Serena Williams, Leonardo DiCaprio and Steph Curry; Nitto ATP Finals stars pick their champions | ATP Tour

Nitto ATP Finals

Part 1: Serena, DiCaprio, Curry & Hewitt; The stars of the Nitto ATP Finals choose their champions

Soni, Medvedev, Fritz and De Minaur chose three champions each

November 10, 2024

Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, and Alex de Minaur each know what it takes to be a champion on the field. In total, they boast 54 ATP Tour titles, and this week, they will fight for the grand prize when they compete against Team Ilie Nastase at the Nitto ATP Finals.

But who inspired them to become the champions they are today? At Thursday’s press day, each star revealed their idols, celebrated their virtues and shared memories.

“I would like to start with my father, who always did his best to make me comfortable,” said Sinner, who this year became the first Italian to reach number 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings. “He took care of our family and my mother, so it was my first choice.

“The second one will be Steph Curry, who I met this year. He changed basketball and is a good guy. Third, I would choose Usain Bolt. I don’t often watch races, but watching him race was always fun.”

Sinner’s first opponent at the Nitto ATP Finals will be Alex de Minaur. The 25-year-old Australian is the first player from his country to qualify for the prestigious year-end event since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004. De Minaur had the chance to play doubles with Hewitt in Estoril in 2018 and in Brisbane in 2019, even winning the medal. game with him in Portugal.

“In tennis, Lleyton Hewitt will be my champion,” said De Minaur. “Growing up, every Aussie kid wanted to be like him. I learned a lot from watching him play, and he was my Davis Cup captain.”

“My favorite memory with Lleyton was playing doubles next to him. Watching him win Grand Slams on TV and become world number one was inspiring. Fast forward 20 years, and I got to share the court with him – it was a full circle moment. “

Taylor Fritz, who won the Indian Wells title in 2022 and entered the Top 5 in 2023, has grown his career with relentless hard work and the mentality of a champion. His efforts earned him a place in the Nitto ATP Finals for the second time. Reflecting on his victories, the 27-year-old emphasized the importance of the concept.

“For tennis, I would say Serena Williams. Apart from tennis, I would choose Ronaldo and Kobe Bryant. It’s not just one moment that inspires me; it is their extreme behavior and competitive spirit. Each of them embodies those qualities. “

Meanwhile, Medvedev, the champion of the 2020 Nitto ATP Finals, shared his favorite memories and emotions brought by his chosen champions.

“One in tennis will be Nikolai Davydenko,” said Medvedev. “It’s a close choice between him and Safin, but I was old when I watched Davydenko play, and I liked his determination. Watching him win the Nitto ATP Finals was amazing. He beat Roger Federer, and I know how hard that is. It was amazing to see.

“Apart from tennis, I would choose Leonardo DiCaprio, who is a champion in his field. DiCaprio inspires me because I love his movies; you are an amazing player. My third choice is Bastian Schweinsteiger. He was a champion on the field and in life. I know him personally, and he is a nice guy. His penalty winner against Real Madrid in 2012 was unforgettable.”

Stay tuned for the selection of Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev on Monday.