2026 ATP General News

[the AntiPusher]

We're now approaching a possible reality that Alex Zverev finishes year-end #1. If Carlos and Jannik pull out of the US Open, isn't he the favorite? (With apologies to Oldkovic). If he wins the US Open and Sincaraz don't play, Sascha is #1. Obviously Jannik would still be the favorite, if he comes back healthy for the post-USO schedule.

Hopefully this is a moot point and we see at least Jannik in the USO.

MM would renounce her citizenship and move to Russia if Zed becomes number 1 at the end of the year

 

[lomaha]

Nick Kygios doing cocaine - well who would have guessed....

 

[Kieran]

We're now approaching a possible reality that Alex Zverev finishes year-end #1. If Carlos and Jannik pull out of the US Open, isn't he the favorite? (With apologies to Oldkovic). If he wins the US Open and Sincaraz don't play, Sascha is #1. Obviously Jannik would still be the favorite, if he comes back healthy for the post-USO schedule.

Hopefully this is a moot point and we see at least Jannik in the USO.

You know, that night be good for tennis. The Two were having it too straightforward. Unpredictability is a blessing, in sport. I’m trying to think of a precedent but certainly Stan grabbing a few unexpected slams comes to mind..

 

[Kieran]

This is an interesting article on the sad demise of tennis.com.

Tennis.com Lived And Died With The Internet​

"The [new] website debuts, and there's no editorial content," [Peter] Bodo told me. "It became clear immediately that they didn't want editorial content. All they wanted was to promote gambling and the Tennis Channel."

 

[Murat B.]

Nick Kygios doing cocaine - well who would have guessed....

No wonder they had to redo the lines at Wimbledon every night ! Nick you naughty boy....

 

[the AntiPusher]

No wonder they had to redo the lines at Wimbledon every night ! Nick you naughty boy....

Nick says that his plea agreement offer is that he is going to go 28 days no social media.. What a huge sacrifice by him.. do you think that is punishment for the crime he committed against the ATP

 

[kskate2]

According to several news outlets, it's been confirmed:

 

[Kieran]

According to several news outlets, it's been confirmed:
View attachment 11032

Who knows, he may come back playing hungry and fresh as a greenhorn. I’m sure he road tested that wrist and purring like a Tesla..

 

[Fiero425]

According to several news outlets, it's been confirmed:
View attachment 11032

Carlos is "a m/b" IMO, now Sinner has WD! Shocking? Not really! I keep telling U guys this w/b the norn w/ how physical the game has gotten!

 

[Jelenafan]

Sinner withdrawing makes it possible we will have 4 different Slam Champs this year.

 

[El Dude]

That is such a bummer. Well, at least there's no clear favorite. Who knows how rusty Carlos will be, if Novak can put together seven five-setters in a row, or Zverev can not be Zverev. Hopefully we get to see a new Slam winner.

 

[mrzz]

That is such a bummer. Well, at least there's no clear favorite. Who knows how rusty Carlos will be, if Novak can put together seven five-setters in a row, or Zverev can not be Zverev. Hopefully we get to see a new Slam winner.

Well, the rest of the field should lemming themselves out of existence if they fail to capitalize now.

 

[Fiero425]

That is such a bummer. Well, at least there's no clear favorite. Who knows how rusty Carlos will be, if Novak can put together seven five-setters in a row, or Zverev can not be Zverev. Hopefully we get to see a new Slam winner.

Novak has the game, but the problem is today's players are fearless & can blow him off the court! He doesn't get as many charitable UFE's!

 

[the AntiPusher]

That is such a bummer. Well, at least there's no clear favorite. Who knows how rusty Carlos will be, if Novak can put together seven five-setters in a row, or Zverev can not be Zverev. Hopefully we get to see a new Slam winner.

This may be the best chance for an American (including North and South America) to win the USO but who will step up?

 

[El Dude]

This may be the best chance for an American (including North and South America) to win the USO but who will step up?

I've sort of had Fils pegged as the next new Masters winner, but Cobolli seems like a man on a quest. My milquetoast late-tournament prediction is that the winner of Fils vs. Cobolli wins the tournament, even though Fritz is the last remaining big event winner.

Both of those guys are on the right trajectory going into the USO - they've been rising, and I think are reaching their best level for the USO, so are at least outside contenders.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I've sort of had Fils pegged as the next new Masters winner, but Cobolli seems like a man on a quest. My milquetoast late-tournament prediction is that the winner of Fils vs. Cobolli wins the tournament, even though Fritz is the last remaining big event winner.

Both of those guys are on the right trajectory going into the USO - they've been rising, and I think are reaching their best level for the USO, so are at least outside contenders.

