Founder of FifthSet
Nicolai Schmid is the founder of FifthSet. He played tennis as a child and returned to the court in summer 2026. With two brothers who are tennis coaches and a grandfather who founded a tennis club, the sport has always been part of his family. FifthSet grew from his curiosity about the matches, players, and stories that make tennis worth following throughout the year.
Nicolai signs off on every published story and its accompanying assets. He is responsible for the final wording, the sources presented to readers, and any corrections that follow publication.
To suggest a correction or ask about a published story, email kontakt@fifthset.app.
The top four seeds have won 25 of the 27 men's Slams since 2020, yet a third of the top eight still leave in the first week.
Over 178,275 matches since 2022 the betting favourite lost 31.2% of the time, a 90% favourite about once in 23. The pattern holds from the Grand Slams to ITF level.
Since 1990 the lower-ranked player has won 29.5% of Slam matches and 35.7% at the Masters. Five sets alone explain part of that gap, less where the pairing is lopsided.
The ninth Laver Cup starts on Friday in London. Team Europe fields the world No. 2 and No. 3 and a 20-year-old debutant; Team World, 15-9 winners in San Francisco, has lost Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul since the squads were named.
Czechia came back from 2-1 down in Prague to beat the United States, South Korea is the first Asian nation to reach the last eight, and Germany meets Great Britain in the quarter-finals in Bologna, 24 to 29 November.
The top seed won 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 in three hours and 33 minutes, six years to the day after losing the 2020 final on the same court. He is the first German man to win in New York since Boris Becker in 1989.
The incoming world No. 1 won 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in two hours and 21 minutes for her third major, ending Sabalenka's 20-match winning streak in New York and her bid for a third straight title.
The eighth seed won 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) in four hours and 28 minutes, his first win over a top-three player. Alcaraz's comeback from a wrist injury ends in the quarterfinals. Shelton plays Frances Tiafoe on Friday.
Wimbledon prize money 2026: £64.2 million in total and £3.6 million for each singles champion. Every round, qualifying and doubles from the official breakdown.
What is a Grand Slam in tennis? The four majors, their surfaces and dates, and what a career, calendar and Golden Slam mean, with everyone who has done it.
US Open prize money 2026: $108 million in player compensation, $5.5 million for each singles champion. Every round, qualifying and doubles.
Roland-Garros prize money 2026: €61.723 million in total, €2.8 million for each singles champion. Every round, qualifying and doubles from the FFT.
