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The month of September was quite action-packed when it came to tennis. The build-up to the season's final Major was quite exciting and it concluded with Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka's triumphs.
The Laver Cup suffered a blow in the wake of Rafael Nadal's withdrawal. Despite the 22-time Major champion's absence, the tournament was a thrilling affair, and it was Carlos Alcaraz who shined on his debut. The young Spaniard was instrumental in turning the tide in Team Europe's favor.
In other noteworthy news, Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka made major coaching changes as they look to end the season on a high. While he has dominated the year with his on-court performances, Sinner has been mired in controversy beyond it.
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On that note, here's a look at the highlights from the world of tennis for September:
#1 - Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner dominated the US Open series
Sinner and Sabalenka started the year on a high. The former won his maiden Major title at the Australian Open, while the latter defended her crown in Melbourne to capture her second Major trophy.
Sabalenla's form took a hit after that, though she recovered during the clay swing. She reached back-to-back finals in Madrid and Rome, and the quarterfinals of the French Open. An injury forced her to skip Wimbledon, and she emerged stronger than ever upon her return.
Sinner's consistency saw him capture three more titles after his win Down Under and reached the semifinals of the French Open as well. He started the North American swing with a quarterfinal finish at the Canadian Open. Sabalenka bowed out from the same stage there.
The two laid their hands on the winner's trophy at the Cincinnati Open. It was Sinner's fifth title of the season and Sabalenka's second. They continued their good run of form at the US Open and emerged victorious there as well.
This was the second consecutive season with players completing the Cincinnati Open-US Open double after Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff did it last year. Sinner and Sabalenka's unbeaten run continued at the ongoing China Open.
The Italian will face Bu Yunchaokete in the semifinals on Tuesday (October 1), while the Belarusian will take on Madison Keys in the fourth round on Wednesday (October 2).
Carlos Alcaraz leads Team Europe to its first Laver Cup title since 2021
Alcaraz hit all the right notes on his Laver Cup debut. Team Europe had lost the last two editions, and it looked like the trophy would slip out of their hands this time as well.
The Europeans went down 8-4 at the end of the second day, and Alcaraz had won his team's only match that day. However, the Spaniard brought his trademark tenacity to the team event as well and turned things around on the final day.
Alcaraz teamed up with Casper Ruud and won their doubles tie to kick off the third day, and narrowed down the deficit to 8-7. However, Ben Shelton's win over Daniil Medvedev put Team World on the cusp of victory with an 11-7 lead.
Alexander Zverev kept them in contention as he beat Frances Tiafoe and brought the score to 11-10. It all came down to the final match between Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz, this year's US Open finalist. The Spaniard beat him in straight sets and clinched the title for Team Europe.
Alcaraz suffered a disappointing second-round exit from the US Open. However, he has been in great form since then. He won all of his singles ties at the Davis Cup and the Laver Cup and is currently in the semifinals of the China Open. He will take on Daniil Medvedev for a spot in the final on Tuesday (October 1).
Coco Gauff splits with Brad Gilbert, Naomi Osaka hires Serena Williams' ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou
Two of the biggest names in women's tennis made a huge change in their respective teams. Gauff, who claimed her maiden Major title at last year's US Open under the guidance of Gilbert, parted ways with him.
Gauff's results had stagnated in recent weeks after a promising start to the season. She let go of Gilbert a few days after her title defense in New York concluded in the fourth round, and brought Matt Daly on board as her new coach. He previously worked with Denis Shapovalov, among other players.
Osaka's comeback has been promising, albeit a little bumpy. She bowed out in the second round of the US Open and announced her split with coach Wim Fissette after that. She teamed up with Mouratoglou, who's famous for his decade-long tenure as the coach of Serena Williams.
Both Osaka and Gauff have made a promising start with their new coaches. They have reached the fourth round of the China Open and will face each other on Tuesday. (October 1).
Jannik Sinner in hot waters yet again after WADA appealed the outcome of his doping case
It was revealed in August that Sinner had tested positive for Clostebol, a banned substance. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) found trace amounts of it in his body. However, it ended up in his system after his physiotherapist massaged him without using gloves after he had used a cream with Clostebol to treat himself.
While the ITIA found "no fault or negligence" on Sinner's part, he was still docked prize money and ranking points he gained from the Indian Wells Masters as he had tested positive for it during the tournament. He put the matter behind him and went on to win the US Open.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has now reopened the can of worms as they appealed ITIA's decision a few days ago. They are now seeking a ban between one and two years for Sinner. Further developments regarding the matter are still awaited.
