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Tennis great Novak Djokovic returns to action at his “home” event, the Hellenic Championships, next week and he has received a cushy draw, but all eyes are likely to be on Lorenzo Musetti as he looks to secure qualification for the ATP Finals.

Playing in his first tournament since losing in the semi-final of the Shanghai Masters, Djokovic is the headline act at the ATP 250 tournament as he is the highest-ranked player in the draw and also the only Grand Slam champion.

The Serbian – who moved permanently to Greece with his family a few months ago – is the top seed at the Athens event and receives a bye into the second round along with the rest of the top four.

The 24-time Grand Slam winner will face either Alejandro Tabilo or Adam Walton in the second round with world No 46 and sixth seed Nuno Borges a projected quarter-final opponent.

Although Djokovic would be favourite against either Tabilo (82) and Walton (83), he has a poor record against the former as the Chilean has 2-0 head-to-head record against the world No 1 as he beat him earlier this year at the Monte Carlo Masters and at the 2024 Italian Open.

Both of those were in straight sets and they were on clay.

If the seeds hold, then Djokovic will likely meet fourth seed Brandon Nakashima in the semi-final with the American facing either Marcos Giron or Pedro Martinez in the second round while he could take on eighth seed Fabian Marozsan in the last eight.

Djokovic is looking to win his second title of the year as his only other trophy this year has come at the Geneva Open.

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Musetti headlines the bottom half of the draw and he accepted a late entry into the main draw following his ATP Finals qualification setback at the Paris Masters.

The Italian is currently eighth in the Race To Turin, but he lost in the round of 32 at the ATP 1000 event and will be overtaken by Felix Auger-Aliassime if the Canadian wins his semi-final against Alexander Bublik.

The pair are separated by just 90 points and Auger-Aliassime will also be in action next week as he has entered the Moselle Open with Alexander Bublik also in the draw in France.

However, Bublik will need to win the Paris Masters to have any hope of qualifying.

Djokovic, of course, has already qualified for the ATP Finals, but it remains to be seen if he will participate. If he decides not to enter, like he did last year, then it leaves two places up for grabs.

Musetti, though, has been handed a tough task as he will face either Botic van de Zandschulp or Stan Wawrinka in the second round while he is projected to meet fifth seed Alexandre Muller in the quarter-final.

We could have an all-Italian semi-final as Musetti’s compatriot Luciano Darderi is seeded third, but he will likely have to get past seventh seed Alexei Popyrin in the last eight.

The post Hellenic Championship draw: Djokovic the favourite as Musetti makes late-gasp ATP Finals bid appeared first on Tennis365.

There is no clear favourite for the 2025 WTA Finals, but the Sky Sports pundits have leaned towards the American pair of Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova to win this year’s trophy.

World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka is the bookmakers’ top bet to win the season-ending tournament in Riyadh, while many in the tennis community feel it is hard to ignore world No 2 Iga Swiatek as she always delivers when under pressure.

Gauff, meanwhile, is the defending champion after beating both Sabalenka and Swiatek en route to lifting last year’s trophy, while Anisimova is one of the form players across 2025 as she finished runner-up at Wimbledon and the US Open and won two WTA 1000 events.

Those four headline the draw in Saudi Arabia with Jessica Pegula, Jasmine Paolini, Elena Rybakina and Madison Keys the other players in the draw at the lucrative event.

So who will win this year’s title, according to the Sky Sports pundits Tim Henman, Laura Robson, Gigi Salmon, Jonathan Overend, Ryan Harrison and Raz Mirza?

Reigning French Open champion Gauff received three votes, Anisimova two, and Sabalenka and Swiatek one each.

If you are wondering why there are seven votes and only six panellists, Salmon couldn’t separate Gauff and Anisimova as she stated: “I’m a little bit heart and head on this one. My head says Gauff will successfully defend her title.

“She had a really good Asian swing, winning Wuhan, the serve is looking better and even if she has a wobble with it she is so mentally tough that she can get through it.

“My heart says Amanda Anisimova, Tour Finals debutant, ranked 359 at the end of 2023 after taking a break from the sport and 36 at the end of 2024.

