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The final Grand Slam of the year is just days away and the talking points swirling in tennis are overflowing ahead of the US Open.

The revamped mixed doubles competition set to dominate the agenda ahead of the main draw at Flushing Meadows, with Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu among the eye-catching combinations scheduled to take part.

Yet once the main event gets underway, we will be presented with women’s and men’s draw that will throw up a host of headlines over the course of the 15-day tournament.

Here are a few early Tennis365 predictions of what to expect, as the biggest names in tennis chase a record-breaking $5m prize money cheque in that will be handed to the singles champions.

ALCARAZ’S BIGGEST TEST

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Can Carlos Alcaraz match Jannik Sinner on a hard court?

The answer to that question up to now has been positive, as the world No 2 has beaten his biggest rival on both indoor and outdoor hard courts in recent years.

Yet the version of Sinner that looks set to head into the US Open as the overwhelming favourite to defend the title he won last year appears to be an unstoppable force who may have too much power and precision, even for Alcaraz.

The Spaniard crashed out of the US Open early last year and while he should get to the semi-finals at least, he may be tested by a big-serving Ben Shelton on a fast hard court and he would be an outside to beat Sinner under the lights in New York.

Verdict: Sinner will hammer Alcaraz in straight sets if the ‘Big 2’ meet at the US Open.

EMMA RADUCANU ON FIRE

Emma Raducanu may have missed out on a seeding position at the US Open, but she is heading to New York in a confident mood.

Four years have passed since the Brit shocked the tennis world by winning the title at Flushing Meadows, with the tortured journey she has been on since then hard to watch at times.

Now it feels like Raducanu 2.0 is with us after he two epic battles with world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka confirmed she is mixing it with the best in the game once again.

She needs some luck with the draw in New York, but Raducanu could get into the second week if she plays at the level she has produced in recent months.

Verdict: Raducanu to make it into the quarter-finals at the US Open.

IGA SWIATEK BACK ON TOP

Iga Swiatek’s form over the last 12 months has been less than convincing, but her stunning Wimbledon win allowed her to regain some of her aura.

The powerful ground shots that fired her to five Grand Slam titles returned in time to give her a sixth at the All England Club and she has had that winning passion back in her game in her recent performances.

Swiatek has not always been at her best at the US Open, but with Sabalenka showing some signs of frailties, the Pole will fancy her chances of winning another Grand Slam title.

Verdict: Swiatek is the player to beat in the women’s draw.

WHAT ABOUT NOVAK DJOKOVIC?

The 24-time Grand Slam-winning champion has not been talked about as a contender heading into the US Open, especially as he has opted not to play in any warm-up events.

Yet he has made it through to the semi-finals of the first three majors of 2025 and has only been stopped by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

Those two appear to be in a league of their own, but if they were to lose unexpectedly or pick up injuries, Djokovic has confirmed he is the third best player in the world when he is fit and motivated.

Verdict: He needs some fortune to go his way and some help from Sinner and Alcaraz, but Djokovic will be a contender at every Grand Slam until he calls time on his career.

READ NEXT: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner among the star names set for a share of $18.3 million cash windfall

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Emma Raducanu’s impressive return to form in recent weeks has been highlighted by her return to the top 10 of the alternative tennis rankings.

Raducanu has shown impressive form over the last couple of months, with solid performances on clay and grass courts backed up by a run to the semi-finals of the WTA 500 tournament in Washington last month.

She went on to reach the third round at the Cincinnati Open and pushed world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka all the way in a titanic battle before losing a third set tie-break.

The performance highlighted Raducanu’s rising status in the women’s game and now the 2021 US Open champion has broken back into the top 10 of the UTR Rankings.

Raducanu has not managed to get over the line in most of her battles against top 10 rivals, but she has looked much more competitive heading into this year’s US Open and that is reflected in the updated UTR list.

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The UTR Rankings are 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.

