ATP University goes virtual due to pandemic

With the ongoing pandemic restricting travel between countries, the ATP University was not held alongside the Nitto ATP Finals this year. However, that did not prevent this year's class from still going to school.

The ATP University is an educational workshop that offers presentations including an overview of the ATP, player relations, member services, rules and regulations, integrity – anti-corruption and anti-doping, and player health and wellness.

During this year's edition, 38 up-and-coming players attended two days of sessions covering a wide variety of topics to further improve the off-court skills and enhance the knowledge they need to succeed on the ATP Tour. The players included Sofia champion Jannik Sinner and rising stars Thiago Seyboth Wild and Marc Giron.

Special guests for this year's virtual edition included former World No.1 Jim Courier, two-time French Open finalist Robin Soderling and former top 10 player Janko Tipsarevic.

“It was a great experience. Of course seeing all the guys on Tour who I haven’t seen for a few weeks now, it was great seeing their familiar faces,” said Giron. “It was really interesting [attending] ATP University and seeing all the behind the scenes of what makes the ATP run."

"My favorite part was Jim Courier,” Giron revealed. “He was the opener and I thought it was really interesting. I looked up to Jim Courier. He was a tremendous player and to hear from him his experience of life on Tour and after the Tour, not just the X's and O's of tennis, but life that surrounds it and how he navigated it.”