Archive of posts tagged Wimbledon

Alcaraz on Rivalry: We Don't See A Level Like This

Posted by on

"It's going to be better and better," Carlos Alcaraz said of his rivalry with Jannik Sinner.Alcaraz

By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Sunday, July 13, 2025
Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty

The world's top two players share a major mission—and their rivalry will produce more massive moments, Carlos Alcaraz said.

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner dethroned two-time champion Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to make history as the first Italian to capture a Wimbledon singles crown today.

Tennis Express

Afterward, Alcaraz praised Sinner for an "unbelievable" performance.

The second-ranked Spaniard, who suffered his first major final loss after going 5-0 in his five prior Slam finals, says this Wimbledon showdown is only the beginning.

Alcaraz said the rivalry between the pair is unprecedented on the ATP Tour, they've combined to collect seven straight Grand Slam championships, and will only get stronger as they square off in more finals.

"First of all, I [am] just really, really happy about having this rivalry with him. I think it's great for us, and it is great for the tennis," Alcaraz said after seeing his 20-match Wimbledon winning streak snapped. "Every time we playing against each other, I think our level is really high.

"I think we don't watch a level like this, if I'm honest with you. I don't see any player playing against each other, you know, having the level that we are playing when we face each other.

"I think, as I said many, many times, this rivalry, it's coming better and better. We're building really great rivalry because we're playing final of a Grand Slam, final of Master mills, the best tournament in the world. It's going to be better and better."

The pair produced transcendent tennis with Alcaraz saving three championship points to prevail in record-setting five hour, 29-minute Roland Garros final last month.

The 22-year-old Spaniard said Sinner's ultra-high level of play did not surprise him.

Alcaraz said ultimately the key to the match was Sinner's superior second serve—and the fact the reigning Australian Open and US Open champion repeatedly attacked Alcaraz's second serve sometimes ripping backhand strikes down the line.

Overall, Sinner served a higher percentage—62 percent to 53 percent), won 49 percent of second-serve points played on the Spaniard's second serve and flipped the script on the superior net player. Sinner won 30 of 40 trips to net, compared to 17 of 23 net points for Alcaraz.

"The way he played today, it was really, really high. I didn't surprise at all," Alcaraz said. "I knew he was going to play like this. So it was about some details.

Yeah, I mean, overall he didn't surprise me at all because I know he's a big champion…

"I think the big key was about the second serve. He was returning really well there the second serve that I was hitting. Thanks to that, he was in the position to attack in the second ball every time. So it was really difficult when you are feeling that you just defending all the time and running from side to side all the time."

Reflecting on his first major final loss, Alcaraz said he's "grateful" to Sinner because the No. 1 will force the No. 2 to improve his game.

"Just really grateful for that because it gives me the opportunity to just give my 100% every practice, every day," said Alcaraz, who leads the rivalry 8-5 after Sinner snapped a five-match losing streak vs. the Spaniard. "Just to be better, thanks to that. The level that I have to maintain and I have to raise if I want to beat Jannik is really high.

"So I just really grateful for that."

Sinner's Wimbledon Triumph, By the Numbers

Posted by on

The Italian made history for his country on Sunday at the All England Club. Agassi

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday July 13, 2025

Jannik Sinner made history on Sunday at Wimbledon, defeating Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to become the first Italian to ever win a Wimbledon singles title.

Tennis Express

Before the grass clippings settle let’s have a look at what else Sinner achieved with his run to the title.

4 – Sinner wins his fourth major title, and is by far the most successful Italian player in that regard. Sinner ties Jim Courier, Ken Rosewell and Guillermo Vilas on the all-time men’s singles Grand Slam singles titles list.

20 – Sinner’s 20th overall title puts him in a tie with Daniil Medvedev for fifth on the active ATP title list.

100 – Sinner hit the century mark in Grand Slam matches, improving to 81-19 at the majors. Only one Italian player – Nico Pietrangeli, 94 – has won more.


6 – Sinner became the sixth player to reach four consecutive major finals in the Open Era, joining Agassi, Djokovic, Federer, Laver and Nadal.

