Archive of posts tagged Coach

Stefanos Tsitispas Resumes Working with Dad as Coach

Posted by on

By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Photo credit: Matthew Calvis

Stefanos Tsitsipas has rehired a familiar face as coach.

Tsitsipas has resumed working with his father and original coach Apostolos Tsitsipas, he announced on his Instagram stories today.

“Some trips tend to go back to where they started,” Tsitsipas posted on Instagram. “After a period of separation, I found the person who believed in me first, my father. I’m grateful to share the short and the road with him again.

“We have gone through each chapter of this journey together and the next one seems to me to be the right one. Sometimes coming home is the boldest step forward.”

Tennis Express player gear
Tennis Express player gear

The announcement comes one week after Tstisipas and former Wimbledon champion and ex-Novak Djokovic coach Goran Ivanisevic split ending a brief partnership.

A candid Ivanisevic was critical of Tsitsipas’ work habits at the end of their partnership.

“He has to resolve his back issue. I was shocked. I’ve never seen such an underprepared player in my life,” Ivanisevic, who won a Wimbledon title as a player and coached Novak Djokovic to his last 12 major titles, said.

Former world No. 3 Tsitsipas won his 12th career title in Dubai in February, but the summer has been a season of struggle for the Greek. Tsitsipas has posted a 4-5 record in his last nine matches, fell in the Wimbledon first round and split with former girlfriend and WTA star Paula Badosa. The pair were schedule to play next month’s US Open Mixed Doubles, but withdrew from that event.

Tsitsipas, whose ranking has dropped to No. 30, will try to jump-start his North American summer hard-court season facing Aussie Christopher O’Connell in Toronto today.

Though Tsitsipas has worked with ex ATP standouts Ivanisevic, Mark Philippoussis and Thomas Enqvist in the past, he continues to return to working with father Apostolos. Time will tell whether father and son can remedy some of the issues that have plagued the talented Greek, including adapting his style to faster surfaces, fixing his backhand return, which opponents tend to target, and attempting to impose his all-court skill and athleticism rather than just standing back at the baseline seeking forehands.  

Serena Williams' childhood coach has sage advice for struggling Naomi Osaka

Posted by on

Ariana Arseneault

Serena Williams' childhood coach Rick Macci still believes in Naomi Osaka but highlights to the former world No. 1 that she must find the right guidance and fix some technical stuff in her game.

On Sunday – just a day before her scheduled Montreal first-round match against Ariana Arseneault – the Japanese tennis player decided to end her partnership with coach Patrick Mouratoglou. While the Frenchman is widely regarded as one of the best coaches in the game, he didn't manage to help the current world No. 49 rediscover her form that was once making her a Grand Slam contender and champion. 

While Osaka and Mouratoglou had some positive moments and flashes – like when the Japanese reached the final at the WTA 250 tournament in Auckland and also won the WTA 125 (Challenger) tournament in Saint-Malo – overall their tenure didn't go as expected. This year, the four-time Grand Slam champion is only 21-12 and sits ranked just inside the top-50.

Macci: Osaka's split step and anticipation are not there… She can flip the script with the right choice

"Winning/losing is a fine line. Naomi can flip the script with the right choice and what she 100% needs and a proven voice. Her split step is way off and overall anticipation is on vacation. This can be corrected if it is explained in detail and no doubt her confidence will not bail," the 70-year-old coach wrote on X.

Osaka has now changed two coaches since starting her post-pregnancy comeback in 2024 January. In late 2023, she returned Wim Fissette to her team – the same coach with whom she won multiple Grand Slams in the past. Their partnership ended last September. 

It will be interesting to see what Osaka will search in a new coach and who it will be. 

Alexander Zverev confesses what he is trying to 'convince' Toni Nadal

Posted by on

Adam Walton

Alexander Zverev is very pleased with the help that Toni Nadal offered and admits he is working on "convincing" the legendary coach to do more work with him.

Following a latest Grand Slam heartbreak and losing in the Wimbledon first round, the German revealed that he was in a bad place mentally, which also negatively translated to his tennis. When making a candid mental health revelation, the world No. 3 also indicated that he may decide to put his tennis career on a pause.

