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Carlos Alcaraz may have had a disappointing few days after he decided to abandon his plans to return to action at this month’s Cincinnati Masters, but he has been given a boost following a shock defeat for Alexander Zverev in Canada.

French Open champion and Wimbledon finalist Zverev was a firm favourite to lift the ATP Masters 1000 title in Montreal, with world No 1 Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic and Alcaraz among the big-name absentees.

Yet the German slipped to a shock defeat in his opening match against Tallon Griekspoor, with the Dutchman coming through 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-4 to secure an impressive win.

“This is one of the most special [wins] I have had,” said Griekspoor. “I have had a very tough season, which is not easy. I have been very close to throwing the towel a couple of times. But I have been working harder and harder lately and reached quite a good level in training in the past couple of weeks.

“I felt like it was just a matter of time. This one is special, especially against a player like Sascha.”

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“We wish him the best with his recovery and look forward to welcoming him back to Cincinnati in the future.”

It was a third win for big-serving Griekspoor in his 12 matches against Zverev, with this latest victory ensuring the German will remain down in third place in the ATP Rankings after he slipped below Alcaraz last Monday.

Yet Zverev is certain to be at No 2 in the rankings by the time of the final Grand Slam of the year, with Alcaraz set to drop 1,000 off his record from last year’s Cincinnati tournament, where he lifted the title.

However, doubts remain over whether Alcaraz will be fit to defend his title in New York after he was forced to pull out of his planned comeback tournament at the Cincinnati Masters that gets underway this week.

While Alcaraz had made progress in his efforts to recover from a wrist injury sustained in the Barcelona Open back in April, his decision to step away from a return next week suggests he will need more time to recover.

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“Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open,” read the official statement. “Wishing all the best to our 2025 champion in his recovery process. Can’t wait to welcome you next year.”

Tournament director Bob Moran added his comments on the news as he said: “We know Carlos is doing everything he can to get back to playing tournaments as soon as possible.”

Alcaraz’s ranking will collapse if he fails to make an appearance at the US Open, as the 2,000 points he won after beating Sinner in last year’s final will fall off his record.

That could see him drop out of the top four of the ATP Rankings if his closest rivals were to enjoy success at Flushing Meadows.

READ NEXT: Cincinnati Open withdrawal list: 8 stars out as Carlos Alcaraz joins Emma Raducanu, Jack Draper next?

The post Carlos Alcaraz handed a temporary rankings boost despite delaying his tennis comeback appeared first on Tennis365.

Carlos Alcaraz’s absence from tennis will go on a little longer as the Spaniard has confirmed he will not be playing the Cincinnati Open this year.

Alcaraz has been out of action since the Barcelona Open, when he suffered a wrist injury in his first round match against Otto Virtanen.

The injury has forced him out Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and a whole host of Masters events, in what is now the longest the star has ever been missing from the ATP Tour.

While it might seem doom and gloom with Alcaraz’s latest withdrawal, there has been a positive update from a reknowned Spanish journalist.

On X, German Abril confirmed the real reason for Alcaraz’s withdrawal and suggested whether the star would now play the US Open at the end of August.

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“It’s a decision that was carefully thought out over time, not made overnight,” said Abril. “The recovery is progressing favorably, but by race times it would arrive very tight to compete in Cincy, and it’s about not taking any risks at any step, especially with the US Open so close on the calendar.

“I mentioned it a month ago. The idea was to reach Cincinnati, but the deadlines would be set by his feelings and those of his team. That he doesn’t make it for Cincy doesn’t imply a step back in the recovery. It’s simply that the readjustment is on the right track, but it requires more time.”

It sounds like Alcaraz is still deep into his recovery, which is good news for tennis fans. The star has been spotted on the court several times in the last few weeks and he has looked like he is reaching his full power.

The US Open will likely be Alcaraz’s next destination and it is a place that holds fond memories for the talented Spaniard.

The star claimed the first Grand Slam title of his career at Flushing Meadows in 2022, when he defeated Casper Ruud in the final.