“This year she has reached two Grand Slam finals, bouncing back impressively after both final losses and most recently winning the WTA 100 Beijing title, taking her to world No 4. It would be a fairy-tale ending to 2024 for Anisimova.”

Harrison also went with Gauff while Robson says it is difficult to look past the defending champion as the courts will likely favour the two-time Grand Slam winner.

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“If the conditions are anything like last year, not super high bouncing, but a high enough bouncing fast court, then it will suit Gauff really well. I would assume it’s going to be the same. But I think that that automatically gives her a great chance of winning the title.”

Overend was the other pundit to go with Anisimova as he hopes it is a case of third time lucky following her near misses at the two most recent Grand Slams.

“My winner is Anisimova. I can’t stop now. After tipping her to win Wimbledon, and coming close, then backing her at the US Open, and coming much closer, I’m banking on third time lucky!” he said. “She’ll enjoy the courts, enjoy the challenge of her group rivals and finish an incredible season in style.”

The Case For Sabalenka And Swiatek

Of course, you can never discount four-time Grand Slam winner and reigning US Open champion Sabalenka and Henman feels the fact that she doesn’t have to worry about the world No 1 ranking will count in her favour.

Unlike in previous campaigns, the year-end No 1 spot has already been secured by the Belarusian as Swiatek can no longer overtake her – even if the Pole wins the title undefeated.

“I think Sabalenka will win WTA Finals. She is guaranteed No 1 ranking so will play with lots of freedom. With the court surface and altitude, conditions are perfect for her to outpower everyone,” the former British No 1 said.

Swiatek is the only other former champion in the field as she won the 2023 title, defeating Pegula in the final, and she gets the nod from Mirza.

“Sabalenka, Gauff and Anisimova seem to be this year’s picks with our pundits, but no one has gone for Swiatek!” he said.

“Her form may have taken a real dive after her victory in Cincinnati and the conditions may not be so favourable, but I’m backing the Wimbledon champion to find her A-game and win the title for the second time in three years.”

The post Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova edge pundits’ predictions for WTA Finals appeared first on Tennis365.

Alexander Bublik has secured a major breakthrough in the ATP Rankings after a thrilling Paris Masters quarter-final win over Alex de Minaur on Friday.

In a pulsating contest inside the La Defense Arena, 13th seed Bublik battled back from a set down to stun sixth seed de Minaur 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-5 in the French capital.

It is the second straight top-10 win for the Kazakh, who defeated fourth seed Taylor Fritz in the third round on Thursday, and he has now reached his first Masters 1000 semi-final, continuing what has been a career-best year.

The 28-year-old reached his first Grand Slam quarter-final at the French Open back in June — also beating de Minaur during that run — and has won four ATP Tour titles in 2025, a total currently only bettered by Carlos Alcaraz this season.

Bublik had dropped outside of the top 80 of the ATP Rankings earlier this season, though has surged back up throughout the second half of the year, and was sitting at a career-high of world No 16 heading into Paris.

Victory over Fritz on Thursday placed Bublik up three places to a new high of world No 13 on the ATP Live Rankings, and his win over de Minaur on Friday has now cemented that spot — with a chance to rise even further with a deeper run.

“It’s definitely a big win — it’s also a milestone win,” said Bublik, speaking to Tennis TV post-match.

“I’m definitely hitting my new career high. I hit it yesterday, I’m going to hit it today regardless of the outcome of Sacha’s [Zverev] match.

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“Making my first semi-final of Masters, actually at my favourite event, my favourite Masters alongside Monaco. That feels great.

“I’m in good shape, I feel great, I feel the crowd here, so I really like being in Paris. For me, it’s about keeping the momentum going, try to hit the shots, and just hope for the best.”

Up next for Bublik in the semi-final is ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who was dominant in a 6-2, 6-2 quarter-final victory versus Valentin Vacherot.

The semi-final holds huge importance in the race to the ATP Finals in Turin, with both Bublik and Auger-Aliassime in contention.

The Kazakh could seal a place as an alternate with a run to the title, while Auger-Aliassime will move inside the top eight of the race if he defeats Bublik on Saturday afternoon to reach the final.

