Scandals, suspensions, and surprises. Last week’s top stories you might have missed from the world of tennis.
The ‘relationship of dependence’ between a barred coach and a Wimbledon champion: A detailed breakdown of what led to the suspension of Stefano Vukov, Elena Rybakina’s longtime coach. Vukov was suspended for “Engaging in abuse of authority and abusive conduct towards the WTA Player, including compromising or attempting to compromise the psychological, physical or emotional well-being of the Player; engaging in physical and verbal abuse of the Player; and, exploiting your relationship with the Player for further personal and/or business interests at the expense of the best interest of the Player.” Full Story: The Athletic
Elena Rybakina: “No support” from WTA players after Stefano Vukov ban: Unhappy with the tour’s handling and implication of its Safeguarding Code, Rybakina has further felt isolated from her fellow players, several of whom spoke about the situation during the Dubai tournament’s Media Day. Full Story: Tennis
Novak Djokovic suggests favoritism toward Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek in tennis doping bans: Novak Djokovic says the majority of tennis players to whom he recently spoke believe Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek were shown favoritism through the penalties they received after testing positive for banned substances. Full Story: UPI
Inside the doping deal for Jannik Sinner: The controversial agreement between the Jannik Sinner’s legal team and the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) officials has prompted accusations of favoritism and led to some players questioning their faith in clean sport. But what really happened behind the scenes? And what impact might this case have on anti-doping? Full Story: BBC
Emma Raducanu speaks out after spectator is ejected at Dubai tennis tournament: British tennis star Emma Raducanu was visibly upset as tournament officials in Dubai ejected a spectator showing “fixated behavior” toward her during Tuesday’s second-round match against Karolina Muchova. Play was delayed until security personnel were able to locate the man and escort him away. Full Story: USA Today
Tennis participation grows to more than 25M players in the US even as pickleball’s popularity surges: Tennis participation in the United States rose to 25.7 million players in 2024, the sport’s fifth consecutive year of growth, the U.S. Tennis Association said Wednesday, citing an analysis of numbers drawn from two studies not yet fully released. Full Story: ABC
Mirra Andreeva reveals that a sports psychologist helped her channel anger: Mirra Andreeva’s mental improvements have been on display throughout the week at the WTA 1000 event, from winning two matches in one day on Wednesday to winning the final five games of her quarterfinal against Swiatek. She credits some of the improvements to a sports psychologist. Full Story: Tennis
Breathe Easy: Draper’s small change yields big results: Jack Draper details why and how he worked with a breathing coach during the offseason to aid his on-court performance. Full Story: ATP
Former USTA President Hainline Joins Tennis Social AI as Chief Innovation & Health Officer: Tennis Social AI has announced that Brian Hainline, MD, is its Chief Innovation and Health Officer, marking a transformative step in its mission to redefine tennis and racquet sports. Hainline was formerly the President of the USTA and the first Chief Medical Officer of the NCAA. Full Story: Racquet Sports Industry
Iga Swiatek book recommendations: Reading became the hot topic of her press conference in Dubai when Iga Swiatek revealed her preference for picking up lighter books between matches. Full Story: Tennis
A Gripping Tennis Noir That Feels Like ‘Challengers’: A review of a new tennis movie “Islands” that was premiered at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution. Full Story: Indie Wire
This Week in Professional Tennis
| Date | Tournament | Tour/Level | Location |
| 2/24-3/1 | Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships | ATP 500 | United Arab Emirates |
| 2/24-3/1 | Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC | ATP 500 | Mexico |
| 2/24-3/2 | Movistar Chile Open | ATP 250 | Chile |
| 2/24-3/2 | Mérida Open Akron | WTA 500 | Mexico |
| 2/24-3/2 | ATX Open | WTA 250 | United States |
