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Toni Nadal has identified Alexander Zverev as a “dangerous rival” to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner and claimed that the 28-year-old German is “clearly better than” Novak Djokovic.

Zverev fell to world No 1 and eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz in an epic Australian Open semi-final lasting five hours and 27 minutes.

The three-time Grand Slam finalist fought back from two sets to love down to force a decider, but he was unable to seal a sensational comeback as he let a 5-3 lead slip in the fifth set.

Sinner, the world No 2, was defeated in five sets by Djokovic in a pulsating second semi-final at Melbourne Park.

Zverev dropped to fourth in the ATP Rankings this week, with Djokovic climbing to third.

Nadal — who coached his legendary nephew Rafael Nadal to 16 Grand Slam titles — argued Zverev is the biggest threat to the top two.

“He (Zverev) is a dangerous rival and, for me, he’s clearly better than Djokovic is today,” Nadal said during an appearance on the Onda Cero radio network.

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“But he lacks the… if he, if Zverev had won that match (the Australian Open semi-final against Alcaraz), he probably would have won the final too.

“It would change him because it gives you extra confidence and takes away the pressure he has to win a Grand Slam.”

Nadal added, though, that Zverev “has a mental problem” and is “under a lot of pressure to win a Grand Slam.”

Toni Nadal criticised Carlos Alcaraz after the Australian Open

Toni Nadal was critical of Alcaraz for not mentioning his former coach Juan Carlos Ferrero after his Australian Open victory.

“It’s all well and good to praise your coach, but you have to remember the other one too,” Nadal said.

“I don’t know how his relationship with Ferrero ended, but when he says that, I feel bad saying it.

“I’m sure Samuel Lopez has done a great job in these two months, but he can’t forget Ferrero’s work over the years.

“I wouldn’t have liked it if, as soon as Rafa left, he had said those things about Carlos Moya.”

READ NEXT: ATP Rankings Race To Turin: Carlos Alcaraz leads, Novak Djokovic above Jannik Sinner

The post Alcaraz and Sinner’s most ‘dangerous rival’ who is ‘clearly better than Djokovic’ revealed appeared first on Tennis365.

Jack Draper has admitted that the pressure of pushing himself to challenge Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner may have contributed to his body breaking down last year.

The 24-year-old made his long-awaited return from a bone stress injury in his left arm in Great Britain’s 4-0 Davis Cup Qualifiers win against Norway in Oslo.

Draper cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 win against world No 313 Viktor Durasovic on Thursday in his first match since an opening round win at the US Open on 25 August.

The Brit is ranked 13th in the world, having reached his career-high position of world No 4 in June last year after a superb first half of the 2025 season. Draper defeated Carlos Alcaraz en route to winning his biggest title to date in Indian Wells in March.

Speaking to the Press Association, Draper spoke candidly about the demands of trying to close the gap to Alcaraz and Sinner — who have won the last nine majors between them.

“That was my goal anyway, and potentially that’s part of the reason why my body did break down,” said Draper.

“Maybe I was trying so hard to play in the right way — to hit the ball harder, to get free points — and that just became a stress for me.

“I’ve learnt a lot about myself mentally and physically. I’ve done a lot of things that have really put me in a good place.

“For sure, those guys are leading the sport at the moment, and I’m really hungry to get to where they are, so I’m going to do everything I can to do that.”

Draper continued: “I wouldn’t want any tennis player to go through this with their playing arm.

“But at the same time, I’ve learnt many things through this period — not only personally, but from a career perspective — that are definitely going to help me move forward and be a better player.

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“I do believe I’m a better player than I was in the summer, when I was winning a lot and playing great.

“I think that you can only get to that point with the right mindset and by seeing this injury and this lay-off as an opportunity to improve, and I feel I’ve done that.”

Following his win against Durasovic, Draper shed light on the nature of his arm injury as he addressed how he was feeling after his comeback.

“Bone stress is a difficult injury to explain to people who don’t understand it,” he told Sky Sports.

“Basically, the bone has to keep on regenerating and getting stronger.

“The more I compete, the more I play at 100%, it’s going to get used to that load over time. It’s natural to feel some sensations, some discomfort over a period of time.

“That’s what it’s been like for many other players who have had the same injury, but you just have to keep on adjusting, being sensible with the injury.

“But I wouldn’t be out here competing if it wasn’t something that I feel confident that I can stay on court with.”

READ NEXT: Player who could beat Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner named by former Wimbledon champion

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The final stages of the Australian Open caused a stir around the sporting world and the viewing figures for the men’s final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic confirm that interest was booming in America.

