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Laver Cup captain and former world No 3 Yannick Noah believes that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s dominance at the top of the sport is unlikely to stop any time soon.

World No 1 Alcaraz and No 2 Sinner have been by far and away the leading players of the past two seasons, with both men currently over 5,000 points ahead of world No 3 Alexander Zverev in the official ATP Rankings.

Thanks to their recent US Open final, the two are now the first men in the Open Era to meet in three Grand Slam finals in the same season, after previously doing battle at the French Open and Wimbledon in 2025.

The pair have now also won the last eight Grand Slam singles titles between them, with four major titles apiece since the start of 2024.

Sinner is now the winner of four Grand Slam singles titles and will compete for their Career Grand Slam at the 2026 French Open, while six-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz will look to complete the set of majors at the Australian Open.

All eyes are on whether and when anyone could disrupt their duopoly at the very top of the men’s game, with several names being put forward as potential rivals for the pair in the near future.

However, 1983 French Open champion Noah, who will captain Alcaraz for Team Europe at the Laver Cup this week, does not see anyone stepping up to challenge them soon.

Speaking on the Super Moscato Show ahead of his Laver Cup captaincy debut, the former world No 3 predicted big things for Alcaraz and Sinner at Grand Slams over the coming years.

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“For now, there are two of them, not three like back then, with [Andy] Murray in tow,” said Noah.

“Apart from Alcaraz and Sinner, I don’t see who could win one of the next eight Grand Slams. These two players can reach 20 Grand Slam titles.

“They mustn’t get injured, but I think they’re fresh. I think the coaching staff is top-notch. The structure is super well-oiled. You see Alcaraz, the kid is mentally happy. He’s happy. Sinner at 24, you get the impression he has the maturity of a 35-year-old.

“It’s extraordinary to see all that.”

Alcaraz and Sinner’s rivalry has become the biggest storyline of the men’s game in recent years, with two already meeting not only in three straight Grand Slam finals, but 15 times overall.

It is the Spaniard who has had the edge so far, winning 10 of their previous matches, and his greatest victory may have been his stunning comeback in this year’s French Open final.

In what proved to be the longest French Open final of the Open Era, Alcaraz came from two sets down and saved three championship points to defend his title

Reflecting on watching that match courtside, Noah revealed it was one of the most “extraordinary” matches he had seen.

He added: “For the record, I was sitting in the second row.

“I sat down and from the first point of the match, I don’t know if it was PlayStation, but they were playing at 10,000 miles an hour. Technically and physically, it was extraordinary. They hit in all directions. There was a dramatic side with the match point.

“And what’s more, I found Sinner so classy in defeat. It was so beautiful. It was a very beautiful final on all levels, it had everything.”

Read Next: Full Laver Cup line-ups confirmed: Does Team Europe or Team World have the strongest squad?

The post Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner told they can win ‘next 8 Grand Slam titles’ in bold prediction appeared first on Tennis365.

Novak Djokovic was a prominent face in the crowd as Greece played Brazil in a tense Davis Cup tie last weekend and it seems the Greek people will be seeing a lot more of the tennis icon.

Djokovic received a huge ovation from tennis fans in attendance as he took his seat to watch local hero Stefanos Tsitsipas take on Brazilian wonderkid Joao Fonseca, as he opted out of playing for Serbia in the Davis Cup.

The 38-year-old will be pondering what comes next in his career after he was beaten by Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open semi-finals, as he ended a second straight year without landing the 25th Grand Slam title he is chasing to complete his legacy.

He has stated time and again that he is more focused on spending time with his young family than spending too long away from home playing tennis tournaments, which explains why he has opted out of playing in most ATP Tour events in 2025.

It seems he is also setting up a base for his family once his tennis career comes to an end, with widespread reports suggesting Djokovic and his family have moved permanently to Greece.

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According to Tennis24, Djokovic’s children are enrolled at British school St. Lawrence College near Athens, with the family finding a place to live in the southern part of the region.

