Category: Articles

  • ATP Finals: Qualification permutations for Alcaraz, Musetti, Fritz, & de Minaur revealed

    ATP Finals: Qualification permutations for Alcaraz, Musetti, Fritz, & de Minaur revealed

    A dramatic day of ATP Finals action on Tuesday means that there will be plenty to play for in Group Jimmy Connors when all four players return to action this week.

    Tuesday’s play started with Carlos Alcaraz battling past Taylor Fritz in three sets, before a thrilling evening match saw Lorenzo Musetti fight back from the brink to defeat Alex de Minaur.

    Results so far mean that all four players will have plenty to play for come the final phase of round-robin matches at the ATP Finals on Thursday; here, we look at what all four men need to do to reach the semi-finals.

    What does Alcaraz need?

    With two wins from two, Alcaraz is in a commanding position in Group Jimmy Connors, though his qualification is not guaranteed.

    The Spaniard would exit the tournament if he loses to Musetti in straight sets, and Fritz beats de Minaur by any scoreline.

    However, any other scenario would see Alcaraz progress.

    He needs just a set to guarantee progression, and he would still top the group if he lost in three sets, but Fritz also beat de Minaur in three sets.

    A win for Alcaraz would guarantee top spot and see him face the runner-up from Group Bjorn Borg in the last four; a win would also seal the year-end No 1 ranking.

    What does Musetti need?

    After a dramatic win against de Minaur on Tuesday night, Musetti has a fighting chance of progression heading into the final phase of round-robin matches.

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    But, to have any chance of progression, he must absolutely beat Alcaraz; a defeat would see him exit, regardless of sets won or the result in the previous match.

    Musetti would be guaranteed progression if he beats the Spaniard in straight sets, and would top the group if de Minaur beat Fritz in the other encounter.

    If Musetti were to win in three sets, he would then need de Minaur to beat Fritz to progress from the group.

    What does Fritz need?

    Despite defeat to Alcaraz on Tuesday, Fritz still has a relatively strong chance of progressing — thanks to the set he won against the Spaniard.

    The American will be guaranteed progression if he were to beat de Minaur on Thursday.

    Should he defeat the Australian, he would finish second if Alcaraz beats Musetti, and would top the group if he wins in straight sets and Musetti beats Alcaraz, or if he wins in three sets and Musetti in two sets.

    Fritz could still progress if he tastes defeat de Minaur, though his hopes would be reliant on Alcaraz.

    The only way he can progress in defeat to de Minaur is if he loses in three sets, and then Alcaraz beats Musetti.

    A straight-sets defeat to de Minaur will see Fritz exit the tournament, regardless of other results.

    What does de Minaur need?

    With two defeats from two, de Minaur’s ATP Finals hopes are hanging by a thread.

    However, after winning one set against Musetti, the seventh seed still has a slight chance of progression come Thursday.

    To have any chance of reaching the semi-final, the Australian must beat Fritz in straight sets — a three-set win would not be enough.

    Should de Minaur then win in straight sets, he would need Alcaraz to beat Musetti by any scoreline.

    That would be enough for de Minaur to qualify in second place in the group.

    Group Jimmy Connors qualifying scenarios

    ATP Finals Group Jimmy Connors qualifying scenarios.

    Qualifying permutations at the ATP Finals.

    Order of play (Thursday, November 13 – local time)

    n/b 14:00: (6) Taylor Fritz vs (7) Alex de Minaur
    n/b 20:30: (1) Carlos Alcaraz vs (9) Lorenzo Musetti

    Read Next: Carlos Alcaraz on course to break Novak Djokovic’s prize money record after ATP Finals win

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  • Ranking the 10 best WTA Tour matches of 2025 – ft. Sabalenka, Swiatek, Keys, Anisimova

    A thrilling WTA Tour season has come to a close, with different champions crowned at all four majors and at the WTA Finals in 2025.

    It was a season of high-quality performances and incredible consistency towards the very top of the women’s games, and there were some classic matches to boot.

    Here, factoring in the occasion, overall quality, and significance — among other factors — we rank our ten best women’s tennis matches of 2025.

    10) Aryna Sabalenka def Marta Kostyuk 7-6(4), 7-6(7), Madrid Open QF

    Sabalenka claimed a record-equalling third Madrid Open title back in May, and her quarter-final clash versus Kostyuk proved to be the best match of the tournament — and one of the best of the year.

    Kostyuk produced some sensational tennis and held set points in both sets, though the world No 1 stepped up when it mattered to stay alive in the tournament.

    9) Alex Eala def Clara Tauson 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(11), US Open R1

    One of the most dramatic matches of the year saw Eala make history by becoming the first Filipina to win a Grand Slam match in the Open Era, stunning Tauson in New York.

    After splitting two high-quality sets, Tauson looked set to triumph at 5-1 up in the decider, only for Eala to battle her way back and ultimately prevail in an extraordinary tiebreak.

    8) Iga Swiatek def Elena Rybakina 1-6, 6-3, 7-5, French Open R4

    Swiatek and Rybakina met on five separate occasions across 2025, though it was their French Open clash that was the most thrilling, and perhaps the most crucial for the Pole.

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    Rybakina barely put a foot wrong on her way to a 6-1, 2-0 lead, only for Swiatek to force her way back into contention and ultimately strike towards the end of a tense decider to prevail at Roland Garros.

