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  • Carlos Alcaraz speaks about Jannik Sinner No 1 ranking showdown in ‘dream’ Monte Carlo Masters final

    Carlos Alcaraz described his meeting with Jannik Sinner in the final at the 2026 Monte Carlo Masters as a “dream” matchup after he overcame Valentin Vacherot.

    The world No 1 defeated 23rd-ranked Monegasque hero Vacherot 6-4, 6-4 in the second semi-final at the Masters 1000 tournament.

    Alcaraz broke Vacherot once in the opening set and twice in the second set as he ended the 27-year-old’s remarkable run at his home event.

    The seven-time Grand Slam winner is seeking his second title in Monte Carlo, where he is the defending champion.

    The 22-year-old will take on world No 2 Sinner — his biggest rival — in the championship match on Sunday. It will be the first encounter between Alcaraz and Sinner in 2026.

    Sinner, who crushed third seed Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-4 in the first semi-final, is aiming to win his first Masters 1000 title on clay.

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    As well as battling for the prestigious Monte Carlo trophy, the winner of the final will hold the world No 1 position when the ATP Rankings update on Monday.

    In the Live ATP Rankings, Alcaraz is on 13,240 points, and Sinner has 13,000. If Alcaraz wins, he will have 13,590 points, while a Sinner victory would see the Italian jump to 13,350 points — which would put him 110 points clear of the Spaniard.

    In his on-court interview with Tennis TV, Alcaraz discussed his win against Vacherot and looked ahead to his showdown with Sinner.

    “I think it’s the dream spot for everyone, I’d say,” said the Spaniard.

    “I’m fighting for my second Monte Carlo title; I think he’s fighting for his first one.

    “It’s gonna be a really special one. The number one is on the line, so I would say that makes it even more special.

    “But for me, I’m just really happy to win this really difficult match against Valentin; I think he’s playing great tennis with a lot of confidence right now. Playing in his hometown, it was really tough to deal with.

    “Really excited about my first meeting against Jannik in 2026, first final. Let’s see how it’s gonna be tomorrow, but I’m really excited about it.”

    READ NEXT: Barcelona Open draw: Alcaraz and Draper in same half as ATP 500 event suffers two big-name withdrawals

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  • WTA Stuttgart draw: Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek & Alex Eala in same half as Coco Gauff learns fate

    Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek and Alex Eala are all set to star at the 2026 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, and the draw is now out.

    The prestigious WTA 500 tournament in Stuttgart, which is played on indoor clay courts at the Porsche-Arena, is a popular stop on the women’s tour.

    Main draw action at this year’s Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, which will be the 48th edition, will be held from 13 to 19 April after the qualifying event this weekend.

    Jelena Ostapenko is the defending champion, having defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the 2025 championship match.

    Sabalenka, Clara Tauson, Zheng Qinwen, Anna Kalinskaya and Barbora Krejcikova have all pulled out of the event.

    The WTA Stuttgart singles main draw will feature 28 players, and it is played over five rounds.

    There are eight seeded players, with the top four receiving an opening round bye.

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    World No 2 Rybakina is the top seed, and she will face either Diana Shnaider or Tamara Korpatsch in her opening match.

    Fifth seed Jasmine Paolini will start her campaign against a qualifier, and she could then play either Eala or Leylah Fernandez — who will face off in the first round. Paolini, Eala or Fernandez could face Rybakina in the quarter-finals.

    No 3 seed Swiatek will face Laura Siegemund or Magdalena Frech in her first match, while she is projected to meet sixth seed Mirra Andreeva in the last eight. Andreeva plays defending champion Ostapenko in a blockbuster first round clash.

    Elina Svitolina, who is seeded fourth, will start her tournament with a second round match against either Eva Lys or Paula Badosa. The Ukrainian is projected to play No 8 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the quarter-finals, while Linda Noskova is another possible opponent.

    Second seed Gauff will play Antonia Ruzic or Liudmila Samsonova in her opener, while she is projected to meet seventh seed Karolina Muchova in the last eight.

