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Former world No 6 Gilles Simon has dismissed “unfair” criticism of Carlos Alcaraz’s recent form as he urged people to look at the “big picture” regarding the Spaniard’s results.

World No 3 Alcaraz suffered surprise losses in both Indian Wells and Miami, results that have attracted a significant amount of attention.

The Spaniard was beaten 6-1, 0-6, 6-4 by Jack Draper in the Indian Wells semi-final, ending his 16-match win streak at the event – and dashing his hopes of a third straight title.

That was then followed by a stunning 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 loss to David Goffin in his opening match at the Miami Open.

Alcaraz won his 17th ATP title at the Rotterdam Open in February but has not made another final across four other tournaments in 2025, falling in the last eight of the Australian Open and Qatar Open.

The 21-year-old’s form has been the subject of huge speculation, but he has found a huge ally in Simon.

Speaking to Tennis365, the Frenchman defended Alcaraz’s “unbelievable” achievements and questioned the level of criticism lobbied at the four-time major champion.

“The problem with this type of player is that they have a lot of attention, so in the end, every time we have big expectations for them,” said Simon.

“He won four Slams, and it’s crazy at his age. People are tough. It’s unbelievable what he has achieved already, and he will achieve much more than he did.

“Every time someone like him is losing, we make it a big deal, as he’s supposed to win everything. I don’t believe he’s this kind of person. He is a player where we know what he has in the racket, we know what he is able to do.

“Everybody in the end likes him and when he’s not winning, we are disappointed and we put it on him – and I think it’s unfair.”

Alcaraz will next be on court when he kicks off his clay season at the Monte Carlo Masters next week.

The Spaniard has withdrawn from the event the past two years, and also withdrew from both the Barcelona Open and Italian Open in 2024 due to injury struggles across the clay swing.

However, those concerns did not prevent him from winning his maiden French Open title in June, before completing the ‘Channel Slam’ with a successful Wimbledon title defence last summer.

And, he has had huge success across the clay swing before, winning both the Barcelona Open and the Madrid Open in 2022 and 2023.

Ahead of a busy summer, 14-time ATP Tour titleist Simon has backed Alcaraz to roar back into trophy-winning ways.

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He said: “Sometimes, it’s a bit harder, but what I’m sure about is that he’s going to find a way again, and this is where it’s crazy. When he’s going to win, everyone is going to say: ‘He’s back on track’.

“He’s going to win again. Is it going to be at the French Open, is it going to be at the tournament before?

“Maybe he’s going to play a bit more because he lost, so he has maybe that need to be on court and win matches to build that confidence that will help him again to win the big title in the end.

“The problem is with the media, we are always panicking when someone is winning, they’re going to win everything for the next five years. No, it always changed, and suddenly it changed like this, and no one sees it coming – because they are not looking at the big picture.

“And the big picture is Carlos Alcaraz is a very special player, he has already achieved amazing things, and he will achieve amazing things again.

“When? He’s going to find a way. I don’t see anything as dramatic as it is. You can maybe lose two tournaments and maybe win again the French Open and Wimbledon.

“Then I want to ask all the people who talked badly about what he was doing right now: ‘Ok, was it that important to lose in the first match in Miami?’”

Simon was speaking in his role as an ambassador and team captain for the 2025 Roland-Garros eSeries by Renault.

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With the Sunshine Double done and dusted, all eyes now turn to the clay-court swing – and ultimately the build-up to the French Open in May.

However, while ATP Tour events are underway in Houston, Marrakech, and Bucharest this week, many of the sport’s biggest names will kickstart their clay season next week.

The Monte Carlo Masters is one of the most prestigious titles to win outside of the Grand Slams, and defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas will look to win an impressive fourth title in 2025.

Here, we look at the top seeds entering the draw this year – and what else to look out for.

Monte Carlo Masters seeds

1) Alexander Zverev
2) Carlos Alcaraz
3) Taylor Fritz
4) Novak Djokovic
5) Casper Ruud
6) Jack Draper
7) Stefanos Tsitsipas
8) Andrey Rublev
9) Alex de Minaur
10) Daniil Medvedev
11) Holger Rune
12) Ben Shelton
13) Arthur Fils
14) Lorenzo Musetti
15) Frances Tiafoe
16) Grigor Dimitrov

Key takeaways

One obvious absentee from the Monte Carlo draw this year is Jannik Sinner.

