Tennis news this week spans the emotional, political, and personal—from Nadal’s upcoming French Open tribute to lawsuits, docuseries, and self-care. Here’s a roundup of headlines shaping the tennis world.
French Open plans grand opening day tribute for retired Nadal: The French Open will pay tribute to record 14-times champion Rafa Nadal on the opening day of the Grand Slam next month, a year after the Spaniard played his final match on the clay of Roland Garros, organisers said on Thursday. Full Story: Reuters
Why Russia’s invasion of Ukraine hangs over tennis like no other sport: The high number of Ukrainian, Russian and Belarusian players on the WTA Tour — and the fact that they can face each other almost every week of the year — makes tennis a singular sport regarding the felt influence of the war. Full Story: The Athletic
Ukrainian tennis player Lesia Tsurenko sues WTA and its chairman for causing ’emotional distress’: Ukrainian tennis player Lesia Tsurenko has filed an amended lawsuit that accuses the WTA Tour and its chairman, Steve Simon, of a breach of contract, negligence and the “negligent infliction of emotional distress” because of the way it has handled Russian and Belarusian players amid the war in Ukraine. Full Story: ABC
‘Focus On Self Love’-Taylor Townsend Explains How She Is Prioritizing Mental Health: Aside from her accomplishments on the court, Taylor Townsend has been open about her personal life, highlighting the need for mental well-being and self-care. In a recent interview, she spoke about how she has inculcated a solid approach to remain grounded. “My mental health priority is self-love, really. In this downtime, I’ve really been trying to invest in myself—figuring out what that looks like and what that means.” Full Story: Athlon Sports
A battle between good strategy and on-court etiquette: Singles players routinely react with varying intensities of glare if an opponent sends a smash in their direction, because there is often more open court at which to aim. But hitting the ball to the player with the least time to react. Full Story: The Athletic
Sabalenka uses phone to photograph contested ball mark: Aryna Sabalenka took matters into her own hands and used a mobile phone to photograph a disputed ball mark when the umpire refused her request to take another look during her win over Elise Mertens at the Stuttgart Open on Saturday. Full Story: Reuters
May 10 is National “Hit to Be Fit Day”: The second annual National Hit to Be Fit Day, celebrating National Tennis Month, will be Saturday, May 10. Hit to Be Fit features Red Ball Tennis and Cardio Tennis Triples and will be a nationwide celebration of the health and wellness benefits of tennis. A featured Hit to Be Fit event will be held on the courts at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla., but the goal is to also have 300 facilities across the country offering a Hit to be Fit event on May 10, too. Full Story: USTA
Alexandra Eala: The reality of travel and difficulty of securing visas with a Philippine passport: The Philippine passport allows visa-free or visa-on-arrival travel to only 65 countries and territories, making the global nature of tennis a challenge. Full Story: Tennis
‘Carrie Soto Is Back’ Tennis Drama Series In Works At Netflix: Netflix is working on Carrie Soto is Back, a series adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestselling tennis-themed novel. Additionally, Serena Williams will be one of the project’s executive producers. Full Story: Deadline
Netflix Docuseries Features Carlos Alcaraz: The three-part series offers a look at Alcaraz’s rise through tennis and his life away from competition. The project was filmed during the 2024 season, which included Alcaraz’s two most recent Grand Slam tournament wins at the French Open and Wimbledon as well as his participation in the Paris Summer Olympics. It debuts April 23. Full Story: Biography
This Week in Professional Tennis
| Date | Tournament | Tour/Level | Location |
| 4/22-5/4 | Mutua Madrid Open | WTA 1000 | Spain |
