Author: admin

Some of the biggest names in tennis have warned Carlos Alcaraz against making a comeback from his wrist injury at the US Open, but the Spanish superstar looks set to defy that advice after he declared his intention to play in New York.

Alcaraz has not played a competitive match since injuring his wrist at the Barcelona Open in April, with former US Open champion Andy Roddick and Flushing Meadows finalist Greg Rusedski among those warning the Spaniard against making a return in a best-of-five-set tournament.

After he pulled out of this week’s Cincinnati Open after conceding his wrist had not fully healed, Alcaraz has since confirmed that he will play in the US Open mixed doubles alongside Serena Williams.

He has also suggested he will play in the singles in what would be his comeback event, with 1997 US Open runner-up Rusedski confused by his decision.

“Why would you start back with a wrist injury in three out of five sets?” asked Rusedski on the latest edition of his podcast.

More Tennis News

Carlos Alcaraz’s US Open return branded a ‘publicity stunt’ as shock singles withdrawal predicted

Andre Agassi makes huge Carlos Alcaraz claim about Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal

“Maybe he’s thinking three out of five sets, I can win him in straight sets, I can build myself up, I got a day off in between every match, but I think it’s a huge risk. I would be very surprised if he plays in the singles.

“I hope he’s able to play the US Open, but I’m not sure this is the smartest thing, unless it’s just a publicity stunt and he’s just gonna play in the mixed doubles and then not even play the singles. Who knows? We don’t know until he shows up in the blocks for the opening first round match in New York what’s gonna happen.”

Alcaraz’s comeback announcement came shortly after his great rival Jannik Sinner confirmed he will not be taking any chances with his long-term health, as he has opted to miss the final Grand Slam of 2026.

It was hard to overlook the contrast between the decisions made by the two biggest names in men’s tennis.

We are not in the camp of either player and do not know the fine details of their injury issues, but Alcaraz and Sinner are still at the start of their careers in tennis and they could be challenging for the game’s top titles for a decade and more.

Playing in this Grand Slam at the end of 2026 will not define their careers or their legacies, but if Alcaraz plays in the singles and does fresh damage to his wrist, what has to be a gamble to return in a best-of-five-set Grand Slam event could result in long-term damage.

By contrast, Sinner is playing the long game and accepting that pushing his body to the limit for one tournament is not the priority at this stage of his tennis journey.

This is not the first time the two men who have dominated the Grand Slam tournaments for the last two years have thrown up questions about their scheduling, with Sinner taking a more cautious approach than Alcaraz.

The Italian does not play as many exhibition events as Alcaraz and he also appears to have more focus on his profession compared to you a young rival who makes no secret of his desire to party and let his hair down in between big tournaments.

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

That mindset was a bone of contention between Alcaraz and his former coach Juan Carlos Ferrero and may have been a factor in their shock split at the end of last year.

If Alcaraz is standing on Arthur Ashe Stadium court with another US Open win on his record at the end of this tournament, his decision to play in New York will have been justified.

Anything less and the question marks over his scheduling will be thrown in his direction once again.

READ NEXT: The 14 US Open mixed doubles teams: Alcaraz-Serena, Djokovic-Sabalenka, Auger-Aliassime-Eala

The post Difference between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz highlighted with big US Open decisions appeared first on Tennis365.

Jannik Sinner became the biggest name to join the growing list of US Open absentees when he confirmed his knee injury will rule him out of the final Grand Slam of the year, with the debate over why so many top players are picking up long-term injuries back on the agenda.

Former US Open semi-finalist is facing an uncertain future in the sport as his ongoing bone bruising injury in his arm shows no sign of healing, while Carlos Alcaraz is making his comeback in New York after missing the last four months with a wrist injury.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Ethan Quinn, Sebastian Korda, Holger Rune, Gabriel Diallo and Emilio Nava are all out of the men’s draw for the US Open, while Victoria Mboko, Hailey Baptiste, Emma Raducanu and Ajla Tomljanovic are on the absentee list for the women’s draw.

Now the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) have released details of a huge increase in injury issues for top players.

Their statistics confirm upper-body injuries are up 42%, arm injuries have increased by 112%, match-ending injuries are up 53% and re-injuries are 55%.

