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ti-amie GROUPS ANNOUNCED FOR 2022 ATP CUP, FIELD FEATURES 18 TOP 20 PLAYERS
BY ATP STAFF
UPDATED12/7/2021 3:46:00 AM
The 16 countries set to compete in the third edition of the ATP Cup, which will feature 18 of the Top 20 players in the FedEx ATP Rankings, were assigned to four groups at the official tournament draw on Tuesday in Australia. The team event will take place in Sydney from 1-9 January 2022.
Top seed Serbia, headlined by World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, will lead Group A, which will also features Norway, Chile and Spain. Two years ago, Serbia lifted the trophy at the inaugural ATP Cup by defeating Spain in the championship match.
Second seed Russia, the defending champion, is in Group B, which includes Italy, Austria and home nation Australia. World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev and World No. 5 Andrey Rublev will be their country's top two singles players for the second consecutive year.
Germany, led by reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev, headlines Group C along with Canada, Great Britain and the United States. Fourth seed Greece, with Stefanos Tsitsipas atop the lineup, will be in Group D, which also consists of Poland, Argentina and Georgia.
ATP Chief Tour Officer Ross Hutchins said: "There’s no better place for us to launch the 2022 season than with the ATP Cup in Sydney. The players have loved competing at this event in recent years and the 2022 player field speaks for itself. We’re delighted that fans will be able to see so many of the world’s best representing their countries in the opening week of the season and we look forward to a fantastic event."
ATP Cup Tournament Director Tom Larner said: "We’re excited to host the third edition of the ATP Cup in Sydney in 2022. The playing group enjoy representing their countries and to see 18 of the world’s Top 20 players commit to the event is testament to that. The event shows off the passion the playing group have for this format and we look forward to welcoming all 16 teams to Sydney later this month."
The draw was conducted in the ATP Cup studio by Australian legends Mark Philippoussis and John Fitzgerald.
This year’s nine-day event will be played in Sydney at Ken Rosewall Arena and Qudos Bank Arena. Following the group stage, the four group winners will advance to the knock-out semi-finals to compete for the trophy. Alongside the event in Week One, there will be ATP 250 events in Adelaide and Melbourne.
Each country at the 2022 ATP Cup will field a team of up to five players, with each tie comprising two singles matches and one doubles match. The No. 2 singles players compete against each other before the No. 1 singles, followed by doubles.
Tickets for the ATP Cup will go on sale via ATPCup.com on Friday 10 December. The schedule will be released tomorrow.
Follow the latest ATP Cup news and live updates at ATPCup.com and on Twitter and Instagram.
LIST OF QUALIFIED COUNTRIES AND COMMITTED PLAYERS
Serbia
Novak Djokovic
Dusan Lajovic
Filip Krajinovic
Nikola Cacic
Matej Sabanov
Great Britain
Cameron Norrie
Daniel Evans
Liam Broady
Joe Salisbury
Jamie Murray
Russia
Daniil Medvedev
Andrey Rublev
Aslan Karatsev
Roman Safiullin
Evgeny Donskoy
Argentina
Diego Schwartzman
Federico Delbonis
Federico Coria
Maximo Gonzalez
Andres Molteni
Germany
Alexander Zverev
Jan-Lennard Struff
Yannick Hanfmann
Kevin Krawietz
Tim Puetz
Austria
Dominic Thiem
Dennis Novak
Lucas Miedler
Oliver Marach
Philipp Oswald
Greece
Stefanos Tsitsipas
Michail Pervolarakis
Petros Tsitsipas
Markos Kalovelonis
Aristotelis Thanos
Chile
Cristian Garin
Alejandro Tabilo
Tomas Barrios Vera
Italy
Matteo Berrettini
Jannik Sinner
Lorenzo Sonego
Simone Bolelli
Fabio Fognini
Spain
Roberto Bautista Agut
Pablo Carreno Busta
Albert Ramos-Vinolas
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Pedro Martinez
Norway
Casper Ruud
Viktor Durasovic
Lukas Hellum-Lilleengen
Leyton Rivera
Andreja Petrovic
Georgia
Nikoloz Basilashvili
Aleksandre Metreveli
Aleksandre Bakshi
Zura Tkemaladze
Saba Purtseladze
Poland
Hubert Hurkacz
Kamil Majchrzak
Kacper Zuk
Jan Zielinski
Szymon Walkow
United States
Taylor Fritz
John Isner
Brandon Nakashima
Rajeev Ram
Austin Krajicek
Canada
Felix Auger-Aliassime
Denis Shapovalov
Brayden Schnur
Peter Polansky
Steven Diez
Australia (WC)
Alex de Minaur
James Duckworth
Max Purcell
John Peers
Luke Saville
by ponchi101 Ah, the plot thickens. May Dusan and Filip have called him and said "Novak, we need the money"?
by JazzNU Another possibility I think would be that he's getting a vaccine exemption into Australia for the ATP Cup, but he still can't play the Aussie Open because the Victorian government already said it's not happening. I don't know where things landed before, but there was a feeling probably barely a month ago that the Australian government was open to the waiver.
by ti-amie If they give him a waiver why won't they give other players one?
