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  • Has Carlos Alcaraz been given a huge Paris Masters advantage?

    Carlos Alcaraz is the first to admit that he is yet to truly crack the code when it comes to playing on indoor courts, but a change in venue for this year’s Paris Masters could give him a boost.

    The Spanish magician has won 24 ATP Tour singles titles with only one of those coming at an indoor tournament as he ended his drought at the Rotterdam Open in February this year, but his record at the big events are pretty patchy.

    His best run at the ATP Finals was a semi-final in 2023 and last year he exited after the group phase while at the Paris Masters, he reached the quarter-final in 2022, lost in the second round the following year and the third round in 2024.

    But Alcaraz is hopeful that he can change his record at this year’s Paris Masters following the decision to move from the Bercy Arena to the multipurpose Paris La Défense Arena.

    As one of the first big-name players to arrive for this year’s season-ending Masters event in Paris, the world No 1 had an early opportunity to test the speed of the new courts and he liked what he saw.

    “This year is totally different than last year. I think it is a huge difference, which I like it (smiling),” he stated.

    “You know, the speed of the court, yeah, it’s much slower than last year, but I think it is a really good speed that we can see tennis, not only serve or it’s not only serve plus one.

    “So you can see rallies, you can see points, you can see tennis. So I think it’s great. Obviously I’ve said many times that I like, you know, slower courts, not that fast.

    “But yeah, we will see. Obviously this tournament is not my best one in terms of results, but I love playing here. The time of the year, you know, it’s been long with the indoor. I’m not really used to playing indoors, but year after year, I think I’m getting more used to it.

    “So we will see this year. Hopefully go farther than previous years.”

    ATP News

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    Alcaraz has a 31–13 (70%) win-loss record on indoor courts, well down from his overall career record of 81%.

    For comparison, his main rival Jannik Sinner is 76–21 (78%) on indoor courts, having won seven titles, including the 2024 ATP Finals.

    Despite the stats, the six-time Grand Slam winner doesn’t think he is a bad player on indoor courts as others are simply better than him, but of course, there is room for improvement.

    “I wouldn’t say I’m bad playing indoors. I think other players are better than me on indoor side. It’s a huge difference saying that,” the 22-year-old said.

    “I see myself practicing, playing matches that I can play really good tennis, but obviously there are some matches that I played against someone that they are playing much, much better in indoor than I do. So I have to be ready for that, but I think I will get good tennis on indoor.”

    The post Has Carlos Alcaraz been given a huge Paris Masters advantage? appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Belinda Bencic and Linda Noskova prize money and points after Pan Pacific Open final

    Belinda Bencic is on the verge of a return to the top 10 of the WTA Rankings following her title run at the Pan Pacific Open while runner-up Linda Noskova has earned a new career-high ranking.

    Former world No 4 Bencic won her second title of the 2025 WTA Tour and 10th overall with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Noskova at the WTA 500 event at the Ariake Coliseum – the same venue where she won gold in the women’s singles in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics.

    With the win Bencic will continue her surge up the rankings while Noskova – who also finished runner-up to Amanda Anisimova at the WTA 1000 China Open earlier in October – also remains on the charge in the rankings.

    WTA Points Earned In Tokyo

    Players earn 500 ranking points for winning a WTA 500 event, but they also have to defend points from the same period the previous year as the WTA uses a 52-week rolling, cumulative system.

    Bencic – who also won the Abu Dhabi WTA 500 event in February – will earn 484 points for her title and will climb two places in the rankings to No 11.

    It is quite a rise for a player who started the year at No 421 after more than a year out of the game. The Swiss broke back into the top 100 at the beginning of February and returned to the top 50 just over a month later.

    Following her run to the semi-final at Wimbledon, she made her top 20 comeback and now finds herself on the cusp of a return to the top 10.

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    Noskova only made her top 20 bow following her run to the final of the China Open at the start of October, but she started the Pan Pacific Open on the back of a first-round exit at the Japan Open last week.

    She had some good fortune during her run in Tokyo as only played one completed match before the final and that was in the second round when she beat McCartney Kessler in three sets. Anna Kalinskaya retired from their quarter-final match after the first set while Elena Rybakina withdrew from their semi-final encounter.

