Coco Gauff jokes there "has not been much of a competition" between American men and women at Grand Slams simply because the women have had much more success over the last two decades.
As you probably know, the last US male tennis player to win a Grand Slam singles title was Andy Roddick. After winning his maiden Major at the 2003 US Open, the former world No. 1 appeared in four more Major finals but never won his second title on the biggest level.
After Roddick's 2009 Wimbledon final defeat to Roger Federer, it took US tennis 15 years to get another male Grand Slam finalist – Taylor Fritz reached the 2024 US Open final but stood no chance there, losing in straight sets to Jannik Sinner.
When it comes to American WTA stars, their Slam success over the past two decades is well-documented. In the most recent history, Gauff landed two Grand Slams in the last two years.
Gauff takes a playful shot at US ATP players
"For the men, I feel like the women, it hasn't been much of a competition, no offense to them, but now it is kind of was it three or four straight Slams with American in the finals. So I think we're we're doing pretty good on our end. They have to catch up. But no, I think it's great to see so many so much representation of like our country in the sport," the 2023 US Open winner said.
After making it clear that she thinks American male tennis features some pretty quality players, Gauff revealed her big wish was to witness an American male and female winning the same Grand Slam. Last year, Fritz and Jessica Pegula came close to making that happen, but lost their respective US Open final matches.
"I would love to see in my lifetime like a woman and an American woman and male when the same Slam that would be that would be great. We got it US Open. They were both in the final so hopefully maybe this U.S. Open some magic can happen," Gauff added.
In early June, Gauff won her first French Open title. Now, the 21-year-old is an Australian Open and Wimbledon title away from completing a Career Grand Slam.
By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, August 8, 2025 Photo credit: Matthew Calvis
The US Open is over before it began for Paula Badosa.
Former world No. 2 Badosa has officially withdrawn from this month’s US Open.
Badosa, who has been battling a back injury in recent years, has not played a match since bowing to Briton Katie Boulter in three sets in her Wimbledon opener last month.
Badosa’s departure gives Swiss Jil Teichmann entry into the US Open main draw, the USTA announced today. Veteran Alize Cornet is now the first player out of the main draw.
Initially, Badosa and ex-boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas were on the entry list for the US Open Mixed Doubles tournament. After they split as a couple, the pair withdrew from the US Open Mixed Doubles.
On the USTA’s most recent entry list, Badosa was set to partner Jack Draper in a match of Indian Wells’ champions, but that will not happen with her Flushing Meadows withdrawal.
An Australian Open semifinalist in January, Badosa will miss the US Open in her birthplace of New York City for the second time in the last three years.
A year ago, Badosa reached the US Open quarterfinals losing to Emma Navarro 6-2, 7-5. Badosa went on to a successful Asian swing reaching semifinals at the WTA 1000 in Beijing and at the WTA 500 in Ningbo where she retired after dropping the first set to Daria Kasatina.
Due to her back issues, Badosa has either retired or conceded a walkover seven times in the last two years.
Clara Tauson was a woman on a mission on Tuesday in Montreal. Two days after notching her second Top-5 win of 2025 over Iga Swiatek, she reeled in her fourth Top-10 triumph of the season by defeating Australian Open champion Madison Keys, 6-1, 6-4.
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It was an emotional victory for the 22-year-old Dane, who told the crowd that she was dedicating the victory to her grandfather, who recently passed way.
“I’m still in shock,” she said, breaking into tears. “Two days ago my grandfather, unfortunately, passed away. I really wanted to win for him today.
“I was told the day after I beat Iga, yesterday, so I really wanted to come out and show my best tennis for him, and hopefully he’s watching.”
Tauson will face either Naomi Osaka or Elina Svitolina in the semifinals.
She was out of the gates fast against sixth-seeded Keys, converting two breaks of serve to claim the opening set in under 30 minutes. Tauson made a break in the first game of set two hold up, saving a break point while serving at 4-3 before closing the match out in one hour and 13 minutes.
Tauson saved all three break points she faced and won each of her nine service games to improve to 32-15 on the season. She reaches her seventh career WTA semifinal, all of which have come on hard courts.
With the win Tauson is up to a career-high No.15 in the live rankings.
Davide Sanguinetti says he definitely has a different approach to WTA players because female athletes are "more sensitive" and therefore he has to be a bit softer in his methods.
In January, Elena Rybakina went through a very tumultuous period when she decided to bring back Stefano Vukov to her team – that didn't sit well with Goran Ivanisevic at all – who left the Kazakh's team as soon as she finished her Australian Open campaign. To make it all worse for the 26-year-old, the WTA concluded their investigation into Vukov's behavior and he was handed a one-year ban from coaching.
