Category: Articles

  • Iga Swiatek latest schedule decision described as ‘very smart’ by Serena Williams’ former coach

    Iga Swiatek has made herself unavailable for selection for Poland’s upcoming Billie Jean King Cup qualifier against Ukraine.

    The six-time Grand Slam winner is coming off a disappointing Sunshine Double as she was beaten in the quarter-final by Elina Svitolina and was then stunned by fellow Pole Magda Linette in the second round of the Miami Open.

    Having started the North American hard-court swing at No 2 in the WTA Rankings with Aryna Sabalenka at the top, Swiatek’s poor run of form has seen her drop to No 4 with Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff moving ahead of her.

    On the back of her Miami exit, she announced that she had parted ways with her coach Wim Fissette with the search for a new mentor now officially underway.

    The 24-year-old was initially expected to next be in action for seventh seeds Poland when they face Ukraine in the Billie Jean King Cup in Gliwice on 10-11 April, but she has decided not to play.

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    In a post on social media, Swiatek wrote: “Today I want to share another decision. I will not be playing in the upcoming Billie Jean King Cup qualifying tournament in Gliwice. This is not an easy decision for me, as playing in Poland has always held and holds special significance for me and I know that many of you were looking forward to seeing me on the court.

    “Recent times have been demanding for me, both in terms of sports and the changes happening around me. I feel that I need a moment to pause, organize certain things and focus on calm, quality work. I hope you understand.

    “We have a great team – I am sure that @magdalinette will do a wonderful job leading the girls. I am keeping my fingers crossed for the entire squad: @lindaklimovicova, @katarzynakawapl, @majachwalinska, captain @dawidcelt and the whole team. I will be cheering for you with all my heart.

    “Thank you for your support – it really means a lot to me.”

    It is the second tournament that Swiatek has decided to skip so far this year, as she also withdrew from the Dubai Tennis Championships in February.

    Legendary coach Rick Macci believes Swiatek’s latest schedule change will help her to be “firing” on the clay.

    “Very smart the Polish Punisher is not playing the next event,” Macci – who coached both Serena Williams and Venus Williams – wrote on social media.

    “Iga has been there done that. She has delivered the mail. She knows the drill She feels the temperature. She is a champion. She will dive in the deep end when she is ready and the Punisher will be firing and on dirt.”

    The reigning Wimbledon champion’s next event is the Stuttgart Open on the clay at the Porsche-Arena with the WTA 500 event getting underway on 13 April.

    She is a two-time champion in Stuttgart, having won the title in 2022 and 2023, but lost in the quarter-final against Jelena Ostapenko last year.

    The post Iga Swiatek latest schedule decision described as ‘very smart’ by Serena Williams’ former coach appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Miami Open: Coco Gauff told ‘positive’ she can bring into clay-court swing

    Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli believes Coco Gauff’s serve and forehand in the Miami Open final could prove a huge “positive” ahead of the impending clay-court swing.

    Gauff was beaten 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 by world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday afternoon, though there were still positives for the American to take despite her loss.

    The 22-year-old was in the first Miami Open final of her career, having never previously made it past round four of the WTA 1000 event, while she was into her first final of 2026 following a difficult start to the season by her own high standards.

    Gauff contested four straight three-set matches to reach the last four of the event, but produced one of her best performances of the year to thrash Karolina Muchova in the semi-final, before an encouraging display against Sabalenka.

    The American’s run means she is back up to world No 3 in the WTA Rankings, and will now look to continue her positive form into the clay-court swing, which starts this week.

    Speaking on Sky Sports following Saturday’s final, former world No 7 Bartoli stated that Gauff should look to bring key elements of her game from Miami into the next few months.

    “She came up a little short, but the way she was able to find a way in the second set to steal a set was incredible,” said Bartoli.

    “It was total dominance in the first set from Aryna, winning so much. It showed incredible mentality and heart, and that is why she [Gauff] has already won two Grand Slams. Because she is a tough competitor, with her heart, with her fight, with her backhand.

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    “I loved the fact [on Saturday] she was using her slice serve a lot. That should be a pattern she is going to use on clay as well.

    “She is the Roland Garros defending champion, but she can build momentum to include this, and the way she was able to hold on to that serve and forehand [on Saturday] was a positive she can take.”

    Gauff is set to start her clay-court swing at the Women’s Stuttgart Open, a WTA 500 event which will take place from April 13-19.

