ATP news

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#NextGenATP Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas was named the 2018 Most Improved Player of the Year as part of the 2018 ATP World Tour Awards presented by Moët & Chandon. The award was voted on by fellow ATP World Tour players.

"It's great. I didn't expect that," Tsitsipas said. "I had a fantastic year, but it was the last thing that was in my head. And when I finally saw it, I was happy that my name was there. So, yeah, really pleased holding that trophy. All the hard work, all the effort that I put into my game this year, it's part of this trophy. So yeah, it feels great."

The 20-year-old became the top-ranked Greek in ATP Rankings history after rising to a career-high No. 15 this season, and he also became the first player from Greece to win a tour-level title. The champion at the Intrum Stockholm Open, Tsitsipas dropped just one set en route to the indoor-hard court crown.

Tsitsipas rose from a season-opening ATP Ranking of No. 91 to become the youngest member of the Top 20. He also finished runner-up at the ATP World Tour 500 event in Barcelona and the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Toronto, falling to Rafael Nadal in both finals. In Toronto, Tsitsipas became the youngest player to beat four Top 10 opponents at a single tournament since the ATP World Tour was established in 1990.

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Americans Mike Bryan and Jack Sock talk about a fun debut season and thank fans for crowning them ATPWorldTour.com Fans' Favourites in the 2018 ATP World Tour Awards.

For the first time in its history, the Nitto ATP Finals will introduce a new fan engagement feature that will measure crowd noise within the O2 arena during matches, the ATP announced on Sunday prior to this year’s prestigious season-ending tournament getting underway.

Since 2009, the season-ending event at The O2 has generated an array of thrilling matches and raucous atmospheres inside the 17,800 capacity stadium. The Infosys ATP Fan Meter will be used for the first time and will measure fan noise which will be displayed on the giant screens as well as on the arenamation around the arena.

The Infosys ATP Fan Meter will allow fans, media and broadcasters to track the loudest moments throughout the tournament across singles and doubles, from player walk-ons, match points, hot shots and more. Loud moments will be displayed at least once per set in all matches. The new noise measurement feature represents the latest initiative in an ATP and Infosys partnership that continues to showcase the integration of technology and data in sport as a means of enhancing fan engagement.

Adam Hogg, Event Director of the Nitto ATP Finals, said: “The Nitto ATP Finals has become renowned for its capacity crowds and exhilarating atmospheres since 2009. We’ve welcomed more than 2.3 million fans into the arena during that time and the introduction of the Infosys ATP Fan Meter is an exciting way to engage further with our enthusiastic fans and directly measure the level of fan involvement in the spectacular production of our season-ending event.”

The graphics generated during the matches will be promoted on line through Social Media and through ATPWorldTour.com online.

Ravi Kumar S, President, Infosys said: “The Infosys and ATP partnership has always been about reimagining the game of tennis for players, coaches, media and fans. After many breakthrough experiences like virtual reality tennis, the Stats Leaderboards and the Second Screen, we have another first with the ‘Infosys ATP Fan Meter’. This is another important step to place fans at the heart of the ATP experience. Till now, we had limited means to quantify audience engagement and excitement levels. The Fan Meter leverages the Internet of Things to create a connected stadium experience and gives us a new way of understanding the pulse of a live audience by combining the sensory element of sound with powerful data analytics."

In addition to the Infosys ATP Fan Meter, Infosys and the ATP have upgraded the second screen available on NittoATPFinals.com to make it more mobile-friendly, with a focus on an updated design, demonstrating Infosys’s digital expertise in mobility and design. A new series of features have also been added on the tournament website including an all-new live score analytics offering, serve and return ratings as well as social sentiment analysis bringing in the conversation fans are having, all within the same platform.

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Since the Nitto ATP Finals moved to London in 2009, only three Americans have qualified for the season finale. Andy Roddick punched his ticket in 2010 and Mardy Fish booked his spot a year later. This time, it's John Isner's turn.

The big-hitting North Carolina native is playing the best tennis of his career, and at the age of 33 he is the oldest first-time qualifier since 1972. Isner, who appeared at The O2 as an alternate in 2015, is relishing the opportunity to finally compete in the big show.

