Sinner's 'slam' win over Alcaraz, Rune's injury nightmare + WTA Finals race update

Jannik Sinner is back at No.1 after lifting the title in Paris for the first time. He surpasses Carlos Alcaraz for at least a week as the battle to be the year end No.1 heats up ahead of the ATP Finals. Sinner overcame  Felix Auger Aliassime in the final to win his first Masters 1000 of the year but it will be a tall order if he is to retain the number 1 ranking from Alcaraz in Turin. Elsewhere the WTA Finals have kicked off and it has been full of surprises with Iga Swiatek going down to Rybakina, winning just 1 game in the final two sets. Defending Champion Coco Gauff looked out of sorts as she was defeated by friend and countrywoman Jessica Pegula in three sets after making 75 unforced errors and 17 double faults. Can she turn it around and make the semifinals? Madison Keys was eliminated after losing both of her matches and it will be a shootout between Anisimova and Swiatek to make the semis. There was joy for Victoria Mboko who won her second WTA title of the year after a difficult few months following her victory at home in Canada. Mboko will finish the year in the top 10 and will be a big name to watch in 2026. We also cover the action from the final week of ATP action as Novak Djokovic plays in Athens and Lorenzo Musetti needs to win the title to qualify for the end of season finals or Felix Auger Aliassime will be heading to Turin! As always Joel and Chris play a Tennis Weekly Quiz and we have a Mirra Andreeva Mailbag to unpack as to why she skipped the final week of qualifying for the WTA Finals.SOCIALSFollow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show [email protected] Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!REVIEWS***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s heating up on the tennis tour as players race for those all-important final spots at the End of Season Tour Finals. Join Joel, Kim, and Chris at Tennis Weekly HQ as they dive into another jam-packed week of ATP and WTA action — where two words dominated the headlines: Saudi Arabia (but more on that later).First up, Jannik Sinner battled through cramp to defend his Vienna Open title, defeating Alexander Zverev in a thrilling three-set final to claim his 21st ATP crown — and surpass $50 million in career prize money. Over in Basel, teenage sensation Joao Fonseca captured the biggest title of his career, living up (finally) to the early season hype as one of tennis’s brightest new stars.On the WTA Tour, Belinda Bencic celebrated a comeback win in Tokyo, while Ann Li ended a four-year title drought in Guangzhou. The team also discusses Elena Rybakina completing the WTA Finals field at the expense of Mirra Andreeva and preview what might just be the strongest lineup in a long time, featuring Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, and Madison Keys. Plus, the gang unpack breaking news that Saudi Arabia will host a new ATP Masters 1000 event and look ahead to the WTA Finals in Riyadh and Paris Masters at its new home away from Bercy — but who’s got the tougher draw, Sinner or Alcaraz?SOCIALSFollow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show [email protected] Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!REVIEWS***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been another packed week on the ATP and WTA Tours, so join Joel, Chris, and a special guest appearance from Alina as they break down all the big stories from Tennis Weekly HQ.Jannik Sinner dominated Carlos Alcaraz to capture the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia, pocketing a record $6 million payday — but what did we really learn from their latest showdown? Is indoor hard court still Sinner’s territory, and what to make of Alcaraz’s comments on the packed tennis calendar? Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev finally returned to the winners’ circle in Almaty after 882 days, and Casper Ruud lifted the Stockholm Open title in front of Swedish royalty, with Chris and Alina reporting behind the scenes as they continue their quest to track down and interview Magnus Norman.The team also rates Emma Raducanu’s season, analyses Elena Rybakina’s late WTA Finals push, and asks what’s gone wrong for Mirra Andreeva. Plus, big coaching news as Jack Draper hires former coach of Andy Murray and Grigor Dimitrov, Jamie Delgado whilst Frances Tiafoe sacks his teams to sign up Todd Martin. Finally, our Mailbag tackles Holger Rune’s heartbreaking injury — is the tennis calendar pushing players too far or should players learn to adapt their schedule more?SOCIALSFollow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show [email protected] Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!REVIEWS***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been a historic week on the ATP and WTA Tours! Join Joel and Kim on Tennis Weekly as they unpack all the headlines, starting with Valentine Vacherot’s fairytale victory in Shanghai — the Monaco native becoming the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 champion in