Emma Raducanu to ditch Carlos Alcaraz at US Open, Paula Badosa hires boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas' ex-coach? | 5 bold predictions for tennis in August 2025

The start of August usually means the countdown for the US Open is on, and it is no different this time as well. Players have already begun their preparations for the same by competing in last week's Citi DC Open, and the ongoing Canadian Open.

However, a few big names, including Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic, aren't in Canada right now. They're slated to return for the Cincinnati Open.

There's a lot happening in the world of tennis at any given moment, both on the court and behind the scenes as well. With that in mind, here are five bold predictions for the month of August 2025 that could come true:

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#1. Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz's team-up at the US Open could fail to materialize

Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz are among the 16 teams set to compete in the revamped version of the mixed doubles event at the upcoming US Open. While their partnership has garnered considerable media attention, it may not come to fruition for a multitude of reasons.

The US Open mixed doubles will be held over two days, August 19-20. However, with the Cincinnati Open final set for August 18, any players who make the final, including Raducanu and Alcaraz, could be at risk of withdrawing from mixed doubles given the short turnaround.

Furthermore, Raducanu could choose to err on the side of caution given her history of injuries. She made the semifinals in singles and doubles at the Citi DC Open, and is through to the third round of the Canadian Open. If she continues to perform well, she could think twice about competing in mixed doubles and opt to rest instead. Ultimately, it all comes down to how both of them perform in Cincinnati.

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#2. Novak Djokovic potentially chooses to skip the rest of the season

Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon 2025. (Photo: Getty)

Novak Djokovic is having a pretty solid year, reaching the semifinals of all three Majors thus far and winning his 100th career title at the Geneva Open. However, that's not enough for a champion of his caliber. While his results have been pretty good, injuries have also become a huge factor of his life now.

At 38 years of age, Djokovic has clocked in plenty of miles over the years. An injury forced him to retire from the semifinals of the Australian Open. He skipped the Italian Open in May, and now Canadian Open as well due to a groin injury. Following his loss to Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon, he admitted that age is catching up to him.

"I don’t think it’s bad fortune. It’s just age. The wear and tear of the body. As much as I’m taking care of it, the reality hits me right now the last year and a half like never before to be honest. It’s tough for me to accept that because I feel like when I’m fresh and fit I can still play very good tennis. I’ve proven that this year. Playing best of 5 particularly this year has been a real struggle for me physically," he said.

While Djokovic is on the entry list for the Cincinnati Open and the US Open, he could potentially choose to skip the rest of the season to rest and recover. A longer off-season would help him be in top shape at the start of the next season. He could have another go at the Australian Open title, his most successful Major.

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#3. Paula Badosa to potentially start working with boyfriend Stefanos Tsitsipas' former coach

Stefanos Tsitsipas recently parted ways with his coach, Goran Ivanisevic, and went back to working with his father once again. Their split wasn't particularly cordial, with both parties having something to say about the other.

Tsitsipas' partner, Badosa, is currently in the middle of another injury hiatus. The two have been rumored to have split as well, though there's no official confirmation about the same from either of them. While the Spaniard continues to recover from her latest setback, she could be taking this time to evaluate her future prospects.

Badosa is currently being coached by Pol Toledo. However, adding someone with Ivanisevic's expertise to her team would be beneficial to her long-term prospects, so that's a development to look out for.

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#4. Serena Williams to make her potential comeback in doubles

Serena and Venus Williams at the US Open 2022. (Photo: Getty)

Venus Williams recently returned to the tour after a 16-month hiatus at the Citi DC Open. The 45-year-old won her first-round matches in singles and doubles before losing in the next round. While she's still going strong, her younger sister, Serena Williams, hung up her racket in 2022.

However, the 23-time Major champion recently posted a video of herself practicing her lethal forehand under the watchful eye of her elder sister. Her return to the tennis courts set the rumor mill abuzz of a potential comeback.

The Williams sisters have won 14 Major titles in doubles as a pair, and with Venus still being active, Serena could potentially come out of retirement to play doubles with her. It would be a fitting farewell for her sister as well if she intends to retire in the near future.

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#5. Naomi Osaka probably rehires Patrick Mouratoglou after their split

Naomi Osaka recently let go of Patrick Mouratoglou as her coach and has hired Iga Swiatek's former coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski as his replacement on a trial basis. The 27-year-old's best result under Mouratoglou was a runner-up finish at a WTA 250 tournament this year, along with a quarterfinal showing at last year's Qatar Open, a WTA 1000 event.

Wiktorowski is with Osaka at the ongoing Canadian Open. However, if they don't gel during this trial period, it wouldn't be too surprising to see her going back to Mouratoglou. She has a lot of respect for her former coach, and could end up giving him another shot.

Wiktorowski is a talented coach himself, and tasted plenty of success with Swiatek. So if he's able to transform Osaka's game in the coming weeks, then Mouratoglou won't be in the picture at all.

Edited by Rohit