Two of his seven Grand Slam titles have come at the US Open as he subsequently won the title again last year when he defeated Jannik Sinner in four sets in the final.

His other appearances at the tournament have seen him reach the semi finals, the quarter finals, and be knocked out in the second round of the competition.

Alcaraz will be defending the full 2000 points at the US Open this year, so if he does not have a deep run in New York he could stumble down the ATP Tour rankings.

The post The reason why Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the Cincinnati Open has emerged appeared first on Tennis365.

Alex Eala has made a massive jump in the Race to the WTA Finals, while Aryna Sabalenka has overtaken Mirra Andreeva by the narrowest of margins.

The North American hard-court season got underway last week at the Washington DC Open, and Eala captured the title at the WTA 500 tournament.

The attention of the tennis world is now focused on the Canadian Open, with the WTA 1000 event taking place in Toronto this year.

What is the Race to the WTA Finals?

The eight women who earn the most ranking points in the 2026 season will qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals, which will be held in Indian Wells, United States from 8 to 15 November.

If a current-year Grand Slam champion finishes between ninth and 20th in the Race, they will take the eighth and final qualification spot.

The prestigious tournament was initially due to be staged in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — which hosted the 2024 and 2025 editions — but the venue has been changed to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

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Elena Rybakina is the reigning WTA Finals champion, with the Kazakh star having collected a record-breaking $5,235,000 for winning last year’s event.

The players who finish ninth and 10th will travel to Indian Wells as alternates and have the chance to take the place of any players who withdraw.

The latest Race to Indian Wells rankings

Sabalenka was second in the Race at the start of Toronto, but she moved a single point clear of Andreeva after winning her opening match on Tuesday.

However, Andreeva can reclaim top spot if she defeats Karolina Pliskova in her tricky opener on Wednesday.

Elena Rybakina remains in third position ahead of her first match in Toronto, with the two-time major winner’s last match a third round loss at Wimbledon.

Elina Svitolina’s second round victory at the WTA 1000 event has lifted her to fourth in the Race, with Jessica Pegula — who was a runner-up in Washington DC — dropping to fifth.

Karolina Muchova, who is not playing in Canada after undergoing surgery following her Wimbledon final defeat, has fallen to sixth place.

Linda Noskova and Coco Gauff remain seventh and eighth respectively ahead of their opening matches in Toronto.

Live WTA Race to Indian Wells (as of 5 August)

1) Aryna Sabalenka – 5,010 (+1)
2) Mirra Andreeva – 5,009 (-1)
3) Elena Rybakina – 4,627
4) Elina Svitolina – 4,289 (+2)
5) Jessica Pegula – 4,285 (-1)
6) Karolina Muchova – 4,270 (-1)
7) Linda Noskova – 3,674
8) Coco Gauff – 3,484
Cutoff
9) Marta Kostyuk – 3,275
10) Victoria Mboko – 2,393
11) Sorana Cirstea – 2,055
12) Iga Swiatek – 2,019
13) Diana Shnaider – 1,945 (+2)
14) Alex Eala – 1,887 (+11)
15) Iva Jovic – 1,872 (-2)

Iga Swiatek is still 12th after winning her first match since Wimbledon, and the six-time Grand Slam champion is over 1,400 points adrift of Gauff in the final qualification spot.

Eala‘s maiden career title in Washington DC has seen her soar 11 places to 14th in the Race ahead of her opener in Toronto.

READ NEXT: Alex Eala has ‘put a message out to everybody’ about her US Open title chances

The post WTA Rankings Race To Indian Wells: Alex Eala soars as Aryna Sabalenka overtakes Mirra Andreeva appeared first on Tennis365.

Legendary coach Rick Macci issued a verdict that should worry Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s competitors as he spoke to Tennis365.

Since the start of 2024, Alcaraz and Sinner have captured 10 of the last 11 Grand Slam titles between them, with the pair claiming five each.

Alexander Zverev broke a streak of nine consecutive majors won by either Alcaraz or Sinner by securing his maiden Slam at the 2026 French Open.

