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."
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.
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.”
By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, July 28, 2025 Photo credit: Matthew Calvis
Gael Monfils reached down to touch the Toronto baseline signaling he’d reached the end of the line at the National Bank Open.
The 38-year-old Frenchman failed to convert match points bowing to Chilean qualifier Tomas Barrios Vera 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(3) in Toronto on Sunday.
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Afterward, a disconsolate Monfils said his first-round exit was his final Toronto appearance.
“It was the last time I play in Toronto, for sure, yeah,” Monfils told the media in Toronto.
The National Bank Open alternates between Toronto and Montreal each year. Monfils will be 40 years old when the tournament returns to Toronto in 2027 and he made it clear he won’t be competing.
“There’s no explanation, you know, it’s the last one,” Monfils said. “It will be two years to play in Toronto, so pretty much I won’t be able to play it. Obviously I think the next one is too old for me, so I think it was the last time I play here.
“So, you know, I actually thought at the end, and I was like, Well, I think it’s, unfortunately, but the last time I think I would play here.”
Monfils opened the 2025 season winning his 13th career title in Auckland and went on to reach the round of 16 at the Australian Open. Since then, he’s posted a 9-11 record with opening exits in four of his last five events.
A two-time semifinalist at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Canada, Monfils reached the Toronto quarterfinals two years ago pushing Jannik Sinner to three sets. The end of his opener on Sunday marked the end of an era.
“In Toronto, I think I played a semifinal here, had a great year here, great run,” Monfils said. “I remember a great match against Milos, a few other great matches here. Even two years ago I played quarterfinal with Jannik, it was a quite high level. But then it was too far.
“I remember I think I played Radek Stepanek, it was quite fun. I mean, I had fun matches in Toronto since I played here. So, it’s something, but at the end of the day, you know, it is natural and normal.”
By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, July 28, 2025 Photo credit: Robert Prange/Getty
A hometown farewell ignite fire in Genie Bouchard.
Playing the final tournament of her career before her home fans in Montreal, Bouchard turned back time with a rousing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 win over world No. 82 Emiliana Arango.
Attacking relentlessly, the Canadian wild card rode a wave of energy from Montreal fans to score her first main-draw Tour-level win in more than two years.
“I always knew, of course, if I lost, it would be the last one be, but as soon as I got on the court, I really tried to take it like a regular match and really emphasize, like, the focus and just telling myself what I wanted to do each point,” Bouchard said afterward. “I’m blocking out all the kind of consequences, and I’m, like, Okay, I’ll deal with all that stuff after, let me just play tennis and enjoy the toughness of what playing a WTA match is, because it’s tough out there.”
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A physical three-set win required resilience from Bouchard, who handed Arango her first three-set defeat of the season.
Former world No. 5 Bouchard said her performance was a balancing act of savoring the physical pain while drawing on the pleasure and inspiration of Montreal fans exhorting her on nearly every point.
“You know, you have to kind of enjoy that pain, and so I did,” Bouchard said. “Then the crowd really was helpful in terms of motivating me and giving me energy, but at the same time, it’s almost– it can be a point where it’s almost so much that it can help me — it can make me lose my focus or I don’t want to get kind of too kind of excited or too high because you still have the rest of the match to play. So there were definitely moments where I had to kind of almost block out the noise and just pretend it was a normal point that just happened and just keep going because the crowd was very loud out there, and I really, really appreciated it.”
Refusing to surrender, Bouchard extended her career for at least one more match. The former Wimbledon finalist will face 2025 Wimbledon semifinalist and 2015 Canadian Masters champion Belinda Bencic next.
“She’s obviously a great player. It’s funny, I played here in Toronto ten years ago, and then she ended up winning the tournament,” Bouchard said of Bencic. “So, yeah, I know it will be a crazy tough match. I’ll probably do stuff in practice tomorrow, kind of thinking about playing against her. She loves to take it early, change direction. So I’ve had some battles against her, so I’m looking forward to it.”
