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WATCH: Serena Williams leaves fans puzzled following joke about relationship to college football player

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Serena Williams

WTA legend Serena Williams was the centre of some controversy following her remarks about a college football player who shares her last name, leading fans to ponder if she was related to the athlete.

Ryan Williams, a 17-year-old wide receiver for the Alabama Crimson Tide, went viral over the weekend after scoring a sensational 75-yard touchdown in their victory over the Georgia Bulldogs. ESPN’s Sportscenter would upload a clip of the play to their official social media account, prompting several fans and celebrities to comment on the play.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion was one of the millions who viewed the clip, and proceeded to compliment the young man in a fashion that suggested familial ties.
Serena Williams

JUST IN: Jannik Sinner’s failed drug tests: Novak Djokovic delivers criticism in verdict on anti-doping appeal

“Honestly this is pretty impressive from my 17year old cousin ha go Cuz!'” wrote Williams after sharing the clip on social media.
Several of Williams’s fans were left confused at the statement, with many not catching on that the former World No.1 was in fact joking.
“Wait what?!?” wrote an incredulous user.
“THAT’S YOUR COUSIN?!?!?! So your whole bloodline are exceptional athletes,” said another.
“Ain’t heard her endorse this man or say a peep ever before this,” wrote another suspicious user.
“cousin cousin or Cousin Cousin,” asked another fan.
However, others were quick to catch onto the joke.
“Ha, everyone knows y’all not related. But ok funny,” wrote a more observant fan.
“Lord help us all with how many think she is being serious here,” expressed another fan.

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Jannik Sinner’s failed drug tests: Novak Djokovic delivers criticism in verdict on anti-doping appeal

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Novak Djokovic Jannik Sinner China Open

Novak Djokovic has given his reaction to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s decision to appeal the “no fault or negligence” verdict reached over Jannik Sinner’s failed drug tests.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced last month that Sinner would not receive a ban for failing two anti-doping in March after an independent tribunal ruled he was not to blame.

The Italian star tested positive for low levels of clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid, on March 10 and 18 — during and after the Indian Wells Masters.

Novak Djokovic has discussed Jannik Sinner's anti-doping case

READ: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner sent warning in Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer claim

The tribunal accepted Sinner’s explanation that the substance had entered his body when receiving a massage from his physio, who had used a spray containing the steroid to treat a cut on their finger.

However, it was revealed on Saturday that WADA had appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), seeking to impose a ban of up to two years on the world No 1.

A statement from WADA said: “It is WADA’s view that the finding of ‘no fault or negligence’ was not correct under the applicable rules.

“WADA is seeking a period of ineligibility of between one and two years. WADA is not seeking a disqualification of any results, save that which has already been imposed by the tribunal of first instance.”

In his press conference ahead of the Shanghai Masters, Djokovic criticised the tennis anti-doping system and credited Sinner for how he has performed with the case hanging over him.

“I think it’s quite obvious that we have a system that is not working well,” Djokovic said.

“So, I guess that’s probably something that even the people who are not following our sport are realising.

“There are way too many inconsistencies, way too many governing bodies involved and this whole case is not helping our sport at all.

“I think he has won the three appeals so far, and it must be very tough for him and his team and family.

“It’s impressive what he has been doing, in the whole process of what’s been happening, that he’s playing at such a high level, winning Grand Slam and, you know, winning most of the matches that he plays.”

The 24-time Grand Slam champion also called for a swift resolution to the appeal as he reiterated that the case is not good for tennis.

“Hopefully, we can go back to tennis,” the 37-year-old continued.

“This situation or these circumstances are not positive for our sport, so hopefully we can resolve this case as soon as possible.

“Whatever’s going to happen, at the end of the day, I just wish for it to be resolved as soon as possible. Yeah, that’s all I have to say about that.”

During the China Open, Sinner addressed the difficulty of remaining focused on tennis amid the saga of his anti-doping case.

“First of all, it’s not a situation I would like to be in, it’s very delicate and difficult and also different,” said the 23-year-old Italian.