Sinner defeated Zverev in the Wimbledon final last month to collect his fifth major. Alcaraz, who won his seventh Grand Slam title at the 2026 Australian Open, missed the last two majors due to a wrist injury.

Macci has coached five players who went on to become world No 1: Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Maria Sharapova and Andy Roddick.

In an exclusive interview, Tennis365 asked Macci if he thinks Sinner and Alcaraz will continue to dominate men’s tennis for the foreseeable future.

“Absolutely, it’s Alcaraz and Sinner — nobody is in their neighbourhood,” said the American. “Listen, anybody can beat anybody, because that’s pro tennis… but no, they’re a cut above, they’re at a totally different level.

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“And if Alcaraz’s wrist is fine, and if Sinner doesn’t have these recurring things that have happened with the heat, it’s the Big Two and then everybody else.

“When it’s all said and done, I could see both of them landing in rare air with Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. That’s how many Slams I feel are on the horizon.

“Alcaraz’s best surface is the one he’s playing on [at the time], so when you have that going for you, that’s a whole different situation.

“So, Alcaraz and Sinner — it’s nothing against any of the other players, it’s nothing against anybody else in the top 10 — it’s just that these two are generational talents. Especially Alcaraz.

“And this is something the world has never seen.”

Djokovic, Nadal and Federer make up the top three for the most men’s Grand Slam titles won in tennis history, with the legendary trio having secured 24, 22 and 20 majors respectively.

From Federer’s first major title at Wimbledon in 2003 to Djokovic’s most recent at the 2023 US Open, the Big Three won a staggering 66 of 81 Grand Slams between them.

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The post Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s rivals get ominous verdict that should worry them appeared first on Tennis365.

Jack Draper returned to action at the Canadian Open, but he suffered an emotional first round exit at the hands of Terence Atmane in Montreal.

The British star has endured a wretched time with injuries over the past 12 months, which has resulted in him playing very little throughout the 2026 season.

Draper missed much of the clay court swing and only played the Eastbourne Open on the grass. His North American swing started with him withdrawing from the Washington Open before receiving a wildcard for the Montreal event.

He looked pretty good against Atmane, who defeated him in an entertaining three set contest, but emotions got the best of the British star on court.

Draper looked to be crying during one changeover, which has caused many fans and pundits to worry about the former world No 4.

Following his exit from the Canadian Open, his upcoming doubles partner at the US Open, Jessica Pegula, has spoken about Draper’s unfortunate moment.

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Speaking in his pre-tournament press conference ahead of the Canadian Open in Toronto, the American said: “Last year, playing mixed doubles with Jack definitely helped my preparation.

“Being able to play three matches on Arthur Ashe helps because it’s a bit of a challenge, with a full crowd and a great atmosphere. Just getting out on the court and winning a few matches always gives you a bit of confidence , no matter what.

“You always hope it will help you in the singles matches. Obviously, you could lose in the first round and maybe it won’t do you much good. Last year, after a tough summer where I didn’t get very good results, it definitely helped me a lot and propelled me to have an excellent US Open and a very good Asian tour.

“But yes, Jack and I hardly spoke before; we barely knew each other. I literally don’t think we exchanged two words. It wasn’t intentional. I don’t feel like we moved in the same circles, for whatever reason. But now, I would say we’re friends and we keep in touch from time to time.”

Pegula was well aware of Draper’s issues on court and sent the British star a touching message.

“I know he’s been having some injury problems, and I saw today that he had a really tough day in his match in Montreal,” said the world No 3.

“I don’t know if we’re going to play; we’re supposed to play. Obviously, I know he’s not at his best, so we’ll see how it goes. But yes, I’ve always been a big fan, and it’s been fun watching him play. He’s a really nice guy, so I enjoy playing with him.

“Yes, it was a little strange how our personalities, in a way, didn’t mesh, but at the same time, they did. It was a little odd. So it was fun, and he made a lot of funny comments, so I hope he recovers soon and we can see him back on the court.”

Draper and Pegula played the US Open mixed doubles last year and reached the semi finals, before they were beaten by Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud.

The post Jessica Pegula reacts to Jack Draper’s emotional exit from the Canadian Open appeared first on Tennis365.

