(Video) Carlos Alcaraz Copies Roger Federer’s SABR Technique During Practice at Cincinnati Open

Carlos Alcaraz will be looking to win his third Masters 1000 title of the year.

(Video) Carlos Alcaraz Copies Roger Federer’s SABR Technique During Practice at Cincinnati Open

Roger Federer's SABR was copied by Carlos Alcaraz (via Tennis TV and ESPN)

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Carlos Alcaraz has taken a leaf out of Roger Federer‘s book by copying his well-known SABR (Sneak Attack By Roger) technique. During a practice match against Alex de Minaur, the World No.2 made a return just outside the service box to catch his opponent off guard before hitting an easy forehand volley winner.

Alcaraz is set to be playing the Cincinnati Open, which will be his first event after Wimbledon. The Spaniard skipped the Canadian Open due to the fatigue sustained in his long summer schedule.

The SABR technique was introduced by Federer during the 2015 Cincinnati Open. The Swiss Maestro used to take the return virtually on the half volley to surprise his opponents. This technique landed him a seventh Cincinnati Open title that week.

Federer used it during the US Open that year as well, where he made the final. Unfortunately for him, he couldn’t repeat on his Cincinnati Open run and lost to Novak Djokovic in the four sets.

Jannik Sinner joins Carlos Alcaraz at the ATP Finals

Jannik Sinner has become the second player to secure a place at the 2025 ATP Finals, joining Carlos Alcaraz in the season-ending event. Despite serving a three-month doping suspension earlier in the year, Sinner has earned enough points to guarantee a top-seven finish in the rankings. This ensures his participation alongside Alcaraz, who qualified back in July.

Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz (3)
Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/Jannik Sinner HQ)

The ATP Finals feature the top seven players in the year-end standings, with an eighth spot reserved for any Grand Slam champion ranked between ninth and twentieth. If no player meets that condition, the eighth-ranked player gets the final place.

The tournament uses a round-robin format with two groups of four, followed by semi-finals and a final. Since 2021, it has been hosted in Turin, Italy, with this year’s edition scheduled for November 9–16.

Alcaraz currently leads the ATP Race with 7,550 points, followed by Sinner with 6,010. The battle for year-end world No. 1 could come down to the finals. After these two, there is a notable gap in points, with Alexander Zverev holding 3,690 in third place. Canadian Open champion Ben Shelton sits fourth, ahead of Novak Djokovic in fifth.

Taylor Fritz and Jack Draper round out the current top seven. These players are in position to qualify, but results in the coming months could still shuffle the standings. The race remains open for others chasing a spot in Turin.

Roger Federer’s backed company set to report earnings next week

On Holding’s second quarter began strongly, supported by the launches of Cloud 6 and Cloudsurfer 2 as well as active marketing efforts. Retail interest surged, with user activity on Stocktwits jumping 800% in 24 hours ahead of the company’s upcoming earnings release. Shares rose slightly in midday trading on Friday but remain down nearly 17% for the year.

Roger Federer
Roger Federer (via The Tennis Letter)

Telsey Advisory Group’s Cristina Fernández credited the strong start to product launches and brand campaigns, including partnerships with actor Zendaya and exposure during the Super Bowl. These efforts have boosted awareness and helped On, alongside Deckers Outdoor’s Hoka, gain ground in the running shoe market. Both brands have challenged Nike, which is undergoing changes under its new CEO, Elliott Hill.

Despite early momentum, Fernández expects a slower growth pace in the second quarter compared to the first. She pointed to fewer product releases and foreign exchange headwinds caused by the strong Swiss franc against the U.S. dollar. Additional challenges could come from higher U.S. tariffs on footwear imports from Vietnam and Indonesia, which supply 90% and 10% of On’s shoes respectively.

Looking ahead, Fernández said another round of price hikes may be necessary in early 2026 to offset tariff impacts. The company already increased U.S. prices for most of its footwear in early July 2025, aiming to protect margins as these cost pressures build.

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