Alcaraz and Anisimova to return to Queen's in 2026
Two-time men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz and 2025 women’s runner-up Amanda Anisimova will return to Queen’s next year.
Two-time men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz and 2025 women’s runner-up Amanda Anisimova will return to Queen’s next year.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka will face Nick Kyrgios in a ‘Battle of the Sexes’ exhibition match in Dubai later this year.
At the start of 2025, Victoria Mboko was ranked outside of the world’s top 300. Now the teenager has cracked the top 20 after winning another WTA title.
Alejandro Tabilo will face Novak Djokovic in a fascinating clash Tuesday evening at the Vanda Pharmaceuticals Hellenic Championship. On paper, Djokovic would be a heavy favourite as a 24-time major champion compared to Tabilo, the No. 89 player in the PIF ATP Rankings. But the Chilean is one of three players who has faced Djokovic at least twice and not lost (also Marat Safin and Jiri Vesely).
The former World No. 1 Djokovic will try to change that statistic in Athens, but Tabilo is excited for the challenge.
“Just so happy to be able to win those kind of matches [before]. It’s going to be different this time on hard court,” Tabilo told ATPTour.com. “Just want to do a good match and hopefully keep going with that lead. But it’s pretty crazy to think about [his 2-0 lead against Djokovic].”
What fans might not know is that his second victory against Djokovic, at this year’s Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, was a lot more difficult than the 6-3, 6-4 scoreline.
To understand why takes going back to the Miami Open presented by Itau in March. Tabilo began feeling pain in his left wrist, which led him to begin taping it. The lefty prefers playing through such issues.
But after Tabilo beat Djokovic in Monte-Carlo, he lost to Grigor Dimitrov in three sets and the pain became bad enough that the Chilean went for a test.
“I did an MRI and it was almost a stress fracture,” Tabilo said. “So it was a pretty good win [against Djokovic].”
That was far from the only injury he has dealt with this season. Tabilo suffered a five-centimetre tear in his abdomen after Roland Garros and at Winston-Salem he twisted his ankle.
“The problem with me, I really like to just dig it out and not tell anybody about my pain. Since I was little, I’ve always wanted to just play, so I’ve been building up a tolerance, so anything that I feel a little pain, I don’t think it’s that big,” Tabilo said. “So until I feel pain, that’s when it’s more than usual. A few years ago in Roland Garros, I trained a few days with appendicitis, I didn’t know, I thought it was just a stomach ache, so it [became] peritonitis. It’s just a battle of knowing when to stop.”
Tabilo fell to No. 126 in August, but has quickly bounced back with a series of good results. The 28-year-old made an ATP Challenger Tour final in Guangzhou (Huangpu), then won the ATP 250 in Chengdu as a qualifier. In that event he battled through a final-set tie-break in the final round of qualifying against Lloyd Harris and then beat Lorenzo Musetti in a final-set tie-break in the final.
“Just really happy about the matches I’ve been able to get going. It’s been a tough year with injuries and everything, so it’s been tough to find the rhythm,” Tabilo said. “I feel like slowly I’m getting there, even though it’s the last tournament of the year. But hopefully I can use this to do a good preseason and bring it to 2026.”
The three-time ATP Tour titlist hopes he can end on an even higher note with a third win against Djokovic. How has he enjoyed the success he has against the Serbian?
“I don’t know. I think I’ve been trying to figure that out myself,” Tabilo said. “But I feel just in my subconscious, since I was little watching him play almost every time on TV, maybe you programme how you would play him or you know how he plays and you just go out in the match and try to play loose and you know you have nothing to lose, so just try and play what you want to do.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]The situation is simple for Lorenzo Musetti: If the Italian wins the Vanda Pharmaceuticals Hellenic Championship, he will qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals.
Although Musetti is happy with his season so far, the ninth-placed player in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin is eager to claim the ATP 250 trophy, pass eighth-placed Felix Auger-Aliassime and earn his place in Turin.
“It’s been a tremendous season so far. If I look back to all the achievements and goals that we achieved this year, it’s so far my biggest season in my career,” Musetti told ATPTour.com. “And of course there is still one goal that I am talking about. We’re going to see after this week what’s going to happen, but I’m here also for that and to try to take the spot.”
Musetti has not been shy about his goal of qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time. On one hand, he really wants to make it to the year-end championships. But the Athens second seed knows he has to find a balance between his desire to qualify and thinking too much about the opportunity.
“It’s something that is not easy. I’m trying not to think too much of the calculations, but I know I have to win the tournament to be guaranteed in Turin,” Musetti said. “The goal is always to win the tournament, so the goal doesn’t change much.
“Of course it’s going to be a tough week, because there are plenty of players who are really strong on this surface. I’ll try to play one match at a time and think about it like every other tournament.”
With that said, Musetti said he is “excited” for the week, which will begin against Stan Wawrinka or Botic van de Zandschulp.
“It’s also now a mental game and a physical game. In Paris, it didn’t go really well,” said Musetti, who lost his opening match at the Rolex Paris Masters to Lorenzo Sonego. “I had a few days to rest, to recharge a little bit the batteries and hopefully here will go better.”
Musetti has been to Greece before, and played a junior event here. But this is his first trip to Athens and he hopes it will be a memorable one.
