Author: Admin

WTT season is set for November 13-28th at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez is bringing her bold and feisty brand of tennis to World TeamTennis next month.

Fernandez, former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters, 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens and Grand Slam champions Mike and Bob Bryan have signed on for the 2021 World TeamTennis season.

Watch: Roger & Rafa Make Dreams Come True

Tickets are on sale now for all sessions of the 2021 World TeamTennis season, which will feature five teams competing at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and will take place November 13-28th. Single session tickets will allow fans to witness both the afternoon and night match on the same day.

The defending champion New York Empire will be led by Clijsters and Wimbledon mixed doubles champion Neal Skupski, who are both scheduled to play the full season. Two-time Olympic medalist Jack Sock will be the Empire’s week one men’s player while 2014 NCAA singles champion from UCLA Marcos Giron will play for New York in week two. Luke Jensen, the 1993 French Open doubles champion, returns for his third season as New York’s coach.

Stephens and 2014 Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard unite with five-time WTT participant Nick Monroe for the full season on the 2020 WTT runner-up Chicago Smash. Frances Tiafoe, who reached the US Open Round of 16, will be Chicago’s week one men’s player while 10-time ATP singles titleholder Sam Querrey will play for the Smash in week two. Kamau Murray, who coached Stephens to the US Open title, enters his second season as Chicago’s coach.

Fernandez, who was acquired by the Orange County Breakers via trade in exchange for fellow Canadian Bouchard, joins Coachella Valley native Desirae Krawczyk, the winner of the last three Major mixed doubles titles. Americans John Isner and Steve Johnson round out the Breakers’ roster for the full WTT season. After leading the Breakers to the WTT title in 2017, Rick Leach is set for his sixth season as coach of Orange County.

Wimbledon doubles semifinalist Caroline Dolehide and 2020 WTT Finals MVP CoCo Vandeweghe will be with the San Diego Aviators for the season's entirety. Reigning WTT MVP Taylor Fritz and US Open Round of 16 participant Reilly Opelka will play for the Aviators in week one while two-time ATP Tour finalist Brandon Nakashima joins the Bryan Brothers in week two. Two-time WTT Coach of the Year John Lloyd captains the Aviators for the seventh season.

US Open doubles finalist Caty McNally teams up with fellow American Shelby Rogers, who upset World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty in New York, on the Springfield Lasers. The Lasers will also have the luxury of keeping US Open mixed doubles finalist Marcelo Arevalo and former three-time singles All-American at UCLA Mackenzie McDonald for the entire WTT season. John-Laffnie de Jager, who is one of six coaches in WTT history to win back-to-back titles, has been the Lasers’ coach since 2007.

The leader in professional team tennis competition, World TeamTennis opens the 2021 season November 13th at 3 p.m. PST where last year’s runner-up Chicago Smash face the San Diego Aviators. The defending champion New York Empire begin their quest for a repeat against the Orange County Breakers in the next match.

Due to Covid requirements set by the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, all fans in attendance will need valid proof of full vaccination to enter the grounds for matches.

Photo credit: Garrett Ellwood/USTA/US Open

The Bulgarian mentions he'd like to keep on going "hopefully for another decade".By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday  October 14, 2021

At the age of 30 Grigor Dimitrov was given an opportunity to look back on his career today, a day that saw him notch his 100th Masters 1000 victory by upsetting Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in three wildly entertaining sets, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(2).

The Bulgarian, who has now notched back-to-back comebacks from two sets down against top level opposition (yesterday it was a win from a set and double break down against top-seeded Daniil Medvedev), spoke in true Dimitrovian fashion about what the milestone means to him.

***For those not in the know: Dimitrovian is an adjective that describes the humble, soulful and appreciative musings of Dimitrov himself.***

“I didn't know until everyone started mentioning it now,” he said of his 100th Masters 1000 win. “Really I'm very humbled. It's such an amazing thing. I'm so thankful to everyone, to everybody that is in the team, that has worked in the team. Last but not least my family.”

"Every day when I get out here on the court, I know why I'm here, I know what I'm doing." 👍@GrigorDimitrov explains what has been clicking for him at #BNPPO21 pic.twitter.com/FwuFfcdbpN

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 14, 2021

Dimitrov, a former World No.3 who is now in possession of 344 ATP wins, including 70 at the Grand Slam level, says he never expected to be around for this long and to have such an impact on the sport.

“It feels like I want to say surreal because I never thought turning pro that I'm going to have let's say a hundred matches on such a level,” he said. “I'm very fortunate to be able to put myself in that position over and over, especially throughout the tough years, injuries and so on.

“It means clearly a lot to me. I really appreciate it. I'm very, very humbled on it. Like I'm smiling inside. I'm smiling inside. I think it's a beautiful thing. I'll keep on going hopefully another decade.”

The Bulgarian will bid for his second Masters 1000 final. He owns a career record of 1-5 in Masters 1000 semifinals and knows these opportunities don’t come around often.

Grigor's milestone 💥

Notching a 100th career Masters 1000 win in style at #BNPPO21 pic.twitter.com/G252cKlm6Z

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 14, 2021

He says that consistency of habit, and balance in his preparation and his life are what has triggered his recent upswing in form. Dimitrov has won 10 of 13 matches since the start of the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati and only Daniil Medvedev and Casper Ruud have been able to earn completed victories against him (he had to retire at the US Open, in the second round to Alexei Popyrin.

“I would say the biggest thing is consistency,” he told Tennis Now. “You try to find that balance between playing, practicing, resting, eating, sleeping. Really I'm a strong believer in all those things. I think if you do them the right way, if you really focus on the right sort of protocol of how you want to go on and about, you don't try to get influenced by what somebody else does, what you've seen somebody else might have done in the past, I think it's where you're going to sort of build yourself up and establish yourself a little bit more on your own path, which I'm a big believer in, as well.

“I think these past weeks, not only days, I would say weeks, I've just been doing things for what I think is important to me and the things that are important for my game.”