Jannik Sinner has climbed into rare company, and Rick Macci believes the Italian’s final total of major titles could still grow far beyond the five he has already secured.

Sinner, the world No 1, defended his Wimbledon title in July to collect a fifth Grand Slam trophy. That haul includes two Australian Open crowns, one US Open title and his pair of victories at the All England Club.

On the Open Era list, Sinner sits 13th for most major titles won. Among active players, he is third behind Carlos Alcaraz, who has seven, while Novak Djokovic leads the all-time standings with 24. Rafael Nadal is next on 22, followed by Roger Federer on 20 and Pete Sampras on 14.

Macci, who has worked with Serena Williams and Venus Williams, is convinced Sinner can move into double figures and has even placed him in the wider conversation with the game’s dominant names.

“Sinner is at the top of the mountain just like as a kid when he was at the mountain top to fly down hill like a turbo charged Italian race car and become a skiing champion,” he wrote on X.

“Now everything is uphill for the Red Rocket who I feel barring injury could end up with 20-plus Grand Slams in the back pocket. @janniksin.”

After Wimbledon, Sinner chose to take extra time away and did not enter next week’s Canadian Open, a decision that drew criticism from some quarters. Macci defended the choice, arguing that freshness matters most before the final major of the year in New York.

He later added: “Sinner is a winner because athletes know their body better than ANYBODY. The Slams are the BIG TICKET ITEM on his Italian menu and getting ready for New York is the most important venue.

“Why play an event just to play if physically and mentally you do not feel a certain way. Players should always pick and choose it is not about the money or they do not want to lose. To be your BEST the magic word is REST.@janniksin.”

Sinner is next scheduled to play the Cincinnati Open before heading to Flushing Meadows for the US Open.

Naomi Osaka is set for her first look at the Alex Eala wave that has swept through tennis, with the two scheduled to meet in the Washington DC Open semi-final.

Eala has become one of the tournament’s biggest stories, supported by a loud and highly visible group of Filipino fans who have turned her matches into something close to a celebration. The Washington DC Open is the latest stop on the WTA Tour to feel that surge, with ticket sales rising after her name was added to the field.

The 21-year-old has matched the attention with results. She reached the final four at the Mubadala DC Open after a strong straight-sets victory over third seed Elina Svitolina, reinforcing her status as one of the most compelling players on the tour.

Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner and former world No 1, will be their first opponent in head-to-head competition. She made clear that she is eager for the challenge.

“I’ve never played Alex before, but obviously I’ve seen some of her matches,” she said. “She’s had an incredible year so far. Honestly, playing her would be really fun for me, just to get that knowledge about how she is.”

The Japanese star also recalled a match she watched last year in New York. “I remember watching one of her matches last year at the US Open, and it was kind of mind-blowing. I didn’t think tennis could have an atmosphere like that. It almost felt more like a basketball game.

“I’ve kind of routinely wanted to check in on her — not personally — but just to keep following her story and see how she’s growing.”

Eala’s rise has been rapid. She broke through in March last year when she reached the Miami Open semi-final, then made her Grand Slam debut at the French Open. Later in the season, she became the first Filipina to win a Grand Slam main draw singles match at the US Open and climbed into the top 50 of the WTA Rankings.

Now ranked No 25 in the Live Rankings, she could rise again with a win over Osaka. Even so, she is approaching the occasion with caution.

“I’m super excited. I hope it lives up to the expectations,” the Filipina said. “I’m definitely going to do everything I can and leave it all on court, like always. Of course, Naomi is an amazing player, so it’s going to be a tough match for me.”

Alex Eala’s strong week at the Washington DC Open continued with a straight-sets victory over second seed Elina Svitolina, a result that also pushed the 21-year-old to a new career peak in the rankings.

Eala opened her tournament by coming from behind against 2024 Australian Open runner-up Zheng Qinwen, then backed that up with a two-set win over defending champion and seventh seed Leylah Fernandez. Against Svitolina, the outcome mirrored their quarter-final meeting at the Berlin Open earlier this year, when the Filipina won 6-3, 6-4 on grass. This time, the hard courts produced the same scoreline.

The opening set was tightly contested, featuring five straight breaks. Eala edged ahead 3-2 before closing it out with a fourth break in the ninth game. The second set began poorly for the world No 28, who was broken to love in the opening game. She recovered on serve in game six and then finished the match in game 10, converting her third match point with a second break.

The victory gave Eala her sixth top-10 win of 2026 and moved her into a third semi-final of the season.

Her ranking rise has been just as notable. After reaching the last 16 at Wimbledon in July, Eala climbed to a career-high No 28. Her run in Washington has now added 135 points to her total, lifting her three places to No 25 in the Live Rankings, with the chance of climbing one more spot if she wins again.

Standing in her way next is former world No 1 Naomi Osaka, who defeated Elisabetta Cocciaretto in three sets. It will be their first career meeting.

“I’m super excited. I hope it lives up to the expectations,” Eala said. “I’m definitely going to do everything I can and leave it all on court, like always. Of course, Naomi is an amazing player, so it’s going to be a tough match for me.”