Serena Williams continues to dominate the headlines, the WTA Finals moves to Indian Wells, testing for performance enhancing drugs, and a big lawsuit.
WTA Finals to be held in Indian Wells this year after early end to Saudi deal: The WTA Finals will be held in Indian Wells in California instead of Riyadh this year after the women’s tennis governing body requested that its prestigious season-ending championship be relocated before the end of its three-year hosting agreement with Saudi Arabia. Full Story: Reuters
They were world-class tennis rivals. Now friends, they’ve teamed up against cancer: Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova were the most successful women’s tennis champions of their generation. Both were 18-time Grand Slam tournament winners — and each other’s greatest rivals. The new Netflix documentary Chris & Martina: The Final Set tells the story of how Evert and Navratilova re-established their friendship and how they both faced cancer in retirement. Full Story: NPR
Inside Serena Williams’ return to tennis: Serena Williams, now a mother of two, returned to the court just over a week after making her announcement and competed at Wimbledon last week. However, her comeback is anything but rushed. Behind the scenes, Williams and her team have been working tirelessly for months to prepare for this moment. Full Story: ESPN
Serena Williams describes ‘grueling’ anti-doping rules in tennis ahead of Wimbledon comeback: Serena Williams doesn’t like the logistics of the sport’s anti-doping rules. Under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules, players have to submit to a test when the doping control officer requires them, even if it is outside their window. Full Story: The Athletic
Serena Williams and the coming reckoning with GLP-1s and performance enhancement: Serena Williams’ comeback comes just under one year after she announced she had been taking Zepbound, one of the new generation of drugs which are designed to treat diabetes, but can also help people lose weight: GLP-1s. Full Story: The Athletic
Two Decades of Candid Conversations With Novak Djoković: At every US Open since 2003, Nikola Olic has traced the world’s winningest tennis player — and the stories he made possible beyond the court. Full Story: D Magazine
Pro Tennis Rocked by Lawsuit Over Internal Power Struggle: With Wimbledon’s main draw starting Monday, a War of the Roses–type power struggle has erupted within the Professional Tennis Players Association, with one group of players and officials suing another group and other executives. The core allegations include that Winners Alliance, the principal funder of the PTPA since 2023, has milked the players’ group and failed in its economic promises. Full Story: Front Office Sports
Why Girls In Sports May Be More Likely To Lead, And How Coaches Help: While watching sports can evoke a sense of a shared purpose, playing sports can also spark some unexpected benefits. For girls in particular, there may be a link between playing sports and stepping into leadership later in life. Full Story: Forbes
ITA Partners with Zenniz to Bring All-In-One Smart Court Technology to College Tennis: Zenniz has been named “An Official All-in-One Smart Tennis Court System of the ITA”. The Zenniz system has been approved by the ITA as a review (challenge) electronic line calling system and can be deployed for indoor use, for singles and doubles play, and for unofficiated, roved, or chaired matches. Full Story: ITA
Princess Kate greets fans at Wimbledon and sits next to Andy Murray to watch the tennis: Kate, the Princess of Wales, met tennis fans lining up in Wimbledon’s famous Queue and sat beside Andy Murray in a day of rooting on British players at the grass-court Grand Slam. The princess, who early last year announced her cancer was in remission, is the patron of the All England Club. Full Story: AP
Trout sushi for breakfast? The surprising diets of Wimbledon stars: Trout sushi washed down with coffee kombucha may not be the stereotypical breakfast of champions, but it’s become the go-to for some of Wimbledon’s tennis stars. Athletes are increasingly demanding sustainable options, as well as seeking out gut-friendly foods aligned with a microbiome diet, according to the tournament’s chefs. Full Story: The Guardian
This Week in Professional Tennis
| Date | Tournament | Tour/Level | Location |
| 6/29-7/12 | The Championships, Wimbledon | Grand Slam | London |
