Tennis news: Jannik Sinner digs out rival players as Jack Draper sparks backlash

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Emma Raducanu has said she's learnt from her mistakes after being propelled to superstardom following her 2021 US Open win.

“Up until I won the US Open, I was so sheltered,” she told the Daily Mail. “Up to 18, I was just with my parents. It was like nothing could touch me. And then all of a sudden, everyone came, and I got burned quite a lot of times, whether that's professionally or personally. Now I’m very Fort Knox with who I let in.”

World No.7 Mirra Andreeva isn't fazed by her current ranking.

Ahead of the Italian Open, the teenager said: “I try not to pay attention. I feel like it's easier not to pay attention to what's my ranking, what are the positions, how everything changes or moves.

"Obviously I know that I'm probably still in top 10. I checked a week ago, so it was still like this. I'll just do my thing, the best way I can.”

Emma Raducanu as admitted she's nervouse about taking medical products or being set-up to fail a doping test.

"I don’t want to take anything even if the doctors are saying you should take this – just out of risk of contamination," she told The Sun. “Even if it’s not prohibited on the anti-doping list, you don’t know if it’s contaminated by another product.

“It can show a green tick, but if it’s contaminated you will still get screwed over. We could go to a restaurant and someone could put something in our drink. It’s really hard, especially if the waiter recognises you. It’s something I worry about – nervous every time.”

FULL STORY HERE.

Alexander Zverez has hit back at his critics after failing to take over world No.1 Jannik Sinner despite the Italian player's 90-day suspension.

"The media also loves to put players down," he said. "I had a bad two months before Munich. All of a sudden I'm like the worst world No. 2 in the world ever. Like I'm there because I won tournaments. I'm there because I have results," he said.

"Do you think Novak is happy with his results? Do you think Carlos is happy? I'm not happy with my results. At the end of the day in big matches, big moments, I still believe the top players will rise. And I still believe that I am going to find my tennis for the biggest tournaments.”

Jannik Sinner’s lawyer wants a complete reform of the doping process and claimed his client has been treated unfairly after his three-month ban.

On The Sports Agents podcast, he said the Italian wasn't an 'intentional cheat', saying: “If you think it's a mistake, not performance enhancing, and they've got caught in the system, then there should be a more collaborative route that you go down which doesn't pillory them and put them through this horrendous experience.

“It's actually been disproportionately difficult for Jannik as number one, and with the profile and scrutiny that's come to him. It has meant that he's actually faced a much tougher year than if the same set of circumstances applied to the number 100 in the world.”

Rafael Nadal's former coach Carlos Moya has warned the rivals of Novak Djokovic not to "underestimate" the Serbian at the French Open.

"In my opinion, the top candidates are Alcaraz, Sinner, Ruud and Djokovic," he told Marca. "Nole seems a bit empty to me after realizing his great dream of winning the gold medal at the Olympics, but you should never underestimate a legend of his caliber."

Emma Raducanu has talked up her partnership with Mark Petchey ahead of the Italian Open.

“It’s been working well,” Raducanu told BBC Sport. "Mark is doing his commentary work and around that he is going to help me as much as he can and hopefully the times align that he can be there for matches. That’s why Jane (O'Donoghue) is here for when he’s not able to make it to the session.

“While she’s not working it’s nice to have her as much as possible, but she will go back to work and then I need to figure another solution out.”

READ MORE HERE.

Former world No.1 Naomi Osaka has secured her first trophy since returning from maternity leave.

Osaka won her first title in four yearsat the 2025 L’Open 35 de Saint-Malo, a WTA 125 clay-court event in France. In the final, she beat Slovenia’s Kaja Juvan 6–1, 7–5.

Osaka returned to professional tennis in 2024 after taking maternity leave. Her victory will now see her back inside the top 50 in the WTA rankings.

Iga Swiatek has made it clear that she will not be skipping Wimbledon this year despite rumours suggesting otherwise.

She was quizzed on the possibility of missing the tournament ahead of the Italian Open and replied: "Shouldn't believe this stuff.

"During the past few days I saw a million comments that were not true. I don’t get it.

"There are so many theories right now I would say, especially in the Polish media about me that are not true.

"I don’t know, you guys like to make some articles that will attract people. I get it, it’s part of your job.

