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Roger Federer is gearing up to play the US Open once again, seven years after he last played the iconic New York Grand Slam.

Federer is the only player in the Open Era to win the US Open title five times in a row, which incredibly came between 2005 and 2008. They were the only times he claimed the titles at Flushing Meadows, although he did reach a further two finals.

Federer is set to compete on Arthur Ashe Stadium once again August 25th, where he will play alongside Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi and John McEnroe.

The star has returned sporadically to tennis this year. He played a practice set with Casper Ruud, as well as a doubles exhibition alongside Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt at the Australian Open.

He also returned to Wimbledon this year, where he watched on from Centre Court’s Royal Box for much of the action, including Alexander Zverev’s contest against Jiri Lehecka.

So how has Federer been preparing for his return to the US Open? It turns out the Swiss superstar has been very busy over the summer period.

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At Wimbledon, Federer was spotted at Aorangi Park playing alongside his son.

Away from the tennis courts, Federer has also been papped playing golf alongside his friend and former rival Rafael Nadal.

Federer and Nadal have been locked together in recent weeks, as the Swiss star also visited the Spaniard’s illustrious academy in July.

Nadal has recently launched his very own museum at the Academy, to coincide with his new Netflix series ‘Rafa’ – and Federer has been blown away by the new addition.

“It’s wonderful to see everything. It’s beautiful. There’s a huge amount of work behind it, but above all it’s very emotional,” said the Swiss star.

“I remember what it was like at the beginning, but now it’s really spectacular,” continue the 20-time Grand Slam champion. “It’s beautiful, it’s really very well done. It’s a very special place. Congratulations to the whole team. I’ve already told them personally. You’ve done a fantastic job.”

Ahead of his appearance at the US Open, Federer will also be entered into the International Tennis Hall of Fame for his glittering career.

Federer will play the Hall of Fame Celebrity Pro Classic as a result, which will see him take part in an event on grass for the first time since 2021, when he played Wimbledon.

The legendary tennis star bowed out of Wimbledon that year when he was defeated in the quarter finals of the Grand Slam by Hubert Hurkacz, losing to the Pole in straight sets.

The post What Roger Federer is doing to prepare for his return to tennis at the US Open appeared first on Tennis365.

Novak Djokovic has shared his opinion on a telling comment Andre Agassi made on the topic of his retirement in his upcoming documentary.

A documentary about Djokovic’s life and career titled Novak Djokovic: The Wolf in Winter will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on 20 August.

Djokovic, who turned 39 in May, continues to amaze with his longevity, with the Serbian a finalist at the Australian Open and semi-finalist at Wimbledon this year.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion and former world No 1 is currently ranked seventh, and he was the world No 3 as recently as March.

Speaking during the Fanatics Fest in New York, Djokovic spoke candidly about approaching the end of his career and shared Agassi’s verdict.

“Honestly, it’s amazing for me to hear the all-time greats, and how they were approaching this process of, kind of, letting go,” said the tennis legend.

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“I’m still feeling I can compete at the highest level, and the results are there. I can still stay a little bit active here and there (smiles), but yeah, the moment is approaching. There’s no question it’s closer than ever.

“Andre Agassi is one of the all-time greats, of course. He was part of my documentary, and he said: ‘I don’t know when the end is coming for Novak, but I’m sure as hell that, when it comes, it comes fast.’

“I think he’s right. Of course, I would lie if [I said] I don’t have those thoughts. I do have them. And I don’t know if there’s a perfect way [to retire].

“There’s a category of athletes that want to leave on top, there’s a category of athletes that want to leave because their body is not listening to them, and there’s a category of athletes that just get beaten by others and they see they can’t go on. Or, it’s all of it.

“So I’m still just trying to enjoy myself competing. I’m there, and we’ll have this conversation later.”

Djokovic was coached by eight-time major winner Agassi in 2017 and 2018.

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The post Novak Djokovic admits he agrees with what Andre Agassi said about his retirement appeared first on Tennis365.

