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Jannik Sinner has given his opinion on the tennis philosophy of Juan Carlos Ferrero, the former world No 1 who coaches his chief rival Carlos Alcaraz.

Sinner and Alcaraz are the top two players on the ATP Tour by a massive margin, and they currently share the biggest rivalry in the sport.

The pair have faced off five times in 2025, with all of these meetings coming in finals in the last six months, including the last three Grand Slam finals. Alcaraz leads the overall head-to-head 10-5 (including a retirement from Sinner in the Cincinnati final).

Jannik Sinner weighs in on Juan Carlos Ferrero’s tennis philosophy

• Jannik Sinner has given his verdict on the “slave to tennis” philosophy shared Carlos Alcaraz’s coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero
• The Italian revealed he prefers to use the word “passion” to describe his dedication to the sport
• Sinner explained that tennis taught him he can find himself after playing a lot of sports in his childhood

Alcaraz has been coached by Ferrero since joining the 2003 French Open champion’s academy in Alicante as a 16-year-old in 2018.

The Spaniard has won all 24 of his ATP Tour titles to date, including his six Grand Slams, with Ferrero in his team.

What did Juan Carlos Ferrero say about being “a slave” to tennis?

In April, the Netflix documentary series, Carlos Alcaraz: My Way, was released, and the Spanish star’s approach to his career was the central theme.

Alcaraz explained that he wants to achieve his lofty ambitions without compromising his happiness.

“Right now my biggest fear of all is ending up seeing tennis as an obligation,” Alcaraz said.

“Sometimes I feel like I am enslaved to tennis and that causes anxiety, frustration, doubts.”

Ferrero also featured in the series, and he made some revealing comments about Alcaraz’s philosophy being at odds with the way the 22-year-old’s team views the sport.

“I guess if you want to be the greatest player in history, you have to be a slave to the game,” Ferrero asserted.

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The former world No 1 added: “His understanding of work and sacrifice is so different from ours.

“It’s so different that it makes me doubt whether ‘his way’ of doing things will help him become the best in the world.”

What did Jannik Sinner say about Juan Carlos Ferrero’s comments?

In an interview with Sky Sport Italy, Sinner was asked if he agreed with Ferrero’s “slave to tennis” view of the game.

“I would use another term, I would say passion. I have a lot of passion in what I do,” said the four-time Grand Slam champion.

“I was lucky enough to practise a lot of sports as a kid, I played football, I did ski, I did cycling, running… but tennis taught me I can find myself.

“Anything can happen outside the court, but on court I feel safe. And especially when things are good, you need to work more because when you feel good the mind learns every tiny detail.

“When you lose, you’re more negative and it doesn’t make sense to go on court at times.

“In tennis, you have to make a lot of sacrifices, but for me it will always be the most important thing, until I decide it’s like this.

“The moment I realise it’s over, that my body doesn’t respond to me anymore, I will stop.”

READ NEXT: ATP Finals: Does Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner have the best group-stage draw?

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Amanda Anisimova’s rise has been one of the best stories on the WTA Tour in 2025, and the American’s landmark season is not done yet.

After a disappointing loss against Elena Rybakina to start her maiden WTA Finals campaign, gutsy victories over Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek were enough for Anisimova to progress to the last four in Riyadh.

Now, the Wimbledon and US Open runner-up has the chance to break new ground over the next two days, and potentially overtake Coco Gauff as the US No 1 — here is how she can do it.

As it stands

Of the four Americans who qualified for the WTA Finals this year, Anisimova is one of two left standing ahead of the knockout stage, alongside Jessica Pegula.

The fourth seed qualified second from Group Serena Williams and will face Group Steffi Graf winner Aryna Sabalenka on Friday, while the other semi-final pits sixth seed Rybakina against fifth seed Pegula.

However, defending champion Gauff is now out of the tournament, with defeats to both Sabalenka and Pegula meaning she finished third in Group Steffi Graf.

With 200 ranking points available per round-robin win, Gauff leaves Riyadh with a year-end tally of 6,763 points and currently sits third in the WTA Live Rankings.