Djokovic was also reported to have made an appearance at Kavouri Tennis Club, where he mingled with surprised locals and posed for photographs.

The apparent relocation of Djokovic and his family came after he backed student-led protests against Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic and his government last year.

“As someone who deeply believes in the power of young people and their desire for a better future, I believe it is important that their voice be heard,” said Djokovic, in a social media message that supported the young protesters.

“Serbia has enormous potential, and educated youth is its greatest strength. What we all need is understanding and respect.”

Djokovic has rarely dipped his toes into political waters, but there is a belief among many that he could have aspirations to try and have an influence in his Serbian homeland after he retires from tennis.

His status as the ultimate sporting icon of Serbia would give him a huge head start if he opted to start a political career, but he downplayed those rumours last year.

“I do not have any political inspirations at the moment,” the 24-time Grand Slam champion said.

“I don’t feel that this is a world or an environment where I would thrive. But I do think that my popularity in the country and in the region can be used for some other things where I can help contribute to life and society.”

Djokovic has spoken about his passion for a peaceful world many times in his extended interviews, with his thoughtful and forthright views on the world giving him a chance to make a big impression in the political world if that is a pathway he warns to when tennis is in his past.

READ NEXT: Why the Serbian government ‘set its sights’ on Novak Djokovic with a smear campaign

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Emma Raducanu would have been hoping to kickstart her 2025 Korea Open campaign with a big win on Tuesday — but, unfortunately for the British star, the weather Gods had different plans.

The second day of action at the WTA 500 event in Seoul was greatly affected by rain, with only one match completed inside the Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Center on Tuesday due to poor conditions in the Korean capital.

That match is of significance to Raducanu and opening-round opponent Jaqueline Cristian, with the winner of that now set to face two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova in round two; the Czech dispatched Tatiana Prozorova 6-1, 6-2 on Centre Court.

With Wednesday’s order of play now reshuffled due to the limited play on Tuesday, Raducanu and Cristian have now learned when they will finally take to the court.

When will Raducanu play her opening match?

Raducanu and Cristian were initially set to be the third match on Centre Court on Tuesday, starting not before 17:30 local time.

As rain delays disrupted the opening hours of play, several matches at the tournament were postponed for the day, including Sorana Cirstea versus Lin Zhu — the match directly before Raducanu and Cristian’s showdown.

However, organisers were ultimately left with no choice but to postpone their match until Wednesday, with the rain returning quickly after Krejcikova’s quick win in the Korean capital.

Raducanu and Cristian will now be the second match on Centre Court on Wednesday, following the conclusion of the opening match between Cirstea and lucky loser Anastasia Zakharova, who has replaced Zhu in the draw.

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The match between world No 33 Raducanu and world No 41 Cristian will not start before 14:00 local time, which will mean a start time of around 06:00 in the UK, or 01:00 on the US East Coast.

After Raducanu and Cristian’s match, sixth seed and defending champion Beatriz Haddad Maia will take to court for her opening match against wildcard Dayeon Back.

Later on in the day on Centre Court, Maya Joint faces seventh seed Sofia Kenin, before third seed Clara Tauson — who received an opening-round bye — takes on Eva Lys.

Whoever wins between Raducanu and Cristian is set to return to court on Thursday for their match against former world No 2 Krejcikova, who is currently ranked 39th in the world.

Thursday will also see current world No 2 and top seed Iga Swiatek make her debut appearance at the tournament, with the six-time Grand Slam champion facing the winner of Cirstea or Zakharova.

Should Swiatek prevail, she would then face one of Raducanu, Cristian, or Krejcikova in Friday’s quarter-final.

However, rain is also forecast for Seoul on Wednesday, meaning Raducanu, Cristian & co could yet face further delays in the tournament.

The good news for the tournament is that Thursday and Friday currently have clear forecasts as things stand, which would allow the event to catch up on matches should they face further delays.