By reaching all four major finals in his 23rd major appearance, Sinner has achieved that feat quicker than all but two players – Courier, 19, and Agassi, 22.

4 for 7 – Sinner has won four of the last seven major singles titles on offer, with Alcaraz taking the other three.

3 – With his title, Sinner becomes one of five players aged 23 or under in the Open Era to simultaneously hold three Men’s Singles titles at Grand Slams, along with Connors, Sampras, Federer Nadal.

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.

Djokovic: Reality Hit Me—But Not My Last Wimbledon

Posted by on

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

By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Friday, July 11, 2025
Photo credits: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty

A Jannik Sinner stinging strike dislodged a bit of baseline and snapped Novak Djokovic's head to attention.

The Grand Slam king's quest for a record-setting 25th major championship came to a brutal and painful end on Centre Court today.

Tennis Express

World No. 1 shredded Djokovic 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in today's Wimbledon semifinal striking with the same powerful precision the former No. 1 Djokovic showed for so many years capturing seven Wimbledon championships.

Hobbled from a nasty fall he took in the final game against Flavio Cobolli in the quarterfinals, Djokovic struggled to move laterally and tried to serve-and-volley to shorten points.

Though Djokovic drilled 12 aces against no double faults, he won just 5 of 30 second-serve points and dropped serve five times as Sinner scalded returns.

Afterward, a disconsolate Djokovic conceded "reality hits me" as his body broke down against the top seed.

However, a defiant Djokovic said this was not his last dance at Wimbledon. 

"I would be sad [if it was my last match], but hopefully it's not my last match on the Centre Court," Djokovic told the media afterward. "I'm not planning to finish my Wimbledon career today. So I'm planning to come back definitely at least one more time, play on the Centre Court for sure."

It's the second straight Slam where Sinner shattered Djokovic's major dream.

At Roland Garros last month, the reigning Australian Open and US Open champion conquered Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 7-6(3) handing the owner of 100 career titles his first Slam semifinal straight sets loss in 15 years.

Today, Sinner repeated the feet as Djokovic was clearly compromised physically though he declined to discuss his injury issues.

The 38-year-old Serbian superstar said a major challenge is the wear and tear his body absorbs reaching the latter stages of Slams.

So by the time Djokovic gets to Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz, he feels like a race car running on a half-empty gas tank.

"It's just age, the wear and tear of the body. As much as I'm taking care of it, the reality hits me right now, last year and a half, like never before, to be honest," a candid Djokovic said. "It's tough for me to accept that because I feel like when I'm fresh, when I'm fit, I can still play really good tennis. I've proved that this year."

The best-of-five set Slam format has proved problematic for Djokovic, one of the greatest best-of-five-set players in Open Era history, when facing two explosive champions 15 years younger.

"I guess playing best-of-five, particularly this year, has been a real struggle for me physically," Djokovic said. "The longer the tournament goes, yeah, the worse the condition gets. I reach the final stages, I reach the semis of every slam this year, but I have to play Sinner or Alcaraz.

"These guys are fit, young, sharp. I feel like I'm going into the match with tank half empty."

Asked to assess Sunday's final (11 a.m. Eastern time, 4 p.m. London time), Djokovic, who lost to Alcaraz in the last two Wimbledon finals, gives the second-seeded Spaniard a slight edge over Sinner.

"I think I will give a slight edge to Carlos as a favorite because of the two titles he's won here and the way he's playing and the confidence he has right now," Djokovic said. "But it's just a slight advantage 'cause Jannik is hitting the ball extremely well. I think it's going to be, again, a very close matchup like we had in Paris, yeah."

Wimbledon 2025 Day Twelve Recap

Posted by on

Wimbledon’s final weekend is set, and it’s the showdown everyone hoped for. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will meet in the 2025 men’s final after both came through their semi-finals on Day Twelve, though in very different ways. Sinner produced a near-flawless performance to dispatch a hampered Novak Djokovic in straight sets, reaching his first …

Fritz: Comparing Unbelievable Sinner to Unpredictable Alcaraz

Posted by on

US Open finalist Taylor Fritz on differences between the world's top two reigning Grand Slam champions.Australian Open

By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Friday, July 11, 2025
Photo credits: Jon Buckle/ROLEX

Confronting reigning Grand Slam champions Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in a major is a devastating degree of difficulty.