The final between a player looking to become the youngest to complete a career Grand Slam and the legend aiming to win his record-breaking 25th major title was a storyline that was hard to resist and now the viewing figures from the all-important American audience highlight the impact the match had.

Even though there was not an American involved, the Alcaraz vs Djokovic showdown drew an audience of 730,000 viewers Sunday on ESPN, per Nielsen data. That respects a 57 per-cent increase from last year’s final between Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev, despite a 3:30AM ET start time.

This was the most-watched Australian Open men’s final since 2017, when Roger Federer defeated Rafael Nadal in a five-set thriller that drew 1.1 million U.S. viewers.

The women’s final between Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka also saw a slight increase in viewers, drawing 487,000 viewers, which was an eight per-cent increase from 2025, even though American star Madison Keys was involved as she beat Sabalenka.

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Alcaraz’s win has ensured his status as one of the most marketable athletes in the world has been enhanced, with brand expert Jack Kenney-Herbert from Sid Lee in London telling Tennis365 that the Spaniard is now at the peak of his commercial powers.

“Carlos Alcaraz is the perfect commercial storm: a Career Grand Slam winner at 22 with a digital footprint the ‘Big Three’ never had starting out,” he told Tennis365.

“His rumoured signature logo with Nike signals that he has already transcended the sport and is a bona fide global icon. His brand value has never been higher and – given his age and the current riches on offer – he will eclipse traditional earning ceilings to become the most marketable athlete of his generation.

“If he maintains his on-court dominance for another five years, and continues to make sound off-court investments, he isn’t just chasing titles; he is on a direct trajectory to join Roger Federer as tennis’s second billionaire.”

Alcaraz already has sponsorship agreements in place with Rolex, BMW, Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton and Evian and after his latest achievement, most of those deals will pay out a bonus and increase in value when contract renewal discussions are on the agenda.

Now there are plans to launch an Alcaraz signature brand with Nike that will see the 22-year-old join the likes of Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan with his own range of apparel and that is just the start of his potential.

He could not be on course to follow in the footsteps of the great Roger Federer, who is hailed as the first tennis billionaire.

The end Federer’s partnership with Nike gave him a chance to accept an offer to become a shareholder in what was then a relatively modest footwear brand On, with his presence as a brand leader propelling the company to rapid growth.

The Federer endorsement has seen On build into a powerhouse in their field and they were recently valued at $20billion, with Federer’s slice of the company thought to be worth as much as $1billion.

READ NEXT: Carlos Alcaraz’s stunning wealth estimated after his stellar 2025 season

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Carlos Alcaraz fans have been quick to suggest the world No 1 has taken tennis to the next level after he became the youngest player to win all four Grand Slam titles with his victory at the Australian Open.

Alcaraz’s stunning achievement saw him add the Melbourne title to his collection with a win against Novak Djokovic in the final, sparking some to suggest he is on course to eclipse Djokovic as the greatest player of all-time.

Tennis legend John McEnroe was among those who suggested Alcaraz could win 20 or more Grand Slam titles after his latest success, but any suggestion that the young Spaniard can already be part of the debate over who is the greatest player of all-time should be banished, according to former British No 1 Greg Rusedski.

Speaking on the latest Off Court Cuts edition of his podcast, the 1997 US Open finalist didn’t hold back as he insisted Djokovic is in a league of his own when the discussion over the all-time great of tennis is raised.

“This is ridiculous in my opinion,” said Rusedski as he responded to the suggestion that Alcaraz is already part of the GOAT debate.

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“He’s won seven majors, he’s on track, but you’ve got to have a catalog of work to get to 20 plus. Djokovic is on 24, Nadal is on 22 and Federer is on 20. Those are long distance. He would have to win every single Slam this year to get up to 10.

“Then it would take him at least another two and a half years if he won every single Slam, so I think it’s a little premature [to put Alcaraz in the GOAT debate].

“You have to define it by something. Numbers, longevity, the era you played in. So let’s look at Novak Djokovic’s story. And that’s why I call him the GOAT.

“He came along when Federer and Nadal were dominating with Andy Murray. And he went through that generation and said, look, I’m going to stand up to you. I’m going to find a way. And then for a decade, he dominated the sport. The numbers don’t lie. And that’s why I say Djokovic is the GOAT.”

Patrick Mouratoglous has fanned the flames in this debate in recent days, after claiming Alcaraz and his big rival Jannik Sinner are playing at a higher level than Djokovic, Nadal and Federer managed at their peak.

