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  • WTA Rankings: What Amanda Anisimova’s Brisbane loss means for her and Coco Gauff

    The rise of Amanda Anisimova was one of the biggest talking points of 2025, but the American ace has had a far from ideal start to 2026.

    Anisimova was shocked 6-4, 6-3 by Marta Kostyuk in her second match at the Brisbane International on Thursday, with the second seed’s defeat opening up the bottom half of the draw at the WTA 500 event.

    And, her loss to Kostyuk also has implications for herself and compatriot Coco Gauff in the WTA Rankings.

    Official WTA Rankings

    Heading into action this week, Anisimova had overtaken Gauff in the WTA Rankings to become the US No 1 for the first time in her career.

    With Gauff’s 2025 United Cup points coming off her ranking, she officially holds 6,273 points  — just behind Anisimova, who moved to a new career-high of world No 3, on 6,287 points.

    Anisimova had zero points dropping off her WTA Ranking this week, and had the chance to earn up to a maximum of 500 ranking points in Brisbane, where she was the second seed.

    Gauff is also in action at the United Cup this week and, much like in 2025, ranking points are on offer for everyone involved.

    However, the points available are dependent on the ranking of your opponent and the stage of the tournament your team reaches, making things a little more difficult to predict.

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    Emma Raducanu adds tournament to her schedule – and she is set to be the No 1 seed

    As it stands

    Anisimova was hugely impressive in a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Kimberly Birrell on Wednesday, though her loss to Kostyuk in round three on Thursday brings her campaign at the WTA 500 event to an end.

    And, that means that Gauff will move back up to world No 3 — and regain her status as the US No 1 — next Monday.

    Gauff was already provisionally back ahead of Anisimova in the WTA Live Rankings ahead of the latter’s match in Brisbane, with the 21-year-old back in United Cup action for the second straight year.

    Though she lost to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain in round-robin action, she also beat Argentina’s Solana Sierra, and picked up a big quarter-final win over Maria Sakkari of Greece on Wednesday.

    With the United States now in the semi-final of the team competition, Gauff has the chance to earn more ranking points across the rest of the mixed team — potentially allowing her to extend her lead over her compatriot.

    Will it impact the Australian Open draw?

    Next week’s WTA Rankings will set the seedings for the opening Grand Slam event of the year: the Australian Open.

    Action in Melbourne will begin on Sunday, January 18, and both Gauff and Anisimova will be among the leading title contenders in the women’s singles draw.

    However, the impending ranking switch between the two will not impact the hand they are dealt when the draw is made.

    The third and fourth-seeded players are both in the same seeding group and will be drawn in the same half as one of the top two seeds at the event.

    That means that Gauff and Anisimova will either draw No 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka or No 2 Iga Swiatek in their half, and that would have remained the case even if Anisimova had stayed ahead in the WTA Rankings.

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  • Emma Raducanu adds tournament to her schedule – and she is set to be the No 1 seed

    Emma Raducanu has added a tournament to her schedule after losing her opening match of the 2026 season at the United Cup.

    The 2021 US Open champion has signed up for the Transylvania Open in Cluj-Napoca, Romania — an indoor hard-court WTA 250 tournament.

    It will begin on January 31 — the same day as the Australian Open women’s singles final — and conclude on February 7.

    Raducanu competed at the inaugural edition of the Transylvania Open in October 2021 and reached the quarter-finals.

    The Brit’s father, Ion Raducanu, is from Bucharest, Romania’s capital, and she speaks Romanian fluently.

    Who else will feature at the Transylvania Open?

    Raducanu, who is ranked 29th in the world, is set to be the top seed in Cluj-Napoca as she is currently the highest-ranked player on the entry list.

    Romanian duo Jacqueline Cristian (No 38) and Sorana Cirstea (No 41) are the only other top 50 players who have entered.

    World No 55 Anastasia Potapova, who is the reigning Transylvania Open champion, will compete again this year.

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    Given Raducanu will be the top seed, she may not get a much better opportunity to secure her second career title.

    The 22-year-old has not reached a final since her stunning triumph at the 2021 US Open.

    What did Emma Raducanu say after losing to Maria Sakkari at the United Cup?

