Archive of posts tagged Chris Oddo

Report: Elena Rybakina’s Coach Stefano Vukov Has Been Reinstated

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By Chris Oddo | Friday August 8, 2025

Stefano Vukov, the longtime coach of former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, has appealed his year-long ban from the WTA Tour and won.

Vukov, who was suspended by the WTA Tour for breaching its code of conduct in January, was barred from receiving credentials at sanctioned events.

Reportedly, Vukov entered into private arbitration with the WTA as part of his appeal, and attended a hearing that took place before Wimbledon.

The long, drawn-out saga has taken place over the span of a year, with the tour first provisionally suspending Vukov near the end of 2024, then officially doing so on January 31st. All the while, Rybakina expressed the sentiment that she’d prefer it if Vukov could continue coaching her.

Rybakina cut ties with Vukov ahead of last year’s US Open, then hired Goran Ivanisevic in the off-season. In January she announced that Vukov was going to come back into the fold, but he was soon banned. Still, Ivanisevic ended up parting ways with Rybakina rather than stay in a situation he called “sad and strange.”

Previously, members of Rybakina’s team had appealed to the WTA that they feared for her safety. Vukov stayed close to his former charge, and inherited agent duties, while Davide Sanguinetti stepped in to coach her. 

According to the Athletic, Vukov initiated an appeal this spring, and has been reinstated.

“The WTA is fully committed to providing a safe and respectful environment for all athletes and other participants, as set out in our WTA Code of Conduct and Safeguarding Code,” the WTA said in a statement to the Athletic. “Any sanctions issued following a breach of these safeguarding rules are carefully considered and are subject to appeal before an independent tribunal.

“While case details remain confidential, we can confirm that Mr. Vukov is eligible to receive credentials at WTA events. We will not be commenting further.”

Sanguinetti has been supportive of Vukov, and could potentially keep his role in the team even after Vukov returns.

Tenth-ranked Rybakina will face Mexico’s Renata Zarazua in second-round action at the Cincinnati Open.

Ben Goes Big: Shelton Becomes Youngest American Masters Champion in 21 Years

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By Chris Oddo | Thursday August 7, 2025

Blood, sweat, tears and – finally – triumph. Ben Shelton gave it all in Toronto and took home the hardware as the youngest American to win a Masters title since Andy Roddick in 2004, defeating Karen Khachanov 6-7(5) 6-4 7-6(3) in two hours and 47 minutes.

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Shelton is the first American man to win the title in Canada since Roddick in 2003, and he will rise to a career-high ranking of No.6.

“I feel so blessed,” Shelton said. “Just to have opportunities like this. The joy that I feel today isn’t just because of the win. It’s because of the people that I get to spend every day with.”

It was a hard-hitting tussle with Khachanov, the pair’s second career meeting which saw Khachanov jump out in front on the strength of a solid first-set tiebreak.

But Shelton would not be denied. The 22-year-old American answered back, going unbroken in sets two and three and winning four of the final five points in the deciding set tiebreak to earn his third and biggest ATP title.

Shelton defeated No. 8-seeded Alex de Minaur and No. 4-seeded Taylor Fritz to advance to his maiden ATP Masters 1000 final, and survived third-set tiebreaks to defeat Brandon Nakashima and Flavio Cobolli earlier in the tournament.

When the victory was clinched, Shelton made his way to the crowd to share the moment with his coach and father Bryan. His coach encouraged him to step into the court and take balls earlier against Khachanov, and the strategy paid dividends.

“I love the way that he coaches me,” Shelton said. “He usually leaves stuff up to me. He gives me a lot of suggestions. He knows me better than anyone in the world, so he’s well qualified to give me those suggestions.”

Khachanov went more than six years between Masters finals, a record, but could not summon the magic that he displayed when winning the Paris title in 2018.

Still, he will rise to No.12 in the rankings after a strong effort that saw him save a match point while knocking off top-seeded Alexander Zverev in the semis.

“Definitely still it’s a positive, great tournament, great run,” he said. “I had some great battles, great wins against top guys. So that’s why I give credit to myself for doing that, and that’s it.

“I mean, you can win, you can lose, so you just try to regroup and be ready for the next tournament, it’s another Masters 1000, and then it’s a Grand Slam. So this is tennis, so sometimes you have to regroup quickly and be fit, be ready for the next match.”

Montreal Champ Mboko to Skip Cincinnati to Rest Wrist

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By Chris Oddo | Friday August 8, 2025

18-year-old Victoria Mboko is the talk of the town in Montreal and around the tennis world after she claimed her maiden WTA title on Thursday evening with an emotional win over Naomi Osaka in the Omnium Banque Nationale final.

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She’ll take some time away from the spotlight, however.

The Canadian has elected to pull out of the Cincinnati Open draw in order to rest the wrist she injured while falling during her semifinal win over Elena Rybakina in Montreal.

“I’m not planning on playing Cincinnati at the moment,” she said, after explaining that her right wrist was swollen on Thursday, and adding that she went to the hospital earlier that day for an MRI/X-Ray. “I just want to take care of my wrist a little bit right now, and I think it’s just very close and sudden for me to go there and play again I think in, like, two days.

“I think I’m just going to sit out on that one and prepare for the upcoming tournaments.”

Osaka, who reached her first WTA 1000 final since 2022 in Montreal, has also withdrawn from Cincinnati.

Mboko admitted that the swelling in her wrist was concerning but said it didn’t affect her play against Osaka too much.

“It was pretty swollen, and it was really stiff and hard to move,” she said. “So we decided to go to do an MRI and an X-ray just to make sure that nothing too serious was happening, that I could have the possibility of playing.

