The organizers of Roland Garros are in despair. First they discovered that Carlos Alcaraz would not be going due to injury. So they prepared to place the crown on Jannik Sinner, who was coming off winning all the clay court tournaments he had played. But the Italian felt unwell in his third-round match against the Argentine Juan Manuel Cerúndolo and surprisingly fell in five sets. "I haven't slept well and I've been wiped out, without energy," he explained afterwards. The organizers had Novak Djokovic left, who at 39 was aiming for one last major triumph. But he also fell, in his case against the Brazilian João Fonseca. While awaiting what the young Madrilenian Rafa Jódar might do, the tournament has been left without stars in the men's draw.And all this in a strange context. The main players, men and women, have been raising their voices in recent months to complain about the prizes they receive. Currently, Grand Slam tournaments allocate 12% and 15% of their profits to awarding prizes to players, which they consider to be too little given the huge amounts of money involved in Melbourne, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Last season, a players' revolt was already simmering, which has escalated this year. Almost all of them have decided to show their discontent not only with their statements but also with their actions. For example, many refuse to participate in Roland Garros organizers' proposals to make viral videos. In press conferences, they answer increasingly briefly and never spend more than fifteen minutes with journalists. If the organizers don't go beyond 15%, they don't go beyond 15 minutes. The first to strongly raise their voice was the best player of the moment, the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, world number 1. "When you realize the numbers we generate and see what we players receive... I think we are the ones who put on the show. We are fed up. I feel that without us there would be no tournament, there would be no entertainment. We deserve to be paid a higher percentage. At some point, maybe, we will boycott the Grand Slams, yes. I feel that it is the only way we have to fight for our rights, there is no other," she said. Other players have since joined. Djokovic supported her: "The new generations are arriving and I am happy to see leaders of our sport, like Sabalenka, taking a step forward and truly understanding how tennis politics works." And he added that he was a little disappointed with the two great players of the moment, Sinner and Alcaraz, because they weren't saying anything.

Millions of people have dreamed of having New York at their feet, even for a single minute. Exactly what Carlos Alcaraz has achieved, that boy from Murcia who, thanks to tennis, has made the city that never sleeps his own. Alcaraz was crowned US Open tennis champion for the second time in his career by defeating his great rival, Jannik Sinner. Another episode in a rivalry that should continue for a long time, provided Alcaraz doesn't turn it into a tyranny. When he plays like he did yesterday, he seems far above everyone else. Sinner was defeated in four sets (6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4).

Top-level tennis players aren't resting. On Monday night, Carlos Alcaraz won the Cincinnati Masters 1000 after seeing his opponent, Jannik Sinner, withdraw from the final due to illness. The two players who dominate the world tour seem destined to fight to win the final Grand Slam of the season, the US Open, which begins this Sunday, but it's hard to know how they'll be in shape after seeing the Tyrolean player feeling dizzy. Furthermore, Alcaraz was supposed to play in the innovative US Open mixed doubles tournament launched this year by the U.S. Tennis Federation. Sinner was also supposed to, but decided to withdraw after his scare.

"Tennis is in very good hands," said Rafa Nadal this week. Naturally, he was talking about Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, the two players who seem destined to fight for dominance in the sport over the next decade. After the beautiful five and a half hour final at Roland Garros, in which the Murcian emerged victorious with a comeback very reminiscent of those performed by the player from Manacor, both are now looking ahead to Wimbledon. To be in shape for the grass-court Grand Slam, they have chosen different paths: the Italian will participate in the Halle tournament, where he won in 2024, while Alcaraz is betting on Queen's, although he has not yet confirmed 100% whether he will be there. "The plan is to play, but in a few days we'll make a final decision. Halfway through the tournament we talked about it and Alcaraz told us he wanted to go. After these days of rest we'll do a test to see how he's physically and mentally. He'll resume his specific training for grass. We'll go to Wimbledon with great enthusiasm; he loves to play;

Roland Garros now has a new champion. Everything seemed set for a natural change of pace among Spaniards on Centre Court Philippe-Chatrier, with Carlos Alcaraz taking the Manacor native's place. And so it turned out, although at times it seemed Jannik Sinner would kick the ball out of the way. Alcaraz defended the title he won a year ago against Zverev in a beautiful final in which he even saved three match points. Just when everything seemed decided in Sinner's favor, the Murcian dressed up for Christmas with one of those comebacks that seems illogical. The trophy was already ready to be presented to the world number 1, who was hoping to become the first Italian to win in Paris since Adriano Panatta in 1976. He'll have to wait. Alcaraz rose from the ashes and, in a show of pride, won his fifth Grand Slam tournament at the same age Nadal had achieved it (4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6). He has yet to lose a Grand Slam final. He's won them all.