LLOYD SLAMS JANNIK SINNER & EMMA RADUCANU: DAVIS CUP HAS BECOME 'A JOKE'
Former British No. 1 John Lloyd criticised Jannik Sinner and Emma Raducanu for skipping the Davis and BJK Cups, arguing their priorities diminish the team competitions.
John Lloyd, former British No. 1, can't believe stars like Jannik Sinner and Emma Raducanu skipped the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup this year.
Sinner, ranked No. 2 globally, caught flak for not playing in the 2025 Davis Cup Finals in Bologna, even though he helped Italy win in both 2023 and 2024.
Lorenzo Musetti, ranked eighth, also backed out of Italy’s team. Still, Italy snagged a third straight title, beating Spain in the final.
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz was supposed to lead Spain in the Davis Cup, but he had to withdraw due to an injury from the ATP Finals.
With these big names missing, Alexander Zverev, ranked third, was the only top 10 player at the Davis Cup Finals.
In the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in September, Jasmine Paolini, Jessica Pegula, and Elena Rybakina, all top 10 players at the time, made appearances. Italy edged out the United States in the final.
Raducanu, the British No. 1, was questioned for not playing in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
On the Inside-In Tennis Podcast, Lloyd shared his disappointment about the Davis Cup’s decline, making it clear he wasn't happy about the absence of top players this year.
“Honestly, it makes me sad. Not just because Italy won, but because of what the Davis Cup is now. I’ve been saying for years that it’s become a bit of a joke,” Lloyd said.
“It gets by because when it’s played in another country, there are still people who come to watch, no matter what.
“But you can't call it the greatest team competition when only one top 10 player is participating. You can't fool people, except maybe in Italy, where they just want to see their country play, and they're lucky to have so many good players.
“But Musetti and Sinner didn't play due to physical reasons. They said they wanted to rest and get ready for next year. I can't believe it. That's what the Davis Cup has become. It never would have happened back when I played.”
Lloyd, who was an Australian Open runner-up in 1977, added that the same goes for the Billie Jean King Cup, and he criticised Raducanu’s choice.
“It’s not just the men; the women are doing it too. Look at the Billie Jean King Cup, which has also become a joke in its own way,” Lloyd continued.
“Emma Raducanu… Britain had a real chance to win it for once. She pulls out, saying she wants to spend time with her new coach and get ready for the next season or get ranking points. Are you kidding me?
“Isn't it always an honour to play for your country? What’s happened to the sport when players just say, ‘You know what, it’s the end of the season…'”
NOVAK DJOKOVIC LANDS IN ATHENS AFTER HISTORIC AUSTRALIAN OPEN RUNNER-UP FINISH
After a historic loss to Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic returns to his family in Athens to reset for the 2026 tennis season.
After losing his first Australian Open final to Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic just wanted to see his family.
Djokovic landed in Athens on Tuesday, wrapping up two weeks away from home and marking his 38th appearance in a major final.
For the first time ever, Novak walked away from Rod Laver Arena with the runner-up trophy. At 36, he became the oldest finalist in Australian Open history, but Alcaraz stopped him in four sets: 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5. The match lasted just over three hours.
This was Djokovic's first tournament in more than two months, and even so, he showed why people call him a legend. He cruised through the first three rounds and reached the last 16 without much fuss.
In the fourth round, Jakub Mensik had to pull out with an abdominal injury, so Novak got a walkover and saved some energy for the big matches ahead. But things nearly fell apart a few days later. Lorenzo Musetti took the first two sets in their quarterfinal, and for a moment, Djokovic looked like he might be headed home early. Then, out of nowhere, Musetti retired in the third set, and suddenly Novak was through to his 13th Australian Open semi-final.
Next up was Jannik Sinner, the two-time defending champ. Djokovic had to dig deep. Twice he came back from a set down and eventually won 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 after more than four hours on court. He fought off 16 out of 18 break points and weathered over 70 winners from Sinner, proving that belief really does go a long way. At 36, he marched into his 38th major final.
Djokovic left everything on court against Alcaraz. He started strong, but the Spaniard found his rhythm and took control in the second and third sets, racking up five breaks. In the fourth, Novak saved six break points early on and kept pace, even earning a break chance at 4-all. Then he missed a forehand he’d usually make, and just like that, his shot at a fifth set slipped away.
Alcaraz broke late in the set and sealed the win, handing Djokovic his first-ever loss in an Australian Open final. Now, Novak’s taking some time off to be with his family. He’s expected back on court soon, probably in Doha, but right now, only he knows how his schedule will look.
WHO IS SAMUEL LOPEZ? MEET THE COACH BEHIND CARLOS ALCARAZ’S 2026 AUSTRALIAN OPEN GLORY
Discover the touching moment Carlos Alcaraz saw coach Samuel Lopez receive a trophy after his Australian Open victory.
Carlos Alcaraz just pulled off something huge—he beat Novak Djokovic in four sets (2:6, 6:2, 6:3, 7:5) to win the Australian Open. With this win, he joins the legends of the Open era, becoming one of the rare players to snag at least one title at all four Grand Slams.
Here’s the wild part: Alcaraz is just 22. Actually, he turns 23 on May 5, so he’s still got plenty of time. This marks his seventh Grand Slam title already. For a bit of perspective, Djokovic had only one Grand Slam trophy at Alcaraz’s age.
Since he’d never won the Australian Open before, Alcaraz didn’t really know the drill for the trophy ceremony. His coach, Samuel Lopez, got a trophy too, which caught Carlos off guard—in a good way. Their partnership has clearly paid off.
Talking to the media, Alcaraz said he loved that coaches get recognised with their own trophy. He hadn’t seen that before and thought it was a fantastic idea, since a champion’s journey isn’t a solo effort. Watching Samuel Lopez get his moment meant a lot to him. “It’s wonderful, and when I saw him there, I was so happy because I know Samuel has been working toward this moment his whole life. For me, he’s one of the best coaches—if not the best—you can have on a tennis court today. For me, it was a magical and incredibly special moment: hugging him after the last point and also seeing him there, with everyone recognising what he deserves,” Alcaraz said.
Not everyone was convinced after Alcaraz split with long-time coach Juan Carlos Ferrero and started working with Lopez. Some experts doubted whether he could keep dominating the tour this year. But after Melbourne, it looks like Alcaraz isn’t going anywhere. Even without Ferrero, he’s still leading the pack.
With three more Grand Slams coming up this season, it’s shaping up to be a wild ride. You get the feeling that we’ll be watching Alcaraz and Sinner battling for the biggest prizes all year long.