The world No 1 is still serving his three-month suspension and therefore will not return to the first Masters 1000 event of the clay swing, where he was a semi-finalist twelve months ago.

Sinner’s absence means that, much like in Indian Wells and Miami, world No 2 Zverev is set to be the top seed, with world No 3 Alcaraz the second seed.

Zverev is twice a semi-finalist in Monte Carlo but has been beaten in round three the past two years, while Alcaraz has only played the event once, having been forced to withdraw in both 2023 and 2024.

World No 4 Fritz is seeded third and world No 5 Djokovic is seeded fourth, with one set to be drawn in the same half of Zverev and the other in the same half as Alcaraz.

Djokovic is a two-time former champion in Monte Carlo, having lifted the title in 2013 and 2015, though he suffered a surprise loss to Ruud in the semi-final in 2024.

Norwegian star and 2024 finalist Ruud is the fifth seed in the draw, while recent Indian Wells champion Draper is the sixth seed as he looks to improve his clay-court fortunes.

Tsitsipas, who has won all three of his Masters 1000 titles at this tournament, is seeded seventh, while 2023 champion Rublev rounds out the top eight seeds.

Further down, 10th seed Medvedev – ranked 11th in the world – will be in action for the first time since losing his top-10 ranking following an early exit at the Miami Open.

11th seed and world No 12 Rune was a quarter-finalist in 2024 and a finalist in 2023, and will look to continue his impressive Monte Carlo form.

World No 13 Tommy Paul has not entered the tournament, meaning that his compatriot and world No 14 Shelton is the 12th seed.

Fils will lead French hopes as the 13th seed, while world No 18 Dimitrov is the 16th and final seed.

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When is the draw?

The draw for the Monte Carlo Masters is set to take place on Friday 4th April 2025.

Top seed Zverev will automatically be placed in the top half of the draw, while second seed Alcaraz will automatically headline the bottom half of the draw.

The draw will determine whether Zverev is projected to face Fritz or Djokovic in the last four, and which projected semi-finalist will also be expected to face Alcaraz.

The draw will also place the projected quarter-finalists, and all remaining players.

Tournament dates

Main draw action is set to take place from 6-13 April, 2025.

Qualifying action will take place across 5-6 April, with some final-round qualifying matches taking place on the same day as some opening round matches.

Quarter-final matches are set to take place on April 11, with semi-finals on April 12, and the final on April 13.

The top eight seeds will all receive an opening-round bye.

Ranking points and prize money

Like with all Masters 1000 events, 1,000 ranking points are available for whoever lifts the title at the end of the tournament.

The runner-up will earn 650 ranking points, the semi-finalists 400 points, and the quarter-finalists 200 points.

A total prize money package of €6,128,940 is set for the 2025 tournament, across singles and doubles.

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The French Open is one of the most historic tournaments in tennis, and one of the biggest titles that any player could want to win.

However, it will not just be the very best stars of the ATP and WTA Tour competing for silverware at Roland Garros this spring.

Held in the Roland-Garros Tenniseum auditorium just one day before main draw action begins in Paris, the Roland-Garros eSeries by Renault returns in 2025.

Launched in 2018, the eSeries is the world’s first-ever tennis gaming tournament – and remains at the forefront of tennis’ presence in the world of Esports.

Supported by the French Tennis Federation, and with a €5,000 prize pool at stake, players across France and also internationally are competing on Tennis Clash to seal their place in the Finals on May 24th.

Back for its eight edition – and fourth since Tennis Clash was first introduced in 2022 – the 2025 eSeries promises to be bigger than ever, with the first set of qualifiers having already taken place.

And, helping to lead the 2025 eSeries is one of the most recognisable French tennis stars of the past two decades: Gilles Simon.

A former world No 6 and the winner of 14 ATP Tour titles, Simon – who retired from tennis in 2022 – believes the unique selling point of the eSeries and Tennis Clash is the audience it can attract.

“The French federation, when they started with this, they just wanted more people to be more interested in tennis and come in a new way,” said Simon.

“We are a very traditional sport, they always say the average people watching tennis are a bit older, so it’s to bring a different kind of public into the game.

“This is the origin of the project, actually – to find a new public, maybe younger players, younger people.”

