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Netflix’s Break Point highlights rising stars in the sport who are pushing to reach the top of tennis’ mountain and dethrone all-time greats like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

A legend who provides insight into what it takes to do so is former World No. 1 Andy Roddick, who competed against Nadal and Djokovic for a large chunk of his career. ATPTour.com looks at insight the American provided in the new tennis series.

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Roddick Spoke To The Difficulty Of Facing Legends
“When you’re playing against the greats, it really humbles you. You respected their abilities, you knew what they accomplished. But with Rafa, the game plan is very clear,” Roddick said in Episode 2. “You’re not going to get into extended rallies. His physicality and what he does so well is so difficult to deal with. You can’t dance around. You don’t want this thing going nine and 10 rounds. You’ve got to get in there and punch him in the mouth. You can’t wait.”

Roddick gave this explanation to contextualise Matteo Berrettini’s semi-final against Nadal at last year’s Australian Open. The Italian showed flashes of his potential, winning the third set against the lefty. But already down two sets, it was too late in a four-set defeat.

Maxime Cressy is famous for his unique serve-and-volley tactics, an old-school style that stands out in the modern game. The Paris-born American also has a distinctive approach to the mental side of the sport, utilising a mindset that meshes with his aggressive play.

"My mentality is definitely unique," Cressy told the ATP Tour in a recent on-camera interview, crediting his volleyball-playing mother and his two older brothers for helping develop his competitive spirit. "I put a lot of emphasis on what I can control, on my serve, on being the most efficient serve-and-volley player.

"This is what scares my opponents the most, to be focussed on myself and not on them."

[ATP APP]

With full confidence in his approach, the 25-year-old has never shied away from setting lofty targets. After transforming himself from a "bench player" at UCLA to one of college tennis' best, he sees no reason not to aim for the stars on the ATP Tour.

Although his trip to the Cleveland Open involved spending a night inside the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Alex Michelsen is making the best of his second ATP Challenger Tour appearance.

On Tuesday, the 18-year-old wild card was calm, cool, and collected as he defeated former World No. 8 Jack Sock 7-6(3), 6-4 at the Challenger 75 event in Cleveland, Ohio.

“I was feeling good throughout the match and I did everything well,” Michelsen said. “I executed the game plan very well. I knew he was going to come out firing. His serve and forehand are obviously fantastic, that’s how he got to Top 10 in the world. But I stuck to the game plan and it worked well. Best win of my life so far.”

Michelsen, who hails from Southern California, is a senior in high school and is set to graduate from an online school this spring. After triumphing at the ITF M15 in Edmond, Oklahoma a week ago, the youngster began his journey to the Cleveland Open, but it wasn’t without interruption. Michelsen missed his connecting flight in Dallas, which forced him to get some shut-eye in the airport. The teen shared he enjoys a routine and while the trip to Cleveland may have been hindered, he still pulled off the opening-round victory.

As we turn the page from the first month of the 2023 ATP Tour season, we look back at some of the key takeaways from the Australian Open. From the dominant performances of champion Novak Djokovic and finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas to the first-week odyssey of Andy Murray, there was no shortage of storylines at the year's first Grand Slam.

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1. Djokovic Sets The Standard
The Serbian left Melbourne as World No. 1, reclaiming the top spot in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time since last June. The honour is reward for a scintillating stretch of results dating back to Wimbledon: Djokovic is 38-2 since the start of the grass-court Slam, winning six of his seven tour-level events in that span.

The 35-year-old carried his red-hot 2022 form into the new year, peaking in the later rounds of the Australian Open. Despite a hamstring injury he suffered in Adelaide limiting his movement in the opening rounds, Djokovic dropped just one set in Melbourne — to Enzo Couacaud in the second round — before hitting top form in devastatingly one-sided wins against Alex de Minaur and Andrey Rublev.

Tested by Tsitsipas in the final, the Serbian took a page from a familiar playbook by being the more solid player in the clutch moments, winning two tie-breaks to secure a record-extending 10th Australian Open title and a record-tying 22nd Grand Slam men's singles crown.

A major independent investigation into Alexander Zverev has found insufficient evidence to substantiate published allegations of abuse. As a result, no disciplinary action will be taken by ATP.

Commissioned by ATP in October 2021, the investigation looked into allegations of domestic abuse made by Zverev’s former girlfriend, Olya Sharypova. While the primary focus of the investigation related to alleged abuses taking place at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai in 2019, its scope also included purported misconduct in other locations, including Monaco, New York and Geneva, as referenced in public reporting.

The investigation was carried out by The Lake Forest Group (LFG), a third-party investigator, led by founder and chief executive G. Michael Verden and Jennifer Mackovjak. Both Verden and Mackovjak are licensed private investigators with more than 60 years of combined experience in the field, including in professional sports. LFG was directed to conduct the investigation in a fully independent manner, with ATP’s outside legal counsel, Smith Hulsey & Busey, serving as an intermediary. ATP assisted with access to information and witnesses as requested.