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JazzNU ti-amie wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 1:05 am
If they give him a waiver why won't they give other players one?
If they allow it, maybe they'd do it for other players too. The focus has been on the Aussie Open though, not the other tournaments. Aussie Open without a vaccine is off the table because it's in Victoria and they've been clear on what their rules will be.
by
Deuce
I heard this, as well - from another source.
Also, Shapovalov is out - another positive COVID-19 case who was in Abu-Dhabi.
.
by Fastbackss I saw it reported earlier today by a reputable journalist; I fail in my ability to recollect who posted it
by ashkor87 Hmm..Russia looks the strongest, again..followed by Italy and then Canada... Finding it hard to get excited about this one though, pining for the Hopman Cup...!
by ashkor87 I see a Georgian player Alexandre Metreveli..wonder if he is related to the near-great of the same name who went to the finals of Wimbledon in 1973...i remember listening to that match on BBC...
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skatingfan ashkor87 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 31, 2021 11:01 am
I see a Georgian player Alexandre Metreveli..wonder if he is related to the near-great of the same name who went to the finals of Wimbledon in 1973...i remember listening to that match on BBC...
Grandson.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleksandre_Metreveli
by mick1303 I'm wondering what is behind Tsitsipas's decision to forego singles and only play doubles.
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meganfernandez ashkor87 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 31, 2021 11:01 am
I see a Georgian player Alexandre Metreveli..wonder if he is related to the near-great of the same name who went to the finals of Wimbledon in 1973...i remember listening to that match on BBC...
Wow, what a memory! Without looking it up, who beat him in the final? What was it like listening to a tennis match on the radio?
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meganfernandez mick1303 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 01, 2022 11:43 am
I'm wondering what is behind Tsitsipas's decision to forego singles and only play doubles.
i think he's just protecting his body. He had elbow surgery in late November. It was a relatively minor injury, but still, probably just taking it easy out of the gate.
Edit: Yeah, he said as much after his doubles match. Said the elbow isn't 100%.
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ashkor87 meganfernandez wrote: ↑Sat Jan 01, 2022 3:52 pm
ashkor87 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 31, 2021 11:01 am
I see a Georgian player Alexandre Metreveli..wonder if he is related to the near-great of the same name who went to the finals of Wimbledon in 1973...i remember listening to that match on BBC...
Wow, what a memory! Without looking it up, who beat him in the final? What was it like listening to a tennis match on the radio?
Jan Kodes, the year of the boycott..
Radio was the all there was, TV hadn't come to our country yet...it was fun, exciting enough...
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ponchi101 meganfernandez wrote: ↑Sat Jan 01, 2022 3:52 pm
ashkor87 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 31, 2021 11:01 am
I see a Georgian player Alexandre Metreveli..wonder if he is related to the near-great of the same name who went to the finals of Wimbledon in 1973...i remember listening to that match on BBC...
Wow, what a memory! Without looking it up, who beat him in the final? What was it like listening to a tennis match on the radio?
Metreveli lost the final to Jan Kodes. That was the year of the Wimbledon boycott, when the top players did not go due to differences between the AELTC and the players about prize money. Kodes would have been a true piece of magnificent trivia and has been frequently maligned by people because he won the trophy on the boycott year, but he also won one RG fair and square. He was certainly not a power in tennis, but he was also not totally fluke. Just by a whisker.
by meganfernandez Announcer said the 3-minute bathroom break starts when the player reaches the bathroom (and presumably the clock stops when the player leaves the bathroom). So the 3 minutes is time in the bathroom, not including walking to and from. I assume this is the new ATP rule. Can't remember if it will be in effect at the Slams (ITF).
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ashkor87 ponchi101 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 01, 2022 5:01 pm
meganfernandez wrote: ↑Sat Jan 01, 2022 3:52 pm
ashkor87 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 31, 2021 11:01 am
I see a Georgian player Alexandre Metreveli..wonder if he is related to the near-great of the same name who went to the finals of Wimbledon in 1973...i remember listening to that match on BBC...
