ATP Launches Official Fantasy Game with $100 Budget, 8 Players, and a Shot at Turin Tickets

Carlos Alcaraz costs 40 credits, Jannik Sinner 36, and Dominic Thiem is your personal fantasy advisor

March 30, 2026 | 4 min read

The ATP just gave tennis fans something they’ve never had before: a chance to prove they know more than the experts.

ATP Fantasy, the Tour’s first official fantasy game, launched Monday in collaboration with Deltatre. Starting April at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, fans can step into the coach’s seat, build their dream team, and compete against friends, family, and the world for prizes—including tickets to the 2027 Nitto ATP Finals.

How It Works

Player pricing is determined by the PIF ATP Live Rankings. The top of the market:

Build your squad, stay under budget, and watch the points roll in.

How Scoring Works

Points aren’t just about winning. Every shot matters.

The scoring system rewards dominance, efficiency, and shock results. Pick the players who not only win, but win emphatically.

The Expert: Dominic Thiem

Former world No. 3 and 16-time tour-level titlist Dominic Thiem will serve as ATP’s Official Fantasy Coach. Every week, Thiem will provide his picks and insights to help fans make strategic decisions.

A network of tennis creators and broadcasters—including Tennis TV, Tennis Channel, and Sky Sports—will also host their own ATP Fantasy leagues, giving fans even more ways to engage.

The Swings and Prizes

The season is structured around four key swings, each with dedicated leaderboards and prizes:

Prizes include:

• ATP partner merchandise

• ATP Store merchandise

• Tickets to select ATP Tour events in 2027

The overall winner receives two tickets to two sessions of the 2027 Nitto ATP Finals, with accommodation and flights included.

Why This Matters

Andrew Walker, ATP Senior Vice President, Brand & Marketing, explained the strategy:

“Fantasy sport has a proven track record as a powerful tool for deepening fan engagement. ATP Fantasy gives fans a new way to interact with the ATP and connect with players and tournaments across the entire season, while opening a fresh entry point for the next generation of tennis fans to experience our sport.”

Peter Bellamy, Chief Revenue Officer at Deltatre, added:

“This direct-to-consumer Fantasy deployment demonstrates how the right mix of content, data, technology and community can underpin the acquisition of untapped demographics and create a new layer of fan engagement.”

How to Join

ATP Fantasy launches with the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters (April 2026) and runs through the Rolex Paris Masters (November 2026). Fans can create private leagues with friends, join global leaderboards, and track their teams through the ATP Fantasy platform.

The message is clear: the ATP wants you in the game. Not watching from the stands. Not scrolling scores. But building rosters, making trades, and sweating every ace and double fault like you’re courtside.

Dominic Thiem is ready with his picks. Are you?

Denis Shapovalov Blames Roger Federer for His One-Handed Backhand—And Career Disadvantage

Canadian says he chose the “dying art” because he grew up idolizing the 20-time Grand Slam champion

By Simone Brugnoli & Callum Davies
February 13, 2026 | 3 min read

Denis Shapovalov has pointed an unlikely finger at Roger Federer when explaining why his career never quite reached the heights predicted after his breakthrough win over Rafael Nadal in 2017.

The 26-year-old Canadian, once touted as a future world No. 1 and Grand Slam champion, has only flirted with the top 10, peaking at No. 10 and reaching a solitary Wimbledon semifinal in 2021. Now, speaking at the Dallas Open, he’s offered a candid explanation: his one-handed backhand—a shot he adopted because of Federer—has become a liability in the modern game.

“I Blame Roger Federer”

“In a way, the one-handed backhand represents a strength because it allows you to generate more power, find sharper angles, and be more spectacular,” Shapovalov told reporters.

“But in today’s game, it’s very much heading towards the way of having a solid two-handed backhand. The game is so quick today, it helps to have that extra arm.

“That’s why it’s so much more rare to see guys with one-handed backhands. I blame Roger Federer. I grew up watching him and wanted to play like him. That’s definitely a big reason why I have a one-hander.”

The Federer Effect

Federer’s influence on a generation of players is undeniable. Grigor Dimitrov was famously dubbed “Baby Fed.” Stefanos Tsitsipas admitted he chose the one-hander as a six-year-old watching Federer. Dominic Thiem credited Federer as the reason he stuck with the shot.

But what worked for Federer—arguably the most elegant player in history—hasn’t translated for others. The one-handed backhand requires flawless timing and footwork, and against the modern power game of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, it’s increasingly a target.

Shapovalov’s comments come as the one-handed backhand becomes increasingly rare. At the 2026 Australian Open, only a handful of players in the top 50 still used it.

Federer himself acknowledged the shot’s challenges in 2025, admitting he spent years trying to fix its inconsistencies.

Shapovalov reached the Dallas Open quarterfinals this week, keeping hopes alive that he can still fulfill some of that early promise. But his candid assessment raises a question: in the era of Alcaraz and Sinner, is there still room for Federer’s signature shot?

For Shapovalov, the answer may determine the rest of his career.