LFG conducted extensive interviews with both Sharypova and Zverev, and 24 other individuals including family and friends, tennis players, and other parties involved with the ATP Tour. The investigation reviewed submissions by both Sharypova and Zverev, including text messages, audio files, and photos. This included materials voluntarily extracted from Zverev’s electronic devices via a third-party forensic expert. LFG also reviewed operational records related to the Shanghai tournament, documents submitted by third-party witnesses, and public records including social media posts and press reports.

Following an exhaustive 15-month process, LFG submitted its full report to ATP. Based on a lack of reliable evidence and eyewitness reports, in addition to conflicting statements by Sharypova, Zverev and other interviewees, the investigation was unable to substantiate the allegations of abuse, or determine that violations of ATP’s On-Site Offenses or Player Major Offenses rules took place.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal took to social media to congratulate Novak Djokovic on winning his record-extending 10th Australian Open title.

Djokovic now owns 22 Grand Slam trophies, tied for most men's singles majors in history alongside Nadal. Federer, who retired at last year's Laver Cup, completed his career with 20 Slams.

"Congrats Nole, to you and your team for this great achievement," Nadal wrote on Instagram. "Enjoy the moment ! ??"

Federer wrote in an Instagram story: "Incredible effort, again! Many congratulations."

He may have stepped on court as an ATP Tour competitor for the final time, but Roger Federer is finding plenty to keep himself busy in retirement.

Last week, the Swiss great attended Paris Fashion Week, where he rubbed shoulders with some fellow global icons, K-Pop stars Blackpink.

Blackpink, a four-piece musical group from South Korea, has rocketed to international fame since releasing their debut album in 2016. It is unclear how familiar Federer is with their work, however, as the Swiss great admitted it was his children who had prompted him to post about the encounter on Instagram. “My kids said this was a definite IG post,” he wrote.

Some of his younger colleagues from the tennis world were quick to respond. “Hahaha yessss” commented World No. 27 Denis Shapovalov on Federer’s post, while WTA star Coco Gauff enquired whether the 103 tour-level titlist now considered himself a ‘Blink’, the nickname commonly used for fans of the K-Pop giants.

After the ecstasy and emotion of Novak Djokovic’s record-extending 10th Australian Open triumph on Sunday, celebrations of the Serbian’s historic achievements rolled over to Monday morning in Melbourne.

Djokovic lifted his 22nd Grand Slam crown to tie Rafael Nadal’s record of major titles with a straight-sets victory against Stefanos Tsitsipas on Rod Laver Arena. Just hours after fulfilling his media duties deep into the night, Djokovic headed to the gardens of Government House, the official residence of the Governor of Victoria, for the 2023 champion’s photoshoot with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup.

“The morning after always feels great,” Djokovic said on Instagram. “Holding this wonderful trophy once again, for the 10th time, I’m very grateful for all the support that I’ve been getting over the past few weeks, here in Melbourne but also around the world.”

Although Djokovic is now a 10-time champion at the Australian Open, he said it was just the second occasion that some members of his family had been with him for a Melbourne triumph.

Michael Mmoh was one game away from qualifying for the 2022 US Open. Although he'd already played at Flushing Meadows three times, this was still another opportunity to compete in the main draw at his home Slam. But things suddenly went south after Mmoh was up 6-2, 5-2 on Gilles Simon. The American won just one more game and suffered a heartbreaking 6-2, 5-7, 1-6 loss.

Despite the defeat, Mmoh turned it into a lesson learned. After his loss to the Frenchman, Mmoh won 13 of his next 14 ATP Challenger Tour-level matches and was crowned champion at the Cary and Fairfield Challengers. The 25-year-old claims he sought after books and a psychologist to help him gain a new perspective.

“I think I put pressure on myself to do well during that US Open hard-court swing,” Mmoh told ATPTour.com. “I thought I was playing well at certain moments but I just wasn't winning matches. Against Simon, I was up 6-2, 5-2, probably played the best two sets of the whole year to that point. Then things went completely sideways. That was probably one of the toughest losses of my career.

“It forced me to explore everything and anything that could make me better. I started to look at myself in the mirror and find out ways I can improve. I was reading books, talking to psychologists, just trying to learn more about myself. I started switching that perspective to be more positive and optimistic, even when things weren’t going well. I tried to re-channel my energy in the right way.

The Australian Open saw thrilling storylines made. From Novak Djokovic capturing a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title to #NextGenATP American Ben Shelton reaching the quarter-finals, drama was provided in Melbourne.

Now the dust has settled, ATPTour.com looks at the movers of the week in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings following the first Grand Slam of the season.

