At the Cincinnati Open, University of Louisville student-athlete Russell Lokko was handed an unexpected scholarship from Frances Tiafoe. What began as a behind-the-scenes meet-and-greet at the Lindner Family Tennis Center became a life-changing moment when Tiafoe presented Lokko with a $30,000 award spread over two years through the USTA Foundation’s Frances Tiafoe Fund.

Lokko, a rising junior and standout on the Louisville tennis team, had been opening a gift bag from player sponsors Lululemon, La Roche-Posay and Clif Bar when Tiafoe revealed the check. “I’m super excited, and I’m really blessed that Frances gave me this check,” Lokko said. “It’s going to take a lot off my parents, and it’s going to help me stay focused on what I want to do in college.

“I had no idea that he was going to give me this money… Growing up, Frances has always been a role model for me, so to get it directly from him is unbelievable.” The award will help cover a gap in scholarship funding so Lokko can continue his education at Louisville.

Lokko’s tennis journey began at the NJTL of Trenton, part of the USTA Foundation’s National Junior Tennis & Learning network, the same network connected to Tiafoe’s early training at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Md. Tiafoe described why he created the fund and the importance of supporting players like Lokko: “To see how ecstatic he was, and being able to take care of his junior and senior year is a huge deal, man,” Tiafoe said. “The son of immigrants… I’ve been in that seat. I know how it is, and the struggle for him to be able to do that.

“If he gets a little push by me, and me being one percent of the reason why he’s gonna become the man he’s gonna be is incredible. That’s why I created this fund within the USTA Foundation, to be able to do great things like that.”

Tiafoe said he welcomed the opportunity as well. “I was super excited about (the idea from USTA), because I get to meet somebody who I know looks up to me and be able to bless him along the way,” Tiafoe said. “It was an incredible experience, and I was even nervous about it today! I wanted everything to go smoothly and in the right way.” During the visit Lokko met Tiafoe, watched his practice and shadowed him around the tournament. On Saturday night Lokko watched Tiafoe win 6-4, 6-3 against Roberto Carballes Baena courtside in the player box.

Co-founded in 1969 by Arthur Ashe, Charlie Pasarell, and Sheridan Snyder, the NJTL network now includes more than 270 organizations that combine tennis and education to support young people from under-resourced communities.

Jannik Sinner returned to action at the Cincinnati Open with an emphatic opening victory, dispatching Daniel Elahi Galan 6-1, 6-1 in 59 minutes. It was the Italian’s first match since defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final and he carried that form straight onto the hard court.

Sinner dropped just two games in the contest against the World No. 144, a scoreline that leaves little doubt about the balance between the players on the day. The 23-year-old now moves into the Round of 32, where he will face either Sebastian Baez or David Goffin.

The win continues a run Sinner began at this venue a year ago. Looking to retain his title after winning here 12 months ago, he arrives in Cincinnati on the back of a remarkable stretch: his record at big tournaments since that previous victory stands at 48-2.

This match was a straightforward start to his Cincinnati title defense. The scoreline and the brief duration of the match emphasise how quickly Sinner re-established control after the Wimbledon break. With a dominant first outing completed, attention will turn to the next opponent and how Sinner manages the step up in competition as the draw narrows.

For now the facts are clear: a dominant opening performance, minimal games dropped, and a path that leads to a Round of 32 encounter with either Baez or Goffin. Sinner’s objective in Cincinnati remains to defend the crown he claimed at this venue one year earlier, and the opening result offered a timely reminder of the form that produced a 48-2 record in big tournaments since that triumph.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are the first two players confirmed for this season’s ATP Finals. Alcaraz secured his place in July and Sinner confirmed his spot in early August. Despite missing three months due to a doping ban, Sinner has amassed enough points to ensure he finishes no lower than seventh in the year-end rankings, mathematically guaranteeing a place at the season-ending championship alongside Alcaraz.

The ATP Finals uses a distinctive qualification and competition format. The top seven ranked players automatically qualify. The eighth spot is reserved for any player who wins a Grand Slam but is ranked between ninth and twentieth; if that does not occur, the eighth-ranked player takes the final place. Once the eight players are decided they are split into two groups of four for round-robin play, with each player contesting three matches. The top two from each group then progress to the semi-finals, which are played in a knockout format.

Since 2021 the tournament has been held in Turin at the Palasport Olimpico and will take place between November 9 and 16. The Finals could play a decisive role in the year-end No. 1 race: Alcaraz sits on 7,550 points to Sinner’s 6,010.

There is a notable gap beyond those two. Alexander Zverev has 3,690 points, Ben Shelton occupies fourth, Novak Djokovic is fifth, with Taylor Fritz and Jack Draper sixth and seventh. Alex de Minaur is in the uncertain eighth spot; that would be sufficient for entry provided no player ranked between ninth and twentieth wins the US Open.

Sinner won his first ATP Finals trophy last season, defeating Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4 in the final. He had reached the final in 2023 but lost to Novak Djokovic. Djokovic remains the tournament’s most successful player, having won the event seven times, including four consecutive titles between 2012 and 2015.

The women contest their equivalent at the WTA Finals, where the top eight compete in a group stage before a knockout phase. Aryna Sabalenka is currently the only woman qualified.