    Noskova earned 265 ranking points and will climb two places to a new high of No 13.

    Prize Money Earned By Finalists

    Bencic had started the tournament with $2,438,954 in prize money so far in 2025, while her career tally was $14,685,524.

    The fifth seed has picked up a cheque of $164,000 for her four wins at the WTA 500 event to edge closer to the $15m mark in career prize money.

    Noskova, meanwhile, had earned $4,459,619 over the course of her career with $2,122,383 of that tally coming 2025 and she has added another $101,000 to her bank account.

    The post Belinda Bencic and Linda Noskova prize money and points after Pan Pacific Open final appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Why Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner can demand ‘massive’ fees to play Saudi Arabian Masters: Andy Roddick 

    Former world No 1 Andy Roddick has reacted to the news that a new ATP Masters 1000 tournament will be held in Saudi Arabia as early as 2028.

    The 2003 US Open champion has revealed how the Saudi Arabian event being non-mandatory could be financially beneficial to players as he also predicted where it will fit into the calendar.

    It was confirmed on Thursday that the ATP Tour had agreed the formation of the new Masters 1000 tournament with SURJ Sports Investment, a company owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).

    Andy Roddick’s reaction to the Saudi Arabian Masters event

    • Andy Roddick has explained that the non-mandatory status of the new Saudi Arabian Masters event will allow players to be paid appearance fees
    • The American expects these appearance fees to be “massive” in order to attract the biggest stars, including Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
    • Roddick thinks there are “only two options” for when the event could be held, but he thinks a position in February is by far the most likely

    The Saudi Arabian Masters will join the nine existing ATP 1000 tournaments, marking the first expansion of this category of event since it was introduced in 1990.

    It has been revealed that the tournament will be non-mandatory, and the singles main draw will feature 56 players and be played over a single week. The Monte Carlo Masters is the only current ATP 1000 event which is not mandatory.

    The exact calendar position that the new Saudi event will occupy is yet to be confirmed, as is the venue.

    Tennis News

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    What Roddick said about appearance fees at the Saudi Arabian Masters

    Speaking on his Served podcast, Roddick broke down the financial implications of the non-mandatory status of the Saudi Arabian Masters and declared that there will be “chaos.”

    “The protection for the Masters 1000s not to have to pay the players directly is that they’re mandatory and you basically opt in to the tour schedule as an independent contractor,” said Roddick.

    “The mandatory events basically hold your participation as a negotiating tool and you have to fall in line with the mandatory things. If it’s non-mandatory, that means that you do not have to play it, contractually, to be a part of the ATP Tour.

    “That means appearance fees. These appearance fees are going to be massive and the players have a lot of leverage right now, because there’s no chance that Saudi is going to want to have this Masters 1000 and then not have Sinner and Alcaraz show up, and then not have whoever else show up, right?

    “I’ve been texting with an agent friend of ours who has been on the show before. He says, ‘absolutely open season on appearance fees for this tournament.’

    “Non-mandatory, to me, they’re celebrating that as like, ‘Oh, listen, we’re coachable, this is cool, we’re going to just create a new set of rules.’

    “This is going to be chaos. This is going to be the Wild West as far as appearance fees, which is good for the players I guess.”

    Roddick on the possible schedule positions for the Saudi Arabian Masters

    During the same podcast, Roddick weighed in on how the new tournament will impact the ATP Tour calendar.

    “There are only two options. One, this is obvious. I have a lot of questions about it. As far as where the calendar goes, pre-empting Australia is what some people are saying. I think that’s difficult,” said the 32-time ATP Tour titlist.

    “I’m not sure you can take the thunder… Australia is probably the only thing in tennis that benefits from people actually having time to look forward to it. Otherwise, it’s just a run-on sentence. Also, if you do that, then are you shifting the entire Middle Eastern swing to before that?

    “Or are you screwing over the other Middle Eastern tournaments in February, before Indian Wells? I think it has to slot into that February, because then who are you competing with?

    “You’re competing with Rotterdam, you’re competing with those tournaments, which seems like an easier competition than the lead-up to Australia. There’s no way, if [Australian Open tournament director] Craig Tiley has a say in this, that it cruises in before Australia, in my opinion.”