"It means a lot to be here," Isner told the assembled media at The O2. "I've been very close throughout my career. It just hasn't quite happened. I also realize that I'm pretty fortunate to be here as well this year. That said, I've had a very good year and I put myself in position to make this event. And at 33, to be competing in my first Nitto ATP Finals is very satisfying. This is certainly a life-changer, all for the good. My wife and daughter are here as well, so it's very special.

"I think over the last 9-10 years I've been very consistent. I've been between No. 10 and No. 19 that entire time. But this year, it wasn't so much that I was super consistent with my results. It was that I had 3-4 big results. The way our ranking system works, that's often what it takes to get to the Top 10 and stay there. For me, it all started in Miami. I was actually 0-6 prior to that and I turned it around with one tournament. It's what great about tennis. It only takes one event to turn things around and get it to go your way."

Isner joins a long list of Americans who have qualified for the crown jewel of the ATP calendar, including legends Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. It has been more than a decade since the nation had a player reach the final. In 2006, James Blake finished runner-up when the tournament was held in Shanghai. And it has been nearly two decades since an American lifted the trophy. Sampras last achieved the feat in 1999, when the event was staged in Hanover, Germany.

When asked if any of the more recent American competitors have offered advice, Isner acknowledged that Fish spoke to him after learning of his qualification.

"I did speak to Mardy at length about the experience," Isner added. "Everything he said is true. He absolutely loved his time here and told me how cool an event it is. I got a little taste in the past when I was an alternate, but it's a big difference to be a part of the real thing. 

"This is the pinnacle of the ATP calendar for sure. To have it at the end of the year with all these great players is amazing for me. I've seen it on TV and the atmosphere is incredible. London puts on such an amazing event and I'm happy to be a part of it."

Isner is undoubtedly enjoying a career-year in 2018. In April, the 33-year-old lifted his maiden ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophy in Miami, earning a trio of Top 10 wins over Marin Cilic, Juan Martin del Potro and Alexander Zverev. And in July he registered his best result in a Grand Slam, when he battled to the semi-finals at Wimbledon. That was immediately followed by a fifth crown at the BB&T Atlanta Open.

But those standout results, also including a quarter-final finish at the US Open, was nearly not enough to qualify for the season finale. Sitting in 10th position in the ATP Race To London, Isner claimed his spot among the elite eight when both Del Potro and Rafael Nadal withdrew due to injury. The American was sitting at home in North Carolina when he got the call. 

"I knew there was a good shot I'd be here, but I went back home from Paris for four or five nights. I went back home on Saturday and I found out on Monday that I was in. I flew here on Wednesday night. It's maybe a little bit unorthodox. Most players stay in Europe after Paris, but I felt it was a pretty nice break for me. Even if it was for just a few days, to be back home with the family and sit on the couch and watch football, there's a lot to be said for that. It relaxes you.

"Physically, I feel great. I've been very fortunate throughout my career to be injury-free. Of course there are a few things that pop up, but there's nothing that has sidelined me for an extended period of time. I continue to work hard on my body, which is the most important thing I can do. As long as I can stay healthy, at 33, I do feel pretty good. For me personally, seeing a guy like Roger, even though he's from another planet, he's still doing incredible things at 37. It's very encouraging for me to see that. It gives me a lot of incentive to keep working as hard as I can."

Isner finds himself in the same group - Group Guga Kuerten - as World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, third seed Alexander Zverev and fifth seed Marin Cilic. He opens his campaign against five-time champion Djokovic on Monday night.

"I'm up against it for sure. Novak has won this event five times. He's the player to beat this week for sure, and he's back to No. 1 after an incredible second half of the year. It's a good spot for me, because I don't have much to lose. I'm definitely the underdog. 

"I'm going out there to play my best and be lose and free. I've played him eight or nine times and I've beaten him a couple, but he's beaten me more times than I have. It's going to be a very tough match, but I'm looking forward to it. The atmosphere is going to be great and it's going to be a big challenge."

1) Season Finale: The 2018 Nitto ATP Finals marks the 49th edition of the year-end championships and 10th at The O2 in London. New World No. 1 Novak Djokovic heads Group Guga Kuerten and Roger Federer leads Group Lleyton Hewitt. Since Kuerten captured the 2000 title and Hewitt swept the next two, Djokovic and Federer have combined to win 11 of the 15 year-end championships.