More Tennis News

Novak Djokovic handed huge US Open rankings boost as first Cincinnati Open finalist is confirmed

Carlos Alcaraz’s US Open return branded a ‘publicity stunt’ as shock singles withdrawal predicted

Now Serena Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou has given his verdict on the injury numbers served up by the PTPA, as he suggested there may be several factors behind the surge in injuries.

“Those figures are concerning,” declared Mouratoglou on a LinkedIn post. “They come from a PTPA injury analysis comparing Q1 2026 with the average Q1 figures from the previous seven years and with a rolling 12-month average over the previous seven years.

“The calendar is often presented as the obvious explanation for this increase. I’m not convinced.

“I’m not saying the tennis calendar is perfect. The Masters 1000 events have become longer, but players aren’t necessarily playing more matches and they have more recovery time between some of them. For me, that alone doesn’t explain such a dramatic increase.

“There is another detail in these numbers that I find particularly interesting: the injuries increasing so sharply are upper-body injuries.

“That makes me look elsewhere. The first thing I would investigate is the evolution of the surfaces.

“Since the early 2000s, surfaces have progressively become slower and more homogeneous. Grass is a very good example. There was a time when even clay-court players had to serve and volley there. Today, most players stay at the baseline.

“This evolution has also reduced the variety of playing styles. Players spend much more time exchanging from the baseline at very high intensity, hitting the ball extremely hard over and over again. That creates enormous stress on the arm, elbow and shoulder.

“Then there are the balls. Players can compete with one type of ball one week and a completely different one the next. Some are heavier, some lighter, some more explosive. The upper body constantly has to adapt to different stresses.

“I’ve also heard many players complain about how quickly some balls lose their qualities. When the ball becomes less lively, producing the same depth, pace and weight requires more effort. Multiply that by thousands of shots in practice and competition, and it’s something worth investigating seriously.”

With sports science moving to a very different level of excellence in recent years, players should be in a better position to avoid injuries, with Mourtoglou confused by the rise in numbers of players in the treatment room.

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

“I find these numbers even more frustrating because sports medicine and physical preparation have improved enormously,” he added.

“When I started my Academy in 1996, I was already working with top physios who explained how much could be done through injury prevention. Over the last 20 years, that work has become incredibly sophisticated. And now we’re seeing numbers moving dramatically in the wrong direction.

“I don’t pretend to have the definitive explanation, but these figures should push the governing bodies to investigate the surfaces, the balls and every factor that could explain why upper-body injuries are increasing so sharply.

“Find the causes, then find solutions. Because these numbers are not acceptable for the health of the players.”

READ NEXT: All 16 withdrawals from US Open as former world No 4 joins Jannik Sinner, doubts over Elena Rybakina

The post Jannik Sinner leads US Open withdrawal list – now shocking injury statistics have emerged appeared first on Tennis365.

World No 1 Jannik Sinner is one of seven ATP stars who have been forced to pull out of the US Open while the WTA withdrawal tally sits at nine.

2024 US Open champion Sinner dropped a bombshell on Friday as he confirmed he won’t feature at the season-ending Grand Slam in Flushing Meadows due to a right knee injury sustained after Wimbledon.

But there is good news for organisers as Carlos Alcaraz has confirmed he will return to defend his title as he will make his long-awaited comeback following his three-month layoff due to a wrist injury.

Five-time Grand Slam winner Sinner’s withdrawal means world No 2 Alexander Zverev will be the top seed in New York with Alcaraz seeded second, Felix Auger-Aliassime third and Novak Djokovic fifth.

Sinner is one of two seeded players to withdraw from the men’s entry list with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina – who was projected to be 26th – also out as he is struggling with a back injury.

US Open News

Carlos Alcaraz’s US Open return branded a ‘publicity stunt’ as shock singles withdrawal predicted

Carlos Alcaraz & Serena Williams confirmed to pair up for US Open mixed doubles

The two will be joined on the sidelines by Holger Rune with the former world No 4 confirming that his return from his Achilles injury has again been pushed back.

The Dane was forced to undergo surgery last October and he was seen practising with Alcaraz in Murcia this week, sparking hope that he was about to return after a 10-month absence.

But that won’t be the case as he wrote on social media: “Really happy with my improvement and level. And we keep working.

“My team and I have decided not to have a Grand Slam as my first tournament coming back. @usopen see you next year.”

