Category: Articles

The entry list for the 2026 Australian Open has been confirmed with 98 of the top-100 women in the WTA Rankings set to play at next year’s season-opening Grand Slams.

The seedings for the hard-court major are yet to be confirmed as it will be based on the rankings of the week prior to the tournament, but the top two are assured of their spots with No 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No 2 Iga Swiatek set to occupy the first two places.

Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova are neck-and-neck to be the third seed while Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula are battling to be fifth on the list.

Defending champion Madison Keys is set to be seeded seventh but she has a lot of points to defend in the opening weeks of the 2026 season with Jasmine Paolini (eight) and Mirra Andreeva (ninth) not too far behind while Ekaterina Alexandrova is currently occupying 10th spot.

WTA News

Aryna Sabalenka’s net worth estimated after her earnings soared in stellar 2025 season

WTA Rankings predictions by Sky tennis pundits: Who will finish as year-end No 1?

The United Cup, Brisbane International and Auckland Open are the last events before the seedings are announced next year with the top 32 players in the rankings getting protection in the early rounds.

As things stand, former world No 1 Naomi Osaka is set to be the 16th seed, rising star Victoria Mboko is 18th while British No 1 Emma Raducanu is 29th, but of course things can still change after the abovementioned three events.

Mboko will make her Australian Open debut next year following her remarkable rise up the rankings on the back of her title run at the Canadian Open in October. She made her French Open, Wimbledon and US Open bows in 2025.

Raducanu, meanwhile, is set to be seeded for the first time since 2022 when she was at No 11 for her US Open title defence.

Mboko is not the only youngster who will make her debut with Filipina Alex Eala set to play in the main draw at Melbourne Park for the first time in her career after falling in the first round of qualifiers the past three years.

Eala is currently ranked No 52, one spot ahead of Janice Tjen with the Indonesian set for her second major following her debut at the US Open in 2025.

The only two players missing from the top 100, so far at least, are world No 64 Danielle Collins and No 76 Ons Jabeur with the latter on maternity leave.

Former world No 1 Karolina Pliskova as well as Wang Yafan from China and Thai talent Mananchaya Sawangkaew have entered the main draw using their protected ranking while No 103 Leolia Jeanjean is the last direct entry.

Three wildcards have already been confirmed with Australia’s Emerson Jones, American Elizabeth Mandlik and Kazakstan’s Zarina Diyas gaining entry with five more still to be confirmed.

