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Carlos Alcaraz is facing a race against time to bit fit to defend his French Open title next month and he has been given some candid advice by a former Grand Slam finalists who has urged the Spaniard to show some caution.

Alcaraz is nursing a wrist problem that he picked up playing at the Barcelona Open and has admitted he is weighing up whether he will have time to recover to play at Roland Garros.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion will be reluctant to miss the second major of 2026, but former US Open finalist Greg Rusedski believes he needs to be careful with his next decision.

At the age of 22, Alcaraz needs to avoid any threat of a wrist injury becoming a long-term problem and Rusedski suggests he may be wise to skip the French Open and ensure he is fully fit for the long-term if there are any question marks over an are of the body that is always a major area of concern for tennis players.

“He needs to look at the long-term picture and say I’ve got a 10-year career,” said Rusedski on the latest episode of his podcast.

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“He can’t afford to have a wrist injury that is serious. Look at Juan Martin del Potro, one of the greats of our game. He never solved his wrist problem and never came back to the player he once was.

“So take your time, make sure it’s 100 per-cent ready to go. Don’t rush it back. So I don’t think he really overall cares about the ranking points. It’s about health is your wealth.

“The four majors are what really define you as a great of the game. He’s already won seven. He’s only three away from 10 already at such a young age, which is incredible.

“I heard there’s rumors in Monte Carlo in the finals he wasn’t feeling his best with the wrist. Maybe had a little niggle there and sometimes he pushed through and that’s normal to have niggles, aches, pains in certain areas.

“He did the right thing to pull out of Barcelona with the injury and if I look at this picture, even if he misses the French, it’s not such a big deal.”

Rusedski went on to compare the scheduling plan being followed by world No 1 Jannik Sinner and his great rival Alcaraz.

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Sinner looks to take breaks between events, while Alcaraz played back-to-back tournaments in Monte Carlo and Barcelona before picking up his injury.

“You look at Jannik Sinner and this guy has got great scheduling,” he added. “His preparations are always perfect. He’s always the first one to the tournament and when he plays he’s ready to go. He’s had very few injuries. He manages his body well but also you got two different personalities.

“You look at Carlos, he loves to have a good time. He likes to go out and partying. He likes to go on his boat.

“Sinner’s more relaxed, more focused on the tennis, more serious about his recuperation. One of the key ingredients is sleep, relaxation, and time away. And that’s what the best players balance out so well. And if you can’t do that, then you get these niggles, these pains, and these injuries, and it’s finding that balance.”

READ NEXT: Jannik Sinner on ‘quite unique’ Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic situation at Madrid Open

The post Carlos Alcaraz told to consider ‘long term picture’ amid big French Open injury fear appeared first on Tennis365.

Novak Djokovic’s longevity is almost as impressive as his stunning record of success on court, with former top 20 player describing the Serbian legend as ‘crazy’ when he reflects on his dedication to the sport.

Djokovic will toast his 39th birthday next month, but he remains a live contender for the biggest title in the men’s game as he looks to make another challenge in the upcoming Grand Slam tournaments at the French Open and Wimbledon.

The Serbian is a notable absentee from the Madrid Open, but his presence at the top of the men’s game remains huge as he counts down to his 39th birthday.

While Djokovic decided to sit out the Madrid tournament once again as he continues to nurse an injury issue, the 24-time Grand Slam-winning legend spent some of his time away from court presenting the Laureus World Sports Awards in the Spanish capital on Monday.

Djokovic confirmed he is planning to be ready to return to action at the French Open next month, with his eagerness to continue in the sport a source of inspiration and amazement for some of his former rivals.

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The Serbian is one of the few players who has challenged Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner over the last couple of years, as he continues to defy the sands of time to remain competitive at the top of the game.

In the opinion of former world No 18 Benoit Paire, Djokovic is displaying hugely impressive tenacity as he presses to challenge for what would be a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.

Speaking exclusively to Tennis365, Paire admitted he was in awe of Djokovic as he continues to compete long after most players who have enjoyed the unprecedented levels of success he has engineered would have walked away from the sport.