2026 US Open ATP withdrawal list

• Jannik Sinner (world No 1) – replaced by Carlos Taberner
• Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (world No 27) – replaced by Alexei Popyrin
• Ethan Quinn (world No 58) – replaced by Martin Damm
• Sebastian Korda (world No 64) – replaced by Aleksandar Vukic
• Holger Rune (world No 80) – replaced by Facundo Díaz Acosta
• Gabriel Diallo (world No 105) – replaced by Wu Yibing
• Emilio Nava (world No 108) – replaced by Benjamin Bonzi

2026 US Open WTA withdrawal list

World No 17 Victoria Mboko remains the highest-profile player missing from the women’s draw as she remains sidelined with the knee injury she sustained when she slipped at the Queen’s Club Championship in June.

The Canadian is so far the only seeded player to withdraw, but there are doubts over world No 2 Elena Rybakina after she aggravated an ankle injury during the Cincinnati Open.

“It’s painful to walk, and we will know more tomorrow when I do the MRI,” she said after she was forced to retire after just five games against Iga Swiatek in the quarter-final.

“It’s been bothering me for a long period of time. It was under control, but then after playing a lot of matches in Canada and coming here playing two matches in a row.”

• Victoria Mboko (world No 17) – replaced by Mananchaya Sawangkaew
• Hailey Baptiste (world No 32) – replaced by Kaitlin Quevedo
• Jaqueline Cristian (world No 40) – replaced by Darja Vidmanova
• Emma Raducanu (world No 59) – replaced by Anna Blinkova
• Ajla Tomljanovic (world No 93) – replaced by Ella Seidel
• Laura Siegemund (world No 98) – replaced by Nadia Podoroska
• Varvara Gracheva (world No 106) – replaced by Anastasia Zakharova
• Jil Teichmann (world No 167) – replaced by Julia Grabher
• Irina-Camelia Begu (world No 462) – replaced by Elsa Jacquemot

The post All 16 withdrawals from US Open as former world No 4 joins Jannik Sinner, doubts over Elena Rybakina appeared first on Tennis365.

Former doubles partners Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff will meet in the Cincinnati Open final in what will be the first all-American showpiece match in 56 years.

Third seed Pegula survived a tricky encounter against defending champion Iga Swiatek to reach her ninth WTA 1000 final while fourth seed Gauff eased past giant-killer Sara Bejlek to secure an eighth final at this level.

Both players are looking to win their 12th WTA Tour singles title while Pegula is eyeing a fifth WTA 1000 trophy and Gauff a fourth.

Rosy Casals won the last all-American final in Cincinnati when she defeated Nancy Richey in three sets in 1970 while Gauff is the most recent American winner of the title as she lifted the trophy in 2023.

Pegula, meanwhile, finished runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka in 2024.

WTA News

WTA Rankings Winners & Losers Cincinnati: Sabalenka, Rybakina flop, Swiatek run continues, Eala +2, Raducanu out of top 60

Projected US Open women’s seeds: Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina headline; Alex Eala’s highest position

“I’m always rooting for American tennis. We all get along so well. I think it would be awesome if it was Coco and I in a final,” Pegula said.

“We’ve played in finals before, and I think, win or lose, to me, like looking back on my career, I think like to play someone that I get along with and that I have a lot of respect for in Coco would be really cool and memorable.”

Two-time Grand Slam winner Gauff was equally complimentary about her fellow American.

“Jess is a great person. She was one of the older players who, when I arrived on the tour, was very kind to me from the beginning,” she said.

“It’s something I have a lot of respect for. We had a very tough match at Wimbledon and I imagine tomorrow will be another very difficult match.”

What Time Is The Final?

Traditionally, women’s tennis finals take place before men’s showpiece matches, but Cincinnati Open organisers are doing things differently as the Arthur Fils-Frances Tiafoe ATP final will be staged before the Pegula-Gauff encounter.

The day’s action will start with the men’s doubles final between Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos and Constantin Frantzen and Robin Haase with the men’s final following immediately.

If all goes according to plan, then the Fils-Tiafoe encounter will get underway at 16:30 (20:30 GMT/21:30 BST).

The Pegula and Gauff showpiece match is scheduled to start at 19:00 in Mason (23:00 GMT/0:00 BST).

Prize Money On Offer

The winner will receive a cheque of $1,085,200 while the finalist will go home with $564,920.