The UTR Ranking is open to players of all levels of the game and the algorithm used provides an intriguing insight into the current form of the top players in the game.

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

That algorithm ensured that Victoria Mboko has made big leaps up the UTR Rankings after her win at the WTA 1000 event in her home nation of Canada earlier this month.

Mboko beat four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the Canadian Open final, completing her amazing rise after she started the year ranked at No 333.

Now she is up to No 24 in the WTA Rankings and she is even higher in the UTR Rankings at No 19.

Intriguingly, Coco Gauff leads the current URT Rankings ahead of WTA No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, with these rankings offering plenty of talking points.

Updated UTR Rankings

1. Coco Gauff

2. Aryna Sabalenka

3. Iga Swiatek

4. Mirra Andreeva

5. Zheng Qinwen

6. Elena Rybakina

7. Ekaterina Alexandrova

8. Elina Svitolina

9. Emma Raducanu

10. Marketa Vondrousova

11. Jessica Pegula

12. Jasmine Paolini

13. Madison Keys

14. Paula Badosa

15. Liudmila Samsonova

16. Amanda Anisimova

17. Elise Mertens

18. Noami Osaka

19. Victoria Mboko

20. Belinda Bencic

READ NEXT: Why Emma Raducanu was treated badly by the umpire in what was is hailed as a ‘ridiculous’ incident

The post Emma Raducanu back into top 10 of tennis rankings and Victoria Mboko is also on the rise appeared first on Tennis365.

Coco Gauff could win “double digit” Grand Slam titles and be a long-term world No 1 if she makes a change to her service motion, according to legendary coach Rick Macci.

The American star is already a two-time major singles champion, having triumphed at the 2023 US Open and the 2025 French Open.

Gauff, who has won 10 WTA Tour events overall, is currently at her career-high ranking of world No 2.

The 21-year-old is one of the best movers and defenders in the women’s game, while she is also renowned for her world-class backhand and mental toughness.

While Gauff’s powerful first serve can be a major weapon when firing, her second serve has long been considered a weakness.

She hit the most double faults among all WTA players in 2024 (430) and also leads the tour in this unwanted statistical category so far this season.

Gauff’s second serve troubles recently came to the fore at the Canadian Open in Montreal as she hit 43 double faults across her three matches against Danielle Collins, Veronika Kudermetova and Victoria Mboko.

She then committed eight double faults in her 6-3, 6-2 second round win over Wang Xinyu in Cincinnati.

In an exclusive interview with Tennis365, Macci argued Gauff could become a dominant force with a more reliable serve.

“Think about it, her wide serve to the deuce court is one of the best in the world, but then in the same breath, we’re talking about she leads the WTA Tour in double faults. So there’s a disconnect,” assessed the American.

“Not that you couldn’t have a good first serve and a shaky second. Plus, her racket on her serve, the leg drive doesn’t initiate the racket at the right time and… but keeping her weight back longer with the platform and starting brand new, there’s no doubt that [with] myself and Dr. Gordon (an expert in Biomechanics), this could be solved immediately.

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“Then, if that changes, I think not only could Coco become No 1 – which she probably will anyways – I think she could stay there for a long time, because her backbone is better than her backhand and she’s an Olympic sprinter with a racket in her hand.

“She’s just such a great competitor, she checks all these other boxes. But when you’re out there double faulting eight, 10, 12 times, or whatever, and you’re still winning, how good could you be when you’re only hitting a couple?

“I mean that’s like crazy. I mean, your mind has to be made of granite. I mean, a lot of girls would disappear into outer space. So I just have so much respect for Coco.

“But to be great, it’s a package, and if this serve could be modified, I have no doubt where she could end up – double digits (Grand Slams) is around the corner for Coco.”

As well as Serena and Venus Williams, Macci has coached Maria Sharapova, Jennifer Capriati, Andy Roddick, Mary Pierce, Anastasia Myskina and Sofia Kenin.