Read Next: Aryna Sabalenka & Iga Swiatek set to break controversial WTA Rankings rule for second straight year

The post When will Emma Raducanu play her first Korea Open match after rain delay? appeared first on Tennis365.

Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek have been the WTA Tour’s top two players this year in terms of ranking points won, and both will look to finish their strong 2025 campaigns on a high.

Both world No 1 Sabalenka and world No 2 Swiatek have tasted Grand Slam success this season, and will look to add to the growing trophy cabinets this Autumn, with a string of big events to come over the next two months.

Last year’s Asian swing saw a significant rankings manoeuvre when Sabalenka returned to the top at the expense of Swiatek, when the WTA Tour’s controversial mandatory rules took effect, and it looks likely that both women could be impacted by the rule once again in 2025.

What are the current WTA mandatory rules?

Currently, top WTA players such as Sabalenka and Swiatek are expected to compete in potentially 21 events across a season.

That starts with the four Grand Slam tournaments, and is then followed by the 10 WTA 1000 events.

However, that is then followed by the expectation that players enter six WTA 500 events across a season, and then the WTA Finals at the end of the year, should they have qualified.

Ultimately, not all of these events are factored into someone’s WTA ranking, with a maximum of 18 tournaments considered for any woman’s ranking; this is increased to 19 should they reach the WTA Finals.

The 18 events included are all four Grand Slams, six combined WTA 1000 events, one WTA-only 1000 event, and the seven best results from the remaining events of any player.

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If players have not competed in enough events outside of the Grand Slam or WTA 1000 tournaments, what is known as a ‘zero-pointer’ is factored into their WTA Ranking.

This is where zero points from a WTA 500 event a player did not compete at are added onto their ranking, with points from another event removed — usually a higher-level event where the player won the fewest points.

Last year, Swiatek and Sabalenka were both affected by this.

Swiatek’s 120 points from the Miami Open were initially removed, with Sabalenka dropping 10 points from the Dubai Tennis Championships.

The Pole would then lose a further 130 points the following week, with Sabalenka losing a further 65 points.

What WTA 500 events have Sabalenka and Swiatek played?

As it stands, it looks likely that both Sabalenka and Swiatek will miss out on fulfilling the mandatory WTA 500 event requirement for 2025.

Swiatek is set to be in WTA 500 action at the Korea Open this week, in what will be her fourth event at that level this season.

The Pole previously competed at the United Cup, which counts as a 500-level event, as well as at the Bad Homburg Open and the Stuttgart Open.

Swiatek is set to play the WTA 1000 events in Beijing and Wuhan before the WTA Finals, and is unlikely to want to add another WTA 500 event into her schedule before then.

Similarly, Sabalenka is likely to only play those three events for the remainder of 2025 and will miss the WTA mandatory requirements if so.

The world No 1 has competed at the WTA 500 Brisbane International, Stuttgart Open, and Berlin Open this season, meaning she is set to fall three events short.

The implementation of the mandatory WTA Rankings requirements will likely take place in the weeks heading into the WTA Finals, when it becomes impossible for a player to achieve the requirements.

The rule is undoubtedly controversial, but it looks set to affect the WTA’s two leading stars once again.

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The post Aryna Sabalenka & Iga Swiatek set to break controversial WTA Rankings rule for second straight year appeared first on Tennis365.

The debate over what would happen if a top male player played one of the elite female players has been reignited by confirmation that the hardest backhands hit at this month’s US Open were hit by Amanda Anisimova.

On court technology suggested Anismova’s backhand was being struck at 77mph during the final Grand Slam of the tennis year, while defending men’s champion Jannik Sinner hit his backhand at 76mph, on average.

Those numbers sparked an inevitable debate around the power battle at the top of tennis, with losing finalist Anisimova striking the ball at a velocity that suggests she could compete with some of the biggest names in the men’s game.