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.”
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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.
Alexander Zverev had a bizarre but also hilarious moment during his opening Toronto Masters match as the world No. 3 passionately celebrated what he thought was an ace on a set point.
Leading 7-6 in the first-set tie-break against Adam Walton, the German – who is seeded at No. 1 at the Canadian Open – went for a big serve down the line. The three-time Grand Slam finalist instantly started celebrating, believing that he sealed the first set. But he was quickly corrected by the chair umpire, who shouted, "fault!" The 28-year-old was left in disbelief while the chair umpire and the crowd had a good laugh.
However, Zverev remained calm and he did convert his set point at 7-6. Then, the top seed went on to complete a 7-6 (6) 6-4 win and progress into the Toronto Masters third round, where he plays against Matteo Arnaldi.
Zverev highlighted the importance of winning the first set
Before taking the tie-break, the Zverev trailed 3-5 and he was close to finding himself down by a set.
“It was a very important moment, very important point for me. Lucky to get through in the first set and finishing it off in two… Sometimes it’s about winning a match, [despite] not always playing your best. I know it wasn’t the prettiest match, for sure, but I haven’t played a match in four weeks. I took some time off, which I needed also for myself. I’m happy to be playing again. Tomorrow is another day and I hope I will be better tomorrow," the German said.
Against Arnaldi, Zverev has a 1-0 head-to-head record. However, their first meeting which came in Acapulco this year, was a very tight contest as the German had to come back from a set down to beat the Italian 6-7 (2) 6-3 6-4.
In the absence of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev is the top seed at he Canada Masters in Toronto. The German made a winning start following a 7-6, 6-4 triumph over Adam Walton in the second round.
Walton pushed the 2017 champion to the limits. He led 5-3 in the tie break of the first set before Zverev turned the tables, including a 52-shot rally at 5-5! World no. 3 closed it and provided two breaks in the second set to emerge at the top.
The German dominated with his first serve and dropped only three points. He denied two of three break points and stole the rival's serve two times from six opportunities.
Alexander landed 23 winners and 32 unforced errors. He trailed in service winners but overpowered Adam from the baseline and at the net. They stayed neck and neck in the shortest exchanges, and the German bested his rival in the more advanced ones.
Zverev provided six comfortable holds in the first set and had a chance to grab an early lead. Walton denied two break points in the third game and stayed in touch until the tie break.
The German netted a routine backhand in the eighth point and fell 5-3 behind. He painted a backhand down the line winner in the next one to reduce the deficit and landed a service winner for 5-5.
They embraced a 52-shot exchange in the 11th point, and the Aussie sprayed a forehand error to offer his rival a set point. Adam denied it with a forced error and locked the result at 6-6.
Alexander grabbed a mini-break with a forehand winner after a net cord and hit another forehand winner at the net at 7-6 to wrap up the first part of the duel in 57 minutes.
Walton saved break points in the second game of the second set before experiencing a break at love four games later to send world no. 3 4-2 in front and closer to the finish line.
Zverev closed the seventh game with a forehand winner and moved 5-2 in front. He served for the win at 5-3 and experienced the only setback behind his initial shot.
Alexander faced three break points and netted a forehand drive-volley on the last, allowing his opponent to extend the battle. However, the German kept his composure and extended the tenth game.
Zverev welcomed Walton's double fault, sealing the deal and moving into the third round.
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.”
Jannik Sinner's last two seasons have projected him into a new dimension. The Italian ace has not only become the best player in the world together with Carlos Alcaraz, but has shown consistency combined with mental strength that have few equals in the history of tennis.
The current world number 1 wants to enter the list of the best ever and works hard every day to achieve this goal, while being aware that he still has a long way to go to reach certain legends who have become icons all over the planet.