Following the Vukov ban news, Rybakina hired former Italian tennis player Sanguinetti. In the past, the Italian worked with Dinara Safina, Vincent Spadea, Go Soeda, and Brandon Nakashima. As you probably know, Safina played her last pro match in 2011 so a lot of time passed between the last time that Sanguinetti coached on the WTA Tour.
Rybakina's coach Sanguinetti: We definitely need to be more sensitive to girls
"We definitely need to be more sensitive to girls, who have different ways of interacting. It was new to me; I'm learning and adapting," the Italian coach said on Italian channel Supertennis.
One of the reasons why Ivanisevic left Rybakina's team was the fact that he thought he would be the lone coach in her team. But after she decided to bring back Vukov after all the controversies that surrounded them, Ivanisevic decided it simply wasn't worth it.
When Sanguinetti arrived in the 26-year-old's team, he was directly asked how he felt about Vukov. And he confirmed that he was fine with Vukov.
"Vukov and Elena are close, he will always be there. Stefano and I talk a lot, we are on the same wavelength. It’s not a problem to have two coaches, it’s almost a trend now," the 52-year-old said in February.
Meanwhile, Rybakina is in the midst of a great Montreal run, where she made the semifinal.
By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, August 3, 2025 Photo credit: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty
A crackling Clara Tauson drive sent Iga Swiatek sprawling into a split behind the baseline.
Dictating with her serve, Tauson displaced the powerful Pole with deep drives stunning Swiatek 7-6(1), 6-3 to score one of her biggest career wins in Montreal.
It’s been a tournament of upsets and we’ve seen two of the biggest in the last two days.
Canadian wild card Victoria Mboko shocked top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 last night.
Tonight, Tauson sent the second-seeded Swiatek packing to set up an appealing quarterfinal clash vs. Australian Open champion Madison Keys.
Earlier, the sixth-seeded Keys saved a pair of match points conquering Karolina Muchova, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, to book a quarterfinal spot at the Omnium Banque Nationale quarterfinals.
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A calm Tauson denied seven of nine break points snapping Swiatek’s nine-match winning streak with a superb display of power-based baseline tennis. Apart from a sloppy tiebreaker, Swiatek did not play poorly, Tauson just took it to her when it mattered most.
The 16th-seeded Tauson handed the Wimbledon winner her first defeat since she fell to Jessica Pegula in the Bad Homburg grass-court final in June.
One of the WTA Tour’s most commanding servers, Tauson showed tonight she’s much more than a big server. Tauson dotted all areas of the service box to set up her fierce forehand, hit her two-handed backhand with bold intent and while she’s not nearly as quick around the court as the speedy Swiatek, the 22-year-old Dane anticipated the direction of the Pole’s shots and often beat her to the punch. Perhaps that’s because Tauson faced Swiatek at Wimbledon, falling in straight sets at the round of 16 last month.
Tonight, Tauson broke in the third game then backed up the break with a love hold for 3-1.
Though Swiatek earned double break point in the sixth game, Tauson dug in with defiance and fought off four break points during a punishing 14-point game. Tauson held firm for 4-2.
Two games later, the six-time Grand Slam champion earned triple break point. Swiatek was on the verge of breaking again only to see Tauson tame the threat with a five-point surge to hold for 5-3.
Cruising through her own service games, Swiatek threw down a strong hold at 15 for 4-5 then tightened the screws on Tauson’s serve in the 10th game.
When the Dane served for the set, Swiatek finally broke through at 15 to level 5-all.
The tiebreaker was even after two points when Tauson lifted her level racing through six points in a row seizing a one-set lead.
A tough Tauson saved seven of eight break points in that opening set and repeatedly hurt her opponent with the wide serve.
Swiatek would have been wise to drop back a bit deeper behind the baseline to give herself more time on the return—and at least give Tauson a different sightline on serve.
Catching her toss a few times, Tauson was decisive on serving direction as she won eight of the first 10 points on her serve in the second set. Belting deep drives, Tauson broke at 15 for a 3-1 second-set lead.
Tauson slashed successive aces sealing a 7-6, 4-1 lead after one hour, 33 minutes of play.
The six-time Grand Slam champion made a push holding in the sixth game then scoring her second break to cut the gap to 3-4.
Unfazed, Tauson continued torching first strikes and exploited the Pole’s fifth double fault to break back for 5-3.
Serving for one of her biggest career wins, Tauson did not flinch and when Swiatek netted a final backhand, Tauson broke into the wide smile to cap a well-deserved win.
By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, August 2, 2025 Photo credit: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty
Victoria Mboko expected a tough fight from Coco Gauff.
Before an electric home crowd, the Canadian teenager delivered a knockout.
