December 9, 2022

Five Point Friday

Here’s your roundup of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about this week.

1.) Nick Bolleteri Dies at 91

On Sunday night, Nick Bollettieri passed away at his Florida home. Famous for his development of some of the game’s biggest stars, Nick helped ten players become No. 1 in the world, including Andre Agassi, the Williams sisters, Maria Sharapova, and Jim Courier. In 2014, he became the fourth coach inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame.

2.) Federer’s Daily Show Spot

On Wednesday, Roger Federer sat down with Trevor Noah of The Daily Show for a fun and entertaining interview, reflecting on his 24-year career, emotional final doubles match with Nadal, and that time security denied him entry to Wimbledon.

3.) Tennis Tops Google Searches

Every year, Google showcases lists across various categories that were the most searched on their website. For 2022, four tennis players ranked in the top ten searched athletes. Can you guess who’s on the list?

Athletes

1) Novak Djokovic
2) Rafael Nadal
3) Serena Williams
4) Manti Te’o
5) Shaun White
6) 羽生結弦 (Yuzuru Hanyu)
7) Brittney Griner
8) Gerard Piqué
9) Cain Velasquez
10) Carlos Alcaraz

4.) LTA Fined $1M by ATP

Mid-week, the ATP fined the Lawn Tennis Association $1M for banning Russian and Belarusian players from their five ATP events, including Queen’s Club, Eastbourne, Surbiton, Nottingham, and Ilkley. Furthermore, it’s believed they may face expulsion from the tour if there’s another ban this year.

Read the Full Guardian Story

5.) Swiatek Virtually Unknown?

In an article on Lob & Smash, Myre Aberdan share’s his thoughts on whether tennis is the most poorly marketed sport in the world, pointing out that Iga Swiatek is virtually unknown despite being world No. 1 and having one of the most dominant seasons in recent history.

Read Myre’s Opinion Piece

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.