The USTA has a “Try Tennis Free” pilot underway in three markets. The Naomi Osaka “Butterfly” photo wins a prestigious award, and a mob of pickleball players stage an obnoxious takeover at a San Diego tennis club.
Novak Djokovic US Open Vaccine Saga
Djokovic’s wife is in a spat with the twitter account for Racquet magazine. I don’t care which side of the vaccine debate anyone is on, but I am tired of Djokovic interviews and social media where he says that he would do “anything” to be allowed into the US to play. Obviously that isn’t the case because there is something that pretty much everybody else has done. Full Story: The Daily Express
McKinney’s Liv Hovde Turns Pro
4-ranked junior girls tennis player in the world and No. 1-ranked junior American. Wimbledon Junior champion Liv Hovde has turned pro and will make her debut at the US Open. Full Story: Dallas Morning News
Billie Jean King Joins PHIT America to Help Improve Kids’ Health
Billie Jean King has joined PHIT America to help kids all over the nation improve their physical and mental health by implementing new school physical activity programs using the Billie Jean King Eye Coach Brain Training system. Full Story: Racquet Sports Industry
USTA Working with Retailers, Providers for ‘Try Tennis Free’ Pilots
The USTA, working with local retailers and tennis providers, is running free lesson pilot programs in three markets: Denver, Atlanta and Chicago. For the “Try Tennis Free” pilots, consumers purchase a racquet then get rewarded with a QR code or gift card for a free lesson at a local club or facility. (Yes, USTA, yes!) Full Story: Racquet Sports Industry
Naomi Osaka Butterfly Photo Wins Award
An image of a butterfly resting on tennis player Naomi Osaka’s fingertips, by David Gray, has been named overall winner of the World Sports Photography Awards. Full Story: BBC
Is Pickleball’s Rise a Threat to Tennis?
Jon Wertheim’s looks at the sporting craze sweeping the nation. Full Story: Sports Illustrated
Pickleball players stage takeover of Peninsula Tennis Club to make a point
There’s a battle brewing in San Diego as a mob of pickleball players staged a takeover of a local tennis club to make a point. I am pretty sure that these a**holes don’t represent the majority of the pickleball community. The video is worth watching to show how high tensions have become in some areas. Full Story: KUSI
Rebel Wilson Bringing Tennis Passion to the Big Screen with “Double Fault” Comedy
The project is the latest production centered around the sport, following “King Richard” and expected 2023 release of the Zendaya-led “Challengers” rom-com. Full Story: tennis.com
The 2022 U.S. Open Chess and Tennis Championship – An Emerging Tradition
Every year some of the top US Chess players play a tennis tournament. The highest rated chess player to ever participate joined the group was seven-time U.S. Open Champion and four-time U.S. Champion GM Alexander Shabalov. Full Story: US Chess
This Week in Professional Tennis
| Date | Tournament | Tour/Level | Location |
| 8/8-14 | National Bank Open presented by Rogers (WTA) National Bank Open Presented by Rogers (ATP) | WTA 1000 ATP 1000 | Toronto, Canada Montreal, Canada |
| 8/8-14 | Thoreau Tennis Open 125 | WTA 125 | Concord, Maryland |
Hi,
For what it’s worth, the Thoreau Open is in Massachusetts, not Maryland. Thanks.