Author: Michael Dickens

Less Than Ideal Year Has Worked Out Pretty Well For Nadal

WASHINGTON/PARIS, November 2, 2020 (by Michael Dickens) The last time Rafael Nadal addressed the media in Paris was shortly after he won his 13th and latest French Open singles title last month. His 20th overall Grand Slam crown tied him […]

Rolex Paris Masters: It’s Rafa Versus The Rest Of The Draw

WASHINGTON, November 1, 2020 (by Michael Dickens) With the release of the Rolex Paris Masters singles draw Saturday afternoon at Accor Arena in Bercy, one need only infer that World No. 2 Rafael Nadal, the highest-ranked player with the absence […]

Kevin Anderson: Back In A Big Way This Week In Vienna

WASHINGTON, October 31, 2020 (by Michael Dickens) Kevin Anderson is a former Erste Bank Open champion, who captured the biggest title of his career at the ATP 500 event in Vienna two years ago as the World No. 8. The […]

From Qualies To Q’finals, Ruusuvuori Thriving In Nur-Sultan

WASHINGTON, October 30, 2020 (by Michael Dickens) At 21, Emil Ruusuvuori is Finland’s highest-profile tennis player since Jarkko Nieminen in a nation of 5.5 million inhabitants, known more for its Arctic Lapland wilderness and ski resorts. In fact, he’s one […]

Dimitrov’s One Day At A Time Philosophy Paying Off

WASHINGTON, October 29, 2020 (by Michael Dickens) Grigor Dimitrov has come a long way since being bed-ridden – quarantined at home in Monaco – after testing positive for Covid-19 in June, which brought the ill-fated Adria Tour of the Baltics […]

Tiafoe Following His Passion Around The Tennis World

WASHINGTON, October 28, 2020 (by Michael Dickens) Frances Tiafoe is one of only two Americans playing in the ATP 250 Astana Open in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan this week. As he works toward improving his ranking – currently No. 64 – in hopes of […]

Still On Fire, Andrey Rublev Is Peaking At The Right Time

WASHINGTON, October 27, 2020 (by Michael Dickens) Andrey Rublev put on a clinical performance during his one-hour, 6-3, 6-2, win over No. 104 Norbert Gombos of Slovakia Monday evening to move comfortably into the second round of the ATP 500 Erste Bank […]

‘Super Happy’ Humbert Wins European Open Title

WASHINGTON/ANTWERP, October 25, 2020 (by Michael Dickens) When No. 8 seed Alex de Minaur of Australia met France’s Ugo Humbert for the first time in the singles final of the ATP 250 European Open in Antwerp, Belgium, Sunday afternoon, it marked the […]

All-Belarusian Final At Ostrava Was All Sabalenka

WASHINGTON/OSTRAVA, October 25, 2020 (by Michael Dickens) Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka, the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds respectively in this week’s WTA Premier J&T Banka Ostrava Open, battled inside cavernous Ostravar Arena Sunday in the second-to-last singles title match of the […]

Pressure? Nah, Humbert Reaches European Open Final

WASHINGTON/ANTWERP, October 25, 2020 (by Michael Dickens) France’s Ugo Humbert and Dan Evans of Great Britain played one of the longest ATP Tour matches of the season in the semifinal round of the ATP 250 European Open in Antwerp, Belgium, […]