    WTA Stuttgart projected quarter-finals

    • Elena Rybakina (1) vs Jasmine Paolini (5)
    • Iga Swiatek (3) vs Mirra Andreeva (6)
    • Ekaterina Alexandrova (8) vs Elina Svitolina (4)
    • Karolina Muchova (7) vs Coco Gauff (2)

    READ NEXT: Monte Carlo Masters: Jannik Sinner makes ‘nothing to lose’ statement after destroying Alexander Zverev

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  • Monte Carlo Masters: Jannik Sinner makes ‘nothing to lose’ statement after destroying Alexander Zverev

    Jannik Sinner is through to his maiden Monte Carlo Masters final after he delivered a masterclass to steamroll Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals.

    The world No 2 dismantled Zverev 6-1, 6-4 in the last four at the prestigious clay-court tournament at the Monte Carlo Country Club.

    Sinner broke the big-serving German four times and lost only seven points on his own serve as he did not face a single break point. He has now won eight consecutive matches against Zverev.

    The Italian’s ATP Tennis Insights performance rating was a staggering 9.6, which Tennis TV commentator Nick Lester revealed to be the highest score ever recorded on clay.

    Sinner’s victory extended his winning streak to 16 matches following his triumphs in Indian Wells and Miami last month. He is the first player to win their first 16 Masters 1000 matches in a season since Novak Djokovic in 2015.

    Speaking to Tennis TV, Sinner was asked about not having much time to prepare for Monte Carlo after Miami.

    “No, I did not, but I’m very, very happy. We came here trying to give myself some feedback and finding myself in the final means a lot to me,” said the 24-year-old.

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    “Obviously, every match, every day, is different, so I’m very happy about today’s performance. I felt really, really solid from the beginning.

    “When you are a break up straight away, it changes the dynamic of the match. So, very happy and now let’s see what’s coming in the final.”

    Sinner also discussed the prospect of facing world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the final, with the Spaniard playing Valentin Vacherot in the second semi-final.

    “Yeah, he (Alcaraz) has a tough match now. Valentin continues to show what he is capable of, especially here playing with the home crowd. Even though Carlos is the favourite on that one,” Sinner said.

    “So assuming if he wins, I’m looking forward to it. These are matches why I practise for, why I wake up. And it’s great to have at least one match before Roland Garros against him.

    “That’s for sure a big test for me. But at the same time, I have nothing to lose. Coming here, making again final means a lot to me.

    “So I, of course, try to push as much as I can in the last day, but now is most important to rest. It was a good performance from my side. And tomorrow, it’s gonna be a tough one.”

    Sinner’s win moved him onto 13,000 points in the Live ATP Rankings, which has seen him overtake Alcaraz by 10 points. Alcaraz will return to top spot if he reaches the final.

    READ NEXT: Monte Carlo Masters: Felix Auger-Aliassime gives honest opinion of why it’s difficult to play against Jannik Sinner

    The post Monte Carlo Masters: Jannik Sinner makes ‘nothing to lose’ statement after destroying Alexander Zverev appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Monte Carlo Masters: Alexander Zverev makes telling 7-word mid-match comment about Jannik Sinner

    Alexander Zverev made a telling comment about his struggles against Jannik Sinner during the pair’s semi-final match at the 2026 Monte Carlo Masters.

    In the opening set of the last four clash, world No 2 Sinner dominated third-ranked Zverev 6-1 as he broke the big-serving German three times and won 27 of the 40 points played.

    Zverev did not recover from being broken in the first game of the match after he had led 40-15 and looked set to make a positive start.

    The three-time Grand Slam finalist had lost seven consecutive matches against Sinner prior to their meeting at the clay-court Masters event. The head-to-head is 8-4 in Sinner’s favour after Zverev won four of the first five encounters.

    Sinner, a four-time major champion, entered the semi-finals in Monte Carlo on a 15-match winning streak, having secured titles in Miami and Indian Wells last month.

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    When Zverev was trailing 0-4 in the first set, Tennis TV commentator Nick Lester revealed what the No 3 seed was heard saying in Russian towards his coaching box.

    “Just getting some intel from courtside on what was said in Russian when Zverev was speaking to his camp,” Lester said. “His actual quote was, ‘I don’t know how to play him (Sinner)’. That’s what Zverev said to his Dad.”