Gauff has already earned $34,195,677 during her career and sits at No 10 in the all-time prize money list while Pegula is at No 25 with career earnings of $25,333,584.

Head-To-Head

Pegula leads the rivalry 5-4, but Gauff won their most recent encounter 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. However, that was on the grass at Wimbledon in July.

In terms of their hard-court results, Pegula leads the H2H 4-2 with their most recent match on the surface taking place in the round-robin phase of the 2025 WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia with the 32-year-old winning 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2.

The post Jessica Pegula v Coco Gauff: Match start time, prize money and head-to-head record appeared first on Tennis365.

Novak Djokovic has been given a major boost on the eve of the US Open, as he now looks set to secure a prized top four seeding for the final Grand Slam of 2026.

Even though he has played fewer tournaments than his rivals at the top of the men’s game this year as he favours a limited schedule that is focused on targeting the major championships, the 39-year-old has managed to maintain his position in fifth place in the ATP Rankings.

With world No 1 Jannik Sinner confirming he will not be play at the US Open due to a knee injury, the fifth ranked player is set to secure the No 4 seeding spot, with Djokovic now on course to seal that position after Flavio Cobolli lost his Cincinnati Open semi-final against Arthur Fils.

French Open finalist Cobolli would have overtaken Djokovic in the rankings if he reached the final in Cincinnati, but he lost 6-3, 6-4 in a match that lasted just 68 minutes.

The significance being the No 4 seed compared to being one place lower means he would avoid a clash with top seed Carlos Alcaraz or No 2 seed Alexander Zverev until the semi-finals at the earliest.

More Tennis News

US Open 2026 projected men’s seeds: Zverev, Alcaraz, Djokovic move up in Sinner’s absence

Novak Djokovic ‘health condition’ leaves him questioning whether he can find a solution

After losing his only warm-up match against Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante as he struggled with the heat in Cincinnati, a run to the semi-finals in New York may seem ambitious.

Yet Djokovic is a different beast when Grand Slam events roll around and with Sinner missing the US Open and doubts over Alcaraz’s fitness as he returns to the court for the first time since injuring his wrist in April at the Barcelona Open, the door may be open for Novak to win the 25th Grand Slam title he has been chasing since winning his last majorr title at the 2023 US Open.

Fils may also believe he has a chance to challenge for his first Grand Slam in New York as he looks back to his best after a year troubled by injury.

The convincing form he showed in brushing aside Cobolli pushed him closer to a place in the top 10 of the ATP Rankings and if he wins the final on Sunday, he will head into the US Open as one of the dark horses to go all the way.

“I was very happy with the performance,” Fils said. “I started pretty slow. I was a bit tight, but I think from 4-3 in the first set when I won those long rallies, just the momentum came my way and I felt so much better.

“Especially on the serve, because in the first couple of games I didn’t serve good at all, and then after it was very good. So I’m very happy with the performance.”

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

Cobolli’s performance was a little confusing, as he struggled to get his teeth into the match and surrendered weakly to allow Fils to boost his place in a first ATP Masters 1000 final.

Despite this defeat, Cobolli will still hit a new milestone on Monday as he will leap up four places to No 6 and he will have a chance to go even higher if he has a good run at the US Open.

READ NEXT: History is on Novak Djokovic’s side as he looks to win the US Open

The post Novak Djokovic handed huge US Open rankings boost as first Cincinnati Open finalist is confirmed appeared first on Tennis365.

Jannik Sinner has been warned that any potential ‘relapse’ in his recent injury may put a premature end to his 2026 season, adding that the Italian’s case will ‘serve as a warning’ to his rivals over scheduling priorities.

On Friday, the Italian announced that he would not be able to participate in the season’s final Grand Slam due to an ongoing ‘right knee issue’.

The social media post came just five weeks after successfully defending his Wimbledon title, beating German Alexander Zverev in a four-set clash.

With a 44-3 (93.6%) win-loss record, Sinner would have likely been the favourite for the New York tournament.

Most frustratingly, the world No 1 also had a physical issue which proved fatal for his French Open chances, succumbing to the intense Parisian heat during his second-round match in which he had led Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-2, 6-2, 5-1 before losing out in the fifth set.

Prior to Paris, Sinner became the first man to win all of the opening five Masters 1000 tournaments, and just the second man to win all three of such clay-court tournaments – after Rafael Nadal did so in 2010, before winning the French Open.