    The American will then likely compete at the WTA 1000 events in Madrid and Rome, having finished as the runner-up at both tournaments in 2025.

    Gauff was beaten by Sabalenka in the Madrid Open final last May, before defeat to Jasmine Paolini in the Italian Open final a fortnight later.

    However, she will enter Roland Garros as the reigning champion, having beaten world No 1 Sabalenka in a three-set final last June.

    Roland Garros has traditionally been Gauff’s strongest major, having reached at least the quarter-final stage of the tournament every year since 2021 — and reaching a first final at the event back in 2022, where she fell to Iga Swiatek.

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    Read Next: Miami Open: How Aryna Sabalenka emulated four fellow world No 1’s with ‘Sunshine Double’ feat

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  • ATP Rankings: Could Jannik Sinner replace Carlos Alcaraz at No 1 after Monte Carlo Masters?

    Jannik Sinner has put the pressure firmly on Carlos Alcaraz in the battle for the No 1 spot in the rankings by winning the Sunshine Double.

    Alcaraz has been top of the ATP Rankings since last November, but he will face an uphill battle to keep hold of the No 1 position at the Monte Carlo Masters following Sinner’s unblemished run during the North American hard-court swing.

    The Spaniard had a 3,150-point lead at the start of the Indian Wells Open, but his Italian rival was always going to be able to close the gap as he had a “free hit” as he didn’t have any points to defend as he was banned 12 months ago.

    With Alcaraz losing in the semi-final in Indian Wells and the third round in Miami, coupled with Sinner winning both tournaments, the lead is down to just 1,190 points.

    While Sinner earned a maximum of 2,000 points, Alcaraz picked up only 40 points as he was defending 400 in California and earned the same amount after losing in the last four against Daniil Medvedev while he defended 10 points from 2025 in Miami, but earned 50 points.

    What Is To Come

    Up next is the Monte Carlo Masters with both in the main draw, but Sinner will once again have a leg up on his rival.

    The Italian didn’t play on the red dirt in Monaco 12 months ago as he was still serving his three-month ban so he will once again not have any points to defend.

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    Alcaraz, meanwhile, won the Monte Carlo event last year, so will drop 1,000 points at the start of the tournament and once that total is removed, he will be on 12,590 with Sinner on 12,400, putting the Spaniard ahead by a mere 190 points.

    It means Alcaraz will remain top if he outperforms Sinner, but the Italian will move ahead of the six-time Grand Slam winner if he, for example, reaches the semi-final and the Spaniard loses in the quarter-final.

    Form And Clay Performances

    Sinner is also in better form as he didn’t drop serve once during his Sunshine Double, while he has now won 34 consecutive sets at ATP Masters 1000 level with his record starting at the 2025 Paris Masters.

    Alcaraz, of course, started the year with back-to-back titles at the Australian Open and Qatar Open, but is 1-2 in his last three matches after his semi-final loss in Indian Wells and third-round defeat in Miami.

    However, Alcaraz is the man to beat on clay as he was 22–1 last year, winning the Monte Carlo Masters, Italian Open and French Open while he also finished runner-up in Barcelona.

    Sinner has won only one title on clay and that was in 2022 although he finished runner-up to Alcaraz in Rome and at Roland Garros last year in the two tournaments he did play on the red dirt.

    The post ATP Rankings: Could Jannik Sinner replace Carlos Alcaraz at No 1 after Monte Carlo Masters? appeared first on Tennis365.

  • WTA Rankings: Sabalenka passes Swiatek milestone, Gauff No 3, Baptiste +12, Raducanu -5, Eala -16

    World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka capped off a dominant March by winning the Sunshine Double, and with it, she cemented her place at the top of the rankings while there was also good news for Coco Gauff and Hailey Baptiste after the Miami Open.

    Sabalenka has become only the fifth woman to win the back-to-back Indian Wells Open and Miami Open with her latest title run coming on the back of a three-set win over Gauff in the final in Florida.

    The four-time Grand Slam winner was the defending champion so she didn’t add any points to her tally as the WTA uses a rolling 52-week cumulative system, meaning players have to defend points from the corresponding period a year ago.

    The Belarusian earned 1,000 points last year and dropped that at the start of the tournament, but then got the 1,000 points back by winning the title again.