Simon’s involvement in the event began as a commentator in the 2023 edition of the event, but, as an avid gamer himself, he decided to enter the competition in 2024.

Now, under a revamped format, he will be one of two captains in a team competition format, with a currently unnamed Grand Slam champion spearheading the rival team.

Having grown his involvement in the Roland-Garros eSeries over the course of recent years, Simon has developed not only a knowledge of the game – but a bond with those competing.

He adds: “I didn’t know the game at that time, at the start.

“In the first year, I was just commentating the eSeries, but I wanted to know what I was talking about, so I started to play the game – and I quite liked it.

“The year after, I decided maybe I can participate, it puts a bit of pressure because you need to practice, spend hours playing the game and see how competitive you can be.

“I played last year and it was OK – I couldn’t win the event, of course, because the guys are just too good – but I could win some matches and I had a decent level.

“In the end, I liked the game, and I had a good connection with the players who are playing.”

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Tennis is far from the only sport embracing the growing world of Esports in recent years.

It was confirmed in February that the first Olympic Esports Games will take place in 2027 in Saudi Arabia, while the Commonwealth Games held an Esports event alongside the main games back in 2022.

Formula 1 launched its eSeries back in 2017, with the sport’s leading teams hiring specialist racers to compete, while football has also played a leading role in Esports’ growth.

The increased interest in the Roland-Garros eSeries as part of a wider Esports network is undeniable, with the numbers of participants having more than doubled in recent years.

An already impressive 238,000 qualifiers entered the Tennis Clash competition back in 2022 but that number had grown to over 548,000 participants from across the globe in 2024.

The 2024 Finals were the first to be held at the Roland-Garros Tenniseum auditorium and, while there were 200 in-person spectators, a staggering 200,000 people watched online.

While some sports have adapted a complex game or system, Simon believes simplicity has been key to the success of Tennis Clash and the Roland Garros eSeries.

With record numbers set to enter in 2025, playing on an electronic reproduction of Court Philippe Chatrier, he believes that the eSeries is already proving beneficial to the sport as a whole.

“Tennis is a really difficult sport, it’s a technical sport, here [on Tennis Clash] you just have to use your finger. It’s very different – but it’s a video game – and this is what I like.

“We don’t want to have a video game that will make things as difficult as tennis is in real life. When you play video games, you want things to be easy.

“This is where it’s very unique for every sport. The way I see it is, I’m a huge fan of tennis, I like when people are interested in tennis, and in the end, no matter which way.

“As far as people play tennis and they like it and like the atmosphere, we have more people liking the sport, maybe having just come to watch the eSeries game – I just see it as simple as that.”

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Novak Djokovic could not hide his disappointment as he missed out on a chance to claim his 100th career title after a shock defeat against Jakub Mensik in the Miami Open final, but he leaves Florida as a winner in so many ways.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion gave a gracious speech to an opponent who admitted he has beaten his rival to win his first Masters 1000 title, with Mensik’s win stunning those who have not followed his progress in the last few and especially the last few days.

Yet Djokovic should not be concerned by a defeat against a youthful rival who was serving rockets throughout the Miami Open, with that firepower proving to be too much for Jack Draper, Arthur Fils and Taylor Fritz before he fired his way past his idol in the final.

“I was watching him, you know, growing up,” said Menik. “Because of him basically I started to play tennis.

“So it just feels incredible that I had the opportunity for a second time to play against him and to beat him in this tournament in the finals, which I really, it was just a dream to win an ATP tournament, and even better that it’s 1000. Playing against Novak in the finals makes it more special.”

Yet Djokovic should come away from Miami encouraged by what took place over the last couple of weeks on so many levels.

NOVAK IS BACK

It was easy to suggest the Djokovic story was coming to an end as he lost against Botic van de Zandschulp in his first match of the Indian Wells Masters, yet that defeat has some similarities to the Mensik loss.

Big servers can take the racket out of anyone’s hand when they are firing and that was the story with Van de Zandschulp and Mensik in their wins against Djokovic, but there was one big difference between Indian Wells and Miami.

The Novak that appeared in the first tournament of the ‘Sunshine Double’ looked less than engaged with the challenge in front of him when the going got tough against Van de Zandschulp, but he had a very different look in Miami.

The strut was back for Djokovic as he re-established his aura for the first time since his win at the Olympic Games last August and that bodes well for what come next.

