Five takeaways from the Rolex Shanghai Masters

                                             (Credit: Rolex Shanghai Masters) 

The Rolex Shanghai Masters (上海大师赛) an ATP 1000 event, recently wrapped up in Shanghai, China. Qualifier Valentin Vacherot defeated Arthur Rinderknech in the final 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to win his first career title. Vacherot is now ranked No. 40 in the world as a result. Click here to check out the draw. Below are five takeaways I have from the event. 

#1. Valentin Vacherot came to play: En route to his first career title, Valentin Vacherot defeated (4) Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinals. He also defeated (10) Holger Rune 2-6, 7-6, 6-4 in the quarterfinals. To beat that kind caliber of talent and be a qualifier is mighty impressive. Vacherot showed a lot of resiliency to overcome first set losses in order to win the tournament. He was even two points away from not getting out of the qualifiers, but he found a way to escape. Click here to read more about that. It'll be fun to see how the rest of the season goes for Vacherot and whether or not he can make some noise at the Australian Open come January. 

#2. Novak Djokovic is fading: Ideally, with Carlos Alcaraz withdrawing and Jannik Sinner retiring in the round of 64, this is a tournament Novak Djokovic should have won. This was all teed up for Djokovic and instead he fell short. This tournament was a sad reminder that the days of Djokovic being at the top of the sport are behind him and it's now just about playing for the love of the game. 

#3. Without Sinner and Alcaraz, there is parity: Right now, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are the clear top two players in the world. What this tournament showed is that when you take those guys out of the equation, anybody can win. It really is a Sinner/Alcaraz vs. the field situation in men's tennis right now. In earlier eras, one of the other top five or even top ten guys would have found a way to win this tournament. But right now, the gap between the rest of the top ten and the rest of the field is narrow enough that a lot of upsets are bound to happen. Which I think makes for a more interesting sport. 

#4. Daniil Medvedev is bouncing back: Daniil Medvedev had a strong performance, reaching the semifinals before losing to Rinderknech 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. Medvedev came in as the (16) seed in the tournament and defeated (7) Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4 in the quarterfinals, which was a nice win for him. He is now ranked No. 14 in the world. In this era of increased parity, a window is opening for Medvedev to make some deep runs at these bigger tournaments. Can he capitalize? That's the question. 

#5. Learner Tien is on the rise: Learner Tien had a strong tournament, reaching the Round of 16 before losing to Medvedev 6-7, 7-6, 4-6. Tien nearly reached the quarterfinals, bouncing back from a disappointing 1st round exit at the US Open. At just 19 years of age, the future is bright for Tien and this tournament was a reminder of that. I look forward to seeing how he finishes out the season. 

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Eight takeaways from the 2025 China Open

 

                                                       (Credit: ChinaOpen.com) 

Earlier this month, the China Open (中国网球公开赛) in Beijing (北京) concluded. World No. 2 Jannik Sinner won the men's singles title, defeating Learner Tien in the final 6-2, 6-2. World No. 4 Amanda Anisimova won the women's singles title, defeating Linda Noskova in the final 6-0, 2-6, 6-2. It is an ATP 500 event and a WTA 1000 event, so it is more important on the women's side than on the men's side. Given the number eight (八) is a lucky number in Chinese culture, I thought it would be fun to take a look at eight takeaways from the event. Ok, let's get after it. 我们开始吧! 

#1. Jannik Sinner can be pushed, but he'll find another gear: Jannik Sinner had a strong tournament overall given that he won the event. That said, he was taken to three sets a couple of times. In the second round, Sinner defeated qualifier Térence Atmane 6-4, 5-7, 6-0 and then in the semifinals, Sinner defeated world No. 7 Alex de Minaur 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. If you are the rest of the ATP Tour looking for a glimmer of hope, you should be encouraged to see a couple of different guys, especially a qualifier take a set off Sinner. At the same time, you have to be pretty discouraged to see him respond emphatically in the third set, not allowing either Atmane or de Minaur to have much life. This tournament was another reminder that as of now, only Carlos Alcaraz is capable of beating Sinner when he's playing at his best. 

#2. Amanda Anisimova can hang with the best in the world: Amanda Anisimova came out on top while also having world No. 3 Coco Gauff and world No. 2 Iga Swiatek in the field. Anisimova crushed Gauff 6-1, 6-2 in the semifinals while also defeating world No. 8 Jasmine Paolini 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 in the quarterfinals. Anisimova should take a lot of confidence from this tournament, especially after reaching the US Open final last month. It'll be interesting to see how the reset of the Asian swing goes for Anisimova with the Australian Open capping it all off in January. 

#3. Alexander Zverev continues to disappoint: Alexander Zverev is ranked No. 3 in the world and came into the tournament as the number two seed. Despite that, he flamed out in the quarterfinals, losing in straight sets to world No. 18 Daniil Medvedev 3-6, 3-6. I know this wasn't a grand slam event, but after the way he flamed out in the 3rd round of the US Open this year, it sure seems like Zverev is trending in the wrong direction. If he wants to find success at the Australian Open next year, he better pick things up during the Asian swing of the season. 

#4. Zheng Qinwen needs to rest her elbow: Hubei native and world No. 10 Zheng Qinwen wanted to give it a go as China's top ranked player, but her elbow ended up doing her in as she retired in the third set against Linda Noskova 4-6, 6-3, 0-3. 

"I know already in the second set I couldn't push more," Zheng said after the match. "Maybe I can play the first set, but to arrive at the third set is too much for my elbow. I believe with time it is going to be better." 

It was a disappointing result for Zheng, but given her injury, she shouldn't feel bad about not being able to finish. This really should be a reminder to her that she needs to give her elbow more time to heal and not force anything. The last thing she wants to have happen is for his to linger into the Australian Open. 

#5. Learner Tien balled out: Even though he came up short, Learner Tien had a fantastic tournament, defeating world No. 9 Lorenzo Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 3-0, ret. in the quarterfinals and then Medvedev 5-7, 7-5, 4-0 ret. in the semifinals. Tien is currently ranked No. 36 in the world and just on the cusp of being a seeded player at a grand slam. The highest he's ever been ranked. If can keep up this level of tennis down the stretch of the season, he should be well positioned to get a top 32 seed at the Australian Open. 

#6. Jessica Pegula found a nice groove: World No. 6 Jessica Pegula had a nice tournament, reaching the semifinals before falling to Noskova 3-6, 6-1, 6-7. Pegula was really close to winning this tournament and should be feeling confident with how she is playing. She's never gotten past the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, but with how she's playing, she has to feel confident that in 2026, that trend could change for the better. 

#7. Alex de Minaur should be feeling good: Currently ranked No. 7 in the world, Alex de Minaur on the whole should be feeling good about how the tournament went for him. He pushed Sinner to a third set in the semifinals and also pulled out a gritty 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 victory over lucky loser Arthur Rinderknech in the second round. Given he's an Aussie, he's going to have home court advantage at the Australian Open in January. If he can keep building momentum, maybe he makes a deep run at his home country's grand slam. He reached the quarterfinals last year. 

#8. Naomi Osaka needs to build her stamina back up: Ranked No. 14 in the world, Naomi Osaka is returning to her old form as she reached the semifinals of the US Open last month. However, she had a bit of a setback in Beijing as she lost in the second round to qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-1, 4-6, 2-6. As she continues to get back to her old self, Osaka is going to need to build up that consistency again. I'm confident that she'll get there, but this tournament was a reminder that she has more work to do. 

