Alcaraz & Sabalenka skip training for sun and selfies, Raducanu stuns in DC with Rybakina, Rune hires Agassi (!), Zverev joins Team Nadal, Kyrgios & Monfils flop—US Open chaos begins early!

In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, ATP and WTA stars are increasingly eyeing the big challenges of the US Open Series, with training sessions and player interactions marking the day. However, two of the major contenders in their respective draws, Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz, are taking advantage of their days off to recharge away from the tennis courts, enjoying sunny beach days before the hardcourt swing begins.

On another note, Emma Raducanu and Elena Rybakina teamed up for doubles, with the Kazakhstani training beforehand with Naomi Osaka. There was also movement among coaches, after the first images of Holger Rune training with Andre Agassi were seen, while Alexander Zverev was spotted in Spain with Toni Nadal at the Rafa Nadal Academy, preparing for his return next week at the Canadian Open.

Emma Raducanu has shared a series of photos from her days leading up to the DC Open, marking her hardcourt debut in the American Swing. The Brit posted pictures this morning ahead of her tournament opener, where she played doubles this Monday afternoon. Partnering with none other than former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, they impressively defeated the 4th seeds Tereza Mihalikova and Olivia Nicholls. Raducanu is set to return to the court this Tuesday for her singles debut against 7th seed Marta Kostyuk and could potentially play again on Wednesday in the doubles quarterfinals.

Before her doubles debut, Elena Rybakina was seen training with 4-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, both focused on their singles participation. The Kazakhstani player is scheduled to debut this Tuesday against Canadian Victoria Mboko in the final match of the day on the main stadium court at the DC Open. Naomi Osaka will play a couple of hours earlier on the John Harris Grand Stand (the second most important court) against Yulia Putintseva.

Rybakina and Raducanu weren't the only high-profile doubles pair confirmed for the tournament. On the men's side, a highly intriguing duo prepared to debut: two of the most distinct talents on Tour in recent years – veteran Frenchman Gaël Monfils, alongside Australian and 2022 Australian Open doubles champion Nick Kyrgios. The tournament's official accounts shared a video showcasing part of their training session before their men's doubles debut. However, the Kyrgios-Monfils pairing didn't yield good results, as they were defeated in the first round by the third seeds Roger-Vasselin and Hugo Nys.

Holger Rune is also at the DC Open preparing for his return to the courts, and he's doing so with luxurious company following the recent inclusion of former world No. 1 Andre Agassi to his coaching team. The Dane has heaped praise on the 8-time Grand Slam champion for the contribution he could bring to his game. "He's an amazing man, first of all, and he's very wise, as well. He sees the game in a unique way that I've never experienced before," the former Paris Masters champion said during Media Day. "I thought this was the right time to get some extra input...It's not anything magic, but he obviously had some very wise words I can use."

Another player looking forward to his return to the courts with a new high-profile coach added to his team is none other than Alexander Zverev. The 3-time Grand Slam champion has been seen training in recent days with Toni Nadal—uncle of the 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal—as his coach. In fact, the German trained today with young Spanish player Martin Landaluce as his practice partner at the Rafa Nadal Academy, as he continues to prepare for his return to the hardcourt swing in a week at the Canadian Open. Zverev will have a good chance in Toronto to achieve a strong result, especially after the withdrawals of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Jack Draper, and Novak Djokovic from the main draw, leaving Zverev and Taylor Fritz as the only Top-6 players remaining in the draw, making them the first two seeds.

Meanwhile, other stars are enjoying their days off and rest following the demanding grass-court swing that culminated with Wimbledon. Women's world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has been sharing photos of a sunny beach vacation after her Wimbledon semifinal loss. She's looking to recharge by disconnecting from the tennis courts, having confirmed she won't play in the Canadian Open, aiming to be in the best physical condition for the hardcourt swing as she seeks to defend her titles at the Cincinnati Open and US Open.

On the other hand, Carlos Alcaraz, fresh off his Wimbledon final appearance, is also enjoying a few days of rest after the grass-court season and looking to put the painful defeat behind him before returning to the courts. The Spanish world No. 2 lost a 20-match winning streak at the All England Club after falling to Jannik Sinner in the final, missing the chance to claim the SW19 title for the third consecutive time.