Archive of posts tagged Centre Court

Carlos Alcaraz reflects on Wimbledon loss to Jannik Sinner: 'I left the court happy'

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All England Club

World no. 2 Carlos Alcaraz will chase his first Cincinnati crown. The 22-year-old hit the practice court in Ohio with his trademark energy and perspective, leaving the recent setback behind and chasing new titles.

The five-time Major champion reflected on a key moment from earlier this summer – his first loss in a Major final at Wimbledon to Jannik Sinner. After winning the first five Major finals, Carlos ended on the losing side for the first time. 

Jannik lost the opener but earned a well-deserved 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory, avenging the Roland Garros heartbreak. Despite the defeat, the Spaniard found reasons to leave the court with pride and joy.

Alcaraz entered the final with a 5-0 score in the title match, a remarkable feat for any player. However, he acknowledged the fact he had to lose a Major final at some point, like every other player.

As he walked off Centre Court without his third consecutive Wimbledon trophy, the 22-year-old felt pride instead of frustration. The Spaniard recognized the need for improvement but described his defeat as part of a natural progression.

The setback has not dampened Alcaraz's drive. Instead, with a grounded mind and a growing hunger to evolve and become one of the ultimate tennis champions, he is focused on what lies ahead.

Carlos Alcaraz, Wimbledon 2025

Carlos Alcaraz, Wimbledon 2025© Facebook – Wimbledon

 

His next goal? Cincinnati and US Open titles and the ATP throne taken away from Jannik Sinner! The hard-court season unfolds, and Carlos brings with him the lessons from the All England Club. 

They are not a burden but fuel for the journey forward. After performing a miraculous escape in Paris, the Spaniard could not provide similar performance in London. 

He claimed the opener before Sinner bounced back and claimed the next three sets with a single break in each, outplaying his greatest rival and providing his first loss in Major finals.

Jannik Sinner & Carlos Alcaraz, Wimbledon 2025

Jannik Sinner & Carlos Alcaraz, 2025© Stream screenshot

 

"I want to win every final I play, especially at Majors. I lost to Jannik at Wimbledon, but left the court happy and proud. I smiled and thought that I had to lose a Major final at some point, like everyone else.

I have to make many improvements from the title match in London, but I felt good right after the match. I had to be grateful for everything I have achieved, and reaching the Wimbledon final is always great.

I lost it, but I still felt proud and happy with everything I did," Carlos Alcaraz said. 

Zverev: Trying to Convince Toni Nadal to Join My Coaching Team

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By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, July 27, 2025
Photo credit: Hannah Peters/Getty

Alexander Zverev tuned up for the North American summer hard-court season training with coach Toni Nadal at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca.

Olympic gold-medal champion Zverev said he’d like to work with Toni Nadal on a more regular basis, but a prospective partnership depends on Uncle Toni’s schedule.

Speaking to the media in Toronto where he is top seed at this week’s National Bank Open, Zverev said “I’m trying to convince” Toni Nadal to join his coaching team.

“I mean, he spent quite a lot of time with me actually as well, so I’m very thankful for that,” Zverev told the media in Toronto. “I mean, the time in Mallorca was amazing. I spent about 10 days there, and worked really hard and enjoyed it as well. I think Toni enjoyed it probably as well.

“I’m trying to convince him (smiling) to do more weeks with me, and we’ll see how it goes, but he’s a very busy man. Also he has a lot of dates that he already committed to this year, so I’m not sure how much of him you’ll see this year, because he gave his word to a lot of events and a lot of speeches already. But we’re talking about what a potential partnership could look like, for sure, and, yeah, I can give you an update probably in a few weeks time when we know more. But, yeah, I enjoyed my time there, that’s for sure.”

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In addition to working with Toni Nadal, Zverev said he gained “great insight” from Rafael Nadal on his game. King of Clay Rafa Nadal shared with Zverev what it was like for him to face the German. 

“Yeah, they definitely spent a lot of hours talking to me, and they gave me some great insight. Rafa gave me some great insight of what it actually is like to play against me, because he saw me as a player, he saw me now as a spectator as well,” Zverev said. “It was very helpful, and again, we spent hours and hours talking, sometimes until past midnight in some dinners and stuff like that. So it was great to be there.”

