Stefanos Tsitsipas captures ATP Finals title, Rafael Nadal clinches year-end no.1 for fifth time, Tomas Berdych retires

Source: ATP website

Newly crowned  ATP Finals champion, Stefanos Tsitsipas rallied to beat Dominic Thiem 6-7 (6), 6-2, 7-6 (4) on Sunday for the biggest win in his career. He becomes the youngest champion at the season-ending tournament in 18 years.

Tsitsipas first met Thiem at the O2 Arena in 2016 when he was the world's top-ranked junior and was invited to be a hitting partner for the ATP Finals participants. Three years on and they faced each other in the final.

Source: Tsitsipas' Instagram

It has been quite an exciting year for Tsitsipas, who reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, won two ATP titles and became the first Greek to break into the ATP top 10, a very unlikely scenario according to some of the best UK betting sites.

He leaves London with $2.6 million in prize money for this win. It is the fourth year in a row that there is a first-time champion at the ATP Finals, following wins by Andy Murray in 2016, Gregor Dimitrov in 2017 and Alexander Zverev last year.

Source: Reuters / Tony O'Brien

Also, congrats to Rafael Nadal, who is at 33, becoming the oldest player to finish year-end no. 1 in the history of the ATP Rankings (since 1973).

It has been quite a year for Nadal after getting married to longtime girlfriend, Maria Francisca Perello, in Majorca, Spain last month. He won two Grand Slam titles, including his 12th Roland Garros and his fourth U.S. Open title, and also reached the Australian Open final, losing to Djokovic. Nadal at the pinnacle of his career now has 19 Grand Slam titles, one behind Federer’s 20, and could tie and pass the Swiss maestro in 2020.

Nadal previously finished at the top in 2008, 2010, 2013 and 2017, The Spaniard is the fifth player to finish the year at the top of men’s professional tennis on five or more occasions, following in the footsteps of Pete Sampras (6), Jimmy Connors (5), Federer (5) and Djokovic (5), via the ATP.

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“Game Set Tennis Career"

A post shared by Tomas Berdych (@tomasberdych) on Nov 16, 2019 at 11:29am PST

Meanwhile, former Wimbledon runner-up Tomas Berdych has announced his retirement from tennis. The 34-year-old Czech reached the 2010 Wimbledon final, beating Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic along the way before losing to Rafael Nadal.

Berdych, thank you for all the amazing games in tennis over the years. I'm thankful I had the opportunity to meet you and watch you play in the past.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal confirmed for Team Europe

Tickets for the highly anticipated third edition of the Laver Cup has been announced and will go on sale at 10am Central European Time (CET) on Friday February 8. The three-day men’s team tennis competition will take place at the Palexpo in Geneva from September 20 to 22, 2019.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who made history playing doubles at the inaugural Laver Cup in Prague, have both confirmed to represent Team Europe in Geneva, adding to the sense of occasion for the event.

Multi-session tickets will be available for purchase Friday February 8 online via Ticketcorner.ch and offer fans the same seat to all five sessions over the three days. Purchasers will receive five separate tickets, one for each session, and can choose to attend the entire tournament or share the tickets with others to tailor their experience.

Prices for multi-session tickets start at CHF 250 with a limit of six multi-session tickets per purchaser.

The Laver Cup sold out in both Prague and Chicago and the demand for tickets is expected to be high. Fans can take part in a special pre-sale by registering at LaverCup.com by midnight Monday February 4 CET.

There will be a limited number of single session tickets available for sale at a later date.

Premium Hospitality Ticket packages have been on sale since mid-December, and are also available for purchase at LaverCup.com hospitality

The three-day tournament pits six of the top male tennis players from Europe, captained by Bjorn Borg, against six of their counterparts from the rest of the world, led by John McEnroe, and has sold out stadiums in Prague and Chicago to date.

Named in honor of Australian tennis legend Rod Laver, the event will be played in a specially constructed 17,000-seat arena at the Palexpo in Geneva on a dramatic black court, with the players supporting each other from the sidelines.

A fan village will feature a range of food and beverage options, sponsor activations and the chance to see the players up close on the full scale practice court.

Via LaverCup.com

The Role & Popularity of Credit Unions in the UK

Since they were first established in the UK in 1964, credit unions have becoming increasingly popular so that there are now over 300 different ones in England, Wales and Scotland. Over more than 5 decades, they have offered their financial services to over 1.3 million people.

The objective of a credit union is to encourage their members to use money wisely. One of the cornerstones of their philosophy is to promote the habit of saving regularly so as to avoid costly loans. This is achieved through standard savings accounts as well as more specialised financial products such as children’s savings accounts or ones to put by money for Christmas.

