
“A little door is always open”: Sorana Cirstea, into the Rome second week, hasn’t quite shut the door on staying
Sorana Cirstea was going to retire at the end of 2026. Then, at 36, she beat the world No. 1 and reached the second week of the Italian Open. The door, she now says, is slightly open.

“It was like a check”: the rematch Naomi Osaka has been waiting for, and the test Iga Swiatek wants before Paris
Two years after their Roland-Garros first-round thriller, Naomi Osaka and Iga Swiatek meet again in Rome – for very different reasons.

“I’m trying to be transparent but also not give the whole world my business”: Coco Gauff admits off-court struggles
Coco Gauff used her third round Rome press conference to acknowledge months of off-court struggles – without specifying what they are. She plays Iva Jovic in the round of 16 today.
THE LATEST
ATP & WTA : Match results and live scores from Rome
“A new reality I have to deal with”: Novak Djokovic’s quiet admission after Rome exit
“They just put out a press statement”: inside Roland Garros’s prize money crisis and what could come next
“I still wish I could continue”: Kei Nishikori, the man who put Asian tennis on the Grand Slam map, to retire at season’s end
Sinner deflects favourite tag and pays tribute to Alcaraz after Roland-Garros withdrawal
Nick Kyrgios, Francisco Cerundolo, Cameron Norrie and Ugo Humbert confirmed for UTS Rio 2026
The 16 greatest tennis matches in which cramps drew the drama
“It was almost like a curse”: Marta Kostyuk on finally letting go of the 15-year-old prodigy
ATP & WTA LATEST
HEADLINES & HEAT
Rybakina marches past Eala as Rome’s favourites rule this part of the women’s draw
Second seed Elena Rybakina beat unseeded Alex Eala 6-4, 6-3 at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia 2026 to reach the round of 16, where she awaits the winner of Laura Siegemund and Jaqueline Cristian.
“Top 30 at the end of the year”: Djokovic’s conqueror Prizmic sets his target after reaching the Rome second week
Dino Prizmic followed his win over Djokovic with a 6-1, 7-5 defeat of Humbert to reach the Rome round of 16 – and named his year-end goal: top 30.
Fils retires after 22 minutes in Rome opener against wild-card Pellegrino
Arthur Fils (No 15) walked off Court Pietrangeli after 22 minutes and four games, struggling with what appeared to be a physical issue against Italian wild card Andrea Pellegrino (No 155) — the third round goes to the home player without a single completed set. The Frenchman, fresh from a Madrid semi-final last week and projected to meet Jannik Sinner in the round of 16, leaves Rome before he could really arrive.
Sinner opens Rome with clinical Ofner win as Masters streak stretches to 29
While Aryna Sabalenka, Jasmine Paolini, Félix Auger-Aliassime and Ben Shelton all fell out of Rome on the same afternoon, Jannik Sinner was the pole of stability. The Italian (No 1) eased past Sebastian Ofner 6-3, 6-4 on Campo Centrale to extend his run at Masters 1000 level to 29 matches – and to put one more match between him and the only Masters trophy still missing from his collection.
The seed carnage continues in Rome: Basilashvili reaches first Masters 1000 third round in four years, ousting Shelton in three
Georgian qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili, the world No. 117, upset No. 5 seed Ben Shelton 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3 in the second round of the Rome ATP Masters 1000, claiming his ninth career top-10 win and his first ATP Masters 1000 third round since Indian Wells in 2022. The 34-year-old, a former world No. 16, played with … Continued
Sabalenka cites lower-back and hip issue after Rome exit, plans “days off” before Roland-Garros
Aryna Sabalenka said she was struggling with a lower-back and hip issue during her 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 third-round loss to Sorana Cirstea in Rome on Saturday. The world No. 1 skipped the press conference and instead spoke with the WTA, which distributed her quotes to reporters. “I’d say that probably it’s like my lower back, … Continued
Cirstea stuns Sabalenka in three on Campo Centrale as world No. 1 falls in Rome
Sorana Cirstea was 6-2, 2-0 down and 36 years old in the final season of her career when something shifted on Campo Centrale. The Romanian (No 26) outlasted world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 to land her first top-10 win in 14 months and end the Belarusian’s tournament.