    READ NEXT: Saudi Arabia ATP Masters 1000 key information: Format, start date, and where it fits into the calendar

    The post Why Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner can demand ‘massive’ fees to play Saudi Arabian Masters: Andy Roddick  appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Iga Swiatek’s coach reveals Pole’s ‘super smart’ approach during biggest tournaments

    Iga Swiatek’s coach has revealed how he has learnt to adapt to the six-time Grand Slam champion’s “super smart” approach of disconnecting during majors and longer WTA 1000 events.

    Acclaimed coach Wim Fissette and former world No 1 Swiatek began working together towards the end of 2024, and have already achieved huge success during their time together.

    The Pole lifted her sixth Grand Slam title at Wimbledon earlier this summer and was also an Australian Open and French Open semi-finalist, with further titles at the Cincinnati Open and Korea Open to her name.

    Swiatek is far from the first notable name that Fissette has guided to huge success, with the Belgian working with the likes of Kim Clijsters and Naomi Osaka over the past two decades.

    And, after a successful twelve months together, he has now offered invaluable insight into what he has himself learnt from the 24-year-old during their time together.

    Speaking on The Inside-In Tennis Podcast, the Belgian revealed that he had really learnt how to embrace “full relaxation mode” during tournaments from Swiatek, especially amid longer events.

    He said: “The intensity that she brings on the practice courts is exactly the same that you see in matches, but I kind of saw that because I was watching some of her practices also in the past years.

    “What I really learnt, and what I think is super smart, is kind of how she deals with, let’s say, the days between matches at Grand Slams or a two-week event, where you have the day off.

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    “We all know Iga, how focused she is and completely in her zone, but the next day she really goes to the opposite, like in full relaxation mode, where she kind of recharges, to go from the full focus to the full relaxation.

    “That’s also I guess why she’s able to do it, like every match or every week, because she has this ‘up’ focus, and then she goes down again.

    “I really like it, how she kind of switches off, goes to the park, goes to the beach, doesn’t think about tennis. That’s something I will definitely advise in the future [to] other players that I will work with.”

    Swiatek and Fissette may have their eyes on further success together in 2026, though they still have one event left of 2025: the WTA Finals in Riyadh.

    The Pole has qualified for the year-end championships for the fifth straight season, first qualifying in 2021, and is No 2 in the Race to Riyadh, only trailing Aryna Sabalenka.

    Swiatek was knocked out in the round-robin stage back in 2024 despite winning two of her three matches, though she was the champion in Cancun back in 2023.

    Read Next: WTA Finals: Complete Field, Key Dates, Prize Money, Ranking Points – Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff star

    The post Iga Swiatek’s coach reveals Pole’s ‘super smart’ approach during biggest tournaments appeared first on Tennis365.

  • What did Elena Rybakina say after Tokyo withdrawal? And what points and prize money did she earn?

    Elena Rybakina withdrew from the 2025 Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo ahead of her semi-final match citing a back injury after her quarter-final victory sealed her qualification for the WTA Finals.

    The world No 7 was due to face 17th-ranked Linda Noskova in the first of the semi-final encounters at the WTA 500 tournament on Saturday.

    However, Rybakina decided not to take to the court shortly before what would have been her fourth meeting with the 20-year-old Czech, against whom she holds a 3-0 record.

    Elena Rybakina’s withdrawal from Tokyo

    • Elena Rybakina’s run at the Pan Pacific Open saw her overtake Mirra Andreeva to secure the final qualification spot for the WTA Finals in Riyadh
    • The Kazakh apologised to fans after withdrawing from Tokyo ahead of her semi-final as she explained she could not play at 100% due to a back issue
    • Despite her withdrawal, Rybakina will climb to world No 6 when the WTA Rankings update next week

    At the start of this week, Rybakina knew her WTA Finals qualification fate was in her own hands after she crucially won the WTA 500 tournament in Ningbo last week.

    The 25-year-old needed to reach the semi-finals in Tokyo to overtake Mirra Andreeva — who did not play this week — in the Race to Riyadh.