After two group stage wins, Anisimova sits on 6,287 points in the live rankings — though now has the chance to pick up significant points in the knockout rounds.

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How can Anisimova replace Gauff as US No 1?

It is unlikely that Anisimova will be thinking about her ranking mid-event, but she has been handed a gilt-edged chance in Riyadh.

With Gauff now out and only earning 200 ranking points, Anisimova can now rise to a new career-high ranking of world No 3 if she wins the WTA Finals title.

A total of 400 ranking points are on offer in Friday’s semi-final encounters, meaning that the fourth seed will move to 6,687 points if she were to beat Sabalenka in the last four.

Though that would not be enough to overtake Gauff, she could then overtake her compatriot if she won the final, which is worth 500 ranking points for whoever triumphs.

Should Anisimova triumph in Riyadh over the next two days, she would hold 7,187 points when the WTA Rankings update next Monday — enough to move ahead of Gauff.

A major opportunity has been presented to her, though her position as the year-end world No 4 is also not yet secure.

Can Pegula overtake Anisimova?

After pulling out of last year’s WTA Finals after two round-robin defeats, Riyadh has been much kinder to Pegula in 2025.

An impressive win over Jasmine Paolini on Thursday was enough for Pegula to seal progression with a 2-1 record in Group Steffi Graf, her only loss coming to world No 1 Sabalenka.

The runner-up at this tournament in 2023, she will be eyeing up her second final when she faces Rybakina in Friday’s semi-final showdown.

And, she could in fact overtake Anisimova and move inside the world’s top four by the end of the year.

Should Anisimova fall to Sabalenka on Friday, she would end the year on her current total of 6,287 points.

However, if Pegula were to go on to win the title, she would end the year on 6,483 points — enough to move above her compatriot.

Pegula herself could be overtaken by Rybakina if the Kazakh wins their semi-final and ultimately takes home the title, meaning there is plenty at stake in the WTA Rankings over the next two days.

Read Next: WTA Finals prize money & ranking points won by Coco Gauff and Jasmine Paolini revealed

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The draw for the ATP Finals is out, with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner leading the ‘Elite 8’ in Turin.

While there are still a handful of draw variables at the year-end championships, both men will already be preparing for their three round-robin matches — but who will face the tougher time of things?

Here, we analyse whether Alcaraz or Sinner will be more satisfied with their draw.

Who is in Carlos Alcaraz’s group?

Expected opponents: (4) Novak Djokovic, (6) Taylor Fritz, (7) Alex de Minaur

Alcaraz was knocked out of the ATP Finals at the round-robin stage in 2024 after recording just one win, and will look to bounce back in 2025.

On paper, the eye-catching match-up for the top seed is a clash against seven-time champion and fourth seed Djokovic — assuming the Serbian plays.

Djokovic holds a 5-4 lead in their head-to-head and beat Alcaraz convincingly when they met in the semi-final of this event in 2023.

However, Alcaraz has been in much more consistent form in 2025 and was a convincing winner when the two met in the semi-final of the US Open this September.

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Sixth seed Fritz was the runner-up at this tournament last year and has strong consistency indoors, even beating the Spaniard at the Laver Cup this year.

But it was Alcaraz who had previously picked up a Laver Cup win over the American in 2024, and a win in the Japan Open final this September saw him move 4-1 up in their head-to-head.

Fritz is certainly comfortable in Turin — Sinner was the only player to beat him last year — but Alcaraz will still enter this contest as the favourite.

He will also enter as the favourite against the seventh seed de Minaur, who will be looking for his first ATP Finals match wins after a 0-3 record on debut in 2024.

Alcaraz holds a perfect 4-0 record against the Australian, though he was pushed to three sets when they met in the indoor Rotterdam Open final this February.

Who is in Jannik Sinner’s group?

Expected opponents: (3) Alexander Zverev, (5) Ben Shelton, (8) Felix Auger-Aliassime OR Lorenzo Musetti

Entering as the defending champion, home favourite and second seed Sinner only has two confirmed opponents so far — with Musetti and Auger-Aliassime still battling for the final spot.