    7) Amanda Anisimova def Jasmine Paolini 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-4, China Open QF

    Anisimova’s rise towards the top of the game was one of the best stories of 2025, and, among the thrilling matches she contested this season, her China Open clash was among the best.

    Paolini edged a hugely competitive opening set only for the American to strike back in the second, and hold her nerve in a thrilling decider to seal victory — and ultimately go on to take the title.

    6) Victoria Mboko def Elena Rybakina 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(4), Canadian Open SF

    No breakout run was bigger than Mboko’s extraordinary path to the Canadian Open title in Montreal, and while she played several memorable matches, her semi-final against Rybakina was perhaps the greatest.

    The Canadian looked in trouble after a lopsided first set, but fought back to force a decider, and would save match point before sealing a stunning triumph in a third-set breaker, going on to down Naomi Osaka in the final.

    5) Aryna Sabalenka def Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, US Open SF

    Sabalenka and Pegula’s rivalry was one of the best of 2025, and the Wuhan Open and WTA Finals could easily have also made this list.

    However, factoring in the occasion and the overall quality across the match, their US Open semi-final was arguably their best match of the season.

    In a rematch of the 2024 final, Pegula struck early on and claimed the opening set, only for Sabalenka to roar back and prevail in an enthralling decider to reach the final.

    4) Mirra Andreeva def Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, Indian Wells F

    Andreeva’s surge up the WTA Rankings was one of the biggest talking points of the first half of the year, and her triumph in Indian Wells was undoubtedly her crowning achievement.

    Fresh off her triumph in Dubai, the Russian defeated Swiatek to reach her second straight WTA 1000 final — though her run appeared to be coming to an end versus Sabalenka in the championship match.

    But, defying her opponent’s experience, Andreeva produced a tactical masterclass to work her way into the match and turn the tables to prevail in three thrilling sets.

    3) Aryna Sabalenka def Emma Raducanu 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(5), Cincinnati Open R3

    Weeks after a thrilling Wimbledon encounter between the two, Sabalenka and Raducanu produced arguably even better match when they did battle at the WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati.

    A tight first set went the way of the world No 1, but, unlike at SW19, Raducanu was able to respond emphatically, forcing a decider in an impressive display.

    There was little between the two in an incredibly tight deciding set, though it was Sabalenka who held her nerve in the final-set tiebreak to keep her campaign alive.

    2) Amanda Anisimova def Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, Wimbledon SF

    Anisimova and Sabalenka’s rivalry was one of the best — if not the best — of 2025, meeting at three straight majors and the WTA Finals.

    Their Wimbledon semi-final was arguably the pick of those clashes, the two battling it out in a thrilling semi-final won by the American.

    Into her first SW19 semi-final, Anisimova was not phased and, despite losing her grip on the match in the second set, dashed the world No 1’s hopes by prevailing in a high-quality third set.

    1) Madison Keys def Iga Swiatek 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(8), Australian Open SF

    Of all the notable triumphs in 2025, none were more memorable or celebrated than Keys’ win at the Australian Open, with the American’s extraordinary run finishing in a first major title.

    And, while her fourth round versus Rybakina or final versus Sabalenka could have also featured, perhaps no match in 2025 matched the drama and quality of her semi-final win versus Swiatek.

    After the Pole claimed a tight first set, Keys roared back with an astonishing second set — only to seemingly lose her grip on the contest at the very end.

    However, a booming return saw the American save match point as Swiatek failed to serve out the semi-final, and Keys held her nerve in the ensuing tiebreak to close out an Australian Open classic.

    Honourable mentions

    Coco Gauff def Aryna Sabalenka 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4, French Open F

    Maya Joint def Alex Eala 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(10), Eastbourne Open F

    Elina Svitolina def Jasmine Paolini 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-1, French Open R4

    Aryna Sabalenka def Elena Rybakina 7-6(6), 3-6, 7-6(6), Berlin Open QF

    Amanda Anisimova def Linda Noskova 6-2, 5-7, 6-4, Wimbledon QF

    Read Next: Ranking the 10 best WTA Tour players of 2025 – ft. Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff, Anisimova

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  • WTA Tour prize money: Sabalenka overtakes Swiatek & breaks a Serena Williams record

    Aryna Sabalenka has climbed to second on the all-time WTA Tour prize money leaders list as she concluded her 2025 campaign by setting a sensational record.

    There are 10 women who have earned over $30million on the WTA Tour, while five women have reached the $40million milestone.

    Coco Gauff is 11th on the list with $29,759,121, while Agnieszka Radwanska ($27,683,807), Elina Svitolina ($26,657,071), Karolina Pliskova ($26,140,530) and Svetlana Kuznetsova ($25,816,890), sit 12th to 15th respectively.

    The top 10 all-time prize money earners on the WTA Tour

    • Aryna Sabalenka’s record-breaking 2025 season has lifted her to second place on the all-time WTA Tour prize money list
    • Serena Williams has collected over two times more in on-court earnings than any other woman
    • Iga Swiatek and Venus Williams both make the top four, and they are two of the other four ‘active’ players in the top 10

    Here, we count down the 10 players who have collected the most prize money in WTA Tour history.

    10. Angelique Kerber – $32,545,460

    Angelique Kerber won 14 WTA Tour titles, including three Grand Slams, during a career spanning from 2003 to 2024.

    The German’s 2016 season, during which she won the Australian Open and US Open and secured $10,136,615, ranks as the fifth most lucrative WTA Tour season ever.