US Open finalist Taylor Fritz has faced the the world's top two players in Grand Slams and offered unique insight into the similarities and differences of the two superstars.

Tennis Express

Together, reigning US Open and Australian Open champion Sinner and Roland Garros and Wimbledon winner Alcaraz have combined to capture the last six straight Grand Slam championships.

World No. 1 Sinner will square off against two-time Wimbledon winner Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final on Sunday at 4 p.m.

After bowing to Alcaraz in a fierce four-setter in today's semifinals, Fritz, who fell to Sinner in the US Open final last September, was asked to compare the challenges each man represents.

The fifth-seeded Fritz said Sinner is an "unbelievable" ball striker, while Alcaraz is the most "unpredictable" player in the sport. 

"I'd say I felt pretty comfortable from the ground with Jannik when we played in Turin. I think Jannik typically has a bigger serve, so it's tougher to get in on his return games," Fritz said after losing to Alcaraz 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(6) in today's first semifinal. "For me, from the ground I think I had more success rallying and playing with Jannik because he plays a bit flatter, and it's a little bit more predictable. He's unbelievable at what he does playing from the baseline.

"I think Carlos is a little more unpredictable with the slicing and the coming to net and the dropshots. Carlos has a lot of different ways to play.

"I also think Carlos, one thing he does, when he whips his forehand cross, there's a lot of movement away, which is difficult. Jannik is more through the court, which for some people… Just depends who you're playing."

Rocking the red clay with fearless drives, Alcaraz fought off three championship points, battled back from a two-set deficit for the first time in his life and out-dueled Sinner 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(2) to successfully defend his Roland Garros title in a dazzling and epic final last month.

The longest French Open final in history was a five hour, 29-minute thrill ride that will go down as a match for the ages.

Prior to that final, Hall of Famer Andre Agassi summed up the Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry as "the best pure ball striker versus the flying saucer."

Today, Fritz said both champions generate massive "raw power" and suggested he'd probably prefer playing the world No. 1—primarily because Alcaraz's speed and versatility is so unsettling.

"For me personally, I'd rather probably deal with the flat one than the ball that's working away from me," Fritz said. "They both generate a lot of just, like, raw power. But I think for me it's a little more uncomfortable to play Carlos just because of the unpredictability of what he's going to do.

"I think I play a lot off of anticipation. You never know what Carlos might just hit like a short kicker and serve and volley on like a 15-30 or something like that, which I feel like if I'm playing Jannik, that's something that's probably not going to happen."

The greatest similarity between the world's top two?

The 27-year-old Fritz said it's a major educational experience to face either champion in a Grand Slam match.

"Every time I play these guys, I learn a lot about what I need to do to improve and get better," Fritz said. "Moving ahead, I just want to keep working on the things that are going to get me better, that are going to help me compete with these guys because at the end of the day, my ultimate goal is to win a slam. I think I'm going to have to at some point beat these guys to do it. It's obviously a tough ask.

"Like I said, if I keep putting myself in these situations and playing them, I learn more about my game and what I need to do differently and what I need to do better to get to that level."

Alcaraz vs Sinner, Wimbledon Final, By the Numbers

Posted by on

Get primed for a blockbuster Wimbledon men's final, by the numbers. Carlos Alcaraz

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday July 11, 2025

The 138th Open era staging of Wimbledon has produced a blockbuster final on the men’s side. It’s all down to top-seeded Jannik Sinner and second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz, the tournament’s top two seeds, on Sunday.

Tennis Express

As the pair prepare to contest their second Grand Slam final, and first at Wimbledon, we take a deep dive for a number crunch.

8-4 – Alcaraz holds the 8-4 lifetime edge against Sinner, and he has now won five in a row against Sinner, including a victory over the Italian at last month’s Roland-Garros final, where he saved three championship points and rallied from two sets down to hand Sinner his first defeat in a major final.

