September 11, 2020

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

1.) Djokovic’s Default + 4 Others

Djokovic’s shocking default from the US Open after hitting a line judge with a ball might go down as one of the most significant, but it’s far from the first. Here’s a look at five notable defaults, including a recap of Novak’s.

Read About 5 Noteworthy Defaults

2.) Tsitsipas Shock Loss

Opportunities abound, Stefanos Tsitsipas had six chances to close out his third-round US Open match against Borna Coric, but couldn’t seal the deal. Three match points came when Tsitsipas was serving 5-4 in the fourth at 40-0. Massive credit to Coric for hanging in there, but that’s about as painful as a loss gets.

3.) Serena’s Lefty Return

During the second set of her quarterfinal match against Tsvetana Pironkova, Serena busted out a left-hand return after she was caught leaning the wrong direction and won the point. You would have thought it was a one-and-done kind of situation, but she did it again in the third set too.

Serena went lefty on the return.

WOW ? pic.twitter.com/FyRHtSRNYS

— espnW (@espnW) September 9, 2020

WHAT. A. RALLY. ?

Pironkova and Serena are battling! pic.twitter.com/iZqruXlJHn

— espnW (@espnW) September 9, 2020

4.) Nadal’s Return to Tennis

One of the many top men’s tennis players to skip the US Open, Rafael Nadal, has committed to the Italian Open. After seven months off, he’ll be chasing his 10th title in Rome. Except for Federer, who’s out due to injury, the tournament has all 19 of the top 20 players currently entered, which should make for an exciting event.

5.) Barty Won’t Defend French Title

World #1, Ash Barty, skipped the US Open due to concerns over the pandemic. Now she’s announced she won’t be competing in Europe, which includes defending her French Open title. She sighted the continued risk of COVID and her coach’s inability to travel across state borders in Australia to help her prepare as the reasons for opting out of the events in Europe.

View this post on Instagram

It has been a difficult decision to make but unfortunately I will not be competing in Europe this year. Last year’s French Open was the most special tournament of my career so this is not a decision I have made lightly. There are two reasons for my decision. The first is the health risks that still exist with Covid. The second is my preparation, which has not been ideal without my coach being able to train with me due to the state border closures in Australia. I wish the players and the French Federation all the best for a successful tournament. I now look forward to a long preseason and the summer in Australia. It has been a challenging year for everyone and although I am disappointed on a tennis front, the health and well-being of my family and my team will always be my priority. Thank you to my fans for your continued support, I can’t wait to play for you again.

A post shared by Ash Barty (@ashbarty) on Sep 7, 2020 at 5:14pm PDT

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.