Alex Eala is surely on cloud nine right now following her epic victory at the Washington Open, which confirmed her very first WTA Tour title.

The Filipina star defeated the top three seeds at the WTA 500 event to lift the trophy, gaining victories against Jessica Pegula in the final, as well as Naomi Osaka and Elina Svitolina.

Eala is now ranked world No 20 following her Washington triumph and there could be more to come as she is set to hit the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open before the US Open.

The 21-year-old might have made a mistake with her scheduling, however, and it could backfire on her at the Canadian Open.

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Eala has confirmed she will play doubles Venus Williams at the Toronto event, after previously passing on the chance at the Washington Open.

The pair previously played together on the grass at Bad Homburg, where they reached the quarter finals, but it’s hard not to think Eala has made a mistake by playing with the Grand Slam champion in Canada.

It can’t be a coincidence that Eala won the Washington Open after deciding not to play with Williams at the United States capital.

It freed her up to focus solely on the singles and she more than proved that she is one of the most in-form players on the WTA Tour right now.

Furthermore, Eala is already on a race against time at the Canadian Open, due to the unfortunate scheduling of the Washington Open final.

The final between Pegula and Eala was forced to play over two days due to a thunderstorm, which had derailed both ladies’ preparations for the Masters event.

Eala only arrived 24 hours before she was scheduled to play her singles match against Alycia Parks and her new doubles partnership ensures she will now not get a day off to try and acclimatise to the tournament.

Williams and Eala’s match, against Miyu Kato and Liudmila Samsonova, is scheduled for Thursday’s order of play, which means Eala could be playing every day if at the event if she survives in both formats.

That’s not ideal for a star who has just played 5 matches in the last week. Even if Eala does find a way to get through the tournament in both disciplines, it will surely hamper her chances across the rest of the North American hardcourt swing.

Eala is only defending 70 ranking points in singles until the end of the US Open and she has a real opportunity to continue soaring up the rankings.

Her doubles partnership with Williams will surely only hamper that, rather than help.

The post Alex Eala’s strange Canadian Open decision which could derail her chances of winning appeared first on Tennis365.

Alex Eala’s brilliant run to the Washington Open title has put her firmly in the category of ‘dark horse’ ahead of the US Open.

Eala defeated Jessica Pegula in three sets to claim the Washington title, which came after the star also picked up wins against Elina Svitolina and Naomi Osaka.

The Filipina star will play the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open ahead of the US Open, but many of her adoring fans are excited about how she might fare at the Flushing Meadows event this year.

At last year’s tournament, Eala claimed the first Grand Slam main draw victory of her career in New York by defeating Clara Tauson. She was then defeated by Cristina Bucsa in the second round.

So how have previous Washington Open winners fared at the US Open just a month later?

The last five Washington Open winner before Alex Eala’s victory

• 2025: Leylah Fernandez
• 2024: Paula Badosa
• 2023: Coco Gauff
• 2022: Liudmila Samsonova
• 2021: Jessica Pegula

It’s been a mixed bag for the Washington Open champions at the US Open, although no player in the last five years has suffered an exit in the first two rounds.

Last year’s Washington champion, Leylah Fernandez, only managed a third round appearance at the US Open a month later.

Fernandez defeated compatriot Rebecca Marino and Elsa Jacquemot before losing to world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets at the Grand Slam.

In 2023, Paula Badosa was crowned the champion of the Washington Open. She would go on to have a very impressive run at the US Open, reaching the last eight of the Grand Slam.

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Badosa beat the likes of Taylor Townsend and Elena-Gabriela Ruse en route to the quarter finals, before she was defeated by Emma Navarro in straight sets.

Eala will be hoping to emulate Coco Gauff, who is the only player in the last five years to win the Washington Open and the US Open back-to-back.

Gauff beat Maria Sakkari in the Washington Open final to claim the title and she followed it up by having a brilliant campaign at Flushing Meadows.

The American beat Jelena Ostapenko, Karolina Muchova, and Sabalenka consecutively to claim the US Open on home soil for the first and only time in her career.