5-0 – Alcaraz is undefeated in major finals thus far in his career. Only Monica Seles (6) and Roger Federer (7) have won more major finals without suffering a first loss in the Open Era.

7 – Either Alcaraz or Sinner have won each of the last seven major singles titles, dating back to the 2024 Australian Open.

5 – Number of players that have won Wimbledon men’s singles titles since 2003. Sinner bids to join, Federer (8), Djokovic (7), Nadal (2), Murray (2), Alcaraz (2) on the list as No.6.

20 – Alcaraz rides a 20-match Wimbledon winning streak into the final, and he's on a 24-match winning streak overall. 

3-1 – Sinner, who is bidding to become the first Italian to win a Wimbledon singles title, has won three of his previous four Grand Slam finals.

2008 – Alcaraz and Sinner are the first pair of men to contest finals in Paris and Wimbledon in the same year since Federer and Nadal in 2008. They are the second duo to achieve the feat in the Open Era.

93-9 – Sinner has won all but nine of his matches since the start of 2024, but Alcaraz has defeated him five times in that span.

1 – Sinner has taken the pair’s only grass court meeting at Wimbledon. He defeated Alcaraz in four sets in the round or 16 at the Championships.

3 – Alcaraz is bidding to become the fifth player in Open Era history to successfully complete a three-peat at Wimbledon, joining Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

11 – Sinner has reached at least the final at all four majors, and he is the 11th man to achieve the feat in the Open Era. Alcaraz has yet to join the least.

6 – Alcaraz is bidding to win his sixth major title. If he is successful he will go down as the second youngest player to win six majors, older only than Bjorn Borg.

Wimbledon | Anisimova upsets Sabalenka to reach final

Posted by on

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

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

Wimbledon | Swiatek breezes past Bencic into The Championship Final

Posted by on

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

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

Wimbledon | Mixed champions Verbeek & Siniakova lift first silverware of The Championships

Posted by on

Dutch Sem Verbeek & Katerina Siniakova from Czechia landed the first title of this year’s Championships, when they completed their dream Wimbledon run on Thursday, lifting the Mixed Doubles trophies after holding their nerve in a tight 7-6(3) 7-6(3) win in the final against home favourite Joe Salisbury & Luisa Stefani from Brazil.

The post Wimbledon | Mixed champions Verbeek & Siniakova lift first silverware of The Championships appeared first on Tennis Threads Magazine.

Wimbledon | Alcaraz gets the better of Fritz to reach final

Posted by on

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

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

Wimbledon | Fritz scrapes into S/F to face an imprerious Alcaraz

Posted by on

The last time an American won Wimbledon was 25 years ago courtesy of Pete Sampras and there is an outside chance that the trophy might go back to the US this year after the first step was taken by Fritz Taylor who defeated Karen Khachanov to reach the semi-finals for the first time. His American […]

The post Wimbledon | Fritz scrapes into S/F to face an imprerious Alcaraz appeared first on Tennis Threads Magazine.

Alcaraz: Grass Game Most Beautiful Form of Tennis

Posted by on

"The style that the people bring to the court when they play on grass, I think is so beautiful," Carlos Alcaraz said. Alcaraz

By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Saturday, June 28, 2025
Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport

An old adage states beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Grass-court tennis is the game’s most alluring surface for Carlos Alcaraz.

Tennis Express

Two-time Wimbledon champion Alcaraz proclaims the lawn game is the most transcendent tennis for players and fans.

“I think the most beautiful tennis that we can watch is on grass,” Alcaraz told the media at Wimbledon today. “The style that the people bring to the court when they play on grass, I think is so beautiful.

“The sound of the ball. The movement is really tough, but when you get it, it's kind of you're flying (smiling).”

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

A post shared by Wimbledon (@wimbledon)

Grass rewards the five-time Grand Slam champion’s athleticism, aggression and all-court acumen, which are among the reasons Alcaraz loves lawns.

“It's just pretty well to me because I really want to hit slices, dropshots, going to the net all the time, playing aggressively,” Alcaraz said. “I think on grass it's the style that you have to play. So that's what I like the most.”