2026 Australian Open Entry List (December 9)

1. Aryna Sabalenka
2. Iga Swiatek (POL)
3. Coco Gauff (USA)
4. Amanda Anisimova (USA)
5. Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
6. Jessica Pegula (USA)
7. Madison Keys (USA)
8. Jasmine Paolini (ITA)
9. Mirra Andreeva
10. Ekaterina Alexandrova
11. Belinda Bencic (SUI)
12. Clara Tauson (DEN)
13. Linda Noskova (CZE)
14. Elina Svitolina (UKR)
15. Emma Navarro (USA)
16. Naomi Osaka (JPN)
17. Liudmila Samsonova
18. Victoria Mboko (CAN)
19. Karolina Muchova (CZE)
20. Elise Mertens (BEL)
21. Diana Shnaider
22. Leylah Fernandez (CAN)
23. Jelena Ostapenko (LAT)
24. Qinwen Zheng (CHN)
25. Paula Badosa (ESP)
26. Marta Kostyuk (UKR)
27. Dayana Yastremska (UKR)
28. Sofia Kenin (USA)
29. Emma Raducanu (GBR)
30. Veronika Kudermetova
31. Mccartney Kessler (USA)
32. Maya Joint (AUS)
33. Anna Kalinskaya
34. Marketa Vondrousova (CZE)
35. Iva Jovic (USA)
36. Lois Boisson (FRA)
37. Daria Kasatkina (AUS)
38. Ann Li (USA)
39. Jaqueline Cristian (ROU)
40. Eva Lys (GER)
40. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) (Special Ranking)
41. Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (ESP)
42. Marie Bouzkova (CZE)
43. Sorana Cirstea (ROU)
44. Ashlyn Krueger (USA)
45. Tatjana Maria (GER)
46. Laura Siegemund (GER)
47. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
48. Katerina Siniakova (CZE)
49. Emiliana Arango (COL)
50. Anastasia Potapova (AUT)
51. Maria Sakkari (GRE)
52. Alexandra Eala (PHI)
53. Janice Tjen (INA)
54. Cristina Bucsa (ESP)
55. Magda Linette (POL)
56. Xinyu Wang (CHN)
57. Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA)
58. Magdalena Frech (POL)
59. Elsa Jacquemot (FRA)
60. Tereza Valentova (CZE)
61. Hailey Baptiste (USA)
62. Anna Blinkova
63. Peyton Stearns (USA)
65. Barbora Krejcikova (CZE)
66. Solana Sierra (ARG)
67. Olga Danilovic (SRB)
68. Viktorija Golubic (SUI)
69. Sonay Kartal (GBR)
70. Donna Vekic (CRO)
71. Yulia Putintseva (KAZ)
71. Yafan Wang (CHN) (Special Ranking)
72. Rebecca Sramkova (SVK)
73. Antonia Ruzic (CRO)
74. Francesca Jones (GBR)
75. Anna Bondar (HUN)
77. Varvara Gracheva (FRA)
78. Camila Osorio (COL)
79. Renata Zarazua (MEX)
80. Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS)
81. Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA)
82. Petra Marcinko (CRO)
83. Caty McNally (USA)
84. Ella Seidel (GER)
85. Alycia Parks (USA)
86. Simona Waltert (SUI)
87. Shuai Zhang (CHN)
88. Elena-Gabriela Ruse (ROU)
89. Suzan Lamens (NED)
90. Lulu Sun (NZL)
91. Panna Udvardy (HUN)
92. Sara Bejlek (CZE)
93. Katie Volynets (USA)
94. Moyuka Uchijima (JPN)
95. Julia Grabher (AUT)
96. Oleksandra Oliynykova (UKR)
97. Kamilla Rakhimova (UZB)
98. Kimberly Birrell (AUS)
99. Dalma Galfi (HUN)
100. Oksana Selekhmeteva
100. Mananchaya Sawangkaew (THA) (Special Ranking)
101. Darja Semenistaja (LAT)
102. Kaja Juvan (SLO)
103. Leolia Jeanjean (FRA)

The post 2026 Australian Open Entry List: Aryna Sabalenka leads list, Victoria Mboko, Alex Eala, Janice Tjen set for debuts appeared first on Tennis365.

F1 driver Lewis Hamilton said he would “love” to see Serena Williams back on the tennis court and revealed he has been telling her to make a comeback.

Williams’ return to the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s International Registered Testing Pool has ignited speculation that the 23-time Grand Slam winner could be preparing to return to the court for the first time since 2022, and one of her close friends Hamilton said he would love to see her back.

Speaking after the F1 season finale in Abu Dhabi, Hamilton was asked if he would like to see Williams back on the tennis court and revealed he had been asking her to do just that.

“I’d love to [see it],” he said. “I keep telling her to come back.

“Massive, massive supporter of her. She’s the greatest of all time, such a legend.

“She was at one of the races just recently. A dear friend as well, which I’m really honoured by.”

Williams was at the recent Qatar Grand Prix – as well as Novak Djokovic – but has not played a professional tennis match since the 2022 US Open.

Even back then, her retirement status was up for debate after she wrote an op-ed for Vogue but refused to use the word.

MORE NEWS ON T365

What Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner said about playing each other before exhibition showdown

Stunning prize money won by Alex de Minaur at the UTS Grand Final is revealed

“I have never liked the word retirement,” Williams wrote. “It doesn’t feel like a modern word to me.

“I’ve been thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something  very specific and important to a community of people.

“Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution. I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me. A few years ago I quietly started Serena Ventures, a venture capital firm. Soon after that, I started a family. I want to grow that family.”

Later that year, she said at an event the chances of her returning was “very high.”

However, she tweeted in early December that she was “NOT coming back” despite being reappearing on the anti-doping list.

If Serena Williams is looking for inspiration, she need only look to her older sister Venus who is still competing at the age of 45. There has been some speculation that the Williams sisters could team up for the women’s doubles at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Former world No.5 Anna Chakvetadze told Tennis365 it would be “very special” if Williams did make a return.

“Serena is a legend of our sport and one of the greatest champions in history,” said the Russian.

“If she ever decides to return, it would obviously be something very special for tennis.

“In individual matches, especially on the biggest stages, she could still look very competitive. But a full tournament, and especially the two-week Grand Slam distance, is a completely different challenge.

