrying fellow pro Gael Monfils, a member of France’s Olympic tennis team.

In the men’s bronze medal match, dominant world No. 1 is not able to shake off his upset loss in the semifinals the previous night to Alexander Zverev and surprisingly falls to Pable Carreno Busta of Spain 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-3.
Djokovic then withdraws from the mixed doubles bronze medal match with partner Nina Stojanovic, handing the walkover victory to Ash Barty and John Peers in what have been an interest match featuring the world No. 1 woman against the world No. 1 man.

Croatia’s Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic defeated countrymen Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig to win men’s doubles gold 6-4, 3-6 (10-6). The bronze medal went to Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus as they defeated Americans Austin Krajicek and Tennys Sandgren 7-6(3), 6-2 to capture an historic first Olympic tennis medal for New Zealand.

Novak Djokovic Wins 20th Major at Wimbledon, Ties Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal For All-Time Lead

July 11, 2021 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

Novak Djokovic defeated Matteo Berrettini 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 to win his sixth Wimbledon singles title and his 20^th major singles title, tying him with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for most major victories of all-time with 20.

Djokovic led 5-2 in the first set, but was not able to close as Berrettini captured the first set in a tiebreaker. Losing the first set, surprisingly, relaxed Djokovic, the Serbian told Darren Cahill on ESPN, and he rolled to a 4-0 lead in the second set. He remained steady throughout the third and fourth sets to at the All England Club for a sixth time, two behind the record eight titles won by Federer.

Djokovic, Federer and Nadal have 20 grand slam titles and are tied for the most in open-era tennis history. Nadal has bested both players at the French Open with 13 titles, while Djokovic leads the three with nine Australian Open wins.

Djokovic is now angling for the Golden Grand Slam. He’s already won the Australian, French and Wimbledon this year. He will be representing Serbia in the Olympics and is expected to play in the U.S. Open in August.

Steffi Graf is the only tennis player to achieve the feat. She won the 1988 Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, U.S. Open and a gold medal in the Olympics in Seoul.

“I love that he feels the pressure and embraces it,” says former top 4 player James Blake on ESPN, who Djokovic beat to win the bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games.

“I see there are is no reason why he can’t win five to seven more,” says Brad Gilbert on ESPN. “He is not satisfied.”

Andy Murray Will Be Looking Good In Wimbledon Return

June 21, 2021 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

Andy Murray returns to Wimbledon this summer competing in an innovative merino wool performance kit developed by AMC in collaboration with The Woolmark Company.

The first-of-its-kind wool blend tennis apparel collection has been engineered with Merino wool to enhance athletic performance.

Andy Murray commented: “I’ve been testing the kit for a few months now and am really happy with how it feels and performs. I work closely with the designers on every piece and give regular feedback. For me, the technical performance is vital. It’s also very important the kit is sustainable and I like the fact it looks and feels a bit different.”

Stuart McCullough, The Woolmark Company’s Managing Director, said: “The launch of this innovative kit elevates Merino wool to an entirely new level of performance on a global stage and demonstrates that Merino wool garments are both stylish and capable of use in an elite sporting environment.”

Merino wool is the world’s original performance fibre. No other fibre can match all of its natural benefits with exceptional breathability, thermoregulation and supreme softness next to the skin, helping players keep cool and comfortable on court. The fibre’s excellent natural elasticity is ideal for stretching and the natural odour resistance abilities ensure players stay feeling fresher for longer. Importantly, it is also gentle on the planet due to it being a 100 per cent natural, renewable and biodegradable fibre.

When not playing online casino games, Andy will wear the Merino wool garments during his training for Wimbledon and for all matches during the tournament. The collection is being launched globally to coincide with the tournament, which starts on June 28.

About AMC:

AMC is a premium tennis clothing brand, created by Andy Murray and Castore. Andy works with the designers on every piece, with technical performance at the heart of the process. He’s involved in the testing of the products and jointly owns the business with Castore. Please visit www.castore.com/AMC for more details.

About the Woolmark Company

The Woolmark Company is the global authority on wool. Through our extensive network of relationships spanning the international textile and fashion industries, we highlight Australian wool’s position as the ultimate natural fibre and premier ingredient in luxury apparel.