    With Zverev trailing 1-5, 0-40, Lester added: “It’s been a desperate set of tennis from Zverev’s point of view.

    “As great as Sinner has been, Zverev has just looked somewhat hapless out there. He doesn’t know a route through.”

    After his quarter-final win against Felix Auger-Aliassime in Monte Carlo, Sinner assessed that his level had taken “a step forward.”

    “Yeah, I feel like a step forward today, it was a very, very tough match, I knew that I had to get better in certain areas,” said the 24-year-old Italian.

    “The serve is not there yet, where I would love to, but all things considered, I’m very happy. Yesterday, I was very tired. I recovered very good in this night’s sleep.”

    The winner of the Sinner-Zverev semi-final will face either Carlos Alcaraz or Valentin Vacherot in the final at the Monte Carlo Country Club.

    READ NEXT: Sinner’s honest verdict, Alcaraz & Vacherot’s milestones, Sabalenka’s withdrawal, Swiatek & Raducanu compared

    The post Monte Carlo Masters: Alexander Zverev makes telling 7-word mid-match comment about Jannik Sinner appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Barcelona Open draw: Alcaraz and Draper in same half as ATP 500 event suffers two big-name withdrawals

    Carlos Alcaraz has found out his path to a possible third title at the Barcelona Open, but the 2026 edition of the tournament won’t feature the two most recent winners.

    As the world No 1 and current darling of Spanish tennis, Alcaraz is the top billing at the clay-court event and he will play on home soil for the first time since completing the Career Grand Slam with his Australian Open title in January.

    The seven-time major champion, who is a two-time winner in Barcelona after winning back-to-back trophies in 2022 and 2023, will face a qualifier in the first round and if he reaches the second round he will take on either Tomas Machac or Sebastian Baez.

    Alcaraz – who is still in action at the Monte Carlo Masters as he has reached the last four – is projected to meet fifth seed Andrey Rublev, who faces Mariano Navone in his opener, in the quarter-final and either Alex de Minaur or Jack Draper in the semi-final.

    Third seed De Minaur will also take on a qualifier in the first round and if he wins that match, he will face another qualifier while eighth seed Draper – playing in his first tournament since losing early at the Miami Open – has to get past Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the first round.

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    Current world No 5 Lorenzo Musetti is the highest-ranked player in the bottom half of the draw and the Italian faces Spanish wildcard Martin Landaluce in the first round while he could meet sixth seed Valentin Vacherot in the quarter-final.

    The in-form Vacherot, a semi-finalist at the Monte Carlo Masters, starts off against Terence Atmane before a possible tricky second-round encounter against either Brandon Nakashima or Arthur Fils.

    Karen Khachanov is the fourth seed and he starts off against Camilo Ugo Carabelli while he could meet seventh seed Cameron Norrie in the quarter-final.

    Norrie faces a possible banana skin in his opener as he takes on the retiring Stan Wawrinka.

    Projected Quarter-Finals

    Alcaraz v Rublev
    De Minaur v Draper
    Khachanov v Norrie
    Musetti v Vacherot

    The tournament suffered two blows just before the main draw was made as Felix Auger-Aliassime, who was due to be seeded fifth, and Casper Ruud both withdrew from the clay-court event.

    Both reported injuries following their recent participation at the Monte Carlo Masters and it means the two most recent Barcelona Open champions are not featuring as Ruud, who won the title in 2024, is joined on the sidelines by defending champion Holger Rune, who beat Alcaraz in the 2025 final.

    Rune remains on the injury list after he tore his Achilles tendon last October.

    The post Barcelona Open draw: Alcaraz and Draper in same half as ATP 500 event suffers two big-name withdrawals appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Monte Carlo Masters: Jannik Sinner gives candid verdict on his level ahead of Alexander Zverev clash

    Jannik Sinner has given an update on his health and declared that he took a “step forward” with his win over Felix Auger-Aliassime at the 2026 Monte Carlo Masters.

    The world No 2 downed seventh-ranked Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-4 in the second quarter-final at the Monte Carlo Country Club on Friday. It was Sinner’s 20th consecutive Masters 1000 win.