“I played this morning in the arena and tried it. It’s really cool, really big for a 250. I think it’s really, really nice and hopefully it’s going to be really crowded,” Musetti said. “It’s a nice city with a lot of historical places, which I would like to visit if I have the chance.
“It’s a nice opportunity also for us to have a last week [with points counting towards the Race]. It’s going to be the last year [this week] will count for the Race, because from next year the Paris Masters will be the cutoff for the Race. Let’s make it count this week.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Could this week’s Vanda Pharmaceuticals Hellenic Championship be the stage for another unforgettable ‘Stan the Man’ moment?
Stan Wawrinka thrilled the Greek crowd Monday in Athens when he rallied past Botic van de Zandschulp 2-6, 7-6(5), 7-5 for a place in the second round. For the former No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, the emotions of such a comeback never get old.
“It’s a big reason why I keep doing it, is to be full of the emotion, to see the fans supporting me, giving me so much energy,” Wawrinka said. “It’s still amazing. It’s something that I know the day I will stop I will not find anywhere else.”
The Swiss star knows he faces a tough test in the next round against second seed Lorenzo Musetti. If the Italian wins the ATP 250 event this week he will qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time.
“He has a [big] challenge in front of him for getting there and it’s important for him of course,” Wawrinka said. “It’s a big challenge [facing him]. He’s playing so well. I’ve watched him play many matches this year, so I’m looking forward to playing him and seeing where I am.”
In other action, qualifier Eliot Spizzirri eliminated Laslo Djere 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-2 in the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting. The American began the season at World No. 228 and with the victory is now No. 86 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. He will try to continue his climb against sixth seed Nuno Borges.
Miomir Kecmanovic set a clash with third seed Luciano Darderi when he ousted Kamil Majchrzak 7-6(4), 7-6(4). Damir Dzumhur also moved on when he beat Jacob Fearnley 6-4, 6-2.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Cameron Norrie beats France’s Valentin Royer to reach the second round in Metz but fellow Briton Jacob Fearnley suffers an early exit in Athens.
Elena Rybakina stuns Iga Swiatek to reach the knockout stages of the WTA Finals as Amanda Anisimova eliminates Madison Keys in Riyadh.
When your name appears next to Carlos Alcaraz in the record books, you are operating at an elite level.
Rafael Jodar has accomplished just that with his Sunday triumph at the Jonathan Fried Men’s Pro Challenger. The 19-year-old became the third Spanish teenager to win at least three Challenger titles, joining 24-time tour-level titlist Alcaraz and former No. 9 Nicolas Almagro. Alcaraz and Almagro each claimed four Challenger titles as teenagers. With Jodar just turning 19 in September, he could tie them in the next 10 months.
Jodar’s statement triumph came on familiar ground at the University of Virginia, where he is a sophomore. He defeated American Martin Damm 6-3, 7-6(2) in the final, a rematch of last month’s championship match at the Lincoln Challenger, also won by Jodar. The #NextGenATP star has earned three Challenger titles in as many months.
Following his victory at the indoor event, Jodar is ninth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. The 2024 US Open boys’ singles champion is aiming for his maiden trip to the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, where last year he was a sparring partner.
Most Challenger Titles – Spanish Teenagers
| Player | Titles |
| Carlos Alcaraz | 4 – Oeiras 2021, Alicante 2020, Barcelona 2020, Trieste 2020 |
| Nicolas Almagro | 4 – Kiev 2004, Manerbio 2004, Barletta 2004, Olbia 2003 |
| Rafael Jodar | 3 – Hersonissos-3 2025, Lincoln 2025, Charlottesville 2025 |
Blockx banks Bratislava crown, closes in on Top 100 debut
Jodar was not only the #NextGenATP player to triumph this week. Belgian Alexander Blockx captured his third Challenger title and second of the season at the Slovak Open in Bratislava. The 20-year-old, who is up to fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, downed Frenchman Titouan Droguet 6-4, 6-3 in the final. Blockx is at a career-high No. 102 in the PIF ATP Rankings, closing fast on his Top 100 debut.
Navone wins three-set final in Peru
Argentine Mariano Navone was crowned champion at the Los Inkas Open in Lima, Peru, his second trophy of the season and eighth overall. The top seed, who ascended to a career-high No. 29 last season, overcame Italian Marco Cecchinato 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 in the clay-court final.
<img alt=”Mariano Navone in action at the Lima Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/11/03/14/18/navone-limach-2025.jpg” />
Mariano Navone in action at the Lima Challenger. Credit: Los Inkas Open
Shimabukuro triumphs in South Korea
Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro won the Eugene Seoul Open 2025, where in the final he spoiled Coleman Wong’s hopes of becoming the first Challenger champion from Hong Kong. Shimabukoro, 28, ousted Wong 6-4, 6-3 to lift his second trophy of the season and fifth overall.
<img alt=”Sho Shimabukuro celebrates with his team after winning the Seoul Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/11/03/14/16/shimabukuro-seoulch-2025.jpg” />
Sho Shimabukuro celebrates with his team after winning the Seoul Challenger. Credit: Eugene Seoul Open 2025
Giustino returns to winner’s circle
Italian Lorenzo Giustino returned to the winner’s circle for the first time since 2019 with his victory at the Monastir Open, a Challenger 50 event in Turkey. The 34-year-old entered the week on a nine-match skid at the Challenger level, yet returned to form by not dropping a set all week.