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The spotlight was on the Australian Open 2025 in the month of January. The world's very best assembled in Melbourne, and Jannik Sinner and Madison Keys were crowned as the victors in singles. With the excitement of the season's first Major in the rearview mirror, there's still plenty to look forward to in the month of February.
Top players across the men's and women's tours will be in action all over the world, though most of them will be in the Middle East. The WTA Tour has a couple of WTA 1000 tournaments in Qatar and Dubai, and the ATP Tour has two tournaments at the ATP 500 level in the same countries.
Players such as Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, and Aryna Sabalenka, among others will be in action this month. With that in mind, here's a look at what the month of February could potentially have in store for the tennis world:
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#1. Alexander Zverev to possibly hire Boris Becker as his new coach
Third time wasn't the charm for Zverev, whose dreams of becoming a Major champion went up in smoke with a loss to Sinner in the Australian Open final. He previously lost to Alcaraz in last year's French Open final, and came up short against Dominic Thiem in the US Open 2020 final.
Zverev is one of the most accomplished players of his generation, having won everything on tour except for a Major title. He has been coached by his father and brother for a long time now, with the occasional team-up with another coach from time to time. Juan Carlos Ferrero, Ivan Lendl, and David Ferrer served as the German's additional coaches for a while over the years.
Zverev was recently spotted hanging out with compatriot Boris Becker, which set off speculation that the latter could be his new coach. The 57-year-old coached Djokovic from 2014-16, and the Serb won six Major titles and 14 Masters 1000 titles during this period.
Becker helped Djokovic win the French Open for the first time as well, and helped him complete the Career Grand Slam. He could guide Zverev to similar heights if they do end up working together.
#2. Carlos Alcaraz to bounce back with a title in Rotterdam after a heartbreaking loss at the Australian Open
Alcaraz's journey at the Australian Open came to an end in the quarterfinals with a four-set loss to Djokovic. The young Spaniard was bidding to become the youngest man in the Open Era to complete the Career Grand Slam.
Djokovic wasn't at his best physically, and eventually retired after losing the first set against Zverev in the semifinals. It was certainly a missed opportunity for Alcaraz, who failed to capitalize on his chances during the match. Nevertheless, he's looking forward to doing well in his next tournament, the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam, which will run from February 3-9.
Alcaraz is yet to reach a final on indoor hardcourts. His prior record in those conditions isn't the best, and he's cognizant of the fact as well. He competed on clay for the past three years during this period, and this switch up is likely to bolster his credentials indoors. Given that he's the most consistent and accomplished player in the Rotterdam draw, he will still be the favorite to go all the way here.
#3. Novak Djokovic to potentially win his 100th career title in Doha
Djokovic's quest for a 25th Major title came to an unfortunate end after he was forced to retire from his semifinal match due to an injury. He's on the mend now, and is likely to be ready for his next tournament, the Qatar Open in Doha, which will be held from February 17-22.
Djokovic is a two-time champion in Doha, winning back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017. He has fond memories of the place, and if he's fully fit, then he could make a play for the title, which would be the 100th of his career as well.
However, Djokovic will face some stiff competition if he wants to capture his milestone 100th title. The tournament has been upgraded to an ATP 500 status from this year, and has attracted the likes of Alcaraz and Sinner as a result. The Serb has shown that he's still ready to go toe-to-toe with the young guns, and if he's back in top shape, then he could certainly lay his hands on the winner's trophy.
#4. Madison Keys to crack the top 5 of the WTA rankings
Keys claimed her maiden Major title at the Australian Open, and returned to the top 10 of the WTA rankings for the first time since 2023 at No. 7, her career-high ranking. She attained the same for the first time back in 2016. She now has a good shot at cracking the top five of the rankings this month.
Keys is ranked No. 7 in this week's rankings. She isn't competing in the ongoing Abu Dhabi Open, and next week's Qatar Open as well. However, players ahead of her are defending some big points.
Elena Rybakina is the defending champion in Abu Dhabi, and if she fails to defend her title, then Keys will reach a new peak of No. 6 in next week's rankings. The Kazakh is also defending runner-up points at the Qatar Open, so that's another chance for the American to leapfrog her if she bows out early.
World No. 4 Jasmine Paolini is the defending champion in Dubai after that. Only Swiatek and Sabalenka have defended a WTA 1000 title this decade. If the Italian crashes out early, then Keys could at least peak at No. 5. The American skipped the Middle East swing altogether last year, and even competing in just one tournament could help her attain a new peak in the WTA rankings.