Navone and the cramps upset Auger-Aliassime in a double tie-break, Felix third Top 10 out in Rome
Mariano Navone (No 44) stunned Félix Auger-Aliassime (No 4) 7-6(4), 7-6(5) at the Rome Masters 1000, finishing off a cramping world No. 5 who had resorted to an underarm second serve to save a match point. The Argentine takes the first top-10 scalp of his career in just under three hours, becoming the third top-10 man out of the tournament in 24 hours.
Mertens saves three match points to dethrone Paolini and end Italian’s two-year top-10 run
Jasmine Paolini stood three points from the round of 16 in Rome and walked off Campo Centrale a beaten defending champion. Elise Mertens (No 21) saved three match points trailing 5-6 on her own serve in the second set before edging the Italian (No 9) 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 in two hours and 41 minutes, a result that ends Paolini’s title defence, costs her 1,000 ranking points, and pushes her out of the top 10 for the first time in two years.
Qualifier Llamas Ruiz outlasts Moutet over three hours to extend Cinderella run in Rome
Pablo Llamas Ruiz arrived at the Foro Italico as a qualifier ranked No. 139 and walked off Court 1 having played his sixth match in eight days. The Spaniard outlasted Corentin Moutet (No 28) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 in three hours and two minutes.
THE LATEST FROM
2026 ROLAND-GARROS
“There is no one more selfish than a tennis player”: former Roland-Garros head shrugs off the Grand Slam boycott threat
Former Roland-Garros tournament director Guy Forget shrugged off the players’ Grand Slam boycott threat in an interview with French website Tennis Actu, dismissing the idea as “bizarre” and questioning the notion that the top players are pushing for higher prize money out of any genuine collective spirit. Forget, who ran the tournament from 2016 to … Continued
Who will win Roland-Garros 2026? Men’s predictions and contenders
The clay season is reaching its climax with 2026 Roland-Garros (May 24–June 7). Monte-Carlo and Madrid are done, Rome is underway, and Roland-Garros is less than two weeks away. With Carlos Alcaraz sidelined by injury, the men’s draw could be more open than it has been in years, but Jannik Sinner’s 2026 form makes him … Continued
“We haven’t spoken about boycotting”: Alexander Zverev cools the rhetoric, but sharpens the numbers
Asked in Rome about the prospect of a Grand Slam boycott, Alexander Zverev – one of the signatories of the top players’ letter – pushed back on the framing. The argument, he said, is about the revenue share, not the protest.
Boycott a Slam? “Tough to say, but somewhere we need to start”: Sinner and Djokovic say the word but the threat lacks substance at this stage
On Thursday in Rome, Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic each addressed the prospect of a Grand Slam boycott over prize money.
Roland-Garros 2026: The complete guide to opening week (May 18-23)
Roland-Garros Opening Week 2026: dates, tickets from €15, qualifying schedule, activities and unmissable events. Everything you need to know.
What’s new at Roland-Garros 2026? Rule changes & innovations
Connected devices on court, human line judges, a new food destination, real-time crowd tracking, Benjamin Millepied at the finals — here’s everything that’s new at Roland-Garros 2026.
Mouratoglou says Sinner has same Roland-Garros odds as Nadal in his prime, ” but not for the same reasons”
Patrick Mouratoglou believes Jannik Sinner heads into Roland-Garros with a margin of superiority comparable to Rafael Nadal’s during the Spaniard’s peak years at the French Open. The Frenchman, who coached Serena Williams for a decade, made the comparison while assessing the Italian’s stretch of dominance on the ATP Tour. Sinner has won five consecutive Masters … Continued
Roland-Garros 2026 prize money: How much does the winner get?