    Sinner broke his 25-year-old Canadian opponent once in each set and saved the only break point he faced in the fourth game of the second set.

    The 24-year-old Italian appeared to struggle with sickness in the second set of his 6-1, 6-7(3), 6-3 win against Tomas Machac in the previous round on Thursday.

    In his interview with Tennis TV after beating Auger-Aliassime, Sinner was asked to give an update on his physical condition and assess his level.

    “Yeah, I feel like a step forward today, it was a very, very tough match, I knew that I had to get better in certain areas,” said Sinner.

    “The serve is not there yet, where I would love to, but all things considered, I’m very happy.

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    “Yesterday, I was very tired. I recovered very good in this night’s sleep and let’s see what’s coming tomorrow, but in any case, very happy to be in the semis.”

    The four-time Grand Slam champion was also asked about the impressive overhead he hit to convert break point in the second set.

    “I feel like on these shots, when you start with the intention to hit, I don’t doubt. I’d rather miss and go for it than hoping at times,” Sinner replied.

    “It is a shot where we try to improve. It is a shot we are working on a lot, even though from outside it seems always an easy shot, the smash, but it’s definitely not.

    “Today, the weather with the clouds… I feel like a bit more confident to hit the serve, when it’s blue sky, for example, I’m someone who struggles a bit more.

    “But yeah, happy that I made it, and now knowing that [the shot was going out], it was a key moment, for sure (laughs).”s

    Sinner set for Alexander Zverev showdown

    Sinner will face world No 3 Alexander Zverev in the last four in Monte Carlo — the third consecutive Masters 1000 semi-final meeting between the pair.

    Zverev saw off world No 40 Joao Fonseca 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-3 in the first Monte Carlo quarter-final.

    Following his victory, the German said: “I don’t think it was still a great match to be honest, from both of us.

    “But as I said, this is the first week on clay for all of us; it’s not going to be easy, it’s not going to be the prettiest tennis.

    “How I won, I’m in the semi-finals, I’m super happy about that. I feel like the best set of tennis was a third set for me, so that shows improvement.

    “And again, that’s the most important thing this week to show improvement, to find also my aggressive game a bit more, because I’m struggling a little bit more on clay than I was on hard courts with that, but overall, I’m in the semis, and I’m happy about it.

    “It’s about rhythm a little bit. I feel like I’m still mistiming quite a few balls, but again, I’m in the semi-finals. I’m very happy about that.

    “I’d much rather mistime a few and be in the semis than be perfect and lose first round, you know? So, again, it’s about improving.

    “I feel like it’s going to be hopefully a good clay-court season for me, but yeah, there still needs to be improvements made.”

    READ NEXT: Carlos Alcaraz on the brink of eye-watering prize money breakthrough in Monte Carlo

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  • Brad Gilbert underlines big difference between Iga Swiatek and Emma Raducanu after Roig switch

    Renowned tennis Brad Gilbert will be keeping close tabs on Iga Swiatek’s game in the coming months as he is eager to see how her new coach Francisco Roig and tennis great Rafael Nadal improve her game.

    Following a difficult start to the 2026 season, Swiatek has slumped from No 2 to No 4 in the WTA Rankings as she has failed to make it past the quarter-final in the three months of the year.

    On the back of her second-round defeat at the Miami Open, the reigning Wimbledon champion announced that she had parted ways with Wim Fissette, who had only joined her as coach in October 2025.

    Three weeks later and she announced Roig – who had coached Emma Raducanu until the end of January – would become her new mentor, starting immediately.

    Swiatek started her new partnership with Roig at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca and 22-time Grand Slam winner Nadal was on hand to share tips with the former world No 1 and he even taught her how to play his trademark forehand.

    Gilbert, who coached the likes of Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Andy Murray and more recently Coco Gauff, started off by explaining the difference between Roig’s former charge Raducanu and his current one Swiatek.

    “So the big difference between those two [Swiatek and Raducanu] is movement,” he said on the Big T Podcast.

    “Iga is unbelievably fast. She’s probably the second-best mover on the women’s tour behind Coco. So if he does want her to, or Rafa wants her, to maybe extend the points, she can do that.