    9. Caroline Wozniacki – $36,479,231

    Caroline Wozniacki, a former world No 1 who last played in 2024, has won 30 WTA Tour titles in a pro career that began in 2005.

    The Dane’s best season for prize money was 2018 ($6,657,719) — the year in which she won her only Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.

    8. Petra Kvitova – $37,653,615

    Petra Kvitova, who turned pro in 2006 and retired this year, won 31 WTA Tour titles, including two Wimbledon crowns.

    The Czech earned more prize money in 2011 ($5,145,943) than any other season having claimed six titles.

    7. Maria Sharapova – $38,777,962

    Maria Sharapova collected 36 singles titles, including five majors, during a career spanning from 2001 to 2020.

    The Russian’s best year for on-court earnings was 2012, when she raked in $6,508,296 having won the French Open and finished runner-up at the Australian Open and the WTA Finals.

    6. Victoria Azarenka – $38,890,473

    Former world No 1 Victoria Azarenka has won 21 WTA Tour tournaments, including two Australian Opens, in a career that started in 2003.

    The Belarusian secured $7,923,920 in 2012, which is her best prize money season, having won the Australian Open and reached the US Open final.

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    5. Simona Halep – $40,236,618

    Simona Halep claimed 24 WTA titles, including two major crowns, in a career stretching from 2006 to 2025.

    The Romanian’s best campaign for on-court earnings was 2018 ($7,409,564) — the year in which she won the French Open and finished as an Australian Open runner-up

    4. Venus Williams – $42,867,364

    Venus Williams, who turned pro in 1994 and played as recently as the 2025 US Open, has won 49 singles titles — seven of which are majors.

    The American earned more prize money in 2017 ($5,468,741) than any other year, having been a runner-up at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the WTA Finals.

    3. Iga Swiatek – $43,640,490

    Iga Swiatek has won 25 WTA Tour titles so far, including six Grand Slams, in a career that began in 2016.

    The Pole’s 2025 campaign, which featured her maiden Wimbledon title, is her best season for prize money ($10,112,532) — and it ranks sixth for the most prize money earned in a single WTA season.

    2. Aryna Sabalenka – $45,175,621

    Aryna Sabalenka, the current world No 1, has secured 21 titles, including four majors, during a pro career that started in 2015.

    The Belarusian was fourth on the list less than a month ago, but she has leapfrogged both Venus Williams and Swiatek after concluding the most lucrative season in WTA Tour history, having collected a staggering $15,008,519 in 2025.

    1. Serena Williams – $94,816,730

    Serena Williams is considered by many to be the greatest female tennis player of all time, having won 23 Grand Slams and 73 overall singles titles in a career spanning from 1995 to 2022.

    The American earned $12,385,572 in 2013 as she won 11 titles, including the French Open, the US Open and the WTA Finals. This was the most lucrative WTA Tour season ever until Sabalenka broke the record.

    READ NEXT: Prize money earned by Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff, Rybakina, Anisimova in 2025 WTA Tour season

    The post WTA Tour prize money: Sabalenka overtakes Swiatek & breaks a Serena Williams record appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Every word Novak Djokovic said as he questions Jannik Sinner’s drug ban in explosive new interview

    Novak Djokovic has opened up in one of his most revealing interviews yet with Piers Morgan, with his comments on Jannik Sinner’s drug ban earlier this year one of the most eye-catching sections of a wide-ranging discussion.

    Sinner was banned for three months earlier this year after being found to have a banned anabolic steroid in his system, with the way his case was handled by tennis chiefs creating plenty of questions.

    The current Wimbledon champion successfully argued that the banned substance got into his system after he received a massage from a member of his team who had the steroid on his finger in error.

    That story sparked plenty of debate and when Djokovic was asked by Morgan to reflect on the circumstances around Sinner’s case, he offered up typically frank views.

    “That cloud will follow him just as the cloud of Covid will follow me, for the rest of his, or my career in this case,” said Djokovic, referencing his own controversy when he refused to take a Covid vaccine and was banned from several tournaments.

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    “It’s just something that was so major and when that happens. You know, over time it will fade, but I don’t think it will disappear. There’s always going to be a certain group of people that will always try to bring that forward.”

    Djokovic appeared to have most concern over how the case was handled, with Sinner taking his ban in a time of this tennis year that ensured he would not miss any Grand Slam events.

    “Look, I’ve know Jannik since he was probably 13 or 14 years of age because his first coach was my coach, Riccardo Piatti,” continued Djokovic.

    “I was practicing a lot with Sinner when he was a junior. I liked him a lot. He was skinny as I was, he was tall, grew up skiing on the mountains.

    “He always came across as very genuine, very nice, very quiet. He had his own world and didn’t care too much about the lights of society. He just wanted to be the best player he can be and I liked that.

    “When this happened, I was shocked, honestly. I don’t think he did it on purpose, but the way the case was handled, there were so many red flags, honestly.

    “There is the lack of transparency, the inconsistency, the convenience of the ban coming, between the Slams, so he doesn’t miss out the others – it’s just, it was very, very odd.

    “I really don’t like how the case was being handled and you could hear so many other players, both male and female, who had some similar situations coming out in the media, and complaining that it was a preferable treatment.

    “I want to believe (him). My history with him, I think, he didn’t do it on purpose, but of course he is responsible. That’s the rules. So when you see people who had something very similar or same being banned for years and he’s banned for three months, it’s not right.