“One match. One result. And suddenly, a big conclusion,” wrote Mouratoglou.

“After Novak Djokovic’s victory over Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open 2026 semifinal, many of you said: “This proves the Big 3 were better than Alcaraz and Sinner.

“I disagree; that’s a short view. First, you cannot take one match and turn it into a rule. Before that semifinal, Jannik had won five matches in a row against Novak. That didn’t suddenly disappear because of one result.

“Tennis-wise, I stand by what I’ve said for the last two to three years. Jannik is superior to Novak today in pure tennis terms. He moves faster. He hits harder. He takes the ball earlier. He serves better.

“Look at the numbers from that match: 75 per-cent first serves in, 80 per-cent points won behind the first serve, 52 per-cent behind the second. Jannik plays a more modern version of tennis than Novak.”

The suggestion that Alcaraz and Sinner are playing at a higher level than the ‘Big 3’ drew a response from Nadal, who posted laughing emojis on his Instagram as he hit back at Mourtaoglou.

READ NEXT: Rafael Nadal snaps back at Patrick Mouratoglou after contentious online claim

The post Carlos Alcaraz GOAT debate declared ‘ridiculous’ as former British No 1 defends Novak Djokovic appeared first on Tennis365.

The women’s singles draw at the 2026 Qatar Open has been revealed, with world No 4 Amanda Anisimova looking to defend her title at the WTA 1000 event.

Several big names have pulled out of the event, with world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka pulling out after the withdrawals of Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, and Naomi Osaka had already been confirmed.

However, world No 2 and three-time Qatar Open champion Iga Swiatek is still set to be the top seed, with world No 3 and new Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina seeded second at the WTA 1000 event.

Top seed Swiatek has been drawn in the same half of the draw as third seed and reigning champion Anisimova, meaning the two stars are projected to meet in the semi-final stage of the tournament.

The top eight seeds in the draw all receive an opening-round bye, with six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek set to start her Doha campaign against either Janice Tjen or Sorana Cirstea.

The Pole is then projected to face 16th seed Elise Mertens in the third round, before an expected quarter-final against sixth seed Jasmine Paolini.

World No 8 Paolini begins her campaign in round two against either Maria Sakkari or Zeynep Sonmez, and could face a significant challenge from ninth seed and rising star Linda Noskova in the third round.

Third seed Anisimova beat Jelena Ostapenko in the final to lift her first WTA 1000 title twelve months ago, and will begin her campaign against either former world No 1 Karolina Pliskova or a qualifier.

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The American could then face 14th seed Karolina Muchova in the third round, with rising star Alex Eala also in this section of the draw.

Eala will begin her campaign against a qualifier, and could then face Muchova in round two.

Should Anisimova reach the quarter-final, she is projected to face seventh seed Elina Svitolina, who will be back in action after her run to the last four of the Australian Open.

The Ukrainian will face either Cristina Bucsa or compatriot Dayana Yastremska in round two and could then face 12th seed Emma Navarro in the third round, before potentially challenging Anisimova.

Should Swiatek and Anisimova hold their seedings and meet in the semi-final, it would be a battle between the last two women to lift the title in Doha.

The bottom half of the draw projects a semi-final against second seed Rybakina and fourth seed Coco Gauff.

A hypothetical match-up between the two would be just their second-ever meeting, with Gauff beating Rybakina in their only previous contest at the 2022 Canadian Open.

In-form Rybakina is set to start her campaign against either Wang Xinyu or Emiliana Arango, and could then face 15th seed Diana Shnaider in round three.

The Kazakh is projected to face fifth seed Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-final, with the 18-year-old having beaten Rybakina in both Dubai and Indian Wells last spring.

Andreeva’s campaign will begin against either Magda Linette or a qualifier, before a potential Adelaide International final rematch versus 10th seed Victoria Mboko in the third round.

Meanwhile, fourth seed Gauff’s quest for a maiden Qatar Open title will start against either Elsa Jacquemot or McCartney Kessler in round two, before she potentially faces 13th seed Liudmila Samsonova in round three.

Standing in the American’s way of a projected semi-final versus Rybakina is eighth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, Gauff’s projected quarter-final opponent.

Alexandrova faces a potentially challenging opener against either 2025 runner-up Ostapenko or former world No 2 Paula Badosa, and could then face either 11th seed Clara Tauson or Emma Raducanu in round three.