The Woolmark logo is one of the world’s most recognised and respected brands, providing assurance of the highest quality, and representing pioneering excellence and innovation from farm through to finished product.

The Woolmark Company is a subsidiary of Australian Wool Innovation, a not-for-profit enterprise that conducts research, development and marketing along the worldwide supply chain for Australian wool on behalf of about 60,000 woolgrowers that help fund the company.

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Greenbrier Resort In West Virginia To Host Champions Series Tennis

June 15, 2021 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

From wire reports

The Greenbrier Champions Tennis Classic will celebrate its ninth anniversary this September with a bit of a twist. This year’s event, planned for Monday, September 13, 2021, will be part of the Champions Series Tennis Tour, with participants playing for a $25,000 first-prize paycheck.

The annual celebration of The Greenbrier’s rich tennis tradition will include four men’s superstars, with a pair of semifinals and a final all taking place in the intimate and picturesque setting of Center Court at Creekside Stadium.

The Greenbrier Champions Tennis Classic will be the finale of a grand Salute to Heroes Weekend at The Greenbrier, commemorating the 20^th anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the United States. More details on the weekend will be released at a later date.

The 2021 Greenbrier Champions Tennis Classic will feature 2003 U.S. Open champion and former world No. 1 Andy Roddick, former world No. 2 Tommy Haas, former world No. 4 James Blake and 2006 Australian Open runner-up Champions Series Tennis debutant Marcos Baghdatis. Champions Series Tennis is the North American tennis circuit for champion tennis players over the age of 30. Each event features two one-set semifinal matches followed by a one-set championship match. The winner will earn the $25,000 paycheck. (Perhaps spent on at one of the best online casinos. Tickets start at $30 and are now on sale at store.greenbrier.com. VIP packages, including play-with-the-pros and backstage opportunities are available at ChampionsSeriesTennis.com. Proceeds for the event will benefit the First Responders Children’s Foundation.

The schedule for The Greenbrier Champions Tennis Classic on September 13 will run as follows (subject to change):

11:00am — Clinic featuring Tommy Haas and Marcos Baghdatis
12:00pm — Clinic featuring Andy Roddick and James Blake
1:00pm — Player Party Brunch Q&A (All Players)
2:00pm — Backstage Experience (Meet & Greet with all players)
2:30pm — Semifinal (Haas vs. Blake)
3:30pm — Semifinal (Roddick vs. Baghdatis)
4:30pm — Final (Winners of semifinals)

Roddick was the top American tennis player for nearly a decade. He finished nine consecutive seasons in the Top 10 in the ATP rankings and reached No.1 in the rankings in 2003. Roddick, best known for his powerful serve, won the 2003 U.S. Open and reached four other Grand Slam Finals.

Blake began playing tennis as a member of the Harlem Junior Tennis Program at age 5. As a child, he had to overcome severe scoliosis which forced him to wear a back brace 18 hours a day. Blake, best known for his speed and powerful forehand, reached three Grand Slam quarterfinals and, in 2006, became the first African-American player since Arthur Ashe to reach the Top 10 in the ATP Rankings.

Baghdatis is a former World No. 8 singles player best known for his powerful serve and forehand. He achieved his best Grand Slam result as a 20-year-old at the 2006 Australian Open, beating Andy Roddick and Ivan Ljubicic, before falling to Rodger Federer in the final. That same year he reached the semifinals at Wimbledon.

Haas began playing tennis in Hamburg, Germany at age 4 before moving to Florida at age 11 to attend Nick Bollettieri Academy. Known for his powerful baseline game, Haas turned professional in 1996 and had immediate success. He reached the quarter-finals in his first ATP Tour event, falling to Pete Sampras, and achieved the World No. 2 Ranking in 2002. Haas went on to reach the quarter-finals at each of the Grand Slams and reached the semis at Wimbledon (2009) and three times in Australia (1999, 2002, 2007).

The Greenbrier Champions Tennis Classic began in 2012 and has brought legends of the game such as Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, John McEnroe, the Bryan Brothers, Martina Hingis, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and many others to The Greenbrier, celebrating a rich tennis history that dates back more than a century.

Champions Series Tennis began in 2005 and over the last 16 years has featured some of the greatest names in men’s tennis, including Sampras, Agassi, McEnroe, Courier Bjorn Borg, Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg, Michael Chang and others. Courier won the first Champions Series Tennis event held in 2005.