“The only thing I know is that I try to tell myself that I haven’t done anything wrong, which already puts you in an advantageous position.

“Of course I’ve had sleepless nights during this time and now it won’t be easy again. I’m disappointed to be in this situation again, but I’m just trying to stay focused somehow on my job and try to do my best to be ready for every game I play.

“But yes, it’s a difficult time for me and also for my team. It’s not just me in this alone, but also my team. I’m keeping close the people who I’m fine with and who know me as a person, they know me.”

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Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner sent warning in Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer claim

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Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner

Pablo Carreno Busta believes it is too early to assume Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will “reign for the next 20 years” as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic did. 

The former world No 10 declared he does not think the future will belong only to Alcaraz and Sinner and argued other players will “make things difficult for them.”

Alcaraz and Sinner are the two leading stars of their generation and they have split the four Grand Slam titles between them this year.

Branded to Be the Next Fedal”: Novak Djokovic Supporter Targets Rivals' Fans Again for Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz Injuries - The SportsRush

JUST IN: Jannik Sinner overtakes Novak Djokovic with impressive statistic as he sets up Carlos Alcaraz showdown

Sinner won his maiden major at the 2024 Australian Open before adding the US Open crown, while Alcaraz secured the French Open and Wimbledon titles to take his Grand Slam tally to four.

The duo are the only ATP players born after 1996 to win a Grand Slam title, with 2021 US Open winner Daniil Medvedev, who is 28, is the next-youngest major champion in men’s tennis.

Some analysts expect Alcaraz and Sinner, who are 21 and 23 respectively, to form a ‘Big Two’ in men’s tennis and dominate the sport in a similar way to that of the ‘Big Three’ of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.

In an interview with Punto de Break, Carreno Busta argued it is premature to suggest Alcaraz and Sinner will be unstoppable forces for the next two decades.

“They are still very young, both Sinner and Carlos,” said the Spaniard. “It is clear that they are very good, but we already assume that they will reign for the next 20 years as Roger, Rafa and Novak did.

“Many things can happen, it is not easy to maintain the level of demand for so long, or the level of success to share the four Grand Slams, as has happened this year.

“New people can also come, another very good player can appear who is four years younger than Carlos, for example.

“I do not think that the future belongs only to these two players, others will come who will make things difficult for them, but it does look like these two are going to be there for many years.”

Carreno Busta, who missed large periods of the last two years due to injury, also spoke about what changed on the ATP Tour during his absence.

“Sinner has improved a lot, Carlos has consolidated himself, Novak finds it a bit more difficult to win… but I have noticed the big difference in the rest of the players, especially in the top 20 and below,” he assessed.

“Players who were good when I left, but were in the top 60 and top 80; now they are already in the top 30.

“Arthur Fils, Alexei Popyrin, Jordan Thompson. I need to play against these players again to see where they are, because they are not where I had left them (laughs).”

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Jannik Sinner overtakes Novak Djokovic with impressive statistic as he sets up Carlos Alcaraz showdown

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Jannik Sinner Novak Djokovic China Open

Jannik Sinner downed Bu Yunchaokete in straight sets in the semi-finals of the 2024 China Open to set up a blockbuster final with Carlos Alcaraz. 

The world No 1 earned a 6-3, 7-6(3) victory against the 22-year-old Chinese wildcard to progress to the final of the ATP 500 event in Beijing for the second straight year.

Sinner converted one of the six break points he had in the opening set to earn the only break of the match after saving three break points on his own serve in an important fifth game.

Jannik Sinner beats Novak Djokovic in Australian Open semi-final – The Frontier Post

READ: WATCH: Jannik Sinner’s lawyer speaks out after WADA appeal decision to clear world No.1

The Italian then won a tight second set in a tiebreak to hold off the impressive Bu — who has jumped from 96th to a new career-high of 69th in the ATP Live Rankings.

Sinner has now won 17 of the last 18 tiebreaks he has played in a staggering run that illustrates how remarkably well he has performed under pressure during his superb 2024 season.

