Barry Cowan, esteemed tennis commentator, has identified Novak Djokovic as the foremost challenger capable of disrupting the recent dominance of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. The duo has markedly dominated the last seven Grand Slams, sharing all titles in that span and consistently holding significant leads in the rankings—Alcaraz by over 3500 points, and Sinner by nearly 6000.

Their rivalry was showcased in back-to-back Grand Slam finals, with Alcaraz triumphing in a marathon at the French Open, culminating in a 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10-2) victory after saving three championship points. Weeks later, Sinner reversed fortunes by claiming his maiden Wimbledon title with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over Djokovic, then ranked world No. 2.

Cowan shared his perspective on Djokovic’s chances: “Right now, I don’t see anyone knocking off Djokovic. Obviously, he’s not been able to win the last seven majors, because that’s been dominated by Sinner and Alcaraz, but, you know, I’m not ruling Djokovic out, because when you’ve won it 24 times, and he’s made semi-finals at all three majors this year, so, you know, he’s not far off.”

Despite being 38, Djokovic has reached the semi-finals at all three 2025 majors, including a notable win over Alcaraz at the Australian Open. However, Sinner bested Djokovic in straight sets at both the French Open and Wimbledon, underscoring the physical and mental challenge of overcoming the top tier. Cowan noted the difficulty in capturing a major currently requires navigating through multiple elite players, a feat demanding exceptional resilience.

Looking ahead, Cowan highlighted the potential of several younger players: Jakub Mensik, Jack Draper, and Joao Fonseca all show promise, though he stressed the need for them to elevate their level further. Upcoming tournaments like the Cincinnati Masters present opportunities for this next tier to gain momentum, especially with some top players absent or sidelined due to injury.

Djokovic, Sinner, and Alcaraz are set to return at the Cincinnati Masters from August 7 to 18, while Draper aims for a US Open comeback after arm issues. The evolving landscape signals both continuity and fresh challenges at the pinnacle of men’s tennis.

Joao Fonseca’s breakthrough year in 2025 has been marked by significant achievements and evident areas for growth, particularly in his return game.

The 18-year-old Brazilian has climbed impressively from outside the top 650 to within the world’s top 50 in just 17 months. His notable milestones include becoming the seventh youngest ATP title winner by capturing the Buenos Aires ATP 250 title in February. Additionally, Fonseca secured his first top-10 win at the Australian Open by defeating Andrey Rublev.

Despite a remarkable start to his season, Fonseca has experienced fluctuations in performance, including an ATP Challenger title in Phoenix followed by a three-match losing streak. Most recently, he was defeated by world No. 103 Tristan Schoolkate in the first round of the Canadian Masters, with a scoreline of 7-6(5), 6-4.

Lindsay Davenport, former world No. 1, discussed Fonseca’s challenges on the Tennis Channel Live podcast. She remarked, “Obviously it’s been a remarkable year for Fonseca but his expectations are much higher than going out in the first round.” Addressing Fonseca’s return game, Davenport noted, “He really struggled with his return in the match. Yes, Schoolkate served well but there was no real problem-solving for Fonseca in that category. [He] just wasn’t able to get the rally in to start the point when he was receiving.”

Davenport added that with about two weeks until his next match, Fonseca might take the opportunity for focused training, possibly in south Florida or Brazil. She also pointed out the mental aspects young players must navigate, saying, “You’ve got to be able to manage an 18, almost 19-year-old’s mental game as well, and this has been a lot this year maybe.”

Jon Wertheim, another Tennis Channel contributor, reflected on Fonseca’s inconsistent results, stating, “Note that 6-7 record since Miami, I mean, keep in mind three of those were at majors, so I mean he’s won rounds at all three majors he’s played at this year, that’s a good sign, best of five format. But the results at other tournaments haven’t quite been there.”

Wertheim also acknowledged the pressure the young player faces, especially with growing attention ahead of his US Open debut.

Fonseca is set to compete next at the Cincinnati Masters from August 7 to 18, where observers will be keen to see how he progresses.

Lorenzo Musetti is dedicating significant effort to improving his forehand as he prepares for the US Open, emphasizing adjustments required for hard court play. The Italian commenced his Canadian Masters campaign with a 7-5, 6-1 win over James Duckworth, despite a challenging recent run, having lost three of his last four matches.

Musetti, who reached his first Grand Slam semi-final at the 2024 French Open and climbed to a career-high world No. 6 before slipping back to No. 10 after a first-round Wimbledon exit, recognizes the demands hard courts place on his game. “The biggest adjustments for me on hard court is try to adapt the speed of the court,” he explained to the Tennis Channel, adding that hard courts require more impulsive play, contrasting with the slower pace on clay where he has more time to strategize.

He highlighted the necessity of changing his game style and personality to meet these conditions, with a focus on the serve and return as key components for success. Musetti is currently the only player with a one-handed backhand among the world’s top 15, a style that presents distinct challenges on faster surfaces. “Especially on the return side, there’s many disadvantages, I would say, if you play one‑handed backhand,” he noted in an ATP Tour interview.

The past year has been transformative for Musetti, featuring two Grand Slam semi-finals, an Olympic bronze medal, a Masters 1000 final appearance in Monte Carlo, and breaking into the top 10 rankings. Looking ahead, he cites the Turin event as his foremost goal but prefers to avoid excessive pressure. “There’s many points to catch,” he said, referring to the North American hard court swing, which includes two Masters 1000 events and the US Open, where he aims to maintain consistency and accumulate points.

Currently ranked sixth in the live ATP standings, Musetti is poised to potentially qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals if he sustains his form.