In 2022, Liudmila Samsonova was the winner of the Washington Open and she followed it up with her best-ever run at the US Open.

The Russian star defeated Sara Bejlek, Fernandez, and Aleksandra Krunić, before succumbing to Ajla Tomljanović in straight sets in the fourth round.

Pegula was crowned the Washington Open champion in 2021, which was the first WTA singles title of her career. She reached the third round of the US Open a month later, defeating Anastasia Potapova and Misaki Doi, before losing to Belinda Bencic.

If Eala emulates the last five winners of the Washington Open, she will earn her best-ever performance at the US Open.

The post How the last five Washington Open champions performed at the US Open as Alex Eala eyes more history appeared first on Tennis365.

Former world No 4 Greg Rusedski has proclaimed that Alex Eala has “put a message out to everybody” ahead of the 2026 US Open by winning the Washington Open title.

Eala defeated world No 3 Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 in the final at the WTA 500 tournament in Washington DC to secure her maiden tour-level title.

The Filipina star’s victory has lifted her to a new career-high ranking of world No 20 after she started last week at her previous best position of 28th.

The 21-year-old, who also beat world No 10 Elina Svitolina in the Washington quarter-finals, now holds an outstanding 9-4 record against opponents ranked in the top 10.

Speaking on the latest episode of the Off Court With Greg Rusedski podcast, Rusedski hailed Eala following her title breakthrough.

“She’s just a ray of light for the WTA tour,” said Rusedski, a 1997 US Open finalist and former British No 1.

“She’s the best thing that’s happened to it in a long while. We needed a big superstar and she’s filling those boots.

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“So, right now she’s put a message out to everybody, ‘okay, I might be ready for that first major title at the US Open.’

“But then big guns will be in there like [Aryna] Sabalenka, [Elena] Rybakina. They’re the ones who are going to try to attack the second serve. And we saw Pegula trying to do that.

“I love her mentality, her fighting attitude, the way she holds her ground on those returns and groundstrokes is so impressive, and the doggedness and the determination she has is second to none.

“She looks like a real superstar who just keeps on getting better week in, week out. And also she’s in the top 20 in the world now. That’s a big step forward as well.

“So, everything looks good and this is huge for the WTA. This is exactly what they need. Can you imagine the reception she’s gonna get in Toronto? It’s already sold out for her. They’re gonna be going crazy.

“I’m just so impressed with her. And I just think she has it upstairs (in the mind), which is a huge ingredient in her sport.”

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Taylor Fritz and Rafael Jodar produced a brilliant Washington Open final, which eventually went the way of the American in straight sets.

The pair were forced to wait until Monday to play their final after a storm hit Washington on the Sunday, but they didn’t disappoint in the United States capital.

Fritz eventually won the tight contest 7-6, 6-4 to claim his first ATP title of the year, and 11th in total.

However, there was some controversy during the match as Jodar decided to take a medical timeout with the match at 7-6, 5-4, with Fritz just about to serve for the set and the match.

Fritz was noticeably annoyed by the Spaniard’s decision and the American’s coach, Michael Russell, could be seen mouthing ‘absolute bulls***’ during the moment.

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While Jodar did look to suffer a legitimate injury in the match, where he fell on his wrist, and it could potentially keep him out of action going forward, players should categorically not be allowed to take an MTO while a player is serving for the match.

It’s a dangerous move, which could be used by players as gamemanship, and it should absolutely be stamped out by the ATP Tour moving forward.

Jodar had already taken a break during the match to sort out his shoelaces, which conveniently landed when Fritz has just broken him in the second set.

While we will not know if Jodar was trying to put Fritz off, or give him more time to think about closing the match, it’s a loophole that should be closed.

The tactic almost worked for Jodar too, as he took Fritz to deuce in the deciding game. The Spaniard saved several match points before Fritz was able to close the match out.

Fritz’s Washington Open victory was the 11th title of the American’s career and it stopped a four match losing streak in ATP Tour finals.

