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Novak Djokovic’s Davis Cup teammate Dusan Lajovic has weighed in on the tennis legend’s preparation for the 2025 US Open.

Djokovic has not played since his Wimbledon semi-final loss to Jannik Sinner last month having skipped the Masters 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati.

The Serbian, who reached the last four at the first three Grand Slams of the 2025 season, will aim to secure a record-equalling fifth US Open men’s singles crown.

The 38-year-old, who won his 24th and most recent major at the 2023 US Open, will become the oldest Grand Slam singles champion in history if he triumphs at Flushing Meadows.

In an interview with Sport Klub, Lajovic addressed whether Djokovic’s lack of matches before the US Open could have a negative effect on his chances.

“For 97 percent of other tennis players, I would say – yes, but for Novak – no,” said the world No 146, who has been ranked as high as 23rd.

“He did it earlier in his career, maybe not now, but before Australia he did not play in a tournament for a long time, which is a break of a month and a half, maybe even longer than now.

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“Realistically, the first three rounds of the Slam are mostly a warm-up for him, if we look at the statistics and history. It comes to him as a preparatory tournament that the others have in Cincinnati and Toronto or wherever.

“That happens, of course. The players see more chances against him, they feel that he is not as dominant as before. On the other hand, Novak prioritises his body and being physically ready compared to feeling the ball in the first matches or showing his rivals that he is still where he is.

“However, it is not easy to step on the field after not playing for a month or a month and a half, but in this case it is more important for Novak to be physically ready for the end of the tournament, not the beginning.

“The biggest obstacle for Novak this year at the Slams is his physical preparation, we all saw that. If he manages to match them physically, to play consecutive matches with the top 10 players – now his draw is like that… If he succeeds, Novak is the favourite just like Sinner and Alcaraz.

“Sinner showed at Wimbledon that he knows how to deal with a heavy defeat at Roland Garros, thus gaining another level of self-confidence. Alcaraz and Sinner are physically a little bit in front, but when Novak plays at his best – he’s invincible.

“I’d like him to be ready for the whole match, so let’s see where the 38-year-old man is against the much younger ones.”

READ NEXT: Roger Federer’s ex-coach argues Novak Djokovic’s longevity will not be replicated

The post ‘Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner are physically in front, but Novak Djokovic is invincible when at his best’ appeared first on Tennis365.

Emma Raducanu finds herself at No 35 in the WTA Live Rankings following her exit from the Cincinnati Open, but she could still be seeded at the US Open.

Following her recent good form that saw her reach the semi-final of the Citi DC Open and fourth round of the Canadian Open, Raducanu had surged into the top 35 of the WTA Rankings and, coupled with some withdrawals from the Cincinnati main draw, she found herself seeded 30th for the WTA 1000 event.

But it didn’t count much in her favour as she found herself facing top seed and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the third round and, although she produced an excellent display and took a set off the three-time Grand Slam winner, she lost in three sets against the world No 1.

Raducanu started the tournament at No 39, but received a four-place boost for reaching the round of 32.

With the Cincinnati Open the final event before the cut off for the seedings for the US Open, the British No 1’s hopes suffered a big blow as only the top 32 players in the world are seeded at Grand Slams.

However, it was not a fatal blow as there had already been a couple of withdrawals from players who were set to be seeded, and more could follow before the draw is made on Thursday August 21 in New York.

World No 7 Zheng Qinwen and No 12 Paula Badosa have already confirmed they won’t take part in the season-ending Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows and that has resulted in the players at No 33 and No 34 in the Live Rankings being bumped into the top 32.

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Leylah Fernandez and Mccartney Kessler have been the beneficiaries and Raducanu is now next in line to move into a seeded position if there are any further withdrawals.

There is further good news for Raducanu as those just below her in the Live Rankings have already exited the Cincinnati Open with French qualifier Varvara Gracheva the only player outside the top 35 still alive at the WTA 1000 tournament.

However, the 25-year-old will have to win the title to usurp Raducanu in the WTA Rankings.

The other quarter-finalists, Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, Veronika Kudermetova, Jasmine Paolini and Coco Gauff are all ahead of Raducanu.

