ATP Tour News
Alex Eala’s heavy schedule reflects a breakthrough 2026 campaign
Eala’s 61 matches in 2026 reflect a breakthrough year, with more to come this season.
Alexandra Eala has emerged as one of the standout players on the WTA Tour in 2026, and her ranking reflects that rise. She currently sits at world No. 18 after a strong summer on the North American hardcourt swing, where she claimed her first WTA title at the Washington Open and then reached the third round of the US Open for the first time in her career.
That steady run of results has also made Eala one of the busiest players in the women’s game. She has now played 61 matches since the start of the year, placing her third on the WTA Tour for matches played. Only Jessica Pegula, with 63, and Elena Rybakina, with 62, have been on court more often in 2026.
Eala sits ahead of several other high-profile names in that particular tally, including Mirra Andreeva, Elina Svitolina and Aryna Sabalenka. But while her volume of matches compares well with the tour’s heaviest workloads, her winning percentage is lower than the two players above her in that list. Pegula is at 79.37 percent and Rybakina at 79.03 percent, while Eala’s mark stands at 65.57 percent.
Even so, the figures underline a player who has embraced a demanding schedule and is now seeing the rewards. Her season is set to stay busy as she turns to the Asian swing, beginning with the Singapore Open.
After that WTA 500 event, Eala will represent the Philippines at the 2026 Asian Games, held from September 27 to October 3. She has chosen that event instead of the China Open, the penultimate Masters event on the WTA calendar, a decision that could lead to a fine from the tennis authorities.
No other WTA appearances are confirmed after the Asian Games, though she is widely expected to play the Wuhan Open. Eala has also been confirmed for an exhibition in Manila against Janice Tjen in December, an event that could draw more than 55,000 spectators and potentially set a new record for the best attended tennis match in history.
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Ferrero signals a return to coaching, but the next stop remains undisclosed
Ferrero says a coaching return is coming, but he will not reveal which player he plans to join.
Juan Carlos Ferrero has indicated that a coaching comeback may be near, although he is not saying which player will be the beneficiary.
The former French Open champion split from Carlos Alcaraz last December, ending a partnership that lasted seven years and produced six Grand Slam titles. Ferrero later made clear that he would have preferred to keep working with the 23-year-old, whom he once called his “fourth child”.
In 2026, Samuel Lopez has been Alcaraz’s main coach. The season has already brought major highs and lengthy disruption, with Alcaraz completing the career Grand Slam in Australia before a wrist injury kept him out for more than four months.
Ferrero had already said in June that he would be open to coaching world No 1 Jannik Sinner one day. Now he appears set to return to the tour, but the identity of the player involved is still being kept private.
Speaking about life away from the circuit, Ferrero said he has enjoyed time with family and expects to be back in a coaching box at some stage. He told Movistar+, “ This year I’m very calm, enjoying my family and preparing for what’s coming next year. I think I’m going to return to the tennis circuit, but I can’t say with whom.”
That has naturally led to speculation. Rafael Jodar has been mentioned, with the young Spaniard currently coached by his father, Rafael Jodar Senior. Alex de Minaur is another name in the conversation after a difficult 2026, though he still works with Adolfo Gutierrez. Daniil Medvedev also made a recent coaching change, beginning a trial with Andrey Golubev in mid-August. Félix Auger-Aliassime, meanwhile, has not yet named a replacement for Frédéric Fontang.
Ferrero also revisited his time with Alcaraz, saying they have not spoken much since the split. He admitted he would alter some methods in hindsight, but not the overall approach. “In hindsight, I’d change a few small things, but not the essence. I imposed tough training and discipline on Carlos right from the start. I pushed him to the limit many times. I kept him grounded. That’s my way of doing things, and the work paid off.
“We don’t talk much. I wrote to him when he won in Australia and in Doha. I spoke to him when he got injured. Nothing more. We both needed space to start over.”
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Zverev closes in on Sinner as rankings picture shifts in 2026
Zverev moves ahead in the ATP Race as Sinner stays No 1 officially after the US Open.
