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Alex Eala’s impressive surge of form continued as she stormed back from the brink of losing the second set to overpower 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez to seal her place in the quarter-finals of the WTA 500 tournament.

Eala roared back from 5-1 down in the second set to secure her place in the last eight with a 6-2, 7-6(4) win against her Canadian rival, much to the delight of her passionate fans watching on in the US capital.

The win was another impressive entry on the increasingly impressive run of form for the hero of the Philippines, with her thrilling performances on grass courts in June and July including a win at the Birmingham Open and a run to the last-16 at Wimbledon.

Her win against defending champion Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon was a special moment for the 21-year-old, she it ensured she booked her place in the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career.

Now she is continuing that momentum after a win against Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in the opening round in Washington, she has backed it up with a gritty victory against Fernandez end the reign of the player who won the title in this event last year.

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It was Eala’s weight of shot and her battling qualities that pulled her back into the second set when Fernandez appeared to have all the momentum flowing in her direction.

The huge support she has attracted in Washington as also in evidence as she overcame windy conditions to seal another big victory.

“Leylah put me in some difficult positions, but I’m really happy about how I fought and hung in there,” declared Eala.

“When you know you levels drop and you want to do better, patience is key to work it out. A strong mentality in trying to find solutions.”

Eala was quick to praise her coach Joan Bosch after the match and she suggested the support from the sidelines and when on-court interviewer Rennae Stubbs mentioned the support she was getting form the Filipino fans in the stands, a huge roar went up.

This win fires Eala further up the WTA Rankings and she is on course to achieve another career-high ranking at the end of this week.

Eala is up to No 28 in the live rankings after this victory and if she was to go all the way and win three more matches in Washington this week to take the title, her breakthrough into the top 20 of the WTA Rankings would be confirmed.

READ NEXT: Alex Eala told the effect she’s having on the Washington Open after stunning victory against Qinwen Zheng

The post Alex Eala takes big step towards rankings breakthrough as she completes remarkable recovery in Washington appeared first on Tennis365.

Jannik Sinner’s decision to withdraw from the Canadian Open has been a major talking points, with pundits and fans divided on whether it’s a good decision.

The Italian was on track to win every Masters event in a single calendar year, but that can no longer happen now he will not play the Montreal event.

Instead, Sinner will enjoy a further two weeks away from the limelight before returning for his US Open preparations at the Cincinnati Open, which begins on August 11th.

Fabio Fognini has praised Sinner for his decision, while many have questioned why the star is unable to play another event when he’s only played Wimbledon since his Roland Garros exit.

Kim Clijsters, meanwhile, has praised Sinner for his withdrawal from the Canadian Open, although she has suggested there could be issues with the world No 1.

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“I think that just shows that maybe there’s something going on behind the scenes,” she said on her podcast Love All. “Maybe he’s not just not physically or mentally ready after winning Wimbledon to go back and just compete again at such an intense high level.

“Because these tournaments are not in a shorter amount of time. You play a lot of of tennis, intense matches, and and I think it’s a very, very smart choice and knowing the team around him and Darren and the way that they work, I’m sure they’ve thought about it enough for a while.”

However, Clijsters believes ultimately Sinner has made the right decision as it will likely boost his chances of winning the US Open title.

“It’s always with what’s coming up in the back of your mind and winning the US Open is obviously going to be his biggest goal,” said the Belgian.

“The next few weeks of what’s coming up in the States and if the goal is to be ready there and not get burned out mentally and or physically because you want win another masters to try and break the record.

“I think he will break plenty of records or he has been breaking plenty of records. I think it’s just very smart to think about like what’s the most important thing and not get distracted by being the number one to ever do this or that. And I just I think it’s a smart choice, but I’m sure it wasn’t easy.”

Sinner only played the Cincinnati Open and US Open, which resulted in two final appearances. However, he want home ended handed as he lost both to Carlos Alcaraz.

The post Kim Clijsters worryingly predicts why Jannik Sinner withdrew from the Canadian Open appeared first on Tennis365.

If everything goes to plan, Carlos Alcaraz is set to return to tennis very soon after missing five months of ATP Tour action.

A wrist injury suffered by Alcaraz at the Barcelona Open has kept him out of a pivotal part of the ATP Tourseason, from April until August.

The Spaniard has missed Roland Garros and Wimbledon, as well as three Masters events, which has caused a slide down the ATP rankings.

