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Iga Swiatek has suffered another humbling defeat at the Wuhan Open in the latest step of what has become a shock-filled 2025.

The once-dominant Pole, who spent 75 consecutive weeks at No 1, has had a very up-and-down season with wins at Wimbledon and Cincinnati countered by a number of straight-set defeats.

Here are her six most surprising losses of the 2025 season so far:

3-6, 1-6 loss to Jelena Ostapenko at the Qatar Open

Swiatek’s first shock of the season came in Doha when she lost to the unseeded Ostapenko.

The Pole made it through fairly comfortably to the semi-final, dropping just one set in her three matches on the way, but was then stopped in her tracks by Ostapenko who lost only four games.

This was no one-off either. Despite being consistently ranked several places higher than Ostapenko, Swiatek is 0-6 against her and has been beaten on all three surfaces.

6-3, 6-3 loss to Mirra Andreeva at the Dubai Open

The Dubai Open back in February was shaping up very nicely for Swiatek. With top seed Aryna Sabalenka out in the third round and Coco Gauff out in the second, Swiatek was the clear favourite for the tournament but she was knocked out in surprising fashion in the quarter-finals.

She faced No.12 seed Mirra Andreeva who smashed her much more experienced opponent 6-3, 6-3.

The 17-year-old completed the match in one hour, 36 minutes and even survived going down a break in the second set to seal what was only her fifth career victory against a top 10 player.

Andreeva went on to win the tournament, defeating Clara Tauson in the final.

2-6, 5-7 loss to Alexandra Eala at the Miami Open

Having reached the semis of Indian Wells and with a number of other top seeds already out, Swiatek would have been hopeful of at least a final appearance in Miami but her run was cut short by the wildcard entry Eala.

The Filipino youngster was in good form before their quarter-final match, not losing a single set in her three previous fixtures and given the extra rest of a walkover in the fourth round but even that does not explain how she so easily navigated the threat of Swiatek.

Crucially, Eala made her break points count, winning 80% of them while Swiatek’s ratio was down at 56%.

Tim Henman, who was watching courtside, described it as “one of the biggest upsets I’ve been on the side of the court for.”

Swiatek would, though, take her revenge later in the year, winning against Eala in the second round of the Madrid Open.

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1-6, 1-6 loss to Coco Gauff at the Madrid Open

Losing to Gauff is no great shock but it was the manner of Swiatek’s Madrid Open defeat that was so surprising.

The one-way match was over in just 64 minutes with Swiatek only winning two of her service games. It also added to what was a poor clay season for the Pole and one which she described as “pretty bad.”

“I couldn’t really get my level up,” she said.

“Coco played good, but, yeah, I think it’s on me that I didn’t really move well, I wasn’t ready to play back the shots with heaviness. With that kind of game, it was pretty bad.

“Today for sure, everything kind of collapsed, both tennis-wise and I feel like I wasn’t even in the right place with my feet before the shots.

“I wish I would have moved better, because I think that would get me any opportunity to bounce back, because this is usually what happens.”

1–6, 5–7 loss to Danielle Collins at the Italian Open

Swiatek’s clay nightmare continued at the very next tournament when she was knocked out by Collins, the No.29 seed for the tournament.

Swiatek was shocked straight out the gate with Collins racing to a 6-1 first set victory and even if the former No.1 recovered, she still lost the second set 5-7 to record only her second ever defeat to the American and the first for three years.

1-6, 2-6 loss to Jasmine Paolini at the Wuhan Open

While the grass season was a little kinder to Swiatek, including her victory at Wimbledon, her latest shock defeat has come at the hands of world No.4 Paolini.

Heading into their Wuhan match, Swiatek had never lost to the young Italian and was 6-0 up in their previous meetings.

But Paolini produced a near-flawless performance to finally defeat Swiatek. As with her loss to Eala, it was break points that cost Swiatek with Paolini winning all six she was presented with.

Bagels against three different opponents

While there have been plenty of defeats for Swiatek to mull over, there have also been a number of 6-0 scorelines go against her.

The first came at the Madrid Open where Madison Keys inflicted it upon her in the first set, although Swiatek did rally to win the quarter-final matchup.

At the French Open, Aryna Sabalenka secured her place in the final with a 6-0 scoreline in the third set while Navarro also won 6-0 in the third set, this time at last month’s China Open.

