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Novak Djokovic’s revealing interview with Piers Morgan threw up so many compelling talking points and one evolved around the huge sums of money turned down by the Serbian superstar after he was offered potential sponsorship deals.

Djokovic’s eagerness to stand by his principles and only work with brands that aligned with his beliefs was a costly approach, with the Serbian revealing he rejected a multi-million dollar offer from a fizzing drink supplier as part of his conversation with Morgan.

While Djokovic has collected huge sums from sponsors like Lacoste, ACICS and Aman luxury hotel partnerships, he could have earned even more if he were willing to snap up the offers that came his way.

“I refused a lot of the big brands and big paychecks in my career because I cannot represent something that I don’t believe in,” declared Djokovic during the interview.

Now coaching guru Patrick Mouratoglou has given his verdict on those comments, as he suggested Djokovic’s principles are an impressive part of his personality that highlight his authenticity.

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“Most athletes dream of huge sponsorship deals. Novak Djokovic has turned down some of the biggest. And the reason says everything about him,” said Mouratoglou on LinkedIn.

“In his conversation with Piers Morgan, Novak Djokovic said something that reveals who he truly is: this is one of the reasons why I’ve always liked Novak so much. He is a true person.

“It’s almost ironic: for years, people said he was the “fake” one. Yet he is probably the least fake person in the entire tennis world.

“Novak has real convictions and money will never make him do something that goes against what he believes. Most people don’t realize how rare that is.

“I know for a fact that he has turned down many deals over the years: because he didn’t believe in the product, because he didn’t align with the company’s values, because he didn’t think video games were good for kids, even if the contract was huge for instance…

“Whether you agree with his views or not doesn’t matter. What matters is that he acts according to them.

“Manny will say, ‘It’s easy for him, he’s rich’. But let me tell you something: Most players who make the same kind of money do not turn down contracts for personal beliefs.

“And second: Don’t think that people who have a lot of money don’t want more. For most, it’s never “enough.”

“That’s human nature, especially in a career where you spend 20 years earning almost nothing before finally having a 10–15 year window to secure your financial life.

“That’s why Novak is different. For him, money is not a value. Security matters. Stability matters. But not at the price of his integrity.

“Whether you like Novak or you don’t, this part of his personality deserves respect.”

Djokovic’s army of fans around the world will echo Mouratoglou’s sentiments, with the $191,252,375 he has won in prize money on court over the course of his record-breaking career helping him to turn down the big money offers he did not want to be identified with.

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The ATP Tour has officially confirmed the schedule for the 2026 season and there are a few important tweaks for next year, but all the biggest events remain largely unaffected.

In total, there will be 63 tournaments in 29 different countries on the men’s tennis calendar in 2026 with the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open organised by the Grand Slam Boards, the Davis Cup is run by the International Tennis Federation while the Laver Cup is also run independently.

Besides the four Grand Slams, the other traditional events are the ATP Finals that will take place at the end of the regular season in Italy while the nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments remain in their usual slots with small changes.

Seven of the Masters 1000 events will take place across 12 days with the Monte Carlo Masters and Paris Masters the exception as it will be played across one week, while there will be 16 ATP 500 tournaments and 29 ATP events.

A Look At The Biggest Events

The season-opening Grand Slam, the Australian Open, will start a week later than usual as it will run from Sunday, January 18 until Sunday, February 1 at Melbourne Park.

The French Open stays in its usual slot with the clay-court major starting on Sunday May 24 with the men’s final taking place on Sunday, June 7 at Roland Garros in Paris.

Wimbledon gets underway on Monday, June 29 on the grass courts at the All England Club with Championship weekend taking place on July 11 and 12 while the US Open runs from Monday, August 31 until Sunday, September 13 at Flushing Meadows.

Grand Slams

Australia Open – January 18 to February 1
French Open – May 24 to June 7
Wimbledon – June 29 to July 12

As for the nine Masters events, the Sunshine Double will once again be staged in March with the Indian Wells Open running from March 4-15 and the Miami Open taking place from March 18-29.