history after defeating his cousin Arthur Rinderknech in an all-family final. The team debate whether this incredible underdog story is a great advert for tennis or a reflection of a congested ATP schedule.On the WTA side, Coco Gauff continues her hard-court dominance, powering past Jessica Pegula to win the Wuhan Open without dropping a set — extending her flawless 9–0 record in hard-court finals. There’s also excitement ahead of the Million Dollar Point Slam launching at the Australian Open, as well as buzz around Carlos Alcaraz’s new Nike logo, set to debut at the ATP Finals. Plus: Roger Federer reveals his five tennis GOATs (with a cheeky Djokovic nod), Joel’s take on the Impossible Shot Challenge, and we preview Stockholm, Ningbo, and the blockbuster Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia featuring Alcaraz, Djokovic, and Sinner.SOCIALSFollow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show [email protected] Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!REVIEWS***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anisimova’s Double, Sinner’s Struggles & Zverev’s Court Speed Storm… It’s been another dramatic week on the ATP and WTA Tours as the Asian Swing heats up. Join Joel, Kim, and Chris at Tennis Weekly HQ as they break down all the big stories — from Amanda Anisimova capturing her second WTA 1000 title of 2025 in Beijing, defeating rising Czech star Linda Noskova in a thrilling final, to booking her spot at the WTA Finals in Riyadh. Is she now America’s No. 1 — and could she even be a future World No. 1?On the ATP side, Jannik Sinner’s Shanghai title defence ends in frustration as he’s forced to retire with cramps, reigniting debate around the gruelling Masters 1000 schedule and the increasingly slow court speeds. Alexander Zverev adds fuel to the fire, accusing tournaments of tailoring conditions to favour Alcaraz and Sinner — but does he have a point?In the second half, Chris chats with Tariq Naslawi, founder of Trace and co-creator of Collect, the official ATP collection game, before the team previews the Wuhan Open, where Sabalenka and Swiatek headline a blockbuster draw. Plus, Joel reacts to Iga Swiatek’s racket appearing in a zombie video game, Kim celebrates Rafael Nadal’s honorary doctorate, and Chris reveals our latest Babolat competition winner.TRACECollect is the official collection game for fans by the ATP and TraceSign up and start collecting from the Shanghai Masters at https://tinyurl.com/2u6azwyp SOCIALSFollow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show [email protected] Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!REVIEWS***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Asian swing is in full flight, and Tennis Weekly has all the latest headlines, results, and talking points from Tokyo, Beijing, and Shanghai. Carlos Alcaraz struck back with swift Laver Cup revenge over Taylor Fritz to capture his eighth title of the season in Tokyo, while Jannik Sinner bounced back in style to secure a second crown in Beijing. We also reflect on Gael Monfils’ emotional announcement that he will retire at the end of 2026, celebrating the career of one of the sport’s most electrifying entertainers.On the WTA side, the China Open is serving up shocks: Emma Navarro stunned world No. 1 Iga Świątek—dishing out a bagel along the way—while fellow Americans Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, and Amanda Anisimova also powered into the quarterfinals. Britain’s Sonay Kartal has mounted a surprise run, but there was heartbreak for Emma Raducanu, who bowed out after another dramatic match filled with missed chances. Plus, Roger Federer has sparked debate with his comments on court speeds—are tournaments really slowing surfaces to favor Alcaraz and Sinner? And finally, we look ahead to Shanghai, where Sinner defends his title and Novak Djokovic makes his long-awaited return.BABOLAT Pure Strike OfferGo to babolat.com and use code: TENNISWEEKLY15 for an EXCLUSIVE 15% off their new Pure Strike Range(Offer valid until 7th October)SOCIALSFollow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show [email protected] Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!REVIEWS***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From San Francisco to Seoul and Shenzhen, it’s been a non-stop week of tennis drama. Join Kim and Chris as they unpack all the action, from the Laver Cup to the Billie Jean King Cup finals. Team World reigned supreme in San Francisco with a dramatic Laver Cup victory under new captain Andre Agassi, as Taylor Fritz sealed the trophy in style against Alexander Zverev, just days after his shock win over Carlos Alcaraz.In Shenzhen, Italy once again defended their Billie Jean King Cup crown, with Jasmine Paolini and Elisabetta Cocciaretto powering past Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro despite unfavourable head-to-head records. Meanwhile in Seoul, Iga Swiatek battled past Ekaterina Alexandrova to clinch her 25th career title, while Emma Raducanu’s return to the court ended in heartbreak against Barbora