Author: admin

  • Former Wimbledon champion says tennis has ‘a new Nick Kyrgios’ after Hong Kong Open final

    Former Wimbledon champion says tennis has ‘a new Nick Kyrgios’ after Hong Kong Open final

    Alexander Bublik got his 2026 tennis year off to a flying start as he claimed the Bank of China Hong Kong Open with a thrilling win against Lorenzo Musetti, with his victory set to fire him into the top 10 of the ATP Rankings for the first time.

    The No 2 seed in Hong Kong had too much for Musetti as he sealed a 7-6(2), 6-3 victory, as he became the first Kazakhstani man to crack the Top 10.

    “The only goal for this season was to achieve the Top 10 and in the first week I have won the title and I am into the top 10,” Bublik said.

    “If you had told me that last April I would never have believed you, but it is a pleasure and I hope to continue in the same way.”

    Bublik beat Jannik Sinner last year on a grass court and he has long been one of those maverick players who can challenge the best in the game when he is at his best.

    More Tennis News

    Andrey Rublev gets some candid advice from a former Wimbledon champion at Hong Kong Open

    Aussie legend gives his verdict on Nick Kyrgios’ comeback and insists there can be ‘no excuses’

    Yet he has openly admitted that his commitment and passion for the game has waned at times over the course of his career, with a breakthrough into the top 10 of the ATP Rankings for the first time at the age of 28 evidence that he has taken time to fulfil his potential.

    It is a story that has inspired 1987 Wimbledon champion Pat Cash to suggest Bublik’s career has comparisons to the story of Nick Kyrgios, who has also failed to make the most of his talents after openly conceding he has also struggled to embrace the challenge of committing himself to the sport.

    “Bublik is a player who has always had the talent, but he maybe hasn’t always made the most of that,” Cash told Tennis365 in his role as ambassador for the Bank of China Hong Kong Open.

    “He is fascinating to watch and has amazing touch. There was a time when it looked like he was in danger of throwing his career by not taking it seriously enough, but he has continued to improve.

    “He’s a little like Nick Kyrgios in some ways. Bublik has that X-Factor where is he explosive, then he has great touch with drop shots and lobs. That’s why he’s so dangerous to play when he is hot.

    “You look at other players who are super-fit, super-hungry and relentless. Then you have a guy like Bublik, who you feel is not quite as committed, but he is great to watch and a draw card for the fans.

    “He has taken over from Kyrgios as the player who has all the explosive shots and he is fun on the court, without having that mental consistency. Putting it all together is not easy, but it would be great to see Bublik doing that this year.”

    Cash has been in Hong Kong watching the drama unfold and he suggests the tournament should be added to the bucket lists of all tennis fans as it offers such a variety of cultures.

    “Hong Kong is something else,” added Cash. “The scenery here is just amazing and the people are always so warm. The food is to die for and it always had been since I started coming here many years ago a as junior player.

    “There are always big crowds in the shopping markets and it’s a very vibrant city. There is always something happening.

    “The tournament is also a great event at a fantastic venue and the people are always so appreciate of the top players coming here to play.”

    Pat Cash at the Bank of China Hong Kong Open

    Pat Cash at the Bank of China Hong Kong Open

    READ NEXT: ATP Hong Kong ranking points & prize money: Bublik clinches Top 10 milestone as Musetti’s final woes continue

    The post Former Wimbledon champion says tennis has ‘a new Nick Kyrgios’ after Hong Kong Open final appeared first on Tennis365.

  • United Cup prize money & ranking points won by Swiatek, Bencic, Wawrinka & Hurkacz

    United Cup prize money & ranking points won by Swiatek, Bencic, Wawrinka & Hurkacz

    Poland defeated Switzerland in an enthralling final to win the 2026 United Cup, but what ranking points and prize money did Iga Swiatek, Belinda Bencic and other stars collect at the team competition?

    Team Poland prevailed 2-1 in Sydney to win the United Cup for the first time, having lost in the final in 2024 and 2025.

    Bencic stunned Swiatek 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 to give Switzerland a 1-0 lead before Hubert Hurkacz defeated Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to level the tie.

    In the decisive doubles match, Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zielinski downed Bencic and Jakub Paul 6-4, 6-3 to clinch the title for Poland.

    Ranking points earned

    Players on both the ATP and WTA Tours can earn a maximum of 500 ranking points at the United Cup, although the points system differs slightly for the ATP and WTA players.

    The number of points that the ATP players earn is determined by the ranking of their opponent, as broken down in the table below.