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Jannik Sinner has revealed why he rehired Umberto Ferrara after previously sacking the fitness trainer in the aftermath of his failed doping tests.

On July 23, it was announced that Ferrara had made a surprise return to Sinner’s team just over a week after he won Wimbledon.

“The decision has been made in alignment with Jannik’s management team as part of ongoing preparations for upcoming tournaments, including the Cincinnati Open and US Open,” a statement from Sinner’s team read.

“Umberto has played an important role in Jannik’s development to date, and his return reflects a renewed focus on continuity and performance at the highest level.”

Sinner made the decision less than a month after he fired fitness trainer Marco Panichi and physiotherapist Ulises Badio on the eve of Wimbledon. Panichi and Badio previously spent long spells working with Novak Djokovic.

The world No 1 fired both Ferrara and his former physio Giacomi Naldi ahead of the 2024 US Open after it was revealed he had failed two doping tests in March last year.

In his pre-tournament press conference at the 2025 Cincinnati Open, Sinner refused to offer any further details when asked about his choice to reappoint Ferrara.

“Yeah, I think we said it all, everything in the statement,” the four-time Grand Slam champion said. “I’m very happy to be here and play again this tournament.”

The Italian was asked about the topic again after his quarter-final win over Felix Auger-Aliassime in Cincinnati, and this time he explained Ferrara’s return.

“It was a different situation. Now everything is different. I felt like, at this point, I needed someone who knew my body better,” the 23-year-old said.

“We worked together for about two years before this break. His work has brought me a lot of benefits.

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“We worked on every area of my body: mobility, stability, and even my body’s endurance has improved. I think he did a great job.

“I also got along well with Marco [Panichi], but maybe he wasn’t the best choice. I’ve always had a good feeling about Umberto.”

Ahead of the 2024 US Open, Sinner revealed he had lost confidence in Naldi and Ferrara as he addressed their departures.

“I want to start with [saying] that they have been a huge part of my career,” Sinner said.

“We made an incredible job, bringing a lot of success and then having a great team behind me. Now, because of these mistakes, I’m not feeling that confident to continue with them.

“I was struggling a lot in the last months. Now I was waiting for the result, and now I just need some clean air.”

It was revealed in August 2024 that Sinner had twice tested positive for the banned substance clostebol in March 2024 — during and after the Indian Wells Masters.

The world No 1 initially avoided a ban as The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced that an independent tribunal ruled he bore “no fault or negligence.”

Sinner later served a ban from February 9 to May 4 after settling his case with the World Anti-Doping Agency – which had planned to appeal the ITIA’s ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

READ NEXT: Legendary coach breaks down how Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner are ‘changing the game’

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Venus Williams has been handed a wildcard to compete at this year’s US Open, but that decision should be greeted with some scepticism.

We need to start this analysis by acknowledging the status of Williams as one of the all-time greats of the women’s game, with the impact she has made stretching well beyond the seven Grand Slam singles titles she has won.

Two of those wins came at the US Open in 2000 and 2001, with the last of those successes coming 24 years ago.

That time span alone will raise questions over whether 45-year-old Williams should still be given a free pass to play in the main draw of a Grand Slam singles event, even though she has played just four singles matches since a crushing 6-1, 6-1 defeat against Greet Minnen at last year’s US Open.

The manner of that defeat suggested Williams was no longer competitive at the highest level of the sport and while she did secure first WTA Tour win in almost two years when she beat Peyton Stearns in Washington last month, the presence of this icon in the draw appears to be based more on sentiment than merit.

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Wild cards are given out to former champions and legends of the sport who may need some assistance to get into a draw as they battle back from injury or a time away from the sport, yet that is not the story for Williams.

She has been a part-time tennis player for some time and while her presence could allow US Open organisers to put her on a show court for what may be her last appearance, a rising star of the game has been denied a chance to play at Flushing Meadows to facilitate another appearance from Venus.