Wow, what a memory! Without looking it up, who beat him in the final? What was it like listening to a tennis match on the radio?
Metreveli lost the final to Jan Kodes. That was the year of the Wimbledon boycott, when the top players did not go due to differences between the AELTC and the players about prize money. Kodes would have been a true piece of magnificent trivia and has been frequently maligned by people because he won the trophy on the boycott year, but he also won one RG fair and square. He was certainly not a power in tennis, but he was also not totally fluke. Just by a whisker.
I did get to see Metreveli later once in an exhibition..he was quick and powerful, decimated the field..at W 1973 he had beaten Connors on the way...of course Connors was very young, but won W the next year so he was pretty good.. as for Kodes, I never saw him but he was good, got to the uSO finals where Smith beat him...
by ashkor87 Correction..Kodes got to the USO finals twice, beaten by Smith and then Newcombe..he also had already won the French..not too shabby..
by Deuce Given that so many things are shut down right now because of the virus, I'd like to be able to enjoy watching some tennis. But even under these circumstances, with little else to do/watch, I can't bring myself to care about the ATP Cup.
What's the situation with fan capacity at the venue? What percentage of capacity is permitted? (I've searched for the answer, but can't find it.) Judging by the number of empty seats, it looks like the fans are taking up only about 7% of the capacity, quite literally.
by ti-amie Agree about the ATP Cup. Low attendance and it's on but I just look up every now and then to check the score.
FAA was down 2-6 in the first set tb vs Fritz and came back to win it. Fritz won the second set 6-4 and it's on serve in the third.
Quality of play? I don't know.
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meganfernandez Deuce wrote: ↑Sun Jan 02, 2022 2:17 am
Given that so many things are shut down right now because of the virus, I'd like to be able to enjoy watching some tennis. But even under these circumstances, with little else to do/watch, I can't bring myself to care about the ATP Cup.
What's the situation with fan capacity at the venue? What percentage of capacity is permitted? (I've searched for the answer, but can't find it.) Judging by the number of empty seats, it looks like the fans are taking up only about 7% of the capacity, quite literally.
I don't care about the ATP Cup at all, but I'm captivated by this Medvedev-Humbert match anyway. Good stuff for the first day of the year!
Quality of FAA-Fritz was just so-so in the second and third sets. I didn't see the first set. It didn't hold my attention very much.
by ponchi101 Humbert showing some good tennis. Frustrating Medvedev, who is going for 100% in his 2nd serves, showing that you can get under his skin.
by meganfernandez Great win for Humbert over Medvedev, 5-7, 7-5, 7-6. It didn't feel like an exo. Humbert came back from a break down in the second and third sets. He was the more offensive player and, as the announcer said, looked a little fresher in the end. He kept France alive in this tie, too. What a performance. Humbert is now 2-0 vs Medvedev.
by Deuce It may not have 'felt like an exhibition', but I guarantee you that the players play these matches differently than they play the Majors, for instance. In general, they are less afraid to lose in these matches. The odds of Humbert beating Medvedev in a match at the Aussie Open in 2 weeks would be quite a bit smaller than the odds of Humbert winning this ATP Cup match.
And these players are certainly good enough to make it look as if they're trying their best when they're not. I'm not saying that they deliberately miss shots (although I'm sure that does occur sometimes)... but going for low percentage shots (higher risk of failure) is certainly more common in these types of events than it is in the Majors.
This also happens in tournaments smaller than the Majors - in varying degrees, usually generally corresponding to the size of the tournament (1000s, 500s, etc.). But I believe it happens more in these types of exhibitions, where the atmosphere is more relaxed and friendly, than in any official tournament.
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meganfernandez Deuce wrote: ↑Sun Jan 02, 2022 8:21 am
It may not have 'felt like an exhibition', but I guarantee you that the players play these matches differently than they play the Majors, for instance. In general, they are less afraid to lose in these matches. The odds of Humbert beating Medvedev in a match at the Aussie Open in 2 weeks would be quite a bit smaller than the odds of Humbert winning this ATP Cup match.
And these players are certainly good enough to make it look as if they're trying their best when they're not. I'm not saying that they deliberately miss shots (although I'm sure that does occur sometimes)... but going for low percentage shots (higher risk of failure) is certainly more common in these types of events than it is in the Majors.
