The man who ended Nadal's career helps the Netherlands take a Davis Cup lead against Germany

MALAGA, Spain (AP) — The last man to face — and beat — Rafael Nadal in professional tennis, 80th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp, gave the Netherlands a 1-0 lead over Germany in the Davis Cup semifinals Friday by hanging on to defeat Daniel Altmaier 6-4, 6-7 (12), 6-3 on his 10th match point....

Rafael Nadal retired after the Davis Cup. It's a rare team event in tennis

MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Rafael Nadal wanted to play his last match before retiring in Spain, representing Spain and wearing the red uniform used by Spain's Davis Cup squad. “The feeling to play for your country, the feeling to play for your teammates ... when you win, everybody...

Jannik Sinner leads Italy back to the Davis Cup semifinals and a rematch against Australia

MALAGA, Spain (AP) — No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner won matches in singles and doubles to lead defending champion Italy to a 2-1 comeback victory over Argentina on Thursday, earning a return trip to the Davis Cup semifinals. “I’m here trying to do the best I can in the singles,”...

Rafael Nadal's legacy is a relentlessness that inspired Carlos Alcaraz and plenty of others

MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Not surprisingly, Rafael Nadal couldn’t take a step around the grounds of the Davis Cup Final 8 in recent days without hearing requests for a handshake or a selfie. And that was just from the other professional tennis players, to speak nothing of the fans. ...

Sinner opens up about his doping case after beating Fritz for ATP Finals trophy before his home fans

TURIN, Italy (AP) — Sleepless nights. Constant thoughts of what went wrong — and how it could have been prevented. Jannik Sinner opened up about his ongoing doping case after beating U.S. Open runner-up Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday for the ATP Finals trophy before his home...

Top-ranked Jannik Sinner wins the ATP Finals by beating Taylor Fritz

US Open runner-up Fritz back in another big final and faces Sinner again for ATP Finals crown

TURIN, Italy (AP) — Taylor Fritz is starting to make reaching big finals a habit. He feels like he belongs among the very best players in tennis, too. The American followed his runner-up finish at the U.S. Open by beating Alexander Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (3) on Saturday to play for...

Alcaraz misses out as Zverev and Ruud complete semifinal field at ATP Finals

TURIN, Italy (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz was the big name missing when the last two semifinal spots were filled at the ATP Finals on Friday. Alcaraz's 7-6 (5), 6-4 loss to Alexander Zverev meant the French Open and Wimbledon champion — who has been sick this week — was eliminated...

Jannik Sinner is ‘playing with a clear conscience’ amid doping case, coach Darren Cahill says

TURIN, Italy (AP) — Giant billboard photos of him grace nearly every piazza and street in the city. Fans have traveled from every corner of Italy to see him. The crowd chants his name before, during and after all of his matches. For many other players, all of the attention — amid...

Sinner stays perfect and Fritz also advances to the semifinals at the ATP Finals

TURIN, Italy (AP) — He’s got a stranglehold on the No. 1 ranking. He’s unbeaten this week and hasn’t dropped a set. And his home Italian fans can’t get enough of him. Things couldn’t get much better for Jannik Sinner at the ATP Finals so far — despite an ongoing doping...