Stricker Kicks Off Next Gen ATP Finals Return With Fils Practice

Dominic Stricker may have prior experience both of visiting Saudi Arabia and competing at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by NEOM, but the Swiss star was still impressed by his first visit to the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.

Stricker stepped on court for his first practice session Saturday lunchtime in the Saudi coastal city, where the lefty hit with one of his fellow competitors at the 21-and-under event, Arthur Fils. The 21-year-old reached the semi-finals on his Next Gen ATP Finals debut in Milan in 2022 and is delighted to be back for a second campaign.

“It’s a great arena. It felt really good from the beginning onwards,” Stricker told ATPTour.com after his practice. “I was at this event last year, so it’s great to come back. It’s a super event, everything is organised well. I arrived pretty late yesterday but had a great practice with Arthur.”

The lefty World No. 92 said he had settled quickly in Jeddah, where he will hope to cap a strong year during which he made his maiden fourth-round appearance at a major at the US Open and lifted two ATP Challenger Tour trophies.

“I’ve been here once before,” said Stricker of Saudi Arabia. “I was excited to come here again. I really liked it the time I was here before, so I hope I can enjoy my stay here. It’s my first time in this stadium, but it looks great and feels great. The court feels good, everything looks really good so far.”

Luca Van Assche and Abdullah Shelbayh followed Stricker and Fils onto court for their respective first practices in Jeddah. Frenchman Van Assche is currently No. 66 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings after racking up the first 10 tour-level wins of his career this season, while wild card Shelbayh became the first Jordanian to win an ATP Tour match in Banja Luka in April.

_{^{Luca Van Assche practises on Saturday afternoon in Jeddah. Photo Credit: Peter Staples/ATP Tour}}

“It was a very good practice in an amazing stadium,” said Van Assche after the practice. “I arrived late last night but I already feel comfortable here. Everybody has been very kind with us, and it’s an amazing experience for me to be here.”

Earlier on Saturday, Flavio Cobolli also made his bow on Jeddah’s stadium court in a practice with his fellow event debutant Alex Michelsen. The World No. 95 Cobolli won a Challenger title in Lisbon in August, made two other finals at that level, and also reached his first ATP Tour quarter-final in Munich in April.

_{^{Flavio Cobolli during practice on Saturday at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. Photo Credit: Peter Staples/ATP Tour}}