This also happens in tournaments smaller than the Majors - in varying degrees, usually generally corresponding to the size of the tournament (1000s, 500s, etc.). But I believe it happens more in these types of exhibitions, where the atmosphere is more relaxed and friendly, than in any official tournament.
Maybe... but if you get to a third-set TB, and the match will seal the tie, why not go ahead and play for the win? Regardless, it was a fantastic match.
Medvedev definitely wasn't going for low-percentage shots. He was on the defensive the whole time. Which I know he's fine with, but he didn't go for any lines. He wasn't just putting it back in play, but Humbert was in control of most of the match, except Meddy's serve... which he was returning pretty well, to Meddy's feet, in the third set.
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ponchi101 meganfernandez wrote: ↑Sun Jan 02, 2022 3:37 pm
...
Maybe... but if you get to a third-set TB, and the match will seal the tie, why not go ahead and play for the win? Regardless, it was a fantastic match.
Medvedev definitely wasn't going for low-percentage shots. He was on the defensive the whole time. Which I know he's fine with, but he didn't go for any lines. He wasn't just putting it back in play, but Humbert was in control of most of the match, except Meddy's serve... which he was returning pretty well, to Meddy's feet, in the third set.
He wasn't going for low percentage shots, but he has this habit of serving first serves when he serves second serves and it is a tight situation. He is quite successful, one has to admit, but by definition that is about a 60% chance of success. I wonder if he gets nervous or it is the opposite, that he is relaxed and really trusts his serve, but I think it is odd because it is not a power second serve, it is a first.
I would side with believing he is confident, but really can't tell.
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meganfernandez ponchi101 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 02, 2022 4:21 pm
meganfernandez wrote: ↑Sun Jan 02, 2022 3:37 pm
...
Maybe... but if you get to a third-set TB, and the match will seal the tie, why not go ahead and play for the win? Regardless, it was a fantastic match.
Medvedev definitely wasn't going for low-percentage shots. He was on the defensive the whole time. Which I know he's fine with, but he didn't go for any lines. He wasn't just putting it back in play, but Humbert was in control of most of the match, except Meddy's serve... which he was returning pretty well, to Meddy's feet, in the third set.
He wasn't going for low percentage shots, but he has this habit of serving first serves when he serves second serves and it is a tight situation. He is quite successful, one has to admit, but by definition that is about a 60% chance of success. I wonder if he gets nervous or it is the opposite, that he is relaxed and really trusts his serve, but I think it is odd because it is not a power second serve, it is a first.
I would side with believing he is confident, but really can't tell.
Yeah, he goes for another first serve, as you said, not just a better-than-average 2nd, and he makes it quite often. It's a good tactic. I think he does that when he's tired, to keep points short. He famously did it in the summer of 2019, when he was on that incredible run of 6 finals - against Djokovic in the Cincy semis, that's the first time I remember hearing about him going for first serves on second serves, and he did it a ton. And I bet he was tired in that third set, after so many matches that summer. He was definitely getting tired yesterday against Humbert.
Anyway, I wouldn't pick Humbert to beat Meddy in B5 in Australia, but I still think it was an impressive showing by Humbert. He was sensational. He dictated play. He fought back from a break down in the second and third sets. Meddy was up a set and 3-1 and Humbert didn't fold. I also just thoroughly enjoyed the match, whether Meddy was trying his hardest or not.
But I think he was giving a pretty full effort.
The one criticism I have of Humbert is that he consistently served out wide in the ad side - he's a lefty - and never followed it in to serve and volley. Meddy was always waaaaay off the court to return those serves. But Humbert would usually put the +1 ball away, so maybe he just liked his chances better to end the point into the open court. Maybe he didn't want to give Medvedev a target at the net since he's got great passing shots. And it worked. But I'd like to see Humbert follow that serve in against other players.
by
ponchi101 meganfernandez wrote: ↑Mon Jan 03, 2022 1:02 am
...
The one criticism I have of Humbert is that he consistently served out wide in the ad side - he's a lefty -
and never followed it in to serve and volley. Meddy was always waaaaay off the court to return those serves. But Humbert would usually put the +1 ball away, so maybe he just liked his chances better to end the point into the open court. Maybe he didn't want to give Medvedev a target at the net since he's got great passing shots. And it worked. But I'd like to see Humbert follow that serve in against other players.
I truly believe that players no longer know how to serve and volley. Time your serve so your initial jump pushes you forward, the quick initial two/three long steps and then, maybe, one short one and the split, then lunge one way or another putting your weight behind the volley. Plus I am not sure if they serve with a continental grip or a flat forehand (Medvedev serves with, like everything in his game, a weird grip for the serve).