Former world No 12 and Italian tennis commentator Paolo Bertolucci weighed in with his honest analysis of his countryman’s difficult situation.

More Tennis News

Carlos Alcaraz & Serena Williams confirmed to pair up for US Open mixed doubles

Jannik Sinner’s US Open withdrawal branded a ‘shock’ as Annabel Croft makes worrying assessment

“Undoubtedly, the grind Sinner put in this year, which led to winning 5 consecutive Masters 1000s, from Indian Wells to Rome via Miami, Monte Carlo, and Madrid, must have left some aftereffects,” began Bertolucci during an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“The most obvious one remains what happened at Roland Garros, the second-round loss to Cerundolo in five sets, after being just points away from victory.

“Then there was the comeback, capped by the Wimbledon triumph. But now the guy is sidelined, his last match dates back to the London final played and won against Zverev on Sunday, July 12, and so we truly hope the US Open is the last tournament he’s forced to skip.

“You can’t show up at this level if the previous issue hasn’t been resolved. A potential relapse, in fact, would be disastrous and could even lead to an early end to the 2026 season.

“So, you have to tread carefully, do the right things, not let yourself be driven by the anxiety to return at all costs.

“There’s a very fine line that absolutely must not be crossed. It costs Sinner and his team a lot to say no to the US Open, but it’s a no that comes at the end of a precise journey.”

Indeed, Sinner has played in nine tournaments this season and currently sits atop the Live ATP Rankings with 12,800 points – with this reducing to 11,500 after the US Open.

Despite the withdrawal, world No 2 Alexander Zverev will be unable to overtake the Italian even if he were to win his maiden US Open title, as he currently sits 3810 points behind.

Given the success in both the titles and rankings, Bertolucci suggests that Sinner’s right knee issue will ‘serve as a warning’ to every player who continues to play week-in-and-week-out simply because they are consistently going deep in tournaments.

“I repeat that, for the future, it’s necessary to reflect on scheduling,” he added.

“Sinner has just turned 25. He realistically has several more seasons at the highest level ahead of him, and he won’t lack opportunities to play the US Open and the other majors many times over.

“But the body needs to be fine-tuned, only presenting itself when everything is back in place. Probably, looking back, there’s the aftermath, the long wave of all those consecutive tournaments that has come calling on the body.

“That could very well be the reason for the Paris stumble and this latest stop, even if we can’t know for sure. The reflection to make is this: scheduling is worth as much as a shot.

“It needs to be fixed, sorted out. Sinner has done it with key shots, for example his serve, which has improved a lot over the years.

“He needs to do the same thing. And let all this serve as a warning to every player who gets swept up in the euphoria of victory, the excitement, tending to push scheduling aside a bit – when in fact it has become fundamental in a tennis so demanding. It requires more and more: both mentally and physically.”

Sinner is expected to return to the tour at the Beijing Open, which takes place from September 30 – October 6.

The post Jannik Sinner warned his 2026 season could ‘end early’ after US Open withdrawal appeared first on Tennis365.

Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams have been handed a wildcard for the upcoming US Open mixed doubles event, after months of speculation surrounding their potential partnership.

On Thursday, the Spaniard confirmed that he would return to professional tennis at the New York Grand Slam after missing four months of the season due to an ongoing wrist injury.

Alcaraz, who is the defending singles champion at the event, has now also been confirmed to be pairing up with tennis legend Williams in the mixed doubles draw.

The blockbuster partnership brings together two of the biggest names in the sport, with Alcaraz having helped dominate the tour for the last three years and Williams widely regarded as one of the greatest players in tennis history.

It also gives fans an early opportunity to see Alcaraz back on court ahead of his US Open singles title defence, although world No 1 Jannik Sinner will be absent after withdrawing from the event due to an ongoing right knee issue.

The American herself returned to professional tennis during the grass-court season after a nearly four-year ‘evolution’ away from the sport.

Despite suffering a knee injury during her singles comeback at Wimbledon, Williams recovered in time to play alongside her sister Venus at the Cincinnati Open, where they fell 6-2, 1-6, 10-8 to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns in their opening match.

It was at the US Open in 2022 that Williams indicated she would retire from the sport she once dominated, so the six-time champion will be looking to be as sharp as possible ahead of her return to New York.