Along with her sister Serena, Williams is a giant of the game who has inspired so many young girls to pick up a racket over the last couple of decades, but her desire to extend her career will force a junior hopeful to play in qualifying rather than playing in the main draw at the US Open.

This reality may not sit well with Williams, after she suggested she wanted her legacy to be an inspiration to all the players following in her footsteps.

“As a young person, I wanted to play the game, be a champion,” she said last month. “I loved the game so much, I didn’t realise that it would be so much bigger than myself.

“Seeing these young women doing positive things with their life, winning tournaments, inspiring the next generation, too, it’s like I could have never imagined that. So it’s like icing on the cake, cherries on top with the nuts and all the fixings. It’s beautiful.”

Williams will not be a contender to mount any kind of run at the US Open and that is no surprise at the age of 45, but she will set a record at the US Open as she will be the oldest singles entrant at the tournament since Renee Richards played there at the age of 47 in 1981.

If she turns this appearance at the US Open into a farewell match that will allow the tennis world to bid her a fond farewell, it may be a moment we can all savour.

Yet that scenario has not been promoted by tournament organisers, meaning a prized Grand Slam spot is being taken by a player who may not be competitive in the heat of a Grand Slam battle.

Fellow Americans Clervie Ngounoue, Julieta Pareja, Caty McNally, Valerie Glozman and Alyssa Ahn will also receive singles main draw wild cards, as well as France’s Caroline Garcia, a 2022 semi-finalist, and Australian Talia Gibson.

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The post Is Venus Williams halting the next generation by exploiting her remarkable legacy? appeared first on Tennis365.

Roger Federer’s former coach Ivan Ljubicic has made a telling comment about Novak Djokovic’s remarkable longevity.

Djokovic, who turned 38 in May, is ranked seventh in the world and remains a force at the top of the sport.

The Serbian was a semi-finalist at the three Grand Slams played so far this season and he will arguably be the third favourite at the US Open after Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Djokovic beat Alcaraz at the Australian Open in January and Alexander Zverev at the French Open in June.

While Djokovic has not found the same consistency outside the majors in 2025, he won his 100th ATP singles title in Geneva in May and was a runner-up at the Miami Masters in March.

In 2024, Djokovic claimed his maiden gold medal at the Paris Olympics and was a runner-up at Wimbledon — both after turning 37. He won his 24th and most recent Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open, when he was 36.

On Twitter, tennis writer Christopher Clarey pointed out that Djokovic is nine years older than any other player in the top 20 of the ATP Rankings. The next-youngest player in the current top 20 is 29-year-old Karen Khachanov.

In reply to Clarey’s post, Ljubicic argued Djokovic’s level in his late thirties will not be replicated by other players.

“Once he retires, we will go back to normality, where humans will not be able to be competitive at highest level after certain age,” wrote Ljubicic.

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Ljubicic coached Djokovic’s great rival Federer from 2016 until his retirement in 2022, helping the Swiss legend win three of his 20 Grand Slam titles.

The Croatian won 10 ATP Tour singles titles and reached a career-high ranking of world No 3 during an illustrious playing career spanning from 1998 to 2012. Ljubicic faced Djokovic nine times, with the Serbian winning seven of their meetings.

In 2023, Ljubicic gave his opinion on whether Djokovic is the greatest player of all time.

“I think Novak is already the most successful. But the terminology ‘greatest’ is ungrateful and subjective,” he told Sport Klub.

“That’s great – everyone has their greatest, and let the debate begin. If we look at other sports, is there a GOAT in football… In basketball, [Michael] Jordan is the GOAT, but he didn’t win the most.

“It’s someone who touched you the most – for a third of the world it’s Federer, for a third of the world it’s Nadal, for a third of the world, for a third it’s Novak.”

READ NEXT: How Novak Djokovic fared at the US Open the previous times he missed Cincinnati

The post Roger Federer’s ex-coach argues Novak Djokovic’s longevity will not be replicated appeared first on Tennis365.