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Brad Gilbert inducted into Foothill College Hall of Fame

 

                                                       (Credit: Ben Parker/ATPGuy.com) 

On Saturday, tennis legend Brad Gilbert was inducted into the Foothill College Hall of Fame. This was the first year Foothill had a Hall of Fame ceremony, so it was really neat for Gilbert to be a part of the school's first ever Hall of Fame class. As a fellow Foothill alum (Spring 2012, Music) and sportswriter, I jumped at the chance to attend. It was fun for me to walk around a campus that I spent three years at. Foothill had a profound impact on me as it helped prepare me for my time at UC Berkeley, where I graduated with a degree in Philosophy (Fall 2014). Special shout out to Dr. Robert Hartwell, Brian Tapia, Brian Lewis, and the entire Foothill College Gospel Choir! 

During his pre-recorded video presentation and subsequent live speech, Gilbert acknowledged the impact that his coach at Foothill Tom Chivington had on his career. Without the coaching he got from Chivington, Gilbert said he wouldn't have had the success he had both as a player and as a coach. Under Chivington's coaching, Gilbert won the California Junior College Singles Championship and the U.S. Amateur Hardcourt Championship before transferring to Pepperdine. Gilbert had a stellar career at Pepperdine as well, reaching the singles final of the 1982 NCAA championship, where he lost to Mike Leach of Michigan 5-7, 3-6. 

"I landed at Foothill College on January 2nd, 1980 as a young eighteen year old not knowing a lot about the great institution of Foothill College or our coach Tom Chivington," Gilbert said in the video portion of his remarks. "It would only take me a few days to discover the magic of Foothill College. Go Owls! And the legendary coach Tom Chivington. I feel like in a very short period of time, my life became a lot clearer in what I was doing and where I was going. I'm forever grateful for the time that I had at Foothill College. 

"Amazingly, in 60+ years, Foothill College has only had three tennis coaches from the legendary Dick Gould who started the program to Tom Chivington who was there for well over 30 years to Dixie Macias, who is there now and was my assistant coach in 1980 and '81. It is such a great place. I really feel like those two years that I was at Foothill paved the way for everything that I did in my tennis career and my coach Tom Chivington was there with me my entire time. I wish we were going in the Hall of Fame together, but I'm so grateful to the Foothill family for allowing me to be there for those couple of years and to all my friends who I text always, I always say 'Go Owls!'" 

After his collegiate career, Gilbert had success on the ATP Tour, winning 20 career singles titles, the bronze medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, and getting ranked as high as No. 4 in the world on January 1st, 1990. Gilbert reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in 1990 and the quarterfinals of the US Open in 1987. He didn't have as much success at the other two grand slams, reaching the 4th round of the Australian Open in 1984 and the 3rd round of the French Open in 1993. Gilbert did find success at the ATP Tour Finals, reaching the semifinals in 1987 and reaching the final of the Grand Slam Cup in 1990, which was a tournament that was similar in model to the ATP Tour Finals, inviting players who had performed the best in grand slams during the year. 

What made Gilbert's playing career so impressive is the fact that he wasn't the most physically gifted player on tour. He had to work harder than others to achieve success and dive deeper into the mental side of the game, which is the theme of his famous book Winning Ugly.  I always tried to employ some of his tactics in my own tennis matches in high school and on the Nike Junior Tennis Tour. A must read if you are into tennis! 

After his playing days were over, Gilbert gained even more fame for coaching Andre Agassi, who won six of his eight grand slams with Gilbert as his coach. Gilbert also coached Andy Roddick, Andy Murray, Kei Nishikori, and Coco Gauff. Known for his mastery of the mental side of the game, his coaching career has truly spanned multiple generations. In addition to being an amazing coach, Gilbert has also acclaimed fame for being one of the top analysts in tennis as a member of ESPN's star-studded lineup that also includes John McEnroe, Patrick McEnroe, Mary Joe Fernandez, Chris Evert, Pam Shriver, and Chris Fowler. 

Going back to his Hall of Fame induction at Foothill College, it's always neat to see people give back to their roots and never forget where they got started. While Gilbert went onto achieve incredible success at the professional ranks as a player, coach, and analyst, he never forgot where it all started. 

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Gaël Monfils to retire after 2026 season

 

                          

                                             (Credit: Julien Crosnier/FFT) 

Earlier this week, French tennis star Gaël Monfils announced on social media that he will retire after the 2026 season. Monfils made the following statement: 

"I held a racket in my hands for the first time at two and a half, and began playing professionally at 18. Now, after celebrating my 39th birthday just a month ago, I’d like to share that the year ahead will be my last as a professional tennis player.

"The opportunity to turn my passion into a profession is a privilege I have cherished during every match and moment of my 21-year career. Though this game means the world to me, I am tremendously at peace with my decision to retire at the end of the 2026 tennis season.

"Mostly, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude. I’d like to express it to so many people:

"To my wife, Elina: my love, inspiration, and strength – and an exceptional player in her own right. To my daughter Skai: for the profound love, meaning, and joy she has added to my days. To my brother Daryl and my sisters Roddie and Maelie, for lifting me up during tough times and helping me celebrate the good ones. 

"To my best friends and loved ones, whose faces in the stands have always given me courage when it counted the most. To my longtime agent Nicolas, whose support and friendship helped me reach the highest highs and ride out the lowest lows. 

"To my coaches and team members over the years, who believed in a lanky kid from Paris and who have helped nurture my talent in ways I could never have imagined. To every person who ever cheered or shouted ‘Allez Gaël!’ in real life or at a TV screen: your energy and love are truly everything to me. To the French Tennis Federation for their unwavering support since Day One. 

"To Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gilles Simon, and Richard Gasquet, my three musketeers and best friends for life. And most of all, to my parents: because all of this would have been impossible — unthinkable, even — without them. Papa, Maman, look how far we’ve come.

"While I came close, I never did win a Grand Slam during my career. I won’t pretend that I expect to do so during the next year. ‘You could have, you should have…’ As those who know me can attest, I’ve never thought this way, and frankly I’m far too old to start doing so now. Life is too short. Believe me when I say that I have no regrets.

"What I do have is the feeling that I have been lucky: insanely, stupidly lucky. I’ve had the chance to play during a golden age of tennis, alongside some of the greatest names in the history of our sport: Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray. Even losing feels epic when you’re facing a legend.

"Looking ahead, I have only one goal: to enjoy every minute, and to play each match like it’s my last."

Monfils got ranked as high as No. 6 in the world in November of 2016 and for a little while was knocking on the door to win a grand slam, reaching the semifinals of the French Open in 2008 and the semifinals of the US Open in 2016. He also reached the quarterfinals twice at the Australian Open in 2016 and 2022. Only Wimbledon has he never figured out, reaching the 4th round just the once in 2018. 

While he was never able to win a grand slam, Monfils still had a strong career. For many years, he was in the mix and was always a crowd favorite. He plays the game with a lot of flair and passion, which you can't help but love if you enjoy the sport. I feel like he's been especially fun to watch on clay given his length and sliding. There are so many difficult balls he has gotten to over the course of his career. 

I think what's most amazing is that at 39 years of age, Monfils is currently ranked No. 48 in the world. He became the oldest ATP Tour singles champion earlier this year at 38 years and 132 days old when he won the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. On top of that, he reached the 4th round at the Australian Open earlier this year as well. The fact that he's playing as well as he is at his age speaks to the dedication he has to his craft. Few players are able to compete at such a high level so late in life. His longevity more than anything else is something he should be proud of. 

Looking ahead to 2026, it'll be fun to see how Monfils does in his final season on tour. Given how he did at the Australian Open this year, there's a chance he makes his way into the second week of a grand slam at least once. Of course, the tournament where there will be the most buzz is the French Open. If he can find a way to make the 4th round in Paris next year, you know the place will be bursting with excitement. 

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10 takeaways from the 2025 US Open

 

               (Carlos Alcaraz & Aryna Sabalenka with their trophies. Credit: WTA Photo) 

The 2025 US Open is now in the rearview mirror, which means it is time for me to write my 10 takeaways from the two weeks that were in New York City. Alrighty, let's dive in! 