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The post The 6 most shocking defeats of Iga Swiatek’s season as former No 1 crashes out of Wuhan Open appeared first on Tennis365.

Aryna Sabalenka has been top of the WTA Rankings since the start of the year – and her run at the Wuhan Open means she will remain there for a full calendar year as she has secured the year-end No 1 ranking.

The 27-year-old replaced Iga Swiatek at the top of the rankings on October 21, 2024 and – after holding off her big rival for the year-end No 1 title last year – the Belarusian has been in a class of her own this season.

So far this year, Sabalenka has successfully defended her US Open title, has won the most titles – including WTA 1000 titles at Indian Wells and Madrid – and also reached the most finals (eight).

In July, she became only the second player to reach 12,000 ranking points as she peaked with 12,420 points after Wimbledon with only the great Serena Williams (13,615 in July 2013) ahead of her since the current points system was adopted by the WTA Tour 2009.

But Swiatek’s titles at Wimbledon, the Cincinnati Open and most recently the Korea Open meant she was back in the hunt for the coveted year-end No 1 ranking, although she had a mountain to climb.

And that mountain proved to be too big as her defeat in the Jamsine Paolini in the quarter-final in Wuhan, coupled with Sabalenka’s run to the semi-final has seen the latter unofficially secure the year-end No 1 title.

Sabalenka sits on 10,400 points in the Live WTA Rankings with Swiatek on 8,768 points after their latest matches, but the official rankings use a 52-week rolling, cumulative system and still have to drop points from the 2024 WTA Finals.

Instead, the WTA Rankings Race To Riyadh only takes into account points accumulated during the current year and Sabalenka has 10,000 points in the Live Race with Swiatek on 8,368 – giving the four-time Grand Slam winner a 1,632-point buffer over the Pole.

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As things stand, Sabalenka and Swiatek won’t feature again in regular WTA Tour action this year after Wuhan, with the season-ending WTA Finals, which will be staged in Saudi Arabia from November 1-8, their final event of the 2025 season.

The year-end No 1 ranking has been decided at the WTA Finals the past two years with Swiatek winning the 2023 title after lifting the title, while Sabalenka held off the Pole in 2024 with a run to the semi-final.

But the No 1 year-end title won’t be on the line at the 2025 edition as the maximum points a player can win at the WTA Finals is 1,500 – and then they have to win the tournament undefeated.

So even if Swiatek earns 1,500 points, she will still be 132 points behind her rival.

Of course, there won’t be any official confirmation about Sabalenka’s back-to-back year-end No 1 titles just yet as Swiatek could still decide to enter one of the remaining regular events, but as things stand, Sabalenka has secured the crown for 2025.

There is also still the small matter of both Sabalenka and Swiatek not playing the required number of WTA 500 tournaments in 2025 and are set to face a points deduction, but the Belarusian’s lead should see her stay ahead of the six-time Grand Slam winner when all is said and done.

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Qualifier Valentin Vacherot’s run at the Shanghai Masters has been one of the highlights of the tournament – and next he will face one of the all-time greats in Novak Djokovic for a shot at the final.

Ranked No 204 at the start of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament, Vacherot was an underdog from the word go as he defeated two seeded players in qualifying to reach the main draw.

He then defeated world No 82 Laslo Djere, 14th seed and world No 17 Alexander Bublik, 20th seed and world No 23 Tomas Machac, and 27th seed and world No 31 to reach the quarter-final.

The 26-year-old’s best was yet to come as he stunned 10th seed and world No 11 Holger Rune 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 to reach the semi-final.

Milestones For Vacherot

With his run, the man from Monaco notched up several milestones as he is the first Monegasque player to reach the last four of an ATP Masters event while he is the second-lowest ranked man to reach a 1000 semi-final since 1990 after Chris Woodruff (No 550) at Indian Wells in 1999.

And he will now have a shot at reaching the final, but standing in his way is 24-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic, who defeated Zizou Bergs in straight sets.

Vacherot’s run has gripped the imagination of the tennis world, and Djokovic is delighted for the 26-year-old from Monaco.

“I’ve known him for the last couple of years. Obviously, he’s ranked before this tournament 200-plus. He’s been around. He’s playing for Monaco, which is a really great success, the biggest historical success for Monaco,” the former world No 1 said.

