Novak Djokovic makes yet another PR unforced error. A chat with Wimbledon’s boss, and the artistry of Wimbledon’s groundskeeping. Why the slice is so effective on grass and what’s up with all the young tennis stars skipping the Olympics?
Novak Djokovic was becoming the gentleman king of tennis. It didn’t last: Strange as it may have seemed, with Roger Federer retired and Nadal vanquished and injured beyond full repair, the sport’s cantankerous contrarian who had never met a situation he could not turn into a me-against-the-world dynamic, had suddenly become its gentleman king. It didn’t last. Full Story: The Athletic
Novak Djokovic’s Message to the Wimbledon Crowd Makes Waves: Novak Djokovic makes off-court unforced errors that complicate his image unnecessarily. Full Story: Sports Illustrated
Meet the Boss at Wimbledon—From Centre Court to the Strawberries: A chat with Debbie Jevans, the former player turned chair of the All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Full Story: WSJ
At Wimbledon, a master groundskeeper perfects tennis in ‘an English garden’: When most people think of Wimbledon, the immediate images that come to mind are of intense tennis matches, the iconic grass courts, and the well-dressed spectators enjoying Pimm’s and lemonade along with their strawberries and cream. However, beneath this world-famous tournament lies an often overlooked yet essential aspect: the meticulous care of Wimbledon’s grounds. Full Story: ABC News
Why the slice is the best tennis shot on Wimbledon grass – and how to hit it: When the grass season arrives in June, the backhand slice, which at times has the air of a relic from a lost world of tennis, becomes socially acceptable, and perhaps more importantly, nearly indispensable. Full Story: The Athletic
All England Lawn Tennis Club, Hawk-Eye agree to multiyear extension: The All England Lawn Tennis Club and Hawk-Eye Innovations have agreed to a multiyear extension. The partnership equips Wimbledon with Hawk-Eye’s ball-tracking technology for officiating, broadcast and performance analytics use cases. Hawk-Eye’s tech has been used at Wimbledon since 2007. Full Story: Sports Business Journal
Dress Codes: Why do tennis players wear white?: The reasons often cited are practical ones, from heat reflection to sweat-masking. But it really comes down to a long history of clubs enforcing social status, starting when lawn tennis skyrocketed in popularity in Victorian-era England as a leisure sport — and a rare one that allowed women, too. Full Story: CNN
Young tennis stars rolling the dice by passing up the allure of playing in the Paris Olympics: Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, and Sebastian Korda all elected to skip the Olympics to enter hard court tournaments in America. They’re not the only ones. Full Story: USA Today
Vic Seixas dies at 100: Vic Seixas, a Wimbledon winner and tennis Hall of Famer who was the oldest living Grand Slam champion, has died at the age of 100. Full Story: AP
Taylor Fritz’s girlfriend “clarifies” posts on Zverev match: In the first post, published during the match, Riddle wrote “cheer loud ladies” with a picture of Fritz on the court. In the second, Riddle posted a video of herself celebrating after the match and wrote “when ur man wins 4 the girls.” Both were interpreted by many on social media to be a reference to the allegations of domestic abuse against Zverev by two of his former partners. Riddle deleted both posts after they had gained traction Monday night. Full Story: ESPN
Fashion and tennis have long been successful partners. Can beauty join the game, too? : Fashion is no stranger to the value of the tennis court, but this year, beauty is increasingly making a play for the tenniscore crowd. Full Story: Glossy
This Week in Professional Tennis
| Date | Tournament | Tour/Level | Location |
| 7/15-21 | 35° Palermo Ladies Open | WTA 250 | Italy |
| 7/15-21 | Hungarian Grand Prix | WTA 250 | Hungary |
| 7/15-21 | Hamburg Open | ATP 500 | Germany |
| 7/15-21 | Infosys Hall of Fame Open | ATP 250 | USA |
| 7/15-21 | EFG Swiss Open Gstaad | ATP 250 | Switzerland |
| 7/15-21 | Nordea Open | ATP 250 | Sweden |