Yet the notion that ball speed alone confirms a top female player could take on an elite male player is misguided, as so many aspects would go into a contest if we were to see it for real.

There are suggestions that world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka will play former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios early in 2026, with that contest likely to provide another snapshot of a debate that was answered by Serena Williams long ago.

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“For me, men’s tennis and women’s tennis are completely, almost two separate sports,” she said on an American chat show in 2017.

“So I am like: ‘If I were to play Andy Murray, I would lose 6-0 6-0 in maybe five to six minutes, maybe 10 minutes’. It’s true.

“It’s a completely different sport, the men are a lot faster and they serve harder, they hit hard, it’s just a different game. And I love to play women’s tennis. And I only want to play girls because I don’t want to be embarrassed.”

Improved racket technology and strings development may have allowed women to close the power gap on men since Williams made those comments and her former coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, has given his verdict on the debate in a post on LinkedIn.

“I can’t count how many times I’ve been sent this stat: Anisimova’s backhand was faster than those of Alcaraz and Sinner during the US Open,” wrote Mouratoglou.

“Here’s another intriguing fact from the broadcast: Sabalenka’s numbers are just as impressive.

“Honestly, I’m not surprised. First, because we’re talking about the backhand.

“Anisimova trusts hers 100%. She goes full throttle with minimal spin, sending the ball low over the net but with exceptional pace.

“Compared to the men’s shots, her backhand travels faster and stays lower, generating more speed.

“Of course, that comes with increased risk. She plays close to the line and embraces a high-risk style, reminiscent of Ostapenko in this regard.

“I also see similarities between Anisimova and Jessica Pegula in their timing. Both unlock effortless power thanks to their precise timing and technique.

“In women’s tennis, taking calculated risks and hitting flatter shots is a powerful strategy. Men cover the court much more quickly—that’s the key reason. Early, strong shots to open the court often pay off in the women’s game.

“So yes, you read that right – some women are consistently hitting shots faster than Alcaraz and Sinner. But above all, it’s not that surprising.”

While this is a fun topic that will always divide opinions, tennis should focus with pride on the equality it has always inspired among both female and male players.

This is the only sport where equal prize money is not disputed at the highest level and both sets of athletes compete on the same stage.

The revamped mixed doubles tournament at the US Open was a snapshot of what could happen when top female players try to return serves from their male counterparts and in general, they confirmed they could make some solid returns.

Maybe we will get more insight into this fascinating battle of the sexes if Sabalenka and Kyrgios tee off against each other in the coming months.

READ NEXT: The ‘real’ tennis rankings revealed – Sabalenka, Swiatek, Osaka and Raducanu in the mix

The post Amanda Anismova’s incredible backhand speed sparks tennis gender debate appeared first on Tennis365.

The WTA Tour has an array of rising young stars who look set to take the tennis world by storm over the next few years, and now another player has forced her way into that conversation.

Few would have been aware of Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah heading into the SP Open Sao Paulo this week, though the 19-year-old now finds herself a WTA champion after her triumph at the WTA 250 event.

Having surged up to a new career-high ranking of world No 131 in this week’s WTA Rankings, the French star — who prefers to go by Sarah Rakotomanga — looks set for further big breakthroughs over the coming weeks and months; here is all you need to know about the rising star.

Early life and background

Rakotomanga Rajaonah was born in Antsirabe, Madagascar in December 2005 to parents of Malagasy heritage, and moved to France as a young girl, living in Montpellier.

She began playing tennis at the age of six, inspired by both Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal, and trains across both Toulouse and Plaisir in France.

Career to date

The Frenchwoman has so far spent the bulk of her career competing on the ITF Tour, with four career titles at ITF level to date.

Rakotomanga Rajaonah defeated Alba Rey García to win her first ITF title in Valencia in December 2022, and has won further titles in Melilla, Gonesse, and Arequipa since then.

