January 13, 2023

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

1.) ‘Break Point’ Live Today

Today, the highly anticipated docuseries Break Point launches on Netflix. Produced by the creators of Formula 1: Drive to Survive, it promises to give a behind-the-scenes look at life on tour, with aspirations of bringing fans to the sport. Yesterday, Esquire published an interview with the creators, which provides insight into the making of the series, along with an anecdote about turning Agassi’s book Open into a film.

Read the Esquire Interview

2.) Osaka’s Big Announcement

Naomi Osaka played her last match in September, so it’s not surprising that skepticism about her showing up for the Australian Open was growing. However, aside from her injury, which forced her to withdraw last fall, it was unclear why she hadn’t returned. On Wednesday, we got our answer when she announced her pregnancy and intention to return to the tour at the start of 2024.

Can’t wait to get back on the court but here’s a little life update for 2023. pic.twitter.com/GYXRnutU3I

— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) January 11, 2023

3.) Hall of Fame’s Podcast

This week, the Tennis Hall of Fame announced the launch of their podcast, TennisWorthy. Hosted by tennis journalist and author Chris Bowers, the podcast will feature conversations with Hall of Famers and tennis legends to uncover the mindset of champions and the characteristics that define greatness. Lleyton Hewitt, Tracy Austin, Ivan Lendl, and Mary Pierce are the podcast’s first four guests, with the first episode launching on January 25th.

4.) Gauff’s Latest Title

World No. 7, Coco Gauff, has shown incredible consistency over the past few years, and her success peaked last year at Roland Garros as a finalist. However, despite all the progress, she’s only won two titles, the last of which came in May of 2021. Now she can add a third to the list with an impressive win at the Auckland Classic in New Zealand on Sunday. During the tournament, she didn’t drop a set and lost only 22 games over five matches.

5.) PTPA’s Exec Committee

Remember the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA)? They announced their eight-player executive committee this week and unveiled their core tenets and principles. If you weren’t sure of the association’s intentions when it first launched, the article covering these updates on its website might help.

View the Exec Committee

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.