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  • Carlos Alcaraz’s Cincinnati Open participation ‘not guaranteed’ despite ‘positive’ progress

    Carlos Alcaraz is working his way back to fitness following a right wrist injury, but it is unclear whether he will return before the US Open, according to a report.

    The seven-time Grand Slam champion has been out of action since sustaining the injury during his opening round win at the Barcelona Open on 14 April.

    Alcaraz, who missed Roland Garros and Wimbledon, as well as the Masters 1000 events in Madrid and Rome, has not revealed when he will make his comeback.

    The world No 3 will not compete at the Canadian Open, which is the next big tournament on the calendar, but he is on the entry list for the Cincinnati Open, which will begin on 13 August.

    The 23-year-old has also signed up for the US Open, where he is the reigning champion.

    Javier Varela, a journalist writing for La Verdad — a newspaper based in Alcaraz‘s home city of Murcia — has reported that the Spanish star is still training “with a very limited workload.”

    “Carlos Alcaraz continues to progress in his recovery with a cautious plan,” wrote Varela.

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    “The player from Murcia has already returned to training on the court, although he is doing so with a very limited workload and without playing any sets or matches.

    “His priority remains respecting the timeline set by his team and avoiding any risk that could jeopardise the rest of the season, so he has no intention of rushing his return to competition.”

    Varela added that, while Alcaraz is making positive progress, his participation in Cincinnati is “not guaranteed.”

    “The progress, however, is positive. Alcaraz is already hitting the ball, albeit still at a moderate intensity, and the goal is to gradually increase his training pace in the coming weeks,” the report continued.

    “The expectation is that he will be able to travel to the Cincinnati Masters 1000 with the intention of competing, although his participation is not guaranteed and, if he does play, he will not necessarily be at peak physical condition.”

    If Alcaraz does not play in Cincinnati, his hopes of appearing at the US Open may also be in doubt, as it would be challenging to play a Grand Slam with no warmup events following such a delicate injury.

    READ NEXT: The 8-word update Carlos Alcaraz gave to Serena Williams’ coach about his wrist injury

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  • ‘Iga Swiatek is my favourite player – and she can get back to world No 1’, says ex-WTA star

    Former WTA star Dominika Cibulkova has told Tennis365 Iga Swiatek can return to world No 1 as she expressed her admiration for the Polish great.

    Swiatek is the most successful player of her generation, having won 25 WTA Tour titles, including six Grand Slams: four Roland Garros titles, one US Open title and one Wimbledon title.

    The 25-year-old has spent 125 weeks as the world No 1 across two separate stints — the first of which lasted 75 weeks from April 2022 to September 2023.

    It has, though, largely been a difficult last 18 months for Swiatek by the lofty standards she has set, with her Wimbledon triumph last year the major high point during this period.

    Swiatek is currently eighth in the WTA Rankings after her Wimbledon title defence ended with a third round loss to Alex Eala earlier this month.

    Cibulkova, a former world No 4, assessed that Swiatek has been “losing against herself” in an exclusive interview with Tennis365,

    “I am cheering for Iga Swiatek. I think the matches when she’s losing, she’s losing against herself,” said the Slovak.

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    “So, I think when she’s there mentally, and when she’s ready, and when she’s tough and strong, there are not many players that can beat her.

    “It’s all about confidence. Of course, you have to train hard and practise a lot, but yes, the confidence… if you are not in the right mood, you can lose the confidence by one match.”

    Swiatek finished 2022 and 2023 as the world No 1, but her most recent week in top spot was in October 2024, with Aryna Sabalenka occupying the position ever since.

    Asked if Swiatek can get back to the top of the rankings, Cibulkova replied: “I think, for sure, she can get back to No 1. I’m pretty sure that she can get back there.”

    Before she retired in 2019, Cibulkova faced Sabalenka twice — at the 2018 Wuhan Open and the 2019 French Open — and she lost both matches to the Belarusian star.