By reaching the Beijing title match, Sinner has become the ATP player with the highest percentage of finals reached at hard-court events played since the start of 2023 (with a minimum of 10 main draw appearances).

The 23-year-old has now made the final at 13 of the 23 hard-court tournaments (56.5%) he has competed in since the beginning of last season.

He has overtaken Novak Djokovic, who had been top in this category with his six finals from 11 hard-court events entered (54.5%) in the same period.

Percentage of finals reached at ATP hard-court events played since 2023

Jannik Sinner – 56.5% (13/23)

Novak Djokovic – 54.5% (6/11)

Daniil Medvedev – 43.5% (10/23)

Carlos Alcaraz – 25% (4/16)

Alex de Minaur – 20% (5/25)

Sinner will face his biggest rival, Alcaraz, in a mouth-watering final at the China Open on Tuesday. The Italian prevailed 7-6(4), 6-1 when the duo met in the semi-finals of the same event last year.

It will be the 10th meeting between Sinner and Alcaraz, with the Spaniard leading the head-to-head 5-4 having won the pair’s two previous meetings this year.

Sinner is aiming to defend the title he won in Beijing in 2023, while Alcaraz is seeking a maiden title in China.

This will be just their second encounter in a final after the 2022 Umag title match, which Sinner won in three sets.

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WATCH: Jannik Sinner’s lawyer speaks out after WADA appeal decision to clear world No.1

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Jannik Sinner Paris Olympic

Jamie Singer, the lawyer of the Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner, has stated that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) wants to punish the reining world number one for a mistake made by a member of his coaching staff.

The 23-year-old is already regarded as one of the best men’s tennis players in the world, along with the likes of Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic.
Sinner has been in the news recently for the wrong reasons. The two-time Grand Slam winner tested positive for the banned substance clostebol on two occasions in March but managed to escape a ban. That was down to his counsel’s response in front of the three-member independent panel by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), where they claimed that the availability of the banned substance in the player’s sample was because of receiving cream from a member of the coaching staff.
When will Jannik Sinner know his fate? – chw-dumpling

JUST IN: Ahead of Coco Gauff ‘battle’, Naomi Osaka +15 makes another rankings breakthrough

However, things did not get easier for Sinner as on Saturday, WADA announced that it had lodged an appeal against the verdict in front of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) demanding ‘one or two years suspension’. Singer, who appeared in front of the ITIA during the previous hearings, was recently quoted in a report where he stated that WADA wants to punish Sinner for a mistake of his coaching staff. He was of the opinion that they were surprised by WADA’s decision to appeal against the verdict despite knowing that the case was ‘resolved correctly’.
“We were surprised too, to be honest,” he said. “After Jannik tested positive for Clostebol in an infinitesimal amount, the ITIA understood the sensitivity of the case and turned to an expert independent tribunal instead of ruling directly. We hoped that the experience of the three specialists of the Sport Resolution Panel, and their well-substantiated and documented judgments, would convince the parties that the matter had been resolved correctly. We are all aware that WADA has the full right to take this action, appealing was within its possibilities. WADA believes that he is somehow responsible for the actions of his team and for this reason they ask for him to be punished.”

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Ahead of Coco Gauff ‘battle’, Naomi Osaka +15 makes another rankings breakthrough

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Coco Gauff Naomi Osaka

Former world No 1 Osaka started the 2024 season outside the top 800 in the rankings after missing the entire 2023 season as she gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Shai.

She didn’t set the world alight on her return to action in January, but she has continued to put in the hard yards and she is starting to reap the rewards.

The 26-year-old has followed up her three-set win over 21st seed Yuli Putintseva with a 6-3, 6-2 win over world No 60th Katie Volynets.