“The key question is how the body responds to that kind of physical load over time.

“If she does come back, I’m sure it would only be for something truly meaningful to her. She has achieved everything in tennis, and her legacy is already untouchable.”

Read next: Patrick Mouratoglou’s UTS Tour shows why tennis needs to embrace change

The post ‘I keep telling her to come back’ – F1 legend Lewis Hamilton reveals Serena Williams comeback wish appeared first on Tennis365.

Former WTA Tour star Anna Chakvetadze, who played Serena Williams twice, has told Tennis365 that it would be “very special for tennis” if the legendary American were to make a comeback.

Williams made her farewell at the 2022 US Open, having announced that she would “evolve away” from tennis rather than using the word retirement.

The former world No 1 won 23 Grand Slam singles titles between 1995 and 2022, and she is regarded by many to be the greatest women’s tennis player of all time.

Why is there speculation that Serena Williams could make a comeback?

Williams, 44, has sparked conjecture that she could make a return to tennis after it was revealed that she had re-entered the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA)’s International Registered Testing Pool (IRTP).

According to the ITIA, players on the IRTP need to inform the organisation about their whereabouts every day of the year through the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)’s ADAMS platform. By being on the list, players give the ITIA permission to conduct no-notice, out-of-competition testing as part of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP).

The ITIA’s website explains that players “may not return to sanctioned events unless they have made themselves available for out-of-competition testing for at least six months prior to the event in question.”

After the news emerged, Williams took to X/Twitter to respond to the strong speculation about her by insisting she would not be making a comeback.

“I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy,” Williams wrote.

Some remain convinced that Williams will return despite her statement.

In reply to Williams’ tweet, tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg asked: “Then why did you apply to reenter the testing pool?”

Tennis News

Serena Williams’ former coach reveals ‘big asset’ that could be key to comeback

Serena Williams comeback rumours: The best responses after tennis great puts out wildfire

What has Anna Chakvetadze said about a potential Serena Williams comeback?

Chakvetadze, a former world No 5 who won eight WTA singles titles, crossed paths with Williams during an illustrious career spanning from 2003 to 2013.

Speaking exclusively to Tennis365, Chakvetadze shared her thoughts on the possibility of the tennis icon returning to the sport.

“Serena is a legend of our sport and one of the greatest champions in history,” said the Russian.

“If she ever decides to return, it would obviously be something very special for tennis.

“In individual matches, especially on the biggest stages, she could still look very competitive. But a full tournament, and especially the two-week Grand Slam distance, is a completely different challenge.

“The key question is how the body responds to that kind of physical load over time.

“If she does come back, I’m sure it would only be for something truly meaningful to her. She has achieved everything in tennis, and her legacy is already untouchable.”

What is Anna Chakvetadze’s record against Serena Williams?

Chakvetadze holds a 1-1 record from her two encounters with Williams.

In the pair’s first match, Chakvetadze won the opening set 6-4 before Williams was forced to retire due to injury, giving the Russian the victory.

Williams dismantled Chakvetadze 6-0, 6-1 in the second round of the 2010 Wimbledon Championships.

READ NEXT: Exclusive – Stefanos Tsitsipas gets top 10 ranking verdict and honest advice from his idol

The post Former world No 5 who played Serena Williams gives verdict on icon’s potential comeback appeared first on Tennis365.

Alex de Minaur collected one of his biggest prize money hauls of 2025 after winning the UTS Grand Final in London for a second successive year after a thrilling win against Casper Ruud in the final.

A big crowd at London’s Copper Box lapped up the fast-paced UTS action, with matches played over four quarters and players only having one serve per point.

The two players with the highest ATP Ranking competing in the end-of-season event highlighted their class by reaching the final and it was De Minaur who prevailed, as he won a whopping $640,000 for his three days work.

That is a little less than he collected at last month’s ATP Finals ($727,500), but more than he collected for his run to the US Open quarter-finals in September, where he left New York with $660,000.

De Minaur is preparing for his wedding to British tennis player Katie Boulter next year, so their fund of that special event has been boosted healthily in recent weeks.

More Tennis News

Patrick Mouratoglou identifies one area where Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are a step ahead of the ‘Big 3’

Jannik Sinner given the ultimate compliment by one of his top 10 rivals

“It’s amazing to win here again,” said De Minaur. “London is a special place for me and it’s my home now, so it’s always great to play at this event and even better to win again.