After taking some time to figure out his next move, Zverev decided to reach out to Rafael Nadal's uncle. And Uncle Toni agreed to spend some time with the 28-year-old and invited him to the Nadal academy in Mallorca. However, not everything is great and ideal for the German as the 64-year-old coach has his own commitments, which make it impossible for the Spaniard to become the world No. 3's full-time traveling coach.

Zverev: I'm trying to convince Toni Nadal to do more weeks with me 

“I went there, I saw him and it was an amazing 10 days. I really enjoyed it and I’m very thankful to him and to Rafa also for welcoming me the way I did. It was really nice. The time in Mallorca was amazing. I'm trying to convince him 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," the three-time Grand Slam runner-up explained.

Meanhwile, Zverev is returning to action this week for the first time since his early Wimbledon exit. Since Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are not playing at the Toronto Masters, the German is the top seed. After a first-round bye, he is due to play against Adam Walton.

Struggling Naomi Osaka ditches coach Patrick Mouratoglou

Posted by on

Ariana Arseneault

Naomi Osaka is making a major change at the start of the North American hard-court swing as the former world No. 1 decided to call time on her partnership with coach Patrick Mouratoglou.

Last week, the Japanese kicked off her summer on hard courts in Washington, where she defeated Yulia Putintseva in her opener before being bounced by Emma Raducanu in straight sets. Overall, the four-time Grand Slam champion is 21-12 this year and ranked at No. 49 in the world – a far cry from where she wants to be.

After failing to rediscover her old form, Osaka split with Wim Fissette following the conclusion of the 2024 US Open. The 27-year-old hired Mouratoglou shortly after. Now, less than a year of working together, they are separating. 

"Merci Patrick. It was such a great experience learning from you. Wishing you nothing but the best. You are one of the coolest people I've ever met and I'm sure I'll see you around," the four-time Grand Slam champion announced through an Instagram Story.

How Osaka's tenure with Mouratoglou went?

When Osaka hired Mouratoglou – who worked with Serena Williams for a decade and achieved massive success – she was hoping the French coach could lead her to the Promised Land. It didn't happen and their partnership is now a thing of the past.

When it comes to the Japanese's 2025 season, two results stand out – a runner-up finish in Auckland and her first clay title at the WTA 125 (Challenger) tournament in Saint-Malo. 

Now that Mouratoglou is gone, it will be interesting to see if Osaka brings someone to assist her or if she decides to go solo for some time. 

Today, the former world No. 1 is starting her campaign at the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal, where she plays against world No. 515 Ariana Arseneault. The Japanese's form may not be the best but she enters as the major favorite against the 515th-ranked Canadian.

The level of tennis has risen too high for Novak Djokovic: all the details inside

Posted by on

Belgrade

Novak Djokovic's goal of winning his 25th Major title by the end of the 2025 season will not be easy to achieve, as only the US Open scheduled in New York at the end of the summer is missing. The Serbian legend has indeed raised his level in Grand Slam tournaments, where he has defeated excellent players and reached the semifinals on all occasions (in Melbourne, Paris and London), but he has not given the feeling that he can make tennis history once again.

The collective feeling is that the two current leaders of the men's tour – Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz – are superior to Nole at this stage of his career and it will be very tough for the former world No. 1 to beat them in a best-of-five-set match at 38 years old.

The veteran from Belgrade wants to become the oldest ever to win a Grand Slam title by uncorking the record from Ken Rosewall, but time is running out and Novak will also have to hope for some luck in New York in about a month.

Djokovic expected to return to action in Cincinnati

Djokovic is enjoying some vacation in Croatia right now and has been spotted alongside former Real Madrid footballer Luka Modric, while a few days ago he announced that he will not participate in the Toronto Masters 1000 which starts later this month.

In a recent interview with 'Gol', his former coach Goran Ivanisevic – who has just finished working with Stefanos Tsitsipas – gave his honest verdict on Nole's chances of shocking the world for the umpteenth time: “When you’re not 100 percent with Sinner… and even when you are, your chances aren’t great,” said the 2001 Wimbledon winner.

