This week’s tennis headlines include Hall of Fame news, leadership changes, legal fights, and a surprising operatic twist on a historic match.
Roger Federer Selected As Only Player to Enter Hall of Fame in 2026: The Swiss tennis icon was the only person who received enough votes to enter the player category of the Hall of Fame, which is located in Rhode Island, next year. Former player Mary Carillo received enough votes in the contributor category for her broadcasting work. The induction ceremony will take place next August. Full Story: Sports Illustrated
Mary Carillo elected to International Tennis Hall of Fame for 2026: The New York native is being elected in the Contributor Category for her lasting impact on tennis. After a three-year stint on the Hologic WTA Tour from 1977-80, Carillo embarked on a groundbreaking and trailblazing broadcasting career that opened countless doors for women, in tennis and beyond. Full Story: WTA
Butorac will replace Allaster as US Open tournament director: Former player Eric Butorac will replace Stacey Allaster as the US Open’s tournament director, the U.S. Tennis Association announced Monday. Butorac has been the USTA’s senior director of player relations and business development and was the tournament director for this year’s new mixed doubles event at the US Open. Full Story: ESPN
Players’ group nears deal with Tennis Australia in lawsuit over pay, schedule: A global players’ advocacy group co-founded by Novak Djokovic said on Wednesday it was close to settling with Tennis Australia in its case accusing some governing bodies of being a “cartel” that underpays and imposes an unsustainable schedule. Neither party game any details on what the potential deal entails. Full Story: Reuters
Will the Cincinnati Open final’s move back to Sunday start a tennis calendar climbdown? The Cincinnati Open will revert to a Sunday final from 2026, having played the 2025 finals on a Monday in its first year as a two-week ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 tournament. Full Story: The Athletic
Texas AG Paxton investigates US Tennis Association for possible violation of state gender law: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) Texas League for potentially violating a state law prohibiting biological males from participating in women’s sports. Full Story: Fox 7 Austin
Mets owner Steve Cohen’s NYC casino group makes nice with US Open after lawsuit: The Cohen-Hard Rock Metropolitan Park group vying for a coveted downstate casino license signed an agreement with Mayor Eric Adams’ administration that largely addressed concerns from the Tennis Association, whose lease bans or restricts other events in the area during the Open. Full Story: NY Post
Boris Becker: ‘Whoever says a prison life is easy is lying – it’s a real punishment’: Former Wimbledon champion on how taking accountability for his crimes allowed for rehabilitation, watching Novak Djokovic from his cell and the new era of brotherhood in the sport. Full Story: The Guardian
Tennis’s 1973 Battles of the Sexes makes blistering return in opera “Balls:” Composer Laura Karpman and librettist Gail Collins have created a 45-minute opera, which goes by the memorably punning title of Balls. The opera was given its premiere by Opera Parallèle in San Francisco last year and arrives in London in a new full-orchestra version courtesy of conductor Marin Alsop and the Philharmonia Orchestra. Full Story: The Financial Times
This Week in Professional Tennis
The only events on the professional calendars this week are a few scattered WTA 125s.
