Dominic Stricker

[Damian]

[Damian]

Fils, Stricker, Van Assche & Cobolli Qualify For Next Gen ATP Finals

Spoiler:

Shelbayh receives wild card for 21-and-under event
Arthur Fils, Dominic Stricker, Luca Van Assche and Flavio Cobolli have qualified for the Next Gen ATP Finals, while Abdullah Shelbayh has received a wild card for the innovative 21-and-under event, to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from 28-November-2 December.

The 19-year-old Frenchman Fils has broken new ground on the ATP Tour this season after beginning the year at No. 251 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. The World No. 36 captured his first tour-level title in Lyon in May and reached the title match in Antwerp last month. Fils also enjoyed runs to the semi-finals in Montpellier, Marseille and Hamburg and is now set to make his debut in Jeddah.

Fils’ countryman Van Assche will also line up at the Next Gen ATP Finals after qualifying for the first time. The 19-year-old has won two ATP Challenger Tour titles this year, with his best result on the ATP Tour a quarter-final showing at the ATP 500 in Hamburg. Van Assche also won a set against Novak Djokovic in Banja Luka.


Swiss lefty Stricker will make his second appearance at the 21-and-under event after reaching the semi-finals last year. The 21-year-old has continued his development this season, highlighted by his run to the fourth round at the US Open. Stricker cracked the Top 100 for the first time after his performance in New York.

Cobolli’s standout end to the year has helped him seal his spot in Jeddah. The 21-year-old Italian won an ATP Challenger Tour title in Lisbon in August and also made finals at that level in Romania and Italy in recent weeks. The World No. 100 advanced to the quarter-finals in Munich in April.

Shelbayh will be the first Jordanian player to compete at the event after receiving a wild card. The 19-year-old has earned tour-level wins in Banja Luka and Metz this season and became the first player from Jordan to win an ATP Challenger Tour title when he triumphed in Charleston in October.

Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune are competing at the Nitto ATP Finals this month and are therefore exempt, while Ben Shelton and Lorenzo Musetti have withdrawn due to medical and personal reasons, respectively.

The sixth edition of the Next Gen ATP Finals will be held at the King Abdullah Sports City from 28 November-2 December. Tickets to see the sport’s upcoming stars are available to buy now.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/next-ge ... ifications

[Barty]

[Lucas]

[Damian]

Stricker Kicks Off Next Gen ATP Finals Return With Fils Practice

Spoiler:

Swiss and Frenchman hit together Saturday in Jeddah
Dominic Stricker may have prior experience both of visiting Saudi Arabia and competing at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by NEOM, but the Swiss star was still impressed by his first visit to the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.

Stricker stepped on court for his first practice session Saturday lunchtime in the Saudi coastal city, where the lefty hit with one of his fellow competitors at the 21-and-under event, Arthur Fils. The 21-year-old reached the semi-finals on his Next Gen ATP Finals debut in Milan in 2022 and is delighted to be back for a second campaign.

“It’s a great arena. It felt really good from the beginning onwards,” said Stricker after his practice. “I was at this event last year, so it’s great to come back. It’s a super event, everything is organised well. I arrived pretty late yesterday but had a great practice with Arthur.”

You May Also Like: ‘The Most Fun’: Former Finalist Lehecka On His Next Gen ATP Finals Experience
The lefty World No. 92 said he had settled quickly in Jeddah, where he will hope to cap a strong year during which he made his maiden fourth-round appearance at a major at the US Open and lifted two ATP Challenger Tour trophies.

“I’ve been here once before,” said Stricker of Saudi Arabia. “I was excited to come here again. I really liked it the time I was here before, so I hope I can enjoy my stay here. It’s my first time in this stadium, but it looks great and feels great. The court feels good, everything looks really good so far.”

Earlier on Saturday, Flavio Cobolli also made his bow on Jeddah’s stadium court in a practice with his fellow event debutant Alex Michelsen. The World No. 95 Cobolli won a Challenger title in Lisbon in August, made two other finals at that level, and also reached his first ATP Tour quarter-final in Munich in April.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/stricke ... t-practice

[Barty]

[Damian]

[Barty]

[Art]

[Damian]

Stricker's Superstar Athletes He'd Like To Have Dinner With

Spoiler:

Swiss is competing at the Next Gen ATP Finals for a second consecutive year
Dominic Stricker made his Top 100 debut in September following a fourth-round appearance at the US Open, where he stunned seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in a five-set, second-round thriller. The lefty also collected two ATP Challenger Tour titles this season to become the first Swiss player to win five trophies at that level before his 21st birthday.

