October 27, 2023

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

1.) String Patterns Explained

In one of my latest articles, I share everything there is to know about racquet string patterns. From their purpose to their influence on performance, side-by-side comparisons, and what the pros are using, I’ll help you learn how to think about them and decide what’s best for your needs.

Learn About String Patterns

2.) Halep Appeals Doping Ban

Simona Halep has submitted an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to reduce the four-year suspension handed out by the International Tennis Integrity Agency in September. At this point, the CAS couldn’t indicate a time frame for a decision, so fans will have to sit tight for the results.

View the CAS Appeal Release

3.) Two Firsts In ATP Titles

Proving he’s still got what it takes, 37-year-old Gael Monfils defeated Pavel Kotov 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-3 to claim his first title of 2023, becoming the oldest champ in the Stockholm Open’s 54-year history. Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Ben Shelton, at 21, earned the first title of his young career, ousting Aslan Karatsev 7-5, 6-1 to become the sixth first-time tour-level winner in 2023.

4.) Most Marketable in Tennis

SportsPro released its 14th edition of the 50 most marketable athletes, and for only the second year since 2017, no tennis players occupy the top 10. Still, tennis has a solid presence, with two men and six women making the cut. Can you guess who’s on the list?

View the Full List

• No. 11 Novak Djokovic
• No. 12 Coco Gauff
• No. 14 Naomi Osaka
• No. 18 Aryna Sabalenka
• No. 21 Emma Raducanu
• No. 41 Rafael Nadal
• No. 43 Petra Kvitova
• No. 50 Ons Jabeur

5.) Ruud’s Tweener Lob Winner

During his first-round match at the Swiss Indoors against Alexander Bublik, Casper Ruud tracked down a deep shot to return a perfectly placed tweener lob. It was so good Casper had to admit to the role luck plays in a shot like this, suggesting he might as well play the lottery.

Might as well play the lottery tonight..😅🍀🍀 https://t.co/mre8SnnZVN

— Casper Ruud (@CasperRuud98) October 25, 2023

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.