What we do know is that the highest seed in this group behind him is third seed Zverev, an opponent he has already beaten twice this indoor season.

The two contested an incredibly competitive final in Vienna, though it was the Italian who prevailed in the Austrian capital before needing just 61 minutes to seal a 6-0, 6-1 win over Zverev in the Paris Masters semi-finals.

Zverev was evidently not at full fitness in that match, but the German has now lost four straight matches to Sinner, including the Australian Open final in January.

Sinner now leads that head-to-head 5-4 after being 1-4 down, though his head-to-head over fifth seed Shelton is even more emphatic.

The Italian lost his first meeting against Shelton at the 2023 Shanghai Masters, but has won seven meetings since then — winning 17 straight sets against the American.

Shelton struggles to challenge Sinner on return, and the Italian’s confident 6-3, 6-3 win in Paris last week suggests he will be the overwhelming favourite in this match-up.

He will also be the heavy favourite against Auger-Aliassime or Musetti, regardless of who he faces.

Sinner has an unblemished 3-0 record against compatriot Musetti, most recently meeting at the US Open, while he has beaten Auger-Aliassime in all three of their 2025 clashes — including the Paris final.

Who has the better group?

Fundamentally, both Alcaraz and Sinner will be happy with their groups in Turin, and remain heavy favourites to meet in the final.

However, it will perhaps be Sinner who is the most satisfied.

The three match-ups he faces in Turin — whether it’s Musetti or Auger-Aliassime — have all swung heavily in his favour in recent months, particularly against both Shelton and Zverev.

Unbeaten at the event twelve months ago, the Italian looks in line for another strong campaign.

Read Next: Prize money earned by Alcaraz, Sinner, Djokovic, Zverev in 2025 ahead of ATP Finals revealed

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Jannik Sinner closed the gap to Carlos Alcaraz at the top of the 2025 prize money list after winning the Paris Masters, while Felix Auger-Aliassime has jumped a place after his runner-up result at the ATP 1000 event.

There are 87 ATP Tour players who have secured over $1million this season (across both singles and doubles), with 26 of these men having broken the $2million barrier. 12 stars have collected over $3million, with Casper Ruud ($3,292,413) and Andrey Rublev ($3,172,489) sitting 11th and 12th on the list.

The 2025 men’s tour will conclude with the prestigious ATP Finals, which will be staged in Turin from November 9 to 16.

Top 2025 prize money earners ahead of ATP Finals

• Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s 2025 dominance is reflected in the prize money chasm between them and their rivals
• Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic are the only players besides Alcaraz and Sinner to earn over $5million this year
• Nine players have secured in excess of $4million this season

Jack Draper has played just one match since Wimbledon and was forced to cut short his season after the US Open due to injury.

The Brit had an excellent first half of the campaign and he remains in 10th place on the prize money list with $3,446,994.

Draper won his biggest title to date at the 2025 Indian Wells Masters, and he was also a runner-up at the Madrid Masters and the Qatar Open ATP 500. He also made the last eight at the Italian Open and the last 16 at the Australian Open.

Players who have earned over $4million

Lorenzo Musetti, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Ben Shelton, Alex de Minaur and Taylor Fritz have all claimed between $4million and $5million in prize money this year.

Auger-Aliassime climbed above Musetti into the No 8 spot after his run to the Paris Masters final took his on-court earnings to $4,138,350

The Canadian has secured ATP 250 titles in Adelaide, Montpellier and Brussels, while he was a finalist at the ATP 500 in Dubai, a semi-finalist at the US Open and a quarter-finalist at ATP 1000 events in Cincinnati and Shanghai.

Musetti, who is now ninth with $4,046,060 (prior to the Hellenic Championship, where he is currently playing), has lost in the finals of the Monte Carlo Masters and the ATP 250 in Chengdu this year.

The Italian made the semi-finals of the French Open and the Masters events in Madrid and Rome, and also reached the last eight at the US Open.

Ben Shelton is seventh with $4,414,259, having won the biggest title of his career to date at the Masters 1000 tournament in Toronto.

The American was a runner-up at the ATP 500 in Munich, reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open and the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, Indian Wells, Shanghai and the Paris Masters.

