World's richest tennis star shares 'wild' story as worker caught sleeping in dressing room

World No. 5 Jessica Pegula recalled a rather unusual incident that occurred during a match early in the 2023 season against Bulgaria's Viktoriya Tomova in Dubai

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Novak Djokovic's strict nutrition involving ‘special food packages’ and sleep routine

Novak Djokovic has perfected his diet to allow himself to keep on winning Grand Slam titles.

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Carlos Alcaraz fires Olympics warning to rival Novak Djokovic heading into 2024

Carlos Alcaraz has further stoked the flames of his growing rivalry with Novak Djokovic by declaring his ambition to win gold at the Olympic Games in 2024.

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Novak Djokovic told 'don't go' by tennis star after interrupting press conference

Novak Djokovic was spotted interrupting a press conference during the United Cup and was told 'Don't go' by China star Zheng Qinwen.

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Emma Raducanu issues exciting claim before Auckland Classic as she teases comeback form

Emma Raducanu has spoken out about how she is performing ahead of her return to the court in 2024.

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Rafa Nadal sends message to Andy Murray as icons share court before Brisbane International

Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray have shared the court on numerous occasions over the years and the pair were filmed practicing together before the Brisbane International

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Dominic Thiem match suspended by deadly snake as security forced to intervene

A venomous snake forced play to be suspended in the Brisbane International match between Dominic Thiem and James McCabe.

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Emma Raducanu shows true colours as text from coach ends interview

Emma Raducanu was forced to cut her media duties short as she makes a comeback to tennis.

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Emma Raducanu facing early Australian Open blow as Brit left sweating by organisers

Emma Raducanu is hoping to receive positive news ahead of her injury comeback at the Australian Open.

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Novak Djokovic provides three-point answer to question if he is the greatest of all time

Novak Djokovic has given an interesting answer to being asked whether he believes if he is the greatest player the sport has ever seen after his recent dominance

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Novak Djokovic given new motivation vs Carlos Alcaraz and Rafa Nadal at Australian Open

Novak Djokovic will be in the hunt to win the 11th Australian Open title of his glittering career.

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Roger Federer's former coach calls on Rafael Nadal to stop Novak Djokovic in his tracks

Novak Djokovic will aim to build on his record-breaking Grand Slam haul in 2024.

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Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka make final steps ahead of much anticipated Brisbane return

Two of tennis' top stars Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka have arrived in Brisbane and are hard at work on the practice court ahead of their long-awaited comebacks

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Carlos Alcaraz forces Novak Djokovic to drop his racket with amazing shot in Saudi clash

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz faced off in an exhibition match in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

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John McEnroe set to get wish with Australian Open change to 'absurd' rule

Tennis legend John McEnroe is set to get his wish after urging the Australian Open to think about how late into the night matches could go.

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Novak Djokovic shows true colours with Carlos Alcaraz comments after Saudi defeat

Novak Djokovic lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the Riyadh Season Tennis Cup.

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What Carlos Alcaraz has heard about Rafael Nadal will worry Novak Djokovic

Rafael Nadal is set to play his first Grand Slam in a year at January's Australian Open.

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Naomi Osaka chances of challenging women's big three rated after maternity break

Naomi Osaka is set to make her first appearance at a major tournament since the 2022 US Open at next month's Australian Open, a Grand Slam she has won twice before.

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Novak Djokovic sends ominous warning to Rafael Nadal as he opens up on biggest inspiration

Novak Djokovic is currently leading Rafael Nadal in the race to win the most Grand Slam titles.

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Tennis could have a new Novak Djokovic in 20-year-old working privately with Serb

Novak Djokovic can't dominate tennis forever, but is he already working with a future world No. 1?

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Nick Kyrgios' ex-coaches include mentor who called him 'uncoachable' and one-month stint

Nick Kyrgios has been without a coach for the last seven years but the Australian did try to work with several mentors earlier in his career.

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Inside the life of world's richest tennis star Jessica Pegula with classic cars and yacht

Jessica Pegula might be one of the best tennis players in the world but her wealth from outside the sport is simply mind-blowing.

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Djokovic, Nadal, Alcaraz, Gauff and wildcard Grand Slam winner in 2024 tennis predictions

Express Sport writers have made their predictions for the 2024 tennis season

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Carlos Alcaraz's meticulous morning routine including 'Bad Bunny' and sneaker collection

The world No 2 has clinched two Grand Slam crowns in consecutive seasons as he continues to improve with age

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Sportsman secured contract worth more than Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Serena combined

The combined prize winnings of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams are less than the new contract signed by baseball's biggest star.

