Tennis News Roundup: Carlos Alcaraz opens up about his dating life; WTA pro reveals receiving graphic rape threats & more

Carlos Alcaraz spoke candidly about his dating life and explained that he prefers to keep certain things private. WTA player Eva Lys, meanwhile, revealed the horrifying and graphic rape threats she and her mother received from angry bettors.

Jannik Sinner shared his honest thoughts on arch-rival Alcaraz overtaking him for the World No. 1 ranking. Novak Djokovic’s wife, Jelena, also reacted to Aryna Sabalenka’s date night with her boyfriend, Georgios. Elsewhere, Alexander Zverev made a brutal admission following his ATP Finals exit.

With that, here are the day’s biggest headlines:

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Carlos Alcaraz addresses controversial question about his 'private' dating life

Carlos Alcaraz pictured at the 2025 ATP Finals 2025 | Image Source: Getty

Carlos Alcaraz has been enjoying an exceptional season, and he now has the chance to finish it on a high as he reaches the final of the ATP Finals. He will face defending champion and long-time rival Jannik Sinner as he chases his first title at the year-end event.

In the middle of all this, Alcaraz sat down with Spanish daily El País and was asked about his much-discussed dating life, a topic that has followed him since his rise to fame. He explained that his personal relationships are something he prefers to keep private, even though so much of his life has already been "exposed."

"My life has been very exposed, so I have to know how to deal with it. Even so, it's true that there are many things that should remain private, because it's important to know the difference between what you can and can't show to others," the Spaniard said. "Honestly, I'm very open and I share a lot of things, but there are others that are better kept to yourself to feel secure and at peace, even if it's just a small bubble where you can feel safe; so that not everyone can have access to that information or comment on those things. In the end, whether positive or negative, everything has a big impact," he added.

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Eva Lys recounts horrific rape threats directed at her and her mother

Eva Lys | Image Source: Getty

Receiving threats and abusive messages from angry bettors has become a serious problem in tennis, and more players are now speaking up about it. One of them is WTA World No. 40 Eva Lys.

Lys opened up about her experiences in an interview with the German weekly Die Zeit. She revealed that she has received graphic rape threats directed at both her and her mother, along with messages describing her family being killed.

The German admitted that these messages have a deep emotional impact, yet she has been forced to find ways to cope because this kind of abuse has sadly become a part of her daily reality.

"I have a great team that looks out for me. No one is meant to deal with this so deeply. It's described in detail how I'm raped. How my mother is raped. And how my family is killed. I've read everything terrible you can read about yourself and your family. It affects me, but I have to learn to cope. It's everyday life. Unfortunately," Eva Lys said.

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Jannik Sinner gets honest about Carlos Alcaraz edging him out for World No. 1 rank

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner pictured at the 2025 ATP Finals 2025 | Image Source: Getty

Carlos Alcaraz secured the year-end World No. 1 ranking for 2025 after defeating Lorenzo Musetti in the ATP Finals group stage. The win guaranteed that Jannik Sinner could no longer overtake him, closing out an intense race for the top spot that lasted the entire season.

When asked about it in Turin, Sinner gave a straightforward reaction. He said while he wasn't "super happy" for Alcaraz, he felt the Spaniard "deserved" the achievement given the level he maintained throughout the year.

"I'm happy for him, but if I told you I was super happy, I'd be telling a lie!" Sinner told a journalist. "But he deserves it, he's had an incredible season. He's won two Slams, eight tournaments. He's playing at a very high level, he's competitive on any surface." "He had the pressure too, he managed it very well, but I'm glad for him. He's a really good guy, he has a great team around him and he's earned these achievements. For me, this is motivation for next year. If I had to choose another player to end up #1, I’d always choose him, he deserves it," he added.

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Novak Djokovic's wife Jelena shares adorable reaction to Aryna Sabalenka's date with boyfriend Georgios

Aryna Sabalenka wrapped up her season on a high by reaching the final of the WTA Finals, where she finished runner-up to Elena Rybakina. She has since flown to the Maldives and is currently enjoying a luxurious beach getaway.

Joining her on the trip is her boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis. The couple recently stepped out for a date night, where Sabalenka wore a vibrant red mini dress with a soft, flowy silhouette. The look caught attention online and even drew a reaction from Novak Djokovic’s wife, Jelena, who commented:

"Looooveeee it!🔥😍❤️"

Earlier in October, Djokovic and Jelena went on a double date in Greece with Sabalenka and Georgios, and the outing appeared to strengthen the bond between the two couples. Notably, the Djokovic family has recently relocated to Athens.

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Alexander Zverev makes his feelings known after tough ATP Finals exit

Alexander Zverev pictured at the 2025 ATP Finals | Image Source: Getty

Alexander Zverev’s run at the 2025 ATP Finals ended far earlier than he would have liked, as he failed to advance beyond the group stage. He opened with a win over Ben Shelton but then fell to Jannik Sinner, and his hopes were finally crushed with a decisive loss to Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Afterwards, Zverev didn’t sugarcoat his feelings and admitted that the match against Auger-Aliassime was the "worst" he had played in a month. He added that the entire season felt "incredibly unsatisfying," despite coming close to his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, where he reached the final.

"I also have to be honest with myself," Zverev told the media. "This was the worst match that I played in the last month, taking out the Sinner match in Paris because I wasn't fit. Yeah, from my end, this was not a good tennis match.""For me, an incredibly unsatisfying season. The tennis season is long, you have a lot of ups and downs. For me, there were not many ups. I think for me, the Australian Open final, Munich as you mentioned. Everything else, I'm very unsatisfied," he added.

Edited by Pritha Ghosh