Roland-Garros 2026 offers a total prize fund of €61.723 million. Singles winners take home €2.8 million each. Here’s the full breakdown round by round, from qualifying to the finals, including doubles and wheelchair events.
“At some point we will boycott”: Sabalenka raises the stakes in players’ Grand Slam revenue fight
Less than 24 hours after the French Tennis Federation defended its prize money model, Aryna Sabalenka has put the boycott word on the record. Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina and Jasmine Paolini have lined up behind her. Iga Swiatek, alone among the top names, called the idea “extreme”.
Faced with players’ protest over prize money, Roland-Garros highlights the specificity of its model and says it is open to “direct discussions”
As twenty of the world’s top players challenge Grand Slam prize money levels, the French Tennis Federation responds by detailing a 61.7 M€ purse for Roland-Garros 2026, defending its non-profit model, and offering “direct dialogue” with the RedEye committee ahead of the tournament.
THE COURT REPORT
EXCLUSIVES & LONG READS
Can a brave decision stop Tsitsipas’ freefall?
Now ranked outside the top 70, the Greek is struggling for confidence and while his father remains in his coaching camp, things are unlikely to change
Sleep, adrenaline and the long march to Roland-Garros: Inside Jannik Sinner’s fatigue management
Jannik Sinner has spent the Madrid Open quietly admitting he is tired. With Rome and Roland-Garros looming, the world number one is navigating a familiar dilemma, and a familiar illusion.
“It means I’m back”: How Fils turned a Miami diagnosis into a Barcelona title
The 21-year-old Frenchman spent a semi-final defeat identifying the precise cost of his greatest strength. What he did with that knowledge was something else entirely.
How Jannik Sinner turned a gruelling winter training block into the most dominant spring in tennis
Indian Wells. Miami. Monte Carlo. The world No. 1 didn’t just return from a sluggish start to the season – he came back and demolished the competition. Here is how he did it. Once upon a time in California…
No one wanted this match more than they did – why Alcaraz and Sinner needed the Monte-Carlo final
Sunday’s Monte-Carlo Masters final brings the first Alcaraz–Sinner clash of the year, on clay, with the world number one ranking at stake. Everyone was waiting for it — the players most of all, for whom facing each other is the only way to know where they truly stand.
Fonseca’s clay education: Talent, patience and the long road to the top
Teen prospect Joao Fonseca dazzles on debut in Monte-Carlo, but as he measures himself against Alcaraz and Sinner, the Brazilian knows that patience, humility and hard work – not hype – will shape his rise.
A decade on, Jelena Ostapenko is still a lot the same — and yet a whole lot different
Ten years on from her breakthrough in Doha, Jelena Ostapenko remains one of the most popular players on the tour. While the strengths of her game remain the same, the Latvian talks about why she is different from the teenager who won the French Open in 2017
Pliskova comeback is on but “Definitely Not” playing into her 40s
The former world No 1 is through to the third round of the WTA Qatar Open after two wins in the main draw
The machine’s second spark: Adrian Mannarino and the art of fueling confidence
After a grueling nearly five-month drought that saw him tumble down the rankings, 37-year-old Adrian Mannarino has rediscovered his “velvet touch” in Montpellier, anchored by a uniquely detached and resilient mindset.
Exclusive: Alycia Parks reveals practice session with Serena Williams; says 23-time Grand Slam champion is in great shape
The world No. 85 is through to the main draw of the WTA Qatar TotalEnergies Open 2026 after two wins in qualifying
ALCARAZ x SINNER
Features on The NEW TWO reshaping tennis
“It’s Sinner who feels the difference, not me”: Zverev says Alcaraz’s absence changes nothing for the rest of the field before the French Open
“Jannik is really, really the heavy favourite. Carlos on clay, when he’s healthy, is equal or above him.” Zverev sets the order after his Rome third round win.