“I don’t know how he can do this,” Paire told Tennis365 with the Roland Garros e-series. “I lost some of my motivation when I won my first tournament!

“Djokovic has won so much and he still wants more. It’s crazy. He is a great champion and that’s why he continues. He wants to win one more Grand Slam and he can show the new generation that he is able to win agains. This may be his last season, but I hope he is going to do it.

“When you see him on court now, even at this age, it’s amazing because he can still move like a 20-year-old. He was very close at the Australian Open and at Wimbledon, I think he has a chance. For me that is where he can win again. At Roland Garros, it will be tough physically, but Wimbledon is his chance.”

Paire beat Djokovic in the 2018 Miami Masters, with that victory a source of great pride for the Frenchman.

“My first experience playing Djokovic was when I was very young and he was No 1 in the world,” he added. “I remember his game was so complete. It’s crazy how he can move. When he is serving, he is very good. His return is amazing.

“Now, all these years later, players from my generation are all going and Djokovic is still there and doing amazing things.

“I beat Djokovic once time and it was something special, even if he was not at his best.

“I did not think I was possible for him to beat Sinner on a hard court. He is so strong physically and mentally, so I was surprised to see Djokovic beat him at the Australian Open. That’s why I believe he can do it one more time.”

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Paire, who is three years younger than Djokovic, is currently nursing a back problem that could bring his career to an end in a manner he is keen to avoid.

He is eager to end his career on his own terms and the same story if true for Djokovic, who has set his sights on the ultimate glory as he eyes up an incredible final hurrah in his historic sporting story.

READ NEXT: Carlos Alcaraz gets some candid advice from former top 20 player after injury setback

The post Novak Djokovic described as ‘crazy’ and ‘amazing’ by a former top 20 opponent appeared first on Tennis365.

Alex Eala has kicked off her Madrid Open campaign with a solid win over former French Open runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

After being seeded at her two most recent WTA 1000 events at the Indian Wells Open and Miami Open, Eala’s drop down the WTA Rankings resulted in her losing her seeding protection as she started the tournament at No 44.

It meant there was no bye into the second round, but Eala was unperturbed as she was in peak form against Pavlyuchenkova, who has slumped to No 116 following a difficult couple of years.

After saving a couple of break points in game two, the Filipino broke to love in game five and then claimed a second break in game nine to take the opener.

The 20-year-old again took the early advantage in the second set as she broke the world No 11’s serve in game four only to lose her own serve in the next game, but she got a second break in game six and then served it out for a 6-3, 6-3 win 90 minutes on Estadio Arantxa Sanchez.

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The win is Eala’s first in three matches as she was beaten in the round of 16 of the Linz Open by Jelena Ostapenko and then lost her opener against Leylah Fernandez at last week’s Stuttgart Open.

Up next is 19th seed Elise Mertens, who had a bye to the second round.

In terms of the other seeds in the bracket, the winner of the Eala-Mertens match is projected to meet 33rd seed Maria Sakkari in the third round while 27th seed Cristina Bucsa and 34th seed Magdalena Frech are favourites to reach the fourth round.

WTA Rankings Update

Eala reached a career-high No 29 in the WTA Rankings in mid-March, but her failure to replicate her Miami Open semi-final from 2025 resulted in her dropping down the list.

But she is now closing in on a return to the top 40 as she has moved up three places in the Live Rankings to No 41 as she earned 35 points for winning her opener.

And there is an even bigger rankings boost waving at her as she could move up a few more spots if she reaches the third round by beating Mertens.

Eala has now reached the second round of the Madrid Open for three consecutive years as last year she defeated Viktoriya Tomova in her opener before losing against second seed Iga Swiatek while in 2024 she defeated Lesia Tsurenko before Sorana Cirstea ended her run.

The post Alex Eala +3 in WTA Rankings with excellent Madrid Open win appeared first on Tennis365.

Jannik Sinner admits it will be strange not to have both Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic in the draw at the Madrid Open, but he insists he will still face “many challenges”.

Fresh from winning four consecutive ATP 1000 tournaments with three of those titles coming in his last three tournaments in Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo, Sinner will be looking to become the first man to win five Masters events in a row.