El Dude or whomever.. Who you think is the tougher player to defeat Carlos or Jannik in a grand slam? I think the other ATP have a better chance to catch Carlos on an off day than Jannik. I think what happened at RG, Sinner got behind on his hydration conditioning and got himself into the danger zone of sickness. I think Jannik should have taken a medical time out. run to the locker room, taken a cold less than 2 min shower to bring his body temperature down. As a player, you have to know your body. Novak is the master of that. any thoughts

 

[Fiero425]

El Dude or whomever.. Who you think is the tougher player to defeat Carlos or Jannik in a grand slam? I think the other ATP have a better chance to catch Carlos on an off day than Jannik. I think what happened at RG, Sinner got behind on his hydration conditioning and got himself into the danger zone of sickness. I think Jannik should have taken a medical time out. run to the locker room, taken a cold less than 2 min shower to bring his body temperature. As a player, you have to know your body. Novak is the master of that. any thoughts

You said it; I didn't! It is being a little hypocritcal to promote a tactic most around here criticized Novak for utilizing to save his old arse!

 

[the AntiPusher]

You said it; I didn't! It is being a little hypocritcal to promote a tactic most around here criticized Novak for utilizing to save his old arse!

If a person is overheated I think they should have an opportunity to bring down their body temperature. we have seen numerous times when someone has an upset stomach and the doctor comes out and gives them something to settle their stomach. Same principal IMO

 

[Fiero425]

If a person is overheated I think they should have an opportunity to bring down their body temperature. we have seen numerous times when someone has an upset stomach and the doctor comes out and gives them something to settle their stomach. Same principal IMO

Tennis as a gentlemen's sport couldn't look worse back in my day when on occasion, a player who cramped up like you wouldn't believe! No one was allowed to touch the player unless they wanted to concede! It was once shown in gruesome action in a match w/ Connors & Orantes! Players like Manuel were subseptible to cramping IMO due to being sorta muscle bound! I used to cramp up in the legs overnite all the time! I mainly didn't get enuf water in me! There were too many instances of the Connors/Orantes event occurring; hence the rule change yrs. ago!

 

[El Dude]

El Dude or whomever.. Who you think is the tougher player to defeat Carlos or Jannik in a grand slam? I think the other ATP have a better chance to catch Carlos on an off day than Jannik. I think what happened at RG, Sinner got behind on his hydration conditioning and got himself into the danger zone of sickness. I think Jannik should have taken a medical time out. run to the locker room, taken a cold less than 2 min shower to bring his body temperature down. As a player, you have to know your body. Novak is the master of that. any thoughts

My first impulse is to say:

Tougher to beat in a Slam final: Alcaraz
Tougher to beat in R1 to SF: Sinner

But let's look at actual numbers. We'll use 2024 to the present.

Slam Record
Sinner: 62-6 (91.2%)
Alcaraz: 50-4 (92.6%)

Slam Losses
Sinner: 24 RG SF vs Alcaraz, 24 Wim QF vs. Medvedev, 25 USO F vs Alcaraz, 26 AO SF vs Djokovic, 26 RG 2R vs. Cerundolo
Alcaraz: 24 AO QF vs Zverev, 25 USO 3R vs Van De Zandschup, 25 AO QF vs Djokovic, 25 Wim F vs Sinner

Both have one fluke loss - Cerundolo for Sinner, VDZ for Alcaraz. Both lost to a non-great elite guy (Medvedev, Zverev), both lost to Djokovic, and both lost to each other - but twice for Jannik.

I don't know, looks like a wash, pretty much. Carlos's W% is slightly better, but it is close enough to essentially be the same. I suppose we have to give Carlos a slight edge, because he's 2-1 vs Jannik, but otherwise it is essentially the same.

Now let's look at non-Slam results in the same timeframe:

Non-Slam Record
Sinner 113-9 (92.6%)
Alcaraz 97-19 (83.6%)

That is a sizable difference, and why Jannik has been more dominant in the rankings than Alcaraz. This is probably where a higher floor comes in: Jannik's B game is just better than Alcaraz's, who is more prone to upsets. I mean, it is worth mentioning that Carlos has lost 25 matches to Jannik's 15 in 2024-present, despite playing 18 fewer matches.

Overall Record
Sinner 175-15 (92.1%)
Alcaraz 147-25 (85.5%)

Losses by Player
Sinner: Alcaraz x7, Djokovic, Medvedev, Mensik, Cerundolo, Griekspoor, Bublik, Tsitsipas, Rublev
Alcaraz: Sinner x3, Djokovic x2, Zverev x2, Draper x2, Rune, Fritz, Goffin, Humbert, Machac, Van De Zandschulp, Korda, Lehecka, Medvedev, Norrie, Monteiro, Monfils, Rublev, Dimitrov, Jarry, Ruud

Notice the fact that the only player that Jannik has lost to more than once over the last 2.5 years is Carlos. Carlos, on the other hand, has lost to four guys multiple times, though none more than three times. He's also lost to a lot more lesser players. I'm guessing this is a matter of mental focus: Carlos just can't muster his A game as frequently as Jannik, or at least at non-Slams. Fitness/stamina has something to do with it, as well. Carlos is just better the longer the match goes on, while Jannik gets wobbly after 3 hours, even more so 4.

TLDR: Jannik's floor at non-Slams is a LOT higher, and he's overall a better players in Bo3, but Carlos has been slightly better at Slams.