    Rybakina achieved this by seeing off world No 22 Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-3 in her opening match and world No 23 Victoria Mboko 6-3, 7-6(4) in the last eight at the Pan Pacific Open on Friday.

    The win against Mboko lifted Rybakina above Andreeva into the eighth and final qualification place for the WTA Finals, confirming her presence in Riyadh as this is the last qualifying week for the year-end championships.

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    What did Rybakina say after her withdrawal?

    After pulling out before her Pan Pacific Open semi-final match with Noskova, Rybakina explained her decision in a statement.

    “I’m very sorry I can’t play today,” said Rybakina

    “I have been having problems with my back this week and can’t play 100%. I am disappointed that my fans will not see me today but I hope to see you next year.”

    The nature of the injury cited raises some concern as Rybakina has been troubled by back issues before, including at this year’s Australian Open.

    With the WTA Finals set to begin on November 1, though, it is likely Rybakina took the decision to withdraw from Tokyo as a precaution after already sealing her qualification for the year-end showpiece.

    While it was certainly a blow for Rybakina’s fans in Tokyo, it is understandable that she did not want to take any risks so close to such a big event after what she invested in the last two weeks.

    What prize money and points did Rybakina earn in Tokyo?

    Rybakina collected $59,000 in prize money for reaching the semi-finals at the Pan Pacific Open.

    The 2022 Wimbledon champion’s run has seen her earn 195 WTA Ranking points, which boosts her points total to 4,550.

    This has lifted Rybakina 25 points above Jasmine Paolini in the Live WTA Rankings, which means she will replace the Italian as the world No 6 next week.

    READ NEXT: How Carlos Alcaraz has proven he ‘doesn’t play for money’ – Serena Williams’ former coach

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  • Paris Masters tournament director reacts to Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal

    Paris Masters tournament director Cedric Pioline has revealed his “hope” that Novak Djokovic will one day return to the event, describing the tennis icon as a “huge champion”.

    No man in Paris Masters history has won as many titles at the event as Djokovic, who is a seven-time champion — with two further runner-up finishes to his name.

    The Serbian sealed his record-extending seventh title in 2023, defeating Grigor Dimitrov in the final, though he withdrew from his title defence in 2024 and has again decided to skip the event in 2025.

    Aged 38, Djokovic has contested a limited schedule in recent seasons, with the 24-time Grand Slam singles champion looking to maintain peak fitness in his quest to win a 25th major.

    The Serbian last played on tour at the Shanghai Masters earlier this month, falling to surprise champion Valentin Vacherot in straight sets in the semi-final.

    He has already committed to playing at the Hellenic Championships in Athens, which take place the week after the action in Paris, with no decision yet announced on his participation in the ATP Finals.

    Though Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are both in Paris action, Djokovic’s withdrawal for the second straight year is undoubtedly a blow, with the former world No 1 remaining one of the biggest stars in the sport.

    And, with the Serbian turning 39 in May, it is possible that he may not compete at the Masters 1000 event again, as he looks to prioritise the four Grand Slam tournaments and fully rest in between them.

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    That scenario was directly put to Paris tournament director Pioline, a former world No 5 and two-time major finalist, ahead of this year’s event.

    In a pre-tournament press conference, Pioline was asked: “Two questions in one. We saw how Novak Djokovic left the court in May at Roland Garros. He is not present again this year for the second year in a row. Are you afraid that tennis fans in Paris will never see Novak Djokovic in their city again?”

    Pioline joked that the question was “horrible” in his response, and revealed his “hope” that Djokovic would one day return despite withdrawing for the second straight season.

    He said: “What a horrible question! What a horrible question!

    “I hope we’ll see Djokovic again, that the fans will see him again. He’s a huge champion, he’s the record holder for Rolex Paris Masters titles. I hope we’ll have the opportunity to see him again.

    “It’s true that time goes by for everyone, and for him, 38 is old… He’s said it himself in recent days, that his body is 15 years older. Being competitive like he is, because he plays very little, a dozen tournaments this year…

    “He’s performing well, he’s been a semi-finalist in all the Grand Slams, a semi-finalist again in Shanghai, but we saw that it was difficult. Plus, this year, they had terrible humidity there.”