The US Open mixed doubles event has already seen some big-name withdrawals and more may follow after a tight turnaround at the conclusion of this week’s marquee tournament in Cincinnati.

The final big event before the last Grand Slam of the year has a Monday finish next week, as the extended format of ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 tournaments sees events spread over almost two weeks.

With this week’s tournament starting in a mid-week slot as it followed extended men’s and women’s events in Canada, the traditional weekend finish for tennis tournaments has been ripped up for the two big warm-up events ahead of the US Open.

While the flight to New York is not taxing for tennis players who are used to extensive travelling, the finalists in Cincinnati will have a decision to make if they play a tough final on Monday and are then expected to be at Flushing Meadows to take part in the new-look mixed doubles event that gets underway next Wednesday.

Carlos Alcaraz is due to play alongside Emma Raducanu in that tournament, while Jannik Sinner is scheduled to compete with America’s Emma Navarro.

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Yet if we are treated to another Alcaraz vs Sinner epic in the Cincinnati Masters final on Monday, neither player may have the appetite to play in mixed doubles the following day in New York.

If rain delays the final in Cincinnati, that would further complicate the issue and may end the debate over whether the top two players in the men’s game will play in the mixed doubles at the US Open.

Iga Swiatek is also progressing in Cincinnati and could face a quick turnaround if she continues her run, with Coco Gauff among those opting against playing in the lucrative mixed doubles event as she has prioritised her preparation for the US Open singles, which gets underway the following weekend.

“For me, it was just because I know the free week of the US Open is already packed for me, for sponsor things, and it was just like a whole other thing. And I’m very competitive; if I were to lose, I would not be happy,” the two-time Grand Slam winner revealed. “So, I didn’t want to waste mental energy on that.

“Then on top of the sponsor stuff, the pre-week, and then knowing that this finished on Monday and potentially having to play on Tuesday. Well, you would have to play on a Tuesday. So I just knew it wasn’t going to work out for me, scheduling-wise.

“It’s just that I plan my sponsor weeks literally like a year out, sometimes a year and a half out. And when this whole thing was coming up, I was already booked and busy.”

Respected coach of Wimbledon doubles champion Julian Cash told Tennis365 last month that he expected plenty of big-name withdrawals from the US Open mixed doubles, with Barry Fulcher telling this website that the format of the competition means it should not come with a Grand Slam title being handed to the winners.

“This exhibition event will be great fun, but it is not a Grand Slam and it shouldn’t be viewed as such,” Fulcher told Tennis365.

“It’s not just about the prize money and more about removing a mixed doubles Grand Slam opportunity.

“My own personal view, it is all just posturing at the moment and I will be fascinated to see how many of those 16 pairings that were announced a few weeks ago will turn up and play.

“I’d be very, very surprised if a lot of those pairs end up taking to the court and the only reason they would release that list is to get everyone talking about it.

“It’s almost like they have put their names down, but there is no obligation to play.

“For me, the best doubles pairing on that list they released is Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori and it will be interesting to see if some doubles players who end up playing if the singles players drop out.

“I’m a fan of innovation and trying to bring new things into tennis, but I don’t agree with calling it a Grand Slam event.”

The eight teams in the field of the 2025 US Open Mixed Doubles Championship via direct entry are:

Emma Navarro and Jannik Sinner

Paula Badosa and Jack Draper

Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud

Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz

Amanda Anisimova and Holger Rune

Belinda Bencic and Alexander Zverev

Jessica Pegula and Tommy Paul

Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev

In addition, six teams received wild cards into the field:

Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz

Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe

Olga Danilovic and Novak Djokovic

Taylor Townsend and Ben Shelton

Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori

Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka

READ NEXT: Legendary coach breaks down how Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner are ‘changing the game’

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Carlos Alcaraz rated his fourth round win over Luca Nardi as his best display of the Cincinnati Masters so far, but the match also featured a dispute involving the Spanish star.

The five-time major champion defeated world No 98 Nardi 6-1, 6-4 to progress to the quarter-finals in Mason, Ohio.

