ATP: The seven biggest surprises of the 2020 season so far
The 2020 season already had a few big surprises on the ATP tour . We use the compulsory break to take a look at the (for us) greatest sensations of the still young tennis year 2020.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Mar 14, 2020, 07:12 pm
7th place: Aljaz Bedene beats Stefanos Tsitsipas
With Stefanos Tsitsipas, it is a seasoned top 10 player who appears first on this list. The reigning ATP world champion made a significant slip in the round of 16 of the ATP 500 event in Rotterdam. After a somewhat shaky first round victory over Hubert Hurkacz, Tsitsipas should face Aljaz Bedene from Slovenia. Aljaz Bedene, who had only been in the top 50 in the world rankings for a few weeks, kept the upper hand in the decisive moments and took Tsitsipas 7: 5 and 6: 4 out of the tournament. What makes this surprise even bigger afterwards is that Tsitsipas only had to give up one game in the following two tournaments - in the Dubai final against Novak Djokovic.
6th place: Alexander Zverev is clearly defeated by Tommy Paul
Had this list been drawn up after the ATP Cup to start the year, Alexander Zverev would hardly have had room for this defeat. But the German number one started in an impressive manner, even made the leap to the semifinals at the Australian Open, in which he was about to fail Dominic Thiem. After that, Zverev took a few days off and only returned to the tour in Acapulco. And here it was another setback to Alexander Zverev's roller coaster ride. In round two, the German had to watch the American Tommy Paul, number 66 in the world rankings, in two sentences with little chance.
5th place: Daniil Medvedev goes down against Gilles Simon
The word that best describes Daniil Medvedev's achievements in the autumn of last year is probably "Constance". The young Russian didn’t fall over against badly ranked players, shone with his safe game and won two ATP Masters 1000 titles. The start of 2020 went well for Medvedev, at the ATP Cup it was only Novak Djokovic who could beat the Russian. The result: fourth place in the world rankings at the start of the Australian Open. At this point, it seemed difficult to imagine that Medvedev would go down 4: 6 and 0: 6 against Gilles Simon a month later. Although it was the third defeat in the third encounter with Simon for the Russian, world rankings and shape curves spoke a clear language in advance.
4th place: Jack Sock can win an ATP match
It was an eternally long dry spell that Jack Sock had been tormenting since 2019. It was at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris in 2018 that the American was supposed to win his last game on the ATP tour. The fact that it should work again against defending champion Radu Albot in Delray Beach, winning for Jack Sock, is not only a big surprise - it has also earned a place on our list.
3rd place: Thiago Seyboth Wild triumphs in Santiago
Compared to our runner-up, Thiago Seyboth Wild is almost a veteran. But the Brazilian was also only allowed to celebrate a milestone birthday and is currently 19 years young. And he also gave his first big talent test in Rio when he knocked down Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in round one and almost eliminated tournament favorite Borna Coric from the competition in the round of 16. However, it is not Seyboth WIld's appearances in Rio that place him on the list. No, it's what he was supposed to do a week later in western South America. Seyboth Wild stormed into his first ATP tour final in Santiago, which he was also about to win. On the way to his first title, the Brazilian, Casper Ruud and Cristian Garin, was able to knock out two 2020 clay court tour winners.
2nd place: 16-year-old Carlos Alcaraz beats Albert Ramos-Vinolas
At the ATP 500 event in Rio de Janeiro, a particularly young man was among those players who were able to enjoy a wild card for the main field. For Carlos Alcaraz, this was the first appearance in the main draw on the ATP tour - and that's hardly surprising. Because Thiago Alcaraz was born in 2003 - and was a tender 16 years young at the time. So the starting position in his first round game was quite clear, should he face Albert Ramos-Vinolas, a seasoned top 50 player. When Carlos Alcaraz left the court victorious after more than three and a half hours, the outcry in the tennis world was great, and there was soon talk of a "child prodigy". In lap two Alcaraz should be out, but on this list he has more than earned his second place on the ATP tour with this immaculate debut.
1st place: Gianluca Mager beats Dominic Thiem in two sets
Gianluca Mager occupies the most painful place on this list from an Austrian perspective. At the last appearance of the world rankings third, Dominic Thiem, it was he who inflicted such a bitter quarter-final defeat on the Austrian. Thiem, who came to the ATP 500 tournament in Rio de Janerio as a big favorite, hadn't got going from the start, but had survived the first two rounds with a lot of stomach ache. The favorite position was also clear in his quarter-final match: Gianluca Mager was ranked 128th in the ATP world rankings at the time and had hardly any results worth mentioning on the ATP tour. But Gianluca Mager was strong in this match, controlled the game and after a little over two hours made the 7: 6 (4) and 7: 5 victory perfect . Not only the impressive form Dominic Thiem has shown since the Australian Open, but also the fact that this match was played on his favorite surface, sand, makes this game our deserved number one.