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October 6, 2023
Five Point Friday
Here’s your roundup of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about this week in tennis.
1.) Hall of Fame Fan Voting
Through Monday, fans can vote on six candidates up for election to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, including Leander Paes, Ana Ivanovic, Carlos Moya, Cara Black, Daniel Nestor, and Flavia Pennetta. It’s free to vote, and your opinion can help increase a player’s odds.
Cast Your Vote Now
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2.) Nadal Hitting Again
On Wednesday, Rafael Nadal posted the first video of him playing tennis in months as he works to return from surgery on his left psoas tendon that’s plagued him since the start of the year. He plans to return for a farewell tour in 2024, playing at his favorite tournaments with low expectations of results.
3.) Life as a Chair Umpire
Umpires play a crucial role in our sport, but we rarely hear from them. Spotting an opportunity, the ATP caught up with Aurelie Tourte for a quick Q&A, where she talked about what it’s like to be an umpire and her other job when not officiating.
Wonder what it’s like being an umpire? 👀
Aurélie Tourte opens up about her world, where quick decisions and on-court iguanas are all in a day’s work! pic.twitter.com/FplGrYrFiU
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 2, 2023
4.) Ball Change Wrist Injuries
Unbeknownst to many fans, players don’t use the same balls at every tournament, which some, including Zizou Bergs, Stan Wawrinka, and Taylor Fritz, believe is likely causing more wrist injuries as they continually have to adjust. Although correlation doesn’t necessarily equal causation, it doesn’t seem far-fetched to think these changes could affect player health.
Have been dealing w wrist issues since beginning of USO series cause of ball changes✌🏻we went 3 different balls in 3 weeks https://t.co/018jWjFPTC
— Taylor Fritz (@Taylor_Fritz97) September 30, 2023
5.) Suspect Coach Maneuver
Previously coaching Naomi Osaka from 2020 to 2022, Wim Fissette signed up to start working with Chinese No. 1 Zheng Qinwen this summer, that is until now. Per Zheng, he abruptly broke their contract and ended their partnership to start working with Naomi again, who intends to return in 2024. Although coaches moving around is nothing new, his reported lack of professionalism in the transition has raised eyebrows in the tennis community.
Qinwen Zheng says she cried after Wim Fissette told her he was going back to Naomi Osaka:
“Because during the US Open I knew
he had contact with the team of Osaka. Right after the match, he said to me that he felt like he had no connection with me. He never said that to me… pic.twitter.com/o1vfwe5JkN— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 1, 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.
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5 Point Friday
Read our weekly recap of the 5 most interesting things we dig up in tennis.
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