The Top 5 ATP Masters 1000 Hard-Court Match Winners
Of all the four majors of tennis, the ATP Masters 1000 is the highest level of tennis that is outside the Grand Slams. The surface to the hard-court event is the hard courts and these tournaments will shape the kind of season the best players are going to have. In a way, it is a battlefield where the talented ones test their skills against the world’s iconic arenas. In terms of pure hard-court dominance, five men stand out as having incredible match win records at these prestigious events. Here’s a look at the five players with the most ATP Masters 1000 hard-court match victories. 5. Andre Agassi – 168 Wins One of the greatest personalities in tennis history is Andre Agassi, and he scored his 168th victory on hard courts, entering the annals of Masters 1000 victory history. Agassi’s playing career spanned an era marked by the appearance of many talented competitors for this sport, and he was always one to be reckoned with, particularly in Masters 1000 tournaments. His first Masters 1000 match victory was recorded at Indian Wells in 1990, while his last was there too, 16 years later, in 2006. Agassi’s finest performance throughout his career happened in the Miami Open tournament. There, he had 59 wins and a perfect win percentage of 85.5%, with Miami being Agassi’s real fortress in his whole career. 4. Andy Murray – 177 Wins Britain’s Andy Murray is one of the finest hard-court players ever, whose defensive abilities are unmatched. He has 177 hard-court Masters 1000 triumphs and ranks fourth on that list. Like Agassi, Murray produced his first win on this level in Cincinnati way back in 2005, then again and again proved to be a persistent grass-court opponent on hard courts during his career. He last featured at the hard-court Masters 1000 level at the 2024 Miami Open after advancing to the third round. Murray’s best play came at the Shanghai Masters. He had 25 wins with an incredible win percentage of 82.1%. His great play on Shanghai’s fast hard courts made him winner of several editions of the title. 3. Rafael Nadal – 210 Wins Although clay courses through his veins, Nadal never did forget about his success on the hard courts. His ATP Masters 1000 titles there stood at 210. Nadal entered Masters 1000 hard court competition at the Madrid Open in 2003 and concluded it first at Indian Wells in 2004. His last appearance was in a hard court Master was at the Paris Masters in 2022. Nadal was at his best at Indian Wells; he has 59 wins with a fantastic win percentage of 84.3%. The only place he is not known as a clay-court specialist is on hard courts. His fighting spirit and adaptability have garnered him huge success on hard courts. 2. Roger Federer – 264 Wins Roger Federer stands in second position on this elite list, with 264 match wins on hard courts within ATP Masters 1000 tournaments. Federer made his Masters 1000 debut at the 1999 Miami Open, where he lost, but he won his maiden Master 1000 on a hard court at the Miami Open, the following year. His latest appearance in a Masters 1000 tournament was in 2019 when he reached the quarterfinal stage in the Shanghai Masters. Elegant and flexible, Federer dominated the Masters 1000 events for two complete decades. The ongoing rivalry of the player with Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal only added more glamour to these tournaments, and his unparalleled longevity is reflected in his win count. 1. Novak Djokovic – 267 Wins At the top of that is Novak Djokovic, a man whose dominance of hard courts has never been seen before. With 267 match wins up to his latest titles at the 2024 Shanghai Masters, Djokovic fashioned a record that only continues growing even stronger. Serbian sensation Novak Djokovic made his Cincinnati Open debut in 2005 and earned his initial on hard courts Masters 1000 victories later in the same year at the Paris Masters. Djokovic was brilliant at the Miami Open where he notched a fantastic 86.3% win rate, his best performance at any Masters 1000 event in such terms, and took his record to 51 hard-court wins at Indian Wells. At 37, the Serbian maestro appears to be getting no closer to the slow lane as he demonstrates why he is part and parcel of the pantheon of all-time great players. The ATP Masters 1000 tournaments on hard courts have been defined through the contributions of these five players to the long history of the game in their respective ways. The struggle to become the best on the hard courts may very well be fought out by new faces down the line, however one thing is sure, these five legends will always be at the top. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Wimbledon 2024: Andy Murray Bids Farewell to Tennis
Andy Murray has decided to close the chapter on his remarkable tennis career after he and his brother, Jamie, were defeated in the first round of the men’s doubles at his final Wimbledon. Reflecting on Retirement “I’m ready to finish playing because I can’t play to the level that I would want to any more,” Murray said. “That’s something that I guess is a bit out of my control. If I knew my body was going to be able to do it, I would play – there’s nothing about the sport that I hate and I’m like, I don’t want to do it any more for this reason. I like the travelling. I love the competition, practicing, trying to get better, all those things. Yeah, I know that it’s time now. I’m ready for that.” Final Doubles Match On Thursday evening, Andy and Jamie Murray were defeated 7-6 (6), 6-4 on Centre Court by the Australians Rinky Hijikata and John Peers, marking one of Andy’s final matches. Just twelve days prior, Andy had undergone back