The 2021 US Open winner has been seeded only four times at Grand Slams and that was in 2022 on the back of her title run at Flushing Meadows four years ago as she surged up the rankings.

She was seeded 17th at the Australian Open, 12th at the French Open, 10th at Wimbledon and 11th at the US Open.

Raducanu is yet to win a match at Flushing Meadows outside of her 2021 title run when she recorded 10 victories in a row after coming through qualifying.

Her title defence ended in the first round in 2022 as she was beaten by Alice Cornet while she missed the next edition due to injury while last year she lost in the first round against Sofia Kenin.

Current Top 32 Based on Live Rankings

1. Aryna Sabalenka
2. Coco Gauff
3. Iga Swiatek
4. Jessica Pegula
5. Mirra Andreeva
6. Madison Keys
7. Amanda Anisimova
8. Jasmine Paolini
9. Elena Rybakina
10. Emma Navarro
11. Karolina Muchova
12. Elina Svitolina
13. Ekaterina Alexandrova
14. Clara Tauson
15. Daria Kasatkina
16. Belinda Bencic
17. Ludmilla Samsonova
18. Beatriz Haddad Maia
19. Elise Mertens
20. Diana Shnaider
21. Linda Noskova
22. Victoria Mboko
23. Naomi Osaka
24. Jeļena Ostapenko
25. Sofia Kenin
26. Marta Kostyuk
27. Magdalena Frech
28. Veronika Kudermetova
29. Anna Kalinskaya
30. Dayana Yastremska
31. Leylah Fernandez
32. Mccartney Kessler

Next Five
33. Emma Raducanu
34. Magda Linette
35. Xinyu Wang
36. Rebecca Sramkova
37. Ashlyn Krueger

The post A look at Emma Raducanu’s chances of being seeded at 2025 US Open appeared first on Tennis365.

Aryna Sabalenka’s title defence at the Cincinnati Open is over as she lost in the quarter-final and she was joined on the sidelines by second seed Coco Gauff, but how many ranking points and how much money did they earn for their efforts?

World No 1 Sabalenka’s campaign was ended by Elena Rybakina as the ninth seed claimed a convincing 6-1, 6-4 victory for her fourth win over the three-time Grand Slam winner. However, the reigning US Open champion still has a lead in their head-to-head rivalry as she is 7-5 up.

Although Sabalenka has a healthy advantage over Gauff in the WTA Rankings, the American had a chance to chip away at her points lead later in the day, but she came up short as she lost 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 against Jasmine Paolini.

Seventh seed Paolini will face Veronika Kudermetova for a place in the final while Rybakina will take on Iga Swiatek in the other semi-final.

But for Sabalenka and Gauff, they will now head to New York to start their preparations for the US Open.

WTA Ranking Points Earned In Cincinnati

The WTA Tour uses a 52-week rolling, cumulative system, which means players defend points from the corresponding periods 12 months ago.

Players who win WTA 1000 events earn 1,000 ranking points, thus Sabalenka had 1,000 points to defend from her 2024 title run. Of course, she reclaimed some of those points with every win at the 2025 edition.

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A quarter-final appearance is worth 215 points so Sabalenka dropped 785 points (215 – 1000), putting her on 11,225 points in the WTA Rankings, still well clear of Gauff in second place.

The American lost in the second round in the 2024 edition so by reaching the quarter-final she earned 205 points (215 – 10) with the gap to Sabalenka now 3,351 points.

Prize Money Earned In Cincinnati

World No 1 Sabalenka was on $7,026,519 earnings for the year while her career earnings were US$37,133,342 before the start of the Cincinnati Open and she has added another $106,900 to her tally.

Reigning French Open champion Gauff, meanwhile, has earned $5,839,785 so far in 2025 and $27,204,216 over the course of her career. She also earned $106,900 in prize money.

But while that is small change for the top two, Varvara Gracheva also lost in the quarter-final and her earnings for the year was $509,923 before the tournament and that $106,900 will be a welcome boost to her bank balance.

