Five Point Friday: April 29, 2022
/April 29, 2022
Five Point Friday
Here’s your roundup of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about this week.
1.) Iconic Moments [Vote]
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is asking fans to weigh in on iconic moments in tennis history. In return, fans who vote will have a chance at winning a trip for two to their Enshrinement Weekend, to be held July 15-17 in Newport, RI. You’ll have to act fast, as voting is only open through Saturday, April 30th.
2.) Iga’s 23 Match Win Streak
Iga Swiatek continues to impress as the newly minted WTA world No. 1. She’s won her last 23 matches, only dropped five sets, and taken home four titles in the process.
3.) Alcaraz’s Top 10 Ranking
At 18, Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest man to break into the top 10 since Nadal did it 17 years ago. Now world No. 9, his ranking boost comes after his win at the Barcelona Open last Sunday.
4.) Rublev & King on Ban
Russian tennis player Andrey Rublev has been outspoken about Wimbledon’s player ban. His latest remarks about Wimbledon’s decision to deny entry for Russian and Belarusian players followed his title at the Serbian Open, where he defeated Novak Djokovic in the finals. Billie Jean King also expressed her thoughts about the ban by posting an official statement on Twitter, which you can find below.
My thoughts on the ban of Russian and Belarusian players from competing in Wimbledon. pic.twitter.com/QX28SRzZFJ
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) April 21, 2022
5.) Prince’s Off Court Line
Prince is tapping into its heritage with its latest Off Court lifestyle footwear collection. As part of the launch, they’re bringing back the FST838, an original Prince design from 1985. Although they modernized the materials and build, the design is a “total throwback.”
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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.
10 Best Tennis Headbands – Stylish Options for Men & Women
/10 Best Tennis Headbands
Stylish Options for Men & Women
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.
Practical and stylish, headbands for tennis are an increasingly popular accessory for men and women, especially on the pro tours.
This guide will review my picks for the best headbands, but I’ll also dive into some finer details. From how they found their way into tennis fashion to why players wear them, the different types available, and famous players who sport them on the court.
What is a Set in Tennis? A Clear & Thorough Explanation
/What is a Set in Tennis?
A Clear & Thorough Explanation
If you’re new to tennis and learning how to play, watching a match live or on TV, you’ll likely be looking for clarification on how a set works in tennis.
Although I’m a fan of the tennis scoring system’s quirks, it’s unfortunately not the easiest to pick up and can take some time to learn.
Five Point Friday: April 22, 2022
/April 22, 2022
Five Point Friday
Here’s your roundup of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about this week.
1.) Wimbledon Player Bans
On Wednesday, Wimbledon released a statement that they would decline entries from Russian and Belarusian players for the 2022 Championships. The decision has received a mixed response from players and fans, but the ATP and WTA have jointly condemned the decision. Djokovic also spoke out strongly about the move stating, “When politics interferes with sport, the result is not good.”
Read Wimbledon’s Full Statement
2.) Pam Shriver Opens Up
On The Tennis Podcast, Hall of Famer Pam Shriver spoke out about “a long, unhealthy, and damaging relationship” with her first coach, Don Candy, when he was 50 and she 17. In the conversation, Pam discusses why she broke her silence and what she thinks the tours can do to help players in similar situations.
3.) Tsitsipas Diving Volley
During his run to claim the Monte-Carlo Masters title, Stefanos Tsitsipas put on a show when he dove for a passing shot hit by Diego Schwartzman at 5-4, deuce in the third, to set up match point. Considering he was down 0-4 in the final set, it was a pretty entertaining way to close out an excellent match.
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4.) Andreescu is Back
2019 US Open Champ and former world No. 4, Bianca Andreescu, is back on the court after almost seven months. Rather than injuries, which have kept her off the court in the past, Bianca deliberately took time off after Indian Wells to focus on resetting and recovering mentally, which she says has paid off for her.
5.) ATP/WTA App Refresh
This week, the ATP and WTA released an updated version of their app which features real-time updates, scores and stats, and behind-the-scenes content to help fans keep track of both tours in one place. It’s not their first attempt, which existing reviews for the app showcase, but they’re hoping the enhancements will win users over.
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.
Tennis Net Height: Measurements, Strategy, & More
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Tennis Net Height
Measurements, Strategy, & More
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.
Nets are an essential piece of equipment in tennis, which divide a court in half and provide players with one of the primary obstacles they must clear when playing a point.
According to the International Tennis Federation’s Rules of Tennis, a net should be 3.5 feet at the sides and 3 feet at the center. As straightforward as it may seem, there are some nuances to keep in mind, especially when playing singles vs. doubles, that players often overlook.
15+ Famous French Tennis Players & Stats – Male & Female
/15+ Famous French Tennis Players & Stats
Male & Female
Although French tennis players no longer dominate the game as they did in the 1920s, France still produces world-class players and is home to Roland Garros, one of four Grand Slam tournaments.
Five Point Friday: April 15, 2022
/April 15, 2022
Five Point Friday
Here’s your roundup of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about this week.
1.) Baseline Racquet Bag [Review]
Based in Carlsbad, CA, Vessel has quickly become a hit with its line of tennis bags. In one of my latest reviews, I share the pros and cons of their Baseline racquet bag and my experience using it for the past few months, which is a contender for the best bag out there.