    Despite playing a limited schedule in 2025, Djokovic is third in the race to the ATP Finals in Turin — only behind Alcaraz and Sinner — and has already qualified for the year-end championships, with all eyes on whether he competes.

    Djokovic lifted the ATP Finals in 2023 but, much like with his Paris title defence, did not play the tournament in 2024.

    The 38-year-old is currently set to be the top seed at the new ATP 250 event held in Athens next week, the city where the Serbian now lives alongside his wife, Jelena, and children Stefan and Tara.

    Read Next: Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz handed tricky 2025 Paris Masters paths as early Shanghai final rematch on the cards

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  • Hong Kong Open Draw: Bencic, Fernandez, Mboko & Eala learn their fate at WTA 250 event

    The Hong Kong Tennis Open is one of the final stops on the WTA Tour in the 2025 season, and the draw is out, with Belinda Bencic and Leylah Fernandez among the players set to feature.

    Main draw action at the WTA 250 tournament, which is staged on outdoor hard courts at Victoria Park in Hong Kong, will take place from October 27 to November 2.

    The singles draw in Hong Kong features 32 players and eight seeds, and it is played over five rounds with no opening round byes.

    Belinda Bencic and Leylah Fernandez headline Hong Kong Open draw

    • Belinda Bencic and Leylah Fernandez are seeded first and second respectively in Hong Kong, and they will each face players ranked outside the top 100 in their first matches
    • Victoria Mboko, Sofia Kenin, Maya Joint, Anna Kalinskaya, Sorana Cirstea and Emiliana Arango are the other seeded players
    • Rising star Alex Eala, who is unseeded, faces an intriguing opening round encounter with Great Britain’s Katie Boulter, and she could meet Mboko in the second round

    The eight seeded players are all in the top 50 of the WTA Rankings, with the top four seeds all ranked inside the top 25.

    Diana Shnaider won the tournament in 2024, but she chose not to return to defend her title this year.

    Five players on the entry list withdrew ahead of the tournament: Naomi Osaka, Clara Tauson, Daria Kasatkina, Emma Raducanu and Priscilla Hon.

    Hong Kong Open projected quarter-finals (based on seeding)

    Belinda Bencic (1) vs Emiliana Arango (8)

    Sofia Kenin (4) vs Maya Joint (5)

    Victoria Mboko (3) vs Anna Kalinskaya (6)

    Leylah Fernandez (2) vs Sorana Cirstea (7)

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    Who will the seeded players face?

    Top seed Bencic, the world No 13, accepted a wildcard to compete having not initially entered the event, and she will start her campaign against 108th-ranked Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

    Emiliana Arango, the world No 48 and eighth seed in Hong Kong, will meet 81st-ranked Moyuka Uchijima in her first match. The Colombian is projected to meet Bencic in the quarter-finals.

    Sofia Kenin, the world No 25 and fourth seed, will take on a qualifier in her opening match. No 5 seed Maya Joint, who is ranked 32nd, will start against world No 208 Anastasija Sevastova, who is using a protected ranking.

    Kenin and Joint are projected to meet in the last eight, and both could face Bencic in the semi-finals.

    Fernandez, Victoria Mboko, Anna Kalinskaya and Sorana Cirstea are all in the bottom half of the draw.

    Mboko, a 19-year-old Canadian star who won the WTA 1000 event in Montreal in August, is seeded third. The world No 23 will play 130th-ranked Talia Gibson in her first match.

    Sixth seed Anna Kalinskaya, who is ranked 38th, will play world No 103 and fellow Russian Kamilla Rakhimova in her opener. Kalinskaya could face Mboko in the quarter-finals.

    Fernandez, the world No 23 and second seed, will take on 163rd-ranked Wang Xiyu in the opening round.

    Sorana Cirstea, the seventh seed and world No 45, received a wildcard to play in Hong Kong. The Romanian will begin her tournament against world No 93 Dalma Galfi.

    Fernandez and Cirstea are on course to play in the last eight, and the winner of that potential matchup could meet Mboko or Kalinskaya in the semi-finals.

    Alex Eala’s draw

    Alex Eala made her WTA Tour breakthrough with a stunning run to the semi-finals of the Miami Open as a wildcard in March.