Sinner deflects favourite tag and pays tribute to Alcaraz after Roland-Garros withdrawal
Jannik Sinner brushed aside questions about his Roland-Garros favouritism and paid a heartfelt tribute to an injured Carlos Alcaraz on Friday.
Alcaraz withdraws from Rome and Roland-Garros after his latest wrist exams
The reigning Roland Garros champion will forfeit 3,000 ranking points as rival Jannik Sinner stands to benefit most from his absence.
Incredible dominance of Alcaraz and Sinner may not be the best thing for tennis, or them
The top two are almost 8,000 points ahead of No 3 Alexander Zverev and are mopping up every tile, but is it becoming too boring?
How Jannik Sinner turned a gruelling winter training block into the most dominant spring in tennis
Indian Wells. Miami. Monte Carlo. The world No. 1 didn’t just return from a sluggish start to the season – he came back and demolished the competition. Here is how he did it. Once upon a time in California…
Sinner seizes the throne: world No. 1 after defeating Alcaraz in Monte-Carlo final
A 7-6, 6-3 victory over the reigning champion ends Alcaraz’s 22-week reign at the top of the rankings, hands Sinner his 67th week at No. 1 —–and delivers his first title on clay at the highest level.
Alcaraz defends his Monte-Carlo crown and clay master reputation – with the world No. 1 ranking on the line too
Alcaraz arrives on clay having lost just once in two years on the surface. Sinner arrives having spent exactly as many weeks at world No. 1 as his opponent: 66. Only one of them leaves with the right to add a 67th.
No one wanted this match more than they did – why Alcaraz and Sinner needed the Monte-Carlo final
Sunday’s Monte-Carlo Masters final brings the first Alcaraz–Sinner clash of the year, on clay, with the world number one ranking at stake. Everyone was waiting for it — the players most of all, for whom facing each other is the only way to know where they truly stand.
Jannik Sinner’s record: 37 consecutive Sets Won in ATP Masters 1000 – 2025-2026, the full list
From Paris to Monte-Carlo, Jannik Sinner was untouchable at the sport’s biggest stages — winning 17 consecutive Masters 1000 matches in straight sets before Tomáš Macháč finally took a set from him in the fourth round at Monte-Carlo.
“I’m Still in the Right Way”: Alcaraz unbothered after Miami Open exit
Carlos Alcaraz lost to Sebastian Korda in Miami but refused to sound the alarm, pointing to a positive week’s work and a clay season he can’t wait for.
THE BIG THREE
Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, forever in the tennis news
“A new reality I have to deal with”: Novak Djokovic’s quiet admission after Rome exit
Beaten in three sets by Dino Prizmic in his Rome opener, Novak Djokovic spoke with unusual directness about the physical reality he is now playing inside – and the choices that come with it.
Rafael Nadal already labels Carlos Alcaraz as a “legend”
Rafael Nadal dismissed the “prospect” label for world number one Carlos Alcaraz and questioned how many major opportunities remain for Novak Djokovic.
“Legendary and historic: Djokovic salutes Alcaraz and Nadal in emotional final speech
Following a grueling Australian Open final against Carlos Alcaraz, the 10-time champion showed immense grace in defeat, reflecting on his two-decade journey in Melbourne and a surprising run to the championship match.
Novak Djokovic: “This win almost equals winning a Grand Slam”
Following a historic five-set victory over Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic reflects on defying the “experts” who tried to retire him, his strategic recovery for the final, and why this semifinal stands as his finest performance in years. This is most of the quotes Novak delivered at the flash quotes spot in Melbourne after 2:00 am.
Once blessed with computer-like recall, memories fading for Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and others
Now that the intensity and need is no longer there, it seems the likes of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are letting go much of their past.
Federer in Melbourne: What the Legend Really Thinks About Alcaraz, Serena, and the ‘Lies’ of Tour Life (in 9 key quotes)
Roger Federer spoke at the Australian Open on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s Opening Ceremony and exhibition match. Here are the 9 key takeaways from his press conference.