2.) Clijsters Gone for Good
After her second return from retirement, former world No. 1 and 4x Grand Slam champ Kim Clijsters is stepping away from tennis for good to prioritize her family, who now lives in New Jersey. Her roughly 20-month comeback hampered by COVID and knee injury never took off, but she’s happy with her decision to give it a go and eager to give back to the sport, so we’ll likely see more of her in the future.
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3.) Djokovic’s Tough Return
In his second tournament of the year and first on clay, Novak Djokovic suffered a loss to world No. 46 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the Monte Carlo Masters. After the match, Novak gave props to Alejandro and shared he ran out of gas and couldn’t stay in the rally, so he’s not where he needs to be. Despite that, he remains optimistic and knows he needs to keep working if he wants to be ready for Roland Garros at the end of next month.
4.) Back After Maternity Break
Former world No. 61, Taylor Townsend returned to the tour this week for the first time since the 2020 US Open. Now ranked 483 in the world, she won her first match back at an ITF $100k event, defeating No. 219 Hanna Chang 6-2, 6-2. In March 2021, she gave birth to her son Adyn Aubrey, and last year, she spent some time as a Tennis Channel analyst.
5.) Luxilon’s New String
This week, Luxilon released ALU Power Vibe, the latest addition to their polyester tennis string lineup. Available as a thinner 17 gauge, the string combines their classic ALU Power string with the same dampening material used in their Legacy vibration dampener. The string aims to provide a softer feel that reduces vibrations by 17% vs. an undampened string. In other words, it’s an alternative to some of the softer polys that have become popular in recent years.
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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.
Vessel Baseline Racquet Bag: In-Depth Review, Test, & Recommendation
/Vessel Baseline Racquet Bag
Review & Test
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.
If you’re on the hunt for a new bag but unsatisfied with many of the options you’ve stumbled across, then the Vessel Baseline Racquet Bag is a worthy contender and one of my picks for the best.
Although it’s an excellent bag, it’s not going to be an ideal fit for everyone. Plus, there are a few areas for improvement that you should know about before you go out and spend your hard-earned money.
Five Point Friday: April 8, 2022
/April 8, 2022
Five Point Friday
Here’s your roundup of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about this week.
1.) Tsonga’s Retirement Plans
On Wednesday, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga announced his plans to retire from tennis after the French Open, which begins at the end of May. Tsonga sighted the ability of his body to keep up with his desire, which hasn’t gone too well in recent years as he’s struggled with injuries.
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2.) Halep’s New Coach
Patrick Mouratoglou is long known as Serena Williams’ coach, but that’s about to change. Although he’s mentored players including Stefanos Tsitsipas and Coco Gauff on the side, he’s ready to take on another full-time position with former No. 1 Simona Halep. Patrick discussed the opportunity with Serena and, based on her current priorities and time away from the court, decided he could begin a new chapter.
3.) Sportsmanship x2
Carlos Alcaraz gifted Hubert Hurkacz a replayed point during his semi-final match when the umpire called a double bounce. Then, Casper Ruud offered Carlos a free first serve during their final matchup when he realized the ball for his second serve was flat and handed it to the umpire, disrupting his flow. There was no requirement from Carlos or Casper to give the other player a break, but kind gestures from the two young players.
Things you love to see 👏
Brilliant sportsmanship from @alcarazcarlos03 in his #MiamiOpen semi-final vs Hurkacz! pic.twitter.com/fPl0dXWiIM
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 2, 2022
All class from Casper 🙏@CasperRuud98 @alcarazcarlos03 #MiamOpen pic.twitter.com/2TIyKvsNag
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 3, 2022
4.) April Fools Jokes in Tennis
Last Friday was April fools, and a handful of surprise jokes were doled out to fans to celebrate the day. A few participants I stumbled upon included Babolat, the USTA, US Open, and TennisWorld.
The new Pure Unbreakable was developed in collaboration with @fabiofogna & @benoitpaire
Following the loss of many racquets gone too soon, we have finally created the racquet that meets the needs of all the nervous players.
Tested and approved by Fabio and Benoit ✅#AprilFools pic.twitter.com/DaA2TXXM7Z— Babolat (@babolat) April 1, 2022
With the popularity of tennis increasing, we are introducing a new competitive format to get more people on the court! pic.twitter.com/oGG71WpWT7
— USTA (@usta) April 1, 2022
New York is the city that never sleeps and in 2022 the US Open won’t either. pic.twitter.com/zUO6HNku9d
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) April 1, 2022
Ashleigh Barty will come back to playing tennis! https://t.co/XwaoTnFZNd
— Tennis World USA (@TennisWorlden) April 1, 2022
5.) Medvedev Out for 2 Months
Last Saturday, Daniil Medvedev shared with fans that he’s been playing with a small hernia for the past few months and decided to have a procedure to fix it. The move will put him for the next 1-2 months, so assuming all goes well for him, he should be back right in time for the grass-court swing following the French Open.
Hi everyone. The last months I have been playing with a small hernia. Together with my team I have decided to have a small procedure done to fix the problem. I will likely be out for the next 1 – 2 months and will work hard to be back on court soon. Thanks for all the support.
— Daniil Medvedev (@DaniilMedwed) April 2, 2022
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.
50+ Famous Male Tennis Players & Pics – Active & Retired
/50+ Famous Male Tennis Players
Active & Retired
There have been hundreds of successful male tennis players throughout history, and while only a handful will go down as the greatest of all time, there are many more widely celebrated players.
If you’re new to tennis or looking to expand your knowledge of players who have achieved some of the highest levels of success on the court, this resource will help you get up to speed quickly.