Archive of posts tagged the Wimbledon Championships

Andrey Rublev reveals the main advice he received from Marat Safin

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Andrey

Andrey Rublev understood that he had to change some things to get out of the crisis that has affected him in the last year and a half, which is why he decided to start a new collaboration with his compatriot Marat Safin. The latter cannot travel with him to all the tournaments on the calendar, but he is helping him with his advice and some progress has been seen from the Russian ace.

The player from Moscow put in good performances during the Wimbledon Championships last month and did not disappoint at the Toronto Masters 1000 either, although he was unable to 'defend' the final reached in Montreal last year.

He is not far from the Top 10 of the ATP rankings right now and can aspire to achieve this goal by achieving good results at the Cincinnati Masters 1000 and especially at the US Open, two tournaments that should be suitable for his game.

Rublev opens up on Safin 

During a recent interview with 'Tennis Bolshe', Andrey revealed that Safin is spurring him to add new weapons to his game to become more unpredictable: "I've understood for some time that I have to do something different if I want to become competitive again at the highest level. I knew that scoring more frequently was one of the main keys from a tactical point of view, but I was almost never able to do it until Marat came along. He told me that there were no other options and I had to try until I could do it."

Although Safin has a consulting role in Rublev's team, his main coach continues to be Fernando Vicente who has followed him since the beginning of his career. The latter has sacrificed much of his private life to help Andrey realize his dream and the Russian champion has never missed an opportunity to show him his enormous gratitude.

"Our relationship goes far beyond what is usually between a player and his coach. Fernando is a member of my family in some respects," Rublev said in a recent interview.

Novak Djokovic's schedule worries everyone: all details inside

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Belgrade

Novak Djokovic's schedule after the Wimbledon Championships surprised both fans and insiders. The former world number 1 decided to skip the Toronto Masters 1000 and this choice was not particularly surprising, considering that the Serbian legend has not played in Canada since 2018 and definitely needed a break after his loss to Jannik Sinner at the Championships.

However, most experts expected that the 38-year-old from Belgrade would at least participate in the Cincinnati Masters 1000 – scheduled in Ohio from August 7 to 18 – in order to play some official matches on the hard courts in view of the US Open. 

The final Major of the season will begin on August 24 in New York and it is now clear to everyone that Nole will only play mixed doubles with Olga Danilovic before making her singles debut.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion has spent the last few weeks on vacation with his family and friends, enjoying his free time first in Croatia and then in Greece. Novak has not yet resumed practicing and it is not known if he has solved the muscle problem that had conditioned him during the semifinal of the Championships.

Nole is still resting

A few days ago, Djokovic's presence at the second edition of the 'Six Kings Slam' to be held in Saudi Arabia was announced.

In the latest episode of his podcast, American legend Jimmy Connors admitted that he was surprised by Nole's recent choices: "I have to admit that his schedule worries me a bit. He hasn't played a hard court match so far and it would have been good to see him in Cincinnati to test his level, but instead he preferred to stay home. We don't know what to expect from him, although we can't underestimate one of the best in history. We've seen him on vacation for the last month, that's all we know."

The Serbian ace had missed both American Masters 1000 last season, before being prematurely eliminated in New York.

Riccardo Piatti comments on the rivalry between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz

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Carlitos

The Cincinnati Masters 1000 and the US Open represent the two new stages of the rivalry between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who will compete for the first position in the ATP rankings until the end of this season. The 22-year-old Spaniard won Roland Garros for the second year in a row at the end of an epic final, in which he also cancelled out three match points, but the current world No.1 took revenge on his top rival at the Wimbledon Championships by becoming the first Italian ever to lift the trophy in London.

The 23-year-old from Sesto Pusteria is still at the top of the ATP rankings, but he will have to defend many more points than Carlitos in the coming months and risks being overtaken. The four-time Grand Slam champion will be called upon to defend 3000 points between Cincinnati and New York, unlike his main rival who had not shone in these two events last season.

Piatti talks about Sinner and Alcaraz 

There is no doubt that the US Open – scheduled in New York from August 24 to September 7 – will be fundamental in the race for the first position in the ATP rankings, with the Italian and the Spaniard doing everything possible to play their best tennis in Flushing Meadows.