2) Dream Finish: Djokovic hopes to tie Federer’s Nitto ATP Finals record by winning his sixth title. The year-end No. 1 and Comeback Player of the Year entered Wimbledon in July with a ranking of No. 21 and no titles in 52 weeks. Djokovic returns to London four months later as the first player in ATP Rankings history to rise from outside of the Top 20 to year-end No. 1 in the same season.

3) Eye on 100: While Djokovic seeks a storybook end to his season, Federer hopes to finish 2018 with the 100th tour-level title of his career. Federer has won more titles in London than any other city with a record eight Wimbledon championships and triumphs at The O2 in 2010 and 2011. The 37-year-old Swiss also won year-end championships at Houston in 2003 and 2004 and at Shanghai in 2006 and 2007.

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4) Zverev Returns: For the second straight year, Alexander Zverev has qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals. The 21-year-old German leads all players with 54 victories in 2018, including title wins at all three levels of the ATP World Tour. Zverev won his third career ATP Masters 1000 title at Madrid and defended titles at both Washington (ATP World Tour 500) and Munich (ATP World Tour 250).

5) First-Timers Club: At 6'10" and 6'8" respectively, John Isner, aged 33, and Kevin Anderson, aged 32, are the tallest players ever to compete at the Nitto ATP Finals and the oldest first-time qualifiers since 1972. The former college rivals each reached career-high rankings on 16 July following Anderson’s six-hour, 36-minute semi-final win over Isner at Wimbledon. Anderson rose to No. 5 and Isner reached No. 8.

6) Cilic’s Challenge: World No. 7 Marin Cilic has won 223 matches since 2014, qualifying four times in five years for the Nitto ATP Finals. But only one of the Croat’s victories has come at The O2. Already eliminated from semi-final contention, Cilic beat Kei Nishikori in a 2016 round-robin match.

7) Special Kei: Like Cilic, Nishikori will be competing at the Nitto ATP Finals for the fourth time in five years. The two-time semi-finalist started this season on the ATP Challenger Tour and is finishing it in style. Nishikori is 19-6 since the US Open with two final, two semi-final and two quarter-final appearances.

8) Mr. Consistency: Dominic Thiem leads all players by reaching the quarter-finals or better at 14 tournaments in 2018. The three-time Nitto ATP Finals qualifier has won three titles this year, advanced to his first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros and appeared in his second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final in Madrid.

9) No. 1 Doubles Player: The winners of all four Grand Slam doubles titles this season are in Group Knowles/Nestor, including Wimbledon and US Open champions Mike Bryan and Jack Sock. Aged 40, Bryan is the oldest World No. 1 doubles player in history and has clinched the year-end No. 1 ATP Doubles Ranking.

10) No. 1 Doubles Team: Oliver Marach, 38, is the oldest member of a year-end No. 1 doubles team since 1984. Mate Pavic, 25, is the youngest since 1995. Marach is the first Austrian and Pavic is the first Croatian to finish No. 1 in any ATP Rankings discipline (singles, doubles player, doubles team).

Watch Hot Shot as Stefanos Tsitsipas fires a backhand passing shot past Alex de Minaur at the Next Gen ATP Finals.

Watch Hot Shot as Alex de Minaur outmanoeuvres Stefanos Tsitsipas with smart play and quick reflexes at the Next Gen ATP Finals.

Watch highlights as Stefanos Tsitsipas defeats Alex de Minaur in four sets to win the Next Gen ATP Finals. Photo credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images.

Roger Federer had a special message for fans, after being selected as the ATPWorldTour.com Fans’ Favourite presented by Moët & Chandon for a 16th straight year.

“Thank you very much for voting for me and supporting me being the ATP Fans’ Favourite,” said Federer, who accepted his trophy Friday night during the Official Launch of the 2018 Nitto ATP Finals at the Houses of Parliament.

“I can’t thank you enough. It’s been an amazing ride. I’ve loved every minute on the tour and you’ve been there every step of the way.”

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This season, Federer became the oldest World No. 1 in the 45-year history of the ATP Rankings and also claimed his 20th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. Ahead of the Nitto ATP Finals, he won his 99th tour-level title at his hometown tournament in Basel.

Federer has won a record 37 ATP World Tour Awards presented by Moët & Chandon.

Watch as Stefanos Tsitsipas discusses winning the Next Gen ATP Finals after congratulating his opponent, Alex de Minaur, on his run to the championship match in Milan.

One year ago, Stefanos Tsitsipas was an alternate at the Fiera Milano. The Greek was close, but yet so far from competing at the premier 21-and-under event in the world.