And he will start his campaign in the Spanish capital as the odds-on favourite not only because he is the top seed and world No 1, but his two biggest rivals won’t feature as Alcaraz and Djokovic are missing.

Two-time Madrid Open champion Alcaraz is out with a wrist injury that could also result in him missing the Italian Open and French Open, while Djokovic has said very little about the injury keeping him out of action.

Sinner, who will start his tournament against either Benjamin Bonzi or Titouan Droguet, told reporters: “When they aren’t in the draw, the situation is quite unique.

“We’ve shared many tournaments, but if I want to play Carlos, it will only be in the final. The road to a final is very long, and anything can happen there.

“At the same time, I always take it day by day, with many challenges ahead of me starting with my first match against a qualifier who will already have a couple of matches here. I have to try to figure out how to play on this surface and in Madrid.”

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Since losing in the quarter-final of the Qatar Open in mid-February, the four-time Grand Slam winner has won 17 consecutive matches and there were initially doubts about his own participation at the Madrid Open as he admitted he was feeling tired.

Last year, he missed the Madrid Open as he was still serving his three-month ban, in 2024 he withdrew before his quarter-final match due to injury while he also skipped the 2023 edition.

But he appears to have fully recovered and is good to go for the 2025 tournament.

“I feel pretty good. Now we’re trying to prepare as well as we can,” the Italian said. “The plan is to play and compete as well as possible. I’ll take it day by day.

“I have the challenge of Roland Garros in the back of my mind, where I’ll try to arrive in optimal shape. I’m here to give my best.”

The post Jannik Sinner on ‘quite unique’ Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic situation at Madrid Open appeared first on Tennis365.

Alex Eala is preparing to return to action at the Madrid Open and there are clear areas of her game that need to be ramped up if she is to challenge the leading contenders at the top of the women’s game.

Eala’s stunning breakthrough at last year’s Miami Open, which included a fine win against Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek, propelled the Filipina star to global fame.

She backed up that run in Florida by breaking into the top 30 of the WTA Rankings and emerging as one of the most popular players in the game.

Yet finding a way to consistently compete with the best won’t be easy for Eala and here are four big areas she needs to improve:

THE SERVE

Eala’s frame is not packed with power and that means she may have a serve that challenges the game’s biggest hitters.

She is down at 44th in the rankings for service points won on the WTA Tour this year and she is 87th for service games won, after emerging victorious in 64.7% of her service games.

A more punchy first serve could be crucial to Eala’s hopes of getting into the top 20 of the rankings and maybe into the top 10.

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PHYSICALITY

As she looks to move up the levels at the top of the game, Eala is coming up against seasoned professionals who have the physical attributes to win matches day after day.

Eala’s record so far suggests she struggles to back up a win by performing at her best a day later and she has suffered some heavy defeats in the opening weeks of 2026.

Building her physical presence on court will take time and that will be crucial to what comes next.

MENTALITY

When the tide turns against Eala, she has struggled to push it back in her favour.

She lost against Karolina Muchova in Miami after winning just two games and also won just two games in her defeat against Linda Noskova in Indian Wells.

Eala was well beaten by Leylah Fernandez at the Stuttgart Open as she looked to kick-start he clay court season, so she may need to find new tactics to change the momentum in matches that are not going her way.

VARIETY

Eala needs to find a way to knock opponents out of their stride when her Plan A isn’t working.

She can hit a clean ball from the back of the court, and that will give her a chance to hit through lower-ranked opponents, but Eala is now playing in marquee events and her power will not frighten top-ranked opponents.

Drop shots, changing the shape of her ball from the baseline and varying the pace of her shot could all be crucial to what she needs to do next.

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VERDICT

After achieving so much so soon, Eala is dealing with inflated expectations, but there is still plenty of time for this 20-year-old to reach her peak.

She has proved she can match the best when she is fit and firing and the big challenge for all players at this stage of their career is finding a way to win consistently.

READ NEXT: Alarm bells ringing for Alex Eala as she looks to make a step up to the big time

The post Alex Eala: Four big areas the Filipina star needs to improve as she seeks rankings breakthrough appeared first on Tennis365.