“It’s amazing. So everyone is excited there. We know we have one of the nicest and biggest tournaments in our sport there in Monaco.

“So I’m glad for him, for his team. Benjamin Balleret [Vacherot’s half-brother and coach] is someone I’ve known for many years from Monaco, because being based there for 15 years, training at the Monte-Carlo Country Club.

“He’s been improving a lot. We always knew that he’s got a great potential, with a big serve, a big game, he’s a big guy.

“He kind of plays quite similar to [Arthur] Rinderknech [Vacherot’s cousin], you know. And I see that they’re quite close. The serve particularly reminds me of Arthur as well. So it’s great to see that chemistry between them, that they’re supporting each other. Arthur was there the whole match.

“Yeah, historic success for him and, yeah, I’m looking forward to play him. Hopefully I can get a win.”

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Vacherot – who will make his top 100 breakthrough as he is set to rise 112 places to a career-high No 92 – was initially a ranked outside to play in qualifiers as he was No 22 on the alternate last, but late withdrawals meant he had a shot.

And he has gone from a last-minute entry into the qualifiers to the semi-finals.

“I think I knew it 36 hours before [the qualifiers started]. Maybe the night, not the night right before, the night before. So, yeah, a bit like 36 hours before the first match. Not that long. I think I landed and I was still nine out,” he revealed.

Vacherot added: “I landed on Thursday evening. I was still nine out. I knew there was a big chance because Shanghai is the last Masters 1000. A few guys, if you’re hurt at the end of the season you are not taking risks. I knew it will drop.

“I said, worst of all, I was going to be here one week earlier, because I was going to play five more Challengers after. Now I’m just going to go home after this tournament, so it’s another funny story. I said to myself, if I don’t get in, I just train in the condition of China for just one week, and just be ready for after. And one day before I learned.”

The post What Novak Djokovic had to say about his next opponent, world No 204 Valentin Vacherot appeared first on Tennis365.

Following Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal from the 2025 Shanghai Masters, a leading athlete welfare and injury prevention expert has discussed the importance of tennis players managing their schedules.

Stephen Smith, the founder and CEO of Kitman Labs — which is the world’s leading sports science and data company — also spoke about the crucial role that physiotherapists perform.

Alcaraz pulled out ahead of the Shanghai ATP 1000 tournament shortly after clinching the title at the Japan Open — his eighth tournament win of an outstanding 2025 season.

The world No 1 sustained a left ankle injury in the first of his five wins in Tokyo, and while it was not enough to stop his run, he confirmed he was dealing with “some physical issues” in his Shanghai withdrawal announcement.

The 22-year-old Spaniard expressed the need to “rest and recover”, which would be fully understandable even without an injury given his exploits in recent months.

The success of dominant players like Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner means they often play the maximum number of matches at every tournament they enter.

Starting with the Monte Carlo Masters in April, Alcaraz reached the final at nine consecutive tournaments across all three surfaces, claiming seven titles and finishing as a runner-up twice. He has played 50 singles matches since the start of April (including two at the Laver Cup last month) — the most possible from the events he has entered.

In an exclusive interview, Tennis365 asked Smith about the scheduling challenges for Alcaraz, and whether it is simply impossible for top stars to play every tournament.

“Yeah, I think it’s certainly going to be challenging,” Smith said. “It’s going to make it really hard to play in all of them. So I think players probably do need to be able to gauge that.

“The problem is, I think, in the absence of research, in the absence of objectivity, how do they know when to do that? We know that every time you take the court, there’s an inherent risk that injury may occur. The same thing in football, the same thing in basketball, the same thing in rugby. Every time you step out, there’s an inherent risk.

“What we really need to understand is, when does that risk increase? When does it increase to a level that is higher than the general risk that we would like to take?

“And I think what we need to do is to arm athletes and their support staff around them with the ability to understand that and to be able to make those calculated decisions.

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“To be able to say, ‘Okay, I’ve played three competitions in a row now. I know that my risk of injury or my likelihood of injury is going to increase by 2x or 3x. However, if I sat through this competition and came back for the next one, actually that will revert back to normative levels.’

“If we had that type of information, then we’re empowering people. You’re not necessarily telling them what they have to do, but you’re allowing them to be able to plan their season better.

“You’re allowing them to look at the global calendar and say,’ Okay, here’s the ones that I really want to focus on and target. And here’s the ones that I’m actually going to take it easier for’.”