Earlier this month, Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech completed a five-set win over Zverev in the Wimbledon first round. Rinderknech won 44 of 55 trips to net and denied all nine break points he faced.

Afterward, Zverev said the prestigious Centre Court lawn felt like a deep hole he couldn’t escape.

Six months after his surge to the Australian Open final, Zverev suffered his second career Wimbledon first-round exit and opened up on the malaise he’s feeling.

“I would say more mental, probably. It’s funny, I feel very alone out there at times,” Zverev said. “I struggle mentally. I’ve been saying that since after the Australian Open. Yeah, just don’t know. I’m trying to find ways, trying to find ways to kind of get out of this hole. I keep kind of finding myself back in it in a way.

“Yeah, I don’t know. I feel, generally speaking, quite alone in life at the moment, which is a feeling that is not very nice.”

In his parting presser at SW19, Zverev said it’s possible he could hire a new coach and conceded he’s out of answers on court.

“Possibly,” Zverev said when asked about a new coach. “As I said, yeah, it’s a different feeling right now for me. I can’t speak for the moment. But I think I’ll have answers by Canada.” 

While Zverev has worked with high-profile coaches in the past—including David Ferrer, who helped guide him to the US Open final and former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, who has been exceptionally successful coaching Carlos Alcaraz—he continues to return to the familiarity of his father, Alexander Zverev, Sr., as coach.

Toni Nadal, known as a savvy and tough taskmaster, spent some time working with Felix Auger-Aliassime after stepping down as Rafa Nadal’s official coach. Zverev said his goal is to maximize his game to try to win Grand Slams.

“I mean, I think at this stage for me it’s about winning, and trying to maximize what I have, and
trying to maximize what I can become,” Zverev said. “Again, I think my team, but also Toni are exceptional in that, in maximizing what a player has. Of course, he was with Rafa before, which I’m never going to compare myself to Rafa, but if he can maximize what I have, and he can maximize the potential that I have, I’m sure that I can have a lot more success in my career.”

Can Novak Djokovic defy time again? Mansour Bahrami weighs in

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Alex de Minaur

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. 

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. 

Novak Djokovic, Wimbledon 2025

Novak Djokovic, Wimbledon 2025© Stream screenshot

 

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.

Novak Djokovic, Wimbledon 2025

Novak Djokovic, Wimbledon 2025© Stream screenshot

 

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.

Watch: Carlos Alcaraz is back to practice ahead of Cincinnati and US Open

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Carlitos

The first half of the 2025 season gave Carlos Alcaraz five titles – in Rotterdam, Monte Carlo, Rome, Roland Garros and Queen's respectively – while he missed out on his third win in a row at the Wimbledon Championships due to a deluxe version of Jannik Sinner, who defeated him on the iconic Centre Court to become the first Italian ever to win the world's most famous tournament.

The 22-year-old Spaniard can be very satisfied with how he reacted to the difficulties of the beginning of the year, when he was unable to express his best tennis and had also had a small crisis after the shocking elimination against David Goffin in the second round of the Miami Open.

The five-time Grand Slam champion has made no secret of the fact that he will give his best in the second half of 2025 to return to the top of the ATP rankings, knowing that his top rival Sinner will have to defend many more points than him from Cincinnati onwards.

Both Carlos and Jannik will skip the Toronto Masters 1000 which begins next week and will return to action directly in Ohio, where Alcaraz's run in 2024 had already ended in the second round due to the fatigue accumulated at the Paris Olympics.

Alcaraz practices

Like all the other top players, the champion from Murcia also took a little vacation after the Championships and recently returned to practice at the 'La Manga Club'.

The world number 2 knows that he has to change something from the past, as his level dropped significantly in the second half of the year in both 2023 and 2024. After winning his second Wimbledon title last season, Carlitos has not expressed his best level and has only triumphed at the Beijing ATP 500 by beating Sinner in an epic final.

It's no secret that the Spanish star's main goal is the US Open, which kicks off on August 24 in New York.