    “It’s not easy for him. I have empathy for him and the storm in the media that comes back at times. It’s not easy for him. And amid all that, he’s playing incredible, winning Slams.”

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  • Carlos Alcaraz on course to break Novak Djokovic’s prize money record after ATP Finals win

    Carlos Alcaraz moved to within one win of clinching the year-end world No 1 ranking and he also remained on course to finish 2025 with the most prize money in the history of the game from a single season.

    Alcaraz’s incredible year has included wins at the French Open and US Open, with victories against his great rival Jannik Sinner in both of those finals.

    He has also won six titles on the ATP Tour and now needs just one more victory to clinch the prestigious No 1 ranking for the season after his epic 6-7(2), 7-5, 6-3 victory against Taylor Fritz.

    American Fritz was in sparkling form in the first set of their match in the Jimmy Connor Group in Turin, as the two players who clinched victory in their opening contests met in front of a sell-out crowd.

    Alcaraz looked agitated and concerned as he was well beaten in the first set tie-break, but the brilliant Spaniard found a way to get back into the match and saw off a fading Fritz with an impressively powerful display in the third set.

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    “It was pretty tight, I was struggling more than him in the first set,” said Alcaraz. “I wasn’t serving well, and I think he was pretty comfortable from the baseline, from everywhere…

    “I was really relieved after the win because of everything I went through during the match. I wasn’t feeling the ball as well as I was in the first round, but I’m really happy that I found a way to come back and find weakness from him.”

    He was asked about the battle with Sinner for the world No 1 ranking and added: “I will try not to think about it. It’s going to be a really big match for me. I will try not to let the nerves play a bad time in the match. I will think about my goals, about feeling much better than today.”

    Alcaraz’s impressive finish to the Fritz battle will fuel his hope that he can win his first ATP Finals title and if he can go all the way and clinch victory on Sunday in Turin, he will also have pieced together the most lucrative season in tennis history.

    Novak Djokovic set a prize money record as he dominated the men’s game in 2015, with his $21,146,145 the most money won by a player in a single season.

    Djokovic’s prize money record is all the more remarkable as the cash on offer was much less in the game a decade ago, with Sinner coming closest to breaking his total as he won $21,069,473 last season.

    If Alcaraz wins the ATP Finals and seals victory in all five of his matches in Turin, he will collect $5,071,000.

    Alcaraz’s current total of $16,099,427 in prize money would be boosted to $21,170,427 if he is an unbeaten champion at the ATP Finals, which would put him top of the prize money charts for a single season.

    MOST PRIZE MONEY IN A SINGLE SEASON

    Novak Djokovic – $21,146,145 (2015)
    Jannik Sinner – $21,069,473 (2024)
    Andy Murray – $16,349,701 (2016)
    Rafael Nadal – $16,349,586 (2019)
    Carlos Alcaraz – $16,099,427 (2025)

    The post Carlos Alcaraz on course to break Novak Djokovic’s prize money record after ATP Finals win appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Ranking the 10 best WTA Tour players of 2025 – ft. Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff, Anisimova

    The 2025 WTA Tour season is officially over, with action at the WTA Finals in Riyadh bringing a long and memorable year to a close.

    Overall, there is a general sense that this has been one of the strongest years in the women’s games for quite some time, with a growing consistency at the very top and rivalries both developing and emerging.

    Here, looking back at a player’s year-end ranking and ranking moves, titles won — and significance of those titles — and overall consistency, we rank our 10 best WTA Tour players of 2025.

    10) Belinda Bencic

    Bencic was outside the top 450 at the start of 2025, but a phenomenal season has put her on the brink of a return to the top 10 at the start of 2026.

    The Swiss’ resurgence was one of the best stories of 2025, with a run to the semi-final of Wimbledon accompanied by two WTA 500 triumphs at the Abu Dhabi Open and Pan Pacific Open.

    The 28-year-old also reached the fourth round of the Australian Open and the Indian Wells quarter-final in 2025, finishing the year at 11th in the WTA Rankings.

    9) Jasmine Paolini

    After a stunning breakthrough in 2024, it was always going to be difficult for Paolini to back that up — though the Italian remains inside the top 10 at the end of 2025.

    Paolini struggled to make an impact at the Grand Slams, but her triumph on home soil at the Italian Open was one of the most memorable victories of the season, also reaching a second WTA 1000 final of 2025 in Cincinnati.

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    The 29-year-old was also a semi-finalist in Miami and Wuhan and guided Italy to a second straight Billie Jean King Cup title, finishing the year as the world No 8 on the WTA Rankings.

    8) Madison Keys

    Keys struggled in the second half of 2025, but there was no better story this season than her extraordinary run in Melbourne, altering the trajectory of her career to lift the Australian Open title.

    The American beat all of Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, and Aryna Sabalenka on her way to victory, and she would later reach a new career-high of fifth in the WTA Rankings.

    Ending the year at seventh in the world, Keys can also celebrate an Adelaide International triumph, Indian Wells semi-final, and a French Open quarter-final in 2025.

    7) Mirra Andreeva

    A tough second half of 2025 saw Andreeva fail to reach the WTA Finals, though there is little doubt that this season provided a huge breakthrough for one of the brightest talents in the women’s game.

    The Russian won back-to-back WTA 1000 titles in Dubai and Indian Wells, all before her 18th birthday, and would later reach French Open and Wimbledon quarter-finals.