In a long interview with 'La Stampa', top coach Riccardo Piatti – who worked with Sinner until 2022 – analyzed this amazing rivalry in detail: "Carlos' top goal is the US Open: if the Spaniard were to triumph in New York, it would become very difficult for Jannik to finish the year as number 1.

They are two champions who love competition and aspire to become the best version of themselves, without obsessions of any kind. Sinner has raised his level exponentially in the last year and has understood that he will have the chance to make the Grand Slam in the coming seasons. I've always thought so."

In the 2022 edition of the US Open, Jannik and Carlitos played a memorable match in the quarterfinals.

Major update on Jannik Sinner's debut in Cincinnati

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Alexander Zverev

Jannik Sinner will be back in action at the Cincinnati Masters 1000 these days, where he will try to defend the title won a year ago thanks to an amazing run. The world No.1 will play his first official tournament since his extraordinary triumph at the Wimbledon Championships just under a month ago, having decided to skip the 'Canadian Open' in Toronto so as not to overload his body ahead of the US Open.

This segment of the season is very suitable for the game of the Italian ace, who will be called upon to defend 3000 points between Cincinnati and New York. If he wants to maintain the top position in the ATP rankings until the end of the year, the 23-year-old from Sesto Pusteria needs to achieve brilliant results in the coming month and will have to hope that his top rival Carlos Alcaraz is not at the top of his shape.

The Italian and the Spaniard faced each other in the final at both Roland Garros and the Wimbledon Championships, which is why fans hope to be able to witness a new chapter of their spectacular rivalry already in Flushing Meadows.

New details on Sinner's debut

Meanwhile, the exact date of Jannik's debut in Ohio has finally been revealed. The four-time Grand Slam champion – who can benefit from a first-round bye – will make his debut in this tournament on Saturday, August 9 against Kopriva or a player from the qualifiers.

Sinner's potential path in Cincinnati doesn't look too tough, having avoided very dangerous rivals like Ben Shelton, Alexei Popyrin and Alexander Zverev along his run.

In his press conference, the world number 1 confessed that he is looking forward to getting back into action: "My elbow is fine and I can't wait to play my first match here. I got some rest after Wimbledon and spent the holidays together with my friends and family. Then I started practicing again and I hope to play my best tennis on hard courts, especially at the US Open."

Belgrade ATP moves to Athens because of Novak Djokovic

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Athens

ATP has made surprising announcement in these hours. The Belgrade Open – scheduled from 2 to 8 November – has been moved from the Serbian capital to Athens (Greece) and will be held at the legendary OAKA Basketball Arena, where Panathinaikos usually plays. Given that this tournament is run by Novak Djokovic's family, it is not difficult to speculate that the talks between the 24-time Grand Slam champion and current Serbian president Vucic are behind this decision.

The former world No.1 is set to move to Greece immediately after the US Open – which will take place in New York from August 24 to September 7 – and is expected to play in Athens in November, at least according to Serbian media reports.

The Serbian legend spent his holidays in Croatia and Greece after the defeat against Jannik Sinner in the semifinal of the Wimbledon Championships and is expected to return to action at the Cincinnati Masters 1000, after deciding to skip the Canadian Open that is being played in Toronto these days.

Latest news on Djokovic

Nole's main goal is to be at the top of his shape for the start of the last Major of the season, in which he will try to triumph for the fifth time in his career. The 38-year-old from Belgrade has reached the semifinals in the three Grand Slam tournaments played so far this season, but struggles to compete against Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in the best five-set matches.

Novak had a small muscle issue during Wimbledon and was not at the top of his shape against Sinner, but he is perfectly aware that his body cannot support him as in the past at this point in his career.

Djokovic's last triumph in a Major dates back to the 2023 edition of the US Open, when he defeated Ben Shelton in the semifinals and Daniil Medvedev in the final.

ATP ace Andrey Rublev blasts fast courts in Toronto

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Alejandro Davidovich Fokina

Andrey Rublev has certainly raised his level compared to recent months and his new collaboration with Marat Safin is helping him to find good feelings in view of the US Open scheduled for the end of the summer. The Russian ace had already put in a series of good performances during the Wimbledon Championships, where he had also put world number 2 Carlos Alcaraz in trouble by losing in four sets in the round of 16.