Riding a career-best 18-match winning streak into his Wimbledon title defense, Alcaraz opens Centre Court play against Italian veteran Fabio Fognini on Monday at 1:30 p.m.

It’s Alcaraz's first match since he beat Jiri Lehecka to win Queen’s Club—his fourth career grass-court championship equaling Rafa Nadal and Feliciano Lopez for most by a Spanish man in the Oepn Era.

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

A post shared by Wimbledon (@wimbledon)

The two-time reigning Roland Garros and Wimbledon winner is aiming to join Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in capturing three consecutive Wimbledon crowns in the Open Era.

Alcaraz said today he’s hunting the title—not necessarily that legacy list.

“I'm coming here thinking that, yeah, I really want to win the title. I really want to lift the trophy,” Alcaraz said. “Not thinking about how much players have done it, you know, winning three Wimbledons in a row.

“I'm just thinking about, okay, I just want to be ready and just want to prepare myself in the best way possible, just to start the tournament with a lot of confident. Obviously I feel a lot of confident right now (smiling).

"But just thinking about still going forward, it's still doing the good things, and start the tournament. So two weeks could be really long on a Grand Slam, but right now I'm not thinking about who I could join if I win three Wimbledons in a row.”

While media and fan speculation over Alcaraz’s relationship with US Open mixed doubles partner Emma Raducanu has run rampant since his UK return, the five-time Grand Slam champion has been busy teeing off with another British major winner.

“I play some golf. Actually, I play with Andy Murray on Monday and a few more players,” Alcaraz said of post Queen’s Club activity. “Just went to the center a little bit. Just wanted to go to the center a little bit, walk around, have a good food, and just having quality time with them doing some stuff that probably I wouldn't be able to do it while the tournament is on.”

Wimbledon | Preview – Whose year is this? Sabalenka, Gauff, Pegula or dark horse Swiatek?

Posted by on

The draw for the Ladies Singles Championships was made on Friday, including direct entries, wild-cards and qualifiers, all 128 of them, who now know who they must face to advance from Monday onwards, if they are to stay in the running to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish on Saturday 12 July.   

The post Wimbledon | Preview – Whose year is this? Sabalenka, Gauff, Pegula or dark horse Swiatek? appeared first on Tennis Threads Magazine.

Djokovic's Last Wimbledon Dance?

Posted by on

The Grand Slam king talks up his chances ahead of his Alexandre Muller

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday June 28, 2025

He’s 38. He’s done everything there is to do in the sport. Well, almost everything…

Tennis Express

Novak Djokovic doesn’t stand atop the all-time Wimbledon men’s singles titles list, and he isn’t the oldest man to ever win a major singles title. If he can somehow find a way to be the last man standing at the end of this Wimbledon fortnight, he could add a few select chapters to his voluminous legacy.

At Wimbledon, most agree that it is Djokovic’s best chance. The Serbian legend himself said so on Saturday during his pre-tournament media conference. Maybe it’s even his last chance?

“I would probably agree that Wimbledon could be the best chance [for a 25th Grand Slam title] because of the results I have had, because of how I feel, how I play in Wimbledon, just getting that extra push mentally and motivation to perform the best tennis at the highest level,” he said.

Djokovic, who enters these Championships with a 97-12 record on his hallowed Wimbledon grass, hopes it isn’t his last dance at Wimbledon, but he admits it is a possibility.

“Whether it could be my last dance, I'm not sure,” he said. “My wish is to play for several more years. I would love to be healthy physically and also mentally motivated to keep on playing at the highest level. That's the goal, but you never know at this stage.”

Djokovic has been defeated in the final by Carlos Alcaraz in successive years, in five sets in 2023 and in straight sets last year.

He hopes that his form at the majors means he’ll be able to find his way back to another final, and maybe even win it.

Grand Slams stay quite consistent, quarters or semi-finals except for the US Open. That's a good sign. These tournaments give me the biggest drive still. Australia and at Roland-Garros showed me that I can still play on a very high level at the later stages.”

Djokovic will face France’s Alexandre Muller in the first round at Wimbledon.

