Just a few days after the ATP released their early schedule, the WTA confirmed the start of their season.

The WTA, which played just a few events post-US Open, will open in Abu Dhabi with a new 500 tier event, then three straight weeks of tennis including the Australian Open and 3 other events held at the site.

While the men’s Australian Open qualifying will take place in Doha, …

Latest 2021 men’s tennis calendar as confirmed by the ATP tour:

2021 ATP Tour Schedule
Jan 5 – Delray Beach 250 (H – 28)
Jan 5 – Antalya 250 (H – 32)

Jan 10 – Australian Open Qualifying in Doha

Feb 1 – Melbourne 1 250 (Adelaide) Great Ocean Road (H – 56)
Feb 1 – Melbourne 2 250 Murray River Open (H – 56)
Feb 2 – ATP Cup Melbourne (H – 12 teams)

Feb 8 …

With just weeks before the start of 2021, the ATP became the first tour to announce a partial 2021 schedule.

The men’s tour will begin Tuesday, January 5th in Delray Beach (USA) and Antalya (Turkey) with 250 events. Delray will be a 28 draw, Antalya a 32.

On January 10th, players who lose early the first week and other can compete in the Australian Open men’s qualifying which will be played …

Following two surgeries on his right knee earlier this year, Roger Federer looked certain to return to the Australian Open in January. Not anymore. In a speaking appearance at the Swiss Sports Awards, the Swiss revealed his recovery isn’t as quick as he would like, and he might not be ready to play in Melbourne, though the later start could help him.

“I would have hoped that I would be 100% …

According to multiple reports, the Australian Open will begin on Monday, February 8.

Tournament head Craig Tiley sent a note to players informing them the start date would be February 8.

“It’s taken a while, but the great news is it looks like we are going to be able to hold the AO on February 8,” Tiley wrote.

The tournament will require players to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival which …

According to the Spanish sports paper Marca, the WTA is set to rename to event categories to align with those of the ATP.

Categories for next year on the women’s tour will change from Premier Mandatory, Premier 5, Premier, International and $125K to the ATP’s format of 1000s, 500s and 250s.

How they transfer and ensuing point system is unclear, but an official announcement from the WTA is expected next week.

With …

The Australian Open is going to happen, it’s now a question of when. The biggest tennis event in the Pacific is still in negotiation with its government over the exact quarantine protocols.

Australian health officials require incoming visitors to quarantine 14 days, no exceptions. That’s the rule. And the players and tours are open to that. The problem is the players would like to practice while they are quarantining.

Playing best-of-5 in …

The 2020 season is over, here are some closing thoughts on the ATP Finals and Daniil Medvedev’s big win.

1. MEDVEDEV’S NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER
I picked Daniil Medvedev at the start of the event only because he had won the Paris Masters. The guy had a lousy year to coming into November — 0 Top 10 wins, 0 tournament finals — but as we saw in 2019, when the …

After a tough season, Daniil Medvedev caught fire this month and finished the year in style winning the biggest title of his career Sunday taking the ATP Finals trophy over Dominic Thiem from a set down 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-4.

”What a match. One of my best victories, two hours, 42 minutes, three sets against an amazing player,” Medvedev said following the longest 3-set final in tournament history. “Dominic, congratulations already for …

What a way to end the 2020 season with the four best players in the world meeting this final weekend in London at the ATP Finals.

Today, the old guard Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal fell by the wayside to Dominic Thiem and Daniil Medvedev, respectively.

Both Djokovic and Nadal were well in position to put away their younger foes and reach the final, but failed to finish the job.

In the first …

For the first time since 2004, the Top 4 in the ATP Rankings have reached the semifinals at the ATP Finals. The last of the four spots was decided Friday on the final day of the round robin in London where Novak Djokovic played one on his best matches topping 2018 champion Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6(4).

Djokovic got a break thanks to an ill-timed double fault from Zverev early in the …

Rafael Nadal served notice early then hung on to eliminate defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 Thursday evening at the ATP Finals.

Nadal, who outlasted the Greek a year ago in the round robin, was in full rhythm on serve the first 90 minutes or so of the match. The Spaniard snuck out a break mid-way in the first and continued to stay strong until late in the second when …

Daniil Medvedev proved right (for now) the many forecasters picking him to do big things this week at the ATP Finals. After an 0-3 campaign last year, the Russian is 2-0 after blasting favorite Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-3 in the round robin on Wednesday.

Medvedev, who out-Djokovic’d Djokovic, broke through during a long seventh game of the first set, then cruised from there.

“I like to play Novak because he is one …

Dominic Thiem outlasted Rafael Nadal in yet another tight matchup at the ATP Finals on Tuesday. The two best claycourters in the world slugged it out for almost 2-and-a-half hours before Thiem prevailed 7-6(7), 7-6(4).

After a tight start to the opening set, it was Nadal jumping on top in the breaker 5-2. But Thiem clawed back in this, their first indoor meeting. The Australian took seven of the last nine …

Ash Barty won her second straight year-end No. 1 award, the WTA announced on Monday.

Despite playing just 14 matches, and NONE since March, the Australian was awarded the year-end No. 1 ranking.

Barty, who did win Adelaide in January, finished 11-3 on the year but because the ranking points were frozen, Barty did not lose her French Open and other title points from 2019. So she stayed on top just ahead …