The Lawn Tennis Association has been hit with an £820,000 fine by the ATP for banning Russian and Belarusian male players from its 2022 grass-court events, including Wimbledon.
The ban was imposed upon players from those nations following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, supported by Belarus, but has been deemed to have breached ATP rules.
In a statement, the LTA expressed its disappointment with the decision and accused the ATP of not recognising "exceptional circumstances".
"The LTA is deeply disappointed with this outcome," the statement read. "The ATP, in its finding, has shown no recognition of the exceptional circumstances created by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, or the international sporting community and UK Government's response to that invasion.
"The ATP appear to regard this matter as a straightforward breach of their rules – with a surprising lack of empathy shown for the situation in Ukraine, and a clear lack of understanding of the unique circumstances the LTA faced."
The LTA said the fine will prevent the organisation from holding smaller events to give opportunities to lower-ranked players, and announced that plans for ATP Challenger level events will be scrapped.
A previous fine was issued by the WTA for the banning of female Russian and Belarusian players, which has been appealed by the LTA.
Novak Djokovic will feature at January's Adelaide Invitational, just one year on from being deported from Australia.
It was confirmed last month Djokovic is free to play at the Australian Open after a three-year ban imposed on him entering the country was overturned.
Back in January, Djokovic was at the centre of huge controversy following his attempts to play in Melbourne despite not receiving a vaccine to protect against COVID-19.
That led to Djokovic being deported, having his visa cancelled on public health grounds, and hit with an automatic three-year ban on entering Australia.
However, immigration minister Andrew Giles handed Djokovic a visa after the vaccine mandate that was in place earlier this year was no longer a barrier to his participation.
As such Djokovic, a record nine-time Australian Open champion, will warm up for his return to Melbourne by playing in Adelaide, where the likes of Daniil Medvedev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Andrey Rublev, and Andy Murray will also be involved.
Djokovic was the victor at the season-ending ATP Finals in November and is targeting a 22nd grand slam title, which would take him level with Rafael Nadal as the most singles slams held by a male player.
Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz will be exchanging fierce right-handers and left-handers across the net when tennis visits a legendary Las Vegas boxing venue in March.
In the lead-up to the Indian Wells Open, the Spanish superstars will go head to head at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 5, it was announced on Tuesday.
The indoor venue has staged major fights featuring the likes of Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather, Canelo Alvarez, Manny Pacquiao and Tyson Fury.
Nadal, the record 22-time men's singles grand slam winner, will be facing current world number one Alcaraz in a clash of generations. Alcaraz does not turn 20 until May, while Nadal will be 36 in June.
The match will mark Alcaraz's return to action in the United States, six months after he triumphed at the US Open in New York to land a first slam title.
Already the youngest number one in ATP history, Alcaraz is expected to win many more majors, but he recently said he turns a "deaf ear" to comparisons between himself and Nadal.
"There is no point in comparing," Alcaraz told reporters. "It doesn't matter that now I am world number one, Rafa's entire career counts for a lot. It is a pleasure, for every tennis lover, to see Rafa on the court."
The Indian Wells action begins on March 8. Nadal beat Alcaraz in last year's semi-finals before losing to Taylor Fritz in the final, later revealing he played with a broken rib in the title match.
Legendary tennis coach Nick Bollettieri has died at the age of 91.
The American, who coached the likes of Andre Agassi, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Boris Becker, passed away on Sunday.
He founded the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, now the IMG Academy, and long since gained a reputation of being one of the most iconic coaches in the sport.
Tommy Haas, who was also coached by Bollettieri, paid an emotional tribute to him on Monday.
The German posted on Instagram: "So many memories, I am not sure where to begin. Nickiiiii, that's how I have called you for the longest time.
"Thank you for your time, knowledge, commitment, expertise, the willingness to share your skill, your personal interest in mentoring me and giving me the best opportunity to follow my dreams.
"You were a dreamer and a doer, and a pioneer in our sport, truly one of a kind.
"I surely will miss you around the academy, our tennis talks, miss showing of [sic] your tan, white teeth and body fat, miss watching you do Tai Chi, miss playing golf with you watching you try to cheat, eating a Snickers bar and running for the bushes, and hearing all about your plans even at the age of 91.
"Thanks again for everything……..
"RIP Nickiiiii."
Monica Seles and Jim Courier were among the other players who were coached by Bollettieri.
Novak Djokovic has no doubt in his own mind he is the best tennis player in the world, regardless of what the rankings say.