    United Cup ranking points

    United Cup ATP ranking points breakdown

    Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz collected 265 points for winning four of his five matches (two of two in the round robin stage and two of three in the knockout stage).

    Hurkacz defeated top 10 stars Alexander Zverev (55 points for round robin win) and Taylor Fritz (130 points for semi-final win), as well as 27th-ranked Tallon Griekspoor (40 points for round robin win) and 156th-ranked Wawrinka (40 points for final win).

    Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka went 1-4 at the United Cup, beating Arthur Rinderknech in the round robin stage before losing his other four matches.

    As Rinderknech was ranked 27th, Wawrinka earned a total of 40 ATP points at the United Cup.

    The WTA structure is a bit simpler as players earn 32 points for one round robin win and 90 for two round robin wins, and 60 for a quarter-final, semi-final or final win.

    Three match wins are worth 150 points, four wins are worth 325 points, while winning all five will see women collect the maximum 500 points.

    United Cup WTA ranking points breakdown:

    Number of match wins | Ranking points
    5 match wins – 500
    4 match wins – 325
    3 match wins – 150
    2 match wins (1 of the 2 wins are in QF, SF or F) – 108
    2 match wins (Both Round Robin) – 90
    1 match win (QF, SF or F) – 60
    1 match win (Round Robin) – 32
    0 match wins – 1

    Switzerland’s Bencic collected 500 ranking points as she won all five of her singles matches (beating Leolia Jeanjean and Jasmine Paolini in the round robin stage, Solana Sierra in the quarter-finals, Elise Mertens in the semi-finals and Swiatek in the final).

    Poland’s Swiatek earned 150 points as she won three of her five matches (beat Eva Lys and Suzan Lamens in the round robin stage, beat Maya Joint in the quarter-finals, lost to Coco Gauff in the semi-finals, lost to Bencic in the final).

    Tennis News

    Prize money and points earned by Sabalenka, Kostyuk, Pegula, Muchova at the Brisbane International

    Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz’s prize money and points after United Cup exit

    Want more from Tennis365? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for tennis coverage you can trust.

    Prize money earned

    The total prize money pot for the United Cup was $11,806,190, which was split evenly across the ATP and WTA players in action ($5,903,345 per respective tour).

    Players receive a participation fee that is dependent on their ranking and whether they are the No 1, No 2 or No 3 player for their country.

    Participation fee per ranking (for No 1 players)

    1-10 – $250,000
    11-20 – $125,000
    21-30 – $100,000
    31-50 – $60,000
    51-100 – $40,000
    101-250 – $30,000
    251+ – $20,000

    They also earn money for each individual match win (both singles and mixed doubles) and per team win, with an increasing scale.

    Iga Swiatek

    Swiatek, the world No 2, earned the maximum $250,000 participation fee.

    The six-time major winner secured $90,000 for winning her two group stage matches ($45,000 each) and $82,000 for her quarter-final win.

    In addition, Poland won all five of their team matches ($12,000 for the two round robin matches, $9,500 for the quarter-final, $16,100 for the semi-final, $27,300 for the final), which means Swiatek earned $64,900.

    Swiatek, therefore, earned a total of $486,900 in prize money.

    Hubert Hurkacz

    Hurkacz’s participation fee was $40,000 as he was ranked 83rd at the start of the event, while he also collected the $64,900 for Poland’s five team victories.

    He gained $90,000 for winning his two group stage matches, $155,900 for his semi-final victory and $296,200 for his win in the final. This equates to $542,100.

    In total, Hurkacz amassed $647,000 in prize money.

    Belinda Bencic

    World No 11 Bencic earned a participation fee of $125,000, while she picked up $37,600 for Switzerland’s round robin, quarter-final and semi-final team wins.

    The 28-year-old racked up the maximum possible singles prize money haul of $624,100 for winning all five of her singles matches.

    The Swiss also claimed $61,600 for winning four of her five mixed doubles matches ($17,000 for two in the group stage, $15,400 for the quarter-final and $29,200 for the semi-final).

    Bencic, therefore, earned a total of $848,300.

    Stan Wawrinka

    Wawrinka received a participation fee of $30,000, as well as $37,600 for Switzerland’s team wins and $45,000 for his round robin singles victory, which adds up to $112,600.

