5 bold predictions for tennis in October 2025: Caroline Wozniacki to announce retirement, Coco Gauff to get new Slam-winning coach

Coco Gauff advanced to the semifinals of the 2025 China Open, where she is the defending champion. The American has performed quite well without a full-time coach by her side, though she will be keen to hire one as soon as possible. There are several coaches on the market, including Goran Ivanisevic, a former Major champion.

Elsewhere, Caroline Wozniacki isn't done with tennis just yet. She's on a hiatus after the birth of her third child, though her upcoming comeback could be her last.

Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka, meanwhile, could finish their respective seasons on a strong note. Carlos Alcaraz, who's dealing with an injury, could miss one more tournament as a result of it.

On that note, here are some predictions for the month of October:

---

#1 Caroline Wozniacki to call it quits for good after a brief comeback

Caroline Wozniacki achieved her long-cherished goal of winning a Major at the 2018 Australian Open. She retired a couple of years later at the same tournament, having had a successful career. However, the competitive itch never went away and she returned to the tour in the second half of 2023, having given birth to two kids during her time away from the sport.

Wozniacki made the fourth round of the US Open in 2023 and 2024, and reached her only WTA 1000 quarterfinal at the Indian Wells Open last year. After the conclusion of the US Open, she went on a hiatus. She revealed she was pregnant earlier this year and gave birth to her third child in July.

The former World No. 1 still intends to make another comeback, though this time it could be for the final time. She will be 36 years old when she returns to the tour next year. Her movement was one of her biggest strengths, and it could be compromised at this point. Like her peers Angelique Kerber and Petra Kvitova, she could compete in a select few tournaments and wrap up this chapter of her life.

---

#2 Novak Djokovic to win the Shanghai Masters

Novak Djokovic at the US Open 2025. (Photo: Getty)

Novak Djokovic has proven that he's far from finished. He's still giving most of the tour a run for their money, reaching the semifinals of all four Majors, winning the Geneva Open and finishing as the runner-up at the Miami Open. His last three losses have come against either Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner, the two best players on the tour.

Djokovic is now back in action at the Shanghai Masters. He's the most successful player in the tournament's history, with four titles to his name. With Alcaraz not competing, Djokovic will only have to contend with defending champion Sinner this time. They're in the same half of the draw and are slated to meet in the semifinals. The Serb lost to the Italian in last year's final.

No player has defended their title in Shanghai since Djokovic himself did it in 2013. This could be the Serb's time to shine. He has put himself in a position to win quite often this year, only to be stopped by either Alcaraz or Sinner at the Grand Slam level. However, the best-of-3 format in the Masters could give him his best shot against Sinner at this stage in his career.

---

#3 Coco Gauff to add Goran Ivanisevic to her coaching team

Coco Gauff parted ways with her coach Matt Daly prior to this year's US Open. To improve her serve, she hired biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan, who also helped Aryna Sabalenka overcome her serving yips a couple of years ago.

However, Gauff is still without a proper coach, and she could set her sights on former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic. He was noted for having an impressive serve and could aid the young American in her quest to improve hers.

Following the end of his long-term partnership with Novak Djokovic, Ivanisevic's coaching gigs have been unfruitful. He was the third wheel during his tenure with Elena Rybakina, who still wanted her old coach by her side.

Ivanisevic's time with Stefanos Tsitsipas ended on a sour note as well, with the two airing their dirty laundry in public. However, Gauff has historically proven to be easy to work with, so if they do join forces, it's likely to be smooth sailing for them.

---

#4 Carlos Alcaraz to withdraw from the Six Kings Slam

Carlos Alcaraz at the Japan Open 2025. (Photo: Getty)

Carlos Alcaraz continued his good run of form to win the Japan Open earlier this week. However, he sustained an injury during his first-round match. He played through the pain to eventually triumph in Tokyo but withdrew from the Shanghai Masters.

Alcaraz's next tournament is the Six Kings Slam exhibition event in Saudi Arabia, scheduled to take place from Oct. 15-18. With a massive $6 million payday for the champion, it's a lucrative event for those involved. However, the Spaniard also has his sights set on finishing the year as the No. 1 player.

While Alcaraz has a lead of 2,580 points over Sinner in the race, his withdrawal from the Shanghai Masters has given the Italian an opportunity to close the gap. Alcaraz may also be cautious about potentially exacerbating his existing injury by playing an exhibition event, which could rule him out for the rest of the season. Thus, there's a chance that he could skip the Six Kings Slam.

---

#5 Naomi Osaka to win the Wuhan Open

Naomi Osaka has finally rediscovered her best form over the past few months. She finished as the runner-up at the Canadian Open and reached the semifinals of the US Open. However, she was bundled out in the second round of the China Open.

Osaka will be keen to bounce back. The upcoming Wuhan Open, the season's final WTA 1000 tournament, will give her another opportunity to make a statement. With players either fatigued or dealing with injuries, Osaka could capitalize on the opportunity to capture her biggest title since her return to the tour from maternity leave last year.

A title could also boost her chances of qualifying for the WTA Finals, so there's plenty of motivation for her to win the tournament.