After clinching a record-equalling sixth ATP Finals title by downing Casper Ruud in Turin, Djokovic reflected on a turbulent 2022 season in which he was unable to play in two of the four grand slam events.
His refusal to accept a COVID-19 vaccination meant Djokovic was denied permission to compete at the Australian Open and US Open, while the various tennis authorities' reaction to the Ukraine crisis meant no ranking points were on offer at Wimbledon.
Indeed, Djokovic successfully defended his title at the All England Club, but in doing so he lost all of his 2,000 points for being the 2021 champion.
As such, he entered the ATP Finals as the world number eight, with his unbeaten run at the tournament seeing him collect 1,500 points and jump up to fifth on the ATP ranking list.
Carlos Alcaraz is the number one for now, after a stellar season for the 19-year-old Spaniard in which the highlight was his US Open victory, but Djokovic will be the favourite with many for the Australian Open, with authorities expected to allow him to play next year.
Asked if he was the world's best player, Djokovic said: "I'm not. I'm fifth."
That came with a smile from the Serbian, who added: "This week I probably am [the best]. Overall the rankings are showing who had the best year, and Alcaraz is the number one in the world. Not much to say about that.
"But in my mind I always see myself as the best player in the world, of course. I have that kind of mentality and that kind of approach. Regardless of who is across the net, regardless of what the surface is, regardless of what season it is, what number of the professional season in my career we're facing, I mean, it's always the same. The ambitions are as high as possible.
"That kind of approach, I feel it brought me to where I am sitting here today as a 35-year-old, holding one of the biggest trophies in the sport."
The 21-time grand slam winner, one behind Rafael Nadal on the men's all-time singles list, said the prospects for future success come down to his "love and passion" for tennis.
"As long as that's there I'll do anything in my power to challenge the young guys for the biggest trophies," Djokovic said.
"I don't know what the future holds, but I know that what I hold in my mind is a huge hunger still to win trophies, make history of this sport, compete on the highest level all around the world, bring good emotions to sports fans, tennis fans."
Djokovic was greeted after the final by Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, another sporting evergreen at the age of 41, albeit very much in his career twilight.
The same cannot be said yet for Djokovic, who may have several seasons left at this high level.
His coach, former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, watched on admiringly as Djokovic won 7-5 6-3 in Turin against Ruud on Sunday.
According to Croatian Ivanisevic, the key to Djokovic's success in his mid-thirties is his relentless work rate.
"He's practising even harder than when he was 22," said Ivanisevic. "That's why he's still so good and that's why he's still going to be even better.
"The will to practise, the will to improve, the will to be better is amazing. He's taking care of his body. In my time we stopped tennis at 30, 31. You were already an old guy ready to leave.
"They all talk about, yes, young players are coming. It's great for tennis. You have the youngest number one in the world who made unbelievable things this year, Carlos. But look at Novak. He's still hungry, he's still winning the tournament, playing unbelievable tennis. He's still already thinking now about preparation for next season.
"Till he's like that, in his mind he's going to be always competitive, favourite to win majors and the big tournaments."
Novak Djokovic ended his "roller coaster year" on a roaring high with victory at the ATP Finals, matching Roger Federer's record of six titles by sinking the hopes of Casper Ruud.
The Serbian said he had spent the season "on the needles", his colourful way of describing the nervousness and discomfort he had experienced during a campaign which saw him prevented from playing in Australia and North America.
Djokovic, who has refused to take a COVID-19 vaccination, has seen his career suffer because of that firm stance. He was thrown out of Australia in January, a humiliating way to begin the year.
Yet there is little doubting the 35-year-old remains the pre-eminent player on tour heading towards the 2023 season, even with the rise of Carlos Alcaraz, who ends the year as world number one.
A first ATP Finals triumph for Djokovic came in 2008, and he then won four in a row from 2012 to 2015, and now he has carried off the trophy once more, plus a cheque worth $4.74million, the biggest prize ever paid out in tennis.
"Seven years, it's been a long time. At the same time, the fact I've waited seven years makes this victory even sweeter and even bigger," Djokovic said.
Speaking on Amazon Prime, Djokovic said the win after all he has gone through felt "huge".
"I probably talked about this season and how unusual it is 1,000 times prior to this interview, so I'm not going to repeat what most people who follow tennis know," he said.
"[It's] just a big relief and satisfaction, and also I look forward to having a couple of weeks off, because I've been on the needles the entire year, whether for tournaments or waiting for permissions to go somewhere, so I'm really glad I managed to end it in a positive way."