Bublik added: “I can’t make it directly to Turin, but I can make it as an alternate, and he can make it directly if he wins it.

“So it’s going to be a big match. He’s fighting for his spot, I’m fighting to be alternate, so I hope it’s going to be a good battle, I hope it’s going to be a fair battle, and we’re going to show some good tennis.”

Read Next: ATP Rankings Race to Turin: Ben Shelton & Alex de Minaur qualify as 4 players remain in contention

The post Alexander Bublik +3 in ATP Rankings as he seals major breakthrough at Paris Masters appeared first on Tennis365.

Jannik Sinner has commented on Carlos Alcaraz’s shock early exit at the 2025 Paris Masters as he spoke about the “unique” conditions at the indoor hard-court tournament.

Alcaraz, the world No 1, was upset 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 by world No 31 Cameron Norrie in the second round in Paris, having received an opening round bye.

It was Alcaraz’s first competitive match since he defeated Taylor Fritz in the final of the Japan Open on September 30. He withdrew from the Shanghai Masters due to an injury and played two matches at the Six Kings Slam exhibition in mid-October.

Jannik Sinner makes claim about Carlos Alcaraz’s shock Paris loss

• Jannik Sinner has said that Carlos Alcaraz shock early exit at the 2025 Paris Masters is evidence that the indoor hard-court tournament is “difficult”
• The world No 2 has described the conditions at the Paris Masters as “unique” and admitted he has “never played well” at the event
• Sinner and Alcaraz both have underwhelming records at the Paris Masters in their careers to date

Prior to Paris, Alcaraz and Sinner had met in five consecutive finals at tournaments they both competed in: US Open, Cincinnati, Wimbledon, French Open, Rome.

The 2025 Paris Masters is the inaugural edition of the prestigious event to be held at the Paris La Defense Arena. It was previously staged at the Accor Arena in the Bercy neighbourhood between 1986 and 2024.

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Sinner arrived at the Paris Masters after winning the ATP 500 tournament in Vienna — his fourth title of the 2025 campaign.

Following his 6-4, 6-2 win against 41st-ranked Zizou Bergs in his opening match in Paris, Sinner spoke about the contrast in conditions between Vienna and Paris.

“The playing conditions are completely different from those in Vienna. For me, the most difficult thing is the movement. There are new balls, which travel slower. We’ll see how it goes,” the 24-year-old was quoted as saying by L’Equipe.

“It’s a difficult tournament, we saw that with Carlos’s elimination. It’s the end of the season. The conditions are unique here. I’ve never played well here. Every match is difficult. I’m focusing on what I have to do.”

The four-time major champion defeated Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-1 in the third round in Paris to set up a quarter-final showdown with Ben Shelton.

Alcaraz and Sinner’s records at the Paris Masters

Alcaraz holds a 5-5 record from his five appearances at the Paris Masters, making it his joint-worst ATP 1000 event for win rate along with the Canadian Open. The Spaniard’s best result is making the quarter-finals in 2022.

Sinner, who is making his fourth appearance in Paris, has amassed a 3-2 record at the indoor tournament prior to his quarter-final with Shelton. The Italian’s run to the last eight this year is his best result at the event.

READ NEXT: Why Jannik Sinner won’t be the top seed at ATP Finals even if he returns to No 1

The post Jannik Sinner reveals what Carlos Alcaraz’s shock Paris Masters exit proves appeared first on Tennis365.

Aryna Sabalenka has revealed her “hope” of continuing her fine form beyond 2025 after sealing a second straight year-end world No 1 finish.

World No 1 Sabalenka is set to take to the court for one final tournament in 2025, with the 27-year-old looking to lift the WTA Finals title for the first time in Riyadh.

Regardless of how she fares in Riyadh, the Belarusian is guaranteed to finish 2025 atop the WTA Rankings, with the cushion between her and world No 2 Iga Swiatek too big for the Pole to close down.

Sabalenka also finished as the year-end No 1 in 2024, and she will become just the seventh woman to spend a full calendar year atop the WTA Rankings since the rankings system launched in 1975.