The Monte Carlo Masters marks the start of the clay Masters swing and it runs from April 5-12 while the Madrid Masters takes place from April 22 to May 3 and the Italian Open runs from May 6-17.

There is, of course, no grass court Masters event with the next focus on the North American hard-court swing.

But there is good news for players wanting more time off between Wimbledon and the Canadian Open as there will now be a three-week break as the ATP 1000 event only starts on August 2.

However, the Canadian Open will once again have a Wednesday final as it will end on August 12.

That, though, is good news for the Cincinnati Open as, unlike this year, the two Masters events won’t overlap as the Mason tournament runs from August 13 to 23.

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The 2025 Cincinnati final was staged on a Monday and that had a major impact on the revamped US Open mixed doubles event as many players had to rush to New York to compete.

“We feel strongly that a Sunday final will deliver the best tournament experience,” Cincinnati Open Tournament Director Bob Moran stated recently.

“We appreciate the ATP and WTA Tours working with us to make this change, which will benefit our attendees, partners, players and global broadcast audience.”

With next year’s Cincy final taking place on the Sunday, players will have a bit more rest ahead of the US Open.

The Tour heads to Asia for the Shanghai Masters from October 7-18 before the final ATP 1000 event, the Paris Masters, runs from November 2-9.

ATP Masters 1000 Events

Indian Wells Open March 4-15
Miami Open – March 18-29
Monte Carlo Masters – April 5-12
Madrid Open – April 23-May 3
Italian Open – May 6-16
Canadian Open – August 2-12
Cincinnati Open – 13-23
Shanghai Masters – October 7-18
Paris Masters – November 2-9

Other Changes…

Marseille (Open 13) and Metz (Moselle Open) have dropped off the calendar with Lyon (Grand Prix Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes) and Millennium Estoril Open (Estoril) added.

One ATP 250 event is still to be confirmed for the November 8-14 slot. The Hellenic Championship took place in Athens during that time in 2025, but organisers are yet to announce if it will return in 2026.

The 2026 ATP Tour season will end with the ATP Finals in Italy with the season-ending event pencilled in from November 15 to 22 before the Davis Cup Finals run from November 24-29 in Bologna.

The post 2026 ATP Tour calendar changes: Longer break between Wimbledon and Canada, no Monday finish at Cincy appeared first on Tennis365.

Former Australian Open finalist John Lloyd has revealed the dominance of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner leaves him “concerned” about unbalanced draws at the Grand Slams.

The past two seasons of ATP Tour action have seen world No 1 Alcaraz and world No 2 Sinner separate themselves from the rest of the men’s game, splitting the last eight Grand Slam titles between them.

Both men won two Grand Slam titles each in both 2024 and 2025, and while just 550 points separate the two in the ATP Rankings, a staggering 6,340 points split world No 2 Sinner from world No 3 Alexander Zverev.

While several potential rivals for both Alcaraz and Sinner have been named in recent months, so far few players have been able to make a consistent impact and rival them.

Events in which both men have either not been in action or have exited early — for one reason or another — have produced a string of surprise champions, most notably Valentin Vacherot winning the Shanghai Masters and Jakub Mensik winning the Miami Open.

That has not proven to be the case at the Grand Slams, with Alcaraz and Sinner meeting in the final of the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open in 2025.

It was the first time in the Open Era that the same two men had met in three major finals in the same year, and more Grand Slam final clashes between the two are expected in 2026.

However, should one of them suffer a shock exit or an injury at a major, it would potentially open the door for a wide range of players — with apparently little separating their ATP contemporaries.

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Speaking on the Inside-In Tennis Podcast, former player Lloyd expressed his concern that such a scenario would leave a Slam feeling uncompetitive, with one of Alcaraz or Sinner perceived as a de facto champion without their main rival present.

“I am a little bit concerned about next year,” said Lloyd.

