Rune, Draper, Shelton Feature In Biggest ATP Upsets Of 2022 | ATP Tour

This week, ATPTour.com begins its annual season-in-review series, wanting again at 2022’s finest matches, greatest upsets, most dramatic comebacks and extra. On this installment, we glance again on the greatest upsets on the ATP Tour this season (excluding the Grand Slams), that includes Holger Rune, Taylor Fritz and Jack Draper. On Thursday we’ll deal with one of the best Grand Slam upsets of the yr.

5) Libema Open, van Rijthoven d. Fritz (R2), Auger-Aliassime (SF), Medvedev (Ultimate)
Dutchman Tim van Rijthoven’s wild card run on the grass of ‘s-Hertogenbosch is available in at No. 5 on our listing — however it might have been the largest stunner, in response to the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

The 25-year-old beat every of the highest three seeds within the discipline — Taylor Fritz, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Daniil Medvedev — to grow to be the lowest-ranked tour-level champion of the season at World No. 205.

In profitable his first ATP Tour title, van Rijthoven battled again from a set down towards Fritz within the second spherical, gained a third-set tie-break towards Auger-Aliassime within the semis and “destroyed” (Medvedev’s phrase) the World No. 2, 6-4, 6-1 within the closing. 

“That is new for me, it’s going to take a while getting used to,” stated the Dutchman, who had not gained a tour-level match previous to his title run. “What a dream this week. I wish to thank my crew for staying humble this week, doing the traditional issues, not making this factor any greater than it was.”

Constructing off his trophy run, van Rijthoven went on to succeed in the fourth spherical at Wimbledon, taking a set off Novak Djokovic in defeat after chopping down seeds Reilly Opelka and Nikoloz Basilashvili. He reached a career-high Pepperstone ATP Rating of World No. 101 in July behind his sturdy showings in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and London.

4) Western & Southern Open, R2, Shelton d. Ruud 6-3, 6-3
Not lengthy after ending his sophomore yr on the College of Florida, then-19-year-old Ben Shelton proved he was able to graduate to the skilled degree with a breakout exhibiting in Cincinnati throughout his first ATP Masters 1000 occasion.

Going through World No. 5 Casper Ruud within the second spherical, the wild card made fast work of the Norwegian with a straight-sets victory. The American wanted simply over an hour to notch his fist High 10 win.

“I believe you have to pretend it until you make it, proper?” Shelton stated of his soar to the elite degree. “If I am not feeling fully snug at first, I’ll do my finest to indicate that I’m till I discover myself in a spot the place I’m settled in.”

The American’s victory has aged like a high quality wine, as Miami finalist Ruud additional proved his hard-court chops by advancing to the title matches at each the US Open and the Nitto ATP Finals later within the season.

Shelton, who formally turned professional simply earlier than making his Grand Slam debut in New York, used the momentum and the Pepperstone ATP Rankings factors from his Cincinnati run to ultimately break into the High 100 following three straight ATP Challenger Tour titles in November.

3) National Bank Open Presented by Rogers, R2, Draper d. Tsitsipas 7-5, 7-6(4)
#NextGenATP Briton Jack Draper picked the proper time to attain his first High 10 win, capping what was a day stuffed with upsets in Montreal with the largest shock of all of them on the ATP Masters 1000.

The 20-year-old surprised then-World No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas beneath the lights for the largest win of his younger profession. Draper took management of the baseline as he annoyed the Greek and broke thrice on 9 possibilities. Whereas he was aggressive all through from the backcourt, Draper’s superior consistency within the late phases of each units proved decisive, with the Briton profitable the final three factors of the match from 4/4 within the second-set tie-break.

“Because of this I put in all of the exhausting work, for nights like this on phases like this,” he stated after claiming the victory on centre courtroom towards a person 77 locations greater than him within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

Draper went on the attain the quarter-finals in Montreal, and continued his sturdy play by reaching the third spherical on the US Open. A semi-finalist on the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals to shut his season, he’ll end the yr contained in the High 50.

2) BNP Paribas Open, Ultimate, Fritz d. Nadal 6-3, 7-6(5)
Whereas not seismic by the measure of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Taylor Fritz’s victory towards Rafael Nadal within the Indian Wells closing was exceptional for a lot of causes — none extra so than the truth that the American almost did not take the courtroom.

After tweaking his ankle within the semi-finals towards Andrey Rublev, Fritz was in critical ache the day of the ultimate and almost pulled out earlier than the match. However going towards the recommendation of his crew, he determined to step out onto centre courtroom on the Indian Wells Tennis Backyard for what was the largest match of his profession.

As soon as the motion started, Fritz took the match to Nadal, powering to a 4-0 lead with aggressive play on serve and return. The Spaniard started to take in his opponent’s tempo in set two, however Fritz saved 5 break factors and reasserted himself late within the set, finally closing the cope with a patented serve-forehand combo on match level.

“I can not even start to explain how ridiculous it’s that I used to be in a position to play how I might play as we speak,” stated Fritz, choking again tears after fulfilling his childhood dream of profitable the title in his native Southern California. “I’ve by no means skilled worse ache in my life earlier than a match.”

Nadal was not in excellent well being himself, scuffling with a rib fracture which might sideline him six weeks following the ultimate. The Spaniard reached the title match by profitable an exhilarating three-setter towards Carlos Alcaraz in blustery situations, having escaped a double-break deficit towards Sebastian Korda within the third set of his opening match. 

The win earned Fritz his first ATP Masters 1000 trophy and his first win towards Nadal in two tries. It additionally ended the Spaniard’s 20-match win streak to start the season, one of the best begin of his profession. Fritz would once more defeat Nadal on the Nitto ATP Finals, the place he reached the semis on his debut.

1) Rolex Paris Masters, Rune d. Hurkacz (R2), Rublev (R3), Alcaraz (QF), Auger-Aliassime (SF), Djokovic (Ultimate)
Holger Rune was already having fun with a powerful indoor season earlier than the Rolex Paris Masters, reaching three straight finals and profitable the title in Stockholm. However in claiming the third and largest title of his blossoming profession, the 19-year-old Dane upset 5 High 10 opponents in succession in Bercy.

That run solely started after Rune saved three match factors towards former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka within the opening spherical. After his early escape, he beat Hubert Hurkacz, Andrey Rublev, Carlos Alcaraz and Felix Auger-Aliassime — all with out dropping a set — to arrange a closing showdown with six-time champion Novak Djokovic.

Rune capped off his Cinderella run with a 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 win towards the defending champion and former World No. 1, profitable a marathon service recreation to shut out the victory. The fearless Dane was notably efficient towards Djokovic when following his serve with a forehand method, profitable 89 per cent (16/18) of factors that started with that sample.

“It means every thing to me, an ideal option to end the week,” Rune stated after claiming the title.

After beating all these High 10 gamers, the Norwegian ended the week within the High 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings himself for the primary time.

“I’m feeling beautiful to be trustworthy, it’s one of the best feeling,” Rune stated of the achievement. “When you instructed me 4 weeks in the past, I’d be High 10… I’d be like ‘What, sorry?’ Now I’m right here and I’m tremendous proud.”