The player from Moscow also reached the round of 16 at the Toronto Masters 1000, after defeating Hugo Gaston in his debut and Italian star Lorenzo Sonego in the third round. Andrey – who reached the final in Montreal last year – made an excellent comeback against Sonego showing that he has recovered mental strength, but further tests will be needed to understand the real consistency of the Russian.

His next opponent will be Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who is playing very well at the moment and has no intention of stopping there. Rublev occupies the 11th position in the ATP ranking at the moment, but he is very close to the tenth position held by Lorenzo Musetti (who has already been eliminated by Alex Michelsen) and will overtake him by passing the next round.

Rublev does not like these courts

Meanwhile, the former Top 10 player gave a long interview to 'Tennis Channel' in which he highlighted how these courts leave little room for tactics and strategy.

As a spectator, I enjoy watching tennis on slower courts a lot more," the Russian champion revealed. "A lot of people think of Wimbledon courts as quite fast, but grass is a surface that allows you to play longer rallies and make the transition from defense to attack. There is more room for strategy and you can change tactics in relation to the score. It takes more intelligence and athletic fitness to prevail on those fields.

The situation is very different on hard courts. I watched the match between Medvedev and Popyrin and there were very few rallies from baseline. Although Daniil was in action, the point ended with the serve and another shot in most cases."

Novak Djokovic chooses particular outfit for the US Open

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Belgrade

The first part of the season was full of ups and downs for Novak Djokovic, who was able to raise his level in Grand Slam tournaments – where he always reached the semifinals – while suffering surprising eliminations in the other tournaments on the calendar.

It is no secret to anyone that the former world number 1 has as his main goal to become the oldest ever to win a Major title, an achievement that would allow him to steal the record from Ken Rosewall and definitively overtake Margaret Court by hoisting himself to 25 Slams.

However, young champions like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have a higher level than Nole nowadays and it is no coincidence that the Italian ace defeated the Serbian at both Roland Garros and the Wimbledon Championships a few weeks ago.

Nole's US Open outfit  

Most pundits and former players believe Novak has the next huge chance at the 2026 Australian Open, but the 38-year-old from Belgrade will try to pull off the feat as early as the US Open later this summer. The 24-time Grand Slam champion will only participate in the Cincinnati Masters 1000 before traveling to New York, where he last triumphed in 2023.

Djokovic chose to skip the Toronto Masters 1000 to recharge his batteries and has not resumed practicing yet, as he has been spotted on vacation in Croatia and Greece in recent days.

In the meantime, the total black outfit that the Serbian veteran will wear in the Big Apple has been unveiled. The former world No.1 hopes that this choice will bring him luck, after last year he was eliminated in the first week due to fatigue accumulated at the Paris Olympics.

The veteran from Belgrade will have to on a path that is not too hard and his body will not have to betray him.

Andrey Rublev reveals if Marat Safin will be present at the US Open

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Andrey Rublev

Andrey Rublev is trying to turn his season and career around in recent times, having made the decision to hire Marat Safin as his new coach after going through a very negative period.

The Russian ace has a lot of points to defend at the 'Canadian Open' – which is taking place in Toronto right now – having reached the final in Montreal last year. The champion from Moscow can take advantage of the fact that numerous top players have decided not to participate in the prestigious Canadian tournament in this edition, preferring to recharge their batteries in view of the US Open scheduled for the end of the summer.

Without Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper – all absent for various reasons – Rublev can really try to achieve an exceptional result in Ontario, which would allow him to regain a lot of confidence in view of the last Grand Slam of the season. Last year's finalist had a strong debut in Toronto, where he defeated French star Hugo Gaston in straight sets.

Rublev opens up on Safin

During his press conference, he explained that the conditions are very different between Toronto and Montreal: "The courts are very fast here, the ball slips and it's not easy to control the shots. The situation is totally different from Montreal, where the surface is slower and the rallies are much longer. The conditions in Toronto are tougher in my opinion."

Rublev seems more confident and confident since Safin became his mentor and it is no coincidence that he put in excellent performances at the Wimbledon Championships, where he reached the round of 16 losing to Carlitos Alcaraz at the end of a hard-fought match (the Russian had won the first set, before suffering the comeback of the Spanish champion).