Alcaraz lauded his long-time physio Juanjo Moreno for the work he did in Tokyo after his second round victory and in his winners’ speech.

“I have said it before and I will say it again, I have the best physio in the world, who I trust 100%. The work he has done for the ankle has been great. I could play normally, which is great,” the six-time major champion said.

Is the role that physios play in helping athletes compete, particularly when they are not at 100%, something that is overlooked in elite sport?

“Absolutely,” Smith said. “I think when you think about individual sports, they don’t necessarily always have access to the same resources that you may have in team sports.

“It’s easy to have two or three physios for a roster of 10 people. But for somebody in an individual sport to have one-to-one care like that is quite challenging to actually do, so a lot of players don’t get access to that. But the importance of that is huge.

“These people have to understand their body is their business, so being able to spend that necessary time, doing soft tissue work, getting rid of inflammatory by-products or any of the negative by-products of exercise and activity is crucially important for them.

“Especially when we’re talking about a calendar that is congested as it is. Being able to have somebody who’s looking at your mechanics and how you’re moving.

“Being able to have somebody that’s looking at your range of motion and how your joints are operating and performing. Being able to have somebody that’s looking at your neuromuscular performance and being able to then optimise the way that you’re training and change types of exercises that you’re doing to ensure you’re operating as normal.

“It’s like, you wouldn’t drive a car all year long without servicing it. This is exactly the same thing. So having that mechanic alongside them, thinking about it in Formula 1 terms, if you’re going to drive your car really hard throughout a race, you need to come into the pit lane and have the mechanics tune it up often. I think it’s exactly the same thing.

“We’re talking about players now that are not just going out and trying to go through the motions. We’re talking about athletes that are trying to go from really extensive, high-intensity competition, to competition, to competition. That means that the level of service and care that’s needed is exponentially what it was many years ago.”

READ NEXT: Novak Djokovic makes blunt injury comments as he dismisses ‘easy’ Shanghai Masters suggestion

The post Can tennis stars manage the schedule better after Carlos Alcaraz injury setback? Leading expert reveals appeared first on Tennis365.

Holger Rune directed an explicit outburst at his mother and support team during his shock defeat to Valentin Vacherot in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Shanghai Masters.

The world No 11 was a heavy favourite to progress to the semi-finals from his match with Vacherot, but he fell to the 204th-ranked qualifier 6-2, 6-7(4), 4-6 in two hours and 59 minutes.

Rune broke Vacherot twice to take the opening set comfortably, but his 26-year-old Monegasque opponent levelled the match by winning a marathon second set that lasted just short of an hour and a half.

In the deciding set, Rune became the latest high-profile star to suffer from cramping in Shanghai after Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev. Seven players have been forced to retire mid-match due to the gruelling heat and humidity at the tournament.

The Dane was struggling badly physically as he lost his serve to love at 3-3. Rune battled on, but the break proved decisive as Vacherot closed out a huge victory.

At 0-30 in that crucial 3-3 game in the third set, Rune ranted at his coaching box, which included his mother, Aneke, his coach, Lars Christensen, and his physical trainer, Marco Panichi.

At the end of his complaints, Rune asked: “What can I do?”

Panichi, who has previously worked with Sinner and Novak Djokovic, took up the coaching mantle as he said: “Keep hitting the ball with the right length. That’s it.”

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Rune was given a time violation warning for his lengthy exchange with his team, and he fell 0-40 down by netting a backhand on his first shot after Vacherot returned his serve on the next point.

The 22-year-old’s anger at this miss was evident as he went to smash his racket on the court, but stopped himself.

The former world No 4 then looked at his coaching box in exasperation and shouted: “F*** you. F*** you guys. F*** you.”

Very very classy Holger Rune. Telling your mom “f you” pic.twitter.com/GKXyMHoOiu

— Brian’s Breaking News and Intel (@intelFromBrian) October 9, 2025

Rune’s frustration likely stemmed from his body failing him with such a big opportunity on the line, which is understandable.

The Dane, who has had an inconsistent season, would have set up a blockbuster Shanghai semi-final showdown with tennis icon Djokovic.

With Carlos Alcaraz absent and Sinner having exited in the third round, this was a good chance for Rune to win his second Masters 1000 title and first since the 2022 Paris Masters.

