Meet Beibit Zhukayev: What the Kazakhstani realized from Federer, Nadal & Djokovic | ATP Tour

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Meet Beibit Zhukayev: What the Kazakhstani realized from Federer, Nadal & Djokovic

Be taught extra concerning the residence favorite

October 18, 2024

Almaty’s staging of a primary ATP event has confirmed to be a historic event for certainly one of its residents, too.

Beibit Zhukayev contests his maiden ATP Tour quarter-final on Friday on the Almaty Open, together with his dad and mom anticipated to be in attendance once more. 

“I’m actually joyful that I obtained by to my first ATP quarter-final, particularly taking part in at residence,” mentioned the 24-year-old wild card, who superior to the final eight when the surging Tomas Machac retired attributable to sickness after 4 video games Thursday. “It’s an unimaginable feeling. I’m very pleased with myself.”

Zhukayev resides near the mountains, a couple of 20-to-25-minute drive from the event venue with out visitors, the No. 213 participant within the PIF ATP Rankings mentioned.

When visitors strikes Kazakhstan’s most populous metropolis, the commute stretches to an hour.

He has blended sleeping in his personal mattress with heading to the official event lodge, relying on the circumstances.

Zhukayev received’t want to move to Almaty Enviornment too early on Friday since his quarter-final towards Karen Khachanov options within the evening session slot of seven p.m.

A victory over the third seed would ship Zhukayev’s PIF ATP Reside Rabking previous his profession excessive of No. 171 set in Could and get him nearer to his “first aim” of breaking the Prime 100.

“Slowly, step-by-step, I’m enhancing this 12 months,” mentioned Zhukayev. “I’m joyful in what kind I’m in proper now right here. So I hope I’ll enhance increasingly by the tip of the 12 months.”

The top of 2023 gave Zhukayev a lot motive for optimism. He collected his first ATP Challenger Tour title in Charlottesville final November to assist safe a primary Prime 200 end within the year-end PIF ATP Rankings.

However sickness and accidents scuppered the progress of the large server, who advised the ATP final 12 months that he began to play tennis aged eight whereas on vacation in Turkey.

“This 12 months was not straightforward,” he mentioned. “I made an excellent preseason, however then I obtained sick. I had some virus in my physique and I misplaced my kind that I constructed within the preseason.”

He nonetheless made the journey to Australia, however wasn’t 100 per cent. He missed about one other month with sickness thereafter, however felt his kind improved on grass.

To that finish, Zhukayev obtained nearer to reaching the principle draw of a Grand Slam event than ever earlier than when he landed within the third and remaining spherical of Wimbledon qualifying.

Nonetheless, a decrease again harm halted his progress in the course of the North American hard-court swing.

Together with his again feeling higher, Zhukayev certified for the Rolex Shanghai Masters for the second consecutive 12 months — his first ATP win got here in Shanghai final season previous to shedding to Khachanov regardless of 20 aces — forward of Almaty.

“In China, I began feeling higher,” mentioned Zhukayev. “My decrease again obtained higher. And, yeah, Shanghai was not dangerous.”

The ATP Masters 1000 ended with Jannik Sinner beating Novak Djokovic. Djokovic, together with fellow “Large Three” members Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, have been Zhukayev’s tennis idols.

“Once I was rising up I all the time was watching Federer,” mentioned Zhukayev. “I like how he performed. And Nadal [I liked] for his athleticism and his character. He was all the time preventing ‘til the tip. And Djokovic as effectively.

“He was the final one in that firm however on the finish he’s the best now, the best tennis participant ever.”

Djokovic additionally has ties to Kazakhstan, claiming the title in Astana in 2022 earlier than the occasion’s relocation to Almaty.