    The 20-year-old Filipino, who is at a career-high ranking of 53rd, will play Katie Boulter in a tough opening round match. Boulter, the current world No 63, has been ranked as high as 23rd.

    The winner could play Mboko in the second round.

    READ NEXT: Prize money earned by Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff, Anisimova, Osaka and Raducanu in 2025

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  • Alexander Zverev blasts critics of new Saudi Arabia Masters 1000: ‘I’m not a politician’

    Alexander Zverev has hit back at critics of the newly-announced Saudi Arabia Masters 1000 tournament, stating that the country is ‘trying to change’ in recent years.

    On Thursday, the ATP announced that the country would host a historic 10th Masters 1000 tournament starting in 2028.

    The move is the first addition to the nine already established events since the series inception in 1990.

    However, the timing has come at a somewhat awkward time, with various top players criticising the busy annual schedule, which increases fatigue and injury frequency.

    Zverev, who is currently ranked as the world No 3, has backed the bold move and believes that the addition will likely be positive for the players.

    “If they promise us that, with the money from the 10th Masters 1000, they will get back tournaments and weeks and thus shorten the season, it would be great for us, the players,” stated the three-time Grand Slam finalist.

    “If the season is shortened by three or four weeks and we don’t have to play until the end of November or early December, but only until mid-November, it would be a great idea.

    “If they don’t do anything with that money and just add a tournament, it would be a nice story, but it wouldn’t make much sense for the top 10 and top 20.

    “I hope we are on the right track.

    “Regarding Saudi Arabia, I liked it, I enjoyed being there a lot.

    “It is a country that is doing a lot in sports, and it’s good to see, but I also want the ATP to take the next steps.

    “Maybe buy back some of the year-end 250 tournaments or reorganise them, to have a season that is three or four weeks shorter and a preseason that is not only four weeks but maybe eight.

    “It would be beneficial for all the top players. Having three more weeks of preseason would be fantastic.”

    However, there has been much discussion over the ethical implications of adding a Masters 1000 tournament held in a country which has come under concerns over its regard for human rights, specifically relating to women and the LGBTQ+ community.

    Zverev participated in the recent Six Kings Slam exhibition held in Riyadh – the country’s capital – which promised a six-million-dollar prize for the winner.

    Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Taylor Fritz also took part, with the Italian claiming the exhibition title.

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    The German, when pressed on the ethical and moral concerns of the new Masters 1000 tournament, made clear that he is – first and foremost – a tennis player, not willing to be drawn on other issues.

    “On political matters, the context is not always the best, but they are trying to change,” he argued.

    “Three years ago, I wasn’t there, but this year it felt like a new country to me. I’m not a politician. If there is a Masters 1000 there, I play it.

    “They have been played in Dubai or Doha for 30 years, and I don’t think there have been any problems. I can speak for what I know, which is tennis.

    “The ATP should start using that money to give something back to the players.”

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  • Stan Wawrinka makes ‘passion’ admission as he reveals his motivation to compete

    Stan Wawrinka has revealed that his “passion” for tennis remains as high as ever after being asked about his long-term future in tennis at the Swiss Indoors in Basel.

    Wawrinka, who celebrated his 40th birthday back in March, is one of the leading tennis stars of the past two decades, reaching a career-high of world No 3 and winning Australian Open, French Open, and US Open titles during his acclaimed career.

    Currently ranked 158th in the world, the three-time Grand Slam champion received a wildcard into his home event in Basel this week and produced two impressive main-draw performances.

    Wawrinka defeated Miomir Kecmanovic — a player 106 spots above him in the ATP Rankings, and 14 years younger than him — 6-1, 7-6(3) in round one, before pushing fourth seed Casper Ruud in round two.

    The 40-year-old was unable to defeat world No 11 and recent Stockholm Open champion Ruud, though still impressed in a 6-4, 7-6(5) defeat to the three-time major runner-up.

    Having entered his fifth decade and falling down the rankings in recent years, with many of his contemporaries already retired, questions around Wawrinka’s long-term future in the sport have lingered for some time.

    However, in quotes reported by Le Matin from Basel after his match against Ruud, the Swiss revealed that he wanted to keep giving himself “the chance” to compete at the highest level.

