The red clay season is in full swing, French Open prize money announced, a coming change for the WTA Finals changes, USTA tech investments, and other tennis storylines.
French Open increases total purse to $72.1 million: The prize money for the French Open has increased by about 10% for an overall pot of 61.7 million euros ($72.1 million), organizers said Thursday. Play begins May 24 at Roland Garros in western Paris. Full Story: ESPN
Why WTA Tour Finals is leaving Saudi Arabia, and the future of women’s tennis’ flagship event: The new market for the WTA Finals came at the price of exposure. The stars of the WTA often played in front of a half-empty arena with a capacity of just 3,500, in front of cameras beaming to potential sponsors and future hosts around the world. Full Story: The Athletic
U.S. squad misses out on return to BJK Cup Finals after falling to Belgium in qualifier: The Americans will instead be forced to compete in the play-off round come November. Canada and Poland are among the nations that failed to advance. Full Story: Tennis
Markéta Vondroušová charged with refusing doping test: The Czech player has been charged with refusing a doping test by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) after denying the officer entry to conduct the test. Full Story: BBC
Illustrator seeks compensation from Monte Carlo Masters after design used without permission: An illustrator who learned that one of her designs was used for merchandise at the Monte Carlo Masters without permission is seeking compensation for the use of her intellectual property and emotional distress. Yana Boyko’s design, which she drew in June 2024, has appeared on a t-shirt sold at the ATP Masters 1000 event. Full Story: The Athletic
The underarm tennis serve has been the opposite of underhand for years: Having previously been dismissed as a shot reserved for amateur players who couldn’t serve properly, underarm serves came into fashion towards the end of the 2010s, partly because of how far back players like Rafael Nadal were standing to return — especially on clay. Full Story: The Athletic
Boris Becker’s 1989 US Open trophy fetches $357K in rare auction: The former world No. 1’s championship hardware is now the second-priciest piece of tennis memorabilia ever sold. Full Story: Tennis
USTA Ventures Invests in Fastbreak AI to Optimize Adult League Match Scheduling: The USTA will employ Fastbreak’s software to optimize scheduling for millions of adult USTA League matches per year, as Ventures continues investing in companies and technologies that help drive the USTA’s mission. Full Story: Racquet Sports Industry Editorial Note: Color me skeptical on this one. This AI system would have to provide direct and seamless access to court availability to work.
Tennis vs. Pickleball: What’s a Better Workout? Both are great ways to get out and get moving, and both can cause injuries. But there are a few important differences. Full Story: The New York Times
Netflix Just Revealed Its 2026 Tennis Slate: An electrifying new lineup of tennis premieres coming in 2026, headlined by a highly anticipated four-part documentary series chronicling the legendary Rafael Nadal. Full Story: What’s On Netflix Editorial Note: This article buries the lead that a documentary on Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova is coming in June.
This Week in Professional Tennis
| Date | Tournament | Tour/Level | Location |
| 4/21-5/3 | Mutua Madrid Open | WTA 1000 ATP 1000 | Spain |