#1. Carlos Alcaraz re-established himself as No. 1: Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner in the final 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. The two of them are the clear top two players in the world, jockeying for position. By winning the US Open, Alcaraz reclaimed the number one spot in the world. Alcaraz hadn't won the US Open since 2022, so it was huge for him to get back in the winner's circle at this event. On the year, they are 2-2 against each other in grand slam finals. Alcaraz also winning the French Open while Sinner won the Australian Open and Wimbledon. It'll be interesting to see which one of those two will end the year ranked number one. For now, Alcaraz has the inside track. 

#2. Aryna Sabalenka re-establishes herself as No. 1: Aryna Sabalenka defeated Amanda Anisimova in the final 6-3, 7-6. As a result, Sabalenka has a strong grip on the world number one spot having won Wimbledon earlier this year. Sabalenka has been the top hard court player in the world and this year's US Open reaffirmed that. She was fantastic all tournament long only dropping one set against Jessica Pegula in the semifinals. It'll be fun to see if Sabalenka can go the distance at the Australian Open. While she's won the Australian Open and US Open in the same year before, he's never followed a US Open win with an Australian Open title. So that's something for her to shoot for. 

#3. Sinner and Alcaraz are the clear top two players in the world: As I mentioned, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner went 2-2 against each other in grand slam finals this year. While they are going back and forth between who has the world number one ranking, one thing that is clear is that they are the top two players in the world. They're getting very little challenge from the rest of the tour. Given how young they are (Alcaraz 22 years old; Sinner 24 years old), it's hard to see that changing any time soon. 

#4. Amanda Anisimova is knocking on the door: Amanda Anisimova followed up her run to the Wimbledon final with a run to the US Open final. At just 24 years of age, her time certainly seems to be coming. She had a great tournament in New York and as a result is now ranked No. 4 in the world. It'll be fun to see how the rest of the season goes for her and whether or not she'll be able to break through to win her first grand slam in 2026. 

#5. Felix Auger-Aliassime continues to have US Open success: Felix Auger-Aliassime had a strong US Open, reaching the semifinals for the second time of his career (2021). Auger-Aliassime hasn't reached the semifinals at any other grand slam before, so the US Open really is his best tournament. I guess the combination of hard court and proximity to Canada gives him an advantage. He started out the tournament seeded No. 25 and is now ranked No. 13 in the world. It'll be fun to see if he can make some noise at the Australian Open and build on the success he had in New York. 

#6. Naomi Osaka had a renaissance: Naomi Osaka had a fantastic tournament, reaching the semifinals where she lost to Amanda Anisimova 7-6, 6-7, 3-6. It was her first trip to the semifinals of a grand slam since winning the Australian Open in 2021. This was truly a renaissance tournament for Osaka as she played the best she's played in a good while. At 27 years of age, Osaka still has plenty of tennis ahead of her. It'll be fun to see if this strong US Open performance will propel her to a strong 2026 season. 

#7. Novak Djokovic is still elite, but no longer on top: Novak Djokovic fell to Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals 4-6, 6-7, 2-6. Ranked No. 4 in the world, Djokovic is still an elite player, but as I wrote above, it's clear that Alcaraz and Sinner are the clear number two guys. Djokovic at this point is playing for the love of the game. How long will that last given the demands of playing on tour? That's a question only he can answer, but I for one hope he plays at least a couple more seasons. 

#8. Jessica Pegula keeps knocking on the door: Jessica Pegula had a nice run to the semifinals, falling to Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 3-6, 4-6. This was the second trip to the semifinals that Pegula has had at the US Open, reaching the final in 2024. Pegula hasn't reached the semifinals at any other grand slam, but the US Open is where she plays her best tennis. Whether or not she can put it together at other grand slams remains to be seen, but the US Open she clearly has developed a lot of comfort at. 

#9. Taylor Fritz was unable to get back to the final: After reaching the final in 2024, Taylor Fritz was unable to get back to the final in 2025. Fritz fell to Novak Djokovic in four sets in the quarterfinals: 3-6, 5-7, 6-3, 4-6. Given he's the top ranked American man, now No. 5 in the world, it's a bummer for Fritz that he couldn't make a deeper run. Hopefully for him, he'll be able to make more noise next year and also do more to knock Sinner and Alcaraz off their perch. If he can't do it, it's fair to wonder who can. 

#10. Iga Swiatek was unable to win a second US Open: Iga Swiatek fell to Amanda Anisimova in the quarterfinals 4-6, 3-6, failing to win her second US Open title after winning it in 2022.  Clay has been her best surface by far with four French Open titles and then she finally broke through on grass this year at Wimbledon. At just 24 years of age, she's got plenty of time to win more US Opens and complete the career grand slam with an Australian Open title still needed. It'll be interesting to see if she can get more consistent on the hard court. If she does, given her clay abilities, she's got a chance to really dominate the WTA Tour. 

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Carlos Alcaraz wins second US Open title

 

                                              (Credit: Getty Images) 

On Sunday, September 7th, Carlos Alcaraz reclaimed the world No. 1 ranking after defeating Jannik Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the men's singles final at the US Open. It is the second US Open title for Alcaraz and 6th grand slam title. He's won the French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open two times each, still seeking that first Australian Open title. A bit odd to need the Australian to finish up the career slam, but that's a topic for another day. 

Throughout the entire tournament, Alcaraz played fantastic, not dropping a set until the final. He defeated No. 7 Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-6, 6-2 in the semifinals and shredded No. 20 Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 in the quarterfinals. It was a dominant two weeks of tennis from Alcaraz as nobody (including Sinner) really pushed him. 

Where Alcaraz truly shined was on his serve. He was second in the tournament in percentage of first serve points won at 84%, winning 287 of 342 first serve points. A much larger sample size than first place Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who won 85% of his first serve points in the lone match that he played. As for his second serve, Alcaraz was equally outstanding, leading the tournament in percentage of second serves won with 63% (130 of 205). When you are controlling your serve at that level of consistency, you're going to be really difficult to stop. 

What also needs to be underscored about the way Alcaraz was serving is he wasn't accumulating a ton of aces. He had 48 for the entire tournament, which ranked 12th, but when you consider he played in seven matches, his aces per match were much lower than the others that were atop that list. It's a reminder that good serving isn't always about getting the ace or having the most power. It's about being able to put yourself in position to dictate the point. That's where his service game excels. 

On top of the stellar serving, Alcaraz was simply the best all-around player for the tournament. His movement is phenomenal, he can beat you from the baseline, he can beat you at the net, etc. There's really no weakness to his game, which is why he's the number one ranked player in the world. 

Looking ahead, in addition to seeing if he'll finish the season ranked number one, it'll be interesting to see if Alcaraz will be able to break through and win his first Australian Open in January. Sinner will almost certainly be on the opposite side of the net should he reach the final. 

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Aryna Sabalenka defends her US Open title

 

                                                   (Credit: Mike Segar/Reuters) 

On Saturday, No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka defeated No. 8 Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-6 in the women's singles final to win the US Open for the second straight year. It is Sabalenka's fourth grand slam title overall and her second US Open title. Her other two grand slam titles have come at the Australian Open in 2023 & 2024, so she's quickly establishing herself as the top hard court player in the world. 

Sabalenka had an amazing two weeks of tennis in New York, only dropping one set the entire way (4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinals vs. No. 4 Jessica Pegula). She was also aided by a walkover victory over Marketa Vondrousova in the quarterfinals, so she really cruised to this title. That isn't to say she didn't get challenged at all. In four of her matches, she had a set that she had to win with the 7th game, three of which went to a tiebreaker. But still, the reality is she showed why she is the top player in the world, especially on hard court. 

While her 25 aces weren't the most in the tournament (Naomi Osaka crushed that stat with 43), Sabalenka really dominated with her second serve, ranking 6th in the tournament in second serve win percentage (55%). She also had a large sample size with 162 second serve points, winning 89 of them. The old saying you're only as good as your second serve rang true with Sabalenka. She was rock solid in that department. 