Naomi Osaka Says Coco Gauff Will Win Major: 'Only a Matter of Time' - Business Insider

READ: ‘Not a Good Sign for Tennis’ – Carlos Alcaraz Strongly Defends ‘Innocent’ Jannik Sinner Amid WADA’s Shocking Twist in Doping Saga

Having kicked off the WTA 1000 event at No 73, Osaka is set to jump to No 58 after the tournament and there could be another surge if she gets past Gauff.

“For me, I wanted to keep growing from my last match,” the four-time Grand Slam winner told the official WTA Tour website. “I was just trying to be really aggressive from the beginning. …I felt like I really shouldn’t care too much about my unforced errors rather than just keeping her on the move.”

Fourth seed Gauff reached the last 16 with a two-set defeat of Katie Boulter and Osaka highlighted her rival’s big strength.

“She’s very athletic obviously. For me, my strongest traits are being aggressive and also my serve,” the Japanese player said.

“So it’s definitely going to be a battle – who wants to take control of the point first? And I think it’s going to be me.”

She added: “I think it’s going to be a really cool test for me. She’s played really well this year. … I’m excited to play the match, and I know people are excited to watch the match.”

World No 2 Aryna Sabalanka is also safely into the fourth round after she defeated Ashlyn Krueger 6-2, 6-2 for her 14th consecutive win.

The three-time Grand Slam winner won the Cincinnati Open and US Open ahead of the Asian swing and will next face Madison Keys.

With world No 1 Iga Swiatek skipping the China Open, Sabalenka’s latest win has helped her to reduce the Pole’s lead at the top of the WTA Rankings to 1,164 points. If she wins the title, then the lead will be just over 200 points.

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‘Not a Good Sign for Tennis’ – Carlos Alcaraz Strongly Defends ‘Innocent’ Jannik Sinner Amid WADA’s Shocking Twist in Doping Saga

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Carlos Alcaraz Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner‘s career has been nothing short of a roller coaster lately.

After his impressive victories at the Cincinnati Masters and the US Open, the Italian star now finds himself in the midst of a renewed doping controversy. In a shocking turn of events, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), seeking a lengthy ban on Sinner. This surprising move comes despite the ITIA ruling that had previously cleared him of all charges. As the storm around Sinner continues to brew, many in the tennis world have stepped forward with their opinions—and the latest voice in the conversation is none other than Carlos Alcaraz.

Cameron Norrie gives five reasons why Carlos Alcaraz is a better player than Jannik Sinner

READ: Carlos Alcaraz reveals Rafael Nadal Davis Cup wish as retirement rumours grow

Alcaraz engaged in an interaction with the press at the China Open as he gears up to take on Karen Khachanov in the quarterfinals. When quizzed about his opinion on Sinner’s latest troubles, Alcaraz seemed to extend his support to the Italian dynamo. He expressed his surprise over the entire matter and highlighted the impact of the entire situation on the tennis community.

Speaking at the interview, the Spaniard said, “it’s really sensitive things to Jannik and tennis in general. I mean, after everything was decide, let’s say, before Cincinnati, that the ITIA said that Jannik Sinner saying he didn’t do anything wrong, and now came again, it is open again.” Sinner tested positive twice for low levels of a metabolite of clostebol, a banned anabolic substance, during the Indian Wells tournament. However, the ruling of ITIA that came ahead of the US Open, was in Sinner’s favor.

It was found that Sinner’s physio, Giacomo Naldi, had used an over-the-counter spray containing clostebol to treat a cut on his own finger. Naldi then massaged Sinner without gloves, inadvertently passing the substance to the player’s body. But for Alcaraz, the entire episode seems to be surprising. Continuing further, he said, “I thought it was closed, anything is going to happen again, Jannik is innocent, and they saw that Jannik didn’t do anything wrong.This month I didn’t know what happen exactly. I just saw the news and it surprise me a little bit.” The 21-year-old once again emphasized the impact of the case on the sport in general.

“I don’t know how it’s going to be the next months. For sure to tennis, not a good sign.” Alcaraz’s latest remarks are also interesting because of his previous take on the entire case where he took a subtle dig at the World No. 1. Ahead of the US Open, Alcaraz said that there is a lot more to the story than is known to the public and that he believes in the idea of  “clean sport.”  