"But yeah, for sure, I’m not going to skip Wimbledon. I really want to learn how to play on grass better. Every year is another opportunity.

"I will play Wimbledon, for sure, unless I get injured."

Emma Raducanu has opened up on what Mark Petchey has been bringing to her training schedule ahead of the Italian Open.

"He's not a super technical coach, there are certain tweaks, as always, but that is something I am going away from," she told Sky Sports.

"I have been very technical in the past. There has been a time and a place for that because I needed to make improvements.

"From now on, it's more about doing the right things, taking the ball on more, and just repetition of certain drills and patterns, which he is very good at setting up.

"It's a good challenge for my game. I want to work on doing things differently to try and bridge the gap between where I am now and where I want to be."

Patrick Mouratoglou believes Novak Djokovic is playing a dangerous game by scaling back his schedule ahead of the French Open.

The veteran Serb is not playing in Rome this week, potentially leaving him short on match practice before travelling to Roland-Garros.

"The real question is can he manage to not play matches and get ready for such a big event as a Grand Slam," said Mouratoglou.

"Nothing replaces matches. Of course he doesn’t need to play a lot, but he needs to play a few that he is going to win with the right mindset.

"To think ‘I am going to go to a Grand Slam and suddenly everything is going to click’ is quite a bet. I have questions [about this decision]."

Paula Badosa has admitted that she expects to retire young due to a persistent back injury which has failed to subside.

"For me to retire, the doctors would have to tell me, and I am in daily contact with them," she told Eurosport.

"I have told him many times: 'Until you operate on me and there is no solution, I will continue with the infiltrations'.

"Having such a strong character has helped me to accept this over time.

"I know that I am going to retire young and the next day I will go straight to the operating room."

Jannik Sinner laughed when he was asked to clarify his relationship status ahead of the Madrid Open.

He has been romantically linked with Russian model Lara Leito after pictures emerged of the pair, but Sinner was quick to issue a denial.

"There's a whole a lot of attention, also off the court," he said with a smile.

"I was also very surprised to see some pictures, which are nothing serious.

"I'm not in a relationship. So, whoever is asking, it's all good."

Emma Raducanu has described Jack Draper's remarkable rise as 'amazing' while comparing their careers after his defeat in the Madrid Open final.

"It's amazing to see what he has achieved and how much he has done," she told Sky Sports.

"He is a great tennis player and he is of such a big stature that he can take the game out of anyone's hands.

"For him to kind of dominate like he has been is really cool to see. We are two very separate, different people, though. We both have gone through our own journey.

"Mine is very different as well from his. I didn’t necessarily go through everything super organically and the natural way of doing things.

"I think now I am just working on coming back and working on the things I can do, day to day. But yeah, credit to him, he has done a great job."

Nick Kyrgios and Costeen Hatzi have fuelled rumours over a potential breakup with their social media activity.

The tennis star no longer follows the glamorous influencer on Instagram and Hatzi has given Kyrgios the same treatment.

They are both active on their social media profiles but neither has featured on the other's page in over three months.

Earlier this year, rumours of a split emerged when they removed each other's initials from their Instagram profiles.

Hatzi also shared a cryptic post on TikTok in which she joked that she had 'filed for divorce'.

Serena Williams' former coach Rennae Stubbs was not impressed with Jack Draper's outburst in the Madrid Open final.

At one point during his defeat to Casper Ruud, he showed his frustration by shouting in the direction of his box.

Draper's furious reaction did not go down well with Stubbs, who took to social media to express her discontent.

She wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "I’m dead! I’m out! Words spoken by Jack on the change over... never a good look."

Stubbs later added: "I meant in the response of it’s never good to be saying out loud 'I’m outta here, I’m dead'.

"I don’t mind his frustration at all. I love it. And look at this, he’s back!"

Jannik Sinner has admitted that he was not impressed with the lack of support he received from rival players following his doping ban.

In a press conference ahead of the Italian Open, he revealed that players he thought would stand by him did not send him messages.

"Tennis is an individual sport, everyone has their own team," said Sinner.

"In Monte-Carlo I met [Jack] Draper and [Lorenzo] Sonego, we had a great time.

"At the beginning I had surprising messages from tennis players that I would not have expected to receive, and nothing from those who instead I expected to receive something.

"Names? I don’t want to name them. Everything will be fine, it will pass slowly."

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