“When I got the green light, I just had to make sure I saw the physios, and we taped it up properly before the match and a very solid tape job. Yeah, I just did as much as I could to prepare for the match.”

Mboko, who rose from No.85 to No.24 in today’s WTA rankings, defeated four former Grand Slam champions during her run to the title in Montreal. It was just her seventh WTA main draw.

She says she doesn’t want to get over the moon about her success, however.

“I surround myself with people who have known me for so long, and I just like to keep a small circle,” Mboko said. “I like to be really relaxed and calm. So I think going forward, I just want to keep the same routines that I’m usually used to.

“I don’t want to put so much pressure on myself just because of something that happened this week, because life goes on. There’s always another tournament, whether win or lose. I’m just happy to live the moment. Once it’s passed, it’s passed.”

Victorious Victoria! 18-Year-Old Mboko Stuns Rybakina to Reach Montreal Final

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By Chris Oddo | Wednesday August 6, 2025

Grand Slam champions keep stepping up to face teen sensation Victoria Mboko in Montreal, and the kid keeps knocking them down.

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For the third time in six matches at the Omnium Banque Nationale, Mboko defeated a former major champion, as she advanced to her maiden WTA final with a 1-6 7-5 7-6(4) victory over Elena Rybakina.

“It was an incredible match,” Mboko, who has also defeated Sofia Kenin and Coco Gauff on her way to the final, told the Montreal crowd. “I want to say thanks to everyone who supported me tonight. It was electric, and I’m very happy – oh my god!”

Mboko battled over two hours and 45 minutes, rallying from a set down and twice from a break down in the final set as she saved a match point and finally pushed past the No.9 seed in a tiebreak, winning the final three points to lock up a spot in the final where a fourth former major champion – Naomi Osaka – will be waiting.

Osaka defeated Clara Tauson in Wednesday’s second semifinal, 6-2 7-6(7).

Mboko survived despite winning only 35 percent of her second-serve points, thanks to a 72 percent first-serve percentage and a very timely break game. With pinpoint returns, stellar defense, and plenty of guile she earned six breaks of Rybakina’s serve as she locked up her second consecutive Top 20 win and became the youngest woman to reach the final in Canada since Belinda Bencic in 2015.

What was Mboko most proud of?

“I would say my ability to kind of come back in the third set,” she said. “I feel like after I had that fall, I wasn’t in the greatest spirits. Of course, she was playing really great tennis on top of that, but I’m happy that I kept my composure, and I was kind of patient in the right moments.

“I just feel really happy that I was able to bounce back after being down. Even a match point…”

Mboko is also the only Canadian woman to ever defeat three former Slam champions in the same event in Open Era history.

“It was very difficult, Elena is a very good player, but anything can happen,” Mboko said.

The victory was not accomplished without adversity.

Mboko took a fall in the second game of the final set, and had her right wrist examined after the third game, but she was able to play through the pain to get the victory against the woman who knocked her out of the Washington, DC draw last week.

“Unfortunately I fell,” Mboko said. “But everybody was supporting me and pushing me through.”

A remarkable effort from a young woman who is playing in her seventh WTA main draw, and just her third at the WTA 1000 level.

Ranked 85 at the start of the week, Mboko is up to 34 in the WTA live rankings at the moment. She was outside the Top 300 when the season started but 41 wins and just eight losses across all levels have propelled the former junior world No.6 to her current perch.

A Battle Royale

It was tense from start to finish against Rybakina, who rallied from a break down to level at 5-5 in the second set, just two games from the win. But Mboko won eight of the final ten points of the set to force a decider.

In the third, Rybakina was in the driver’s set again, leading 4-2 and 5-3 with a break, but she failed to convert a match point while serving at 5-4 and was broken.

After breaking back in the next game, she was broken at love by Mboko and a tiebreak ensued.

The Canadian saved her best for last – a line-licking forehand that went for a winner and a 5-4 lead in the breaker. Two points later she sank to her knees in disbelief, another Grand Slam champion, another victim of a raw, talented phenom on the rise.

Ben Goes Big: Shelton Becomes Youngest American Masters Champion in 22 Years

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By Chris Oddo | Thursday August 7, 2025

Blood, sweat, tears and – finally – triumph. Ben Shelton gave it all in Toronto and took home the hardware as the youngest American to win a Masters title since Andy Roddick in 2004, defeating Karen Khachanov 6-7(5) 6-4 7-6(3) in two hours and 47 minutes.

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Shelton is the first American man to win the title in Canada since Roddick in 2003, and he will rise to a career-high ranking of No.6.

“I feel so blessed,” Shelton said. “Just to have opportunities like this. The joy that I feel today isn’t just because of the win. It’s because of the people that I get to spend every day with.”

It was a hard-hitting tussle with Khachanov, the pair’s second career meeting which saw Khachanov jump out in front on the strength of a solid first-set tiebreak.

But Shelton would not be denied. The 22-year-old American answered back, going unbroken in sets two and three and winning four of the final five points in the deciding set tiebreak to earn his third and biggest ATP title.

Shelton defeated No. 8-seeded Alex de Minaur and No. 4-seeded Taylor Fritz to advance to his maiden ATP Masters 1000 final, and survived third-set tiebreaks to defeat Brandon Nakashima and Flavio Cobolli earlier in the tournament.

When the victory was clinched, Shelton made his way to the crowd to share the moment with his coach and father Bryan. His coach encouraged him to step into the court and take balls earlier against Khachanov, and the strategy paid dividends.