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Roger Federer influence laid bare as Ben Shelton gives behind-the-scenes insight

Roger Federer remains influential to the next generation of tennis stars, with US prodigy Ben Shelton taking tips off the retired Swiss.

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Carlos Alcaraz worries explained by Boris Becker as Novak Djokovic hopes dashed

Boris Becker has weighed in on Carlos Alcaraz's recent problems.

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Naomi Osaka sent message by Iga Swiatek before long-awaited comeback

Naomi Osaka will return to tennis at the Brisbane International after taking over a year off and opponent Iga Swiatek is excited by her return to action.

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British tennis star has ban lifted over a year after positive doping test

Tara Moore missed over a year of tennis action due to a positive doping test, with the Brit dropping out of the doubles rankings while suspended.

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Emma Raducanu told to rip up her dad's plans by Serena Williams' ex-coach - EXCLUSIVE

Emma Raducanu is on the lookout for her sixth full-time coach and doesn't appear likely to change her approach any time soon.

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Andrey Rublev tells Daniil Medvedev he's the 'real father' of his child in court interview

Andrey Rublev joked at the expense of Daniil Medvedev during an interview at the World Tennis League.

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Novak Djokovic’s record breaking 2023 snubbed as record-breaking MLB star gets award

The Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB star has fended off Novak Djokovic and other famous faces to claim the latest accolade of his career

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Jamie Murray has given big hint on 2024 tennis plans before taking on new role - EXCLUSIVE

EXCLUSIVE: Jamie Murray shared his 2024 plans with Express Sport before taking on a new job in British tennis.

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Roger Federer ex-coach's immediate feelings towards Boris Becker shared after Rune link-up

The former coaches of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have joined forces to work with young star Holger Rune.

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Venus Williams announces comeback plan aged 43 as tennis legend continues career

Venus Wiliams struggled with injury throughout 2023 and at the age of 43 the veteran plans to make another comeback during the 2024 North American hard court swing

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Rafael Nadal’s uncle supporting rival star ahead of Spaniard’s injury comeback

Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni will continue working with one of the Spaniard's rivals in 2024, even if it is Nadal's final year on the tennis tour.

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Rafael Nadal gets bad Novak Djokovic news ahead of injury comeback

Rafael Nadal is preparing to return to the tennis tour and Novak Djokovic is hoping they can play one last match.

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Emma Raducanu returns to former coach as Brit faces big decision before Australian Open

Emma Raducanu is stepping up her return to action and has turned to a former coach to help her.

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Nick Kyrgios savages Boris Becker again as feud takes nasty turn with jail jibe

Nick Kyrgios dragged Boris Becker's criminal past into their ongoing spat.

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Emma Raducanu advised of drastic action that could kickstart her career

Emma Raducanu has been sidelined through injury since April.

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Emma Raducanu fans warned by Tim Henman as excitement builds over return

Emma Raducanu is set to return to action in two weeks.

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Casper Ruud makes bold Emma Raducanu prediction ahead of Brit's comeback

Emma Raducanu is preparing to return to tennis after spending nine months on the sidelines.

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Moya On Nadal's Comeback: 'It’s Been A Winding And Torturous Road'

After a year off the courts, Rafael Nadal will be back in competition in late December at the Brisbane International presented by Evie. After an operation on his psoas muscle and a lingering hip issue, the 22-time Grand Slam champion set out on the long road to recovery with his sights set on a 2024 return, and the opportunity to bring an end to his legendary career while battling it out on a tennis court.

Having recently returned from Kuwait, where they practised for a few days with Arthur Fils, and before heading for Australia, Carlos Moyà, the Spaniard’s coach, sat down with ATPTour.com for an exclusive discussion about the most difficult time in the Mallorcan’s career.

Could you break down what has happened in the past few months, from Nadal’s decision to have an operation to the latest training sessions, with a mind to return to competition in Brisbane?
It’s what comes with an operation that requires complete rest. He had a more complicated operation than was first expected. Once they opened him up and saw what was there, it was more delicate than they had first thought. It’s not that he didn’t have tests and scans... but it seems that they didn’t have a good idea of the problem and the recovery period was longer than expected.

It's also true that if he hadn’t had the operation, it would’ve been even more difficult for him to recover. He always knew he wanted to come back and that he wanted to say his goodbye on court.

After the operation... it was a month and a half of practically not seeing him, because he went on holiday. He was doing rehab as much as he could, given that he was on the boat in Greece. Then, at the end of August, we started to train, but very lightly. We would do two days a week, twenty minutes. It was a very slow progression. Sometimes we would take a step back, then go again... We were always very careful.