Zverev Training with Toni Nadal at Rafa Nadal Academy

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Alexander Zverev said he's considering new coaching options, could Toni Nadal fill the bill?Arthur Rinderknech

By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Monday, July 14, 2025
Photo credit: Ibrahim Ezzat-Nur Photo-Getty

Alexander Zverev handed Rafa Nadal the last loss of his Roland Garros career.

Now, Zverev is training with Toni Nadal at the Rafa Nadal Academy in an effort to rebuild his confidence and revitalize his game.

Tennis Express

The 2021 Olympic gold-medal champion has been working under the watchful eye of Toni Nadal at the Rafa Nadal Academy in preparation for the North American summer hard-court season.


Two weeks ago, Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech completed a five-set win over Zverev in the Wimbledon first round. Rinderknech won 44 of 55 trips to net and denied all nine break points he faced.

Afterward, Zverev said the prestigious Centre Court lawn felt like a deep hole he couldn't escape.

Six months after his surge to the Australian Open final, Zverev suffered his second career Wimbledon first-round exit and opened up on the malaise he's feeling.

"I would say more mental, probably. It's funny, I feel very alone out there at times," Zverev said. "I struggle mentally. I've been saying that since after the Australian Open. Yeah, just don't know. I'm trying to find ways, trying to find ways to kind of get out of this hole. I keep kind of finding myself back in it in a way.

"Yeah, I don't know. I feel, generally speaking, quite alone in life at the moment, which is a feeling that is not very nice."

In his parting presser at SW19, Zverev said it's possible he could hire a new coach and conceded he's out of answers on court.

"Possibly," Zverev said when asked about a new coach. "As I said, yeah, it's a different feeling right now for me. I can't speak for the moment. But I think I'll have answers by Canada." 

While Zverev has worked with high-profile coaches in the past—including David Ferrer, who helped guide him to the US Open final and former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, who has been exceptionally successful coaching Carlos Alcaraz—he continues to return to the familiarity of his father, Alexander Zverev, Sr., as coach.

Toni Nadal, known as a savvy and tough taskmaster, spent some time working with Felix Auger-Aliassime after stepping down as Rafa Nadal's official coach.

Could Toni Nadal's training block with Zverev lead to a role as coach or co-coach of the German? Time will tell.

How Sinner Became Unstoppable on Grass

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The unflappable Italian went from unsure to commanding on the sports slickest surface. By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday July 13, 2025

What made the difference for Jannik Sinner on Sunday at Wimbledon? How was he able to overcome his devastating loss to Carlos Alcaraz at Roland-Garros last month and snap a personal five-match losing streak to the Spaniard?

Tennis Express

So many reasons. But anybody who watched Sinner control the run of play against the two-time champion knows that his movement had a lot to do with it. Now comfortable with sliding on both sides, and able to use his speed to complement his breathtaking power game, Sinner has gone from a player who may never win Wimbledon, because Alcaraz is in his way, to a player that has what it takes to win multiple titles at the All England Club.

“I think that once he learned to feel more comfortable moving on grass, we believed that he had a game that was really good for grass,” his coach Darren Cahill said in a press conference after Sunday’s 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 takedown of Alcaraz on Centre Court. “His game has been improving all the time, and his results have shown that.”

Sinner agrees. And he adds that his naturally flat groundstrokes make him particularly difficult to contend with on grass.

“This year for sure I felt great on court,” he said. “I think we saw this also today how I started to move better every match I played,” he said. The beginning of my career I knew that I could potentially play well here because of my groundstrokes. They're quite flat, and the ball goes through.”

Another reason for Sinner’s rapid rise as a grass-court guru? His ability to watch and learn.

Cahill says that Sinner has been watching and learning from his rival as their rivalry has evolved. He may not surpass him in some areas, but he’s wise enough to recognize that he could implement some of the things that Alcaraz does well in his own game.

“I would say that Jannik watches more Carlos matches than he does anybody else because he's fascinated with the improvements that are coming in his game, and he's pushing us as coaches to make sure that he's improving also as a tennis player as well,” Cahill said. “So the rivalry is real. It's there. And hopefully it's going to be there and real for the next 10 or 12 years.”

