Shocking developments at the top of the WTA Rankings list and more news tennis related news that you probably missed last week. This week’s summary includes bonus footage from the 90 and over women’s doubles National Clay Court Championships.
Ashleigh Barty Retires from Tennis (Again)
The three-time Grand Slam champion said in a social media post, “the time is right now for me to step away and chase other dreams and to put the rackets down.” Full Story: The New York Times
Swiatek to take over Barty’s world No. 1 spot after Miami
Iga Swiatek will replace Ash Barty as the number one women’s player in the world today after her victory in the second round of the Miami Open last Friday. Full Story: WTVB
Should the Tennis Tour Ban Russians from Competing?
For now, the Russians can participate in tournaments as “neutral” players, but they may not be able to stay neutral much longer. Full Story: The New Yorker
Women’s pro tennis tournament to launch in Austin in 2023
The ATX Open will feature the top female players in the nation and around the world and will launch on Feb. 26 in 2023. It is a WTA 250 tournament. (Initial publicity photos had misleading WTA 1000 signage.) Full Story: Austin American-Statesman
Tennis Participation Bounced Even Higher In 2021, Up 27.9% Since 2019
Over 22.6 million people played tennis last year, a 4.5% increase from 2020. The Tennis Industry Association also revealed another positive swing in racket sales with 22.7% more rackets being sold for a 46.2% increase in sales dollars in 2021 compared to the year before. Full Story: Forbes
Boris Becker begins trial for failing to hand over Grand Slam trophies
Tennis legend Boris Becker’s trial began on Monday to determine whether the six-time Grand Slam singles champion will be found guilty of failing to settle debts by concealing his trophies and property. Becker is on an indictment of over 20 counts. He was declared bankrupt in 2017 and is accused of not complying with mandatory asset disclosure protocols. Full Story: The New York Post
National Senior Women’s Clay Court Championships
In case you are wondering what 90 and over Women’s tennis looks like, here is a point from the finals of the Level 1 Clay Court National Championships last week.
For anyone who is interested in my tournament experience at Houston last week, I made a TikTok. The lady in pink at the end is Burnette Herrick.
This Week in Professional Tennis
| Date | Tournament | Tour/Level | Location (GMT) |
| 3/22-4/3 | Miami Open presented by Itaú | WTA 1000 | Miami (GMT – 4) |
| 3/28-4/3 | AnyTech365 Andalucia Open | WTA 125 | Marbella, Spain (GMT + 1) |
