Tennis News Today: Jannik Sinner makes surprising admission about his relationship with girlfriend Anna Kalinskaya; Alexander Zverev takes sarcastic jab at being grouped with Carlos Alcaraz at ATP Finals

Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner revealed a surprising insight into how dating Anna Kalinskaya hasn't affected his life much. In other news, Alexander Zverev responded humorously after being asked about being drawn into the same ATP Finals group as Carlos Alcaraz.

Meanwhile, Patrick McEnroe defended himself against criticism of using his brother John McEnroe's fame. Martina Navratilova remarked that the majority of the American population chose new President-elect Donald Trump despite his alleged racist and fascist tendencies.

Also, Jannik Sinner reflected on how his parents' influence paved the way for his tennis journey.

On that note, here's a recap of today's top tennis news:

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Jannik Sinner opens up about why his girlfriend Anna Kalinskaya hasn’t changed his focus

Jannik Sinner (Image source: Getty)

Jannik Sinner opened up about his relationship with fellow tennis player Anna Kalinskaya, reflecting on whether her presence had changed his life.

While Kalinskaya has been a strong supporter, often seen cheering him on during matches, Sinner noted that her presence hadn’t significantly impacted him.

Speaking with Esquire, he shared that he wants their relationship to fit naturally into his life without altering him as a player or person, adding that this balance makes their bond work well.

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"I don't think anything has changed. Having a girlfriend is something that either makes you feel good or makes you feel bad. I want it to be something that feels very natural, which comes into my life normally. I can't afford to change as a player or as a person. That hasn't happened, that's why it works," Jannik Sinner said.

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Alexander Zverev makes sarcastic comment about Carlos Alcaraz being in his ATP Finals group

Alexander Zverev humorously gave a sarcastic response to being placed in the same group as Carlos Alcaraz during a playful exchange at the 2024 ATP Finals group press conference. Zverev, a two-time champion, is in the John Newcombe group along with Alcaraz, Casper Ruud, and Andrey Rublev.

When asked if having Alcaraz in his group was an advantage, Zverev joked that he was glad to be drawn with the Spaniard, saying it was “so easy” to face him and that Alcaraz wasn’t particularly strong on big stages like Grand Slam finals.

"Yeah, it's great. I prefer to have Carlos than anybody else, for sure. It's so easy to play against him. Especially in big matches, he's proven in Grand Slam finals he's not so good. He's never lost, no?" Zverev quipped (at 00:46).

Alexander Zverev and Carloz Alcaraz's head-to-head is tied at 5-5. They last met at the 2024 French Open final, where the Spaniard won 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2.

At this year's ATP Finals, Zverev and Alcaraz will kick off their campaigns with their first round-robin matches against Andrey Rublev and Casper Ruud, respectively.

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John McEnroe's brother Patrick responds sharply to criticism about living in his brother’s shadow

Patrick McEnroe responded sharply to a fan who accused him of riding on his brother John McEnroe's success.

The exchange began when McEnroe tweeted about his NFL picks, prompting a response from a follower and former tennis pro, who remarked (in a now-deleted tweet) that McEnroe was relying on his brother's fame and couldn’t make an impact independently.

"Your riding on the coat tails of your Brothers Solid life and name of Commercial Acceptance. Now you want to keep as political? Throwing your dumb ass out anywhere for reasons.. You had your chances to make a difference on your own... Now its just sad," the user wrote.

McEnroe countered the remark with a sarcastic tweet:

"Wow such nice comments from a fellow tennis person. All the best to you my friend."

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Martina Navratilova asserts that many Americans overlooked Donald Trump’s controversial views in voting for him

Martina Navratilova described newly elected President Donald Trump as "strong" and "repulsive," stating that most Americans voted for him despite his "racism and fascism." The 2024 U.S. presidential election on November 5 resulted in Trump becoming the 47th president, with his term starting in January 2025.

After Trump's victory over Kamala Harris, Navratilova issued a cautionary message to Americans, to which X user David Thunder responded, arguing that not all Trump voters are "idiots and fascists" and suggested a need to understand their motivations.

Navratilova replied that while some voters supported Trump because of his "racism and fascism," the majority did so despite these traits.

"What I am saying some voted for trump because of his racism and fascism and some, most, voted for him despite his racism and fascism. Strong men, how repulsive they might be personally, seem to be the in thing these days," Navratilova wrote.

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Jannik Sinner explains how his parents' upbringing shaped his tennis career

Jannik Sinner shared how fortunate he was to have parents who gave him the freedom to make his own decisions, attributing much of his success to their supportive approach.

In a recent interview with Sky Sport Italia, Sinner explained that his mother, Siglinde, and father, Hanspeter, created an ideal environment for him to thrive, despite their modest lifestyle.

The Italian tennis star highlighted that his parents were never strict about him continuing with skiing, even though he excelled at it as a child.

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"I was lucky to have very reserved parents who always tried to give the best they could. I always had the freedom to choose, even in sports," Jannik Sinner said (Translated from Italian).

"I was much stronger at skiing and maybe other parents would have told me to continue skiing instead of playing tennis," he said. "Instead they made me try; told me that they would be happy if I was happy. If I am in this position today it is only thanks to my parents," he added.

Jannik Sinner is currently in Turin, Italy for his ATP Finals campaign (November 10-17). The top-seeded Italian is drawn into the Ilie Nastase group along with Daniil Medvedev, Alex de Minaur, and Taylor Fritz. The 2023 runner-up will take on seventh seed de Minaur, who will debut on November 11.

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