Drawing: Grigor Dimitrov – the 2017 ATP World Tour Finals Champion

Posted on November 20, 2017 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Bulgarian tennis star Grigor Dimitrov won the year-end ATP World Tours Final last night at the O2 arena in London, beating Belgian David Goffin in three sets, completing the tournament unbeaten.

At the beginning of his professional career the former Junior World No. 1 was dubbed ‘Baby Fed’ because of his stylish play and on court talent, similar to the Swiss mystro Roger Federer. Known for his exceptional shot-making and athleticism, he now moves from No. 6 to the world’s No. 3, behind Rafa Nadal and Fed, having started the year at 17th. He collected three other tour titles this year – Brisbane, Sofia and his first Masters 1000 in Cincinnati.

Grigor signed my sketch last Sunday at the O2.

Drawing: Dominic Thiem

Posted on November 16, 2017 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of tennis player Dominic Thiem

Continuing my week of drawing from the ATP World Tour Finals at London’s O2 Arena is the young Austrian tennis star and world No.4 Dominic Thiem who faces David Goffin today in a sudden death match to decide who goes through to the semi-finals. This is the second consecutive year that Dominic has reached the Tour Finals, having made the semi final at Roland Garros and the fourth round of the three other Grand Slams. Winner of eight ATP singles titles, he is known for his aggressive base line play and great defence and is one of the few younger players to use a single-handed backhand.

He signed my sketch last Sunday at the O2.

Drawing: David Goffin

Posted on November 15, 2017 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of tennis player David Goffin

The diminutive (by tennis standards) Belgian David Goffin secured the biggest win of his career beating the current world No.1 Rafael Nadal in his opening match at this year’s ATP Tour Finals at London’s O2 on Monday. Rafa was hampered by a reoccurring knee injury which forced him to withdraw from the year-ending tournament after the three-set loss. David, who is currently ranked No. 8 in the world has won four titles and his win over Rafa continues a string of victories over higher-ranked players, including Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka. He signed my sketch at the O2 on Sunday before his practice session.

Drawing: Juan Carlos Ferrero

Posted on November 14, 2017 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of tennis player Juan Carlos Ferrero

Former world No.1 tennis player Juan Carlos Ferrero has been coaching Germany’s rising star Alexander Zverev since July this year and both are currently in London for the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 arena. The Spaniard reached the top ranking in September 2003 after winning Roland Garros and runner-up at the US Open. Nicknamed ‘El Masquito’ because of his speed and small build, Juan Carlos was also part of three winning Davis Cup campaigns for Spain. He signed my sketch at the O2 on Saturday.

Drawing: Jack Sock

Posted on November 13, 2017 by Mark Winter / Chicane

The top-ranked American men’s tennis player, Jack Sock clinched the final spot in the World Top 8 for the ATP World Tour Finals, which started yesterday at London’s 02 Arena.

The twenty-five year old was ranked 24th in the race to London going into the last tournament of the regular season-the Paris Masters, but won that event. Combined with a number of his rivals falling by the wayside and Nadal’s withdrawal through injury, he booked his ticket to the year-end championship.

Now ranked the Worlds’s Number 9 in the men’s singles the aggressive baseliner with a lethal serve and forehand is considered one of the world’s top players in both singles and doubles, where he also reached the 9th spot in 2015, winning the Wimbledon Doubles title alongside Vasek Pospisil the previous year.

In 2011 he won the Mixed Doubles with Melanie Oudin at the US Open and a Gold medal with Bethany Mattek-Sands and the bronze in the Men’s doubles partnering Steve Johnson at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

I met him after Friday’s practice session at the 02. He joked he couldn’t sign my drawing because he is now in the Nike stable and I had drawn him with his previous sponsor’s Adidas logo, but he did.

Drawing: Charley Hull

Posted on October 19, 2017 by Mark Winter / Chicane

British golfer Charley Hull is one of the rising stars on the women’s International golf scene. Introduced to the game at the age of two, the twenty-one year old turned professional in 2013, becoming the youngest player to compete in the Solheim Cup. She was part of the first European squad to win on US soil and was named Rookie of the Year She was also voted Best Newcomer by the Sports Journalists Association. In 2014 Charley became a champion on the European circuit before the age of 18 and was named the European Ladies Player of the Year. Last year she won the prestigious season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. Charley signed this sketch for me while competing at the Scottish Open at the Dundonald Links in Ayr in July.

Drawing: Lexi Thompson

Posted on October 3, 2017 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Twenty-two year old American professional golfer Lexi Thompson is currently ranked Number 3 in the world. When she was 12 she was the youngest golfer ever to qualify for the US Women’s Open and in 2011 she become the youngest winner of an LPGA Tournament collecting the Navistar LPGA Classic title at sixteen years of age. Four years later Lexi won her first Major at the Nabisco Championships. She also finished in the top three at two other majors in 2015 with a second at the Evian and a third at the PGA. I sent this drawing to Lexi at this year’s British Women’s Open at the Kingsbarnes Golf Links in Fife, Scotland and it came back signed.

Drawing: Angelique Kerber

Posted on September 14, 2017 by Mark Winter / Chicane

2016 was an exceptional year for German tennis star Angelique Kerber. She won two majors, beating world number one Serena Williams in the Australian Open and Karolina Pliskova in the US Open. She also reached the Wimbledon final, with Serena reversing the Australian result.

However she amassed enough ranking points to pass Serena and take over the top spot. At the Summer Olympics Angelique won the singles silver medal. Not surprisingly, she won the WTA Player of the Year and was nominated for the prestigious Laureus Sportswomen of the Year Award. I sent this drawing to Angelique at the Aegon International in Eastbourne earlier this year and was returned this week, from her German base, signed and dedicated.

Drawing: Martina Hingis

Posted on July 18, 2017 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Former World Tennis Number 1, Martina Hingis won her 23rd Major title on Sunday collecting the Wimbledon Mixed Doubles crown with Jamie Murray. She now has twelve women’s doubles, six mixed doubles titles from all the four Grand Slams and has won the singles on five occasions, only missing out on the French, although she was a finalist twice.

She also has an Olympic silver doubles medal from Rio in 2016. In 2005 Tennis Magazine named her the 8th greatest female tennis player of all time. Although I have collected Martina’s graph on a few occasions I didn’t have a signed sketch. Twice I had attempted but had missed the Swiss Miss. But I was lucky enough to catch her at Gate 13 a few days before this year’s Wimbledon Championships started and while she said she didn’t usually sign sketches, was happy to do so this time.

Drawing: Joe Root

Posted on July 7, 2017 by Mark Winter / Chicane

ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTT is the battle chant for the popular and prolific Yorkshireman cricketer and New England captain Joe Root. And there was plenty of it on the opening day of the first test again South Africa at Lords yesterday. It was a ‘dream’ start to his captaincy, scoring a majestic unbeaten century on the hallowed slope at the home of cricket.

It was his 12th test ton and once again rescuing his side from a precarious position. After winning the toss and electing to bat, England were in early trouble at 17/2 when he came to the crease, slumping further to 74/4. But at the close of play, Joe was still there on 184, guiding his team to a satisfying 357/5. However it seems it’s not unusual for English captains on debut to score a century. Joe is the sixth to achieve the feat.

One of the truly nice guys in sport, Joe always has time for his numerous fans and he signed this sketch for me after the historic ODI match against Ireland at Lords last month.