Ranking the 10 Wildest Moments in Tennis of 2025

A true last-minute entry. Last week, Carlos Alcaraz surprised fans by firing his long-time coach , Juan Carlos Ferrero. The details are still scarce, but reporting indicates contract negotiations rapidly deteriorated over the weekend. Alcaraz won all six of his Grand Slam titles during Ferrero's seven-year coaching tenure.

9. Serena Williams' Halftime Dance

Tennis fans taking a break from the Middle East Swing to watch the Super Bowl were shocked to see Serena Williams dancing on stage during Kendrick Lamar's halftime show. As always, Williams stole the show.

8. Alexander Zverev's Conspiracy Theory

Alexander Zverev kicked off his Shanghai Masters campaign with a convincing win over qualifier Valentin Royer. Yet, Zverev used the post-match interview to endorse Roger Federer's theory that tournament organizers are using court surfaces to help Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. The best moment was Sinner's spit-take reaction to hearing the complaint.

7. Emma Raducanu Boots Baby

Emma Raducanu's situation with the "fixated fan" in Dubai wasn't wild; it was just scary and sad. So, let us focus on the incredible reaction between her and the umpire over a crying baby in Cincinnati. Raducanu's reaction and the crowd's support were very meme-worthy.

6. Donald Trump Delays the US Open

President Donald Trump's highly publicized appearance at the US Open prompted tournament organizers to delay the final matchup by 30 minutes. Even after the postponement, fans were still streaming into the stadium nearly an hour into the duel after being stuck outside of Arthur Ashe Stadium.

5. Aryna Sabalenka Disses Coco Gauff

Aryna Sabalenka's post-match press conference after losing to Coco Gauff in the French Open final set off a firestorm on social media. Sabalenka discredited Gauff's incredible run, even suggesting that Iga Swiatek would have won the final match that day.

Sabalenka tried clarifying her remarks the following day, but to no avail. The WTA World No. 1 had to spend most of the grass-court season apologizing for the remarks and eventually appeared in TikTok videos with Gauff to show there was no bad blood.

4. Elena Rybakina's WTA Finals Snub

Elena Rybakina spent the first few months of 2025 dealing with the fallout from her coach, Stefano Vukov's suspension for a breach of the WTA Code of Conduct. She finished the year on an absolute heater, winning the WTA Finals championship match. Rybakina then declined to pose for a photo with WTA Tour CEO Portia Archer during the trophy ceremony.

3. Daniil Medvedev's US Open Theatrics

Daniil Medevev is no stranger to acting out on the court, but his meltdown at the US Open was unprecedented. Medvedev let it rip during a late-night showdown against Benjamin Bonzi, whipping the crowd into a frenzy.

2. Taylor Townsend Flames Jelena Ostapenko

Taylor Townsend defeated Jelena Ostapenko in the second round of the US Open, but the fireworks were just beginning. In a heated argument, Ostapenko told Townsend she had "no class" and "no education."

Naomi Osaka came to Townsend's defense, saying, "I think obviously it's one of the worst things you can say to a Black tennis player in a majority White sport." Townsend got the win and the last laugh, saying, "I beat her in Canada outside of the U.S., I beat her in New York outside the U.S., so let's see what else she has to say."

1. Jannik Sinner's Ban

It is easy to forget that Jannik Sinner's ongoing legal battle over his 2024 failed drug tests hung over the ATP like a cloud entering 2025. Sinner won the Australian Open, but his future in the sport was far from certain. The Italian superstar grudgingly accepted a three-month ban, returning in time for the heart of clay court season.