Three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker has announced that he will become the new coach to world No.6 Holger Rune. Becker, who was released early from a UK prison last December after being found guilty of hiding assets to avoid debts, previously coached Novak Djokovic to six Grand Slam wins. 20-year-old Rune, is considered a future Slam champion but has had limited success since Wimbledon. Becker revealed his new coaching role on a German Eurosport podcast and has expressed excitement about the new opportunity. Becker’s coaching prospects for Wimbledon however are uncertain due to his deportation to Germany and licensing terms.
Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the Swiss Indoors Basel due to a left foot injury and muscle fatigue in his lower back. He announced this on social media, explaining the need for treatment to continue playing for the rest of the season. Alcaraz had the opportunity to compete for the year-end No. 1 ranking but will now miss out on valuable points. Djokovic retains an advantage in the battle for year-end No. 1. Last year, Alcaraz became the youngest year-end No. 1 in ATP Rankings history.
Billie Jean King has expressed her support for the idea of merging the Billie Jean King Cup and the Davis Cup into a unified World Cup of tennis. She believes it’s time to have a World Cup for tennis, emphasising the country-versus-country format. However, there are logistical challenges to address, including ensuring equal opportunities for both genders and scheduling conflicts with other tournaments. Both the Billie Jean King Cup and the Davis Cup are already marketed as ‘the World Cup of tennis,’ with eight teams competing in the knockout stage of the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga in late November. “I think that’s the most amazing feeling that you can have, so I think we need to also tell these kids that it’s great to play for your country.” King concluded.
