Five Point Friday: January 1, 2021
/January 1, 2021
Five Point Friday
Here’s your roundup of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about this week.
1.) Thank YOU + 2021 Thoughts
TennisCompanion wouldn’t be where it is today without your support, so thank you! If you have a moment, check out my latest video and drop a comment to share what you’d like to see from me in 2021. Happy New Year!
Five Point Friday: December 25, 2020
/December 25, 2020
Five Point Friday
Here’s your roundup of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about this week.
1.) Tennis Is Life
As a thank you to those who made the return of tennis possible in 2020, the ATP and WTA have released a short film titled, “Tennis is Life.”
Five Point Friday: December 18, 2020
/December 18, 2020
Five Point Friday
Here’s your roundup of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about this week.
1.) Hall of Fame’s New Exhibit
The Tennis Hall of Fame released their newest digital exhibit highlighting more than 120 years of Black tennis history in America. According to the Hall of Fame, it’s their most comprehensive to date. I’d have to agree – perhaps a good holiday read to bookmark.
Vessel Baseline Tennis Backpack: In-Depth Review, Test, and Video
/Vessel Baseline Tennis Backpack
Review, Test, and Video
We hope you love this article. Just so you know, TennisCompanion may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page to help keep this site running. Learn more. Disclosure: Vessel gave me this bag to evaluate, but they did not pay me to write this review or influence its contents.
Only a handful of backpacks make the cut as my pick for the best tennis bags, and the Vessel Baseline Backpack is one of my favorites.
However, it’s also by far the priciest backpack I’ve ever reviewed, which begs the question, is it really worth it? For some, the answer will be a resounding yes, but others might need a bit of convincing.
Five Point Friday: December 11, 2020
/December 11, 2020
Five Point Friday
Here’s your roundup of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about this week.
1.) Vessel Tennis Backpack
I’ve written about my picks for the best tennis bags, and Vessel shines across different types of bags, but there’s a catch. They’re a luxury brand with some of the priciest on the market. In this week’s video, I review their Baseline Tennis Backpack to help players decide if it’s worth the price.
Five Point Friday: December 4, 2020
/December 4, 2020
Five Point Friday
Here’s your roundup of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about this week.
1.) Spaghetti Racquet Revisited
In 1971, Werner Fischer, a gardener from Germany, invented a new stringing system. With a double-strung weave and a unique mix of cement and nylon tubes, the Spaghetti racquet generated unexpected spin and bounce. However, it was banned in the late 70s when the ITF introduced rules to define what constitutes a tennis racquet. Filmmaker, Hassan Amini, looks to tell the story via a documentary but has struggled to get the project to the finish line due to unexpected costs. He’s launched a Kickstarter to raise funds.
2.) Australian Open Start Date
The start of the 2021 Australian Open, which at the time of writing is scheduled to begin January 18th, has remained a question mark. However, new reports suggest that the date will be pushed three weeks to February 8th due to COVID-19 to ensure a safe tournament. It turns out getting the event off the ground will come at a huge cost to Tennis Australia.
3.) WTA Rebrands Ahead of 2021
As 2020 comes to a close, the WTA is making a few changes, including a new logo that includes a silhouette of a female tennis player, a fresh marketing campaign, and revamped tournament categories for consistency and alignment across professional tennis.
4.) Simona Halep Documentary
In February, Simona teased an extended trailer for a new documentary filmed by Romanian New Wave director Radu Muntean. The film looks behind the scenes at her daily life, training, and relationship with coach Darren Cahill. In her words, it’s “all about my work ethic.”
5.) Vandeweghe’s Freak Accident
In a recent podcast, CoCo Vandeweghe shares why she’s been on the sidelines since July when she had competed in World TeamTennis at the Greenbrier in West Virginia. It turns out she had a freak accident where she warmed soup in a bowl that wasn’t microwave-safe. It exploded in her hand, cut her pinky, and severed two ligaments and a nerve. She hopes to be back on tour no sooner than March of next year.
If you have a moment, I’d love to hear your feedback. Which topic is your favorite? What would you like to see more or less of each week?
Share your thoughts in the comments below and have a great weekend.