However, Rune undoubtedly crossed the line with the manner of his outburst, and it is the latest example of him failing to maintain his composure and manage his emotions on court.

The 22-year-old’s talent is unquestionable, but mentally, he still has a lot to prove if he is to be a serious challenger to Alcaraz and Sinner.

READ NEXT: WATCH: Daniil Medvedev takes dig at Rafael Nadal with favouritism claim in Shanghai rant

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Novak Djokovic overcame Zizou Bergs in straight sets at the 2025 Shanghai Masters to advance to a record-extending 80th semi-final at ATP Masters 1000 level.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion downed Bergs, the world No 44, 6-3, 7-5 in the last eight to reach the semi-finals in Shanghai for a record-extending 10th time in his 11th appearance at the event.

Djokovic has become just the second player after Rafael Nadal to reach the semi-finals at multiple Masters events 10 or more times, having made the last four of the Italian Open on 13 occasions.

After what was the pair’s first meeting, Bergs suggested to Djokovic at the net that his admiration for the legendary Serb had affected his performance.

“Man, I’ve got to stop idolising you,” the 26-year-old Belgian told Djokovic, before the pair shared a warm embrace.

The perfect 10

Huge respect shown between these competitors as its @DjokerNole who prevails 6-3 7-5 over Bergs to reach his tenth Shanghai Semi-Final #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/3vLuH1Zvzz

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 9, 2025

Colin Fleming, a former world No 17 in doubles who now works as a tennis analyst, gave his verdict on Bergs’ comment.

“Bergs told the whole story there. ‘I have got to stop idolising you’, as he walked to the net,” Fleming said on Sky Sports.

“I mean, that’s slightly bizarre in my opinion. But I get it, playing Djokovic for the first time. I think that tells the story of the match.

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“I think he just overplayed it (the match) in his own mind. Playing Djokovic for the first time. Physically and in terms of his skill set, he handled it, but he couldn’t sustain the level.

“It was a rollercoaster from him. Entertaining at times, but ultimately costing him in the end.”

Former British No 1 Barry Cowan also gave his reaction to Bergs’ words in his role as a commentator for Tennis TV.

“Nice words from Bergs. I mean, you’ve only got to be honest, right? It did feel a bit like that,” Cowan said.

“Obviously the biggest match [for Bergs], in terms of the first [Masters] quarter-final, the biggest quarter-final he’s played.

“Obviously playing someone like Djokovic but I think there was enough information there for Bergs that he can cause the top guys some damage. It’s just, can he do it over a sustained period — which we know Djokovic can. Competitive spirit is absolutely still there for Djokovic.”

In an on-court interview with Tennis TV, Djokovic was asked what it has taken him to get to this stage of the tournament.

“Pretty much everything, just trying to stay alive to be honest on the court,” said the 38-year-old.

“First encounter with Bergs, great guy. Obviously a lot of firepower in his game. At times, I just tried to play an extra ball in the court, make him miss the ball. That’s what happened.

“I should have closed out the match at 5-4, he played a good game. Again, I was a little bit too passive. Just very challenging conditions these few weeks for all the players and, you know, just trying to stay alive on the court and glad to overcome this hurdle.”

Djokovic, the world No 5, will face 204th-ranked Monegasque qualifier Valentin Vacherot in the semi-finals.

READ NEXT: What Novak Djokovic said after health and injury concerns in Shanghai Masters win

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Novak Djokovic has been the favourite to win the Shanghai Masters since Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal and the tennis great’s chances of winning only his second title in 2025 have received another big boost.

With world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz withdrawing from the tournament, defending champion Sinner retiring from his third-round match and third seed Alexander Zverev losing early, Djokovic became most people’s pick to win the title.

And the draw gods certainly shone down on him with a favourable path as after receiving a first-round bye, he took on world No 94 Marin Cilic in the second round, No 150 Yannick Hanfmann in the third round and world No 41 Jaume Munar in the round of 16.

He earned a quarter-final clash against world No 44 Zizou Bergs, and although the Belgian enjoyed a few moments of brilliance, Djokovic emerged with a 6-3, 7-5 victory to keep his hopes of a fifth Shanghai Masters crown alive.

He is into his 80th Masters semi-final, having won a record 40 titles, and at the age of 38 years and four months, he is also the oldest ATP Masters 1000 semi-finalist.