The other thing Sabalenka did a great job of was finding ways to win in crunch time. She was 3-0 in tiebreakers, winning all three by a collective score of 21-9. She was dominant in those tiebreakers, shutting the door and not allowing her opponents to have any life. That speaks to her mental strength and fortitude. 

For Sabalenka, this was a huge tournament for her to win given she didn't win the Australian Open this year. Hard court is her bread and butter and so to come out on top in the final hard court slam of the year has to feel good. While she still needs to figure out how to win grand slams on clay and grass, if she can get the hard court slams on lock down, she should be able to have an iron clad grip on the world number one ranking for the foreseeable future. 

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Which 20+ seed has the best chance to make noise in the second week of the US Open?

 

                                             Felix Auger-Aliassime. Credit: USOpen.org 

With the 4th round of the US Open about to get started, several players seeded in the 20s or higher are still in the mix: 

On the men's side, (23) Alexander Bublik is set to face (1) Jannik Sinner after a Saturday night 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-7, 6-1 victory over (14) Tommy Paul; (25) Felix Auger-Aliassime is set to face (15) Andrey Rublev after stunning (3) Alexander Zverev 4-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-4; unseeded Leandro Riedi ranked (No. 435 in the world) is set to face (8) Alex de Minaur after defeating Kamil Majchrzak 5-3, ret; Jaume Munar is set to face (10) Lorenzo Musetti after defeating Zizou Bergs 6-1, 6-4, 6-4; (21) Tomas Machac is set to face (4) Taylor Fritz after defeating Ugo Blanchett 7-5, 6-3, 6-1; Jan-Lennard Struff is set to face (7) Novak Djokovic after defeating (17) Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 6-3, 7-6; Adrian Mannarino is set to face (20) Jiri Lehecka after defeating Raphael Collignon 6-4, 6-4, 6-4; Lehecka will face Mannarino after defeating (6) Ben Shelton 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, ret; and Arthur Rinderknech will face (2) Carlos Alcaraz after defeating Benjamin Bonzi 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2. 

As for the women's side, Cristina Bucsa is set to face (1) Aryna Sabalenka after defeating (19) Elise Mertens 3-6, 7-5, 6-3; Marketa Vondrousova is set to face (9) Elena Rybakina after knocking off (7) Jasmine Paolini 7-6, 6-1; Ann Li is set to face (4) Jessica Pegula after defeating Priscilla Hon 7-5, 6-3; Barbora Krejcikova is set to face Taylor Townsend after defeating (10) Emma Navarro 4-6, 6-4, 6-4; Townsend upset (5) Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-2; (27) Marta Kostyuk will face (11) Karolina Muchova after defeating Diane Parry 3-6, 6-4, 6-2; and (23) Naomi Osaka will face (3) Coco Gauff after defeating (15) Daria Kasatkina 6-0, 4-6, 6-3. 

Just to condense it down for you a bit, that's (23) Alexander Bublik, Jaume Munar, (25) Felix Auger-Aliassime, Leandro Riedi, Jan-Lennard Struff, Adrian Mannarino, (21) Tomas Machac, (20) Jiri Lehecka, and Arthur Rinderknech left on the men's side; Cristina Bucsa, Marketa Vondrousova, Ann Li, Barbora Krejcikova, Taylor Townsend, (27) Marta Kostyuk, and (23) Naomi Osaka on the women's side. Nine on the men's side and seven on the women's side, making for 16 players in total. That's a pretty good amount of players left in the draw who are seeded 20+, which means there's a real opportunity to make a run in the second week. 

While I don't want to rule anyone out, the two players who are standing out to me as the most dangerous are Auger-Aliassime and Osaka: 

Starting with Auger-Aliassime, he has been ranked as high as No. 6 in the world (November 7th, 2022) and did reach the semifinals of the US Open back in 2021, so he has made a deep run before. After his win over Zverev, Auger-Aliassime should be feeling really confident heading into his match against Rublev. He knows he can make deep runs in  New York. 

Osaka has not only made deep runs at the US Open, she's won it twice in 2018 and 2020. She also won the Australian Open twice in 2019 and 2021. She knows she can win this tournament and has found a lot of success at hard court grand slams in general. Gauff has won the US Open as well (2023), so Osaka is going to have her work cut out for her. Still, Osaka has to be feeling confident to be back in the 4th round at the US Open for the first time since her 2020 title. 

One other thing that's standing out to me is the upcoming matches of Mannarino vs. (20) Lehecka and Krejcikova vs. Townsend. That guarantees at least one 20+ seeded player on each side of the draw will be in the quarterfinals. Townsend being an American will have the crowd behind her, which gives her an edge. Neither Mannarino nor Lehecka will have that going for them, so it's harder to see how that one will go. Regardless, all four of those players have to sense a real opportunity to reach the quarterfinals and then who knows what happens from there. 

Overall, this is shaping up to be an exciting second week at the US Open. A good chunk of the big name players are still in the mix and at the same time, you have a lot of underdogs who are still alive as well. Regardless of how this all shakes out, there are certain to be a lot of captivating storylines to follow. 

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10 things to look for at the 2025 US Open

 

The US Open actually began on Sunday, so I'm a bit late to getting this up. Below are my 10 things to look for at the 2025 US Open in New York. Click here to check out the draws in case you haven't yet seen them. Ok, let's dive in! 

#1. How healthy is Jannik Sinner? No. 1 Jannik Sinner pulled out of the final in the Cincinnati Open due to an illness, handing the title to No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz. A lot of questions have swirled around about how healthy Sinner is and whether or not he'd even compete. Well, he's in the main draw and will give it a go. But will he stay healthy the entire tournament or could he be in for an early exit? The first couple rounds will tell us a lot. 

#2. Can Aryna Sabalenka defend her title? No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka comes in as the defending champion with many picking her to defend her title. However, she did lose to Madison Keys in the Australian Open final earlier this year, unable to defend her title there. Sabalenka will be eager to not have that happen again and this time defend her crown. If she does, she'll be sending a message that she truly is the top hard court player in the game. 

#3. Does Novak Djokovic have one more slam in him? No. 7 Novak Djokovic has won 24 grand slams and is gunning for his 25th. He cruised to a 6-1, 7-6, 6-2 victory over Learner Tien in the first round, so he's off to a good start. The key for Djokovic will be to make sure he takes care of business in straight sets through the first four rounds. The less tennis he has to play, especially on the hard courts, the better. Djokovic has to make sure in these early rounds he doesn't get pushed. Otherwise, fatigue will certainly catch up with him in the later rounds. 

#4. Will Coco Gauff's coaching change pay off? No. 3 Coco Gauff fired her catch Matthew Daly just days before the US Open in a move that sent a bit of a shockwave through the tennis world. It's a bold move to make that only will look smart if she goes all the way. If she doesn't, it will look like a desperate move that should have at least waited until the end of the season. It certainly adds more pressure on Gauff to perform well at this tournament, but then again, maybe this will help her out mentally. Time will tell. 

#5. Can Carlos Alcaraz build on his win at Cincinnati? After winning the Cincinnati Open, Carlos Alcaraz comes into the US Open with a lot of momentum. But will it ultimately matter? If Sinner is not able to play to his full strength, one has to like Alcaraz's chances of winning it all. The only reason to pause is he hasn't won the US Open since 2022. It's a bit of a dry spell in New York that Alcaraz would love to end. 

#6. Can Iga Swiatek build on her win at Cincinnati? No. 2 Iga Swiatek defeated No. 7 Jasmine Paolini to win the Cincinnati Open. Just like Alcaraz, Swiatek is eager to build on the momentum she has coming into the tournament. Also like Alcaraz, she hasn't won the US Open since 2022. Will this be the year she wins it all again in New York? It should be interesting to see. 