Eighteen-year-old Mboko repeatedly beat Gauff to the punch toppling the top-seeded American 6-1, 6-4 to score her biggest career win and roar into the Montreal quarterfinals.
“It was one of the biggest matches I could have played so far in my career. So far I feel really happy with how it went,” Mboko told the media in Montreal. “Playing Coco is obviously never easy. She’s No. 2 in the world, and it’s been such a great opportunity for me to play against someone like her. I was just happy I kept my composure today and I pulled it through.”
A dynamic Mboko broke at 15 in the first and last games and spent much of the match playing off the front foot staying one step ahead of the two-time Grand Slam champion.
“I mean, it is tough. I knew she would come in with a lot of confidence, and she’s won her first couple of rounds easily,” Gauff said. “Honestly, I haven’t played the best this tournament, so I knew that it would be tough.
“I don’t know, I just felt like I could do better today, but I also knew that if I took my foot off the gas a little bit, that she would take advantage of those moments, and she did.”
It was Mboko’s first career Top 10 win and she displayed both power and poise pulling it off.
Mboko, who swept former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in round two, made history as the third Canadian teenager to beat multiple Grand Slam champions at a single event. The explosive Mboko joins Bianca Andreescu (Auckland, Indian Wells and US Open in 2019) and Leylah Fernandez (2021 US Open) in achieving that impressive feat.
When things got tight tonight at 4-all in the second set, Mboko did not crack and continued driving the ball deeper than the two-time Grand Slam champion in avenging a three-set loss to Gauff in Rome.
“Honestly, I don’t think she played much different. I think it’s two different surfaces, and I felt like my level was a little bit higher in Rome, so I think the matchup was better,” Gauff said. “But still, I knew in Rome when I played her, it would be a tough match, and it was.
“I knew today it would be hard, and she’s playing, like, high-level tennis. Yeah, I think that’s what showed today. I think she was the better player today.”
Reigning Roland Garros champion Gauff committed 23 double faults—nearly a full set of doubles—in her opener vs. Danielle Collins yet still squeezed out a 7-5, 4-6 7-6(2) victory relying on her grit and legs to get it done in two hours, 56 minutes. In round two, Gauff clanked 14 double faults fending off Veronika Kudermetova 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Today, Gauff hit just six double faults—one more than the Canadian wild card—but Mboko often handcuffed the top seed slashing returns right back through the middle. Mboko converted all four of her break point chances and frequently controlled the forehand to forehand exchanges.
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Gauff skipped Washington, DC to spend time in the Florida heat working on her serve. That shot was suspect in Montreal this week revealing her service game is still very much a work in progress as she heads to Cincinnati before the start of the US Open later this month.
This match was a rematch of the Rome second round in May when Gauff rallied for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 win.
On the faster Montreal court, Mboko showed she’s one of the few women who can run with the speedy Gauff as she prevailed in some of the crackling crosscourt running rallies.
Reflecting on that Rome defeat helped Mboko remain focused throughout the second set.
“Yeah, I was actually really thinking about it a lot during the match, especially after I won the first set. I kind of had flashbacks to when I played her in Rome a little bit,” Mboko said. “I just remember when she kind of came out playing even better and stepped it up a bit better when I played her in Europe, I was thinking about that.
“I kind of wanted to step my game up a little bit more and make sure I matched whatever she was producing, and I wanted to stay right there with her.”
Taking the ball earlier than Gauff at times Mboko burned the world No. 2 blasting drives down the line.
Deadlocked at 4-all in the second set, Mboko cracked a backhand drive down the line then flashed a clenched fist toward her box holding at 30 for 5-4.
Serving to extend the match, Gauff was down double match point when she hit the slider serve wide. On the full stretch, Mboko flicked a forehand return back into play. Gauff got up to the ball but tried to play a short slice and found the net instead.
Clad head-to-toe in blue Wilson apparel, Mboko tossed her racquet aside and covered her face with her hands in an eruption of emotion as Montreal fans exploded with cheers.
Gauff was gracious in defeat crediting the teenager with outplaying her.
“She’s very athletic. She’s a great ball striker, and she seems pretty positive out there on the court, doesn’t get really too negative,” Gauff said. “I mean, I don’t know her too well, but I’ve gotten to talk to her a little bit over the course since Rome. I think she has a great support system around her, and I think that’s important when you’re young and on tour.
“Yeah, hopefully we have many more battles, and I look forward to playing her again in the future.”
Mboko is the first Canadian teenager to reach the quarterfinals since Andreescu won the title in 2019—and based on this performance she’s poised to do even more damage in this North American summer hard court season.
Novak Djokovic competed in his first Major semi-final at the 2007 Roland Garros. Eighteen years later, the Serb is still capable of entering the latter stages on the most notable tennis scene.