“You always think that someone is going to come through and challenge, but at the moment I look at Slams — because that is the bread and butter of our sport — and I look at it and think if one of them at one of the majors, which will happen at one stage, gets injured or gets a day where someone plays lights out.

“You are going to have such a weak half of the draw in terms of names. You almost feel like you might as well give it to the other one right away.

“At the Slams, you want it to be competitive all the way through, but these two have just separated themselves. It’s amazing to watch how great they are.”

Alcaraz and Sinner met six times in total across the year, with all of their encounters coming in finals.

Sinner won their final clash of 2025, with the Italian defeating his Spanish rival at the ATP Finals to successfully defend his title in Turin.

However, it was Alcaraz who held a 4-2 head-to-head advantage for the year, and now leads their overall head-to-head 10-6.

The two will contest an exhibition match in South Korea next January, but the next chance for the pair to meet at an official tournament will be the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of 2025.

Alcaraz enters the tournament looking to complete the Career Grand Slam, while Sinner will look to become just the second man in the Open Era to win three straight titles in Melbourne.

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Novak Djokovic has yet to reveal if and when he will return to tennis in 2026, with the tennis great revealing where he is spending the off-season as he ponders his next move.

Djokovic opted to pull out of the ATP Finals in Turin on the eve of the tournament, even though he had already been included in the draw for the most lucrative event on the ATP Tour.

The Serbian didn’t appear to be too concerned to drop out of the ATP Finals for the second successive year, with his fitness seemingly not an issue as he won the ATP 250 title in Athens the day before the Turin tournament got underway.

Djokovic has made it clear that he is no longer motivated by regular tour events and after going through a second year without adding to his record-breaking total of 24 Grand Slam titles, sparking increased speculation that he could be considering retirement from tennis.

The Serbian is expected to play in the Australian Open in January, but it is unclear if he will play any warm-up events ahead of the Grand Slam tournament in Melbourne.

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For now, he is stepping away from the speculation over his future and spending some time in a hotel owned by one of his sponsors.

Djokovic signed up for a lucrative deal with hospitality giant Aman in August 2024, as he joined fellow tennis legend Maria Sharapova in promoting the company’s collection of luxury resorts around the world.

Now Djokovic has posted an image of himself enjoying a holiday at one of Aman’s resorts, with his presence at the Amanyara resort in the Turks & Caicos Islands, which can cost up to $8,000-a-night for a room.

“Basking on the secluded shores of an 18,000-acre nature reserve, Amanyara’s lush tropical pavilions and villas overlook half a mile of white sand beaches and the turquoise waters of Providenciales’ North West Point Marine National Park,” reads a description of the resort on the Aman website.

“A retreat for all ages, the Turks and Caicos resort offers restorative wellness retreats and endless possibilities for discovery above and below the waves.”

Aman promotes wellness and tranquillity in their lavishly expensive holiday experiences, with the Serbian legend who has been signed up as their lead ambassador a big advocate of restfulness and relaxation.

“Mental wellness is an area people are paying more attention to and deservedly so,” said Djokovic.

“In an individual sport like this, you are on the court yourself and there is no one to help you when things go south. Of course, you have a team supporting you in the stands, but you have to work it out for yourself.

“I believe half of the mental work you need to put in is done before you even set foot on the court. If you fail to prepare, it is going to be a much more difficult mountain to climb and succeed on the court.

“You need to have a long-term and short-term strategy to find a way to win in the end and you understand that process more when you play for a long time.

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The ATP Next Gen Finals in Jeddah are set to take place next month, and the field of rising stars set to be in action is slowly being set.

The tournament has already crowned an array of memorable champions in its short history, with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz both former winners, while Joao Fonseca lifted the title in 2024.

While Fonseca is not set to be in action in 2025, Jakub Mensik and Learner Tien are among the high-profile stars set to compete in an event that will see the hottest prospects in men’s tennis battle it out.

Why is Fonseca not in action?