For the unversed, WADA took a firm stance on Sinner’s doping case, stating that the Independent Tribunal’s decision of “no fault or negligence” was improper under the applicable standards. It also sought a ban on the player for at least 1 to 2 years. But amidst the stressful times, Alcaraz is not the only player who has rallied his support to the Italian star.

Jannik Sinner has remained stoic despite the increasing troubles against him. He has expressed his innocence in the controversy and has continued to highlight that the entire episode took place accidentally and unintentionally. While he has received a great amount of backlash despite the ITIA ruling, there are some players who have expressed their support for Sinner and Mark Petchey is one of them.

Responding to WADA’s latest appeal, Petchey rallied behind Sinner. Taking to X, the former British player wrote, “Just for the record there is ZERO scandal in the Sinner case. He and his lawyers worked within the framework of what the rules are in the situation he found himself and got a decision based on the evidence presented. No conspiracy, no cover up.” He also seemed to question the entire process and the appeal. “WADA today have looked at it and decided that they want to appeal the decision based on the “no fault or negligence” was not correct under the applicable rules. This is how the law works every single day.”

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Coco Gauff reveals ‘focus’ for improvement as she unveils new coach

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Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff has revealed she is “really excited” after confirming that Matt Daly has become her new coach.

Gauff recently split with Brad Gilbert after a 14-month partnership during which she won the US Open in 2023, but suffered a notable dip in form across this summer.

The US star has now revealed that she is working with Daly, who has joined forces with J.C Farrell to help coach the 20-year-old across the rest of the season and into 2025.

Coco Gauff Focused On Serving Up Goods Under New Coach Matt Daly

READ; Carlos Alcaraz reveals Rafael Nadal Davis Cup wish as retirement rumours grow

Former collegiate star Daly, 45, most recently coached ATP Tour star Denis Shapovalov.

“I’m really excited,” said Gauff, speaking to WTA Insider.

“I think this is probably what it will look like next year too. I’m super excited for a new change and hopefully to improve other parts of my game.

“Working with Brad was really great and obviously we had a great partnership. I think it was just time to do a reset, a refresh, and add some things in my game that I felt like I need to do to have a better season next year.”

A key fixation in the American’s game recently has been her serve, particularly her second serve.

Gauff hit 19 doubles faults during her US Open fourth round defeat to compatriot Emma Navarro back earlier in September, a result that saw the then-world No 2 fall out of the top five of the WTA Rankings.

She is in action for the first time since then at the China Open in Beijing, seeded fourth in the single draw, and has revealed improving her serve has been a significant priority.

She added: “There are other parts of my game that I want to work on, too, but the focus right now is the serve. When I serve well, I play pretty well. For me, that’s the basis for my game.

“Already, the little bit we’ve done has made a drastic improvement to where I was three weeks ago,” she said.

“At this point, there’s not a crazy amount, like going through a whole technique change or resetting everything. It’s just subtle things that, doing it for a week now, will help me.”

Gauff begins her China Open campaign on Friday against French star Clara Burel, having received an opening round bye at the WTA 100 event.

She reached the last four at the event a year ago, losing to eventual champion Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals.

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Jannik Sinner reveals his biggest weakness after he seals emotional win

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Jannik Sinner China Open

Jannik Sinner’s first win since his US Open triumph clearly meant more to him than most.

Sinner was forced to work hard as he beat Nicolas Jarry 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the first round of the China Open.

As he won the last point of the match, he pointed to the sky and appeared to get emotional, as this was a first win since his beloved auntie Meggi Rauchegger passed away.

Top-ranked Sinner fights back to launch China Open title defence | SuperSport

READ: Carlos Alcaraz reveals Rafael Nadal Davis Cup wish as retirement rumours grow

Sinner mentioned his auntie in his US Open winners’ speech in New York earlier this month and he was eager to devote his second Grand Slam win to her memory.

