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The Swiss thinks matches are the key to his revivalStan Wawrinka has accepted a wild card into next week’s Nature Valley International at Eastbourne. The Swiss, still trying to find his form after undergoing double surgery to his left knee last season, owns a 5-8 record on the season and lost in the second round at Queen’s Club on Wednesday to Sam Querrey.

📣 Exciting news!Former World No.3 @stanwawrinka has accepted a wild card into the #NatureValleyInternational in Eastbourne 👉 https://t.co/vO2413oxxU pic.twitter.com/fhe96GI98R

— British Tennis (@BritishTennis) June 21, 2018

Wawrinka says he is feeling good about his form, and simply needs more matches now.

“All I know is that I personally feel really good with the way I'm practicing, the way I'm moving and the way I'm playing my game,” he said after Wednesday’s 7-5, 6-7, 6-1 loss to the American. “Now all I need is to keep playing match like today, like two days ago, also, try to win little by little, get the confidence back, get used to play all those important points, feeling the right way mentally on the court, knowing that when you play a match like that, if you play ten matches like that, then you think less and you know exactly what you're going to do at 5-5, you know what you're going to do in the tiebreak, and that's how you start winning again.”

According to Wawrinka, his knee is as good as it can be, but he admits that he may never be the same in that regard.

“After Paris I did two strong week of practice physical, a little bit of tennis but mostly physical,” the 33-year-old said. “And when I arrive here, I'm feeling great.”

He added: “For sure, there is there that is not the same and there is few things on the court that is not the same and maybe will never be the same. But I believe that I'm strong enough now to play my best tennis. Is it going to be enough? We don't know.”

The Greek showed his acrobatic skills with this gorgeous dive volley at Halle.

Today’s match with World No.109 Denis Kudla didn’t go Stefanos Tsitsipas’ way in Halle, but the 19-year-old rising star left his mark on the grass-court with this spectacular diving volley and recovery.

Grass Season, 2018: Thiem Stunned in Halle | Tiafoe's Milestone at Queen's | Novak and Nature

Not only did Tsitsipas make the outrageous dive to keep the point alive against Kudla, he also recovered in time to snag the put-away volley winner.

This kind of work takes a lot of heart and courage, as well as magical hands.

It was definitely the shot of the day in Halle, and even though Tsitsipas fell 6-3, 6-4, he’ll go home with another notch on his highlight reel.

Diving into 2018 World Cup ⚽️ like… https://t.co/vgLxuevqFO

— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) June 20, 2018

Photo Source: Thomas Starke/Getty Images Europe

Low expectations and joie de vivre will carry Andy Murray forward on the first days of his long awaited comeback.

Ahead of his first competitive tennis match in 11 months, former World No.1 and three-time major champion Andy Murray spoke to Catherine Whitaker about his expectations for his opening round match against Nick Kyrgios on Tuesday at the Fever-Tree Championships at Queen’s Club, and why he feels differently about tennis after such a long and difficult hiatus.

Grass Season 2018: Thiem, Nishikori Roll on Day 1 in Halle | Close Call Causes Konta Meltdown

“It’s obviously nice,” Murray said when asked how he felt about beginning his comeback from hip surgery in London, where he has won five Queen’s Club titles, an Olympic Gold Medal, an ATP World Tour Finals title and two Wimbledon titles. “I was hoping that I was going to be able to play a bit sooner—I was planning on in Holland last week but it just came a little bit too soon—but obviously nice for me to play my first match back in 11 months here.”

Murray went on to say that his 11-month layoff has forced him to take a different view of the sport. Once a top player that carried all the pressure that goes with defending Grand Slam titles and being No.1 in the world, Murray is now about to embark on a journey of reconnection. More than the pressure and the victories, he craves the pure and simple joy of tennis and is motivated by his desire to play for the love of the game.

“In 2016 I thought that winning Grand Slams and being No.1 was the most important thing in my tennis career, whereas now I don’t see that,” he said. “I want that to still be the case, obviously, I’d love to win Grand Slams and I’d love to get to No.1 in the world—all tennis players would—but I just want to play tennis.”

Murray says that more than anything, he felt a void in his life when away from the game, one that can only be filled by getting back on the court.

“I love playing tennis,” he said. “I’ve really, really missed it a lot. I’ve missed competing and that’s the most important thing, getting back to doing what I love doing. Sport is about winning and losing obviously but it’s not just about that there’s more to it. This has been my life since I was pretty young. It’s been tough but you look at things a little bit differently as you get older and go through times like that so I’m hoping that will help me through the comeback."

As Murray returns he finds the game in very much the same state it was in many years ago, when he was climbing up the rankings behind a two-headed monopoly at the top of the ATP food chain. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal rule the tour once again in 2018, but not to worry: Murray says that’s a positive sign. 