Before her run in Sao Paulo, she reached what was the biggest final of her career to date at the W100 Open de Biarritz in June 2025, falling to Mayar Sherif in the final.

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WTA Tour experience

Aged only 19, the French star has only limited WTA Tour experience, with her Sao Paulo Open triumph coming in just her third main-draw appearance at tour level.

Rakotomanga Rajaonah made her WTA Tour-level debut at the Rouen Open earlier this year, taking a wildcard into qualifying before beating both Emily Appleton and qualifying top seed Jessika Ponchet to reach the main draw.

In her first-ever tour-level main draw match, the teen star stunned seventh seed Lucia Bronzetti with an impressive 6-2, 6-3 victory, before beating Jaqueline Cristian by the same scoreline to reach the last eight of the WTA 250 event.

Her campaign was ended in the last eight by Suzan Lamens, though it was a huge step forward for Rakotomanga Rajaonah — and she then made her Grand Slam main draw debut later that spring.

She received a wildcard into her home Grand Slam at the French Open, where she fell in the opening round to Spanish qualifier Leyre Romero Gormaz in straight sets.

Rakotomanga Rajaonah also received a wildcard into the women’s doubles event at Roland Garros, with she and Émeline Dartron falling in their opening match.

After an opening-round defeat in US Open qualifier, the 19-year-old entered the SP Open and qualified for the main draw, battling from the brink of defeat to beat Ana Sofía Sánchez in round one.

She would later beat both eighth seed Panna Udvardy and fifth seed Renata Zarazua to reach the final, before beating Tjen in the championship match.

Read Next: What prize money & points did Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah earn at SP Open?

The post Who is Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah? Rising French WTA Tour star appeared first on Tennis365.

Iga Swiatek is set to kickstart her Asian swing with a debut appearance at the Korea Open this week — though is the Pole fit ahead of her return to action?

World No 2 and six-time Grand Slam singles champion Swiatek has not been in action since the US Open earlier this month, where her campaign was ended by Amanda Anisimova at the quarter-final stage.

In the days after the match, the 24-year-old — who triumphed at Wimbledon earlier this year — revealed on social media that she had been “managing” a foot issue and had been “pushing through a lot” across her campaign, thanking US Open physios and medical staff for their support.

Swiatek’s comments on social media led some to believe that the Pole would hold a managed schedule across the Asian swing, with the Korea Open in Seoul an event that she could consider withdrawing from.

However, the world No 2 has been in Seoul for a handful of days and is the top seed at the WTA 500, with Swiatek still the favourite for the title despite a tricky draw early on in the Korean capital.

And, in encouraging news for the tournament and her fans, the 24-year-old has revealed she is not playing with “any pain”, even if she is short of time on the court.

She said: “I haven’t been practising a lot because I needed time to recover and to do everything to just be ready to play matches.

“So physically, I feel great. I feel like I need to practice some more, but I don’t have any pain or anything. It’s all good.”

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After winning Wimbledon, the Pole did not take too much time away from the court, reaching the fourth round of the Canadian Open just weeks later.

That was followed by her run to the Cincinnati Open title and then her US Open mixed doubles campaign straight afterwards, with her and partner Casper Ruud reaching the final of the revamped event.

A rumour did emerge that the mixed doubles was the cause of Swiatek’s foot issue, with the Pole not convincing across most of her women’s singles campaign.

However, in an interview with sport.pl, Swiatek’s coach Wim Fissette debunked such talk.

“I’m not one to judge whether the mixed doubles made things worse,” said Fiessette.

“I talked to Maciej [Ryszczuk, Swiatek’s physiotherapist] about it. I asked him if it was something we shouldn’t have done, looking back. He didn’t think it made much difference.

“The root of the problem turned out to be the tournament in Cincinnati, where it was really hot, which in Iga’s case, with her sliding and intense movement, is even more important. I think it was just bad luck.