    Andreeva reached a career-high of fifth in July and ended the season as the world No 9, having started the year down at 16th in the world.

    6) Jessica Pegula

    Pegula’s Grand Slam results were far from ideal at the start of 2025, though her impressive run to the US Open semi-final was a reminder of why she has been a mainstay in the top 10 in recent years.

    That was perhaps her big highlight of 2025, but the 31-year-old was also a champion on all three surfaces the season, triumphing at the Austin Open, Charleston Open, and Bad Homburg Open.

    With further finals in Wuhan and Adelaide to her name, and a WTA Finals semi-final, Pegula finishes the year ranked sixth in the world — her fourth straight top-10 finish.

    5) Elena Rybakina

    Rybakina’s 2025 was up-and-down and highly publicised — not always for the right reasons — but her stunning WTA Finals triumph this past week was one of the most impressive runs to a title all year.

    The Kazakh was an unbeaten champion in Riyadh, capturing her third title of the year after WTA 500 titles at the Strasbourg International and Ningbo Open.

    A deep Grand Slam run evaded Rybakina in 2025, but a strong end to the season places her in the top five of both our countdown and in the WTA Rankings.

    4) Coco Gauff

    Gauff’s game was under scrutiny throughout large chunks of 2025, though she still leaves the season with another Grand Slam title and another WTA 1000 title.

    After finals at the Madrid Open and Italian Open, the American capped off her clay swing with a stunning run to the title at Roland Garros — downing world No 1 Sabalenka in the final.

    Gauff then bounced back from a challenging grass-court and hard-court summer with triumph at the Wuhan Open, and finishes the season as the world No 3 for the third consecutive year.

    3) Amanda Anisimova

    Starting the year down at 36th in the WTA Rankings, the rise of Anisimova was one of the best feel-good stories of the year, with the American set to become a strong force in the game.

    Anisimova reached back-to-back Grand Slam finals at Wimbledon and the US Open and, while she did not win either, did claim WTA 1000 triumphs at the Qatar Open and China Open.

    With a Queen’s Club runner-up finish and WTA Finals semi-final to her name, the 24-year-old ends an incredible year ranked fourth in the world, and has surged more than most this season.

    2) Iga Swiatek

    2025 has sometimes been perceived as an ‘off’ year for Swiatek, though it is a hallmark of her greatness that a seemingly weaker year still sees her capture a Grand Slam title.

    The Pole’s run to a sixth major at Wimbledon — double-bagelling Anisimova in the final — was one of the most impressive runs of the year, and she would later win the WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open and WTA 500 Korea Open.

    Despite some uncharacteristic defeats, Swiatek was still an Australian Open and French Open semi-finalist and US Open quarter-finalist, and comfortably finishes 2025 as the world No 2.

    1) Aryna Sabalenka

    Sabalenka was not dominant this year, but she was far enough ahead of the rest to comfortably be recognised as the best player of 2025.

    The Belarusian’s four titles were highlighted by winning her fourth Grand Slam title at the US Open, with WTA 1000 triumphs in Miami and Madrid — and the Brisbane International title — also to her name.

    Sabalenka’s four titles were the most on tour this year, as were her nine finals, with runner-up finishes at the Australian Open, French Open, Indian Wells, WTA Finals, and Stuttgart Open to her name.

    Her struggle to get over the line in big matches will be a talking point heading into 2026, but she has been atop the WTA Rankings all season, and her place as No 1 feels secure for a while.

    Honourable mentions

    Ekaterina Alexandrova: The 31-year-old won the Linz Open and reached a further three WTA 500 finals this year, quietly climbing up the rankings to finish 2025 at a career-high of world No 10.

    Clara Tauson: Big-hitting Tauson ends the year at a career-high of 12th after a breakthrough season, triumphing in Auckland and finishing runner-up in Dubai.

    Read Next: Prize money earned by Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff, Rybakina, Anisimova in 2025 WTA Tour season

    The post Ranking the 10 best WTA Tour players of 2025 – ft. Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff, Anisimova appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Toni Nadal’s honest verdict on whether Jannik Sinner is ‘Novak Djokovic 2.0’

    Legendary tennis coach Toni Nadal has identified the similarities and differences he sees between Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic as he addressed comparisons between the pair.

    Sinner, the world No 2, is competing at the 2025 ATP Finals in Turin, where he is aiming to defend the title he won last year.

    Djokovic withdrew ahead of the season-ending championships after winning his 101st ATP singles title in Athens last week.

    Toni Nadal gives his take on whether Jannik Sinner is an improved version of Novak Djokovic

    • Toni Nadal, the uncle and former coach of Rafael Nadal, has said that Novak Djokovic is “a bit more complete” than Jannik Sinner
    • The Mallorcan assessed that Sinner has “more speed” in his shots, while Djokovic possesses “more touch”
    • Nadal also thinks Sinner is “ahead” of Carlos Alcaraz as the favourite to win the ATP Finals

    Djokovic gave his verdict on comparisons between himself and Sinner during this year’s Wimbledon Championships.

    “I think it’s obvious in terms of the style of play that we both have, that we have quite a bit of similarities,” said the 24-time Grand Slam winner. “We try to take the ball early, be aggressive, and dominate the exchange from the baseline.”

    What Toni Nadal said about Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner

    In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Toni Nadal was asked if he agreed with those who claim Sinner is “Djokovic 2.0”

    “I think Djokovic is a bit more complete. Sinner has more speed in his shots, Nole a bit more touch,” said the Spaniard (translated from Italian).