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Alex de Minaur is in sixth position with $4,514,211 in prize money. The Aussie has reached both of his finals in 2025 at ATP 500 level, winning the title in Washington and finishing as a runner-up in Rotterdam.

He was also a semi-finalist at the Monte Carlo Masters, while he has reached quarter-finals at the Australian Open, the US Open, the Canadian Open, the Shanghai Masters and the Paris Masters.

Taylor Fritz ($4,748,228) occupies the No 5 spot, having reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon, the Miami Open and the Canadian Open, and the quarter-finals at the US Open, in 2025.

The American claimed ATP 250 grass-court titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne, while he was a finalist at the Japan Open.

Players who have earned over $5million

Novak Djokovic is the fourth-highest ATP prize money earner in 2025, with $5,005,223 claimed from his 12 events prior to Athens this week.

The tennis legend reached the semi-finals at all four Grand Slams this season, and he was also a runner-up at the Miami Masters and a semi-finalist at the Shanghai Masters. He won his only title of the year at the ATP 250 in Geneva.

Alexander Zverev is in third place on $5,332,674, having been a finalist at the Australian Open, a semi-finalist in Toronto, Cincinnati and Paris (Masters), and a quarter-finalist at the French Open and the Italian Open.

The German secured his only title of 2025 at the ATP 500 event in Munich, and he was a runner-up at the 500 in Vienna.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are in their own category

Jannik Sinner’s triumph at the Paris Masters took his season prize money haul beyond the $14million mark ($14,049,641).

The Italian collected just over $4million for winning his maiden Wimbledon crown and $2,150,400 for defending his Australian Open title.

He also won the ATP 500 tournaments in Beijing and Vienna, while he was a runner-up at the US Open, the French Open, the Italian Open and the Cincinnati Masters.

Sinner’s tally does not include the astonishing $6million he raked in for winning the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Riyadh.

Carlos Alcaraz lost his opening match at the Paris Masters, but he remains top of the prize money standings with a staggering total of $16,099,427. This already puts Alcaraz’s 2025 season fifth for the most prize money earned in a single ATP Tour campaign.

The Spaniard claimed $5,000,000 for winning the US Open and $2,901,024 for his triumph at the French Open, and he was also a runner-up at Wimbledon.

Alcaraz has won Masters 1000 events in Monte Carlo, Rome and Cincinnati and ATP 500 tournaments in Rotterdam, London (Queen’s Club) and Tokyo this year. He was also finalist at the Barcelona Open.

Top 10 ATP prize money earners in 2025

10. Jack Draper – $3,446,994 ($25,290 in doubles)

9. Lorenzo Musetti – $4,046,060 ($169,614 in doubles)

8. Felix Auger-Aliassime – $4,138,350 ($33,654 in doubles)

7. Ben Shelton – $4,414,259 ($144,606 in doubles)

6. Alex de Minaur – $4,514,211 ($49,484 in doubles)

5. Taylor Fritz – $4,748,228 ($19,192 in doubles)

4. Novak Djokovic – $5,005,223 ($12,930 in doubles)

3. Alexander Zverev – $5,332,674 ($83,906 in doubles)

2. Jannik Sinner – $14,049,641 ($6,245 in doubles)

1. Carlos Alcaraz – $16,099,427

READ NEXT: Jannik Sinner is ‘obsessed’ with Carlos Alcaraz, claims former world No 1

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The 2025 ATP Finals draw is done and dusted with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner headlining the two groups, but there are still several question marks on the eve of the start of the tournament.

This year’s lucrative season-ending event will be staged from November 9 to 16 at the Inalpi Arena in Turin and Alcaraz is the top seed and sits at No 1 in Group Jimmy Connors while second seed Sinner takes top spot in Group Bjorn Borg, with the seedings based on the November 10 ATP Rankings.

Six-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz has been handed a tough task as he has been paired with seven-time ATP Finals champion Novak Djokovic, with American No 1 Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur also in the group.

Defending champion Sinner will face third seed Alexander Zverev and they will be joined by Ben Shelton, and — as things stand — Felix Auger-Aliassime.