But what is the 21-year-old like off-court? ATPTour.com caught up with the World No. 94 in Jeddah to discuss his love for golf, football and more...

If you could have dinner with three people, who would they be and why?
Roger Federer, really nice guy. I would also go for Tiger Woods, because I really like to play golf. Then maybe I would go for Michael Jordan, because we know what he has done in sport is amazing.

What's the most interesting thing that you have done in your life?
When I was young, I did a lot of fishing. That was something I really enjoyed, out on a boat in Switzerland.

Any particular fish that you would catch?
Not really, just a bit of everything.

Describe your perfect day if you are not playing tennis.
I would say trying to sleep as long as I can and then get some good breakfast. I think I'll go for a round of golf and after I would maybe go into the city in Switzerland somewhere to get a nice dinner. Go to bed maybe and watch some series of Netflix or something.

Who's Your Favourite? Vote Now In 2023 ATP Awards

What's the best round you've ever had golfing?
Lowest score was 74, two over par. I think it was this year, it was a good round.

Do you play golf right-handed?
Yeah.

If you weren’t a tennis player, what job would you want?
I think it would be something with sports. But when I was young, I actually went one day to see how the job is as a teacher in school. But I'm happy that I that I chose tennis, I think it's better for me.

What’s the biggest lesson that you've learned so far from playing on Tour?
A lot. I think one of the best ones is you have to be very serious with travelling, with all these temperature changes, it is not that easy when you get out of the plane or into the plane and all that stuff. I think that's a big lesson I had to learn.

Who are some of your best friends on Tour?
All the players that are here, we're very good friends. But also all the Swiss players. Everyone is a nice guy with everyone who's playing on Tour now. It's just a great team we also have for Davis Cup. We always have a nice group.


If you had to choose between attending a music concert or a sporting event, what would you choose and why?
I’d go for sport for sure. I think I would go for soccer in Switzerland and I would go for Young Boys Bern because it’s my club. They are my favorite team in Switzerland and football. I'm also from Bern, so as soon as I'm home I'm trying to go watch their matches.

Out of the rule innovations featured at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by NEOM, what’s the one you are most excited to watch?
I think it's going to be interesting with this no warmup. I think it will be very special because usually you have a few minutes to warm up, to find your game a bit. But now it's going to be really interesting.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/stricke ... un-feature

[Damian]

[Damian]

Stricker Races Past Nardi For Record-Breaking First Jeddah Win

Spoiler:

Swiss improves to 1-1 in Green Group
After a disappointing start to his Next Gen ATP Finals presented by NEOM campaign, Dominic Stricker wasted little time bouncing back on Wednesday in Jeddah.

The third-seeded Swiss eased past Italian Luca Nardi 4-1, 4-1, 4-2 with a clean-hitting performance inside King Abdullah Sports City. Having struggled to find his best level in his opening match against Nardi’s countryman Flavio Cobolli, Stricker powered 13 winners, including three aces, and converted four of six break points he earned for a comprehensive 54-minute triumph, the fastest match in tournament history.

“We had a long discussion yesterday evening about how to do it today,” said Stricker in his on-court interview. “I think it was really good that we talked a lot after what maybe wasn’t my best performance. Now to come out today like that, I think nobody expected that. I’m just happy that I did it and now I’m going to try my best to recover for the third group match.”


With a reduced shot clock in place as part of the innovative rules at this edition of the Next Gen ATP Finals, Nardi was unable to stem Stricker’s momentum in the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting. The Swiss player also crucially saved all four break points he faced, including one at 3-2, 40/40 which also doubled as his own match point.

“Everything [clicked], I would say. I played a really good match from the start onwards,” said Stricker. “The last game was tough. If I’d lost that point I know that everything could have changed quickly, so I’m happy to get through so fast in three sets. I really played an amazing match.”

Now 1-1 in Green Group, the 21-year-old Sticker will next take on top seed Arthur Fils as he chases a second consecutive semi-final appearance at the 21-and-under event. The World No. 94 is in Saudi Arabia looking to cap a strong year during which he made his maiden fourth-round appearance at the US Open.

Physicality Index Insights
This has been the least physical match of the tournament so far, where both players had Physical Index ratings of 5.3. This was largely due to the fact that there were only 92 points played in the entire match, with an active ball-in-play time of less than 12 minutes. If you combined both players' distances together in this match, it would not even equal 1.4 kilometers, which was the distance threshold we identified as the red zone for Stricker in this match. Stricker did not have the opportunity to push Nardi into the high speed distance because the average rally length was only three shots, one shot below the Tour average of four.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/stricke ... -wednesday

[Damian]

#NextGenATP Stricker On Following Fed & Stan: ‘Switzerland Will Be Looking’

Spoiler:

21-year-old is third seed at Next Gen ATP Finals presented by NEOM
All great eras must come to an end, but the next one also has to start somewhere.

