Carlos Alcaraz, currently ranked world No. 2, has addressed the often-speculated notion of ‘friction’ between him and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Despite their rivalry being a focal point on the ATP Tour, with multiple high-caliber matches including Grand Slam finals, Alcaraz emphasizes the mutual respect and friendship that characterizes their relationship off the court.

Leading the head-to-head 8-5, Alcaraz dominated at one stretch with five consecutive wins, including a memorable five-set triumph over Sinner in the French Open final this June. However, Sinner ended this streak with a four-set victory at Wimbledon, marking their second straight Grand Slam final encounter.

The pair have collectively claimed the last seven Grand Slam titles, establishing themselves as the emerging dominant forces in men’s tennis. Yet, unlike some of the more contentious rivalries in tennis history, there appears to be little animosity between them. Alcaraz told the Financial Times, “Trash-talking gets a lot of attention. People really like the idea that there is friction between us. That’s what sells. But although tennis is an individual sport, we are with the same players every week, day in and day out.

“Jannik and I, who have had great battles on the court, see each other a lot off of it. We talk, we train together sometimes. And in the end you forge a good relationship, a beautiful relationship.

“We want to win and beat each other, but then off court, being good people and getting along is another matter. For me, that is one of the virtues and values of sport.”

Their growing rivalry is seen as a continuation of the legacy established by the Big Three—Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic—who collectively won 66 Grand Slam titles. Alcaraz, now 22, and Sinner, 23, are viewed as the next generation to define men’s tennis, though Alcaraz is cautious about the pressure of comparisons. “We try not to think about any pressure and least of all about doing what they did,” he remarked.

Looking ahead to the US Open, all eyes will be on whether the duo will clash in a third consecutive Grand Slam final. Both are former champions in New York, with Alcaraz winning in 2022 and Sinner the reigning champion from last year. They will begin their US Open preparations at the Cincinnati Open, after withdrawing from the Canadian Open.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, ranked No. 19 in the world, expressed his frustration over being scheduled for an early 11 a.m. match at the Canadian Open against Jakub Mensik, ranked No. 18. This match is uniquely set to start earlier than all others on Friday, which begin at 12:30 p.m. local time. Both players had their second-round wins in the tournament prior to this match.

Davidovich Fokina took to social media to share his disappointment, emphasizing the inconvenience of his early schedule given the distance from the club where they are staying. “We’re staying one hour away from the club, which means we have to wake up extremely early to arrive in good condition,” he wrote. He added that despite requests to adjust the time, organizers cited tickets and broadcasting rights as barriers, concluding the ATP does not adequately consider player needs.

His post further criticized the ATP for inconsistent scheduling and unmet promises to improve conditions. “Today it happened to others, tomorrow it’s me, and from the day after, all matches return to 12:30. There are plenty of available courts, yet we’re the only ones playing at 11:00,” he stated.

The reaction among players was mixed, but Dan Evans, a former world No. 21 known for his candid views, was notably critical. On Instagram, he urged Davidovich Fokina to simply accept the challenge, stating, “Wake up an play. The world wakes up an works 9-5 even 8-6 pathetic.”

Evans has previously voiced his perspective on scheduling complaints, highlighting the autonomy players have in their tournament participation and cautioning against what he sees as excessive moaning. “When I hear about the schedule [complaints], these guys don’t have to play every week. You are allowed to not play. The reason they play is so they pick up their bonus pool,” Evans commented. He emphasized that tennis players are independent contractors with options to manage their schedules and should be mindful of their privileged position relative to many others.

Emma Raducanu is advancing steadily in the WTA Rankings following a promising spell of performances in recent months. Her competitive display against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon, which ended in a third-round defeat, underscored her narrowing gap with the sport’s elite. Raducanu is now targeting a top 32 position in the WTA Rankings, a milestone that would grant her seeded status at the upcoming US Open, where a strong showing could further boost her standing.

Currently ranked 25th in the WTA Race—a ranking based on results during 2025—Raducanu also holds the No. 13 spot in the Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) rankings. The UTR rankings emphasize current form and weight victories against higher-ranked opponents more heavily than official WTA rankings. This system, based on recent performances and designed to rate players across all competition levels on a unified scale, offers a precise snapshot of Raducanu’s true competitive level.

Sabalenka praised Raducanu’s performance at Wimbledon as “incredible,” predicting a return to the top ten in the near future. Reflecting on that match, Raducanu said, “It gives me confidence that I’m not as far away as I perhaps thought before the tournament.” She added, “When I was playing those top-five players before, it was pretty convincing, the loss. So I think to really push Aryna it does give me confidence.”

She also acknowledged the challenge of such high-level competition: “It’s very difficult to take right now. I’m just very self-critical. It’s hard to see. Of course, I’m very proud of being competitive on the court. I think I would rather that than it being completely one way.” On Sabalenka’s praise, Raducanu said, “It’s nice of her to say that, but I think it was pretty clear the difference. In the big moments, she was able to convert. She was able to hit some incredible shots.”

Looking forward, Raducanu emphasized the work ahead: “I just need to keep working and get back to the drawing board and improve a lot more.” With few ranking points to defend from 2024, she is well positioned to climb closer to the top 20 by the end of this season.