The 23-year-old from Sesto Pusteria has already won four Grand Slam titles and a few weeks ago he took away the enormous satisfaction of winning Wimbledon for the first time in his career, taking revenge on his top rival Alcaraz who had beaten him in the Roland Garros final after canceling three match points in a row.
Panatta speaks about Sinner
Jannik is aiming to defend his title at the US Open later this summer and is practicing in Monte Carlo right now, after deciding to skip the Toronto Masters 1000 to recharge his batteries. He will return to action in Cincinnati next month and will also be called upon to defend his title in Ohio, where he had beaten Frances Tiafoe in the final of the 2024 edition.
The Italian star has just celebrated his 60th week in a row at the top of the ATP rankings and will try to maintain this position until the end of the season, although it will not be easy given the huge amount of points he will have to defend in the coming months.
During a long interview with the Italian magazine 'TV Sorrisi e Canzoni', Adriano Panatta explained what makes his young compatriot so special: "The mind is definitely the main factor that differentiates Sinner from all the other players. He is never satisfied and always studies new methods to improve together with his team.
His game is quite basic, he doesn't have a lot of variation, but the truth is that no one can keep up with his pace for an extended period of time."
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.
Joao Fonseca entered the Canada Masters in Toronto as the member of the top-50. However, the young Brazilian did not enjoy his run at the sixth Masters 1000 event of the season following a 7-6, 6-4 defeat to Tristan Schoolkate.
The Aussie ousted the Brazilian in an hour and 32 minutes after a rock-solid performance, notching his first top-50 victory and his second triumph at the Masters 1000 level.
The Perth native prevailed in the opener and grabbed an early break in the second set that carried him over the top. The 24-year-old took ten points more than the young gun.
Tristan dropped 14 points behind the initial shot and faced no break points. Fonseca could not stay in touch despite a solid effort, losing serve in the early stages of the second set and hitting the exit door.
Thus, a teenager extended his ups and downs, still waiting to claim three straight ATP wins after lifting his first ATP title in Buenos Aires in February. Both players hit more unforced errors than winners.
Schoolkate had the upper hand in service winners and from the baseline. The lower-ranked player forged his win in the shortest range up to four strokes following more free points on his tally.
Joao faced a break point in the second game of the duel and denied it with a powerful forehand winner. They served well in the remaining games, and Fonseca provided a fine hold at 5-6 to introduce a tie break.
They exchanged early mini-breaks and served well in the upcoming points. The Aussie moved 5-4 in front with a fine attack and welcomed the rival's routine forehand error for a mini-break in the tenth point and two set points.
Schoolkate converted the second with an unreturned serve, wrapping up the first part of the duel in 52 minutes. Tristan secured five fine holds in the second set and kept the pressure on the other side.
Joao missed two game points at 1-1 after the rival's return winner and experienced a break after the rival's sharp return and his mistake. Schoolkate needed no second invitation to bring the victory home from there.
The Aussie served well and held in game eight with a forehand winner for 5-3. Tristan served for a win at 5-4 and landed a service winner on a match point, sealing the deal and sending the young gun packing.
Frances Tiafoe straight up ripped the new Toronto Masters final date as "weird" and "garbage."
On Sunday, which was July 27th, the main action officially started at the Canadian Masters tournament. This year, 96 players entered the main draw for the event slated to last 12 days. In the past, the the Canadian tournament was a seven-day event, featuring 56 players.
While the first thing that stands out is the fact that the Canadian Open expanded, one of the very interesting things about this year's Toronto event is its final date – August 7th, Thursday.
Tiafoe, who is making his seventh appearance at the Canadian Masters this year, was asked about the format change. And while he is excited about being in Toronto, he admitted to being a but stunned by some of the changes implemented by the tournament.
Tiafoe on the Canadian Masters final date: That's garbage…
"It is what it is. I like that it’s a bit shorter than Madrid, Rome. Weird because the final is on a Thursday. That’s garbage. But, I mean, I think it’s going to be great. It’s going to be a lot of fun. I love the city of Toronto. My girlfriend’s from there. Then I’ve got a lot of friends in the league from there, so I’m going to be set up, have a good time," the American tennis star said.