The Frenchwoman came through qualifying and upset 11th seed Karolina Muchova in the third round before beating fellow qualifier Ella Seidel to reach the quarters. Her run was ended by Kudermetova, but she earned 150 points and surged 20 places in to No 83 in the WTA Rankings.

The post How many points and how much prize money did Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff win at Cincinnati Open? appeared first on Tennis365.

The final Grand Slam of the year is just days away and the talking points swirling in tennis are overflowing ahead of the US Open.

The revamped mixed doubles competition set to dominate the agenda ahead of the main draw at Flushing Meadows, with Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu among the eye-catching combinations scheduled to take part.

Yet once the main event gets underway, we will be presented with women’s and men’s draw that will throw up a host of headlines over the course of the 15-day tournament.

Here are a few early Tennis365 predictions of what to expect, as the biggest names in tennis chase a record-breaking $5m prize money cheque in that will be handed to the singles champions.

ALCARAZ’S BIGGEST TEST

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The answer to that question up to now has been positive, as the world No 2 has beaten his biggest rival on both indoor and outdoor hard courts in recent years.

Yet the version of Sinner that looks set to head into the US Open as the overwhelming favourite to defend the title he won last year appears to be an unstoppable force who may have too much power and precision, even for Alcaraz.

The Spaniard crashed out of the US Open early last year and while he should get to the semi-finals at least, he may be tested by a big-serving Ben Shelton on a fast hard court and he would be an outside to beat Sinner under the lights in New York.

Verdict: Sinner will hammer Alcaraz in straight sets if the ‘Big 2’ meet at the US Open.

EMMA RADUCANU ON FIRE

Emma Raducanu may have missed out on a seeding position at the US Open, but she is heading to New York in a confident mood.

Four years have passed since the Brit shocked the tennis world by winning the title at Flushing Meadows, with the tortured journey she has been on since then hard to watch at times.

Now it feels like Raducanu 2.0 is with us after he two epic battles with world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka confirmed she is mixing it with the best in the game once again.

She needs some luck with the draw in New York, but Raducanu could get into the second week if she plays at the level she has produced in recent months.

Verdict: Raducanu to make it into the quarter-finals at the US Open.

IGA SWIATEK BACK ON TOP

Iga Swiatek’s form over the last 12 months has been less than convincing, but her stunning Wimbledon win allowed her to regain some of her aura.

The powerful ground shots that fired her to five Grand Slam titles returned in time to give her a sixth at the All England Club and she has had that winning passion back in her game in her recent performances.

Swiatek has not always been at her best at the US Open, but with Sabalenka showing some signs of frailties, the Pole will fancy her chances of winning another Grand Slam title.

Verdict: Swiatek is the player to beat in the women’s draw.

WHAT ABOUT NOVAK DJOKOVIC?

The 24-time Grand Slam-winning champion has not been talked about as a contender heading into the US Open, especially as he has opted not to play in any warm-up events.

Yet he has made it through to the semi-finals of the first three majors of 2025 and has only been stopped by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

Those two appear to be in a league of their own, but if they were to lose unexpectedly or pick up injuries, Djokovic has confirmed he is the third best player in the world when he is fit and motivated.

Verdict: He needs some fortune to go his way and some help from Sinner and Alcaraz, but Djokovic will be a contender at every Grand Slam until he calls time on his career.

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The post Carlos Alcaraz thrashed, Emma Raducanu shines, Iga Swiatek storms back – early US Open predictions appeared first on Tennis365.

Emma Raducanu’s impressive return to form in recent weeks has been highlighted by her return to the top 10 of the alternative tennis rankings.

Raducanu has shown impressive form over the last couple of months, with solid performances on clay and grass courts backed up by a run to the semi-finals of the WTA 500 tournament in Washington last month.

She went on to reach the third round at the Cincinnati Open and pushed world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka all the way in a titanic battle before losing a third set tie-break.

The performance highlighted Raducanu’s rising status in the women’s game and now the 2021 US Open champion has broken back into the top 10 of the UTR Rankings.