But this time around, Tsitsipas was not only the top seed in Milan, but he captured the title, winning the Next Gen ATP Finals with a 2-4, 4-1, 4-3(3), 4-3(3) victory against second seed Alex de Minaur on Saturday.

"It feels great. I've been playing some great tennis this week here in Milan," Tsitsipas said. "It was a fantastic match. I stayed calm although I had a chance twice to win the match, but remained calm. I was aiming to win that match. I was mentally very strong and that was proven in the tie-break in the last set."

The triumph caps a tremendous breakthrough season for the 20-year-old, who began 2018 at No. 91 in the ATP Rankings with four tour-level match wins. Since then, Tsitsipas reached his first ATP World Tour final in Barcelona, beat four Top 10 opponents en route to the Toronto championship match, earned his maiden tour-level trophy in Stockholm and now heads home with a trophy from the Next Gen ATP Finals.

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In the fourth set, Tsitsipas was on the verge of victory with a 3-2, 30/40 lead on De Minaur’s serve. But after the Greek missed an inside-in forehand, De Minaur hit a lunging backhand volley to save his second match point and force a tie-break.

But the 19-year-old was unable to carry that momentum any further. Tsitsipas didn’t let slip his third match point, falling on his back in celebration after De Minaur missed an inside-in forehand long after one hour and 41 minutes.

Tsitsipas joins inaugural titlist Hyeon Chung as undefeated champions at the Next Gen ATP Finals, earning $407,000 for his efforts. His five victories this week surpass his career win total (4) before 2018. 

"I'm incredibly thankful for the opportunity to play here in Milan and be the second winner of the tournament," Tsitsipas said. "It's a very special moment. I think I can get some confidence out of it and play better in the future."

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Over the years, a round-robin encounter against Kei Nishikori has been a good omen for Roger Federer at the Nitto ATP Finals. On Sunday, the pair will clash once again at The O2 in London.

For the third time in five years, Federer will battle Nishikori in the group stage. They are set to conclude Sunday's night session, taking the court not before 8pm. The Swiss hopes history will repeat itself at The O2.

In 2014, Federer dropped just five games in defeating the Japanese star. A year later, he came through a trickier encounter, saving seven of 12 break points to prevail in three sets. The 37-year-old would go on to reach the final in both editions.

Six-time champion Federer will also look to carry the momentum from two recent meetings against Nishikori. Not only does he own a 7-2 FedEx ATP Head2Head lead, including six consecutive wins since 2014, but he is coming off straight-set victories at the Rolex Shanghai Masters and Rolex Paris Masters.

Nevertheless, Federer acknowledges that he can't take anything for granted, especially at the season finale. With the eight best players in the world in attendance, everyone will be emptying their tanks in the final tournament of the year.

"When I played him in Paris, I knew he was fighting to play in the ATP Finals, but we didn't know what was happening with Nadal and Del Potro yet," said Federer. "But I figured that there was a chance he'd make it and there was a chance we'd play in the group. That's exactly what happened. 

"And that's why I tried really hard in Paris to get another win against him, to help me with confidence. I've always said that I like his style of play and he has one of the best backhands in the game. I've had some exciting matches against him. Our match in Shanghai was great. But I'm really happy for him, having made it here after being injured and a rocky start to the season."

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Federer will kick off his quest for a staggering 100th tour-level title on Sunday, having moved to the precipice of the milestone with a 99th crown at his hometown Swiss Indoors Basel. He has won more titles in London than any other city with a record eight Wimbledon championships and triumphs at The O2 in 2010 and 2011. 

Nishikori, however, will be keen to stop Federer in his tracks. The Japanese is back in London for the fourth time in five years, having failed to qualify for last year's edition due to a wrist injury. But Nishikori has steadily climbed the ATP Rankings in 2018, making significant progress in his comeback campaign.

After sitting at World No. 36 in April, his return to form has been one of the more impressive storylines of the year. Nishikori has shown marked improvement since lifting the ATP Challenger Tour trophy in Dallas in February, also reaching the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters final, quarters at Wimbledon, semis at the US Open and a pair of October finals in Tokyo and Vienna.