    She beat her closest challenger, Elena Rybakina with a dominant two-set win in the semi-finals, and that means she ends the North American hard-court swing with a 2,917-point lead over the Kazakh player.

    Sabalenka started her 84th week at No 1 on Monday, which keeps her at No 11 on the all-time list, but she will likely pass Lindsay Davenport (98) in the coming months to move into the top 10.

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    With 76 of those 84 weeks coming consecutively, she has moved ahead of Iga Swiatek for the longest consecutive streak as she is now tied with Chris Evert at No 11 on 76.

    Evert, of course, also has a 113-week consecutive streak, while Sabalenka will likely move up a few more spots with her current run.

    Although Gauff finished runner-up, she moved up one place with her run to the final while Iga Swiatek has dropped to No 4 after her shock second-round exit.

    Swiatek will start the clay-court swing with a 1,000-point advantage over Jessica Pegula while the only other change in the top 10 sees Elina Svitolina and Jasmine Paolini swap places with the former now at No 7.

    Dubai champion Karolina Muchova is on the cusp of a return to the top-10 as she earned her a three-place jump to No 11 after reaching the semi-final while rising star Iva Jovic is up one place to a new high of No 16.

    Hailey Baptiste was the surprise package in Miami as she was the only unseeded player in the quarter-finals and she earned a 12-place surge to a new high of No 33.

    Talia Gibson is also +12 to a new high of No 56 after reaching the round of 16 while Yulia Starodubtseva is +19 and up to No 89 after her run to the round of 32.

    In terms of star names who dropped places, Emma Raducanu didn’t feature in Miami due to illness and she is down five places to No 28 while Alex Eala has slipped out of the top 40 as she is -16 to No 45 after losing in the round of 16.

    Magda Linette may have stunned fellow Pole Swiatek, but she has dropped seven places to No 57.

    American pair Ashlyn Krueger and Danielle Collins both reached the fourth round a year ago, but the former lost in the first round in the 2026 edition and -24 to No 103 while Collins didn’t feature and is -21 to No 120.

    WTA Top 10 Live Rankings

    1. Aryna Sabalenka – 11,025
    2. Elena Rybakina Kazakhstan – 8,108
    3. Coco Gauff United States – 7,278 (+1)
    4. Iga Swiatek Poland – 7,263 (-1)
    5. Jessica Pegula United States – 6,243
    6. Amanda Anisimova United States – 6,180
    7. Elina Svitolina Ukraine – 3,965 (+1)
    8. Jasmine Paolini Italy – 3,907 (-1)
    9. Victoria Mboko Canada – 3,531
    10. Mirra Andreeva – 3,121
    11. Karolina Muchova Czechia – 2,993 (+3)
    12. Belinda Bencic Switzerland – 2,983
    13. Ekaterina Alexandrova – 2,973 (-2)
    14. Linda Noskova Czechia – 2,801 (-1)
    15. Naomi Osaka Japan – 2,324
    16. Iva Jovic United States – 2,105 (+1)
    17. Clara Tauson Denmark – 2,040 (-1)
    18. Madison Keys United States – 2,026
    19. Diana Shnaider – 1,953
    20. Elise Mertens Belgium – 1,936 (-1)

    The post WTA Rankings: Sabalenka passes Swiatek milestone, Gauff No 3, Baptiste +12, Raducanu -5, Eala -16 appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Aryna Sabalenka reacts to remarkable March – ‘Dog, engagement, Sunshine Double’

    Aryna Sabalenka says she is ‘super proud’ to have become the fifth woman to complete the Sunshine Double, after winning the Miami Open, and believes her mentality was key to a successful month.

    The Belarusian defeated world No 4 Coco Gauff 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to win back-to-back Miami titles and further solidify herself at the top of the women’s game.

    Sabalenka looked dominant in the first set, claiming nearly 80% of her first serve points and also the majority of second-serve return points.

    A late surge saw Gauff break to claim the second set, before – in typical fashion – the world No 1 responded immediately by breaking in the opening game of the decider.

    From there, she did not face another break point and cruised to victory.

    “My goal always been to put my name in the history, and I just did it,” exclaimed Sabalenka during her post-match press conference.

    “It just sounds so unreal.

    “I don’t know how I was able to achieve that, but I’m super proud right now. Of course, of course, super happy with this beautiful trophy.”