Elena Rybakina has overtaken Aryna Sabalenka in the Race to the WTA Finals after her victory in Stuttgart, while Mirra Andreeva and Iga Swiatek are also on the rise.

World No 2 Rybakina defeated 11th-ranked Karolina Muchova 7-5, 6-1 in the Stuttgart final to secure her second title at the WTA 500 tournament played on indoor clay.

The Kazakh, who is the reigning Australian Open champion, also overcame Andreeva, Leylah Fernandez and Diana Shnaider during her run in Germany.

This week, attention has turned to the Madrid Open — the first clay-court WTA 1000 tournament of the season. Main draw action in the Spanish capital will take place from 21 April to 2 May.

What is the WTA Race to Riyadh?

The eight women who earn the most ranking points in the 2026 season will qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals, which will be staged in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 7 to 14 November.

If a current-year Grand Slam champion finishes between ninth and 20th in the Race, they will take the eighth and final qualification spot.

The prestigious tournament, which was first held in 1972, is played on indoor hard-court at the King Saud University Indoor Arena.

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Rybakina is the reigning WTA Finals champion, having claimed a record-breaking $5,235,000 for winning the 2025 edition of the event.

The players who finish ninth and 10th will travel to Saudi Arabia as alternates and have the chance to take the place of any players who withdraw.

The latest Race to Riyadh rankings

Rybakina collected 500 WTA ranking points for her triumph in Stuttgart, which lifted her total in the Race to 3,983 points.

This has seen Rybakina move 183 points clear of Sabalenka — who was due to play in Stuttgart, but pulled out before the event.

Jessica Pegula did not play last week, and she remains in third position with 2,905 points.

Elina Svitolina is still fourth in the Race after increasing her points total to 2,450 with a quarter-final run in Stuttgart.

Muchova took her tally to 2,270 points after her runner-up result, and she still occupies the No 5 spot.

Andreeva has climbed a position for the second straight week after her Stuttgart semi-final result took her to 2,063 points and moved her above Victoria Mboko into sixth. Mboko is still on 1,927 as she did not compete last week.

Coco Gauff remains in eighth place, but she has moved onto 1,803 points after she made the last eight in Germany.

Live WTA Race to Riyadh (as of 21 April)

1) Elena Rybakina – 3,983 (+1)
2) Aryna Sabalenka – 3,800 (-1)
3) Jessica Pegula – 2,905
4) Elina Svitolina – 2,450
5) Karolina Muchova – 2,270
6) Mirra Andreeva – 2,063 (+1)
7) Victoria Mboko – 1,927 (-1)
8) Coco Gauff – 1,803
Cutoff
9) Belinda Bencic – 1,187
10) Amanda Anisimova –1,130
11) Iga Swiatek – 1,128 (+1)
12) Iva Jovic – 1,111 (-1)
13) Sorana Cirstea – 970
14) Linda Noskova – 828 (+5)
15) Jelena Ostapenko – 826 (-1)

Swiatek reached the quarter-finals in Stuttgart, and she has moved above Iva Jovic to 11th in the Race.

READ NEXT: WTA Rankings: Rybakina chips away at Sabalenka lead, Gauff, Swiatek miss out, Ostapenko -18, Podrez +62

The post WTA Rankings Race To Riyadh: Elena Rybakina overtakes Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek & Mirra Andreeva climb appeared first on Tennis365.

Carlos Alcaraz’s wrist injury could have a big impact on the race to be World No 1 with Jannik Sinner set to benefit from the Spaniard’s absence.

After he withdrew from Barcelona and was later spotted wearing a wrist splint, fears have grown over whether Alcaraz will be fit enough to defend his Roland Garros title having defeated Sinner in the final last year.

The man himself has suggested he will not risk it if it was to put his longer term career in jeopardy but an extended absence could have a monumental impact on the points difference between the two best male players on the tour.

As it stands, leader Sinner is on 13,350 points while Alcaraz is 390 behind on 12,960. One of the most influential matters in the race though is Sinner’s doping ban from last year which meant he has a lot to gain and almost nothing to lose in the clay swing.

Sinner will begin his quest for the Madrid Open on Friday where he will be looking to secure 1,000 points for winning his fifth consecutive Masters title.