Novak has reached the last four at all three Majors in 2025, standing strong at 38 and writing age records. The 24-time Major champion is one of two players with three Major semi-finals this season.
The other? World no. 1, Jannik Sinner! However, the legend has stumbled at this stage each time, suffering losses to Alexander Zverev and Jannik Sinner and marking his worst streak in the Major semi-finals since 2010!
Novak Djokovic wins a 41 shot rally against Zverev at Roland Garros
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) June 4, 2025
Novak did not perform at his best in his first eight Major semi-finals until Wimbledon 2010, having won only two matches and dropping four straight semi-finals between 2008 and 2010.
Djokovic raised his level and embraced a thrilling 32-5 streak between the 2010 US Open and the 2023 US Open. Between Wimbledon 2013 and the US Open 2023, the Serb dropped only two Major semi-finals, entering numerous finals and chasing the ultimate records.
Novak has not been able to follow that run since the beginning of 2024, entering five Major semi-finals and scoring only one win at Wimbledon last year. The veteran defeated Carlos Alcaraz at this year's Australian Open.
He became the third-oldest semi-finalist in Melbourne after Ken Rosewall and Roger Federer. However, he experienced a muscle tear and retired in the semi-final after dropping the tie break of the opening set against Alexander Zverev.
Djokovic recovered and embraced another deep run at Roland Garros. He served revenge to Zverev in the quarter-final, becoming the oldest semi-finalist in Paris since Pancho Gonzales in 1968!
Novak fought well against Jannik Sinner, challenging the world's best player for over three hours before losing 6-4, 7-5, 7-6. The Serb used that momentum and secured another semi-final at Wimbledon, his 14th at the All England Club!
Djokovic experienced another setback in the quarter-final, falling on a match point against Flavio Cobolli and injuring his left hip area. The veteran tried to recover and challenge Jannik SInner, but his body could not endure the effort.
The Italian earned a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 victory, providing the Serb's third straight loss in the Major semi-finals. Novak struggled with his movement and trailed in sets one and two.
He raised his level in the third and built a 3-0 advantage and a break chance in game four. Jannik saved it and turned the tables, taking six of the final seven games to emerge at the top and beat the legend for the fifth straight time.
In an era where each deep run at Majors demands peak physical and mental effort, Djokovic's presence in all three semi-finals speaks volumes about his enduring greatness and legacy.
However, this year's string of defeats highlights an inevitable shift. The margins are smaller, the rivals younger and the physical toll heavier. Against all odds, Novak continues to challenge the world's best players at Majors.
Despite the frustration, there's a powerful silver lining. Djokovic continues to prove his unmatched consistency on the sport's biggest stages. The best thing? His hunger and desire have not faded despite accomplishing every task our sport has to offer.
Emma Raducanu is out of the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal after being crushed 2-6 1-6 by Amanda Anisimova, while Iga Swiatek extended her winning streak to nine matches after making light work of Eva Lys 6-2 6-2.
Anisimova, who was beaten by Raducanu earlier this year at the Australian Open and Miami, came out determined to make a statement early on and she did so by breaking the Briton three times in the opening set. The second set was a similar story as the fifth-seeded American took the opening five games before serving out for the win in the seventh game.
In the Swiatek and Lys match, there wasn't any drama as the six-time Grand Slam champion got the job done routinely by claiming two breaks in each set. It was a clinical performance from the Polish tennis star, who faced only one break and saved it.
In the Montreal round-of-16, Anisimova will battle against Elina Svitolina, who beat Anna Kalinskaya. On the other side, Swiatek will fight against Clara Tauson – the same rival she beat en route to winning Wimbledon.
Swiatek's reaction to beating Lys
Going into their Montreal meeting, Swiatek and Lys had met twice and the Pole won both of those meetings – 6-1 6-1 in 2022 Stuttgart, 6-0 6-1 at this year's Australian Open. While the Pole gave no chance to Lys again, she insisted that it wasn't really an easy match.
“It’s always fun here. It was a solid match so I’m happy to have a chance to play another one here. The match was different from how we played each other last time. I just focused on myself and knew what my plan was, but Eva played some great down-the-lines and sometimes was really able to use her wrist and play some fast balls. It wasn’t easy, but I’m happy I just did my job," Swiatek said after her win.
Eva Lys kept it light after being routed by Iga Swiatek in Montreal as the 69th-ranked German teased herself and also funnily blamed the Pole for always ending her good runs.
The 23-year-old German, who broke into the top-100 for the first time earlier this year, only this year made her maiden appearance at the Canadian Open. And the world No. 69 started solidly, beating Leolia Jeanjean and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova before Swiatek handed her a 6-2 6-2 third-round loss.