    In claiming the Indian Wells and Miami Open titles, the Belarusian became just the fifth woman to complete the Sunshine Double – joining Iga Swiatek (2022), Victoria Azarenka (2016), Kim Clijsters (2005), and Steffi Graf (1994, 1996).

    Overall, Sabalenka has won 23 of her 24 contested matches in 2026.

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    Sabalenka attributes a high level of self-belief and a steadfast mindset to her ability to manage high-pressure situations on the biggest of stages.

    “Well, it’s a deep one, and it’s going to sound super easy, but my mentality really going into this final, like there is no way I lose it,” shared the four-time Grand Slam champion.

    “Trying to bring this tough mentality that I’ll be there fighting for every point, there is no way I’ll let anything get to me, and I’ll be staying focused, I’ll be fighting for every point, I’ll be trying to find solution if needed or I’ll be just, like, I’ll keep constantly remind myself how strong I am and that I got it.

    “That’s been working really well, and it’s so easy but so tough at some point, like when you get emotional and then you forget everything.

    “And in the last couple of finals, I have just been really strong inside and really positive mentally.

    “And also, we did really great preparation. I worked so hard. So whenever I felt like doubting my ability, I was, like, bringing myself back and reminding myself, No, no, no, no, no. You’re strong enough to get this.”

    After their latest clash, Sabalenka and Gauff are now tied at 6 match wins apiece, which encouraged a journalist to ask the former what part of the American’s game she most admires.

    “Her movement is something else,” picked out Sabalenka.

    “Going into matches against her, I know that there is always going to be an extra ball, and it’s all about stay focused and be ready for an extra ball to come back.

    “The movement is something else, you know. I wish I could move, I mean, even like 70% from what she has would be enough for me (smiling).

    “But, yeah, she’s incredible player and a fighter. It’s always challenging playing her, and I really enjoying this rivalry lately, and I hope she’ll stay consistent, and hopefully we’ll meet in many more finals.”

    In addition to her on-court success this season, Sabalenka also got engaged during Indian Wells to her partner, Georgios Frangulis, and bought a puppy – Ash.

    “Yeah, what a month,” she commented.

    “Really tough to keep up with this month in my life: dog, engagement, Sunshine Double. Yeah, that sounds surreal, right?”

    The world No 1 will next compete in the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, which takes place from April 13 – 19.

    The post Aryna Sabalenka reacts to remarkable March – ‘Dog, engagement, Sunshine Double’ appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Miami Open: Former world No 4 reveals ‘what is exciting for Coco Gauff’ after impressive run

    Former world No 4 Tim Henman believes it is “exciting” for Coco Gauff that she can still reach big finals despite not producing her best tennis.

    Gauff was beaten in three sets by Aryna Sabalenka in the Miami Open final on Saturday, with the world No 1 battling her way to a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 victory over the American.

    However, despite her loss to Sabalenka, it was undoubtedly a positive tournament for Gauff, who reached the final in Miami for the first time and progressed to her first final of 2026.

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    The American’s run to the championship match at the WTA 1000 event came just weeks after she was forced to retire with an arm injury in Indian Wells, and following a challenging start to 2026.

    Gauff’s game, in particular her serve and her forehand, has repeatedly come under scrutiny in recent years, and the 21-year-old was not at her best in either area during her Miami Open campaign.

    However, the American was still able to fight her way into the final, with gritty three-set victories over Elisabetta Cocciaretto, Alycia Parks, Sorana Cirstea, and 12th seed Belinda Bencic on her way to the last four — where she dropped just two games against 13th seed Karolina Muchova.

    Gauff will move back up to world No 3 in the WTA Rankings on Monday, overtaking Iga Swiatek, and is also the reigning French Open champion and a former champion at the US Open.

    Speaking on Sky Sports following the final in Miami on Saturday, Henman claimed that Gauff could take huge encouragement from being able to consistently compete at the highest level, despite her technical flaws.

    “I think if you go into a deeper dive, what is exciting for Coco Gauff is that there are so many areas of her game that she can do better,” said Henman.

    “She is number three in the world, she has just made the final here, and that’s with a three-quarter first serve, a second serve she is just trying to get into the box, and a forehand that still looks as if it can break down.”

    Gauff’s Miami Open run comes just before the start of the clay-court season, and the 21-year-old will be growing in confidence ahead of what has traditionally been one of the strongest parts of her season.

