Tennis
Vacherot Advances to Swiss Indoors Final
Valentin Vacherot secured his spot in the Swiss Indoors final, his first of 2026, after defeating sixth-seeded Taylor Fritz 7-6 (5), 6-3. He is set to face Jiri Lehecka for the championship title.
Tennis Loco Staff
News briefs and explainers from Tennis Loco. Sources and credits appear with each story.
Tennis
Venus Williams, Janice Tjen fall in Guangzhou Open doubles semifinals
Venus Williams and Janice Tjen were defeated by Polina Kudermetova and Maria Timofeeva in the Guangzhou Open doubles semifinals. The final score was 6-4, 6-7 (8), 10-6.
Tennis
Fernandez Reaches Tokyo WTA Final
Leylah Fernandez has secured her spot in the Tokyo WTA final, marking her third WTA final appearance this year. She will compete for her second tournament title.
Tennis
Shnaider defeats Eala in Tokyo quarterfinals
Diana Shnaider defeated Alex Eala in a tightly contested match in the Tokyo quarterfinals. This marks Shnaider's second consecutive victory over Eala.
Tennis
Shnaider defeats Eala to reach Tokyo semifinals
Diana Shnaider advanced to the Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis semifinals after defeating Alexandra Eala 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4. This marks Shnaider's second consecutive victory over Eala in as many weeks.
Tennis
Elena Rybakina withdraws from Tokyo tournament due to neck injury
World No. 1 Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo because of a neck injury. This withdrawal allows Leylah Fernandez to advance to the semifinals via walkover.
Tennis
Djokovic loses at Swiss Indoors
Novak Djokovic was defeated by Jan-Lennard Struff at the Swiss Indoors on Thursday. Djokovic lost 6-7 (4), 7-5, 7-6 (5) to the 47th-ranked player.
Tennis
Navratilova offers advice for Rybakina as year-end No. 1
Martina Navratilova, a former five-time year-end World No. 1, shared her perspective on what Elena Rybakina can expect as the current year-end No. 1. Navratilova stated her motivation was to improve her game once she reached the top spot.
Tennis
Karolina Muchova qualifies for WTA Finals
Karolina Muchova will make her first appearance at the WTA Finals, following a season that included a WTA 1000 breakthrough in Doha and reaching the Wimbledon final. Known for her artistic play, Muchova previously had her career impacted by injuries.
Tennis
Shnaider, Eala advance to Toray Pan Pacific Open quarterfinals
Diana Shnaider and Alexandra Eala both secured three-set victories in the second round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis tournament. Shnaider defeated Aliaksandra Sasnovich, while Eala overcame Talia Gibson, setting up a rematch between the two players.
Tennis
Stan Wawrinka's career concludes in Basel
Stan Wawrinka's professional tennis career ended on Tuesday at his home tournament in Basel.
Tennis
Venus Williams remains winless in singles after Guangzhou Open defeat
Venus Williams lost to 18-year-old Lilli Tagger at the Guangzhou Open on Tuesday, extending her singles match record this year to 0-13.
Tennis
Linda Noskova qualifies for WTA Finals after career-best season
Linda Noskova will make her first appearance at the WTA Finals, following a season that included winning Wimbledon as the No. 9 seed and breaking into the Top 10. She also secured her second career title at the Berlin Tennis Open.
Tennis
Eala advances at Toray Pan Pacific Open
Alex Eala defeated Mika Stojsavljevic 6-1, 6-2 in her opening match at the Toray Pan Pacific Open.
Tennis
Siniakova wins Japan Open, first singles title in three years
Katerina Siniakova defeated Ashlyn Krueger 6-1, 6-0 in 64 minutes to claim the Japan Open championship. This marks Siniakova's first singles title in three years.
Tennis
Mladenovic and Guo to compete in WTA Finals
Kristina Mladenovic and Guo Hanyu will participate in the WTA Finals at Indian Wells. The duo, who teamed up ten months ago, won titles in Auckland and Wimbledon in 2026.
Tennis
Rybakina wins Ningbo Open, first title as No. 1
Elena Rybakina defeated Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 6-2 to successfully defend her Ningbo Open title. This marks Rybakina's first trophy since achieving the No. 1 ranking.
Explainer
How tennis players adjust their return on clay and grass
An original tactical analysis comparing compact baseline block returns against deep-court chip and loop return postures across clay and grass surfaces, including the counter-plays that punish each choice.
Tennis
Alex Eala aims to continue momentum at Toray Pan Pacific Open
After a resurgence in Ningbo, Alex Eala is set to compete in the Toray Pan Pacific Open, looking to maintain her improved form.
Tennis
Rybakina advances to Ningbo Open final
Elena Rybakina defeated Diana Shnaider 6-3, 7-5 to secure her spot in the Ningbo Open final. She is set to play Leylah Fernandez in the championship match.