    Cibulkova praised the current world No 1’s powerful game, but made it clear that Swiatek is her “favourite” player.

    “Yes, Sabalenka is strong,” said Cibulkova.

    “When I look from my perspective… I played against her when I was finishing my career, and she’s a powerhouse.

    “She’s a great player, but my favourite is Swiatek.”

    During a stellar career, Cibulkova won eight WTA Tour titles — the biggest of which came at the 2016 WTA Finals. She was also a runner-up to Li Na at the 2014 Australian Open.

    READ NEXT: Exclusive: Can Emma Raducanu contend for Grand Slams again? Legendary coach makes strong statement

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  • Richard Krajicek predicts how long Sinner, Alcaraz & Zverev will remain the top 3 in men’s tennis

    Richard Krajicek has warned Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz that Alexander Zverev could emulate Ivan Lendl as he spoke to Tennis365 about what the top of men’s tennis will look like in the coming years.

    After Novak Djokovic collected his 24th and most recent Grand Slam at the 2023 US Open, Alcaraz and Sinner established a duopoly by winning all of the next nine majors between them.

    Sinner and Alcaraz secured two Grand Slam titles each in both 2024 and 2025 before the latter triumphed at the 2026 Australian Open.

    The pair’s streak of consecutive majors ended at the 2026 French Open as Zverev prevailed to claim his maiden Slam title.

    Sinner then defeated Zverev in the final at Wimbledon, which means he and Alcaraz have each won five of the last 11 majors. Alcaraz did not compete at the French Open or Wimbledon this year due to injury.

    In an exclusive interview, Tennis365 asked Krajicek if he thinks Sinner and Alcaraz will continue to dominate the sport once the latter returns to the tour.

    “In a way, yes,” replied the 1996 Wimbledon champion, who reached a career-high ranking of world No 4.

    “But I have to say now, with Zverev winning that Slam, you saw it already [at Wimbledon]… grass is not his surface, but he wins close matches. He’s very confident.

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    “I remember when [Ivan] Lendl finally won his first Grand Slam, he started winning a lot of Grand Slams.

    “It was eight [Grand Slams] he won in the end. So, maybe something like this can also happen [with Zverev].

    “I think it’s going to be those three players – Sinner, Alcaraz and Zverev – playing for the next three, four, five years, in the top.”

    Krajicek has also given Tennis365 his verdict on the right wrist injury which has sidelined Alcaraz since April.

    “They’re much tougher injuries — these wrist or elbow injuries,” said the Dutchman.

    “I had an elbow injury myself. It’s really difficult to reset when you start playing again [after this type injury]. So, you hit a little bit… You need to go step by step.

    “It’s not as clear-cut as tearing the ligaments in your ankle, which they say is three or four months, and it’s always three or four months, and then you can play again.

    “So yeah, it takes a bit of time, but he’s young, and I think he’s got good healing power.

    “I’m not concerned that he will play, and I’m not concerned that he’s going to return to his full form.

    “But it’s a question of when. Is it gonna be for the hard courts [in North America]? Is it gonna be for the indoors? But still, I think it’s going to be this year.”

    READ NEXT: Novak Djokovic admits he agrees with what Andre Agassi said about his retirement

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  • The 8-word update Carlos Alcaraz gave to Serena Williams’ coach about his wrist injury

    Former doubles world No 1 Rennae Stubbs has discussed Carlos Alcaraz’s hopes of returning to action before the US Open as she revealed an exchange she had with the Spaniard.

    Alcaraz is reportedly hoping to make his long-awaited comeback at the Cincinnati Masters next month, having been sidelined since April due to a right wrist injury.

    The 23-year-old, who is currently ranked third, started the 2026 season by securing his seventh major title at the Australian Open. He then won his 26th and most recent ATP Tour title at the Qatar Open in February.

    Stubbs, who coaches tennis icon Serena Williams, weighed in on Alcaraz‘s comeback plan on the latest episode of her Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast.