Emotional Evans Appreciating Every Moment of Resurgence

Posted by on

The Brit is into the quarterfinals at Eastbourne, and taking aim at the Top 100bank

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday June 25, 2025

Dan Evans said at Roland-Garros that one of his big goals for the season was to work his way back inside the Top 100 so he can be a part of the Grand Slams.

Tennis Express

He won’t need that ranking next week at Wimbledon, where he’s been granted a wild card, but Evans took a step in that direction nevertheless on Wednesday at Eastbourne with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win over American Tommy Paul.

Afterwards the 35-year-old British, a former World No.21 now ranked 170, celebrated emphatically as he took his place in the quarterfinals alongside American Jenson Brooksby.

Evans reached his first quarterfinal since 2023 with a convincing performance over the World No.13 in two hours and 13 minutes. He squandered a break advantage in the third set but quickly regained it back, then served out the match with four consecutive points from 0-15 down in the final game.

“To be honest, I felt good serving for the match,” Evans said after becoming the fifth oldest quarterfinalist in tournament history. “It was more one-love in the second where I started thinking about the finish line, which is an error.


“I just said to myself: ‘enjoy this, this is what it’s about. I played much better tennis when I stopped worrying about what he was doing.”

Evans was close to tears as he addressed the crowd after his victory. He is already up to 154 in the live rankings with today’s win, and would get close to 140 with a win over Brooksby on Thursday.

“I know I’ve done the work as well, he said. “Once I got some confidence, and I knew the work was in the bank.

“A good friend said: ‘if you are ready and the door opens, you’ll walk through it, and if you’re not, you won’t.’ There’s been no truer words for me in the past few weeks.”

Navratilova: WTA Wrong Permitting Trans Women to Play Women's Tennis

Posted by on

"There is no ban on trans women in sports. They just need to compete in the proper category which is the male category," Martina Navratilova tells BBC in a new interview.Ashitha Nagesh

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, June 19, 2025
Photo credit: Avantist

Martina Navratilova says the WTA is wrong to permit transgender women to play women's tennis.

Hall of Famer Navratilova says allowing transgender women to compete against biological women not only creates an unfair playing field, it takes job opportunities away from biological women because "now a male has taken her place."

Tennis Express

In a wide-ranging new interview with BBC's Ashitha Nagesh, the former world No. 1 reiterated her long-stated stance that the WTA is wrong in allowing trans women to compete on the Tour.

"There should be no ostracism, there should be no bullying," Navratilova told BBC. "But male bodies need to play in male sports. They can still compete. There is no ban on transwomen in sports.

"They just need to compete in the proper category which is the male category. It's that simple."

The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion suggested women are being treated as second-class citizens in their own sport. Navratilova said it's frustrating and wrong that "we always seems to put trans rights ahead of women's rights."

"By including male bodies in the women's tournament, now somebody is not getting into the tournament – a woman is not getting into the tournament because now a male has taken her place," Navratilova told BBC.

For years, Navratilova has been one of the most outspoken critics of the WTA policy on trans women playing tennis, writing a controversial editorial for The Times on the topic.

Here is the WTA rule on transgender women competing on the women's tour from the WTA Rulebook:

"Eligibility conditions for biological males with a female or non-binary gender identity In cases falling within clause 2.1.2, to be eligible to compete in WTA Tournaments, a biological male with a female or non-binary gender identity must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the WTA Medical Manager that they meet each of the following requirements (together, the Eligibility Conditions): They must provide a written and signed declaration, in a form satisfactory to the WTA, that their gender identity is female or non-binary, and they must maintain a female or non-binary gender identity for so long as they wish to retain eligibility to compete in WTA Tournaments.

"Before they compete in their first WTA Tournament, the concentration of testosterone in their blood must have been below 2.5 nmol/L continuously for the previous twenty four (24) months. The concentration of testosterone in their blood must remain below 2.5 nmol/L at all times thereafter (i.e., whether they are in competition or out of competition) for so long as they wish to retain eligibility to compete in WTA Tournaments."