    In her first match since October 14, Raducanu began her campaign with a 3-6, 6-3, 1-6 defeat to world No 51 Maria Sakkari in Perth as Great Britain exited the United Cup.

    Raducanu, who spent time recovering from a foot injury during the off-season, was positive about her display given her lack of preparation.

    “I am pretty happy with how I was able to play a match of three sets,” the former world No 10 told reporters.

    “Considering I played five or six games in practice, it’s a big effort for me.

    “It’s been a good two and a bit months where I didn’t play. It’s been difficult to kind of increase the load and add the unpredictability of the tennis.

    “I think today, being able to produce that, having not played, is just giving me confidence to what I can do when I do practise more.

    “Initially you feel a little bit alien on the court, in the first set, just playing points again. I know now I just need to get my head down, keep working.”

    READ NEXT: United Cup prize money won by Emma Raducanu, Naomi Osaka, Victoria Mboko, & Jasmine Paolini

    The post Emma Raducanu adds tournament to her schedule – and she is set to be the No 1 seed appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Carlos Alcaraz snubbed as Jannik Sinner backed for historic 2026 feat by ex-world No 11

    Former world No 11 Sam Querrey does not think Carlos Alcaraz will add to his major title haul in 2026 as he backed Jannik Sinner to accomplish a calendar Grand Slam.

    Alcaraz and Sinner have shared the last eight Grand Slams between them, having won two each in both 2024 and 2025.

    The outstanding duo met in the last three Grand Slam championship matches, with Alcaraz prevailing at the French Open and US Open, and Sinner triumphing at Wimbledon.

    Alcaraz has won six majors (two French Open titles, two Wimbledon titles, two US Open titles), while Sinner has claimed four (two Australian Open titles, one Wimbledon title, one US Open title).

    Rod Laver is the only male player to achieve the staggering feat of winning all four Grand Slam titles in a single season since the Open Era began in 1968.

    Speaking on an episode of the Nothing Major podcast, Querrey and his fellow retired American ATP stars Jack Sock and John Isner made some bold predictions for the 2026 season.

    “My bold take is Sinner wins all four majors this year,” said Querrey.

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    Querrey also posed the following question: “What’s more likely: Sinner winning all four, or someone other than Sinner and Alcaraz winning one?”

    Sock replied: “Sinner winning all four [is more likely].”

    Isner disagreed as he claimed Alcaraz and Sinner will not sweep the Grand Slams again this year.

    ” I think, on the men’s side, we will have a Grand Slam winner who is not Sinner or Alcaraz,” said Isner, a former world No 8.

    Sam Querrey admitted he made an “awful take” about Carlos Alcaraz in 2024

    At the end of the 2024 season, Querrey made the huge claim that Alcaraz would finish the 2025 season as the world No 5 after the Spaniard had endured a dip in form.

    “I can see him ending next year at like five in the world,” Querrey said on Nothing Major. “Not like two or three; five!”

    After Alcaraz won the 2025 US Open to reclaim the world No 1 ranking, Querrey conceded that his ranking prediction the previous year had been an “awful take.”

    “It was an awful take from me last year,” said the American. “Awful take. My apologies, Carlos. I was dead wrong! We swing and miss occasionally.”

    READ NEXT: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga v Patrick Mouratoglou: ‘You’re not in the best position to correct me’

    The post Carlos Alcaraz snubbed as Jannik Sinner backed for historic 2026 feat by ex-world No 11 appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Andrey Rublev gets some candid advice from a former Wimbledon champion at Hong Kong Open

    Andrey Rublev gets some candid advice from a former Wimbledon champion at Hong Kong Open

    Andrey Rublev took a few steps back in his career in 2025 and now he has been given some advice by former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash as he looks to get back to the top in this new season.

    The Russian finished in the top 10 of the ATP Rankings for five years starting from 2020, but he struggled to find his best form for large sections of last season and headed into the new year looking to make up ground on players who have leapt ahead of him.

    Rublev was one of the players who would have been hoping to have his day in the spotlight when the era dominated by Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic came to an end, but he has been left in the rear view mirror by some of the game’s young and rising stars.

    Now 1987 Wimbledon champion Pat Cash has suggested Rublev could challenge the new generation in men’s tennis by adding some variety to his game, as he suggested he should make bette use of his net game.