“I love the way that he coaches me,” Shelton said. “He usually leaves stuff up to me. He gives me a lot of suggestions. He knows me better than anyone in the world, so he’s well qualified to give me those suggestions.”

Khachanov went more than six years between Masters finals, a record, but could not summon the magic that he displayed when winning the Paris title in 2018.

Still, he will rise to No.12 in the rankings after a strong effort that saw him save a match point while knocking off top-seeded Alexander Zverev in the semis.

“Definitely still it’s a positive, great tournament, great run,” he said. “I had some great battles, great wins against top guys. So that’s why I give credit to myself for doing that, and that’s it.

“I mean, you can win, you can lose, so you just try to regroup and be ready for the next tournament, it’s another Masters 1000, and then it’s a Grand Slam. So this is tennis, so sometimes you have to regroup quickly and be fit, be ready for the next match.”

Humble & Hungry – Shelton Is Youngest American to Reach Masters Final in 21 Years

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By Chris Oddo | Wednesday August 6, 2025

Ben Shelton broke new ground on Wednesday night in Toronto, defeating Taylor Fritz to become the youngest American to reach a Masters 1000 final since Andy Roddick in 2004.

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The 22-year-old notched a 6-4, 6-3 over the top-ranked American, and has now earned back-to-back Top-10 wins for the first time in his career.

“I’m just looking for things in my game to steadily improve and I’ve seen so many big improvements in my game this week,” said Shelton. “That’s what I’m most happy about. The way that I’m playing, how I’m executing and how little I’m hesitating.”

Shelton saved both break points he faced in a flawless performance, and converted three of ten to pull away from the fourth-ranked American.

He cracked seven aces and won 25 of 29 first-serve points.

“When he is standing in one corner, he’s one of the best in the world at being behind the ball and hitting it harder and harder every time,” Shelton said of the 2024 US Open runner-up. “You have to keep him moving and I did a great job of that, moving the ball around the court today.”

In the first all-American Masters semifinal in 15 years Shelton improved to 1-1 vs Fritz and became the eighth player born in the 2000s to play a Masters final.

“It’s huge,” Shelton said. “Talked about how the Masters were the one level of tournaments that I’ve been struggling with, and my next step is being able to excel in these tournaments. So taking that first step and getting my first deep run under my belt is exciting.”

He’ll face Karen Khachanov for the title on Thursday evening.

Emotional Tauson Tops Keys, Dedicates Win to Grandfather

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By Chris Oddo | Tuesday August 5, 2025

Clara Tauson was a woman on a mission on Tuesday in Montreal. Two days after notching her second Top-5 win of 2025 over Iga Swiatek, she reeled in her fourth Top-10 triumph of the season by defeating Australian Open champion Madison Keys, 6-1, 6-4.

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It was an emotional victory for the 22-year-old Dane, who told the crowd that she was dedicating the victory to her grandfather, who recently passed way.

“I’m still in shock,” she said, breaking into tears. “Two days ago my grandfather, unfortunately, passed away. I really wanted to win for him today.

“I was told the day after I beat Iga, yesterday, so I really wanted to come out and show my best tennis for him, and hopefully he’s watching.”

Broadcasting (NEC)

Tauson will face either Naomi Osaka or Elina Svitolina in the semifinals.

She was out of the gates fast against sixth-seeded Keys, converting two breaks of serve to claim the opening set in under 30 minutes. Tauson made a break in the first game of set two hold up, saving a break point while serving at 4-3 before closing the match out in one hour and 13 minutes.

Tauson saved all three break points she faced and won each of her nine service games to improve to 32-15 on the season. She reaches her seventh career WTA semifinal, all of which have come on hard courts.

With the win Tauson is up to a career-high No.15 in the live rankings.

Osaka Continues Torrid Tennis, Reaching First Semifinal in Canada

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By Chris Oddo | Tuesday August 5, 2025

New coach, new vibes?

Naomi Osaka is finding her best tennis in her first tournament with new coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. The four-time major champion defeated Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-2 on Tuesday night in Montreal, notching five consecutive wins for the first time since 2022, and setting a semifinal with 22-year-old Dane Clara Tauson.

It was a dominant performance from Osaka, who reached the last four in Canada for the first time in her career in her sixth career appearance in Canada.

“I think for me I’m just having a lot of fun playing and I’m really glad to be here,” said the 27-year-old former World No.1. “It’s been seven years.”

Osaka broke serve five times from seven opportunities, kept her error count far lower than Svitolina and won 83 percent of her first-serve points to improve to 21-11 on the season.

“I’m really happy,” she told reporters. I”m also really excited. I don’t know. It’s kind of interesting, because I told people this before, but like, obviously after Wimbledon, I was really disappointed. Then I just kind of let go of my expectations, and now we’re here. So I find it kind of ironic, but I’m happy about it.”

With her win Osaka rises to No.29 in the WTA live rankings, which means she will be seeded at the US Open.

Opportunity Knocks For These Five Players in Canada

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By Chris Oddo | Monday August 4, 2025

Among the handful of household names still very much in the mix ahead of quarterfinal action at the 1000-level events in Canada this week, there are a few newbies who could just be ready to make a big splash.

And a four-time major champion that has not seen much success at the biggest events of late.

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Let’s have a look at some of the players that could produce breakout results over the next three days in Canada.

Alex Michelsen

The 20-year-old American has reached his maiden Masters quarterfinals, and that makes three American men in the quarters of a Masters event for the first time since 2004 Indian Wells: Michelsen, Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton.