The full schedule and order of play are yet to be confirmed, but the first singles match is set to start at 14:00 local time on Sunday with the second match scheduled to get underway at 20:30.

Why The Confusion?

24-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic went into Thursday’s draw as the fourth seed, but he is yet to confirm if he will actually play as he told the media earlier this week that “I will decide at the end of this tournament”.

But here is the tricky part, if Djokovic reaches the final at the ongoing Hellenic Championship, then he will play on Saturday November 8 before dashing off to Turin for the ATP Finals.

Of course, that is not such a big deal in modern tennis as the players use private jets and both tournaments are in Europe.

There is also the small matter of Lorenzo Musetti still being in with a chance of qualifying for the season-ending tournament, which could add another twist.

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The Italian is currently ninth in the Race To Turin with Auger-Aliassime occupying the eighth and final spot, but if Musetti wins the Hellenic Championship then he will replace the Canadian in the draw and will go into Group Bjorn Borg.

Now, to add further confusion, should Djokovic decide not to play in Turin, both Auger-Aliassime and Musetti will then play at the year-end tournament.

If Musetti wins the Hellenic Championship title, he will get an automatic entry and will thus go into Group Bjorn Borg while Auger-Aliassime will be the alternate for Djokovic and take the Serb’s place in Group Jimmy Connors.

If, however, Musetti fails to overtake Auger-Aliassime in the rankings, then he will be the alternate to replace Djokovic with the Canadian remaining in Sinner’s group.

The post ATP Finals draw chaos: Novak Djokovic’s decision and Lorenzo Musetti’s late push cause uncertainty appeared first on Tennis365.

Former doubles world No 1 Nicolas Mahut has questioned Novak Djokovic’s choice to play in Athens as he argued that the tennis great’s scheduling “isn’t very coherent.”

Djokovic is currently competing at the inaugural edition of the Hellenic Championship, an indoor hard-court ATP 250 tournament staged in Greece’s capital.

The event, which replaced the Belgrade Open, is organised by the Djokovic family, with Novak’s brother Djordje the tournament director. Djokovic and his family moved from Serbia to Greece in September.

Nicolas Mahut on Novak Djokovic’s schedule

• Nicolas Mahut does not understand Novak Djokovic’s decision to play the Hellenic Championship in Athens ahead of the ATP Finals
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• Djokovic recently paid tribute to Mahut, who played the final match of his career in Paris last week

Djokovic has revealed he will make a decision on his participation at the ATP Finals in Turin after his campaign at the Hellenic Championship. The ATP Finals will begin on November 9, the day after the final in Athens.

The 38-year-old Serbian is seeking his second title of 2025 in Athens, having won his 100th and most recent ATP singles title at the ATP 250 in Geneva in May. Djokovic, who is ranked fifth in the world, is the top seed and favourite to win in Greece.

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Speaking to Eurosport France, Mahut assessed Djokovic’s end of season schedule and pointed out how the 24-time major winner’s progress in Athens could impact him at the ATP Finals.

“I don’t understand this scheduling of the Athens tournament, even if it’s his family organising it,” said the five-time Grand Slam doubles champion.

“Logically, he plays Shanghai, prepares indoors, and then plays the Rolex Paris Masters. But Athens is just the week before the Masters (ATP Finals).

“He travels, and if he reaches the final, it adds matches to his schedule every day because the tournament finishes the day before the Masters starts.

“For me, considering his plan to play the Masters, this scheduling isn’t very coherent.”

What Djokovic said about Mahut’s retirement

Mahut, who is 43, called time on his 25-year professional career at last week’s Paris Masters, where he partnered Grigor Dimitrov in his last match.

The Frenchman revealed Djokovic had agreed to play doubles with him if he played the ATP 1000 event in Paris, but the Serb ultimately chose not to compete.

“Initially, I was kind of waiting for Novak, who had told me at Roland Garros, ‘If I come to Paris, I promise we’ll play together.’ In the end, he didn’t come, so it was a bit tough,” Mahut explained.

Following Mahut’s retirement, Djokovic wrote on his Instagram story: “Well done Nico, congratulations on your brilliant career.”