In a Wimbledon press conference last July, a journalist asked: "Martina, have you faced any backlash regarding your comments on women's tennis and transgender players?"

Navratilova replied: "Where have you been?

"Backlash? Where have you been? I've been jettisoned by a lot of the groups in the LGBT community," Navratilova replied. "But, you know, I've been speaking my mind for a long time. I'm not going to change that.

"Yes, it's been pretty rough. But I know I'm on the right side of history. I'm right on most people's opinion about women's sex-based spaces, and especially sports. They need to stay female."

The owner of 59 Grand Slam titles across all disciplines, Navratilova has been branded "transphobic" by some critics, who say this is a human rights issue.

The left-hander has publicly battled figures ranging from soccer star Megan Rapinoe to Harry Potter star Daniel Ratcliffe to the USTA over transgender athletes participation in women's sports.

In an interview with Time Magazine last year, Rapinoe suggested Navratilova was not only weaponizing women's sports, she implied critical comments by Navratilova, comedian Dave Chappelle and former ESPN star Sage Steele were leading to violence against trans people.  

“It’s particularly frustrating when women’s sports is weaponized,” Rapinoe told Time Magazine. “Oh, now we care about fairness? Now we care about women’s sports? That’s total b*llsh*t. And show me all the trans people who are nefariously taking advantage of being trans in sports. It’s just not happening…

"Dave Chappelle making jokes about trans people directly leads to violence, whether it’s verbal or otherwise, against trans people. When Martina or Sage or whoever are talking about this, people aren’t hearing it just in the context of elite sports. They’re saying, ‘The rest of my life, this is how I’m going to treat trans people."

Speaking at Wimbledon last July, Navratilova acknowledges it's become a political issue, but maintains she views it as a women's rights issue.

"But the politics have been kind of crazy about that. It's become very political when it shouldn't be when it comes to women's rights," Navratilova said. "We seem to put the trans rights ahead of women's rights, particularly for males that identify as women.

"Women are asked to be kind and be inclusive, yet by including transgender-identified males in women's sports, you're excluding women.

Navratilova said response to her stance has "been pretty rough in the LGBT community," but says she's also received some positive reaction.

"Anyway, it's a long story. I won't go into too many details. Yeah, it's been pretty rough in the LGBT community," Navratilova said. "But at the same time, I went to a drag queen show in Miami a couple months ago. I was wondering how it would be.

"Everybody just couldn't have been nicer, including the drag queens, including everybody else there. I felt very loved by the community as a whole, but you wouldn't think that when you hear from some of those spokespeople at these groups. I'm good where I am and I'll keep fighting the fight."

In an interview with Kara Swisher of New York Magazine's Intelligencer, Navratilova was asked why her position changed on transgender athletes competing in women's sports. Navratilova supported transgender tennis player Dr. Renee Richards playing the WTA Tour in her era. The pair are good friends and Richards later coached Navratilova.

Navratilova asserts she believes trans women will eventually dominate women's sports and says her stance is about creating a level playing field for women rather than excluding and discriminating against trans athletes.

"This is not against trans athletes. This is against male bodies competing as women, if they identify as women," Navratilova told Kara Swisher. "Many sports don’t even have any mitigation, any allowance for lowering the testosterone level, et cetera.

"But what has been proven, even when you do take those testosterone blockers or hormone therapy, even after 15 years, male bodies still retain physical advantage over women athletes.

"So we are not against trans athletes. We are for women athletes to compete in as level a playing field as possible. Which means the males, who now identify as women, should compete in a male category. And women who identify as men but don’t take testosterone can compete as women. Because there is still no advantage physically over other women athletes. That’s all that’s about."

Petra Kvitova, Dan Evans Lead Wimbledon Wild Cards

Posted by on

Two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova will return to SW19.Barbora Krejickova

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport

Petra Kvitova will return to Wimbledon this month.

Two-time Wimbledon winner Kvitova leads the list of Wimbledon wild cards announced today by Tournament Referee Denise Parnell.

Tennis Express

The left-handed Kvitova swept Maria Sharapova to win the 2011 Wimbledon title. Three years later, Kvitova crushed Eugenie Bouchard to capture her second Wimbledon championship.