"It's amazing how Roger is still playing well," said Nishikori. "He's one of the toughest opponents on the tour. While he's not playing as much as he used to, it's amazing how he's so physically fit. For me, I lost to him in Shanghai and Paris recently, so I have to make adjustments on Sunday. But I always enjoy playing him and it's a big challenge. I have to play 100 per cent."

Federer and Nishikori will contest Sunday's nightcap, but fans will first be treated to a Top 10 clash between Kevin Anderson and Dominic Thiem. It will be an intriguing ninth FedEx ATP Head2Head encounter and third of the year.

For four years, Anderson had dominated their budding rivalry. The South African dropped just two sets in six meetings from 2014-2017. Convincing victories at the Australian Open, US Open and ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events in Paris and Toronto had the 32-year-old strengthening his stranglehold.

But that all changed when the calendar flipped to 2018. Their first clay-court clash came at the Mutua Madrid Open and Thiem seized the semi-final encounter 6-4, 6-2. Three months later, the Austrian replicated the result, earning a straight-set win in the US Open fourth round.

As Thiem returns to The O2 for a third straight year, he will hope to kick off his Group Lleyton Hewitt campaign with yet another victory. Having finished 1-2 in both previous trips to the Nitto ATP Finals, getting off to a strong start is critical.

"I've learned a lot from the two previous visits here," said Thiem. "It's probably the best event of the entire year. There are so many new experiences for me here. This year should be different. I've played my best Masters 1000 hard-court event in Paris just last week and I'm feeling fresh. From the first match, I will only face Top 10 stars, so anything can happen. Against Kevin and Kei, I've had matches this year, which went both ways. And against Roger, I still have a positive head-to-head, so I will fight for my life to keep that one."

On the other side of the net, 32-year-old Anderson is set to make his first appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals. He joins 33-year-old John Isner as this year's debutants. They are the oldest first-time qualifiers since 1972.

Wimbledon finalist Anderson will carry great confidence into London, having not only enjoyed great success this year in the city, but also enjoying a strong run of form on indoor hard courts. Both of his 2018 titles - in New York and Vienna - have come on the surface. It is the culmination of a career-year for the South African.

"I need to focus on what I have to do on the court," said Anderson. "Every player is a tough opponent. If I can keep doing what I'm doing, I will be playing the best tennis I can. When I do that, I know I can beat anybody. I have to really compete and I know there are no easy matches. I'm looking forward to starting things off."

Doubles Day 1
Top seeds Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic look to earn their first win in four meetings against eighth-seeded French duo Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut. They are seeking revenge after falling in straight sets in this year's Roland Garros final and the Rotterdam championship. The Austrian-Croatian tandem are making their debut as a team, while Herbert and Mahut are here for a fourth consecutive year.

Kicking off the night session is a rematch of the US Open final, as Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo face Mike Bryan and Jack Sock. The Americans prevailed on that day in New York and are making their team debut this week at The O2. Bryan is a four-time champion (w/Bob Bryan) in 2003, 2004, 2009 and 2014, while their Polish-Brazilian opponents finished runners-up last year.

Kelsey Anderson, wife of first-time Nitto ATP Finals qualifier Kevin Anderson, shares her first impressions of the season finale as she and their dog Lady Kady tour The O2 with Rob Curling.

Watch highlights as Andrey Rublev defeats Jaume Munar in five sets to finish the Next Gen ATP Finals in third place. Photo credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images.

On Saturday morning, Andrey Rublev went to sleep at around 3 a.m. after suffering a devastating fifth-set defeat at the hands of Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last four of the Next Gen ATP Finals. But the Russian bounced back later in the day, beating Spaniard Jaume Munar 1-4, 4-3(4), 2-4, 4-2, 4-3(3) to earn third place at the Fiera Milano.

“It was a tough two matches,” Rublev said. “In both I was strong mentally. Yesterday I was a little unlucky. Today is the opposite, I was a bit lucky.”

Rublev was the only player in the 2018 Next Gen ATP Finals field who also competed at the prestigious 21-and-under event last year in its inaugural edition. But in 2017, Rublev was the top seed, reaching the final. This time around, the 21-year-old was still working his way back from a lower back injury that kept him out of competition for three months.

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Nevertheless, Rublev still put forth a strong effort in Milan. The World No. 68 won two of his three group matches, and pushed World No. 15 Tsitsipas to the brink in a thrilling semi-final. And then the fifth seed maintained his level to beat Munar after one hour and 48 minutes.