READ NEXT: Novak Djokovic on Alcaraz-Sinner comparisons to Big Three rivalry and names most underrated player

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Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz’s rankings battle at the ATP Finals is not only crucial in terms of the year-end No 1 spot, but it will also decide who is the top seed at next year’s Australian Open.

With Alcaraz losing early at the Paris Masters, Sinner reclaimed top spot in the ATP Rankings with a title run at the ATP 1000 event in the French capital as he returned to No 1, having lost this position to the Spaniard after the US Open.

The Italian leads his rival by only 250 points [Sinner is on 11,500 points compared to Alcaraz’s 11,250], but his stay at the top will be brief as they will swap places again when the rankings are updated this coming Monday as points from the 2024 ATP Finals will be removed.

But their final positions will be determined after this year’s season-ending tournament in Turin with Alcaraz the favourite to finish the year at No 1 and it will be crucial as it will also confirm who will be the top seed at the 2026 Australian Open.

Following a rule change, entries for the 2026 Australia swing – including the season-opening Grand Slam – will be based on the year-end ATP Rankings, with the final update taking place on November 17, the day after the ATP Finals conclude.

In the past, the entries for the Australian Open were only determined one week before the start of the tournament. For example, this year’s Melbourne event started on January 13 and seedings were based on the rankings of January 6.

The thinking behind the tweak is that it will stop players from battling for ranking points at lower-tier events during December and early January to secure a last-minute entry into the hard-court major.

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The change will not only have an impact on the official main draw and qualifying lists for the Australian Open, but also the seedings with this week’s Moselle Open and Hellenic Championships and next week’s ATP Finals the final ATP Tour events.

The points players earn on the ATP Challenger Tour and ITF Men’s World Tennis Tour before the cutoff date of November 17 will also count and give those lower down the rankings a chance to qualify.

But of course, it will also determine the top 32 seeds.

As things stand in the Live Rankings, Alcaraz has already regained top spot from Sinner, 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic is up to No 4 as he is in action at the Hellenic Championships, while Jack Draper has been confirmed as the year-end No 1 despite missing the final few months of the season due to injury.

Top 10 In Live Rankings:

1. Carlos Alcaraz
2. Jannik Sinner
3. Alexander Zverev
4. Novak Djokovic
5. Ben Shelton
6. Taylor Fritz
7. Alex de Minaur
8. Felix Auger-Aliassime
9. Lorenzo Musetti
10. Jack Draper

Djokovic and Musetti are still in action in Athens this week while the top eight players will also feature at next week’s ATP Finals, so there could still be a few changes to the top 10.

In terms of the remaining players currently among the top 32, only Cameron Norrie is still in action as he has reached the quarter-final in Metz and a title run could see him rise to No 24.

Meanwhile, Valentin Vacherot – who was outside the top 100 just over a month ago – is set to be seeded at a Grand Slam for the first time in his career as he is at No 29 following his Shanghai Masters title run.

Rest Of The Seeds:

11. Alexander Bulbik
12. Casper Ruud
13. Daniil Medvedev
14. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
15. Holger Rune
16. Andrey Rublev
17. Jiri Lehecka
18. Karen Khachanov
19. Jakub Mensik
20. Tommy Paul
21. Francisco Cerundolo
22. Flavio Cobolli
23. Denis Shapovalov
24. Joao Fonseca
25. Tallon Griekspoor
26. Luciano Darderi
27. Arthur Rinderknech
28. Frances Tiafoe
29. Valentin Vacherot
30. Cameron Norrie
31. Tomas Machac
32. Brandon Nakashima

As for those outside the current seeding positions, Learner Tien (No 37), Lorenzo Sonego (No 42) and Alexandre Muller (No 43) could still move into the top 32.

Meanwhile, Stefanos Tsitsipas won’t be seeded for the first time since 2018 as he is at No 33 and has not played since the US Open.

The post ATP Rankings: How rule change will affect seedings at 2026 Australian Open appeared first on Tennis365.

Novak Djokovic’s participation at the ATP Finals has been a major talking point in the latter part of the 2025 season, with the tennis legend yet to confirm whether he will compete.