    “Word on the street is that he is going to try and play Cincinnati,” said the Australian.

    “If that is the case, if, if, if… I can’t imagine he would have gone back to Spain. I would imagine he would centre himself here on a hard court somewhere and practise before Cincinnati.

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    “It will be a great relief to tennis fans around the world to see him back playing.”

    The five-time Grand Slam doubles titlist then shared what Alcaraz said in response to one of her messages on Instagram at the end of June.

    “Every now and again, he does respond to me on Instagram,” Stubbs divulged.

    “When he was hitting balls, I did say it was great to see him back, and he said, ‘Hopefully, soon I will be hitting it harder’, and that was at the end of June.”

    Stubbs also revealed the advice she gave to Alcaraz from her own experience with a wrist injury.

    “I did write to him and said I did have a wrist injury for seven months and I said [to him] please take your time because it’s not an injury you want to f*** around with, and if it is sore in any way you shouldn’t even try and play anymore,” she added.

    “I want to err on the side of you and be like maybe he is taking his time and it’s probably a good idea but if not, his fitness will be good, because you can do anything you want with a wrist injury to a certain degree.

    “He won’t be lifting anything above his head, but certainly his legs will have been worked hard, so physically he should be okay.

    “But getting back on the court and hitting tennis balls is the predominant thing he needs to do. We will see, and hopefully that happens.”

    READ NEXT: Exclusive: Emma Raducanu & Jack Draper injuries spark Kyle Edmund to call for a ‘compromise’

    The post The 8-word update Carlos Alcaraz gave to Serena Williams’ coach about his wrist injury appeared first on Tennis365.

  • ATP Washington Open withdrawals: List grows to 10 as Arthur Rinderknech and more join Felix Auger-Aliassime

    The North American hardcourt swing kicks into gear with the Washington Open, but it’s looking particularly devoid of star power after several high profile withdrawals.

    Felix Auger-Aliassime and Daniil Medvedev led those withdrawals with just three days to go until, as they prepare for life under a new coaching team.

    Auger-Aliassime split with his long time coach Frederic Fontang, while Medvedev ended his coaching partnership with Thomas Johansson.

    Medvedev and Auger-Aliassime have been joined by several other names dipping out of the Washington Open, including Wimbledon semi finalist Arthur Fery, Mattia Bellucci, and Eliot Spizzirri.

    Washington Open withdrawals

    • Felix Auger-Aliassime
    • Daniil Medvedev
    • Arthur Rinderknech
    • Sebastian Korda
    • Reilly Opelka
    • Mattia Bellucci (qualifying)
    • Arthur Fery (qualifying)
    • Luca Van Assche (qualifying)
    • Adam Walton (qualifying)
    • Eliot Spizzirri (qualifying)

    Three more names have joined the Washington Open withdrawal list, bringing up the total to 10 tennis stars who have decided not to play the hardcourt event.

    Arthur Rinderknech, Sebastian Korda, and Reilly Opelka will not be playing the Washington event, with Rinderknech falling out of the main draw.

    He has been replaced by Jerry Shang, who currently sits at World No 268 in the ATP Tour rankings.

    Korda, who won the event in 2024, has dropped out of the qualifying for the event, as has Opelka, so the US tournament has lost a duo of hometown favourites.

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    There are just two members of the top 10 left signed up for the event and they are 2025 champion Alex de Minaur and Taylor Fritz, who is looking to win the event for the first time.

    On a more positive note, Lorenzo Musetti is set to make his return at the Washington event. The Italian was forced out of Roland Garros and Wimbledon due to injury, but he appears ready to tackle the North American swing ahead of the US Open.

    Elsewhere, the likes of Learner Tien, Jakub Mensik, Frances Tiafoe, Arthur Fils, Tommy Paul, and Rafael Jodar are all slated to appear at the ATP 500 event, so there will be plenty of action for fans to get their teeth into as the North American swing kicks off.