In the past, Tiafoe played three times in Toronto and three times in Montreal. So far, the 27-year-old has had more success in the Ontario region, reaching the round-of-16 twice when the Canadian Masters was taking place in that particular. In Montreal, the American has never made it past the second round.
This year, Tiafoe is seeded at No. 7 and has a first-round bye. Then, he will the winner of the match between Daniel Altmaier and Yosuke Watanuki.
Since Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic are all skipping Canada this year, there could be Tiafoe's chance to possibly make a run and play that final next Thursday.
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 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.
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."
If he participated in the Toronto Masters 1000, Carlos Alcaraz would have had a chance to get closer to Jannik Sinner in the ATP rankings. The world No. 1 was the first to announce his absence in Canada, having to recharge his batteries after winning the Wimbledon title for the first time in his career.
A few days later, the 22-year-old Spaniard made the same decision having played many matches in recent months. The five-time Grand Slam champion made it to the bottom of every tournament, lifting his second trophy in a row at Roland Garros and reaching another final at Church Road (lost to his top rival in four sets).
The world number 2 will return to action in Cincinnati and will use this tournament as a test in view of the US Open, where he had a disastrous run last year being eliminated already in the second round.
The rivalry continues
Sinner will have to defend 3000 points between Cincinnati and the US Open, in addition to losing the 200 points obtained in Montreal last year.
This means that Alcaraz has a real chance to overtake his top rival already by the end of the summer, but to succeed in this feat he would have to win the title in both Ohio and New York.
The Italian ace will have many more points to defend than the Spanish star even in the latter part of the season, considering that he had triumphed at the Shanghai Masters 1000 and the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin in 2024.
Carlos – on the contrary – had not particularly shone in the second half of last season, except for his victory at the Beijing ATP 500 beating Jannik at the end of a truly spectacular final.
This rivalry is set to electrify fans in the second half of 2025 as they wait to see if any other players can become dangerous to their dominance. The general feeling is that these two young champions are taking tennis into a new dimension, creating a huge gap compared to all their opponents.
Carlos Alcaraz is back on the practice court, preparing for the North American swing following a well-earned post-Wimbledon break. World no. 2 hit the court at the La Manga Club in Cartagena, Murcia.
The five-time Major champion trained with a familiar face – Rafa Segado. The two go way back to their days at the JC Ferrero Academy. Segado competes in college tennis for the Florida Gators.
Carlos suffered his first loss in the Major finals in London, falling to Jannik Sinner in four sets and missing his third straight Wimbledon crown. The Spaniard opted to skip the Canada Masters in Toronto to recharge.
After embracing a couple of entertaining weeks with his family and friends, the 22-year-old is back on the court, getting ready for his return in Cincinnati, the seventh Masters 1000 event of the season.
With minimal points to defend in Cincinnati and the US Open, Carlos sees a prime opportunity to close the gap on Jannik in the ATP rankings and chase the ATP throne for the first time since 2023!
The Spaniard is plotting a strong summer run – one that could propel him back toward the no. 1 spot. Alcaraz is leading the ATP Race ahead of Sinner following a brilliant run since April.
The young gun has reached six consecutive finals, embracing his career-best winning streak and lifting four trophies, including a Major and two Masters 1000 shields.
Carlos bested his rivals in Monte Carlos and Rome. He used that boost and defended the Roland Garros title after one of the most thrilling Major finals in tennis history.
Alcaraz defeated Sinner 4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6 on Court Philippe-Chatrier, saving three match points and moving over the top after five hours and 29 minutes. The same rivals met in the Wimbledon final.
The Spaniard claimed the opener before the Italian responded and notched a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory in just over three hours. Thus, Carlos experienced his first defeat in the Major finals.