Aryna Sabalenka’s season has not lived up to her World No 1 status so far in 2026, and she is hoping that will change during the North American hardcourt swing.

Sabalenka has experienced highs this season, of course, namely when she collected the Sunshine Double of Indian Wells and the Miami Open in March.

However, on the Grand Slam stages, the star is yet to claim a major title this year. She was beaten in the final of the Australian Open and fared less well at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

Sabalenka was defeated in the quarter-finals of the French Grand Slam at the hands of Diana Shnaider and she was beaten one stage earlier at Wimbledon by Naomi Osaka.

The star is still clinging onto her World No 1 status, however, although less than 500 points split her and World No 2 Elena Rybakina ahead of the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open double.

As Sabalenka looks to assert her dominance on the WTA Tour for the rest of the season, she has revealed one tactical change she has made after asking Novak Djokovic for advice.

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Speaking to First&Red, the World No 1 said: “We were talking once, and I really like his return game. We were chatting, so I asked, ‘Listen, what do you focus on when you’re standing there waiting to return? Because, well, your return is better.’

“He said, well, first of all, he has a specific stance; I tried it, and it really made it easier for me to react. Plus, he said, ‘I focus on myself; I just try to do a split-step and then react.’ Also, you can often see where the opponent is serving, or you get a feel for it.

“So, that was the advice! Ever since then, he’s been like, ‘You’re copying me.’ Well, it’s sort of like copying the best. His technique helped me.

“I changed things up a bit. I feel like, well, it’s somewhat similar. Not exactly the same, actually, but the technique is a little like his.”

Despite failing to win a Grand Slam in 2026, Sabalenka has still racked up an impressive win-loss record throughout the first seven months of the season.

She’s won 36 matches and lost just 6 this year, which has helped her collect three singles titles. The star won the Brisbane International at the turn of the year before her triumph at the Sunshine Double.

She heads into the US Open having won the title in back-to-back years in 2024 and 2025. Her last defeat at Flushing Meadows came against Coco Gauff in the final of the 2023 tournament.

The post Aryna Sabalenka admits to copying Novak Djokovic after making major tactical change appeared first on Tennis365.

Brad Gilbert has a theory as to why so many top players are splitting from their coaches ahead of the North American hard court swing.

In the space of a matter of days at Wimbledon, top 10 players Felix Auger-Aliassime and former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev split from their respective coaches.

The former ended a near 10-year partnership with Frederic Fontang, while the latter parted ways with one of his coaches, Thomas Johansson, after nearly 12 months together.

At the same time, world No 11 Jiri Lehecka, who is at a career-high ranking, and coach Michal Navratil went their separate ways after eight years together.

While all three are in different stages of their careers, they all want one thing: to win a Grand Slam. And according to Andre Agassi’s former coach, Gilbert, there is a reason for all this recent movement.

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The American believes that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are a long way ahead of the rest of the men’s tour but that can not be said with Aryna Sabalenka – who is slamless this year – and the women’s tour.

He said on the Tennis Channel, “Right now there is a massive difference in women’s 1-20 and men’s 1-20. I feel like that’s why we have seven different winners in the last seven majors.

“In the men’s, the guys at the top have massively separated, and I think that is what is forcing decisions on players who go, ‘I need to add something asap or I am going to go further back’.”

Indeed, in the men’s game, Sinner has 13,450 points, French Open champion Alexander Zverev is second on 8,480 and Alcaraz, who has been out injured since mid-April, is third on 8,160.

On the WTA Tour, Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina are on 8,550 and 8,056 points apiece, with third-placed Jessica Pegula not too far behind on 6,300. Moreover, Sinner is more than 11,000 points ahead of 20th-ranked Francisco Cerundolo, whereas Sabalenka is around 6,500 points in front of world No 20 Anna Kalinskaya.

World No 7 Medvedev did beat Alcaraz in Indian Wells this year and he ran Sinner close at the same tournament. Auger-Aliassime sits fourth in the rankings and is consistently reaching the second week of majors, while Lehecka is just outside the top 10.