    “You never know if it’s the last one or not,” said Wawrinka.

    “I’m happy to have been able to show a good level. If I continue, it’s to feel capable of beating many more players. From the outside, you see 40 years old, 150th in the world, you judge me by what I’ve done in the past.

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    “I managed to win Grand Slams, and people wonder why I’m still here, why I’m fighting in Challengers. But passion has no age. When you can still experience these emotions, you give yourself the chance.”

    Wawrinka’s appearance at the Swiss Indoors was his 18th at the ATP 500 tournament, a total that only compatriot Roger Federer (19) can top in the Open Era.

    Asked whether this was his last appearance at the tournament, the Swiss — who made his event debut back in 2003 — revealed his hope that he would return in 2026, an appearance that would see him match Federer’s record.

    He added: “For my part, there’s a little hope. But you’ll have to ask the tournament boss [Roger Brennwald].

    “If my ranking doesn’t improve, it’s going to be difficult to get into the draw. A year is a long time, especially at my age. It will depend on my body and where I’m at.

    “In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy the tournaments I have left.”

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    The post Stan Wawrinka makes ‘passion’ admission as he reveals his motivation to compete appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Jannik Sinner’s shock Davis Cup decision ‘should be respected’, claims top coach

    Patrick Mouratoglou has urged Jannik Sinner’s critics that the Italian’s decision to miss the Davis Cup Finals should be “respected” amid ongoing criticism.

    World No 2 Sinner was a key part of Italy’s back-to-back Davis Cup triumphs in 2023 and 2024, with the nation looking to become the first since 1971 to win three straight titles at the men’s team event.

    However, the four-time Grand Slam champion will not be in action in this year’s Davis Cup Finals in Bologna, held from November 18-23, with the likes of Lorenzo Musetti and Flavio Cobolli set to spearhead the home nation’s quest.

    Sinner was not included in captain Filippo Volandri’s squad when the team was announced earlier this week, and has since revealed that his decision is designed to give him more time to prepare for 2026 and his title defence at the Australian Open next January.

    The 24-year-old’s defence has sparked a mixed reaction; while former Italian stars Adriano Panatta and Paolo Bertolucci defended his decision, Italian icon Nicola Pietrangeli described it as a “slap in the face” for Italian sport.

    However, reigning Australian Open and Wimbledon champion Sinner has now found another high-profile backer in the form of Mouratoglou.

    Taking to his LinkedIn page on Friday, the Frenchman claimed it was “a good thing” that players had freedom to make such choices amid the crowded tennis calendar.

    He wrote: “Leave Jannik Sinner alone.

    “That’s what I’ve been telling people since he announced he would skip the Davis Cup, at home.

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    “I’ve read that he might even skip Paris to focus on the ATP Finals even if that no longer seems to be relevant today, based on his latest quote in Vienna. And yes, to some people, that sounds shocking, especially when you see him play an exhibition but not a Masters 1000 or the Davis Cup.

    “But let’s take a step back.

    “I actually think it’s a good thing. Not that he skips Davis Cup specifically, but that top players today finally have the freedom to make their own choices.

    “For too long, tennis players have been living under a mandatory schedule. But players aren’t machines. They know their bodies. They know when to push, when to rest, and when it’s time to protect their future.”

    The Davis Cup Finals will take place at the end of the 2025 season, with the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals all held within the space of six days.

    The format of the Finals has continued to attract criticism, as the event continues to move away from the traditional ‘home and away’ format that was previously used across all stages of the event, including the final; it is now reserved solely for the qualifying stage.

    And, Mouratoglou suggested that the “prestige” of the event had changed in recent years, with the timing of the event also not conducive to Sinner’s participation.

    He added: “Davis Cup is a beautiful event, but it’s not what it used to be. It’s changed a lot, it’s lost some of its prestige, and it comes at the very end of an exhausting season.

    “Physically and emotionally, it’s one of the hardest events in the sport, especially when you’re your country’s No 1, and the pressure of victory sits on your shoulders.

    “So yes, I understand the disappointment of Italian fans. But I also understand Jannik’s decision. He’s earned the right to choose what’s best for him, and that should be respected.”

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