    “I feel like with Emma, maybe she doesn’t feel like she can do that. She probably needs to add that to her game.”

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    Of course, the big question is whether or not there will be obvious changes to Swiatek’s game following her sessions with Nadal and Gilbert is keen to see if her game evolves.

    The American added: “But it will be interesting to see how he does it – how much Rafa is going to be involved, because, what he’s been doing the last few days – you see him on the practice court – has to be invaluable.

    “And he was showing her the ‘buggy whip’ forehand, I thought that was incredibly cool. A lot to learn from.

    “And on this surface, at least you’re starting with a player that’s most comfortable on the surface. You know, she’s been great at Roland Garros, and can she put it together and all of a sudden get some wins?

    “She’s yet to make a semi-final this year, but I think that you’re starting on a surface that she’s most familiar with.”

    The post Brad Gilbert underlines big difference between Iga Swiatek and Emma Raducanu after Roig switch appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Joao Fonseca’s Monte Carlo Masters prize money & ranking points revealed after Alexander Zverev loss

    Joao Fonseca’s run at the 2026 Monte Carlo Masters ended with a three-set quarter-final loss to Alexander Zverev, but how much prize money and how many ranking points did he collect?

    The Brazilian star was beaten 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-3 by world No 3 Zverev at the clay-court Masters 1000 tournament at the Monte Carlo Country Club on Friday.

    In what was the first-ever encounter between the pair, a single break of serve proved decisive for Zverev in both the first and third sets, while Fonseca battled back from 1-3 down to win the second set.

    Fonseca, who was making his debut at the Monte Carlo Masters, overcame Gabriel Diallo, Arthur Rinderknech and Matteo Berrettini en route to the last eight.

    The 19-year-old reflected on the achievement of advancing to his maiden Masters quarter-final after his last 16 victory over Berrettini on Thursday.

    “It is super special,” Fonseca said. “I was looking for this result for a long time. Of course I want more. I am very confident and focused. I was very happy with the way I fought today.

    “From the beginning, putting a lot of pressure. Playing huge return games and very good serve games. I was putting a lot of pressure and that helps you stay more calm during the match.”

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    Fonseca’s Monte Carlo Masters prize money

    By reaching the quarter-finals in Monte Carlo, Fonseca has secured €158,700 ($183,865) in prize money.

    Prior to his appearance in the Principality this week, Fonseca had earned $289,980 this year, while his total career prize money stood at $2,968,665.

    Monte Carlo Masters prize money 

    Champion: €974,370 ($1,128,880)
    Runner-up: €532,120 ($616,500)
    Semi-finalists: €290,960 ($337,100)
    Quarter-finalists: €158,700 ($183,865)
    Round of 16: €84,890 ($98.351)
    Round of 32: €45,520 ($5,2738)
    Round of 64: €25,220 ($29,219)

    Fonseca’s Monte Carlo Masters ranking points

    Fonseca’s run to the last eight in Monte Carlo saw him amass 200 ATP ranking points.

    This has seen Fonseca increase his points total to 1,315, which has lifted him five places to world No 35 in the Live ATP Rankings.

    The Brazilian reached his career-high ranking of world No 24 in November 2025 following his victory at the Swiss Indoors in Basel the previous month.

    Monte Carlo ranking points breakdown

    Champion: 1,000 points
    Runner-up: 650 points
    Semi-finalists: 400 points
    Quarter-finalists: 200 points
    Round of 16: 100 points
    Round of 32: 50 points
    Round of 64: 10 points

    READ NEXT: Carlos Alcaraz surprised that his statement about No 1 battle ’caused a stir’

    The post Joao Fonseca’s Monte Carlo Masters prize money & ranking points revealed after Alexander Zverev loss appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Are Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner ‘untouchable’ at Grand Slams? Spaniard responds to rival’s claim

    Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have dominated the Grand Slams the past two years as, between them, they have won nine consecutive majors, leading one rival to claim they are “untouchable” when it comes to the four biggest tournaments on the tennis calendar.