The start was very tough, of course. There were times when it looked difficult because he wasn’t getting better. We always had peace of mind because of the constant contact with the doctor, with tests, to reassure ourselves that the rate of progress was completely normal.

We gradually increased the load and the intensity, always with a very careful plan that we followed. Sometimes we would have to take a step back, rest a little, slow down. But it’s the entire process that comes with an injury of this severity, and you’re at the point of your career when you’re no longer 20 years old.

Little by little, we were able to progress, the issues were gradually solved and now he’s practically ready to go to Australia and give it a go.

^{Photo Credit: Corinne Dubreuil}
Was there any point of the entire process when you thought he wouldn’t come back?
Yes. When you go through a process like this operation... at the end of the day, going under the knife is really a last resort, and I’m talking from experience, to try and make a comeback and retire on court. Aware of those risks, he gave it a go because it was the only option for him if he wanted to come back.

And when we started, and we’d been playing for a month and a half, or two, and we realised that progress was very slow... you don’t know if it’s slower than expectations because it’s the first time we’d been in a situation like that. But you do have your doubts, and in the player’s head there are also doubts: Will his body respond? Will it be able to take the loads? A lot of questions arise. It has not been a bed of roses, far from it. It’s been a winding, tortuous road, with many curves.

Besides the tennis work, what was your psychological role? I imagine there would have been a lot of days of talking, encouragement, being there to listen.
Both myself and the rest of the team. When I talk about myself, I talk about the whole team, aware that we are with a 37-year-old human being who has his life, his family, his interests, and his feelings. We’ve tried to support him, doing what we thought was right at each moment, looking out for his wellbeing and confidence.

Sometimes we had to press him a little, sometimes we had to take a step back. Depending on how we saw the situation from one day to the next, and above all his state of mind and motivation, sometimes one thing was required, while on other days it was the other.

In that regard, I think that he has a very understanding team. We’ve known him for many years and I think that aspect was very well taken care of.

It was a question of controlling the balance between pushing and letting go. We were aware that we had to be careful. It’s always easy to work with him because of the respect he has for all of us. I think that’s very important, but of course there were some very tough and difficult days.

Were they your most difficult times with him?
Without any doubt. There have been other difficult situations, but now you can tell the batteries are running low. A sportsman has an expiry date, and he is getting closer to it every day. You’re never aware of when that time is, very rarely. You just keep trying. And I think in that regard we’ve all had our doubts that it could come in Australia, he more so than anyone.

I had them for a certain part of the process, during certain stages. I had the feeling that it could be the end, that he’d have no chance to play again. It was the most difficult time I’ve had with him.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Ukrainian tennis star refuses to play against 16-year-old Russian in tournament final

Ukranian tennis star Marta Kostyuk withdrew from her scheduled final match at the Negometal Open de Bourg-de-Peage tournament in France

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Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic's net worth compared to world's richest tennis player

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are two of the greatest to ever play, winning 46 major titles between them - but even their combined net worth is nothing compared to the richest plater

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'My mum dragged me to the tennis court and then I beat Federer, Nadal and Djokovic'

The current bad boy of tennis has beaten all of the modern greats but had to be forced to play as a child by his mum.

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Best Of 2023 Retirements: Americans Isner, Sock Hang Up Their Racquets

As we continue our review of the 2023 ATP Tour season, we look back at some of the biggest names who called time on their playing careers this year. Americans John Isner and Jack Sock lead Part 2 of this story, with Spaniards Feliciano Lopez and Pablo Andujar among those featured in Part 1 yesterday.

John Isner
Isner was the standard-bearer of American men's tennis for much of his career. The No. 1 American in the year-end Pepperstone ATP Rankings for eight of nine years from 2012-20, Isner finished inside the year-end Top 20 for the entirety of the 2010s. 

The ATP Tour's all-time aces leader hit 48 aces in his final singles match at the US Open. The former World No. 8 closed his career with 16 tour-level singles titles and 489 match wins.

“I think I've overachieved. I never imagined myself having this much success for this long," said Isner, who turned pro in 2007 after winning the NCAA team title with the University of Georgia. “Of course, there's so many matches I wish I could have back, but I prepared in my mind as best as I possibly could for 17 years. I don't have many regrets, that's for sure.” Read Isner Tribute

Jack Sock
A former Top 10 star in both singles and doubles, Sock reached a career-high Pepperstone ATP Ranking of No. 8 in 2017, a year in which he finished as the No. 1 American. The following season, he ascended to World No. 2 in doubles.