He is the oldest champion in the tournament's 53-year history, breaking a record held by Federer, who was 30 when he won in 2011.
Djokovic said it was "really, really impressive" for Ruud to have reached grand slam finals in Paris and New York, and the ATP Finals title match, in a stellar year for the 23-year-old Norwegian.
But Djokovic was ruthless in Sunday's final, emerging a 7-5 6-3 winner thanks to a break of serve in each set, earning a fifth title of his disrupted year following wins at Wimbledon, Rome, Astana and Tel Aviv.
Thanking his team and supporters during the trophy presentation for "going through some tough times" with him, Djokovic said there were moments where he had needed "a shoulder to lean on, a shoulder to cry on".
The 21-time grand slam winner added: "It's been a roller coaster year really, something I've never experienced ever before in my life, and only we know what we've been through."
Novak Djokovic ended his tumultuous year on a breathtaking high by dismantling Casper Ruud to win the title match at the ATP Finals, pocketing almost $5million in the process.
The man who was deported from Australia after a vaccination and visa dispute in January, then refused entry to the United States later in the campaign, scorched to a 7-5 6-3 victory against rising star Ruud.
This was a sixth triumph for Djokovic at the ATP Finals, matching Roger Federer's record, and at the age of 35 he is also the oldest champion at the event. Federer was previously the oldest, being 30 when he captured the 2011 title in London.
The tournament has since moved to Turin, and Djokovic reels in $4.74million for a victory that shows he remains the player to beat, wherever and whenever he gets the chance to play.
Serbian superstar Djokovic had two chances to break in the second game but Ruud resisted, and the younger man saved another break point in the eighth game too, but a further opportunity came at 6-5 after Ruud paddled a backhand into the net. The 23-year-old Norwegian sent the ball long in the next rally to slip behind.
It was becoming a masterclass from Djokovic and he was pummelling the ball from the back of the court, breaking Ruud's serve for a 3-1 lead in the second set. Djokovic later won a 36-shot rally to set up championship point, sealing victory with an ace down the centre.
Ruud, a runner-up this season at the French Open and US Open, had watched each of Djokovic's previous ATP Finals victories on television, and this time he had a prime spot to witness the 21-time grand slam winner at the top of his game.
Try as he might, Ruud could not find a way to fight back once the stranglehold was with Djokovic, who heads towards 2023 with his appetite for the biggest trophies in tennis far from sated.
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Djokovic – 9/0
Ruud – 6/1
WINNERS
Djokovic – 31
Ruud – 17
BREAK POINTS WON
Djokovic – 2/5
Ruud – 0/0
Casper Ruud swept through to a showdown with Novak Djokovic at the ATP Finals, making light work of Andrey Rublev to reach the trophy match.
The 23-year-old Norwegian has enjoyed a stunning season, reaching two grand slam finals, and his 6-2 6-4 semi-final dismissal of Russian Rublev was impressively authoritative.
After Ruud coasted through the opening set, the occasion fell wholly flat when Ruud broke serve in the first game of the second, and did so again in the third game.
Rublev sat shaking his head at his chair in the break between games, also shrugging his shoulders towards his support team and looking lost for ideas.
He only began to make an impact after slipping 4-0 behind, and at 5-2 he broke Ruud's serve to narrow the gap and give the Turin crowd hope the contest could take off.
At 5-4, it was briefly tense, but Ruud served for the match for a second time and this time made it count, sealing victory with a brilliant backhand winner to become the first Scandinavian finalist at the ATP Finals since Stefan Edberg in 1990.
Ruud will overtake Rafael Nadal and end the year at number two in the ATP rankings should he carry off the title on Sunday; however, he has a 0-3 career record against Djokovic. Djokovic earlier battled past Taylor Fritz by winning a pair of tight tie-breaks to earn a straight-sets victory in the first of Saturday's semi-finals.
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Ruud – 10/0
Rublev – 9/0
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Ruud – 20/0
Rublev – 19/1
BREAK POINTS WON
Ruud – 4/4
Rublev – 1/1
Roger Federer believes the intense tennis tour schedule can have a negative impact on the mental health of players.
Federer, now retired, won 20 grand slam titles between 2003 and 2018 before stepping away from the sport in September of this year, and he is well aware of the challenges players face.
A number of big-name stars have spoken out about their mental health, including Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios, and Federer feels the packed tennis calendar does not help players.