I thought Novak could do it, but unfortunately he wasn’t completely ready. Djokovic is the greatest tennis player of all time, but what these two are doing is another level of tennis.”

Novak's next tournament is expected to be the Cincinnati Masters 1000, where he triumphed in 2023 for the last time.

Genie Bouchard to Retire from Tennis in Montreal This Month

Posted by on

The 2014 Wimbledon finalist will give the Genie Army one last battle in her hometown.Billie

By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Friday, July 18, 2025
Photo credit: USTA/US Open

Genie Bouchard will return to her hometown to close the curtain on her tennis career.

The 31-year-old Bouchard, who was born in Montreal, will play her final professional tournament at the National Bank Open in Montreal later this month.

Tennis Express

Bouchard made history as the first Canadian to reach a Grand Slam singles final at the 2014 Wimbledon where she lost to Petra Kvitova.

In a spectacular 2014 season, Bouchard also reached semifinals at the Australian Open and Roland Garros.

In Melbourne, Bouchard's success inspired a slew of fans, the self-proclaimed "Genie Army" to support her throughout her matches. Bouchard won her lone Tour-level singles title at the 2014 Nurnberg and reached a career-high ranking of No. 5 on October 20, 2014.

"You’ll know when it’s time. For me, it’s now," Bouchard wrote in an Instagram post announcing her retirement. "Ending where it all started: Montreal."

A series of injuries issues and her lawsuit against the USTA following a fall in the training room of the US Open derailed Bouchard's career.

Bouchard suffered a concussion from that fall and later sued the USTA, which reached a settlement with the Canadian star. Financial terms of that settlement were not disclosed. Bouchard had sought millions of dollars after suffering the concussion.

The fall came before Bouchard's scheduled US Open fourth-round match vs. Roberta Vinci and the concussion she suffered forced her to withdraw from the Open. Vinci went on to shock Serena Williams, denying her Grand Slam quest, and reached the 2015 US Open final where she lost to compatriot and good friend Flavia Pennetta.

Meanwhile, Bouchard never again reached the Grand Slam heights she had attained before the concussion.

The 2012 Wimbledon girls' champion has been active on the pickleball circuit in recent years and has done some commentary for Tennis Channel. Bouchard has recently been training with coach Noah Rubin for her farewell tournament.

A long-time member of the Canadian Billie Jean King Cup squad, Bouchard represented Canada in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Bouchard blazed a trail for Canadian women's tennis. Following Bouchard's success, Canadian Bianca Andreescu beat Serena Williams to win the 2019 US Open crown. Two years later, compatriot Leylah Fernandez fought into the final bowing to Emma Raducanu.

An aggressive baseliner, Bouchard remains a popular presence with fans. A recent video of Bouchard training with coach Noah Rubin posted by Matthew Calvis of Tennis Insiders has racked up nearly 50,000 views as of today.

Still, injuries and Bouchard's inability to expand on her power-based game style limited her success on Tour in recent years.

Currently ranked No. 1078, Bouchard will play Montreal on a wild card. She's scheduled to play on either Sunday, July 27th or Monday, July 28th, depending on the outcome of the official draw which will be held on Saturday, July 26, at 11 a.m.

"Few athletes have left as profound a mark on Canadian tennis as Genie [Bouchard] has throughout her extraordinary career,” said Gavin Ziv, Chief Executive Officer, Tennis Canada. “As one of the very first players to ever be part of the National Tennis Centre presented by Rogers in Montreal, she achieved things that many thought would be impossible for Canadian players.

"Her career highlights, which include a Wimbledon final appearance and a Billie Jean King Cup championship, are nothing short of extraordinary and were a true catalyst for the development of tennis in our country. She’s been and still is an incredible ambassador for our sport and, on behalf of Tennis Canada, I want to thank her for everything she’s done. We wish her continued success in the next chapter of her career.”

The Genie Army can reconvene to see their favorite player launch one more battle before her hometown fans. 

Sinner and Cahill a Go for 2026?

Posted by on

The Italian won a bet, and he wants to make his Aussie coach pay up. analyst

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday July 15, 2025

In January of this year, we reported that Jannik Sinner and Darren Cahill would not be working together after the 2025 season. On Sunday we learned that the split might be as clean as anticipated.

