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Novak Djokovic's ex-coach has expressed doubts about Carlos Alcaraz's long-term fitness, and a new Naomi Osaka biography has made some claims about Serena Williams' reaction to her US Open loss.
Further, reports suggest Rafael Nadal is ready to resume training after withdrawing from the 2024 Australian Open due to a hip injury. Also, Holger Rune has elaborated on the initial split with Patrick Mouratoglou and then rehiring him.
Naomi Osaka's trust issues with coach Sascha Bajin were also detailed in her biography; their split was supposedly due to Bajin's relationship with another player.
Here are the biggest news stories of the day:
Novak Djokovic's former coach casts doubt on Carlos Alcaraz's longevity in tennis, cites physical strain
In 2023, Carlos Alcaraz made a big impact on the ATP circuit. He not only clinched six titles but also achieved the impressive feat of beating Novak Djokovic in a thrilling five-set final at the Wimbledon Championships.
This remarkable victory, and Alcaraz's overall consistency, led Novak Djokovic's former coach, Nikola Pilic, to declare him the "de facto" heir to the Big 3 tennis legends - Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer.
"When Carlos Alcaraz won Madrid, I said that he was the de facto heir of the 'Big 3'," Pilic said.
While praising Alcaraz's talent and recent triumphs, Pilic expressed concerns about his long-term durability. He pointed to the Spaniard's early injuries as a potential factor that could affect his physical fitness down the line.
"But are you going to tell me that he will play for another 12 years like today? He's strong, and he's a good player, like it," Pilic said. "But his body is wasted, that is true. How many injuries has he had so far. Regardless, he plays great."
New Naomi Osaka biography sheds light on Serena Williams' alleged reaction to US Open runner-up trophy
Naomi Osaka's new biography, by journalist Ben Rothenberg, explores the aftermath of the Japanese defeating Serena Williams in the 2018 US Open final.
Despite Williams' experience, Osaka, a first-time Major finalist, secured a 6-2, 6-4 win in New York, becoming Japan's first Major singles champion. Williams missed two records that night, and faced penalties for a coaching violation and racket smash.
The 23-time Major winner also received a code violation for verbal abuse, prompting an automatic game penalty. Post-match, Williams looked to stay positive and move forward.
"I don't know how I'm feeling yet. Haven't had time to really process everything. But I'm just trying to stay positive and to look at all the bright things and all the good things and just keep going forward with that," she said during the trophy presentation.
Journalist Ben Rothenberg, in his book "Naomi Osaka: Her Journey to Finding Her Power and Her Voice," paints a contrasting picture of Serena Williams' emotions after the US Open final. He alleged that Williams expressed anger and disposed of the runner-up trophy.
"Once she was behind closed doors, Serena made her feelings about the relic of her loss clear, dumping the platter into a trash can," Rothenberg said in the book (via Tennis Channel).
Rafael Nadal to return to training after missing Australian Open 2024 due to hip injury: Reports
Reports indicate that Rafael Nadal is ready to resume training after withdrawing from the 2024 Australian Open due to a new hip injury.
Nadal had a similar issue in Melbourne last year, which kept him out for the entire 2023 season. After making a comeback at the 2024 Brisbane International, the Spaniard's run ended in a thrilling quarterfinal match against Jordan Thompson.
Nadal experienced pain in the same surgically treated area during the match and later announced, via social media, his withdrawal from the Australian Open due to a micro tear diagnosed in his hip muscles.
Following this, Nadal returned to Spain and saw Dr. Angel Ruiz Cotorro in Madrid, as reported by the Spanish newspaper Diario de Mallorca. He plans to take a week off and then resume training since the injury is reportedly not severe.
Holger Rune details initial split from Patrick Mouratoglou and reappointing French coach amid mental turmoil
Holger Rune recently shed light on his abrupt split with coach Patrick Mouratoglou, citing a mismatch.
The Danish player partnered with Mouratoglou in October 2022, achieving success with victories in Stockholm and his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Paris. However, the collaboration ended in April the following year.
“Holger! We've successfully completed our mission and ended up having an incredible 6-month adventure, exceeding our original plan of 3 months. It was a pleasure to share this journey with you,” Mouratoglou said in a social media post.
A few weeks later, however, during the claycourt swing, Mouratoglou was observed supporting Rune from the stands. In the recent episodes of Netflix's BreakPoint, Rune provided insights into the rationale behind his initial separation from the French coach.
"It's been difficult, with the coaching situation," Rune said. "The people I hire, they have to help me. Sometimes I am thinking 'Why are you here actually?' I don't hire people just to sit there. So it's also like a question of 'Are you doing your job good enough?' And ofcourse, it's my fault at the end but I didn't feel like Partick's the right thing for me at the moment."
The 20-year-old subsequently confessed that he contacted Mouratoglou while experiencing mental frustration and stress.
"It's been very frustrating for me because I was off, mentally. More closer you get to the tournament, that's more stress you get," he said. "And I think it's important that you have somebody that can build you up with confidence and control, like your emotions and stuff. And that's what I need during my tournaments."
"I called Patrick. I wasn't sure it was the right thing to say goodbye. I still felt he had something to teach me on the court and in life," he added.
Naomi Osaka's latest biography explores how ex-coach Sascha Bajin's connection with another player led to their split
A recent biography on Naomi Osaka has disclosed the reasons behind her split with former coach Sascha Bajin.
Their successful partnership, beginning in 2017, saw Osaka rise from World No. 72 to the top of the WTA rankings. Bajin even earned the WTA Coach of the Year accolade in 2018.
However, Osaka announced their separation just 17 days after winning the Australian Open in 2019, sharing the news on social media.
“Hey everyone, I will no longer be working together with Sascha. I thank him for his work and wish him all the best in the future,” she said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Journalist Ben Rothenberg says in his new biography on Naomi Osaka that the Japanese and her coach split up when she found out that Bajin was in a relationship with another player.
“Naomi confronted Bajin, breaking the weeks-long silence between the, putting him on the spot about what she’d heard about his off-court relationship with another player,” Rothenberg wrote (via Tennis Channel).
“Bajin, who had encouraged Naomi to hit with this player at a tournament despite her much lower ranking, denied it repeatedly. The next day, when Bajin came back and admitted it was true, Naomi told him her trust had been broken,” he added.
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