(Paris) The Norwegian Casper Ruud, winner of the Estoril tournament, took over from the Russian Daniil Medvedev the 4e place in the world ranking published Monday by the ATP, where the American Frances Tiafoe, titled in Houston, is now at the gates of the top 10.
Aged 24, Ruud, a finalist last year at Roland-Garros and at the United States Open, won his first title of the season in Portugal on Sunday.
Thanks to this new trophy, the 10e of his career, he finds the 4e world place that Medvedev had stolen from him last week after triumphing at the Masters 1000 in Miami, but who did not play last week.
Winner on the American clay of Houston, Frances Tiafoe, 25, gains him four places in the last delivery of the ATP ranking, where he settles in 11e rank, the best of his career, just behind his compatriot Taylor Fritz.
Semi-finalist in Indian Wells last month, Tiafoe confirmed in the final in Houston, winning the second title of his career after Delray Beach in 2018.
Rafael Nadal, away from the courts since losing the second round of the Australian Open in January, continues his slow descent, occupying this week the 15e world rank (-1).
I am a sports journalist who has worked in print and online. I have authored articles for a sports website and have covered sports news for over 6 years.
45-year-old French coach Gilles CervaraThe Russian tennis player, who worked with Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev from 2017 to 2025, published a post reacting to the interview on his Instagram account. Alexandra Oleynikova For L’Equipe:
“Alexandra, I cannot and do not want to remain indifferent to your life or the lives of many people in the same or similar situation (and not only because of the war…).
This could happen to everyone on this planet sooner or later. “My respect and admiration for the courage of your resistance,” Gilles wrote.
In an interview with L’Equipe, Oleynikova described Arina Sabalenko, Diana Schneider and Daniil Medvedev as dangerous players in the Tour for supporting dictators Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukoshenko. This situation caused a certain reaction: Sabalenka, Schneider and Medvedev had to answer relevant questions at press conferences after the matches of the Australian Open 2026.
Gilles Cervara is currently working with Georgian representative Nikoloz Basilashvili.
I am a sports journalist who has worked in print and online. I have authored articles for a sports website and have covered sports news for over 6 years.
(Melbourne) Luxury brands took center stage at the Australian Open, where Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka and Canadian Victoria Mboko advanced to the fourth round.
But when the world number one women’s tennis player takes on one of the sport’s rising young stars, it will only be about tennis.
Top seed Sabalenka beat Anastasia Potapova 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7) and Mboko, 19, eliminated Clara Tauson, 14e seeded, 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-3 to earn their bye to the round of 16.
Sabalenka has won the Australian Open twice and reached the final at Melbourne Park last year. She also has two US Open titles. Mboko is making his debut at the Australian Open this year.
Fashion was more than ever the center of attention during this tournament after Naomi Osaka’s spectacular entrance during her first round match.
Sabalenka and Mboko therefore had to answer questions about their advertising contracts, which coincide with the first Grand Slam meeting of the year: the Belarusian with Gucci and the Canadian with Rolex.
PHOTO ASANKA BRENDON RATNAYAKE, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Aryna Sabalenka
But on Friday, the focus was mainly on the upcoming match between two players with very different experiences.
“First of all, I never spoke to her, I never had the opportunity to play or train with her. I only saw her outside,” Sabalenka said of Mboko.
I watched a few matches. Yes, she is an excellent player. She’s a fighter. She plays very well, with combative tennis.
Aryna Sabalenka on Victoria Mboko
Sabalenka is playing at the Australian Open for the eighth time, has won 22 titles on the tour and earned more than $45 million in purses during her career.
She was long considered one of the sport’s most promising players, but she had to overcome stage fright and service problems. It was only in her fourth appearance at the Australian Open that she qualified for the second week of the tournament.
“I think for me it would have been very difficult to deal with success at such a young age,” Sabalenka said.
“But when I see these girls, so young and who have already accomplished so much, who play tennis so well and who are so mature, I find it incredible. I feel like they mature a lot faster than me. »
Mboko acknowledged that this will be a big step forward, on and off the court. She is only making her fourth appearance at a Grand Slam tournament, and her first participation in the round of 16 at this stage of one of the four biggest events in world tennis.