Andrey explained that Marat's presence in New York is not yet certain: "We hope he can be with me at the US Open, but it is not certain that he will be able to get his visa in time. If he doesn't succeed, we'll have to wait for the tournaments in Asia."

Lindsay Davenport highlights Joao Fonseca's main weakness

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Andrey Rublev

After electrifying fans and insiders in the early months of this season – in which he won his first ATP title in Buenos Aires after defeating Andrey Rublev at the Australian Open – Joao Fonseca's level has drastically dropped in recent months and there has also been some criticism of the young Brazilian ace.

Many people expected brighter performances from him especially during the red clay season, but his run at the Wimbledon Championships was considered satisfactory taking into account that he has no experience on this surface.

Most experts were convinced that Joao could achieve a very brilliant result at the Toronto Masters 1000, a tournament that has suffered numerous forfeits among top players and has a draw quite open to potential surprises. However, the South American star's run in Ontario ended already in the first round against Tristan Schoolkate, who took advantage of his opponent's numerous ups and downs to achieve victory in two sets.

Fonseca has exited the Canadian Open 

The feeling is that Fonseca is feeling a bit from the pressure on his shoulders and is struggling to express his best tennis as he had managed to do in the first months of 2025.

Speaking on 'Tennis Channel', former WTA star Lindsay Davenport analyzed Joao's weaknesses in detail: “He really struggled with his return in the match. Yes, Schoolkate served well but there was no real problem-solving for Fonseca in that category. He just wasn’t able to get the rally in to start the point when he was receiving.

He now has two weeks until his next match, or about 12 days or so. So, it’ll be interesting to see if he goes and does a training block in south Florida. Maybe he goes back to Brazil for a little bit.

You’ve got to be able to manage an 18, almost 19-year-old’s mental game as well, and this has been a lot this year maybe.”

Fonseca's next tournament will be the Cincinnati Masters 1000, which should be very suitable for his game ahead of the US Open.

Legendary coach knows what Carlos Alcaraz needs to do to go to the next level

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Alcaraz Alcaraz

One of Carlos Alcaraz's main goals this season was to finally find that consistency that he had always lacked in previous seasons. The young Spanish ace has already shown that he has a talent beyond all logic and has already won a lot if you consider that he is just 22 years old, as well as having been at the top of the ATP rankings for 36 weeks and having won the silver medal at the Paris Olympics a year ago.

However, the rise of his top rival Jannik Sinner has forced Carlitos and his team to look for new solutions to get closer to the top of the ATP rankings, which the Italian ace has monopolized for 60 weeks in a row.

Rick Macci has advice for Alcaraz

Alcaraz's 2025 had not started brilliantly, indeed the young star from Murcia had a crisis during the spring suffering a shocking elimination in the second round of the Miami Open. He took a little vacation with his family after that tournament and made his intentions clear, returning to play his best tennis on his beloved red clay.

Since that time, Carlitos has been almost unstoppable lifting the trophy in Monte Carlo, Rome, Roland Garros and the Queen's Club. The world No.2 reached his third final in a row at the Wimbledon Championships and hoped to become the youngest ever to win six Major titles, but his run in London ended in the final against a deluxe version of Sinner who made Italian tennis history.

Through his official X profile, legendary coach Rick Macci – who also worked with the Williams sisters (Venus and Serena) at the beginning of their careers – gave an important piece of advice to the 22-year-old Spaniard: “Carlos can to go to the next level if he controls the center of the court. Because he is the Spanish Cheetah he can play too far back and run track. If he is dealing the cards on the rise and plays with his eyes he has a better shot at the prize."

Watch: Novak Djokovic tries surfing in Croatia

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Belgrade

Novak Djokovic has not yet revealed his schedule ahead of the US Open, which will start in less than a month in New York. The former world No. 1 has only announced that he will not participate in the 2025 edition of the Toronto Masters 1000, a decision that is not surprising considering that the Serbian legend has not played in Canada since 2018.

The 38-year-old from Belgrade suffered a small muscle problem during the Wimbledon Championships, in which he reached the semifinals losing decisively to current world number 1 Jannik Sinner. During the subsequent press conference, Nole admitted that his body no longer gives him the same guarantees as a few years ago and emphasized how hard it is to compete with opponents much younger than him at this stage of his career.