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FEELING THE LOVE

Djokovic has often battled to find affection from tennis fans, but he got huge support in Miami during all of his matches.

The cheers rang out for a player who may, conceivably, have been making his last appearance in the tournament and the fans let him feel their love.

Serbian flags were on display in each match he played and in what is certainly the final few furlongs of a remarkable career, it can only be hoped that this is a sign of what is to come for Djokovic for the rest of 2025 as he deserves to be given a big send off after all he has achieved in the sport.

RIVALS COLLAPSING

Djokovic’s return to form in Miami coincided with worrying performances from top seeds Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz.

David Goffin was a huge outsider to beat Alcaraz in their second round meeting, but the young Spaniard conceded he was not at his best mentally as he went out in alarming fashion.

Meanwhile, Zverev’s worrying collapse in form continues, with his defeat against Arthur Fils dealing a blow to his hopes of challenging the absent Jannik Sinner from the world No 1 rankings.

With Zverev and Alcaraz struggling, Djokovic may be emerging as Sinner’s biggest rival at the French Open and Wimbledon, where the Serbian great will challenge for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.

NEW THREATS

The gap Djokovic had over his rivals for so many years is now clearly diluted and Mensik highlighted once again that he is vulnerable to the young guns so desperate to add his name to their list of on-court victims.

Mensik will not be alone in taking inspiration from his Miami Open win as his Davis Cup team-mate Tomas Machac will certainly draw inspiration from his compatriot’s success, while Fils is another player knocking on the door of the big time after showing good form in Indian Wells and Miami.

Draper’s win in Indian Wells confirmed he is ready to mix it with the best, as his big serve would also be a threat to Djokovic, Alcaraz and the rest when the Grand Slams come onto the agenda.

So the era of dominance from one or two players may be over, but that is before we throw the Sinner card into this story.

SINNER SITTING PRETTY

Jannik Sinner may have a stain on his record forever after he missed the Indian Wells and Miami Masters 1000 events due to his drug ban, but he is sitting pretty after the events of the last few weeks.

Zverev and Alcaraz are his nearest rivals in the rankings, but both have failed to cash in on his absence by winning big tournaments.

Sinner will also have noted the rise of players like Draper and Mensik, but he is still the player to beat at the top of the men’s game and the first two ATP Masters 1000 tournaments of the year confirmed that.

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Emma Raducanu is closing in on a prize money breakthrough after her career total was boosted by her impressive run to the Miami Open quarter-finals.

Raducanu had endured a challenging start to 2025 on and off the court, as she struggled to find her form and slumped to a series of disappointing results.

She was also troubled by a worrying incident while she was playing in Dubai, as a man displaying what was described as ‘fixated’ behaviour was ejected from the tournament venue after trying to attend Raducanu’s match against Karolina Muchova.

Raducanu confirmed she considered taking a break from tennis following that incident, but she opted to travel to America for the WTA 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami and that proved to be a successful decision.

She beat top 10 player Emma Navarro and the in-form Amanda Anisimova during her run in Miami and is back in the top 50 of the WTA Rankings after her impressive performances in Miami, before losing to world No 4 Jessica Pegula in a high-quality contest.

Her performances inspired tennis legend Martina Navratilova suggesting can contend at the top of the game if she plays as she did in her impressive run in Florida.

“If she stays healthy and plays this well, then she’ll be seeded at Roland Garros,” Navratilova told Sky Sports Tennis. “I think she’ll move up the ranking well enough into the top 30. The biggest question mark is her health.

“Hopefully she can sort out her coaching situation because she’s been in a state of flux, but I think she needs to commit to somebody and stay with them for a little bit, see how that works. If she played like she did against Pegula, then the sky’s the limit.”

Raducanu will now turn her attention to the clay court season and while the red European dirt is not her best surface, she has a big chance to climb the rankings as she had limited points to defend from this stage of last season.

She is also likely to break through a prize money barrier in the next few weeks, with her run in Miami taking her career earnings on court to $4,905,433.

The bulk of that total comes from the $2.5m she earned winning the 2021 US Open, with that success securing Raducanu some lucrative sponsorship deals that hugely boosted her financial position.

Now she has made it clear that she wants her focus to be on the court as she looks to avoid distractions from sponsors.