"When players retire at a super young age, I totally understand it," Federer told a press conference in Tokyo. "The tour is tough... travel, practice, jetlag.
"Nobody is allowed to say, 'Oh, I'm tired today', because it looks like you're weak, and that's why players end up having sometimes mental problems.
"You're supposed to show strength. But we're also not machines, we’re also just human beings."
Federer played on the tour for 25 years before calling it a day, and he is making the most of being able to finally relax, saying: "As a tennis player you're always thinking about your next practice, your next match. It never lets you go.
"I don't think I was that much aware of it, how much that thought is always there, and it rides with you, until you retire and then you realise that stress all drops away."
He pointed to doping tests, and the fact players must constantly make authorities away of their whereabouts.
"We have to fill out the doping forms every single day, one hour during the day, where you are," Federer said. "You're always aware in the back of your head, they could be coming any moment, especially in that hour.
"Once that all drops away you actually feel quite lighter, relieved that you can actually live normally again after 25 years."
Novak Djokovic sealed his place in the final of the ATP Finals after edging past Taylor Fritz 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (8-6) in Turin on Saturday.
The Serbian, who is bidding to equal Roger Federer's record of six ATP Finals titles, overcame Daniil Medvedev in a bruising three-hour contest on Friday, and he was again made to work hard for victory against spirited American Fritz.
Djokovic struck first in the opening set with a break to love in the fifth game, yet Fritz responded immediately to level at 3-3.
A tie-break was needed to separate them after that, with Djokovic's superb forehand winner sealing the first set in style.
Fritz broke Djokovic in the opening game of the second set, but a simple missed backhand from the American helped his opponent break back to make it 5-5.
That set the stage for a high-quality tie-break, which Djokovic ultimately won to claim victory in one hour and 54 minutes.
"I had to fight to survive," Djokovic said on court afterwards. "I didn't feel very reactive today or very comfortable.
"I knew coming into today's match from yesterday's gruelling battle against Medvedev it would take me some time to adjust and find the dynamic movement I need against Fritz, who is one of the best servers on the tour.
"I am very pleased to have overcome this one as I don't think it was one of my best days with my tennis, but I managed to hang in there."
Should Djokovic beat Casper Ruud or Andrey Rublev in Sunday's final, he will claim the largest payday in tennis history, with $4,740,300 up for grabs for sealing the trophy undefeated.
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Djokovic – 4/1
Medvedev – 15/1
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Djokovic – 21/19
Medvedev – 31/26
BREAK POINTS WON
Djokovic – 2/2
Medvedev – 2/2
Andrey Rublev produced a stirring fightback to defeat Stefanos Tsitsipas and reach the last four of the ATP Finals for the first time on Friday.
Rublev had failed to make it out of the group stage on each of his first two appearances at the season-ending showpiece.
It initially looked as if he would fall short once again in this winner-take-all clash with Tsitsipas, with both men looking to join Novak Djokovic in progressing from the Red Group.
He was outclassed by Tsitsipas in the first set but showed the grit to recover from 0-30 down in the opening game of the second to find a crucial hold of serve.
That proved the catalyst for a stunning turnaround, as Rublev dominated with his fierce forehand and a series of superb passing shots to seal a 3-6 6-3 6-2 victory in Turin.
He will face Casper Ruud on Saturday for a place in the final.
Rublev told Prime Video of that semi-final encounter: "I'm really looking forward because Casper is such a nice person, great player, great fighter, he has achieved so many things this season, so it's going to be a really good challenge for me."
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Rublev – 10/2
Tsitsipas – 10/2
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Rublev – 36/22
Tsitsipas – 25/12
BREAK POINTS WON
Rublev – 3/5
Tsitsipas – 1/3
Novak Djokovic finished with a perfect group-stage record at the ATP Finals after beating Daniil Medvedev 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-2) in a lengthy three-hour contest on Friday.
Djokovic – who is bidding to equal Roger Federer's record of six ATP Finals titles – sealed his spot in the last four by beating Andrey Rublev on Wednesday, but he was in no mood to do the already-eliminated Medvedev any favours in Turin.
The 21-time grand slam winner dominated the opening set, winning 89 per cent of points behind his first serve and hitting several outstanding cross-court forehand winners.
Djokovic began the second set in similar fashion, but saw his standards dip when he returned to the court following a long stoppage at 5-5.
The rejuvenated Medvedev forced a tie-break with a delightful drop shot before taking advantage of a rare double fault from Djokovic to level the match.