The 24-time major champion dismissed a claim from Angelo Binaghi, the Italian Tennis Federation president, that he would play in Turin.

Djokovic insisted he will make a decision on the ATP Finals once he has concluded his campaign at the Hellenic Championship in Athens this week.

Why Novak Djokovic should play the 2025 ATP Finals

• With winning a Grand Slam becoming increasingly difficult for Novak Djokovic, the ATP Finals may be his best chance left to win a big tournament
• The ATP Finals arguably provides Djokovic with the best conditions to beat Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
• Djokovic beat Alcaraz and Sinner in stunning fashion at the same event in 2023, and a similar victory could fuel his belief for 2026

The ATP 250 event in Athens — Djokovic’s new home — has been organised by his family, with his brother Djordje the tournament director.

With the ATP Finals set to begin on Sunday November 9, Djokovic may not be at his freshest if he does choose to play in Turin.

The world No 5, who is the top seed and favourite to win the Athens title, could play the final in the Greek capital the day before the ATP Finals gets underway.

Djokovic, who is fourth in the Race to Turin, has qualified for the ATP Finals for the 18th time. If he plays, it would be a record-equalling 17th appearance as he missed the 2024 ATP Finals having qualified.

The Serb has made it clear that the four Grand Slam tournaments are what matter most to him, but it it is only getting harder for him to win a record-extending 25th major.

Djokovic fell in the semi-finals at all four majors this season — a remarkable feat given he turned 38 in May — but he did not come close to reaching a final.

He lost to Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open, Jannik Sinner at both the French Open and Wimbledon, and he retired after losing the first set against Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open.

Since Djokovic won the 2023 US Open, Alcaraz and Sinner have won the last eight Slams between them, and the leading duo have distanced themselves from the chasing pack in 2025.

Djokovic dealt with physical issues at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, with the best-of-five set format becoming an increasingly difficult hurdle to navigate.

There is, therefore, an argument that Djokovic should target the ATP Finals — the fifth biggest prize in the men’s game after the majors.

The prestigious season-ending event, which Djokovic has won a record seven times, is played on a quick indoor surface he has previously excelled on.

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Who is Djordje Djokovic? Novak Djokovic’s brother and Athens tournament director

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The indoor conditions are less physically demanding, and players are required to play five, best-of-three set matches. This is far more manageable than seven, best-of-five set matches, or even the six matches needed to win most Masters 1000 events.

In addition, players can usually afford to lose a round robin match and still progress to the semi-finals.

Winning the ATP Finals is, therefore, arguably Djokovic’s best opportunity left to add to his unrivalled collection of big trophies.

More significantly, perhaps, is that the best-of-three set, indoor event surely represents Djokovic’s best chance to beat Alcaraz and Sinner at a significant tournament.

Djokovic himself declared that he now prefers his chances of beating the pair in best-of-three after his US Open defeat to Alcaraz.

The Serb, who is one of the greatest indoor hard-court players of all-time, triumphed at the ATP Finals in Turin two years ago in memorable fashion.

A 36-year-old Djokovic produced a stratospheric level in back-to-back matches to dismantle Alcaraz 6-3, 6-2 and Sinner 6-3, 6-3 in the 2023 semi-finals and final.

Those wins, which have aged very well, illustrated how indoor conditions can bring the very best out of Djokovic’s serving and aggressive ball striking. He also won the 2022 edition of the event at the same venue without dropping a set.

Even if Djokovic did not go on to lift his 101st ATP singles title, earning a win against Alcaraz and/or Sinner in Turin would only enhance his legacy.

It should be said that it would be no easy feat for Djokovic to beat Sinner, the reigning ATP Finals champion, who has won 26 consecutive indoor matches.

Alcaraz, though, has been at his most vulnerable indoors in his career to date, reinforced by his erratic display in his opening match loss at the Paris Masters last week.

A win against even one of the top two could, crucially, fuel Djokovic’s belief for 2026.

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Novak Djokovic is now arguably the greatest male tennis player in the history of the sport, with 24 Grand Slam singles titles to his name.

