Tennis News

When will Alcaraz & Sinner play their next tournament?

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner just met in the US Open final, their third consecutive clash in a major championship match. When will the top two players in the PIF ATP Rankings be back in action?

Alcaraz returns to competition this coming weekend in San Francisco at the Laver Cup, where he will play for the second time. Last year, the Spaniard helped Team Europe to glory with victories against Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz.

The new World No. 1 is then scheduled to compete the following week in the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships, the ATP 500 event held in Tokyo. Alcaraz will be making his debut in the tournament.

That same week, Sinner is scheduled to play in the China Open, the ATP 500 event in Beijing. The Italian won the title in 2023 and reached the final last year.

Both men will then be in the same draw again at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, the penultimate ATP Masters 1000 of the season.

Alcaraz is in control in the battle for ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours with Sinner. The Spaniard is in pole position to earn the accolade for the second time (also 2022).

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Sinner secured, Musetti on the march toward Turin debut

Could Italy have not one, but two of their own players in the singles field of the prestigious Nitto ATP Finals?

Jannik Sinner has already booked his spot to the season finale, while countryman Lorenzo Musetti sits eighth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. The next two months will be decisive for the 23-year-old Italian, pushing for his debut at the year-end event on home soil.

Musetti leads the field at this week’s Chengdu Open, where he reached the final last year before falling to home favourite Shang Juncheng. Musetti’s best results this season include his maiden ATP Masters 1000 final appearance in Monte-Carlo, followed by semi-final runs in Madrid, Rome and at Roland Garros. The two-time tour-level titlist reached the quarter-finals of the US Open, where Sinner ousted him.

PIF ATP Live Race To Turin

Should Musetti join Sinner in Turin, it would mark the first time that two Italians qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals. In 2021, Matteo Berrettini qualified for the event, but withdrew after one match due to an abdominal injury. Sinner, the first alternate, replaced Berrettini. The 24-year-old Sinner has qualified on his own merit the past two seasons. Last year, he won the event without dropping a set.

First-placed Alcaraz and second-placed Sinner are the only singles qualifiers so far. Fifth-placed Shelton and Musetti are aiming to make their Nitto ATP Finals debut. Andrey Rublev (11th) and Alexander Bublik (15th) are among those playing this week trying to move into contention. Rublev and Bublik will be in action at the Lynk & Co Hangzhou Open.

The doubles field could also feature Italians for the Turin crowd to get behind. At sixth in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings is Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, who have collected four tour-level titles this season: Adelaide, Rotterdam, Hamburg and Washington. They also reached the Australian Open final and the title match in Halle.

British duo Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool are first in the PIF ATP Doubles Teams Rankings. They hold a 830-point lead over second-placed Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos. Granollers and Zeballos won the US Open, where they saved three championship points to defeat Neal Skupski and Joe Salisbury in a thrilling final.

PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings

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Rafael Jodar's Journey: From idolising Nadal to forging his own path

It is hardly surprising that a young boy growing up in Spain’s capital city Madrid idolised Rafael Nadal. What makes it even more fitting is that he shares the same first name as the former World No. 1.

Rafael Jodar, born in September 2006 when Nadal already had two major titles, is emerging as one to watch on the ATP Challenger Tour.

Jodar’s past 12 months have featured breakthrough victories and memorable moments, on and off the court. He won the 2024 US Open boys’ singles crown, which he labelled, “one of the best weeks of my life”. Last month, — a year removed from his Flushing Meadows triumph — the Spaniard won his first ATP Challenger Tour title. Beyond the trophies, Jodar enjoyed a dream-come-true encounter with Nadal in December.

“I was at the Next Gen ATP Finals [as a hitting partner], and he was there. I had the chance to meet him and we had a conversation for 10, 15 minutes and he congratulated me for the US Open,” Jodar told ATPTour.com. “When I met him and he knew that I won the US Open, that made me realise that he knew about the Spanish players and how they were doing. So he’s very interested in those players and it was great to talk to him.”

Nadal retired from pro tennis last November, a month before crossing paths with Jodar in Jeddah. In an illustrious career, Nadal amassed 92 tour-level titles and tallied seemingly untouchable records, including winning 14 Roland Garros trophies. Jodar looks up to his countryman’s legacy with admiration.

“It’s inspiring to look back and see all the things that he has done not just for tennis, but for Spanish sports in general. From my point of view, we consider Rafa Nadal as one of the best Spanish athletes of all time,” Jodar said. “And that’s insane, all the achievements that he has done, that’s impressive.”