View Pepperstone ATP Rankings

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No. 1 Novak Djokovic, +4 (Joint Career High)
The Serbian has returned to No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time since last June after he defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas to win a record-extending 10th Australian Open crown. The 35-year-old’s rise from World No. 5 to World No. 1 is the biggest jump to the top of the men’s tennis mountain in the history of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings (since 1973).

David Goffin, Gregoire Barrere, and Federico Coria were all crowned champions during this week’s strong competition on the ATP Challenger Tour. From the indoor hard courts of Western Europe to the clay courts of Chile, all three Challenger winners on Sunday were players from the Top 100 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

In Belgium, home favourite Goffin dropped just one set all week to capture the BW Open. The former World No. 50 made the best possible use of a wild card after suffering an illness in Melbourne that forced him to miss the season’s first Slam. In the championship match, the top seed converted six of 13 break points to down World No. 69 Mikael Ymer 6-4, 6-1.

“Winning in Belgium is so nice for me,” Goffin said. “I know that I’ve won big tournaments but winning at home is so special… This final had a great level, similar to an ATP 250.”

Goffin and Ymer’s clash marked the first Challenger final with two Top-70 players since Phoenix 2019, when the-then No. 43 Matteo Berrettini defeated No. 57 Mikhail Kukushkin.

Novak Djokovic has made plenty of Pepperstone ATP Rankings history in the past, holding the record for weeks in top spot (373) and year-end No. 1 finishes (7). On Monday, the Serbian will rewrite the record books again.

After winning his 10th Australian Open title Sunday, Djokovic will return to World No. 1 and in doing so make the biggest jump to the top of the men's tennis mountain between two editions of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in history (since 1973). The Serbian will climb from World No. 5 to World No. 1.

[ATP APP]

The four-place ascent is a bigger jump than the three-spot climb previously made by Carlos Alcaraz (12 September 2022), Pete Sampras (11 September 2000), Andre Agassi (5 July 1999) and Carlos Moya (15 March 1999).

If Djokovic remains World No. 1 through the week of 20 February, he will tie Stefanie Graf's record for most weeks as World No. 1 in history (men and women) at 377. If the Serbian maintains top spot through the week of 27 February, he will break Graf's mark.

This week on the ATP Tennis Podcast...

JILL CRAYBAS ON NOVAK DJOKOVIC’S MENTAL STRENGTH - "Everything he went through last year, to be able to overcome all that, the amount of mental strength that he has, I don’t know where he gets it from, but it’s just phenomenal what he’s able to produce after everything he’s gone through."

PETER MARCATO ON NOVAK DJOKOVIC’S TENTH AUSTRALIAN OPEN TITLE - "Novak Djokovic won his first title here in 2008 and in 2023 he’s playing like he was in 2008. It was personal this year, a man on a mission and the emotion that came out after a performance which was clinical in the end, showed how much it meant to him."

TENNIS AUSTRALIA CEO CRAIG TILEY ON THE LENGTH OF TENNIS MATCHES - "Most people are saying that points are lasting longer, but actually the data is proving that the points are not lasting longer, so when you look at length of matches it’s probably time in-between points. Since we introduced the shot clock, players are realising that they can take their time and the officials are only starting the clock when someone is ready to serve or return and also in Covid players are now having to go back and pick up their own towels and that has created extra time, so we’re seeing extra time not during the point, but between points."

JASON KUBLER ON HOW A NEW MINDSET MAY HAVE HELPED WITH HIS AUSTRALIAN OPEN TITLE - "A lot of it is being more present and having more understanding on my emotions, why I’m thinking certain things and you know I’m more professional in looking after my body, trying to eat a lot better, looking at how I recover and how I’m feeling in general and that’s all been a big help. So it’s no coincidence that’s when the results started coming."

The baseline is his domain.

Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open for a record tenth time on Sunday with a 6-3, 7-6(4), 7-6(5) victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas. The baseline is where he repeatedly took control over the fortnight in Melbourne, and Tsitsipas was simply the last man standing at the back of the court to be knocked over.

Djokovic finished the tournament ranked No. 1 in baseline points won at a staggering 55.8 per cent (423/757). Only 16 players managed to be win greater than 50 per cent of their points from the back of the court.

Tsitsipas came into the final having won a respectable 49.8 per cent (320/642) of his baseline points. That win percentage got well and truly roughed up against the Serbian in the final, plummeting all the way down to 39.2 per cent (49/125). No matter what else happened around the baseline battle, that win percentage proved too low for Tsitsipas to carry to victory.

The table below shows just how dominant Djokovic was in baseline play against all opponents in Melbourne this year.

Novak Djokovic made history once again Sunday when he clinched a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. The Serbian produced a ruthless display to overcome Stefanos Tsitsipas, rising to No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time since June with his victory.