The 24-time Grand Slam winner finished runner-up to Sinner in the 2024 Shanghai final and he is looking for his first ATP Masters 1000 title since winning the 2023 Paris Masters trophy.

But there will be no Sinner this time around or Alcaraz, Zverev, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Lorenzo Musetti or Holger Rune to stop him.

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Fritz, Shelton and Rune were all in the bottom half of the draw, but they have all exited the tournament with Rune the latest to fall after being shocked by world No 204 Valentin Vacherot in the quarter-final.

And Djokovic will now go on to face qualifier Vacherot following his 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 upset win over the 10th seeded Dane.

The Monegasque player is looking forward to facing one of the Big Three.

“This is only my fourth season on the professional tour. I started my first full season when it was in 2022. So I missed Roger [Federer]. Roger stopped in 2022.

“I think I played maybe one tournament the same as Rafa [Nadal]. So I had no chance to play Rafa in my career.

“And if I, who knows whenever Novak is going to retire, we know it’s rather sooner than later. So if I can play Saturday Novak it will be, it would just be, it would mean a lot to play at least one of the guys of the big three in my career.”

There are still a few danger men in the top half of the draw with former world No 1 Daniil Medvedev taking on Alex de Minaur in one quarter-final and 12th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime up against Arthur Rinderknech.

Although the former world No 1’s tropies have dried up in recent years as last year he won only one tournament – it was a big one as he won the singles gold at the Paris Olympics to complete his Career Golden Slam – and so far in 2025 the Geneva Open is his only title.

But Djokovic is now just two wins away from a 101st ATP Tour singles title and fifth Shanghai crown.

The post Novak Djokovic’s easy Shanghai path clears further in quest for 41st Masters 1000 trophy appeared first on Tennis365.

Jannik Sinner’s alarming cramping issue forced him to retire from the Shanghai Masters and now his Italian compatriot Jasmine Paolini has given her verdict on the challenges of playing in hot conditions.

This week’s W1000 event in Wuhan and the ATP Masters tournaments in Shanghai are being played in challenging conditions, with the sweltering conditions affecting Sinner as he cramped severely and was forced to quit his match against the Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor.

Emma Raducanu was among those forced to call time on her efforts at the Wuhan Open, where the roof was closed on Thursday to protect the players and fans from the extreme heat.

Now world No 5 Paolini has given her verdict on the issue of tennis matches being played in extreme heat, as she suggested it may be too hot for courts that do not have a shade to be used when temperatures hit dangerous levels.

“I think what we saw in Shanghai with Jannik is was really, really hot and then it can happen,” said Paolini.

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“When it’s too humid and too hot, it’s something that can happen, you know, to everybody.

“Here in Wuhan, I have to say in the Center Court, it’s not that bad, but outside here as well, when I warm up outside, I’m like, it’s fine, 30 minutes we go in the air conditioning inside, because was too hot.

“It’s not easy, because every year the weather changes. I feel like last year here was okay, and this year also in the outside court it’s so hot.

“I’m glad that we have the rules that if it’s too hot and too humid, we stop playing, because nobody wants to, you know, to see people dying on the court.”

Paolini’s top ten rival Jessica Pegula had an alternative view on the hot conditions, as she suggested elite players need to learn how to manage warm weather.

“I think the roof situation obviously helps. It was super humid today,” she said, responding to a question fron Tennus365 in Wuhan.

“I honestly wasn’t bothered by the heat at all. It was just very humid. So I was just sweating a lot, but having that little bit of shade, I think, definitely helps.

“The other day was very, very hot. I’m from Florida and I’m used to the heat, but it was hot. I was feeling it. I think everyone who had to play that day was really struggling.

“But the heat rule went into effect until it calmed down? So I think it’s just something that we have to keep looking at the heat rule.

“The heat, honestly, is part of the conditions and it’s part of our sport.

“So I also think, you know, a lot of these tournaments now that have roofs, like, they’ll half close it, and it’s kind of like, oh, well, like, is it an indoor tournament or an outdoor tournament? Or an outdoor tournament?

“I also think that it can get a little bit confusing when the conditions can kind of change drastically based on a tournament just deciding that they want some shade for fans, that can really change conditions as well.