<img alt=”Rafael Jodar wins the 2024 US Open boys’ singles title.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/09/15/19/17/jodar-usopen-2024-title.jpg” />
^{Rafael Jodar wins the 2024 US Open boys’ singles title. Credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images}

Born and raised in Madrid, Jodar picked up a racquet at age four and was playing at Club de Tenis Chamartín by six. When he was 12 years old, he left football behind to focus solely on tennis.

The only child of two teachers, Jodar was a regular attendee at the ATP Masters 1000 event in his home city. He fondly recalls witnessing two epic battles at the Caja Mágica: Nick Kyrgios’ 2015 upset of Roger Federer and Grigor Dimitrov’s three-hour triumph over Novak Djokovic in a 2013 thriller.

“I remember watching that match at the centre court and it was one of the best matches that I ever watched live,” Jodar said of the Dimitrov-Djokovic clash. “I was very young so I don’t know how I remember that match, but that impressed me.

“I had so much fun going to the tournament. I remember we had tickets for certain days and I was super excited to go those days.”

Now a sophomore at the University of Virginia, Jodar is juggling five classes this semester while competing in college and professional tournaments. As a freshman at UVA, he made an immediate impact, earning ITA National Rookie of the Year honours and All-American status.

“I had two options right after my junior career, go pro, or go to college. I took the option of going to college because I think Virginia is a great place to develop as a tennis player,” Jodar said. “You’re surrounded by good people, good coaches, a culture that helps you develop a lot.”

Jodar is ranked second in the ITA preseason singles rankings, only behind reigning NCAA champion Michael Zheng. Thanks to his freshman-year success, Jodar qualified for the ATP Next Gen Accelerator, a programme that aims to increase the development pathway for top players in the American collegiate system to earn direct entry into select Challenger events.

“I think it’s great to give opportunities to young players to develop faster in the pro circuit,” Jodar said. “ATP is doing a great job giving more opportunities to those players so that they can get points early in their careers and they can go up in the rankings and get into better tournaments. I’m super happy that I was able to play eight or nine Challengers already this year.”

At last month’s Hersonissos Challenger in Greece, Jodar went all the way to the title in what was his ninth outing at that level. Celebrating his 19th birthday this week, Jodar is only getting started.

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Djokovic watches Fonseca's thrilling Davis Cup win against Tsitsipas

It is not every day the record-holder for weeks at No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings is in the stands for a match, but that is exactly what happened Sunday in Athens.

Novak Djokovic was in attendance with his son, Stefan, for the Davis Cup tie between home side Greece and Brazil. The 100-time tour-level titlist watched Joao Fonseca seal Brazil’s victory against Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Tsitsipas led Fonseca 5-3 in the deciding set and had an opportunity to serve for the match, which would have led to a deciding fifth rubber. Instead, #NextGenATP star Fonseca won the final four games of the match for a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 victory against the former World No. 3.

It was the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting. Fonseca had already defeated Stefanos Sakellaridis 7-5, 6-3 to begin the tie, and Tsitsipas had eased past Thiago Seyboth Wild 6-2, 6-1.

Rafael Matos and Marcelo Melo put Fonseca in position to close out the tie with a 6-2, 6-2 victory against Aristotelis Thanos and Petros Tsitsipas.

Learn about all of the week’s Davis Cup action, including Czechia’s memorable triumph against the United States and Spain’s comeback against Denmark.

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Gaston denies Wawrinka's quest for Challenger history

Frenchman Hugo Gaston spoiled Stan Wawrinka’s hopes of becoming the oldest ATP Challenger Tour champion on Sunday at the Open Blot Rennes.

A full crowd in northwest France was treated to a final between the top two seeds, the home hope Gaston and fans’ favourite Wawrinka, respectively. The lefty prevailed, ousting Wawrinka 6-4, 6-4. Wawrinka, 40, was aiming to surpass Ivo Karlovic’s record of oldest Challenger champion (39 years, seven months).

“I thank my team, we are happy to start our collaboration with Tristan [Lamasine] with a title,” Gaston said during the trophy ceremony. “It’s always a joy to play here. The arena is incredible. A big thank you to the fans, playing in a full stadium is great.”

Title No. ✋ for Hugo Gaston #ATPChallenger | @FFTennis pic.twitter.com/FkWxsnNzp0

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) September 14, 2025

Gaston, who entered the week on a five-match skid across all levels, dropped just one set all tournament to lift his fifth Challenger crown. He is up 22 spots to No. 106 in the PIF ATP Rankings, eyeing a return to the Top 100.