“Of course, we’re trying to learn from it and see how we can do things better. Maybe we should tap more often when it’s really hot, when there’s a higher risk of blisters, maybe we should change our socks or shoes more often.

“We’ve talked about how to avoid this in the future and hopefully it won’t happen again.

“Playing with a numb foot means you approach matches with much more thought than a normal match, which was a big challenge. I’m proud of Iga for how she handled it, and I think we can be happy with this [US Open] quarter-final.”

Swiatek has the advantage of extra time to rest ahead of the start of the campaign, with all of the top four seeds receiving an opening-round bye in the main draw.

However, she does not have the easiest pathway through, with Zhu Lin or Sorana Cirstea set to be her opening opponent.

That could then be followed by a quarter-final against eighth seed Emma Raducanu, and potentially a semi-final versus third seed Clara Tauson — who beat her in Montreal this year.

Read Next: Who is Jaqueline Cristian? Emma Raducanu’s first opponent at the Korea Open

The post Iga Swiatek and coach respond to foot injury concerns ahead of Korea Open campaign appeared first on Tennis365.

2025 has been a year of huge breakthroughs for Alex Eala, with the Filipina star making plenty of history throughout her landmark season.

After historic runs at the Miami Open and US Open earlier in the season, Eala won the biggest title of her career at the WTA 125 event in Guadalajara last weekend, and then backed that up with a quarter-final finish at the SP Open in Sao Paulo.

Having competed in back-to-back events in the Americas, the 20-year-old is now among the leading WTA stars heading towards Asia for the upcoming Asian swing, always a crucial part of the season — with plenty of opportunities for several players.

Here, we look at Eala’s potential schedule for the remaining months of 2025.

Jingshan Tennis Open — September 22-28

After her exploits in the Americas, Eala is rather wisely taking a rest week, though she is set to return to action at the Jingshan Tennis Open in China, starting on September 22nd.

The Filipina would have been ranked high enough to enter the China Open, a WTA 1000 event in Beijing, though she has instead decided to compete in the WTA 125 event in Hubei province.

World No 57 Eala is by far and away the highest-ranked player in the draw as things stand, with world No 123 Talia Gibson currently set to be the second seed at the event.

Much like the event she triumphed at in Guadalajara, 125 ranking points are available for the eventual champion, with a total prize money commitment of $160,000.

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On paper, Eala will be a heavy favourite to lift the title at the event.

Where will she play after Jingshan?

After the Jingshan Tennis Open, Eala’s remaining schedule remains a little under the radar.

Currently, the Filipina is not entered into the 2025 Wuhan Open — the second of two WTA 1000 events in China this Autumn — though it is possible she could still receive a wildcard for the event.

Eala received a wildcard to make her event debut back in 2025, though she was beaten in the opening round by Katerina Siniakova; could she look to pick up her first match win at the tournament?

Action in Wuhan starts on October 6th, although there are further WTA 125 events that she could choose to play around that point if she prefers.

The Suzhou Ladies Open, starting on September 29th, and the WTA 125 Jinan Open, beginning on October 13th, are options for the star at WTA 125 level.

There is an array of WTA-level events that Eala may also target across October and November, though an appearance at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok this December is also a possibility.

After winning three bronze medals at the 2021 SEA Games when she was just 16 years old, she could set her sights on gold this year.

Read Next: The Rafa Nadal Academy junior Grand Slam success story: Alex Eala and Ivan Ivanov among young stars

The post Alex Eala’s Asian swing schedule: Where will star play to finish 2025? appeared first on Tennis365.

There were no changes in the top 20 of the WTA Rankings in the first week after the US Open, but several rising stars secured massive boosts with incredible performances at the Guadalajara Open and the SP Open.

The biggest stars on the WTA Tour all took a break after the season-ending Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows with world No 22 Elise Mertens the highest-ranked player in action last week, and she lost in the second round in Mexico, while world No 27 Beatriz Haddad Maia was the top-ranked player in action in Sao Paolo.