    READ NEXT: ATP Hong Kong ranking points & prize money: Bublik clinches Top 10 milestone as Musetti’s final woes continue

    The post United Cup prize money & ranking points won by Swiatek, Bencic, Wawrinka & Hurkacz appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Novak Djokovic defended by former British No 1 as he gives his ultimate GOAT verdict

    Novak Djokovic has long been accused of being an agitator at the top of the men’s game, but former British No 1 Greg Rusedski has claimed any such accusation directed at the Serbian is misplaced.

    Djokovic has been vocal in his criticism of tennis chiefs and has backed claims for players to be handed more prize money at all levels of the game, with his decision to lead the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) evidence of his passion around this issue.

    The PTPA have taken on the tennis authorities and launched a legal petition in a bid to push for more prize money at Grand Slam events, but Djokovic was not happy with the direction of the organisation and confirmed he would quit his role in the PTPA in a big announcement to start 2026.

    Djokovic suggested at the Joy Forum in Saudi Arabia that he wants to ‘shake up tennis’ as he hinted there are plans in place that will change the current make-up of the sport, as he admitted these new developments would ‘upset a lot of people’.

    “The things that are happening that I can’t openly speak about at the moment, but I feel like in the next couple of years, I feel like tennis is a sport that can be and will be transformed,” said Djokovic last October.

    More Tennis News

    Novak Djokovic to miss another big event due to ‘extremely inconvenient date’

    Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open record with and without playing a warm-up event

    “I want to be part of that change and not just part of that change, but I want to be playing when we rejuvenate our sport and set the platform that is going to be there for decades to come.”

    Those comments fuelled speculation that Djokovic may be open to leading a breakaway tennis tour, but former British No 1 Greg Rusedski does not believe that is a realistic prospect.

    The 1997 US Open finalist also hit out at Djokovic’s critics in a passionate defence of the Serbian’s contribution to tennis in Episode 5 of his podcast, Off Court with Greg, that will be released on Monday.

    “I don’t think he’s an agitator. I think he stands by his morals and his beliefs and you have to admire that,” said Rusedski.

    “Look at Covid. He refused to take the jab and basically stood his ground throughout and you have to applaud him for the way he handled that situation.

    “He could have cowered early on, but he stuck to what he believes and that’s why he’s such a great champion.

    “The guy is nearly 39 years of age, we need to keep him in the game for as long as we can. He is the greatest of all-time, no doubt.”

    Rusedski believes Djokovic will still believe he can contend for the Australian Open title this month, as the 24-time Grand Slam-winning legend chases a final major title that could complete his career.

    “He is the GOAT when it comes to preparation,” added Rusedski. “Nutrition, fitness, not leaving any stone unturned.

    “I always like a little bit of chocolate and too much caffeine, but Novak doesn’t allow himself anything. He is obsessive about perfection, doing whatever it takes. He is always trying to find solutions.

    “Is the age thing against him. Of course it is, but I can’t wait to see what happens in Australia. You can never discount great champions.”

    READ NEXT: Aus Open projected men’s seeds: Alcaraz, Sinner top 2, Djokovic cushy despite inactivity, De Minaur, Musetti boosts

    The post Novak Djokovic defended by former British No 1 as he gives his ultimate GOAT verdict appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Secret ‘5th Grand Slam’ plans revealed as tennis president names favoured host location

    The President of the Italian Tennis Federation has reiterated his calls for Italy to host a fifth Grand Slam, a move that would change the foundation of the sport.

    Angelo Binaghi has held the role since 2001 and is the longest serving president of the federation.

    Over his tenure, Italian tennis has undergone many changes, with a resurgence over the last decade in the form of Matteo Berrettini, Jasmine Paolini, Lorenzo Musetti, and, most impressively, Jannik Sinner.

    “In Rome, all my life. Look at Next Gen: in Milan the arena was always full; in Jeddah there wasn’t a single person in the stands,” Binaghi told Corriere.

    “A Grand Slam in Italy will be possible when the government invests in tennis’s potential. Economy Minister Giorgetti told me that at global financial meetings, before even greeting him, they congratulate him on Sinner and tennis.

    “If, in addition to spending five billion on the Olympics, a huge and wonderful event that lasts only a few weeks, we tried to spend a tenth of that on something that would generate wealth for the next 100 years, then we could also bring a Grand Slam to Italy.

    “Just look at the economic impact of the International Tennis Championships on the region: last year it was €895 million, this year it should reach €1 billion.

    “The ratio between a Masters 1000 and a Grand Slam is one to four: we’re talking about a potential economic impact of around €4 billion, with additional tax revenues of around €600 million.

    “The Internationals currently generate €148 million, without public funding.”