“Sometimes I don’t necessarily think it is always the right thing to do, or maybe totally fair as well, because at the same time, you know, if it’s listed as an outdoor tournament, you should be ready to play in the heat.

“If there’s a heat rule and it’s way too hot and it’s unsafe for kids and ball kids and players to be out there, then 100% that should be in effect. And we should just wait for it to get better.
”

The debate over safe levels of heat for tennis to be played in has rumbled on for many years, with the ATP 1000 event in Shanghai also being played in brutal heat in China this week.

Novak Djokovic was sick on court during his hard-fought three-set third round win over Yannick Hanfmann and admitted he conditions were hard to deal with.

“It’s the same for every player out on the court, but it’s brutal,” said the 24-time Grand Slam champion.

“It’s brutal when you have over 80 per cent of humidity day after day, particularly for the guys when they’re playing during the day with heat, with sun, it’s even more brutal.”

READ NEXT: What Novak Djokovic said after health and injury concerns in Shanghai Masters win

The post Jasmine Paolini makes ‘die on court’ comment after Jannik Sinner injury appeared first on Tennis365.

The swelteringly hot conditions in Wuhan have been a talking point throughout the final W1000 event of the year, with Emma Raducanu among those struggling to deal with the humid heat in China.

British No 1 Raducanu quit her first round match in Wuhan against America’s Ann Li due to dizziness, while Jelena Ostapenko also pulled out of her opening match due to the heat.

Now world No 6 Jessica Pegula has waded into the debate over the levels of heat that are acceptable to play tennis and she offered up some pointed comments.

A heat rule has been used in Wuhan this week that kicks in when temperatures are soaring, with the roof on Centre Court partially closed to protect players and fans in attendance.

Responding to a question from Tennis365 in Wuhan after her draining three-set win against fellow American Hailey Baptiste, Pegula suggested players need to deal with the conditions and have to be prepared for intense heat.

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“I think the roof situation obviously helps. It was super humid today,” she began.

“I honestly wasn’t bothered by the heat at all. It was just very humid. So I was just sweating a lot, but having that little bit of shade, I think, definitely helps.

“The other day was very, very hot. I’m from Florida and I’m used to the heat, but it was hot. I was feeling it. I think everyone who had to play that day was really struggling.

“But the heat rule went into effect until it calmed down? So I think it’s just something that we have to keep looking at the heat rule.

“The heat, honestly, is part of the conditions and it’s part of our sport.

“So I also think, you know, a lot of these tournaments now that have roofs, like, they’ll half close it, and it’s kind of like, oh, well, like, is it an indoor tournament or an outdoor tournament? Or an outdoor tournament?

“I also think that it can get a little bit confusing when the conditions can kind of change drastically based on a tournament just deciding that they want some shade for fans, that can really change conditions as well.

“Sometimes I don’t necessarily think it is always the right thing to do, or maybe totally fair as well, because at the same time, you know, if it’s listed as an outdoor tournament, you should be ready to play in the heat.

“If there’s a heat rule and it’s way too hot and it’s unsafe for kids and ball kids and players to be out there, then 100% that should be in effect. And we should just wait for it to get better.
”

The debate over safe levels of heat for tennis to be played in has rumbled on for many years, with the ATP 1000 event in Shanghai also being played in brutal heat in China this week.

Novak Djokovic was sick on court during his hard-fought three-set third round win over Yannick Hanfmann and admitted he conditions were hard to deal with.

“It’s the same for every player out on the court, but it’s brutal,” said the 24-time Grand Slam champion.

“It’s brutal when you have over 80 per cent of humidity day after day, particularly for the guys when they’re playing during the day with heat, with sun, it’s even more brutal.”

READ NEXT: What Novak Djokovic said after health and injury concerns in Shanghai Masters win

The post Jessica Pegula gives her verdict on heat dangers after Emma Raducanu’s Wuhan exit appeared first on Tennis365.

“I’m done,” Daniil Medvedev said multiple times to his coaching team during a gruelling and dramatic contest at the 2025 Shanghai Masters.

Late in the second set of his last 16 match with Learner Tien at the prestigious Chinese event, Medvedev was ready to retire as cramping took hold. At one stage, Medvedev appeared to start walking to the net to shake hands, but he decided to keep playing.

Medvedev‘s refusal to quit gave him the opportunity to claim a remarkable 7-6(6), 6-7(1), 6-4 victory against the 19-year-old American rising star.

