WIMBLEDON: There is a real shift happening at the top of tennis, a youth movement that long seemed inevitable but never actually arrived until now.
As the sport’s attention shifts to the grass of Wimbledon, where play begins Monday, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff are the players whose names are on everyone’s lips.
Alcaraz is the defending men’s champion and owner of three Grand Slam titles at the age of 21 after his triumph at the French Open. Sinner, 22, is the top-seeded man at Wimbledon and won the Australian Open in January. Swiatek, 23, is the top-seeded woman and just earned her fourth championship at Roland Garros and fifth major overall. Gauff, the youngest of the bunch at 20, is ranked a career-best No. 2, has reached at least the semifinals at the past three Slam tournaments and won her first such trophy at last year’s US Open.
While Swiatek has entrenched herself at No. 1 in the women’s game, and is now 11-1 against Gauff, neither has been past the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, and there is a much more closely contested and intriguing rivalry developing between Alcaraz and Sinner (Alcaraz leads 5-4 after winning their semifinal at the French Open in five sets). Then there’s this: For so long, people wondered when the men’s game would evolve from the extended dominance of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, owners of a combined 66 majors, and that trio would cede space to others.
That time, it seems, is now — and Alcaraz and Sinner are beginning to separate themselves from the rest.
“These two guys will win many, many Grand Slams. How many? That’s the question. Of course, they will be the best for 10 years, I imagine — Alcaraz and Sinner. I have no doubt about it,” said Richard Gasquet, a three-time major semifinalist, including twice at Wimbledon. “They will be the future of the game. ... The new generation is coming.”
Gasquet, a 38-year-old Frenchman who got to No. 7 in the rankings, knows all too well the difficulties of being a professional tennis player during the era of the so-called Big Three of men’s tennis. The opponents in his three losses in Grand Slam semifinals? Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, once each.
But Federer, now 42, played the last match of his 20-Slam-trophy career in 2021. Nadal, 38, lost in the first round at the French Open — where he claimed 14 of his 22 major championships — and then opted to miss Wimbledon so he could focus on preparing for the Paris Olympics that start in late July; he has dealt with a string of injuries that included a hip operation last year.
And Djokovic? The owner of a men’s-record 24 Grand Slam titles needed to pull out of the French Open before the quarterfinals after tearing the meniscus in his right knee and having surgery. As of Thursday, he still was gauging whether his knee had healed enough for him to compete at the All England Club, where his streak of four consecutive trophies ended last year in a five-set loss to Alcaraz in the final.
Sinner was eliminated by Djokovic at Wimbledon each of the past two years, in the 2022 quarterfinals and 2023 semifinals. But Sinner won their two most recent matchups, at last year’s Davis Cup Finals and in this year’s Australian Open semifinals.
Both Alcaraz and Sinner excel at court coverage and big hitting. Both bring excitement, too, whether it’s Alcaraz’s creative shot-making or Sinner’s all-out dives along the way to his first career grass-court title at Halle, Germany, in June, a rare instance of a man winning his first tournament after making his debut at No. 1.
“No one has ever played like Alcaraz. No chance. And Sinner? The same thing,” said Mats Wilander, a seven-time Slam champ in the 1980s. “They’re like, ‘Whoa! What and where did they come from?’”
Alcaraz and Sinner realize they are well-positioned to take over.
They’re also aware that they’ve only just started down a path to possible greatness.
“We have to see what we do from now on,” Sinner said, “(and) do it year after year after year after year.”

Riyadh: In a significant leap for the global gaming industry, Riyadh is set to host the Esports World Cup, which promises new levels of competition and cultural exchange.

Building on the success of previous events such as Gamers8, the new tournament aims to elevate esports to new heights.

Arab News interviewed Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, ahead of the event to explore the global impact of the tournament on the gaming industry and beyond.

“We don’t want to be just another competition. Our goal is to leapfrog the industry and bring it together on a scale never seen before,” he said.

“With 22 competitions and 21 games, this is not just twice as big as anything before — it’s exponentially larger.”

Reichert highlighted Riyadh’s strategic location as a bridge between the West and the Middle East, creating a unique opportunity to unite gamers from both regions.

The eight-week event will celebrate the sport and its culture, pushing the entire industry forward, he said.

The CEO said there is a clear vision for the tournament, but executing it on this scale was daunting.

“Time was our biggest enemy,” he said. Despite this, strong support from publishers, a comprehensive qualification strategy, and numerous broadcasting partnerships have been secured.

“If you haven’t heard about it yet, our job is to make sure you do,” he added, emphasizing their commitment to broadening the event’s reach.

The response to the tournament has been overwhelmingly positive, with significant interest from broadcasting and media partners.

“We initially aimed for 15 games, but we’re starting with 21, featuring the best games in the world,” Reichert said.

Global esports supporters have rallied behind the event, resulting in more than 50 broadcasting partners worldwide.

“We’ve built an unprecedented broadcasting network, ensuring true global coverage from companies across the US, India, Africa, South America, Korea, and China.”

Reichert also discussed the thriving gaming culture in Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East.

“About 67 percent of the Saudi population identifies as gamers. Gaming is a core cultural pillar here,” though the world may not fully realize this yet, he said.

The region’s young population and leadership are highly supportive of gaming, backed by initiatives such as Vision 2030, and the national gaming and esports strategy. 

Saudi Arabia has already produced several gaming champions, and the CEO sees the Esports World Cup as a catalyst for nurturing more local talent.

“This tournament is a chance for fans to see the best gamers live and for aspiring players to envision themselves on these stages,” he said.

The event aims to inspire young gamers to pursue their dreams of becoming national and even global stars, helping to further popularize esports worldwide.

In a message to gaming fans, the CEO encouraged everyone in the region to attend the event. 

“You’ll witness the best sport in the world played live and experience fantastic gaming, esports, and cultural entertainment. This is more than just a tournament— it’s a fanfest. We call it the Esports World Cup Festival, a historic moment you don’t want to miss. If you can’t be there in person, make sure to tune in online.”