    Clay has suited the American’s game across her career, with the French Open proving to be her strongest Grand Slam event.

    She defeated Sabalenka in the final to triumph at the event in 2025, though she was also a runner-up to Iga Swiatek in 2022, and has reached at least the quarter-final in her last five appearances, dating back to 2021.

    Gauff was also a Madrid Open and Italian Open runner-up in 2025, and looks set to be a force to be reckoned with on the dirt once again in 2026.

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  • ATP Rankings Winners & Losers Miami Open: Sinner closes Alcaraz gap, Lehecka +8, Mensik -12

    The Sunshine Swing is nearly complete, with just one singles match left to take place at the 2026 Miami Open.

    All eyes will be on whether world No 2 Jannik Sinner can complete the ‘Sunshine Double’ against first-time Masters 1000 finalist Jiri Lehecka on Sunday, with both men on fine form heading into the championship match.

    Action in Miami has provided plenty of shock results and breakout runs, and here we look at some of the biggest projected winners and losers in the ATP Rankings.

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    ATP Rankings Top 10 pre-Miami (March 16, 2026)

    1) Carlos Alcaraz, 13,550
    2) Jannik Sinner, 11,400
    3) Novak Djokovic, 5,370
    4) Alexander Zverev, 4,905
    5) Lorenzo Musetti, 4,365
    6) Alex de Minaur, 4,185
    7) Taylor Fritz, 4,170
    8) Felix Auger-Aliassime, 4,000
    9) Ben Shelton, 3,860
    10) Daniil Medvedev, 3,610

    Alcaraz had a commanding lead over Sinner heading into Miami, though the gap had closed after the Italian’s Indian Wells success.

    The tournament provided a chance for both men to earn significant points, with plenty of toing and froing possible across the rest of the top 10.

    ATP Live Rankings (pre-Miami Open final)

    1) Carlos Alcaraz, 13,590
    2) Jannik Sinner, 12,050
    3) Alexander Zverev, 5,205 (+1)
    4) Novak Djokovic, 4,720 (-1)
    5) Lorenzo Musetti, 4,275
    6) Alex de Minaur, 4,095
    7) Felix Auger-Aliassime, 4,050 (+1)
    8) Taylor Fritz, 3,870 (-1)
    9) Ben Shelton, 3,860
    10) Daniil Medvedev, 3,610

    With Alcaraz falling in round three, he only gains 50 points in the ATP Rankings, meaning that Sinner has closed the gap between the two significantly ahead of the final.

    Meanwhile, the withdrawal of 2025 finalist Djokovic means that he was guaranteed to fall to world No 4 post-event, with Zverev’s semi-final run handing the German a slight cushion in the world No 3 position.

    The only other change in the top 10 sees Auger-Aliassime move up one place ahead of Fritz, who had semi-final points to defend — but was beaten in round four by Lehecka.

    The big winners

    Two of the biggest winners in the ATP Rankings are set to be Sinner and Lehecka, this year’s finalists in Miami.

    Sinner was 2,150 points behind world No 1 Alcaraz heading into Miami, but is provisionally only 1,540 points behind ahead of the final — and will be just 1,190 points should he triumph on Sunday.

    That means that the Italian could potentially reclaim the world No 1 at the Monte Carlo Masters in two weeks, and will have significant opportunities to gain points across the clay swing.

    Meanwhile, 21st seed Lehecka is set for a new career-high ranking regardless of his result in Sunday’s final.

    The Czech, ranked 22nd heading into the event, is projected to rise eight places in the live rankings to world No 14, topping his previous high of 16th from last September.

    Lehecka would move up to world No 12 should he win Sunday’s final.

    A run to his first Masters 1000 semi-final sees Arthur Fils return to the top 30, with the Frenchman up three places to world No 28.

    Alex Michelsen is projected to rise five places to world No 35 thanks to his fourth-round display, while Terence Atmane is projected to rise nine places to a new career-high of 44th.

    Meanwhile, rising star Martin Landaluce is now projected to rise 46 places to world No 105 after his breakout run to a first Miami Open quarter-final.

    The Spaniard is now at a career-high ranking and is closing in on the top 100.

    The big losers

    One of the most significant fallers in the ATP Rankings is set to be Jakub Mensik, with the Czech falling in the third round of his title defence.