The 31-year-old sees hope in the fact that players like Nadal and Juan Martin del Potro have been able to launch comebacks and reinvent themselves well beyond their 30th birthday. He also sees the recent uptick in form of Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka as reason to believe.

“A lot of the older players recently have been doing better and I think a lot of it is down to the level as well—[Federer and Nadal] are two of the best players of all-time so provided they are healthy they are going to be able to compete and win the biggest competitions,” Murray said. “There’s a lot of sort of case studies around just now—they give you hope and optimism. I don’t know if this week I’m going to be playing well, I don’t know if it will be three or four weeks’ time, but maybe in three or four months when I’ve had a bit more matches under my belt and a bit more training time, hopefully I’ll be able to get back to that level again.”

For now, Murray is content to tap into his love of the game, and let the chips fall where they may. He’ll do that tomorrow in London, on the hallowed lawns of Queen’s Club, and even though he doesn’t expect to win, he’s hoping to feel the electricity of competition coursing through his veins.

“My expectations, they are extremely low,” he said. “I’m not expecting to win against Kyrgios, I don’t think it would be right to think that way after such a long time out, but obviously I want to be competitive, I don’t just want to go out there and sort of roll over and play badly, I want to try and play well and feel good on the court.”

The Argentine is following the advice of his doctor after a long clay season. Juan Martin del Potro joins Rafael Nadal on the sidelines by pulling out of next week’s Fever Tree Championships at Queen’s Club.

More: Nadal Pulls out of Queen's Club

Del Potro said that his doctor recommended he take the time off to rest and recuperate after playing through a Grade 1 groin strain at Roland Garros and reaching the semifinals.

Juan Martin del Potro has sadly been forced to withdraw from the Fever-Tree Championships after medical advice to rest.

He said: "I am sad I will not be playing in Queen's this year. I was really excited to play and I hope to be back next year!"#QueensTennis pic.twitter.com/4AaNYsIOB9

— Fever-Tree Championships (@QueensTennis) June 15, 2018

Del Potro was the tournament’s top seed after Nadal had withdrawn. He isn't expected to play on grass before Wimbledon this summer.

The news isn’t all bad for the event, however. Novak Djokovic took a wild card to play Queen’s Club earlier this week, and Andy Murray is expected to decide on his participation on Saturday before the draw is held.

Back at Queens tournament, first time since 2010. Happy to be here. One of the most beautiful Centre courts in the world #fevertreechampionships pic.twitter.com/ULWUCP9BQr

— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) June 15, 2018

The Frenchman breaks new ground on the 'tweener front and celebrates like a boss.

When it comes to winning matches on the ATP Tour, uber-talented Frenchman Benoit Paire can be hit or miss. When it comes to the ability to dazzle, don’t worry about it, Paire’s got you covered.

More Grass Season: Kyrgios Magic | Federer's Fuel | Sharapova, Keys out of Birmingham

Case in point: This remarkable ‘tweener struck by Pair in the second set of his 7-6(3), 6-4 loss to Tomas Berdych on Thursday at the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart. There is no term to describe this shot—the ‘tweener, or Hot Dog, is supposed to come back through the legs, but Paire, whether by happenstance or plan, has found a way to send this ball back over the net from outside of his left leg.

Add to that the fact that the shot was perfectly executed, landing for a clean winner just over the net, and you see why A) this is going to be one of the Shots of the Year when it’s all said and done and, B) Paire was still celebrating at the changeover in his chair like a player who had just won Wimbledon.

The 2013 Wimbledon champion has abondoned her plans to play professionally. Former World No.7 and Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli has decided to abandon her plans to come back to professional tennis, due to shoulder issues that have restricted her training.

More: Nadal out of Queen's Club | Federer's New Stick | Nadal's Paris Dynasty | Errani Disgusted by Ban

"To my dismay I must unfortunately stop my attempt to comeback,” Bartoli posted in French on social media. “In effect, the necessary increases in doses of workouts to try and find my best level caused pain to my right shoulder again.”

A mon grand désarroi je dois malheureusement arrêter ma tentative de comeback. En effet l'augmentation nécessaire des doses d'entraînements pour tenter de retrouver mon meilleur niveau, entraînent des douleurs à nouveau à mon épaule droite pic.twitter.com/pFnubgrmTe

— Marion bartoli (@bartoli_marion) June 13, 2018

Bartoli announced comeback plans last year and had targeted the Miami Open as her first event. After playing against Serena Williams in an exhibition at Madison Square Garden in early March she delayed her plans to have more time to reach peak fitness.

Bartoli expressed plans to stay involved in the game as a mentor or coach in the coming years.

“Nevertheless, I have a profound desire to convey the high level I have learnt, and so I would like to invest this into training a player, to help her exploit her full potential."