    “He’s a great ball striker and has had some great results, but he is one of those players who is looking to make a breakthrough at the very top,” Cash told Tennis365, in his role as an ambassador for the Bank of China Hong Kong Open. “He has been to so many quarter-finals in the Slams and he needs to find a way to get over that hurdle.

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    “Rublev can bludgeon you into submission from the back of the court and he is actually very good at the net. He is a very good doubles player and that is an obvious area he could add to his game.

    “It feels like he is a lucent volleyer, but he doesn’t need to be in my view.

    “I look at Alex de Minaur and the way he has developed his game and maybe Rublev could learn from him. Alex is a great mover, he has added more to his game in recent years and you can see where he is in the rankings now.

    “That’s the kind of player Rublev could look to and try and to add some layers to his game, but you look at De Minaur and he is also struggling to get past quarter-finals in the Slams.

    “We look at the top players and they make it easy to get to the latter stages of all the big tournaments, but it’s not easy and Rublev and De Minaur confirm that.”

    Rublev has been working hard on his game in the off-season with coach Marat Safin, and he told former British No 1 Greg Rusedski that he has been suffering ahead of the 2026 season.

    “For me, it’s crazy because now with Marat and members of my team, they are killing me,” said Rublev, speaking on the Off Court with Greg podcast.

    “I can’t remember another year when they have done this to me. It is fitness to begin with for two and a half hours. Then it is tennis for two hours and he is killing me.

    “No mistakes from the baseline, high intensity from the baseline until you make it. This push is all for me. It is always about yourself.”

    Pat Cash and Mark Woodforde

    Pat Cash and Mark Woodforde spoke to Tennis365 at the Bank of China Hong Kong Open

    READ NEXT: Andrey Rublev identifies why Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have a big advantage over the rest

    The post Andrey Rublev gets some candid advice from a former Wimbledon champion at Hong Kong Open appeared first on Tennis365.

  • ‘Mirra Andreeva will shine at the Grand Slams – but she must not let one trait become destructive’

    Russian former WTA star Anna Chakvetadze has hailed Mirra Andreeva’s character and potential as she expressed her belief that her young compatriot “will shine at the Grand Slams.”

    Andreeva, a former world No 1 Junior, has long been tipped for special things, with many in the tennis world viewing the 18-year-old as a future WTA No 1 and Grand Slam winner.

    Legendary coach Rick Macci, who has worked with five players who became world No 1, confidently told Tennis365 last year that he expects Andreeva to reach “double digits” for Grand Slam titles.

    Andreeva is already an elite player; she is currently ranked ninth and reached her career-high ranking of fifth in July last year.

    The Russian has won three WTA Tour singles titles, having lifted her maiden title at the WTA 250 event in Iasi in 2024 and claimed back-to-back WTA 1000 crowns in Dubai and Indian Wells in early 2025 (before her 18th birthday).

    The 18-year-old has recorded 10 wins over opponents ranked in the top 10 and has beaten Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina — three leading stars of women’s tennis — twice each.

    Andreeva’s best Grand Slam result to date was reaching the semi-finals at the 2024 French Open, while she was a quarter-finalist at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the summer of 2025.

    What did Anna Chakvetadze say about Mirra Andreeva?

    In an exclusive interview, Tennis365 asked Chakvetadze how close Andreeva is to challenging Sabalenka, Swiatek and Coco Gauff for Grand Slam titles.

    “Mirra only needs to improve a few small details in her game,” the former world No 5 said.

    “She is already a very high-quality, strong player, even despite a slight dip in form towards the end of the [2025] season.

    “What I like most about her is that she is a real fighter. She doesn’t like to lose, and I believe that makes her highly motivated to keep improving.

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    “Her game is quite solid and safe for now, but we have already seen that she can beat players like Swiatek and Sabalenka — she has done it at big tournaments. That shows her potential very clearly. She just needs a few adjustments to gain even more confidence in her game.

    “She has strong character, and if she stays motivated and focuses not on what she already achieved, but on continuous improvement, I truly believe she can get there.”

    Chakvetadze went on to urge Andreeva not to be overly demanding of herself to the point it becomes “destructive.”

    “She is very demanding of herself, and I understand that very well,” the eight-time WTA title winner continued.