Today Michelsen will face Karen Khachanov in Toronto as he bids to become the youngest American man to reach the semifinals at a Masters event since Andy Roddick won the 2003 title. Michelsen, who will rise to No.28 in the live rankings if he wins, is bidding to become the first player born in 2004 to reach a Masters semifinal.

Clara Tauson

The 22-year-old Dane has already defeated two Top-5 players in 2024. She has now reached her second WTA 1000 quarterfinal and is already up to a new career-high ranking of 17 in the live rankings. She’ll face Madison Keys on Tuesday.

Victoria Mboko

It’s all gravy for the youngest player remaining in the women’s draw – and the last Canadian standing in either event — in Montreal this week, as 18-year-old wild card Victoria Mboko faces Jessica Bouzas Maneiro for a spot in the semis on Monday night.

Mboko, making her main draw debut, defeated Coco Gauff to reach her maiden WTA 1000 quarterfinal. Same for Bouzas Maneiro, and both players are bidding to reach their first tour-level semifinal.

Ben Shelton

22-year-old American Ben Shelton has already reached the semifinals at a major, but he hasn’t gone there at a Masters event thus far. He’ll have a chance to achieve the feat on Tuesday when he meets Alex de Minaur in Toronto, in a first-time meeting.

Of the eight men remaining in the singles draw in Toronto, only the Americans – Michelsen and Shelton – have yet to reach a Masters final.

ben shelton citi open
ben shelton citi open

Naomi Osaka

Could it be the four-time Slam champion’s time to shine again in Montreal? Naomi Osaka, with new coach Tomasz Wiktorowski at the helm, will bid for her first 1000-level semifinal since 2022 in Miami.

The former No.1, who rifled past Anastasija Sevastova in 49 minutes on Sunday, will face former champion Elina Svitolina on Tuesday.

Only four of the remaining eight players left in the Montreal draw have previously won a title at the 1000 level: Madison Keys, Elena Rybakina, Osaka and Svitolina

How Alex de Minaur Shook Off Mid-Season Fatigue, Burnout

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By Chris Oddo | Monday August 4, 2025

After crashing out of this year’s French Open Alex de Minaur – the seemingly indefatigable Aussie who plays tennis like the energizer bunny – cited burnout as one of the biggest contributing factors to his on court struggles.

“For the last three, four years I’ve had two days off after the Davis Cup and I’ve gone straight into preseason, straight into the new season again,” he said after falling to Alexander Bublik in five sets in the second round in Paris.

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“Once you start, you don’t finish until Nov. 24. So it’s never ending. The way [the season] is structured … I had to deal with that. I’m still dealing with that right now.”

Two months later, the 26-year-old Aussie is looking recharged, even if he is at a lower ranking. That’s became De Minaur skipped out on his ‘s-Hertogenbosch title defense in order to prioritize his mental and physical health over chasing ranking points.

This week in Toronto he rides an eight-match winning streak into the quarterfinals.

“I took some time off, I didn’t play some tournaments. I knew I had to kind of shift my mindset a little bit, because what I was feeling, what I was dealing with every single day, was not sustainable, and was the reason for my burnout,” De Minaur said earlier this week.

“So, I decided not to try and defend the title in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, even though I knew it would affect my seeding at Wimbledon. And that for me was the first step, forgetting about my ranking and just worrying about myself a little bit more.”

De Minaur and many other players – from Casper Ruud to Alexander Zverev to Iga Swiatek – have expressed worry about the demands of the current tour schedule, and the smart ones are learning to take matters into their own hands.

“I managed to have a great balance,” De Minaur said. “I’ve had a lot of talks off the court to make sure I am in this right mindset. Now I’m prioritizing myself, and I know that I’m a good enough player, I know I’m a top-10 player, even if I’m not, I wasn’t in that ranking a couple weeks ago.

“If I show up, and I’m mentally ready and physically ready, I know I can provide that tennis. The last couple weeks have been an example of that, so very proud.”

Djokovic Withdraws from Cincinnati

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By Chris Oddo | Monday August 4, 2025

24-time major champion Novak Djokovic has pulled out of next week’s Cincinnati Open.

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Tennis Express One Day Sale

The three-time champion also withdrew from the event last year, and last played the event in 2023, when he defeated Carlos Alcaraz in an epic final that was one of the best in tournament history.

No reason has been cited for his withdrawal, but it is thought not to be related to a serious injury and he is expected to take his place in the US Open men’s singles draw, which commences play on August 24.

The 38-year-old, ranked sixth, will be bidding for his record 25th major title in New York. He is 392-54 lifetime at the majors, and 26-9 for the season.

Mboko’s Dream Run Continues – 18-Year-Old Reaches Montreal Semis

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By Chris Oddo | Monday August 4, 2025

Canadian sensation Victoria Mboko is on her way to becoming a star. Already turning heads at Roland-Garros, where she reached the third round from qualifying, the Canadian continues to impress on her home soil, where she reached the semifinals at the Omnium Banque Nationale with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain before a thrilled, partisan crowd on Monday night.

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Mboko is the fourth youngest woman to reach the last four at the WTA’s 1000 level event in Canada since 2000, and the youngest since 2015.

“I know it’s not over,” she said. “I’m so excited to be in the semifinals here, it’s been unreal.

“I think just to play in front of the Canadian crowd – I train here and it’s my first time playing in Montreal and it has been an unreal experience and I couldn’t be more grateful.”

Mboko will face Elena Rybakina in the semifinals on Wednesday in Montreal. She is slated to crack the Top-50 in next week’s rankings, regardless of how she fares against the former Wimbledon champion in the semifinals.

There were no break points through seven games in a tight opening set, then three in succession as the Canadian locked up the set with her second break for 6-4.

