Controversy swirls over Iga Swiatek’s doping ban. Novak Djokovic enlists Andy Murray as his coach, at least through the Australian Open. Paul Annacone’s critique of U.S. player development. The news stories you probably missed last week.
Iga Swiatek gets one-month suspension after failing doping test: Iga Swiatek has accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine, a heart medication known as TMZ. Swiatek failed an out-of-competition drug test in August, and the ITIA accepted her explanation that the result was unintentional and was caused by the contamination of a nonprescription medication, melatonin, that Swiatek was taking for issues with jet lag and sleeping. Full Story: CBS
Why Iga Swiatek’s doping case being kept secret is bad for tennis: If you feel that you have been misled the past few months, then join the club. “Personal matter” doesn’t begin to describe a positive doping test and the process that ensued, and in the the long run, that less-than-transparent explanation for her absence may end up harming Iga Swiatek more than the positive test for unintentionally taking a performance-enhancing substance that likely had no effect on her performance. Full Story: The Athletic
Simona Halep questions handling of her doping case after Iga Swiatek ban: Simona Halep questioned the “big difference” in how doping cases are treated after world No. 2 Iga Swiatek was handed a one-month ban while the Romanian was out of action for over 18 months following two separate anti-doping violations. Full Story: ESPN
Novak Djokovic hires former rival Andy Murray as new coach: Novak Djokovic announced that he has hired longtime rival Andy Murray to be his new coach ahead of the 2025 season. The two shared the news in a statement and video on social media Saturday, explaining Murray, who retired from his competitive career after the Olympics in July, would work with Djokovic during the offseason and at least through the Australian Open. Full Story: ESPN
Paul Annacone On Why American Tennis Players “Struggle”: Paul Annacone used a comparison between America and Italy that credits Italy for its “amazing” ability to produce great players thanks to its development system. He blames a lack of transition-level events for the stunted development of American players. Annacone says, “I think Italy’s done a great job because they have so many transition-level events in their country.” Full Story: Sports Illustrated
U.S. women win Margaret Court Cup at 2024 ITF Masters World Team Championships: The women representing the United States at the 45+ ITF Masters Tour World Team Championships won the Margaret Court Cup at the Ariake Tennis Park in Tokyo, Japan. The win marked the first cup for an under-50 American team in 10 years. The American team included Hiromi Sasano, Francesca La O, Julia Dimitrov, and captain Julie Thu. Full Story: USTA
The number of tennis players worldwide goes past 100 million: The number of people who play tennis has surpassed 100 million worldwide, according to the International Tennis Federation. A global report released by the federation on Thursday said that nearly 106 million people around the world played at least one game of tennis in the last year, an increase of 25% compared to 2019. Full Story: AP
Superstar Coaches Are Here to Stay: Andy Murray recently joined Novak Djokovic’s team, continuing the movement of high-profile player-coach collaborations. Full Story: Sports Illustrated
Fratangelo & Keys tie the knot: In a celebration of love and tennis, Bjorn Fratangelo and Madison Keys have married. The couple started dating in 2017 and announced their engagement in March 2023. Their wedding was held in Charleston. Full Story: ATP
Guide to the Best Tennis Hotels in the World: An entire global travel economy has emerged around 2.1 ounces of yellow fuzz. And with the 2024 US Open drawing the strongest visitor numbers in its history, interest in the sport is at an all-time high. Hotels around the world are investing in their tennis offerings, varying from annual tournaments to exclusive fashion collections to high-end wellness amenities—and the rising global fascination with tennis is undeniable. Full Story: Vogue
This Week in Professional Tennis
| Date | Tournament | Tour/Level | Location |
| 12/2-8 | Open In Arte Angers Loire | WTA 125 | France |
| 12/2-8 | MundoTenis Open | WTA 125 | Brazil |