    “The most important thing is that this self-criticism does not become destructive.

    “Sometimes being strict with yourself helps, but during longer difficult periods, it’s important to allow yourself some freedom, to feel support, positivity and motivation from the outside.

    “I truly believe that Mirra will find her own path and that she will shine at the Grand Slams.”

    Anna Chakvetadze’s career

    Like Andreeva, Chakvetadze — who made her WTA Tour debut at age 16 in 2003 — knows what it is like to make a big impression at a young age.

    The Russian won her biggest title at the 2006 Kremlin Cup when she was 19 before reaching the US Open semi-finals and peaking at fifth in the world the following year, when she was 20.

    Chakvetadze’s illustrious career was cut short due to a chronic back injury in 2013, when she was just 26.

    READ NEXT: 2026 WTA Adelaide International entry list, prize money, ranking points, key dates: Pegula, Keys lead field

    The post ‘Mirra Andreeva will shine at the Grand Slams – but she must not let one trait become destructive’ appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Coco Gauff reveals key to improved serving as she recovers from one of her ‘worst-ever’ matches

    Coco Gauff has revealed a more positive mentality was the key to her bouncing back from “one of my worst matches” at the 2026 United Cup.

    The tw0-time Grand Slam champion earned a dominant 6-3, 6-2 victory over world No 51 Maria Sakkari in Perth to give USA a 1-0 lead against Greece in the United Cup quarter-finals.

    Gauff then teamed up with Christian Harrison to defeat Sakkari and Stefanos Tsitsipas 4-6, 6-4, 10-8 in the decisive doubles match after Tsitsipas had downed Taylor Fritz 6-4, 7-5 to level the tie.

    In her previous singles match, the world No 4 suffered a brutal 1-6, 7-6(3), 0-6 defeat to 42nd-ranked Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in USA’s group stage tie against Spain.

    Coco Gauff’s much-improved serving was key in Maria Sakkari win

    In her heavy loss to Bouzas Maneiro, Gauff’s serving troubles resurfaced as she won only 59% of her first serve points and just 19% of her second serve points, having committed 14 double faults. She lost nine of her 13 service games.

    It was a completely different story against Sakkari as Gauff posted some impressive statistics on serve — including facing just a single break point.

    Coco Gauff’s serving numbers vs Maria Sakkari

    • Aces: 1
    • Double Faults: 6
    • First Serve Percentage: 68%
    • First Serve Points Won: 76%
    • Second Serve Points Won: 50%
    • Break Points Saved: 0/1
    • Service Games Won: 8/9

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    Following her triumph over the 30-year-old Greek, Gauff gave a brutally honest assessment of her loss to Bouzas Maneiro as she discussed her significant increase in level.

    “Yeah, I think for me it felt like one of my worst matches of my career,” said Gauff.

    “So I was like, okay, I felt like I was practising well, and I’m playing practice sets well, and my first match went well. So I tried to erase it and learn from it.

    “I don’t think I was the most positive that match, so I just tried to stay positive regardless of what happened today.”

    The 21-year-old American was also asked if anything changed to contribute to her improved serving display.

    “I think just mentality,” she said. “I think just going for bigger targets, making her play knowing that I off the ground can hang in there or beat almost everyone. So just adjusting.

    “It was difficult like with the first match with the sun on the other side. I don’t think I made the right adjustments, and it was negative.

    “Today, it was the opposite. Yeah, I think just being positive and the mentality is everything when it comes to that, yeah.”

    What next for Coco Gauff at the United Cup?

    The USA will play either Poland or Australia in the semi-finals of the United Cup in Sydney on Saturday January 10.

    Gauff could, therefore, be set for a blockbuster showdown with Polish star and world No 2 Iga Swiatek if Poland progress.

    If Australia advance, Gauff will likely face Australian No 1 Maya Joint in her singles match.

    Want more from Tennis365? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for tennis coverage you can trust.

    READ NEXT: Australian Open prize money hits record high: How much could Sinner, Alcaraz, Sabalenka, Swiatek and co earn?

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  • 2026 ATP Adelaide International entry list, prize money, ranking points, key dates: Fonseca, Vacherot, Paul star

    It is less than two weeks until the opening Grand Slam event of the year at the Australian Open, and the Adelaide International will be a key stop for several ATP stars ahead of Melbourne.