At the same time, Djokovic does not seem to have any intention of giving up and still dreams of becoming the oldest ever to win a Major title. He will not start among the favorites even at the US Open, where he lifted his latest trophy in 2023 by beating Daniil Medvedev in the final.

Novak will certainly have less pressure than usual in the Big Apple and will also have to hope for a bit of luck, otherwise it will be difficult to defeat Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz who have taken control of the men's tour by sharing the last seven Grand Slam titles.

Nole is having fun in Croatia

Barring any surprises, the Serbian veteran is expected to participate in the Cincinnati Masters 1000 before the US Open. He won his latest title in Ohio two years ago by beating Alcaraz at the end of an epic final, while last year he skipped this event to recharge his batteries after the Paris Olympics.

Meanwhile, Nole was spotted enjoying his holidays in Croatia and was joined by former Real Madrid star Luka Modric. In a video circulating on social media, Novak can be seen having fun on an electric surfboard.

Holger Rune reveals his feelings about his time with Andre Agassi

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Agassi Holger

Holger Rune is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated players at the Toronto Masters 1000, where he has the chance to achieve a prestigious result given the numerous absences among the top players. There are no Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who occupy the top two positions in the ATP rankings, and Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper are not present in Canada either.

The young Danish star is not going through a brilliant moment in his career, especially considering that there were huge expectations on him when he took his first steps on the professional tour. He has had several injuries in recent seasons and has made several mistakes, changing coaches several times and never finding the necessary stability to fully express his talent.

At the beginning of his career, Rune was considered at the same level as Sinner and Alcaraz, but it is difficult to have the same opinion today given that the Italian has already won four Grand Slam titles and the Spaniard has won five Majors.

Rune opens up on Agassi

Holger – who also disappointed expectations at Roland Garros and the Wimbledon Championships – understood that something must change to turn his career around and practiced in Washington together with a legend like Andre Agassi, who was by his side for three days before the start of the event. The Dane was unable to participate in this tournament due to back discomfort.

In a long interview with 'Ziggo Sport' before the start of the 'Canadian Open', the former world number 4 reflected on his time together with Agassi: "It was a great experience to share the court with a tennis legend for a few days. I learned several things and we tried to understand how to perfect my tennis. Andre is very good at listening and gives great advice, which is why I am really grateful to him. It spurred me on to find more balance in my game and there I worked with maximum effort."

Rune will not have an easy debut in Toronto, as his first opponent will be French ace Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.

Former ATP ace praises Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz's new schedule

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Carlitos

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz – the top two players in the ATP rankings – both decided to skip the Toronto Masters 1000, which also had to suffer the forfeit of Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper. The Italian and the Spaniard have had to use a lot of energy in the last month and a half, particularly at Roland Garros and the Wimbledon Championships, where they faced each other in the final giving a show to fans around the world.

Their clash in Paris was one of the most electrifying of the modern era, considering that the 22-year-old from Murcia cancelled out three match points in a row to his top rival before winning in the fifth set after almost five and a half hours. The current world No. 1 got his revenge in the final act of Wimbledon just over two weeks ago, coming back from a set down and preventing Carlitos from lifting his third trophy in a row at Church Road.

Sinner and Alcaraz don't take risks

Both allowed themselves a period of relaxation after the third Major of the season and resumed practicing a few days ago, respectively in Monte Carlo and Spain. Fans will have to wait until the Cincinnati Masters 1000 to see these young champions in action, who have already set the US Open as their main goal this summer.

The 23-year-old from Sesto Pusteria will try to defend the top position in the ATP rankings in the second half of the season, while Carlos will be able to take advantage of the fact that he has not shone from Wimbledon onwards in 2024.

In a long interview with 'Il Corriere della Sera', former Italian ace Paolo Canè commented on Sinner and Alcaraz's choice to skip Toronto: "Although they are still very young, Jannik and Carlitos are already true champions. Not only do I agree with their decision to skip this tournament, but I am happy about it. It means that they have understood that they have to preserve their body and not just think about results, but about prolonging their careers. The secret in today's tennis is to play little and win often."

Holger Rune teases Novak Djokovic for a funny reason

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2028 Olympics

Novak Djokovic is a living legend of this sport and his ability to push his own limits is amazing, considering that he has already won everything a top-level tennis player can dream of. The former world No.1 also achieved the last goal of his endless career at the Paris Olympics a year ago, when he shocked fans around the planet by winning the gold medal on his last attempt (although he has repeatedly stated that he also wants to participate in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, when he will be 41 years old).