On X, a fan posted a video of how the third-seeded Pole saved a game point in the opening game by making Lys run from side to side. The six-time Grand Slam champion also got her first break of the match in that game.
The X video in question was captioned: "Iga has Eva running marathons already." After the match, the German noticed the post and hilariously stated that she thought the same on the court: "Legit what I said to my box 20 mins into the match."
If you can recall, Lys was one of the best stories of this year's Australian Open as she stayed in Melbourne for a couple of days after losing in the qualifying final round before literally entering the draw as a lucky loser at the last moment. The rest is history as the 23-year-old ended up making the round-of-16 and becoming the first lucky loser since 1988 to make the second week at Melbourne Park. Her fairytale run was ended by Swiatek, who beat her 6-0 6-1.
"@iga.swiatek always ending my good runs lol. tried my best, came a little closer this time. we appreciate the small steps. BIGGEST thank you to the amazing fans in Montreal. you made me feel loved. until next year," the German wrote on Instagram.
By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, August 1, 2025 Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport
Nick Kyrgios’ next career could see him pushing buttons.
In an interview at the Esports World Cup 2025, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this week, Kyrgios confessed his first sports love was not tennis.
Instead, he favored gaming and basketball.
“My passion was basketball and gaming,” said Kyrgios, sporting a black Call of Duty t-shirt during his interview. “To be thrown into a sport where tennis is very clean cut. You know, I’m very rough around the edges and I didn’t really fit the mold for a tennis player. And I really struggled with that early in my career.”
The devoted Boston Celtics fans said he’s spent hours playing Fortnite and Call of Duty. Kyrgios said his gaming compulsion often came at the expense of tennis training and tournament play on the ATP Tour.
The former Australian Open doubles champion said he’s dream of being a professional gamer.
“I would love to be [an esports] player,” Kyrgios said. “I’ve been criticized in my career for not putting enough time on the court. And I’ve missed tournaments and training because I’ve just been gaming purely because I love it and I don’t care.
“The thing about it is like esports continue to grow. You know, it’s always going to evolve, technology’s going to get better, a new game’s going to come out.”
The 2022 Wimbledon finalist shared he dropped “F-Bombs” in front of the Royal Box during his four-set loss to Novak Djokovic, but vowed he’s not going to change his style to fit traditional tennis norms.
“And now it seems I’m a bit more embraced. And I’m glad I’m able to put on a show,” Kyrgios said. “You know, when I played in front of the Royal Box at Wimbledon, I was throwing F-Bombs…
“But look, it’s been a struggle to kind of fit in. But you know now I kind of embrace it. I’m not going to change for anyone and it took me all the way here, so it paid off.”
Novak Djokovic has achieved everything our sport has to offer. However, the veteran remains eager to chase that elusive 25th Major crown, two decades after debuting on the most notable tennis scene.
Legendary Mansour Bahrami shared his thoughts on Novak's ongoing pursuit in the closing stages of his career. The entertainer believed Wimbledon offered the Serb a genuine opportunity to extend his Major tally and write more history books at 38.
However, an unfortunate injury in the closing stages of the quarter-final duel against Flavio Cobolli disrupted Djokovic's momentum and blew the title chances away.
Ready for this one? 🍿
Novak Djokovic and Alex de Minaur make their way out onto Centre Court for their fourth round meeting – and there's a familiar face watching on from the Royal Box 👋#Wimbledonpic.twitter.com/uUO8Cs57Fu
The seven-time champion suffered a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 defeat to world no. 1 Jannik Sinner, struggling with his movement and experiencing the worst defeat in the completed semi-final encounters at Majors!
As Novak edges closer to his 39th birthday, Bahrami acknowledged the growing difficulty of adding to an already unmatched legacy. Admiration for the Serb's historic accomplishments remains strong.
However, there's a sense that time may be working against him in the Major race, especially against the dominant figures like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the proud owners of the previous seven titles.
Still, Bahrami leaves the door open for the possibility of a final triumph. He believes Novak could rise again at his beloved Australian Open next January and challenge the rivals from the top.
The task is monumental, given Carlos and Jannik's mental strength and confidence. Still, if any player can bend expectations and time itself, it's Djokovic. Before that, the 38-year-old will try to make a name for himself and embrace another deep run at the US Open.
“Honestly, I thought Novak had a chance at Wimbledon. I know he wants to win that 25th Major title, and I thought he could make it at Wimbledon. However, he got injured, and we all know how that went.
It will only get harder for Novak, and Wimbledon could have been his last chance. We are all amazed by his incredible achievements, and it would be fantastic to see him win another Major trophy.
Novak is a great champion who has achieved everything. Is he capable of winning next year's Australian Open at nearly 39? I would give him a chance to chase it, but it will be very difficult," Mansour Bahrami said.