#7. Can Alexander Zverev contend? No. 3 Alexander Zverev is still seeking his first grand slam title. He only reached the US Open final once in his career (2020), but he did reach the Australian Open final earlier this year. If Sinner is unable to go deep in the tournament, Zverev in theory should be the guy to take advantage as the number three guy in the world. But can he actually do it? That's the question. 

#8. Can Madison Keys threaten? After winning the Australian Open, No. 6 Madison Keys will look to wrap up the 2025 season how she started it: winning a hard court grand slam. Keys should have a lot more confidence in her US Open chances after the way she performed Down Under, but as a word of caution, she has only reached one US Open final in her career and that was back in 2017. If Keys does go the distance this year, that would be quite a story. 

#9. Can Taylor Fritz go the distance? If there's an American man to threaten to win it all this year, it would be No. 4 Taylor Fritz. Fritz reached the final last year and really fed off the American crowd. While not the same level of pressure that was on Andy Murray to win Wimbledon as a Brit, it has been 22 years since an American man won a grand slam (Andy Roddick, 2003 US Open). Fritz is the best chance the United States has to end that drought. It would be cool if he did. 

#10. Can Jessica Pegula go the distance? The number four seed on the women's side is also an American in Jessica Pegula. She reached the final last year just like Fritz did and is also in search of her first grand slam. It'll be interesting to see how she does and whether or not she can once again feed off the energy from the New York crowd. 

Prediction: I'm gonna pick both Cincinnati winners to win the US Open. I got Carlos Alcaraz winning on the men's side and Iga Swiatek winning on the women's side. They're both playing great tennis right now and seem eager to win a second US Open title. 

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Which Cincinnati Open champion is more likely to win the US Open: Carlos Alcaraz or Iga Swiatek?

 

                                             (Credit: Getty Images) 

The winners of the singles titles at the Cincinnati Open this past week were world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and world No. 2 Iga Swiatek. Alcaraz defeated world No. 1 Jannik Sinner 5-0, ret. in the men's final while Swiataek defeated world No. 8 Jasmine Paolini 7-5, 6-4 in the women's final. As a quick aside, Sinner retired due to an illness making his US Open status up-in-the-air. We'll just have to see where things land on that front. 

Going back to the winners of the tournament, which one is more likely to go the distance in New York and win the US Open? First of all, they both have won the US Open once in their careers. Oddly enough, they both won it in 2022. Alcaraz defeated Casper Ruud 6-4, 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 in the final while Swiatek defeated Ons Jabeur 6-2, 7-6. Given that fact, it's hard to really pick which one is more likely to win it all this year.

If you look a little bit deeper, Alcaraz has the following results at the US Open from 2021-2024: quarterfinals, championship, semifinals, and 2nd round. As for Swiatek, she has the following results from 2019-2024: 2nd round, 3rd round, 4th round, championship, 4th round, and quarterfinals. Looking at that data, it's also had to really pick which one is more likely to go the distance. 

As for Australian Open success, neither player has won that tournament, so there isn't much in the way to really pick out there in terms of figuring out who is more likely to win the US Open. I guess I should mention Swiatek reached the semifinals at the Australian Open twice in 2022 and 2025 while the furthest Alcaraz has gone at the Australian Open is the quarterfinals twice in 2024 and 2025. So I guess you could maybe give a slight edge to Swiatek since she's done better at the Australian Open. 

That said, those that know tennis know that even though they are both hard court grand slams the US Open and Australian Open are different tournaments and success at one doesn't always equal success at the other. Novak Djokovic is a prime example of that. He has 10 Australian Open titles and four US Open titles. 

When adding all this up, if one has to pick which one is more likely to win the US Open this year between Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek, one is going to have to go on feel and gut instinct. They both have great chances to go the distance and I wouldn't be surprised if they both win it this year. Winning the Cincinnati Open gives them a lot of momentum heading into the US Open. 

However, if I had to pick one, I would lean Carlos Alcaraz. Jannik Sinner's status being called into question gives Alcaraz an advantage as Sinner is the defending champion. If Sinner can't go or if he flames out early due to not being at full strength, Alcaraz will be the favorite. That's not to say there won't still be be tough competition for him, but Sinner is by far and away the biggest threat to Alcaraz right now. If Sinner is not able to go or if he's hobbled, that is a huge advantage for Alcaraz. 

As for Swiatek, it feels like she has a tougher road in front of her. Aryna Sabalenka being the defending champion and world No. 1 is the odds on favorite to win it all and then top ten Americans Coco Gauff (No. 3), Jessica Pegula (No. 4), Madison Keys (No. 6), and Amanda Anisimova (No. 9) are all serious contenders and will have the New York crowd behind them. Swiatek simply has a tougher road in front of her even though she too is ranked No. 2 in the world. 

Ultimately, time will tell how this all plays out. Perhaps both Alcaraz and Swiatek will win. Perhaps only one of them will or maybe neither one will. The US Open I feel is the most unpredictable grand slam out there due to it being at the end of the year and players being more fatigued coupled with the hard court being a more grueling surface. It should be fun to see how it all plays out and who will end up lifting the trophy in New York when the two weeks are all over. 

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10 things to take away from 2025 Wimbledon

 

                        (Jannik Sinner and Iga Świątek with their trophies. Credit: Getty Images) 

With 2025 Wimbledon now officially behind us, it is time for me to write my 10 things to take away from the two weeks that were on the grass. Let's dive in! 

#1. Iga Swiatek can get it done on the grass: By winning Wimbledon, world No. 3 Iga Swiatek has now won a grand slam on every surface and only needs to win the Australian Open to complete the career grand slam.  She absolutely smoked Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in the final as Anisimova was nowhere near the level she was playing at going in. Some of that of course a credit to Swiatek. While she is still most dangerous on the clay with her four French Open titles, it's huge for Swiatek to show she can win grand slams on all surfaces. It makes her a much more dangerous opponent going forward. 

#2. Jannik Sinner proved he can go the distance on the grass: Just like Iga Swiatek, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner won his first Wimbledon title, showing that he can go all the way on the grass. Now he just needs a French Open title to complete the career slam, so unlike Swiatek, he is yet to win a grand slam title on all three surfaces of clay, hard court, and grass. For Sinner, what made this title extra special was he got revenge against world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz by beating him in the final 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 after narrowly losing to him in the French Open final. Given how close he came at the French Open, one has to think his time is coming on the clay. But regardless, winning Wimbledon is a big deal for Sinner. Hopefully the first of many for him. 

#3. Coco Gauff needs to figure out the grass: Coco Gauff had a 1st round exit at Wimbledon this year and has never gotten past the 4th round. While she is off to a great start to her career with her 2023 US Open title and 2025 French Open title earlier this year, it's clear that she has work to do on the grass. The odd thing is she reached the 4th round at Wimbledon back in 2019 in her first Wimbledon and first grand slam main draw. You would think she would have at least reached a Wimbledon quarterfinals by now, but she clearly has more work to do in order to make a deep run on the grass. 

#4. Carlos Alcaraz met his match against Jannik Sinner: Carlos Alcaraz came into Wimbledon having won back-to-back titles, gunning for a third straight title on the grass. He met his match against Jannik Sinner, going down in four sets. What's clear is that these two guys are forming a fantastic rivalry on the court and there really isn't a third guy who is consistently giving them a run for their money. It would be fun if a third guy could do that (hopefully Alexander Zverev), but if we have to live with watching more Sinner/Alcaraz battles for the next few years, I think that's okay. They really are a treat to watch. 

#5. Amanda Anisimova had a breakthrough tournament: Even though getting double bageled in the final against Iga Swiatek isn't what she wanted to have happen, Amanda Anisimova still can hold her head high knowing she reached her first grand slam final and at Wimbledon no less. She had a great tournament and at just 23 years of age, she has plenty of years ahead. It'll be fun to see how the rest of the season goes for her. 