The young gun will work hard on improvements ahead of Cincinnati and the US Open, setting his eyes on the two notable events and hoping to steal his greatest rival's glory.
Daniil Medvedev had a very hard time accepting a Washington quarterfinal loss as the former world No. 1 hurled his racket and then also violently hit a metal water bottle against the court moments after his defeat.
With French lucky loser Corentin Moutet up 5-4 up in the third set and Medvedev serving to stay in the match, the No. 8 seed sprayed three double faults. After saving two match points, the Russian faced a third – and it was one of the most insane match points you will ever see as it pretty much featured everything and several stunning shots and escaped. Unfortunately for the 2021 US Open champion, it was the Frenchman who took the point and completed a 1-6 6-4 6-4 upset win.
It wasn't shown on the video above but Medvedev threw his racket after losing the match. Then, when he came to his chair, he further took out his frustration on a water bottle.
O jogo do 🇷🇺MEDVEDEV vs 🇫🇷MOUTET foi paralisado por conta dos raios no 4/5 do terceiro set.
Na retomada, o russo voltou sacando, fez 3 duplas faltas no game e perdeu o jogo.
— Info Tenis Brasil (@InfoTenisBrasil) July 25, 2025
Medvedev's title drought continues
Had Medvedev defeated Moutet, he would have played Alex de Minaur in the Washington semifinal and come two wins away from finally winning his first ATP title since 2023 May. When the Russian claimed the 2023 Rome Masters title, he improved to 20 titles. Since then, he hasn't lifted a title.
This year, Medvedev came close to winning a title on a few occasions – his best chance came in Halle last month, where he finished as runner-up to Alexander Bublik. The Russian former world No. 1 was also a semifinalist at the Indian Wells Masters and Montpellier.
Medvedev now turns his focus to next week's Toronto Masters, where he has a first-round bye.
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.
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'.
🎾 Carlos Alcaraz ha vuelto a los entrenamientos esta mañana en las instalaciones de La Manga Club. pic.twitter.com/xoVFuQ6qMM
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.
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.
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.
World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz will be Toronto top seed.
By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Sunday, July 20, 2025
Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty
A quartet of talented contenders have stepped out of Toronto.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, world No.2 Carlos Alcaraz, Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic and Indian Wells champion Jack Draper have all withdrawn from this month's National Bank Open in Toronto.
Sinner dethroned two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz to win his maiden Wimbledon crown earlier this month.
Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic have been forced to withdraw from the 2025 National Bank Open in Toronto as they recover following Wimbledon. Jack Draper has also withdrawn due to injury.
News of Alcaraz's withdrawal, reported by the Spanish outlet Marca, came after the tournament announced that Sinner, Djokovic and Draper had pulled out.
Draper, who picked up an arm injury after Wimbledon, will also miss Cincinnati.
There has been talk that the ATP's committment to making Masters 1000 two-week events has dampened the enthusiasm of some of the tour's top players to play both. What formerly required a two-week commitment now requires over three weeks.
Home players should enjoy strong support in Toronto, however.
Three Canadians are ranked inside the ATP's Top 40 and earned direct entry into the main draw.
Montreal’s Félix Auger-Aliassime, currently representing Canada in Hopman Cup, will be making his eighth appearance at the NBO. The 28th-ranked Auger-Aliassime reached the 2022 quarterfinals.
No. 30 Denis Shapovalov, who won his second title of 2025 in Los Cabos last night, will also make his eighth appearance at the event. Shapovalov famously upset Rafael Nadal en route to the 2017 semifinals.
Big serving Montreal native Gabriel Diallo will play the Canadian Masters for the fourth time.
“Canada, I can't wait to be back at home and playing in front of all of you at this year's National Bank Open presented by Rogers,” said Félix Auger-Aliassime. "The atmosphere and fans in Toronto are always amazing, and it's not something I take for granted.
"I'm going to give it everything I've got, and I hope that we can go on a deep run together!”