However, he is not the only member of his family beginning to hold influence in the tennis world, with his youngest brother, Djordje Djokovic, the tournament director of the Hellenic Championship in Athens this week.

A former player himself, Djordje has been growing in influence within the sport in recent years, and has been forging his own successful career through the business side of the sport.

Playing career

The third and youngest son of Srdan and Dijana Djokovic, Djordje followed his older brothers, Novak and Marko, into pursuing a professional tennis career.

He reached a career high of world No 1,463 in the ATP Rankings in September 2013 as an 18-year-old, though he called time on his singles career in 2015 after qualifying defeats at the Shenzhen Open and China Open.

Djokovic reached 559th in the ATP doubles rankings in May 2016 and played doubles alongside Novak at the 2015 China Open in Beijing.

The pair defeated Gong Maoxin and Michael Venus in the first round, before falling in round two to eventual champions Jack Sock and Vasek Pospisil.

His final doubles match came at an ITF event in 2017, after which he retired from tennis and turned his focus to a behind-the-scenes role in the sport.

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Tournament director roles

Djordje is overseeing action at the Hellenic Championship in 2025, though this is not the first time that he has taken on such a role.

He was the tournament director of the Serbia Open, an ATP 250 clay-court event that returned to the calendar for two years in 2021 and 2022.

The 30-year-old was then the tournament director of the Srpska Open in Banja Luka in 2023, another ATP 250 event held instead of the Serbia Open that season.

Twelve months ago, Djordje was the tournament director of the Belgrade Open in the Serbian capital — the event which has moved to Athens this year.

The tournament is not currently on the ATP Tour calendar for 2026, but speaking before the event, Djordje revealed an ambition for the event to become a mainstay on tour.

He said: “We hope a high-level tournament will take place and, afterwards, we will negotiate to host it again.”

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The WTA Finals has faced its first mid-tournament withdrawal of 2025, with Madison Keys pulling out of her final singles match of the round-robin stage.

Seventh seed Keys, who was competing at the year-end championship for the first time since 2016, was set to take on Elena Rybakina on Thursday, though has now pulled out.

Mirra Andreeva was widely expected to step in to replace Keys, though it is in fact Ekaterina Alexandrova who will take to court in Riyadh — here’s why that is the case.

Why did Keys withdraw?

Concerns grew for Keys following the end of her second match versus Amanda Anisimova, the Australian Open champion falling 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 after leading by a set and a break.

The seventh seed did not shake hands with Anisimova following the contest, telling her compatriot that she had a cough and did not want to risk passing any illness to her.

Having already tasted defeat at the hands of Iga Swiatek prior to facing Anisimova, Rybakina’s win over Swiatek on Monday ensured that Keys was officially out of the event after her own defeat later that day, falling to 0-2 in the group.

That led many to believe that Keys would ultimately withdraw from the competition due to her illness, a situation that has now ultimately come to pass.

Why is Alexandrova replacing Keys in the WTA Finals?

In case any player withdraws midway through the round-robin stage, two alternates are present at the WTA Finals to step in.

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This is the second straight year that an alternate has been called into action, with Daria Kasatkina replacing Jessica Pegula after the American’s withdrawal in 2024.

Heading into the tournament, the first alternate was Andreeva — who missed out on qualifying for the main event by just six points, finishing in ninth place in the WTA Race to Riyadh.

Finishing 10th in the Race to Riyadh, Alexandrova was the second alternate in the draw after a career-best season.

On paper, Andreeva would have been in line to replace Keys, and step in to face sixth seed Rybakina — who is already confirmed as the group winner — on Thursday.

However, the 18-year-old did not sign in as a potential singles player on Thursday, citing that she was not fit to play.

The Russian has been in doubles action alongside Diana Shnaider this week, and it would appear that she has prioritised her final doubles match instead of playing in the singles event.

Having signed in, Alexandrova therefore steps in to play Rybakina, a rematch of the Ningbo Open final from last month.

The 31-year-old has the chance to earn 200 ranking points and $355,000 with victory against the Kazakh on Thursday, alongside a fee for stepping in as an alternate.

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