    The likes of Novak Djokovic, Andrey Rublev, and Gael Monfils have all triumphed at the revamped event since it returned to the calendar in 2020, and a string of big names will be eyeing up the title in 2026.

    From the entry list and top seeds, to the prize money and ranking points on offer, we take you through all you need to know about the event.

    Who is in action?

    Projected top seed Djokovic pulled out of the tournament on Monday, joining Jack Draper, Corentin Moutet, and Arthur Fils on the withdrawal list.

    World No 14 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina is now set to be the top seed in the singles draw, with world No 19 Jiri Lehecka — champion here in 2024 — seeded second.

    Tommy Paul is set to be seeded third, with the American looking to bounce back from an injury-disrupted 2025, while Francisco Cerundolo is currently set to be the fourth seed.

    Tallon Griekspoor and Arthur Rinderknech are set to be seeded fifth and sixth, respectively, while Joao Fonseca and Valentin Vacherot are set to round out the eight seeds.

    Fonseca will hope he is back fit and firing after withdrawing from the Brisbane International, while all eyes will be on whether Vacherot can continue adjusting towards life at the top of the sport.

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    Stefanos Tsitsipas will also be in action, while home favourite Thanasi Kokkinakis has received a wildcard.

    What ranking points are on offer?

    As per any ATP 250-level tournament, this year’s men’s singles champion in Adelaide will take home 250 ranking points after their triumph.

    A further 165 ranking points will be awarded to the tournament runner-up, with 100 ranking points on offer to the two beaten semi-finalists.

    Each beaten quarter-finalist will earn 50 ranking points, while the players who exit in round two will be awarded 25 ranking points — though there will be zero ranking points for anyone beaten in round one.

    Champion: 250 points
    Runner-up: 165 points
    Semi-finalists: 100 points
    Quarter-finalists: 50 points
    Round 2: 25 points
    Round 1: Zero points

    What prize money is on offer?

    As per the ATP Tour website, this year’s men’s singles champion will be awarded $106,490 for their triumph in Adelaide.

    That is a slight increase from 2025, when champion Felix Auger-Aliassime was awarded $103,525 for his victory.

    This year’s beaten finalist will take home $62,115 in winnings, while the two semi-finalists will earn $36,520 in prize money.

    Quarter-finalists will take home $21,155, with players beaten in round two earning $21,155, and those who fall in round one earning $7,510.

    Champion: $106,490
    Runner-up: $62,115
    Semi-finalists: $36,520
    Quarter-finalists: $21,155
    Round 2: $12,285
    Round 1: $7,510

    Key dates

    Main draw action in Adelaide is set to take place from January 12-17, with the tournament finishing one day before the start of the Australian Open.

    The men’s singles quarter-finals are set to take place on January 15, with the semi-finals on January 16, and the championship match on Saturday, January 17; the full schedule is dependent on the weather.

    The main draw for the men’s singles event will likely be revealed on Saturday, January 10, just ahead of the start of the tournament.

    Entry list (as of January 7, 2026)

    1) Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
    2) Jiri Lehecka
    3) Tommy Paul
    4) Francisco Cerundolo
    5) Tallon Griekspoor
    6) Arthur Rinderknech
    7) Joao Fonseca
    8) Valentin Vacherot
    Brandon Nakashima
    Stefanos Tsitsipas
    Tomas Machac
    Ugo Humbert
    Jaume Munar
    Gabriel Diallo
    Zizou Bergs
    Daniel Altmaier
    Sebastian Korda
    Alexei Popyrin
    Reilly Opelka
    (WC) Thanasi Kokkinakis
    Further qualifiers and wildcards tbc

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    Read Next: 2026 WTA Adelaide International entry list, prize money, ranking points, key dates: Pegula, Keys lead field

    The post 2026 ATP Adelaide International entry list, prize money, ranking points, key dates: Fonseca, Vacherot, Paul star appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Emma Raducanu’s targets laid out by Grand Slam winner after troubled start to 2026

    Emma Raducanu’s targets laid out by Grand Slam winner after troubled start to 2026

    Emma Raducanu’s start to the 2026 season has followed a familiar pattern, with fitness issues a bigger concern than her performances on court in her opening tournament of the year.