Her mixed doubles appearance will therefore provide another competitive opportunity before the singles tournament gets underway, although the format means matches are significantly shorter than traditional Grand Slam contests.

More Tennis News

Jannik Sinner’s US Open withdrawal branded a ‘shock’ as Annabel Croft makes worrying assessment

Alex Eala’s coach makes candid admission after Filipina star’s remarkable rise

The event, which takes place from August 24-26, will be the second edition of the revamped category.

Last season, the USTA announced that it would halve the number of pairings from 32 to 16 and move the event to Fan Week, before the singles tournament begins, while offering $1 million to the winners.

The changes were designed to create a more star-studded event by putting some of the biggest names in singles at the heart of the competition, rather than relying primarily on established doubles specialists.

In addition, the format would consist of short sets to four games, with no-ad scoring and a 10-point match tiebreak replacing a deciding third set.

There is a much greater emphasis on singles players, with six teams qualifying directly based on the combined singles rankings of the pairs.

Eight teams, including Alcaraz and Williams, receive wildcards, while the remaining two spots will be decided through a new eight-team qualifying tournament on August 24.

12 months ago, Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani successfully defended their title, edging out Ruud and Swiatek 6-3 5-7 10-6 in the final.

Below are the confirmed names for the US Open mixed doubles main draw:

Direct Entrants

• Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic
• Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz
• Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud
• Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli
• Amanda Anisimova and Learner Tien
• Diana Shnaider and TBA

Wildcards

• Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori
• Alex Eala and Felix Auger-Aliassime
• Leylah Fernandez and Frances Tiafoe
• Taylor Townsend and Alexander Zverev
• Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils
• Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz
• Jakub Mensik and Karolina Muchova
• Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul
• Qualifier
• Qualifier

READ NEXT: Novak Djokovic lifts lid on ‘bitterness’ he felt at Australian Open – and it wasn’t the deportation scandal

The post Carlos Alcaraz & Serena Williams confirmed to pair up for US Open mixed doubles appeared first on Tennis365.

Alex Eala’s coach has admitted that the team ‘never thought’ the young star would receive the overwhelming support she currently enjoys, revealing that Filipino fans are following her across North America.

The Filipina has produced a remarkable 2026 season so far, rising to a new career-high ranking of world No 18 after starting the year at No 50.

Recently, she won her maiden WTA Tour singles title at the Washington Open, beating American Jessica Pegula in the final to become the first player from the Philippines to win a WTA singles title.

Just a few weeks earlier, Eala became the first player from her country to reach the second week of a Grand Slam, doing so at Wimbledon after defeating defending champion Iga Swiatek.

Her SW19 campaign helped her win the WTA’s Star of the Grass-Court Swing award, while she also won the WTA 125 title in Birmingham and reached the semi-finals in Berlin.

In 2026 alone, she has recorded six victories over players ranked inside the world’s top 10.

While Eala’s impressive results and rapid rise up the rankings may have come as a surprise to many, Bosch – who has helped develop the star since 2023 – firmly believed that the Filipina could make a significant breakthrough during the most recent pre-season and early tournaments.

More Tennis News

Jannik Sinner’s US Open withdrawal branded a ‘shock’ as Annabel Croft makes worrying assessment

Carlos Alcaraz’s confirmed schedule for the rest of 2026 ahead of his US Open return

“We were positive because she had a good pre-season and I was super happy with the way that she played in New Zealand,” Bosch analysed.

“She beat [Donna] Vekic, [Petra] Marcinko and [Magda] Linette and made the semi-finals, with a good level. The way that she played, I was super happy with. And I have to say that I was still watching many things that we could improve.

“You never know what the limit is that you can achieve, but I thought if we could do the same level as last year, we would be lucky with the weeks, because it is not the same playing well at a small tournament as at a big tournament.

“So I told the team because I work also with another coach Sandro and a fitness coach in Luke, and in the meetings I always told them that if we do well, in some specific weeks we can have a better run than 50.

“We were top 50 at that moment and it worked.”

Most recently, she reached the fourth round in Toronto before losing to Belinda Bencic, before bowing out to ninth seed Amanda Anisimova in a tight three-set third-round clash at the Cincinnati Open.

Amid her impressive results, Eala has also had to perform under immense pressure, with the majority of her matches and practice sessions attracting large crowds, alongside considerable attention from the media.