    Additionally, the likes of Jack Draper, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Kei Nishikori have all received a wild card for the event.

    The tournament has an interesting recent history, with the last five victors all being different. Those were Jannik Sinner, Nick Kyrgios, Dan Evans, Korda, and de Minaur.

    That could leave the door wide open for a first time winner of the Washington Open, and with an extremely open field, anyone could stake a claim for a very valuable 500 points ahead of the US Open.

    The post ATP Washington Open withdrawals: List grows to 10 as Arthur Rinderknech and more join Felix Auger-Aliassime appeared first on Tennis365.

  • What Roger Federer is doing to prepare for his return to tennis at the US Open

    Roger Federer is gearing up to play the US Open once again, seven years after he last played the iconic New York Grand Slam.

    Federer is the only player in the Open Era to win the US Open title five times in a row, which incredibly came between 2005 and 2008. They were the only times he claimed the titles at Flushing Meadows, although he did reach a further two finals.

    Federer is set to compete on Arthur Ashe Stadium once again August 25th, where he will play alongside Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi and John McEnroe.

    The star has returned sporadically to tennis this year. He played a practice set with Casper Ruud, as well as a doubles exhibition alongside Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt at the Australian Open.

    He also returned to Wimbledon this year, where he watched on from Centre Court’s Royal Box for much of the action, including Alexander Zverev’s contest against Jiri Lehecka.

    So how has Federer been preparing for his return to the US Open? It turns out the Swiss superstar has been very busy over the summer period.

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    At Wimbledon, Federer was spotted at Aorangi Park playing alongside his son.

    Away from the tennis courts, Federer has also been papped playing golf alongside his friend and former rival Rafael Nadal.

    Federer and Nadal have been locked together in recent weeks, as the Swiss star also visited the Spaniard’s illustrious academy in July.

    Nadal has recently launched his very own museum at the Academy, to coincide with his new Netflix series ‘Rafa’ – and Federer has been blown away by the new addition.

    “It’s wonderful to see everything. It’s beautiful. There’s a huge amount of work behind it, but above all it’s very emotional,” said the Swiss star.

    “I remember what it was like at the beginning, but now it’s really spectacular,” continue the 20-time Grand Slam champion. “It’s beautiful, it’s really very well done. It’s a very special place. Congratulations to the whole team. I’ve already told them personally. You’ve done a fantastic job.”

    Ahead of his appearance at the US Open, Federer will also be entered into the International Tennis Hall of Fame for his glittering career.

    Federer will play the Hall of Fame Celebrity Pro Classic as a result, which will see him take part in an event on grass for the first time since 2021, when he played Wimbledon.

    The legendary tennis star bowed out of Wimbledon that year when he was defeated in the quarter finals of the Grand Slam by Hubert Hurkacz, losing to the Pole in straight sets.

    The post What Roger Federer is doing to prepare for his return to tennis at the US Open appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Novak Djokovic admits he agrees with what Andre Agassi said about his retirement

    Novak Djokovic has shared his opinion on a telling comment Andre Agassi made on the topic of his retirement in his upcoming documentary.

    A documentary about Djokovic’s life and career titled Novak Djokovic: The Wolf in Winter will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on 20 August.

    Djokovic, who turned 39 in May, continues to amaze with his longevity, with the Serbian a finalist at the Australian Open and semi-finalist at Wimbledon this year.

    The 24-time Grand Slam champion and former world No 1 is currently ranked seventh, and he was the world No 3 as recently as March.

    Speaking during the Fanatics Fest in New York, Djokovic spoke candidly about approaching the end of his career and shared Agassi’s verdict.

    “Honestly, it’s amazing for me to hear the all-time greats, and how they were approaching this process of, kind of, letting go,” said the tennis legend.

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    “I’m still feeling I can compete at the highest level, and the results are there. I can still stay a little bit active here and there (smiles), but yeah, the moment is approaching. There’s no question it’s closer than ever.