The context of Medvedev’s history with Tien, who he held a 0-2 record against before this match, makes the win even more impressive.

The Russian lost a marathon Australian Open second round battle to Tien in January in a fifth set tiebreak after failing to serve it out.

More significantly, there were uncanny parallels between this Shanghai match and the pair’s meeting at the China Open just over a week ago.

In the Beijing semi-finals, Medvedev was forced to retire when trailing Tien 0-4 in the third set due to cramping. In a similarly physical battle, Medvedev had lost the second set 5-7 after serving for the match at 5-4. His body then broke down early in the decider.

History looked set to repeat itself for Medvedev in Shanghai, where seven players have pulled out mid-match due to the brutal heat and humidity at this year’s tournament.

Medvedev asked his team to give him pickle juice — which is used to combat cramping — early in the second set. He managed to build a 3-0 lead and had a break point for 4-0, but his physical condition worsened as the set progressed.

The 29-year-old won only one point in the second set tiebreak as the cramps visibly affected his movement.

Medvedev had won a pulsating 75-minute opening set on a tiebreak, and his chances looked slim heading into the decider against Tien, who is renowned for his physicality and consistency.

His first serve took over in the third set, though, and he incredibly prevailed in a two-hour-and-52-minute epic.

An absolute rollercoaster

Daniil Medvedev somehow overcomes Learner Tien in an epic battle lasting 2 hours and 52 minutes #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/41AQEkazdT

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 8, 2025

Although he expressed his frustration at the situation several times, Medvedev did not let it boil over and maintained the composure and grit he needed to survive significant adversity.

This is notable after some of Medvedev’s on-court meltdowns this season — particularly the one in his opening round US Open loss less than two months ago.

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Medvedev, a former world No 1 who won the US Open in 2021, is currently ranked 18th having endured a largely torrid 2025 campaign by his lofty standards.

The 20-time ATP Tour titlist has reached only four semi-finals in his 20 previous events this year, and staggeringly, he won just one match across the four Grand Slam events.

Clinching a win that had looked near impossible against an opponent who had been a nemesis feels hugely important for Medvedev.

The Russian hired Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke as his new coaches ahead of the Asian swing, having parted ways with long-time coach Gilles Cervara after the US Open.

It has been a positive start for the new-look team; Medvedev is now 7-2 since Johannsson and Goetzke arrived having been 23-18 for the season beforehand.

Medvedev applauded Tien as his opponent left the court and he lauded the current world No 36 in an on-court interview with Tennis TV.

“I mean, the toughest part is that we played two times and in my opinion, he’s an unbelievable player, because he doesn’t have a great serve and serve is so important in tennis,” he said.

“And without the serve, he’s 19, he’s 30 in the world and only going up. And in my opinion, he’s such a good tennis player. He feels the game so well.

“There are so many guys right now — it’s where tennis is going — that just hit strong, and just every ball they have, they hit full power. They have amazing serves, so that makes them stay in the tennis match.

“He (Tien) doesn’t have it and he manages to play so good without it. And so for me to beat him, I thought I was going to lose, I was cramping again… and I’m just super happy to manage to do it.”

Asked how much it could help him to come through a match like this, though, Medvedev played down the value of this win alone and pointed to the toll it took on him.

“I mean, I will be honest, I don’t think this helps. I’m dead. Luckily I don’t play tomorrow, so I have one day to recover and I’m probably gonna be fine,” he said.

He was bullish, however, about the tennis he has played in Asia as a whole — and he made a telling comment that he will “be back” if he continues to perform at this level.

“It’s more the general Asian swing, I was playing good,” Medvedev added. “The two matches I lost, I was serving for the match. I was playing great level and I’m happy with where I’m going. And if I continue like this, I can, one moment, be back (smiles).”

After his victory, Medvedev — a Shanghai champion in 2019 — wrote on the camera lens: “I don’t want to leave the best city in the world yet.”

It is hard to believe that the Russian is chasing his first title since May 2023, when he won the Italian Open. He will next face world No 7 Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals, which promises to be another tough physical challenge.

In the absence of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and a host of other stars, though, this is a good opportunity for the former world No 1 to announce he really is back.

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The post Why Daniil Medvedev’s astonishing Shanghai Masters win could be a turning point in brutal season appeared first on Tennis365.