Still only 19 years of age and ranked 24th in the world following a remarkable season, Fonseca would have qualified for the Next Gen ATP Finals comfortably, with only Mensik ranked ahead of him.

However, twelve months on from lifting the title, the Brazilian will not be back to defend his crown in 2025.

Fonseca — who won two ATP Tour titles in 2025 — is out of the event due to injury, choosing to prioritise his preparations for the 2026 season rather than risk further physical struggles.

A tournament statement read: “Joao Fonseca has withdrawn from the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF as he continues to recover from an injury sustained at the end of the 2025 ATP Tour season. We wish Joao the best in his recovery and in his preparations for the 2026 ATP Tour season.”

Who will compete?

Though the reigning champion will not be in action, the tournament will be boosted by the presence of two other top 30 stars — Mensik and Tien.

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Twenty-year-old Mensik is the top qualifier for the event with 2,180 points to his name for 2025, his year highlighted by his stunning run to the Miami Open title back in March.

The Czech, who sits at 19th in the year-end rankings, made his debut at the tournament in 2024, falling in the round-robin stage.

Also returning to the event in 2025 is US ace Tien, who was the runner-up to Fonseca in Jeddah last year.

A hugely impressive season has seen Tien reach a career-high of 28th in the ATP Rankings, with the American ending the year by winning his first ATP Tour title at the Moselle Open.

Tien was also a finalist at the China Open in September and reached the fourth round of the Australian Open as a qualifier back in January.

The third official qualifier to be announced is Belgian rising star Alexander Blockx, who sits fourth in the race to Jeddah and is currently 115th in the ATP Rankings.

The remaining qualifiers are set to be announced and confirmed across the next few days, with this the final week in which players can secure qualification points.

ATP Race to Jeddah (as of November 27, 2025)

1) Jakub Mensik, 2,180 — announced
2) Joao Fonseca, 1,635 — withdrawn
3) Learner Tien, 1,550 — announced
4) Alexander Blockx, 542 — announced
5) Dino Prizmic, 487
6) Martin Landaluce, 455
7) Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, 450
8) Nishesh Basavareddy, 349
9) Rafael Jodar, 349
10) Rei Sakamoto, 318

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Jack Draper was emerging as the primary candidate to take on Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at the top of men’s tennis in the first half of this season, but he admits he has to improve the attacking side of his game to reach the very top.

Draper turned in a dominant performance as he beat Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton and Alcaraz on his way to winning his first ATP Masters 1000 event at Indian Wells in March, with his class then shining through on clay courts as he battled through to the Madrid Open final.

That was before an arm injury derailed his season, as he lost against Marin Cilic at Wimbledon and was then forced to pull out of the US Open due to the arm problem.

Draper is set to make his first appearance on court since the last Grand Slam of the season at next week’s UTS Grand Final event in London, where he will compete against top players like Alex de Minaur in the battle for a big prize money cheque in the high-energy exhibition event.

Ahead of his comeback, he sat down with The Tennis Mentor at a Dunlop event to discuss where he needs to improve his game, as he pointed to the attitude of Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer as his main sources of inspiration.

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“I’m always developing, always learning,” said Draper. “When I was growing up and watching interviews with the greats like Andy, Novak, Rafa and Roger and they are always looking to improve.

“I’m still at the very start of my journey. I’m still learning all the time and gaining lots of experience from winning matches and losing matches.

“There are many areas of my game I’m trying to improve. Obviously, tennis a very mental game and I’m trying to keep on improving that. Then my serve, my forehand.

“The way I’m trying to improve the attacking side of my tennis. I’ve always been someone who is incredibly comfortable in defence, but coming forwards and trying to knock off the point with the volley… that’s where I’d say modern tennis is about going out there and winning. They are not going to let you.

“As a player, you’ve got to experience losing matches because you are not doing the right thing. I went through a period last year when I lost four matches 7-6 in the third against really top players. It was a moment I had to look at myself and think, I have to go out there and get it. I need to be a complete player and not just let them win.