“I’ve had some tough matches here this week and play Casper in the final was always going to be difficult so it’s amazing to come through.

“There is no rest for me now. I might take Monday off, but then it’s back on court practicing for the new season.”

When asked about his love of UTS tennis, De Minaur confirmed the all-action event suits his game.

“I’ve played a few of the UTS events now and I’ve enjoyed it. Having only one serve is an interesting mindset change and I enjoy trying to adapt to it,” he added.

“I find the noise and chaos of UTS a little easier to deal with when I know it’s coming and that’s the case in UTS. When everything is quiet, you hear every noise, but it’s never quiet at UTS and it showed me that I can play like that.

“You get used to the fact that the crowd are going nuts, screaming and the music is playing and it means you have to find a different way to focus in on playing points.”

Ruud made a strong start in the final, but as soon as de Minaur got comfortable with his shots after the first quarter, there was not much Ruud could do.

“He played better, much better,” Ruud said. “It just creates a lot of problems for me in my game. He plays so flat, so low, so deep. It suits these conditions. Amazing. It’s not the first time he’s winning this tournament for a reason.”

The Norwegian had a great event, reaching the final for the first time thanks to a thrilling sudden death win against Andrey Rublev from Russia (3–2 : 9–17, 15–11, 7–17, 17–11, 2–0).

“I’m getting more and more experienced, so that obviously helps,” Ruud said. “I didn’t use the bonus card very well in this Final Four, but I feel like I know when it’s a good time to use it. And if I come to the sudden death, I have at least played a few times before. So I know the kind of pressure and the feeling.”

“We can say that Alex de Minaur is the best player ever in this format, for now,” Patrick Mouratoglou, UTS founder, said. “His achievements show it. He’s always super competitive.”

Mouratoglou reflected on a hugely successful year for UTS Tour, which saw the format make its debut in Latin America and in Asia as well as events in Nîmes and now London. “The stadiums are full everywhere we go. We had some incredible highlights this year with nearly 12,000 seats full in an historic stadium in Nîmes; the videos went viral all over the world.”

“There is much more to come. The average age of the fans we have is way lower than traditional tennis fans; we dropped 20 years. Bringing new fans for tennis and younger fans was a goal, and that’s great because we will keep them for a long time.”

UTS mastermind Patrick Mouratoglou has already booked in two events for 2026 and given the success of his third successive end-of-season showpiece in London, we can expect to see more of the enjoyable mayhem created by this competition back in England’s capital next December.

UTS Tour Grand Final 2025

DAY 1 Results

Humbert – Goffin : 3-1: 21-12, 18-17, 15-16, 17-15 | Group B
Rublev – Machac : 3-0: 14-13, 17-10, 18-15 | Group A
De Minaur – Mannarino : 3-1: 21-12, 18-17, 15-16, 17-15 | Group A
Ruud – Cerundolo : 3-2: 12-11, 13-14, 11-15, 14-13, 4-2 | Group B

DAY 2 Results

Machac – Mannarino : 3–2 : 16–11, 14–11, 13–17, 11–13, 2–0 | Group A
Ruud – Goffin : 3–0 : 14–9, 16–7, 17–9 | Group B
Humbert – Cerundolo : 3–1 : 16–10, 14–12, 11–18, 16–9 | Group B
Rublev – de Minaur : 3–1 : 13–12, 8–18, 16–12, 13–12 | Group A
Cerundolo – Goffin : 3–0 : 19–8, 15–12, 18–7 | Group B
Rublev – Mannarino : 3–2 : 12–17, 11–13, 18–11, 18–12, 2–0 | Group A
Ruud – Humbert : 3–2 : 13–12, 8–16, 8–15, 14–12, 2–0 | Group B
De Minaur – Machac : 3–1 : 10–15, 16–11, 16–13, 16–12 | Group A

Final Four results

De Minaur – Humbert : 3–0 : 15–13, 18–13, 18–9 | Semifinal 1
Ruud – Rublev : 3–2 : 9–17, 15–11, 7–17, 17–11, 2–0 | Semifinal 2
De Minaur – Ruud : 3–1 : 11–15, 15–10, 15–11, 16–7 | Final

The post Stunning prize money won by Alex de Minaur at the UTS Grand Final is revealed appeared first on Tennis365.