Following his record-extending 10th Australian Open crown, the 35-year-old revealed that the fire to achieve more burns as bright as ever.

“I am motivated to win as many Slams as possible. At this stage of my career, these trophies are the biggest motivational factor of why I still compete,” said Djokovic, who moved level with Rafael Nadal on 22 majors. “I never really liked comparing myself to others, but of course it's a privilege to be part of the discussion as one of the greatest players of all time. If people see me this way, of course it's very flattering because I know that I give as much effort and energy into trying to win slams as anybody else.

“I still have lots of motivation. Let's see how far it takes me. I really don't want to stop here. I don't have intentions to stop here. I feel great about my tennis. I know that when I'm feeling good physically, mentally present, I have a chance to win any Slam against anybody.

“Physically I can keep myself fit. Of course, 35 is not 25, even though I want to believe it is. But I still feel there is time ahead of me. Let's see how far I go.”

Goran Ivanisevic was thrilled to watch his charge, Novak Djokovic, make more history Sunday at the Australian Open. The Serbian claimed a record-extending 10th title at the season’s first major.

But it also marked the 35-year-old’s 22nd Grand Slam trophy, tying Rafael Nadal’s record. Ivanisevic is excited to watch Djokovic and Nadal continue battling for the record.

“I said eight or nine years ago that Novak and Rafa will go over Roger,” Ivanisevic said. “People were looking at me like strangely. But we have 22-22. Two unbelievable competitors, two unbelievable tennis players, what they did for the tennis.

“I’m looking forward. Looking forward, honestly, for both of them to be super healthy, then battle is there. And with the young guys who [are] going to try to find backdoors to sneak and try to do something. But still these two guys, they [are] going to have last word to say there.”

There are plenty of young players challenging the legendary duo, including Djokovic’s opponent in Sunday’s final, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and reigning US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz. But Ivanisevic still has his eyes on the Djokovic-Nadal battle.

Defeated but not downbeat, Stefanos Tsitsipas was eager to take the positives from his Australian Open run after losing to Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final.

The Greek, who would have climbed to No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings with victory, produced a series of impressive performances in Melbourne, leaving him confident that a maiden major title and the No. 1 ranking are close.

“I'm just happy that I'm in another Grand Slam final. Of course, I was dreaming about the trophy, lifting that trophy. I even dreamt it last night in my sleep. The desire is really there. I really, really want it badly,” said Tsitsipas, who lost to Djokovic in his first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros in 2021. “But just dreaming about it won't make it happen. You got to act. You got to do something out there. You got to be present even more and do better.

“[It is] definitely much better playing finals than being stuck behind in the semi-finals. I'll take that for sure. I just need to take that one more step where I can consistently lift trophies and win Slams and Masters 1000 events.”

Djokovic and Tsitsipas entered their 13th ATP Head2Head meeting knowing victory would take them atop of men’s tennis’ mountain. Up to a joint career-high No. 3 following his 11th defeat against Djokovic, Tsitsipas revealed reaching No. 1 is a major goal.

Novak Djokovic earned a historic win on Sunday at the Australian Open, where he claimed a record-extending 10th title and tied Rafael Nadal's record of 22 Grand Slam trophies

From Nick Kyrgios to Billie Jean King, stars quickly took to social media to congratulate the champion on his victory at Melbourne Park.

Haha I told you. We created a monster. Well done @DjokerNole …. Sat on my couch and enjoyed the entire show ??? soak it all in….

What a CHAMPION!!!
Idemo Nole ??#AusOpen #AO23 @DjokerNole https://t.co/CMLKfVuFPY

Congratulations to the 10x #AusOpen Men's Singles Champion, @DjokerNole! https://t.co/icMzBMHuc7

Novak Djokovic claimed a record-tying 22nd Grand Slam title on Sunday when he won the Australian Open, extending his lead in the ‘Big Titles’ Race’ over Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

The Serbian defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6(4), 7-6(5) in the championship match at Melbourne Park to claim his 66th ‘Big Title’, which encompasses trophies at Grand Slam championships, the Nitto ATP Finals, ATP Masters 1000 tournaments and Olympic singles gold medals.

Djokovic is seven ‘Big Titles’ clear of his biggest rivals. Nadal owns 59 of them and Federer, who retired at last year’s Laver Cup, completed his career with 54.

Djokovic has won one ‘Big Title’ for every 3.2 events played (66/210), while Nadal has earned one for every 3.5 tournaments he has played (59/208). The only other players who have won a 'Big Title' at a greater rate than once per five events played are Federer (4.4, 54/240) and Pete Sampras (4.9, 30/147).

It was a historic fortnight Down Under for Djokovic, who claimed a record-extending 10th Australian Open crown. The 35-year-old has lifted more trophies at the season’s first major than at any other Grand Slam, with Wimbledon (7) next on the list.