    At the 2025 edition of the Italian Open, Binaghi labelled the current system of the four Grand Slams ‘a monopoly’ and called for major change.

    “In what other part of society is there a monopoly that lasts for more than 100 years?,” he stated.

    “Why are there always four [Grand Slams] and always the same four? It’s absolutely unfair and doesn’t help tennis grow.”

    Latest Tennis News

    Joao Fonseca in serious doubt for Australian Open after withdrawing from Adelaide

    ‘Carlos Alcaraz revealed his true colours when I met him – and something surprised me’

    Whilst Italy would be a lead contender for such an event, Saudi Arabia has also been named as a possible location.

    In October, it was revealed that the country had struck a deal to host a historic 10th Masters 1000 as early as 2028.

    It joins Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Madrid, Rome, Toronto/Montreal, Cincinnati, Shanghai and Paris in hosting the premier-level category.

    The country has hosted the ATP Next Gen Finals since 2023 – in Jeddah – and the WTA Finals since 2014 – in Riyadh.

    In addition, Saudi Arabia has also held the Six Kings Slam exhibition in both 2024 and 2025, with a record-breaking $6 million collected by the victor in each edition.

    After his recent South Korean exhibition against Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner was asked about his thoughts of a Saudi Arabian Grand Slam.

    “I don’t know. I don’t know how big it can be, although it’s already made history for other reasons,” he responded.

    “For myself, I’m looking forward to coming back because it’s great to be here, playing in different circumstances with different people.

    “I think this country is going to be very important for us in the future, that’s for sure. It’s essential to make tennis as big a sport as possible, and for that we need teamwork, behind the scenes.”

    Want more from Tennis365? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for tennis coverage you can trust.

    The post Secret ‘5th Grand Slam’ plans revealed as tennis president names favoured host location appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz’s prize money and points after United Cup exit

    Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz’s United Cup campaign have come to an end as defending champions, the United States, were beaten by Poland in the semi-finals.

    After Hurbert Hurkacz gave the Europeans a 1-0 lead with a serving masterclass against Fritz in the men’s singles as he won 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-2), the Americans hit back through Gauff as the reigning French Open champion beat Iga Swiatek 6-4, 6-2.

    The tie was then decided via the mixed doubles as Gauff teamed up with Christian Harrison to take on Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zieliiski and the Poland pair came away with a 7-6 (7-5), 6+7-6 (7-3) victory to earn a 2-1 win and book their place in the finals.

    Up next for Swiatek, Hurkacz and co are Switzerland, who beat Belgium 2-1, in the finals where they will look to win their maiden title while the two-time champions the United States will be heading home empty-handed.

    But despite the exit, Gauff, Fritz and the rest of the North American team still earned a handy amount of ranking points and prize money.

    Points Earned

    In case you didn’t know, the points system is different for the ATP and WTA at the United Cup with the points that the men earn being determined by the ranking of their opponent.

    Example: if player A faced someone between No 101–250 in the ATP Rankings, they earned only 20 points for a win in the group stage. But if their opponent was a top-10 player then the reward 55 points in the group stage and 130 in the semi-final.

    The WTA structure is a bit simpler as it was 32 points for one round-robin win and 90 for two round robin wins, then 60 for a quarter-final, semi-final or final win. If you manage two match wins (one of two from QF, SF or F) then you earn 108 points.

    Ultimately, three match wins are worth 150 points, four wins 325 and five out of five will earn you 500 points.

    WTA News

    Hobart draw: Emma Raducanu gets double boost as she is promoted to No 1 and avoids big guns

    Adelaide draw: Jessica Pegula, Mirra Andreeva, Madison Keys and Victoria Mboko face tough draws

    Let’s start with Gauff as she won three of her four singles matches as she was victorious in one of her group phase matches, in the quarter-final and in the semi-final.

    The American has earned 150 points for her three wins, and it is good enough to keep her ahead of Amanda Anisimova in the WTA Rankings.

    Gauff dropped to No 4 last week as she was replaced by her compatriot, but with Anisimova losing early in Brisbane, the two-time Grand Slam winner is back at No 3.

    Fritz, meanwhile, didn’t have the best of tournaments in the singles as he was 1-3 with his only victory coming against Jaume Munar in the group stage against Spain.

    The American earned 35 points for his effort and remains at No 9 in the ATP Rankings.

    Prize Money Earned

    A refresher on the prize money, players receive a participation fee and that is dependent on their ranking and if they were the No 1, No 2 or No 3 player for their country.