Wawrinka was competing in his second Challenger final of the season. He reached the championship match in Aix-en-Provence in May, falling to Borna Coric in a three-hour, 11-minute battle. The former No. 3 holds a 16-8 season record at the Challenger level and will be in action again this week in Saint-Tropez.

“I congratulate Hugo and his team,” Wawrinka said. “He had a great week, he was stronger, it’s deserved. Despite the defeat, it was a very positive week, a success. I’m trying to make the most of my career, unfortunately I’m getting older. It’s not good to be 40, but it’s always a thrill to be on the court, thanks to the crowd, the emotions and the support they give me. It’s one of the reasons why I keep fighting.”

In other Challenger action, Briton Jack Pinnington Jones captured his second trophy of the season to rise to a career-high No. 177. The former Texas Christian University standout triumphed at the Winston Salem Challenger in North Carolina.

Pinnington Jones, 22, did not drop a set all week and saved 17 of the 19 break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats. In the final, he defeated 19-year-old American Trevor Svajda 6-2, 6-2. Pinnington Jones completed his junior season at Texas Christian University in May and won his first Challenger title in July at the grass-court event in Nottingham.

Argentines Thiago Agustin Tirante, Juan Manuel Cerundolo and Marco Trungelliti also lifted trophies. The 24-year-old Tirante won the Invest in Szczecin Open, where he beat Spaniard Pablo Llamas Ruiz 6-3, 6-2 in the final.

“I think it was a very, very good match for me,” said Tirante, who is back in the Top 100 for the first time since last September. “I played well from the first point until the last one, so I’m very happy to come back and win a title, I think the biggest of my career. I think it’s my first title in Europe. I’m very happy to win and return to the Top 100.”

<img alt=”Thiago Agustin Tirante celebrates winning the Szczecin Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/09/15/14/43/tirante-szczecinch-2025.jpg” />

^{Thiago Agustin Tirante celebrates winning the Szczecin Challenger. Credit: Jaroslaw Gaszynski}

Cerundolo earned his 11th Challenger title and first on hard court at the
Guangzhou Huangpu International Tennis Open in China. The 23-year-old downed fellow lefty Alejandro Tabilo 6-2, 6-3 in the championship match. Following his triumph, Cerundolo is at a career-high No. 72 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

“I’m really happy because it’s my first title on hard courts. I never expected this,” Cerundolo said. “This is my first time in China. There’s an 11-hour time difference between here and my home, so the first days were pretty tough. I couldn’t sleep, so I had to adapt very quickly.

“I’m really happy about it and I hope to keep improving and keep getting better, especially on this surface.”

<img alt=”Juan Manuel Cerundolo at the Guangzhou Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/09/15/14/46/cerundolo-guangzhouch-2025.jpg” />

^{Juan Manuel Cerundolo wins the Guangzhou Challenger. Credit: Guangzhou Huangpu International Tennis Open}

Trungelliti won the Intaro Open in Romania to cap back-to-back title runs. The winner of the previous week’s Tulln Challenger, Trungelliti led Mili Poljicak 6-1 in the final when the Croatian retired due to an oblique injury. The 35-year-old has won six Challenger titles, three of which have come this season.

Italian Stefano Napolitano was crowned champion at his home tournament, the città di Biella. Entering the week at No. 847 in the PIF ATP Rankings, the 30-year-old relied on home support to become the lowest-ranked Challenger champion this season. A four-time Challenger champion, Napolitano ousted Swiss Kilian Feldbausch 7-5, 6-3 in the final.

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How Jakub Mensik leveraged ATP Tennis IQ powered by PIF to triumph in Miami

Jakub Mensik’s booming first serve has been the cornerstone of his rapid rise, and during his breakthrough run in Miami, ATP Tennis IQ powered by PIF helped elevate it to a new level.

The #NextGenATP Czech slammed 59 aces in his opening three matches at the ATP Masters 1000 event, yet he still looked for ways to gain an extra edge as he chased his first ATP Tour title.

Watch Jakub Mensik explain how he uses ATP Tennis IQ powered by PIF

Using ATP Tennis IQ powered by PIF, Mensik discovered just how effective he was when targeting first serves out wide — a strategy that proved decisive in the latter stages and ultimately the final, where he stunned six-time Miami champion Novak Djokovic to lift the title.

“This year in Miami, ATP Tennis IQ was very important, because throughout the tournament I had been changing a lot of tactics,” Mensik explained. “I could see in the first couple of matches that I was good in some kinds of patterns, for example serves out wide.

“In Miami, the surface is super fast, and I had been winning a lot of percentages. In the final rounds, I was using it more often, which could bring me the win.”