    The tennis grapevine was ripping with rumours suggesting Raducanu may pull out of the Australian swing of the tennis tour after a troubled off-season.

    There was some surprise when she arrived in Perth to play for Great Britain at the United Cup, but the scale of her injury problems were exposed when she was forced to pull out of her opening match against Naomi Osaka.

    She did make it on court and faded badly in her defeat against Greece’s Maria Sakkari, with the 2021 US Open champion revealing the depth of her injury issues after the match.

    “I started hitting two weeks ago, so it’s been a good two and a bit months where I didn’t play,” said Raducanu, confirming her off-season had effectively been postponed.

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    “I think today, being able to produce that, having not played, is just giving me confidence to what I can do when I do practise more. I know now I just need to get my head down, keep working.

    “The season is still very, very young. Week one. There’s a long way to go.”

    While fitness issues look set to dominate Raducanu’s agenda once again in the opening weeks of 2026, Grand Slam-winning great Mark Woodforde believes the 23-year-old showed signs that she can compete at the top during 2025.

    Raducanu contested two tight battles with world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka and bounced back into the top 30 of the WTA Rankings, with Woodforde hoping to see more steps forward for the British No 1 this season.

    “We shouldn’t judge her on that one result at the US Open,” Woodforde told Tennis365 in his role as an ambassador at the Bank of China Hong Kong Open.

    “If she can replicate what she did in New York, that would be brilliant, but it was probably something that happened too soon, too quickly in her career.

    “It’s not that you wouldn’t want it to happen to you, but in a country that has been starved of female players and desperate for her to do well, it must have been very difficult for her.

    “What was encouraging was that over there were times last year when she seemed to be starting to build the foundation again to show some of that form that was discovered at the US Open a few years back.

    “It is a hard one to judge right now, but I’m sure UK and British tennis praying on their hands and knees that she is successful. She has put some life back into British women’s tennis and the momentum for players like Katie Boulter has been inspired by the success of Emma Raducanu.”

    Raducanu told Tennis365 in Wuhan last October that she was proud of the inspirational impact she had made on young girls in Britain since her US Open win, with Woodforde acknowledging the impact she has had.

    “I am out at the Hong Kong Open this week and the young local players need someone to look up to and show them what is possible,” he added. “Having someone who is headlining in their own country can give everyone else such a lift.”

    Pat Cash and Mark Woodforde

    Pat Cash and Mark Woodforde spoke to Tennis365 at the Bank of China Hong Kong Open

    READ MORE: Emma Raducanu’s injury concerns in recent weeks made public as she makes big decision

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  • Former Wimbledon champion fears Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner domination may be a problem for tennis

    Former Wimbledon champion fears Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner domination may be a problem for tennis

    Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have developed a stranglehold on men’s tennis for the last two years, but former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash has suggested that might not be entirely positive for the sport.

    The rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner has arrived at the end of an era of dominance for the ‘Big 3’ of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, with the two new stars of the men’s game taking the levels of the sport to a whole new audience over the last couple of years.

    Alcaraz and Sinner have shared the last eight Grand Slam titles between them and they are heading into 2026 as the undisputed kings of the sport, but Cash suggests the reliance on two players to carry the sport might not be entirely positive.

    A dip for either Alcaraz or Sinner in 2026 could lead to what may become an unhealthy domination from one of the duo and Cash suggests more names are needed to take the sport forward.

    “It’s a two-horse race and I don’t necessarily think it’s a healthy thing,” Cash told Tennis365 in his role as an ambassador for the Bank of China Hong Kong Open.

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    Grand Slam-winning legend suggests Carlos Alcaraz has an asterisk against his name

    “We want to see those great finals between them and the French Open final set the bench so high that everyone wants to see that. We all want another five-set thriller with points being won from all angles, but that’s not going to happen all the time.

    “So it is very much a two-horse race and if one of them has a bad day and gets knocked out, the tournament officials are going to be worried. They are all hoping Alcaraz and Sinner get to the final and do what they did at the French Open last year all over again.

    “They are holding their breath that these two guys get through and that’s no necessarily a healthy thing.

    “We look at the WTA Tour and it is wide open, with lots of players who can win the Grand Slam, but it’s not like that with the men at the moment.