“It’s nice to finish the season that strong mentally, I would say,” Rublev said. “I hope this is a new beginning for the next season.”

Rublev, who won 82 per cent of his first-service points in the match, finishes the season with 20 tour-level match wins for the second consecutive year. Thanks to his efforts, the 2017 Umag champion leaves Milan with $194,000.

Appearing at the Nitto ATP Finals for the fourth time, Marin Cilic is well aware of the challenges ahead of him as he attempts to advance beyond round-robin play for the first time at the elite eight-man event.

The 30-year-old, who began his season by reaching his third Grand Slam final at the Australian Open (l. to Federer), will begin his campaign against German Alexander Zverev on Monday afternoon, with a strong start crucial as he hopes to win his opening match at the tournament for the first time. Joined in Group Guga Kuerten by Novak Djokovic and John Isner, Cilic will be aiming to overcome the disappointment of three-set losses in each of his round-robin matches at The O2 last season.

"Small margins are going to make the difference," said Cilic. "Playing the top guys is always a big challenge and matches against them are always very close and very tight."

With a 1-8 record in his previous three appearances, Cilic will be eager to get off to a good start in a city where he has enjoyed success in recent years. Earlier this year, the 18-time tour-level titlist saved one championship point to overcome Novak Djokovic in the Fever-Tree Championships final. Cilic also reached the championship match at Wimbledon in 2017 (l. to Federer).

"This year I feel that I am prepared well and I am feeling good physically as well," said Cilic. "I feel, mentally, quite fresh and ready for the challenges. I feel these experiences, from previous [appearances], will help me prepare better."

After early losses in Tokyo, Shanghai and Basel, Cilic rediscovered his best form at the Rolex Paris Masters last week. The 6'6" right-hander defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber and reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion Grigor Dimitrov, before ending Novak Djokovic's 30-set winning streak in a three-set loss to the eventual runner-up.

"In Paris, last week, I played great tennis," said Cilic. "I am feeling good at the moment and [I am] very excited."

With experience and form, Cilic could finally be set to show his best level at the season finale. But he, as well as the rest of the field, knows it will likely come down to the smallest of margins.

Watch as the FedEx ATP Ball Kids prepare for an exciting eight days on court at The O2 in London for the Nitto ATP Finals. Photo credit: Ella Ling

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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.

That is the position Kei Nishikori finds himself in, as he descends on The O2 for the season finale. All attention will be on Novak Djokovic when the tournament gets underway - and deservedly so. The Serbian registered the biggest climb to year-end No. 1 in ATP Rankings history, in his return from elbow surgery. But consider where Nishikori was to open his season and you'll be equally as impressed.

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 put himself in the club in 2009, en route to the semi-finals in the debut edition at The O2. This year, it was Nishikori's turn to pull off the feat.

There are few body parts as critical to success on the tennis court than the wrist. Every motion, whether it be cracking a serve or crunching a forehand or backhand, involves flexibility of the joint. If it's inhibited in any way, it can greatly compromise a player's abilities. That makes Nishikori's immediate return to the pinnacle of the game even more awe-inspiring.

"It took me a while to trust my wrist," Nishikori told the assembled media on Friday at The O2. "I don't know how long, but maybe 4-5 months after coming back. I still had some pain while playing. But now I feel much more comfortable. Luckily, I found a very good doctor in Belgium and I went straight there. I didn't have any issues with doctors, but it did take a little while for me to trust my wrist 100 per cent, so I could play my game like I want to."

Nitto ATP Finals Qualification & Challenger Title In Same Season

Player Year ATP Challenger Tour Title Kei Nishikori  2018 Dallas, USA Robin Soderling  2009
Sunrise, USA Ivan Ljubicic  2005 Zagreb, CRO Alberto Berasategui  1994 Barcelona, ESP Thomas Muster  1990 Agadir, MAR & Cairo, EGY Henrik Sundstrom  1984 Tunis, TUN  Tomas Smid  1983 Neu-Ulm, GER Mats Wilander  1982  Buchholz, GER 

It was mid-January and the Japanese was making his long-awaited comeback debut. But precisely where he chose to kick off his return is far from what you'd expect of a perrenial Top 10 star.

It wasn't under the bright lights of the Australian Open, surrounded by all the fanfare of the first Grand Slam of the year. Far from it. Exactly 8,000 miles away, Nishikori entered the Newport Beach Tennis Club in Southern California for a $150,000 event on the ATP Challenger Tour. And he would fall in the first round to Dennis Novikov.