After that, he could head to Rome where he has 650 points to defend but winning the tournament would grant him an additional 350.

Then in Paris, Sinner has 1,300 points to defend and 700 to gain so should he win the next three tournaments, the Italian would end the clay swing on 15,400.

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Meanwhile for Alcaraz, he is in the opposite position of having a lot to lose and little to gain. He did not play in the Madrid Open last year so does not at least lose points there but he could lose 1,000 in Rome and then 2,000 in Paris, putting him down on 9,960.

This means that Sinner, who was 550 behind Alcaraz come the end of the Australian Open, could start the grass season 5,440 ahead.

At the start of the clay swing, Alcaraz hinted that he knew he was up against it given Sinner’s previous ban and said him losing top spot was a matter of when not if.

“To be honest, I’m going to lose No 1 in the world [at some point]. I don’t know if it is going to be at this tournament or in the next one,” said Alcaraz. “I’m defending a bunch of points that are going to be really difficult to defend. Even if I defend them, Jannik is going to add some points at these tournaments where he doesn’t have to defend any points.

“I will try to play my best and let’s see what happens, but for me the No 1 spot is not in my mind right now. I’m just trying to feel the best way on clay courts and let’s see how the clay swing goes.”

Read next: What is Carlos Alcaraz’s injury? The inflamed wrist that could keep him out of Roland Garros

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The post What Carlos Alcaraz’s injury could mean for ATP points race with Jannik Sinner appeared first on Tennis365.

Former world No 1 Boris Becker has assessed that Jannik Sinner is playing the best tennis of his career as he declared that the Italian is “from another planet.”

Sinner holds a 24-2 record in 2026, and he is on a 17-match winning streak after winning the Masters 1000 events in Monte Carlo, Miami and Indian Wells. He dropped just a single set across the three tournaments.

The 24-year-old’s maiden triumph in Monte Carlo saw him overtake Carlos Alcaraz to climb to the top of the ATP Rankings for the first time since November.

The four-time Grand Slam winner is only the second player to win the first three ATP Masters tournaments of the season after Novak Djokovic — who accomplished the feat in 2015.

If Sinner wins the Madrid Open, where ATP main draw action will begin on Wednesday, he will become the first man in history to win the first four Masters events in a season.

Speaking to Eurosport Spain, Becker discussed Sinner’s sensational form heading into the Madrid Open.

“Sinner is playing his best tennis right now,” said the six-time Grand Slam champion. “I’ve never seen him as strong as he is now.

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“Winning the Sunshine Double and then returning to Europe on clay, winning Monte Carlo and practically not losing a set, it’s incredible.

“He’s in top form and I think he might win in Madrid too, especially now that Alcaraz is injured. He’s from another planet.

“I call Sinner ‘Djokovic 2.0’, with a similar style from the baseline, very consistent. Plus, he wins his matches quickly.”

Sinner is the heavy favourite to triumph in Madrid after world No 2 Carlos Alcaraz — his biggest rival — was forced to pull out due to a wrist injury.

The world No 1 will face a qualifier in the second round at Caja Magica after receiving an opening round bye.

The Italian is chasing his maiden title at the Madrid Open, with his best result to date in the Spanish capital a run to the quarter-finals in 2024.

READ NEXT: Is a big threat to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner finally emerging in men’s tennis?

The post Boris Becker says Jannik Sinner is ‘from another planet’ as he makes Madrid Open prediction appeared first on Tennis365.

The question on everyone’s mind right now is will Carlos Alcaraz play in the French Open after the Spaniard suffered a wrist injury.

The World No 2 was forced to pull out of the Barcelona Open and any notion that it is a minor injury was soon ruled out when he was spotted with a full splint around his right wrist.

And now according to Spanish TV show El Partido de COPE, Alcaraz has picked up an inflamed tendon sheath.

“In the sheath of the tendon, which is inflamed,” Angel Ga Muñiz said. “His wrist has been immobilised for four days, since last Friday. And that test, that decisive test, that key test that Carlos Alcaraz talks about is a follow-up ultrasound.