Jannik Sinner remains the official world No 1 despite missing the US Open, but Alexander Zverev has narrowed the gap in the closing stretch of the 2026 season after his New York title.
Sinner’s injury absence has allowed Zverev to chip away at a lead that once looked substantial. The German’s US Open triumph is the latest result to alter the shape of the men’s rankings race, even if the official ATP list still reflects a 52-week system rather than current form.
That is where the ATP Race offers a different view. Built around results from this calendar year, it also decides qualification for the ATP Finals in Turin. In that year-to-date picture, Zverev has moved ahead of Sinner and now stands as No 1.
His season has been underlined by a semi-final appearance at the Australian Open, a place in the Wimbledon final, and victories at the French Open and US Open. Those results have made him the standout performer in 2026 by the race standings.
Ben Shelton’s run to the US Open final has lifted him to No 3 in the ATP Race, with Carlos Alcaraz at No 4 and Flavio Cobolli at No 5.
The UTR Rating presents another variation of the men’s game, and it is not flattering for Novak Djokovic. After his first-round exit at the US Open, he sits at No 15 in that system. He is No 12 in both the ATP Rankings and ATP Race.
UTR MEN’S RATING
1. Jannik Sinner
2. Carlos Alcaraz
3. Alexander Zverev
4. Arthur Fils
5. Rafael Jodar
6. Ben Shelton
7. Taylor Fritz
8. Felix Auger-Aliassime
9. Frances Tiafoe
10. Sebastian Korda
In the women’s game, Elena Rybakina has climbed to world No 1 after beating Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final, and she also leads the WTA Race for 2026. She is more than 1,000 points clear of Sabalenka in the year-to-date standings.
Rybakina also heads the UTR list, where Sabalenka has dropped to No 6. Alex Eala leads that ranking, with Coco Gauff second and Elina Svitolina third. Eala is listed at No 15, three places higher than her official WTA ranking.
UTR WOMEN’S RATING
1. Elena Rybakina
2. Coco Gauff
3. Elina Svitolina
4. Iga Swiatek
5. Marta Kostyuk
6. Aryna Sabalenka1
7. Mirra Andreeva
8. Linda Noskova
9. Karolina Muchova1
10. Jessica Pegula
ATP Tour News
Pegula’s 2026 consistency puts her ahead of Sabalenka and Rybakina in WTA wins
Pegula’s 50 wins in 2026 put her ahead of Sabalenka and Rybakina in the WTA race.
Jessica Pegula may still be searching for a first Grand Slam title, but her 2026 campaign has been a model of consistency and output.
The American has already reached two Grand Slam semi finals, doing so at the Australian Open and the US Open, while also advancing to the quarter finals of Wimbledon. She has added titles at the Dubai Tennis Championships and the Charleston Open, and has also reached three more WTA Tour finals this season.
That run has now given Pegula a statistic that stands above both Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina. Sabalenka and Rybakina have shared one of the season’s main rivalries, meeting in the finals of the Australian Open and the US Open. Even so, Pegula now has more victories across the year than either of the Grand Slam champions.
Pegula claimed her 50th win of the season by defeating Emma Navarro in the quarter finals of the US Open, moving clear at the top of the WTA Tour’s victory table. Rybakina is just behind on 49, while Sabalenka has 46.
The numbers also reflect workload. Pegula has compiled her 50 wins in 63 matches. Rybakina has 49 wins from 62 matches, and Sabalenka has collected 46 wins from 55 matches this season. Sabalenka has had difficult spells during the year, but her total remains impressive.
Behind the leading three, Roland Garros champion Mirra Andreeva has 44 wins, while Elina Svitolina has 43. Alexandra Eala, who topped the victories list earlier in the season after winning the Washington Open, is now seventh with 40.
Pegula is next scheduled to play the Singapore Open, which begins on 21st September. Rybakina and Sabalenka are due back at the China Open, the penultimate Masters tournament on the WTA Tour.
Pegula is currently third in the race for the WTA Finals in Indian Wells, and is well placed to qualify again for the event scheduled for November 8th to 15th.
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