Djokovic severs ties with PTPA in major blow to player union
Novak Djokovic has severed ties with the PTPA, the breakaway union he co-founded in 2020, citing deep-seated concerns over transparency and governance.
Federer to Take Rod Laver arena for maiden Australian Open opening ceremony
Roger Federer returns to Melbourne for AO opening night exhibition alongside Andre Agassi and Lleyton Hewitt. He hasn’t played in Melbourne since 2020.
Nadal on his rivalry with the Big Three: ‘You end up appreciating your rivals’
Rafael Nadal reflected in an interview on his competitive yet respectful rivalry with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, stating that he has grown to appreciate his rivals and is proud of the shared history.
Roger Federer elected to International Tennis Hall of fame’s class of 2026
Swiss legend Roger Federer will join tennis immortals at August ceremony.
Novak Djokovic becomes oldest ATP Tour champion with Athens victory
Novak Djokovic secured his 101st career title on Saturday, defeating Lorenzo Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a physically demanding 2-hour, 58-minute final at the Vanda Pharmaceuticals Hellenic Championship in Athens.
Djokovic not ready to retire yet
“Longevity is one of my biggest motivations,” Djokovic said in Riyadh, downplaying any impression that he might retire soon.
On this day
IN TENNIS HISTORY
May 11th, 1987: The day tennis came back to the Olympics
Every day, Tennis Majors takes you back in time to relive a tennis event which happened on this specific day. On May 11th, 1987, the IOC voted to reintroduce tennis at the 1988 Olympics.
May 10, 1996: The day 15-year-old Martina Hingis defeated world No 1 Steffi Graf
Every day, Tennis Majors looks back at the biggest moments in tennis history. On May 10, 1996, 15 year-old Martina Hingis shocked the tennis world by handing long-time world No 1 Steffi Graf her first loss of the year in Rome
May 9 2000: The day Jim Courier announced his retirement from professional tennis
Every day, Tennis Majors takes you back in time to relive a tennis event which happened on this specific day. On May 9, 2000, Jim Courier retired from professional tennis after a career which included four Grand Slam titles and two Davis Cup titles
May 8, 2005: The day Rafael Nadal beat Coria in five-hour thriller for first Rome title
Every day, Tennis Majors looks back to the biggest moments in tennis history. On May 8, 2005, Rafael Nadal won his first title in Rome after a five hour-fight against Guillermo Coria
May 7 2008: The day Juan Carlos Ferrero became the first man to beat Rafael Nadal in Rome
Every day, Tennis Majors looks back at the biggest moments in tennis history. On May 7, 2008, Rafael Nadal suffered his first-ever loss in Rome against his fellow countryman Juan Carlos Ferrero
May 6 2007: The day Kim Clijsters retired for the first time at the age of 23
Every day, Tennis Majors takes you back to the biggest moments in tennis history. On May 6, 2007, aged only 23, Kim Clijsters announced her retirement a few days after her loss against Julia Vakulenko in the first round in Warsaw
May 5, 2005 : The day Andy Roddick’s sportsmanship cost him a win
Every day, Tennis Majors takes you back to the biggest moments in tennis history. On May 5, 2005, Andy Roddick lost a match he had almost won after he overturned a call on match point that would have given him victory over Fernando Verdasco
May 4, 1980: The day Connors beat world No 1 McEnroe in the WCT Finals in Dallas
Every day, Tennis Majors takes you back in time to relive a tennis event which happened on this specific day. On May 4, 1980, Jimmy Connors defeated John McEnroe in the now defunct World Championship Tennis Finals in Dallas in four sets
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ATP, Internazionali BNL d’Italia 2026 Men’s Singles (draw), Round of 16, Clay
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See drawThis week rankings
ATP Tour
Singles
Jannik Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz
Alexander Zverev
Novak Djokovic
Felix Auger-Aliassime
WTA Tour
Singles
Aryna Sabalenka
Elena Rybakina
Iga Swiatek
Coco Gauff