ATP Tennis IQ is an enhanced performance-analytics platform that delivers richer match data, advanced scouting, video breakdowns, and wearable integration, all in real-time. The tool is now available to more than 2,000 ATP Tour and ATP Challenger Tour players, as well as ATP coaches, bringing elite-level analysis within reach across the professional game.

By providing insights into opponents’ tendencies, tactical patterns, and real-time physical metrics, it empowers players to refine preparation, adapt strategy mid-match, and elevate overall development. Read more about the platform here.

For Mensik, another key tool has been the ability to compare his own numbers with Tour averages, a feature that he believes has been vital in his rise to a career-high No. 16 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

“ATP Tennis IQ powered by PIF is a must for every pro,” said Mensik. “It can help me break into the higher rankings by seeing my reports. Also with the Tour average, the data from all of the players, take that and try to implement these numbers into your game.”

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Scouting Report: Musetti & Rublev lead Chengdu, Hangzhou fields, Alcaraz in Laver Cup action

The ATP Tour’s 2025 Asian swing kick-starts Wednesday with an ATP 250 doubleheader in China, while the eighth edition of the Laver Cup, featuring the No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings Carlos Alcaraz, will take place from 19-21 September in San Francisco.

World No. 9 Lorenzo Musetti headlines the draw at the Chengdu Open, where the Italian is bidding to boost his Nitto ATP Finals qualification hopes. At the Lynk & Co Hangzhou Open, former Top 10 stars Andrey Rublev and Daniil Medvedev are the top two seeds.

Alcaraz will aim to back up his stellar Laver Cup debut last year in Berlin by guiding Team Europe to its second consecutive success at the teams event. American Taylor Fritz leads Team World’s bid to reclaim the trophy in San Francisco.

ATPTour.com looks ahead at five things to watch at all three events.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN CHENGDU
1) Musetti Top Seed: Musetti returns to Chengdu for the third consecutive year. The Italian reached the semi-finals in 2023, before falling to Shang Juncheng in the championship match a year ago. Musetti has double motivation this time around in Chengdu: As well as chasing his third ATP Tour crown, he could also boost his Nitto ATP Finals qualification hopes with a deep run in Sichuan province. The 23-year-old is currently eighth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.

2) Shang Defends Title: #NextGenATP star Shang made history in Chengdu a year ago, when he became the first Chinese player to win an ATP Tour title on home soil. The 20-year-old has struggled with injuries and competed in just five tournaments so far in 2025, but he will hope to channel home support to relaunch his season. Shang faces Zizou Bergs in the opening round.

Watch Shang defeat Musetti in 2024 Chengdu Final:

3) Can Darderi, Wong Back Up US Open Runs?: Luciano Darderi competes as the second seed in Chengdu, where the World No. 30 hopes to back up a third-round US Open run that only eventual champion Alcaraz was able to end. Coleman Wong also reached the third round in New York, and the Hong Kong star competes as a wild card on his Chengdu debut.

4) Prizmic On Course For Jeddah: Dino Prizmic is currently fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, and he can further boost his qualification hopes for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Chengdu. The 20-year-old Croatian enters the main draw using a Next Gen Accelerator entry spot granted to #NextGenATP stars ranked in the Top 250 of the PIF ATP Rankings.

5) Harrison/King Lead Doubles Field: Christian Harrison and Evan King are the top seeds in Chengdu, where they seek to consolidate their chances of securing a Nitto ATP Finals debut: The Americans are currently eighth in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings. Their rivals in the draw in China include two-time defending champions Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul, who are 10th.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN HANGZHOU
1) Rublev To Rejuvenate Turin Hopes?: The 27-year-old Rublev needs to engineer a late-season surge if he is to make his sixth consecutive appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals. He is currently 11th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, 660 points shy of the qualification spots. Rublev is the top seed in Hangzhou, where he will first face Aleksandar Kovacevic or Luca Nardi.

2) Medvedev Seeks Turnaround: The former World No. 1 Medvedev has gone 3-5 since reaching the Halle final in June, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. He will seek a quick response in Hangzhou, where he is bidding to win his 21st tour-level title. Medvedev could face another former Top 10 star and the defending Hangzhou champion, Marin Cilic, in his opening match.

Watch Cilic Clinch Emotional Hangzhou 2024 Title:

3) Home Star Zhang Returns: Zhang Zhizhen competes for the first time since Indian Wells in March as a wild card in Hangzhou. He takes on his countryman Buyunchaokete in the first rond. Meanwhile Hangzhou native Wu Yibing, who is back inside the Top 200 after playing just six tournaments in 2024 before returning to action in March this year, opens against sixth seed Adrian Mannarino.