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    “They both have in common the fact that they always impose a high pace and have exceptional ball control, with extremely high-level movement.

    “Jannik plays with a very defined pattern: he imposes a very fast pace from the start, which is difficult for anyone to keep up with.”

    What Toni Nadal said about the ATP Finals

    Nadal also shared his thoughts on the ATP Finals in Turin.

    “Obviously, the big favourites are still [Carlos] Alcaraz and Sinner,” said Rafael Nadal’s uncle and former coach.

    “Jannik has played at a very high level in recent tournaments, and I think he can start in Turin a bit ahead of Carlos, who honestly seems a little less comfortable on this fast surface.

    “It will certainly be a great match, not to be missed.”

    READ NEXT: What did Carlos Alcaraz say about impact of Novak Djokovic’s controversial ATP Finals decision?

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  • WTA Rankings Winners & Losers: Sabalenka No 1, Mboko +315, Eala +97, Raducanu +27, Azarenka -115

    The 2025 WTA Tour season is done and dusted, and Aryna Sabalenka finished the campaign where she started, at No 1, while there were several big movers and droppers during the year.

    On the back of her Australian Open and US Open crowns in 2024, Sabalenka finished last year on 9,416 points and she was followed in the WTA Rankings by Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini and Zheng Qinwen.

    With her position as the year-end No 1 confirmed before this year’s WTA Finals, Sabalenka joined an elite list of women who have completed a full calendar year at the top of the rankings with Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Serena Williams and Ashleigh Barty the others to achieve the feat.

    And although Sabalenka won only one major in 2025, successfully defending her US Open crown, the Belarusian accumulated more points this year than last year as she finishes the campaign with a tally of 10,870.

    Swiatek, Gauff and Paolini have roughly kept up with their 2024 totals, but Zheng has dropped out of the top 20 as she missed the bulk of the second half of this season due to injury.

    WTA Rankings On January 1

    1. Aryna Sabalenka – 9,416 points
    2. Iga Swiatek – 8,295
    3. Coco Gauff – 6,530
    4. Jasmine Paolini – 5,344
    5. Zheng Qinwen – 5,340
    6. Elena Rybakina – 5,171
    7. Jessica Pegula – 4,705
    8. Emma Navarro – 3,589
    9. Daria Kasatkina – 3,368
    10. Barbora Krejcikova – 3,214
    11. Danielle Collins – 3,178
    12. Paula Badosa – 2,908
    13. Diana Shnaider – 2,895
    14. Anna Kalinskaya – 2,743
    15. Jelena Ostapenko – 2,588
    16. Mirra Andreeva – 2,578
    17. Beatriz Haddad Maia – 2,554
    18. Marta Kostyuk – 2,493
    19. Donna Vekic – 2,258
    20. Victoria Azarenka – 2,127

    Besides Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff and Paolini, the other players who are still in the top 10 a year later are Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula with the Kazakh player ending the year at No 5 after winning the WTA Finals while Pegula is at No 6.

    Amanda Anisimova was a big winner as she was at No 36 after the last update in December 2024, but has climbed to a new high of No 5 following two WTA 1000 titles and Grand Slam runners-up trophies at Wimbledon and the US Open.

    Emma Navarro has not done too badly as she sits at No 15 while Kasatkina slipped 28 places, currently at No 37, but that’s nothing compared to Barbora Krejcikova as the two-time Grand Slam winner’s injury-disrupted nightmare season has resulted in a 55-spot drop.

    American Danielle Collins was one spot behind Krejcikova at the start of the year and she is now one spot ahead of the Czech at No 64 after a poor season.

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    Mirra Andreeva, of course, finds herself at No 9 in the latest WTA Rankings while the likes of Paula Badosa (No 25), Diana Shnaider (No 21), Anna Kalinskaya (No 33), Jelena Ostapenko (No 23) and Marta Kostyuk (No 26) are not too bad off compared to 12 months ago.

    Beatriz Haddad Maia is at No 58 and Donna Vekic at No 77, but former world No 1 Victoria Azarenka has endured a nightmare year as she has dropped out of the top 100, currently finding herself at No 135.

    WTA Rankings On November 10

    1. Aryna Sabalenka – 10,870 points
    2. Iga Swiatek – 8,395
    3. Coco Gauff – 6,763
    4. Amanda Anisimova – 6,287
    5. Elena Rybakina – 5,850
    6. Jessica Pegula – 5,583
    7. Madison Keys – 4,335
    8. Jasmine Paolini – 4,325
    9. Mirra Andreeva – 4,319
    10. Ekaterina Alexandrova – 3,375
    11. Belinda Bencic – 3,168
    12. Clara Tauson – 2,770
    13. Linda Noskova – 2,641
    14. Elina Svitolina – 2,595
    15. Emma Navarro – 2,515
    16. Naomi Osaka – 2,487
    17. Luidmila Samsonova – 2,209
    18. Victoria Mboko – 2,157
    19. Karolina Muchova – 1,996
    20. Elise Mertens – 1,969

    Other Big Rankings Winners (Selected)

    The fairytale story of 2025 no doubt involved rising star Victoria Mboko.

    Mboko started the year at No 333, but surged into the top 100 on the back of winning her first WTA Tour-level title, the Canadian Open, but that was not the end of her rise as the 19-year-old won a second title at the Hong Kong Open to break into the top 20.