Raducanu has not managed to get over the line in most of her battles against top 10 rivals, but she has looked much more competitive heading into this year’s US Open and that is reflected in the updated UTR list.

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The UTR Rankings are based on the current form from the last few weeks and months rather than reflecting results that occurred up to a year ago, with the system created to promote fair and competitive play across the tennis world.

All players, regardless of age, gender, geography, or skill level, are rated on the same scale between 1.00 and 16.50 based on actual match results.

The UTR Ranking is open to players of all levels of the game and the algorithm used provides an intriguing insight into the current form of the top players in the game.

Victories against higher-ranked players are worth more in the UTR list than the official ATP or WTA Ranking, meaning they offer a more accurate reflection of the current form at the top of the game.

That algorithm ensured that Victoria Mboko has made big leaps up the UTR Rankings after her win at the WTA 1000 event in her home nation of Canada earlier this month.

Mboko beat four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the Canadian Open final, completing her amazing rise after she started the year ranked at No 333.

Now she is up to No 24 in the WTA Rankings and she is even higher in the UTR Rankings at No 19.

Intriguingly, Coco Gauff leads the current URT Rankings ahead of WTA No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, with these rankings offering plenty of talking points.

Updated UTR Rankings

1. Coco Gauff

2. Aryna Sabalenka

3. Iga Swiatek

4. Mirra Andreeva

5. Zheng Qinwen

6. Elena Rybakina

7. Ekaterina Alexandrova

8. Elina Svitolina

9. Emma Raducanu

10. Marketa Vondrousova

11. Jessica Pegula

12. Jasmine Paolini

13. Madison Keys

14. Paula Badosa

15. Liudmila Samsonova

16. Amanda Anisimova

17. Elise Mertens

18. Noami Osaka

19. Victoria Mboko

20. Belinda Bencic

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The post Emma Raducanu back into top 10 of tennis rankings and Victoria Mboko is also on the rise appeared first on Tennis365.

Coco Gauff could win “double digit” Grand Slam titles and be a long-term world No 1 if she makes a change to her service motion, according to legendary coach Rick Macci.

The American star is already a two-time major singles champion, having triumphed at the 2023 US Open and the 2025 French Open.

Gauff, who has won 10 WTA Tour events overall, is currently at her career-high ranking of world No 2.

The 21-year-old is one of the best movers and defenders in the women’s game, while she is also renowned for her world-class backhand and mental toughness.

While Gauff’s powerful first serve can be a major weapon when firing, her second serve has long been considered a weakness.

She hit the most double faults among all WTA players in 2024 (430) and also leads the tour in this unwanted statistical category so far this season.

Gauff’s second serve troubles recently came to the fore at the Canadian Open in Montreal as she hit 43 double faults across her three matches against Danielle Collins, Veronika Kudermetova and Victoria Mboko.

She then committed eight double faults in her 6-3, 6-2 second round win over Wang Xinyu in Cincinnati.

In an exclusive interview with Tennis365, Macci argued Gauff could become a dominant force with a more reliable serve.

“Think about it, her wide serve to the deuce court is one of the best in the world, but then in the same breath, we’re talking about she leads the WTA Tour in double faults. So there’s a disconnect,” assessed the American.

“Not that you couldn’t have a good first serve and a shaky second. Plus, her racket on her serve, the leg drive doesn’t initiate the racket at the right time and… but keeping her weight back longer with the platform and starting brand new, there’s no doubt that [with] myself and Dr. Gordon (an expert in Biomechanics), this could be solved immediately.

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“Then, if that changes, I think not only could Coco become No 1 – which she probably will anyways – I think she could stay there for a long time, because her backbone is better than her backhand and she’s an Olympic sprinter with a racket in her hand.

“She’s just such a great competitor, she checks all these other boxes. But when you’re out there double faulting eight, 10, 12 times, or whatever, and you’re still winning, how good could you be when you’re only hitting a couple?

“I mean that’s like crazy. I mean, your mind has to be made of granite. I mean, a lot of girls would disappear into outer space. So I just have so much respect for Coco.

“But to be great, it’s a package, and if this serve could be modified, I have no doubt where she could end up – double digits (Grand Slams) is around the corner for Coco.”

