Alcaraz named Spain's Best Athlete of the Year, Demoliner signs with Wilson, Sharapova endorses Tempo

Three minutes daily to stay informed about global tennis. Hello tennis fans, today is Wednesday, December 31, 2025. Welcome to the news midday report brought to you by "Tennis Home."

Last night Beijing time, foreign media reported that men's singles world No.1 Alcaraz was chosen by theMarca newspaper's vote as Spain’s Best Athlete of the Year. In this selection, Alcaraz garnered 44.37% of the votes, significantly ahead of the two closest competitors. Congratulations to him!

Next, let's focus on the United Cup mixed team tennis event. In the past few days, players from various national teams participating in this season-opening tournament have gradually arrived at the venue. Among them, China's Zhang Zhizhen and Zhu Lin have already reached Sydney to prepare. Others arriving in Sydney include Germany’s Zverev, Canada’s Auger-Aliassime, Norway’s Ruud, and Poland’s Hurkacz.

Local Australian young talent Demoliner also arrived early at the venue to get ready. In a media interview, Demoliner acknowledged his comprehensive losing record against the new generation leaders Sinner and Alcaraz, stating his focus: "There’s no choice but to keep improving, right? Ultimately, you have to close the gap. Over the past few years, I’ve played some very close matches against both of them, and you feel like you’re gradually catching up..." Currently, Demoliner stands 0-13 against Sinner and 0-5 against Alcaraz.

Additionally, before the new season starts, Demoliner ended his 11-year partnership with Japanese brand Asics and signed with the American brand Wilson, becoming a Wilson 360° player.

At the same time as Demoliner’s partnership with Wilson, retired Russian beauty Sharapova also secured a new endorsement deal. She officially signed with Tempo, becoming the brand’s ambassador. Tempo is a premium German tissue brand founded in 1929, now owned by the Swedish Essity Hygiene and Health Products company, covering seven main product categories including tissues, soft packs, box tissues, and cotton wipes.

Turning to the Spanish warrior Nadal. Recently, when discussing whether he might become a coach or Davis Cup captain in the future, Nadal said coaching is currently impossible, and captaincy is something for later. "I always hold great respect for what might happen in the future because how you feel today may not be how you feel later. Life changes rapidly, especially after having children, your perspective on life changes too. What you think this year might be different in a few years." "Coaching requires traveling to tournaments, and my current lifestyle doesn’t fit that. Being Davis Cup captain in the future? Why not? Maybe I’ll like it, maybe not... I just retired, so it’s too early to consider these things. I respect life’s process and the need to adapt; now is not the right time to think about it."

Some fans believe Nadal’s passion for tennis has faded; he will only focus on managing his tennis academy while caring for his wife and two children, and other matters are currently not a priority.

Finally, let’s play a guessing game. The photo below shows a player training. Without any hints, can you identify who he is?

Last time’s guess was correct by some fans. Yes, the person in the picture is the Italian charmer Berrettini. Here is the full image.

(Source: Tennis Home Author: Independent Thinker)