After falling behind 2-0 in the second the Canadian pegged the accelerator and reeled off the final six games to clinch victory in 77 minutes.

Rybakina got past Marta Kostyuk earlier in the day when the Ukrainian was forced to pull out with a wrist injury while trailing 6-2, 2-1.

Rybakina Holds Off Yastremska in Montreal

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By Chris Oddo, Saturday August 2, 2025

Elena Rybakina rallied from a set down to defeat Dayana Yastremska on Saturday at the Omnium Banque Nationale, holding off the Ukrainian 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 to set a quarterfinal with Marta Kostyuk.

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Rybakina, seeded ninth and ranked No.12, had to work for it after she squandered a break lead in the opening set and was broken while serving to stay in it, in the twelfth game.

She rebounded and powered through the second set before turning the tables on Yastremska with a late break for 6-5.

In the final game Yastremska saved a trio of match points and earned a break point, which was erased by a brave second-serve ace from Rybakina.

The 2023 semifinalist will face Marta Kostyuk, who defeated McCartney Kessler, 5-7 6-3 6-3, in the round of 16 on Saturday.

Rybakina has won two of three previous meetings with Kostyuk, including the last two.

"Why Not?" – Legendary Venus Williams Speaks Ahead of Citi Open Return

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The American icon doled out wisdom and inspiration in her pre-tournament press conference at the Citi Open. America

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday July 20, 2025

Venus Williams, 45, has a lot of reasons to move beyond professional tennis and take advantage of the many creative and entrepreneurial opportunities are now available to her. But she could not resist the pull to test herself against the sports’ elite at least one more time this week at the Mubadala Citi Open in Washington, D.C.

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Williams, who was granted a wild card into the main draw and will face American Peyton Stearns in her first match since the 2024 Miami Open, explains her decision to play as follows: “Why not?”

The American icon spoke to the media in a pre-tournament press conference on Sunday and doled out wisdom at a rapid clip.

“It's incredible,” she said, beaming from the podium, as she was asked what it felt like to inspire America’s next generation of talent. “Actually, that was not what I thought would happen in my life as a young person. I wanted to play the game, be a champion. I loved the game so much, I didn't realize that it would be so much bigger than myself, and seeing these young women doing positive things with their life, winning tournaments, inspiring the next generation too. It's like I could have never imagined that.”

She finished the declaration with a very Venus sentence:

“It's like icing on the cake, cherries on top, with the nuts and all the fixings. You know, it's beautiful.”

Did she miss tennis? Is that why she’s returning this week? Not necessarily.

“I'm not a person that misses a lot,” she said. “I have so much I'm doing off of the court that kept me so busy that I don't know if I had time to miss anything, but I do know that when I went to Wimbledon this year, I was there for a day, and it was so beautiful and exciting, and I remembered all the times that I had, of course, the adrenaline, all those things, I think just the pure fun of playing the game, the fun of the challenge, overcoming – when you play, you have to overcome so many challenges, your opponents, the conditions, a lot of times you have to overcome yourself.

“Those things are very exciting. So I think maybe just the challenge of it all.”

Williams may want to catch a wild card at the US Open, but as she said numerous times during her press conference, she prefers to keep her cards tight to her vest.

“I'm just here for now, and who knows, maybe there's more,” she said. “Like I said, I hold my cards close, but at the moment I'm focused just on this, and I haven't played in a year. There's no doubt I can play tennis, but obviously, coming back to play matches, it takes time to get in the swing of things.”

Which takes us to our next question. Can she be effective on the tennis court, at her age, after so many health issues? Williams has not won a match since 2023 in Cincinnati, and she has won just six of 26 matches since the start of 2021.

Not that it really matters to fans who just want to catch a glimpse of this legend up close and personal, but Williams feels she has what it takes to play winning tennis.

“I definitely feel I'll play well. I'm still the same player. I hit big,” she said with a smile. “This is my brand. So it's about hitting big and actually putting it in. So this will be my effort. Put it in the court. That's my main goal.

More important, is being a part of the game that she loves, and continuing to fly the flag for women’s tennis. Remember that Venus played a pivotal role in garnering equal prize money for women at Wimbledon nearly two decades ago. She’s been championing the women’s game ever since, and she’s not ready to stop – at least not yet.

“I always felt a big responsibility towards promoting tennis and also promoting women’s sports. I think that this generation can't forget that women, we still have lots to fight for and having an example to set is so important.

“And of course, I'm in love with tennis, so to have the opportunity, to have this platform, to promote the game, even now, is a great opportunity.”

Rune Working with Andre Agassi Ahead of Citi Open

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The pair will reportedly spend three days together, according to a report by Stephanie Myles. Andre Agassi

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday July 19, 2025

Holger Rune and Andre Agassi are spending some quality time together at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C.

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According to Stephanie Myles of Open Court, who shot the below video, the pair are to spend three days together prepping for the ATP 500 event.

According to Myles, the pair will spend three days together in the hopes that Rune can gain some insight from the eight-time Slam champion

The Dane has had both good and bad moments this season. Famously, he defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the Barcelona final. But he's only 22-14 on the season with the one title. He reached the round of 16 at the Australian Open and Roland-Garros, but lost in the first round at Wimbledon.

Agassi has been on the scene a bit in recent months, commentating for TNT at Roland-Garros for four days, and appearing on the Andy Roddick First Serve Podcast for an in-depth interview.