It is truly a lost art.
by mick1303 I'm wondering why Italians went with Sinner-Berretini for the doubles. Russians did not have a real choice, while Italians have a potent doubles team. And that team would've been fresh. Could it be that Matteo wanted revenge after the close loss?
by ponchi101 I had to quit right before the doubles match, but indeed I felt that they made the wrong choice. I would have even gone with Fabio, who has been successful in doubles, just to change the look.
---0---
Different comment. it seems that the players are taking this tournament very seriously. Medvedev certainly is, as he is playing everything. Maybe the idea that it would not succeed were too premature.
by mick1303 Beside the love for the country, which is real but not quantifiable, this Cup gives noticeable ranking points. While Davis Cup does not...
by
ti-amie mick1303 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 06, 2022 4:55 pm
Beside the love for the country, which is real but not quantifiable, this Cup gives noticeable ranking points. While Davis Cup does not...
In my head this is an exhibition with no points involved. I'm sorry everyone. Thanks Mick.
Friday, January 07, 2022 Day 7
SYDNEY
ESP 0 – 0 POL
Ken Rosewall Arena Starts At 5:30 Pm
SF
Pablo Carreno Busta VS Kamil Majchrzak
Not Before 19:00
SF
Roberto Bautista Agut VS Hubert Hurkacz
Followed By / Subject To Change
SF
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina/Pedro Martinez VS Szymon Walkow/Jan Zielinski
by
Deuce mick1303 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 06, 2022 4:55 pm
Beside the love for the country, which is real but not quantifiable, this Cup gives noticeable ranking points. While Davis Cup does not...
The love of country was very present already in Davis Cup.
Providing ranking points is obviously part of the master plan to kill Davis Cup, of course. Not much question about that.
Somewhere, the bean counters determined that they could make significantly more money with the ATP Cup, which they could design from scratch to their own (surely self-serving) preferences.
by
ti-amie Deuce wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 5:56 am
mick1303 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 06, 2022 4:55 pm
Beside the love for the country, which is real but not quantifiable, this Cup gives noticeable ranking points. While Davis Cup does not...
The love of country was very present already in Davis Cup.
Providing ranking points is obviously part of the master plan to kill Davis Cup, of course. Not much question about that.
Somewhere, the bean counters determined that they could make significantly more money with the ATP Cup, which they could design from scratch to their own (surely self-serving) preferences.
There've been overflow crowds here so...
/s
by ti-amie Saturday, January 08, 2022 Day 8
SYDNEY
CAN 0 – 0 RUS
Ken Rosewall Arena Starts At 1:00 Pm
SF
Denis Shapovalov VS Roman Safiullin
Followed By
SF
Felix Auger-Aliassime VS Daniil Medvedev
Followed By / Subject To Change
SF
Felix Auger-Aliassime/Denis Shapovalov VS Daniil Medvedev/Roman Safiullin
by
Deuce ti-amie wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 7:52 pm
Deuce wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 5:56 am
mick1303 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 06, 2022 4:55 pm
Beside the love for the country, which is real but not quantifiable, this Cup gives noticeable ranking points. While Davis Cup does not...
The love of country was very present already in Davis Cup.
Providing ranking points is obviously part of the master plan to kill Davis Cup, of course. Not much question about that.
Somewhere, the bean counters determined that they could make significantly more money with the ATP Cup, which they could design from scratch to their own (surely self-serving) preferences.
There've been overflow crowds here so...
/s
Yeah - the seats look almost half full for the semis - they must be doing a good job of selling it (or giving tickets away for free)...
During the first week, the seats were about 7% occupied.
But don't worry, they'll eradicate the Davis Cup, and they'll come up with more gimmicks to sell this thing in the coming years - and will end up making money from it, which is the main purpose.
by Deuce My country CANADA won the ATP Cup - the greatest team competition in the history of sport!!
Ok... I still think the ATP Cup is a crock. And several teams didn't have their best players playing. But it is nice to see Canada win it - to see Denis and Felix, who are close friends, and who grew up on the court together as kids dreaming of winning on the big stage... it’s nice that they get to share this with each other.
Sometimes it’s hard to believe that little Felix, whom I used to see on the court as a youngster, is among the 10 best players in the world now. Happy for him. He’s going to be a great ambassador for the game.
by mick1303 My sincere congratulations on the ATP Cup win to all Canadians. I was rooting for Medvedev, but you can't win them all (meaning team events). FAA and Denis are cool blokes )