Explainer
Why the first shot after the serve matters
An original tactical study examining when deep center returns neutralize wide serve-plus-one forehand patterns—and when servers or aggressive returners exploit the counter-options.
Tennis
Rybakina reaches Ningbo quarterfinals
Elena Rybakina advanced to the Ningbo Open quarterfinals after her opponent, Polina Kudermetova, retired due to injury while trailing 5-0.
Tennis
Eala eliminated from Ningbo Open by Shnaider
Alex Eala was defeated by Diana Shnaider, the world No. 13, in the Ningbo Open round of 16 on Thursday.
Tennis
Fernandez advances to Ningbo quarterfinals
Leylah Fernandez defeated Aliaksandra Sasnovich in a three-hour match at the BNB Ningbo Open second round on Wednesday, securing her spot in the quarterfinals. This marks Fernandez's fifth WTA Tour quarterfinal of 2026.
Tennis
Iga Swiatek withdraws from Ningbo Open
Iga Swiatek has pulled out of the Ningbo Open in China due to a persistent thigh injury. Her participation in the season-ending Indian Wells tournament is now uncertain.
Tennis
Eala ends losing streak at Ningbo Open
Alex Eala secured a victory at the Ningbo Open, breaking a three-match losing streak.
Tennis
Maja Chwalinska Wins WTA 1000 Wuhan Title
Maja Chwalinska, who reached the Roland Garros final earlier this year, secured her first WTA 1000 title in Wuhan. Following Roland Garros, Chwalinska described feeling "miserable" due to increased attention and pressure, but she has since adjusted.
Tennis
Sonay Kartal defeated in Wuhan Open final
Sonay Kartal was beaten by Maja Chwalińska in the Wuhan Open final. Kartal lost the match with a score of 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.
Tennis
Eala seeks to rebound at Ningbo Open
Alex Eala is set to compete in the Ningbo Open, aiming to improve her performance after a series of early exits on the professional tour.
Tennis
Davidovich Fokina Upsets Zverev in Shanghai Masters Semifinal
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina defeated Alexander Zverev 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 to advance to the Shanghai Masters final. He is set to play Rafael Jodar in the championship match.
Tennis
Djokovic to compete at Swiss Indoors
Novak Djokovic has accepted a wild-card invitation to play in the Swiss Indoors tournament.
Tennis
BNB Ningbo Open to feature Elena Rybakina, Elina Svitolina, and Iga Swiatek
The BNB Ningbo Open, a WTA 500 event, is scheduled to begin main draw play on Monday, October 19, concluding with the championships on Sunday, October 25. Elena Rybakina, Elina Svitolina, and Iga Swiatek are among the players headlining the tournament.
Tennis
Sonay Kartal upsets Elina Svitolina at Wuhan Open
Sonay Kartal defeated world number six Elina Svitolina to advance to the semifinals of the Wuhan Open.
Tennis
Sonay Kartal reaches Wuhan Open final after injury layoff
Britain's Sonay Kartal, returning from a six-month back injury, has advanced to her first WTA 1000 final at the Dongfeng • Voyah Wuhan Open. She defeated world No. 6 Elina Svitolina and Jelena Ostapenko en route to the final.
Tennis
Iva Jovic embraces Chinese culture during Asian Swing
During her second WTA Tour Asian Swing, Iva Jovic has been exploring Chinese culture and history in Beijing and Wuhan. Jovic visited the Great Wall of China and learned about the capital's historical sites.
Tennis
Iga Swiatek discusses her red dress choice for Wuhan player party
Iga Swiatek shared details about selecting her red dress for the Dongfeng · Voyah Wuhan Open player party. She mentioned trying it on at home and opting for red over black, feeling confident in her choice.
Tennis
Maria Sakkari reflects on 2017 Wuhan breakthrough
Maria Sakkari, currently competing at the 2026 Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open, reflected on her breakthrough performance at the tournament nine years ago. As a qualifier ranked World No. 80 in 2017, she defeated notable players before reaching the semifinals.
Tennis
Zheng Qinwen wins China Open, her first WTA 1000 title
Zheng Qinwen secured her first WTA Tour 1000 title at the China Open, becoming the first home player to win the event. This victory marks a significant moment in her 2026 season, following a period where she reportedly rediscovered her competitive drive.
Tennis
Deuce and advantage: reading the score inside a tennis game
The familiar numbers mark points, but a tied game has its own winning condition.
Tennis
Why the server changes differently in a tennis tiebreak
A one-point opening turn is followed by two-point service turns in the standard sequence.
Tennis
Read the match format before predicting how long tennis will last
Games, sets and deciding procedures determine the route to a result—not an exact finishing time.
Tennis
The small court rituals that organize a tennis match
The opening choice and later changes of ends are practical parts of play, not unexplained ceremony.