Aryna Sabalenka, Citing Fatigue, Pulls out of Montreal

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The World No.1 is choosing rest at the moment. Amanda Anisimova

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday July 16, 2025

Aryna Sabalenka will take a little more time before she starts her North American hard court season. The American announced that she’ll skip the National Bank Open in Montreal, citing fatigue.

Tennis Express

She joins Paula Badosa [injury] on the sidelines, which means that Caty McNally and Moyuka Uchijima will enter the main draw.

“I’m looking forward to kicking off the North American hard-court swing, but to give myself the best chance for success this season, I’ve decided it’s in my best interest to skip Montreal,” a statement from Sabalenka read.


No.1-ranked Sabalenka recently lost in the semifinals at Wimbledon, falling to Amanda Anisimova, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. The three-time major champion is 47-9 on the season with three titles, but has yet tot win a major.

The National Bank Open will move to a 12-day tournament this year, taking place from July 25 to August 6, with main draw play commencing on the 27th.

Sinner and Cahill a Go for 2026?

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The Italian won a bet, and he wants to make his Aussie coach pay up. analyst

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday July 15, 2025

In January of this year, we reported that Jannik Sinner and Darren Cahill would not be working together after the 2025 season. On Sunday we learned that the split might be as clean as anticipated.

Tennis Express

Asked about the future of the duo after Sinner won his maiden Wimbledon final on Sunday, Cahill seemed to hint that the partnership might not be ending. "I don't want to answer this," Cahill responded. "You know what? You just need to ask Jannik that."

Sinner wasn’t asked in English, but in the Italian section of his press conference the question was put to him.

"We made a bet before the final: I told him that if I won, I could choose whether he could stay or not at the end of the year. Now the choice is mine!” the 23-year-old Italian said.


Hard to tell if he was serious or not, but he has laid out a potential plan which would allow Cahill to continue coaching and advising from a distance.

“If I choose to stay with him, he probably won't travel so much anymore, that's normal,” Sinner said. “I've always told him I'd like to have him in Australia, because things are going well. Plus, the season is still long, there are still so many tournaments to go, and I'll see him a lot more… But I won the bet, now we'll see!”

It makes sense in a lot of ways, and not only in Australia. Cahill is contracted to work at the Grand Slams as an analyst, so he’s already there at the four biggest tournaments. Why not continue to tap one of the greatest coaching minds that the sport has ever seen?

“I've always looked for an honest person, who gives me so much not only on the tennis court, but also in life outside, both in success and disappointment,” Sinner added.

Swiatek's Wimbledon Triumph, By the Numbers

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The Pole is the only active woman to have reached major finals on all three surfaces. Ashleigh Barty

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday July 15, 2025

Iga Swiatek was not known as a formidable grass-court player ahead of Wimbledon. Boy, did she ever change the narrative, as she went on a run for the ages to earn her sixth major title and first at Wimbledon.

Tennis Express

Join us for a quick look inside the numbers of Iga’s latest triumph.

1 – Swiatek is the first Polish player to win a Wimbledon singles title in the Open Era.

2 – The Polish juggernaut dropped just two games across her semifinal and final rounds, which is the fewest in Open Era Grand Slam history.

3 – With a perfect 6-0 record in Grand Slam finals, Swiatek is the third player in Open Era history to have won her first six major finals, joining Monica Seles, 6, and Roger Federer, 7.

35 – Swiatek dropped just 35 games to win the title — the fewest since Martina Navratilova in 1990.

8 – Swiatek is the eighth woman in the Open Era to win Grand Slam singles titles on all three surfaces, joining Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Hana Mandlikova, Steffi Graf, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Ashleigh Barty.

She is the only current active WTA player who has even reached the final at a Slam on all three surfaces.

100 – The Pole’s victory in the final was her 100th Grand Slam match-win in singles. She has lost just 20 of her Grand Slam matches to date, and is the fastest player to reach 100 wins since Serena Williams did it in 116 matches in 2004.

Swiatek is now a perfect 6-0 in Grand Slam singles finals — and she has beaten six different opponents in each of those finals.

6-0, 6-0 – She became the second woman in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam final with a 6-0 6-0 scoreline. Steffi Graf defeated Natasha Zvereva without losing a game in the 1988 Roland Garros final.

See the 2025 US Open Player Entry Lists

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Player entry lists are based on the July 14 ATP and WTA rankings. Alexander Shevchenko

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday July 15, 2025

The US Open has released the men's and women's singles entry lists for the 2025 US Open.

Tennis Express

Click the links to view the full entry lists: Men's Singles | Women's Singles

World No. 1s and reigning US Open singles champions Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner lead their respective fields, with 18 total former Grand Slam singles champions, including 10 former US Open champions on the list.

The United States leads all nations with 30 players (16 women and 14 men) earning direct entry into the tournament.

Nine players are using special or protected rankings, including Petra Kvitova (No. 14), Nick Kyrgios (No. 21) and Sorana Cirstea (No. 37).

Both the men's and women's entries were based on the July 14 rankings. The women's cutoff was No. 99 Mayar Sherif, while the men's cutoff was No. 101, Alexander Shevchenko.

Main draw play begins on August 24 in Flushing Meadows, while qualifying week kicks off on August 18.

Sinner's Wimbledon Triumph, By the Numbers

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The Italian made history for his country on Sunday at the All England Club. Agassi

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday July 13, 2025

Jannik Sinner made history on Sunday at Wimbledon, defeating Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to become the first Italian to ever win a Wimbledon singles title.

Tennis Express

Before the grass clippings settle let’s have a look at what else Sinner achieved with his run to the title.

4 – Sinner wins his fourth major title, and is by far the most successful Italian player in that regard. Sinner ties Jim Courier, Ken Rosewell and Guillermo Vilas on the all-time men’s singles Grand Slam singles titles list.