Eight different women have won the last eight Wimbledon championships, including successive winners from Czechia. Barbora Krejickova is reigning Wimbledon champion. Left-hander Marketa Vondrousova raised the Rosewater Dish in 2023.

The 35-year-old Kvitova is the only non-British player receiving a main-draw singles wild card today.

On the men's side, Briton's Dan Evans is one of seven British men to receive a main-draw wild card.

"I'm the first to harp on about the wild cards. It's not just about one week or one match. It's about what you do 52 weeks of the year," Evans told the media on Monday in comments published by BBC. "Tennis is not just about the grass court season in Britain. It's great that we've got an amazing set of events, but there is other tournaments.

"I haven't been good enough at those other tournaments, but I've still been professional, still train day in, day out."

Here's the list of Wimbledon wild cards announced today.

Wimbledon Men's Main Draw Wild Cards

Jay Clarke (GBR)
Oliver Crawford (GBR)
Dan Evans (GBR) 
George Loffhagen (GBR)
Johannus Monday (GBR)
Jack Pinnington Jones (GBR)
Henry Searle (GBR)
One more to be announced 

Wimbledon Ladies' Main Draw Wild Cards

Jodie Burrage (GBR)
Harriet Dart (GBR)
Francesca Jones (GBR)
Hannah Klugman (GBR)
Petra Kvitova (CZE)
Mike Stojsavljevic (GBR)
Heather Watson (GBR)
Mingge Xu (GBR)

Wimbledon is set for June 30-July 13th.

Toni Nadal: "Exceptional" Alcaraz Has Skills to Surpass Rafa Nadal's Career

Posted by on

"I am not a fortune teller, but he has the [skills] to surpass [Rafa Nadal]," Toni Nadal said.Carlos Alcaraz

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, June 13, 2025
Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty

Toni Nadal has spent his coaching career focused on the tennis ball not a crystal ball.

Still, watching an "exceptional" Carlos Alcaraz out-duel world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the longest Roland Garros final in history compels Toni Nadal to a powerful conclusion: Alcaraz has the skills to match—and perhaps surpass—King of Clay Rafael Nadal's career.

Tennis Express

Toni Nadal, uncle and original coach of Rafa Nadal, met Spanish media at "The Battle Of Stars" celebrity golf pro-am in Mallorca on Thursday.

Uncle Toni cites a few reasons why he believes Alcaraz can achieve a career similar to 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal: the reigning Roland Garros and Wimbledon winner is exceptionally skilled, an explosive athlete—and for now the 22-year-old Spaniard's primary rival is Sinner whereas Rafa Nadal had to confront two fellow legends in Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.

"[Carlitos] is an exceptional player who has all the [skills] in the world," Toni Nadal told Spanish media in comments published by AS.com. He's the fastest, he hits it very hard, he hits it well with a drive, with a backhand, the serve has improved a lot…

"I see him as a great player and on top of that I think he has an advantage, today he doesn't have the best Federer or the best Djokovic as rivals. He has a very good one which is Jannik Sinner, but I think the others for him are quite [manageable]."

During the record-setting five hour, 29-minute Roland Garros final on Sunday, TNT analyst and Hall of Famer John McEnroe created controversy—and sparked some backlash from Rafa Nation— declaring the stratospheric level both Alcaraz and Sinner produced would beat prime Nadal in a hypothetical RG final.

"You took a look at them bringing their A-game right now — I'm saying Sinner and Alcaraz against Nadal on clay — you would make a serious argument with both guys that they would be favored to beat Nadal, at his best," McEnroe said. "Do I think they're going to reach, 20, 24 titles either one of them?

"No. Because I think that plateau is so hard it's almost impossible; there's more depth in the game, bigger hitters, and more things happen."

Toni Nadal took his analysis a step further than McEnroe saying Alcaraz, if healthy, can match and perhaps "surpass" his Olympic doubles partner's career.

"I am not a fortune teller, but he has the [skills] to surpass [Rafa Nadal]," Toni Nadal said.