Novak Djokovic has been quick to suggest the claims that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have taken tennis to the next level are not respecting the achievements of the three most successful male players of all-time, but former British No 1 Greg Rusedski has told Tennis365 that the new ‘Big 2’ are in a league of their own.

Djokovic hit back at reports that Alcaraz and Sinner were playing the game at a level above the one produced in an era he dominated alongside Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

That iconic trio won 66 Grand Slam titles between them, but some of the game’s greatest players have claimed the new dominant duo in men’s tennis are hitting the ball with more venom and consistency than the ‘Big 3’.

Now Rusedski has waded in on the debate, as he claimed every new era in the sport raises the bar of excellence, which is why Alcaraz and Sinner are already being hailed as all-time greats of the sport.

“Every generation goes to the next level and that’s what we are seeing with Alcaraz and Sinner,” said the 1997 US Open finalist told Tennis365, ahead of the launch of his new podcast, Off Court with Greg.

More Tennis News

Jannik Sinner given the ultimate compliment by one of his top ten rivals

Greg Rusedski reveals when Novak Djokovic should call time on his career as he offers alternative view

“Sports science gets better, techniques gets better, racket technology improves and while we are saying Alcaraz and Sinner are playing tennis we have never seen before, that doesn’t mean the greats of the past would not also rise to this level if they had the same conditions to play in now.

“You look at my generation and we had Pete Sampras in there. He got to 14 Grand Slam titles to break the all-time record in the men’s game and everyone said that would never be beaten.

“Then all of a sudden, along comes Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic and they all won 20 and more Grand Slam titles. Throw Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka in that picture as well.

“That era had three of the all-time greats and everyone was saying what is going to happen when Federer, Nadal and Djokovic are gone.

“Then Alcaraz and Sinner show up. Sometimes there is a one or two-year gap before new players start to dominate, but it has happened right away with these two.”

When Rusedski assesses why Alcaraz and Sinner have developed a stranglehold on the sport, he believes both have brought very different qualities to the game.

“Alacarz exploded out and starting winning right away, just like Rafael Nadal did,” he added. “He has been amazing for the sport and to already have six Grand Slam titles is an incredible number.

“Then you look at Sinner and the way he has used his skills as a skier to move around the court so effortlessly. I’ve never seen a player move like that before.

“You speak to other players and they say they just strike the ball so hard on both sides. Alex de Minaur said they strike it even harder than Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.

“The Roland Garros final they played this year was one of the best matches we have ever seen, including anything we saw from the Federer, Nadal and Djokovic match-ups.

“That tells you we are looking at two players here who are playing at another level, but whether they ever win as many titles as the ‘Big 3’, that’s a very different debate.

“You have to respect the longevity and the achievements of Roger, Rafa and Novak. Their records will be very tough to beat.”

The post Former British No 1’s shock verdict on why Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner and are better than the ‘Big 3’ appeared first on Tennis365.

Jannik Sinner has been hailed as the ultimate master of controlling his emotions, with his consistency hailed as his most impressive quality in a season when he had to deal with so much on and off the court.

Sinner lived through a wide range of emotions in 2025, with the highs including victories at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, as well as a thrilling win against his great rival Carlos Alcaraz in the ATP Finals in front of his adoring Italian fans last month.

He was close to finishing the year as world No 1 even though he missed three months of the season due to a doping suspension and now one of the players who has been unable to lay a glove on Sinner has given a verdict on why he is unstoppable.

De Minaur has a 13-0 record in his matches against Sinner, with the most recent defeat coming at the ATP Finals last month.

Now the Aussie has given his thoughts on why Sinner is so hard to trouble, as he spoke to Tennis365 while competing at the UTS Grand Final in London.

More Tennis News

Alex de Minaur opens up on his agonising press conference and makes an honest confession

Can Jack Draper challenge Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner in 2026? Patrick Mouratoglou weighs in

“One of the biggest attributes of Jannik is his level, day in day out, never fluctuates,” said De Minaur.

“That is one of the most impressive things from a tennis level standpoint and also mentally. This year, a lot has gone on and it hasn’t affected him mentally.

“In the French Open, he was two sets to one up, match points and lost. It was an amazing match and then he managed to back it up at Wimbledon.

“It’s amazing to be able to come back from a disappointment like that and play the way he did to win Wimbledon.

“It’s almost like tough moments don’t hit it. They bounce off him, hit the outside the next week and that’s admirable.”

