Saudi Arabia’s bid for a top-level tournament faces uncertainty. Djokovic’s surprise coaching split. Is Danielle Collins really going to retire? Roger Federer set to deliver Dartmouth commencement speech where he will receive an honorary doctorate.
The latest Saudi tennis bid stalls: The men’s professional tennis tour has opened a bidding process for an additional top-level tournament, creating a competition for the hosting rights for an event that, earlier this month, appeared all but certain to land in Saudi Arabia .This latest twist that illustrates the deepening turmoil and uncertainty among officials at the highest level of the game. Full Story: The Athletic
Djokovic’s surprising coaching split from Ivanisevic: In a saccharine Instagram post published on Wednesday, Djokovic, whose Slam haul now totals 24, announced that he and Ivanisevic “decided to stop working together” a few days earlier. The unexpected move will have a salutary effect on Ivanisevic’s sleep cycle. Full Story: Tennis
Danielle Collins is on fire. She’s quitting tennis at the end of the year anyway: Danielle Collins has other goals, other things she wants to accomplish, other ways she wants to spend her time besides traveling the world, living out of hotel rooms, obsessing over the trajectory of a fuzzy yellow ball and whether her rheumatoid arthritis will allow her even to take the court the next day. She wants to start a family, sooner rather than later. Full Story: The Athletic
Top coach criticizes USTA for ‘wasting millions’ and cutting player development program: Last week, Jose Higueras, the former pro who helped lead the player development program for the United States Tennis Association (USTA), which is responsible for the current generation of top professionals, sent a blistering letter to leaders of the American tennis community and the USTA, criticizing the wide-ranging budget cuts that he said threaten to undo the progress of the past dozen years. Full Story: The Athletic
USPTA Announces Provisional Accreditation by USTA: The latest on on-again, off-again relationship between the USTA and the USPTA. Full Story: Racquet Sports Industry
Six Exercises to Optimize Your Tennis Game: If you want to be at the top of your game without risking injury, you should train to play. Jessica Pegula demonstrates tennis training techniques. Full Story: The Wall Street Journal
Federer to Give Dartmouth Commencement Speech: Roger Federer will address the Dartmouth Class of 2024 and receive an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. Full Story: Dartmouth
Puppies steal the show at Miami Open: From visiting a children’s hospital to playing with puppies up for adoption, tennis stars were eager to give back. Full Story: Tennis
Alison Riske-Amritraj announces she’s expecting a baby girl this summer: Another WTA baby is on the way! Former Top 20 player Alison Riske-Amritraj will be welcoming a baby girl with her husband, former ATP pro Stephen Amritraj, later this summer. Full Story: Tennis
Catching up with Redfoo: Best known as one-half of the musical group LMFAO, Redfoo has long been a familiar face at tennis tournaments too. From being the title sponsor of the ITF $50K Party Rock Open back in 2012 and 2013, to coaching the World Team Tennis’ Las Vegas Rollers, and once dating Victoria Azarenka, the musician’s tennis connections run deep. Now, he’s hoping to bring new energy to the game through Timeball, his new time-based tennis game which blends competition and socializing that’s been catching on like wildfire. Full Story: Tennis
Carling Bassett-Seguso has traded tennis for pickleball: Carling Bassett’s career had great promise. She reached No. 8 in the world in 1987. A year later, she retired. Battling demons and drugs, she’s happy now, in Delray Beach and playing pickleball. Full Story: Palm Beach Post
This Week in Professional Tennis
| Date | Tournament | Tour/Level | Location |
| 4/1-7 | Credit One Charleston Open | WTA 500 | Charleston |
| 4/1-7 | Copa Colsanitas Zurich | WTA 250 | Columbia |
| 4/1-7 | Open Internacional Femení Solgironès | WTA 125 | Spain |
| 4/1-7 | Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship | ATP 250 | Houston |
| 4/1-7 | Grand Prix Hassan II | ATP 250 | Morocco |
| 4/1-7 | Millennium Estoril Open | ATP 250 | Portugal |