    Mensik is set to drop 905 ranking points as a result of his exit to Frances Tiafoe, and is projected to drop 12 places in the live ATP Rankings.

    Brandon Nakashima is projected to drop three places to world No 33, while Sebastian Korda is projected to fall two places to 38th despite his big round-three win over Alcaraz.

    Meanwhile, Marin Cilic and Tomas Machac are both projected to fall outside the top 50 of the ATP Rankings.

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    Read Next: WTA Rankings Winners & Losers Miami Open: Sabalenka tightens No 1 grip, Gauff No 3, Swiatek drops, Raducanu -3, Eala -16

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  • Miami Open: How Aryna Sabalenka emulated four fellow world No 1’s with ‘Sunshine Double’ feat

    Aryna Sabalenka was the standout player of the Miami Open women’s singles draw, and it came as no surprise to see her lift the title on Saturday afternoon.

    A hard-fought 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 victory over world No 4 Coco Gauff saw Sabalenka defend her title at the WTA 1000 event, becoming the first woman since Ashleigh Barty in 2021 to successfully retain the title in Miami. However, triumph for the world No 1 also saw her complete the ‘Sunshine Double for the very first time, with Sabalenka having lifted the title in Indian Wells just a fortnight before her Miami success.

    Completing the ‘Sunshine Double’ — winning Indian Wells and Miami in the same season — is one of the toughest tasks in tennis, and Sabalenka is now part of an exclusive club.

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    Who has previously achieved it?

    Before 2026, seven different men had achieved the feat, though it has been less common on the WTA Tour.

    Since the ‘Sunshine Double’ became possible in 1989, only four separate WTA players had achieved it before Sabalenka.

    Like the Belarusian, all four who have done it before are world No 1’s and multiple-time Grand Slam champions.

    Steffi Graf (1994 and 1996): All-time great Graf was the first woman to achieve the Sunshine Double and remains the only woman to do it twice, completing the feat in both 1994 and 1996.

    Kim Clijsters (2005): After injury struggles in 2004, Clijsters surged back towards the top of the WTA by beating Lindsay Davenport in the Indian Wells final, before victory over Maria Sharapova in Miami.

    Victoria Azarenka (2016): One of the leading hard-courters of her generation, former world No 1 Azarenka memorably beat Serena Williams to lift the Indian Wells title in 2016, and backed that up by defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova in Miami.

    Iga Swiatek (2022): Current world No 3 Swiatek remains the last player — male or female — to do the double for now, beating Maria Sakkari to triumph in Indian Wells in 2022, before a Miami Open final win against Naomi Osaka.

    Can Sinner follow suit?

    Sabalenka sealed her ‘Sunshine Double’ on Saturday, and now ATP world No 2 Jannik Sinner will look to complete the feat himself on Sunday.

    Much like Sabalenka, Sinner lifted the Indian Wells title for the first time a fortnight ago, beating Daniil Medvedev.

    And, the Italian’s rampant form has continued in Miami, with the world No 2 not yet to drop a set across either Masters 1000 final.

    Sinner is the heavy favourite to defeat 21st seed Jiri Lehecka in Sunday’s championship match, and should he prevail, he would become the first man since Roger Federer in 2017 to complete the ‘Sunshine Double’ — and the eighth overall.

    Should the Italian prevail, it would also be the first time since Novak Djokovic and Azarenka in 2016 that a male and female player have completed the ‘Sunshine Double’ in the same year.

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    Read Next: WTA Rankings Winners & Losers Miami Open: Sabalenka tightens No 1 grip, Gauff No 3, Swiatek drops, Raducanu -3, Eala -16

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  • Aryna Sabalenka eyeing up Serena Williams all-time rankings record after Miami Open win

    Aryna Sabalenka has completed the ‘Sunshine Double’ as she added the Miami Open title to the Indian Wells crown she won earlier this month after a thrilling 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 against Coco Gauff.

    In a repeat story of her Indian Wells win, world No 1 Sabalenka was tested in a tight final, with Gauff roaring back into contention as she won the second set after the Belarusian faltered.

    Yet Sabalenka is showing signs that she is finding a way to control her emotions when the pressure is applied and she turned in a composed performance in the deciding set and broke Gauff at 5-3 to cross the winning line.

    The win allowed Sabalenka to take her ranking points total to a stunning 11,025, which is some way ahead of her nearest rival Elena Rybakina on 8,108 points.

