This off-season finds tennis at the crossroads of controversy. The doping cases involving Iga Świątek and Jannik Sinner lead many to question the double standard in the sport.
Iga Świątek Case and the Tennis Anti-Doping Problem: The Polish star’s 30-day suspension and the discourse around it underscore tennis’s mounting credibility issue. Full Story: Sports Illustrated
Are there ‘different approaches’ to tennis doping cases? After Grand Slam winners Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner tested positive for banned substances yet only received short suspensions. Their cases have led to questions over the way anti-doping cases are handled and whether players are treated differently. Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep and British doubles player Tara Moore have, in recent years, spent significant time out of action waiting for doping cases to be heard. Full Story: BBC
Sinner and Swiatek doping cases take sheen off stellar years: Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek enjoyed a trophy-laden 2024, but rather than ending the year basking in glory, they were instead fighting for their reputations after receiving only minor reprimands for failing dope tests. The two cases shocked the tennis world with many fuming at how they were handled by the authorities. Full Story: Reuters
Two women lived with the secret of an assault by the same tennis coach: The stories they have lived with for decades are all too common in sports, especially individual ones like tennis. Young players spend long hours training and traveling with older, mostly male coaches. Too many of those coaches use their power to try to take advantage of those players sexually, sometimes resulting in incidents and relationships that range from inappropriate to criminal. Full Story: The Athletic
Australian tennis icon Neale Fraser dies at 91: Neale Fraser was the last man to win singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles at a single grand slam. He also guided Australia to four Davis Cup titles during his 24-year tenure as team captain. Full Story: ESPN
Tennis pro (and YouTuber) Karue Sell questions Challenger ranking points: Under recent ATP changes, points for winning tournaments remained unchanged across both the main tour and Challenger Tour, but points awarded to finalists and qualifiers decreased on the Challenger Tour. Some are questioning if that is fair. Full Story: The Athletic
Nine of the Top 15 highest-paid female athletes in 2024 were women’s tennis players: Coco Gauff topped the list with an estimated $30.4 million in earnings—becoming only the third woman to cross the $30 million a year mark, after Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams. Full Story: Tennis
Mouratoglou launching tennis academy in Florida: The Mouratoglou Academy Zephyrhills joins other similar academies in France, Atlanta, and Malaysia, though this will be the first with a full tennis and boarding program on U.S. soil. Full Story: Tampa Bay Times
Caroline Garcia Enrolls at Harvard Business School: French professional tennis player Caroline Garcia has used her offseason to enroll in Harvard Business School’s semester-long Crossover Into Business program. The Crossover Into Business program helps professional athletes “develop their business acumen by working with MBA student mentors.” Full Story: The Crimson
Tennis stands out as the healthiest sport: This editorial from USTA President Brian Hainline ran in a small-town Texas newspaper. Full Story: The Boerne Star
Serving up some ‘Spec-tacular’ tennis: An innovative format trying to bridge pickleball and conventional tennis. It is essentially The Venice Beach version of paddle tennis played on pickleball courts. Full Story: The Washington Examiner
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 |