Finally, we must factor in Sinner’s unflappability. How was he able to stay so on-mission after losing in the most heartbreaking fashion to Alcaraz in Paris. Triple match point in the fourth set? It would be understandable if he lost belief in himself temporarily after that harrowing experience.

“This I think is the part where I'm the proudest of because it really has not been easy,” Sinner admitted. “I always tried to be honest with myself, and I had the self-talk too – you know, what if, what if? I always tried to accept it, in a way.”

Sinner did more than accept it. He embraced it, and realized that he was so close rather than so far, from where he wanted to be. Then he did the work and pulled off a magical run on the grass.

Rivalry on…

With her Wimbledon Runner-Up Speech, Amanda Anisimova Won Wimbledon in her Own Way

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The American paid heartfelt tribute to her team and family after a difficult loss, but successful journey. All England Club

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday July 12, 2025

Amanda Anisimova was brutally swept aside by Iga Swiatek in Saturday’s women’s final at Wimbledon. She didn’t manage to capture a single game as the Polish juggernaut won her sixth major title, and first at the All England Club.

Tennis Express

Swiatek’s 6-0, 6-0 triumph is the first double bagel victory in Grand Slam final history, and the Pole’s incredible level is further proof or her status as a legendary talent in our sport.

But Anisimova won hearts with her emotional runner-up speech as she gave the Centre Court crowd insight into her journey to the Wimbledon final, and how her mother played a pivotal role in her development.

“My mom has put in more work than I have honestly,” a teary-eyed Anisimova told the crowd as she paid tribute to her mother, who had flown in to see Saturday’s final. “My mom is the most selfless person I know. She’s done everything to get me to this point.”

Anisimova’s family has endured its share of hardship, as Konstantin Anisimova, the coach and father of Amanda died suddenly in 2017 when Amanda was just 17.

It was phenomenal to watch Anisimova pull herself together after a brutal loss and celebrate her journey.

She apologized to the crowd for talking too long, but in truth the audience was enraptured.

“I’m so happy that I get to share this moment, and for you to be here and witness this in person, you don’t get to see me live playing that much anymore, because you do so much for me and my sister, and you always have.

It would be foolish not to focus on Anisimova’s journey and the incredible effort she has put in to overcome her grief and subsequent mental health issues to become a Wimbledon finalist and a Top 10 player.

And we likely have not heard the last from the 23-year-old talent.

“I know I didn’t have enough today, but I’m gonna keep putting in the work. I always believe in myself and I hope to be back here again one day,” she concluded.

Djokovic: Reality Hit Me—But Not My Last Wimbledon

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"I'm not planning to finish my Wimbledon career today," Novak Djokovic said after his semifinal loss. Australian Open

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.

Tennis Express

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."

Wimbledon | Anisimova upsets Sabalenka to reach final

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Amanda Anisimova, the 13th seed, produced the biggest upset of The Championships, taking out the World No 1, Aryna Sabalenka, to reach her first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon on Thursday, stunning the Belarusian, 6-4 4-6 6-4, in 31C temperatures on the Centre Court.

The post Wimbledon | Anisimova upsets Sabalenka to reach final appeared first on Tennis Threads Magazine.

Wimbledon | Swiatek breezes past Bencic into The Championship Final

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Iga Swiatek is on a roll, enjoying her recovered mojo as she breezed past Belinda Bencic, 6-2 6-0, in just 72 minutes in the second semi-final on Thursday, moving into her first Wimbledon final, while re-opening her bagel bakery and delivering a masterclass on the Centre Court in the process.

The post Wimbledon | Swiatek breezes past Bencic into The Championship Final appeared first on Tennis Threads Magazine.

Wimbledon | Alcaraz gets the better of Fritz to reach final

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As a starter before the main course, Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz proved an excellent taster for the second semi-final between Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic which followed on Friday afternoon, on a sun-drenched Centre Court.

The post Wimbledon | Alcaraz gets the better of Fritz to reach final appeared first on Tennis Threads Magazine.