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By Scoop Malinowski

#NEXTGEN Finals contender Casper Ruud of Norway is only 18 but already he’s ranked 115 in the ATP World Tour Rankings. Last year Ruud recorded a 9-12 match record and this year he’s 7-9. The goal is top hundred for 2017, says father Christian, who reached 39 in the world in the 1990s.

Earlier this year young Casper, who stands 6-ft tall, reached the semifinals of Rio where he had a match point to be in the finals. His transition from juniors to the ATP circuit has been surprising even to his father, who I first met watching his son play doubles at Eddie Herr two years ago.

#NEXTGEN · Casper Ruud · Norway

Frances Tiafoe came into his match in Cincy today against Sasha Zverev ranked exactly 70 ranking spots behind the German. But in a tough three-setter, the young American, a year younger than Zverev at 20, Tiafoe prevailed when a weary Zverev backhand sailed long. Tiafoe gave Zverev a hug at the net that the German half-reciprocated and then danced, juked, jumped his way across the court to his team where he slapped palms with his twin brother. Tiafoe’s post-match celebrating was almost as big as his win.

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I remember Greg Theberge playing in the NHL in the 1980s with the Washington Capitals. A smaller, offensive-minded defenseman with a cool name (pronounced Tay-burdge), who wore no. 28. A few years ago I found Greg on Facebook and we did an interview about his hockey career for The Hockey News.

Then we kept in touch and I learned he’s quite a tennis enthusiast. Even during the busy NHL and OHL seasons – he works as a junior hockey TV analyst – Greg always supports my articles and this site.

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Stefan Kozlov continues to struggle at the ATP level with poor results and tough draws. Today he fell again for the third time in straight sets to Sam “Sambrero” Querrey. Kozlov is ranked around 133 right now but has not capitalized on ATP main draw wildcards in Indian Wells, Citi Open, Delray Beach, Cincy. Right now is a challenging stage in his career as he has not made an impact in any ATP main draws and his game is not striking any fear in established ATP players. Is a new co-coach with ATP experience the answer?

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Alexander Zverev is surging right now and playing the best tennis of his life. He won Washington DC last week and today he added his second ATP Masters 1000 title in Montreal, dominating soon-to-be World No. 1 Roger Federer 63 64.

The first set was close but Zverev took the early lead with his lethal serving and punishing ground strokes. Federer tried everything in his arsenal, including drop shot approaches and varied assaults that only he can create but “The Kid” handled everything the veteran maestro probed him with.

ATP · Federer · Masters 1000 · Zverev

By Scoop Malinowski

Ht: 5-7 Wt: 141

DOB: August 16, 1992 In: Buenos Aires, Argentina

First Tennis Memory: Ooh. I don’t know. It’s tough to remember [smiles]. But I think when I first started to play in my first club in Argentina, Club Nautico Aqua. It’s a club and very big. I always play football and tennis and then I decide on tennis because I think I play better than the football.

Tennis Inspirations: David Ferrer is one of them. And Pico Monaco as well because he’s like my big brother. I always try to speak with him. Take all his experience on the ATP World Tour is always good to know. And then Roger, Rafa, all the top players are so big, so good. And I try to follow them.

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Gael Monfils comes back from 6-7 2-5 down, then 3-5 in the 3rd and 2-6 in the 3rd set tiebreaker, beats Kei Nishikori 6-7(4), 7-5, 7-6(6) in Montreal second round.

Monfils had never beaten Nishikori before and had lost several super close third set tiebreakers to the Japanese ace.

Magic · Monfils · Montreal

“You stupid person,” and with that self-directed outburst, Brydan Klein, 27, the transplanted Brit from Australia, was summarily kicked out of a Challenger match against Sam Groth last month at the Wimbledon warmup event in Nottingham. The ejecting umpire was none other than Mohamed Lahyani, probably the most high-profile umpire in tennis. But Lahyani was probably wrong in giving Klein the heave-ho right when Klein had a set point to even the match against Groth at a set apiece. Yes, Klein had insulted an elderly woman lines person earlier in the match and had hit a ball out of the court receiving an abuse of ball penalty, but Klein’s “You stupid person” remark was self-directed. Lahyani did not see it as such.

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