#6. The end is nearing for Novak Djokovic: Novak Djokovic reached the semifinals, losing to Jannik Sinner in straight sets 3-6, 4-6, 4-6. The fact that a run to the semifinals is considered "running out of gas" so to speak just goes to show how freaking talented and amazing Djokovic is. That notwithstanding, it's fair to wonder if he'll ever win another grand slam and how much longer he wants to play if he knows he no longer can compete at the absolute highest level. 

#7. Aryna Sabalenka still in search of first non-hardcourt slam: World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka came up short, losing in the semifinals to Amanda Anisimova 4-6, 6-4, 4-6. She has won the Australian Open two times and the US Open once, but she is still in search of her first non-hardcourt grand slam. The semifinals is the furthest she's gone at Wimbledon and the final (2025) is the furthest she's gone at the French Open. I have no doubt that Sabalenka will get there and win a grand slam on either grass or clay, but for now, it remains a goal for her to shoot for. 

#8. Taylor Fritz needs to find that next gear:  World No. 4 Taylor Fritz lost in the semifinals to Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 7-5, 3-6, 6-7. Fritz has reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, the 4th round at the French Open, the semifinals at Wimbledon, and the final at the US Open. He appears to be knocking on the door, but with Alcaraz and Sinner in front of him, he needs to figure out how to find that next gear. Can he do it? That's the question. 

#9. Emma Raducanu needs to get more out of her home court advantage: Despite being the darling of British women's tennis, Emma Raducanu is still yet to make a serious challenge at Wimbledon. She won the US Open back in 2021, making people think a Wimbledon title could be in her future. As of now, the furthest she's gone at Wimbledon is the 4th round and this year she exited in the 3rd round. Given she's a Brit, she has a great opportunity to get the home crowd behind her at Wimbledon, but she's gotta do her part to make some noise and give them something to cheer about. 

#10. Jack Draper needs to back up his ranking at grand slams: Ranked No. 5 in the world, Jack Draper has only one grand slam semifinal under his belt at the 2024 US Open. Matter of fact, it's the only grand slam semifinal he's reached in his career. This year, he reached the 4th round at the Australian Open and the French Open before losing in the 2nd round at Wimbledon despite being British. He's going to have lot of points to defend at the US Open and unless he can make another deep run in New York, he very well may see his ranking drop come September. 

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Jannik Sinner is now a Wimbledon champion

 

                                             (Credit: Corinne Dubreuil/ATPTour.com) 

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner has won his first Wimbledon title and the first Wimbledon title for Italy, defeating No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the gentlemen's final. Alcaraz came in as the two-time defending champion while also having defeated Sinner in an epic five set thriller to win the French Open just a few weeks earlier. Sinner could have let that French Open result get in his head, but instead he went to work and got some revenge. Sinner now has won four grand slam titles and only needs to win the French Open to complete the career slam. Given how close he came at the French Open this year, one has to think he'll soon complete the career slam. 

Looking back on his run to the title, Sinner played great throughout the entire tournament. He did however catch a lucky break in the 4th round in which he won 3-6, 5-7, 2-2, ret. against Grigor Dimitrov. Dimitrov had to retire from the match due to a pectoral muscle injury. Had he not gone down with that injury, one can't help but wonder if the outcome of the entire tournament would have been different. Coming down from 0-2 would have been tough for Sinner and even if he had pulled it out, he would have been more worn down coming into the final. 

That said, all you can do is control what you can control and take advantage of any breaks that you do get. Sinner got a major break against Dimitrov, but he took full advantage by going all the way. He deserves a lot of credit for regrouping after that match and finding it in him to come out on top in the end. 

At just 23 years of age, Sinner has rapidly ascended to the top spot in the world and is playing like a guy who isn't going anywhere anytime soon. In truth, the only guy who really seems to challenge him for the number one spot is Alcaraz. The two of them are forming quite the rivalry and are gaining separation from the rest of the ATP Tour. It'll be interesting to see if anyone else can emerge to challenge them. World No.3 Alexander Zverev is yet to win a grand slam and he's few years older than both guys. 

Looking ahead to the US Open, Sinner will look to defend his title there. He'll be coming in with a lot of momentum and confidence. Provided he has a good lead up to the US Open on the hardcourt, I see no reason to pick against him. Even with Alcaraz the favorite to be facing him in the final. 

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Iga Swiatek is now a Wimbledon champion

 

                                             (Credit: Kirsty Wigglesworth/The Associated Press) 

In the ladies' singles final, (8) Iga Swiatek defeated (13) Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 to win her first Wimbledon title. Swiatek dominated from start to finish and Anisimova was never able to get into any sort of groove. Swiatek had a dominating semifinal victory as well, cruising past Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-0. As a matter of fact, Swiatek only dropped one set at Wimbledon in her 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 victory over Caty McNally in the second round. Aside from that match, it was smooth sailing for her the entire way. 

What makes this title so impressive for Swiatek is the fact that she had never gone past the quarterfinals before at Wimbledon. She really has really become known for being a dominant clay court player. For her to win at Wimbledon shows that she is more versatile than people have given her credit for. She now has won a grand slam on all the surfaces and just needs to find a way to win the Australian Open to complete the career slam. 

Speaking of the clay, Swiatek fell short in the French Open just a few weeks ago, losing in the semifinals. Bouncing back by winning Wimbledon shows a lot of fortitude and resolve on her part. Of course, one can't help but wonder if falling short at the French Open helped her win Wimbledon. She got a little more time to rest and also didn't have the pressure of coming in as the reigning French Open champion. Coco Gauff, who won the French Open, lost in the first round at Wimbledon. That further proves how tough it is to perform well at both tournaments back-to-back. 

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, it'll be fun to see how Swiatek performs in the upcoming hardcourt swing that culminates with the US Open in New York. Swiatek won the US Open back in 2022, so she knows she can win that event. Winning Wimbledon should certainly help her enter the US Open with more confidence. If she's able to go the distance in New York, she'll be well on her way to reclaiming the number one ranking in the world. 

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Who is more likely to win their first Wimbledon: Jannik Sinner or Aryna Sabalenka?

 

                                              (Credit: Getty Images) 

With the quarterfinals at Wimbledon set to begin, the top seeds in both the gentlemen's and ladies' singles still remain: Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka. Neither player has won a grand slam away from the hard courts and yet they both have an opportunity to change that as they seek their first title on the grass courts of Wimbledon. Which one is more likely to go the distance? Below are my thoughts. 

Starting with Sinner, he defeated Luca Nardi in the first round, Aleksandar Vukic in the second round, Pedro Martinez in the third round, and (19) Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round. He got a bit lucky with the Dimitrov match as he dropped the first two sets 3-6, 5-7. It was tied 2-2 in the third set before Dimitrov had to retire from the match due to an injured right pectoral muscle. Sinner is dealing with an elbow injury, so it's not like he's at full strength entering the quarterfinals. 

As for Sabalenka, she is yet to drop a set with wins over Carson Branstine in the first round, Marie Bouzkova in the second round, Emma Raducanu in the third round, and (24) Elise Mertens in the fourth round. She is currently dominating the competition and is playing with a lot of confidence as she enters the quarterfinals. 

Just looking at how the first four rounds have gone for both players, I would say Sabalenka seems more poised to win Wimbledon this year than Sinner. She hasn't dropped a set and at least so far hasn't shown any signs of slowing down. Sinner in contrast was lucky to get past Dimitrov as he was actually trailing in the match and on top of that, he is dealing with an elbow injury. 