She is the first woman to achieve that feat since Ashleigh Barty in 2021, also joining Serena Williams, Monica Seles, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, and Chris Evert in that exclusive club.

Sabalenka was asked about securing the year-end No 1 ranking during her pre-tournament press conference in Riyadh and admitted it was “crazy” to think she had achieved such consistency.

“It means a lot,” said Sabalenka.

“It just tells how consistent I am as a player, which is crazy to think. If you go back like five years ago, if someone would tell me I’ll be that consistent, I would be shocked. It just tells me that the hard work pays off.

“I really hope that I will just keep doing what I’m doing.”

Sabalenka has won a tour-leading four WTA titles in 2025, with a further four finals to her name across the year.

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The Belarusian claimed her fourth Grand Slam singles title at the US Open, defeating Amanda Anisimova in the final, after tough defeats at the opening three majors of the season.

Madison Keys beat her in the Australian Open final, and she then fell to Coco Gauff in the French Open final, before falling to Anisimova in the semi-final of Wimbledon — with all those defeats coming in three sets.

Sabalenka’s reaction to her French Open final defeat attracted criticism from some quarters, and she later faced renewed pressure to cap off her dominant season with a Slam title in New York, though she would successfully defend her title at Flushing Meadows.

Reflecting on her year, the 27-year-old revealed she was “grateful” for what she had learned ahead of her run to the title in New York.

She added: “I mean, it was tough. It was really tough. It was tough lessons. But, at the end, I think it was much-needed lessons.

“I had to learn how to control myself even better. Even though I improved a lot in that part of the game, still, you know, not good enough. I think in those big finals, that’s one thing that was missing, was my emotions.

“I think especially after Roland Garros and the media and everything that happened after the match, I just had to sit back and look at everything from the side, and take better control over my emotions.

“After winning the US Open, I was actually quite grateful for those lessons.

“It was really tough. But I spend so much time and years in this sport to [not] just give up after a couple losses in the finals, which is not the first round. It means I’m just there, I need to learn something, improve it and try better.”

Sabalenka is the top seed at the WTA Finals and will begin her campaign on Sunday against eighth seed Jasmine Paolini, whom she beat in the round-robin stage back in 2024.

She will also take on third seed Gauff — in their first meeting since the French Open final — and fifth seed Jessica Pegula, who snapped a four-match losing streak to Sabalenka at the Wuhan Open earlier this month.

The four-time Grand Slam singles champion was a finalist at the year-end championships back in 2022, finishing as the runner-up to Caroline Garcia in Fort Worth.

Read Next: WTA Finals: What ranking points have Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff & co dropped from 2024 tournament?

The post Aryna Sabalenka reveals world No 1 ‘hope’ after sealing major rankings milestone appeared first on Tennis365.

Jannik Sinner has made a concerning admission after struggling physically in his win against Francisco Cerundolo in the third round of the 2025 Paris Masters.

The four-time Grand Slam champion showed signs of discomfort during his 7-5, 6-1 victory over world No 21 Cerundolo at the Paris La Defense Arena on Thursday evening.

Sinner stretched his right leg, and his movement between points looked laboured at times, particularly in the first set. He did not receive treatment, though, and he was dominant against the 27-year-old Argentine in the second set.

Jannik Sinner gives update on his physical condition

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Sinner started his campaign at the Paris Masters with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over 41st-ranked Zizou Bergs on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old’s potential right leg injury comes after he dealt with leg cramps in the third set of his Vienna Open final win over Alexander Zverev last week.

The world No 2 was forced to retire due to cramping when trailing 2-3 in the third set of his Shanghai Masters third round match with Tallon Griekspoor earlier this month.

What Sinner said after beating Cerundolo in Paris

Following his win against Cerundolo at the ATP 1000 tournament, Sinner spoke candidly about his physical struggles in the match.

“I’m trying to manage it as best I can, but it’s clear I’m not at 100%. But we’ll see,” he told reporters.

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“I feel like today’s match was less physical, which is good for me. I’m happy to have won it in two sets, in under an hour and a half. I’m going to sleep very well tonight.”

Sinner added: “I was up twice with the break in the first set and I could not convert.

