Carlos Alcaraz is still sidelined as concern grows over the injury that has kept him off the tour since April. The seven-time Grand Slam champion hurt his right wrist during his first-round win at the Barcelona Open, and he has reportedly been dealing with tenosynovitis, an inflammation of the tendon sheath in the wrist.

The world No 2 has already pulled out of the Cincinnati Masters, which starts on Thursday, and there are now doubts about whether he will be ready for the 2026 US Open.

Those doubts have been fuelled by comments from Gianni Daniele, the chief doctor and chair of the medical and anti-doping commission of the Italian Tennis Federation. In an interview with Italian newspaper la Repubblica, Daniele questioned the seriousness of Alcaraz’s problem and said the 23-year-old is “experiencing a sort of mental weakness.”

“It’s never been entirely clear what kind of wrist injury Carlos suffered,” said Daniele.

“Now there’s a rumour going around that he’s experiencing a sort of mental weakness.

“Struggling to regain his former intensity, a form of depression has reportedly set in, creating a vicious cycle that prevents him from regaining the same confidence he had in the past.

“Doubts are beginning to take hold in his mind, and it’s a real shame — even for the world No 1 (Jannik Sinner) — not to be facing a rival of immense class.”

The remarks have drawn sharp criticism, particularly from Jose Moron, a prominent Spanish tennis journalist, who reacted on Twitter/X.

“This is absolutely DISGRACEFUL,” Moron began (translated from Spanish).

“This guy speaks about Carlos like this without having the slightest clue what he’s talking about.

“It seems utterly abhorrent to me that [someone] from the Italian Tennis Federation would have words of such magnitude toward Alcaraz.

“I can’t imagine the Spanish Federation saying anything about Jannik [Sinner]. You’ve got to have more class.”

Alex Eala’s rapid climb has turned her from an intriguing prospect into a genuine force in women’s tennis. In just a few weeks, she has captured attention around the sport and assembled a global following that looks set to keep growing.

Her run to the Wimbledon last 16, highlighted by a win over defending champion Iga Swiatek, was followed last week by her first WTA Tour title in Washington. Those results have put her firmly in the conversation for the game’s biggest prizes, and they also point toward a major commercial surge.

One likely beneficiary is Nike, with whom Eala already has a clothing deal. That agreement appears poised for renewal on better terms, especially as her profile continues to rise. Her link with the Rafael Nadal Academy may also have helped establish that relationship, given the company’s long association with the player whose name is attached to her training base.

The commercial comparison to Emma Raducanu is hard to avoid. After her US Open triumph five years ago, Raducanu attracted a wave of sponsorships, helped by her appeal across multiple markets. Eala now has a chance to surpass that model, with her popularity in the Philippines expected to extend well beyond her home country.

She already holds deals with Globe Telecom, Babolat, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Milo Philippines and Locally Juice, and has recently been added by Marriott Bonvoy, the award-winning travel program of Marriott International and Official Hotel Partner of the Australian Open. That addition suggests companies are moving quickly to secure a place in her growing story.

Raducanu’s Uniqlo deal, reported at around $3.5m a year, offers a useful benchmark. Eala could move beyond that if she renews with Nike, and she may already command more than Raducanu in major sponsorship talks.

Coco Gauff’s estimated $23 million in annual off-court earnings remains the standard at the top of the market, but Eala may be building toward that level. A Grand Slam title may be needed to reach the very summit, yet even now she is positioned for life-changing endorsement opportunities and could be set to earn $10m from this point forward.

Novak Djokovic is long past measuring his career in financial terms, yet the player who leads the men’s prize money standings may still reach a notable milestone in the coming weeks.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion has earned $194,656,816 in career prize money. That total reflects a career defined by extraordinary success, including more weeks at No 1 than any other player and more ATP Masters 1000 titles than anyone else.

Behind him on the all-time earnings list are Rafael Nadal on $134,946,100 and Roger Federer on $130,594,339. Those figures are expected to keep rising across the sport as prize money continues to increase, and the US Open is set to announce a larger top prize after last year’s record $5m award to the men’s and women’s champions in New York.

For the moment, though, Djokovic remains the earnings leader, and he has a realistic chance to become the first player in tennis history to pass $200m in prize money if his next few weeks on US hard courts go well.

He will be among the favourites at the Cincinnati Masters after world No 1 Jannik Sinner and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz withdrew because of injury. A title there would bring him $1,151,380. If he then went on to win the US Open a couple of weeks later, he would move beyond the $200m mark.

Djokovic’s income has not come only from competition. Long-running sponsorship arrangements with Head, Lacoste, Asics and other companies have added substantially to his wealth.

When asked about money in an interview with Piers Morgan last year, Djokovic said it has never been his main motivation.

“You know, we live in a very materialistic society these days. It’s nothing against you but I am not like that,” he stated in the interview.

“I don’t want to give all the information about what I am worth and what my investments are, it’s none of their business. Why should I disclose that? For what reason? There are things that are disclosed like prize money and people know about or contracts, but other things, no.

“Money is important. It’s very important and it does bring security, no doubt about it. It’s one of the driving forces in society today, you cannot neglect the importance of money.

“But if money is the only thing you are thinking about, in my experience as an athlete, for me it’s more of a meritocracy model – if I win a tournament, I get rewarded with sponsorship deals.

“But it’s about the mentality and the brand you want to create around yourself. I don’t like to talk about this but I did refuse a lot of the big brands and big paycheques in my career, because I cannot represent something I do not believe in. I have always tried to play the long game.”