Winners of the week
World No. 3 and four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz got back in the winner's circle on Sunday, defeating Alex de Minaur 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 to clinch the ATP 500 tournament in Rotterdam, lifting his first trophy since Beijing back in October.
The Spaniard was in great form all week, showcasing his blockbuster brand of tennis as he also beat Hubert Hurkacz in a thrilling semi-final.
As a result, it was his first title on an indoor hard court - conditions he has notoriously struggled in. He is now the youngest man in history to have won a title on clay, grass, hard courts and indoor hard courts.
He is unlikely to play much indoor tennis until the end of the year, but this victory will certainly give him confidence that he can also thrive when that period comes around.
Also on the ATP Tour, Denis Shapovalov claimed the biggest crown of his career, beating big names like Taylor Fritz, Tomas Machac, Tommy Paul and Casper Ruud on his way to the Dallas title.
An unbelievable week for a player who was once seen as one of the best young talents in the game, the Canadian played a bold and ultra-aggressive style throughout the tournament, with his big hitting and serving too much for anyone to handle.
After a really tough few years which saw him almost completely vanish out of the equation, he is back to No. 32 in the world rankings, and fans will be hoping that he can get back on course again to at least fulfil some of his potential. This is certainly the best anyone has seen him play for a while.
In what was arguably the moment of the week, Belinda Bencic triumphed in Abu Dhabi once again after her title there in 2023, just months after making a return to the sport following maternity leave.
The Swiss player has quickly returned to her best after missing the entirety of 2024, and was truly brilliant in Abu Dhabi, beating Grand Slam champions Marketa Vondrousova and Elena Rybakina, before downing Ashley Krueger 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 in the final.
Bencic started the season really well too, reaching the fourth round at the Australian Open before losing to Coco Gauff in three sets.
A real inspiration, it is amazing to see Bencic at such a level again. If she continues playing to this standard, she could be a proper threat at upcoming tournaments.
And finally, Anastasia Potapova won her third WTA title and her first since 2023, soaring to victory in Cluj-Napoca in emphatic fashion.
The No. 1 seed dropped just one set all tournament, which came in her 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 win in the final over Lucia Bronzetti.
The big-hitting Russian clearly enjoys the indoor hard courts, with her last title coming on this surface in Linz.
Strugglers of the week
It is a really tough time for former US Open winner Daniil Medvedev. The once reliable Russian wall has become a shadow of his former self in the last 12 months, and 2025 has begun in similar fashion.
A second-round exit in the Australian Open was followed by a last-16 defeat in Rotterdam last week at the hands of surprise package Mattia Bellucci.
Once one of the biggest servers in the game, he is struggling for any sort of consistency in that department, while he is no longer as relentless from the back of the court. Medvedev moved on from one of his coaches Gilles Simon recently, and he will be desperate to recapture some of his old magic very soon.
Another player who also hasn't had the best start to 2025 is Taylor Fritz. Despite being part of the USA team that won the United Cup, Fritz suffered a third-round exit at the Australian Open and as previously mentioned, was dumped out in the round of 16 in Dallas by eventual winner Shapovalov.
Fritz's improvement in the last 18 months has been staggering, with him becoming one of the most bankable and consistent players on the Tour. So although 2025 hasn't been great for him so far, you can be sure the dip won't last.
On the contrary, Paula Badosa had an amazing start to 2025, reaching the Australian Open semi-finals. But in Abu Dhabi, she was beaten by Linda Noskova 6-4, 6-1 in her opening match, and she was comprehensively outplayed by the young Czech.
She now heads to the first WTA 1000 event of the year in Doha with another Czech, Katerina Siniakova, awaiting her in the first round.
Moment of the week
Reilly Opelka was not a happy man despite his victory over Cameron Norrie in the Dallas Open round of 16.
Serving for the match with the score at 5-4, 30-30 in the deciding set, Opelka was heckled by someone in the crowd. The American responded, swearing at the fan and telling him to leave.
As a result, the umpire gave him a point penalty, much to the dismay and anger of Opelka. He eventually went on to hold his serve and win the match, but he had a lot to say about the umpire after the match.
"He's real bad. He almost changed the outcome of that match just because he doesn't really know what he's doing. He got emotional when we were arguing," Opelka said.
"He got very tense and frantic, he couldn't give me an answer. He didn't tell that guy to shut up, he was doing it for three points. He didn't do his job, so I had to tell him, 'Get out of here'. The guy was being pretty rude.
"It shouldn't be one-sided traffic. If you want to be disrespectful to me, I can't just be a punching bag. If the ref isn't doing his job, then he penalises me - not a good look.
"He (the umpire) should be on the sideline for about four weeks, maybe learn a thing or two... You've got to understand the situation. You can't always play by the rulebook. It's just common sense."
That umpire certainly won't be on Opelka's Christmas list.
Rallies of the week
In what was arguably the shot of the year so far, Tommy Paul hit this barely believable over-the-head passing shot in his thrilling victory over Jenson Brooksby in Dallas.
Carlos Alcaraz was also at his brilliant best in Rotterdam, showcasing his incredible skillset and shot-making ability against Andrea Vavassori.
Upcoming events
The first WTA 1000 event has already gotten underway in Doha, where Iga Swiatek is looking to win her fourth consecutive title in conditions that suit her absolutely perfectly.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka will make her first appearance since her defeat to Madison Keys in the Australian Open final, while the latter will miss the tournament as she recovers from an injury.
Big names Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini and Elena Rybakina will all be appearing.
There are three ATP 250 events also taking place, with Daniil Medvedev aiming to bounce back in Marseille, Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul headlining Delray Beach, and Alexander Zverev looking to capture the Buenos Aires crown.
Check out the full schedule for tournaments in Doha, Marseille, Delray Beach and Buenos Aires.