About The Greenbrier

The Greenbrier is a distinct and spectacular luxury mountain resort situated in the Allegheny Mountains in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. It is best known as “America’s Resort.” With a history dating back to 1778, the 710 perfectly appointed Signature Resort Rooms, Classic and Historic Suites, Legacy Cottages and Estate Homes are situated on The Greenbrier’s breathtaking 11,000-acre playground. Play championship golf courses or experience more than 55 activities, including professional indoor and outdoor tennis, Off-Road Driving and Falconry. America’s only private casino (not an aussie casino) features table games, slot machines and the FanDuel Sportsbook. The Greenbrier’s full-service, 40,000-square-foot world-renowned spa is widely recognized as one of the most luxurious mineral spas in the world, and the Retail Collection is comprised of 36 boutiques, shops and hand crafted works of art. The Greenbrier Restaurant Collection is comprised of 20 restaurants, cafés and lounges. The Greenbrier Clinic has been practicing diagnostic medicine since 1948, and The Greenbrier Sporting Club is the pinnacle of luxury real estate, offering exclusive home sites within distinctive neighborhoods across The Greenbrier estate. Follow The Greenbrier on Facebook at The Greenbrier, on Twitter at @the_greenbrier or on Instagram at the_greenbrier.

Novak Djokovic Wins 19th Major At Roland Garros In Epic Fashion

June 14, 2021 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

By Bob Stockton

@BobStockton10

Novak Djokovic staged a determined comeback to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-7 (6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 for his second championship at Roland Garros and 19th Grand Slam title overall — one away from the men’s record shared by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

“There’s always two voices inside: There is one telling you that you can’t do it, that it’s done, it’s finished. That voice was pretty strong after that second set,” Djokovic said. “So I felt that that was a time for me to actually vocalize the other voice and try to suppress the first one that was saying I can’t make it. I told myself I can do it. Encouraged myself. I strongly started to repeat that inside of my mind, tried to live it with my entire being.”

The inspired comeback capped perhaps the most satisfying major win from the 34-year-old Djokovic, who defeated the near unbeatable 13-time Roland Garros singles champion Rafael Nadal in the semifinals in one of the most dramatic and well-played matches played in Paris ever.

Djokovic became one of three men, joining Rod Laver and Roy Emerson, to win each major singles title twice. As the reigning champion at the Australian Open and French Open, he heads to Wimbledon, which starts June 28, half way to the calendar-year Grand Slam, hoping to join Laver and Don Budge as the only men with a calendar-year Grand Slam. He also hope to win Olympic gold for the first time in Tokyo following Wimbledon and before the U.S. Open. If he were to win the Grand Slam in New York, it would also mark his 21^st major singles title, eclipsing Federer and Nadal in the all-time lead.

The 34-year-old Djokovic eliminated 13-time French Open champion Nadal, handing Nadal only his third loss in 108 matches at Roland Garros. Djokovic also defeated Nadal in the 2015 quarterfinals before losing that year’s final to Stan Wawrinka. The only other player to beat Nadal at Roland Garros, Robin Soderling of Sweden in 2009, also lost in the final (to Federer.) It appeared the same fate awaited Sunday, when the 22-year-old Tsitsipas had the upper hand against a drained Djokovic.

“It was not easy for me,” Djokovic said, “both physically and mentally.”

Djokovic eventually completed his sixth career comeback from two sets down — and second of the past week. Djokovic — who trailed 19-year-old Lorenzo Musetti two sets to none in the fourth round — is the first man in the professional era to win a major title after twice facing a 2-0 deficit in sets during the tournament.

Djokovic was steadfast in the final three sets, not facing a break point at any point.

“Suddenly just felt cold and out of it,” Tsitsipas said. “I felt like I kind of lost my game a little bit.”

This was the first major final for Tsitsipas and the 29th for Djokovic, who also won the 2016 French Open, to go with nine titles at the Australian Open, five at Wimbledon and three at the U.S. Open.

Also key: Djokovic is 35-10 in five-setters — including a men’s-record 32 wins at majors — while Tsitsipas is 5-5.

“Two sets doesn’t really mean anything,” said Tsitsipas, who was trying to become the first Greek to win a major.