    “Andre Agassi is one of the all-time greats, of course. He was part of my documentary, and he said: ‘I don’t know when the end is coming for Novak, but I’m sure as hell that, when it comes, it comes fast.’

    “I think he’s right. Of course, I would lie if [I said] I don’t have those thoughts. I do have them. And I don’t know if there’s a perfect way [to retire].

    “There’s a category of athletes that want to leave on top, there’s a category of athletes that want to leave because their body is not listening to them, and there’s a category of athletes that just get beaten by others and they see they can’t go on. Or, it’s all of it.

    “So I’m still just trying to enjoy myself competing. I’m there, and we’ll have this conversation later.”

    Djokovic was coached by eight-time major winner Agassi in 2017 and 2018.

    READ NEXT: Novak Djokovic admits Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz ‘hurt’ him with striking confession

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  • Aryna Sabalenka admits to copying Novak Djokovic after making major tactical change

    Aryna Sabalenka’s season has not lived up to her World No 1 status so far in 2026, and she is hoping that will change during the North American hardcourt swing.

    Sabalenka has experienced highs this season, of course, namely when she collected the Sunshine Double of Indian Wells and the Miami Open in March.

    However, on the Grand Slam stages, the star is yet to claim a major title this year. She was beaten in the final of the Australian Open and fared less well at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

    Sabalenka was defeated in the quarter-finals of the French Grand Slam at the hands of Diana Shnaider and she was beaten one stage earlier at Wimbledon by Naomi Osaka.

    The star is still clinging onto her World No 1 status, however, although less than 500 points split her and World No 2 Elena Rybakina ahead of the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open double.

    As Sabalenka looks to assert her dominance on the WTA Tour for the rest of the season, she has revealed one tactical change she has made after asking Novak Djokovic for advice.

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    Speaking to First&Red, the World No 1 said: “We were talking once, and I really like his return game. We were chatting, so I asked, ‘Listen, what do you focus on when you’re standing there waiting to return? Because, well, your return is better.’

    “He said, well, first of all, he has a specific stance; I tried it, and it really made it easier for me to react. Plus, he said, ‘I focus on myself; I just try to do a split-step and then react.’ Also, you can often see where the opponent is serving, or you get a feel for it.

    “So, that was the advice! Ever since then, he’s been like, ‘You’re copying me.’ Well, it’s sort of like copying the best. His technique helped me.

    “I changed things up a bit. I feel like, well, it’s somewhat similar. Not exactly the same, actually, but the technique is a little like his.”

    Despite failing to win a Grand Slam in 2026, Sabalenka has still racked up an impressive win-loss record throughout the first seven months of the season.

    She’s won 36 matches and lost just 6 this year, which has helped her collect three singles titles. The star won the Brisbane International at the turn of the year before her triumph at the Sunshine Double.

    She heads into the US Open having won the title in back-to-back years in 2024 and 2025. Her last defeat at Flushing Meadows came against Coco Gauff in the final of the 2023 tournament.

    The post Aryna Sabalenka admits to copying Novak Djokovic after making major tactical change appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Andre Agassi’s former coach offers theory behind high-profile coaching splits on ATP Tour

    Brad Gilbert has a theory as to why so many top players are splitting from their coaches ahead of the North American hard court swing.

    In the space of a matter of days at Wimbledon, top 10 players Felix Auger-Aliassime and former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev split from their respective coaches.

    The former ended a near 10-year partnership with Frederic Fontang, while the latter parted ways with one of his coaches, Thomas Johansson, after nearly 12 months together.

    At the same time, world No 11 Jiri Lehecka, who is at a career-high ranking, and coach Michal Navratil went their separate ways after eight years together.

    While all three are in different stages of their careers, they all want one thing: to win a Grand Slam. And according to Andre Agassi’s former coach, Gilbert, there is a reason for all this recent movement.

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    The American believes that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are a long way ahead of the rest of the men’s tour but that can not be said with Aryna Sabalenka – who is slamless this year – and the women’s tour.