But it still seems there is a long way to go before they start really challenging for Grand Slams; plus, their consistency needs work. However, the fact that they are making these coaching changes suggests they are not resting on their laurels.

Gilbert – who also coached Coco Gauff and Andy Roddick to Grand Slam success – added, “I’ve heard this so much in coaching. Why does a top player need a coach?

“And I am like, because they obviously want to get better. If you don’t have a coach, you are not thinking that you can get better.”

In late June, former world No 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas split from his father Apostolos after years of working on and off together.

DON’T MISS: Emma Raducanu ‘is definitely a top 10 player’ as bold Grand Slam statement made

The post Andre Agassi’s former coach offers theory behind high-profile coaching splits on ATP Tour appeared first on Tennis365.

Carlos Alcaraz could be set to return to tennis during the American hardcourt swing, but will he be able to return to the player he was before his injury?

The Spaniard has missed five months of action since injuring himself at the Barcelona Open in April, but he has appeared on the entry lists for the Cincinnati Open and the US Open.

However, Alcaraz is reportedly still only conducting light training on court and he was spotted at the World Cup Final wearing a brace on his wrist.

Even if he does manage to return for the final Grand Slam of the year at the US Open, WTA star Christina McHale has expressed one concern for Alcaraz at the Flushing Meadows event.

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Speaking on The Inside-In Tennis Podcast, the former World No 24 said: “Where’s his fitness level at too? Playing best-of-five in New York, where it’s really hot, having not played for so many months, not competed.

“Will we be surprised if all of a sudden he comes out playing great? No, because that’s what he’s capable of. But I think most likely he’ll have to work himself into the tournament.”

McHale suffered a similar injury to Alcaraz during the 2025 season, so she is well aware of the work the World No 3 is putting in behind the scenes.

“Well, I actually had that TFCC (Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex) injury last year. Thankfully I did not need surgery but I had sprained it and it required so much more PT than I ever imagined,” she said.

“I’d never had many injuries before. So, I can imagine he had a surgery and like and it’s tough because it’s you, you know, you start to come back and then you might start compensating and then all of a sudden you start feeling a little bit something elsewhere or you’re so eager to get back on court that you maybe do too much. So, it’s such a fine line and a balance.”

Alcaraz and his team have reportedly earmarked the Cincinnati Open for a return for some time, so fans should only truly worry if he withdraws from the Masters event.

There is plenty riding on the event for Alcaraz, as he is the defending champion at the North American tournament. That means he is defending 1000 ranking points at the event, which could be crucial for him returning to the top two of the rankings once again.

Alcaraz lost his World No 2 status after Alexander Zverev reached the final of the Wimbledon for the first time in his career.

The post WTA star shares key concern for Carlos Alcaraz ahead of the US Open appeared first on Tennis365.

After a quiet couple of weeks following the culmination of Wimbledon, the tennis calendar is set to kick back into gear with the Washington Open.

The American tournament is the first ATP 500 event on the North American hardcourt swing, and many players use it to prepare for a trio of huge tournaments to come.

Two Masters events – at the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open – as well as the US Open will take place over the next six weeks, so players often flock to the Washington Open in preparation.

However, this year will see only two of the top 10 compete, with Alex de Minaur and Taylor Fritz representing the very best of the ATP Tour in the US capital.

That is because both Felix Auger-Aliassime and Daniil Medvedev have withdrawn from the event, just three days before the ATP 500 event is set to begin.

Washington Open withdrawals

• Felix Auger-Aliassime
• Daniil Medvedev
• Mattia Bellucci (qualifying)
• Arthur Fery (qualifying)
• Luca Van Assche (qualifying)
• Adam Walton (qualifying)
• Eliot Spizzirri (qualifying)

The top 10 duo are the only players to withdraw from the main draw so far, although several high-profile players have dropped out of qualifying.

Mattia Bellucci, Arthur Fery, Luca Van Assche, Adam Walton, and Eliot Spizzirri have all been confirmed to be missing the hardcourt tournament.

Fery is perhaps the most surprising player to drop out, following his memorable run to the Wimbledon semi finals at his home Grand Slam.