As a result, it is a case of as you were as Aryna Sabalenka still leads the rankings by a massive 3,292 points from Iga Swiatek with Coco Gauff another 59 points adrift in third place.

Swiatek will have a chance to chip away at that big lead as she will be in action at the WTA 500 Korea Open and she has no points to defend. Sabalenka and Gauff, meanwhile, will only return to action at the China Open next week.

Sabalenka has now spent 48 consecutive weeks at No 1 for a total of 56 weeks, which puts her at No 13 on the all-time list for most weeks at the top of the WTA Rankings, just eight weeks behind Simona Halep.

Back to the Guadalajara and SP events, the teenagers ruled at both tournaments as 17-year-old Iva Jovic was victorious in Mexico while 19-year-old Tiantsoa Rajaonah – who prefers Sarah Rajaonah – won in Brazil.

Jovic defeated Emiliana Arango in the WTA 500 final and was rewarded with a 37-place surge to help her break into the top 50 for the first time. The American now sits at a new career-high of No 36. Arango has also secured a new high as she is up 33 spots to No 53.

The 19-year-old Nikola Bartunkova and 22-year-old Elsa Jacquemot lost in the semi-finals in Mexico and the former rose 84 places to No 144 while Frenchwoman Jacquemot is up 21 places to No 62.

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Over in Sao Paolo, Rajaonah also claimed her maiden title as she defeated Janice Tjen in the final, resulting in an 83-place surge to new high at No 131.

Rajaonah only made her Grand Slam debut at this year’s French Open after receiving a wildcard, but her wait for a first win continues as she lost in the first round, while Indonesian Tjen won her debut at this year’s US Open before losing in the second round.

Tjen climbed to a new high of No 130 after the US Open and she is now up another 27 places to No 103 after finishing runner-up.

Great Britain’s Francesca Jones reached the semi-final and she is up 12 places to No 73 while Philippines star Alex Eala lost in the quarter-final against Tjen and she is up four places to No 57.

Jones’ compatriot Sonay Kartal was one of the biggest fallers last week as she is down 29 places to No 82.

WTA Rankings Top 20

1. Aryna Sabalenka – 11,225 points
2. Iga Swiatek Poland – 7,933
3. Coco Gauff United States – 7,874
4. Amanda Anisimova United States – 5,159
5. Mirra Andreeva – 4,793
6. Madison Keys United States – 4,579
7. Jessica Pegula United States – 4,383
8. Jasmine Paolini Italy – 4,006
9. Zheng Qinwen China – 4,003
10. Elena Rybakina Kazakhstan – 3,833
11. Ekaterina Alexandrova – 3,026
12. Clara Tauson Denmark – 2,721
13. Elina Svitolina Ukraine – 2,606
14. Naomi Osaka Japan – 2,489
15. Karolina Muchova Czech Republic – 2,488
16. Daria Kasatkina Australia – 2,421
17. Belinda Bencic Switzerland – 2,334
18. Emma Navarro United States – 2,310
19. Diana Shnaider – 2,246
20. Paola Badosa Spain – 2,195

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The WTA Rankings provide a snapshot of the current state of play in the women’s game, but they might not offer an insight into the current form of the top players.

Aryna Sabalenka confirmed she is the queen of women’s tennis as she successfully defended her US Open title earlier this month and she is favourite to finish the year as world No 1.

Her long-time rival is Iga Swiatek is hot on her heels once again after an impressive return to form saw her win her first Wimbledon title in July, yet the current form of the chasing pack may not be refelected in the updated WTA Rankings.

Here is our Tennis365 assessment of the pecking order of the women’s game:

1. Aryna Sabalenka (WTA Rankings No 1)

Sabalenka has been disappointed too many times for her liking in 2025, with her defeats in the Australian Open and French Open finals sparking inner desire to put it right at the US Open.

