Tennis storylines of October: Shanghai without Alcaraz and the race for Turin
Your shortcut to the month ahead in tennis – highlighting moments that may shape players, tournaments, and the industry.
October is always a special month in tennis. The season is winding down, players are carrying the fatigue from the American swing and the US Open, yet this is precisely when so much is at stake: who will qualify for the year-end finals, who will secure their spots in the upper rankings, and who might produce a late-season breakthrough.
The calendar is designed so that there are still major trophies to be won on hard courts in Asia and Europe, and that guarantees plenty of intrigue.
Final race for Turin
In the men’s game, the biggest storyline of October is the race to the ATP Finals. Jack Draper has already withdrawn, and Novak Djokovic looks set to skip the Asian swing once again, as he has for the past two years. That leaves a razor-thin margin between Felix Auger-Aliassime, Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev, Alexander Bublik, and Holger Rune — just 320 points separate them. With such a small gap, every single match can reshuffle the standings.
Theoretically, even someone from the end of the top 20 could sneak into the top eight with a strong October run. After Shanghai, there is another Masters in Paris and several 500-level events. The ATP Finals are usually seen as an elite club, but this year the lineup could be more unpredictable than ever.
Gauff’s serve rebuild
One of the most intriguing storylines this month is Coco Gauff’s ongoing work with biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan. He previously helped Aryna Sabalenka improve her serve. Now Gauff is trying to address her own first-serve inconsistency – long considered her biggest weakness.
Changing technique at 21 is never easy: what works for one player may not translate for another. Still, the gamble makes sense. Without a reliable serve, Gauff will struggle more and more to endure long matches and to compete with the likes of Iga or Aryna. If progress becomes evident, she can re-establish herself as a regular contender for big titles. If not, it will be another reminder of how difficult it is to re-engineer the fundamentals at this stage of a career.
Iva Jovic and the teenage breakthrough
Seventeen-year-old American Iva Jovic stunned the tennis world by capturing her first WTA 500 title in Guadalajara, a breakthrough that vaulted her into the top 40. Early triumphs always capture attention — fans recall Sharapova, Hingis, or more recently Gauff and Anisimova.
Yet the women’s game is full of teenage meteors who rise quickly but struggle to sustain momentum. Canadian Victoria Mboko is a case in point: she stunned the field with a WTA 1000 title in Montreal this summer, but has since struggled to back it up on the tour. For Jovic, October and November will be a crucial test: can she consolidate her position and build on her success, or will she remain a one-tournament wonder?
Naomi Osaka and the quest for a full comeback
Naomi Osaka’s return has gathered momentum: a WTA 1000 final in Montreal and a semifinal run at the US Open have put her back within reach of the sport’s elite. It feels as if she needs just one more breakthrough win to fully believe in her comeback. Melbourne has always been her favorite Slam, and this autumn stretch looks like preparation for another assault on the Australian Open.
For Osaka, psychology is often the decisive factor: if she manages to claim a title in Asia or Europe, then 2025 could bring the return of the dangerous, confident Osaka who has already lifted four major trophies. Both the tour and the fans are eager to see that version again.
At Racket One we will be following these and other storylines throughout the month, and bringing you the essentials quickly and clearly. For anyone who wants a bird’s-eye view of the tennis world — without getting lost in the daily noise — this is the place to stay informed.