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“I’m obviously very grateful and fortunate to have had certain experiences and opportunities but I wasn’t prepared for the other things that inevitably do take some energy out of you,” she said at the start of this year.

“Especially straight after I did really well, for the next few years it was very much like there was so much communication about things off the court.

“And I would always, always give my 100 per cent on the court. I was always working really hard, but I just think that I wasn’t prepared as well for the other things that inevitably do take some energy out of you.

“I think now I’m a lot more structured. I’ll be like: ‘OK, I have this time where one hour we will talk about business. And now I’m going to go train for the rest of the week’.

“Also I think I’ve learned how to say no a bit more. Initially, I felt really bad for letting people down. I’d always want to do extra for whatever partner or magazine or whatever I’m shooting for.”

Former British No 1 Tim Henman has given his verdict on Raducanu, as he suggested her fitness was the key element that will make or break here season after injury issues over the last couple of years.

“For me, building physical resilience is most important because she has almost had her career back to front,” Henman told Sky Sports News.

“Qualifying and winning that Slam without the foundation physically and her body was breaking down when she was in competition.

“The big positive this year is she has been able to compete more consistently and hopefully the results are going to come.

“She played some brilliant tennis in Miami. She has been looking to build that momentum on the match court and it’s great that she has competed a lot more this year after Australia.

“The results haven’t been there, but when you are putting in that hard work [on court] and in the gym with her physical trainer, I thought her movement both offensively and defensively looked fantastic.

“The turning point was the Emma Navarro match, which she won 7-6 in the third. To beat a top 10 player in that fashion would have given her a lot of confidence.

“The four wins she had will give her a lot of belief moving forward.

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Novak Djokovic has revealed why he wanted to mentor Jakub Mensik after his loss to the 19-year-old Czech star in the championship match at the 2025 Miami Open.

The 37-year-old Serbian was beaten 7-6(4), 7-6(4) in a tight final at the Masters 1000 tournament as he missed out on winning a 100th ATP singles title.

Mensik, who was ranked 54th at the start of the tournament, secured his first-ever career title in what was just his second final.

Here is everything Djokovic said in his post-match press conference.

High praise for Mensik and how he felt in “very weird match”

DJOKOVIC: Congratulations to Mensik and his team. Never really happy to lose, but he’s one of the very few players that I would be happier to lose to, to be honest. I’ve seen him play when he was 15 or 16, I invited him, we had some training blocks together, he was training at my club in Belgrade and to see his development and evolution is really great, amazing.

I could see back then already that – three four years ago – that he’s going to be one of the top players of the world. So I’m super glad that he’s using the potential that he has because he’s got the complete game. Obviously serve is incredible, powerful, precise and wins a lot of free points with the first serve. Backhand as well, Czech school, they always have a great backhand. But forehand, he’s improved a lot. And movement, for a tall, big guy like that, he slides and moves well. And he still can improve, of course, so I’m sure we’ll be seeing him around.

Yeah, it’s unfortunate for me, two tiebreaks, just very weird match, weird day with rain delay and all the things that are happening. I honestly didn’t feel my greatest on the court, but it is what it is, nothing to take away from his victory.

Did the humidity and his eye problem affect him?

DJOKOVIC: I really prefer not to talk about… there’s quite a few things, but I prefer not to… just congratulate him, that’s it. I don’t wanna sound like I’m gonna getting excuses here for my loss.

What made Djokovic want to mentor Mensik

DJOKOVIC: Well, I mean, I love the fighting spirit when he was down in that final in Australia I saw (the 2022 Australian Open boys’ final). Obviously big game, seemed like a nice guy, Eastern European. So I gave a call through management, my management to his management. We found a connection, he accepted to come and yeah, so we had like three training blocks together. And actually his physio who’s with him now was my physio, Serbian guy, so there’s a lot of connecting things that we have in common. As I said, big game, big potential, I’m sure that he’s got a bright future.

Why Mensik was so good in tiebreaks in Miami

DJOKOVIC: If you have a big serve, and he’s been serving consistently 20 aces a match… I mean, in the tiebreak, each player serves two points and he puts so much pressure. You make one mistake, two and you’re down a mini-break, then he starts serving big and it’s gone, tiebreak is gone basically.

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Dealing with the five-and-a-half hour delay, and was his vision on court okay?