Krejcikova.We also look ahead to the WTA 1000 in Beijing, where Coco Gauff is aiming to defend her title in the absence of World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, and the ATP 500 in Tokyo, where Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz could be set for another showdown.SOCIALSFollow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show [email protected] Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!REVIEWS***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US Open may be over but it’s been another action packed week on the ATP and WTA Tours. The Davis Cup delivered major shocks as the USA and Australia both crashed out at home, with Czechia and Belgium rising to the occasion. Spain also staged a heroic comeback without Carlos Alcaraz, while drama swirled around Holger Rune both on and off the court - the less about his DMs the better!Meanwhile, 17-year-old Iva Jovic lit up Guadalajara to become the youngest WTA champion of 2025, while France’s Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah stunned the field in São Paulo — making it the first time in 17 years that two teenagers have lifted trophies in the same week. We debate where Jovic fits among the new wave of teenage stars of Andreeva, Mboko and Maya Joint.We’ve also got updates on the Billie Jean King Cup Finals as Raducanu opts for a Korean Open wildcard, the Laver Cup and it’s “love it, loathe it” format and the latest on Carlos Alcaraz barnet as he shows off yet another haircut that seems to channel his best Roger Federer blonde impression. There was also news of Daniil Medvedev’s new coach in former pro Thomas Johansson and Zsombor Piros sparks debate at Tennis Weekly HQ with his audacious dropshot serve that has got everyone talking!SOCIALSFollow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show [email protected] Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!REVIEWS***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US Open 2025 is over and the Champions have been crowned, Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka! It all happened in New York, from Polish CEO Piotr Szczerek stealing a hat from a child and making global headlines to Naomi Osaka turning up with blinged out Labubu's for every match. We also saw Taylor Townsend make headlines for all the right reasons and Jelena Ostapenko for all the wrong reasons as well as Novak Djokovic making it to four semifinals at majors this year! So as is tradition after two weeks of daily coverage, the Tennis Weekly team reunites in truly global fashion across three time zones (Spain, Greece, and the UK!) for a special US Open wrap-up episode. In this bonus pod, Joel, Kim, and Chris reflect on their own personal highs, lows, and biggest surprises from Flushing Meadows using their Peak, Pit & Pleasant Surprise scorecard. From jaw-dropping comebacks and unexpected breakthroughs and some shocking fashion faux-pas (or should that be haircuts), we cover it all.We also debate have our Tennis weekly awards to dish out for our own Best matches of the tournament, Biggest upsets, Who has the most room for improvement and our 2026 Australian Open “ones to watch”. Let us know who you think should win in these hotly contested categories and what your own favourite moments from the US Open were!SOCIALSFollow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show [email protected] Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!REVIEWS***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carlos Alcaraz is once again on top of the tennis world after capturing his second US Open title in New York and reclaiming the world number one ranking from Jannik Sinner. In a trilogy final that was delayed by 50 minutes due to President Donald Trump’s arrival at Flushing Meadows, Alcaraz produced a dominant display to defeat Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. Aside from a brief wobble in the second set, the Spaniard was in command throughout, outhitting his rival by 42 winners to 21 and dropping just one set all tournament. The victory marks Alcaraz’s sixth major title at only 22 years of age, putting him ahead of Federer, Djokovic and Nadal at the same stage of their careers. Sinner, meanwhile, struggled with his first serve and could not maintain consistency on what many considered his strongest surface.Join Joel and Chris at Tennis Weekly HQ as they unpack what this result means for both players and the broader Grand Slam picture in 2025. Was this a missed opportunity for Sinner? What was the difference for Alcaraz compared to Wimbledon? And yes, the Drake Curse reared its head again. We also discuss how this latest chapter shapes their rivalry moving forward and what fans can expect for the rest of the season, plus unveil our Collect a Set champion and look forward to our US Open wrap-up show coming later this week!SOCIALSFollow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, plus email the show [email protected] Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do!REVIEWS***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.