surgery to remove a spinal cyst. Although the 37-year-old was unable to recover in time to compete in the singles draw, he returned to play doubles. A Tribute to a Legendary Career After a 19-year career that has included three grand slam victories, Andy plans to retire from professional tennis at the end of this summer. Following this defeat, the All England Club held a ceremony to honor his career. Numerous former champions and current players, including Novak Djokovic, Tim Henman, Iga Swiatek, John McEnroe, and Martina Navratilova, gathered to pay tribute to Andy. “Look, it was really nice,” said Andy. “When the video was playing, my head was spinning a lot. I know I’m about to have to speak. It’s difficult in those moments ’cause there’s a lot of people you want to thank and address, but it is not easy. It was pretty emotional, as well. Watching the video was nice, but hard as well, for me because you know it’s coming to the end of something that you’ve absolutely loved doing, yeah, for such a long time. So that’s difficult.” Final Wimbledon Appearance and Future Plans Andy Murray will make his final Wimbledon appearance in the mixed doubles competition, partnering with Emma Raducanu. He will then compete at the Paris Olympics, his fifth Olympic Games, before retiring. When asked about his legacy, he expressed pride in his consistent effort and discipline throughout his career. “I think the thing that I did a really good job of during my career was that, regardless of the highs and lows, whether it was winning tournaments, having difficult losses, an operation, a setback, that I was able to treat the next day like I always came into work with the same dedication, work ethic and passion, as I had the day before, regardless of the highs and lows that the sport kind of has thrown at me,” said Murray. “I certainly didn’t always get it right. Like on the match days, I was not perfect by any stretch, but I did always come into work and put in a good day. I gave my best effort. That’s what I’m proud of.” Andy Murray’s Wimbledon Career Highlights Breaking the Drought – Andy Murray is the only British man to win Wimbledon in the Open Era, securing two championships. Fast Starter – Murray has never lost in the opening round of the Men’s Singles at Wimbledon, winning 11 of 15 matches in straight sets. Joining the Elite – Only Roger Federer (105), Novak Djokovic (92), Jimmy Connors (84), Boris Becker (71), and Pete Sampras (63) have won more men’s singles matches at Wimbledon than Murray, who has 61 victories. Flying the Flag – Murray is the only British player to win over 50 men’s singles matches in the Open Era, with Tim Henman next at 43. The Big Four – Murray is the only player to have beaten Djokovic on grass, Federer on hard court, and Rafael Nadal on clay at the ATP level. With Murray leaving the court, he will surely be missed by the tennis fraternity. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Wimbledon 2024: Murray Withdraws from Wimbledon Singles, Will Play Doubles
Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray will not compete in this year’s Wimbledon Singles, however he will still team up with his brother Jamie in the doubles event. Murray’s decision came after undergoing surgery to remove a spinal cyst, casting doubt on his participation. What Is a Spinal Cyst? A spinal cyst is a fluid-filled sac that forms in or around the spinal cord or vertebrae. These cysts, which can contain various types of fluid like cerebrospinal or synovial fluid, arise from causes such as spine degeneration, inflammation, congenital conditions, or trauma. Common types include synovial cysts, arachnoid cysts, and Tarlov cysts. Symptoms depend on the cyst’s location and size but often include back pain, sciatica, numbness, weakness, and severe cases can lead to coordination and mobility issues. Impact on Murray and Other Athletes The impact on Murray is something to know about, as tennis involves repetitive movements and high-impact actions that stress the spine. This can contribute to the development or worsening of spinal cysts. Overuse, improper techniques, or insufficient conditioning heighten the risk of spinal problems. Players with back pain or neurological symptoms should seek medical advice to diagnose conditions like spinal cysts and get appropriate treatment, which might range from rest and physical therapy to surgical intervention. Proper warm-up, strengthening exercises, and good posture during play are crucial preventive measures. Murray’s Decision and Future Plans Originally, Murray was scheduled to face Czech player Tomas Machac in the first round on Tuesday, holding the third and final slot on the Centre Court. Despite practicing on Monday and waiting until Tuesday morning to decide, he opted out of the singles event, focusing instead on the doubles tournament with his brother Jamie. “Unfortunately, despite working incredibly hard on his recovery since his operation just over a week ago, Andy has taken the very difficult decision not to play the singles this year,” a statement from Murray’s team read. “As you can imagine, he is extremely disappointed but has confirmed that he will be playing in the doubles with Jamie and looks forward to competing at Wimbledon for the last time.“ No US Open for Murray Murray also recently announced he does not plan to travel to New York for the US Open, which begins on Monday, August 26, 2024. With Andy Murray making a comeback in the doubles event, fans are eager to see him team up with his brother Jamie, hoping their combined experience and skill will lead to success on the grass courts. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