As well as Serena and Venus Williams, Macci has coached Maria Sharapova, Jennifer Capriati, Andy Roddick, Mary Pierce, Anastasia Myskina and Sofia Kenin.

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The post Serena Williams’ former coach predicts Coco Gauff will be dominant if she changes one thing appeared first on Tennis365.

Jannik Sinner has revealed why he rehired Umberto Ferrara after previously sacking the fitness trainer in the aftermath of his failed doping tests.

On July 23, it was announced that Ferrara had made a surprise return to Sinner’s team just over a week after he won Wimbledon.

“The decision has been made in alignment with Jannik’s management team as part of ongoing preparations for upcoming tournaments, including the Cincinnati Open and US Open,” a statement from Sinner’s team read.

“Umberto has played an important role in Jannik’s development to date, and his return reflects a renewed focus on continuity and performance at the highest level.”

Sinner made the decision less than a month after he fired fitness trainer Marco Panichi and physiotherapist Ulises Badio on the eve of Wimbledon. Panichi and Badio previously spent long spells working with Novak Djokovic.

The world No 1 fired both Ferrara and his former physio Giacomi Naldi ahead of the 2024 US Open after it was revealed he had failed two doping tests in March last year.

In his pre-tournament press conference at the 2025 Cincinnati Open, Sinner refused to offer any further details when asked about his choice to reappoint Ferrara.

“Yeah, I think we said it all, everything in the statement,” the four-time Grand Slam champion said. “I’m very happy to be here and play again this tournament.”

The Italian was asked about the topic again after his quarter-final win over Felix Auger-Aliassime in Cincinnati, and this time he explained Ferrara’s return.

“It was a different situation. Now everything is different. I felt like, at this point, I needed someone who knew my body better,” the 23-year-old said.

“We worked together for about two years before this break. His work has brought me a lot of benefits.

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“We worked on every area of my body: mobility, stability, and even my body’s endurance has improved. I think he did a great job.

“I also got along well with Marco [Panichi], but maybe he wasn’t the best choice. I’ve always had a good feeling about Umberto.”

Ahead of the 2024 US Open, Sinner revealed he had lost confidence in Naldi and Ferrara as he addressed their departures.

“I want to start with [saying] that they have been a huge part of my career,” Sinner said.

“We made an incredible job, bringing a lot of success and then having a great team behind me. Now, because of these mistakes, I’m not feeling that confident to continue with them.

“I was struggling a lot in the last months. Now I was waiting for the result, and now I just need some clean air.”

It was revealed in August 2024 that Sinner had twice tested positive for the banned substance clostebol in March 2024 — during and after the Indian Wells Masters.

The world No 1 initially avoided a ban as The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced that an independent tribunal ruled he bore “no fault or negligence.”

Sinner later served a ban from February 9 to May 4 after settling his case with the World Anti-Doping Agency – which had planned to appeal the ITIA’s ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

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The post Jannik Sinner reveals reason for rehiring fitness trainer he fired over his failed doping tests  appeared first on Tennis365.

Venus Williams has been handed a wildcard to compete at this year’s US Open, but that decision should be greeted with some scepticism.

We need to start this analysis by acknowledging the status of Williams as one of the all-time greats of the women’s game, with the impact she has made stretching well beyond the seven Grand Slam singles titles she has won.

Two of those wins came at the US Open in 2000 and 2001, with the last of those successes coming 24 years ago.

That time span alone will raise questions over whether 45-year-old Williams should still be given a free pass to play in the main draw of a Grand Slam singles event, even though she has played just four singles matches since a crushing 6-1, 6-1 defeat against Greet Minnen at last year’s US Open.

The manner of that defeat suggested Williams was no longer competitive at the highest level of the sport and while she did secure first WTA Tour win in almost two years when she beat Peyton Stearns in Washington last month, the presence of this icon in the draw appears to be based more on sentiment than merit.

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Wild cards are given out to former champions and legends of the sport who may need some assistance to get into a draw as they battle back from injury or a time away from the sport, yet that is not the story for Williams.