“You watch guys like Alcaraz and Sinner, they are playing so freely. That’s a big part of the sport right now. Just to express yourself on court.”

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A fit and firing Draper has confirmed he has too much firepower for Alcaraz after wins against him on grass at the Queen’s Club in 2024 and at Indian Wells earlier this year.

He will draw inspiration from those wins as he looks to make a big splash in 2026, with Draper set to return to competitive action alongside his fellow Brit Emma Raducanu in the United Cup team event next month.

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The rise of Amanda Anisimova was one of the WTA Tour’s best stories in 2025, with the US star surging up the WTA Rankings.

Runs to two Grand Slam finals and two WTA 1000 titles helped propel Anisimova to a new career-high of fourth in the world, and she will be among those competing for the biggest titles in 2026.

Here, we look at the American’s potential schedule for 2026, and what could await her over the coming year.

Australian Open — Jan 18 – Feb 1

Anisimova played in Auckland and Hobart before the Australian Open in 2025, but with an elevated ranking, could she start her year straight away in Melbourne?

The American was beaten in the second round of the tournament this January by Emma Raducanu, though has previously reached the fourth round on three separate occasions.

Qatar Open — February 8-14

Anisimova’s real surge up the WTA Rankings began in Doha this year, with the American storming through the field to win her first-ever WTA 1000 title.

She beat Jelena Ostapenko in the final this year and will likely be back to defend her crown in 2026, in what is the first of ten WTA 1000 tournaments across the season.

Dubai Tennis Championships — February 16–22

The second WTA 1000 event of the season, the world No 4 will be looking for improved form at the Dubai Tennis Championships next season.

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Anisimova was beaten by McCartney Kessler in the first round this year, and has never made it past the second round of the tournament.

Indian Wells — March 4-15

The first half of the prestigious ‘Sunshine Double’, Anisimova will be targeting a strong run in what will likely be her first tournament of the year on US soil.

She was beaten in her first match of the event by Belinda Bencic in 2025, and has not made the second week since doing so on her tournament debut in 2018.

Miami Open — March 18-29

The second of the two ‘Sunshine Double’ events, the American reached the fourth round of the Miami Open in 2025.

After falling to Raducanu this year, the world No 4 will be — at the very least — eyeing up a first quarter-final at the WTA 1000 event.

Charleston Open — Mar 30 – Apr 5

Anisimova started her 2025 clay-court swing at the WTA 500 Charleston Open in 2025, and may look to do so once again to maximise time on US soil.

She was a semi-finalist on the green clay back in April this year, retiring injured versus Sofia Kenin in the last four.

Madrid Open — Apr 22 – May 3

The first of two WTA 1000 events during the clay-court swing, Anisimova lost to Peyton Stearns in her opening Madrid Open match this spring.

However, she was a quarter-finalist at the tournament back in 2022, and the altitude inside the Caja Magica should suit her big-hitting game style.

Italian Open — May 6-17

Much like in Madrid, the 24-year-old was also beaten in her opening-round match at the Italian Open in 2025, falling to Veronika Kudermetova.

Anisimova will likely return to the WTA 1000 event in 2026, looking to potentially better her quarter-final run from 2022.

French Open — May 24 – Jun 7

Anisimova reached the fourth round of the French Open in 2025, pushing eventual runner-up and world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a tight two-set battle.

The American memorably progressed to the semi-final of the tournament as a 17-year-old back in 2019, and a similar run in 2026 feels like a distinct possibility.

Queen’s Club Championship — June 8-14

A strong 2025 grass-court swing for Anisimova started at the Queen’s Club Championship in 2025, with the American reaching the final of the WTA 500 event.

She beat both Emma Navarro and Zheng Qinwen before falling to Tatjana Maria in the final, and has already signed up for the 2026 edition of the event.

German Open — June 15-21

Though she may choose to rest amid the 2026 grass-court swing, she was a quarter-finalist at the WTA 500 event in Berlin last year.