    “Would I like to see Alcaraz and Sinner in the final of the Australian Open on a few weeks time? You bet ya I would. It would be really something.”

    With Alcaraz splitting from his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero last month, any dip in form for the young Spaniard could open the door for his big rival to dominate this season, with Cash casting his eye over the other players who will be keen to get in the mix.

    “These two are the best in the world, there is no doubt about that” he added. “Novak (Djokovic) is going to be nipping at their heels for as long as he is playing and then you look at Taylor Fritz and he is pushing to get in there.

    “I look at Lorenzo Musetti, who is playing in Hong Kong this week, and he could be one who can get into the mix with the top guys after he did so well last year. The same goes for (Alexander) Bublik, who has all the talent.

    “The one I thought should challenge Alcaraz and Sinner was Jack Draper, but he is having his injury problems. He’s the one who has the firepower, but the poor guy has struggled to keep himself on the track, which is a real shame.”

    Cash spoke to Tennis365 in Hong Kong, where he is an ambassador to the Bank of China Hong Kong Open, which is taking place in the city this week.

    “I just love being in Hong Kong, it’s something very special,” he added. “It’s something like 46 years since I came through here as a junior player and it has changed so much since then.

    “The scenery is just beautiful here and the good is just to die for. It’s a very vibrant city and there is always something happening. The people are so friendly and it’s always great to be here.”

    Pat Cash and Mark Woodforde

    Pat Cash and Mark Woodforde spoke to Tennis365 at the Bank of China Hong Kong Open

    READ NEXT: Will Carlos Alcaraz regret splitting with Juan Carlos Ferrero? Former world No 4 answers

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  • Carlos Alcaraz adjusts his pre-Australian Open plans as key off-season training focus is revealed

    Carlos Alcaraz has adjusted his early 2026 season schedule, while a technical change the world No 1 has been working on has been revealed.

    The six-time Grand Slam champion will not play any tournaments before officially starting his campaign at the Australian Open, where main draw play will begin on January 18.

    Alcaraz will, though, face world No 2 Jannik Sinner — his biggest rival — in an exhibition match in Incheon, South Korea on January 10.

    According to a report by Eurosport Spain, Alcaraz was originally set to travel to South Korea on Monday, but he has delayed his trip until Wednesday January 7.

    The 22-year-old will spend Three Kings Day, a major Spanish holiday on January 6, at home with his family in El Palmar.

    Alcaraz has trained for four weeks at the Real Sociedad Club de Campo in Murcia, his long-time home tennis club, and the report revealed he has been making tweaks to his service motion.

    During his practice sessions, Alcaraz has been seen working on improving his service ball toss with his coach Samuel Lopez.

    Tennis News

    Will Carlos Alcaraz regret splitting with Juan Carlos Ferrero? Former world No 4 answers

    Grand Slam-winning legend suggests Carlos Alcaraz has an asterisk against his name

    Alcaraz had the best season of his career to date in 2025 as he won eight titles, including two majors, reached 11 finals and finished as the year-end No 1.

    However, constantly finding ways to improve is a quality shared by tennis’ greatest players, and Alcaraz’s focus on his serve during off-season training suggests he feels this key area of his game can reach another level.

    How did Carlos Alcaraz’s serve perform in 2025?

    For the 2025 season, Alcaraz ranked 10th on the ATP Tour’s Serve Rating Leaderboard, which takes into account: first serve percentage, first serve points won, second serve points won, percentage of service games won, average number of aces per match, and average number of double faults per match.

    The Spaniard was third for second serve points won (56.8%) last year, but he finished in a modest position of 26th for first serve points won (74.1%), highlighting that first serve effectiveness is an area in which he has significant room for growth. Alcaraz ranked sixth for percentage of service games won (87.6%).

    Alcaraz’s rival, Sinner, topped the rankings for first serve points won (79.5%), second serve points won (59.1%) and percentage of service games won (92%).

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    READ NEXT: ‘Alcaraz & Sinner’s rivalry is very similar to Federer, Nadal, Djokovic – but something is missing’

    The post Carlos Alcaraz adjusts his pre-Australian Open plans as key off-season training focus is revealed appeared first on Tennis365.