Juan Martin del Potro has offered a clear view on the current rivalry shaping men’s tennis, saying Carlos Alcaraz brings qualities that set him apart from Jannik Sinner. In his assessment, the Spaniard possesses an extra dimension that goes beyond results and technique.

This season marks 17 years since del Potro stunned the sport at the US Open by winning the only Grand Slam title of his career. He produced one of the most memorable finals of that era, beating five-time defending champion Roger Federer 3-6, 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-2. Federer had served for a two-set lead and later stood just two points from victory in the fourth set, but del Potro found a way through.

The triumph, however, came with a heavy price. Since that breakthrough, the Argentine’s career has been interrupted repeatedly by injuries. The problems began in 2010 with surgery on his right wrist for a tendon injury, and over the next 12 years he went through eight more surgeries along with many other physical setbacks.

A fractured knee in 2019, after he had reached another US Open final the year before, effectively ended his career. Following several operations, he was left unable to climb stairs without pain and depended on daily medication to live comfortably.

“The day I lifted the US Open trophy after defeating Federer was the happiest day of my life. If I had known everything that it would ultimately cost me, I would have thought twice,” said the former Grand Slam champion during an interview with outlet Corriere della Sera.

Although he has played only one professional match since that injury, his retirement match at the 2022 edition of the Buenos Aires ATP 250 tournament, del Potro remains willing to speak about the game. On Alcaraz and Sinner, he said, “Jannik reminds me a lot of [Novak] Djokovic because of his characteristics. The elasticity, the speed, the solidity from the back of the court and his intelligence,” and added, “Carlitos is a special being; he has something more. He has the empathy and the ability to connect with people. He has Latin blood and a smile capable of winning over anyone.

“I would have to ask him not to play drop shots, because he wouldn’t reach any!”

He also echoed concerns about the demands of the calendar, backing the idea that players must listen to their bodies. “Carlitos is right when he says he will play the tournaments he wants and not those in which he is asked to be present,” he added. “I think this will become a widespread trend among the top players on the circuit. It’s important to listen to your own body. My mistake, unlike Alcaraz, was not giving my wrist all the time it needed to fully recover.

“These guys have to perform at their best every week of the year, and that is too much. But they are so superior to the rest that, even if they are away from competition for a long time, they barely drop in the rankings.”

Andy Roddick has backed a significant change to the rules after a US Open talking point emerged around how often Alexander Zverev bounces the ball before serving.

Zverev booked his place in a third straight Grand Slam final with a straight-sets victory over Karen Khachanov in their semifinal. The German is now chasing a second major title in his last three Grand Slam appearances, having ended his wait for another crown at the French Open earlier this year.

He will face Ben Shelton in the final after the American defeated Frances Tiafoe in four sets to reach his first Grand Slam championship match. Zverev will start as the clear favorite, supported by a 5-0 head-to-head lead over Shelton and a record of winning 10 of their 11 sets.

Still, the conversation around Zverev has shifted away from his results and toward his pre-serve routine. During his quarterfinal, ESPN noted that the world No. 2 had already passed 12,000 ball bounces across only five matches. That figure added weight to an issue that has followed him for some time, with opponents frequently arguing that he is allowed too much time before beginning his service motion. At times, the ball has reportedly been bounced as many as 25 times before a serve.

Players currently have 25 seconds from the end of the previous point to begin their service motion, with the umpire starting the shot clock. Roddick believes that framework is not enough. “The rules should change,” the American stated during an episode of his Served with Andy Roddick podcast.

“As long as he [Zverev] is doing it within the 24-second shot clock, what are you going to say?

“There needs to be a shot clock for the second serve. You cannot bounce the ball 20-something times between first and second serve. You cannot do it and then act shocked when we finish at 3 am in the morning. You cannot do it.”

Zverev was later asked about the issue after his semifinal win over Khachanov. “I have no idea why, I don’t do it on purpose,” the German responded.

“I saw the statistic that I’ve bounced the ball around 12,000 times or something like that. It’s pretty funny.

“I’m not counting them in my head or trying to reach a specific number.”

Frances Tiafoe and Karen Khachanov both saw their 2026 US Open runs end in the semi-finals, but each leaves New York with a significant rise in the rankings.

Tiafoe reached the last four at Flushing Meadows for the third time in five years, yet his bid for a first Grand Slam final was stopped by fellow American Ben Shelton. Khachanov, meanwhile, exited in his second semi-final appearance, falling to top seed Alexander Zverev.

Khachanov was beaten in straight sets, with Zverev winning 6-3, 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (8-6) in two hours and 57 minutes. Even so, the German felt the contest was closer than the scoreline suggested.

“Straight-set win, but anything but straightforward in a way. He played incredibly well, fought incredibly well,” he said.

Zverev added: “Second and third set I think it’s more than obvious that they could have gone both ways. I just played a few points better here and there, and I’m happy with the win.”

Tiafoe, after previous semi-final defeats in 2022 and 2024, again met his match in Shelton. He made the stronger start, taking the opening set, but Shelton found another level to close out a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 victory and book his place in a maiden major final.

The ranking impact is substantial for both men. Khachanov began the 2026 season at No 17, drifted to No 50 by the time the tournament began, and will now climb back into the top 30. He has moved up 24 places to No 26 in the Live ATP Rankings, helped by a semi-final run that delivered 800 points against just 50 to defend, for a net gain of 750.

Tiafoe, who had previously reached No 10, has set a new career-high of No 8. His semi-final run, after a third-round exit last year, added 700 points and lifted him four places.

The prize money reflects the scale of those runs as well. Khachanov earns $2,800,000 from the semi-final, taking his 2026 total from $1,407,005 to $4,207,005. Tiafoe receives the same cheque, raising his 2026 earnings from $2,831,365 to $5,631,365.