Tauson begins her campaign versus Katerina Siniakova while Raducanu will face a qualifier, with the two potentially set to meet in round two.

Projected quarter-final line-up

(1) Iga Swiatek vs (6) Paolini(6)
(3) Amanda Anisimova vs (7) Elina Svitolina
(8) Ekaterina Alexandrova vs (4) Coco Gauff
(5) Mirra Andreeva vs (2) Elena Rybakina

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Read Next: Prize money earned by Rybakina, Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff, Raducanu in 2026

The post WTA Qatar Open draw: Swiatek and Anisimova in same half, Rybakina could face Gauff appeared first on Tennis365.

Alex Eala’s campaign at the Abu Dhabi Open was impressive, but ultimately came to an end at the quarter-final stage on Thursday.

The 20-year-old was handed a tough test against world No 11 and second seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, and, despite a strong showing, was beaten 6-3, 6-3 by the Russian.

Eala’s campaign had started with an opening win against close friend Zeynep Sonmez in round one, with the Filipina producing one of her strongest performances of 2026 so far to seal victory.

That was then followed by a thrilling win over Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the second round, with the star battling from a double break down in the final set to seal victory.

Though her campaign is now over, there are significant positives to take — and the star has also earned considerable ranking points and prize money.

What prize money did Eala earn?

Significant prize money is on offer at the Abu Dhabi Open this year, with the women’s singles champion ultimately set to take home $185,500 at the WTA 500 event.

Merely by entering the event, Eala ensured herself of $13,005 in winnings, with that amount of prize money on offer in the opening round.

However, the Filipina’s win over Sonmez in her first match saw her reach the second round and guarantee at least $18,045 in prize money ahead of her match versus Sasnovich.

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By defeating Sasnovich and ultimately reaching the quarter-final, the 20-year-old will take home a total prize money payout of $35,000.

What ranking points did Eala win?

Eala could have banked 500 ranking points had she lifted her first WTA title in Abu Dhabi, though the points she has earned will make a significant difference to her ranking.

Just one solitary ranking point is on offer in the opening round of the event, though her win over Sonmez saw her earn at least 60 points for reaching round two.

After defeating Sasnovich to ultimately reach the quarter-final, Eala will take home a total of 108 ranking points from her Abu Dhabi exploits.

Eala was already at a career-high of world No 45 in the WTA Rankings ahead of the WTA 500 event, but is now set to scale new heights following her run.

The Filipina is provisionally up six places to a new career-high of world No 39 in the WTA Live Rankings, with Eala looking primed for a top 40 debut when the rankings officially update next Monday.

She is now set to return to action at the Qatar Open in Doha, with the opening WTA 1000 event of the season starting on Sunday.

Eala has entered the main draw following the withdrawal of Veronika Kudermetova.

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Read Next: WTA Rankings Race To Riyadh: Rybakina leads, Mboko & Jovic star, Swiatek & Gauff not in top 8

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Emma Raducanu’s impressive form at the Transylvania Open has taken her into another WTA Tour quarter-final, with her win against Maja Chwalinska giving her a significant rankings boost.

Raducanu delivered a flawless 6-0 first-set performance and then had to fend off a more spirited display from Chwalinska in the second set, before she held her nerve to set up a glorious chance to reach her first WTA Tour level final.

Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova lies in wait for Raducanu in the semi-finals, with the world No 91 making it through to her first WTA Tour semi-final with a win against China’s Wang Xinyu.

The win against Chwalinska has already given Raducanu a significant rankings boost, as she is up to No 27 in the live rankings and win against Oliynykova in her next match will see her leap into the top 25 of the rankings for the first time since the points she won from her 2021 US Open win fell off her ranking a year later.

“I’m very happy with my performance,” said Raducanu. “I played a great match from the beginning, and I was so happy to have that start.

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“There’s always going to be moments of adversity that I need to overcome, and I did that well in the second set, so really proud of how I did that.

“Maja is a really tough opponent, moves so well, has great hand skills, so I’m really happy with how I overcame that challenge.”

She also looked ahead to her next match against Oliynykova and added: “I saw a little bit [of Oliynykova’s quarter-final win]. She was playing before me. I didn’t have much time last night to get ready for this one. I’m so focused on recovery – no matter how long each match is it takes a lot out of you, so I need to recover well.”

This is Raducanu’s first tournament since her split with coach Francisco Roig and she is living up to her word by taking a more aggressive approach with her baseline hitting.

The British No 1 suggested after her second round exit at the Australian Open that she was not happy with the tactics she was using, with Roig’s exit from her team confirmed a week later.