    In terms of other winners who have made their way into the top 20 by the end of 2025, Madison Keys was No 21 at the start of the year but hit the top 10 after winning the Australian Open.

    Ekaterina Alexandrova was at No 28 in January, Belinda Bencic No 489, Clara Tauson (No 50), Naomi Osaka (No 57), Luidmila Samsonova (No 27), Karolina Muchova (No 22) and Elise Mertens (No 34).

    Bencic also had an incredible storyline this season as she missed most of the 2024 season after giving birth to her first child, a girl, in February. The Swiss won the Abu Dhabi Open and Pan Pacific Open while she also reached the semi-final at Wimbledon to find herself on the brink of a return to the top 10.

    Emma Raducanu was at No 58 in January but finished at No 29 – her highest position since September 2022 – and her rise was through consistency rather than one big title run.

    Iva Jovic was one of four teenage title winners in 2025 and she jumped from No 189 to No 35.

    Lois Boisson was another success story as she at No 203 at the end of last year and was down at No 361 at the start of the French Open, but caused several shocks at her home Grand Slam as she beat third seed Pegula and sixth seed Andreeva to reach the semi-final before losing to eventual champion Gauff.

    The Frenchwoman also won the Hamburg Open in July now sits comfortably in the top 50 at No 36.

    Alex Eala, meanwhile, became the first Filipina to crack the top 100 of the WTA Rankings after reaching the semi-final of the Miami Open where she beat Grand Slam winners Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek. The 20-year-old finished at No 50 after starting the campaign at No 147.

    Janice Tjen was one of the first-time title winners in 2025 and she started her campaign at No 412, but broke into the top 100 in October when she finished runner-up in Sao Paolo and then won the Chennai title to crack the top 60, finishing at No 54.

    Her compatriot Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah was at No 349 on the final day of last season, but her Sao Paolo title run was key to her jump to No 123.

    The Biggest Losers (Selected)

    Besides Azarenka and Krejcikova, Karolina Pliskova was another big-name player who suffered a massive drop. The former world No 1 finished 2024 at No 41, but she has slipped to No 1044 after playing only three matches this year.

    2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens hit a career-high of No 3 in 2018, but finished 2024 at No 74. Her poor form and injury nightmare continued in 2025 and she is currently at No 1062.

    Ons Jabeur peaked at No 2 in 2022, but now sits at No 79.

    Katie Boulter was on the brink of a top 20 breakthrough a year ago as she finished the season at No 24, but poor form and injuries have seen her drop to No 100 in the latest rankings.

    The post WTA Rankings Winners & Losers: Sabalenka No 1, Mboko +315, Eala +97, Raducanu +27, Azarenka -115 appeared first on Tennis365.

  • What did Carlos Alcaraz say about impact of Novak Djokovic’s controversial ATP Finals decision?

    Carlos Alcaraz has candidly expressed his feelings on facing Lorenzo Musetti instead of Novak Djokovic at the 2025 ATP Finals after the latter pulled out of the event.

    The world No 1 was drawn with Djokovic, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur in the Jimmy Connors Group at this year’s ATP Finals in Turin.

    Djokovic announced he would not compete at the ATP Finals due to a shoulder injury after he defeated Musetti in a pulsating final at the ATP 250 event in Athens the day before the season-ending championships was due to begin.

    Carlos Alcaraz addresses Lorenzo Musetti replacing Novak Djokovic at ATP Finals

    • Carlos Alcaraz has said facing Novak Djokovic at the ATP Finals would have been “tough” as he pointed to the tennis icon’s experience at the event and level on indoor courts
    • The 22-year-old admitted he would rather play Musetti than Djokovic as he recalled being “killed” by the Serbian at the 2023 ATP Finals
    • Alcaraz added that Musetti “deserves” to be in Turin because of how the Italian has performed this season

    A showdown between Alcaraz and Djokovic would arguably have been the pick of the round robin matches, but the Spaniard will instead play Musetti, who took the Serbian’s place in the group.

    Alcaraz began his campaign in Turin with a 7-6(6), 6-2 victory over seventh-ranked de Minaur, and he will face Fritz in his second match before concluding his round robin campaign against Musetti.

    The six-time major champion is chasing a maiden ATP Finals crown, while he can also clinch the ATP year-end No 1 ranking ahead of Jannik Sinner by winning three matches in Turin.

    What Carlos Alcaraz said about Novak Djokovic’s ATP Finals withdrawal

    After beating de Minaur, Alcaraz was asked about the difference between having Djokovic and Musetti in his group in Turin.

    “Well, obviously someone like Novak being in the group is always tough,” said the Spaniard.

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    “The experience he has in this tournament, the level he has on indoor court, it’s quite good. I lost to him in 2023, and I played great. He killed me (smiling).

    “To be honest, I prefer Lorenzo. I’m not going to lie (laughs). If he’s there, he deserves it because of the level he has put on the matches, the tournaments he has done this year, and the level he showed this year. It was really, really high.

    “Let’s see how he’s going to be, how he’s going to adapt. He’s coming from Athens, and he couldn’t feel the court at all. But I’m sure he’s going to do great and let’s see how it’s going to be.”

    Musetti, the world No 9, fell 3-6, 4-6 to sixth-ranked Fritz on his ATP Finals debut on Monday.

    What happened when Alcaraz played Djokovic at the 2023 ATP Finals?