DJOKOVIC: As I answered before, I don’t want to get into details, but it is what it is. It’s the same for both players, you have to accept the circumstances. I tried to make the most out of what I had, or what I was facing, but yeah, it was quite different from any other day of the tournament for me.

Standout improvement in Mensik’s game from their match in Shanghai last year

DJOKOVIC: I mean, the serve consistency, I think he was serving even better than he was serving in Shanghai, and there he was serving really well. I think game was similar, but my level was not like it was in Shanghai.

Overall feeling from his return to the Miami Open

DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I mean overall, obviously now bitter taste because of the loss, but Miami, as I said on the court, really brought me a lot of joy and really good sensations on and off the court. I was very welcomed very nicely by people and supported incredible again tonight, great support from the stadium. In the match they were pushing me on and trying to give me strength for a comeback. Very grateful, just enjoyed my experience overall, it was an amazing run. Unfortunately ended with a loss in the finals, but I played some really good tennis up to today.

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Jakub Mensik racked up a plethora of stellar statistical feats as he upset Novak Djokovic to win his first-ever career title at the 2025 Miami Open.

The 19-year-old Czech produced an outstanding display to earn a 7-6(4), 7-6(4) victory against Djokovic in a rain-delayed final at the Hard Rock Stadium.

After his triumph, Mensik paid tribute to Djokovic, who he has revealed is his biggest idol.

“Novak, everyone knows you’re the one… the reason I’m here. I watched you growing up. I started to play tennis because of you,” Mensik said during the trophy ceremony.

“There is not a harder task for a tennis player than to beat you in the final of a tournament. Thank you so much for everything you’ve done in this sport and for everyone. You’re an incredible person. The greatest of all time.”

Here are nine impressive stats after Mensik’s breakthrough win.

Lowest-ranked man to win the Miami Open

Having entered the tournament as the world No 54, Mensik has become the lowest-ranked player to ever win the Miami Open men’s singles title.

First player to win seven tiebreaks en route to a Masters 1000 title

The big-serving Czech won all seven tiebreaks he played in his six matches in Miami, which is the most any player has won en route to securing a Masters 1000 title.

He won two tiebreaks against Jack Draper in the second round, one against Arthur Fils in the quarter-finals, two against Taylor Fritz in the last four and two against Djokovic in the final.

Second player to win seven tiebreaks en route to an ATP title

Mensik is only the second player to win seven tiebreaks in a title run at any level of ATP tournament after John Isner, who also prevailed in seven tiebreaks en route to winning the 2013 Atlanta Open.

Second teenager outside top 20 to win a Masters 1000 title

The 19-year-old has become only the second teenager ranked outside the top 20 to win a Masters 1000 event after Michael Chang, who triumphed at the 1990 Canadian Open when ranked 24th.

Fourth man to win their maiden title at a Masters 1000 event

Mensik is only the fourth ATP player to win their maiden career singles title at Masters level after Roberto Carretero (Hamburg 1996), Chris Woodruff (Montreal 1997) and Albert Portas (Hamburg 2001).

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Fifth-youngest man to win a Masters 1000 title

The Czech is the fifth-youngest man to win a Masters 1000 title after Chang, Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune.

Sixth lowest-ranked player to win a Masters 1000 title

Only five players have won a Masters 1000 title with a lower ATP ranking than Mensik’s 54: Borna Coric (152), Carretero (143), Mikael Pernfors (95), Alexei Popyrin (62) and Woodruff (57).

Second player outside top 50 to defeat Novak Djokovic in a final

Mensik is just the second player ranked outside the top 50 to beat Djokovic in an ATP final after Stan Wawrinka, who achieved the feat at the 2006 Croatia Open — when the Serb was forced to retire in the first set.

Improves his superb record vs. top 10 opponents

Mensik’s win over Djokovic, the world No 5, improves his record against top 10 players to an outstanding 8-3.

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Rafael Nadal has given his insight into which match he would most like to ‘replay’ if he was given the opportunity – and his answer may be surprising to some.

The Spaniard has done it all, winning 22 Grand Slams – 14 times at Roland Garros – achieving world No 1 status, and lifting countless Masters 1000 titles.

However, Nadal has – somewhat inevitably – also had many heartbreaking losses.