Anisimova was beaten by Liudmila Samsonova in the last eight, at an event that usually attracts an incredibly strong field.

Wimbledon — Jun 29 – Jul 12

Few could forget Anisimova’s incredible run at the All England Club in 2025, with the star beating Sabalenka in a thrilling semi-final to reach her first Grand Slam final.

After a double-bagel final defeat to Iga Swiatek, the American will look to go one better in 2026.

Canadian Open — August 1-13

Anisimova competed at the Canadian Open just two weeks after Wimbledon in 2025, and the extended three-week gap in 2026 means she will likely compete once again.

The first of two WTA 1000 events during the hard-court summer, she reached round four of the event in Montreal this year — though she was a 2024 finalist in Toronto, where the event is held next year.

Cincinnati Open — August 13-23

The second of the two WTA 1000 events held in North America during the summer, the Cincinnati Open has not been Anisimova’s happiest hunting ground.

She has never made it past the third round of the event in four attempts, falling at that stage to Anna Kalinskaya in 2025.

US Open — Aug 30 – Sep 13

The final Grand Slam tournament of 2026, expectations will be high on home favourite Anisimova in New York — especially after her 2025 runner-up finish.

She memorably beat both Swiatek and Naomi Osaka on her way to the final, before falling to world No 1 and reigning champion Sabalenka in the championship match.

Korea Open — September 21-27

Anisimova withdrew from the WTA 500 Korea Open in 2025, though a campaign at the event in 2026 is more than possible.

Should the US qualify, she may also compete at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals this week.

China Open — Sep 28 – Oct 11

Anisimova memorably claimed her second WTA 1000 title of 2025 at the China Open, stunning Coco Gauff in the last four before a three-set win versus Linda Noskova in the final.

The penultimate WTA 1000 event will likely represent a key stop in the calendar for the American, with big ranking points to defend.

Wuhan Open — Oct 12-18

The final WTA 1000 event of the season, Anisimova withdrew from the Wuhan Open in 2025 after her victorious campaign in Beijing.

However, it will likely be an event on her radar in 2026, as she looks to finish the season on a high.

WTA Finals — November 7-14

Assuming she qualifies, the WTA Finals may well bring Anisimova’s season to an end, just as they did in 2025.

The American was a semi-finalist on her tournament debut this year.

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Lorenzo Musetti has opened up about his relationship with fellow Italian star Jannik Sinner, claiming he would never consider the four-time Grand Slam champion an “enemy” on tour.

World No 2 Sinner has become one of the leading tennis players of his era and perhaps the greatest in the history of Italian tennis, with the 24-year-old having previously spent 66 weeks atop the ATP Rankings.

Over the past two seasons, the Italian has won back-to-back Australian Open titles alongside the 2024 US Open and 2025 Wimbledon titles, with further runner-up finishes at the US Open and French Open in 2025.

Sinner is undoubtedly the leading Italian player of his generation, but there has been a boom within the nation’s tennis scene as a whole, of which Musetti is a key part.

Musetti joined Sinner in ending 2025 inside the top 10 of the ATP Rankings, finishing the year ranked eighth after reaching a career high of world No 6 back in June.

The overall strength of Italian men’s tennis was highlighted by the nation’s third consecutive triumph in the Davis Cup last week.

Neither national No 1 Sinner nor No 2 Musetti were in action, but both Flavio Cobolli and Matteo Berrettini won all their rubbers across the quarter-final, semi-final, and final.

With the likes of Luciano Darderi and Lorenzo Sonego also on tour and currently ranked inside the top 50, the strength and depth within the Italian men’s game has rarely been greater.

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And, speaking in a new interview with La Repubblica, Musetti revealed that he and his compatriots remained “friends” despite often battling against each other on tour.

He said (translated from Italian): “When you face a partner you may even play doubles with, it’s always a tricky match.