    Alcaraz, who holds a 4-5 record against Djokovic, referenced his loss to the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2023 ATP Finals.

    In that match, Djokovic delivered an outstanding display to dismantle Alcaraz 6-3, 6-2 in the semi-finals in Turin.

    The Serbian went on to claim a record seventh ATP Finals crown that year as he saw off Sinner 6-3, 6-3 in the final.

    READ NEXT: Carlos Alcaraz makes ‘kinda weird’ confession as he responds to Andy Roddick’s ‘darkness’ claim

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  • Prize money earned by Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff, Rybakina, Anisimova in 2025 WTA Tour season

    The 2025 WTA Tour season concluded with the WTA Finals in Riyadh last week, but which stars earned the most prize money in women’s tennis this year?

    There are 65 WTA Tour players who have secured at least $1million in on-court earnings this campaign (across singles and doubles), with 23 of these women having surpassed the $2million mark.

    Veronika Kudermetova ($2,809,563), Ekaterina Alexandrova ($2,689,766), Belinda Bencic ($2,609,769), Naomi Osaka ($2,515,892) and Jelena Ostapenko ($2,328,202) occupy 11th to 15th on the 2025 WTA prize money list.

    The top 10 prize money earners on the WTA Tour in 2025

    • Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek are the only women to earn over $10million in prize money this season
    • Elena Rybakina soared to third on the list after winning the WTA Finals, while Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova make the top five
    • Less than $1million separates Jessica Pegula in sixth and Madison Keys in ninth

    Here, we count down the 10 players who collected the most prize money on the WTA Tour in 2025.

    10. Elise Mertens – $2,895,029 ($1,495,709 in doubles)

    Elise Mertens is the 10th highest prize money earner this season, having collected more money in doubles than any other woman.

    The Belgian won the WTA Finals and Wimbledon doubles titles, and finished as a runner-up in Madrid and Rome, with her partner Kudermetova.

    9. Madison Keys – $4,357,787 ($32,900 in doubles)

    Madison Keys collected $2,209,109 for winning her maiden Grand Slam title at the 2025 Australian Open after she started the season by winning the WTA 500 in Adelaide. The American was also a semi-finalist in Indian Wells, and a quarter-finalist at the French Open, the Madrid Open and the Canadian Open.

    8. Mirra Andreeva – $4,726,226 ($768,074 in doubles)

    Mirra Andreeva claimed successive WTA 1000 titles in Dubai and Indian Wells, while she also reached quarter-finals at the French Open, Wimbledon, Madrid and Rome.

    7. Jasmine Paolini – $5,253,997 ($1,192,598 in doubles)

    Jasmine Paolini won her only singles title of 2025 at the Italian Open, and she also reached a final in Cincinnati and a semi-final in Miami. The Italian won four doubles titles with her partner Sara Errani: the French Open, the Qatar Open, the Italian Open and the China Open.

    6. Jessica Pegula – $5,262,311 ($174,783 in doubles)

    Jessica Pegula was a runner-up at the Miami Open and the Wuhan Open, a semi-finalist at the US Open, the WTA Finals and the China Open, and a quarter-finalist at the Qatar Open.

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    5. Amanda Anisimova – $7,260,577 ($10,000 in doubles)

    Amanda Anisimova was a runner-up at back-to-back Grand Slams at Wimbledon and the US Open, and she won WTA 1000 tournaments in Doha and Beijing this year. The American also made the last four at the WTA Finals.

    4. Coco Gauff – $7,969,845 ($188,940 in doubles)

    Coco Gauff claimed $2,901,024 for winning her first French Open title — and second Grand Slam overall — in June.

    The world No 3 won the Wuhan Open WTA 1000 and was a runner-up at the 1000 tournaments in Madrid and Rome during the clay season. The American also reached the quarter-finals at the Australian Open and in Cincinnati.

    3. Elena Rybakina – $8,456,632 ($26,470 in doubles)

    Elena Rybakina won WTA 500 events in Strasbourg and Ningbo, and she reached the semi-finals in Dubai, Montreal, Cincinnati and Tokyo.

    The 2022 Wimbledon winner collected the biggest paycheque in the history of women’s sports ($5,235,000) for her undefeated run to the season-ending WTA Finals title in Riyadh.

    2. Iga Swiatek – $10,112,532 ($200,000 in doubles)

    Iga Swiatek earned $4,069,500 for winning her maiden Wimbledon crown and sixth Grand Slam overall in July.

    The world No 2 also triumphed at the WTA 1000 in Cincinnati and the WTA 500 in Seoul, while she was a finalist in Bad Homburg. The Pole reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Doha, Indian Wells and Madrid.

    1. Aryna Sabalenka – $15,008,519

    Aryna Sabalenka was the best player on the WTA Tour in 2025, and she crowned her campaign with her triumph at the US Open last month.

    The world No 1’s victory at Flushing Meadows, which saw her claim her first major of the season and fourth in total, earned her a record Grand Slam winner’s cheque of $5,000,000. She also secured WTA 1000 titles in Miami and Madrid and a WTA 500 title in Brisbane this year.

    The Belarusian was a runner-up at the French Open, the Australian Open, the WTA Finals, the Indian Wells Open and the Stuttgart Open, while she was a semi-finalist at Wimbledon.

    READ NEXT: Aryna Sabalenka’s biggest opponent is revealed again as Elena Rybakina wins WTA Finals

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