“I put myself in not an easy situation, but I am happy with how I ended the match and I felt much better. Hopefully, it will give me the confidence to start off in a good way tomorrow.”

Sinner: Ben Shelton is a “very difficult” opponent

Sinner will face world No 7 Ben Shelton in the quarter-finals, and he was wary of the threat the explosive American poses.

“Hopefully, I can recover physically, which is my main priority. Today was a great match and a great performance from my side,” Sinner said.

“Tomorrow I have a very difficult opponent. I have to play at 100%. I hope I can. We’re all expecting a great match.”

The Italian holds a 6-1 record against Shelton, having won the last five encounters in straight sets.

READ NEXT: How Jannik Sinner can overtake Carlos Alcaraz as world No 1 after the Paris Masters

The post What Jannik Sinner said about Paris Masters fitness concerns after injury scare appeared first on Tennis365.

The Race to the 2025 ATP Finals is nearing the finish line, and the closing stages of the Paris Masters will decide which player takes the eighth spot in Turin.

Seven players have qualified for the ATP Finals, and Lorenzo Musetti, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alexander Bublik and Daniil Medvedev remain in contention.

Auger-Aliassime, Bublik and Medvedev are all still competing in Paris, while Musetti — who currently occupies the No 8 spot — lost in his opening match.

ATP Finals Race to Turin update

• Seven of the eight qualifiers for the 2025 ATP Finals have been confirmed: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur and Ben Shelton
• Lorenzo Musetti is in the eighth and final qualification spot, but he could still be overtaken by Felix Auger-Aliassime
• Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Bublik can both jump to ninth in the Race to Turin if they win the Paris Masters, which would be enough to qualify if a player withdraws

The ATP Finals is the biggest tournament in men’s tennis outside the four Grand Slams, and it has been staged at the Palasport Olimpico in Turin, Italy since 2021.

Jannik Sinner is the reigning champion, having won his maiden title at the season-ending championships in 2024.

Who has qualified for the ATP Finals?

Prior to the Paris Masters, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev had all qualified for the ATP Finals.

Taylor Fritz became the fifth man to book a spot in Turin when Lorenzo Musetti fell in his opening match in Paris.

Ben Shelton and Alex de Minaur qualified on Thursday after they defeated Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov respectively in the last 16.

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Who is still in contention?

Musetti looked a clear favourite to claim the eighth and final qualification spot heading into Paris, but his second round loss to Italian compatriot Lorenzo Sonego left the door open.

The 23-year-old remains eighth, and he can only be overtaken if Felix Auger-Aliassime reaches the final in Paris.

Auger-Aliassime, who is 290 points adrift of Musetti, will face Valentin Vacherot in the quarter-finals.

Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Bublik both need Auger-Aliassime to fall in the quarter-finals to remain in contention in the Race.

If Auger-Aliassime does lose to Vacherot, one of Medvedev or Bublik could move above him into the No 9 position if they win the Paris Masters.

Medvedev and Bublik cannot catch Musetti, so they can finish no higher than ninth. They would, therefore, need a player who has qualified for the ATP Finals to withdraw in order to feature.

This is a possibility as there is uncertainty over the participation of Djokovic — who pulled out of last year’s event after qualifying.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina was ruled out of the Race after his third round defeat to Zverev on Thursday.

ATP Rankings Race to Turin (before the Paris Masters quarter-finals on October 31, 2025)

1) Carlos Alcaraz, 11,050 – Q (Lost in Paris Masters 2R)
2) Jannik Sinner, 9,200 – Q (Paris Masters QF)
3) Alexander Zverev, 4,760 – Q (Paris Masters QF)
4) Novak Djokovic, 4,580 – Q (Not playing at Paris Masters)
5) Ben Shelton, 3,970 – Q (Paris Masters QF)
6) Taylor Fritz, 3,935 – Q (Lost in Paris Masters 3R)
7) Alex de Minaur, 3,935 – Q (Paris Masters QF)
8) Lorenzo Musetti, 3,685 (Lost in Paris Masters 2R)
Provisional cutoff
9) Felix Auger-Aliassime, 3,395 (Paris Masters QF)
10) Jack Draper, 2,990 (Absent, out of contention)
11) Casper Ruud, 2,835 (Lost in Paris Masters 2R, out of contention)
12) Daniil Medvedev, 2,760 (Paris Masters QF)
13) Alexander Bublik, 2,670 (Paris Masters QF)

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The post ATP Rankings Race to Turin: Ben Shelton & Alex de Minaur qualify as 4 players remain in contention appeared first on Tennis365.