    They also earn money for each match win (both singles and mixed doubles) and per team win with an increasing scale.

    Gauff was the US’ No 1 player and ranked at No 4 at the start of the tournament so she earned a $250,000 participation fee.

    The reigning French Open champion then secured one group win, a quarter-final victory and a semi-final win so that is another $282,900 ($45,000 + $82,000 + $155,900).

    But there is more as Gauff also won three mixed doubles matches (two in the group stage and the quarter-final) so she collected another $32,400 ($8,500 x 2 in the group stage and $15,400 in the quarters).

    Finally, the United States won both their group games ($6,000 per win) and their quarter-final ($9,500) so that’s another $21,500.

    So, by our calculations, Gauff earned $586,800

    Fritz, by contrast, won only one match and that was in the group stage, so he earned $45,000 for that and $21,500 for the United States’ three wins (two in the group phase and the quarter-final.

    The American sits at No 9 in the rankings so received an appearance fee of $250,000 for a total of $316,500.

    Want more from Tennis365? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for tennis coverage you can trust.

    The post Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz’s prize money and points after United Cup exit appeared first on Tennis365.

  • ‘Carlos Alcaraz revealed his true colours when I met him – and something surprised me’

    A close friend of Carlos Alcaraz has labelled the Spanish superstar ‘humble’ and a ‘wonderful person’ after detailing an insightful meeting with the six-time Grand Slam champion.

    Alcaraz was most recently rewarded for his excellent behaviour on court with the 2025 Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award, edging out Felix Auger-Aliassime, Casper Ruud, and Grigor Dimitrov.

    The 22-year-old ended last season as the year-end number one after adding two more Grand Slams to his haul – at the French Open and US Open.

    However, as with most of the world’s top athletes, access to their inner circle is, often, limited to the outside world.

    Natalia Beciu, who is an Ibiza PR and events organiser and also known to be a close friend of Alcaraz, recently recalled an endearing story in which the youngster showed his true colours.

    “I had a couple of friends with me, and I introduced my friend, whom he had never met in person,” Beciu said to La Formula del Exito podcast.

    “And he said, ‘Of course, I remember you perfectly! Hey, thank you so much!’ Because she was the friend I had brought with me to see him at Wimbledon. And he had given us the tickets.

    “And he was like, ‘Wow, I remember you perfectly! How are you? Hey, did you enjoy the match?’

    “It had been a year! And the guy said, ‘Thank you so much for coming to Wimbledon to see me.’”

    Beciu is no stranger to dealing with the world’s biggest celebrities, including recently organising Barcelona star Lamie Yamal’s birthday party, emphasising that the world No 1’s humility is greater than most.

    Ibiza is one of Alcaraz’s favourite destinations, usually choosing to spend his off-season on the Spanish island with friends, including Beciu.

    Latest Tennis News

    Hobart draw: Emma Raducanu gets double boost as she is promoted to No 1 and avoids big guns

    Grand Slam winner ‘surprised’ by Australian Open decision over mixed doubles event

    “He is humble and noble. He is a wonderful person, extremely disciplined,” she later noted.

    “I think he is a great guy. We are friends. He is a very good person. I think he deserves everything that is happening to him.

    “Of course, it is the result of a lot of effort on his part. And that’s it. You’ll always hear me saying only good things about him. Because he’s one of the few people in the world whose humility and politeness have moved me.

    “He’s one of those people who walks into a room, and when he leaves, he’s made it a better place.

    “He can walk into a room, and I might have 45 friends in that room, and he stops to greet each and every one of them. You can think that’s normal, but it depends.

    “I am much more antisocial and would find it a bit tedious. He greets each person individually, gives them time, and remembers everything. He has a great memory and pays attention to details.”

    Alcaraz began his 2026 season with an exhibition against Jannik Sinner in South Korea, prevailing 7-5, 7-6(7) over the Italian.

    The Spaniard will seek to become the youngest-ever male singles player to complete the Career Grand Slam – winning all four Grand Slam events – at the Australian Open, competing in Melbourne from January 18 – February 1.

    Want more from Tennis365? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for tennis coverage you can trust.

    The post ‘Carlos Alcaraz revealed his true colours when I met him – and something surprised me’ appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Alex Eala and Iva Jovic’s prize money and points from Auckland Open

    Rising stars Iva Jovic and Alex Eala’s runs at the ASB Classic came to an end in the last four, but both will be happy with their performance in Auckland over the past week.