Nishikori stood on the baseline, staring across the net like it was the first time he had picked up a racquet. The confidence and steely determination of a Top 10 star was missing. As he continued to flex his wrist and stretch out the tendons between points, it was apparent that all was not well with the Japanese.

But, as he moved on to another Challenger event in Dallas, Texas, Nishikori would not succumb to the pain or the doubts that began to enter his mind. With his fellow superstars battling for the Australian Open crown, while he might not have wanted to compete in Dallas, it was exactly where he needed to be.

Getting match experience and rediscovering his rhythm was essential for Nishikori in that moment. And as he stepped on the indoor hard courts of the T Bar M Racquet Club, that's exactly what he found. Rather than chasing ATP Rankings points at the tour-level, the 28-year-old was searching for confidence and he would streak to the title at the RBC Tennis Championships of Dallas. 

"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 played terribly until Monte-Carlo in April, but 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. But, after my good result at the US Open and other tournaments I worked hard and played a lot of matches."

Despite departing Dallas with the trophy, Nishikori was not 100 per cent. The discomfort persisted, but it was only a matter of time before it was resolved. And it wasn't long before he returned to another final, but this time at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 level. Nishikori would defeat consecutive Top 5 opponents - Marin Cilic & Alexander Zverev - for the first time since 2014, en route to the final at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. And he would continue to find his elite form as the season progressed, scoring a quarter-final run at Wimbledon and semi-final result at the US Open. 

After falling as low as No. 36 in the ATP Rankings in April, the Top 10 was once again in sight for Nishikori after reaching back-to-back ATP World Tour 500 finals in October, in Tokyo and Vienna. And following a quarter-final run at the Rolex Paris Masters, that dream became a reality.

"I'm really happy that I'm back in London," Nishikori added. "I couldn't have seen this happening at the beginning of the year. I didn't feel like I had any confidence. I just wasn't playing good tennis at the time. Maybe after Wimbledon, I got more confidence with every tournament. After the US Open I realized that I could make it back to the Top 10 and make it back here. Everything was working much better since then. I'm really happy and I'm looking forward to one more good week here."

Nishikori qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals for a fourth time in five years, having reached the semi-finals in both 2014 and 2016. He will hope to continue the even-year trend next week, but knows that escaping Group Lleyton Hewitt is no easy task. Six-time champion Roger Federer, Kevin Anderson and Dominic Thiem are also in the group and he opens against the second-seeded Swiss on Sunday evening.

"It's amazing how Roger is still playing well. He's one of the toughest opponents on the tour. While he's not playing as much as he used to, it's amazing how he's so physically fit. For me, I lost to him in Shanghai and Paris recently, so I have to make adjustments on Sunday. But I always enjoy playing him and it's a big challenge. I have to play 100 per cent."

Watch as Kevin Anderson and his wife, Kelsey, take a boat trip along the River Thames ahead of the Nitto ATP Finals.

The excitement is building for the Nitto ATP Finals, where the best eight doubles teams in the world are gathered to compete for the prestigious season finale trophy at The O2.

“On the eve of the Nitto ATP Finals once again, it’s always such an exciting event at The O2 in London,” said Colin Fleming, an eight-time ATP World Tour doubles champion. “Of course for the doubles, it’s a real showcase for the doubles tour and with the Top 8 teams, there’s so much talent and ability on show.”

Fleming speaks to ATPWorldTour.com about each of the teams that will battle in the last event of the year.

[1] Oliver Marach/Mate Pavic
There’s no doubt that Marach and Pavic have been the standout team across the course of the whole season. I think winning Down Under was such a big breakthrough for them. They went undefeated in January, winning three titles: Doha, Auckland and then the Australian Open. They’ve been incredible this year, so they deserve that No. 1 [ATP Doubles] Ranking going into the finals. So they’d probably have to be the standout team.

[2] Juan Sebastian Cabal/Robert Farah
I think it’s such a nice story. I think Cabal and Farah must have come together in 2010 when Robert came on the Tour after college. They built their way through Futures, Challengers and have had so many seasons on the ATP World Tour when they’ve been a successful team, but they just never quite made it to the Finals. And to see them have a really strong year and to both maintain their fitness and to be coming into The O2 for the first time is a great story and I hope they do really well.