However, the British star did not outline the Washington Open as one of his key tournaments when he teased his schedule following his Wimbledon run.

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“Cincinnati, Winston-Salem and the US Open, they’re pretty much locked in,” said the British star when asked which tournaments he would be playing on the North American hardcourt swing.

Fery also hopes to be seeded for the US Open, but that will not be dictated by his results as the entry list for the Grand Slam has already been confirmed.

“I might already be in there [the top 32] if I’m lucky, a few withdrawals,” he said. “I don’t think I will be able to contribute to the ranking anymore before the list comes out for the US Open, because it’s going to come out soon.

“Being seeded obviously protects you a little bit from the top guys, but it’s my first main draw that I qualify for directly with my ranking so just going to take it as it goes.”

At the Washington Open, though, there is a potential chance for another breakout tournament from an unsung player with so few top-ranked players at the event.

Washington Open entry list

• Alex de Minaur
• Taylor Fritz
• Lorenzo Musetti
• Learner Tien
• Jakub Mensik
• Frances Tiafoe
• Arthur Fils
• Tommy Paul
• Rafael Jodar
• Arthur Rinderknech
• Ugo Humbert
• Brandon Nakashima
• Tomas Etcheverry
• Alejandro Tabilo
• Matteo Arnaldi
• Zizou Bergs
• Adrian Mannarino
• Kamil Majchrzak
• Alex Michelsen
• Tallon Griekspoor
• Ethan Quinn
• Terence Atmane
• Ben Shelton (WC)
• Jack Draper (WC)
• Stefanos Tsitsipas (WC)
• Kei Nishikori (WC)

Rafael Jodar is looking to win his first hardcourt event, while Jack Draper is looking to prove to the US Open that he is worthy of a wildcard.

Elsewhere, the likes of Arthur Fils, Tommy Paul, and Learner Tien will be looking to continue their fine form shown throughout the 2026 season.

The post ATP Washington Open withdrawal list: Felix Auger-Aliassime & Arthur Fery among 7 stars to pull out appeared first on Tennis365.

The tennis world is waiting in anticipation for Carlos Alcaraz’s return to the sport, following a lengthy five-month absence.

Alcaraz suffered a wrist injury at the Barcelona Open in April, which derailed much of his season. The Spaniard was forced out of Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

That caused him to lose his World No 2 status to Alexander Zverev, but there have been some positive signs the seven-time Grand Slam champion could return to action soon.

Alcaraz is on the entry lists for both the Cincinnati Open and the US Open, so fans could see the star finally playing tennis again in a matter of weeks.

However, there is still some uncertainty about Alcaraz’s injury and Clijsters has been left confused by the Spaniard’s communucation in recent weeks.

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Asked if she knows anything about his wrist injury on her podcast Love All, having suffered several herself during her playing career, Clijsters replied: “I don’t. I hope that we’ll maybe hear a little bit more about it once he starts coming back, where he explains it a little bit more.

“But I feel like he’s been very kind of like he has been secretive, but he hasn’t. Like we’ve seen him with a brace or a cast and you know at the start and then I think you know he posts some clips here and there where he’s actually hitting and doing some drills but I haven’t seen anything of him like playing full out yet either. So, I’m just very curious to see.”

Alcaraz has reportedly returned to ‘light’ training, which could be a major worry for the star’s status at the Cincinnati Open and the US Open.

The Cincinnati Open is set to begin on the 11th August, so Alcaraz does not have much time to get up to speed with the hustle and bustle of the ATP Tour.

Should he miss that event, he would have to play the US Open without a single warm-up tournament. Alcaraz is also under threat of losing more ground on Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev in the ATP Tour rankings.

If Alcaraz does not play the Cincinnati Open, he will lose the 1000 ranking points he earned for winning the Masters tournament last year.

That would leave him at 7160 points while Zverev is only defending semi final points from last year’s event. Should Zverev reach the final, which he would be expected to on current form, there could be any even bigger divide between the World No 2 and the World No 3.