    The 18-year-old Jovic was seeded third at the WTA 250 event in New Zealand and she beat Gabriela Knutson, Sara Bejlek and Sofia Costoulas to reach her second top-level semi-final, but she was denied a second career final as she was beaten by top seed Elina Svitolina.

    The American, who won her maiden singles trophy at the Guadalajara Open last September, went down 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 against former world No 3 Svitolina, who is into her 23rd WTA Tour final.

    Eala, meanwhile, was the fourth seed and she battled past veterans Donna Vekic and Magda Linette, as well as youngster Petra Marcinko to reach the last four.

    WTA News

    Hobart draw: Emma Raducanu gets double boost as she is promoted to No 1 and avoids big guns

    Aus Open projected women’s seeds: Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff top 3, Osaka, Mboko, Raducanu make cut

    The Filipino star took on Wang Xinyu for a place in the final and she found herself serving for the match in the second set, but the seventh seed saved a match point and went on to win 5-7, 7-5, 6-4.

    It is the end of the road for the two youngsters, but both have picked up ranking points and a decent cheque for their efforts.

    WTA Ranking Points Earned

    Jovic started the ASB Classic at No 35 in the rankings, but her run to the last four has seen her move up five places in the Live Rankings to a new career-high of No 30.

    The teenager has earned 97 points for her efforts – a semi-final place is worth 98 points, but players also have to defend their points from the corresponding period 12 months ago. Luckily for Jovic, she dropped only one point.

    Eala, meanwhile, started at No 53 and she is up four places to a new high of No 49 on the back of earning 83 points (she was defending points from a lower-level event in January 2025).

    WTA Prize Money Earned

    Jovic finished the 2025 season with $1,125,748 in career prize money, but she will add $12,331 to that total for her run to the semi-final.

    Eala had earned $1,363,685 before the 2026 season started and she will also pick up a check of $12,331.

    But there is better news for the pair as they teamed up in the women’s doubles and reached the semi-final, which is worth $4,390 that they will share.

    Want more from Tennis365? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for tennis coverage you can trust.

    The post Alex Eala and Iva Jovic’s prize money and points from Auckland Open appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Hobart draw: Emma Raducanu gets double boost as she is promoted to No 1 and avoids big guns

    Emma Raducanu will be the top seed at the Hobart International following Elise Mertens’ withdrawal and she has managed to land a cushy draw in the process.

    World No 19 Mertens was set to be the No 1 seed as she was originally the highest-ranked player in the field, but she pulled out of the WTA 250 event as she is still in action in the United Cup with Belgium.

    That meant world No 29 Raducanu earned a promotion and the draw gods have smiled down on her as she has avoided the big-name players in the draw, including tennis great Venus Williams and two-time Grand Slam winner Barbora Krejcikova, and defending champion McCartney Kessler.

    The British No 1 will face Camila Osorio in the opening round, but the world No 76 from Colombia will be no pushover as she is a three-time WTA singles title winner with her most recent trophy coming at the Copa Colsanitas in April 2025.

    Raducanu, by contrast, has won only one title and that, of course, was the big one at the US Open in 2021.

    The pair have met before as they faced each other in the round of 16 in Washington in 2022 with Raducanu winning via two tie-breakers.

    Should the 23-year-old get past Osorio, who has peaked at No 33 in the WTA Rankings, then she will face either Elsa Jacquemot from France or Poland’s Magdalena Frech in the second round while she is projected to meet fifth seed Jessica Bouzas Maneiro from Spain in the quarter-finals.

    WTA News

    Aus Open projected women’s seeds: Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff top 3, Osaka, Mboko, Raducanu make cut

    Emma Raducanu adds tournament to her schedule – and she is set to be the No 1 seed

    Third seed and world No 33 Iva Jovic – who has reached the semi-finals of this week’s ASB Classic in Auckland – is the second-highest ranked player in the top half and she opens her campaign against Janice Tjen.

    The 18-year-old American is projected to meet eighth seed Magda Linette in the quarter-final and if the seedings hold it should be a Raducanu against Jovic semi-final.

    Defending champion and world No 31 Kessler headlines the bottom half and she starts off against Olga Danilovic before a possible tasty match against former world No 2 Krejcikova. However, the Czech herself has a tough opener against Peyton Stearns.

    Emiliana Arango is seeded seventh and likely on a collision course with Kessler.

    The top section of the bottom half has some interesting match-ups as sixth seed Tatjana Maria has landed a plum draw as she faces former world No 1 Williams, who has been handed a wildcard.

