Tennis News Today: Jannik Sinner sheds light on his bond with girlfriend Anna Kalinskaya; Daniil Medvedev airs his frustration over the quality of balls in use at Shanghai Masters

Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner shared insights into his relationship with his girlfriend Anna Kalinskaya. In other news, Daniil Medvedev expressed displeasure with the quality of the tennis balls being used at the Shanghai Masters.

Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek ended her coaching partnership with Tomasz Wiktorowski in a sudden split. Andre Agassi chimed in as Carlos Alcaraz highlighted his bond with Jannik Sinner during Nike's Shanghai event.

Also, Serena Williams' former coach Patrick Mouratoglou discussed the parallels between tennis legends Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic and soccer icons Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

On that note, here's a recap of today's top tennis news:

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Jannik Sinner talks about his bond with his girlfriend Anna Kalinskaya

Jannik Sinner shed light on his relationship with his girlfriend, fellow tennis player Anna Kalinskaya. The pair went public with their relationship during the 2024 French Open, though they tend to keep their private lives out of the spotlight.

Kalinskaya was present to witness Sinner's victory at the US Open, where the couple was seen sharing an adorable kiss in celebration, a moment that quickly went viral on social media.

Watch the video here:

When asked about their relationship and the viral kiss during his China Open run, Sinner explained that while they may not exchange tennis strategies due to their differing styles, they aim to support each other from a distance.

"It was a nice moment," Sinner said during his interview with CCTV5. "We just support each other as much as we can."

"As tennis players we are, you know, different. I am different also to other tennis players. But for sure I always try to support her because she also tries to support me, giving some positive energy," he added.

10th seed Anna Kalinskaya reached the Round of 16 in Beijing, where she lost 5-7, 0-6 to Yulia Starodubtsewa. Jannik Sinner, on the other hand, failed to defend his title, losing 7-6(6), 4-6, 6-7(3) to second seed Carlos Alcaraz in the final.

Sinner will next participate in the Shanghai Masters in China. The top-seeded Italian received a bye into the second round, where he will take on Taro Daniel on October 5. The winner of this match will face 31st seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the third round.

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Daniil Medvedev raises concerns over the quality of tennis balls being used at the Shanghai Masters

Daniil Medvedev voiced his frustration over the quality of tennis balls used at the Shanghai Masters during his 7-5, 7-5 win against Thiago Seyboth Wild in the second round.

During the first set, Medvedev called the supervisor to complain, stating that the balls were unsuitable for professional play and were "destroyed" after only five games.

"These balls are not good enough for professional tennis. This is one of the biggest tournaments in the world and the balls are destroyed after 5 games. No pressure at all," the Russian said.

Fifth seed Daniil Medvedev advanced to the third round where he will take on 29th seed Matteo Arnaldi on October 6. The winner of this match will face either 10th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas or Alexandre Muller in the Round of 16.

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Iga Swiatek parts ways with longtime coach Tomasz Wiktorowski in surprising move

Iga Swiatek announced her split from longtime coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, in an unexpected move.

Wiktorowski, who previously coached Agnieszka Radwanska, joined Swiatek’s team at the end of 2021 following her separation from Piotr Sierzputowski. Together, Swiatek and Wiktorowski achieved great success, securing four Grand Slam titles and 15 other tournament victories.

In her statement on October 4, Swiatek reflected on their shared accomplishments and expressed excitement about beginning a new chapter. The Pole also mentioned that she is in discussions with a non-Polish coach.

"After 3 years of the greatest achievements in my career, together with my coach Tomasz Wiktorowski we decided to part ways. I want to start with a big thank you and appreciating our work together," Swiatek wrote on Instagram.

"Due to this important change on my team, I give myself a couple of weeks to start a cooperation with a new coach. I’m in the middle of first talks with coaches from abroad (non-Polish), because I’m ready to take the next step in my career. I will let you know when I make a decision," she added.

Following her quarterfinal exit against eventual runner-up Jessica Pegula at the US Open, Iga Swiatek has withdrawn from Korea Open, China Open, and recently Wuhan Open.

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Andre Agassi reacts to Carlos Alcaraz emphasizing his bond with Jannik Sinner during Nike Event in Shanghai

American tennis icon Andre Agassi expressed his joy at witnessing the friendship between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner during a Nike event in Shanghai. Before their Masters 1000 campaign, Alcaraz and Sinner participated in the event and engaged with fans.

Later, Alcaraz posted pictures from the event on Instagram, describing his experience. Agassi responded positively in the comments, adding a clapping emoji to his reaction.

Andre Agassi reacts to Carlos Alcaraz's post; ( Source - Instagram @carlitosalcarazz)

Third seed Carlos Alcaraz received a bye into the second round where he will take on home favorite Shang Juncheng on October 5. The winner of this match will face Chinese wildcard Wu Yibing in the third round.

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Serena Williams' ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou compares tennis icons Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic to soccer greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Serena Williams' former coach Patrick Mouratoglou made comparisons between tennis legends Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic and soccer icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Mouratoglou, who was recently hired by Naomi Osaka as coach, associated Federer with Messi, highlighting his innate talent, while he compared Djokovic to Ronaldo, stressing his dedication and work ethic.

In a recent Instagram post, Mouratoglou elaborated on his views regarding why he believes Federer resembles Messi and Djokovic is akin to Ronaldo.

“I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday, and we were saying that Federer is Messi, and Djokovic is Ronaldo," Mouratoglou said.

“Why? Because Federer is pure crazy talent and he just needs to feel what he’s doing. While Djokovic is the super hard worker that pays attention to every single detail,” he added.

Rafael Nadal, who hasn't competed since the 2024 Paris Olympics, is preparing for the "Six Kings Slams" exhibition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, set to take place from October 16-19. The event will feature notable players including Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, and Holger Rune.

Four-time champion Novak Djokovic, on the other hand, is currently participating in the Shanghai Masters. The fourth-seeded Serb received a bye into the second round, where he will face Alex Michelsen. The winner of that match will go on to play either 28th-seed Flavio Cobolli or wildcard Stan Wawrinka in the third round.