This year’s Next Gen ATP Finals and Stockolm Open champion Stefanos Tsitsipas, 2018 Australian Open semifinalist Kyle Edmund, defending champion Danil Medvedev and Alex De Minaur will be in the spotlight at the Sydney International from 7 to 13 January 2019.
Twenty-year-old Greek Next Gen Stefanos Tsitsipas ended the 2018 season with a career-high of world number 15 improving from world number 91 at the start of the 2018 season and won two tournaments at the ATP 250 in Stockolm and at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan. He became the first Greek player to win an ATP title, reached the final in Barcelona and beat four top 10 players in one week at the Canadian Open to qualify for his second ATP final. In both title matches he lost to Rafa Nadal.
“I am looking forward to my first visit in Sydney and being part of what’s shaping up to be a very interesting draw”, said Tsitsipas.
Tsitsipas could face again this year’s Next Gen ATP Finals runner-up Alex Minaur, who grabbed the headlines in last year’s edition of the Sydney International, where he reached the maiden ATP final of his career before losing to Russia’s 22-year-old Russian player Danil Medvedev in three sets 1-6 6-4 7-5. In the semifinal Medvedev came back from 2-6 2-4 down to beat Italian star Fabio Fognini. Medvedev will return to Sydney to defend his title.
The line-up also features French players Lucas Pouille, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Jeremy Chardy, Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman and another representative of the Next Gen Frances Tiafoe.
“Both Kyle and Stefanos have enjoyed breakthrough seasons on the ATP Tour this year”,said Sydney International Tournament Director Lawrence Robertson.
“Kyle came to the attention of the tennis world this year with his impressive run to the semifinals of the Australian Open, and by clinching his first ATP title in Antwerp. His forehand is one of the most feared on the tour and is now reaching levels in the sport that his hard work and talent deserve. Stefanos Tsitsipas has quickly established himself at the very top of the game. At only 20 years old, he has already proven himself alongside the very best, defeating four top 10 players to reach the final in Toronto, and following that with his first title in Stockolm. I have no doubt that Stefanos is destined for the top, and urge anyone who wants to see the future of men’s tennis to join us at Sydney’s Olympic Park in January. It was a coup for us to secure ATP Next Gen champion Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Frances is another stand-out talent among the current crop of the ATP Next Gen players. Frances’s ability to hit winners from any point on the court has firmly established as a fan favourite, and I am excited that he has chosen to use the Sydney International as a launch pad for the 2019 season”, said Robertson.
Kyle Edmund enyoyed a breakthrough season in 2018 reaching the 2018 Australian Open semifinal last January. He went on to reach his second final of the year in Marrakesh on clay last April before winning his maiden title in Antwerp.
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