Novak Djokovic is realizing how difficult it will be to win another Grand Slam title and become the oldest player ever to achieve this feat. The former world No.1 still has the ability to raise his level in surprising ways in Major tournaments – having reached the semifinals in Melbourne, Paris and London this year – but the truth is that Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have reached a level that is too high for him nowadays.
The Serbian legend no longer has the athletic fitness of a few years ago and the number of his injuries has definitely increased in the last year and a half, forcing him to admit that it will not be easy to make tennis history for the umpteenth time.
The 38-year-old from Belgrade could have retired in the summer of last year, after achieving the last huge goal of his career by winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, but he loves this sport too much and has decided to continue competing at the highest level. The 24-time Grand Slam champion has repeatedly repeated that he would be really proud to participate in the next edition of the Olympics, scheduled in Los Angeles in 2028, when he will be 41 years old.
Nole is aiming to win his 25th Grand Slam title
Meanwhile, Nole has decided to skip the Toronto Masters 1000 and is expected to return to action in Cincinnati next month, the last test before the start of the US Open in late August. The Serbian veteran is still enjoying his holidays in Croatia and Greece.
Speaking to Gigi Salmon on the latest episode of the 'Courtside Conversations' podcast, Mansour Bahrami reflected on Novak's current status: “I thought that he is going to do it. I know that it’s going to get more and more difficult. For me Wimbledon was maybe the last one so it would be unbelievable and he has done so many things unbelievable that we all are amazed how great he’s done.
He’s a great champion, he’s won everything and so is he capable at almost 39 to go and win Australian Open. I would say if there is one that would be Australian Open. But it’s going to be very, very hard.”
"This is just a short break, and I see it as a necessary step toward a better version of myself on court," Olympic gold medal champion said.
By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Sunday, July 20, 2025
Photo credit: Zheng Qinwen Instagram
Zheng Qinwen is recovering after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on her right elbow.
The Olympic gold-medal champion said on social media she's been suffering from elbow pain in recent months.
"Over the past months, I’ve been dealing with persistent pain in my right elbow during training and matches. Despite trying various treatments to manage it, the discomfort never fully went away," Zheng wrote in an Instagram post. "After consulting with elbow specialists and discussing thoroughly with my team, we decided that arthroscopic surgery was the best option to fully resolve the issue.
"Yesterday, I underwent the procedure successfully, and I’m grateful to have it behind me."
It is uncertain when the former Australian Open finalist can return though Zheng said she envisions "just a short break."
"Now begins the recovery journey. Over the next few weeks and months, I’ll be focusing entirely on rehab—doing everything I can to come back stronger and healthier," Zheng said. "This is just a short break, and I see it as a necessary step toward a better version of myself on court."
The world No. 6 reached the quarterfinals or better in six of her last eight tournaments.
A Rome semifinalist, Zheng reached the Roland Garros quarterfinals and Queen's Club semifinals bowing to Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova before she suffered a first-round loss to Katerina Siniakova at Wimbledon.
Olympic gold-medal champion officially withdraws from US Open.
By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Monday, July 21, 2025
Photo credit: Zheng Qinwen Instagram
Zheng Qinwen has withdrawn from the US Open.
The Olympic gold-medal champion is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on her right elbow and will be sidelined as she heals from surgery.
Frenchwoman Leolia Jeanjean moves into the US Open main draw with Zheng's departure.
Zheng reached the US Open quarterfinals last September losing to eventual-champion Aryna Sabalenka.
The Chinese power player's Flushing Meadows quarterfinal result was part of a strong surge to end the season that saw Zheng reach three finals in her last five tournaments of 2024 as she lost to Sabalenka in the Wuhan final, defeated Sofia Kenin to win the Tokyo title and reached the final of the WTA Finals in Riyadh bowing to Coco Gauff.
"Over the past months, I’ve been dealing with persistent pain in my right elbow during training and matches. Despite trying various treatments to manage it, the discomfort never fully went away," Zheng wrote in an Instagram post over the weekend. "After consulting with elbow specialists and discussing thoroughly with my team, we decided that arthroscopic surgery was the best option to fully resolve the issue.
"Yesterday, I underwent the procedure successfully, and I’m grateful to have it behind me."
It is uncertain when the former Australian Open finalist can return though Zheng said she envisions "just a short break."
"Now begins the recovery journey. Over the next few weeks and months, I’ll be focusing entirely on rehab—doing everything I can to come back stronger and healthier," Zheng said. "This is just a short break, and I see it as a necessary step toward a better version of myself on court."
The world No. 6 reached the quarterfinals or better in six of her last eight tournaments.