Alexander Zverev has usurped Alcaraz as the World No 2 thanks to his Roland Garros winning campaign and run to the final of Wimbledon.

Alcaraz will soon get the chance to climb back up the rankings as he as appeared on the entry list for the Cincinnati Open, which begins on the 11th August.

That is not the only tournament Alcaraz has signed up for, as he now has four tournaments slated for his 2026 return.

Carlos Alcaraz’s upcoming schedule

• Cincinnati Open – 11th-23rd August
• US Open – 23rd August 13th September
• Laver Cup – 25th-27th September
• Six Kings Slam – 21st-24th October

The star has also appeared on the entry list for the US Open, as he looks to win the Grand Slam for the first time since the 2025 season and for the third time in his career.

Alcaraz has also been confirmed for two exhibition contests at the back-end of the season.

The Spaniard will play the Laver Cup yet again as he looks to help Team Europe win their title back from Team World. The tournament takes place at The O2 Arena in London this year and will take place between the 25th and 27th September.

He will play alongside Rafael Jodar, Casper Ruud, Alexander Zverev, Flavio Cobolli, and Jakub Mensik as they play a Team World featuring Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur, Alexander Bublik, Learner Tien, and Tommy Paul.

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Elsewhere, Alcaraz has also been announced to play the Six Kings Slam for the third consecutive year. The exhibition event, which is broadcast worldwide on Netflix, takes place in Saudi Arabia and offers players the chance to win $6 million in prize money.

Alcaraz will play alongside Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Zverev, Taylor Fritz, and De Minaur. Alcaraz has never won the event, with Sinner lifting the trophy in both 2024 and 2025. The event is set to take place between the 21st and 24th October.

It is currently unclear what other tournaments Alcaraz will play, although if his return in Cincinnati and Flushing Meadows is a success, it is easy to theorise.

Alcaraz will likely play the Shanghai Masters and the Paris Masters, as well as the ATP Finals at the end of the year.

The post Carlos Alcaraz schedule: What tournaments has the Spaniard signed up to for tennis return? appeared first on Tennis365.

Carlos Alcaraz’s absence from the ATP Tour has hit 106 days and is now the longest amount of time he has ever missed due to an injury. 

The Spaniard suffered a wrist injury at the Barcelona Open in April, which subsequently forced him out of both the clay court and grass court swing, including Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

The star has appeared on the entry list for the Cincinnati Open, where he is expected to make his return, before a potential appearance at the US Open.

That would mean Alcaraz would miss five months of action, although esteemed tennis broadcaster Robbie Koenig has warned the star to be careful with his comeback.

Speaking on The Inside-In Tennis Podcast, Koenig has cited Juan Martin del Potro and Dominic Thiem when telling Alcaraz to be careful with his return.

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The South African former tennis pro said: “I think he would have learned from a lot of players that have come before him, right? The likes of del Potro, Thiem. There’s been a lot of players that have had wrist problems that have turned out to be hugely problematic long term.”

Both del Potro and Thiem landed Grand Slam titles in their career, but their careers were detailed by wrist injuries which forced them to retire early.

Del Potro retired from tennis at the age of 33, while Thiem was just 31.

Koenig has also suggested Alcaraz can be safer with his return to tennis because he is not worried about the need to make money thanks to his incredible career in the sport so far.

“So I think there’s no need for him to rush back,” added Koenig. “No need for him to rush back. He’s a long runway ahead of him. And his bank account is pretty full.”

Alcaraz has earned $64,997,598 in prize money alone since making his ATP Tour debut in 2020. That does not include money he has made from sponsorships, branding deals, or tournament fees.

In those six years of being a professional tennis player at the top of his game, he’s won 26 career titles, 302 matches, and seven major titles.

The Spaniard’s schedule is growing as he return date nears closer, however. To date, Alcaraz has signed up to four tournaments for his return to the sport. He is set to play in Cincinnati, the US Open, the Laver Cup, and the Six Kings Slam.

That can all change of course, and there is every chance the seven-time Grand Slam champion misses many more months of ATP Tour action, much to the chagrin of his adoring fans.

The post Carlos Alcaraz told there’s ‘no need’ for him to rush back in time for the Cincinnati Open appeared first on Tennis365.

It should be no surprise that the US Open Mixed Doubles event has tapped Alex Eala to make her debut in 2026, following her immense popularity all over the world.

Eala has proved a major hit with fans this year as she continues to soar up the WTA Tour rankings, with Filipino fans coming out in force at many events all over the globe.