The American won four Grand Slam doubles titles (including one in mixed), and also won two Olympic medals at the 2016 Rio de Janiero Games: a mixed doubles gold medal with Bethanie Mattek-Sands and men's doubles bronze with Steve Jonson. The biggest of his four career tour-level singles crowns came at the 2017 Rolex Paris Masters, a triumph that clinched his place at that season's Nitto ATP Finals.

“To the 8-year-old boy who immediately fell in love with the sport of tennis. I hope I made you proud,” Sock wrote in an Instagram post announcing his retirement. “It’s been 14 years of memories I will never forget.” Read Sock Tribute

Photo: Peter Staples/ATP Tour

Thomaz Bellucci
Brazil's Bellucci wrapped up his playing days this year on home soil in Rio de Janeiro. The 35-year-old won four ATP Tour singles titles and 200 tour-level matches in his career, which began when he turned pro in 2005.

“I feel happy and a little bit sad too,” the former World No. 21 said of his retirement. “Tennis was in my life for many years. It’s not easy to stop playing. But I’ve enjoyed myself so much, and my body is now feeling the years and the sacrifices I’ve made. It’s time to do something else, experience new things.”

In a conversation with ATPTour.com, Bellucci recalled how he persevered after a knee injury nearly led him away from the game much earlier in his career. Read Bellucci Tribute

Jeremy Chardy
The 36-year-old Frenchman opened his abbreviated farewell season with an Australian Open win, before finishing his career with defeat to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon.

Chardy won his lone tour-level title in 2009 in Stuttgart and reached a career-high of No. 25 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings four years later in 2013. He also cracked the Top 25 of the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Rankings, winning seven ATP Tour doubles crowns.

“It’s something special,” Chardy said of his career after being honoured at the Nitto ATP Finals. “You work hard your whole life. When you were young, your dream was to become a tennis player, and from the moment you start to play on the ATP Tour, the time flies so fast.

“I enjoyed my journey so much and I have no regrets. I just finished and I’m already coaching, I’m still on Tour. It means I really love tennis!” Read More

Chardy, second from right, was honoured alongside fellow recently retired stars at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals. Photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images

Treat Huey
A Filipino born in Washington, D.C., Huey received an emotional sendoff at the ATP 500 in his home city. The eight-time tour-level doubles champion won his first ATP Tour title at the D.C. event in 2012.

“Growing up as a kid, I was like, ‘I’d love to be good enough to play this tournament one time,’ ” he reflected. “I ended up playing it a couple times, winning it once. So it was an absolute dream come true... It was amazing I played for 14, 15 years, so I had an amazing time.”

Huey claimed a personal-best three trophies in 2015 and hit a career-high Pepperstone ATP Doubles Ranking of No. 18 the following season. Read Huey Tribute

Bradley Klahn
An eight-time singles champion on the ATP Challenger Tour, Klahn played his final tournament at a Challenger in his home U.S. state of California. Some of the American's fondest professional memories include playing on Centre Court at Wimbledon in 2018 and scoring a five-set win against Jurgen Melzer to secure his first major main-draw victory at the 2012 US Open in front of an electric home crowd.

“It never felt like a job to me to have to go and hit tennis balls and try to improve,” the former World No. 63 told ATPTour.com. “I've been very lucky for 11 years to play professionally. Not many people get to take their childhood passion and turn it into a professional thing. I am fortunate that I can say I did it.” Read Klahn Tribute

[SWEEPSTAKES]

Oliver Marach
A six-time competitor at the Nitto ATP Finals, Marach was part of a prestigious group of recently retired players honoured at the 2023 season finale in Turin. The Austrian won 23 tour-level doubles titles and reached a career-high Pepperstone ATP Doubles Ranking of World No. 2.

“For me it’s very special,” he said of the recognition at the Nitto ATP Finals. “I have big emotions around this tournament... For me it has always been next to the Grand Slams as the biggest tournament in the world, I love to come here. They treat the players specially, and the best players get together in a final clash of the year. I always enjoyed the tournament and I’m happy to have my retirement here.” Read More

Read all stories in our Best Of 2023 review.

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Gael Monfils forced to quit match at UTS in fresh injury scare against Jack Draper

Gael Monfils sparked concern when he had to stop his UTS match against Jack Draper after getting injured.

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Carlos Alcaraz has intense 35-day plan to help him stop Novak Djokovic in his tracks

Carlos Alcaraz has a strict off-season regime to help him topple Novak Djokovic in 2024.

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