Tennis Express

Asked about the future of the duo after Sinner won his maiden Wimbledon final on Sunday, Cahill seemed to hint that the partnership might not be ending. "I don't want to answer this," Cahill responded. "You know what? You just need to ask Jannik that."

Sinner wasn’t asked in English, but in the Italian section of his press conference the question was put to him.

"We made a bet before the final: I told him that if I won, I could choose whether he could stay or not at the end of the year. Now the choice is mine!” the 23-year-old Italian said.


Hard to tell if he was serious or not, but he has laid out a potential plan which would allow Cahill to continue coaching and advising from a distance.

“If I choose to stay with him, he probably won't travel so much anymore, that's normal,” Sinner said. “I've always told him I'd like to have him in Australia, because things are going well. Plus, the season is still long, there are still so many tournaments to go, and I'll see him a lot more… But I won the bet, now we'll see!”

It makes sense in a lot of ways, and not only in Australia. Cahill is contracted to work at the Grand Slams as an analyst, so he’s already there at the four biggest tournaments. Why not continue to tap one of the greatest coaching minds that the sport has ever seen?

“I've always looked for an honest person, who gives me so much not only on the tennis court, but also in life outside, both in success and disappointment,” Sinner added.

Zverev Training with Toni Nadal at Rafa Nadal Academy

Posted by on

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

Posted by on

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

Posted by on

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.

Bublik on Shock Roland-Garros Win – “Sometimes in Life There’s Only One Chance.”

Posted by on

Alexander Bublik after surprising the tennis world, spoke with candor on reaching the Roland-Garros quarterfinals for the first time.Coach

By Erik Gudris | @atntennis | Monday, June 2, 2025
Photo Source: Roland-Garros Facebook

The mercurial, crowd-pleasing talents of Alexander Bublik has now earned him worldwide attention after his shock four-set upset win over No. 5 seed Jack Draper to reach the Roland-Garros quarterfinals for the first time in his career.

Bublik, 27, celebrated his unexpected 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory with tears in his eyes as he became the first Kazakhstani man to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal in history.

"Sometimes in life there's only one chance, and I had a feeling that that was mine, and I couldn't let it slip," Bublik said in an on-court interview, after an extended standing ovation from the Court Suzanne-Lenglen crowd. "Standing here, it's the best moment of my life, period."

The final game of the match proved pivotal in more ways than one. Draper, still down a service break at 5-4, forced Rublev to serve for the match. Draper battled and held two break points, only to lose out on both. Rublev eventually closed out the game, and the match.

But Rublev admitted later on TNT Sports, if he had lost that game, he would likely have lost the motivation to try and win the match from there.

“I said to myself, if I'm losing that break, it's 7-5 6-2 max (in favor of Draper)," Bublik said. "I'm not gonna fight, because if you have this chance to make your first ever quarterfinal and you blow it. It's your fault. That's how I see it.”

Bublik, known for his unorthodox playing style, including underhand serves and trick shots, and rather cavalier personality, both on and off the court was not expected to be in the mix this fortnight in Paris. Though he’s reached a career high World No. 17, he’s currently ranked at No. 62.

Despite winning four ATP Tour titles in his career, 2025 has been a rough season so far. Before Paris, Bublik was 7-13 on the year.

Yet Bublik must have felt something good was coming for him in Paris after he earned a two sets from behind victory over No. 9 seed Alex de Minaur earlier in the second round. Bublik admitted he contemplated quitting tennis earlier this season after falling to the low 80s ranking wise.

While he previously complained about the clay court swing being too long, this year, he realized he needed to make an effort on the dirt to boost his ranking.

“I was eighty in the world. I was talking to my coach I want to quit tennis because I’m eighty in the world. It feels disgraceful for me,” Bublik said. “So I just said to myself, you have a gift, you gotta use your chances. If I have one, I'm gonna use it.

"I'm just gonna fight. I'm gonna try to play on clay and see how it goes and it worked like this, Because I had no room, you know, to cry. Because if you have room to cry, I always would take the cry, you know.”