Valentin Vacherot has continued his remarkable Masters 1000 streak by reaching the quarter-finals at the ATP 1000 in Paris, and he is set to reach a new milestone in the rankings.

The Monegasque, who is competing as a wildcard in Paris, defeated world No 31 Cameron Norrie 7-6(4), 6-4 in the third round at the Paris La Defense Arena.

The big-serving Vacherot saved all five of the break points he faced in the match and broke the 30-year-old Brit for the only time in the fifth game of the second set.

Valentin Vacherot’s Paris Masters run

• Valentin Vacherot overcame Cameron Norrie at the Paris Masters for his 10th consecutive win at Masters 1000 level
• The 26-year-old has climbed 10 places to a projected new career-high of 30th in the Live ATP Rankings, and he could break into the top 20 if he wins the title
• Vacherot has spoken about the belief he had to break into the top 50 in the rankings when he was ranked outside the top 200

Vacherot’s win against Norrie was his third victory at the Paris Masters after he saw off Jiri Lehecka and Arthur Rinderknech in the opening two rounds.

Remarkably, Vacherot has now won 10 successive main draw matches at Masters 1000 level as his Paris run has followed his staggering surge to the Shanghai Masters title earlier this month.

Vacherot is only the second ever player to win 10 or more consecutive matches at Masters events while ranked outside the top 20 after David Nalbandian in 2007.

In Shanghai, Vacherot shocked the tennis world by securing his maiden title as a 204th-ranked qualifier, winning nine matches (seven in the main draw after two qualifiers).

His victory at the ATP 1000 tournament in China saw his ranking skyrocket 164 places to world No 40. His previous career-high ranking was 110th.

How has Vacherot’s Paris run affected his ranking?

With his three wins en route to the last eight in Paris, Vacherot has collected 200 points, which has boosted his tally to 1,483.

This has moved Vacherot from 40th to a projected new career-best position of 30th in the Live ATP Rankings.

If Vacherot advances to the semi-finals, he will move to 1,683 points, which would put him 24th in the rankings.

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Losing in the Paris Masters final would see Vacherot jump to 1,933 points, leaving him 23rd.

If Vacherot were to secure his second straight Masters title, he would have 2,283 points, which would put him 19th in the current live rankings.

What did Vacherot say about his ranking rise after beating Norrie?

After his win against Norrie in Paris, Vacherot explained how he was derailed by an injury last year when at his previous career-high ranking of 110th.

“Before I actually sustained an injury, I was ranked 110. There were a lot of points to defend, so I went down in the ranking,” he said in his press conference.

“But what is crazy is that I played much better this year rather than last year, and it was so hard for me to reach the quarter-finals.

“I didn’t reach a lot of semi-finals and finals, but I continue to believe in it right now. Maybe what was abnormal, it was rather to be ranked No 204. I knew that I could play better. I didn’t really think about it.

“I knew that my level was closer to the top 100, and then that I could break into the top 50 rather than being actually ranked 200.”

Who will Vacherot play next?

Vacherot will take on world No 10 Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters on Friday.

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The post Valentin Vacherot set for another stunning rankings breakthrough with Paris Masters run appeared first on Tennis365.

In a battle of two rising WTA Tour stars at the 2025 Hong Kong Tennis Open, Victoria Mboko fought back to overcome Alex Eala in three sets.

Mboko advanced to the quarter-finals of the WTA 250 tournament in Hong Kong after prevailing 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 against Eala in the second round.

Both Mboko and Eala are set to continue their climb up the WTA Rankings in next week’s update, with the pair currently projected to reach new career-high positions.