20 – Sinner’s 20th overall title puts him in a tie with Daniil Medvedev for fifth on the active ATP title list.

100 – Sinner hit the century mark in Grand Slam matches, improving to 81-19 at the majors. Only one Italian player – Nico Pietrangeli, 94 – has won more.


6 – Sinner became the sixth player to reach four consecutive major finals in the Open Era, joining Agassi, Djokovic, Federer, Laver and Nadal.

By reaching all four major finals in his 23rd major appearance, Sinner has achieved that feat quicker than all but two players – Courier, 19, and Agassi, 22.

4 for 7 – Sinner has won four of the last seven major singles titles on offer, with Alcaraz taking the other three.

3 – With his title, Sinner becomes one of five players aged 23 or under in the Open Era to simultaneously hold three Men’s Singles titles at Grand Slams, along with Connors, Sampras, Federer Nadal.

How Sinner Became Unstoppable on Grass

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The unflappable Italian went from unsure to commanding on the sports slickest surface. By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday July 13, 2025

What made the difference for Jannik Sinner on Sunday at Wimbledon? How was he able to overcome his devastating loss to Carlos Alcaraz at Roland-Garros last month and snap a personal five-match losing streak to the Spaniard?

Tennis Express

So many reasons. But anybody who watched Sinner control the run of play against the two-time champion knows that his movement had a lot to do with it. Now comfortable with sliding on both sides, and able to use his speed to complement his breathtaking power game, Sinner has gone from a player who may never win Wimbledon, because Alcaraz is in his way, to a player that has what it takes to win multiple titles at the All England Club.

“I think that once he learned to feel more comfortable moving on grass, we believed that he had a game that was really good for grass,” his coach Darren Cahill said in a press conference after Sunday’s 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 takedown of Alcaraz on Centre Court. “His game has been improving all the time, and his results have shown that.”

Sinner agrees. And he adds that his naturally flat groundstrokes make him particularly difficult to contend with on grass.

“This year for sure I felt great on court,” he said. “I think we saw this also today how I started to move better every match I played,” he said. The beginning of my career I knew that I could potentially play well here because of my groundstrokes. They're quite flat, and the ball goes through.”

Another reason for Sinner’s rapid rise as a grass-court guru? His ability to watch and learn.

Cahill says that Sinner has been watching and learning from his rival as their rivalry has evolved. He may not surpass him in some areas, but he’s wise enough to recognize that he could implement some of the things that Alcaraz does well in his own game.

“I would say that Jannik watches more Carlos matches than he does anybody else because he's fascinated with the improvements that are coming in his game, and he's pushing us as coaches to make sure that he's improving also as a tennis player as well,” Cahill said. “So the rivalry is real. It's there. And hopefully it's going to be there and real for the next 10 or 12 years.”

Finally, we must factor in Sinner’s unflappability. How was he able to stay so on-mission after losing in the most heartbreaking fashion to Alcaraz in Paris. Triple match point in the fourth set? It would be understandable if he lost belief in himself temporarily after that harrowing experience.

“This I think is the part where I'm the proudest of because it really has not been easy,” Sinner admitted. “I always tried to be honest with myself, and I had the self-talk too – you know, what if, what if? I always tried to accept it, in a way.”

Sinner did more than accept it. He embraced it, and realized that he was so close rather than so far, from where he wanted to be. Then he did the work and pulled off a magical run on the grass.

Rivalry on…

With her Wimbledon Runner-Up Speech, Amanda Anisimova Won Wimbledon in her Own Way

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The American paid heartfelt tribute to her team and family after a difficult loss, but successful journey. All England Club

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday July 12, 2025

Amanda Anisimova was brutally swept aside by Iga Swiatek in Saturday’s women’s final at Wimbledon. She didn’t manage to capture a single game as the Polish juggernaut won her sixth major title, and first at the All England Club.

Tennis Express

Swiatek’s 6-0, 6-0 triumph is the first double bagel victory in Grand Slam final history, and the Pole’s incredible level is further proof or her status as a legendary talent in our sport.

But Anisimova won hearts with her emotional runner-up speech as she gave the Centre Court crowd insight into her journey to the Wimbledon final, and how her mother played a pivotal role in her development.

“My mom has put in more work than I have honestly,” a teary-eyed Anisimova told the crowd as she paid tribute to her mother, who had flown in to see Saturday’s final. “My mom is the most selfless person I know. She’s done everything to get me to this point.”

Anisimova’s family has endured its share of hardship, as Konstantin Anisimova, the coach and father of Amanda died suddenly in 2017 when Amanda was just 17.

It was phenomenal to watch Anisimova pull herself together after a brutal loss and celebrate her journey.

She apologized to the crowd for talking too long, but in truth the audience was enraptured.

“I’m so happy that I get to share this moment, and for you to be here and witness this in person, you don’t get to see me live playing that much anymore, because you do so much for me and my sister, and you always have.

It would be foolish not to focus on Anisimova’s journey and the incredible effort she has put in to overcome her grief and subsequent mental health issues to become a Wimbledon finalist and a Top 10 player.

And we likely have not heard the last from the 23-year-old talent.

“I know I didn’t have enough today, but I’m gonna keep putting in the work. I always believe in myself and I hope to be back here again one day,” she concluded.

Alcaraz vs Sinner, Wimbledon Final, By the Numbers

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Get primed for a blockbuster Wimbledon men's final, by the numbers. Carlos Alcaraz

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday July 11, 2025

The 138th Open era staging of Wimbledon has produced a blockbuster final on the men’s side. It’s all down to top-seeded Jannik Sinner and second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz, the tournament’s top two seeds, on Sunday.