With the exhausted Djokovic visibly shaking ahead of the decider and his semi-final against Taylor Fritz looming, the Serbian's commitment to Friday's dead rubber could have been called into question, but he found a second wind to take the match away from Medvedev.
Djokovic was on the ropes when he saw his serve broken for the first time in the tournament nine games into the third set, but he hit back immediately and then forced another tie-break.
The Serbian was back to his exquisite best from there on as he sealed the win by hitting a huge forehand winner down the line, though the drawn-out nature of his victory could yet play into Fritz's hands.
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Djokovic – 9/3
Medvedev – 16/2
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Djokovic – 53/43
Medvedev – 47/35
BREAK POINTS WON
Djokovic – 2/6
Medvedev – 1/6
Having qualified for his first ATP Finals, Taylor Fritz is now through to the last-four as he prevailed 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 against Felix Auger-Aliassime in a match where the winner would advance from the Green Group.
There were no break point opportunities in the first set on the back of elite serving from both players, with Fritz converting 90 per cent (19/21) of his accurate first serves into points. However, after giving up a mini-break to begin the tiebreaker, Fritz steadied and snatched three mini-breaks of his own to take the opener.
It was more of the same in the second set, with Auger-Aliassime taking his turn to dominate with his serve. In a near carbon-copy, the Canadian won exactly 90 per cent (19/21) of the first serves he landed fair, and Fritz had to save the only three breaks points of the frame to force another tiebreaker.
When Auger-Aliassime's serve slipped in the third set, so did any chance of taking the match. He won only 52 per cent of his service points (14/27) in the frame, while Fritz maintained a stellar level at 89 per cent (16/18), securing a double-break and the victory.
Having finished second in his group, Fritz will next take on the winner of the Red Group, which will likely be Novak Djokovic as he is the only undefeated player through two games.
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Fritz - 5/1
Auger-Aliassime - 9/2
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Fritz - 32/21
Auger-Aliassime - 36/31
BREAK POINTS WON
Fritz - 2/5
Auger-Aliassime - 0/3
Rafael Nadal has welcomed the news that Novak Djokovic will be free to compete at the Australian Open.
Djokovic was at the centre of controversy in January following his attempts to play in this year's tournament in Melbourne despite being unvaccinated against COVID-19, and the 21-time grand slam winner was eventually deported after having his visa cancelled on public health grounds.
However, Djokovic recently confirmed he will be free to play in the 2023 Australian Open after his three-year ban from entering the country was overturned.
Nadal and Djokovic have dominated tennis along with the now-retired Roger Federer for much of the last two decades, and the Spaniard was pleased to hear of his rival's availability to compete.
"I always said the same; tennis is better when the best players are on the court," he said. "At the end we don't have to create many stories. Even if it was a big mess what happened last year in Australia, it was not good for our sport.
"That was the past. Roger is not playing any more. I missed a lot of grand slams [with] injuries. Last year, Novak was not able to play there.
"That's the past. What's next is Novak will be able to play again. That's the best news possible, especially knowing that now the virus is more under control it seems around the world. So why not? Happy for him. Happy for the tournament. Happy for the fans. That's it."
Nadal beat Casper Ruud in his final game at the ATP Finals on Thursday.
Rafael Nadal wrapped up his ATP Finals campaign with a 7-5 7-5 victory over Casper Ruud on Thursday.
The Spanish great had already failed to make the last four after suffering defeat in his first two matches in Turin, but he finished his year in style courtesy of a hard-fought win over Ruud.
Nadal held firm when two break points down at 4-4, before breaking to love to take the opening set.
He sealed victory in the 12th game of the second set, powering a cross-court backhand winner to move 15-40 ahead and set the stage for a win that saw him end the year with a 39-8 tour-level record.
"I can't ask for more," Nadal said. "2022 has had a tough six months, two Grand Slams, and finishing the year in a high spot in the rankings. So, I can't complain at all. At my age, to be able to achieve and be competitive means a lot for me.
"For 2023, just let's try to have the right preparation, work the proper way and start the season with the right energy, the right attitude, to reach the level that I need to be competitive from the beginning. Let's try it, I am excited about it."
Ruud had already progressed to the semi-finals in Italy for a second consecutive year.
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Nadal - 16/1
Ruud - 4/0
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Nadal - 38/16
Ruud - 19/18
BREAK POINTS WON
Nadal - 2/3
Ruud - 0/2
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