When asked how he can change the narrative when he plays Sinner and world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz, he offered up some honest assessments.

“You have to play a lot of good tennis from the first point to the last,” he added. “That’s my goal. They are at the top of our game, they have been dominating for the last couple of years and the goal is to keep improving and make their life difficult.

“It’s by no means easy, but ultimately we don’t always want to same two guys winning all the big tournaments.

“As competitors, we don’t like to lose and we have to try and raise our game to compete with these guys.”

De Minaur has been showing his class at this year’s UTS Grand Final, with the event being played in front of packed crowds in London.

The post Jannik Sinner given the ultimate compliment by one of his top ten rivals appeared first on Tennis365.

Former ATP Tour star Marcos Baghdatis believes Stefanos Tsitsipas can get back to his best level if he starts making the “right decisions” as he offered his advice to the Greek star.

Baghdatis, who played from 2003 to 2019, is Cyprus’ greatest-ever tennis player and a sporting icon in his nation. He was a runner-up at the 2006 Australian Open and reached a career-high ranking of world No 8.

Growing up, Tsitsipas idolised Baghdatis, and he emulated the Greek Cypriot with his run to the Australian Open final in 2023.

“It was great seeing him battle against the great players of his time,” Tsitsipas said of Baghdatis after reaching the 2023 Australian Open final.

“Marcos might not have won a Grand Slam during his career, but he was a great player and I consider him one of my role models.”

Tsitsipas has already cemented himself as the best Greek player of all time, having finished as a runner-up at two majors, peaked at third in the rankings and won the ATP Finals, as well three Masters 1000 titles.

The 27-year-old is currently ranked 34th in the world after winning 22 of his 40 matches in a disappointing 2025 season by the high standards he has set.

This year, Tsitsipas was troubled by a chronic back issue that forced him to retire at Wimbledon and restricted him to playing just two competitive matches after a second round US Open exit in August.

Tennis News

Stefanos Tsitsipas’ mother reveals why the Greek’s collaboration with Goran Ivanisevic was ‘an illusion’

Stefanos Tsitsipas’ mother opens up about her son’s ‘interesting relationship’ with Paula Badosa

In an exclusive interview, Tennis365 asked Baghdatis what Tsitsipas needs to do to overcome his 2025 struggles.

“Listen, it’s very hard from the outside when you don’t know what’s going [on] inside, to say what he needs to do. That’s for sure,” said Baghdatis, a four-time ATP titlist.

“I think it’s decision-making, mostly. And if he can go back to the level he was; top 10 in the world? Of course he can. I still believe he can.

“But of course, it’s all the decisions and the things that you need to do to get there that are important.

“So, it depends on a lot of decisions that he will take in the next few weeks, months. But I think if he takes the right decisions… which, it’s very difficult to say which one.

“[What] I would suggest from my experience as an ex-professional tennis player, maybe, is to get back to the basics. Start from scratch. Start from zero again and accept where you are right now and build up on that.

“And not to think that… when you are top 10 and then you fall down, you always want to feel the same that you felt when you were there or when you played that match, but it’s not possible to feel the same.

“So you need to accept that and start from scratch and go from zero. Go from the basics and start all over again. And acceptance — I think it’s the key to accept where you are right now and to take it one step at a time.”

READ NEXT: ATP icon who played Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer explains who had ‘highest peak’

The post Stefanos Tsitsipas gets top 10 ranking verdict and honest advice from his idol appeared first on Tennis365.

Leading coach Patrick Mouratoglou has lauded Jack Draper’s game and mentality as he asserted that the British star “has everything” to compete with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Draper finished the 2025 season as the world No 10, his best year-end ranking position of his career so far, after amassing an impressive 30-9 record.

The 23-year-old won his biggest title to date at the Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells in March and was a runner-up at the Madrid Masters in May.

Draper reached a career-high ranking of world No 4 in June and looked well on course to qualify for the ATP Finals for the first time.

However, Draper was derailed by an arm injury that forced him to end his campaign after the US Open — where he withdrew before his second round match.

The Brit was due to make his return to action at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS) exhibition event in London this week, but he pulled out.

“I’ve been working hard to get ready for the UTS but frustratingly I’m just not quite ready,” Draper said.

“It’s a tough call as I want nothing more than to compete but I’ve been advised to take more time. Sorry to let down fans and miss out on the event.”

