Five Point Friday: July 30, 2021
/July 30, 2021
Five Point Friday
Here’s your roundup of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about this week.
1.) Osaka Lights Olympic Cauldron
The lighting of the Olympic cauldron is significant on many levels. However, it was made even more memorable for tennis fans, with Naomi Osaka becoming the first tennis player in Olympic history to do the honors.
2.) Bencic’s Olympic Dreams
Belinda Bencic of Switzerland will be competing for Olympic gold in singles and women’s doubles. Yesterday with partner Viktorija Golubic, they defeated Brazil in doubles, and then she proceeded to take out Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in a close three-set match. These wins send her to the finals for both events.
3.) 18-Year-Old’s ATP Title
World No. 55, Carlos Alcaraz, became the youngest player in 12 years to win an ATP Tour title, defeating Richard Gasquet at the Croatia Open. When they won an ATP title, the only younger players were Rafael Nadal in 2004, Kei Nishikori in 2008, Andrei Medvedev in 1992, and Lleyton Hewitt in 1998.
4.) Kiki Bertens Retires
On Tuesday, Kiki Bertens announced her retirement from professional tennis. Representing The Netherlands, Kiki achieved a career-high ranking of No. 4 (the highest-ranking Dutchwoman of all time) and won 10 WTA singles titles from 15 finals. She’s currently ranked No. 21 and leaves tennis with a win-loss record of 443-265.
View this post on Instagram
5.) King Richard Trailer
Earlier this week, Will Smith shared the first official trailer for “King Richard,” a movie based on the tennis journey of Richard Williams’ and his daughters Venus and Serena. Will stars as Richard in the film, which will hit theaters on November 19th later this 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.
Five Point Friday: July 23, 2021
/July 23, 2021
Five Point Friday
Here’s your roundup of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about this week.
1.) Olympic Draws Released
The draws are out, and tennis at the Tokyo Olympics kicks off today, with the men’s and women’s singles finals set for July 31st.
2.) Thiem Playing Left Handed
Last month Dominic Thiem suffered a right wrist injury, which forced him off the court. Now he’s back, but he’s still wearing a splint and protecting his wrist, so he decided to practice left-handed to get in some reps.
View this post on Instagram
3.) Elina & Gaël Tie the Knot
One of the tour’s favorite couples, Elina Svitolina and Gaël Monfils, tied the knot this week in Geneva, Switzerland. However, they won’t get much of a break with Elina representing Ukraine in the Olympics and Gaël playing for France.
View this post on Instagram
4.) Wooden Racquet Challenge
At the Hall of Fame Open in Newport, RI, Jack Sock and Steve Johnson took part in a friendly wooden racquet challenge. Jack was stopped in the quarterfinals by eventual champion Kevin Anderson, but he did manage to take home a doubles title with partner William Blumberg.
Today’s @atptour stars + yesterday’s technology = endless entertainment ?
We pitted Olympic doubles medalists @JackSock92 and @SJohnson_89 against each other with a tennis staple: wooden racquets. The results were delightful.#ATPNewport pic.twitter.com/6g3YMqYJ6X
— Tennis Hall of Fame (@TennisHalloFame) July 16, 2021
5.) World’s Oldest Tennis Player
Leonid Stanislavskyi from Ukraine is 97 years old and still competing in tennis. He picked up the sport when he was 30 and hits the court roughly three times per week. Last year, he earned a Guinness World Record certificate as the oldest living competitive tennis player.
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.
Five Point Friday: July 16, 2021
/July 16, 2021
Five Point Friday
Here’s your roundup of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about this week.
1.) Nike React Vapor NXT [Review]
In my latest video, I break down everything you need to know about the Nike React Vapor NXT’s fit, construction, and technologies. I also provide a detailed analysis of the shoe’s performance and describe where the shoe excels and has room for improvement to help you decide if they’re right for you.
2.) Naomi’s Documentary
Launching today, Naomi Osaka’s three-part documentary on Netflix pulls back the curtain and follows her for two years after her first Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2018.
3.) 20 GOAT Rallies
Relive some of the most entertaining rallies between Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal over the years. Every point is thoroughly impressive and an excellent watch heading into the weekend.
4.) Tennis Hall of Famer Passes
Former world No. 1, Shirley Fry Irvin, is one of only ten women in history to have won singles titles at all four majors. She’s also one of six players to win a doubles title at each major. On Tuesday, July 13th, she passed away in Naples, FL, at the age of 94.
Read Shirley’s Hall of Fame Bio
5.) The Shapovalov Backhand
Denis Shapovalov’s one-handed backhand is a fan favorite and an effective weapon. In this highlight reel, YouTuber sLlorca pulls together some thoroughly impressive points where he dominated with this shot.