“I believe that if I could play a game again, maybe it would be the 2014 Australian [Open] final, to see if I don’t get hurt,” said Nadal, speaking in a Q&A session on his new TikTok account.

In that 2014 final, the former world No 1 lost 6–3, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3 to Stan Wawrinka – who collected his first Grand Slam title.

However, whilst it may seem like a ‘typical’ final loss, Nadal tweaked his back during the pre-match warmup.

The discomfort quickly became evident, especially within his serve and movement, and would have been a major blow to the Spaniard.

Heading into that match, Nadal had won all 12 matches and 26 sets contested against the Swiss. Additionally, he had won two of the last three Grand Slams – winning 26 consecutive hard-court matches from March to October 2013.

“I did not want to retire,” stated the 22-time Grand Slam champion after the loss.

“It was not an easy situation for me. I tried hard. I tried to finish the match as good as I can, for the crowd, for the opponent, for me.

“But it was impossible to win this way. I have talked enough about the back. That’s life. I’ve had a lot of great moments in my career, and that was a tough one.

That is part of life, part of sport. It is not the end of the world.”

Nadal, in his usual humble style, stated: “A lot of people in this world have lots of very tough days. I’m not that kind of person. I feel very lucky to be able to work at something I love to do.

“It is tough tonight, and in a few weeks that’s going to pass. I’m going to keep working, training hard. I’m going to keep enjoying this world of tennis.

“But this is Stan’s day, not my day. It is very tough to stop him when he’s playing that way. He’s playing better and better, with amazing confidence, hitting every ball very, very hard, moving great.”

The Australian Open has been the site of numerous tough losses for Nadal, the most prominent of which was the record-breaking 2012 final against Novak Djokovic.

That match is the longest Grand Slam final at five hours and fifty-three minutes, with the scoreline ultimately being 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 in Djokovic’s favour.

The Spaniard had lost his last two Grand Slam finals against the Serb and missed a routine backhand wide whilst leading 4-2, 30-15 in the fifth set – ultimately being broken back as a result.

“I’m not frustrated: I competed to the maximum,” said Nadal about the match, in a 2024 interview.

“I am satisfied. I have given the most I had. I have played well. I have fought until the end. I lost. The other one beat me.

“This is sport: if you dedicate yourself to this, you either win or you lose.”

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Another ‘regretful’ match is likely his 2007 Wimbledon match against Roger Federer.

Heading into the showpiece match, the pair had won the last nine Grand Slam events – with Federer having also won the last four Wimbledon titles.

By 2007, it was clear to see that Nadal’s grass-court game had improved vastly and was as equal to the Swiss’ as any other opponent.

After 3 hours and 45 minutes, Federer’s domination continued with a 7–6(7), 4–6, 7–6(3), 2–6, 6–2 victory over his young rival.

Similarly to his final against Djokovic in Melbourne, Nadal had multiple chances to gain a crucial lead in the fifth set – unable to take the opportunities at 2-2 on Federer’s serve.

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Andy Murray has become the latest high-profile tennis star to post an image alongside soccer legend Lionel Messi after the Argentine icon attended the Miami Open.

Messi was in attendance to watch Novak Djokovic beat his long-time rival Grigor Dimitrov, with the sporting giants exchanging gifts in the locker room after the match.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Murray is currently working with Djokovic as his coach and took the opportunity to grab a photo with World Cup winner Messi, which he posted on Instagram.

Murray is a big Arsenal fan and has often spoken about his passion for the sport and has spoken about his love of playing fantasy football in the past.

So he couldn’t miss a chance to grab a moment with arguably the greatest footballer of all-time, as he posted a cheeky message that is relevant to English soccer fans.

Some great players are accused of struggling to perform at their best when they are not on the biggest and when the weather not welcoming.

Dark nights at Stoke City are often referenced as examples of when superstar players might struggle to perform and that explained Murray’s message on Instagram that read: “I asked him if he could do it on a cold rainy night in Stoke. He responded “cállate la boca” which I think means yes in Spanish.”

Messi’s meeting with Djokovic has sparked a debate over who is the greatest sportsman of all-time, with these two giants certainly in the debate over that ultimate GOAT crown.

Many believe Messi is the greatest footballer of all-time and Djokovic is undoubtedly the greatest male tennis player of them all statistically, so these two should be considered on the A-list of all sports.

