Tournament coverage innovations and heat rules share the headlines with reflections on tennis’s recent era of dominance, player profiles, fashion, art, and even a human-robot tennis match.
The hollowing out of Tennis.com is a warning for American sports journalism: The site once paired news and scores with distinctive voices. Its overhaul under Sinclair Media is the latest sign that serious tennis writing in the US is becoming endangered. Full Story: The Guardian
Tennis in 2026 is a reminder of what Williams, Federer, Nadal and Djokovic made the sport forget: For 20 years, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams lulled the tennis faithful into thinking that dominance on a historic level was normal. Those four combined for 89 Grand Slam singles titles. Djokovic may yet make it an even 90. That’s not normal. That’s ridiculous. Full Story: The Athletic
ESPN tennis “RedZone” will be inspired by NFL, but “unique in its own way”: The “RedZone at the US Open” whiparound show, which will run during the day sessions on the first six days of the tournament, is an entirely new addition to ESPN tennis coverage. Full Story: Sports Media Watch
How the new heat rule will change the US Open this year: When the wet bulb globe temperature hits 86.18 degrees during the first two sets of a best-of-five match, a 10-minute cooling break is allowed. This means that players can cool off in ways like hydrating, changing clothing, showering and receiving coaching. If the wet bulb globe temperature hits 90 degrees, then play is suspended. This change has the potential to change the sport pretty drastically, especially for the four majors each year. Men’s tennis plays first to win three sets out of five, so these cooling breaks and suspension of play can lead to major momentum swings. Full Story: The Weather Channel
Jessica Pegula Opens Up About Her Unconventional Path to Tennis Glory: Jessica Pegula struggled through her mid-20s, but nevertheless she persisted. And then, the wins came, gradually, then steadily. And for the past half-decade, Pegula, now 32, has been a reliable winner. She does nothing overwhelmingly, but does everything well. And with a mature outlook and unrelenting professionalism, she gives herself every opportunity to be successful. Full Story: Sports Illustrated
Markéta Vondroušová’s doping test refusal, case and four-year ban explained: What offense did Vondroušová commit? Why was the penalty so severe? And how have her fellow tennis players reacted to the news? Full Story: The Athletic
Adidas Releases Billie Jean King’s Tennis Shoes for US Open: Billie Jean King’s blue suede adidas tennis shoes are hitting shelves before the 2026 US Open. Full Story: Sports Illustrated
Dunkin’® Goes “All In” on Tennis with new Sips, Collectables, and Exclusive Merch: Dunkin’ is celebrating a marquee moment in tennis where sport, style and culture converge through flavors, exclusive experiences and can’t-miss collaborations, giving fans more ways to sip, snack and show up for match day and beyond. Full Story: Dunkin’ One of the drinks is “Matcha Point”…
Why Contemporary Painters are Obsessed with Tennis: Since modern tennis emerged in mid-19th-century England and spread abroad, artists have been drawn to its clean geometry, kinetic rhythms, and associations with leisure. Full Story: Artsy
Game. Set. Style! TOMS Serves Up Bold New Tennis Ball-Inspired Shoes: Bright, tactile and deliberately unconventional, the Tennis Alpargata brings a quirky sense of humor to the tennis-core trend, blending courtside heritage with street-style attitude in a shoe designed to be noticed. Full Story: PR Newswire
Chinese robots tackle tennis, smash track records at World Humanoid Robot Games: A robot developed by Beijing-based Galbot took part in what the company described as the world’s first human-robot tennis match. Full Story: South China Morning Post
This Week in Professional Tennis
| Date | Tournament | Tour/Level | Location |
| 8/30-9/13 | The US Open | Grand Slam | New York |
