September 25, 2020

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

1.) Djokovic’s Latest Record

After his surprise disqualification from the US Open, Novak Djokovic quickly bounced back to win the Italian Open for his 36th ATP Masters 1000 crown, which breaks a tie he held with Nadal at 35. To claim the title, Djokovic defeated Diego Schwartzman 7-5, 6-3, who had an excellent tournament and is always fun to watch.

2.) French Open Fall Conditions

Usually, the French Open takes place at the end of May into June, but after a significant and somewhat controversial reschedule due to the pandemic, the main draw kicks off Sunday. Joel Drucker of TennisChannel explores how the time of year might impact conditions from daylight to temperature, rainfall, and more.

View Season Comparison

3.) Weird & Wacky Tennis Shots

Some weird, others wacky, but all fun to watch. Check out the ATP’s latest roundup of 10 shots that you have to see to believe.

4.) Benoît Paire’s COVID Struggles

Frenchman and world #25, Benoît Paire, has had an interesting ride over the past month. Ahead of the US Open, he tested positive for COVID, so he wasn’t allowed to compete. Paire flew back to Europe, where he tested negative twice and subsequently competed at the Italian Open. However, despite testing positive again in Germany ahead of the Hamburg Open, he was cleared for play only to retire in the first round sighting dizziness. At the moment, it’s unclear if his home Grand Slam, the French Open, will allow him to play.

Read the Full Story

5.) PTPA Survey & Updates

In Rome, Djokovic shared he’s pushing forward with plans for the Professional Tennis Player Association, which he stated now has the support of roughly 200 WTA players. The new association has sparked controversy, and I’ve been curious about what the tennis community at large thinks. A survey from Tennis.com asked if ‘the PTPA is a good idea,’ and here are the results.

Yes: 63% (447 votes)
No: 31% (220 votes)
Not Sure: 6% (41 votes)

Read the Latest from Djokovic

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.