“The first one was done right after the injury in Barcelona. At that very moment, the decision was already made that Madrid was impossible and it was already suspected that Rome would also be very difficult, and they were dreaming about Roland Garros. Now that dream seems a bit further away.

“Everything depends on what comes out in that follow-up ultrasound, on whether the inflammation has gone down, on whether that sheath that protects the tendon is better. But obviously Rome now seems absolutely impossible, and Roland Garros looks bad.

“Does that mean he’s not going to play? No. Alcaraz wants to dream that he can be there and that, obviously, a tournament he’s won the last two editions of well deserves a certain risk — but not a risk that would put the rest of the season and the rest of his career at risk.”

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The tendon sheaths are synovial-lined, fluid-filled tunnels that cover tendons, lubricating them and protecting them from friction against bone, particularly during hand movement. Inflammation of that area, also known as tenosynovitis, can be painful given how frequently the wrist moves and makes it harder to use your hand as you normally would.

Continuing to play while having such an injury could lead to worsening conditions such as tendon rupture or in extreme cases, death of the tendon tissues.

To treat it, a player must reduce any stress on the tendon – which is why Alcaraz has been wearing a splint – as well as applying hot or cold to the area to reduce inflammation. In some cases, surgery may be required.

A normal person should be back to full fitness in a couple of weeks, but tennis players are putting much more stress on that area. Alcaraz has insisted he will not rush back into playing if it risks his longer-term career.

“I’d rather come back a little later but in great shape than come back early, rushing around, and unwell,” Alcaraz told Spanish television channel TVE.

“God willing, I have a very long career ahead of me – many years – and pushing myself too hard at this Roland Garros could seriously harm me in future tournaments.

“Things happen in the professional world. You have to accept them.

“I need to recover really well if I don’t want it to affect me later on.”

Read next: Novak Djokovic schedule: Tennis great gives update about Rome and Roland Garros

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Novak Djokovic’s absence from the ATP Tour looks set to continue for at least another couple of weeks as he has hinted that he could miss the Italian Open although there is better news with regards to the French Open.

The 24-time Grand Slam winner has played only nine matches this year with six coming at the Australian Open – one of his encounters was a walkover – and three at the Miami Open with his last competitive clash on 12 March when he lost against Jack Draper in the round of 16 in Florida.

Having already missed the Monte Carlo Masters, Djokovic also confirmed last week that he would not take part in this week’s Madrid Open due to an unconfirmed injury.

The Italian Open is the last ATP Masters 1000 tournament on clay before Roland Garros, but if the world No 4’s latest comments are anything to go by, then he won’t be in Rome.

“I have an injury, I hope to be ready at least for Roland Garros. I’m working to get to Rome but I can’t make a prediction now because it depends on the progress of the injury. At least for Roland Garros I’m ready,” he told Spanish media during the Laureus World Sports Awards.

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If he does indeed head to Roland Garros without playing any warm-up events on clay, it will be the first time in his career that he has done so as he has always played at least one ATP 1000 event before competing in Paris.

Last year, Djokovic played six matches spread across three tournaments on clay before the French Open as he lost his opening matches at the Monte Carlo Masters and Madrid Open before winning four matches at the Geneva Open, where he won the ATP 250 trophy.

The Serbian then went on to reach the semi-final in Paris before losing in straight sets against then world No 1 Jannik Sinner.

Djokovic, of course, still has an option to defend his title in Switzerland this year with the tournament starting on 17 May with the final set for 23 May, one day before Roland Garros gets underway.

As things stand, he is not on the entry list with Taylor Fritz, Alexander Bublik and Casper Ruud the top-20 players who have been confirmed by tournament organisers. However, he was also not on the list 12 months ago before receiving a late direct entry.

But Djokovic is no stranger to not playing any warm-up tournaments before Grand Slams as he didn’t enter any ATP events before this year’s Australian Open and still reached the final, losing against Carlos Alcaraz.

He also didn’t play any events before last year’s US Open and Wimbledon and reached the semi-finals of both of those Grand Slams.

The post Novak Djokovic schedule: Tennis great gives update about Rome and Roland Garros appeared first on Tennis365.