In addition to playing better so far, Sabalenka also has a more favorable draw in front of her. The highest remaining seed for Sabalenka to face is (7) Mirra Andreeva, who is still in search of her first grand slam title and is in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon for the first time of her career. The player who on paper would be the biggest threat is five-time grand slam champion (8) Iga Swiatek. Swiatek however has never gone beyond the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, so it's hard to see her winning it all. On top of that, Andreeva and Swiatek are on the opposite side of the draw from Sabalenka, meaning that at most, Sabalenka has to only beat one of them and it would be in the final. No guarantee they get that far. 

Regarding Sinner's draw, (2) Carlos Alcaraz is still alive and he's the two-time defending champion. That alone makes this a tougher draw for Sinner. Not to mention the fact that seven-time Wimbledon champion (6) Novak Djokovic is the projected semifinal match for Sinner if he can get past (10) Ben Shelton. 

One other thing I should quickly note is in my Wimbledon preview, I actually picked Sabalenka to win it all on the ladies' side whereas I picked Alcaraz to win on the gentlemen's side. I see no reason to make a change to either of those predictions at this time. Alcaraz had a first round scare, getting pushed to a fifth set by Fabio Fognini, but since then he's been pretty dominant in his other three matches. 

When adding it all up, while both Sinner and Sabalenka are ranked number one in the world and are the top seeds in their respective draws, it's clear that Sabalenka has a much clearer path to winning her first Wimbledon title. The field is much more favorable for her (number two seed Coco Gauff losing in the first round helped a ton) and she's simply playing better tennis at the moment. It'll be fun to see how the final three rounds go! 

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10 things to look for at 2025 Wimbledon

 

                       

Wimbledon starts this week, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for. Click here to check out the draws. Ok, let's get after it! 

#1. Can Aryna Sabalenka get it done on grass? Aryna Sabalenka comes in as the number one ranked player in the world on the ladies' side, but she is yet to win a grand slam away from hard court. She came close at the French Open, losing in the final to Coco Gauff, but no cigar. She has reached the semifinals at Wimbledon twice in 2021 and 2023. Will this be the year she finally wins away from the hard court? That's the question. 

#2. Can Jannik Sinner get it done on the grass? Just like Sabalenka, Jannik Sinner is ranked number one in the world without having a grand slam title away from hard court under his belt. Also like Sabalenka, Sinner came up short in the final at the French Open, though his loss was more heartbreaking given he was up 2-0 on Carlos Alcaraz. The parallels between Sinner and Sabalenka continue as the furthest Sinner has gone at Wimbledon is the semifinals in 2023. It'll be interesting to see if Sinner will have any better luck than Sabalenka or maybe both will break through on the grass. 

#3. Will Emma Raducanu make some noise in front of the home crowd? Ranked No. 38 in the world, it feels like a while ago since Emma Raducanu won the US Open in 2021. Given she is a British citizen, she should have the London crowd behind her. The furthest she's gone at Wimbledon is 4th round in 2021 and 2024. Perhaps this is the year she'll make a push to at least the quarterfinals. 

#4. How will Jack Draper do behind the home crowd? Jack Draper comes in as the No. 4 seed in the tournament with the weight of Great Britain behind him, hailing from London. Fortunately for him, he doesn't have the ghost of Fred Perry to worry about as Andy Murray put that demon to bed when he won Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016. Still, the Brits love to see their own do well at The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club. Draper hasn't done well at Wimbledon, having not gotten past the second round. Hopefully for him, he'll fare much better this year. 

#5. Will Coco Gauff threaten? Despite all the success she has had, most recently winning the French Open, Coco Gauff remains stuck at Wimbledon, reaching the 4th round three times in her career but never beyond that. On paper, given she is the No. 2 seed, you'd think she'd be a heavy favorite. History suggests otherwise. Perhaps this will be the year she'll buck that trend for the better. 

#6. Will Carlos Alcaraz complete the three-peat? Carlos Alcaraz comes in as the number two ranked player in the world, yet he is the two-time defending champion at Wimbledon. Odds are on him to go the distance, but it's never easy to repeat, let alone three-peat at Wimbledon. If he's able to do that, he'll continue to put himself in rarified air. 

#7. Can Mirra Andreeva continue her momentum from Roland Garros? Mirra Andreeva is coming off a strong performance at Roland Garros, reaching the quarterfinals. She reached the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2024, so perhaps she's just far ahead on the clay. Still, at 18 years of age and ranked No. 7 in the world, there is a lot of interest in how she'll perform. 

#8. Can Alexander Zverev shake his Wimbledon struggles? Given he is ranked No. 3 in the world, never having gotten past the 4th round at Wimbledon I think is a failure for Alexander Zverev. There's no reason to think this year will be any different, but hope springs eternal, I suppose. 

#9. Can Naomi Osaka find her groove again? Ranked No. 56 in the world, it's been a while since Naomi Osaka has been relevant at a grand slam. She also has never won a grand slam away from the hard court, making it a long put for her to win Wimbledon. If she could reach the 4th round and build some momentum for the US Open, I think she'd take it. 

#10. How will Novak Djokovic perform? Novak Djokovic comes in as the No. 6 player in the world, having reached the semifinals at both grand slams this year. Djokovic loves Wimbledon, having won it seven times. This might be his best opportunity to win a slam this year. Especially since Sinner and Alcaraz both emptied the tank in the French Open final. 

Prediction: On the gentlemen's side, I have to roll with Carlos Alcaraz. It's his tournament to lose. As for the ladies' side, I'm going to say Aryna Sabalenka breaks through to win her first Wimbledon title. 

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10 things to take away from the 2025 French Open

                                   
                                       (Credit: rolandgarros.com) 

Before I shift my focus to Wimbledon and grass court tennis, I would like to take a look back on the two amazing weeks that were at the 2025 French Open on the grounds of Roland Garros. Okay, let's dive in! 

#1. Carlos Alcaraz is the top clay player in the world: Carlos Alcaraz won his fifth grand slam and second straight French Open, defeating Jannik Sinner in a five-set thriller in the final: 4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6. Alcaraz had to dig deep to come out on top, but he proved that he is the top clay player in the world on the men's side by defending his title. In order to prove you're the best on a surface, I kinda think you need to at least win back-to-back titles and Alcaraz has now done that at the French Open. 

#2. Coco Gauff finally cracks the code on clay: Coco Gauff has been knocking on the door to win her first French Open and she finally did it, defeating Aryna Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 in the final. She reached the final in 2022 and lost in the semifinals in 2023, so she's been close. At just 21 years of age, she has plenty of tennis in front of her, which means this is likely the first of many French Open titles. What really made the difference against Sabalenka was her patience and ability to extend rallies. She's the better clay court player and in the end, that made the difference despite Sabalenka being the better all-around player. 

#3. Jannik Sinner still searching for his first slam away from hard court: Jannik Sinner had a heartbreaking French Open. He was up 2-0 on Carlos Alcaraz only to drop the next three sets. He also had three championship points, but failed to close it out. Sinner is still in search of his first grand slam title away from the hard courts after blowing this opportunity. He can't let this loss sting for too long with Wimbledon right around the corner. 

#4. Aryna Sabalenka has more work to do on the clay: As I mentioned above, Aryna Sabalenka failed to win the French Open in large part because Coco Gauff proved to be the better clay court player. Just like Sinner, Sabalenka is still in search of her first grand slam away from the hard courts. In order to truly be an all-time great, you have to win on the other surfaces. It'll be interesting to see how she does on the grass courts of Wimbledon. 

#5. Lorenzo Musetti is knocking on the door: At just 23 years of age, Lorenzo Musetti reached his first French Open semifinal, losing to Carlos Alcaraz. Musetti also reached the semifinals at Wimbledon last year, so he's knocking on that door to reach a grand slam final. The question is can he take it up a notch and get over the top? Wimbledon will be interesting for sure. 

#6. Iga Świątek is mortal on the clay: Iga Świątek came into Roland Garros having won four straight French Open titles. She was my pick to win it all and yet she ended up coming up short in the semifinals against Sabalenka, losing 6-7, 6-4, 0-6. If you are Swiatek, you are obviously hoping to come back stronger next year and go the distance. I'm sure she has more French Open titles in her future, but this year, she showed the rest of the WTA tour that she can be beaten. 