Indeed, she received 89% of the fan vote for the WTA’s Star of the Swing award following the grass-court season.

However, the extent of the support Eala has received has even surprised her own team.

“We could never think this would be like this,” added Bosch.

“We are super happy with the way that the Filipino community and fans are. Everywhere we go, they are there. This morning on the plane, we found a few Filipinos; they went from Washington to see Alex in Toronto again.

“It’s so nice to see how they really believe in her and how they have this passion on the court when she is playing.

“The court in Toronto was full every day when she was playing. For us, it is even sometimes scary, because it’s tough to always have the best level.

“This was a tough week for Alex because she won Washington, she played the final on Monday, and we just travelled on Tuesday. It was not easy to handle. I am happy that she could do a good two matches in the first two matches.”

READ NEXT: Novak Djokovic lifts lid on ‘bitterness’ he felt at Australian Open – and it wasn’t the deportation scandal

The post Alex Eala’s coach makes candid admission after Filipina star’s remarkable rise appeared first on Tennis365.

Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal from the US Open has been described as a ‘shock’ by former British tennis star and long-time commentator Annabel Croft, who added that his scheduling has perhaps ‘cost him’ two Grand Slams this season.

Five weeks ago, the world No 1 looked in phenomenal form by the end of his run to the Wimbledon title, as he extended his sensational win-loss record for the season to 44-3 (93.6%).

However, after withdrawing from Masters 1000 events in Montreal and Cincinnati, concern grew surrounding his physical condition.

Indeed, with less than two weeks to go before the start of the US Open, Sinner took to social media to announce that he would be unable to play the North American event after struggling with an ongoing ‘right knee issue’.

Shortly following becoming the first man to win all of the season’s first five Masters 1000 events, the Italian similarly looked like an overwhelming favourite to win the French Open. However, he was physically diminished by the intense Parisian heat during his second-round match against Juan Manuel Cerundolo.

Taken together, despite the positive results, the world’s best player will undoubtedly be frustrated that his body has let him down once again ahead of one of the season’s marquee events.

Croft, who is a long-time tennis commentator after having reached the world’s top 25 in the rankings, weighed in with her analysis.

“It’s quite a shock to be honest. We knew he hadn’t played the last couple of events and he was resting but that whole idea was to get ready for the US Open,” stated the Brit during a Sky Sports segment.

“It’s a big blow to tennis because it feels like a long time ago that we had Alcaraz and Sinner in the events together and it feels like a great loss.

“It also underlines how relentless and demanding the tour is physically.

“When you think at the beginning of the year when he won those five back-to-back Masters 1000 titles which was absolutely exceptional and a phenomenal achievement, but when he got to Roland-Garros there was not much left in the tank and it cost him perhaps the French Open title..

“Then we saw him rebound at Wimbledon which he built with each match but once again his body has let himself down.

“For all of these players it’s such a difficult balance. You keep trying to play the tour, play the mandatory events but you also want to peak at the Grand Slams and it’s not quite happening at the moment.”

More Tennis News

Jannik Sinner sends 106-word message as he becomes 15th US Open withdrawal

Carlos Alcaraz’s confirmed schedule for the rest of 2026 ahead of his US Open return

Indeed, the news was announced just one day after the Italian’s main rival, Carlos Alcaraz, confirmed that he would return to the tour after a four-month break at the US Open.

The Spaniard has been out with a wrist injury since withdrawing from the Barcelona Open, but has been boosted by recent practice sessions.

Sinner and Alcaraz met on six occasions in 2025, including in the final of the season’s final three Grand Slams and the Nitto ATP Finals.

However, due to injury and a handful of surprising results, the pair’s only clash this year was in the final of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters – which Sinner won in straight sets.

“It’s a long time since we had them in the same draw [since Monte Carlo],” the Brit continued.

“They have become the new rivalry that everyone wants to see. I really don’t mind watching the same players compete all the time because those are the matches you really look forward to.

“It’s like watching a big boxing fight. You want to see the very best go up against each other, but now it’s an opportunity for the next category down to shine.

“It’s interesting because it’s a bit of a transitional period at the moment.

“Who knows what will happen when we get them all back together.”

READ NEXT: Novak Djokovic lifts lid on ‘bitterness’ he felt at Australian Open – and it wasn’t the deportation scandal

The post Jannik Sinner’s US Open withdrawal branded a ‘shock’ as Annabel Croft makes worrying assessment appeared first on Tennis365.