Now she is trying to get back to the game style that helped her to win the 2021 US Open and reach the latter stages of last year’s Miami Open, with former British No 1 Greg Rusedski backing her to find her own route to success.

Speaking on the latest edition of his Off Court with Greg podcast, Rusedski revealed his thoughts on what needs to come next for 23-year-old Raducanu.

“It sounded like she wasn’t clear what she wanted to do on the court and I don’t think she was 100per-cent healthy going into the Australian Open because we saw slices, we saw drop shots being used,” reflected Rusedski.

“There wasn’t always that clarity at the big moment. When she won the US Open and burst on the scene and won the tournament, she was super aggressive.

“There wasn’t a case of trying to add that variety into her game, but there was clarity at the big moment. She was going to play aggressively. She was going to go after it.

“And I think she’s got to get back to where she was with that sort of mentality and approach to her game. This is where when you’re coaching someone, it’s a really tricky balance because you’ve got to add layers to their game.

“But the player has to be confident to add those layers in practice sets and then bring it into a match. But when push comes to shove, your natural character has to come in.

“So when I watched her play Potapova, I was looking at some of the shot selection, thinking to myself, is that the right shot, that short slice or drop shot at these moments at times? And it’s those decision-making at the big moments that can make it.

“I’m still super positive on Emma. I still believe there’s a lot there, but let’s do it step by step. You know, she’s done the hardest thing first, winning the US Open. And all the pressure and expectation went on her. You know, let’s try to win a WTA Tour title at the lowest level and build up from there.

“It’s a game of building and getting the joy back for a game. So I’m still super positive about Emma. I still think she has a very bright future ahead of her. If she can be 100 % healthy and get the right sort of love back to the game, there’s no reason why there can’t be great results there. So I’m on the positive side for Emma.”

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Carlos Alcaraz’s split with Juan Carlos Ferrero has been a major talking point in tennis since it was announced in December, and the world No 1’s former coach has now made a move that has drawn plenty of attention.

Alcaraz‘s collaboration with Ferrero began when he started attending the former world No 1’s academy in Villena when he was a 16-year-old in 2018.

The 22-year-old won 24 ATP Tour singles titles, including six Grand Slams, during the highly successful partnership.

Samuel Lopez, who coaches at Ferrero’s academy, took over as Alcaraz’s head coach, having previously worked in tandem with Ferrero.

In an emotional statement, Ferrero tellingly suggested it was not his decision to part ways as he admitted: “I wish I could have continued.”

In his first tournament without Ferrero in his team, Alcaraz won his maiden Australian Open crown to become the youngest man in the Open Era to complete the career Grand Slam.

Days after Alcaraz’s triumph in Melbourne, fans have noticed that Ferrero has unfollowed Alcaraz on Instagram. The former tennis star has also stopped following Alcaraz’s fitness trainer and physiotherapist, although he still follows Lopez.

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Ferrero has not commented on his decision to cut ties with Alcaraz on social media, with some interpreting it as an indication that his relationship with his former student has broken down.

Interestingly, though, Alcaraz is still following Ferrero.

What has Carlos Alcaraz said about Juan Carlos Ferrero since the pair’s split?

Ahead of his Australian Open campaign, Alcaraz refused to go into details about Ferrero’s departure, but he expressed his appreciation for his former coach and insisted they remained friends.

“Well, it is something we just decide. You know, I think chapter of life, there is a time that has to be end. We decided like this,” Alcaraz explained.

“I got to say that I’m really grateful for this seven years I’ve been with Juan Carlos. I learned a lot. Probably thanks to him I’m the player that I am right now.

“But internally we decided like this. We closed this chapter in mutual. We, as I said, both are still friends, good relationship. But we just decided like this.”

What has Juan Carlos Ferrero said since the split?

Ferrero has admitted that his heart “broke” after leaving Alcaraz’s team.

“I’m trying to disconnect a bit,” Ferrero also told COPE.

“It’s too recent for me to watch the match and see the whole team. It makes you a bit melancholic and sad to see them all there and relive what happened.

“Time heals everything, and it makes things a little easier to accept. That’s why I’m not eager to watch matches. I gave it my all.

“My heart broke when it happened, but I’m recovering little by little. My heart is hurting, and I like to think that his is too. He is younger and recovers faster, but what he needs to do is move forward.

