Jannik Sinner has been absent from competition since beating Alexander Zverev in the Wimbledon final, where he claimed the title for the second straight year.

The Italian has kept a selective schedule, especially after his early exit at Roland Garros following a demanding stretch on the European clay swing. He then skipped the Canadian Open, a decision that seemed likely even before the knee injury reports were confirmed ahead of Cincinnati.

That knee issue ruled him out of the Cincinnati Open and quickly raised doubts about whether the world No. 1 would be fit for the final Grand Slam of the season at the US Open.

There is now a more encouraging sign. Luigi Ansaloni, a journalist for Gazzetta, offered an update on Sinner’s preparations before a possible trip to Flushing Meadows at the end of August.

“Sinner has trained well, the last two days at the Monte Carlo club. He will also train this morning, according to the schedule,” said the Italian.

Asked for more detail on the sessions, he added: “He trained in the afternoon, after having reserved the court for 2 hours, at the club.”

Spending long hours on court is clearly a positive development as Sinner moves closer to a return. He will also avoid action during US Open ‘Opening Week’, which features exhibition matches and the Mixed Doubles, giving him extra time to prepare compared with his rivals.

His first match would most likely come on Monday, 31st August or Tuesday, 1st September, leaving him time to regain rhythm before the tournament begins in earnest.

His participation now looks increasingly likely, even with the knee concern still in the background. That said, returning to competition does not guarantee a title challenge. Sinner would still have to manage the expected rustiness that comes with time away, just as he did at Wimbledon after arriving without a competitive grass-court match.

He won there in the end, but not before surviving a five-set scare against Miomir Kecmanovic in the opening round. A return to the US Open would still be welcome after his long absence from the North American hardcourt swing.

For the first time, Novak Djokovic has been the subject of a detailed documentary focused on his life at the top of tennis.

Novak Djokovic: The Wolf in Winter premiered on Amazon Prime on Thursday, 20 August, with the 24-time Grand Slam champion featured prominently through a series of interviews that revisit his career and examine what may still lie ahead.

Although Djokovic remains active on the ATP Tour, the film gives him space to reflect on how he has stayed at the highest level and why, at 39, he is still competing in elite sport. In one of the documentary’s central moments, he spoke candidly about his relentless standards and the pressure he places on himself.

“I cannot say I feel content with what I have and who I am. I am always looking to be more – better, faster, stronger. Often times I feel I am imprisoning myself,” he said in the documentary.

He also addressed retirement, making clear that he sees no reason to step away while he still believes he can contend for major titles.

“Why would I talk about retirement when I still keep proving to myself that I can still win? As long as I have the drive, the passion, but most of all, as long as I feel like I can be one of the best players in the world, I want to keep going.”

Djokovic went on to speak about the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles as a possible finishing point, saying: “It seems a long way out. I feel like I can make it. I would like to end with the Serbian flag on my shoulders. It would be a nice way to wrap up something I’m very proud of.”

His wife, Jelena, also appears in the documentary and describes her husband as conflicted about retirement. “He definitely has mixed feelings about his retirement,” said Jelena Djokovic in the Amazon documentary. “He carries that burden that he’s never enough. No matter how much he does, it will never be enough. Tennis is a fulfilling place for him – a place where he feels worthy.”

This season, Djokovic has played six tournaments, including all three Grand Slams so far. He reached the Australian Open final and the Wimbledon semi-finals, while Roland Garros brought his earliest major exit of the year, in the third round. He has also competed at Indian Wells, the Italian Open and the Cincinnati Open.

Despite some uneven results, he has again shown he remains capable of performing at the sport’s biggest events. His next scheduled appearance is the US Open, a tournament he has won four times.

Alex Eala’s rise on the WTA Tour has been matched by a wave of attention that has followed her through 2026. Support for the Filipina has appeared in every setting, from Grand Slams to tour stops, and her profile continues to widen.

The first major sign of that support came at the Australian Open earlier this year, when fans formed long queues outside a full stadium in Melbourne. Her appeal only grew during the Middle Eastern swing, especially in Abu Dhabi and at the Qatar Open, before carrying over to Wimbledon on grass.

That momentum became even more visible in North America. At the Washington Open, where she won the first WTA Tour title of her career, interest in her matches increased further. She then sold out every match at the Canadian Open, while ticket prices also climbed for her meeting with Amanda Anisimova at the Cincinnati Open.

Now there is another clear marker of her marketability. According to Jessica Schiffer, of Hard Court, “Nike released a $42 black t-shirt for Alex Eala this morning that’s already sold out. For comparison, all of its other new player merch is still available.”

That stands out even more when set alongside the brand’s other athletes, with Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Aryna Sabalenka all Nike athletes whose merchandise remains available on the official store.

Eala’s results have begun to reflect the level of interest around her. Since Wimbledon, she has gone 11-3 across four tournaments, reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon, winning Washington, making the round of 16 in Canada, and advancing to the third round in Cincinnati.

She is now shaping up as a genuine dark horse for the US Open, where she will also play the Mixed Doubles event with Felix Auger-Aliassime after receiving a wildcard. In addition, she is scheduled for an exhibition singles match during Opening Week against her friend Iva Jovic.