    The section has four qualifier/lucky loser spots with world No 37 Ann Li also featuring. The fourth-seeded American will face a lucky loser/qualifier in her opener and if she wins that she will face another qualifier/lucky loser.

    Hobart International Projected Quarter-Final

    Raducanu v Bouzas Maneiro
    Jovic v Linette
    Maria v Li
    Arango v Kessler

    Want more from Tennis365? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for tennis coverage you can trust.

    The post Hobart draw: Emma Raducanu gets double boost as she is promoted to No 1 and avoids big guns appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff preview their blockbuster United Cup clash

    The United Cup consistently attracts the very best players in the world to compete for their respective countries — and two of the biggest names in women’s tennis are now set to face off in the competition.

    For the second consecutive year, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff will do battle when Poland takes on the United States in the mixed team event, with the two nations set to do battle in Saturday’s semi-final encounter.

    The match-up between Swiatek and Gauff, both reigning Grand Slam champions, promises to be the biggest of the event so far, and here we look at all you need to know ahead of the blockbuster showdown.

    How did we get here?

    Poland and the United States have both had unblemished campaigns through the mixed team event so far, with neither nation losing a tie.

    Competing in Sydney throughout the event, Poland beat both Germany and the Netherlands without losing a single individual rubber to top their group, before a hard-fought 2-1 win over Australia in Friday’s quarter-final.

    Swiatek battled from a set down to beat Eva Lys of Germany in her opening match of the event, but has since made light work of the Netherlands’ Suzan Lamens and Australia’s Maya Joint.

    Looking to defend their title in the event, the United States kicked off their campaign in Perth with a 3-0 group-stage win versus Argentina and a 2-1 victory versus Spain, before a 2-1 quarter-final triumph over Greece.

    Gauff has so far contested every women’s singles and mixed doubles match for her country in the team event, with a 5-1 win-loss record in her six matches.

    Tennis News

    Former Wimbledon champion believes Coco Gauff’s serving woes could have a ‘five minute fix’

    Prize money & ranking points won by Rybakina, Keys, Andreeva, & Samsonova at Brisbane International

    In singles, she easily beat Argentina’s Solana Sierra before a shock defeat to Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, though she bounced back with a strong win over Maria Sakkari of Greece in the last eight.

    Saturday’s semi-final will be the United States’ first clash in three days, having now travelled from Perth to Sydney.

    Head-to-head

    World No 2 Swiatek has a strong 11-4 head-to-head advantage over world No 4 Gauff, though that does not tell the full story of their rivalry.

    The Pole dominated their rivalry early on, moving to an 11-1 lead in their head-to-head, with all of her wins coming in straight sets.

    However, Gauff has turned the tables in recent years with three straight victories — including one in the 2025 United Cup.

    After a surprise round-robin win over Swiatek at the 2024 WTA Finals, Gauff then beat the Pole in straight sets in the final of the United Cup last January, with the United States beating Poland to triumph.

    Their most recent encounter came in the semi-final of the Madrid Open in May 2025, with Gauff thrashing Swiatek 6-1, 6-1 in just 64 minutes.

    What did Gauff say?

    Gauff was instrumental in the United States beating Greece in their quarter-final on Wednesday, beating Sakkari in her singles rubber before returning to court to seal victory in the deciding mixed doubles rubber alongside Christian Harrison.

    At that time, Team United States were unaware of who their semi-final opponent was going to be, with Poland and Australia’s quarter-final clash still two days away at that point.

    However, the world No 4 was still asked about the possibility of a 16th career meeting against the Pole.

    She said: “I mean, obviously, we’ve played each other a lot of times. Last year [at the United Cup], I had a good match against her.

    “Yeah, I’m looking forward to the battle. I feel like when I’m playing great tennis, it puts a lot of pressure on them. Yeah, I’m looking forward to that.”

    What did Swiatek say?

    Swiatek was directly asked about her match-up with Gauff after Poland sealed victory over Australia in a decisive mixed doubles tie.

    Earlier in the day, the reigning Wimbledon champion had sealed an emphatic 6-1, 6-1 over Joint.

    She said: “Well, honestly, I had no idea we were playing the US. I just got to know, actually when I saw we had mixed doubles under control.

    “I’m going to prepare the plan tomorrow [Saturday]. For sure, it’s a good match, like exciting for the fans I think. But I’ll focus on my singles. Obviously, we know each other’s game pretty well with Coco.