#7. Rafael Nadal is forever etched in history: Rafael Nadal was honored with a commemorative plaque with his footprint and number of French Open titles (14) on it that is on Court Philippe-Chatrier. It was a great way to begin the two weeks in Paris. Nadal has meant so much to the sport and especially Roland Garros. It is only fitting that he will permanently have his mark left on the clay. 

#8. Jasmine Paolini ran out of gas: Jasmine Paolini came into Roland Garros with high hopes having won the Italian Open. Unfortunately for her, she went out in the 4th round, unable to make it back to the final where she was last year. I still like Paolini's odds of winning Roland Garros in the next couple of years, but she showed that it's no easy task to win in Rome and then in Paris. 

#9. Novak Djokovic is still determined to win more slams: While he came up short against Jannik Sinner in the semifinals, Novak Djokovic showed that he is still very much motivated to win grand slam titles, currently eying No. 25. Personally, I think Djokovic has the ability to win a couple more slams before it's all said and done. He has the will and the motivation. You can never count him out. 

#10. Lois Boisson took advantage of being at home: 22 year old Lois Boisson had an impressive run to the semifinals, falling to Coco Gauff 1-6, 2-6. She played well all the way until her final match against Gauff, taking advantage of having the home country crowd behind her. What made this all the more impressive was this was her grand slam debut. It'll be fun to see how the rest of her 2025 season goes and whether or not she can climb even further up the rankings. She started the tournament ranked No. 361 in the world and finished ranked No. 65. That's quite a jump! 

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Carlos Alcaraz shows incredible fight in Roland Garros title

 

                                              (Credit: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters) 

 (2) Carlos Alcaraz defeated (1) Jannik Sinner 4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6 to win the men's singles title at Roland Garros. It is Alcaraz's fifth grand slam title and his second consecutive French Open title. Despite getting down 0-2, Alcaraz came back to win three straight sets, crushing Sinner's soul in the process. It was an unbelievable performance that I think is the greatest yet that we've ever seen from Alcaraz. 

Coming back down from 0-2 down is simply amazing, but what made it even more incredible is it was the longest final in the history of the French Open. The amount of fight that Alcaraz showed was on another level. So many times he could have thrown in the towel and given up, but he dug deep and found a way to pull it out in the end. He even had to fend off three championship points. 

A major reason why Alcaraz was able to pull off the comeback was his ability to up his aggression. In the first two sets, he and Sinner were tied with 20 winners each. In the final three sets, Alcaraz was +17 in winners (50-33). His ability to take more chances and not allow Sinner to control the pace made a huge difference. Had Alcaraz not played with that same level of aggression in the final three sets, he wouldn't have pulled this out. 

Of course, even with that increased aggression, it was still a dogfight until the very end with the final two sets being tiebreakers. Sinner made Alcaraz earn it. This was not a case of Sinner choking. This was the two best players in the world going at it and unfortunately only one of them can win. 

What makes this title extra special for Alcaraz is the fact that fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal was honored before the tournament with a special ceremony and unveiling of a plaque that bears his footprint and record number of Roland Garros titles (14) on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Winning the French Open this year is the best tribute that Alcaraz could have given to Nadal. That I'm sure has to feel very satisfying. 

All around, this was a fantastic two weeks for Carlos Alcaraz. He's quickly establishing himself as an all-time great and he's only 22 years of age. It's just getting started for him and that's something that should have the rest of the ATP Tour shaking in their boots. 

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Coco Gauff finally goes the distance at Roland Garros

                                              (Credit: Thibuad Moritz/AFP via Getty Images) 

In the women's singles final (2) Coco Gauff defeated (1) Aryna Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 to win the 2025 French Open at Roland Garros. It is Gauff's second career grand slam title and first French Open title. Gauff's first grand slam title came at the 2023 US Open in which she also defeated Sabalenka in three sets: 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. 

At just 21 years of age, Gauff is one of the best all-around players in the game. A lot of American players her age struggle away from the hard courts, but due to spending a lot of time on the clay growing up, Gauff is perhaps even better and more comfortable on the clay. What really allowed her to beat Sabalenka was her patience and ability to let Sabalenka be the one to make mistakes. Sabalenka had 70 unforced errors during the match to Gauff's 30. Of the 119 points she won, 58.8% were due to those unforced errors by Sabalenka. That is a crazy stat.

Even though she grew up playing a lot of clay tournaments, Gauff still had to pay her dues to win her first French Open. In 2019, she didn't get out of the qualifying rounds. In 2020, she lost in the second round. In 2021, she reached the quarterfinals. In 2022, she reached the final, making it seem like a French Open title was imminent. But then in 2023, she lost in the quarterfinals and then in 2024 she lost in the semifinals. We all knew she was knocking on the door, but there were still questions about when she would break through on the dirt. Make no mistake, Gauff has worked extremely hard to improve her clay court tennis and she finally got rewarded by winning it all this year. 

In some respects, the final was a microcosm of what Gauff's Roland Garros journey has been like. She could have thrown in the towel after dropping that first set, but instead she kept on fighting and believing. She trusted the process and her approach to the game without wavering. Such an approach is especially beneficial on clay. If she keeps playing like this, I definitely see more French Open titles in her future. 

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Top 5 contenders entering second week of 2025 Roland Garros: Women's singles

 

                                             (Aryna Sabalenka. Credit: Getty Images) 

The second week of the French Open at Roland Garros is about to get started and there are 16 women left in the draw. Click here to check out the draw if you haven't already done so. Below is my list of top five contenders left on the women's side. Click here to check out who I got on the men's side. Okay, away we go! 

#1. Iga Świątek (Poland): Iga Świątek is the No. 5 seed in the tournament, but she's still number one on my list of contenders. She's a four-time champion at Roland Garros, having won three straight titles. She hasn't dropped a set all tournament and is really on cruise control through three rounds. It will get tougher for her starting with her fourth round match against No. 12 Elena Rybakina, but so long as she's still in the tournament, Swiatek has to be my favorite to win it all on the women's side. 

#2. Jasmine Paolini (Italy): Jasmine Paolini is the No. 4 seed in the tournament, but she's number two on my list of contenders. She reached the final at Roland Garros last year and is coming in with a lot of momentum having won the Italian Open in Rome. If Swiatek is going to go down to anybody, Paolini in the quarterfinals would be my bet. It's a shame they couldn't at least meet in the semifinals, but the draws go off the rankings and this is what we got. 

#3. Coco Gauff (United States): Coco Gauff is the No. 2 seed in the tournament and has proven herself to be a dangerous clay court player. She reached the final in 2022 at Roland Garros and during this clay season, she reached the final in Madrid and Rome. She's got a pretty favorable draw to reach the final and if she gets there, she should feel confident in her abilities to win it all. 

#4. Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus): Aryna Sabalenka comes in as the No. 1 seed, but given she's never won the French Open before, I have to have her lower on my list. She reached the semifinals back in 2023, so she's shown she can compete on the clay, but a lot of great hard court players have maxed out at that point. One thing that does help Sabalenka is her draw is pretty favorable. Her fourth round match is against No. 16 Amanda Anisimova and then her projected quarterfinal match would be against No. 8 Qinwen Zheng. Sabalenka should feel really confident in her abilities to reach the semifinals. But can she go beyond that? That's the question. 

#5. Mirra Andreeva (Russia): No. 6 Mirra Andreeva rounds out my list. She just turned 18, so she's got plenty of tennis ahead of her. Still, she's showing no signs of wanting to delay success. She reached the semifinals at Roland Garros last year and so far hasn't dropped a set this tournament. A lot of people feel she can go the distance. If she does, given her youth, that would be quite a story. 

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