“We can’t set limits for Alcaraz. The limit is very high. He could be the best in history, but he needs to be motivated every year, with injuries respecting him

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Elena Rybakina soared to the top of the 2026 WTA Tour prize money list following her triumph at the Australian Open, and the Kazakh is one of three stars who have already earned over $1million this season.

There are 13 players who have secured at least $500,000 in prize money this year, with Mirra Andreeva ($541,716), Jasmine Paolini ($533,909) and Amanda Anisimova ($505,474) occupying 11th, 12th and 13th on the list.

Naomi Osaka ($382,192) and Madison Keys ($381,876) are 17th and 18th respectively, while Emma Raducanu is the 28th highest-earner with $258,694.

Here, we count down the top 10 earners on the WTA Tour so far in 2026.

10. Iva Jovic – $542,933 ($22,912 in doubles)

Iva Jovic’s runs to the Australian Open quarter-finals, the Hobart final and the Auckland semi-finals have seen her amass $542,933 in prize money.

9. Victoria Mboko – $621,978 ($20,717 in doubles)

Victoria Mboko has collected $621,978, having reached the Australian Open fourth round and the Adelaide final, while she also won matches in singles and mixed doubles at the United Cup.

8. Elina Svitolina – $847,675 ($1,010 in doubles)

Elina Svitolina collected $809,275 for her run to the Australian Open semi-finals and $37,390 for winning the Auckland title.

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7. Jessica Pegula – $900,633 ($14,243 in doubles)

Jessica Pegula earned $809,275 for being an Australian Open semi-finalist, while she also made the last four at the Brisbane International.

6. Elise Mertens – $914,600 ($291,339 in doubles)

Elise Mertens secured $291,339 for winning the Australian Open doubles title with her partner Zhang Shuai, while she also made $310,761 for reaching the fourth round in singles in Melbourne.

5. Belinda Bencic – $932,369

Belinda Bencic claimed $786,700 at the United Cup, where she won all five of her singles matches and four mixed doubles matches, while she exited the Australian Open in the second round.

4. Iga Swiatek – $972,465

Iga Swiatek collected $486,900 at the United Cup as Team Poland won the title, while her run to the Australian Open quarter-finals earned her $485,565.

3. Coco Gauff – $1,039,965

Coco Gauff secured $554,400 at the United Cup, where the United States made the semi-finals, before she earned $485,565 for reaching the last eight of the Australian Open.

2. Aryna Sabalenka – $1,614,297 ($7,815 in doubles)

Aryna Sabalenka started the season by claiming $214,530 for her Brisbane International title win. The world No 1 then raked in $1,391,952 for her Australian Open runner-up result.

1. Elena Rybakina – $2,724,432

Elena Rybakina earned $2,686,792 for winning the Australian Open after she was a quarter-finalist at the Brisbane International.

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Carlos Alcaraz has given an update on his brother Alvaro’s role in his team as he revealed plans to travel to some tournaments without his coach Samuel Lopez.

In his first tournament since splitting with long-time former coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alcaraz secured his seventh Grand Slam title at the 2026 Australian Open.

Following Ferrero’s departure, Lopez stepped into the role of Alcaraz’s head coach, having previously worked alongside Ferrero.

Alcaraz’s older brother, Alvaro, is another important presence in the world No 1’s team and serves as a hitting partner.

During the Australian Open, Alcaraz confirmed that Alvaro would also be involved in a coaching capacity.

“My brother is a very important person in my personal and professional life,” the 22-year-old told the Spanish media.

“He brings me many positive things that I need to perform better on court and in tournaments. Now he’s going to take on more prominence alongside Samu [Lopez].

“I’m happy to see him in the box, more involved, because he brings me a lot.”

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In an interview with Marca, Alcaraz explained that his brother will be his lone coaching presence at events Lopez does not attend.

“We still don’t know which tournaments he’ll be at or which ones he’ll travel to alone without Samuel,” Alcaraz divulged.

“What is clear is that Samu will travel 80 per cent of the time, or even more.

“He’ll be at the most important ones, and for some, my brother will travel alone. I don’t know which ones, because everything can change, and as someone once told me, ‘plans are made to be changed’.”

The Spaniard was also asked if he was particularly happy to win the Australian Open for Lopez.

“The truth is, I know what Samuel is capable of,” said the 25-time ATP Tour titlist.

“I know how long he’s been working, chipping away at it, as we say, his whole life.

“He’s a very good tennis teacher, and when I hear him talk with my father about what they shared when they both played, you can see they’re both passionate about tennis.

“You can tell the great emotion and passion they feel for the sport. Having my father and Samuel here makes me especially happy.”

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