During the match, Alcaraz was irked by a request made by chair umpire Greg Allensworth.

Allenworth asked Alcaraz to cover the Evian logo on his water bottle, but the 22-year-old — who is sponsored by Evian — refused.

Here is a transcript of the exchange.

Allensworth: “This is what we’ve been told because of the logos and the sponsors.”

here he goes https://t.co/pKmle9keFG pic.twitter.com/4DJ3jtst37

— f (@fvaeey) August 14, 2025

Alcaraz: “Yeah, but it wasn’t my fault. It wasn’t my fault. Why it should be covered (the water bottle)… because it wasn’t my fault.”

Allensworth: “Yeah, but in all honesty, I would have had you cover it up anyway.”

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Alcaraz: “It wasn’t my fault, why I have to cover it if it wasn’t my fault?”

Allensworth: “It’s my fault because I didn’t touch it sooner.”

Alcaraz: “Yeah, so because it’s your fault I have to cover it? You know, it doesn’t work like this. It was your fault, it’s always your fault and then I have to pay for that because of your fault…”

Allensworth: “We have to get going now.”

Alcaraz: “No, I’m not going to cover it.”

What did Alcaraz say after the match?

In his on-court interview, Alcaraz said: “I think this match was the best so far for me in this tournament.

“At the beginning of the tournament, I just really wanted to get better every day, after every practice and every match.

“I think I’m doing it, which I’m really proud about. I’m just really happy with the way I felt the ball today and the way that I moved.”

Who will Alcaraz play next?

The world No 2 will take on 11th-ranked Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals after the 27-year-old Russian cruised to a 6-2, 6-3 fourth round win against Francisco Comesana.

Alcaraz holds a 3-1 head-to-head record against Rublev, having prevailed in four sets in the pair’s most recent clash in the last 16 at Wimbledon last month.

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The post Watch: Carlos Alcaraz’s dispute with umpire in Cincinnati: ‘It’s always your fault and then I have to pay’ appeared first on Tennis365.

Acclaimed tennis coach Rick Macci has analysed Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz’s impact on tennis and revealed how the dominant duo are “changing the game.”

Sinner and Alcaraz have established a Grand Slam duopoly by winning the last seven Grand Slam titles between them since the start of 2024, with the former securing four and the latter claiming three.

Alcaraz, 22, has won five majors in total (two Wimbledon titles, two French Open titles and one US Open), while Sinner, 23, has collected four (two Australian Open titles, one US Open title and one Wimbledon title).

The pair faced off in the final of a Grand Slam for the first time at the 2025 French Open, with Alcaraz triumphing in five sets after an epic five hours and 29 minutes.

Sinner took his revenge with a four-set win over his Spanish rival in the Wimbledon championship match last month. The overall head-to-head is 8-5 in Alcaraz’s favour.

In an exclusive interview with Tennis365, Macci assessed that Alcaraz and Sinner are changing the sport in a different way to the Big Three of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

“We’re seeing something special in real time, the game is so much different because of the rackets, because of the strings, because of the athlete, the speed of the ball,” said the American.

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“This is something like no other and they’re changing the game. Sinner’s changing the game on how consistently you hit the ball with quality. And then Alcaraz, how complete… okay, coaches should teach young kids the completeness and obviously the drop shot.

“But they’re changing the game. In some subtle ways, the Big Three did that, but not like these guys. I mean Alcaraz is changing the way you teach the game.

“Even the mechanics, because we’re heavy into the biomechanics (at Macci’s academy), the ATP forehand is modified since I first did this like 15 years ago and explained what was going on out there — there’s all kinds of adaptations and modifications that the Next Gen is bringing with how to get maximum racket head speed and more spin.

“It’s not just the technology, there’s certain ways that they’re figuring out on the fly.”

Sinner and Alcaraz could meet in the final of the Cincinnati Masters, where they are seeded first and second respectively.

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