She won two WTA titles, the first last August in Montreal – in the WTA 1000 category – when she was 18 years old and benefited from a pass from the organizers of the National Bank Open.
“I think it’s super cool. I have never played against the current world number 1. It will be a very different experience,” admitted the Canadian.
“I guess we will also play on the Rod Laver court. I’ve never played on center court at a Grand Slam either. Lots of first times. I think it’s really cool to be able to do this on Sunday. Just to show what I’m capable of. »
Sabalenka has built a large following by being very active on social media, attracting new fans to tennis and giving her existing supporters a behind-the-scenes look.
Sabalenka takes her role as an ambassador to the public and a positive influence for young players very seriously. Mboko is about to have his first up-close experience.
“That’s my only priority: to be a good example, to show that it’s possible to find a balance, that you have to know how to have fun while remaining focused on your career,” she explains.
“I want to prevent young people from making the same mistake as me, namely devoting themselves exclusively to tennis, which generates a lot of pressure and ends up destroying you from the inside. »
I am a sports journalist who has worked in print and online. I have authored articles for a sports website and have covered sports news for over 6 years.
(Melbourne) Luxury brands took center stage at the Australian Open, where Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka and Canadian Victoria Mboko advanced to the fourth round.
But when the world number one women’s tennis player takes on one of the sport’s rising young stars, it will only be about tennis.
Top seed Sabalenka beat Anastasia Potapova 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7) and Mboko, 19, eliminated Clara Tauson, 14e seeded, 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-3 to secure their pass to the round of 16.
Sabalenka has won the Australian Open twice and reached the final at Melbourne Park last year. She also has two US Open titles. Mboko is making his debut at the Australian Open this year.
Fashion was more than ever the center of attention during this tournament after Naomi Osaka’s spectacular entrance during her first round match.
Sabalenka and Mboko therefore had to answer questions about their advertising contracts, which coincide with the first Grand Slam meeting of the year: the Belarusian with Gucci and the Canadian with Rolex.
But on Friday, the focus was mainly on the upcoming match between two players with very different experiences.
“First of all, I never spoke to her, I never had the opportunity to play or train with her. I only saw her outside,” Sabalenka said of Mboko.
PHOTO ASANKA BRENDON RATNAYAKE, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Aryna Sabalenka
I watched a few matches. Yes, she is an excellent player. She’s a fighter. She plays very well, with combative tennis.
Aryna Sabalenka on Victoria Mboko
Sabalenka is playing at the Australian Open for the eighth time, has won 22 titles on the tour and earned more than $45 million in purses during her career.
She was long considered one of the sport’s most promising players, but she had to overcome stage fright and service problems. It was only in her fourth appearance at the Australian Open that she qualified for the second week of the tournament.
“I think for me it would have been very difficult to deal with success at such a young age,” Sabalenka said.
“But when I see these girls, so young and who have already accomplished so much, who play tennis so well and who are so mature, I find it incredible. I feel like they mature a lot faster than me. »
Mboko acknowledged that this will be a big step forward, on and off the court. She is only making her fourth appearance at a Grand Slam tournament, and her first participation in the round of 16 at this stage of one of the four biggest events in world tennis.
She won two WTA titles, the first last August in Montreal – in the WTA 1000 category – when she was 18 years old and benefited from a pass from the organizers of the National Bank Open.
“I think it’s super cool. I have never played against the current world number 1. It will be a very different experience,” admitted the Canadian.
“I guess we will also play on the Rod Laver court. I’ve never played on center court at a Grand Slam either. Lots of first times. I think it’s really cool to be able to do this on Sunday. Just to show what I’m capable of. »
Sabalenka has built a large following by being very active on social media, attracting new fans to tennis and giving her existing supporters a behind-the-scenes look.
Sabalenka takes her role as an ambassador to the public and a positive influence for young players very seriously. Mboko is about to have his first up-close experience.
“That’s my only priority: to be a good example, to show that it’s possible to find a balance, that you have to know how to have fun while remaining focused on your career,” she explains.
“I want to prevent young people from making the same mistake as me, namely devoting themselves exclusively to tennis, which generates a lot of pressure and ends up destroying you from the inside. »
I am a sports journalist who has worked in print and online. I have authored articles for a sports website and have covered sports news for over 6 years.