The 21-year-old has played in front of packed-out crowds in Australia, the Middle East, and Europe – and she’s produced the results to back up her popularity.

The star has won events, reached the latter stages of big tournaments, and picked up victories against the likes of Iga Swiatek, Elina Svitolina, Elena Rybakina, and Coco Gauff.

The star is set to play with Felix Auger-Aliassime at the US Open Mixed Doubles, which takes place in the opening week of the Flushing Meadows Grand Slam.

The pair have never played doubles together before, although Eala has made a name for herself with a variety of doubles partners over the last two season.

Eala has commented on her upcoming partnership with Auger-Aliassime following her impressive victory against Qinwen Zheng at the Washington Open.

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Asked about the new doubles team in her post-match press conference, Eala said: “That partnership came up by chance but I am so excited by the opportunity to play with him.

“There is a lot I can learn partnering up with him. And, of course, the US Open is a very electric place to play doubles and I think mixed doubles especially with the line-ups that there are. It is going to be very interesting and a really great opportunity for me.”

Until then, Eala has a packed schedule to deal with on the North American hardcourt swing.

Eala might have snubbed the chance to play doubles with Venus Williams, but she is still going strong in the singles draw at the Washington Open.

She will play Leylah Fernandez in the second round of the Washington Open as she continues to pick up some much-needed ranking points on the North American swing.

Eala is only defending 70 ranking points until after the US Open, so she has every chance to try and make her top 20 debut in the coming months.

The Filipina star is also set to play the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open ahead of the US Open, which she played for the first time last year.

The star picked up her first Grand Slam victory by defeating Clara Tauson in the first round, before exiting in the second round after a defeat to Cristina Bucsa.

The post Alex Eala shares her feelings on upcoming partnership with Felix Auger-Aliassime at the US Open appeared first on Tennis365.

Jannik Sinner’s decision to withdraw from the Canadian Open has caused mass debate about the tournament, the schedule, and the implementation of the two-week Masters format.

Many pundits and former professionals have backed Sinner’s decision to miss the Montreal event for a second consecutive years, while there is more of an air of disappointment with fans.

Fans are not only upset they will not get to see Sinner in action, but that he won’t be able to become the first player in tennis history to claim every Masters event in the calendar year.

The Canadian Open could have been Sinner’s sixth Masters event in a row in 2026, with just three more to claim in the rest of the year, but that will no longer happen.

As the debate rumbles on, Rennae Stubbs has had her say on Sinner’s decision to miss the Masters event.

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Speaking on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast, the Grand Slam champion said: “I don’t blame Jannik for not playing. It was a bear of a schedule for him, doing what he did.

“He played all those clay court tournaments, lost that really tough match at the French, then goes and wins Wimbledon. He does not play anything prior. Maybe he learnt a lesson about the load of tennis which he did before the French.

“Then people have the audacity to be like he has an opportunity to win all the Masters 1000 this year, why wouldn’t he do it? “Do you think he cares about that? He has so many records now for being the youngest to do this and that. He has just won Wimbledon.

“His only thinking right now is how can I win the US Open, so not playing in Canada clearly opens up the book a little bit for him to get the rest that he needs then do the work load in Cincinnati.”

It’s worth noting that Sinner also withdrew from the Canadian Open last year and it did not result in a tournament victory on the North American hardcourt swing.

The world No 1 exited the Cincinnati Open in the final after he retired in his match against Carlos Alcaraz due to illness, when he was 5-0 down in the first set.

Sinner went on to reach the final of the US Open following the Cincinnati event, but he faced the same result against Alcaraz in the final at Flushing Meadows.

The star will be hoping his decision to miss the Canadian Open this year will prove more fruitful for him.

The post Serena Williams’ coach issues strong message to Jannik Sinner’s critics after Canadian Open withdrawal appeared first on Tennis365.

Alexandra Eala and Venus Williams were set to play doubles once again at the Washington Open, but the Filipina decided against it just before the beginning of the tournament.

Eala and Williams had previously made their doubles debut at Bad Homburg, where they reached the quarter finals of the grass court tournament.

The pair appeared on the entry list for Washington, but Eala was swiftly replaced with Diana Shnaider before the beginning of the tournament.

In her pre-tournament press conference, Williams explained the reason behind the sudden shift.