Dominic Stricker is well aware of the void that will be left in Swiss tennis once Stan Wawrinka joins Roger Federer in retirement from the ATP Tour. The 21-year-old Stricker grew up watching his two countrymen regularly lifting the biggest titles in the game and competing in some of the most memorable matches in history.

While the achievements of Federer and Wawrinka will be a tough act to follow for Switzerland’s next generation of ATP Tour stars, the Alpine nation may have already unearthed a natural successor in Stricker. His clean-hitting lefty game has already earned him five ATP Challenger Tour titles and a career-high of No. 88 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

“I think Roger’s retirement was very emotional for of us, especially maybe for us Swiss players,” Stricker told ATPTour.com in Jeddah, where he is the third seed at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by NEOM. “Stan is putting in a lot of work for us young players. The fact that he's playing Davis Cup again is amazing for us. He's here to help us all the time.

“It's not going to be easy when Stan retires as well, but it’s also great for me that then the whole of Switzerland will be looking out for the next Roger and Stan. It's just good to have them in your country and to know that the country really follows tennis a lot.”


Stricker remembers when he became one of those millions of Swiss fans who followed all-time great Federer and three-time Grand Slam champion Wawrinka as they took on the world’s best.

“I think I followed them as soon as they were on TV and as soon as I got a bit more into tennis,” said Stricker. “I don't remember the first match that I saw, but of course there are a few you will never forget.

“I started [playing] when I was six, but I think I [became more aware of Federer and Wawrinka] maybe somewhere around 10 or 11. I became Swiss champion when I was 11, so maybe that was the time I got a bit more into tennis and everything got a bit more serious.”

Who's Your Favourite? Vote Now In 2023 ATP Awards

Federer and Wawrinka’s influence on Stricker became more direct once he met his illustrious countrymen in person. Before he retired, Federer twice invited the youngster to practise in Dubai, while the 38-year-old Wawrinka is now his colleague on the ATP Tour.

“I know Roger and Stan are two amazing players," said Stricker. "I think they did a lot for the for the sport in our country. I've had the pleasure to practice with both and that's just something I will never forget, because these guys are two of the best players that we've ever had.

“It's just great to know that they're always here if I have any questions, to be here to answer them for me, and I think that's very good to know.”

Wawrinka has proven more than just a reliable source of off-court advice this year for Stricker. In July the pair took to the doubles court together on home soil in Gstaad and dropped just one set all week en route to the title at the clay-court ATP 250.

<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/domi ... w'>Dominic Stricker</a> and <a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/stan ... view'>Stan Wawrinka</a>
Dominic Stricker and Stan Wawrinka won a doubles title in July in Gstaad. Photo Credit: Fabian Meierhans/EFG Swiss Open Gstaad

“It was a great experience,” recalled Stricker. “We decided very late to actually team up and then we got used to each other and better after every round. To do it at home was even better. It was just a great week and a title I will never forget.

“I think [Stan] always told us young players that we should come to him and ask him, that we shouldn't be afraid to ask him anything. He's always very nice. He is so open to us, and we can really ask him everything. That's just great to know that you can ask a player like Stan everything.”

While happy to take guidance from his illustrious countrymen, Stricker isn’t sure his naturally aggressive game can be easily compared to either Federer or Wawrinka.

“Stan is maybe a bit more defensive gameplay-wise, I would say, but still if he can, he goes for it," he said. "I think Roger, he just had the perfect game. He served very well, he had a great return, great backhand and an even better forehand.

“I think maybe a bit more similar to Roger, because he really tried to be offensive, as I do as well. I would say my game is more like Roger’s, but still, it's very different.”

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/dominic ... ember-2023

[Art]

[Barty]

[no-handed backhand]

Haha, jaki grubas.

[Damian]

[Damian]

DOMINIC STRICKER ON HIS LACK OF CONSISTENCY – “We’re going to work on that, as that’s important to play the next steps and so I can play my best tennis every day. If I do that, I will get higher in the rankings again, Everything is going to get more solid and more opponents are going to have a problem against me.”

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/tennis- ... dcast-2023

[Barty]

2023 w liczbach:

Ranking: 94
Bilans meczów: 8-11
Tytuły: 0
Finały: 0
Zarobki: $813,644

[DUN I LOVE]

@Barty, harmonijny rozwój tutaj.