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.
Nike React Vapor NXT: In-Depth Review & Playtest + Video
/Nike React Vapor NXT
In-depth Review & Playtest + Video
New for 2021, the React Vapor NXT is an entirely new offering from Nike that uses their high-performance React cushioning along with data-informed design for an intriguing release I’ve been eager to test.
Of course, despite what Nike claims, you can’t always believe the hype, so I’m doing a deep dive into the shoe’s fit, construction, and technologies in this guide so you know what to expect.
Five Point Friday: July 9, 2021
/June 11, 2021
Five Point Friday
Here’s your roundup of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about this week.
1.) Alex de Minaur’s Dive
During his first-round doubles match with partner Matt Reid, Alex dove for a forehand, hitting a winner around the net post. Everyone (including his partner) could barely believe what they just witnessed.
? STOP THAT! ?
Alex de Minaur has pulled off one of the shots of the DECADE, let alone the tournament. ?? @alexdeminaur
? Watch #Wimbledon live on @9gem and @channel9.
?️ Every Match. Every Court. Ad-Free. Live and On Demand on@stansportau pic.twitter.com/DBiebcd3Ny— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) July 2, 2021
2.) Osaka Opens Up via TIME
Naomi Osaka penned a thoughtful essay titled, “It’s O.K. to Not Be O.K.” for TIME. It’s a quick read that touches on lessons learned over the past few weeks, prioritizing mental health, and thoughts and opinions on how the press might evolve to serve athletes better.
3.) Andy’s Twitter Questions
Earlier this week, Andy Murray posed two questions to his followers. What’s the best tennis ball machine, and does a racquet strung at a looser tension give it more power? I’ve written on both these topics in the past if you’re curious to hear my thoughts. Here’s my guide to tension and ball machines.
Tennis geek question…anyone got any knowledge of the best tennis ball machine on the market or one that they would recommend? #tennisgeek
— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) July 4, 2021
Tennis geek question.
Does a racket strung at a looser tension give more power?@bgtennisnation
I don’t think it does.— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) July 5, 2021
4.) Emma Raducanu at Wimbledon
One of my favorite stories from this year’s Wimbledon was Emma Raducanu’s breakout success as a teenage wildcard. Unfortunately, she had a surprise retirement, which left many fans wondering what happened and if she was okay. The day after her last match, she had the opportunity to reflect on what happened in an interview with BBC Sport’s Sue Barker.
5.) Nick Kyrgios on Cameo
Cameo is a website that allows fans to hire actors, athletes, celebrities, and other high-profile individuals to create personalized videos for friends and family. Nick committed to a limited run of videos and has received rave reviews for those he’s created. As of right now, he only has six Cameos left.
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.
Five Point Friday: July 2, 2021
/July 2, 2021
Five Point Friday
Here’s your roundup of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about this week.
1.) Djokovic’s 46s Service Game
During his first-round match against teenager Jack Draper, Novak Djokovic hit four straight aces to win his service game in 46 seconds.
A game of aces in 46 seconds ⏱
On your marks. Get set. Go, @DjokerNole…#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/Pjj0wnjiL5
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 28, 2021
2.) Making the Most of a Wildcard
British wildcard and 18-year old Emma Raducanu, ranked No. 338, fought her way into round three, defeating No. 42 Markéta Vondroušová. Tomorrow, she’ll face No. 45 Sorana Cirstea for a spot in the fourth round.
3.) De Minaur Puts on Breaks
Alex De Minaur put on his usual display of speed with a twist last week when he barely managed to avoid hitting the net after tracking down a lob and somehow still won the point.
Unbelievable scenes in Eastbourne! ?@alexdeminaur #VikingInternational pic.twitter.com/CxBv4s3Lzl
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 25, 2021
4.) An Intriguing Doubles Duo
Nick Kyrgios will fulfill a dream this week by playing mixed doubles with Venus Williams. He spoke about the partnership in his post-match press conference and looks forward to their first-round match today.
Nick Kyrgios talked about his
doubles partnership with Venus Williams in his post-match press conference:“I want to experience playing with one of the Williams sisters in mixed doubles… That’s like a dream come true for me.”
?: #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/E6HmcUp8iQ
— Chad (@CCSMOOTH13) June 30, 2021
5.) Federer & Murray Practice
Going into Wimbledon, all eyes were on Federer and Murray when they hit the practice court. Neither of them could quite remember, but between the two, they figure their last practice was around 2005-2006.
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.