Bublik added, “But when you have no options then it's that's how it works.”

Many tennis observers have questioned Bublik’s efforts on-court and off court throughout his career.

While Bublik confirmed he works hard off the court, he’s the first to admit that he prefers a “work/life” balance that includes his family. He can only speak for himself when it comes to determining what’s best for his life and career.

“There is no way around hard work. Don't get me wrong,” Bublik said in his post-match press conference. “I work hard, but on my terms, you know. I do what I'm capable of doing with my body, but I will not push through a knee injury in order to have, you know, a certain chance to win a certain match. So for me, there is no way around hard work. I have been working very hard, and I do work very hard."

Bublik, a proud father, added on TNT he tries to put tennis into perspective

“Tennis is fifty percent of my life, you know I have other part of being a dad, being a friend, which is have the same importance for me as being a tennis player," Bublik said. "So in this percent that I have as a professional athlete, I have to do maximum what my body is capable of.

"I'm not going to put my health on the line. I'm not going to be fighting through injuries. You know, if I have pain, I resign. I say thank you very much. I'm not going there.

"Because I prioritize my health a lot. And if you tell me, Sasha, you gonna win a Slam. But you can't walk at forty. I'm not going to take this. So then I have to work with the tools I have.”

Bublik next faces World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals.

Swiatek: Comeback Win Pressure Proving Ground

Posted by on

“I needed that kind of win to feel these feelings that I’m able to win under pressure, and even if it’s not going the right way, still turn the match around,” Iga Swiatek said.Chrissie Evert

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Sunday, June 1, 2025
Photo credit: Antoine Couvercelle-ROLEX

Dropping eight of nine games would leave most feeling terror tremors on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Facing a 1-6, 0-2 deficit to Elena Rybakina today, Iga Swiatek skipped shivers adopting simple mind set: Fight for every ball.

Tennis Express

Reigning Roland Garros champion Swiatek pulled off a spirited comeback edging Rybakina 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 to advance to the Roland Garros quarterfinals for the sixth straight year.

Swiatek said this comeback is confirmation she can perform under pressure after a subpar season.

“It’s a great confirmation for me that I can handle the pressure and everything, but honestly, I wasn’t expecting to have an easy score against Elena,” Swiatek said. “I also had an easy score against her, but losing, you know, because she’s a great player. So for sure that wasn’t something that I even considered today.

“Yeah, no matter what the score is, I’m going to just try to play the best tennis possible any minute. It doesn’t really matter, honestly, but for sure, as I said, it’s great to overcome some challenges during the match.”

It is Swiatek’s 25th straight Roland Garros win, equaling Hall of Famer Monica Seles for second-longest Paris Open Era women’s win streak behind Chrissie Evert (29).

Swiatek said spacing out helped her turn the match around.

Backing up further behind the baseline gave Swiatek more time to return Rybakina’s second serve as the match progressed.

Rybakina won just nine of 21 second-serve points and did not hit an ace in the final set.

“[Coach] Wim, it was his plan to kind of convince me sometimes to try it out, but I wasn’t sure if that’s my thing,” Swiatek said. “Because I remember a few years back, when I started being more aggressive, I started winning more.

“I think girls are serving faster now, and everybody is developing.

“There are some limits to what you can react to, you know. I think the coaching actually really helped me today, because I wouldn’t come up with this myself. Even though I practice it a little bit, it’s still like a weird thing for me to do.

“But for sure it helped. Yeah, as I said, it gave me more time to just play back some balls.”

Next up for Swiatek is a quarterfinal clash vs. 30-year-old Ukrainian veteran Elina Svitolina who saved three match points upsetting 2024 finalist Jasmine Paolini.

“It means a lot. I think I needed that kind of win to like feel these feelings that I’m able to win under pressure, and even if it’s not going the right way, you know, still turn the match around to win it,” Swiatek said. “For sure it’s a great confirmation for me. Yeah, I for sure wanted to have a match like that.

“Obviously, it’s great to also have full control over the match, but against great players, it’s not always going to be possible. I’m happy that I fought, and I also problem-solved on court.”