The rise of Aryna Sabalenka and Ben Shelton. Drop shots are having a moment. Eugenie Bouchard announces that she is joining the Professional Pickleball tour.
A Tennis Reporter on Familiar Grounds: Matthew Futterman, a Sports journalist, reflects on his many years attending and covering the Grand Slam tournament in Flushing, Queens. Full Story: The New York Times
Aryna Sabalenka, the World’s New Number One, on Tennis, Tequila, and ‘Not Letting Your Feelings Destroy You’: Aryna Sabalenka, 25, has already had a dream come true at this year’s US Open: When first-seeded Iga Swiatek lost to Jelena Ostapenko on Sunday, Sabalenka, of Belarus, became the new number one player in the world. Full Story: Vogue
The Tennis Education of Ben Shelton: Seemingly out of nowhere, in less than a year on the ATP Tour, the young Floridian has risen from tennis’ minor leagues to a career-high ranking in May of No. 35. (He entered the Open ranked No. 47.) Full Story: The New York Times
To Win Big, Top Tennis Pros Turn to Marshmallows: Top-ranked players on the men’s and women’s tours have increasingly dared to use the drop shot on crucial points. Full Story: New York Times
US Open tennis balls serving up controversy, and perhaps, players’ injuries: A tennis ball seems simple enough. It’s a pressurized piece of rubber covered with neon yellow felt. How different could one be from another? The answer — especially at the top level of tennis — is quite a bit. The brand of the ball, the weave of the felt, the way they bounce, and how they react after getting hit a bunch of times are all variables that have an impact on how matches are played. Full Story: USA Today
Wozniacki, Svitolina Highlight Growing Tennis Trend: Big Comebacks After Having Children: Caroline Wozniacki and Elina Svitolina were back playing again at the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, New York City. That’s after each had taken time off from the pro tour, during which each had given birth. Full Story: Forbes
How being a mom changes the game for elite tennis players: No matter what level of income a player earns, the training required to compete and win at the elite level in tennis is intense. Adding motherhood to the mix, according to ESPN commentator and former player Rennae Stubbs, can add new challenges and perspective to the process. Full Story: CNN
The man who built the biggest match-fixing ring in tennis: As gambling on tennis exploded into a $50 billion industry, one man infiltrated the sport, paying pros more to lose matches, or parts of matches, than they could make by winning tournaments. Full Story: The Washington Post
Ecological impact of tennis balls is out of bounds; environmentalists say: Because tennis balls are extremely hard to recycle and the industry has yet to develop a ball to make that easier, nearly all of the 330 million balls made worldwide each year eventually get chucked in the garbage, with most ending up in landfills, where they can take more than 400 years to decompose. Full Story: CBS
Ex-Wimbledon finalist Bouchard latest tennis pro to switch to pickleball: Eugenie Bouchard, the former world No. 5 and 2014 Wimbledon finalist, has joined the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour for the 2024 season. The PPA announced the move on Thursday with a social media post, calling it “one of the biggest signings of the year.” Full Story: ESPN
The Season’s Hottest Accessory: The Honey Deuce Cup: Tennis fans stack, stash, and take home the collectible cup after downing the U.S. Open’s signature cocktail. Full Story: The New York Times
This Week in Professional Tennis
| Date | Tournament | Tour/Level | Location |
| 9/12-17 | Davis Cup Finals Group Stage | ITF | (Various) |
| 9/11-16 | Cymbiotika San Diego Open | WTA 500 | San Diego |
| 9/11-17 | Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships | WTA 250 | Japan |
| Zavarovalnica Sava Ljubljana | WTA 125 | Slovenia | |
| 9/11-17 | Tiriac Foundation Trophy | WTA 125 | Romania |