He had previously lost finals in Tokyo, Dallas, Stuttgart, and Halle in a row before claiming the title in Washington.

It was also Fritz’s first ATP 500 tournament title since 2022, when he lifted the Japan Open. In that time Fritz had claimed six ATP 250 events, but his run at 500 events was quite barren.

Despite his victory at the Washington Open, Fritz still only sits at world No 8 in the ATP Tour rankings. However, Alex de Minaur, Daniil Medvedev, and Novak Djokovic sit just above the American and they could be toppled with a good performance at the Canadian Open.

As for Rafael Jodar, the Spaniard sits at world No 15, which is a career ranking high.

The post Rafael Jodar’s actions against Taylor Fritz show the ATP Tour must make a rule change appeared first on Tennis365.

Alex Eala’s brilliant form over the summer months has been rewarded with her very first WTA title at the Washington Open.

The Filipina star has been quite brilliant since the grass court season, where she won the Birmingham Open, reached the semi finals of the Berlin Open, and defeated Iga Swiatek en route to the fourth round of Wimbledon.

She continued that blistering form at the Washington Open, where she beat the likes of Jessica Pegula, Naomi Osaka, and Elina Svitolina to win the title.

Eala has made a name for herself by become somewhat of a giant killer on the WTA Tour, and Andy Roddick thinks he knows why.

Roddick believes Eala’s unorthodox style of play has become a real struggle for some of the best players on the WTA Tour.

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Speaking on Served, the American said: “She makes them uncomfortable. They have to be annoyed because they never get the same shot at the same speed and the same spot. She is very good at switching directions.

“All they want to do is step up, especially against someone who they feel they might have more power than and doesn’t serve big, but she is so good at redirecting off of pace. She has a real talent for that.”

Eala has picked up victories against the likes of Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, Svitolina, Pegula, Osaka, and Leylah Fernandez over the last few months, and Roddick is expecting her to kick on even further.

Alex Eala’s victories over top 10 players

• Madison Keys – 2025 Miami Open
• Iga Swiatek – 2025 Miami Open
• Jasmine Paolini – 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships
• Coco Gauff – 2026 Indian Wells
• Elena Rybakina – 2026 Berlin Open
• Elina Svitolina – 2026 Berlin Open
• Iga Swiatek – 2026 Wimbledon
• Elina Svitolina – 2026 Washington Open
• Jessica Pegula – 2026 Washington Open

“It’s her first title,” he added. “I think a lot of the conversation rightly or wrongly after Miami last year was whether it was a fun story or is this going to be a fun story for a lot longer. It’s the latter.

“A lot of times when someone goes and wins something from a low ranking or has a big result, you go 12 months later once that result falls off, what’s the ranking going to be. That’s the true litmus test. It’s not this overinflated one massive result thing.”

Roddick believes Eala has all the tools to be one of the best players on the WTA Tour and she has proved that with her recent form, particularly at the Washington Open.

“Eala is the real deal. She is not scared to play the big players,” said Roddick. “And right back off of a good Wimbledon result, straight back into it. I thought she was fantastic.

“I don’t even think it’s a one time thing where you are surprised. She is now entering the phase where you are not judging a singular performance where you are saying that’s exciting because that’s the ceiling.

“She is now in the consistency game where you are expecting her to be pretty good all the time. It’s now, can you do it every week? That’s when you start talking about a top 10 player. Fourth round Wimbledon, win Washington, quarter finals in Canada, round of 16 here, quarter-finals here, semi-finals.

“Then you are in the conversation as a consistent contender and it’s not they are dangerous on a hard court and the next three months is a write off, she is entering this conversation where she is pretty good all the time.

“Her winning a title is not surprising to anyone, it’s now almost surprising she hasn’t won one because her quality has been so good so often. She is just not scared to go against the top players.

“For some reason what she does with switching directions and accepting pace and pinning people in corners, she is a name nobody wants to see early in a draw as a top player.”

Eala next heads to the Canadian Open, where she is looking for her first-ever main draw victory. She will play Alycia Parks in the second round of the Masters event, after receiving a first round bye thanks to her ranking.

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