“I would like to dedicate this title to my aunt because she is really not feeling well health-wise. I don’t know how much longer I still have her in my life,” said Sinner in New York.

“It’s so nice that I can share positive moments still with her. She was a very important person for my life and she still is.

“If there would be a biggest wish, I would wish everyone the best health, but unfortunately, it’s not possible.”

Sinner kept his emotions in check to see off the dangerous Jarry and he made some interesting comments about a key area of his game after the match was won.

We have not seen Sinner on a tennis court since his US Open win, but it is clear that he has been working hard on one big area of his game with coach Darren Cahill.

“The second serve I still have to improve a little bit,” he confirmed. From after US Open we worked very hard (on the serve).

“I’m happy about my process, obviously there is still a lot of room to improve.”

On the match against Jarry he added: “He played some very good tennis, the first set, he was serving very well, I was struggling to return his serve.

“I just tried to stay there mentally, first round is always tough, playing against him is very tough. Happy about the performance and how I ended the match.”

Sinner has confirmed he will only play for more events in 2024, as he looks to take some time away from the court in a move that will mean he won’t defend his Austrian Open title in Vienna.

Speaking ahead of the China Open in Beijing, where he is the defending champion, Sinner offered his thoughts on the debate around scheduling in tennis.

Carlos Alcaraz has suggested the amount of mandatory tournaments players are required to play needs to be trimmed and Alexander Zverev offered up similar sentiments.

Yet Sinner admitted players can take time off from events if they choose to do so.

“The schedule is quite long these years. But as players, we can still choose what to play and what not to play,” said Sinner.

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Carlos Alcaraz reveals Rafael Nadal Davis Cup wish as retirement rumours grow

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Carlos Alcaraz Davis Cup Rafael Nadal

Carlos Alcaraz expressed his hope that the Davis Cup Finals are not Rafael Nadal’s “last dance” after the 22-time Grand Slam winner was selected as part of the Spanish team.

Nadal joins Alcaraz in making up part of captain David Ferrer’s team for the Finals, which will take place in Malaga this November.

Spain last won the men’s team event in 2019 where they were anchored by Nadal, who had won the French and US Open titles earlier that season.

Alcaraz hopes Davis Cup will not be Nadal's 'last dance'

However, rumours are swirling that this year’s event could be the final tournament of the 38-year-old’s career, after repeated physical issues over the past two seasons.

Nadal has not played since the Olympic Games in Paris, where he fell in the second round of the men’s singles to Novak Djokovic, and reached the doubles quarter-final alongside Alcaraz.

The former world No 1 was set to play the Laver Cup this past weekend but pulled out – with Alcaraz proving to be the main star of the event.

Speaking just under two months ahead of the Finals, Alcaraz revealed that he does not “want to think” about the possibility of Nadal retiring at the tournament.

“It’s always great having Rafa around,” said the world No 3.

“I miss him. I’m not going to lie, I missed him in the Laver Cup. Obviously, as much time as I can spend with him, it’s a privilege for me.

“I don’t want to think that it’s a potential last dance for him in Malaga. I just want to enjoy seeing him on court as much as I can.

“It’s great support having him in the team. He can bring a lot of experience to the Davis Cup.”

Alcaraz played a key role in securing Spain’s place at the Finals, winning two singles rubbers and a doubles rubber in his nation’s successful qualification campaign in Valencia two weeks ago.

After guiding Team Europe to Laver Cup glory, the French Open and Wimbledon champion returns to ATP action at the China Open in Beijing

Alcaraz is the second seed in the Chinese capital, only behind world No 1 Jannik Sinner, and comes into the tournament feeling confident after his Laver Cup performances in Berlin.

“I played great matches in the Laver Cup, which helped me a lot to have more confidence coming to this tournament,” added the 21-year-old.

“I beat Ben Shelton, who was playing great, and Taylor Fritz, who came from the final in New York.

“Having those victories, it’s great for my confidence and level to come here with extra energy knowing I’m ready to do a good result, knowing that I have a really tough draw.”

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