Is the USTA trying to silence Pam Shriver? Compelling insights into the world of tennis.
USTA accused of downplaying sexual abuse and trying to silence Pam Shriver: The United States Tennis Association is defending itself against allegations that one of its top lawyers has repeatedly tried to cover up sexual abuse, including warning the 22-time Grand Slam champion and abuse survivor Pam Shriver to show caution when she discussed the issue. Full Story: The Athletic
Australian summer of tennis calendar set for 2024: Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart, and Canberra will all host major events as players prepare for the 112th edition of the Australian Open. Sydney and Perth will host a new-look United Cup, from 29 December to 7 January 2024. Full Story: Australian Open
Australian Open will Start on Sunday in 2024: In a historic first, Australian Open 2024 will start on Sunday – becoming a 15-day event for the first time, organizers announced today. The tournament claims that the move to a Sunday start is designed to help alleviate the pressure on late-night finishes for both the players and the fans. Full Story: Tennis Australia Editorial Note: I’m sure an extra day of ticket sales was also a factor.
ITF Cancun Conference Shows Tennis is Thriving: This was the scene for the gathering of 147 nations at the ITF’s Conference and Annual General Meeting, hosted by the Mexican Tennis Federation. The meeting had the second-highest national turnout in history, demonstrating the strength of the global guardianship of the game. Full Story: ITF
Tennis’s Gambling Policy Needs to Be Addressed: Athletes across the sport are speaking out about the influx of online abuse hurled by gamblers. Full Story: Sports Illustrated
Li Na’s legacy beyond the white lines of the tennis court: Years after her last match, Li Na remains a symbol of transformation, challenging the fabric of a nation notorious for its rigid regulations and commitment to convention. Full Story: WTA Editorial Note: I reviewed her autobiography, Li Na: My Life, last Thursday.
Tennis Players are Complaining About the Balls: The great ball debate is heating up once again. American Taylor Fritz has joined a chorus of complaints about the state of the tennis balls used on the ATP Tour, or, more specifically, the wide variety of them. Full Story: Tennis
Tennis player defaulted after hitting chair umpire with ball: Australian tennis player Marc Polmans was defaulted from the final round of qualifying at the Shanghai Masters after hitting the ball into the face of the chair umpire. Full Story: ESPN Video: Posted by the Tennis Channel on X.
Mathew Futterman Resurfaces at the Athletic: Matthew Futterman, the is an award-winning veteran sports journalist and the author of two books, recently left The New York Times. This week he posted an article on The Athletic, signifying that he is now with that media company. Full Story: The Athletic. Editorial Note: This is really good news. Futterman is a great tennis journalist.
Thorlo Embracing Tennis-Specific Performance Socks In Fresh Way: From Martina Navratilova to J.J. Wolf, Thorlo has had quite the following in tennis. The first brand to create socks specific to the sport now has three distinct lines of tennis-specific socks, a new partnership with Wolf, and plans to continue pushing forward in the sport. Full Story: Forbes
ITF Announces New eSport Initiative: The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has announced the World Tennis eChampionship in partnership with Wildlife Studion, the developers of the mobile game Tennis Clash. Tennis Clash is the world’s leading mobile tennis game in the world. The World Tennis eChamipionship will begin as an online-only event, with the first in-game-themed tournament on Thursday 5 October. 20% of the revenue from this venture will be shared with the ITF to support young tennis players. Full Story: ITF
This Week in Professional Tennis
| Date | Tournament | Tour/Level | Location |
| 10/4-15 | Rolex Shanghai Masters | ATP 1000 | China |
| 10/9-15 | Zhengzhou Open | WTA 500 | China |
| 10/9-15 | Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open 2023 | WTA 250 | Hong Kong |
| 10/9-15 | Hana Bank Korea Open | WTA 250 | Korea |
| 10/9-15 | Open Capfinances Rouen Métropole | WTA 125 | France |
I was trying to figure out what the ITF Cancun Conference had to do with shoes, when I realized the headline should probably be “ITF Cancun Conference Shows Tennis is Thriving” not “ITF Cancun Conference Shoes Tennis is Thriving”. Looks like spellcheck struck again.
I think this one was a straight typo. It’s corrected.