“You’ve shared so many moments, you look at it differently. That’s why it’s important to focus on the game, but no, I don’t mind fratricidal matches; I’m capable of managing them.

“That doesn’t mean I always come out on top, but we remain friends anyway.”

It would be easy to paint Musetti as someone unlucky to be around in the same era as Sinner, who became the first Italian man to win a Grand Slam singles title in 47 years at the 2024 Australian Open.

The pair have faced off three times on the ATP Tour, and Musetti is yet to win a set; the 23-year-old most recently losing 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in the quarter-finals of the US Open to his compatriot.

However, opening up about his relationship with the world No 2, Musetti revealed that he would never consider it a “disadvantage” to compete at the same time as Sinner.

“Luckily, I have Sinner; I’ll never say ‘unfortunately.’ There’s no rivalry like that; exacerbating tensions in sport, which has so many, is pointless,” added Musetti.

“And then I have Jannik by my side. He’s not an enemy who takes my breath away, he’s a champion who shows the way. A role model.

“Different from me? Sure. More powerful, solid, consistent. But I don’t consider it a disadvantage to have been around the same time as him.

“Would I like to have some of his qualities? Yes, while fully respecting our differences. We’re on different yet parallel paths; we each mature at our own pace.

“We’ve both had to endure pressure, and there have always been high expectations of us.”

Read Next: Jannik Sinner 2026 tennis schedule: Italian eyes further Grand Slam success after dominant seasons

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Marcos Baghdatis has revealed he is enjoying his retirement from tennis as he also looked back at the memories from his career that stick with him.

The Cypriot turned professional in 2003 and brought down the curtain on his illustrious career at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships, losing to Matteo Berrettini in his last-ever match. He was a runner-up at the 2006 Australian Open, won four ATP singles titles and reached a career-high ranking of world No 8.

In July 2012, Baghdatis married Karolina Sprem, a Croatian former tennis star who peaked at 17th in the WTA Rankings. Baghdatis and his wife have two daughters, Zahara and India, and a son named Zeus.

Since retiring, Baghdatis has appeared at exhibitions, including the Wimbledon invitational event and the Hurlingham exhibition.

Baghdatis, who is a sporting icon in his home country, opened the Marcos Baghdatis Tennis Academy in Limassol, Cyprus last year.

In an exclusive interview, Tennis365 asked Baghdatis what his life has looked like since retiring from tennis and whether he is enjoying it.

“I enjoy [being retired] a lot,” Baghdatis began.

“I miss it also at the same time, but I enjoy it because I have a family, three beautiful children, healthy children and there is a lot of day-to-day stuff that we do with them, to see them grow, to see them being happy; that’s a nice life.

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“That’s just a normal, simple, not hectic life like we used to have when we were travelling from place to place. Not so stressful… it is stressful, but in a different way (laughs). But yeah, it’s just lovely to be back home and to enjoy a simple life with not so much travelling.

“And not only thinking about myself like I used to as an athlete, because when you’re an athlete, you only think about yourself, and it’s only about you.

“Now, it’s not about us, it’s about the kids. And yeah, it’s just a bit different, but I really enjoy it.”

Asked about the memories that now stand out when he looks back on his career, Baghdatis referenced some of his Grand Slam runs as well as what he learned from playing the sport.

“It’s tough to say. You kind of, not forget it, but you don’t think about it as much,” Baghdatis said.

“But, I would say my run at the Australian Open [in 2006], my few runs at Wimbledon: quarter-finals, semi-finals, fourth round. And also in Australian Open, couple of times the fourth round.

“I mean there’s so many things, but I cannot choose one or two important memories. I think the memories are what you learn throughout these years in life, ups and downs.

“And I have feeling that my life is filled in that department, or that page of my story. I am filled with everything.”

At the 2006 Australian Open, Baghdatis — who was unseeded — upset top 10 stars Andy Roddick, Ivan Ljubicic and David Nalbandian in a stunning run to the final. He was beaten in four sets by Roger Federer in the title match.

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