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The Belarusian responded impressively to lift the title in New York and she is the undisputed world No 1.

2. Iga Swiatek (WTA Ranking No 2)

Swiatek has been one of the big talking points of this tennis season, with her slide in form at the start of the year backed up by a revival that included wins at Wimbledon and the WTA 1000 tournament in Cincinnati.

She fell short of her own expectations at the US Open, but will be a threat heading into the Asian and indoor swing on the WTA Tour.

3. Amanda Anisimova (WTA Ranking – No 4)

The American No 1 is up to No 4 in the WTA Rankings after her thrilling run to the US Open final, but she may well be the third best player in the world right now.

After reaching the final of the last two Grand Slam events, Anisimova has lifted her reputation to an entirely different level and she should be recognised as a contender for all major titles from this point forward.

4. Naomi Osaka (WTA Ranking No 14)

After a solid run of results saw her reach the final of the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal prior to the US Open, Osaka then reached the semi-finals in New York and she had chances to beat Anisimova in that last four match.

Osaka’s game has been unleashed since she exploded back to form after dispensing of the services of coach Patrick Mouratoglou and she will fancy her chances of getting in the mix for another Grand Slam title in 2026.

5. Jessica Pegula (WTA Ranking No 6)

Pegula struggled for large sections of 2026, but she was back to her best as she reached the semi-finals at the US Open and she pushed Sabalenka all the way in that last four contest.

That run should inspire the American to push for more in the final weeks of the season, with her form now pointing in the right direction once again.

6. Elena Rybakina (WTA Ranking No 10)

The former Wimbledon champion has not enjoyed her most consistent season in 2025 for a variety of reasons, but she remains one of the most feared players in the women’s game.

When Rybakina is at her best, she can take anyone to the cleaners, including Sabalenka and Swiatek. The trouble is, she has too many days when he radar it off target.

7. Mirra Andreeva (WTA Ranking No 5)

Still only 18, Andreeva will need time to get her to best and that might not come for another two or three years at least.

If she can avoid injuries and add some more power to her game, this engaging youngster is the player to watch over the next few years.

8. Coco Gauff (WTA Ranking No 3)

It is remarkable to recall that Gauff was French Open champion in June and her game and especially that temperamental serve has fallen part since then.

She needs to take time to get the serving issues resolved with her new technical coach Gavin MacMillan and if that area of her game is repaired, she will instantly be a contender for all the top titles once again.

9. Jasmine Paolini (WTA Ranking No 8)

This has been an up and down season for the Italian who triumphantly lifted the WTA 1000 title in front of her home fans in Rome back in May, with her setback since then more plentiful than her successes.

Paolini’s fine run to the final in Cincinnati last month means she is in contention to seal a place in the lucrative WTA Finals if she can have a strong end to the end.

10. Clara Tauson (WTA Ranking No 12)

Tauson has been a thorn in the side of the top players in women’s tennis this season, with Iga Swiatek and Madison Keys among her victims on her run to the semi-finals in Montreal last month.

A gutsy performer who can get a lot of balls back into court, she is an outside contender to claim on of the eight spots up for grabs in the WTA Finals.

11. Ekaterina Alexandrova (WTA Ranking No 11)

Alexandrova has won the fourth most matches on the women’s tour this year, with only Sabalenka, Swiatek and Pegula claiming more wins.

She has come up short against the biggest hitters in tennis, but is a consistent performer who is currently sitting in tenth place in the WTA Race rankings.

12. Emma Raducanu (WTA Ranking No 34)

Radaucanu’s results against the top players suggest she is still some way off contending for the biggest prizes in tennis, but her record against most players outside of that elite three or four has been exceptional in 2025.

Adding more power to her serve will allow her to stay in matches against players of Sabalenka, Swiatek and Rybakina’s class, but she is knocking on the door of a return to the top ten of the rankings at some point next year if she continues her progress.

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