After that amazing triumph, the Serbian veteran tried to win his 25th Major title but has not succeeded until now. The 38-year-old from Belgrade has reached the semifinals in all three Grand Slam tournaments that have been played this year, proving that he is still superior to most opponents, but the two current leaders of the men's tour – Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz – have no intention of leaving him room again.

Djokovic is on vacation now

After being overwhelmed by Sinner in the semi-final of the Wimbledon Championships a couple of weeks ago, the 24-time Grand Slam champion has allowed himself a few days to relax in Croatia and then will begin preparing for the Cincinnati Masters 1000.

Nole will not play the Canadian Open this year either, preferring to recharge his batteries ahead of the US Open scheduled in New York at the end of the summer. As chance would have it, Novak won his latest Major title in New York two years ago, when he defeated Russian ace Daniil Medvedev in the final. It seems like much more time has passed, given that the hierarchies of men's tennis have changed profoundly in this period of time.

Meanwhile, young Danish star Holger Rune gave a nice interview in which he was asked who is the player who arrives late most often. The world number 9 chose Djokovic.

Reason why Alexander Zverev can't disappoint in Toronto

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Alexander Zverev

In recent days, fans and insiders have wondered if Alexander Zverev and Toni Nadal would start a stable collaboration in the second half of this season. The German ace has been training at Rafael Nadal's Academy in Manacor in the recent period, being intent on changing something after his premature elimination at the Wimbledon Championships. 

However, Uncle Toni has too many commitments and does not want to constantly travel around the world, which is why he gave the champion from Hamburg the chance to practice in his Academy whenever he needs to.

The former world number 2 is not going through a particularly brilliant phase of his career, especially after the defeat against Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open final at the beginning of the year. Sascha believed he was ready to finally lift a Grand Slam trophy, but that match against the current world No.1 showed him how far he is still from the top two players in the ATP rankings.

Since then, Alexander has fallen into a very serious crisis and it is no coincidence that he has won only one title so far in the season (in Munich). 

Zverev will play in Toronto

Everyone expects a reaction from Zverev already during the American tournaments, with particular reference to Toronto and Cincinnati before the US Open at the end of the summer.

It's no secret that Sascha will have a huge chance in Canada, considering that most of the top players won't be in Toronto. The prestigious Canadian tournament lost world number 1 Jannik Sinner, world number 2 Carlos Alcaraz, 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic and young English star Jack Draper.

The German player will have a bye in the first round and will make his debut directly in the second round against Bonzi or Walton.

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.

Carlos Alcaraz has made unusual decision for him: all the details

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Barcelona

The last three and a half months have been particularly intense for Carlos Alcaraz, who has played numerous tournaments and has always reached at least the final. The world number 2 only missed the Mutua Madrid Open due to a small physical problem, while in the other events in which he participated he reached the end lifting the trophy in Monte Carlo, Rome, Roland Garros and Queen's (not forgetting the final in Barcelona).

The 22-year-old Spaniard also reached the final act at the Wimbledon Championships for the third year in a row, but failed to triumph this time as he was defeated in four sets by his top rival Jannik Sinner. There is no doubt that the five-time Grand Slam champion has used a lot of energies this part of the season and needs to recharge his batteries now, which is why he has decided to skip the Canadian Open, which begins in Toronto later this month.

Since the former world number 1 had not played in Canada last year either, he would have had the chance to gain points on Sinner in the ATP rankings and get closer to the first position. The Italian ace will not be present in Ontario either, and both will be back in action in Cincinnati next month.

Alcaraz is more mature

Carlitos reached the final in Ohio in 2023, losing to Novak Djokovic at the end of an epic challenge, while in the last edition he was eliminated by Gael Monfils already in the second round. The former world No.1 will not have to defend as many points even at the US Open, the tournament where he won his first Major title in 2022, as he was eliminated in the second round last year.

In a recent interview with 'La Gazzetta dello Sport', the Spanish star did not hide that one of his goals in the second half of the year is to dethrone Sinner and return to the top of the ATP rankings. However, his choice to skip Toronto certifies a higher maturity than in the past combined with the awareness of having to change something.