    She still has some watch to go to overtake the all-time record for rankings set by Serena Williams, who hit a total of 13,615 when she was at the peak of her powers in June 2013.

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    If she can add titles to her record at upcoming WTA 1000 events in Madrid and Rome and then win her first French Open title at Roland Garros, Sabalenka may be getting close to that remarkable points total achieved by Williams.

    Sabalenka is also closing in on the second highest ranking points total of all time, which was record by Iga Swiatek in May 2014 as she got to 11,695 points.

    “I haven’t had a moment to stop, look back and realise what’s happened in the past months,” Sabalenka told Sky Sports, as she reflected on her two big wins and her engagement to Georgios Frangulis.

    “I’m so proud of the work we’ve done and the fight I was able to bring on court.

    “Coco will fight for every opportunity and she played incredibly, but I was mentally strong. I knew I was doing everything right and it was just a matter of a few points.”

    Gauff was gracious in her post match comments on court, as the Floridian local admitted she was excited to play in front of her home fans and in a familiar stadium.

    “It’s crazy to be able to talk in this stadium,” she said. “I grew up going to all the Dolphins games. It’s pretty cool to be on this stage.

    “I think it’s been a tough couple weeks for me, but always pulling me through. I’m grateful to be here in the final. All the credit goes to him.”

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    She then turned to Sabalenka and added: “You push me to be a better player. Congratulations on all the success on and off the court. You’re a great fighter.

    “Hopefully we can play many more, I think we will. Congrats to your team as well. Always fun to speak to you guys on tour.”

    Despite the ongoing problems with her serve, this has to be viewed as a positive tournament for Gauff, but it is Sabalenka who reigns supreme as the queen of women’s tennis.

    READ NEXT: What Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff said about each other before Miami Open final clash

    The post Aryna Sabalenka eyeing up Serena Williams all-time rankings record after Miami Open win appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Carlos Alcaraz ousted as world No 1 by Jannik Sinner as Daniil Medvedev leaps in alternative list

    The ATP Rankings don’t always provide an accurate reflection of current form, with the latest UTR Ranking offering a snapshot of the real leaders in the men’s game.

    While the official ATP list is compiled using a 52-week rolling points system, the UTR Ranking is built using an algorithm that reflects results in real time.

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

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

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

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    The UTR Ranking is open to players of all levels of the game, and the algorithm used provides intriguing insights at the top of the game.

    The debate over who the best player in the world is right now may appear to have been won by Carlos Alcaraz after he claimed victory in the last two Grand Slam tournaments, but Jannik Sinner is sitting top of the UTR Ranking list after his win at Indian Wells and dominant performances at the Miami Open.

    Alcaraz is in second place after he was beaten by Daniil Medvedev in Indian Wells and was then beaten by Sebastian Korda in Miami.

    The UTR list has Medvedev in third place after his stunning return to form in recent weeks, with Novak Djokovic in fourth place after his run to the Australian Open final in January, with his win against Sinner in the semi-final boosting his UTR Ranking as it came against a higher-ranked rival.

    Alexander Zverev is set to move up to No 3 in the ATP Rankings next week, but he is down in sixth place on the UTR Rankings list, behind Australia’s Jack Draper.

    Jack Draper has slipped out of the top 20 of the ATP Rankings due to his long spell away from the game due to injury, but the Brit’s impressive return to action at Indian Wells and an appearance in the quarter-finals sees him installed at No 10 on the UTR Rankings list.

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    UPDATED UTR RANKINGS

    1. Jannik Sinner
    2. Carlos Alcaraz
    3.Daniil Medvedev
    4. Novak Djokovic
    5. Alex De Minaur
    6. Alexander Zverev
    7. Felix Auger-Aliassime
    8. Arthur Fils
    9. Lorenzo Musetti
    10. Jack Draper
    11. Ben Shelton
    12. Alexander Bublik
    13. Taylor Fritz
    14. Francisco Cerundolo
    15. Holger Rune
    16. Valentin Vacherot<
    17. Sebastian Korda
    18. Learner Tien
    19. Tommy Paul
    20. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina

    READ NEXT: Jannik Sinner gets the ultimate comparison as he is placed alongside the GOAT of tennis

    The post Carlos Alcaraz ousted as world No 1 by Jannik Sinner as Daniil Medvedev leaps in alternative list appeared first on Tennis365.