Patrick Mouratoglou believes Alexander Zverev is moving in the right direction, yet he still sees a gap between the German and the game’s leading force. The former coach of Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Holger Rune and Stefanos Tsitsipas thinks Zverev has taken important steps, but says the next challenge is sustaining a more aggressive approach over time.

Zverev has had a strong stretch of results. He reached his first Wimbledon final and, although he lost to Jannik Sinner, he was praised for producing some of his most aggressive tennis during the event. Four weeks earlier, at the French Open, he won his first Grand Slam title after defeating Flavio Cobolli in a thrilling five-set final.

That victory also ended a run in which Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz had won nine straight Grand Slams between them. Zverev is now also positioned ahead of Alcaraz in the ATP rankings for the first time since May 2025.

Speaking on social media, Mouratoglou was clear that progress alone is not enough.

“Zverev is on the right path, but do I think he is there? Not yet,” began the Frenchman.

“I mean, it was a big milestone for him to win his first Grand Slam and be in the final of the next one, especially on clay.

“And grass, he definitely reached another level. Is he at the level of Alcaraz and Sinner yet? I don’t think so.

“And even though he played some of his best tennis in the [Wimbledon] final, and Sinner was, I think, not at his best, he still didn’t win it.

“For him to be able to play aggressively with consistency and efficiency, he has to show that he’s able to do this over and over again until it becomes second nature.

“Otherwise, he starts, for example, the US swing and he knows he’s gonna beat those guys because he has margin; he starts to again control from the baseline, not be so aggressive.

“But if Zverev is to really make the step, he needs to practise this every single match, which he didn’t do yet.”

Zverev is next due to play the Canadian Open, which starts on August 2. Sinner, Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic are all absent. The German won the event in 2017, beating Roger Federer in the final for one of the biggest titles of his career at age 20.

Carlos Alcaraz is moving nearer to a comeback after nearly four months away from professional tennis because of a wrist injury, with reports linking him to a return at the Cincinnati Open.

The world No 3 last competed at the Barcelona Open, where he won his opening match before needing a medical timeout and later withdrawing from his next contest because of wrist discomfort. Since then, he has been following a careful recovery process and was recently observed striking balls lightly during an indoor practice session.

A new report from Spanish newspaper El Pais says the seven-time Grand Slam champion is set to switch to outdoor training in the coming days. That development matters, as the change in conditions adds another layer to his return to full preparation.

The same report added that Alcaraz has already received the official tennis balls for the Cincinnati Open, scheduled for August 13-23. He is the defending champion at the Ohio event and is protecting 1000 ranking points after lifting the trophy for the first time 12 months ago.

His absence has had a significant effect on the rankings. Alcaraz has already lost more than 5000 points and has been passed by Alexander Zverev for the first time since May 2025. Jannik Sinner now leads him by 5290 points after a run that included all three clay-court Masters 1000 titles and a successful Wimbledon title defence.

The latest update will be welcome news for Alcaraz supporters and strengthens the sense that his return may be approaching. A few days earlier, Javier Varela, writing for La Verdad, reported that the Spaniard is expecting to come back at the Cincinnati Open.

That report also said Alcaraz would view the tournament as a warm-up for the US Open, which takes place from August 30 to September 13. He is the defending champion in New York.

“The progress, however, is positive. Alcaraz is already hitting the ball, albeit still at a moderate intensity, and the goal is to gradually increase his training pace in the coming weeks,” the report said.

“The expectation is that he will be able to travel to the Cincinnati Masters 1000 with the intention of competing, although his participation is not guaranteed and, if he does play, he will not necessarily be at peak physical condition.”

Jannik Sinner has put together a remarkable opening stretch to the 2026 season, collecting five Masters titles and defending Wimbledon to secure his second straight crown there.

The world No. 1 has stayed well clear of the rest of the field and has kept his momentum during the absence of Carlos Alcaraz. Across the first seven months of the year, Sinner has been beaten only three times, with Novak Djokovic, Jakub Mensik, and Juan Manuel Cerundolo responsible for those losses.

Wimbledon delivered the fifth Grand Slam title of his career, and he now heads toward the US Open in September as the clear favourite to win a sixth major.

Even with the silverware already in his collection, Sinner says his biggest wish is to be remembered for more than results. Speaking to Secolo XIX, the World No 1 said: “We are obviously very happy to have successfully defended our title at Wimbledon. With my team, we are already preparing for the second part of the season, which promises to be very demanding.

“In ten years, I would like people to remember me not only for my results, but also for the person I have been and for the values that my parents instilled in me.

“And perhaps some will also remember me because they enjoyed watching my matches. When I play in Italy, I always feel immense support from the crowd. In return, I hope to be able to convey joy and positive energy.”

Sinner will not compete at the Canadian Open in early August, ending his chance to make more history in 2026. He had been on course to sweep all Masters events in the season, a feat no player has ever completed. So far, he has won Indian Wells, the Miami Open, the Monte Carlo Masters, the Madrid Open, and the Italian Open.

His withdrawal also means no ranking-point loss, since he did not play the event last year. He will keep all of his 13,450 ATP Tour points. Three Masters events remain on the calendar, with Cincinnati, Shanghai, and Paris still available before the season reaches its climax.