[3] Lukasz Kubot/Marcelo Melo
I think the fact that the team is back at the [Nitto] ATP Finals again shows the incredible consistency they’ve got. I think for Kubot and Melo, they were so dominant last year, finishing as the No. 1 team in the ATP Doubles Race To London. Possibly the expectations were a little bit tricky for them at the start of the season, but they’ve finished so strongly. That final at the US Open and then going over to Asia and winning Beijing, winning Shanghai. I was looking at the ATP Doubles Team Rankings and I think that’s about half their points, so such a strong last quarter of the regular season and they’ll come into the Finals very confident for sure. They’re a very dangerous team. They can light it up when they get hot.

[4] Jamie Murray/Bruno Soares
Murray and Soares are a little bit similar [to Kubot and Melo]. They probably had a better second half of the year, and will come in with some confidence. Of course Jamie, who I know well, is such a unique player and is always so fun to watch. And winning his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title this year in Cincinnati, that will be something he never forgets. And I’m sure they’ll be looking to bring their ‘A’ game to London.

[5] Mike Bryan/Jack Sock
I think I’d have to throw Bryan and Sock in there as well. I think what they’ve achieved is something pretty special. Bob Bryan and Mike together were on course to qualify [for the Nitto ATP Finals] as they’ve done so many times in the past. Bob unfortunately got that bad hip injury in Madrid in the final, which allowed Nikola Mektic and Alexander Peya to win the title there. So obviously Mike and Jack came together in the grass-court season and they’ve just lit it up since then. To win two Slams at Wimbledon and the US Open and to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals in essentially half a season is such a special achievement.

I think it’s such an interesting team. You have the experience of Mike. He’s been there, done that at just about every tournament. He has so many titles under his belt. He brings the slightly more traditional style to doubles with the serve and volley, so sharp at the net, such a dangerous returner as well as we know and he comes up clutch in the big moments. And then you’ve got the youngster, Jack, comparatively on the doubles Tour. He moreso serves and stays back, really dominates with that big forehand from the back of the court, which can be so intimidating to play against. I know how that feels, he can really create so much spin and pace on that side. So I guess that combination just makes them hard to play against. And of course they’re both American so they’ve gelled really quickly. What an amazing year they’ve had.

[6] Raven Klaasen/Michael Venus
Raven made the final [in London] two years ago with Rajeev Ram, they were a really good team last year, so he’ll bring a lot of good feelings from that. And then Mike made it with Ryan Harrison last year after that Roland Garros win, which was incredible. So they’ve both got experience playing at The O2, so that will stand them in good stead. And once again if they can bring their ‘A’ game, they’ll be so competitive because doubles matches are always so close and they’ll be happy to do well.

[7] Nikola Mektic/Alexander Peya
I think it’s similar to the Bryan and Sock team in that you’ve got one experienced player in Alexander Peya, who’s been on the Tour for a long time, had great success. He had that great partnership with Bruno Soares, and they were the No. 2 team in the world for a few seasons. And then the youngster again, he’s with Nikola Mektic. So I think the experience of Alex will and has helped with that team, and Mektic kind of brings the hunger and the passion and the sort of freshness and fearlessness. I just hope Alex’s injury is not too bad, he’s fit and healthy again and they’re able to do themselves justice because they’ve had a great year and obviously their biggest highlight being that title in Madrid, a Masters 1000 title.

[8] Pierre-Hugues Herbert/Nicolas Mahut
The Frenchmen. Talk about a week they’ll never forget winning that French Open. That was such a special moment to win a Grand Slam on home soil. And of course too, they’re absolutely top-quality players and when they gel and when they’re firing they are very, very tough to beat as we saw a couple of seasons ago when they won Indian Wells and Miami back-to-back. When they’re hot, they’re tough to stop. So that’s another dangerous team in the field.

X-Factor
A lot of people are drawn to Jack Sock because he’s young and the success he’s had this year and the way he plays from the back is kind of new-style doubles if you’d like. But I’m possibly a little biased, I’d pick my good friend Jamie Murray. A completely unique player. I love his style of doubles where he shows there’s more to the game than just power. He uses his court craft and his hand skills and he’s unbelievably sharp at the net. Bruno brings that solid base to their partnership and Jamie can get hot and just light it up in big moments, so I think he’s definitely one to watch.