Tennis News

Patrick Mouratoglou identifies one area where Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are a step ahead of the ‘Big 3’

Marcos Baghdatis reveals why Djokovic, Nadal & Federer ‘stand out’ compared to Alcaraz & Sinner

In an interview with ITV, Mouratoglou — who founded UTS — shared his thoughts on Draper and identified staying injury-free as the biggest concern for the Brit.

“I’ve said it several years ago, I think if Jack is able to stay injury-free, he’s a top five [player], for sure,” said the Frenchman, who has coached Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka.

“His potential is someone who can compete with Alcaraz and Sinner. He definitely has everything. I think he has the mind, which is the most important.

“He’s an incredible competitor. I think he’s very ambitious, he’s smart. I really like him a lot, and I think he has a big game. He has also a lot of power.

“I mean, his main problem in the last years was too many injuries. And even though he’s played only six months of the year, he was in the top 10.

“So, I mean, it says a lot about how good he can be if he stays injury-free.”

What is Jack Draper’s record against Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner?

Jack Draper has a 2-4 record against Alcaraz, having defeated the Spaniard in the semi-finals in Indian Wells this year and the second round at the 2024 Queen’s Club Championships.

His defeats to Alcaraz came in Basel (2022), Indian Wells (2023), and at the Australian Open and the Italian Open in 2025.

The world No 10 holds a 1-1 record against Sinner, who he downed in the first round at Queen’s Club in 2021 and lost to in the 2024 US Open semi-finals.

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

The post Can Jack Draper challenge Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner in 2026? Patrick Mouratoglou weighs in appeared first on Tennis365.

Patrick Mouratoglou says that Emma Raducanu’s ‘challenge’ has been finding a long-term coach whom she can ‘trust’, but believes she has ‘big potential.’

The Brit has had an inconsistent coaching team since she won her maiden Grand Slam at the 2021 US Open.

Most recently, she split with Nick Cavaday in January and – soon after – added Andy Murray’s former coach, and long-time tennis commentator, Mark Petchey to her team.

Additionally, after a successful trial period, Raducanu also appointed Francisco Roig as her head coach in July, with the pair mutually agreeing to continue into next season.

Roig had been part of Rafael Nadal’s team for nearly 20 years, a period in which he claimed 22 Grand Slam titles and broke countless other records.

Mouratoglou, who is a former coach of Serena Williams, Holger Rune, and Naomi Osaka, has backed the Brit’s 2026 prospects, but notes that her inconsistent team has been a ‘challenge.’

“I think her potential is very big,” the renowned coach stated during an interview with ITV.

“I mean, she’s won a Grand Slam, but after that, it was very difficult for her.

“I think [she had had] way too many coaches working with her. I think if you look at all the very successful tennis players, you need to follow a path for a few years to build yourself through a project.

“Whenever you change coaches, you change your project. If you change your project every six months, it’s too difficult.

“So, for her, the big challenge is to trust someone for a period that is long enough, so she can really build something solid in her game for the future.

“If she’s able to do this, she’s a great player. No doubt.”

Latest Tennis News

Toni Nadal reveals the difference between Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal – ‘A bit weaker’

Joao Fonseca reveals ‘really valuable’ experience he learnt from Carlos Alcaraz

Indeed, despite the changes, 2025 marked her highest year-end ranking since 2021 and her best overall ranking since August 2022.

Raducanu finished the year as the world No 29, a ranking that means she is likely to be seeded at the Australian Open – something which still depends on the prior tournaments.

Though her win percentage was lower than 2024, she was able to play far more tournaments – largely due to her improved health.

The Brit’s season highlights include reaching the last eight of the Miami Open in March and the fourth round of the Italian Open in May.

Additionally, she reached the third round of the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.

Mouratoglou’s analysis has been backed up by many other tennis experts, including former player Greg Rusedski.

“The mistake she made was the coaching situation,” argued the Brit, during an exclusive interview with Tennis365.

“So many changes didn’t help her.

“I know this has been said before, but you need consistency in your coach and where you are going. She didn’t have that.

“The reason she is back in the top 30 now is that she has had some consistency with her coaches in recent months, starting with Mark Petchey coming into her team back in March and then with Francisco Roig coming on board, who has worked with Rafael Nadal.

“She needs that consistency with her coaching now.”

The post Patrick Mouratoglou reveals what Emma Raducanu’s ‘challenge’ has been, despite ‘big potential’ appeared first on Tennis365.