Victoria Mboko beats Alex Eala in Hong Kong

• Victoria Mboko made an impressive comeback to defeat Alex Eala in three sets in the second round of the Hong Kong Tennis Open
• As things stand, Mboko is set to break into the top 20 of the WTA Rankings for the first time having jumped one place from 21st – and she could yet rise further
• Eala is up from 51st to a projected new career-high ranking of 50th in the Live WTA Rankings

Eala looked to be closing in on a big win after breaking Mboko in the Canadian’s first two service games of the third set to take a 4-1 lead.

Mboko, though, won the next five games to seal a comeback victory in just under two and a half hours.

This was the first WTA Tour encounter between 19-year-old Mboko and 20-year-old Eala.

Mboko and Eala are set for WTA Rankings milestones

With her run to the quarter-finals in Hong Kong, Mboko has increased her points tally by 48 points to 1,961.

This has lifted Mboko from 21st to a projected new career-high ranking of 20th in the Live WTA Rankings, moving her above Diana Shnaider.

The only way Mboko could remain in 21st place is if she lost in the quarter-finals and her Canadian compatriot, Leylah Fernandez, won the title in Hong Kong.

If Mboko progresses to the semi-finals, she will jump above Elise Mertens and Karolina Muchova into 18th place — which is the highest ranking she could achieve.

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Eala, meanwhile, has boosted her points tally by 12 points to 1,143 for reaching the second round in Hong Kong, climbing above Anastasia Potapova. This would be a new best ranking for the Filipina.

The only players who could still overtake Eala are Alycia Parks and Cristina Bucsa, who are in action in Jiujiang and Hong Kong respectively.

What next for Mboko in Hong Kong?

Mboko will face world No 35 and sixth seed Anna Kalinskaya in the quarter-finals in Hong Kong.

Kalinskaya, a 26-year-old Russian, destroyed Zhang Shaui 6-1, 6-1 in the second round after seeing off Kamilla Rakhimova 6-4, 6-4 in the first round.

This will be a first meeting between Mboko and Kalinskaya.

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Carlos Alcaraz has been told his attitude and body language left a lot to be desired during his Paris Masters exit with a renowned journalist reminding him that Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer “managed to win because they fought with humility”.

After reaching nine consecutive top-level finals – including three Grand Slam finals in a row – Alcaraz started the final ATP 1000 tournament of the season as the heavy favourite alongside Jannik Sinner.

But the world No 1 produced an erratic display during his second-round match at La Défense Arena as he went down 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 against Cameron Norrie, who is currently at No 31 in the ATP Rankings.

Alcaraz’s frustrations often boiled over and he was involved in several heated discussions with his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.

The six-time Grand Slam winner was told by Ferrero to “See what you are doing well and correct it”, but the 22-year-old fired back saying, “I’m doing everything wrong.”

He was also unhappy with the speed of the court as he vented: “I don’t feel it. Zero! I feel nothing. This is worse than Monte Carlo.”

The defeat was Alcaraz’s first before a final since the Miami Open in March when he was beaten in the round of 64 by David Goffin.

And he is now in danger of losing the No 1 spot in the ATP Rankings to Jannik Sinner.

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French tennis journalist Benoît Maylin cautioned Alcaraz during the Sans Filet programme as he urged the Spaniard to take a leaf out of Djokovic, Nadal and Federer’s book when it comes to winning matches when not playing well.

“When you’ve played nine finals in a row and you’ve just beaten Norrie at Wimbledon, you obviously come into this tournament thinking, ‘Let’s keep going, I’m untouchable, I’m going to get through my rounds’,” Maylin said.

“I didn’t like his attitude. I didn’t like his body language, getting angry, telling himself he couldn’t do it. You have to be able to win when you’re playing badly, as your illustrious predecessors did.

“Nadal, Djokovic and Federer didn’t always play their best tennis, but they managed to win because they fought with humility.

“Rafa would never have had such an attitude on the court. He needs to be careful not to let a little ego take hold.

“Everyone says that Sinner and Alcaraz are untouchable, so he hears it too. He’s such a star that he also needs to know how to come back down to earth, go deep into the mine with Norrie, get out the pickaxe and win matches like that.”

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