Bartoli, 33, earned eight WTA titles and won 490 matches in her career. The Puy en Velay, France native reached the quarterfinals of all four majors and was also a runner-up at Wimbledon in 2007.

Wimbledon champion armed with new accomplice in Stuttgart return.
Roger Federer returned in Stuttgart armed with a new-look accomplice.

More: Get Wilson Pro Staff RF97 on Sale at Tennis Express

The 20-time Grand Slam champion debuted the new cosmetic on his classic Wilson racquet. 

Watch: Federer on Motivational Fuel

Previously, Federer's Pro Staff RF97 Autograph Wilson racquet was an all-black stick.

This version of the Pro Staff RF97 Autograph has white highlights on the hoop of the racquet. The brand's name also appears in ivory on the throat of the racquet.

Published reports say Federer is considering signing a new apparel pact with Uniqlo that could triple his now expired contract with Nike.

Federer has a lifetime endorsement pact with Wilson.

Here's a closer look a the new cosmetic for the Pro Staff RF97 Autograph.

Photo credit: Wilson

The Fed Cup final will take place at the O2 Arena in Prague on November 10-11. The Czech Republic has set the venue and surface for this year’s Fed Cup final in Prague. The 2018 Fed Cup Final between U.S.A. and the Czechs on November 10-11 will take place at the 10,700-seat O2 Arena in Prague on a temporary indoor hard court.

Prague's O2 Arena will host its 4th #FedCupFinal in November as 10-time champions 🇨🇿 Czech Republic take on 18-time champions 🇺🇸 USA!

Full story here 👉 https://t.co/KWVLDJoPDr pic.twitter.com/LsTciLf8G4

— Fed Cup (@FedCup) June 12, 2018

The Americans are the defending Fed Cup champion and are gunning to win back-to-back Fed Cup titles for the first time since 1999-2000. The U.S. is 10-2 all-time vs. the Czechs and defeated a young Czech squad in the 2017 Semifinals in Tampa, Fla., en route to winning its record 18th Fed Cup title.

The Czech Republic has been quite the juggernaut on the international stage over the last decade however. Led by Petra Kvitova, the Czechs have won five Fed Cup titles over the last seven years, four of which have come on a hard court inside the O2 Arena in Prague.

The Czechs took out Germany 4-1 in Stuttgart on indoor clay in April, led by by two singles victories from Kvitova. The Americans edged the French in their semifinal tie in Aix-en-Provence, thanks to two singles victories from Sloane Stephens.

The American and his bride made sure Lou the Blue Frenchie played a part on their big day. Sam Querrey has tied the knot to Abby Kate Dixon. The pair were wed over the weekend in Fort Pierce, Florida, at a ceremony attended by fellow Americans John Isner and Steve Johnson. The 30-year-old American joins Johnson on the list of top American men that have completed their vows in 2018. Johnson married Kendall Bateman in April in Southern California.

Roland Garros Wrap: Simona's Maiden Title | Nadal's Growing Empire | Federer on Nadal | Nadal on Nadal

 

PRETTY COOL DAY 🎉💍💏💃🍾

A post shared by Sam Querrey (@samquerrey) on

Jun 10, 2018 at 4:14pm PDT

Playing a starring role in the ceremony was Lou the Blue French Bulldog, who will celebrate his second birthday at the end of June.

 

Wedding outfit! #frenchielove_feature #frenchiesociety #frenchiesofinstagram #frenchie #frenchbulldog

A post shared by Louthebluefrenchie (@louthebluefrenchie) on

Jun 10, 2018 at 4:14pm PDT

 

What a great weekend celebrating the Querrey’s!! A beautiful day for the perfect couple!!

A post shared by Steve Johnson (@steviej345) on

Jun 10, 2018 at 6:16pm PDT

The former champion is coming to California again! 2010 tournament champion and former World No.1 Victoria Azarenka has committed to playing the 2018 Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic, strengthening an already stacked lineup that now includes three Grand Slam singles champions and former World No. 1 ranked players.

“I have played this event several times and have always had an enjoyable experience,” said Azarenka. “The tennis fans in California are always supportive, and the player field will be quite challenging. I am also excited to see what the new venue will be like in San Jose.”

Did we add another Grand Slam champion to this summer’s #MubadalaSVC lineup?

Yes. Yes, we did — @vika7!

So what are you waiting for? Get in on the action already!

Tickets: https://t.co/Ty7AuT6sgM pic.twitter.com/zcVWSSVNLk

— Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic (@MubadalaSVC) June 11, 2018

Azarenka joins 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, 5-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova, defending champion and 2017 US Open finalist Madison Keys, and last year’s singles finalist CoCo Vandeweghe as early tournament entries. The tournament’s full player field will be announced on June 19.

Formerly known as the Bank of the West Classic in Palo Alto, the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic is a weeklong WTA Premier event to be held at a new venue at San José State University.