Tennis Express

As the pair prepare to contest their second Grand Slam final, and first at Wimbledon, we take a deep dive for a number crunch.

8-4 – Alcaraz holds the 8-4 lifetime edge against Sinner, and he has now won five in a row against Sinner, including a victory over the Italian at last month’s Roland-Garros final, where he saved three championship points and rallied from two sets down to hand Sinner his first defeat in a major final.

5-0 – Alcaraz is undefeated in major finals thus far in his career. Only Monica Seles (6) and Roger Federer (7) have won more major finals without suffering a first loss in the Open Era.

7 – Either Alcaraz or Sinner have won each of the last seven major singles titles, dating back to the 2024 Australian Open.

5 – Number of players that have won Wimbledon men’s singles titles since 2003. Sinner bids to join, Federer (8), Djokovic (7), Nadal (2), Murray (2), Alcaraz (2) on the list as No.6.

20 – Alcaraz rides a 20-match Wimbledon winning streak into the final, and he's on a 24-match winning streak overall. 

3-1 – Sinner, who is bidding to become the first Italian to win a Wimbledon singles title, has won three of his previous four Grand Slam finals.

2008 – Alcaraz and Sinner are the first pair of men to contest finals in Paris and Wimbledon in the same year since Federer and Nadal in 2008. They are the second duo to achieve the feat in the Open Era.

93-9 – Sinner has won all but nine of his matches since the start of 2024, but Alcaraz has defeated him five times in that span.

1 – Sinner has taken the pair’s only grass court meeting at Wimbledon. He defeated Alcaraz in four sets in the round or 16 at the Championships.

3 – Alcaraz is bidding to become the fifth player in Open Era history to successfully complete a three-peat at Wimbledon, joining Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

11 – Sinner has reached at least the final at all four majors, and he is the 11th man to achieve the feat in the Open Era. Alcaraz has yet to join the least.

6 – Alcaraz is bidding to win his sixth major title. If he is successful he will go down as the second youngest player to win six majors, older only than Bjorn Borg.

Djokovic's Last Wimbledon Dance?

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The Grand Slam king talks up his chances ahead of his Alexandre Muller

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday June 28, 2025

He’s 38. He’s done everything there is to do in the sport. Well, almost everything…

Tennis Express

Novak Djokovic doesn’t stand atop the all-time Wimbledon men’s singles titles list, and he isn’t the oldest man to ever win a major singles title. If he can somehow find a way to be the last man standing at the end of this Wimbledon fortnight, he could add a few select chapters to his voluminous legacy.

At Wimbledon, most agree that it is Djokovic’s best chance. The Serbian legend himself said so on Saturday during his pre-tournament media conference. Maybe it’s even his last chance?

“I would probably agree that Wimbledon could be the best chance [for a 25th Grand Slam title] because of the results I have had, because of how I feel, how I play in Wimbledon, just getting that extra push mentally and motivation to perform the best tennis at the highest level,” he said.

Djokovic, who enters these Championships with a 97-12 record on his hallowed Wimbledon grass, hopes it isn’t his last dance at Wimbledon, but he admits it is a possibility.

“Whether it could be my last dance, I'm not sure,” he said. “My wish is to play for several more years. I would love to be healthy physically and also mentally motivated to keep on playing at the highest level. That's the goal, but you never know at this stage.”

Djokovic has been defeated in the final by Carlos Alcaraz in successive years, in five sets in 2023 and in straight sets last year.

He hopes that his form at the majors means he’ll be able to find his way back to another final, and maybe even win it.

Grand Slams stay quite consistent, quarters or semi-finals except for the US Open. That's a good sign. These tournaments give me the biggest drive still. Australia and at Roland-Garros showed me that I can still play on a very high level at the later stages.”

Djokovic will face France’s Alexandre Muller in the first round at Wimbledon.

Emotional Evans Appreciating Every Moment of Resurgence

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The Brit is into the quarterfinals at Eastbourne, and taking aim at the Top 100bank

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday June 25, 2025

Dan Evans said at Roland-Garros that one of his big goals for the season was to work his way back inside the Top 100 so he can be a part of the Grand Slams.

Tennis Express

He won’t need that ranking next week at Wimbledon, where he’s been granted a wild card, but Evans took a step in that direction nevertheless on Wednesday at Eastbourne with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win over American Tommy Paul.

Afterwards the 35-year-old British, a former World No.21 now ranked 170, celebrated emphatically as he took his place in the quarterfinals alongside American Jenson Brooksby.

Evans reached his first quarterfinal since 2023 with a convincing performance over the World No.13 in two hours and 13 minutes. He squandered a break advantage in the third set but quickly regained it back, then served out the match with four consecutive points from 0-15 down in the final game.

“To be honest, I felt good serving for the match,” Evans said after becoming the fifth oldest quarterfinalist in tournament history. “It was more one-love in the second where I started thinking about the finish line, which is an error.


“I just said to myself: ‘enjoy this, this is what it’s about. I played much better tennis when I stopped worrying about what he was doing.”

Evans was close to tears as he addressed the crowd after his victory. He is already up to 154 in the live rankings with today’s win, and would get close to 140 with a win over Brooksby on Thursday.

“I know I’ve done the work as well, he said. “Once I got some confidence, and I knew the work was in the bank.

“A good friend said: ‘if you are ready and the door opens, you’ll walk through it, and if you’re not, you won’t.’ There’s been no truer words for me in the past few weeks.”