Alexander Zverev described his semi-final defeat to Karen Khachanov at the 2025 Canadian Masters as “terrible” and deeply “upsetting.” The world No. 2 lost a tight three-set match 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4), unable to convert a crucial match point late in the deciding set.

Zverev held a 6-5 lead in the third set and a promising position during the tiebreak, leading 3-1 before dropping six of the final points.

“I thought I was very brave in the tiebreak, I just missed,”

he admitted. He acknowledged the challenges faced during the match, saying, “Generally I wasn’t feeling the ball well, so it’s normal that you miss a little bit more than usual in these kind of situations.”

This result marks Zverev’s third consecutive loss in a deciding set at a Masters 1000 event, indicating a recurring challenge despite his close head-to-head advantage over Khachanov. Before this match, Zverev had a 5-2 lead overall, having won their last three encounters and all nine sets.

Reflecting on his performance, Zverev said,

“The first set was terrible, so I kind of gave him a head start, and he’s too good to not use that.”

Despite the disappointment, he is already looking ahead to the Cincinnati Masters, his next event, where he will face either Gael Monfils or Nishesh Basavareddy. Zverev is a former champion in Cincinnati, having won the title in 2021, and has made the last four in his two most recent appearances.

Khachanov, who advanced to his second Masters 1000 final, noted the fine margins of the match and Zverev’s nerves at critical moments. “I would say both players deserve to win,” Khachanov said. “Maybe I put a little bit more pressure, he got a little bit more nervous, more tight. So this is how you play in those moments. You try to bring your A-game, and you can win, you can lose, but it is what it is.”

Pepe Imaz, the former Spanish professional footballer who served as Novak Djokovic’s mental coach starting in 2016, has spoken openly about his close relationship with the tennis star and sought to clarify misconceptions surrounding Djokovic’s persona.

In an interview with Europa Sur, Imaz emphasized that “From my experience, Djokovic is a wonderful human being, and everyone would discover this if they could get to know him beyond the player, beyond what is portrayed in the media, beyond what is portrayed in competitions.” He added that Djokovic “has a big heart,” describing him as sensitive, empathetic, generous, open, and eager to learn.

Despite these positive words, Imaz’s tenure with Djokovic’s team was not without controversy. In 2018, Marian Vajda, a former coach of Djokovic, insisted that Djokovic remove Imaz from his staff before he would return to coaching. During Imaz’s early involvement, Djokovic did not win a Grand Slam in 2017, marking his first such season since 2010, and also fell outside the world’s top 10 rankings. Furthermore, reports noted that Imaz’s presence contributed to Boris Becker’s exit from the team in December 2017. Vajda admitted in 2018: “Yes, I was pushing his end, though it was not my No. 1 condition. It was that I have to see Novak personally. The second was to set specific rules and plans in the coming months.”

Despite these challenges, Imaz remains grateful for his time with Djokovic, describing their relationship as “very close, much more personal and human than a simple professional relationship.” He highlighted Djokovic’s thirst for knowledge, his love of reading, and his openness to learning from others without prejudice. “Novak is a wonderful human being. He has shortcomings, like you and me; but he strives to grow as a person and does what he can in that regard,” said Imaz, acknowledging the difficult periods Djokovic has endured that the public may not fully appreciate.

Though the current status of their partnership is unclear, Imaz has been seen with Djokovic during training sessions in Spain and has contributed commentary during Grand Slam events.

Carlos Alcaraz spoke candidly about his emotions following the Wimbledon final defeat to Jannik Sinner during his pre-tournament press conference at the Cincinnati Open. Despite losing his first Grand Slam final in a four-set match (4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4), Alcaraz expressed that he “left the court happy” and proud of his performance. The world No. 2 acknowledged that losing a Grand Slam final was inevitable, saying, “Everyone does.” He emphasized gratitude for his achievements and the experience of reaching the Wimbledon final.

Following the loss, Alcaraz chose to skip the Canadian Masters to prioritize rest ahead of the season’s final Grand Slam. His demanding schedule this year includes titles at Monte Carlo, Rome, the French Open, and Queen’s Club, along with finals appearances in Barcelona and Wimbledon. He humorously noted, “For myself, when I’m off, I’m off… I’m just waiting for them with breakfast. I’m already eating!”

With a substantial lead of 1,540 points over Sinner in the ATP Race to Turin, Alcaraz looks to reclaim the world No. 1 ranking he last held in August 2023. He commented, “My goal from now until the end of the season is to reclaim the world number 1 spot.”

Alcaraz also reflected on his budding rivalry with Sinner that has already shaped tennis history over the last 18 months. Having contested the longest-ever French Open final and now the Wimbledon final, he stated, “I’m really happy to be building such a great rivalry against Jannik… I think we have such long careers ahead, just to see how far we can go.”

At the Cincinnati Open, Alcaraz is set to face either Mattia Bellucci or Damir Dzhumhur in the opening round.