Apart from emphasising the importance of saving, some credit unions also offer budgeting and debt management advice for any of their members who have faced – or are facing – problems with poor financial decision-making in the past. Although credit unions often impose limits on how much money someone can save (usually up to £10,000-£15,000), all members are offered the same financial protection as they are by mainstream banks and building societies. Regulated by the PRA and FCA, each member’s savings account comes under the protection of the governmental FSCS (Financial Services Compensation Scheme) which has a maximum limit of £85,000.

As a credit union is owned by its members, it doesn’t have to pay out dividends to its shareholders and can act as a non-profit-making enterprise. Instead of offering those with savings a standard interest rate, it offers dividend rates at the end of the year. This rate can vary from year to year, but is usually around 1.3% depending on the size of the credit union, and how much has been ploughed back into it to improve the services it offers.

Small loans of £50-£3,000 are also available although some credit unions might stipulate that the borrower holds a savings account with them before approving a loan. They have no charges for paying off a loan early, and the loan usually comes with free life cover so any outstanding loan is automatically repaid in case of death.

To become a member of a credit union, you must share a ‘common bond’ with the other members. This could take many forms: living in the same area, working for the same employer/profession or could concern a shared interest. Once you’ve joined, you can remain a member even if your circumstances later change. For example, you move or get a new job.

One problem that some people have is finding a credit union for which they are eligible. If you aren’t eligible and are in urgent need of cash to tide you over, high acceptance payday loans direct lenders can often be the answer you’re looking for. With their streamlined and fast online application, you don’t have to wait long until the loan has been deposited into your account. Credit unions have many benefits, but they aren’t always available for everyone.

Rafael Nadal to team up with Roger Federer for Laver Cup 2019 in Geneva

Press release

Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal will join Roger Federer for the highly anticipated third edition of the Laver Cup to be held in Geneva, Switzerland from 20-22 September, 2019.

The news is a major coup for Bjorn Borg’s Team Europe as it looks to build a team to defend its unbeaten record.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public in early February, with a variety of Premium Hospitality Ticket packages available from today.

Image credit: LaverCup.com

Federer and Nadal, two of the greatest players and strongest rivals of all time, joined forces for the inaugural Laver Cup in Prague in 2017, famously playing, and winning, a memorable doubles match together.

Team Europe captain Bjorn Borg is understandably delighted to name both Federer and Nadal as he aims to build the strongest possible Team Europe for 2019.

“It doesn’t get much better for a captain than naming both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for the Laver Cup in Geneva,” Borg said.

“Bringing together two of the greatest players, and rivals, the sport has ever seen together on one team is very exciting for our sport – and will give us the best possible chance to win the Laver Cup three years in a row.

“At the first Laver Cup in Prague, with both Roger and Rafa on the team, we knew it would be very special, bringing together two such great champions. But I think we all underestimated how powerful it would be to see them sitting side by side, coaching each other and cheering each other on, along with their teammates from the player bench.

“We saw again the same special moments in Chicago, and how much this event means to the players. I can’t wait to see how the Laver Cup unfolds in Geneva as Team Europe regroups to defend our title,” Borg said.

Roger Federer also has his eye on a third Laver Cup trophy as he looks forward to the event coming to his home country of Switzerland.

“We’ve all been blown away by the success of the Laver Cup, which in just two years has become so special to all the players who’ve been involved from both teams.

“I’m excited Captain Borg has named both me and Rafa to the team. We had a lot of fun in Prague and it will be very special for me to team up with him again in Switzerland to try and defend our title.

“John McEnroe has made it very clear how motivated Team World is to win and we’ll need to compete hard to stay undefeated. I know from lots of first-hand experience how tough it is to compete against Rafa and it’s a huge boost to our team to have him on Team Europe.”

Nadal is also looking forward to re-joining Team Europe.

“I’m looking forward to playing the Laver Cup in Geneva next year and am very excited to be named to the team by our captain Bjorn Borg. I will do my best to live up to the great performances we had in Prague last year,” Rafael Nadal said.

Since its inception two years ago the Laver Cup has established itself as one of the most prestigious tennis events in the calendar, bringing together top-class tennis and entertainment with premium sponsors and hospitality offerings to create a unique spectacle for sports fans around the globe.

The three-day tournament pits six of the top male tennis players from Europe, captained by Bjorn Borg, against six of their counterparts from the rest of the world, led by John McEnroe, and has sold out stadiums in Prague and Chicago to date.

Named in honor of Australian tennis legend Rod Laver, the event will be played in a specially constructed 17,000-seat arena at the Palexpo in Geneva on a dramatic black court.

Fans will be able to soak up the unique atmosphere as rivals become teammates through a range of ticket options, including multi-session tickets offering the same seat to all five sessions, single session tickets and a variety of hospitality experiences.

Full details of all hospitality packages, pricing and how to purchase can be found at LaverCup.com.

Multi-session tickets, excluding hospitality, will go on sale in early February 2019, with a limited number of single session tickets to follow. Prices for multi-session and single session tickets will start at $250 and $25 respectively.

Register at LaverCup.com for more information and to receive updates on ticket sales.