A Rome semifinalist, Zheng reached the Roland Garros quarterfinals and Queen's Club semifinals bowing to Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova before she suffered a first-round loss to Katerina Siniakova at Wimbledon.
"It's going to be better and better," Carlos Alcaraz said of his rivalry with Jannik Sinner.
By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Sunday, July 13, 2025
Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty
The world's top two players share a major mission—and their rivalry will produce more massive moments, Carlos Alcaraz said.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner dethroned two-time champion Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to make history as the first Italian to capture a Wimbledon singles crown today.
Afterward, Alcaraz praised Sinner for an "unbelievable" performance.
The second-ranked Spaniard, who suffered his first major final loss after going 5-0 in his five prior Slam finals, says this Wimbledon showdown is only the beginning.
Alcaraz said the rivalry between the pair is unprecedented on the ATP Tour, they've combined to collect seven straight Grand Slam championships, and will only get stronger as they square off in more finals.
"First of all, I [am] just really, really happy about having this rivalry with him. I think it's great for us, and it is great for the tennis," Alcaraz said after seeing his 20-match Wimbledon winning streak snapped. "Every time we playing against each other, I think our level is really high.
"I think we don't watch a level like this, if I'm honest with you. I don't see any player playing against each other, you know, having the level that we are playing when we face each other.
"I think, as I said many, many times, this rivalry, it's coming better and better. We're building really great rivalry because we're playing final of a Grand Slam, final of Master mills, the best tournament in the world. It's going to be better and better."
The pair produced transcendent tennis with Alcaraz saving three championship points to prevail in record-setting five hour, 29-minute Roland Garros final last month.
The 22-year-old Spaniard said Sinner's ultra-high level of play did not surprise him.
Alcaraz said ultimately the key to the match was Sinner's superior second serve—and the fact the reigning Australian Open and US Open champion repeatedly attacked Alcaraz's second serve sometimes ripping backhand strikes down the line.
Overall, Sinner served a higher percentage—62 percent to 53 percent), won 49 percent of second-serve points played on the Spaniard's second serve and flipped the script on the superior net player. Sinner won 30 of 40 trips to net, compared to 17 of 23 net points for Alcaraz.
"The way he played today, it was really, really high. I didn't surprise at all," Alcaraz said. "I knew he was going to play like this. So it was about some details.
Yeah, I mean, overall he didn't surprise me at all because I know he's a big champion…
"I think the big key was about the second serve. He was returning really well there the second serve that I was hitting. Thanks to that, he was in the position to attack in the second ball every time. So it was really difficult when you are feeling that you just defending all the time and running from side to side all the time."
Reflecting on his first major final loss, Alcaraz said he's "grateful" to Sinner because the No. 1 will force the No. 2 to improve his game.
"Just really grateful for that because it gives me the opportunity to just give my 100% every practice, every day," said Alcaraz, who leads the rivalry 8-5 after Sinner snapped a five-match losing streak vs. the Spaniard. "Just to be better, thanks to that. The level that I have to maintain and I have to raise if I want to beat Jannik is really high.
"I'm not planning to finish my Wimbledon career today," Novak Djokovic said after his semifinal loss.
By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Friday, July 11, 2025
Photo credits: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty
A Jannik Sinner stinging strike dislodged a bit of baseline and snapped Novak Djokovic's head to attention.
The Grand Slam king's quest for a record-setting 25th major championship came to a brutal and painful end on Centre Court today.
World No. 1 shredded Djokovic 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in today's Wimbledon semifinal striking with the same powerful precision the former No. 1 Djokovic showed for so many years capturing seven Wimbledon championships.
Hobbled from a nasty fall he took in the final game against Flavio Cobolli in the quarterfinals, Djokovic struggled to move laterally and tried to serve-and-volley to shorten points.
Though Djokovic drilled 12 aces against no double faults, he won just 5 of 30 second-serve points and dropped serve five times as Sinner scalded returns.
Afterward, a disconsolate Djokovic conceded "reality hits me" as his body broke down against the top seed.
However, a defiant Djokovic said this was not his last dance at Wimbledon.
"I would be sad [if it was my last match], but hopefully it's not my last match on the Centre Court," Djokovic told the media afterward. "I'm not planning to finish my Wimbledon career today. So I'm planning to come back definitely at least one more time, play on the Centre Court for sure."
It's the second straight Slam where Sinner shattered Djokovic's major dream.
At Roland Garros last month, the reigning Australian Open and US Open champion conquered Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 7-6(3) handing the owner of 100 career titles his first Slam semifinal straight sets loss in 15 years.
Today, Sinner repeated the feet as Djokovic was clearly compromised physically though he declined to discuss his injury issues.
The 38-year-old Serbian superstar said a major challenge is the wear and tear his body absorbs reaching the latter stages of Slams.