4) Bublik, Tien Among Seeds: Alexander Bublik, who has won 11 of his past 12 matches, will have plenty of recent success to build on as the third seed in Hangzhou. Also competing is #NextGenATP star Learner Tien, the 19-year-old seventh seed making his first ATP Tour appearance in China.

5) Cabral/Miedler Headline Doubles Draw: Francisco Cabral and Lucas Miedler are the top-seeded doubles team in Hangzhou, where they are chasing their second ATP 250 crown of the year. Americans Robert Cash and JJ Tracy, the recent US Open semi-finalists, are the second seeds.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH AT LAVER CUP
1) Alcaraz Back In Action As No. 1: For the first time since September 2023, Alcaraz will compete as the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings when he takes to court at the Laver Cup in San Francisco. The Spaniard made an immediate impact on event debut in 2024 in Berlin, where he won eight points from four matches in Team Europe’s 13-11 triumph.

2) Top 10 Talent Powers Team World: World No. 5 Taylor Fritz and No. 8 Alex de Minaur will spearhead Team World’s bid to recapture the Laver Cup trophy in front of its home fans. Fritz is competing at the event for the fifth time, including triumphs in London in 2022 and Vancouver in 2023. Australia’s De Minaur returns for his second appearance after also featuring in Team World’s London win.

3) New Captains Agassi, Noah: The eighth edition of the Laver Cup brings with it new captains for both teams. Andre Agassi has replaced his fellow ATP No. 1 Club member John McEnroe as Team World captain, with another former World No. 1 Patrick Rafter as vice-captain. Frenchman Yannick Noah takes over from Bjorn Borg as Team Europe captain, with Tim Henman his vice-captain.

4) #NextGenATP Stars Make Debut: Two of the ATP Tour’s hottest talents will make their Laver Cup debut in California. Czechia’s Jakub Mensik, who lifted his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Miami in March, plays for Team Europe. Brazilian Joao Fonseca, the reigning Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champion, represents Team World.

5) Unique Format: As in all previous editions, the Laver Cup will be played over three days, from 19-21 September, across five sessions. Each match win is worth one point on Friday, two points on Saturday and three points on a high-stakes Sunday. The first team to reach 13 points (out of a possible 24) wins the Laver Cup.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Jovic, 17, wins first WTA title in Mexico

Iva Jovic becomes the youngest player to win a WTA title this season by beating Emiliana Arango in the Guadalajara Open final.

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ATP No. 1 Club: In pictures

ATP No. 1 Club: In pictures

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Collignon stars as Belgium shocks Australia in Davis Cup

Raphael Collignon capped a dream weekend at the Davis Cup qualifiers for both himself and Belgium with a decisive comeback victory against Aleksandar Vukic on Sunday in Sydney.

Having battled cramps on Saturday during a three-set upset of World No. 8 Alex de Minaur, Collignon outlasted Vukic 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-3 to earn Belgium a stunning 3-2 win at Ken Rosewall Arena. The No. 91 in the PIF ATP Rankings broke Vukic’s serve twice in each of the second and third sets to complete a memorable triumph for the European nation.

Almighty Raphael 👑

Collignon completes the comeback against Vukic 6-7(5) 6-2 6-3, sealing Belgium’s place in Bologna’s final 8! 🇧🇪@DavisCup | #DavisCup pic.twitter.com/6nXyBvEUQF

— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 14, 2025

Despite heading into Sunday’s action trailing 0-2, Australia threatened to pull off a memorable comeback after drawing level at 2-2. Rinky Hijikata and Jordan Thompson prevailed 6-7(7), 6-3, 6-4 in the doubles rubber against Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen, before De Minaur downed Zizou Bergs 6-2, 7-5. Yet the 23-year-old Collignon had other ideas.

“Yesterday was very demanding physically,” said Collignon after his win over Vukic, as reported by the Davis Cup website. “I was trying to recover as well as I could for today. It was a long day to wait but I tried to recover as I could to be ready for this match and I’m very happy how I played.

“Physically I was feeling okay. With adrenaline and the energy from the bench it was crazy, I didn’t feel the legs at all. It was a crazy atmosphere and a crazy match.”

A Davis Cup finalist in 2015 and 2017, Belgium is into the last eight in the Davis Cup for the first time since 2018. The 2025 Davis Cup Final 8 will be held in Bologna from 18-23 November. Alongside Belgium, the other qualified countries so far are host Italy, Argentina, Austria, Czechia, France and Germany.

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