Elena Rybakina enters the World Number 1 conversation
โShe's in this number one conversation for the year, folks. I'm just telling you, she is firmly... She's not having a lot of off weeks. This consistency over a four or five month period is not something we've seen from Rybakina before. This feels different than what it's been before with her in as far as I can tell.โ
โWe are the hardest sport in the world. And do you know when we look soft as baby shit? Is when we complain about getting hit in doubles and when we complain about someone hitting an underhand served, as if they've done something to personally offend us. Get out of here. There is nothing wrong with it. If you get caught not paying attention, that's on you.โ
Vondrousova faces suspension for missed doping test
โBasically, I mean, it sounds like, I don't want to diagnose this, you know, it's not like someone knocked on her door, she had a panic attack, she didn't realize that it was an anti-doping official, she missed the test. The ITIA essentially confirmed in broad strokes what had happened. Now we'll have to see. She's facing potentially a four-year ban, which is a lot for a missed test.โ
Carlos Alcaraz faces wrist injury before Roland Garros
โA photo of him on Instagram at a restaurant circulated him taking a photo with the restaurant owner, we assume, also showing his right wrist in a removable cast of some kind. That's not an image you necessarily want to see a month before Roland Garros, is it? Feliciano Lopez actually has been sort of talking about the extent of the injury.โ
Iva Jovic prioritizes match count over tournament level
โI really believe in match count and I really believe in getting confidence and getting better. I feel like I get so much better when I'm playing matches. If it's at a 35K or if it's at a Grand Slam, you're improving so much when you play matches. I'd rather take a semis or final at a lower level event than a second round at a higher event.โ
Ben Shelton breaks American clay court title drought
โBen Shelton coming through. First American man since 2002 to win a 500 level event or better. Ben won on slow clay in Munich. I was really impressed. I like what I saw. On tour, this is a different win. This is like, oh, OK. This is a nice win. Like, we say statement too much, but this is at least kind of, may I have your attention for 12 seconds while you're eating lunch?โ
โThe way that the Saudi Investment Fund has gone about putting money into tennis is the opposite of what they did with live. I feel like this is a correction on strategy based on what they did with live. They are not going against the tours. Everyone's swimming the same direction and they're trying to provide resources to that direction. They are not overpaying for assets like a Masters 1000, it's not by a multiple of 47 like they were for live golfers.โ
โThe talk here is already, this is going to be the next player, the next French player to win at Roland Garros. He beat Jean-Munar, five sets, drama, agita. And the way he has come back and recovered in one on service, beating Rubelv on Clay, he hits a huge ball, but he also gives himself some margin. If you were going to pick someone other than Sidor Alcaraz were going to win Roland Garros, I'd put him in my top five right now.โ