The post Kim Clijsters left confused by what Carlos Alcaraz has done ahead of tennis return appeared first on Tennis365.

Legendary coach Rick Macci has told Tennis365 he has “no doubt” that Emma Raducanu has the game to contend for more Grand Slam titles.

An 18-year-old Raducanu stunned the tennis world by winning the 2021 US Open title as a 150th-ranked qualifier in what was just her second main draw Grand Slam appearance after that year’s Wimbledon Championships.

Raducanu, who did not lose a set in her 10 matches across qualifying and the main draw in New York, remains the only player in tennis history to win a major as a qualifier.

The Brit’s next-best result at a Grand Slam is reaching the fourth round, which she achieved at Wimbledon in 2021 and 2024, while her overall record across her 16 appearances at majors is 26-15.

The 23-year-old’s staggering triumph at Flushing Meadows remains the only tour-level title she has secured in her career to date.

Raducanu’s two other runs to WTA finals have both been in 2026, with the former world No 10 losing to Sorana Cirstea at the Transylvania Open in February and Donna Vekic at the Queen’s Club Championships in June.

Injuries have been a persistent problem for Raducanu since her US Open win, and she has not played since that defeat to Vekic last month due to a stress fracture in her right leg.

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Rick Macci has coached five players who went on to become world No 1: Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Maria Sharapova and Andy Roddick.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Tennis365, Macci declared that Raducanu is “definitely a top 10 player.”

“I’ve always been a big fan of Emma,” said the American.

“Listen, when you have that amount of talent, and you do what she did at the US Open by never dropping a set, and qualifying and winning a Slam, the talent doesn’t go away.

“What goes away is the confidence, and maybe a little bit of the fitness. So, she still has the talent and the ability. Now, mentally, is it the most important thing [for Raducanu], ’til your last breath? I don’t know because I’m not in that circle.

“But she has the talent, and when she plays on grass, she kind of reacts and is a little more authoritative. At the end of the day, I think it’s great what she did, getting to the finals [at Queen’s Club].

“She’s definitely a top 10 player, there’s no doubt about it, if you go talent-wise. But talent doesn’t get you into the top 10. It’s how you compete every match — that’s the key.

“She’s just been a little bit too up and down. But it’s only over when you quit, and hopefully she’s going to keep on grinding.”

Asked if Raducanu could challenge for a Grand Slam title again, Macci’s response was definitive.

“Absolutely. Women’s tennis nowadays, it’s so fluid. Anybody can beat anybody,” Macci said.

“She has the game, that’s the first thing — you’ve gotta have the game. She has enough firepower, and she can defend pretty good at times. It’s just the competitiveness to die for every point.

“But absolutely, she can be back in the top 10 and she can contend for Grand Slams. I have no doubt. But that’s between her and her. I’m sure she’s trying her best.”

READ NEXT: Exclusive: Emma Raducanu decision that ‘made no sense’ questioned by Serena Williams’ former coach

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Concerns have been raised about Holger Rune’s racket switch from Babolat to Wilson ahead of his return from injury.

The 23-year-old has not played on the ATP Tour since tearing his Achilles tendon at the 2025 Stockholm Open last October. The Dane has repeatedly delayed his comeback, with the former world No 4 since dropping to 81st in the rankings – his lowest since early 2022.

Rune is on the entry list for the Cincinnati Masters in mid-August, but hopes that he may hit the ground running are being tempered. According to tennis content creator Gill Gross, the right-hander will have to be patient before he can play his best tennis again.

The commentator believes it could be at least six months before that is the case, something that was similar for Alexander Zverev after returning from the ankle injury he sustained at the 2022 French Open.

Gross said on his YouTube channel, “I think the expectation should be really low. If you’ve seen how arduous this recovery process has been, this is a real break where you’re going to have some serious rust: mentally, technically, physically.

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“This will probably be a pretty slow build for Holger. [Rafael] Nadal and [Jack] Draper are examples of players who tend to come back, and it doesn’t take them very long to get going, but Zverev did take a while to come back from his ankle injury at Roland Garros.