“We had a great time playing at Bad Homburg so we were looking forward to playing again.” said Williams. “Didn’t work out this time. Would love for there to be future times. We’ll see what happens.”

Eala divulged more information on the reason she rejected Williams, suggesting she wanted to focus all of her attention on the singles draw.

“I have so much respect for Venus. I am so grateful for every opportunity that I have to be around her, to learn from her, to hit with her,” said the 21-year-old.

“But I do think this is my first week coming back, and I think that Venus is someone who deserves a partner who can give their all physically, emotionally, mentally when they’re on court with her.

“I think right now I think I can only do that for singles. I don’t have the capacity yet to be able to give that in both singles and doubles. I’m really grateful for the opportunity that I had, or have, and hopefully we see more of it in the future.”

Now, Andy Roddick has had his say on the snub and he has backed Eala’s decision to turn down the chance to play with the multi-time Grand Slam champion once again.

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“If I was a young player, I would be submitting my resume to play with Venus as long as she’s out there. I just think that would be so cool,” said the American on Served.

“So, I’m happy Eala already got to do it, but like irrespective of if it’s Venus or someone else, you still have to be responsible to your body.

“And the goal of the summer is to make runs at these tournaments and I don’t think Eala’s at the point where she’s prioritising doubles over singles.”

Eala begins her Washington Open campaign against Qinwen Zheng in the first round. The Chinese star, who is an Olympic Gold Medalist and former Grand Slam finalist, has been given a wildcard by the American tournament.

The post Andy Roddick gives honest verdict on Alexandra Eala rejecting the chance to play doubles with Venus Williams appeared first on Tennis365.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will not be playing the Canadian Open for the second consecutive year and it’s left the Masters event lacking in star power.

Alcaraz is missing the event due to his wrist injury and he is expected to return to tennis a couple of weeks later at the Cincinnati Open.

Sinner, meanwhile, has decided not to play the Montreal event so soon after lifting the Wimbledon title, stating he is prioritising his health.

It’s left the Canadian Open in a sticky situation yet again, which many believe is down to the extended 12-day Masters format at the event.

Since the 2024 season, most Masters events were expanded to 12-days rather than the traditional week-long tournaments, much to the chagrin of the top players on the ATP Tour.

Sam Querrey and Steve Johnson, speaking on Nothing Major, believe the tournament don’t mind about the mass withdrawals as long as they are receiving the television money for nearly two weeks.

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“Do you think the Canadian Masters would rather have a 12-day long tournament without Carlos, Jannik, and Novak, or have a 7-day tournament with those three in? I swear, I think they would rather have the 12-day tournament without them,” said Querrey.

“I think they don’t care anymore. I think they’d rather take 12 days of TV rights in this. And I still think they don’t care. As bad as that sounds, I don’t think so.

Johnson was in agreement with his fellow podcast host.

“I’m with you. I wish it was a seven-day event and all these guys would play, but I don’t think the tournaments or the sponsors really care because they’re the sponsorship is done so far in advance,” he added.

“It’s not like they’re pulling funding now because these guys are these guys are out in my opinion.”

The top seeds at the Canadian Open this year will be Alexander Zverev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alex de Minaur, and Daniil Medvedev.

Novak Djokovic, Tomas Machac, and Sebastian Korda have also confirmed they will not be playing the Masters event.

Last year was the same, with Alcaraz, Sinner, and Djokovic opting out of the event, which was taken advantage of by Ben Shelton who lifted his first Masters title.

He defeated Karen Khachanov in the final, so he will be defending the full 1000 points at this year’s event.

As for the 12-day Masters format, it looks like it’s here to stay, with many tournament organisers and the ATP Tour praising the expansion, despite the protests of the top players in tennis.

The post The Canadian Open claimed to not care about Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s withdrawals appeared first on Tennis365.

Jannik Sinner made headlines when he decided to withdraw from the Canadian Open, particularly as he missed out on a major slice of tennis history.

The World No 1 was on track to win all nine Masters in the calendar year, something no other player in tennis history had managed.

Sinner had already won Indian Wells, the Miami Open, the Monte Carlo Masters, the Madrid Open, and the Italian Open, so he only had four to go.

Many expected Sinner would play the Canadian Open in an attempt to continue that streak, but that did not come to fruition as the Italian dropped out of the tournament alongside Novak Djokovic.

Sinner has been widely praised for his decision by former professionals and pundits, and many have suggested it is due to the new two-week format of Masters events.