Aryna Sabalenka once again faltered at the Cincinnati Open, but she will remain at No 1 in the rankings as Elena Rybakina failed to cash in while Iga Swiatek averted slumping out of the top 10 and Alex Eala cracked another new high.

Sabalenka’s crown as No 1 has been under threat since June, but Rybakina failed to make the most of her opportunities at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and last week’s Canadian Open.

And the reigning Australian Open champion has seen another chance come and go in Cincinnati after stumbling in the quarter-final.

With Sabalenka losing in the round of 16 against Sara Bejlek, the task became simple for Rybakina as a run to the final would have been enough to help her to overtake the Belarusian in the WTA Rankings.

But she struggled against Swiatek and eventually succumbed to a leg injury while the Pole was leading 4-1.

WTA News

Projected US Open women’s seeds: Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina headline; Alex Eala’s highest position

‘I wouldn’t be surprised’ – Greg Rusedski makes US Open prediction for Alex Eala

It means Sabalenka will retain top spot heading into the US Open, although Rybakina will get another opportunity as the four-time Grand Slam winner is the defending champion at Flushing Meadows.

WTA Top 10 Before Cincinnati Open (13 August)

1. Aryna Sabalenka – 8,670
2. Elena Rybakina – 8,316
3. Jessica Pegula – 6,680
4. Coco Gauff – 5,919
5. Iga Swiatek – 5,419
6. Mirra Andreeva – 5,323
7. Karolina Muchova – 5,048
8. Linda Noskova – 5,016
9. Elina Svitolina – 4,634
10. Amanda Anisimova – 4,353

Behind the top 2, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff – both still alive at the Cincy event – will retain third place and fourth place respectively.

Swiatek moved back up to No 5 with her title run at the Canadian Open, but she slipped to No 11 in the Live WTA Rankings at the start of the Cincinnati Open as she dropped 1,000 points as the defending champion.

However, she has managed to move up three spots to No 8 by reaching the last four. The Pole will finish the tournament at No 6 if she wins back-to-back titles.

World No 11 Marta Kostyuk – one of the standout players in 2026 – had an opportunity to make her top-10 debut with a title run, but she was beaten in straight sets by Gauff in the quarter-final so will remain at No 11.

Live WTA Top 10 (22 August)

1. Aryna Sabalenka – 8,575
2. Elena Rybakina – 8,141
3. Jessica Pegula – 7,005/7,265/7,615
4. Coco Gauff – 6,094/6,354/6,704
5. Mirra Andreeva – 5,443 (+1)
6. Karolina Muchova – 5,053 (+1)
7. Linda Noskova – 5,028 (+1)
8. Iga Swiatek – 4,809/5,069/5,419 (-3)
9. Elina Svitolina – 4,68
10. Amanda Anisimova – 4,533

Other Winners

Iva Jovic’s run to the last 16 earned her a two-place jump to a new high of No 14 while four places behind is her good friend Alex Eala as the Filipina also climbed two spots to a career-high No 18 after reaching the round of 32.

Sabalenka’s conqueror, the 20-year-old Bejlek earned a six-place rise to No 29 – a new best – on the back of her win over Madison Keys in the last four.

In terms of big winners, Diane Parry is +16 to No 50, Daria Kasatkina +9 to No 59 and Katie Boulter +11 to No 60.

Boulter also claims the position as British No 1 from Emma Raducanu as the latter dropped nine places to No 68 due to her injury-enforced absence.

Romanian Elena-Gabriela Ruse also jumped 11 places to No 63 while Xiyu Wang is +26 as she climbs to No 82, Emiliana Arango is up to No 84 with an 11-place rise and Anna Blinkova is +17 to No 94.

The Losers

Jasmine Paolini finished runner-up to Swiatek last year, but she was unable to compete this time around due to injury and slips five places to No 20.

Magda Linette reached the round of 16 in 2025, but exited in the first round this year and she slumps 16 places to No 78 while Antonia Ruzic is -20 to No 81 and Alycia Parks -26 to No 89.

The post WTA Rankings Winners & Losers Cincinnati: Sabalenka, Rybakina flop, Swiatek run continues, Eala +2, Raducanu out of top 60 appeared first on Tennis365.