    He said on the Tennis Channel, “Right now there is a massive difference in women’s 1-20 and men’s 1-20. I feel like that’s why we have seven different winners in the last seven majors.

    “In the men’s, the guys at the top have massively separated, and I think that is what is forcing decisions on players who go, ‘I need to add something asap or I am going to go further back’.”

    Indeed, in the men’s game, Sinner has 13,450 points, French Open champion Alexander Zverev is second on 8,480 and Alcaraz, who has been out injured since mid-April, is third on 8,160.

    On the WTA Tour, Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina are on 8,550 and 8,056 points apiece, with third-placed Jessica Pegula not too far behind on 6,300. Moreover, Sinner is more than 11,000 points ahead of 20th-ranked Francisco Cerundolo, whereas Sabalenka is around 6,500 points in front of world No 20 Anna Kalinskaya.

    World No 7 Medvedev did beat Alcaraz in Indian Wells this year and he ran Sinner close at the same tournament. Auger-Aliassime sits fourth in the rankings and is consistently reaching the second week of majors, while Lehecka is just outside the top 10.

    But it still seems there is a long way to go before they start really challenging for Grand Slams; plus, their consistency needs work. However, the fact that they are making these coaching changes suggests they are not resting on their laurels.

    Gilbert – who also coached Coco Gauff and Andy Roddick to Grand Slam success – added, “I’ve heard this so much in coaching. Why does a top player need a coach?

    “And I am like, because they obviously want to get better. If you don’t have a coach, you are not thinking that you can get better.”

    In late June, former world No 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas split from his father Apostolos after years of working on and off together.

    DON’T MISS: Emma Raducanu ‘is definitely a top 10 player’ as bold Grand Slam statement made

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  • WTA star shares key concern for Carlos Alcaraz ahead of the US Open

    Carlos Alcaraz could be set to return to tennis during the American hardcourt swing, but will he be able to return to the player he was before his injury?

    The Spaniard has missed five months of action since injuring himself at the Barcelona Open in April, but he has appeared on the entry lists for the Cincinnati Open and the US Open.

    However, Alcaraz is reportedly still only conducting light training on court and he was spotted at the World Cup Final wearing a brace on his wrist.

    Even if he does manage to return for the final Grand Slam of the year at the US Open, WTA star Christina McHale has expressed one concern for Alcaraz at the Flushing Meadows event.

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    Speaking on The Inside-In Tennis Podcast, the former World No 24 said: “Where’s his fitness level at too? Playing best-of-five in New York, where it’s really hot, having not played for so many months, not competed.

    “Will we be surprised if all of a sudden he comes out playing great? No, because that’s what he’s capable of. But I think most likely he’ll have to work himself into the tournament.”

    McHale suffered a similar injury to Alcaraz during the 2025 season, so she is well aware of the work the World No 3 is putting in behind the scenes.

    “Well, I actually had that TFCC (Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex) injury last year. Thankfully I did not need surgery but I had sprained it and it required so much more PT than I ever imagined,” she said.

    “I’d never had many injuries before. So, I can imagine he had a surgery and like and it’s tough because it’s you, you know, you start to come back and then you might start compensating and then all of a sudden you start feeling a little bit something elsewhere or you’re so eager to get back on court that you maybe do too much. So, it’s such a fine line and a balance.”

    Alcaraz and his team have reportedly earmarked the Cincinnati Open for a return for some time, so fans should only truly worry if he withdraws from the Masters event.

    There is plenty riding on the event for Alcaraz, as he is the defending champion at the North American tournament. That means he is defending 1000 ranking points at the event, which could be crucial for him returning to the top two of the rankings once again.

    Alcaraz lost his World No 2 status after Alexander Zverev reached the final of the Wimbledon for the first time in his career.

    The post WTA star shares key concern for Carlos Alcaraz ahead of the US Open appeared first on Tennis365.