“When he came back, he was okay for about six months but he didn’t move like he usually moves and his confidence was pretty low overall on big points. There were a lot of issues when Zverev came back, and that lasted about six to eight months, and I would expect a similar timeline with Holger.”

During his time away from the game, Rune has switched from the Babolat Pure Aero 98 to the Wilson Defyer racket.

In early July, he said on the decision, “I was instantly drawn to this racket when I first started playtesting with Wilson. They have been supportive of my recovery, and I can’t wait to compete with Defyer when I hit the court.”

Gross then referenced reports that Rune had made the change for “business reasons”, before going on to say that that was a “dangerous” game to play.

He cited how Andre Agassi was one such famous example, with the American signing a lucrative contract to play with a Donnay racket before having a lot more success with Head.

Gross said, “It will be interesting to see Holger coming back with a reworked forehand technique and also with a different racquet. He is now with Wilson instead of Babolat.

“Which is interesting, right? Who switches off of the Pure Aero, everyone switches to the Pure Aero. It is very rare you see it the other way but this is Wilson’s new spin-orientated frame that was designed to rival the Pure Aero.”

Gross added that if this switch was made for financial reasons, that made him a “little queasy”, before continuing, “I am sure Holger will get accustomed to his new frame and it will probably be fine but there are some horror stories out there where players are making those decisions based on contractual stuff and monetary things… Andre Agassi had a famous one for example.

“It is a dangerous game to play so hopefully that was handled correctly for Holger.”

Incidentally, Rune has developed an intriguing rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz, who is also out injured. The pair have played against each other for well over a decade and have a 2-2 head to head.

Rune won their last meeting, with the Danish star triumphing in the final of the 2025 Barcelona Open in straight sets. Many tennis fans will be eagerly awaiting their return at Cincinnati next month.

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Carlos Alcaraz’s injury recovery is progressing but his training is at a ‘very low intensity’, according to reports in his native Spain.

The seven-time major winner began the year in unstoppable form. He completed the career Grand Slam at the tender age of 22 after winning the Australian Open, before romping to the Qatar Open title in irresistible fashion.

But after failing to win any of the year’s first three Masters (Indian Wells, Miami, and Monte Carlo), his season was turned upside down when a wrist injury forced him to pull out of the Barcelona Open in mid-April.

The 23-year-old missed the French Open and Wimbledon, prompting fears he could be out for the rest of 2026. Indeed, training footage of him playing with an unstrung, broken racket, while still wearing a wrist brace, led former British No 1 Greg Rusedski to say he was “deeply concerned”.

On the flip side, Serena Williams’ old coach, Rick Macci, stated Alcaraz’s wrist is at 100%, has played “many matches with other pros” and has turned this negative into a positive.

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However, according to Clay Tenis, this is not the case.

In an article titled ‘Carlos Alcaraz‘s strangest and freest summer’, writer Nacho Encabo outlines the contrast between the lows of being out injured and the highs of being inside MetLife Stadium to watch his beloved Spain beat Argentina 1-0 and win the 2026 World Cup.

The piece says Alcaraz has played no sets, no matches, ‘nothing of the sort’. His recovery is ‘on track’ but the Spaniard is not going to rush and risk jeopardising the rest of the season.

Alcaraz is scheduled to return at the Cincinnati Masters, which runs from 13-23 August, but question marks remain over his participation.

Clay claim that the defending US Open champion has not been able to hit a ball with complete freedom, not even in the privacy of a training session, since getting injured.

Sources close to Alcaraz allegedly say, “Carlos is training, but still at a very low intensity.”

And while Alcaraz’s image is being used to promote Cincinnati, Clay add that does not mean the former world No 1 will play it at 100% but he does intend to head to Ohio and compete.

Tennis fans will be watching the player’s social media pages like hawks as he steps up his recovery. While there are rival factions in the sport, the vast majority of tennis followers want to see Alcaraz fit and ready for the US Open.

But that is far from certain.

READ MORE: Carlos Alcaraz set to miss the US Open? Rumours are swirling

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