Tennis News Roundup: Maria Sharapova spills the tea about what Alcaraz and Sinner do differently; Ben Shelton's girlfriend Trinity Rodman opens up about how his presence is helping her

Maria Sharapova weighed in on on-court coaching in tennis, pointing out that Carlos Alcaraz uses it more than Jannik Sinner. She also asserted that there was no awkwardness when Serena Williams inducted her into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in August.

Ben Shelton's girlfriend, Trinity Rodman, said that spending time with the tennis star relaxed her amid NWSL Championship preparations. Patrick Mouratoglou opined that the Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry is unique and cannot be compared to the one between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Argentina's Davis Cup captain, Javier Frana, revealed Alexander Zverev's kind gesture for the former's son.

Let's explore the stories of the day:

#1. Maria Sharapova points out difference between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner

Ever since on-court coaching has been allowed, the tennis world has been divided on the issue. Former player Maria Sharapova spoke about the rule during her recent appearance on "The David Rubenstein Show."

The Russian opined that the match situation plays a big role in a player's decision to engage with their coach. Talking about the top two ATP players, Sharapova pointed out that Jannik Sinner doesn't rely on on-court coaching as much as Carlos Alcaraz.

"It depends on how the match is going," Sharapova said (20:54). "There are a few times where I would tell my coach it's enough. But yeah, I mean, the stress of the situation, I think, guides the communication between the player and the coach. Some players love it -- they openly communicate with their coaches. I know Alcaraz does it very often, whereas others, I think Sinner does it less often."

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#2. Maria Sharapova didn't feel awkward when Serena Williams inducted her into HoF

International Tennis Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony 2025 - Source: Getty

Ahead of the 2025 US Open, Serena Williams inducted Maria Sharapova into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. They were among each other's biggest rivals during their playing days, though Williams won 20 of their 22 head-to-head clashes.

Appearing on "The David Rubenstein Show," the Russian was asked if she felt awkward to have the American legend induct her. Sharapova shook her head and said (1:16):

"Awkward wasn't the right word. It was so exciting and it was so thrilling. That is a call that I made, and I said, 'Well, there's no one else I'd rather be on that stage with than you.' And she said, 'I'm honored.'" "She was incredible. She was very thoughtful. Her speech was really strong. It was also very personal, and there's that moment when she walked on stage of, like, 5 to 10 seconds when the crowd, there was, like, a bit of silence and shock, and there's a wave through the crowd, and I was like, I think we achieved what we wanted to achieve here," she added.

#3. Ben Shelton's girlfriend Trinity Rodman cherishes tennis player's presence amid NWSL Championship preparations

Apart from the US national team, Ben Shelton's girlfriend, Trinity Rodman, plays soccer for the Washington Spirit, who faced Gotham FC for the 2025 NWSL title on Saturday, November 22.

During an interview with CBS Mornings ahead of the game, Rodman said Shelton, who has completed his season, has been with her and helped her stay relaxed.

"I love listening to music. Ben's here, so I've been hanging out with him on my free time, which has been really nice. I think for both of us, whenever we're together, we get to kind of not think about tennis and soccer, which I think people think we do a lot. But no, we try to use that time as just, like, relaxation and that's what we've been doing," she said.

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#4. Patrick Mouratoglou says 'unique' Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry cannot be compared to Federer-Nadal

French tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou is highly impressed by the Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner rivalry and says it cannot be compared to the rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Sinner and Alcaraz have established a duopoly on the men's circuit over the last two years.

Writing on LinkedIn, Mouratoglou recalled how a rookie Nadal used to beat then-World No. 1 Federer.

"Back then, something unusual was happening: Roger was the best player in the world, beating everyone, dominating the tour, but Rafa was the best between the two," he wrote.

However, the Frenchman finds the contest between Alcaraz and Sinner even more satisfying and 'unique,' which should not be compared to the Federer-Nadal rivalry.

"What truly separates them (Alcaraz-Sinner) is how they dominate everyone else. Jannik does it with focus, margin, and no fluctuations. Against most players, there’s simply nothing they can do. So no, this is not Federer-Nadal. It’s something new. Something unique," he added.

#5. Davis Cup opponent expresses gratitude towards Alexander Zverev's sweet gesture

Germany defeated Argentina 2-1 in the Davis Cup quarterfinals in Bologna, Italy, on November 20. Argentina captain Javier Frana later showered praise on Alexander Zverev for consoling the former's 14-year-old son, who was heartbroken after the tie.

Frana said (via We Love Tennis):

"He made a gesture towards my youngest son, who was very sad after the defeat. Stefano was sitting on the ground before the cars left, his eyes red from crying so much. Zverev walked by, greeted him, saw him, took a step, but came back to him, lifted him up, hugged him, spoke to him, and took a picture," he said. "My son is 14 years old. He told him, ‘That's how it is in sports. It will be your turn soon.' He surely knew it was a member of our family and he did that," he added.

Germany lost the semifinals to Spain, who will fight for the prestigious title against Italy on Sunday, November 23.

Edited by Parag Jain