So by the time Djokovic gets to Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz, he feels like a race car running on a half-empty gas tank.
"It's just age, the wear and tear of the body. As much as I'm taking care of it, the reality hits me right now, last year and a half, like never before, to be honest," a candid Djokovic said. "It's tough for me to accept that because I feel like when I'm fresh, when I'm fit, I can still play really good tennis. I've proved that this year."
The best-of-five set Slam format has proved problematic for Djokovic, one of the greatest best-of-five-set players in Open Era history, when facing two explosive champions 15 years younger.
"I guess playing best-of-five, particularly this year, has been a real struggle for me physically," Djokovic said. "The longer the tournament goes, yeah, the worse the condition gets. I reach the final stages, I reach the semis of every slam this year, but I have to play Sinner or Alcaraz.
"These guys are fit, young, sharp. I feel like I'm going into the match with tank half empty."
Asked to assess Sunday's final (11 a.m. Eastern time, 4 p.m. London time), Djokovic, who lost to Alcaraz in the last two Wimbledon finals, gives the second-seeded Spaniard a slight edge over Sinner.
"I think I will give a slight edge to Carlos as a favorite because of the two titles he's won here and the way he's playing and the confidence he has right now," Djokovic said. "But it's just a slight advantage 'cause Jannik is hitting the ball extremely well. I think it's going to be, again, a very close matchup like we had in Paris, yeah."
US Open finalist Taylor Fritz on differences between the world's top two reigning Grand Slam champions.
By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Friday, July 11, 2025
Photo credits: Jon Buckle/ROLEX
Confronting reigning Grand Slam champions Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in a major is a devastating degree of difficulty.
US Open finalist Taylor Fritz has faced the the world's top two players in Grand Slams and offered unique insight into the similarities and differences of the two superstars.
Together, reigning US Open and Australian Open champion Sinner and Roland Garros and Wimbledon winner Alcaraz have combined to capture the last six straight Grand Slam championships.
World No. 1 Sinner will square off against two-time Wimbledon winner Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final on Sunday at 4 p.m.
After bowing to Alcaraz in a fierce four-setter in today's semifinals, Fritz, who fell to Sinner in the US Open final last September, was asked to compare the challenges each man represents.
The fifth-seeded Fritz said Sinner is an "unbelievable" ball striker, while Alcaraz is the most "unpredictable" player in the sport.
"I'd say I felt pretty comfortable from the ground with Jannik when we played in Turin. I think Jannik typically has a bigger serve, so it's tougher to get in on his return games," Fritz said after losing to Alcaraz 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(6) in today's first semifinal. "For me, from the ground I think I had more success rallying and playing with Jannik because he plays a bit flatter, and it's a little bit more predictable. He's unbelievable at what he does playing from the baseline.
"I think Carlos is a little more unpredictable with the slicing and the coming to net and the dropshots. Carlos has a lot of different ways to play.
"I also think Carlos, one thing he does, when he whips his forehand cross, there's a lot of movement away, which is difficult. Jannik is more through the court, which for some people… Just depends who you're playing."
Rocking the red clay with fearless drives, Alcaraz fought off three championship points, battled back from a two-set deficit for the first time in his life and out-dueled Sinner 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(2) to successfully defend his Roland Garros title in a dazzling and epic final last month.
The longest French Open final in history was a five hour, 29-minute thrill ride that will go down as a match for the ages.
Prior to that final, Hall of Famer Andre Agassi summed up the Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry as "the best pure ball striker versus the flying saucer."
Today, Fritz said both champions generate massive "raw power" and suggested he'd probably prefer playing the world No. 1—primarily because Alcaraz's speed and versatility is so unsettling.
"For me personally, I'd rather probably deal with the flat one than the ball that's working away from me," Fritz said. "They both generate a lot of just, like, raw power. But I think for me it's a little more uncomfortable to play Carlos just because of the unpredictability of what he's going to do.
"I think I play a lot off of anticipation. You never know what Carlos might just hit like a short kicker and serve and volley on like a 15-30 or something like that, which I feel like if I'm playing Jannik, that's something that's probably not going to happen."
The greatest similarity between the world's top two?
The 27-year-old Fritz said it's a major educational experience to face either champion in a Grand Slam match.
"Every time I play these guys, I learn a lot about what I need to do to improve and get better," Fritz said. "Moving ahead, I just want to keep working on the things that are going to get me better, that are going to help me compete with these guys because at the end of the day, my ultimate goal is to win a slam. I think I'm going to have to at some point beat these guys to do it. It's obviously a tough ask.
"Like I said, if I keep putting myself in these situations and playing them, I learn more about my game and what I need to do differently and what I need to do better to get to that level."
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