“It’s a great honour to have King Leo in the stands. I think it’s the first time I’ve played in front of Messi, and honestly, I was a little nervous,” said Djokovic.

“I am very grateful for his attendance with his family. I have always been a fan of him, as most of the world has, throughout his career.”

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He was also asked about Messi in his press conference as he added: “I’ve watched him play a few times. I think finals of World Cup, I watched when he won with Argentina. I think I watched him last year once. I think it was with L.A. with Inter Miami.

“Obviously thrilled to have his whole family. I did see him after the match. Came by the locker room. So we spent some time talking and exchanging gifts.

“It’s a huge honour. I mean, he’s such a great athlete, not just a football player. His impact on the world of sport in the last 20 years has been immense.

“To have him watch me live obviously brings me great, great joy and excitement, and also a bit of pressure, to be honest.

“I was rated by one of his sons today as 8 out of 10, which is pretty good. He with a serious face told me I have too make 10 out of 10 next match.

“So I have quite a bit of pressure from Messi’s son there. Yeah, we joked around. It was nice to meet with his whole family. It was a very touching moment for me because it’s one thing that he comes, but then bringing his whole family, his kids, his wife.

“As a young father myself, I know what that means. It’s different when you bring the whole family. I was very touched by that and his willingness to spend some time after. I value that time with him.

“It’s a wonderful moment for me and for this tournament and tennis in general for him to be here.”

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The Sunshine Double has been completed with Aryna Sabalenka crowned champion at the Miami Open after she defeated home favourite Jessica Pegula in the final.

Reigning world No 1 Sabalenka won her eighth WTA 1000 title with a commanding 7-5, 6-2 victory over Pegula as she claimed her second title of the 2025 season following her success at the Brisbane International at the start of the year.

She also came agonisingly close at the Australian Open and Indian Wells Open when she finished runner-up to Madison Keys and Mirra Andreeva respectively.

The three-time Grand Slam winner is now 23-4 this season while Pegula is 20–6 having won the ATX Open at the beginning of March.

Both finalists left with a good haul of points while there was disappointment for several big-name players following their early exits from the tournament.

WTA Points Earned

Sabalenka was a BIG winner as she only had 65 points to defend from 2024 following her poor performance.

Winners at all WTA 1000 event receive 1,000 points and Sabalenka thus had a net gain of 935 points, which has helped her to increase her lead over Iga Swiatek in the WTA Rankings.

The Belarusian now sits on 10,541 points for a 3,071-point lead over the five-time Grand Slam winner with Coco Gauff well adrift in third place and Pegula now within striking distance of her fellow American.

Pegula won 650 points for finishing runner-up, although she dropped 215 points from 2024.

Jasmine Paolini and Alex Eala were the two semi-finalists and they rewarded with 390 points while Swiatek, Emma Raducanu, Magda Linette and Zheng Qinwen earned 215 points after exiting in the quarter-finals.

Gauff, reigning Australian Open winner Keys, 2024 Miami Open finalists Danielle Collins and Elena Rybakina, and Indian Wells champion Andreeva were some of the star players who didn’t reach the business end of the Florida event.

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American pair Gauff and Collins lost in the fourth round and they earned 120 points and latter took a massive hit as she was defending 1,000 points from her 2024 title run. She is set to slip outside the top 20 of the rankings.

Keys and Andreeva lost in the third round and picked up 65 points while Rybakina lost a round earlier so only earned 10 points.

WTA Prize Money Earned

Sabalenka earned $599,625 for finishing runner-up in Indian Wells and she collected a cool $1,124,380 for her title run at the Miami Open. She has surged to No 1 in the top prize money earners on the WTA Tour in 2025.

As the runner-up, Pegula received $597,890 in Miami and that will take the world No 4’s 2025 prize money earnings to past the $1m mark.

Paolini and Eala earned $332,160 for their runs to the last eight and for the latter that is a big pay day as her career prize money was $498,901 before the Miami Open.

Quarter-finalists Swiatek, Raducanu, Linette and Zheng added $189,075 to their prize money totals while Gauff and Collins also cracked the $100,000 total as they earned $103,225.

Andreeva earned $1,127,500 in Indian Wells, but she went home with $60,440 after her Miami exit along with Keys. The American collected A$3,500,000 (US$2,198,928) when she won the Australian Open.

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