Many Masters events, including the Canadian Open, have expanded to 12-days rather than the traditional seven days, and it’s been very controversial with the players.

Andy Roddick, speaking on Served, believes that is the biggest reason why Sinner has decided not to play the Montreal event for the second consecutive year.

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“I saw Jannik after he won Wimbledon and I said, “What’s next?” And he goes, “Some rest.” And so, in my mind, you don’t kind of project your opinion on what someone’s saying. And I can’t come on here and say that, you know, he says that, therefore I think Canada’s out. But in my own mind, I’m going, okay, that means Canada’s out,” he said, before suggesting Sinner could miss more tournaments in the foreseeable.

“It’s tough. It’s kind of one of those weird things where it’s kind of be careful what you wish for. You know, is Jannik next year, this is another one that’s interesting. Like he pulls out of this. Is next year with going to Roland Garros and with kind of his tennis being almost perfect going in, but his body giving out, does he skip some of the claycourt stuff next year to get his body right to kind of prioritize fitness at Roland Garros?,” he said.

“It’s a lot easier to make the decision to let something go when it’s a two-week commitment as opposed to coming over and saying, “I’m going to get tons of matches in two weeks and then have a week off before the US Open.” You know, I don’t know. It’s just different.”

Sinner played all three clay court Masters events before Roland Garros, which many believe is one of the key reasons why he capitulated at the French Grand Slam.

The Italian lost his way in the second round against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, despite taking a two set lead against the Argentine. He eventually lost the match in five sets and he still has not won a Roland Garros title.

The post Andy Roddick suggests Jannik Sinner could withdraw from more high-profile events very soon appeared first on Tennis365.

The US Open Mixed Doubles Challenge has announced its 2026 entry list and Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams are nowhere to be seen.

The event took place for the first time in 2025 as top singles star were placed together in the first week of the US Open with $1 million in prize money on the line.

The tournament was won by Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, who will be back in the tournament to defend their crown at the Flushing Meadows event.

Last year saw teams such as Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu, Novak Djokovic and Olga Danilović, and Amanda Anisimova and Holger Rune, but none of those teams are back for the 2026 event. 

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Novak Djokovic will team with Aryna Sabalenka this year and they are one of four ‘headline’ couples announced by the American Grand Slam.

They will compete against Casper Ruud and Iga Swiatek and Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula, both of whom were paired together for the 2025 event.

Elsewhere, there will be North American duo Leylah Fernandez and Frances Tiafoe, brother-sister team Peyton Stearns and Preston Stearns, and brand-new team Amanda Anisimova and Learner Tien.

• Novak Djokovic & Aryna Sabalenka
• Casper Ruud & Iga Swiatek
• Jack Draper & Jessica Pegula
• Leylah Fernandez and Frances Tiafoe
• Peyton Stearns & Preston Stearns
• Taylor Townsend & Alexander Zverev
• Elena Rybakina & Taylor Fritz
• Belinda Bencic & Flavio Cobolli
• Sara Errani & Andrea Vavassori
• Alexandra Eala & Felix Auger-Aliassime
• Naomi Osaka & Kei Nishikori
• Diana Shnaider and Daniil Medvedev
• Amanda Anisimova & Learner Tien
• Katerina Siniakova & Henry Patten
• Elena-Gabriel Ruse & Nuno Borges
• Mirra Andreeva & Andrey Rublev

Alex Eala will be making her debut at the tournament and she will be playing alongside Felix Auger-Aliassime. Other starrry duo who have signed up for the tournament are Alexander Zverev and Taylor Townsend, Diana Shnaider and Daniil Medvedev, and Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev.

Kei Nishikori, who will play the event for the first time in what is his final year in tennis, is set to be partnered with Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka.

In a statement, new USTA chief executive Craig Tiley said: “Anytime you can bring women and men together on the same team, you showcase tennis at its best.”

Eight more sets of names are set to be added as wildcards, so there is still hope for fans wanting to see Alcaraz at the Grand Slam pre-event.

Alcaraz has been widely rumoured to be pairing with Williams, who herself returned to tennis during the grass court swing in June. She played Queen’s, the Berlin Open, and Wimbledon.

In the latter, she played in the singles, where she lost in the first round to Maya Joint. The star was set to play doubles alongside Venus Williams, but a knee injury forced her out of the competition.

The post US Open mixed doubles: Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka, and Alexandra Eala partners announced appeared first on Tennis365.