    “The key for me will be just to focus on myself, try to implement the stuff that I worked on during the pre-season and be brave with the decisions. Yeah, we’ll see.”

    Predicted line-up: United States vs Poland

    Men’s singles: Taylor Fritz vs Hubert Hurkacz
    Women’s singles: Coco Gauff vs Iga Swiatek
    Mixed doubles: Coco Gauff/Christian Harrison vs Iga Swiatek/Hubert Hurkacz

    Want more from Tennis365? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for tennis coverage you can trust.

    Read Next: WTA Rankings: What Amanda Anisimova’s Brisbane loss means for her and Coco Gauff

    The post Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff preview their blockbuster United Cup clash appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Aus Open projected women’s seeds: Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff top 3, Osaka, Mboko, Raducanu make cut

    Aryna Sabalenka will once again be the top seed for the Australian Open while defending champion Madison Keys just makes the top 10 following her quarter-final exit from the Brisbane International.

    World No 1 and two-time Melbourne champion Sabalenka was always assured of being the first name on the draw sheet for the season-opening Grand Slam as she has a lead of more than 2,000 points over Iga Swiatek in the WTA Rankings.

    Six-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek will headline the bottom half of the draw as she, in turn, is nearly 2,000 points ahead of Coco Gauff in the Live Rankings.

    Reigning French Open champion Gauff has now been confirmed as the third seed for the Australian Open following Amanda Anisimova’s third-round loss in Brisbane while Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula will be the next two names on the sheet.

    Although Pegula is still in action in Brisbane, she is unable to move up from No 6 ahead of the January 12 cutoff date for the seedings.

    In fact, only a couple of places in the top 10 are still to be decided with Mirra Andreeva, currently at No 8, in with a chance of moving up one spot to No 7 while world No 11 Belinda Bencic – currently competing at the United Cup could still pip Ekaterina Alexandrova to 10th place.

    Tennis365 Exclusives

    Former Wimbledon champion believes Coco Gauff’s serving woes could have a ‘five minute fix’

    Emma Raducanu’s targets laid out by Grand Slam winner after troubled start to 2026

    2025 Newcomer of the Year Victoria Mboko is set to be seeded 17th, one place behind four-time Grand Slam winner and former world No 1 Naomi Osaka – the player she beat in the Canadian Open final last August.

    Mboko, though, can still drop a place as Karolina Muchova, currently at No 19, will move up a few spots if she reaches the final in Brisbane while No 20 Elise Mertens is also still alive at the United Cup.

    The Australian Open has already hit by the withdrawal of two players who were set to be seeded as 2024 runner-up Zheng Qinwen – who was set to be seeded 25th – is out with an elbow injury while No 31 Veronika Kudermetova is also out.

    That means those below them will all earn a bump with Emma Raducanu one of the beneficiaries as the British No 1 is set to be seeded 28th instead of 29th.

    But Raducanu could drop back to 29th as Iva Jovic (No 30) will move ahead of her if the young American wins her semi-final match at the ASB Classic in Auckland.

    Of course, there could still be more withdrawals from seeded players that will give those just outside the cutoff a chance to move up.

    Current Top 32 Based on Live Rankings

    1. Aryna Sabalenka
    2. Iga Swiatek
    3. Coco Gauff
    4. Amanda Anisimova
    5. Elena Rybakina
    6. Jessica Pegula
    7. Jasmine Paolini
    8. Mirra Andreeva
    9. Madison Keys
    10. Ekaterina Alexandrova
    11. Belinda Bencic
    12. Elina Svitolina
    13. Linda Noskova
    14. Clara Tauson
    15. Emma Navarro
    16. Naomi Osaka
    17. Victoria Mboko
    18. Ludmilla Samsonova
    19. Karolina Muchova
    20. Elise Mertens
    21. Leylah Fernandez
    22. Diana Shnaider
    23. Jeļena Ostapenko
    24. Paula Badosa
    25. Marta Kostyuk
    26. Dayana Yastremska
    27. Sofia Kenin
    28. Emma Raducanu
    29. Iva Jovic
    30. Maya Joint
    31. Anna Kalinskaya
    32. Marketa Vondrousova

    Next Five
    33. Lois Boisson
    34. Mccartney Kessler
    35. Jaqueline Cristian
    36. Ann Li
    37. Eva Lys

    Want more from Tennis365? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for tennis coverage you can trust.

    The post Aus Open projected women’s seeds: Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff top 3, Osaka, Mboko, Raducanu make cut appeared first on Tennis365.