She has been a part-time tennis player for some time and while her presence could allow US Open organisers to put her on a show court for what may be her last appearance, a rising star of the game has been denied a chance to play at Flushing Meadows to facilitate another appearance from Venus.

Along with her sister Serena, Williams is a giant of the game who has inspired so many young girls to pick up a racket over the last couple of decades, but her desire to extend her career will force a junior hopeful to play in qualifying rather than playing in the main draw at the US Open.

This reality may not sit well with Williams, after she suggested she wanted her legacy to be an inspiration to all the players following in her footsteps.

“As a young person, I wanted to play the game, be a champion,” she said last month. “I loved the game so much, I didn’t realise that it would be so much bigger than myself.

“Seeing these young women doing positive things with their life, winning tournaments, inspiring the next generation, too, it’s like I could have never imagined that. So it’s like icing on the cake, cherries on top with the nuts and all the fixings. It’s beautiful.”

Williams will not be a contender to mount any kind of run at the US Open and that is no surprise at the age of 45, but she will set a record at the US Open as she will be the oldest singles entrant at the tournament since Renee Richards played there at the age of 47 in 1981.

If she turns this appearance at the US Open into a farewell match that will allow the tennis world to bid her a fond farewell, it may be a moment we can all savour.

Yet that scenario has not been promoted by tournament organisers, meaning a prized Grand Slam spot is being taken by a player who may not be competitive in the heat of a Grand Slam battle.

Fellow Americans Clervie Ngounoue, Julieta Pareja, Caty McNally, Valerie Glozman and Alyssa Ahn will also receive singles main draw wild cards, as well as France’s Caroline Garcia, a 2022 semi-finalist, and Australian Talia Gibson.

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The post Is Venus Williams halting the next generation by exploiting her remarkable legacy? appeared first on Tennis365.

Roger Federer’s former coach Ivan Ljubicic has made a telling comment about Novak Djokovic’s remarkable longevity.

Djokovic, who turned 38 in May, is ranked seventh in the world and remains a force at the top of the sport.

The Serbian was a semi-finalist at the three Grand Slams played so far this season and he will arguably be the third favourite at the US Open after Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Djokovic beat Alcaraz at the Australian Open in January and Alexander Zverev at the French Open in June.

While Djokovic has not found the same consistency outside the majors in 2025, he won his 100th ATP singles title in Geneva in May and was a runner-up at the Miami Masters in March.

In 2024, Djokovic claimed his maiden gold medal at the Paris Olympics and was a runner-up at Wimbledon — both after turning 37. He won his 24th and most recent Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open, when he was 36.

On Twitter, tennis writer Christopher Clarey pointed out that Djokovic is nine years older than any other player in the top 20 of the ATP Rankings. The next-youngest player in the current top 20 is 29-year-old Karen Khachanov.

In reply to Clarey’s post, Ljubicic argued Djokovic’s level in his late thirties will not be replicated by other players.

“Once he retires, we will go back to normality, where humans will not be able to be competitive at highest level after certain age,” wrote Ljubicic.

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Ljubicic coached Djokovic’s great rival Federer from 2016 until his retirement in 2022, helping the Swiss legend win three of his 20 Grand Slam titles.

The Croatian won 10 ATP Tour singles titles and reached a career-high ranking of world No 3 during an illustrious playing career spanning from 1998 to 2012. Ljubicic faced Djokovic nine times, with the Serbian winning seven of their meetings.

In 2023, Ljubicic gave his opinion on whether Djokovic is the greatest player of all time.

“I think Novak is already the most successful. But the terminology ‘greatest’ is ungrateful and subjective,” he told Sport Klub.

“That’s great – everyone has their greatest, and let the debate begin. If we look at other sports, is there a GOAT in football… In basketball, [Michael] Jordan is the GOAT, but he didn’t win the most.

“It’s someone who touched you the most – for a third of the world it’s Federer, for a third of the world it’s Nadal, for a third of the world, for a third it’s Novak.”

READ NEXT: How Novak Djokovic fared at the US Open the previous times he missed Cincinnati

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