    Their dominant streak started at the 2024 Australian Open with Sinner winning the title while he also lifted the US Open trophy that year, with Alcaraz successful at the French Open and Wimbledon.

    The Italian successfully defended his crown at Melbourne Park last year and also won Wimbledon while his rival tasted success at Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows.

    And Alcaraz has kept the streak going in 2026 as he started the year by beating Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final to complete his Career Grand Slam.

    Djokovic was the last man not named Alcaraz or Sinner to win a major and that was at the 2023 US Open while he is also the last player to make a final following his loss to the Spaniard in Melbourne.

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    During the recent Ultimate Tennis Showdown in Nimes, world No 11 Alexander Bublik told Spazio Tennis: “Perhaps they might correct me, but I believe that in Grand Slams, they are untouchable.

    “The only ones to defeat Jannik in a Grand Slam have been Carlos and Novak. That’s it, no one else. Nobody is getting close to them.

    “If I put myself in their position, why would I care about anything else? I need to achieve great things, get closer to Federer, to Novak: to do that, I have to focus on those tournaments.

    “If I see Jannik and Carlos going to five sets against someone ranked 80th in the world, then I would say that there are people getting closer to them. At the moment, that’s not happening.”

    Seven-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz, who has appeared in four consecutive Grand Slam finals, was asked about Bublik’s comments during the Monte Carlo Masters.

    “Yes, it’s true that we have won the last nine Grand Slams, I believe, but even so, I don’t think we’re invincible in Grand Slam,” he said.

    “When someone like Bublik, a top-10 player, says that… it gives you a lot of confidence. Someone who understands this sport as well as Bublik stating that we can’t lose in a Grand Slam, it helps us gain more confidence.

    “Still, I don’t agree with him.”

    The post Are Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner ‘untouchable’ at Grand Slams? Spaniard responds to rival’s claim appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Stuttgart Open withdrawal list: Aryna Sabalenka the latest to pull out of WTA 500 event

    World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka’s wait to win a Porsche at the Stuttgart Open will continue for another as she has become the latest player to withdraw from the WTA 500 event.

    The four-time Grand Slam winner was due to be the top seed at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, but she confirmed that she won’t feature due to injury.

    The German event was due to be Sabalenka’s first tournament since she completed the Sunshine Double in March by winning both the Indian Wells Open and Miami Open.

    The Belarusian has reached four finals in Stuttgart as she lost last year’s final against Jelena Otapenko while she also finished runner-up to Iga Swiatek in 2022 and 2023, and was beaten in the 2021 final by Ashleigh Barty.

    “Hi Stuttgart. I’m very sad to say that I won’t be able to play the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix this year,” the reigning US Open champion wrote on her Instagram Story.

    “I always love coming back to Stuttgart. The atmosphere, the fans, and the support I feel there are so special to me. And of course, I was really hoping to have another chance to fight for that Porsche.

    “Unfortunately, I suffered an injury after Miami, and even though I tried everything to recover in time, I’m not ready to compete. I’m really sorry to miss this amazing tournament. Wishing everyone a great week in Stuttgart, and I hope to see you all again very soon.”

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    Sabalenka was due to be the top seed at the WTA 500 event and she has been replaced in the main draw by Magdalena Frech.

    The 27-year-old will drop 325 points following her runners-up finish last year, but she is assured of remaining top of the WTA Rankings as she has a lead of nearly 2,000 points following her double trophy run in Indian Wells and Miami.

    Her next event is likely to be the Madrid Open.

    World No 2 Elena Rybakina has replaced the Belarusian as the top seed at the tournament with Coco Gauff now headlining the bottom half of the draw with Iga Swiatek and Elina Svitolina third and fourth, respectively.

    Other Players Who Won’t Feature

    Sabalenka is the third player to withdraw from the clay-court tournament with world No 22 Anna Kalinskaya the first to pull out with Emma Navarro getting the nod as a replacement.

    Alex Eala was next to earn a late entry as the rising Filipina star received the boost on the back of reigning Wimbledon champion Zhang Qinwen’s withdrawal.

    The post Stuttgart Open withdrawal list: Aryna Sabalenka the latest to pull out of WTA 500 event appeared first on Tennis365.